TIG Post

Author: Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey

  • Hurting Conte pays tribute to Ventrone as Spurs boss says death of fitness guru ‘hit me a lot’

    Antonio Conte will attend the funeral of Gian Piero Ventrone on Sunday after the Tottenham boss oversaw an emotional Premier League win at Brighton and Hove Albion.

    Spurs fitness coach Ventrone died on Thursday, reportedly after being diagnosed with leukaemia, and Conte said his fellow Italian had asked just days ago if he could be allowed to miss work due to illness.

    After Harry Kane’s goal earned a 1-0 win for Spurs, who sit third in the table, Conte spoke about the trauma that all at Tottenham have felt over the loss of Ventrone.

    It was the first time Conte had opened up in public about Ventrone, having cancelled his regular pre-match press conference on Thursday.

    He said it had been “really, really difficult for us to focus on the game”, saying the experience of recent days had been “incredible”.

    Conte had not been expecting Ventrone’s death, and its impact on the former Juventus and Italy coach has been profound.

    He said he was aware Ventrone’s health was “really problematic” early in the week.

    “But no one could have expected this situation because no one knew something about this illness,” Conte said. “It was an illness but under control and then it is very difficult because the situation hit me a lot under the emotional aspect.

    “When it happens, it is very difficult to cover your feeling with the players and with the people that work in Tottenham.

    “At the same time, I have seen a lot of solidarity. The players were really devastated by the pain and in the whole Tottenham environment the feeling was really bad because in only 10 months I think Gian Piero got through the heart of everybody.”

    Ventrone was a man Conte wanted on his Spurs staff, confident he would make his players stronger and fitter, with the pair having known each other for 30 years.

    He described Ventrone as “a scientist”. Conte spoke to Ventrone on the Thursday prior to his death, when illness was taking a toll. Ventrone said he was experiencing “a bit of a fever” and felt he could not attend training, according to Conte, but at the same time he was reluctant to be absent.

    Conte said Ventrone then spoke to him about his health situation, and in turn was told not to worry about his Tottenham duties but to take care of himself.

    Manager Conte said Spurs’ players were “really devastated” by news of Ventrone’s death, which came at the age of 62. Many have paid fond tributes to the trainer.

    “Sometimes life puts you in difficult situations, but we have to cope in the best possible way to overcome this situation,” Conte said in an interview posted by Tottenham. “But we’ll never forget Gian Piero. Gian Piero will live in my heart and my head.”

    Conte explained a Tottenham delegation, which he is expected to lead along with chairman Daniel Levy, will head to Naples for the funeral.

    “I want to tell his son and daughter that they need to be strong because Gian Piero was strong, a strong character,” Conte said.

    “He doesn’t want to see us unhappy. It’s difficult to make him happy because we are really devastated by the pain.”

    Source: Livescore

     

  • Ancelotti resists Clasico talk as Real Madrid leapfrog Barca with win at Getafe

    Carlo Ancelotti considered a “solid” defensive display cause for celebration as Real Madrid beat Getafe 1-0 to move above Barcelona at the LaLiga summit.

    Los Blancos were far from their fluid best at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, but Eder Militao’s third-minute header was enough to see them return to winning ways in the league after last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Osasuna.

    It was the first time Madrid had kept a clean sheet in eight LaLiga games this season, so Ancelotti was pleased in that regard, hailing his central defenders.

    He was less enthused by Madrid in an attacking sense as they failed to add to their early opener.

    “We were very solid and both Militao and [Antonio] Rudiger played a great game,” he said. “We could have scored more goals, but at this point in the season that doesn’t matter.

    “Scoring early did not force us to be in a hurry, and we did not force our plays that much. We created many opportunities, but we did not score enough.

    “The team has played very well, and we are satisfied. Last season here we were beaten, and today the team has been more solid.

    “I asked the players not to risk passing late on and to ensure their passing was accurate because the score was very tight.”

    Madrid face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday, before a mouth-watering Clasico clash against Barcelona next weekend.

    Ancelotti rested Karim Benzema and Ferland Mendy for the short trip to Getafe, and the Italian head coach suggested he is likely to rotate his side for the midweek match in Warsaw against their opponents from Ukraine.

    He is trying to avoid talking about the Barcelona game for now, but that fixture is taking on major significance given both teams have started strongly.

    “I think the Clasico is still a long way off,” Ancelotti said. “I’ve rested Benzema and Mendy, and it may be that on Tuesday I can rotate a little more.”

    Eden Hazard was an unused substitute against Getafe and has been limited to just 98 minutes of league action so far this season.

    Ancelotti, however, said the former Chelsea winger will be called upon in the coming matches.

    “Hazard is training well and will have his chance very soon,” the Madrid head coach added.

    Source: Livescore

     

  • HMS Montrose: Royal Navy seizes drugs worth £15m in Arabian Sea

    The Royal Navy has seized drugs worth more than £15m from a boat in the Arabian Sea.

    Hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine were recovered from the dhow by the crew of HMS Montrose in a six-hour operation.

    It was the fifth drugs raid by the frigate this year.

    HMS Montrose’s commanding officer said the seizure was a huge blow to criminal gangs and terrorists using drugs to fund their activities.

    “Disrupting terrorist organisations, criminals and their funding lines is key to keeping to UK, and rest of the world, safe,” Commander Claire Thompson said.

    A Navy spokesman said HMS Montrose sent a helicopter to track the movements of a suspect boat before specialist Royal Marines from 42 Commando seized control of it in choppy conditions.

    An initial search turned up some drugs and the boarding team of sailors and Marines then found a hidden compartment behind a false bulkhead on the small boat.

    In total, there was 870kg (1,918lb) of crystal methamphetamine on board, which the National Crime Agency said had a wholesale value of £15.5m.

    HMS Montrose, based in Devonport, Plymouth, has been deployed in the Middle East since 2019.

    It has seized an estimated £47m worth of drugs and two illegal arms shipments so far this year.

    The frigate is part of the Saudi-led Combined Task Force 150, a partnership of 38 nations involved in maritime security operations across the Red and Arabian Seas, and parts of the Indian Ocean.

    Royal Navy officers lay out the drugs haul on the frigateMINISTRY OF DEFENCE
    Royal Navy officers lay out the drugs haul on the deck of HMS Montrose

  • Galtier reveals Spanish insult led to bizarre Ramos red

    Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier confirmed a common Spanish insult was the cause of Sergio Ramos’ bizarre red card against Reims, as he claimed referee Pierre Gaillouste failed to control the contest.

    Ligue 1 leaders PSG dropped points for just the second time this season on Saturday after a 0-0 draw at Reims, failing to make the breakthrough against their struggling hosts after Ramos’ red card.

    Ramos received two yellow cards in less than a minute shortly before the break, having remonstrated strongly with the referee after tripping Marshall Munetsi.

    The Spaniard’s dismissal was the 21st of his league career (in LaLiga and Ligue 1) – at least seven more than any other defender in Europe’s top five leagues has received this century.

    Speaking after the draw, which leaves PSG three points clear of Marseille at the summit, Galtier stressed his belief that Ramos did not mean to offend Gaillouste.

    “I know Sergio Ramos very well, I’m not sure that the insult that came out was directed at the referee,” Galtier said.

    “It’s an insult that you hear all the time on a training ground, that you hear a lot in Spain. The referee took it from him and kicked him out, I’m not going back [to speak] on that.”

    PSG faced 24 shots against Reims, the most they have had to contend with in a Ligue 1 match since December 2011 (against Saint Etienne), and Galtier was unhappy with their performance.

    “There was a lot of nervousness that I can’t explain, on both sides,” Galtier added. “There were a lot of duels, clashes, neither of the two teams mastered the events.

    “None of the three parties, the teams and the referee, did control this game and there was a lot of nervousness.”

    Gaillouste has handed out six red cards in the six Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches he has refereed this season (four in Metz v Guingamp, one in Nantes v PSG, and one in this match).

    Although Galtier disagreed with the decision to send Ramos off, he was equally irritated by the “stupid” nature of his red card, particularly given Ramos will now miss a meeting with Marseille next week.

    “I will talk about it with them because there are sequences of matches. We need the maximum number of players,” Galtier added. “Missing matches because we took stupid cards… obviously we have to fix that. I will talk about it with them.”

    PSG have only lost one of their last nine Ligue 1 games in which they received a red card and finished against 11 men (W4 D4), a 5-1 loss at Lille in April 2019.

    Source: Livescore

  • Klopp hopes Salah close to ‘exploding’ into form but sees Haaland comparisons as unfair

    Jurgen Klopp hopes Mohamed Salah is close to “exploding” into a rich vein of goalscoring form, but believes comparisons with Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland are unfair.

    Salah shared the Premier League’s Golden Boot with Son Heung-min after scoring 23 goals in the competition last term, but has only found the net twice in seven outings this season.

    The Egyptian’s diminishing returns have mirrored those of his team, with Liverpool sitting 13 points behind City – with a game in hand – ahead of Sunday’s trip to Arsenal.

    Haaland’s arrival has taken City to new heights this campaign, with the Norwegian hitting 15 goals in his first nine Premier League games, and Klopp believes any comparisons with Salah would be unhelpful.

    “With Mo, I hope it’s like us, we are close to exploding,” Klopp said. “Whose season was it yet? From our side, nobody.

    “Mo is like this, even when his goalscoring numbers aren’t crazy, often he’s involved, it’s just the problem that if you don’t score around that, nobody appreciates that.

    “Nobody in the world can cope with the [Erling] Haaland situation, it’s crazy what he’s doing.

    “He’s an exceptional player in an exceptional team and I don’t think we should compare anyone with that at the moment.

    “Mo wants to score goals desperately, 100 per cent, that will never change. Call him in 20 years, it will be the same.”

    Liverpool approach their trip to the Emirates Stadium having recorded two draws and one defeat in their first three away outings of the Premier League campaign.

    Not since 2010-11, under Roy Hodgson, have Liverpool failed to win any of their first four away league games in a single season.

    Meanwhile, Saturday represented the seventh anniversary of Klopp’s appointment at Liverpool, and the German left each of his two previous posts – at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund – before bringing up an eighth year at the helm.

    Klopp, however, insisted Liverpool’s struggles have nothing in common with those of his former clubs, saying: “The situation in the clubs was very different.

    “A seven-year spell was not planned or because I lost energy or these things. I was manager at Mainz and after three years, we got promoted to the Bundesliga then three years later we got relegated.

    “We tried one more year and the club needed a change. Players left us for the Bundesliga, so they needed a fresh start, definitely.

    “I was full of energy. I went directly to Dortmund and it was all fine. [It was] seven years and it was just a situation that players constantly got bought by other clubs.

    “It was a really hard job to do, instead of developing a team, constantly making two steps back. It was really intense and really exhausting.

    “I can understand that I left after seven years, and now we are in a difficult situation, but, if you think twice about it, you realise the situation is completely different.

    “Being here for seven years is intense, no doubt about it. But it’s nice as well, I got so many things back. If there’s one club that has a chance to go through it together, it’s us.”

    Source: Livescore

     

     

  • Zaporizhzhia attack: Russian shelling in ‘annexed’ city kills 17

    At least 17 people have been killed by Russian missile strikes on the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia, the Ukraine defence ministry has said.

    Dozens more were wounded, and several residential buildings destroyed.

    The city is under Ukrainian control, but it is part of a region that Russia claimed it annexed last month.

    Zaporizhzhia has been hit repeatedly in recent weeks, as Russia hits back at urban areas after suffering defeats in the south and north-east of Ukraine.

    Parts of the Zaporizhzhia region, including its nuclear power plant – which is around 30 miles (52km) from the city – have been under Russian control since early in the invasion.

    The Ukrainian regional governor in Zaporizhzhia, Oleksandr Starukh, said 12 Russian missiles partially destroyed a nine-storey building, and levelled five other residential buildings.

    “There may be more people under the rubble. A rescue operation is under way at the scene. Eight people have already been rescued,” he said on Telegram.

    Ukrainian President Zelensky called the shelling “merciless strikes on peaceful people again”.

    “Absolute meanness,” he said. “Absolute evil. Savages and terrorists. From the one who gave this order to everyone who fulfilled this order. They will bear responsibility. For sure. Before the law and before people.”

    At the plant itself, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said on Saturday the security situation had deteriorated further after overnight shelling the previous night cut all external power.

    The plant now relies on diesel generators for the electricity it needs for reactor cooling and other essential nuclear safety, Mr Grossi said.

    The IAEA is pushing for a protection zone to prevent further damage to the site. Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for the shelling.

    Map showing the four regions Russia is annexing. Updated 3 October

    A map showing the four areas of Ukraine that Russia claimed it annexed last month, plus Crimea, which it has occupied since 2014

    Meanwhile, Russian divers are beginning a fuller examination of the damage done by Saturday’s explosion on the road and rail bridge linking occupied Crimea with Russia.

    Though limited traffic has resumed along one lane, a section of the bridge was brought down by the blast.

    Security has been tightened and Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a full investigation.

    Source: BBC

  • Arteta backs White ‘to make the step up’ in England’s World Cup squad

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says defender Ben White can “make the step up” to be part of England’s 2022 World Cup squad.

    The 24-year-old centre-back was left out of Gareth Southgate’s last England squad for the Nations League games against Italy and Germany.

    Right-back Kyle Walker’s groin injury has opened up the possibility of a World Cup recall for the versatile White, who has played that role with the Gunners this season.

    “Ben would be very comfortable playing on the right side of a back three as well as in the middle or as a full-back,” Arteta said.

    “If you ask me if he is ready to make that step [to England], then the answer is yes because he is a very confident boy, he gives you absolutely everything, he is always available and he has the courage to play under real pressure.”

    White, who has four caps for England, was a replacement for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Euro 2020 squad after initially missing the cut.

    Alexander-Arnold will be part of the Liverpool side to face Arsenal on Sunday and looms as one of the strongest contenders for the England right-back role.

    “He is a very special talent,” Arteta said about Alexander-Arnold. “What he adds offensively to the team every year is difficult to find in that position.”

    White, who was Brighton and Hove Albion’s Player of the Season in 2020-21 before joining Arsenal, has made eight Premier League starts this term.


    Source: Livescore

  • Hong Kong detains first teenagers under national security law

    Five teenagers have been sentenced to three years’ detention in Hong Kong for advocating overthrow of the Beijing government.

    It is the first time the national security law has been used in court against under-18s in Hong Kong.

    Beijing introduced the wide-ranging law – which made it easier to prosecute protesters – in the city in 2020.

    Many who defy the Chinese government have since been jailed, removing much of the political opposition.

    The court heard the defendants had used social media and street booths to advocate a “bloody revolution” to overthrow the Chinese state in the former British colony.

    Judge Kwok Wai-kin said: “Even if one person is incited, Hong Kong’s stability and residents’ safety could have been greatly harmed.”

    The teenagers – aged between 16 and 19 – were members of Returning Valiant, a pro-Hong Kong independence group.

    Mr Wai-kin said he appreciated the defendants’ “age and immaturity”, which meant they were sentenced to a detention facility for young people – also known as a training centre – instead of going to prison.

    The judge also capped the length of their sentence to three years. How long they remain in custody will remain at the discretion of authorities.

    The case also involves two adults, who will be sentenced next month.

    According to research published by ChinaFile in partnership with Georgetown University, at least 110 people have been arrested under the national security law. Those arrested include protesters, activists and former opposition lawmakers.

    Source: BBC

  • Fantastic Firmino is enjoying a Reds renaissance at Anfield

    Roberto Firmino’s time as a Liverpool first-team regular looked to be coming to an end — but he is reminding everyone of his qualities after a blistering start to the season.

    The Brazilian forward, 31, was expected to be pushed down the pecking order by the arrival of big-money signing Darwin Nunez.

    However, Firmino has shone, despite the Reds’ collective struggles this campaign.

    Ahead of Liverpool’s crunch clash with Premier League leaders Arsenal this afternoon, we take a look at the impact that their No9 is having in 2022-23.

    No Nunez? No problem

    The summer arrival of Nunez did not bode well for Firmino’s prospective game time this term.

    The Maceio native’s contract expires at the end of the season and his new £85million competitor is eight years his junior.

    However, Nunez was sent off in just his second Premier League appearance, opening the door for Firmino to take centre stage.

    The Uruguayan has managed just one league goal this season and has failed to live up to expectations thus far — but Firmino’s fine form has helped mitigate Nunez’s slow start to life on Merseyside.

    Jota competition

    Nunez is not Firmino’s only competition for Liverpool’s centre-forward berth, though.

    Diogo Jota, 25, had already seized the 55-cap international’s regular starting spot up front last season, making 35 Premier League appearances and scoring 15 goals.

    However, the Portugal forward has struggled with injury issues at the start of the current campaign and is only now returning to fitness.

    He is now back in action and was operated just behind Nunez in Liverpool’s last outing — a 2-0 win over Rangers in the Champions League — in which Jurgen Klopp utilised a 4-2-3-1 formation.

    Heart and soul

    No Liverpool player has scored more goals across all competitions than Roberto Firmino
    No Liverpool player has scored more goals across all competitions than Roberto Firmino

    Klopp insisted towards the end of pre-season that Firmino remained a key part of the Liverpool squad — despite increased competition for places and doubts over the attacker’s game time.

    He said: “Bobby is crucial for us, the heart and soul of this team. The way we played in the last years was only possible because of Bobby.

    “That’s why I’m really happy he was able to train for the majority of the time here in pre-season so far. Everything looks really good so I am absolutely fine.

    “There is no doubt about Bobby’s quality.”

    Firmino on fire

    Liverpool's Roberto Firmino has been clinical from inside the box this term
    Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino has been clinical from inside the box this term

    Despite playing just 420 Premier League minutes so far this season, Firmino has been remarkably productive in front of goal.

    He is Liverpool’s top scorer in the competition on five strikes, with only three players in the division scoring more.

    Additionally, Firmino has hit the target with 12 shots — a team-leading total.

    Just five other top tier players can better that tally, demonstrating the experienced forward’s decisiveness this term.

    Selfless Firmino

    Roberto Firmino has always excelled when it comes to chance creation — and this campaign is no exception
    Roberto Firmino has always excelled when it comes to chance creation — and this campaign is no exception

    Firmino does not only top Liverpool’s goalscoring charts in the Premier League — he is their most prolific provider too.

    His three assists rank behind only Bukayo Saka, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne across the division.

    In the face of real competition for his place, Firmino has produced some of his best attacking numbers in a Liverpool shirt.

    Klopp now faces a difficult decision — who should start against table-topping Arsenal?

    Source: Livescore

  • Protests in Iran: State-run live TV hacked by protesters

    Iran’s state-run broadcaster was apparently hacked on air Saturday, with a news bulletin interrupted by a protest against the country’s leader.

    A mask appeared on the screen, followed by an image of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with flames around him.

    The group called itself “Adalat Ali”, or Ali’s Justice.

    It comes after at least three people were shot dead when protesters clashed with security forces in new unrest over the death of Mahsa Amini.

    Ms Amini was detained in Tehran by morality police for allegedly not covering her hair properly. The 22-year-old Iranian Kurd died in custody on 16 September, three days after her arrest.

    Her death has sparked an unprecedented wave of protest across the country.

    Saturday’s TV news bulletin was interrupted at about 18:00 local time with images which included Iran’s supreme leader with a target on his head, photos of Ms Amini and three other women killed in recent protests.

    One of the captions read “join us and rise up”, whilst another said “our youths’ blood is dripping off your paws”.

    The interruption lasted only a few seconds before being cut off.

    Such displays of rebellion against Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are historically rare, and he wields almost complete power within Iran. But following Ms Amini’s death, there has been some open dissent.

    Also on Saturday, social media videos emerged which seemed to show female students at a university in Tehran chanting “get lost” during a visit by President Ebrahim Raisi.

    Earlier in the day, two people were killed in Sanandaj, including a man shot in his car after he sounded his horn in support of protesters. A video shared online also showed a woman shot in the neck lying unconscious on the ground in Mashhad.

    In Sanandaj, a police official said a man had been killed by “counter-revolutionaries”, the state-run news agency IRNA reported.

    On Friday, Iran’s Forensic Medicine Organisation said Ms Amini had died from multiple organ failure caused by cerebral hypoxia – and not from blows to the head, as her family and protesters contend.

    Rights groups say more than 150 people have been killed since the protests in the Islamic Republic began on 17 September.

    Shops in several cities have shut in support of the protesters, including in Tehran’s bazaar where some set fire to a police kiosk and chased the security forces away.

    The protests reaching the bazaar in Tehran will ring alarm bells with Iranian leaders who have counted the merchants as among their supporters.

    Source: BBC

  • Why Eagles maestro Olise is ready to soar at Selhurst Park

    Michael Olise is yet to hit top gear this season — but Crystal Palace’s midfield starlet looks set to explode in South London.

    The 20-year-old arrived at Selhurst Park in the summer of 2021 as manager Patrick Vieira set about revamping an ageing Eagles squad.

    And their No7 played a key role in last term’s commendable 12th-place finish, chipping in with two league goals and five assists.

    As Palace prepare to host Leeds this afternoon, we consider whether Olise can enjoy an even more productive campaign this time around.

    Limited action

    After featuring in 26 of the Eagles’ Premier League matches last season, Olise’s impact has been more limited in 2022-23.

    He has racked up just 236 minutes of action over six games to date, only making two starts across Palace’s eight fixtures.

    None of the Hammersmith native’s substitute appearances have exceeded half an hour, so it is perhaps no surprise that Olise is yet to contribute a goal or an assist this term.

    Mitigating factors

    Olise’s reduced game time has little to do with his ability — the playmaker endured an injury-hit pre-season after struggling with a foot problem.

    Vieira addressed the issue prior to Palace’s season opener against Arsenal in August.

    He said: “Yes, it’s the same foot injury he picked with the French Under-21s but he has started working with the team today so he is getting there and he is looking much better now.

    “We have a plan in place and it is important for him to have a proper pre-season.

    “We’re not going to rush him, we’re going to work properly because it is an important season for him and it is an important season for us.”

    Michael Olise has not always featured in Crystal Palace's starting line-up this season
    Michael Olise has not always featured in Crystal Palace’s starting line-up this season

    Making an impact

    Both of Olise’s league starts have come in Crystal Palace’s last three matches — in their 1-1 home draw with Brentford and last weekend’s late 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.

    The former Reading creator showcased his ability in the latter of those two fixtures, creating more chances than any other Eagles player (three) and completing the joint-most take-ons of anybody on the pitch (two).

    He also attempted an impressive four crosses, which was only matched by fellow forward Wilfried Zaha.

    Michael Olise put in an eye-catching display against Chelsea last Saturday
    Michael Olise put in an eye-catching display against Chelsea last Saturday

    Eye-catching numbers

    Olise’s performance against Chelsea was reflective of his overall displays across Palace’s campaign to date.

    The France Under-21s international ranked inside the Premier League’s top 10 players for completed crosses per 90 minutes (1.91) ahead of this weekend, from a similarly impressive 6.48 attempted.

    He also placed highly for chances created per 90 (2.29), while only eight players had attempted more take-ons (4.58 per 90) after eight rounds of action.

    Crystal Palace's Michael Olise has created a number of opportunities for his team-mates this term
    Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise has created a number of opportunities for his team-mates this term

    Time to catch fire

    The underlying numbers indicate that it is only a matter of time before Olise starts troubling the goals and assists charts.

    And Palace’s favourable run of fixtures should help with achieving that aim.

    The South Londoners follow today’s clash with Leeds by facing Leicester, Wolves, Everton and Southampton later this month.

    With some of this season’s tougher encounters behind them and Olise now injury-free, expect the Eagles — and their midfield maestro — to soar to new heights in the weeks ahead.

    Source: Livescore

  • You’re an industry leader so stop the comedy, sit up – Arnold to Shatta Wale

    Entertainment journalist Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo has expressed disappointment in the way musician Shatta Wale conducted himself in his recent interview on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana programme.

    “My general assessment of the interview will be brief on your show because I’d like to save some points for another show,” Arnold told Ola Michael on Accra-based Peace FM before he stated this: “I believe Wale should sit up.”

    “I say this from a good place,” he clarified.

    Bringing up Thursday’s ‘Good Evening Ghana’ interview, Arnold made the observation that the host of the television programme, Paul Adom Otchere, had “told [Shatta Wale] he’s an industry leader, frontrunner” and he protested it “but the fact is, he is.”

    “He is one of our leading figures who when he speaks people stand still to listen. Maybe he is in denial or he’s not being truthful to himself but he’s one of our leading figures, one of our leading artistes, one of our leading entertainers,” the creative arts pundit stressed.

    “This is why when he gets an opportunity on such platforms, for me, I’d like to tell him to take it seriously,” he advised.

    Mr Asamoah-Baidoo is of the opinion the reggae/dancehall star “tends to engage in too much comedy” and as a result, it has been difficult to outline his views on issues regarding “Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) and other stuff” from his Ghana Evening Ghana interview.

    A media consultant, Arnold bemoaned that the ‘On God’ hitmaker missed an opportunity to “sell himself and the [creative] industry in a very good way” on a flagship political programme which seldom invites entertainers as guests.

    “If we have issues, critical issues, address them in a way that if the President watches and hears, he will sit up,” he challenged.

    Arnold highlighted Shatta Wale’s following and influence and emphasised, “because of this, when he gets such a platform, his communication and how he addresses issues is very critical.”

    “But if you go and sit there and by the end of the show, it is GHS40, Okraku-Mantey and so on and so forth generating the trends, you have failed. It means you actually went to do comedy,” the entertainment journalist admonished.

    “This is an advice to him, when you get platforms such as this, go with your A game so that by the end of the show, you feel that you’ve made an impact and inspired change,” Arnold encouraged.

    Arnold, an award-winning entertainment pundit, also made an observation that conversations that have followed the ‘Good Evening Ghana’ interview have mostly been about the comic posture and prowess of the Shatta Movement (SM) boss.

    For instance, “Shatta Wale is a comedian. Shatta Wale is funny. And aside everything else, the guy is a comedian. Shatta has to do standup comedy,” he cited.

    “Come on. Come on, man!” Arnold concluded with a show of frustration.

    Source: Classfmonline

  • Mahrez and Pep hail Haaland as City striker delivers yet again

    Riyad Mahrez declared Erling Haaland is “on fire” and Pep Guardiola labelled the new Manchester City talisman “an incredible weapon” after the striker scored once more against Southampton.

    Joao Cancelo, Phil Foden and Mahrez all struck past former City goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu on Saturday, before Haaland coolly converted in the 65th minute to cap a 4-0 victory.

    That marked his 15th Premier League goal in just nine games this season, as many strikes as Kevin De Bruyne managed in the entire last campaign when he finished as City’s top league scorer in a championship-winning team.

    Mahrez hailed his Norwegian team-mate after Haaland became just the second City player to score in seven successive Premier League appearances, after Sergio Aguero.

    “It was a difficult game, we made it easy by scoring early and then we controlled,” the Algeria international told BBC Sport.

    “We had a lot of chances to score more, but we didn’t. We didn’t concede much, it was a controlled game.

    “Haaland is part of our team, he is our striker. Like any other striker, if we can find him it’s perfect because he is on fire. If not, there are a lot of players and everyone can make a difference.”

    City have now won their last nine home league games, scoring at least three goals each time, and moved to the top-flight summit by overtaking Arsenal, who play Liverpool on Sunday.

    Manager Guardiola echoed the sentiments of Mahrez as he credited the exploits of free-scoring Haaland, while he pinpointed the early stages of the title race as significant heading towards the World Cup break in November.

    “Last season we suffered a lot against them, but today we were much better,” Guardiola told BBC Sport, referring to two league draws last term against Southampton.

    “Some players were not at their best, but we create a lot of chances. We were solid.

    “For a long time Phil Foden is playing really good. The impact from him is great. Erling Haaland had the chances again. He scored a brilliant goal. It’s an incredible weapon for us, a big threat.

    “We will see the result from Arsenal and Liverpool, always in Premier League there are good games. Being close to the top of the league is important going into the World Cup.”

    By contrast, Southampton have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 19 Premier League away games – the longest current league run and the worst such streak in Saints’ history in the competition.

    Southampton sit just a point above the relegation zone, leading to increasing speculation that Ralph Hasenhuttl will be dismissed.

    “I will not be here next week, because next week we play at home,” manager Hasenhuttl said when asked about his future. “It is not my decision to make.

    “Since I’ve come here, and it’s been nearly four years now, we have been fighting for results. The problem is not here today, it’s from other weeks where we did not get enough points.”

    Source: Livescore

     

  • Xavi indicates ‘100 per cent’ De Jong could start in defence on Barca return

    Xavi revealed Frenkie de Jong could start in defence on his return from injury when Barcelona welcome Celta Vigo in LaLiga.

    The Blaugrana are aiming to remain at the LaLiga summit as they seek a response from the midweek Champions League defeat by Inter.

    De Jong is back in the squad having missed his side’s last two matches after sustaining a thigh injury while on international duty with the Netherlands last month.

    Though he did not confirm the midfielder would start at Camp Nou, Xavi indicated he could fill in at centre-half in the absence of the likes of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen.

    When asked about De Jong at his pre-match press conference, the head coach said: “He’s 100 per cent. We’ll see what we decide tomorrow.

    “Frenkie can play centre-back, we’ve already tried it. He is powerful and fast, but there are other alternatives. There is versatility in the dressing room.”

    One of those alternatives could be 19-year-old Chadi Riad, who would make his senior Barca debut should he feature against Vigo.

    “We know him from last year and the pre-season,” Xavi said. “He is aggressive, with good output … he has a future. We follow him. He can prove things, he can become important.”

    Xavi also urged his players to lend leading marksman Robert Lewandowski a hand on the goalscoring front.

    The Poland skipper has scored nine of their 19 goals in LaLiga this term, with his nearest challengers Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele both netting just twice apiece thus far.

    “We have to improve the goals without him,” the head coach observed. “And also improve fouls, shoot from outside the area… everyone must contribute goals. We have to improve the scoring ability of those at the top.

    “We need to shoot more when we have the ball, find that final pass, find the right solutions. We must improve and be more competitive. You have to be more optimistic in front of goal.”

    Source: Livescore

     

     

  • Galamsey: Martin Kpebu to personally lodge a complaint for Chairman Wontumi’s arrest

    Legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, has declared his intention to report the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, to the Police Service over his alleged involvement in illegal mining, also known as galamsey.

    Mr Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has become the talk of town after his company, Akonta Mining Limited, was reportedly found mining at the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve without a mining license, implying an illegality.

    Chairman Wontumi has denied reports by JoyNews suggesting his involvement in the menace that has destroyed water bodies and forest reserves in the country.

    “I have a large scale company which Akonta Mining is under… All the required documents, I have, I will make all available,” Chairman Wontumi said.

    Despite his rebuttal, Martin Kpebu insists that the NPP Ashanti Regional Chair is complicit in illegal mining.

    “I will call Eratus that we should go, I will accompany him. If he is not willing to be complainant, I am willing because if the Police are not willing to take in Chairman Wontumi I will go and lodge an official complaint and be complainant in the case so that they will start a formal investigation,” he said while speaking on October 8’s edition of Newsfile hosted by Samson Lardy Anyenini.

    According to him, the Police Service’s inaction over the matter reads foul play as Inspector-General of Police, Dr George Afuff Dampare and his officers have been swift to arrest other illegal miners.

    “.. Now IGP, save our day, save Ghana, rein in Wontumi…Where is IGP, can’t he go and arrest Wontumi?” he asked.

    In a press statement dated August 18, 2022, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi, revealed that Akonta Mining Ltd has applied for a prospecting licence which is yet to be processed by the Commission. The Company also applied for a Forest Entry Permit to enter the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

    A recent statement from the Lands Ministry goes to show that Akonta Mining Limited has been engaging in mining activities in the Tano Nimiri Forest.

    The Lands Ministry in a statement dated September 30, 2022, directed Akonta Mining Limited to halt its operations in the forest reserve.

    “Our records show that Akonta Mining Ltd, on August 25, 2022, applied for a Mining Lease to undertake mining operations in the said Forest Reserve. By a Ministerial Directive, all reconnaissance, prospecting and/or exploratory activities in Forest Reserves in the country are suspended, except in exceptional circumstances.

    “Although this directive does not affect mining in Forest Reserves, Akonta Mining Limited’s application has not been determined. Accordingly, any alleged activity being undertaken by the company in the Forest Reserve is illegal,” parts of the statement read.

    Due to this revelation, Mr Kpebu is of the assertion that President Akufo-Addo, who has declared his intention to fight galamsey with all his might and has put his presidency on the line, is shielding persons involved in illegal mining.

    “President Akufo-Addo has shown that for him, he will cover up all erring appointees. That is his mantra.”

    Meanwhile, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has demanded that President Akufo-Addo begin to ensure all who are engaged in illegal mining within his government are sanctioned as stated by the law.

    The party’s National Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, during a presser last Thursday said “Ghanaians are tired of your flowery speeches and useless rhetoric. The so-called fight against ‘galamsey’ has been a spectacular failure and the only way to salvage it is for you to man up and finally begin to crack the whip on your errant appointees and NPP functionaries who are neck-deep in the ‘galamsey’ business.”

    “We demand the immediate prosecution of all NPP functionaries and NPP officials who have engaged in illegal mining such as Charles Bissue, Chairman Wontumi, the evidence is clear, Andy Owusu, Ekow Ewusi, Prof. Frimpong Boateng among others,” he added.

    In a recent development, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker has disclosed that Akonta Mining firm has vacated its ‘galamsey’ site in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Akonta Mining Ltd has vacated ‘galamsey’ site in Tano Nimiri forest reserve – Mireku Duker

    Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker has disclosed that Akonta Mining firm has vacated its ‘galamsey’ site in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve.

    The mining firm has been cited by the Forestry Commission for engaging in illegal mining in the Tano Nimiri Forest reserve without the requisite license.

    Subsequently, the Lands Ministry ordered the firm to halt its operations.

    Speaking on Newsfile, Saturday, Mr. Duker said per reports submitted by his colleague in charge of forestry, the Akonta Mining firm is no more operating in the Forest Reserve.

    The Tarkwa Nsuaem MP added that the matter is currently under investigation by the Lands Ministry.

    “The Deputy Minister responsible for forestry was on the field just recently to see whether Akonta is there and per the reports that he brought, Akonta has left the site…I am saying on authority that Akonta Mining is not at where the matter sprung up during the investigations that came out,” he stated.

    But while the discussion was ongoing, a viewer sent a message to the JoyNews team alleging that the Akonta mining firm is still operating in the forest reserve. This assertion was corroborated by JoyNews‘ Erastus Asare Donkor, who also contributed to the discussion.

    Responding to this allegation, George Mireku Duker explained that the mining firm owns a licensed concession around the Samreboi community.

    “Akonta mining is having a license around Samreboi. Probably, he is referring to those concessions but not the Nimiri forest. If it is about the Nimiri Forest, the Deputy Minister has informed the Ministry that Akonta Mining has left the site.

    “Let me put it on record that Akonta mining firm has concessions around that area. For example, in 2012 June 14, they had recognisance license over an area of 135.87km square at Samreboi…Wayback in 2012 Akonta Mining has been a responsible small-scale mining concessionaire and has been mining responsibly,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Ranking Member on Mines and Energy Committee, John Jinapor has dared President Akufo-Addo and the Attorney-General to prosecute Akonta Mining firm.

    He challenged the government to prosecute its own officials if indeed it is committed to the fight against ‘galamsey’.

    “It is the President’s own people and top people within his own party who are actively involved in illegal mining and we have said that if indeed he is committed to the fight against ‘galamsey’, he should start with his own people. That will then send a signal that he is indeed serious and determined to fight this menace…the President and his Ministers must show commitment by taking on this company,” he told Blessed Sogah on Top Story, Friday, September 30.

    This call has been backed by several other Civil Society Organisations and Ghanaians.

    Source: MyJoyOnline.com

  • Crimean bridge: Excitement and fear in Ukraine after bridge blast

    Ukraine is exploding with excitement this morning.

    Videos of the damaged Crimean bridge have spread like wildfire on social media; this is already being compared to the sinking of the Russian warship Moskva in April.

    “The guided missile cruiser Moskva and the Kerch bridge – two notorious symbols of Russian power in Ukrainian Crimea – have gone down,” tweeted Ukraine’s ministry of defence.

    “What’s next in line, Russkies?” it went on.

    Ukraine’s inventive social media activists are gleefully pumping out memes to celebrate the occasion.

    And Ukraine’s second largest bank, Monobank, says it has already issued a new debit card design featuring the collapsed bridge.

    Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Council, wasn’t the only one noting that the attack came just a day after Vladimir Putin’s 70th birthday, tweeting a video of the damaged bridge next to Marilyn Monroe’s famous performance of Happy Birthday, Mr President from 1962.

    The sense of excitement is palpable.

    Coming on the back of weeks of mostly good news from the battlefront, where Ukrainian forces continue to take back territory seized by Russia back in February and March, the sight of the crippled, burning bridge is a massive additional boost to morale.

    How was this done? Any number of theories are doing the rounds – from a Ukrainian special forces operation to the work of partisans in Crimea, a missile strike, or even a suicide bomb.

    “This is a masterpiece of clandestine sabotage,” a former senior British army explosives expert told me.

    “A well-planned attack from below may have been the cause,” he said.

    “With structural demolition, you always plan a ‘collapse mechanism’ which lets the weight of the structure do the majority of the work.”

    Ukrainian officials are giving little away, happy to apply the same level of ambiguity that followed a mysterious attack on the Russian airbase in Crimea in August.

    But the attacks on the Saky base and the bridge are all part of the same wider effort: to undermine Russia’s ability to use Crimea as a launch pad for its war in southern Ukraine.

    The road and railway bridges are vital links in Russia’s supply chain. Without them, Moscow will find it even harder to send troops and equipment to repel Ukraine’s offensive north of Kherson.

    Kyiv is also saying to Moscow: Crimea is ours and eventually we are going to take it back.

    For all the giddy delight ricocheting across social media, some Ukrainians are anxious.

    This morning, we left the city of Zaporizhzhia, which is still in shock after Russian missile attacks on Thursday, which left at least 17 civilians dead.

    People there suspect that they are being punished by Russia as Moscow lashes out after its recent military failures. They fear the coming days may bring more.

    Source: BBC

  • Commuters on 175km Fufulso-Damongo-Sawla Highway disappointed over deplorable nature of road

    Commuters along the Damongo-Larabanga-Sawla stretch of the Fufulso-Sawla Highway in the Savannah Region have expressed disappointment over what they say is shoddy work coupled with poor maintenance that has left the stretch in a deplorable state in less than 10 Years after construction.

    They say the situation has undoubtedly, left several kilometers with disjointed patching of potholes, making it difficult for motorists and other commuters to use.

    The 175 kilometers Fufulso-Sawla road was constructed between the years, 2014 and 2015 and in less than 10 years, it is in terrible shape. Commuters say this forces drivers to drive at a slow pace thereby, exposing them to robbers.

    “Due to the bad nature of the road, one travels for seven hours and given the nature of communities around here and the high rate of robbery, people can just take advantage of the portions that are not asphalted and rob travelers. I think if Government does something about it, we would be very grateful”, Nyandia Yakubu stated.

    Another commuter said, “Actually, the road has been so bad to the extent that we (commercial drivers) passing here like you saw me passing, I’m supposed to drive slowly but if I do, I will get a flat tyre and again, when you meet a car from the opposite direction (from Larabanga ) towards Damongo and you don’t take time, you are going to lose control because the road is always dusty and I can tell you that many accidents have happened to my colleagues. So, I think Government should do something about it for us”, Adam Osman said.

    The road was constructed with a loan facility of $95m from the Africa Development Bank to link three Regions, Northern, Savannah, Upper West and Burkina Faso to the rest of the country.

    However, the Damongo- Sawla portion started wearing off in the year 2019.

    But the Kanato-Sawla portion of the highway started developing problems as early as 2017 and the road users called for it to be asphalted to save that portion.

    And according to another commuter, Seidu Elijah, “yes, the whole stretch should have been asphalted especially if you look at the nature and what has been done earlier, we don’t expect to see the road in this state and I think the call for it to be asphalted will be an excellent call”.

    Iddrisu Sabori is a taxi driver plying the Larabanga-Damongo stretch. And while recounting his daily ordeals on the road, he said regarding accidents, “a whole lot of them around here. The government said the road wasn’t properly made and they were coming to make it better and I do not know whether this is the correct way or not. They left it like this for more than three years “, he bemoaned.

    “They destroyed this place by telling the Community (Larabanga) that they wanted to re-do it better for us but since they did that, no Contractor has come here to do anything.

    A lot of accidents have been happening here, motorbikes, cars and so many machine parts scattered on the road”, Gafaru Seidu insisted.

    Three years ago, the Damongo Larabanga portion of the road was awarded on contract to a Road Construction firm, Lesken for maintenance of the portions destroyed but that is yet to be executed after over three years.

    Residents along that stretch, especially school children have been lamenting over the dust and its health hazards.

    Meanwhile, attempts by JoyNews to speak to officials of the Ghana Highways Authority in the Region have failed.

    Source: MyJoyOnline

  • Akufo-Addo’s meeting with National House of Chiefs on galamsey is useless – Kwesi Aning

    Security Analyst, Prof. Kwesi Aning has said President Akufo-Addo’s meeting with the National House of Chiefs on galamsey activities in the country would amount to nothing.

    On Wednesday, President Akufo-Addo met with the National House of Chiefs and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives [MMDCEs] over the galamsey menace.

    The meeting was to afford the President the opportunity to find other means of dealing with the problem.

    But Prof. Aning believes the meeting by the President will have no impact on the fight against galamsey.

    He noted that for many years now, the government’s utterances have not corresponded with actions taken, hence, the meeting was just a façade.

    “I do not think it [the meeting] is going to have any impact at all because when you look across the spectrum of public action and public implementation, what is the nexus between public utterances and implementation? That correlation cannot be positive. So that meeting is a nice meeting that brought people together, they had opportunities for photoshoots and that is that. I am not expecting anything at all to come out,” he said on Newsfile, Saturday.

    According to him, the state is incapable of resolving the illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey’.

    “Ghana has become a state under siege – a beleaguered state in which there is a state within the state that is influencing the way policy relating to mining is made, understood or implemented.”

    Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has vowed to deal with persons within his government who may be found complicit in illegal mining activities.

    The President said the government has for several years been struggling with the fight against ‘galamsey’, hence government officials cannot continue to compromise efforts against the menace.

    “I am not here to threaten anybody, but I want you to know that this is a struggle that I take very seriously and I will not be in a position to protect anybody against who evidence is massed up about their complicity in this matter…I am a lawyer and I always deal with facts and when the facts are brought against you, you will be invited to comment on them,” he told the Chiefs and MMDCEs during his meeting with them on October 5.

    Source: MyJoyOnline.com

  • Total Mobile Money transactions fall by 2% year-on-year in August 2022; E-levy impact marginal

    Total Mobile Money transactions as of August 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 fell by ¢13.3 billion, about 2.02%,  the latest Summary of Financial and Economic Data by the Bank of Ghana has revealed.

    This indicates that the implementation of the Electronic Transaction Levy has had a marginal impact on the biggest payment system in Ghana.

    But the question is why government is failing to rake in the needed revenue from the indirect tax based on the numbers from the Central Bank.

    According to the data, total mobile money transactions stood at ¢657.6 in August 2022, as against ¢644.3 in August 2022.

    There were earlier fears that a sizeable number of consumers were going to boycott Mobile Money, following the implementation of the E-Levy in May 2022.

    So, it is not clear why the government is not raking in much revenue from the Mobile Money Transactions.

    From the data, Mobile Money transactions have been surging since its implementation in May 2022.

    It went up from ¢71.4 billion in May 2022 to ¢77.4 billion in June 2022, but remain relatively same at ¢77.2 billion in July 2022.

    It however shot up significantly by ¢9.9 billion to ¢87.1 billion in August 202.

    In May 2021, June 2021, July 2021 and August 2021, Mobile Money transactions were estimated at ¢86.5 billion, ¢89.1 billion, ¢99.1 billion and ¢81.8 billion.

    The government had initially projected ¢6.9 billion from E-Levy collections for 2022, but revised it to ¢4.9 billion and later to ¢611 million.

    Mobile Money Transactions in 8 months of 2021 and 2022

    MONTHS 2021 (billions) 2022 (billions)
    January 67.1 76.2
    February 67.9 76.8
    March 82.3 90.5
    April 83.8 87.7
    May 86.5 71.4
    June 89.1 77.4
    July 99.1 77.2
    August 81.8 87.1
    TOTAL 657.6 644.3

    Source: MyJoyOnline.com

  • Haiti asks world for military help to curb chaos

    Haiti has asked for foreign military support to curb its gang violence crisis which has paralysed the country.

    The Haitian government authorised Prime Minister Ariel Henry to request armed help due to “the risk of a major humanitarian crisis”.

    The US meanwhile urged its citizens in Haiti to leave due to the insecurity.

    A group of powerful gangs have blocked the country’s main fuel terminal since September, crippling its basic supplies like water and food.

    It is not clear to whom the request for intervention has been sent to, and in what form the help would be given.

    The UN said it had not received an official request from Haiti’s government.

    “That being said, we remain extremely concerned about the security situation in Haiti, the impact its having on the Haitian people, on our ability to do our work, especially in the humanitarian sphere,” said UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric.

    The US is also considering a request for a humanitarian corridor to restore fuel distribution within Haiti, according to state department spokesperson Vedant Patel.

    Mr Patel did not say where the troops to support this would come from.

    Varreux fuel terminal has been controlled and blockaded by a coalition of powerful gangs since last month, which has ground the whole country to a halt. Some hospitals have shut, while businesses and transport services stopped working in protest of destitution.

    Civil unrest escalated since Mr Henry announced an end to government fuel subsidies on 11 September, which sent petrol and diesel prices skyrocketing.

    Since then, protests and looting have intensified, with the capital, Port-au-Prince, at the heart of it. Food aid warehouses have been targeted, with an estimated $5m (£4.6m) worth of food aid lost in repeated attacks, according to Haiti’s UN envoy.

    It is unclear whether the Haitian government request for foreign military intervention would mean the return of UN peacekeeping troops, after leaving five years ago.

    The UN’s presence has left a mixed legacy in Haiti: its peacekeepers accepted partial responsibility for sparking a cholera epidemic more than a decade ago which killed about 10,000 people.

    Haiti’s government said eight people had died on Sunday from cholera, for the first time in three years – raising concerns over the potential for a health crisis too.

    Of the many supplies that have been blocked by the country’s gangs, clean water is a vital one – especially as cholera is spread via contaminated water.

    Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and has suffered a number of recent crises, most notably the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moïse, in July 2021 and a massive earthquake that left more than 2,200 people dead just a month later.

    Deaths are frequent, with more than 200 people killed in gang violence in Port-au-Prince in the space of just 10 days in July, according to figures from the UN.

    Source: BBC

     

  • GETFund clarifies number of completed E-block projects

    The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has clarified the number of E-blocks (Community Day high school projects) it has completed as of December 2016.

    It follows what the Fund says is ‘political media debate’ on the projects particularly being fueled by the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi.

    GETFund in responding to the issue said that “by the end of the year 2016, 22 of the E-Blocks being funded by GETFund were completed”.

    It further explained that, Government awarded 101 contracts on E-Blocks between 2014 and 2016 on the accounts of GETFund aside from 23 other projects from the World Bank, out of which seven were completed in the same period.

    By the end of 2020, 30 more E-blocks were completed 14 being GETFund funded with that of the remaining 16 being completed by the World Bank.

    GETFund also reiterated the termination of 27 E-blocks in 2018.

    “Outstanding 38 E-blocks are at various stages of completion”, a statement from GETFund further added.

    Source: Citinews

  • Crimean bridge: Explosion is ‘the beginning’, says Zelensky adviser

    A large fire on the only crossing between the occupied Crimean peninsula and Russia was caused by a lorry explosion, Russian officials say.

    A blast on the road section led to oil tankers on the rail section catching fire, before the road collapsed.

    Crimea was annexed in 2014 by Russia, which now uses the bridge to move military equipment into Ukraine.

    The official Twitter account of the Ukraine government responded to the fire by tweeting: “Sick burn.”

    An adviser to Ukraine’s President Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, called the damage a “beginning” – but did not directly claim Ukrainian responsibility.

    “Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled,” he tweeted.

    Meanwhile, the Ukraine defence ministry compared the bridge explosion to the sinking of Russia’s Moskva missile cruiser in April.

    “Two notorious symbols of Russian power in Ukrainian Crimea have gone down,” it tweeted. “What’s next in line?”

    It is hard to exaggerate the significance, and symbolism, of seeing the bridge on fire. Opened by President Putin in 2018, it was meant to symbolise that Crimea was Russian.

    Russia has used the bridge to move military equipment, ammunition, and personnel from Russia to battlefields in southern Ukraine.

    As such, Ukrainian authorities said it was a legitimate target, as they vow to retake the peninsula.

    Any attack on Crimea, where the Russian army has a massive presence, will be seen as another massive humiliation for the Kremlin.

    The bridge is particularly hated by Ukrainians. Social media in Ukraine erupted in celebration on seeing the fire – one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin turned 70.

    Road and rail traffic across the bridge has been suspended. Local authorities in Crimea say they will organise a ferry service between the Russian mainland and the peninsula.

    A still picture of the bridge was shared by Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo PodolyakMYKHAYLO PODOLYAK
    A still picture of the bridge was shared by Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak

    Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee said: “At 06:07 Moscow time today [03:07 GMT], an explosion was set off at a cargo vehicle on the motorway part of the Crimean bridge on the side of the Taman peninsula, which set fire to seven fuel tanks of a train that was en route to the Crimean peninsula.

    “Two motorway sections of the bridge partially collapsed.”

    Crimean parliamentary speaker Vladimir Konstantinov blamed the explosion on “Ukrainian vandals, who have finally managed to reach their bloody hands to the Crimean bridge”.

    He added the damage to the bridge would be “promptly restored, since it is not of a serious nature”.

    President Putin has been briefed about the “emergency” on the bridge and has ordered a government inquiry, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, in comments quoted by Interfax news agency.

    A criminal investigation is also under way.

    The 19km (12-mile) bridge across the Kerch Strait, which cost £2.7bn to build, was opened by President Putin four years after Moscow illegally annexed Crimea.

    It is the longest bridge in Europe, and was hailed by Russian media as “the construction of the century”. Russian officials previously claimed it was well protected from threats from air, land or water.

    The crossing is more than 100 miles from Ukrainian-held territory. One explosives expert told the BBC the fire was probably not caused by a missile.

    “The lack of obvious blast / fragmentation damage on the road surface suggests that an air-delivered weapon was not used,” he said.

    He said it was possible that “a well-planned attack from below may have been the cause”.

    “I suspect explosives on the road bridge and train deck were initiated near simultaneously using coded radio command,” he added.

    Ukraine claimed responsibility last month for a series of air strikes on Crimea over the summer, including an attack on Russia’s Saky military base.

    Kyiv has the momentum in this conflict. The army has reclaimed large swathes of territory, forcing Russian troops to abandon long-held positions.

    Amid the losses, Moscow has begun a chaotic military mobilisation – which led to rare anti-war protests in Russia, and a huge exodus of military-age men.

    On Russian TV talk shows, presenters and studio guests have been expressing increasing doom and gloom about the situation.

    Source: BBC

  • Ghanaian winger Francis Amuzu picks up injury in Anderlecht home defeat

    Ghanaian international Francis Amuzu picked up an injury while in action for Anderlecht in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night.

    The 23-year-old started but had to be replaced before the start of the second half when his side suffered a 1-0 home defeat to the English Premier League side.

    Amuzu injured his shoulder and was taken off as a precautionary measure.

    The Belgian-born Ghanaian forward will have to undergo scans to determine the extent of the injury.

    The winger has been battling injuries this campaign and will hope to make a quick return.

    He has featured 16 times this season, scoring 2 goals and providing 2 assists.

    Source: Football Ghana

  • Japan Open: Frances Tiafoe to face Taylor Fritz in final

    Frances Tiafoe will face fellow American Taylor Fritz in the final of the Japan Open in Tokyo.

    Tiafoe sealed the opening set of his semi-final in comfortable fashion but did not win a game in the second against South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo.

    He then raised his game before completing a 6-2 0-6 6-4 victory.

    Fritz was involved in a hard-fought match against Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in the other semi-final, but emerged a 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 winner.

    Tiafoe, who was beaten by eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals of the US Open in September, said: “It was a weird match, but happy to get through.

    “In these kind of matches, it’s not always going be pretty, it’s not always going be your best stuff, but a win is what matters.”

    Source: BBC

  • Ghana winger Kamaldeen Sulemana could join English Premier League giants Liverpool in winter window

    Ghana international Kamaldeen Sulemana could join English Premier League giants Liverpool in the winter transfer window, Footballghana.com can report.

    Sulemana has been impressive since joining French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes in July 2021 despite injury setbacks.

    According to El Nacional, the Reds are ready to splash 35 million euros to convince Rennes to sign the enterprising winger in the upcoming transfer window.

    The 20-year-old current contract will expire in the summer 2026 but a January move is possible due to Liverpool’s huge interest.

    Sulemana has featured 10 times this season, scoring 1 goal and providing 2 assists in the process.

    He is currently injured and will not be in action this weekend when Rennes host Nantes.

    Source: FootballGhana

  • James Bond: Duo were ‘privileged’ to write new ending for 007

    They have written seven James Bond screenplays, including all the Daniel Craig films, and their previous collaborations date back over 20 illustrious years.

    Yet Neal Purvis and Robert Wade seldom discuss in public the complex way the Bond scripts come together.

    The 60th anniversary of the release of Dr. No got them to open up about keeping the franchise alive – and killing Bond off.

    When, in the late 1990s, the team of Purvis and Wade signed on to write The World is Not Enough, they already had a couple of successful screenplays to their credit.

    However, it was their first Bond – Pierce Brosnan’s third – that lifted them into the top rank of screenwriters.

    But they weren’t alone in the writing process. The film carried another writing credit too – the American writer Bruce Feirstein.

    Neal Purvis (left), Robert Wade (right)MILLIE TURNER/BFI
    Neal Purvis (left) and Robert Wade (right) have co-written seven Bond movies

    In fact, almost all their Bond screenplays have then been passed on to at least one other writer for what Purvis terms “a polish”.

    “When we’ve finished our job on the screenplay, it’s basically goodbye Rob and Neal,” Purvis says. “With Casino Royale, for instance, Paul Haggis took over. And with Skyfall it was John Logan, but obviously always working with the director.”

    Last year, with No Time to Die, Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge was on the writing credits too.

    Wade adds that it can get complex. “In the case of Skyfall, John Logan came on after us and then we did a bit more again. Skyfall in particular just kept developing and it developed really well I thought.”

    Any discussion with movie writers tends at some point to include the term “story arc”. Purvis and Wade faced the ultimate challenge: developing Daniel Craig’s arc as Bond over fifteen years and five films.

    Purvis recalls they started work on Casino Royale when the situation paralleled how it is now: a Bond had left and a new actor was yet to be cast.

    “So in that case we were writing our story with no actor in mind but from Ian Fleming’s original Casino Royale novel [published in 1953]. We wrote to his conception of the story as faithfully as we could. Daniel then inhabited the role and of course over time we saw what Daniel could do.”

    Daniel Craig as James BondEON PRODUCTIONS VIA PRESS ASSOCIATION
    Daniel Craig was cast as the spy in 2005, making his debut in Casino Royale in 2006

    According to Wade, it was a different experience to write from a beginning.

    “In the two films we’d written for Pierce it was always essentially a continuum of what came before. The basics of character couldn’t change – he was always infallible.”

    “We tried to make Pierce’s Bond more vulnerable and Pierce played it very well. But you couldn’t do a big shift in the character because you knew he’d always have to end up being James Bond. Whereas with Daniel we knew we could start developing an arc. In a way we were starting anew.”

    Purvis says dialogue scenes inevitably changed their character with Craig on board because the storyline was changing. “Daniel’s Bond could have the strength and determination and bravado that Pierce had before him. But the actual dramatic scenes were different so inevitably the dialogue moved on. As early as Casino Royale the tone changed.”

    The following film, Quantum of Solace, provided a different challenge. Its title came from a Fleming short story of 1959 but otherwise the men had to create a totally new story. The critical delight which greeted Casino Royale was not repeated.

    Since its release, it has regularly been placed near the bottom end of the charts ranking all the films from the long-running franchise.

    Wade says Quantum was conceived to be the second half of Casino Royale. “And then it changed during production. But it was still James Bond being completely affected by what had happened in the previous movie.”

    “I know we felt even in that case, Ian Fleming was still our touchstone, even though the plot wasn’t his. You go back to the Flemings and you try to include nuggets of how Bond spoke.”

    Daniel Craig at the premier of No Time To Die, his final Bond movieTOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS
    Purvis and Wade developed Craig’s arc as Bond over fifteen years and five films, ending with No Time To Die

    The development of Bond during their tenure has broadly gone down well with critics. “On Neal Purvis and Robert Wade’s watch, the secret agent has become a parent, grown his hair and even alluded to gay experiences,” noted the Guardian’s Ryan Gilbey. Elsewhere, IndieWire’s Bill Desowitz praised their “witty repartee” as they were brought back for Spectre.

    However, their work has not gone down well with everyone. Screen Rant’s Alex Leadbeater decried “their complete lack of consistency,” adding: They are behind as many bad films as they are good ones -depending on how you count – and the issues range all the way from narrative (Quantum of Solace doesn’t really have any story drive) to tonal (their films reliably stumble when trying to insert Moore-esque cheese).

    “On a flat results basis, they aren’t as good as they’re made out to be, and it’s getting to a point where things need shaking up.”

    Nonetheless, the duo remain the most experienced living writers of Bond screenplays. So have they learnt hard and fast rules?

    Purvis says they always have to be alert to expectations about the action. “It’s what people used to call the formula though hopefully that’s getting broken now. So it’s a case of giving people what they’re used to but also making it different – that’s the tricky bit. Bond writers struggle with that but it’s what the job is.”

    The writers have just taken part in a BFI event to celebrate 60 years since Eon Productions released Dr. No in 1962. Looking back well before their own era, what did they admire most about that first film?

    Wade thinks Sean Connery was an unforgettable screen presence. “But there are other really basic things, like the editing. It’s hard now to remember how revolutionary the editing was: it completely changed how a certain kind of film was made.”

    “If you look at Dr. No now – the colours, the cutting, the cinematography, the locations and of course the wonderful music – it still leaps off the screen at you.”

    Barbara Broccoli and Michael G WilsonSUZAN MOORE/PA
    Broccoli (left) and Wilson (right) have produced nine of the 25 Bond films

    The men insist they have no idea if Barbara Broccoli and her half-brother Michael G. Wilson will call on their services again when the time comes to inch towards a screenplay for Bond 26. Broccoli has said that production work could still be two years away.

    Last year, at the end of No Time to Die, James Bond appeared to be dead – a pretty definite way to conclude the story arc Neal Purvis and Rob Wade had spent 15 years constructing.

    “We were aware we were privileged to write something very different,” says Wade. Purvis adds they were delighted to be able to renew the 007 story arc in 2006 and then write the end of an older, more exhausted Bond in No Time to Die.

    “But both men are convincing when they say they have no inside information on where the story will be at the start of the next film.”

    Broccoli and Wilson have been on the Bond publicity trail on both sides of the Atlantic to mark the 60th anniversary. They’ve insisted they’re nowhere near deciding on a new Bond actor, or who will write the screenplay… or how they can pick up with Bond apparently Double-O-Dead.

    But the more those questions are asked the stronger interest becomes in the public and the media. And the more the producers love it.

    Source: BBC

  • West Ham vs Fulham predictions: New Hammers hotshot to fell Fulham

    West Ham’s climb up the Premier League table could continue when they face a Fulham side without a fully-fit Aleksandar Mitrovic to call upon for a capital clash at London Stadium on Sunday.

    Mitrovic’s foot injury has rocked the Craven Cottage club after Marco Silva’s side had made an excellent start to the season.

    Fulham’s 4-1 mauling at the hands of Newcastle exposed all sorts of flaws not previously evident, albeit the damage was done after they had been reduced to 10 men in the opening minutes.

    West Ham, meanwhile, are enjoying the benefits of having their own talismanic frontman. Gianluca Scamacca scored his first Premier League goal of the season in the Hammers’ 2-0 win over Wolves last weekend with manager David Moyes stating the Italian is “doing a good job so far”.

    Team news

    Moyes revealed Maxwel Cornet will not be available to face Fulham after the ex-Burnley attacker picked up a calf strain against Wolves.

    The Scotsman admitted that there were a few knocks and niggles elsewhere in his squad, but expressed the hope that they would have cleared up by Sunday.

    Scamacca was rested from the start for the Europa Conference League clash against Anderlecht on Thursday and looks set to be restored up front with Moyes likely to revert to the majority of the XI that began last weekend’s win.

    Pablo Fornals is expected to get the nod to replace Cornet on the left-hand side of attack.

    Fulham boss Silva confirmed that Mitrovic is “a doubt” to face the Hammers after exacerbating his injury in their 4-1 defeat to Newcastle last Saturday, although he described it as “not really serious”.

    The Serbian striker initially suffered a knock while playing for his country during September’s international break.

    Kenny Tete will be assessed for a knock, while fellow full-back Antonee Robinson is struggling with a foot injury.

    Nathaniel Chalobah is suspended after his eighth-minute red card last weekend, but Joao Palhinha returns following a ban.

    The Portuguese international will line up in midfield, probably alongside Harrison Reed.

    The stats

    West Ham have won all six games that Scamacca has started so far this season – four in the Europa Conference League and two in the Premier League.

    Jarrod Bowen's best days for West Ham have often come at home
    Jarrod Bowen’s best days for West Ham have often come at home

    Of Jarrod Bowen’s 22 Premier League goals for West Ham, 18 have come in home games (82%) with only Georginio Wijnaldum (85%) and Michael Carrick (83%) having scored a higher share in home games than Bowen of players with more than 20 strikes.

    Fulham have kept just one clean sheet in their 21 away top-flight matches against West Ham, conceding 49 goals in those other 20 games.

    The only goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet for them away to the Hammers was Edwin van der Sar in a 2-0 win in November 2001.

    Chalobah’s eighth-minute red card, upgraded from a sixth-minute caution following a VAR review, became the Whites’ quickest dismissal in the Premier League since Ian Pearce at Crystal Palace in October 2004 (sixth minute).

    Prediction

    Marco Silva's full might just be losing momentum
    Marco Silva’s full might just be losing momentum

    West Ham’s fortunes are on the up again after back-to-back victories and the hosts should be able to handle a Fulham side with or without Mitrovic in attack.

    With key individuals like Scamacca and Bowen currently on song, the Hammers are creating opportunities and finishing clinically.

    Both Hammers forwards could find the back of the net against a Fulham side that has shipped eight in their last three league contests.

    Four of Scamacca’s five goals in Claret and Blue have been openers, which is worth bearing in mind when assessing the value of his 4/1 quote to be this contest’s first goalscorer.

    Source: Livescore

  • Samuel Boadu sends good luck message to Hearts of Oak ahead of ASR Bamako match

    Former Hearts of Oak coach Samuel Boadu has sent good luck message to his former side as they prepare to face ASR Bamako in the Caf Confederations Cup.

    The MTN Cup holders dropped into the playoff round of the same competition last season but got kicked out by Algerian side JS Saoura, will set sights on progressing into the money zone this time around.

    David Ocloo who has been named as the new assistant coach will lead the team into this game until a substantive coach is announced.

    Samuel Boadu took to his Facebook page to post:

    “Wishing you the phobia family and the team the best of luck as you begin the Africa campaign. I know the guys has put in the hours and has put in the effort , so now it’s their time to shine. All the best to you and the team,”

    Source: Football Ghana

  • Alpine announce the signing of Pierre Gasly on multi-year contract

    Pierre Gasly is heading to Alpine next season to begin a new multi-year contract after being granted an early release from his 2023 commitment to current team AlphaTauri.

    Gasly, 26, has one win on his resume back at the Italian Grand Prix in 2020, and tallied 185 points across the 2020 and 2021 seasons before taking a small step back this year with AlphaTauri struggling.

    The Frenchman is currently 13th in the point standings this season – four spots ahead of teammate Yuki Tsunoda – and he will join his fellow countryman Esteban Ocon in a much more competitive Alpine car.

    In a statement after the announcement on Friday, Gasly spoke of his excitement at the new opportunity and thanked Red Bull after a nine-year relationship came to an end.

    “I am delighted to join the Alpine family and begin this new chapter in my Formula 1 career,” he said.

    “Driving for a team that has French roots is something very special. I know the strengths of Alpine having raced against them over the past couple of years and, clearly, their progress and ambition is very impressive.

    “I wish to thank Red Bull as this marks the end of our nine-year journey together. It is thanks to their trust and support that I became a Formula 1 driver, and what we’ve achieved with Scuderia AlphaTauri over the last years has been very special.

    “Looking ahead, I want to give the maximum and utilise all my experience to fight for podiums and ultimately contribute to Alpine’s fight for championships in the future.”

    Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer called Gasly “a proven talent” and said he believes he is the right man to help lead a new era for the brand.

    “I’m very happy that Pierre will be joining the team for 2023 and beyond,” he said.

    “He is already a proven talent within Formula 1, and we are looking forward to harnessing that within the team. Our team has several objectives for the coming seasons and I firmly believe our driver line-up is a great reflection of the team’s high ambitions.

    “I trust Pierre and Esteban can, together, motivate the team to continue its progress towards these goals. We would also like to thank Red Bull for agreeing the terms to allow Pierre to take this step.”

    CEO Luca de Meo of the Renault Group, who own the Alpine team added that it is a big moment for a French team to secure the services of two of France’s top drivers.

    “We are proud to present an all-French driver line-up from 2023,” he said. “Our roots are in France, and Alpine was born in Normandy, so this is a serendipity of sorts.

    “Both will drive the team and the group forward and, I hope, we can become a symbol of pride for France.”

    Source: Livescore

     

  • F1 title in sight as Verstappen claims Suzuka pole, pending investigation

    Max Verstappen was delighted as he boosted his chances of sealing the Formula One World Championship this weekend after taking pole at the Japanese Grand Prix, although he will await the result of a stewards’ investigation.

    The Red Bull driver claimed his fifth pole of the season after edging out Charles Leclerc by just 0.010 seconds, while the latter’s Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz completed the top three.

    Stewards will be investigating an incident involving Verstappen and Lando Norris during the early stages of Q3, with the McLaren driver forced onto the grass to avoid contact on the slow lap after the reigning world champion darted left under acceleration at the exit of 130R.

    The Dutchman’s time of 1:29.304s eventually proved enough as he increased his chances of wrapping up a second successive title this weekend in Suzuka, where F1 returns for the first time since 2019.

    Leclerc and Sainz fell narrowly short in their quests to surpass Verstappen, who revealed his excitement at being back in Japan.

    “It was pretty incredible to drive here again, especially in qualifying when you are on low fuel – these cars really come alive through the first sector,” Verstappen said.

    “Of course, [I’m] very happy to be on pole, but also in general just super happy to be back here.

    “It will be interesting first of all to see [what happens with] the weather [on race day]. Some say it will be dry, some say it will be raining at some point during the race. I’m quite confident we have a good car, so [I’m] excited for tomorrow.”

    Leclerc added: “It’s a very tricky lap round here. If you are fast in the first sector, you miss out in the final sector. It’s so close with everyone, so we’ll try to have a good race from there.”

    PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION

    1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1:29.304
    2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.010s
    3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.057s
    4. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +0.405s
    5. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) +0.861s
    6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.957s
    7. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) +1.018s
    8. George Russell (Mercedes) +1.085s
    9. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) +1.250s
    10. Lando Norris (McLaren Mercedes) +1.699s

    Source: Livescore

  • What if Black Sherif’s album does better than mine – Shatta Wale to critics

    Ghanaian Dancehall Musician, Shatta Wale has responded to critics who believe his yet-to-be-released album titled “Gift of God” will not leave up to the expectations compared to the latest album of fellow musician Black Sherif.

    He said he does not care if his album does not catch up with the trends Black Sherif’s debut album has reached as presumed by the public.

    On Thursday, October 6, 2022, ‘Kwaku the Traveller’ hitmaker, Black Sherif released his debut album entitled “The villain I Never Was” and got the entire country talking.

    Most music lovers have since commended him for his fast rise in the entertainment industry and the work he has done on the album.

    Fast forward, former Artiste manager, of Shatta Wale, Lawrence Asiamah Hanson, popularly known as Bullgod, indicated Sarkodie and Shatta Wale’s upcoming albums cannot compete with Black Sherif’s.

    Bullgod who commented in an interview with Doreen Avio on Daybreak Hitz, on Accra-based Hitz FM, opined that both Sarkodie and Shatta Wale are handicapped when it comes to reaching a wider audience, unlike Black Sherif.

    “I woke up this morning and I was like wow; this month of October is a serious month because we have three of our artists releasing. Black Sherif just released his album.

    “Sarkodie will be releasing his albums in a few days and Shatta wale will release. Now listen, from the top of my head I said Black Sherif will do better than all of them,” Bulldog said in the interview.

    The reasons, he mentioned they are not signed unto any distribution companies like EMPIRE.

    Reacting to the comment from his former manager and the growing critics from the many Ghanaians, the ‘On God’ crooner said such comparisons are needless.

    According to Shatta Wale, should his fellow’s album do better than his, it projects Ghana’s name for good.

    “Eeerrrhhh if Blacko’s album will do better than us kwraaa, we like and we hear… at the end of the day Ghana wins” and added that the music business they are all doing is about “money matter,” he posted on Facebook.

    The firebrand musician further described those critics as “foolish people” and advised them to “find something to do” and make money in their own way” than engaging in what he said was “nonsense.”

    Source: Angelonline.com

  • QPR 2-1 Reading: Dykes brace lifts Hoops to third

    Lyndon Dykes’ late penalty gave QPR a 2-1 victory over Reading and moved them up to third in the Championship table.

    Reading, who started the night in third place and would have gone top had they won, went ahead at Loftus Road through Andy Carroll’s penalty.

    But Dykes, on his 27th birthday, equalised with his first goal in 11 matches and then, with six minutes remaining, he netted from the spot to give the Rs a third consecutive win and take them level on points with leaders Sheffield United, who play on Saturday.

    Carroll opened the scoring on the half-hour mark after Lucas Joao had been clipped by Tim Iroegbunam near the edge of the area – the veteran striker’s first goal for Reading since rejoining the club last month.

    It came after Rangers had been denied what looked like an obvious penalty of their own.

    Ilias Chair’s cross was headed back towards goal by Iroegbunam and defender Sam Hutchinson clearly used his arm to divert the ball out for a corner.

    QPR, without injured talisman Chris Willock, caused Reading problems early on, with Tyler Roberts’ strike bringing a save from Joe Lumley as the visitors struggled to get out of their own half.

    Rangers’ night took a turn for the worse when right-back Ethan Laird, outstanding since arriving on loan from Manchester United, went off with a hamstring injury shortly before Reading went ahead against the run of play.

    But Michael Beale’s side hit back slightly less than three minutes after falling behind.

    Laird’s replacement, Osman Kakay, did superbly on the right and his cross was met at the near post by Dykes, who sent a diving header beyond former QPR keeper Lumley and into the far corner of the net.

    Reading had much more of the ball in the second half, but Lumley twice prevented them from falling behind.

    Roberts missed a great chance when his header from Chair’s cross was saved at point-blank range by Lumley, who also did well to keep out a strike from Chair as Rangers pushed for a second goal.

    And that goal arrived when Dykes slotted home after Rangers were awarded a penalty – their first of the season – following Mamadou Loum’s needless foul on Iroegbunam.

    QPR keeper Seny Dieng ensured his team took the points by tipping away Tom Ince’s last-minute free-kick.

    Source: Livescore

     

     

  • Andre Ayew is not my friend – Asamoah Gyan opens up

    Former Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan has opened up on his relationship with Andre Ayew, saying the Al Sadd forward is not his friend.

    The pair have featured for the national team for the past decade.

    They both played in the 2010 and 2014 World Cup in South Africa and Brazil respectively.

    However, the relationship got soar when Gyan’s captaincy was stripped off and handed over to Ayew ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations [AFCON] in Egypt.

    Speaking in an interview, Gyan has reiterated that Ayew is not a friend of his but they get along well despite not having spoken since the last time he played for the Black Stars.

    “Andre (Ayew) is not my friend but a teammate, I have my friends that we vibe and all that,” he told Kumasi based Wontumi Radio/TV.

    “I must confess that I have a good relationship with him, we sometimes talk about boxing matches but he is not my close friend. We have not talked to each other since my absence from the Black Stars”, Gyan added.

    Asamoah Gyan last featured for Ghana at the 2019 AFCON where the Black Stars were eliminated from the knockout stage of the tournament.

    He has been unattached since leaving Ghana Premier League side Legon Cities after the 2020/21 league season.

    Source: Football Ghana

  • BTS: K-pop band should be conscripted to ensure fairness, South Korean military says

    South Korea’s military has said it is “desirable” for the K-pop supergroup BTS to be conscripted to ensure fairness.

    The nation is split over whether the boy band should be exempt from mandatory service in a country where all able-bodied men must perform between 18 and 21 months of military service.

    However, exemptions are made for athletes, classical and traditional musicians and dancers who have won top prizes in competitions which boost the prestige of the country.

    The parliament in Seoul passed a bill to allow global K-pop stars such as BTS to move the upper age for national service to 30.

    But this means BTS’ eldest member, Jin, could face being called up next year because his 30th birthday is in December.

    On Friday, the commissioner of the military manpower administration, Lee Ki Sik, told MPs it was “desirable” for BTS members to fulfil their military duties.

    Earlier this week, defence minister Lee Jong-Sup ordered officials to examine whether a public survey is needed to make the decision. The culture minister Park Bo Gyoon said that his ministry would finalise its position soon.

    But the Ministry of National Defence has rejected the idea of a survey.

    According to the South Korean publication SBS, the ministry said in an official statement: “The Ministry of National Defence will not arrange a public poll on the matter, nor make decisions on the issue of BTS’ military service solely based on the result of the poll.”

    BTS member Jin faces conscription after he turns 30 in December Pic: AP
    Image: BTS member Jin faces conscription after his 30th birthday in December. Pic: AP

    One recent survey found that 61% of respondents supported exemptions for entertainers.

    But 54% of people questioned for another poll said BTS should serve in the military.

    In August, Mr Lee said if BTS members sign up for service they are likely to be allowed to continue practising and join the rest of the group on overseas tours.

    People who are exempted will be released from the military after three weeks of basic training and must complete 544 hours of voluntary work.

    Source: Skynews

  • England’s Lionesses show they could be the team to beat in 2023

    Manager Sarina Wiegman said England “don’t win a World Cup now” just because they defeated the United States – but their victory at Wembley suggests they could be the team to beat next summer.

    The USA have won back-to-back World Cups and have long held the edge over England on the big stage.

    But as European champions brimming with confidence, England showed on Friday they are right up there with the best with only 10 months to go until the 2023 World Cup.

    The result extends England’s unbeaten run to 23 games under Wiegman – winning 15 of them in a row – and was their first victory against the USA since 2017.

    It also ended the USA’s unbeaten run – they had won 18 and drawn three of their last 21 matches in all competitions, winning 13 consecutive games prior to Friday’s defeat.

    England were fortunate on occasions as the USA had a goal disallowed, a penalty award overturned and a spot-kick given against them following VAR reviews.

    But it was the manner in which England imposed themselves on the USA which proved they have come a long way since the two teams last met in 2020.

    “I think the USA will be looking at us and thinking ‘wow, that’s how you play in possession’,” former England midfielder Karen Carney told ITV.

    “In my career, we never really had that. We were always looking at the USA and were scared of them. But [on Friday] they came on our home soil and saw us play them off the park at times.”

    England have an “aura” about them now, added Carney, and Wiegman believes confidence has grown during her time in charge – helped by their success at Euro 2022.

    This match against the USA may only have been a friendly but it comes 10 months out from the World Cup and will help to build momentum.

    “It was a good measure. It’s good to have a test against the USA as they have won so many things over so many years. But it’s now October and not July yet,” said Wiegman.

    Asked if England’s unbeaten run has given them belief they can beat anyone in the world, Wiegman added: “We have proved to ourselves that we can do it. In the Euros we showed we could beat anyone.

    “It’s a thin line between winning and losing but we could bring on something that could win against the best opponents and that’s what we showed again [against the USA].”

    Sarina Wiegman and the England squad
    England have still not lost a game under manager Sarina Wiegman and have won 15 matches in a row

    It was a victory earned without injured striker Alessia Russo and captain Leah Williamson, though the USA were also missing key players and are in a transition period with several younger stars coming through.

    Wiegman wanted her side to control the ball and create chances which they managed to do for large periods.

    The USA were also a threat and there were nervous moments in the game for England, who were put under pressure in a frantic and explosive encounter.

    Wiegman, usually so relaxed, joked she was “not calm at all” when midfielder Keira Walsh kept the ball inside her own area at one point before passing it back to goalkeeper Mary Earps to hastily clear.

    “She loves to play out but I would have preferred her to do it a little higher up the pitch!” Wiegman added.

    But former England defender Stephen Warnock believes the hosts showed enough quality and nerve to prove they can compete with the best.

    “We brought to Wembley the most successful international team to challenge them. It showed the standard of the [women’s] game,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

    “This USA team will compete at the highest level at the World Cup and this shows what England under Sarina Wiegman can achieve.”

    There is still a long way to go until next summer’s World Cup though, and Wiegman is keen to stay grounded.

    When asked if England can be considered the best team in the world right now, she said: “You are the best team in the world when you have won the World Cup. We didn’t.”

    Meanwhile, USA boss Vlatko Andonovski “absolutely believes” England are contenders to win next year’s tournament, though he hopes his side will be the team to stop them.

    “They have an incredible squad and they showed once again they are very good,” he added.

    “If you give them space, they have players who can make a difference. They have an incredible coach and I wouldn’t mind facing them again in the final!”

    Source: BBC

  • Trust Otto Addo and his technical team – GFA Technical Director Bernard Lippert

    Technical Director at the Ghana Football Association [GFA], Bernard Lippert, has called on Ghanaians to support and believe in the Black Stars technical team led by Otto Addo, ahead of Qatar 2022.

    The playing body have come under scrutiny following September’s international friendly games against Brazil and Nicaragua.

    The Stars were brushed aside by a dominant Brazil by 3-0 at the Stade Oceane in Le Havre, France before recording a narrow win over the Central American side in Lorca, Spain four days later.

    Despite the mixed results, Lippert has asked to back the Black Stars technical team ahead of the Mundial scheduled to kick off on November 20.

    “Be patient because we integrated eight new players. They had to find each other. It was a friendly game without preparations. So, be patient. Trust the coaches,” Lippert remarked.

    The Black Stars have been paired with Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay at the World Cup in Group H in what potentially could be a very difficult start to the tournament.

    Ghana will be making her fourth appearance at the global tournament after participating in the 2006, 2010, and 2014 editions.

    Source: FootballGhana

  • Viola Davis on pushing for bold roles and The Woman King being her ‘magnus opus’

    Her latest film is the true story of a fierce group of female warriors who protected a West African Kingdom in the 1800s, given the Hollywood treatment.

    And like her latest character, Viola Davis has told Sky News she’s had to fight in order to succeed.

    “If I waited for the sort of roles that come to me, then I would be coasting on two days here, one day here, pushing a paper, playing an obligatory lawyer that has a name that nobody ever uses,” she said.

    “You know, I would be relegated to those sorts of stereotypical roles.

    “But because I’m in the body of a 57-year-old, dark skinned black woman with big lips and wide nose, I have had to push the button – if I don’t, I will never be the artist that I’ve always dreamed I could be.”

    Only just out in cinemas here, The Woman King is already off to a very solid start at the international box office, but it wasn’t easy to get a movie about black women past those who control the purse strings.

    The drama was first conceived back in 2015 and was only green-lit five years later in 2020.

    Davis said it’s hard to do something new in Hollywood, but she never doubted that this film should be made.

    “[A film about black women] is probably is not appealing because it hasn’t been done before, and so when it hasn’t been done before, there’s nothing tried or true, nothing to sort of pave the way to ensure them that they’re going to get their money back,” she explained.

    “I think that [black women] usually have not led a global box office, especially in a film of this scope, this magnitude.”

    “It’s not a mystery to me, I feel like we always were capable of doing this, I don’t see myself as having any parameters and barriers in my life, I’ve always seen myself as leading a global box office, I’ve seen [co-stars] Thuso, Sheila, Lashana, any of us being capable of doing that – it was just a matter of convincing the studios.”

    Cast of The Woman King. Pic: Sony Pictures

    Image:Cast of The Woman King. Pic: Sony Pictures
    Viola Davis. Pic: Sony Pictures
    Image:Viola Davis. Pic: Sony Pictures

    Four years since Black Panther – with its all black cast – smashed the box office, and even as Viola Davis holds the title as the most Oscar-nominated black actress, representation is still an issue in Hollywood, with only six black directors ever nominated for an Academy Award.

    But the star is among those leading progress – she’s known for carefully choosing her projects, which include the August Wilson adaptations Fences and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – to give a voice to little known stories of black history.

    The Woman King is her latest effort to reframe the past through a lens it’s rarely been seen through before.

    Something which her co-star in the film, Thuso Mbedu, appreciates.

    “I’m from South Africa originally, and I’d never heard of this,” she said about the real warrior women The Woman King is based on.

    “You know, history has never been on our side, we’ve never been documented in ways that would be appealing to us.”

    Davis had referred to The Woman King as her magnum opus, and by proving to the industry – and the world – that films about black women can attract cinema audiences, she has likely cemented herself as Hollywood royalty.

    Source: Skynews

  • Coachella files copyright infringement lawsuit against Afrochella

    Goldenvoice, The Concert, giant behind Coachella, has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the organizers of Afrochella, a Ghanaian music festival specializing in Afrobeats music.

    The lawsuit, filed Wednesday at a California district court and obtained by Rolling Stone, comes three years after AEG (which owns Goldenvoice) issued a warning to the Afrochella festival about infringing on the festival’s trademark.

    “We understand that you are using Afrochella as the name of a music and arts festival. We note that your event is part of a larger celebration that is designed to attract those living abroad (including those in the United States) to return home to Africa,” AEG wrote to Afrochella organizers in 2019.

    “Regardless of the celebration or event, your use of Afrochella as the name of a music and arts festival is highly likely to create a likelihood of confusion and mistake as to the affiliation, connection, or association of you with AEG and with Coachella. In particular, the public is likely to believe that you are authorized by, or affiliated with, AEG or Coachella. In fact you have even admitted that your event name and your event were inspired by Coachella. Similarly, comments to own your own Facebook page comment that your festival name is merely trading on the goodwill of the Coachella mark.”

    Despite that initial warning, and following a pandemic-postponed fest in 2020, Afrochella returned to Accra, Ghana in 2021 and 2022. However, with the festival set to expand to South Africa later this month and organizers hosting offshoot U.S. events, Goldenvoice filed a lawsuit to further protect what they claim is ownership of all things “-chella.”

    In addition to the similarly named festivals, Goldenvoice claims in their lawsuit that Afrochella organizers even attempted to patent both “Coachella” and “Chella” in Ghana, and noted that the “Chella” portion of their Afrochella logo uses a nearly identical font as Coachella does.

    “Not simply content to imitate and attempt to trade on the goodwill of Chella and Coachella, Defendants even went so far as to apply in Ghana to register Coachella and Chella as their own trademarks, using the exact same stylization as Plaintiffs’ registered Coachella (stylized) mark,” the lawsuit states.

    The organizers of Afrochella have also “expanded their infringing conduct into the United States by promoting, presenting, and/or sponsoring at least seven different music events using the mark Afrochella’ in the Los Angeles area, and have refused to curtail their infringing use of Plaintiff’s registered marks, necessitating the filing of this federal lawsuit,” the lawsuit continued.

    Goldenvoice also provided social media evidence of how music fans are confusing the two festivals, including a tweet where someone wrote, “Tbh first time I heard the name Afrochella I thought Coachella was trying to enter the African sphere.” The lawsuit also presents evidence, via a tweet, showing that Afrochella organizer Edward Elohim attended the 2018 Coachella and admitted that the Indio, CA fest inspired Afrochella. “A Coachella themed event wasn’t going to be called the Gye Nyame Fest,” Elohim tweeted.

    The lawsuit also noted that the African festival’s website is a North American-based domain, which helps it draw U.S. festivalgoers: “A substantial portion of the revenue generated from the travel tours sold on the website accessible at the afrochella.com domain name are from US-based customers.”

    In addition to an immediate restraining order on the Afrochella name, Goldenvoice is also seeking “damages for trademark and service mark infringement and unfair competition,” as well as $100,000 over claims of cybersquatting domain names.

    The organizers of Coachella have previously filed legal action against any unrelated festivals that encroached on their brand, including a 2016 lawsuit against the organizers of underground music festival Hoodchella. In 2021, The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians attempted to host a New Year’s event called Coachella Day One 22, which prompted Goldenvoice and AEG to file a restraining order against promoter Live Nation; the tribe itself had sovereign immunity and could not be sued over using the Coachella name.

    Reps for Afrochella did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

    Source: Classfmonline

  • Japanese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen pips Charles Leclerc to pole at Suzuka

    Max Verstappen is in the perfect position to clinch a second world title at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday by grabbing pole at Suzuka.

    Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc just missed out on beating Verstappen’s earlier time with his final lap but the Red Bull driver held on by 0.01 seconds.

    Verstappen made an error on his own final lap, running wide at Turn Two and losing some bodywork but held on.

    Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took third ahead of the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez.

    Verstappen will become champion if he wins the race with fastest lap, regardless of the results of Leclerc and Perez.

    A win without fastest lap for the Dutchman would require Leclerc to be lower than second for Verstappen to put the title to bed.

    Verstappen also faces an investigation by the stewards following a scary moment with McLaren’s Lando Norris during the final session.

    Verstappen almost lost control of his car on the exit of the flat-out 130R while on a slow lap and trying to get out of Norris’ way. And when the Red Bull snapped sideways, Norris had to take to the grass to avoid him.

    “I was driving quite slow and tried to accelerate,” Verstappen said, “but my tyres were quite cold so I had a snap.”

    For his part, Norris saw the incident very differently, insisting it was “quite clear” Verstappen had tried to defend his position on track.

    “People always overtake before the last corner – as much as everyone always agrees to it. Everyone always does it. It doesn’t matter, he probably would’ve done the same in my situation, but I wouldn’t have swerved at him if I was in his situation,” he told Sky Sports.

    Asked if he would expect penalty if he was in Verstappen’s situation, Norris said: “Oh yeah, for sure.”

    Despite concerns over the investigation, Verstappen said he had enjoyed F1’s return to the fabled Suzuka track for the first time since 2019, after a break because of the pandemic.

    “It was incredible to drive here again,” Verstappen said. “These cars really come alive in the first sector.

    “I lost a part of the [floor] duct in the second lap, which is why I couldn’t improve, but the first lap was enough.”

    It was Verstappen’s first pole for three races and his fifth of the season. He will be bidding for his 12th win of the year on Sunday, which would be one short of the record for a season held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.

    Alpine’s Esteban Ocon grabbed fifth place with his final lap, jumping ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes and the Frenchman’s team-mate Fernando Alonso.

    George Russell in the second Mercedes was eighth, followed by an impressive ninth from Sebastian Vettel in the Aston Martin on his final appearance at his favourite track and Lando Norris’ McLaren completing the top 10.

    Progress for Alpine; difficulties for Mercedes

    Esteban Ocon
    Esteban Ocon continued Alpine’s strong weekend with fifth place on the grid

    The Alpine was upgraded with a new floor in Singapore last weekend. The team were optimistic that it was a significant step forward but Alonso said it would be this race in Japan before its true potential would show.

    On that basis, Alpine have reason to be happy – the car has looked quick all weekend, and Alonso was faster than Red Bull’s Perez for much of qualifying before dropping down the order a little in the final session, and allowing Ocon to end up the faster of the two drivers with an excellent lap from the Frenchman.

    Mercedes suffered for the high drag levels of their car and Hamilton and Russell said they were losing in the region of 0.6-0.8secs on the straights to the front-runners

    “The car felt really good today,” Hamilton said. “I was really happy with the balance, just slow on the straight.

    “We’ve had a really draggy car all year. We are losing at least 0.6secs on the straights compared to the other guys but through the corners it was still a fun lap to drive.”

    Russell added: “We’re losing a huge amount of lap time on the straights compared to our rivals.

    “This is the first circuit that has long straights but also has high downforce. Normally the circuits with the long straights – Spa, Monza, even Silverstone – you run low downforce, and the high-downforce circuits have short straights and you don’t really see that defect in the straight-line speeds. That weakness has truly been exposed here.”

    It was an emotional session for Vettel, who is having his last race on a track he loves and where he has won four times, after his decision to retire at the end of the season.

    He said in Japanese over the radio: “Arigato gozaimasu, Suzuka,” which translates as thank you very much, as he returned to the pits.

  • Seven dead in petrol station blast in Donegal

    Seven people have now been confirmed dead following an explosion at a petrol station in Donegal.

    A further eight people are being treated in hospital for their injuries as a major search by emergency workers from both sides of the Irish border continues of the devastated site in the village of Creeslough.

    The blast on Friday afternoon ripped through the Applegreen service station and convenience store causing widespread damage, including to surrounding buildings and cars.

    Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin has described it as the “darkest of days” for Donegal and Ireland.

    Sniffer dogs are being used in the rescue operation and at one point on Friday night all machinery was turned off and onlookers were asked to remain completely silent as workers attempted to detect survivors beneath the debris.

    Having announced three fatalities on Friday night, Irish police confirmed a further four deaths in a statement on Saturday morning.

    The force said a search and recovery operation for “further fatalities” was continuing.

    No indication has been given on the suspected cause of the explosion.

    Mr Martin said: “My thoughts and prayers are today with those who have lost their lives, and those injured in the devastating explosion in Creeslough.

    “I wish to express my deepest sympathies to their family, and friends, and to the entire community of Creeslough, on this darkest of days for Donegal and the entire country.

    “People across this island will be numbed by the same sense of shock and utter devastation as the people of Creeslough at this tragic loss of life.

    “I would like to thank all the members of the emergency services, from across the North-West and Northern Ireland, who responded so quickly to the scene, and who are working throughout the night in extremely traumatic circumstances.”

    Councillor John O’Donnell told Sky News: “This is very, very hard here in a small rural village.

    “Everybody’s completely numb here – we’re just all in shock.”

    Local priest John Joe Duffy said: “We’re just broken-hearted, everyone is broken-hearted, we’re lost for words.

    “What I’m appealing for is for the prayers of the people across this county and across the country, to pray for us, to help us and to give us strength to get through these difficult hours and difficult days that may lay ahead.”

    Donegal MP Joe McHugh said friends and families of people feared missing were going through a very difficult waiting period.

    “We’re just waiting here, my sympathies and thoughts are with a lot of families here and their friends and loved ones, there is a very difficult waiting period now,” he said.

    Applegreen Ireland directing manager Fiona Matthews said the company was “deeply saddened and shocked to learn the devastating news that lives have been lost in today’s tragic incident”.

    “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the deceased, those who have been injured, and the wider Creeslough community,” she said.

    “Creeslough is a small village and the supermarket and Applegreen outlet operated by our local partners there are at the heart of the community.

    “Like the rest of Ireland, tonight we stand in solidarity with that community.”

    Source: Skynews

  • Kylian Mbappe beats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to top Forbes rich list

    Kylian Mbappe has topped the Forbes list for highest-earning footballers – the first time someone other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has been number one for nine years.

    Forbes estimate Paris St-Germain forward Mbappe, 23, will earn $128m (£115.2m) this season.

    Mbappe’s PSG team-mate Messi is second on $120m (£108m) and Manchester United forward Ronaldo third on $100m (£90m).

    Neymar and Mohamed Salah complete the top five.

    PSG and Brazil striker Neymar will earn an estimated $87m (£78.4m) in 2022-23 and Liverpool forward Salah $53m (£47.7m).

    The last player to top the list other than Ronaldo or Messi was former England captain David Beckham in 2013.

    Mbappe signed a lucrative new three-year contract with PSG in May, which ended speculation about a summer move to Real Madrid.

    The France World Cup winner has lifted 11 trophies at the club, including four Ligue 1 titles, since joining from Monaco initially on loan in 2017.

    Erling Haaland, who has scored 19 goals in 12 games for Manchester City since his summer move from Borussia Dortmund, makes his debut in the top 10 at number six.

    The Norway striker is one of four Premier League players in the top 10 along with Ronaldo, Salah and Manchester City team-mate Kevin de Bruyne.

    Haaland and Mbappe are the only players on the list aged under 30.

    Forbes’ list of highest-paid footballers 2022
    Kylian Mbappe PSG and France $128m (£115.2m)
    Lionel Messi PSG and Argentina $120m (£108m)
    Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United and Portugal $100m (£90m)
    Neymar PSG and Brazil $87m (£78.4m)
    Mohamed Salah Liverpool and Egypt $53m (£47.7m)
    Erling Haaland Manchester City and Norway $39m (£35.1m)
    Robert Lewandowski Barcelona and Poland $35m (31.5m)
    Eden Hazard Real Madrid and Belgium $31m (£27.9m)
    Andres Iniesta Vissel Kobe and Spain $30m (£27m)
    Kevin de Bruyne Manchester City and Belgium $29m (26.1m)

    Source: BBC

  • GRA locks up popular event center ‘Underbridge’

    Popular event center ‘Underbridge’ at East Legon in the Greater Accra region has been locked up by enforcement team of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

    The action follows the inability of managers of the facility to register and issue Value Added Tax (VAT) receipt to its customers.

    The GRA has for some time now been descending on businesses evading or under-declaring taxes.

    Accra Area Enforcement Manager at the Ghana Revenue Authority, Joseph Annan, interacting with Joy Business before the action explained that ‘Underbridge’ has not been complying with the tax law, hence the need for the distress action.

    GRA locks up popular event center ‘Underbridge’

    “They have not registered for VAT as a business and this is an offence. So we have no option than to lock up the place until they register and pay the penalties that will be slapped on them”.

    “They know that as a business you must register with the GRA and pay your taxes accordingly”, he added.

    The team moved next to the Tema Industrial area where numerous cold store businesses have been operating with fake VAT invoices.

    About four coldstores were locked up and the managers were arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department officials attached to the exercise.

    At Tema Community 9, Chief Executive of Joshnartey Ventures, Joseph Nartey was arrested for issuing fake VAT invoices.

    Source: MyJoyOnline.com

  • IMF team concludes visit to Ghana

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) team has concluded its discussions with government on policies and reforms that could be supported by a fund lending arrangement.

    The team, led by by Stéphane Roudet, Mission Chief for Ghana, arrived in Accra on September 26, 2022.

    In an earlier press statement, the IMF team said the visit will include engagements with other stakeholders such as the Bank of Ghana, Parliament, business associations and civil society groups.

    IMF officials conclude visit to Ghana
    Stéphane Roudet, Mission Chief for Ghana

    At the conclusion of the latest visit, Mr. Roudet in a statement said, “key areas of focus included ensuring public finance sustainability while protecting the vulnerable, bolstering the credibility of monetary and exchange rate policies to reduce inflation and rebuild external buffers, preserving financial sector stability, and steps to encourage private investment and growth, including by improving governance, transparency, and public sector efficiency.”

    According to him, “The team will return to Washington, D.C. to advance its technical work. This includes making further progress on assessing Ghana’s debt sustainability. The discussions with the authorities will also continue in the weeks ahead, including during the upcoming Annual Meetings that will be convened at IMF headquarters.”

    Ghana is looking at a sustainable debt path, which is one of the requirements for an IMF programme. 

    The IMF/World Bank and the government are undertaking a debt sustainability analysis (DSA) to inform the programme negotiations. 

    This means that a conclusion has not been drawn on the framework of any debt operations.

    From January to July this year, Ghana’s overall fiscal deficit amounted to GH¢31.1 billion, which is 5.3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    As of August, the country’s inflation stood at an all-time high of 33.9%. The Ghana cedi has depreciated by 37.1% against the US dollar as of September 27th, 2022.

    Also, the Fund and the government are now reviewing the country’s medium-term macro-fiscal framework. This is looking at a three-year expenditure plan which sets out the medium-term expenditure priorities and budget constraints, as well as focuses on sectors that need to be developed and refined.

    According to the Finance Minister, both factions are discussing policy measures and structural reforms proposed in the economic programme aimed at “addressing the economic challenges facing the country towards restoring and sustaining macroeconomic stability, fiscal and debt sustainability, as well as promoting durable and inclusive growth and social protection.”

    As government irons out issues with the Fund, the Finance Ministry has announced that it will set up a 5-member committee which will consist of prominent financial service professionals to engage key stakeholders in the financial services sector, in addition to ongoing engagements with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), social partners (labour unions, employers, and FBOs), academia, industry professionals, and the leadership of Parliament.

    The list of members of the committee will be released in the coming days, the Finance Minister has assured.

    Government has made it known that it seeks to be transparent in its engagement with the IMF, therefore, the Finance Ministry is contemplating a weekly report.

  • Zambia MP suspended over ‘pubic hair’ comments

    A lawmaker in Zambia has been suspended from parliament for a month after saying MPs were adults “who shaved their pubic hair”.

    Cutting pubic hair for adults is a custom in Zambia, as people with uncut public hair are considered unhygienic. However, talking about cutting the hair in public is considered inappropriate.

    Munir Zulu was on Wednesday incensed after Jamba Machila from the governing United Party for National Development party referred to him as a “young man” during a parliamentary debate about the abolition of district commissioners.

    “Everyone of us here shaves their pubic hair… we are elders.”

    The remarks drew sharp reactions from other lawmakers who called speaker Nellie Mutti to compel Mr Zulu to withdraw the statement.

    The MPs said they felt insulted.

    In the ensuing heckling, an MP was heard referring to Mr Zulu as a “rat”.

    Mr Zulu later told the BBC he saw no offence in using the phrase “pubic hair” because it was used in a metaphorical way to describe adults.

    He says he has been given the chance to prove that he did no wrong “but before this matter could go to the privileges committee as per procedure, I have been suspended,” he said.

    “This suspension is petty, vindictive and unprecedented,” he continued.

    “What kind of parliament are we having where I can be referred to as a rat and nothing is done yet I am asked [about] my pubic hair remarks?”

    Mr Zulu, who is Muslim, is not new to controversy. He has previously been barred from parliament for wearing a thobe – an ankle-length garment that is often worn in the Middle East and North Africa.

    Source: BBC

  • Ten million East African children hit by malnutrition – report

    A new report says more than 10 million children across East Africa are suffering from malnutrition, and more than 300,000 people are at risk of dying from hunger.

    The study, commissioned by the regional bloc, Igad, warned the food crisis would get worse if rains failed for a fifth year running.

    Igad executive director Workneh Gebeyehu added that conflict across the region had disrupted food production, worsening the crisis further.

    He also appealed for help from the international community as East Africa experiences its longest dry spell in 40 years, and fourth drought in a decade.

    Source: BBC

  • ‘My own love life has taken me around the world ‘ – CKay

    CKay’s Love Nwantiti may prove to be the most successful Afrobeats song ever. It has been a global sensation with over a billion streams on Spotify alone.

    He told the BBC’s DJ Edu that his first studio album, Sad Romance, is all about his love life: “Literally me writing a song about my own love life has taken me around the world and that’s a testament to how much impact real things can have on the world – real emotions, real art, real music – so basically I always choose to count on that.”

    “Love in real life is not always perfect, it’s not always spick and span, it can be very imperfect, very toxic, very not nice too, so I just wanted to tell the story as it was, not sugar-coat it,” he continued.

    CKay, whose real name is Chukwuka Ekweani, has spent the year on a gruelling world tour, barely spending more than five days at a time at home in Nigeria, and, he tells me, often craving Nigerian food.

    Somehow, he has found time to put together his first studio album. It is, not surprisingly, full of delicious love songs inspired by CKay’s own romances and through which he attempts to build a more nuanced picture, including the highs and lows.

    When asked about the women who have inspired the songs, CKay says he has not heard from them, but those who the songs are about know it.

    Source: BBC

  • British actress takes Vogue America to Ghana

    British actress Michaela Coel has taken her American Vogue cover to the streets of Accra.

    Coel, who has been cast in Marvel’s blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is Vogue’s November cover star – and she chose to have the photoshoot in her ancestral home, Ghana, alongside her father, Derek Kwesi Coel, and grandmother Jemima Andam.

    She was photographed by Senegalese-Italian model Malick Bodian.

    “They asked me where I’d like to shoot it and I though to myself ‘shoot for the stars aim for the moon’, and I said ‘Ghana’, and they were like ‘sure’.”

    Speaking to Vogue about a previous visit to Ghana in 2018, Coel said: “I’d been to Africa before – Kenya and Uganda – but when I came here, I was really seeing people who looked like me.”

    “I remember looking at all the kids playing, and it hit me, like, Wow, this could’ve been me and I think I would have really enjoyed that,” she continued.

    “Yes, there are a lot of sad things, poverty, unemployment, struggle. There’s also a lot of peace, friendliness. There’s a lack of anxiety.”

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine)

    In her Vogue interview Coel also spoke about her upcoming role in Black Panther where her character falls in love with her warrior colleague, played by Florence Kasumba.

    “That sold me on the role, the fact that my character’s queer,” Coel said. “I thought: I like that, I want to show that to Ghana.”

    Coel was born and raised in East London after her parents emigrated from Ghana. She is most famous for writing, directing and starring in the comedy-drama series I May Destroy You.

    Source: BBC

  • Ukraine war: World must act now to stop Russia, says Zelensky

    Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for pre-emptive sanctions to be imposed on Russia, saying the country’s officials have begun to “prepare their society” for the possible use of nuclear weapons in the war.

    In an interview with the BBC, President Zelensky denied having urged strikes on Russia, claiming that an earlier remark had been mistranslated.

    “You must use preventive kicks,” he said, referring to sanctions, “not attacks”.

    In recent weeks, the Ukrainian army has recaptured large swathes of territory in a successful counter-offensive that has forced Russian troops to abandon long-held positions. In what Kyiv describes as Moscow’s response to its defeats, President Vladimir Putin has incorporated four partially occupied regions of Ukraine.

    The annexations, widely dismissed as illegal, have raised fears of a possible escalation in the seven-month war. President Putin and other senior Russian officials have suggested that nuclear weapons – possibly smaller, tactical weapons – could be used to defend those areas, although Western officials say there has been no evidence Moscow is prepared to do so.

    Ukraine's President Zelensky (L) with the BBC's John Simpson
    Ukraine’s president told the BBC’s John Simpson that Russia’s threats were a “risk for the whole planet”

    Speaking in English at the presidential palace in Kyiv, President Zelensky said: “They begin to prepare their society. That’s very dangerous.

    “They are not ready to do it, to use it. But they begin to communicate. They don’t know whether they’ll use or not use it. I think it’s dangerous to even speak about it.”

    He denied having called for strikes on Russia during an online event on Thursday, saying the word he had used in Ukrainian had been misunderstood.

    The initial comment was denounced by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as “an appeal to start yet another world war”, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it demonstrated why Russia was right to launch its operation in Ukraine.

    “After that translation,” President Zelensky said, “they [the Russians] did their way, how it’s useful for them, and began to retranslate it in other directions.”

    The interview happened hours after US President Joe Biden said that the Russian threat to use nuclear weapons had brought the world closer to “Armageddon” than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis during the Cold War.

    President Zelensky said action was needed now, as Russia’s threats were a “risk for the whole planet”. Moscow, he claimed, had “made a step already” by occupying the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest nuclear station which President Putin is trying to turn into Russian property.

    “The world can stop urgently the actions of Russian occupiers,” President Zelensky said. “The world can implement the sanction package in such cases and do everything to make them leave the nuclear power plant.”

    Map showing areas of Russian military control in Ukraine
    1px transparent line

    Empowered by sophisticated Western-supplied weapons, the Ukrainian army has made significant advances in the east and the south, reclaiming towns and villages even in areas the Kremlin claims are now part of Russia. The setbacks, a major embarrassment for President Putin, have sparked unusual criticism of the country’s military.

    Amid the losses, President Putin announced the mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of reservists, which led to rare anti-war protests in Russia and to a huge exodus of military-age men.

    President Zelensky urged Russians to “fight for your body, rights and soul”, saying: “These mobilised kids now, they come without machine guns, armoured jackets, they are just cannon fodder…. If they don’t want to be kebab… they need to fight [for their lives].

    “All Putin is afraid of is not a nuclear strike. He’s afraid of his society, of his people.

    “Because only this people can replace him, strip him of his power and give it to another person.”

    Source: BBC

  • Warriors GM Myers calls fight between Green and Poole ‘unfortunate’

    Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers called Wednesday’s practice fight between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole “unfortunate”.

    Initially reported by The Athletic, Wednesday’s session turned heated and led to the two players becoming involved in an altercation.

    Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes later claimed “league sources” said “there was a build-up stemming from team-mates noticing a change in Poole’s behaviour throughout camp with the guard on the verge of securing a lucrative extension”.

    Speaking to the media on Thursday, Myers said fights in practice will always be a part of highly competitive team sports.

    “Everybody’s fine,” he said. “Look, it’s the NBA, professional sports, these things happen. Nobody likes it. We don’t condone it, but it happened.

    “Draymond apologised to the team this morning, Jordan was there in the room, I was there in the room with the team, the coaches, the players and we heard that.

    “It’s unfortunate, I’m not going to deny it. It’ll take some time to move through, but we’ll move through it and move forward, and I’m confident that we will.

    “We’ve got a good team, we’ve got good leadership, we’ve got some guys that have been here a long time.

    “This isn’t our first thing that’s happened, first sense of adversity; we’ve been through some of this before. Don’t like going through it, but it’s part of the NBA and it’s part of sports.”

    But Myers suggested reports of conflict relating to player contracts were wide of the mark, saying “[it’s not about] who’s getting paid and who isn’t; I don’t sense that”.

    Green was not at practice on Thursday, with Myers adding “space is good” and that time is needed to cool things down.

    Myers finished by saying any potential suspension for Green will be handled internally.

    Poole, 23, is coming off a career-best season in which he became a major asset for the championship-winning Warriors, averaging 17 points per game in the playoffs at over 50 per cent shooting while leading the NBA in free throw percentage (92.5 per cent).

    This upcoming season will be the last of his rookie contract, and he will be expecting an extension similar to that recently awarded to the Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro, in the region of four years and $130million.

    Meanwhile, Green is also in a crucial contract year, as after the season he will have the ability to opt out of the final campaign of his four-year, $99m deal to seek what will likely be the last big extension of his career.

    Source: Livescore