Category: News

NEW YORK: For the first time in history, a former U.S. president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant.
Donald Trump surrendered to authorities Tuesday after being indicted by a New York grand jury on charges related to hush-money payments at the height of the 2016 presidential election.

Trump, a 2024 presidential candidate, pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges in a Manhattan courtroom. He then flew home to Florida and spoke to a crowd of supporters at his home. 
Here’s what to know about Trump’s day in court:
HUSH-MONEY PAYMENTS RELATED TO 2016 ELECTION
Prosecutors unsealed the indictment against the former president Tuesday, giving Trump, his lawyers and the world their first opportunity to see them. 
Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Prosecutors said Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy, and then concealing the true nature of the hush-money payments. The payments were made to two women – including a porn actor – who claimed they had sexual encounters with him years earlier, and to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed to have a story about a child Trump fathered out of wedlock, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

DONALD J. TRUMP, DEFENDANT 
Trump was only seen briefly outside the district attorney’s office, where he surrendered to authorities and was booked and fingerprinted behind closed doors. Trump’s mugshot was not taken, according to two law enforcement officials who could not publicly discuss details of the process and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
As the former president entered the courtroom, he briefly looked at a huddle of news cameras but did not stop to speak to reporters. 

Inside the courtroom, Trump sat at the defense table with his hands in his lap and his lawyers at his side. He looked right at photojournalists who were briefly allowed into the courtroom as they snapped his photo. During the rest of the proceeding, he stayed still with his hands together and looked straight ahead. Trump only spoke briefly in court, telling the judge he was pleading “not guilty” and had been advised of his rights. 
The judge warned Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he was disruptive. Trump made no comment when he left court just under an hour later. 
Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche said during the hearing that Trump is “absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening” in the courtroom. 
A ‘SURREAL’ DAY IN THE CITY WHERE HE GAINED FAME
Before he appeared in court, Trump made posts on his social media network complaining that the heavily Democratic area was a “VERY UNFAIR VENUE” and “THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE!” As his motorcade carried him across Manhattan, he posted that the experience was “SURREAL.”

The Republican has portrayed the Manhattan case and three separate investigations from the Justice Department and prosecutors in Georgia, as politically motivated. In recent weeks, he has lashed out at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, called on his supporters to protest and warned about “potential death and destruction” if he were charged.
TRUMP ADDRESSES SUPPORTERS
Appearing in front of several hundred supporters at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday night, Trump repeated his claims that the investigation was politically motivated. 
He and attacked Bragg and the judge in the New York case, the judge’s family and other prosecutors investigating him in other cases. 
“The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,” Trump said.
BRAGG SPEAKS BRIEFLY
Bragg, speaking publicly for the first time since the indictment last week, held a brief news conference after the court proceedings in which he said the hush-money scheme constituted “felony crimes in New York state-no matter who you are.”

“We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct,” Bragg said. The Democratic prosecutor said accurate and true business records are important everywhere, but especially in Manhattan because it’s the financial center of the world.
Bragg was asked at the news conference why he was bringing the case now and if the timing was political. The district attorney said his office had “additional evidence” that his predecessor did not. 

“I bring cases when they’re ready,” he said.
WARNINGS AND POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES
The judge on Tuesday did not impose a gag order but warned Trump to avoid making comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest. If convicted of any one of the 34 felony charges, Trump could face a maximum of four years in prison, but he’d likely be sentenced to less. 
TRIAL WHILE CAMPAIGNING FOR THE PRESIDENCY
Trump is due back in court in December, but his lawyers asked that he be excused from attending that hearing in person because of the extraordinary security required to have him show up. 
Prosecutors asked the judge to set a trial for January – weeks before the first votes will be cast in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Trump’s lawyers asked that it be pushed to the spring. The judge did not immediately set a date.
MIXED POLITICAL IMPACTS
Though he faces a swirl of legal challenges, Trump is running for president again and has sought to use the charges and other investigations to galvanize his supporters.

Most of the Republicans also running or eyeing campaigns have released statements supportive of Trump while slamming the investigations of him as politically motivated. Many Democratic elected officials have said little about the New York indictment, including President Joe Biden. Trump’s legal troubles are only expected to bolster Democratic voters’ opposition to him, but it’s unclear whether some Republicans and independent voters will see the legal problems as too much baggage.

A NEW YORK CIRCUS
A crowd of Trump supporters, thronged by journalists, gathered Tuesday outside the Manhattan courthouse. Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and George Santos of New York, who is facing multiple investigations over lies he told while running for office, were swarmed by cameras and reporters when they arrived and spoke mid-morning. A band of anti-Trump protesters appeared with a large banner saying, “Trump Lies All the Time.”

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has strongly condemned the use of religious rhetoric by politicians for votes.
This is in direct response to a viral video on social media in which the Sierra Leone People’s Party Mayoral aspirant, Mohamed Gento Kamara, is seen campaigning in a mosque and appealing to religious sentiments for votes.

SLAJ believes that the 2023 elections should focus on issues that can develop Sierra Leone and raise the standards of living of its people.

The organisation calls on all political aspirants to be mindful of their campaign messages and refrain from using divisive sentiments for political gains. SLAJ urges the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone (IRCSL) to prevent houses of worship from being used as campaign platforms to preach hate and intolerance.

“Religious tolerance is our last hope; it is the bedrock of our coexistence and our pride as a nation. A key component of SLAJ’s work during the 2023 elections is to combat disinformation and hate speech in all their forms. We will not allow this last bastion of our coexistence to be disturbed for political gains,” said SLAJ President, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla.

The Sierra Leone Police has rejected Amnesty International’s report about the lack of justice for those injured or killed during the August 2022 protests. They claimed the report was biased, distorted, and partial.

The police stated that the use of force to contain the violent insurrection was proportional and reasonable, and a Special Investigation Committee was established to examine the consequences of the insurrection. They claim that any official police investigation into the killings of protesters and bystanders may have prejudiced the outcome of the committee.

The SLP expressed concern that Amnesty International failed to report on the brutal murder of unarmed police officers, which undermines the impartiality of the report. The police department reassured the public and international partners that its primary responsibility for law enforcement and crime investigation would be discharged in compliance with international and national human rights standards.

The SLP urges Amnesty International to consider all sides of the story before publishing reports

Former President of Sierra Leone, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma on Wednesday 13 July 2022, departed Freetown for Lusaka, Zambia. He will be attending the Advisory Board meeting of the Brenthurst Foundation scheduled for 14th to 16th July 2022. 

The Brenthurst Foundation is a think tank with “a focus to attract the investment needed for continental regeneration and prosperity.” Therefore, President Koroma will join other leaders, diplomats, policy experts who make up the Advisory Board from across the continent, to continue deliberations on development and investment in Africa. 

While in Zambia, the Foundation will pay a courtesy call on host President Hakainde Hichilema.

From Zambia, the former Sierra Leonean leader will proceed to Arusha, Tanzania. There, he will deliver the keynote address at the Africa Drive for Democracy Conference slated for the 20th to 22nd July 2022. Under the aegis of the Strategic Litigation, MS Training Center for Development Cooperation and the Institute Security Studies, the conference brings together participants from over thirty countries to renew commitments on the promotion of democracy viz a vizthe guaranteeing of a safe space for democracy activists, as well as to share experiences on the trends on the rapid decline of democracy in Africa. 

President Ernest Bai Koroma will be sharing his rich experience in building peace and democracy in Sierra Leone, as well as the ECOWAS sub region. As the organizers put it: “we would like your Excellency to reflect on your experience in Sierra Leone and what lessons could be replicated in the continent.  Based on these reflections, for your Excellency to discuss the role of civil society on the continent (notwithstanding all its limitations) in the democratization process…”               

The former President will return to Sierra Leone on July 24 2022.

Copyright © Heroes Media Newspaper

Okay just in case you haven’t watch Young, famous and African – just know that everybody now thinks Diamond Platnumz lost; a good, confident, bossy, ambitious – smart woman, Zari Hassan and now that he knows it…. he damn for sure regrets it too.

From what I have seen say on social media is that most fans feel that Zari Hassan not only left because of Diamond Platnumz of his cheating ways; but also because she needed to grow – and 5 years after the breakup – she now refers to herself as a billionaire.

Diamond Platnumz’ kids

Away from all that, Diamond Platnumz who represents East Africa on the African reality show opens up for the first time; revealing the number of kids he has and according to the Bongo singer – he believes to have 6 kids – that is the ones he has seen or has had of.

Diamond Platnumz with Zari and their kids, Tiffah and Nillan
Speaking during the show, the singer mentioned about his first born (a girl) who should be about 10 years now; and according to him – the reason he hasn’t been able to access her is because the ‘baby mama’ has denied him access to her.

There’s another one, who is supposed to be the first kid. She must be I don’t know ten years? I went to a tour in Mwanza, and we had a one-night stand then I had after sometime that she is pregnant. Somebody told me she has your kid. Have been trying to see the kid, but the mother has blocked me.

Across Africa, petrol prices are soaring. This problem has worsened by a number of factors, including the increasing scarcity of the commodity.

In Nigeria, petrol has been scarce for about a month now. Some experts have said, the case in Nigeria started after the country inadvertently imported adulterated fuel.

Efforts by the West African country’s state-owned energy company (the NNPC) to clean up the contaminated product from the market inevitably resulted in a shortage. Since then, it is alleged that marketers have been hoarding and profiteering.

Despite the recent price surge in Nigeria, the country is not making it to the list of African countries with the highest fuel prices in Africa, perhaps this is due to the fact that the Nigerian Government heavily subsidises the commodity.

The rising cost of petrol in Sub Saharan Africa has also been attributed to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. There are fears that as the conflict continues to escalate, it could have an even more negative impact on energy costs in Africa.

Already, global oil prices have surpassed the $100 per barrel mark, which was last recorded in 2014. The commodity is currently trading at $102.6 per barrel, according to benchmark price Brent Crude.

Below is a list showing the top10 African countries with the highest petrol prices as of March 2022, according to data made available by Global Petrol Prices.

Zimbabwe: This Southern African country has the highest petrol cost in Africa. A litre of petrol costs as much as $2.153. Earlier this month, the country’s Energy and Power Development Minister, Zhemu Soda, explained that frequent petrol price hikes were driven by developments in the international oil industry. Zimbabwe is not an oil producer, although there were conflicting reports about crude oil discovery in Northern Zimbabwe in 2018.

Seychelles: This island country has the second most expensive fuel price in Africa, according to data. A litre of petrol in this country is sold for $1.541. The country does not currently produce any oil and gas, although some international oil companies are busy prospecting potential oil deposits off its many coasts.

Malawi: Malawi follows with $1.426 for a litre of petrol. The country is said to have a great prospect of discovering crude oil reserves in Lake Malawi.

South Africa: Here, a litre of petrol costs $1.413. In 2019, Total Energies announced that it had made a major discovery of gas condensates in one of its exploration fields in South Africa. Experts said this could significantly improve the country’s fortunes.

Uganda: In this country, a litre of petrol costs $1.389. The high cost of petrol in Uganda is despite the fact that the country actually produces oil. Checks by Business Insider Africa show that the country’s crude oil reserves, as of 2021, stood at 2.5 billion barrels.

Mauritius: This country has the sixth most expensive petrol price in Africa at $1.381 per litre. Mauritius currently does not produce oil, although experts say there are prospects.

Burundi: In this East African country, a litre of petrol costs $1.340. According to the United Nations Environmental Programme, this country currently does not have any local sources of crude oil or natural gas.

Senegal: In this Francophone West African country, it costs $1.299 to buy a litre of petrol. The country discovered some crude oil deposits between 2014 and 2017, although full-scale exploration has been pushed back till 2023.

Lesotho: In this country, it costs $1.231 to buy a litre of petrol. The country does not have any confirmed oil deposits.

Rwanda: Here, a litre of petrol costs $1.230. This East African country does not produce crude oil.

The number of people in the region with access to electricity has groen dramatically in the past decade but about 600 million remain without power

Sub-Saharan Africa would need an investment of $350 billion between now and 2030, to be able to improve electricity generation/distribution and potentially solve the region’s long-standing electricity access problem.

This is according to a new report by Wood Mackenzie Ltd titled “Utility evolution in Africa to reshape global electricity demand”.

The report, which was released on Thursday (17th March) by the UK-based energy and consultancy group said: “These investment opportunities work around the fiscal and operational bottlenecks posed by some of Sub-Saharan Africa’s state utilities. Service providers are going straight to the bankable segments of residential, commercial, and industrial electricity demand, typically through distributed, renewable, off-grid solutions where the public utility does not feature.”

According to research, the number of people in the region with access to electricity has grown dramatically over the past decade, but about 600 million remain without power. To meet a United Nations goal of universal access by 2030, further progress is needed not only in grid link-ups but in off-grid systems using sources such as solar energy.

“Decentralized, bottom-up solar-and-storage grids could not only reshape Africa’s energy future but carry important lessons for the next generation of thinking on utility business models globally,” Benjamin Attia, an analyst at WoodMac, said

Electricity demand in Sub-Saharan Africa has doubled over the past 15 years and is expected to increase nearly eight-fold by 2050. The report by Wood Mackenzie said the growing demand is driven by these three fundamental macroeconomic trends: population growth, rapid urbanisation and structural economic transformation.

The report further attributed Africa’s long-standing electricity access problem to massive underinvestment in the region’s electricity infrastructure. It said with the right investments, Sub-Saharan Africa could potentially change the trajectory of electricity demand and supply, not only within the region but globally.

Now, the interesting part is that the declining costs of renewable energy, coupled with innovative business models, could make it easier to bridge the investment gap and provide reliable and affordable energy access across the region.

R nor kin lek for tok but now r dae tok, r don help some many
big artists na dis country, r go call name but dem all na bitch,
trust! Dem all dae Kam close to u bekus dem need help or
bekus dem stress, dem nor go ever see u as good person, dem
always dae act lek Dem dae on top situation, Fu*k Bois!.. it
hard time we shame some of dem, even d wan dem wae dae
wit d present government. Udat know e know.
Some Artists dem na me motivate dem for komot from dem
past record label, even gee name to dem present label.. but
dem always dae act lek Dem nor know but r go release song
for dat soon.. r get for of dem n some text message, after dis
post some man go Sapp me.. even some producer. R just nor
lek for tok but it’s tok much so r go tok now..
Watch out fools… R don gee hit songs to some many. Me
heart wam right now. What goes around comes around..
… R nor ever future artist for
free..

In an exclusive interview with this platform, rapper Alhaji Amadu Bah known as Boss L.A.J has said that Entertainment and investment Ambassador Amara Dennis Turay known as Kao Denero will never be on the same stage to perform, especially if the Ambassador had a hand in the organizing of the event.

He made this statement in the wake of a media upheaval following his request that his name be removed from the list of the performing artists at the back to my root festival that is been organized by the Ambassador.

Rapper Laj explained that he considered the back to my root festival as another selfish ploy to boost only Kao Denero’s career and not the industry in any way. Laj stated that the inclusion of his name was not only disrespectful but the assumption that he will be performing as a guest artist whilst Khaligraph Jones that he considers himself to be better than, will be a headline act for the event.

Laj furthered that those who admonished him to perform for the good of the industry lack the understanding of how disrespectful Kao Denero was being to them all.

Laj responded that the only stage he will share with Kao Denero will be at an organized Versuz between them with hits after hits to showcase who was better than the other. He emphasized that he is certain that Kao Denero will never agree to this due to fear and knowing he Laj is better than Kao Denero.

When contacted for a quote on this, the Ambassador Kao Denero responded with “no comment”.

However, a close source to Kao Denero revealed to me that the Ambassador believes that Laj is obsessed with him and will therefore not respond to attacks until after the show, which remains his focus.

Sourc:SarahKallay