From the introduction by author Yves-Marie Stranger “Today, we may be sure Ethiopia is a country in northeast Africa, but the country’s borders have not always been so well defined. In the past, Ethiopia, depending on the whims and knowledge of writers and geographers, was at times made up of all of sub-Saharan Africa — with a coastline that wandered from the Red Sea to the Atlantic Ocean — or was solely the area circumscribed between the northern reach of Egypt’s desert and the confluence of the Blue Nile and Atbara Rivers. In a later earthly incarnation, the country becomes a saintly empire administrated by an anointed priest-king, known as Prester John: an empire so munificent and kaleidoscopic that it was found in the Congo, in Mongolia, in Syria and, finally, in the Christian kingdom of the hinterlands of the Red Sea. The Greek Bible had the spawn of Shem, Kush and Ham go and multiply in Egypt and Aethiopia — a tale later reprised in a legend that has Axum’s capital founded by none other than Ityopis, son of Kush. Later, the Ethiopian Queen Kandace’s eunuch is converted by the Apostle Philip on the road to Damascus — and returns to convert queen and kingdom to Christianity. . . . It is this intertextual play carried out on a mind’s eye map, which is so fascinating to the amateur Ethiopianist, and to the visitor to Ethiopia. No country can be better grasped from the depths of an armchair, and a library is as good a place as any to make out the ancient contours of the land of Prester John, Mandeville and Rasselas, as well as the new outlines of a country that today is attempting with great vigor to shake off the modern myth it was saddled with — of Korem and the 1970s famine, of the Derg’s Red Terror, and of poverty and refugee camps.

It was late in the afternoon, the sun still high in the sky when I returned — exhilarated and wobbly-kneed — from a long and unforgettable hike along the Simiens’ escarpment rim. Millennia before, Homer described these Ethiopian mountains as the playground of the gods; the time-sculpted rock formations here were their chess pieces, he claimed. He wasn’t exaggerating. Since setting off from my lodge at dawn, I’d spent much of the day observing the world from the massif’s precipitous cliffs, gazing in awe across sweeping canyons riddled with plunging ravines and vast plateaus. From stomach-churning heights, I’d heard the whoosh of wind through the wings of lammergeyers; spied klipspringers and baboons; waded through bushy mounds of Saint John’s wort and Abyssinian rose; and had enchanting encounters with cattle-herding children who’d never before seen anyone with a mop of blond hair.

On Tuesday, more than 14 million people around the world, including anxious applicants in the Washington area, will begin checking computers and smartphones in one of the strangest rituals of the U.S. immigration system. When the clock strikes noon in the nation’s capital, they will be able to visit a State Department website, enter their names, years of birth and 16-digit identification numbers. Then they will press “submit” to learn whether they have won one of the world’s most coveted contests: the U.S. green-card lottery. Each year, the Diversity Visa Lottery, as it is officially known, provides up to 50,000 randomly selected foreigners — fewer than 1 percent of those who enter the drawing — with permanent residency in the United States. The current lottery coincides with an intense debate over immigration and comes amid policy changes that have made the country less welcoming to new arrivals. President Trump has cracked down on illegal immigration and pressed forward with plans to build a wall along the border with Mexico. He has issued executive orders targeting foreign workers, refugees and travelers from certain majority-Muslim countries. But he hasn’t said a word about the green-card lottery. Its days may be numbered, nonetheless. The lottery appears to conflict with the president’s call for a “merit-based” immigration system. And at least two bills in the Republican-controlled Congress seek to eliminate the program. Read More https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/despite-trump-millions-hope-to-win-what-could-be-the-last-us-green-card-lottery/2017/04/29/ab20c77e-2b7f-11e7-a616-d7c8a68c1a66_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_greencardlottery-12p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.8f8176df9be0

New York (TADIAS) -- Ethiopian entrepreneur Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu has been named one of the 2017 Most Influential People of African Descent -- in recognition of the International Decade for People of African Descent proclaimed by United Nation’s General Assembly resolution 68/237 to be observed from 2015 to 2024. The awards dinner for ‘MIPAD Class of 2017’ will take place on September 26th, 2017 in New York City subsequently after the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly closes. The press statement notes that "former U.S. President Barack Obama and current UN Secretary-General António Guterres are expected to attend as keynote speakers." The 2017 honorees were announced during the World Economic Forum on Africa, which is being held in South Africa this week. The individuals are selected from the following categories: Politics & Governance; Business & Entrepreneurship; Media & Culture; as well as Religious & Humanitarian. Bethlehem joins Beyonce, Usain Bolt, Trevor Noah, Didier Drogba, Tiger Woods and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on the 2017 list. Read More http://www.tadias.com/05/04/2017/bethlehem-tilahun-alemu-among-2017-most-influential-africans-worldwide/

New York (TADIAS) — Long before Solomon Mulugeta Kassa launched his popular TechTalk televised show on Ethiopia Broadcasting Services (EBS) highlighting Ethiopian scientists, his friends used to tease him about his nonstop enthusiasm for the newest robot, space exploration, or digital gadgets. “I am always excited about the most recent human innovations in science and technology that impact our lives,” Solomon said in a recent interview with Tadias Magazine, noting that it was one of his buddies who suggested that he become a TV personality so he can free them from his constant obsession. “It was a jokester friend of mine who inspired me to do it,” Solomon recalled with laughter. “So I eventually contacted EBS and made a proposal for the show. They loved it. They said when can you start? That was in 2012.” Fast forward five years later and Solomon — who works full time as a Senior Technology Consultant for Deloitte — has so far taped over 130 episodes of his show featuring fascinating guests including NASA scientist Dr. Brook Lakew, who is an Associate Director for Planning, Research and Development, Solar System Exploration Division at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as well as Ethiopian American scientist Sossina M. Haile who is Professor of Materials Science & Chemical Engineering at Northwestern University and one of the leading green energy researchers in the world. Solomon said his only requirement for the show was that the DC-based program conducted interviews in Amharic so as to avoid “any language barrier” for his target audience especially in Ethiopia. “We know that even in this age of the Internet there is a huge information gap that exists in Ethiopia,” Solomon said. “That knowledge gap has always felt like a burden to me, so this is my way of sharing a little bit of what I know with people who are both younger, older and much smarter than I am.” Over the years Solomon has won an enthusiastic following both in Ethiopia and abroad. He has even appeared as a guest on various national Ethiopian TV shows, and last year received the SEED award from the US-based Society of Ethiopians Established in Diaspora. SEED said they recognized Solomon for “his extraordinary commitment in promoting the use and teaching of technology through his “Tech Talk” initiative on EBS, reaching millions in the Ethiopian community and doing so in our native language.” And his alma mater, The George Washington University, where he received his Master of Science degree in Information Systems Technology Management in 2011, was equally enthusiastic in a recent feature on their website profiling their former student as trailblazer in the Ethiopian community. In his episodes, “Solomon interviews subject matter experts who enlighten viewers on recent science and technology developments, applications, and uncharted areas of exploration,” the university wrote. “The more than 100 weekly sessions have covered such diverse topics as robotics, space exploration, industrial design, transportation technology, construction engineering, aviation, and futuristic innovations.” Read more http://www.tadias.com/05/08/2017/spotlight-interview-with-solomon-kassa-host-of-techtalk-on-ebs/