International: [U.S.-Backed Troops Kill 300 Cult Members] - [Suicide bomber kills 3 in Israel] - [Vista ready for consumers] - [Chavez Denies Plans to Seize Property] - [Breaking down Colts Vs. Bears] and more of today's top stories!
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-[Audio] Dr. Yacob Hailemariam's Message from Kaliti, narrated by Kinijitethiopia.org
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'Free prisoners of conscience' Action Center
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Darfur, Somalia To Top Agenda At African Union Summit
The chairman of the African Union (AU) stressed on Monday at the opening of a heads of state summit that "chaos" will ensue in Somalia if a peacekeeping mission isn't deployed soon to the Horn of Africa country.
Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare, who was opening the eighth AU summit in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday, said some 4,000 troops have already been offered out of a planned 8,000-strong deployment.
"If African troops are not deployed quickly, there will be chaos," Konare said, speaking to some 30 African heads of state as well as foreign leaders and diplomats.
Konare also said that if the fighting in Sudan's Darfur region isn't stopped, the entire region could be destabilized. (More...)
Also see:
-The presidential parade: Meskel Square
-Getting ready for Gaddafi: Meskel Square
-"Well that was a dynamic question": Meskel Square
Ethiopian teachers union fights to survive
On 14 December, Ethiopian Teachers’ Association (ETA) activist Ayalew was detained without a warrant by the Ethiopian government. Ayalew has reportedly been tortured and denied medical treatment while in police custody.
His relatives and fellow ETA members are now extremely worried, as they have not known either his health condition nor his whereabouts since 18 December. Another activist, Mengistu, disappeared on 15 December.
For fifteen years the Ethiopian government has been attempting to dismantle Ethiopia’s trade union movement and the ETA has been at the sharp end of this repression. (More...)
African Union chooses Ghana over Sudan
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The African Union chose Ghana to head the 53-member bloc Monday, turning aside Sudan's bid for the second year in a row because of the worsening bloodshed in Darfur.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had opened the summit with a call on African leaders to end the deadlock created by Sudan's refusal to allow U.N. peacekeepers into the violence-wracked region in western Sudan.
Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu also sharply criticized Sudan, and an aid group said it was pulling out of Darfur because it was unsafe.(More...)
U.S military officials: Somalia may 'revert to chaos'
According to the spokesperson, Islamic fighters "are coming back to Mogadishu. They're destabilising sections of the city. They're attacking police stations".
Doha - United States military officials say Somalia could return to chaos in four months if international peacekeepers don't quickly replace departing Ethiopian troops - now propping up the country's weak government.
A Somali government spokesperson echoed the warning on Sunday, saying Islamic fighters were regrouping and the US-backed transitional government lacked troops, training and weapons to deal with them. (More...)
Today's Top Stories
-Najaf battle foiled, U.S.-Backed Troops Kill 300 Members of Cult-Prince Charles chats, shoots baskets with New York schoolchildren
-Suicide bomber kills 3 in Israel bakery
-Cocaine is king on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast
-Chavez Denies Plans to Seize Property
-Vista ready for consumers
-Breaking down Colts Vs. Bears
-No wine or women, China warns its Olympics officials
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