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US President-elect, Trump to be sentenced in hush money case, days before Inauguration

United  States  President-elect,  Donald Trump is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday for his criminal conviction,  stemming from hush money paid to a porn star.

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This case earlier  overshadowed his bid to retake the White House.

The U.S. Supreme Court paved the way on Thursday for the 9:30 a.m. ET (1430 GMT) sentencing in New York state court in Manhattan, rejecting a last-minute request by Trump to halt it 10 days before his Jan. 20 inauguration.

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Justice Juan Merchan, who oversaw the six-week trial in 2024 had signaled that  he does not plan to send Trump to jail or to fine him.

However, by granting an unconditional discharge, he would place a judgment of guilt on Trump’s permanent record.

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Trump, 78, who pleaded not guilty, was expected to appear virtually at the hearing.

He fought tooth and nail to avoid the spectacle of being compelled to appear before a state-level judge,  days before returning to the public office.

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Cheryl Bader, a law professor at Fordham University in New York said “he doesn’t want to be sentenced because that is the official judgment of him being a convicted felon.”

The trial played out against the extraordinary backdrop of Trump’s successful campaign to retake the White House.

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The sentencing marks the culmination of the first-ever criminal case brought against a U.S. president, past or present.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg,  charged Trump in March 2023 with 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up his former lawyer Michael Cohen’s 130,000 dollars  payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels for her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she said she had with Trump, who denied it.

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Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in that election.

The Manhattan jury found Trump guilty of all 34 counts on May 30.

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Prosecutors argued that despite the tawdry nature of the allegations, the case was an attempt to corrupt the 2016 election.

Critics of the businessman-turned politician cited the charges and other legal entanglements he faced to bolster their contention that he was unfit for public office.

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Trump argued the case along with three other criminal indictments and civil lawsuits accusing him of fraud, defamation and sexual abuse  was an effort by opponents to weaponize the justice system against him and harm his reelection campaign.

He frequently lashed out at prosecutors and witnesses, and Merchan ultimately fined Trump 10,000 dollars for violating a gag order.

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In a decision that day, Merchan said that setting aside the verdict would “undermine the Rule of Law in immeasurable ways” and wrote that Trump’s behavior during the trial showed disrespect for the judiciary.

“Defendant has gone to great lengths to broadcast on social media and other forums his lack of respect for judges, juries, grand juries and the justice system as a whole,” Merchan said.

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On Thursday, hours before sentence was to be imposed, Trump wrote on his social media platform that he would be appealing the case and was confident that he would prevail.

The hush money case was widely viewed as less serious than the three other criminal cases Trump faced, in which he was accused of trying to overturn his 2020 election loss and retaining classified documents after leaving the White House. Trump pleaded not guilty in all the cases.

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However, Bragg’s case was the only criminal case to reach trial in the face of an onslaught of challenges from Trump’s lawyers.

After Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, federal prosecutors backed off their two cases due to Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

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The remaining state case, brought in Georgia over efforts to reverse the 2020 election results in that state, is in limbo after a court in December disqualified the lead prosecutor on the case.

The hush money case was a mixed bag politically.

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Contributions to Trump’s campaign surged after he was indicted in March 2023, likely helping him vanquish his rivals for the Republican nomination.

During the trial, polling showed a majority of voters took the charges seriously, and his standing among Republicans slipped after the guilty verdict. (Reuters/NAN)

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282 Passengers safe as plane makes emergency landing in Lagos

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282 Passengers safe as plane makes emergency landing in Lagos

A Qatar Airways passenger plane on Friday made an emergency landing at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos after developing a technical fault mid-flight.

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The aircraft, which had 248 passengers and 12 crew members on board, was forced to land abruptly after the malfunction was detected while it was operating within Nigerian airspace.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed the incident in a statement released by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.

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According to him, the agency was alerted to the situation through its 767 and 112 toll-free emergency lines, prompting an immediate response from emergency officials.

He explained that upon receiving the distress call, the LASEMA Response Team (LRT) was swiftly deployed to the airport to assess the situation and provide necessary support.

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“Upon arrival at the scene, the LASEMA Response Team confirmed that the aircraft was in distress,” the statement noted.

“The pilot executed a safe landing on the runway at Murtala Mohammed International Airport with LASEMA Response Team and other emergency responders standing by on extreme high alert on the runway.

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“Collaborative efforts of the multi-agency responders were coordinated. After proper check by the pilot and the engineering crew, the aircraft was moved to the apron for detailed inspection and prompt repairs.”

“All passengers of the distressed airplane were evacuated safely; no injuries reported, no loss of lives,” the statement said.

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Despite the technical issue and the emergency landing, the agency stated that there was the aircraft experienced no major damage.

“The aircraft has been secured on the apron. Recovery activities have been completed,” the statement added.

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80 repentant militants surrender arms, assorted weapons to Nigerian Army

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80 repentant militants surrender arms, assorted weapons to Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the voluntary surrender of 80 militants in Cross River State under the amnesty programme of the state government.

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The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Headquarters 13 Brigade, Maj. Yemi Sokoya, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Sokoya said that the militants surrendered in the early hours of Friday, at Atimbo Rear Area, following Operation OKWOK, in Akpabuyo Local Government Area, within the area of responsibility of the 13 Brigade.

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According to him, the repentant militants emerged from two camps, with one group led by ThankGod Ebikontei, also known as Ayibanuagha, presenting 39 fighters.

He said that the second camp, headed by John Isaac, also known as Akpokolo, submitted 41 fighters.

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Sokoya added that assorted arms, ammunition and other items, were also voluntarily surrendered during the exercise.

He said that these included: rifles, pump-action guns, single-barrel weapons, magazines, ammunition, speed boats, boat engines and other military-related equipment.

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The Commander, 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Paul Alimikhena, described the development as a major confidence-building milestone.

He attributed it to sustained military operations, constructive engagement and effective collaboration with the Cross River State Government and other security agencies.

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He said that the brigade would continue to provide a secure environment, while supporting lawful initiatives aimed at reintegrating repentant youths, and ensuring lasting peace across in the area.

The commander said that the surrendered militants had been handed over to the Cross River State Government’s Rapid Response Team and were undergoing profiling by the state’s Department of State Services (DSS).

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He commended the State Government, under Gov. Bassey Otu, for its commitment to peace and security.

He also urged residents to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information. (NAN)

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My Husband wants to have s3x with me eight times everynight – Housewife cries for help

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My Husband wants to have s3x with me eight times everynight – Housewife cries for help

A Harare woman, Melocia Gwata, has successfully obtained a court-issued protection order against her husband, George Kusotera, following allegations of excessive sexual demands and physical abuse.

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The case was heard at the Harare Civil Court before Magistrate Judith Taruvinga, where Melocia detailed the severity of her ordeal. She told the court that her husband had coerced her into sexual activity up to eight times a night, resorting to violence whenever she refused.

“He wants to have s3x every day and wakes me up in the middle of the night, even after we’ve been intimate countless times on the same day,” Melocia stated.

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She further described how the abuse extended beyond physical coercion, with George allegedly threatening divorce and verbally assaulting her in front of their children.

“He has been assaulting me in front of our children, shouting obscenities and telling them I don’t deserve to be called their mother,” she added, highlighting the emotional toll the behaviour has taken on her and the family.

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In response, George acknowledged his actions, apologising to his wife and attributing his conduct to love. “I did not realise I was making her uncomfortable. I apologise and promise not to physically abuse her anymore,” he told the court.

After hearing both sides, Magistrate Taruvinga granted Melocia a protection order, legally preventing her husband from further abuse and ensuring her safety.

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