Headline

Access, Again An Issue At Federal Trial In Floyd’s Killing

Published

4 years ago

January 22, 2022

A closed hearing in the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers in George Floyd’s killing was canceled Friday after prosecutors and the media objected, the second time in just days that access to the proceedings became an issue.

U.S. District Judge, Paul Magnuson scheduled the conference on the admissibility of some evidence that attorneys for Tou Thao, J. Kueng and Thomas Lane sought to block.

After prosecutors and news media objected, Magnuson canceled the hearing and met with attorneys in chambers instead.

No details of the meeting were immediately released.

Opening statements are set for Monday in the trial of the three officers, who are broadly charged in federal court with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority as Derek Chauvin used his knee to pin the Black man to the street for 9½ minutes on May 25, 2020. The videotaped killing triggered worldwide protests, violence and a reexamination of racism and policing.

Media groups earlier this week raised concerns about restrictions on journalists and spectators in the courtroom.

Magnuson, citing the coronavirus pandemic, initially set aside just two seats for reporters and none for family members during jury selection, which was completed in one day.

He raised that to four seats for reporters during jury selection — the same as planned for the trial phase — but rejected other media requests, including sharing of evidence exhibits.

Leita Walker, an attorney for the media groups, said she was “concerned that the court purported to cancel an evidentiary hearing but went forward with a meeting and we don’t know what happened at that meeting.”

The original hearing was set to deal with defense motions to exclude certain evidence, including still images from videos the day of Floyd’s death; side-by-side exhibits that will play two videos at once; and dispatch and 911 calls, according to a filing late Thursday from prosecutors objecting to Friday’s closure.

On Thursday, a jury of 18 people who appeared mostly white was picked for the trial, in contrast to the state court jury that convicted Chauvin of murder and manslaughter last April, a panel that was half nonwhite.

This group appears to include a woman of Asian descent among the 12 jurors, and a man of Asian descent among the six alternates. The court declined to provide demographic information.

In objecting to the closure of Friday’s hearing, prosecutors had said neither side had requested the closure.

Walker followed up Friday morning for a coalition of media organizations, including The Associated Press, with the group’s request to the judge to open the proceeding.

She wrote that excluding the press and public from an evidentiary hearing amounted to “a closure of the courtroom that violates the First Amendment.”

“Presumably the Court is concerned about publicity surrounding inadmissible evidence. But it is a standard practice to instruct jury members not to listen to or read news reports on the case they are considering” to avoid the outside influence, Walker wrote.

Magnuson specifically admonished the jurors before he sent them home Thursday evening to avoid media coverage of the proceedings.

Walker wrote that many, and perhaps all, of the jurors were already familiar with the events, including Chauvin’s murder conviction and guilty plea to federal civil rights charges last month.

The judge in Chauvin’s murder trial made an exception to Minnesota’s normal limits on audiovisual coverage, citing the need for public access during the pandemic, and the livestreamed proceedings drew a large audience.

Thao, Kueng and Lane also face a separate state court trial June 13, on charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.

(AP)

Headline

US Congressman Meets Benue Leaders On ‘Genocidal Campaign By Fulani’

Published

11 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

United States Congressman, Rep Riley Moore, has held talks with traditional and religious leaders in Benue State concerning what he described as an ongoing genocidal campaign by Fulani in the state.

Moore and other delegates from the US government are in Nigeria to meet with Christians who have suffered persecution and attacks by Jihadists.

He has so far met with Catholic Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Diocese of Makurdi, Catholic Bishop Isaac Duru of Katsina-Ala Diocese, and his Royal Highness, Tor Tiv James Ioruza.

Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District in Congress, said they discussed “the ongoing genocidal campaign by the Fulani in Benue State.”

“Our brothers and sisters in Christ will no longer suffer in silence. The United States has heard your cries, and we are working diligently toward solutions,” he added.

The meeting took place five months after about 200 residents of Yelwata in Benue State were massacred by terrorists, with many injured and displaced.

Moore has been acting on directives issued by US President Donald Trump, who threatened months back that if the government does not stop the killing of Christians in Nigeria, the US might have to invade the country “guns-a-blazing”.

Trump’s words have led to a cooperation between Nigeria and the US, which Moore confirmed, saying that “there is an openness and willingness on the part of the Nigerian government to work with the United States to tackle these critical issues. Now, that openness has to translate to concrete action.”

He went on to thank President Bola Tinubu for rescuing the 100 Catholic school children abducted recently by terrorists. He described the action as a positive demonstration of the government’s growing response to the security situation, adding that Nigeria has shown its commitment to the emergency declaration issued by President Tinubu.

“The US’ sense of urgency on our concerns was positively received. I feel that a cooperative security framework is within sight. The now-established joint task force between Nigeria and the US is a great example,” Moore added.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has expressed confidence that the engagement with the US delegation in Nigeria “will deepen trust, collaboration, and shared commitment to peace and security.”

The delegation included Rep Mario Díaz-Balart, Rep Norma Torres, Rep Scott Franklin, Rep Juan Ciscomani, and Rep Riley M. Moore.

It is not yet clear whether the delegation will also visit other states in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria, which are also facing terrorist attacks.

Headline

Africa Coups: 10 In Five Years

Published

2 days ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

A military coup attempt in Benin Sunday adds to a list of such incidents on the turbulent African continent.
A group of soldiers announced that they had ousted President Patrice Talon, although his entourage said he was safe and the army was regaining control.

Here is a recap of the 10 successful coups in Africa in the last five years:

Mali

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is overthrown by five army colonels in August 2020.

In May 2021, the Malian military takes over from the civilian leaders of an interim government.
Colonel Assimi Goita, who led both coups, is sworn in as transitional president.

After promising to hold elections in February 2024, the military puts them off indefinitely, pointing to the jihadist violence plaguing the country.

In July 2025, Goita approves a law granting himself a five-year presidential mandate, renewable without election.
In September jihadists launch a fuel blockade, weakening the ruling junta.

Guinea

On September 5, 2021, mutinous troops led by lieutenant-colonel Mamady Doumbouya take over in Guinea, arresting President Alpha Conde.

Doumbouya in early November 2025 submits his candidacy ahead of December 28 elections that are meant to restore constitutional order.

Sudan

After weeks of tension between the military and civilian leaders who had shared power since the ousting of dictator Omar al-Bashir, the armed forces led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stage a new coup on October 25, 2021.

Since April 2023 war has raged between the regular armed forces led by Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by his former deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo.

The conflict has so far killed tens of thousands of people and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso underwent two military coups in 2022.

In January that year mutinous soldiers led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba arrest President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

Then in September army officers announce they have dismissed Damiba. Captain Ibrahim Traore becomes transitional president, but elections he promised do not materialise. In May 2024 the junta authorises him to stay for another five years in a country wracked by Islamist violence.

Niger

On July 26, 2023, members of the presidential guard overthrow Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, elected in 2021. General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the presidential guard, takes over.

In March 2025, the junta extends by at least five years its transitional leadership of the country which is plagued by jihadist violence.

Gabon

In Gabon, ruled for 55 years by the Bongo family, army officers on August 30, 2023 overthrow President Ali Bongo Ondimba, less than an hour after he is declared winner of an election the opposition says was fraudulent.
General Brice Oligui Nguema is named transitional president.

In April 2025 he is elected president with 94.85 percent of the vote. He is sworn in on the basis of a new constitution approved by referendum during the transition.

Madagascar

In October 2025, the military ousts Madagascar’s president Andry Rajoelina and takes power following weeks of “Gen Z” anti-government protests.

Army colonel Michael Randrianirina is sworn in as Madagascar’s new president, promising elections within 18 to 24 months.

Guinea-Bissau

In November 2025, military officers in Guinea-Bissau declare they have “total control” of the coup-prone west African country, closing its borders and suspending its electoral process three days after general elections.

The military says a command “composed of all branches of the armed forces” is taking over the leadership of the country “until further notice”.

Headline

Benin Republic Presidency Breaks Silence On ‘Military Takeover’

Published

2 days ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

Benin Republic military
Military personnel in Benin on Sunday said they had ousted President Patrice Talon, but the Presidency said he was safe and the army was regaining control.

Talon, 67, a former businessman known as the “cotton king of Cotonou,” is due to hand over power in April next year after 10 years in office marked by strong economic growth and rising jihadist violence.

West Africa has seen several coups in recent years, including in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and most recently Guinea-Bissau.

Early on Sunday, soldiers calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR) said on state television that they had met and decided that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic.”

The signal was cut later in the morning.

Shortly after the announcement, a source close to Talon told AFP the president was safe.

“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city (Cotonou) and the country are completely secure,” they said.

“It’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean-up is progressing well.”

A military source confirmed the situation was “under control” and said the coup plotters had not taken Talon’s residence or the presidential offices.

The French Embassy reported on X that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence in the economic capital and urged French citizens to remain indoors.

Benin has a history of coups and attempted coups.

Talon, who came to power in 2016, is due to end his second term in 2026, the constitutional maximum.

The main opposition party has been excluded from the race to succeed him, leaving the ruling party to compete against a so-called “moderate” opposition.

Talon has been praised for driving economic development but is often accused of authoritarianism.

(AFP)