Ethiopian opposition leader released from jail

Ethiopia released the country's opposition leader from jail yesterday, four months after the government's much-criticised landslide win in elections.

Birtukan Mideksa, a former judge, is the leader of Ethiopia's biggest opposition party, Unity for Democracy and Justice. She left Kaliti prison in Addis Ababa with her daughter and mother.

Supporters sang "Birtukan is our Mandela". They say she was jailed for being a threat to the Prime Minister Melese Zenawi at the 23 May election, which gave him a mandate for a further five years. The government denies that claim.