Commercial shipping through #Strait_of_Hormuz drops sharply amid renewed #Iran-#US escalation
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply following renewed military escalation between Iran and the United States, with traceable vessel transits through the US-coordinated sea lane off Oman “effectively grinding to a halt,” according to #UK-based maritime intelligence firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
The decline follows a fresh exchange of attacks in which three oil tankers were targeted earlier this week, prompting US strikes on around 90 Iranian targets. Iran also launched attacks against US-allied Gulf states hosting American military forces, including #Bahrain, #Kuwait, and #Qatar, while US President Donald Trump declared a previous interim ceasefire over and warned of further military action, the report said.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14hHNUxhMCd/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply following renewed military escalation between Iran and the United States, with traceable vessel transits through the US-coordinated sea lane off Oman “effectively grinding to a halt,” according to #UK-based maritime intelligence firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
The decline follows a fresh exchange of attacks in which three oil tankers were targeted earlier this week, prompting US strikes on around 90 Iranian targets. Iran also launched attacks against US-allied Gulf states hosting American military forces, including #Bahrain, #Kuwait, and #Qatar, while US President Donald Trump declared a previous interim ceasefire over and warned of further military action, the report said.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14hHNUxhMCd/?mibextid=wwXIfr
#South_African protesters go door-to-door forcing immigrants from their homes
Groups of anti-immigration South Africans seized foreigners from their homes in #Johannesburg on Thursday and handed them to police in a hardening of protests that have sown fear in communities and strained ties with some countries.
In Johannesburg's Alexandra township, a Reuters reporter saw protesters breaking down doors and entering houses where they believed undocumented immigrants were hiding.
They escorted the people to police vans where they were taken away, including a woman and a small child from Malawi. Another man who was apprehended by the marchers told Reuters he was in the country legally.
"I am a ZEP holder," said the Zimbabwean national, Total Mhlanga, referring to the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit which allows tens of thousands of nationals to live and work in South Africa.......
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-african-protesters-go-door-to-door-forcing-immigrants-their-homes-2026-07-09/
Groups of anti-immigration South Africans seized foreigners from their homes in #Johannesburg on Thursday and handed them to police in a hardening of protests that have sown fear in communities and strained ties with some countries.
In Johannesburg's Alexandra township, a Reuters reporter saw protesters breaking down doors and entering houses where they believed undocumented immigrants were hiding.
They escorted the people to police vans where they were taken away, including a woman and a small child from Malawi. Another man who was apprehended by the marchers told Reuters he was in the country legally.
"I am a ZEP holder," said the Zimbabwean national, Total Mhlanga, referring to the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit which allows tens of thousands of nationals to live and work in South Africa.......
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-african-protesters-go-door-to-door-forcing-immigrants-their-homes-2026-07-09/
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#Op_ed: Elections Without Choice: How Horn of #Africa leaders engineer polls for incumbency, consolidate managed democracy
Adam Daud Ahmed writes that the promise of the ballot box has mostly faded across the Horn of Africa. He contends that governments throughout the region increasingly depend on managed elections to obscure persistent authoritarianism, executive overreach, and limited civic space, all while maintaining international legitimacy.
The author emphasizes that “The primary threat to governance in the Horn of Africa is no longer the overt subversion of the ballot box but the sophisticated transformation of the electoral apparatus into an instrument of permanent executive self-preservation.”
He further notes that "the holding of an election is no longer a reliable indicator of a transitioning society; it has become the preferred defensive mechanism of the modern autocrat.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58208
Adam Daud Ahmed writes that the promise of the ballot box has mostly faded across the Horn of Africa. He contends that governments throughout the region increasingly depend on managed elections to obscure persistent authoritarianism, executive overreach, and limited civic space, all while maintaining international legitimacy.
The author emphasizes that “The primary threat to governance in the Horn of Africa is no longer the overt subversion of the ballot box but the sophisticated transformation of the electoral apparatus into an instrument of permanent executive self-preservation.”
He further notes that "the holding of an election is no longer a reliable indicator of a transitioning society; it has become the preferred defensive mechanism of the modern autocrat.”
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58208
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News: #Kenya says plans underway to extend Standard Gauge Railway from Lamu to #Ethiopia
Kenya has announced plans to extend its Standard Gauge Railway (#SGR) from the coastal town of #Lamu to Ethiopia as part of the broader #Lamu_Port-#South_Sudan-#Ethiopia Transport (#LAPSSET) Corridor Program, according to Kenyan media reports.
The announcement was made by Kenya's Principal Secretary for Transport, Mohamed Daghar, during the 62nd graduation ceremony of the Railway Training Institute in Nairobi, where 1,135 students graduated in various diploma programs.
"There are also plans to build this railway from Lamu all the way to Ethiopia, which will connect us with a market of around 50 to 60 million people, and onwards to South Sudan," Daghar was quoted as saying.
He also reiterated Kenya's plans to extend the SGR to South Sudan once #Uganda's #Kampala–#Malaba SGR and Kenya's Naivasha–Kisumu SGR sections are completed and linked, with the aim......
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2075559837514018863?s=20
Kenya has announced plans to extend its Standard Gauge Railway (#SGR) from the coastal town of #Lamu to Ethiopia as part of the broader #Lamu_Port-#South_Sudan-#Ethiopia Transport (#LAPSSET) Corridor Program, according to Kenyan media reports.
The announcement was made by Kenya's Principal Secretary for Transport, Mohamed Daghar, during the 62nd graduation ceremony of the Railway Training Institute in Nairobi, where 1,135 students graduated in various diploma programs.
"There are also plans to build this railway from Lamu all the way to Ethiopia, which will connect us with a market of around 50 to 60 million people, and onwards to South Sudan," Daghar was quoted as saying.
He also reiterated Kenya's plans to extend the SGR to South Sudan once #Uganda's #Kampala–#Malaba SGR and Kenya's Naivasha–Kisumu SGR sections are completed and linked, with the aim......
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2075559837514018863?s=20
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News: #Boeing expands engagement with #Ethiopian universities, signs aviation innovation partnership with #Bahir_Dar University
Boeing has expanded its collaboration with Ethiopian higher education institutions, signing a long-term partnership with Bahir Dar University to establish an #Aviation Innovation Center, just weeks after announcing a similar strategic agreement with #Jimma_University aimed at strengthening aviation sciences and aerospace engineering education.
According to a statement from Bahir Dar University, the agreement, signed on 08 July 2026, seeks to strengthen #Africa's growing aviation sector by advancing aerospace engineering education, promoting research and innovation, and developing a skilled workforce to meet the industry's future demand.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58221
Boeing has expanded its collaboration with Ethiopian higher education institutions, signing a long-term partnership with Bahir Dar University to establish an #Aviation Innovation Center, just weeks after announcing a similar strategic agreement with #Jimma_University aimed at strengthening aviation sciences and aerospace engineering education.
According to a statement from Bahir Dar University, the agreement, signed on 08 July 2026, seeks to strengthen #Africa's growing aviation sector by advancing aerospace engineering education, promoting research and innovation, and developing a skilled workforce to meet the industry's future demand.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58221
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#Borana: The Miiloo - Wal-argii ceremony and the Baannattoo method of electing the Borana #Abbaa_Gadaa
Structurally, the Borana Gadaa system requires a generation to progress through age-grade milestones: from Dabballee to Gammee, and from Gammee to Kuusa and so on. Every stage of this Gadaa life cycle is marked by distinct rituals and ceremonies. To select the future leaders of the generation and the nation—the Abbaa #Gadaa—an extensive evaluation and vetting process called the "Baannattoo" system is conducted while the youth are still in the Gaammee (youth) stage.
Major rituals are held to facilitate the transition from Gaammee to Kuusa. However, according to customary sequence, a Wal-argii (Grand Gathering) must precede the Nyaachisa ritual. This means the youth first assemble for the Wal-argii to build peer acquaintance and engage in traditional deliberations before proceeding to the Nyaachisa investiture.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58219
Structurally, the Borana Gadaa system requires a generation to progress through age-grade milestones: from Dabballee to Gammee, and from Gammee to Kuusa and so on. Every stage of this Gadaa life cycle is marked by distinct rituals and ceremonies. To select the future leaders of the generation and the nation—the Abbaa #Gadaa—an extensive evaluation and vetting process called the "Baannattoo" system is conducted while the youth are still in the Gaammee (youth) stage.
Major rituals are held to facilitate the transition from Gaammee to Kuusa. However, according to customary sequence, a Wal-argii (Grand Gathering) must precede the Nyaachisa ritual. This means the youth first assemble for the Wal-argii to build peer acquaintance and engage in traditional deliberations before proceeding to the Nyaachisa investiture.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58219
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News: #Trump says #US, #Iran to continue talks despite declaring ceasefire 'over'
U.S. President #Donald_Trump said the #United_States has agreed to continue talks with Iran after #Tehran requested renewed negotiations, even as he declared that the ceasefire between the two countries was "over" following a fresh escalation in hostilities this week.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue 'talks.' We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!"
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2075816692110774653?s=20
U.S. President #Donald_Trump said the #United_States has agreed to continue talks with Iran after #Tehran requested renewed negotiations, even as he declared that the ceasefire between the two countries was "over" following a fresh escalation in hostilities this week.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue 'talks.' We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!"
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2075816692110774653?s=20
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Op-ed: #Ethiopia’s seventh elections: Challenges of internal stability and repercussions on regional politics
Did Ethiopia's 2026 election strengthen the state, or only deepen unresolved questions of legitimacy?
“The results did not resolve the crisis of political legitimacy,” argues the Emirates Policy Center’s Horn of Africa Studies Unit in this op-ed, published by #Addis_Standard as part of a content collaboration with the #EPC.
The analysis contends that the election unfolded amid insecurity, uneven political competition, and low voter turnout across many parts of the country. Prosperity Party’s parliamentary majority, on its own, will not guarantee stability without meaningful progress on security, national reconciliation, reconstruction, and improving citizens' livelihoods, the writers argue.
The writers further suggest that the new mandate could embolden Addis Abeba’s regional posture on the #RedSea and the #GERD. https://addisstandard.com/?p=58229
Did Ethiopia's 2026 election strengthen the state, or only deepen unresolved questions of legitimacy?
“The results did not resolve the crisis of political legitimacy,” argues the Emirates Policy Center’s Horn of Africa Studies Unit in this op-ed, published by #Addis_Standard as part of a content collaboration with the #EPC.
The analysis contends that the election unfolded amid insecurity, uneven political competition, and low voter turnout across many parts of the country. Prosperity Party’s parliamentary majority, on its own, will not guarantee stability without meaningful progress on security, national reconciliation, reconstruction, and improving citizens' livelihoods, the writers argue.
The writers further suggest that the new mandate could embolden Addis Abeba’s regional posture on the #RedSea and the #GERD. https://addisstandard.com/?p=58229
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#Safaricom_Ethiopia joins National ID project to support Fayda registration in seven regions
Safaricom Ethiopia says it has signed a joint venture agreement with Ethiopia's National ID Program and Africom Technologies PLC to support the implementation of Lots 3 and 4 of the national Fayda Digital ID Registration Project.
According to Safaricom Ethiopia, the partnership will support the registration of citizens in the #Afar, #Amhara, #Tigray, #Sidama, #South_West_Ethiopia, #Central_Ethiopia, and #South_Ethiopia regions, as part of efforts to expand access to the country's national digital identity system.
Speaking at the signing ceremony this week, Safaricom Ethiopia CEO Wim Vanhelleputte said the initiative is expected to “accelerate digital inclusion, enable more citizens to access essential public and private services, and strengthen the foundation for a modern digital economy.”
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1chx1hmzEY/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Safaricom Ethiopia says it has signed a joint venture agreement with Ethiopia's National ID Program and Africom Technologies PLC to support the implementation of Lots 3 and 4 of the national Fayda Digital ID Registration Project.
According to Safaricom Ethiopia, the partnership will support the registration of citizens in the #Afar, #Amhara, #Tigray, #Sidama, #South_West_Ethiopia, #Central_Ethiopia, and #South_Ethiopia regions, as part of efforts to expand access to the country's national digital identity system.
Speaking at the signing ceremony this week, Safaricom Ethiopia CEO Wim Vanhelleputte said the initiative is expected to “accelerate digital inclusion, enable more citizens to access essential public and private services, and strengthen the foundation for a modern digital economy.”
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1chx1hmzEY/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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#Ethiopia, #UAE expand coding initiative from five to seven million
Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates have expanded the 5 Million Ethiopian Coders Initiative to seven million participants, after the program “exceeded its original target” of five million registrants nearly two years ahead of schedule, according to a statement sent to Addis Standard.
The statement said the initiative had registered 5,005,146 participants by June 2026, prompting the two governments to add another two million places as part of their partnership on digital transformation and skills development.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the milestone as “an extraordinary achievement that reflects Ethiopia's firm commitment to digital transformation and empowering youth and communities with future skills.”
“The great turnout that the initiative witnessed from Ethiopian youth, and the success it achieved in exceeding its target ahead of schedule...
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2075856434907005390?s=20
Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates have expanded the 5 Million Ethiopian Coders Initiative to seven million participants, after the program “exceeded its original target” of five million registrants nearly two years ahead of schedule, according to a statement sent to Addis Standard.
The statement said the initiative had registered 5,005,146 participants by June 2026, prompting the two governments to add another two million places as part of their partnership on digital transformation and skills development.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the milestone as “an extraordinary achievement that reflects Ethiopia's firm commitment to digital transformation and empowering youth and communities with future skills.”
“The great turnout that the initiative witnessed from Ethiopian youth, and the success it achieved in exceeding its target ahead of schedule...
https://x.com/addisstandard/status/2075856434907005390?s=20
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#Dangote Group selects #Kenya for planned $17 billion, 700,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery
Africa’s richest businessman, Aliko Dangote, has selected Kenya as the site for a planned $17 billion, 700,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery that would become East Africa’s largest refining facility, according to Bloomberg. The project is expected to reduce the region’s reliance on imported petroleum products while strengthening energy security.
The refinery will be built in #Lamu on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, where site selection has been finalized and preliminary works, including soil testing, engineering, and design, are underway. Construction is expected to take about three years, with the facility supplying refined fuel to Kenya as well as neighboring markets such as Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan, Reuters reported.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19AND3kydf/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Africa’s richest businessman, Aliko Dangote, has selected Kenya as the site for a planned $17 billion, 700,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery that would become East Africa’s largest refining facility, according to Bloomberg. The project is expected to reduce the region’s reliance on imported petroleum products while strengthening energy security.
The refinery will be built in #Lamu on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, where site selection has been finalized and preliminary works, including soil testing, engineering, and design, are underway. Construction is expected to take about three years, with the facility supplying refined fuel to Kenya as well as neighboring markets such as Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan, Reuters reported.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19AND3kydf/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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News: #Tigray authorities accuse federal government of preparing for war, says '#Pretoria Agreement has collapsed'
In a statement issued today, the administration—recently reinstated by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (#TPLF) after it dissolved the Tigray Interim Regional Administration and announced the restoration of what it calls the National Regional Government of Tigray—said it had concluded that the peace agreement could no longer serve as a viable framework for resolving the conflict.
The administration claimed that although Tigray had "gone to great lengths" to implement the Pretoria Agreement, the process had failed because of what it described as "obstructive and destructive actions" by the federal government and the failure of the agreement's guarantors to fulfill their responsibilities.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58235
In a statement issued today, the administration—recently reinstated by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (#TPLF) after it dissolved the Tigray Interim Regional Administration and announced the restoration of what it calls the National Regional Government of Tigray—said it had concluded that the peace agreement could no longer serve as a viable framework for resolving the conflict.
The administration claimed that although Tigray had "gone to great lengths" to implement the Pretoria Agreement, the process had failed because of what it described as "obstructive and destructive actions" by the federal government and the failure of the agreement's guarantors to fulfill their responsibilities.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58235
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Those responsible ‘will be held accountable’: #Iran’s Supreme Leader vows ‘to avenge’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s killing
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed that those responsible for the killing of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as others he described as “martyrs” of the #US-#Israel war on Iran , “will be held accountable,” according to a statement published on his official Telegram channel and broadcast by Iranian state television on Saturday.
In the statement, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei pledged to “avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs” from what he called the “criminal and disgraced killers,” adding that revenge “is the demand of our nation, and it must certainly take place, Middle East Eye reported citing his statement. He further warned that those responsible “will take the hope of a peaceful death in their beds to the grave,” according to the reports.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ga9SfYRre/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed that those responsible for the killing of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as others he described as “martyrs” of the #US-#Israel war on Iran , “will be held accountable,” according to a statement published on his official Telegram channel and broadcast by Iranian state television on Saturday.
In the statement, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei pledged to “avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs” from what he called the “criminal and disgraced killers,” adding that revenge “is the demand of our nation, and it must certainly take place, Middle East Eye reported citing his statement. He further warned that those responsible “will take the hope of a peaceful death in their beds to the grave,” according to the reports.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Ga9SfYRre/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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#Iran conducts several strikes on #US military facilities across #Gulf states in retaliation for U.S. attacks
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (#IRGC) said it carried out coordinated missile and drone strikes targeting U.S. military facilities in #Kuwait, #Bahrain, #Jordan, and #Oman, describing the attacks as retaliation for recent U.S. strikes on Iranian military sites in the country’s south, according to Al Jazeera and Iranian state media.
The IRGC said it struck Ali Al Salem and Ahmad Al-Jaber air bases in Kuwait, targeting missile systems, fuel storage facilities, Patriot air defense batteries, radars, bunkers, and warehouses. It also said attacks hit Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base and the U.S. Fifth Fleet area in Juffair, as well as Jordan’s Prince Hassan Air Base and radar installations in Oman. Kuwait said its air defenses intercepted “hostile aerial targets.”
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19Md2PtvVc/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (#IRGC) said it carried out coordinated missile and drone strikes targeting U.S. military facilities in #Kuwait, #Bahrain, #Jordan, and #Oman, describing the attacks as retaliation for recent U.S. strikes on Iranian military sites in the country’s south, according to Al Jazeera and Iranian state media.
The IRGC said it struck Ali Al Salem and Ahmad Al-Jaber air bases in Kuwait, targeting missile systems, fuel storage facilities, Patriot air defense batteries, radars, bunkers, and warehouses. It also said attacks hit Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa Air Base and the U.S. Fifth Fleet area in Juffair, as well as Jordan’s Prince Hassan Air Base and radar installations in Oman. Kuwait said its air defenses intercepted “hostile aerial targets.”
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19Md2PtvVc/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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#Pakistan International Airlines selects former #Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam to lead post-privatization turnaround
Pakistan International Airlines (#PIA) has selected former Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam as its new CEO following the airline’s privatization and transfer of management control to a consortium led by Arif Habib Group. The appointment is expected to spearhead efforts to revive the loss-making national carrier through fleet modernization, network expansion, and operational reforms backed by fresh investment.
Bloomberg previously reported that Tewolde had been shortlisted for the role, citing a person familiar with the matter, with a formal announcement expected after the completion of required procedures. Arab News reported that the airline is withholding an official announcement until security clearances are finalized.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BoS3LHUph/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Pakistan International Airlines (#PIA) has selected former Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremariam as its new CEO following the airline’s privatization and transfer of management control to a consortium led by Arif Habib Group. The appointment is expected to spearhead efforts to revive the loss-making national carrier through fleet modernization, network expansion, and operational reforms backed by fresh investment.
Bloomberg previously reported that Tewolde had been shortlisted for the role, citing a person familiar with the matter, with a formal announcement expected after the completion of required procedures. Arab News reported that the airline is withholding an official announcement until security clearances are finalized.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BoS3LHUph/?mibextid=wwXIfr
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News: Wildlife Authority calls for nationwide action to save #Ethiopia’s critically endangered #Walia_Ibex
The appeal comes days after the IUCN upgraded the conservation status of the Walia Ibex (Capra walie) to Critically Endangered, citing a steep population decline that has pushed the species to the brink of extinction in the wild. The latest assessment concluded that the Walia population fell from 865 animals in 2015 to 306 by May 2024, while the number of mature breeding individuals dropped below the threshold of 250, meeting the IUCN criteria for the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58240
The appeal comes days after the IUCN upgraded the conservation status of the Walia Ibex (Capra walie) to Critically Endangered, citing a steep population decline that has pushed the species to the brink of extinction in the wild. The latest assessment concluded that the Walia population fell from 865 animals in 2015 to 306 by May 2024, while the number of mature breeding individuals dropped below the threshold of 250, meeting the IUCN criteria for the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=58240
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