Connect with us

News

History as Trump meets face-to-face with kim

Published

on

American President, Donald Trump and North Korea’s Supreme leader Kim Jong Un have both shared a historic handshake at the Capella hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore.

The handshake between Trump and Kim Jong Un on Tuesday morning marks the first time a sitting US president has met with a North Korean leader.

This is coming after months of saber-rattling that gave way to flirtation.

President Trump finally met face-to-face with Kim Jong Un at a hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore on Tuesday morning.

Shortly after 9 a.m. local time, Trump, wearing a dark suit and red tie, and Kim, in a black suit, walked along a white colonnade, meeting in front of a bank of 12 alternating U.S. and North Korean flags where they shook hands. The handshake lasted about 12 seconds.

According to the Shanghai Media Group, the 35-year-old Kim arrived at the summit venue seven minutes earlier than Trump, 71, to show respect to his elder.

After their initial greeting, Trump and Kim walked inside, sat down and spoke briefly to reporters.

Trump, who had insisted he would know “within the first minute” if Kim was serious about denuclearisation, said he “felt really great” and that it was his “honor” to meet with the North Korean dictator.

“We’re going to have a great discussion,” Trump said. “A tremendous success. We will have a great relationship.”

“It was not easy to get here,” Kim said. “There were obstacles, but we overcame them to be here.”

Kim likened the meeting to something “from a science fiction movie,” according to a translation of his remarks.

The pair then retreated to a private room where they met one-on-one, with interpreters, for about 35 minutes before an expanded bilateral meeting with both U.S. and North Korean advisers.

The president was flanked by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, chief of staff John Kelly and national security adviser John Bolton. Kim was joined by vice chairman Kim Yong Chol and foreign ministers Ri Yong Ho and Ri Su Yong. Trump and Kim sat across from each other near the center of a long table.

At the top of the expanded meeting, Trump said he and Kim will solve the problems presented by a nuclear North Korea.

“Working together, we will get it taken care of,” Trump said.

“We overcame all kinds of skepticism and speculations about this summit,” Kim added, “and I believe that this is good for the peace.”

Trump arrived at the hotel after issuing a flurry of tweets dismissing skeptics of the meeting between U.S. leaders and the rogue nuclear nation as “haters & losers.”

He also revealed that his economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, who was not part of the U.S. delegation in Singapore, had suffered a heart attack was being treated at Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland.

“Larry is currently in good condition,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. “And his doctors expect he will make a full and speedy recovery.”

Adding to the surreal nature of Trump-Kim spectacle, former NBA star Dennis Rodman appeared on CNN in a rambling, emotional interview live from Singapore, where he broke into tears as he commented on his role in bringing Kim and Trump to the negotiating table.

Rodman, who first traveled to North Korea in 2013 to meet with Kim, said he received death threats as a result of his outreach.

“I believed in North Korea,” Rodman said. “And when I went home I couldn’t even go home. I couldn’t go home. I had to hide out for 30 days. I couldn’t even go home, but I kept my head up high, brother. I knew things were going to change. I knew it. I was the only one.”

The flamboyant former basketball star added that the Trump White House called to thank him for his unlikely diplomacy. (Yahoo News)

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

News

PRCAN Mourns the Passing of NIPR Council Member, Bashir Chedi

Published

on

PRCAN

The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) has received with deep shock and sadness the news of the passing of Mallam Bashir Chedi, a distinguished member of the Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), who died at the age of 65.

In a statement issued by PRCAN, the Association described the late Chedi as an accomplished professional, a consummate communicator, and a pillar of integrity whose contributions to the growth of public relations in Nigeria will remain indelible.

“Mallam Bashir Chedi was a respected voice in our profession, a mentor to many, and an advocate of ethical practice. His departure is not only a great loss to the NIPR family but also to the larger communication and public relations community in Nigeria,” PRCAN said.

The Association extended its condolences to Dr. Ike Neliaku, President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, the NIPR Council, the family of the deceased, and the entire PR community, praying that Almighty God grants them the strength to bear the loss.

“While we mourn his passing, we take solace in the impactful legacy he has left behind, one that will continue to inspire present and future generations of PR practitioners,” the statement added.

Continue Reading

News

Mbah to NBA: “Law, the Conscience of the Nation, Justice Sector Reform, a Cornerstone of Our Administration”

By ORJI ISRAEL

Published

on

Mbah to NBA

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has reminded lawyers that the law is more than a profession, as it serves as the conscience of the nation.

Mbah, who spoke during the opening of the 2025 Annual General Conference, AGC, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Sunday, also restated the commitment of his administration to justice sector reform, saying that it remained the cornerstone of his government.

“Let me say this: the theme of this year’s conference, ‘Stand Out, Stand Tall,’ is a timely reminder of the responsibility we bear as lawyers and leaders. The law is not just a profession – it is the conscience of the nation. We are not only courtroom advocates; we are also defenders of truth, architects of peace, and champions of equity,” he said.

Listing some concrete steps by his administration towards justice sector reform, the governor said, “Since assuming office, we have made justice sector reform a cornerstone of our governance. Just a few examples will suffice.

“We were among the first states to fully implement financial autonomy for the judiciary in line with Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This has enhanced the efficiency, independence, and dignity of our courts.

“We have carried out a comprehensive rehabilitation and digitization of our courtrooms across the three senatorial zones. The High Court Complex in Enugu is equipped with e-filing, virtual hearing facilities, and an integrated case management system.

“To decongest our courts and promote alternative dispute resolution, we have strengthened and expanded the Enugu Multi-Door Courthouse, making it a model in the region for commercial and family dispute settlement.

“Through partnership with civil society and the NBA, we have expanded access to pro bono legal services for indigent citizens and detainees, especially in our rural areas. No one should be too poor to afford justice.

“We have also carried out an extensive codification and review of obsolete state laws to reflect modern realities, ensure gender justice, and promote the ease of doing business in Enugu.

“Perhaps one of the reforms I am proudest of – we introduced real-time transcription for our courts. Attaining Verbatim Reporting for the courts has eliminated the strain of longhand recording on judges, cut down on delays and improved productivity,” he said.

He, however, asserted that none of the reforms was an end in itself, noting that they remained  part of a broader vision of his government towards making Enugu State the preferred destination for investment, innovation, and inclusive development.

“From smart schools, safe communities to accessible healthcare – our vision cannot be achieved without a justice system that is fair, functional, and trusted,” he added.

The opening ceremony was chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Dr. Sa’ad Abubakar III, while the keynote address was given by charismatic leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters of South Africa and a member of country’s national parliament, Julius Malema.

Continue Reading

News

70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African – Group

ORJI ISRAEL reports that the group accused ANC of maintaining silence on religious persecution, while deepening ties with ideological extremists in Tehran

Published

on

70% of Christians killed in 2024 are African gettyimages
Women crying during killings in Benue State, Nigeria

Recent reports indicate that over 4,400 Christians were murdered for their faith last year, while over the past decade, jihadist violence has driven 16 million Christians from their homes, millions of which are African citizens.

This is according to global Christian charity, Open Doors, which also confirms that for every five Christians, one will face persecution in Africa specifically.

Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List reveals the top 10 most dangerous countries for Christians are dominated by Islamic states in the Middle East and Africa, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Nigeria. A more detailed UK Parliament briefing recently noted that 70% of Christians killed in 2024 were indeed in Africa. 

Over the last six months, the brutality against Christians in Africa has escalated to alarming levels, with a series of devastating attacks across the continent. Just last month, ISIL-affiliated rebels stormed a Catholic church in Komanda, DRC, murdering close to 50 worshippers, including women and children. That same month in Mozambique, Islamic State fighters captured and beheaded six Christians from Natocua village, just across South Africa’s border. A month earlier, in June 2025, armed militants in Nigeria massacred nearly 200 Christian civilians in Yelwata village. 

“What we are witnessing is not random violence or isolated attacks. It is a deliberate, coordinated campaign by jihadist networks to wipe Christianity from vast regions of Africa and the Middle East,” says SAFI spokesperson, Bafana Modise. “These acts of terror are the early stages of a genocide against Christians, and history will record who spoke out and who shamefully looked away. Tragically, the ANC has chosen the latter.”

This silence is even more damning in light of last week’s news that South Africa’s military chief, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya, met with Iranian Maj. Gen. Amir Hatami in Tehran to discuss deepening military and strategic ties, when Iran remains one of the world’s most notorious persecutors of Christians.

A recent report by the Middle East Africa Research Institute (MEARI) warned that Pretoria’s deepening ties with Tehran has compromised South Africa’s democratic foundations by defending Iran at the UN and IAEA, downplaying its human rights abuses, and potentially benefitting from covert support, including speculation around the ANC’s repayment of a multi-million-rand debt shortly after filing the ICJ case against Israel.

“These atrocities are not just crimes against individuals; they are part of a war against the freedom of religion itself,” Modise warns. “This is religious genocide, and it is gaining momentum as it edges closer to South Africa’s borders.”

Instead of defending religious freedom, the ANC government has remained silent. It has issued no meaningful condemnation or rallying call to protect persecuted Christians: “The ANC has done nothing to defend the rights of Christians,” says Modise. “Instead, it has squandered South Africa’s moral standing on discredited genocide charges against Israel – the one country in the Middle East where Christians live in safety and equality.”

This betrayal is even more unforgivable in a nation where 80% of South Africans identify as Christian. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right, but the ANC, once the global champion of human rights, has made its bed with regimes and groups that have used Islamic law to suppress and destroy those freedoms.

“The ANC’s alliances make it clear: they have abandoned South Africa’s Christians, choosing friendship with the very forces driving this campaign of genocide,” Modise concludes. “Silence in the face of such evil is complicity, and the ANC is guilty of both. They have aligned themselves with Jihadist Islamic ideology, without further thought.”

We call on every pastor, every congregation, and every believer to demand that the ANC account for its indifference and betrayal. The blood of persecuted Christians cries out from across the African continent. If South Africa will not stand with them now, the day may come when their fate becomes our own.

Continue Reading

Trending