The South’s spy agency said that Kim Jong Un‘s young daughter is likely to take over as the leader of North Korea and has been with him at missile tests and military events.
This is the first time that the National Intelligence Service has recognized Kim Ju Ae as Mr. Kim’s successor
But, NIS is still thinking about “all options” in North Korea’s plan for who will take over after the current leader.
Miss Kim has been very visible in public since she first showed up at the end of 2022.
The NIS said that after looking at what people are doing and how much they respect Kim Ju Ae, she seems like the person most likely to take over.
“But we are watching for all options because Kim Jong Un is still young, healthy, and there are many things that can happen. ”
Miss Kim is said to be the second oldest child of the North Korean leader and is believed to be around 10 years old.
Kim Yung-ho, who is in charge of bringing North and South Korea together, said something similar about Mr Kim’s daughter at a meeting with reporters last month.
He said that people talking a lot about Kim Jong Un’s daughter shows that North Korea is trying to show who will take over as leader in the future, even though things are tough there.
People who watch North Korea have noticed that now they are calling Miss Kim a “respected” daughter instead of a “beloved” one. This change happened after her first public appearance in November 2022.
The word “respected” is only used for the most admired people in North Korea. Kim’s situation, he was called “respected comrade” only after it was certain he would be the future leader.
People in North Korea are taught that the Kims come from a special family and only they can be the leaders of the country. Kim wants to make sure he gives his position to the fourth generation.
Most recently, Miss Kim went with her father to see North Korea’s newest long-range missile, called the Hwasong-18. It is the most advanced missile they have right now.
She was with her father when the North launched its spy satellite into space last November. Pyongyang said that the Malligyong-1 would let Mr. Kim see the White House.
Experts believe that Mr. Kim is introducing his daughter, Miss Kim, to the public so that she can gain experience and credibility before leading in the future.
This could also be a way for Mr. Kim to change unfair beliefs in North Korea, which is a very male-dominated country that has never had a female leader.
In 2013, people first heard about Miss Kim when retired basketball player Dennis Rodman went to North Korea and caused a lot of talk.
Mr Rodman said he spent time with Mr. Kim’s family, relaxing by the ocean, and even held their baby.
The leader of North Korea keeps his family very private. He didn’t tell anyone about his wife, Ri Sol Ju, until some time after they got married.
Author: Chris Kodo
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Kim’s daughter most likely to succeed him – South Korea
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UCC dispels ‘unfounded’ claim of ban in Nigeria over fake degrees
The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has denied the accuracy of a narrative claiming that its operations have been halted by the Nigerian Federal government.
UCC clarified that it does not have direct operations in Africa‘s most populous nation, nor has it granted a franchise for its programs to be conducted in the country.
This clarification comes in response to a GhanaWeb article referencing media reports in Nigeria that suggested three Ghanaian universities, including UCC, had been prohibited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) of Nigeria.
“The University of Cape Coast (UCC) does not have any outlet or campus operating in Nigeria, neither has it granted franchise to any institution in Nigeria to run its programmes.
“All international students, including Nigerians, wishing to study at UCC apply directly to the University for consideration,” their statement dated January 4, 2024 read in part.
The statement further pointed out that UCC was different from the Cape Coast University (CCU) purportedly banned in Nigeria.
It also reassured members of the university community to disregard the publication.
UCC PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, 04 JANUARY, 2024.
RE: UCC OPERATIONS IN NIGERIA BANNED
Cape Coast, Thursday, 4th January, 2024: The attention of Management of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has been drawn to a false news item on Ghanaweb, indicating that the operations of the University of Cape Coast have been banned in Nigeria.
‘The University wishes to refute the allegations as follows:
1. The University of Cape Coast (UCC) does not have any outlet or campus operating in Nigeria, neither has it granted franchise to any institution in Nigeria to run its programmes.
2. All international students, including Nigerians, wishing to study at UCC apply directly to the University for consideration.
3. It is interesting to note that, in a haste to drag the image of the University in the mud, Ghanaweb, with little information and without crosschecking, quickly ran to the market with the name of a certain Cape Coast University (CCU) to represent the solid brand of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
4. Management wishes to assure its cherished stakeholders and the general public that the University holds very dear its solid brand as an excellent academic institution with world-wide acclaim and, for that matter, would not do anything untoward to tannish its hard-won reputation ‘as the Number One University in Ghana and West Africa, and the Seventh in Africa, according to the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
5. We would entreat all persons and institutions, as we have always done, to, at all times, verify with the university, the authenticity of certificates purported to have been issued by the University of Cape Coast.
In the light of the above, Management wishes to entreat its stakeholders and the public to disregard the malicious publication.
Major Kofi Baah-Bentum (Rid), Psc, APR
DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
-END-
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Second set of Epstein court documents made public
More documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, who was a sex offender and a financier, have been made public.
The 300 pages of documents didn’t seem to have any big new information.
They were opened the day after a US federal judge ordered 900 pages to be revealed.
The papers were used in a legal case involving Ghislaine Maxwell, who was Jeffrey Epstein’s girlfriend and is now in prison.
The court papers that were made public on Wednesday and Thursday mention the UK’s Prince Andrew and former US President Bill Clinton.
Last month, Judge Loretta Preska in New York said that it is no longer legal to keep the names of over 150 people mentioned in a 2015 lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre against Maxwell, a former British socialite, a secret. Giuffre accused Maxwell of defamation in connection to Epstein.
Many names in the documents have already been shared with the public or mentioned in other legal cases, and their presence doesn’t mean they did anything wrong related to Epstein.
Prince Andrew is accused of sexually abusing a young person in different places, including London and New York. He is also said to have done this on Epstein’s island in the Virgin Islands. It is claimed that Maxwell told the teenager to do this.
The Duke of York says these accusations are not true.
The new papers also say that a lawyer for Virginia Giuffre suggested that former President Clinton might know something about Maxwell and Epstein’s activities because he had gone on trips with them.
Mr Clinton said he used to know Epstein and flew on his private plane, but he says he didn’t do anything wrong and didn’t know about Epstein’s crimes. Clinton did not do anything illegal in any of the papers.
In a 2011 email, Ms Giuffre told a former Mail on Sunday journalist that she saw Mr. Clinton threaten Vanity Fair magazine to stop them from writing about Jeffrey Epstein and sex-trafficking.
The Clinton Foundation was asked for a comment by the media. A spokesperson mentioned that former Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter had made a statement saying that the alleged incident definitely did not happen.
In the emails, Ms Churcher and Ms Giuffre also talk about Ms Giuffre’s trying to get a book deal.Ms Giuffre sent an email to a literary agent to try to get them to publish her book called The Billionaire’s Playboy Club.
She calls the memoir “a story about a woman’s life with fame, sadness, kindness, and real love”. It was not made available for public reading, but it was shown as proof in court.
In another email conversation, Ms. Churcher and Ms. Giuffre talk about Vanity Fair magazine wanting to buy a photo from Ms.
The Mail on Sunday journalist told Ms Giuffre to say that she didn’t have more information about being forced into sex with important politicians at that time. The suspected politicians are not mentioned in the emails.
In a recent court document, a person known as Jane Doe #3 claims she was forced by Epstein to have sex with many important men, including American politicians, business leaders, foreign presidents, a popular Prime Minister, and other world leaders.
In 2019, Virginia Giuffre said: “I beg the people in the UK. to think that this is not okay
Jane Doe #3 was called Virginia Giuffre in the news before.
The papers give more information about how much illegal stuff Epstein and Maxwell did.
In 2016, a police detective in Palm Beach, Florida, named Joseph Recarey said that around 30 women told him they were hired to give massages and do work at Epstein’s house in the beach area.
He says Maxwell got the girls to come and give massages at the big house.
Mr Recarey said that most of the girls were under 18 and only two of them had done massages before.
The detective said that Epstein asked the young girls to bring their friends to his home.
A picture of Jeffrey Epstein’s island, Little St. James, taken from above. (Photo from Reuters)
He said, “When they gave him a massage, it was to make him feel good sexually. ”
The new collection of documents includes papers from Maxwell’s lawyers. They say that journalist Ms. Churcher helped come up with accusations against Prince Andrew and lawyer Alan Dershowitz.
Mr Dershowitz asked for the documents to be released after the Miami Herald asked for them. He did this on Thursday. He said he didn’t do anything wrong.
The ex-Harvard Law professor said to Fox News Digital on Thursday that important evidence is not being made public.
“They are talking about whether some people can be believed, and whether some people should be believed. ” I have looked at these secret papers. Nothing should be held back or kept from being expressed.
In 2009, Epstein admitted to paying a young person for sex. In 2019, while he was waiting for trial for trafficking people for sex, he killed himself.
Maxwell, the daughter of a rich man who owned a publishing company, is in prison for 20 years because she helped Epstein find and hire people.
Her lawyers are asking for the sentence to be changed. -
Almost 250 people still missing in Japan following earthquake
Rescuers in Japan are hurrying to find 242 people who are missing after a very bad earthquake on New Year’s Day.
A very important 72-hour time to find people alive after the earthquake ended late on Thursday.
On Friday, 92 people died from the strong earthquake in the faraway Noto peninsula.
According to Kyodo news agency, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces increased the number of soldiers helping with rescue and relief to 4,600.
Several people are believed to be stuck under their fallen homes, mostly in the towns of Suzu and Wajima. The buildings made of wood can’t handle strong earthquakes that happen often in this country.
Many people still don’t have electricity and water, and some are stuck because of landslides and blocked roads.
“We will keep trying,” said Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida after talking with disaster response officials on Friday.
Mr Kishida asked the rescue and relief workers to do everything they can to help the people in the affected areas.
The earthquake on Monday also caused a small tsunami which flooded at least 296 acres of land in Japan.
Japan said it will use 4. 74 billion yen from its budget to help the victims.
Pictures from the Japan Ground Self Defense Force show soldiers putting food, water, and other supplies onto trucks parked on the road. Soldiers are removing dirt and rubble from roads that were damaged by landslides.
In another picture, soldiers were seen carrying a person on a stretcher along a snowy path.
The BBC saw a lot of damage when they visited Wajima on Wednesday. Some houses and cars were crushed by falling concrete. Several old wooden houses in the town fell down.
The town, which has 23,000 people, looks like a ghost town because most people left when they were told a tsunami might come. -
NPP primaries: COP Alex Mensah confident of winning 60% votes in Bekwai
The competition for the parliamentary primary within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bekwai Constituency has intensified after the effective vetting of four candidates.
Among the contenders are George Alex Mensah, a retired Commissioner of Police, Ralph Poku-Adusei, Kingsley Opoku Agyemang, and Henry Opoku-Ware, who have all successfully undergone the vetting process.
Each candidate has conveyed unwavering confidence in their ability to succeed the outgoing Member of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, and assume the role of the next Member of Parliament for the Bekwai Constituency.
The former police chief, however, has put percentages to his expected victory come January 27, 2024.
“I am going to bring unity to the party because we have to break the 8, and it is only unity that will help us break the 8, and that is what I am going to do.
“I am going to do everything that I have to do to bring improvement to the community. With the percent that I am going to get, it should be more than 60 percent,” he added.
Mensah gained popularity in the latter part of his police career when it emerged that he was involved in a plot with an NPP heavyweight in seeking to oust current Inspector-General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare.
He subsequently appeared before a parliamentary probe and made further explosive
revelations including confirming his political leanings. He is the third former police commissioner seeking to run on the ticket of the NPP. -
North Korea bombards South Korea’s border island with artillery munitions
North Korea shot over 200 artillery shells towards South Korea‘s Yeonpyeong island.
Later, South Korea told people to find safety on the island and then did practice shooting exercises there.
The South said the move is a “provocative act” and they disagree with it.
In 2010, artillery from North Korea shot many times at Yeonpyeong island, and four people died.
On Friday, bombs were shot between 9:00 and 11:00 in the morning. They did not go into South Korea because they landed in the area between the two countries.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in South Korea said that the incident did not harm anyone or our military. But they also said that it could make the situation tense and threaten peace in Korea.
North Korea has been saying they are getting ready for war and now they are shelling. They say a war could happen anytime.
Officials on the nearby Baengnyeong Island also said that people have to leave the area.
The most recent event happened several months after North Korea stopped a military agreement with South Korea. The agreement was meant to make their relationship better.
The deal started to go bad after Pyongyang said they sent a spy satellite into space in November. This caused South Korea to stop some parts of the agreement and they said they would start doing surveillance flights along the border again.
Later, Pyongyang said it would stop trying to avoid military conflict on land, sea, and in the air. It will also send stronger armed forces and new military equipment to the border region.
North Korea broke the agreement several times by shooting missiles and firing weapons towards South Korea. North Korea shot artillery shells into the sea nine times in the year 2022. The most recent time was in December.
Some experts think that if Pyongyang stops following the deal, it may not change things very much.
“North Korea didn’t follow the agreement from the beginning, so there was always a chance of a small clash happening,” explained Jo Bee Yun from the Korea Institute for Defence Analysis.
Yeonpyeong island has a military base and about 2,000 people live there. It’s located 3km (2 miles) away from a disputed sea border in the Yellow Sea and 12km from the North Korean coast.
It has been a place where Korea’s navy has fought each other for many years.
In 2010, North Korea shot many shells at an island and killed two soldiers and two people who were not soldiers. -
Six persons shot on first day of classes in Iowa
A student in Iowa shot six people at a high school, one of them died. Then the student took his own life. It happened on the first day back to school after the holidays.
Police found a simple homemade bomb at Perry High School and made it safe.
Five people who were shot were students and one person was a school administrator.
The student who passed away was in the sixth grade, which is for kids who are 11 or 12 years old.
Police received reports of someone shooting a gun at 7:37 in the morning. The first officer got to the place a few minutes later.
Mitch Mortvedt, who works for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, told reporters that the police found the person they believe is responsible for the shooting. The person had shot themselves.
People from the neighborhood came together at Wiese park on Thursday night. They held candles to remember the victims.
They found out that the suspect is Dylan Butler, who is a 17-year-old student. The police said he had a shotgun and a handgun.
MrMortvedt also said that the suspect had made a lot of posts on social media around the time of the shooting.
MrMortvedt said one person was seriously hurt and four others were not as badly injured.
Earlier today, Sheriff Adam Infante of Dallas County said that because it was early in the day, there were only a few students and teachers in the building, which he believes helped make the situation better.
Lori Meinecke, a teacher at Perry High School, said she heard six or seven gunshots on a local radio station.
The middle school was emptied at around 08:25 in the morning and the high school was emptied at 08:27 in the morning. The two schools are located together on the same campus.
A man named Kevin Shelley talked to a TV station. He said his 15-year-old son had been shot in the hallway, but he would be okay.
Mr Shelley’s son said he was hit in the back and got a scrape on his arm. Then he went into a classroom to hide with his friends.
Investigators from the FBI and ATF came to help. The Iowa police department was in charge of the investigation.
“It’s really, really bad,” said Linda Andorf, who is in charge of the school board for Perry Community School District, according to NBC. This is really gross. “It’s really bad. ”
“Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said at a press conference that it’s hard to understand why something like this happens. She also said that all Iowans support the victims and their families. ”
The White House said that President Joe Biden learned about the shooting and spoke with Governor Reynolds’s office.
Perry is a small town with less than 10,000 people. It’s about 40 miles away from Des Moines, which is the capital of Iowa. It’s in the northwest direction from Des Moines.
The shooting happened just a few days before the Iowa caucuses start on January 15th, which is the beginning of the 2024 Republican primary elections.
The shooting happened while one of the Republican candidates, Vivek Ramaswamy, was supposed to campaign in Perry. The event was called off, and instead, there was a prayer and a talk between Mr Ramaswamy and the people who live nearby. -
Pistorius the paralympian killer released on parole
Oscar Pistorius, who is a Paralympian, has been let out of jail in South Africa on parole. This happened almost 11 years after he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Officials said that Pistorius was at his house on Friday morning, after serving half of his 13-year sentence.
Mrs Steenkamp’s mother said she agreed with the decision to let the former athlete go, but she also said that her family is the one suffering for the rest of their lives.
Pistorius, who is now 37 years old, shot Ms Steenkamp many times in 2013 by shooting through a door.
The man with two missing limbs said he thought she was a thief.
Pistorius was found guilty of murder in 2015 after a higher court changed the original verdict of causing death by negligence.
In South Africa, all criminals can ask for early release from prison after serving half of their sentence. Pistorius had to serve 13 years and five months before he could be considered for parole.
He has to follow strict rules, like not talking to the media, until his punishment is over in 2029.
They think he went to live with his uncle Arnold Pistorius in a nice neighborhood in Pretoria.
June Steenkamp said in a statement that they knew parole is allowed in South Africa and they believe in following the law.
Mrs Steenkamp said she is happy with the rules from the parole board. She has to go to anger classes and programs about violence against women. She said these decisions make her believe in the South African justice system, along with her late husband, Barry.
However, she wondered if there has been fairness for Reeva. Has Oscar spent enough time in jail. Justice can never really happen if your loved one is gone forever, and no matter how much time Oscar serves, it won’t bring Reeva back. We are the ones left behind and we have to live with it for the rest of our lives.
She said, “I just want to live out my last years in peace and focus on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation to honor Reeva’s memory. ”
Pistorius began serving his prison sentence in October 2014, not long after he was first found guilty. Between 2015 and 2016, he was allowed to stay at home instead of going to jail before he was found guilty and his punishment was made longer.
Pistorius had his legs cut off when he was very young. After that, he used artificial limbs and became a famous athlete called the “blade runner”.
He did really well in track and field. First, he won lots of gold medals at the Paralympics. Then, he became even more famous when he competed against athletes who weren’t disabled at the London Olympics in 2012. Ms Steenkamp was killed six months later, and the trials that followed were widely covered in the news.
South Africa’s prison department said that even though he is famous, the ex-star will be treated the same as everyone else when he’s on parole.
This means he has to stay at home for certain hours and can’t drink alcohol. He is not allowed to talk to the news.
Ms Steenkamp was 29 years old when she died. She went to law school and was a successful model. She also worked on TV and was on a reality show called Tropika Island of Treasure.
She wanted to start a law office to help women who have been hurt after she finished school.
Ms Steenkamp had been dating Pistorius for three months when he shot four times through a door at his house in Pretoria on February 14, 2013.
She died very quickly.
The government said Pistorius committed murder, but he was found guilty of a lesser charge called culpable homicide, which is similar to manslaughter.
The next year, judges at the Supreme Court of Appeal said he was guilty of murder instead. They didn’t believe his story and thought he had no reason to shoot the person. -
Fiifi Kwetey charges NDC to work on internal decay
General Secretary for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, has called upon the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to undertake a comprehensive internal cleansing, contending that there exists significant decay within the ranks of the main opposition party.
Addressing the commemorative anniversary of the 2023 edition of the 31st December Revolution in Accra, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) asserted that the challenges within the NDC surpassed those of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“There is real decay and that decay continues to be in the NDC today. So, I don’t want us the NDC to pretend that 31st (December) is simply a day to bash NPP, (the) NPP is not the issue, the issue is bigger than NPP.
“The decay even within the NDC must stop with that blazing fire and that is what this business is about,” a charged Kwetey submitted.
He stressed that unless the NDC rids itself of the internal decay, the 2024 victory will be meaningless.
“It is in vain if we win power only to continue what we see, only to do some of the things that we are seeing and only to claim we are doing less, that is not enough,” he cautioned.
31st December in 1981 marked the second coming into office of former president Jerry John Rawlings as a military leader.
Kwetey’s comments has excited former Deputy General Secretary, Samuel Koku Anyidoho , who has proclaimed vindication over his position that the party was suffering moral decadence.
Referencing Kwetey’s submission that the NDC needed to clean its house, Anyidoho suggested that his purported sacking from the party was because of similar calls.
He challenged the current chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and leader of the party, John Dramani Mahama; to take similar action against Kwetey because Asiedu Nketiah as the then party scribe oversaw the process that led to Anyidoho’s expulsion for anti-party conduct.
“Let the Chairman and the Leader of the NDC dare come out and sack the General Secretary if they have the “balls” to do so,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
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Sierra Leonean prophet predicts Mahama’s victory ahead of December 7 polls
A renowned prophet hailing from Sierra Leone, Elijah A. M. Conteh, has shared intriguing insights regarding the anticipated outcome of Ghana’s highly anticipated 2024 presidential elections.
In a momentous New Year Watch Night Service hosted by the Revival Power Ministries Worldwide, Elijah A. M. Conteh delivered a specific prophecy, foreseeing the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming election.
Conteh’s comments have sparked curiosity and speculation among political enthusiasts who eagerly await further developments in this unfolding narrative.
During the New Year Watch Night Service at the Revival Power Ministries Worldwide, Elijah A. M. Conteh not only prophesied the triumph of the NDC party in Ghana’s upcoming election but also pinpointed the date of the declaration as December 10, 2024.
Significantly, this proclamation is slated to unfold just three days after the nation’s general elections on December 7, injecting an added layer of anticipation and intrigue into the political narrative.
“I see a party like the NDC in Ghana celebrating an election; I don’t know whether the election is for [sic] but I saw the date 10th of December 2024.
“I saw an announcement being made, 10th of December, NDC party, whoever their flagbearer is, let them just pray and work well. There is light at the end of the tunnel and God will cause us all to enjoy peace across the nations of the world,” he told his congregation.
The 2024 presidential race will be Maham’s fourth straight jab at the seat. Mahama’s loss in 2016 against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo ended with his concession of defeat and even though he contested the 2020 loss in court, the party relied on multiple results by the Electoral Commission and did not file any base documents (pink sheets).
In the 2024 vote, he will come up against Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and other candidates in the race to succeed Akufo-Addo.
The Sierra Leonean pastor becomes the fourth to make public pronouncements on the upcoming elections.
Zambian apostle, Dr Elijah Kofi King, the head pastor of the Fire Nation Arena Ministries, also prophesied that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), which is led by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, would be booted out of government come December 7, 2024.
In a viral video of his 2024 prophecies, Apostle Kofi King said that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which is led by former President John Dramani Mahama, will win the 2024 polls.
Speaking to his congregation in Lusaka, Zambia, the pastor indicated that there is no way the NPP will remain in power after the presidential election.
“In the year 2024, the National Democratic Congress of Ghana, led by President John Dramani Mahama… what I can say is that they have won.
“NDC, ‘omu afa’. NDC would win the 2024 election without any doubt. Praise the name of the Lord,” he said.
Apostle Kofi King is the second popular Ghanaian prophet who has prophesied that the NDC would win the 2024 presidential election.
Prophet Nigel Gaisie, the founder and leader of the Prophetic Hill Chapel, has also prophesied that former President Mahama would win the 2024 polls.
Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi also predicted that the election would enter a runoff but ultimately the NDC would emerge victorious.
The leader and founder of Alive Chapel International, Archbishop Elisha Salifu Amoako, has, however, prophesied that the 2024 presidential election would be heading for a run-off.
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E.T Mensah goes home today
The concluding chapter in the life of Enoch Teye Mensah, former Member of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram constituency and esteemed Council of State member, is set to unfold today, Friday, January 5, 2024.
The final burial service is scheduled at the Forecourt of the State House, where friends, family, and well-wishers will come together to bid their last farewell to the respected political figure.
Ahead of the final burial service, the mortal remains of the late Enoch Teye Mensah were accorded the honour of lying in state at his Prampram residence on Thursday, January 4, 2024, from 5 to 10 pm. This pre-burial arrangement provided an opportunity for friends, family, and the community to pay their respects and bid farewell to the departed statesman.
Enoch Teye Mensah, aged 77, died in South Africa in October 2023 after a long period of ill health.
The mortal remains of the former Member of Parliament arrived in Ghana from South Africa on 10 October 2024.
Known as E.T. Mensah, he served as a Minister for Education and a Member of Parliament in Ghana from January 1997 to January 2017.
He was married with seven children and was a prominent figure in Ghanaian politics.
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NPP Primaries vetting: 2 aspirants disqualified in Greater Accra
Two aspirants in the ongoing New Patriotic Party’s Parliamentary primaries vetting have been disqualified in the Greater Accra Region.
The two aspirants have been identified as Mr Richard Hagan from Okaikoi South Constituency and Mr Samuel Owusu Amankwah from Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, and have been disqualified for different reasons.
For Mr Hagan, he was disqualified for late submission of his nomination forms while Mr Amankwah was disqualified for not being in good standing.
However, 11 others from six constituencies in the region were approved by the Committee after meeting the Party’s constitutional requirements.
They included Madam Dakoa Newman from OkaiKoi South; Dr Adomako Kissi, incumbent MP for Anyaa Sowutuom and his contender Elder Emmanuel Tobbin and Nana Boakye and Mr Robert Richard Siapim from Tema West.
Incumbent MP for Dome-Kwabenya, Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo, Mr Michael Oquaye and Sheila Oppong Sakyi, were all approved by the Committee, while in Bortianor Ngleshie Amanfro, incumbent MP, Mr Sylvester Tetteh together with his two contenders – Vida Agyekum Acheampong and Mr Eric Kojo Kuranchie, were also passed.
Dr Adomako Kissi, incumbent MP for Anyaa Sowutuom, addressing the media after sailing through the process, said maintaining him as Parliamentary Candidate would better the chances of the Party in retaining the seat.
He explained that, with the Party about to lose a chunk of its experienced legislators in the coming Parliament, his experience in the 8th Parliament would come in handy.
Ms Adwoa Safo, Aspirant for Dome-Kwabenya, said she was confident of winning the Party’s primaries and retaining the seat in the 2024 general election.
According to her, she still retained the trust and confidence of her constituents despite the issues that had characterised her second tenure.
Meanwhile, Mr Michael Oquaye, said he was confident of beating Adwoa Safo this time and retaining the seat for the NPP come December 7, 2024.
Addressing the media in an interview after the first day of the vetting exercise, Mr Daniel Parker Odarlai France, Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the NPP, expressed satisfaction about the process so far.
“During the orphan constituency vetting, there was chaos here but, today, as you can see, this place has been quiet and orderly,” he said.
On the disqualification of the two aspirants, Mr France said they failed to meet aspects of the Party’s constitution.
He explained that Mr Hagan was disqualified because he failed to submit his nomination forms before the deadline.
“For Mr Samuel Owusu Amankwah, we asked him if he pays his dues which he said he does, but he didn’t know we also had copies about all members who pay their dues. So, after we showed him copies, he said he paid three months in the morning.
“For the past two years, you have not paid your dues. It means you are not good a standing member of the Party,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Hagan, in an interview with the media after his disqualification, said he would not appeal the decision but would rather support the sole aspirant and the Party to ensure victory in the 2024 general election.
The Party will hold elections for constituencies with sitting MPs on January 27, 2024. Fourteen of those constituencies are in the Greater Accra Region.
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Presidency dispels reports of Akufo-Addo orchestrating politically motivated changes in military leadership
The Presidency has issued a formal response to accusations alleging a deliberate attempt to orchestrate politically motivated changes within the hierarchy of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The unfolding controversy has prompted a clarification from the highest office, seeking to address concerns and provide insights into the recent developments within the military leadership.
The assertion implied a purported plan to deploy the military to suppress citizens during the December 7 elections.
The publication also alleged a meeting at the Presidency on Tuesday, 2nd January 2024, to discuss these purported politically motivated changes in the military.
In reaction, a statement signed by the Presidency’s Communications Director said the President did hold a meeting with Heads of Security agencies at Jubilee House on January 2, 2024.
However, it added that the meeting is an annual feature on the President’s calendar at the beginning of the New Year, and involves the Heads of Security agencies offering their best wishes for the coming year.
“At these meetings, the Heads of Security agencies call on the President to offer him their best wishes for the coming year, with the President also using the opportunity to express his appreciation to them for their continued commitment to safeguarding the peace and stability of the nation,” the statement signed by Eugene Arhin explained.
Contrary to the allegations on social media, the Presidency said no discussions about changes to the hierarchy of the Armed Forces took place during this meeting.
“It is imperative to note that a change in the leadership of the Armed Forces is embarked upon by the President in accordance with the Constitution and well-established conventions, devoid of any political considerations. Any future change made in this regard will not be a new phenomenon that should warrant unfounded speculations.”
The Akufo-Addo-led administration pledged to maintain this reputation by ensuring the Ghana Armed Forces operate free from partisanship.
The statement further conveyed the President’s reassurance that the 2024 general elections will be free, fair, and transparent.
“In the interest of safeguarding the peace and stability of Ghana, the public is urged to disregard such unfounded speculations and publications aimed at triggering agitations within the rank and file of the Armed Forces,” the Presidency concluded.
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US high school shooting leaves “multiple victims” – Police
A lot of people were hurt after a shooting at a high school in Iowa, USA.
The shooting at Perry High School happened at 7:37 in the morning before most students got to school.
The local police have not said how many people were hurt or how badly. The police know who the shooter is and the public is safe.
The shooting happened on the first day of school after winter vacation.
Perry High School is located 40 miles (64km) to the northwest of Des Moines, the capital of Iowa.
More update on this story soon
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Dome-Kwabenya constituents have forgiven me; they will vote for me again – Adwoa Safo
Incumbent Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has voiced confidence in securing the votes of New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates during the upcoming primaries as well as constituents of Dome Kwabenya in the December 7, 2024 general elections.
Her optimism centers on the belief that the delegates will choose her once again to represent the party in the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2024, despite her shortcomings in the previous years.
In an interview, she noted that she apologised to the people of Dome-Kwabenya for her wrongs and believes the electorate have forgiven her.
“It takes a woman of courage, it takes a courageous politician to accept that I have done something wrong, forgive me and that is what has touched the hearts of the people of Dome-Kwabenya and I know that they will still vote for me into power,” she said.
Recall that Adwoa Safo and the leadership of the New Patriotic Party were not in alignment, following her long absence from Parliamentary and other official duties.
Also, some NPP executives of the Constituency had earlier said they were not going to support Sarah Adwoa Safo in her quest to contest the seat again on the ticket of the party.
This is in reaction to the apology rendered by the MP to the party and residents of the Constituency Thursday, September 14, 2023.
However, in a subsequent interview, the party’s General Secretary in the Dome-Kwabenya constituency, Theophilus Ansah Larbi, insisted that after engagements with some of the constituents, they made it clear to him that they will not support Adwoa Safo if she offers herself to be MP again.
“I am a leader of the party and a delegate, you represent a group of people, so you have to go to the people, ask the people what they want and you do what they want, not what you want. So as a leader of the party, I have gone to the ground and asked people what type of person and what kind of person they want us to bring this time round. So they all rally behind us, so we can keep our space and what they are telling us is; for what Hon. Adwoa has done within her three terms as an MP, I think there should be a cap point and that is what I am saying. So, if I mean well for the party, then there’s no point I will support her bid,” the General Secretary for the constituency emphasized.
He holds the conviction that, for the party to retain the Dome-Kwabenya Parliamentary seat, they have to get a new representative and not Adwoa Safo.
“The last election, all these things Hon. Adwoa Safo has been doing started before the elections and [she] didn’t help in the campaign, didn’t do anything after the election and she went away after the election and coming back to apologise, yes, apologies well taken but I don’t think if we give the seat back to Adwoa Safo, the vote of the NDC will [not] increase again which [we] wouldn’t like going into 2024, because the last election, NDC has never gotten 50,000 votes in Dome-Kwabenya before, but for the first time they got it because of certain attitude our MP put before the Constituency,” Mr. Ansah Larbi stated.
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Man accused of attacking opposition politician in South Korea
A man who is thought to have stabbed the opposition leader of South Korea was officially arrested for trying to kill him.
Kim, a man in his 60s, was caught by the police right after the attack and taken into custody.
Lee Jae-myung, the politician, is no longer in intensive care.
Lee got stabbed in the neck with a camping knife in the southern city of Busan. The attacker pretended to be someone asking for an autograph.
A doctor who operated on Lee said that he is getting better after the surgery. The surgery fixed a big blood vessel in his neck.
Professor Min Seung-kee said that he needs to keep an eye on the person because they are worried about them getting more infections or having problems after their surgery because of the injury they had.
It’s still not clear why the attack happened. Kim told reporters that he gave an eight-page note to the police explaining why he did it.
He also told the police that he planned to kill Lee, according to the Yonhap news agency.
The police found out that he had been following Lee since June last year, according to Yonhap.
Kim has strong political beliefs and purchased the knife on the internet. The police arrested the suspect, so they can keep holding him.
The stabbing surprised the country and made people wonder if important politicians are safe. Both Lee’s party and the country’s ruling party disapproved of it.
South Korea has very strict rules about owning guns and other weapons. Most important people usually do not have a lot of security protection.
The crime rate in the country is usually not very high, but there were more mass stabbing attacks last year. In the past, there have been many times when politicians were attacked with weapons.
Lee leads the main opposition party in Korea. He wants his party to win the most seats in the parliament in the April elections. He lost the presidential elections in 2022 by a very small amount of votes and wants to make a comeback. Yoon Suk Yeol’s conservative party won the presidential elections. -
Dublin restaurant shooting results in death of second guy
A man was shot at a restaurant in Ireland on Christmas Eve and has passed away in the hospital.
Irish TV station RTÉ identified the victim as 48-year-old Jason Hennessy Sr.
He got shot when someone used a gun to attack him at Browne’s Steakhouse on Main Street in Blanchardstown, Dublin at around 8:00 PM.
Twenty-six-year-old Tristan Sherry was believed to be the person with the gun. He was tackled at the scene and taken to the hospital, but he died shortly after.
Both men have been involved in organized crime and are known to the police, as reported by RTÉ.
The Irish police, known as the Gardaí, are now looking into another murder related to the incident.
Michael Andrecut, who is 22 years old and lives on Sheephill Avenue in Dublin, has been accused of killing Mr. Sherry
He showed up at a special court session for criminals on Saturday morning.
Mr Andrecut was taken into custody and will go to Cloverhill District Court on Tuesday, February 2nd.
Two more men have been taken into custody for their involvement in Mr. Sherry’s killing and are being held at police stations in west Dublin.
The minister in Ireland said the attack was very cruel and caused a lot of suffering for people during Christmas.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he was “very surprised” by the attack.
Police are now looking into another case of murder. -
Japanese woman in her 80s rescued from debris
An 80-year-old woman was rescued from the remains of her fallen house in Japan, three days after the earthquake on New Year’s Day.
The NHK news agency showed a video of a woman being carried out of her house in Wajima town.
Rescue workers are hurrying to find people who are still alive, but the time to find them is running out.
At least 82 people died when a very strong earthquake hit the Noto peninsula on Monday.
Many people are believed to be stuck under their fallen homes, mostly in the towns of Suzu and Wajima.
The old woman was stuck on the first floor of her house after the earthquake.
After 3 days, it’s unlikely to find people alive. The window is closed because there was an earthquake at 16:10 local time (07:10 GMT) on Monday.
Many people don’t have electricity and water, and some can’t get help because of landslides and blocked roads.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Thursday that 150 people have been saved and rescue teams will keep working hard to save more people.
This is a very hard situation. “But please try your best to save as many lives as you can by tonight, when it will be 72 hours since the disaster happened,” he said.
The earthquake on Monday hurt at least 330 people, and there were more smaller earthquakes afterward. This information comes from the AFP news agency.
More than 30,000 people who were affected by the earthquake are still living in shelters. Some towns don’t have water, electricity, or internet.
At the same time, exciting stories about saving people are spreading widely on the internet. A video shared by Peace Winds Japan, a local group that helps people, shows a group of rescuers clearing away debris to save a woman stuck under her house. They put a warm, thick blanket on her.
The BBC saw a lot of damage in Wajima on Wednesday. Some houses and cars were crushed by falling concrete. Please simplify this text. Lots of the town’s old, traditional wooden houses fell down.
Japan made new rules to keep buildings safe from earthquakes in 1981, but many wooden houses were built before these rules were made.
Some of the people in Wajima, many of them old, did not update their homes. In 2018, most of the buildings in the town did not meet the new standards.
Wajima has about 23,000 people. Many people left the town when they were told a tsunami might come. Now, Wajima looks like a ghost town because most people are gone.
But it has recorded the most deaths, with 48 confirmed deaths – more than half of the total number of casualties. The number is likely to go up because some areas near the town still have broken roads and landslides, so it’s hard for rescuers to reach people for help.
The mayor of Wajima said that only 2,000 out of 10,000 people who had to leave town have gotten food and other things they need.
The mayor of Suzu, a town with about 13,000 people, says that almost all of its houses are destroyed. About 90% are fully or mostly collapsed, said Masuhiro Izumiya.
A little wave hit the town just after the big earthquake.
Japan has a lot of earthquakes and the number of earthquakes around Noto has been going up since the end of 2020. In the last three years, there have been over 500 small and medium earthquakes in this area. -
Ghana’s growth depends on a judiciary that commands respect of the people – Akufo-Addo tells new justices
President Akufo-Addo has conveyed a crucial message to the newly appointed justices of the Supreme Court, highlighting the pivotal role of the judiciary in shaping Ghana’s growth trajectory.
In his address during the swearing-in ceremony of the new justices, President Akufo-Addo underscored the profound impact that a respected judiciary holds on the nation’s progress.
Mr Akufo-Addo said that the growth of Ghana demands a judiciary that commands the respect of the people through the quality of the delivery of justice as well as the comportment of its judges.
He said these while swearing in the three new Supreme Court justices at the Jubilee House in Accra on Wednesday January 3.
“To our new Supreme Court judges, Justice Henry Anthony Kowfie, Justice Yaw Asare Darko, and Justice Richard Agyei Frimpong, it is extremely important for you to bear in mind that the growth of our nation demands that we have a judiciary that commands the respect of the people by the quality of the delivery of justice as well as the comportment of its judges.
“Applications of the laws of the land must occur in the words of the judicial oath that you have just taken, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will – and, therefore, without recourse to the political, religious or ethnic affiliations of any citizen of the land or any person before you,” President Akufo-Addo further said.
“When a person falls foul of the law, society demands that the person be dealt with accordingly, and law-enforcement agencies, including the Supreme Court, must ensure that this is done.
“That is the true meaning of the concept of equality before the law and I am confident that you will uphold it and distinguish yourselves in the work of the court,” the president said.
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Final funeral rites for ET Mensah commences on Friday, Jan 5
The concluding chapter in the life of Enoch Teye Mensah, the former Member of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram constituency and esteemed Council of State member, is set to unfold on Friday, January 5.
The poignant final burial service is scheduled to take place at the Forecourt of the State House, providing a solemn platform for friends, family, and well-wishers to bid their last farewell to the respected political figure.
Ahead of the final burial service, the mortal remains of the late Enoch Teye Mensah will be accorded the honor of lying in state at his Prampram residence on Thursday, January 4, 2024, from 5 to 10 pm.
This pre-burial arrangement offers an opportunity for friends, family, and the community to pay their respects and bid a farewell to the departed statesman.
Enoch Teye Mensah, aged 77, breathed his last in South Africa in October 2023 after bravely facing a prolonged period of ill health.
The mortal remains of the late former Member of Parliament arrived in Ghana from South Africa on October 10, 2023.
Known as E.T. Mensah, he served as a Minister for Education and a Member of Parliament in Ghana from January 1997 to January 2017.
He was married with seven children and was a respected figure in Ghanaian politics.
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Man who rode across Africa surprised by Will Smith
Famous actor Will Smith surprised a man from Guinea by giving him a phone call. The man had traveled across Africa on a bicycle to go to university.
Last year, Mamadou Safayou Barry made news for walking a really long way – about 4,000 kilometers (or 2,500 miles).
In a video call to Cairo, where Mr Barry is studying, Smith told him he was very impressed by his hard work and gave him a new bike and a laptop as a gift.
“I want everyone to hear your story,” the main actor in many hit movies said.
In a video on Smith’s YouTube channel, the student seemed really surprised to be talking to the Men in Black actor. “Look, it’s Will Smith. ” Barry said with a smile. “I really like many of the movies you’ve made. ”
“I don’t know how to thank you. I really don’t know how to thank you,” he said when he found out about the presents.
Smith’s team reached out to the media in September after Mr. Barry’s story was published. They said it had moved the actor. They wanted to find out how to talk to him.
In May of last year, a 25-year-old person left Guinea in West Africa to go to Al-Azhar University in Egypt. They were hoping to get accepted there.
The man, who is married and has one child, couldn’t pay for a plane ticket. So, he rode his bike for four months through Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Niger, and Chad instead.
During his journey, he was stopped and held by the police three times without any good reason – two times in Burkina Faso and one time in Togo.
However, things changed for Mr. Barry when he got to Chad. A reporter talked to Mr. Barry and shared his story on the internet. This led some kind people to pay for a plane ticket for him to go to Egypt.
When he arrived in Cairo, he was given the chance to go to university to study Islamic subjects and then study engineering. He also got a full scholarship.
“When you decide to go on a trip, the universe works in your favor to support you,” Smith told Mr. Barry, who was smiling, quoting author Paulo Coelho.
In the video, someone is pushing a bicycle and giving it to the student, also giving him the laptop.
Smith gave vouchers so he can buy flights to Guinea to see his family, or so his family can come visit him. -
Be very cautious – DCE cautions residents against fire outbreaks during harmattan
As the harmattan season takes hold, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Banda has issued a stern warning to residents, urging heightened vigilance to prevent fire outbreaks.
The cautionary message seeks to ensure community awareness and preparedness during this dry and potentially hazardous period.
The DCE emphasized the potential for unfortunate consequences if farmers remain indifferent to the safety of their investments, particularly their cashew farms, during the harmattan season.
He highlighted the prevalence of fire outbreaks during this period and urged farmers to exercise caution to prevent any inadvertent loss.
He, therefore, asked the residents of Banda to obey basic fire rules as stipulated by the Ghana Fire National Service as the harmattan has intensified.
Speaking in an interview, the DCE stated, “Although the number of fire outbreaks is gradually reducing as I and the chiefs initiated ‘fire outbreak watchdogs’ in the district to observe safety precautions against fire”.
“I ask you to be very cautious during this period of the dry season to avert any inferno, especially in cashew areas, to avoid further loss,” Akone Emmanuel added.
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Russians in border city close to Ukraine find no place to stay
The people in Belgorod have been attacked by Ukraine in the past, but the attack on Saturday was the worst one since the war started.
Twenty-five people died and over 100 others were injured in a large Russian city near Ukraine.
The Ukrainian missile attacks happened one day after Russia’s biggest air attack in the war, which killed more than 40 people.
This week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia attacked Ukraine with 500 missiles and drones in just five days.
Ukraine will be punished for targeting Belgorod, said President Vladimir Putin. The people who live in the city say that the government is not doing enough to keep them safe.
Local people told Russian media that they heard the air raid alerts only 30 minutes into Saturday’s attack.
They were told to hide, but some found that the basement shelters in their apartment buildings were locked.
One person told the BBC that some basements have a paper with a phone number on the door for the person who has the key. “The worst thing that could happen is if the management company has the key, and since it’s the winter holidays, no one is working. ”
What’s the reason for Russia bombing Ukraine more often.
Sheltering from attack is a bigger problem in Ukraine. Attacks happen a lot and in many places. In winter, it’s dangerous for Ukrainians because Russian attacks happen mostly at night. They have to decide whether to sleep in metro stations or stay at home.
But in Belgorod, a city in Russia with 340,000 people that’s only 30 minutes from the border, one woman named Angela used social media to say that the emergencies ministry’s regional department didn’t know about shelters.
“How is this possible. ” she asked the local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
What if a person came to the city to help family. How can they find out about the management company. There has been a special military operation for two years,” she said, using the Kremlin’s term for the war in Ukraine.
Sergei said he has the same problem in his town, Stary Oskol, which is about 180km (110 miles) from the Ukrainian border. He said that the local government is not doing anything about it and just gives a standard response. If there’s shelling, we don’t know where to go to be safe.
According to another person in Belgorod, the shelters have had problems since the war began.
“I am very mad. People have been talking about it, but the shelter problem has only become known now that there have been casualties,” she told the BBC without giving her name.
A year and a half ago, when a tall apartment building was hit, people tried to find basements to hide in, but all the basements were closed. We don’t have bomb shelters that people know about or can use.
Shortly after Vladimir Putin ordered a big attack in February 2022, officials in Belgorod said they couldn’t tell people where the official bomb shelters were because the Ukrainian military might attack them.
Instead, they shared a video that tells you what to do during an air raid. It says to stay away from windows and go to the ground floor or basement.
When Belgorod was attacked again on January 2nd, many people there left their doors open so others could come inside and be safe from the fighting.
Alexander said, “We are just assisting one another. ”
The local leader has not answered publicly to people’s complaints. The BBC has asked his office for comments, but they have not responded yet.
Before the war, Belgorod had a strong connection with the much larger Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which is on the other side of the border.
Russian forces have bombed the middle of Kharkiv from Belgorod region many times. This area near the border has been impacted by the war more than any other place in Russia.
Yulia says that the bombing will definitely keep happening. “But what is going to be different. “ -
NPP Parliamentary Primaries: 1 withdraws over tensions, over 60 successfully vetted in Ashanti region
The Ashanti regional office of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has successfully vetted more than 60 parliamentary aspirants. The vetting process marks a crucial stage in the party’s preparation for the electoral contest.
In a notable development, Opoku Ahwenie, one of the five aspirants for the Ahafo Ano South-West parliamentary primary, has withdrawn from the race. Citing a commitment to preserving the integrity of the polls in the constituency, Ahwenie’s decision adds a unique dimension to the unfolding dynamics of the NPP’s electoral process.
Kwame Adom Appiah, the Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region, formally acknowledged the receipt of the withdrawal notice from aspirant Opoku Ahwenie.
The confirmation adds a procedural note to the unfolding events surrounding the parliamentary primary in Ahafo Ano South-West.
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Ruto promises to “eradicate crooked judges in Kenya”
Judges in Kenya have criticized the president for saying he might not follow court orders.
President William Ruto has promised to get rid of people he thinks are causing problems for his government by using the courts to stop his plans. Even though people are saying to respect the courts, he still wants to do this.
The president said that no money should be used to bribe any officer, even though some officers are honest.
He said that he won’t allow anyone to bribe judges to stop Kenya from changing for the better.
Chief Justice Martha Koome and opposition leader Raila Odinga said that Mr Ruto is trying to scare the judges, and a group of lawyers want to have demonstrations. -
Jeffrey Epstein: Court documents mention Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton
Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton are mentioned in court papers about Jeffrey Epstein, a sex offender who has passed away.
The new documents are part of a case against Ghislaine Maxwell, who is in jail for helping Epstein abuse girls.
However, the papers released up to now do not reveal any big new accusations about Epstein or new information about the people he knew.
Prince Andrew is being accused of touching a woman in a way that made her uncomfortable, but he says he didn’t do it.
Other people mentioned in the papers are singer Michael Jackson and magician David Copperfield. But they are not accused of doing anything wrong.
Mr Clinton is mentioned in many of the papers. The past president of the United States admitted he knew Epstein in the past, but he said he didn’t know about any of Epstein’s crimes.
The first set of files, which cover about 900 pages, were released on Wednesday after a judge in New York named Loretta Preska ordered it. Many of the people mentioned in the files were already known from the media or from Maxwell’s trial.
Judge Preska said that many people did not object to the release of the documents. However, she decided that some names should be blacked out because they would reveal the identities of people who were abused.
Some of the over 100 people on the list say things about others or might have seen something, and more papers will be shared soon.
Epstein admitted to paying a young person for sex in 2009 and died by suicide in 2019 while waiting for his trial on charges of selling people for sex.Prince Andrew’s alleged groping
The new files mention Johanna Sjoberg, who said that Prince Andrew touched her breast while they were sitting on a couch in Epstein’s apartment in 2001.
Buckingham Palace has said that her claims are completely false. They have chosen not to say anything about the new documents, because they don’t speak for the Duke of York anymore, as he is no longer doing royal duties. The BBC has asked Prince Andrew to share his thoughts.
During a statement, Ms. Sjoberg said that Prince Andrew touched her breast while posing for a picture with another accuser, Virginia Giuffre, and a puppet with his name on it.
In 2022, the British prince gave lots of money to Ms Giuffre to end a case she made saying he did something bad to her when she was 17.
Prince Andrew said he never met Ms Giuffre and he said her accusations were not true.
Bill Clinton’s trips around the world.
The court documents also mention former US President Clinton, but there is no suggestion that he did anything illegal. When asked for a response, the people who speak for him pointed to a statement he made in 2019 where he said he doesn’t know anything about what Epstein did.
Based on the information, Ms. Sjoberg said that Epstein told her that Mr. Clinton “likes young girls. ”
The files have statements from Maxwell saying that Mr. Clinton went on Epstein’s plane, but she doesn’t know how many times.
Mr Clinton flew on Epstein’s plane for trips to Africa in the early 2000s. He thought Epstein was good at helping people, but then stopped being friends with him.
The ex-president of the United States said in 2019 that he traveled on Epstein’s plane with people who worked for and supported his charity, the Clinton Foundation.
“His bodyguards went with him on every part of every journey,” he said.The court papers have a part where Maxwell’s lawyer tries to prove that a media story about Mr. Clinton going to Epstein’s island right after he left his job in January 2001 is not true.
Maxwell’s lawyer said the former US president did not go to or be on Little St James Island from January 1, 2001 to January 1, 2003.
The lawyer said that if the claim was true, Secret Service agents would have had to show records of their travel for the trip.More update on this story soon
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More than 16k Ghanaian teachers applied to UK Department of Education for jobs
It appears the exodus of workers in pursuit of better opportunities in other countries is no longer confined to the health sector as it has now permeated into the education sector.
According to the Registrar, National Teaching Council, Dr Christian Addai-Poku, over 16,000 Ghanaian teachers applied for positions with the Department of Education in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2023.
The Registrar reported that as of June 13, 2023, around 10,000 applicants possessing Ghana Teacher Licences were certified to work in the UK, eliminating the need for additional assessment by the UK government.
Speaking on the alarming trend, Director of the Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Professor Peter Quartey, urged the Ghanaian government to create more job opportunities for teachers to reduce the attrition rate.
He said most teachers who sought greener pastures did so because of unemployment, low wages, and poor working conditions, and he called on the authorities to address the issues and ensure improvement in learning outcomes.
Speaking in an interview, the Professor said that though the country could not stop migration, there was a need to manage the situation.
“If the country has excess teachers, then it can export, but in a coordinated manner to maximise the benefits for the country,” he said.
Prof Quartey said the government could institute measures and set a quota for teachers to migrate and pay remittances to the country as part of an agreement to defray the training cost.
He said a country like the Philippines had done that not only in the teaching space but the health sector and had received foreign inflows.
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Popular Prophet, son granted GHS3m bail for alleged fraud
Founder of the New Pentecost Vision Church, Prophet Daniel Nkansah, has been granted bail by the Circuit Court in Accra after spending two weeks in police custody.
The unfolding legal proceedings add a new chapter to the ongoing narrative surrounding the prominent religious figure.
The decision to grant bail followed the plea entered by Prophet Nkansah, 59, and his son, Daniel Boahene Nkansah, who both asserted their innocence in response to charges of conspiracy and defrauding by false pretenses.
Her Honour Mrs. Afia Owusuaa Appiah, presiding over the court, granted bail to Prophet Nkansah, setting the amount at GHC2 million and requiring three sureties to be justified.
His son, Boahene Nkansah, 34, said to be an administrator was also granted bail in the sum of GHc1 million with two sureties to be justified.
Additionally, both are to report to the police once every fortnight.
They are alleged to have collected over two million from a businessman under the pretext of selling some landed properties at Achimota, Radio Gold, and Mataheko among other areas to him.
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K.T Hammond’s petition for disqualification of contender squashed
The Vetting Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region has dismissed a petition aimed at disqualifying Sammy Binfoh Darkwa from the parliamentary race in Adansi Asokwa. The committee’s ruling adds a significant development to the unfolding dynamics of the party’s selection process in the constituency.
During the initial day of the vetting process, the Committee was presented with a petition from 14 constituency executives and their Member of Parliament, K.T Hammond, urging the disqualification of the deputy managing director of the Ghana Publishing Company.
Following extensive hours of deliberation on the petition, the Committee absolved Mr Binfoh Darkwa, dismissing all allegations leveled against him.
In an interview, Sammy Binfoh Darkwa said he is ready to defend himself against all the allegations levelled against him.
“I faced the Committee and came out successful. The Committee analysed the allegation and I was vindicated. I will always defend myself against any form of allegation” he said.
Mr. K.T Hammond while responding to the petition, says the accused person knows nothing about the constituency which is a breach of Article 12(4) and (7).
“Go and ask them if they know anything about the constituency. Go and ask them. What do they know about the constituency?” he asked.
After day one of the vetting, all four aspirants eyeing the Adansi Asokwa constituency seat on the ticket of the NPP have been cleared to contest.
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Grandeur & Glamour at the 2023 Masquerade ball party with 100 top personalities in attendance
Last night, the White restaurant at Marina Mall, Airport City, transformed into a haven of sophistication as it played host to the exclusive 2023 Masquerade Ball. The illustrious gathering saw a fusion of 100 top personalities, spanning the realms of politics, business, and societal influence.
The evening commenced with a mesmerizing red carpet grand entrance, where each guest, shrouded in mystique behind exquisite masks, added an air of intrigue to the affair. Politicians from both the ruling NPP and the opposition NDC mingled seamlessly with influential business tycoons, creating an atmosphere that buzzed with conversations at the intersection of power and influence.
Inside the venue, a symphony of culinary delights awaited the attendees. Food stations adorned with gourmet delicacies, a themed bar serving bespoke concoctions, and a wine & bubbly station offering the finest libations elevated the gastronomic experience.
The stage was set for a night of entertainment that transcended ordinary revelry. A live band’s enchanting melodies filled the air, complemented by the rhythmic beats of a live DJ. Dazzling dancers and captivating shows added a layer of theatrical brilliance to the event.
Beyond the glitz and glamour, the Masquerade Ball served as a nexus for networking opportunities. Patrons seized the chance to forge connections, fostering relationships that extended far beyond the confines of the ballroom.
As the night unfolded, masks came off, revealing the faces behind the influential personas that graced the occasion. The echoes of laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the hum of meaningful conversations lingered in the air, creating a tapestry of memories that would be etched in the minds of those fortunate enough to attend this exclusive gathering.
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Man attacks judge by jumping over bench in US courtroom
Video recording shows a person running towards a judge in a Nevada courtroom.
Judge Mary Kay Holthus got hurt when she fell back from her seat.
A person who helps in a court was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Deobra Delone Redden was being punished for hurting someone in a serious way. He has been accused of more things.More update onthis story soon
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Disqualified Ayawaso parliamentary hopeful levels bribery allegations against NPP executives
A disqualified parliamentary candidate hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, Samuel Amankwah, has leveled accusations against party executives, alleging instances of bribery.
He clarified that during the course of his campaign to secure the party’s representation in the constituency, he was confronted with a proposal to withdraw his candidacy in favor of the incumbent Member of Parliament, Lydia Seyram Alhassan.
In a video disseminated by Citi FM on X, he elaborated on his stance, stating that he categorically rejected the executives’ request as he firmly believes the constituents desire him to vie for the seat.
Amankwah, however, added that he was surprised when he was eventually disqualified from the race.
“After a couple of meetings with very high-powered gentlemen and executives of the party, persuading me to step down for the incumbent, which I told them in all humility, will not happen because the delegates; the constituents are calling for Amankwah.
“After the vetting; after two successive meetings, spanning over 3 hours, they are telling us Amankwah is not qualified to contest the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat. Fortunately, we have an appeal process to embark on. I think this will be a very nice journey. It’s a battle for the youth of Ghana and the youth of Ayawaso West Wuogon,” he added.
Indicating his readiness to go all out to seek justice in this process, Samuel Amankwah said what happened is a scheme against him and the youth of the country.
He has vowed to go all out to ensure that the right thing is done and that he gets back into the race.
“… I, Kwabena Owusu Amankwah, am going to fight for each and every one of us. Look, we are going to appeal today. I am going to see my lawyers and appeal this case because it cannot happen. This is not the JB Danquah party. This is not the JA Kufuor party. This is not the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo party. It cannot happen,” he explained.
“How can you disqualify a candidate with just two candidates contesting. How? How on earth? This is purely a scheme, a game and an agenda against Amankwah. This is not just against Amankwah; this is against the youth of Ghana… against the youth of Ayawaso West Wuogon, and I, Kwabena Owusu Amankwah Samuel, we will fight for you,” he said.
The New Patriotic Party is currently vetting candidates who have presented themselves to contest the various constituency seats in the country on the ticket of the party.
The primaries that will see to the election of these parliamentary candidates will be held in the last week of January 2024.
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“I haven’t seen my father in captivity for 11 years” – Lawyer Abrar Elias
30-year-old Abrar Elias, who lives in east London and works as an immigration lawyer, is reminded of difficult times by the upcoming elections in Bangladesh.
In 2012, when he was in his last year of high school in Dhaka, his father Ilias Ali, who was a well-known politician and organizer with BNP, went missing along with his driver.
Mr Elias said he and his family were very sure that he was taken by force because of his involvement in opposition politics in Bangladesh.
A few years later, Mr Elias went to London to learn about law, hoping to become a barrister in the future.
He now lives in Pontoon Docks and says that the pain never goes away.
Mr Elias said that his mother cries every day because she misses him a lot.
“One day your father is very important to you, the next day, you don’t know where he is. ” It’s really sad.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Ministry told BBC London that there are currently no reports of people going missing during the election.
“Before, when people accused the government of doing bad things, the government quickly did things to show that the accusations weren’t true. ”
Mr Elias and Mr. Rahman are sitting in their apartments in east London, and they are worried about their home country.
Mr Rahman says he still has bad dreams about what happened to him, and how he was tortured for no reason.
“My body still needs to get better, but I will always remember those things. ” I want to be able to speak openly and have others listen so that what happened to me doesn’t happen to anyone else. -
“They beat me without saying anything for six months” – Moshiur Rahman
Moshiur Rahman flinches in pain as he walks with a limp to the table to have tea with his wife and young son in their apartment in east London.
The pain in his leg joints reminds him every day of the abuse he says he went through because of his connection to the main opposition party in Bangladesh.
Mr Rahman moved from the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka, to Barking. He said he was grabbed at an airport and hurt while on a short trip to his home country in 2015.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangladesh strongly said it did not have any part in cracking down on any party members.
Mr Rahman says he was blindfolded and tied up for days, hung from a ceiling, and sometimes attacked and threatened with being killed in a place he didn’t know.
He said he had been linked to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for many years, but now it’s over.
“They hit me all over my body for six months without saying anything,” he says.
“The pain was too much to handle. ” I thought they would catch me and harm me. All I could think about was that my family will never know that I died.
He had to stay in Bangladesh until 2022 because of strict rules. Finally, he was able to go to London to be with his family after his wife got permission to stay there.
He can’t work because he is in too much pain.
The media has obtained papers from his local health trust that explain the impact on his mental and physical health from the abuse he endured.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told media that they strongly disagree with claims of violence, torture, or disappearances. They also said they looked into allegations of cracking down on political party members.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who became the leader in 2009, is now running for a fourth term in office. She is the aunt of Tulip Siddiq, who is a member of parliament for Hampstead and Kilburn.
Some people from London’s Bangladeshi community, the largest in the UK, have joined protests against the government in the city before the elections on January 7th.
The protests have been about the government of Ms Hasina being accused of scaring and controlling people. This is because the leader of BNP, Khaleda Zia, has been put in jail for reasons that are not agreed upon, and there has been recent trouble in the country.
Ms Hasina says that the BNP and its friends are responsible for the trouble and violence.
Ms Hasina’s ruling party, the Awami League, is expected to win the election for the fourth time because the other major parties are not participating and their leaders are in jail.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Ministry told media that it is fully committed to having elections that are free, fair, and transparent. -
KPMG Survey reveals 66% of Ghanaians use Mobile Money weekly
A recent survey conducted by global audit and advisory firm KPMG has brought to light the remarkable surge in mobile money usage among Ghanaians.
The findings indicate that a staggering 66% of the population embraces the convenience of mobile money transactions on a weekly basis, signifying a significant shift in financial habits across the nation.
The 2023 KPMG West Africa Banking Industry Customer Survey has revealed that mobile money has emerged as the dominant channel in Ghana’s payment landscape, with 66% of participants indicating weekly utilization.
Even with a significant shift toward digital channels, the nation continues to primarily operate as a cash-based economy.
The ease of transferring money between accounts and mobile wallets, the report said, emerged as the most important experience metric for retail customers.
Notably, certain banks refrain from imposing fees on their customers for transferring funds between their mobile money wallet and bank account, fostering convenience. Additionally, there was an uptick in customers utilising financial technology platforms.
Sixteen percent of respondents indicated using fintech platforms weekly, up from 10.0% in 2022.
Fifty three percent of respondents reported using their bank’s mobile app at least once a week, a 3-percentage point increase from last year.
The USSD platform’s penetration also continued its upward trajectory, evidenced by a growth in weekly customer usage. Presently, 28% of respondents use their bank’s USSD platform weekly.
Despite a substantial move towards digital channels, Ghana remains predominantly a cash-based economy.
A significant 32.0% of respondents indicated weekly Automated Teller Machine (ATM) usage, emphasising the importance of 24/7 cash availability at these machines which ranks as the second most crucial metric for retail respondents.
The report also stated that with 36% of respondents favouring the ATM for cash withdrawals and 22% preferring mobile money, the cultural preference for cash persists due to its perceived security and widespread acceptance, particularly in traditional markets and informal sectors.
“Despite advancements in digital security, there persists a prevailing mistrust and reluctance toward the security of digital platforms”, it added.
In summary, the report said the ongoing journey of digital adoption is gaining momentum, albeit moderately. Thus, the Ghanaian payment sphere presents a fertile ground, ripe with opportunities for substantial disruption and transformative change.
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AU and US call for respect for Somalia’s sovereignty amidst disagreement
The African Union and US want people to respect Somalia’s boundaries and land, after Ethiopia made a deal with Somaliland for access to the sea.
Somalia is upset about the deal and says it’s aggressive and is against their rights. They plan to fight it in court.
Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991, but other countries don’t officially accept it as a separate country.
Spokesperson Matthew Miller from the US Department of State said that the United States respects Somalia’s land and borders.
The leader of the African Union asked for Somalia and Ethiopia’s unity, territorial integrity, and full sovereignty to be respected.
The US and AU want the people involved to talk and solve the problem peacefully. They are worried that the deal could make things worse in the Horn of Africa. -
Snow disaster in Sweden traps 1,000 cars
The Swedish military gave food and water to around 1,000 cars and trucks stuck in the snow for almost a whole day.
Rescuers are trying to help people who are stuck on the main E22 road in southern Sweden.
Rescue teams helped many people to leave the area and told them to come back to their cars later.
The travel mess happened when the weather got very cold in the Nordic countries.
Very cold weather has arrived in some areas of Sweden, Finland, and Norway. There are also snow storms in Denmark that have stranded drivers on a motorway near Aarhus since Wednesday.
The coldest night in 25 years was recorded at the Kvikkjokk-Arrenjarka weather station in northern Sweden on Tuesday, with temperatures reaching -43. 6C
The problem on the main E22 started at around 09:00 in the morning on Wednesday when snow made the road between Horby and Kristianstad blocked in both directions. Hundreds of cars stopped because of piles of snow.
“It’s complete chaos,” said police spokesperson Evelina Olsson.
Snow ploughs came on Wednesday evening and the police and rescuers worked all night to help people stuck in hundreds of cars. Some people had health problems like diabetes.
Rescue teams started moving cars stuck in the snow on the E22, but many trucks are likely to stay there until Friday.
Erika Sepeliovaite told Aftonbladet website that she, her two kids, and their dog were rescued after 19 hours.
Malin Johansson, who is 56 years old and from Ahus, mentioned that she and her partner turned on their car every now and then to keep it warm. She said to Expressen that they were able to leave at 04:30 on Thursday after rescuers cut the road’s barrier.
Soldiers were sent to bring food and water to the people who were stuck.
Ms Olsson said the problem is that it is snowing a lot and the road gets covered in snow again just half an hour after it has been cleared.
On Thursday morning, most of the cars were moved, but the trucks were still stuck. The police said the situation was getting better, but they also said the road would not be cleaned until at least 08:00 on Friday.
Buses and trains in the Skane area were not running on Thursday morning. Officials said it’s best to only travel if it’s really necessary. -
SML-Ghana welcomes KPMG audit of contract with GRA; optimistic of a positive turnout
Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML), in a resolute stance, has asserted its confidence in the forthcoming audit, mandated for its contract with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Finance Ministry.
SML has expressed the belief that the investigation will ultimately validate the integrity of the deal.
SML is optimistic that the upcoming report from KPMG, the firm entrusted with conducting the audit, will showcase the contract’s integrity in safeguarding the state’s revenue.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, January 3, SML welcomed the audit directive and assured full compliance.
The statement emphasised the company’s anticipation of the audit proving the legitimacy and efficacy of its dealings with the GRA and the Ministry of Finance.
“We welcome the directive and the decision to appoint KPMG to conduct an immediate audit of the contract.
“SML awaits the results of the audit, as it will help establish a clear and accurate picture of our operations. We remain resolute in upholding the highest business standards and welcome the scrutiny that this audit would bring.”
“We are confident that the findings will confirm the integrity of our collaboration with GRA and the Ministry of Finance and provide ample evidence of the value we provide citizens,” SML said.
The audit was ordered by President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, January 2, with KPMG appointed to conduct the audit within a two-week timeframe.
Specific terms of reference for the audit were outlined in a press statement from the Presidency issued by Communications Director Eugene Arhin.
In December 2023, The Fourth Estate published an investigative piece implicating Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd. (SML), the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Ministry of Finance.
The report accused GRA of awarding SML a 10-year contract, generating $100 million annually, and raised concerns about alleged underhand dealings.
Following the report, SML refuted claims of a 10-year contract, asserting that it was awarded a 5-year contract instead. Additionally, SML denied allegations of receiving $100 million annually from its contract.
On Wednesday, December 20, 2023, the Ghana Revenue Authority issued a statement affirming that its board and management had followed the correct processes in procuring the services of SML.
The situation continues to unfold, with conflicting statements from the involved parties. We will continue to monitor and report on further developments.
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Dormaahene vows to abdicate if anyone can prove the existence of any Akan state before Bonos
In a reaffirmation of historical significance, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, the Dormaahene, has emphasized the ancestral claim that the Bonos were the pioneering group among the Akan people to settle in what is now known as Ghana.
Highlighting historical details, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyeman Badu II, Dormaahene, has traced the arrival of the Bonos in Ghana back to the late 1200s, citing the presence of the then Techimanhene, Bono Kyempem Baduakwa, during that significant period.
He asserted that should any chief or historian furnish evidence supporting the arrival of any Akan cluster member before the year 1295, he would willingly relinquish his throne.
In addressing the issue at a gathering, Agyemang Badu said among the Bonos, Asantes, Fantes, Akuapems and others, “Who were the first to come to present-day Ghana? It was the Bonos.
“I want a chief who can claim to be an Akan and that his throne preceded that of Bono Kyempem Baduakwa, Techimanhene.
“I want any chief whose throne came before 1295. If that person is able to prove their existence before Nana Techimanhene, I will abdicate my throne that day and handover,” he said to applause from his subjects.
He lamented how Bonos have failed to tell their history, hence succumbing to the narrative of a singular group and leaving others to position their history as superior.
According to historical sources reviewed by GhanaWeb, the Bono, also called the Brong and the Abron, are an Akan people of West Africa. Bonos are normally tagged Akan piesie or Akandifo of which Akan is a derivative name.
Bono is the genesis and cradle of Akans. Bono is one of the largest ethnic group of Akan and are matrilineal people.
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Trump requests Supreme Court reverse the Colorado ban
Donald Trump wants the US Supreme Court to change a decision made in Colorado that said he couldn’t run for president there.
Colorado’s highest court said last month that Mr. Trump could not run in the primary election because he was involved in the riot at the US Capitol.
He asked for the decision to be reviewed one day after challenging a similar decision in Maine.
Many lawsuits have been filed in different states trying to prevent Mr. Trump from being on the November 2024 ballot.
Courts in Minnesota and Michigan have rejected efforts to disqualify the former US president and leading Republican candidate, while other cases are still pending. “Cases, including those in Oregon, are still waiting to be resolved. ”
Mr Trump is asking the highest court in the country to decide if he can run for federal office in Colorado. The nine Supreme Court judges will have to make a very important decision.
The Republican elections in Colorado and Maine are happening on March 5th, which is called Super Tuesday. It’s when a lot of states have their votes to pick their party candidates. Postal votes must be sent out early, so the Supreme Court is being urged to make a decision soon.
The Supreme Court decision about whether Mr. Trump can run for president because of a Civil War law would apply to everyone in the country.
The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution stops people who have rebelled against the government from holding federal jobs. But the ex-president’s lawyers say this rule doesn’t apply to the president.
The Trump campaign said that the Colorado Supreme Court and President Biden are trying to stop American voters from voting for President Trump.
“This is an act of interference in the election that goes against what America stands for and is against the rules of our government,” said Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the campaign.
“We want the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to be rejected and we want a fair election in November. ”
The Colorado Supreme Court made a close decision, with four judges supporting it and three judges opposing it. All seven judges were chosen by leaders who are Democrats.
It was expected that Mr. Trump would ask the Supreme Court for help. They have to wait to decide if he will be taken off the ballot in Colorado and Maine because there are legal problems that need to be fixed first.
The highest court has more conservative judges, and three of them were picked by Donald Trump when he was president.
However, during an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba said that the ex-president was worried that the Supreme Court, which mostly leans conservative, might make a decision against him because they don’t want to support Trump.
“He has told me and everyone else publicly about his concern, not privately,” she said. “And I can say that he has a good reason to be concerned. ”
The Colorado case is the first time in the history of the United States that the 14th Amendment has been used to remove a presidential candidate from the election.
Mr Trump is being investigated for trying to change the election results, but he has not been accused of starting a riot in either court case.
Legal experts explained that the Colorado case caused a lot of disagreement in politics, and it made the Supreme Court’s job very challenging.
“The Supreme Court is being asked to decide what democracy can and cannot do,” said Samuel Issacharoff, a professor of law at New York University.
Prof Issacharoff said that the former president has a lot of people who really like him, but also a lot of people who really don’t like him.On Tuesday, David Janovksy, who works at a group that watches over the government, said it’s good that the Supreme Court is looking at the issue. He thinks it’s the best way to solve the issue for the whole country.
“He said that because Colorado and Maine have made this decision, while other states have not, this could be a good reason for the Supreme Court to make a decision about it. ”
“Time is very important. “ -
Akufo-Addo appointing private firm to audit GRA/SML contract shocks Franklin Cudjoe
President Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to appoint a private firm for the audit of the GRA/SML contract has left Franklin Cudjoe, a prominent figure and head of policy think tank IMANI, expressing disbelief.
In a statement, Mr Cudjoe said the move by the President is an indication that he (the President) has lost faith in the state investigative bodies.
“Clearly the President has lost faith in all the state’s investigative bodies to investigate the SML matter. Not even in his own Office of Special Prosecutor he championed with such fanfare and millions of tax payers’ money.
“I know the President is worried about mounting quarterly / monthly scandals even in his last year in office, (which he alone must be blamed for) but l had no idea he would be this erratic in asking a private company with NO constitutional power to investigate grave acts of state institutions the same private company advises for a fee and in some instances in direct competition with other clients of the same state entities it works for,” Mr. Cudjoe stated.
His comments come on the back of the directive by President Akufo-Addo to KPMG to audit the contract between the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML-Ghana) and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
A contractual agreement was established to bolster revenue assurance in the downstream petroleum sector, as well as in the upstream petroleum production and the value chain of minerals and metals resources.
President Akufo-Addo has tasked KPMG to complete the assignment in two weeks, and submit appropriate recommendations to him.
In a Facebook post the IMANI boss questioned why the President has mandated a body with no constitutional power to investigate the SML and GRA alleged scandal.
According to him, he cannot fathom why the President could not direct the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) to conduct investigation into the SML and GRA deal but rather KPMG.
“Clearly the President has lost faith in all the state’s investigative bodies to investigate the SML matter. Not even in his own Office of Special Prosecutor he championed with such fanfare and millions of tax payers’ money.
“I know the President is worried about mounting quarterly / monthly scandals even in his last year in office, (which he alone must be blamed for) but l had no idea he would be this erratic in asking a private company with NO constitutional power to investigate grave acts of state institutions the same private company advises for a fee and in some instances in direct competition with other clients of the same state entities it works for,” Mr. Cudjoe stated.
He continued: “Well, my dear friend the President listens to none these days, (recall he hasn’t bothered to respond to his party’s General Secretary’s hapless cry for a reshuffle) but I will still offer my advice- please hand over the reins of government to your Veep now to avoid further blunders.
“We can meet later to discuss what must go into your memoir- for there is still a lot of beautiful stories about you before you became President the world must know.
“In Lloyd Amoah ‘s tone, “Pay Attention”.
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Kenyan medicine recalled by Rwanda due to safety concerns
Rwanda health officials took back some antifungal pills from Kenya because they were worried about their safety.
The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (RFDA) told companies to send back all the Fluconazole 200mg tablets made by a company in Kenya.
It told all stores and health centers to stop giving out the drugs and to send them back to the companies that made them.
This happened after the authority told the Kenyan manufacturer that the tablets were changing color.
RFDA found that four large groups of pink Fluconazole 200mg tablets brought into the country turned white before they were used up.
The agency said that some bad tablet batches had been sold in Rwanda.
Health experts in Rwanda will look into the bad effects that the drug has had on people in Rwanda.
Kenyan officials have not said yet if the medication, used for fungal or yeast infections, will be taken off the shelves in local stores. -
OSP accuses leader of anti-Ofori-Atta MPs of failing to cooperate in corruption probe
Member of Parliament for the Asante Akyem North Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, has declined cooperation with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
This was revealed by the OSP in a statement.
This decision comes despite the public revelation of bribery allegations made by the MP against an unnamed businessman.
Mr Appiah-Kubi, leading a group of Majority MPs advocating for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, acknowledged in various media interviews throughout 2022 that he and fellow colleagues had received financial offers in Parliament with the intention of persuading them to withdraw their demand.
In its final report on an investigation triggered by a petition from OccupyGhana group, the OSP said Appiah-Kubi and other MPs including the Majority Leader, had refused to give the needed cooperation.
The report was released on Wednesday, 3 January 2024.
According to OccupyGhana, if the allegation of attempted bribery is established, it would amount to an attempt to influence the conduct of Members of Parliament in the course of their official duties.
Hence its petition to the OSP to investigate the affair and to proceed to prosecute if established.
In the report which spanned 8 months, the OSP revealed that: “The investigation showed that circa September 2022, eighty (80) Members of Parliament of the NPP publicly called for the resignation or removal of the Minister for Finance, Mr. Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta over complaints of his inability to properly manage the economy of Ghana. The apparent spokesperson of the group of eighty was Mr. Appiah-Kubi.
“Mr. Appiah-Kubi’s interview was first in time. He stated outrightly that a certain well-known wealthy Ghanaian businessman visited Parliament House on 1 October 2022 and requested a meeting with a section of NPP Members of Parliament.
“He stated that at the meeting the well-known wealthy businessman offered them huge sums of money in envelopes with the intention of influencing them to rescind their demand for the resignation or removal of Mr. Ofori-Atta. He further stated that the Members of Parliament stood their ground and rejected the offer of money. Mr. Appiah-Kubi did not disclose the identity of the well-known wealthy businessman during the interview.”
Despite admitting granting an interview on the Accra-based radio station, Mr Appiah-Kubi declined to reveal the identity of the businessman, the OSP’s report detailed.
“Mr. Appiah-Kubi admitted granting an interview on Joy FM in which he claimed that a certain well-known wealthy Ghanaian businessman visited Parliament House on 1 October 2022 and requested a meeting with a section of NPP Members of Parliament and that the businessman in question had attempted to bribe them.
“However, he declined to watch the audio-visual rendition of his interview on Joy FM. The interview was replayed to him anyway. Thereafter, he effectively invoked his right to remain silent.
“He refused to disclose the identities of the Members of Parliament present at the meeting with the undisclosed businessman. He refused to disclose the identity of the wealthy businessman. He refused to disclose the amount of money offered by the undisclosed businessman. He refused to answer all other questions posed to him.
“Mr. Appiah-Kubi showed open hostility to the authorised officers of the OSP and he was unyielding in his resolve not to cooperate with the investigation.
“Indeed, he flatly refused to cooperate with the OSP, though he had stated that he would fully cooperate with the investigation, and though he declared to the media subsequent to the OSP’s interview that he fully cooperated with the OSP,” the report indicated.
It further revealed that: “Mr. Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu denied direct knowledge of the matter. He denied knowledge of the undisclosed wealthy businessman and the amount of money he allegedly offered to the indicated section of Members of Parliament.
It added that Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated that his “limited knowledge of the matter was based largely on rumours and the interview granted by Mr. Appiah-Kubi on Joy FM.”
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India court dismisses defence from accused US murder plot
India’s highest court has decided not to get involved in the case of an Indian man accused of planning to kill a Sikh separatist in the United States.
US government lawyers have accused Nikhil Gupta of trying to pay someone to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Mr Gupta is in prison in Prague, and his lawyer said that they have started the process to send him to the US.
The Supreme Court said that the Indian government must do something about it, and they denied the request.
A family member of Mr. Gupta filed a request with the Indian Supreme Court to help him get out of jail and have a fair trial. His lawyer said that Mr Gupta was kept in custody unfairly.
“Judge Sanjay Khanna, one of the two judges on the bench, said that based on the rules of international law and the authority and respect between courts, we do not believe any of the requests can be approved. This is a delicate matter. ” A duplicate of the order will be available on Thursday.
The Czech Republic’s ministry of justice said that Indian courts didn’t have the authority to handle Mr.
Mr Gupta was in the news in November because American authorities accused him of planning to kill at least four Sikh separatists in North America, including Mr Pannun.
They said Mr Gupta promised to pay $100,000 in cash to someone to kill Mr Pannun, who is both a US and Canadian citizen, in New York. The assassin turned out to be a secret police officer, according to the prosecutors.
Mr Gupta was supposedly told what to do by an Indian government official, but the official was not named or accused in the legal document.
Mr Gupta could go to prison for up to 20 years if he is found guilty.
India has accused Mr. Pannun of being a terrorist, but he says he is not and actually supports the Khalistan movement for a separate Sikh homeland.
The petition in India said Mr. Gupta was arrested by people who say they are US federal agents and has not had a fair trial yet. It was also said that he was kept alone in a small room and was made to eat beef and pork, even though it was against his religious beliefs.
The judges of the highest court said that according to the laws of other countries, Mr. Gupta can get help from the Indian government. The lawyer for Mr Gupta’s relative said that they only got to talk to their relative before he was ordered to be sent to another country. But now, they need help from the Indian government to cooperate.
The court said that he could ask the Indian government for help.
Mr Gupta was accused of something months after Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there were believable claims connecting Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia. India said the accusations are silly and untrue.
India said it will check any evidence about its alleged connection to the plot to kill someone in the US.
“If one of our citizens does something good or bad, we will investigate it. ” “We promise to follow the rules of the law,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interview with the Financial Times last month. -
Court challenges DR Congo president’s election victory
One of the people running to be president in Congo doesn’t think the current president should have won again, so they are asking to have the election looked at again.
Théodore Ngoy got the fewest votes in the election, and he is the only one asking for the presidential results to be canceled.
He submitted the request to the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, just before the two-day deadline.
Mr Ngoy, who is a lawyer and a pastor, also tried to become the president in 2018 but he didn’t win.
He said to the French RFI news website that he wanted the fake election results announced by the country’s electoral commission, Ceni, cancelled.
The court has one week to look at the request and make a decision.
The two main candidates who did not win, Moïse Katumbi and Martin Fayulu, said they will not go to court to argue the election results, but they want people to protest against them.
The Constitutional Court will tell us the final results on 12 January.
The president got about 73% of the votes in the December 20th election, but there were a lot of problems with organizing it. -
Mahama promises to safeguarded votes of Ghanaians
Former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has affirmed the significance of Ghanaian voters, assuring them that their ballots will hold weight in the upcoming elections on December 7, 2024.
Emphasizing the necessity for a change, former President John Dramani Mahama declares that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is committed to safeguarding the votes of the Ghanaian people.
“Change is coming! I am confident that together we will change the direction of this country – THIS YEAR – on December 7, 2024, and build a brighter future for Ghana. A future you will be proud of. Let me assure you that your votes will count because we shall protect and secure them,” he said in a New Year speech.
John Dramani. Mahama used the opportunity to call on the people of Ghana to support him build a more prosperous nation.
“By working together, we shall overcome our challenges and build a more prosperous and
inclusive nation. I call on all of you to join me in this endeavour. Lend your support and actively engage with my outlined vision. This call to national duty is bigger than any individual interest,” he said. -
Pilots of Japan Airlines originally unaware of incident
The pilots of a Japanese airplane that crashed into a small plane at Tokyo Haneda Airport didn’t know their plane was on fire at first.
A flight attendant told the cockpit about the fire in the cabin, according to a Japan Airlines representative speaking to the BBC.
After that, all 379 people on Japan Airlines Flight 516 were evacuated very carefully to save their lives.
Five out of six people on the smaller coastguard plane, a Bombardier Dash-8, were killed.
“As soon as the plane landed, the pilot felt a sudden jolt and couldn’t steer the plane on the runway. ” There was a fire on the plane, but the pilots didn’t know about it at first. They found out about it from the flight attendant.
There were three people flying the plane and twelve staff helping the passengers when the problem happened. The airplane’s announcement system was broken, so the crew had to yell instructions using megaphones and their own voices.
When the cabin crew noticed that some passengers saw the fire on the plane, they told them to stay calm and stay in their seats so that it would be easier to get off the plane if needed. The announcement system didn’t work, so we made these instructions without using it.
The Japanese media said that the evacuation happened very quickly, like a miracle, in just 18 minutes. People left their bags, ran to the emergency doors, and slid out of the plane before it caught on fire.
Smoke started to come into the cabin and spread out. The flight attendants started to yell at the passengers, telling them to leave their things, take off their high heels, and put their heads down.
They worked together. “The key for all passengers to escape quickly and safely was important,” they added.
The Japanese officials said on Wednesday night that the coastguard plane was not allowed to take off from Haneda’s runway. The little airplane was supposed to bring food and medicine to places affected by an earthquake.
The pilots of the airplane said they felt a big bump when they landed, showing that the plane had crashed on Tuesday evening. Japan Airlines said this in a statement. They said their Airbus A350 also moved to the right side of the runway.
The pilots said they couldn’t see the coastguard plane, so they didn’t talk about canceling their landing.
The way people act on the Japan Airlines plane is very different from how they act in other planes during an emergency.
In 2016, a plane called Emirates Boeing 777 had a crash landing in Dubai. A video showed passengers being really disorganized, trying to grab their bags and leave the plane using emergency slides. The crew did a great job getting all the passengers off the Dubai flight safely. Thankfully, everyone, all 300 people, made it out alive.
The accident on Tuesday was the first big crash of an Airbus A350. This plane is made mostly of new, strong materials like carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.
The airplane maker is sending a group of experts to help with the investigation by the Japan Transport Safety Board. -
Search for Japan survivors intensifies as opportunity for rescue operations shrinks
Rescue workers in Japan are in a hurry to find people who are still alive after an earthquake on New Year’s. They are worried because the first three days after the earthquake are the most important for finding survivors.
At least 77 people died when a very strong earthquake hit a remote area called the Noto peninsula on Monday at 4:10pm local time (7:10am GMT).
Several people are believed to be stuck under their houses that have fallen down, mainly in the towns of Suzu and Wajima.
After 3 days, it is much less likely to find people alive.
Many people still don’t have electricity or running water, and some are stuck because of landslides and roads that are blocked.
Japan’s leader, Fumio Kishida, said on Thursday that 150 people have been saved and rescuers will keep working to save more.
This is a really tough situation. “But please try to save as many lives as possible by tonight, when the first 72 hours have passed,” he said, focusing on saving lives.
The earthquake on Monday hurt at least 330 people and was followed by more shaking. This information comes from the AFP news agency.
Over 30,000 people affected by the earthquake are still living in shelters. Some towns do not have water, electricity, or internet.
At the same time, exciting stories of lifesaving rescues have been spreading quickly on the internet. A video from Peace Winds Japan, a local group that helped in the rescue, shows people digging through broken furniture to save a woman stuck under her house. They put a big blanket around her.
The media saw a lot of damage in Wajima on Wednesday. Houses and cars were crushed under falling concrete.
The town has about 23,000 people, but most of them left when they were told a tsunami might come. Now, it looks empty like a ghost town.
However, it has recorded the highest number of deaths so far, with more than thirty confirmed deaths, but that number is likely to increase. Some areas of the town are still blocked by broken roads and landslides, making it difficult for help to reach people.
The mayor of Wajima, Shigeru Sakaguchi, said that only 2,000 out of 10,000 people who had to leave their homes have received food and other help.
The mayor of Suzu, a town with 13,000 people, said that almost all the houses there were destroyed. About 90% are totally or almost totally collapsed, according to Masuhiro Izumiya.
A small tsunami hit the town shortly after the big earthquake.
Japan has a lot of earthquakes, and there have been more earthquakes near Noto since the end of 2020. Over the last three years, there were over 500 small and medium earthquakes here. -
Four people slain in cross-border battle with Israel – Hezbollah
Hezbollah says four of its fighters were killed in Lebanon on Wednesday evening in a shooting from across the border with Israel.
The Israeli army says it bombed places used by terrorists and said there were attacks from Lebanon into Israel.
People are worried that there might be a big war in the area after a leader of Hamas was killed in Lebanon.
The comments from Hezbollah and Israel on Wednesday made people less worried about a big war happening because of what’s happening in Gaza.
The Palestinian Red Crescent says that an Israeli attack has hit its building in Khan Younis, Gaza.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to the Middle East tonight. This is his fourth trip to the region since October 7th.
Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October and killed at least 1,200 people. Another 240 people were taken hostage.
The health department in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, says that over 22,000 people have died in the area since Israel began its attack.
