Title: MP Sosu Criticizes President Akufo-Addo’s Decision to Veto Anti-Gay Bill
Francis-Xavier Sosu, the Member of Parliament for Madina, has strongly condemned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s recent refusal to sign the anti-gay bill into law.
In a letter to Parliament, the Presidency requested a delay in submitting the anti-gay measure for ratification, citing legal complications. Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has sharply criticised the President’s move.
During a Face to Face interview with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Citi TV, Mr. Sosu criticised the President’s veto of the anti-LGBTQ+ measure, calling it “unacceptable.”
He emphasised ongoing legal challenges to the measure in the Supreme Court, emphasising the importance of clarity before moving forward. Mr Sosu went on to say, “When the bill has undergone thorough parliamentary processes and eventually passed into law, for the President to simply veto it, I don’t think it’s an acceptable practice.”
To resolve the standoff, he requested that the Supreme Court issue a definite interpretation of the measure.
Meanwhile, Richard Dela Sky, a private legal practitioner, and Dr. Amanda Odoi, a gender activist, have both filed lawsuits against the bill, adding to the legal complexities surrounding the sensitive topic.
In a shocking incident that unfolded on the eve of the New Year, tragedy struck in Abirem near Kenyasi in Kumasi as a 22-year-old mother of one, Madam Lydia Boatema, was fatally shot by an alleged fetish priest. The suspect, identified as Nana Kwarteng, also known as Sampson, claimed to be performing rituals for the gods at the time of the incident.
The horrifying event occurred around 1:30 a.m. on January 1, 2024, as Madam Lydia Boatema was returning from a New Year’s Eve Watchnight Service. She was traveling in a commercial tricycle, commonly known as ‘Pragya,’ when she was struck in the right side of her head by bullets fired from a single-barrelled gun allegedly wielded by Nana Kwarteng.
Tragically, Madam Lydia Boatema succumbed to her injuries, leaving behind a one-and-a-half-year-old daughter who miraculously survived the ordeal. The surviving toddler was promptly rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention. Currently, the child has undergone surgery to remove pellets lodged in her body, according to reliable sources.
Nana Kwarteng, the alleged perpetrator, admitted to the offense in his cautionary statement to the Kenyasi District Police Command following his arrest. He claimed to have been performing rituals for the gods when he fired multiple shots from the single-barrelled gun.
The Kenyasi District Police Command has assured the public that Nana Kwarteng will soon be arraigned to face charges related to the tragic shooting. The community mourns the loss of Madam Lydia Boatema, and the incident serves as a somber reminder of the unforeseen dangers that can accompany what should be a joyous occasion. Investigations into the motive behind the shooting are ongoing, and further details will be disclosed as the case unfolds.
In a startling turn of events at the Atsiamedukor Za festival in Dagbamate, Akatsi South District of the Volta Region, a festive celebration transformed into a harrowing incident. Nine individuals, one of them a mere six-month-old infant, found themselves injured due to an unfortunate mishap during the celebration.
The festival, an annual tradition celebrated by the Atsiame clan, part of the larger Avenor traditional area in the district, witnessed a tragic incident during the revelries. The victims, in the aftermath of a shooting mishap, were immediately transported to the Sacred Heart Hospital in Abor for vital medical treatment.
While the precise details of the incident are still emerging, local authorities and law enforcement agencies are diligently probing the circumstances that led to this grievous event.
The identity of the injured individuals remains undisclosed, yet they currently receive medical care and attention from the dedicated medical staff at the Sacred Heart Hospital. The injury sustained by a six-month-old infant has been especially disheartening for the community, underscoring the urgent need for a thorough investigation and swift justice in case of any wrongdoing.
The community and the organizers of the festival are grappling with the shock and distress caused by the sudden outburst of violence during their cherished cultural event. As the investigation proceeds, the community is anxious for answers and committed to preventing the recurrence of such tragic events at their future gatherings.
This regrettable incident underscores the importance of adhering to safety and security measures during public gatherings and festivals. It serves as a reminder that understanding and following these protocols is crucial in preventing similar unfortunate occurrences. The community, in collaboration with the authorities, will closely follow the progress of the investigation and continue to extend support to the injured and their families in this challenging period.
Benjamin Mendy standing in front of chester crown court.
British media reported on Friday that Manchester City defender Benjamin Mendy was acquitted of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault on Friday, while a jury failed to reach a verdict on one count of rape and one attempted rape. .
The trial has been taking place at Chester Crown Court since August after 13 women filed charges against Mendy and Louis Saha Matturie. Manchester City have released a statement saying the club is aware of the decision.
“Given there are open matters related to this case, the club is not in a position to comment further at this time,” City said in a statement.
Iran has arrested many of its citizens for taking part in the protests sweeping the country. One woman who has been arrested twice by Iranian forces for taking part in the protests says, police detained several protesters in basement of homes due to full jail cells.
woman (left image) detained twice in Iran for taking part in the protests sweeping the nation (file photo, right)
Speaking to Sky News through voice notes sent via an encrypted messaging app, she talked about her experience and why she is prepared to risk her life to make a difference in Iran.
Image:Mina, not her real name, spoke to Sky News shortly after leaving solitary confinement after being detained taking part in the protests
Mina, a scholar in her early 30s was focused on her PhD studies in the Kurdish region of Iran, before the death of Mahsa Amini in mid-September.
Now, she says, the daily lives of Iranians and Iranian Kurds have changed due to the ongoing protests sparked by the death of a young woman.
Mina usually studies in the library and hangs out with her friends. Instead, a few days ago, she was arrested by the regime’s intelligence office and placed in solitary confinement.
“This is a place where detainees are not transferred into the justice system. They undergo beatings and torture,” she elaborated.
The torture sometimes is physical, psychological or a combination of the two. Mina is too afraid to delineate what happened to her in her voice messages.
Two of her friends were recently released from a juvenile detention center in Sanandaj, the capital of the Kurdish region.
Mina describes their experiences: “When women’s rights activists are detained, they [the police] don’t attack you physically.
“Instead [the police] threaten, intimidate and try to frighten them. They insult people’s beliefs. It is an intense psychological violence.
“That woman’s future is then also targeted. They can make the woman lose her job and make her life difficult. This creates crippling fear.”
Mina after being held in a cell, was transferred to a building she describes as a house. She was held there once again in solitary confinement until her recent release.
Mina believes the authorities have arrested so many people that they have run out of cells to hold them.
She knows of two other student protesters who were also held in a basement of a home.
“They were held for a week in a huge basement full of protesters. They told me that they were beaten by cables and iron sticks.
“The jails are full of prisoners so now they use houses and basements to detain protesters.”
Image:A man is kicked by Iranian plain clothes security forces, one of whom is holding a gun
According to Iranian human rights activist News Agency, 244 protesters were killed, including 32 children. “When we speak about fear for life, every person in this movement fears for their own lives and the lives of their fellow protesters,” she says, reflecting on the events of the current and past protests.
“We see guns firing in front of us. We have woken in the night shocked out of sleep at the sound of bullets, sirens and the smell of gunpowder and burning on the streets. We see how many people are being killed so the fear of losing one’s life still exists.”
Mina on protesters who survive: “Many of us are concerned about what is going to happen and about the heavy price we have paid inside the country because of the protests and strikes.
“We are also afraid of the hope we have pinned on change. Our fear and concern is that this hope will be lost or crushed.”
Tensions are rising in Iran’s Kurdish regions of which Mina and Amini call home. A recent investigation follows an intensification of Iranian security forces’ crackdown on Iranian Kurds.
Confirmed online video shows police on motorcycles riding through the streets, shooting at civilians. Plainclothes policemen hide among them in the crowds. A video released by the human rights group Amnesty International shows tear gas and bullet shells lying on the floor.
Video from Sanandaj shows security forces patrolling and firing at a residential area. Some of the men were heavily armed and nearly all had their faces covered as they appeared to be shooting at local shops and people’s homes.
Mina fears that police brutality may have weakened the morale of some protesters.
“I think these protests will continue but maybe not with the intensity of the first days and weeks, partly because the crackdown has intensified. But, I think some people will continue despite that.”
Iranian Kurds have been protesting since Amini’s death, with an image showing huge crowds at her funeral on 17 September.
Mina recalls the worry she and those around her felt for the 22-year-old, who died after being detained by police who claimed she wore her hijab (head covering) “improperly”.
“Yes, the current protest started with the death of Jina but this is about institutional violence against all the people and all the individuals living in this society,” she explained.
Image:Mahsa Amini, pictured here in this portrait, was 22-years-old when she died
Mina hopes and desires for a ‘’fundamental change”.
She acknowledges that change may or may not occur, but the fact that the protests continue in the presence of militaristic police shows that the seeds of anger that arose after Amini’s death are taking root and perpetuating in today’s Iranian society.
“I and many other people have concluded that maybe it is true that change will not happen right now but in the coming months or years, it will achieve the result people want. So hopefulness is greater than hopelessness. We will continue.”
Merseyside Police has launched an investigation after officers attended a house on Kingsheath Avenue, Knotty Ash, at 10pm on Monday following reports an unknown male had fired a gun inside the property which according to the police resulted to the death of a nine- year-old girl in Liverpool.
The 9-year-old girl was taken to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest, but later died.
Police added that one man was shot in the body and one woman was shot in the arm during the incident inside the house, and have both been taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries.
The Liverpool Echo spoke to a man whose son is known to have played with the victim.
“We’re still in shock, don’t think it’s settled in,” he said.
“She was just a nice little girl, she would ride up: and down on her bike. We want to move now.”
One local resident who identified himself as David told Sky News the perpetrator “needs locking up for the rest of their lives”
“This has shocked me and it’s shocked the community what is happening here today,” he added
Father John Ealey, the present overseer of Kingsheath Avenue Congregation, said the church was “stunned.”.
“It is a very poor area,” he said. “There is lots of relative poverty.
“Lots of drug dealing going on and people being injured as they are caught in the crossfires,”
He said such incidents were common, and encouraged people to pray for their families and communities.
Deputy Mayor Harry Doyle said he was the same age as Rhys Jones, who was gunned down in Croxteth 15 years ago.
He said: “I remember the atmosphere in the city, and not just the city actually, nationwide, around the shooting of Rhys Jones was just absolutely awful.
“I remember my family being equally – look at families this morning on the doorsteps-as worried and concerned and devastated
“My mum wouldn’t let me walk to school around that time. It is unthinkable and it’s unbelievable that this has happened again 15 years on
“We thought we’d rid ourselves of this violence and this week we’ve seen it return.”
Commenting on the issue, assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: “This is a truly shocking incident in which tragically a young and innocent girl has been shot and sadly died.
“Our thoughts and condolences go to her family and friends at this very difficult time. No parent should ever have to suffer the loss of a child in these dreadful circumstances.
“This crime is abhorrent and our communities must come forward and tell us who is responsible.
A Saudi Arabian woman studying at the University of Leeds in England has been sentenced to 34 years in prison for using Twitter and retweeting dissident tweets.
Salma al-Shehab, 34, a doctoral student, was charged with “public disorder” and “obstruction of civil and national security.” Salma was originally sentenced to three years in prison, but the sentence was extended to 34 years, including a 34-year travel ban.
The woman returned to Saudi Arabia for a holiday and is awaiting sentencing by the Special Terrorism Tribunal. She is known as a dental hygienist and doctoral student at the University of Leeds. He also teaches at Putri Noor bint Abdulrahman University. Salma is married and has two sons.
Her case got a lot of attention on Twitter as people demanded her release.
University of Leeds student Salma al-Shehab has been sentenced to 34 years in prison for retweeting dissidents on Twitter.
This sentence from the Saudi Dictator’s terrorist court, for criticizing MBS’ reign of terror (driven by blood & oil) IS, ITSELF, terrorism! https://t.co/FGepNQjWmJ
– Rula Jebreal (@rulajebreal)
#Human rights activists noted the freedom of women’s rights activist Salma Al-Shehab, who was sentenced by a Saudi Arabian court to 34 years in prison. This is the longest sibling in FreeSalma history.#الحرية_لسلمي الشهاب #.Kingdom
– Abd Alsalaam (@AbdAlsalaam17) August 15, 2022
this is abhorrent – and Salma al-Shehab is a UK resident, she’s studying a PhD in Leeds, the UK should be speaking up for her, as someone who chose to come here.
The situation arose just days after US President Joe Biden met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), is reported to control a significant portion of Twitter.
A US court last week, found a former Twitter employee guilty of spying on Saudi Arabian officials. Ahmad Abouammo allegedly sold information about Twitter users for money.
Abouammo is alleged to have provided information to publications critical of the Saudi regime. He left Twitter in 2015. The jury found Abouammo guilty on six counts.
According to reports, Salma al-Shehab may appeal her sentence. Her Twitter account is said to have only 2,597 followers.
Nursing mother of 29-year from Oforikurom village, closer to Samreboi in Wassa Amenfi West Municipality, has been arrested on charges of setting her 4-year-old daughter’s buttocks on fire for missing GH₵8 sandals.
According to the assembly member, Azure Suleman, the woman punished her daughter for missing the sandals after asking for them back and not returning them.
The mother however, denied the allegations, saying she wanted to use the water to treat wounds on her daughter’s genitals after rumors of sexual abuse reached her.
According to a myjoyonline, the mother has been granted bail given that she is a nursing mother of a one-year-old baby.
The court also ordered that the child be taken to Komfo Anokye Hospital for treatment.
Current state of Kofi Adomah after surviving the assasination attack.
One of Ghana’s most loved media personalities, Kofi Adomah Nwanwanii has survived an assasination on Saturday, August 7, on the way home from field trip to DAMAX Eastate in Kuntunse for a home project.
Anonymous source close to the media personality recounted that unidentified men on a motorcycle obstructed his car and attacked him near Old Ashongman.
The attackers wounded him with a sharp object when finally approached him, and aimed at his face to slander him.
Upon realizing their plan , Kofi tried to prevent them from hurting his face with his left hand, and ended up with cuts and bruises on his hands.
The men per source then doused the reporter with an inflammable substance, presumably petrol with the aim of setting him afire.
Kofi Adom Nwanwanile is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.
A Congolese military delegation was sent to Beni in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo on Tuesday, two days after UN peacekeepers opened fire on civilians in Kasindi, which borders Uganda, killing three and injuring several others.
“The government cannot abandon its people, that is why I am here and visiting the wounded while we are waiting for them to receive appropriate care in Beni or elsewhere, in accordance with the doctor’s orders.”, said Charles Ehuta Omeonga, military administrator of Beni territory.
Shortly after the July 31 incident, the UN said in a statement that the soldiers were “shooting and attacking for unknown reasons.” The President of the Beni Youth Council said that the UN wants to provide medical assistance to the victims.
More than 30 people were killed in protests in North Kivu last week. Participants blamed the failure of the UN mission to protect people from armed groups.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres was outraged by the shooting and called for an investigation into the Kasindi incident. And President Felix Tshisekedi presided over an emergency meeting following reports of other deaths in Goma, Butembo, Uvira and Kanyabayonga besides Kasindi.
The situation in the area is still very tense. The Congolese police On Monday, had to disperse about 100 protesters in Beni. The Congolese government has said it will meet with MONUSCO to reassess the withdrawal.
Unique observer 24 