Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Ethiopian killed in clashes in Calais migrant camp | Daily Mail Online

An Ethiopian was killed and six other migrants injured when clashes erupted on the outskirts of the migrant camp in France's northern port city of Calais, authorities said Tuesday.
A local government spokesman said migrants from Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia clashed with those from Afghanistan on Monday night, stabbing each other and hitting each other with sticks.
A 37-year-old Ethiopian died after being knifed in the chest, he said.
Authorities say there are about 4,500 migrants in the camp known as the "Jungle", however charitable organisations estimate the figure is as high as 7,000

Authorities say there are about 4,500 migrants in the camp known as the "Jungle", however charitable organisations estimate the figure is as high as 7,000 ©Francois Lo Presti (AFP/File)
Police intervened several times in the clashes.
Fights often break out in the sprawling camp, home to thousands of migrants hoping to find a way across the Channel to Britain.
On May 26, 40 people were injured in a fight between Afghan and Sudanese migrants.
The spokesman said the migrants had also constructed about 30 barricades in the road in a bid to stop and board trucks heading to Britain.
Last week a migrant of unknown nationality was found dead on the highway near Calais, and local officials said he likely died while crossing the road or falling off a truck. He was the eighth migrant killed since January trying to make it to Britain.
Authorities say there are about 4,500 migrants in the camp known as the "Jungle", however charitable organisations estimate the figure is as high as 7,000.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Ethiopia blocks social media to prevent university exam leakage




Ethiopia blocks social media to prevent university exam leakage






Ethiopia has blocked social networking sites in the country since Saturday to prevent leakage of university entrance examination to be held next week.
“This is a temporary measure until Wednesday as the social networks serve as a distraction to the students,” the government spokesman, Getachew Reda told AFP.
Last month, questions for the top examination were posted on social networks causing a national scandal leading to the cancellation of the entire exam.
This is a temporary measure until Wednesday as the social networks serve as a distraction to the students.
The most popular social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Viber are inaccessible throughout Ethiopia since Saturday morning. Aside these sites, the internet is functioning normally.
The blockade has been criticized by Ethiopian internet users who have found a way around the ban by using the VPN (virtual private networks).
“This is a dangerous precedent. There is no transparency about who took the decision and for how long. This time it is for a few days, but next time it might be for a month,” Daniel Berhane, a blogger and the creator of the influential website “Horn Affairs” told AFP.
He added that they believe the Ethiopian authorities are seeking to test new internet filtering tools and also the reaction of the public.
Ethiopia filters internet regularly using firewalls which often slows network access.
Problems of accessing social networking sites had been reported in some localities of the Oromo region during the anti-government protests, but blocking all sites nationwide is unprecedented in the country.
The UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution last week considering the restrictions of internet access as a violation of human rights. This was a few days after the election of Ethiopia as a non-permanent member of the UN security Council for a two year term.