#Eritrean authorities release 98 people detained for years over religious beliefs
The Eritrean government has released at least 98 followers of banned religious groups who had been detained for years, according to BBC Tigrigna, citing sources inside Eritrea and abroad.
Family members in Asmara and in the diaspora told BBC Tigrigna that 36 believers were released on bail last Thursday, including 20 women. Many of those freed had been held for about five years at the high-security Mai Serwa prison without formal charges or court proceedings. An additional 17 people were reportedly released from custody the following day.
Earlier releases were also reported. BBC Tigrigna sources said that on 3 December, the authorities freed 26 detainees, including 16 women, who had been imprisoned without trial for around three years. On 18 November, another 19 people, including three women, were ...
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The Eritrean government has released at least 98 followers of banned religious groups who had been detained for years, according to BBC Tigrigna, citing sources inside Eritrea and abroad.
Family members in Asmara and in the diaspora told BBC Tigrigna that 36 believers were released on bail last Thursday, including 20 women. Many of those freed had been held for about five years at the high-security Mai Serwa prison without formal charges or court proceedings. An additional 17 people were reportedly released from custody the following day.
Earlier releases were also reported. BBC Tigrigna sources said that on 3 December, the authorities freed 26 detainees, including 16 women, who had been imprisoned without trial for around three years. On 18 November, another 19 people, including three women, were ...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02ZcYchwa33ZfKu1kz1AvBkrP5CPprxdoRTnCxiQ2DCsvf98KMa1xNnJFHfFZkgQkgl
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#UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan reinforces protection measures after recent deadly attack
The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (#UNISFA) on Monday said it has taken "all necessary steps to protect its personnel and facilities" following a deadly drone attack on its logistics base in Kadugli, South Kordofan, that killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injured nine others.
In a statement, the UN said the "horrific drone attacks" on Dec. 13 targeted the UN peacekeeping base while the peacekeepers were on duty. A solemn ceremony was held on Monday at UNISFA headquarters in Abyei to honor the six fallen peacekeepers, whose remains are being escorted back to Bangladesh, the statement said.
"Their sacrifice for peace will never be forgotten," it said, adding that "the entire UNISFA family stands in grief with the families of the fallen peacekeepers and the Government ...
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/un-peacekeeping-mission-in-sudan-reinforces-protection-measures-after-recent-deadly-attack/3772117
The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (#UNISFA) on Monday said it has taken "all necessary steps to protect its personnel and facilities" following a deadly drone attack on its logistics base in Kadugli, South Kordofan, that killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers and injured nine others.
In a statement, the UN said the "horrific drone attacks" on Dec. 13 targeted the UN peacekeeping base while the peacekeepers were on duty. A solemn ceremony was held on Monday at UNISFA headquarters in Abyei to honor the six fallen peacekeepers, whose remains are being escorted back to Bangladesh, the statement said.
"Their sacrifice for peace will never be forgotten," it said, adding that "the entire UNISFA family stands in grief with the families of the fallen peacekeepers and the Government ...
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/un-peacekeeping-mission-in-sudan-reinforces-protection-measures-after-recent-deadly-attack/3772117
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#MSF completes #Ethiopia’s first R21 malaria vaccine rollout in refugee camp
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has completed the first full rollout of the R21 malaria vaccine in Ethiopia, marking the first time globally that the vaccine has been fully administered in a refugee camp, the organization said in a press release.
The vaccination campaign was conducted in #Kule refugee camp in the #Gambella region, home to more than 55,000 South Sudanese refugees. In November 2025, 2,100 children under the age of five received their fourth and final dose, completing the first cohort vaccinated with the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended R21 vaccine for areas with moderate to high malaria transmission. The rollout was carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Refugee & Returnee Service, and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
“This is the first time the R21 vaccine has...
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Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has completed the first full rollout of the R21 malaria vaccine in Ethiopia, marking the first time globally that the vaccine has been fully administered in a refugee camp, the organization said in a press release.
The vaccination campaign was conducted in #Kule refugee camp in the #Gambella region, home to more than 55,000 South Sudanese refugees. In November 2025, 2,100 children under the age of five received their fourth and final dose, completing the first cohort vaccinated with the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended R21 vaccine for areas with moderate to high malaria transmission. The rollout was carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Refugee & Returnee Service, and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
“This is the first time the R21 vaccine has...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid025oBhyAWa5fWPyEPKuAgLJSh45k6NUh7ivGsdynQTX9sUUbewM7fpeoQTYk153nb1l
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#NEBE accredits 45 local CSOs to observe 7th General #Election
The National Election Board of #Ethiopia (NEBE) has accredited 45 local civil society organizations (CSOs) to observe the country’s upcoming 7th general election, the Board announced.
In a statement, NEBE said the accreditation was carried out in line with relevant legal frameworks, including the Ethiopian Electoral, Political Parties Registration, and Election’s Code of Conduct Proclamation No. 1162/2019 and the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia Establishment Proclamation No. 1133/2019, as well as Directive No. 5/2020 governing the accreditation, working procedures, and code of conduct for local election observers.
The Board noted that the accredited CSOs will participate in election observation activities in accordance with the rights and responsibilities outlined in the law and applicable directives.....
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The National Election Board of #Ethiopia (NEBE) has accredited 45 local civil society organizations (CSOs) to observe the country’s upcoming 7th general election, the Board announced.
In a statement, NEBE said the accreditation was carried out in line with relevant legal frameworks, including the Ethiopian Electoral, Political Parties Registration, and Election’s Code of Conduct Proclamation No. 1162/2019 and the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia Establishment Proclamation No. 1133/2019, as well as Directive No. 5/2020 governing the accreditation, working procedures, and code of conduct for local election observers.
The Board noted that the accredited CSOs will participate in election observation activities in accordance with the rights and responsibilities outlined in the law and applicable directives.....
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02ri5SndSVCqekijqxLP8HfmXKKxXfW7QBnU9L1eoAjnAx3dPQtqoh2vVkLQdzrgDl
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News: #Ethiopia’s wheat self-sufficiency claims questioned amid farmers’ struggles in #Oromia — New Lines Magazine
Ethiopia’s government has promoted the country as Africa’s emerging wheat powerhouse four decades after the 1984 famine, but the reality for farmers in Oromia sharply contrasts with official rhetoric, according to an in-depth investigation by New Lines Magazine.
The report recalls Prime Minister #Abiy_Ahmed’s 2024 statement rejecting famine as a defining feature of Ethiopia, alongside government claims that the country has transitioned from a major wheat importer to a self-sufficient producer with surplus for export. Hashtags such as #WheatRevolution accompanied the narrative, which New Lines Magazine notes appears plausible given agriculture’s role in employing two-thirds of the population and contributing about one-third of GDP.
However, New Lines Magazine reports that independent assessments by the African Development Bank, the #US .........
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54092
Ethiopia’s government has promoted the country as Africa’s emerging wheat powerhouse four decades after the 1984 famine, but the reality for farmers in Oromia sharply contrasts with official rhetoric, according to an in-depth investigation by New Lines Magazine.
The report recalls Prime Minister #Abiy_Ahmed’s 2024 statement rejecting famine as a defining feature of Ethiopia, alongside government claims that the country has transitioned from a major wheat importer to a self-sufficient producer with surplus for export. Hashtags such as #WheatRevolution accompanied the narrative, which New Lines Magazine notes appears plausible given agriculture’s role in employing two-thirds of the population and contributing about one-third of GDP.
However, New Lines Magazine reports that independent assessments by the African Development Bank, the #US .........
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54092
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#Op_ed: From Myth to Tragedy: Hidden dangers of health misinformation in #Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, the warning “When rumors spread faster than medicine, lives are at risk” is not rhetorical but real, writes Trhas Tadesse in this op-ed. He argues that an already fragile health system is further weakened by “persistent health misinformation,” turning preventable deaths into everyday tragedies.
The author explains that false beliefs about vaccines, contraception, pregnancy, and disease treatment erode trust in formal healthcare, delay treatment, and cost lives. Myths linking tetanus toxoid vaccines or contraceptives to infertility, reliance on herbal or spiritual “cures,” and the belief that home delivery is safer continue to endanger mothers and newborns.
Trhas contends that “Health misinformation is far more than a mere inconvenience; it constitutes a life-threatening epidemic.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54089
In Ethiopia, the warning “When rumors spread faster than medicine, lives are at risk” is not rhetorical but real, writes Trhas Tadesse in this op-ed. He argues that an already fragile health system is further weakened by “persistent health misinformation,” turning preventable deaths into everyday tragedies.
The author explains that false beliefs about vaccines, contraception, pregnancy, and disease treatment erode trust in formal healthcare, delay treatment, and cost lives. Myths linking tetanus toxoid vaccines or contraceptives to infertility, reliance on herbal or spiritual “cures,” and the belief that home delivery is safer continue to endanger mothers and newborns.
Trhas contends that “Health misinformation is far more than a mere inconvenience; it constitutes a life-threatening epidemic.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54089
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Another blow to media freedom in #Ethiopia: #Deutsche_Welle attacks highlight growing threat to independent press
In the latest crackdown on media freedom in Ethiopia, Deutsche Welle (#DW), #Germany’s international public broadcaster, said in a December 12 statement that the Ethiopian Media Authority had permanently suspended two of its journalists.
The Ethiopian Media Authority, a government agency that has the power to sanction news outlets operating inside the country, sent DW a letter on October 23 announcing the temporary suspension of “all journalistic activities” carried out by nine of its Ethiopia-based correspondents.
In a follow-up letter DW received last week, the media authority lifted the suspension of seven correspondents but permanently suspended two who were covering the war-torn Amhara and Tigray regions, alleging their “continued noncompliance with Ethiopian laws and professional ethics.”
In its statement...
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/15/another-blow-to-media-freedom-in-ethiopia
In the latest crackdown on media freedom in Ethiopia, Deutsche Welle (#DW), #Germany’s international public broadcaster, said in a December 12 statement that the Ethiopian Media Authority had permanently suspended two of its journalists.
The Ethiopian Media Authority, a government agency that has the power to sanction news outlets operating inside the country, sent DW a letter on October 23 announcing the temporary suspension of “all journalistic activities” carried out by nine of its Ethiopia-based correspondents.
In a follow-up letter DW received last week, the media authority lifted the suspension of seven correspondents but permanently suspended two who were covering the war-torn Amhara and Tigray regions, alleging their “continued noncompliance with Ethiopian laws and professional ethics.”
In its statement...
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/15/another-blow-to-media-freedom-in-ethiopia
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News: #IOM reveals insecurity and climate shocks shaping migration patterns from #Ethiopia
Climate stress combined with conflict is increasingly influencing migration from Ethiopia, with specific geographic “hotspots” emerging where drought, insecurity, and socioeconomic vulnerability intersect, according to a new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In its study Navigating Climate, Conflict and Migration: Insights from Ethiopia and the East and Horn of Africa, IOM finds that migration decisions are rarely driven by a single factor.
Based on IOM Flow Monitoring Survey data collected between 2018 and 2024, the report shows that economic reasons are the most frequently cited motivation for migration, especially among Ethiopians moving beyond the East and Horn of Africa (#EHoA).
However, IOM notes these economic pressures are often rooted in climate-related ...
The report identifies 152 “climate security hotspots” across Ethiopia,….
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54097
Climate stress combined with conflict is increasingly influencing migration from Ethiopia, with specific geographic “hotspots” emerging where drought, insecurity, and socioeconomic vulnerability intersect, according to a new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In its study Navigating Climate, Conflict and Migration: Insights from Ethiopia and the East and Horn of Africa, IOM finds that migration decisions are rarely driven by a single factor.
Based on IOM Flow Monitoring Survey data collected between 2018 and 2024, the report shows that economic reasons are the most frequently cited motivation for migration, especially among Ethiopians moving beyond the East and Horn of Africa (#EHoA).
However, IOM notes these economic pressures are often rooted in climate-related ...
The report identifies 152 “climate security hotspots” across Ethiopia,….
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54097
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#PM_Abiy receives Indian Prime Minister #Modi at Addis Abeba’s Bole International Airport
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on Tuesday received #Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at #Bole International Airport, marking the start of Modi’s two-day official visit to Ethiopia. In a symbolic gesture, Abiy personally drove his Indian counterpart to the hotel.
During the drive, Abiy took Modi to visit the Addis Ababa Science Museum & Friendship Park, stops that were not included in the official itinerary, ANI reported.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit, the first by an Indian leader to Ethiopia in 15 years, is expected to include an address to a joint session of Ethiopia’s Parliament, alongside bilateral talks with Abiy focusing on investment, cybersecurity, and broader economic cooperation.
Officials described the visit as a “very historic moment” aimed at strengthening bilateral ....
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Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on Tuesday received #Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at #Bole International Airport, marking the start of Modi’s two-day official visit to Ethiopia. In a symbolic gesture, Abiy personally drove his Indian counterpart to the hotel.
During the drive, Abiy took Modi to visit the Addis Ababa Science Museum & Friendship Park, stops that were not included in the official itinerary, ANI reported.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit, the first by an Indian leader to Ethiopia in 15 years, is expected to include an address to a joint session of Ethiopia’s Parliament, alongside bilateral talks with Abiy focusing on investment, cybersecurity, and broader economic cooperation.
Officials described the visit as a “very historic moment” aimed at strengthening bilateral ....
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02rtmU94QtXwNta3JDfCwbSoF1aTcs86aqm6YKNSZ4ErobSReRTrBWiNgs7jAYhz5Pl
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News: #UN welcomes release of #Eritrean detainees, urges freedom for 10,000 arbitrarily held
The United Nations human rights office has welcomed the release of 13 Eritrean nationals who were held in arbitrary detention for nearly 18 years, describing the move as “encouraging” while urging authorities to release all remaining detainees held without due process.
In a statement on 15 December 2025, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (#OHCHR) called on Eritrean authorities to “unconditionally release all individuals still arbitrarily detained,” including the G11 former senior government officials arrested in 2001 after advocating governance reforms.
OHCHR estimates that around 10,000 people remain in arbitrary detention in Eritrea, including politicians, journalists, priests, and students, and said it remains ready to engage with the government to ensure compliance with international human rights obligations.
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54105
The United Nations human rights office has welcomed the release of 13 Eritrean nationals who were held in arbitrary detention for nearly 18 years, describing the move as “encouraging” while urging authorities to release all remaining detainees held without due process.
In a statement on 15 December 2025, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (#OHCHR) called on Eritrean authorities to “unconditionally release all individuals still arbitrarily detained,” including the G11 former senior government officials arrested in 2001 after advocating governance reforms.
OHCHR estimates that around 10,000 people remain in arbitrary detention in Eritrea, including politicians, journalists, priests, and students, and said it remains ready to engage with the government to ensure compliance with international human rights obligations.
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54105
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Salsay Woyane #Tigray warns TPLF splinter groups fueling risk of internal conflict
#Salsay_Woyane Tigray (#SaWeT) has accused splinter groups within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (#TPLF) of pushing the region toward internal conflict, warning that their actions risk further destabilizing Tigray.
In a statement issued on December 15, SaWeT said Tigray is facing a “critical moment” marked by deepening political fragmentation and growing security concerns.
“The drums of civil war are being beaten by TPLF splinter groups,” the statement said, accusing the factions of engaging in confrontational politics that “benefit #Addis Abeba and #Asmara” while weakening Tigray from within.
Salsay Woyane said the failure to pursue inclusive and genuine political dialogue has aggravated internal divisions, undermining national unity and security in the region. The party also accused...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02vJL1dgjBx9fvchJ5SQxe8c6xq49P4KingHCsDetTPu1agCAnoWQjB4R6WGLPCwq2l
#Salsay_Woyane Tigray (#SaWeT) has accused splinter groups within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (#TPLF) of pushing the region toward internal conflict, warning that their actions risk further destabilizing Tigray.
In a statement issued on December 15, SaWeT said Tigray is facing a “critical moment” marked by deepening political fragmentation and growing security concerns.
“The drums of civil war are being beaten by TPLF splinter groups,” the statement said, accusing the factions of engaging in confrontational politics that “benefit #Addis Abeba and #Asmara” while weakening Tigray from within.
Salsay Woyane said the failure to pursue inclusive and genuine political dialogue has aggravated internal divisions, undermining national unity and security in the region. The party also accused...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02vJL1dgjBx9fvchJ5SQxe8c6xq49P4KingHCsDetTPu1agCAnoWQjB4R6WGLPCwq2l
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#WHO alarmed by health workers, civilians 'forcibly detained' in #RSF-controlled Nyala in #Sudan
The World Health Organization voiced alarm at reports that more than 70 health workers and around 5,000 civilians were being detained in Nyala in southwestern Sudan.
"We are concerned by reports from Nyala, the capital of Sudan's South Darfur state, that more than 70 healthcare workers are being forcibly detained along with about 5,000 civilians," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X on Tuesday.
"According to the Sudan Doctors Network, the detainees are being held in cramped and unhealthy conditions, and there are reports of disease outbreaks," the UN health agency chief said.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North faction allied earlier this year, forming a coalition based in Nyala.
"WHO is gathering more information on the detentions and conditions of those being held. The situation is complicated by the ongoing insecurity," said Tedros.
"The reported detentions of health workers and thousands more people are deeply concerning. Health workers and civilians should be protected at all times, and we call for their safe and unconditional release."
The WHO counts and verifies attacks on health care, though it does not attribute blame, as it is not an investigative agency.
In total, the WHO has recorded 65 attacks on health care in Sudan this year, resulting in 1,620 deaths and 276 injuries. Of those attacks, 54 impacted personnel, 46 impacted facilities and 33 impacted patients.
Earlier on Tuesday, UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was "alarmed by the further intensification in hostilities" in the Kordofan region in southern Sudan.
"I urge all parties to the conflict and states with influence to ensure an immediate ceasefire and to prevent atrocities," he said.
"Medical facilities and personnel have specific protection against attack under international humanitarian law," Turk added.
Since April 2023, Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a brutal conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 12 million more and devastated infrastructure.
https://www.trtworld.com/article/6d06c496f268
The World Health Organization voiced alarm at reports that more than 70 health workers and around 5,000 civilians were being detained in Nyala in southwestern Sudan.
"We are concerned by reports from Nyala, the capital of Sudan's South Darfur state, that more than 70 healthcare workers are being forcibly detained along with about 5,000 civilians," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X on Tuesday.
"According to the Sudan Doctors Network, the detainees are being held in cramped and unhealthy conditions, and there are reports of disease outbreaks," the UN health agency chief said.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North faction allied earlier this year, forming a coalition based in Nyala.
"WHO is gathering more information on the detentions and conditions of those being held. The situation is complicated by the ongoing insecurity," said Tedros.
"The reported detentions of health workers and thousands more people are deeply concerning. Health workers and civilians should be protected at all times, and we call for their safe and unconditional release."
The WHO counts and verifies attacks on health care, though it does not attribute blame, as it is not an investigative agency.
In total, the WHO has recorded 65 attacks on health care in Sudan this year, resulting in 1,620 deaths and 276 injuries. Of those attacks, 54 impacted personnel, 46 impacted facilities and 33 impacted patients.
Earlier on Tuesday, UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was "alarmed by the further intensification in hostilities" in the Kordofan region in southern Sudan.
"I urge all parties to the conflict and states with influence to ensure an immediate ceasefire and to prevent atrocities," he said.
"Medical facilities and personnel have specific protection against attack under international humanitarian law," Turk added.
Since April 2023, Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a brutal conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 12 million more and devastated infrastructure.
https://www.trtworld.com/article/6d06c496f268
Trtworld
WHO alarmed by health workers, civilians 'forcibly detained' in RSF-controlled Nyala in Sudan
"According to the Sudan Doctors Network, the detainees are being held in cramped and unhealthy conditions, and there are reports of disease outbreaks," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says.
News: #Ethiopian imperial hairpin looted in 1868 to be returned after more than 150 years
A 19th-century gold hairpin taken from Ethiopia during the British expedition to Magdala in 1868 is set to be returned, more than 150 years after it was removed from the country, #UK-based outlet The Voice reported.
The artifact, which belonged to Empress Tiruwork, wife of Emperor #Tewodros II, was among thousands of Ethiopian cultural objects looted by British forces following the fall of #Magdala. The hairpin has now been secured for repatriation by the Royal Ethiopian Trust (RET), a non-profit organization working to recover Ethiopia’s displaced cultural heritage.
According to The Voice, the hairpin was acquired through negotiations with Bertolami Fine Art, an auction house in Rome, after it resurfaced in a private collection where it had remained for more than a century.
Preserved in its original velvet-lined presentation box, the hairpin is described as a rare surviving ...
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54100
A 19th-century gold hairpin taken from Ethiopia during the British expedition to Magdala in 1868 is set to be returned, more than 150 years after it was removed from the country, #UK-based outlet The Voice reported.
The artifact, which belonged to Empress Tiruwork, wife of Emperor #Tewodros II, was among thousands of Ethiopian cultural objects looted by British forces following the fall of #Magdala. The hairpin has now been secured for repatriation by the Royal Ethiopian Trust (RET), a non-profit organization working to recover Ethiopia’s displaced cultural heritage.
According to The Voice, the hairpin was acquired through negotiations with Bertolami Fine Art, an auction house in Rome, after it resurfaced in a private collection where it had remained for more than a century.
Preserved in its original velvet-lined presentation box, the hairpin is described as a rare surviving ...
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54100
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PM Modi announces elevation of #India–#Ethiopia relations to strategic partnership
Indian Prime Minister Narendra #Modi announced that India and Ethiopia have decided to elevate their bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership, following discussions with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD).
Addressing a joint session of Ethiopia’s Parliament, PM Modi said the decision marked “a big step forward,” aimed at unleashing economic potential through cooperation in technology, innovation, mining, sustainability, and clean energy. He said the partnership would also help secure the future of both peoples through collaboration in food security, health security, and capacity building, alongside enhanced trade, investment, defense, and security cooperation.
Watch!
Indian Prime Minister Narendra #Modi announced that India and Ethiopia have decided to elevate their bilateral relations to the level of a strategic partnership, following discussions with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD).
Addressing a joint session of Ethiopia’s Parliament, PM Modi said the decision marked “a big step forward,” aimed at unleashing economic potential through cooperation in technology, innovation, mining, sustainability, and clean energy. He said the partnership would also help secure the future of both peoples through collaboration in food security, health security, and capacity building, alongside enhanced trade, investment, defense, and security cooperation.
Watch!
News: #Ethiopia among top five countries on IRC emergency watch list as conflict risks and humanitarian pressures mount
Ethiopia has been ranked fourth on the International Rescue Committee’s (#IRC) annual Emergency Watchlist, placing it among the top five countries most at risk of humanitarian deterioration in 2026, as the aid organization warns of rising conflict risks, climate shocks, and deepening funding shortfalls.
In its latest Watchlist, which ranks #Sudan first, followed by #South_Sudan and #Palestine, the IRC said interconnected domestic and regional dynamics are fueling instability across northern Ethiopia, raising the risk of a return to widescale conflict.
Ongoing fighting involving armed groups in several parts of the country continues to displace civilians & strain already limited humanitarian capacity.
The IRC warned that tensions between the federal government, #Eritrean forces, #Tigrayan forces, and #Amhara armed groups are undermining...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54118
Ethiopia has been ranked fourth on the International Rescue Committee’s (#IRC) annual Emergency Watchlist, placing it among the top five countries most at risk of humanitarian deterioration in 2026, as the aid organization warns of rising conflict risks, climate shocks, and deepening funding shortfalls.
In its latest Watchlist, which ranks #Sudan first, followed by #South_Sudan and #Palestine, the IRC said interconnected domestic and regional dynamics are fueling instability across northern Ethiopia, raising the risk of a return to widescale conflict.
Ongoing fighting involving armed groups in several parts of the country continues to displace civilians & strain already limited humanitarian capacity.
The IRC warned that tensions between the federal government, #Eritrean forces, #Tigrayan forces, and #Amhara armed groups are undermining...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54118
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#Commentary: #Ethiopia’s Illusion of Disinflation: Why official #inflation figures fall despite soaring consumer prices
In this commentary, Samson Hailu scrutinizes Ethiopia’s inflation paradox: while official data suggest that price pressures are easing, market prices continue to climb sharply.
Official figures show that headline inflation declined from 15.5% in January 2025 to 10.9% in November. Yet over the past year, the prices of essential goods have surged—coffee by 95%, teff by 62%, wheat by 60%, cooking oil by 120%, and imported sugar by more than 150%. Electricity tariffs have also increased by 122%, while fuel is up by 41%.
Click the link below to read the full article, in which the author unpacks the roots of this divergence: methodological limitations of the Consumer Price Index (#CPI) and economic vulnerabilities such as chronic import dependence and the rapid depreciation of the birr.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54111
In this commentary, Samson Hailu scrutinizes Ethiopia’s inflation paradox: while official data suggest that price pressures are easing, market prices continue to climb sharply.
Official figures show that headline inflation declined from 15.5% in January 2025 to 10.9% in November. Yet over the past year, the prices of essential goods have surged—coffee by 95%, teff by 62%, wheat by 60%, cooking oil by 120%, and imported sugar by more than 150%. Electricity tariffs have also increased by 122%, while fuel is up by 41%.
Click the link below to read the full article, in which the author unpacks the roots of this divergence: methodological limitations of the Consumer Price Index (#CPI) and economic vulnerabilities such as chronic import dependence and the rapid depreciation of the birr.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54111
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#Sudan’s Burhan signals readiness to work with #Trump to end war
Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has said he is ready to work with #US President Donald Trump to help bring an end to the war in Sudan, as US-led ceasefire efforts remain stalled.
In a statement issued by the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Burhan said that, at the conclusion of an official visit to Riyadh, he had reaffirmed Sudan’s commitment to cooperating with President Trump, US Secretary of State #Marco_Rubio and the US Special Envoy for Peace in Sudan, Massad Boulos, in efforts aimed at achieving peace and ending the conflict.
The visit to the Saudi capital took place at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to a Sudanese government source, discussions focused on an initiative put forward by the Saudi crown prince to the US president during his recent official visit to Washington ....
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20251217-sudans-burhan-signals-readiness-to-work-with-trump-to-end-war/
Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has said he is ready to work with #US President Donald Trump to help bring an end to the war in Sudan, as US-led ceasefire efforts remain stalled.
In a statement issued by the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Burhan said that, at the conclusion of an official visit to Riyadh, he had reaffirmed Sudan’s commitment to cooperating with President Trump, US Secretary of State #Marco_Rubio and the US Special Envoy for Peace in Sudan, Massad Boulos, in efforts aimed at achieving peace and ending the conflict.
The visit to the Saudi capital took place at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to a Sudanese government source, discussions focused on an initiative put forward by the Saudi crown prince to the US president during his recent official visit to Washington ....
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20251217-sudans-burhan-signals-readiness-to-work-with-trump-to-end-war/
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Coming up today - The Standard Signal | Ep. 6: The Afterlife of Peace: #ONLF, Broken Promises, and the Politics of Resource Control
Seven years after a “historic” peace deal, one of #Ethiopia’s oldest opposition parties says peace became a trap. Was the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) disarmed only to be systematically sidelined from politics?
As police crackdowns intensify, party leaders are detained, and political suppression gives rise to a rival faction backed by federal and regional authorities, oil and gas projects are once again returning to the Somali region - without popular consent and accountability.
ONLF chairman Abdirahman Mahdi joins Tsedale Lemma to confront the question many are avoiding: when a peace agreement silences opposition while accelerating resource extraction, was it ever a peace agreement at all?
Subscribe here to watch the full episode: https://youtube.com/@AddisStandard
Premiers at: 7:30 PM EAT
Seven years after a “historic” peace deal, one of #Ethiopia’s oldest opposition parties says peace became a trap. Was the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) disarmed only to be systematically sidelined from politics?
As police crackdowns intensify, party leaders are detained, and political suppression gives rise to a rival faction backed by federal and regional authorities, oil and gas projects are once again returning to the Somali region - without popular consent and accountability.
ONLF chairman Abdirahman Mahdi joins Tsedale Lemma to confront the question many are avoiding: when a peace agreement silences opposition while accelerating resource extraction, was it ever a peace agreement at all?
Subscribe here to watch the full episode: https://youtube.com/@AddisStandard
Premiers at: 7:30 PM EAT
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