Growing crisis in Ethiopia as conflict spreads

Growing crisis in Ethiopia as conflict spreads: Some 54k Ethiopians in the country’s Afar region have been forced to flee their homes as the conflict between the government and Tigray rebels spreads to other areas of the country. Fighting Afar — a strategically important region that links Addis Ababa to Djibouti’s sea port — began last weekend after Tigray rebels seized three districts. The story got digital ink in the global press: Financial Times | Reuters | Bloomberg.

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad El Hariri abandoned his attempt to form a government, with parliamentary consultations to form a new one expected to start Monday as the country reels from a severe economic crisis.