Ethiopians celebrate anniversary of Adowa victory over Italy

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopians on Sunday celebrated the 118th anniversary of the Adowa battle when an untrained Ethiopian army routed a better equipped Italian invasion army.
"Over 7,000 Italian soldiers were killed, 1,500 wounded, the Commanding General [Oreste] Baratieri taken prisoner and 11,000 rifles [seized] from retreating Italian army," Professor Mohammed Habib of the Law School of Addis Ababa University told Anadolu Agency.
The academician said the conflict was linked to the treaty of Wuchale, which Italy signed with Emperor Menelik II in 1889.
He said the Italians had tried to depict the agreement as acceptance by Menelik of Italian protectorate status over Ethiopia.
Menelik, according to Habib, then decided to pick up the gauntlet and mobilize forces against the superior European power.
Though Ethiopia was at the time a loosely connected, predominantly agrarian community of impoverished peasants, Menelik managed to recruit and organize an army of nearly 80,000-100,000 men and women, many of them farmers, for the showdown.
At 6am on March 1, 1896, Menelik ordered his army to mount a blitzkrieg against the Italian army in Adowa, a small town in northern Ethiopia.
The battle pitted the untrained Ethiopian army against a well-trained Italian army of 17,000 men equipped with superior firearm.
But the encounter ended a day later with a humiliating defeat for the invading Italian army, said Habib, adding that around 5,000 Ethiopians were killed.
-National Pride -
On Sunday, scores of people descended on Menelik Square in Addis Ababa, the venue of a bronze statue of Menelik on a horse charging an attack that has since become a source of national pride for Ethiopians.
Veteran soldiers in uniforms showing their insignia at the chest stood proudly in three rows holding spears, scimitars, and shields.
They chanted and recited gallant songs and poems.
Professor Mekuria Mekasha of the Addis Ababa University`s Communications and Journalism Department said the Adowa battle was a demonstration of unity of purpose by all cultures, religions and regions of Ethiopia.
"The war mobilization was done by an interpersonal communications," he told AA.
President of the Ancient Ethiopian Patriots’ Association Lij Daniel Jottie Mesfin, for his part, hailed the day as "a victory for all black people even beyond the African continent."
Mesfin lamented that the Adowa battle is not being given the attention it deserves.
"The grandsons of the Adowa victors do not know about what the event represents," he said.
"The torch of victory that was passed down from the ancient patriots should be shining bright as ever," Mesfin insisted.
Copyright © 2014 Anadolu Agency

Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines to start service to Vienna, Austria

Ethiopia: Ethiopian Airlines to start service to Vienna, Austria
Ethiopian Airlines, the fastest growing and most profitable airline in Africa, is pleased to announce that it has finalized preparations to start four weekly flights to Vienna, Austria starting 2 June 2014
Vienna is the political capital and the economic hub of Austria. The city is a major diplomatic centre and seat of United Nations agencies such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Ethiopian flights to Vienna will bring the total number of its international destinations across five continents to 80. The city will mark the 9th European city served by the airline. Thru commercial cooperation with Austrian Airlines, a fellow Star Alliance member with strong network in Central Europe, Ethiopian aims to provide seamless and convenient connectivity options for travelers between Africa and European cities such Prague, Bratislava, Warsaw, Budapest, and Bucharest, subject to regulatory approval.


“We are very happy to spread our wings to Vienna, which is one of the most popular convention and conference centers in Europe. In addition to serving the growing travel needs between Vienna and Africa, we will be able to offer efficient connections between Africa and Central/Eastern Europe in cooperation with our Star Alliance partner, Austrian Airlines. Europe, which is still the largest trading partner of Africa, is an important region for us”, said CEO Tewolde Gebremariam.
The new flights to Vienna are scheduled with a view to provide to Ethiopian customers convenient connections, with minimum layover in Addis Ababa, to 48 African destinations.
Ethiopian is a global Pan-African carrier currently serving 79 international destinations across 5 continents with over 200 daily flights and using the latest technology aircraft such as the B777s and B787s.

Ethiopia's Worku wins Lake Biwa marathon

Tokyo — Ethiopia's Bazu Worku comfortably won Japan's Lake Biwa marathon on Sunday, after a tough battle with defending champion Vincent Kipruto of Kenya who came in third.
Worku finished in 2hr 09min 10sec, followed by Japan's Satoru Sasaki who clocked 2:09:47, and Kipruto with 2:09:54.
"The (road and weather) condition was good. At 30 kilometres, I was confident. So I pushed, pushed and... go," said Worku.
"I am very happy," he said.
The three men closely contested the lead in the final phase of the race, with the Africans running shoulder-to-shoulder and Sasaki a step behind them.
With four kilometres to go, Worku staged a duel with Kipruto, leaving behind Sasaki who still kept them in sight.
In the final three kilometres, the Ethiopian shifted into a higher gear and began a solo journey to the finish line.
Sasaki also caught Kipruto up on the track of the Ojiyama Athletic Stadium to grab second place.
Results from the Lake Biwa marathon on Sunday:
1. Bazu Worku (ETH) 2hr 9min 10sec
2. Satoru Sasaki (JPN) 2:9:47
3. Vincent Kipruto (KEN) 2:9:54
4. Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:10:38
5. Ryosuke Fukuyama (JPN) 2:11:18
6. Rui Yonezawa (JPN) 2:11:59
7. Noriaki Takahashi (JPN) 2:12:04
8. Muryou Takase (JPN) 2.12:31

Ethiopia's teff grain set to be world's next 'super-food'

Under a searing midday sun, a herd of cattle circles atop a pile of golden teff, thrashing the wheat-like grain, a method that has been practised by Ethiopian farmers for centuries.
The crop, mostly grown in the Horn of Africa, is a key part of the country's heritage and a crucial food staple, but is also gaining increased interest abroad among health afficionados seeking a nutritious, gluten-free alternative to wheat.

"Ethiopians are proud of the crop because it is almost our identity," said Solomon Chanyalew, director of the Debre Zeyt Agricultural Research Centre, a teff research hub.
"But these days, teff is getting global attention," he said.
Relatively unknown outside of Ethiopia -- for now -- the cereal is predicted to replace quinoa as the latest global "super-food".
But a ban on exports to control price hikes at home has left farmers tied to local consumers, limiting their contribution to growing markets abroad.
The poppy-seed sized grain is renowned for its nutritional qualities. Mineral-rich and high in protein, teff is also a slow-releasing food, ideal for diabetics, and sought after by people with a gluten intolerance, or Celiac disease.
"Teff is not only gluten-free, which is an increasingly important aspect of foods that is being sought out, but it's also incredibly nutritious. Many people consider teff to be a super-food," said Khalid Bomba, CEO of Ethiopia's Agricultural Transformation Agency.
In Ethiopia, teff is used to make injera, a spongy fermented pancake topped with meat or vegetable stew and consumed with an almost religious devotion, often three times a day.
In the West however, where it is touted by celebrity chefs and health-conscious Hollywood stars, the grain is most commonly ground into flour and used to make biscuits, breads, pastas and even teff juice.
It is also a resilient crop; it can grow between sea level and 3,000 metres and is both drought- and flood-resistant, ideal for Ethiopia's dry highlands.
But despite its versatility, Ethiopia's 6.5 million teff farmers struggle to meet local demand -- let alone growing demand from abroad -- with limited access to seed varieties, fertilisers and modern machinery that would allow for higher yields.
Teff also suffers from a lack of research since it is considered an "orphan crop", unlike global crops like rice, wheat, and maize, which are widely studied and well-funded.
"People don't want to work on teff, basically, it's not paying," said Kebebew Assefa, one of only two full-time teff researchers in Ethiopia.
- Risk of price hike -
Regardless, productivity has climbed to bridge the supply gap, with the introduction of 19 new teff varieties and improved farming techniques.
In the last four years, yields have increased from 1.2 to 1.5 million tonnes per hectare, which Khalid said bodes well.
"The production increases are what gives us the confidence that Ethiopia will be able to compete at a global level when it comes to tapping into the increasing demand from consumers in Europe, in London, or New York or Brisbane," he said.
An estimated two million tonnes per hectare is required to reach export potential.
For now, the ban on exports remains in place to avoid the pitfalls of quinoa in Bolivia, where most people could not afford the staple crop after the surge in global popularity.
The price of teff -- $72 (52 euros) per quintal -- is already too expensive for the majority of Ethiopians who earn less than two dollars per day.
But farmers are eager to export their teff, well aware of the higher prices they can fetch.
"I want to sell it abroad because it's going to have a good market and I will earn good money and it will bring good motivation for my work," said Tirunesh Merete, 60, who has been growing teff for nearly four decades.
Neighbouring farmer Amha Abraham said he is keen to make more money, but recognises that local markets need to be fed first.
"If we export teff to other countries then we can get a lot of money, but we must provide first for our country's consumption," he said, standing near a giant pile of golden teff stalks, used for roofing and as cattle feed.
Until the export ban is lifted, Ethiopian farmers remain excluded from a growing international industry, with teff products appearing on shelves in health food stores across North America and Europe.
"Everybody has started talking about gluten-free," said Rob Roffel, CEO of the Dutch company Consenza, which produces gluten-free foods from teff grown in the Netherlands.
"The demand for gluten-free foods mainly was for Celiacs... but what we see now more and more is other target groups interested in teff flour," he said, adding that his business has grown 30 percent annually since 2006.
In the meantime, Khalid said he has high hopes for teff.
"If you look at what's happened with quinoa, it's a $150 million market in five years and teff is actually much more nutritious and much more resilient than quinoa," he said.
"So we think there's a much bigger market opportunity for teff."
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Picture of the day BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL- Lupita Nyong'o

Oscar Nominee Lupita Nyong'o March 2, 2014

Nyong'o was born in Mexico City, Mexico,to Dorothy and Peter Anyang' Nyong'o, a politician in Kenya. It is a Luo tradition to name a child after the events of the day, so her parents named her Lupita (a diminutive of "Guadalupe," Our Lady of Guadalupe).She is of Luo descent and is the second of six children.[8] Her father was the former Kenyan Minister for Medical Services. At the time of Lupita's birth, he was a visiting lecturer in political science at El Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City,[8][9] and her family had been living in Mexico for three years.

Nyong'o moved back to Kenya with her parents when she was less than one year old,[7] when her father was appointed a professor at the University of Nairobi.[8] She grew up primarily in Kenya, and describes her upbringing as "middle class, suburban".[9] At age sixteen, her parents sent her back to Mexico for seven months, to learn Spanish.[7][10] During those seven months, Nyong'o lived in Taxco, Mexico, and took classes at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico's Learning Center for Foreigners.[10]

In 2013, her father was elected to represent Kisumu County in the Kenyan Senate.[7] Nyong'o's mother is currently the managing director of the Africa Cancer Foundation and her own communications company.[11][12] Her cousin Tavia Nyong'o is a scholar and professor at New York University. In 2012, her older cousin, Isis Nyong'o, was named one of Africa's most powerful women by Forbes magazine.[13][14] Her uncle, Aggrey Nyong'o, was a prominent Kenyan physician, killed in a road accident in 2002.[15]

Nyong'o currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. She is fluent in English, Spanish,[10] Swahili, and her native Luo. On February 27, 2014, at the Essence Black Women In Hollywood luncheon in Beverly Hills, Lupita gave a speech on black beauty. Lupita talked about a letter she received from a young fan who stated she was unhappy with herself until she saw the actress on the cover of a magazine. In her speech Lupita talked about the insecurities she had about herself growing up as a dark-skinned black girl: women that looked like her were barely portrayed in the media, and when they were, they not deemed beautiful. She states that her views about herself changed when she saw South Sudanese supermodel Alek Wek become successful.[16]

Lupita Nyong'o's speach Black is Beautiful 2014

Song of the day. Ajeb by Tesfahun Ayalew!

Best of Tesfahun Ayalew Ajeb ተሰፋሁን አያሌው አጀብ Wollo Style