![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-300x200.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
US president Donald Trump believes Russia has “the cards” in any peace talks to end the war in Ukraine since they have “taken a lot of territory.”
The US president told the BBC that he believes Moscow wants to put an end to the war, which began when Russia launched a full-fledged invasion over three years ago.
Trump was flying back to Washington DC after speaking at a Saudi-backed investment summit in Florida when he referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator” for the second time in a day.
Trump was enraged when Zelensky, responding to US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia from which Kyiv was barred, said the US president was “living in a disinformation space” dominated by Moscow.
“I think the Russians want to see the war end; I really do. I think they have the cards a little bit, because they’ve taken a lot of territory. They have the cards,” Trump told the BBC on Air Force One.
When asked if he believes Russia wants peace, Trump replied, “I do.”.
He was speaking after hitting out at Zelensky in Florida, where Trump referred to the Ukrainian president as a “dictator” just hours after using the same term in a Truth Social post.
A White House official stated that Trump’s post was a direct response to Zelensky’s “disinformation” comments.
“He refuses to have elections. He’s low in the real Ukrainian polls. How can you be high with every city being demolished?” Trump said in Florida.
Zelensky’s five-year term was set to end in May 2024. However, Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, and elections have been suspended.
Trump has tried to make an issue of Zelensky’s popularity, stating that the Ukrainian president has only a 4% approval rating. However, BBC Verify claims that a recent poll revealed that 57% of Ukrainians trusted the president.
The “dictator” slur quickly prompted criticism from European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who said, “It is simply wrong and dangerous to deny President Zelensky his democratic legitimacy.”.
In a phone chat with Ukraine’s president, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated unequivocally that he supported Zelensky.
On Tuesday, US and Russian officials held their first high-level, face-to-face discussions since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Ukraine was not invited.
The US president then appeared to blame Ukraine for the war, saying, “You should never have started it.” “You could have struck a deal.”
Zelensky responded by accusing Russia of lying during Tuesday’s “notorious meeting.”.
“With all due respect to President Donald Trump as a leader… he is living in this disinformation space,” he said.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
