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Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Inaugurated

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Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Inaugurated

By Jeffery Kazembe Batts
IG:@kazbatts


On Tuesday, September 9, Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam. With a combination of $5 billion raised from the Ethiopian people and technical expertise from Webuild, a global infrastructure development firm, the dam is part of Ethiopia’s long-term vision to provide electricity to its people and neighboring nations.

Among the guests attending the ceremony from the region were Somali President Hasan Sheikh, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and Kenyan President William Ruto. Webuild Chief Executive Pietro Salini also attended. With a giant Ethiopian flag in the background, air force planes flew overhead, speakers saluted the accomplishment, and cultural performers entertained as Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed smiled and hugged attendees.


The 170-meter-tall and 1800-meter-wide GERD can generate energy equivalent to three medium-sized nuclear power plants. With its unprecedented engineering complexity, the dam is recognized by many as one of the world’s most advanced infrastructure projects to be completed recently. Since construction began in 2014, GERD has directly improved the quality of life in the surrounding area.

Medical facilities, a school, a bakery, sports facilities, and road infrastructure are now in the area. Over 25,000 people found employment. The skills learned, with the assistance of Webuild, position Ethiopians to lead in future construction projects. The inauguration of GERD has brought pride and hope to the masses of Ethiopians.

“We will have enough power to charge our electric vehicles from the new dam,” said bus driver Belay Tigabu in Addis Ababa. According to the World Bank, although there is a 94% electrification rate in urban areas, 55% of the overall population lacks access to electricity. Most Ethiopians live in the countryside.

During the ceremony, the South Sudanese and Kenyan leaders declared they are ready to import electricity into their countries. Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Motley was the only woman to speak at the ceremony.

She inspired the dignitaries from the podium, saying “The journey of a people who have remained proud throughout history… the people of Ethiopia stood tall and put their money where their mouth is… on behalf of Barbados, the Caribbean Community, the 6th region of the African Union, the diaspora… what is possible if we bound together and create a great pan-African movement… that the language of Marcus Garvey that we must emancipate ourselves from mental slavery… I pray today that when we leave here, we will see the awakening of Africa, the entire continent, and the diaspora.


Possibly playing both sides of the ongoing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia about the GERD, during his remarks, Somali President Sheikh saluted Ethiopia’s accomplishment by saying, “This is a victory not only for Ethiopia, but for the shared future of the region.” Nonetheless, although most in the region see the inauguration of GERD as part of a pan-African vision, Egypt remains disturbed.

Egypt has recently enhanced its military cooperation with Somalia, claiming that elevating relations between Egypt and Somalia to a strategic partnership is a pivotal step to strengthen the historical and political ties between the two nations. Although the stated intention for the military relationship is to stabilize Somalia, Ethiopia is skeptical about the military relationship. In late August, while lobbying countries in the region, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty “reaffirmed Egypt’s categorical rejection of unilateral measures that violate international law in the Eastern Nile Basin,”.

At the ceremony, in an outreach to Egypt and Sudan, Prime Minister Abiy emphasized, “To our Sudanese and Egyptian brothers, Ethiopia built the dam to prosper, to electrify the entire region, and to change the history of Black people. It is absolutely not to harm its brothers.”

With the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States, the ongoing horrors in Darfur, Sudan, the instability in Congo, and Trump’s disrespect of South Africa, much is happening in the world’s second-largest continent, Africa. African people and all people of goodwill must be informed and engaged in these happenings. The inauguration of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is a milestone and could lead to more integration and development, especially for the Horn of Africa.

Hot Streak Incoming?

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Hot Streak Incoming?

By Eddie Castro

As we go to press, the New York Yankees just completed the gauntlet part of their schedule with match ups that included, the Astros, Tigers, Blue Jays and Red Sox. In those 12 games, the Yankees went a combined 7-5, which Yankee fans can consider a win-win when you take into account that those four teams would be playoff teams in the American League if the season ended today.

The Yankees had some timely hitting in those series and most importantly the team captain Aaron Judge had an impressive showing during that 12-game stretch in which he hit 5 home runs.

He was the player of the week in the American League. With their impressive play, included taking two out of three games against the rival Red Sox, the team has just a one game lead for the top spot in the AL Wild Card standings.

The Yankees are still in the hunt for the AL East crown but with some recent loses and wins by the division leading Blue Jays, the division appears to be a forgone conclusion with the Yankees now five games behind (six with the Blue Jays owning the season series against the Yankees).

After a dreadful summer stretch, the team has played better of late. The Yankees are 21-11 in their last 32 games thanks in large part to not only the lineup’s ability to hit home runs, but the efficiency of the starting rotation lead by Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. Although the Yankees are in good shape to clinch another postseason berth, the question still remains just what version of the Yankees we will see come October


The Yankees schedule (on paper) is an easy one. Tonight, they will finish up a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins. This will follow up with four more games at Baltimore, a team that has played better recently, and then returning to the Bronx to play the Chicago White Sox for three and another three-game set to finish up the campaign against the Orioles.

This season has given Yankees fans both highs and lows. The offense is obviously the team’s strong point. However, there are teams where the lineup can look unstoppable and then have 10-game stretches of several players in hitting slumps at the same time.

The Achilles Heel for the team when they are off has been the situational hitting and the defensive lapses of defense and a bullpen which Aaron Boone is still trying to sort out just who to place where in the later innings as the consistent bridge to get to closer David Bednar. It is important for the Yankees to finish the season hot.

The most important thing for the team is to have Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton right for the postseason as the two could very well be the talk of October if they are able to catch fire. These next two weeks will hopefully answer just what version of the Yankees we will see as we approach playoff baseball.


Sports Notes: (Basketball) As we go to press, the New York Liberty currently holds a 1-0 series lead against the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the playoffs. (Football) Both the Jets and Giants will look to pick up their first wins of the season. The Jets will play their first road game of the season as they prepare themselves to go head-to-head with Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Giants will play the Kansas City Chiefs in their home opener on Sunday Night Football. Tune in to an All-New episode of Sports Talk With Eddie presented by Our Time Press live tonight at 5pm on the Our Time Press. You Tube channel. Call-ins are available.

Kitchen Table Concerns Drive Democrats in 2025

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Kitchen Table Concerns Drive Democrats in 2025

View From Here
Local Brooklyn-born political leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Attorney General Letitia James are ahead of the pack. They are speaking to kitchen table concerns of their base. And with inflation, rising prices, critical concerns about losing health care and food benefits, and
Hakeem Jeffries, (D-NY-8) House Democratic Caucus Leader, has put together an A-Team of committee members with Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23), Eric Swalwell, (D-CA-14), Jaime Raskin (D-MD-8) and Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30). And he also has an A-Team of community leaders on the ground working hard, the American Way. He is not out of touch.


Same for Attorney General James. Her recent work on behalf of the underserved … all underserved, is not going unnoticed.
While defending the indefensible, the Republicans are giving the Democrats a platform for their top communicators to remind the country about the kind of people Trump pardoned and is considering worthy of reparations.

And along with Trump supporters, Mamdani’s message is something Democratic leaders should listen to, as well. – OTP

L.A. and D.C. Grand Juries: More Than One Way to Protest

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By Mary Alice Miller
When ICE commenced its June sweep of undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles, protesters hit the streets. Trump sent in 2,000 federalized National Guard Troops and 700 Marines, purportedly to protect a federal detention center and other buildings after Los Angeles was asked to assign local police to protect masked ICE agents.


Protesters were tear gassed during clashes with law enforcement. Cars were set on fire, stores were looted, and major roadways were blocked with cinder blocks and shopping carts, including near a Home Depot where undocumented immigrant day laborers were detained. The Los Angeles mayor issued a curfew.

During the siege there were numerous detentions in the Los Angeles garment district and outside Home Depot, including United States citizens caught Prominent labor leader David Huerta was among those arrested while protesting, charged with conspiracy to impede an officer.

The use of the military to do policing and law enforcement work is not allowed without a very specific exception: the invocation of the Insurrection Act.
The National Guard was not activated by Governor Gavin Newsom. Estimated costs of Trumps’ deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles was approximately $120 million, according to Gov. Newsom.

Last week a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration illegally instructed the National Guard to perform law enforcement duties – a violation of the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act – during the anti-ICE protests. The judge ordered the 300 remaining National Guard personnel deployed in Los Angeles cannot be used to engage in law enforcement activities like conducting immigration raids or immigration arrests, and crowd or traffic control.

Days later, a federal appeals court judge temporarily lifted a judge’s order that limited the operations of National Guard troops that Trump activated in Los Angeles, permitting them to continue to protect federal buildings.

Citizens have watched all of this. They had no choice: the vivid images were on their nightly news.
Those called to grand jury service are beginning to make their displeasure heard.
In the aftermath of the Los Angeles protests against ICE, and Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines, several felony charges related to the anti-ICE immigration raid protests were dismissed or downgraded to misdemeanors. The few indictments that did stick involved people attacking federal agents with weapons.


It is rare for a grand jury to refuse an indictment. Prosecutors have sole control over evidence introduced to grand juries and can use their digression to persuade a grand jury to indict almost anyone. The person being charged is not allowed to have their attorney present during grand jury proceedings. In addition, grand jury proceedings are secret.
As New York Court of Appeals Chief Justice Sol Wachtler said in 1985, “Any good prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich.”
Not anymore.

In the wake of protests in Los Angeles and the Trump administration takeover of law enforcement in the nation’s capitol, grand jury members in Washington, D.C. have begun to question cases brought by over-zealous prosecutors related to the National Guard.
One most notable case that went viral was an incident where former DOJ employee Sean Charles Dunn allegedly called a federal agent a fascist and threw a Subway sandwich at the officer. Dunn was arrested by 20 federal agents in riot gear for assaulting a federal officer. A grand jury returned a no-bill.

A woman recording video of the transfer of inmates into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents outside the city’s jail in July was subjected to three separate grand juries accusing her of assaulting a police officer. All three voted against indicting her.
In another case, a man was arrested on an assault charge by a U.S. Park Police officer with the assistance of National Guard members. A grand jury rejected an indictment against him.


In another arrest, Torez Riley, a Black man, was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon while he was on his way to a Trader Joe’s. Riley was stopped by law enforcement who searched his bag with no probable cause. After admonishment from Federal Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui over the unconstitutionality of the arrest, a federal prosecutor dropped the case.
Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia has instructed prosecutors to maximize criminal charges on street arrests.

Perhaps grand juries are acting as the conscience of the people.
Grand juries in Chicago, New York, and Baltimore might take note.

NYC Mayoral Race : Boots and Baggage

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NYC Mayoral Race : Boots and Baggage

By Nayaba Arinde
Editor-at-Large

The NYC mayoral race may come down to questions over boots and baggage. CUNY constitutional law professor Gloria J. Browne-Marshall told Our Time Press that the electorate has a choice of a candidate with President Donald Trump’s boot on their neck, or others with a whole bunch of political baggage.

She posed the question regarding frontrunners Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and former NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo, “Do you want to go with the questionable parts that you already know, or the questionable parts that you don’t know?”
On Tuesday, the New York Times published a poll calculating a Zohran Mamdani win if current percentages remain. The Democratic nominee is 20 points ahead currently, in the four man race. In the polling of 1,284 likely New York City voters from Sept. 2-6 the Times/Sienna College Poll has Mamdani at 46%, Cuomo at 24%, Sliwa at 15%, and Adams at 9%, and don’t-knows/won’t-says at 5%.

But the numbers shift dramatically if Cuomo becomes the solo opponent. Mamdani at 48%, Cuomo at 44%.
Inserting himself in the race with less than 2 months to go, Republican president Trump reportedly wants Adams or Sliwa to drop out of their Independent and Republican-line runs respectively, in order to give Cuomo a clear one-on-one run against Mamdani.

The traveling Adams and Trump show had the media in a flux last Friday, when news was floated that the President’s associates had offered him the job of Ambassador to Saudi Arabia in exchange for him obviously dropping out of the race for NYC mayor; clearing the way for Democrat-turned-Independent candidate Cuomo to go head-to-head with 20 points ahead frontrunner DSA member, and Democratic Party nominee Mamdani.


Published reports also suggested that Trump’s team could possibly offer Sliwa a job in his administration. Adams denied that any such ambassador offer existed. “No one made an offer to me,” he said.

Trump also said he had not offered the mayor anything but stated once again that he does not want New York to end up with a “communist mayor,” even though Mamdani is indeed a democratic socialist. The president said that everything comes through the White House, so Mamdani is probably not going to be able to do the things he said he is going to do.
Cuomo, 67, said, “In reality for voters, there will be two viable candidates who can win: me and Mamdani. And you could not have a more stark choice. Mamdani is a socialist. I am a democrat.

“I am improving,” Sliwa said, “I am not moving.” The lone Republican third place contender Sliwa maintained that he is staying in the race, ”Under no circumstance, you can’t bribe me, you can’t lease me, you can’t rent me, you can’t motivate me to leave this race.”
Opening a Brownsville satellite office last Friday, the 71-year-old Brooklynite said, “I’m running to be the People’s Mayor for all.”

Casual observers citywide are speculating that Adams may still be offered another federal government job, or a private or a corporate business opportunity. This has folk asking will he or won’t he stay in this heated mayoral race? Either response has the stamp of Trump lingering over his reputation.


Adams said, “While I will always listen if called to serve our country, no formal offers have been made. I am still running for re-election, and my full focus is on the safety and quality of life of every New Yorker.”
Last Friday, in the wake of the frantic ambassador job speculation, and blaming his opponent for fueling the rumor, Adams stated, “Andrew Cuomo is a snake and a liar. I am in this race, and I am the only one that can beat Mamdani.”

Adams, 65, has been denied public matching funds almost a dozen times reportedly due to the five federal corruption charges, which Trump allegedly made go away in return for cooperation with his administration, particularly his controversial immigration policy. He said, “Serving New Yorkers as their mayor is the only job I’ve ever wanted.”
Heavily defeated by Mamdani in the July primary, Cuomo predicted on Tuesday that “People will gravitate to the natural choice.”

Civil Rights attorney Professor Browne-Marshall told Our Time Press that with the Adams administration, “We have so many issues of corruption within the administration, and even if it does not include him personally, then it shows a judgment that is questionable in his hiring practices. If you have so many people under indictment or pleading guilty to charges, it comes down to why we should trust the second term of someone who can’t choose the right people for his administration. It overshadows any good he is doing.”

Teaching Constitutional Law at CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the educator continued, “The lack of independence, and the sword hanging over his head from the Trump administration, means it is hanging over the head of the entire city, not just him. So that means another four years of us living under the boot of somebody who’s living under the boot.
All of this reflects on us as a city, and it’s not just him in his personal and professional life. Trust has been broken. I’m not quite sure if he can get it back by November, and how would he get it back? In what ways can he rebuild trust?”


As for Mamdani, Browne-Marshall said, “I think right now he’s a bit of a wild card. But, there are such extreme differences between the candidates that I think there are a lot of people who are willing to take the chance on a wild card.
“When we look at Cuomo, the country was so indebted to him during the pandemic, and his leadership during that time. However, once again, there’s been a breach of trust, with the allegations of the abuses of power regarding the women and other issues that had him step down in the first place. He left office under a cloud, and once again we have a breach of trust, and can that trust be redeemed by November?’

The political law expert assessed, “People bring certain things to the table, but they’re also bringing their baggage to the table.”
Will this flawed “perfectly imperfect” candidate reality keep folks home on election day?
“No, I think that it will make them go vote, because our destinies are tied together, and right now we need someone who’s gonna stand up to Trump…I don’t think that Eric Adams is in a position to stand up to Trump, at least that has not been shown so far. Mamdani and Cuomo can, and they then each come to the table with aspects of their administration that are seen as a wild card. They both have questions, with the more liberal point of view that Mamdani has, or is it understood leadership, but with a great deal of baggage that Cuomo brings?”

Apparently wealthy NYC developers and Cuomo held an emergency closed door meeting on Tuesday, September, to find out how they can combat the Mamdani wave, by escalating the Cuomo campaign.

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