From New York Times, I'm Michael Bavaro. This is Daily.

Today, how the leader of Ethiopia went from winning the Nobel Peace Prize

to undertaking a military campaign that over the past few months

has killed thousands, displaced millions, and led to claims of ethnic cleansing.

Sabrina Tevernisi spoke with our colleague, Chief Africa Correspondent,

Declan Walsh.

It's Wednesday, June 16th.

Declan, what's happening right now in Ethiopia?

So Ethiopia is just about to hold a major election.

Now, normally this would be a cause for celebration.

Ethiopia is the second most popular country in Africa.

Just a couple of years ago, it was seen as this great democratic hope for the continent.

And instead, Ethiopia is in this terrible state.

There is a civil war raging in the north of the country.

There's been widespread reports of massacres and other human rights abuses.

There's a looming famine potentially involving millions of people.

And we're at this point where this nation,

that just a couple of years ago, was seen as an anchor for the region of the Horn of Africa.

But also a hope for the continent on the whole,

is now staggering through this conflict.

And some people say even tumbling to a place where the country itself could be on the point of unraveling.

And I think that really just gets to the broader question of why didn't we see this coming?

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