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One Direction singer Liam Payne dead after falling from Buenos Aires hotel balcony
Liam Payne, who shot to global fame with boy band One Direction, was found dead after he fell from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, triggering an outpouring of tributes from fans.
As news emerged of the 31-year-old English singer’s death, fans of one of the world’s biggest-selling boy bands gathered outside the hotel in the Argentinian capital’s leafy Palermo neighbourhood to sing his songs and celebrate his life.
Police said in a statement they had been called to the CasaSur hotel after being notified of an “aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol”.
When they arrived, the hotel manager reported he had heard a loud noise from the inner courtyard and the police found that a man had fallen from the balcony of his room, the statement said.
In audio obtained from the Buenos Aires security ministry, a worker can be heard asking for police help.
“When he is conscious he is destroying the entire room and we need you to send someone,” the worker said, adding that the guest’s life was at risk because the room had a balcony.
One Direction found global success after Simon Cowell brought together Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson on Britain’s X Factor talent show in 2010.
They went on to sell 70 million records, with six top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100, including “What Makes You Beautiful”, “Story of My Life” and “Live While We’re Young”. Payne’s co-writing credits included “Story of My Life” and “Night Changes”.
The band announced an “indefinite hiatus” in 2016, leaving its members to pursue solo careers. Payne’s last single was “Teardrop”, released in March this year.
Payne’s family said they were “heartbroken”.
“Liam will live forever in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” they said in a statement.
While details surrounding his death remained unclear, Payne had spoken publicly about his struggles with mental health and using alcohol to cope with the pressures of fame.
“Doing a show to however many thousands of people, then being stuck by yourself in a country where you can’t go out anywhere – what else are you going to do? The minibar is always there,” he told the Guardian newspaper in 2019.
Source: Reuters.com
News
NTC starts New Year with thanksgiving service
Reverend praying for management
The New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers on Wednesday held a thanksgiving service to kick-start its operations for the year.
Speaking on the theme ‘The essence of thanksgiving,’ Reverend Joshua Samson Aduamah, Head of the Accra North and South Association of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), urged staff to continue to give thanks to God because he is good and his mercies endure forever.
“God is great because He fights battles we don’t see. We sleep and believe it’s a template for us to wake up,” he said.
Citing Psalm 123:1-4, he explained that “we must emulate the lifestyle of David and the fact that he adores God in every situation.”
The Editor of the Spectator and Acting Managing Director of the Corporation, Mrs Georgina Naa-Maku Quaittoo, thanked staff for their support and immense contribution over the years despite the challenges and urged them to eschew all forms of laziness and adopt professionalism and positive working habits.
According to her, in order to yield positive results, staff must rededicate themselves to responsibilities to achieve greater things.
“There are brighter days ahead; with resilience and hard work we would sail through.”
She further called on government to support the corporation to work to improve its fortunes.
Management and staff of the corporation were led in praises and worship by Mrs Chystable Aduamah, wife of the preacher.
In attendance were the Acting Editor of The Ghanaian Times, Alhaji Abdul Rahman, Acting Marketing Manager, Mr Ofori Addo among others.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
News
Rise of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman A beacon of hope for women
Founder and General Overseer of Kingspride Word Chapel International, Rev. Dr Sam Ayi Ankrah has described the ascension of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang to the office of a vice president as a significant recognition and affirmation of women’s capabilities and roles of leadership in society.
According to him, women are a repository of lofty capabilities which remained insufficiently tapped for the benefit of society.
At a consecration service of a 66-year old Joyce Adomako into the office of ‘The Church Mother’ on Sunday, Rev. Dr Ankrah stated that the investiture of the first female vice president highlighted the capabilities and acceptance of women as equals in leadership, challenging the traditional patriarchal norms in the political space.
In a sermon titled: ‘Considering me worthy and appointing me to serve,’ he said that the investiture has also set the tone for greater representation of women in decision-making and leadership at all levels.
He also indicated stated that, the honour reflected a commitment to inclusivity, signaled progress toward gender equity in the political spaces and disproved the beliefs that prohibited women from holding higher leadership positions.
He further stated that her new position symbolised a significant and historic shift in political leadership paradigms, emphasising the promotion of equality and the broader role of women in community building.
That, he advised, the vice president to inspire broader societal change by demonstrating the importance of breaking barriers to leadership for women.
Rev. Dr Ankrah then urged Ms Adomako to use her vast experience and deep knowledge and understanding of life to offer guidance and counseling to the congregation to inspire positivity towards unearthing their abilities for the greater benefit of their communities.
Ms Adomako for her part, also advised women, particularly young women to avail themselves for the tutelage of older generation and take inspiration from the position of the current vice president and other women trailblasers to guide their pursuits.
By Ken Afedzi
