Author: Abdihakim Kalale

Judge Brian Murphy, presiding in Boston, expressed concern that a recent deportation flight carrying at least a dozen individuals — including a Burmese national — may have breached an April 18 injunction that prohibits the removal of migrants to third countries without due legal process. According to court filings by the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, at least one deported individual had limited English proficiency and had not consented to removal. Immigration lawyers claim a Burmese detainee was mistakenly sent to South Sudan, while another Vietnamese man’s deportation destination was kept classified due to a prior criminal conviction. “This seems like…

The decree — led by the Islamic Affairs Council of Hamaro and supported by local authorities — prohibits practices such as slaughtering camels before weddings, exchanging lavish engagement gifts, and distributing khat and cigarettes during ceremonies. These customs, once symbolic, have grown into costly obligations, elders say. “Sheikh Abdirahman Rashid, head of the council, emphasized that marriage should not be about wealth display. ‘What was once a sacred rite is now burdened by expectations that alienate our youth,’ he said.” One tradition targeted is gabaati, a goodwill offering from the groom’s family to the bride’s neighbors. Once modest, it now…

Ethiopia’s digital identity initiative “Fayda” has officially registered 15 million users, marking a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing push toward digital governance and service delivery. The announcement was made by Yodahe Zemichael, Executive Director of Ethiopia’s National ID Program, during the opening ceremony of the ID4Africa 2025 Annual Meeting, currently underway in Addis Ababa. The high-level continental forum brings together over 2,000 delegates from more than 100 countries, including representatives from 35 African nations, to discuss innovations and collaboration in digital identity systems. “This milestone is not just about the numbers,” Yodahe emphasized. “It reflects Ethiopia’s accelerating progress in…

South Sudan’s National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) announced the interception of 11 trucks carrying fuel from Uganda that failed to meet required East African quality standards. The fuel was seized at the Nimule border crossing during a routine inspection. Laboratory tests revealed that the shipment was non-compliant with national safety regulations, prompting authorities to order its re-export to Uganda. In a statement, the SSNBS emphasized that the move aligns with its mandate to protect consumers, the environment, and public health. “Only products that meet established standards will be permitted into the country,” the agency stressed. This is not the first…

In a major move underscoring Africa’s growing importance in the global electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem, China’s state-owned automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) has launched its Aion electric vehicle models in Ethiopia, while parallel talks with Nigerian officials aim to deepen cooperation in critical mineral extraction. The rollout in Addis Ababa marks the debut of GAC’s Aion S, Aion Y, and Aion LX models in Ethiopia — a country actively shifting its mobility strategy toward greener alternatives. The Ethiopian Investment Commission welcomed the move, citing recent policy reforms aimed at attracting clean energy investors and scaling electric mobility infrastructure. Zeleke Temesgen,…

Africa is rapidly emerging as a pivotal supplier of critical minerals essential to the global green energy transition, with countries across the continent holding vast, yet underutilized, reserves of metals such as lithium, cobalt, manganese, rare earth elements, and platinum group metals. Countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, and Guinea are already at the forefront of this movement, attracting global interest due to their abundance of resources required for electric vehicle batteries, solar and wind infrastructure, and hydrogen fuel systems. According to industry experts, Africa may contain up to 30% of the world’s critical minerals—though…

Tanzania has officially surpassed its 2025 tourism target months ahead of schedule, recording 5.3 million tourist arrivals by April—107% of the government’s projected figure. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism confirmed the milestone while presenting its annual budget to the National Assembly. Tourism Minister Pindi Chana said the sector has not only bounced back from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic but has set new benchmarks for growth. “We are proud to announce that Tanzania has been recognized by UN Tourism as Africa’s top performer in post-pandemic recovery,” she stated. Tourism revenue soared to over $3.9 billion in 2024,…

Kenya has firmly rejected U.S. concerns over its expanding ties with China, emphasizing that its foreign policy is guided by national interests and does not represent a shift in allegiance. The response follows pointed remarks by U.S. Senator Jim Risch during a Senate hearing that raised alarm over Kenya’s growing alignment with Beijing. Risch, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized President William Ruto’s recent reference to Kenya and China as “co-architects of a new world order,” interpreting it as an endorsement of China’s global agenda and a challenge to traditional U.S.-Kenya relations. He urged Washington to reconsider its…

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed its largest military medical team to date to Ethiopia, marking a significant step in its ongoing health diplomacy and military cooperation with the East African nation. Comprising 14 seasoned military doctors and specialists, the 11th PLA medical aid team departed China this week to begin a year-long mission in support of Ethiopia’s military healthcare infrastructure. The delegation was selected primarily from the First Hospital Affiliated to the PLA Army Medical University and represents a wide spectrum of expertise, including clinical medicine, medical technology, logistics, and hospital management. “This deployment reflects the deepening…

Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan has strongly cautioned Kenyan human rights activists and legal professionals against interfering in the country’s internal affairs, following their attempts to attend the court hearing of opposition leader Tundu Lissu in Dar es Salaam. The president accused the deported individuals of “meddling” and warned that Tanzania would not allow its peace and stability to be undermined by outsiders. The remarks came after high-profile Kenyan figures, including former Justice Minister Martha Karua and ex-Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, were denied entry or deported as they tried to observe Lissu’s trial. President Samia, speaking during the launch of…

The African Union Commission has welcomed the appointment of Dr. Kamil al-Tayeb Idris as Sudan’s new civilian Prime Minister, describing it as a significant step toward restoring constitutional order and advancing democratic governance in the country. H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, praised the development as a long-awaited move toward inclusive governance, especially amid the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. He urged all stakeholders in Sudan to build on this momentum and commit to a peaceful, civilian-led, and representative transition process that reflects the aspirations of the Sudanese people. Dr. Idris, a renowned international…

Ethiopia’s healthcare system is facing a nationwide crisis as a full-scale strike by health professionals entered its sixth day on Monday, severely disrupting services at major hospitals in Addis Abeba and regional states. The strike, organized by the Ethiopian Health Professionals Movement, has escalated into a full work stoppage, affecting outpatient care, diagnostics, and specialized units. At hospitals such as Yekatit 12, Menelik II, and Zewditu Memorial in Addis Abeba, nearly all services apart from emergency and critical care have been halted. Patients waited outside closed wards and labs, with few staff visible and administrative offices shuttered. Similar walkouts have…

Sudan’s Sovereign Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has named international legal expert Kamil al-Tayeb Idris as the new prime minister, filling a key leadership vacuum for the first time since January 2022. The announcement comes alongside the appointment of two women—Salma Abdul Jabbar al-Mubarak and Nawara Abu Muhammad Taher—to the transitional Sovereign Council, signaling a reshuffle aimed at broadening representation in the transitional government. Idris, born in Omdurman, is a prominent Sudanese figure best known for his tenure as Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) from 1997 to 2008. He also served as secretary-general of the International Union…

Kenya’s fresh vegetable exports plunged by over 50% in 2024 following the European Union’s enforcement of tougher regulations on pesticide residue, according to the latest Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. The volume of vegetables exported fell from 164,100 tonnes in 2023 to just 74,300 tonnes in 2024 — a 54.7% decline — with export earnings dropping from KSh 50.9 billion to KSh 23.4 billion (roughly USD 340 million to USD 156 million). This comes amid a broader decline in horticultural exports, attributed to increasingly restrictive European market standards and logistical challenges at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International…

A tragic road accident in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State has claimed the lives of 19 people and left 13 others injured, local authorities confirmed on Sunday. The incident occurred in the town of Gilgel Beles, Metekel Zone, around 9:15 a.m. on 18 May. According to Taye Gurmesa, head of the Gilgel Beles Police Department, the accident involved a heavy vehicle transporting an excavator from Chagni town. The truck, with license plate ET 17196, reportedly lost control due to brake failure as it approached the town’s entrance, ultimately crashing through the fence of a local recreation facility and causing mass casualties…

Families of Ethiopian victims of the 2019 Boeing 737 Max crash have expressed deep anger and disappointment following reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is considering a non-prosecution agreement with Boeing — a deal that could shield the company from criminal accountability. The 10 March 2019 disaster, which killed all 157 people on board Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, was one of two fatal crashes involving the 737 Max model that exposed serious flaws in the aircraft’s automated flight control systems. The two crashes together claimed 346 lives and led to the global grounding…