Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Check here each week to keep up with the latest from John MacArthur's pulpit at Grace Community Church.

Abidjan, Ivory Coast — Burkina Faso's military regime wants to reinstate the death penalty after the West African country abolished it in 2018, a government source told AFP on Saturday.  The latest execution in Burkina Faso was in 1988, according to Amnesty International.  Reintroducing capital punishment to the penal code "is being considered. It's up to the government to discuss it, then make the proposal to the Transitional Legislative Assembly (ALT) for adoption," the source said, adding that the date had not been chosen.  Justice Minister Rodrigue Bayala said Friday — after parliament passed a bill introducing community service — that "the issue of death penalty, which is being discussed, will be implemented in the draft criminal code."  Bayala also said there could be further amendments to the criminal code, "to follow the vision and the guidelines given by the head of state, Captain Ibrahim Traore," who seized power in a September 2022 coup.  The Burkinabe government in July passed a bill that included plans to ban homosexuality.  Amnesty International has reported a surge in the use of the death penalty on the African continent, saying in a statement in October that "recorded executions more than tripled and recorded death sentences increased significantly by 66%."  On the other hand, the rights group noted that "24 countries across sub-Saharan Africa have abolished the death penalty for all crimes while two additional countries have abolished it for ordinary crimes only."   "Kenya and Zimbabwe currently have bills tabled to abolish the death penalty for all crimes, while Gambia ... has commenced a constitutional amendment process that will ... effectively abolish the death penalty," it said. 

Yaounde, Cameroon — Workers have recovered 12 bodies following landslides that engulfed a road in the west of Cameroon, a regional official said Saturday, adding there is no hope of finding survivors.   State television CRTV reported the comments by the governor of Ouest region, Augustine Awa Fonka.   "In our opinion, there is no longer any possibility of finding survivors," he told the station.  Only 12 bodies had been recovered from the site of the disaster, the last of them on Saturday morning, he said.   Dozens more people are still missing, and the search for bodies is still continuing, he added.   Two landslides hit the Dschang cliff road Tuesday — the second as emergency workers were using heavy machinery to try to clear the road.   Vehicles hit included three coaches with around 20 seats each, five six-seater vehicles, and several motorbikes said Awa Fonka in an earlier statement.   Cameroon's roads are notoriously dangerous, with almost 3,000 deaths each year in accidents, or more than 10 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization, published in 2023.    In early September, a tractor-trailer carrying passengers plunged off a cliff road into a ravine near the town of Dschang, killing eight people and injuring 62 others, including eight children. 

PORT LOUIS — Mauritius incumbent prime minister Pravind Jugnauth said on Monday that his political alliance was headed for a huge defeat following Sunday's parliamentary election. "L'Alliance Lepep is heading towards a huge defeat. I have tried to do what I can for the country and the population. The population has decided to choose another team. I wish good luck to the country," Jugnauth told reporters. Voters went to the polls to elect lawmakers for the 62 seats in parliament for the next five years, from a list of 68 parties and five political alliances. Whichever party or coalition gets more than half the seats in parliament also wins the prime minister's post.

Niamey, Niger — Nine members of an armed rebel movement seeking the release of Niger's ousted president surrendered Monday, officials in the north of the military-ruled country said.  The rebel Patriotic Liberation Front (FPL) was set up in August 2023, a month after Niger's democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was overthrown in a military coup.  Since then, Bazoum has been imprisoned with his wife, Hadiza, at the presidential palace in Niamey.  An official from Agadez governorate told AFP, "Nine FPL fighters repented and handed over their weapons and ammunition on Monday during a ceremony in the presence of General Ibra Boulama," who is the governor of the region. FPL members began surrendering at the start of the month after discreet negotiations by "influential local personalities," the Air-Info media outlet reported.  On November 1, FPL spokesman Idrissa Madaki and three other members turned themselves in separately in two towns near the Libyan border, according to Niger's army and national television.  Last week, FPL leader Mahmoud Sallah was "provisionally stripped" of his nationality as were seven members of the Bazoum regime who were suspected of "terrorist bomb attacks."  Sallah had claimed responsibility for attacking the army in the north and disabling part of a crucial pipeline carrying crude oil to Benin in June. He had also threatened to attack strategic sites.  Another rebel movement also demanding Bazoum's release, the Patriotic Front for Justice (FPJ), has held since June the military prefect of northeastern Bilma and four of his security team, who were kidnapped after an ambush.  Authorities in Niger, which is also battling attacks by jihadist groups, have stepped up security in recent weeks, with military patrols, checks and searches of vehicles.

WASHINGTON — According to the Somaliland National Electoral Commission, more than 1 million registered and eligible voters head to the polls Wednesday to elect their president for the next five years. Three candidates, including incumbent President Muse Bihi Abdi, seek to consolidate the region’s fragile democracy, boost economic growth and gain international recognition that the Somali enclave has struggled to secure for 33 years. Abdi, of the ruling Peace, Unity and Development Party, also known simply as Kulmiye, seeks a second term in Wednesday’s polls. He is running against Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as "Irro,” of the Waddani party and Faisal Ali Warabe of the Justice and Development Party, or UCID. Promises In an interview with VOA Somali, each of the three candidates promised to strengthen democracy, boost economic growth and seek international recognition for the breakaway region. Abdi, 76, who was elected head of the region in 2017, has pledged there will be progress on a controversial maritime deal that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland earlier this year. “On our side, we [Somaliland] are free, we are ready to implement the MOU [Memorandum of Understanding], and we are waiting from the Ethiopian side so that we can go ahead with it,” Abdi said. “Ethiopia needs access to sea, and we need recognition, and this MOU is about these needs.” This is the fourth presidential election since the region on the northwestern tip of Somalia broke away from the rest of the country, following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime in 1991. The territory declared independence that year but has never achieved international recognition. Despite this, Somaliland has a functioning government and institutions, a political system that has allowed democratic transfers of power between rival parties, its own currency, passport and armed forces. According to Freedom House's 2024 flagship annual report, which assesses the condition of political rights and civil liberties around the world, Somaliland experienced an erosion of political rights in the past several years. The report said, “Journalists and public figures face pressure from authorities. Minority clans are subject to political and economic marginalization, and violence against women remains a serious problem.” Talks between Somaliland, which is seeking full statehood, and Mogadishu, which fiercely opposes the move, have been held on and off between 2012 and 2020 but failed to bear fruit. Irro, of the Waddani party, who also served as speaker of the House of Representatives of Somaliland’s lower chamber of parliament for more than 11 years, said he would resume talks with Somalia. “It was not our choice to talk to Somalia because our goal has always been getting recognition, but the international community urged us to talk. If I am elected, I will resume the talks if the Somaliland interest lies there, and [at] the same time we will review the previous failed talks,” said Irro. Warabe, of the Justice and Development Party, said that if elected, he would seek recognition through the establishment of a national unity government in Somaliland. “The return of Bihi [Abdi], who has been for seven years in power, and his party, which has been in power since 2010, is not [an] option for Somaliland voters,” Warabe said. “If I am elected, I will lead Somaliland to recognition and [a] more prosperous road.” Regional tension Somaliland’s Wednesday vote comes at a time when tensions remain high between Somalia and Ethiopia over the controversial Memorandum of Understanding that Ethiopia signed with Somaliland. The deal would grant Ethiopia a 50-year lease of access to 20 kilometers of the Red Sea coastline in exchange for the potential recognition of Somaliland's independence, which Somalia views as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The deal signed on January 1 in Addis Ababa by Abdi and Ethiopia Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sparked anger in Mogadishu, which considers Somaliland as part of its national territory. The opposition to the deal plunged the two neighboring countries into a deadlocked situation. In April, Somalia expelled Ethiopian Ambassador Muktar Mohamed Ware, alleging "internal interference" by Ethiopia. Somalia also ordered the closure of Ethiopia's consulates in Somaliland and Puntland, although they remained open. Last month, Somalia expelled Mogadishu-based Ethiopian diplomat Ali Mohamed Adan, who was a counselor at Ethiopia's embassy in Mogadishu. In July and August 2024, two rounds of talks between Ethiopia and Somalia, mediated by Turkey, failed to solve the dispute, with Somalia demanding Ethiopia withdraw from the deal and Ethiopia insisting that it does not infringe on Somalia’s sovereignty. On Saturday, Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur repeated the Somali government position against Ethiopian troop involvement in a new African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia starting in January. “I can say that Ethiopia is the only government we know of so far that will not participate in the new AU mission because it has violated our sovereignty and national unity," Nur said Saturday in a government-run television interview. Somaliland’s last presidential elections were held in 2017. The current presidential election was originally set to take place in 2022 but was postponed until 2023 and then again pushed back to November 2024, following a controversial extension of Abdi’s mandate by the parliament’s upper house. The Somaliland National Election Commission, or NEC, said at the time that the delays were due to “time, technical and financial constraints.” Opposition parties vehemently denounced the delays. The president is directly elected for a maximum of two five-year terms and appoints the Cabinet. Sahra Eidle Nur and Harun Maruf contributed to this report.

Washington — The United States sanctioned a senior Sudanese paramilitary official on Tuesday, accusing him of overseeing human rights abuses in his country's West Darfur region.  The Treasury Department announced the sanctions on Abdel Rahman Joma'a Barakallah, a commander with Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which it accused of being "a primary party responsible for the ongoing violence against civilians in Sudan." Sudan has been gripped by a deadly conflict since April 2023 between the army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by his former deputy, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who is also known as Hemedti.   In a statement, the Treasury said the RSF's campaign in West Darfur "was marked by credible claims of serious human rights abuses, including targeting of civilians, conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), and ethnically motivated violence."  U.N. experts have estimated that the RSF, with the support of Arab militias, have killed between 10,000 and 15,000 people in the West Darfur town of El-Geneina alone. "Today's action underscores our commitment to hold accountable those who seek to facilitate these horrific acts of violence against vulnerable civilian populations in Sudan," Treasury acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Bradley Smith said in a statement.  "The United States remains focused on supporting an end to this conflict and calls on both sides to participate in peace talks and ensure the basic human rights of all Sudanese civilians," he added.

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Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, said his administration is committed to pursuing fiscal responsibility, through public financial management reforms. This, he said, is to build strong institutions that will promote accountability and transparency. Abiodun made the commitment in Abeokuta during the Treasury Board Meeting on Year 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the

Vice President Kashim Shettima has stated that trade facilitation programmes implemented by the current administration increased the country’s trade balance to N6.5tn in the second quarter of 2024. He said efforts to maximise economic opportunities ensured that exports to other countries accounted for 60.89 per cent, or equivalent to N19.42tn of total trade, representing a

Edo Queens head coach Moses Aduku is exuding confidence and expects his charges to go all out against FC Masar in the CAF Women’s Champions League Group B clash starting at 18:00 at Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca on Wednesday (today), PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The Nigerian and West African champions made a flying start to

The Enugu State Government has strongly condemned the bullying and physical assault of a student at the Federal Government College, Enugu, describing it as “deeply troubling and emotionally distressing.” The state Commissioner for Education, Prof Ndubueze Mbah, in a statement on Tuesday, emphasised the government’s zero-tolerance policy for bullying, abuse, and dehumanising treatment in all

The management of Kwara State University has disowned Ayeyemi Sulaiman, who was allegedly killed by the police in the Tanke area, Ilorin, the state capital, last week Tuesday, as a student of the institution. The acting Director, University Relations, Dr. Saeedat Aliyu, in a statement on Tuesday, said Sulaiman was no longer its student as

Nigeria has recorded 1,035 confirmed cases of Lassa fever out of 8,569 suspected cases, and 174 deaths in 28 states across 129 local government areas as of October 13, 2024. The country also recorded 380 confirmed cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis out of 4,915 suspected cases and 361 deaths in 24 states across 174 LGAs in

Hundreds of disgruntled women and youths from Zamfara State, on Tuesday, took their protest to the headquarters of the Department of Security Services in Abuja, over heightened insecurity in the state. The aggrieved persons blamed the immediate-past governor of the state and now Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, for the heightened activities of

The Ondo State Police Command, on Tuesday, said it had arrested one prophetess, Mrs Folashade Adekola, over the death of a woman, Jumoke Adesuwa and her newborn baby inside the church. Our correspondent gathered on Tuesday that the deceased bled to death from complications after childbirth inside the suspect’s church located in the Oke-Aro area

United States President-elect Donald Trump has announced that tech billionaire Elon Musk will serve in the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk will be joined by American patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, and together they will lead the department. This was disclosed in a statement issued by Trump on Tuesday, 12th November 2024, which was shared via Musk’s

The Federal Government is hereby notified of the deplorable state of roads in Esanland, Edo State,. The most affected is the Agbor- Ewohimi- Igueben road; the Federal road linking Delta and Edo State The people of this area has lamented the deplorable state of the road from Agbor, Delta State to various Esan communites such as, Igbanke, Itah, Ekpon, Ebele, Ewohimi, Ebele, Ewato, Igueben, and many other towns and villages of Esanland has become death traps. Many road crashes have taken place on a regular basis, leading to deaths and injury of many travelers, who ply the roads. The Federal […]

Janet Temitope Adetu is a certified corporate etiquette and brand analyst as well as a professional image and international protocol consultant. The founder of JSK Etiquette Consortium, a thriving business etiquette, behavourial change and professional image enhancement firm, talks about her profession and how she juggles this with her marriage in this interview with QISMAT YINUS. Excerpts: What exactly do you do at JSK Etiquette Consortium? JSK Etiquette Consortium is a Corporate Etiquette, Professional Image and International Protocol Consultancy. We help corporate organisations leverage their human capital through personal and professional image projection, branding, impression management and leadership. Our objective […]

Following the keenly contested war of ballots in the recent presidential election between the incumbent President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan — who represented the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and retired General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) — which ended in favour of the retired General, Nigerians have barred their minds on their expectations from the incoming administration as they say, “to whom much is given, much more is expected.” Foremost amongst the challenges Nigerians are confronted with are economic instability, insecurity and terrorism, provision of shelter, social and infrastructural amenities, qualitative education, employment generation, and more. Proffering […]

Our Lord said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross and follow Me.” The church of Jesus Christ, of course, is

Our Lord said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross and follow Me.” The church of Jesus Christ, of course, is