And you can take your 24hr rolling news channel with you!

[video:youtube:Mvou7v8hiIM] News arrives that Ethiopia is cutting diplomatic relations with Qatar:

The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has decided to break off diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar. This decision has been taken after long observation of Qatar’s activities in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia has displayed considerable patience towards Qatar’s attempts to destabilise our sub-region and, in particular, its hostile behaviour towards Ethiopia. Qatar has now, however, become a major source of instability in the Horn of Africa and more widely.

So why the sort of language that is usually reserved for Eritrea? Could it be that Addis has had enough of Qatar-based Al Jazeera and its coverage of the Ogaden where the ONLF (which in the past has received arms from Eritrea supplied via Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys – a fact often omitted by hacks in search of a freedom fighters line) is waging a separatist war? Ah yes, it could… as the press release later makes clear…

It [Qatar] has indeed provided direct and indirect assistance to terrorist organisations in Somalia and other areas. This has included the output of its media outlets.