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Ethiopia clamps down on nightlife in Amhara over protests

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The Ethiopian government has imposed a restriction on nightlife and meetings in three major cities in the Amhara region following protests that followed plans by the government to disband regional forces and integrate them into the federal security forces.

The announcement, which emanated from the office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday, will affect three of the Amhara region’s most populous cities, including Gondar, which was the epicenter of the protest on Sunday.

Other cities that will be affected by the clampdown which will be enforced by the military include Dessie and Debre Birhan, with the army saying it will establish command posts in each city to ensure strict compliance with the restriction order.

The statement said in all three cities, “motorized tricycles are now prohibited from travelling at night, and bars and nightclubs must close at 9 pm.”

It added that strikes are prohibited and all meetings must be reported to the authorities.

“It is also forbidden to carry a weapon or any object that can be used as a weapon. Weapons hereby banned are knives, machetes or iron bar in particular. It is also prohibited to set off firecrackers and fireworks, or to wear any military clothing. Members of the special forces are also ordered to assemble in designated areas,” the statement said.

Ahmed’s federal government had earlier in the month announced that it had begun the process of reassigning members of the military forces that have been gradually built up over the past 15 years by some regional states to the federal army or the police

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Ghana’s Afua Asantewaa begins second GWR sing-a-thon attempt

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Ghanaian singer, Afua Asantewaa, on Saturday, began her second attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest singing marathon by an individual.

The sing-a-thon which began in the early hours of Saturday, December 21, at Heroes’ Park, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, will run until December 25, and will see the determined songstress perform non-stop, focusing exclusively on Ghanaian songs.

According to Asantewaa’s manager, Madam Gladys Osei Owiredu, the audacious initiative is aimed at showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Ghanaian music to a global audience.

Owiredu confirmed that preparations for the event had been extensive but expressed confidence in Asantewaa’s readiness to finally break the record.

“I can confirm that she is ready for the task ahead. It’s been challenging—by way of preparations—but I can say she is ready,” Owiredu said.

Asantewaa’s second attempt follows her first effort in December 2023, which fell short of surpassing the current record of 105 hours held by India’s Sunil Waghmare.

But despite the setback, her team remains optimistic about breaking the record this time with corporate sponsors including International Maritime Hospital, Ghana Gas, Nasco Electronics, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited rallying behind her, underscoring the importance of the attempt in amplifying the global significance of Ghanaian music.

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Ghana’s Supreme Court dismisses suit challenging anti-LGBT bill

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Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two separate suits challenging the legality of one of the proposed anti-LGBT legislations awaiting assent into law by the president.

The separate suits were filed by two legal practitioners, Amanda Odoi and Richard Sky, challenging the bill, seeking to declare it illegal and prevent the president from signing it.

The two cases had challenged the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

But in a ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously decided to dismiss the legal challenges to the new anti-LGBT legislation that has been criticised by rights groups.

The controversial bill was passed earlier this year by Ghanaian lawmakers with three years imprisonment for people identifying as LGBT and five years for forming or funding LGBT groups.

While dismissing the cases, presiding judge, Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, who delivered the ruling on behalf of the seven-member panel, said the cases were premature.

“Until there’s presidential assent, there is no act, the two cases were “unanimously dismissed,” she said.

The ruling is the latest blow to the LGBTQ community in Ghana and paves the way for the president to sign into law what many say is one of Africa’s most restrictive piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term in office ends on 7 January, had delayed signing it pending the outcome of the Supreme Court challenge but the judges said the case could not be reviewed until it had been signed it into law.

It expected that incoming president, John Mahama, will sign the bill into law as he had always expressed his support for the bill during his electioneering campaigns.

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