Ethiopia's Serkalem: I Will continue to speak out even if I pay with My life

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

Also:
- Panel discussion on the Kinijit Crisis (VOA)
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- INTERNATIONAL news
- San Diego's Inferno: Relief Ahead?

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^* ETHIOPIAN AMERICAN CIVIC ADVOCACY (EACA): LETTER TO SENATOR JIM INHOFE

^* OBANG ON SENATOR INHOFE’S SPEECH
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Note: Readers are encouraged to FAX senator Inhofe's office demanding an apology for his offensive remarks about Ethiopia/Africa.

-Sample letter to fax to Sen. Inhofe’s office
-Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam's letter to Senator Inhofe
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LISTEN TO AUDIO REPORT ON THE AWARD CEREMONY AND SERKALEM’S SPEECH (VOA)
(Picture - Serkalem (Center) did not come to New York to receive her courage award. In a video taped message, she said that despite widespread fear in her country, she would continue to speak out - even if she pays with her life.)
AP - Six women who risked their lives reporting in Iraq, a Mexican reporter who faced death threats for her reporting on pedophiles, and an Ethiopian journalist who was charged with treason received awards for courage Tuesday from the International Women's Media Foundation.

Ethiopian reporter and former publisher Serkalem Fasil, 27, was one of 14 journalists who were arrested and charged with treason for publishing articles critical of the government's conduct in May 2005 parliamentary elections.

On the day of her arrest, Fasil, who was two months pregnant, was severely beaten by police. She was freed in April, but the government brought new charges against her three months later, and her case is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court next month.

Fasil did not come to New York. In a video, she said that despite widespread fear in the country, she would continue to speak out _ even if she pays with her life.

Mexican Lydia Cacho, 44, a correspondent for CIMAC news agency, said Mexico is the second-most dangerous place for journalists in the world, only after Iraq. But she said in her acceptance speech that she "will not be silenced."

The foundation presented its lifetime achievement award to freelance journalist Peta Thornycroft, 62, who in the face of a media crackdown in Zimbabwe renounced her British citizenship and became a Zimbabwe citizen so she could continue reporting from the country.

The Washington-based International Women's Media Foundation was launched in 1990 with a mission to strengthen the role of women in the news media worldwide.

Also see:
-Journalists from Iraq, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mexico Honored
-Female Journalists Honored for Courage
-Journalists Honored in New York

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AUDIO – VOA Panel discussion on the Kinijit Crisis

Engineer Seyoum Gebeyehu
Professor Berhanu Abegaz
Dr. Berhanu Mengistu
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ETHIOPIA RE-ERECTS ANCIENT AXUM OBELISK

Ethiopia started re-erecting its famed Axum obelisk 30 months after it returned to the country from Italy where it stayed for 70 years, a UN expert said Wednesday. The UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which is overseeing the operation, said preliminary work to restore the 1,700-year-old obelisk on its original site has been completed.(More...)
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AUDIO - SIYE ABRAHA VOA INTERVIEW (PART 2)
AUDIO - Dr. BERHANU NEGA VOA INTERVIEW (PART 2)
VIDEO - BIRTUKAN MIDEKSA MINNEAPOLIS SPEECH
AUDIO - SIYE ABRAHA VOA INTERVIEW (PART 1)
AUDIO - Dr. BERHANU NEGA VOA INTERVIEW (PART 1)
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Today's Top HEADLINES

-Ethiopia Faces New Millennium, Uncertain of Future - VIDEO
-Ethiopia PM in opposition warning
-Congressman Smith's Speech on Ethiopia
-N.J. lawmaker battles Ethiopia (govt.)
-ONLF says killed another 250 on 2nd day of fighting
-PM Meles rejects rebel claims of deadly attacks
-Bending truth about history (Prof. Mammo Muchie)
-Ethiopian dissidents receive warm welcome
-Ethiopian opposition leader in US to return home
-PAP receives petitions from Kinjit S.A
-Mesfin on H.R. 2003
-ASYLUM FOR ERITREAN GOSPEL SINGER
-Beyonce in Ethiopia - VIDEO
-MOZAMBIQUE EX-PRES. WINS AFRICA GOVERNANCE PRIZE

INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES

SAN DIEGO'S INFERNO: RELIEF AHEAD?

TIME - Relief may be in sight for one of the most challenging wildfires in southern California's history. The flames are still burning out of control in the San Diego area, where more than 500,000, perhaps as many as 950,000, have been evacuated and hundreds of home destroyed. But the hot desert winds that fueled the flames began to ease Tuesday night, giving hope that the quick westerly progress of the fire would finally slow. (More...)

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Stephen Colbert Moves Ahead of Richardson, Closes in on Biden, in National Poll

He's been "in" the race for less than a week, and already faux-pundit Stephen Colbert has surged ahead of longtime candidate Gov. Bill Richardson in one national poll gauging the race for the Democratic nod for president. And watch out Joe Biden!(More...)

Also see:
Colbert Ahead of 3 Democrats in Presidential Poll-
Poll Tries to Measure Colbert Effect-
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