Pope Benedict XVI yesterday sent a message of condolence to Ghana, following the sudden death last week of President John Atta Mills, and paid homage to a politician widely lauded for his integrity.
“It was with sadness that I learned of the untimely death of president John Atta Mills,” the pope said in a message to the new president, JohnDramani Mahama, who was sworn in last Tuesday following the 68-year-old’s death.
“Recalling his years of public service and his dedication to democratic principles, I join you, his family, and all the people of Ghana in mourning his passing,” he said in the letter, sent fromhis holiday home, Castel Gandolfo. (AFP)
Rapper Snoop Dogg banned from Norway
American rapper Snoop Dogg has been banned from entering Norway for two years after trying to enter the country with a small amount of marijuana last month.
Holger Hagesaeter, the star’s legal representative in Norway, told the Associated Press that his client “can live with the decision” and has no immediate plansto appeal.
Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was on his way to a music festival in southern Norway in June when sniffer dogs detected eight grams of marijuanain his luggage.
He was also carrying more cash than is legally allowed and was fined 52,000kroner (€7,029) afteradmitting the two offences,the lawyer said. (PA)
Fugitive wanted in Europe ‘arrested in Las Vegas’
A German man sought in Europe for alleged participation in a fraud scheme that netted him more than $100 million (€81 million) has beenarrested here, NBC News reported yesterday.
Citing unnamed immigration officials, the television network said Ulrich Felix Anton Engler, 51, was arrested for being in violation of US immigration law.
He is wanted on criminal charges filed in Germany,where he is accused ofcommitting investment fraud, the report said.
If convicted, Engler faces up to 20 years in prison, NBC News pointed out. (AFP)
Actress Lupe Ontiveros dies at 69
Veteran American actress Lupe Ontiveros, who appeared in scores of TV shows and films, including Desperate Housewives, Selena and As Good As It Gets, has died at the age of 69.
Ontiveros died in hospital in Whittier, California, a suburb southeast of Los Angeles, on Thursday after a brief battle with liver cancer, according to long-time friend and family spokesman Jerry Velasco.
She was perhaps best known for her role in Selena, the 1997 biopic based on the life story of the Tejano pop star. (PA)