Meron Russom became head of the Tropical Amissa Bongo

The second stage of Tropical Amissa Bongo will go down in the annals of African cycling. While two Eritreans had won the first stage in 2011, Daniel Teklehaymanot in Lambaréné and Libreville Natnael Berhane, it is this time Meron Russom who wore the leader's jersey in Ndjolé Wednesday.

(From our correspondent)

Meron Russom, the Eritrean of Team MTN-Qhubeka, has achieved what no rider on the continent had already done. With premiums achieved on the finish line for his third place in the stage, Meron Russom is mounted on the top of the podium provisional. There are still four stages to go and everything still to play. But this performance proves the great evolution of these African nations such as Eritrea, Ethiopia and Morocco who stood up today to seasoned pros of Team Europcar Thomas Voeckler and Anthony Charteau. These would certainly want to take already some lead overall enjoying the bumpy road to the day's stage, but they did not count the Astana riders and Eritreans.

At the age of twenty-five years, Meron Russom is not a stranger on the African continent. After his eleventh place in 2011 on the Tropicale Amissa Bongo, he won the difficult Tour of Eritrea. A few weeks ago, he finished ninth at the prestigious Tour of Morocco under the colors of Team MTN-Qhubeka based in South Africa, since he joined this year. His third place in the final sprint this afternoon had not frustrated, he knew that the bonuses would help him win the coveted yellow jersey.At his side, the Kazakh Nikita Umerbekov enjoying his stage win ahead of Thomas Voeckler. The French rider of Team Astana Continental is also a promising youngster, he won the Fleche in 2011 Ardennes in Belgium.

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Eritrean movie “TiEgisti” wins 3 Gold Remi award at the Houston Film Festival

Eritrean movie "TiEgisti" wins 3 Gold Remi award at the Houston International movie festival. The movie producer Mr. YitbareK Kidus, the editor and the script writer give interview with VOA Tigrinia.

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Eritrean Zersenay Tadese won the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon

bY IAAF

There were high expectations from Tadese’s appearance, because the weather wasn’t as bad as predicted but still quite warm. At the race time, the temperature reach 23 ºC with moderate winds.

From the start Tadese ran in the front, with John Mwangangi (2nd in 2011 Lisbon Half Marathon and Valencia Half Marathon 2010 and 2011 winner), but always well off World record pace.

After the race, the five time IAAF World Half Marathon champion said, “I couldn’t run as fast as last year because I had a flu, and that affected me. I hope I can do better next year, if I can compete here, again.”

After Tadese and Mwangangi, another Kenyan, Lucas Rotich, finished the podium 1:40 ahead of Portuguese Rui Silva, who achieved a new personal best of 1:02:40. For Silva, “The most difficult thing was being alone almost from the beginning. Tadese and company soon went to the front, pacing the race to a level hard for my current shape. So I ran almost alone to finish with a personal best.”

The high temperature proved to be harder than expected and several athlets didn’t finish.

Among the first ten finishers, seven of them were born in Africa, two in Portugal (Silva and Manuel Damião, 2012 Portuguese road race and cross-country champion), and one Argentinean.

Confidence booster for Flanagan – women’s race

In the women’s race, Flanagan, the 2012 Houston Half Marathon winner, 2011 World Cross Country bronze medallist and 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist, crossed the finish line 16 seconds ahead of Kenyan Diana Chepkemoi (7th in 2011 Lisbon Half Marathon, 2nd in 2012 Berlin 25 km), who lowered her personal best to 1:09:08.

Two more Kenyans followed in third and fourth: Margaret Muriuki (6th at the 2011 World Cross Country) and Peninah Arusei (2010 World Half Marathon bronze medallist clocked 1:09:21 and 1:10:24, respectively.

Latvia’s Jelena Prokopcuka, a Marathon standout who lives in the south of Portugal, finished fifth ahead of Kenyan Rita Jeptoo and the Portuguese Ana Dulce Felix, who crossed the line in 1:11:18. Last year she was second in 1:08:33.

“This was a great race,” said Flanagan. “I’m very pleased for this opportunity, hoping this can give me more confidence for this summer in London, in the Olympic Marathon.”

Felix wasn’t disappointed. “Last year at this time I was preparing for the Vienna Marathon, in another level of shape. This year, our work is focused on the Olympic marathon so I ran slower than 2011.”

Overall, it was a spectacular and well organised race with more than 38,000 runners crossing the bridge over the Tagus river.

Antonio Manuel Fernandes for the IAAF

Leading Results:

Men -

1. Zersenay Tadese, ERI 59.34

2. John Mwangangi, KEN 1.00.44

3. Lucas Rotich, KEN 1.01.00

4. Rui Silva, POR 1.02.40

5. Gilbert Masai, KEN 1.02.40

6. Titus Masai, KEN 1.03.07

7. Dickson Marwa, TAN 1.03.09

8. Yared Asmeron, ERI 1.03.43

9. Manuel Damião, POR 1.03.56

10. Sammy Kigen, KEN 1.04.11

Women -

1. Shalane Flanagan, USA 1.08.52

2. Diana Chepkemoi, KEN 1.09.08

3. Margaret Muriuki, KEN 1.09.21

4. Peninah Arusei, KEN 1.10.24

5. Jelena Prokopcuka, LAT 1.10.37

6. Rita Jeptoo, KEN 1.10.50

7. Ana Dulce Felix, POR 1.11.18

8. Alice Mogire, KEN 1.11.24

9. Lornah Kiplagat, KEN 1.12.19

10. Nadia Ejjafini, ITA 1.12.41

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Minnesota Twins Recognize Apple Valley 6th Grader’s Best-Dad Essay

Deleena Simon's story of her relationship with her father won her a top spot in the Twins' Father of the Year essay contest.

If someone asked you what your dad means to you, what would you say?

Could you say it all in just a few hundred words?

Sixth grader Deleena Simon expressed her thoughts so well that she's one of 60 students the Minnesota Twins recognized as top writers in this year's Father-of-the-Year essay contest, which yielded more than 4,100 entries from kids across the state.

Though Deleena—who attends Falcon Ridge Middle School and lives in Eagan—said she didn't expect any response to her contest submission, she's runner up among sixth graders for her essay highlighting the ways her dad has taken care of her.

"The tough part was figuring out how to fit it into 300 words," Deleena said.

But she managed to fit in a lot about their story, which goes back further than her own memory.

When Deleena was a year-and-a-half old, her mother died of breast cancer. The night before she died, she told Deleena's dad, Simon Teklehaimanot, to take good care of Deleena, the essay reads.

"I think so far he has done a great job almost 10 years later," Deleena wrote, even though she admits she was a "very demanding child" and "wasn't exactly the easiest child to raise."

From carrying her up the stairs when she was tired as a toddler, to staying up with her all night after she'd gotten sick at a wedding, Deleena's dad has always cared for her, she wrote.

And over time, their relationship has grown beyond the parent-child dynamic.

"We're more than just father and daughter," Deleena said in an interview. "We kind of treat each other like best friends."

Teklehaimanot agrees.

"We've been buddies for years," he said. He still has the "best friends" sticker Deleena put in his car when she was younger.

Teklehaimanot, who owns a tobacco shop in Savage, said he actually didn't know Deleena was submitting her essay to the Twins' contest. He thought it was for school—which was partially correct. Deleena's English teacher, Kristine Wyandt, originally assigned the essay as an extra-credit opportunity.

"I think [Deleena is] the perfect candidtate to highlight because she’s such a great kid," Wyandt said; she added that Deleena is an avid reader and bright kid who thinks at a high level. Wyandt also said it's obvious that Teklehaimanot has been a supportive dad.

Teklehaimanot is from the African country of Eritrea, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1989. In Eritrea, he said, people didn't have what everyone has here. He keeps in mind not to take things for granted as he provides for Deleena and his other two daughters.

That said, Deleena has been able to participate in many activities, including soccer, basketball and several dance classes.

On June 16—the day before Father's Day—all the fathers and students who won or were runners up in the essay contest are invited to a ceremony at the Illusion Theater in downtown Minneapolis, then at the Twins game that day the father of the year winner will be announced.

Deleena, no doubt, will be pulling for her dad. As she wrote in her essay: "My father means the world to me."

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Semhar Araia of DAWN to Meet with President Obama

(WASHINGTON, DC) – On Thursday, April 26, the White House will invite DAWN founder Semhar Araia along with eleven other past Champions of Change to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Champions of Change program with President Obama. The invitees will have an informal discussion with the President about the ongoing work they devote to their respective communities. This incredible honor will provide Araia the opportunity to discuss the diligent work of women in the Diaspora African Women's Network (DAWN), and the role the organization and its members play not just in Washington, DC but also throughout the country.

"DAWN is honored to be a part of this landmark celebration. It is an incredible opportunity to personally share our work with President Obama and highlight the contributions of African immigrant and diaspora communities in the United States. With more investment and support in the diaspora, DAWN is confident our next generation of women and girls will become tomorrow's great leaders, thinkers and changemakers." said Heather Cabral, DC Chapter Representative.

The Champions of Change program was created as a part of President Obama's Winning the Future initiative. Each week, a different sector is highlighted and groups of Champions, ranging from educators to entrepreneurs to community leaders, are recognized for the work they are doing to serve and strengthen their communities.

Semhar Araia is Founder and Executive Director of the Diaspora African Women's Network (DAWN), an organization whose mission is to develop and support talented women and girls of the African diaspora focused on African affairs. DAWN currently has 180 members representing 28 African countries, the United States, Caribbean, South America, Europe and the Middle East. Araia was most recently listed as the Top Twenty Women on Twitter discussing Africa, social good and the diaspora.

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UCSF bestowed the University's highest honor to Dr. Haile Debas

UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, bestowed the University's highest honor to four internationally renowned innovators and leaders for outstanding contributions aligned with UCSF's mission to advance health worldwide. She presented the UCSF Medal at the 2012 Founder's Day banquet on April 5 to Haile T. Debas, UCSF chancellor emeritus, dean emeritus of the School of Medicine, Maurice Galante Distinguished Professor of Surgery, founding executive director of Global Health Sciences and director of the UC Global Health Institute.

Haile T. Debas was born in Asmara, Eritrea, in 1937. Following undergraduate training at University College of Addis Ababa, he received his M.D. from McGill University in 1963, and completed his surgical training at the University of British Columbia. His postgraduate training included a year as a research fellow at the University of Glasgow/Western Infirmary in Scotland, and two years at UCLA as a Medical Research Council Scholar in gastrointestinal physiology.

After a year in private practice in the Yukon Territories and British Columbia, he joined the surgery faculty of the University of British Columbia in 1970. He remained there until 1980, and then served on the faculty of UCLA (1980-1985) and the University of Washington (1985-1987).

In 1987, Debas came to UCSF as chair of the Department of Surgery. During his tenure, UCSF became one of the country's leading centers for transplant surgery, the training of young surgeons, and basic and clinical research in surgery. Debas achieved national recognition as a gastrointestinal investigator and made original contributions to the physiology, biochemistry, and pathophysiology of gastrointestinal peptide hormones.

Dr. Debas served as Dean of the UCSF School of Medicine from 1993-2003. Under his leadership, the School became a national model for medical education, an achievement for which he was recognized with the 2004 Abraham Flexner Award of the AAMC. Major initiatives included the formation of several interdepartmental and interdisciplinary centers of excellence, the development of the UCSF AIDS Research Institute, a redesign of the UCSF Human Genetics Program, and important changes in the medical school curriculum.

In 1997, Haile T. Debas was appointed the seventh Chancellor of UCSF, agreeing to accept the appointment for a period of one year. Serving concurrently as both Chancellor and School of Medicine Dean, he played a key role in all of the major initiatives of the campus, including the development of UCSF Stanford Health Care, the campus at Mission Bay, and the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Debas was founding Executive Director of UCSF Global Health Sciences (GHS) since its establishment in 2003 until the appointment of Jaime Sepulveda in 2011. GHS integrates UCSF expertise in the health, social, and biological sciences to focus on issues such as the global impact of diseases of poverty, chronic illness, and the worldwide threats of infectious diseases. Debas was named Global Health Advisor to UCSF in 2011 by Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, and now works in that capacity.

Debas has held leadership positions with numerous membership organizations and professional associations. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Institute of Medicine. He currently serves on the United Nations Commission on HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa and on the Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Rwanda: Local Team Turns Focus On Tour of Eritrea 2012

By Ostine Arinaitwe, 2 May 2012

THE national cycling team will rest for a few days before heading to residential training camp in Musanze as to continue preparations for the forthcoming Tour of Eritrea scheduled to run from May 30 to June 6.

The team finished 7th out of the 14 teams that took that part in the La Tropicale Amissa Bongo cycling tour last month, one of the most competitive races on the continent, which is classified as a 2:1 race by International Cycling Union (UCI).

Veteran Abraham Ruhumuriza was the team's best performer, coming in 12th place in the 579.4km six stage race that was won by Frenchman Anthony Charteau riding for Europcar cycling club.

Emmanuel Rudahunga, Nicodem Habiyambere and Nathan Byukusenge also came inside the top 30. Rookies Hadi Janvier and Joseph Biziyaremeye, who were racing in the competition for the first time finished in 42nd and 74th positions respectively.

Eritrea's Rusom Meron and Morocco's Jelloul Adil, who also won the 2009 Tour of Rwanda, came in 2nd and third positions.

Team Rwanda's good performance means they finished the race as the 3rd best African team at the event behind Eritrea and Morocco.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary in national cycling federation Emmanuel Murenzi confirmed to Times Sport that the traditional Ascension de Mille Colline race will take place on May 20.

The 130km race is expected to attract 60 riders and will be used as preparation for the national team for the Tour of Eritrea.

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