Ghanaian actor turned politician, John Dumelo, is incensed by the 10% tax imposed on earnings from lotteries, games of chance, and sports betting.
The new tax policy is part of the government’s efforts to increase domestic tax revenue and expand the tax base.
In a tweet, Dumelo criticized the government’s decision and noted that the youth, who have created their own jobs through sports betting and other forms of gambling, would rise against the government if the tax policy is implemented.
He argued that instead of taxing the youth’s winnings, the government should focus on creating jobs and providing economic opportunities for the youth.
“Create jobs; you won’t create. The youth have created their own jobs too; ahhh, you want to tax their winnings…continue. That day will come when the youth will rise against you. It will be too late,” he said.
Dumelo’s comments have sparked a heated debate on social media, with some Ghanaians supporting his position and others criticizing him for promoting gambling and opposing a legitimate tax policy.
John Dumelo is not new to the political scene in Ghana. He contested for a parliamentary seat in the 2020 general elections under the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), but lost to his opponent from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
However, he has remained vocal on issues affecting youth and has used his platform to advocate for their interests.
Singer and rapper Freda Rhymz just about a month ago made a comeback to the music scene after years of hiatus.
While speaking about the things that sent her into hiatus on her ‘Questions’ song, Freda disclosed that she was robbed and left with anxiety.
“We live in a crazy society, I was in my room and they broke into my room, I remember I was in my nightie, they took everything and left with me anxiety,” she said.
This revelation and the others she made in the song got many people worried about her and in an interview, she granted Abeiku Santana on Okay FM’s drivetime show on Thursday, April 6, 2023, she shared some intricate details about the said robbery.
According to Freda, four guys barged into her room around 2:30 am on a particular day and took away her Macbook laptop, phones, sound system, television, money, and any valuables they could lay their hands on.
Asked if she was alone at the time, the ‘Saucy’ crooner replied in the affirmative and added that it was a scary moment because one of the guys even held him by the neck when they were robbing her.
Freda Rhymz however mentioned that none of the guys sexually assaulted her because she made her way out of the room somehow and began to scream for help.
The domestication of products and services and expansion of the tax net are two pivotal factors worthy of adoption to contribute significantly to sustainable macroeconomic growth and sovereignty in the current economic situation, Country Managing Partner of Deloitte Ghana, Daniel Kwadwo Owusu, has stressed.
According to the audit and financial advisory expert, with the ongoing economic and global difficulties Ghana has seen unprecedented challenges which require innovative solutions and new ways of thinking, requiring a domestication strategy that concentrates on the production and use of locally produced goods and services to reduce dependence on imported products.
This in turn creates job opportunities, enhances a country’s balance of trade, and adds value to the nation’s exports – thereby reducing the cost of imported equipment by manufacturing them locally.
The tax net expansion, on the other hand, is meant to increase the number of tax-paying individuals and businesses. This, he said, can be achieved by making the tax system more efficient and transparent by deploying technology & digitalisation – and by creating incentives for people to pay their taxes.
The Deloitte Country Managing Partner also mentioned, among others, the need to ensure borrowed funds are invested in projects that will expand the productive capacity of our economy; the need to make corruption a far more costly and riskier venture; and to leverage on the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to trade with other African countries and ensure we fully realise the trade agreement’s objectives.
“At Deloitte, we believe that sustainable corporate governance, digital industrial transformation, and economic sovereignty are key to unlocking new opportunities for growth and prosperity.
“We need to expand our tax net by increasing the formalisation of our economy through digitalisation. This will help boost internal revenue generation and reduce reliance on external borrowing and funding support.
“As a people, we need to redirect our tastes and preferences more in favour of locally produced goods and services in order to create jobs and empower ourselves economically,” he said.
Mr. Owusu made these remarks at the media launch of the Ghana CEO Summit’s seventh edition slated for May 22, 2023.
This year’s summit will be held under the theme ‘Economic sovereignty, sustainable corporate governance and digital industrial transformation: New paths for growth and prosperity – A Private-Public sector CEO Dialogue & Learning’.
Founding Chief Executive Officer of the organising agency – Ghana CEO Network – Ernest De-Graft Egyir in his remarks mentioned that this year’s gathering will offer concrete, innovative and actionable solutions, lead discussions around game-changing public policies, and advocate for the best growth-oriented practices to help the country move forward.
“The call to action for the 7th Ghana CEO Summit and Expo is that government should work together with relevant stakeholders, including the CEO Network of Ghana, to restore Ghana’s economy and strive to achieve sustainable economic sovereignty,” he said.
CEO of Margins ID Group and Chairman of the occasion, Moses Kwesi Baiden, shared that business owners are grappling with the impact of supply shocks and high inflation rates while consumers are discouraged by the Ghana cedi’s reduced purchasing power. Therefore, to resolve a national crisis there must be collaboration across sectors – and that is what this year’s CEO summit is aiming to facilitate.
As Ghana joins the world to mark Good Friday today, Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has extended well-wishes to Christians around the world, especially those in Ghana.
In a tweet on Friday, April 7, he wished Ghanaians a Happy Easter.
“I wish Christians in Ghana and around the world a happy Easter. As Christians commemorate the passion of Jesus Christ, I entreat all to learn from the sacrifice illustrated by Christ to humanity and emulate it,” he tweeted.
Good Friday is a day Christians around the world remember when Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.
It is also observed to celebrate the day Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, heralding his victory over sin and death and pointing ahead to a future resurrection for all who are united to him by faith.
To this end, Dr Bawumia has entreated all Christians to imitate the sacrifice Jesus Christ made to humanity.
He believed that if Christians are able to emulate the steps of Jesus Christ, there would be a “cordial co-existence on earth.”
The vice president was also hopeful and wished that the Easter celebration will be “an incident-free festive season.”
Ghanaian actress, Ahuofe Patri, has opened up about her experiences in the entertainment industry, particularly in relation to sex scenes in films and television shows.
In a recent interview with Accra FM, the actress revealed that she had received a script with a sex scene that was too much for her and that she had to turn down the role.
While Ahuofe Patri acknowledged that sex scenes could be a crucial part of storytelling, she also emphasised that the execution of such scenes can make or break a project.
“The actual act is either very good or very bad,” she stated. “It will be very nice when people say that it’s so nice and rush to go see it, or they will be like, ‘Oh no!’”
Despite her openness to exploring various roles, the actress admitted that there was one role she couldn’t play: that of a character engaging in a sexual activity.
“The only role I can’t play is in the sex scenes, the activity itself,” she said. “But I can probably kiss somebody but not take off my clothes.”
Ahuofe Patri attributed her reluctance to perform such scenes to her shyness, citing a number of reasons for her discomfort.
Minister Mark Spencer’s contentious dismissal of Nusrat Ghani has prompted Rishi Sunak to declare that he won’t pursue legal action against him any further.
Following his resignation, an official investigation exonerated Mr. Spencer of any rule violations.
With the resignation of Sajid Javid as chancellor in February 2020, Ms. Ghani was removed from her position as minister of transportation.
She claimed she was told that her ‘Muslimness’ had been raised as an issue at a meeting in Downing Street.
The MP for Wealden said she was left feeling ‘humiliated and powerless’ as a result.
An investigation was launched which, it was announced today, found no evidence to suggest negative comments about Ms Ghani’s faith were made during discussions.
Sir Laurie Magnus, ethics adviser for the PM, said in his report: ‘It is not possible to conclude absolutely that such comments were not made, but I have found no evidence of comments of the nature described by Ms Ghani being attributed in her case.’
The Prime Minister thanked Sir Magnus today for his investigation into the row between the pair.
Nusrat Ghani was told that her Muslim faith was a reason she was fired (Picture: AP)
Writing today, Mr Sunak wrote: ‘As you say, this has been an unsatisfactory experience for both ministers involved. But in the absence of clear evidence, it would not be right to take further action.
‘I have spoken to both ministers and encouraged them to heed your advice to pull together in the finest tradition of public service.’
Sir Magnus cleared Mr Spencer of breaching the ministerial code, but noted lessons should be learned on handling ministerial dismissals.
He concluded: ‘I do not believe, when considered with the inconclusive evidence from the first two parts of this investigation, that the shortcomings identified in Mr Spencer’s response to Ms Ghani’s concerns amount to a clear failure to meet the standards set out in the ministerial code.
‘However, there are procedural and pastoral lessons to be drawn from this investigation which should be considered by those engaged in handling ministerial appointments and dismissals in future.
‘It is important that all those involved are sensitive to the impact of what they say, consider carefully the content of their messaging, including the manner in which it is delivered, and respond promptly and sympathetically to queries or concerns.’
Ms Ghani had received encouragement from her Tory colleagues when she first made the accusations of Islamophobia.
Her comments sparked widespread condemnation from Conservative MPs and opposition parties, prompting calls for an inquiry.
Former education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said there was no place for Islamophobia or any form of racism in the party, and that Ms Ghani’s allegations must be ‘investigated properly and racism routed out’.
Initially, the identity of the minister who allegedly made the comments had been unknown.
But a statement posted to Twitter, Mr Spencer had confirmed: ‘To ensure other Whips are not drawn into this matter, I am identifying myself as the person Nusrat Ghani MP has made claims about this evening.
‘These accusations are completely false and I consider them to be defamatory. I have never used those words attributed to me.’
A 36-year-old traditional priest has allegedly butchered three men in the Ashanti Region’s Ahafo Ano Southwest District of Baniekrom.
The fetish priest, only identified as Komfo Osman, allegedly stormed the Barniekrom community with a gang and began inflicting machete wounds on all men in the area.
The priest severed four of the victims’ fingers, including one known in the area as Komfo Medal, 25, with the two other victims, who have yet to be identified, sustaining multiple machete wounds.
The three victims are being treated at the Mankranso Government Hospital.
Some residents claim that their community has changed since the priest moved to the area.
They accused him of a variety of illegal activities, including assault, kidnapping, and threatening residents.
There are more Ghanaian nurses working in the UK than in Ghana, available data indicates.
This has raised concerns about health worker shortage in the west African country
The proportion of African-born NHS staff almost doubled from 1.8 percent to 3.1 percent since 2016, with Botswana and Kenya also featuring heavily.
Health unions say While African nurses are helping to plug the gap, the (WHO) says sub-Saharan Africa’s own healthcare crisis will intensify as it estimates the region will be short of 5.3 million health workers by 2030.
Martha Nugent, a specialist palliative care nurse, told : “If your expertise is all being exported, the health system will suffer. “Money or no money you will stay within a system where you feel comfortable. headtopics.com
Last year, the (RCN) raised concerns that the NHS was recruiting nurses from countries which faced their own shortage of nurses. NHS nurse recruitment from these countries was in breach of WHO’s Global Code of Practice, which stressed that “active” recruitment of nurses from red-list countries should be avoided.
NHS treating hundreds of children as young as 13 for gaming disordersThe number of people playing video games increased massively during pandemic lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 – but so did the risk of addiction. Campaigners have previously warned about the dangers of certain modern gaming tropes, such as the loot boxes seen in titles like FIFA. Lol this is why the nhs is fucked making up bullshit conditions. What the fuck is a gaming disorder? People can’t see a doctor but we need to treat kids who play a games console too much. Nobody dares to let children roam and play outside unsupervised any more, so why would they not spend what looks like an excessive amount of time engrossed by video games? Gaming disorder. More commonly known as: Shit Parenting!
‘Toxic’ bullying culture at NHS trust ‘could put patient care at risk’A report has revealed one of England’s biggest NHS trusts has a culture of bullying that has led to more deaths than usual. 2021 Aug New CEO Len Richards joins Mid Yorkshire Hospital 2022 Mar RESIGNED – Director of Nursing & Quality 2022 Apr RESIGNED – Director of Finance 2022 Nov RESIGNED – Medical Director 2023 Jan RESIGNED – Chief Operating Officer jumpedNotPushed midYorksNHS toxic NHS
‘Corrosive’ bullying culture at ‘toxic’ NHS Trust could put patient care at risk, probe findsBREAKING: A culture of bullying at one of England’s biggest NHS Trusts could put the care of patients at risk, a report has found Samaritans helpline: It’s time to scrap the NHS. Ah yes. More negative press about the NHS as the Tories run it into the ground. Who’d have thought it 🤷♀️ Ahh maybe the problems not the tories….
I’ve lost 13 teeth in seven years after being struck off by NHS dentistA DESPERATE mum has lost 13 teeth in seven years after being struck off by her NHS dentist while in intensive care. Mandy Sharp, 59, was put on anti-depressants by a GP when she got desperate at he… only the 1 dentist around by you then She could have just brushed her teeth properly. Is that when you stopped cleaning your teeth..
NHS dentist charges to rise in April 2023 – list of new pricesThe NHS has said that standard charges will go up from April 25
Nollywood actress Foluke Daramola opened up about the breakdown of her first marriage while speaking about marital red flags.
The actress explained that she lost her virginity through rape, which prompted her to always regard sex as a form of punishment, during an interview with TVC “Your View.”
She married someone who wanted sex every day, but she was unable to handle the situation since she was constantly afraid to return home.
Foluke continued by saying that she was aware of the warning signs before her first marriage but disregarded them.
The actress stated that she entered into the marriage prematurely owing to peer pressure and her husband’s enthusiasm for them to get married.
She added that her first experience was on their wedding night when her husband demanded that she destroy her phone’s SIM card.
She said: “I was raped, I lost my virginity through rape, so sex to me was punishment. and the person I got married to wanted it every time, it felt like he was beating me, so the moment I’m going home, I’m always scared.
“When I want to enter my first marriage the signs were there, even though my partner was rushing me into the marriage, I was concerned that my friends were getting married, all the signs were there, anger issues, suspicion about who I’m talking with, and overlooked it.
“My first experience was my wedding night, my husband asked me to cut my sim on my wedding night, and I had to stay there because I was thinking of what people would say.”
Read comments that trailed her statement here:
henryblaise_: “People need to heal before getting into relationships else there will be a carryover or trauma, pain and frustration. It’s a pity mental health is not taken seriously in Nigeria”
clementiyiola65: “The fact that a man want it all the time is not an issue, the major issue here is that you did not talk about it before going to marriage.”
benoladipo: “Egbe nikan kor, iyana Ejigbo ni. Foluke stop capping. You dint date the innocent man before marrying him ba? You just jumped into the marriage to discover he had a coconut sized libido?”
jamaldeenvoice: “Egbe nikan kor, iyana Ejigbo ni. Foluke stop capping. You dint date the innocent man before marrying him ba? You just jumped into the marriage to discover he had a coconut sized libido?”
_ajibabs: “That’s what m8st of them usually say, they were r****p meanwhile check them out during their uni days, there were them them… lamba yeh pò”
danprosper: “Don’t marry if you haven’t heal from your wound. You don’t love the man also. Bye”
Although a lawsuit challenging a statewide ban is being heard by an appeals court, the US Supreme Court found that a transgender girl can compete on her middle school’s track team.
West Virginia’s prohibition on transgender sports, which was passed into law in 2021, is being challenged in court by Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 12-year-old transgender pupil there.
According to the Preserve Women’s Sports Act, a person’s ability to join an athletic team “must be purely based on the individual’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”
Students who are born male can play on male and coed teams, whereas students who are born female can participate on male, female, and coed teams, according to the law.
Pepper-Jackson challenged the law a month after it was passed in 2021. She received support from the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ+ civil rights group.
Her lawyers argued that West Virginia’s law violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, as well as federal civil rights law under Title IX – which prohibits sex-based discrimination.
A district court in Charleston, West Virginia initially sided with the state, but Pepper-Jackson appealed the case.
The Fourth US Circuit Court of Appeals is currently considering her lawsuit. During this process, the court ruled Pepper-Jackson can continue competing on the girls’ team.
West Virginia’s Attorney General Patrick Morrissey filed an emergency appeal, asking the Supreme Court to intervene before oral arguments were heard.
The Supreme Court refused to overturn the Circuit Court’s ruling, paving the way for Pepper-Jackson to continue competing in the current outdoor track season.
The court provided no reasoning for its decision.
Only two justices dissented, conservatives Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
‘Enforcement of the law at issue should not be forbidden by the federal courts without any explanation,’ Justice Alito wrote in his dissenting opinion.
South African billionaire Johann Rupert has retained his position as one of the wealthiest businessmen on the continent, with his net worth moving closer to the $13-billion mark thanks to the recent exceptional performance of his stake in Richemont, a Swiss-based luxury goods group.
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which tracks and compares the wealth of the world’s top 500 billionaires, ranks Rupert as the richest man in South Africa and the second-richest on the African continent.
Rupert’s net worth has surged by $1.81 billion since the start of the year, climbing from $10.9 billion to $12.7 billion at present.
The rise can primarily be attributed to his 9.14-percent stake in Richemont, which owns premium brands such as Cartier, Chloe, Dunhill, Alaa, and Delvaux, and represents the bulk of Rupert’s fortune.
Richemont’s shares on the SIX Swiss Exchange have surged by nearly 10 percent since the beginning of this year, buoyed by positive investor sentiment sparked by the company’s impressive sales figures in the third quarter of its 2023 fiscal year.
During the reporting period, the luxury goods group’s sales figures skyrocketed to over €15 billion ($16.3 billion), surpassing its first nine-month sales figure of €12.77 billion ($13.9 billion) in the 2022 fiscal year.
The sales boost was primarily fueled by a surge in Japan’s sales from just under €855 million ($929 million) in 2022 to almost €1.29 billion ($1.4 billion).
As luxury watch consumers may be reevaluating wearing watches for safety reasons, Richemont has rolled out a digital platform called Enquirus to shield its revenue and aid global law enforcement agencies in their efforts to combat the rampant theft of luxury watches and jewelry.
Enquirus offers a gamut of features that enable owners of exquisite timepieces and jewelry to report theft or loss with ease. Customers can now verify the authenticity of the items they intend to purchase by checking whether the product has been flagged as stolen on the platform.
The digital platform, already boasting 175 leading luxury watchmakers and multiple jewelers preloaded, is now accessible to the entire luxury industry. Owners can now register their collections seamlessly on the platform using brand and serial numbers.
A tourist from the United States who went missing in Baja California over two months ago was discovered dead in a small grave in Mexico.
On February 11, Wilmer “Dino” Trivett, 80, of Markleeville, California, who was residing in a camper vehicle near the Mexican seaside town of Todos Santos, was last seen.
According to Baja California Sur prosecutor Daniel de la Rosa Anaya, investigators used a cadaver dog to locate his body in a tomb close to Todos Santos.
A brother and sister, Juan Hector and Joseline Guadalupe, identified by their first names only in compliance with Mexican law, face homicide charges in connection with Trivett’s death, according to BNO News.
Wilmer ‘Dino’ Trivett reportedly stayed alone in a camper in Todos Santos with his dog Bones (Picture: KCRA)
Trivett was in a traffic accident in which Juan Hector was injured, and gave him 50,000 Mexican pesos, or about $2,723, for his medical bills, according to the prosecutor.
‘However, months went by and this person was left with the feeling that it wasn’t enough,’ said De la Rosa. ‘Then this person and his sister went to where the American was camping and kidnapped him, and then they took his life.’
Trivett’s camper was found burned on February 23.
The victim would travel across the Baja California peninsula with his wife, who died in 2019, reported the Mirror. He started making the trips again in November.
Trivett’s brother, Rick, in mid-February said he was staying in his camper in ‘a very secluded area, there was nobody else around but him, in his campsite’. Trivett would go with his dog Bones to a friend’s home for breakfast every day.
‘Last weekend, he didn’t show up,’ Rick told KCRA at the time. ‘The dog was there on the porch, so his friend was very concerned, so he walked down. The motorhome was gone. My brother was gone, but the dog was left behind.’
Trivett’s body was found just over a month after four Americans were kidnapped in Matamoros, Mexico, two of which were discovered shot dead. The four Americans reportedly drove from Brownsville, Texas, to Mexico so one of them could undergo a tummy tuck procedure.
The Scorpion squad of the Gulf Cartel claimed responsibility for the March 3 attack, apologized and surrendered five of its members.
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has proposed an amendment to Standing Orders (Order 174) to allow the opposition in parliament to head the government assurance committee.
The MP wonders why the government’s guarantee that the IMF deal will be completed by the end of March 2023 fell through.
He is also demanding that the government apologise to the people and explain why the assurance failed.
To end this, he has proposed for the assurance committee of parliament to be chaired by an opposition MP to provide for strict consequences for grand governmental deception.
He wrote “What should happen when a President and his top officials assure Parliament and the entire nation on multiple occasions that Ghana will secure an IMF bailout deal by March this year?
Should the citizenry, like their government functionaries pretend that March didn’t end five days ago?
Don’t Ghanaians deserve an apology and an explanation at the very least?
Is that the superior competence the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/Ofori-Atta government proclaims?
Why did so many experts, civil society, and the opposition foresee that a March deal was ridiculously impossible, and yet President Akufo-Addo kept issuing firmer assurances including when he delivered his Message on the State of the Nation in Parliament?
Moving forward, there’s an urgent need to amend Parliament’s Standing Orders (Order 174) to expressly make an opposition MP the Chair of the Committee on Government Assurances and to provide for strict consequences for grand governmental deception. Leadership must respect the Ghanaian people.”
Entrepreneur and businessman Kojo Jones is one of five aspirants of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) cleared by a vetting committee to contest in the Keta Constituency parliamentary primary.
Dr. Kojo Jones Mensah will on May 13 face off with four others including Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpe, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) and Madam Enyonam Apetorgbor.
Per the balloting done by the committee, Kojo Jones is sandwiched between the incumbent MP and Madam Apetorgbor who are first and third on the ballot.
The rests are Dr. Senanu Kwasi Djokoto and Paul Mensah Voegbor also securing number four and five, respectively.
Kwame Gakpe, after a successful vetting process, expressed excitement over his clearance to fight for a second term.
He said his position signified a good leadership position where he would be “the first.”
Dr Djokoto, the former Keta Constituency Chairman of the NDC, expressed satisfaction about the process and urged all delegates to give him the nod to bring unprecedented development to the area.
Also the Acting Volta Regional Director of Health, he told the Ghana News Agency that he would rebuild the Keta NDC and ensure unity and development when elected the MP.
Dr. Emmanuel Kwadzo Jones Mensah, Madam Enyonam Apetorgbor, and Paul Mensah Voegborlo also expressed the hope that they would win the hearts of delegates for a massive victory.
Several supporters who interacted with GNA remained happy that all aspirants had gone through the vetting process peacefully and urged the candidates to engage in clean campaigns, devoid of insults.
The NDC has set Saturday, May 13, for the parliamentary and presidential primaries.
The former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei has responded to a comment made by a member of the New Patriotic Party’s communications team.
She shared a cryptic message to the views expressed by NPP’s communication team member, Ellen Ama Daaku on the partiality or otherwise of the new members of the Electoral Commission
Reacting to a video where Ellen Ama Daaku is captured on TV3 defending the president’s choice of persons for the EC, Charlotte Osei tweeted “I see”.
Speaking as a panellist on TV3’s, New Day show, Ellen Daaku said that regardless of whoever chairs the EC or work for the institution, the results of elections will not be affected.
“And my point is, it doesn’t matter who becomes the EC boss and who the commissioners are. If you would an election, you will win.” she said.
To her, the various parties should rather do their work by ensuring they get their figures right at the polling stations and not who the referee of the election is.
“You should be able to count your vote and know what you got. So that you would have it to defend yourself if you think you’ve been cheated. You should get your acts together down there. Whoever is the referee doesn’t matter get you your job done. Nobody will be comfortable with everybody in this country.” she added.
After swearing in three members to join the EC board by the president on Monday, March 20, 2023, pressure has since been mounting up calling for the resignation of two of the three members.
The two members are Dr Peter Appiahene and Hajia Salima Tijani.
Stormy Daniels has offered to “testify in divorce proceedings” on behalf of Melania Trump, the spouse of Donald Trump.
In the wake of last week’s historic court appearance by Trump, the former adult star sat down with ITV’s Good Morning Britain to share her story.
She stated in a different interview with Piers Morgan that she felt “the King has been dethroned” and that the former president was “no longer untouchable.”
She stated in an interview with ITV regarding Melania that anything she said would be speculation and that she didn’t need anyone else to speak for her.
‘Perhaps her not speaking is her speaking. Silence speaks volumes if you will.
‘I feel bad for her, she’s a mother. I would assume as a mother her main priority is her child.
‘The other side to that is we don’t know about their private life. We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. We don’t know what kind of arrangement they had.
The former adult star has sat down with broadcasters to tell her side of the story (Picture: MediaPunch/Rex/Shutterstock)Melania Trump has been noticeably absent since Trump’s appearance in court (Picture: Getty Images)Donald Trump appeared in court during a historic appearance on Tuesday (Picture: AP)
‘You know what I mean. I know some kind of freaky people. We don’t, we don’t know.
‘We can sit here and talk about it all day long but until she feels the need to speak for herself then we just won’t know.’
And asked if she wants to say anything to Melania, she said: ‘Call me if you need me to testify in your divorce proceedings.’
In her interview with Piers Morgan he asked her about the encounter with Trump in his penthouse suite in Lake Tahoe, California.
Morgan said: ‘You asked him on that first night about his wife, Melania. They’d only been married quite recently. She’d just given birth to their son. What did you feel about that?
Stormy Daniels told TalkTV it felt like ‘the King had been dethroned’ (Picture: TalkTV)
‘You’ve been criticised for that part of it. You already said that.’
Ms Daniels replied: ‘I didn’t think anything was going to happen, you know what I mean? Why would I assume this person was going to be half-dressed and outside a bathroom door when we had talked about his daughter, which people try to sexualise, and it absolutely wasn’t.
‘And he had shown me pictures of his wife and son. We were just talking about how cute he was. Not any different than if we showed pictures right now of each other’s kids.’
Trump made history when he became the first US president to face criminal charges.
It is over money paid during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign to two women who alleged they had extramarital sexual encounters with him.
Ghana is yet to act in respect of a 90-day visa-free arrangement for ordinary passport holders with the Republic of South Africa (RSA), despite the challenges businesses and individuals currently have to go through to acquire a visa to travel to the Southern Africa nation.
AviationGhana sources close to the issue, explained that the South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Regional Cooperations tabled the offer more than a year ago so as to facilitate trade and investment between the two countries but Ghana is yet to accept the terms.
The Department offered a 90-day visa-free entry per year for Ghanaian ordinary passport holders. Persons who want to stay longer would have the option of applying for visa to enable them extend their stay.
However, Ghana is said to have asked for 180days – a length of time rarely granted in such visa-free arrangements between two nations.
Additionally, while the SA Department of International Relations and Regional Cooperations was seeking to have this done through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) since there already exist a bilateral relation between the two countries. However, Ghana say it is to table arrangement through Parliament before it can give effect to same.
The third issue is the removal of undesirable persons from the RSA. RSA wants the Government of Ghana (GoG) to bear the cost of returning its citizens who overstay their welcome or go contrary to the laws of RSA for which reasons they become unwanted in the rainbow nation. GoG disagrees with this, according close sources with in-depth knowledge about these discussions.
Despite these initial observations raised by Ghana, there has not been any further action on the South Africa visa waiver proposal. The RSA Home Affairs office says it has been waiting all this while for Ghana to act and move the discussions forward so as to actualize the said arrangement.
The third-placed candidate in Nigeria’s presidential election, Peter Obi, says he is being pressured to leave the country.
He did not offer proof to back the claim but said it was part of government’s attempt to “divert attention” from a “blatantly stolen” elections.
Mr Obi has already challenged the results of the presidential election at Nigeria’s highest appeal court.
“The attempts to manipulate Nigerians is very sad and wicked,” he tweeted on Wednesday night.
An audio recording has been doing rounds in Nigeria of an alleged conversation between Mr Obi and a religious leader, in which the presidential election is likened to a religious war.
Mr Obi said the audio was a “fake doctored audio call”.
“Let me reiterate that the audio call being circulated is fake, and at no time throughout the campaign and now did I ever say, think, or even imply that the 2023 election is, or was a religious war,” he said.
He added that his lawyers will take action against an online publication that circulated the clip.
Ghanaian actress Vicky Zugah, has taken to her Instagram page to condemn same-sex marriage, emphasizing that her bible frowns on it.
In a short video, the actress was seen lamenting about the consequences and health implications same-sex marriage can have on those practicing it and how it can affect others, especially future generations.
According to her, even though she knows she stands a risk of being misconstrued for what she said, she doesn’t care as she is disturbed by the situation and has to voice out her take on it.
She further clarified that a man sleeping with a woman through the anus is different from two men or two women having sex, stressing that some sins are much bigger than others
The host of the ‘Red Light’ show on United Television asserted that she is a bible believing Christian and that her bible taught her God created Adam and his helper Eve and not Adam and another Adam.
The actress also opined that people must desist from saying that they don’t have any business to do with what people do with their sexuality as they can be affected in the future.
‘‘You will oneday pay with your time and money if you continue to say you don’t care,’’ she stated.
Vicky to a greater extent divulged that it will be very difficult to completely eradicate same-sex marriage if God doesn’t intervene, as some countries have legalized it but appealed for the practice to be minimized.
She further called on her colleagues to speak on the matter as their voices can have a great and positive impact with regard to the situation.
Following allegations of a “disturbance,” police were rushed to a posh south London apartment building where they discovered a woman dead.
On Thursday afternoon, the victim was discovered to have severe injuries after police were called to the residence in Elephant & Castle.
Shortly after that, she was pronounced dead there.
Police forensic vans can be seen along the street outside the apartments in photos shot at the scene.
Officers were summoned to a residential building on Elephant Road in SE17 after hearing allegations of a disturbance there, according to a statement from Scotland Yard.
‘A woman – no further details – was found with serious injuries.
‘Despite the efforts of emergency services she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Latest London news
‘A large number of officers remain at the location as enquiries continue. A crime scene is in place and enquiries are ongoing.’
Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Kwaku Afriyie has said to transform the economy, the country needs innovative and skilled human resources.
As the economy continues to rapidly evolve and advance, he said, it is more important than ever to harness the power of innovation to drive growth and progress – noting that government recognises this need and is actively seeking innovators to work collaboratively toward transforming the economy through public-private partnerships (PPP) and other initiatives to help spearhead new technologies and solutions that will propel the economy forward.
“Innovation is key to making progress in all industries, from healthcare to agriculture, and government recognises the critical role that innovators play. These individuals possess the expertise and vision needed to develop new products and services, as well as strategies for increasing efficiency and reducing costs. This in turn drives job creation and economic growth,” he said.
The minister made these remarks in his address at the Certified Innovation Professional (CIP) programme launch in Accra by the Nobel International Business School (NiBS).
Explaining further, Dr. Afriyie said in the current era when change is a constant, innovation assumes a paramount role in staying competitive. He reiterated that government has been at the vanguard of science and technology advancement, achieving remarkable progress in recent years.
He maintained that government will continue to create the right environment for innovation and encourage the youth to become innovators.
“Innovation has become a key driver of economic growth and development in many countries. By encouraging individuals to embrace it, Ghana can build a skilled workforce to generate and implement new ideas, advance collaborations on critical projects, and capture the value of innovation.
“This will help Ghana become more competitive, increase productivity and create jobs essential for sustainable economic growth. In addition, by having a pool of certified innovation professionals, Ghana can attract more foreign investment and technology transfer; further boosting the country’s economic growth,” he emphasised.
The government of Ghana has demonstrated a significant commitment to fostering innovation in the country through various initiatives and policies. This is evident in the strategic interventions and investments in multiple sectors of the economy, including education with the introduction of technical vocational education and training (TVET), science technology engineering, mathematics (STEM) and Free Senior High School.
Dr. Afriyie made a clarion call for innovators in the country to come on board and help build a resilient and sustainable economy.
“The ability of innovators in the country to drive progress and create new opportunities is essential for the country’s continued prosperity. By working together with government, innovators can help transform existing industries and create new ones; thus making the economy more dynamic, resilient and inclusive.”
It has been determined to be Toby Burwell, who has been missing from his Newbold home since February 20, according to Warwickshire Police.
According to a police spokesperson, the body was officially identified as belonging to missing 17-year-old Toby Burwell. Burwell has been missing for a number of weeks.
‘His death is not currently being treated as suspicious, and a file will be prepared for the coroner.
‘Our thoughts remain with Toby’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.
‘We would like to thank you all for continuing to respect their privacy.’
On March 29, police said that evidence gathered during a month-long search for the missing teenager strongly suggested he got into difficulty while swimming in the quarry and never left the water.
At the time, Warwickshire Police said that despite extensive, expert-led searches, officers found no evidence the teenager ‘ever left the water, and there has been no positive sighting since’.
The Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng aka Asabee has sent a strong signal to the promoters and advocates of LGBTQI issues in Ghana.
The Minister has declared that Ghana’s stance, so far as he is the Minister concerned with two spiritual sectors Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the LGBTQI is a “NO, NO, NO” for Ghana.
“This whole issue of LGB whatever you guys call it. I even deliberately refuse to know the full name. I have blocked my mind from knowing the full name. The whole thing is not spiritual because they are playing around and using Human Rights to promote it.
“Nobody is asking that they should kill anybody, that’s not the issue at all. We are only saying if you are wrong, we need to be able to tell you that you are wrong.
“…How can America which brought us the Bible and puts God first in everything they do get involved and promote the very things that God and the Bible frown upon.
“Is it that they edited the Bible and removed some of its contents or there’s something they are not telling us?”Asabee fumed.
Asabee expressed these concerns during a courtesy call on him at his Ministry in Accra on Thursday 6th April 2023, by the President of the Spiritual Faith ECKANKAR Ghana, Mr. Aspect Caiquo and his delegation.
The Minister’s team that welcomed and hosted the ECKANKAR Leadership included the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Madam Fati Lily Soale, the Hon. Minister’s Special Assistant, Mr. Joojo Blankson and the Public Relations Officer for the Ministry Madam Mamle Ramani.
The courtesy call, was meant among others, to formally invite Hon. Stephen Asamoah Boateng to participate in both the official launch of the spiritual seminar event on May 9th 2023 and the event proper from 25th to 27th of August 2023.
This came to light prior to some discussions and letters ECKANKAR Ghana had sent earlier to the Ministry in relation to the Spiritual ECK AFRICAN SOUL ADVENTURE SEMINAR 2023.
Asabee further lamented that Ghanaians are losing their true spiritual identity and must make efforts to realign and reconnect their true selves and with God on a different level.
He urged Ghanaians to fully participate in the upcoming Spiritual ECK AFRICAN SOUL ADVENTURE SEMINAR 2023 and explore the full benefits of spiritual growth the seminar will offer participants and guests.
He further assured the ECKANKAR Leadership of his full support during the summit.
On his part, the President of ECKANKAR Ghana, Mr. Aspect Caiquo revealed that Ghana is hosting this year’s edition of the ECK AFRICAN SOUL ADVENTURE SEMINAR for the 2nd time since 2012.
He mentioned that since the event is a religious affair, it became prudent that the team visited the ministry to formally engage the minister as a key stakeholder.
He said the event comes off at the Temple of ECK Ghana at Okponglo East Legon, located next to the Erata Hotel.
The ECKANKAR Ghana President Mr. Aspect Caiquo used the opportunity to enter into the spiritual aspects of some doctrines and teachings of the ECKANKAR Spiritual faith.
He mentioned that the organisation is one of the leading Faith-based organisations in Ghana, the ECKANKAR Ghana.
Mr. Aspect Caiquo revealed that the Spiritual Leader of ECKANKAR is Harold Klemp, the Mahanta, the Living ECK Master based in Minnesotta.
He said the event is expected to gather about 7,000 passionate and highly spiritual people from all walks of life most whom will travel from other parts of the world far and near to participate.
Mr. Aspect Caiquo also used the opportunity to present some ECKANKAR Spiritual Materials and Literature to Hon. Stephen Asamoah Boateng and his team
Citing a little background, he said ECKANKAR is an ancient wisdom for today.
Its teachings, which resurfaced in 1965, emphasize the value of personal experiences as the most natural way back to God.
“Whatever your religious background, we show how to look and listen within yourself to expand your consciousness and enjoy spiritual connectedness.
See for yourself—perhaps for the first time—how to live a happy, balanced, productive life and put daily concerns into loving perspective.
ECKANKAR has a few basic beliefs. Simple spiritual exercises are taught that lead to the experience of the Light and Sound of God.
As we practice the spiritual exercises, we learn to recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
According to ECKANKAR, each of us is a Soul, a spark of God sent to this world to gain spiritual experience.
ECKANKAR studies dreams as a source of inner truth, learning how working with our dreams from a spiritual perspective can help us handle daily challenges and learn from them.”
Kumasi-based Ghanaian rapper, Amerado has clarified his relationship status with award-winning TV Show host and presenter, Delores Frimpong-Manso.
Amerado and Delay for the past two years were rumoured to be having an amorous affair.
The rumours were heightened in 2022 when Lyrical Joe threw shots at The Delay Show host during his beef with the ‘Obiaa Boa’ rapper.
But reacting to the rumours for the umpteenth time, Amerado said there was nothing going on between himself and the media mogul sexually.
Amerado in his response to Berla Mundi on TV3 New Day said Delay naturally adored him and supported his craft. He also debunked the assertion that the rumours were engineered to make him popular.
“It was organic and natural. She likes me and she was willing to support my craft. We didn’t do it for social media likes.”
“I think it was more than that because Delay hardly opens up so I was lucky to be closer to her. It means she foresaw the future. What she did for me goes beyond liking someone and I reciprocated it.” he explained
A fire at an apartment building in east London resulted in the death of a woman and five other injuries.
Just before 5.30 p.m., emergency services were summoned to the site in Tollgate Road, Beckton, and a man has now been taken into custody on suspicion of murder.
Several rescue services and fire engines arrived at the area quickly.
Five further individuals were taken to the hospital, according to the police, and one person died as a result of the incident.
It ripped through the first and second floors of the flats, with residents quickly evacuated.
Some witnesses said residents were jumping from their windows the escape the flames.
A spokesperson from the London Fire Brigade said: ‘Firefighters have been called to a flat fire on Tollgate Road in Beckton.
Latest London news
Fire crews at the scene in east London (Picture: UKNIP)
‘The first floor and second floors of the residential block are alight.
‘The staircase from the first to the second floor is also alight.
‘The Brigade was called at 5.24pm.
‘Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from East Ham, Plaistow, Barking and surrounding fire stations are at the scene.
‘The cause of the fire is not known at this time.’
The mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz, expressed her ‘deepest condolences’ to loved ones of the person who died.
She tweeted: ‘We are deeply saddened by the news that there has been one fatality already from the fire that broke out in flats in Beckton.
‘Our deepest condolences to loved ones now in mourning.’
A Met spokesperson said: ‘Police, LAS and LFB are currently at the scene dealing with the fire.
‘It is believed that there has been one female fatality and number of others injured.
‘No further details at this stage. Enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing.
‘One male has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the incident and enquiries are ongoing.
‘A road closure is in place on Tollgate Road and restriction are in place on Bradley Stone Road and Valiant Way.’
Five aspirants of the National Democratic Congress’ Keta Constituency parliamentary seat have been cleared by the vetting committee to contest in the upcoming primary.
Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpe, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Dr. Kojo Jones Mensah, and Madam Enyonam Apetorgbor have been placed in the first, second, and third positions on the ballot.
The rests are Dr. Senanu Kwasi Djokoto and Paul Mensah Voegbor also securing number four and five, respectively.
Kwame Gakpe, after a successful vetting process, expressed excitement over his clearance to fight for a second term.
He said his position signified a good leadership position where he would be “the first.”
Dr Djokoto, the former Keta Constituency Chairman of the NDC, expressed satisfaction about the process and urged all delegates to give him the nod to bring unprecedented development to the area.
Also the Acting Volta Regional Director of Health, he told the Ghana News Agency that he would rebuild the Keta NDC and ensure unity and development when elected the MP.
Dr. Emmanuel Kwadzo Jones Mensah, Madam Enyonam Apetorgbor, and Paul Mensah Voegborlo also expressed the hope that they would win the hearts of delegates for a massive victory.
Several supporters who interacted with GNA remained happy that all aspirants had gone through the vetting process peacefully and urged the candidates to engage in clean campaigns, devoid of insults.
The NDC has set Saturday, May 13, for the parliamentary and presidential primaries.
Former Auditor General, Dnaiel Yao Domelevo has stated that the failure of some law enforcement mechanisms in Ghana can be attributed to the possibility of criminals financing the ambitions of some leaders.
Speaking in an interview on TV3, the former Auditor General said some leaders are unable to enforce laws as per their mandate due to them being influenced and controlled by financiers.
“These are people who know that if a right-thinking and upright party leadership is in place they may not have room to operate.
“Because illegal mining should not be allowed, there are some types of trades that should not be allowed, so, the best thing for them to do is to invest in who becomes the head of the country. That is the reason why at times it beats, you and I our minds, why some laws cannot be enforced,” Daniel Domelevo shared.
He, therefore, called on theElectoral Commission to sit up and ensure that the criminals are not elected into leadership positions.
“It is because we don’t know who pays the piper and you know the one who pays the piper is the one who calls the tune. So, that is how dangerous it is and the earlier the Electoral Commission wakes up, the better it is for us. Otherwise, we may have criminals, people who we will like to run away from rather will getting leadership in place.
“The leaders themselves may not be criminals but immediately they are funded by these (people) they are within their control,” the former Auditor General indicated.
There have calls for Ghana’s laws to be reviewed for stiff political funding regulations. This follows growing public concerns about the sources of funding for political parties who remain exposed to external influence after winning power due the weakness in existing funding laws.
Dedo Kofi brought culture and tradition alive at the International Women’s Conference in Dubai with an exotic varicoloured kente fabric fashioned to mimic the attire worn during Dipo.
The pontifical feminine attire, conceptualized from the Dipo wear, was draped with handwoven kente fabric from one of Ghana’s best weavers, Gobe Kente.
At first glance, one can mistake Dedo Kofi for wearing nothing above and beneath the corseted kente belt. A deceptiveness was achieved by plain, skin-coloured tights and hugging top to represent the bare-chestedness of the original Dipo participants.
See below for the video as shared on Instagram by @goba_kente.
Like the traditional looks, this modern design was accentuated by a long string of waist beads wound around her waist with similar colourful beads adorning her wrists and ankles.
What is Dipo?
Dipo is a puberty rite of passage practised by the Manya and Yilo Krobo of Krobo Odumase and Somanya in the Eastern Region of Ghana. This event lasts for a total of four days.
According to the journal, Brill.com girls are taught feminine hygiene practices as well as childbearing and home-keeping qualities.
Teenage girls go through the rites by wearing beads around their waist. The cover their mid-section with scanty cloth leaving their chests bare.
Berla Mundi dresses like a Dipo girl
Dede Kofi is not alone in this venture of ‘modernising’ the Dipo wear. Prior to her, Berla Mundi had also done something similar.
The TV3 presenter once rocked a Dipo outfit during a cultural heritage show on the station’s morning show.
Her photos got followers reacting with positive feedback an praises.
Government has in the past years introduced numerous taxes by way of raking in revenue for the state.
In recent times, three new bills; Income Tax Amendment Bill, Excise Duty Amendment Bill, and Growth and Sustainability Amendment Bill were passed in parliament.
But the trading community have bemoaned the negative impact of taxes on their businesses to the extent that the traffic at the ports has reduced drastically.
Speaking on this growing development on TV3’s Ghana Tonight show on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, the Executive Member of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Tsonam Akpeloo, noted that local businesses may soon run out of business due to their unability to sustain the businesses.
He stressed that the taxes on businesses were too much.
Mr Akpeloo said it is unfair for businesses under AGI to remain tax compliant whiles other businesses keep evading taxes in the country.
“Very similar point to this is that there are many many businesses that are not paying taxes and so continuing to tax the few AGI companies that are tax compliant is not fair. What will happen is that very soon they may not even exist for you to tax because the taxes are just too much,” he said.
Mr Akpeloo called on the Ghana Revenue Authority to emulate the works of ECG by going out to collect property tax.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is launching ‘Focus Africa’ to strengthen aviation’s contribution to Africa’s economic and social development and improve connectivity, safety and reliability for passengers and shippers.
This initiative will align private and public stakeholders to deliver measurable progress in six areas.
“Africa accounts for 18% of the global population, but just 2.1% of air transport activities (combined cargo and passenger). Closing that gap, so that Africa can benefit from the connectivity, jobs and growth that aviation enables, is what Focus Africa is all about,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Infrastructure constraints, high costs, lack of connectivity, regulatory impediments, slow adoption of global standards and skills shortages affect the customer experience and are all contributory factors to African airlines’ viability and sustainability.
The continent’s carriers suffered cumulative losses of $3.5 billion for 2020-2022. Moreover, IATA estimates further losses of $213 million in 2023.
Delivering on Africa’s Opportunities
Sustainably connecting the African continent internally and to global markets with air transport is critical for bringing people together and creating economic and social development opportunities.
It will also support the realization of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) for Africa of lifting 50 million people out of poverty by 2030. In particular, trade and tourism rely on aviation and have immense unrealized potential to create jobs, alleviate poverty, and generate prosperity across the continent.
Africa has a solid foundation to support the case for improving aviation’s contribution to its development.
Pre-COVID aviation supported 7.7 million jobs and $63 billion in economic activity in Africa. Projections are for demand to triple over the next two decades.
“Africa stands out as the region with the greatest potential and opportunity for aviation. The Focus Africa initiative renews IATA’s commitment to supporting aviation on the continent. As the incoming Chair of the IATA Board of Governors, and the first from Africa since 1993, I look forward to ensuring that this initiative gets off to a great start and delivers benefits that are measurable,” said Yvonne Makolo, CEO of RwandAir and first female Chair of the IATA Board of Governors (2023-2024).
Six Critical Areas
“The limiting factors on Africa’s aviation sector are fixable. The potential for growth is clear. And the economic boost that a more successful African aviation sector will deliver has been witnessed in many economies already. With Focus Africa, stakeholders are uniting to deliver on six critical focus areas that will make a positive difference. We’ll measure success and will need to hold each other accountable for the results,” said Walsh.
The six focus areas are: Safety: Improve operational safety through a data driven, collaborative program to reduce safety incidents and accidents, in the air and on the ground.
Infrastructure: Facilitate the growth of efficient, secure, and cost-effective aviation infrastructure to improve customer experience and operational efficiency.
Connectivity: Promote the liberalization of intra-African market access through the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM).
Finance and Distribution: Accelerate the implementation of secure, effective and cost-efficient financial services and adoption of modern retailing standards.
Sustainability: Assist Africa’s air transport industry to achieve the “Net Zero by 2050” emissions targets agreed to by industry and the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) member states.
Future Skills: Promote aviation-related career paths and ensure a steady supply of diverse and suitably skilled talent to meet the industry’s future needs. The Power of Partnerships
“Partnerships will differentiate the outcome of Focus Africa from previous efforts to stimulate Africa’s development with air transport. By partnering, stakeholders will effectively pool their resources, research, expertise, time and funding to support the common goals of the six work areas,” said Kamil Al Awadhi, IATA Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.
The partners will be announced and join forces in Addis Ababa on 20-21 June to officially launch the Focus Africa initiative with more details for each task area.
The timing is right
Africa continues the path to recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Air cargo is 31.4% over 2019 levels and air travel is 93% of 2019 levels. Full recovery for air travel is expected in 2024.
“The tasks for Focus Africa are not new. Work is already underway as part of the work of IATA and other stakeholders in Africa. But after the financial trauma that the pandemic brought to African aviation, we are at a unique time of rebuilding. By launching Focus Africa now, we can ensure that the recovery from COVID-19 moves aviation to an even better place than we were in 2019,” said Al Awadhi.
An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Mr. Olaf Unteroberdoerster, visited Abidjan from 1 – 14 March 2023 and agreed with the Ivorian authorities on all policy objectives and reforms for an economic reform program that could be supported by an IMF financial arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF)/ Extended Credit Facility (ECF).
A staff-level agreement has now been reached, including on the level of access to Fund resources of 400 percent of quota (equivalent to about US$ 3.5 billion) under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF)/Extended Credit Facility (ECF).
Mr. Unteroberdoerster issued the following statement on Wednesday, 5 April 2023: “The Ivorian economy proved resilient to the pandemic, but the economic rebound has softened in the face of adverse spillovers from Russia’s war in Ukraine and global monetary tightening”.
“Indirect and direct subsidies to curb price pressures, higher security spending, and worsening terms-of-trade amid robust domestic demand have led to a widening of macroeconomic imbalances in 2022”.
He noted: “Against this challenging backdrop, the authorities have requested Fund support under a blended EFF/ECF arrangement for their economic program. It aims to preserve fiscal and debt sustainability and anchor the 2021-25 National Development Plan (NDP) in key structural priorities to promote more inclusive growth led by the private sector and facilitate Côte d’Ivoire’s transition towards a middle-income country”.
“Staff fully support the authorities’ reform agenda and welcomes their deep commitment to fiscal and debt sustainability, and to building a more prosperous and inclusive society amid rapid demographic change and significant external challenges”, he noted.
The IMF team met with Vice President Tiémoko Koné; Prime Minister Patrick Achi; Minister of State and Agriculture Kobenan Adjoumani; Minister of Planning and Development Nialé Kaba; Minister of Petroleum, Mines and Energy Sangafowa Coulibaly; Minister of Economy and Finance Adama Coulibaly; Minister of Budget and State Holdings Moussa Sanogo; Minister of Commerce and Industry Souleymane Diarrassouba; Minister and Secretary General of the Presidency Abdourahmane Cissé; and other senior government and BCEAO officials, as well as representatives of the business and donor communities.
Ghana reached a similar agreement with the IMF a few months ago for $3 billion.
Ghanaian authorities were hoping for a board-level agreement by March but that did not happen.
Following the death of a woman in Sheffield by a car accident, a 12-year-old child was detained on suspicion of murder.
The 60-year-old woman was found gravely hurt in the city’s Greenhill neighborhood at around 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday. She passed away there.
After some time, the boy was located and taken into custody.
South Yorkshire Police noted that he was detained on suspicion of having a bladed object.
After a woman was hit and killed by a car on Hemper Lane in Greenhill, Sheffield, police stood outside a house in the neighborhood. A 12-year-old kid was later detained on suspicion of murder. April 06 2023 Observe the SWNS narrative SWMRcar.
Officers cordoned off a house in Sheffield after the arrest (Picture: Tom Maddick SWNS)Floral tributes were left at the scene (Picture: Tom Maddick SWNS)
A neighbour on the opposite side of the road told Yorkshire Live: ‘It all happened at around 6:45pm-ish last night I think. Everyone was wondering what was going on, they’d cordoned the whole area off.
‘I’ve never known anything like it around here, she went into the ambulance and never came out.
‘That’s all I know.’
Emma, a local, said: ‘Its normally really quiet around here. I know someone has been killed but not sure about anything else.
‘It’s just a nice quiet place to live so this has come as a shock to be honest.’
Detective Chief Inspector Andrea Bowell said: ‘This will be a deeply distressing time for the families of those involved in this incident, and I would ask their privacy is respected as they seek to understand what has happened.’
The crash happened in the Greenhill area of Sheffield (Picture: Tom Maddick SWNS)
If you have any information about the crash, you can contact the police at 101 quoting incident number 736 of 5 April 2023. You can also contact the police via LiveChat on their website.
For countries like Ghana and Ethiopia, which have a higher inflation differential, growth recovery in 2023 would be accompanied by rising inflation, the World Bank has said in its April 2023 the African Pulse report.
“In those countries, the rising cost of living is already weighing on consumers and investors and may hamper economic growth”.
The report said amid high inflation and weak growth prospects in 2023, the fear of stagflation is rising across some countries in the region.
The report noted that Sub-Sahara African economies as well as the global economy are experiencing an episode of high inflation that is driven by the COVID-19-related lockdowns and supply chain disruptions, and exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, among other factors.
The war in Ukraine, it pointed out, escalated supply chain disruptions further and intensified volatility in energy and commodity prices.
Many central banks across the globe responded by tightening their monetary policies to curb inflation.
For example, the US Federal Reserve has increased its monetary policy rate by 450 basis points since March 17, 2022.
However, inflation declined slowly to 6.4 per cent by January 2023—a rate that is still above the Fed’s 2 per cent inflation target.
The slow disinflationary process can be attributed not only to remaining supply chain issues but also rising wages and higher consumer savings from government stimulus checks.
Further interest rate hikes to curb inflation add more pressure to tighten global financial conditions and elevate the risk of a global economic slowdown, the report indicated.
It said one of the salient features in the current inflationary episode is the increase in food prices— which had started prior to the pandemic—due to pent-up demand as the global economy lifted COVID-19 restrictions and harsh weather conditions.
Many Sub-Sahara African countries have experienced high headline inflation fueled primarily by food inflation.
Nearly three-quarters of the countries in the region with available data for January 2023 recorded a two-digit year-over-year rate of food inflation—with Zimbabwe (264 per cent), Sudan (58.7 per cent), and Ghana (61 per cent) exhibiting the highest rates.
It noted that rising inflation erodes purchasing power, holds back growth, and, if not addressed, leads the government to run the risk of de-anchoring inflationary expectations—with dire consequences for financial markets.
“Many countries have also accumulated mounting debt burdens since the pre-pandemic era. In this context, what are the risks of stagflation in Sub-Sahara African countries, and what are the policies needed to engage in a sustainable growth path with a stable macroeconomic environment?”
“It considers countries at risk of stagflation as those that meet two criteria: (1) their income per capita in 2023 is still below that of 2019 (prior to the pandemic), and (2) the projected average inflation rate in 2023 is higher than the corresponding rate for advanced economies”.
The report said evidence shows that about 38 per cent of Sub-Saharan African countries have a greater risk of stagflation.
“Many countries in this group have also recorded two-digit unemployment rates—particularly Southern African countries, Angola, and Nigeria, among others”.
Countries with a low inflation deviation from advanced countries (say, less than 0.025) show moderate to robust growth under a relatively stable inflationary environment.
Some market women from the Ada and Ashaiman areas of the Greater Accra Region who are engaged in the importation of tomatoes from Togo have indicated that they have been facing constant harassment from Ashaiman main market queen mothers.
For the past three years, according to reports, these importers have been constantly harassed by these market queens.
According to the victims, anytime they arrive at Ashaiman market with their goods, some market guys, on the orders of the said market queen seize their goods, sell them and share the monies among themselves without the knowledge of the respective importers.
They say the reason for the market queen’s actions is their failure to register with their Association.
According to the market queen, before the importers can be allowed to do business in the market they must be registered.
This, the importers see as absurd as the market is an open place where everyone can go about his/her business.
One of the importers, Rebecca Lartey, speaking in an interview with Class 91.3 FM simply said they don’t understand why they are allowed to sell at the Central Market in the Accra metropolis but are refused to do business at the Ashaiman main market.
According to her, the situation has resulted in the loss of capital invested in the business.
“Some of us were arrested and are facing persecution by our creditors in Togo,” she narrated.
She lamented that since the harassment began, they have reported the case to appropriate authorities but all to no avail.
She, therefore, called on the government to intervene to allow them access to sell freely at the Ashaiman market.
Meanwhile, when the market queen was contacted to respond, she asked Rebecca Lartey to provide the names of the victims before they can respond to the issues.
The Ashaiman Chief, Nii Annan Adjor, when contacted about the plight of the importers also said he has asked the victims to report the issues to the police.
A man police officers were trying to arrest used his Staffordshire Bull Terrier “as a weapon,” leaving two officers with serious wounds.
When police arrived after a domestic disturbance, Sean Michael Bell was intoxicated and sat in his car outside the home of his ex-partner.
Bell told his 10-year-old Staff dog, Buster, to “get them,” and Buster bit both the male and female officers up to five times each.
The 37-year-old was taken into custody and handcuffed, but he also punched the officers.
Bodycam footage shows Bell shouting ‘piggy c***s’ as the female officer’s ‘blood chilling’ screams rang out.
A court heard she was left with ‘significant trauma’, permanent nerve damage in her leg, and now has an ‘absolute fear of dogs’.
Her colleague later said he would ‘never forget’ her screams of pain during the attack in Blyth, Northumberland, in January last year.
Recorder Mark Giuliani told Bell: ‘Both officers treated you with respect throughout. The male officer went to your car as the female officer went to the house.
‘Your dog was in the back seat, and it became clear you had been involved in a dispute with your then-partner and police wished to arrest you.
‘When the male officer took hold of your arm, you told the dog to attack. Buster jumped out of the seat, barked and proceeded to bite the officer.’
Nicoleta Alistari, defending, said Buster was ‘not dangerous unless in the hands of someone not fit and proper’.
Recorder Giuliani added Bell’s ‘chaotic’ home environment was ‘not suitable’ for Buster and ordered the dog to be destroyed.
Bell was jailed for eight and a half years and banned from keeping animals for 18 years.
Celebrated Ghanaian rapper Eno Barony eulogised veteran Ghanaian rapper and singer Mzbel in a recent BBC Africa documentary.
In the video snippet from the documentary that surfaced online, she stated that she looked up to Mzbel when she was little girl.
She explained that her name Eno means mother in Twi, and someway somehow, that translated into her being the mother of rap when she ventured into music.
“If I’m the mother of rap, Mzbel is the like the grandmother,” she said.
She shared that Mzbel was a great inspiration to many young ladies when growing up such that everyone wanted to dress like her.
Sharing more details into the outfits Mzbel wore which became a trend, she said that it was a pleated short skirt and crop top and a little jungle bag.
The ‘Only Jah’ hitmaker stated that Mzbel’s songs were the number one songs in the country, with every event or street partying to her songs.
She also highlighted how her body image affected her when she joined the music industry. She stated that people would question how she looked and advise her to lose weight.
“When I came into the music scene, I never saw girls my size. Most of the girls I was seeing were, let me say, skinnier,” she said in the documentary.
On Friday March 31, Members of parliament passed the Excise Duty, Growth and Sustainability Levy and Income Amendment Bills after government tabled the revenue bills for consideration.
While government believes that the bills could generate about GH¢4 billion in domestic revenue when implemented, citizens, CSOs and the business community at large have berated the decision citing the already difficult economic conditions in the country.
They contend that the taxes will further burden Ghanaians and compound the woes of indigenous and foreign businesses operating in the country.
But government insists that the tax measures, when implemented, will lead to a revenue yield of approximately GH¢4.00 billion annually.
Under the Growth and Sustainability Levy, government expects to raise approximately GH¢2.216 billion in 2023, while the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2022 which amends the Income Tax Act, 2015 (Act 896) is expected to yield revenues of approximately GH¢1.29 billion.
The Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2022 amends the Excise Duty Act, 2014 (Act 878) and is expected to yield approximately GH¢455 million.
In view of this, here is a list of items contained under the amended Excise Duty Levy according to Parliament of Ghana.
• Non-Alcoholic beer and drinks • Mineral water/aerated water • Cigarettes • Energy drinks • Bottled/ Distilled water • Cigars • Fruit Juices • Malt drinks • Wines • Cider Beer • E-Cigarette • E-smoking devices • Negrohead • Snuff and other Tobacco products • Beers/Stout/Indigenous Beer
A Scotland stone that will be used at the King’s coronation next month has Roman numerals that have never previously been discovered.
In Scottish coronations for more than a century, the Stone of Destiny, also called the Stone of Scone, has been utilized.
The object is rich in history and has been extensively researched; it may date back to biblical times.
But, the enigmatic Roman numerals weren’t discovered until recently, due to cutting-edge technology.
Government agency Historic Environment Scotland (HES) made the discovery after researchers created a 3D replica of the stone as part of preparations for it to be used at King Charles’ coronation.
The model made it possible to view the stone from different angles, in much more detail than before.
Ewan Hyslop, head of research and climate change at HES, said: ‘It’s very exciting to discover new information about an object as unique and important to Scotland’s history as the Stone of Destiny.
‘The high level of detail we’ve been able to capture through the digital imaging has enabled us to re-examine the tooling marks on the surface of the stone, which has helped confirm that the stone has been roughly worked by more than one stonemason with a number of different tools, as was previously thought.
‘The discovery of previously unrecorded markings is also significant, and while at this point we’re unable to say for certain what their purpose or meaning might be, they offer the exciting opportunity for further areas of study.’
The stone will be placed in the in the King’s coronation chair for when the ceremony takes place at Westminster Abbey on May 6, and then returned to Edinburgh Castle where it is usually displayed.
The first recorded use of the stone was in 1057, when Macbeth’s stepson Lulach was crowned king at Scone in Scotland.
In 1296, King Edward I seized it and took it to England but it was famously stolen by four Scottish students on Christmas Day in 1950.
It was found three months later at the high altar of Arbroath Abbey and was officially returned to Scotland in 1996.
What do we know about the Stone of Destiny?
The stone is a Scottish treasure on display in the Crown Room at Edinburgh Castle.
It is displayed alongside the crown jewels in the in the Royal Palace and is visited by millions of people each year.
It has been used in British coronation ceremonies since King Edward I took it from the Scots in 1296 and built it into a throne at Westminster.
It was returned to Scotland in 1996 and is seen as a sacred object with some historians believing it dates all the back to biblical times.
Source: Edinburgh Castle
This most recent examination has provided more evidence about the stone’s origins.
Traces of copper alloy on the top surface that coincide with a dark stain near its centre were detected.
This suggests a bronze or brass object has been in contact with or placed on it at some time in its history.
Mr Hyslop added: ‘The scientific analysis we’ve been able to undertake using cutting-edge techniques that weren’t previously available to us have offered some intriguing new clues to the history of the stone.
‘We may not have all the answers at this stage, but what we’ve been able to uncover is testament to a variety of uses in the stone’s long history and contributes to its provenance and authenticity.’
Zambia’s mining sector, a significant contributor to the country’s economy, has made history after appointing its first female CEO to head one of the biggest mining operations there.
Mfikeyi Makayi will head up the copper unit in Zambia for KoBold Metals, Zambia’s presidential office said.
Meanwhile, Zambia is Africa’s second-biggest producer of copper, which is in high demand with the global transition to a low-carbon economy and future transport needs.
“It’s quite a huge task and nerve-wrecking task but it’s also an honour to serve this country,” Ms. Makayi said.
Her rise to the top of the organisation has been a 15-year journey that started out in the mines of the north-western province.
She said her appointment was a significant step in a sector that is traditionally male-dominated.
“It means a lot to people in the sector. It’s a sector that is pivotal to our economy – 70% of our exports are copper.
“It means a lot to myself personally, my family, and the industry. It means that the industry has been opened to women,” she said.
Report says part of her efforts in the new role will be to bring more women on board.
“It’s an ongoing strategy. There’s always been a drive for more diversity, and inclusion. We have it as a metric,” she added.
Travel scammer who defrauded families of more than £32,000 freed from jail.
Despite having received honors for his efforts as the director of the tourist agency On The Beach, Johnny Pollard defrauded 22 people.
In 2014, the 50-year-old had already won two prizes at the Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards.
He defrauded his victims in 2016 and 2017 out of £32,125 by offering them fake vacations to places including Australia, Dubai, Mexico, and South Africa.
After selling the bogus trips he would send ‘convincing’ confirmation letters and promise that more details would follow closer to the time.
However those details never came as just before departure day Pollard would ‘play the blame game’ and say a third party had cancelled their trip.
He would then spend that money on his weekly food shop and exotic holidays for himself.
One victim, who spent £4,000 on two holidays with Pollard, told police: ‘The defendant was persuasive and knowledgeable. The documents he sent over were extremely convincing and made me feel gullible. The whole time he did this consciously and cold-heartedly.’
Pollard, from Prestwich in Manchester, was charged with 22 counts of fraud.
He was sentenced to 20 months in prison suspended for two years after admitting to eight counts, as the remaining 14 charges were shelved because the complainants were either living abroad, moving away, or refusing to support the prosecution.
He was also ordered to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and 200 hours of unpaid work when he appeared at Manchester Minshull Street crown court today.
Judge Recorder Ciaran Rankin said: ‘You are nothing more than a conman, a thoroughly dishonest man. You were selling false promises. You twisted and turned at every stage, making up more lies to cover your tracks.
‘There has been considerable financial hardship in many households as a result of your actions. A lot of their hard-earned money has ended up in your pocket. In your interview, unsurprisingly, you blamed others for your actions.
‘I have no doubt you are an intelligent man, and you used your intelligence to plant these stories.’
Adam Hodge, prosecuting, told the court: ‘The defendant was involved in this fraudulent activity for over a year. Many of the complainants in this case were his friends, the rest of which were friends of friends and acquaintances.
‘All the offences follow a similar pattern, relating to how the holidays were branded, sold and how the real intentions of the defendant were disguised.
‘In April 2017 one complainant started to hear rumours from friends and acquaintances about Pollard’s activity. When he told the defendant about these rumours he remarked that the ‘rumour mill had been working overtime’ and he was ‘doing everything he can’.
‘Each complainant spent a significant amount on holidays that would never be recovered. His excuse was that things were always outside his control.
‘He hid the truth and strung along the victims for as long as possible but did not have the means to pay them back.’
The court was told Pollard has three previous convictions for five offences, including theft by employee and deception.
In mitigation his lawyer, David Morton, said simply: ‘He is appalled by the way he has acted.’
Pastor Elvis Agygemang of the popular Alpha Hour Series has detailed characteristics in women that men should look out for when choosing a wife.
The preacher spoke about power balance in marital relationships and outlined that man should always lead as commanded by the Bible.
Pastor Elvis, the founder of Grace Mountain Ministries, added that a woman should be obedient to her husband no matter her status in society, wealth or educational standing.
Marital issues are one of the most debated topics in society.Many people have varying views about what works and what doesn’t.
But Pastor Agygemang, who often shares marriage tips, is of the view that men should look for certain behaviours of their girlfriends whilst dating. And if they find these in the women, they should not proceed with the marriage.
“As a man, if you meet a woman who behaves as if she knows everything to make you look like a fool. Run! If a woman is intelligent, she must use it to respect her man. If she is bringing that knowledge to feel superior, you are to blame if you enter marriage with such a person.
“The Bible says man should be the head and the woman should humble herself under the leadership of the man. Don’t marry a woman who makes you feel like a fool. If she is rich or more educated, let her go until she realises that he must submit to you with all that she has. Otherwise, you will die early.”
Good Samaritans saved an elderly man after he crashed his mobility scooter into a river just before it submerged.
In Suzhou, Anhui Province, eastern China, a guy who witnessed the collision hurried to remove the man from the water.
After finding the driver trapped inside the car, the young man can be seen swimming knee-deep into the river on the footage. The driver is then dragged outside when he prys open the door.
Soon after, two additional guys join the rescue effort and help the driver, who is obviously unable to stand, climb the rocky embankment.
The man was pulled to safety after his scooter crashed (Picture: 335618740/AsiaWire)Hero passers-by helped rescue him (Picture: 335618740/AsiaWire)A man saw his car crash into the water and ran to help him (Picture: 335618740/AsiaWire)
They place the man down onto a rock as they apparently wait for help to arrive.
According to local witnesses the driver could have used too much throttle and lost control of the vehicle.
A woman said it took just two minutes before the vehicle was completely submerged underwater.
The driver was eventually collected by his family.
Footage of the miraculous rescue was shared on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok.
Douyin user ‘the sea’ said in a comment: ‘The lad is amazing! We should all learn from him.’
And user ‘The world is full of beauty in April’ wrote: ‘He should be given an award for bravery – a certificate, and a big reward of more than CNY 50,000 [GBP 5,800]!’
Comedian and actor Funny Face has revealed that he once attempted to end his life with a rat poison.
Speaking in an interview on 3FM he stated that at the time had already returned home after receiving help from the Accra Psychiatric Hospital.
However, following the death of his brother, and the death of his father he had a tough time coping with the grief.
“My brother died, and they broke that news to me at the psychiatric hospital. That news made me feel like I wanted to die,” Funny Face noted that after this he went through other ordeals.
Funny Face said that that was the time he was robbed in his home and left with nothing but a pressing iron.
“My father died days later,” he revealed, stating that at this point he did not want to live anymore and thus made an attempt to buy rat poison.
He said that after purchasing the poison he waited for this change. “That was when it hit me that I was not ready to die. If you want to die why are you waiting for change.”
The comedian said following the treatment is when depression could get worse explaining that people are faced with the consequences of their actions prior.
“You come back and realise the things that you did. Because you’ve done a lot of stuff, now the consequences and the guilt will be weighing on you.”
All of this coupled with the death of two people dear to him, Funny Face said he has a rough time.
However, with the help of his manager who stayed with him and remained his rock throughout the period, he was resolved to fight and live better.
Funny Face advised people in such situations to not give up on their lives. “Everything you go through, if you stay focused, you would look back at these times and laugh, I am a living testimony.”
“There will be somebody you trust, don’t give up on the person. Trust them, speak to them and listen to them. For me, that was my manager,” he urged.
A seventeen-year-old Junior High School two pupil met his untimely death after a dilapidated abandoned bridge fell on him and killed him at Gomoa Nyanyano in the Central Region.
The deceased was returning from school when the bridge broke and trapped him and got hit by a huge slab taking his life instantly.
The body of the teenager was removed and deposited at the mortuary.
The case has been reported to the police pending investigation.
Meanwhile, some angry residents at Gomoa Nyanyano Allow Me Junction have threatened to vote against the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Desmond De-Graft Kwasi Patioo for failing to fix the bridge as part of his 2020 campaign promises.
They doubt the MP will muster the courage to come and campaign in the area for the 2024 elections after not fulfilling his promises.
According to the residents anytime it rains pupils, find it difficult to cross the bridge to their various schools.
They are charging him to immediately have the bridge fixed to prevent another death.
A man has pleaded guilty in court to distributing the fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in the death of The Wire’s Michael K Williams in 2021.
Irvin Cartagena, also known as Green Eyes, sold the drug “in broad daylight in New York City, feeding addiction and causing tragedy”, said lawyer Damien Williams.
“He dealt the fatal dose that killed Michael K Williams,” the lawyer told a Manhattan federal courtroom.
The US actor died aged 54 in 2021.
It was later revealed his death was caused by an accidental drug overdose.
Police obtained footage of the alleged drug deal (DOJ)
“On or about September 5, 2021, members of the drug trafficking organisation sold Michael K Williams heroin, which was laced with fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue, with Cartagena executing the hand-to-hand transaction,” documents stated.
Despite knowing that Williams died after being sold the product, Cartagena and his co-conspirators “continued to sell fentanyl-laced heroin in broad daylight amidst residential apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan”, the court was told.
Cartagena, 39, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess, with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue, fentanyl, and heroin. As part of his guilty plea, the defendant said his actions “resulted in the death of Michael K Williams”.
This carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, the court papers added.
Lawyer Mr Williams said: “This office and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this poison, exploit addiction, and cause senseless death in our community.”
Michael K Williams had openly discussed his struggles with drugs over the years (Getty Images)
Williams had spoken previously about his drug use. His death saw an outpouring of emotion and tributes from a host of famous faces, including the film director Spike Lee, actress Viola Davis and author Stephen King, who described Williams as “fantastically talented”.
The HBO TV network, which aired 60 episodes of The Wire between 2002 and 2008, said they were “devastated” by the news.
Williams’ complex portrayal of Omar Little, a gay, shotgun-toting robber of drug dealers, helped cement The Wire’s game-changing depiction of life in the projects of Baltimore.
Omar represented the duality of a black experience never before given such honest screen time, represented in his exchanges with Wendell Pierce’s detective Bunk, a black school friend who reminded him of the different paths life afforded them.
Interviewed together years before Williams’ death, Pierce said his co-star’s performance gave voice and flesh to characters “that most people would have never given the same humanity to… opening a window to a world of men that we pass by or don’t know about”.
According to Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump shouldn’t go to jail for the $130,000 in hush money payments he made to her during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The adult film celebrity talked extensively on the former president’s arrest and court arraignment after being charged with 34 felonies during an interview with Piers Morgan.
In a segment from the interview that will air on TalkTV later today, Ms. Daniels says she believes Trump should go to prison for his long list of alleged misdeeds, but not for the ones that include her.
‘Specific to my case I don’t think that his crimes against me are worthy of incarceration,’ she said.
Stormy Daniels made the comments during an interview with Piers Morgan (Picture: TalkTV)
‘I feel like the other things that he has done if he is found guilty, absolutely, because our bigger problem is that if these allegations against him– or whatever else that we don’t know– if he is found guilty or the evidence suggests that he is and he doesn’t [go to jail] that is going to basically, it opens the door to other people to think they can get away with doing that and worse.’
During the candid 90 minute one-on-one, she reveals she would testify if called to give evidence as she has ‘nothing to hide’.
‘It’s daunting, but I look forward to it,’ she added.
‘I am the only one that has been telling the truth.’
Ms Daniels said she looked forward to testifying in court as it would ‘legitimise her story’, and would be offended if she was not asked to speak during the trial.
‘I feel like if they don’t it paints a picture that they know something about me that makes me untrustworthy or not reliable,’ she told Morgan.
‘Having them call me in and putting me on the stand legitimises my story and who I am– and if they don’t it almost looks like they’re hiding me and people will automatically assume– I would– “oh she must not be a good witness.”’
Ms Daniels first made headlines in 2018 when she spoke of an alleged affair between her and Mr Trump in 2006.
The hush money payments allegedly occurred in 2016, just days before the presidential election, when Daniels offered to sell her story to a gossip magazine.
Trump reportedly instructed his attorney, Michael Cohen, to make the payments to Daniels to prevent the story from going public.
Cohen later pleaded guilty to eight criminal charges related to the payments.
The charging documents also mention two more alleged hush money payments- $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal and a $30,000 payment to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed he had information that Mr Trump had fathered a child with a woman while married to Melania Trump.
Mr Trump ‘repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election,’ the charging documents read.
A TV presenter, Natalia Andoh, has triggered the nerves of Criss Waddle after she asked if the AMG boss is truly a rapper.
The question, ‘Is Criss Waddle a rapper,’ has caused the ‘P3 Kakra’ hitmaker to consistently vent on Twitter.
In an entertainment discussion on the SUN UP show, issues pertaining to Criss Waddle popped up and the host, Natalia asked, “But is Criss Waddle a rapper?
“I am asking innocently because I don’t know. The last time I ever heard him do anything was when I think he had a song with Stonebwoy on it.”
Her comments infuriated Criss Waddle so much that he stormed Twitter with a series of backlashes.
Waddle retweeted an old random post by Natalia and responded,
“You realized nobody replied when you texted this right? You are not an important personality in normal life and in the industry so learn to respect those of us that has aletse (Tinny) respect for you ok? foolish girl.
“Foolish girl, u think am a person you can play with. Go ask those that came before you, I can be ruff and smooth!”
You realized nobody replied when you texted this right?you are not an important personality in normal life and in the industry so learn to respect those of us that has aletse(Tinny) respect for you ok?foolish girl https://t.co/sqXztRLRRY
“Exactly why people always wanna downplay my name cus they know they can get away with it, if not nanka how this animal fit wake me up a Lion in his sleep.”
Wasn’t expecting chairman to respond to this girl. You tooooooooo big for this bossu. Even we your subordinates won’t respond to this.
‘Relations between Russia and the United States, from which global security and stability directly depend, are in a deep crisis,’ Putin told Tracy.
‘It is based on fundamentally different approaches to the formation of the modern world order.’
He spoke of a deepening ‘crisis’ between the Kremlin and Washington (Picture: AFP)The Russian President met with a number of new envoys from 60ft away (Picture: AFP)
Living under strict personal quarantine for the past four years, Putin is said to be ‘pathologically afraid for his life’, a senior Russian security official said last week.
Gleb Karakulov, 35, who served as a captain in the Federal Protection Service (FSO), said the ‘war criminal’ has become a recluse ‘mortally afraid’ of coronavirus.
As the outbreak of the virus in 2020 upended the world, Putin retreated from most of his public appearances and stopped travelling.
Karakulov told the Dossier Centre: ‘Our president has lost touch with the world.
‘He has been living in an information cocoon for the past couple of years, spending most of his time in his residences, which the media very fittingly call bunkers.
‘He is pathologically afraid for his life. He surrounds himself with an impenetrable barrier of quarantines and an information vacuum.
‘He only values his own life and the lives of his family and friends.’
Putin’s health has long been a fevered topic of speculation, from cancelled speeches to the occasional cough.
Western intelligence officials, however, have dismissed long-standing rumours that the Russian leader is unwell.
Outspoken Ghanaian musician and cultural icon, Wanlov the Kubolor, has made a bold statement about the rumours that may circulate about him in the media.
When asked if he had heard any strange or untrue rumours about himself, Wanlov confidently replied that he had not.
In a recent interview with Doreen Abanema Abayaa on Talkertainment, Wanlov did not attribute this to any particular lack of interest or attention from the public.
Rather, he suggested that the reality of his life is so unusual and unexpected that any rumours or stories people might invent about him would pale in comparison.
“I don’t think people make up facts about me. I think my fact is stranger than the fiction. The fact of my life, the reality, is stranger than the stories that people can create about me,” ” Wanlov explained.
During the interview, the artist delved into his role as a pro-gay activist, highlighting his active involvement in fighting for the rights of people he believes are being suppressed.
Wanlov emphasized that queer people are no different from anyone else and deserve to live their lives free of discrimination and oppression.
