#Notice: 48 hours since our colleague Million Beyene disappeared without a trace.

Addis Abeba - Forty-eight hours after he was taken, the whereabouts of #Million_Beyene, Managing Editor of Addis Standard, remain unknown.

The #newsroom has learned that his phone was briefly active at around 10:00 p.m. last night before going silent again, raising further concern about his safety and condition.

His family and colleagues are enduring growing distress.

JAKENN Publishing PLC renews its urgent call for his safe and immediate return, and urges the relevant authorities, including the Addis Ababa Police and the Federal Police Commission, to act without delay to establish his whereabouts.

We also call on the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (#EHRC) to investigate this apparent enforced disappearance and ensure accountability.

#WhereIsMillion
#JournalismIsNotACrime
#PressFreedom
#BringMillionHome

From #AS_Archive

Op-ed: Human Rights Under Siege: How security forces in #Oromia fuel terror and fear to control residents through lawlessness

Many have been shocked by reports of the wanton violence gripping #Ambo in West Shewa zone of Oromia, detailed in recent news coverage, including by Addis Standard, and a wave of social media posts over the past three days describing fear, abuse, and alleged attacks by a group known as “120.”

Yet these revelations are less surprising than they are confirming, pointing to a deeper breakdown of law and order in the region.

In January 2025, Addis Standard warned of the long-term risks posed by the expansion of irregular security structures and coercive enforcement practices across parts of Oromia.

Accounts now emerging from Ambo, of harassment, extortion, and unchecked violence, echo those earlier concerns about the human cost of a security approach increasingly described by residents as rule by fear.

Revisit the full version the 2025 op-ed in our archive for deeper context and analysis.

https://addisstandard.com/human-rights-under-siege-how-security-forces-in-oromia-fuel-terror-fear-to-control-residents-through-lawlessness/

News: #EPRP signals readiness to bypass electoral board for nationwide protests

Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party says it will proceed with planned demonstrations in ten cities on 8 May, 2026, even if it does not receive approval from the National Election Board of Ethiopia, citing constitutional guarantees on the right to assembly.

Speaking to Addis Standard, #Mistireslassie_Tamrat, EPRP’s General Secretary, said the party had formally notified #NEBE ahead of the planned protests but has yet to receive any response.

“Regarding the letter we submitted to the Electoral Board, we have not received any response so far; they haven’t notified us of anything, and we are still waiting,” she said.

Despite the lack of communication, Mistireslassie indicated that the party is prepared to move forward outside the electoral framework if necessary. “If this demonstration cannot proceed through the Electoral Board's framework, we will

Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=56537

Join our growing Facebook community, now 500k+ strong, and be part of the conversation!

https://facebook.com/AddisstandardEng

Through difficult years, uncertainty, and immense pressure to quit, you never looked away, you stayed, you read, you questioned, and you trusted.

Your unwavering support has been a powerful reminder that ethical journalism matters, and that truth still has a place.

We are deeply grateful for the trust out audience across different platforms continue to place in us.

It is a responsibility we carry with care, and a commitment we renew every day.

Here’s to continuing this journey together.

News: DR Congo set to overtake Ethiopia as Sub-Saharan Africa’s fifth-largest economy: IMF

The Democratic Republic of #Congo is poised to surpass #Ethiopia to become #sub-Saharan #Africa’s fifth-largest economy in 2026, according to the International Monetary Fund, as cited by Bloomberg.

The #IMF estimates Congo’s gross domestic product will reach $123 billion this year, slightly ahead of Ethiopia’s projected $122 billion.

The shift comes as Ethiopia’s currency, the birr, has depreciated by about 17% over the past year, in contrast to Congo’s strengthening currency. #South_Africa is expected to retain its position as the region’s largest economy, followed by #Nigeria, #Angola, and #Kenya.

The shift is driven largely by Congo’s mining boom and a strengthening currency. The country, the world’s leading cobalt producer and a major source of copper, is attracting increased global investment amid rising demand for battery metals.

In contrast, Ethiopia liberalized
Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=56539

#Just_In: #Iran says Strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ during #Lebanon ceasefire

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Strait of Hormuz will remain “completely open” to all commercial vessels during the ongoing 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.

In a statement posted on X, Araghchi said the move aligns with the ceasefire period, adding that maritime traffic will continue along “coordinated routes” previously announced by Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation.

The development follows a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel that took effect late Thursday, after talks involving U.S. President Donald Trump, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The 10-day truce aims to halt weeks of cross-border hostilities.

The Standard Signal Ep 16| Two Years Without Justice: Remembering the Brutal Assassination of Bate Urgessa

On April 9, 2024, Bate Urgessa was brutally assassinated by government forces.

This special episode revisits the timeline, and what it reveals about justice and political space in Ethiopia today.

#TsedaleLemma in conversation with #EzekielGebissa

Premiers tonight at 7:30 PM EAT

Subscribe to watch: https://youtube.com/@addisstandard


#BateUrgessa #Ethiopia #Anniversary #JusticeDelayed #HumanRights #PoliticalViolence #Oromo #OLF #Accountability #HornOfAfrica #TheStandardSignal

#Premiering_now: Two  Years Without Justice: Remembering the Brutal Assassination of Bate Urgessa

April 9, 2024, a night that ended in a brutal execution a husband, a father of five, an intellectual and a peaceful politician.

Two years later, the questions remain.

Click here to watch:  https://youtu.be/gAXvr9JN3Y8?si=q7C8otTOvcTw_fZ5


In this commemorative episode of The Standard Signal, host Tsedale Lemma discusses with Prof. Ezekiel Gebissa to revisit the life, final hours, and aftermath of Bate Urgessa’s brutal assassination by government forces, and examine what has (and hasn’t) changed since.


#BateUrgessa #Ethiopia #JusticeDelayed #HumanRights #Oromo #OLF #PoliticalViolence #Accountability #AfricaNews #HornOfAfrica #TheStandardSignal #NeverForget

News: Ethiopia Media Authority board reviews progress of digital overhaul, institutional reforms

The Board of Directors of the Ethiopian Media Authority (#EMA) has reviewed progress on a series of institutional reforms and digital modernization efforts aimed at strengthening the #Ethiopia’s media regulatory system.

The review session was led by #Redwan_Hussein, Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (#NISS) and Chairman of the Board of the Ethiopian Media Authority, who assessed the implementation of the Authority’s ongoing 100-day plan, launched in January 2026.

During the session, board members examined reports outlining the Authority’s push to integrate modern digital technologies into its regulatory framework. A key presentation focused on infrastructure development underway in partnership with the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of

Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=56542

#Ethiopia bondholders start process to sue government over defaulted debt

A group of Ethiopia’s bondholders formally began a process to sue the government over a defaulted $1 billion debt, according to people familiar with the matter.

Members of the Ethiopia Ad Hoc Bondholder Committee last week sent a pre-action letter to the government notifying them of their intent to file a claim in the English courts, said the people, who asked not to be identified as they’re not authorized to publicly announce the move.

The authorities have 14 days to acknowledge the letter, the people said, without specifying the timeline.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-17/ethiopia-bondholders-said-to-start-process-to-sue-over-debt

72 Hours. No trace!

#Million_Beyene has now been missing for 72 hours.

Disappeared without a trace.

He was forcibly taken from his workplace at Addis Standard newsroom, where he had continued to stand his ground and carry out his duties despite mounting pressure to walk away.

Seventy-two hours on, silence persists.

Despite repeated inquiries and appeals, no authority has provided any information about his whereabouts or condition.

#WhereIsMillion #BringMillionHome #JournalismIsNotACrime #EndEnforcedDisappearances

#Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says control of Strait of Hormuz has ‘returned to previous state’

Addis Abeba - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (#IRGC) has announced that control of the Strait of Hormuz has “returned to its previous state,” citing what it described as “continued US blockade” measures targeting Iranian ports.

In a statement carried by Iranian state broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the IRGC’s joint military command accused the United States of “continued acts of piracy and maritime theft under the guise of a so-called blockade.”

“For this reason, control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic waterway is now under strict management and control by the armed forces,” the statement said.

https://www.facebook.com/AddisstandardEng/posts/pfbid0ZKgwCKPeGdqyQR6d1QEbTBzMo18gKsjP8YENExu8qhFrs5wnP1EKo4ecjZPMxJV2l

#Ethiopia: Renewed tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, where #Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (#IRGC) announced tighter controls this morning in response to what it described as a continuing United States blockade, have once again highlighted the fragility of global supply chains that directly affect import-dependent economies like Ethiopia.

The more than one-month disruption to this critical energy and shipping chokepoint has already sent freight and fuel costs soaring, strained foreign currency reserves, and delayed fertilizer shipments for countries around the world, risks that intersect directly with Ethiopia’s food security, inflation outlook, and long-standing ambition of achieving food sovereignty.

These risks were examined in Addis Standard’s lead in-depth analysis, “The Fertilizer Paradox: Global shocks test Ethiopia’s fragile, corruption-tainted supply chain,” which explored how geopolitical shocks and logistical bottlenecks converged with Ethiopia’s corruption-tainted fertilizer distribution system, testing one of the country’s most vital agricultural lifelines.

Revisit the full in-depth analysis for deeper context.
https://addisstandard.com/?p=56490

#Ethiopia: EMMPA condemns abduction of Addis Standard Managing Editor, calls for urgent investigation

The Ethiopian Mass Media Professionals Association (#EMMPA) has condemned the abduction of #Million_Beyene, Managing Editor of Addis Standard, and called for his immediate release and a thorough investigation into the incident.

In a statement issued on April 17, 2026, the association said Million was taken from his workplace around midday on April 15, 2026 by unidentified individuals in civilian clothing, and that his whereabouts remain unknown.

The association described the incident as a “flagrant violation” of constitutional rights to liberty and security, as well as international human rights protections. It warned that the abduction reflects increasing pressure and physical threats against journalists and poses a serious risk to press freedom in the country.

Seventy-two hours into the abduction, the whereabouts of Million Beyene remain unknown.

Read more: https://addisstandard.com/?p=56552

#Ethiopia Defense Forces say building of ‘strong naval force’ to protect ‘national interests’ well underway

Addis Abeba -The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) has said that a “strong naval force” capable of protecting the country’s national interests is currently well underway.

According to information released by the ENDF on 18 April, an extensive briefing was delivered to officer candidates of the 27th round of the “Tsinat” (Endurance) course at the Hurso Officer Candidate Training School. The session covered the foundation of the Ethiopian Navy, its current status, and international maritime laws.

Captain Kebede Michael, Commander of the Ethiopian Naval Academy, who delivered the briefing, said the institution is working to build a “strong naval force that protects the country's national interests.”

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EczoM585i/?mibextid=wwXIfr

News: Joint statement condemns #Israel’s #Somaliland envoy; Somaliland rejects violation claims, defends sovereign diplomacy

The foreign ministers of #Pakistan, #Egypt, #Somalia, #Sudan, #Libya, #Bangladesh, #Algeria, #Saudi_Arabia, #Palestine, #Türkiye, #Indonesia and #Kuwait expressed their “strongest condemnation” of Israel’s decision to appoint a diplomatic representative to the “so-called Somaliland.”

“Somaliland is a sovereign state grounded in state continuity, having attained independence on 26 June 1960 and subsequently reasserted its sovereignty in 1991 following an unratified union,” Somaliland said in response.

https://addisstandard.com/?p=56554