TIG Post

Author: Abigail Ampofo

  • ‘I’m ditching my daughter’s wedding after she invited someone who betrayed me’

    A man was left confused about what to do when his wife-to-be said that she wanted to dedicate a song to her ex-boyfriend at their wedding – and share the second dance with her ex’s dad.

    When you’re planning your wedding with your significant other, the last thing you probably expect them to want to do at the ceremony is to make a tribute to their ex-partner – so one man was left dumbfounded when his wife-to-be said that she wanted to dedicate a song to her ex.

    The man took to Reddit’s ‘Am I the a**hole’ forum to explain the backstory, which involved his fiancées’ ex passing away in a traffic accident – so he was trying to respect her wishes for a tribute, but he was finding it really difficult and ‘uncomfortable’ to reconcile the fact she wanted to play a song in memory of her ex, during her wedding to her current partner.

    He wrote: “Before we met, my fiancée Kayla was engaged to a man she had dated for three years who died in a traffic accident. I had never dated a woman who had that kind of loss before, so I’ve been learning as I go, but I’ve tried to respect that he will always be a part of her story, and I accepted her relationship with her late fiancé’s parents with open arms.

    “They stayed very close, and by the time we started dating they were basically like a second set of parents to her. Kayla’s real parents and her late fiancé’s parents are all amazing people, so I consider myself pretty lucky to have two sets of great in-laws.

    “Our wedding is coming up in May, and Kayla told me that after her father-daughter dance, she would like to have a second dance with her late fiancé’s father to the song Vanilla Twilight. She asked me if I was comfortable with that, and I didn’t want to be ‘that guy’ and say no, so I said yes.

    “But really, it makes me uncomfortable that she would be dancing to a love song dedicated to another man at our wedding. I am happy to make space in our lives for his memory. A photo of him is on our mantle at home, we make it a point to commemorate his birthday the anniversary of his death, and I feel like I am understanding and supportive when she has bad days. And I am 100% fine with having his parents at the wedding because, as I said, we are all a family. But I also feel like our wedding is one day that it all about our relationship.

    “Am I the jerk if I ask her to reconsider this dance? What are the best compromises here?”

    Bride and groom arguing
    The man wanted to know how he could compromise about the dance (Stock Image) (  Image:  Getty Images/iStockphoto)

    Some people said the man was being unreasonable, but others defended him and highlighted that the lyrics of the song are quite intimate.

    One wrote: “I’m gonna differ from the popular opinion here and say you’re not the a**hole. But do any of y’all actually know this song?

    “It’s weirdly upbeat, but the lyrics are very very intelligible and are definitely weird in the context of dancing with the dead ex’s dad after her getting married to another dude. It’s one thing to miss your ex, but I wouldn’t want this sentiment being publicly proclaimed by my wife at my wedding if I were in the original poster’s shoes.”

    They then proceeded to post the lyrics, some of which are: “‘Cause I’ll doze off safe and soundly, but I’ll miss your arms around me, I’d send a postcard to you, dear, ‘Cause I wish you were here.”

    Another defended the song, however, writing: “I can definitely see where she is coming from with the song choice because it does seem like it’s about a partner who died. But it does come off very strongly.”

    Someone said that the wife-to-be is being incredibly unfair to her new partner, writing: “Those lyrics momentarily took my breath away with hurt for OP, someone I have never met and know very little about. This is so inappropriate and pretty much spells out a message that OP is second best if that; according to the lyrics she still feels “so alone.”

    “Yes, the loss of a loved one and planned life is devastating, but this is a new life that should be celebrated, on the wedding day of all days.

    “If she’s too blinded to see that seven years after his passing, I wonder at her decision to get married. The original poster deserves to be the top priority in his wife’s life. He certainly seems to have shown a lot of sensitivity to her in the past – this shouldn’t be a one-way street.

    “Perhaps some gentle pushback (such as another commenter recommending an instrumental to replace this song) would open some healthy discussion about the way forward for their married life. I fear the original poster’s good nature had led to him inadvertently being taken advantage of, and that’s not a constructive way to head into a new life together.”

    Source: Mirror.co.uk

     

     

  • Parenting expert says calling your children ‘naughty’ is as bad as smacking them

    Raising your children to be polite, respectful, and well-behaved has its challenges as any parent will tell you. And everyone seems to have an opinion on it, even if it is uninvited. But if there’s one thing that many can agree on, it’s that smacking children is a big no-no.

    However, as parenting styles have changed over the years, there’s now another thing that some want to add to the list of disciplinary methods that should be left in the past, as they feel it’s just as bad as smacking.

    Navit Schechter, 43, a cognitive behavioural therapist and mum-of-one maintain she would never call her six-year-old daughter, ‘naughty’ as she believes it’s as bad as any sort of physical punishment and there can be only one outcome if it is used: an upset child.

    Chastising children with words like ‘naughty’ will ultimately produce a generation eager to please and nothing else, the expert claims – and she’s urged fellow parents to stop doing so.

    The businesswoman, who runs a range of parenting courses near her home in Cornwall, said: “In the world that I am in, among my friends and in my work world, most people that I’m surrounded by would see the word ‘naughty’ as quite a dated parenting style, much in the same way as smacking.

    “We’re choosing not to smack our own children because we would see it as physically abusive.

    “Similarly, there’s that same kind of idea around using the word ‘naughty’. We want to bring our children up to be compliant, because, of course, it makes our lives easier – but we don’t actually want our children to be compliant people.

    “If you’re saying, ‘don’t do that, that’s naughty’ because you don’t like their actions – there’s this kind of implicit assumption that you have to do things the way that we want them done.

    “You then see the pattern that we see in adults, appeasing people and not being able to say no in case their actions upset people.”

    Sad little girl is hugging her teddy bear, her father in the background
    The mum says it can have a big impact on kids (stock photo) (  Image:  Getty Images/iStockphoto)

    And it’s not just negative terms like naughty that Navit has taken issue with, as the mum thinks that even describing young people’s behavior as ‘good’ can have detrimental effects on their self-worth and cause issues in later life.

    She explained: “I also feel really uncomfortable when family members call my daughter a ‘good girl’.

    “So many adults today feel the need to be good, to be liked, and for other people to accept them.

    “It’s that black-and-white way of thinking and not looking at the context around it, because we’re inherently kind of good, but sometimes we’re not.

    “If we hold ourselves to standards of thinking we can never make mistakes, we can never let other people down, we can never do things that other people don’t want us to do – that can keep us stuck in really unhelpful patterns that create a lot of anxiety and low self-esteem.”

    A number of fellow parenting experts also agree with Navit’s ‘naughty ban’, with Jo Mitchell-Hill, 46, a parenting coach from Maidstone, Kent, telling how the word “impacts on kids’ self-esteem and shames them”.

    She commented: “I don’t use the word naughty because it has such a negative connotation.

    “The word is used to describe the child and not their behaviour. If you want the best out of your children the more positive and encouraging you are, you’re going to build that self-esteem.

    “You’re going to build that positivity and build up how they feel about themselves.”

    Foster carer and former teacher Jo added: “With my daughter, my pupils and the kids that lived with us the expectation is you’re going to try your best, and if you’re not, you’re struggling – so come and speak to me.

     

    “Kids aren’t born wanting to be naughty or wanting to misbehave, their misbehaviour is communication.

    “Kids don’t understand the difference between positive and negative attention.

    “Children live in a very traumatic world, we’ve got to be aware as parents that we are the biggest influence in our children’s lives, and what we say and do matters.”

    However, Dr Samantha Madohsingh, 54, said ousting the world is a load of rubbish.

    The clinical psychologist said it’s ‘madness’ to suggest calling a child ‘naughty’ is akin to smacking.

    The doc, who is originally from the States but now lives in Richmond with her 16-year-old daughter, said: “Words have power when we use words like ‘good’ and ‘bad’, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, that is binary thinking.

    “People will think to themselves, ‘no one can be perfect, and I’m not pure and angelic and always good’ – so the only other option is to be bad.

    “So what we need to focus on is the behaviour – the child isn’t naughty, that behaviour is naughty and naughty behaviour is not acceptable or appropriate.

    “The word ‘naughty’ is not abusive – it just struck me as extreme, honestly.

    “I feel sometimes that we’re going in the completely wrong direction.

    “As a parent of a teenager in this country, what I’m seeing with kids is terrifying.

    Source: Mirror.co.uk

     

  • Biden putting spotlight on Nicaragua’s gold in a new move against Ortega

    The Biden administration is increasing pressure on Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s authoritarian rule, threatening a ban on Americans doing business in the country’s gold industry, raising the prospect of trade restrictions, and deporting 500 government insiders.

    The actions, stemming from an executive order signed by President Joe Biden on Monday, are the latest and perhaps most aggressive attempt by the U.S. to hold the former Sandinista guerrilla leader accountable for his continued attacks on human rights and democracy in the Central American country as well his continued security cooperation with Russia.

    Previous rounds of sanctions have focused on Ortega, his wife, and vice president, Rosario Murillo, and members of their family and inner circle. But none of those moves have managed to loosen Ortega’s grip on power The latest target by Ortega’s government: the Roman Catholic Church. In August, security raided the residence of a bishop, detaining him and several other clergies.

    The new executive order greatly expands a Trump-era decree declaring Ortega’s hijacking of democratic norms, undermining of the rule of law, and use of political violence against opponents a threat to U.S.′ national security.

    Together with the Treasury Department’s simultaneous sanctioning of Nicaragua’s General Directorate of Mines, the order all but makes it illegal for Americans to do business with Nicaragua’s gold industry. It’s the first time the U.S. has identified a specific sector of the economy as potentially off-limits and can be expanded in the future to include other industries believed to fill the government’s coffers.

    The executive order also paves the way for the U.S. to restrict investment and trade with Nicaragua — a move recalling the punishing embargo imposed by the U.S. in the 1980s during Ortega’s first stint as president following the country’s bloody civil war.

    “The Ortega-Murillo regime’s continued attacks on democratic actors and members of civil society and unjust detention of political prisoners demonstrate that the regime feels it is not bound by the rule of law,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “We can and will use every tool at our disposal to deny the Ortega-Murillo regime the resources they need to continue to undermine democratic institutions.”

    In her daily comments Monday to official media, Murillo did not directly mention the expanded U.S. sanctions, but said that Nicaraguans are “defenders of the national sovereignty.”

    She also read a letter from Ortega congratulating China President Xi Jinping who was named to another term as head of the ruling Communist Party Sunday, in which Ortega questioned the “aggressive imperial ambition” of the west.

    Monday’s action could signal the start of a new offensive taking aim at the broader economy — something the Biden administration has been reluctant to pursue fear of adding to the country’s hardships and unleashing more migration. For the fiscal year that ended in September, U.S. border agents encountered Nicaraguans nearly 164,000 times at the southwest border — more than triple the level for the previous year.

    At the same time, frustrations have been building in Washington over the way Nicaragua’s economic elites have largely remained silent amid Ortega’s crackdown.

    The Biden administration’s targeting of the gold industry could sap Ortega’s government of one of its biggest sources of revenue. Gold was the country’s largest export in 2020 and the country, already the largest producer of the precious metal in Central America is looking to double its output in the next five years.

    According to Nicaragua’s Central Bank, the country exported a record 348,532 ounces of gold in 2021, and the country’s mining association projects exports totaling 500,000 ounces in 2023.

    Among foreign investors active in the country is Condor Gold, whose CEO, Mark Child, appeared in a photo with the Nicaraguan leader in a September presentation for investors prepared by the U.K.-based company.

    “He is basically totally supportive of the project,” Child said in a March interview following a 90-minute meeting with Ortega. “That meeting… basically gives a major green light for the construction of project finance and materially de-risks the project.”

    The Toronto and London-listed Condor has permits to build and operate three open pit mines, the most advanced of which is believed to hold 602,000 ounces of gold worth nearly $900 million at current prices. Condor is partly owned by a company belonging to an American mining engineer who has worked for decades in the country.

    Shares in Condor were up slightly 2 cents, or 3.8%, following the U.S. announcement. However, another Toronto-listed junior mining company with operations in Nicaragua, Calibre Mining Corp, saw its share price plunge 17 cents, or 17%.

    The Vancouver-based firm has several mining projects in Nicaragua believed to contain 2.9 million ounces of gold.

    As part of Monday’s actions, the Treasury Department also froze the U.S. assets of Reinaldo Lenin Cerna, who it describes as a close adviser to Ortega. According to the Treasury Department, Cerna was the head of state security during Ortega’s first presidency and allegedly helped carry out the assassination of the head of security for former dictator Anastasio Somoza.

    Additionally, the State Department will also be pulling the U.S. visas of more than 500 Nicaraguan individuals and their family members who either work for the Ortega government or help formulate, implement and benefit from policies that undermine democracy in the country, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the action. Previously it froze the U.S. assets of the defense minister and other members of the security forces tied to the shuttering of more than 1,000 nongovernmental organizations.

    Previously, the Biden administration also sanctioned the state-owned mining company. It also reallocated the country’s sugar quota, taking away a valuable U.S. subsidy worth millions of dollars every year.

    Nicaraguans began fleeing their country in 2018, initially to neighboring Costa Rica, after Ortega violently put down massive street protests. Then in 2021 security forces began rounding up leading opposition leaders, including seven potential challengers to Ortega ahead of that year’s presidential elections. Without a meaningful challenger, Ortega coasted to a fourth consecutive five-year term and Nicaraguans left their homeland in even larger numbers.

     

  • IAEA experts to arrive in Ukraine amid allegations of a ‘dirty bomb’

    We have been reporting on Russian claims that Kyiv is preparing to use “dirty bombs,” which are explosives laced with radioactive material.

    The claims were made by Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, and were later repeated by Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia.

    But the West has rejected the claims as false and said they are part of a disinformation campaign.

    Now, Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are expected to arrive in Ukraine “shortly” amid the claims.

    He said the experts will “prove Ukraine has neither any dirty bombs nor plans to develop them”.

     

  • Russia says forces repelled Ukrainian attack in Kherson region

    Russian forces have repelled Ukrainian attacks in the southern Kherson region and eastern Luhansk area, the Kremlin’s defence ministry claimed today.

    As Ukrainian troops continue with their counteroffensive in the east, Russian-installed officials have been evacuating thousands of civilians from Kherson across the Dnipro river.

    Kherson’s regional capital is the only big city Russia has captured intact since the start of the invasion.

    And the province controls the gateway to Crimea, which Russia seized and claimed to annex in 2014.

    On Monday, pro-Russian authorities in the region announced that men who stayed in the area would have the option of joining a military self-defence unit.

    However, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s military spy chief, told the Ukrainska Pravda media outlet: “They are creating the illusion that all is lost.

    “Yet at the same time, they are moving new military units in and preparing to defend the streets of Kherson.”

     

  • American basketball star Brittney Griner appears at appeal hearing

    A Russian court is hearing Brittney Griner’s appeal against her nine-year prison sentence for drug possession and smuggling.

    Today, three judges preside over the appeals court in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, while Griner participates via video link from a detention centre in the town of Novoye Grishino, also near Moscow.

    Her lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov have previously said they expect a decision on Griner’s appeal to be issued later today.

    Griner was arrested on 17 February at a Moscow airport with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, which is banned in Russia.

    She was jailed for nine years on 4 August after she pleaded guilty to her conviction for drug possession and trafficking but said she had made an “honest mistake” and had not meant to break the law.

    Yesterday, US state department spokesperson Ned Price said that Washington was working to free Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan, serving 16 years in jail after being convicted of spying, and that there had been “active discussions, including in recent days”.

     

  • ‘ Sunak makes dig at previous government: Some mistakes were made

    A protester shouts “Rishi out!” as Rishi Sunak arrives at Downing Street.

    Standing at the lectern outside his new home, he announces that he has accepted the King’s invitation to form a government.

    He takes a solemn approach, saying the country is “facing a profound economic crisis”, the aftermath of COVID “lingers” and Putin is presenting a threat in Ukraine.

    Mr Sunak pays tribute to his predecessor Liz Truss, saying she was enthusiastic to create change, but “some mistakes were made”.

    He says they were not the result of “bad intentions”, but they were “mistakes nonetheless”.

    “I have been made the leader of the party and your prime minister, in part, to fix them, and that work begins now,” he says.

     

  • Liz Truss defends tax-cutting goals as she bids farewell to the Senate

    Liz Truss has defended her lower-tax vision for the UK as she prepares to leave office as the UK’s shortest-serving prime minister in history.

    She urged her successor, Rishi Sunak, to be “bold” in order to boost the economy in an unapologetic farewell speech.

    She said the UK “cannot afford” for government spending to take up an “increasing share of our national wealth”.

    And she insisted “brighter days lie ahead” for the UK.

    Flanked by her husband and children, Ms Truss said she would go back to being a backbench MP for her South West Norfolk constituency.

    Mr Sunak will take power later after he is formally appointed by the King following his victory in the Conservative leadership contest.

    Ms Truss announced her resignation last week after just 45 days in office, after big tax cuts in a hastily-assembled mini-budget prompted financial turmoil.

    After initially defending her agenda, she later abandoned almost all of it in a bid to calm markets but saw support from her own MPs ebb away.

    But she struck a defiant tone in her speech in Downing Street, adding: “I’m more convinced than ever that we need to be bold and confront the challenges we face.

    “We simply cannot afford to be a low-growth country where the government takes up an increasing share of our national wealth,” she added.

    Quoting the Roman philosopher Seneca, she added: “it’s not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it’s because we do not dare that they are difficult.”

    She also pointed to her reversal of April’s National Insurance rise and her plan to limit energy rises as examples of successes during her short time in office.

    She also urged Mr Sunak to continue British support for Ukraine, adding the country “must prevail” in its “brave fight against [Vladimir] Putin’s aggression”.

     

  • Sunak pictured meeting King as he formally becomes prime minister

    Rishi Sunak has officially become the prime minister following an audience with the King at Buckingham Palace.

     

    Source: Sky News.com

     

  • Sunak not to be welcomed by applauding supporters as he enters Downing Street

    It is traditional for the new prime minister to be greeted by a throng of applauding advisers and MPs as they walk along Downing Street for the first time as PM.

    But one of Rishi Sunak’s close allies, Mel Stride, texted MPs to say this will not be happening today.

    The new PM apparently wants to avoid a celebratory tone.

    The fact Mel Stride has sent this email suggests he may be destined to be Mr Sunak’s chief whip, in charge of parliamentary discipline.

    Source: Sky News.com

     

  • Sunak arrives at Buckingham Palace for his inauguration as Prime Minister

    Rishi Sunak has arrived at the Palace to meet with the King, where he will be formally appointed prime minister and asked to form a government.

    Source: Sky News.com

     

     

  • Chinese yuan falling due to concerns about Xi’s third term

    The Chinese yuan fell to its lowest level in nearly 15 years on Tuesday as investors fled Chinese assets amid concerns about Xi Jinping’s dramatic move to consolidate power in a major reshuffle of Communist Party leaders.

    On the tightly controlled domestic market, the yuan dropped sharply, hitting the weakest level since late 2007. It was last down 0.6% at around 7.3 per dollar. The currency has lost 15% against the US dollar this year.

    In trading outside of mainland China, the yuan briefly plunged to around 7.36 per dollar early Tuesday, the lowest level on record, according to Refinitiv, which has data going back to 2010. It later pared losses, trading at 7.33 by 3:35 p.m. Hong Kong time (3.35 a.m. ET).

    The currency was pegged at 8.28 to the US dollar for years until 2005 when China moved to a “managed floating exchange rate.” It then appreciated steadily, climbing to a peak of nearly 6.01 in 2014.

    The declines came alongside a historic market rout for Chinese assets worldwide. On Monday, Chinese stocks plummeted in Hong Kong and New York, wiping out billions of dollars in market value. Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng (HSI) Index closed down 6.4%.

    The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index, which tracks many popular Chinese companies listed on Wall Street, dived more than 14%. On Tuesday, the Hang Seng (HSI) slipped further and was down 0.2% in afternoon trading.

    The huge sell-offs came just days after the ruling Communist Party unveiled its new leadership for the next five years. In addition to securing an unprecedented third term as party chief, Xi packed key positions with staunch loyalists.

    A number of senior officials who have backed market reforms and opening up the economy were missing from the new top team, stirring concerns about the future direction of the country and its relations with the United States.

    International investors spooked by the outcome of the leadership reshuffle dumped Chinese assets despite the release of stronger-than-expected Chinese GDP data on Monday. They’re worried that Xi’s tightening grip on power will lead to the continuation of Beijing’s existing policies and further dent the economy, which despite the rebound last quarter is still growing way below the official 5.5% target for this year.

     

  • There was no ‘I am sorry’ as Liz Truss resigned

    Liz Truss did not apologize as she gave her final speech as prime minister.

    Sky News political editor Beth Rigby noted how she, like Boris Johnson, focused on her successes and not the missteps.

    Beth said: “I think there was an opportunity there for Liz Truss to do what she actually did in front of the media on Monday after Jeremy Hunt junked her entire budget and say ‘I am sorry for the mistakes I made.’

    “You did not see that at the podium. There was no I am sorry.

    “It was very Johnsonian in that way, but a different style. That doesn’t surprise me.

    “I was thinking about this last night and really, Rishi Sunak is a return to politics as usual in terms of how a prime minister might conduct themselves.

    “If you think about Boris Johnson, he was a populist, he had this popular appeal, and he liked to break the rules.

    “He, to his critics, showed disregard for rules, and in the end, that was his undoing.

    “Liz Truss was ideological, really in hot pursuit of what she wanted to do, quite a radical.

    “Rishi Sunak is a different type of politician.

    “So it doesn’t surprise me that Liz Truss was quite like Boris Johnson in talking about her wins and glossing over her losses.”

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

    Source: Sky News.com, Beth Rigby

     

  • Two arrested over Dzorwulu land dispute

    Two people have been arrested in connection with the disturbances at Dzorwulu in Accra over disputed land.

    The suspects, Nana Owusu Banahene and James Quainoo, allegedly organized thugs with an excavator to demolish a four-bedroom apartment building at Dzorwulu on Monday (24 October 2022).

    The police said before the demolition, the suspects and their accomplices attacked the occupants of the house.

    “The police responded to the scene to restore calm,” the statement said. “The perpetrators upon seeing the police abandoned the excavator and escaped from the scene.”

    “Police later had information that one of the vehicles belonging to the suspects had run into a ditch and was attacked by a mob who pelted them with stones, injured one of the suspects, James Quainoo, and set his car ablaze.”

    The injured suspect is at the hospital receiving medical attention, the statement added. An investigation has so far revealed that no one was shot during the incident.

    “Investigation continues and all available footage on the incident are being reviewed as part of the investigation process. Efforts are underway to arrest all other perpetrators to face justice,” the police said.

     

  • Ph.D. Women likely not to find men to Marry –Studies

    Education has been identified as one of the major factors that affect the marital decisions of women. Most women are caught between acquiring higher education and getting married early and they have to decide to choose one or find themselves being forced to be married (Coontz, 2012). Hence, there used to be a huge trade-off between choosing education and a husband. Three-quarters of the total number of women who graduated from College before 1900 in the United States remained unmarried (Coontz, 2012). This shows that those women have forgone marriage to pursue their educational aspirations Coontz (2012).

    Though there is a debate about educated women intentionally choosing to be single, there is also the belief that others do not consciously delay or reject marriage.  For this group of women, their achievements including higher educational attainment intimidate men. The educated woman is viewed in some communities as an intimidating figure to men and so unconsciously drives away prospective suitors. This belief or perception is linked to the assumption that the educated woman develops an assertive, independent character that makes it impossible for her to love, honor and “obey” a man as “real” wives should do (Coontz, 2012).

     Some people even joke that when they meet a woman with a Ph.D., they need not find out what her area of specialization is. This is because, they assume that Ph.D. means “Putting Hubby Down” (Coontz, 2012). University education is considered a factor associated with later and fewer marriages for most women. Hence, there is the perception that higher education is negatively related to marriages (Raymo, 2013).

    These have led some Ph.D. supervisors on African continents to even advise black women pursuing their Ph. Ds to marry before completing their degrees. This is because they feel their chances of finding a suitable suitor decline after completion. They feel black men feel uncomfortable marrying such women, probably due to ego issues. Other studies also explained the market is slim for such Ph.D. black women as they turn to also marry men in their class with a higher portfolio. Besides, men with PhDs or Professors would want to marry women who are not in their class. Singh and Samara (1996) argue that the level of education of a woman tends to influence the time and age at which she will commit to marriage.

    I have also read numerous studies suggesting that the higher our black women acquired terminal degrees the higher their chances of not getting married.  It is interesting how acquiring a terminal degree will affect their chances of getting a suitable spouse as compared to white women who also acquire a terminal degree.   For instance, (Boyd et al. 2020) found an unavailability of partners for educated black women as men prefer women of other races with similar education. This leads black women to compromise more to acquire their wants if they have the means to get their wants and deem that it is valuable enough to take a risk.

    For highly educated Black women, their negotiation of partner scarcity can directly influence their engagement in or acceptance of compromising behaviors. Given that there is an acknowledgment within the research that educated Black women perceive a lack of ideal available partners, it is asserted that these women may perceive that they must compromise some aspect of their partner selection criteria and ensuing expectations and beliefs. As such, these women may be less likely to leave unsatisfying relationships or renegotiate personal values or perceptions of an ideal partner to “fit” what is currently available. This could happen at various stages of the relationship and could directly shape the power dynamics within the couple. This also has implications for negative outcomes, depending on the degree to which a woman perceives herself as having power in the relationship.  Also, research from Yale University suggests that highly educated black women are twice as likely to have never been married by the age of 45 as white women with similar education.

    Niambi Carter, 31, has a Ph.D. and is an assistant professor of political science at Purdue University, admits that she has been hard-pressed to find a black mate with a similar level of education. A similar study(Muntari-Sumara, B, 2015) from Ghana also revealed that the majority of educated women prefer marriage to singlehood and cohabitation. Companionship and societal expectations were identified as the major influencers of women’s marital decisions. Also, education was found to affect the marriage preferences of women to some extent. There was a direct relationship between higher educational aspiration and marriage desire.

    The Pew Research Center, also reports that College-educated adults are more likely to be married than less-educated adults. Among those who were ages 25 and older in 2014, 65% of those with a bachelor’s degree or more were married, compared with 53% of adults with less education, according to a Pew Research Center analysis.

    While the research does not address reasons these marriages last longer, we do know that college-educated adults marry later in life and are more financially secure than less-educated adults.

    Though such women struggled to find suitors, research also found that such women who finally marry have lower divorce rates ( McLanahan, Sara. 2004. “Diverging Destinies: How Children Fare Under the Second Demographic Transition.” Demography. 41(4): 607-627.) There are several reasons for this. Less educated individuals typically marry at an earlier age, which is associated with higher divorce rates.  Additionally, the lower incomes and greater economic insecurity of those with less education increase stress, affecting divorce.

    A previous study found a different association( Casey et al. 2012) and estimate that 78% of college-educated women who married for the first time between 2006 and 2010 could expect their marriages to last at least 20 years. But among women who have a high school education or less, the share is only 40%.

     

    England and Bearak(nd) found that early in the life cycle, those who ultimately get more education are less likely to have married than their less educated counterparts.  This is because those staying in school longer also delay getting married longer.  But by age 40, the well-educated have caught up with the less educated and even surpassed them in the percentage that has married.  The education differences in whether people ever marry are small for whites, but quite large for blacks, owing partly to the very low marriage rates of the most disadvantaged blacks—those without a high school or less.

     

    Living together and Divorce

     

    The Pew Research Center also reports that couples who lived together before getting married had a slightly lower chance of having a long-term marriage than those who did not live together.

    Among women who did not live with their spouse before getting married for the first time, 57% can expect to still be married after 20 years. For women who lived with their spouse before marriage, the probability of being married for at least 20 years is somewhat lower – 46%. Whether the couple was engaged when they lived together didn’t make a difference in women’s chances of long-lasting marriages.

    For men, the patterns are slightly different. In this case, it matters whether men are engaged to a partner they lived with before getting married. Men who lived with their future spouse without being engaged had a slightly lower chance of having a long-term marriage (49%) than those who were engaged first (57%). Men who didn’t live with their partner before getting married had a 60% chance of celebrating their 20th anniversary.

     

    Marriage longevity by Race

    Marriage survival is also dependent on race and ethnicity. Some of these differences could be related to educational differences among adults with different racial or ethnic backgrounds. The Pew Research Center also found that Asian women, who are among the most educated, are more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to have a long-term marriage.  “For Asian women who were married for the first time between 2006 and 2010, the chance that they may celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary is nearly 70%. By contrast, about half of Hispanic and white women may see their marriages last that long. And for black women, the chance is 37%.

    Among men, Hispanics have the highest likelihood of being in a long-lasting marriage (findings about Asian men are not included because the sample size was too small to be nationally representative). For those who married for the first time between 2006 and 2010, about six-in-ten Hispanic men (62%) could expect their marriages to last at least 20 years, compared with 54% of white men and 53% of black men”.

     

    Take Home

    Studies have found that the higher a woman, especially a black educated herself, the less she is to get a suitor. For instance, Frazier et al. (1996) found out that more educated and financially secure women exhibit less desire for marriage. Singh and Samara (1996) found different reasons in their study. Others such as Goldscheider and Whaite, (1986) and Oppenheimer (1988) likewise argue that women who have a college education and have strong work orientation or relatively high income may delay their time of marriage but that does not interfere with their desire for marriage. They also state that this category of women has stronger marriage desirability but may delay marriage because they need to build the capability in helping to reduce some of the economic burdens that are borne primarily by their partners.

    Hayward et al. (1995) and Botkin et al. (2000) also found that women with a college education have classless marriage role expectations and this keeps increasing as they further their education because increasing education allows the women more time in searching and choosing their desired marriage partners. The findings of Hayward et al. (1995) and Botkin et al. (2000) have been downplayed by researchers like Gordon (2003).

    Gordon (2003) argues that highly educated women’s lower desire for marriage may be highly linked to the perceived lack of high-quality mates desired by these women and not necessarily their educational level.   Bledsoe, (1990) also centered on women’s fertility issues and education and found that fertility is somehow lower among educated women in Africa as young women who manage to get more education to tend to avoid pregnancy. Bledsoe (1990) also found out from Brandon’s 1984 survey that educated women in Freetown have the longest marriage delays.

    This Might Surprise You.  This means that our women pursuing PhDs and other higher education; have limited suitors but when they get married, they have higher chances of lasting marriages according to studies.

    By  Prof. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu

     

    The writer is a Professor of Naturopathic Healthcare, President, of Nyarkotey College of Holistic Medicine & Technology (NUCHMT)/African Naturopathic Foundation. E-mail: collegeofholisticmedicine@gmail.com.

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • What did Truss tell her final cabinet?

    According to a media notice from Downing Street, Liz Truss used her final cabinet meeting to tell her ministers the government had “secured some significant achievements” in the “short time” it had been in place.

    A readout of this morning’s meeting said: “The prime minister opened cabinet by thanking ministers for their support. She said that in the short time the government had been in place they had secured some significant achievements.

    “She said the government ensured the country was able to mourn the passing of Her Majesty The Queen and to welcome His Majesty King Charles III as the new monarch, a vital moment in the history of our country.

    “The prime minister said the government acted to immediately protect the public and businesses from unsustainably high energy bills – bringing in the Energy Price Guarantee to save the typical household around £700 this winter.

    “The government also stuck to its pledge to scrap the rise in national insurance and demonstrated its steadfast commitment in supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s war of aggression.”

    The media notice ends: “The prime minister concluded by saying her time in the role had been a huge privilege and that her successor will have her support as they now build on the important steps already taken by the cabinet to support the country.”

    Source: Sky News.com

     

  • Murdered Pakistani journalist’s body leaves Kenya

    Pakistani media outlet Dunya News has announced that where he worked before leaving the country in August, the body of well-known Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif, who was killed by Kenyan police on Sunday, is on its way home.

    His body is expected to arrive in Islamabad later on Tuesday afternoon after a stopover in Doha, Qatar.

    The journalist will be cremated on Thursday at a cemetery in Islamabad, his widow Jawaria Siddique is quoted as saying.

    Mr Sharif was “fatally wounded” while he was a passenger in a moving vehicle after it failed to stop at a roadblock, according to the Kenya police.

    Officers had set up the roadblock as they were looking for a stolen car.

     

  • ‘1.4 billion Indians’ are celebrating the first British Asian prime minister

    The arrival of Rishi Sunak as the first British Asian and Hindu prime minister is being celebrated “by people of Indian origin all over the world.”

    Lord Bilimoria, a British Indian businessman, told Sky News that the last decade had seen “glass ceilings shattered” in front of his eyes.

    He said: “This is something that we should be celebrating as a country.

    “The Indian community here, one-and-a-half million strong, is the largest ethnic minority community, and I would say the most successful, reaching the very top in business, in politics, at the cabinet table and now prime minister.

    “So that is wonderful news, it’s being celebrated by the 30 million people of Indian origin around the world, and it’s being celebrated by the 1.4 billion people in India.

    “So it’s a matter of great pride, it’s a sign of how wonderful this country the United Kingdom is, how much it’s changed since I came from India as a 19-year-old student in the early 80s when I was told by my family and friends, if you decide to work in the UK after your studies, just remember you will never get to the top because you won’t be allowed to get to the top as a foreigner.”

     

  • Rishi Sunak to meet King Charles on Tuesday morning before taking over as prime minister

    The government has set a date for Rishi Sunak to visit Buckingham Palace and meet King Charles on Tuesday.

    Sunakwill meet the monarch after Liz Truss has chaired a final meeting of her cabinet at 9am, after which she will make a speech outside Downing Street. She will then go to Buckingham Palace for an audience with the King.

    Afterwards, Sunak will go and meet the King, where he will be asked to form a government.

    The new prime minister will then give a speech outside Number 10 at about 11.35am.

     

  • Why Rishi Sunak may put his critics in the cabinet

    When Liz Truss became prime minister, some commented that she had built up a cabinet almost entirely of her supporters. 

    Butour political correspondent Tamara Cohen says Rishi Sunak is likely to take a different approach.

    “Rishi Sunak’s team say that when he talks about a government of all the talents, he actually means it this time,” she says.

    This means bringing in people who don’t support or agree with him.

    While this risks high-profile complainers in the newspapers come budget time, Tamara says there is another reason Mr Sunak will want to keep his critics close.

    The Tories command a majority of nearly 80 in the Commons, but plenty of MPs backed Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt in the leadership race – meaning the party is “deeply divided” and votes on spending cuts could be difficult to get through.

    Every vote will count for Mr Sunak, Tamara says – so he’ll need “as many of his critics in government positions as possible”.

    Margaret Thatcher had taken a similar approach, appointing her critics so people would challenge her.

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

    Source: Sky News.com

  • Tories still ‘divided and chaotic’, Labour says

    Labour is saying the Conservatives are still a “divided and chaotic party” despite the accession of Rishi Sunak as prime minister.

    Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Pat McFadden told Sky News that today’s reshuffle will be “another round of ministerial chairs being moved around”.

    Mr McFadden said this was now not just affecting politics, “but it’s now affecting people in their pockets”.

    While Labour wants to a general election, Mr McFadden said that will only happen if Mr Suank agrees to it, “so as much as I’d like to see one, he probably won’t have one”.

    Asked about how Mr Sunak – as a multimillionaire – would be able to implement restrictive economic policy, Mr McFadden says he did not think personal wealth was something to harp on – and he prefers to talk about policies.

    Source: SkyNews.com

     

  • US President Joe Biden praises the ‘groundbreaking milestone’

    Rishi Sunak’s victory in the Conservative leadership election has been described as a “groundbreaking milestone” by US President Joe Biden.

    After meeting King Charles today, Mr Sunak is set to become Britain’s first black prime minister. On Monday, Mr. Biden made the remark at a White House event commemorating the Indian holiday of Diwali.

    Mr Sunak, a 42-year-old multimillionaire former hedge fund boss, won the race to lead the Conservative Party on Monday and will become the UK’s youngest leader in modern times.

    His family migrated to Britain from India in the 1960s, a period when many people from Britain’s former colonies moved to the country to help it rebuild after World War Two.

    “We’ve got the news that Rishi Sunak is now the prime minister,” Mr Biden said. “He’s expected to become the prime minister I think tomorrow when he goes to see the King.

    “Pretty astounding. A groundbreaking milestone and it matters.”

    White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had earlier said Mr Biden would call Mr Sunak in the coming days, noting that it was protocol for the US president to wait to offer his congratulations until after an incoming British prime minister had met with the monarch and been formally invited to form a new government.

     

  • ‘I am ashamed to be a Conservative’: Tory supporters cancel their memberships after Sunak win

    Some Conservative Party supporters have cancelled their memberships following the announcement that Rishi Sunak is set to be prime minister, with one voter of more than 40 years saying they felt as though the party “has been destroyed from within”.

    While some felt “delighted” by the news, others said the move has left them “fuming” that party members were not able to vote for Mr Sunak to take over from Liz Truss.

    Lyn Bond, a 60-year-old retired nurse who has voted Conservative since she was 18, sent an email to cancel her membership after it was confirmed the MP for Richmond will lead the party.

    “The whole thing is rather sad because, for a party that had such a wonderful win in 2019, it has been destroyed from within,” Ms Bond, from Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, said.

    “I can’t bring myself after 40 years to support them anymore, I don’t trust them.

    “I feel awash on a boat in the ocean not knowing where to go, what to do.

    “I’ve never doubted what I voted for, ever, until today.”

    Samuel Jukes, a retail worker from Birmingham who joined the Tories in 2019 and was supporting Boris Johnson in the contest, said a general election should now be called as Mr Sunak “has no mandate”.

    “I’m fuming right now, we never voted for Rishi Sunak,” the 33-year-old told PA.

    “I’m considering leaving, not decided yet but I see a lot of members are canceling their memberships and I might be the same… Rishi has no mandate.

    “Right now I’m ashamed to be a Conservative member.”

     

  • New PM likely to be in post by midday

    We’ve just had expected timings for tomorrow.

    They will mean Rishi Sunak is likely to be in post as prime minister before midday.

    9am: Liz Truss to a chair cabinet meeting.

    She will then travel to Buckingham Palace for an audience with King Charles.

    Rishi Sunak will follow her by having his audience with the King.

    11.35am: The new PM will make a statement in Downing Street.

    To note, it is possible that these timings could change.

    Source: Sky News.com

     

  • Investors believe Sunak will stick to Hunt’s budget, thus gilts are back on track

    The gilt market was returned to its pre-Liz Truss mini-budget level shortly after Rishi Sunak was declared as Tory leader.

    Gilts, or UK government bonds, are an essential part of our financial markets.

    Following the mini-budget, the Bank of England was forced to intervene to prevent the gilt market from worsening.

    UK government bonds were already staging a rally as Monday began and this rally became more aggressive as it became clearer that Rishi Sunak would likely face an unopposed run to the top job, business reporter Sharon Marris writes.

    The 30-year gilt had been pummelled after Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget in September but it recovered late on Monday to levels seen before Mr Kwarteng’s tax-cutting plans had prompted a markets meltdown.

    Investors are betting that Mr Sunak, a former chancellor with a background in finance, will stick with the economic policies announced by current chancellor Jeremy Hunt, which have calmed the markets in recent days.

     

  • Women bereft of qualifications after burning degrees

    A young woman in Malawi had her educational qualifications revoked after a video of her burning her university degree in despair over her inability to find employment went viral on social media.

    Privately-run Exploits University in the capital, Lilongwe, told Bridget Thapwile Soko that it was disappointed with the video because it tarnished the image of the institution and said it had decided to invalidate her learner’s degree certificate with immediate effect.

    Ms Soko was awarded a degree in business administration upon completing a four-year course with the university but was heard in the video saying she had decided to burn it because she saw no value in it.

    Unemployment is a serious problem in Malawi and was one of the key campaign issues in the last general election. President Lazarus Chakwera, then an opposition leader, promised he would create a million jobs in his first year in office.

    The president’s team claims the majority of those jobs have been created, but the opposition says unemployment numbers have in fact increased.

    In most anti-government protests that have recently been held across Malawi, many youths are seen carrying placards demanding jobs.

    But the revocation of Bridget’s certificate has ignited a huge debate on social media about unemployment and the suitability of education offered in institutions of higher learning.

     

  • Scotland’s first minister congratulates Sunak and presses for independence

    Sunak won the Conservative Party leadership election, and Scotland’s first minister has congratulated him, saying she will do her best “to build a constructive working relationship with him in the interests of those we serve,” but she has also renewed calls for Scottish independence.

    “That he becomes the first British Asian to become PM is a genuinely significant moment,” Nicola Sturgeon tweeted.

    “As for the politics, I’d suggest one immediate decision he should take and one he certainly should not. He should call an early General Election. And he should not – must not – unleash another round of austerity. Our public services will not withstand that,” she said.

    “For Scotland, of course, he becomes another PM we did not and, without doubt, would not vote for even if given the chance. To escape the damage of Westminster governments with no mandate here, and take our future into our own hands, Scotland needs independence.”

     

  • Analyst: Sunak’s rise to PM a ‘massive moment’ symbolically

    Sunak’s impending status as the UK’s first prime minister from an ethnic minority is “a massive moment” symbolically, says Anand Menon, director of the UK in a Changing Europe think tank.

    “[But] his reputation will hinge on how well he delivers as PM at what is perhaps a uniquely difficult time in our history,” Menon told Al Jazeera.

    “At a minimum, the South Asian community will take note because one of their own is in Downing Street, though ultimately they will judge him on his policies and there is no guarantee that his policies will be to all of their likings,” he said.

    “He’s different because he’s not white, … [but] socio-economically, he is absolutely part of the UK elite.”

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

    Source: Aljazeera.com

  • Spokesman for Truss says Sunak will not take over as PM on Monday

    The handover of power from Truss to Sunak will not take place on Monday, the Reuters news agency has quoted a spokesman for the current prime minister as saying.

    “I can confirm that the transition won’t be taking place today,” the spokesman said.

    He added that discussions between the outgoing and incoming prime ministers and King Charles III on the timing and choreography of the changeover were being held.

    Source: Aljazeera.com

     

  • South Sudan violence causing death and destruction says officials

    A South Sudan Human Rights Commission official says large-scale intercommunal violence is “claiming lives,” “displacing hundreds of thousands and destroying their properties and livelihoods.”

    Beny Gideon Mabor made the comments in a statement delivered during a meeting of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul, Gambia, on Sunday.

    It marks the first statement from the South Sudan human rights body acknowledging the gravity of the ongoing violence in the country.

    The statement also recognized that the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement which was signed in September 2018 to end five years of the conflict “remains slow”.

    There was also a warning about how “communal violence threatens total breakdown of social fabric amongst and between ethnic groups with no history of violence between them.

    “The Jieeng (Dinka) ethnic communities of Twic and Ngok of Bahr El-Ghazal region are attacking each other in scale and brutality never seen before. The Shilluk and Nuer ethnic groups in Upper Nile are also fighting each other, same as worrisome tensions between the Murle and the Jieeng in Jonglei State, respectively,” Mr Gideon continued. He said this unprecedented surge in violence requires the swift deployment of the necessary unified forces to protect civilians and their properties.

    Late month, a UN panel of experts on human rights in South Sudan said incidents of rape had become common in the country, and women who are victims were no longer bothering to report repeated sexual violence.

    However, Mr Gideon did not highlight sexual violence in his presentation.

     

  • When Sunak graduated from university, there were no black or Asian Tory MPs – so this is an ‘historic moment’

    Rishi Sunak’s accession to Number 10, making him the first British Indian prime minister, is being hailed as a “historic moment”.

    Sunder Katwala, the director of the British Future think tank, said: “This simply would not have been possible a decade ago.”

    He noted that Mr Sunak becoming prime minister will be “a source of pride to many British Asians – including many who do not share” his politics.

    “We should not underestimate this important social change,” he said.

    “When Sunak was born in Southampton in 1980, there had been no Asian or black MPs at all in the post-war era. There were still no black or Asian Conservative MPs when he graduated from university in 2001.

    “Sunak reaching 10 Downing Street does not make Britain a perfect meritocracy. While there is more to do, this is a hopeful sign of progress against the prejudices of the past.

    “National politics has set the pace and business, public services and charities should accept the challenge to reflect modern Britain too.”

    Source: Sky News 

     

  • Rishi Sunak says becoming Prime Minister is “the greatest privilege of my life”

    Rishi Sunak has given his first speech as Conservative Party leader, telling the party he is “humbled and honored” to win their support.

    “I’d like to pay tribute to Liz Truss for her dedicated public service to the country,” he said of the outgoing leader. “She has led with dignity and grace through a time of great change.”

    “It is the greatest privilege of my life to be able to serve the party I love, and to be able to give back to the country I owe so much to,” Sunak said.

    “The United Kingdom is a great country, but there is no doubt we face a profound economic challenge,” he added. “We need stability and unity, and I will make it my utmost priority to bring our party and our country together.”

    “I pledge that I will serve you with integrity and humility … I will work day in, day out to deliver for the British people,” he concluded at the end of a very brief speech.

    Source: Sky News

     

     

  • Archbishop of Canterbury on incoming PM: ‘Please join me in praying for Rishi Sunak’

    After being elected leader of the Conservative Party, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby asked the British people to “please join me in praying for Rishi Sunak.”

    He said it was a time of “great difficulty and uncertainty” for the UK.

    “Please join me in praying for Rishi Sunak as he takes on the responsibilities of leadership.

    “May he, and all leaders of all parties, work across divides to bring unity and offer stability for those who need it most.”

    Mr Sunak took the post unopposed on Monday after Liz Truss resigned as prime minister on Thursday.

    She had been in Number 10 for 44 days – the shortest premiership of any British prime minister.

  • NASA data: Kilimanjaro fire is almost completely contained

    The data gathered by the US satellite agency, Nasa, appears to back up Tanzanian authorities’ claim that much of the fire on the slopes of Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, has been put out.

    Nasa’s Fire Information for Resource Management System, which uses satellite data to detect thermal hot spots, showed a fire burning in just one place on Sunday.

    The system doesn’t indicate any active fire in the location on Monday – although it’s possible the latest data has not yet been uploaded.

    The most recent aerial satellite image of the fire – taken on Sunday – doesn’t give us a clear enough view of what’s happened because of cloud cover.

    However, a satellite image from Saturday showed a thick cloud of smoke rising, with the fire burning across a length of about 3 km (1.9 miles).

    The fire comes two years after a week-long inferno destroyed thousands of hectares of woodland on Mount Kilimanjaro’s slopes.

    Mount Kilimanjaro, which is 5,895m (19,341ft) high, is a popular tourist destination and tens of thousands of people climb it every year.

     

  • Michigan school shooting: A teen has pleaded guilty to the murder of classmates

    A Michigan teenager has pleaded guilty to killing four pupils and wounding seven others in a high school shooting rampage.

    Ethan Crumbley, 16, is being tried as an adult on terrorist and first-degree murder charges.

    He was 15 when he opened fire at Oxford High School in November 2021, about 30 miles north of Detroit.

    The gunman faces a possible life sentence without parole.

    On Monday, Crumbley pleaded guilty in a Michigan court to 24 charges, including one count of terrorism, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder, and 12 counts of possession of a firearm.

    The terrorism charge is an unusual one in US school shooting cases. Prosecutors said they brought the charge forward to acknowledge the impact the shooting rampage had on the community at large.

    The gunman agreed that on 30 November 2021, he packed a handgun and ammunition in his backpack and brought it to school.

    He then loaded the firearm in the bathroom before firing more than 30 shots at staff and students in the school hallway.

    Four students were killed in the shooting rampage: Tate Myre, 16, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Hana St Juliana, 14, and Justin Shilling, 17. Six other students and a teacher were wounded.

    Prosecutors have argued the attack was “absolutely pre-meditated”, saying Crumble had spoken about killing students the night before the shooting.

    “This was not an impulsive act,” said Oakland Country prosecutor Karen McDonald in December 2021 when the charges were first announced.

    The gunman’s parents, James, and Jennifer Crumbley, are also facing four counts of involuntary manslaughter.

    Prosecutors have argued that they ignored warning signs of violence and did not store the gun their son used in a safe place. They have both pleaded not guilty.

    Crumbley used a semi-automatic handgun that his father purchased for him as a Christmas gift four days before the shooting.

    The case appears to be the first in the US in which the parents of a young school shooter have also been charged.

    Earlier this year, the gunman’s attorney said they would pursue an insanity defence. Instead, he entered a guilty plea.

    Prosecutors said on Friday that no plea deals, reductions, or sentencing agreements were made in the case.

    The gunman is expected to appear in court again in February 2023, where victims of the shooting will have an opportunity to deliver impact statements. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

     

  • Myanmar crisis: 50 people killed in an air raid on Kachin insurgents, reports say

    According to accounts, an air raid targeting one of Myanmar’s largest ethnic insurgent groups killed at least 50 people and injured about 100 more.

    Colonel Naw Bu, a spokesman for the Kachin Independence Army, provided the death toll to the BBC (KIA).

    Witnesses in Kachin State, northern Myanmar, say three bombs were dropped on a KIA performance in Kansi village.

    Villagers said there was no warning before the raid.

    The concert in Kansi was to mark the 62nd anniversary of the rebel army’s campaign for autonomy.

    Witnesses reported three huge explosions at around 20:30 (14:00 GMT) local time on Sunday. They ripped apart the cluster of buildings at the base and caused heavy casualties in the audience.

    Among those killed are believed to be four popular Kachin singers. Eyewitnesses say the military blocked medics trying to move the injured to the nearby town of Hpakant, which has a hospital.

    This part of Kachin State has been fiercely contested for many years by the military and Kachin insurgents because of its jade mines, which are thought to be worth around $30bn (£27bn) a year.

    There has been frequent fighting there before and after the military coup last year, which deposed the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

    This attack may be retribution, or a warning, from the military, over the support the Kachin insurgents have been giving to other armed groups in Myanmar formed to resist the coup.

     

  • Arshad Sharif death: A prominent Pakistani journalist shot in Kenya

    An investigation has been launched in Kenya following the death of well-known Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif by police at a roadblock on Sunday.

    According to a police statement, he was “fatally wounded” while a passenger in a moving vehicle that failed to stop.

    Mr Sharif was an outspoken supporter of ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as a critic of Pakistan’s military.

    The 49-year-old had left Pakistan in August after complaining of harassment.

    He had previously been in the UK and Dubai before travelling to Kenya. It is not known exactly what he was doing in the East African country.

    Journalists in the Pakistani city of Karachi held a street protest over his killing on Monday.

    Journalists protesting in Karachi, 24 October
    IMAGE SOURCE,EPA Image caption, Journalists protested in Karachi

    Kenya’s police watchdog – the Independent Police Oversight Authority (Ipoa) – said it had sent its rapid response team to the site of Sunday evening’s shooting in Kajiado county near the capital, Nairobi.

    The team will be investigating the “alleged police killing of a Pakistani national”, Ipoa chairperson Ann Makori told journalists.

    A police statement said it regretted the “unfortunate incident”.

    Officers had set up the roadblock as they were looking for a stolen car. “[The] deceased’s motor vehicle came upon the police barrier which they drove through. It is then that they were shot at,” the statement added.

    Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (no relation) tweeted that he was “deeply saddened by the shocking news of journalist Arshad Sharif’s tragic death”.

    He later said that he had spoken to Kenya’s President William Ruto requesting a “fair and transparent investigation… He promised all-out help including fast-tracking the process of return of the body to Pakistan.”

    Pakistan’s Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb warned people against speculating about the circumstances surrounding the death.

    In a brief message on Twitter, Sharif’s wife Javeria Siddique said she had lost a “friend, husband and my favourite journalist”.

    Calling for a “proper judicial investigation”, former Prime Minister Khan said he was “shocked” at what he described as a “murder”, adding that he “paid the ultimate price for speaking the truth”.

    Mr Khan was removed from power in April after losing a vote of no confidence. Sharif, who had backed Mr Khan, then started complaining that the country’s Federal Investigation Agency was harassing him and he left the country.

     

  • Sunak arrives at CCHQ to cheers

    Rishi Sunak has arrived at the Conservative Party Headquarters in Westminster in the last few moments.

    Tory MPs had gathered on the steps ahead of his arrival, with former health secretary Matt Hancock joining the crowds.

    Mr Sunak was met by applause and cheers, shaking the hands of a number of those awaiting the arrival of their new leader.

    The incoming prime minister waved to those waiting – and the cameras – before heading inside CCHQ.

     

  • Sunak likely to make a statement today – and what happens next

    Our political editor Beth Rigby has been talking us through what is likely to happen in the next few days after Rishi Sunak became the next Tory leader.

    She said: “What’s he up to now? He’s addressing MPs – we haven’t seen him yet.

    “But I think we are going to get a statement from him on camera later today. What does a new Conservative Party leader typically do?

    “I imagine what we will see later today is he will go to Conservative HQ – this is what every new Conservative leader does.

    “Then I think we will see tomorrow the handover of power, that’s when Liz Truss formally exits Number 10 and has an audience with the King, and then the new prime minister has an audience with the King and makes that journey from Buckingham Palace to the podium outside in the street.

    “And he will address the nation.”

    Beth added that this is an astonishing turnaround for Mr Sunak.

    “But what a moment this is,” she said. “Rishi Sunak, he was down and out in July, he was out of the cabinet, he was back on the backbenches. There were questions about whether he would even remain as an MP.

    “He is the first British-Asian prime minister… this really is a ground-breaking moment for the country in so many ways.

    “But it’s also controversial because he is the third Conservative prime minister since the 2019 general election.”

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

    Source: Sky news, Beth Rigby 

     

  • Analysis: Will Rishi Sunak be able to unite his party?

    After a mainly shadowy leadership race, the veil has cleared and we now have a new prime minister. We’ll never know how many supporters Penny Mordaunt – or Boris Johnson – had, but it wasn’t clear if this would be a coronation or a struggle until the very end.

    It is extraordinary to see the man who was defeated by Liz Truss seven weeks ago replacing her so soon. This time 12 days ago, Kwasi Kwarteng was chancellor and Liz Truss was pushing ahead with her economic vision. Few could have imagined Rishi Sunak would have another shot at the top job so soon.

    But today it became clear a Sunak era was close. Pressure had been mounting on Ms. Mordaunt, who was stuck on 25 public endorsements this morning, to pull out as her team dug in. Behind the scenes, they said she had more than 90 backers. She might indeed have been close, but the momentum from the start of this race has been with Mr Sunak.

    He did no media interviews, there were no swish videos – just one plain statement announcing he wanted to be the next prime minister.

    The former chancellor has managed to bring together very different wings of the party, from Caroline Naokes to Suella Braverman. Even the most ardent of Boris Johnson backers James Duddridge eventually rowed in behind Mr Sunak. His allies say has been proven right on the economy, but the divisions in the Tory party run deep and could quickly resurface. He inherits a grim in-tray in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and will need to find a way to stop the Tory party from tearing itself apart.

    They say divided parties don’t win elections. As the next general election slowly starts to creep into view, will Mr Sunak be able to unite the party enough to govern effectively? He certainly has his work cut out.

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

    Source: Skynews 

  • Ukraine war: Russian spy chief accuses West for nuclear tension

    Western governments have expressed worry about the scale of nuclear bluster from senior Russian officials, including President Putin, over Ukraine, particularly in the aftermath of the February incursion.

    How does Moscow react to charges it is engaging in such rhetoric and threats?

    I asked one of Russia’s most powerful officials, Sergei Naryshkin, head of the SVR Foreign Intelligence Service, to respond to international criticism.

    He denied any Russian nuclear rhetoric, even though there’s been plenty.

    Mr Naryshkin pointed the finger back at the West.

    “Will you state categorically that Russia will not use nuclear weapons in Ukraine or engage in other provocative actions, such as exploding a dirty bomb, or blowing up a dam?” I asked Mr Naryshkin.

    Russia’s spy chief didn’t answer the question directly. “We are, of course, very concerned about Western rhetoric about the possibility of using nuclear weapons,” Sergei Naryshkin responded.

    “Yesterday Russia’s defence minister talked by phone with his colleagues from Turkey, the US, and France. He told them about the possible plans of the Ukrainian leadership to use a so-called ‘dirty nuclear bomb’,” Mr Naryshkin continued.

    “But there is no evidence to back up that claim,” I pointed out.

    Russia editor interviewing Sergei Naryshkin

    On Sunday the UK, US, and French governments issued a joint statement on the Russian government’s claims. They rejected what they called “Russia’s transparently false allegations” against Kyiv, adding: “The world would see through any attempt to use this allegation as a pretext for escalation. We further reject any pretext for escalation by Russia.”

    I was speaking to Sergei Naryshkin at the opening of an exhibition at the Russian Army Museum.

    It is a sobering experience – an exhibition that transports you back to a time when the world was on the edge of nuclear Armageddon.

    It marks the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. On the wall, there is a giant photograph of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and US President John F Kennedy. There are images of the Soviet missiles Moscow sent to Cuba, which the Kennedy White House demanded the Kremlin remove.

    In the eyes of Vladimir Putin’s Russia, what are the lessons of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

    “The lesson of the Cuban Missile Crisis is that political leaders must find the inner strength to reach compromises to resolve global problems,” Sergei Naryshkin told me.

    It’s true that Kennedy and Khrushchev compromised to end a potentially devastating crisis. Khrushchev removed nuclear missiles from Cuba; Kennedy promised to remove American missiles from Turkey.

    But six decades on, there is no sign that Russia’s current leader, Vladimir Putin, is prepared to compromise. Once more there is concern about a possible nuclear conflict.

    And yet the war in Ukraine is very different from the Cuban Missile Crisis.

    Back in February the Kremlin leader invaded a neighbouring country, a sovereign state; the war has been raging for eight months. Despite major setbacks on the battlefield, President Putin still seems determined to secure some kind of victory, both over Ukraine and against the West.

     

  • Ex-cabinet members rally to congratulate Rishi Sunak

    Former cabinet ministers rushed to congratulate Rishi Sunak on his victory in the leadership election.

    It comes at a time when many people are looking for a return to the top table of government.

    “Huge congrats to Rishi Sunak,” former health secretary Matt Hancock said. He is the prime minister we need.

    “All of those who know Rishi well know he has the integrity, ability, and experience to lead our country in these troubled times.”

    Sajid Javid – another former health secretary and ex-chancellor, said: “Congratulations Rishi Sunak on becoming the new leader of the Conservatives.

    “We face huge challenges, but he has the skill and experience to bring the stability we need.

    “Conservatives must unite behind him and deliver for the British people.”

    Former housing secretary Robert Jenrick said: “Congratulations Rishi Sunak. I couldn’t be prouder of my friend today.

    “He’s won the overwhelming support of the parliamentary party. There are huge challenges ahead, but I have every faith that with him at the helm, the country will succeed.”

    Ex-Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith said: “In Rishi Sunak as prime minister, the United Kingdom has the best possible person to deal with the current challenges we face. Finally.”

    And former business secretary Andrea Leadsom – a key backer of Ms Mordaunt – said: “Penny has done an amazing job and run an excellent campaign.

    “Huge congratulations to Rishi Sunak and enormous gratitude to all those who have worked so hard on Penny’s campaign.”

     

  • UK: Rishi Sunak to become Prime Minister after Mordaunt steps down

    Penny Mordaunt has stepped down at the last minute, paving the way for Rishi Sunak to become the next Prime Minister.

    Mr Sunak had over 200 supporters as the two contenders raced to obtain 100 nominations by today’s 2 pm deadline.

    Ms Mordaunt said in a statement that it was “clear that colleagues feel we need certainty today.”

    “They have taken this decision in good faith for the good of the country…

    “As a result, we have now chosen our next prime minister. This decision is a historic one and shows, once again, the diversity and talent of our party.”

    The Commons leader said Mr Sunak now has her “full support” and that now is the time to “unite and work together for the good of the nation”.

    “There is much work to be done,” she added.

    Ms Mordaunt’s withdrawal means there is only one candidate left in the race – Rishi Sunak – and therefore he will be the new leader.

     

  • Weinstein trial: Hollywood muses on the impact of the MeToo movement

    After the jury was selected on Friday, Hollywood is prepared for the commencement of a fresh trial for Harvey Weinstein, which is slated to begin on Monday in Los Angeles.

    Weinstein, who is reportedly in poor condition, has returned to Los Angeles and is being held in a prison cell while on trial for rape and sexual assault.

    This court case comes after Weinstein was convicted in New York for other sex crimes, though that verdict is being appealed.

    He denies ever having non-consensual sex with anyone.

    The LA trial is expected to be much less of a spectacle, but it’s causing many in Hollywood to look back at the #MeToo movement and assess its success.

    A recent study by the advocacy group showed that while 83% of respondents felt that progress has been made since 2017, a staggering 69% said they had personally experienced abuse or misconduct at work since the movement began.

    “It’s lost momentum,” Women in Film executive director, Kirsten Schaffer, said of the movement for equal rights and representation for women.

    Seasoned film producers often ask their stars to shoot sex scenes on the first day of filming. That way, an actor can’t change their mind about nudity halfway through a film when recasting would prove expensive.

    That still happens in Hollywood, five years after stories of systemic sexual assault and harassment rocked Hollywood and ignited the #MeToo.

    But now, it’s likely an intimacy coordinator will be on set making sure actors feel comfortable and safe as they simulate sex.

    Schaffer continues: “I think there is forward motion. And that’s why it’s not super depressing,” she says, adding that five years ago the response to #MeToo was intense, with “so many people caring about it, putting new policies in place, launching programmes”.

    And many people in Hollywood say those policies are working.

    Actresses say they’re offered more interesting roles, and there are more opportunities for female crew members, writers and directors.

    Rosanna Arquette, one of Weinstein’s first public accusers, was part of the Screen Actors Guild committee which helped introduce intimacy coordinators on set, to make sure everyone is comfortable in any scene requiring nudity.

    “A lot of people were against the intimacy coordinators, but you know, a lot of abuse did happen that way,” Ms Arquette told the BBC.

    Rose McGowan and Rosanna Arquette in 2012
    IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Rose McGowan and Rosanna Arquette came forward with accounts of abuse by Weinstein in 2017

    Many aspiring actors say the industry has changed for the better. When we visited an acting class five years ago, many told us horror stories of the fear they face going into auditions – the very real fear that they might be sexually assaulted or propositioned in exchange for a role.

    At the Michelle Danner Acting Studio this week, aspiring stars spoke to the BBC about their experiences auditioning and performing in low-budget films hoping to get their big break. Aside from a few sleazy propositions, most said they’d been treated with respect.

    Ms Danner, who runs the acting studio and directs movies, says the casting couch will never fully disappear but that people are much more careful now.

    Auditions have become much more safe and more formal experiences, with monitors and rules about the number of people in a room. And due to the pandemic, many are now taking them via video phone.

    “The fears are real,” says Ms Danner, adding that people feel empowered to speak up now more than ever if there is misconduct at work.

    “The #MeToo movement created that, and there’s no going back. I don’t think you can ever close the door to what has started.”

    Harvey Weinstein
    IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Weinstein was known for producing films such as Shakespeare in Love and Pulp Fiction

    The Academy of Motion Pictures has responded to criticism of Hollywood by significantly diversifying its membership, inviting more women and people of colour to be part of the group which hosts the Oscars.

    But it can only do so much and the statistics for women in film can be fairly grim.

    According to the Center for the Study of Women in Film in Television, female characters accounted for just 35% of major characters in the top 100 grossing films in 2021, down three percentage points from the previous year.

    And after reaching historic highs in 2020, the percentage of women directing top-grossing films declined in 2021. The number of women working as directors on the top 100 films retreated from 16% in 2020 to 12% in 2021.

    But more women are producing film and TV – 32% of producers (up from 30% in 2020).

    Many powerful female players like Reese Witherspoon have started their own production companies, to make the kind of films and TV shows they want to see. That urge has spread throughout the industry.

    At the Danner acting school, actresses Josephine Hies and Meitar Paz have started producing as well as acting so they can have more control over the stories they tell.

    As a producer you have “a different power in how you tell stories” and power over which stories are told, Hies said.

    She Said
    IMAGE SOURCE, UNIVERSAL PICTURES Image caption, Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan star in She Said, a new film about journalists investigating Weinstein

    Harvey Weinstein’s downfall is now immortalized in a film. She Said stars Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan as the New York Times reporters who investigated the sexual harassment and abuse claims against Weinstein. It’s due to hit cinemas in the US in November, and Weinstein’s lawyers failed in their attempt to delay its release, claiming it would prejudice the jury that’s just been selected against him.

    At the film’s New York premiere, the stars rubbed shoulders with many of Weinstein’s accusers, some of whom have roles in the film.

    Rowena Chiu, Weinstein’s former assistant who says he sexually assaulted her and then coerced her into signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement, or NDA, says she hopes the film will inspire healthier workplaces.

    She came forward 20 years after the alleged assault to tell her story because she thought it was important to say that it wasn’t just Hollywood actors who were targeted.

    “It’s important that we uphold the legal system. There were dozens of women he assaulted and only a handful can testify,” she said.

    “I’m not involved in Hollywood. I don’t work in Hollywood,” she said.

    “It’s important to show our stories.”

     

  • MPs have one hour remaining to select candidates for leadership

    MPs have one hour remaining to choose their preferred candidate for the leadership battle.

    At 2 p.m., we’ll find out if Penny Mordaunt made it onto the ballot.

    If she does, an indicative vote will be held among MPs to see who they prefer to be a leader.

    If no one drops out, the vote will then go to the membership of the party.

     

  • The standards commissioner is investigating a former Tory MP

    Chris Pincher, the disgraced former deputy chief whip, is at the center of an investigation that began last Thursday.

    He is being examined for “actions causing significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its members generally,” according to the parliament website.

    Mr Pincher resigned in June over allegations he groped two men – with the resulting fallout widely attributed to bringing down Boris Johnson’s government.

    Last month, it was reported that Mr Pincher would not be investigated by parliament’s watchdog.

    The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) reportedly dropped the complaint because the alleged incident had happened outside of the parliamentary estate.

    Mr Pincher was the Tory MP for Tamworth as Staffordshire but now sits as an independent in the Commons.

     

  • Mordaunt now has more than 90 MPs, according to her campaign

    A source within Penny Mordaunt’s campaign team has texted  Beth Rigby to say: “We have now passed 90. For the sake of the party, it’s important our members have their say.”

    Only 25 Tory MPs have publicly backed the Commons leader – compared with 180 for Rishi Sunak.

    We heard from Boris Johnson’s campaign last night, as he stood back from the race, that he’d had 102 backers – something commentators have questioned.

    It will become clear over the coming hours whether Ms Mordaunt’s campaign is inflating the number to try to gain momentum, or whether the bookies and onlookers like George Osborne have got this completely wrong.

    Source: Skynews 

     

  • Could losing the defence secretary be Sunak’s first major political test if he wins?

    If Rishi Sunak is elected, one of the first big concerns he will face is appointing a new defence secretary.

    Of course, we don’t yet know who will be in his cabinet, but as think tank chief Torsten Bell points out, the present (and popular) Defence Secretary Ben Wallace’s stance on defence expenditure may complicate matters.

    Mr Wallace, one of the most experienced and well-regarded members of the cabinet, has campaigned hard for increases in defence spending.

    One of Liz Truss’s key pledges had been to boost defence spending to 3% of national income by 2030.

    But Jeremy Hunt – who is widely expected to stay on as chancellor when the new prime minister comes in – has refused to commit to this promise.

    He said the Ministry of Defence would need to make additional savings, along with other departments.

    Mr Sunak himself has also signalled he is unlikely to stand by the 3% spending promise.

    He said this target was “arbitrary” and “not a plan”.

    The former chancellor had also become embroiled in a row with Mr Wallace, with the latter claiming Mr Sunak had tried to block a multi-year settlement for the Armed Forces in 2019.

     

     

  • Sunak receives two further major endorsements

    One of these comes from Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Brandon Lewis, who tweeted…

    tweeted…

    At a time of acute challenge, we must come together and unite. It is clear that the majority of our parliamentary party support @RishiSunak to be our next PM. He has the necessary expertise and experience to do that, and he will have my absolute backing in doing so.

    The other is from Ruth Davidson – the ex-leader of the party in Scotland and now a Tory peer.

    She said: “I backed Rishi in the summer and continue to believe he’s the best person for the job.

    “The challenges facing the country are significant, but the government has a duty to meet those challenges head-on – to level with the country as to why and to what end decisions are being taken. There are so many people struggling and worried out there.

    “Frankly, a return to moderate, grown up, honest, the stable government cannot come soon enough.”

     

  • Calls grow for Mordaunt to withdraw as Tories aim for party unity – but she’s digging in

    As the race to get on the ballot enters its dying hours, Penny Mordaunt is digging in. 

    The number of MPs publicly backing her hovered around 20 all weekend and anyone hoping Boris Johnson’s exit would see a flurry of his backers joining her camp will be disappointed.

    Even Mr Johnson’s most passionate backers, like Nadine Dorries and James Duddridge, are rowing in behind Mr Sunak. It is clear which way the wind is blowing.

    With over half the parliamentary party now backing the former chancellor, the pressure is mounting on Ms Mordaunt.

    Former Chancellor George Osborne has taken to Twitter to urge her to step aside. He said that “she can’t command the support of a majority of MPs” and Mr Sunak is best placed to “reinforce the return of market credibility”.

    But there is no sign of Ms Mordaunt giving up – her team says she is continuing to speak to colleagues from across the party and is “in it to win it”.

    Allies say behind the scenes the numbers are closer than they seem.

    Some MPs do believe the membership should have a say and want a contest – not a coronation.

    Last time round Ms Mordaunt secured the backing of 105 MPs in the final round and there are still enough undeclared votes for her to make it onto the ballot.

    But one of the biggest jobs for whoever takes over will be uniting a deeply divided parliamentary party; with three hours to go calls for Conservative MPs to unite around Mr Sunak are getting louder.

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author’s, and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

    Source: Sky News