Ethiopia, Eritrea edging toward conflict - refugees watching with trepidation

Check back with ETP for more news throughout the day

Also:
- Ethiopia and the Newly released Econ. Competitiveness index*
- Today's Top Stories^Updated!
- INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES
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Life presidencies are far from over in Africa (Financial Gazette)
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-AMNESTY: Ethiopians, Eritreans at risk of torture
-AMNESTY: Atanaw Wasie, aged 74, 14 other Ethiopian refugees
-LETTER TO PRIME MINSTER MELES ZENAWI (Sileshi Tesema, a colleague of Daniel and Netsanet, prisoners of conscience)
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Ex- TPLF members have formed a new party (Arena Tigray for Democracy and Sovereignty); which yesterday received license to operate in Ethiopia.

(VOA)
- AUDIO - Interview with founder Berhanu Berhe
- AUDIO - Interview with founder Gebru Asrat
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[CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO REPORT] - When Fitsum Berihu fled into Ethiopia, he risked death by hyenas, snipers and land mines. Two years later the 35-year-old Eritrean vividly recalls the fear he felt as he made his way through a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone and across the trenches and artillery lines of some of the tens of thousands of soldiers dug in on both sides of the divide.

Even worse than all that, though, was leaving behind his 72-year-old mother and two siblings. "I never told my family I was crossing the border," he says. "I never said goodbye." Berihu still doesn't know what happened to his family after he defected from the Eritrean Army. There are no phone or mail links between the neighbors, and he has had no way of keeping in touch.

So today he waits and hopes, one of more than 15,000 Eritreans stuck behind barbed wire and chain-link fencing at the Shimelba refugee camp in a remote corner of northern Ethiopia. It's a part of the world that is growing increasingly tense as the two countries seem to be gearing up to fight their second war in less than a decade. On Nov. 27 an international commission set up to resolve the long-running border dispute between the two nations is set to dissolve.(More...)

Also see:
-Eritrea says Ethiopia plotting to invade
-Ethiopia denies plot to attack Eritrea

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ETHIOPIA 123rd IN ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS

The United States tops the overall ranking in The Global Competitiveness Report 2007-2008. Switzerland is in second position followed by Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Finland and Singapore, respectively.

At the bottom of the list were countries primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and Chad.(See List)

Also See:
Website: The Global Competitiveness Report 2007-2008
US recaptures 'competition crown' (BBC)
US on Top in Economic Competitiveness (AP)
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Today's Top HEADLINES

-ETH. Govt. MEDIA SAYS REBELS KILL 23 ERITREAN TROOPS
-A brittle Western ally in the Horn of Africa
-U.S. BILL TO BAR INTERNET FIRMS FROM WORKING WITH ABUSIVE NATIONS
-Exiled Somali Islamist leader backs insurgents
-Ethiopia FM in Somalia to discuss political crisis
-Humanitarian disaster imminent in the Ogaden: Report
-Ethiopia, US Behind Somali PM Resignation
-Ethiopia: Azmari Bet: Taboo! Taboo!
-Ethiopia's 'Jerusalem' Major Draw for Pilgrims - VIDEO

INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES

-MONKS MARCH IN MYANMAR - AGAIN!
-Obama, Edwards go after Clinton during debate
-Accused Madrid bomb mastermind acquitted -
-Bomb on Russian Bus Kills at Least 8
-Doctors test hot sauce for pain relief
-Be thin to cut cancer, study says



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