Ethiopia Imports Cooking Oil After Currency Float
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia has imported 14 million litres of cooking oil to ensure sufficient supplies of the basic commodity, its trade minister said, after the country's central bank floated the national currency last week to help secure international support. The Ethiopian birr slipped against the dollar last week after the National Bank of Ethiopia adopted a market-determined foreign exchange rate to secure a new International Monetary Fund (IMF) lending programme and to make progress on a long-delayed debt restructuring. It clinched an IMF deal worth $3.4 billion and funding from other creditors including the World Bank shortly after. Traders in the capital Addis Ababa said the price of cooking oil had gone up by around 25% following the central bank's move. The ministry closed more than 2,000 stores for "unjustified price hikes and hoarding" after the new exchange rate policy was put in place, it said on Saturday.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 15:52 UTC
U.S. military to hand over last base to Niger authorities
The US will hand over its last military base in Niger Monday, ahead of the September 15 deadline for US forces to leave the country under an agreement with Nigerien authorities. Airbase 201 in the city of Agadez is one of two hubs the U.S. has used for counterterrorism operations in Niger. Last month, US troops withdrew from Airbase 101, a small drone base in Niger’s capital, Niamey. “Anything extractive is going to be outside of a major city, you’re lacking security at this point," she said. She said humanitarian workers are now required to have military escorts when working outside of major cities, which can lead to them being targeted by armed groups in conflict with the military.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 13:40 UTC
Dogs, IDF trackers, and police participate in search for missing girl Haymanot Kasau
Israel’s Dog Unit (IDU) assisted the IDF and Israel Police in a search on Monday for the missing 10-year-old girl Haymanot Kasau, who was last seen in February. Kasau, who immigrated with her family from Ethiopia to Israel and lived in the absorption center in Safed, was last seen on security footage that showed her at the entrance of the absorption center, wearing a pink sweatshirt, a black skirt, and white sneakers. “We are not giving up – we are bringing Haymanot Kasau home,” said the unit on Facebook. Soldiers in the IDF's Oketz unit hugging a dog during a break, photo taken by Topaz Luk from the IDF spokesperson's unit (credit: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES)“The mission is not yet complete, we are continuing to dedicate ourselves to it.”Joining the searchThe 500-meter radius around the area of Kasau’s disappearance was searched, said the IDU, who added that representatives from The Jewish Agency for Israel and volunteers from many other organizations also participated in the search. The unit is a civilian group that assists with locating missing persons and provides security dogs, rescue dogs, and rehabilitation dogs.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 13:27 UTC
Mogadishu residents march to condemn the August 2 beach attack
Hundreds of protesters marched across Mogadishu’s Lido beach on Monday to condemn the August 2 attack. “What had happened here was mass killing and it is a national disaster and someone needs to be accountable for it. I advise all Somali youth to be alert to what is going on in Mogadishu. At least 37 civilians were killed and 212 were injured in an explosion at a popular beach restaurant Lido beach on Friday. There was no immediate claim of responsibility by the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, which has claimed similar attacks in the past, including the car bomb attack in 2022.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 12:53 UTC
Uganda's blind assistant app: a step forward in education
However, a team of developers from Uganda has created the Blind Assistant app, which can read documents aloud to help address this issue. Susan Nakajje, one of the co-founders of the Blind Assistant app, shared that they initially teach users how to use smartphones. However, the Blind Assistant app has addressed these issues, allowing us to read independently and at our own pace." The Blind Assistant app, created by Suzie Water Harvesting Co., is just one of many accessibility apps utilizing the camera, mobility, and connectivity of smartphones. The Blind Assistant app allows students to independently read text in real-time, eliminating the need for assistance from peers or teachers.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 11:46 UTC
Lagos Protests: Citizens React to Tinubu's call for calm
On Sunday, demonstrators in Lagos expressed their thoughts on an early request made by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt the weeks-long protests in the country against economic challenges. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stated, “As the president of this country, I must ensure public order. Another protester, Ayisat Omolara, expressed her disappointment with the president's speech this morning, stating that he failed to acknowledge their dialogue and demands, and instead told irrelevant stories. Tinubu's supporters claim that the protests are driven by political motives. His election last year faced opposition challenges, as he secured only 37% of the vote, the narrowest victory margin for any Nigerian president in history.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 11:31 UTC
Royal Air Maroc to launch Casablanca-Toronto route in December
Toronto will soon get a new link to Morocco this winter as Royal Air Maroc (RAM) expands its transatlantic network with non-stop service to Casablanca. RAM’s Toronto Pearson-Casablanca flights will start December 8, with service operating on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. RAM’s North American network currently serves Montreal, as well as a selection of U.S. airports – these being Miami, Washington-Dulles and Newark. Royal Air Maroc will be the third carrier to offer flights between Africa and Toronto-Pearson, adding to flights offered by Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa and Egyptair from Cairo. The new Toronto service also offers connections to destinations such as Madrid, Barcelona, Tunis, Milan-Malpensa and Cairo.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 10:22 UTC
The Foundry Theater at Antioch College launches diverse new season of entertainment
First up, local talents Kid Bigfoot, Gran Gran and Tronee Threat will support the intense and experimental seven-piece, TEKE::TEKE. Gran Gran has that new-grass exploratory Rust Belt ballad thing going on and Tronee Threat is a deeply-personal hip-hop artist. Multi-Grammy award-winning dobro player Jerry Douglas will bring the Jerry Douglas Band to the Foundry Oct. 11. Westhoff says that the Foundry’s first season was a successful proof of concept for the community to get behind the theater going into season two. I’m interested in what people do with traditional music forms that simultaneously honor them and move them forward.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 10:00 UTC
Textile manufacturers struggle as illegal "bonda" clothing floods market
Ethiopia’s textile manufacturers are facing a growing crisis as they struggle to compete with the widespread distribution of “bonda” clothing—second-hand garments that are flooding the market at low prices. The Ethiopian Textile and Garment Manufacturers Association has raised alarms about the impact of these illegal imports, which are significantly undermining the competitiveness of local producers. The influx of bonda clothing has made it increasingly difficult for Ethiopian textile manufacturers to sell their products. Ageazi G/selassie, the general secretary of the Ethiopian Textile and Garment Manufacturers Association, emphasized the severity of the issue. The study found that bonda clothing accounted for 53% of the country’s textile market, with its low price driving high demand.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 09:46 UTC
90 Ethiopian migrants are rescued from a property in South Africa, police say
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African police said they rescued 90 Ethiopian migrants who were being held against their will at a property in Johannesburg. Police carried out a search at the property on Sunday for a person reported to have been kidnapped and discovered the migrants, they said. The Ethiopian migrants are believed to have been illegally trafficked. Authorities, including Interpol, have raised concerns over the trafficking of Ethiopian migrants through several southern African countries in an attempt to ultimately reach South Africa. In 2022, the bodies of 30 Ethiopian migrants were found in a mass grave in Malawi.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 09:46 UTC
Ethiopian Airlines partners with Satarem to produce SAF
In a significant move towards a more sustainable future, Ethiopian Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Satarem America Inc., a leading provider of sustainable energy solutions. Under the agreement, Satarem will be responsible for producing SAF in Ethiopia, while Ethiopian Airlines has committed to acquiring the SAF from Satarem. This collaborative effort marks a major milestone in Ethiopian Airlines’ journey towards reducing its carbon footprint and contributing to global efforts to combat climate change. As one of Africa’s largest and most experienced airlines, Ethiopian Airlines has long been at the forefront of sustainability initiatives. The partnership with Satarem will further bolster these efforts, solidifying Ethiopian Airlines’ position as a pioneer in adopting eco-friendly aviation solutions.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 09:44 UTC
Air Serbia carried a record number of passengers in July
Scheduled operations of Air Serbia have grown 7% compared to July last year. Air Serbia carried 548,009 passengers in July 2024, with a 7.2 per cent increase in scheduled operations year over year. The Serbian national airline operated a total of 5,203 flights from the airports in Belgrade, Niš, and Kraljevo, up 6.8 per cent compared to July 2023, in scheduled flights. “Considering that by June last year we had expanded our network with more than 20 new destinations, July 2023 was a record month so far in terms of the number of passengers carried and flights operated. In the first seven months of 2024, we carried 2,427,811 passengers on scheduled and charter flights, which is a 9.26 per cent increase year over year,” said Boško Rupić, General Manager Commercial and Strategy at Air Serbia.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 08:13 UTC
Olympic triathlon mixed relay gets underway with swims in the Seine amid water quality concerns
The Algerian athlete spoke about her tumultuous Olympic experience on Sunday night in an interview with SNTV, a sports video partner of The Associated Press. She expressed gratitude to the International Olympic Committee and its president, Thomas Bach, for standing resolutely behind her while the banned former governing body of Olympic boxing stoked a furor around her participation in Paris. Khelif repeatedly made clear she won’t allow chatter or accusations to deter her from attempting to claim Algeria’s first Olympic gold medal in women’s boxing. “There is a mental health team that doesn’t let us follow social media, especially in the Olympic Games, whether me or other athletes. Khelif is from rural northwestern Algeria, and she grew up playing soccer until she fell in love with boxing.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 06:35 UTC
The Windsor Court announces Joel Babe as Assistant GM
Joel Babe promoted to Assistant General Manager at The Windsor Court, poised to enhance guest experiences and operations in luxury hospitality. NEW ORLEANS – The Windsor Court announces the promotion of Joel Babe to Assistant General Manager. With significant experience in luxury hospitality, Babe will work closely with the Food and Beverage leadership team, have increased exposure in sales and oversight of The Windsor Court Spa. “We are honored to have Joel at The Windsor Court again. Guests can also enjoy a full-service luxury spa and wellness experience, making The Windsor Court a must for a sophisticated retreat in New Orleans.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 05:48 UTC
Ethiopian Airlines enters TSA PreCheck enrolment
Ethiopian Airlines joins the US TSA PreCheck program, enhancing security and comfort for US travelers with streamlined checkpoint processes. ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian Airlines Group announce its partnership with the United States (US) Transport Security Administration (TSA) PreCheck program. TSA PreCheck passengers wait less than 10 minutes in dedicated lanes at airport checkpoints nationwide. Ethiopian Airlines now offers this expedited service to its customers traveling from five key destinations in the USA: Atlanta, Chicago, Newark, New York, and Washington. Customers who are U.S. citizens, U.S. Nationals or lawful permanent residents of the United States, may benefit from enrolling in the TSA PreCheck Application Program through one of TSA’s three authorized enrollment providers.
Source:Ethiopian News
August 05, 2024 05:42 UTC