Attorney General (AG), Godfred Yeboah Dame, has initiated substantial measures to address the situation involving Joshua Amankwa, a 25-year-old who was taken into custody by Kasoa Walantu police for verbally abusing them during a standard search procedure.
With effective effort, the Attorney General managed to obtain bail for Joshua Amankwa, who had been found guilty of verbally attacking police officers during a search of him and fellow passengers in a taxi, despite no evidence of wrongdoing being discovered.
On July 30, 2023, the event transpired, leading to the subsequent presentation of Joshua Amankwa before the magistrate court in Akweley, Kasoa. He faced charges of Offensive Conduct under section 207 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), prompted by a formal complaint lodged by police officers affiliated with the divisional operation unit in Kasoa.
Surprisingly, Joshua Amankwa was convicted without any prior notice or consultation with the Attorney General’s department for advice. Upon learning of this conviction, Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame took swift action. The AG according to a report by Asaaseradio.com has instructed the Central Region office of the AG’s department to appeal against the conviction and secure bail for the convicted individual while the appeal process is underway.
As a result of these efforts, Joshua Amankwa has been granted bail. The Attorney General’s department is actively working to serve the court’s bail order to the police. Furthermore, the AG’s department intends to proceed with the appeal, seeking to overturn Joshua Amankwa’s conviction.
The incident leading to Joshua Amankwa’s arrest involved police officers stationed at the Divisional Operation unit in Kasoa conducting a routine stop and search on a taxi cab along the Kasoa-Nyanyano main road. Despite finding nothing incriminating on the passengers, including Joshua Amankwa, he reacted with aggression and hurled insults at the officers. He used derogatory language, including calling the officers “foolish people” and making threats related to their work.
Additionally, Joshua Amankwa’s response escalated to invoking deities and placing curses on the officers.
This led to his 12 months sentence by His Worship Stephen Ofori Akrasi, the presiding Magistrate
The Pakistani military successfully repelled a militant attack on Chinese engineers in the Balochistan province in southwest Pakistan, killing two militants while leaving the Chinese workers unscathed, according to authorities.
A clearance operation is currently under progress, according to Chakar Baloch, the police superintendent for the Gwadar district where the attack occurred, who told CNN that after two hours of fighting between police and terrorists. Two members of the security team were hurt.
An aggressive separatist group, the Baloch Liberation Army, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement to CNN.
According to Pakistan’s armed forces, a firefight with security forces resulted in at least two militant deaths and three injuries.
Security personnel, according to the military, have cordoned off the whole area and begun a search operation.
The attack was harshly denounced by China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday, and it urged Pakistani authorities to punish the perpetrators and guarantee the safety of Chinese citizens.
“China will continue to work with Pakistan to prevent and respond to the threat of terrorism, and effectively protect the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions, and projects in Pakistan,” said Wang Wenbin, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry.
He continued, “Any attempt to undermine the friendship between China and Pakistan and the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would never succeed.
The $60 billion CPEC project builds a network of roads, railroads, pipelines, and power plants to connect Pakistan’s strategically important Gwadar port to China’s western Xinjiang province.
It is a key component of the Belt and Road Initiative, the global infrastructure initiative spearheaded by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Balochistan, the largest but least populous province of Pakistan, shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan. The Gwadar port, a vital component in the CPEC, is also located there.
Pakistan’s main source of economic and military assistance comes from China, a close ally. Terrorist acts, however, have concerned Beijing in recent years as they have targeted Chinese nationals and their interests in Pakistan.
Three Chinese professors and a driver were killed in an alleged suicide attack in April 2022 close to the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi. The Confucius Institute was a target of that attack, according to the Baloch Liberation Army, who described it as a “symbol of Chinese economic, cultural, and political expansionism.”
The most recent significant assault on Chinese engineers took place in the north of Pakistan in July 2021. According to local authorities, a bus carrying Chinese engineers crashed into a ditch after a “fiery explosion,” killing more than a dozen individuals.
A National Democratic Congress (NDC) Eastern Regional Youth Organizer, Richard Etornam Nyarko has opined that a former chief of staff and minister for local government and rural development Julius Debrah, is the ideal running mate for Mr. As the party’s presidential candidate in 2024, John Dramani Mahama will run for office.
Richard Etornam Nyarko made this statement after Julius Debrah clarified that he has not indicated any interest in the job of running mate and that he has no intention of accepting any suggestions for the position.
John Mahama’s running companion was Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, a former minister of education and vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and a former minister of education served as John Dramani Mahama’s running mate in the 2020 presidential election, which saw the party lose with 47.36% of the vote to incumbent President Nana Akufo Addo’s 51.30%.
Richard Etornam Nyarko, the Eastern Regional Youth Organizer, however, stated to Starr News on the sidelines of a general meeting of the Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) at Koforidua Technical University (KTU) on Friday that the youth need a running mate who truly understands the NDC’s ideology and has the welfare of the youth at heart.
“The youth really want to have somebody who thinks like them who stand on their side and so it will certainly not be anybody, but the preferences are clear and we know that certainly President Mahama is promising us that he is coming to create jobs, he is coming because of the youth he is coming to pen down certain revolution mechanisms that will make life a meaningful one for the youth.”
He continued, “So certainly we know that he is going to be ably supported by somebody who thinks like a youth , who stands on the side of the youth somebody that is a politician enough somebody that understands the ideals of the NDC and the concerns of the youth.Yes, we cannot make the decision for President Mahama it is his decision and we believe that with all the assurances he has given to us that he is coming in on the strength of the youth certainly he is going to pick somebody who think like a youth”
Richard Etornam Nyarko said that the youth wing wants Julius Debrah to be the running mate when pressed further by Starr News Eastern regional correspondent Kojo Ansah.
Apart from Julius Debrah’s competency, which is demonstrated by the many roles he has had, he reflects the goals of the youth, therefore picking him as a running mate will inspire the party’s youth and Ghana’s youth in general to win power.
“We have some pictures in our minds and we believe that it will go on the side of the youth.Me as a youth I will be highly inspired if a person like Julius Debrah is mentioned”.
He claimed that the NDC’s records clearly demonstrate that tactical changes in running mates have benefited the NDC’s efforts to win power and that, as a result, the appeal of the youth is not unreasonable.
“There are records to that, in 2000 President Mills of blessed memory brought Martin Amidu, in 2004 was changed with Dr. Mumuni , in 2008 it was President Mahama , there was no repetition of a running mates even though I am not trying to preempt the President but we are only trying to pick our minds and I think that if a new person is appointed as the running mate and the person is already on the grounds is fantastic for the NDC to win.
The Parliamentary Candidate for the NDC in New Juaben South,Dr.Martin Otu Offei, a Lecturer at KTU, said the party has over the years demonstrated strong believe in the youth hence given many youth opportunity to serve, however, the party will support anyone appointed running mate for the 2024 Presidential polls.
He assured to support and revive TEIN to become a vibrant pool of human resources for the NDC to capture power.
Various speakers at the KTU TEIN branch General Meeting charged the students to work hard and create awareness about the policies of the NDC.
The speakers believe, Akuffo Addo -Bawumia led government has been monumental failure and disappointment to the youth with unprecedented corruption and incompetence in all sectors of the economy.
Lawyer Isaac Minta Larbi, chairman of the Eastern Regional Legal team of NDC assured the youth that, all legal arsenals will be deployed to combat intimidations and arbitrary arrests by the ruling party before, during and after the elections.
Present at the event were New Juaben South Constituency Chairman Amuzu Selasie , Dr. Samuel Kwabena Ayittah (Patron, TEIN), Comrade Stephen Sawodjie, Comrade Evans Srenyame (Former Youth Organizer, Upper Manya Krobo, and Dennis Akorely, New Juaben. south constituency youth organizer.
Local authorities in South Korea said that a threatened lioness was shot dead on Monday, an hour after escaping a private farm.
In North Gyeongsang Province’s Goryeong county, around 300 kilometres (186 miles) south of the capital Seoul, the lioness broke out of her cage on Monday morning, according to a county official. Over 30,000 people live in this rugged region.
The regional fire service reported that the escape led to a search operation involving 127 police officers and 26 firefighters. Authorities issued a warning and advising citizens to avoid the neighbouring Bukdu mountain.
The lioness was shot dead in the woods approximately four to five kilometres (about 2.5 to 3.1 miles) from the property, the county official said, roughly an hour after the escape was discovered.
Before she was killed, the lioness can be seen gazing out from a tangle of twigs and leaves in photos issued by the fire service.
According to the county administrator, the private property also has cows but no other lions or lionesses.
An spokesperson from the organisation told CNN that the lioness had been listed as an internationally endangered species with the Daegu Regional Environmental Office.
The office, which also inspects the animals’ housing conditions, must be informed of any transfer and death of a registered animal, the official continued. The date of this lioness’ most recent examination is unknown.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, lions are currently classified as “vulnerable” because of habitat loss, the extinction of prey species, trophy hunting, and human conflict.
Online discussion over victim-blaming has been sparked by a contentious lecture on sexual harassment at a middle school in southern China. Many commenters have criticised both the school and what they see to be an inadequate response from administrators.
According to Chinese state media People’s Daily, the school, which is located in Zhaoqing city in Guangdong province, offered a “mental health education” lesson last year, which is comparable to a sex education class in China.
However, images of the lesson plans only started to circulate last month, displaying papers that claimed that sexual harassment victims “suffer because they dress flamboyantly and behave flirtatiously.” “Girls should avoid frivolous behaviour and should not wear transparent or skimpy clothing,” it continued.
On social media, the images sparked outrage and scepticism, with many accusing conservative beliefs of reflecting deeply ingrained gender inequity in a patriarchal society.
On the Chinese social media site Weibo, one of the top comments had 19,000 likes and said, “The teacher of that class is problematic.” Others highlighted the risks of victim blaming and the ways that women are frequently the targets of violence regardless of what they are wearing.
Local educational authorities responded to the criticism by issuing a statement last week stating that the online images depicted a lecture given at the institution in April.
The statement read, “The lecture contained some inappropriate expressions, which led to misunderstanding among (online users).”
The school was also instructed to assess its lectures and enhance teacher training after the county’s education bureau “criticised and educated relevant personnel,” according to the document.
The official statement, however, also provoked criticism for some. Many argued that the teaching materials had not been an innocent mistake but rather a representation of true, widely held opinions in the nation, and that the language of the statement, “misunderstanding,” was incorrect.
One reply stated, “People online didn’t’misunderstand,’” “The penalty is too light.”
On its website or social media accounts, the school has not yet published any official statements. The school has been contacted by CNN for comment.
Similar controversy has been sparked by a number of cases over the years, particularly in light of China’s #MeToo movement, which has persevered despite numerous losses owing to censorship and an ongoing crackdown on feminist activity.
For instance, state media The Paper reported that a guy assaulted a young woman at a Zhejiang public lavatory in November. She was “skimpily dressed,” according to internet reviewers, but her mother told The Paper: “What does clothing have to do with being beaten? Would that constitute a crime?
And in 2021, a contentious advertisement for makeup removal wipes was removed from the internet following a significant uproar. The commercial depicted a woman being chased down the street at night by a would-be assailant, who flees in panic after she removes her makeup.
Speaking to Agyemang Prempeh on Power Entertainment on Power979fm and Tv XYZ, the “Adom” hitmaker stated that, their love story unfolded during her final year at nursing school, a period that marked the beginning of their connection.
According to Mrs Hamilton, she has never been romantically involved with anyone other than her husband. She clarified that she has no ex-boyfriends and that she was a virgin when she met her husband.
“My first boyfriend is my husband I have never dated any man before. I have no ex boyfriend my husband is the only man I know”, she said.
I started dating my husband when I was in nursing school, finally year actually. He met me when I was a virgin”, she added.
A 42-year-old mason is reportedly contemplating the release of explicit photos belonging to his 28-year-old former girlfriend. This comes after he had taken out a GHC7,000 loan on her behalf, only to be abandoned by her shortly thereafter.
The mason stated that he responded to his girlfriend’s request for assistance by obtaining the loan approximately three months into their relationship.
Nevertheless, after receiving the funds, the girl declined to answer his calls and opted to block his contact.
The mason identified as Nana said he reached out to the lady’s mother who informed him that she asked her daughter to dump him.
Speaking in an interview with Nana Yaa Brefo on Angel FM, Nana who said he never got intimate with his runaway girlfriend threatened to release explicit images of her as revenge.
“Please help me to retrieve my money from her. I found a way to gain her naked pictures, I have sisters and would not want to disgrace her.
“I was smart enough to use a different number to entice her into sending me explicit pictures of herself,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the lady has also threatened to invoke a curse on her aggrieved former boyfriend if he goes ahead to carry out the threat.
The case file concerning the alleged murder of a seven-year-old girl in Wassa Nkyirifi, Western Region, by her uncle Augustine Afari and a spiritualist named Osei Kofi has been forwarded to the attorney general’s office for legal guidance.
Police arrested two individuals in connection with the alleged killing of a young girl for money rituals: small-scale miner Augustine Afari and spiritualist Osei Kofi, also known as Agya Osei, both 22.
Spendylove Adjei, the victim’s biological father who is also a small-scale miner in Wassa Agyakuso, claims that he was sent to Spendylove About eight months ago, Adjei was taken to her grandma Abena Obenewaa, who lives in Wassa Nkyirifi to attend school.
Spendylove, who passed away on July 21, 2023, became ill and was unable to attend school.
As she went to work on a farm, her grandma left her in the custody of her son, the suspect Augustine Afari.
On the same day, she came back about 2:00 pm but was unable to locate the grandchild.
When questioned, suspect Augustine Afari admitted that he also left Spendylove at home to make a purchase.M is consequently unaware of her location.
The grandma looked in every nook and crevice of the neighborhood but was unsuccessful, forcing her to tell the father of the dead girl who had come to the neighborhood to help with the search.
Kenneth Boadi, an assemblyman from the neighborhood, was made aware of the occurrence.
He suggested that the family file a formal complaint at the police station to have Augustine Afari warned.
Augustine Afari was detained and taken to Wassa Akropong Police Station about 3 o’clock the same day.
He was released on police investigation bail after disputing the accusation made against him during the interrogation.
According to information obtained by Starr News, on August 1, 2023, Pastor James Coffie Nkansah of Dunkwa-On-Offin told the family and police that the culprit, Augustine Afari, had confessed to him that he had slain his niece Spendylove.
Agya Osei, a spiritualist, told him to kill her and deliver her head for a ritualistic payment.
The spiritualist also offered him an amulet in the form of a swallowable stone. instructed him to bring sachet water for the ritual bath as well.
Augustine stated that after the ritual washing he was possessed and suddenly turned violent and ravenous for blood. As a result, when his ailing niece was put in his care, he repeatedly struck her with a cutlass until she passed out.
The dead was then taken by suspect Augustine Afari to an abandoned galamsey spot in the bush, 120 meters from their home, where he beheaded her.
He dug a hole, buried the headless body in it, wrapped the head in a black plastic bag, and concealed it in a bush so that he could later deliver it to the spiritualist as instructed.
But at that point, he was taken into custody and given bail; as a result, he was unable to transmit the victim’s head as intended.
He sent the victim’s head to the spiritualist the following day at 9:00 pm after receiving a Police enquiry bail, but was advised to bring it back and bury it where the victim’s corpse was buried instead because the money ritual wouldn’t work.
Both Augustine Afari and the medium were taken into custody after being arrested and sent to the Wassa Akropong Police station.
The unearthed body and its components were placed at the mortuary for additional examination.
The two defendants have been charged and remanded by the court, and the docket has been forwarded to the office of the Attorney General for guidance.
Volta Regional Organizer for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Korsi Bodja, is facing a defamation lawsuit of GHC1 million. This legal action has been initiated by Emmanuel Quarshie and Pope Yao Yevoo.
The defamation lawsuit against Korsi Bodja is a result of claims made after the recent Assin North by-election.
According to a writ obtained by Asaase News, the lawsuit provides information about the plaintiffs’ assertion that they were NPP campaigners tasked with engaging Ewe communities within the Assin North constituency ahead of the by-election held on 27 June.
Yevoo and Quarshie assert that they fulfilled their campaign duties diligently and without any misconduct that could tarnish their own reputations or that of the NPP.
However, their shock arose from WhatsApp conversations purportedly involving Korsi Bodja, the defendant. In these messages, Bodja accused the plaintiffs of diverting campaign materials intended for distribution to Ewe constituents in the Assin North constituency.
According to the lawsuit, various media outlets further propagated these allegations based on a petition submitted by Bodja himself. The petition had been addressed to the party’s national secretary and called for the suspension of Yevoo and Quarshie, alleging the diversion of party items like “hair dryers, cutlasses, Wellington boots, head pans, fertilizers, and sewing machines.”
The plaintiffs argue that Bodja’s claims are “false and malicious,” designed to portray them as dishonest and thieving individuals who cannot be trusted. They contend that these statements have caused significant damage to their reputation, causing distress and embarrassment.
The plaintiffs’ prayers to the court include a declaration that Bodja’s statements are defamatory, seeking damages of one million Ghana cedis (GHC1,000,000) for defamation.
They also request an order for Bodja to retract the defamatory statements and publish the retraction with equal prominence, as well as an injunction restraining Bodja from making further defamatory statements about them.
As of now, the defendant, Korsi Bodja, has yet to respond to the lawsuit.
At least 21 people have died and six are missing, according to local authorities, who blame a flash flood and landslip that happened on the outskirts of the northwest Chinese city of Xi’an.
The Xi’an City Emergency Management Bureau reports that 900 residences experienced power outages as a result of the natural catastrophe, which took place in a mountain town on Friday. The incident also reportedly caused damage to roads, bridges, and communication equipment.
Due to recent record high temperatures and disastrous flooding in parts of China, experts link extreme weather events around the world to climate change.
Following the landslip and flash flood, about 1,000 rescuers were sent to Xi’an’s Weiziping village. As of Sunday evening, 186 people had been rescued, and relief operations were still in progress. In addition, two homes were demolished.
Two structures were destroyed by a tremendous flow of mud and debris that cascaded down the hillside on Friday in the late afternoon, according to a restaurant owner in the town who spoke to the state-run media site Cover News.
He was cited as adding, “Both houses were gone, and the people went missing too.”
According to Cover News, the two demolished residences were used as restaurants.
People travel to the mountains to escape the summer heat in Xi’an. The main source of income in our hamlet is the summertime operation of farm eateries, according to a second local who spoke to Cover News.
Following significant floods on the other side of the nation in northeastern China, which was pummelling by unprecedented rainfall from local typhoons starting late last month, the calamity occurred.
According to local authorities, flooding claimed the lives of at least 29 individuals in the province of Hebei and 33 people in Beijing.
As the rains proceeded north and flooded farmlands in the nation’s grain-producing region, another 14 deaths were recorded in the Jilin province city of Shulan.
According to state media, more than 1.5 million people were forced to abandon their houses in Hebei, including those who had to flee so-called “flood storage areas,” which were flooded as flood control officials let go of trapped water.
According to provincial authorities, approximately 200,000 homes were damaged or completely destroyed by flooding, with the total cost of the disaster’s damage anticipated to exceed $13 billion.
By the end of next month, according to the authorities, they hope to have everyone back in their homes.
Separately, on Sunday, a house in Leyu village, Hengnan county, collapsed due to severe winds, leaving three people dead and two others hurt in Hunan province. According to China National Radio, seven individuals were inside the house when it fell as they sought refuge from the torrential rains.
A 48-year-old woman who was in debt for 20 Cedis was given a hot soup bath in exchange for her debt at Assin Asamankese in the Assin South District of the Central Region.
Adwoa Ketsewa, the victim, claims that in order to feed her family, she borrowed 20 Cedis worth of fish on credit from a fish vendor.
Three days later, the victim received an angry visit from Assin Achiase fish vendor Ekua Dermaa, who was demanding payment of 20 Cedis.
According to the victim, she didn’t have money on her when the woman came demanding for it, so she asked her to go and that she’ll pay the next day.
In an interview with GHone News, the victim said the negotiations didn’t go well with the fish seller, and so the later grabbed the hot palm nut soup she was preparing on fire and poured it on her body.
The suspect immediately after pouring the hot palm nut soup on the victim, run to her house.
When the woman cried for assistance, neighbours stepped in to help and took her to the hospital for treatment.
The Assin Manso Police Station has received a complaint of the incident, but the culprit has not yet been taken into custody.
The victim is pleading with the public for assistance so she can care for herself while in the hospital.
A group of constituency chairmen from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Adanse enclave of the Ashanti Region in Ghana are demanding an apology and correction from the campaign team of John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen. The chairmen claim that they have been misrepresented in terms of their preferred candidate for the upcoming flagbearer contest within the party.
Reports emerged that the chairmen were inaccurately portrayed in a video following John Alan Kyerematen’s visit to the area as part of his campaign for the party’s flagbearer position. The group of chairmen, who have openly endorsed Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the role, expressed their displeasure over the portrayal of their statements and views in the video.
They clarified that, out of respect for the democratic process and their party, they attended John Alan Kyerematen’s campaign event. However, they emphasized that their endorsement of Dr. Bawumia as their preferred candidate remains steadfast and unchanged. They also pointed out that only one out of the six constituency chairmen in the Adanse enclave does not support Dr. Bawumia, and even that individual does not support Kyerematen either.
The chairmen took issue with how their statements were allegedly misused and manipulated to imply support for Kyerematen in the media, particularly on UTV. They consider this misrepresentation to be misleading and unfair. As a result, they are demanding that Kyerematen’s campaign team issues a retraction and apology for the video that they believe distorted their views.
The NPP has a special delegates congress scheduled for August 26, 2023, during which the number of approved candidates for the party’s flagbearer position will be reduced from 10 to five. This contest is a significant event for the party as it determines who will represent them in the upcoming presidential elections.
Read the full statement by the group below:
RETRACT AND APOLOGISE TO US FOR THE ERRONEOUs MISREPRESENTATION ASHANTI CONSTITUENCY CHAIRMEN TO ALAN
Our attention has been drawn to the circulation of a video which erroneously and unfairly misrepresents our position and views with respect to our preferred choice for the upcoming presidential elections in our party.
We are highly livid and worried about how our statements have been mischievously pieced together to portray a supposed declaration for Hon. Alan Kyerematen, and same shown on UTV during their major news bulletin.
We the Constituency chairmen of the Adanse enclave have already openly and boldly declared our support for the Vice President, HE Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, as our choice for the flag-bearership race, and this is a decision that we don’t intend to rescind nor reverse. To set the records straight, among the 6 constituency chairmen of the Adanse Enclave, it is only the New Edubiase constituency chairman who doesn’t support Dr. Bawumia, and even with that, he doesn’t support Hon. Kyerematen either.
We as constituency chairmen thought it was the right, appropriate and honourable thing to do, when we received and honoured the invitation of Hon Alan Kyerematen’s team to the delegates durbar since he’s also one of the presidential aspirants and a stalwart of our party. We accorded him that respect just as we would accord any other presidential aspirant the same respect a d audience. But for his team to misrepresent our statements is something we find absolutely wrong and unfair.
We therefore demand an unqualified apology from them. Thank you.
Based on a survey, as many as one in three Israelis are considering leaving the country, despite the fact that tens of thousands of residents continue to participate in weekly demonstrations against the government‘s extremely contentious plans to alter the justice system.
In this group is Professor Chen Hofmann. Every Friday evening, they have a dinner as a family to begin the Jewish Sabbath. His wife and their kids also attend. The conclusion is now a sizable anti-government rally.
The doctor at the recurring Saturday night demonstration in central Tel Aviv adds, “It’s not our ritual to go and protest in the streets, but we’re compelled to because we feel like we’re losing our nation.
The top Israeli radiologist is now relocating to a hospital in the UK and is attempting to get other family members, who are all European citizens, to think about leaving as well.
“I’m going to London for a sabbatical, and this will be my laboratory to see if I can live outside of Israel,” he says. We’ll find a new place to live if things are that awful and get worse every day.
On Tel Aviv’s Kaplan Street, there is rage at the passage of legislation that will restrict the Supreme Court’s authority among the crowds honking horns and waving Israeli flags.
Demonstrators think it imperils democracy. Israel’s hard-line ruling coalition, meanwhile, claims that its efforts strengthen democracy by addressing a judicial system where elected officials are too frequently overruled.
Many protesters acknowledge that they, or others close to them, have considered emigrating, even though they still hold out hope that new legislation can be overturned.
A mother at the demonstration, Sarah, declares, “I will not raise my children in a country which is not democratic. It would be heartbreaking.”
“We won’t stay here if I can’t be certain that my daughter’s rights as a young woman are guaranteed.”
Israeli relocation specialists claim to have seen a surge in business during the last few months. Rising living costs and the anticipated negative economic effects of the government’s judicial initiatives are further motivating factors for those desiring to emigrate.
According to Shay Obazanek, CEO of one significant company, Ocean Relocation, “We have seen a dramatic increase in the demand for information: we want to move to another country, how do we start the process?” “Those with foreign passports who can travel should seek advice.”
Ruth Nevo, a migration professional headquartered in Portugal, has started working with Israeli clients. It’s gone from zero for years to something like 25 queries every day, she says.
Additionally, the inquirers are well educated. I’m referring to professionals in law, justice, law enforcement, academia, and information technology who are all deeply concerned about what is happening.
According to global trends, the majority of those who consider emigrating for political reasons do not really do so. Many Americans who had vowed to go abroad before and after Donald Trump’s election in 2016 gave up their plans.
However, the recent political unrest in Israel has exposed significant social gaps and sparked concern over changing demographics.
Due to their relatively high birth rates and socially conservative attitudes, religious nationalists and ultra-Orthodox Jews make up the foundation of the current coalition administration. They also represent segments of the population that are rapidly expanding.
Secular Israelis perceive a threat to their liberal lives as they become a minority in their own nation. They now worry that the legal system will be unable to defend their civil rights.
Professor Alon Tal, chairman of the public policy department at Tel Aviv University, believes that during the past six months, a gradual demographic shift suddenly became quite obvious.
He draws attention to the fact that in Israel, secular Jews continue to pay the majority of taxes and do the majority of the required military service, frequently for years in the reserves. The ultra-Orthodox community benefits from long-standing army exemptions.
A possible emigration, according to Professor Tal, might be disastrous and have a disproportionately negative influence on important industries like high technology, health, and education.
“We could see a collapse, an economic collapse,” he says. “The truly talented people who carry on their shoulders the innovation and the economic development that this country is so dependent on, when they decide they’ve had enough and they don’t want to live in a country that no longer represents them.”
Professor Hoffmann is studying the MRI scans of expectant mothers at the Sheba Medical Centre, just outside of Tel Aviv. He is one of only four Israeli authorities in foetal neuroradiology.
In a recently released study, more than one-third of young Israeli doctors and medical students stated they intended to leave the country in the near future. The professor acknowledges feeling confused and adds that he knows many other seasoned medical professionals who, like him, want to move abroad.
He adds, “Even now, there is a medical shortage. Therefore, if even 5% of them don’t return, it will be a catastrophe.
The national anthem begins to play as we return to the weekly demonstrations in central Tel Aviv.
The protesters consider themselves ardent patriots. Many are former or current members of the Israeli military.
Some people claim that they won’t leave no matter what.
Ruth, a doctor who attends the demonstrations every week and has previously worked abroad, says, “I’m really worried, but I’m staying because I feel solidarity.”
She continues, “I have a duty to fight for this.” “For me, this is akin to a second tour in the army. Now, we resemble an army.
The battle to persuade the administration to abandon its plan to restructure the judiciary rages on amid deafening cries of “democracy.”
Yet another problem is also being silently developed as more Israelis begin to prepare their evacuation strategies.
When asked how it felt to return to Ukraine, Kseniia, a refugee from Lviv, says, “You can’t imagine this moment until it actually happens.”
Some Ukrainian refugees are returning home for the first time this summer after fleeing the nation.
Many people are now spending brief periods of time at home, despite the danger, since they feel helpless and homesick.
Among those making trips home are Nataly, Kseniia, and Oksana, who currently reside in Berkshire.
When you meet your relatives, you just start crying, Kseniia, who visited Lviv in June, claims.
Because her hometown is near to the frontlines, she says she feels “like a guest” there.
Restaurants and stores are open, and many are going on vacation, but Kseniia warns that a red warning might come at any time and start shelling.
“I compare it to an abusive relationship….you leave it behind […], you remain stronger, but at the same time, you could happily live without this experience.”
She expresses the hope that in the future, people will travel to her nation not because of the conflict but rather because it is “really beautiful” and “has a lot to offer.”
For the first time since fleeing to England, Nataly, who resides in Newbury, Berkshire, is currently in Lviv.
Despite the fact that returning was “a difficult decision” for safety reasons, she is “just happy to be home” with her baby and brother.
We are always keeping up with the news, she explains.
“Once you consider what’s happening and how many people have died, you don’t feel balanced; you either feel really happy or quite sad.”
Despite the pleasant weather back in Ukraine, Nataly claims that morale is poor.
Even though there are many people around, she continues, “when you look into people’s eyes, you can see sadness and anxiety.”
Oksana returned to Ukraine in July after spending the previous month in Sandhurst, Berkshire.
They travelled far by train across Poland and across the border, but they were happy and pleased to see their father and husband again.
Joseph Boakye Danquah, commonly referred to as J.B. Danquah, was a Ghanaian statesman, lawyer, and politician who played a significant role in the pre-independence and early post-independence history of Ghana. He was born on December 18, 1895, and tragically died in police custody on February 4, 1965. He is often remembered for his advocacy for Ghana’s independence from British colonial rule and for his contributions to Ghana’s political and legal landscape.
Here are some key points about J.B. Danquah’s life and contributions:
Early Life and Education: J.B. Danquah was born in Bepong, in what was then the Gold Coast (now Ghana). He came from a well-educated and influential family. He studied at Achimota School and later pursued higher education at the University of London, where he earned his Ph.D. in Philosophy.
Political Activism: J.B. Danquah was a prominent advocate for Ghana’s independence from British colonial rule. He was a co-founder of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) in 1947, a political party that aimed to achieve self-governance for the Gold Coast. The UGCC played a crucial role in the early stages of the country’s push for independence.
The Big Six: J.B. Danquah was one of the “Big Six” leaders of the UGCC who were arrested and detained by the British colonial authorities in 1948 following the violent incident known as the “1948 Accra Riots.” The Big Six became symbolic figures in the struggle for independence.
Contribution to Constitutional Development: Danquah was known for his work on constitutional development and legal matters. He drafted the motion for the Gold Coast’s independence, which was presented to the British Parliament in 1950. He was also instrumental in drafting Ghana’s first republican constitution in 1960.
Literary and Scholarly Contributions: J.B. Danquah was not only involved in politics but also made contributions to literature and scholarship. He was a prolific writer and historian who authored books and articles on various topics, including the history of the Akan people.
Relationship with Kwame Nkrumah: J.B. Danquah had ideological differences with Kwame Nkrumah, another prominent Ghanaian independence leader. Nkrumah led the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and ultimately became the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana. The rivalry between Danquah and Nkrumah often played out in the political arena.
Death and Legacy: J.B. Danquah died in police custody under controversial circumstances on February 4, 1965. His death led to accusations of political persecution and abuse of power. He is remembered as one of the pioneers of Ghana’s independence movement and a champion of constitutional governance.
Today, J.B. Danquah is recognized as a significant figure in Ghana’s history, particularly for his contributions to the early political landscape and his efforts in advancing the cause of Ghanaian independence. His legacy continues to be a subject of discussion and debate within the context of Ghana’s historical and political narrative.
President Akufo-Addo eulogised the late Joseph Boakye Danquah a former presidential candidate in 1960 saying he played a major role in the establishment of the University of Ghana.
The President giving a speech during the 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of the institution expressed his conviction that history will view JB Danquah favourably considering the efforts he put in place to see to the establishment of UG.
President Akufo-Addo highlighted how Joseph Boakye Danquah’s commitment to ensuring Ghana had its university led to the founding of the University of Ghana.
He described JB Danquah as visionary adding that the legacy of Joseph Boakye Danquah might even warrant consideration for naming the University of Ghana after him, given the historical significance of his contributions.
“Indeed, in many other jurisdictions where there is less heat in their politics and more attachment to the fact of historical record, it would not have been out of place to have this university named after him. Who knows, one day it may well happen.”
“It will be wholly appropriate and not at all far-fetched to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of this university [the University of Ghana], a fact that, on the 75th anniversary of its existence, should be vividly recalled by all of us who are being and are the beneficiaries of his work,” he said.
In response, the Builsa South legislator declared that the president is aiming to change the country’s history.
As a result, he has requested him to wait and name the national cathedral after JB Danquah.
He also stated that the president’s attempt to rewrite Ghana’s history to benefit his family will fail.
In a tweet, he stated that the warped history under this regime would be reversed after the 2024 presidential election.
Solomon Anane, a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, has singled out three influential figures whom he holds responsible for Ghana’s ongoing economic difficulties. Anane has alleged that these individuals have contributed to the nation’s challenges, yet have remained immune from accountability due to their close connections with President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The three individuals he named are Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the leader of the economic management team; Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister; and Ernest Addison, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Hello FM’s Akoko Abon on August 13, 2023, Anane underscored his belief that these figures have played pivotal roles in exacerbating the economic woes faced by Ghanaians.
“In my assessment, there are three individuals who have significantly contributed to our current struggles as Ghanaians. Firstly, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, as head of the economic management team, has, in my view, played a role in our suffering.
“The second individual is the Finance Minister, who holds sway over our country’s finances. However, he appears to be protected by an unwritten shield. Any attempts to hold him accountable seem to lead to repercussions. It’s as if he’s considered untouchable, as even President Akufo-Addo would be more likely to part with his own wife than to dismiss him or the Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
“Lastly, Ernest Addison, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, has also assumed a role in this scenario. These three individuals collectively represent the sources of our national distress and challenges.”
Ghana is grappling with economic turbulence, with its national currency, the cedi, encountering difficulties against the US dollar.
In response to the pressing economic situation, the country has successfully negotiated a $3 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These funds are intended to inject a much-needed boost into the economy, aiming to set it back on a stable trajectory.
A rather troubling news of how some individuals involved in the illegal mining business, commonly known as Galamsey, in Ghana, allegedly engage in blood sacrifices as part of their mining practices has come to light that certain
During a revealing interview on the Angel Morning Show, a former Galamsey worker disclosed that his colleagues perform blood sacrifices to ensure successful gold extraction from the mining pits. Shockingly, he claimed that newborn babies are often targeted for these sacrifices.
The method, as described by the ex-Galamsey worker, involves pounding newborn babies in empty cylinder cans and then sprinkling the remains into the mining pits. He further claimed that some nurses are involved in supplying these babies to the miners for a significant sum of money, around GHC 50,000 per baby.
The informant also asserted that these activities occur under the watch of security officials in Obuasi, a well-known mining town. He alleged that some of these officials are themselves participants in the Galamsey activities and have amassed considerable wealth as a result. He mentioned that individuals in influential positions, including police commanders, MCEs (Municipal Chief Executives), and politicians, are reportedly connected to these operations.
“They are pounded in empty cylinder cans and sprinkled in the pits as part of our blood sacrifices so we can get enough gold to mine…,” he revealed.
“Some even have pits and have employed some of the boys to mine for them…I know them, some are Police commanders, MCEs and known politicians…,” he stated further.
Following allegations of sexual assault by numerous participants just days before the pageant’s crowning ceremony in Jakarta, the Miss Universe Organisation (MUO) severed ties with its Indonesian affiliate.
Finalists reportedly received an unexpected request to strip off in order to “check for scars and cellulite,” and several said they were shot topless.
According to the US-based MUO, it was evident that the franchise had not upheld its brand values, ethics, or expectations.
The claims are being looked into by Jakarta police.
The same organisation, PT Capella Swastika Karya, which is in charge of this year’s pageant in Malaysia, also announced that it was cancelling it.
The Miss Universe Organisation appreciated the brave women who bravely filed the complaints and reaffirmed that its first objective was “providing a safe place for women.”
There were no measurement or body dimensions restrictions to participate in its pageants worldwide, the organisation claimed, adding that it was reviewing its policies and processes to prevent similar situations.
“In light of what we have learned took place at Miss Universe Indonesia, it has become clear that this franchise has not lived up to our brand standards, ethics, or expectations,” MUO stated in a statement on Saturday night.
In South-east Asia, particularly in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, where victors go on to become superstars and social media influencers, Miss Universe, which is currently in its 73rd edition, is well-liked.
The brand has been redesigned to be more inclusive by allowing married women, transgender women, and single mothers to participate, according to its owner Anne Jakrajutatip, a Thai transgender woman and media magnate.
The franchise director for Indonesia, Poppy Capella, claimed on Instagram that she had “never known, ordered, requested, or allowed anyone who played a role and participated in the process of organising Miss Universe Indonesia 2023 to commit violence or sexual harassment through body checking”.
Additionally, she declared that she opposed “any form of violence or sexual harassment.”
The group will support Indonesia’s Ms. Fabienne Nicole Groeneveld as she competes to represent her nation at the 2023 Miss Universe finals in November, according to MUO.
Over the years, the availability of rental properties has decreased while their prices have risen significantly. Lately, this situation has worsened even further.
Even though it’s a basic necessity for everyone, finding a decent place to live with reasonably favorable surroundings is now quite expensive.
And especially in places like Accra, people can pay as much as millions for rent whereas the least for an average house is within GH¢400 to about GH¢800 per a month for a single room chamber and hall and sometimes very rarely, a 2 bedroom which sometimes could go for GH¢1,000.
But in a remote village in the Eastern Region of Ghana, the situation is quite different, people pay as little as GH¢40 rent.
At Gojiase a suburb of the Suhum Municipality, residents pay this amount for a regular block-constructed building with basic amenities including a bathroom and a toilet.
Revealing this to Zionfelix in an interview, a teacher in the community; Owusu Ansah explained that he for example paid GH¢30 for the first few years and then had a slight increase from his landlord.
“The very year I came here, I paid GH¢30 cedis rent; that is 2 years ago and the man wanted to renew it this year; he wanted GH¢50 cedis but I gave him GH¢40 cedis. I pay per year, that is GH¢480 Ghana cedis per year.
“They are not thatched houses, it’s a block house with ceilings. We have a bathroom and toilet; the KVIP type,” he noted.
Speaking about other living conditions of persons in the Gojiase community, Owusu Ansah explained that the community mostly comprising of farmers, has two sources of water; a borehole and a stream.
He also revealed that residents mostly cook their own food in their homes and added that the main mode of transportation in the town is motorbikes because it is difficult to get vehicles.
“Everybody prepares their food in their own homes. Kenkey is GH¢1.50p, GH¢2. We use a community borehole and there’s a stream also there.
“If you put yourself in their shoes, you can stay here. The mode of transportation here; Okada has taken over. From here to Suhum, Okada will take GH¢8 and car will take GH¢6. For cars, it is a problem, you can be at the station for 2 to 4 hours before the car gets full and the driver moves,” Owusu Ansah added.
Seven people—including a baby just 23 days old, her brother, 12, and parents—were murdered by Russian shells in southern Ukraine on Sunday.
According to Interior Minister Igor Klymenko, bombs were dropped on their home in the Kherson settlement of Shyroka Balka.
Another villager and two men from nearby Stanislav were also among the deceased.
“We must put an end to terrorists. Force must be used to stop them, according to Mr. Klymenko. “They have no other understanding.”
The minister revealed images of the attack’s aftermath in Shyroka Balka, including bodies of some of the dead that had been digitally covered and black columns of smoke rising from buildings.
The western portion of the territory was retaken by Ukrainian forces in November of last year, but Russian forces have continued to shell the sector from the other side of the Dnipro River.
Russia had accused Ukraine of “terrorism” the day before for what it claimed was an attempt to launch a missile attack on the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia’s mainland to the Crimean Peninsula.
Despite President Volodymr Zelensky’s assertion that the bridge is a lawful target because it serves as a military supply route, Ukraine has not confirmed the attack.
In a related development, Moscow claimed to have fired warning shots at a cargo ship travelling towards the Ukrainian port of Izmail in the southwest Black Sea.
Since pulling out of a historic grain deal mediated by the UN last month, this is the first time Russia has fired on merchant cargo outside of Ukraine.
In a statement, Russia claimed that its Vasily Bykov patrol ship had opened fire with automatic weapons on the Sukru Okan ship, which was flying the flag of Palau, after the captain of the latter failed to stop the ship for an inspection.
The Sukru Okan continued towards the port of Izmail after the inspection group finished its job on board, according to the defence ministry.
Meanwhile, a representative of the exiled Ukrainian mayor of Mariupol claimed that on Sunday, fighting among Russian soldiers resulted in the deaths of numerous Ukrainian residents.
According to Petro Andryshchenko’s message on Telegram, the victims of the “shoot-out” in the village of Urzuf were two adolescent girls, four young males, and a lady.
He claimed that a dispute between Chechen soldiers and staff from the local commandant’s office led to the gunfight.
On Saturday in Kaliningrad, a Russian warplane crashed while on a training exercise, killing both of the pilots.
The Su-30 lost control, nosedived, exploded as it hit the ground in the Baltic Sea exclave, and spun out of control.
It took place near to the so-called Suwalki Corridor, which is a 60-mile region between Belarus and Kaliningrad that has been nicknamed the “weakest link” in NATO.
There are worries that the Wagner mercenary group’s soldiers could be used as a pretext in the strip, which provides the only land connection between Poland and Lithuania, two other members.
‘Technical malfunction’ was likely to blame for the catastrophe, according to officials.
“The Su-30 plane went down in a deserted area.” The flight was conducted without any weapons. Local military authorities reported that the crew had died.
The Su-30 has been heavily employed by Russia during its conflict in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin has lost eight military aircraft so far this year, the most recent being the downed fighter plane.
Two Russian fighter planes crashed into the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Azov last month while conducting training flights.
Video of the collision shows witnesses exclaiming, “What a nightmare.” A plane went down.
It blew up. What a disaster, the pilots didn’t even eject.
This is the dramatic moment a boat of the highest calibre caught fire off the coast of Formentera, Spain.
The 88-foot yacht was shown on camera engulfed in flames and spewing thick, black smoke into the sky.
The Italian-built yacht was docked in the Ses Salines Natural Park’s Es Cavall d’En Borràs beach, close to where Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio has recently been seen partying.
In a battle against time, 12 passengers and five crew members hurriedly left the ship.
The only crew member who required medical treatment for minor burns was a 39-year-old Spaniard, according to the regional emergency response coordinators.
People gathered in the area to watch the fire in their own boats.
In a couple of minutes, flames could be seen quickly engulfing the yacht and turning it into a blaze.
‘The Lion’, a professional poker player, was said to own the vessel, according to local media, but this has not been confirmed by officials.
This morning, it was unclear if those on board were visitors who had rented the yacht or owners’ guests.
Additionally, their countries have not yet been made known.
Around 6 p.m. on Saturday, the alarm was raised, and Spanish coastguards were dispatched to the area.
The fire was put out after the boat was dragged further out to sea.
These legendary veteran actors, whose indelible imprint was effortlessly engraved in the affection of movie enthusiasts, had a lasting influence on the Ghanaian cinema of the 1990s, which flourished as a result.
The positive responses brought on by the re-release of a scene from one of these timeless classics confirm the lasting importance of old movies that stand the test of time.
With their captivating performances and unforgettable on-screen charisma, these seasoned actors left an indelible imprint on the world of cinema, captivating multiple generations.
In a recently released video, Kwame Sefa Kayi is seen being drawn to Grace Nortey’s portrayal of the waakye vendor’s daughter.
In a display of her exceptional customer relationship skills, Grace Nortey inadvertently places her daughter directly in the path of the admirer, adding a touch of humor to the situation.
In the wake of repeated unsuccessful relationships, it’s natural to question whether you might be the source of the issues, or if others simply struggle to comprehend you. Uncomfortable as it is, there are instances where you could indeed be contributing to the challenges and require self-improvement. Yet, there are also scenarios where the fault doesn’t lie with you, and certain indicators become evident, signaling that you were undeniably not the cause of the problems at hand.
1. Exes keep coming back: They left you without any meaningful explanation, leaving you broken and wondering where you went wrong. Surprisingly, every person that left you and called you difficult ended up asking for a comeback. Ask yourself, why would anyone want to come back to something that was supposedly bad for them? It wasn’t bad; they just thought they found something better, and now that they’ve been disappointed, they want to come back and act like nothing happened.
2. They want to be friends: When you reject an offer for a comeback, they plead to stay friends. It’s not genuine friendship they’re looking for; they want to remain in your good graces so that one day when the opportunity arises, they can quickly seize it. So, if you were truly that bad, why are they so desperate to be in your space?
3. They keep checking up on you: They won’t go away; you’ve shown no interest in being friends with them, but they just don’t get it. They will randomly call or text, saying they were just checking up. They will watch all your stories and leave comments. They will follow your pages, and you’ll keep seeing them in your likes. Yes, everyone wants to remain in contact with a great person.
4. They are at your beck and call: When you need something, you can call on them. When you’re in trouble in the middle of the night, they won’t hesitate to come to your rescue. It shows how much they value you, and who values a terrible person? You don’t always need to call them, but they will still be there for you when you need them.
If you have noticed all these signs, then maybe you’re not that bad. You just haven’t found your person yet, so relax and stop being hard on yourself. The right person for you is out there, and Cupid is working hard to help you find each other.”
Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, has cautioned the current administration against sending Ghanaian troops to warring countries on the West African continent.
He accused the current administration led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of seriously making plans to deploy Ghanaian troops to Niger, as part of the standby force by the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) to remove the country’s new military leadership.
In a post shared on Facebook on Saturday, August 13, 2023, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that President Akufo-Addo has a plan for Ghana’s contribution to ECOWAS’ military intervention in Niger, that has not been approved by the Parliament of Ghana.
He added that it would be irresponsible for the president to go ahead with his plans, which would likely lead to a war in West Africa, without consulting the people’s representatives.
“Akufo-Addo’s refusal to submit his Niger Policy to Parliament for thorough scrutiny by the people’s elected representatives is most undemocratic and awfully reckless.
“West African leaders who purport to be lecturing Niger on democracy must be seen leading by example at home.
“Ghana’s gallant soldiers must be kept far away from the looming bloodbath and escalating geopolitical confrontation which is bound to explode with far-reaching consequences for stability in an already volatile region,” he wrote.
The MP also said that the government is in no position to support the Ghana Armed Forces if the president goes ahead with his plan because the country is currently bankrupt.
He added that rather than waiting for coups to happen, ECOWAS leaders must wake up and take the needed steps to address the challenges facing the citizens of the member countries.
“Let’s shift focus from the symptoms and start addressing the real issues of bad leadership, corruption, endemic poverty, democracy that works only for a few cronies and fat cats, massive unemployment, lack of opportunity, state-capture, constitutional manipulation, compromised judiciaries, discredited institutions, neo-colonial exploitation, and a disunited Africa.”
The North Tongu legislator said that if nothing is done countries in the sub-region would continue to see military overtakes.
“Niger is not the first; and it may not be the last without an honest, appropriate, introspective, causative, leadership response,” he added.
Background:
The Authority of Heads of State and Governments of the Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS) ordered the deployment of a standby force to Niger.
ECOWAS leaders gave the directive to the President of the Commission at Extraordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria on August 10, 2023.
The Extraordinary Summit was convened as a sequel to the recent one held on 30th July 2023, following what ECOWAS describes as the illegal detention of President Mohamed Bazoum by the members of the Presidential Guard of the Republic of Niger on July 26, 2023.
The communique issued by the Authority reiterates its strong condemnation of the attempted coup d’etat and the continued illegal detention of President Mohammed Bazoam, his family, and members of his government.
Meanwhile, the military juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali have said that any forcible attempt to restore President Mohamed Bazoum in neighbouring Niger will be seen as a declaration of war on them.
Father Ankrah, a skilled Ghanaian comedian, has emerged as the new YouTube sensation, surpassing Wode Maya‘s subscriber count.
Father Ankrah, a comic actor from Ghana who is also known as the African Charlie Chaplin, now has more subscribers on YouTube than Wode Maya, who held the previous record.
In 2021, Wode Maya became the first Ghanaian to attain the milestone of one million subscribers on the popular online video platform.
Until recently, Wode Maya held the mantle as the leading Ghanaian YouTuber.
However, Father Ankrah’s rise to prominence has been remarkable. He achieved the feat of becoming the fastest Ghanaian channel to hit one million views on YouTube.
He accomplished this feat within a mere seven months, spanning from November 2022 to May 2023.
His rapid ascent propelled him to over 1.4 million subscribers on YouTube, accompanied by an impressive one billion views, as of August 2023, solidifying his position as Ghana’s YouTube leader in terms of subscribers.
Father Ankrah, along with his fellow content creator; Stone, are taking over the digital landscape, captivating audiences with their innovative comedy videos.
Father Ankrah and Stone are famously known for creating the viral bottle flip challenge which went viral across the globe
Notably, Father Ankrah is also making waves as a prominent TikTok star, seamlessly embodying the persona of African Charlie Chaplin in his comedic content.
Born Eric Duodu Ankrah on February 21, 1993, Father Ankrah is a multi-talented Ghanaian internet sensation celebrated for his prowess as a professional dancer, unicyclist, comedian, and content creator.
His journey commenced in 2012 with content creation on Facebook before his foray into the YouTube realm.
He distinguished himself by his portrayal of the African version of Charlie Chaplin.
The government plans to borrow an astounding $39,959 billion through Treasury bills in the third quarter of 2023.
According to the issuance calendar released by the Ministry of Finance, this will be done via the issuance of the 91-day, 182-day, and 364-day bills.
The short-term debt instruments will be issued weekly to meet the government rising liquidity needs.
Instructively, they will be done through the primary auction, with settlement being the transaction date plus one working day.
The government, however, stated that the gross borrowing amount is indicative to guide the market and may be revised when transaction adverts are published. It may also to update the issuance calendar on a rolling monthly basis, to reflect a full quarter financing programme.
It assured all stakeholders and the public that it will continue to strive for greater predictability and transparency in the domestic capital market.
Since October 2022, the government also borrowed from the treasury market due to the economic challenges facing the country.
All financial instruments have been restructured, with the exception of T-bills.
In the first four months of 2023, the country’s domestic debt rose by ¢15.7 billion to ¢247.9 billion.
¢3.07bn worth of T-bills to be issued today August 11, 2023
Meanwhile, the government will borrow ¢3.07 billion across the 91-day to the 364-day bills.
This is to refinance ¢2.84 billion maturing bills.
Analysts say given the relatively larger target size combined with liquidity constraints posed by Bank of Ghana’s Open Market Operations (OMO) bills, yields will likely edge higher this week.
The wait is over for those eagerly following Kwaku DMC‘s musical journey.
The rapper recently dropped his eagerly awaited album, “Party In The Jungle.”
As the spotlight continues to shine on Kwaku DMC, ‘Party In The Jungle’ serves as a testament to his growth as an artist and his commitment to pushing artistic boundaries.
The project not only showcases his versatile talent but also cements his status as a star in the contemporary music scene in Ghana.
‘Party In The Jungle’ is the collaborative effort that Kwaku DMC has embarked upon with his fellow members of the ‘Asakaa Boys’ brotherhood. The album features notable acts such as Skyface SDW, O’Kenneth, Jay Bahd, and Beeztrap KOTM, each bringing their unique flair and energy to the tracks.
‘Party In The Jungle’ is now available on all major digital music platforms.
The so-called Islamic State group (IS) carried out an attack that resulted in the deaths of at least 33 soldiers who supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Two army trucks were ambushed overnight on Thursday in the eastern region of Deir el-Zour.
It is among the bloodiest acts of extremism committed this year, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a war monitoring organisation with headquarters in Britain.
There have been 33 deaths in the last two days, up from 23, but there are worries the figure will go up.
There were at least 10 additional victims of injuries, some of whom are still in critical condition.
35 people were killed, according to another activist group that reports on events in the east, and all of the victims were soldiers from the 17th Division of the Syrian army.
Statistics from SOHR show that since the beginning of 2023, 412 people have died during military operations in the Syrian desert.
The ambush was claimed by IS in a message posted on Telegram on Friday night.
Let the entire world know that we show our commitment to our leaders via deeds rather than words and that our jihad will continue till the end of the world.
This occurs a week after the apparent leader of the extreme group, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi, who had been in charge since November, passed away in Syria.
Since the organization’s founder, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was murdered by US troops in the nation’s northwest in 2019, he was the fourth leader to be assassinated.
Divers have been frantically searching for a paddle boarder who ‘vanished’ on a lake for almost 48 hours.
After a guy went into the ocean Friday afternoon at Crosby Beach in Waterloo, witnesses could be heard “screaming for help.”
At 4.50 p.m., emergency personnel flocked to Marine Lake, which is close to Crosby Lakeside Adventure and the Lakeside dining area.
An air ambulance and a coastguard helicopter were also visible at the scene, along with Merseyside Police, fire crews, and search and rescue personnel.
On Friday, families who were in the neighbourhood reported seeing a paddleboard “floating” as they thought the man was attempting to pursue it.
Eyewitnesses claimed that despite the best attempts of the crowd to assist him, he “vanished,” leaving people “screaming” and “calling for help.”
One guy remarked, “It was terrible. It still makes me feel queasy in my stomach. I’m just waiting for some kind of update.
He floated his board over to us. At first, we didn’t realise it belonged to him and thought it was a little unusual. So very sad. Just pray to God that they locate him for the sake of his entire family.
Another person said: “He tried to swim back but just vanished. He was trying to go after the board but it kept blowing further away.” That lake need staffing.
People made an effort to get to him, but when he fell under, there was nowhere for them to swim that was visible.
Emergency services are still present at the incident site today, according to police.
A statement stated, “A search is still going on at Marine Lake after a man got into trouble in the water on Friday and emergency services are still at the scene today.”
“It continues to be a priority, and we are still requesting the public to avoid the area while the search is going on.”
First of all, we need to talk about what a situation is. So, a situational relationship is when you and that person are more than friends but less than lovers.
A situationship is a romantic relationship that lacks clear definitions or commitment. This person acts like they’re interested in you but they won’t ask you to be their girlfriend or won’t say yes to your proposal. You get introduced as a ‘friend’ anytime you two are seen outside the closest you’ve gotten to the girlfriend or boyfriend title is ‘Bestie’.
It’s frustrating especially when you do what lovers do but you can’t claim them as yours, neither will they claim you as theirs.
It’s a painful situation to find yourself because you don’t whether you’re single or not and don’t know if you should start dating other people or not.
Well if you find yourself in such a position there may be ways to see yourself out of it.
Do what friends do; Friends don’t kiss and make out on the couch, as hard as it is because you like this person. Don’t let them use you, if they call you a friend give them the friend package and the friend package doesn’t come with kisses and cuddles.
Who will pay for a package they’re getting for free? That’s why you need them to subscribe to it and let them give you that title.
Spend less time with them; You might have caught feelings because probably you spend too much time together, they’re always at your crib or you’re both always hanging out together whatever the case is reduce the time together.
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but absence can also lessen attachment, your absence could make them realize that they like you or it could make you realize that you’re not as special to them as you thought you were, and though this may be hard you need to move on and find something else to occupy your time.
Like watching a movie or learning a new language just do something that will keep you away from them for a while.
Don’t push others away; Seriously, never make this mistake. Until someone makes it clear that they want you and only you don’t push others away, be open to meeting new people and if they act angry about it then do it more.
You cannot waste your youthful years on someone who cannot make a decision. Life is a short trip don’t waste it on someone who isn’t sure about you, move on.
Demand for a label; Honestly you deserve better so demand it, ask them what they want with you because you deserve to know. Everyone deserves to know where they stand, it’s frustrating when you don’t know where you stand.
It’s like someone opening a door to your room but they won’t come in neither will they go out they just stand in the doorway blocking others from coming in.
Give them the option to either back out or come in they may try to sweet talk you into giving them more benefits but stand your ground love yourself enough to say no to being used.
There’s no easy way to break away from a person you’ve built a bond with, someone with whom you thought you were going to spend forever. But trust me you don’t want to spend your forever with someone who doesn’t think you’re good enough to call you theirs.
So feel the pain but let it make you strong enough to walk away from any place you can’t call home.
As Kyiv’s counteroffensive continues to struggle to make any real headway, Ukraine has declared “partial success” in a settlement on the southern front.
In another area, Russia is launching an attack close to Kupiansk in the northeastern Kharkiv region, which borders Russia. This is the first large Ukrainian evacuation in months, and the area has experienced heavy bombardment.
As Ukraine continues to descend into the Sea of Azov, heavy fighting is taking place on the front lines.
As moving deeply into the region would mean destroying Russia’s land-bridge between occupied Crimea and eastern Donetsk, the region is a key goal for Ukraine.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Ukraine declared “partial success” close to the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region. Social media videos and pictures on Friday appeared to show Ukrainian troops entering the area.
Even little improvements by Ukraine in this area, according to the Institute for the Study of War [ISW], are noteworthy.
Even if Ukrainian gains are now modest, the ISW stated that the ability of Ukrainian forces to advance to the outskirts of Robotyne, which Russian forces have devoted substantial effort, time, and money to defend, remains significant.
The General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted “unsuccessful attempts” to retake lost territory close to the settlement of Urozhaine in the eastern Donetsk area. Ukraine declared “partial success” in securing positions in the region on Thursday.
According to a local military official, Russian forces are also attempting to “escalate and take over the initiative” in an effort to “pull” Ukrainian troops from other frontline locations in Eastern Ukraine.
“The enemy is trying to escalate and take over the initiative at this direction and attacking our positions,” said Serhii Cherevatyi, the deputy commander of the Eastern Military Group for Strategic Communications, in remarks made on national television on Saturday. This is in reference to the Lyman-Kupiansk direction in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
According to the daily report from the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian forces tried offensives close to Kupiansk but were repelled in a number of nearby communities. Early in the fight, the city was taken, but it was freed last autumn.
This week, Russia increased its shelling of the region and claimed to have captured some Ukrainian positions; as a result, a mandatory evacuation order was issued for Kupiansk and the neighbouring territories.
Fighting has been concentrated on the eastern and southern fronts during Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive for weeks. Kyiv started the battle in an effort to retake land that Russia had taken. However, the benefits made thus far have been modest and difficult to get.
These tricycles were impounded on Monday, August 7, 2023, as part of the enforcement of a restriction on the operations of tricycles in the Central Business District.
In a statement, KMA said the release of the tricycles was to ensure serenity in the metropolis.
Affected riders have therefore been advised to visit the impoundment area close to the KMA office for the retrieval of their tricycles with the appropriate documents.
“The owners/riders should come with a witness or leadership of tricycle operators to countersign an undertaking form and appropriately collect the tricycle.
“An amount of GH¢134 will be charged instead of the special exercise fee of GH¢500 as resolved by the General Assembly,” the statement noted.
Meanwhile, the KMA has warned from Monday, August 14, 2023, any impounded tricycle would pay the stipulated special exercise fee of GH¢500.
Deputy Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Education Committee, Dr Clement Apaak, has strongly criticized President Akufo-Addo’s proposal to rename the University of Ghana in honor of the late Joseph Boakye Danquah.
As per the politician’s viewpoint, this move is an effort to alter the nation’s history.
President Akufo-Addo eulogised the late Joseph Boakye Danquah a former presidential candidate in 1960 saying he played a major role in the establishment of the University of Ghana.
The President giving a speech during the 75th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service of the institution expressed his conviction that history will view JB Danquah favourably considering the efforts he put in place to see to the establishment of UG.
President Akufo-Addo highlighted how Joseph Boakye Danquah’s commitment to ensuring Ghana had its university led to the founding of the University of Ghana.
He described JB Danquah as visionary adding that the legacy of Joseph Boakye Danquah might even warrant consideration for naming the University of Ghana after him, given the historical significance of his contributions.
“Indeed, in many other jurisdictions where there is less heat in their politics and more attachment to the fact of historical record, it would not have been out of place to have this university named after him. Who knows, one day it may well happen.”
“It will be wholly appropriate and not at all far-fetched to describe Joseph Boakye Danquah as the founder of this university [the University of Ghana], a fact that, on the 75th anniversary of its existence, should be vividly recalled by all of us who are being and are the beneficiaries of his work,” he said.
In response, the Builsa South legislator declared that the president is aiming to change the country’s history.
As a result, he has requested him to wait and name the national cathedral after JB Danquah.
He also stated that the president’s attempt to rewrite Ghana’s history to benefit his family will fail.
In a tweet, he stated that the warped history under this regime would be reversed after the 2024 presidential election.
“Complete your cathedral and name it after him wai. Your agenda to revise the history of Ghana in favour of your clan is bound to unravel after January 7th, 2025. Ghana’s true history will be reinstated.”
A heated argument developed between Mr. Logic, a well-known entertainment analyst, and MzGee, the show’s host, during the episode of “United Showbiz” that aired on UTV on August 12, 2023, leading to a tense and passionate confrontation.
The conversation that started the incident was about the difficulties local musicians face when trying to break through in the global music scene.
Mr. Logic, a regular panelist on the show, was expressing his viewpoint on the topic when MzGee, interjected, asking him to wrap up his remarks.
She claimed that the audience might be disengaged, drawing attention to another panelist, A Plus, who was yawning.
Her comment incited Mr Logic, leading to a heated verbal exchange between the two public figures.
Mr Logic accused her of being unprofessional and needing to learn on the job.
MzGee, however, defended her decision, explaining that the show was approaching midnight and suggesting that Mr Logic had spoken extensively.
Following a horrific shooting in which six people killed, a manhunt has been started in South Africa, according to authorities.
According to preliminary information, four suspects are suspected of shooting the victims in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, just before midnight on Friday.
One of the suspects thought one of the victims had his identification since it had been dropped accidently during a previous murder for which he was wanted.
One of the highest murder rates in the world is found in South Africa.
According to a police statement, it is believed that the suspects shot four people: two inside the home, one in a back room, and one close to an outdoor toilet.
The suspects allegedly then shot three victims in a neighbouring cabin.
Later, a casualty was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
Police have identified three of the suspects, and they are asking anyone with information to come forward.
A politician from Ecuador who was assassinated will run for president by his running companion.
After an event in Quito for his campaign, Fernando Villavicencio was shot three times in the head. Police claim that all suspects are from Colombia.
His Constructe party announced that Andrea Gonzalez would be their nominee for president.
The party also stated that selecting a vice presidential candidate for the August 20 election was in underway.
The capital’s Sunday presidential debate will feature Ms. Gonzalez, 36, whose career has primarily focused on environmental issues.
According to the party’s social media posts, “millions of Ecuadorians will accompany her in this purpose” and she will “guarantee the legacy” of Mr. Villavicencio.
According to the party, “the most trusted of those who have shared the struggles of comrade Fernando Villavicencio” will be the candidate for vice-presidency.
As he exited a public event in the nation’s capital on Wednesday, Mr. Villavicencio, 59, a former journalist and member of the national assembly, was shot three times in the head.
In a gunfight with the police, one attacker was killed while several others managed to flee.
His passing has shaken a country that, for the most part, has avoided the decades of drug-gang violence, cartel battles, and corruption that have plagued many of its neighbours. However, crime has dramatically increased recently due to the expansion of the Mexican and Colombian drug cartels.
Mr. Villavicencio was one of just a few candidates to claim ties between organised crime and government officials in Ecuador during his campaign, which concentrated on corruption and gangs.
His widow, Veronica Sarauz, stated during a news conference on Saturday that she held the government accountable for her husband’s passing.
His personal guards didn’t do their duty, according to the woman, and the state still needs to provide numerous explanations for all that occurred.
“I don’t want to believe they sold my husband to be killed in this notorious way,” she said.
Ms. Sarauz also expressed her disappointment that Ms. Gonzalez had been chosen to run for president in place of her husband.
Six Colombians who belonged to organised criminal organisations have reportedly been detained, according to Interior Minister Juan Zapata.
The FBI has been requested by Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso to assist in the investigation of Mr. Villavicencio’s death.
Meanwhile, three criminals from a maximum security prison in the port city of Guayaquil who were deemed to be very dangerous by Ecuadorian officials have been transferred.
Among them was Jose Adolfo Macias, or “Fito,” the head of one of Ecuador’s most important organised criminal organisations, from whom Mr. Villavicencio claimed he had received death threats.
Despite not being in the lead and polling in the centre of the pack, Mr. Villavicencio, a married father of five, was one of eight candidates in the first round of voting.
“This crime can’t go unpunished,” his sister Patricia Villavicencio remarked. There is no justice, no protection, and we are in pain with a damaged soul.
Mrs. Miracle Adoma, a successful businesswoman, is set to be officially appointed as the Development Queen (Nkosuo Hemaa) of Banda Ahenkro in the Bono Region, a role that signifies her active involvement in fostering community progress and advancement.
The coronation of Mrs Adoma, who is the wife of celebrated Broadcaster, Kofi Adoma Nwanwani, is expected to take place sometime this year at a durbar to be organised by the traditional council, according to sources.
The Regent of Banda, Nana Adjei Duku recently spoke highly of Mrs Miracle Adoma, whom he said has won the hearts of many residents in Banda with her benevolence and philanthropic projects.
He said that her character is worth emulating, hence the recognition given her by the traditional authority.
Contrary to beliefs that Miracle is a new wife to Kofi Adoma, his father Mr Samuel Okra told Gh Obra TV that Miracle has been his wife for more than 18 years and that their first child is 18 years old and currently studying at the University.
Kofi Adoma is on record as saying that he hails from Kato, where he spent his formative years.
However, giving a little background, his father, Mr Okra, said the Broadcast Journalist “was born at Fetentaa in the Berekum District before moving to Berekum estate, where we stayed for years before finally settling at Berekum Kato.”
According to him, though Kofi Adoma adopted Berekum, where he was born and raised, he is originally from Banda.
The World Bank has provided a loan of $200 million to the government, aimed at aiding the coconut industry and three additional tree crop commodities. The objective is to enhance production for the purpose of exporting these products.
Under the ‘Tree Crop Diversification Project’, the provided funds will aid the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) in conducting research and development on various strains of coconut, cashew, mango, and rubber.
The funding will also be allocated towards enhancing the governance of institutional value chains, enhancing the ability of tree crops to adapt to climate change, and bolstering resilience. Furthermore, it will aid in addressing deficiencies in post-harvest management and value addition for the four chosen tree crops.
Dr Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, announced this in a speech read on his behalf during the launch of the 2023 International Coconut Festival in Accra on Thursday.
The TCDA is expected to work closely with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to develop disease-resistant varieties for the four tree crops.
The project, the minister said would help upscale the production of the selected tree crops for export and position Ghana as a leader in the global market.
The International Coconut Festival is scheduled from 26 to 28 September 2023, in Takoradi of the Western Region.
The event would be characterised by exhibitions, seminars, networking, capacity-building workshops for farmers and negotiations with financial institutions for funding.
“Invest in Ghana’s coconut sector for an Inclusive Economic Transformation and Improved Climate and Social Resilience” was the theme for the Festival.
The event is being jointly organised by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, the Western Regional Coordinating Council, the African Coconut Group and the Tree Crops Development.
Albert Kassim Diwura, the deputy chief executive officer, GEPA, expressed optimism that the launch of the Coconut Festival would propell the coconut agenda to greater heights.
“We are excited because this project, which was started to improve the coconut sector, is gathering momentum and has the potential to position Ghana as a premier hub for coconuts on the African continent.
In 2017, he said, the authority started the Coconut Revitalization Programme, to improve the supply capacity of the value chain and revitalise the once-struggling coconut sector.
The rising global demand for coconuts was the driving force behind the intervention, he added.
“While we acknowledge that coconut production is a multi-billion-dollar industry, it is important to note that all the top-producing nations, mostly in Asia, are earning significant rewards as a result of the significant investments in the value chain, Diwura noted.
He called on the business community in Ghana to explore opportunities within the coconut industry.
“Ghana is well-positioned to emerge as a leading global supplier of coconut products, thereby generating significant export revenues.
“GEPA has undertaken notable and impactful investments in the sector since 2017. We have procured and disseminated disease-resistant coconut seedlings to farmers across the major coconut farming regions in the country”
To date, nearly 800 seedlings have been distributed, covering over 12,500 acres.
The Western Region has also outdoored a programme to distribute five million seedlings which was launched in 2020.
Diwura gave the assurance that GEPA would continue to support the coconut sector with unwavering commitment until it became self-sufficient.
He acknowledged the considerable investments made by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, as well as the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, through the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programme.
Also, he acknowledged the crucial role the African Coconut Group, led by Davies Korboe, its chairman played in promoting sectoral growth.
The government’s establishment of the TCDA is noteworthy and supports its ardent advocacy.
The TCDA’s initiatives are poised to fortify the sector, with coconut being a vital tree crop within its purview, he said.
The authority earnestly called for enhanced inter-institutional cooperation to accelerate the coconut sector’s advancement.
“We remain optimistic and encouraged by the support we are receiving, and we invite other stakeholders to join hands and contribute to these endeavours.
“These coordinated efforts have the potential to firmly position Ghana as a global leader in coconut production and export,” Diwura said.
The past five decades, the Authority has been steadfast in its mission to cultivate, facilitate, and elevate Ghanaian exports through diversification, leading to augmented export revenue and economic progress.
The authority, he said, in recent years witnessed the implementation of various initiatives that were yielding tangible outcomes.
Notably, the implementation phase of the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS), which commenced last year, with a goal to generate a minimum of US$25.3 billion by 2029.
While this objective may be formidable, Diwura said, GEPA was unwavering in its resolve to fulfil that vision.
“Consequently, we have deepened collaborations with both public and private stakeholders in the export sector, culminating in the establishment of the NEDS Coordinating Secretariat, which has been operational since 2021.
The exponential growth of countries like China and India is a testament to the transformative potential of export-oriented policies. Our nation’s progress hinges on substantial investments in the export sector,” he noted.
According to statistics from the 2022 non-traditional exports, the earnings for fresh and processed coconuts stood at US$6.3 million, noting that the figure underscored the substantial potential for growth.
He believed that proper policies and targeted interventions had the capacity to harness the potential of coconut sector to generate more revenue for the nation.
He was of the opinion that the Festival would be one of the avenues to showcase the coconut sector’s potential to local and international investors.
The coconut value chain, he said, presented numerous opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with technical and financial support, to enable them experience exponential growth, extend their market reach domestically and abroad.
He reaffirms GEPA’s unflinching dedication to the coconut industry and believed in its potential to generate substantial export revenue for the country.
The authority, he said, was resolutely dedicated to collaborating with its stakeholders in elevating the coconut value chain to unprecedented levels.
Renowned entertainment pundit Mr. Logic has made a projection that should Ghanaian actor turned-politician John Dumelo emerge victorious in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries, he might face defeat in the Ayawaso West Wougon constituency vote.
He said his view is based on personal research.
His assertion comes on the heels of Fred Nuamah‘s decision to step back from his initial plans to contest against Dumelo.
Speaking on a panel discussion on UTV’s United Showbiz on August 12, 2023, he voiced his disappointment with Fred Nuamah’s withdrawal from the race, as he believed Nuamah had a better chance at securing victory than Dumelo.
“For me, I was so happy that he (Fred Nuamah) was contesting John because John was too boastful. It seemed like the place belonged to him. He was so overconfident that he was going to win.
“If Fred Nuamah has backed down, I am disappointed with the entire system. I wanted Fred to win because, regarding John, I foresee another loss. He will still lose. Yes, I am telling you, everyone conducts their own research, and my research indicates that John will lose again.
“The people in that area already have their preferred candidates. And merely because he came close last time doesn’t mean he could have won. So, what I am saying is that I feel John will not win this time; he will lose.”
In a crowded tube car, a knife suddenly emerges. Attacker running towards shoppers and stabbing erratically in the street.
Following a large-scale stabbing attack last week—the nation’s second in as many weeks—many South Koreans have experienced these dreams.
On August 3, a man crashed his car into pedestrians near a subway stop in Seongnam, southeast of Seoul, injuring 14. He then fled into a department shop, where he stabbed nine people. A woman later passed away from her wounds.
Dazed by back-to-back stabbings in a country normally known for having low rates of violent crime, people in South Korea screamed out online, “What’s happening in South Korea these days?” thereafter.
One YouTube user wrote, “Recently, I can’t say that any more. Our country used to be one of the safest in the world.”
Just a few days prior, on 21 July, a different guy had attacked commuters in the city, murdering one person and slashing three more at a tube station. Later, he admitted to authorities that he was miserable and “wanted to make others miserable too.”
He may have given notes to the second attacker, evidence later revealed.
Deliveryman and high school dropout Choi Won-jong was identified as having schizoid personality disorder. The 22-year-old had reportedly searched Google for news about the first attack, which occurred at Sillim Station.
The “Mudjima” crimes
They are referred to as “Don’t Ask Why” or “Mudjima crimes” in South Korea and are violent acts committed against strangers for no apparent reason or personal connection to the perpetrators.
Although they have been known as Mudjima by the general public for many years, South Korean police did not formally classify these crimes as a separate category until 2022, when they were given the name “Abnormal Motive Crimes.”
The action seemed to demonstrate that authorities were now taking the crimes seriously by providing detailed definitions and establishing a task team to combat them. 18 Mudjima acts were reported by the police in the first half of this year.
The recent stabbings have fueled the notion that Mudjima actions are more regular and society is more unsafe, despite the fact that aggregate statistics shows no increase in violent crime and South Korea actually had its lowest rates in a decade last year.
It has even prompted some pundits to draw similarities to the US, with statements like “OMG South Korea has become the USA of Asia” and “It’s the American mentality that’s going viral in South Korea.”
But experts continue to say that South Korea is still a fairly safe place.
“Murder and other violent crime rates are very low compared to other countries, and they have been steadily declining in the last 10 years,” said Prof. Hyojong Song, a specialist in criminology at Korea University in Seoul.
With 1.3 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, South Korea’s homicide rate is half that of the OECD average and less than a fifth of that of the United States. There are also tight gun laws.
Many online claimed that the obvious analogies to the US hide the fact that local authorities must take action. “They need to look at South Korea’s own social issues that have led to this,” one person wrote.
Blood is seen on the sidewalk outside the business where the Seongnam stabbing crime occurred as a woman passes by.
Even while the information regarding the culprits is still vague, the little that has been published thus far has already increased popular rage.
In a line of comments that has grown popular online, one user said on Tiktok, “These days there are jobless losers who are taking their ills out on everyone else.”
Another claimed that “in the past, only psychopaths would do something like this, but now we live in a world where regular people are turning into murderers,” according to a YouTube comment. People lack optimism, and their levels of panic and happiness are both low.
In South Korean society, there are underlying social constraints that experts have identified, ranging from uncertain housing and career prospects to ongoing stigma surrounding mental health and a dearth of support resources. Choi, according to the police, did not receive proper care.
Fundamentally, according to Prof. Song, “I think we need some emotional and practical social support systems or policies that can help those who are disconnected from society and have no social bond.”
Duplicate dangers
Following the stabbing last week, there was a surge of threats that appeared, threatening copycat acts, which increased public fear.
Online postings specified precise times and places, and some even included the gender of the targets they wished to murder. A person declared their intention to “kill as many people as possible.”
Despite the fact that many thought they were the work of children and attention seekers, they were successful in frightening people.
Social media users issued alerts for the weekend of August 4-6. One TikTok video with the message “Please avoid these areas in South Korea” had more than 300,000 views in Asia.
The host, a North American expat living in Seoul, adds in the video, “Go ahead and screenshot this- here’s a list of public stabbings on the weekend.” A number of underground stations, as well as nightclubs, an amusement park, and a stop for a women’s university, were mentioned as potential attack locations.
They advise, “Be careful, be aware of your surroundings, and stay safe out there.”
Police in reaction launched a “special enforcement” operation over the weekend, sending tens of thousands additional cops to public locations. They were instructed to stop and search “suspicious-looking” individuals; at least one person was detained after being observed in public with a knife.
Authorities also responded to the online threats, using internet service provider addresses and tip-offs to identify individuals around the nation.
Following the weekend operation, police detained approximately 60 people, including 34 youths, some of whom were underage and weren’t subject to charges. They had discovered about 200 threats.
One 17-year-old boy was apprehended after threatening to attack someone at a Wonju train station and tipping off the authorities.
In a different incident, a 14-year-old was detained outside the tube stop he had designated as his intended target. He claimed to the police that he was “bored and posted it as a joke,” not that he intended to kill anyone.
A portion of the immediate public tension is waning as more and more days go by without an event.
But people’s thoughts of terror are still lingering. Weapons of protection like mace sprays are being carried by more people. More people are also becoming more cautious and alert near others in crowded places like tube platforms.
Excited fans on a night train coming from a BTS member’s concert last Saturday almost started a stampede when their shrieks of excitement were misinterpreted as cries of panic. Runaway passengers later recalled feeling as though they were in a zombie movie.
In its first week of operation, a web tool designed to map cyber dangers received more than 50,000 views, according to local media. Every day, new threats are still being recorded by the service.
On Wednesday, Korean media stated that within eight minutes of an internet threat going out, authorities had located its poster. The “acts of terror” have intensified political debate on criminal justice reform.
Last week, lawmakers pledged to pass laws to support draconian police tactics, reduce the age of criminal culpability, and impose heavier criminal penalties for mass stabbings. The nation’s justice minister stated on Monday that police use of force should be viewed as an act of self-defense.
Many people’s sentiments were expressed in an editorial published this week in the Korean Herald, which stated: “It is truly distressing to witness such brutal crimes perpetrated in a country known for a relatively good degree of public safety.
“It is imperative to conduct a thorough inquiry to determine the precise causes of the heinous killings. Police must take action to stop copycat crimes at the same time.
The government and other pertinent financial authorities have been urged to establish a dedicated tertiary-level financial literacy course, designed with the intent of equipping the younger generation with comprehensive fiscal knowledge and practical skills.
During the Financial Prosperity Summit held in Kumasi, experts expressed their lamentation over Ghana’s discouraging 32 percent score in the Global Financial Literacy Survey, a standing that places the country within the category of nations exhibiting one of the lowest financial literacy rates, highlighting a pressing need for enhanced financial education and awareness initiatives.
That explains a large section of the population lacks fundamental financial skills like budgeting, investing, managing debt and revenue.
Individuals who have little knowledge of financial management are susceptible to making ill-informed decisions that can implicate their financial stability.
About 80% of Ghanaians are financially uneducated, according to the National Strategy for Financial Literacy Education and Consumer Protection.
With the global economy evolving, financial knowledge has been acknowledged as necessary for personal economic growth.
Managing Director of EDC Investments Limited, Paul Kofi Mante, speaking at Financial Prosperity Summit 2023 advocated the inclusion of financial literacy as a mandatory course in universities.
“The issue of money is not taught in school so a lot of people go through school, and are highly educated but they are financially illiterate. So I think the students will do a good job learning how to plan their finances and their future. It is my strong recommendation that we implement it across our universities. Anybody who goes through a University education must have some financial literacy.
“It must be a compulsory course that anybody must go through so they learn the basic things about money management because money is everybody’s business. It doesn’t matter whether you are training to become a medical doctor or an architect or an engineer, money is everybody’s business. It’s my strong recommendation that we think about implementing this across our universities,” he said.
The summit was on the theme: “Building our Financial Future” by the Students’ Representative Council in collaboration with the Accounting Student Association of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED).
The event assembled financial experts to equip students with wealth management tricks to succeed in an increasingly complex financial world.
AAMUSTED’s SRC President, Stephen Sika-Wiafe, explained the summit will bridge the finance knowledge gap among students.
“We realized that there are so many ways to generate income or money. And sometimes we, the youth are limited in knowledge of money and finances in our dispensation. So we thought it wise to invite some of the experts in the financial field to take us through the financial realm. We didn’t get the opportunity to some of these insights. But as it stands now, personally, I have benefited from this particular program. Because the information I needed to know last five years or ten years, I have gotten to know it now,” he said.
Finance Expert, Dr. Evans Duah, also said “Ghana needs more businesses to thrive; we need to create an enabling condition in our country. Ghana has become a destination of choice for investors. So many investors in West Africa, they prefer Ghana.
“What we should do is create more enabling environment policies like 1D1F. They should enhance it, they should open it up, and make sure that so many industries are benefiting from it. So that once productivity is up, we’ll be able to help with our GDP and creation of employment. We should try to encourage our businesses to go into export”.
During the Financial Prosperity Summit held in Kumasi, experts expressed their lamentation over Ghana’s discouraging 32 percent score in the Global Financial Literacy Survey, a standing that places the country within the category of nations exhibiting one of the lowest financial literacy rates, highlighting a pressing need for enhanced financial education and awareness initiatives.
An operation to move a notorious gang leader to a maximum security prison was carried out in the morning with the assistance of thousands of Ecuadorian soldiers and police.
Jose Adolfo Macias, better known as “Fito,” allegedly threatened to kill Fernando Villavicencio, the assassinated candidate for president of Ecuador.
The anti-corruption campaigner was shot three times in the head on Wednesday after leaving a protest.
Prior to his passing, Fito allegedly threatened Mr. Villavicencio.
If I keep bringing up Los Choneros [the gang], they’re going to break me,” he claimed.
His passing has shaken a country that, for the most part, has avoided the decades of drug-gang violence, cartel battles, and corruption that have plagued many of its neighbours. However, crime has dramatically increased recently due to the expansion of the Mexican and Colombian drug cartels.
In Mr. Villavicencio’s place, his Construye party declared Andrea Gonzalez, his vice presidential running mate, as its nominee on Saturday.
The party claimed that Ms. Gonzalez would “guarantee the legacy” of Mr. Villavicencio despite the fact that she has mostly focused her career on environmental problems.
In the meantime, Mrs. Villavicencio’s widow Veronica Sarauz said that the government was to blame for her husband’s passing and expressed displeasure with Ms. Gonzalez’s selection to run in his place.
The main topics of Mr. Villavicencio’s campaign were narcotics and corruption. He was the lone candidate to suggest ties between members of organised crime and Ecuadorian government figures.
He protested to the Public Prosecutor’s Office the day before his murder about alleged irregularities in oil contracts negotiated under previous president Rafael Correa’s administration that had cost the nation US $9 billion (£7 billion).
Seven Colombians were slain in a gunfight, and six of them have been detained in connection with the crime. Who funded and hired the hitmen has not been disclosed by the authorities.
Videos shared by security forces showed gang leader Fito being relocated to a different institution while being handcuffed and wearing only his pants. Fito had been detained in Guayaquil’s Prison 8 since 2011.
Guillermo Lasso, the president of Ecuador, announced that Fito had been transferred to La Roca, a maximum security facility within the same complex that can house 150 inmates.
A 74-year-old retired Educationist, Timothy Gyamfi Mensah, who reportedly tied a 9-year-old boy to an orange tree at Akaa in the Oti Region, has turned himself in to the Jasikan Police.
Reports indicate that he tied the boy to the tree for stealing oranges.
Sources further indicate that he came out from his hideout in Kumasi and surrendered himself to the Police on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
Gyamfi, in a viral video on social media about a week ago, was said to have tied the victim with a nylon rope for stealing two oranges without permission.
The Police had since rescued the victim and mounted a search for the Educationist to assist in investigations.
Gyamfi, who was accompanied to the police station by Nana Oppong Kyekyeku IV, the Chief of Akaa, Nana Agyedu Asiedu, Chief of Atonkor, Nana Nkansa of Atonkor, Entwi Baikaa, a native of Akaa, among others, was granted bail after his statement was taken.
Baikaa, a Government Appointee at the Jasikan Municipal Assembly and Acting Assemblyman for the Akaa Electoral Area, in a phone interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), disclosed that two other children, who were eyewitnesses to the incident were also interrogated.
He said the accused person had been tasked to bring three other children from the town to the Police station on Monday, August 14 for interrogation.
Ghanaian rapper Maradona Yeboah Adjei, popularly known as Guru NKZ disclosed that he temporarily halted the promotion of his new song last year due to the tragic passing of his baby mama from breast cancer.
In an interview with Ghana Weekend that he was devastated by the loss and needed time to grieve.
He added: “I also had to travel to Australia to be with my baby mama’s family for the funeral.”
The CEO of NKZ Music explained that he was initially reluctant to release his new song, “Can’t Touch This,” but eventually decided to do so in honour of his late baby mama.
The song, which was produced by DobMusic, is Guru’s first song of the year. He stressed that he is now excited to promote his new song and tour around the world. He is also grateful for the support of his fans during this difficult time.
Guru’s late baby mama, with whom he has a 10-year-old daughter, died last year in August.
Guru, a renowned hiplife musician with a long list of hit songs, rose to fame after featuring on hiplife legend Obrafour’s hit song “Kasiebo” a decade ago.
The ancient town of Lahaina was destroyed by wildfires, which have claimed at least 89 lives, making it the most devastating fire in the US in a century.
Many individuals dove into the sea to escape the flames when the wildfire tore through the town last week.
A Maui local expressed her displeasure with some visitors continuing their vacations as usual to Sophie Long of the BBC.
These visitors, or tourists, were swimming in the exact same waters that our folks had recently died in three days prior.
Trade interactions between Ghana and the United States (US) reached a remarkable sum of $3.7 billion in the year 2022, as highlighted in data divulged by the US Embassy situated in Ghana. This notable achievement solidified the US’s position as Ghana’s fourth most significant export destination, further affirming the substantial economic ties between the two nations.
Ghana’s exports to the US in 2022 amounted to $2.7 billion and the main exports from Ghana include crude oil, cocoa (bean, paste, and butter), apparel, rubber, and cassava.
Ghana’s imports from the US in 2022 amounted to $1 billion, and the major imports include cars, machinery, paper products, plastics, medical devices, fertilizers, and agricultural goods.
Ghana’s trade surplus with the US in 2022 was $1.8 billion, while trade in services is also growing strongly, the information said.
It also indicated that in that same year, US bilateral assistance to Ghana was over $150 million; and that went into financing health, economic growth, agriculture, education, human rights, governance, and security.
The US government in 2022 provided over $32 million in agricultural assistance to Ghana.
It stated that more recently, the US Development Finance Corporation announced new support for $25 million in financing for micro, small, and medium sized enterprises in the agricultural sector in Northern Ghana.
“Supporting digital economic development, the United States recently announced a $300 million investment in data centers in Africa, including Ghana,” it added. Ghana registered a total of $421 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from the US in 2021.
US health authorities are looking into the death of a three-year-old Venezuelan child who was travelling with her parents from Texas to Chicago on a bus carrying asylum seekers.
The young woman was transferred to a hospital in southern Illinois where doctors on Thursday confirmed her death.
On Friday, Texas officials announced her death but provided no other information.
From the Mexican border city of Brownsville, the bus left. According to Texas officials, passengers were asked about any medical concerns they might have before the plane left the state and their temperature was taken.
The bus “pulled over and security on board called 911” when it was seen that the girl’s condition appeared to be deteriorating, according to officials.
Every person lost, according to representatives of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, “is a tragedy.”
Greg Abbott, the Republican governor of Texas, has used his “Operation Lone Star” policies to send more than 30,000 migrants to Democratic-controlled communities since last year.
The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Mr. Abbott last month for his unwillingness to have a floating barrier on the Rio Grande River removed so that migrants entering the US from Mexico could not do so.
The most recent tragedy occurred a few weeks after an eight-year-old girl lost her life at a Texas border police station.
The second-largest refugee catastrophe in history occurs in Venezuela. Since 2015, more than seven million Venezuelans have left the nation as a result of the political and economic instability.
After six migrants perished when a boat capsized off the coast of France on Saturday, ministers are under increased pressure to address boat crossings in the English Channel.
Those who smuggle people are “running rings” around the government, according to Labour, while the UK has a “moral duty to act,” according to a Tory backbencher.
“Stopping the boats” is one of the government’s top five priorities.
Investigations into the event that occurred on Saturday, in which 59 people were saved, and two may still be missing, are ongoing.
The overloaded craft, one of several migrant boats that left on Saturday in the goal of reaching the UK, came into trouble and capsized 12 miles (20 km) off Sangatte.
On the same day, 54 more migrants were saved by French coast guards after another migrant boat capsized 6 miles (10 km) off the shore of Calais. They arrived at Dunkirk’s port.
A opposition cabinet minister named Bridget Phillipson said that organised crime groups were “running rings” around the government and blamed their behaviour on the “completely out of control” backlog in refugee applications.
The administration, according to her, was running a “increasingly shambolic and completely incompetent” home office.
“There is a complete failure to carry out the fundamentals: process cases, hastily reach choices so that you can act. If people aren’t legally authorised to be in this nation, you can ensure that those who are may move on and lead happy lives for the rest of their days, she told BBC Breakfast.
Action has also been requested from the Conservative Party. Sir Jake Berry, a backbench MP and former party leader, remarked that “only radical changes can truly turn the tide.”
He stated in a piece for the Sunday Express that “We have a moral duty, both to our own citizens and those asylum seekers, to act.”
He argued that the European Convention on Human Rights would continue to thwart “any and all attempts to stop the boats” and advocated for the UK to withdraw from it.
The Refugee Council issued a dire warning that “more people will die” until new secure routes to the UK are established, while the refugee charity Care4Calais called the incident a “appalling and preventable tragedy.”
The fatalities were described as a “tragic loss of life” by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who presided over a meeting with UK Border Force representatives on Saturday.
The government’s intentions to restrict small boats from crossing the Channel are centred on the new Illegal Migration Bill, which Ms. Braverman is the primary proponent of. The home secretary is legally required to hold and expel anyone entering the UK unlawfully.
The UK will pay £500 million to France over three years to build a new detention facility and extra patrol personnel, according to a new arrangement the UK is proposing with France.
The English Channel’s lengthy coastline makes it extremely challenging for the coastguard to stop all small boat crossings, French authorities have previously noted.
With 600 tankers and 200 ferries travelling through it each day, the English Channel is one of the busiest and most dangerous shipping waterways in the whole world.
Before a French patrol boat was sent to the boat in danger, according to French police, a commercial vessel discovered the migrant boat.
“While we mourn these victims… it is the responsibility of human traffickers – of criminals – who send young people, women, and adults to their deaths on these maritime routes that are dangerous and lethal,” stated French Minister of the Sea Hervé Berville.
Investigators are searching for any data that could point them in the direction of the smuggling organisation that planned the crossing.
65 or 66 migrants were on the boat, according to those who were rescued.
According to a volunteer rescuer, migrants were using their shoes to bail water out of the sinking boat.
Two people who may still be missing have had their search suspended awaiting the discovery of new information.
It is thought that many of the migrants on board are from Sudan and Afghanistan, respectively. It was also aware that some of them were kids.
More migrants have reportedly arrived in recent weeks, living in squalor along the shoreline, according to aid workers in Calais. Many of them, they claim, are adamant on travelling to the UK despite being warned about the risks involved.
The pressure on the ministers comes in response to complaints that 39 asylum seekers had to be removed off the Bibby Stockholm barge after Legionella bacteria were found in the water supply.
