The ruling Zanu-PF party in Zimbabwe is likely to win a big majority in parliament based on the initial results from this week’s elections.
The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has been very powerful in cities like Harare and Bulawayo.
There are reports that some people who were watching the voting are being asked to come back to the voting places to sign new papers with the results. The officials are saying that there are mistakes on the original papers.
The winner of the presidential race has not been announced yet.
The current leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is being challenged by Nelson Chamisa, who lost in a controversial election five years ago.
The opposition claims that there has been a lot of cheating in the voting process this year.
Lawyers representing many election observers who were detained and accused claim the court system is being manipulated to hinder thorough examination of the voting process.
Author: Chris Kodo
-
Early results point Zanu-PF party as majority in Zimbabwe’s parliament
-
Lewis Hamilton responds to dreadful Dutch Grand Prix qualifying results
Sir Lewis Hamilton expressed that he was unable to go any faster during qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix, resulting in a disappointing 13th place position.
The seven-time world champion was knocked out in the second qualifying session. The weather conditions were unpredictable, and this caused some drivers to make mistakes and crash, including Charles Leclerc from Ferrari and Logan Sargeant from Williams.
Hamilton struggled during the race because the track became dry and hot, which made it difficult for him to use his intermediate tires effectively at the Zandvoort circuit.
The Mercedes guy told Sky Sports that he did two quick laps at the end, but his tires got too hot. So, he couldn’t do better on the last lap.
It’s not easy to pass other cars in Zandvoort, and this weekend the cars are all similar in speed, so it will be difficult for the 38-year-old driver to finish with a lot of points.
When asked what car he will use for Sunday’s race, Hamilton said he will use the same car he used for qualifying, but he didn’t think it was very good.
‘It would be good if our car becomes heavier because then we might be able to move forward faster in the race. ‘ Moving ahead on this path is not simple, but I will try my best tomorrow because it’s a fresh start.Max Verstappen, who is currently in the lead of the championship, secured a significant advantage to claim the pole position. However, it is worth noting that the top six drivers are from six different teams, which makes the race very exciting.
British drivers Lando Norris and George Russell finished in second and third place. Surprisingly, Alex Albon managed to bring his Williams car to fourth place, ahead of Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr.
This session was really good. Qualy used to be one of my strong points at the beginning of the year, but lately, it hasn’t been going well. ” Russell said
“It was nice to take a break and now I have new ideas. I feel refreshed and confident that we will have a great chance at getting a top position tomorrow. ”
The lap was okay. We find it difficult when the weather is rainy or when we have to switch to smooth tires. It’s important to warm up the tires in these situations. But we understand that what makes us weak on Saturdays gives us strength on Sundays.
The race is going to be very thrilling. I think Max will go for a drive and say hello to the people on Sunday, but I also hope that we can have a fun competition with Alex, Lando, and everyone else. ” -
12-year-old boy killed as gunfire penetrates home in Florida
This week, a 12-year-old girl lost her life after gunfire entered her Florida home.
Police in Lake City, Florida reported that on Thursday night, they discovered the girl suffering from a gunshot wound.
EMS and police personnel provided first aid, however the girl died as a result of her wounds. She was reportedly on a couch inside the house when shots were fired, according to the police.
No declaration has been made by the police regarding any arrests made in relation to the shooting.They’re asking the public to share any information they have about the person responsible for the shooting.
Columbia County Schools said on Friday that losing a young life is a really hard and sad feeling that not only affects the family but also the whole school community.
Counseling help will be given to students to give them advice and emotional support because they are sad about this very sad thing that happened. We will keep giving information and help to the school community as we go through this sad event together,” the school district said.
This latest shooting shows that gun violence is still hurting children and families everywhere in the country.
This year, over 4,000 kids and teens were shot, according to information from the Gun Violence Archive (GVA). In 2022, a minimum of 6,170 kids and teens were shot, as reported by GVA.
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that in 2021, more children and teenagers died from guns than from car accidents, drug overdoses,or cancer.
Dr[Doctor’sName] said that there is a growing number of children involved in gun violence in hospitals and our communities. Chethan Sathya is a doctor who helps children with serious injuries at a hospital called North well Health in New York. -
Delegates in U/W region vote massively for Bawumia in Super Delegates Conference
Delegates in the Upper West Region massively showed support for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in the New Patriotic Party’s Super Delegates Conference by voting for him.
Dr Bawumia emerged winner in the region by securing 23 out of total votes cast, which was the highest.
Former Trades Minister, Alan Kyerematen came second with 4 votes. Former Agric Minister, Dr Akoto Afriyie came third with 3 votes while Kennedy Agyapong came next with 2 votes.
The rest of the candidates secured zero votes.
-
Spanish FA claim Jenni Hermoso lied about kiss with Luis Rubiales
The Spanish Football Federation says Jenni Hermoso lied when she said she didn’t agree to be kissed by Luis Rubiales after the Women’s World Cup final.
Rubiales was supposed to quit as the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) because of his behavior during Spain’s win over England in the recent final. However, in a strong press conference on Friday, the 46-year-old said he will not leave his position. He believes that he is being unfairly attacked and blamed, referring to it as ‘social murder’ and ‘false feminism’.
In her statement after Rubiales’ speech, Hermoso said: ‘I want to make it clear that I never agreed to the kiss. ‘
I don’t like it when people question what I say, and it’s even worse when they make up things that I never said.
Spain’s players are choosing not to play for their national team until Rubiales is no longer in charge. They have also received a message of encouragement from the Lionesses.
But the Spanish Football Association has now put out a statement accusing Hermoso of wanting to have contact with Rubiales during the World Cup medal ceremony. They have also shared pictures that they believe prove that Rubiales has been telling the truth.The Spanish Football Federation says they know about a statement by the Futpro union about the President of the Federation,Mr. Villar Luis Rubiales spoke during the special meeting of the RFEF.
The union’s note claims to represent Mrs. Jennifer Hermoso said some things, and they are written with quotation marks, suggesting that she said them.
The RFEF wants to let everyone know that they have been trying to reach out to Ms. [Name] to discuss the complaints she filed with them. Jennifer Hermoso has not succeeded at any time.
The RFEF says they will take legal actions to defend their President’s reputation. He clearly explained what happened that caused conflict and made people laugh. The people in society do not support or are against Mr. The leader of a country.
“The note quotes Mrs. Smith as saying I did not agree to the kiss he gave me, and I did not try to make the president notice me, as you can see in the pictures. I don’t like it when people doubt or make up things that I haven’t said.
In a society where laws are followed, as the president has mentioned,people’s opinions are supported by facts and evidence, and false statements are challenged and proven wrong in a legal setting.
The president of the RFEF has shown great respect for the players and institutions. He only decided to speak publicly when a very serious boundary was crossed.
The President’s account of what happened is confirmed in the private documents that have been accessed, and so far,Mrs. Smith has not contradicted it. Jennifer Hermoso has not answered any of the questions asked.
The text is about the first presentation of information by Mr. Smith The things the President says are completely true and he is not lying. We will now start giving proof for what he said,along with pictures.Ms stands for “miz” and is a title used for women, similar to Mr. for men Jennifer Hermoso continues to hold onto Mr. The President has returned. The President puts his arms on the player’s body.
We have confirmed that Mr. X’s statement is true. The president already has much taller shoes.
Ms is a title used for addressing women. Jennifer Hermoso keeps her arms still like the president’s body, while the president needs to move his arms closer to the player’s back because he picked her up and needs to stay balanced.
The slope of Mrs. Johnson’s back is very steep. Jennifer Hermoso’s strength and power when she is doing something is unquestionable.
Mr Johnson, who is an important leader in our society, was walking down the street when he suddenly stumbled and fell. After the accident, he couldn’t move his legs and was in a lot of pain. The player forcefully lifts the President’s feet off the ground.
Mrs is a title used for married women. Jennifer Hermoso is keeping her arms in the same position as the president’s body. The president has to hold on to the players to avoid falling. It is clear that the players’ bending corresponds to Mr. X’s lifting force. Dear President, you are doing a good job.
‘The feet of Mr. Johnson were painful and swollen. The President seems to float in the air because of what the player does.
The proof is very clear. Rewrite this text in simpler words: “Mr. The President did not tell a lie.
The RFEF and Mr. Villar are being investigated for corruption. They are accused of using their positions to benefit financially and of misusing funds. The allegations include fraud, embezzlement, and bribery. The authorities are looking into their actions to determine if they broke the law. The President will show examples of the lies told by someone speaking for the player or, if necessary, by the player themselves.
The RFEF and the President will take legal action because they think the press release from the Futpro Union is very serious.
The RFEF is disappointed that they can’t celebrate the amazing success of the Soccer World Championship as it should be, due to unrelated reasons that have nothing to do with the sport.
‘No matter what, the RFEF always respects the choices of players who want to play or not for the Spanish team in international matches. However, it is noted that all federated individuals are obligated to participate if they are called upon. ’ -
Super Delegates Conference: Bawumia wins big in A/R
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia emerged the Ashanti Region’s preferred candidate in the Super Delegates Conference which took place on August 26, 2023.
Dr Bawumia amassed 97 votes, which made him the winner in the region. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen was the second winner with ten votes, followed by Kennedy Agyapong.
Dr Afriyie Akoto came next with 5 votes while the rest of the candidates all secured zero votes.
-
Bawumia secures solid victory in NPP special delegates election with 629 votes
Provisional results indicates that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is the leading candidate in the ongoing Super Delegates Conference.
According to the results, Dr Bawumia has amassed 66.29% of total ballots cast across the country.
This translates into 629 of 956 votes expected to be cast across the country.
He is closely followed by Kennedy Agyapong (132), Alan Kyerematen (95), Dr Owusu Akoto Afriyie (36), Francis Addai Nimoh (9), Boakye Agyarko (9).
The Vice President emerged winner in various regions, including the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions.
-
FIFA suspends Spanish FA’s president Luis Rubiales
FIFA has temporarily suspended Luis Rubiales, the leader of the Spanish Football Federation, from contacting Jenni Hermoso.
Rubiales did not quit his job during a strong meeting with reporters on Friday. Instead, he said that he is being unfairly attacked and criticized for his actions during the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday.
The 46-year-old person said sorry for touching his private parts while celebrating the 1-0 win against England. This happened in the special section for important people beside Spain’s Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter Sofia.
Hermoso has said that she did not agree to be kissed on the lips by Rubiales during the World Cup final medal ceremony. The players of Spain’s national team are now refusing to play as long as Rubiales is in charge.
The Spanish Football Federation still supports its president and claims that Hermoso is not telling the truth about her conversation with Rubiales. They have warned that they may take legal action against her, as she is a World Cup winner.
But now, FIFA has gotten involved and said that Rubiales will be suspended for 90 days.
The head of the Spanish football federation says he will not quit after receiving an unwanted kiss.A message from FIFA said that the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, Jorge Ivan Palacio from Colombia, has chosen to temporarily suspend Mr. (person’sname)using the authority given by article 51 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Luis Rubiales has been banned from participating in any football activities,both at a national and international level.
Mr X will be temporarily suspended for the next 90 days while we investigate the disciplinary charges against him. The suspension starts today. Luis Rubiales spoke on Thursday, August 24th.
In simpler terms, the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee wants to protect the rights of a female soccer player on the national team. Jennifer Hermoso and the disciplinary body have issued two additional directives. These directives,referred to as article 7 FDC, give orders to Mr. [name]They are meant to ensure that the disciplinary proceedings run smoothly and in accordance with the rules. Luis Rubiales should not contact or try to contact the professional player of the Spanish national football team,Ms. [name] Jennifer Hermoso and the people close to her. -
Dutch Grand Prix restricts vehicles for spectators in small seaside town
The Dutch Grand Prix is an event for people who love cars, but instead of using gasoline,they use bicycles.
The Formula One (F1) race is happening in a small town near the coast.
Due to the town’s restriction, visitors aren’t permitted to bring their cars over the weekend, resulting in a large number of fans opting to arrive on bicycles instead.
Sitting high on a ladder at the edge of the train platform, a man wear in gall orange clothes guides groups of F1 fans who are coming to Zandvoort.
We’re led up stairs and through a small path.
The streets that go from the train to the track are decorated with orange flags. Some of the people who live there have made temporary bars on their porches,where they play music and serve cold drinks.
This weekend, the small town of Zandvoort, which only has 17,000 residents, is hosting around 300,000 visitors.A group of people who call themselves the orange army are riding bicycles through the streets and sandy areas. They are excited to watch their local hero, Max Verstappen, in a race.
This weekend, only people who live in the small seaside community and authorized event-related vehicles will be allowed to drive there. Even the police, paramedics, and security guards are riding bicycles to patrol.
The Dutch event wants to be the most environmentally friendly out of all the Formula 1 races. Around one-third of supporters are predicted to come using public transportation, one-third by bicycle or scooter, and the remaining will arrive on foot, by bus, or taxi.
A train runs every five minutes between Amsterdam Central and Zandvoort. Additionally, electric buses bring fans to stops near the paddock.
I took the “Max Express” train from Haarlem to the town.
Many bike parking spots have been made available, and even important people from the top F1 teams are riding bicycles to get around the area.
Outside the entrance, Zoë and Amber, who are friends, are standing against the railings. They have their cameras ready, hoping to see a local legend named Verstappen.
“It’s mainly for Max,” Amber clarifies. “But I also really enjoy the atmosphere here, it feels like a large celebration. a celebration where we all come together as a united group.
“And the noise, it’s really loud,” her friend Zoë adds. “You can’t hear very well afterwards, but it’s worth it. ”
Amber tries to sound like an F1 car zooming past. The loud noise from the engine makes fans feel excited and passionate about the sport.
But the young fans understand that the sport needs to improve its behavior.
Amber took a train to go to the event. Wherever you are in the Netherlands, you can get around by using a bicycle. Trying to be environmentally friendly is making people realize that we want to improve things. -
Jamaicans demand Gladstone apologies for slavery
The family of former Prime Minister William Gladstone is being asked to give money to Jamaica as compensation for what their ancestor did during the time of slavery.
The Gladstone family said sorry for owning slaves in Guyana in the past and promised to provide money for the study of slavery and other projects at an event on Friday.
However, the family has been accused of not recognizing the need to provide compensation for the effects of slavery in Jamaica.
The family said to the BBC that right now they are only thinking about Guyana.
The Gladstones said, “There is a lot to do here in Guyana. ”
John Gladstone, who was the father of William Gladstone, a highly respected prime minister of the UK, owned many slaves in the British West Indies.
The University of London’s (UCL) Legacies of British Slavery database reveals that John Gladstone, in the 1800s, had ownership or mortgages on 2,508 enslaved people in Guyana and Jamaica.
He received over £100,000 as payment after the British Parliament made a law to end slavery in many British colonies in 1833. He was given £15,052 for 806 enslaved people in Jamaica.
Charlie Gladstone, who is the great-great-grandson of William Gladstone, said sorry to Guyana for his family’s involvement in slavery. He called slavery a terrible crime and recognized that it still affects people’s lives today.
He said that the family agreed with and supported a plan suggested by Caribbean countries that had ten different points regarding reparations.But they did not talk about John Gladstone owning slaves in Jamaica during the ceremony in Guyana on Friday, and they also did not mention it in the family’s statement last week when they said sorry and promised to donate.
According to Verene Shepherd, who is the director at the Centre for Reparation Research at the University of the West Indies, John Gladstone had important land and buildings in Jamaica.
She said that the Gladstone family needs to go to where the crime happened and say sorry to the people who live there.
The professor of social history from Jamaica advised the family of Gladstone to “pledge to give reparations, like they are doing in Guyana.”
Reparations are given as compensation for something that was considered wrong or unfair. It can come in many different ways.
The Gladstones promised to give £100,000 to the University of Guyana’s International Institute for Migration and Diaspora Studies. The institute started last week.
In Guyana, the family promised to provide money to help with different projects in the country and support UCL’s Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery for five years.
Prof Shepherd said that since they have realized they have been ignored, he believes Jamaica should reach out to someone or take action in some way.
The BBC has learned that Jamaica’s National Council on Reparations is talking about the Gladstone case and thinking about what they should do.
The council has not talked to the Gladstone family yet.John Gladstone was a wealthy Scottish businessman who became very rich by owning sugar farms and having people work for him without their freedom. This happened before slavery was officially ended.
His important role in the industry influenced the political career and reputation of his son, William Gladstone. William’s opinion about slavery changed throughout his life.
In his first speech to Parliament, the Liberal prime minister supported plantation owners’ rights, but later stated that slavery was the worst crime in history.William Gladstone was a leader of the Liberal party who served as the prime minister of the United Kingdom on four separate occasions in the 19th century.
The Gladstones are a family from Britain and they are the most recent descendants of people who owned slaves in the past. Recently, they have been trying to make up for the wrongs done by their ancestors.
During the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, people became more aware of the family’s historical connection to slavery.
Since that time, a few people in the family have joined a group called the Heirs of Slavery. This group is made up of British individuals whose families made money from the slave trade across the Atlantic. They now want to do something to make up for the wrongs of the past.
Other people in the group are Laura Trevelyan, a former journalist from the BBC, and her family. They said sorry to Grenada and pledged to give £100,000 as compensation in February this year.
In a recent interview, United Nations Judge Patrick Robinson expressed doubt about these families.
He said that the amount of money paid for reparations should depend on how many slaves John Gladstone owned and how much his family financially gained from this.
He said he would be ready to request a calculation from the Brattle Group, a company that studies economics and made a report on the money that states should pay for their role in slavery.
“If people want it to be taken seriously and not just as a symbolic action, they need to determine the reparations that are owed,” Mr. Robinson stated
The Brattle Group Report, written by Mr. Robinson, suggested that the UK should give $24 trillion (£18. 8 trillion) as compensation for its role in slavery in 14 different countries.
Robert Beckford, a professor at the University of Winchester, suggested that the Gladstones should do a similar calculation to show how much money they actually owe.
The professor said that instead of giving money to a university for more research, he would have “liked it better if they talked to community organizers or reparations groups, to figure out the best way to move forward. ”
He liked the Gladstone apology in Guyana, but he thought it was wrong that Jamaica wasn’t acknowledged. He felt that this showed that the country didn’t want to confront and accept the terrible and cruel reality of chattel slavery. -
Zanzibar boxing: First fight to bring an end to 60-year ban
Boxing fans in Zanzibar will finally be able to watch their first fight in almost sixty years on Sunday, as the ban on boxing has been lifted.
The 1960s ban happened after the island’s first President Abedi Amani Karume came to power and he mentioned cultural reasons for the ban.
The event supports President Hussein Mwinyi‘s efforts to boost tourism and enhance sports development.
In a special fight, Zanzibar’s Hamis Muay Thai will compete against Ibrahim Mjender for eight rounds. This fight is significant but does not involve any championship titles.
Hamis Muay Thai, who had a lot of success as a kick boxer, is starting his boxing career by having his first match in the ring.
Another boy named Musa Nassor, also known as “Banja,” is also scheduled to perform. He will fight Dullah Mbabe from the mainland, while Karim Mandonga, a popular Tanzanian boxer, will fight Osman Muller Junior from Zanzibar in another match.
There will be a total of eight boxing fights.
In 1964, the Sultan of Zanzibar and his Arab government were overthrown during a revolution. Some people who were close to President Karume at that time say that he believed boxing was cruel and thought only animals fought.
The ban did not impact mainland Tanzania.
Tanganyika and Zanzibar came together in April 1964 to create what we now know as the United Republic of Tanzania.
The findings from a six-month study in 2021 showed that a little more than 60% of the people in Zanzibar supported bringing back boxing.Zanzibar wants to welcome more people from different countries to come and visit or invest in their place. The current President Mwinyi’s Blue Economy policy focuses on promoting tourism and sports.
Natasha Jones, a female boxer from Britain, was recently made an honorary ambassador for Zanzibar in sport tourism.
Jones, the champion boxer, said that he feels very proud and will try his hardest to do a good job representing the people of Zanzibar. He also wants to highlight and support all the great things that they already have.
All the boxers have received their fee for participating in the event, even though there won’t be any money given as a prize.
The important event will happen at the Mao Tse Tung Stadium on Sunday and will be shown on TV.
Halka Ahmed, a young person who creates content, stated that he is very happy and enthusiastic.
“This will be great for my friends who are young and really want to become professional boxers in Zanzibar. ”
A lot of people in Zanzibar are excited about the return of boxing.
“This is a groundbreaking action,” expressed Sandaland Omari, a store owner specializing in sports merchandise. -
Maui wildfires: 100 people reported safe in Maui after list was made public
The FBI reported that, of the 388 individuals who were missing following the Maui wildfires, 100 have since been located and confirmed to be out of danger.
The officials gave out the names on Thursday and told survivors to share their information, so they could concentrate on finding anyone else.
The number of people who have died in the fires is currently 115.
Search teams are still going through the burned remains of the old town of Lahaina and other places.
The very harmful fires started on August 8th and quickly burned through the town of Lahaina, which is near the ocean and where 12,000 people live.
During a press conference, Steven Merril, the FBI’s leader in Honolulu, expressed gratitude for the individuals who contacted them by phone or email.
“We are able to focus more attention on the people who are still on the list because we have removed someone from it. ”
On Thursday, the police chief of Maui, John Pellettier, said that the names were made public to help figure out who is still missing.
Chief Pelletier said that they are aware that it will assist with the investigation.
Officials also told residents to let them know if they see the name of someone they know is safe.
Earlier this week, officials said that over 1,000 people were still missing and their whereabouts were unknown.
As of Thursday, Chief Pelletier said that they found an additional 1,732 people who were previously thought to be missing, and they are all safe now. Officials have compared the list of missing people with the names of those staying at shelters and made it shorter.
Chief Pelletier added in his statement that when the names are revealed, it will make people sad and cause them pain if their loved ones are listed.
“This is a difficult task, but we want to ensure that we are doing everything we can to thoroughly investigate and gather all necessary information. ”
The wildfires are the worst ever in the US, and officials think more people might die.The confirmed number of people who died in the Maui wildfire is 115. However, officials are warning that this number might increase.
Officials in Maui have announced the names of 46 people who lost their lives in the fire. The most recent names, published on Thursday, are about a family of four who were found dead in a burned car close to their house.
They found out that the people were 7-year-old Tony Takafua, his mother Salote Tone who is 39 years old, and his grandparents Faaoso Tone who is 70 years old and Maluifonua Tone who is 73 years old.
Tony is the first child who has been confirmed to be hurt by the wildfire. -
Super Delegates Conference: I haven’t endorsed any candidate – Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo has quelled mounting speculation and dispelled ongoing rumors suggesting that he has endorsed a candidate in the ongoing New Patriotic Party’s Super Delegates Conference.
He noted that despite receiving calls from various camps to support their candidate, he has not declared support for any.
He made the remarks after casting his ballot in the ongoing Super Delegates Conference.
” There are some who are calling on me to endorse their candidate but I haven’t endorsed anyone,” he stressed.
The President had earlier stated that he would vote for the candidate who can help the NPP beat the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, John Dramani Mahama, in the upcoming 2024 general elections and help the party break the eight.
He, however, said he has not declared support for anyone.
-
Alan’s campaign coordinator for N/E region allegedly beaten to a pulp by voters
News reports reaching The Independent Ghana indicate that the campaign coordinator for Alan Kyerematen in the North East region has been mercilessly beaten by some voters.
This is after Ali Zakaria questioned the voters who lifted up their ballot paper to the full view of the delegates after voting.
Recounting the incident, he said some unidentified delegates attacked him, leaving him with a swollen eye and bruises on his face.
He is currently receiving treatment at the Regional hospital.
-
Mercenaries must pledge loyalty to Russia – Putin
President Vladimir Putin is seeking allegiance from all members of Wagner and similar Russian private military organizations.
The rule covers people who are involved in military activities in Ukraine, helping the army and serving in territorial defense groups.
He made the decision official on Friday and it started right away.
It happens two days after the leaders of Wagner were believed to have died in a plane accident.
According to Natia Seskuria, a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, Putin wants to have more control over Wagner so that he can prevent any future crises. This means that Putin is becoming more cautious and avoiding taking risks.
The order is given when Wagner hired soldiers don’t have a clear person in charge, because a plane that was believed to be carrying Yevgeny Prigozhin and other leaders crashed on Wednesday, causing the death of all 10 people on board.
The decree says that the oath is important to strengthen the values and beliefs that protect Russia. The oath includes a promise to follow the orders of leaders and commanders.
Petro Burkovskyi, who works for a think tank in Ukraine, told the BBC that the message hidden in the text is telling the military intelligence to locate and punish Wagner fighters.
And he also suggests that it is a clear signal to the fighters.
In the past, they promised to follow the rules, just like many other armies do. This is a message for Wagner fighters: either promise to be loyal and keep your weapons, or give up your weapons. “Do as you’re told, or you’ll be sent to jail. ”
A few weeks before Prigozhin’s uprising didn’t work in June, the Russian defense ministry told groups of hired soldiers they had until July 1st to agree and sign contracts to join the army.
Prigozhin didn’t want his Wagner Group to work for the ministry, so he didn’t sign.
Mr Putin supported the ministry’s contract plan , which was the first public setback for his long-time ally Prigozhin.
What will happen to the Wagner fighters if they don’t have a clear leader.Burkovskyi believes that because they have been trained and have a lot of experience in fighting, they are valuable resources for the Russian army.
Most of them are military professionals, and their main focus is their career rather than their beliefs or ideology.
“They selected Wagner because they received preferential treatment from Wagner, without dealing with the complex systems of the large Russian military force. ” If they receive special treatment because of Putin’s instructions, I don’t think they worry about where they will fight, who they will fight, and who they are fighting for.
Ms Seskuria thinks that people who support Prigozhin but refuse to take the oath could cause problems in the future.
“I believe the message is very straightforward: if you don’t obey the rules, you’ll face consequences like Prigozhin,” she states.
In that way, it will be effective for a short amount of time. But, Prigozhin had people who supported him in Wagner and this could cause issues for Putin in the future.
On Saturday morning, there were drone attacks in Moscow and Belgorod regions. The drones were successfully stopped by the air defense systems, as stated by Russian officials.
No one was hurt or injured, and nothing was broken or harmed. Flights at Moscow’s three main airports were temporarily stopped for a few hours.
In the area next to Ukraine called Belgorod, four people got hurt because of the attack, according to Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
Moscow said Ukraine was responsible for the shooting and drone attacks. Kyiv has not said anything yet, as they rarely admit to being responsible for the attacks in Russia.
In Ukraine, two people died and one person got injured when Russia attacked a village close to the northeast town of Kupiansk. The governor of Kharkiv’s region said that a café was also hit during the attack. -
President of Gabon intends to run for the third term
Elections have started in Gabon, a country in Central Africa known for its oil reserves. The current President, Ali Bongo, is seeking re-election for a third term after taking over from his late father in 2009.
He has to compete against 13 other people.Albert Ondo Ossa, a candidate running against the Bongos in Gabon, believes that Gabon does not belong solely to the Bongos. He hopes to win the election with the help of the Alternance 2023 coalition, even though he was only chosen as their leader last week.
As in previous elections, individuals express concerns about the methods employed.
Mr Bongo’s previous wins were challenged by his opponents who claimed they were fraudulent. In addition, there have been controversial alterations to the ballot papers just a few weeks before the election day.
This is the first time that voters are being asked to choose both a president and a member of parliament who belong to the same party, and they just need to mark their choice on one ballot.
Experts say that independent candidates,especially Mr Ondo Ossa from the opposition Alternance 2023 alliance, are at a disadvantage because they don’t have their own political party.
Albert Ondo Ossa, who is 69yearsold, is a highly regarded person who used to work as a government official in charge of education.
Reporters Without Borders, a campaign group, says that foreign media are not allowed to enter the country and report on the vote happening on Saturday.
There won’t be any election monitors from the EU or UN.
The local civil society group, Tournons La Page,plans to observe and monitor despite not having official approval.
Before the vote on Saturday, there was a big argument. President Bongo accused Mr. Ondo Ossa and another opposition leader of committing treason.
The two people say that the accusations of them planning to create a fight for power in Gabon and getting help from other countries are not true. They also said that the government is tricking people and behaving in a bad way. They made this statement through Alternance 2023.
In addition to voting for the president and MPs, the people in Gabon are also voting for mayors and local councillors.
Gabon has about 2. 3 million people who live there. It has lots of oil and big areas of rain forest.
However, the worldwide economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic have caused a decrease in the shipment of natural resources. -
Kenya apologises for nationwide power outages
The Kenyan transport minister expressed regret for a massive power failure that impacted the entire nation. This caused passengers at Nairobi‘s main airport to be stuck in the dark. Due to the blackout that started on Friday evening, numerous houses and shops are currently without electricity.
The government-owned power company has not given a clear explanation for the reason behind the power failure.
People on social media are wondering why the airport didn’t have a backup system that worked, and they are being very critical of the energy ministry.
Some business owners are taking advantage of the chance to promote their solar products.
Reporters say that brief electricity cuts happen quite often in Kenya, but a prolonged blackout affecting the entire country is very unusual. -
I will give you a showdown in this country, I swear to God! – Angry Kennedy Agyapong tells Prez Akufo-Addo
Tensions within the New Patriotic Party’s political landscape almost reached a boiling point as one of the party’s Presidential aspirants, Kennedy Agyapong, issued a stern warning to President Nana Akufo-Addo, vowing a potential showdown over the alleged mistreatment of an agent.
In a viral video, Mr Agyaoong is heard accusing President Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia of mishandling a situation involving one of his party agents, although without any evidence or proof.
This is said to have happened at a voting centre on the University of Cape Coast premises.
“I’ll give President Akufo-Addo and his Vice a showdown for chasing my agent away. We shall all see what will happen here,” he threatened while on a phone call to an unknown person.
-
I repeatedly advised head of Wagner, to be cautious – Belarusian president
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says he personally told Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin twice to be careful of any dangers to his life.
Lukashenko mentioned that during their initial conversation, they were discussing agreements while simultaneously traveling towards Moscow.
I said to him, “Yevgeny, do you realize that if you continue, your people will be in danger and you will also die. ” He had recently returned from fighting in the war. On a sudden feeling, he said: “I will die, darn it.
Just a few days after a plane, suspected to be carrying the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, crashed in a field, the Belarusian leader recently discussed a subject.The plane was going from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
The accident happened exactly two months after Prigozhin tried to rebel against Russia’s military leaders,which was a big challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s power.
We do not know for sure what caused the crash yet, but the US and Western intelligence officials that CNN talked to think it was done on purpose. Russian officials are checking into a potential crime.
The Kremlin said they were not involved in the plane crash and there is no proof that Putin or Russian security services had anything to do with it.
The leader of Belarus said that when he spoke with Prigozhin for the second time, he strongly cautioned him to be careful.
Lukashenko did not say when the meeting happened. He said that Dmitriy Utkin, who has worked with Prigozhin for a longtime,joined Prigozhin.
The President of Belarus told Prigozhin that if he was worried about his safety, he could speak with Putin and be assured that he would be fully protected in Belarus.
I told them that if they were scared of something, I would talk to President Putin and help them move to Belarus. We will keep you safe in Belarus. Yevgeny Prigozhin has never asked me to focus on security issues separately.
The Russian government still hasn’t confirmed Prigozhin’s death, but Putin talked about him as if he has passed away on Thursday.
Prigozhin and Utkin were both on the list of passengers released by the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, and both the Pentagon and British Ministry of Defense said that it is probable that the leader of Wagner was killed in the rush.
DmitryPeskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, said they are currently conducting tests to find out who was on the aircraft or ship.
Lukashenko said before that he couldn’t believe that Putin was responsible for the apparent death of Prigozhin.I don’t know who did it. I don’t even want to be a lawyer for my older brother. But I know Putin – he is very careful, calm, and takes his time when making decisions about things that are not very complicated.
Lukashenko expressed disbelief over the idea that Putin could be responsible for it, stating that he cannot fathom Putin’s involvement.”He said that the work was not good and was done in a careless and unskilled manner. ”
Belta reported that Lukashenko said Prigozhin never asked for security promises after the failed mutiny two months ago.
I don’t have to make sure Prigozhin stay safe. This is the beginning. He said that the conversation between Prigozhin and Lukashenko did not focus on this.
He also said that Wagner will stay in Belarus. He mentioned that everyone from the group will be here in a few days. He was talking about the fighters from Wagner and the agreement he made to let them come to Belarus after the uprising failed.
“He said that there can be as many as 10 thousand people. “As long as we need them, they will stay and work with us.
Lukashenko mentioned that they were taking down extra tents because they had more than they needed,based on satellite pictures showing camp sites for Wagner fighters being dismantled. The main group is still here, but some people went on vacation and others chose to stay on the sidelines. However, everyone knows all the phone numbers, addresses, passwords, and how everyone looks.
Prigozhin’s death has brought uncertainty to Wagner’s future in Belarus and other places. -
NPP Super Delegates Conference: Chaos erupts in Ashanti region
The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) highly anticipated Super Delegates Conference in the Ashanti Region descended into chaos today, August 26, 2023.
The tension, which occurred in front of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Law faculty, was triggered by an unexpected revelation from the Youth Organiser who revealed the candidate he had cast his ballot for right after his votes.
Per the rules of the party, no delegate was supposed to capture or show who they voted for. However, the Youth Organiser of the party in the Ashanti Region, Patrick Sarfo (Raph), raised his ballot to the crowd to serve as proof of his vote for Dr Bawumia.
The party’s electoral rules also indicate that such a ballot should be nullified and the Electoral Commission official in charge at the centre decided to do exactly that.
However, his attempt was protested by Mr Sarfo and this created chaos.
-
Ben Chilwell receives harsh criticism from Jamie Carragher for a mistake in Chelsea’s victory over Luton
Jamie Carragher was surprised by Ben Chilwell‘s missed opportunity to score during Chelsea’s victory against Luton Town.
On Friday night, Chelsea effortlessly secured a 3-0 victory at their own ground, Stamford Bridge. This was the first win since their new coach, Mauricio Pochettino, took charge.
Raheem Sterling scored two goals, one before halftime and one after halftime. Nicolas Jackson, who joined the team in the summer, scored his first goal for the club towards the end of the game. However, the team could have scored more goals because they missed several good opportunities.
During the game, there was a significant moment when Chilwell entered the penalty area with the score at 1-0. Even though there were three defenders near him, all he had to do was shoot the ball into the goal past Luton keeper Thomas Kaminski.
But surprisingly, the England left-back tried to pass the ball to Sterling, who was in a much worse position. However, his pass was cleared and resulted in a corner.
The 26-year-old person was in disbelief about his actions, and so were the people at Stamford Bridge, including Carragher.
‘I can’t believe what I just saw,’ the famous Liverpool player said on Sky Sports.
‘We were just discussing how Ben Chilwell contributes to the team’s offense, and it seemed like he was about to prove me wrong. ‘ But that was really strange.
He is driving towards the middle and is positioned in the middle of the goal with out any opponents near him. Wow
It’s really bad. It is true. This is not a good way to make decisions.
Maybe he didn’t want to use his right foot, or maybe he got a little confused. I’m just trying to think of reasons why he wouldn’t shoot there.
The thing he wanted to achieve was right in front of him. If Luton is able to gain their position in the game, that specific moment will definitely be examined and analyzed.
Luckily for Chilwell, the Hatters didn’t pose much of a threat on the attack. They only managed to get one shot on target throughout the entire game. Carragher later mentioned that it might be laughed about in the dressing room among the staff and players. But it could have been worse if Chelsea hadn’t gone on to win the game. -
I’m expecting 80% votes in Central Region – Ken Agyapong
One of the contenders in the New Patriotic Party’s presidential race, Kennedy Agyapong, has expressed the unwavering optimism of amassing the highest number of votes in the ongoing Special Delegates Conference, especially in the Central Region.
Speaking in an interview after casting his vote, he noted that he anticipates the Central Region will give him 80% of votes.
“Central Region is a disciplined region. I don’t expect anything bad to happen to embarrass us and I’m not going to create any confusion here to make sure we are one party.
“I know I’m going to get massive votes from the Central Region. I’m expecting at least 80% of votes in the Central Region. No doubt about it. The Central Region is going to honour me for the hard work and commitment to the region,” he noted.
A total of 956 delegates are set to exercise their franchise in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP), Super Delegates Conference.
Today’s polls form part of the party’s preparations towards its primaries scheduled for November 4, this year.
The exercise is aimed at trimming the number of candidates who aspire to become flagbearers from ten to five.
In spite of the outcome of the elections, Mr Agyapong has pledged to support any candidates who emerges as the winner of the ultimate elections scheduled for November 4.
“We are here to vote and anyone who wins, you know, we all will come together and face the NDC,” he added.
He further commended the leadership of the party and the election committee for the meticulous preparations ahead of the elections.
“So far so good, especially the election committee and the [leadership at the national level]. They have done marvelous, I must admit,” he said.
-
Arsenal and Monaco reach £40 million agreement for Chelsea target Folarin Balogun
Arsenal‘s sporting director, Edu, is about to receive the biggest amount of money since he joined the club as Monaco is ready to pay £40 million to sign Folarin Balogun.
The Ligue 1 team has reached an agreement with the Gunners to pay a certain amount of money to sign the American player who did very well in France last season while playing with Reims on a loan.
Balogun went back to his original team during the summer. He wanted to try and get a spot in Mikel Arteta‘s main team.
However, Balogun’s chances of playing regularly in the first team were unlikely because players like Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard, and Kai Havertz were ahead of him in priority.
The 22-year-old player was not part of the pre-season matches and sometimes practiced separately from the main team in the past few weeks. Arteta wants to reduce the number of players in the team.
Chelsea and Tottenham are interested in a player who scored 21 goals last season. However, the player, Balogun, is not keen on joining a rival team in the Premier League at the moment, according to the Daily Mail.
Arsenal would only have considered selling the Hale End academy graduate if they were offered a lot more money than what Monaco is giving them.Despite Chelsea’s evident requirement for a new forward dueto Christopher Nkunku’s prolonged injury, the team will explore alternative sources to find a new striker.
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino said it’s a tough situation because our two strikers, Nkunku and Broja, are injured for tonight’s game against Luton Town.
Finding the right profile at the moment is a challenging task. We are currently trying to add more players in this area.
However, the club finds this task difficult. Definitely, they are putting in a lot of effort to include more players.
‘If it can not happen, we have to wait until Nkunku and Broja are prepared and we receive assistance from Mason [Burstow]. ’ -
Raheem Sterling blasts Graham Potter and praises Mauricio Pochettino over Chelsea’s victory
Raheem Sterling indirectly criticized former manager Graham Potter after his outstanding performance in Chelsea’s victory over Luton Town.
Chelsea had an easy 3-0 win at their home stadium on Friday night, which was the first win since Mauricio Pochettino became their manager.
Sterling scored two amazing goals before and after halftime and then helped Nicolas Jackson score his first goal for the Blues.
The English soccer player was rightfully chosen as the best player of the game. He played exceptionally well, similar to how he used to play when he was with Manchester City. This level of performance has rarely been seen from him since he joined Stamford Bridge last summer.
This could be because Potter sometimes made Potter play in positions where he wasn’t as good, like playing forward further back on the field. This happened during the few months when Potter was in charge and it didn’t go well.
But with Pochettino, Sterling feels like a completely different player and he was eager to emphasize the positive influence his new boss has had, as well as the significance of playing in a proper manner.It was clear that we started okay against Liverpool, but we lost last week against West Ham. So we really needed to win this game. I’m just glad that I could help with that,’ the 28-year-old said to Sky Sports after the match.
I felt frustrated last season because I was constantly in a position where my back was facing the goal. I wasn’t allowing myself enough opportunities to take risks and try new things.
I talked to the boss last week and we discussed the job. I understand what he expects from me, and it’s really straight forward. I just need to be aggressive,attack other players, and play my best.
I went through a tough time,but it’s over now. I believe the most crucial thing is that I have examined myself and discovered that I am someone who consistently tries to figure out my actions,learn from my mistakes, and make improvements.
I just want to start loving football again – that’s it. Playing football all day everyday,making goals and helping others make goals too.
In the first Liverpool game, I felt like I was too focused on my own actions, just like last season when I spent too much time passing the ball to the full backs from a deep position.
We had a basic conversation and he [Pochettino] said, “Raheem, it doesn’t matter where you play – as long as you give your best effort, are energetic, then nobody can stop you, just be decisive with the ball”. I really want and am eager to do that.
Many things have occurred in my career. I faced a new problem that was hard. Sometimes my thinking may not be very clear -it’s important to have a clear understanding to see what you want.
‘I really love football a lot and I want to make sure I continue to enjoy it at a high level’ . -
US envoy visits family of German-Iranian who was given death penalty in Iran
The family of Jamshid Sharmahd, an Iranian-German citizen imprisoned in Iran and sentenced to death, met with a United States representative dealing with Iran on Friday.
I was happy to have a chance to meet Jamshid Sharmahd’s family today. The person named Sharmahd was taken by force in Iran, against what should have happened. The Deputy Special Envoy, Abram Paley, expressed his wish to see Sharmahd being able to see his family again one day. This statement was shared on a social media platform called X, along with a picture of Paley with Sharmahd’s son and daughter.
Sharmahd, a person living in the US for a long time, was taken into custody by Iranian authorities in 2020. The authorities stated that he was the leader of a group that was blamed for carrying out a harmful bombing in the city of Shiraz in 2008. This information was reported by state-run news agencies ISNA and IRNA.
Last February, he was given a punishment of death for doing something bad on Earth. This caused many human rights organizations and Western governments to strongly disagree and criticize. Amnesty International said he was given a sentence following a trial that was extremely unfair.
In April, the Iranian Supreme Court confirmed his punishment of death, which was strongly criticized by the European Union and the United States.
The European Union said that the Iranian authorities did not let them visit Sharmahd, even though he is from Germany.
Earlier this month, the US State Department said that the way the Iranian regime treated Sharmahd was very bad.
He has been given the punishment of death as a result of a legal proceeding that many people have strongly criticized as an unfair trial. And we strongly denounce this type of treatment,” Vedant Patel, who is the second most important spokesperson for the US State Department, stated in a meeting on August 14.
After Paley made a statement, Gazelle Sharmahd asked the US government to assist in releasing her father.
I told the person in charge that I want them to do something. My dad needs to be involved in whatever is decided to release US citizens for free. We will keep asking the Biden Administration to either help everyone or stop negotiating with the people who took my dad,” she said in a statement on X. -
Fake Presidential Staffer apprehended for swindling individuals of GHS1.9m
A middle-aged man is in the grips of the police for posing as a Presidential Staffer.
The Sunyani Regional Police Command took Nana Poku into custody, accusing him of leveraging his purported association with the Office of the President to swindle residents in the region.
Under suspicion of orchestrating an elaborate scam, Nana Poku stands accused of duping multiple individuals by extracting various sums of money from them, all while making assurances of securing employment opportunities.
The suspect allegedly promised to secure his victims jobs in the security services, including the Police, military, and fire service, among others.
He also allegedly promised them jobs in the civil service.
Details emerging indicate that he had taken money from his victims to the tune of GHC 1.9 million.
Nana Poku is said to have used forged letterhead from the President’s and Chief of Staff’s offices in his activities.
Agya Kwame of Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm reported on Nyankonton Mu Nsem that his actions have shocked residents in the area.
Some have accused him of posing as a presidential staffer and a close associate of the chief of staff.
The police have since launched an investigation into the matter and have encouraged others who have fallen victim to the suspects’ alleged fraudulent activities to come forward and assist them with the investigation.
-
US denounces Hong Kong’s ‘abuse’ of families of pro-democracy activists
The US State Department said on Friday that they really did not like the way the Hong Kong authorities were treating the family members of pro-democracy activists who are living in other countries.
The US expressed worry about activists such as Nathan Law, Joshua Wong, and Elmer Yuen. It mentioned that their family members and friends were detained and questioned by the Hong Kong police, which was a major concern for the US.
Spokesperson Matthew Miller said the Hong Kong authorities should stop bothering the family members of democracy activists.
Miller said that the intentional effort to scare and quiet down people who are using their basic rights and freedoms is continuing to make the situation in Hong Kong worse. This is another way to make people scared and quiet when they are in another country, and force them to come back.
In July, Hong Kong police searched the home of a democratic activist named Law and took his family members away to ask them questions. They have offered a reward of HK$1 million for any information that can help catch Law and other well-known activists who are hiding outside their own country and are wanted for crimes against national security.
The person named Law cut off contact with his family in Hong Kong after coming to Britain. He has been given permission to stay in the country because he is seeking protection from persecution.
On July 11, his parents and older brother were taken away to be asked if they had been giving him money. According to the city’s public broadcaster RTHK, police sources said that all three were let go afterwards.
Hong Kong police have reported that they have taken two men and a woman for questioning. They are being investigated by the national security department. It could not recognize them.
The government of Hong Kong has said many times that the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 does not take away people’s freedoms. It says that the law stopped the disorder and brought back peace to the city after the big protests for democracy.
Some people have said that lawyers and activists broke a law meant to protect the country. They are being accused of things like working with people from other countries and trying to overthrow the government.
The US State Department asked the Hong Kong government and China to respect the rights and freedoms of the people in Hong Kong, as stated in the Basic Law and the agreement between China and Britain. -
Former BoG Director roots for Bawumia in NPP presidential race; says his credibility is unmatched
Former Director of the Bank of Ghana, Mr John Gyamfi, has conveyed his strong belief that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia possesses superior credibility to take the helm of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming 2024 leadership.
He emphasized that should the Vice President assume the role of President, he would usher in substantial national transformation. Gyamfi underscored Bawumia’s status as the most capable individual to introduce digital advancements that could revolutionize the nation’s trajectory.
He holds the view that Dr Bawumia’s outlook for Ghana’s future would not only build upon the accomplishments of the present government but also generate beneficial effects for both the party and the country.
The former Director of BOG cited digitisation as an example of the Vice President’s vision, which had been thriving and making a significant impact in Ghana.
He added that in the 2018 Annual Health Summit in Accra, the Vice President said Ghana would by September 2018 use drones to distribute blood and other essential medicines to remote parts of the country as part of efforts to ensure quality healthcare delivery and Ghanaians are witnessing just that.
Touting the achievement of Vice President, Mr Gyamfi told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that Bawumia introduced mobile Interoperability into our financial space, which had facilitated the transaction of Funds from a phone to a bank account and vice versa.
He added that the Ghana Port and Harbours Authority (GPHA) over the implementation of the paperless system initiated by the vice president was yielding great results.
He said the achievements attained included substantial reduction in delays with regards to clients requesting terminal charges, adding that the electronic process had ensured that customers only paid for services provided.
The former Director of BOG, who contested as parliamentary candidate on the ticket of the NPP for Krachi East constituency in 2004 but lost to the Incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Wisdom Gidisu, urged NPP Super Delegates College to vote for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to lead the party as Flagbearer.
-
French ambassador has 48 hours to leave Niger – military junta orders
Niger‘s group of military leaders told the French ambassador in Niamey to go away from the country within two days, according to Niger’s Foreign Ministry.
According to a statement from state-run broadcaster ORTN, the Nigerien Foreign Ministry said that the ambassador, Sylvain Itte, declined to go to a meeting that was planned for Friday with the foreign minister of the country.
The government of Niger has taken away Itte’s credentials because he refused to do something. They also mentioned that the French government has done other things that are not good for Niger.
“France has acknowledged the request of the coup plotters,” said the French Foreign Ministry to AFP on Friday evening.
“The ministry said that the putschists don’t have the right to make this demand. The approval of the ambassador comes only from the rightful, elected authorities in Niger. ”
CNN has contacted the French Foreign Ministry to get their opinion or statement.
The US State Department said that Niger’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed them that there were letters circulating on the internet asking certain American diplomats to leave.
But, it said that these documents were not given out by the government department, and that they have not asked the US government for such a thing. -
Calls against ECOWAS using force to address Niger coup intensify
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) decision to employ military force to address the political crisis in Niger has been greeted with a mixed reaction.
While some member states advocate for decisive action, a growing chorus of voices, especially from the public domain is urging for restraint and diplomacy, highlighting the complex ramifications of such an intervention.
Some security analysts, including Dr Adam Bonaa who argue that the planned military intervention by ECOWAS is unnecessary and uncalled for, have warned against the use of force in addressing the situation.
Additionally, Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt, who is also a pan-Africanist has also kicked against the ECOWAS intent.
Former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, has also criticised ECOWAS over its intent.
“I advise ECOWAS to use its standby force to fight terrorists in West Africa,” he said. “Bazoum’s fate is already sealed. It will be madness to send soldiers to Niger for free killings,” he stressed adding that he expected the junta in Niamey to release Bazoum who remains under detention.
Latest to join the calls is the Ghana Baptist Convention which has issued a caution to African Leaders to be circumspect about their approach.
Executive President of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), Reverend Enoch Nii Narh Thompson called on African leaders mediating in the coup d’etat in Niger to be very careful in their approach.
He advised the mediating leaders of Africa to adopt approaches that would not lead to loss of lives and further complication of the situation.
Rev. Nii Narh Thompson was addressing the 60th Annual Session of the Ghana Baptist Convention in the Ejura/Sekyeredumasi Municipal of the Ashanti Region.
The Annual Session Conference was on the theme: “Faithful Stewardship for Kingdom Expansion.”
He called on all Christians to say prayers for Niger to come out of the ongoing coup d’état without much repercussions.
“Let us be in prayers for the good developments in Niger, and ask God to direct the leaders of Africa to adopt approaches that will not lead to loss of lives and further complication of the situation”.
The 2023 Annual Session is a special one as it forms part of the celebration of the 60 years of existence and meaningful ministry by the Convention (from 1963 to 2023).
The GBC, according to the Executive President, is pursuing its strategic objectives of the convention’s National Strategic Plan without fail.
The strategic plans he said includes, Evangelism and Mission to increase the number of new souls won for Christ and plant new Churches all over Ghana, Visibility and Positive Public Image of the Convention, Increasing the Financial Base and Economic Status of the Convention, Improving the General Conditions of Service of Ministers and Supporting Pastors in rural and remote areas and Enhancing Cooperative Autonomy and Local Ownership of the Convention by member churches among others.
Rev. Nii Narh Thompson on the other hand charged the patrons at the 60th Annual Session to critically look at the various proposals that must be studied, discussed dispassionately, and have decisions made for the good of the Convention.
The Guest of Honour for the 60th Annual Session and Director of International Community School, Rev. Dr. Charles Yeboah congratulated the Ghana Baptist Convention for their Anniversary, saying, “60 years is a huge milestone! 60 years of Gospel proclamation, 60 years of church planting, 60 years of discipleship making, 60 years of contributing to nation building through schools, hospitals and relief works”.
Reverend Enoch Nii Narh Thompson, Executive President of the GBC leading the leadership and a representative of the Ejurahene to plant a tree in commemoration of the Convention 60th Anniversary as a their commitment to maintaining a healthy environment Speaking about the theme with reference to 1st Corinthians 4: Rev. Dr. Yeboah reminded the Church and all believers of Christ about how they would account vividly for their stewardships before God, the Master.
Rev. Dr. Yeboah emphasized that the Master expected good results from every servant, and that there would be no excuse for those who received less or more.
“According to the scripture, the Master calls the servants and gives each to his ability. To one he gave 5 talents, to the other he gave 2 talents, and to the other 1 talent, each according to his ability.
“The emphasis is that our circumstances are not always the same. We have been gifted differently. Some are more educated than others, some are more blessed materially than others. Some were born in homes/locations with more resources than others.
“Some of us pastor big churches, others, much smaller churches. Some of us find ourselves in big cities, others in very small towns and villages. Some from mega churches, others from new church plants and churches that are much smaller”.
He insisted that the lack of adequate resources must not lead to despair, inaction or fruitlessness in advancing and expanding the kingdom of God.
Rev. Dr. Yeboah therefore encouraged all Ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ to be visionary, selfless and bring innovations into their ministries to win more souls for Christ Jesus.
-
Romelu Lukaku expresses his desire to join Roma to Chelsea
Romelu Lukaku, a professional football athlete, has voiced his wish to depart from Chelsea in favor of joining Roma. Both clubs are currently in talks to arrange a temporary transfer agreement.
Lukaku was supposed to stay with Inter permanently after his loan, but Inter got upset when they found out he was also talking to Juventus.
Chelsea and Juventus talked a lot about a deal for Lukaku. They also talked about Vlahovic moving to Chelsea. But they couldn’t agree on a deal.
Juventus fans made it obvious that they were not happy about Lukaku possibly joining the team. They expressed their dissension by demonstrating during a pre-season game.
According to The Telegraph, Lukaku has changed his mind about joining Juventus and has told Chelsea that he wants to join Roma instead.
The report says that Chelsea and Roma are currently discussing an agreement that would allow Lukaku to go on loan to the Serie A league for the rest of the season.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said that Lukaku will not be allowed back in the team.
“I haven’t talked to him yet because nothing has changed,” said Pochettino.
If the player and the club want to figure things out, they should talk to each other, not me. They can let me know if something is different.
I won’t move until either the club or the player decide to talk to me. I agreed with the situation when I got here. I couldn’t make any changes.
It happened before we got here. In the future, things may be different. Football is a sport where things can constantly change. Life can be different. Right now, today, everything is still the same. If something is different, we will change to fit in with the new situation. -
NPP Super Delegates Conference: 956 delegates head to the polls today
A total of 956 delegates are set to exercise their franchise in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP), Super Delegates Conference.
Today’s polls forms part of the party’s preparations towards its primaries scheduled for November 4, this year.
The exercise is aimed at trimming the number of candidates who aspire to become flagbearers from ten to five.
The ten contestants partaking in these contest are : Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; a former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen; the MP for Essikado-Ketan, Joe Ghartey, who is also a former Minister of Railways Development and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and an energy consultant, Kwadwo Poku.
The others are a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto; a former General Secretary of the NPP and Press Secretary to President J.A. Kufuor, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong; a former MP for Mampong in the Ashanti Region, Francis Addai-Nimoh; a former Commissioner of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku; a former Minister of Energy, Boakye Agyarko; and the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia — appear on the ballot sheet in that order.
The election will take place in all the 16 regional capitals across the country, and at the NPP headquarters at Asylum Down in Accra, with the final collation slated to take place at the EC headquarters in Accra.
The polls will start at 9:00 a.m. and close at 1:00 p.m. at all centres.
-
Lionesses issue statement endorsing Spain’s women’s team despite Luis Rubiales scandal
The women’s football team from England expressed have their support for the Spanish team after the controversy involving Luis Rubiales.
Rubiales, who is in charge of Spanish football, has faced a lot of criticism for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her permission after Spain won the World Cup against England.
He was supposed to resign at a special meeting called by the RFEF on Friday, but instead, he claimed that he was a victim of ‘social murder’ and ‘false feminism’ in a shocking outburst.
The 46-year-old person said the kiss happened without planning and both people agreed to it during the trophy ceremony last Sunday. However, on Friday evening, Hermoso repeated that they did not agree to the kiss at any point.
I can’t stand it when people doubt what I say, and it’s even worse when they make up things I didn’t say.
56 players, including Hermoso and her teammates who won the World Cup, made a statement together. They demanded that Rubiales be fired and said they won’t play for their country anymore unless he is removed from his job.
Many people have shown their support for the statement. Each of the Lionesses wrote their own statement on social media.
‘The text said that a sexist and male-dominated group let unacceptable actions occur. ‘
‘Abuse is wrong and we have all seen the evidence.
We should not accept the behavior of people who believe they cannot be harmed, and we should not have to convince others to stand up against harassment.
We support you, Jenni Hermoso and all the players on the Spanish team. -
NASA and SpaceX send four astronauts from four different nations
Four astronauts from different countries and space agencies went into space on a SpaceX rocket. They are heading to the International Space Station for a mission that will last more than six months.
The team is traveling inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance spaceship on a mission called Crew-7. The spaceship was sent into space using a rocket called SpaceX Falcon 9. It was launched from NASA‘s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 3:27 a. mOn Saturday, at ET time.
The space mission has four astronauts. The mission commander is Jasmin Moghbeli from NASA. Andreas Mogensen is from the European Space Agency. Satoshi Furukawa is from JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Konstantin Borisov is a Russian cosmonaut representing Roscosmos.
After the Crew Dragon capsule was in space, it separated from the Falcon 9 rocket and started to travel on its own in space. The spacecraft will spend more than 24 hours moving carefully towards the space station, which is circling about 220 nautical miles (420 kilometers) above the surface of the Earth.
Moghbeli told SpaceX mission control that space travel is hard, but they make it seem easy.
“We’re a group that works together towards the same goal,” she said. Cheer for Crew-7. Fun ride
The crew will arrive at the space station at approximately 8:39 in the morning. On Sunday at 8 PM.
After getting on the spaceship, Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa, and Borisov will meet the seven astronauts who are already in space.
The Crew-7 astronauts will be taking charge from the SpaceX Crew-6 astronauts, who have been on the space station for a few months. They will spend approximately five days in this transition.
This mission is the eighth time NASA and SpaceX are working together to take astronauts to the space station. This program has been going on since SpaceX’s first mission with crew in 2020.
The Crew-7 astronauts are the most diverse group of SpaceX crew members so far.“We are very proud and I personally feel honored to be part of this amazing team. When you look at our four patches, you’ll see a different country’s flag on each one,” Moghbeli said during a news conference after the crew arrived in Florida on Sunday. The leader of the mission was talking about the flag patches on the left shoulder of the astronauts’ suits. We believe this shows what we can achieve when we collaborate and work together as a team. And we believe that this is the true purpose of the International Space Station.
The team also collaborated to create its official mission patch. It shows a picture of a dragon sitting on top of the Earth.
“We wanted the design to show that everything we do on this mission is aimed at helping our planet and the people on it,” Moghbeli explained. She said that the red, white, and blue stripes on the dragon’s tail symbolize the colors of the flags of the four countries participating in the Crew-7 mission.
During their time on the space station, which is predicted to be around 190 days, the Crew-7 astronauts will carefully go through a list of experiments. The study will look into the possibility of bacteria and fungi spread from space missions involving humans. The team will check if it is possible to remove the tiny living things from the vents in the space station and release them into space where there is no air.
The ESA has another project that will study how sleeping in space is different from sleeping on Earth. They will analyze the brain waves of astronauts while they fall asleep. Another test will examine how biofilms form in wastewater on the space station. This could help us find improved methods for recycling water for drinking and hygiene while in space. Yes, the space travelers on the station have been using reused sweat and urine to drink and clean themselves for a long time.
Commander Moghbeli was born in Germany, near Frankfurt. Her parents are from Iran. However, she considers Baldwin, New York, on Long Island as her hometown.
She completed high school and then went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study aerospace engineering. After that, she earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.Moghbeli has experience in the military, where she worked as a pilot for the Marine Corps. She completed over 150 missions in combat and flew for a total of 2,000 hours.
In 2017, she was chosen to join NASA’s group of astronauts. The Crew-7 mission is her first time going into space.
Moghbeli said during a news conference on July 25 that she had always wanted to do this for a very long time. I am really thrilled to be able to see our amazing planet again. Everyone I have spoken to who has flown before has said that it gave them a different and transformative way of looking at things.
Borisov became the third astronaut from Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, to travel in a spacecraft made in the United States. This happened because NASA and Roscosmos made an agreement to swap seats in 2022.
Sharing rides to the space station has been a tradition for NASA and Roscosmos. After NASA stopped their space shuttle program in 2011, Roscosmos was the only transportation provider for a long time. This new partnership between rideshare companies was a big concern for NASA last year because there were growing problems between the United States and Russia due to the war in Ukraine.
NASA has consistently stated that conflicts on Earth have not impacted the ongoing teamwork between countries in space.
Borisov, just like Moghbeli, is going on his first trip to space.
I’m really, really happy and thrilled. “I feel very proud to be a member of the international team,” he said on Sunday. Experienced astronauts and cosmonauts say that when you go to the ISS and look at the planet, you can see that there are no boundaries. And honestly, I want to express that strong sensation and intense sentiment.
Currently, only SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Russia’s Soyuz can transport astronauts to and from the space station. However, NASA plans to have another company that can do this soon. Boeing’s Starliner is going to start operating soon, like SpaceX, with the help of NASA’s commercial crew program. It was delayed for many years.
Mogensen is the pilot of the Crew-7 mission. He is from Copenhagen and attended Copenhagen International School for his bachelor’s degree. Later, he studied aeronautical engineering at Imperial College London in the United Kingdom and got his master’s degree. He also got a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Before he got chosen to be trained as an astronaut by ESA in 2009, he worked as a researcher at the Surrey Space Centre in the UK. His work involved studying how spacecraft can navigate and be controlled when landing on the moon.
This is his second trip to space. He went to the space station before on a 10-day Russian Soyuz mission in 2015.
Mogensen said at a news conference on Sunday that it is difficult to explain how amazing the International Space Station is. I didn’t understand it until we were about to dock on my first space mission. Then, when I looked out the windows, I saw huge solar panels floating in space beside me.
“I came to understand how amazing and one-of-a-kind the laboratory that we, as humans, have created in space close to Earth is, in the last 20 to 25 years. ”
Furukawa is one of the few astronauts in the Crew-7 team who has been to space before. He was born in Kanagawa, Japan, which is not too far from Tokyo. He went to school to become a doctor and studied a lot to learn about medicine. After that, he worked in a hospital as a surgeon.
In 1999, he was chosen to be a JAXA astronaut. In 2011, he went on his first mission to the space station, where he stayed for 165 days. He got there by going on NASA’s last space shuttle mission, STS-135.
Furukawa said he is excited about living in the space station’s zero gravity and doing scientific studies. He wants to research things that could help make new medicine and learn how humans can explore the moon in the future.
After arriving at the space station, the Crew-7 astronauts will say goodbye to the SpaceX Crew-6 astronauts. The Crew-6 astronauts will go back home on their spacecraft, called Crew Dragon Endeavour, in the next few days.
In the middle of September, the team on the space station will welcome three new members. One is an astronaut from NASA named Loral O’Hara, and the other two are cosmonauts named Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub. They will all be traveling to the space station in a Russian capsule called Soyuz MS-24. -
Putin finally speaks out about Wagner plane accident
The leader of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who died in a plane crash near Moscow, was mentioned by Vladimir Putin for the first time.
It took the Russian president a whole day to speak up about the incident where the person who led a rebellion against him was killed.
Officials have confirmed that all 10 individuals aboard the private jet perished when it crashed to the ground yesterday. Among the passengers were the leader and his closest associate Dmitry Utkin.
During a TV meeting at the Kremlin, Putin said he was informed about the crash only this morning.
The leader of the war expressed sadness for the families of the seven passengers and three crew members on the plane.
He praised the mercenary chief and called him a skilled businessman. He has known him since the 1990s.
Putin said that he had known Prigozhin for a long time, since the early 1990s. He was someone who had a difficult past.
He was very skilled and successful in business. He not only worked in our country and did well, but he also worked in other countries, especially in Africa.
Putin said that Prigozhin made a lot of mistakes in his life, but he still accomplished what was needed, possibly referring to the war in Ukraine and Wagner’s actions in Bakhmut.
‘The president said that he made big mistakes in his life and he achieved the expected outcomes, both for himself and for the common cause, when I asked him, in the past few months. ‘
He worked with oil, gas, valuable metals, and stones at that place. He came back from Africa just yesterday. He saw some important people here.
Russian state media did not talk much about the crash. Instead, they focused on what Putin said at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg through a video link, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
At the moment, the police have blocked off the area where the airplane crashed in the village called Kuzhenkino. This village is about 185 miles northwest of the capital city. -
More than half of children exhibit unacceptable blood lead levels – Study Reveals
Around 53.5% of children under the age of five exhibit unacceptable blood lead levels, leading to potential cognitive impairment, according to a research study.
The Protecting Every Child Potential project, a collaborative effort involving Pure Earth, the United Nations International Education Fund, and the Ghana Health Service, undertook a study in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Northern Regions. The research revealed that 53.5% of the examined children had elevated blood lead levels, significantly surpassing the worldwide average of approximately 33%. In certain regions, lead poisoning was observed to be as high as 70 to 80%.
The primary contributor to lead poisoning, as highlighted in the study, is the improper disposal and recycling of lead-acid batteries. Additionally, the contamination is also attributed to cookware, with a significant 77% of surveyed household cookware exceeding the permissible levels of lead content.
“The consequences of lead poisoning are dire; the body does not need lead at all, and to have lead levels in children as high as the study established is very worrying. Any amount of it can destabilise the body and affect children’s IQ,” Esmond Wisdom Quansah, Pure Earth’s Country Director, said in Accra at a result-sharing session of the study on the blood lead levels.
“The results show that 53.5 percent of the surveyed children have blood lead levels more than the recommended World Health Organization threshold, which is a cause for concern,” he lamented.
Globally, it is estimated that over US$ 977 billion is lost to IQ loss, with low-income and poor countries the most affected, he said.
“The major cause of lead poisoning includes used lead battery recycling – the car batteries have lead in them and once the batteries are no longer in use, they remove the lead and recycle it. However, a greater chunk of this is not done well, which ends up polluting the environment.
“So when children or adults inhale it, it ends up poisoning their system. In addition to this, children get lead poisoning from the soil in which they play,” he explained.
Metal cookware is the other source of lead poisoning, the study said, noting that 77 percent of household metal cookware examined had lead levels higher than recommended.
“The amount of lead that leaches out of any particular pot is difficult to predict without specific testing, and there are currently no existing international standards for total lead content in metal cookware. However, 224 of the 293 (77 percent) cooking pots assessed during the study were found to contain levels of lead high enough to indicate the potential for a dangerous amount of lead to leach, based on Pure Earth’s ongoing research (above 100 ppm),” the study added.
Paints, cosmetic products, particularly eyeliner (chilo), and indoor dust within areas of high lead presence as well as incinerators and ore are sources of lead poisoning, according to the findings.
Pure Earth described the findings as worrying because the lead from cookware in particular often leaches into food, causing health problems, particularly IQ loss in children.
“These findings are very, very important,” said Dr. Carlos Osei, Programmes Manager, Occupational and Environmental Health, Ghana Health Service. “We’ve not carried out a study like this before. If it hadn’t been for this study, we wouldn’t have known that as a country, on average, over 50 percent of children under five have elevated blood lead levels way higher than the global average of about 33 percent.”
Commenting further, he said in some parts of the country “We realised that levels of lead poisoning were between 70 to 80 percent”.
Way forward
“Now that we have data, we are engaging the government and its agencies to begin to work; and the first step was the signing of the declaration against lead poisoning today. There are three actions that we need. First is the strengthening of regulations on recycling of these lead acid batteries. Secondly, we need to strengthen the health system to be able to identify cases of lead poisoning and treat them; and finally, we need to conduct public health education across the country about the prevalence of lead in our surroundings. These are the key immediate steps,” Mr. Quansah said.
In the long term, he said the goal is to do extensive work on lead poisoning across the country.
“In the Greater Accra Region, when we carried out a study and presented the findings to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we realised that there was prompt action by the EPA to shut down these polluting lead acid recycling factories or spots,” Dr. Osei revealed.
-
Adoagyiri Chiefs warn of bloodshed if unlawfully enstooled Chief’s outdooring is not halted
Indignant Sub-Chiefs and Locals in Adoagyiri, Eastern Region, have warned of unrest if the Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin and Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council do not halt the illicit outdooring of a rival chief this weekend.
Amidst the presence of heavily armed police personnel, led by Chief Superintendent Magnus Reindorf Sam, Kibi Divisional Police Commander, and supported by the Okyeman Land Protection Taskforce, Odehye Kwame Ntiamoah, hailing from the Dwumana royal family of Adoagyiri, was clandestinely enstooled as the rival Chief of Adoagyiri on Saturday, August 19, 2023, adopting the stool name Barima Adu Korkor III.
The furious sub-chiefs and elders however say Adoagyiri has legitimately gazetted chief for the past 15 years in the person of Okoanadwo Afutu Dompreh II therefore described the enstoolment of the parallel chief as illegal with potential threat to the peace of the town.
At a press conference in Adoagyiri on Monday August 23, 2023 the chiefs, elders and youth of Adoagyiri clad in red and black apparels amid chanting of war songs, stated that Adoagyiri has never been part of Akyem Abuakwa traditional area rather under Akyem Kotoku therefore Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin and Akyem Abuakwa traditional council has no legal and traditional right to invade the community with tacit support of the state to enstool a chief.
Odehye Kronkron Nana Kwabena Agyemang ,one of the spokespersons at the press conference said, “Kyebihene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin must be arrested .What he has done is treason.We will resist them on Saturday with our blood. Some of us will die but many of them will also die”.
Odiatuo Okatakyie Afrifa ,Abakomahene said several petitions sent to the Presidency, Ghana Police Service, National Security about the intention of Okyenhene to invade Adoagyiri to illegally enstool a chief as part of the broader plan to annex it as part of Akyem Abuakwa were been ignored leaving them no option than to defend their land and tradition going forward.
For purpose of emphasis, he said,the Judicial Committee of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on 2 February 2022, delivered judgement on suit number- JC/ERHC/AP1/2008, and gave legitimacy and confirmed Okoanadwo Afutu Dompreh II as Chief of Adoagyiri and Ankobeahene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council, “so on what basis is Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council saying that Kotoku Adoagyiri has no chief”.
The elders and kingmakers gave the historical antecedent of Adoagyiri and credible records indicating clearly that Adoagyiri is under Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area.
“Adoagyiri has since historical times been part of Akyem Kotoku and falls directly under the Gyase Division. It holds the title of Ankobeahene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council from the first chief Nana Dompreh Mpesempese to date.Available records indicate that all substantive Adoagyiri chiefs have been part of the Akyem Kotoku state, including the records and evidence of Okoanadwo Adu Korkoor II as chief of Adoagyiri and Ankoabehene of Akyem Kotoku State with gazette number “No-59” issued on 18th June 1955 by the National House of Chiefs,” they added.
They indicated that Nana Adu Korkor II was installed chief at Adoagyiri and sent to Akyem Kotoku to pay allegiance to the then acting President of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Council Nana Abrokwa Gyampim I (Kontihene of Akyem Kotoku) in 1953 in the absence of the Omanhene of Akyem Kotoku Traditional Area.
“What has the Abuakwa state been doing since 8th November, 2007 when Okoanadwo Afutu Dompreh II swore the oath of allegiance to Kotokuhene, Oseadeayo Dr. Frimpong Manso IV”.
Some angry residents who claim to be members of the ruling New Patriotic Party express their disappointment in President Akufo Addo for looking unconcerned for Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin to abuse state security to commit such a grievous traditional act.
They threatened to vote against the party in 2024.
A libation was poured and cursed invoked on persons involved in last Saturday’s uncustomary enstoolment.
-
Asantehene takes lead in campaign to raise $10m for renovation of KATH’s main ‘Gee’ block
Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has expressed his willingness to lead an initiative aimed at gathering $10 million for the revitalization of the 70-year-old in-patient wards at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
Having been built in 1955, the primary wards of the hospital have not undergone any renovation, resulting in certain sections of the structure developing faults.
During a visit by the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer and representatives of the “Heal Komfo Anokye Project” to the Manhyia Palace, the Asantehene affirmed his dedication to enhancing healthcare services within the region and extending the impact beyond its borders.
.
The “Heal Komfo Anokye Project” team presented the technical and financial proposal developed to guide the comprehensive renovation of the dilapidated blocks which the Asantehene had commissioned them to undertake.
The team is a volunteer group of an architects, real estate developers, marketers, brand communication experts among others. The renovation project is expected to be executed as part of the legacy projects marking the 25th anniversary celebration of the Asantehene’s enstoolment next year.
Otumfuo Osei-Tutu described KATH as a strategic institution that occupies a unique position in the health care delivery system of the country as well as the social, cultural and historical heritage of the Asante Kingdom.
“For a hospital that has been the sole provider of tertiary healthcare in this region and beyond for decades, and also named after the founding Chief Priest of the Asanteman, it will be unacceptable to allow it to fall into a state of disrepair, hence my readiness to lead the crusade for its restoration”, the King explained.
A technical assessment of the facility built in the colonial era by British firm Gee and Walter indicates defects in the structure, with some blocks having cracks.
CEO of KATH, Prof Otchere Addai-Mensah, said he was in utter shock at the extent of the block’s deterioration after his assumption of office in 2022.
“Even though routine repairs have been done over the years, they are woefully inadequate to address the enormous wear and tear that the blocks have undergone over the past seven decades. I am overjoyed that the Asantehene has mentioned plans to give the hospital the much-needed facelift,” he said.
Otumfuo hinted at plans to formally launch a fundraising campaign for mobilisation of essential resources to commence renovation works.
He commended the CEO of KATH and members of the “Heal Komfo Anokye Project” team for their commitment to the project.
He urged the public and corporate institutions to support the fundraising drive when launched for the successful execution of the project.
The Asantehene nominated Nana Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II, Hiahene and Founder of the Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS) – who is also Board Chairman for the Otumfuo Charity Foundation – as his direct representation for the project.
Chairman of the “Heal Komfo Anokye Project” team, Samuel Adu-Boakye, was grateful to the Asantehene for leading the execution of the project.
According to him, a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy has been developed to facilitate the fundraising campaign.
“If we can get just one million Ghanaians to donate 10 dollars each, $10 million can be raised in no time to ensure the timely execution of this project for the benefit of the entire people of Ghana given the wide catchment of the hospital,” he observed.
-
Kisa Gbekle apologises for comments on rape; says she can never mock rape victims
Ghanaian actress Kisa Gbekle has issued an apology to all rape survivors who were emotionally impacted by an insensitive remark she made several months ago.
During an interview with Doreen Avio on Daybreak Hitz, the actress and social media influencer mentioned a previous comment she had made on UTV regarding her encounter with rape.
According to her, she was raped as a teenager and she liked it.
Providing further explanation on Hitz FM, Kisa disclosed that she was inexperienced and innocent when she underwent that particular ordeal.
She added that she did not see it as rape even though it received a lot of attention from her parents who later reported the case to the police.
She stressed that the act happened with her peer and she didn’t see it as rape because she was exploring at the time.
Kisa, who was heavily condemned for her comments on rape however used the platform to apologize to people who were offended.
“I can never laugh at somebody who has been raped. Hitz FM is the biggest and I want to use this platform to apologize. I am sorry to every woman who feels Kisa Gbekle mocked her at a certain time by saying she was raped and she loved it. I was not mocking these women.
“Please find a place in your heart to forgive me. If that statement I made has affected you in any way I am so sorry. And I pray God heals any woman or man who has been raped.”
Meanwhile, Kisa Gbekle has decided to go back to her first love; music.
She is currently promoting her latest single dubbed Korkorkor. The song tackles people’s perceptions about her life.
The single is currently out on all streaming platforms.
-
British Museum thefts: Director Hartwig Fischer resigns due to stolen goods
The director of the British Museum, Hartwig Fischer, will leave his job because valuable items were stolen from the museum in London.
He said the museum did not respond fully when they were told about the thefts in 2021.
Mr Fischer retracted his previous comments made earlier this week about the art dealer who first informed the museum authorities.
He said he apologized for the comments he made, admitting they were a mistake.
The museum said last week that they fired an employee because valuable things went missing, were stolen or broken.
A few days ago, Mr. Fischer supported the museum’s investigation in 2021. They had informed an antiques dealer named Ittai Gradel that they had kept a record of all their items.
Mr Fischer said he had a feeling that Dr. Gradel was not telling the truth about other missing things. But Gradel disagreed and called Mr. Fischer’s comment a direct lie.
Dr Gradel said to BBC News that Mr Fischer’s decision to resign was correct. She believes he should have done it earlier, but she accepts his apology.
Mr Fischer, who has been in the position since 2016, said he would leave as soon as the museum’s board had found someone else to take his place.
He had already said that he would quit the job, but he was not supposed to leave until 2024.Full statement by Hartwig Fischer
In the past few days, I have been carefully looking into what happened when things were stolen from the British Museum and how they were investigated.
The British Museum didn’t respond as well as it should have to warnings in 2021, and now the problem is fully here. The director is ultimately responsible for that failure.
I was wrong about what I said earlier this week about Dr. Gradel I’m really sorry and take back what I said.
I told the chairman of the trustees that I am resigning from my position. Once the board has figured out who will take over for now, I will officially leave the job. This will stay the same until a new leader is picked.
The Museum is in a very serious situation. I really think we will get through this difficult time and become even stronger. However, I’m sorry to say that I think my presence is causing problems and distracting others.
“I really don’t want that at all. ” In the past seven years, I have had the honor of working with very skilled and committed government workers.
“The British Museum is a wonderful place, and I feel very proud to be in charge of it. ”
A thin grey line measuring 2 pixels is shown.
George Osborne, the previous finance minister who now oversees the museum, said that Mr. Fischer’s decision to step down had been approved.
He said that Mr Fischer had done the right thing by acknowledging and addressing the mistakes that were made.
Mr Osborne said that nobody has ever questioned Hartwig’s honesty, his commitment to his work, or his passion for the museum.
He said that the trustees would make sure the museum had the right leaders to guide it during this difficult time while we figure out what mistakes were made.
“I understand this very well: we will correct any problems,” he said. We will acquire knowledge, regain trust, and receive admiration once more.Gradel alerted the museum about stolen objects from its collection two years ago.
Emails that the BBC saw indicate that he started to feel suspicious after he unexpectedly found a photo of a Roman cameo piece that was supposedly being sold online.
He said that the item used to be on the museum’s website but it has been taken down now. -
MP laments alarming rate of students abandoning school for Sakawa in Offinso
Member of Parliament representing the Offinso South Constituency, Isaac Yaw Opoku, has voiced concern about the growing reputation of the town for engaging in internet-based ritual fraud, commonly referred to as ‘Sakawa‘.
The MP has noted that the incidents of young individuals from the region participating in “Sakawa” are consistently increasing, a trend he finds deeply concerning.
“The rate at which the youth in some instances, students are abandoning school for cyber fraud, popularly called ‘Sakawa,’ has reached alarming proportions in our constituency.”
The disturbing trend is that it is common to find pupils engaging in these unfortunate acts during school hours and these school children are being influenced by the ostentatious lifestyles of adults engaged in cyber fraud,” he said.
Isaac Yaw Opoku said this when he visited various ongoing developmental projects he had lobbied for the constituency.
Speaking to OTEC News Reporter, Simon Opoku Afriyie after the visit, the legislature revealed that a series of meetings with security officers in Municipality on how to solve the issue have proved futile, adding that they will continue to engage stakeholders in the area and find solutions to the problem.
He used the opportunity to call on the youth to work hard and shun away from quick money like this sakawa activities.
He said he feared that this trend would tarnish the good name of Offinso and is demanding swift action.
Develop projects
Isaac Yaw Opoku however emphasised that he will continue to lobby for more projects in the constituency to enhance the living standards of his people.
He noted that every community within his constituency has had its share and seen a developmental project in the last two and half years he took the mantle from the former MP.
He however expressed worry about deplorable ‘road networks in the constituency, adding that, the bad road network has barreled this developmental project for the good people of Offinso South to see.
Isaac Yaw Opoku urged the government to as a matter of urgency fix the deplorable road which is affecting the economic activities of the indigenes and those in adjoining communities.
-
First professor of Ukrainian politics in UK appointed
A university has hired someone who they claim is the very first professor of Ukrainian politics in English-speaking countries.
Professor Olga Onuch is going to start teaching a course called Ukraine Rises at the University of Manchester in September.
She said that she wanted her family and friends in Ukraine to feel proud because of her new title.
Volodymyr Sheiko, boss of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, said it is extremely important for Ukraine to be truly understood.
A representative from the University of Manchester said that Prof Onuch is very knowledgeable about Ukraine, which has made her one of the top experts on the country in the UK and around the world.
They said that starting in 2014, she was a part of a group that gives advice to the Ukrainian government. She also worked with people who make policies from Ukraine, the UK, the US, the EU, and Canada.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, she wrote a book called The Zelensky Effect. The book talks about how Ukraine’s national identity influenced its president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
The university announced that in addition to starting a new course about current Ukrainian politics, she will also keep teaching classes about mass protests and democratization in Eastern Europe and Latin America.
‘Really deserving’
Prof Onuch said she wanted to bring some pride to her family and friends in Ukraine by being the first professor to have a specific title dedicated to Ukrainian Politics in English-speaking countries.
She said, most importantly, she wants this to be the beginning of a new pattern, not just a one-time thing.
Mr Sheiko, who is part of an organization that tries to improve Ukraine’s image internationally through cultural diplomacy, said that appointing Prof. Onuch was a very important step.
“He said that a lot of what we know about Ukraine comes from important schools that study its history, politics, and culture. This knowledge helps shape government decisions, school lessons, and what the public thinks. ”
He said that he is sure that Olga’s deep experience and knowledge will set a good example for others to imitate.
Anna Dezyk, who helps lead a group of Ukrainians in Great Britain, said that Prof Onuch’s passion and knowledge are very helpful in advancing the study of Ukrainian politics in academia. This will help bring more attention to the subject and give it the recognition it deserves.
Leigh Gibson, who works for the British Council in Ukraine, said that her appointment is very fitting and well-deserved. -
President of Amhara region steps down amid violence
The leader of the troubled Amhara region in northwest Ethiopia has stepped down due to ongoing violence, which has led to the declaration of a state of emergency for six months.
Yilkal Kefale was the leader of a very populated region in Ethiopia for around two years.
During his time in office, there have been many violent events. A very intense civil war started in Tigray next door and then spread to Amhara. This has caused the loss of many lives among the civilian population, as well as allegations of sexual abuse and a crisis concerning people’s well-being and basic needs.
In April, there were occasional fights in the area. However, this month the fights became more frequent and widespread, causing a lot of trouble. Local groups of people who are against the government’s decision to shut down a special fighting force in a specific area went into a few cities and temporarily took control of an airport.
A meeting of the council in the capital city of Bahir Dar happened urgently. They agreed with the regional president’s decision to leave and chose Arega Kebede to take his place. -
Murtala Mohammed fumes over police alteration of proposed routes for BoG demonstration
Tamale Central Member of Parliament, Murtala Muhammed, has strongly condemned the rationale provided by the police for changing the planned routes for the protest against Bank of Ghana Governor Dr Ernest Addison.
He labeled the explanations as absurd and outrageous.
In a communication dated August 21, 2023, the minority informed the Accra Regional Police of their plan to stage a protest against the central bank’s governor on September 5, 2023.
In the statement, the minority stated routes that they will be using for the demonstration.
Days after the statement by the minority, the police indicated to the minority that the agreed routes need to be altered as the original will pose danger to road users during the demonstration.
Reacting to the decision by the Ghana Police Service, the Tamale MP indicated that they as members of parliament are the least threat when it comes to endangering the lives of road users.
“That description is not only ridiculous but it is preposterous to say the least. If there are groups of persons in this country who have the potential and the capacity to endanger the safety of the people in this country, it is not the members of parliament.
“These are people who are representing constituents and it is not for nothing that they are described as honourable members,” he said.
Continuing his criticism, the MP stressed on the constitutional right to peaceful demonstration and free expression as outlined in Article 21 (1b) of the 1992 constitution.
“For the police to think that demonstrating as a constitutional right as stated in Article 21 (1b) of the 1992 constitution as a means of making a case and letting government and the governor of the Bank of Ghana to understand that we have had enough.
“The police raised concerns about the route we wanted to take, and we never came to a conclusion that we will agree with any variations of the route. We indeed indicate to the police that we stick to the route that we are going to use to embark on this demonstration and that was how the meeting concluded. Only for the police issue that statement and for me that is unfortunate,” Murtala continued.
He added that “Such actions of state institutions, more also the Ghana Police, syphons out the little confidence that is left in the police service.”
Murtala Muhammed also took aim at D Ernest Addison, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, and accused him of dishonesty.
“In a serious country, this man [reference to Dr Ernest Addison] should not last 30 minutes in office. He’s been lying to the people of this country and when he even held the press conference, he lied.”
-
Former NPP MP claims Akufo-Addo govt lacks defensible records
Catherine Abelema Afeku, a participant in the campaign team supporting Alan Kyerematen, an aspiring NPP flagbearer,
Member of NPP flagbearer hopeful, Alan Kyerematen’s campaign team, Catherine Afeku, has offered support for remarks made by her candidate regarding the difficulties encountered during the Akufo-Addo government’s tenure.
She mentioned that even President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has acknowledged the existence of challenges within his administration. Therefore, she sees no issue with stating the evident facts.
Her remarks come in response to prior statements made by John Boadu, the former General Secretary of the NPP, who indicated that Alan Kyeremateng’s acknowledgment of economic challenges casts the party in a negative light and implies an inability to support and defend the current ruling government.
She indicated that there is nothing wrong with the admission by Alan’s campaign team because there are challenges that cannot be overlooked, ones that are reflective of the current economic situation.
In an interview with Akan radio station, Asempa FM, Catherine Afeku said; “Even our leader, our defacto leader, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, has admitted that we have challenges. So, if John Boadu comes to say that when we [Alan campaign team] say we have challenges, so we have not spoken well.
“..what is there to defend? Is the cedis not at 12 cedis? Was it not at four?” she said.The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will hold a Special Delegates Congress on Saturday, August 26, 2023, to elect the final five out of the 10 candidates aspiring to the lead the party as its flagbearer for the 2024 general elections.
The final 5 will contest in a November 2023 contest, where the winner and presidential candidate will be decided.
-
United States military fighter plane crashes close to San Diego
A US fighter airplane has crashed close to a military base in California, the Marine Corps verified.
The F/A-18 Hornet plane crashed on Thursday night near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which is about 15 miles away from San Diego.
It is not clear how the pilot is doing right now. People are looking and trying to save others right now.
The Marine Corps is looking into what happened.
On Friday morning, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar announced that the crash happened on government land near the base.
The base’s statement said that there is no evidence of damage to any property on the ground.
Members of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, along with a helicopter, are helping in the search, as reported by NBC News.
The 3rd Marine Corps Aircraft Wing is located at a place called MCAS Miramar. The plane that crashed was not part of that group, but it was being used from the base.
“We will give you more details when we have them,” MCAS Miramar said in the statement.
F/A-18 Hornet planes are used by both the Marine Corps and the US Navy. These planes can fly in any weather and are designed for both fighting and attacking.
The first versions of the aircraft started being used by the Marines in 1983, and the Navy started using them the year after.
In 2012, a military plane crashed into a building where people live in Virginia Beach, Virginia, hurting seven individuals.
In 2008, a fighter jet crashed into a neighborhood in San Diego, causing the deaths of four people who were not on the plane. The pilot was able to use an ejection seat to leave the aircraft and survived the situation. -
Uganda’s President Museveni proclaims ‘war’ on used clothing
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has prohibited the bringing in of used clothes and electricity meters and cables.
The goal of this directive is to make more jobs and promote the growth of Uganda’s manufacturing sector, specifically in the textile industry.
Don’t purchase used clothes because they belonged to deceased individuals. When white people die, they sort out their clothes and send them to Africa. According to Daily Monitor, Mr. Museveni, the President, mentioned this alternative statement.
President Museveni gave an order when he started 10 factories in Mbale, a town in eastern Uganda. These factories will make electricity meters and cables.
The factories are owned by Chinese people and are part of a project called the Sino-Uganda Industrial Park. This project is a collaboration between the Ugandan government and Chinese investors.
Rwanda, which is next to Uganda, stopped allowing people to bring in used clothes from other countries in 2018.
Other countries in East Africa have also tried to stop or reduce the importation of second-hand clothing in the past. -
Amaliba projects 2 candidates as front-runners in NPP flagbearer race
The National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s Director of Legal Affairs, Abraham Amaliba, has singled out two flagbearer contenders within the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Abraham Amaliba suggests that among the NPP candidates, Kwabena Agyepong and Boakye Agyarko stand out significantly in terms of possessing a strong message or vision for the party.
Abraham Amaliba conveyed this remark during an appearance on TV3 Newday, discussing the imminent Special Delegates Conference scheduled for Saturday, August 26, 2023.
“I’m talking about messaging and vision, these two guys have toppled the rest. I’m saying that Kwabena Agyepong and Agyarko are striking the right notes,” he said.
However, Amaliba added that despite their vision and great message, the NPP delegates will not vote for them.
“There are some people who are striking the right notes. You see, like Kwabena Agyepong, striking the right notes, Like Boakye Agyarko striking the right notes but these are people the delegates will not vote for,” he said.
The New Patriotic Party will hold its Super Delegates Conference on Saturday, August 26, 2023, to trim the number of flagbearer aspirants from 10 to 5.
The ten flagbearer aspirants are Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Joe Ghartey, Alan Kyerematen, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Dr. Owusu Akoto Afriyie, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Boakye Agyarko, Kojo Opoku and Francis Addai-Nimoh.
-
Embassy of Sierra Leone will soon open in Jerusalem
The government of Sierra Leone has declared its willingness to “establish an Embassy of Sierra Leone in Jerusalem.”
This comes after several nations, like the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, and Kosovo, opened embassies there.
Israel views all of Jerusalem, including East Jerusalem, which it seized in 1980, as its capital.
However, the majority of the international community does not acknowledge the relocation.
The majority of nations have kept their embassies in Tel Aviv because they believe that discussions with the Palestinians, who claim Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state, should determine Jerusalem’s status.
-
Sudanese war could lead to disaster in the region – UN
The United Nations says that the war in Sudan is causing a lot of harm to the whole country. The entire region may face a significant catastrophe as a result of this.
In April, a major conflict arose between the military forces and a faction of individuals who are not formally affiliated with the armed forces.The fight is getting bigger and spreading to more places.
The UN says many kids are extremely malnourished and might die soon if they don’t get help.
The person in charge of helping people in need from the United Nations says that a lack of food,illnesses, and people being forced to leave their homes are close to completely ruining Sudan.
There have been a lot of sad reports about how the war is affecting people, but Martin Griffiths is saying that if the fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces keeps going, the whole area will have very bad results.
This week, the charity Save The Children had to shut down many of its nutrition centers because of the violence happening.
It was reported that over 30,000 kids were not getting the treatment they needed, and as a result,almost 500 of them had died.
