Viral videos and Addis Ababa’s new boulevardCEFR A1
11 Mar 2026
Adapted from Guest Contributor, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Moti Abebe, Unsplash
- The Turkish President visited Addis Ababa on February 17.
- A video of his motorcade on a new boulevard went viral.
- The clip showed wide, clean streets and bright lights.
- The clip got millions of views in one day.
- A US influencer had a separate viral livestream in January.
- The city began a corridor project to change streets.
- Critics say the project forced people from homes.
- The country also faces conflict and many displaced people.
Difficult words
- motorcade — a group of cars that travel together
- boulevard — a wide city street with trees or lights
- viral — a video or post that many people see
- influencer — a person who shares content online
- corridor — an area of connected streets or buildings
- displaced — people forced to leave their homes
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever seen a viral video? What was it about?
- Do you like wide, clean streets in a city?
- Have you seen a new road or project in your city?
Related articles
Questions over a Sheikh and a family office in Hong Kong
A visitor described as Sheikh Ali Rashed Ali Saeed Al Maktoum said he would open a family office in Hong Kong and invest a large sum. Media and investigators later raised doubts about his identity and links; the government and the US SEC have warned.
Farzana Sithi and the struggle for women’s rights after the 2024 uprising
Farzana Sithi, a student activist from Jessore, became prominent during the July–August 2024 youth uprising. She says little progress followed, reports rising violence and discrimination since August 5, 2024, and criticises the interim government.
Dubioza Kolektiv’s new song 'Yebiga' questions AI
Bosnian band Dubioza Kolektiv released the song "Yebiga," which satirises society’s growing trust in AI and algorithmic decisions. The Bosnian video, with English and Spanish subtitles, shows tech leaders as symbols and uses dark humour to warn about technocracy.