WORLD IN BRIEF : ETHIOPIA : Jewish Emigration Reportedly Blocked

Ethiopian leader Mengistu Haile Mariam is denying 10,000 Jews permission to emigrate to Israel as a way to get military supplies from the Jewish state, a leader of the Ethiopian community in Israel said. The accusation comes amid reports that Mengistu’s hard-line Marxist government is teetering as secessionist rebels gain ground in their battle to topple him. Rahamin Elazar, chairman of the Public Council for Ethiopian Affairs in Israel, said Mengistu is demanding arms from Israel in exchange for allowing Jews to leave his country. An Israeli government spokesman denied the charge.