By Mark Rodden | RFI

Three women – Kerron Stewart in the 100 metres, Sanya Richards in the 400 metres and record-breaking pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva – are also in the running for the prize.

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele missed the cross-country and indoor seasons through injury but wins at Golden League meetings in Berlin, Oslo and Rome suggest he is nearing his best form again.

At Friday’s event in the French capital though, the Olympic champion and world-record holder over 5,000 and 10,000 metres will be presented with a different challenge. Unlike the previous meetings this year, there is no 5,000 metre race in Paris. Instead Bekele will have to win over 3,000 metres if his pursuit of the jackpot can continue.

This means Bekele should face stiff competition from Kenyan-born US athlete Bernard Lagat at the Stade de France, but the 27-year-old is not too disappointed at having to run over a shorter distance.

“I don’t want to run every week 5,000 metres,” Bekele said on Thursday. “I’m feeling good, I’ve prepared well and my condition is really good. I think I will have a good result tomorrow.”

When it comes to athletes as consistently groundbreaking as Bekele, it’s inevitable that questions about world records will come up. The news that Bekele’s manager, Jos Hermens, requested that a number of fast pacemakers be included in Friday’s line-up suggests his race will be worth watching.

“I will try to break a record,” Bekele said. “If a record is not [possible] maybe I can run my personal best. But to run a personal best, it’s not easy. My personal best is 7:25 so I will see tomorrow.”

After Friday’s race, Bekele will return to Ethiopia to continue his preparations for the World Championships in Berlin next month. Chances are he’ll be leaving Paris with a million other things on his mind as well.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The Appeals Court in Addis Ababa on Thursday ruled in favor of Teddy Afro (Tewodros Kassahun), according to sources close to the family.

The Court rejected the prosecutor’s appeal to reverse the previous court decision to lower Teddy’s prison sentence from 6 years to 2.

Teddy has already served over 14 months in jail and will be released next month.

Related:

* Woyanne throws Teddy Afro in jail
* Teddy Afro gets a 6-year jail sentence
* Teddy Afro – a victim of ruthless dictatorship
* The celebration of Teddy Afro’s ideals and vision
* VIDEO: Teddy Afro steals Beyone’s show in Addis

Co-host of the Washington DC-based Netsanet LeEthiopia Radio, Ato Esayas Lisanu, has published a new book in Amharic, “Kenahu Bechereka” (I Envy the Moon). There will be a book signing ceremony at the Unification Church in Washington DC on July 24, 2009, starting at 6:00 PM. See the poster below for more information.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — It is reported that last night several unknown individuals have attacked at least three bishops of the Ethiopian Orthodox church who are thought to be opponents of the fake patriarch of Ethiopia, Aba Gebremedhin (formerly known as Aba Paulos), who was installed by the Woyanne tribal regime.

According to the Amharic online journal, Deje Selam, those who were attacked include Abune Fanuel, Abune Qerlos and Abune Epifanios.

Read more at Deje Selam. Click here.

ዛሬ ረቡዕ ከምሽቱ አራት ሰዓት ጀምሮ በአካባቢው ያለውን የመብራት መጥፋት ተገን ያደረጉ ሰዎች በብፁዓን አባቶች ላይ አደጋ መጣላቸው ተሰማ።

በትናንት ረቡዕ ስብሰባ ፓትርያርኩ “ሕገ ቤተ ክርስቲያን የምትሉትን አልቀበልም፣ የማንም ዱርዬ የሠራው ነው፣ … ሲኖዶሱ ተጠሪነቱ ለፓትርያርኩ ነው” የሚለው ክርክራቸው ከከሸፈ ወዲህ በትልቅ የተስፋ መቁረጥ ሁኔታ ላይ ይገኛሉ። ነገሩ በዚህ ካለቀ ችግር ውስጥ የሚገባው የፓትርያርኩና የማፊያዉ ቡድን ወደ ጥቃት የተሸጋገረው ለዚህ ሳይሆን አይቀርም ተብሎ ተገምቷል። ሲኖዶሱ በመንግሥት ባለሥልጣናት አሸማጋይነት የጀመረው ስብሰባ ዛሬም ቀጥሎ በአዲስ አበባ ሀ/ስብከት ሊቀ ጳጳስ በብፁዕ አቡነ ሳሙኤል እግድና በሌሎች አጀንዳዎች ዙሪያ ለመነጋገር ቀጠሮ ነበረው።

Mt. Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is the ultimate challenge for mountain climbers who dare conquer its feat. Many, amongst the elite in the mountain climbing community, have perished in their attempt to reach the peak.

Still many developed nations and some developing, have had the pleasure and pride to have their nationals hoist their flag with all its glory up held high. Upon the triumphant return of Vilane, the first South African, an ecstatic President Thabo Mbeki declared, “Today all Africans stand 8,848m tall. Vilane has made all of us stick our chest out in justifiable pride and wonder” (2003). This time, it will be our own Sirak, with our beloved Green, Yellow and Red on top of the world.

You can help Sirak place an Ethiopian flag on Mt. Everest for the first time in history by making a contribution to, The First Ethiopian on Mt. Everest Mission… [read more]

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (AFP) – Ethiopia’s state minister for communication affairs [who works under the propaganda chief Bereket Simon] has refused to return home from the United Sates after an official visit, a top government official told AFP Wednesday.

Ermias Legesse was issued with an 11-day visa and left for the US in the second week of June, but has not returned.

“He didn’t report back, but there is nothing political in that,” said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“He has chosen to stay there. It seems he has dreamt about going to the US,” he added. “Sometimes strange things happen.”

Ermias, who is in his thirties, was appointed to the position earlier this year.

The US embassy in Addis Ababa declined to comment on the matter, but a diplomatic source said Ermias “has not been reachable for several days.”