A plane from All Nippon Airways (ANA) in Japan had to go back to the airport it took off from because there was a crack on the window in the front of the plane.
A crack appeared in the outer layer of the cockpit window.
The situation wasn’t too bad, but if it wasn’t fixed it could have been very dangerous, according to an expert in planes.
No one on got hurt.
ANA flight NH1182 was flying from Sapporo to Toyama, both cities in Japan.
The Boeing 737 plane landed at Sapporo’s New Chitose airport at about 12:10 local time (3:10 GMT).
A spokesperson from ANA, Japan’s biggest airline, said they found a crack in the plane as it flew over Hakodate.
“The crack did not affect the plane’s steering or air pressure,” the spokesperson said.
The plane went back to the airport and landed safely.
Airplane specialist John Strickland said we still don’t know why the crack happened.
“Sometimes things like this happen. Maybe something hit the window, like a bird or a big piece of hail. It’s not uncommon. ”
“He said sometimes you can get a stress fracture from overuse, but it doesn’t happen very often. ”
He said the airline needs to put in a new window, not just fix the broken part, to make sure the plane is very safe.
“He said it’s pretty much the same as triple glazing, and everything needs to be in good condition. ”
“These things happen sometimes, we can’t say exactly how often, but they can be really dangerous if they’re not fixed. ”
There were 59 people traveling and six staff members on the plane. Different flights were set up for the passengers as an option.
This is the second time a Boeing 737 airplane has had a problem in the last two weeks. But the ANA flight was not one of Boeing’s newest 737 MAX 9 planes. It was an older version that was still in good condition.
The US aviation regulator, the FAA, has stopped all Boeing 737-9 planes from flying after an Alaska Airlines plane had a big hole in its side when a panel fell off while in the air.
The airplane had to land quickly in Oregon with 177 people on board.
On Friday, the FAA decided to keep the Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes on the ground for longer to make sure they are safe. They also said they will be keeping a closer eye on Boeing to make sure they are doing things right.
The FAA said that 171 planes similar to the one in the incident must stay on the ground for the safety of American travelers.
Author: Chris Kodo
-
Breach in cockpit window forces ANA Boeing to retreat
-
Cheddar is injecting a different dimension into our politics; his event shouldn’t have been cancelled – Kofi Bentil
Vice President of policy think tank IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has voiced his concern over the cancellation of ‘The Convention,’ the event scheduled to unveil the face behind #TheNewForce, which eventually turned out to be Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Cheddar.
Mr Bentil, known for his advocacy on various social and political issues, believes that Cheddar is introducing a distinctive dimension to Ghana’s political landscape, and the cancellation of his event should not have happened.
Kofi Bentil expressed his disappointment over the cancellation, stating, the President should not have gone anywhere near the event.
“The president should not go anywhere near this program. This is someone arranging a meeting and then someone [from the Presidency] decides that they are going to cancel the meeting for very bad, wrong reasons,” he said on January 13.
He called for an investigation into the matter, pointing out that the letter issued was mandated by the presidency, and he wondered if all letters issued by the presidency had the proper authority.
“Our presidency sometimes seems to issue things, and you don’t know who is singing what and that for me, is more worrying than the event itself,” Mr. Bentil said.
According to him, that is more worrying than the event itself.
His comments were prompted by Professor Agyemang Duah’s assertion on the show, stating that President Akufo-Addo should have addressed the cancellation of ‘The Convention.’
Prof. Duah emphasised that the President was expected to make a pronouncement and denounce the cancellation if he did not approve or knew about it, stating that persons behind it had embarrassed him as the head of state.
“If it were the case that somebody did that, then somebody must take the fall to protect the president. In our governance system, you don’t get anybody taking the fall to protect a higher person like the president,” Prof. Agyemang Duah stated.
On the back of this, Mr Bentil criticised the cancellation of the New Force event organized by Nana Kwame Bediako and disagreed with attempts to hinder his political ambitions.
“He says he’s our salvation and he’s here to save us, let’s take it as it is, he’s wearing a Voodoo mask and he says we shouldn’t be afraid of him, let’s take it like that. He’s going to inject some kind of levity into the political campaign.
“What we should not do is to deploy serious state resources to try and cancel his event. The cancellation is more news than the event and I think we should be spearing the use of state resources,” he said.
The Senior Vice President of IMANI-Africa emphasised that the cancellation of the event was entirely unnecessary and urged the government to allow Mr. Bediako to proceed with his plans.
“In the scheme of things politically and nationally, I really do not think that this rises to the kind of event that requires presidential intervention. This is a young man who is injecting a different dimension into our politics, just let him,” said Mr. Bentil.
-
At least 23 People buried by landslip in Colombia
A big landslide in north-west Colombia has caused the death of at least 23 people and hurt about 30 others, according to local officials.
The road between Medellín and Quibdo was blocked by landslides, so many people had to stop and find shelter in a nearby house near the town of Carmen de Atrato, as told by a local official.
Another big pile of rocks and dirt fell onto the road, covering them and some cars.
The mayor of the town said that some people are still stuck under the rubble.
The area in Choco province near the Pacific Ocean has a lot of trees and has had a lot of rain in the last day.
Pictures on social media and TV showed cars wrecked and partly buried by mud and rocks.
Many people left their cars and went to a house near Carmen de Atrato, according to an official from the Choco governor’s office.
“Unfortunately, a big pile of rocks and dirt came down and covered them,” the official also said.
Colombian President Gustavo Preto promised to give all the support possible to the Choco region.
Colombia’s Vice President Francia Marquez said on social media that about 30 people had gotten hurt.
The mayor of Carmen de Atrato, Jaime Herrera, said on TV that some people were really hurt and others were still stuck under the mud. He didn’t say how many.
Colombia is in a dry spell right now, but before that, the country’s weather experts warned about heavy rain in some areas near the Pacific Ocean and the Amazon rainforest. -
I will campaign for Bawumia but not certain NPP MPs – Ken Agyapong
Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Mr Kennedy Agyapong, has declared his intention to campaign for Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the upcoming political season.
However, his allegiance seems to have limitations, as he expressed uncertainty about supporting certain Members of Parliament (MPs) within the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr. Agyapong, known for his candid and sometimes controversial statements, made these remarks during a recent public engagement.
He affirmed his commitment to actively advocate for Vice President Bawumia.
“For the Vice President, I’ll campaign for him. I call him and we have a good laugh over issues,” he said.
However, when it comes to supporting certain NPP MPs, the Assin Central MP seems to have reservations.
Agyapong voiced concerns about what he described as disrespectful attitude exhibited towards him by some members of the party including MP for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, MP for Banatama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, Frank etc, and vowed to campaign against them.
-
William Lai elected president of Taiwan in historic poll
Taiwanese people voted for William Lai to be their president in a very important election. This shows that Taiwan is going in a different direction from China.
Beijing is probably going to be upset because they think Mr Lai causes problems with his beliefs about independence.
China says that it controls Taiwan, even though Taiwan governs itself. While it wants the two sides to come together peacefully, it’s also willing to use force if necessary.
It said the Taiwan election was about choosing between “war and peace”.
Beijing’s government doesn’t like Mr Lai’s DPP party, which has been in charge of Taiwan for eight years. China has increased its military around the island, making people more worried about a possible fight.
Mr Lai won his party a third term in the presidency, which has never happened before. In his first comments after his opponents admitted defeat, he indicated that this was a path that could not be changed.
The country will keep moving in the right direction. “We won’t focus on the past,” he told the journalists in a press conference.
Later, Lai spoke to a large crowd in Taipei and said that his win was a victory for democracy.
“We did it. ” We didn’t allow outside forces to impact our election. “Because we decided that only we can pick our president,” he said. Before the election, Taiwan said that China tried to meddle in the voting.
But Mr Lai also had something to say to China.
He told reporters that he prefers talking and exchanging ideas instead of causing problems and fighting, and he wants peace and stability with Beijing.
He said he will keep things the way they are between Taiwan and China and protect Taiwan from any danger from China.
In the past, Mr Lai said he wanted Taiwan to be separate from China, which made China very upset. But now he says if he becomes president, he won’t try to make it happen.
Mr Lai got 40% of the vote, which is more than Hou Yu-ih from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party. Since 2000, Taiwan has switched back and forth between the DPP and the KMT, which is more friendly towards Beijing.
Newcomer politician Ko Wen-je from the Taiwan People’s Party, who is liked by young voters, got 25% of the vote.
On Saturday, people picked their lawmakers. According to Taiwanese media, the DPP no longer has the most seats in parliament. The opposition is growing stronger, but no single party has enough seats to control the parliament.
Some people think that if the opposition party controls the legislature and the DPP president is in charge, it could make governing Taiwan more difficult. -
If I leave NPP, I’ll collapse the party by revealing dirty secrets – Ken Agyapong
Assin Central MP, Ken Agyapong has vowed to collapse the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should he decide to exit the political party.
He said he was going to do so by revealing the party’s dirty secrets. He made the remarks in a video making rounds on social media in which he was seen engaging some members of the party.
In the said video, Mr Agyapong poured out his frustrations over how some people in the party have unfairly treated him.
Venting his spleen, he alleged that some members of the party including MP for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, MP for Banatama, Francis Asenso-Boakye, MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, Frank etc. have all grossly disrespected him.
He recalled for instance one event which he said took place at the office of the Adansi-Asokwa MP and Minister for Trade, Kobina Tahiru Hammond (K.T Hammond), which did not go down well with him.
“Hawa Koomson told me in front of my wife at K.T Hammond’s office that if I think I’m insane, she will prove to me that she’s more insane than I am,” he recalled.
He said, should he decide to take the issues seriously, he will turn into a rebel and haunt down some key members of the party and eventually destroy the party.
-
US launches second attack against Yemeni Houthis
The US says it launched another attack on a Houthi target in Yemen on Saturday, which is the second attack on the group in two days.
The US said they did another action to target a Houthi radar site.
The Houthis promised to retaliate strongly to the attacks, and said no one was hurt.
The strikes happened because the Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea for weeks.
The UK and US worked together to bomb almost 30 Houthi locations with help from countries like Australia and Canada.
The US Central Command used missiles to attack a Houthi radar site in Yemen. The attack happened one day ago.
It was a military strike that happened in Yemen at 03:45 local time.
The strikes were meant to weaken the Houthi’s ability to attack ships at sea.
The Houthi spokesman told Al Jazeera that they will respond strongly to the new attack, and it didn’t cause any injuries or damage.
Another Houthi representative, Mohammed Abdulsalam, told Reuters that the attacks didn’t really affect their ability to stop ships from Israel in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
Since November 19th, the US Central Command said the group tried to attack and bother boats in the Red Sea and the gulf of Aden 28 times.
Many people came together in Saana on Friday to protest against the US-UK strikes and show support for Palestine. They chanted slogans against the US and in favor of Palestine.
Tensions have increased because people are worried that attacks in Yemen could make the Middle East more unstable.
Both the UK and US say they are protecting shipping routes and not involved in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The White House says that 15% of the world’s trade that goes by sea goes through the Red Sea. This means China has 8% of the world’s grain, 12% of the oil that is transported by sea, and 8% of the world’s liquified natural gas.
The Houthis are causing a big problem for shipping companies, so some of them have stopped working in that area. The cost of insurance has also gone up a lot since December.
London and Washington supported Israel after the 7th October attacks by Hamas. Around 1,300 people were killed and 240 were taken hostage.
Israel has been attacking Hamas in Gaza with air strikes and ground operations. According to the health ministry in Gaza, around 23,843 Palestinians have been killed, and many more are believed to be dead under the rubble.
In reaction to the war, the Houthis said they were on the side of Hamas and started attacking ships they claimed were going to Israel or had connections with Israel.
The Houthis are a group of fighters from a smaller part of the Muslim religion in Yemen called Zaidis. They are named after the person who started the movement, Hussein al-Houthi.
The main government in Yemen is led by the Presidential Leadership Council. President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi gave his powers to this council in April 2022. It is located in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Mr. Hadi fled to in 2015.
Most people in Yemen live in places ruled by the Houthi group. The Houthis also rule the Red Sea coast, in addition to Sanaa and northern Yemen. -
Bator chief reignites calls for amendment of constitution through plea to Mahama
The Paramount Chief of Bator has called upon former President John Mahama, urging him to consider modifying certain provisions of the constitution in the event of winning power.
Togbe Kpatamiah Dzekle VII emphasized that numerous Ghanaians endorse constitutional reforms, suggesting that Mr. Mahama should give consideration to it for the advancement of the country.
The Chief conveyed his message to the audience during the NDC flagbearer’s tour of the Volta Region.
“There are a number of areas in the constitution that need to be looked at again to address pertinent issues confronting this country. I will not go into details. Maybe at an open forum, some members would dash on those areas,” he said.
The traditional leader, who additionally holds the position of Vice President of the National House of Chiefs, recounted that his jurisdiction experienced significant impact due to the Akosombo Dam spillage last year.
The Chiefs also applauded former President John Mahama and his brother Ibrahim Mahama for their assistance in relieving the people during the Akosombo Dam disaster.
“They stood up to the task, came, and supported us. Thank you, Your Excellency. I would like to thank his brother, Mr. and Mrs. Ibrahim Mahama, and his company for equally helping us to reduce or alleviate the suffering of the people”.
-
US targets Houthis in Yemen as Gaza conflict rages on
The Houthis are attacking ships in the Red Sea that belong to Israel or are going to Israel, to show they support Hamas in Gaza. Hamas, just like the Houthis, have support from Iran.
In Gaza, Palestinians were attacked again by Israel last night. There were reports of bombs being dropped all over the area.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) destroyed a tunnel with explosives in it and killed some “terrorists” in Khan Younis in the morning.The Palestinian news agency Wafa said that there were attacks on Gaza City in the north, and 20 people were reported to have been killed.
Many people were said to have been killed in the Al-Dawa neighborhood in Gaza. The IDF found and destroyed two places where rockets are shot in central Gaza.
Three Palestinians were killed by Israel in the West Bank. Israel says they were terrorists who attacked an Israeli settlement.
Friday night, rockets were shot into the southern part of Israel from Gaza.Israeli army says there was shooting at the border with Lebanon on Saturday morning. The Israeli air force destroyed buildings and equipment used by terrorists.
-
Akufo-Addo supports calls for release of Atta Mills’ autopsy findings 11 years later
President Akufo-Addo has endorsed the demand for the inclusion of the late John Atta Mills‘ autopsy report in official public records.
The inquiry into the existence and availability of an autopsy report verifying the cause of the former President’s death arose during a visit by the Odomaa Clan of Ekumfi and Koku Anyidoho to the Jubilee House.
The purpose of the visit was to convey appreciation for the government’s refurbishment of Asomdwoe Park, the final resting place of the late President Mills.
Kyedomhene of Ekumfi Asaman, Nana Enyimfua III urged the presidency to release the autopsy report to the family, emphasizing that 11 years have passed, and the family is yet to know the cause of death.
Professor Atta Mills passed away on July 24, 2012, at the 37 Military Hospital, just three days after celebrating his 68th birthday.
-
Health ministry in Hamas reports 135 more people have died in Gaza
As we’ve been saying, the attacks in the Red Sea and Yemen are connected to Israel’s fighting in Gaza.
On Saturday morning, the health ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas, said that 23,843 people have been killed there since 7 October.
That’s 135 more than what we had on Friday.
The government also reports that 60,317 people have been injured.More update on this story soon.
-
After US-UK attacks, Yemenis would “rally round the flag” – Iranian expert
The recent attacks by the US and UK on Houthi targets in Yemen will make some Yemeni people support the Houthi group more, according to Hassan Ahmadian, who teaches about the Middle East at the University of Tehran. He spoke to the BBC News channel about this.
He says the Houthis are more liked in Yemen and the surrounding area because of their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which they say are aimed at Israel during their conflict with Gaza.
The US and UK are trying to say that their recent actions are not connected to the Gaza war, but many people in the Middle East don’t believe them.
“It fits into many stories. ” He said the United States is helping Israel break the rules of international law in their fight against Gaza.
“But when it comes to Yemen, it’s against breaking international laws, which is unfair and hypocritical. ” This attack will only make that situation worse. -
Alex Segbefia commends Special Prosecutor regarding vote monitisation
Director of International Relations for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alex Segbefia, has praised the Special Prosecutor for apprehending Kofi Owusu Nkansah.
Mr Segbefia, who has since been released, was under suspicion for his alleged involvement in distributing money to delegates before the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) primaries.
During an interview on JoyNews, Mr Segbefia commended the action, viewing it as a positive and forward step for the prosecution regime.
“As far as I am concerned, the Office of the Special Prosecutor is well within his rights. First of all, act on complaints about someone. We are yet to clarify that issue, but if he has a complaint, he is duty-bound to investigate, no matter the outcome. Let me use this opportunity to tell the OSP that he is the leader of a new body that is going to be very difficult for people to stomach. He is already in a difficult position because of the acts that brought him into force and his limited powers due to the attorney general actually having the power,” he said on Newsfile on Saturday, January 13, 2024.
He stressed the significance of maintaining legal standards and ensuring accountability, asserting that the arrest aligns with the principles of justice.
The NDC official also tackled the matter of vote-buying, highlighting that participating in such practices should not be normalized.
Mr Segbefia urged adherence to ethical conduct, highlighting that the actions of a few should not be a justification for others to partake in similar practices.
According to the former Deputy Chief of Staff, despite these obstacles, the Office of the Special Prosecutor must continue to combat corruption.
Mr. Segbefia advised the OSP not to be disheartened by the challenges of combating corruption, which can be a frustrating task.
He urged the OSP to remain focused and committed to its task while urging the public to support the office.
-
Israel stops hostilities in Rafah as locals speak of “unimaginable” attacks
In Gaza, the Israeli army said they will pause fighting for a short time.
For helping people in need in Rafah until 2:00 pm local time (12:00 pm GMT).
After Israel attacked the southern city, many people from other parts of Gaza went there to find safety.
Samir Qeshta said his home was “completely ruined” in the bombing.
“This house protected me and my kids. ” “I was getting my son ready to get married and setting up the place for him to live in,” he tells the AFP news agency.
“We are peaceful, they attacked us without warning. ” I went to see my sister while my wife was at her parents’ house.
Nimma al-Akhras was at her house when the bombing started.
“It was a very surprising strike,” she says. “We screamed and I couldn’t move until someone picked me up and put me on a cart. ”
“What did we do to make a mistake. We were just sitting. ” Our homes and outside are not safe. Where can we go.
Just to remind you, Israel says it goes after terrorists and their stuff, and it tries to avoid hurting regular people. -
Turkey targets 29 locations in Syria and Iraq
Today, we are mostly concerned about the violence in Yemen and Gaza, but there is also fighting happening in other nearby areas, even though it is not connected.
After nine of its soldiers were killed at an Iraqi military post, Turkey’s defense ministry says it launched airstrikes on “terrorist targets” in Syria and Iraq all night.
The report says that the attacks targeted 29 places like caves, bunkers, and oil sites that belonged to two groups the YPG and PKK which Turkey thinks are terrorist groups.
Turkey has been fighting a long war against the PKK, a group seen as terrorists by many Western countries, like the US and the UK.More update on this story soon.
-
Peace Council advocates for peaceful 2024 elections
The National Peace Council’s Western North Regional Secretariat has urged political parties in the region to embrace the principles of peace and tranquility in their political endeavors as the 2024 elections approach.
The secretariat emphasized that the nation’s stability is crucial for achieving national cohesion and development. Hence, political actors must prioritize the supreme interests of peace and unity.
In an interview with the media in Sefwi-Wiawso, The Most Reverend Samuel Nkuah Boateng, Chairman of the Western North Regional Peace Council, conveyed this message.
He, however, commended political parties in the Region for conducting themselves well in the previous general elections, and asked them to do the same this year.
He said: “Residents of the Western North Region who are mostly Sefwi, Anyin and Brosa are brothers and sisters and coexisting peacefully as one people, is the surest way to go”.
Most Rev. Boateng also encouraged residents to let the love of God lead them and care for one another to receive the grace of God this year.
-
UTAG contemplates nationwide strike over govt’s stalled Service Condition talks
The University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) remains steadfast in its resolve to commence a nationwide strike, attributing the government’s alleged disregard for negotiating their conditions of service.
UTAG’s General Secretary, Dr Eliasu Mumuni, underscored that deliberations on the base pay, particularly regarding market premiums, represent the pivotal factor that could lead to a reconsideration of their decision.
Speaking to the press in Accra, Dr Mumuni revealed that UTAG members would gather to declare a specific date for the initiation of their strike.
He underscored the need for collective approval from the membership before proceeding, stating: “We need that collective permission for membership to say we are behind you, so go ahead.”
Dr. Mumuni highlighted ongoing efforts to engage all 15 campuses’ membership and prompt the National Labour Commission (NLC) during this period.
“If they are not able to reach us, and we have gone through the formality of engaging all the membership of all the 15 campuses, as well as prompting the Labour Commission, then we are good to go,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, UTAG and the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana (TUTAG) walked out of a meeting with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) on Wednesday, 10 January 2024.
The associations attributed their exit to the commission’s alleged bad faith, contempt, and lackadaisical approach towards addressing vital aspects of their conditions of service.
Expressing dissatisfaction, they denounced what they perceived as gross disrespect and a lack of commitment to improving their conditions of service.
-
France’s youngest PM Gabriel Attal: A look into his personal life
Gabriel Attal’s personal life has drawn considerable interest since his historic appointment as France’s first openly gay and youngest Prime Minister on January 9, 2024. A trusted and reliable member of President Emmanuel Macron’s team, Attal is known for his strong communication skills, particularly in handling contentious issues such as the immigration law debate and the fast-approaching European elections.
While Attal’s professional accomplishments are well chronicled, his private life offers a fascinating insight into the person behind the political persona. Questions about his life partner and the balance he maintains between his thriving career and personal obligations have ignited interest in his life beyond politics.
Is Gabriel Attal, France’s Prime Minister, in a marital relationship?
The straightforward response is, no. Gabriel Attal, the noteworthy French politician, is not bound by the restraints of marriage. However, he shares a close relationship with fellow politician Stéphane Séjourné. Séjourné, who is 36 years old, is a member of Macron’s Renaissance (RE) party and has been serving his constituents in the European Parliament since 2019.Their professional paths crossed in 2015 during their involvement in Macron’s En Marche! movement, setting the stage for a lasting bond. Despite not being legally married, Gabriel Attal, the trailblazing openly gay prime minister, shares a deep connection with Stéphane Séjourné. They currently live together in a Parisian apartment, their common interests in politics, cinema, and literature resonating within their shared home.
In terms of his acceptance of his sexual orientation, Attal’s journey has been marked by openness and bravery. Following his election as a representative for the 10th constituency of Hauts-de-Seine in the National Assembly in 2017, he publicly declared his sexual orientation. His announcement carried a wider message of hope and resilience, especially for young individuals on similar journeys.
How do Gabriel Attal and Stéphane Séjourné balance their careers?
In the complex world of French politics, Gabriel Attal and Stéphane Séjourné stand out not just for their professional achievements but also for the strong bond they maintain. Despite their demanding schedules and extensive travel due to professional commitments, they manage to stay connected, using technology to overcome geographical distances.Their shared moments in Paris provide a much-needed break from their busy schedules. Whether it’s a night at the cinema, enjoyable dinners with friends, or visits to cultural landmarks, they treasure these moments of quality time in the City of Lights.
For Gabriel, his relationship with Séjourné goes beyond the traditional boundaries of companionship. It serves as a haven of comfort and unwavering support during turbulent times. While acknowledging their occasional differences, Gabriel highlights the deep respect and admiration they have for each other’s views and decisions. Describing Séjourné as his “best friend” and “soulmate,” Gabriel provides a glimpse into a relationship rooted in understanding, respect, and genuine affection.
-
Businessmen to send trucks carrying aid to Ukraine
Two business people are going to Ukraine to give a lot of donated supplies to help people living in the war.
Mike Racz and Karl Pemberton said they were really grateful for all the help they got from everyone. It was more than they ever expected.
The pair were going to use a small van for donations but now they will use two big trucks instead.
Mr Racz from Wolviston, County Durham, said he was surprised by the amount of help and support people had given.
Mr Racz’s friend, Kateryna Seranova, is from Ukraine and said her family is still in danger.
She said the mall that used to be the biggest was destroyed and no longer exists.
“It’s really important to know where to go and hide in safe places. ”
Mr Racz and Mr. Pemberton were worried because people were not giving as much money to Ukraine, even though the war was still happening during the winter.
Russia has kept attacking the country more and more in the last two weeks, especially by using planes to bomb Ukrainian cities.
A few days ago, two missiles from Russia hit a hotel in Kharkiv and hurt 11 people.
But the weather is also making a difference. On January 12, it was really cold in Kyiv, with the temperature dropping to -11°C at night.
Mr Pemberton, who is the boss at a company called Active Chartered Financial Planners in Stockton, said that it’s really important to give help to people now more than ever.
“He said the weather is really bad over there right now, it’s very cold. ”
“We can give them warm blankets, clothes, and food to help them during the cold winter. ”
“Everything makes a difference. “ -
Woman, 21, slapped with 6-year jail term for child theft
A 21-year-old woman has been sentenced to six years imprisonment by a circuit court at Old Tafo in Kumasi for the abduction of a four-year-old girl in Mampongteng, Ashanti Region.
Priscilla Adutwumwaa, an unemployed resident of Kokofu in the Bekwai Municipality, has been convicted on the charge of child stealing, a violation of Section 93 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).
During proceedings on Thursday (11 January), Her Honor Mrs Lawrencia A.A.D Gyamfi, presiding over the court, convicted Adutwumwaa based on her plea.
Detective Inspector S.K. Oppong, representing the prosecution, informed the court that Abena Owusuwaa, a trader in Mampongteng within the Kwabre East Municipality, reported the incident to the police on December 16, 2023, seeking assistance.
He said investigations led by the police at Mampongteng led to the arrest of Adutwumwaa together with the victim at Adum on 3 January 2024.
The convict was later arraigned for prosecution. The young girl has since been reunited with her family.
-
US wants gunman in racist shooting to get death sentence
The US government wants to execute a white man who killed 10 people in a racist shooting in 2022.
The US government, under President Biden, approved the death penalty for the shooter because of the impact on the victims.
Last year, 20-year-old Payton Gendron was given a life sentence in prison for the shooting in Buffalo, New York.
Gendron confessed to killing people that day because of their race.
The justice department explained why they think the death penalty should be used in a court paper on Friday. President Joe Biden does not want to give the death penalty. This is different from the government before him.
The agency said in court that Gendron deserved the sentence because he purposely targeted the victims based on their race when he shot at a grocery store on May 14, 2022.
Ten black people were killed in a shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo. The people who were hurt were between 32 and 86 years old. They included eight people who were shopping at the grocery store, a security guard at the store, and a church deacon who drove people to the store.
The person who shot people that day had planned it and wanted to hurt Black people because he didn’t like them.
Merrick Garland, the person in charge of the justice department in the US, stopped federal executions for a while in 2021. He wants to check the procedures first. This document says that the review is finished.
New York state doesn’t have the death penalty, but the shooter is being charged with hate crime and gun charges in a different federal case. In those federal cases, the government can ask for the death penalty.
Even though New York doesn’t use the death penalty, Governor Kathy Hochul supports that choice.
“This follows the rules set by the Department of Justice for what is considered a crime eligible for the death penalty,” Ms. Hochul said at a press meeting on Friday.
The lawyers representing the victims and their families in the shooting case are glad that the Department of Justice wants to seek the death penalty.
The lawyers said that the decision made by the Department of Justice today will help the victims and their families feel some relief and a sense of closure. “They have been asking for fair treatment for almost two years, and today they are getting closer to it. ”
The person who shot people was 18 years old. They drove more than 320km to a mostly black area and then attacked.
He says he is a fascist and believes in white supremacy in a long document he wrote before the shooting. He admitted to committing murder and terrorism in 2022.
At his punishment, the judge told the shooter that his hateful and evil ideas have no place in our society.
Judge Susan Eagan from Erie County said that there will be no compassion, no tolerance, and no opportunities for a second chance for you. “You will never be a free man and see the sun again. “ -
GhS4.8k fine slapped on hairdresser, electrician for aborting 17-week pregnancy
The Assin Fosu Magistrate’s Court has levied a GhS4,800.00 fine on a 40-year-old hairdresser and a 21-year-old Auto Electrician.
This verdict follows their involvement in inducing a 17-year-old girl to undergo an illegal abortion.
The offender, Charlotte Asiedu, faced charges for administering a concoction leading to the girl’s illegal abortion, while Tetteh, the victim’s boyfriend, was charged with abetment of the crime.
Both individuals pleaded guilty to the charges in the court presided over by Mr Abdul Majid Iliasu.
In the prosecution, Inspector Matilda Osaah Buabeng explained that Madam Victoria Arthur, a trader, and the victim’s mother, is the complainant residing in Assin Fosu.
The Prosecutor said the victim, a Senior High School form three student, noticed she was 17 weeks pregnant whilst in school.
He said the victim during her vacation from school, informed Tetteh about her condition, but he advised her to notify her mother, but out of fear, she refused.
Instead, the Prosecutor said the girl demanded GhS200 from Tetteh to buy some drugs at a pharmacy shop, but the pharmacist refused to sell those medicines to them with the reason that the pregnancy had advanced.
The Prosecutor said Tetteh discussed his ordeal with a friend who recommended Asiedu and she gladly accepted the offer and prepared a concoction worth Gh¢200 for them.
The Prosecutor said shortly after the victim took the concoction, she started experiencing severe stomach pains and was rushed to the St Francis Xavier Hospital in Assin Fosu for treatment.
The Prosecutor said the victim was put under forced labour after an examination revealed the fetus had died.
Subsequently, an official complaint was made by Madam Arthur to the Police and the convicts were subsequently arrested and charged.
Currently, the victim’s education has been truncated to enable her to undergo two major surgeries for survival, according to a medical report.
-
Jacinda Ardern weds her spouse in discreet ceremony
Jacinda Ardern, who used to lead New Zealand, got married to her partner Clarke Gayford in a small, private wedding in North Island.
The couple planned to get married in 2022, but they had to cancel because the government put strict Covid rules in place.
Ms Ardern spoke for five minutes at a wedding in front of many guests.
The couple have been together for 10 years and have a daughter named Neve who is 5 years old.
The wedding happened at Craggy Range Winery in Hawke’s Bay, which is on the east side of North Island. It’s about 310km (190 miles) north of Wellington, the capital city.
Ms Ardern wore a close friend’s ivory dress and a long veil with her hair tied up.
The shoes are made by a designer from Mount Maunganui called Chaos and Harmony, according to the New Zealand Herald. She was holding a bouquet of white flowers that fell in a stream.
Neve, the daughter, walked into the event with her dad and wore a dress made from her grandma Laurell Ardern’s wedding dress fabric.
The person who did the bride’s hair shared photos of rolls that guests liked with “paua and snapper” in them.
Ms Ardern, who is 43 years old, was the leader of New Zealand for over five years. She said she was quitting her job in January because she didn’t have enough energy.
She became well-known around the world for the way she led during a mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch in 2019.
In her last speech in parliament, Ardern said to TV presenter Mr Gayford, 47: “Let’s get married at last. ”
After quitting, she got three positions at Harvard University.
She also helps with Prince William’s Earthshot Prize and works with others to stop violent and extreme content online after the Christchurch shooting. -
Medicine to be provided to hostages in Gaza – Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a new deal will help get medicine to Israeli captives held by Hamas in Gaza.
CBS News says that after some families of hostage visited Qatar, they told the mediators that their loved ones needed important medicine.
The medicine has not been sent yet, and we don’t know how it will be moved.
Israel thinks there are about 105 people being kept against their will in Gaza.
About 240 people were captured by Hamas in October, but later on 105 people were let go during a six-day ceasefire in November. It’s thought that at least 25 of the captives have died.
Both Hamas and Israel have agreed to let the medicine reach the captives, according to a diplomatic source quoted by CBS News, a partner of the BBC.
Mediators are helping both sides and international organizations figure out what medicines are needed, how many are needed, and how they can be delivered.
The Israeli prime minister’s office said on Friday that the medicine will arrive in a few days.
The statement also said that the agreement was made after David Barnea, who is the leader of Israel’s national intelligence agency Mossad, talked to Qatar.
A Palestinian leader told the BBC that they are talking about sending medical help to Gaza, including for the Israeli captives there.
In a letter to the Israeli war leaders, the Hostages Families HQ group said they have good information that some abducted people are in worse condition and in danger.
They said that at least 33% of the hostages were sick and needed to see a doctor regularly. Not seeing a doctor could be very harmful.
Since the attacks on October 7th, over 23,350 people, mostly children and women, have been killed in Gaza. This happened during Israel’s military response to the attacks, according to the health ministry run by Hamas.
Israel reports that about 1,300 people, mostly innocent civilians, were killed in the Hamas attack. -
Initial tally indicates close contest in Taiwan
Voting in Taiwan’s presidential election has finished and now they are counting the votes. The election will decide how Taiwan will be connected to China in the future.
Taiwan is an island that runs its own government and is democratic, but China says it belongs to them and other countries don’t see it as a separate country.
Early numbers show a close competition between the current Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) for the upcoming election.
China doesn’t like DPP candidate William Lai and tells people not to vote for him. KMT is saying they will have better relations with China and make peace in the Taiwan Strait.
The Taiwan People’s Party is also running in the election, but recent polls show a close competition between the DPP and KMT.
Today, there are 113 seats in the government that people are trying to win.Taiwanese voters care more about the economy than China.
-
Mahama revisits promise on regulating okada business
Former President, John Dramani Mahama, has revisited the issue of utilizing motorcycles for commercial purposes, commonly known as the okada business.
The subject was a significant focal point during the 2020 election campaign, with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) pledging to legalize it due to its potential for generating employment.
“The okada thing, if we do win, it is going to be in our manifesto again. We are going to regulate it like it has been done in other countries. The riders are going to be taught methods of safe riding,” Mahama affirmed in an interview with TV3.
He posited that unregulated okada use “comes with risks,” adding: “We’ve just behaved like ostriches and buried our heads in the sand but you can’t stop it.
“It is a source of income for many young people…. If we regulate it we can identify every motorbike and every rider and know who is using it for crime,” he added.
Okada is currently illegal under Ghanaian laws.
-
Man murders wife 2 months after their wedding
A devastating event in Dunkwa Mfuom, within the Upper Denkyira East Municipal Assembly, has plunged the community into sorrow.
Gifty Mensah, a 34-year-old hairdresser, met a tragic end in a brutal act of violence committed by her husband, Joseph Quakson, merely two months after their wedding.
The heartbreaking news follows a series of tragic events for the couple, who had been in a relationship for seven years before exchanging vows.
Regrettably, the joy of their marriage was overshadowed by a sequence of unfortunate events, culminating in the tragic loss of their son on December 31, 2023.
Although the motive behind the husband’s actions remains unclear at the moment, reports suggest that the sudden loss of their child intensified the grief and strain in their relationship, ultimately leading to this tragic outcome.
The community is now dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy that has devastated the lives of those affected, leaving the community in mourning over the untimely loss of a young woman with a promising future.
According to two daughters of the women brought to the marriage from an early relationship, the couple got into a fight which they saw as one of their usual fights.
Some minutes after hearing shouts from their mother, the children called on some neighbours who came to meet the bloodied body of the deceased with the suspect attempting to commit suicide through hanging.
The suspect was apprehended and taken to a hospital for medical treatment before being taken into custody.
-
Trump ordered to pay back New York Times $392,00 in legal fees
Starbucks is going to the highest court in America to fight a union.
The highest court will listen to the coffee company’s case about having to hire back workers they fired in 2021.
Starbucks said the US labor officials’ case wasn’t good enough to justify the order they were asking for.
The way the fight is settled will have a big impact on the type of help US workers can get in work disagreements.
In this situation, the National Labor Relations Board asked for and got a special court order that made the company hire back seven workers at a store in Memphis. The company had treated the workers unfairly for being in a union, and the court said they had to hire them back.
Starbucks said that the employees who invited a news crew into a store to talk about their cause were fired for breaking company rules, like going into the store off-duty.
It challenged the emergency order, called an injunction, and the lower court agreed with it.
Supporters of the temporary orders believe they are important to deal with the problems that happen while trying to solve labor disagreements that can take a long time.
But Starbucks has won in other cases where judges had stricter rules for regulators. This shows that some judges disagree, and Starbucks wants the Supreme Court to make a final decision.
Big business groups, like the US Chamber of Commerce, are supporting Starbucks by filing legal papers.
There are more workers organizing in the US lately, and it’s causing problems for companies like Amazon, Apple, and car-makers.
Since 2021, workers at over 370 Starbucks stores in the US have decided to form a union.
The people in charge of Starbucks Workers United have made many complaints saying that Starbucks is breaking the law in order to stop the workers from organizing. Often, labor officials have looked into those claims and found them to be true.
Starbucks Workers United said that the company is trying to get rid of an important tool the National Labor Relations Board uses to hold corporations responsible for breaking the law.
The Supreme Court will consider the Memphis case, and Starbucks is now fighting against all US workers, not just its own employees.
Starbucks, which runs over 10,000 stores in the US, says it did not break work laws.
The company said it was happy that the court would think about its request to make things fair for US employers by making sure that the same rules are used when deciding whether to stop something from happening. -
Traders accused of fraud released on GHS40k bail
An Accra Circuit Court has extended bail to two traders accused of defrauding a farmer, setting the amount at GHS40,000.00. The bail conditions include two sureties for each accused, with one of them required to be justified.
Justice Mamor and Mustapha Alhassan allegedly obtained GHS37,000.00 from Tali Ndibadon, claiming they would supply him with a quantity of non-alcoholic drinks. Prosecutors state that Mamor has denied conspiring with Alhassan to defraud Ndibadon under false pretenses.
Their next court appearance is scheduled for February 12, 2024, with the prosecution directed to provide disclosures to them in the upcoming three weeks.
Police Inspector Rosemond Anyane, prosecuting, told the Court presided over by Madam
Halimah El Alawa Abdul Baasit that Ndibadon, the complainant was a farmer and lived at Kpandai in the Northern Region.He said the accused persons: Mamor and Alhassan stayed at Konkomba-Accra.
On November 14, 2022, Mamor met the complainant whom he knew at Kpandai and he revealed to Mamor that he wanted to buy non-alcoholic or soft drinks in large quantity to sell at Kpandai.Mamor, Prosecution said, told him he knew someone who could supply him, the complainant, with any quantity of the drinks that he wanted.
Inspector Rosemond said Mamor also met Alhassan and told him that his brother had come from the North with plenty of money and wanted to buy drinks and that he wanted Alhassan to team up with him to take the money and share.
The Court heard that Alhassan agreed to that effect and the two were able to convince and collect GHS37, 400.00 from the complainant to supply him with the drinks.
She said after the two took the money, they went into hiding until December 6, 2023, when luck eluded them. The complainant saw Mamor at Agbogbloshie and caused his arrest.
This, she said, led to the arrest of Alhassan.
The two admitted the offence in their statement to the Police and after investigation, they were charged with the offence and put before court, Inspector Rosemond said.
Sammy Laryea, their counsel, in praying for bail, said they had fixed places of abode, had wives and children, they had been in police custody for more than the stipulated time and that he would make sure they come to court for trial to prove their innocence.
-
Trump ordered to pay back New York Times $392,00 in legal fees
Ex-President Donald Trump has to give nearly $400,000 to the New York Times for legal fees because he lost a lawsuit.
Mr Trump is suing the newspaper and his niece, Mary Trump, for $100 million. He says they were trying to secretly get his tax records.
Last year, a judge threw out the case because it didn’t meet the requirements of the law.
Articles about Mr. Trump’s money won a big prize called the Pulitzer.
On Friday, a judge in New York ordered Donald Trump, who is a Democrat, to pay the New York Times for the costs of a lawsuit he lost.
The judge decided that the amount of money, $392,638, was fair after thinking about a lot of things, like how complicated the case was and how good the newspaper’s lawyers are.
The lawsuit is about a 2018 investigation that said the old president was involved in shady tax plans. It says three journalists who wrote about it were teaming up with Mr. Trump’s niece to hurt him. It said that they kept following her and convinced her to give them some papers.
Judge Reed decided in May that the case is over. He said that the law allows reporters to do their job of gathering news without any problems.
The judge said that the activities were very important to the First Amendment, which allows people to speak freely.
The BBC asked Mr. Trump’s lawyer for a comment. -
Iran needs to order Houthis to stop – Shapps
The UK’s defense secretary has warned Iran to tell its friends in the Middle East to stop what they’re doing because the world is getting tired of it.
Grant Shapps has pointed out that the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon are important friends of Iran and they support Hamas.
The UK and the US worked together to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen on Thursday night.
The Houthis have been attacking boats in the Red Sea since November.
The group from Iran who controls a big part of Yemen says they are attacking ships because of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
On Friday, American and British forces launched air attacks on 16 places in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. They targeted places like supply centers, defense systems, and military storage areas. US officials said they also attacked again on Saturday.
MrShapps said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that Iran is important for calming down the tensions in the Middle East.
When asked about what he wants to say to the Iranian government, he said that they need to stop supporting groups like the Houthi rebels, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and others in Iraq and Syria. The world is getting tired of their actions and wants them to stop.
“We notice you, and we know what you’re up to. ” We are watching what you are doing, especially the Houthi rebels, and it won’t end well.
MrShapps said that the UK is defending itself because container ships are being threatened and a drone attacked a Royal Navy destroyer recently.
Hezbollah and Israel are shooting at each other across the border between Lebanon and Israel. This started when the Israeli military responded to Hamas attacks in southern Israel.
About 1,300 people died and 240 were taken by force in Israel. Israel attacked Gaza and more than 23,000 people have been killed.
Iranian groups in Syria and Iraq have often been attacking US military bases in the area since the war began.
Houthi attacks in the Red Sea went up by 500% between November and December last year. The danger is so big that big shipping companies stopped sailing in the area and now insurance costs are 10 times higher than before December.
The International Chamber of Shipping says that 20% of the world’s container ships are now going around the southern tip of Africa instead of going through the Red Sea. -
Attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen demonstrate how Gaza war has already expanded
It’s time to stop worrying about the war in Gaza spreading to other parts of the Middle East. It already happened.
We hope the situation can be controlled because it’s not as bad as a full-scale war.
The US and Britain are attacking the Houthis in Yemen because they want to protect trade routes and international trade. But some people think this is not fair.
They are connected to what is happening in Gaza and show that the crisis in the area is getting worse.
The Houthis said they would retaliate right away. Pro-Iranian groups in Iraq and Syria might attack American forces more often.
If the situation in the theater gets worse and US forces fight back, it will be difficult for America to stop a big war between Israel and Hezbollah, a group in Lebanon supported by Iran.
The Houthis are part of a group of allies and helpers that Iran has put together to protect itself from its enemies.
They are receiving more advanced weapons from Iran, but it’s better to consider them as friends instead of Iran’s representatives.
I have spent a lot of time with the Houthis in Yemen, and they are very independent people. They will enjoy fighting with the Americans. They want to join in this war. Both the Houthis and Iran are happy with what has been happening.
Iran has increased their abilities and the type of weapons that the Houthis have. This includes weapons like missiles and drones that have been used against Israel. Iran also gives these weapons to Russia to use against Ukraine. They have a lot of weapons.
The US, UK, and other countries in a group are sending ships to the Red Sea. It’s a big show of force. The danger from the Houthis is not so much about the damage they could cause, but more about the risk to global shipping.
In December, they took control of a ship and made it go to one of their docks. They have shot at ships and caused damage, but haven’t sunk any.
Businesses that ship goods through the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait at the mouth of the Red Sea do not want to be attacked by enemy forces. Due to the dangers, the price of insurance will go up a lot. That’s why many companies are now deciding to go around the west coast of Africa and the Cape of Good Hope instead of using the Suez Canal. This canal is a quicker route between Asia and Europe, but it goes through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, which is risky and costly.
The Houthis have taken over the capital city of Yemen, Sanaa, and large areas of the country, including the coast of the Red Sea, since 2014. In 2015, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates joined forces to try to overthrow a government in a war.
The Saudis said they got involved in Yemen’s civil war to help the original government that the rebellious Houthis had removed.
But a few days after it began, I talked to very important Saudis who said it was to prevent Iran from doing things in their area. Yemen is next to Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis bombed the Houthis for over a year until a ceasefire started. So, more bombings probably won’t scare them because they’re used to it.
I don’t think just one set of air strikes will do much. It will only make them feel confident that they are doing the right thing. They want to be seen as brave and strong against America and its friends who support Israel.
The Houthis are attacking in the Red Sea because they are angry about the war in Gaza and how Israel is stopping food and supplies from reaching the people who need them. They are also upset about civilians being killed.
They said that if the fighting in Gaza stopped and if supplies could go in, then they wouldn’t be a danger to a big shipping route.
Some people think that stopping the fighting in Gaza right away would be a better way to stop the attacks by the Houthi group, instead of using bombs. If Houthi attacks kept happening even after a peace agreement, some people believe that air strikes against them would have been more justified.
This US-UK action could make the situation with the Houthis last longer or get worse instead of making it better. In November last year when the Houthis started their first attacks on ships near Yemen, I talked to Mohammed Ali Al Houthi, a top member of their group. He was very stubborn back then, and I am sure the Houthis will continue to be stubborn now.
They will want to do more attacks to show that they are strong and won’t give up.
The US and UK bombed many different places. We don’t know exactly how strong the Houthis’ military is, but it’s unlikely that just one attack would have destroyed it completely. -
Cheddar ‘cries’ over EC’s alleged denial of political party license
Aspiring 2024 presidential candidate for the New Force movement, Nana Kwame Bediako, commonly known as Cheddar and has leveled an accusation against the Electoral Commission (EC), alleging that they are intentionally withholding a political party license from him.
Bediako asserts that despite meeting all stipulated requirements and submitting the necessary documents, the EC has not issued a provisional license to his group, leaving the New Force movement in a state of uncertainty.
Speaking in an interview on TV3 on January 11, 2024, he detailed the hurdles, his party has faced in its pursuit of formal recognition.
“I started my journey and I realized that the kind of things I have to do to have a political party were quite tough. I had to get these officers in the regions and buildings, and of course, I started. We did the work; we went to get offices in all 16 regions.
“We did what the law is saying… We submitted them to the EC, all the documents and then we paid the first money to say that you can become a political party, but we are going to give you a provisional license.
“And then you go to the rest of the constituencies, which is a hundred and seventy-seven districts that we have to also create more offices, which we are ready and we have it in motion.
“Now, when we did that, the clause says that they would reply after seven days, every time we have gone back to ask, they say that they were doing something, they were waiting for this and that,” he said.
He further voiced apprehension about the lack of transparency in the procedure, stating, “It has been two to three months, and what troubles me the most is the recurring phrase I hear, ‘orders from above.’”
“I don’t go there myself but someone will tell my people that orders from above say that; maybe we should wait, orders from above are saying that we should arrest this, we should keep this, orders from above are saying that we should cancel this.
“We, as the New Force are a little bit confused about the entire national governance. I feel like there have to be some human rights in there, which I think Ghana is not fully going by because clearly, we are still waiting to be responded to. At least give us a letter,” he lamented.
-
Former DCE allegedly dupes UEW graduate GHS4.5k after promising job offer
A University of Education, Winneba graduate, Benedict Amankwah, has accused the former District Chief Executive for Sekyere East, Mary Boatemaa Marfo, of taking an amount of GHS4,500 from him in exchange for a job. However, the job never came.
He is thus seeking a reimbursement of the said amount. The graduate stated that he handed over the mentioned sum to the former DCE during her tenure to facilitate his job placement with COCOBOD. However, Madam Marfo did not fulfill her promise, and he was left without the expected outcome.
He mentioned that while providing home tuition to sustain himself, a friend of his mother introduced him to a relative of the former DCE, who then guided him to Madam Boatemaa.
“We went to her at the office to have discussions and she explained that there is an opportunity available at COCOBOD and the amount involved in facilitating it was GHS90,000. She assured that she could get the process started if I am able to pay half of the amount,” he alleged on Sompa FM’s Sompa Nkomo programme.
He added that he confided in one of the students he was teaching who later informed her parent. The concerned parent subsequently loaned him an amount of GH¢4,500 which he paid to the DCE through her driver.
“I sent the money to Mr Nketiah where the DCE was called. She told us that she was in a meeting and thus sent her driver, Sobolo to come for the money. I did not hand the money over to her but she called to confirm receipt of the money.
“There was another lady who was also included and she would usually call us to assure us that she was still in the process. I gave her the money in 2021 but the job never came.
“Now if we call her she does not pick up. The last time I spoke to her was January last year, she assured me that she would pay in February but it has been over a year now without any positive response,” he narrated.
According to Benedict, he has since repaid the loan he contracted through his home teaching.
A member of the Sompa crew announced that the DCE had confirmed the issue but had assured them on a phone call to refund the money by November 15, last year.
-
US will retaliate if Houthis keep attacking – Biden
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, warns the Houthis that there will be more punishment if they keep acting badly.
The US and UK did a lot of airstrikes on Friday. They targeted nearly 30 Houthi positions because the Houthis attacked ships in the Red Sea.
Five people were killed, and the group said they will take revenge.
Mr Biden said the attacks went well and he believes the Houthis are a “terrorist” group.
The Houthis said that 73 missiles were fired at Yemen during the attack. They said that the attack meant that UK and US interests are now okay to be targeted.
“The US and UK did something very stupid by attacking us,” said Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam.
John Kirby, a person who works in the White House, said that we don’t want to have a war with Yemen.
However, he said that Mr. Biden will not hesitate to take more action to protect our soldiers, buildings, and trade with other countries.
The attacks on Friday were supported by the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
The Pentagon says the group might not be able to fight back with a big army right now.
“The Director of Operations, Lt Gen Douglas A Sims ll, said today that we saw a missile being fired, but it didn’t hit any ships. ”
Before, a UK maritime security group said that someone shot a missile at a boat near the south coast of Yemen, but no one got hurt and nothing was damaged.
The company Ambrey, which protects ships at sea, said that the Houthis made a mistake by attacking a tanker that was carrying Russian oil. They thought the ship was connected to the UK, but it wasn’t.
However, the US is saying they think Iran is helping the Houthi group with the resources to carry out the Red Sea attacks.
Tehran criticized the attacks on Yemen and said they broke international laws.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the strikes on Friday were not too much, but Turkey said Britain and the US are trying to make the Red Sea very dangerous.
BothSunak and Mr. Biden were criticized because they did not consult fully with their legislatures before launching the attacks.
The UK and US want to make it clear that the strikes were meant to protect shipping routes and were not related to the Israel-Gaza conflict, which they worry could cause more problems in the Middle East.
Many countries supported Israel after the Hamas attacks on 7 October. Around 1,300 people died and about 240 were taken hostage.
The Houthis are helping Hamas, a group in Gaza that Israel is attacking. So far, 23,350 people have died in the attacks, according to the health ministry in Gaza run by Hamas.
When the war started, the Houthis began attacking ships that they believed were going to Israel or had connections to Israel. They said these ships were fair game to attack.
So far, the Pentagon says that 27 ships have been attacked in the Red Sea. But it seems that many of the ships that were attacked are not military ships.
The Houthis are a big danger and now big ships are not going there and it costs 10 times more to insure them since December.
In the city of Sanaa in Yemen, which is controlled by the Houthi group, many people protested against the airstrikes by the US and UK.
“This rally is the first to speak out against the attack on Yemen last night,” one man told the Reuters news agency.
“This is also a message to Britain and the United States of America that they will suffer consequences for this attack. ”
Since October, there have been big rallies in Yemen to support the Palestinians and Gaza. This Friday’s rallies were even bigger than usual.
The Houthis are a group of fighters from a smaller group of Shia Muslims in Yemen called the Zaidis. They say they are part of the Iranian-led “axis of resistance” with Hamas and Hezbollah. They are against Israel, the US, and the wider West.
They have taken over a big part of north-western Yemen, including the biggest city, Sana’a, and are now the main government there since taking control in 2014. -
Violence in Ecuador affects everyone – President tells
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa told the media that the recent gang violence in his country is a problem for the entire world.
Ecuador’s newest president has only been president since November, but now he has to deal with the country’s biggest problem in recent history.
There were some bad days when two gang leaders got away from jail, prison guards were kept as hostages, and bombs were set off in many cities in the country.
The day after Mr. Noboa declared a state of emergency, some men with guns entered the TC television studios in Guayaquil and threatened the staff while the TV show was on.
In an interview with the BBC during his first visit to Guayaquil since the violence, the president admitted that it will be very difficult to restore peace to the country.
“He says he didn’t expect it to be easy when he signed up for this, and now he’s at the conflicted port city’s waterfront. ”
“We can’t keep playing this game that these terrorist groups are trying to start. ”
“Now, he says that changes are happening. ” He said that there is a serious problem with violence in the Andean nation because drug gangs are fighting each other.
He told his army to stop 22 armed groups that he called terrorist organizations.
And Washington is willing to help. A group of people from the US government, including police, soldiers, and diplomats, will be coming to Ecuador soon. His critics think the US is getting involved too much, but President Noboa supports the decision.
“He’s happy to see that other countries are starting to notice what’s happening here. ” He smiled”It has an impact all over the world: the drug terrorists here also operate in Europe and the US. ”
“We have to fix the problem from the beginning, and the beginning of the problem is here,” he says.
There are still some big problems after the chaotic and violent scenes.
First, about 180 prison officers are still being held by criminal gangs inside different prisons. Their families are feeling more and more worried and have protested in the capital, Quito.
I asked Mr. Noboa what his government was doing to get the hostages back since he has said that he won’t negotiate with the gangs because hostage-taking is the “ugly side of war. ”
“I can’t tell you exactly what we’re going to do,” he says, “but we’re always talking to the military and the police. ” We will try our best to bring those people back home.
Another question is where a well-known drug gang leader named Adolfo Macias Villamar, also known as Fito, is. The leader of the Choneros gang escaped from prison earlier this week and it seems to have caused a lot of the fighting after that.
President Noboa admitted that his forces do not know where he is yet.
At the moment, we are searching for him. We are following up on some clues with the military and getting help from other countries.
His government says they will keep searching for the leader who ran away and for Fabricio Colon Pico, the head of another gang who is also on the run, until they find them.
This week has shown that Ecuador has some serious problems. Criminal groups in Ecuador are working with powerful Mexican gangs to sneak lots of cocaine out of the country and into the US and Europe through ports like Guayaquil.
Finding drugs in the shipping containers is not enough. President Noboa wants to improve the checks in the country’s ports.
The gangs have made a lot of money and used it to influence the courts, politicians, and prisons. The president wants to make big changes in the next few years. His critics think he’s trying to do something very difficult with not much experience in politics.
“I think we can win,” he said, “and I’ll keep fighting until we do. ”
The president’s team is sharing a cool new tourism campaign for Ecuador. It’s meant to convince people from other countries to come see the beautiful mountains of the Andes.
The world has seen a bad side of the country this week as it continues to have more fighting and less stability. A country that might be becoming a “narco-state” and failing.
President Noboa disagrees with that idea, and he is determined to prevent it from happening.
“We are working hard every day to prevent this place from becoming controlled by drug criminals. ”
To do that, even his biggest fans would agree that he has a lot of work to do. -
Ken Agyapong boasts of his wealth again!; vows to outdo Asenso’s GHS5K to Bantama delegates
Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong is determined to take any necessary measures to secure the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary ticket for his brother in the Bantama Constituency of the Ashanti Region.
Consequently, he has pledged financial support to Ralph Opoku Agyapong’s campaign with the goal of unseating the incumbent Francis Asenso-Boakye in the primaries scheduled for November 27.
Speaking to delegates on a campaign stop recently, Agyapong said: “Don’t vote for someone who would become pompous and forget his roots. You have long invested in this party, what benefit have you gotten?”
“I will be like a watchman over him and scrutinize how he interacts with you. Vote for my younger brother and see the amount of development that will reach Bantama,” he stressed.
Regarding the matter of providing money to voters, he claimed that Asenso-Boakye had intended to offer delegates 5,000 Ghana cedis, but he expressed his willingness to provide an even higher amount.
“He says he is going to pay 5,000 cedis, tell him to bring it on; I will show him that I got real money. They come and deceive you…. On November 4, they deployed threats and money, but how much of that money is left today?
“Pompous leaders are humbled by God and time. I am not in Bantama but people urge me to help my brother to run because Asenso is disrespectful. I don’t know and I don’t belong here but such an impression is not good,” he added.
Asenso-Boakye and Ralph Agyapong are set for a showdown on January 27, 2023, when the delegates of the party in constituencies with incumbent MPs will go to the polls to elect parliamentary candidates for the 2024 general election.
-
Thieves storm John Kumah’s residence, make away with GHS50k, other valuables
On the night of Friday, December 29, 2023, intruders forcefully broke into the home of Dr John Ampontuah Kumah, who serves as the Deputy Minister for Finance and represents the Ejisu Constituency in the Parliament. The incident occurred in Chantan, Greater Accra.
As documented in the report submitted to the Mile 7 Police Station, the burglars absconded with a sum of GHS50,000.
Moreover, they took household appliances and crucial documents, such as passports and birth certificates belonging to the spouse of the Deputy Minister.
The break-in took place at 6:44 pm while the family was absent, attending a church event in the town.
On the evening of Friday, December 29, 2023, burglars forcibly entered the residence of Dr. John Ampontuah Kumah, the Deputy Minister for Finance and Member of Parliament for the Ejisu Constituency. The house is situated in Chantan, Greater Accra.
“The thieves made away with GHC 50,000, home appliances, and documents such as passports, and birth certificates belonging to the wife of the deputy Minister, Apostle Lilian Kumah.
“The incident is alleged to have happened at around 6:44 pm when the family was out in town attending a church event.”
-
GTV vs DSTV: The Battle for AFCON 2024 viewership
A social media post by the anonymous administrator of the Ghana National Television (GTV) has sparked a hilarious and controversial online debate ahead of the 2024 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The post, which was shared on the station’s Facebook page, read: “Bad weather and a Satellite TV. If you know, you know! #AFCON2023”.
Some netizens interpreted the post as a subtle dig at pay-TV service DSTV Ghana, implying that their satellite signal would be affected by bad weather during the AFCON matches, while GTV would provide uninterrupted coverage.
Others, however, saw the post as a clever marketing strategy by the GTV administrator, who was trying to attract more viewers to the national broadcaster, which has been struggling to generate revenue from TV licence fees.
Maxwell Mawuena Mensah Exlimit-Gadze, one of the commenters, praised the post, saying: “Solid defensive marketing. Y’all are doing a great job”.
However, DSTV Ghana seems to have responded to GTV’s post, as they wrote in a post: “Someone told you to watch the #AFCON2023 with poor picture quality, but did you know they will watch HD quality on #DSTVGhana? Choose wisely.”
DSTV Ghana also wrote in another post: “Don’t get it twisted; don’t be deceived. We’ve got the best of everything when it comes to #AFCON2023. Don’t settle for terrible picture quality, poor sound, or anything below standard. #DSTV Ghana has got you covered”.
The online rivalry between GTV and DSTV Ghana has generated a lot of reactions from football fans, who are eagerly awaiting the start of the AFCON 2024, which will feature 24 national teams competing for the continental glory.
Defending champions Senegal will be among the favourites to retain their title, along with Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria, and Egypt.
GTV has been campaigning for Ghanaians to pay their TV licence fees, which are mandatory by law, in order to help the station operate effectively and efficiently. However, many citizens have refused to pay, claiming that GTV does not offer quality and interesting programmes.
Nana Osei Kwaku, another commenter, expressed his dissatisfaction with GTV, saying: “We want clear pictures, not nwansena. Don’t compromise on quality”. Nwansena is a Twi word that means blurred or unclear.
According to the GTV administration, the station is the only one that is accredited to broadcast the upcoming AFCON 2024 in Ghana, which will kick off on Sunday, January 20, 2024, with Ghana playing against Cape Verde in their opening match. -
Radio 1 legend Annie Nightingale passes away at age 83
Annie Nightingale, who was the first woman to host a show on Radio 1 and stayed on as a host for a long time, has passed away at 83.
Nightingale started working at the station in 1970 and was the only woman on the team for 12 years.
She loved many kinds of music, from rock and punk to electronic and rap.
She was on the radio until the end of last year with Annie Nightingale Presents.
Nightingale also hosted a music show on BBC Two called The Old Grey Whistle Test.
People are praising Nightingale a lot. DJ Annie Mac said she was a pioneer, brave, funny, and really good at her job.
On Instagram, she said: “This woman made a big impact on British TV and radio that will last forever. ” You should not underestimate it.
Zoe Ball, who works on BBC Radio 2, said she was very sad when she heard the news. She said that the person who passed away really loved music and was always looking for new songs and artists that had a big impact on our lives. She interviewed all kinds of musicians, DJs, and broadcasters and helped them get noticed.
Her family said that she died at her home in London after being sick for a short time.
“Annie was a leader and role model for lots of people. ” She still wanted to share her excitement with people all around the world on TV and radio, even after working for the BBC for over 60 years.
“Always remember how much of a good example she turned into. ” Refusing to back down from sexual prejudice and male fear inspired many young women who, like Annie, just wanted to share an awesome song they heard.
Watching Annie perform on TV in the 1970s, especially on the BBC music show The Old Grey Whistle Test, or listening to her play the newest techno music on Radio One shows that she always believed in the magic of rock ‘n’ roll.
They also said there will be a party to remember her in the spring.
‘A leader for women’
Nightingale hosted the Request Show on Radio 1 in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, and then started working the late-night shift. She sometimes presented shows on Radio 2, 5 Live and 6 Music, and also made documentaries.
“Every week at work is like a new exciting journey for me. ” “I like it,” she said in July. “People don’t get it. ” Many people stop enjoying pop music when they reach a certain age. I am still curious about where it is heading and the unexpected changes.
The DJ helped many artists start their careers and other DJs like Lauren Laverne, Jo Whiley, Zoe Ball, and Annie Mac recognized him as a pioneer.
Radio 1’s current boss Aled Haydn Jones said, “We are very sad to lose Annie. Our thoughts are with her family and friends. ”
Annie was a really good DJ, radio host, and reporter. She always supported new music and new artists in her job.
She was the first woman DJ on Radio 1 and for over 50 years, she paved the way for other women in the industry and in dance music.
“We lost a well-known person in broadcasting, and things will be different now because of Annie. ”
People in the music industry are saying nice things about Nightingale. DJ Stephanie Hirst said that she was an important woman in radio.
“Annie Nightingale has passed away,” she wrote on X, which used to be called Twitter.
DJ Dave Pearce said she was a very famous broadcaster who opened doors for many female DJs.
Nightingale’s last show was a “best of 2023” three-part series on 19 December.
After playing songs by Dimitri Vegas, Daft Punk, Sam Smith, and Bad Bunny, she ended the show by wishing listeners a “great Christmas”.
She said “lots of love, from me to you” as her last words on Radio 1. -
Donald Trump uses his court disputes political showpiece
Donald Trump went to a court in New York for a fraud case involving his company, and he wanted to speak his opinions on Thursday.
The judge said the ex-president couldn’t talk in court, but then changed their mind and let him speak for a little bit.
He used the platform to say that the city’s attorney general hates him. Then, he walked out of the courtroom and told reporters that the case was not fair.
But that was not sufficient. He held a news conference in a building he owns at 40 Wall Street, which he is accused of lying about its value.
Mr Trump is going to court like it’s a campaign rally, mixing his legal case with his campaign for president as the US election heats up.
He says that the legal problems he is facing in different places are all part of a plan by Joe Biden, the Democrats, and the White House to prevent him from winning the 2024 election.
Thursday’s event in New York came right after another event in Washington earlier in the week. The ex-president went to a court with his lawyers to say he shouldn’t be tried for trying to change the 2020 election.
While other people running for president in the Republican party are going around Iowa before the first vote on Monday, the former president says he is being forced to stop campaigning by the courts.
“I have to go to court two times this week instead of campaigning because of false accusations in New York and Washington DC,” he wrote in an email asking for donations.
Actually, he didn’t have to go to both of these meetings. He chose to go to two different courtrooms on purpose because he thinks it helps his campaign when people see him in court.
He is correct. The candidate leading the Republican party has turned his many legal issues into a good thing for his campaign. At rallies, press conferences, and in messages to voters and donors, he says he’s being unfairly targeted by political prosecutions in an attempt to prevent him from returning to the White House.
He tells his supporters that the charges against him are not something to be ashamed of, but something to be proud of. He says that the legal problems he’s dealing with are not just about him, but also about the many people in America who support him. One thing he often says in his political speeches is, “They aren’t trying to get rid of me. ” They are trying to catch you. I’m just blocking them.
The 91 criminal charges against him would have ended the campaign of any other candidate. But for him, it has actually helped to bring his supporters into the fight with him.
The Trump campaign has a clear goal and reason for what they’re doing, as it seems they will probably have another election battle with President Joe Biden in November. Trump’s legal troubles also help make sure his campaign has enough money to run smoothly.
He only started to gain support for his re-election after he was charged with a crime in New York last April.Fundraising emails were sent soon after the news of charges connected to paying hush money to Stormy Daniels, a former porn star, came out in the media. Over $4 million (or 3. 1 million pounds) was raised in the next day.
After he was charged again in June for breaking the law by mishandling secret documents, he received a lot of money again. His campaign was reported to have raised $6. 6 million in just a few days.
When he was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, in August for trying to change the state’s 2020 election results, he had become really good at making a show out of getting charged with crimes.
The campaign brought TV teams with him on his private plane and in his car to show his every move on TV.
This week in Washington, he said that he is being prosecuted because he is winning in the opinion polls against President Biden. Most people think the race is very close.
“I think they believe this is how they will try to win, but that’s not how it works,” said Mr. He said there would be chaos in the country if he couldn’t be re-elected because of the criminal cases against him.
The White House is fighting back. President Biden gave a big speech on January 6th and said that Mr. Trump is a big danger to American democracy.
This argument is a big part of the Democrat’s campaign. It reminds people of the attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters three years ago. The Democrats are trying to get people to focus on their positive message about the US economy and the fact that inflation is going down.
But Trump has already changed the argument for his supporters. In Trump’s opinion, Mr. Biden is a threat to democracy.
However, the feelings, especially of people who are not affiliated with a political party, may change once the trials that Mr. Trump is going through actually start.
The 6th of January is very dangerous for the ex-president. Voters will learn all the details about how Mr Trump tried to stay in power after he lost the 2020 election. Surveys show that being found guilty in the case, and the possibility of going to prison, could hurt someone’s chances in politics.
But Trump has a plan for that as well. Keep putting off the trial with as many requests and movements as you can, so that it doesn’t start until after the election on 5 November.
If he goes back to being president, he might tell his department to not pursue the cases against him, or if he’s found guilty, he might try to forgive himself. -
Fifth arrest in connection with murders at Dublin restaurant
A teenage boy has been arrested as the fifth person involved in a situation at a restaurant in Ireland. Two people died because of the incident.
The teenager was taken by the police on Friday morning and is now in their custody.
Tristan Sherry, who was 26, was a shooter in an attack at Browne’s Steakhouse in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve. He died after being stabbed.
A man named Jason Hennessy Snr, who was 48 years old, was shot and died after the incident.
Three men went to court because they were involved in something bad. Two of them are accused of killing Mr. Sherry
A fourth man, who is 18 years old, was arrested on Wednesday for the incident and then let go on Thursday. -
FM demands recall of parliament over Yemeni strikes
Scotland’s leader, Humza Yousaf, wants the UK parliament to meet again to talk about air attacks in Yemen.
Rishi Sunak said it was important to bomb Houthi rebel sites in the UK and US because it was the right amount of force to keep ships safe in the Red Sea.
The military facilities were attacked during the night.
Humza Yousaf said there were important questions that needed to be asked and answered about military action.
He said on BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland show, “The SNP supports the UN security resolution, which is asking the Houthi rebels to stop their attacks in the Red Sea. Let’s not have any doubt about that. ”
“But the UK hasn’t done well with using military force in the Middle East. ”
“Before doing anything, the best thing to do would have been to bring back the parliament and get a thorough explanation about the military action. ”
He said: “There are big questions about what was done. ” What are we trying to achieve. What will count as a win.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the attacks on the Iranian-supported group were to protect UK ships from harm.
Houthi officials said the UK and US will face big consequences.
The US and its allies have launched the first attacks against the Houthi fighters, because they have been attacking ships in the Red Sea.
The Houthis are in charge of a big part of Yemen and they are helping Hamas by attacking ships going to Israel. The US Air Force said they hit more than 60 places where the Houthi rebels in Yemen were.
Mr Sunak said that the Houthi rebels are causing problems for UK and international ships and disrupting the trade route.
“The Houthis didn’t listen to the warnings from other countries and still attacked ships in the Red Sea, including ones from the UK and US,” said the prime minister.
This is not acceptable. The UK will always support the freedom for ships to move around and for trade to happen freely.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced that Royal Air Force typhoons did two accurate attacks on Houthi sites. One attack was on an airfield they used to launch drones and missiles over the Red Sea, and the other was on a site where they launched attack drones.
A Houthi leader said the US and UK will regret attacking Yemen.
The group says they will keep on attacking ships in the Red Sea that are going to or connected to Israel.Meanwhile, Mr Yousaf’s wife, Nadia El-Nakla, said that her sister-in-law and her four children were able to leave Gaza.
Her brother works as a doctor at the Al-Nassar Hospital. He is still in the area with other family members.
Ms El-Nakla’s parents went back to Scotland in November after being stuck in Gaza for four weeks when the war with Israel started during their family visit.
She said: “I’m happy that my sister-in-law, Doaa, and their four kids have gotten out of Gaza and are safe now. ”
“But my brother Mohamed is still there with our 93-year-old grandma and many other family members. ”
Ms El Nakla, who works for Dundee government, said that the families in Gaza are still going through a tough time after losing completely innocent people.
She asked the UK government to create a program to help Palestinians move to the UK, like they did for Ukrainian families.
She said, “I will keep speaking out to stop the killing and suffering of the innocent people in Gaza, and ask for a ceasefire right away. ”
The UK government said it was working very hard to help people who want to leave Gaza.
Over 23,350 people, mostly women and children, have been killed, as reported by the health ministry run by Hamas.
During the first attacks by Hamas on Israel, around 1,300 people, mostly civilians, were killed and about 240 others were kidnapped. -
Statue of Tutu wrapped in Palestinian shawl displayed
A statue of the Archbishop Desmond Tutu from South Africa, who has passed away, wearing a Palestinian scarf has been revealed in Cape Town. It shows his support for the people of Palestine.
The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation said the statue will be on display for a short time until the bombing in Gaza stops.
Israel is trying to get rid of Hamas. They attacked Israel on 7 October and killed about 1,300 people. They also took about 240 people as hostages back to Gaza.
The health ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, has said that over 23,350 people, mostly women and children, were killed by Israel in the war.
Archbishop Tutu didn’t agree with how Israel treats Palestinians. He said it was similar to how South Africa treated people during apartheid.
The ruling ANC party has always spoken out in support of the Palestinian cause.
Israel is arguing in court in The Hague against South Africa’s claim that it is committing a genocide in Gaza.
It said South Africa has not been truthful and that it had given a false description of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. -
Driver acknowledges killing pupil during police pursuit in Nottingham
A man has confessed to causing the death of a mature student who was hit by a car that was being chased by the police in Nottingham.
Oshada Jayasundera, a 31-year-old student from Nottingham Trent University, was hit by a car on Huntingdon Street on December 13th and died at the spot.
Joshua Gregory admitted to causing a deadly car crash and was told he would go to jail for a long time.
Gregory, who is 27 years old, will find out his punishment on 28 March.
Gregory from Westfield Road in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, was put in jail.
The street in Nottingham city center, which is usually very busy, was closed for most of the day so that investigations could be done.
The police are being investigated because they were chasing a car. -
Ukraine war: Members of parliament reject proposal to punish draft evaders
Ukraine’s Members of parliament decided not to discuss a law that would punish people who avoid military service.
Members of Parliament have said that some punishments in the bill are against the constitution.
Some people think that the bill should have a shorter time for military service, like 18 months instead of 36.
The bill was created to get more people to join the army, because Kyiv is having trouble fighting Russia after almost two years of war.
The plans also said that men can join the military at a younger age, from 27 to 25.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that they need 450,000-500,000 more soldiers to fight against Russia’s invasion.
However, some parts of the bill have made people very angry, like the rule that stops people who refused to join the military from owning things and using their own money freely.
The law would also let the Ukrainian government call people to join the military using electronic methods. At the beginning of the war, many men signed up to fight. But now, it’s difficult to find anyone willing to join.
In December, Ukrainians living in other countries were told they may have to join the military. Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said it was an invitation, and the ministry later explained that it didn’t mean there would be punishment for people who didn’t want to return.
Mr Zelensky said that getting more troops was a difficult and expensive problem.
This happens as Kyiv’s recent attack has stopped and the military aid has been reduced in the past few months. The US Republicans said no to a $61 billion military package, and Hungary stopped a EU financial deal worth €50 billion.
John Kirby, who speaks for the White House about national security, said on Thursday that talks about more help from the US have stopped. This is because the government is still deciding on its budget.
Mr Zelensky is traveling in the Baltic states. Right now, he is in Latvia. He wants more help from Western allies, like getting more air defence weapons.
He talked in Tallinn, Estonia about how it’s dangerous for the West to hesitate. He said: “When partners are unsure about giving money and help to Ukraine, it makes Russia feel more powerful and brave. ”
He said something new, as a report from the US warned that over $1 billion in military aid given to Ukraine since February 2022 wasn’t tracked correctly.
The Pentagon’s inspector general found that US officials in Washington DC and Europe did not keep track of thousands of weapons, like missile launchers and air defense missiles, properly. There are worries that some of the $1. 69 billion in military aid given to Ukraine may have been used improperly.
In a letter replying to the report, Col Garrett W Trott of the US military’s European Command, stressed that the report did not find any proof of unauthorized or illegal transfer of enhanced monitoring defense items given to Ukraine.
The report admitted that it was not able to investigate if any weapons had been stolen. -
Ecuador City attempts to get back to normal after terror of gangs
Slowly and with nervousness, things are starting to get back to normal in Guayaquil.
Only a few people in the city have fully recovered from the shock and chaos of this week. It was a very unforgettable moment for everyone in the city.
But Dina Moreno can’t stay at home anymore because she doesn’t have enough money. She sells phone accessories at the big market in Guayaquil. Like others, she has opened her business to start working again.
“I have never seen anything like it,” she remembers with a shiver. “When we saw trouble at the TV station and heard gunshots, everyone panicked and closed their shops to go home. ”
As Dina talks, her seven-year-old son plays with some phone covers. City schools are still closed because of gang violence. Dina didn’t make any money for two days, so she had to bring her son to work.
The same thing is happening in other parts of the big market. Street food sellers, delivery boys, and a person reading from the Bible are making the place noisy and busy again. This hasn’t happened since the attack.
The threat of drug-gang violence is still present. One seller, Jorge, said that the stall owners were all taking care of each other under the big white covers of the market, looking for any hint of trouble or the return of armed men to the streets.
“I’m not afraid of dying,” he said confidently. “I want Ecuador to be peaceful again. ”
However, Andres is not able to go back to his usual business in Guayaquil, even though other small businesses are trying to. His brother is one of 178 prison workers, most of them guards, who are still being held captive by the gangs.
“We have only heard from the guards who were able to escape. ” “They are the only ones who have said that our family members are alright,” he says to me from outside the Ambato prison, where he has been waiting for hours to hear any updates.
The police will let the worried family know they are waiting for permission to go into the prison. Andres says he hasn’t seen them do anything for days.
He says that the guards had told them something bad was going to happen in the prison, but the people in charge didn’t listen.
The government says the country is in a war with the gangs and won’t give in to threats from inside or outside the prisons. “President Daniel Noboa said that taking people as hostages is a terrible part of war. ”
But Andres is not comforted by that. He says the government is not doing enough and has forgotten about his brother.
“I just hope they don’t use them as disposable soldiers,” he says.
During a very chaotic situation, the most bold act of gang violence happened in the TC television studio in Guayaquil. Armed men held the staff hostage and showed their weapons to the journalists while they were on live TV.
During the scary situation, the host Jose Luis Calderon told the gang members to stay calm, even though they were holding a shotgun to his head and putting dynamite in his pocket.
“He said he felt surprisingly relaxed even though he knew we were in danger,” he remembered when we saw him later. Jose Luis told how he and some coworkers hid in a bathroom because they heard shouting and gunshots. However, they were quickly found and forced to join the rest of the staff on the set at gunpoint.
“They sent children, heavily armed, to make people scared, unsure, and worried, and to cause chaos,” he says. “They were there to show that they can come in and control one of the largest media companies in the country. ”
The police have arrested many gang members. During the night, not many people are on the streets of Guayaquil because of a curfew. But during the day, more people are out and about, going about their usual business.
As the days go by after a very scary event, it seems like Ecuador is going back to normal.
The danger is that it is rapidly heading towards a long-lasting armed fight and getting closer to becoming a complete “narco-state”. -
Israel claims charge of genocide is untrue
Israel has said that South Africa is not telling the truth in its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. South Africa is accusing Israel of committing genocide.
South Africa gave a big description of what could have happened differently in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, according to Israeli lawyer Tal Becker.
South Africa accuses Israel of killing many Palestinians in the fighting in Gaza.
It also wants the court to make Israel stop its military action.
The ICJ is the top court of the United Nations. The decisions of the ICJ are supposed to be followed by countries like Israel and South Africa, but they cannot be forced to follow them.
Israel is presenting its argument to the court one day after South Africa did.
On Thursday, there was fighting outside the court in The Hague, Netherlands between Palestinian and Israeli supporters. Police tried to keep them apart.
Many people with flags from Palestine gathered outside the Peace Palace, shouting for the fighting to stop. Israeli supporters put up a screen to show pictures of more than 130 hostages still in Gaza.
South Africa says Israel is breaking a promise to stop genocide. Both countries agreed to this promise in 1949.
Israel has been fighting against Hamas, the group that runs Gaza, since October 7th. This was because hundreds of Hamas fighters attacked Israel, killing around 1,300 people and taking about 240 others as hostages back to Gaza.
The health ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, says that over 23,350 people, mostly women and children, have been killed by Israel in the war.
In the beginning of the trial, Tal Becker said that even though it’s sad that civilians are suffering, Hamas is trying to hurt both Israelis and Palestinians, while Israel is trying to protect them.
He said that South Africa has given the court a very wrong and misleading picture of the facts and the law. Their whole case relies on a purposely selected, taken out of context, and manipulative description of the current fighting.
On Thursday, 17 judges in the court listened to lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi from South Africa. He said Israel’s intentions to commit genocide were clear from the way they were conducting their military attacks.
Israel had a plan to “destroy” Gaza, he said, which “has been nurtured at the highest level of state”. Israel planned to “destroy” Gaza, and he said it was a plan made by the state’s highest leaders.
Adila Hassim, who is from South Africa, told the court that the Palestinian people are suffering every day. They are losing their lives, homes, dignity, and humanity.
“Only a court order can make the suffering stop. ”
South Africa said that Israel’s actions are meant to destroy a large part of the Palestinian people.
On Thursday, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, criticized South Africa for not speaking out against the terrible things happening in Syria and Yemen that are being done by people who work with Hamas. He said South Africa is being hypocritical.
“Today everything was upside-down. ” Israel is being accused of killing lots of people, but they say they are fighting against killing lots of people.
A representative for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Mr. Sunak thinks that South Africa’s case is completely unfair and incorrect.
“The UK government supports Israel’s right to defend itself according to international law,” he said.
The ICJ’s decision on the genocide accusation will just be a point of view, but a lot of people are paying close attention to it.
It may take a long time for a decision to be made, but the court may decide quickly on whether Israel should stop its military actions in response to South Africa’s request. -
Campaigns wind down as Comoros poll draws near in Comoros
Campaigns for the presidential and regional elections in Comoros on Sunday will finish on Friday. Some presidential candidates want people to not vote.
Current President Azali Assoumani is running for a fourth term and has five people competing against him.
For months, some of the people running for office have said they might not participate in the election because they are worried about the fair treatment of political prisoners and if the election is going to be fair.
Mr Assoumani, who is 65 years old, used to be in the military. He became the leader after a coup in 1999.
Both President Assoumani and the electoral body CENI have promised that the election will be fair and open.
Over 300,000 people can vote in the small group of African islands. The total population, estimated by the World Bank, is 836,000. -
Netflix pulls down Nayanthara movie following criticism from Hindu organisations
An Indian movie that upset Hindu people has been taken off Netflix a few days after it was made available to watch.
Netflix removed the Tamil-language movie Annapoorani: The Goddess of Food because the company that owns the rights asked them to.
The movie features Nayanthara, who plays a Hindu Brahmin woman wanting to be a chef.
She goes against her family’s religious beliefs and eats meat, and she’s learning to cook it.
Many Brahmins do not eat meat because their caste rules do not allow it.
Extremist Hindu groups didn’t like some parts of the movie, like when the actress is shown praying as a Muslim before making biriyani.
Some Hindus were upset because a Muslim character in a scene said that the Hindu god Ram ate meat.
The people who made the movie have not said anything about the problem yet.
Nayanthara and two others linked to the movie are also facing a police case in Madhya Pradesh.
People who strongly believe in Hinduism have said that many movies and shows in the last few years have disrespected their religion. In 2021, the people who made a show called Tandav on Amazon Prime said sorry because they were accused of making fun of Hindu gods.
The movie Annapoorani came out in theaters on December 1st. Critics had different opinions about it. Some liked how it showed a woman from a traditional family going after her dreams, but others thought it had too many unfinished storylines.
India’s Central Board of Film Certification, also called the censor board, approved the movie for public showing.
However, the arguments started a few weeks after people saw it on Netflix, which started showing it on December 29th.
Last week, a man named Ramesh Solanki told the police in Mumbai that he didn’t like some parts of a movie. The police are deciding whether to take action. Solanki says he is a proud Hindu Indian who loves his country. He said this on X, which used to be called Twitter.
According to Reuters, a group called Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) shouted chants outside the Netflix office in Mumbai.
On Thursday, Mr. Solanki and a VHP spokesperson showed a letter of apology from Zee Entertainment Enterprises. This company owns Zee Studios, which helped make the movie Annapoorani.
“We don’t want to offend the Hindu and Brahmin community with our film,” the letter said.
The people making the film will fix any problems and are working with Netflix to take the film off the website until it is changed.
Zee did not reply to the email from the BBC asking for a comment.
Some people were glad that the movie was removed from Netflix, but others were upset about it. Actress Parvathy Thiruvothu said this would create a bad example.