President Biden will “obviously” catch Trump coverage but it’s “not his focus,” White House says

 President Joe Biden is aware of his predecessor’s arraignment and will “obviously” catch the news, the White House said Tuesday, but emphasized that it is “not his focus.”

“Look, the president’s going to focus on the American people like he does every day. This is not something that is a focus for him. He is going to focus on things like making sure we continue to lower prices for the American people,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in response to a question from CNN’s MJ Lee.

Biden is set to meet with his Council of Advisors on Science and Technology this afternoon for a conversation on artificial intelligence as former President Trump’s arraignment takes place in Manhattan.

Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the specifics of the case, but reiterated that Biden was “not given a heads up” on the indictment and was briefed by White House chief of staff Jeff Zients on the developments as they were reported in the media.

Biden has repeatedly declined to comment on the case, but told CNN on Monday in Minnesota that he has faith in the New York Police Department and responded affirmatively when asked if he has faith in the legal system.

From CNN’s Betsy Klein

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Donald Trump is to become the first former president of the United States to be charged in a criminal case

Republican to be booked, fingerprinted and arraigned as part of the first criminal case against a former US president.

The Republican is due to appear at a New York court on Tuesday after his indictment last week by a Manhattan grand jury.

The investigation centres on a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election to buy her silence about an alleged affair between her and Trump a decade earlier. The former president denies wrongdoing.

So what exactly is going to happen on Tuesday?

Trump, who faces an array of legal woes, is already in New York after he flew in from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Monday.

Armed agents of the Secret Service are scheduled to accompany him to the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is in the same building as the courthouse.

There, Trump is expected to be booked by investigators. Booking is the process in which a criminal suspect’s information is added to the system at a police station or jail after an arrest.

Trump, who has been positioning himself as the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election, will be fingerprinted, but it is unclear if his mugshot will be taken as well. A mugshot is the photograph of a person’s face made for any official purpose, usually police records.

Even if Trump has his photograph taken, his mugshot may not be made public. Trump’s lawyers have raised the concern that a possible leak of the photo could taint Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump does not expect to be placed in handcuffs, his lawyer Joe Tacopina has previously said.

A newspaper reporting the criminal charges filed against Trump is shown outside Trump Tower, where the former US president stayed in his penthouse the night before his arraignment on April 4, 2023, in New York City 

After booking, criminal suspects are usually held in cells near the courtroom before their arraignments, but Trump will not be one of them. US media reported that the former president will be taken through a back set of hallways and elevators to the courtroom. He will then come out into a public hallway to walk into the courtroom.

Trump is expected to be arraigned before Judge Juan Merchan and formally face the charges against him, which have yet to be unsealed. The arraignment is expected to take place at 2:15pm (18:15 GMT).

Tacopina said Trump will plead not guilty. He will seek to have the charges dismissed without going to trial, the lawyer said, adding that there is “zero” chance the former president will enter into a plea agreement with prosecutors.

“President Trump will not take a plea deal in this case,” Tacopina told NBC’s Today show. “It’s not going to happen. There’s no crime.”

After his arraignment, Trump will almost certainly be released on his own recognisance, meaning that he will be allowed to remain at liberty pending the trial. Conditions could be set on his travel, but this is highly unlikely.

Several media outlets requested the arraignment be broadcast, but Merchan ruled that out on Monday night. Instead, a limited number of photographers will be allowed to take pictures in the courtroom before the start of the proceedings.

Once the court hearing is over, US media reported that Trump is expected to retrace his steps back to the district attorney’s office, then to his motorcade outside. He is not supposed to walk out the front door of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse as suspects usually do because of security concerns.

Trump is expected to leave New York shortly after the arraignment for Florida and plans to make an address at Mar-a-Lago at 8:15 pm on Tuesday (0015 GMT Wednesday).

Legal experts said any potential trial is still at least more than a year away, raising the possibility that the former US president could face a jury in a Manhattan courtroom during or even after the 2024 presidential campaign as he seeks a return to the White House.

It is widely believed that Trump will pursue his White House campaign despite facing criminal charges.

Nothing in the US Constitution prevents someone from running for president while facing charges and even a conviction would not bar Trump from the nation’s highest office.

Here’s what you should know about Donald Trump’s court case

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

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South Africa revokes state of disaster over power

 The South African government has decided to revoke a national state of disaster that it declared in February to address the electricity crisis.

The state of disaster meant it could use emergency procurement procedures with fewer bureaucratic delays in a bid to end severe power cuts.

There had been concern that this would open the door to further corruption in the state-owned power company, Eskom. It has been mired in scandals and is more than $20bn (£16bn) in debt.

South Africa’s Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has also reversed a decision to exempt Eskom from declaring all of its expenditure. The opposition had said the policy was an acceptance of corruption in the power sector.

Source: BBC

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President João Lourenço pays tribute to José Eduardo dos Santos

 Luanda - The Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, on Tuesday in Luanda paid tribute to the former President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos, by laying a wreath on the tomb of the former President of Angola.

The ceremony, which took place at the Republic Public Square, in Luanda is part of the celebrations of 21 years of Peace and National Reconciliation (April 04) which is marked as the result of the Luena Memorandum of Understanding, which put an end to the war in Angola.

 

President João Lourenço was accompanied by the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço and members of his Cabinet, as well as the Vice-President of the Republic, Esperança da Costa.

 

Considered Peace Architect, José Eduardo dos Santos was President of the Republic of Angola from 21 September 1979 to 26 September 2017.

 

At the age of 79, he died in Barcelona, Spain, on August 8, 2022, victim of an illness.

João Lourenço hails Angolan people for knowing how to preserve peace

 Luanda - The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, said on Tuesday that the country and the Angolan people have been able to preserve the peace that was achieved on April 4, 2002.

Speaking at the decoration ceremony to several Angolan personalities and institutions, the Head of State promised to do everything so that the country would never again return to war.

In the ceremony held in the framework of the celebrations of the 21st anniversary of the Day of Peace and National Reconciliation which is marked on April 4, João Lourenço highlighted the role played by the former President of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos in the achievement of peace.

“On this date of commemoration and reflection, we call out the name and the memory of President José Eduardo dos Santos, the Architect of Peace and National Reconciliation”, said President João Lourenço.

He highlighted that José Eduardo dos Santos knew how to interpret the will of the people regarding the brotherly embrace between brothers and the reunion of the great Angolan family.

João Lourenço also recognized the achievements and patriotism of Angolans, in general, who distinguished themselves in the struggle for National Independence, in the defence of National Sovereignty and in the conquest and preservation of peace and national reconciliation.

 

Youth Commitment

In his speech, the President of the Republic underlined the fact that April is not only the month of peace and national reconciliation, but also is dedicated to the Angolan youth.

He said that it was the young people who for many years saw their student or professional careers temporarily or permanently interrupted, to serve the country in defence of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to João Lourenço, it is this same youth, who with the achievement of peace, have been rebuilding the country's infrastructure, building the roads, the different industries, the satellite towns, hospitals, universities and schools.

He informed that it is the youth who have built the hydroelectric dams, the photovoltaic plants, the ports and airports, the oil refineries, the projects to fight the drought in the south of Angola, and so many others that generate jobs and guarantee the economic and social development of the country.

João Lourenço recalled that both in the past and present, the youth has been a determining force for the country's development, representing a significant part of the Angolan population.

He stressed the need to take good care of young people, transmitting them the values of patriotism, ethics, civism, love for work, dedication to studies and reading, defence of the Environment and Nature, respect and protection to the elderly, children and women.

According to the President of the Republic "it is time for each political party, party leader, church, educational institution, NGO, each one of us, individually, to ask ourselves if we have kept our word”.

To João Lourenço, the question also serves to assess how the teachings have been passed on, which example on acts and behavior they receive from society, to prepare a youth within the noblest values of our civilization and culture.

João Lourenço warned about the importance of always being associated with good causes, to policies and programs that create, educate and train young people who defend and build peace, stability and social order, that preserve the public and private patrimony.

He said it is fundamental to make the most of all the potential of young Angolans, their inner strength, energy, vigour, intelligence, innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, to better serve our country.

“In this month of youth, I congratulate all the young Angolans, in Angola and in the diaspora, for their month, for all they have done and are doing for the good of Angola and Angolans”, he emphasized.

On the occasion, the Angolan President congratulated the personalities who were distinguished with Orders and Medals, “for having deserved this public recognition of the Angolan homeland”.

Ethiopian government praises João Lourenço's role in pacification process

 Luanda - The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Demeke Hassen, on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, praised the role of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, as a Champion for Peace and Reconciliation in the African continent.

The Ethiopian official was speaking during an audience he granted to Ambassador Francisco da Cruz, who is leaving office in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa and will move on to New York, where he will take up the post of Angolan Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN).

 

According to a press release from the Angolan Embassy in Addis Ababa, which ANGOP had access to, on the occasion, the Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the performance of Angola in the pacification process in the Great Lakes Region and in the Central African Republic (CAR).

 

During the meeting, the two officials discussed priority issues of the bilateral agenda, highlighting the need to revise the existing agreements in the fields of services and trade and the signing of three new legal instruments.

 

This is the Cooperation Agreement in the economic, technical, scientific and cultural domains between Angola and Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as well as the Agreement on Visa Exemption in Diplomatic and Service Passports.

 

Relations between both countries are historical and friendly, covered by the defence of multilateralism in the resolution of global problems and of Pan-Africanism on the basis of the implementation of Agenda 2063 of the African Union (AU), called “Africa we want”.

 

The Ambassador Francisco da Cruz said goodbye, a few days ago, to the Chairman of African Union (AU), Mousssa Faki Mahamat, who awarded him with a certificate of merit and the AU badge, for having represented his country with skill and dedication and contributed diligently in furthering the objectives of the pan-African organization.

 

Francisco da Cruz expressed his happiness due to the fact that AU decided to hold the 12th Edition of the High Level Dialogue on Democracy, Governance, Human Rights, Trends, Challenges and Perspectives, in Luanda, in the second semester of the current year.

 

On the other hand, he defended the reversal of the poor insertion of Angolan cadres in the African Union bodies which corresponds to only 5% of its quota and he requested the African Union Commission for this purpose.

Minister of State considers peace an immeasurable value

 Moçâmedes - The minister of State for the Social Area, Dalva Ringote, Tuesday in the south-western Namibe Province, pointed out peace as an immeasurable value for uniting Angolans under a range of common challenges, in all dimensions of the young homeland of traditions, values, diversity and family.

Speaking at the main celebration act of the 21st anniversary of the Peace and National Reconciliation Day, Dalva Ringonte said that the coming of peace allowed the development of communities, solidarity and the tireless search for the best public policies for Angolans.

The minister considered Angola a country of peace, of which all Angolans are proud and it constitutes also a “lighthouse of hope” for countries involved in conflicts on the African continent.

“Angola is, today, a country of mediation and peaceful resolution of conflicts, because we are lovers of peace and stability of peoples, through dialogue”, she reinforced.

According to Dalva Ringonte, Angola firmly and clearly condemns war and any other forms of destabilization of the African continent and is committed to consolidating its democratic institutions, developing and diversifying its economy, with a view to progress, the well-being of its people and to increasingly assert its identity and values within the framework of nations and the world.

To Dalva Ringonte, no country can live in peace and security when conflicts remain on its borders that can easily spread and involve its own territory.

“For this reason, the consolidation of peace in Angola also requires an end to conflicts in neighbouring territories, at regional and continental levels. It is in this sense that our country firmly and clearly condemns wars and any other forms of destabilization of the African continent”, she said.

To the minister, the tradition of peace makes Angola a permanent host of the Pan African forum for a culture of peace, bringing together different players, namely from the government, civil society, scientific community, artists and from the sports field, as well as the private sector and international organizations for a permanent dialogue on the promotion of peace, conflict resolution and violence prevention, thus encouraging the values of tolerance, solidarity, diversity, cultural exchange and human rights, contributing to a peaceful and prosperous Africa.

The official said that full and lasting peace must be endless, relying on the participation of all the social partners of the state, traditional authorities, in the promotion of peace, the defence of democratic institutions and respect for the authorities within the communities. 

"Today, we can celebrate how far we have come, but we must remember that there is still a long road ahead. Peace, democracy, and reconciliation, in an interconnected way, are part of an ongoing process that requires everyone´s dedication and commitment”, she stressed. 

To Dalva Ringonte democracy is a fundamental value that must be expanded and deepened, respecting the institutions, principles, freedoms, and guarantees, defending transparency of public affairs, justice, and social equity.

She emphasized that solidarity and cohesion are fundamental principles to strengthen the Nation and the full achievement of democratic, economic, and social conquests.

Regarding social concerns, she clarified that the Executive has priority programs and projects, such as the construction of dams, to retain water to fight drought and watering of cattle, Social Protection Strengthening Programme (Kwenda), school meals, promotion of employability, expansion of water supply in urban areas, municipal and rural headquarters, improvement of maternal and child health and nutrition.

“To strengthen the growth and consolidation of the economy, the Government has as priorities the continued defence of household consumption and their income, the diversification of the economy by stimulating private investment and the liquidity of companies, as well as the promotion of public investment to accelerate growth and the recovery of jobs”, she concluded.

However, April 4th was celebrated with the inauguration of the residential complex for teachers and nurses in Namibe Province, as well as the delivery of ambulances and a visit to São Nicolau Prison.