TIG Post

Author: Chris Kodo

  • China is seeding clouds to replenish its shrinking Yangtze River

    Chinese planes are firing rods into the sky to bring more rainfall to its crucial Yangtze River, which has dried up in parts, as swaths of the nation fall into drought and grapple with the worst heat wave on record.

    Several regions on the Yangtze have launched weather modification programs, but with cloud cover too thin, operations in some drought-ravaged parts of the river’s basin have remained on standby.

    The Ministry of Water Resources said in a notice on Wednesday that drought throughout the Yangtze river basin was “adversely affecting drinking water security of rural people and livestock, and the growth of crops.”

    On Wednesday, central China’s Hubei province became the latest to announce it would seed clouds, using silver iodide rods to induce rainfall.

    At least 4.2 million people in Hubei have been affected by a severe drought since June, Hubei’s Provincial Emergency Management Department said Tuesday. More than 150,000 people there have difficulties accessing drinking water, and nearly 400,000 hectares of crops have been damaged because of high temperatures and drought.

    China's worst heatwave in 60 years is forcing factories to close

    The Yangtze is just one of many rivers and lakes across the northern hemisphere that are drying up and shrinking amid relentless heat and low rainfall, including Lake Mead in the US and the Rhine River in Germany. These extreme weather conditions have been supercharged by the human-induced climate crisis, driven by burning fossil fuels.

    Communities often rely on these bodies of water for economic activity and governments are having to intervene with adaptation measures and relief funds, costing huge amounts of money.

    China is deploying such funds and developing new supply sources to deal with the impacts on crops and livestock. Some livestock has been temporarily relocated to other regions, the Ministry of Finance said earlier this week, adding it would issue 300 million yuan ($44.30 million) in disaster relief.

    To boost downstream supplies, the Three Gorges Dam, China’s biggest hydropower project, will also increase water discharges by 500 million cubic meters over the next 10 days, the Ministry of Water Resources said Tuesday.

    The heat also forced authorities in the southwestern province of Sichuan — home to around 84 million people and a key manufacturing hub — to order the shutdown of all factories for six days this week to ease a power shortage.

    Source: CNN

  • Tariff hike: PURC did not listen to our advice – NDC MP

    According to Ms. Sowah Adjoa Della, deputy ranking member of the Mines and Energy Committee, the Committee advised the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) to make sure that the tariff increment was not done in a way that will affect the average Ghanaian, but the PURC disregarded their advice.

    She claims that the PURC was recommended to use the profit from the sale of crude oil to help the average Ghanaian, but it refused and came to the decision to increase the tariffs.

    Following stakeholder input, the PURC approved raising the price of water and energy by 21.55% and 27.15%, respectively, as of 1 September 2022.

    The average end user is primarily covered by the aforementioned increment.

    “The Commission consequently decided to increase the average end-user price for electricity by 27.15% and for water by 21.55% effective 1st September, 2022,” the PURC stated in a statement on Monday.

    In accordance with section 3(c) of the PURC Act 1997 (Act 538), it was explained that “These rates, in view of the Commission, are attentive and responsive to the viewpoints of all stakeholders in the utility arena.”

    “PURC spoke with us, but we told them that with the hike they want to do, it will affect the ordinary Ghanaian and so they should go and check how they will do it in a way that it will not affect the ordinary Ghanaian,” Ms. Sowah Adjoa Della said on Atinka FM’s morning program, AM Drive with Kaakyire Ofori Ayim.

    “Fortunately, the price of crude oil has increased, so the government will earn from the high price of the commodity. We advised them to use the additional profit to help the average Ghanaian in the electrical sector.
    They ignored the counsel we offered them despite it.

    “You need more money, but your efficiency level is not good, so you are losing revenue in some locations, the service providers indicated they required more money to perform their task, and we also said they needed to be more efficient,” she continued.
    You stated that you wanted to raise the rates, but consider how the average Ghanaian lives.

    “The cost of living is extremely high, making it difficult for many people to make ends meet; therefore, you should consider the profit you are making from oil revenue and use some of that to help the average Ghanaian.

    However, Ms. Sowah Adjoa Della lamented that nothing could be done to change the current tariff.

    However, she emphasized that given the situation facing Ghanaians, service providers must be effective in their operations.

  • Utility price increases: The quality of life is getting intolerable – Hotel Association of Ghana

    Denzel Kwesi Humpreys, a member of the Ghana Hotels Association, claims that the current economic crisis is making life for Ghanaians intolerable.

    His remark followed the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission’s (PURC) August 15, 2022 announcement of a new tariff increase.

    According to Mr. Humpreys, hotels cannot charge their guests an additional 12.55% for water and a 27.15% increase for energy.

    He explained that charging customers for excessive utility costs will discourage them from using their services and booking hotel rooms.

    Humpreys stated, “You can’t certainly pass on bills to consumers because at the end of the day then nobody will show up at your hotel and that is extremely difficult,” on JoyNews’ PM Express on August 15, 2022.

    You can’t just say, “Okay, power rates have gone up, thus my room rate will have to go up automatically. We have to create place for the rates that we are taking as of two years ago.
    To be honest with you, it makes my life difficult.” he said.

    The PURC highlighted that these additional tariffs will go into effect on September 1, 2022, a Thursday.

    The Executive Secretary of the PURC, Dr. Ishmael Ackah, stated in a press release seen by GhanaWeb that “In balancing the interests of service providers and consumers, the PURC acknowledged that the very economic variables that have occasioned the steep increases proposed by the service providers also affect consumers.”

    “The Commission did concede that some utility rate hikes were unavoidable if the country was to avoid another dumsor and all of its consequences, including job losses.
    In light of this, the Commission decided to raise the average end-user price for electricity by 27.15 percent and for water by 21.5 percent starting on September 1, 2022 “the announcement said in part.

    According to sections 3(c) of the PURC Act 1997, according to Dr. Ackah, these tariffs represented the positions of all parties involved in the utilities sector (Act 538).

     

     

  • Chinese research ship Yuan Wang 5 docks at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port

    A Chinese research ship docked at a southern Sri Lankan port Beijing leases from the government on Tuesday, officials said, despite security concerns raised by India about the vessel’s presence in nearby waters.

    Port workers at Hambantota gave an enthusiastic welcome to the Yuan Wang 5, waving Sri Lanka and China flags, while the ship displayed a large banner reading: “Hello Sri Lanka.”
    However, the ship’s arrival appears to have aggravated tensions between New Delhi and Beijing, who have both spent billions of dollars on development and deals with Sri Lanka, an island of 22 million people that sits on a key trading route.

    The Yuan Wang 5 had originally requested permission to dock at the port last week, but the visit was delayed after concerns were raised about the ship’s presence, though India denied putting any pressure on Colombo.
    China says the ship is used for scientific research, but the US Defense Department says the ship is under the command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and is capable of tracking satellites and missile launches.
    On Saturday, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry said the government had engaged in “extensive” consultations with “all parties concerned” with a “view to resolving the matter in a spirit of friendship, mutual trust and constructive dialogue.”
    It said the ship had been given permission to dock on the condition that no scientific research was conducted in Sri Lankan waters.
    China's research and survey vessel, the Yuan Wang 5, arrives at Hambantota port on August 16, 2022.

  • New utility rates will result in higher inflation, Prof. Gatsi predicts

    The impending hike in water and power rates, according to Professor John Gartchie Gatsi, dean of the University of Cape Coast’s School of Business, will have a substantial effect on the inflation rate of the nation.

    On Monday, August 15, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) announced a 27.15% increase in power rates and a 21.55% increase in water rates, both of which will take effect on September 1, 2022.

    The choice was made in response to requests for rate increases of 148% and 334% from the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Electricity Company of Ghana, respectively.

    Professor Gatsi stated in an interview with ATL FM NEWS that a rise in Ghana’s inflation rate should be anticipated as a result of these increases in tariffs.

    “Inflation rate will go up because there is a pass-through effect for the time that it is implemented from September 1, 2022, to about two-three months. So, it promises to increase inflation further,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr. Ishmael Ackah has assured Ghanaians that his outfit will continually monitor the activities and operations of the utility service providers to ensure that they provide value for money.

    He said the quality service delivery of utility providers will also be closely monitored.

    To this end, he said after this tariff review, the commission will implement its quarterly tariff review in line with its research and guidelines.

     

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Two years extention added to Ibrahim Danlad’s contract with Asante Kotoko

    Asante Kotoko SC goalkeeper Ibrahim Danlad has officially signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until the end of the 2023-24 season.

    Danlad’s previous contract with the Porcupine Warriors was expected to run out in December this year but he has signed a two-year extension as GHANAsoccernet.com exclusively reported weeks ago.

    The 19-year-old claimed the number spot of the club last term following the departure of Razak Abalora to Moldovan club Sheriff Tiraspol in January 2022.

    Danlad became an integral figure for Kotoko after aiding to the Ghana Premier League triumph for the first time in eight years having made 20 appearances.

    He managed to keep 12 clean sheets and conceded just 12 goals in the process making the Ghanaian giants the best defensive side at the end of the season.

    Danlad is presently the first choice goalkeeper for the home based Ghana national team that have booked their place in the final round of the CHAN 2022 qualifications.

    The former Ghana U17 shot stopper kept clean sheets in the back-to-back matches against Benin last month in the preliminary round of the qualifiers.

    Danlad will be key to Kotoko in the upcoming season as they look to defend their league title, make an impact in the CAF Champions League and also aim at winning the FA Cup.

    The highly-rated teenager was named the best goalkeeper when Ghana won the Africa U20 Championship last year in Mauritania.

    He was also a member of the Ghana team at the 2019 U23 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and the Ghana U17 team at the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup in 2017.

    Danlad was recently linked with a move to Sudanese giants Al Hilal Omdurman but the deal fell through after a breakdown in negotiations.

    Source:ghanasoccernet.com

  • Asamoah Gyan intensifies training for a return to the Black stars

    The legendary striker was photographed working out at Ajax Park in Legon in an effort to get in shape before the competition starts on November 20.

    Gyan, who has 51 goals for Ghana, said he is trying to make a surprise comeback as he seeks a spot in the World Cup squad for his country.

    Gyan has been on the sidelines; it’s been three years since he last played for the Black Stars.
    The Sunderland player entered the game against Tunisia in the round of 16 of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations as a substitute.

    He has since not been invited with his club career in recent years making it very difficult to consider him for selection.

    Gyan last played a competitive game in May 2021, representing Legon Cities against WAFA in a Ghana Premier League. Months later, he terminated his contract with the Accra-based club and is still looking for a new one.

    The former Al Ain man hasn’t been active for 16 months, leading many to believe that he has retired. But in an interview with BBC, Gyan dispelled claims of retirement, suggesting he has unfinished business, especially with Black Stars.

    “Anything can happen. You know it’s happened before. I’m talking about Cameroon in 1994 with Roger Milla you know coming back from retirement to play in the World Cup. I haven’t retired yet. I haven’t announced my retirement. You know I’ve been out for almost two years now due to injuries, due to my body,” he told BBC.

    “I just need to get my body back in shape. So I’ve started training of course so I need to get back in shape and see how my body reacts to playing competitive football. Talent-wise, I reckon it’s there already so I just have to prepare physically and then we’ll see what happens.”

    “Honestly, I haven’t spoken to anybody at all. It’s part of the plan. I just want to make sure and see how my body reacts first. Me and my manager, we’ve been talking behind the scenes, you know and everything so we just have to make sure, we know what we are doing. Everything is in progress, and everything looks positive. We’ll see what happens. There might be a surprise.”

    Six of Gyan’s 51 goals have come in the World Cup, making him the continent’s leading scorer in the competition.

    Source:theindependentghana

  • Emmanuel Boateng re-joins Portuguese side Rio Ave

    Ghana International, Emmanuel Boateng has made a return to his former club Rio Ave in the Primeira Liga.

    The 26-year old has re-joined the Portuguese side on a two-year deal from Chinese club Dalian Yifang following the expiration of his contract.

    He featured 37 times and scored 11 goals in the Chinese Super League during his three-year stay.

    Boateng makes a return to the first club he joined in Europe, after leaving Ghanaian lower tier side Charity Stars.

    The former Ghana U-20 forward joined Spanish side Levante in 2017, where he made 41 appearances and scored 7 goals in the La Liga.

    He is noted for scoring a hat-trick against Barcelona in the 2017-18 season, becoming the first player to put three goals past the Spanish giants since 2005.

    Boateng has set his sights on a return to the Black Stars ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Source:citinewsroom.com

  • Tariff increases: “Workers are hurting, we’ve made too many sacrifices” – TUC Officials

    The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) increased utility rates, which the Trade Union Congress (TUC) deems unacceptable at this time of high inflation in the nation.

    “We warned PURC and the utility service providers that any decision on an increase in utilities should have been put on hold in this day and age, when inflation is on the high side and the country’s economic situation is intolerable for employees.

    In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga, Mr. Joshua Ansah, the Deputy Secretary General of the TUC, said, “We informed them our piece of mind, but I suppose that they did not worry and have gone ahead to increase utilities.”

    He said the increment would put pressure on members of the TUC, noting that, “this is the time we are also negotiating the minimum wage and the base pay, so you can imagine what is going to happen. At the moment, workers cannot bear the economic hardship in this country.

    “As a union, we think that is unacceptable. We will also do our best to get a salary increase that does not fall below any of the increases announced by the government. We are ready to do that.”

    “If Government has gone ahead to increase utilities, fuel prices and anything that it wants when we also get to the negotiation table, that is where we will also base all our might on,” the Deputy Secretary General said.

    He said once the announcement for increment was made, there was nothing TUC could do, but emphasized that “We will also marshal all forces and ensure that we get salary increases that will march increases announced by the utility service providers.”

    He said the increment was not business friendly as indicated by the PURC and described it as “killer increases” announced to workers of the country and reiterated that workers would not accept salary increments below those increases.

    Mr Ansah said the TUC earlier announced that it would not accept anything below the inflation figure even before the Cost-of-Living Allowance (CoLA) became an issue, and further emphasised that the TUC would not accept anything below the inflation rate.

    He explained that “We accepted the 15 per cent because there is a hurdle ahead of us, that is the base pay, and the minimum wage for 2023, but they have worsened the situation. Even currently, workers are suffering. We have sacrificed for far too long.”

    The Deputy Secretary General called on workers to be patient and have trust in the leadership of the TUC, and rally behind them to fight a good course for the ordinary Ghanaian worker.

     

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • NDC Northern Regional Chairman passed on

    The Northern Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Abdulai Ibrahim Mobila, has kicked the bucket.

    He was pronounced dead at the Tamale Teaching Hospital around 2:45 pm on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.

    The passing of Mr Ibrahim Mobila was confirmed by the Northern Regional Secretary of NDC, Mr Abdul Salam Mohammed.

    In line with Islamic faith and tradition, he was buried subsequently at 5pm on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

     

  • Ghanaian forward Jesurun Rak-Sakyi named Man of the Match as Charlton thrash Plymouth

    Ghanaian forward Jesurun Rak-Sakyi was adjudged Man of the Match after scoring for Charlton Athletic against Plymouth Argyle in the Sky Bet League One on Wednesday evening.

    The 19-year-old made an instant impact on his Charlton debut as they cruised to an impressive 5-1 victory at The Valley.

    Rak-Sakyi, who is on a season-long loan from Crystal Palace, finished from close range after Argyle keeper Michael Cooper could only parry Jayden Stockley’s header after 11 minutes.

    Plymouth were fortunate not to be trailing by a bigger margin before James Wilson was sent off for handling Charlie Kirk’s goalbound shot. Stockley stepped up to send Cooper the wrong way from the spot in the 41st minute.

    Sean Clare made it 3-0 just before the first half ended.

    Plymouth pulled one back through Morgan Whittaker in the 71st minute, however, Charlie Kirk extinguished any faint hopes of a comeback as he converted an Albie Morgan cross at the back post before substitute Miles Leaburn capped off a miserable evening in the capital for Plymouth.

    Source:footballghana.com

  • Medeama SC unveil their away kit for the 2022/23 season

    Medeama has officially unveiled their new away jerseys to be used by the team during the 2022/23 football season.

    The club took to its official social media platforms to unveil their away kit for the new football season.

    The Mauve and Yellows will be kitted by Scottish sportswear firm Pokoo.

    The squad has returned to the club for preseason ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

    Medeama will play Berekum Chelsea on Wednesday, August 17, at the Accra Sports Stadium in the GHALCA G6 Tournament.

    Medeama’s first five betPawa Premier League matches in the 2022/23 season are:

    1. Legon Cities
    2. RTU
    3. Berekum Chelsea
    4. Aduana
    5. Accra Great Olympics

    The club has so far mutually terminated the contract of Justice Ato Mensah, Michael Sefah, Sule Musah, Kingsley Adjei, John Moosie, Samuel Frimpong, and Ali Ouattara.

    Source:footballghana.com

  • Dont implement new Customs law Vehicle dealers urge government

    The Vehicle and Assets Dealers Union of Ghana (VADUG) has called on government to rescind it decision to implement the Customs Amendment Act 2020 (Act 891).

    The Customs (Amendment) Act, 2020, Act 1014 (the Act) was passed into law on 30 April 2020 by Parliament and was assented to by the President on the same date.

    The Act was enacted to amend the Customs Act, 2015, Act 891 to provide incentives for automotive manufacturers and assemblers registered under the GAMDP, provide import exemptions for security agencies and officers of the security agencies as well as related matters.

    However, VADUG argued that the implementation of the new law will collapse Used Car Dealership Industry in the country.

    VADUG explained that the Customs Amendment Act 2020 (Act 891), will provide huge incentives to the Automotive Manufacturers and Assemblers registered under the Ghana Automotive Manufacturers Development Programme (GAMDP) whilst making it extremely difficult for its members to import.

    Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of VADUG, Mr. Frank Atanley kofigah said many of their members will lose their means of livelihoods if government proceeds.

    “This when Bill, if implemented means the following artisans in the Value Chain will be affected: Ghanaian shippers from abroad, clearing agents, towing drivers, straighteners, auto mechanics, auto electricians, auto sprayers, auto AC mechanics, Key programmers, Upholstery, auto alignment, washing bay attendants, upholstery workers Uber drivers, Trotro drivers, spare parts dealers, DVLA assistants (Goro boys),” Mr. Kofigah said.

    “Our existing market has been providing automobile needs for the average, middle and high income Ghanaians for all these years as well as supporting the budget of government expenditure through huge import duties collected at the port. These import duties has aided successive governments in the development of our economy,” he added.

    The Executive Secretary pointed out that, “VADUG has never been an opposition to the introduction of foreign vehicle Assemblers, but all that we seek for from our government is to ensure that all industry players and stakeholders are protected by the policy to enable a healthy competitive and taste varied Automobile market rather than creating a monopolized market for foreign investors to cash in.”

    Mr. Kofigah noted that they will only accept the implementation of the new law if the following reliefs are granted by government:

    1. Reducing the 0 year to 5 years to 0 year to 1year. Scraping the 35% penalty on 0 to 5years completely.

    2. Maintaining the Korea Trucks mode of shipping.

    3. Scraping of vehicle import application, this will be disadvantageous to Ghanaians since other countries also bid for those vehicles.

    4. Maintain a constant Dollar Rate at the Port for 6months to ensure advance and stable planning towards the clearing of our vehicles.

    5. Restoring of the Bench Mark Values and stability of the local currency.

    “VADUG is therefore seeking the reliefs without any delay and failure to address these issues will result in the union taking drastic decisions and steps,” Mr. Kofigah emphasised.

  • Russian rockets strike Odesa in southern Ukraine

    At least four people were injured in a Russian attack on the southern city of Odesa overnight, Ukrainian officials said.

    In a Telegram post, Serhii Bratchuk, spokesman for the Odesa military administration, said a recreational center and several buildings had been destroyed and a fire was now raging in a 600-square-meter area.

     

    Russia fired on the city with Kh-22 anti-ship missiles from Tu-22M3 strategic bombers Bratchuk wrote. Russia has previously used anti-ship missiles against targets on land.

    Rescue operations were ongoing, Bratchuk added.

    This post has been updated with additional information.

    Source: CNN

  • TUC objects increment of utility tariffs; says it is unacceptable at this time

    The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has expressed dissatisfaction over the increment of utility tariffs as announced by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC).

    According to them, the decision is “unacceptable” due to the current economic hardships facing the country.

    In an interview with the media, the Deputy Secretary General of the Congress, Mr Joshua Ansah, disclosed that leadership of his outfit had objected to the decision. However, it appears their plight fell on deaf ears.

    “We told PURC and the utility service providers that in this day and time that inflation is on the high side, where the economic situation is unbearable for workers in this country, we think that any decision of any increment in utilities should have been suspended.

    “We told them our piece of mind, but I think that they did not bother and have gone ahead to increase utilities,” Mr Joshua Ansah, the Deputy Secretary General of the TUC, said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga.

    He said the increment would put pressure on members of the TUC, noting that, “this is the time we are also negotiating the minimum wage and the base pay, so you can imagine what is going to happen. At the moment, workers cannot bear the economic hardship in this country.

    “As a union, we think that is unacceptable. We will also do our best to get a salary increase that does not fall below any of the increases announced by the government. We are ready to do that.”

    “If Government has gone ahead to increase utilities, fuel prices and anything that it wants when we also get to the negotiation table, that is where we will also base all our might on,” the Deputy Secretary General said.

    He said once the announcement for increment was made, there was nothing TUC could do, but emphasized that “We will also marshal all forces and ensure that we get salary increases that will march increases announced by the utility service providers.”

    He said the increment was not business friendly as indicated by the PURC and described it as “killer increases” announced to workers of the country and reiterated that workers would not accept salary increments below those increases.

    Mr Ansah said the TUC earlier announced that it would not accept anything below the inflation figure even before the Cost-of-Living Allowance (CoLA) became an issue, and further emphasised that the TUC would not accept anything below the inflation rate.

    He explained that “We accepted the 15 per cent because there is a hurdle ahead of us, that is the base pay, and the minimum wage for 2023, but they have worsened the situation. Even currently, workers are suffering. We have sacrificed for far too long.”

    The Deputy Secretary General called on workers to be patient and have trust in the leadership of the TUC, and rally behind them to fight a good course for the ordinary Ghanaian worker.

    Source: GNA

  • North Korea fires two cruise missiles toward sea off its west coast, South Korean

    North Korea fired two cruise missiles early Wednesday morning from the coastal town of Onchon into waters off its west coast, according to a South Korean Defense Ministry official.

    Military officials from South Korea and the United States said they were analyzing the launch for further details.
    After the launch, South Korea’s national security adviser held a meeting to assess the security situation and examined the military’s preparedness, according to the presidential office.
    The meeting participants agreed to closely monitor any related movements ahead of joint US-South Korea military drills, planned for early next week, the office added.
    North Korea is not banned from firing cruise missiles under United Nations sanctions and last did so in January.
    Unlike ballistic missiles, cruise missiles are propelled by jet engines and stay closer to the ground, making them harder to detect. Most cruise missiles are not designed to carry nuclear warheads.
    The launch came before a speech by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to mark his 100th day in office, during which he reiterated his willingness to provide North Korea with aid — if it agreed to end nuclear weapons development and start the process of denuclearization.

    Yoon also mentioned this “audacious initiative” to improve North Korea’s economy in exchange for denuclearization in separate remarks earlier this week. He first extended the offer during his inauguration speech in May.

    Building tensions

    North Korea has had a flurry of recent missile tests, with Wednesday’s marking the 18th launch this year, according to CNN’s count.
    By comparison, the hermit kingdom conducted only four tests in 2020, and eight in 2021.
    The last missile launch was on June 5, with eight short-range ballistic missiles — which South Korea and the US responded to by firing eight more missiles into waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula.
    Tensions between the two Koreas have been building this year, with US military and intelligence agencies warning that North Korea appears to be preparing for a nuclear test — which would be its first in five years.
    South Korea and the US have stepped up their cooperation to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, announcing last month that the two countries would resume long-suspended live field training this summer.
    This is a developing story.
    Source: CNN

  • Political stability key to promoting AfCFTA initiative – AfCFTA Secretary General

    Secretary General of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Mr Wamkele Mene, has stated that political stability on the African continent is the best way to promote private sector and multilateral investments as well as cross-border trade.

    Speaking to the media, Mr Mene said it was important for countries on the continent, especially those in the ECOWAS and East Africa Community (EAC), to ensure that changes in governments were constitutional and could support predictable policy environments for localizing the AfCFTA.

    He said the intra-continental trade was estimated to generate USD 3.4 trillion in Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and increase incomes by seven percent,

    It would also increase trade by up to USD 70 billion and lift more than 100 million people out of poverty by 2040.

    Most of the gains, however, would be generated by the manufacturing and services sector.

    Mr Mene pointed out that African governments needed to tap into local capital markets to help curb illicit financial flows outside the continent.

    He said AfCFTA had an objective of creating an integrated market through some core actions that would guide implementation.

    This, he indicated, was geared towards diversifications and the development of manufacturing and industrial value chains by member countries.

    Tariff reduction as well as removal of non-tariff barriers over time would also help a great deal, he noted.

    Also, the absorption of new technologies and the need to diversify manufactured goods to secure benefits from the AfCFTA depended on labour market factors such as productivity, healthcare conditions, mobility, innovation and duration.

    Mr. Mene said Regional Economic Community (REC) have been established to foster integration and form the bedrock for the implementation of the AfCFTA.

    Source: GNA

  • Former Hearts of Oak midfielder Benjamin Afutu joins Saudi Arabian team Al-Taqadom

    Benjamin Afutu Kotey, a former midfielder for Hearts of Oak, has officially transferred to Saudi Arabian club Al-Taqadom FC.

    The 26-year-old defensive midfielder has accepted a free transfer to the third-tier Saudi Arabian team.
    He signed a one-year deal that was renewable.

    Afutu left Eastern Company FC of the Egyptian Premier League in June after a mutual termination, and he has been free since.

    The midfielder joined the Egyptian club from the Hearts in September 2021 after a successful campaign where he helped the Phobians win the Ghana League and FA Cup.

    There were efforts from Hearts for a contract extension deal but he refused and subsequently headed to the North African country.

    Afutu failed to command a starting place in the Egyptian club having managed only 8 appearances before his departure.

    He will team up with a former colleague at Hearts, Bernard Arthur to ensure Al-Taqadom return to the Saudi second-tier at the end of the 2022-23 season.

  • Top market prices on oil, gold and natural gas as at 17th August 2022

    Markets

    UK markets
    UK markets % change Value
    Change
    FTSE 100 London Closed
    +0.36%
    7536.06
    +26.91
    FTSE 250 London Closed
    -0.23%
    20336.41
    -46.35
    Europe markets
    Europe markets % change Value
    Change
    AEX Amsterdam Closed
    -0.11%
    728.11
    -0.77
    Cac 40 Paris Closed
    +0.34%
    6592.58
    +22.63
    DAX Frankfurt Closed
    +0.68%
    13910.12
    +93.51
    Euro Stoxx 50 Pan European Closed
    +0.41%
    3805.22
    +15.60
    IBEX 35 Madrid Closed
    +1.01%
    8511.90
    +84.90
    US markets
    US markets % change Value
    Change
    Dow Jones New York Closed
    +0.71%
    34152.01
    +239.57
    Nasdaq New York Closed
    -0.19%
    13102.55
    -25.50
    S&P 500 Chicago Closed
    +0.19%
    4305.20
    +8.06
    Asia markets
    Asia markets % change Value
    Change
    BSE Sensex Bombay
    +0.58%
    60190.14
    +347.93
    Hang Seng Hong Kong
    +0.72%
    19974.04
    +143.52
    Nikkei 225 Tokyo Closed
    +1.23%
    29222.77
    +353.86
    As of 07:01 17 Aug 2022

    Currencies

    GBP
    % change One £ buys
    Change
    GBP against USD
    +0.06%
    $1.2102
    +0.0007
    GBP against Euro
    +0.14%
    €1.1909
    +0.0017
    GBP against Yen
    +0.17%
    ¥162.7010
    +0.2780
    USD
    % change One $ buys
    Change
    USD against GBP
    -0.03%
    £0.8263
    -0.0002
    USD against Euro
    +0.08%
    €0.9840
    +0.0008
    USD against Yen
    +0.11%
    ¥134.4370
    +0.1530
    Euro
    % change One € buys
    Change
    Euro against GBP
    -0.11%
    £0.8397
    -0.0009
    Euro against USD
    -0.08%
    $1.0162
    -0.0008
    Euro against Yen
    +0.04%
    ¥136.6235
    +0.0535
    Yen
    % change One ¥ buys
    Change
    Yen against GBP
    +0.13%
    £0.0061
    0.0000
    Yen against USD
    -0.10%
    $0.0074
    -0.0000
    Yen against Euro
    -0.03%
    €0.0073
    -0.0000
    As of 07:01 17 Aug 2022

    Commodities

    Oil
    Commodity % change dollars per barrel
    Change
    Brent Crude Oil Futures
    +0.69%
    92.98
    +0.64
    WTI Crude Oil Futures
    +1.06%
    87.45
    +0.92
    Gold
    Commodity % change dollars per ounce
    Change
    Gold (Forex Index am fix)
    No value
    1776.15
    No value
    Gold (Forex Index pm fix)
    No value
    1774.85
    No value
    Natural Gas
    Commodity % change pence per therm
    Change
    Natural Gas (UK Natural Gas Futures)
    +4.63%
    436.00
    +19.59

     

    Source: BBC

  • Biden signs climate, tax and health bill into law

    A $700 billion (£579 billion) bill approved by US President Joe Biden, proposes to combat climate change and healthcare expenses while raising taxes primarily on the wealthy.

    The act includes measures to make good on decades of congressional promises to curb the price of prescription drugs.

    The final version is more modest in scope than the $3.5tn package first envisaged by Democrats.

    A flagship of Mr Biden’s agenda, the bill could provide a boost ahead of the mid-term elections.

    Voters casting their ballots in November will decide whether Mr Biden’s Democrats retain control of Congress for two more years.

    The president hailed the bill as he signed it on Tuesday as the “final piece” of his domestic agenda.

     

    The package invests $375bn to fight climate change – the most significant federal investment in history in the issue.

    An analysis by scientists with the Climate Action Tracker says the bill will reduce future global warming by “not a lot, but not insignificantly either”.

    It is projected to lower US emissions by up to 44% by 2030, compared with the current US trajectory, which would lower emissions by up to 35%, according to an analysis by the Rhodium Group, a consultancy.

     

    The bill does not require companies to reduce their emissions, but includes tax incentives for firms to invest in renewable energy and rebates for people who buy electric cars or invest in energy-efficient home improvements.

    In a major breakthrough, the package also allows the government to negotiate lower prices for some prescription medicines provided under its Medicare health insurance programme for those aged over 65.

    That is expected to save hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

    On Tuesday, Mr Biden said the measure was a “historic moment”, adding: “Every single Republican in Congress voted against this bill.”

    But Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said the legislation “means higher taxes, higher energy bills, and aggressive IRS [tax] audits”.

    Key economic claims about the legislation have been under scrutiny.

    Despite being called the Inflation Re duction Act(IRA), the package will have zero measurable impact on inflation, according to an analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model, a group of economists and data scientists at University of Pennsylvania.

    The bill sets a minimum 15% tax for corporations, and Democrats have pledged it will entail no tax hikes for those with incomes below $400,000 a year.

  • Ghana’s Lamisi rock Amsterdam’s Summer Festival

    Regina Lamisi Awiniman Anabilla Akuka, popularly known as Lamisi, one of Ghana’s largest music exporters with  truly authentic sound, gave a fine account of herself when she performed at this year’s edition Kwaku Summer Festival in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

    A strong performance at numerous concerts and festivals in Ghana and throughout the world over the past few weeks suggests that Ghanaian musicians are having a great time.

    In addition to demonstrating that our music and performances are appreciated, it also sets the stage for a positive future for the Ghanaian arts scene, its practitioners, and important stakeholders.

    The enterprising Ghanaian singer, songwriter and performer from the Upper East Region gave a spirited performance when she mounted the Kentefugu Fest stage on Saturday 7th August 2022 at the Kwaku Summer Festival, which took place at the Nelson Mandela Park.

    Lamisi received a standing ovation during her performance on two occasions with the audience continually screaming her name, a signal of approval. At a point, she had to pause her performance to engage with the audience and thank them for such a great reception.

    As if that was not enough, just after announcing the last song of her performance, the audience started screaming for more. With approval from the organisers, she had to stay on for a few more minutes to wrap her performance with the audience applauding her.

    The Kwaku Summer Festival is a grand celebration of cultural diversity and identity in the Zuidoost district, with culture, sports and food as the most important forms of expression and where broad (social) participation and the Surinamese origins are the most important pillars.

    Kwaku Summer Festival is one of the larger festivals in the Netherlands and one of the largest events in Amsterdam, attracting around 300,000 visitors every year. The festival brings cultures together and provides a series of beautiful performances, dance, film, music and of course football.

    Source:ghanamusic.com

     

     

  • Sulley Muntari seals two-year contract with Asante Kotoko

    Midfielder Sulley Muntari has agreed on a two-year contract with Ghanaian champions Asante Kotoko, according to reports.

    The former Ghana international has signed for another Ghana Premier League club after leaving giants Hearts of Oak at the end of the 2021/22 season.

    He follows in the footsteps of his younger brother Muniru Sulley who featured for the Porcupine Warriors during the 2020/21 campaign.

    Muntari’s experience will be key for the Premier League kingpins in the CAF Champions League.

    The 37-year-old proved his mettle in the games he featured for the Phobians and helped them to win the MTN FA Cup.

  • Kotoko signs attacking midfielder Serge Eric Zeze

    Ahead of the football season, Asante Kotoko, a dominant force in the Ghana Premier League, has completed yet another signing.

    In an official statement by the club, it has confirmed the acquisition of Ivorian attacking midfielder Serge Eric Zeze.

    The former ASEC Mimosas poster boy has been signed on a three-year deal on a free transfer and will be expected to fill in for Brazilian midfielder Fabio Gama who left the club at the end of the 2021/22 football season.



    “We welcome the arrival of Ivorian skimmer, SERGE ERIC ZEZE

    “The former Asec Mimosas playmaker joins us for free on a three year deal.

    WELCOME ZEZE” an official club statement from Asante Kotoko said on Tuesday evening.

    The Ivorian attacking midfielder has become the 6th signing of Asante Kotoko in the off-season.

     

  • Hearts of Oak defeats Revelation FC 2-0 in a friendly pre season

    On Tuesday, August 16, 2022, Accra Hearts of Oak defeated Revelation FC in a preseason friendly game by a score of 2-0.

    Isaac Mensah and Bernard Obour were on the scoresheet as the Phobians won the game at their training turf at St. Thomas Aquinas Park.

    Isaac Mensah scored the first goal for the Phobians in the game.

    ;

     



    Newly signed teenager, Gideon Asante Yeboah won the hearts of many with his dazzling skills on the flanks.

    The 18-year-old was able to frustrate the opponents and won a penalty for the Phobians in the game.

    Bernard Obour later dispatched the ball into the net to double Hearts of Oak’s lead.

    Hearts of Oak won the MTN FA Cup last season and are preparing for the new season as they compete in the GHALCA G6 tournament and prepare for the CAF Confederation Cup and the upcoming 2022/23 Ghana Premier League season.

  • Three shot dead in Bawku

    Unknown gunmen have shot and killed three people in the Upper East Region town of Bawku on Tuesday afternoon, August 16, 2022.

    The three victims, who were all men, were shot as they rode in a car from Bolga to Bawku.

    According to reports, the incident took place at about 2:00 pm.

    A family member (name withheld) of the victims who confirmed the incident to Graphic Online, noted that the three were shot on the highway near the Bawku Senior High School.

    He gave their names as Muniyamimu Ashimu, 47; Fatawu Ibrahim, 37 and Mmam Abduali Ibrahim, 43.

    One of them, the family member said, had a court case in Bolga and that they were returning home from the hearing that they were shot.

    The police have confirmed the shooting incident but declined to give details.

     

  • GPNeT to celebrate photojournalists as part of World Photography Day

    The Ghana Photojournalists Network (GPNeT) will as part of a programme to mark World Photography Day organise a workshop on Saturday at the Ghana International Press Centre to enable photojournalists appreciate the potentials of the digital media and enhance their professional capacity.

    The one day programme will be held under the theme: “Photojournalism Beyond Social Media; Harnessing the Potentials of the New Media.”

    World Photography Day is observed annually on August 19, in remembrance of the invention of the Daguerrotype, a photographic process developed by Frenchmen Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicephore Niepce on August 19,1837.

    The Day is used to create awareness, share ideas and encourage individuals in the field of photography.

    GPNeT is an affiliate of the Ghana Journalists Association that champions the cause of photojournalists in the Ghana. Four renowned Executives of GPNeT are billed to speak at the workshop.

    GPNeT President, Mr David Andoh will speak on ‘Photojournalism In the Era of Social Media; Opportunities and Disadvantages’ Mr. Adu Agyei, an Executive member of GPNeT will discuss ‘Photojournalism Ethics’ while another Executive member of GPNeT, Mr. Dan Amoo, will talk about ‘The Role of the Photo Journalist in News Production.’

    General Secretary of GPNeT, Mr. Blay Gibbah, will cap the programme up with the topic ‘Making an Impact with Photojournalism.’

  • A.B. Crentsil to be buried on November 5

    Late Highlife musician AB Crentsil will be buried on November 5, 2022, in Ewoyaa, near Saltpond in the Central Region.

    This was made known at the one-week memorial of his passing which was held at the Bethel Methodist Church, Tema Community 8 on Saturday, August 13, 2022.

    A family member, Joseph Kofi Quainoo, who announced the funeral and burial plans, said a wake keeping and thanksgiving service will be held on November 4 and 6 respectively.

    The Highlife star died at The Bank Hospital, Accra on Wednesday, July 13, 2022.

    A.B. Crentsil to be buried on November 5

    The memorial service was characterised by the singing of a series of hymns, a biography of the deceased and brief eulogies from selected guests.

    Many sympathisers, friends and family converged at the Bethel Methodist Church and later at the Community 8 Park in Tema to celebrate the life of Highlife great, AB Crentsil.

    Also in attendance are political figures mostly from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

    Former President John Dramani Mahama was in attendance to mourn the late AB Crentsil, who he described as a personal friend.

    A.B. Crentsil to be buried on November 5

    Mr Mahama was accompanied by the General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, Joseph Ade Coker, some Members of Parliament including, Isaac Ashai Odamtten,( Tema East), Joseph Tetteh, (Kpone Katamanso) and other officials of the party in the Tema East, Central and West constituencies.

    A.B. Crentsil to be buried on November 5

    Also present are a number of musicians and officials of the Musician Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) and other players in the creative industry including, Diana Hopson, Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour), who is also MD for Ghana Post, Rex Omar, Ahuma Ocansey, Clement Bonney, known in showbiz circles as Mr Beautiful, Kwasi Kyei Darkwah (KKD), Bessa Simmons, Lady Talata, Smart Nkansah among others.

    A.B. Crentsil to be buried on November 5

    Biography
    Alfred Benjamin Crentsil, known in local and international music circles as AB Crentsil, was born to Alfred Benjamin Crentsil Snr and Esi Yaaba on January 15 1943 at Prestea in the Western Region.

    He had his formal elementary school education at the Bedu Addo Methodist Primary and Rev. Cleveland Middle Schools.

    After his middle school education, he was apprenticed as an electrician, following in the footsteps of his father who was himself an astute electrician, employed in the service of the Railway Company in Takoradi.

    A.B. Crentsil to be buried on November 5

    However, this venture was short-lived, because his interest in music, which seed was planted at the tender age of 13 years while in Middle School under the tutorship of his mentor, Mr. Tandoh, gradually superseded any interest he had developed in the trade he was engaged in.

    In no time, he abandoned the trade and engaged all his energies in pursuing music as a career. AB Crentsil quickly mastered the rudiments of guitar playing and readied himself to play in live bands.

    He was profoundly gifted in the art of music composition and vocals. With these harnessed talents tucked under his armpit, he joined his first band, Strollers Dance Band which was based in Takoradi, in 1968. Subsequently, he played in other bands such as Lantics in Takoradi and El Dorados at Aboso.

    A.B. Crentsil to be buried on November 5

    He was a founding member of the Sweet Talks Band which was based at the Talk Of The Town Hotel in Community No. 2, Tema, alongside seasoned musicians such as Smart Nkansah, the late Jewel Ackah and Pope Flynn. He formed his own band the Ahenfo Band in 1982.

    AB Crentsil had 25 albums to his credit: some of his songs which caught both local and international attention are Papa Samo, Landlord Abodwese, Devil, Osokoo among others.

    AB Crentsil was baptised into the Methodist Church from infancy and remained in the faith until his demise. For a good part of the fifty-two (52) years that he lived in Tema, he worshipped at the Bethel Methodist Church at Community No. 8, Tema.

    AB Crentsil left behind his beloved wife Elizabeth and eight children.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Kafui Danku shares stunning photos to mark her 39th birthday

    Actress cum movie producer, Kafui Danku has marked her 39th Birthday with some amazing pictures she shared on her social media accounts.

    In a post shared on Instagram, the mother of two thanked God for blessing her with another year and making her unique.

    “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well,” she expressed.

    The actress in another post, asked her social media users to guess her age while still giving thanks to God.

    “Mercy said YES! Our age is merely the number of years the world has been enjoying us. Guess how old I am today,” she said.

    Her post was accompanied by four beautiful pictures of her dressed in a red lace beaded dress.

    Some social media users have taken their time to wish the actress a happy birthday on her big day.

    Check wishes below:

    Source:ghanaweb

  • Ghana’s top football administrator, according to CK Akonnor

    Former Ashgold Chief Executive Officer Kudjoe Fianoo is ranked as the best football administrator in the nation by former Black Stars coach Charles Akonnor.

    Akonnor has acknowledged that, despite spending a lot of time working with Kurt Okraku, he preferred working with Kudjoe Fianoo.

    In an interview with Asempa FM, Akonnor explained that Kudjoe Fianoo gave him liberty to work as coach of Ashantigold.

    “I would never forget. I would say this. He [Mr. Fianoo] is the only administrator I have worked with and seen who gives you the free hands to work. It felt like the team was mine. I managed everything including even matchday activities. He made me really feel responsible,” he told Worlanyo.

    “Mr. Fianoo gave the team to me. He only called when it was necessary to speak to me. Sometimes when I was going overboard he would call me and draw my attention. I was in control of the team.”

    Akonnor had a stint with AshantiGold before joining Asante Kotoko in 2018.

     

  • Head coach Annor Walker receives legal notification from Great Olympics

    Great Olympics and head coach Annor Walker, who has also been named as the new trainer of Ghana Premier League newcomers Samartex, are about to engage in a legal struggle.

    The Black Galaxies coach reportedly has a running contract with the capital club, and they anticipate him to hold the position during preseason.

    But Walker has been absent from training as he prepares to move to Samreboi.

    “We still have a contract with coach Annor Walker and he has not resigned too. You will hear from us soon because we have written to him to explain why he is not coming to training,” Great Olympics CEO Oluboi Commodore is quoted to have told Angel 102.9 FM

    “We don’t know any contract between him and Samartex, it’s like Ronaldo coming to play for Hearts of Oak in Ghana and has been registered.”

  • GUTA calls on Bank of Ghana to revise investment laws

    Leadership of the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is urging the Bank of Ghana to review the investment laws, which give foreigners the opportunity to repatriate 100% of their profits.

    The association is calling for at least 30 percent retention of the accrued profits by these foreign investors.

    This, the Association believes, will optimize the trading market and strengthen the cedi.

    Speaking to Citi News, the Vice President of GUTA, Clement Boateng said, “foreigners are doing about 85% of the imports into this country. At the end of the day, this poses a threat to our foreign reserve as they equally take all the profits out of the country”.

    “This also has to do with our investment laws, which need to be revised.”

    Meanwhile, the Association is expected to meet over agitation among members who have expressed concerns about the depreciating value of the cedi and its effect on businesses in the country, as well as high lending rates.

    Members of the Association have threatened to demonstrate to register their concern over the free fall of the cedi.

    Source: Citinews

  • TikToking student nurse summoned after threatening to kill patients

    A nursing student in the North East Region has been summoned over some comments she made in a video regarding her practice.

    The student of the Nalerigu Nursing and Midwifery College was seen in the video some days ago lamenting that she was forced by her family into the profession.

    She seemed to be miming over a voiceover on TikTok which further threatened patients to stay away from any facility she may be posted to as she may end up killing them.

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Africa Folder (@africafolder)

    “In case, I have graduated and you see me in the hospital, I mean working in the hospital, I am begging you ladies and gentlemen, run for your life because I may kill somebody there,” she said in the video.

    The post which has since gone viral has triggered a reaction from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC).

    TikToking student nurse who threatened to kill patients summoned

    In a press release on Monday, the Council dissociated itself from the footage.

    The N&MC further announced that “investigations have commenced earnestly to identify the said student and apply the necessary sanctions as enshrined in the Code of Conduct for Nurses and Midwives.”

    While condemning the act, the Council has also cautioned students against the use of the uniform for non-professional activities.

    Source:myjoyonline.com

  • Russia reopens bond market to ‘not hostile’ investors

    The Moscow Exchange will be partially reopened to foreign investors from Monday after a nearly six-month suspension during the Ukraine war.

    It says only investors from “countries that are not hostile” will be allowed to trade bonds.

    Russia had sealed off its markets in February to restrict money from leaving the country during the war.

    In a statement, the Moscow Exchange said it would be reopening its bond market to “non-resident clients from countries that are not hostile, as well as non-residents whose ultimate beneficiaries are Russian legal entities or individuals”.

    China and Turkey are likely to be among these nations, as they have not imposed sanctions against Russia.

    It added that banks, brokers and investment management companies had started registering their foreign clients with the exchange.

    Russia closed its stock and bond markets hours after President Vladimir Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine on 24 February.

    In March, it began a phased re-opening which was limited to bonds issued by the Russian government.

    Monday’s resumption of trading excludes investors from “hostile” countries, who remain banned from selling Russian securities.

    These countries include members of the European Union, Canada and Japan. The group accounted for 90% of investments into Russia last year.

    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and sanctions imposed by Western governments have taken a toll on its economy.

    The country is believed to have defaulted on its debt in June for the first time since 1998.

    While it had money to make a $100m (£82.5m) payment, sanctions made it impossible to get the sum to international creditors.

    Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said an intermediary bank had withheld the money and that the reserves were blocked “unlawfully”.

    Source: BBC

  • Heathrow Airport extends cap on passengers to end of October

    Heathrow is to extend a cap on the number of passengers flying from the airport until the end of October due to staff shortages.

    It means the limit will now be in place until after the UK school half-term holidays.

    After consulting with airlines, a daily limit of 100,000 departing passengers will now apply until 29 October, the airport said.

    It said the measure would enable more reliable passenger journeys.

    The UK’s largest airport said the cap would “provide passengers with confidence ahead of their half-term getaways”.

    When the cap was first announced in July it was initially in place until 11 September.

    The airport also said the cap would be kept under regular review and could be lifted early if staffing levels improved.

    Heathrow chief commercial officer Ross Baker said: “Our primary concern is ensuring we give our passengers a reliable service when they travel.”

    “We want to remove the cap as soon as possible, but we can only do so when we are confident that everyone operating at the airport has the resources to deliver the service our passengers deserve,” he added.

    In response, a spokesman for airline Virgin Atlantic said: “We are disappointed that Heathrow Airport has already decided to extend the passenger capacity cap until the end of October, as additional resources come on line every week and the airport experience improves.”

    The airline said that its ground handlers, Cobalt Ground Solutions, which are responsible for services including ramp and baggage operations, currently have staff resourcing at 95% of 2019 levels.

    “Airline customers have a right to expect their bookings will be honoured and we’re doing everything in our power to minimise disruption, getting our customers to where they need to be smoothly,” he added.

    Consumer rights group Which? also warned the move will leave thousands of passengers’ plans in limbo, saying the situation was a “mess”.

    “Though the extension of the passenger cap may help Heathrow prevent a repeat of the unacceptable last-minute cancellations we saw earlier in the summer, thousands of people will now be anxious about whether their travel plans could be scuppered,” said Guy Hobbs, travel editor at the organisation.

    “Heathrow and impacted airlines must act without delay to provide travellers with clarity on which flights are being cut, and airlines must ensure affected passengers are aware of their rights to rebooking or refunds.”

    Tens of thousands of UK passengers have been affected by travel disruption throughout the summer.

    During the pandemic the aviation industry cut thousands of jobs as international travel ground to a halt. But since then it has struggled to recruit and train new staff quickly enough.

    According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the number of last-minute flight cancellations from the UK was up 188% in June 2022, compared to June 2019 before the pandemic.

    In June, the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority wrote a joint letter to carriers, telling them to cancel flights they cannot deliver this summer.

    Queues for security at Heathrow Airport in JuneGetty Images
    Heathrow, along with other airports, has seen long queues for security and check-in over the summer

    Meanwhile, the Unite union said it had secured a pay rise worth an average of 13% for around 16,000 British Airways staff.

    The deal will see workers get a lump sum worth 5% of their wages in August, a consolidated 5% increase in September and a further 3% consolidated rise in December.

    It came after some 700 BA workers at Heathrow – mostly check-in staff – called off strike action after agreeing a similar pay deal.

    Staff had originally backed industrial action over a 10% pay cut imposed during the Covid pandemic.

     

     

    Source: BBC

  • 3 Chinese, 3 Ghanaians arrested for mining in Tano-Nimiri Forest Reserve

    Three Chinese have been arrested for engaging in illegal mining in the Tano-Nimiri Forest Reserve in the Aowin Municipality of the Western North Region.

    Another three Ghanaians were apprehended as accomplices of the act popularly known as galamsey.

    This was after a successful operation led by the Deputy Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Martha Kwayie Manu, and the Western North Regional Forestry Manager.

    The suspects were said to have cleared a large portion of the Reserve to facilitate their mining activities.

    During the arrest, three pump action guns, a Nissan 4×4 pick up and other items were retrieved from the miners.

    The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Martha Kwayie Manu explained to Adom News how the miners were arrested.

    “We got the hint on July 4, but anytime we visited, they were not there. So we were just spying and waiting on them to arrive so that we can apprehend them and that is exactly what we did today,” he said.

    She further adviced those operating illegally in the forest reserves to stop as the Commission is set to come after them.

    Meanwhile, the suspects have been sent to the Regional Police headquarters in Sefwi Wiawso to be arraigned before court.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • UK to cut import taxes from some of world’s poorest countries

    The UK is to cut import taxes on hundreds more products from some of the world’s poorest countries to boost trade links.

    The Developing Countries Trading Scheme comes into force in January and builds on a scheme the UK was first part of while a member of the European Union.

    Goods such as clothes, shoes and foods not widely produced in the UK will benefit from lower or zero tariffs.

    The scheme covers 65 developing countries.

    It is on top of the thousands of products which developing nations can already export to the UK without tariffs and will affect around 99% of goods imported from Africa.

    The Department for International Trade said the work was part of a wider push by the UK to use trade to “drive prosperity and help eradicate poverty”, as well as reduce dependency on aid.

    The scheme includes powers to suspend a country on the grounds of human rights or labour violations, as well as for not meeting their climate change obligations.

    International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “As an independent trading nation, we are taking back control of our trade policy and making decisions that back UK businesses, help with the cost of living, and support the economies of developing countries around the world.

    “UK businesses can look forward to less red-tape and lower costs, incentivising firms to import goods from developing countries.”

    2px presentational grey line
    Analysis box by Dharshini David, global trade correspondent

    Many goods, from textiles to fruit, in 65 of the world’s poorest nations already benefit from reduced or zero tariffs when sold to the UK, making them more appealing.

    The new scheme cuts some of those charges further – for example, on cucumbers which can not be produced here during the winter.

    It also simplifies the rules for which items, such as some textiles, qualify for preferential treatment.

    The changes could save importers millions of pounds – although, even if passed on in full, the price savings for consumers may be marginal.

    Coming when aid to developing countries has been reduced, the scheme underlines a government policy of using trade instead.

    2px presentational grey line

    The scheme removes some seasonal tariffs on products like cucumbers, which cannot be grown in the UK in the winter, so they are tariff-free during this period for the majority of countries under the scheme.

    It also simplifies trade rules such as rules of origin, which dictate what proportion of a product must be made in its country of origin.

    Mohammed Jabbar, managing director of DBL Group, a textile business from Bangladesh, said this was a “game changer” for his company.

    “[The changes] mean we will be able to source our cotton from many more countries than we could before, which will make the business more competitive and our supply chains a lot more resilient,” he said.

     

     

    Source: BBC

  • 4 arrested for refurbishing, selling abandoned LPG cylinders at Swanlake Masalachi

    The Kaneshie District Police Station has arrested four persons for refurbishing old and abandoned Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders for sale at Swanlake Masalachi in Accra.

    This was revealed by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS).

    According to the GNFS, the suspects were taking old cylinders, welding off the worn-out metal portions before spraying them to be re-sold on the open market.

    In a joint operation by the Police and Fire Service, several old LPG cylinders and equipment used in their refurbishments were retrieved.

    The arrest comes shortly after a caution by the Fire Service to the public to be conscious of their safety when purchasing cylinders on the market.

    According to the Service, some people have abrasively repaired spoilt cylinders and taken them to the market for sale.

    “GNFS has observed with concern the nefarious activities of some unscrupulous people who go round (sometimes to dumping sites) to collect or cheaply buy damaged or old and worn-out LPG cylinders.”

    “These cylinders are repaired (abrasively and adhesively treated, and the ripped metal pans welded together), sprayed and taken to the open market for sale and use by the unsuspecting public”, the Service warned in a statement.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • Shanghai Covid: Ikea shoppers flee attempt to lock down store

    There were chaotic scenes at an Ikea store in Shanghai on Saturday, with shoppers trying to escape as authorities tried to quarantine them.

    Health officials were attempting to lock the store in Xuhui district down as a customer had been in close contact with a positive Covid case.

    Videos show the guards closing the doors at one point, but a crowd forced them open and made their escape.

    Since then, in line with the country’s strict “zero-Covid” strategy, the city of 20 million people has ordered flash lockdowns of areas where positive cases or their close contacts have been detected.

    Many have been locked down in unusual locations – including hot pot restaurants, gyms and offices.

    The Ikea store’s sudden shutdown was ordered because a close contact of a six-year-old boy who tested positive after returning to Shanghai from Lhasa in Tibet had visited, Shanghai Health Commission deputy director Zhao Dandan said on Sunday.

    He did not say when the close contact was believed to have been at the store.

    Those who were at the Ikea store and related areas must quarantine for two days followed by five days of health monitoring, Mr Zhao said.

    By Sunday nearly 400 close contacts of the six-year-old boy – who is asymptomatic – had been traced while 80,000 people had been ordered to undergo PCR testing, according to Shanghai Daily.

    Ikea’s customer service said on Sunday that the store was shut due to Covid curbs.

    The flagship Xuhui store, opened in 1998, was the Swedish furniture retailer’s first outlet in China. It now has 35 outlets across the country.

    China has stuck to its zero-Covid approach to slowing the spread of the coronavirus despite its huge impact on the economy and increasingly vocal objection from the public.

    The scenes of panic at Ikea follow videos last week showing people in another part of Shanghai running out of a building over rumours of an abnormal Covid test result.

    Shanghai’s citywide lockdown earlier this year saw widespread reports of food shortages and poor living conditions in quarantine centres.

    Frustrated residents were filmed engaging in heated arguments with pandemic staff and screaming from windows in protest against the restrictions during this time.

     

     

    Source: BBC

  • Chinese internet giants hand algorithm data to government

    Chinese internet giants including Alibaba, Tiktok-owner ByteDance and Tencent have shared details of their algorithms with China’s regulators for the first time.

    Algorithms decide what users see and the order they see it in – and are critical to driving the growth of social media platforms.

    They are closely guarded by companies.

    In the US Meta and Alphabet have successfully argued they are trade secrets amid calls for more disclosure.

    The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) has published a list with the descriptions of 30 algorithms.

    In a statement it said that its algorithm list would be routinely updated in a bid to curb data abuse.

    Among the listed algorithms is one belonging to e-commerce website Taobao, owned by Alibaba.

    The Mandarin document said Taobao’s algorithm “recommends products or services to users through their digital footprint and historical search data.”

    ByteDance’s algorithm for Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, is said to gauge user interests through what they click, comment on, “like” or “dislike”.

    Kendra Schaefer, head of tech policy research at Trivium China, said the data appeared “surface level”.

    “It doesn’t look like the algorithms themselves have been submitted,” she told the BBC.

    “Each one of these algorithms has been given a registration number, so the CAC can focus enforcement efforts on a particular algorithm. The question is, what is the next step to seeing if an algorithm is up to code?”

    However, Zhai Wei, an executive director at the Competition Law Research Center at the East China University of Political Science and Law, believes the information provided was “much more detailed than what was published for sure”.

    “That involves some business secrets, which is not possible to be released to the public,” he told Bloomberg.

    ByteDance declined to comment when approached by the BBC on Tuesday.

    Alibaba and listed technology firms Tencent, NetEase and Baidu did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment

     

    Suranjana Tewari, Asia Business Correspondent

    This move is ultimately about control.

    China has the largest base of internet users in the world, and is a massive market for e-commerce, gaming and smartphones. And so, technology companies operating there have expanded exponentially in recent years.

    Beijing is fiercely protective of the technology behind these companies, and doesn’t allow the export of it beyond its shores.

    But it’s concerned about how these platforms can influence public opinion within China, and prefers to have more oversight over their technology and data. It wants to redirect people’s attention to content that the state thinks is fit for public consumption.

    Beijing has urged service providers to ensure algorithms “actively spread positive energy”, and are not used to encourage indulgences, excessive spending and exposure to celebrity culture.

    International brands like Google and Facebook have been under pressure to submit this kind of information over concerns about how they use data and curate content, but they have resisted until now, saying that algorithms are business secrets.

    Chinese regulators have been tightening their grip on the technology sector for nearly two years now.

    The country adopted new rules for algorithms in March – which allow users to opt out of contributing to recommendations.

    It also required algorithms with “public opinion properties or social mobilisation capabilities” to register with the CAC.

    Ms Schaefer said it was “remarkable” that the registrations were made public.

    “I’m not aware of any other country in the world where you can go see a list of all of the pieces of code that are essentially informing the decisions that you make, the purchasing decisions that you make, the content viewing decisions that you make,” she said.

     

    Source: BBC

  • Disregard allegations of Boko Haram in Ghana ; we are safe – Interior Minister

    Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, has urged Ghanaians to ignore report circulating on social media that terrorist and jihadist groups, including Boko Haram, has reached the shores of Ghana.

    According to the minister, no part of the country has been attacked by a terrorist organisation as purported in the viral video on social media.

    Dery added that although neighbouring countries have been attacked, the security apparatus in Ghana are on top of their jobs and are leaving no stone unturned in their effort to ensure that the country does not see any terrorist attacks.

    “We live in a region which is volatile and prone to extremist activities. Our neighbours have been attacked variously. But let me make it clear that those footages that are on video and on platforms that extremists have attacked any part of Ghana are false. They are false and should be disregarded,” the minister said in a video shared by Ghana Broadcasting Corporation on social media.

    Recently, there have been allegations that Boko Haram has attacked communities in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale.

    The viral video showed people dressed in military apparel alleged to be personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces with all kinds of military equipment, including vehicles and a helicopter, patrolling an area that was said to have been attacked by terrorists in Tamale.

    Watch the minister speaking at the event in the video below:

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • Northern Regional CHASS has threatened to close schools due to a lack of food

    The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in the Northern Region has threatened to disrupt the academic calendar if the government does not release money for food items.

    “On the foregoing, we wish to state that if we do not get immediate releases of the SHS students of the single track schools who would be due to return to school tomorrow, Tuesday, August 16, 2022, would not report until we get money. This also includes those in the transitional schools who are billed to report on September 4, 2022,” part of a Statement issued by CHASS said.

    According to CHASS, Suppliers who provide credit for perishable items like eggs and meat are not ready to continue with the supply owing to the amount in arrears.

    The heads in the region hinted that, for close to eleven weeks of the first semester for the 2021/2022 academic year, funds for perishable foods have not been paid.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • Three final-year Opoku Ware SHS students detained for robbery

    Three final-year students of Opuku Ware SHS have been arrested by the Police for their involvement in a robbery attack.

    The students, between the ages of 17 and 19, were reported to have chartered a taxi from Santansi to Golden Tulip around 11:30pm.

    When the driver got to Golden Tulip, they told him they were going to Rotary park so he should proceed to that destination. While on their way, one of the students removed a knife to attack the taxi driver from behind.

    During their struggle, the Taxi driver kept moving his car which led to a crash around Vienna City.

    Some residents who were around thought it was an accident but the driver was quick to say he was being attacked by the boys.

    Two of the culprits were arrested and taken to the police.

    The third was however arrested later by the police upon further interrogation.

    “As I speak now, there are 3 people currently with the police and they will be arraigned before the court,” UTV Ashanti correspondent said.

     

  • Houses in the Kumbungu constituency destroyed by flooding – MP urges NADMO to assist victims

    After Silimboma in the Kumbungu Constituency was completely destroyed by the terrible impacts of the torrential rains, the MP for Kumbungu, Alhaj Dr. Hamza Adam, and constituency executives went to the community to examine the extent of the devastation.

    In the neighborhood, the flood caused the destruction of around six homes and the loss of other properties.

    Others have had portions of their homes damaged, along with their cattle, clothing, and food supplies.

    During the visit, Dr. Hamza Adam made a passionate appeal to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to, as a matter of urgency, step in to help alleviate the plight of the residents in all ways possible in these trying moments.

    He also bemoaned the inefficiencies of the NADMO largely due to resource constraints and therefore implored the Ministry of Interior to place a premium on the resource allocation to the organisation, which would help them to be proactive in their mandate instead of always being slowly reactive.

    A preliminary assessment of the situation could largely be linked to the construction of the Kumbungu-Gbulung road where the contractor has not made sufficient provision for drains, gutters and appropriate bridges to allow for free flow of water.

    Dr Hamza Adam, therefore, called on the Ghana Highways Authority and the Contractor to make the necessary engineering adjustments in order to avert future occurrences of this nature.

    He again made an appeal to other agencies like NGOs, Philanthropists and individuals to come to the aid of the community with food, clothing, and building materials, among others.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

     

  • Fire kills mother and 2 children at Ohwim

    A fire that broke out in a private property at Ohwim in the Bantama sub metropolis of the Kumasi metropolitan has killed a woman and her two children.

    According to reports, the mother, named as Philomena, and her two children, ages 8 and 4, were burned beyond recognition.

    The Assemblyman for Ohwim, Hon. Erastus Ebo Boison, claimed in an interview on Otec FM’s morning program called “Nyansapo” on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, that the fire is thought to have started around midnight.
    He claimed that while the source of the fire is yet unknown, he personally suspects arson.

    According to him, one of the deceased children aged 14 who managed to escape the fire told him all she saw was fire but was able to step out as she was sleeping in a different room.

    Husband of the late who is said to be a bank manager of a rural Bank in Ashanti is said to have not been around at the time.

    Meanwhile police and fire service personnel have commenced investigations into the issue.

    Source:ghanaweb.com

  • GPRTU has no power to impose mandatory towing levy Bright Simons

    Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has taken a swipe at Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) over its recent move to impose a mandatory towing levy on drivers.

    According to him, the group lacks the mandate to undertake threats to block drivers who do not register for the policy from loading at lorry stations.

    Bright Simons in a Twitter post on August 13 indicated that the GPRTU does not own the lorry stations and consequently will not be able to effect their threat.

    He further accused the union for lack of consultation with it members in taking major decisions that affect them.

    “The undemocratic GPRTU “union” that does not ballot its members when taking big decisions has NO power to impose a mandatory towing levy on anyone. And their threats to block those who don’t pay from lorry stations are HOLLOW. They don’t own the stations,” he tweeted.

    “They know full well that their contract is with the Zoomlion alter ego, RSML. I referenced Zoomlion precisely because this whole business came up in 2017 & I discovered that RSML, a Jospong Group company, was directed from Zoomlion. GPRTU should focus on their members’ welfare,” Bright Simons added.

    The GPRTU on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, announced a mandatory vehicle towing system for its members.

    According to its General Secretary, Godfred Abulbire, the move which will take effect in October this year will help reduce road crashes in the country.

    He noted that any driver who fails to subscribe to the mandatory road tow levy will be blocked from loading within GPRTU terminals.

    In an interview with the media, Godfred Abulbire mentioned that a total of 2.6 million vehicles have been targeted for this exercise.

    “All our members will have to subscribe through the app. They will put in their details (name, phone number, car number and car type), then they will pay the fee…When the vehicle breaks down, they will call a toll free number and they will come and tow it,” he said.

    “If any driver does not subscribe to the app, we will make sure he will not get access to (the) loading within all our terminals,” the GPRTU General Secretary added.

    He stated that per the payment regime, taxis will be charged GH¢50, trotros GH¢80, long buses GH¢300, and articulated trucks, GH¢500.

    The GPRTU has also launched a mobile application that would capture the details of all drivers and their vehicles to facilitate the operationalization of their service.

    This was in partnership with a private entity, Road Safety Management Service Limited (RSMSL).

     

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Residents of Commonwealth Hall protest suspension of Hall Master, Senior Tutor 

    Residents of the Commonwealth Hall at the University of Ghana are contesting management’s decision to suspend their Hall Master and Senior Tutor over the recent chaos between the hall and the Mensah Sarbah Hall.

    The peeved students, clad in red attires have converged at the forecourt of the all-male hall to demand the reinstatement of their Hall Master and Senior Tutor with immediate effect.

    In a press statement dated August 15, 2022, management explained that the suspended Hall officers failed to ensure that the offenders who reside in the hall were reported to the appropriate authorities.

    “The Hall Master and Senior Tutor of Commonwealth Hall have not exhibited sufficient willingness and ability to hold students of the hall accountable for their actions in the recent violent clashes. These officers should therefore, in the interim, be relieved of their duties while management works with the security services to investigate the clashes, and works towards finding lasting solutions to the tensions between students of the two halls,” part of the statement read.

    But Commonwealth Hall residents have described the decision taken by the University Council at its meeting on Thursday, 11th August 2022, as unfair.

    “We think the authorities took a cursory look at the issue. They did not pay much attention to it. For sanity to prevail and for peace to come back, the right thing must be done,” one of the residents told the media.

    The residents are also against the decision to review the composition of Commonwealth, an all male residency and Mensah Sarbah Halls, a residency housing both males and females.

    Officers of the Ghana Police Service have been deployed to the school to prevent any uprising.

    On August 5 and 6, 2022, students of Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls engaged in a fisticuff which led to the destruction of a private vehicle. The vehicle was set ablaze by one of the factions.

    It is currently unknown to management what may have prompted students to pelt stones and other objects at each other and in the process, vandalize properties belonging to the school.

    At the end of the meeting, the Council have also decided that “Commonwealth Hall is to be surcharged with the cost of damages to property in the vicinity of Mensah Sarbah Hall, in the recent clashes.”

    Also, Junior Common Room (JCR) Presidents of Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah Halls will be referred to the Disciplinary Committee for Junior Members, for their actions and inactions leading to and after the riots.

     

     

     

  • Cedi depreciation: We talk too much but do little – Prof. Joseph Osafo

    Professor Joseph Osafo, an Associate Professor of Clinical/Health Psychology and currently, the Head of the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana, has called on the Government to tackle the economic crises confronting the citizenry and the country at large.

    With Ghana’s cedi steeply depreciating against the US Dollar and other major foreign currencies, it’s become an extremely worrying situation to local businesses and the Ghanaian populace as almost everything is shot up to astronomical levels.

    Food prices have sharply increased making the life of the ordinary Ghanaian very difficult.

    Assessing the impact of the economic challenges, Professor Joseph Osafo advised the government to take measures to arrest the cedi and fortify the economy.

    He admonished the government to walk her talk to make lives better.

    “We talk too much but we do little. I measure Ghana’s economic progress by what is happening in my pocket. My ability to buy and the way goods are distributed, the way the market is working; those are the things that make me know whether things are okay,” he said on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show.

    He added; “Nation building is not accidental; it is intentional”.

     

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Sam George and wife shows off dance moves at their 10th wedding anniversary

    Hon Sam George is showing us that apart from getting noticed on the floor of parliament, he has what it takes to be noticed on the dance floor as well.

    The Ningo Prampram Member of Parliament with his wife, Vera, marked their 10th wedding anniversary on 4th August 2020. Over the weekend, the couple renewed their wedding vows and threw a party to celebrate their union.

    At the reception of their ceremony, the Ghanaian politician seized a microphone from Samini to perform the dancehall act’s ‘My Own’ love song for his wife. Sam George’s performance stunned Samini and their wedding guests as he happily rattled the lyrics out.

    Sam George and his wife
    Sam George and his wife

    The video from his performance has also made it to social media and netizens have a lot to say. “Allah @samgeorgegh for VGMAs artist of the year,” Twitter influencer, @Opresii said as he shared Sam George’s performance video on the bluebird app.

    This wasn’t all, Sam George also entertained his wife and guests with wild dance moves as they took to the dance floor in the video below.

     

    The outspoken first announced their wedding anniversary on 4th August 2022, when he shared beautiful photos with his wife and wrote “10 years ago today, we made a vow of forever before GOD. It has been a journey of love, affection but most importantly friendship. To my best friend, mother of my kids, wife of my youth, personal Ayigbe Toffee, let’s do the next 10 with even more swag and grace“.

    Source:pulse.com

  • Confidence Haugen crown as queen mother of Anlo State

    A coronation durbar has been held to climax the enstoolment of Confidence Haugen as Mamaga Buiekpor II of the Anlo State.

    The ceremony which came off on Saturday, August 13, 2022, saw in attendance political, media, and entertainment personalities such as the Chairperson of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Samia Nkrumah, actress Kalsoume Sinare, actress Gloria Sarfo, and other notable figures.

    The traditional ceremony also witnessed the coronation of her King, HRM Dutor Torgbui Wenya III of the Anlo Kingdom.

    The durbar followed a coronation concert on Friday at Ashiata Beach, where Ghanaian musicians including Adina Thembi, Efya, Hajia4reall, rappers D-Black, Yaa Bono, Eno Barony, and a host of other talents delivered spectacular performances.

    The coronation of HRM Dutor Torgbui Wenya III and Mamaga Confidence Haugen capped the nomination, selection, and crowning process that began in 2018.

    Check the photos and videos from the ceremony below:

    Source:pulse.com

  • Top market prices on oil, gold and natural gas

    Markets

    UK markets
    UK markets % change Value
    Change
    FTSE 100 London
    +0.41%
    7540.01
    +30.86
    FTSE 250 London
    +0.17%
    20417.00
    +34.24
    Europe markets
    Europe markets % change Value
    Change
    AEX Amsterdam
    +0.27%
    730.82
    +1.94
    Cac 40 Paris
    +0.52%
    6604.03
    +34.08
    DAX Frankfurt
    +0.86%
    13935.10
    +118.49
    Euro Stoxx 50 Pan European
    +0.68%
    3815.56
    +25.94
    IBEX 35 Madrid
    +1.13%
    8522.20
    +95.20
    US markets
    US markets % change Value
    Change
    Dow Jones New York Closed
    +0.45%
    33912.44
    +151.39
    Nasdaq New York Closed
    +0.62%
    13128.05
    +80.87
    S&P 500 Chicago Closed
    +0.40%
    4297.14
    +16.99
    Asia markets
    Asia markets % change Value
    Change
    BSE Sensex Bombay
    +0.58%
    59804.78
    +342.00
    Hang Seng Hong Kong Closed
    -1.05%
    19830.52
    -210.34
    Nikkei 225 Tokyo Closed
    -0.01%
    28868.91
    -2.87
    As of 09:10 16 Aug 2022

    Currencies

    GBP
    % change One £ buys
    Change
    GBP against USD
    -0.15%
    $1.2037
    -0.0018
    GBP against Euro
    +0.18%
    €1.1884
    +0.0021
    GBP against Yen
    +0.55%
    ¥161.3685
    +0.8885
    USD
    % change One $ buys
    Change
    USD against GBP
    +0.19%
    £0.8308
    +0.0016
    USD against Euro
    +0.35%
    €0.9873
    +0.0034
    USD against Yen
    +0.69%
    ¥134.0595
    +0.9135
    Euro
    % change One € buys
    Change
    Euro against GBP
    -0.16%
    £0.8414
    -0.0014
    Euro against USD
    -0.32%
    $1.0128
    -0.0033
    Euro against Yen
    +0.37%
    ¥135.7785
    +0.4985
    Yen
    % change One ¥ buys
    Change
    Yen against GBP
    -0.19%
    £0.0062
    -0.0000
    Yen against USD
    -0.66%
    $0.0075
    -0.0000
    Yen against Euro
    -0.27%
    €0.0074
    -0.0000
    As of 09:10 16 Aug 2022

    Commodities

    Oil
    Commodity % change dollars per barrel
    Change
    Brent Crude Oil Futures
    -1.25%
    93.91
    -1.19
    WTI Crude Oil Futures
    -1.00%
    88.52
    -0.89
    Gold
    Commodity % change dollars per ounce
    Change
    Gold (Forex Index am fix)
    No value
    1781.45
    No value
    Gold (Forex Index pm fix)
    No value
    1776.60
    No value
    Natural Gas
    Commodity % change pence per therm
    Change
    Natural Gas (UK Natural Gas Futures)
    +6.53%
    450.35
    +27.60

     

    Source: BBC