Headline

32 Years After, Iceland Minister Admits She Had Child With 16-year-old Boy, Resigns

Published

5 months ago

March 22, 2025

Iceland’s minister for children, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, has resigned from her position following her public admission that she had a child with a teenage boy more than three decades ago.

In an interview with local media, Thórsdóttir revealed that she began a relationship with the boy when he was 15 and she was a 22-year-old counsellor at a religious group he attended.

She gave birth to his child when he turned 16, while she was 23. “It’s been 36 years, a lot of things change in that time and I would definitely have dealt with these issues differently today,” the 58-year-old told Icelandic media.

The disclosure prompted a swift response from Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, who described the development as “a serious matter”, although she stated that she knew little more than “the average person”. “This is a very personal matter [and] out of respect for the person concerned, I will not comment on the substance,” she said.

According to Visir newspaper, the prime minister said she only became aware of the situation on Thursday night and subsequently summoned Thórsdóttir to her office, where the resignation was tendered.

The revelations were first reported by the Icelandic news agency RUV on Thursday evening. In an interview with the agency, Thórsdóttir disclosed that she had met the boy, identified by RUV as Eirík Ásmundsson, while working at the religious organisation Trú og líf (Religion and Life), which he had joined due to a troubled home environment. Thórsdóttir gave birth to their son a year later, when Ásmundsson was 16 and she was 23.

RUV reported that the relationship remained secret at the time, though Ásmundsson was present at the birth of his son and spent the child’s first year with him. The news agency also stated that the arrangement changed after Thórsdóttir met her current husband.

Documents reportedly seen by RUV indicate that Ásmundsson had applied to the justice ministry for access to his son, a request that was denied by Thórsdóttir. Despite this, she continued to receive child support payments from him for the following 18 years.

A relative of Ásmundsson reportedly contacted the prime minister twice last week about the relationship. Frostadóttir said she only pursued the matter after learning that a government minister was involved, which subsequently led to the full disclosure and resignation.

Speaking again during her TV interview with RUV on Thursday night, Thórsdóttir expressed her dismay over the matter being brought to the prime minister’s attention. “I understand… what it looks like,” she said, adding that it is “very difficult to get the right story across in the news today”.

While the age of consent in Iceland is 15, the law prohibits sexual relationships with individuals under 18 in cases where the older party holds a position of power or trust, such as being a teacher, mentor, financial provider, or employer. The maximum penalty for such an offence is three years’ imprisonment.

Although she has stepped down from her ministerial role, Thórsdóttir confirmed that she has no intention of vacating her seat in parliament.

Headline

Medical Plane Crash Kills Six In Kenya

Published

11 hours ago

August 7, 2025

Editor

A medical light aircraft crashed into a small residential block near the Kenyan capital Nairobi, killing at least six people and injuring two seriously, a local official said Thursday.

The plane took off from Nairobi’s Wilson airport at 2:17 pm local time (1100 GMT) and was en route to Somaliland when it came down in Ruiru, Kiambu County, shortly after 3:00 pm (1200 GMT).

“We have lost four people, including the pilot… it was all fatal,” said Kiambu County commissioner Henry Wafula, adding that two people were killed on the ground. He said another two had been “seriously injured”.

AFP

Headline

FULL LIST: Ghana Releases Identities Of Helicopter Crash Victims

Published

19 hours ago

August 7, 2025

Editor

The Ghanaian Government has released the names of individuals who died in Wednesday morning’s military helicopter crash.

The crash involved a Z-9 helicopter belonging to the Ghana Armed Forces, which lost contact during a flight from Accra, the capital, to Obuasi, a gold-mining town in the south, where the crew headed for an official engagement.

In a post via its official X handle on Wednesday, the Ghana Armed Forces said the victims comprise eight people.

The names and portfolios of the victims are listed below:

1. Edward Omane Boamah – Minister for Defence

2. ⁠Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed – Minister for Environment, Science and Technology

3. Muniru Mohammed – Acting deputy, National Security Coordinator and former Minister for Food and Agriculture

4. Samuel Sarpong – Vice- Chairman, National Democratic Congress

5. ⁠Samuel Aboagye – Former parliamentary candidate

6. Peter Baafemi Anala – ⁠Squadron leader

7. ⁠Manaen Twum Ampadu – Flying officer

8. ⁠Ernest Addo – Sergeant

Following the sad development, Ghanaian President John Mahama described the incident as a national tragedy and suspended activities upon receiving the news.

He also directed that flags fly at half-mast to honour the memory of the victims.

Headline

Bodies Of Helicopter Crash Victims Arrive In Accra

Published

20 hours ago

August 7, 2025

Editor

The Ghana Armed Forces on Wednesday confirmed the arrival in Accra of the remains of the victims of the Z-9 military helicopter crash, which claimed the lives of eight personnel.

It stated that the victims’ bodies were transported from the crash site aboard a Ghana Air Force Casa aircraft and received at the Air Force Base in Accra on August 6, 2025.

According to a statement issued by the Acting Director General, Public Relations, Ghana Navy, Captain Veronica Arhin, government officials, military personnel, and sympathisers led by the Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Julius Debrah, were present to receive the bodies.

The statement said the remains have since been deposited at the 37 Military Hospital for preservation and preparations for burial.

It noted that all eight bodies were recovered from the crash site located in the Sikaman area, near Adansi Akrofuom in Ghana’s Ashanti Region.

The Ghana Armed Forces extended its appreciation to the people of Sikaman and the security services for their support during the recovery operations.

“The Deputy Minister for Defence, Hon. Brogya Genfi, and the Military High Command extend their deepest condolences to the families in this difficult national tragedy,” the statement added.