News: Scientists digitally reconstruct 1.5-Million-Year-Old human face from #Ethiopia, challenges Homo erectus evolution, scientists say
Scientists have digitally reconstructed the face of a 1.5-million-year-old #Homo erectus fossil from Ethiopia, revealing a surprisingly primitive appearance that is reshaping ideas about early human evolution, ScienceDaily.com reports.
The fossil, known as DAN5, was discovered at Gona in Ethiopia’s #Afar region and dates to roughly 1.5 to 1.6 million years ago, according to ScienceDaily.com. While its braincase fits classic Homo erectus traits, the face & teeth resemble much older human ancestors, Sciencedaily adds.
Dr. Karen Baab, a paleoanthropologist at #Midwestern University in #Arizona who led the reconstruction, told ScienceDaily.com that the fossil shows unexpected variation.
“The face is more primitive than classic African Homo erectus of the same age,” she said, noting that the Gona population may have retained....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54150
Scientists have digitally reconstructed the face of a 1.5-million-year-old #Homo erectus fossil from Ethiopia, revealing a surprisingly primitive appearance that is reshaping ideas about early human evolution, ScienceDaily.com reports.
The fossil, known as DAN5, was discovered at Gona in Ethiopia’s #Afar region and dates to roughly 1.5 to 1.6 million years ago, according to ScienceDaily.com. While its braincase fits classic Homo erectus traits, the face & teeth resemble much older human ancestors, Sciencedaily adds.
Dr. Karen Baab, a paleoanthropologist at #Midwestern University in #Arizona who led the reconstruction, told ScienceDaily.com that the fossil shows unexpected variation.
“The face is more primitive than classic African Homo erectus of the same age,” she said, noting that the Gona population may have retained....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54150
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#Drone strike plunges #Sudan major #cities into darkness as civil war rages
Blackouts hit Khartoum and Port Sudan as intensifying drone warfare cripples infrastructure and kills civilians.
Major cities across Sudan, including the capital, Khartoum, and coastal city Port Sudan, have been plunged into darkness after drone strikes hit a key power plant in the country’s east.
Flames and smoke rose from the facility in Atbara, River Nile state on Thursday, which is controlled by the government-aligned Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and under attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the ongoing civil war that has ripped the nation apart.
Two civil defense members were killed, power plant officials said, while trying to extinguish the fire that erupted after the first strike, adding that rescue workers were injured when a second drone hit as they battled the flames.
The attack marks the latest escalation in a devastating drone campaign that has killed at least 104 civilians across Sudan’s Kordofan region since early December. The deadliest strike hit a kindergarten and hospital in Kalogi, South Kordofan, where 89 people died, including 43 children and eight women.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/18/drone-strike-plunges-sudan-major-cities-into-darkness-as-civil-war-rages
Blackouts hit Khartoum and Port Sudan as intensifying drone warfare cripples infrastructure and kills civilians.
Major cities across Sudan, including the capital, Khartoum, and coastal city Port Sudan, have been plunged into darkness after drone strikes hit a key power plant in the country’s east.
Flames and smoke rose from the facility in Atbara, River Nile state on Thursday, which is controlled by the government-aligned Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and under attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the ongoing civil war that has ripped the nation apart.
Two civil defense members were killed, power plant officials said, while trying to extinguish the fire that erupted after the first strike, adding that rescue workers were injured when a second drone hit as they battled the flames.
The attack marks the latest escalation in a devastating drone campaign that has killed at least 104 civilians across Sudan’s Kordofan region since early December. The deadliest strike hit a kindergarten and hospital in Kalogi, South Kordofan, where 89 people died, including 43 children and eight women.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/18/drone-strike-plunges-sudan-major-cities-into-darkness-as-civil-war-rages
Al Jazeera
Drone strike plunges Sudan major cities into darkness as civil war rages
Blackouts hit Khartoum and Port Sudan as intensifying drone warfare cripples infrastructure and kills civilians.
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#Ethiopia: TPLF warns of “renewed blockade” in #Tigray, citing fuel shortages and economic paralysis
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (#TPLF) has warned that nearly ten months of restricted fuel supplies by the Ethiopian federal government have paralyzed transportation, economic activity, and essential social services across the Tigray region, raising concerns over the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement.
In a statement issued on 17 December 2025, the TPLF said the federal government’s suspension of budgetary transfers to Tigray’s interim administration has disrupted public services, including health, education, water, and sanitation, while leaving civil servants unpaid.
The statement also condemned the blocking of bank accounts of companies linked to #EFFORT, which has halted operations and left tens of thousands of employees without salaries.
Addis Standard reported on 5 December 2025 that the Endowment...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54153
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (#TPLF) has warned that nearly ten months of restricted fuel supplies by the Ethiopian federal government have paralyzed transportation, economic activity, and essential social services across the Tigray region, raising concerns over the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement.
In a statement issued on 17 December 2025, the TPLF said the federal government’s suspension of budgetary transfers to Tigray’s interim administration has disrupted public services, including health, education, water, and sanitation, while leaving civil servants unpaid.
The statement also condemned the blocking of bank accounts of companies linked to #EFFORT, which has halted operations and left tens of thousands of employees without salaries.
Addis Standard reported on 5 December 2025 that the Endowment...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54153
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News: #Sudan’s Al-Burhan meets El-Sisi in #Cairo as talks focus on Sudan, Nile basin, Horn of Africa
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Thursday received General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, President of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, in Cairo for talks focused on the situation in Sudan and regional developments in the #Nile Basin and the Horn of Africa.
According to a statement from the Presidential Office, an expanded meeting was held with the participation of delegations from both countries. It said President El-Sisi reaffirming Egypt’s full support for the Sudanese people as they navigate what he described as a critical phase.
The meeting further addressed developments in the Nile Basin and the Horn of Africa. Both leaders affirmed alignment on national security priorities and stressed the importance of continued coordination and joint action to safeguard water security.
On 15 December 2025, Al-Burhan, visited Riyadh....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54161
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Thursday received General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, President of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council, in Cairo for talks focused on the situation in Sudan and regional developments in the #Nile Basin and the Horn of Africa.
According to a statement from the Presidential Office, an expanded meeting was held with the participation of delegations from both countries. It said President El-Sisi reaffirming Egypt’s full support for the Sudanese people as they navigate what he described as a critical phase.
The meeting further addressed developments in the Nile Basin and the Horn of Africa. Both leaders affirmed alignment on national security priorities and stressed the importance of continued coordination and joint action to safeguard water security.
On 15 December 2025, Al-Burhan, visited Riyadh....
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54161
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#UN mission withdraws from #Sudan’s #Kadugli following deadly attack on #peacekeepers
The United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA) announced on Thursday the evacuation of its logistics base in Kadugli in Sudan’s South Kordofan state following a deadly attack that targeted its personnel.
On Dec. 13, six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed and eight others injured in a drone attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the headquarters of the UN mission in Kadugli.
In a statement, UNISFA said that the decision to withdraw its peacekeepers was taken following “an extensive assessment of the prevailing security situation in Kadugli, which has disabled the capacity for the UN to function in the area.”
The UN mission reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of its mandate in the area, noting that it is closely monitoring developments on the ground.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/un-mission-withdraws-from-sudan-s-kadugli-following-deadly-attack-on-peacekeepers/3775230
The United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA) announced on Thursday the evacuation of its logistics base in Kadugli in Sudan’s South Kordofan state following a deadly attack that targeted its personnel.
On Dec. 13, six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed and eight others injured in a drone attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the headquarters of the UN mission in Kadugli.
In a statement, UNISFA said that the decision to withdraw its peacekeepers was taken following “an extensive assessment of the prevailing security situation in Kadugli, which has disabled the capacity for the UN to function in the area.”
The UN mission reaffirmed its commitment to the implementation of its mandate in the area, noting that it is closely monitoring developments on the ground.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/un-mission-withdraws-from-sudan-s-kadugli-following-deadly-attack-on-peacekeepers/3775230
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#Somalia, #Ethiopia officials meet in Mogadishu to boost bilateral cooperation
Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalan Abdi Ali, met on Thursday with Ethiopia’s ambassador to Somalia, Suleiman Dedefo Woshe, in #Mogadishu in a bid to strengthen bilateral ties and regional cooperation.
During the high-level meeting, both officials discussed ways to advance strategic collaboration across multiple sectors, including trade, investment, and economic development.
They also focused on enhancing joint efforts to maintain peace and security in the Horn of Africa, highlighting the importance of coordinated responses to regional challenges such as terrorism, cross-border crime, and political instability.
The discussions emphasized the longstanding relationship between the two neighboring countries and explored opportunities to deepen economic partnerships and ....
https://shabellemedia.com/somalia-ethiopia-officials-meet-in-mogadishu-to-boost-bilateral-cooperation/
Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalan Abdi Ali, met on Thursday with Ethiopia’s ambassador to Somalia, Suleiman Dedefo Woshe, in #Mogadishu in a bid to strengthen bilateral ties and regional cooperation.
During the high-level meeting, both officials discussed ways to advance strategic collaboration across multiple sectors, including trade, investment, and economic development.
They also focused on enhancing joint efforts to maintain peace and security in the Horn of Africa, highlighting the importance of coordinated responses to regional challenges such as terrorism, cross-border crime, and political instability.
The discussions emphasized the longstanding relationship between the two neighboring countries and explored opportunities to deepen economic partnerships and ....
https://shabellemedia.com/somalia-ethiopia-officials-meet-in-mogadishu-to-boost-bilateral-cooperation/
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Commercial Bank of #Ethiopia says customers must link digital ID to bank accounts to access services
The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (#CBE) has announced that customers who fail to link their bank accounts with a valid digital identification number will no longer be able to access banking services after specified deadlines.
In a statement issued on 18 December 2025, the state-owned bank said customers are required to visit any CBE branch and submit their 16-digit Fayda Account Number (#FAN), which will be linked to their bank accounts. Failure to comply, the bank warned, will prevent customers from conducting deposits, withdrawals, and other banking transactions.
CBE said the implementation will be carried out in phases. In major urban centers, including Addis Abeba, Harari Region, and Dire Dawa, customers have from 11 December 2025 to 9 January 2026 to complete the ...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0kR62W3ajjTmNPg4GaqeYzbHhnHJMabSeBTKYvteBZAm5xbcvdVviAr7iUYJAjaehl
The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (#CBE) has announced that customers who fail to link their bank accounts with a valid digital identification number will no longer be able to access banking services after specified deadlines.
In a statement issued on 18 December 2025, the state-owned bank said customers are required to visit any CBE branch and submit their 16-digit Fayda Account Number (#FAN), which will be linked to their bank accounts. Failure to comply, the bank warned, will prevent customers from conducting deposits, withdrawals, and other banking transactions.
CBE said the implementation will be carried out in phases. In major urban centers, including Addis Abeba, Harari Region, and Dire Dawa, customers have from 11 December 2025 to 9 January 2026 to complete the ...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0kR62W3ajjTmNPg4GaqeYzbHhnHJMabSeBTKYvteBZAm5xbcvdVviAr7iUYJAjaehl
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#US, #UK, #Norway warn of return to widespread conflict in #South_Sudan, urge immediate ceasefire
The governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway have warned that South Sudan is facing a renewed outbreak of widespread conflict, cautioning that the country risks sliding back to the levels of violence seen in 2013 and 2016 unless leaders urgently reverse course and recommit to a nationwide ceasefire.
In a joint statement, the three countries said all parties to the conflict, particularly the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Government (SPLM-IG) & the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), must immediately halt armed attacks and return to sustained, leader-level dialogue. The statement also called on the transitional government to end aerial attacks against civilians.
“Most seriously, we have seen a return to widespread conflict across the ...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid023bjoybHz2uUZgRTLCDEp7ZL6MguY5SZdZnScuWiaWzaGbMXAUY7KLFEwjkAc8XzGl
The governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway have warned that South Sudan is facing a renewed outbreak of widespread conflict, cautioning that the country risks sliding back to the levels of violence seen in 2013 and 2016 unless leaders urgently reverse course and recommit to a nationwide ceasefire.
In a joint statement, the three countries said all parties to the conflict, particularly the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Government (SPLM-IG) & the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLM-IO), must immediately halt armed attacks and return to sustained, leader-level dialogue. The statement also called on the transitional government to end aerial attacks against civilians.
“Most seriously, we have seen a return to widespread conflict across the ...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid023bjoybHz2uUZgRTLCDEp7ZL6MguY5SZdZnScuWiaWzaGbMXAUY7KLFEwjkAc8XzGl
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#Ethiopia: Residents displaced as security situation deteriorates in Kiremu district, East #Wollega
Residents of #Kiremu district in #East_Wollega Zone of the #Oromia region say the security situation has steadily deteriorated over the past five months, forcing many to flee their homes. Residents who spoke to Addis Standard said the insecurity has been exacerbated by the presence and movements of Fano armed groups in the area.
Local officials of Kiremu district, confirmed to Addis Standard that more than one thousand people have been displaced in recent incidents linked to armed violence.
Displaced residents said most of those uprooted are from the kebeles of Ashu Kutaye, Gudina Jiregna, and Babu in Kiremu district.
One resident displaced last week from Gudina Jiregna kebele said there were continuous clashes throughout the night of 02 December, 2025, during which repeated gunfire was heard. “Fearing for our lives, we left behind our homes & agricultural ...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54170
Residents of #Kiremu district in #East_Wollega Zone of the #Oromia region say the security situation has steadily deteriorated over the past five months, forcing many to flee their homes. Residents who spoke to Addis Standard said the insecurity has been exacerbated by the presence and movements of Fano armed groups in the area.
Local officials of Kiremu district, confirmed to Addis Standard that more than one thousand people have been displaced in recent incidents linked to armed violence.
Displaced residents said most of those uprooted are from the kebeles of Ashu Kutaye, Gudina Jiregna, and Babu in Kiremu district.
One resident displaced last week from Gudina Jiregna kebele said there were continuous clashes throughout the night of 02 December, 2025, during which repeated gunfire was heard. “Fearing for our lives, we left behind our homes & agricultural ...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54170
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#Op_ed: Presidency for Life, Stability for None: #Djibouti’s autocratic drift, regional fallout
“For decades, Djibouti’s formidable geography has been its principal currency,” positioning it as “a host for the world’s most powerful militaries,” writes Adam Daud Ahmed. Yet he argues that parliament’s October 2025 decision to scrap the 75-year presidential age limit marks “a significant and troubling pivot” away from constitutional stability.
The amendment, Ahmed contends, is not merely personal but “a profound and intentional signal” that regime survival now outweighs constitutional order, threatening regional security.
The author urges international action before the gamble “hardens into a regional crisis,” cautioning that “stability purchased through autocratic endurance is brittle and ultimately dangerous.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54164
“For decades, Djibouti’s formidable geography has been its principal currency,” positioning it as “a host for the world’s most powerful militaries,” writes Adam Daud Ahmed. Yet he argues that parliament’s October 2025 decision to scrap the 75-year presidential age limit marks “a significant and troubling pivot” away from constitutional stability.
The amendment, Ahmed contends, is not merely personal but “a profound and intentional signal” that regime survival now outweighs constitutional order, threatening regional security.
The author urges international action before the gamble “hardens into a regional crisis,” cautioning that “stability purchased through autocratic endurance is brittle and ultimately dangerous.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=54164
#Ethiopia: PM Abiy holds talks with #Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Addis Abeba
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Addis Abeba for a one-day working visit, during which the two leaders held discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and regional cooperation.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, the Prime Minister described the talks as “productive discussions, continuing the bilateral engagements we have been working on over the past year.”
He added that the meeting reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to advancing shared priorities, enhancing strategic cooperation, and promoting regional stability and development.
The meeting follows a recent engagement in Mogadishu between Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, and Ethiopia’s Ambassador...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02twvBxM2WakPEJtzscQA3Mmqd4NzvjeT3qDgjG1n54hhMPZKmnAy6mRhH6nPfprzgl
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Addis Abeba for a one-day working visit, during which the two leaders held discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and regional cooperation.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, the Prime Minister described the talks as “productive discussions, continuing the bilateral engagements we have been working on over the past year.”
He added that the meeting reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to advancing shared priorities, enhancing strategic cooperation, and promoting regional stability and development.
The meeting follows a recent engagement in Mogadishu between Somalia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdisalam Abdi Ali, and Ethiopia’s Ambassador...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02twvBxM2WakPEJtzscQA3Mmqd4NzvjeT3qDgjG1n54hhMPZKmnAy6mRhH6nPfprzgl
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News: #Egyptian FM labels #GERD ‘dam of ruin and destruction’ signaling aggressive rhetoric from Cairo
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty has described the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a “dam of ruin and destruction,” remarks that London-based outlet The New Arab says mark a notable hardening of #Cairo’s public language on the #Nile.
According to The New Arab, Abdel Aaty made the comments last week during a meeting with students and faculty from Beni Suef University at Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Cairo’s Tahrir Palace. A video of the remarks has since circulated widely on social media.
“Do not call it the Renaissance Dam. It is a dam of ruin and destruction,” Abdel Aaty said, claiming that the project was not founded on consensus or international law but on what he described as “unilateral measures that imposed a fait accompli.”
Ethiopia has consistently rejected Egypt’s hostile characterizations, & maintained ...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54172
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty has described the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) as a “dam of ruin and destruction,” remarks that London-based outlet The New Arab says mark a notable hardening of #Cairo’s public language on the #Nile.
According to The New Arab, Abdel Aaty made the comments last week during a meeting with students and faculty from Beni Suef University at Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Cairo’s Tahrir Palace. A video of the remarks has since circulated widely on social media.
“Do not call it the Renaissance Dam. It is a dam of ruin and destruction,” Abdel Aaty said, claiming that the project was not founded on consensus or international law but on what he described as “unilateral measures that imposed a fait accompli.”
Ethiopia has consistently rejected Egypt’s hostile characterizations, & maintained ...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54172
#Ethiopia: Tigray’s women continue to bear costs of horrific sexual violence as aid shrinks, peace frays
Nearly three years after the Pretoria Agreement, women in #Tigray continue to live with the physical, psychological, and social consequences of the 2020–2022 devastating war.
Interviews conducted by Refugees International with survivors, health workers, and aid providers indicate that the cessation of hostilities has not brought safety or recovery for women in Tigray who have been subjected to horrific sexual violence.
“The end of open fighting has not meant the end of violence for women,” #Refugees International reports. The physical and mental health needs resulting from that violence remain widespread and largely unmet.
According to the organization, the effects are visible across hospitals, displacement sites, and communities, where ……
The war in Tigray, which is estimated to have killed around 600,000 people, formally ended with the #Pretoria ...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54175
Nearly three years after the Pretoria Agreement, women in #Tigray continue to live with the physical, psychological, and social consequences of the 2020–2022 devastating war.
Interviews conducted by Refugees International with survivors, health workers, and aid providers indicate that the cessation of hostilities has not brought safety or recovery for women in Tigray who have been subjected to horrific sexual violence.
“The end of open fighting has not meant the end of violence for women,” #Refugees International reports. The physical and mental health needs resulting from that violence remain widespread and largely unmet.
According to the organization, the effects are visible across hospitals, displacement sites, and communities, where ……
The war in Tigray, which is estimated to have killed around 600,000 people, formally ended with the #Pretoria ...
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=54175
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Rubio says immediate #US goal on #Sudan is cessation of hostilities into new year
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday said Washington's immediate goal on Sudan is a cessation of hostilities going into the new year that allows humanitarian organizations to deliver assistance.
Rubio, speaking to reporters at a news conference, said countries are providing weaponry and equipment to the parties, including trans-shipment of weapons particularly to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, adding that Washington was engaging with the parties involved.
"We've had the right and appropriate conversations with all sides of this conflict, because that is their leverage. Without their support, neither side can continue. So that's why we need to engage, and that's why we've engaged the parties involved in all of this," Rubio said.
"We think that outside actors have the leverage and the influence over the players on the ground to bring about this humanitarian truce, and we are very focused on it. I had a conversation on it yesterday. We have spoken to the UAE, we've spoken to Saudi, we've spoken to Egypt," he added.
US President Donald Trump said last week he would intervene to stop the conflict between the army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023 out of a power struggle and has triggered famine, ethnic killings and mass displacement in Sudan.
https://www.newarab.com/news/rubio-says-immediate-us-goal-sudan-cessation-hostilities
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday said Washington's immediate goal on Sudan is a cessation of hostilities going into the new year that allows humanitarian organizations to deliver assistance.
Rubio, speaking to reporters at a news conference, said countries are providing weaponry and equipment to the parties, including trans-shipment of weapons particularly to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, adding that Washington was engaging with the parties involved.
"We've had the right and appropriate conversations with all sides of this conflict, because that is their leverage. Without their support, neither side can continue. So that's why we need to engage, and that's why we've engaged the parties involved in all of this," Rubio said.
"We think that outside actors have the leverage and the influence over the players on the ground to bring about this humanitarian truce, and we are very focused on it. I had a conversation on it yesterday. We have spoken to the UAE, we've spoken to Saudi, we've spoken to Egypt," he added.
US President Donald Trump said last week he would intervene to stop the conflict between the army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023 out of a power struggle and has triggered famine, ethnic killings and mass displacement in Sudan.
https://www.newarab.com/news/rubio-says-immediate-us-goal-sudan-cessation-hostilities
The New Arab
Rubio says immediate US goal on Sudan is cessation of hostilities into new year
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington wanted to see an end to the brutal conflict in Sudan
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News: #Ethiopia’s refugee response at risk of collapse as funding gaps threaten 1.1 million people, agencies warn
Ethiopia’s refugee response is at risk of collapse, with essential services for more than 1.1 million refugees expected to halt within weeks unless urgent funding is secured, the government and United Nations agencies warned.
In a joint statement sent to Addis Standard on 19 December 2025, the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the World Food Programme (WFP) said funding shortfalls have pushed the refugee response “to the breaking point.”
The agencies said Ethiopia, Africa’s second-largest refugee-hosting country, has seen increased arrivals driven by conflict in Sudan and South Sudan and drought in Somalia, while funding levels have sharply declined.
https://addisstandard.com/ethiopias-refugee-response-at-risk-of-collapse-as-funding-gaps-threaten-1-1-million-people-agencies-warn/
Ethiopia’s refugee response is at risk of collapse, with essential services for more than 1.1 million refugees expected to halt within weeks unless urgent funding is secured, the government and United Nations agencies warned.
In a joint statement sent to Addis Standard on 19 December 2025, the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the World Food Programme (WFP) said funding shortfalls have pushed the refugee response “to the breaking point.”
The agencies said Ethiopia, Africa’s second-largest refugee-hosting country, has seen increased arrivals driven by conflict in Sudan and South Sudan and drought in Somalia, while funding levels have sharply declined.
https://addisstandard.com/ethiopias-refugee-response-at-risk-of-collapse-as-funding-gaps-threaten-1-1-million-people-agencies-warn/
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Media is too big
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“Ethiopia’s Beautiful Laws Exist Only on Paper” – Dr. Abdirahman Mahadi
From The Standard Signal EP. 06, Dr. Abdirahman Mahadi reflects on Ethiopia’s long-standing constitutional crisis, stating: “We had constitution. We have beautiful laws in Ethiopia for the last 50, 40 years. And the problem is they all on paper but they never implemented.”
He argues that when power is captured by a narrow group, “they only apply the oppressive part of those constitutional, those laws,” while ignoring the democratic principles meant to protect citizens.
Click here to watch the full video: https://youtu.be/dYvRj4wLmw4?si=eyPT9-wWMrj4v839
#StandardSignal #EthiopiaPolitics #ONLF #Ogaden #PeaceAgreement #PoliticalRepression #ShrinkingCivicSpace #ResourcePolitics #OilAndGas #Federalism #DemocracyInEthiopia #HornOfAfrica #Accountability #PoliticalDialogue
From The Standard Signal EP. 06, Dr. Abdirahman Mahadi reflects on Ethiopia’s long-standing constitutional crisis, stating: “We had constitution. We have beautiful laws in Ethiopia for the last 50, 40 years. And the problem is they all on paper but they never implemented.”
He argues that when power is captured by a narrow group, “they only apply the oppressive part of those constitutional, those laws,” while ignoring the democratic principles meant to protect citizens.
Click here to watch the full video: https://youtu.be/dYvRj4wLmw4?si=eyPT9-wWMrj4v839
#StandardSignal #EthiopiaPolitics #ONLF #Ogaden #PeaceAgreement #PoliticalRepression #ShrinkingCivicSpace #ResourcePolitics #OilAndGas #Federalism #DemocracyInEthiopia #HornOfAfrica #Accountability #PoliticalDialogue
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#Ethiopia, #Kenya sign simplified cross-border trade agreement
Ethiopia and Kenya have signed a simplified cross-border trade agreement aimed at easing small-scale trade and reducing barriers for informal traders, the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration announced.
In a statement issued on 19 December 2025, the ministry reported that Ethiopia’s Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe (PhD) and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade, and Industry Lee Kinyanjui formalized the agreement during a meeting in Addis Abeba.
According to the ministry, the agreement seeks to support small-scale cross-border trade by reducing trade barriers and establishing what it described as a clearer and more predictable framework for informal traders, who the ministry noted make up the majority of cross-border trade participants. The ministry added that the framework places particular emphasis on women and youth.
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2002313790835339708?s=20
Ethiopia and Kenya have signed a simplified cross-border trade agreement aimed at easing small-scale trade and reducing barriers for informal traders, the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration announced.
In a statement issued on 19 December 2025, the ministry reported that Ethiopia’s Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe (PhD) and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade, and Industry Lee Kinyanjui formalized the agreement during a meeting in Addis Abeba.
According to the ministry, the agreement seeks to support small-scale cross-border trade by reducing trade barriers and establishing what it described as a clearer and more predictable framework for informal traders, who the ministry noted make up the majority of cross-border trade participants. The ministry added that the framework places particular emphasis on women and youth.
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2002313790835339708?s=20
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#Rubio asks #Ethiopia to contribute troops to proposed Gaza force amid US recruitment challenges
#US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asked Ethiopian Prime Minister #Abiy_Ahmed Ali to consider contributing troops to a proposed International Security Force for #Gaza, according to a report by The Times of Israel, which cited Western diplomatic sources.
The reported request was made earlier this week as #Washington seeks to assemble an international force envisioned under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza.
The plan calls for an international security presence to oversee a transitional period focused on reconstruction and economic recovery in the Palestinian territory, which has been devastated by more than two years of war.
The report said the United States has faced difficulties in securing commitments for the force, as many countries remain wary of participating,...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02uzK25f2yp2ZddSFYFgRnqCMiEWVQFifTZfbR9axSAMrisfi1mdJYJcY9w78hZPeBl
#US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has asked Ethiopian Prime Minister #Abiy_Ahmed Ali to consider contributing troops to a proposed International Security Force for #Gaza, according to a report by The Times of Israel, which cited Western diplomatic sources.
The reported request was made earlier this week as #Washington seeks to assemble an international force envisioned under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza.
The plan calls for an international security presence to oversee a transitional period focused on reconstruction and economic recovery in the Palestinian territory, which has been devastated by more than two years of war.
The report said the United States has faced difficulties in securing commitments for the force, as many countries remain wary of participating,...
https://web.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid02uzK25f2yp2ZddSFYFgRnqCMiEWVQFifTZfbR9axSAMrisfi1mdJYJcY9w78hZPeBl
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#World_Court to hear #Myanmar #genocide case in January
The International Court of Justice will hear a landmark case accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against its minority Muslim group, the Rohingya, on January 12-29, the #United_Nations' top court said on Friday.
The proceedings are expected to set precedents that could affect #South_Africa’s case against #Israel over the war in Gaza, as this will be the first genocide case the #ICJ has heard on its merits in more than a decade.
In the first week of the hearings, #Gambia -- a predominantly Muslim West African country -- will outline its case from January 12 to 15. Backed by the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, Gambia filed the case at the ICJ in 2019, accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against the Rohingya.
Since the 1948 Genocide Convention, the ICJ has only confirmed one episode of genocide, the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of some 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb troops during the 1990s war that tore apart the former Yugoslavia.
The findings of the ICJ in this case could become important in any future genocide case, specifically as Gambia and a number of intervening states in the case including Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have argued that genocide is not limited to only mass killings.
The intervening countries said in written filings that the court should not only focus on the number of dead to establish genocidal intent, but also look at forced displacement, crimes against children and sexual and gender-based crimes.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/world-court-hear-myanmar-genocide-case-january-2025-12-19/
The International Court of Justice will hear a landmark case accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against its minority Muslim group, the Rohingya, on January 12-29, the #United_Nations' top court said on Friday.
The proceedings are expected to set precedents that could affect #South_Africa’s case against #Israel over the war in Gaza, as this will be the first genocide case the #ICJ has heard on its merits in more than a decade.
In the first week of the hearings, #Gambia -- a predominantly Muslim West African country -- will outline its case from January 12 to 15. Backed by the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation, Gambia filed the case at the ICJ in 2019, accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against the Rohingya.
Since the 1948 Genocide Convention, the ICJ has only confirmed one episode of genocide, the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of some 8,000 Muslim men and boys by Bosnian Serb troops during the 1990s war that tore apart the former Yugoslavia.
The findings of the ICJ in this case could become important in any future genocide case, specifically as Gambia and a number of intervening states in the case including Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have argued that genocide is not limited to only mass killings.
The intervening countries said in written filings that the court should not only focus on the number of dead to establish genocidal intent, but also look at forced displacement, crimes against children and sexual and gender-based crimes.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/world-court-hear-myanmar-genocide-case-january-2025-12-19/
Reuters
World Court to hear Myanmar genocide case in January
The International Court of Justice will hear a landmark case accusing Myanmar of committing genocide against its minority Muslim group, the Rohingya, on January 12-29, the United Nations' top court said on Friday.
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