Aslef will not be making any public statements or comments on further strike action until Tuesday.
But the managing director of rail operator LNER, David Horne, tweeted that the trade union Aslef had indeed notified it of strike action on Saturday 1 October and Wednesday 5 October.
Mr Horne said LNER had already suspended ticket sales for these dates and it would confirm as soon as possible which services will be running.
A rail industry source told the BBC that they found it “incredible” and “utterly disrespectful” that the Aslef leadership announced fresh strike action on Friday.
“This a time when the entire rail family is working hard to support the hundreds of thousands of people who wish to pay their respects to Her Majesty the Queen during this time of national mourning,” they said.
A 27-year-old driver’s mate has been jailed for 18 months by an Accra Circuit Court for stealing an Uber driver’s phone valued at ¢500 at Teshie, Accra.
Clement Adjei Adjetey charged with stealing, pleaded guilty.
The court presided over by Afia Owusua Appiah convicted Adjetey on his own plea and sentenced him accordingly.
The facts as read by Police Inspector Wisdom Alorwu are that the complainant Joseph Ohene is an Uber driver residing at Teshie and the accused, now convict, also resides in the same vicinity.
On September 9, this year at about 6 am hours, the complainant had a request from a client at Teshie and on reaching the pickup point at Teshie Star Oil Filling Station, he parked his vehicle to wait for the said client.
Inspector Alorwu said Adjetey and one Jana Ashie, now at large, emerged from behind the complainant’s car and Adjetey snatched the complainant’s Infinix XOS phone from his hand.
The prosecution said Adjetey and his accomplice, Ashie, took to their heels but the complainant raised the alarm and some witnesses within the vicinity apprehended them with the stolen phone.
According to the prosecutor, Ashie however managed to escape but Adjetey was handed over to the Police.
Members of the Aslef and RMT unions will walk out on 1 October in order to bring the rail network to an “effective standstill”, union bosses said.
Just 10% of services are likely to run on Saturday, with travel to and from the London Marathon as well as the Tory Party conference potentially affected.
Train drivers will then take a second day of industrial action on 5 October.
Aslef, which is the union for train drivers, has confirmed that drivers at 12 train companies across the country will walk out on both 1 and 5 October.
The Rail Delivery Group, the industry body representing train operators, claimed that “thousands” of runners taking part in the London Marathon could have their journeys disrupted.
The race is on 2 October which is not a strike day but services could be disrupted following industrial action because trains are not in the correct locations.
Many participants may also travel ahead of the event.
“These strikes will once again hugely inconvenience the very passengers the industry needs to support its recovery from the ongoing impact of the pandemic,” said the Rail Delivery Group.
The Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, from 2 October to 5 October, is also expected to be hit by disruption and cancelled services.
Image source, Getty Images
The latest strike action comes after a series of large-scale walk outs in recent months as unions seek pay increases in line with the rising cost of living.
Rail bosses claim they want to give workers pay rises but they and the government insist changes are needed to “modernise” the railway, to end some working practices and to save money.
The RMT said its decision to hold further strikes was due to “no further offers from the rail industry to help come to a negotiated settlement”.
Mick Lynch, the union’s general secretary, said the large-scale action would send a “clear message to the government and employers that working people will not accept continued attacks on pay and working conditions at a time when big business profits are at an all-time high”.
“We want a settlement to these disputes where our members and their families can get a square deal. And we will not rest until we get a satisfactory outcome,” he added
Train drivers’ union Aslef, gave notice of the latest strike to the train companies on Friday, but did not make a a public announcement at the time now “as a mark of respect for the monarch”.
A strike had been planned for 15 September, but was postponed following the announcement of the Queen’s death
The union said it had successfully negotiated pay deals with nine train companies this year, but remained in dispute with some firms which it claimed hadn’t offered any deal and where drivers hadn’t had a pay increase since 2019.
“We would much rather not be in this position. We don’t want to go on strike – withdrawing your labour, although a fundamental human right, is always a last resort for this trade union – but the train companies have been determined to force our hand, said Mick Whelan, Aslef’s general secretary.
The BBC understands members of the TSSA union are also expected to strike on 1 October, but this has not been officially confirmed.
In separate disputes, Arriva Rail London members, Hull Trains and bus workers at First Group Southwest will also take strike action on October 1st.
The Ethiopian government has rejected a report by a UN commission, describing it as “incomplete, incoherent and unsubstantiated” and intended to demonise Ethiopia.
The UN-backed commission on Tuesday highlighted what it called credible information of large-scale killings committed by Ethiopia’s national defence force.
“The government regrets the hasty, substandard, and agenda-driven pathway the [International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia], chose to discharge its responsibility”
It added that the report was “a manifestly political statement issued under the guise of an investigation report”.
The government defended itself saying it had brought perpetrators of human rights violations to justice.
Both the federal government and the rebel Tigray forces have accused each other of human rights violations as the war in the northern region of Tigray rages.
The CSIR Water Research Institute has called on the appropriate authorities and agencies in charge of ensuring that illegal mining is stopped to be up and doing.
The institute argues that the menace which is destroying water bodies is also contaminating different species of fish in them.
Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of an aquaculture development workshop in Accra, Head of CSIR Water Research Institute, Dr. Seth Koranteng Agyakwah stressed that if illegal mining is not halted immediately, there will be a lot of contaminated fish on the market.
Dr. Agyakwah also stressed that the government had to be decisive in the fight against illegal mining.
“Illegal mining is taking over all this and destroying the whole system. This is strictly a policy issue and therefore, any institution responsible for ensuring and enforcing the laws to prevent illegal mining should go ahead and do it.”
“As for fishes, they are contaminated in those areas, and you need not hide about it. We can provide you with all the information about contaminants in fish. If they don’t stop it, they will continue to be there,” he said.
None of these cost-of-living payments affect the tax you pay, or the benefits or tax credits you receive.
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What can I do if I can’t afford my energy bill?
Who is getting other cost-of-living payments and when?
Two payments totalling £650 are also being made to more than eight million low-income households who receive the following benefits:
Universal Credit
income-based Jobseekers Allowance
income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Income Support
working tax credit
child tax credit
pension credit
The first instalment of £326 was paid to about seven million of these people between 14 and 31 July. The payments were made automatically into bank accounts – usually marked “DWP Cost of Living”.
The 1.1 million people who only receive tax credits, rather than any of the other benefits, had to wait longer.
Their first payment was also automatic, and was paid straight into bank accounts by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) between 2 and 7 September. This was identified differently, with the letters CL and their National Insurance number.
All eight million will receive their second instalment of £324 later in the year. The first group will receive the money in the autumn, and the smaller group of 1.1 million in the winter. No exact dates have yet been confirmed.
Media caption,
Worried about energy bills? The BBC’s Colletta Smith tells you – in a minute – about four discounts and payments that could help
People are not eligible for these payments if they receive New Style Employment and Support Allowance, contributory Employment and Support Allowance, or New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance – unless they get Universal Credit.
Anyone who thinks they are entitled to the help, but hadn’t received it by the middle of September,should contact the office that pays their benefit or tax credits.
Those who could miss out include the 850,000 pensioner households which the government says do not claim Pension Credit, which is a gateway to these extra payments.
Other eligibility details are outlined here for people in England, Wales and Scotland, and here for people in Northern Ireland.
Calm has returned to parts of Bawku after three people were shot and killed on Monday.
The incident has been attributed to a recurrent chieftaincy dispute.
Despite the relative calm, a resident who is a business woman and mother told Citi News, they are still living in fear of being attacked hence a halt in economic and social activities.
“Everybody is just indoors because of what happened yesterday,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Upper East Area Manager of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company NEDCO, Eugene Odei Addo has told Citi News, power has been restored to affected areas which went off due to the shooting.
He however indicated that his outfit will take a decision to protect its officers on the grounds should the situation worsen.
“Our key challenge is with my people mostly dealing in that unstable zone,” he said.
Mr. Odei, however, said his outfit will continue to operate in Bawku.
“We think that being there is the best for now, but if the need be for us to withdraw, we will do exactly that,” he said.
The move is designed to combat rising inflation, which is at a 21-year high.
RBA Governor Philip Lowe said although inflation had picked up more quickly than expected, unemployment was low and there was evidence wage growth would improve.
It was time to withdraw “some of the extraordinary monetary support that was put in place to help the Australian economy during the pandemic”, he said in a statement.
Donald Trump and three of his children have been hit by a fraud lawsuit after a New York investigation into their family business.
It alleges that the Trump Organization committed “numerous” acts of fraud between 2011 and 2021.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is asking a court to bar Mr Trump and his children from serving as officers or directors in any New York business.
The Trump Organization has denied any wrongdoing.
Mr Trump and the Trump Organization are accused of misstating the value of real estate to get banks to lend on more favourable terms.
“With the help of his children and senior executives at the Trump Organization, Donald Trump falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system,” Ms James said in a statement.
Ms James, who is New York’s most senior lawyer, is pushing for the Trump Organization to be barred from engaging in any future real estate transactions in the state.
She added that she is referring several criminal charges to federal prosecutors and to the Internal Revenue Service.
In addition to Donald Trump, Ms James named his three eldest children – Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka and Eric – as allegedly complicit in the fraud.
The announcement comes after Ms James rejected at last one offer to settle the long-running civil investigation into the company’s business practices.
The attorney general said she is aiming to recover an estimated $250m (£220m) that she said was the result of the fraud.
Self-described “Crypto King” Aiden Pleterski had $2 million in assets seized, including luxury cars, as investors try to recoup millions given to him and his company, according to a CBC Toronto investigation.
Among the assets seized from the 23-year-old Whitby, Ontario, native include two McLarens, two BMWs, and Lamborghini. Investors also asked about a Patek Philippe watch that he claims he never owned. Pleterski maintains “he has never owned a watch with a value greater than $600,000.”
According to CBC Toronto, creditors are trying to figure out where “$35 million provided to Pleterski and his company AP Private Equity Limited for cryptocurrency and foreign exchange investments” has gone.
Pleterski called himself the “Crypto King” in paid promotional articles, and lived in supposed luxury, with expensive cars, watches, gold, private jets, and a lakefront mansion in Burlington, Ontario, he rented for $45,000 a month. He also once posted on Instagram about tipping $500 on a $41.25 bill at a Keg in Ajax.
There’s currently a $13 million bankruptcy proceeding against Pleterski, and he’s being investigated by a fraud recovery firm where 140 investors responded. In a lawsuit involving an investor who says they’re owed $4.5 million, they were effectively able to freeze Pleterski’s assets and bank accounts worldwide.
Pleterski’s lawyer Michael Simaan told CBC Toronto the claims from investors are “wildly exaggerated” and his client never solicited money from investors. He also said that no one ever considered whether Aidan, “as a very young man, was qualified to handle these types of investments.”
Pleterski said he lost the money in bad investments, but according to the bankruptcy trustee’s report, no evidence has been presented to support the claim.
Currently Russia has a limit of just over a million military personnel and almost 900,000 civilian staff.
Vladimir Putin’s decree comes amid a recruitment drive around the country, with large cash incentives on offer.
Western officials say 70-80,000 troops have been killed or wounded since Russia invaded Ukraine six months ago.
There have been reports that recruiters have even been visiting prisons, promising inmates freedom and money.
The UK Ministry of Defence said in a statement two weeks ago that volunteer battalions being set up in several Russian regions were likely to form part of a new army corps.
But it said “very limited levels of popular enthusiasm for volunteering for combat in Ukraine” meant it would be difficult to find the required number of troops.
Russia had initially promised a short, decisive campaign when it invaded Ukraine in February, but fierce Ukrainian resistance has stalled its progress and in recent weeks front lines have hardly moved.
Athletic Bilbao forward, Nico Williams, says his call-up to the Spain national team came as a surprise for him.
The 20-year-old was included in Luis Enrique’s squad for the upcoming games against Switzerland and Portugal as they wrap up preparations for the World Cup.
Nico, whose senior brother Inaki Williams, switched nationality to play for Ghana, in an interview with La Roja’s media team stated that he was not aware he had made Enrique’s initial squad.
“I had no idea that I was in the pre-list, it has been a joy for my whole family and I am going to perform here,” he said.
“My parents and my whole family are proud of me and now we have to continue.
“I’m very happy to be here, I found out when the call came out. My feet on the ground, I want to work, for the coach to see me. I thank him for this opportunity and I’m going to give my best on the pitch.”
The winger could make his debut appearance when Spain face Switzerland in their fifth group game of the UEFA Nations League on Saturday, September 24.
In Uganda, it is believed a second person, a young child, has died of Ebola in a hospital in the centre of the country, according to the local New Vision newspaper.
Tests are being conducted to confirm the cause of death.
Health officials say the deceased was one of 14 people admitted to hospital with Ebola-like symptoms.
Tests are also being conducted on six people who died of what locals have described as a strange illness earlier this month.
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization confirmed Uganda’s first outbreak of the rare Sudan strain of Ebola in more than a decade.
Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS) wants the government to immediately scrap the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The Council contends that the examination body has outlived its usefulness and has failed to contribute positively toward educational development in Ghana.
This demand follows recent findings by WAEC in the ongoing West African Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The report by WAEC cited and slurred the private schools for disregarding the rules and regulations regarding the exams.
Speaking to Citi News, the National Executive Director for GNACOPS, Enoch Kwesi Gyetuah, said WAEC has failed in the organisation of examinations and must be collapsed.
“We are calling for the total scrapping of the council based on the fact that they have shown gross incompetence in terms of the delivery of their mandate.”
“WAEC should have been able to adopt technological structures to eradicate most of these rampant issues that they have been complaining about all the time,” Mr. Gyetuah said.
He also pushed back against the suggestion that malpractice was rampant in private schools.
“Private school owners and their teachers that are linked to these exam centres are not allowed to be part of the team that will monitor the exams,” Mr. Gyetuah said.
Saudi Arabia says Russia has released 10 prisoners of war captured in Ukraine, following mediation by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, including from Morocco.
The other citizens are from the United States, Britain, Sweden and Croatia.
They have not yet been named.
A Saudi statement said they had been transferred from Russia to Saudi Arabia.
It did not say if Ukraine had released Russian prisoners in return.
Russia plans to call up about 300,000 reservists – that is, people who have had military training and, Vladimir Putin stressed, have specialist skills needed in the Ukraine conflict. They will include many reserve officers, including some over 60, pulled in from retirement.
Russia could in theory mobilise some 25 million people for military service, but that is not yet being considered. Both President Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu stressed that conscripts would not be sent to fight in Ukraine.
Mr Shoigu said the extra troops were required to defend a front line stretching for some 1,000km (600 miles).
The mobilisation will be spread over months – and Mr Putin has said previously that Russia is prepared for a long fight. Reuters news agency says it is Russia’s first mobilisation since World War Two, but the Kremlin did send thousands of conscripts to fight in Afghanistan in the 1980s, and later in Chechnya, in the North Caucasus.
Many poorly-trained conscripts were killed in those costly wars, and this time the Kremlin appears anxious to avoid fuelling anti-war sentiment.
A Magistrates’ Court in the northern Nigerian city of Kano has remanded in custody a Chinese businessman who is accused of killing his Nigerian girlfriend.
The suspect, Geng Quanrong, allegedly forced himself into the young woman’s family house, attacked her and slit her throat with a knife last weekend.
The killing sparked public outrage across Nigeria – with social media users and the victim’s family calling for justice.
Mr Geng, 47, was arraigned on Wednesday and government prosecutors accused him of murder.
But they asked the court to grant them time to prepare proper charges. The suspect has not yet entered a plea.
A spokesperson for the judiciary in Kano state told the BBC the case had been adjourned to 13 October.
The victim, Ummukulthum Sani Buhari, 22, was taken to a local hospital after the stabbing. Doctors confirmed she was dead on arrival.
The suspect was arrested as he attempted to flee the scene – after residents raised the alarm. Since then he has been in police custody.
It is unclear what exactly triggered the incident on Friday night, but residents and family sources say the estranged lovers had started having problems when the deceased indicated she was no longer interested in marrying the Chinese man.
For more than five years, Ghana Reads has demonstrated a strong interest in education.
They have embarked on several literacy programmes that employ creative ways to inculcate the culture of reading in our youth and children.
As part of its interest and commitment to promoting quality education in Ghana, Ghana Reads has decided to produce a quarterly newspaper with the title, “Educational Times” which is entirely focused on matters in education.
The launch of the newspaper took place at the Ghana International Press Center on September 15, 2022.
The current National Director, Miss Sandra O. Yeboah, in her address at the event encouraged all stakeholders of education including students and teachers to add their voices and share their stories, through letters to the editor. She also made a call on all publishing houses in Ghana to support this course through sponsorship.
The spotlight in the maiden edition of this newspaper was Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, previous Vice Chancellor of University of Winneba and one of the prominent people steer wheeling Ghana’s Education System.
The programme was chaired by Nana Kwaku Dei (Mr. Ransford Tetteh), Nkosuohene of Prako; the Guest Speaker was Mr. Albert Dwoumfour, president of GJA and the Guest of Honour for the program was the Deputy Minister of Education, Hon. Rev John Ntim Fordjour.
The first edition of the newspaper was fully sponsored by Adwinsa Publications (Gh) Ltd. and was distributed freely to all who attended.
A California woman has been sentenced to prison in connection with faking her own kidnapping to be with an ex-boyfriend.
39-year-old Sherri Papini, who in April agreed to a plea deal in the case, was sentenced on Monday to 18 months in prison followed by a 36-month period of supervised release. Papini must also pay more than $300,000 in restitution, a figure estimated to include funds she received after lying to the California Victim Compensation Board and the Social Security Administration about having PTSD from the made-up kidnapping.
Papini was first charged with 34 counts of mail fraud and a single count of making false statements. In April, she pleaded guilty as part of her aforementioned deal to one count each of mail fraud and making false statements.
In late 2016, Papini was reported missing, prompting a number of searches both in California and elsewhere. Less than a month later, Papini resurfaced with a later-proven-to-be-false claim of having been kidnapped “by two Hispanic women at gunpoint.” Papini, a mother of two, also showed injuries she said were from abuse at the hands of these nonexistent individuals. These false claims were repeated on numerous occasions, including as recently as March 2021.
In an indictment filed in April, prosecutors said Papini had started communicating with the ex-boyfriend in late 2015 and did so using her work phone and burners. During the 22-day period in which she falsely said she was being held against her will, she was actually staying with the ex, who had picked her up in a rental car and taken her to his residence in the Costa Mesa area.
Ratings agency, Fitch, has revised its end-year forecast for the price of Brent Crude to $100 per barrel, from the previous $105.
It had earlier reviewed its projection to $105, but recent global developments where economic growth has slowdown caused this revision.
“Our reduced Brent and WTI assumptions for 2022 reflect year-to-date oil pricing driven by concerns about economic growth. Oil spot prices have recently declined, especially compared to the levels in March [2022] and June [2022], due to fairly resilient Russian export volumes and a potential revival of the Iran nuclear deal, which could add one million barrels per day (bpd) of oil supply to the market”.
“US production is increasing, although it faces oilfield services bottlenecks and constrained capital expenditure budgets”, it said.
However, the ratings agency noted that OPEC+ remains cautious in its approach to quota increases and has recently cancelled a production addition of 100,000bpd to its October 2022 target.
The $100 is still a good one for oil-producing countries such as Ghana, but bad news for petroleum consumers.
For countries that do not provide fuel subsidies, consumers would have to pay more petroleum products.
Meanwhile, Brent crude is still hovering around $90 per barrel.
Former US President Donald Trump has declined to answer questions as part of a New York state investigation into his family’s business practices.
Mr Trump had sued in an effort to block the interview at the New York attorney general’s office on Wednesday.
State officials accuse the Trump Organization of misleading authorities about the value of its assets in order to get favourable loans and tax breaks.
Mr Trump denies wrongdoing and has called the civil probe a witch hunt.
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An hour after he was pictured arriving at the Manhattan office where he was questioned under oath, Mr Trump released a statement in which he criticised New York Attorney General Letitia James and the broader investigation.
“Years of work and tens of millions of dollars have been spent on this long simmering saga, and to no avail,” he said. “I declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution.”
Ms James’ office confirmed that the interview took place on Wednesday and that “Mr Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination”.
“Attorney General James will pursue the facts and the law wherever they may lead,” the statement added. “Our investigation continues.”
His deposition comes just days after the FBI executed an unprecedented search warrant at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, as part of a separate investigation that is reportedly linked to his handling of classified material.
While the attorney general’s investigation is a civil one, a parallel investigation is being carried out by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office which could result in criminal charges.
Legal analysts suggest Mr Trump may have declined to answer questions on Wednesday because his answers could have been used against him in that criminal investigation. The former president invoked the Fifth Amendment, which protects people from being compelled to be a witness against themselves in a criminal case.
Media caption,
Trump on people pleading the Fifth Amendment: ‘Disgraceful’
The questioning lasted around four hours, and included lengthy breaks, his lawyer Ronald Fischetti told US media.
Mr Trump began by reading a statement into the record condemning the attorney general and her investigation and invoking his Fifth Amendment rights.
He proceeded to say “same answer” to every question he was asked.
Ms James’ office has said that the depositions – a legal term that means testimony not given in court – were among the last remaining investigative procedures to be carried out.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
New York Attorney General Letitia James
Once the investigation concludes, the state attorney general could decide to bring a lawsuit seeking financial penalties against Mr Trump or his company.
Ms James had sought Mr Trump’s deposition – and that of two of his children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr – for more than six months while the family resisted subpoenas through the New York court system.
Lawyers for Mr Trump had also attempted to sue Ms James in a bid to prevent her from questioning the former president and his children.
But in February, a New York Supreme Court judge ruled that all three must sit for depositions. Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr were questioned earlier this month.
The judge said the investigation had uncovered “copious evidence of possible financial fraud” giving the attorney general a “clear right” to question under oath the former president and two of his children involved in the business.
Ms James hailed the judge’s decision as a victory, saying that “justice has prevailed”.
The investigation, which was first opened in 2019, seeks to prove that Mr Trump and the Trump Organization misrepresented the value of assets in order to obtain favourable loans and tax breaks. The alleged fraud is said to have taken place before Mr Trump took office.
Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver has said that he will be selling both of the franchises, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
“As a man of faith, I believe in atonement and the path to forgiveness. I expected that the commissioner’s one-year suspension would provide the time for me to focus, make amends and remove my personal controversy from the teams that I and so many fans love,” Sarver said via a statement, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday. “But in our current unforgiving climate, it has become painfully clear that that is no longer possible – that whatever good I have done, or could still do, is outweighed by things I have said in the past. For those reasons, I am beginning the process of seeking buyers for the Suns and Mercury.”
The news comes on the heels of the NBA conducting an independent investigation into workplace misconduct, which concluded that “Sarver, on at least five occasions during his tenure with the Suns/Mercury organization, repeated the N-word when recounting the statements of others.”
The investigation also found that “Sarver engaged in instances of inequitable conduct toward female employees, made many sex-related comments in the workplace, made inappropriate comments about the physical appearance of female employees and other women, and on several occasions engaged in inappropriate physical conduct toward male employees.”
Sarver was ultimately handed down a $10 million fine and was suspended from the Suns and Mercury organization for one year.
It alleges that Trump Organization committed “numerous” acts of fraud between 2011 and 2021.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is asking a court to bar Mr Trump and his children from serving as officers or directors in any New York business.
“With the help of his children and senior executives at the Trump Organization, Donald Trump falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system,” Ms James said in a statement.
Ms James, who is New York’s most senior lawyer, is pushing for the Trump Organization to be barred from engaging in any future real estate transactions in the state.
She added that she is referring several criminal charges to federal prosecutors and to the Internal Revenue Service.
In addition to Donald Trump, Ms James named his three eldest children – Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka and Eric – as allegedly complicit in the fraud.
She specified several instances in which the valuations of properties were allegedly misrepresented. Among them was his own apartment in Trump Tower, which was valued at $327m (£288m).
“No apartment in New York City has ever sold for close to that amount,” Ms James added.
The announcement comes after Ms James rejected at least one offer to settle the long-running civil investigation into the company’s business practices.
The attorney general said she is aiming to recover an estimated $250m (£220m) that she said was the result of the fraud.
In the past, Mr Trump has criticised the investigation and characterised it as a politically motivated witch hunt by Ms James, a Democrat who is up for re-election in November.
In a statement following Ms James’ announcement, Alina Habba, an attorney for Mr Trump, said that the lawsuit “is neither focused on the facts nor the law – it is solely focused on advancing the Attorney General’s political agenda.”
“We are confident that our judicial system will not stand for this unchecked abuse of authority, and we look forward to defending our client against each and every one of the Attorney General’s meritless claims,” Ms Habba added.
On Twitter, Donald Trump Jr also accused Ms James of “weaponising her office to go after her political opponents”.
On 11 August Mr Trump declined to answer questions during an interview at the attorney general’s office. Ms James said he repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right to not self-incriminate whether he was aware of false or misleading statements while president.
Ms James said that Eric Trump did the same more than 500 times in his 2020 deposition.
Tristan Snell, a lawyer and former prosecutor who worked on a separate case against Trump University, told the BBC that the lawsuit could take as much as a year to go to trial.
But the potential of such a trial could severely restrict Mr Trump’s ability to do business in New York and profit from his marquee real estate holdings in New York City. It could trigger a series of financial consequences that would make it harder for him to raise capital and maintain credit, Snell said.
“It definitely could be ruinous for him,” Snell said.
The lawsuit is one of a number of legal issues facing the former President.
On 8 August, the FBI conducted a search warrant at his home in Mar-a-Lago as part of an investigation into his handling of classified records. He is also being investigated in Georgia in relation to efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
He has also denied any wrongdoing in those investigations.
The French firm said it would “maintain its headquarters in Cambridge”.
Aveva, a FTSE 100 company, has more than 6,400 employees.
Schneider Electric, which has about 4,000 UK staff, said it had no plans to make material changes to Aveva’s employee base and intended to keep its culture as a software business.
Image source, JEFF PACHOUD/Getty Images
Image caption,
Schneider Electric said keeping the headquarters in Cambridge would allow it to benefit from the “thriving technology community”
The French company said taking full ownership of Aveva would help the business grow by combining its own energy proposition with Aveva’s process data and software.
Shares would be priced at £31 each in the deal, and Schneider Electric said the buyout represented a premium of about 41% to the closing price of £22 per Aveva share on 23 August, the day before the offer was made.
Philip Aiken, Aveva’s chairman, said: “Schneider Electric has been a supportive shareholder and partner in the strategic development of Aveva since 2018, most recently in the acquisition of Osisoft, and I am confident that Schneider Electric will continue to build on that legacy.”
Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chief executive of Schneider, said: “We are proud of Aveva’s track record in the UK, one of Schneider Electric’s most important and strategic markets, and will maintain its headquarters in Cambridge, allowing us to continue to benefit from the region’s thriving technology community.
“The strong combination of Aveva’s data platform and specialised applications with Schneider Electric’s energy expertise will offer customers tangible gains in all aspects of safety, reliability, efficiency and sustainability.”
helsea have sacked commercial director Damian Willoughby after he sent “inappropriate messages” to a female football finance agent.
Willoughby sent improper messages to Catalina Kim before he joined the club last month.
Kim was involved with a bid to buy the West London club in March.
“Chelsea confirms that it has terminated commercial director Damian Willoughby’s employment with immediate effect,” a club spokesperson said.
“Evidence of inappropriate messages sent by Mr Willoughby, prior to his appointment at Chelsea FC earlier this month, has recently been provided to and investigated by the club.
“While they were sent prior to his employment at the club, such behaviour runs absolutely counter to the workplace environment and corporate culture being established by the club’s new ownership.”
Last month Willoughby began a second spell at Stamford Bridge following the club’s takeover by an investment group led by businessman Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Willoughby worked for Chelsea between 2007 and 2010 – and has also worked for Manchester City and EA Sports. But he has been sacked less than a month into the role.
The Telegraph, which first reported the story, said that Kim highlighted the messages to Chelsea’s head of business, Tim Glick, who hired Willoughby.
A Chelsea spokesperson added: “The club’s owners are working tirelessly to set and achieve the highest standards both on and off the pitch, and are determined to establish and nurture a culture of transparency, accountability, inclusivity, diversity and opportunity.
“The club is committed to creating an environment which embodies these values.”
The ongoing investigation into the fatal shooting of PnB Rock earlier this month is now moving in multiple directions at once, local police sources have claimed.
Early Wednesday, TMZ shared a report citing LAPD sources in which it was claimed that one potential direction centers on learning more about potential “known enemies.” Specifically, investigators in the case are alleged to be looking deeply into Atlanta and Philadelphia. The latter, of course, was Rock’s hometown.
In short, these sources are suggesting that law enforcement is exploring the possibility of Rock’s killing having been a more intentional and planned action rather than a spur-of-the-moment fatal robbery. As previously reported, the 30-year-old artist was robbed and killed at a Roscoe’s House of Chicken ’N Waffles location in Los Angeles on Sept. 12.
As investigators continue to seek information on the getaway as part of an effort to identify possible suspects in the shooting, per the new report, chatter surrounding baselessly theorized involvement from Rock’s girlfriend has been shut down by police sources. Rock’s girlfriend, Stephanie, had been reported to have tagged her and Rock’s location on the day of the shooting.
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has suggested that the move could stop companies from collapsing under the weight of soaring energy bills this winter.
While some trade bodies have welcomed the news, others like UK Hospitality warned that the government must avoid a “cliff-edge” when the six months of help finishes at the end of March.
At Ye Olde Fleece Inn in Kendal, Cumbria, they have not “done the maths” yet, but are relieved to have more certainty.
The steep rise they were facing – from £44,000 a year for gas and electric, to around £124,000 a year – will be avoided, for now.
“That some help is coming gives us a bit of hope,” says Josh Farrant, front of house manager. “But we are still massively going to have to look at the way we do things.”
Customers are already having to forgo sourdough toast – the cost of running the grill is “ridiculous” at current prices, says Mr Farrant.
They’ll be looking at other kitchen equipment and whether they can rely more on the pub’s log fires, less on central heating.
And while the government support is very welcome, Mr Farrant still has concerns, especially about what will happen in a few months time.
“It doesn’t mean the panic is over,” he says. “It’s going to run for six months, then we’ll see.”
The woman who recently accused Tiffany Haddish and Aries Spears of child sex abuse in connection with a 2013 Funny or Die sketch filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
TMZ reports the accuser, identified only as Jane Doe in her Los Angeles Superior Court suit, asked the judge to dismiss the case with prejudice. The 22-year-old’s request was granted, and the lawsuit has been formally dropped.
“My family and I have known Tiffany Haddish for many years, and we now know that she would never harm me or my brother or help anyone else do anything that could harm us,” the woman said in a statement. “We wish Tiffany the best and are glad that we can all put this behind us.”
Jane Doe and her 15-year-old brother, going by John Doe, sued Haddish and Spears for intentional infliction of emotional distress, gross negligence, sexual battery, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse of a minor. Jane and John alleged the comedians recruited them to take part in sexually explicit skits in separate incidents when both were minors.
Haddish subsequently addressed the accusations in a statement on Instagram, noting the material in question was “intended to be comedic” at the time, although she now regrets having been a part of it.
News of the lawsuit getting dropped arrives two weeks after Jane Doe called on Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón to “immediately arrest and prosecute” Haddish and Spears. According to the Daily Beast, Jane reportedly sent a letter to the D.A.’s office, which stated that she and her brother were “prepared to speak with investigators and prosecutors” about the allegations at the heart of the lawsuit.
“This matter’s breadth and complexity require your jurisdictional powers and resources to tackle and end the stream [of] depravity committed by Haddish and Spears,” the letter said.
Now that Jane and John Doe’s suit has been dismissed with prejudice, the complaint cannot be refiled.
Datamaker Ghana Limited, a data annotation company headquartered in Korea (Datamaker, CEO: Enoch Lee) has announced its plans to roll out IT Training Scholarships for the Underprivileged youth this October 2022.
The training program is in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency under a five-year (2021-2025) Inclusive Business Solution (IBS) Program.
The program aims at further deepening the Korean Government’s resolve to promote inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, while enhancing sustained, inclusive, economic growth, full and productive employment for all.
The upcoming edition of the program will be held at the Datamaker-KOICA IBS Training Centre, #N4 Madina SDA Junction, from October 10–November 4,2022, 7:00am to 2:00pm daily.
Participants will be equipped with top-notch AI-related IT skills, receive T&T and food support during the training and have access to decent IT Job opportunities.
In a recent statement issued by Datamaker, the Managing Director Minhong Kim, intimated that the IT Training Scholarship for underprivileged youth in Ghana is expected to benefit over 500 Ghanaian youth with ICT skills and decent job opportunities under the five-year KOICA Inclusive Business Solutions (IBS) Program. He encouraged the youth to seize this opportunity to direct their career into success.
The Datamaker- KOICA IBS ICT Training programs are held all year round at the Datamaker- KOICA IBS ICT Training Centre, #N4 Madina SDA Junction, info.gh@datamaker.io, 0598857299, Accra-Ghana.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning against a recent TikTok challenge that recommended cooking chicken in a popular over-the-counter cold medicine.
In a warning published last week, the FDA urged the public to avoid participating in the dangerous “NyQuil Chicken Challenge,” which has gained legs after a video went viral in which someone fried two chicken breasts in a generic version of the distinctly colored substance.
“One social media trend relying on peer pressure is online video clips of people misusing nonprescription medications and encouraging viewers to do so too. These video challenges, which often target youths, can harm people—and even cause death,” the FDA said.
— ToasteonYukitake 🦊 Freshly Baked Fox God (@Toasteon_En) September 16, 2022
“Boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways. Even if you don’t eat the chicken, inhaling the medication’s vapors while cooking could cause high levels of the drugs to enter your body. It could also hurt your lungs,” continued the remarks.
The FDA went on to remind the public that even without eating the NyQuil-soaked chicken, a risk is posed from inhaling dangerous levels of acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, and doxylamine.
“Put simply: Someone could take a dangerously high amount of the cough and cold medicine without even realizing it,” the warning stated.
Ofgem has asked energy suppliers to be clearer on potential customer fraud on their websites.
The messages invite people to apply for the £400 “non-repayable discount” and instruct the recipient to follow a link to a fake Ofgem website to then provide personal details.
It then encourages people to set up a direct debit to receive the money.
An Ofgem spokesperson said protecting consumers is their top priority: “It is alarming that vulnerable customers are being preyed upon in this way when people are already struggling so much.
“On top of issuing our own warnings and advice, we have asked all energy suppliers to ensure clear and up-to-date information on scams is easily accessible on their websites.
“We take these attempts to exploit consumers very seriously.”
Sites sending out scam messages that have been identified by the BBC include:
energy-bill-online.com
myenergybillonline.com
rebate-ogem.com
totalsolutions24-7.co.uk
More than 1,500 reports have been made to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau about scam emails purporting to be from Ofgem about energy rebates.
Detective Chief Inspector Hayley King, from the City of London Police, said: “If an email is genuine, the company will never push you into handing over your details.
“All of the reported emails display the email subject header ‘Claim your bill rebate now’ and the criminals behind the scam are using the Ofgem logo and colours to make the email appear authentic.”
How to protect yourself
The fraud protection service, Cifas, is also warning the public to stay vigilant, and has identified several scams specifically targeting consumers as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
Amber Burridge, Head of Intelligence for Cifas, said: “Criminals are using a variety of ways to target unsuspecting victims in order to steal money and personal information that can be used to commit fraud.
“Remember that no matter how an offer comes to your attention, there are very few occasions where there is a legitimate need to hand over your bank details.”
If you have any doubts about a message, contact the organisation directly
Don’t use the numbers or address in the message, use the details from their official website
Your bank or any other official source will never ask you to supply personal information via email
If you have received an email which you’re not quite sure about, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk
The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company is fighting off claims suggesting there is an imminent fuel shortage in Ghana.
Some analysts have, in the last few weeks, predicted such a situation citing the depreciation of the cedi as a key factor.
But the Managing Director of BOST, Edwin Provencal, says that the company has at least 13 days of fuel in its own reserve in addition to other private storage facilities.
He stressed that the claim “is not accurate at all.”
“We have tank farms across the length and breadth of the country. When I came back to check, we have almost 40 days in private storage plus the 13 days in BOST; so, we are nowhere near running out.”
There have been calls for the BOST margin, which adds up to the price of fuel, to be scrapped.
But Mr Provencal believes this would have dire consequences for fuel supply beyond the Greater Accra region.
“If you talk about taking away the BOST margin because the BOST margin comes at a cost; that cost is a social cost. Don’t just take away the BOST margin, also take away that social cost – then you are being fair and comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges.
“But you don’t say take away the BOST margin but BOST will continue to manage the depots in Bolga, in Savelugu, in Buipe, in Akosombo… it’s not fair. Private money does not do social project but BOST is mandated to do these things and they should come at a social cost.
“And that cost is the BOST margin; so, if you leave it to me, a private sector person, I am going to shut down all these other depots and also operate solely in Accra [and] Tema,” he added.
The full interview with the BOST Managing Director, Edwin Provencal, airs on The Pulse on the JoyNews channel at 3 pm today, September 21.
Thomas Lane has been sentenced to three years behind bars on a state charge in connection with the 2020 murder of George Floyd.
Per a report from the Associated Press, Lane—a former Minneapolis cop—was sentenced during a remote hearing on Wednesday after previously pleading guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. The three-year sentence marks an agreement between state prosecutors and Lane’s legal team.
“I am pleased Thomas Lane has accepted responsibility for his role in Floyd’s death,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said of Lane’s plea deal in May. “His acknowledgment he did something wrong is an important step toward healing the wounds of the Floyd family, our community, and the nation.”
Lane was previously sentenced to two and a half years at the federal level in July following his conviction of violating Floyd’s constitutional rights.
The 5th Edition of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Ghana Chapter media awards ceremony came off in Accra.
The WAEC Heights event was under the theme “Credible and balanced Science Reporting in Readiness for Biotech Seed Development”.
The event was to honour and acknowledge hard-working journalists promoting Agricultural Science as well as Biotechnology in the country.
The Former Director of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) Prof. Kenneth Danso, in his welcome address, acknowledged the efforts of the media in disseminating information relating to Agricultural Science.
He said it was only through the delivery of accurate science reporting that people will come to appreciate and understand the work of scientists, particularly when it comes to agricultural biotechnology.
According to him, when journalists teamed up with scientists, it will help to address food security threats in the country and beyond.
“Biotechnology is there to solve human problems,” Prof. Danso noted, pointing out that information on the technology could only be made understandable to the public by journalists.
“The OFAB Media Awards, an initiative of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), is to provide an opportunity to enhance knowledge-sharing and awareness creation of agricultural biotechnology that will raise understanding and appreciation of the technology and contribute to building an enabling environment for informed and timely decision making” he pointed out.
A former awardee of the contest, Ama Amankwah Baafi, a staff writer with the Graphic Communications Group Limited, encouraged Ghanaian journalists to prioritise science-based agricultural reporting.
“Agriculture needs to be given the necessary attention as it is often touted as the bedrock of the economy,” she said.
She noted, “As Ghanaian journalists, we have a serious and a big role to play in correcting the misconceptions about the use of science and biotechnology in agriculture in Ghana.”
According to Mrs Baafi, many countries had achieved a lot with agricultural biotechnology and that it was about time Ghanaian journalists “put out the facts on (GMOs) so people will appreciate it better.”
She expressed the concern that agricultural biotechnology reporting had received less media attention; hence many people had taken advantage of the situation to peddle falsehoods about the technology.
“The topic seems to have been relegated to the background or given limited attention and it is, therefore, time to change the narrative by reporting the facts and not rumors about what pertains within the sector,” Mrs. Baafi, the multiple award-winning journalist noted.
She further encouraged journalists to use their platform to facilitate dialogue on sustainable agricultural practices in Ghana, saying “it is only by creating the platform for dialogues on agric Biotechnology that we could effect policy changes”.
She also appealed to agricultural scientists not to shy away from journalists but to collaborate with them in order to make information on agricultural technologies more understandable to the public.
“Our dear agric scientists, I will also appeal to you not to shy away from the media but open up to us so we can understand the issues better and report on them,” Mrs Baafi appealed.
The National Coordinator for OFAB-Ghana, Dr Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw, said the establishment of OFAB-Ghana has helped to publish credible information on agricultural biotechnology in the country.
He added that OFAB-Ghana only engages with various stakeholders during conferences, workshops, and stakeholder meetings, to bridge the gap between scientists, policymakers and the public.
Dr Ampadu-Ameyaw said considering the threats posed by Climate Change, it was necessary to find innovative solutions such as agricultural biotechnology to address the issues of agriculture in the world, particularly in Africa.
Three female journalists were last Thursday honoured at the Open Forum Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) media awards for their dedication to science reporting, particularly on emerging technologies in agriculture.
They are Benedicta Gyimaah Folley of the Ghanaian Times; Gloria Anderson of GTV, and Joyce Gyekye of Radio Ghana.
Folley won the print category of the contest whereas Anderson and Gyekye won the TV and Radio categories respectively. They were awarded with plaques, cash prices and hampers.
Their reportage focused on agricultural biotechnology, particularly on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and how it could contribute to Ghana’s food security.
The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company is fighting off claims suggesting there is an imminent fuel shortage in Ghana.
Some analysts have, in the last few weeks, predicted such a situation citing the depreciation of the cedi as a key factor.
But the Managing Director of BOST, Edwin Provencal, says that the company has at least 13 days of fuel in its own reserve in addition to other private storage facilities.
He stressed that the claim “is not accurate at all.”
“We have tank farms across the length and breadth of the country. When I came back to check, we have almost 40 days in private storage plus the 13 days in BOST; so, we are nowhere near running out.”
There have been calls for the BOST margin, which adds up to the price of fuel, to be scrapped.
But Mr Provencal believes this would have dire consequences for fuel supply beyond the Greater Accra region.
“If you talk about taking away the BOST margin because the BOST margin comes at a cost; that cost is a social cost. Don’t just take away the BOST margin, also take away that social cost – then you are being fair and comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges.
“But you don’t say take away the BOST margin but BOST will continue to manage the depots in Bolga, in Savelugu, in Buipe, in Akosombo… it’s not fair. Private money does not do social project but BOST is mandated to do these things and they should come at a social cost.
“And that cost is the BOST margin; so, if you leave it to me, a private sector person, I am going to shut down all these other depots and also operate solely in Accra [and] Tema,” he added.
The full interview with the BOST Managing Director, Edwin Provencal, airs on The Pulse on the JoyNews channel at 3 pm today, September 21.
The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communication (GIFEC) together with the German Economic Corporation (GIZ) has climaxed its digital skills training for 2,500 entrepreneurs in the country.
This is part of government’s commitment to increase the reach of digital skills for entrepreneurs to support the digitalisation of the economy.
In partnership with the GIZ, the project seeks to strengthen the digital capacities of women and youth in utilizing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to build and expand their businesses, while making them ready for the job market.
GIFEC has so far trained about 2500 youth and women in this initiative across 40 selected Community ICT Centres (CICs) in eight regions of the country.
Speaking to Journalists after the climax and graduation ceremony at Kyebi in the Eastern Region, Deputy Administrator of GIFEC, Eva Andoh Poku explained that this will add value to the businesses of the beneficiaries.
“This is part of our resolve to enhance digital education throughout the country, so that we benefit from the ongoing digitalisation move which has become global.
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This is very necessary due to the outbreak of the pandemic which made us witness a massive move to virtual initiatives especially in the business world, and hence we are not leaving anybody behind in this programmes.
We are targeting our rural youth and women with this particular initiative so that they can up their businesses to the next level and improve their living conditions”, she said.
All participants were presented with certificates of participation as a testimony to the training and knowledge acquired.
Speaking on behalf of GIZ, Stephanie Huber, highlighted the importance of the project to the growth of local economies, saying, it is the right time to use digital tools to solve socio economic challenges.
Some beneficiaries who shared their experiences on the training programme praised GIFEC and GIZ team for the gesture and promised to make good use of the skills acquired.
The team from GIFEC paid a courtesy call on some chiefs at the “Ofori Panie fie” to seek traditional blessings upon the initiative before the ceremony.
Abontendomhene Osabarima Marfo Kwabrane urged the beneficiaries to use the skills in empowering themselves and profit from their hard labour.
Donald Trump and three of his children have been hit by a fraud lawsuit after a New York investigation into their family business.
It alleges that the Trump Organization committed “numerous” acts of fraud between 2011 and 2021.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is asking a court to bar Mr Trump and his children from serving as officers or directors in any New York business.
The Trump Organization has denied any wrongdoing.
Mr Trump and the Trump Organization are accused of misstating the value of real estate to get banks to lend on more favourable terms.
“With the help of his children and senior executives at the Trump Organization, Donald Trump falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system,” Ms James said in a statement.
Ms James, who is New York’s most senior lawyer, is pushing for the Trump Organization to be barred from engaging in any future real estate transactions in the state.
She added that she is referring several criminal charges to federal prosecutors and to the Internal Revenue Service.
In addition to Donald Trump, Ms James named his three eldest children – Donald Trump Jr, Ivanka and Eric – as allegedly complicit in the fraud.
The announcement comes after Ms James rejected at last one offer to settle the long-running civil investigation into the company’s business practices.
The attorney general said she is aiming to recover an estimated $250m (£220m) that she said was the result of the fraud.
Rejecting plans for one 20m high mast at the junction of Shaw Road and Kiln Road in Newbury, council planners said it would have a “detrimental impact” on the appearance of local conservation areas and nearby listed buildings.
But some residents affected by the masts are not confident the council can stop the structures being erected.
Biden says Russia’s war is about extinguishing Ukraine’s right to “exist as state, as a people”.
“Just before he invaded, Putin asserted, and I quote, ‘Ukraine was created by Russia’ and never had quote ‘real statehood’.
“And now we see attacks on schools, railway stations, hospitals.. even more horrifying evidence of Russia’s war crimes.”
The US president also references the mass grave recently uncovered in Izyum, which he said “showed signs of torture”.
He says Russia’s war is about extinguishing Ukraine’s right to exist as a state – “plain and simple”, before telling those at the UN General Assembly:
Quote Message: Whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever you believe – that should make your blood run cold. That’s why 141 nations in the General Assembly came together to unequivocally condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Whoever you are, wherever you live, whatever you believe – that should make your blood run cold. That’s why 141 nations in the General Assembly came together to unequivocally condemn Russia’s war against Ukraine.He adds that the US has personally marshalled “massive levels of security assistance, hamartian aid and direct economic support” to Ukraine.
The family of the prospective nurse trainee who was kidnapped, killed, and secretly buried in Mankessim has made a shocking revelation about the prime suspect.
Georgina Asor Botchwey’s relatives revealed that the pastor is known by the family since he is the boyfriend of the deceased’s sister.
According to the family, the 22-year-old’s sister had informed her boyfriend that her sister was at Ankaful Nursing Training College for an interview.
JoyNews’ correspondent, Richard Kwadwo Nyarko reports that the pastor then called Miss Asor Botchewy and asked to meet her.
So after her interview, the victim set off to meet her soon‐to‐be brother‐in‐law.
Unbeknownst to the victim, the pastor had connived with the chief who is the Tufuhen of Ekumfi Akwakrom, Nana Crack, to kidnap and sexually assault her.
The two suspects then killed her and buried her in one of the chief’s apartments.
The news was widespread in the Central Region town that the deceased has gone missing for three weeks.
The notice circulating read, “Georgina Botchwey went for an interview at Cape Coast on Wednesday and up till now she cannot be found; her phone is off. Please, anybody with information about her should call 0208503126 or 0247048711.”
Following this notice, a friend of the deceased raised an alarm about Georgina meeting with her sister’s boyfriend.
The pastor was arrested in Cape Coast and admitted to the crime.
He subsequently led the police to the residence where Georgina had been buried and her body was exhumed.
Meanwhile, the chief who fled after reports of the arrest of his accomplice has been arrested.
The region was the first part of the UK to have a full fibre service, where a fibre optic cable comes right into your home rather than to a streetside cabinet, reaching 200,000 homes in 2019.
KCOM chief executive Tim Shaw said the expansion was a “statement of confidence” in the business and region.
“This investment will be a major boost to the local economy creating dozens of skilled jobs and enhancing local supply chains,” he said.
A 25-year-old unemployed, who assaulted a policeman, at the Shukura Police Station, has been admitted to bail in the sum of GHS20,000 with three sureties by the Circuit Court, in Accra.
Salim Mohammed Shaibu, who allegedly gave General Constable Sergeant Daniel Afriyie a blow to the right eye, was remanded at the last sitting.
Shaibu, who is also accused of violently inciting mob, who attacked and prevented personnel at the Shukura District Station from performing lawful duties, has pleaded not guilty.
Shaibu was charged with assault and “rioting/inciting rioting and remanded in police custody by the court presided over by Mrs Adelaide Abui Kedey.
Admitting him to bail, the court ordered that the sureties of the accused person should be family members.
The matter has been adjourned to October 17.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Maxwell Ayim at the last sitting said the complainant was General Constable Afriyie, stationed at Shukura Police District Headquarters while accused resided at Shukura.
The court heard that on September 2, this year, the complainant was on duty at the Shukura Police Station.
The Prosecutor said a group, numbering about 50, arrested and brought to the Shukura Police station Samuel Otoo, a suspect, and alleged that he had stolen a laptop and a mobile phone from a certain house at Shukura.
Prosecution said while Otoo was being interrogated at the charge office, Selima Shaibu and Ramatu Nagaiye, who were among the mob, started assaulting Otoo’s wife, Lydia Otoo, at the charge office.
According to Chief Inspector Ayim, when the police intervened, Shaibu led his accomplices to engage in a riot at the police station.
He said accused emerged from the crowd and gave General Sergeant Afriyie a hefty blow to the right eye, and the victim suffered injuries on his face.
Chief Inspector Ayim said not quite long, other accomplices of the accused scaled the fenced wall of the police station and attacked police personnel on duty.
Prosecution said police reinforcement from Dansoman and Mamprobi were invited and the crowd on seeing the team dispersed.
Chief Inspector Ayim said Shaibu was nabbed, and a formal complainant was made against him.
Shaibu in a caution statement said, he did not know what came over him to assault the policeman.
President Nana Akufo-Addo will address the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly today, September 21, at 2045 hours.
He will participate in the General Debate of the Assembly in his capacity as the President of Ghana.
This was announced in a twitter post on Wednesday afternoon.
The General Debate of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly started on Tuesday, September 20 on the theme, ‘A watershed moment: Transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.’
The scheme will fix wholesale gas and electricity prices for firms for six months from 1 October, shielding businesses from crippling costs.
Hospitals, schools and charities will also get help, the government said.
It comes after ministers announced a £150bn plan to help households with their soaring bills for two years.
Industry groups welcomed the package but warned further support may be needed after the winter.
It is understood the scheme will be reviewed after three months with an option to extend support for “vulnerable businesses” – but it is not known what sectors come under the category.
Those rates will be the base cost, to which other add-ons, such as standing charges will be added by suppliers.
Truss spends billions to cap soaring energy bills
Pubs warning: ‘My energy bill tripled to £35,000’
Independent analysts Cornwall Insight said the plan marked a “substantial” 45% discount on wholesale energy prices at the end of last week.
The government said the scheme would apply to companies which had agreed fixed deals at higher prices on or after 1 April, when energy bills started to surge. Those on variable and flexible tariffs will also be eligible.
Companies do not need to contact suppliers as the discount will automatically be applied to their bills, with savings seen from October but received from November.
The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) has busted and impounded a truck loaded with 86 sacks of narcotic substances suspected to be Indian Hemp at Denu Market in the Volta Region.
The Bureau also picked up two persons on board the vehicle.
Appearing before an Accra Circuit Court, Rasheed Adamu, aka Fatau, aka Blackman, a truck conductor and Kweku Amedo, a truck loader, have denied charges preferred against them.
They are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime and unlawful possession of narcotic drugs.
Kweku Isaac, an accomplice, is said to be at large.
The court presided over by Mrs Rosemary Baah Tosu remanded the two accused persons into NIB custody to reappear on October 6.
Detective Chief Inspector Richard Amoah prayed the court to remand the accused persons pending further investigations into the matter.
Chief Inspector Amoah narrated that Adamu and Amedo were residents of Aflao in the Volta Region.
On September 8, 2022, the Prosecution said at about 1800 hours, NIB gathered intelligence that a group of individuals were engaged in the enterprise of transporting and trading in substances suspected to be narcotics in the Ketu Municipality.
The Prosecutor said NIB personnel proceeded to Denu and arrested the accused persons who were hiding in a “man diesel” vehicle with registration number AE 556-12 loaded with 86 sacks of compressed parcels suspected to be Indian Hemp at Denu Market.
Chief Inspector Amoah said during interrogation, Adamu and Amedo mentioned Kweku Isaac, aka Kosi as the owner of the said substance and that he (Isaac) contacted them to offload same but he and his driver bolted during the arrest.
The vehicle was, therefore, impounded with the substances in the custody of NIB for forensic examination.
The prosecution said efforts were underway to apprehend other accomplices.
In a televised address, the Russian president said he had signed a decree on partial mobilisation – the first since World War Two – as he seeks to send up to 300,000 more soldiers into battle.
He also accused the West of wanting to destroy Russia, adding the country had “lots of weapons to reply”.
Putin calls up reservists to fight in Ukraine after losing ground
Exchange rates: Why has the value of the pound tumbled?
The comments rattled investors who bought the dollar, gold and bonds, all of which are seen as less risky investments.
Traders in sterling – which has been at low levels for weeks – were also looking ahead to a widely anticipated interest rate rise by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday.
The US central bank has already raised interest rates four times this year to battle inflation. The Bank of England (BoE) is meanwhile expected to put up interest rates again on Thursday.
Raising rates increases the cost of borrowing and encourages people to spend less, which can cool rising prices. However, central banks face a tough balancing act because higher rates may also slow the economy.
Image source, Getty Images
Jumpy investors
Sterling investors are also nervous about the policy implications of a planned mini-budget from the government on Friday, which will reportedly contain £30bn of tax cuts.
It comes as the UK borrows billions of pounds to cap energy bills for households and businesses, adding to the UK’s already large debt pile.
Official figures on Wednesday showed the government is also facing soaring interest payments on that debt due to rising inflation.
This is because much of the interest paid on government bonds rises in line with the Retail Prices Index measure of inflation, which hit 12.3% in August.
Where does the government borrow billions from?
Firms could have energy bills cut by up to a third
Interest due on public debt reached £8.2bn during the month – £1.5bn more than last year and the highest August figure since records began in 1997, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
Meanwhile, total government borrowing – the difference between spending and tax income – was £11.8bn.
That is twice the level forecast for August by the Office for Budget Responsibility, the government’s independent fiscal watchdog.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has demanded an immediate cessation of work on the draft Constitution Instrument (C.I.) which will make the Ghana Card the sole document for voter registration.
The Party said this was to allow for more consultation and engagement with relevant stakeholders to fine-tune the Instrument to address all concerns.
Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the National Chairman of the NDC, who made the call at a news conference in Accra, said the Party had noticed with concern various discrepancies in the newly proposed C.I. that sought to make the Ghana Card the sole source of identification for the acquisition of a voters’ card.
He noted that the C.I., if passed in its current form, would not only unconstitutional, but radically disenfranchise many prospective voters.
Citing Regulation 1(3) of the newly proposed Instrument that: “A person who applies for registration as a voter shall provide evidence of identification of National Identity Card issued by the National Identification Authority,” Mr Ampofo said the Instrument, if passed with the regulation would radically change the current regime for proving one’s identity.
Under the current regulations (C.I. 126), a person who qualifies to register as a voter may prove his or her identity by either presenting a valid Ghana passport, a national identity card (not national identity card issued by the National Identification Authority as proposed in this C.I.), or a voter registration identification form signed by two registered voters within the community.
“What the EC proposes to do with the new C.I. is to eliminate the two other sources of proof of identity, that is, the Ghana passport and the guarantee system, leaving the Ghana Card as the only means of identity,” he said.
The EC, recently indicated that it would accept only the Ghana Card as the sole source of identification for the continuous voters’ registration exercise, thus, scrapping the age-old guarantor system.
The Commission said using the Ghana Card as the only source of identification would rid the electoral register off minors and foreigners and enhance the integrity of the register.
Since the announcement, there have been concerns about the EC’s decision, with some commentators and political analysts warning that the move could disenfranchise many prospective voters.
Mr Ampofo warned that as a party with legitimate interest in the elections and given the high stakes of the 2024 elections, it would not allow any manipulation before, during or after those elections, adding that it would demand the strictest standards in the processes leading up to the elections.
“Since the C.I. has not been formally laid before Parliament, we take this opportunity to call upon the EC to abandon the idea altogether.
“We wish to serve notice, that we will use every lawful means to resist this latest effort to undermine the right of Ghanaians to vote and in the process skew the electoral system in favour of the NPP,” he said.
Mr Ampofo also explained that it was nearly impossible for all eligible Ghanaians to acquire the Ghana Card which would enable them to register as voters considering the challenges that had characterised the process since its inception.
Statistics from the NIA indicate that more than two million eligible Ghanaians were yet to obtain their Ghana Cards.
Mr Ampofo said: “In the circumstances therefore, making the Ghana Card the sole requirement for voter for registration will serve to deny millions of Ghanaians their right to register and vote.”
The National Chairman added that: “Given the above circumstances, we are of the considered view that C.I. 91 as amended is adequate for voter registration and the subsequent conduct of the 2024 elections as the EC has not provided any justification for the proposed changes.”
The National Chairman also cited Regulations 2 and 33 of the newly proposed C.I as sections that required more engagements for finetuning.
The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) has called on participants of the Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship for Rural Development Project to capitalize on the skills acquired through this rare opportunity to enhance their businesses.
Mrs Eva Andoh-Poku, Deputy Administrator of GIFEC, said the Project was also to enhance their employability and your lives in general for economic benefits.
Mrs Andoh-Poku was speaking at the National climax of the Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship for Rural Development Project at Kyebi in the Eastern Region.
She said GIFEC collaborated with the GIZ, the German Agency for Development Corporation, to implement the Project, aimed to ignite interest and increase the participation in ICT for people living in unserved and underserved communities with emphasis on girls and women.
She said the purpose of the project was to expand the digital skills of Rural women and youth through ICT capacity building, education, and awareness.
Beneficiaries include Hairdressers, Seamstress, Beauticians, Market women, unemployed graduates and school dropouts in utilizing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to build and expand their businesses, while making them ready for the job market.
“A vital purpose of the project is to bridge the gender digital divide with 60 per cent of beneficiaries being women,” she added.
The Deputy Administrator said in all 1,500 women have been trained to enhance their businesses through the use of ICT and Social Media tools.
She said the project had trained 2,500 participants in 40 select GIFEC Community ICT Centres (CICs) within seven days and further aspired to create awareness on the use and importance of the selected centres.
Mrs Andoh-Poku said the entrepreneurs and artisans were trained in the use of Social Media tools to enhance their businesses and trade.
She said the Fund had made key strides to facilitate ICT infrastructure development, equipment and resource provision and capacity building, in unserved and underserved communities across the country.
The Deputy Administrator said research had shown that high income countries have benefitted enormously from ICT and Internet penetration, and middle-income countries were beginning to benefit from same.
She said Western countries had leveraged ICT for the purposes of increasing productivity, promoting economic growth, and reducing poverty.
“Over the last couple of years, the urgency of ICT development has been evident due to the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
She said as a country “we have witnessed first-hand the need to accelerate ICT deployment efforts. Rebuilding and recovering from COVID has been largely driven by technology and innovation.”
Madam Akosua Asabea Annoh, the Municipal Chief Executive of Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly, in a speech read on her behalf, said the government was keenly working towards the goal to build an inclusive digital society.
She said although they country had seen a tremendous increase in the use of mobile phones over the years, its usage has largely been limited to the making and receiving of calls.
She said knowledge and access to other ICT tools such as the internet and computers remained largely absent in rural Ghana.
The MCE said the partnership with GIZ in the project was, therefore, very thoughtful and had great potential to change the narrative.
Nana Etwienana Bra Kwante Agyeman, the Okyenhene Menatohene, commended the government for the Project to equip women and youth in digital transformation.
Miss Diana Tetteh, a Participant, told the Ghana News Agency that they were thought a lot of things that would help them operate their business like how to transact business with their mobile phone.
Addressing participants, Mr. Francis Norgbedzi, Chairman, Kadjebi-Asato Local GNAT, appealed to the youth to emulate the tenacity of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to serve as a driving force to motivate them for success in all their endeavours.
He said they needed to shun the blame game at the slightest opportunity since Dr. Nkrumah and other forebears of the country persisted in the independence struggle and liberated the Gold Coast from colonial rule.
Mr. Norgbedzi also called on teachers to exude hard work and professionalism to uplift standards in the educational enterprise in the district.
Mr. Derrick Yaw Akpoh, Secretary, Kadjebi-Asato Local GNAT, urged the teachers to foster unity and live in peace with each other.
Mr Putin said the partial mobilisation was necessary to ensure Russian territorial integrity.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said it showed Mr Putin wanted to drown Ukraine in blood – including that of his own soldiers.
The announcement applies to 300,000 military reservists.
They make up a fraction of the about 25 million Russian reservists – people who have done their military service which is compulsory in Russia.
The mobilisation is the first since World War II and comes after Ukraine made gains in a rapid counter-offensive this month, putting the Kremlin on the back foot.
The decree is short on detail. It says nothing about a cap on numbers or about any exceptions, such as not recruiting students or conscripts.
Instead, these details are left to regional heads to decide how to meet quotas. In theory, the net could be cast far wider than the Kremlin has specified.
However Russian officials said it would announce “very soon” those who would be exempt from its partial mobilisation.
The partial call-up stops short of full conscription, a move that would have risked turning a public that has so far largely been in favour of the conflict against it.
In a televised address, Mr Putin also issued a thinly veiled threat he could use nuclear weapons.
He said the West was engaging in “nuclear blackmail” and that Moscow had “lots of weapons to reply”.
“When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. It’s not a bluff,” he said.
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Mr Putin’s announcement of a partial mobilisation drew immediate condemnation from Ukraine’s allies.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the mobilisation “a sign of panic” while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called it “an act of desperation”.
Mr Putin’s address has raised fears that some men of fighting age would not be allowed to leave Russia, even though Russia’s defence minister, Sergey Shoigu, said the call-up would be limited to those with combat experience.
He declined to comment on whether borders would be closed to those the call-up would be applicable to.
Flights out of Russia sold out fast following the announcement.
