A 14-year-old boy was responsible for hitting a South Korean lawmaker with a rock. He was sent to a mental health facility on Friday, as the police keep looking into the attack.
Last Thursday, a member of the ruling party, Bae Hyunjin, was attacked. This happened shortly after another man stabbed opposition leader Lee Jae-myung in the neck. This raises more worries about the harsh and divided political discussions in the country.
Police talked to the young suspect at the hospital while his parents were there. They will keep asking him questions to find out more. Cheon Young-gil, who works at the Gangnam district police station in Seoul, shared this information.
South Korea’s rules say that if doctors and police agree, a person who might be mentally ill can be sent to the hospital for up to three days to make sure they don’t hurt themselves or others.
Cheon did not want to talk about the suspect’s health after the attack on Thursday in southern Seoul. South Korean media said that people who know the boy but want to stay unnamed, said that he was getting help for feeling very sad.
Cheon said that the suspect was taken to the hospital quickly because of his age and health, but didn’t give any more details. He said if the boy’s parents agree, the police can ask the hospital to keep him there for more than three days.
The police spoke with Bae on Friday at the hospital where she was getting treatment. Bae’s office shared pictures of her coat and sweater with blood on them. People say these were given to the police as proof.
The reason for the attack was not immediately known.
Bae was chosen in 2020 and is considered a close friend of President Yoon Suk Yeol. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office promised to do a deep investigation of the attack. Politicians from both Yoon’s party and the liberal opposition have criticized the attack as an attack on the country’s democracy. “Our politics are not on the right track anymore. ” We all agree that we should stop the hateful politics, but we still use harsh language towards our opponents. The old-fashioned style of politics that only appeals to the most extreme supporters is still going strong, according to Jung Kwang-jae, a spokesperson for the People Power Party.
In South Korea, politics is very divided. People have different opinions based on their age, beliefs, and where they live. The arguments between political parties are getting worse before the upcoming elections in April. The elections are seen as a way to see if Yoon is popular. He has low approval ratings and the opposition controls the National Assembly, so it’s hard for him to do what he wants.
The security camera video showed the person who attacked Bae. They wore a gray hat and a mask and talked to Bae before hitting her with a small rock. He kept hitting Bae with a sharp tool, even after she dropped to the ground. She fought off the attacker by herself, using her arms to push him away and grabbing his wrist. Then, someone else came out of a door and tried to help.
The leader of the other group, Lee, was in the hospital for eight days after he was attacked. He talked about the attack on Bae and said that his scar hurts again because of this terrible event. He also said that he hopes she gets better soon.
Lee almost won the 2022 election, but Yoon won. The person who attacked Lee said he did it because he didn’t want Lee to become president.
South Korea has experienced more attacks on politicians lately.
In 2022, Song Young-gil, who was the leader of Lee’s Democratic Party, was attacked by a man with a hammer during a rally to support Lee’s campaign for president. The song needed stitches but didn’t get seriously hurt.
In 2006, a man attacked Park Geun-hye, who was a conservative opposition leader, with a box cutter during an election event. Park, who later became president in 2012, had to get 60 stitches to close an 11-centimeter (4-inch) cut on her face.
Author: Chris Kodo
-
14-year-old boy kills South Korean politician
-
Ghana Enterprises Agency dispenses approximately GHS700m in MSME funding
In a significant effort to buoy Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) grappling with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, has unveiled a staggering disbursement of approximately GHS700 million in funding support.
In an exclusive interview on JoyNews Channel, Mrs Yankey-Ayeh highlighted the historic nature of this investment, emphasizing the meticulous process and thoughtful planning that underpinned the initiative.
“There is a process, and we put a lot of thought into what we do. There is a science to the programme so it is not as easy as people think it is. About GHS700 million has been disbursed so far, and in the history of this [Agency], no such amount has been spent on SMEs,” shared Kosi Yankey-Ayeh.
Under the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme Business Support Programme (CAP BuSS), the GEA provided financial and technical assistance to over 300,000 medium-sized enterprises. Mrs. Yankey-Ayeh detailed that about 15,000 of these businesses also received crucial technical support aimed at fortifying their operations in the face of economic uncertainties.
“The CAP BuSS support, with over 300,000 businesses—men, women, formal, and informal businesses across the length and breadth of this nation—received financial support, and about 15,000 of them at that time also received technical assistance,” she elaborated.
“This was to try and figure out how best we can help them manage the affairs of their businesses and to strengthen them going forward,” she added.
Anticipating the adverse effects of the pandemic, the GEA, in collaboration with the MasterCard Foundation, initiated the “Nkorsor” programme to extend support to businesses nationwide. Mrs. Yankey-Ayeh reported that the program successfully assisted over 20,000 businesses, ensuring broader access to funding and backing those who were unable to benefit from the initial phase of financial assistance.
The Ghana Enterprises Agency, formerly known as the National Board for Small-Scale Industries, serves as the apex governmental body dedicated to the promotion and development of MSMEs in Ghana. Mandated to coordinate, implement, and monitor MSME activities, the GEA’s proactive measures underscore its commitment to supporting businesses amid the challenges posed by the pandemic.
“…and so looking at Nkorsor, we came in to support about 20,000+ businesses with access to funding across the length and breadth of this nation, making sure that we were supporting those who could not benefit from the first phase of the funding as well,” Kosi Yankey-Ayeh stated.
-
NATO leader optimistic Sweden could be prepared to join by March
NATO’s leader, Jens Stoltenberg, said he is hopeful that Sweden might join their military group by March. Hungary and Turkiye both gave positive signs this week.
Sweden and Finland, who used to stay out of military conflicts, changed their minds when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. They asked to join NATO for protection. Finland joined, and now all 31 countries, including Finland, have to agree for Sweden to join.
“Sweden joining NATO will make the whole group stronger,” Stoltenberg told reporters. He also talked about his discussions with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and mentioned new developments in Turkey.
I got a message from Budapest that the parliament will meet again at the end of February. So, we have to wait until then. “But I believe in Hungary and I am sure of it,” Stoltenberg said.
At first, Hungary didn’t explain why they were delaying, and Orban said his government wouldn’t be the last to agree with Sweden. However, the European Commission refused to let Hungary have access to EU funds because they were not being democratic. This made the attitude towards Stockholm become more severe.
Budapest said that Swedish politicians are telling big lies about how Hungary’s government works.
Orban, who disagrees with NATO allies by supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said on Tuesday that he invited Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to Budapest to talk about working together on security and defense.
If there is no emergency meeting, the parliament will meet on Feb. for Sweden’s bid. “Please rewrite this text in simpler words. ”
To let Sweden join, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan set some rules. One of them is to take a stronger position against groups that Turkey sees as a danger, like Kurdish militants and people involved in a coup attempt in 2016.
On his own, Erdogan wanted to make a deal with the United States to buy fighter jets. This was also related to his approval of something else.
On Tuesday, Turkish leaders voted and approved Sweden’s request to join by 287 votes to 55. The Turkish government finished the process on Thursday by publishing the measure in an official newspaper.
Stoltenberg was glad that on Thursday night Erdogan signed the decision of the parliament, so now all decisions are in place in Turkey.
Sweden is going to join NATO as the 32nd member after Hungary finishes its processes and the U. Sgets approval from all the other countries. “State Department” can be simplified to “government office. “ -
Kerem Shalom crossing: Israeli demonstrators block Gaza relief vehicles
Many Israeli protesters are stopping aid trucks from going into Gaza for three days.
Protesters, including the families of people still held captive in Gaza, held Israeli flags at a key crossing and shouted against “helping the enemy”.
The people protesting want to stop sending any help to Gaza until all the hostages are freed.
Despite the US asking for aid to be allowed into Gaza without being stopped, it is still not happening.
For the third day in a row, the demonstrators went to the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza to try to stop aid from getting into Gaza. A line of trucks with aid supplies, some with Egyptian flags, waited for a long time at the crossing. The protesters wanted the government to stop sending aid until Hamas releases the rest of the captives.
The UN office that helps with emergencies (OCHA) said that on Wednesday, the first day of the protests, only nine trucks could go through at Kerem Shalom. They sent 114 trucks to the Rafah crossing in Egypt instead.
The UN said that only 153 trucks went into Gaza on Wednesday, which was much less than usual.
The government of Israel is being asked by many countries to let more help into Gaza. They are also feeling pressure from people in their own country to bring the hostages back home.
The protestors think it’s wrong to send aid to Gaza while their loved ones are still being kept by Hamas. They believe it’s not morally right.
They are worried that the help might go to the group.
Israeli news says that some of the people protesting have family members who are being held hostage, some are parents of soldiers in Gaza, and others are right-wing activists who want Jewish settlements to be brought back to Gaza.
There was a protest and some people said that officials from Israel and America will have important talks about hostages in Europe soon. They will talk with mediators from Qatar and Egypt.
The CIA director, William Burns, and the Mossad chief, David Barnea, are going to meet with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, to talk about getting more than 100 Israeli hostages released and stopping the fighting in Gaza for a while.
The White House said the discussions were serious and involved important people who helped make a deal in November.
However, Hamas still wants a complete stop to fighting and for Israeli soldiers to leave Gaza.
A leader from Palestine said to the BBC that people who are helping to make peace have suggested letting Israeli hostages go little by little in exchange for a truce that can be continued, letting Palestinian prisoners go, and giving more help.
There is still a lot of fighting in Gaza. Israeli planes bombed many Hamas targets around Khan Younis during the night.
The health ministry run by Hamas says that Israeli attacks in the last day have killed 183 people and hurt almost 400 others.
Israel started a military attack to destroy Hamas because Hamas killed 1,300 people, mostly civilians, and took about 250 others as hostages in an attack on southern Israel on 7 October last year.
Since then, more than 26,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza according to health officials. -
French immigration laws to become stricter as judge strikes down several provisions
China is telling its people to be careful of people from other countries who might try to trick them into giving secrets to spies.
The Chinese government’s security agency said that a man named Li Si went to a nightclub during a trip abroad and was then threatened by spies from another country.
The government’s WeChat post said, “Looking for beauty. You could be in danger. ”
Experts say that these warnings show that China’s leaders are feeling unsure and worried.
China’s Ministry of State Security, which is like the country’s secret police, is warning people more and more about the risks of foreign spies.
The government is telling people about the arrests of those who are accused of spying in China. Earlier this month, the government said that Beijing had arrested someone who they think was spying for Britain’s intelligence service, MI6.
“I don’t think honey traps are more common now than they have been at other times. ” Ian Chong, who works with Carnegie China, said that spying has always taken advantage of people’s weaknesses like greed, desire, overconfidence, and other emotions.
I think that the media campaign and the recent warnings about honey traps from the Ministry of State Security show that the Chinese leaders feel insecure and threatened by the outside world. That’s what Mr.
The latest warning was very detailed. It said a tour guide took Mr Li to a place with adult entertainment and let him choose from several women for the night. It didn’t say when or where the incident happened.
Mr Li works for a company owned by the government. He did not realize that people were watching him until some big foreign soldiers came into his room and took pictures of him without clothes.
They used the photos to threaten and force Mr Li into joining their spy group. The ministry said Mr. Li gave his work laptop because he was afraid.
The spy organization got a computer with 10 years of secret information.
It also said that even after Mr Li returned to China, he was still being forced to give the group secret information. His bad situation was not finished yet.
The ministry said that in the end, Mr. Li was controlled by a foreign intelligence group like a puppet, and this caused a lot of harm to China’s national security. It said that Mr. Li was arrested and will have to go through a tough trial.
The ministry has been sharing a lot of news on their WeChat page since it started in August. Last month, it warned people not to take pictures of military stuff. It also said that groups should not enlist airplane fans to share China’s flight information with other countries. -
China alerts people to ‘exotic beauty’ traps set by foreign spies
China is telling its people to be careful of people from other countries who might try to trick them into giving secrets to spies.
The Chinese government’s security agency said that a man named Li Si went to a nightclub during a trip abroad and was then threatened by spies from another country.
The government’s WeChat post said, “Looking for beauty. You could be in danger. ”
Experts say that these warnings show that China’s leaders are feeling unsure and worried.
China’s Ministry of State Security, which is like the country’s secret police, is warning people more and more about the risks of foreign spies.
The government is telling people about the arrests of those who are accused of spying in China. Earlier this month, the government said that Beijing had arrested someone who they think was spying for Britain’s intelligence service, MI6.
“I don’t think honey traps are more common now than they have been at other times. ” Ian Chong, who works with Carnegie China, said that spying has always taken advantage of people’s weaknesses like greed, desire, overconfidence, and other emotions.
I think that the media campaign and the recent warnings about honey traps from the Ministry of State Security show that the Chinese leaders feel insecure and threatened by the outside world. That’s what Mr.
The latest warning was very detailed. It said a tour guide took Mr Li to a place with adult entertainment and let him choose from several women for the night. It didn’t say when or where the incident happened.
Mr Li works for a company owned by the government. He did not realize that people were watching him until some big foreign soldiers came into his room and took pictures of him without clothes.
They used the photos to threaten and force Mr Li into joining their spy group. The ministry said Mr. Li gave his work laptop because he was afraid.
The spy organization got a computer with 10 years of secret information.
It also said that even after Mr Li returned to China, he was still being forced to give the group secret information. His bad situation was not finished yet.
The ministry said that in the end, Mr. Li was controlled by a foreign intelligence group like a puppet, and this caused a lot of harm to China’s national security. It said that Mr. Li was arrested and will have to go through a tough trial.
The ministry has been sharing a lot of news on their WeChat page since it started in August. Last month, it warned people not to take pictures of military stuff. It also said that groups should not enlist airplane fans to share China’s flight information with other countries. -
‘Cocaine Godmother’ of Colombia receives Hollywood transformation
“The only person who scared me was a woman named Griselda Blanco,” Pablo Escobar, a famous drug lord, reportedly said about the person who started one of the most successful cartels ever.
A woman named Blanco had people killed because she didn’t like how they looked at her. She was a very cruel criminal leader and everyone was afraid of her in Miami during the 1970s and 80s.
The famous drug leader is now being portrayed in a Hollywood movie. Sofía Vergara from Modern Family is teaming up with the people who made Narcos to play the head of the criminal world.
The new series with exciting action scenes and lots of flashy, rich people was released on Netflix on Thursday. Griselda describes the criminal as a clever and determined woman who has faced a lot of hardships.
The real story of the woman known as the “cocaine godmother” and who killed her three husbands is not very clear.
Blanco was born in Colombia in 1943 and started doing bad things when she was 11. She supposedly killed a rich boy after she took him and his parents wouldn’t give her money to let him go.
In 1964, when she was 21 years old, she moved to New York with her husband and three children without permission and started selling marijuana.
“It’s important to remember who Griselda was when she was young. ” She was a person who moved to a new country and was taking care of three children all by herself. Vergara, who was also born in Colombia, said she had no education or tools to survive.
Eric Newman, the person in charge of the show, said he wanted to make the character of Griselda Blanco more relatable. He said that everyone has reasons for their actions, even if they’re not excuses. He also wanted to show her as a single mother who had to run away from a bad relationship, which can be understandable for some people.
She is a woman in a world mostly dominated by men. She works much harder to prove herself and uses her cleverness and smarts to outdo the men around her. “People begin to support her,” said co-director Andrés Baiz.
‘Having power turned her into a terrible person. ‘
In 1970, Blanco told someone to kill her first husband and she went to live in Miami. She met her second husband, Alberto Bravo, who was involved in drug trafficking. He showed her the even more dangerous side of the illegal drug world.
Blanco was very violent and bold in her drug smuggling. She would get young women to smuggle cocaine in their bras and underwear from Colombia to the US. Because of this, she quickly became the leader of the criminal operation.
As the fighting between drug gangs in Miami got worse, Blanco became more cruel. In 1975, she killed her husband because she thought he was taking her money. In 1983, she had her third husband killed after he took their child and left Miami.
Known as the Black Widow because of her mean and cruel actions, Blanco became very powerful and rich in the early 1980s. She was in charge of bringing 1. 5 tons of cocaine to the US every month and was one of the scariest women in the world.
Vergara told the media that he believes Griselda’s original plan was to protect and provide for her family when she moved to Miami. However, she got caught up in power and money which changed her into a bad person.
In the early 1980s, Blanco said no to a $15 million offer from a rival cartel to give up her empire.
Depended on outcasts.
Even though Blanco was in charge of the drug business in Miami for 20 years, she knew it was risky because she was a woman in a male-dominated industry. At one time, she let a man represent her business because local dealers would only make deals if a man was speaking for the business.
After getting arrested for a murder, Blanco decided to take charge of the business and used her position as an outsider to benefit herself.From April to September 1980, about 135,000 Cubans moved to the US. The Marielitos, some of whom were already in criminal gangs, drug dealing, and murder.
Blanco took advantage of this and hired them to work for her. Her gang created a team of gunmen called Pistoleros, who became known for carrying out assassinations on motorcycles.
Baiz said that Blanco is an outsider who brings other outsiders together. In this industry, it’s hard to gain and keep trust, but Blanco knows what she’s doing.
These characters don’t fit in with society’s usual standards. Griselda makes people feel like they are part of her family, Baiz said.
Vergara liked Blanco because she also felt like a misfit and understood some of what she went through.
I am from Colombia, I am a mother and I moved to a new country. “As a woman, Griselda was judged. Now, I have to work extra hard and I get fewer opportunities because of my accent,” she said.
‘A woman can’t be this bad’
In the 1980s, Blanco’s criminal empire started to fall apart and she was arrested in Irvine, California, ending her time as a powerful criminal leader.
But how did she go 20 years making Miami her drug playground without getting caught. The show’s team says it’s because she’s a woman.
“Because she was a woman, she could do a lot and disappear when she needed to. No one would think a woman could run such a big criminal group. ” “Vergara said that people believe a woman could never be so wicked. ”
And even though men in charge of drug enforcement agencies were sure that a woman could not be involved in the drug trade, there was someone who was investigating that possibility.
In the 1970s, June Hawkins, a female analyst in the Miami police, was determined to catch Blanco, even though her colleagues didn’t take her seriously and only used her to translate Spanish.
Newman said that Hawkins is a very important part of the story. She is like Griselda, a young single mom of Latin background working in a world that doesn’t treat women well. She shows audiences that Griselda had other choices besides what she did.
What happened to Griselda Blanco.
On February 17, 1985, Blanco was taken from her home by the police and was found guilty of making, bringing, and giving out cocaine. She was also accused of three counts of the worst kind of murder and spent 20 years in prison.
While she was in prison, three of her sons died. After she was set free in 2004, she was sent back to Colombia and lived a calm life.
On September 3, 2012, at 69 years old, she was killed by a man on a motorbike in Medellín. The drive-by shooting was a copy of the way she used to kill people when she was in charge.
“Her murder shows how much people hated her. ” In 2012, she was a lonely woman who kept to herself, and three out of her four children had passed away,” Newman told the BBC.
Baiz said the story of the chain-smoking, gun-wielding killer is a “perfect pattern”.
She starts with nothing, has great success, but at the end of the story it’s a sad ending with complete loss.
Despite having a very interesting and powerful life story, Blanco is often not remembered in history books. Even Vergara, who grew up in Colombia during the time when drugs were being trafficked, said she had never heard of this woman. After learning about her life, she thought it was impossible that this was a true story.
“I wanted to play Griselda because of this. ” She does a lot of things at once: she is a mother, a villain, a lover, and a killer. She demonstrates better than anyone else how complicated people can be. -
South Africa hails ICJ decision as “decisive victory”
South Africa is happy with the decision made by the International Court of Justice about its case against Israel. They think it is a big win.
The highest court at the United Nations told Israel to quickly do some things to help in Gaza, but didn’t ask for a ceasefire.
Israel must do everything it can to stop genocide in the area, urgently allow more needed aid to enter the territory, and to prevent and punish anyone who encourages genocide in the conflict.
South Africa said Israel is killing many Palestinians.
Israel strongly denies the accusation and is likely to ignore the judges’ orders because the judges cannot force them to follow their decision.
It might be many years before the ICJ makes a final decision about the claim of genocide. -
South African arrested for smuggling rhino horns valued at $1.2 million
A man from South Africa got sent to jail for two years in Singapore for trying to bring rhino horns into the country. Singapore’s national parks organization reported this.
Please rewrite this text using simpler words.
This is the longest sentence ever given for selling illegal animals in the country.
Gumede Sthembiso Joel was caught at Changi airport in 2022 with 20 rhino horns weighing 34. 7 kg (765 lb) in his luggage and was taken into custody. They were worth about $1. 2 million or £940,000.
The 33-year-old admitted to breaking the law in Singapore by taking endangered animals from South Africa to Laos.
Rhino horns cannot be traded and there are international rules to protect the animals.
Many rhinos live in South Africa, and poaching is a big problem for them, according to the International Rhino Foundation. There are about 15,000 rhinos in the world.
In the first six months of 2023, 231 rhinos were killed by poachers, as reported by the IRF. -
2 Abii Nationals Savings and Loans employees ‘cash out’ a customer’s GHC4.7m
A customer has taken legal action against Abii National Savings and Loans, alleging that two of the bank’s employees, Henry Howard Ankai and Joseph Ato Newton, orchestrated the unauthorized withdrawal of GHS 4,748,801 from his account using 26 cheques without prior notice.
The case, now before the High Court in the Ashanti Region, has prompted the court to issue an order for substituted service on Abii National Savings and Loans and the implicated employees.
The aggrieved customer contends that the two bank employees misused their positions to orchestrate a complex financial fraud, resulting in a substantial loss from his account.
The customer’s legal representative asserts that the unauthorized transactions went unnoticed for an extended period, casting doubts on the bank’s internal controls and oversight mechanisms.
-
GNCCI ugently calls for a 200-point interest rate reduction to revitalize businesses and Foster Economic Growth
The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) has called on the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Ghana to make a significant reduction of at least 200 basis points in the monetary policy rate (MPR) at its upcoming meeting.
The move is aimed at rejuvenating struggling businesses and fostering economic growth, according to a statement issued by GNCCI President Clement Osei-Amoako.
Addressing the previous rate hikes aimed at curbing inflation caused by factors such as oil prices and supply chain disruptions, Osei-Amoako acknowledged the need for those measures but emphasized the adverse effects of the current 30 percent policy rate on domestic businesses.
“Ghanaian businesses are facing a considerable increase in borrowing costs, largely stemming from the high monetary policy rate,” stated Mr. Osei-Amoako. He highlighted the cumulative impact of high interest rates, averaging 32 percent in 2023, coupled with already elevated utility tariffs and excessive taxes, making the cost of doing business in Ghana exceptionally high.
Osei-Amoako pointed to visible signs of economic distress, including declining production, business closures, rising non-performing loans, and businesses relocating to other African countries, all of which are indicative of a challenging business climate.
The GNCCI President argued that a substantial interest rate reduction would not only revive private sector growth but also stimulate the private sector, a vital driver of economic growth. He expressed optimism that such a rate cut could help reverse the decline in the private sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which had dropped from 6.1 percent in late 2021 to two percent by the third quarter of 2023.
In addition to making borrowing more accessible for businesses and incentivizing banks to reduce their rates, the GNCCI asserted that a 200-point reduction (2 percent) would enhance the regional competitiveness of local businesses.
The call for a rate cut is particularly relevant in the context of Ghana having one of the highest interest rates in Africa. A reduction in interest rates would be instrumental in improving the competitiveness of Ghanaian businesses within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
As the nation awaits the outcome of the upcoming MPC meeting, stakeholders, including businesses and investors, are keenly watching for potential changes in the policy rate and their implications for economic growth and stability.
-
Govt killed my ‘iconic’ UT bank – Kofi Amoabeng
Former Chief Executive Officer of UT Bank and UT Holdings, Retired Captain Prince Kofi Amoabeng, has asserted that the government played a pivotal role in the collapse of UT Bank. Speaking on Starr Chat with Bola Ray on Thursday, January 25, 2024, Amoabeng outlined the circumstances surrounding the revocation of UT Bank’s license.
According to Amoabeng, at the time the government sought to revoke UT Bank’s license, he was actively in the process of bringing in investors. UT Bank, which was publicly listed on the Stock Exchange and boasted around 15,000 Ghanaian individual shareholders, faced a tumultuous period when the government decided to withdraw its license.
“UT was an iconic company for Ghanaians and we had an indigenous company that we could be proud of. We have won all kinds of awards including internal national awards,” he said.
He emphasized that the bank’s shares had value at the time the Bank of Ghana withdrew its license, and he believes the situation should have been addressed comprehensively. Amoabeng expressed his disappointment, stating.
“You killed it for what sake? So the issue is I don’t have the time to hate people and bear grudges, but as we sit here I am consumed by the passion to create leaders who are different. Leaders who will not look at the myopic thing but think about Ghana and Africa, that is what I am doing now.”
Highlighting the bank’s achievements, including national awards and a high ranking on the Ghana Club 100, Amoabeng argued that the decision to revoke the license was detrimental to the progress and reputation of the bank.
“We were number two at some point in time on Ghana Club 100, and a story I personally was invited to Oxford to share this idea, you don’t just kill it,” he asserted. “I am not talking about Kofi Amoabeng. I am talking about Ghana that we were able to build something that outside appreciate and will want to hear about, and you just killed it.”
Amoabeng concluded by expressing his dedication to nurturing leaders with a broader vision, ones who prioritize the well-being of Ghana and Africa. His comments shed light on the complexities surrounding the downfall of UT Bank and the broader implications for indigenous businesses in the country
-
Ruto suffers as Kenyan housing tax blocked by court
A court in Kenya has refused to let the government introduce a new tax on housing. This decision is a setback for the government.
In November, the High Court said that the 1. 5% monthly charge was not fair to Kenyans who have regular jobs and told them to stop paying it.
On Friday, the court said that people don’t have to pay the tax until the case is finished.
The government wanted to start collecting the tax again for now.
It started taking 1. 5% of the total wages of both local and foreign workers last July. This money is being used to build cheap houses for people with low incomes.
The new tax upset the opposition and many Kenyans who already feel overwhelmed by the many taxes President William Ruto has introduced.
The government said that if they stopped the tax, many people working on the housing program would lose their jobs and it would break the contracts that had already been made.
Many people in Kenya feel better about the decision, even though the Court of Appeal has not made its final ruling.
The decision was made just one week after the appeals court approved a new healthcare insurance fee. This fee will require people to give 2. 75% of their monthly salary to a social healthcare program.
The housing levy case on Friday has caused a disagreement between the judges and the president. President Ruto said that some judges are working with the opposition to stop development projects and are corrupt. -
West African bloc revokes mission to Niger
Niger is upset because the West African group cancelled their visit due to plane problems. The plane was supposed to take most of the delegation from Abuja to Niamey.
The leader chosen by Niger’s military government complained about Ecowas, a group of West African countries, because only Togo showed up.
Ecowas said they didn’t come to the country with the military leaders because their plane had technical problems. They didn’t mean to disrespect the country.
The group from West Africa said they will plan the mission again as soon as they can.
Ecowas has put strong punishments on Niger because a coup removed President Mohamed Bazoum in July.
It has asked for President Bazoum to be let go many times since he was kept at home.
The group has said they might use their military and stopped doing business with the country that doesn’t have any coasts.
Niger’s leaders wanted the meeting to make things better with neighboring Ecowas countries. -
Fumso traders block New Adubiase highways to catch Mahama’s attention
Residents and traders of Fumso, a suburb of the Ashanti Region, took to the streets to block the New Adubiase highways in an attempt to draw the attention of former President John Mahama during his campaign tour and stakeholder engagement ahead of the 2024 elections.
As Mahama’s convoy made its way towards New Adubiase, a group of determined Fumso traders strategically positioned themselves on the highways, temporarily disrupting traffic flow to voice their grievances.
In a video making rounds on social media the Fumso residents were seen gesticulating with their hands, calling for change.
The visual representation of their frustrations underscores the passion and urgency with which the residents are seeking solutions to the challenges they face in their community.
While the specific grievances of the Fumso residents were not immediately clear from the footage, it is evident that the demonstration was a calculated effort to capture the attention of former President Mahama, who is actively engaging with stakeholders in the Ashanti Region as part of his campaign for the upcoming elections.
-
China discloses British person given jail term in 2022 for spying
In 2022, a person from Britain was sent to jail for five years for spying in China, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ian J Stones is accused of getting secret information for people in other countries, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The spokesperson said he tried to change the sentencing but it was still the same in September.
This information was only told to us in a meeting on Friday.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) says that Stones worked in China for a long time with big American companies like General Motors and Pfizer. He is thought to be about 70 years old.
15 years ago, he started a company in Beijing that helps people manage their investments. The Wall Street Journal found this information in corporate records, online profiles, and interviews with people who know him.
Wang Wenbin from Mofa said the court followed the law when handling the case. He also said that Beijing made sure the man’s rights were protected and allowed British officials to visit him and attend his trial.
Stone’s daughter said to the WSJ that embassy officials and one family member were allowed to watch one hearing but not the trial. They were also not allowed to see any legal documents for the case.
She said her father was healthy when he was first taken into custody, but he didn’t get good medical care or enough food, so he got really hurt and his life was in danger.
Ms Stones said that people from the British Embassy have been able to see Stones every four to six weeks to make sure he is ok. But sometimes they didn’t hear from him for a long time and weren’t allowed to visit him.
Mr Wang said that Stones was accused of taking bribes to give information to outside people.
“He said that the court system makes sure that cases are handled according to the law, protecting the rights of Chinese citizens and foreigners. ”
China has been sharing more and more cases of spying by Western countries.
Beijing is trying to make people aware of spying by other countries and asking them to report any strange behavior.
Earlier this month, Chinese officials said they had arrested someone they believe was spying for Britain’s MI6. The BBC could not confirm these statements on its own.
The UK government won’t say yes or no about claims about intelligence. -
Miners ordered to pay $9.7 billion for dam accident in Brazil
A judge in Brazil has told big mining companies BHP and Vale, along with their joint venture Samarco, to pay a lot of money for causing a dam to burst in 2015.
The dam in the south-east of the country broke and caused a big mudslide that killed 19 people.
The dam also made the Rio Doce river very dirty, making it hard for the water to flow to the ocean.
It was not clear at first how much money each company has to pay.
Judge Vinicius Cobucci said the companies are responsible for causing emotional pain to the people affected by the incident.
He said that the money, which will be changed to account for the increase in prices since 2015, will be put into a state fund and used for projects and plans in the area affected by the dam collapse.
The decision was made after state and federal public prosecutors filed a lawsuit.
Vale said to the media that they didn’t know about the decision yet.
The company said that as of December last year, the Renova Foundation has paid out 34. 7bn reais for compensation.
BHP and Samarco did not answer the media’s questions right away.
The decision lets the companies ask for a review of the ruling.
Samarco is a partnership between two companies, BHP from Australia and Vale from Brazil.
The disaster in Minas Gerais state was very bad and caused 700 people to leave their homes. It is one of the worst environmental disasters in the country.
When the dam broke, a lot of thick, red toxic mud flooded and destroyed the village of Bento Rodrigues.
It also made the Rio Doce river and Atlantic Ocean 650km away dirty, harming animals and making the drinking water bad for hundreds of thousands of people.
A report from 2016 said that the dam collapsed because it was badly designed.
The report, requested by Samarco’s owners BHP and Vale, did not say who caused the disaster.
Walls of dams that hold mining waste are usually made of a mix of sandy and clay-like material.
The report found that the way the Fundão dam was built in 2011 and 2012 didn’t let water drain properly, which caused the dam to break on 5 November 2015.
The sand in the dam walls got very wet and started acting like a liquid, which is called “liquefaction”.
A little earthquake on the same day as the dam burst might have made the dam break even faster, the report said.
The disaster caused people to closely examine the safety rules in the mining industry.
BHP and Vale are being sued by over 700,000 people in the UK.
In January 2019, a dam owned by Vale broke in the same state, close to the town of Brumadinho. This caused 270 people to die. -
Gaza war: International Court of Justice to rule on Israel’s request to halt military action
The UN’s highest court will decide if they should tell Israel to stop their actions in Gaza right away.
On Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will have a meeting about a case. South Africa is saying that Israel is doing very bad things, like killing many people from a particular group.
Both countries spoke when the case started two weeks ago. Israel strongly said no to the accusation.
The court’s decision against Israel is not able to be enforced, but it would still be very important in politics.
Over 25,000 Palestinians, mainly women and children, have been killed and many more hurt, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The violence started when the group Hamas attacked Israel.
The Hamas attack on October 7th killed around 1,300 people, mostly innocent people. The attackers also kidnapped about 250 people and took them back to Gaza.
South Africa is asking the court to stop Israel’s military actions towards Palestinians while they investigate claims of genocide. The decision on this is not going to happen for a long time, maybe even for years.
Israel was very upset when South Africa said they were committing genocide. They said South Africa was not telling the truth. It said it could protect itself and was only aiming at Hamas fighters, not people in Palestine.
It wanted the judges to reject South Africa’s request because it claimed the accusations of genocide were not true.
On Friday, 17 judges need to answer two questions before making a decision.
First, we need to see if South Africa’s claim against Israel fits the UN‘s rules for the 1948 Genocide Convention. The agreement, which Israel and South Africa have agreed to, explains what actions can be considered as genocide. At the beginning of the case, it is not very difficult to prove.
Furthermore, the judges can consider requests from other places besides South Africa. The panel should tell Israel to follow international law and make sure that it doesn’t stop food, water, or medicine from being delivered to people.
The ICJ can only give advice and opinions, but it doesn’t have the power to make decisions. Although its decisions are considered to have legal force, they cannot be enforced by the court. If Israel loses in court on Friday, they will probably just ignore the decision.
It would make Israel feel more pressure to stop fighting and make its allies work harder to help find a peaceful solution and get aid to the people who need it. -
Kenyan court refuses to send police to Haiti
The Kenyan High Court stopped the government from sending police officers to help fight gangs in Haiti.
The judge said it would be against the law to send police officers out of Kenya because the National Security Council doesn’t have the power to do so.
He said that the council can only send soldiers to keep peace in places like Haiti.
Last year, Kenya agreed to lead a group of countries’ security force in Haiti to stop gangs from fighting.
Last year, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry requested the UN to quickly send a group of soldiers from different countries to help.
He said gangs control 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and his government can’t handle it.
The UN Security Council supported Kenya‘s offer to lead the force and Kenyan lawmakers then approved the deployment.
Ekuru Aukot, a leader from the opposing side, said that this was a victory for Kenya. He added that the country cannot afford to send officers elsewhere before dealing with its security issues.
Mr Aukot said that President William Ruto was using the deployment to improve his image and get support from Western countries like the US.
President Ruto said Kenya has done a great job in helping keep peace in other countries.
He said that sending officers there would help them get better at keeping things safe.
Before the decision was made, a police officer told the media without giving their name that they had received two months of very focused training.
He said that the classes included learning how to use weapons, studying international laws, and understanding the land of Haiti. -
Brave Trump assumes legal risk by testifying in defamation trial in New York
Donald Trump made an appearance in court to address a legal dispute. The court time was short.
The civil trial is about mean things Mr. Trump said about Ms. Carroll in 2019 when he was in the White House.
He was caught for sexually attacking Ms. Carroll in the 1990s, but he still says he didn’t do it.
However, the court had to spend a lot of time discussing the extent of his testimony on Thursday for this reason.
Judge Lewis Kaplan, who is in charge of the case, said the former US president can only talk about certain things in court because he was found responsible for sexually assaulting Ms Carroll in a different trial.
This caused the judge and lawyers to argue for a long time about what Mr. Trump could talk about, which was much longer than his four minutes of testimony.
Judge Kaplan said the first trial proved what happened and now the only thing left to decide is how much money Mr Trump has to give Ms Carroll, if any.
He didn’t give the current top Republican candidate any chance to speak beyond what was agreed. This made it impossible for the candidate to talk a lot or promote their campaign while testifying.
Maybe this is something Mr. Trump has learned from his other legal fights. In a trial for fraud in New York, Mr. Trump was first told he could not give his final statement. The judge in that case wanted to know if Mr. Trump would be brief and only talk about the important parts of the case.
Mr Trump talked for six minutes and said that he feels unfairly treated by politics.
The old person didn’t have as much freedom during the defamation trial on Thursday.
When he was asked if he still agreed with what he said before, Mr. Trump said, “Yes, absolutely. ”
His lawyer, Alina Habba, then asked if he said he didn’t do what Ms Carroll said he did. “He said, ‘Yes, that’s correct, I did. ‘”
He said “She said something that I thought was a lie – completely untrue”.
However, Judge Kaplan quickly stopped Mr. Trump and told the jury to pay no attention to his last statement.
Finally, Ms Habba asked if her client told anyone to hurt Ms Carroll. Mr Trump said, “No, I just wanted to protect myself, my family and the presidency. ” The judge again removed the last part from the record.
And that’s the end of the testimony. A WCBS reporter heard Mr. Trump say, as he left the courtroom, that it’s not the America he knows. This is not the United States.
Earlier today, Judge Kaplan told him to not talk loudly and interrupt the proceedings. He was overheard quietly saying that he had never met Ms Carroll.
It feels like we’ve seen this before when watching one of Mr. Trump’s trials In court, he has often pushed the boundaries and taken big legal risks.
If Trump had given evidence that went beyond what the judge allowed on Thursday, he could have been fined a lot of money or even sent to jail for lying.
However, Trump’s followers are staying interested and paying attention to his legal issues because he is doing things his own way.
And most importantly, it’s getting a lot of attention from the media at a very important time for the politician. After winning in New Hampshire, the former real estate businessman from New York is likely to be the Republican candidate for president.
Ronnell Andersen Jones, who teaches law at the University of Utah, said to media that this case demonstrates the big difference between Mr Trump’s legal tactics and his actions during the election.
The ex-president and his lawyers are trying to tell the jury that his words in the White House were not bad enough to deserve punishment, but it’s hard to believe that considering what he did.
“Ms Jones said it will be difficult because the jury keeps hearing new evidence that the defendant is still spreading lies outside the courtroom. ”
The trial for slander will start again on Friday at 09:30 ET (14:30 GMT) with final statements from both sides. We don’t know yet if Mr. Trump will go. -
Ex-Trump advisor found guilty of contempt of Congress
Peter Navarro, who used to give advice to Donald Trump about trading, has been punished with four months in jail for disrespecting Congress.
Navarro was found guilty in September for not following a subpoena from a House committee that was looking into claims of trying to change the 2020 election results.
Federal prosecutors said he picked Trump over the law. They said he should get a “harsh punishment”.
Navarro, who is 74 years old, could have gone to prison for up to one year for each of the two charges of disobeying the court.
In a letter last month, prosecutors said that Navarro, “like the people who rioted at the Capitol, cared more about politics than the country, and refused to help Congress investigate. ”
In February 2022, a committee from the US House of Representatives gave him a subpoena.
But he did not give any of the asked for emails or papers or show up to answer questions in front of the Democratic-led group.
He was proven to be guilty by the 12 people on the jury after they talked about it for four hours. This happened after a trial in Washington DC that lasted two days.
Navarro’s lawyers have asked the judge to change his guilty verdict. They say he was not part of the group that attacked the government building, and should only have to do six months of probation.
His lawyers asked for a new trial because they said the jurors left the courthouse and saw protestors while they were making their decision.
However, Judge Amit Mehta refused to grant a new trial request last week.
In his book from 2021, called In Trump Time, Navarro said he was the person who came up with a plan to question the 2020 election results. He believed there was a lot of cheating in the voting process.
The Republicans in Congress wanted to wait before confirming that President Joe Biden won the election.
Navarro named this plan the Green Bay Sweep, referencing a play in American football.
The House committee said Navarro’s claims of a lot of ballot cheating were proven to be untrue by state and local officials.
When the committee asked Navarro, he said that Mr. Trump told him to use executive privilege. This is a rule that lets some White House messages be kept secret.
The judge said there was no proof that Mr. Trump asked for it, or that he could use his power to let Navarro ignore the committee’s orders.
His situation is similar to another Trump associate who was found guilty of disobeying the 6 January committee.
Steve Bannon, who used to work for Donald Trump’s election campaign, was found guilty of not obeying a legal order from the House committee in July 2022.
Bannon was given a four-month jail sentence, but he is still out of jail while his lawyers appeal the decision. -
Opposition leader in Zimbabwe leaves ‘contaminated’ party
Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has quit, saying his party has been taken over by the government and it’s not good anymore.
“I don’t want to be involved in dirty politics,” he said in a statement that was 13 pages long on Thursday.
He got 44% of the votes in the presidential election last year. Some people said there was cheating.
However, some members of his party, CCC, lost their jobs because of sabotage, according to Mr.
Mr Chamisa, a 45-year-old, is a Christian pastor and lawyer. He is going to start a new political party.
It’s not certain how many of the CCC’s MPs and councillors will go with him.
Although he has a lot of support, especially in cities, some people who don’t like Mr Chamisa say he is not a good leader and this has caused problems in the opposition. This has made it easier for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to stay in control.
In his letter, he said the CCC had been “hurt”, accusing the ruling Zanu-PF party of being responsible – allegations it denied.
“He said that the original CCC idea has been changed and taken over by ZANU PF using government institutions in a bad way. ”
In the statement, the old leader of CCC said it was President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s fault for many problems in Zimbabwe, like bad hospitals, cholera and social services breaking down.
He said that many people in his group were paid to work against it.
In reference to President Mnangagwa’s nickname, Mr. Chamisa said he didn’t want to take any risks.
In 2017, President Mnangagwa took over as the leader after a peaceful takeover that removed Robert Mugabe, who had been in power for a long time.
He was seen as a symbol of hope and change for the struggling country.
However, there are still a lot of problems in Zimbabwe, such as high prices, not enough jobs, and limits on freedom of speech.
Mr Chamisa has been involved in opposing politics for more than twenty years.
He says that he has been in danger and had to escape an attempt on his life in 2022 when his group was attacked during an election. He was hurt badly in 2007 when the government tried to stop the opposition. His skull was cracked.
Before, he was in charge of a different group called the MDC. He left that group because there was a fight for control. Then, in 2022, he started his own group called the CCC. -
Martin Kpebu asks Akufo-Addo to consider 5-year contract for ACP Agordzo as reparation
A private legal practitioner and counsel for the recently acquitted Assistant Commissioner of Police (Rtd), Dr Benjamin Agordzo, has proposed a unique form of reparation.
Martin Kpebu is advocating for the Ghana Police Service to grant ACP Agordzo a five-year contract appointment, allowing him to regain his lost dignity and continue his dedicated service to the nation.
The High Court’s decision on January 24 to acquit ACP Agordzo, along with Colonel Samuel Kodzo Gameli and Corporal Seidu Abubakar, of treason charges marked the end of a protracted legal battle. Kpebu believes that offering a contract appointment to Dr. Agordzo would not only restore his professional standing but also contribute to the positive work he was undertaking for Ghana.
Speaking on the January 24 edition of Ghana Tonight on TV3, Kpebu expressed his sentiments, stating, “It will not solve all the problems, the destruction. It will not make him regain everything he’s lost, but at least, it will rehabilitate him a bit, because they’ve destroyed him on frivolous evidence.”
Kpebu further revealed that they are preparing to take legal action against the government for malicious prosecution. He asserted that the state prosecuted Dr Agordzo for political gains, accusing them of abusing the criminal justice system to stifle dissent and silence public officers critical of the government.
“We are building a case, malicious prosecution. When we say malicious prosecution, it is a case where somebody takes you through the criminal justice system, through trial, etc., without justifiable reason,” Kpebu explained. “We will show how this was an abuse of the process from day one.”
He also challenged the government’s motives, questioning why similar statements made by President Akufo-Addo during his time in opposition did not lead to any legal action against him.
Meanwhile, despite Agordzo’s acquittal, six other individuals, including three soldiers, were sentenced to death by hanging for their involvement in the same case. The verdict has ignited discussions about the legal proceedings and the implications for those accused in the high-profile trial.
-
Briton found not guilty of bombing fictitious London-Spain flight
A court in Spain said it was okay for a British man to joke with friends about blowing up a flight from London to Menorca. They let him go without punishment.
Aditya Verma said to his friends in July 2022, “I’m going to explode the plane. ” I belong to the Taliban.
He said he made the joke in a private Snapchat group and didn’t mean to upset anyone in public.
A judge in Madrid decided that there were no explosives. It was discovered that something made people think it was a real danger.
The trial of Mr. Verma happened on Monday at the National Court in the Spanish capital, a year and a half after the incident.
The UK security services found the message he sent to his friends before getting on the plane. They reported it to Spanish authorities while the easyJet plane was still flying.
Two Spanish fighter jets were sent to fly alongside the aircraft. Someone watched the plane until it reached Menorca, then they searched the plane when it landed.
Mr Verma, who was 18 years old, was taken by the police and kept in a jail in Spain for two days. He was let go after paying money as a promise to come back to court.
Earlier, a judge decided that Mr Verma did not do anything wrong and should be found innocent.
If the university student was proven guilty, he could have to pay a fine of up to €22,500 and also cover the cost of the scrambled jets, which could be an additional €95,000.
One important question in the case was how the message was leaked, even though Snapchat is supposed to keep messages private.
One idea brought up in court was that it might have been taken from Gatwick’s Wi-Fi network. However, a person who speaks for the airport told BBC News that its network cannot do that.
The judge said that the message was captured by England’s security when the plane was flying over France, but they don’t know why.
The message was sent in a private chat among the accused and his friends. They were the only ones who could see it, so the accused didn’t think anyone else would see it. The court said that the British services and other people couldn’t find out about the prank he played on his friends, except for the friends who got the message.
UK authorities were not sure how they found out about the message, and the judge mentioned that they were not part of the evidence in the trial.
A person who speaks for Snapchat said the social media company won’t talk about what happened in this specific situation.
Snapchat wants to make sure its app is a safe and fun place for people to use and connect with their friends. They also work with the police to help keep the app safe.
We also work with the police to quickly report any content that seems to threaten someone’s life, like threats to shoot up a school, use a bomb, or when someone goes missing. We also help the police by giving them information when they’re dealing with a situation where someone’s life is in immediate danger.
“If the police need information in an emergency, our team will usually reply within 30 minutes, no matter what time it is. “ -
ECG asks customers to secure sufficient credit ahead of January 25-26 maintenance works
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has called on customers utilizing the CLOU prepayment Metering System’s server to purchase sufficient credit to cover the period from January 25 to 26. The announcement comes as part of the ECG’s plans to undertake emergency maintenance works on the CLOU Prepayment Metering System’s server.
A notice to customers, as cited by 3news.com, stated, “The Electricity Company of Ghana will undertake emergency maintenance works on the CLOU Prepayment Metering System’s server…All CLOU prepaid customers are therefore being advised to purchase enough credit that will last for the period of the downtime.”
The ECG expressed regret for any inconvenience caused to affected customers during the maintenance period.
The move has been prompted by the need for repair works on the CLOU system, and the ECG is proactively advising prepaid customers to ensure they have adequate credit to avoid any disruption in their electricity supply.
The announcement comes amidst customer complaints across various parts of the country regarding erratic power supply, impacting business operations. While government officials have consistently denied the return of ‘Dumsor,’ the intermittent power situation continues to be a concern for consumers.
The ECG’s proactive approach to communicate and advise customers on the impending maintenance works reflects the utility company’s commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction. As the scheduled maintenance takes place, customers are encouraged to comply with the advisory to minimize any inconvenience during the specified period.
The ECG’s initiative to address potential disruptions through planned maintenance aligns with efforts to maintain the reliability and efficiency of the power distribution system, ultimately contributing to a stable electricity supply for consumers across the region.
-
Are you awake only when NDC is in power? – Mahama questions GBA amidst accusations of bias against NDC
Former President John Mahama has urged the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) to maintain consistency in advocating for the national interest, regardless of the political party in power.
During a meeting with organized labor representatives in Kumasi, Mahama expressed concerns about the GBA’s perceived silence on critical issues under the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
He pointed out instances where the GBA remained quiet on allegations of human rights violations and questionable government decisions.
Mahama raised questions about the GBA’s credibility, suggesting that its apparent selective activism undermines the principles of justice and accountability.
He highlighted the association’s historical pattern of being more vocal during National Democratic Congress (NDC) governments and less so during New Patriotic Party (NPP) administrations.
Mahama urged the GBA to transcend partisan considerations and consistently advocate for the rights and freedoms of all Ghanaians.
The former president emphasized the importance of upholding the truth and being unwavering in the defense of human rights, regardless of the political climate.
Mahama’s remarks underscore the need for institutions like the GBA to play a consistent and impartial role in safeguarding democratic values and the rule of law.
-
‘Ultra-patriot’ Russian imprisoned for insulting Putin
I saw Igor Girkin five years ago in a stairwell at a news agency in Moscow.
“Can I interview you. ” I said “NO,” he said firmly and quickly ran off.
I saw him again today. I saw him once more today. No stairs This time, Girkin was in a locked area with police around him in the Moscow City Court.
We were permitted to film him along with other media for just one minute at the end of his trial.
A dog trained to help the police wouldn’t stop barking. Girkin thought it was funny. The verdict is not as much. A few minutes later, he was judged to be guilty of extreme behavior and was given a four-year prison sentence.
He had been convicted before.
In 2022 in The Hague, Girkin was found guilty of killing 298 people on Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, even though he wasn’t there in person.
Russian forces in Ukraine destroyed a Boeing plane in 2014.
Girkin was one of three men who were given a life sentence in prison. He didn’t listen to the judgement.
One year after we first met in the stairwell, I finally talked to Girkin on the phone and asked him about the Hague.
He said he doesn’t believe in the Dutch court’s power for this issue.
“I am a soldier and I don’t think it’s right for a court in another country to punish someone for fighting in a war that wasn’t their own, just because some of the local people were killed. ”
“Do you know who caused the plane to crash. ”
“The rebels didn’t bring down the Boeing plane. ” I have nothing left to say.
“I asked if the Russian soldiers were the ones responsible since it wasn’t the rebels. ”
“That’s all” “Goodbye,” he said and then ended the call.
Now he will be in jail. But not for killing a lot of people at once. Not forever
Who is Girkin, also known as Igor Strelkov, and why did a Moscow court put him in jail.
He used to work for the Russian security service called the FSB. In 2014, he was an important part of the fighting in Ukraine’s Donbas region. The conflict was planned and directed by Moscow.
He led groups of people who supported Russia in eastern Ukraine.
The court in the Netherlands decided that Russia was in charge of the groups fighting for independence in eastern Ukraine. Also, Girkin was involved in bringing the missile system that shot down flight MH17 into Ukraine.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, ultranationalist Girkin became a popular blogger who supported the war.
He started to be more and more critical of how the Russian government was fighting the war. He thought they were not putting in enough effort.
He started a group called The Club of Angry Patriots, which believed in strong nationalism.
He had problems when he started to show his anger towards President Vladimir Putin.
People said mean things about the Russian president in public. Last year, Girkin said Putin is “meaningless” and “a cowardly person who is not useful”.
A couple of days after that, he got taken by the police. Now he’s been found guilty in court.
Certainly, a four-year prison punishment is not as severe as other punishments given by Russian courts lately.
Last year, a pro-democracy activist named Vladimir Kara-Murza was given a 25-year prison sentence for being found guilty of treason. He and his supporters say that the case was motivated by politics.
How would the “Angry Patriots” respond to Girkin going to prison. Would they go out on the streets to show their anger.
No, not exactly. A small group of fans got together outside the Moscow City Court and shouted “Freedom to Strelkov. ” but they didn’t sound very hopeful.
“Denis says they are trying a Russian person who loves their country. ” I want our people to wake up and start fighting. I’m sorry, but we don’t see people disagreeing much. “Everyone is staying hidden. ”
Also in the crowd was a retired army colonel named Vladimir Kvachkov who is known for being very patriotic and vocal about his beliefs.
Mr Kvachkov told me that Russia will always be an enemy of the West and said that the United Kingdom will break up. He also said that Girkin is being punished for going against the system.
In the past few years, the government has focused on getting rid of Russian political figures who support democracy and the West.
Girkin’s prison sentence shows that Russia is now cracking down on critics who are extreme patriots.
The mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner mercenaries last year might be the cause.
The Putin government overcame the challenge. However, the Kremlin will now be aware of the potential risks from very motivated nationalistic and patriotic people in Russian society. -
Apple to permit competing app shops on iPhones in EU
Apple will let people in the EU use different app stores on their Apple devices from March.
Right now, people with an iPhone or iPad can only get apps from the company’s App Store.
Apple says its rules keep users safe.
However, some people say that it unfairly controls the market, forces customers and developers to use only its services, and charges developers a fee of up to 30%.
This means that if developers don’t follow Apple’s rules or don’t want to pay fees, they can’t reach the millions of people who use Apple products.
The UK will not make the changes right now. But they are working on a new law that might make Apple follow the same rules.
Epic, the company that makes Fortnite, took their popular game off the App Store because they didn’t agree with the store’s rules. You can’t find it on the App Store since 2020, but you can still play it on the internet.
In theory, this change could allow iPhone users in Europe to download the Fortnite app from a different app store.
The change happens as the EU’s Digital Markets Act starts working. The new law is meant to make sure big companies that control things like search engines and app stores play fair and don’t give unfair advantages to smaller businesses.
Apple also said it will let people in the EU choose a different web browser instead of using Safari when they first open it.
However, it said that even though it was making strict rules for new apps and stores, it thought that this might make it easier for customers to be at risk of getting viruses, scams, and fraud from apps from other places.
“Today, we are making changes to follow the rules of the Digital Markets Act in the European Union. This will help keep EU users safe from privacy and security risks that come with this regulation,” Apple stated.
The big US tech company sells expensive products and says they provide extra security.
Android apps can now be found in more different stores. However, malware is more common on Android devices than on Apple ones.
The new EU rules and UK proposals both aim to keep markets open and fair so that many companies can do well and compete with each other. -
Barari DV lithium deal gets backing from Central Regional House of Chiefs
Central Regional House of Chiefs has thrown its support behind the Ewoyaa Lithium project, countering initial opposition from various civil society actors and organizations, including the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
The decision to endorse the project, which has been met with skepticism from certain quarters, marks a significant development in the ongoing discourse surrounding the extraction of lithium resources in the region.
President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs, Odeefo Amoakwa Buadu VIII, emphasized the crucial role of green minerals like lithium in the global transition toward cleaner energy. He asserted the imperative need to capitalize on the resource found in the region, stating, “As a Regional House of Chiefs, we want to take advantage of this opportunity. We must make a decision and do so on time. So, we have decided to take advantage and mine it for the benefit of our people.”
Acknowledging that the lithium agreement with Barari DV Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Australian-based Atlantic Lithium Company, may not be flawless, Odeefo Amoakwa Buadu VIII asserted that it represents an initial step in harnessing the resource. He expressed confidence that challenges identified in the agreement could be addressed.
In an interview following an engagement with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resource at Cape Coast in the Central Region, the President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs added that while those opposed to the deal may have valid reasons for their resistance, the House believes it will ultimately serve the best interest of its people.
The approval from the chiefs serves as a crucial green light for the commencement of the extraction of the country’s lithium deposits, pending the ratification of the agreement by Parliament. This development follows mounting opposition to the inaugural lithium lease, which covers a span of 15 years.
The agreement with Barari DV, a subsidiary of Atlantic Lithium Company Limited, includes new and enhanced terms aimed at ensuring optimal benefits for the country from the mineral. This encompasses an increased royalty rate, state and local participation, and value addition to the mined mineral.
Deputy Minister in charge of Mines, George Mireku Duker, who led officials of the ministry, including the Minerals Commission, in engaging the traditional rulers, explained that the government was committed to granting a license to the company while ensuring the ultimate interest of the indigenous people of Ewoyaa and Ghanaians.
He highlighted the integral role of lithium in the global fight against climate change, emphasizing that Ghana is well-placed to contribute significantly to this fight with the discovery of lithium. Additionally, he outlined the employment and socio-economic benefits the Central Region is poised to enjoy with the exploitation of the commodity.
Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi, reassured the chiefs of his outfit’s commitment to ensuring that mining activities benefit host communities.
As the debate surrounding the lithium project continues, the endorsement from the Central Regional House of Chiefs introduces a new dimension to the ongoing dialogue and decisions surrounding the exploitation of lithium resources in the country.
-
French police exonerated of demeaning victim of sexual assault
A French policeman who insulted a woman reporting a sexual assault has not been punished by the police court.
In February 2022, the woman went to a police station in Paris to report what happened.
The police officer called her and left a message about paperwork. But he accidentally insulted her after he thought he hung up the phone.
The situation made people angry about how police in France handle victims of sexual abuse.
At the trial, the court had to think about whether the officer insulted himself or his colleagues, not the woman.
They asked for the officer to be found not guilty or given a pass because he had a good record in the past.
A woman judge decided that the comments were not a sexist insult and cleared the officer of any wrongdoing.
The woman’s lawyer, Arie Alimi, said to the AFP news agency that his client will ask for another decision.
She said that the courts still support the police.
The cop got in trouble and then moved to another job. He said sorry to the woman in court for the mean things he said.
He also said that he had to ask Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin to let him keep his job.
Mr Darmanin was really upset about the case. He said that when the officer’s wrongdoing was discovered, the officer should not be in the police anymore.
In February 2022, he said on Europe 1 radio that the man had made all the women who want to report a problem look bad, but it’s better for them to go to the police station to report it.
Mr Darmanin also said the officer had disrespected the uniform of the Republic and his 250,000 other police and gendarme colleagues by dirtying and spitting on it.
The police are looking into the woman’s complaint about being attacked. French media group bfmtv shared this information. -
Atlantic Lithium on a PR gimmick after heavy backlash over ‘shady’ deal in Ghana
A video making rounds on social media has received heavy backlash from the public.
The video features Atlantic Lithium, an African-focused lithium exploration and development company, and further sheds light on the company’s operations and its purported impact on the country.
However, the release of the video has been greeted with disdain by some Ghanaians. The video has been described as a PR stunt employed by the company.
Citi TV, a prominent Ghanaian media outlet, is also grappling with a wave of public discontent after the said video was released.
The video, shared on Citi TV’s Twitter handle, has ignited accusations from Ghanaians who believe it to be part of a strategic public relations offensive orchestrated by Atlantic Lithium in the wake of a controversial mining deal.
-
South African gospel singer charged of ordering death of her boyfriend
Kelly Khumalo, a gospel singer from South Africa, has been accused of telling someone to kill her boyfriend, Senzo Meyiwa, who was a football star at the time. This information was given in court.
In 2014, Mr Meyiwa got shot while trying to keep Ms Khumalo safe from robbers with guns. In 2020, five people were taken into custody by the police.
Investigator Bongani Gininda said in court that Ms Khumalo planned a contract killing.
Ms Khumalo’s representative told the BBC that they believe in the legal system.
They said that Ms Khumalo couldn’t say anything but her lawyers are working on the problem.
The trial of the people accused of killing Mr Meyiwa, who used to be the national football team captain and a goalkeeper for Orlando Pirates, has captured the country’s attention.
Ms Khumalo was first thought to be involved after police papers were leaked in 2020 when the men were arrested.
At that time, her lawyer told the local media that the gospel singer didn’t know about the five people.
Mr Gininda said in court that one of the suspects admitted in a statement that Ms Khumalo told them to kill Mr Meyiwa.
The main investigator also said that Ms Khumalo was connected to the suspects through their cell phones.
Last year, Colonel Lambertus Steyn from the National Cold Case Investigation Unit said that Ms Khumalo had talked to one of the accused at least two times before Mr Meyiwa was killed.
Also, Ms Khumalo had a picture of money in a see-through bag on her phone. The same picture was also on one of the suspect’s phones.
The court is figuring out if the confession statements can be used as evidence. Two of the people accused say they were forced to confess.
Ms Khumalo and Mr Meyiwa had a baby.
But Mr Gininda said the two had a disagreement.
He said that Ms Khumalo really didn’t like him and wanted to make him go away.
He said that messages between Ms Khumalo and her sister from early 2013 showed that she wanted to get rid of him. -
One of the most wanted fugitives in UK detained
One of the most wanted men in the UK has been put in jail for being in a gang that sold drugs and guns.
Dean Garforth used to live in Widnes, Cheshire. He was running away from the police for two years. They caught him in Marbella, Spain in 2022 while he was trying to escape on an e-bike.
The 31-year-old confessed to planning to sell illegal drugs and moving weapons and bullets.
He was given a prison sentence of 18 years and 8 months at Chester Crown Court.
Cheshire Police said Garforth was the leader and used the EncroChat network to talk about selling a lot of illegal drugs with other criminals.
Investigators started collecting evidence against him in April 2020, watching and studying his messages using the username Slickcliff.
The next month, a van didn’t stop when the police tried to pull it over on Bradley Way, Widnes.
It was later discovered parked in Norlands Park in Widnes.
The police found a phone that belonged to Garforth when they looked in the van.
Garforth used the device to send messages on EncroChat, but now EncroChat doesn’t work anymore.
Between March and July 2020, Garforth talked to his friends about getting and setting up lots of deliveries of drugs, guns, and bullets in the north-west of England.
Police went to his house in October 2020 with a warrant, but he had already gone to Spain, they said.
In January 2022, he was on a list of 12 wanted people in the UK who are thought to be hiding in Spain.
Garforth was riding an electric bike on a road in Marbella when he got arrested in a planned operation in October 2022 and was later sent back to the UK.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Henderson said that Garforth, like many other criminals, thought that EncroChat was a safe and secure way to send messages without getting caught.
“He didn’t know it, but our detectives were watching. ”
The locked device used to be seen as a secure way to talk about crime without getting caught by the police. Once the police figured it out, it meant that people using it would have a hard time denying that they were involved in serious crime. -
Henry Okello Oryem: Ugandan minister calls people dying of hunger “idiots”
A government minister in Uganda is in trouble for calling the people who died of hunger in his country “idiots”.
Many people think that Henry Okello Oryem’s comments are insensitive.
In 2022, a report from a human rights group said that over 2,200 people in north-east Uganda died because they did not have enough to eat.
But Oryem said that because Uganda has good weather and rich soil, people should be able to grow their own food.
“The state minister for foreign affairs told NTV Uganda that only a very foolish person would die because they don’t have enough food in Uganda. ”
“If you work hard, you can own land in Uganda. ” The weather is still good even though the climate is changing. If you work hard in the morning to plant and take care of your crops, then you will definitely have food to eat.
The report from the Uganda Human Rights Commission, which was created by the government, said that in addition to causing the death of many people, the lack of food in the north-east has left almost 500,000 people very hungry.
The minister’s words have made a lot of people very angry.
Moses Aleper, a leader in Chekwii county in the affected Karamoja region, told the media that Mr Oryem’s opinions were not correct and unfortunate, especially coming from a minister who should know what’s happening in the country.
“I come from a place in Karamoja that has lots of rain and we grow a lot of food. ” When the weather is bad, we might not be able to find food. Most people experience famine and hunger sooner or later.
Mr Aleper also said that people in the area often go hungry because of things like the climate changing, which are out of human control.
Popular Ugandan writer and journalist Charles Onyango-Obbo also criticized Mr. Oryem, saying that the minister doesn’t understand that hunger in Uganda is caused by problems with distributing food.
We don’t have official information about the food situation in Karamoja right now, but it usually has not enough food during dry seasons because the weather is very dry there. -
FDA issues warning on salt non-iodization
In a recent market survey conducted by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), unsettling findings have emerged regarding widespread non-compliance within the artisanal salt industry.
The survey, conducted in 2023, points fingers particularly at producers of non-prepackaged or unpackaged rock salt, revealing a significant lapse in iodization—a crucial requirement under the law.
The investigation further exposed operational deficiencies in the facilities of most artisanal producers, raising concerns about the overall quality and safety of the salt they produce. The FDA, in response to these revelations, has issued a directive to various stakeholders in the salt supply chain, including artisanal and large-scale producers, importers, transporters, storage facilities, and retailers, urging them to promptly regularize their operations.
This move comes as a preventive measure to safeguard public health, with the FDA citing the potential risk of Iodine deficiency disorders. The Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), mandates that all salt-producing and manufacturing facilities must be licensed by the FDA, and all packaged salts must be registered before entering the market.
The FDA emphasized that failure to adhere to the salt iodization provisions outlined in the law will result in prosecution. A press statement from the FDA underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, “Non-iodisation of edible salt as required by law constitutes a major violation and is a significant public health concern. Iodine deficiency can result in stillbirths, congenital defects, decreased cognitive capacity, infant mortality, goiter in both humans and animals, etc.”
Section 107 of the Public Health Act explicitly mandates that all salts meant for human and animal consumption must be iodized. The FDA’s statement urged operators of artisanal salt facilities to reach out to the nearest FDA offices in their respective regions and districts for necessary assistance in complying with the regulations.
As the FDA takes a firm stance on ensuring the public’s safety, the industry now faces a critical juncture, with stakeholders compelled to address these issues promptly to prevent potential health hazards associated with iodine deficiency disorders.
-
Qatar shocked over alleged criticism by Netanyahu
Qatar is very upset about comments made by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said that Qatar’s role as a mediator in the Gaza war is causing problems.
Israeli TV aired a recording of Mr. Netanyahu talking to the families of hostages held by Hamas. In the recording, he said that he did not thank Qatar.
“They have an advantage. ” “Because they give money to Hamas,” he says.
Qatar said the comments were “irresponsible” and “not surprising” if they are true.
The small country in the Gulf has been talking to Israel since the 1990s, but they have not become official friends.
Qatar has always supported the Palestinians and gives a place to political leaders of Hamas. Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the UK, the US, and other countries.
It has given a lot of money to help Gaza, which has been blocked by Israel and Egypt since 2006, when Hamas won elections. The blockade got stronger the next year because Hamas took control of Gaza by pushing out the PA forces with violence.
Since 2018, Israel has let Qatar pay the salaries of many government workers in Gaza, help the poorest families and give fuel to the power plant there. Qatar says they only gave money for civilian and humanitarian reasons.
The policy caused arguments in Israel because some people said it was helping Hamas to keep control and pay for its military actions.
Mr Netanyahu, who has been in office for most of the past 15 years, said that the wall is a way to stop attacks on Israel and help the people in Gaza.
After the attacks on southern Israel on October 7th, about 1,300 people were killed and 250 others were taken as hostages back to Gaza. He said the accusations that he encouraged the payments to help Hamas instead of the PA were not true.
Israel fought back against the attacks by starting a big military operation in Gaza to try to wipe out Hamas. Over 25,000 people died in the war, as reported by the Hamas health ministry.
Qatar helped make a deal with Hamas to stop the fighting for a week in November. As part of the deal, 105 Israeli and foreign hostages were released in exchange for about 240 Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
The emirate has been trying for weeks to make a new ceasefire deal. The situation in Gaza is getting worse and the Israeli government is feeling more pressure to free the remaining hostages.
On Tuesday, Israel’s Channel 12 TV played a recording of Mr Netanyahu saying to the families of hostages: “You don’t hear me thanking Qatar. ” “Did you see that. ”
“Why Because I see it as similar to the UN or Red Cross, and in some ways, it’s even more of a problem. I don’t have any false beliefs about them. ”
“I am willing to use any actor right now to help me bring the hostages home,” he said.
Israel says the UN and Red Cross are not doing enough to help the hostages or get them released.
The prime minister said Qatar could help because they have influence over Hamas.
“Why do they have power. Because they provide the money. ”
On Wednesday night, Majed al-Ansari from Qatar’s foreign ministry said on a social media site that the comments, if true, are not helpful and could harm the efforts to save lives, although they are not unexpected.
“For many months, Qatar has been talking to different groups, including Israeli organizations, to make a new agreement about hostages and to get help to people in Gaza. Last year, they helped free over 100 hostages through mediation. ”
He said that Mr. Netanyahu seems to be working against the mediation efforts for his own political gain.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Qatar helps terrorist groups. It supports Hamas and is mostly to blame for the killing of Israeli people by Hamas.
“Qatar will have absolutely no involvement in Gaza after the war,” he added.
Qatar’s foreign ministry did not say anything right away. -
Stop the Boats policy is a ‘fake response’ to problems with migration – UN
A high-ranking UN official is worried about the UK government‘s plan to stop boats bringing migrants. He thinks this plan is not a real solution to migration problems.
Rishi Sunak made a promise that was one of the five most important things for his government. The Prime Minister talked about these priorities at the beginning of last year.
However, Filippo Grandi, the leader of the United Nations refugee agency, told the media that migrants are vulnerable and can be easily taken advantage of.
The Home Office said that stopping people from entering the country illegally is a big problem and needs new, creative ideas to solve it.
Before the US presidential election and the UK general election, Mr. Grandi said that people in both countries are worried about immigration.
“Politicians are mostly responsible for causing this,” he said on BBC Radio 4’s Today program.
“Using lies to get people to vote for them. ”
“Migrants and refugees are often easy to harm or attack. ” Saying “we need to work hard on these problems” is not as exciting as saying “let’s just push them away and everything will be okay” – which isn’t true.
Mr Grandi was asked by Nick Robinson on the Today show if he is talking about the UK’s policy to stop boats and Donald Trump’s policy to build a wall.
“Sure,” replied Mr.
These are not real answers and they don’t even talk about the issue of arrivals.
“The problem is that too much focus on that takes away from the important work that needs to be done to better handle these difficult thoughts. ”
Mr Grandi spoke from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and shared his worries about the UK government’s plan to offer asylum to people from Rwanda.
Right now, Parliament is looking at a plan for a five-year agreement. It says that some asylum seekers who come to the UK will go to Rwanda to have their claims checked there.
If the plans work out, they might be given refugee status and be allowed to stay in the middle of Africa. If not, they could try to live in Rwanda for a different reason or ask for protection in a different country.
However, in November 2023, the highest court in the UK decided with complete agreement that the Rwanda plan was against the law.
After the highest court decided, the government made a new law to show that Rwanda is a safe country in UK.
Mr Grandi said to the media that some rich countries are making plans to give up their duty to help asylum seekers and make other countries take care of them instead. This goes against the main rules for protecting refugees.
Mr Grandi said it’s important for all people seeking asylum to have a fair process, especially in countries that have agreed to certain rules.
“If you refuse to take on that duty and give it away just to keep people out, the UN will always disapprove of it. ”
Mr Grandi asked for continued help from the West for Ukrainians affected by the war. He talked about a school in Kyiv that was built underground to keep kids safe from air strikes. He said that it shows how life has become very different for many people in Ukraine.
He said: “I’ve been in many wars, but I’ve rarely seen civilians as strong as they are now. But, we shouldn’t think their strength will last forever. ” That strength needs help from other countries.
“Four billion dollars is the total amount of money needed to support the humanitarian efforts for the Ukrainian crisis, both inside Ukraine and in countries hosting refugees. ”
Mr Grandi said he is very concerned about the frequent destruction of buildings in Gaza, especially this time when a UN building was destroyed, killing 12 people.
Israel said it didn’t do the attack and is checking if it was hit by Hamas.
“The government doesn’t agree with what the UNHCR has said about shirking responsibility. We are working with a safe country and taking care of over 130,000 asylum seekers. ”
“The Court of Appeal and the High Court said that it’s okay to move people to safe countries to process their asylum claims. This follows the rules of the Refugee Convention in the UK. ” The Supreme Court did not change this.
The Home Office said it wants to stop small boats from crossing the English Channel from France.
“We are focused on stopping the boats. That’s why we are taking strong action to stop people-smuggling gangs, discourage migrants from crossing dangerously, and work with the French to stop boats. ” a spokesperson said. -
US economy growing at a remarkably high rate
The economy in the US grew faster than expected at the end of last year because people and the government spent a lot of money.
The biggest economy in the world grew by 3. 3% from October to December, according to the Commerce Department.
That was a lot quicker than the 2% that many analysts thought would happen, but it was lower than the 4. 9% from the previous quarter.
In 2023, the economy got bigger by 2. 5% each year, compared to 1. 9% in 2022
The numbers show that the economy did better than expected this year, even though the US central bank raised interest rates and inflation slowed down. -
Thirty-seven-year-old Russian woman imprisoned over café bomb killing
Darya Trepova, a woman from Russia, has been given a 27-year prison sentence for killing pro-war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky in April.
Tatarsky was murdered by a bomb hidden in a statue Trepova gave him, just as he was getting ready to speak in St. Petersburg Many people got hurt in the explosion.
Trepova, who is 26 years old, said she didn’t do it and thought the small statue had a listening device inside.
She said she did what a Ukrainian told her to do, and she was tricked.
The punishment given to the woman in Russia is one of the harshest in their history.
Maxim Fomin, also known as Tatarsky, was attacked on April 2, 2023.
Trepova was accused of being involved in a group that caused a terrorist attack resulting in intentional deaths, and of having illegal explosive devices with the group.
Russian investigators say Ukraine did the attack, but Ukrainian officials haven’t said if it’s true or not.
But Trepova said in court that she was doing what a man in Ukraine named Gestalt told her to do. We do not know who he is.
She said she talked to him through Ukrainian journalist Roman Popkov. She does not support Russia’s war in Ukraine and wants to go there to work as a journalist.
Trepova said that she followed Gestalt’s advice and was able to make Tatarsky trust her by pretending to be an art student named Anastasia Kriulina and going to his talks.
In March, Gestalt sent her a small statue and told her it had a listening device and a tracking device inside. She said she was worried that it could have a bomb inside.
“I’m really sorry that I was so easily tricked and didn’t realize the problems it would cause. ” “I didn’t want to harm anyone,” Trepova said in court this week, according to Reuters.
“I feel really bad and embarrassed that I did a terrorist act myself. ”
Tatarsky was a popular blogger who had over 500,000 followers, but he also had a history of committing crimes.
He is from eastern Ukraine and he said he became part of the separatists supported by Russia after they let him out of jail. He was in jail for robbing with a weapon.
He was in a group of military bloggers who support the Russian government, and they have become more well-known since Russia started invading Ukraine in February 2022.
Tatarsky was one of the people who criticized the Russian government, especially the military and President Vladimir Putin, for their failures in the war.
But even though he had passed away, Mr. Putin gave him the Order of Courage as an award.
Trepova has been sentenced, after another pro-war figure Igor Girkin was also sentenced to jail for promoting extremist activities. -
Khan Younis: Second city of Gaza reportedly surrounded by Israeli forces
The Israeli army says its troops have surrounded Khan Younis, which is the biggest city in the southern part of Gaza.
Soldiers have moved further into the city where they think Hamas leaders are hiding with hostages.
People who live there said that big military vehicles closed the only road that goes out of the city towards the coast. This means they can’t escape to the south.
There was heavy fighting near the two big hospitals in the city.
Funerals were happening for some of the 24 Israeli soldiers who were killed on Monday. It was the deadliest day for the Israel Defense Forces since they started their ground offensive in Gaza 12 weeks ago.
In the last day, 195 Palestinians died in Gaza, according to the health ministry run by Hamas.
The government says that over 25,400 people, mostly children and women, have died in the war between Hamas and Israel.
The attack happened when Hamas gunmen from Gaza crossed into southern Israel. Around 1,300 people were killed, mostly civilians, and about 250 others were taken hostage.
Israeli soldiers moved into southern Gaza in early December after mostly gaining control of Hamas areas in the north.
In a few days, they were said to have arrived in the middle of Khan Younis, where hundreds of thousands of people who had left northern areas were staying.
However, the soldiers have met strong opposition from Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade. It is one of the two most powerful groups in the group, which is labeled as a terrorist organization by Israel, the UK, and other countries.
The Israeli military has increased its efforts in recent days, using airstrikes and artillery to attack different parts of the city. Many people have been killed, and tanks have moved into the western and central areas of the city.
On Tuesday, the IDF said that its soldiers surrounded Khan Yunis and did a big operation in the area.
The soldiers fought in close combat, used air strikes, and worked together to defeat lots of terrorists.The IDF told people in western Khan Younis to go to the al-Mawasi area by the sea to stay safe.
However, some people said that tanks were blocking the road, so they couldn’t go to Rafah where about a million people are staying for safety. Rafah is near the border with Egypt.
“I want to go to Rafah, but the tanks are close to the coast and shooting towards the west,” said Shaban, who has four kids and works as an electrical engineer, to Reuters news agency.
The World Health Organization is very worried about reports of hospitals being attacked in Khan Younis.
On Tuesday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that a person who was not in the military was killed by an Israeli drone at the entrance of Al-Amal Hospital, which is managed by PRCS, and that other people were hurt when shells hit its nearby headquarters.
“The situation is still very risky. ” This morning, the Palestine Red Crescent’s headquarters on the fourth floor was bombed with artillery. “Israeli drones kept shooting at people at al-Amal Hospital,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokeswoman from Ramallah, in an interview with the BBC.
“Many scared and worried people who have been forced to leave their homes are staying in our buildings. ”
The IDF did not comment right away, but they have said before that Hamas fighters hide among civilians and use medical buildings for their operations.
Ms Farsakh also mentioned that ambulances are having a hard time getting to injured people and taking them to hospitals. They are being instructed to take serious cases to Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza.
She said that the Al-Amal and Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza are very crowded and have too many patients.
Dr Haytham Ahmad, who works in Nasser’s emergency department, told the BBC that they had to perform many amputations and some patients couldn’t get anesthesia because there wasn’t enough supplies.
“These injuries are very serious and have caused severe crushing. Only a little bit of skin and muscle are still attached. ” He said we are trying to use only a little anesthesia in this situation.
A spokesperson from the World Health Organization said that Nasser is surrounded and the 400 patients, medical staff, and displaced civilians there can’t leave.
Gaza’s health ministry said that Israeli forces shot at the top floors of the hospital’s surgery and emergency buildings.
A video made by a Palestinian journalist shows gunfire hitting the hospital’s western corner and another video shows smoke rising from an area to the south.
The IDF said they didn’t know about the event when asked by AFP news agency.
Palestinian people were told to leave their homes by the Israeli military and were seen walking along the coastal road in western Khan Younis on 23 January 2024.
Later, the leader of the United Nations, António Guterres, said that the people in Gaza are suffering a really bad situation. He said that everyone there is experiencing a lot of destruction, and it’s happening very fast and at a level that hasn’t been seen before.
He asked again for a quick break in fighting to help people in need.
Qatar’s spokesperson for foreign affairs said they are talking seriously with both groups about a possible agreement. A Palestinian official told the BBC that a group from Hamas went to Cairo to talk about new ideas with Egypt’s intelligence minister.
Israel has not said no to the idea of a two-month break from fighting, which would include letting go of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. However, there are reports that have already been turned down by Hamas. They want a ceasefire that will last indefinitely. -
Ghanaian doctor in the US shares harrowing experience of losing $50K in a fraudulent land sale and investment scam
A Ghanaian medical practitioner based in the United States has come forward to share her distressing experience of falling victim to a fraudulent land sale and investment scam in Accra, resulting in a substantial loss of nearly $50,000.
The victim, who wishes to remain anonymous, narrated her ordeal to graphic.com.gh, exposing a web of deceit orchestrated by an individual identified as Harry. The fraudster allegedly exploited the doctor through manipulative tactics, deception, and the use of counterfeit documents and checks over a period of ten months.
The doctor’s misadventure began in December 2021 during a visit to Ghana, where she encountered Harry, a relative of a mutual friend. Discussions about investing in the Ghana film industry led to a partnership involving the victim, Harry, and a third party. The trio committed to contributing personal funds to produce a film in Ghana.
However, as the doctor fulfilled her investment obligations, suspicions arose regarding the legitimacy of the project. Demands for proof of payments and documents were met with evasive responses from Harry, culminating in the doctor’s loss of confidence in both the film production venture and her substantial investment.
Simultaneously, Harry presented the opportunity to invest in land in Katapo, claiming his church was selling plots. The doctor, guided by Harry’s recommendations, transferred a significant sum for the land purchase. Subsequent visits to Ghana to inspect the purportedly purchased land revealed a shocking revelation – the documents provided by Harry were fraudulent, and the plots had been sold to others.
In an attempt to recover her losses, the doctor reported the case to the Ghana Police in December 2022. Harry was subsequently arrested on charges of fraud, admitting to diverting the funds into his nightclub business. Despite assurances and several deadlines, Harry failed to fully reimburse the doctor, leading to increased frustration and legal actions.
The victim emphasized the emotional toll the ordeal has taken, underscoring the importance of sharing her story to prevent others from enduring a similar fate. The case serves as a stark reminder of the risks associated with fraudulent schemes targeting unsuspecting individuals, urging heightened caution in financial transactions and investments.
As investigations continue, the doctor seeks justice and hopes her story serves as a cautionary tale against falling prey to elaborate scams.
-
Full text: OSP abandons all charges against Cecilia Dapaah, ordered to return confiscated assets
Good morning members of the media. I warmly welcome you again to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
One of the contemporary legal problems that confront us is the movement and the stashing of large sums of cash – with its attendant likelihood of distorting economies. Ordinarily, it is not unlawful for a person to move or keep large cash sums as long as the money was lawfully acquired. Afterall, it is the person’s money and as owner, that person may choose to do what pleases that person with that person’s money.
The important consideration is that the holder of large cash sums should be able to account for same as to the lawfulness of the source. Therefore, where the source of the money is cast in some considerable doubt, then legal hurdles are raised and questions are posed.
On this score, the antenna of investigative authorities swing into enquiring activity where public officials are detected to be keeping or moving large sums of money. This is because, in almost every jurisdiction, including Ghana, it is extremely unusual and highly suspicious for a public officer to have such large cash sums stashed in their homes – as it raises concerns of suspected inappropriate conduct. And such occurrences dictate pause and reflection.
It is in this context that the Office of the Special Prosecutor commenced investigation in July 2023 in respect of suspected corruption and corruption-related offences regarding large amounts of money (mainly in foreign denominations) and other valuable items involving Ms. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, a former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources and her spouse, Mr Daniel Osei-Kufour.
The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by Ms Dapaah and Mr Osei-Kufour to the police against certain individuals on an allegation of the theft of large sums of money from the residence of the complainants. Ms. Dapaah was the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources at the time. The complaint precipitated criminal proceedings in the Circuit Court, Accra against four (4) persons on various counts of theft in Court Case No. D4/155/2023 The Republic v. Patience Botwe & Three Ors.
The charges recounted that between July and October 2022 the accused persons allegedly stole valuable items from the residence of Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufour at Abelemkpe, Accra – including cash amounts of One Million United States dollars (US$1,000,000.00) and Three Hundred Thousand euros (€300,000.00).
The initial complaint to the police recounted that Eight Hundred Thousand United States dollars (US$800,000.00) of the amount reportedly stolen from the residence belonged to Ms. Dapaah’s deceased brother and Three Hundred Thousand cedis(GHS 300,000.00) was contribution towards Ms. Dapaah’s mother’s funeral which was contained in a box. There was no indication as to the source of the remainder of Two Hundred Thousand United States dollars US$200,000.00) and Three Hundred Thousand euros (€300,000.00).
On the basis of Case No. D4/155/2023 The Republic v. Patience Botwe & Three Ors. and the totality of the criminal intelligence gathered by the Office and that large sums of money were physically stashed at the residences of Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufour, the Special Prosecutor directed full investigation into corruption and corruption-related offences involving the respondent (in accordance with regulation 6 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374)) as the circumstances reasonably indicated to the Office that the source of the cash sums stated as belonging to Ms. Dapaah (a public officer at the time) on the charge sheet in D4/155/2023 The Republic v. Patience Botwe & Three Ors. was suspicious and that the cash sums were suspected tainted property as being proceeds from corruption and corruption-related offences.
On 24 July 2023, the Office placed Ms. Dapaah under arrest on charges of corruption and corruption-related offences. The Office subsequently conducted searches in three (3) residential properties associated with Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufour at Cantonments, Abelemkpe and Tesano in Accra. The searches, which were carried out over a period of two (2) weeks, led to the discovery of the cash sums of Five Hundred and Ninety Thousand United States dollars (US$590,000.00) and Two Million Seven Hundred and Thirty Thousand cedis (GHS2,730,000.00).
Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufuor could not readily provide a reasonable explanation as to the sources of the cash sums. Authorized officers of the Office seized the discovered cash sums on reasonable grounds that they were suspected of tainted property in accordance with section 32(1) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) as it was necessary to exercise the power of seizure to prevent concealment of the cash sums.
The Special Prosecutor, considering it necessary to facilitate the investigations, issued a freezing order against the bank accounts and investments of Ms. Dapaah domiciled at Prudential Bank Limited and Societe Generale Ghana.
Upon the refusal by the High Court to confirm the freezing and seizure orders in August 2023, the Office re-seized the cash sums and re-froze the bank accounts and investments and applied to the court again for confirmation in FT0074/2023 The Special Prosecutor v. Cecilia Abena Dapaah & Daniel Osei-Kufour.
Extensive investigation was conducted in-country involving twenty (20) persons and three (3) state institutions, and especially in the Ashanti Region to establish the financial standing of Ms. Dapaah’s deceased brother during his lifetime and at the time of his death.
From October 2023, the investigation became cross-border and transboundary upon the claim by the persons of interest that part of the seized cash sums was transported to Ghana from the United States. For that reason, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States became involved in a collaborative investigative work with the Office on the matter.
The investigation has been aimed at determining the source(s) of the large cash sums associated with Ms. Dapaah and Mr. Osei-Kufuor. The Office has had the benefit of seven (7) months of in-country and four (4) months of collaborative transboundary investigation. On the totality of the gathered evidence and intelligence, it seems to us that the case is largely in the province of suspected money laundering and structuring.
By operation of law, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has a specific and direct mandate in respect of suspected cases of money laundering and its attendant activity of structuring. Consequently, the Office is referring the case to EOCO for continued investigation and further action. The Office will be in close collaboration with EOCO and continued collaboration with the FBI.
A little over an hour ago, the Office discontinued its application that was pending before the High Court for a confirmation of the seizure and freezing orders in pursuance of the referral of the case to EOCO. The Court ordered a return of the seized cash sums and unfreezing of the bank accounts and investments within seventy-two (72) hours.
The Office also discontinued the procedural criminal charge against Ms. Dapaah for failure to return forms on declaration of property and income.
-
The day Ghanaians lose faith in OSP is the day the soul of the country dies – Kissi Agyebeng
Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng has asked Ghanaians not to lose faith in his office since that would spell doom for Ghana.
Speaking at a press brief on Thursday January 25, 2024, Mr Agyebeng underscored the critical importance of public faith in the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and entreated citizens to maintain unwavering faith and confidence in his outfit.
“The day Ghanaians lose faith in the OSP is the day the soul of the country dies,” he said.
The remark was made in response to a question posed by JoyFm journalist Elton Brobbey, who sought clarity on the level of trust citizens should have in the OSP’s efforts to combat corruption in Ghana.
Agyebeng, who assumed the role of Special Prosecutor with the mandate to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offenses, expressed the belief that the OSP’s effectiveness is intrinsically tied to the trust and confidence placed in its operations by the Ghanaian populace.
Mr Agyebeng at the press brief was giving an update on former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah’s suspected money laundering case.
During the presser, he revealed that he has officially referred the case to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigations into suspected money laundering.
This decision comes in the wake of revelations that a significant portion of the substantial amounts of cash found at Dapaah’s residence, along with funds in her bank accounts, may have been repatriated from abroad.
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, disclosed that the investigation took a cross-border turn when individuals of interest claimed that part of the seized cash was transported to the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) subsequently joined forces with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to delve into the matter, after which he said his outfit has referred the case to EOCO.
-
Asante Gold: UK to return Ghana’s stolen “crown jewels”
The UK is returning some of Ghana’s valuable treasures that were taken from the king’s court 150 years ago.
A gold peace pipe is one of 32 things that will be returned on loan for a long time, the media has found out.
The V&A museum is giving 17 things and 15 of them are from the British Museum.
Ghana’s main negotiator said he wants better cultural cooperation after many years of anger.
Some national museums in the UK, like the V&A and the British Museum, are not allowed to permanently return disputed items in their collections. Instead, they can lend the items to other countries as a way to give them back temporarily.
However, some countries that say they own disputed artifacts are worried that by borrowing them, it will seem like they agree that the UK owns them.
Tristram Hunt, who is in charge of the V&A museum, told the media that the gold items used by the court are like our important Crown Jewels.
The things that will be borrowed include a special sword and gold badges. These were taken during wars in the 1800s between the British and the Asante. The badges were worn by officials who had the job of helping the king.
Mr Hunt said that when museums have things taken from wars and military campaigns, they should think about sharing them more fairly with the countries they came from.
“I don’t think our museums will be in danger if we form partnerships and trade with others. ”
However, Hunt said the new cultural partnership is not a way to give back permanent ownership to Ghana.
The loans will last for three years, and there is a possibility to extend them for another three years. They are not with the government of Ghana, but with Otumfo Osei Tutu II, who is the current Asante king. He is also known as the Asantehene and attended the Coronation of King Charles last year.
The Asantehene still has an important ceremonial role, even though his kingdom is now part of Ghana’s modern government.
The things will be shown at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, the main city of the Asante region, to honor the Asantehene’s 25th anniversary.
The Asante gold artifacts are very important to the Asante royal government. People think they have the spirits of past Asante kings in them.
They are very important to Ghana just like the Benin Bronzes. The Benin Bronzes are thousands of sculptures and plaques that were taken by Britain from the palace of the Kingdom of Benin, in southern Nigeria. Nigeria has been asking for them to come back for many years.
Nana Oforiatta Ayim, who helps the culture minister in Ghana, said to the media: “These items are not just things, they are also very important for spiritual reasons. ” They are an important part of the country’s spirit. “It’s parts of us coming back. ”
She said that the loan was a good way to start and a sign that some healing and remembering of the violence that happened is beginning.
British museums have a lot of stuff from Ghana, like a gold trophy head that is a well-known piece of Asante royalty.
The Asante people created a strong and powerful state in West Africa. They traded gold, textiles, and enslaved people.
The kingdom was well known for being strong and rich because of its army and money. Even today, when the Asantehene greets people on important events, he wears so many heavy gold bracelets that he sometimes needs someone to help hold up his arm.
Europeans went to a place in Africa called the Gold Coast because they heard there was a lot of money there. The British had many fights with the Asante people during the 1800s.
In 1874, British soldiers attacked Kumasi as punishment for an Asante attack. They looted the city and took many valuable items from the palace.
Many of the things the V&A is giving back were purchased at an auction on 18 April 1874 at Garrards, a London jewelry store that looks after the UK’s Crown Jewels.
They are three heavy gold items called ‘soul washers’ badges (Akrafokonmu), which were worn around the necks of important officials at court. Their job was to cleanse the soul of the king.
Angus Patterson, who works at the V&A museum, said that taking these things in the 19th Century wasn’t just about getting rich, but it was a part of it. It’s also about getting rid of signs of the government or signs of people in charge. “It’s a very political action”.
The British Museum is giving back 15 items that were taken during a war in 1895-1896. One of the items is a special sword called the Mpomponsuo.There is also a special hat called a Denkyemke, which is decorated with lots of gold ornaments. High-ranking officials like lords or ladies wore it at important events like coronations and big celebrations.
The British Museum is sharing a gold model of a lute-harp called Sankuo. It’s almost 200 years old and has a connection with the Asantehenes. This model was not stolen or taken and will be on display.
In 1817, the British writer and diplomat Thomas Bowdich was given a sankuo as a gift from the Asantehene. The gift was meant to show how rich and powerful the Asante nation was.
“Solve the problems without getting involved in the politics. ”
Can you give back things to a country that says you took them without permission.
This is a solution to rules in the UK that some countries may not like because they are trying to fix something bad that happened in the past.
The Parthenon Sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles in the UK, is the most well-known example of this issue.
Greece has been asking for the old sculptures in the British Museum to be given back. The leader of the trustees, George Osborne, recently said he wants to find a practical and sensible solution. He is considering a partnership that sets aside the question of who really owns the ancient sculptures.
This deal with the Asantehene is like another version of that; a fair agreement that works for the Asante king and follows the laws of Britain.
Nigeria probably wouldn’t take a loan of the Benin Bronzes, and Ghana’s government would have had a hard time accepting this kind of agreement.
But Hunt said the agreements between the V&A, the British Museum, and the Manhyia Palace Museum “go beyond politics. ” “It doesn’t fix the problem, but it starts the talk. ”
Ms Oforiatta Ayim, who advises the culture minister of Ghana, said that it is natural for people to be upset about the idea of a loan. They hope to see the items eventually returned to Ghana for good.
“We know that the things were taken during a violent event, and we know that they belong to the Asante people,” she said.
The British government keeps things that are disputed and explains why they are kept.
Neither the Conservative or Labour parties want to change the laws. The British Museum Act of 1963 and the National Heritage Act of 1983 stop museum leaders at important museums from selling or getting rid of things in their collections.
Mr Hunt wants to make a new law. He wants museums to have more freedom, but also a committee to approve returning items.
Some are worried that British museums might have to give away some of their most valuable items in the future. Or, as Michelle Donelan, a former culture secretary, told me about the return of the Parthenon Sculptures, it could lead to a discussion about everything in our museums.
But Hunt said that very few people have argued about who owns the V&A’s 2. 8
Another worry is that things that are borrowed and fought over might not be given back.
Ghana’s main negotiator, Ivor Agyeman-Duah, denied that. “He said you always keep your promises and never break them. ”
There are more pretty Asante gold things in the UK. The Wallace Collection has the trophy head, which is one of the most well-known Asante treasures. The British forces took it and bought it at the 1874 auction.
The Royal Collection also has a mask made of gold, which looks like a trophy head. This item showed that enemies had been beaten. It was attached to ceremonial swords in the state’s special equipment.
Is there a chance that they will be shown in Ghana in the future. Agyeman-Duah is being careful and patient in making it happen.
As Britain is dealing more and more with its history of ruling other countries, these agreements could be a good way to talk about the past and improve relationships in the future, as long as both sides agree. -
Russia put lives at danger in the downed aircraft – Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said Russia is not taking care of Ukrainian prisoners. He said this after a plane crash in western Russia that killed people.
He asked for a worldwide investigation after the crash on Wednesday in the Belgorod region, near Ukraine’s border.
Russia reported that everyone on board the Il-76 plane, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war, six Russian crew members, and three escorts, did not survive after it was shot down by Kyiv.
Moscow said that Ukrainians were being flown for a prisoner swap.
Ukraine’s military intelligence (GUR) said it wasn’t asked to make sure the sky was safe, like they have before.
The GUR comments suggest that Ukraine may have shot down the military transport plane. However, they are not sure who was on board and think Russia may have been involved in causing the incident.
In a video on Wednesday, President Zelensky said the Russians are messing with the lives of Ukrainian prisoners and their families, and with our society’s emotions.
The leader of Ukraine, who was going to take a trip for his birthday, has decided not to go. He said it’s important to find out all the facts.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the shooting down of the plane as a terrible act, reported by Russian news agencies. He said that if Mr Zelensky wants an investigation by the world, to look into the crimes of the government in Kyiv, it is necessary.
A video on social media showed a plane crashing and then there was a big explosion and fire near the village of Yablonovo, about 70km away from the city of Belgorod. It happened around 11:00am local time.
Belgorod’s leader, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said the plane crashed in a field near houses and that everyone on board had died.
Ukraine’s military leaders said at first that the plane was carrying missiles for Russia’s air defense systems. This was reported by the Ukrainska Pravda website. It didn’t talk about prisoners of war.
We can’t confirm the information about the people on the plane, but Ukraine’s military intelligence said Russia is responsible for keeping their soldiers safe as agreed.
It said it didn’t know the airspace had to be protected at the specific time, even though this had happened many times before.
“This may show that Russia is intentionally trying to endanger the lives and safety of the prisoners of war,” it said.
Ukraine and Russia have exchanged prisoners several times since the war began.
The head of the Ukrainian air force, Mykola Oleschuk, said that on Wednesday, Russian propaganda had tried to make Ukraine look bad to the rest of the world. Ukraine was allowed to destroy Russia’s ability to attack from the air, he said.
Russia has continued to attack Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, with guided missiles from the Belgorod region in the past few days.
Eight people died when missiles were fired on Tuesday. Then, there was another attack on Thursday night. -
US prisoner who lost last-minute appeals faces his first nitrogen execution
A person in Alabama who has been sentenced to death is likely to be the first in the US to be executed using nitrogen gas, even though they tried to appeal their sentence.
The highest court in the US and another lower court decided not to stop a punishment that Kenneth Eugene Smith‘s lawyers said was too harsh.
Some people argue that using nitrogen could make others suffer and a leak could hurt people in the room.
Smith, who is 58 years old, was found guilty in 1989 of killing Elizabeth Sennett.
Alabama has until Thursday at 0600 GMT (0100 ET) to execute someone by pumping nitrogen gas through a mask for 30 hours.
Earlier this week, he told the BBC that waiting felt really awful.
Smith will be the first person to be killed using this method in the US and in the whole world.
The prisoner’s lawyers, who have been representing him since 1996, told the media on Wednesday that they were making a new request to the highest court in the country in the hope of stopping the execution at the last moment.
Inhaling only nitrogen without oxygen can make cells break and leads to dying. Alabama said in a court document that they think he will pass out very quickly and die shortly after.
However, some doctors say it is not safe and could cause serious problems like seizures or being in a coma.
Alabama and two other states in the US have said it’s okay to use nitrogen hypoxia instead of lethal injections when executing people. This is because it’s getting harder to find the drugs needed for lethal injections.
Two years ago, Alabama tried to execute Smith by injecting a deadly drug, but they couldn’t find a vein before the time to kill him expired.
Smith was found guilty of killing Sennett for money in March 1988.
She was hit with a tool from the fireplace, and stabbed in the chest and neck. Her death was made to look like someone broke into her home and stole things.
Her husband, who owed a lot of money, had planned the scheme to get insurance money. He took his own life when the police were about to catch him.
Smith’s friend who also kills people for money, John Forrest Parker, was put to death in 2010.
At the trial, Smith said he was there when the victim was killed, but he didn’t actually join in the attack.
The UN’s top human rights official said that using gas on Smith could be considered torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and called for it to stop.
Smith’s lawyers asked the Supreme Court to stop multiple execution attempts because they believe it is cruel and against the Constitution.
On Wednesday, the judges said no to his request to stop the execution. No one spoke out against the decision in public.
Smith also went to another court to challenge the legality of Alabama’s nitrogen gas protocol.
However, the court denied the prisoner’s request for a temporary order in a decision on Wednesday night.
Smith’s legal team said they will ask the Supreme Court to review the case again.
His lawyers say that the nitrogen gas method is new and not proven. They worry that he could choke on his own vomit.
State lawyer Steve Marshall said it was possibly the kindest way to carry out an execution.
Smith’s religious counselor, Reverend Jeff Hood, will be in the room when the execution takes place. He thinks he could be in trouble if the nitrogen leaks, but he would rather risk his life than give up his job.
Alabama executes a lot of people compared to other states in the US. Right now, there are 165 people waiting to be executed in Alabama.
Since 2018, the state has tried three times to give lethal injection to prisoners, but it didn’t work and the prisoners didn’t die.
The mistakes made by the prisoners caused the authorities to review the situation and mostly blame the prisoners. -
Court issues 72 hour ultimatum to OSP to return Cecilia Dapaah’s seized funds
An Accra High Court has mandated the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to return seized funds to former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, within 72 hours.
This directive comes as a result of an application by the OSP to confirm freezing and seizure orders related to bank accounts and assets at Dapaah’s residence.
During a press conference on Thursday, January 25, 2024, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, revealed that the OSP has discontinued its application for the confirmation of seizure and freezing orders.
Instead, the case will be handed over to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigation. Mr Agyebeng emphasized that his probe has uncovered evidence pointing towards a suspected case of money laundering, a matter more appropriately handled by EOCO.
“A little over an hour ago, the Office discontinued its application that was pending before the High Court for confirmation of the seizure and freezing orders in pursuance of the referral of the case to EOCO. The court ordered that the office should return the cash sums and defreeze the accounts of an investment of Mrs. Dapaah within 72 hours,” Agyebeng stated.
The SP highlighted the cross-border nature of the investigation, which led to the involvement of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from the United States back in October 2023. The collaborative efforts sought to unravel the legality surrounding the wealth amassed by Cecilia Dapaah and her associates, spanning both Ghana and the United States.
Speaking on the matter, Agyebeng expressed the intent to maintain close collaboration with EOCO and continue working with the FBI as the case progresses.
Background:
The saga surrounding Cecilia Dapaah initially surfaced during the trial of two house helps, Patience Botwe and Sarah Agyei, accused of stealing significant sums and items from the minister’s residence. The alleged thefts, which occurred between July and October 2022, involved personal effects valued at GH¢95,000 and US$95,000, among other items.
Following the arrest of the house helps, the case took a complex turn, implicating additional individuals, including one of the accused’s current and former boyfriends and her father, on charges of dishonestly receiving stolen money. The accused individuals were arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court in July 2023, and the case garnered public attention with calls for thorough investigations into the source of the funds.
As the legal landscape surrounding Cecilia Dapaah’s case continues to evolve, Ghanaians await further developments from EOCO and the potential reexamination of the source of the funds that sparked this high-profile investigation.
-
Two to face charges by Thai police after pet lion was seen driving in Bentley
A lady was detained by the Thai police after her pet lion was observed riding around in the streets of Pattaya.
A very popular video now shows a baby lion with chains on it sitting in the back of a white Bentley car with no roof.
A man from Sri Lanka was taking the lion around, but he left the country. People think he is a friend of the woman, Sawangjit Kosoongnern.
In Thailand, it’s okay to have a lion as a pet as long as you register it with the government.
Officials in Thailand said Sawangjit said she bought the animal from a man in Nakhon Pathom province and he helped get it to Pattaya.
But he didn’t get permission to transfer or own the animal, so it was illegal.
She is in trouble for having a wild animal without permission. If she’s found guilty, she could go to jail for a year and have to pay a fine of up to 100,000 baht.
The police wanted to charge the Sri Lankan man because he kept the lion in his rented house. But they couldn’t because he left Thailand. He was going to be charged for bringing a wild animal into public places. This can result in up to six months in jail and a fine of 50,000 baht.
The person who sold the lion to Sawangjit will also be in trouble for taking the animal without permission.
Authorities say there are 224 lions in Thailand that are owned legally. -
Japan: Man convicted of capital punishment for Kyoto anime fire that claimed 36 lives
A man from Japan has been given the punishment of death for setting fire to a Kyoto animation studio in 2019. The fire killed 36 people and hurt many others.
The event was one of the worst in Japan in a long time. It mostly killed young artists and shocked the anime community.
Shinji Aoba, who is 45 years old, admitted to the attack, but his lawyers asked for a shorter punishment because they believe he has mental problems.
The judges didn’t listen and said Aoba knew what he was doing.
“I have decided that the person who did the crime was not mentally ill or weak at the time,” said Chief Judge Masuda at Kyoto District Court on Thursday.
The loss of 36 lives is very sad and serious. The dead people were very scared and hurt. That’s what a Japanese TV station said.
A lot of the young artists who worked on the animated movies died because they couldn’t escape from the higher floors of the studio when the fire got bigger.
The attack was one of the worst in Japan in a long time and made many people in the country very sad. The people and news have been paying a lot of attention to the case in the country.
The prosecutors wanted Aoba to be killed because they believed he attacked the studio because he thought someone stole his work. He said that Kyoto Animation, also known as KyoAni, had copied a novel he submitted to their contest.
In July 2019, he came into the studio while people were working, poured gasoline on the floor, and lit it on fire while yelling “Drop dead” over and over.
During his guilty plea in September 2023, he said that he didn’t realize so many people would die.
“I had to do it, I didn’t have a choice,” he said then.
“I feel really bad and I also feel guilty. ”
Aoba got badly burned in the fire and had to have lots of operations. He was arrested after he got better.
Shinji Aoba, who said he set fire to the Kyoto Animation studio, is being carried on a stretcher to a police station in Kyoto.
“The belief that KyoAni Studio copied his work affected his motivation,” prosecutors told the court.
But they said he was not influenced by those wrong beliefs and he understood what he was doing.
On Thursday, the judge explained why he made his decision and listened to the victims before saying if the person was guilty or not. More than half of the 70 people who worked at the animation studio were killed, and 32 others were hurt.
“Judge Masuda said that some people saw their friends on fire and now feel really sad and guilty, and are also having a hard time with their feelings. ”
The families of the people Aoba hurt were in the court. They looked upset while the judge talked about what Aoba did. NHK told this.
The news said that Aoba kept looking down when the judge said he would be given the death penalty.
Japan still uses the death penalty for its worst crimes, such as when someone commits multiple murders. Those found guilty usually stay on death row for a long time, sometimes even for many years. The death penalty is when someone is killed by hanging.
The KyoAni studio in Kyoto makes movies and comic books that people really like. They are famous for making K-On. and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. -
Suspected money laundering: OSP refers Cecilia Dapaah’s case to EOCO for further investigations
Special Prosecutor (SP), Kissi Agyebeng, has officially referred the case involving former Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Dapaah, to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for further investigations into suspected money laundering.
This decision comes in the wake of revelations that a significant portion of the substantial amounts of cash found at Dapaah’s residence, along with funds in her bank accounts, may have been repatriated from abroad.
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, disclosed at a press conference held on Thursday, January 25, 2024, that the investigation took a cross-border turn when individuals of interest claimed that part of the seized cash was transported to the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) subsequently joined forces with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to delve into the matter.
More soon…