Social media sensation Khaby Lame, who was born in Senegal and raised in Italy, has joined the judges’ panel of reality TV show Italia’s Got Talent.
Lame is currently the world’s most-followed content creator on TikTok, where he is known for his famous shrug and for myth-busting various “life hacks”.
Singer, rapper and songwriter Kwesi Arthur draws deep from his past and present to share his emotional stress with the world in a new single ‘Pain Interlude’.
The song which comes after a few weeks of a collaboration with label mate, Kofi Mole, is more reflective.
The self-examining nature of the lyrics is not surprising as it is a characteristic of songs written by Kwesi Arthur.
The pain of betrayal, of lost friendship, of disbelieving by those who were supposed to see his dream and help him achieve it, is channeled into this artful song.
And in a time when loyalty is scarce, Kwesi shares his hurt about confidants who switched up on him.
Kwesi is open, blunt, honest and transparent about his internal battles with his relationships; relationships he thinks will never be the “same”.
But he chooses not to allow these experiences to wear him down. He pushes through the pain. And set aside the regrets as he sings:
I play with fire wey I get burned
Sadly, it’s the only way I fi learn
Still money man a fi earn
Kwesi pulls off one of his trademarks in ‘Pain Interlude.’ That is his effortless ability to motivate through his songs.
Underneath this smooth but earnest tune is the motivation to live without letting the past and other hurtful experiences bog us down.
Such positive vibes come in handy in these tough times.
‘Pain Interlude,’ a hip-hop track, was produced by A SWXG.
Like the authenticity of pure love, the song grows on you with every listen.
Award-winning Ghanaian rapper who performs under the stage name Ypee has crowned himself as the best rapper in the country at the moment.
Every rapper believes he’s the best until it’s time to ‘show working’.
According to the ‘Kwacha’ hitmaker, he’s miles ahead of his colleagues as far as the rap game is concerned.
Speaking in an interview with Zionfelix, the rapper bragged that he’s better than both the old and new-school rappers regardless of what their fans think.
In a self-assured manner, Ypee bragged that he will floor any rapper in Ghana in case they are paired to compete against each other.
As claimed by Ypee although he isn’t considered a part of the heavyweight rappers – But his works speak volumes about his unmatched talent in the music industry.
Ghanaian legendary highlife musician, Kwabena Kwabena is of the belief that the famous Ghanaian singer and rapper, Black Sheriff is not a hip hop musician but rather does high-life music.
The highlife artiste thinks the sound and rhythm Black Sheriff infuses in his songs are highlife sounds so why are people labelling him as a hip hop artiste.
He added that Black Sheriff is the beginning of the 8th generation of highlife musicians.
Speaking with Jay Foley on the Culture daily show on 3music, he outlined his reasons for making such claims.
According to the Kwabena Kwabena, there’s nothing like hip hop attached to Black Sheriff and it’s about time he should be addressed as a highlife musician.
He explained, “We are labelling Black Sheriff as a hip hop artiste but I don’t see him as a hip hop artiste at all. If you listen to his music and everything he’s done with his music, how then do we label him a hip hop artiste”.
To back his claims, he further explained that, Blacko is considered as the 8th generation of highlife music citing Blacko’s ‘Konongo Zongo’ song as an example.
“He is the new generation of highlife musician, he is the 8th generation I say if I want to put him there. We are the 7th generation and he is the beginning of the 8th because if you listen to his rhythm and you listen to that delivery and the vocals, nothing could have been inspired about highlife music. Looking at his ‘Konongo Zongo’ song is purely highlife”.
Kwabena Kwabena however blamed the media for causing such labeling.
According to him, before Black Sheriff came to the limelight, the songs he used to produce were highlife and not hip hop.
“It is you guys who have actually caused this, you caused this, why, if you listen to the tracks the guy released even before his album, it was nothing hip hop. Does he do stuffs like Sarkodie does, let listen to a song like ‘Country side’, was it two hip hop artistes performing”, he told the host.
The final funeral rites of the late Christian Atsu is scheduled for Friday, March 17 2023.
The funeral will be held at the forecourt of the State house in Accra.
This was announced at his one week celebration at Adjiringanor Astro Turf.
Christian Atsu was among those involved in the earthquake that occurred in Turkey on February 6, 2023.
Sadly, he did not survive the disaster, as he was pulled out of the rubble dead on Saturday, February 18, 2023.
It has been a heart wrenching moment for all Ghanaians and sports world.
Source: The Independent Ghana
A few days ago, there were rumours circulating that, Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia4Real has been put to trial, arrested and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
There were also rumours that her daughter was also in the hands of the US government and this came about when the child visited her mother in the US.
A lot of Ghanaians upon hearing the news sympathized with the lady while others blamed her for causing her own arrest.
The Ghanaian socialite in the latter days of last year was arrested in the UK while she was returning from London to Ghana.
Hajia4reall was later granted bail but has to stay in the UK for further investigation as a result of this, she hasn’t been to Ghana for some months now but she has been active on her social media handles.
Hajia4real’s management has cleared the air pertaining to the whereabouts of the socialite. According to her management, Hajia4real has not been put to trial nor has she been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
It further stated that she is currently staying in the UK.
Read the full statement of the press release
False Reports of Mona Falz Montrage (Hajia4reall) conviction and 10-year jail sentence in the US
Our attention has been drawn to publications making rounds on social media and news portals of the conviction and 10-year jail sentence of Mona Faiz Montrage and the current detention of her daughter; a minor by the US authorities.
We would like to state categorically that the said reports are false.
Now the facts:
Mona is currently in the UK
She has neither been put on trial nor convicted in the UK or US
Mona has not been extradited to the US or anywhere in the world
Mona’s daughter is neither in the hands of the US authorities nor restricted in any way. She is with mona’s family.
We advise the General Public to disregard all such rumors and respect the privacy of Mona and her family.
Ghanaian Gospel Musician, Grace Ashy, has urged Ghanaians to exercise patience or reduce how they talk about Gospel musicians when their issues come up in the public domain.
According to her, Gospel musicians are not angels and so they also live just like normal people.
“I will plead with Ghanaians to tone down the way they speak about gospel musicians because you have no idea the pains they go through.
We are not angels, we are human beings,” she said.
She was speaking about what gospel musicians go through to get to the top in the hands of those who have the power to support them build their brands.
She said when issues come out, the way people speak about them or those involved discourages them from pushing forward.
She also observed that people dictate to popular people on what to do and how to live their lives, saying that people have to live their normal lives not to please humans.
“Let us live our normal lives and not do what will be more than our financial strength, “she said.
Support
Grace Ashey also said secular musicians in Ghana get more support than gospel musicians in the country.
This is similar to what her colleague Gospel musician, Celestine Donkor stated recently in an interview on Atinka TV‘s morning show, Ghana Nie.
According to Grace Ashy, not even the church supports the work of gospel musicians as expected.
She observed that the hypocrisy in the country was too much, adding that those in the church are those who sing and support secular music.
Madam Grace Ashy was of the belief that if the church supported gospel musicians, they would automatically grow with the church.
“For the secular musicians, I think they do well and also they get more support than gospel musicians,” she said.
Actor Clement Bonney popularly known as Mr Beautiful has said that the country does not have effective leadership to manage affairs.
Mr Beautiful claims that Ghanaians are suffering in their own country as a result of economic mismanagement by the government, which has led to immeasurable pain for the populace.
He made the case that the situation is worse to the point where he is been forced to pay more than GH¢1,500 Ghana cedis to buy provisions for his daughter, who is a secondary school student.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, he lamented: “do we have a government at all, do we? Me, I see it like we just packed some people to be in a convoy for us to see whether we have a government but there’s no government.
“Free SHS, I paid. Even just last Monday, three days ago, do you know the kind of provisions and the things I sent to my daughter in Cape Coast? Every month, I have to buy provisions of GH¢1,500 and send them to my daughter.”
The Kumawood actor added “there’s nothing to speak about because I don’t think we have a government. The only thing is that Ghanaians are disciplined …so they’re managing their life according to their discipline mentality.
“Apart from that, forget, we don’t have a government. I can’t rate them because they don’t qualify to be rated,” he emphasized.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was in attendance Friday, March 3, 2023; when the newly reconstructed Kumasi Central Mosque was inaugurated.
Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, handed over the facility whose expansion he financed, to the Mosque’s committee after it was commissioned on Friday amidst excitement.
The commissioning ceremony was graced by the Asantehene along with the national Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu and a host of distinguished dignitaries including Ministers, MPs, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, regional Imams, Zongo Chiefs, as well as top Muslim and Christian clerics.
The arrival of the Asantehene to the grounds in a video shared by Manyhia-owned Opensuo TV showed the respected chief moving from his palace to the venue with a fleet of cars amid police escort.
He is in his usual flashy black saloon vehicle with the flag of the Ashanti State and upon arrival at the venue is met by his royal retinue as well as some of the other invited guests at the premises.
The mosque was officially commissioned by the Vice President, the Chief Imam and the Asantehene in time for Jummah (Friday congregational) prayers.
In no time after it was opened to the public, the 7000-capacity mosque was filled to capacity with several others praying outside.
As the excited people entered the mosque, some were seen shedding tears of joy in excitement and admiration of the sheer beauty of the mosque.
Watch the arrival of Otumfuo at the premises below:
Relevant portion starts from 14:20 seconds onwards
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President Bawumia said he undertook the project “to the glory of Allah “, and expressed gratitude to God for giving him the strength and the will to be able to complete it single-handedly.
“I am really grateful to the Almighty Allah for giving me the vision, guidance and commitment to be able to undertake this massive project. I was touched by the Almighty Allah when I visited the mosque in 2020 and realised that it needed urgent attention.”
Dr. Bawumia noted that the Kumasi Central Mosque, as one of the oldest mosques in the country, represents the vision of “our forefathers” and expressed his delight at the transformation of the mosque into a modern edifice, befitting the status of Kumasi as a renowned city.
As one of Ghana’s best scorers in history, Asamoah Gyan drives some of the fanciest cars you could ever see.
At a point, when the former Black Stars captain signed his mega-deal with Chinese club Shanghai SIPG, the Ghanaian star was earning £227,000 per week, which made him wealthy to afford.
Just like many football stars, Gyan has a taste for sweet wheels, and that is evident in the collection of cars he owns.
Among Gyan’s collection of multi-million dollar cars is the immaculate Rolls Royce, which is the preferred choice of wealthy British men.
The striker’s gold Rolls-Royce Phantom was first spotted in 2015 during his spell at United Arab Emirates outfit Al-Ain. At the time, the car was worth a reported $402 000
Gyan’s Roll Royce, originally white, was converted to a glowing gold colour that is pleasing to the eye. These days he only drives it to big events.
The former Sunderland striker also owns a Range Rover Sport, which is one of the cars he loves to roll in on regular days.
He also owns a customized Mercedes-Benz bus stuffed with purple velvet seats, gold trim, a bar, and three 42-inch LED televisions. The luxurious bus only moves when Gyan is in the midst of his crew.
Asamoah Gyan’s fleet of cars includes a Dodge Challenger, a Land Cruiser, a Hummer, and an Escalade, among many others.
The Madina NDC constituency chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Fusseini Faila has allegedly been attacked by by one NDC parliamentary aspirant, Prince Moses Zakraria.
According to sources, Prince Moses Zakaria has been inciting some ward coordinators and some members of the party against the incumbent Member of Parliament, Lawyer Francis Sosu because of his desire to become the next Parliamentary candidate for the NDC in the Madina constituency.
Some leadership of the party, Chairman Faila among others who saw his intentions then advised him to stop inciting the members against the incumbent MP ahead of the primaries in other not to cause any problems.
But Prince Moses proceeded with his ail intentions during the ward coordinators elections which took place on Sunday, 26th February 2023 to continue with his agenda, but the constituency chairman and other leaders of the the party, managed to prevent the parliamentary aspirant from proceeding with his deeds.
Out of anger, the parliamentary aspirant, Prince Moses Zakaria instructed his task force to attack chairman Faila, and in the course of the mess, some of the party leadership were affected by the attack.
Chairman Faila then reported the case to the Madina Police Service.
Investigations were carried out by the Madina Police and invited Mr. Prince Zakaria to the police station to respond to the allegations leveled against him but he refused to show up on Tuesday 28th February, 2023.
Source: kingdomfmnews.com
The legacy of Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first Prime Minister and President, remains in the hearts of Ghanaians.
It is not only his good works that continue to linger in the hearts and minds of Ghanaians. One thing that reminds Ghanaians of him is his expensive vintage Cadillac.
The vintage Cadillac was Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s first official vehicle.
It was manufactured by General Motors in the USA but was sent to Bulgaria for Bulletproofing and was worth about US$ 69000.
After Nkrumah’s reign there was no trace of the vehicle, however, reports indicate that it was later discovered in October 2021 by a former staff driver; Johnny Botchway, who had served at the Flagstaff House in 1957.
The reports further indicate that the vehicle was initially found in Togo with several bullet marks on the windshield and all other windows of the vehicle.
It was later conveyed to Nkawkaw where it was discovered by Mr Botchway, who subsequently reported the incident to the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB).
It was then retrieved and brought to the National Museum. It currently sits in the car park of the National Museum.
Source: The Independent Ghana
Finance Minister is expected to furnish Parliament with details of the ongoing debt restructuring.
This was after the Minority succeeded with a Private Members’ Motion for Ken Ofori-Atta to present the House with details.
The motion was moved by the Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, Minority Chief Whip, Governs Kwame Agboadza, Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga, Bolgatanga Central MP, Isaac Adongo and MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.
“This Honourable House requests of the Hon Finance Minister to present to Parliament, Government’s Debt Restructuring Programme for consideration,” the order paper indicated.
The Order Paper, however, fell short of highlighting the day the Minister will be demanded to appear before the House.
Mr Ofori-Atta in February appeared before Parliament to brief the House on the exchange programme.
Already, President Akufo-Addo is making another clarion call on friends of Ghana to put in a word of support as talks between Ghana and the Paris Club – especially China – for debt cancellation enter a crucial stage.
The Paris Club is a group of officials from major creditor countries whose role is to find coordinated and sustainable solutions to the payment difficulties experienced by debtor countries.
Ghana hopes to appear before the International Monetary Fund (IMF) board to seek approval for a bailout.
But the government will first have to get confirmation that the over $4 billion debt owed to the Paris Club members will be forgiven or restructured.
This came on the back of the Finance Ministry’s assertion to have met its target of over 80% participation in programme, a crucial requirement in the steps to secure the needed bailout.
In a statement, it said the “Government’s Domestic Debt Exchange Program (DDEP) closed on Friday February 10, 2023 with over 80% participation of eligible bonds. The government wants to thank the people of Ghana for their forbearance and support throughout these very difficult times”.
The Minister is expected to expand on this situation and the subsequent modalities for restructuring the external wing of the bonds.
The German government says it is willing to assist Ghana push through its proposal with its external creditors, especially China, but first, some conditions must be met.
In February, President Akufo-Addo called on German Finance Minister, Christian Lindner, to “encourage” China to accept Ghana’s proposal for debt relief with its largest external creditor, China.
The Asian country claims about $1.7 billion of the entire external debt portfolio of $5.7 billion which Ghana is seeking to restructure.
German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull said that his country is willing to help only if certain conditions are met.
“First of all, we insist that those measures that can be taken here in this country have to be taken. The second condition is that, yes, we are willing to take our share of responsibility as one of the major bilateral donors to Ghana.
Imagine a world without any animal species – no birds in the air, no fishes in the sea, no mammals on land, reptiles, amphibians, mollusks, or crustaceans – in fact, imagine a world without wildlife. Life indeed would be tough.
It is an open secret that humans and wildlife depend on each other. There are a lot of benefits derived from wildlife; from food supply to medicinal purposes, pest control, and other socio-economic benefits, and that’s why countries like Ghana and others cannot risk losing its wildlife.
In line with protecting wildlife, Ghana has an established Forestry Commission which is responsible for the regulation of utilisation of forest and wildlife resources, the conservation and management of those resources and the coordination of policies related to them.
As Ghana joins the world to mark World Wildlife day on March 3, 2023, the Independent Ghana, will take a dive into what the Wildlife Division of the Ghana Forestry Commission is all about and what its functions are.
What’s Ghana’s Forestry Commission?
The Forestry Commission (FC), a public service institution, was set up subject to the provisions of the 1992 Constitution, Chapter 21, Article 269, sub-section 1. It has two divisions; the Forest Services Division and the Wildlife Division.
What is the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission?
The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission is the Government Agency mandated to protect and manage Ghana’s wildlife resources.
It is one of the three divisions of the reconstituted Forestry Commission.
The Wildlife Division (Forestry Commission), currently managed by Daniel Amankwa, started as an arm of the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture superintending over wildlife issues in Ghana. In 1965, it became a full-fledged line agency of the Ministry of Forestry known as the Department of Game and Wildlife, which later changed to Wildlife Department after the adoption of the Forestry and Wildlife Policy of 1994.
The Division currently, is in charge of 7 National Parks, 6 Resource Reserves, 2 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 1 strict nature reserve, 5 coastal Ramsar sites and 2 National zoos.
To ensure that wildlife is protected the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission performs the following functions:
The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission has ensured the ban of trade on grey parrots and provided models for community conservation actions. In addition, the Division manages 5 coastal Ramsar Sites, 2 Zoos in Accra and Kumasi, working assiduously to ensure that these valuable resources are in good shape.
Additionally, Ghana is currently working on a sustainable ecotourism development plan as part of solutions to combat climate change and its ramifications on the environment, according to Dr Richard Gyimah, the Director, Stakeholder and Ecotourism at the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission.
The ecotourism agenda would be an avenue to generate income and contribute significantly to the economy. Ghana has significantly benefited from its ecotourism sector, it contributed about $1.2 billion, representing some 5.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2020.
In 2021, the travel and tourism sector contributed around $3.1 billion to the country’s GDP.
The Division has also rescued and assisted in the rescue of many animals, including a fully grown male black bellied pangolin, two days after the celebration of World Pangolin Day.
Royal observers frequently infer meaning into what the royals do without the benefit of an explanation because they tend to communicate more via their acts than their words.
It all came down to a handshake this week.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was cordially welcomed by King Charles III on Monday at Windsor.
After tea, the two talked, and, according to a royal source, the meeting provided the British monarch with an opportunity to discuss the conflict in Ukraine and climate change with the visiting dignitary.
You might not notice anything contentious while looking at the image of the moment, but it provoked this remark from former BBC Royal Correspondent Peter Hunt, who tweeted:
“This is a very serious error of judgement by King Charles and his advisors. He’s abandoned his unifying role and entered the political fray, in a foolish bid to be seen as statesmanlike. History won’t be kind. Someone’s head will roll.”
For context, Von der Leyen is not a head of state. Her counterpart in the UK is Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. An audience with the King was therefore a special privilege and falls under the category of “rolling out the red carpet” – which the British government often leans on when VIPs fly into town.
But it wasn’t the meeting itself that drew criticism, it was the timing of the diplomatic gesture.
Von der Leyen had indeed come to the UK to meet Sunak so the pair could finalize a new UK deal with the European Union on post-Brexit trade arrangements in Northern Ireland. With its history of sectarianism and violence, the province is a deeply sensitive political issue, as is Brexit.
From Sunak’s point of view, the key challenge was winning support for a new protocol from two key groups: the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which wants Northern Ireland to remain a full part of the UK, and the European Research Group (ERG), which is made up of pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers. Both these groups have an interest in limiting Europe’s jurisdiction in Northern Ireland. They are also both firmly pro-monarchy.
When it emerged that the King would hold an audience with Von der Leyen, critics questioned both the government and the palace’s judgment, their argument being that his involvement could be interpreted as an implied endorsement of the political deal when, constitutionally, he’s supposed to remain above politics. Many questioned whether Sunak had used the monarch to make his deal more palatable to the DUP and ERG.
If that was the plan, it backfired.
Former DUP leader Arlene Foster tweeted her disbelief that “No10 would ask HM the King to become involved,” before labeling the move “crass” and predicting it would “go down very badly in NI (Northern Ireland).”
She added: “We must remember this is not the King’s decision but the Government who it appears are tone deaf.”
“I think the sovereign should only be involved when things have been completed and accepted,” Jacob Rees-Mogg, of the ERG, told GB News. “The King gives assent to acts of parliament when parliament has agreed, he doesn’t express his view on acts of parliament when they are going through the process. I think the same applies, that His Majesty should not be involved until there is full support for this agreement.”
The palace made it clear it didn’t arrange the meeting. A spokesperson told CNN: “The King is pleased to meet any world leader if they are visiting Britain and it is the Government’s advice that he should do so.”
For the government, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told LBC radio: “It was our invitation to Ursula von der Leyen to come to the UK to finalize this deal with the prime minister. So of course, that was a conversation we had with the palace.” He added that, “the final decision, of course, on the availability of His Majesty is with the palace.”
It’s unimaginable, however, that the King would refuse a request from the government without good reason.
As the week draws to a close, the landmark deal agreed by Sunak and Von der Leyen appears to be going down better than expected and didn’t trigger a political firestorm as some had feared. It was perhaps a close call for King Charles, who has been accused of political interference in the past. If it had blown up, it would have reflected on him, as it would have on everyone else in the room that day.
Next time he may be less fortunate. There are few options available to him if he wants to avoid a meeting with someone who compromises his independence. Theoretically, he could say no to Downing Street’s request, but that would create its own political backlash. Instead, he must rely on the prime minister of the day to have his back and keep him away from any potentially embarrassing situations.
Speaking of European dignitaries … On Friday, Buckingham Palace made the long-awaited announcement of Charles and Camilla’s first joint state visit since he ascended the throne.
The new monarch and his wife will visit France and Germany later this month for a six-day trip, touring some famous landmarks and attending state banquets hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
A long list of engagements will await in Paris, where Charles and Camilla will arrive on March 26. The King will address lawmakers at the French Senate, open a new exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay, and join the Macrons, along with Camilla, at a ceremony of remembrance at the Arc de Triomphe.
Charles will also “witness first-hand the devastation caused by last summer’s wildfires on the outskirts of Bordeaux,” the palace said, continuing the King’s long-standing efforts to raise awareness of the climate crisis.
On March 29, the royals will arrive in Germany, where they’ll meet Ukrainian refugees and representatives from a joint German-British military unit.
The choice of a new monarch’s first official overseas trip is a significant one, and Charles has opted to spend time with two close European partners of the UK. It marks the continued significance of Europe as an economic and political partner to Britain, despite the complicated post-Brexit relationship that London will hope was at least partially mended this week.
A senior palace spokesperson said the trips are a “chance to look forwards and show the many ways our countries are working in partnership, whether that be to tackle climate change; respond to the conflict in Ukraine; seize trade and investment opportunities or share the best of our arts and culture.”
70 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II went on a tour of Commonwealth countries as her first overseas engagement, starting with a stop in Bermuda.
A 700-year-old chair is getting a facelift for the coronation.
A conservator at London’s Westminster Abbey is carrying out meticulous restoration work on a fragile 700-year-old chair to ensure King Charles III can sit on it at his coronation in May. The ancient throne, known as the Coronation Chair, has been the centerpiece of English coronations for centuries, including those of Henry VIII, Charles I, Queen Victoria and the late Queen Elizabeth II. Westminster Abbey – where the ceremony will take place – describes the chair as “one of the most precious and famous pieces of furniture in the world” and says it is in “remarkable condition” given its age. Nevertheless, it must still undergo some conservation work ahead of the ceremony to crown the King and Queen Consort on May 6. Get the full story here.
It’s a story that’s been bubbling all week since British newspaper The Sun reported that the Sussexes were being evicted from their UK base of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor by the King. The decision was apparently made after Prince Harry published his memoir, “Spare,” in January. According to the newspaper, Prince Andrew is being offered the use of the cottage instead. He currently lives nearby at the Royal Lodge. Frogmore was given to the couple as a grace-and-favor home, meaning the late Queen Elizabeth II allowed the Sussexes to use it in the long term. However, King Charles appears to feel differently. The couple’s spokesperson confirmed to CNN that “the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage.” Read the full story here.
William and Kate get into gardening.
The Prince and Princess of Wales launched a new collaboration with Life at No.27, a social enterprise that creates therapy allotments to provide mental health support for communities in south Wales. The announcement was made at Brynawel Rehabilitation Center, near the town of Pontyclun, where the first garden will be developed. Annabelle Padwick, founder of Life at No.27, said in a statement that she has “seen first-hand how working with therapy gardens can dramatically improve self-belief and your own mental health” – causes that Kate has long championed. Padwick praised how the “unique” treatment allows those suffering from mental ill health to “process and explore difficult experiences with trained therapists whilst at the same time learning new skills.”
Harry and Meghan’s foundation honors civil rights activist.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Archewell Foundation announced the 2023 recipient of the Digital Civil Rights Award on Monday. The annual award, launched last year, recognizes long-term contributors to the digital rights space whose work promotes equity. This year’s winner is Nabiha Syed, a lawyer and CEO of The Markup, a media outlet which investigates how powerful institutions use technology to change society. “Technology is the architecture of our reality – but unfortunately, that architecture can perpetuate inequality and injustice. Our job now is to challenge technology to serve us all, not just those who hold power and privilege,” Syed said in a statement after receiving the award. The Sussexes praised Syed’s work, which “empower(s) all of us to reclaim some of our most basic freedoms: truth, safety, and choice.”
William has become royal patron of the Wales Air Ambulance charity – his first Welsh patronage since he received the title “Prince of Wales.” The patronage was announced during William and Kate’s visit to the charity’s headquarters on Tuesday, where they met emergency workers and volunteers. William, who previously worked as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, “has first-hand experience of working in the unique and often challenging air ambulance environment,” according to Sue Barnes, chief executive of the Welsh charity.
“During our visits to Greece we have always been struck by the kindness and generosity of the Greek people and our thoughts, prayers and heartfelt sympathy are with all those who have been affected by this appalling tragedy.”King Charles III
The British monarch sent a message of condolence to the President of Greece following Tuesday’s deadly train crash, which killed more than 50 people. King Charles said he and wife Camilla have been “most shocked and profoundly saddened by the news of the dreadful accident” and wanted to “express our deepest possible condolences.”
Broken glass is still all over people’s homes.
Ten-year-old kid shows off a used stun grenade from Israeli military, saying he knows it’s safe because the rope that activates it is gone.
The burned-out gray and black wrecks of cars serve as a macabre reminder of the worst settler aggression these Palestinian communities claim to have ever encountered from Israel.
The village, located in the occupied West Bank south of Nablus, has long been a hotbed of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
One factor is that it crosses Route 60, a major thoroughfare used by both Israeli settlers and Palestinians.
Also, it is flanked on three sides by notoriously nationalistic Israeli Jewish settlements.
It’s here that two Israeli brothers were shot and killed at point blank range on Sunday while they sat in traffic. The person or persons responsible have yet to be found.
It’s here that, hours later, dozens of settlers went on a rampage that one of Israel’s top military generals later called a “pogrom,” leading to the death of one Palestinian man and other injuries.
Huwara resident Nahawand Damidi’s house is behind a metal fence, for protection against settler attacks. But Sunday night the violence reached another level, she told CNN on Thursday.
“[The settlers] usually attack us by throwing stones. If we try to defend ourselves they will use weapons, but last time was different. Wherever you looked there were bullets … fires, fires everywhere,” she said, standing on her balcony.
Security camera footage residents shared with CNN show settlers – identified by their religious tassels, called tzitzit, hanging from under their sweatshirts – piling flammable material in front of 75-year-old Nawal Dumeidi’s door, before setting it aflame.
The double door is marred with black scar marks from the flames that literally melted the lock, Dumeidi said. Her two sons had to come back from Dubai to force open the door and free her, she told CNN.
“What happened is a wild terrorism,” she said, adding she was stuck in her home for three days before she was able to leave.
Villagers told CNN that they would normally expect the Israeli military to protect them from settler attacks but that on Sunday they did not. The top Israeli general in the West Bank, Major General Yehuda Fuchs, admitted earlier this week the IDF was unprepared for the scale of the settler violence against Palestinians and took responsibility for not controlling it.
Many Israelis go to Huwara to get their cars repaired – with prices being much cheaper than on the other side of the Green Line. The Abu Saris family owns one of those repair shops – but dozen of cars on their lot are now burnt.
Daughter Lamar, 10, speaks confidently and openly about what happened – she’s given several media interviews already.
But she also no longer wants to sleep in her room. Her window was broken when settlers threw stones at it.
“Mom hid us in our room and went to the rooftop to see what’s happening. We heard them breaking the windows of the house. We didn’t do anything to them,” she says, her seven-year-old brother Joud and two-year-old sister Siwar sitting beside her.
Siwar, wearing a yellow Pokemon onesie, whispers “Beep, fire” after she hears a noise outside.
“The biggest crime they did to us is not the business and the cars, but our terrified and traumatized children,” their mother Hana says. “Look at [Siwar], she’s terrified only from hearing a random sound downstairs.”
Hana says as the settlers burned the cars in their lot and shot three bullets toward the home, they screamed “death to Arabs, we will wipe out Huwara.”
Three days after settlers tried to do exactly that, far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a settler leader, repeated the phrase on stage at a media conference.
“I think the village of Huwara needs to be erased,” he told a reporter at a conference run by the Israeli business magazine The Marker. “I think the State of Israel needs to do this, and not – God forbid – private citizens.”
The incendiary remarks drew a harsh and swift rebuke from the US State Department, which dubbed them “repugnant” and “disgusting.” Even Israel’s Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog called it “against our values.”
And though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he doesn’t accept such violence and called on Israelis not to take the law “into their own hands” in the wake of the rampage, he has yet to denounce Smotrich’s comments.
Many Israelis are disgusted by the violence in Huwara, seeing it as a natural ramification of the most right-wing and pro-settler government in Israeli history.
On Friday, Israeli soldiers intervened in Huwara to prevent dozens of Israelis from demonstrating in support of the villagers.
The town has been deemed a closed military zone in the wake of the violence, specifically with the aim of keeping the sides apart and de-escalating the situation.
Meanwhile, a campaign started by left-wing activist Yair “Yaya” Fink to raise funds for the residents has collected more than 1.7 million shekels (nearly $500,000).
“As a religious person, a Zionist, a major [in the military] and as a person, I cannot be silent while my peers are burning villages,” Fink tweeted the day after the rampage.
Fink says he’s received death threats and spam calls and texts because of his campaign. But he tweeted he’ll keep going: “Whoever thinks that this or the threats on my life will break me doesn’t know me, just another motivation to fight against the terrorist anarchists.”
And Huwara has even become a rallying cry during the protests against the Israeli government’s sweeping judicial reforms. On Wednesday as border police clashed with protesters in Tel Aviv, many chanted “Where were you in Huwara?”
Following the controversial country-wide zero-Covid policy‘s abandonment, local governments have been gradually dismantling their coronavirus surveillance and tracking systems. One Chinese city claims to have erased one billion pieces of personal data gathered during the outbreak.
The 7.5 million-person city of Wuxi, which is a manufacturing hub on China’s east coast, staged a ceremony on Thursday to get rid of Covid-related personal data, according to a statement posted on social media by the city’s public security agency.
The one billion pieces of data were merely the first batch of such information to be discarded, according to the statement. They were gathered for objectives such as Covid tests, contact tracing, and the prevention of imported cases.
China collects vast amounts of data on its citizens – from gathering their DNA and other biological samples to tracking their movements on a sprawling network of surveillance cameras and monitoring their digital footprints.
But since the pandemic, state surveillance has pushed deeper into the private lives of Chinese citizens, resulting in unprecedented levels of data collection. Following the dismantling of zero-Covid restrictions, residents have grown concerned over the security of the huge amount of personal data stored by local governments, fearing potential data leaks or theft.
Last July, it was revealed that a massive online database apparently containing the personal information of up to one billion Chinese citizens was left unsecured and publicly accessible for more than a year – until an anonymous user in a hack forum offered to sell the data and brought it to wider attention.
In the statement, Wuxi officials said “third-party audit and notary officers” would be invited to take part in the deletion process, to ensure it cannot be restored. CNN cannot independently verify the destruction of the data.
Wuxi also scrapped more than 40 local apps used for “digital epidemic prevention,” according to the statement.
During the pandemic, Covid apps like these dictated social and economic life across China, controlling whether people could leave their homes, where they could travel, when businesses could open and where goods could be transported.
But following the country’s abrupt exit from zero-Covid in December, most of these apps faded from daily life.
On December 12, China scrapped a nationwide mobile tracking app that collected data on users’ travel movements. But many local pandemic apps run by the municipal or provincial governments, such as the ubiquitous Covid health code apps, have remained in place – although they are no longer in use.
Wuxi claims to be the first municipality in China to have destroyed Covid-related personal data from citizens. On Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, users called for other local governments to follow suit.
Yan Chunshui, deputy head of Wuxi’s big data management bureau, said the disposal was meant to better protect citizens’ privacy, prevent data leaks and free up data storage space.
Kendra Schaefer, the head of tech policy research at the Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China, said the data collection related to local-level Covid apps was often messy, and those apps were difficult and expensive to manage for local governments.
“Considering the cost and difficulty managing such apps, coupled with concerns expressed by the public over data security and privacy – not to mention the political win local governments get by symbolically putting zero-Covid to bed – dismantling those systems is par for the course,” Schaefer said.
In many cases, she added, the big data departments at local governments were overwhelmed dealing with Covid data, so scaling back simply makes sense economically.
“Many cities have not yet deleted their Covid data – or have not done so publicly – not because I believe they intend to keep it, but because it simply hasn’t been that long since zero-Covid was halted,” Schaefer said.
Even as public opinion turns against nuclear weapons amid Asia’s escalating arms race, South Korea’s Prime Minister Han Duck-soo claimed in an exclusive interview with CNN that the country doesn’t need them to counter the danger from North Korea.
There is no doubt that we should re-arm ourselves, according to several recent public surveys.
Han told Richard Quest, a CNN anchor and business editor-at-large, during a sit-down in Seoul, “(The surveys say) we should go farther in terms of nuclear capability.
One such poll, released last February, found that 71% ofmore than 1,300 respondents in the country were in favor of South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons – a once-unthinkable idea that has become increasingly mainstream in the past decade, with rising tensions in the Korean Peninsula and dwindling confidence in South Korea toward US protection.
However, Han insisted the country has enough in its arsenal to stave off North Korea’s “preposterous ambitions” – and that developing nuclear capabilities was not “the right way.”
“We have built up a quite adequate level of our deterrence capabilities in close cooperation with the United States,” he said, adding that the government had “put a lot of emphasis” on strengthening its deterrence since President Yoon Suk Yeol took power last year.
“We should work together with the international community… to put a lot of continuous pressure on North Korea to denuclearize,” he said. “We would like to let North Korea know that developing and advancing nuclear capabilities will not guarantee the peace and prosperity in their country.”
Relations between North and South Korea have worsened in recent years as Pyongyang ramped up its weapons program, firing a record number of missiles last year – including one that flew over Japan, the first time North Korea had done so in five years, prompting international alarm.
And for months, the US and international observers have warned that North Korea appears to be preparing for its first underground nuclear test since 2017. The country’s dictator Kim Jong Un also intensified his rhetoric last year; he declared his intention to build the “world’s most powerful” nuclear force, warned adversaries that North Korea was fully prepared for “actual war,” vowed to “never give up” nuclear weapons and dismissed the possibility of negotiating denuclearization.
In response, the US and its allies South Korea and Japan have stepped up their own military drills and cooperation. Yoon, who has publicly taken a tough stance against North Korea, even raised the prospect of South Korea building its own nuclear arsenal, saying in January it could “deploy tactical nuclear weapons or possess its own nukes.”
And despite Han voicing opposition to such a plan, he too emphasized South Korea’s preparedness in confronting its nuclear-armed neighbor – as well as its openness for further talks, under certain conditions.
“We are not disarming ourselves against North Korea,” he said. “But we are not closing the dialogue channel with North Korea … as long as North Korea is abstaining from their very strong nuclear ambitions.”
Kim Jong Un calls for ‘exponential’ increase in country’s nuclear arsenal
Han also discussed China’s role in the region, saying the superpower was “not the country it used to be,” in past decades that ushered in economic reforms and liberalization.
“China is a huge and important global player,” he said. “Including Korea, I think many countries would like to see (China) be more compliant with global rules.”
He added that though China “will contribute a lot in solving global problems,” the country often doesn’t meet the “expectations a lot of countries would like to have – for example, we hoped that China would be more aggressive and more active in reducing tensions in the Korean Peninsula.”
For years, China has been North Korea’s biggest trading partner and an economic lifeline, with Pyongyang isolated from much of the world.
But Beijing, too, is a major player in the Asia arms race.
In January, US and Japanese ministers warned of the “ongoing and accelerating expansion of (China’s) nuclear arsenal.” Just days later, Japan’s prime minister expressed concern over China’s military activities in the East China Sea, and the launch of ballistic missiles over Taiwan that landed in waters near Japan in August.
China’s military buildup, aggressive foreign policy and multiple disputed territorial claims haven’t gone unnoticed in Seoul – where attitudes toward Beijing are fast souring.
In the 2022 survey on South Korean nuclear armament, more than half of respondents said China would be the biggest threat to the country in 10 years, and many cited “threats other than North Korea” behind their support for a domestic nuclear arsenal.
Han acknowledged that Seoul was closely watching these territorial disputes.
“Peace in the Taiwan Strait is also very important for the security and peace of the Korean Peninsula,” he said. And though South Korea is “committed” to the one-China policy, he said, “at the same time, we (expect) China to be more rule-based, not behaving as a country … being condemned by international community.”
Nigerians have reacted to some viral videos and photos in which Funke Akindele’s ex-husband, Abdulrasheed Bello, known as JJC Skillz, was spotted tying the knot in Kano.
The photos captured JJC Skillz in an event with his alleged new wife, Ebira.
The photos are yet to be confirmed by JJC Skillz and the lady’s family.
However, netizens took to the comment section to slam JJC Skillz for moving on quickly from his ex, Funke Akindele.
JJC Skills announced her separation from Funke Akindele nine months ago.
Read some reactions below:
One Ayometide wrote, “If na woman marry under 5month of separation the internet for don scatter. Men get away with lot of things.. in this life, just do you”
“The wife allowed herself to be hidden like palliative. It’s funny sha,” one Anihottest wrote.
Another user Lizzybanji, cries out, “Na wa ohh!! Just now now?? Anyway, why am I even surprised
“Some men can lose their wives to cancer and be married the next year. So this is not new. My gender God will help us to choose right ohh
It is well!!”
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was greeted with loud applause as he handed over the reconstructed Kumasi Central Mosque to the Mosque’s committee after it was commissioned on Friday amidst excitement.
The commissioning ceremony was graced by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu and a host of distinguished dignitaries including Ministers, MPs, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Regional Imams, Zongo Chiefs, as well as top Muslim and Christian clerics.
The enthusiastic Muslim community from the Ashanti Region and beyond, turned up in their numbers to show appreciation to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for what is being hailed as a remarkable gesture of providing a breathtaking piece of architecture.
The mosque was officially commissioned by the Vice President and the Asantehene in time for Jummah prayers. In no time after it was opened to the public, the 7,000 capacity mosque was filled with several others praying outside.
As the excited people entered the mosque, some were seen shedding tears of joy in excitement and admiration of the sheer beauty of the mosque.
To The Glory of Allah
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice President Bawumia said he undertook the project “to the glory of Allah “, and expressed gratitude to God for giving him the strength and the will to be able to complete it single-handedly.
“I am really grateful to the Almighty Allah for giving me the vision, guidance and commitment to be able to undertake this massive project. I was touched by the Almighty Allah when I visited the mosque in 2020 and realised that it needed urgent attention.”
Dr. Bawumia noted that, the Kumasi Central Mosque, as one of the oldest mosques in the country, represents the vision of “our forefathers” and expressed his delight at the transformation of the mosque into a modern edifice, befitting the status of Kumasi as a renowned city.
Asanteman’s cooperation with Muslim community
While acknowledging the roles of the founding fathers of the Kumasi Central Mosque, Vice President Bawumia also commended the Manhyia Palace and Asanteman for the peaceful co-existence and cooperation between Asanteman and the Muslim community, as well as the support Otumfuo Agyemang Prempeh II offered the Muslim Community in building the first Kumasi Central Mosque.
“As history beautifully captures, the Manhyia Palace played an instrumental role in the first Kumasi Central Mosque during the reign of Asantehene Otumfuo Sir Agyemang Prempeh II,” Dr. Bawumia said.”
“This clearly underlines how long-standing the relationship between Asanteman and the Muslim community has been, and the extent of support and cooperation, the Manhyia Palace in particular has offered.”
“The Asante Kingdom, predating the days of Otumfuo Sir Agyemang Prempeh, is documented to have cooperated with Muslims within the Kingdom. This beautiful tradition has also continued under successive Asantehenes”
“The presence of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II today, signifies the premium the Asantehene and the Asante Kingdom place on the historic relationship.”
A call for unity and peaceful co-existence
While urging Muslims to continue to use the mosque as a converging point not only for prayers, but also for community integration, he called for even greater tolerance and cooperation between Muslims and neighbours of the Christian faith.
“This is our beautiful Ghana, where we tolerate, respect and support each other as one people. God has blessed our country with peace and unity amongst us, so let us be grateful to him. Let us also continue to uphold the religious tolerance we show, which has endeared our country.”
Plaudits for Dr. Bawumia
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu commended Dr. Bawumia for the gift he has given to, not only the Muslim community, but Asanteman as a whole.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu added that, Dr. Bawumia, as a responsible son, has done what he ought to do, and as a father, he could not thank him enough.
He urged the Zongo Community to take good care of the mosque and ensure it is well maintained at all times.
The custodians of the mosque, the Kumasi Central Mosque Committee also expressed immense gratitude to Dr. Bawumia for his remarkable gesture.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is lamenting over the economic impact of illegal mining activities.
He said activities of illegal mining (galamsey) operators in some cocoa growing areas of the country, which it describes as making farming expensive.
According to the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the menace is adversely affecting water resources, used for irrigation, thereby destroying the environment.
He was speaking to joy Business after inaugurating a committee to promote the consumption of cocoa in the country.
The nine member committee chaired by the Deputy Director of Public Affairs of COCOBOD, Fiifi Boafo, is to ensure adequate promotion of cocoa products and domestic consumption in all sectors of the economy.
“The issue of Galamsey has become a serious concern for not only cocobod but the whole country and when you look at the impact on our farmers and irrigation, it is very serious”.
“Now we struggle to get surface water for irrigation processes and I can tell you that very soon the rivers we rely on for our irrigation will be filled with silt and we can’t even get water to do irrigation”, he mentioned.
He added that the activities of the illegal miners has made farming very expensive in the last couple of years, especially “for our cocoa farmers because of these water crises and all that.”
Menawhile, the country’s consumption of cocoa and chocolate products have increased significantly from an average of 0.5 to one kilogramme annually, according to the Ghana Cocoa Board.
This, it describes as a huge milestone, considering the low level of consumption in the country previously.
The focus is set on ‘Mona4Real’ or ‘Hajia4Real’, one of the Ghanaian female celebrities admired by many.
Identified in real life as Mona Faiz Montrage, she is a popular socialite cum entrepreneur who has ventured into brand influencing, and recently into music.
Mona4Reall is known for her lavish lifestyle on social media, particularly, the display of flashy cars, expensive travels, and so on.
However, on the back of issues surrounding her alleged court case in the United States, we highlight some five interesting facts about her.
1. She is mixed race
Known as the ‘Dagomba chic’, Hajia4Real was born and bred in Tamale, where she had her preschool, primary, and basic education.
Her mother is from Tamale in the Northern region and her father is of Lebanese descent.
2. Mona studied fashion at The Art Institute of New York
Upon completion of Secondary school in Ghana, she moved to the United States to further her education where she studied fashion in the Art Institute of New York.
3. She is a past student of Labone Senior High School
Mona is said to have studied General Arts at the Labone Senior Secondary School in Accra.
4. She has a daughter
Mona4Reall has a 6-year-old daughter name Naila.
She mostly flaunts her pretty daughter on her Instagram where they are usually spotted in matching outfits.
Naila is the brand ambassador of ‘4Real Kids’ clothing store.
Although the popular socialite isn’t married, she is said to be in a serious relationship, according to reports.
Her lover is said to be based in New York where she often visits until her recent alleged fraud case.
6. She owns a number of businesses
Mona4Reall runs a clothing shop called ‘4Real Beauty kids’.She also owns a cosmetics brand named ‘4Real Beauty Cosmetics Line’, a music company named ‘4Real Entertainment’ among others.
7. She lives in a plush mansion in TRASSACO and owns a fleet of luxury cars
Mona4Reall resides in plush mansion at TRASSACO Valley.
She flaunted her new home and a Range Rover Evoque on her birthday in June 2020, when netizens alleged that it was a gift from her sponsor.
Mona owns a fleet of cars which comprises a Bentley, a convertible Mercedes Benz among others, which are all captured in different colours.
8. She is a musician
Mona4Real rose into the music industry sometime in 2021 and she has since done exploits.
Gradually maintaining her stance in the industry, Mona moved from dropping singles to releasing an Extensive Play (EP) sometime in 2021.
The EP featured top artistes including Medikal, Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale, among others.
She won the ‘Uncovered Artiste of the Year’ at the Ghana Music Awards UK in that same period.
Media personality, Captain Smart has stated that Ghanaian media outlets are inundated with Indian and Spanish series.
According to him, the development has created unemployment in the country and has therefore called on the President not to treat it lightly.
According to him, the movie industry has fallen flat due to the switch to the ‘twinovelas’ and rendered actors in the industry redundant, calling on the government to ban it outrightly.
Speaking about the Ghanaian cultural heritage with a focus on how to communicate with dressing as part of Media General and Onua TV’s celebration of Ghana Month, Mr. Smart was livid at how foreign content has flooded the local media screens gradually obliterating the very heritage supposed to be imparted unto the younger generation through movies.
“Would you go to America and see CNN showing Agya Koo’s movie? But today, even GBC has joined the foreign telenovelas crusade and they are also showing foreign operas with Twi dubbing,” he said in Twi Friday, March 3, 2023.
“Today those in the Ghanaian movie industry don’t have anything to do that’s why Kwaku Manu had to take solace in ‘Ɔdɔ Fever’. How could you have allowed Agya Koo, Mercy Asiedu, Lil Win, Emelia Brobbey, and others to be there and be showing these things on our screens? Mr. President, with all humility, please ban it (India and Spanish series in Twi),” he said.
Popular America-based actor, philanthropist, and comedian, Michael Blackson has made another astonishing revelation that he doesn’t know celebrated Ghanaian Reggae/Dancehall artiste, Emmanuel Andrews Samini better known as Samini.
Samini, whose genre of music is a melodious mixture of high life, dance hall, reggae and hip-hop is regarded as one of the most decorated African artistes.
But Michael Blackson in a recent interview on popular American podcast “Drink Champs” after stating that Ghana could not boast of more than four music superstars as compared to Nigeria, mentioned Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, Black Sherif and Shatta Wale as the four superstars.
However, in a video sighted by ghanaweekend.com, the America-based Comedian who is seen being questioned by dancehall artiste Shatta Wale on why he said Ghana has only four Superstars backed his claim by making another staggering revelation that he doesn’t know Samini.
Blackson, on whether he knows dancehall artist, Jupitar, sarcastically quizzed,”Is Jupitar next to Neptune ”?
He then beseeched Ghanaians to forgive him for not knowing all the superstars in the music industry
Watch the video below
Sarkodie, one of Ghana’s most celebrated musicians, took to social media to mark his wife Tracy’s birthday with a heartfelt message.
In a tweet, Sarkodie expressed his love for his wife and thanked her for everything she does for him. He went on to wish her a happy birthday and referred to her as his boss.
“I celebrate you every day for just being you wifey, but today is a “special” one … a day you came into this world … Thanks for everything, my Boss Tracy Owusu Addo. Happy Birthday @TracySarkcess,” he celebrated.
The rapper shared along with his tweet, four pictures he took with his wife while they both held wine glasses and toasted to the big day clad in black tops.
Tracy Sarkcess, who is a professional marketer and the mother of Sarkodie’s two children, has been married to the rapper for several years.
The couple has been known to display their affection for each other on social media, and Sarkodie’s birthday message to his wife is yet another example of their strong bond.
Fans of the couple took to social media to congratulate Tracy on her special day and to express their admiration for the couple’s relationship.
Many praised Sarkodie for his dedication to his wife and family, and for being a positive role model to his fans.
Chris Brown seemingly threw a fan’s phone into the crowd after she refused to pay him any attention.
The incident — which was shared on TikTok Wednesday — happened after Brown invited the lucky fan to join him on stage during his concert performance of “Take You Down.”
Instead of enjoying the moment, the woman immediately whipped out her phone to film the occasion. In the beginning, Brown could be seen gently taking the phone out of her hands and putting it away.
However, as he danced around her and even gave her a sensual lapdance, she grabbed it once more to continue filming.
Unamused, the singer snatched the phone from her hands and threw it into the crowd, which sent concertgoers into an excited frenzy.
The visibly annoyed woman then threw her hands in the air before the stage lights went out and the awkward encounter came to an end.
Thankfully, she was able to get her phone back — but it’s unclear what condition it was in after soaring through the air and into a mosh pit.
Page Six has reached out to the singer’s rep but didn’t receive any comment at the time of publication. He has also yet to address the incident.
The video quickly went viral on social media, with some fans defending Brown while others cited it as just another outburst from the controversial singer.
“Listen, I totally agree that sometimes we all need to be able to put our phones down and enjoy the moment… but that’s not Chris Brown’s or anyone else’s decision to make,” one person tweeted.
“It is impossible to defend Chris Brown he just keeps doing stuff,” another added.
Others, however, defended his actions, “Lowkey I see why Chris Brown threw the phone. U mean 2 tell me imma be up here performing my heart out, giving u the best that I got and u gonna be up here checking yourself out in selfie cam. The disrespect?(sic)”
Brown, 33, is no stranger when it comes to causing controversy. The “No Guidance” singer made headlines last month for throwing a temper tantrum after losing a Grammy to Robert Glasper.
“BRO WHO THE F–K IS THIS?” the “Breezy” creator captioned a screenshot of his Google search of Glasper, adding “Ima keep kicking y’all ass! Respectfully.”
Just a few weeks later, fans were quick to slam Chloë Bailey, 24, for collaborating with Brown given his long history of violence against women.
In 2009, Brown plead guilty to one count of felony assault for beating then-girlfriend Rihanna.
Less than 10 years later, Karrueche Tran was granted a five-year restraining order against him for allegedly becoming aggressive with her after they broke up.
Then, in 2021, he was accused of hitting a woman during an argument at his Los Angeles home.
However, the singer clearly doesn’t care what people think about him and wants people to kiss his “f–king ass” if they “still hate” him for his past wrongdoings.
Gospel musician Sonnie Badu has taken to social media to commiserate with actor and skit maker Ras Nene who lost his daughter a few days ago.
The singer acknowledged that Ras Nene, also popularly known as Dr Likee, dealing with the loss of his daughter will be a difficult time for the actor.
Sonnie Badu prayed for the actor and his wife hoping that they gain some comfort and stay stronger every day.
“I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your 3 months old child. During the most difficult time of your life, I pray for comfort for you and your wife. I have no doubt that this child will come back again…Please be stronger @official_ras_nene,” he wrote.
Ras Nene, born Ebenezer Akwasi Antwi, lost his three-month-old daughter on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Her cause of death is unknown.
The toddler was buried on Wednesday morning in the presence of family, friends and some actors including Shifo and Gye Nyame.
Videos shared of the sad event captured her little coffin and grave and mourners who could not hold back their tears.
The Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr Ernest Addison, has enjoined boards and shareholders of banks and other deposit-taking institutions to act quickly to address early signs of distress to mitigate the risk of failure, which has ramifications not only for depositors, but also for the stability of the entire financial system and the economy.
He made this call at the second induction ceremony of insolvency practitioners organised by the Ghana Association of Restructuring and Insolvency Advisors (GARIA), and noted that prevailing macroeconomic conditions have heightened the need for vigilance and swift action on the part of all corporate institutions, including banks and special deposit-taking institutions (SDIs).
“The bank’s macro-prudential risk assessment of the banking sector indicated the emergence of signs of spillovers from the current macroeconomic conditions characterised by high inflation and rising interest rates on the banking sector. In particular, pressure on the solvency and liquidity of banks has increased, and the bank is closely monitoring these,” Dr Addison said in a speech read on his behalf by the head of BoG’s Resolution Office, Elliot Adu Amoako.
Dr Addison pointed out that the Basel Core Principles require supervisory authorities to have adequate legal powers to impose prompt corrective action on weak institutions to give them a chance of recovery within a reasonable timeframe. Failure to recover within this timeframe, he said, will require adequate action to restore these institutions under the special resolution regime.
The BoG, earlier this year, noted that the banking industry had begun to show signs of strain as a result of the current conditions. The industry’s capital adequacy ratio (CAR) had decreased to 16.6 percent in December 2022 from 19.6% the previous year, albeit remaining above the prudential floor of 13%.
The central bank attributed the losses to mark-to-market investments, an increase in risk-weighted assets, and the depreciation of the cedi on foreign currency-denominated loans.
Profitability also declined as higher impairments on loans and rising operating costs weighed heavily. The industry’s post-tax profit contracted by 18.9% year-on-year, amounting to GHC3.9 billion in December 2022 while operating expenses rose by 32.2% during the same period under consideration, even as inflation remained at more than five times the central bank’s upper target limit.
Dr. Addison further stated that while the BoG has put in a number of reliefs, including the establishment of the GHC15 billion Ghana Financial Stability Fund, it will not hesitate to rely on the expertise of licensed insolvency practitioners if the need arises.
“I would like to emphasise that the resolution of banks and SDIs falls under the Special Resolution Regime provided by Banks and SDIs Act 930. The Bank of Ghana would, without hesitation, rely on licensed professionals under GARIA in the event of any future episodes,” he said.
The central bank’s chief welcomed the addition of new insolvency practitioners coupled with the Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency Act, 2020, (Act 1015), which he described as an “important addition to the framework for the establishment of a well-designed insolvency regime”.
Ghana’s power sector and other important projects may be in some danger due to the country’s current debt status.
The Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has stated that the government has informed power suppliers of its decision to restructure over the $1.5 billion it owes.
According to Bright Simons, while the power producers assume this may be an extension of the time for payment, some analysts believe there may be a haircut.
In a tweet on March 2, 2023, he said “Govt of Ghana has finally informed the main power producers & fuel suppliers that the ~$1.5bn it owes them will also be restructured. The companies of course assume that this means stretching out the payments over time. But some analysts say they should also prepare for HAIRCUTS.”
A corresponding note in his tweet added that “The power sector is in a particularly concerning state given the government’s significant and rising debt in this sector. The Government of Ghana has engaged the independent power producers in talks regarding the take-out of existing multi-sourced senior loans by the government-owned Ghana.”
“Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) in a bid to reduce the overall cost of power. This process began as far back as the end of 2019 when the government announced that it would use part of the proceeds of its 2020 Eurobond sale to refinance the loans.
“To date, none of the loans have been refinanced and government debt to independent power producers continues to rise. It has been estimated that debt in the energy sector is at risk of growing to US$12.5 billion by 2023 without significant reform. However, the government has recently reiterated that the completion of these take-outs is expected to save the economy an estimated US$13.2 billion over the term of the renegotiated power purchase agreements,” it stated.
“Separate from the debt issue in the energy sector is the growing demand for electricity in Ghana and the need for improved gas supply reliability. The 2022 Electricity Supply Plan for the Ghana Power System highlights that existing generating capacity will be inadequate to serve the projected demand for electricity in Ghana and as such, there is a need to secure increased gas supply to existing power generation facilities and to initiate procurement of additional generation capacity,” it further said.
On Thursday, officials revealed recordings in which a train driver involved in one of the country’s deadliest train accidents in recent years was instructed to disregard a red signal, adding to the anger in Greece over lax rail safety.
After a passenger train carrying more than 350 people and a freight train collided head-on on Tuesday evening in Tempi, close to the city of Larissa, protesters descended onto the streets.
Late on Thursday, the crash’s dead toll reached 57.
Protesters clashed with police in the capital Athens, the country’s transport minister resigned in the wake of the tragedy and a rail workers’ union is going on strike, accusing the government of “disrespect” in the sector.
Another 48 people remain in hospital as a result of the crash, which left toppled carriages and scorched debris in its wake. Six of the injured being treated are in critical condition due to head wounds and serious burns, public broadcaster ERT reported Thursday.
After a train station manager in Larissa was arrested in connection to the collision, Greek authorities on Thursday made publicstriking dispatch recordings that show one of the train drivers receiving instructions to ignore a red light.
“Proceed through red traffic light exit until traffic light entry of Neon Poron,” the station master is heard saying.
“Vasilis, am I good to go?” the train driver responds, to which the train master says “Go, go.”
In a second conversation, the station master can be heard ordering an employee to keep one of the trains on the same track.
“Shall I turn it now?” the employee asks.
“No, no, because 1564 is on this route,” the station master says.
The station master has been charged with mass deaths through negligence and causing grievous bodily harm through negligence. Upon arrest he blamed the collision on a technical fault, though later admitted to “making a mistake.”
Protesters gathered outside the central Athens headquarters of Greek rail company Hellenic Train again on Thursday evening in a demonstration organized by student and worker unions.
Police already had a presence outside the Hellenic Train headquarters before the demonstrators arrived. The protest was peaceful, following unrest on Wednesday in which demonstrators clashed with police.
Most of the passengers involved in the accident were young, a local hospital told ERT. The accident came soon after a holiday weekend.
Search and rescue operations will continue on Thursday and Friday at the site of the crash, according to the Fire Service.
Meanwhile, relatives of those missing are still awaiting news regarding their loved ones as the identification process continues at Larissa General Hospital.
Speaking earlier to Greek media, Dimitris Bournazis, who is trying to get news about his father and brother, said no one has given him any information. Bournazis said he was trying to contact the company to find out where on the train his relatives were sitting at the time of the crash. He said he called the offices of Hellenic Train three times but no one has called him back.
“The prime minister and the health minister came here yesterday. Why? To do what? To explain what? Where are they today?” Bournazis told Greek broadcaster SKAI, adding that “no one has given us any information, no one knows how many people really were inside.”
“We cannot only blame one person for this because of a mistake. Where is everyone else now? They all await the election to speak,” he said.
Speaking to ERT, passenger Andreas Alikaniotis, who was in the second carriage during the collision, described the moments following the crash.
“What we did was to break the glass, which was already cracked, and to throw the luggage outside the carriage, so we can land somewhere soft,” he told ERT, describing how he helped around 10 people escape.
“We jumped 3 to 4 meters,” he added, “first the more seriously injured and then us with lighter injuries”
Alikaniotis added that he remembers pulling up two or three girls and helping them get to the window to jump. “There was panic,” he added.
Greece has a weak record of railway passenger safety compared with other countries in Europe, recording the highest railway fatality rate per million train kilometers from 2018 to 2020 among 28 nations on the continent, according to a 2022 report from the European Union Agency for Railways.
In an extraordinary meeting, the Greek federation of rail workers decided unanimously to launch the 24-hour strike on Thursday to highlight poor working conditions and chronic understaffing.
It accused the federal government of “disrespect” towards railways for causing the crash, saying “more permanent staff, better training and mainly the implementation of modern security systems, are permanently thrown in the bin.”
Separately, another 24-hour strike was announced by Greek metro workers, who said in a statement: “There are no words to describe such tragedy.”
Greek transport minister Kostas Karamanlis said the railway system the government inherited was “not up to 21st century standards” as he stepped down from his role Wednesday.
In a televised address after visiting the crash site, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the collision was “mainly” due “to tragic human error.”
He said the transport minister’s decision to resign was honorable, and added that the heads of Hellenic Railways Organization and its subsidiary ERGOSE have also submitted their resignations.
Condolences have poured in from across the world, while a three-day period of mourning is under way in Greece.
Britain’s King Charles said in a statement that he and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort, have been “most shocked and profoundly saddened by the news of the dreadful accident.”
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: “My thoughts go out to the families of the victims of the terrible accident that took place last night near Larissa. France stands alongside the Greeks.”
Ales Beliatski, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize from Belarus, was given a 10-year term by a court in Minsk on Friday, according to TASS, the official news agency of Russia.
According to TASS, he was convicted of the smuggling accusation.
Bialiatski and other activists were sentenced in the same trial, and exiled leader of the Belarusian opposition Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called their sentences “appalling.”
She posted on Twitter, “We must do everything to fight against this awful injustice & liberate them.
Germany called the 10-year prison term an attack by Minsk on civil society. On Twitter, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock slammed the charges and trial against Bialiatski and co-defendants Valentin Stefanovich and Vladimir Labkovich as a ”farce” adding they were being judged ”simply because of their years-long fight for the rights, dignity and freedom of people in Belarus.”
”The Minsk regime is fighting civil society with violence and imprisonment,” Baerbock said, adding ”this is as much a daily disgrace as Lukashenko’s support for Putin’s war (in Ukraine).”
Baerbock urged Belarus to end political persecution and demanded the release of all of the more than 1,400 political prisoners.
Bialiatski, a pro-democracy activist, has documented human rights abuses in Belarus since the 1980s. He founded the organization Viasna, or Spring, in 1996 after a referendum that consolidated the authoritarian powers of president and close Russian ally, President Alexander Lukashenko.
The activist was arrested in 2020 amid widespread protests against Lukashenko’s regime.
Bialiatski won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2022 alongside human rights groups from Russia and Ukraine.
The new laureates were honored for “an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power” in their respective countries. “They have for many years promoted the right to criticize power and protect the fundamental rights of citizens,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said at the time.
Belarusian opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya congratulated Bialiatski. “The prize is an important recognition for all Belarusians fighting for freedom & democracy,” she wrote in a tweet three years ago. “All political prisoners must be released without delay.”
On Thursday, Russian security officials reported that a small Ukrainian armed group had entered the southern Bryansk region from Russia. Kyiv denounced these claims as a “typical planned provocation” by the Moscow.
In a statement distributed through state-run media outlet RIA Novosti on Thursday, the Security Service of Russia (FSB) said that the organization was conducting operations in response to “armed Ukrainian nationalists who broke the state border” in the area.
A local official reported that two civilians died in the incident, and President Vladimir Putin later referred to it as a terrorist act.
CNN cannot independently verify the Russian claims, and local media have not carried any images of the supposed incidents, any type of confrontation or an alleged raid reported by Russian authorities.
US and Ukrainian officials have in the past warned that Russia has planned so-called “false flag” attacks along Russia’s border with Ukraine as a pretext for military escalation, including Russian claims ahead of last year’s full-scale invasion that Ukraine was sending “saboteurs” over the Russian border.
The Bryansk region shares a border to its south with Ukraine, and to its west with Belarus, the close Russian ally nation that helped facilitate Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last year.
The governor of the region, Alexander Bogomaz, said Wednesday on his Telegram channel that in the village of Lyubechan, two civilians were killed and a 10-year-old child was injured. In the village of Sushany, also located in the Klimovsky district, Bogomaz said a residential building caught fire from a shell dropped from what he claimed was a Ukrainian drone, according to RIA Novosti.
Putin canceled a planned trip to southern Russia due to the incident in Bryansk, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Thursday. While making remarks on the incident, Putin didn’t specify if the group had crossed the border from Ukraine, but blamed the attack on “neo-Nazis,” without giving additional details. He also promised to “put them away.”
“Today, [they] committed another terrorist act, penetrated the border area and opened fire on civilians,” Putin said during a televised meeting on Thursday. “They saw that civilians and children were sitting there, [in] an ordinary Niva (car). They opened fire on them.”
An adviser in Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky’s office, Mykhailo Podolyak, said the alleged raid was either a Russian provocation, or the work of local partisans taking a stand against the Kremlin, denying any Ukrainian involvement.
“Ukraine is not attacking,” Podolyak said. “This is either a provocation by the Russian side or Russian partisans who are beginning to dismantle the Putin regime. Because they still want to preserve some political chances for the post-war future of Russia, which will lose this war.”
Podolyak also said this type of operation was consistent with previous Russian provocations.
“This is classic Russia. It always goes for provocation, lies, it always creates information pretexts,” he said. “Ukraine does not attack Russian territory, does not send special reconnaissance groups there, does not kill people, especially civilians. Ukraine does not need this. This is not a strategic object and there is no point in going there.”
“Or it is something else,” he also said. “Either Russian partisans are actively starting to show their personality because they want to prove that a protest movement is also possible in Russia.”
Municipal Chief Executive of Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem Municipality (KEEA), Solomon Ebow Appiah says when one looks at the Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs, it talks about basic needs including sex and that when people are in the prison for as long as 15, 20, 60 years without sex, then one is depriving them of their basic need.
According to him, if the country is not careful the laws which forbid lesbianism and gayism will be flauted in prison because people may come to the prison to learn these acts, because there is no opportunity for them (Prisoners) to satisfy their basic needs, which is sex.
Mr Appiah made the appeal at the maiden non-formal education graduation ceremony of 43 inmates of the Ankaful Prisons in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem Municipality of the Central region.
He urged that the country must find a way to brainstorm to find ways to include sex as a basic need for the inmates after giving them all the other needs.
“We had a criminal libel law in the past, it took the then president who realised that the law have been in the books for so long; which hindered the works of the journalist and impeded on their rights of reportage. But it took the initiative of then president and the collective agreement of Ghanaians to revert that law, and today there is freedom of information. So, if journalist have the right to information and report, then prisoners ought to have theirs as well, although they are imprisoned, they are part of us, because no matter how long they serve they will be released one day after they have done serving their sentence, and they will be back home and back into the community, hence there is the need for a reform,” he hinted.
He said the line between prisoners and the free man is very thin, hence those in the prisons are just like us, so if we do not make the prison yard and the lives of the inmates very conducive, then invariably we are creating problems for the country.
He called on all to come together to support the Prisoners as they were being trained to go out to change their lives, thus, “the prison is intended to reform and to reintegrate them into the community”.
The Central Regional deputy Director of Prisons who also doubles as the OIC of the Maximum Security Prison, DDP Robin Kwesi Asamoah Fenning on his part thanked the non-formal education sector for the training and appealed for urgent help from stakeholders, benevolents, religious bodies, NGOs, corporate institutions among others to come to their aid to enable them to register the 43 inmates to sit for the Basic Education Certificate Examination this year.
Gospel legend CeCe Winans had the chance to be a part of Whitney Houston’s video for her 1993 hit single “I’m Every Woman” but Winans turned it down because she felt the lyrics to the song were “demonic.”
In a November 2021 video that has now gone viral, Winans spoke about the song while preaching at the Highland College Chapel about how one can be right with God. The singer went ahead to mention things that are ungodly, referring to the lyrics of “I’m Every Woman”.
“I remember she was about to do one of her big videos. It was, ‘I’m Every Woman’ It’s a great video, right? Really nice… When you think about how it was written, it’s a great song, right?” Winans said. “But the lyrics don’t line up with the word of God, right? So, she knew, she said, ‘CeCe, I want you to be in this video, but I know you not gonna be in it’ and I said, ‘You’re absolutely right’ ‘cuz it started off with ‘I can cast a spell.’ I’m not singing that!”
“Y’all get hooked on to these beats, and it’s like demonic. You’re listening to demonic stuff, and you wonder why you don’t know what’s going on. You can’t listen and look at everything. God says, ‘You’re either for me or against me. You’re either for me, or you’re not.’”
“I’m Every Woman” was originally performed in 1978 by Chaka Khan. Winans did not join her late friend Houston for the cover of the song but she collaborated with her for the track “Count On Me.”
Known for her breathtaking voice and hit songs, Houston enjoyed a very successful career spanning several decades, selling over 200 million records, including albums, singles and videos worldwide. With seven albums to her name, Houston broke several records and, undoubtedly, was an inspiration to up-and-coming female and colored musicians during her prime.
Some of her notable feats include being the first musician to receive the most Billboard awards in one night when she took home 11 in 1993, as well as, being the first female artist to have two certified 10× platinum albums with her debut eponymous album and The Bodyguard Soundtrack.
Actor, politician and entrepreneur, Mr John Dumelo has expressed optimism about winning the Ayawaso West Wuogon Parliament seat in the Greater Accra region in the 2024 general elections.
He said he managed to narrow the gap in the 2020 elections hence it is his time to take the seat in 2024.
In the 2020 elections, the incumbent MP for the area, Lydia Seyram Alhassan defeated John Dumelo to retain her seat in Parliament.
According to the Electoral Commission (EC), Madam Alhassan, who contested the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) won with 39,851 votes.
John Dumelo polled 37,778 votes.
He tweeted that “Thank you all for the congratulatory messages. 2024 is a must win in Ayawaso West Wuogon. As parliamentary candidate in 2020, we closed the gap from 10,000 to under 1,900 through hard work. It’s time to take the seat. Let’s all get involved.”
He picked his nomination form to contest in the parliamentary primary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.
If he wins the internal elections of the main opposition party, it will make it the second time he will be giving a shot at becoming the Member of Parliament for the area after the first failed attempt in the 2020 elections.
John Dumleo tweeted on Sunday, February 26, 2023 that “After extensive consultation with my God, my family and our party faithful in Ayawaso West Wuogon!
“This’s the second coming.”
Despite being one of the best players in NBA history, at the twilight of his professional career, Shaquille O’Neal had his eyes fixed on his retirement. In his 19-year-old NBA career, he accrued wealth through contracts totaling $300 million. Now he makes millions of dollars per year thanks to his businesses and other endorsement deals with companies such as Icy Hot, Gold Bond, Buick, Zales, and others.
Five Guys Burgers was started by four Murrell brothers in the 1980s. Today, it is one of the most well-known businesses Shaq has been interested in. It is one of the first investments the NBA legend made. He came to have about 155 locations across America and a 10 percent cut of the Murrells’ hamburger with french fries. He would later sell the franchises, according to reports.
Shaq founded Big Chicken restaurant, which fuses his home-cooked childhood favorites with today’s trending flavors. Shaq opened his restaurant in Las Vegas in 2018 after retiring from the NBA and later expanded to a location in Glendale, California.
CNBC reports that the NBA star has personalized his business. One of the sandwiches on the Big Chicken menu is called Uncle Jerome, named after Shaq’s uncle. Charles Barkley is another offering on the menu named after the former professional basketball player and Shaq’s broadcasting partner on “Inside the NBA.”
Another business Shaquille O’Neal has an investment in is Auntie Annie’s Pretzels restaurant. He is a franchise owner of 17 Auntie Annie’s Pretzels restaurants. He has been a franchisee since 2010.
While in college, Shaq fell in love with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and made a vow to own a franchise. He eventually became a franchise owner when he was nearly 60 years old. In January this year, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and its partner Shaq announced that construction of a new shop on the site of its historic Ponce de Leon location in Atlanta is ongoing. This comes almost two years after the original shop built about six decades ago was destroyed by arson in February 2021.
The NBA legend also owns several Papa John’s locations in and around Atlanta. Not only that, but he has also been featured in several commercials for the brand. He initially acquired nine locations and later sold the company the right to use his likeness and voice for $8.5 million.
He is also a board member and a brand ambassador for the restaurant franchise.’
Shaquille O’Neal’s business interest is not only limited to the restaurant space. It includes the fitness space. He owns 40 24-hour fitness centers mainly found in the Atlanta area. He became the owner of 150 car washes, a shopping center, a movie theater, and several nightclubs in Las Vegas. He also has a hand in brands like Lyft, JC Penney, Gold Bond, Icy Hot, The General Insurance, and Forever 21.
The Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana today, March 3, 2023, have shown that the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 11.0088 and a selling price of 11.0198.
As compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 11.0090 and a selling price of 11.0200. At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 12.30 and sold at a rate of 12.90.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 13.1390 and a selling price of 13.1532 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 13.2020 and a selling price of 13.2174.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 14.60 and sold at a rate of 15.60.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 11.6729 and a selling price of 11.6835 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 11.7309 and a selling price of 11.7425.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Euro is being bought at a rate of 12.60 and sold at a rate of 13.60.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.6052 and a selling price of 0.6057 as compared to yesterday’s trading of a buying price of 0.6050 and a selling price of 0.6056.
At a forex bureau in Accra, South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.50 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 41.7813 and a selling price of 41.8812 as compared to yesterday’s trading at a buying price of 41.7813 and a selling price of 41.8812.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 41.8392 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 19.00.
Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.
Hoteliers within the Kwahu enclave have been urged to charge moderate rates to avoid a shift in tourism destination for the country.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) made the call at the launch of the 12th National Kwahu Paragliding Festival.
The Kwahu Paragliding event has become an international event that attracts hundreds of tourists and give them memorable experiences.
Seasoned Tandem pilots fly patrons from the Odweanoma Mountain to the Nkawkaw Stadium.
This year’s Paragliding event will take place from Friday, April 7 to Monday, April 10 with Seven Tandem Pilots. Interested patrons who wish to fly must pay GH¢950.00.
But one concern remains hikes in hotel rates.
The Board Chairman of Ghana Tourism Authority, Seth Adjei-Baah, asked hoteliers not to charge prices that may contribute to decline in patronage.
“We would engage the hoteliers to avoid astronomic prices. If the prices are too high, you may scare the tourists. They may change destinations to other regions or country. Attract them with a lower rate, so that you will still stay in business for a longer time. We want to make Kwahu Paragliding the destination of tourism.”
Deputy CEO in-charge of Services at the Authority Benjamin Anane Nsiah noted that poor services by hoteliers and service providers create a gap between the rates they charge and service offered.
“You charge patrons for five-day packages, instead of the usual per day, contributing to a huge amount. In a long term, this may affect patronage.”
He added: “There are different sensitivities to price hikes. Those who are well to do won’t be bothered. But there are some who are price-sensitive and if you keep increasing the hotel rate and there is an equally alternative exciting destination, they would move. In a long run, the high prices wouldn’t do the Kwahu Paragliding destination any good. Be sensitive and reasonable in the pricing and consider the interconnecting value chain.”
The Authority is targeting an increase of tourists from 1 million to 1.3 million this year to various destinations in order to boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
The Paragliding Festival has become an integral part of the Kwahu Easter Festivities and transformed into an international event under the Ghana Tourism Authority of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
A leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Gabby Otchere-Darko, says he is optimistic that the reduction in fuel prices will last longer.
He noted that in December 2022, diesel was sold at GHS23.43 and Petrol for GHS17.42.
As at, March 1, 2023, diesel is selling at GHS 13.49 and Petrol at GHS 13.19.
“A leap of relief for Ghana’s road users. In December 2022, Diesel was sold at GHS23.43 and Petrol for GHS17.42. As at today, March 1, 2023, Diesel is selling at GHS13.49 and Petrol GHS13.19. We hope this is yet another sign that the economy is turning the corner. Long may it last!!” Mr Otchere-Darko said in a tweet.
The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) had earlier predicted that fuel prices were likely to see a decline in the first pricing window of March 2023.
According to COPEC, prices of both petrol and diesel have all declined marginally within the period while crude price has also minimally dropped from $82.99/barrel to $82.48/barrel (-0.61%).
With the international price decreasing from $878.41/MT to $849.25/MT (-3.32%), the retail price works up to GHS13.66/L.
These expected drops in prices for the second time running since the second pricing window of February 2023 do not have any correlation with the much-touted Gold for Oil programme as these movements are simply a derivative of market forces at play within the period, we still await the reductions the two cargoes brought in this month will add to the relieving the suffering of the petroleum consumer”, COPEC said in a statement.
Members of the Ga Traditional Council say they have noted with displeasure the unauthorised construction of a hostel for head porters (Kayayei) in Accra and want same to be stopped.
According to the Ga Traditional Council, the construction of the hostel at Agbogbloshie in Accra Central by ‘unidentified people’ should not proceed under no circumstances.
The Council said in a statement signed by King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, Ga Mantse and President of the Ga Traditional Council, that any person or group that wish to proceed with the hostel project for “Kayayei”, should seek a new site outside the city.
“The Ga Traditional Council under the leadership of its President, Ga Mantse and the people of The Ga State, remain vehemently opposed to this Project,” the statement said.
Below is the full statement
The government has started the construction of what it says would be seven 4-storey hostel facilities to be situated one each in seven municipalities in the Greater Accra Region to accommodate the kayayei, to give them decent accommodation after close of work. This was a major campaign promise by the ruling government.
Officials of the Ga West Municipal Assembly (GWMA) recently cut sod to begin the construction of one of the seven hostels, and is expected to be completed in 18 months.
The beneficiary assemblies are the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (3), and one each at Korle Klottey, Ashaiman, La Nkwantanang and Ayawaso Central.
The GaDangbe Council similarly expressed disapproval of the construction of a hostel in the centre of Accra for kayayei, and said the funds to go into the project would be better channelled into the construction of vocational and technical training institutions to give the kayayei employable skills.
The Right to Information (RTI) Commission has slapped the National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, with a ¢50,000 penalty.
This is contained in a decision of the Commission on a case brought before it by the Fix the Country Convener, Mr. Oliver Barker-Vormawor.
He is additionally directed to release the following pieces of information to Mr. Barker-Vormawor;
“The Report of the investigation committee set up by the Ministry of National Security to investigate a report of arrest of Mr. Caleb Kudah of Citi FM on May 11, 2021, which was referred to in the Statement by the National Security of 20th May, 2021.
The Standard Operating Procedures of the National Security which was referred to in the Statement by the National Security on 20th May, 2021.
The specific aspects of the Standard Operating Procedures of the National Security which were found to have been contravened by Lt. Colonel Frank Agyeman as indicated in the Statement by the National Security of 20th May 2021.
The specific aspects of the Standard Operating Procedures or any other protocols of the Ministry of National Security which require that persons effecting arrest of Ghanaian citizens in Ghana should be masked.
Information indicating which ethics and professional standards guiding the operational duties of the Ministry of National Security require that persons effecting arrests of Ghana citizens should be masked.”
The Commission however says the following should not be released:
“The CCTV recordings of the interrogation of Caleb Kudah of Citi FM pursuant to his arrest on 114 May, 2021.
The CCTV recordings of Mr. Caleb Kudah of Citi FM’s movements in the complex of the National Security prior to his arrest on 114 May, 2021.
The names and ranks of the three Police Officers mentioned in the Statement by the National Security of 20th May 2021.
The names, designations and roles of the individuals who effected the arrest of Mrs. Zoe Abu-Baidoo at the premises of the Citi FM.”
These orders were issued after the Commission found that the actions of the National Security Ministry and the Minister “militates against the right of access to information enshrined under Article 21(1)(f) of the 1992 Constitution…”.
The Fix the Country convener in 2022 wrote to the Ministry requesting the above specified information following widespread news regarding the alleged assault on Caleb Kudah and Zoe Abu Baidoo.
The Ministry did not respond to the application and a review application causing the youth activist to seek the intervention of the commission.
The Commission as part of its probe wrote to the Ministry of National Security asking that it responds to the petition. The Ministry has still not responded. The Commission therefore determined the matter on its own.
From actor Leonardo DiCaprio to martial arts star Jean-Claude Van Damme, some celebrities were once happy to be pictured with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But after the Russian leader launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, many have been eager to distance themselves from him.
Martial artist and actor Van Damme, for example, visited Ukraine last month and was filmed shouting “Glory to Ukraine” alongside Russian soldiers.
In 2007, Van Damme, his daughter, and Putin — also a known martial arts enthusiast — visited an MMA event in St. Petersburg, Russia, together, the Kremlin reported at the time.
Leonardo DiCaprio, who met with Putin in 2010 to discuss the endangerment of the Siberian Tiger, has since donated to humanitarian groups operating in Ukraine.
A month after Russia launched its attack, DiCaprio donated to groups including the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refugees and Save the Children, the Associated Press reported.
Another former showbiz pal, French actor Gérard Depardieu, has since criticised Putin for his “crazy excesses” and was critical of the war.
In 2013, Putin signed an executive order making Depardieu a Russian citizen. The actor wanted to become a Russian citizen to save taxes in France, The New York Times reported.
In a letter to Russian state television at the time, he said: “I love your president, Vladimir Putin, very much and it’s mutual,” according to The Times.
After the war, Depardieu told Agence France-Presse in an interview: “Russia and Ukraine have always been brother countries. I am against this fratricidal war.”
“I say, ‘Stop the weapons and negotiate,’” he added.
In March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, French media reported that Depardieu became a citizen of the United Arab Emirates. It is unclear when exactly this occurred.
In 2003, the Beatles frontman Paul McCartney visited the Kremlin to perform for Putin. Since the war, he’s shown his solidarity with Ukraine.
In April last year, McCartney waved the Ukrainian flag as he kicked off his 2022 world tour in Spokane, Washington, MailOnline reported.
In 2001, actor Jack Nicholson reportedly offered Putin a film producer role in a future film after the Russian leader said he loved his movie “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Nicholson has since come out in support of Ukraine.
In a video posted several months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Nicholson was seen holding up a rock with the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
However, some A-listers have decided to stay loyal, even if they might not fully agree with the war in Ukraine.
The caption said: “We are with the people of Ukraine.”
Arguably his most public supporter is the Hollywood actor Steven Seagal, who also became a Russian citizen in 2016 after Putin personally gave him his passport.
Seagal and Putin are long-time friends.
The actor previously backed the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and is also in support of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
In February, Putin awarded him the Order of Friendship award for his “international humanitarian and cultural work,” Reuters reported.
Seagal, who is 70 years old, is known for his appearances in several Hollywood action films, including “The Patriot” and “Above the Law.”
In 2017, Ukraine banned Seagal from entering the country on national security grounds, The Guardian reported.
Roger Waters, the co-founder of the rock band Pink Floyd, addressed the UN security council at Russia’s invitation last month.
In his speech to the UN security council on February 8, he called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
“The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation was illegal. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” he said. “Also, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was not unprovoked, so I also condemn the provocateurs in the strongest possible terms.”
In another interview with the Berliner Zeitung in February, Waters said Putin “governs carefully, making decisions on the grounds of a consensus in the Russian Federation government.”
After his comments, Polly Samson, the wife of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, called Waters a “Putin apologist,” The Guardian reported.
A week before Russia’s invasion, Waters told Russia Today that talk of any attack was “bullshit” and “propaganda demonizing Russia.”
In October last year, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi boasted about his friendship with Putin and said the Russian leader sent him 20 bottles of vodka and a “very sweet letter” for his birthday.
In a secret recording, published in October by LaPresse, Berlusconi can be heard telling lawmakers during a parliamentary meeting about his “re-established” relationship with Putin.
In the audio clip, which his office confirmed was authentic, he boasts that the Russian leader called him “the first of his five true friends.”
Berlusconi has also blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the war in Ukraine telling Italian media last month that Zelenskyy could have stopped the war.
“I judge, very, very negatively the behavior of this gentleman,” Berlusconi added.
Berlusconi, who was Italy’s prime minister for close to a decade, is now a senator and heads the conservative party Forza Italia.
But Berlusconi has previously also condemned the war and admitted in April last year that he was “deeply disappointed and saddened” by the behavior of the Russian leader.
The former chief executive of the Formula 1 Group and billionaire Bernard Ecclestone said he would “take a bullet” for Putin last summer.
“Unfortunately he’s like a lot of business people, certainly like me, that we make mistakes from time to time and when you make the mistake, you have to do the best you can to get out of it,” Ecclestone told Good Morning Britain in June 2022.
Ecclestone also criticized Zelenskyy and argued that the Ukrainian leader wasn’t making a “big enough effort” to discuss a peace plan and described Putin as a “sensible person.”
“The other person in Ukraine, his profession I understand, used to be a comedian, and I think it seems that he wants to continue that profession,” Ecclestone said of Zelenskyy.
After his comments prompted a backlash, Ecclestone apologized, telling Sky Sports: “Often people, I think, come out and say things or do things without really too much thinking. Probably I did the same, and I can understand people thinking I’m defending what he’s done in Ukraine, which I don’t.”
He added: “I was brought up during the war, the last war, so I know what it’s like. And I feel sorry for the people in Ukraine having to suffer for something they haven’t done. They’ve done nothing wrong.”
Teresa Gray, a nurse, was playing a board game with her kids at home in Anchorage, Alaska when she learned about the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on February 6.
She went into action despite being more than 5,500 miles away from the incident.
Small teams of volunteer doctors are dispatched to humanitarian situations all around the world by Gray’s charity organization, Mobile Medics International.
Within the initial several days, they are often on the ground to assist.
Since 2017, Gray and her group have responded to dozens of disasters, providing free medical care and comfort to more than 30,000 people on five continents. Last year, she was honored as a Top 10 CNN Hero for her work.
By February 7, Gray had received permission from Turkey’s Ministry of Health to join the relief efforts, and she flew out early the next morning.
“It’s pretty frantic leading up to a mission,” Gray told CNN as she made final preparations to travel. “We like to get in as soon as possible. So, we’ll be on the ground about 72 hours post-earthquake.”
She packed up supplies to help hundreds of patients, ranging from trauma dressings to antibiotics to acetaminophen. She also prepared the equipment her team would need to be self-sustaining in freezing winter conditions.
“The buildings have been substantially damaged, so you can’t stay inside, it’s too dangerous,” she said. “We’re going to be sleeping in a tent, eating MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) … This is not going to be a good time.”
Gray also did a video call to touch base with her team, which included a paramedic from London, a doctor from Malaysia, and a nurse anesthetist from Missouri. It was a hectic time for Gray, who says she gets “hyper-focused” before each mission, trying to anticipate problems that might arise.
“We need to find a safe place to be. What if somebody forgot their sleeping bag? We don’t speak the language, so I need to find some interpreters,” she said. “These are the things that run through my mind as I’m getting ready to go to the airport.”
After an epic journey through Seattle and New York, Gray finally landed in Turkey late on February 9 and met up with her team. They made their way to Hatay Province and once there, began doing mobile clinics on the streets of Samandag.
For Gray, the destruction she saw was difficult to comprehend.
“Just the total amount of annihilation … this is probably the most devastation that I have ever seen on any mission that we’ve been on,” she said.
Since so many structures were unstable, the government had mandated that all families must sleep outside in tents. In a cell phone video made on Valentine’s Day, Gray described how she and her group would go street to street, stopping at tents to offer their help. She reported treating people for earthquake injuries, including a girl who had been trapped in the rubble for more than 12 hours, as well as sicknesses like the flu that had been exacerbated by the living conditions.
“Whatever they need us to look at, we will,” she said. “Then we go back, sleep in our car. Get up the next morning and do it again.”
They treated hundreds of people during their 10-day mission, Gray said. One of their interpreters, a high school teacher who they called K.T., became an essential part of their team. In a cell phone video, K.T. told Gray what the people they were helping had said to her.
“They told me, ‘Say them (sic) thank you. It’s really good for us because … we can’t see any doctor, we can’t go any hospital,” K.T. said.
K.T. had also suffered a great deal. Two of her students had been killed in the earthquake, and the school where she taught had been destroyed. She and most of her extended family – a total of 15 people – lost their homes and were forced to take refuge in a greenhouse on their property.
Despite their own hardship, K.T.’s family adopted Gray’s group as their own, Gray said – letting them stay on their property, making them tea and coffee, and sharing meals with them. Their generosity served as another reminder that, even in desperate times, humanity shines through.
On February 19, Gray got back to Alaska. When a 6.3 magnitude aftershock hit Turkey the next day, she immediately reached out to K.T. and others she befriended on her journey to make sure they were all okay. She’s working to send another team of volunteers very soon.
Tickets for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool will go on sale on Tuesday 7 March, the BBC has announced.
Fans will be able to pay to attend nine shows – two live semi-finals and the grand final, as well as six previews doubling up as dress rehearsals.
Prices range from £90 to £290 for the live semi-finals and £160 to £380 for the live grand final.
Full details have been exclusively revealed on the BBC podcast Eurovisioncast.
Last week it was announced 3,000 Ukrainians living in the UK on three visa programmes – Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Extension Scheme and Ukraine Families Scheme – will be able to enter into a ballot for a ticket.
The cost will be subsidised by the government but there will be a £20 charge per sale.
Tickets will be made available from 12:00 GMT.
An account must be registered on Ticketmaster UK – regardless of the country tickets are being purchased in.
Only tickets for one show at a time can be purchased by users.
Prices range from £90 to £290 for the live semi-finals and from £160 to £380 for the live grand final.
Preview shows range from £30 to £280.
A preview show is a full run-through of the TV broadcast that doubles up as a production rehearsal where the acts perform live in the arena.
There are six preview shows and three live shows.
There’s a fee for competing broadcasters to take part (more on that later) and a handful of countries, known as the big five (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK), automatically get a place in the final because they pay a higher entry fee.
Ukraine, this year, also qualifies without participating in the knock-out stages because it won in 2022.
The remaining 31 acts will sing in two semi-finals – on Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 May.
There will be 10 songs from each of the two qualifying rounds go through to the final where 26 artists will perform on Saturday 13 May.
The city of Liverpool has announced multiple events around this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
There will be a two-week festival taking place, including a submarine parade and a rave which will take place simultaneously in Kyiv as well.
Close to the M&S Bank Arena will be the Eurovision village, the official fan zone of the contest for 25,000 people.
During the televised live shows, fans will be able to watch both semi-finals and the final on big screens there.
It’s also where some of the acts will perform on stage across the week.
There will also be coverage across the BBC.
The UK government has put forward £10m towards the cost of hosting the song contest for things like security and visa arrangements.
It says the vast majority will be spent on “showcasing Ukrainian culture” but wouldn’t give further details. In comparison, the Italian government didn’t pay anything towards the event last year.Media caption,
The rundown on the 2023 contest in 50 seconds
The bulk of the cost will fall to the BBC which is expected to put forward between £8m and £17m as host broadcaster.
The 37 broadcasters taking part all pay a fee to enter, which in recent years has totalled a combined sum of about £5m. The BBC does not make its contribution public.
The return of Kratos and his son Atreus to the PlayStation has received the most nominations for the 2023 Bafta Games Awards.
God of War: Ragnarok, which sees players battle with Norse gods, is in the running to win 14 of the famous golden masks.
Cat simulator and underground success story Stray is nominated eight times.
Dark fantasy role playing epic Elden Ring, which won big at The Game Awards, is nominated seven times.
The awards are one of the most prestigious nights in the calendar for the gaming industry.
God of War: Ragnarok is the follow-up to the Bafta-winning God of War, and has become the most-nominated game since these awards began in 2004.
Leading in the number of nominations doesn’t necessarily mean success on the night, however. In 2020 mysterious adventure game Control was nominated 11 times and picked up one solitary golden mask.
The game could win in categories ranging from best animation to best game. The title was praised by critics and fans for the performances of the actors, and many of the title’s nominations come in the performer categories.
Nominations for the second year running went to Christopher Judge, who plays lead character Kratos, Sunny Suljic who performs as his son Atreus and Danielle Bisutti who plays the goddess Fryea.
A Plague Tale: Requiem is nominated five times, as is PlayStation exclusive Horizon Forbidden West, along with the charming (yet exceedingly difficult) independent game Tunic.
These awards have often thrown up a surprise or two, like when Zelda was beaten to best game in 2018 by What Remains of Edit Finch.
Titles with unorthodox mechanics, stories or gameplay, and games that many may not have heard of, let alone played, can do well – such as 2020’s Untitled Goose Game. It was an experience which centred around a disgruntled goose, and was nominated four times.
This year it’s Stray, a cat simulator where players work with robots to solve mysteries and puzzles in a dangerous city, which is competing with the big blockbuster releases.
Those who keep up to date with the twist and turns of the games industry on social media won’t be too surprised, given the game’s release in July 2022 was accompanied with lots of buzz and positive reaction.
Speaking to the BBC before the nominations were announced, Bafta CEO Jane Millichip said that the awards were an important platform to raise awareness of the industry to the broader public.
She hopes they can show that working in games is an option for anyone, saying: “Our charity work, whether focused on talent and skills development, bursaries and scholarships feed into the awards.
“The awards can elevate all that work, and enable us to provide the inspiration for new people to join the industry and put games in front of more people. Whether it’s monster commercial games like God of War or Elden Ring, or all of the games nominated in the debut game category.”
She added that they wanted to “help level the playing field for people who come from backgrounds who might find barriers to entry”, and said: “It’s as important for us to do that in gaming as it is in film and television.”
For Tara Saunders, Chair of the Bafta Games Committee, the awards help “validate gaming as a serious career choice.”
“The industry has a perception issue when it comes to career advisers in schools, or with parents,” she said.
“Not enough is known about it, but the fact that Bafta host the awards, and people who love games can see that then there’s a lot of future talent learning that you can have a career in games. They will see that Bafta spotlight and it will bring them through. It has been a historical issue.”
UK games studio Creative Assembly, famous for making the grand strategy franchise Total War, has earned its 16th nomination for its work on the series. Total War: Warhammer 3 is up for best British game.
The Evolving Game category often contains some of the industry’s biggest names, games that are constantly updated and tweaked. Titles like Apex Legends, Forza Horizons 5, Dreams and No Man’s Sky have also been nominated.
One category that isn’t decided by a panel of experts is the EE Game of the Year. First awarded in 2021, it is the only category at the awards to be voted for by members of the public. Some have already made their choice between Elden Ring, God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon: Forbidden West, Immortality, Marvel Snap and Stray.
Days after Kherson was liberated, Ihor, 29, was standing outside a Russian jail facility and trembled as he thought back to his experiences there.
Ihor, who requested that CNN not use his last name for his protection, claimed that during the 11 days he was detained in this location, he frequently heard screaming coming from the basement.
“They used a taser to stab me in the legs as a welcome,” the victim said.
Two of them began punching me in the ribs after one of them inquired as to why I had been brought in.
They were “tortured,” he continued, “they were beaten with sticks in the arms and legs, cattle prods, even hooked up to batteries and shocked or waterboarded with water.”
Kherson was the first large city and only regional capital Russian troops have able to occupy since the start of the invasion. Moscow’s armies took over the city on March 2, 2022, and occupied it for several months before being forced to withdraw in early November, after a months-long offensive by Ukrainian forces.
The detention center Ihor was held in was part of a network of at least 20 facilities that Ukrainian and international lawyers said was part of a calculated Russian strategy to extinguish Ukrainian identity.
“These detention centers are linked, they follow a very similar, if not identical way of behaving,” Wayne Jordash, head of the Mobile Justice Team, a collective of international investigators supporting Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General, told CNN.
The investigation found that Russian forces followed a very specific blueprint in several occupied areas, with clear patterns that point to the overarching plan of Moscow’s occupation of Ukraine.
“The first stage, essentially, is to detain and, in many instances, kill a category of people labeled as ‘leaders,’ i.e. those who could physically resist the occupation, but also those who could culturally resist it,” Jordash said.
“The second stage is a sort of filtration process where the population that remains outside of the detention centers is subject to constant monitoring and filtration so that anyone who’s suspected of being involved with ‘leaders’ or been involved with organizing any type of resistance is also then identified and either deported to Russia or detained in the detention centers and tortured.”
Jordash said these methods were employed not just in Kherson but in other areas occupied by Russian forces, such as the Kyiv suburbs of Bucha and Borodianka. However, he added, the lengthy occupation of Kherson allowed Russian forces to go even further.
“The third stage [is] the extinguishing of permanent identity,” he said. This can include removing the Ukrainian curriculum from schools, and confiscating objects considered to be pro-Ukrainian such as flags or t-shirts in the country’s colors “Essentially the population [is] locked down so that all traces of Ukrainian identity can be removed,” he explained.
Ihor’s account of the torture he was subjected to while he was detained matches the findings of the Mobile Justice Team and the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s office. The type of behavior he said he was forced to adopt also lines up with the overarching efforts to eradicate Ukrainian identity described by Jordash.
“We were forced to learn [the] Russian anthem. If you wanted to have a cigarette or a candy you had to sing their anthem,” Ihor said when he took CNN to the center he was held at, on November 23, 2022. “When they opened the door you had to shout, ‘Glory to Russia! Glory to Putin! Glory to Shoigu!’” Sergei Shoigu is Russian defense minister.
“We were beaten if we didn’t do this,” Ihor added.
He wasn’t alone. Another detainee CNN spoke with, Archie, who also did not want us to reveal his last name over security concerns, said he was tortured at the same facility.
“They beat me, electrocuted me, kicked me and beat me with batons,” Archie, 20 recalled. “I can’t say they starved me, but they didn’t give much to eat.” Archie said he was lucky enough to be let go after nine days and after being forced to record a video saying he’d agreed to work with the Russian occupiers.
Ukrainian and International investigators also said they discovered financial links connecting these detention centers to the Russian state.
“Those detention centers have financial links to the Russian state,” Jordash said, citing documents uncovered by the investigators. “These financial documents, they show that the civilian administration is being financed from Russia and the civilian administration is financing the detention centers, so you have very clear patterns and very clear links.”
CNN has not been able to independently review the documents cited by the investigation.
Jordash said these are just the preliminary results of the investigation, explaining that more evidence of Russian war crimes is still being uncovered and processed.
He also said the newly released findings are a helpful indicator of what is happening in the territories currently occupied by Russia, or of what would have happen should Moscow succeed in completely taking over Ukraine.
“For me, what is interesting about Kherson is you really see the microcosm of the overall criminal plan, what would have happened to [the rest of] Ukraine” he explained. “What’s horrifying, as much as the torture …= is the thought of what would have happened, had Russia managed to be successful in its occupation of vast areas of of Ukraine.”
For Jordash, a larger Russian occupation would have lead to an “unprecedented” number of detentions, as well as cases of torture and killings.
“This criminal plan which involves the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity, at its very core, you see this moving to a more final, destructive phase, which seems to suggest that absent success in the original plan the plan turns into one of physical destruction, more deaths, more destruction, and potentially genocidal intent,” he said.
CNN reached out to the Russian government for comment on the accusations put forward by Ukrainian and international investigators but has yet to hear back. Russia has repeatedly denied any and all accusations that it has committed war crimes during what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Despite Moscow’s denials, CNN teams on the ground witnessed the brutal results of Russian occupation not just of Kherson but also places like Bucha, Irpin and Borodianka, uncovering evidence of torture, and indiscriminate killing of ordinary civilians. In January, Human Rights Watch accused Moscow of a “litany of violations of international humanitarian law,” and earlier in the week, UN Secretary General António Guterres said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had triggered “the most massive violations of human rights we are living [through] today.”
“It has unleashed widespread death, destruction and displacement,” Guterres continued.
Pulp bassist Steve Mackey has died at the age of 56, his family has confirmed.
The Sheffield musician played on hits including Common People, Disco 2000 and Lipgloss, after joining Pulp in 1989.
His wife Katie posted a message to social media on Thursday, saying he had been in hospital for the past three months with an undisclosed illness.
“We are shocked and devastated to have said goodbye to my brilliant, beautiful husband,” she added.
“Steve was the most talented man I knew, an exceptional musician, producer, photographer and filmmaker.
“As in life, he was adored by everyone whose paths he crossed in the multiple creative disciplines he conquered.
“I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the NHS staff who worked tirelessly for Steve. He will be missed beyond words.”
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Pulp posted their own tribute shortly afterwards, informing fans that their “beloved” bass player had passed away on Thursday morning.
They shared a photograph of the musician from their 2012 tour, spending a day off in the snow-capped Andes.
“We had a day off and Steve suggested we go climbing,” the band said. “So we did and it was a completely magical experience.
“Far more magical than staring at the hotel wall all day (which is probably what we’d have done otherwise).
“Steve made things happen, in his life and in the band. We’d very much like to think that he’s back in those mountains now, on the next stage of his adventure.”
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Rock band Arcade Fire also paid tribute, posting: “Steve you were one of the most beautiful people we’ve ever met, a true friend. Thank you for letting us spend time in your presence, and for believing in the spirit of music with such ferocity.”
Singer MIA described him as a “great mentor”, adding: “Forever glad to have worked with you and thank you.”
Pulp are due to go back on tour this summer for a series of reunion shows.
Mackey chose not to take part in the concerts, telling fans he had decided to concentrate on his “music, filmmaking and photography projects” instead.
Massive Attack, another British act who enjoyed success in the 1990s, paid tribute by sharing a black and white image of Mackey, while quoting a lyric from his band’s track Sorted For E’s & Wizz.
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The musician was born in Sheffield in 1966, and attended school with another Pulp alumnus, Richard Hawley.
He joined the band in 1989 – a decade into its career – and first appeared on their third album Separations.
After signing to Island Records in the early 1990s, the band hit the big time with classic albums including His ‘N’ Hers and Different Class, with frontman Jarvis Cocker becoming one of the most beloved characters of the Britpop era.
Speaking to Pulp’s official website in 1996, Mackey said he’d enjoyed the rollercoaster ride of fame.
“I think if you are in a band that are popular then you might as well enjoy it.” he said.
“That’s what we always wanted to do and I don’t think there is anything wrong with being silly. You’d be throwing away a bit of a golden opportunity – you might as well be a librarian all of your life.”
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After the band went on hiatus in 2002, Mackey co-wrote and produced songs for artists including MIA (Galang, Sunshowers), Florence + The Machine (Kiss With A Fist) and Arcade Fire (Everything Now).
He also played a cameo in the 2005 film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as one of The Weird Sisters – a rock band that also featured Jarvis Cocker and Radiohead musicians Jonny Greenwood and Phil Selway.
Advertising and art fairs
Pulp are scheduled to play a string of festivals in summer 2023, including Isle of Wight, Latitude and Trnsmt.
He also photographed and directed campaign images and motion advertising for many leading brands including Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs and Armani.
Mackey teamed up with Pulp again for their 2012 reunion; and also co-curated London’s Frieze Art Fair for a number of years in the 2000s.
He married stylist and magazine founder, Katie Grand, in 2009. Mackey also leaves a son, Marley, who was born in 1996.
One of the greatest jazz saxophonists, Wayne Shorter, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 89.
A well-known figure on the jazz circuit in the late 1950s, Shorter is credited with shaping much of 20th Century jazz music.
The 12-time Grammy award winner played alongside several greats, including Miles Davis, Carlos Santana and Herbie Hancock.
He died surrounded by his family on Thursday, his publicist confirmed.
Tributes that poured in from social media shared a common sentiment: gone, but not forgotten.
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In the 1950s, he played with the Jazz Messengers among the likes of Blakey, Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard, eventually becoming the group’s musical director.
But in 1964 he was swooped away after several attempts by jazz legend Miles Davis to become part of Davis’ First Great Quintet. It was there he played alongside the prolific pianist Hancock.
Shorter had also released solo albums as early as 1959, including the acclaimed Speak No Evil, Night Dreamer and JuJu.
Recording solo albums gave him more creative freedom. He began fusing jazz with rock and Latin music, birthing the sounds admired in his next musical group Weather Report.
Adding funk and R&B grooves, in 1977 Shorter’s Heavy Weather album went platinum and reached the US top 30 charts. He also played with the Rolling Stones that year on their album Brides to Babylon.
He re-united with Davis – as well as Hubbard and Hancock – in the Second Great Quartet in the late 70s and recorded the 1994 Grammy-winning album A Tribute to Miles, following Davis’ death.
Wayne Shorter was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1933, and initially played the clarinet at age 15. Soon after he moved on to tenor and soprano on saxophone and studied music at university before spending two years in the US Army.
Among the dozen Grammy awards he won, Shorter received a Lifetime Achievement award in 2015.
It sends a strong message to “would-be aggressors worldwide,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday during a discussion on the fringes of the G20 conference, that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and the support pouring into Kiev.
“Part of the reason countries way beyond Europe are also so concerned on this and are working to support Ukraine and deal with the difficulty is because they realize it might have effect here,” Blinken said, speaking in New Delhi.
He continued, “If we allow Russia to act as it is in Ukraine with impunity, that sends a message to would-be aggressors everywhere that they would be able to get away with it too.
The comments came as Blinken met with his counterparts from India, Japan and Australia – a grouping known as the “Quad,” or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.
The Quad is an informal group focused on security that dates back to the early 2000s, though it has become more active in recent years as part of efforts to counter China’s reach and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific.
Blinken added that the challenges faced by people around the world cannot be dealt with by “any one country acting alone.”
“The great power of the Quad is you have four like-minded countries, united in their basic values, united in their basic interests, bringing different strengths, experiences, different comparative ways to tackle these problems,” he said.
Though he didn’t specify any “would-be aggressors,” he made several veiled references, saying the Quad is working on increasing countries’ maritime domain awareness – meaning greater surveillance on things happening in their waters – and tamping down on illegal fishing.
Top US officials have previously called out China for illegal fishing operations that “plunder the region’s provisions,” and accused Beijing’s “maritime militias” of intimidating and harassing Indo-Pacific countries.
China has established the world’s largest naval force, built heavily-fortified islands in the South China Sea, and maintains a large presence of coast guard and fishing vessels in the disputed waters – frequently stoking tensions with its neighbors, and prompting promises from the US to stand by its partners in the region.
The Quad ministers reiterated the point in a joint statement on Friday, expressing “serious concern at the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities.”
Though sometimes dubbed by critics as an “Asian NATO,” the Quad is not a formal military alliance – rather, it’s an informal strategic forum, featuring semi-regular summits, information exchanges and military drills.
It does not have the same kind of military agreements seen in NATO, like the concept of collective defense, where an attack on one member is viewed as an attack on all.
Quad members cooperate across various fields including Covid-19 and natural disasters, climate change and sustainability.
But security and the goal of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” are key focuses – and the Quad has increasingly been seen as a counterweight to China’s influence, with all four nations experiencing turbulent relations with Beijing in recent years.
The strategic location of each of the Quad nations – at different corners of the Indo-Pacific and with China in between them – has rattled Beijing, which fears the potential for military encirclement. It has condemned the bloc as an anti-China “clique” that is emblematic of a “poisonous” Cold War mentality.
The joint statement on Friday also touched on other regional and international issues, such as the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar following the military’s bloody coup two years ago, North Korea’s nuclear threat and increasingly aggressive missile testing, and the “inadmissible” threat of using nuclear weapons regarding the war in Ukraine.
Talented Ghanaian actress and filmmaker Fella Makafui has shown that she is very talented even on the dancefloor.
She visited the dance studio of famous dancer @demzy_baye as he taught her a few moves to make her a dance guru in his field.
Dressed in a yellow sleeveless bralette and a stretchy and fitting white and blue camouflage pair of leggings, Fella Makafui shared the final video of when she had picked up the steps.
Impressed with how accurate she delivered, Demzy began to cheer her on as she freestyled towards the end of the video.
The video has got many people admiring how Fella Makafui is willing to try new activities.
Some fans also hinted that she would take over the job of dancers who would feature in the music videos of her husband and rapper, Medikal.
Check the moves below.
I love endurance:
hmmm pls I want to say something in endurance grand Twi but it’s not coming……..
Richwell Brefo:
medikal is typing…….. Endurance is typing…… Championrolle left. Afronita is cooking
princessgal:
Demzy be careful ooo
Sunday:
The space centimeters are fine
Yaababy ❤️:
Der video is so nice…..I watched it lyk 10 times❤️❤️
Paulina Ntiriwaa:
Eeii thank God today di33 I’m here early. I just like the way @demzy_baye is being careful not to touch Fella
Cleo:
The legwork de3 @erkuahofficial is good
Nana Akua Kekeli confidence:
This is a whole VIBE❤️❤️
pincy Emryn:
ahah dis is a big insult to endurance @endurancegrand small nyash nor dey shake oo