Teddy Afro Press Briefing Cancelled Amid Alleged Pressure
Tigray Budget Dispute Remains Unresolved After Addis Talks
Teddy Afro Press Briefing Cancelled Amid Alleged Pressure
A planned press briefing by Ethiopian singer Tewodros Kassahun (Teddy Afro) in Addis Ababa on April 14 was cancelled following alleged pressure from the Ethiopian Media Authority.
The event, intended to announce his upcoming album Ethorika, was set to be broadcast live by Arts TV.
Reports indicate that the media regulator summoned executives of the TV station to explain the agreement for the live broadcast, leading to the cancellation.
Neither the media authority, Arts TV, nor the artist’s management has issued an official statement. The album is scheduled for release on April 16, marking the artist’s return after an eight-year hiatus.
Tigray Budget Dispute Remains Unresolved After Addis Talks
Tigray Interim Regional Administration President Tadesse Worede said the issue of the suspended federal budget for public servants’ salaries in Tigray requires further discussion with federal authorities.
Speaking at a press briefing in Mekelle on April 14, he said recent talks in Addis Ababa covered a wide range of issues, including rehabilitation, restoration of constitutional governance, return of displaced people, budget subsidies, cash shortages, banking services, fuel embargo, education, health, investment, and business challenges in the region.
He noted that the visit to Addis Ababa was made at the invitation of the Federal Government and that he had consulted in advance with TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael.
Following the presentation of the interim administration’s annual performance report to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Gen. Tadesse’s tenure was extended for one year.
Ethiopian Airlines Set to Resume Tel Aviv Flights
Ethiopian Airlines is expected to be among nine international carriers resuming flights to and from Tel Aviv on April 15.
Other airlines, including Etihad Airways and Smartwings, are also set to restart operations.
Israeli authorities said the resumption will expand travel options and increase flight availability following the reopening of the country’s airspace after a two-week ceasefire involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
Ethiopian Airlines had suspended flights to several Middle Eastern destinations in early March at the height of the conflict, before gradually restoring limited services in recent weeks.
Senior Police Commander Killed in Central Ethiopia
Senior police commander Almaz Yohannes was killed in an attack by armed assailants in Kembata zone of Central Ethiopia region on April 13.
The attack occurred while she was traveling to Addis Ababa to attend training at a government-run defense college.
Regional authorities have not disclosed the identity of the attackers.
Almaz had served in the police force for over two decades. Her killing adds to a series of attacks targeting security officials, administrators, and ruling party members in various regions, including Amhara and Oromia.
Thousands of Ethiopian Refugees Remain in Sudan
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that over 12,675 Ethiopian refugees are currently in Sudan’s Blue Nile State, bordering Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region.
The influx follows ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Most refugees in Blue Nile are hosted in Wad Al Mahi Camp, while a larger number, 44,386 individuals, reside in Gedaref State, and 322 are in Khartoum.
In total, UNHCR estimates that 68,750 Ethiopian refugees and asylum seekers are in Sudan, representing about 8% of the country’s refugee population, with 73% living in camps.
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