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Lupita Nyong’o makes history, becomes first black person to head German film festival jury

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Kenyan actress, Lupita Nyong’o, has scored another first when she became the first black person in history to be made head of the Berlin International Film Festival jury.

The annual film showcase event, also known as the Berlinale, which is one of the five largest film festivals in the world, has not had a black jury head in its 74-year history.

According to the organisers,
Nyong’o will lead the jury in selecting the winning films in the two main categories, “Golden and Silver Bears.”

At the opening of the event in the German capital on Thursday, Nyong’o said she was “greatly honoured” to take on the position as jury head.

“That’s the beauty of bringing people together from different backgrounds – we respond to different things,” the Hollywood actress who won an Oscar for “12 Years A Slave” in 2014, said.

“We have a lot of world experience and opinion and it’s gonna be interesting. It’s probably also gonna be spicy,” she added, noting that the diversity of the jury would enrich the jury’s process of deciding on the films to award.

The film event will run until 25 February, when the jury will announce the winning films in the major categories.

From the African continent, three films made the entry among the 20 competing for the top prize, and all tell stories from the continent.

The films include “Black Tea” by Mauritanian-born Malian director Abderrahmane Sissako, “Who Do I Belong To” by Tunisian-Canadian director Meryam Joobeur and the documentary “Dahomey” by French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop.

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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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