The Christian Science Monitor
By Aidan Jones

Ethiopia is being hit hard by a dramatic slump in demand for flowers as the
global economic crisis forces consumers to curb spending on
perceived luxuries.

Sabeta, Ethiopia – A local pop song trills out from the radio, filling the cavernous packing hall at the Ethio Highland Flora farm in Sabeta, a 45-minute drive from Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Dozens of workers tackle a seemingly endless stack of exotically named roses, separating the short stems and rotten petals from the bright Valentino, Duo Unique, Wild Calypso, and Alyssa blooms destined for Europe. Most of the farm’s 400 employees earn less than a dollar a day, but it is a steady wage in one of the world’s poorest nations where 80 percent of the population lives off the land. Read more.

Mother’s Day:
Essence Magazine’s Interview with Michelle Obama & Mom

Essence magazine’s current cover story, dedicated to to Mother’s Day,
features an exclusive interview with First Lady Michelle Obama and her
mother, Marian Robinson. In the following CNN video, Tony Harris talks
with Essence editor Angela Burt-Murray about the interview.

Mrs. O, mom give interview (CNN VIDEO)