By Engidu Woldie ESAT News (February 8, 2019) The annual report on freedom in the world by Freedom House says Ethiopia has made some improvements in the areas of press freedom and eased restrictions on opposition political parties. The report however said the country still remains not free as it “remains beset by political factionalism and intercommunal violence, abuses by ...

ESAT News (February 7, 2019) Several people lost their lives and houses turned into ashes in renewed clashes between the Qimant and Amhara communities in Gondar, northern Ethiopia. Peace and security head for the Amhara region, General Asamnew Tsege told ESAT that the violence had also resulted in the displacement of thousands of people. He blamed the Tigray People’s Liberation ...

ESAT News (February 7, 2019) The council of the Somali regional government has lifted immunities of 12 former officials over human rights violations and high level corruption. The regional attorney general said in a press statement that the the former officials had a hand in the deadly ethnic violence last July in the regional capital Jigjiga where at least 59 ...

ESAT News (January 6, 2019) Eritrea announced on Tuesday that it will send a cultural troupe to Ethiopia to perform in major cities across the country, a sign of improved relations between the two former foes. The statement by the Eritrean Ministry of Information says the cultural troupe, which includes legendary and young musicians, will begin its performance in Bahir ...

ESAT News (February 6, 2019) The Ministry of Revenue said it has seized $1,527,014, € 8,280 and £ 31,900 as well as 7 kg of gold at the Ethiopian eastern border with Somalia. Significant amount of currencies from eight other countries have also been seized. The Minister of Revenue, Adanech Abebe told local journalists that four suspects were arrested with ...

By Engidu Woldie ESAT News (February 6, 2019) A Dutch company has lost a legal battle against Ethiopia for the patent of Teff flour, the ingredient for Injera, an Ethiopian staple. The Dutch company, Health and Performance Food International, had registered patents for Teff products in Italy, England, Germany and Austria, breaching agreements with Ethiopia. Last year, Ethiopia took the ...

ESAT News (February 5, 2019) Eighty-three descendants of Ethiopian jews, also known as felashamura, have arrived in Israel yesterday as part of the government’s plan to take 1000 of the 8000 remaining in Ethiopia. An Israeli cabinet decided in October last year to bring in 1000 descendants of the Ethiopian jews out of the 8000 who are waiting to make ...

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (February 5, 2019) The African Union will unveil the commemorative statue of Emperor Haile Selassie at the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on 10 February 2019 in Addis Ababa. The Emperor’s statue will be the second to be erected at the AU headquarter. In 2012, the statue of Ghanaian Pan-Africanist ...

ESAT News (February 4, 2019) A four day curfew has been lifted in Jigjiga, the capital of the Somali regional state in eastern Ethiopia. The curfew was imposed last Thursday banning public gatherings in the regional capital. The curfew also came on the day a high court in Addis Ababa brought formal charges against the former president of the Somali ...

by Engidu Woldie ESAT News (February 4, 2019) The Ethiopian Statistics Agency said it will go ahead with the population and housing census as scheduled on April 7, 2019 despite concern that displacement and deadly conflicts in some areas of the country would make the job difficult. Public relations head with the Agency, Safi Gemede told ESAT that the displaced ...