Forgetful Ethiopia may lose place in African World Cup final playoffs are fielding ineligible player

Ethiopia admit to fielding an ineligible player in World Cup qualifying after officials "forgot'' he wasn't allowed to play, and it could pay for the mistake by losing its place in the final playoffs for Brazil 2014.

Togo and Equatorial Guinea also are accused of having used ineligible players, potentially throwing three of Africa's World Cup qualifying groups into chaos ahead of the final round of games in September.
The Ethiopian Football Federation said that Minyahile Beyene should not have played in the 2-1 win in Botswana on June 8 after he picked up two yellow cards in previous qualifiers.
If the game is awarded to Botswana by FIFA, the regular punishment for ineligible players, Ethiopia's qualification for the playoffs would be put on hold and it would be just two points ahead of Group A rival South Africa ahead of the final round.

Pinay, Ethiopian maids held for giving alcohol to toddlers

A Filipina maid and her Ethiopian colleague were arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after they were caught giving alcohol to their employer's two young children, a UAE news site reported on Tuesday night.

According to a Gulf News report, the father had noticed that the two children had fever and were vomiting. He then found photos of his children drinking alcohol on the maids' phones.

“The picture shows the housemaids holding the children and helping them to drink alcohol,” police said.

Egypt’s threats over Nile waters backfire as promise of war is not credible – By Seifulaziz Milas

Egypt’s threats towards Ethiopia and its Grand Renaissance dam project on the Blue Nile seem to be backfiring on all sides. On 3rd June, President Morsi, beset by growing internal problems, had a clever idea. His government would drum up an external threat, and call for internal unity. He invited leading Egyptian politicians to a meeting to discuss the issue of Ethiopia’s “diversion” of the Blue Nile – the source of most of Egypt’s water. Never mind that the supposed “diversion” was simply a temporary rerouting of the river by some 500 meters from its normal channel.
President Morsi called the meeting to review the impact of the dam (if any) on Egypt’s water supply. Strangely enough, he failed to inform the politicians that their meeting was being broadcast live on TV, which encouraged them to engage in a favourite pastime – the repetition old myths of their ownership of the Nile waters and willingness to fight for Egypt’s right to control them.

The devastating truth about blunder which could see South Africa - or even Botswana - grab top spot in CAF World Cup qualifying Group A

THE full, sorry truth of Ethiopia’s World Cup qualifying blunder emerged yesterday when their Football Federation officials admitted culpability to a furious football public in Addis Ababa.

Sahilu Gebremariam, president of the Ethiopian Football Federation, didn’t hold back. Neither did his deputy, Berhanu Kebede. Both are under pressure to resign after admitting the ignored directives sent by FIFA.

As you may have read here on Saturday night – as the story was still developing – Ethiopia believed they had finished on top of CAF qualifying Group A after their incredible 2-1 win over South Africa on Sunday. Two people are said to have died in the riotous celebrations after a game won by Bernard Parker’s sensational own goal.

U.S. condemns shelling in S. Kordofan that killed UN peacekeeper

June 17, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The United States on Monday issued a condemnation of the shelling that took place last week in a Sudanese border state and hit a United Nations peacekeeping base.
The Sudan People Liberation Movement North (SPLM-N) said that it only targeted government military installations in South Kordofan capital town of Kadugli.
However, the rebel group said nothing about the shells that hit the UN base leading to the death of one Ethiopian peacekeeper.
"The United States strongly condemns the shelling of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM) interim headquarters today in Kadugli, Sudan’s Southern Kordofan state reportedly by elements of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), which killed one United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) peacekeeper from Ethiopia and wounded two others" said the statement released today by the US State department.

Addis Ababa is the showcase for Ethiopia's economic great leap forward

Addis Ababa still has its main market but times are changing. Photograph: Pier Paolo Cito/AP

Middle-class aspirations blossom among the new high-rises, though poverty is far from conquered
The capital of Ethiopia seems to be one vast building site. As the high-rise blocks, broad avenues and roundabout take shape, a new Addis Ababa is springing up. The priority for the regime is to build at all costs, the work being supervised by impassive Chinese foremen.
Ethiopia (population 85 million) is the second largest country in Africa and busily modernising. It is ruled by the (Maoist) People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, which is set on turning the country into the tiger of Africa, after the Vietnamese model.
Once synonymous with acute poverty and famine, Ethiopia has over the past decade enjoyed one of the highest growth rates in Africa – between 8% and 10%. Although a third of the population still live in poverty – on less than $0.60 a day – an urban middle class is appearing. Its members cannot compete with western countries, as earnings and careers are still very uneven. But they share a fierce determination to improve their lot.

Ethiopian history-maker wants to run for Britain

June 5 - An Ethiopian who last year was the first athlete from his country to win a medal in the Paralympics wants to run for Britain after seeking asylum in the country following London 2012.

Wondiye Fikre Indelbu won the silver medal in the T46 1500 metres but afterwards stayed in Britain, claiming that he would face persecution from the Ethiopian Government if he returned home because he and his family supported an illegal political party.

Having moved from London to Huddersfield he is now living in Middlesbrough, where on Sunday (June 2) he took part in his first race since the Paralympics, finishing third in the Riverside Run 5k event in 14min 45sec.

Indelbu, 25, claims he was nine when he lost part of his arm and an eye after Government troops attacked his village in Chole in the Oroman region of the country, where there is a strong independence movement, and threw a hand grenade into his house.