Foreign
Kemi Badenoch calls for fresh probe into ‘rape gangs scandal’ in UK
Nigerian-born Kemi Badenoch, leader of the British opposition Conservative Party, has called for a comprehensive inquiry to uncover those who turned a blind eye to the grooming gangs responsible for the rape of thousands of girls in the UK.
In a strongly-worded article, Badenoch expressed outrage, stating, “Britain has witnessed the mass grooming of thousands of the most vulnerable white working-class girls – children – by gangs of men, many of Pakistani heritage. This was rape on an industrial scale.”
Badenoch condemned the systemic failures that allowed the abuse to persist, saying, “Shockingly, it was a scandal made possible by the collusion and cover-ups of officials, the police and politicians who were more concerned about community relations than about victims and their families.”
She emphasised the racial aspect of the crimes, noting, “The fact that perpetrators of this sexual violence appeared to have deliberately picked victims because they were white – and not from their own
community or religious background – must not be ignored. Previous inquiries have failed to examine this. It’s for society and the state to address the issue, no matter how uncomfortable it may be.”
Detailing the victims’ harrowing experiences, Badenoch said, *“The testimonies of the victims are hard to read. Girls being forced into barbaric sexual acts. Raped by multiple men at the same time or one after the other. Punished by grotesque sexual violence when they resisted.
“Children were identified as targets because of their backgrounds and experienced years of systematic abuse from adult men whose communities in some cases even helped protect them. Thousands of girls’ lives have been damaged or destroyed. Worse still, this was perpetrated not in one rotten borough by a few rotten individuals, but across the nation.”
She highlighted disturbing examples of complicity, including social workers attending a “Nikah,” an Islamic wedding ceremony between an abuser and his victim.
She also recounted incidents where authorities prioritized optics over justice, saying, “Of councils and a police chief collaborating to keep the extent of the child rape scandal out of the headlines for fear of inflaming community relations or being called racist. And of academics and charity workers drafting obfuscatory reports to conceal the true scale of the problem. This can never be allowed to happen again.”
Badenoch acknowledged the efforts of individuals who resisted systemic failures, stating, “A number of heroes fought a lonely battle against not only a conspiracy of silence but active hostility that victims faced from officialdom. Failing councils were taken over, like Rotherham in 2015. Grooming gang members were prosecuted. The Grooming Gang Taskforce, launched in April 2023, made over 500 arrests in its first year.”
However, she stressed that more needs to be done to hold institutions accountable, saying, “We still need to know the extent to which institutions like the police, prosecutors, local government and social services are compromised by wrong-headed political correctness, and even self-interest. Only then can we have any hope of upholding our laws and culture, and preventing this scale of abuse ever again.”
Badenoch called for a national inquiry with broad investigative powers, asserting, “The inquiry I want to see should start by considering the likely racial or religious motivation of these crimes. It should identify all of the institutions and bodies that failed. It should also identify those individuals who facilitated or ignored these crimes so they can be removed from their roles.”
She concluded with a firm message: “No lenience should be shown to those who rape and exploit children, nor can we tolerate those who protect predators.”
Foreign
Journalists rally against White House’s decision to modify allocation of seats in briefing room
The White House said Monday it is “seriously considering” taking control of deciding which journalists get seats in the famed briefing room, in the latest bid by President Donald Trump’s administration to exert power over the media.
The 49 spots in the press room, where spokespeople, officials and occasionally the president take the podium, have long been allocated by the non-partisan group of independent journalists, the White House Correspondents Association.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the WHCA of trying to maintain a “monetized monopoly over the briefing room.”
“As for switching up seating in the briefing room, it’s something we are seriously considering,” she told Fox News.
“The briefing room is part of the People’s House, it belongs to the American people. It does not belong to elitist journalists here in Washington DC.”
News outlet Axios reported earlier that the White House wanted to take control of the seating chart to give more prime front-of-room spots to new media, and move some legacy outlets further back.
The WHCA, of which AFP is a member, opposed the “wrong-headed” move.
“The reason the White House wants control of the briefing room is the same reason they took control of the pool: to exert pressure on journalists over coverage they disagree with,” WHCA President Eugene Daniels said in a statement.
The WHCA and the White House both said they had tried to broker a meeting on the issue.
It is the latest effort by the White House to shape who covers Trump after taking control from the WHCA in February of the “pool” that covers the president in the Oval Office and when he travels on Air Force One.
The White House has added access to the pool for new and in several cases openly pro-Trump media, while reducing access to mainstream organisations.
It also continues to bar the Associated Press news agency from almost all presidential events as it refuses to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America,” the name newly decreed by Trump.
AFP
The Ghanaian government has canceled two transactions initiated by the previous administration under the leadership of former president Nana Akufo-Addo to sell Ghanaian diplomatic properties in Nigeria and Zambia.
“Yesterday I informed Parliament that with the full backing of President Mahama, we have cancelled two transactions initiated by the previous Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to sell Ghanaian diplomatic properties in Nigeria and Zambia.” Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced on his X.
According to the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, the current administration is determined to retrieve an illegal part payment in one of the transactions.
Adding that those who are involved in these illegal transactions will be sanctioned.
“Determined efforts are underway to retrieve an illegal part payment in one of the transactions. The masterminds, who are currently on the run will surely be found and sanctioned.” He added.
He said the NDC government is committed to their promise that no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana would be sold under President John Dramani Mahama administration.
Hon. Ablakwa warned that none of our diplomatic properties either in Ghana or any of our 71 diplomatic missions abroad are available for sale.
“We mean it when we say no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana would be sold under our watch. Notice is hereby served that none of our diplomatic properties either in Ghana or any of our 71 diplomatic missions abroad are available for sale — hands off!” He stated.
According to him, they will use the principles of Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) to protect properties belonging to the state as well as the public purse.
“The principles of ORAL, strict abhorrence for State Capture and the national interest shall continue to guide our decisions. For God and Country.” Ablakwa assured.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.net
Namibia has imposed visa requirements on U.S. citizen tourists starting from April 1, 2025.
According to the Namibian Government, U.S. citizen tourists who wish to visit the Southern African country should obtain a visa before entering the country.
The U.S Embassy in Namibia posted that US visitors are required to apply for a visa through Namibia’s online visa on arrival portal: https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/visaonarrival.
“Beginning April 1, 2025, the Namibian Government will require U.S. citizen tourists to obtain a visa prior to entering the country. Visitors are recommended to apply for their visa in advance of planned travel through Namibia’s online visa on arrival portal: https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/visaonarrival. Visitors using this online visa application system must carry a hard copy of their approval notice when they travel.” The Embassy posted.
The Namibian Government added that visitors arriving in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Katima Mulilo, Ngoma will also have the option of purchasing a tourist visa upon arrival at the respective airport or border crossing point.
“Visitors arriving in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, or entering at high volume border crossing points (e.g., Katima Mulilo, Ngoma) will also have the option of purchasing a tourist visa upon arrival at the respective airport or border crossing point. Namibia’s visa on arrival system is new and implementation details are subject to change.” They added.
The decision by the Namibian government to impose visa requirements on US citizens has met mixed reactions on social media.
While others are commending the government, others have also raised concerns about the negative impact on the Namibia economy as tourism contributes higher income to the government.
Some political actors believe Namibian female President, H.E. Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took the decision to reciprocate the US government visa restrictions and some Western countries who have denied visa free entry to Namibians.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.net
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