Ethiopia Bans Planned Rallies By Orthodox Church Factions 

The authorities in Ethiopia have banned parallel rallies by supporters of the Orthodox Church and those backing a breakaway group that was planned to be held in the capital, Addis Ababa. <br />The Security and Intelligence Task Force said no permissions were issued for the rallies and warned citizens to keep off the venues. <br />Its highest decision-making body, the synod, had called for the rally in Addis Ababa’s main square to protest against the alleged government's support to breakaway clergy. <br />The breakaway group also announced it would also hold rallies on the same day. <br />The breakaway clergy accuses the church of maintaining a system of linguistic and cultural hegemony in which congregations in Oromia are not served in their native languages.