In an effort to remain competitive, Ethiopian Airlines has signed code share flight agreements with Lufthansa, the German airline to further strengthen its position in the European Union (EU) markets.
The airline also signed a memorandum of understanding on strategic partnership and investment with Asky, a newly established airline based in Lome, Togo in a bid to serve the West African grid. The agreements are expected to strengthen the carriers in areas of marketing, operations and efficient services to customers.
This means that Ugandan and other passengers in the region traveling to Germany and other EU states on Ethiopian, will fly up to Addis Ababa and join Lufthansa airlines to their various final destinations. Ethiopian Airlines Country Manager Ms Regassa Ermejachew, said on August 7 that the business arrangement s will increase Ethiopian’s traffic volumes and bring business growth.
“Ethiopian can’t be an island in the aviation industry. Airlines are forming different forms of cooperation and Ethiopian airlines has been very cautious to assess its own weaknesses and strengths,” Ms Regassa said.
“We have been studying and doing consultations and we have reached a time when we want to make special arrangements for code share”. The Secretary General of African Airlines Association Mr Christian Folly-Kossi witnessed the signing of the Asky’s MoU, a detailed roadmap for Asky to start its operations by December.
While signing the code share agreement in Vancouver, Canada recently, the Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Mr Girma Wake, and Chairman and CEO Lufthansa German Airlines, Mr Wolfgang Mayhuber, also signed various operational agreements to facilitate the implementation of the code share agreement.
“The new code share agreement will further strengthen Ethiopian’s position in Germany and other European markets by creating additional possibilities to access traffic through the extensive Lufthansa’s network,” said Mr Wake is a statement from Ethiopian headquarters in Addis Ababa.
In code share flight arrangements, airlines make their schedules compatible with one another. Code sharing and going into partnerships has been seen a viable way for airlines to continue being in the skies.
International Air Transport Association (IATA), a body that oversees, an aviation body representing some 230 airlines, in its international traffic data for June, showed a continued slowing of demand growth for air transport, said in its latest report that global passenger growth has hit a five-year low as freight volumes continue to contract amidst falling demand and rising costs, which are re-shaping the industry.
“The airline sector is in trouble. Losses this year could reach $6.1 billion, more than wiping out the $5.6 billion that airlines made in 2007. Falling demand and rising costs are re-shaping the industry,” said IATA CEO, Mr Giovanni Bisignani in a statement.
“To survive the crisis, urgent action is needed. Airports and air navigation service providers must come to the table with efficiencies that deliver cost savings. Labour must understand that efficiency is the only path to job security, ” he added.
Report in English by state-owned Ethiopian news agency ENA
ADDIS ABABA — US Secretary of Department of Health and Human Service Michael O Leavitt arrived here on Saturday [9 August] on a four-day working visit to Ethiopia.
While here, Leavitt would visit various activities being carried out in the health sector, particularly HIV intervention and health extension activities. The secretary is also expected to visit health research institutions and hospitals.
He was received on arrival at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport by Health Minister Dr Tewodros Adhanom.
Originally published by ENA website, Addis Ababa, in English 10 Aug 08.
SHELBURNE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS — For a day, Shelburne Falls was the running capital of New England. And for that day, three Ethiopians ruled that capital. In the largest field in the 30-year history of the always popular Bridge of Flowers 10K Classic, champion Genna Tufa and teammate Deniboba Derese ran together from nearly start to finish on the men’s side Saturday, while friend Buzhnesh Takekegl won the women’s division.
Tufa covered the challenging 6.2-mile course in 31 minutes, five seconds, crossing a chest ahead of Derese in a photo finish. Takekegl took the lead among the women in the second half, finishing in 35:59.
Under friendly, scattered white clouds, and in prime running conditions, runners from throughout New England and beyond congregated at cozy Shelburne Falls. Premier runners from elite New England running clubs donned their respective singlets for the race, which served as this year’s USA Track & Field New England 10K championship.
Combined with the Nathan Hale 2-Mile run, more than 1,000 runners made the trip along Interstate 91 and Route 2 to take to the starting line on the Iron Bridge. Kenya’s Shadrack Kiyni, who resides in Danbury, Conn., placed third in 31:43. William Christian of Newport, R.I., was fourth in 32 flat, followed by Jeff Freeman of New Hampton, N.H., in 32:06.
Eric Blake of New Britain, Conn., who won the 2008 Mount Washington Road Race, was seventh in 32:23. Former Agawam resident Nate Jenkins was eighth in 32:28.
Greenfield’s Avi Kramer was the first local finisher, placing No. 13 in 33:08.
Whitinsville’s Stephanie Reilly was the women’s runner-up in 36:32. Last year’s second-place finisher Heidi Westerling took third in 36:51. Belchertown’s Amy Nedeau, who led for part of the race, was the top local female, taking fourth in 37 flat. Leominster’s Janice Connor was fifth in 37:54.
After the leaders zig-zagged the opening 2-mile loop, a pack of nine runners tackled mighty Crittenden Hill at the same time. One kilometer later, at the peak of the most challenging part of the race, Tufa crossed under the balloon arch alone. His Westchester Running Club teammate followed, and Tufa encouraged him to catch up.
The rest of the pack was 22 seconds behind. The strongest group of elite runners in the history of the race had been reduced to two, and it stayed that way to the finish.
“I always like to let them go on the hill,” said Jenkins, now of Lowell, who was with the leaders at the base of Crittenden. “I think a lot of people attack that sucker, then usually you hope to come back on them in the second part of the race. But if you’re not 100 percent fit, that hill will find you out.”
Tufa and Derese respectfully ran stride for stride until the final 25 yards, when they both made a dash for the finish line, drawing loud applause from the rows of spectators. Tufa edged his friend at the finish line, but in reality, they were co-champions.
“We were going up together in a group, so I push us to go,” said Tufa, 24, the 2007 runner-up, referring to his move on Crittenden Hill. “That is why I push up the hill.”
“I run a good amount of hills for running,” the 25-year-old Derese said. “But this was too much. This was harder.”
On the women’s side, Nedeau held the lead at the crest of Crittenden Hill before Tarekegl, Reilly and Westerling surged on the backside.
“I won the cream to the top,” joked Nedeau, 33. “Around four (miles), those two went around me, and Heidi (Westerling). I hung on for as long as I could.”
Tarekegl gained the lead and maintained it the rest of the way.
“This (race) is very nice,” said Tarekegl, 28, who’s sponsored by Nike. “I like it. But it has a little bit of a hill. Had to be strong. But my training is good. I’m happy to win.”
“We tried to make a move (on Tarekegl), but we couldn’t close the gap,” Reilly said.
Wondwossen Tadesse makes pizzas at his pizzeria in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008. Tadesse’s Skyline Pizza restaurant was robbed earlier this week. (Paul Chinn / The Chronicle)
As Oakland reels from a string of takeover robberies at restaurants, police promised Friday to beef up patrols and use Guardian Angels in commercial areas, while merchants were asked to increase security with cameras and vigilance.
In the past month, hooded or masked gunmen have burst into eight restaurants from Piedmont Avenue to East Oakland, stealing money from customers and clerks. The holdups, on the heels of a similar wave of robberies in North Oakland earlier this year, have residents fearing that no place in the city is immune to brazen crime.
“I’ve avoided dining out at night because it’s unsafe,” said Kevin Quan, who lives in the city’s San Antonio district near the King of King Restaurant on East 12th Street, which was hit by three robbers Wednesday night.
Hans Hiller, who works in Oakland and was having lunch at the King of King on Friday, said he is so uncomfortable that he has stopped taking BART to work from his home in Concord because he doesn’t feel safe walking from his office to the station at night.
“In the daytime, it’s OK. It’s light, and people are out,” he said. “Once it gets to be dark, it’s a different story.”
The King of King restaurant and two other businesses have been robbed this week by gunmen wearing dark-colored, hooded sweatshirts. On Tuesday, a pizza parlor in the East Oakland hills was hit by robbers a day after three men robbed the Kerry House bar on Piedmont Avenue shortly before it closed.
Police say the same three men might be responsible for all of the recent robberies. They were described as African American, in their late teens to early 20s, between 5-foot-4 and 6-foot-2 and wearing black hooded sweatshirts and masks. At least one is armed with a handgun.
“With the M.O. (modus operandi) and the suspect descriptions, we’re able to say they’re probably linked,” said Officer Ryan Goodfellow, who is leading the robbery investigations.
Nobody has been injured in the robberies, but police and residents fear the criminals are becoming bolder each time they get away.
On Friday, police released a surveillance video of Tuesday’s robbery at Skyline Pizza on Keller Avenue. Police also offered a $30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the eight robberies.
Wondwossen “Tony” Tadesse, a native of Ethiopia who owns the pizza parlor, said that while security cameras and guards help deter criminals, thieves who are determined to get money are hard to stop.
Still, he is taking precautions: He never keeps more than $100 or $200 on hand, putting the rest in a safe. He urges his customers use ATM and credit cards rather than cash.
Mayor Ron Dellums, speaking with reporters Thursday, urged people not to develop a siege mentality and said police and city officials are moving swiftly to make the city’s commercial areas safe.
“There’s no magic answer,” Dellums said. “There’s no silver bullet. When people are desperate, they take desperate acts. We’ve got to keep trying as diligently as we can. … We’ve got to solve this problem. We can stop it.”
Christina Trieu, owner of King of King Restaurant, said she wants Dellums and Chief Wayne Tucker to send more officers to patrol the neighborhood where her business is located, especially after dusk.
She also wants city officials to take more seriously merchants’ and residents’ concerns about neighborhood safety. A streetlight has been broken in front of her business for several months, she said. She’s been in contact with city officials, who have promised to fix the light as soon as possible.
“We hope for no more of this to happen,” Trieu said Friday. “We want it to be safer. We want to bring our customers back.”
Capt. Rick Orozco urged merchants and patrons to be vigilant in watching for and reporting suspicious people or behavior, such as groups of young men lurking in dark clothing.
He said officers will be out in marked and unmarked vehicles, and city officials will work with merchants to install surveillance cameras and reduce the amount of cash on hand.
Police would not say when or where the Guardian Angels would be out in commercial districts in their trademark red windbreakers and berets, but they hope the added security presence will make merchants and customers feel safer doing business in Oakland.
“Any time you’re in a restaurant, and you’re having dinner with your family, and somebody comes in and robs it, that’s a serious situation, and we’re taking it extremely seriously,” said Sgt. Roland Holmgren.
(ScreenDaily.COM) BERLIN — Cologne-based The Match Factory will handle international sales on two Venice competition titles – Christian Petzold’s Jerichow and Haile Gerima’s Teza – screening as world premieres at the festival.
Jerichow marks The Match Factory’s second collaboration with Petzold after his Berlinale 2007 competition film Yella which won lead actress and Petzold regular Nina Hoss a Silver Bear.
Based on an original screenplay by Petzold, the new film sees a young man (played by Benno Fuermann in his third film with Petzold after Wolfsburg and Ghosts) returning to his small hometown in Eastern Germany and beginning a passionate love affair with a married woman (Hoss). When her husband (Hilmi Soezer) learns of her unfaithfulness, a perfidious plan triggers off a catastrophe.
While Petzold sees a connection between the previous films Something To Remind Me and Wolfsburg with Jerichow – “in all three, it is about crime, passion and deep emotions, and deadly sins like revenge and greed” – he warns against interpreting these three as forming a trilogy in the same way as was done for The State I Am In, Ghosts, and Yella.
Jerichow will be released theatrically in Germany by Piffl Medien next January.
The Match Factory’s second title is Teza by veteran US-based Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima whose previous films include the portrait of slavery in Sankofa (1993) and the documentary Adwa (1999).
The new feature is described as “a story about hope and disillusionment, foreignness and homeland” following the life a young Ethiopian from his student days in West Germany in the 1970s to his final return to his native village at the age of 60.
Produced by Gerima’s Mypheduh/Negod Gwad with Strasbourg-based Unlimited, Germany’s Pandora Film Produktion and broadcasters WDR/Arte, the film was shot in the Amharic language in Ethiopia and Cologne.
In addition, Pandora Film is a production partner on another Venice world premiere, Claire Denis’s 35 Rhums, in an “out of competition” slot. The co-production with Soudaine Compagnie was shot in Paris and Luebeck last autumn and tells the story of the separation of a widowed father (Alex Decas) from the daughter (Mati Diop) he brought up on his own. Elle Driver is handling international sales on 35 Rhums, not Wild Bunch as previously reported.
