Ones dubbed the one of the top jailers of journalists in Africa, after Eritrea; Ethiopia seems to have turned a new page in its chapter with the release of journalists from prison and ushering in political reforms.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)was forced to briefly suspend its operation in Gambella Regional State due to security concerns, making it difficult for International aid agencies to perform their operation in Western Ethiopia,The Reporter has learnt.

Several civilians are believed to have been killed in three regional states, namely, Amhara, Afar and Beinshangul regional states, following attacks by militants and armed groups in these regions, The Reporter has learnt.

The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) is speeding up its preparations for the upcoming 2020 elections, Birtukan Mideksa, Chairman of the Board said.

The House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) has approved a new draft proclamation providing for the establishment of an Ombudsman Institution repealing the existing proclamation – Ethiopian Institution of the Ombudsman Proclamation No. 211/2000—after rejecting a provision that bestows legal immunity on ombudsmen and investigators of the Institution.

Despite a step by step complete closure of the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) chose to remain silent without giving any explanations to its citizens.

The situation in Sudan remains uncertain where the transitional military council is already expressing turbulence and the protests are still far from over.

The House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) has endorsed the nomination put forth by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) in his latest bid to shuffle his Cabinet. Accordingly, Lemma Megerssa andGedu Andargachew, former heads of the Oromia and Amhara Regional States, were chosen to assume key ministerial positions ofthe Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), respectively.

The World Press Freedom Index-2019, an annual index published since 2002 by the French based Reporters without Boarders aka Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), has ranked Ethiopia 110th out of 180 countries in general level of media freedom exhibiting an improvement of 40 places in ranking since last year where the administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) took over the reins of power at Arat Kilo.

Joining Tigrai and Somali Regional States as well as Addis Ababa City Administration,the Oromia Regional State has become the fourth region to appoint Vice President, whois not a member of its regional council—ChefeOromia,asits next de factopresident to lead the region in a turbulent period.