News
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
Abronye remanded in police custody for one week
The Bono Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, has been remanded into prison custody for one week.
He was brought before an Accra Circuit Court on Thursday, September 12, 2025, on charges of offensive conduct conducive to breach of the peace and publication of false news, which are classified as misdemeanours under Ghanaian law.
After hearing the case, the court ordered that he be kept in custody while investigations continue.
He is expected to reappear before the court on Thursday, September 19, 2025.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Mahama promises more jobs and support for Zongo communities
President of the republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama has assured Muslim leaders that his government will continue to do everything possible to improve the economy and create jobs for the youth.
Speaking to a gathering of imams, Mr. Mahama emphasised the government’s main focus in education was to expand technical and vocational training so that young people could gain the skills they need to work and support themselves.
He added that special attention would be given to Muslim communities to ensure they benefit from the rollout of new training centres.
He mentioned that programmes such as Ajumawura, which offers small loans to start businesses, and the National Apprenticeship Programme, which helps especially young women to learn trades like dressmaking, would also help the youth to build a future for themselves.
On support for Zongo communities, Mr. Mahama said a coordinator and deputy had been appointed to lead the Zongo Development Fund.
He announced that they would soon begin work on a microcredit scheme called the Soya Fund.
The fund, he explained, would provide small loans to poor households in Zongo communities, especially women engaged in small-scale businesses such as selling waakye, cocoa, or running small shops.
He said artisans like dressmakers would also benefit.
The president thanked the imams for their continuous prayers for Ghana, saying their intercession had helped the country remain one of the most peaceful nations in Africa.
By: Jacob Aggrey
