In Amhara region of Ethiopia, armed conflict was affecting the multiple dimensions of human life, encompassing social structures, economic systems, education access, healthcare availability, and political landscapes. This research report aimed to comprehensively analyze the socio-economic and political consequences of the ongoing armed conflict in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia, particularly in the East and West Gojjam Zones. By employing an integrated research approach, the study investigated three main themes: economic effect, social effect, and political implications. The economic aspect assessed effects on household poverty, living costs, market dynamics, and key economic sectors using poverty indices and other metrics. Social effect had been evaluated through health and education facilities, maternal and child health services, availability of medical supplies, and humanitarian costs like displacement and loss of lives. Additionally, political ramifications, including effects on democratic institutions, crime, human rights violations, and local governance structures explored properly. A stratified random sampling technique was employed. Cross-sectional household survey was conducted from 1078 urban and rural households. Data collected through surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and document reviews in selected towns and districts within the East and West Gojjam Zones, ensuring representation of affected populations. A comparative analysis technique was used to compare the parameters before and after the ongoing armed conflict. The findings of the study revealed that the ongoing armed conflict in East and West Gojjam Zones has resulted in profound economic, social, and political consequences. Due to the conflict, households are experiencing increasing poverty as a result of unstable markets, rising living expenses, and disrupted livelihoods. Financial insecurity has increased as a result of large losses in important industries including trade and agriculture. The region's economic resilience has been further strained by the conflict's significant human and material costs. Regarding to the social effect, public health and education services have been negatively damaged by the conflict on a social level. Medical supply shortages and decreased use of maternity and child health services plague health institutions, and disruptions in education services restrict access to educational possibilities. There has been a significant humanitarian cost, with long-term social instability brought on by relocation and fatalities. Finally, in terms of politics, the war has undermined democratic institutions and systems of government. While human rights breaches continue to be a major concern, insecurity has increased due to the proliferation of crimes like looting and extrajudicial killings. The instability of local administration has complicated recovery attempts. The findings aim to deepen understanding of the conflict's effects, informing evidence-based interventions and policies for mitigating adverse effects and promoting sustainable peace and development. In order to address these effects and guarantee long-term peace and prosperity in the study area, priorities should be given to conflict resolution and peace building efforts followed by development of recovery programs such as reconstruct social services, restore economic stability, and fortify political institutions. Key Words: Armed conflict; socioeconomic effect; Political effect; Amhara Region; East Gojjam Zone; West Gojjam Zone; Ethiopia

Integration of nonlinear loads in modern power systems has led to many issues arising mainly dueto the generation of harmonic currents and the presence of reactive power, both having adverseeffects on power quality and grid stability. Harmonic currents cause increased losses, overheatingof equipment, and voltage distortions, while reactive power imbalances result in inefficiencies inpower delivery and compromised system performance. To overcome these problems, a Shunt ActivePower FIlter design and an optimal control strategy for harmonic mitigation and reactive powercompensation are proposed in this paper. The design incorporates an optimized anti-windup PIcontroller for DC-link voltage regulation and an optimized output filter to enhance the quality of theinjected current. This design is formulated as an optimization problem and solved using the GoldenJackal Optimizer. MATLAB/Simulink simulations validate the proposed method under differentoperating conditions, covering dynamic change of loads and unbalanced grid conditions. The resultshows a remarkable reduction in Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) of grid current, and reactive powercompensation meanwhile maintaining the stability of the grid.Keywords: Golden Jackal optimization, Shunt active power filter (SAPF), Optimal control, Power quality,Current harmonics compensation

Every year, millions die in road accidents globally, imposing significant economic and humanitariancosts. While road traffic accidents are a major health concern, many developing countries, includingEthiopia, struggle to address this issue effectively. Ethiopia ranks second in East Africa for severe roadtraffic accidents, highlighting the need for improved injury reduction strategies. This study introduces anovel approach by chronologically identifying and prioritizing accident black spots in the studied area,Ethiopia. This method provides a valuable tool for transportation authorities and traffic police to targethigh-risk areas for immediate intervention. Focusing on the Dembecha-Injibara highway segment,the study employs both descriptive and inferential analyses, using the Zegeer method to calculateaccident rates. It also uses factors of weight contributing to road traffic accidents and their severityto rank accident-prone areas. The findings reveal that areas near Finote Selam, Banja, and Burie arehighly prone to severe accidents, with specific accident frequencies and priority values identified.Recommendations are offered to address these high-risk areas and mitigate severe traffic accidents inthe study region.Keywords: Road Traffic accidents, Severity, Prioritization and identification of Black Spot

Executive Summary Concerns over chemical contaminants and toxins in local foods and beverages have been raised recently. These days, chronic illness is more common, and toxicants and other contaminants found in food and drink have been linked to many documented fatalities. The chemical toxicants that will be analyzed in this study include acrylamide (a processing toxicant arising from deep roasting of food samples), aflatoxin B1 (a poisonous chemical discharged by mold and fungi), pesticide residues (resulting from pesticide application to cereal, vegetable, and fruits), and methanol (a chemical toxicant produced by spontaneous fermentation of local alcoholic beverages). The acrylamide content of the food samples will be measured via LC/MS-MS. Aflatoxin analysis will be performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), whilst pesticide residues and methanol concentrations will be assessed using a gas chromatography (GC) method equipped with computer-integrated software. This research will be undertaken in three phases. The first phase is collecting food and beverage samples (at least 30 food samples suspected of being chemically contaminated) from selected districts and assessing the toxic substances. The second phase relies on the results of the first phase; for severely contaminated foods, the sources of contamination and factors leading to the presence of chemical toxicants will be investigated. Finally, optimal processing will be investigated to remove or decrease toxic chemicals. The assessment of chemical contaminants in local foods and beverages is important as consumers become more conscious of their health and well-being. Therefore, this research aims to provide insight into the existence, concentrations, and possible health hazards associated with chemical contaminants in foods and beverages that are produced locally. It also makes actionable suggestions for resolving this pressing problem.

Executive Summary Concerns over chemical contaminants and toxins in local foods and beverages have been raised recently. These days, chronic illness is more common, and toxicants and other contaminants found in food and drink have been linked to many documented fatalities. The chemical toxicants that will be analyzed in this study include acrylamide (a processing toxicant arising from deep roasting of food samples), aflatoxin B1 (a poisonous chemical discharged by mold and fungi), pesticide residues (resulting from pesticide application to cereal, vegetable, and fruits), and methanol (a chemical toxicant produced by spontaneous fermentation of local alcoholic beverages). The acrylamide content of the food samples will be measured via LC/MS-MS. Aflatoxin analysis will be performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), whilst pesticide residues and methanol concentrations will be assessed using a gas chromatography (GC) method equipped with computer-integrated software. This research will be undertaken in three phases. The first phase is collecting food and beverage samples (at least 30 food samples suspected of being chemically contaminated) from selected districts and assessing the toxic substances. The second phase relies on the results of the first phase; for severely contaminated foods, the sources of contamination and factors leading to the presence of chemical toxicants will be investigated. Finally, optimal processing will be investigated to remove or decrease toxic chemicals. The assessment of chemical contaminants in local foods and beverages is important as consumers become more conscious of their health and well-being. Therefore, this research aims to provide insight into the existence, concentrations, and possible health hazards associated with chemical contaminants in foods and beverages that are produced locally. It also makes actionable suggestions for resolving this pressing problem.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections occur in patients under medical care, which is a major public health issue in hospitals worldwide. The prevalence is two to three folds higher in developing countries compared to developed countries. Inanimate objects used by healthcare professionals such as gowns, mobile phones, and stethoscopes are highly prone to bacterial contamination from the healthcare setting. In Ethiopia, there is a paucity of published data on the bacterial profile and susceptibility patterns of an isolates.
Objective: To determine the bacterial profile and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns from inanimate objects used by healthcare professionals and associated factors at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from inanimate objects from April 10, 2023 to June 30, 2023 using simple random sampling technique with lottery method. Socio-demographic data was collected using a structured questionnaire. A swab sample from healthcare professionals' gowns, mobile phones, and stethoscopes were collected and inoculated onto blood agar, chocolate and MacConkey agar. Isolates were identified and characterized by colony morphology, Gram staining and biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed in all isolates by the disk diffusion technique on Muller Hinton agar according to CLSI, 2022 guidelines. Data was entered into EPI-Data and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Logistic regression model was used. Variables with p-value ≤ 0.25 in bivariable logistic regression was fitted to multivariate logistic regression analysis. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 with 95%CI was considered statistically significant.
Result: A total of 376 healthcare professionals' inanimate objects were included from 191 study participants. Overall, 60.1% (226/376) (95%CI: 55.1-65) inanimate objects were contaminated. The proportion of bacterial contamination was (65.1%; 82/126), (60.3%; 76/126) and (54.8%; 68/124) for mobile phones, gowns and stethoscopes, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent isolate accounting (22.1%; 83/376) followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis (17.0%; 64/376), Escherichia coli (8.8%; 33/376) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.9%; 18/376). Working in gynecology/ obstetrics wards (AOR: 8.69; 95%CI: 1.09-69.41, P = 0.041), did not disinfect mobile phones (AOR: 2.69; 95%CI: 1.15-6.25; P = 0.021) and stethoscopes regularly (AOR: 3.06, 95%CI: 1.23-7.59; P = 0.016), carry mobile phones with patient care materials (AOR: 2.72; 95%CI: 1.18-6.29, P = 0.019) and not taken infection prevention training (AOR:3.91; 95%CI:1.71-8.93; P = 0.001) were significantly associated with bacterial contamination.Most Gram-negative bacteria were resistant to ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and amoxacilline-clavunic acid, while Gram-positive isolates showed high level of resistant to penicillin. On the other hand, meropenem, for Gram-negative and clindamycin for Gram-positive bacteria showed lower level of resistance. Multidrug resistance among Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were (62.6%; 92/147) and (75.3%; 64/85), respectively with over all MDR (67.2%, 156/232).
Conclusion: Inanimate objects commonly used by healthcare professionals are important sources of bacterial contamination. S. aureus, S. epidermidis and E. coli were the predominant isolates. Most Gram-negative bacteria were resistant to ampicillin while Gram-positive isolates showed high level of resistant to penicillin. All healthcare professionals should regularly disinfect their inanimate objects to prevent bacterial colonization and potential spread of infection.

Journalists usually struggle to maintain private affairs with their professional responsibili-ties while practising journalism. This article scrutinizes the interplay between journal-ists’ professional and individual exposures and its impacts on the culture of journalismpractice in the Ethiopian state media perspective of Amhara Media Corporation (AMC).Qualitative research method, along with in-depth interviews and document analysis,was used to collect data. Semi-structured questions were forwarded to twelve purpo-sively selected journalists working in AMC. Individual-level analysis of the Hierarchy ofInfluences Model (HIM) and Individual Level of Branding were applied as theoreticaltemplates. Findings reveal that journalists’ journalistic contents are exposed to numer-ous occupational-level perspectives. Individual backgrounds and professional dilemmasjournalists face are the dominant challenges while practising professional journalism.Journalists’ academic qualifications and upbringing do have strong linkages with theirculture of journalism practice. The interface between sensitive reporting on politics, ethnic-ity, religion and professionalism is seen resulted in eroding journalistic integrity and creat-ing professional dilemmas among journalists in Ethiopia. It is recommended that mediaorganizations have comprehensible working guidelines and editorial policies to alleviate
he blurred lines between individual exposures and the professionalism of journalists inEthiopia.Keywords: hierarchy of influences model, ideological branding, individual-level analysis,journalist background, sensitive reporting, political stance, professional dilemma

The study is to examine the status and identify factors that affect the participation of dairy cooperatives and its impact on household income. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative data. The two-stage stratified sampling method was employed purposive sampling technique was used to select dairy cooperative for the study. A total of 582 households were sampled using proportion to the sample size methods and the study unites were selected through systematic sample random sampling technique. Primary and secondary data sources were consulted to collect the necessary data. Focus group discussion, Key informant interview, and interview schedule survey questionnaire were the primary data collection methods used in the study. Descriptive and econometric analyses were employed to analyze the collected data. Binary logit model was employed to assess variables affecting the participation of dairy cooperative and its impact on household income by using propensity score much.The household Age, Family size, fair price of milk, sex, TLU, number of milking cow, credit access and distance from the home to diary cooperative office significantly influenced the decision to participate dairy cooperative. Age, fair price of milk, credit access, number of milking cows, sex and credit access positively influenced the participation whereas family size and distance from the home to dairy cooperative office negatively influenced the participate of in dairy cooperative . The study found that membership of dairy cooperative has significantly increased on income of households. Thus, farmers should be encouraged to participate dairy cooperative. Therefore, the government and other concerned bodies should focus encourage households to promote the membership of dairy cooperative.

ABSTRACT While it is dependent on erratic rainfall and subject to drought and low productivity, agriculture is still the dominant economic activity in Ethiopia. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technology adoption enhances productivity, resilience, and climate mitigation, yet its adoption by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia’s West Gojjam Zone remains limited despite government promotion. However, research on the factors behind the determinants of the low adoption rate is limited in the study area. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of five CSA-aligned practices: crop diversification, livestock diversification, irrigation, agroforestry, and the application of chemical fertilizers across selected woredas. Data were generated using structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and focus groups from a total of 236 households selected using a multistage sampling technique. The analysis made by a multivariate probit model revealed that significant determinants included the gender of the household head, education, farm size, income, irrigation access, credit availability, extension services, and farming experience. Findings suggest that enhancing crop and livestock diversification requires expanding irrigation access, strengthening extension services, and integrating climate-smart advisory programs to equip farmers with essential skills and resources. Additionally, improving credit access, providing climate information through mobile phone SMS for free, and promoting farmer training can boost irrigation adoption, while targeted awareness campaigns can encourage experienced farmers to adopt modern irrigation technologies. Keywords: Adoption; Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices; Multivariate probit, West Gojjam

Background: Managing chronic illness requires navigating a complex trajectory from diagnosis to end-of-life, with each phase necessitating specific nursing approaches. Effective management throughout these phases is vital for improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
Objective: This study aims to explore nursing approaches in managing chronic illness across its trajectory, from diagnosis to end-of-life care, focusing on phase-specific care, emotional support, education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the challenges faced by nurses.
Methods: A qualitative research design using a grounded theory approach was employed to construct a theoretical framework grounded with the insights and experience of nurses' approaches across the chronic illness trajectory within Western Amhara, Ethiopia. The study comprised 24 nurses who were selected through the process of purposeful and theoretical sampling methods. Data was collected via in-depth interviews. Data analysis followed a constant comparative method, involving open, axial, and selective coding to identify key strategies and challenges across the illness trajectory.
Results: The primary finding of this study emphasizes the evolving and adaptive role of nurses in chronic illness management, highlighting their ability to provide personalized care, emotional support, and education throughout the illness trajectory. Central to the investigation is the theory of nurses' evolving and adaptive role in chronic illness management, where they adjust their strategies to address the physical, emotional, and psychological needs of patients and families, from pre-diagnosis to end-of-life care. The study identifies key adaptive strategies, including fostering resilience, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration, and managing fluctuating symptoms. Despite challenges such as heavy workloads and emotional strain, nurses require training for continuous professional development, technological integration, and collaborative platforms to reinforce their critical role in optimizing patient outcomes in chronic illness management.
Conclusion: This study highlights nurses' adaptive role in chronic illness care, focusing on phase-specific interventions, emotional support, interdisciplinary collaboration, and education across entire illness trajectory to meet diverse needs of patients and their families. Despite challenges such as heavy workloads and emotional strain, the study recommends ongoing professional development and technological integration to optimize patient outcomes.

Keywords: chronic illness trajectory; diagnosis; end-of-life; grounded theory; nursing approaches.