TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • US Senate chairman resigns amid corruption allegations

    US Senate chairman resigns amid corruption allegations

    Due to ongoing bribery charges, a well-established US senator has temporarily stepped down from his role as chairman of the significant foreign relations committee.

    The Justice Department’s prosecutors claim that Robert Menendez and his wife received hundreds of thousands of dollars in return for helping Egypt’s government.

    The couple said they did not do what they are being accused of.

    The senator who is having a lot of problems has said no to requests from other Democrats in his home state of New Jersey to quit his job as a senator.

    Chuck Schumer, who is the leader of the majority in the Senate, said on Friday that Mr Menendez has chosen to give up his position as chairman of the important committee “until the issue has been dealt with”.

    The New York Democrat said his coworker works really hard for the people of New Jersey and cares a lot about their well-being.

    This is not the first time that Mr. Menendez, who is 69 years old and has been in Congress since 2006, has had to step down from his important position on the foreign relations panel.

    He was also forced to resign in 2015 because he was accused of taking money from a Florida eye doctor as bribes in New Jersey. The trial in that case was not successful because the jurors could not agree on a verdict.

    Maryland Democrat Ben Cardin, who became the top Democrat on the committee, is expected to once again temporarily take over to fill the open position.

    Mr Menendez and his wife, Nadine Arslanian, are accused of taking bribes from three businessmen in New Jersey. The bribes included cash, gold, money to pay off their home mortgage, and a fancy car.

    According to the prosecutors, the two people are accused of taking the money in secret to help the Egyptian government and make the three men, Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes, richer.

    Based on the 39-page legal document made public on Friday, it is said that Mr. Menendez’s position of authority as a senator allowed him to engage in corrupt practices involving using his influence for personal gain.

    The two people are accused of three crimes: planning to give bribes, planning to deceive others for personal gain, and planning to unfairly obtain something by using their official positions.

    Mrs Menendez’s lawyers said that she did not do anything wrong and she will prove her innocence in court.

    Mr Menendez tried to say that the accusations were made to harm his reputation for political reasons.

    He said in a long statement that for many years, people have been trying to stop him from speaking out and defeat his political career.

    “Ever since this investigation got shared about a year ago, there have been people trying to damage someone’s reputation by spreading rumors and insinuations, even though there is no evidence of any wrongdoing. ”

    He said he believes the issue will be fixed when all the facts are shown and the people of New Jersey will understand it.
    However, many important Democrats, including four members of Congress from New Jersey, have asked the lawmaker to step down.

    In a statement, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said that the accusations were very serious and could affect Senator Menendez’s ability to represent the people of our state effectively.

    “So, I want him to quit right away,” he wrote.

    According to the law in New Jersey, if Mr. Menendez quits his job in the Senate, the governor will choose someone to temporarily take his place until his term is over.

    However, if there is any delay between the act of resigning and the temporary appointment, it could cause problems for Democrats who currently have control of the Senate by just one seat.

    The White House, which sees Mr. Menendez as an important ally in foreign policy, has not yet given any comments.

    Mr Menendez said firmly that he will not be leaving.

    He was charged after the justice department looked into him for many years.

    During the summer of 2022, government agents searched Mr. Menendez’s house and discovered proof of illegal agreements involving bribes. This evidence included more than $480,000 (£390,000) in cash, which was found hidden in various places like envelopes, clothing, closets, and a safe, according to prosecutors.

    The agents found a fancy car, paid for by Mr. Uribe, parked in the garage. They also found $100,000 worth of gold bars in the house. There are pictures of these things in the official document charging Mr.
    Because of the charges, Mr Menendez and his wife have been told to give up some of their belongings, including their house in New Jersey.

    In a statement to US media, a spokesperson for Mr. Hana said: “We are still looking into the accusations, but from our first examination, they have no value. ”

    The BBC has contacted companies owned by Mr. Daibes to get their thoughts or statements. The Egyptian Embassy in Washington DC did not reply to a comment request.

    Mr Menendez, along with his wife and three others, will be going to court in Manhattan on September 27th.

  • Army head of Sudan says he is prepared for peace negotiations

    Army head of Sudan says he is prepared for peace negotiations

    The leader of Sudan’s military said he is open to having a conversation with the rebel group’s commander. They are currently fighting for control of the country.

    Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said he agreed in general to meet with Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

    The two men have been fighting a very violent war within their own country since April. The United Nations has stated that over 5,000 people have been killed as a result of this war.

    It means that over five million people have been forced to leave their homes.

    Gen Burhan, who took control in a 2021 takeover, talked to the BBC in a rare interview after giving a speech at the UN General Assembly in New York.

    He is in charge of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and is traveling around the world to get support from other countries and gain recognition for his leadership. However, he has not given up his power to civilian authorities.

    The leader disagreed when people said his troops were attacking innocent people. But the United Nations and nonprofit organizations have proof that they are carrying out air strikes without considering who might be affected, hitting homes where regular people live.

    He said he believed he would win, but acknowledged that he had to move his main office to Port Sudan because the fighting in the capital Khartoum had made it impossible for the government to keep going.
    Gen Burhan said he is willing to have a meeting with Gen Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, if he keeps his promise to safeguard civilians. Both sides made this commitment during their negotiations in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in May.

    Gen Burhan said that they are prepared to start talking about a deal.

    If the leaders of these rebellious groups want to be reasonable and take their soldiers out of the places where people live and go back to their bases, we will talk to any of them. Whenever he keeps his promise in Jeddah, we will come together to solve this problem.

    In a video message, Hemedti said he is prepared for political discussions.

    Both leaders have discussed stopping the fighting in the past, but it hasn’t made the fighting decrease.

    General Burhan said Sudan will not become a failed state like Somalia or a divided country like Libya.

    Sudan will stay together as one country. Sudan will continue to be a whole country, and not a country that has failed. We don’t want the same things that happened in the other countries you mentioned. The people of Sudan are all supporting one cause now, which is to peacefully stop this mutiny or fight against it,” he said.

    The United Nations has declared that neither side of the war seems likely to achieve a clear win through their military efforts.

    Gen Burhan said he was very sure that he would be able to defeat the RSF. However, he acknowledged that the fighting had made him leave the city.

    “He said that in Khartoum, the embassies, ministries, and all government bodies are unable to perform their usual duties. ” “Due to the ongoing conflict, there are people with guns hiding and military activities happening. ” That is why no organization can currently operate in Khartoum.

    Many people in Sudan are being killed in random air attacks by Gen Burhan’s forces, especially in the city of Khartoum. But the leader said that innocent people were not being intentionally singled out and attacked.

    The rebel forces are making up fake stories and acting like the armed forces. They are attacking innocent people and recording it as if it was done by the actual armed forces. We are skilled fighters, and we carefully choose specific places to attack where only the enemy is. We do not attack innocent people and we do not aim at places where people live.
    The ex-UN special representative to Sudan, Volker Perthes, told the Security Council recently that “people with an air force, specifically the SAF, frequently carry out random bombings from the sky without choosing specific targets. ”

    The fighting in Sudan has started again and has caused more disagreements between different tribes. This is especially happening in Darfur, which is in the western part of Sudan. The RSF and other groups that support them have been accused of causing many deaths, sexually assaulting people, and hurting others in a very severe way.

  • Panic in Karabakh due to fears of ethnic cleansing

    Panic in Karabakh due to fears of ethnic cleansing

    Azerbaijan’s military only needed one day to make a group of 120,000 Armenian people give up.

    People are getting more and more worried about what will happen to the men, women, and children in this part of the South Caucasus.

    Despite the promises made by Azerbaijan, Armenians living there are worried about what the future holds for them. They are afraid that they may be forced to leave their homes or experience even worse situations.

    Siranush Sargsyan recently went to different shelters in the main city. She sent voice messages and said that there is absolutely no food available.

    I don’t know anyone who wants to remain here. She said that she has elderly relatives who are very close to her. These relatives lost their sons in wars that happened before. They would rather die in this place.

    “But for many people, especially people of my age, this is already the fourth war they have experienced. ”

    They don’t have to leave, but they don’t really want to stay.
    This week, lots of people ran away from villages outside the city because the Azerbaijani army moved closer. The city is called Stepanakert by ethnic Armenians, but Azerbaijan calls it Khankendi. “They have no knowledge about their family members. ” “It’s really scary,” she said.

    Officials from Karabakh have informed the BBC that numerous families have been split up due to the presence of Azerbaijani army. These families are uncertain about the well-being and survival of their loved ones.

    Many people have died in wars in this region since the Soviet Union ended. The first war happened in 1992-94 when Armenia took control of the area.

    At least 200 more Armenians from a different culture died this week as the military moved deeper into an area that is seen by countries around the world as a part of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has started the process of laying to rest its soldiers who have died in battle. It is believed that over 100 soldiers have lost their lives.

    The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, says that Armenians living in Karabakh can finally feel relieved and relaxed. But it doesn’t seem like it will happen anytime soon.

    There is not much trust in Karabakh for the government in Baku. This government has been controlled by one family for 30 years. The people in Karabakh don’t trust this government, especially because the president calls the region’s leaders “bloodsucking leeches”.

    Right now, the pictures show Armenian people who are looking for their family members. They are staying in basements to protect themselves and using improvised stoves to cook whatever small amount of food they can find.

    At the end of last year, Azerbaijan stopped all traffic from going into Armenia using the only available route.

    Before this week’s attack, Sargsyan, who is a journalist, spent her time recording and documenting the lack of food, medicines, and toiletries that have been going on for several months.

    That way out, called the Lachin Corridor, will become very important soon if many ethnic Armenians in Karabakh choose to leave.

    For many years, there was a place that wanted to be separate from the rest, so it had its own TV stations, university, and language. But now, it will become part of the state that is around it.

    Azerbaijan says that only 50,000 people are impacted, but Ms. Sargsyan believes that there are even more people affected in her city alone, stating the actual number to be 110,000.

    Around 5,000 people have gone to a Russian peacekeepers’ base at the nearby airport to find safety.

    Thomas de Waal, an expert on the Caucasus, is becoming more concerned about what might happen to the people there. He thinks there is a strong chance that a group of people might be forcefully removed or killed, either in a calm way or through violence.

    “He said that women and children will not have any problems. ” But the main question is about men who are soldiers or who have fought against Azerbaijan – which is most likely most of the people in Karabakh.

    Armenia’s leader, Nikol Pashinyan, has made arrangements to provide homes for 40,000 families. He said that his neighbor is trying to get rid of people from a specific ethnic group in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, he thinks that right now the regular people there are not in immediate danger.

    Azerbaijan’s leaders are thinking about forgiving or pardoning certain individuals, particularly those who give up their weapons, by not punishing them legally.

    Presidential aide Hikmet Hajiyev told BBC’s Azerbaijani service that the new law will not apply to those who committed crimes in the First Karabakh war.

    Azerbaijan has lists of men who are believed to have committed war crimes in 2020 and before.

    A 68-year-old man was arrested in July when he was going to Armenia for surgery. He was suspected of committing war crimes in 1992. His family says that the things being said are not true.

    On Friday, photos posted on social media showed people from Karabakh taking down pictures from an outdoor exhibit of those who passed away in the war of 2020.

    Mr de Waal thinks that there are two important things that can stop ethnic Armenians from leaving in large numbers and it becoming very dangerous.

    One possible scenario is that two international groups might be involved – the Red Cross and a group of 2,000 Russian peacekeepers, who were sent to Karabakh after the war in 2002.

    Siranush Sargsyan doesn’t believe in the peacekeepers. She thinks the Russians won’t take any action. They will pretend to save children’s lives but won’t do anything to keep us safe.

    Also, it should be noted that Azerbaijan is very concerned with how it is seen in the Western world.
    Azerbaijan strongly says that they have no plans to make the local people leave. They have talked about helping ethnic Armenians become part of society again.

    Zaur Ahmadov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Sweden, said that his country never wanted to remove people from different ethnic groups. He remembers when his fellow Azerbaijanis were forced to leave their homes in the 1990s.

    As the Soviet Union fell apart, many Azerbaijanis were forced to leave Armenia, and there were killings on both sides.

    The ambassador thinks it is very possible to include the people of Karabakh in the larger population. They believe that their rights to culture, education, and religion can all be protected.

    He says there are already 30,000 Armenians living in his country who are married to people from different backgrounds, not in the area of Karabakh.

    “He told the BBC that it will take some time for complete normalisation. ” “But a lot of trucks carrying food have already been delivered to Khankendi. They will also provide fuel and fix things like kindergartens in the next few days. ”

    The text can be rewritten as: It is hopeful to see Azerbaijani forces near the regional capital, but the Karabakh army still needs to be disarmed.

    Once it happens, the Azerbaijanis will go there.

    Richard Giragosian, the leader of the Regional Studies Center think tank in Armenia, suggests that once this happens, the people in the area will rely completely on the guarantees made by Azerbaijan.

    The main issue for Armenians in Karabakh right now is that they do not feel safe and protected. This feeling comes not only from Azerbaijan, but also from the Russian peacekeepers.

    In the end, he thinks that the men living in Karabakh will be permitted to go away because many countries are paying a lot of attention to the situation.

    But he also doubts that anyone will be convinced to become part of Azerbaijani society.

    Siranush Sargsyan says that they act like they want to include us. “They want to remove us from here. ”

  • US to provide long-range missiles to Ukraine – reports

    US to provide long-range missiles to Ukraine – reports

    US President Joe Biden wants to give Ukraine powerful missiles that can reach far distances in order to help them defend against attacks. This information has been reported by US media.

    According to US officials who know about the matter, Ukraine will receive some missiles called ATACMS. These missiles have a range of up to 190 miles (300km).

    This would allow Kyiv to attack important Russian locations far away from where the fighting is happening.

    On Friday, a Ukrainian missile hit Russia’s Black Sea fleet headquarters in annexed Crimea.

    An official from the Ukrainian military said to the BBC that the attack in Sevastopol used Storm Shadow missiles. These missiles are given to Ukraine by Britain and France, showing how important Western weapons are to Ukraine.

    These missiles can travel a distance of a little over 150 miles.
    Unnamed US officials said that President Biden told the Ukrainian President that Kyiv would receive a few ATACMS missiles. The two leaders saw each other at the White House on Thursday.

    The WSJ says that the weapons will be sent soon.

    The Washington Post reports that Ukraine will receive ATACMS with cluster bomblets instead of just one warhead, according to some people familiar with the discussions.

    The American media reports have not been confirmed by either the US or Ukraine.

    After the discussions between Biden and Zelensky, Washington said they will provide Ukraine with $325m (£265m) in military aid. This aid includes weapons and ammunition. Next week, Kyiv will receive America’s Abrams tanks.

    However, both presidents have avoided giving direct answers on the ATACMS problem.

    “I think that we will be able to agree on most of the things we talked about with President Biden yesterday,” Mr Zelensky said on Friday while visiting Canada.

    Yes, it will only take time. He said that not everything relies on Ukraine.

    Kyiv has been trying for months to get ATACMS to strengthen their violent counter-attack in the southern region.

    This means that important Russian paths for supplies, positions of command, and other important places would be close enough to attack. Moscow would be forced to move them farther away, which would make it more difficult to give supplies and weapons to their troops.

    According to Ukraine, the Russian military positions in the areas they have taken control of in southern Ukraine, including Crimea, could be easily attacked.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin attacked Ukraine in February 2022, and the Biden administration was unsure about giving Ukraine new weapons at first.

    But its position has changed a lot, with Kyiv now having powerful long-range rocket systems called Himars and defensive missiles called Patriot air defence missiles.

    However, President Biden has been unsure about sending ATACMS missiles because he is concerned that it might increase the chances of a conflict with Russia, who has nuclear weapons.

  • Pope urges migrants to be treated with more tolerance

    Pope urges migrants to be treated with more tolerance

    Pope Francis has requested that European countries be more accepting of migrants during his trip to Marseille, a city in southern France.

    Speaking at a meeting of religious leaders and young individuals from Mediterranean nations, the pope stated that people who put their lives in danger while crossing the sea are not trying to invade.

    French President Emmanuel Macron was there to listen to the speech.

    This news appeared when lots of people arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa, which has caused people to start discussing migration again.

    France’s Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, who welcomed the Pope when he arrived in Marseille on Friday, said that the country would not allow any migrants from the island to come in.

    Last week, between Monday and Wednesday, around 8,500 people came to Lampedusa on 199 boats. This information was provided by the UN’s International Organization for Migration.

    Pope Francis said that migration is not an urgent problem, but rather a normal part of our world today. It involves three continents around the Mediterranean and needs to be handled carefully, including a response from Europe.

    “Many people are suffering and crying out in pain, especially those who are trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to find a better life. This sea, which was once known as the birthplace of civilization, has now become a place where people lose their dignity and even their lives. These people are our brothers and sisters. ”

    He also asked for a lot of legal ways for migrants to enter, especially those running away from war, hunger, and poverty, rather than focusing on protecting oneself.
    The Pope said the same thing again as he did on Friday, that it is our responsibility to save migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean.

    The 86-year-old person advised governments not to ignore problems and not to be afraid to take action. They said that if someone is left alone in a dangerous situation, like being in the water and at risk of drowning, they must be saved.

    Many people stood on the streets of Marseille to see him go by.

    He went to Marseille for work. He was there to join the final meeting of the Mediterranean Meetings event, where they discussed migration, economic inequality, and climate change.

    Francis’s visit was the first time a pope visited Marseille, which is the second-largest city in France, in 500 years.

    He went to a closed meeting with President Macron and will lead a holy ceremony in the Velodrome stadium before going back to Rome later on Saturday.

  • Police officer killed by car while walking to work in Smethwick

    Police officer killed by car while walking to work in Smethwick

    A police officer died in the hospital after getting hit by a car while walking to work. It’s a very sad thing that happened.

    Sgt Paul Frear got really hurt when he was hit by a vehicle in Smethwick, West Midlands, on Thursday morning.

    Emergency services quickly went to Tollhouse Way, which is close to Smethwick Rolfe Street railway station, after something happened.

    The 45-year-old man who was a father to two children passed away in the hospital on Friday while being comforted by his family, according to the police.

    Sgt Frear was praised for being a hero because he saved the lives of two people who were stabbed outside a nightclub in Wolverhampton. He received the chief constable’s award in 2017 for his actions.

    The West Midlands Police said that both victims of the attack are alive because he quickly provided emergency first aid.

    Sgt Frear has been honored by his colleagues, who say he spent his whole career focusing on the people and organizations in Wolverhampton.
    He worked for 21 years as a police officer. He joined West Midlands Police in August 2002 and spent the last five years working in the Low Hill, Bushbury, and Fallings Park neighborhoods.

    The head of the police, Craig Guildford, said that they are giving as much help as possible to the wife, children, and other family members during this terrible time.

    We understand that this will greatly impact those who knew him, worked with him, and the entire police community.

    As a way to show respect, we will be flying the Force flags halfway down the flagpole.
    The Police and crime commissioner for the West Midlands, Simon Foster, said that Sergeant Paul Frear dedicated his career to helping the people of the West Midlands.

    He was a committed and well-liked member of the police force for 21 years.

    I and everyone in my office are thinking about his family, especially his wife and children.

    I am aware that the West Midlands Police will give them all the help they require.

  • #OccupyJolorbiHouse demo: Protestors provide police with evidence of assault

    #OccupyJolorbiHouse demo: Protestors provide police with evidence of assault

    Netizens are presenting initial proof of assault against #OccupyJolorbiHouse demonstrators during their protest on September 21, 2023, marking the first day of their scheduled three-day event.

    Following a police statement from September 22, the administration claimed there was no proof of the assault on protesters that had been widely reported in the media.

    “It was established at the meeting that there is no evidence or reported case of assault against the demonstrators according to Police records. Therefore, anyone with evidence to the contrary should provide it for investigation.

    “We would like to assure the public that the Police Service is dedicated to fostering a democratic environment where citizens’ rights are upheld while maintaining the security and stability of the nation,” the statement signed by Director Public Affairs of the Police Service, ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi indicated.

    Across various social media platforms, video footage depicting instances of police officers using force against individuals, particularly at the Accra Regional Command, is being disseminated as substantiating evidence of the perceived heavy-handedness that transpired subsequent to the unauthorized arrests of the protesters.

    Contrary to the police’s assertion that there were no instances of assault, the organizers, Democracy Hub, have refuted any consensus on this matter with law enforcement. They have maintained that their interactions with the police primarily revolved around listening to the police’s account of the events and turmoil that unfolded on September 21, rather than reaching an agreement regarding the absence of assaults.


     

  • Dozens killed and injured in attack on Black Sea Fleet headquarters – Ukraine Special Forces

    Dozens killed and injured in attack on Black Sea Fleet headquarters – Ukraine Special Forces

    On Saturday, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces reported that they attacked Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol. This attack caused many deaths and injuries, including high-ranking officials.

    According to a message on Telegram, the Special Operations Forces (SOF) announced a planned attack called “Crab Trap” that was timed to happen during a meeting of important members of Russia’s Navy. The attack resulted in many people being killed or injured, including the high-ranking leaders of the navy.

    The Special Operations Forces were able to attack the Black Sea Fleet headquarters at the right moment with accuracy. The Russian Navy’s top officials were having a meeting in the city of Sevastopol, which was temporarily occupied.

    The information was sent to the Air Force to carry out an attack. The information about the attack will be shared when it can be done. The outcome is many dead and injured military members, including the top officials of the fleet.

    It said, “We are going ahead. ”

    Ukraine has not given any more information or proof about the number of people affected in the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

    Russia’s Ministry of Defense has only stated that a Russian soldier is missing after the missile attack on Friday.

  • Israel hits targets in Gaza after sending explosive balloons across border

    Israel hits targets in Gaza after sending explosive balloons across border

    The Israeli army attacked Hamas targets in Gaza on Friday because militants from there flew balloons with fire towards Israel for the first time in a year.

    The fighting started after Palestinians protested for over a week, sometimes using violence, along the barrier separating Gaza from Israel.

    On Friday, Israeli forces shot and injured at least 28 people on the Gaza side of the fence, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.

    The weapons are not very complicated things – they are balloons filled with helium, like the ones you see at children’s birthday parties. They have explosives or devices attached to them which are set on fire before they are used.

    The balloons were let go by a group called Ahfad Al-Nasser, or the Descendants of al-Nasser. This group is known for doing attacks using balloons that have explosives tied to them.

    The balloon launches on Friday caused at least three fires in Israel, but they were all put out.

    The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) attacked two places where Hamas was launching balloons, and another place where they said Hamas shot at Israeli soldiers.

    The Israeli military said that no IDF soldiers were hurt.

    It is not known right away if anyone died or got hurt in the Israeli attacks. The IDF said the attacks were done using a drone and a tank.

  • BREAKING: Former Bantama MP Okyem Aboagye dies aged 49

    BREAKING: Former Bantama MP Okyem Aboagye dies aged 49

    Former Member of Parliament for the Bantama Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Daniel Okyem Aboagye, has sadly passed away, as reported by 3News.com. This unfortunate event transpired in the early hours of Saturday, September 23, following a brief battle with illness.

    The late Okyem Aboagye had a noteworthy political career, serving as an MP for a four-year term after securing a resounding victory in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries in 2015, where he triumphed over Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu. His tenure as an MP spanned from 2017 to 2021.

    During his time as a parliamentarian, he actively participated as a member of the Finance Committee, until he ultimately lost his seat to Francis Asenso-Boakye in the NPP primaries leading up to the 2020 general elections.

    Mr. Okyem Aboagye was also recognized as the Chief Executive Officer of the renowned transport company, 2M Express.

  • Poland’s conflict with Ukraine infuriated many people in Europe

    Poland’s conflict with Ukraine infuriated many people in Europe

    Europe’s help for Ukraine was surprised this week when Poland, who had always been a strong supporter of Ukraine, said they would no longer send weapons to them.

    The decision was made because Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, expressed dissatisfaction with Warsaw’s ongoing ban on Ukrainian grain imports. This is another example of Poland’s government becoming more confrontational towards Kyiv, especially as they approach a close general election.

    The political drama has brought up some important questions, the most important of which is, will Europe’s strong resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion weaken now.

    How did a problem with buying grain turn into a big argument between countries. The European Union stopped getting grain from Ukraine for a little while in May, to make sure farmers in Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia could sell their grain for a good price. The EU stopped the ban last week, making the countries angry. They promised to keep the restrictions, which led to protests in Poland.

    Poland is having a national election on October 15. The ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) is expected to do badly in this election. Anyone who pays attention to European politics knows that farming is very important. Farmers are people who play an important role in politics and have reasons to take action. Citizens also have concerns about having enough food, although sometimes they care too much or in ways that don’t make sense. The PiS party needs the support of people who live in rural areas to stay in control.

    So, it’s understandable that the Polish government wants to do something attention-seeking and patriotic. But things got worse on Tuesday when Zelensky said at the UN general assembly that it is concerning to see some of our friends in Europe portraying solidarity as a political show and making a big deal out of something small.

    The Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, said on social media the next day that Poland is no longer giving weapons to Ukraine because they are now supplying their own country.

    Poland changed its stance and promised to still send the weapons it had promised before. Polish President Andrzej Duda said that the words of his prime minister were understood in the most negative way possible.

    The argument brought up important questions about how Europe stays together.

    But, most European officials, including those from Poland, don’t think there will be a big change in how they support Ukraine.

    A senior European defense source said, “This is mainly about elections and farmers are a strong support group for PiS. ” Poland will keep giving weapons to Ukraine. For however long it is needed. “I’m completely sure about that,” says a representative from NATO. A European Union official said that Poles really want Ukraine to win the war because if they don’t, Russia (their biggest enemy) will be able to attack them directly. However, because of the upcoming elections, Poland wants to show their strength and power.

    The anger towards Poland is very strong, even though some believe the noise about it is just for people in the country.

    A person from the EU said to CNN that Ukraine has already given Poland a solution for their grain problem. That’s why they’re really angry at Poland. There are 24 countries who have been unfairly treated by Poland for the past 18 months because they did not provide enough support to Ukraine.

    The same feeling was expressed by people from NATO, EU institutions, and European countries.

    The person is saying that the contempt towards Poland can be understood by looking at the elections, the nationalist goals of the government, and their strong opinions on topics like grain, migration, and other things they consider as a danger to Poland.

    They also criticize Brussels and the EU when it suits their plans. This is a desperate attempt to get people to vote – when you don’t have anything important to offer, you make up an enemy and blame them for problems at home to hide your failures in domestic policy.

    The most important thing to consider from all of this is how it may affect Ukraine in the future. The Western countries are trying very hard to include Ukraine in their organizations. The country is working to become a member of both the EU and NATO, and everyone supports this decision.

    However, there are already limitations and requirements that come with that support. Most countries in the EU agree that in order to include Ukraine, there must be significant changes in how the EU works.

    If Ukraine were to become a member, the money that is currently given to countries for things like farming would instead be given to Ukraine. See if Polish farmers will buy it.

    The current EU structures would also allow its newest member to have a lot of power in the institutions, such as the parliament and council of member states.

    Some members of NATO don’t like the idea of a country that is currently at war being able to use the article 5 mechanism. This mechanism is when allies are obligated to help each other.

    Many NATO countries don’t want to spend money on defense, even for themselves, let alone for each other.

    Poland’s aggressive behavior enables countries who feel they have been unjustly pressured, especially by Poland, to stand up for Ukraine. These countries can now question the wisdom of the West providing extensive support to a country that is not even a part of their alliance.

    European officials are really angry about what happened this week because it gives Russian President Vladimir Putin a chance to spread propaganda.

    Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that there are some conflicts between Warsaw and Kyiv when asked about the argument. We think that these tensions will get worse.

    People say that when Russia spreads false information, it benefits Russia but harms the West. Fights between Western countries make it seem like they are not united, and when they are not united, it benefits Russia.

  • Ukrainian forces have advanced in Verbove – senior commander

    Ukrainian forces have advanced in Verbove – senior commander

    The person in charge of Ukraine’s counterattack in the south says that his forces have successfully entered Verbove. He also believes that there will be an even greater success in the near future.

    “On the left side [near Verbove], we have made progress and are still moving forward,” Oleksandr Tarnavsky told CNN Senior International Correspondent Frederik Pleitgen in an interview on Friday. However, he admitted that his soldiers were not advancing as quickly as expected.

    “He said that it didn’t happen as quickly as people thought and that it wasn’t like what is shown in movies about the Second World War. ” The most important thing is to not give up on this initiative that we have. And, um, to ensure that it doesn’t get forgotten, we need to take action.

    The general’s statement shows that Ukrainian officials are making progress in the southern part of the war with Russia.

    Recently, Ukrainian forces said they have made progress in getting past the first line of Russian strongholds in the Zaporizhzia region. This suggests that Kyiv is getting closer to the large network of reinforced trenches that Moscow has built along the southern front.

    Officials chosen by Russia who are in control of Zaporizhzhia, a place that has been taken over by force, have described the fighting in a way that is different from what others are saying. CNN can not confirm the reports about what is happening on the battlefield from either side. But, from looking at videos that are freely available, it seems that some Ukrainian groups have managed to get past a significant part of the Russian defenses near the village of Verbove.

    Ukraine wants to cut off Russia’s connection between the territory it has in the east and annexed Crimea.

    I nearly September, Ukrainian forces claimed that they had captured the village of Robotyne and were now moving towards the village of Novoprokopivka in the east. The soldiers believed there would be fights to gain control of the higher areas in the south and east of the village as they moved closer to the next set of Russian defenses. Verbove is to the east of Robotyne, a few miles away.

    However,according to Tarnavsky, the breakthrough in the counterattack would be if Ukraine manages to capture Tokmak, which is an important location for Russia. This is the main goal for Ukraine in the southern battle.

    CNN said earlier this week that Ukrainian forces were still about 20 kilometers away from Tokmak and having a hard time over coming the many layers of Russian defenses.

    “I think there will definitely be a major breakthrough,” Tarnavsky said. Right now, the Russians are depending on the strength of their defense.

    Instead of focusing on the defensive line called the ‘Surovikinline’, which was ordered by General Sergey Surovikin during his time leading the Russian forces in Ukraine, Tarnavsky believes that the more important concerns are the intersections,rows of trees, and areas with landmines between the tree lines.

    “He said that there are small groups of enemies who are skilled and strategically placed. ” However, our fighters make them retreat gradually when they encounter our attack teams.

    The leader agreed that for the attack to work, Ukrainian soldiers have to get to the town of Tokmak.

    “He said that Tokmak is the lowest target. ” The main goal is to reach the borders of our state.

    Tarnavsky admitted that the progress wasn’t as quick as they had hoped, but he assured that the counteroffensive would not be affected by the winter season.

    Heavy rain in the fall can make the ground in Ukraine wet and make it harder to move with big machines, like tanks. But Tarnavsky says Ukraine’s forces move in small groups, mostly by walking.

    Tarnavsky said that the weather might make it difficult to move forward, but since they mostly don’t use vehicles, he doesn’t think it will have a big impact on their counterattack.

    Currently,both the enemy and us don’t use big groups of soldiers like companies, battalions, or brigades. He said that we use assault squads, which are groups of 10 to 15 men. “They do a lot of important work by drawing the attention of the enemy towards them and using every resource they have to stay alive. “

    The general said that one reason for the slow progress was that Russia learned from previous Ukrainian attacks.

    The Russians are learning quickly because they have no other options. “If they do not learn, they will lose earlier,” he said. I don’t think they are adjusting to what we do,because we also change our plans.

    He mentioned that Ukraine has been learning to use equipment and strategies from the West.

    When Tarnavsky was asked about more and more people in the Western countries, especially in the US, being against giving weapons to Ukraine due to doubt about Ukraine’s ability to win, Tarnavsky said he understood their opinion.

    Let the skeptics have their own opinion. He said that we don’t have a choice and it’s not a competition. I know that someone might have thought of doing big attacks to defend themselves. But things are different now, the ways enemies fight are different, and the tools they use are different too.

    Our main focus is to free and regain control of our lands. No matter how difficult it is, we will continue to work. I want to thank even those who doubt us,because their criticism also helps us succeed,” he said.

    He thanked the Western countries that support Ukraine and promised to take good care of the tanks and armored vehicles they provided.

    Look at the destruction caused by Ukraine’s attack on the main building of Russia’s Black Sea fleet.

    Wagner, in different places.

    During the interview, the general also talked about how the mercenary group Wagner is doing right now.

    He said that there are still some Wagner fighters appearing on the front line occasionally since their former boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, died in a plane crash last month. Prigozhin had led a failed rebellion that was the biggest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rule in a long time.

    A agreement was made to calm down the crisis. It was supposed to send Prigozhin and his fighters to Belarus, but there are reports of Wagner fighters moving to Kherson instead.

    When asked about those reports, Tarnavsky mentioned that he cannot confirm if they are coming from the Kherson region or our area or any other place, but they do exist in some places. The truth is that their badges can be seen in different places, and this has always been happening.

    Tarnavsky said that his men often wondered if Wagner was around whenever their enemy started doing better.

    “We think Wagner might be involved if we notice our offensive forces being stopped by a group of soldiers who are doing their job in a different and more exciting way,” he said. This makes you wonder: “Perhaps Wagner has arrived. ”

    “But he said there is no such group in my part of the battlefield today. ” “About the direction to Kherson, I don’t know. ”

    Ukraine recently attacked Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol, which is in the Crimean peninsula. Russia took control of this area in 2014, without following the laws.

    Tarnavsky said to CNN that attacking Crimea is necessary for Kyiv’s counterattack to be successful.

    He said that offensive operations need to destroy both enemy soldiers and important areas where they keep equipment and people. This can cause chaos in the battlefield.

    The general said that capturing Crimea was really important because it would motivate Ukrainian forces and make them feel more confident.

    “He said it supports us and also gives us encouragement for what lies ahead. ”

  • New York’s Times Square honors Mohbad with billboard tribute

    New York’s Times Square honors Mohbad with billboard tribute

    The late Nigerian musician and rapper, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, more widely recognized as Mohbad, has achieved recognition by being featured on the Times Square’s iconic billboard situated on Broadway Times Square in New York City. This poignant tribute follows Mohbad’s mysterious and untimely demise just a week ago.

    Prominent Nigerian musicians, including David Adeleke, commonly known as Davido, Falz, and Zlatan Ibile, actively participated in a candlelight procession organized to honor the late Afrobeats sensation, Mohbad. The procession took place in the Victoria Island area of Lagos, where the 27-year-old artist, Ilerioluwa Aloba, tragically lost his life under circumstances that have raised many questions.

    Since the tragic incident, concerned Nigerians have been vehemently advocating for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death, urging authorities to delve deeper into the matter.

    In addition to protests that have emerged in various parts of the country, the Thursday procession aimed to amplify the demand for justice in the case of the late singer. Commencing at approximately 7:18 PM, the event attracted hundreds of young individuals who gathered to pay their respects to the immensely talented artist.

    Notably, a parallel event was observed in Peckham Square, located in Peckham, United Kingdom, where participants were seen singing the late rapper’s songs in viral social media videos.

    Concurrently, in Lagos State, police authorities conducted the exhumation of Mohbad’s remains and subsequently completed the autopsy on the late artist, further deepening the investigation.

    Furthermore, a viral video captured Davido carefully safeguarding his beverage, which was contained in a disposable cup, while also declining to accept an opened bottle offered to him by one of his assistants.

  • Police demand proof of assault from Occupyjulorbihouse demonstrators

    Police demand proof of assault from Occupyjulorbihouse demonstrators

    The Ghana Police Service has reiterated that there exists no recorded proof of any physical assault or misconduct against the participants involved in the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protests who were subjected to unauthorized arrests on Thursday, September 21.

    Addressing the accusations of impropriety, the police authorities have issued an appeal, urging anyone possessing contradictory evidence to step forward, facilitating a comprehensive inquiry into the matter.

    “It was established at the meeting that there is no evidence or reported case of assault against the demonstrators according to police records, therefore, anyone with evidence to the contrary should provide it for investigation,” the police said.

    The police made this declaration through an official statement issued on Friday, September 22, following a reported meeting with representatives from Democracy Hub, the organizers behind the planned protest at the government’s headquarters.

    The meeting, reportedly initiated at the request of Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, was designed to facilitate a platform for constructive dialogue between law enforcement and the protest organizers.

    In their statement, the police reiterated their steadfast commitment to enabling peaceful demonstrations, citing their history of ensuring security at such gatherings within the country. However, in the case of the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protests, their chief concern centered on the chosen location for the demonstration, which happened to be the Jubilee House, a high-security zone.

    The statement, signed by the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi, reported, “The meeting concluded with an assurance from the leaders of Democracy Hub that they will engage in discussions with their members to reach a compromise regarding the demonstration’s venue. They have committed to conveying this decision back to the police.”

    Furthermore, the police disclosed that the protest organizers pledged to encourage their members to refrain from protesting on the streets while awaiting either a mutual agreement with the police regarding an alternative venue or a legal resolution of the matter through the court system.

    Read statement

  • Naomi Campbell narrates the impact drugs, alcohol had on her life

    Naomi Campbell narrates the impact drugs, alcohol had on her life

    Renowned Hollywood supermodel Naomi Campbell has opened up about a challenging chapter in her life, during which she grappled with issues related to drugs and alcohol, and the profound impact these struggles had on her well-being.

    In a candid revelation, the 53-year-old Naomi Campbell shared her experiences in a newly released documentary titled “The Super Models.” She disclosed that she had turned to substance abuse as a coping mechanism to suppress the deep-seated emotional wounds stemming from her childhood. One of the pivotal traumas she mentioned was the abandonment she endured as a child when her father left her, leaving a lasting mark on her psyche.

    Moreover, Naomi Campbell pointed to the tragic loss of her dear friend and renowned designer, Gianni Versace, as another pivotal moment that triggered her descent into substance abuse. These emotional challenges led her to engage in self-destructive behaviors during the zenith of her fame in the early 90s, effectively putting her own life in jeopardy.

    Campbell’s revelations serve as a powerful reminder of the very human struggles that can often remain hidden behind the glamour and success of the modeling industry, shedding light on the importance of addressing underlying emotional traumas and seeking support when needed.

    ‘Grief has been a very strange thing in my life because it doesn’t always show.

    ”I go into a shock and freak out when it actually happens, and then later is when I break. But I kept the sadness inside, I just dealt with it.”, she said.

    Speaking about the special place Giovanni Maria aka Gianni Versace held in her heart, Naomi explained: ‘Late designer Azzedine Alaïa was my papa. With him, I learnt about chosen families. The same for Gianni Versace.

    ”He was very sensitive to feeling me, like, he pushed me. How would push me to step outside and go further when I didn’t think I had it within myself to do it. So, when he died, my grief became very bad.’

    ‘When I started using, that was one of the things I tried to cover up, was grief. Addiction is such a it’s just a bulls**t thing, it really is.

    ”You think, “Oh it’s gonna heal that wound”. It doesn’t. It can cause such huge fear and anxiety. So I got really angry.”

    The British-born model famously collapsed at a 1999 photo shoot after five years of cocaine addiction which prompted her to check into rehab in 1999.

    ‘When you try to cover something up, your feelings… You spoke about abandonment. I tried to cover that with something. You can’t cover it. I was killing myself. It was very hurtful.’ she said

    Naomi was born to Jamaican-born dancer Valerie Morris and has never met her father, who abandoned her mother when she was pregnant.

    “There’s a lot of issues that I have had since childhood. Well, for instance, not knowing your father, not seeing your mother. That brings up a lot of … it manifests a lot of feelings.’’ she said

    “One of those feeling absolutely anger. But I think that’s a really normal thing. I’ve not always displayed my anger at the appropriate time. It’s always been an inappropriate time. But it’s a manifestation of a deeper issue, anger.’

    ‘And that, for me, I think is based on insecurity, self-esteem and loneliness, and being abandonment. That’s where my core issues were abandonment and rejection.

    ‘That puts me in a real vulnerable space, and everyone thinks, “Oh, Naomi’s a really tough girl and really strong”. But that’s what I want to appear to people to be like, because if I fear that I don’t, they’re gonna just walk all over me if they really knew.’ she added.

  • Child abandoned in Portuguese hospital due to insurance delay

    Child abandoned in Portuguese hospital due to insurance delay

    A two-year-old boy is currently hospitalized in Portugal. Returning to Wales for medical assistance is has become a challenge for him.

    Theo Jones, who lives in Maesteg, Bridgend county, has a sickness in his brain. He needs to go to the hospital in Cardiff for treatment, but his parents say that the insurance company is taking too long to approve it.

    They are worried that his condition will get worse and he won’t be able to go back home. AXA Partners insurance company has been requested to give their thoughts.

    Theo got sick on September 13th while on a vacation in Portugal with his family. Two days later, he had to go to Faro Hospital in an ambulance.

    His parents were first told that he had a sickness in his stomach, but a scan called an MRI showed that he had a problem in a part of his brain called the cerebellum.

    His mom, Sarah Jones, said that their wonderful talkative and energetic boy can no longer speak, sit, or walk.

    She said that the doctors told her that they thought a virus was hurting Theo’s brain.

    Sarah said she talked with University Hospital Wales in Cardiff, and they agreed to move Theo there.

    The doctors told Theo’s parents that he could go on a trip, but he would have to travel by a special plane for people with medical needs.

    “She said that we just need to take him there now. ”

    Sarah, her husband, and their five-month-old daughter are currently in Portugal. They need to move out of their place in early October.

    She said the insurance company told them that Theo was a very important case, but they hadn’t given them any new information since getting a medical report on Tuesday.

    Sarah said she had to ask her taxi driver to help her understand some of the documents because the company didn’t have a translator at that time.

    She said that AXA wants to wait for two more days to see if Theo’s condition gets better.

    However, she didn’t understand why they were waiting for him to get worse when he’s already been given permission to travel because he’s currently in a stable condition.

    I am unable to talk to the people who are making these choices. She said that they are a mysterious group within AXA that nobody can seem to access or understand.

    It’s a very bad dream. We have the cover now, they have taken the blame. They are not doing anything right now.

  • There is no reason for Britain to rejoin EU – Keir Starmer

    There is no reason for Britain to rejoin EU – Keir Starmer

    Sir Keir Starmer has said that he does not believe there is a reason to rejoin the European Union. The government criticized him for wanting to undo Brexit.

    The Conservative party is using comments made by the leader of the Labour party against him. The Labour leader said that his party does not want to differ from the rules of the bloc.

    Sir Keir said that if Labour is in power, the UK will not passively accept rules set by others.

    However, he mentioned that this does not imply that there will be a decrease in the requirements for food quality and the rights of workers.

    On Saturday, Sir Keir spoke to a group of moderate leaders in Canada and said, “The main problem with the UK being outside of the EU is that they want to do things differently from our EU partners, which causes conflict. ”

    “We don’t want to go in different directions, we don’t want to decrease expectations, we don’t want to get rid of rules for protecting the environment, rules for how people are treated at work, rules for food quality, and everything else. ”

    We couldn’t tell from the comments if he was referring to the differences in those particular areas only or overall.

    His comments were broadcasted live, but first shared by Sky News on Thursday. This led to allegations from Conservative ministers that Sir Keir was altering his position on Brexit.

    Michael Gove, who is in charge of housing, said that these actions showed who Keir Starmer truly is and that he wants to bring back the difficulties we faced during the Brexit process.

    Foreign Secretary James Cleverly stated that it demonstrated that the leader of the Labour Party wants to essentially rejoin the European Union.

    A representative from the Labour party disagreed with this and said that the UK will not rejoin the EU in any way. They suggested that Sir Keir only meant his comments about food, environmental, and labor regulations.

    When asked about the Tory criticism of what he said during his visit to the London Stock Exchange, Sir Keir told reporters: “I have said many times before that there is no reason to rejoin the EU, which includes both the single market and the customs union. ”

    Countries in the EU single market have a lot of similar rules and standards, while countries in the customs union follow the same customs regulations.

    MrKeir said: “We won’t accept rules blindly. We will make our own decisions. ” The Parliament will create rules and laws for this country based on what is best for the nation.

    However, it doesn’t mean that a Labour government intends to decrease the quality of food or diminish people’s rights at work.

    He said it was not unexpected and that Labour has always had the same view on this for many years.

    “He also mentioned that this is the government’s policy. ”

    Sir Keir, who used to support staying in the EU, tried to convince others to have another vote on whether to leave the EU or not. He did this while being a member of the Labour Party and being in charge of dealing with Brexit during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. However, his campaign was not successful.

    Since becoming the leader of the Labour Party, he has been eager to regain the support of people who voted for Brexit. He has been unwilling to talk about the idea of forming stronger connections with the European Union.

    However, he has recently expressed doubts about the connection a future Labour government could have with the bloc, stating that his party would strive for a “significantly improved” Brexit trade agreement.

    He said the agreement, which Boris Johnson had negotiated and would be reviewed in 2025, was “not good enough” and that he would make it better, but he didn’t explain how.

    Labour says it would talk about a new agreement on the movement of animal products, and recently said it wanted a new deal with the EU to stop people crossing the English Channel.

    Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has also stated that joining the EU again is not currently being considered.

    The party, which strongly opposed Brexit four years ago, now wants to concentrate on issues within the country. They are trying to win over voters who supported leaving the EU, as well as those who wanted to remain.

  • Famous South Korean Star Suga enlisted in Korean military

    Famous South Korean Star Suga enlisted in Korean military

    The famous South Korean celebrity Suga, who is part of the very popular boy band BTS, has announced on social media that he has started doing his required military duty.

    The singer, Min Yoon-gi, is the third band member to join the army, after Jin and J-Hope.

    “He said online that he will do his duty and come back reliably. ”

    Because South Korea is still technically in a state of war with North Korea, all healthy men must join the army before they reach 28 years old.

    For a while, there were rumors that the government might let the BTS group members skip their mandatory military service. This was because they had already contributed a lot to their country’s economy by earning billions of dollars. Some people believed that it would be better to let them continue working rather than interrupting their success.

    But in October of last year, all seven members declared that they were all planning to join the military, starting with Jin, who is the oldest.

    He started working in December 2022 and was sent to a training camp on the front line.

    According to South Korea‘s Yonhap news agency, Suga has been declared unfit for regular combat duty and will instead work as a social service agent.

    The news outlets said that the star’s different type of work was probably because he had to have surgery on his shoulder in 2020.

    Suga wrote a message for his fans on WeVerse.

    I made it this far because of you. “He said that the time has arrived,” he wrote.

    “Make sure to be cautious of the cold autumn weather. ” Stay well and I look forward to seeing all of you in the year 2025.
    Renewing a contract

    Suga is going to join the military soon, and we just found out that all seven members of BTS have agreed to stay with their music agency, Big Hit Music.

    The company said earlier this week that they hope to have a time when BTS can promote together with everyone in 2025.

    At the same time, fans who like the female group Blackpink are expecting similar information.

    The group’s contract with YG Entertainment ended earlier this year and there has been no news of them signing a new contract with the company after their world tour ended on September 17th.

    The value of YG stocks dropped by 13. 28% on Thursday because South Korean media said that three out of the four members of Blackpink (Jennie, Lisa, and Jisoo) plan to join other music companies, while still being part of Blackpink for six months every year.

    YG responded to the reports by saying that Blackpink’s contract renewal has not been confirmed yet and they are talking about it.

  • Two migrants’ bodies found in river near US border

    Two migrants’ bodies found in river near US border

    This week, two migrants, one of them being a three-year-old child, were found dead in the Rio Grande, which is the river that separates the United States and Mexico.

    More people who move to the US through the southern border have increased a lot in September, which is causing a problem because it puts pressure on the resources available in that area.

    It is believed that the child died from drowning after being carried away while crossing the river.

    Every year, hundreds of people trying to cross to another country die.

    A spokesperson from the Texas Department of Public Safety, mentioned by CBS, the BBC’s US partner, said that they found the body of the three-year-old child near Eagle Pass on Wednesday. He was going on a trip with his family and was officially declared dead at a nearby hospital.

    The next day, police in Texas found another dead person in the river in the same place.

    The bodies were found north of a line of border buoys used to stop people from crossing the border near Eagle Pass.

    The barrier has been causing a lot of legal disagreements, and a judge decided earlier this month that it needs to be moved by September 15th.

    Texas tried to take legal action to stop the buoys from being removed, and they were successful. The buoys were allowed to stay where they were.

    Along the entire US-Mexico border, which stretches for about 2,000 miles or 3,218 kilometers, the number of migrants caught trying to enter the United States has reached extremely high levels this month. This presents a big problem for President Joe Biden, who is working on a plan to deal with immigration.

    CBS obtained data from the government agency called Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). The data shows that in the first 20 days of September, about 140,000 people who were trying to cross the border were stopped and taken into custody. On average, this is about 6,900 people per day. In July, there were about 4,300 on average every day.

    On Wednesday, almost 9,000 migrants went through the immigration process, which is the highest number in a day since May. This happened right before the US government decided to stop using a policy called Title 42. This policy was put in place by former President Trump and it allowed the US to quickly send many migrants back to their home countries.
    This chart displays the number of migrants at the border between the United States and Mexico since the year 2021.
    The data shows that the CBP is expected to catch 210,000 migrants by the end of the month, which is the highest number since December 2022 when 222,000 were caught.

    In the town of Eagle Pass, which has around 30,000 people, officials have declared a one-week state of emergency. This will enable them to ask for more help to deal with the large number of migrants coming into the town.

    In Eagle Pass and El Paso, authorities had to temporarily stop trucks and buses from crossing the international bridges. This was done so that the staff could focus on dealing with migrants.

    The problem has also become more politically heated, with the Biden administration facing harsh criticism from Republicans and some Democrats for how it has dealt with the border situation in the south.

    Earlier this week, the government said that they will be sending 800 more military personnel to join the 2,500 troops already there. They will help with tasks that need to be done.

  • Former president of Central African Republic banished and given life sentence

    Former president of Central African Republic banished and given life sentence

    Francois Bozizé, who used to be the president of the Central African Republic but was forced to leave the country, has been given the punishment of spending the rest of his life in prison by a court in the capital city, Bangui.

    The person who is currently in charge of a group of rebels, and who is 76 years old, was found guilty of crimes like rebellion and making security weaker, even though they were not there for the trial.

    On Thursday, a decision was made, but it did not mention any specific information about when or what crimes were involved.

    More than 20 other people, including two of Mr. Bozizé’s sons, were found guilty even though they were not present during the trial.

    In 2003, Mr. Bozizé took control of the Central African Republic. He was removed from power ten years later, which caused another war that has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.

    He currently resides in Guinea-Bissau.

  • What Russia has done to your children is criminal – Biden tells Zelensky

    What Russia has done to your children is criminal – Biden tells Zelensky

    US President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russia has done very bad things against Ukraine’s children, and he is giving them an extra $325 million to help.

    After a meeting with his advisors at the White House, Biden once again shared his opinion with Zelensky that Russia is the main obstacle to peace. He also mentioned reports about Russia moving many Ukrainian children within its own borders.

    Biden said on Thursday afternoon that what they did to your children is very wrong and should be considered a crime.

    Biden said that Russia can stop this right away.
    The new package provides money for Ukraine to buy things that can help them protect themselves against Russia, such as air defense equipment, weapons to use against tanks, and cluster bombs. This is the 47th batch of equipment that the Pentagon is giving to Ukraine since August 2021.

    Biden said the new help package will keep Ukraine safe and protect important places like grain silos, hospitals, schools, and power plants. It will also help save lives in Ukraine.

    Zelensky spent the day trying to get support at the White House and Capitol. He said the trip was very important because he met with lawmakers and the Biden administration.
    His second visit to the US was not as extravagant as his first visit during the war when lawmakers welcomed him eagerly.

    House Speaker Kevin McCarthy did not ask Zelensky to give a speech to Congress together because he said there wasn’t enough time. Some Republicans are starting to doubt and hesitate about sending millions of dollars to Ukraine because they think Kyiv’s counteroffensive is not progressing quickly enough.

    But Biden repeated that the United States will support Ukraine.
    When a reporter asked Zelensky if Congress members promised him any money, Biden interrupted and said: ‘I trust that the United States Congress will make good decisions. ‘ There is no other option available.

    Zelensky gave a heartfelt speech at the National Archive, where he thanked the Americans. He pointed out the similar beliefs about democracy that Americans and Ukrainians have.

    Zelensky said that every person in Ukraine is thankful to America. ‘To you, the people who assist us not out of obligation but because you genuinely care and can’t help but do so. ’

  • Police allegedly spray tear gas at mourners during Mohbad’s candlelight procession

    Police allegedly spray tear gas at mourners during Mohbad’s candlelight procession

    A memorial concert and candlelight procession were meticulously planned in Lagos that evening to honour the late musician Mohbad.

    The poignant procession commenced earlier in the evening at Lekki Phase 1, leading participants to the Muri Okunola Park in Victoria Island, Lagos, where the memorial concert was scheduled to commence at 8 PM.

    However, as the clock neared 11 PM, unsettling reports began surfacing on social media.

    Attendees of the Lekki Phase 1 procession conveyed that they had been exposed to tear gas deployed by the police, seemingly in an effort to disperse the gathering.

    Disturbing videos circulating across social media platforms captured individuals scrambling in alarm as clouds of tear gas enveloped the vicinity.

    The precise rationale behind the police’s intervention remains shrouded in uncertainty, prompting extensive discussions and conjecture among online communities.

    The candlelight procession and memorial concert had been organized as a heartfelt homage to Mohbad, whose unexpected demise had sent shockwaves through his devoted fan base and the wider music community. Regrettably, the police intervention disrupted the event, generating fear and bewilderment among those in attendance.

  • Royals from France and United Kingdom attend banquet at Versailles with King Charles

    Royals from France and United Kingdom attend banquet at Versailles with King Charles

    The King and Queen were incredibly impressed and amazed by a grand feast to celebrate the conclusion of their first day visiting France.

    It has been half a year since we had to change our plans to visit Paris because there were big protests happening everywhere in the country.

    They arrived at Orly Airport today, and were welcomed by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and other diplomats.

    A special group of people were waiting to welcome them, and President Emmanuel Macron expressed his excitement online: “You came as a special person, and now you are returning as a very important and respected person. ” Hello, Your Majesty, welcome.

    Charles and Camilla met with Mr Macron, who is 45 years old, and his wife Brigitte, who is 70 years old, for a ceremony to remember something and lay a wreath at the Arc de Triomphe.

    The King gave Mr Macron a book with pictures of them together.

    Charles was asked to turn on a special flame that never goes out. It remembers the people who died in the First and Second World Wars.

    Then, everyone went to the Elysee Palace, which is where the president lives. Charles and Mr. Macron had a discussion there.

    King Charles mentioned the deceased Queen during his official visit speech given in French.

    The King also gave Mr Macron a whole set of Voltaire’s writings when he went to the Elysee Palace.

    In response, Mr. Macron gave the King a special golden coin with a picture of Charles on it, along with a book from France that had won a prize.

    Tonight, the royals are special guests at a fancy dinner in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles.

    Charles and Mr Macron will speak to 160 guests, who are important people selected because they have helped improve the relationship between the UK and France.

    Tomorrow, Charles, who is the first British king, will speak in France’s senate chamber to senators and members of the national assembly.

    The king and queen will also meet famous athletes as France organizes the Rugby World Cup.
    In Bordeaux, both the UK and French military will come together to share how they are working together in defense.

    The royal couple’s tour was delayed until now because there were violent protests happening across the whole country last March.

    Protesters set Bordeaux’s town hall on fire shortly before the planned trip.

    They went to Germany instead.

  • Davido, Falz, Zlatan, and more join Lagos candlelight procession in honor of Mohbad

    Davido, Falz, Zlatan, and more join Lagos candlelight procession in honor of Mohbad

    On Thursday, Nigerian musicians Davido and Falz, in addition to several other celebrities and young individuals, organized a candlelight procession within the streets of Lagos as a heartfelt tribute to the late Mohbad.

    Mohbad, who had been a former artist signed to Naira Marley’s Marlian Records, tragically passed away at the age of 27 on September 12th.

    Following Mohbad’s untimely demise, his devoted fans and sympathizers have fervently advocated for a thorough investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding his death.

    The candlelight procession commenced at the Lekki Phase One Gate area of Lagos, where admirers and colleagues gathered at 5 p.m. The assembled crowd engaged in a peaceful procession, marked by dancing and the reverberation of praises in honor of the departed artist, with his music resonating in the background.

    Clothed uniformly in white T-shirts, they marched collectively, bearing placards that fervently called for justice on behalf of the artist and displayed poignant posters featuring his image.

    Their procession guided them to Muri Okunola Park, where the commemorative concert commenced promptly at 8 p.m.

    The gathering was notably substantial, predominantly consisting of young individuals, all coming together to pay their respects and honor the memory of the late singer and rapper.

    As part of the ongoing efforts to shed light on the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s tragic demise, the Lagos State Police Command has officially confirmed the exhumation of the late singer’s remains. The crucial autopsy procedure was conducted on Thursday.

    In addition, law enforcement authorities have taken into custody the nurse who allegedly administered an injection to the singer shortly before his unfortunate passing on September 12th.

  • Celebrities respond to tourism ministry’s ‘funeral tourism’ implementation plan

    Celebrities respond to tourism ministry’s ‘funeral tourism’ implementation plan

    A number of Ghanaian celebrities have shared their opinions regarding the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture’s proposal to utilize funerals as a means to promote domestic tourism.

    In an earlier statement, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, emphasized that funerals hold a special place in the hearts of Ghanaians, presenting a unique opportunity to introduce attendees to the diverse attractions found within the 16 regions of Ghana.

    “Ghanaians love funerals and it is fertile ground for tourism. When there are funerals, people gather at places. What we want to do with the Ghana Tourism Authority, GTA, is that whenever there are funerals, we’ll also find tourist attractions in those areas where the funerals occur so that when they finish, [we can] bus those who attend the funerals to key tourist sites.

    We’re going to serve a lot of Ghanaian dishes at the funerals, Ghanaian drinks, sobolo [hibiscus tea] and co,” he said during an interview with UTV.

    Celebrities have since taken notice of his comments, describing them as strange and irrelevant. His comments were caught on camera in a video that went viral.

    Afia Schwarzenegger first shared the said video on Instagram with the caption,

    “Eiiiiiiish,Kyeres3 Eiiiiiiii. Boi. Let’s collapse the entertainment industry to promote funeral as tourism? Mark Okraku Mantey should be ashamed of himself, and anyone who contributed to this barbaric idea. Aaaahhhh mtchewwwww.”

    To express their concerns about the development, other celebrities descended upon Afia’s post’s comment section.

    Check out some of their reactions

  • Zelensky quotes his soldiers as Abraham Lincoln

    Zelensky quotes his soldiers as Abraham Lincoln

    Volodymyr Zelensky sent a strong message to Vladimir Putin that Ukrainian soldiers will keep fighting fiercely against Russian forces for every bit of land, not giving up easily.

    The leader of Ukraine used a quote from Abraham Lincoln, a well-known past president of the United States, to inspire people during his visit to Washington DC on Thursday.

    After having a meeting with the current president Joe Biden and speaking to a group of people at the US National Archives Museum, Mr. Zelensky shared a series of messages on X, which used to be called Twitter.

    He praised the strong Ukrainian military for working hard to defend against Russian fighters and push them away.

    ‘Today, I saw some important papers at the National Archives. One of the papers was a message from Abraham Lincoln to General Grant,’ he wrote.

    A document that motivates and encourages people. “Grab on tight like a bulldog, and bite and struggle as much as you can. ”

    President Lincoln’s words show how brave and strong America was. President Lincoln’s words accurately describe the way Ukrainians engage in combat.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is giving a speech at the National Archives building in Washington on Thursday, September. On the 21st of January, 2023.

    We won battles for Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Snake Island in the Black Sea.

    In our fight for Bakhmut, our soldiers are constantly moving forward, no matter what happens. In our effort to protect every part of Ukraine’s land.

    Every day during this war, Ukrainian soldiers are holding strong, just like a bulldog holding onto something tightly.

    “They constantly attack and fight against the Russian invaders as best they can. “

    During his previous meeting at the White House, Mr. Biden proposed a new military aid package valued at £244 million, which includes weapons and defenses against air attacks.

    Mr Zelensky, wearing military clothes with long sleeves, tried to gain more support from the US during his quick visit to the Capitol.

    President Biden and first lady Jill Biden greeted Mr. Zelensky and his wife, Olena Zelenska. Zelensky expressed gratitude towards members of Congress for their significant support.

    Mr Biden assured Mr. Zelensky that the American people are determined to make sure that we do everything possible to make sure other countries support Ukraine.

    “Our main goal is to greatly surpass our objective. ”
    When Zelensky got to the White House, he was welcomed with a big show, just like when he came last year.

    He was welcomed with a special entrance on a red carpet in the South Lawn. Then, he spent time in the Oval Office and had a bigger meeting in the East Room. The two first ladies also had time alone together. This was a more impressive reception than what world leaders usually receive.

    Lawmakers said that someone claimed that the Ukrainians have a good war plan and that they are currently winning. This is important because many countries around the world are paying attention to how much support Western countries are giving to Kyiv.

    Mr Zelensky admitted that it is difficult, very difficult to overcome strong defenses, according to Independent senator Angus King.

    They think they will make progress, but it will be slow and steady, not fast.

    Russia and Ukraine have launched very powerful attacks against each other in the war in the past few days.

    On Wednesday, Putin strongly hinted at the number of young Russians he has sent to die in the war in Ukraine.

  • Kofi Kinaata makes me laugh when I chat with him – MzVee

    Kofi Kinaata makes me laugh when I chat with him – MzVee

    Ghanaian musician MzVee has released that Singer Kofi Kinaata always puts her in a good mood whenever they chat.

    The two have been rumoured to be dating. A few years ago Kofi Kinaata revealed that he had a crush on MzVee.

    MzVee praised Kofi Kinaata in an interview with Abeiku Santana on Okay FM when she was asked about him.

    According to MzVee, Kofi Kinaata always puts her in a good mood and makes her laugh whenever they talk on the phone.

    She continued, saying she always enjoys spending hours talking with him. This made Abeiku Santana ask her if she was dating him.

    She replied, saying, ”If you want it to be true, if it’ll make you happy, then it’s true … we’re going out if you want us to.”

    Watch video

  • Putin suffers double blow as gunfire kills his nuclear and chemical commanders

    Putin suffers double blow as gunfire kills his nuclear and chemical commanders

    The leader of Russia’s most important nuclear submarine was shot and killed while driving his truck and being attacked with a lot of gunfire.

    Captain Ivan Kovgan, who was 52 years old, was killed by soldiers from Azerbaijan in the area called Nagorno-Karabakh. He had been sent there to help keep peace and was working as the deputy commander for a group of peacekeepers. Captain Kovgan had only been there for two months before he died.

    Kovgan worked as second-in-command of Russia’s Navy submarines in the Arctic region.

    Four more Russian soldiers died when the car was hit, including Colonel Tagir-Murod from the team that deals with radiation, chemicals, and biological threats.

    The soldiers from Azerbaijan who shot someone have been arrested and may be charged with a crime. The leader has also been temporarily relieved of their duties.
    The president of the country called Vladimir Putin to say sorry for the attack and promised to give money to the families of the servicemen who were killed.

    President Ilham Aliyev said that a detailed investigation will be done to find out what happened, and anyone responsible will be punished accordingly. This was mentioned in a statement from the Kremlin.

    Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said that officials from both Baku and Moscow are working together on the investigation and they are asking for people to be patient.

    Azerbaijan started a military operation to take control of Nagorno-Karabakh which belongs to them but has been controlled by Armenians for 30 years. At the same time, there was a truck attack.

    The countries started fighting over the area in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and had another big fight in 2020 that lasted a few weeks.

    Some Russian peace-keepers went to calm down a tense situation as part of an agreement to stop fighting. However, an Azerbaijani military group accidentally shot down a Russian helicopter, causing the death of two pilots.

    Yesterday, one of Putin’s very close friends shared a weird video announcing that he is alive and inside the top hospital in the Kremlin.

  • Putin’s Black Sea fleet headquarters in flames following attack by Ukrainian missiles

    Putin’s Black Sea fleet headquarters in flames following attack by Ukrainian missiles

    Putin‘s local puppet governor in Crimea acknowledged on Friday that at least one Ukrainian missile had struck a significant Russian military command centre there.

    More on this breaking news story will be available soon. For more information, check back soon.

  • Tonto Dikeh offers son of late Mohbad scholarship a monthly N100K allowance

    Tonto Dikeh offers son of late Mohbad scholarship a monthly N100K allowance

    Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has made a heartfelt commitment to assist the late Mohbad‘s family in their pursuit of justice for his tragic and untimely passing.

    During her interaction with Mohbad’s mother, Tonto Dikeh conveyed her and her son King Andre’s intention to provide a comprehensive scholarship for Mohbad’s 5-month-old son, supporting him throughout his educational journey until he completes school.

    Furthermore, she pledged to extend a monthly financial assistance of 100,000 Naira to the child until his education is successfully completed.

    Mohbad, whose real name was Ilerioluwa Olademeji Aloba, tragically passed away last week, casting a cloud of uncertainty over the circumstances surrounding his demise.

    As concerned Nigerians have been fervently advocating for justice for the late rapper, Senator Abbo and a group of Nollywood stars paid a visit to Mohbad’s family in the Lekki area of Lagos State on Thursday, offering their condolences and support.

    Senator Abbo assured Mohbad’s mother of protection and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her son’s tragic loss.

    Watch video

  • India consents to allocating one-third of its parliamentary seats to women

    India consents to allocating one-third of its parliamentary seats to women

    India’s parliament approved a very important bill on Thursday. This bill will ensure that one-third of the seats in the lower house and state assemblies are reserved for women. This is a big victory for groups that have been working hard for many years to achieve better representation of women in politics.

    The bill got support from many different political parties and was praised by politicians from all parts of India’s political groups. However, some people were concerned that it might still take a long time for the quota to actually be put into effect.

    214 members of the upper house voted in favor of the Women’s Reservation Bill, which was proposed by prime minister Narendra Modi’s government in a special session of parliament on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the lower house gave their approval.

    “A great moment in our country’s journey towards democracy. ” Modi wrote on Twitter after it got approved. “When this bill becomes law, it will make women stronger and start a new time of empowering them. ”

    The bill, which was first proposed in 1996, has been tried to be passed six times but was not successful. This was sometimes because the country’s male lawmakers strongly didn’t approve of it.

    In India, a country with 1. 4 billion people and the biggest democracy in the world, women account for almost half of the 950 million people eligible to vote. However, only 15% of the politicians in parliament and 10% in state assemblies are women.

    Even though it was approved, this change will not be used for the next year’s general election.

    It may take a long time to put the quota into practice because it relies on redrawing electoral districts, which will only occur after India’s census takes place every ten years.

    The big population count that was supposed to happen in 2021 got postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak and hasn’t progressed since then.

    Some people in India who are against the government’s decision were unhappy that the bill will not take effect earlier.

    Sonia Gandhi, who is a leader of the Indian National Congress, said that women in India have been waiting for 13 years for a bill to pass.

    “She told lawmakers in parliament that they have been asked to wait for a longer time now. ” “How much longer. ”

    Rajani Patil, a Congress member, said that the party is glad that the bill was passed. However, they want the bill to be put into effect right away for the upcoming elections.

    She said, “It should also have reservations for OBCs,” which means people from lower castes in India’s social hierarchy based on birth that has been around for 2,000 years. Though it was ended in 1950, it still exists in many different parts of life.

    However, the approval of the bill in parliament will be considered as a positive development for Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the upcoming national elections next year.

    India has improved on women’s issues, but it is still a country where men have more power than women.

    Since it became independent in 1947, it has had one woman as its prime minister. India Gandhi was the leader of the country two times before she was killed in 1984.

    India’s current President, Droupadi Murmu, was chosen for the role last year. She is only the second woman to hold this position.

    Around the globe, women hold about 26% of the seats in lower house parliaments, compared to just 11% in 1995.

    Currently, only six countries have managed to have 50 percent or more women in their parliament’s single or lower houses. Rwanda is in first place with 61%, then Cuba with 53%, Nicaragua with 52%, and Mexico, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirates are all tied in second place with 50%.

    23 more countries have achieved or gone above 40 percent. This includes 13 countries in Europe, six in Africa, three in Latin America and the Caribbean, and one in Asia, which is Timor Leste.

    However, Taiwan is not included in the UN data. Despite this, it has the second highest number of women in its legislature in Asia, with 43 percent representation, after the UAE.

  • India accuses Canada of being ‘safe haven for terrorists’

    India accuses Canada of being ‘safe haven for terrorists’

    India has accused Canada of providing a safe place for terrorists after Canada stopped issuing visas to its citizens. This comes after Canada blamed India for the killing of a Sikh separatist activist on Canadian land.

    India’s spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, told reporters that Canada should be concerned about its reputation after making serious accusations.

    He said that if we talk about Canada’s reputation being affected, it is getting known as a country where terrorists, extremists, and organized crime feel safe.

    He made comments after India stopped accepting visa applications from Canadians because they believe there are security dangers towards their diplomats in Canada.

    “The problem is with promoting violence, lack of action from Canadian authorities, and creating a disruptive environment for our high commission and consulates. This is the reason why we are temporarily stopping the issuance of visas or providing visa services,” Bagchi explained.

    The relationship between the two countries got worse this week. The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said that India might be responsible for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. Nijjar was a Sikh separatist activist who was shot by two masked men in Surrey, British Columbia.

    India strongly denies the claims and thinks they are ridiculous and have a hidden motive. Bagchi said that Canada hasn’t given any specific evidence to back up the allegations.

    India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting released a message to TV channels, requesting them to not provide a platform to individuals who have been accused of serious crimes, like terrorism or being part of banned organizations.

    The Indian government has been saying for a while that Canada is not doing enough to handle Sikh separatist extremism. They believe that these extremists want to create a separate place for Sikhs called Khalistan, which would include some parts of India’s Punjab state.

    Nijjar strongly supported the idea of creating Khalistan. India sees calls for Khalistan as a serious threat to its national security.

    Several groups connected to the concept of Khalistan are labeled as “terrorist organizations” according to India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Nijjar was listed as a UAPA terrorist and in 2020, the Indian National Investigation Agency accused him of trying to influence the Sikh community worldwide to support the creation of ‘Khalistan. ‘

    Many Sikh groups in other countries believe that the Indian government is wrongly connecting the movement with terrorism. They intend to keep promoting the peaceful establishment of Khalistan and also raise awareness about the long history of human rights violations faced by the Sikh community in India.

    Sikhs used to have their own kingdom in the Punjab region. They have been advocating for the establishment of Khalistan for many years, starting around the time India became independent from British rule in 1947.

    When the Partition happened, the former colony was divided quickly based on religion. Muslims were sent to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs were sent to India. Punjab, which was a part of this colony, experienced a lot of extreme violence because it was divided in half.

    The Sikhs went through a lot of suffering during the violence that happened afterwards, and they felt like they were treated badly in the new country where Hindus were the majority. Because of this, some important leaders started to push for the creation of Khalistan. Over time, there have been fights between the movement’s supporters and the government of India which led to the loss of numerous lives.

    In the 1980s, there was a long period of violence in Punjab caused by some Khalistani militants. These militants did many bad things, like killing innocent people, setting off bombs without any specific target, and attacking Hindus. This information was reported by Human Rights Watch.

    During counterinsurgency operations, Indian security forces had unlawfully imprisoned, tortured, killed, and made tens of thousands of Sikhs go missing, according to a rights group. The Indian government made laws to fight against rebellions, but these laws allowed for violations of people’s rights and protected the security forces from being held accountable for these violations.

    In 1984, the Indian Prime Minister at that time, Indira Gandhi, told the Indian soldiers to forcefully enter the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Golden Temple is the most holy place for Sikhs. This was done to fight against Sikh separatists, which made many Sikhs very angry.

    Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards, which led to more violence. This violence resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 people, mostly Sikhs.

    A year later, the violence also happened in Canada. Sikh separatists exploded a bomb on an Air India plane that had left from Toronto airport. This tragic event caused the death of all 329 people on board, which included many Canadians of Indian origin.

    Today, there is no rebellion in Punjab and experts say that supporters of the Khalistan movement are not very influential in India.

    But some Sikhs living in different countries, especially in Canada, Britain, and Australia, still feel sorry for the movement.

    Some Sikhs believe in creating a separate country called Khalistan. They want to have regular votes to decide if this should happen and to agree on where this new country would be.

    Nijjar’s death was a big surprise and made a lot of Sikhs in Canada very angry. The Sikh community in Canada is very big, with more than 770,000 members, and it is one of the largest Sikh communities outside of India.

    The Canadian police have not taken anyone into custody for the murder of Nijjar. In August, the police started looking into three people they thought might be involved in a crime. They also gave a description of a car that might have been used to escape the scene. They asked the public to come forward with any information they had about these things.

  • Singer, Tems finally breaks silence on pregnancy rumors

    Singer, Tems finally breaks silence on pregnancy rumors

    A video that appeared online and appeared to show the Nigerian singer Tems with what appeared to be a pot belly recently caused her to become the subject of pregnancy rumors.

    The award-winning singer took to social media to address the circulating rumours while fans and the media speculated about the likelihood of her being pregnant.

    In a tweet posted this morning, Tems shared a photo of herself along with a straightforward message: “In conclusion, you people are all mad!!!”

    Fans are baffled and intrigued by Tem’s cryptic response.

  • Belarusian Jewish cemetery marked by memorial made of broken headstones

    Belarusian Jewish cemetery marked by memorial made of broken headstones

    In the past, a big Jewish cemetery in Belarus was covered with pavement to build a sports ground. The tombstones from the cemetery were taken and used to make roads and buildings.

    Many years later, the damaged stone slabs started to appear while repairs were being done. Now, because of the efforts of a charity in Belarus and the United Kingdom, the headstones will be treated with the respect they deserve as part of a new memorial on the site.

    The spooky building will be built where the old cemetery used to be in Brest. It will be made from pieces of tombstones that have been found in the city and nearby over the last 20 years.

    Brest, also called Brest-Litovsk, was a place where many Jewish people lived before World War II. They started living there in the 14th century. Before the war, more than 20,000 Jewish people lived there. After the Holocaust, Yad Vashem, the national Holocaust memorial center in Israel, says that only around 10 people were still alive.

    It is thought that a lot of people were buried in the cemetery, including important rabbis and scholars. However, it is hard to find proof that their graves were actually there.

    During the war, the Nazis started ruining the cemetery by selling the headstones. The Soviets destroyed the religious markers and used them for paving slabs and building works after the war. Later, they covered the entire site with asphalt to make a running track and football stadium, as stated by representatives of the Jewish community in Belarus today. The sports facilities are old and in bad condition, but they are still there and anyone can use them.

    All signs of the big cemetery were gone until the late 1990s, when some broken stones started to show up during construction in and around the city.

    Debra Brunner, the CEO and co-founder of The Together Plan, a charity leading the memorial project, said that there is currently no evidence to indicate that it is a cemetery.

    In the last few years, many headstones called matzevot were gathered and kept in a large building. They were recorded and photographed and then added to a database that can be easily searched. They will now be included in a big memorial at the location.

    Artur Livshyts, a co-director of The Together Plan, which works with the Jewish Tapestry Project in the US, said that they have found 1,287 pieces with writing on them. They believe there are probably between 2,000 and 2,500 more pieces that do not have any writing.

    Earlier this year, Livshyts, who is one of around 20,000 Jewish people living in Minsk, Belarus, received a message from a young couple. The couple had recently purchased a very old and broken-down house in Brest, which had been empty for more than 20 years.

    Brunner said that even though the thing was in really bad shape, they still bought it with the intention of fixing it up. While they were doing construction, they found out that the basement was made of matzevot. After the war, the family living in this house had used the matzevot as materials to build with.

    After the family experienced a lot of bad luck, people believed that it was caused by some kind of curse related to the headstones, according to Brunner.

    “When this new couple found the gravestones, they felt like they should do the right thing and got in touch with the Jewish community in Brest to ask for guidance on what to do. ”

    Brunner and Livshyts want to build a memorial by the end of 2024. The memorial is meant to remember the community that was killed and to teach people about Brest’s Jewish community today.

    The memorial will be placed on a corner of the area, far from the sports facilities. The place will have a black stone plaque with words in English, Russian, and Hebrew. The area around it will have trees, grass, and wild flowers. The Brest government likes the idea and promised to take care of it once it’s open, as stated by The Together Plan.

    The mayor of Brest’s office has not replied to CNN’s request for a comment on the project. Belarus, led by President Alexander Lukashenko, is facing criticism from the international community for its involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine and its suppression of civil society.

    The charity thinks it needs to collect about $325,000 for the memorial. They have already received a promise of one-third of the amount from a donor named Stephen Grynberg, who has a strong connection to Brest’s Jewish history.

    Grynberg’s dad, Jack, was one of the few Jewish people in Brest who survived the Holocaust. The person making movies from Los Angeles told CNN that many of his family members were killed by the Nazis.

    In the 1990s, Grynberg had a job as an interviewer for the Shoah Foundation. This project was started by famous Hollywood director Steven Spielberg and its purpose was to collect and record the stories of people who had survived the Holocaust. He saw the good things it did and convinced his dad to talk about his experiences in the war. They went back to Brest together.

    “That trip meant a lot to me,” Grynberg, who is 60 years old, said to CNN. I found out that there were 70 to 100 family members in this town, and unfortunately, they all died. Dad’s grandparents on mom’s side, dad’s grandparents on dad’s side, dad’s brothers, dad’s sisters, dad’s relatives. His entire family, except for his immediate family, was killed.

    He said, “In 1997, there were no indications of a cemetery. ” We were brought to that place, and our guide told us that it used to be a cemetery. The Holocaust is very difficult to comprehend, and it evokes strong emotions that are hard to explain. I was just thinking about the concept of them destroying a cemetery and constructing something on it. I felt really empty.

    In 2015, Grynberg went back to Brest. While he was there, he found out that headstones were being found again when buildings were being made. He also met with Brunner and Livshyts.

    Grynberg asked designer Brad Goldberg, who had a close relationship with Grynberg’s father, to create a plan for the memorial at the old cemetery.

    “I’m not sure, but I don’t think any of my family members are buried in this cemetery because my relatives moved to Brest,” said Grynberg. He mentioned that his grandparents had relocated to Brest, so it’s probable that his ancestors were buried in a different part of Belarus. These are all the people who were buried there before the war. It feels like I am more connected to this town.

    He said that the purpose is not to make a copy of a cemetery, but to give respect to the people who are buried there.

    Goldberg explained in a phone interview with CNN that his design includes two big curved shapes surrounding a big area on the land. This area will showcase some of the damaged stones.

    “He said he calls it a hug. ” This hug is meant to hold the headstones that are still in one piece.

    “It’s not a graveyard,” he said. They are all looking in different ways, as if they are talking to each other.

    “We spoke to a rabbi who said it’s more about life than death. ”

    Livshyts informed CNN that the stones will be put to rest in their rightful place. I call it fair treatment based on past events.

    He said that although the actual bodies cannot be found, they can at least bring back the stones and place them where the cemetery used to be.

  • Palestinians worry about ‘speedy’ West Bank annexation in response to Netanyahu’s judicial reform

    Palestinians worry about ‘speedy’ West Bank annexation in response to Netanyahu’s judicial reform

    For almost nine months, many Israelis have been protesting every week against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s plan to change the judicial system. They are worried that it could greatly limit the Supreme Court’s authority, which is the only group that checks the government’s power.

    Many Palestinians are scared that if the Supreme Court becomes weaker, it could allow for more Jewish settlements to be built in the occupied West Bank. This could eventually lead to the annexation of the land that Palestinians want for their own state.

    Many Israelis have been protesting because they are worried that democracy and human rights are getting worse. However, not many people are talking about how this could affect the over three million Palestinians who live in the West Bank under Israeli control.

    Sawsan Zaher, who is a lawyer that defends the rights of Arab minorities in Israel, believes that the consequences of this situation could be very significant. She calls the overhaul a “judicial coup,” saying it could lead to the West Bank being taken over without any criticism or review from the Supreme Court.

    Zaher is worried because of the things that the Netanyahu government has done and said since they took office at the end of last year. The group of people in charge of the government includes several individuals from West Bank who have a lot of influence. The agreement they made states that Israel should have control over the West Bank, like it is a part of Israel.

    Under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s very conservative government, Israel has given its approval for a very large number of houses to be built in settlements in the West Bank, according to a report by the peace organization Peace Now in July.

    Many countries and the United Nations believe that the West Bank and East Jerusalem are being controlled by Israel against the law. They also see the Israeli settlements in these areas as illegal according to international law. Israel says that there is an ongoing disagreement about who owns the land and disagrees with the idea that their settlements in that area are against the law.

    Many people in Israel agree with their government’s decision to take over more land in areas that are currently controlled by others. A survey done in 2020 by a group in Jerusalem called the Israel Democracy Institute found that over half of Jewish Israelis agreed with the idea of Israel having control over the West Bank. This is something that Netanyahu has expressed he wants.

    The overhaul consists of several new laws. The first of these laws was approved in July with a unanimous vote of 64-0. This happened because all members of the opposing party left in protest before the vote. This law takes away the Supreme Court’s ability to say if government decisions are wrong.

    People who are in favor of the change believe that the way the judicial system works in Israel is not good and strongly favors the court by giving it too much power. For a long time, some people have been asking for changes in the court system, believing it would help create a fair balance among the different branches of the government.

    Last week, all 15 judges of the Supreme Court came together for the first time to hear a case about the reasonableness law.

    The judges asked both sides’ lawyers many tough questions, making it hard to tell how they will decide. We don’t know when the court will tell us if they think the reasonableness law is fair or not.

    This decision could be very important because the reasonableness law changes one of Israel’s 13 fundamental laws. Israel is different from many other countries because it doesn’t have a written constitution. Instead, it depends on fundamental rules and previous court decisions that might eventually become a constitution. The court has never invalidated a Basic Law or a change to it.

    Zaher told CNN that the main goal of the judicial coup is to prevent the Supreme Court from reviewing Basic Laws or government decisions.

    Experts say that the Supreme Court of Israel usually supports the expansion of settlements in Israel, but sometimes it allows Palestinians to seek legal remedies in limited situations.

    Eliav Lieblich, a professor of law at Tel Aviv University, stated that the court has never prevented the settlement movement from progressing. “It never decided whether the settlement projects were legal or not. ”

    According to Lieblich, it helped in offering special protections when the land or property of Palestinians was taken or used for settlements.

    Zaher stated that Palestinians have never thought the Supreme Court supports their cause. Netanyahu’s changes might eliminate any remaining ways to oppose policies seen as violating their rights.

    “Zaher estimated that the Supreme Court did not protect Palestinian rights in the West Bank in 95% of cases. ”

    Palestinians in the West Bank have different laws compared to Israelis. They have to follow the rules of different authorities, like the Palestinian Authority and Israeli military laws. Palestinians living in the West Bank can ask Israeli courts to make decisions against their houses being taken away, destroyed, or their lands being seized. However, it may be difficult for their petitions to be successful.

    Human rights groups say that the Supreme Court mostly agrees to destroy the homes of Palestinian families involved in attacks on Israelis. They hardly ever side with Palestinians who try to stop this from happening. The practice has received negative feedback from rights groups because it is seen as a form of punishment for a whole group of people. Israel believes that by taking actions to prevent and discourage future attacks, it can make sure they do not happen again.

    Palestinians have occasionally experienced some uncommon successes. In 2005, the highest court told the government to find a different path for some of its security wall in the northern West Bank, so that it wouldn’t cause too many troubles for the Palestinians. A year before, the International Court of Justice in The Hague stated that the whole barrier is against the law.

    In 2012, Israel’s highest court said that some Palestinian people who owned land should take down five buildings. These buildings were built by Israeli settlers in the West Bank near a Palestinian village called Dura al-Qara.

    In 2017, Israeli security forces destroyed nine houses that were illegally built on Palestinian land in a West Bank village called Ofra. The people living in the settlement of Ofra asked a court to let them stay in their homes, but the court said they need to leave and their homes will be destroyed. The court decided in 2015 that the building should be knocked down. The case was filed by a group helping the person who owns the land 7 years before that.

    In some situations, rulings that were initially in support of Palestinians have been changed to be against them. Last year, something unusual happened when the high court made a decision. They ruled that a settlement outpost – Israeli houses in the West Bank that were built without permission from the government – can stay on private Palestinian land. This happened even though the court had originally said that the outpost should be taken away almost two years ago.

    Palestinians believe that if the Netanyahu government continues to expand settlements, there will be even less control on expansion when the Supreme Court is no longer a bureaucratic obstacle for the government.

    Zaher said that the annexation might happen much faster than expected.

    Ahmed Tibi, a Palestinian-Israeli member of Israel’s parliament and leader of the Ta’al party, stated that the reasonableness law is supported by far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, who are both settlers. According to Tibi, these supporters want to manipulate the legal system to make it easier to take over land that is currently under the control of others.

    Tibi told CNN that many ideas in the judicial overhaul would help the settlers. Anything that helps the settlers become stronger makes the Palestinians become weaker.

    Gershon Baskin, who runs the Holy Land Bond investment fund, thinks that Netanyahu’s plan for the courts is mainly focused on expanding settlements in East Jerusalem.

    Baskin said that if Netanyahu succeeds in implementing the reform, the limited opportunities that Palestinians have within the Israeli High Court will be taken away in the near future.

    If the Supreme Court is weakened and not able to review government decisions, it would be easier to formally annex the West Bank, although this is seen as an extreme possibility. He said that if judicial review becomes weaker, it would be easier to slowly take actions that could effectively lead to annexation.

    He said that if you reduce the power of judicial review, you give more power to the executive branch. This is already a situation where one side gains while the other loses, between Israel and the Palestinians.

  • Ghana aims to boost tourism through funeral celebrations- Tourism minister

    Ghana aims to boost tourism through funeral celebrations- Tourism minister

    Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Awal, the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, has reaffirmed the government’s unwavering dedication to advancing the concept of funeral tourism within the country. 

    In further elaboration, he has suggested a strategic plan whereby the government envisions arranging transportation for individuals to attend funerals, particularly in areas where additional tourist attractions exist. 

    This approach seeks to enable people to not only participate in the funeral ceremonies but also utilize the occasion to explore and enjoy the various tourist destinations that complement these funeral events.

    “We will find funerals at places where there are tourist attractions. When they finish the funeral, the people will be served local dishes and drinks including sobolo. So that when we finish, we will bus them to these tourist attractions.

    Ghanaians adore funerals, and attendance is optional. When there is a funeral here, we will announce that we can go to Bonwire. People are selling Kente there, and when they go there, they will spend money.

    He continued, “We are busing them for free, so when we go to that area, there are restaurants there; they will buy food; they will buy artefacts. They will enrich the local economy. So we will take advantage of funerals to deepen our cultural assets and thereby create jobs for our youth”.

  • #OccupyJulorbiHouse demo: Ghanaian celebrities ‘furious’ over arrest of protestors

    #OccupyJulorbiHouse demo: Ghanaian celebrities ‘furious’ over arrest of protestors

    Many Ghanaian celebrities have expressed their displeasure following the illegal arrest and manhandling of peaceful protesters marching to Jubilee House on Thursday, September 21, 2023 for the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demo.

    Taking to Twitter now X, their main demand was that the police respect the right to peaceful protest as enshrined in the constitution.

    Additionally, some commented on the increasing harshness with which people continue to suffer and the need for authorities to be held accountable.

    Celebrities such as Kidi, Cina Soul, Sarkodie,Kofi Kinata,Efya, Medikal, and many others voiced their diverse opinions on the matter.

    Backgroud

    During the inaugural day of the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protests organized by the Democracy Hub on September 21, a contingent of young activists embarked on a march to assert their demands for decisive action to address the prevailing economic crisis and rampant corruption issues.

    In a deeply contentious turn of events, law enforcement officials undertook a series of arrests, totaling 49 protesters, which were widely regarded as unlawful and conducted without proper legal justification. These arrests swiftly ignited a storm of criticism, with many decrying what they saw as a blatant infringement upon the demonstrators’ constitutional right to peaceful protest and an excessive display of force by the police.

    Subsequently, the police authorities transported the apprehended individuals to the regional headquarters before dispersing them to approximately eight distinct police stations scattered throughout the capital city. Concurrently, fellow protesters and legal advocates diligently mobilized their efforts to secure the release on bail of those who had been unlawfully detained.

    Below are some of their tweets

  • Africans fought WWII for you, it is time to help us fight coups – Akufo-Addo ‘begs’ international community

    Africans fought WWII for you, it is time to help us fight coups – Akufo-Addo ‘begs’ international community

    President Nana Akufo-Addo has appealed to the global community to support Africa in its efforts to address the challenges of terrorism in the Sahel region and the resurgence of coups across the continent.

    Speaking at the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Akufo-Addo highlighted the significant impact of instability in the Sahel, which has placed political and economic burdens on West African nations. He urged the international community to provide immediate assistance to aid in the region’s recovery and enhance the quality of life for the affected citizens.

    “Instability in the Sahel and widespread terrorist activities have put West African countries under severe political pressure and economic strain. Several countries in the region have lost vast stretches of territory to the rampaging terrorists,” he said.

    According to a report by Vision of Humanity1, the Sahel region has become the new epicentre of terrorism, with deaths rising ten times between 2007 and 2021. The report also noted that groups such as Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda continue to wage a violent campaign in the region, accounting for 35% of global total of terrorism deaths in 2021.

    Akufo-Addo said that West African countries are trying their best to deal with the situation, but they need more support from the international community, especially from Europe and its allies. He reminded them of the historical ties between Africa and the Allies in World War II, when Africans fought and died in defence of Europe’s freedom and prosperity.

    “Africans fought and died in the Second World War in defence of Europe and her Allies, who reset the world towards the path of peace and prosperity that their nations and citizens have enjoyed for decades now. It is surely time for the world to reciprocate in our time of need,” he said.

    He also expressed concern about the “misconception” that coups are the solution to the threats that confront some African nations. He said that coups undermine democracy and development, and create more problems than they solve.

    “Coup d’états have reemerged as what some mistakenly hope would be the solution to the threats that confront their nations,” he said.

    Akufo-Addo called on the international community to respect and support the efforts of regional and continental organisations, such as ECOWAS and AU, to resolve conflicts and restore stability in Africa. 

    He also reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to democracy, human rights, rule of law, and good governance.

    “Ghana remains firmly committed to democracy as a system of governance that best serves our interests as a people. We will continue to work with our partners across Africa and beyond to promote democracy, human rights, rule of law, and good governance on our continent,” he said.

  • OccupyJulorbiHouse protest: Fifi Fiavi Kwetey condemns arrest of protestors

    OccupyJulorbiHouse protest: Fifi Fiavi Kwetey condemns arrest of protestors

    Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the general secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has denounced the detention of Democracy Hub protesters who took part in the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration.

    This follows the police detaining the group identifying itself as Democracy Hub, who were in charge of organising the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration on Thursday, September 21, 2023, on the bus.

    In connection with a planned demonstration near the Jubilee House from September 21 to 23, 2023, the Police successfully served the organisers of a group calling itself Democracy Hub by filing a court application and serving them personally.

    “As we wait for the court to determine the matter, we wish to urge the public to take note and disregard any calls from any individuals or groups encouraging them to assemble for a demonstration at the Jubilee House.

    “We equally wish to urge the organisers to respect the due process in the interest of public order and public safety,” the Ghana Police Service advised.

    According to the NDC General Secretary, the arrests are an affront to Ghana’s democracy.

    “The police arrest of a small band of protesters is an affront to our democracy and constitutional rights of freedom.

    “We must protect our democracy from tyranny and intolerance of this authoritarian government,” the NDC General Secretary stated in a tweet 

  • Prostate cancer kills 234 men in Ghana from 2012-2022 – Report

    Prostate cancer kills 234 men in Ghana from 2012-2022 – Report

    A total of 234 men died of prostate cancer in Ghana from 2013 to 2022, a report in the Journal of the West African College of Surgeons has revealed.
    The report said the deaths were caused by the aggressive nature of the disease and its late diagnosis.
    According to the report, clinical records of males who died of the condition at a tertiary hospital in Ghana ranged in age from 40 to 90 years.
    Men between the ages of 60 and 79 recorded the highest deaths.
    51.3 percent of the 234 fatalities died within two years of diagnosis, 23.0 per cent died between two and five years after diagnosis, and a quarter lived for more than five years.


    The report also showed that there was a slow uptake of newer treatment strategies for metastatic prostate cancer, confirming literature suggesting that blacks have poorer outcomes due to the disease’s aggressive nature.


    Prostate cancer (PCa) is cancer that occurs in the prostate. It is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among men in 2020.

    PCa is the second biggest cause of male cancer fatalities in Ghana and the most common male cancer seen at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
    The disease may not create symptoms in its initial stages, but in its advanced state, one might experience trouble urinating, decreased force in the stream of urine, blood in urine, blood in sperm, pain in bone, weight loss without trying, and erectile dysfunction.
    The disease kills only when it spreads to other parts of the body.


    According to the findings, more than 80 per cent of men who died from prostate cancer had advanced illness, as evidenced by high PSA levels, a high T stage on Digital Rectal Examination (DRE), and signs of metastasis.


    “43.6 per cent presented with haemoglobin levels below 10ng/dl at diagnosis. These patients had the worst outcome, with 73 per cent dying less than two years after diagnosis,” it stated.


    The five-year survival rate of patients who were presented with metastatic disease was 21.2 per cent.

    Over 80 per cent were treated with bilateral total orchidectomy, with less than 10 per cent receiving treatment intensification with the newer generation antiandrogens or chemotherapy.

    Professor James Edward Mensah, Head of the Department of Surgery, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and President of the Ghana Association of Urological Surgeons told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that early reporting and diagnosis lowered disease mortality.

    He said some patients sought medical attention only when they experienced urinary problems or back pain from the spread of the cancer to the bone and spinal cord.
    “Some even wasted time and resources seeking care at herbal clinics where they were mismanaged for enlarged prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) before being referred when symptoms worsened,” he added.


    Prof Mensah emphasised the need for early detection and appropriate intervention in improving disease outcomes.

    He urged individuals to seek medical attention as soon as possible and to be aware of the risks and symptoms of prostate cancer.
    The Urologist advised men at higher risk of getting the disease, including black males, and men with a family history of prostate cancer to conduct PSA blood tests and biopsy.

    They should engage their doctors by age 40 and above for proper management.
    There are distinct types of prostate cancer. Many patients diagnosed with the disease may not die from it.

    “Currently, all treatment modalities for localized prostate cancer, including watchful waiting, active surveillance, open radical prostatectomy, brachytherapy, and external beam radiotherapy, are available in the country,” he stated

    Prof Mensah, however, stressed the need to train more specialized medical personnel and ensure that the necessary equipment for prostate procedures was available in all regions of the country.

  • Police exhumes Mohbad’s body for autopsy

    Police exhumes Mohbad’s body for autopsy

    The body of the 27-year-old Afrobeats star Mohbad, who recently passed away under mysterious circumstances, has been exhumed for an autopsy, according to the police.

    Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad, passed away on September 12 and was buried on September 13, a decision that infuriated many of his supporters.

    The update was provided on Thursday by Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in Lagos, via his X handle.

    “Exhumation completed. Autopsy to commence,” Mr Hundeyin posted.

    Autopsy

    In order to conduct a covert investigation that includes exhumation, autopsy, scene visits, medical reports, suspect records, and witness statements, the police on Monday established a 19-member committee.

    The committee has two weeks to wrap up its probes.

    SSS

    In addition to inviting the State Security Service (SSS) to work with the police in determining the cause of the music star’s demise, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also extended the invitation.

    The governor via his X handle on Tuesday said the move was to “boost the investigations” into the death of the artiste.

    “I have invited the Department of State Services (SSS) to join the investigation and widen the dragnet with inter-agency collaboration and use of best in class technology to unearth the truth,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said.

  • Police refute arresting BBC reporter, Thomas Naadi

    Police refute arresting BBC reporter, Thomas Naadi

    Reports that a BBC journalist had been detained during the #OccupyJulorBiHouse protest have been denied by the Ghana Police Service.

    This is in response to rumours that a BBC journalist, Thomas Naadi was among the people who the police apprehended during the demonstration, which circulated on social media and in some news outlets.

    According to a statement made by the service’s Head of Public Affairs Unit, the rumours are untrue.

    “The attention of the police has been drawn to an erroneous report by a section of the media that a BBC reporter and his camera have been arrested.

    “The police would like to put on record that the report is false and should be disregarded,” the statement said.

    According to the police, two people among those who were arrested identified as journalists and were allowed to go immediately.

    The service emphasized that it is committed to upholding security, law and order in the discharge of its duties, thus, the public must be circumspect in spreading false information.

    “The facts are that in dispersing the illegal demonstrators, a group of them were picked up and sent to the police station. During their screening process, two persons two identified themselves as journalists were immediately allowed to go.

    “While we assure the public of our commitment to work with all stakeholders in our quest to ensure security law and order, we want to urge all other stakeholders to be circumspect in the discharge of their responsibilities since they have implications on the image and reputation of other stakeholders,” the statement by the police added.

  • Kufour speaks amidst abuse, arrest of #OccupyJulorbiHouse protesters by police

    Kufour speaks amidst abuse, arrest of #OccupyJulorbiHouse protesters by police

    Former President John Agyekum Kufour has reiterated his belief in the importance of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in governance and the development of any country. He made this statement in a tweet on September 21, 2023, while reflecting on his previous words from 2008 in the context of recent events involving the illegal arrest of demonstrators associated with the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest in Ghana.

    President Kufour’s tweet emphasized the significance of upholding human rights, fostering democracy, adhering to the rule of law, and conducting free and fair elections as essential components of good governance and the promotion of peace and security.

    The background to this statement involves the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protests organized by the Democracy Hub, where 49 protesters were illegally arrested by the Ghana Police Service during the demonstration. The protesters were advocating for action on economic crises and corruption.

    The arrests sparked criticism regarding the infringement of the constitutional right to protest and allegations of police heavy-handedness. The detainees were reportedly taken to various police stations across the capital, and there were incidents of police violence against journalists and protesters.

    The police initially defended the arrests by claiming that protesters had defied a court injunction, which the protesters disputed, arguing that the injunction had not been properly served.

    By the end of the day, most of the detained protesters had been released on bail. The situation remained uncertain for the following day of the protest targeting the Jubilee House, the seat of government.

    President Kufour’s statement underscores the ongoing debate and concerns surrounding the protection of civil liberties, freedom of expression, and the right to protest in Ghana, as well as the broader issues of governance and the rule of law.

  • Supreme court made EC untouchable – CHRAJ

    Supreme court made EC untouchable – CHRAJ


    The Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Joseph Whittal, is concerned about the Supreme Court’s role in empowering the Electoral Commission (EC) in Ghana. He believes that certain judgments by the Supreme Court have made the EC appear untouchable and overly emboldened, even to the point of challenging the authority of Parliament.

    Whittal’s remarks center around the idea that the Supreme Court’s interpretations of the law in various election-related cases have granted the EC significant power and autonomy, potentially at the expense of democratic checks and balances. He questions why one institution should be given so much authority, especially with the apparent endorsement of the Supreme Court. Whittal’s concerns reflect worries about the balance of power in Ghana’s democracy.

    One specific case Whittal cited is the Abu Ramadan case, where former Chief Justice Georgina Wood emphasized the importance of the right to vote and the ease of voter registration. Whittal argues that the EC should not create obstacles for Ghanaians wishing to register to vote, as registration is a fundamental aspect of democratic participation.

    Additionally, there is controversy surrounding the EC’s decision to conduct limited registration exercises only at district offices, which critics argue may disenfranchise individuals living in remote or hard-to-reach areas. The EC has defended its decision, stating that it would be logistically challenging to cover all areas and that they would prioritize registration in hard-to-reach areas based on the situation on the ground.

    The Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, also mentioned the challenge of decentralizing the registration process, partly attributing it to Parliament’s failure to pass a proposed Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) for approval.

    Overall, Joseph Whittal’s comments highlight concerns about the power and autonomy of the Electoral Commission in Ghana’s democracy and the role of the Supreme Court in shaping the EC’s authority. These issues are important in the context of ensuring a fair and transparent electoral process.

  • Watch video of how Bridget Otoo was attacked and arrested by police

    Watch video of how Bridget Otoo was attacked and arrested by police

    The video of how popular broadcast journalist with Metro TV was attacked and arrest by the police has emerged.

    Among those who were arrested were some prominent activists including Metro Tv journalist and businesswoman, Bridget Otoo.

    A video circulating on social media shows the moment when she was arrested. Two men not in uniform came out of the Accra Regional Police Command of the Ghana Police Service located at Tudu, and charged at her, pushing her with extreme force into the building amid protests from fellow protesters who were in front of the facility demanding the release of their colleagues who had been detained.

    Bridget Otoo who seemingly was later let go stated that the police tore part of her shirt, physically assaulted her and other participants.

  • South Korea conducts narcotics raids at US military camp

    South Korea conducts narcotics raids at US military camp

    South Korean police are looking into the case of 17 American soldiers and five others who are suspected of smuggling or using fake marijuana through military mail.

    This means that there were raids in at least two US army bases in May, including Camp Humphreys, which is the biggest base outside of the US.

    A person from the Philippines and someone from South Korea were taken into custody while lawyers are studying the evidence for all 22 people involved.

    A suggestion from a branch of the US Army led to a four-month investigation by Korean authorities.

    According to Cha Min-seok, a senior detective in South Korea, US media reported that it was one of the biggest incidents in recent years involving American soldiers.

    South Korean police and the US Army’s Criminal Investigation Division worked together to search the homes of 22 suspects. During these raids, they discovered 77g (2. 7oz) of synthetic cannabis, over 4kg of “mixed liquids” used for vaping, and a total of $12,850 (£10,440) in cash.

    They are said to have brought synthetic marijuana (also called K2 and Spice) into the country using the US military’s postal service.


    Seven people, which includes five soldiers, are believed to have taken part in selling drugs. Out of the total number, 12 were drug users and three acted as mediators. The police told the BBC that the husband or wife of a soldier and the person engaged to another soldier are also part of this.

    The police said that there are 17 soldiers right now at Camp Humphreys, which is about 48km (30 miles) south of Seoul. There are also some soldiers at Camp Casey, an army outpost about 40km north of Seoul.

    They supposedly shared the drugs at the locations and talked through Snapchat.

    The United States Forces in Korea said on Wednesday that they know about the investigation. There are no soldiers being held or confined right now, according to a statement.

    Synthetic marijuana is created to imitate THC, the primary compound in marijuana that causes mind-altering effects.

    Although it has similar effects to cannabis, it is usually stronger and can cause harmful health issues like sudden episodes of mental illness, extreme paranoia, and intense restlessness.

    The police said it’s hard to find because people often use it in liquid form with legal e-cigarette devices.

    In South Korea, people who are found guilty of selling marijuana can be sentenced to prison for a minimum of five years and possibly for the rest of their lives. Having drugs can lead to getting a punishment of up to five years in jail or having to pay around 50 million won ($37,200; £30,300).

  • Killer who kept bodies in kitchen enters guilty plea

    Killer who kept bodies in kitchen enters guilty plea

    A man from Rwanda admitted to committing several crimes, which included killing 12 women and two men. This case was very shocking and gained a lot of attention in the country.

    Denis Kazungu, who is 34 years old, is accused of burying the people he killed in his kitchen.

    The police found out about the crime at the beginning of this month. This happened after he was forced to leave his rented place in Kicukiro, a neighborhood near the capital city, Kigali.

    In a crowded courtroom, a woman shouted for her child who she claimed was hurt, after hearing the guilty plea.

    This meeting was held to decide if Mr Kazungu should stay in jail. The judge will make a decision on September 26th.

    Mr Kazungu, who did not have a lawyer, appeared calm and composed at the hearing. When he was asked if he was guilty, he confidently replied “yes”.

    He tried to give reasons for his crimes by saying that his victims intentionally gave him AIDS, but he did not show any evidence for this.

    We don’t know for sure about Mr. Kazungu’s mental health, but he seemed fine when he asked the court to have a private session. However, the court said no to his request.

    “He admitted to committing serious crimes and does not want the media to report it. ”

    Mr Kazungu was taken into custody because his landlord told the police that he hadn’t paid his rent for seven months.

    A police officer told a newspaper in Rwanda called The New Times that he resisted when they removed him from a place.

    “The official said that he showed remorse and cried a lot, which made us start to wonder. ”

    We stopped him and I personally brought him to the police. He confessed to killing some people at the police station. This made the Rwanda Investigation Bureau investigate his home.

    A spokesperson for Rib said that he tricked his victims, who were mostly sex workers, into coming to his house and then he would steal from them. Afterwards, he killed them by choking them and then put their bodies in a hole that he dug in the kitchen of the house he was renting.

    The investigators have not yet said who all the people that Mr. Kazungu is suspected of harming are.

  • Five to be accused of espionage for Russia in UK

    Five to be accused of espionage for Russia in UK

    Five individuals believed to have been involved in spying for Russia will be formally accused of conspiring to carry out acts of espionage.

    Orlin Roussev, Bizer Dzhambazov, Katrin Ivanova, Ivan Stoyanov, and Vanya Gaberova have a court hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

    The Bulgarians are accused of planning to collect helpful information for an enemy from August 2020 to February 2023.

    The Metropolitan Police did an investigation, and this comes after it.

    The defendants are accused of being part of a spy group for the Russian security services. They are said to have spied on specific people.

    They are accused of doing secret work in the UK and Europe and giving information to Russia.

    Mr Roussev, who is 45 years old, is accused of managing operations from the UK and connecting with individuals who received the intelligence.

    Police officers searched properties in London and Norfolk that belonged to three people: Mr. Dzhambazov, and Ms. During their search, they discovered supposedly fake passports and official identification documents for various countries, including the UK, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, and the Czech Republic.

    Some of the papers had pictures of Mr. Roussev and Mr. Some people believe that Mr. Roussev created fake documents himself.

    The group is accused of planning a secret operation in Montenegro. In this operation, they made fake ID cards for journalists, including one that looked like Ms.

    Mr Dzhambazov, and Ms. Ivanova have been living in the UK for a long time. They have been working in different types of jobs and living in various suburban houses.

    Mr Roussev has done business in Russia in the past. He went to the UK in 2009 and worked for three years in a technical job in the finance industry.

    On his LinkedIn page, it says that he eventually owned a company that dealt with signals intelligence. This means they intercepted and analyzed communications or electronic signals.

    Mr Roussev, who currently lives in a seaside guesthouse in Great Yarmouth, says that he used to give advice to the Bulgarian ministry of energy.

    In Harrow, people who used to live near Mr Dzhambazov and Ms Ivanova said they were a couple.

    Mr Dzhambazov is a driver for hospitals and Ms Ivanova works as a laboratory assistant in a private health business, according to her LinkedIn profile.

    The couple moved to the UK about 10 years ago. They started an organization that helps Bulgarian people in the UK by teaching them about British culture and how things are done here.

    According to Bulgarian government papers on the internet, they also helped with voting for Bulgarians living in London during Bulgarian elections.

  • Kenyan lawmaker expelled after raising charges of bullying

    Kenyan lawmaker expelled after raising charges of bullying

    A female senator from Kenya who calls herself a person who exposes wrongdoings has been suspended for six months by a group of politicians.

    Gloria Orwoba had to appear before the Powers and Privileges Committee because of things she said in senate WhatsApp groups and at a press briefing. She claimed that there is a culture in parliament where certain people are treated better, people from certain ethnic groups face discrimination, there is a lot of bullying, and sexual harassment happens.

    She said that there was a secret way to get things done, which involved giving bribes or doing sexual favors. But she decided not to do that.

    She often used the hashtag #NoSexForWork when sending messages to her colleagues and complaining about things.

    However, the committee stated that there was not enough evidence to support her claims.

    After her punishment was finished, she would need to say sorry for her remarks before being able to return to her job.

    Sarah reacted by getting angry and upset.

    Ms Orwoba is currently in New York for a work trip at the Clinton Global Initiative. She mentioned that even though she had brought the matter to court, she still felt doubtful about receiving a fair judgment, and the committee went ahead and released their report.

    She claimed that the committee had released its report, even though there was an ongoing legal case, because she had asked for the travel expenses of senators and staff to be made public for a specific time period.

    Ms Orwoba said her request made important people in parliament feel very worried and scared.

    “She claimed that right after she asked for something, they brought back up the motion to suspend me, which had been stopped before, while she was not there. ”

    This politician, who is 37 years old, has been in trouble with her colleagues before. She also works to stop people from feeling ashamed about periods.

    In February, she was told to leave parliament because she didn’t follow the dress rules. The reason was a visible spot of blood on her white trouser suit.

    At the time, she ignored people who said she was being disrespectful and said accidents can happen. She explained that because she always speaks out against feeling ashamed of periods, she felt she should set an example and take action.

  • Zelensky in Washington to request further war funds from US

    Zelensky in Washington to request further war funds from US

    The president of Ukraine is in the capital of the United States trying to get more money to defend against Russia’s attack on their country.
    Volodymyr Zelensky will speak to lawmakers in the Capitol, go to the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon, and have discussions with President Biden at the White House.

    US politicians disagree on giving money to Ukraine. Many Republicans think it would be better to use the money for problems within the United States.

    Zelensky went to visit after giving speeches at the UN in New York. In his speeches, he asked countries to come together and stand against Russian aggression.
    There is growing tension between countries because he criticized Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary for stopping the import of Ukrainian grain.
    Poland has decided to stop supplying weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, except for the ones that had already been agreed upon before.