A journalist held without trial in an Eritrean prison for 23 years has received a Swedish human rights award for his commitment to freedom of expression. Dawit Isaak, who holds dual Eritrean and Swedish citizenship, received the Edelstam Prize “for his… exceptional courage,” the foundation behind the award said in a statement. Dawit, who holds dual Eritrean and Swedish citizenship, was one of the founders of Setit, Eritrea’s first independent newspaper. He was arrested in 2001 after his newspaper published letters demanding democratic reforms. Dawit was among a group of about 20 people, including senior ministers, MPs and independent…
Author: Ohene Anochie
Ohene Anochie
Senior Reporter with AMN News Agency, known for his insightful journalism and in-depth coverage of current events.
Voting is underway in Somaliland’s long-delayed presidential election amid political tension in the Horn of Africa. Local media report voters lining up, voicing hopes for a stronger economy and more jobs. Over 1 million people are expected to vote at over 2,000 stations, with 28 international observers on site. Incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi of the Kulmiye Party seeks a second term, aiming for Somaliland’s international recognition. His opponents, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi of the Waddani Party, promises democratic reforms, while Faisal Ali Warabe of the Justice and Welfare Party advocates a unity government. Since declaring independence from Somalia in…
The Justices of the Supreme Court who heard the case against Speaker Alban Bagbin US-based Ghanaian lawyer, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, has reacted to the judgement of the Supreme Court of Ghana on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, which overturned the declaration of four seats in the House as vacant by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin. In a statement shared on Facebook on Tuesday, Professor Kwaku Asare, widely known as Kwaku Azar, indicated that there might be more to the Court’s ruling than is being reported. He indicated that reports of the Court’s justices affirming a challenge to the ruling…
Nii Lante Vanderpuye, Member of Parliament for Odododiodio constituency and a prominent member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has confidently assured supporters that the party will make a strong comeback in Parliament following the upcoming December elections. In an engagement with reporters, Vanderpuye expressed optimism about the NDC’s prospects, promising constituents that the party would secure enough seats to challenge and hold the current administration accountable. His statement comes after the majority caucus moved to ask for a recall of Parliament after Speaker Alban Bagbin’s declaration of four seats as vacant was recently overturned by the Supreme Court. On…
An incident that has sparked outrage, a young Jewish man was reportedly beaten unconscious by a group of men identified as Middle Eastern migrants in Amsterdam. The attack, which took place late Thursday night in the city center, is being investigated as a potential hate crime by Dutch authorities. Eyewitnesses reported that the young man, who was wearing a yarmulke, was approached by a group of men who began shouting anti-Semitic slurs before the attack. According to police, the confrontation escalated quickly, with the men allegedly assaulting the victim until he lost consciousness. Passersby intervened, and emergency services arrived…
Republican David McCormick has won Pennsylvania’s pivotal U.S. Senate seat, as the former CEO of the world’s largest hedge fund beat three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in Tuesday’s election after accusing the incumbent of supporting policies that led to inflation, domestic turmoil and war. The victory pads Republicans’ majority in the Senate, which they wrested from Democratic control this week, and clocked in as the nation’s second-most expensive race while playing out alongside the presidential contest won by Republican Donald Trump in the nation’s premier battleground state. McCormick, 59, recaptured a GOP seat in Pennsylvania after Republicans lost one in 2022, paying off a…
President-elect Donald Trump has named Susie Wiles, the defacto manager of his victorious campaign, as his White House chief of staff, the first woman to hold the influential role. Wiles is widely credited within and outside Trump’s inner circle for running what was, by far, his most disciplined and well-executed campaign, and was seen as the leading contender for the position. She largely avoided the spotlight, even refusing to take the mic to speak as Trump celebrated his victory early Wednesday morning. She resisted the formal title of campaign manager, avoiding becoming a target, given Trump’s history of cycling through people…
The countries to benefit from the vaccine allocation include Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda. The Democratic Republic of Congo – reporting four out of every five confirmed cases in Africa this year – will take 85% of the nearly 900,000 doses allocated. The Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM) is an initiative of the World Health Organization to increase access to mpox vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have already carried out limited vaccinations. The outbreak of mpox in…
Faced with a sweeping rejection by American voters, Kamala Harris conceded the presidential election to Donald Trump on Wednesday and encouraged supporters to continue fighting for their vision of the country. The Democratic vice president said the battle would continue “in the voting booth, in the courts and in the public square.” “Sometimes the fight takes a while,” she said at Howard University, her alma mater, where she had hoped to make a victory speech after the election. “That doesn’t mean we won’t win.” Harris’ decisive defeat shattered hopes that she could rescue Democrats’ chances after President Joe Biden’s…
Former President Donald Trump won Pennsylvania on Wednesday, defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in the critical battleground state. Both candidates campaigned vigorously in the state, visiting it more often than any other. Trump won Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes four years after Democrat Joe Biden carried the state, flipping it from Trump’s column in 2016 on his way to capturing the “blue wall.” No Democrat has won the White House without also winning Pennsylvania since 1948. The Associated Press declared Trump the winner at 2:24 a.m. EST. Amnewsagency | Anochie’s Report | with Associate Press.
