Euphoria features a talented cast of young rising stars, but the reality is Zendaya, who plays the notoriously unreliable narrator Rue Bennett, is the sun in the Euphoria universe, and as such, new reports indicate she’s being paid accordingly for the new season.
In a reader mailbag column for his Hollywood-centric newsletter, Puck’s Matthew Belloni reported on some of the most staggering TV salaries, including this gem: Zendaya—who has won the Outstanding Lead Actress Emmy for both seasons of Euphoria— “just closed a big re-negotiation” that puts her per episode salary in the Friends neighbourhood of $1 million per episode.
Zendaya became an executive producer on the show for its second season, making her the youngest person ever to receive an Emmy nomination for producing at the age of 25, which followed a historic win in 2020 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Michael Buckner for Variety
Despite frequently mixed reactions to the series, the quality of her acting has been a point of consensus among fans and critics.
The payment of Euphoria’s stars has been oft-discussed, especially since a 2022 Hollywood Reporter profile where Sydney Sweeney said, “They don’t pay actors like they used to, and with streamers, you no longer get residuals. The established stars still get paid, but I have to give 5 per cent to my lawyer, 10 per cent to my agents, 3 per cent or something like that to my business manager. I have to pay my publicist every month, and that’s more than my mortgage.”
Belloni also listed a handful of other A-listers with seven-figure television salaries, including Michael Keaton on Dopesick, Jason Sudeikis on Ted Lasso, and Elisabeth Moss on Shining Girls, while positing that the highest-paid TV actor right now is John Krasinski on Jack Ryan. (Krasinski’s alleged $2 million per episode also factors in his executive producer role, and Belloni does write that figuring out these salaries “is an inexact science.”)
Obviously, Zendaya’s salary is so high because of both her Emmy wins, as well as her thriving career outside of Euphoria.
She’s a key part of two major Hollywood franchises in Marvel’s Spider-Man and Dune, the latter of which will see its second instalment released this November.
Zendaya (VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images)
Euphoria has been one of HBO’s biggest hits, and it’s unlikely the series will end with its third season. In a Hollywood Reporter interview, Zendaya said she hopes the show will explore the lives of its core characters after they graduate and move into college and/or young adulthood.
“I think it’ll be exciting to explore the characters out of high school. I want to see what Rue looks like in her sobriety journey, how chaotic that might look. But also with all the characters, in the sense where they’re trying to figure out what to do with their lives when high school is over and what kind of people they want to be,” she said.
Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson‘s first baby has arrived!
The actress gave birth to a son, which they’ve named Leodis Andrellton Jackson (lovingly nicknamed Leo), on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Taking to social media on Monday, the actress revealed the amazing news, sharing a glimpse into her and Jackson’s life as first-time parents.
Palmer gave birth on Saturday, Feb. 25 Instagram/kekeShe and Jackson posed for the camera after 48 hours “of being parents.” Instagram/keke
Fans were first met with a photo of the couple after “only 48 hours of being parents,” as well as video of the two of them jamming out to “Someone” by El Debarge.
“We became each other’s someone and made a someone, look at God!” Palmer explained in her post.
The actress also shared intimate photos of them holding their son, as well as solo shots of baby Leo.
“I’m not hiding the world from my son, I’m hiding my son from the world,” she captioned the picture.
The actress had a son. Instagram/kekeThey named him Leodis Andrellton Jackson (lovingly nicknamed Leo). Instagram/keke
Palmer, 29, confirmed pregnancy rumors during her “Saturday Night Live” monologue in December.
“I want to set the record straight — I am [pregnant],” the former Disney Channel star told viewers, gushing about how “beyond blessed” she felt to be starting family.
“I am so excited, guys,” she added. “I’m gonna be a mom!”
Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson welcomed their first baby.
Although Palmer and Jackson mostly keep their relationship out of the public eye, the fitness instructor did hint at his girlfriend’s due date.
The actress debuted her baby bump in December. Will Heath/NBC via Getty Images
“2023,” he captioned photos of the “Nope” star’s budding belly via his Instagram Stories at the time.
Prior to her pregnancy, Palmer spoke to Ricky Smiley about wanting to have kids “at some point” in her life.
“I don’t want to have kids too later on because I definitely want to be able to get that snap back,” she explained during an August 2019 interview. “But at the same time, I don’t really want to have a kid just yet.”
She did, however, note that the “clock [was] ticking.”
Palmer and Jackson began dating in 2021. NBAE via Getty Images
The following year, the “True Jackson VP” alum was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is a hormonal disorder that can be characterized by excess hair growth, obesity and infertility.
Palmer wrote via Instagram in December 2020 that PCOS had been “attacking” her body her entire life, linking it to her acne struggles.
“My acne has been so bad that people in my field offered to pay for me to get it fixed,” she told her followers. “I tried EVERYTHING. I did all that, I ate all the ‘right’ things, my blood tests were fine.
“It took ME taking a personal look into my family that has a history of diabetes and obesity to understand what was ACTUALLY happening with me,” Palmer concluded, telling those suffering that they are “not alone” and “f–king fine.”
The “Akeelah and the Bee” star often hits back at social media trolls criticizing her skin, clapping back at haters calling her “ugly” in December.
“I’m beautiful in real life, because of who I am, not what I look like,” she tweeted. “Truly it’s insane to say anyone is ugly, but especially me.”
One of the most vibrant Ga musicians in modern times, King Jerry, has disclosed why he wouldn’t work on a joint project with Gasmilla.
Explaining his decision on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, King Jerry said he started music before Gasmilla, Nii Funny and Luta, so if he has to feature any artiste it should be one that is bigger than him.
“I just don’t wan do collaboration with am. Right now If I go do collobration, [it should be] big artiste koraa,” he said in Pidgin English.
According to him, there are only two Ga artistes who are his seniors on the Ga music scene: Drinkables and Fresh Page.
“I be bigger koraa. Right now where I dey? E no be say we dey do challenge or something but right now me too I dey der. I dey inside before they come wey right now, I still dey inside,” he added.
He further noted that he has “a lot of problems” with Gasmilla.
he had supported Gasmilla in the past but he did not reciprocate the support
“The boys wey dem dey Ga if dem blow, I dey show them love. As Gasmilla he dey hit, I dey support am. He dey do clean up exercise, I dey support am from Ga, Osu, Teshie Nungua, Labadi,” he said.
King Jerry went ahead to say he even featured on three songs on Gasmilla’s first album but when he also needed the ‘3 Points’ hit maker for just a song, he gave him excuses.
He is known for songs such as ‘Obaa Gbo Shi’, ‘Shika Tsofani’, Anyemi, among others.
Skrewfaze, a musician from Ghana originally named Jehoshaphat Kwabena Eshun, has narrated a tale of how he was almost being poisoned three days ago.
In an interview with Andy Dosty on Hitz FM on Monday, February 27, 2023, the “Gbalagazaa” hitmaker revealed that four unidentified males he met at a bar planned to kill him.
He claimed that the incident took place after he left the joint to get a drink after leaving to play basketball.
“I went to play basketball, so after I finished, I went to buy a drink from a joint and I’m that solo type. I’d like to sit alone and do my thing. So I was in my nose mask to prevent people for making me out, I just bought my drink,” he said.
He went on to say that he heard four males calling his name just as he had poured roughly half of the drink [into the glass].
As the guys complimented him and his music extensively, Skrewfaze claimed that he overheard some of them fighting with a khebab vendor behind him.
“When I turned back to see what was going on, as soon as I turned and I came back again I could see they had put something in my drink,” he said.
Media personality Nana Aba Anamoah has opened up about her most undesirable characteristics of a man she would rather not date.
According to the General Manager of GHOne, any man who is a foodie who will always leave her kitchen and fridge empty is also a red flag she will never ignore.
“There are people who will just sit down and consume a big loaf of bread because it’s in front of them… It’s a serious thing.
“You must eat in moderate portions don’t sit down and consume three balls of kenkey it’s a red flag for me because this person you’ll cook every time,” Anamaoh laid out her specs during an appearance on Joy FM on “Red Flags in Relationships.
“A man who expects you to do things he sees on adult websites is a very serious red flag. You can never satisfy such a person” she added.
An understanding wife has used social media as a medium to search for a side chic for her husband.
According to her, one woman is not enough for a man, and she would be glad to share her marital responsibilities with another woman.
In her search, she mentioned the specifications that best suited what her husband would want and look for in a side chic.
She implied that the lucky lady must be thick and open-minded because those are the qualities her husband would greatly appreciate before deciding to make her his side chic.
She further added that she would be ready to partake in a threesome together, and the lady would take up the role of the wife whenever she was out of town.
“I want a lady for my man.” She should be thick and open-minded. We will have trips together and threesomes, and she will take over whenever I am not around.
Maintaining a healthy and happy relationship requires effort and commitment from both partners.
However, some common behaviours can lead to serious consequences and even ruin the relationship.
In this article, we will discuss three serious things that couples do that can damage their relationship and provide insights on how to avoid them.
Communication breakdown: A couple’s relationship can be severely damaged when communication breaks down. Couples need to communicate effectively, sharing their thoughts, feelings, and needs with one another.
Without effective communication, misunderstandings and hurt feelings can occur, leading to dissatisfaction in the relationship. Bottling up one’s emotions can have explosive consequences. When a partner can no longer hold on to their issues, they may explode in ways that can either end the relationship or make it stronger.
To prevent this, it’s crucial to create an environment in which partners can open up and share their doubts and worries. By doing so, they can strengthen their relationship and deepen their bond.
Lack of trust: Trust is a crucial element in any healthy relationship, and its absence can cause significant damage. Betrayals, such as lying or cheating, can trigger feelings of anger, resentment, and mistrust, ultimately leading to the relationship’s demise.
Effective communication is key to maintaining the trust and preventing betrayal in a relationship. It’s essential to avoid giving your partner any reason to doubt you, such as hiding your phone when they’re nearby. Such behaviour can raise suspicion and damage trust.
Additionally, it’s important to avoid closing yourself off to your partner when you’re dealing with issues. Instead, communicate with your partner and work through the problems together. By doing so, you can strengthen your bond and build a more solid foundation of trust.
Neglecting the relationship: Inattentiveness is a serious threat to the success of any romantic relationship. Neglecting the bond between two people can manifest in a variety of ways, including insufficient quality time, disregard for each other’s desires, or becoming content and assuming the relationship will remain as is.
If couples allow their relationship to fall into neglect, they may be unwittingly signing their death warrant. It is crucial to prioritize and invest in the relationship to keep it alive and thriving and to ensure a future together.
Finally, a breakdown in communication, a lack of trust, and neglecting the relationship are three serious issues that can destroy a couple’s relationship. Couples must recognize these issues early on and take proactive steps to address them before they escalate.
Maintaining open and honest communication, building and maintaining trust, and consistently prioritizing the relationship are key to fostering a healthy and long-lasting partnership. By being aware of these potential pitfalls, couples can take action to keep their relationship strong and fulfilling.
In the latest episode of Moans & Cuddles, host, Paula Amma Broni delved into trust in relationships.
The conversation centred around the idea that while single people are often free to keep their property to themselves, society regards it as a betrayal when married people do so.
During the episode, the guests, Victor Wellrich, a Senior Accounts Manager at Benchmark Marketing and Anastasia Okine, who is a Co-founder of Hey Girl Foundation, explored the reasons why a spouse might hide a property from his or her partner, and how such actions can have dire consequences in their union.
They explained that hiding something as significant as property can erode trust, cause resentment, and ultimately lead to the breakdown of the marriage.
This episode of Moans & Cuddles highlighted the importance of open and honest communication in building trust in a relationship.
Couples were encouraged to have regular conversations about their finances, assets, and investments, and to work together towards shared financial goals.
Moans & Cuddles continues to provide valuable insights into relationships and the issues that can arise as well as propose a better resolution in crisis situations.
Ghanaian socialite, Akuapem Poloo, has finally come clean about the true reason behind a viral picture of her kissing comedian DKB.
In a recent interview on Kingdom FM, Akuapem Poloo admitted that the kiss was nothing more than a ploy to generate buzz on social media, as DKB was at the studio to promote his show.
“I have kissed DKB before but we kissed at JoyPrime. It was for a trend; he was there to promote his show. DKB and I can do a lot for trends. That is between us,” Akuapem Poloo revealed.
Although she did acknowledge having kissed DKB before, Akuapem Poloo firmly stated that DKB has never asked her out, and she does not even know where he lives.
Meanwhile, Akuapem Poloo emphasized that her recent conversion to Islam has made it impossible for her to engage in such behaviour.
While the controversial socialite may have cleared the air about her relationship with the comedian, her admission raises questions about the authenticity of other viral moments on social media and their potential impact on real-life relationships.
Budding Ghanaian singer, Iona Reine, has extended an olive branch to Mzbel, following their longstanding feud that erupted sometime in 2020.
It can be recalled that Iona parted ways with Mzbel’s record label and established a strong bond with her nemesis, Afia Schwarzenegger, a situation that caused a stir on social media.
Explaining their fallout at that time, Mzbel among other things said, Iona, who lived in her house, made their personal matters public, hence her decision to let her go.
The ’16-years’ hitmaker also cited promiscuity as one of the reasons why she parted ways with her protégé.
Iona Renie had since not been in the good books of Mzbel and Ghanaians ever since she switched camps and joined Afia Schwarzenegger, whom she joined forces with, to spite the ‘Bel records’ CEO.
She was nicknamed ‘Judas Iscariot’ and this was as a result of her sudden closeness to her former boss’ enemies, the ‘Mafia gang, which comprises Tracey Boakye, Diamond Appiah, and Afia Schwarzenegger.
However, in the wake of news of her repentance and re-dedicating her life to God, Iona Reine, has called for a reconciliation with Mzbel.
In a discussion with Peace FM’s Entertainment Review show, Reine said she had realized that it is in the best interest of humans to live at peace with each other, particularly, now that people are dying at a fast rate.
Iona Reine has for that matter, pleaded for forgiveness from her former boss, Mzbel.
“I have learnt a lot of things within these past three years. It’s not my wish to have any problem with anybody and I’ll use your platform to reach out to her and say that I wish that we do not have any problem. I want to see her on the street and say hello to her without feeling someway. She should forgive me if she has anything against me. I ask that she should forgive me. If she is listening, whatever problems we have, she should forgive me.
“Nowadays, people die anyhow, so if you have issues with someone, it doesn’t help. I want us to live in peace and I don’t continue living with that burden on my conscience,” she told the host Akwasi Aboagye.
However, she said that the Ghana Card will be the sole identity document to be used in the voter’s registration process in the acquisition of new Voters’ IDs if the new constitutional instrument is passed.
“Mr. Speaker, I wish to emphasize that the Ghana card will not be used to vote in the 2024 elections, the Ghana Card is only a requirement to register as a voter,” she said in Parliament.
The EC boss said this on Tuesday, February 28 2023 when she was invited to parliament to brief the House on the controversial new CI proposal.
“Once you present your Ghana card and successfully register as a voter, you will be issued with a voter’s identification card which bears the code of your region, your district, your electoral area, and the name of your polling station, the Ghana card does not have these features and therefore it will not be used to vote in the 2024 general elections,” she indicated.
This, she explained, will prevent non-citizens and minors from clandestinely going through the registration process.
According to her, the guarantor system that was previously used has been abused making it extremely easy for non-citizens and minors to be guaranteed by guarantors.
Nigerian-American artiste Rotimi has observed that his collaboration with Ghana’s Kuami Eugene has come as a pleasant shock to music fans.
On Thursday, February 23, 2023, Rotimi and Kuami Eugene released an Afrobeats song titled ‘Cryptocurrency’. The 3-minute tune was produced by Kuami Eugene, alias Rockstar.
“I think, this reaction [to the song] has been shocking,” he told Accra-based Hitz FM’s Doreen Avio in an interview posted to YouTube, Monday, February 28.
“First, because, ‘How did these two know each other?’ but then when they hear a record, it makes sense,” Rotimi said again. “And it feels like something that should have happened years ago.”
The singer shared a few comments he has received for the song.
“The reaction’s been beautiful. People love it. People have been saying they’ve been playing it on repeat, it feels refreshing, and whenever you give people a refreshing type of energy, you’ve done your job as an artist,” the 34-year-old said.
With “Come on, we’re cousins,” he agreed with Ms Avio that Ghana and Nigeria are family.
Singer-songwriter Olurotimi Akinosho, alias Rotimi rose to fame starring in the TV hit series ‘Power’ as Andre Coleman.
Ghanaian gospel minister, Celestine Donkor and her husband, Kofi Donkor, are set to officially publish their maiden book which centers on their life journey together.
Titled ‘Beyond the Rythym’, the book captures how Celestine Donkor and her husband transitioned from being a couple to maintaining a successful ‘artiste and manager’ relationship over the years.
It also highlights their twists, turns, and wins, which all alike, seek to inspire readers.
This was contained in a Facebook post shared by Celestine Donkor’s husband, Kofi Donkor.
“Abusuafour, with so much joy and gladness in our hearts, we officially announce that my artist and myself with the support of Buabeng Books Limited have put together our first book titled ‘Beyond the Rhythm’.
“This book is a narration of how our paths crossed to become husband and wife and our eventual journey in the music ministry for 15 years and counting. We are hopeful that our story will entertain you and the lessons therein will inspire you to keep pushing your own dream for life. It will be available for sale on 6th March at Celestial Praiz 10. #BeyondTheRhythmn #cpraiz10 #ANewSeason,” he wrote.
Midway through Osofo Kyiri Abosom’s interview with Delay, he placed an interesting proposal before her.
Delay, in the quest to probe issues pertaining to Rev. Kyiri Abosom’s polygamous nature ended up being labelled as a potential suitor by the pastor.
Earlier, Kyiri Abosom’s wife stormed social media with claims that her husband had married two of their housemaids and had other children out of wedlock.
This was after the pastor announced that he had divorced that particular woman while disclosing that he has a baby boy with another.
Touching on the issue which popped up in a discussion on The Delay Show, the host, Deloris Frimpong Manso, asked whether it was right for a man of God to conduct himself in that manner.
In response, Kyiri Abosom said he wouldn’t mind making Delay a mother of his children if she is interested.
“So, are you saying that because I am a pastor, I cannot give birth outside marriage? What are you saying? If you are interested, we will have a baby and there is nothing wrong with it.”
Delay then asked if he is in any way asking her to be a third wife.
Delay: So, have you added me to your list?
Kyirir Abosom: If you come to me, I will receive you with open arms
Delay: (laughs) So will I become your third wife?
Kyiri Abosom: Yes, you will be the third wife and you will have a different assignment. Your role will be to promote the church.
Delay: So, you will take care of me well too?
Kyiri Abosom: What are you talking about? As a woman, you shouldn’t lack anything. Not under my watch. My name is Kwabena Sika (Kwabena money).
Netflix recently reduced its subscription prices in more than 30 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.
The streaming firm made this announcement on Thursday as it attempts to attract more subscribers amid various stiff competition and tight consumer budget.
Netflix had in recent times reduced prices in India and some parts of South-East Asia following a decline in growth. However, Thursday’s decision only affects countries that account for a small fraction of its customer base.
Subscription charges have been lowered in Yemen, Jordan, Libya, Iran, Kenya, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Venezuela, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, amongst others.
The cuts apply to certain price plans, with subscription charges falling by half in some cases.
The company did not name the UK or the US as countries where it had cut its prices.
According to a statement from Netflix, it said “We’re always exploring ways to improve our members’ experience. We can confirm that we are updating the pricing of our plans in certain countries”
The firm’s shares closed 3.4% lower in New York on Thursday after the Wall Street Journal first reported the story.
Furthermore, the company has clamped down on subscribers sharing their login details and passwords. In some countries, Netflix introduced limits on password sharing, requiring customers to pay extra charges if they want friends and family to share their subscriptions.
Netflix previously expanded password sharing in countries including Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain; the feature was previously piloted in Latin America. The users will no longer be able to share passwords, they can however transfer profiles.
However, people using an account can now easily transfer a profile to a new account, which they have paid for; keeping their personalized recommendations, viewing history, My List, saved games, and more.
(Image credit: TRE / JBKlutse Foundation)
Also, members of a household can still easily watch Netflix on their personal devices or log into a new TV, like at a hotel or holiday rental. Aside from this, the users’ Standard or Premium plan in many countries (including Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain) can add an extra member sub-account for up to two people they don’t live with; each with a profile, personalized recommendations, login, and password — for an extra CAD$7.99 a month per person in Canada, NZD$7.99 in New Zealand, Euro 3.99 in Portugal, and Euro 5.99 in Spain.
This news will come as a relief for Netflix users considering the high inflation rates around the world at the present time. Users can now enjoy watching Netflix at a lower price.
The chief of companies including Tesla and Twitter, Elon Musk, now has a net worth of $187.1 billion, according to Bloomberg. He beat LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, overtaking the head of the luxury brand conglomerate whose own net worth is $182 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Arnault had unseated Musk last year as Tesla shares fell in December. The Tesla stock price hit a low of $108.10 on Jan. 3, 2023, according to historical data on Yahoo Finance. The carmaker’s stock closed at $207.63 on Monday.
After the tumult of last year, in which Musk purchased Twitter after some uncertainty about whether he’d follow through on the deal, and a lawsuit at the time by Tesla shareholders, Musk has had a better 2023 so far.
Earlier this month, he prevailed in a federal civil trial in San Francisco over whether he should be held liable for tweeting in 2018 that he had “funding secured” to take Tesla private, though the transaction ultimately didn’t happen.
Musk also tweeted this month that Twitter was “trending to break even” and that he had to “save” the platform from bankruptcy. Musk is still facing legal claims from laid-off Twitter employees and lawsuits from landlords claiming that Twitter offices have fallen behind on rent.
Musk previously beat Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2021 to become the world’s richest person at the time. The Musk, Arnault, and Bezos trio have periodically swapped places at the top of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Although he is known to have been vocal about the many happenings in Nigeria, Burna Boy has been silent during the 2023 general election.
Taking to his Instagram stories, he stated that many people have taken offence – calling him out for not being as vocal about the election as his other colleagues.
However, the ‘Anybody’ hitmaker says his silence is because he does not trust in any of the political parties and their candidates vying for the presidency.
Burna Boy added that he does not want to make known his support for any party to sway votes in their favour.
He explained that if the party eventually wins the election but fails to deliver its mandate, the people would turn on him.
“I don’t know why it’s such a big deal to some Nigerians that I’ve not been vocal about the elections,” he wrote on his Instagram stories.
“Personally, I don’t have a candidate that I believe in. I’ve never supported any political party or candidate in my life because I don’t want to make you vote and then blame me when the person f**ks up as usual. That being said, I hope all votes count and the best man wins,” Burna Boy’s post read.
Although Burna Boy has not shown support for any party, on Sunday, he called out the electoral agency INEC following reports of vote rigging.
“Let Nigeria decide o! @inecnigeria. No try any result magic,” he wrote.
According to recent news reports, the mobile network operator, MTN, plans to invest $1 billion in Ghana after the government dropped its $773 million tax claims against the company. This decision by the government to drop the claims is expected to facilitate MTN’s future investments in the country.
MTN is the largest mobile operator in Africa and the Middle East. The company’s operations are spread across 21 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. MTN’s investments will be focused on boosting the country’s infrastructure, including the rapid deployment of fiber and the installation of 5G.
The tax dispute between MTN and the Ghanaian government had been on-going for several years. In 2019, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) demanded that MTN pay $773 million in taxes, including penalties and interest, for the years 2014 to 2018. MTN was accused of under-declaring revenue by 30%. MTN disputed the claims and took the matter to court.
However, in February 2023, the GRA announced that it had decided to fully drop the tax claims against MTN. The decision was made after negotiations between the two parties and was aimed at encouraging MTN to continue investing in the country.
(Image credit: Nicholas / JBKlutse Foundation)
MTN has been operating in Ghana since 2006 and is one of the country’s largest telecommunications companies. The $1 billion investment is expected to be made over the next three years and will be used to expand MTN’s network infrastructure and improve the quality of its services.
Overall, this decision by the Ghanaian government to drop the tax claims against MTN is seen as a positive development for both the company and the country. It is expected to encourage other foreign investors to consider investing in Ghana, which could help to stimulate economic growth and create jobs.
President Akufo-Addo has appointed Joseph Kumah Mackay as the new Chief Executive for the Middle Belt Development Authority.
The appointment is in pursuit of section 13 (1) of the Middle Belt Development Authority Act 17 (962).
“I’m pleased to inform you that, the president has appointed you to act as the Chief Executive Officer of the Middle Belt Authority pending receipt of unconditional required advice of the governing Board of the Authority, given in consultation with the public service commission.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate you formally on your appointment,” the letter signed by Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante stated.
Mr Kumah Mackay takes over from Joe Danqah who has been the CEO since 2017.
Mackay Kumah, before his appointment, was the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at the National Entrepreneurship and Innovations Programme-NEIP.
He is also a three-time parliament candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Sene West Constituency.
In 2020, Mr Kumah lost by 16 votes to the incumbent NDC MP, Twumasi Ampofo. His constituency became the hotspot and the last constituency to declare its results in the 2020 elections after a ballot box was snatched during the elections.
Madam Margaret Konama, the Regional Director of the Commission, said it was imperative for the Commission to show the way, as its mandate was to educate citizens on their civic responsibilities.
She said this after joining officials of the Suame Municipal Directorate of the Commission to undertake a clean-up exercise in the town.
The exercise, which sought to improve sanitation at Suame Magazine, was a collaboration between the NCCE, the Suame Municipal Assembly, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited.
They cleaned the streets and desilted choked drains joined by various artisans, who applauded the NCCE for leading the exercise.
The NCCE took the opportunity to sensitise the artisans on the importance of environmental cleanliness and encouraged them to periodically clean their surroundings.
Madam Konama said the Commission would replicate the exercise in other municipalities to instil the culture of cleanliness in the citizenry.
She urged the public to respond to the initiative by participating in the exercise whenever it was held in their localities.
Ms Constance Amankwaa, the Suame Municipal Director of NCCE, urged the public to always maintain a clean environment.
Some members of the public expressed gratitude to the Commission for the initiative and promised to periodically organise clean up exercise at the place.
In a joint press conference held in the nation’s capital, Abuja, the main opposition parties in Nigeria demanded new elections and denounced the results that are currently being released by the electoral authority as “heavily doctored and manipulated.”
In a joint statement released on Tuesday in Abuja, the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party, and African Democratic Congress stated that their parties would no longer participate in the ongoing collation process there and that they had lost faith in Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the electoral body.
The parties urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to elect a new head as well as hold fresh elections (INEC).
“We call on the international community to note that the results being declared at the National Collation centre have been heavily doctored and manipulated and do not reflect the wishes of Nigerians expressed at the polls on February 25, 2023,” they said.
The election process has been dogged with controversy, and the announcement at the national collation center in Abuja has seen some tense moments, with opposition party members walking out of the collation center as the results were being announced Monday.
Several observers including the European Union have said the election fell short of expectations and “lacked transparency.”
“The election fell well short of Nigerian citizens’ reasonable expectations,” said a joint observer mission of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Ruling party candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu is so far leading the race with nearly half of the vote already tallied Tuesday, according to the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) results.
23 out of 36 states have declared their results at state level. The leading opposition party PDP’s Atiku Abubakar is in second place, according to INEC figures.
Despite his shock win over Tinubu on his home turf in Lagos State, Peter Obi, the much-touted ‘third force’ candidate is trailing in third place.
According to INEC’s iRev results portal, 83.798 out of 176.846 polling units have submitted their results.
INEC meanwhile continues to announce results coming in, despite fierce criticism of the commission’s handling of how the elections with widespread reports of delays, allegations of voter manipulation and polling stations that failed to open leaving disappointed voters unable to participate.
“The conduct of the February 25, 2023 election has been marred by widespread violence, rigging, intimidation of voters, doctoring of the results, and violation of the laid down electoral process which was communicated by the national electoral body, INEC,” the People’s Democratic Party and the Labour party said in a joint statement.
But the government warned him not to truncate the #2023GeneralElections with “his inciting, self-serving and provocative letter on the elections,” in a statement from Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.
Meanwhile Yakubu asked any candidate with complaints to seek redress in the courts during a results announcement in Abuja Monday.
Yakubu says he plans to continue with results announcement despite complaints.
The nearly 8.8 tonnes of cocaine were seized by Ecuadorian police before the priceless shipment left for Europe.
The South American nation has developed into one of the primary hubs for the passage of cocaine made in the neighboring countries of Peru and Colombia.
He said, “We stopped the export of 90 million doses, which would have cost $330 million in Europe.
Police released a video showing officers searching the container with the cocaine.
President Guillermo Lasso, a conservative former banker, has pushed for Ecuador to ramp up efforts to fight gangs using the country as a transit point for shipping cocaine to the US and Europe.
The cocaine was to be exported from the coastal city of Guayaquil to Belgium.
Last year, Belgian customs intercepted roughly 110 tonnes of drugs in the port of Antwerp – a new record.
The port is known as the number one cocaine hub in Europe, with the quantities seized so great that the incinerators used to destroy the drug cannot keep up.
Ecuador and Belgium yesterday agreed to increase bilateral cooperation in their fight against international organised crime.
The interior ministers of both countries signed an agreement in Quito to promote the exchange of information, methodology, procedures and experiences, as well as technology to combat drug exports.
Ecuador’s interior minister Juan Zapata said that of the 201 tonnes of drugs seized in the country last year, almost 18% was destined for Belgium, and specifically Antwerp.
‘It is undeniable that we need new transversal responses against organized crime,’ he said.
Pink earmuffs were discovered close to the location of Constance Marten‘s arrest by police looking for her missing newborn.
It’s unclear from photos taken at the Brighton scene whether the fluffy hat belonged to the missing youngster, but several police officers can be seen bagging up the items.
The aristocrat and her partner Mark Gordon were detained last night on suspicion of neglecting their newborn kid, but the youngster was not with them and the couple has not disclosed its whereabouts.
Her dad Napier has spoken of his ‘immense relief’ that his estranged daughter has been found, adding this was ‘tempered by the very alarming news her baby has yet to be found’.
The couple have been avoiding police since the infant was born in early January, moving around the country, paying for everything in cash and covering their faces when on CCTV.
They were finally arrested at around 9.30pm on Monday by officers from Sussex Police in Stanmer Villas, Brighton, after a tip-off from a member of the public, but the newborn was not with them.
Officers are now desperately scouring a large area between Brighton and Newhaven to try to find the infant, who has not had any medical attention since birth in early January.
A pair of pink child’s earmuffs have been found in Roedale Valley Allotments, Brighton (Picture: PA)Officers were seen puttin the earmuffs into evidence bags (Picture: PA)It is not clear if the earmuffs belong to the missing child (Picture: PA)
Police search area and under cars for aristocrat’s missing baby
Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said: ‘It is a vast area and at present we are looking in the local vicinity to where the couple were arrested last night, seeking a shelter or location for where they may have been holed up and hopefully where the baby is present.
‘The arrest location was close to open land and the couple were moving towards that land. And that’s why we are focusing heavily on where we are right now.
‘We know that they travel, we know they travel long distances.
‘My plea to the members of the public here in Brighton and crossing over towards Newhaven is please be vigilant in the open land where you are, in the outbuildings that you may have on your own property, and assist us in that way by being vigilant.’
Authorities previously believed the couple had been sleeping rough in a blue tent, and had avoided being traced by the police by moving around frequently and keeping their faces covered in CCTV images.
The couple travelled from Bolton to Liverpool, then to Harwich in Essex, then to east London and then to Newhaven in Sussex, where they were seen near the ferry port on January 8.
Handout photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of a CCTV image of Mark Gordon and Constance Marten on Whitechapel Road in London (Picture: PA)Police search teams scouring an area of woodland next to Golf Drive in Brighton (Picture: PA)Ms Marten and her partner Mark Gordon are in police custody (Picture: PA)Scotland Yard said the pair were located and arrested by officers from Sussex Police in Stanmer Villas (Picture: metro.co.uk)
The aristocrat’s daughter whose family had links to the Royals
Ms Marten, 35, comes from a wealthy aristocratic family, while Mr Gordon, 48, is a sex offender who served 20 years in US jail for rape and battery.
The couple are understood to have lived an isolated life since meeting in 2016, with then-drama student Ms Marten cutting off ties with family and friends.
She grew up in Crichel House, a Dorset estate, as part of an eminent family who had links to the Royals.
According to the Sunday Times, her grandmother was a playmate of Princess Margaret, while her father Napier Marten was a page to Queen Elizabeth.
The newspaper reported that the family put the Dorset estate on the market in 2010 for £100million, before its sale to an American buyer.
Photo released by police of Constance Marten (Picture: PA)She and Mark Gordon spent nearly two months on the run (Picture: PA)
Last September, Ms Marten and Mr Gordon began moving around the country, renting AirBnBs for brief periods.
On January 5, they were on the M61 when their car broke down and caught fire near junction four at Farnworth, Bolton.
Each time Ms Marten and Mr Gordon were seen on CCTV, they covered their faces or looked away, and kept the baby covered up.
Both her parents had pleaded for Ms Marten to contact police, saying they were ‘deeply concerned’ for their grandchild’s safety.
In an audio appeal, made through The Independent, Mr Marten said: ‘Darling Constance, even though we remain estranged at the moment, I stand by, as I have always done and as the family has always done, to do whatever is necessary for your safe return to us.
‘I beseech you to find a way to turn yourself and your wee one in to the police as soon as possible so you and he or she can be protected.
‘Only then can a process of healing and recovery begin, however long it may take, however difficult it may be.
‘I would like you to understand that the family will do all that is needed for your wellbeing.
‘And I also wish you to understand you are much, much loved, whatever the circumstances.
‘We are deeply concerned for your and your baby’s welfare. The past eight years have been beyond painful for all the family as well as your friends, as they must have been for you, and to see you so vulnerable again is testing in the extreme.’
Ms Marten’s parents both pleaded with her to come forward (Picture: Facebook)
In an open letter, her mother Mrs de Selliers wrote: ‘I know you well enough; you are focused, intelligent, passionate and complex with so much to offer the world. So many of your friends have come forward to say such positive things about you, assuring us of their warmest love and support for you and your family.
‘You have made choices in your personal adult life which have proven to be challenging, however I respect them, I know that you want to keep your precious new-born child at all costs.
‘With all that you have gone through this baby cannot be removed from you but instead needs looking after in a kind and warm environment.
‘I want to help you and my grandchild. You deserve the opportunity to build a new life, establish a stable family and enjoy the same freedoms that most of us have.
‘Constance, I will do what I can to stand alongside you and my grandchild. You are not alone in this situation. We will support you in whatever way we can.
‘I am ready to do what it takes for you to recover from this awful experience so you can thrive and enjoy motherhood. I love you and miss you, Mum xx.’
President Akufo-Addo has been petitioned to dismiss Inspector-General of Police.
The petition led by FX Law and Associates led by Member of Parliament for Madina, Lawyer Francis-Xavier Sosu has petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately remove Dr. George Akuffo Dampare as Inspector General of Police (IGP).
This is in relation to the IGP’s inaction according to Mr Sosu with regard to the murder of Shadrack Arloo by a police officer and a private security man at the West Hills Mall on 30th January 2023.
Mr Sosu and some MPs including the Family of the late Shadrack Arloo had on the first of February, 2023 petitioned the IGP to investigate and arrest police officers involved in the said case.
However, the seven-day ultimatum given by the family and the lawyer was not met by the Police.
FX Law and Associates, thus, wants the IGP fired for negligence.
The law firm is also demanding an investigation into the murder to prevent future recurrence.
The Gonjaland has a new Chief. The Paramount Chief for Tuluwe Traditional Area of the Gonja Kingdom, Tuluwe-wura Soale Mbema Borenyi I has been nominated as the new Overlord of Gonja by the Kingmakers of the Yagbon Skin led by Sonyowura Bakari Kanyiti I.
Both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Savannah Region have congratulated the newly selected Yagbonwura Yiram Amobanefe Borenyi (I) through statements copied to Bole-based Nkilgi FM.
The NDC said they received the heartening news of the selection of the new Yagbonwura elect, Yiram Amobanefe Borenyi I, in recognition of his status as the new Overlord of the entire Gonja traditional area.
A statement by the NDC Communication Officer for the Savannah Region RA Jalil said; “on behalf of the NDC, the entire Savanna Region membership and on my behalf, I write to therefore express warm felicitations to you on your attainment of the apex of the Gonja kingship hierarchy.
He added that “We are especially gratified that your ascension has further proven the resilience of the Gonja Kingdom’s time-tested succession plan, dating back centuries of no interruption”.
The NDC said; “As stakeholders of the land we want to assure Yiram Nbema Amobanefe Borenyi I of our fullest support, including the respect and non-interference of the Gonja tradition chieftaincy processes, as we have always done to his predecessors”.
RA Jail said; “The NDC has undoubtedly been proud of its achievements across the breadth and length of the Gonja kingdom, ranging from construction of Schools, hospitals, roads, electrification, human resource development, factories etc. for the uplifting of quality life in Gonjaland and Ghana as a whole. Yiram is therefore rest assured of the continuation of this stands for his Kingdom’s fair share of the national cake when H.E John Dramani Mahama, a son of the soil and also the presumptive flag bearer of the NDC, becomes the President of the Republic of Ghana on 7th January 2025”.
The NPP on the other hand in a statement signed by the Savannah Regional Secretary Mr Mohammed Issah said; “on behalf of the Regional Chairman, Alhaji Sulemana Iddrisu, the Savannah Regional NPP would like to by this notice officially congratulate the New King and overlord of the Gonja Kingdom-Elect, Jira Tulwewura Soale Mbemah Amonebafi Borenyi I, on his appointment to the greatest throne of the Jakpa Kingdom”.
The statement added that; “at the behest of the acting King and Head of the Kingdom, Jira Sonyowura Adamu Kanyiti Bakari, together with the Kingmakers announced a new Yagbonwura in Damango as tradition and custom of the land demands”.
The NPP said; “The entire NPP in the Savannah Region and the Nation congratulates you on this well-deserved appointment. It is the belief of all, that your dedication, selflessness and compassionate leadership alongside the spirit of Ndewura Jakpa, shall lead you in the execution of your duties as the new overlord”.
The statement from the NPP added that; “The Gonja Kingdom has been the centre of attraction and attention since the death of her Overlord and King a few weeks ago. As documented and practised by the Gonja people historically, succession and transition to the Yagbon skin are admired from far for its unique success and beauty”.
The NPP also said; “As we congratulate the new King, we also take this opportunity to congratulate Jira, Sonyowura, the Kingmakers, the Jakpa palace, the gallant Youth led by Gonjaland Youth Association and the people of Gonjaland, for successfully carrying out such a sacred duty for our generation and posterity”.
Marks and Spencer issued an apology after placing spring onions and bouquets of daffodils on a display with the message “eat well.”
The blossoms can be mistaken for vegetables before they bloom, but if eaten, they can be highly dangerous.
The poisonous substance lycorine is present in every part of a daffodil and can result in symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
They are “the single most common source of plant-based poisoning,” according to botanist James Wong, who tweeted a picture of the display on Twitter.
He wrote: “I don’t want to get any workers in trouble,” adding the hashtag for the M&S Twitter account. Nonetheless, you need need better training.
The expert, who is a Gardeners’ Question Time panelist and presenter of Secrets of Your Own Food, added: ‘Daffodils are filled with microscopic crystals, so biting into one is like swallowing a box of tiny needles.
‘Properly nasty.’
While it is more common – and dangerous – for people to eat the onion-like bulbs, which have a higher concentration of lycorine, there have been cases in the past of illness caused by eating the stems.
In 2012, people in Bristol’s Chinese community were warned not to eat daffodil stalks and leaves after 10 people were hospitalised for severe vomiting.
A statement from the Health Protection Agency said they may have mistaken the flower for a chive used in Chinese cooking, and advised supermarkets to put warnings in English, Cantonese and Mandarin on their labels.
Three years later, Prof Paul Cosford, the director for health protection at Public Health England, wrote to supermarkets warning them of the dangers of displaying daffodils near food.
Another picture shows how close the daffodils were to spring onions at the shop (Picture: Jam Press/James Wong)
He wrote: ‘As I’m sure you are aware, daffodils are dangerous if eaten and poisoning can occur as a result.
‘We are asking you, along with all other major supermarkets, to ensure that daffodils, both the bulbs from which they sprout and the cut variety too, are displayed well away from the produce or fruit and vegetable area.’
A spokesperson for Marks and Spencer said: ‘Customer safety is our priority and our British daffodils are clearly labelled with an on-pack warning that they are not safe to consume.
‘This was a genuine error in one of our stores and as a precaution, we are reminding all stores to make sure the flowers are displayed properly.
‘We apologise for any confusion caused.’
Last year, a town council in Cornwall came under fire after it cut down 1,000 daffodils next to a play park due to fears children could eat them and get sick.
Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, surprisingly pulled up in Parliament today, February 29, 2023.
She was out of town as part of external observers in the ongoing Nigerian Elections.
Prior to Tuesday’s appearance, the Speaker of Parliament had asked the Jean Mensa to appear before the committee of the whole to discuss the Draft Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2023, and the status of the ECOWAS Identification Card (Ghana Card) Registration.
Due to her engagements in Nigeria, she failed to make it to the first meeting her outfit held with the committee, which included the National Identification Authority (NIA), and the EC.
The newly proposed instrument by the EC will make the Ghana Card the only identification document to be used to guarantee citizenship when passed.
On Thursday, the special budget report on the Electoral Commission’s C.I. was laid on the floor of parliament for the house to commence debate on the issue.
During the debate, the Chairperson of the Commission was absent but was represented by the deputy commissioner, Dr. Bossman Asare.
However, the Speaker directed that the Chairperson herself appear before the house after the minority raised concerns over her absence.
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson believed that Jean Mensa was to be in the house to give the needed assurance that the new CI before parliament will not disenfranchise Ghanaians among others.
“Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission is not here. I recognise Mr. Speaker, that the Deputy is here, but it is not the same as the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission. As we speak, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission has consistently avoided parliament.
“We are of the view that we have raised today in this chamber since morning, as serious issues that we prefer and will want the Electoral Commissioner to be here to give us the needed assurances,” Dr. Ato Forson said.
Based on this argument, the Speaker said that the Chairperson herself needed to appear before the house to clarify some of the concerns that have been raised.
After a disagreement over a client’s will, a Christian attorney called a barrister “biblical curses” and was disciplined and had to pay more than £40,000.
After the two disagreed over a will dispute at Central London County Court in 2017, solicitor Alvin Just sent barrister Philip Noble “inappropriate and unethical” letters.
You are only slipping away one step closer to your demise, he wrote in a single message to Mr. Noble. Your stupidity won’t keep me up at night because I know the plagues will come upon you just like they did Pharaoh.
‘You remind (me of) a Grade 7 bully I had to slam to the ground.’
He also sent messages to Mr Noble’s client, including: ‘Your judgement is coming soon beware, and it will not be an easy one, the Most High knows that… Just remember that whosoever diggeth a pit shall fall in it.’
Mr Just, 51, a partner at London-based firm Just & Brown Solicitors, was put before a disciplinary tribunal in 2022 after Mr Noble flagged concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) over the emails he’d been sent.
In the judgement striking him off earlier on in February, the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal said: ‘Even in the context of hostile litigation, members of the public would expect solicitors to be robust, but temperate in the language they used when communicating with the other side.
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The pair clashed over a will dispute
‘That expectation was even higher when those communications were with the lay client.’
The tribunal also looked at allegations relating to Mr Just’s handling of a case involving a will and his response to the SRA’s investigation into him.
The Tottenham-based lawyer failed to ensure a client’s money was kept in a separate ‘client account’, it found.
Mr Just then refused to cooperate with the subsequent investigation from the SRA.
The tribunal found during the investigation, he ‘deliberately withheld information and misled the SRA in a number of material matters’.
Mr Just has now been struck off the Roll of Solicitors and was ordered to pay costs of £41,896.20
It added: ‘The tribunal found that ordinary and decent people would consider that a solicitor who had knowingly and deliberately lied and misled his regulator during the course of an investigation into his conduct had acted dishonestly.’
Mr Just argued in his defence that Mr Noble had a ‘serious vendetta’ against him and therefore did not accept his comments were ‘inappropriate’.
He claimed quoting Bible passages was not a breach of his duties.
The tribunal found Mr Just’s comments had been made in the context of ‘extremely hostile litigation’, but that he expressed his ‘frustration and annoyance’ with the barrister ‘in a manner that was inappropriate’.
However, it did not find the comments ‘offensive or threatening’.
‘In communicating in the way that he did, Mr Just had failed to maintain the trust the public placed in him,’ it said.
The tribunal concluded Mr Just would be struck off the Roll of Solicitors and he was ordered to pay costs of £41,896.20.
This was Pearson’s ninth appeal for parole, with the hope that she could be finally freed.
A newspaper exert covering Pearson’s trial
But a panel has again decided she was not fit for release because of the nature of the murder, how she has behaved in custody and evidence heard at the hearing.
It also ruled Pearson, from Hartlepool, Durham, is not fit to be moved to an open prison.
She has twice in he past been moved to one, only to be returned to a closed jail because of concerns about her behaviour.
The panel was told Pearson had been ‘willing to resort to violence’ as a way of managing difficult situations in her life at the time of the murder.
In 2014 she took part in a programme to help her with her decision-making but admitted to the parole panel that she had told facilitators ‘what she thought they wanted to hear’.
Her last review in July 2020 was rejected, partly because of her bad behaviour in prison.
According to the US Virgin Islands Police Department, Cail’s unnamed boyfriend discovered her on the floor of their house last Tuesday after leaving a bar just after midnight to check on her.
She was put in a car by her boyfriend and a friend, who then drove her to the Myrah Keating-Smith Community Health Center, where CPR was performed, according to the authorities.
Cail, 42, ultimately “succumbed to her ailment,” officials added, saying she had died on arrival. The Criminal Investigation Bureau is investigating, police said. A cause of death has not been released.
Cail won gold at the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships as a member of the US women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay, according to FINA. She also won a silver medal in November 1998 at the FINA Swimming World Cup in Brazilin the women’s 800-meter freestyle.
“USA Swimming is saddened to hear of Jamie Cail’s passing,” said Lindsay Mintenko, managing director of the US national swimming team. “Jamie was a proud member of our National Teams in the late 1990s and was a cherished teammate. We extend our condolences to Jamie’s friends and family.”
As a teenager, Cail spent some time at the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida, a private college-preparatory school known as a swimming and diving powerhouse.
Former Bolles swimmer Jooyoung Lee said he “never met anyone who had a work ethic like Jamie.”
He said she would push herself to total exhaustion during training.
“She was so tough… a serious competitor,” he said. “But outside the pool, she was a very sweet and sensitive person.”
Cail was listed in the top 16 athletes nationwide in her age group in at least 10 events in US Swimming’s rankings for the 1996-1997 season.
She swam briefly at the University of Southern Californiabefore transferring to the University of Maine where she earned a letter in her only season. She graduated in 2003.
“University of Maine athletics is saddened to learn of the death of former Black Bear swimmer, Jamie Cail,” officials said in an emailed statement. “The University of Maine community asks everyone to keep Jamie’s family and friends in their thoughts.”
CNN has reached out to Cail’s family for comment, as well as to authorities for more details.
The police news release said Cail was from New Hampshire.
About three years after it was implemented to stop the virus from spreading, one of the last significant international cities to need facial coverings said on Tuesday that it would do away with its contentious Covid mask requirement.
Facial coverings were required in all public areas of Hong Kong, and the requirement was enforced by $1,000+ fines.
Although the majority of city dwellers had started donning masks months earlier as reports of coronavirus infections spread, causing panic buying and shortages as early as January that year, the rule went into effect for public transportation on July 15, 2020, and it was expanded two weeks later to include indoor and outdoor areas.
The mandate will be fully lifted on Wednesday, the city’s leader John Lee said at a news briefing Tuesday – 959 days since the transport rule was imposed.
“We are now returning to normalcy,” Lee said, as the Asian financial hub launches a major push to welcome back business travelers and tourists.
Hong Kong has rolled back several other major controls in recent months, most notably mandatory quarantine for all international arrivals, a move celebrated by travel-starved residents, overseas family members and struggling local businesses.
See how Hong Kong is trying to revitalize itself after Covid-19
Speaking at the same news briefing Tuesday, Health Secretary Lo Mau-chung said that with the lifting of the mask mandate, “We have now removed all epidemic restrictions.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing a smile on everyone’s face now,” he said. However, he added, the government still advises the wearing of masks in “high risk” settings such as elderly care homes and hospitals.
Most other places in Asia have either fully or partially eased their mask mandates in recent months, including South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
The World Health Organization still recommends health workers wear masks, with Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead of WHO’s Covid response, warning that the virus was “circulating pretty much unchecked around the world at the moment.”
For much of the pandemic, Hong Kong held the unenviable title of having some of the world’s most stringent pandemic policies – such as the strict quarantine, which at one point required up to 21 days of isolation in a hotel room, with no visitors allowed and the windows locked shut.
Authorities had argued the isolation period was necessary to reduce imported cases and stamp out local transmission – previously one of the benchmarks necessary to reopen the city’s border with mainland China, which had adhered to a strict zero-Covid policy until it abruptly reopened at the end of last year.
One of the world’s longest border closures ended. See the scene of family reunion
The mask mandate, too, drew criticism at times; in July 2020, during the peak of Hong Kong’s humid and sweltering summer, the government expanded the mandate to require masks even when exercising outdoors. It backtracked just weeks later amid public outcry, acknowledging that people had “shied away from exercising” due to the rule.
“Face masks have played an important role in reducing community transmission in Hong Kong but now that almost everyone is vaccinated and most people have also been infected, dropping the legal mandate is well past due,” said Karen Grepin, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health.
“People can now do their own risk assessment to determine if they want to wear one or not.”
The refuge of a suspected drug smuggler who had been on the run for months was a condo in the Bangkok suburbs that was the target of a Thai investigative police raid last Thursday.
Jimin Seong, a “excellent looking Korean man,” with wavy hair and nice skin, was described to police as the man.
But, appearances aren’t always accurate.
Police said in a news release on Friday that the suspect’s real name is Saharat Sawanjaeng. Thai national and resident of Bangkok, the 25-year-old attempted to remake himself as a “Korean man” by altering his name, haircut, and going through several plastic surgery treatments “until his face had entirely transformed,” according to the announcement.
Before and after photos provided by the police show a dramatically different look, with earlier photos bearing little immediate resemblance to the man pictured afterward.
Sawanjaeng has been wanted since last year for allegedly importing more than 2,500 grams and 290 tablets of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy or molly, into Thailand. He is allegedly a major source of the drug spreading in Bangkok and the capital city’s surrounding area, said the release.
However, he had seemingly vanished – until police received rumors of the drugs being traced back to a Korean dealer, prompting their investigation.
After his arrest, Sawanjaeng allegedly confessed to having “worldwide connections,” sourcing drugs from the dark web and making transactions through Bitcoin, said the release.
He spoke “very little Korean,” but wanted to live in South Korea because he was “bored” of life in Thailand, he reportedly told police.
Photos of the raid show Sawanjaeng surrounded by police in the apartment before being led away with his hands restrained. He is being charged with importing and illegally distributing a category 1 drug into Thailand – both offenses carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
His actions “impacted national security and the general public’s safety” by causing the drug to become “widespread in public,” the release added.
Like most of Southeast Asia, Thailand has traditionally had strict laws against drug use and trafficking – but it has taken several steps in relaxing rules in recent years.
One major legal amendment in 2017 changed the maximum punishment for selling drugs from the death penalty to life imprisonment. A more sweeping set of amendments came in 2021 to emphasize prevention and treatment over punishment for small-scale drug users.
Most notably, Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis last year, with cannabis cafes and smoke shops quickly popping up across the country.
The Vice President responsible for Legal and Strategy at the Ghana Fintech and Payments Association, Richard Nunekpeku, has stated that funding to tech-focused start-ups will remain an investment bright spot for the rest of the year, owing to the allure and growth prospects of the market.
Despite estimates by management consultant Mckinsey and Company that Ghanaian fintech revenues could reach US$18.6-billion by 2025, some analysts had expressed concerns that the broader global economic crunch will have a grave effect on funding to less-established entities in 2023 – particularly those in the fintech space, as investors adopt a more cautionary stance over returns.
However, in an extensive interaction with the B&FT, Mr. Nunekpeku said he expects the recent performance of Ghanaian startups – which raised almost US$400million in 2022 – to be sustained as existing and emerging products continue to address real-life issues; not only locally, but also internationally.
“We see clearly the appetite of investors to continue supporting innovation across the continent, and Ghana is no exception. I anticipate this trend to continue, as we continue to witness new innovation across the board,” he said.
“We have seen that Ghanaian firms are getting out of their shells and expanding into other markets, and hopefully they will only continue to push boundaries further,” he added.
On the domestic scene, 2022 was considered a very successful year with 47 deals valued at over US$ 400 million according to data aggregators, Big Deal Africa.
This amount is nearly eight times more than what the country achieved in 2021. As a result, Ghana was ranked fifth in funding raised on the African continent in 2022.
Fintech-focused
Responding to concerns that funding will be skewed toward emerging areas such as agric tech, regulation technology, health tech, and edutech – with fintech bearing the brunt, Mr. Nunekpeku – who is Managing Partner at Sustineri Attorneys PRUC, a Start-up, Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SSMBs)-a focused law firm – argued that growth in funding to other sectors will have a multiplier effect on fintech, as the latter is required for the success of every industry.
“Fintech funding will continue to grow, whether directly or indirectly. As we continue to see growth in these other areas, they will trickle into the fintech ecosystem. Innovation in these other areas is going to be without financial components, as customers will be expected to pay some service fees; and given these innovations are being developed on the back of technology, we are not going to go back to the traditional way of paying for those services. Fintech is still going to play a huge role,” he explained.
Furthermore, he stated that the value afforded by fintech and their growth potential will ensure funding remains – even as the Ghanaian fintech penetration rate is expected to reach 8 percent by 2025, better than the continental average of 5 percent.
According to McKinsey’s analysis, the financial services industry in Africa has the potential to expand by approximately 10 percent annually; resulting in a market worth of around US$ 230 billion in revenue by 2025, with the country expected to grow at 15 percent annually until 2025.
Already, the transactional solutions provided by fintech could be 80 percent cheaper compared to those offered by conventional service providers.
Following a weekend of violence, tensions in the area increased as one Israeli-American citizen was killed in the occupied West Bank.
On a roadway between Jericho and the Dead Sea, Elan Ganeles, 27, was shot and killed on Monday night in what Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency agency called a “terror incident.”
According to the MDA, the attack happened on Highway 90, north of the Beit Ha’Arava Junction. The area is often calm and is near one of Israel’s primary Dead Sea travel routes.
His Connecticut-based synagogue, which announced that he would be laid to rest in Israel on Wednesday, gave Ganeles his given name.
His death came after a mob of Israeli settlers went on a rampage Sunday in Huwara, south of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, killing one Palestinian, beating others with metal bars, and stoning a Palestinian fire engine after burning several homes.
Those attacks followed the fatal shooting of two Israeli brothers earlier on Sunday in Huwara, days after a massive Israeli military raid into Nablus in search of wanted militants left at least 11 Palestinians dead.
The US State Department said it was “extremely concerned by the events of this weekend and the continuing violence in Israel and the West Bank.”
Spokesman Ned Price on Monday reiterated the US’ condemnation of the killings of Israelis over the weekend and the violence by settlers against Palestinians.
“We appreciate Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu and President [Isaac] Herzog’s statements calling for a cessation of vigilante violence. We expect the Israeli government to ensure full accountability and legal prosecution of those responsible for these attacks, in addition to compensation for the lost homes and property,” Price said. “These events underscore the fragility of the situation in the West Bank and the urgent need for increased cooperation to prevent further violence.”
An Israel Defense Forces official condemned Sunday’s attacks by Israeli settlers as acts of “revenge” and “terror,” and said the IDF was sending three additional battalions to the area to try to deescalate the situation.
The White House has given government organizations 30 days to prohibit the use of TikTok on federal systems and devices. (Reuters, image)
The TikTok app has been forbidden on federal devices by government agencies by a date imposed by the White House.
The Chinese-owned software must not be installed or functioning on any federal networks for the next 30 days, the White House announced on Monday.
In a guidance memorandum, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young informed federal agencies that they must purge TikTok from devices including phones to keep government data safe and stop internet traffic from getting to the company.
Congress ordered the ban in December, after more than half of US states, the European Union, Canada and Taiwan acted to ban TikTok. Lawmakers gave the Biden administration 60 days to issue directives to agencies.
Office of Management and Budget director informed government agencies of the deadline to purge TikTok in a guidance memorandum (Picture: AP)
Federal Chief Information Security Officer Chris DeRusha stated that ‘this guidance is part of the Administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American people’s security and privacy’.
The ban came amid fears that China could be using companies within its boundaries to spy on Americans.
ByteDance, which owns TikTok, has denied that the app is used to spy on Americans and blamed the allegations on misinformation.
Before the congressional vote, government agencies including the White House, State Department, Department of Defense and the department of Homeland Security had already banned TikTok from government systems.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee is slated to vote on a bill on Tuesday that would give President Joe Biden the authority to ban TikTok from all American devices.
Committee chair Rep Mike McCaul stated: ‘My bill empowers the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten US national security.
‘Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the (Chinese Communist Party) a backdoor to all their personal information.
The Finance Ministry is taking administrative steps to ensure that payments of coupons and principals of old bonds resume by March 13, 2023
The Ministry has also indicated that newly issued bonds that have been settled and listed will become the new benchmark bonds for the fixed-income market.
“The Ministry of Finance will work with relevant stakeholders, as agreed, to ensure that these new benchmark securities become the basis for deepening the domestic sovereign bond market, ” a statement from the Ministry read.
Prior to the release of the statement, a coalition of three individual bondholder groups had a meeting with Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance on Monday.
The purpose of the meeting was to seek clarity on the modalities and exact dates for the settlement of bonds that were due for payment during the period of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP).
“Remember in the DDEP, they had indicated that they were suspending payment for the period of the programme. Originally, the settlement date was supposed to be Feb 14 but was moved to February 21,” Mr. Senyo Hosi, Convener of the Individual Bondholders Forum said during an interview.
He said the coalition, which also included Pensioners Bondholders Forum and the Individual Bond Holders Association of Ghana (IBHAG) was willing to collaborate with the government as it expected the government to be fair to all the old bondholders.
According to the coalition, a letter was written on February 13 to the Finance Ministry on when the government intended to honor its obligations.
Mr. Hosi said: “Unfortunately, we never had a firm response to that. We saw publications that were indirectly responding to our letter but still without the exact commitment that gives investor clarity”.
He added that the government had given assurance, going forward, to” improve and keep communication channels open and clear”.
“We are hoping that today will mark a good start towards recovery on the lack of information that has bedeviled the industry and payments that have been suspended, ” he said.
A lady who racially abused one police officer and spat in his face was sentenced to nine months in prison.
Last week, Megan Hill attacked two police officers who had been dispatched to a disturbance in Radford in an offensive manner.
Police were summoned to Forest Road East at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Nottingham Crown Court was told.
The 26-year-old then grew hostile, necessitating the team’s intervention to control her.
She then spat in the face of one cop and was arrested after becoming even more agitated.
When Hill was being held by the police, she attacked another person repeatedly on the basis of race.
PC Chris Wilson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘Our officers dedicate their lives to helping people and simply do not deserve to be abused in this abhorrent manner.
‘No police officer, or indeed any emergency service worker, should have to deal with this – it should never simply be considered as just a part of the job.
‘Nottinghamshire Police has a complete zero-tolerance against all forms of hate crime and will not hesitate to take robust action against anyone who behaves this way.
‘Hill crossed a line by acting in the manner she did, and I sincerely hope she uses her time in prison to reflect on her actions and try to better herself.’
She admitted assaulting an emergency worker and a racially aggravated public order offence.
On top of her prison term, Hill, of Carrington, Nottingham, was also ordered to pay £100 in compensation to the two victims.
An interim Stalking Protection Order has been issued for a guy who allegedly “felt rejected” when his contacts with a Babestation model didn’t turn out as he had hoped.
Steven Tuckey, 42, is alleged to have started talking to the woman in late 2020 and then developed a “obsession” with her.
He allegedly told the claimed victim that he owned her, among other stalking-related conduct, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
According to prosecutor Ethu Crorie, the most recent alleged incident happened on January 23.
He said: ‘Mr Tuckey has engaged in this campaign over a significant period of time, causing the victim, a woman in her early 30s, distress.’
The court heard Tuckey had told the glamour model, who was working as an adult performer on TV channel Babestation, that he wanted to engage with her on other platforms after their initial chats.
However, she ‘started to feel uneasy about the exchanges’ after he allegedly sent her £300.
Tuckey, who lives near Ryde on the Isle of Wight, is accused of sending an email to the woman, saying: ‘You should be very careful who you go upsetting because not everybody is as reasonable as me.
Tuckey will have risk management software installed on internet-connected devices as a result of the order (Picture: SWNS)The alleged victim worked as an adult performer on the TV channel (Picture: Babestation)
‘I only take what action is lawful; but there are plenty of nutters out there that if you treat them the way you have treated me, then they would have already thrown acid in your face by now…
‘It is not too late for you to make amends, but if you keep acting the way you have been then things are only going to get worse for you.’
He told the court that he wishes to contest the Stalking Protection Order, but did not object to an interim order ahead of the contested hearing.
The order contained more than a dozen prohibitions to prevent him from contacting the woman, including having risk management software installed on his internet devices.
The contested hearing will take place before a district judge on June 29.
Despite coming under constant fire over her so-called pastoral works, Nana Agradaais not stopping in her tracks to prove she’s truly an ordained preacher of the gospel.
The former fetish priestess has yet again been filmed in a fast-trending video baptizing members of her church in the ocean which has caused a frenzy among social media users.
Netizens who have come across the video slammed Agradaa for resorting to the ocean to cleanse her members when she had a luxurious baptism in her swimming pool at home after she converted from her fetish worship to Christianity.
Many even argued that her style of baptism, where she was shown dipping her members in the sea once, goes contrary to the biblical norm of dipping people in water three times to signify the Trinity when cleansing them.
Others believe all that she was doing were mere shenanigans to win the hearts of gullible people who have refused to access her questionable behaviour on social media.
Nana Agradaa was recently in the news for making what many described as condescending remarks on the back of Christian Atsu’s death following the Turkey earthquake.
Unsurprisingly, she hit back at her critics including Nana Yeboah with insult-ladened videos – with the latest being Evangelist Diana Asamoah who fell under her sharp blade.
After losing her court case, a lawyer who insisted she was the “heiress” to a former ambassador‘s rural estate now faces a legal bill of more than £1 million.
Judge Leigh White, 56, instructed her to vacate grade I-listed Wotton House, close to Aylesbury, by Friday.
The wealthy David Gladstone, 87, accused her of squatting in his family’s wealth despite her claims that she had the “right to stay.”
After he successfully sued her, she now has to pay his legal fees because she was denied a grace period of one month before packing her things.
After refusing to vacate a millionaire’s mansion, a woman will have to pay £1,000,000 in court fees.
Ms White moved into the stately home in 2017 after the death of Mr Gladstone’s son. She claimed she had been treated as a ‘surrogate daughter’ by the former high commissioner to Sri Lanka – and that he must have forgotten earlier promises that she would inherit his £20million estate.
But the High Court heard Mr Gladstone was ‘desperate to spend what remains of his life’ at Wotton having moved to Cumbria to shield from Covid with wife Mary in 2020.
The diplomat met Ms White 30 years ago when he was married to his first wife and their friendship blossomed due to a shared passion for classical music and theatre. She became part of the couple’s inner circle and managed Wotton House after his wife died.
Wotton House, near Aylesbury, is the centre of the court battleDavid Gladstone, former British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, sued Ms White
However, after the pandemic the pair had a falling out and he asked Ms White to leave the house.
She claimed she had sacrificed a high-flying law career to look after the property and had enjoyed a ‘close personal bond of love and affection’ with Mr Gladstone.
After rejecting Ms White’s case earlier this month, Mr Justice Trower returned to court to refuse a request by her lawyers that she be allowed to delay her departure by a month. He also ordered her to pay £725,000 up front towards Mr Gladstone’s costs, which are likely to exceed £1million.
Her own costs were estimated at £350,000 even before the case came to court.
In response to the observation of a ‘unknown’ flying object in the sky, Russia has reopened its airspace around St. Petersburg.
Today, all aircraft at the 14-mile-south of the city center Pulkovo Airport were momentarily halted.
The device has reportedly been identified as a drone in social media reports, but this has not yet been verified.
All flights have been halted until noon local time, according to announcements made by the authorities on their official Telegram channel.
A number of domestic flights have been diverted (Picture: Flightradar24.com)A plane that departed from Kaliningrad turned back (Picture: Flightradar24.com)
But no reason was provided for the sudden suspension, or an official comment on what caused the disruption.
Data from the Flight Radar website showed a number of domestic flights headed for St Petersburg turning back to their destinations.
The airspace between Moscow and St Petersburg appeared to be empty including all traffic to Kaliningrad.
According to online Russian news outlet Baza, fighter jets had been dispatched to investigate the UFO.
But flights have now resumed flying towards St Petersburg, the Flight Radar website showed.
Ghanaian actress and fashionista, Jackie Appiah, has once again given Ghanaians a topic to discuss concerning her flamboyant lifestyle.
Apparently, Jackie Appiah remains the undisputed queen when it comes to purchasing and owning luxury fashion items.
If it’s not a known designer brand, Jackie Appiah will never put it on because she is clad in stylist apparel in almost all her pictures on her socials.
In a new video that Jackie just posted on her IG page, she showed off her expensive Red Goyad handbag.
Jackie flaunted this new bag in the form of a recent challenge which involves picking from two options written on a piece of paper – whatever is on the paper is the treat you receive.
She also flew to London for an English breakfast. Jackie Appiah is living the dream life everyone would wish to get and live.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW
According to checks on google, the Goyad handbag costs $6, 108.96 which is equivalent to Ghc 78,305.02.
The first female Speaker of the Commons, Baroness Betty Boothroyd, passed away at the age of 93.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the current Speaker, said in a statement on Monday that Betty Boothroyd was not only an incredible woman but also an inspirational politician and someone I was pleased to call my friend.
On behalf of the Commons, Sir Lindsay expressed his “heartfelt sympathies” to Baroness Boothroyd’s family and friends.
In April 1992, she was elected Speaker for the first time in 700 years. She held the position until October 2000.
‘To be the first woman Speaker was truly ground-breaking and Betty certainly broke that glass ceiling with panache,’ Sir Lindsay’s statement added.
‘She was one of a kind. A sharp, witty and formidable woman – and I will miss her.’
Sir Lindsay, from Lancashire, revealed how he had a ‘friendly rivalry’ with Baroness Boothroyd, from Yorkshire.
‘But from my point of view, it was heartening to hear a Northern voice speaking from the Chair,’ he said.
Iâm very saddened to hear of the passing of my friend the Rt Hon. Betty Boothroyd, Speaker of the House of Commons 1992 – 2000.
Iâd like to offer my heartfelt condolences, on behalf of the House, to Betty’s family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/N0wN8Ssccb
— Sir Lindsay Hoyle (@CommonsSpeaker) February 27, 2023
‘She stuck by the rules, had a no-nonsense style, but any reprimands she did issue were done with good humour and charm.’ ‘
Flags are flying at half mast in Westminster following news of the ‘trailblazer’ politician’s death, with MPs also holding a minute’s silence in memory of the ‘ground-breaking parliamentarian’.
Baroness Boothroyd was elected Labour MP for West Bromwich West in 1973 – becoming one of just 27 female MPs in the House of Commons at the time.
She was appointed deputy Speaker in 1987, holding the position until 1992, when Bernard Weatherill announced he was quitting as Speaker, paving the way for her own tenure in the Commons.
In her acceptance speech, she called on MPs to ‘elect me for what I am and not for what I was born’.
Speaker Hoyle pays tribute to Baroness Boothroyd
Baroness Boothroyd pictured in July 2000 in her final speech before retiring (Picture: PA)
And during her first time in the chair as Speaker, then Burnley MP, Peter Pike, asked her: ‘What do we call you?’
‘Call me Madam’ was her swift riposte.
Dewsbury-born Baroness Boothroyd, who became a crossbench peer in the Lords in January 2001, attributed her famously deep voice to smoking ‘about a packet a day’.
She formerly worked as a professional dancer and took to the stage in a West End pantomime before entering politics.
Former PM Tony Blair praised Baroness Boothroyd’s ‘great authority, warmth and wit’, for which she earned ‘deep respect and admiration’.
Baroness Boothroyd pictured with former Tory PM Ted Heath (centre) and Tony Blair in 2000 (Picture: PA)
‘It was a testament to Betty’s many fine qualities that she became the first female Speaker and the first from the Opposition benches,’ Mr Blair said in a statement.
Mr Blair’s predecessor, Sir John Major, said she ‘set the standard for every future speaker’, describing her as ‘easy to like and easier still to admire.’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Baroness Boothroyd was ‘at the forefront of a generation that smashed the glass ceiling for female politicians’.
Rishi Sunak said the ‘passion, wit and sense of fairness she brought to politics will not be forgotten’.
Theresa May said she would always remember her ‘inimitable style, but also her immense personal warmth and kindness’, while Gordon Brown described her as ‘tough, yet compassionate and caring.’
2018: Betty Boothroyd’s last speaking appearance in Parliament
Meanwhile Mother of the House Harriet Harman hailed her as a ‘remarkable woman’.
‘For her, as a woman to get to chair the overwhelmingly male Commons she had to be tough, professional, authoritative and indomitable.
‘Betty was all those things. And she showed us women how to do it! RIP Betty.’
Former Labour deputy leader, Tom Watson, tweeted: ‘To my parliamentary colleagues she was always ‘Madam Speaker’ but to my constituents she was simply ‘Our Betty’. RIP Betty. You were loved.’
The Queen presenting Baroness Boothroyd with the Insignia of the Order of Merit in 2005 (Picture: Getty)Baroness Boothroyd seen outside the Commons in 1998 (Picture: PA)
Former Scottish Conservative party leader, Ruth Davidson, described Baroness Boothroyd as ‘magnificent’ and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly tweeted how she was a ‘trailblazer’.
Meanwhile Lord Pickles recalled a ‘much-treasured memory’ of the Baroness Boothroyd and former Labour chancellor, Dennis Healy, singing musical hall songs around a piano.
Conservative MP Shaun Bailey, who now represents her former constituency, said he has ‘always been conscious that I’m following in the footsteps of someone who paved the way for so many’.
‘Her legacy will always be a source of pride for everyone in our community,’ he added.
Actress and socialite Asantewaa has taken to her Snapchat story to detail her encounter with a police officer on her way to work.
Many a time, some police officers on the road after scrutinizing your documents on the road still want to make money which in this case is referred to as a bribe before they allow you to journey on.
Drivers have in time without number complained about some of these challenges they encounter at the hands of some policemen. Asantewaa has had her share of distressing experiences with a police officer on her way to work.
The socialite chronicled her bad experience on the way on her snap. According to her, one Chief Inspector Mensah stopped her on her way and asked her to produce her license.
The police officer after checking told Asantewaa that her license has not been validated and therefore she should give him money and let her pass.
Unwilling to continue the cantankerous bribery train, Asantewaa resisted and failed to offer any bribe. An angry Inspector Mensah signed and wrote on a paper and handed it over to Asantewaa to meet her in court.
Officers were called to Winston Crescent this morning after a corpse was discovered inside the residence (Picture: SBNA)
Following complaints of a woman missing, a body was discovered, leading to the arrest of a guy on suspicion of murder.
Soon after 3 o’clock on Saturday, according to Bedfordshire Police, officers were called to Winston Crescent in Biggleswade, where they discovered a body.
A 30-year-old male is still being held by police after being detained on murder suspicion,
Although the victim has not yet been formally recognized, specially trained officers are assisting the victim’s relatives.
Police said a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder (Picture: SBNA)
Det Chf Insp Iain Moor said: ‘Our thoughts are with the victim’s family at this tragic time.
‘We have made good headway in these early stages of our investigation and continue to follow numerous lines of enquiry in order to ascertain the events that led to this death.
‘At this time, we would urge anyone with information that could support our investigation to please come forward.’
Anyone with information is asked to contact Bedfordshire Police by calling call 101 or using its online reporting centre quoting Operation Pasteur.
People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Effected March 10, the National Communications Authority (NCA) will block all SIM cards that have not been registered.
The Authority,has entreated persons yet to conclude the final stage of their SIM registration to do so or risk disconnection effective Friday, March 10, 2023.
The NCA in a statement issued on Monday, February 27, 2023, said the disconnection will be in line with a directive issued by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu Ekuful on November 30, 2022.
According to the NCA, there have since been additional subscribers who have completed stage one of the registration process but are yet to conclude with the final stage.
Parliament’s Appointment Committee has been petitioned over the approval of MP for Akwapim South Constituency, O. B Amoah, as the Minister of State-designate at the Local Government Ministry, Osei Bonsu Amoah.
The petition as presented by a sanitation management company, Ghana First Company Limited, asked the Appointments Committee not to approve the appointment of Mr Amoah.
In a statement, the Company accused O.B. Amoah of hiding the truth in relation to his responses to questions asked by Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, MP for Tamale North over the Ghana First Co. Ltd projects.
According to the Company, Mr Amoah intentionally concealed the actual truth about the entire projects and the agreements covering them.
“It is in this note that we hereby express our disappointment and dissatisfaction about the responses which Hon O.B Amoah gave on the Ghana First Co. Ltd and the Clean Ghana Project both in his two vettings which are factually incorrect and inaccurate.”
“We strongly believe the minister designate was trying to hide the truth from the good people of Ghana as well as Parliament having regards to the fact that he has all the facts on these projects but twisted the facts to suit his parochial interest for Parliament to approve his nomination,” parts of the statement read.
The Company insisted that the Minister-Designate has been part of all the “processes of all projects and has all the relevant documents on these projects as a company, we find the posture and attitude of O.B Amoah towards the company disheartening, and it is about time we bring the whole truth on the matter for the good people Ghana to know.”
“We strongly believe if Hon. O.B Amoah gets the approval of Parliament to become Minister of State for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, it will not augur well for the smooth running of the Ministry of Local Government.
“This has become necessary for the company to do this because every Ghanaian has an interest in this project and is waiting for this project to start functioning because of its importance and usefulness to the country, and sadly the very person who has the responsibility to make this happen and to tell the whole world the truth about this project has deliberately been hiding the truth about the projects.
“From the above, it obviously clear that Hon O.B Amoah has been economical with the truth of the whole Agreement and we humbly appeal to this Honorable Committee not to approve the appointment of Hon O.B Amoah until he has made the full disclosure of the truth of the Agreement and apologize to the good people of Ghana and Parliament.”
After dangling by his neck from a rope ladder inside an amusement park, an 8-year-old child was taken to the hospital.
Around 1.10 pm on Saturday, the ostensibly strange tragedy happened inside the King of Prussia retail center’s Thrillz High Flying Adventure Park.
The child, according to Upper Merion police, was climbing a rope ladder when he became caught in it, hanging by his neck.
NBC 10 quoted Thrillz owner Lisa Cannon as saying, “Following our investigation and examining video footage of today’s tragedy, we can say that the youngster was spotted descending headfirst down a rope ladder and became hooked.”
The boy became unconscious. He was rescued from the rope by two off-duty police officers. Thrillz employees performed CPR on him at the scene.
‘Within 10 seconds, our safety monitors formed a response team along with off-duty police officers and a nurse who was also on site,’ said Cannon.
‘Our staff followed protocol and communicated via our internal radio system to our CPR and First Aid certified team members.’
The boy later regained consciousness and was speaking with first responders. He was transported to Paoli Hospital.
Elizabeth O’Reilly, who was at the amusement park, said her son and nephew who also witnessed the incident ‘were really upset’ and ‘just wanted to go’.
‘I mean my son was on the verge of tears,’ O’Reilly told the TV station. ‘A lot of children were crying. A lot of adults were crying.’
Investigators ruled the incident accidental. The boy’s family was with him when he became entangled.
‘We are thankful to the KOP community for helping us respond in an effective and expeditious manner. We are told by police that the boy is okay and the injury is not serious,’ Cannon said. ‘Our thoughts are with the family and we will be contacting them soon.’
Thrillz has another location in Connecticut which has an obstacle course similar to one in the TV show Wipeout. Videos of TikTok users playing at the park have garnered millions of views.
The amusement park’s Pennsylvania location opened earlier this month.
