Safaricom’s mobile money service, M-Pesa, went live in Ethiopia on Wednesday, marking a significant step for the Kenyan telecoms operator in one of Africa’s largest economies. M-Pesa was first introduced in Kenya in 2007 and has since become Safaricom’s most profitable service. Ethiopia, with a population of approximately 120 million people and a young demographic, is seen as a promising market for Safaricom’s growth. The company also faces formidable competition from Ethio Telecom, which reported a significant increase in profits and over 34 million subscribers to its mobile money service, Telebirr, in July. The introduction of M-Pesa in Ethiopia further promotes the convenience of mobile money services in East Africa, allowing users to send and receive money, as well as make payments for goods and services.

Twenty-seven people were killed and around a hundred wounded in violent clashes between two influential armed groups in Tripoli's southeastern suburbs from Monday to Tuesday, the Center for Emergency Medicine (CMU) said on Wednesday. In a "provisional toll" published on Facebook on Tuesday night, this agency, which manages relief efforts in western Libya, reported 27 dead and 106 wounded in the heavy-weapons clashes between two influential armed groups in the Libyan capital. According to the same source, 234 families have been rescued and extracted, as well as several dozen foreign doctors and nurses, who had been stranded since Monday night in the fighting south of the capital. Three field hospitals and some sixty ambulances were mobilized to rescue the wounded and evacuate civilians to safer areas. The fighting started after the arrest on Monday of Colonel Mahmoud Hamza, commander of Brigade 444, by the al-Radaa force.

Patients wounded in ongoing violence and those facing other life-threatening conditions in Ethiopia’s Amhara region are receiving urgent and lifesaving medical care in health facilities supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS). Over the past week, heavy fighting has spread across Amhara region, home to Ethiopia’s second-largest ethnic group. Due to the security situation in the Amhara region, many health facilities have not been able to replenish supplies, while ambulances could not move quickly to respond to emergencies in the most affected areas, ICRC said in a Wednesday statement. The ICRC has also assisted with the transportation of blood supplies provided by the Ethiopian Ministry of Health. “But we were able to coordinate with the most affected health facilities to overcome some immediate shortages.”The ICRC said it continues to mobilize vital supplies to support more health facilities across Amhara providing urgent healthcare services to patients with life-threatening conditions.

After so many months of demonstrations across Israel, efforts solely revolved around judicial reform, PM Netanyahu and his cabinet, and the so-called delicacy of Israeli democracy, this week Israel is facing protests of a much, much greater meaning than the months preceding. But so far only 200 of the nearly 4500 Ethiopian applicants for aliyah have been rescued, and approximately 100 of those rescued were Israeli citizens. Protesters in Israel, many of Ethiopian descent, are comparing the swiftness of rescue afforded Ukranian Jews during the recent Russian invasion, and decrying the difference in Israel’s response to Jews of Ethiopia. Any question as to the specific heritage of newcomers to Israel can be addressed after everyone has safely arrived. The comprehensive rescue of Ethiopian Jews will also increase trust, compassion and hope amongst the millions of disheartened Israelis looking for examples and actions of hopefulness and progress in Israel.

Solomon (Religious Zionist Party) initiated this special report to investigate the challenges and strains placed on religious education due to the overwhelming preference of these immigrants for such educational systems. Why is religious state education ideal for Ethiopian, Indian immigrants in Israel? Solomon, who made aliyah from Ethiopia, commented on the results, "Religious state education in Israel serves as an ideal environment for immigrants from Ethiopia and India. There are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian origin in Israel, according to the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv. In recent years, some Indian Jews from Mizoram and Manipur (Bnei Menashe) have been immigrating to Israel.

The African Development Bank Group, has awarded grant funding totalling $84.3 million to Ethiopia to advance wheat production and increase farmers’ incomes. Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and African Development Bank Group Deputy Director General for East Africa, Abdul Kamara, signed the grant agreement on 2 August 2023 for the implementation of the country’s Climate Resilient Wheat Value Chain Development Project (CREW). Under its flagship Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) initiative, the African Development Bank Group has supported Ethiopia and several other countries across the continent to boost productivity in agriculture. Ethiopia is the second largest wheat producer in sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

TORONTO — Two more people are facing charges in the case of a woman who was killed by a stray bullet in Toronto’s east end last month, including a community worker at a nearby supervised consumption site. Karolina Huebner-Makurat was killed while walking in the Leslieville neighbourhood at Queen Street East and Carlaw Avenue around noon on July 7. The South Riverdale Community Health Centre says it was distressed to learn the woman is Khalila Zara Mohammed of Pickering, Ont., who has worked there as a community health worker since 2021. Representatives from the centre say in a statement that Mohammed was placed on leave over unrelated concerns last week. Toronto police say they are still looking for a third suspect involved in the shooting and anyone with information should contact them.

The end of the war in Tigray in November 2022 brought relative peace to the region and eased international pressure on Addis Ababa. Yet, it has precipitated the explosion of another devastating war, this time between Ethiopian government forces and their erstwhile partners in the Tigray war from the country’s Amhara region. The president of the Amhara regional government, Yilikal Kefyale, called for the intervention of the federal government, after having reportedly fled Bahir Dar over fears for his safety. The outbreak of fighting is just the latest security crisis that Amhara has faced in recent years. Parts of the Amhara region were also affected by the Tigray war.

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ambassador-designate to the Philippines Dalkie Dokamo presents his credentials to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. at Malacañang on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. KJ ROSALES/PPA POOLPresident Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said the Philippines and Ethiopia should establish air linkages to strengthen their bilateral relations. Marcos also said the Philippines should seize the opportunity of forging a stronger partnership with Ethiopia as Africa positions itself as an emerging major economy. He noted that the Philippines and Ethiopia could explore many areas such as trade, transfer of technology and other exchanges. The Philippines and Ethiopia formally established diplomatic relations on February 7, 1977, and are celebrating 46 years of diplomatic relations this year.

Head of the Finote Selam General hospital Manaye Tenaw told Addis Standard that the majority of the deceased 30 were already dead upon arrival, with only two succumbing to their injuries after being admitted. Reports put the death toll as high as 70 citing deaths that have not been reported to the hospital. According to the EHRC's statement, there have been credible reports of strikes and shelling in various areas, including Debre Birhan, Finote Selam, and Burie, resulting in civilian casualties and damage to residential areas and public spaces. Notable opposition came from the former president of the Amhara region who was also Foreign minister and the PM's national security adviser, Gedu Andargachew. According to Gedu, the current conflict in the Amhara region emanates from "political leadership failure of the Prosperity led government".

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Beyond2020, the UAE-driven humanitarian initiative launched by the Zayed Sustainability Prize and its partners, has improved access to safe drinking water for 9,000 people in the rural villages of Walessa, Holte, and Gato in Dirashe District, Ethiopia. The Beyond2020 deployment in Ethiopia was implemented by the Zayed Sustainability Prize finalist Solarkiosk Solutions, a German based company that provides rural, off-grid communities electricity, benefitting five million people to-date. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and COP28 President-Designate, said: "As we continue to push towards a more sustainable and equitable world, access to safe water remains a fundamental human right. The villages of Walessa, Holte, and Gato are in the low land areas where drinking water is scarce. Now, those water wells have been retrofitted with solar pumps, with each well supplying 20,000-25,000 litres of clean drinking water every day, which is enough to meet the village’s drinking, sanitation, and agricultural needs.

A major UAE initiative has been praised for improving lives after boosting access to safe drinking water for 9,000 people in Ethiopia. The Beyond2020 scheme was launched by the UAE's Zayed Sustainability Prize to provide sustainable solutions for urgent challenges faced by vulnerable communities around the world. The campaign in Ethiopia is being led by Solarkiosk Solutions in Germany, a Zayed Sustainability Prize finalist that provides rural, off-grid communities with electricity and has benefitted five million people to date. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President-designate and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, underlined the importance of ensuring access to clean drinking water for all. The Zayed Sustainability Prize was established in 2008 as a tribute to the sustainability and humanitarian legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE.

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The serene town of Skardu in northern Pakistan made headlines on Monday as it welcomed its first-ever international flight. The momentous occasion, celebrated with grandeur and patriotism, was highlighted as the plane from Dubai landed at Skardu International Airport, carrying 80 passengers. The Foreign Ministry took to X to share their pride and joy, stating, "The town of Skardu, serviced by the airport, is now open to the world as tourism flourishes in Pakistan." This upgrade was facilitated by the Pakistan State Oil Company Limited, as reported by the local daily, Pamir Times. This landmark event promises to be a significant leap for tourism and international relations in the region, paving the way for increased global integration and economic opportunities.

The 38-year-old also took victory in the 2022 Dublin Half Marathon in a blistering time of 1:03:44. The course record of 1:09:51 for the Donegal Half Marathon of was set by in 2015 by Freddy Keron Sittuk from Raheny. “We’ve always had a competitive field in the Donegal Half Marathon and it’s great to have an athlete like Yared Derese travelling to Letterkenny for the Donegal Half this year. Wheelchair user, Aaron Kerr (26) has completed over 50 marathons with his parents, David and Sandra. To enter the 2023 Donegal Half Marathon which is sponsored by the Kernan Retail Group follow the link below:https://eventmaster.ie/event/3GjBSx4tZWTo access the QR code, follow the link below:https://eventmaster.ie/event/3GjBSx4tZW/qrcode https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvhzFPLI5Az/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng=