Rorisang Modiba brings you daily global updates.
Ghana – Ghana’s LGBTQ community has been dealt a blow after the Supreme Court rejected two cases that questioned whether the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill follows the country’s laws. The bill, already approved by parliament, makes it a crime to identify as LGBTQ, with a punishment of up to three years in prison. It also imposes a five-year sentence on anyone supporting LGBTQ groups. Outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo delayed signing it, waiting for the court’s decision, but the judges said the cases were brought too early since the bill is not yet law. Incoming President John Mahama supports the bill. Petitioners Richard Dela Sky and Amanda Odoi say they are disappointed and may challenge the ruling further.
USA – Despite a remarkable weight loss and looking thinner since incarceration, Sean “Diddy” Combs is said to be fit, healthy, and focused on defending himself. He is presently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center, according to journalist Elizabeth Millner. Diddy now has greyer hair and looks very different from a video taken before his arrest on 16 September for federal sex trafficking charges. Cameras are not allowed in court, and his lawyers have not commented.
Indonesia – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has offered to forgive corrupt officials if they return stolen money. Speaking in Cairo, Prabowo said he wants to recover as much money as possible in the next few months and will give people ways to return it privately. He also promised to pay higher wages to officials managing large budgets to curb corruption. Critics say anti-corruption efforts slowed under former President Joko Widodo, who introduced a tax amnesty plan. Prabowo hasn’t shared many details yet.
USA – Danny Masterson is appealing his 2023 rape conviction, for which he was sentenced to 30 years to life for raping two women in 2003. His lawyer, Cliff Gardner, says the trial was unfair due to mistakes and bias from the judge. A 246-page appeal lists their complaints, and they plan to file more legal challenges. Masterson was found guilty of two charges after a retrial. He had denied the charges when he was arrested in 2020.
Israel – Human Rights Watch says Israel is committing very serious crimes by stopping Palestinians in Gaza from getting clean water. They say this started happening more after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, and that Israel is deliberately harming large numbers of Palestinians. The group points to statements by some Israeli officials as evidence of this. Another major organization, Amnesty International, has made similar claims.
Pictured above: LGBTQ flag.
Source: Stock
