Freedom

News: #Egypt has agreed to develop #Assab and #Doraleh, considered as pressure on Ethiopia Egypt has agreed to develop strategic seaports in #Eritrea and #Djibouti, a move widely seen as increasing pressure on landlocked Ethiopia amid the ongoing Nile water dispute, Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National reported, citing sources in Cairo. Under discreet agreements signed without fanfare, Egypt will upgrade the Red Sea port of Assab in Eritrea and the Gulf of Aden port of Doraleh in Djibouti, expanding their capacity and creating berths for warships, as well as facilities to host small but elite military contingents. Ethiopia, which borders both Eritrea and Djibouti, is heavily reliant on Doraleh for the transit of goods and has long opposed efforts by neighboring countries to establish a territorial or military presence on the Red Sea, its main maritime link. Both agreements include infrastructure upgrades to allow Egyptian warships — including destroyers, submarines, and troop and helicopter carriers — to refuel and resupply at the two ports. In mid-November 2025, Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos (PhD) reaffirmed that securing access to Assab Port remains a strategic national priority. Read more: addisstandard.com/?p=54302

Over 1,700 IDPs at #Hitsats center in #Tigray in #critical condition amid severe #hunger, lack of medical care More than 1,700 internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering at the Hitsats IDP center in Tigray are facing a worsening hunger crisis, with reports indicating repeated fatalities and growing numbers of people in critical condition due to severe food shortages and limited access to medical care. According to a report by the local broadcaster, at least 50 IDPs have reportedly died amid acute food shortages since July 2025, while approximately 1,700 others remain at risk. Elderly people, women, and children are among those most affected, with residents reporting incidents of people collapsing after going days without adequate food. Simret, Salsay Weyane Tigray , TPLF and Tigray Interim Administration President issued statement regarding the issue. Read more at: addisstandard.com/over-1700-idps…

#Ethiopia: Conflict escalates following killing of #Gambella City police chief as security structure fractures Violence triggered by the killing of a senior police official in Gambella City is ongoing, with the regional security apparatus struggling to contain the situation amid deep ethnic divisions, regional officials told Addis Standard. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a regional security official and an advisor to the regional president said the security structure has become increasingly ineffective as its members have split along ethnic lines and are actively participating in the conflict. Following the fatal shooting of the Gambella City Police Department chief late Tuesday morning, 16 December 2025, a senior regional government official told Addis Standard that the assassination was carried out by security personnel who worked alongside the victim. “The police chief was killed at his workplace; those who killed him are his own colleagues,” the official said. “This is a very tragic act committed on the basis of clan and ethnic identity.” Another security official, also speaking anonymously, said the killing was a “conspiracy” allegedly linked to ethnic differences between the police chief and his deputy. He noted that the attack occurred a day after the deputy returned from an official assignment in Nasir, South Sudan. Read more: addisstandard.com/?p=54131

News: #NEBE officially recognizes Simret as Regional Political Party The National Election Board of #Ethiopia (NEBE) has officially registered the #Tigray Democratic Solidarity (#Simret) as a regional political party, led by Getachew Reda, former Tigray Interim President and current Horn of Africa Advisor to the Prime Minister. Simret was founded by former senior officials of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (#TPLF), electing former Tigray Interim President and current Horn of Africa Advisor to the Prime Minister, Getachew Reda, as its president. The party, which initially received temporary registration from the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), seeks to present a fresh political vision for Tigray while addressing criticisms historically directed at both the TPLF and the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Speaking to Addis Standard, Professor Kindeya Gebrehiwot, Simret’s External Relations Coordinator, said the party is founded on “a mindset that takes into account the current state of thought our world has reached” and “considers the overall situation of the region and the country.” The party’s founding conference was held in Addis Abeba on 24 October 2025, where it elected its leadership structure, including the president, vice presidents, seven executive committee members, and 31 council members. Getachew Reda was elected president, Nega Assefa as first vice president, Haftu Kiros as vice president, and Seble Kahsay as head of the party office. Gebrehiwot Gebresilassie and Abrehaley Abera were elected chairperson and deputy chairperson of the Control and Inspection Commission, respectively. addisstandard.com/?p=53998

Ethiopia arrests 'indecently' dressed TikTok stars after awards ceremony bbc.in/492a1GF