Guinea's Junta Seizes Government Officials' Passports and Freezes Bank Accounts

Guinea's Junta Seizes Government Officials' Passports and Freezes Bank Accounts

Guinea's Military Junta Tightens Grip: 

In a bold move echoing the iron grip of the ruling military junta, Guinea's government officials find themselves stripped of their passports and frozen bank accounts. This dramatic action follows the mysterious dissolution of the administration, leaving citizens and international observers alike perplexed.

Since their seizure of power through a coup in September 2021, the military leadership has consistently flexed its muscles, solidifying control with each decree. The latest announcement, made on Monday, marks the dissolution of the sitting government, which had been in power since July 2022.

General Ibrahima Sory Bangoura, standing before state television cameras flanked by a formidable group of soldiers, delivered the directives with an air of authority. The junta's orders include the freezing of bank accounts belonging to government officials, the confiscation of their travel documents, and the stripping of privileges such as service vehicles, bodyguards, and assistants.

Curiously, the junta has chosen to remain silent regarding the motivations behind these drastic measures. However, amidst the silence, one recurring theme emerges – a commitment to combatting corruption, a rallying cry often associated with military takeovers across West Africa.

The state broadcaster, RTG, further propagated the image of junta leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya as a resolute leader navigating through "moments of adversity." Yet, the tribute lacks substance, leaving observers to ponder the true intentions behind the junta's actions.

Reports suggest mounting tensions within the government ranks, culminating in a rare protest in the capital city, Conakry, earlier this month. The junta's response has been swift and harsh, with the prohibition of all demonstrations and the detention of opposition figures, civil society activists, and journalists. Additionally, internet access has been severely restricted, amplifying concerns over human rights violations.

Under international pressure, Colonel Doumbouya has made promises of returning the government to civilian control by the end of 2024. This transitional period, as argued by the military, is deemed necessary to implement sweeping reforms in Guinea, a nation rich in resources yet grappling with economic challenges.

As Guinea navigates through this tumultuous period, the eyes of the world remain fixed on the unfolding developments, apprehensive of what the future holds for the West African nation.

Continue Reading

Former US First Lady Dies At 96

Former US First Lady Dies At 96

The wife of former United States President, Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter has died at the age of 96 on Sunday.

Rald News Media understands that her death was announced by the Carter Center two days after she entered hospice care at the couple’s home in Plains, Georgia.

Hospice care is specialized care that provides physical comfort and emotional, social and spiritual support for people nearing the end of life.

The former US First Lady is survived by her husband, four children, 22 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and a legacy of mental health advocacy.

According to the UK Independent, Jimmy Carter, 99, who is also in hospice care, paid tribute to his wife in the Carter Center statement, saying: “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished.

“She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”

The couple’s son Chip Carter said: “Besides being a loving mother and extraordinary First Lady, my mother was a great humanitarian in her own right. Her life of service and compassion was an example for all Americans.”

A devout Baptist and mother of four, she was diminutive and outwardly shy, with a soft smile and softer Southern accent. That was the “magnolia.” She also was a force behind Jimmy Carter’s rise from peanut farmer to winner of the 1976 presidential election. That was the “steel.”

Through more than 77 years of marriage, until her death on Sunday at the age of 96, Rosalynn Carter was business and political partner, best friend and closest confidant to the 39th president.

Continue Reading

 

Israeli Ship ‘Galaxy Leader’ Hijacked By Yemen’s Houthis In Red Sea

HIJACK HORROR Israel cargo ship Galaxy Leader ‘hijacked by Iran-backed militia’ in Red Sea with up to 52 people on board

AN ISRAELI-owned cargo ship has reportedly been hijacked by an Iran-backed militia group.

Rald News Media reported that up to 52 people are reported to have on board the Galaxy Leader vehicle carrier when she was seized.

It comes after the Houthis – based in Yemen – vowed they would target all ships owned by Israel or flying their flag in the Red Sea.

Israeli officials confirmed the rebels had taken over the ship that is partially owned by one of their companies, according to Axios.

However, the IDF went on to deny the ship was Israeli.

The exact ownership of ships is often difficult to discern due to various different companies owning stakes in or leasing the vessels.

Various media outlets have reported the ship is owned by Israeli shipping businessman Rami Ungar.

The nationality of the crew remains unknown – but Israel has insisted they have no nationals on board the ship.

Galaxy Leader reportedly had not reported its position to ship tracking services for 26 hours.

The Bahamas-flagged vessel is believed to have been in the Red Sea when it was attacked by the Houthis.

Lebanon-based outlet Al Mayadeen reported there were 52 people on board the ship when it was seized.

Other reports stated the number of crew was 22.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said: “The hijacking of the cargo ship by the Houthis near Yemen in the southern Red Sea is a very serious event on a global level.

“This is a ship that left Turkey on its way to India with an international civilian crew, without Israelis.”

But he insisted the ship was no Israeli.

Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi threatened to seize shipping in a rant last week.

He said: “Our eyes are open to constantly monitor and search for any Israeli ship in the Red Sea.”

The group’s spokesman said they would issue a statement in the coming hours after the reports of the hijacked ship.

The rebel group have made several missile and drone attacks against Israel since the massacre by Hamas on October 7.

They control Yemen and its coast along the Red Sea.

It is widely believed they receive support from Iran – and often operate as one of its proxies.

Continue Reading

 

Sam Altman sacked as CEO of ChatGPT

Sam Altman, the Silicon Valley CEO behind the artificial intelligence-powered chatbots ChatGPT and GPT-4, has been sacked by the company’s board of directors which said it has lost confidence in him.

 

Announcing the sack which has sent stunning shockwaves through the budding AI industry, the board said an internal investigation found that Altman was not always truthful.

 

The statement read;

 

“Mr. Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities. The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.”

 

OpenAI announced Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer, will serve as interim CEO until a permanent successor is chosen.

ChatGPT launched late last year, making Altman an overnight quasi-celebrity and the face of a new crop of AI tools that can generate images and texts in response to simple user prompts. The technology is called generative AI and has since been deployed by Microsoft on its search engine and other tools. Google has a rival called “Bard,” and other generative AI tools have been developed in recent months.

 

Not long after its release, ChatGPT became a household name almost synonymous with AI itself. CEOs used it to draft emails, people built websites with no prior coding experience, and it passed exams from law and business schools.

Although Altman has long been an advocate of AI, he is also one of its biggest critics. In testimony before Congress earlier this year, Altman described the technology’s current boom as a pivotal moment.

Continue Reading

Google Set To Delete Gmail In December

 

Google Set To Delete Gmail In December

In a recent blog post, Google said it deems an account inactive if the user has not logged in or done any activity in two years

The tech giant considers actions like signing in; reading or sending an email; using Google Drive; watching a YouTube video; sharing photos; downloading an app; and searching while signed in to be activities.

The company added that starting December 1, accounts in the aforementioned category will be deleted.The policy only applies to personal accounts, not those tied to an employer, school, or other organisation.

Google products reserve the right to delete your data when your account has not been used within that product for a 2-year period,” the post reads.

“December 1, 2023 is the earliest a Google Account will be deleted due to this policy.”It is understood that there are other exceptions to this; such as if your account was used to purchase something in the Google Play store or if your account has a gift card with an active balance.

Google said it would inform users in advance by sending emails to the accounts of affected users as well as any available recovery email addresses.

Continue Reading