President William Ruto wants to help Kenyans get jobs in Germany because there are not enough jobs in Kenya.
He created the plan just before leaving for Europe for a G20 meeting.
Over twelve African leaders are going to Berlin, Germany to look for ways to boost Africa’s economy, like exporting workers and getting more money invested in their countries.
The leader of Germany visited Kenya around three to four months ago. I am going to Germany tonight because he said he will make sure 200,000 people get jobs. I need to go check out those chances,” Mr Ruto said on Sunday.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been visiting Africa, including Kenya and Nigeria. He is interested in increasing investment in Africa, especially in minerals and green energy.
This meeting called G20 Compact with Africa wants to make the economy stronger by connecting African countries with G20 countries.
Thirteen African countries are in the program – Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, and Tunisia.
Leaders from other African countries, like Kenya and Nigeria, are coming to the event as special guests.
Author: Chris Kodo
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Ruto finds 200,000 employment opportunities for Kenyans in Germany
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Johnson Kombian, Ghana’s most dangerous criminal who was trapped with a woman and arrested
Johnson kombian alias Garkum was born into a family of kombian in nakpanduri in the North-East region of Ghana. He was born into a family of farmers and “pinto brewers”. He dropped out of school at class six and joined a gang of local area boys who where truants and recalcitrant students.
He was remounted to have had magical powers which help he and his gang rob and steal from the local community business persons.
His huge physique made the community fear him. He could threaten to rob you and true to his words he’ll attack you at night and make away with your monies.
Johnson Kombian was a notorious convicted armed robber who escaped from prison custody on three occasions, and carried out a spree of robberies and violent attacks on Ghanaians in a number of communities in the Northern and Upper East Regions, causing grievous bodily harm to many of them.
His name became popular and his name became a household name for thieves and stubborn people. His delima started when he together with his gang robbed a man and his family of their hard earn money alongside a 3 batterry tape record.
The matter was reported to the nankpabduri chief palace who then summoned him before his elders but Johnson gave them no hearing ear and rejected their invitation.
The police also positively identified Kombian as either the person solely responsible for committing a spate ofcrimes, especially, the snatching of motorcycles at gun-point in the Nakpanduri Scarp and the surrounding areas, or being the mastermind behind various violent criminal activities and other orchestrated acts of intimidation and terror in the Northern and Upper East regions,particularly, the Garu-Tempane-Bawku areas.
Kombian became the subject of close police intelligence monitoring and clandestine surveillance for a period of time – all of which efforts had been aimed at arresting him.
This monitoring led to his arrest and subsequent prosecution by the police where he was given five (5) years jail sentence. On 15th January, 2010, at about 4:00 a.m., convict prisoner Johnson Kombian was found to have escaped from the lawful prison custody.
At the time of his escape, the convict prisoner was also facing trial in a number of cases, including robbery, attempted murder, possession of firearms without lawful authority, escaping from lawful custody, failing to report on license, stealing etc.
According to reports, when Kombian’s escape from prison custody was detected, it was observed that the ventilation hole, made of wire mesh of Cell ‘A’ where the convict was locked up, had been broken and the debris of the wall packed in the cells.
The leg iron, which was used to shackle the convict prisoner, was also found opened, but there was no physical damage caused to suggest that the prisoner forced the leg iron open. All efforts made after the convict’s escape by both the prison authorities and the police to re-capture him went futile.
After some time, the police received information from Nakpanduri which indicated that he had re-surfaced in the village, and had threatened to kill the police personnel who caused or facilitated the arrest, which culminated in his conviction.
In fact, he even sent text messages to some senior police officers, including Regional Commanders, threatening to kill them. On October 17, 2010, the Kombian and his accomplices received information that a number of policemen had been detailed to perform duties at the Nakpanduri Scarp. Kombian and his accomplices however ambushed and attacked three policemen. They fired gunshots at the policemen who were then on a motorbike. The policemen fell into a 10-metre long valley.
Kombian and his group continued to fire sporadically into the valley, with the hope of killing the policemen, who also retaliated with occasional gun fire. After some minutes of firing, Kombian and his gang stopped, and on realizing that the gunshots had ended, one of the police officers, Agyare and his colleagues mistakenly thought their attackers had left. They, therefore, came out of their hide-out, and were subjected to more gun fire. Help finally came to Agyare and his colleagues, while Kombian and his accomplices bolted.
The wounded policemen were conveyed to the Nalerigu Hospital, but Agyare was later pronounced dead. Another police officer, Frimpong also died later, while one other officer Bonsu was transferred to the Police Hospital in Accra where he was treated and discharged.
n the early hours of Saturday, 23 October 2010, the police carried out another manhunt exercise for Kombian at his twin villages of Danvorga and Danugu, his mother’s native home but he appeared to have had some hints about the operation, and managed to slip through unnoticed into Togo, thus escaping arrest. Three days later, at about 10:00 p.m., the police had a tip-off that Kombian had re-surfaced in Nakpanduri (Gomsuka is Kombian’s family village and it is in this part of Nakpanduri that he has always felt secure and protected).
In the early hours of Wednesday, 27th October, 2010, based on credible intelligence reports that Johnson Kombian was still holed up in Gomsuka village, a massive police manhunt operation was launched in Gomsuka and other parts of Nakpanduri.
The deployed operational men reached Nakpanduri at about 1:00 p.m. from all four directions of Gomsuka village, but the cordoning-off and search exercises by the police could not locate Kombian, the main target.
It was suspected that he had had a tip-off and quickly and quietly slipped out of the village. The police, however, rounded up seventeen (17) persons on suspicion of either being accomplices of Kombian in his numerous criminal activities, or being persons who have been harbouring and protecting Kombian, and also giving him tit-bits of information that enable him escape anytime the police are on his heels. The suspects were conveyed to the Regional Police Headquarters, Bolgatanga, for questioning.
Kombian, who had been accused of rape, murder and armed robbery, was arrested by Interpol in Northern Togo on Friday, 19th November, 2010 after he was tricked by an informant that his girlfriend was seriously sick in Togo.
Unknown to him, the Togolese police laid ambush, and he was immediately arrested when he crossed the border from Ghana. He was transported to Lome, the Togolese capital, and handed over to the Ghanaian authorities at the Aflao border on Sunday morning.
On 19th August, 2015, a seven-member jury of the Accra Fast Track High Court unanimously found Kombian, guilty of conspiracy to commit crime and murder of the two police officers – Constables Prince Agyare and Owusu Frimpong.
He was sentenced to 30 years for conspiracy to commit murder and to death by hanging for murder. The trial judge, Justice Habib Logoh after reading the verdict told a sombre-looking Kombian “I know it may not happen but if it does, may God have mercy on your soul.”
In 2016, he attempted another jailbreak after he moved from his “condemned cell” to the main prison yard together with his two cell mates around midnight. The Nsawam Medium Security Prison was locked down following an alleged attempt by the notorious criminal.
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Ireland government compels riders of quad bikes to wear helmets
A new law about quad bikes starts on Monday in Ireland.
According to Irish TV station RTÉ, people who ride quad bikes or ATVs must now wear helmets and get safety training.
The HSA in Ireland says that a new law about quad bikes, called the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulation 2021, is the first one like it in Europe.
Pat Griffin, who is in charge of making sure farms are safe, said that too many people have died in accidents involving quad bikes. He thinks that all quad bike users should wear a helmet and get the right training to use them safely.
“He said that many people die on farms because of machines and vehicles, like quad bikes. ”
“These rules will help farmers and their families avoid future tragedies in our farming communities. ”
All people who ride ATVs must wear a motorcycle-style helmet or a special ATV helmet, according to the new rule.
Helmets need to have straps under the chin. Helmets like hard hats for work and helmets for bikes are not okay.
Drivers need to finish a course to learn how to stay safe when riding an ATV.
People who know how to use an ATV already can take a one-day class, but new drivers need to finish a two-day class. -
Former Springboks World Cup winner Hannes Strydom passes away
Hannes Strydom, a former rugby player for the Springboks, passed away. He was on the team that won South Africa’s first Rugby World Cup in 1995.
Strydom passed away in a car crash in Mpumalanga province on Sunday night.
He was 58 years old.
Kobus Wiese, a former teammate of Strydom from the Springboks, told News 24 that Strydom was in a car with one other person when it crashed into a taxi.
He is the fifth person from the 1995 Springboks team to have passed away.
The team won the World Cup at Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg. They beat the All Blacks from New Zealand with a score of 15-12.
The game was the first big sports event in South Africa after apartheid. It was a important moment for the country because it helped bring people together. President Nelson Mandela supported racial unity with the slogan “One Team, One Country. ” -
Scandal: Top NPP MP allegedly impregnates someone’s wife twice; fathering two ‘illegitimate’ children
In a shocking revelation that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, a developing story involving a prominent Member of Parliament from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). The high-ranking MP, who also holds a significant position in Parliament, is reported to have engaged in a clandestine romantic relationship with a woman identified as Annie Mensah.
Investigations reveal that this secret liaison has resulted in the birth of two children, whose biological father is not Annie Mensah’s husband but allegedly the NPP MP in question. The gravity of the situation is compounded by the fact that the MP’s official spouse may be unaware of the extramarital affair.
Credible sources suggest that the MP’s involvement with Annie Mensah predates her marriage to her current husband. Shockingly, the relationship is believed to have continued even after her marriage. The bombshell revelation surfaced when Annie Mensah’s husband, suspicious of the circumstances surrounding the birth of their first child, decided to conduct a DNA test.
According to the aggrieved husband, his concerns were initially raised when Annie Mensah became pregnant just a week before their marriage. However, it was the lack of any biological resemblance between him and the firstborn that intensified his suspicions. Family members echoed similar concerns, prompting the husband to take matters into his own hands with a DNA test.
The results reportedly provided concrete evidence that the child was not biologically related to Annie Mensah’s husband but instead allegedly belonged to the NPP MP, who is referred to as the “Sugar Daddy” in this unfolding scandal.
This revelation has the potential to unleash legal, ethical, and political consequences for the NPP MP, whose identity has not been disclosed at this time.
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32 people killed including UN peacekeeper in Sudan conflict
The Sudanese government in the area of Abyei say that 32 people were killed when armed men attacked the local villages.
The Information Minister of Abyei, Bolis Kuoch, said that more than 20 people were hurt when some men started shooting on Sunday morning.
He said UN peacekeepers stepped in to stop the fighting, but one of them was killed.
There has been a lot of fighting between different groups in Abyei over who gets to use the land and resources.
The area has a lot of oil and is on the border of Sudan and South Sudan. Both countries consider it to be part of their territory because they signed a peace agreement in 2005.
Last week, the UN Security Council agreed to keep its peacekeeping mission in place for another year. -
10 bodies recovered from Kenyan flood
Two workers from Kenya’s tax agency were found dead on Sunday after their car was washed away by floods on Friday in the coastal region.
The Kenya Coast Guard found the body of a man who was carried away while riding his motorcycle.
Officials said that 10 people have died at the coast after three days of heavy rain and flooding.
More than 20,000 families have been forced to leave their homes in Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, and Tana River because of the flooding, said the Coast regional police commissioner Rhoda Onyancha on Saturday.
Many people have died and many more have been forced to leave their homes because of heavy rains and flooding caused by the El Niño weather pattern. It has been happening since early November and has affected the entire country.
The big rains and floods have killed many people in neighboring countries like Somalia and Ethiopia. -
K-pop singer Kyuhyun injured by woman with knife on stage
A woman with a knife broke into a dressing room in a theatre in Seoul and hurt famous K-pop star Kyuhyun during a fight.
She entered the room at around 6:00 PM local time, as per the local news.
Kyuhyun from Super Junior was visiting his friends who are actors. He got a cut on his finger while trying to stop someone.
The 30-year-old woman has been taken into custody.
The police are trying to find out where she got the weapon and if she has ever been mentally ill before.
Local news said that she doesn’t have any relationship with Kyuhyun or the other actors who were there.
Kyuhyun got a small cut on his finger, but it was taken care of right away where he was. This was confirmed by the 35-year-old’s Antenna Music agency to South Korea‘s JoongAng Daily newspaper.
Kyuhyun is the main actor in a Korean version of a musical called Ben-Hur. It’s about a made-up Jewish hero who was wrongly accused of trying to kill someone by the Romans.
The actor-singer joined Super Junior, a very popular boy band in the country, in 2006.
Since that time, he has also become a musical actor. -
Rescuers to excavate new tunnels to liberate stranded Indian labourers
Rescuers in India are trying to find new ways to save 41 workers who have been stuck in a tunnel for eight days.
After the work to push metal pipes through the debris was stopped and the rescue teams left because a cracking sound was heard from the tunnel, new plans had to be made.
Authorities want to dig two tunnels next to each other to make a way for the workers to escape.
The tunnel being built in Uttarakhand collapsed because of a landslide.
The event happened on the morning of 12 November in Uttarkashi district in the northern state. We talked to the men who were stuck and have been giving them air, food, and water ever since.
Uttarakhand Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Sinha said they are building two tunnels next to the main tunnel to help people escape.
Rescuers have been drilling from the entrance of the tunnel. They are trying to drill from the other side of the tunnel to reach the workers.
Nitin Gadkari, a government minister, went to the site on Sunday. He said that the rescue work might take two to three days.
He said working in the Himalayas was difficult, and they were using two drilling machines.
On Saturday, the families of the trapped workers got into a heated argument with the people in charge of the rescue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the families that federal and state rescuers are working together to save the workers. “He said we need to keep the spirits of the workers who are stuck here high. ”
The Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi is a tunnel that is being built as part of a big government project to make the roads better between important religious places in Uttarakhand.
The state has lots of mountains and is home to holy places for Hindus. -
Major early lead for President Rajoelina in Madagascar election
Madagascar’s current President, Andry Rajoelina, is winning by a lot in the election that happened last Thursday. Some parties refused to participate in the election. They have counted votes from 37% of the polling stations by Sunday evening.
President Rajoelina is winning with 62. 4%, followed by Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko with 12. 2% and former president Marc Ravalomanana with 11. 2%
In the places where people voted, Madagascar’s electoral commission said that 43% of eligible voters have voted.
Some people who dropped out of the presidential race say that fewer people voted because they told voters not to participate in the election.
“The elections in Madagascar didn’t meet the democratic standards because the participation rate was the lowest in the country’s history,” said opposition politician Hajo Andrianainarivelo after the vote on Thursday.
Before the election, there was a lot of confusion and disorder. 10 out of 12 opposition presidential candidates refused to participate in the election because they couldn’t stop Mr. Rajoelina from running for president due to his dual French citizenship. -
Japan denounces Houthi rebels for stealing a ship
Japan is very upset about the hijacking of a Japanese cargo ship in the Red Sea by rebels who are supported by Iran.
The Yemeni militia said the ship was from Israel, but a spokesperson from the Japanese government said it was operated by Nippon Yusen.
The top government official in Japan said they are trying to make it happen.
Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran is behind the hijacking because they support the Houthi militia.
Mr Netanyahu said that the ship and the crew were not from Israel and he called it an “Iranian attack on a ship from another country”.
It is believed that twenty-two people are on a boat that is probably owned by British people.
Nippon Yusen said the ship called Galaxy Leader was captured near Yemen while it was on its way to India.
“At the moment, government departments like the transport and foreign ministries are getting information and working with other countries to release the ship and its crew as soon as possible,” said Hirokazu Matsuno, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary.
The people on the ship are thought to be Bulgarians and Filipinos. There are no Japanese people on the crew.
Yahya al-Sarea, a spokesperson for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, said the ship was from Israel and was taken to a port in Yemen.
The Houthis said they would attack any Israeli ship they could reach because Israel had attacked Gaza after Hamas militants did.
Israel reports that 1,200 people died and over 240 were captured during the unexpected Hamas attack in the southern part of the country.
Israel has started a big military attack using planes, artillery, and soldiers, to try to get rid of Hamas.
The Hamas health ministry says 12,300 people have died in Gaza. It is believed that over 2,000 people are trapped under the collapsed buildings.
The Houthis shot many missiles and drones at Israel right after Israel started its counterattack.
The US said that its warship in the Red Sea stopped all the missiles and drones.
The IDF said the ship attack was a very serious global event.
The IDF said the ship was traveling from Turkey to India when it was taken in the southern Red Sea near Yemen.
The Foreign Minister of Iran, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, said that groups who support Iran are putting pressure on Israel and its supporters in a smart way.
The Houthis and Yemen’s government, supported by Saudi Arabia, have been fighting in a long war since 2014. -
Muslim-majority countries in Beijing for negotiations over Israel-Hamas crisis
China invited leaders from Arab and Muslim countries to talk about calming down the fighting between Israel and Hamas. China wants to help stop the fighting.
The Foreign Minister of China met with officials from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian National Authority, Indonesia, and the head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the capital on Monday.
Beijing said the visit is a chance for talking and working together to calm down the fighting between Palestinians and Israelis, protect people, and fairly solve the problem of Palestine.
The meeting is happening because the media has been told that there might be a deal soon to free some hostages held by Hamas. The United States, Israel, and Qatar have been talking to Hamas for weeks to try to make this deal happen.
Beijing and Washington, who are both strong in the region and friends with Israel, disagree on how to handle the conflict. Beijing did not support Israel’s actions and did not speak out against the group Hamas, making Israeli officials upset.
Israel has started bombing and sending troops into Gaza because a group called Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th. The Israel Defense Forces said that more than 200 people were taken as hostages in the attack.
China wants to help solve the conflict so it can become a stronger global power.
Last week, the UN made a decision about the fighting. They want all the people that Hamas is holding as prisoners to be set free right away. They also want to make sure that safe paths are available for people in the area so that they don’t get hurt. The US and the United Kingdom didn’t vote, because they didn’t agree with the resolution’s failure to criticize Hamas.
Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun said that for reasons everyone knows, especially because a permanent member of the Council kept causing problems, this resolution can only be a first step for now, based on the minimum agreement. This seemed like a hidden criticism aimed at the US.
The conflict has allowed China to strengthen its relationships with many Arab countries and to become an important advocate for creating a separate Palestine and achieving lasting peace.
Chinese and visiting officials will talk about how to start the peace process again when they meet in Beijing on Monday and Tuesday.
China’s special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, visited Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan last month. He talked about important issues during his 10-day tour. This included discussing the Qatar issue.
Last week, the representative visited Turkey and Bahrain to meet with officials. In addition, Zhai talked about the situation in the region with representatives from Singapore, the US and Europe at a conference.
Zhai hasn’t visited Israel, Palestine, or Iran, according to the information from China’s Foreign Ministry. Last month, Wang and Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen talked on the phone. It’s not known if China has talked to Hamas leaders during the recent fighting.
This week, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki from the West Bank-based Palestinian National Authority is visiting officials in Beijing.
Earlier this month, China sent the leader of its Foreign Ministry’s department for West Asia and North Africa to Iran to talk about the conflict. This was mentioned in a post on the department’s WeChat social media account.
Iran has been supporting Hamas and Hezbollah for a long time.
Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden had a long conversation in California. Biden asked Xi to use China’s influence with Iran to prevent a bigger conflict in the region. This was said by a top US official to the media.
In the meeting, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said they have already talked to the Iranians about the topic.
The US thinks Hamas is a terrorist group that has caused pain for Palestinian people. The US supports Israel in fighting against Hamas.
Beijing is talking about the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis, without mentioning Hamas. -
Chinese naval actions deemed ‘dangerous’ by Australian leader Albanese
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Chinese navy did something dangerous and unprofessional in international waters near Japan. This could cause problems between Australia and China, especially since Albanese recently visited China to try to improve their relationship.
Australian divers on the ship HMAS Toowoomba were trying to remove fishing nets from the propellers when a Chinese destroyer came close, said Defense Minister Richard Marles in a statement on Saturday.
Even though they were told not to, the Chinese destroyer used their sonar while Australian divers were in the water, putting their safety at risk.
The divers had some small injuries, according to medical checks.
During an interview on Sky News, Albanese said he was very worried about the incident. He also said that one person got hurt because of what China did.
“I want you to know that we brought up these problems in the right way and very clearly, without any doubt. ” He said Australia’s view on this is clear to China, there is no confusion.
When reporters asked about what happened at a news conference on Monday, a person who speaks for the Chinese government said that the Chinese military is very well behaved and always follows the rules of international law and practices.
“We want everyone involved to stop making problems near China and to work with China to protect the progress of China-Australia relations,” said spokesperson Mao Ning.
The incident happened one week after Albanese visited Beijing. It was the first time an Australian leader had visited in seven years. This visit was to make relations between the two countries better after years of economic problems.
During the Sky News interview, Albanese avoided answering a question about whether the incident will cause problems in the relationship between the two countries.
And this is one of those times when we don’t agree with what China is doing,” Albanese said.
“We’ve said we don’t agree with what happened, we really don’t like it, and we don’t want it to happen again. ”
‘Bad and not professional’ interaction
Marles said on Saturday that the Australian government told the Chinese government it was very worried about a dangerous interaction with a Chinese navy ship.
Medical exams showed that the divers had minor injuries probably because of the sonar pulses from the Chinese destroyer.
Warships use sonar to find and locate things under water. People who dive and hear a lot of noise underwater can get dizzy, hurt their hearing, or damage other sensitive parts of their body. It depends on how often they hear the noise and how loud it is. This information comes from the Diving Medical Advisory Committee in London.
The HMAS Toowoomba was in Japan’s area doing work for the United Nations. It was on its way to Japan for a visit. This information comes from Marles’ statement.
“The military has been doing surveillance in the ocean for a long time, following the rules of international law. They have the right to travel freely in international waters and airspace. ”
The US and Canadian militaries say that China’s navy and air forces have been doing dangerous things when they come near each other in the East and South China seas. This has happened many times in the past few months.In response, China said Canada did bad things in the South China Sea.
Ray Powell, who is in charge of SeaLight at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, said it’s unlikely we’ll ever know if the order to use the sonar came from commanders in Beijing or from someone lower down, like the captain of the Chinese destroyer.
“Both options are concerning. The first one suggests lying among top leaders, and the second suggests a culture of dishonesty in the military,” said Powell, who used to work in the US Air Force.
“If the roles were switched, it’s likely that an Australian navy leader who did the same thing would be removed from their position or even punished. ” But nobody thinks that Beijing is even thinking about taking such action,” Powell said. -
Javier Milei becomes president of Argentina
Javier Milei is the provisional winner of the presidential elections in Argentina. He ran a loud and anti-establishment campaign, similar to that of former US President Donald Trump. This happened while Argentina had one of the highest inflation rates in the world.
His opponent Sergio Massa admitted defeat in a short speech on Sunday night, even before the official results were given. Massa said that Milei is going to be the president for the next 4 years. He also said that he called Milei to congratulate him.
Early results indicate that Milei has over 55% of votes (13,781,154) with almost 94% of votes counted. The National Electoral Chamber has not announced an official winner yet.
Milei won the election even though he was new to politics and promised change. This was a big change from the current situation.
His promise to use the US dollar in Argentina could make the country do something new. No other big country like Argentina has given control of its money to people in Washington before.
Not long after the results were told, Milei was met with loud cheers and clapping from his followers. He went on stage and gave an enthusiastic speech, promising to lead the country in a new direction politically.
“Today we start a new chapter in our history, and we go back to the right path that we should have never left,” said Milei. “Today we choose the path that helped this country become great again. ”
Milei is a person who is against abortion and doesn’t believe in climate change. He wants to cut government spending by getting rid of Argentina’s ministries of culture, education, and diversity, and cutting public subsidies.
“Let’s make Argentina better again. ” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Sunday, in response to Milei’s victory. “I am really happy with you,” he wrote.
Milei got a lot of attention because of his unique political style and his bold ideas that challenged the way things are usually done. He did some wild things like using chainsaws and getting really angry, which made people notice him.
In simple terms, Milei’s supporters are angry at politicians and want them all to leave, regardless of their political beliefs. They are using the slogan “May they all leave. ” to express their anger. Argentina’s current government is led by the left, after being ruled by the right from 2015 to 2019.
Apart from his plan to use the dollar, Milei wants to make gun control rules less strict and give control of the prisons to the military instead of civilians. He wants to be very tough on crime. He suggests using government money to help families who want to send their kids to private schools. And he also wants to make the health sector private, even though it has always been run by the government in Argentina.
Milei got in trouble for saying some things, but his biggest fans still support him. He caused a lot of anger when it seemed like Milei wanted to allow people to sell their organs, but he later took back what he said. In 2017, he had to say sorry for calling Pope Francis, who is from Argentina and is known for his liberal ideas in South America, “an envoy of Satan. ”
Milei’s surprising rise in politics will be watched closely internationally as a possible indication of a comeback of far-right populism in the area. Ex-President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, supported Milei’s candidacy. On the other hand, leaders from the left side in South America including current Brazilian leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, broke the tradition of not getting involved and supported Massa in the election.
Massa, who has been a politician for a long time, came to symbolize Argentina’s political system during the race against Milei. Inflation was very high during his time as economy minister, at 142% each year. But Massa said the government’s actions were helping to reduce the problem. However, voters were not convinced and were tired of struggling to afford the cost of living. -
Rescuers in collapsed tunnel in India modifies strategy after a week
Indian officials are trying to find new ways to save 40 construction workers who are stuck underground for more than a week.
The workers got stuck when a tunnel they were building fell down a bit in Uttarakhand last Sunday.
Even though the men are given food and water, a doctor said some of them are getting sick, and have been throwing up and getting headaches.
State officials have agreed to buy more tools and hire more people to make escape tunnels on both sides of the tunnel.
We are still thinking about drilling straight down from the top of the hill, which we are already doing.
Rescue workers have been working without stopping to reach the trapped workers. They got a strong drilling machine on Thursday to help. But the mountain is delicate and there might be more rocks falling, making the rescue harder.
“We are going to use a stop-and-start method to keep things balanced,” said Anshu Manish Khalkho, the director of NHIDCL.
Officials in India asked for help from teams in Norway and Thailand who were able to successfully rescue 12 boys and their soccer coach from a flooded cave in northern Thailand in 2018.
The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute said in an email to CNN that their partner Indian Railways is helping with the rescue, but their team is not involved right now.
Khalkho told the news that rescuers used a strong drilling machine to dig about 25 meters (82 feet) into the collapsed Uttarkashi tunnel. This is about one-third of the way to the trapped workers.
The people trying to help have 60 meters of stuff in the way of the men who are trapped. Khalkho said that special pipes for the rescue mission were put 25 meters (82 feet) into the debris and it worked. But there is still a little more distance to go before we reach the 40 workers.
We are putting pipes into the new hole and joining them together with welding, Khalkho said.
These pipes are connected together and will help the trapped men to escape from the part of the tunnel that has caved in.
“Even though it may seem simple at first, we have to consider the impact of the drilling vibrations on the delicate ground when we’re working at the site,” Khalkho told reporters when asked how long the rescue mission would take, which is now in its seventh day.
He also said that a backup drilling machine is being flown in from Indore city in the central state of Madhya Pradesh in India to help with the rescue. Reuters reported on Saturday that the first drilling machine broke on Friday and needs to be replaced.
The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, told reporters that the rescue work is going well with help from engineers and experts from NHIDCL. He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keeping an eye on the situation.
Dhami said on Sunday that saving everyone’s life is the most important thing. The state government is ready to help all the agencies. Expert teams are working on different ways to rescue the men.
Dhami went to the site to look at the relief and rescue work happening there. He posted about it on X on Sunday. -
Maxwell Konadu hospitalised after he was beaten by Bofoakwa Tano fans (VIDEO)
Maxwell Konadu, the head coach of Nsoatreman FC, found himself in a distressing situation on Sunday after the matchday 11 encounter against Bofoakwa Tano FC in the 2023/24 Ghana Premier League at the Sunyani Coronation Park.
Despite the match ending in a goalless draw after 90 minutes of intense action, the post-match atmosphere took a dark turn when fans of the home team attacked Coach Maxwell Konadu. The incident was fueled by the frustration of Bofoakwa Tano FC supporters, who were bewildered by their team’s inability to secure a victory against Nsoatreman FC.
In a disturbing turn of events, the fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the perceived underperformance of Bofoakwa Tano FC by directing their anger towards Coach Konadu. They questioned how Nsoatreman FC managed to secure a point against their team.
Maxwell Konadu, now undergoing treatment at a local hospital, sustained injuries during the reported attack. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of coaches and players in the Ghana Premier League and emphasizes the need for enhanced security measures during and after matches.
Authorities are expected to launch an investigation into the incident, and it is hoped that appropriate action will be taken to prevent such occurrences in the future. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of promoting a culture of sportsmanship and respect among fans, regardless of the outcomes on the field.
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31 infants taken out of Al-Shifa Hospital as many remain in severe condition
On Sunday, 31 babies were taken out of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Many international groups helped get the babies to safety in ambulances, even though there was fighting going on. People are worried about the babies’ health and safety.
The PCRS helped other groups take the babies to a hospital in southern Gaza. A source from the Egyptian government said the babies will go to Egypt on Monday.
Al-Shifa, the biggest hospital in Gaza, is now a focus of conflict in Israel’s war in the blockaded area. Hamas and people working at the hospital said that Israel’s claims are not true.
A group from the United Nations visited the hospital and said it was a very dangerous place.
The hallways and outside areas of the hospital were full of garbage and medical waste, which made it more likely for people to get sick. The patients and health workers they talked to were really scared for their safety and health, and they asked to be rescued.
For many days, the hospital was under constant attack, trapping thousands of people inside. This caused a lot of anger from the public, especially when we found out that even newborn babies were in danger.
Palestinian leaders said that some babies died because there was no electricity and not enough medical supplies. The hospital workers had to carry the babies from the machines that keep them warm and use foil to keep them from getting too cold.
The 31 babies that were moved are now in the southern city of Rafah in Gaza. Rafah is near the border with Egypt and has a crossing that has been used to bring in some aid and take out people from other countries.
We thought parents of the newborns could travel safely with their babies, but the WHO said not many babies had their family with them.
Gaza officials didn’t have much information and couldn’t locate their close family members, the WHO reported.
Ali Sbeiti, a father, was able to be with his young son Anas, who was born just three days before the war started.
“Thank you, God. ” We’re happy to know our son is safe after not seeing him for over two weeks. “We weren’t sure if he was alive or dead, especially when we couldn’t reach the doctors,” Sbeiti added.
The heavy fighting between Israel and Hamas and the lack of fuel for communication has made it harder to deliver aid and for Palestinians to get help.
The WHO said that the 31 babies who were moved to Rafah hospital have serious infections and are getting treated by the doctors there.
Eleven babies are very sick at Al-Shifa Hospital because there aren’t enough medical supplies, according to the WHO.
The doctor said they are doing tests on all the babies and giving them fluids and medicine based on how they are feeling.
Right now, they are in a tough but steady condition. This could get worse because we might run out of electricity soon if fuel doesn’t come into Gaza.
They had to leave because it was very dangerous. Some babies died and the hospital couldn’t help anyone anymore.
WHO’s leader, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said they are planning more missions to take the remaining patients and staff from Al-Shifa, as long as they are given reassurances by the groups fighting in the area that it will be safe. -
TV3 apologises to Bawumia after religious bigotry cartoon
Media General, the parent company of TV3 and its associated networks, has publicly apologized and taken down a controversial cartoon depicting Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as a Muslim during the day and a Christian at night. The cartoon has faced widespread condemnation for fostering religious prejudice and intolerance.
The cartoon, reminiscent of earlier remarks by Sam Nartey George, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, accusing Vice President Bawumia of religious uncertainty, has sparked significant public backlash. Criticisms have centered on the cartoon’s perceived lack of professionalism and its potential to escalate religious tensions.
Responding swiftly to the public outcry, Media General removed the cartoon from its social media platforms and issued an official apology to Dr. Bawumia’s Communications Head, Nana Akomea, on November 15, 2023.
Despite these actions, calls persist for a more comprehensive apology to the public, emphasizing the need for heightened sensitivity and responsibility in media portrayals, particularly when it comes to individuals’ faith.
In the latest development, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declared its intention to file a complaint with the National Media Commission. The complaint alleges that Media General has consistently propagated hatred against the NPP without valid grounds.
As this controversy unfolds, attention is turning towards how Media General addresses ongoing concerns and whether this incident triggers a broader discussion about religious tolerance and media ethics within the Ghanaian media landscape.
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Ghana anticipates signing debt-relief agreement to access $600 million from IMF
Ghana hopes to get a deal to lower its debt in the next week so it can get more money from a $3 billion loan program from the International Monetary Fund. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta said this.
“Ofori-Atta said that a basic agreement on the restructuring details should be reached next week,” during his annual budget speech in Accra. “We think the creditor committee will make a plan with France and China to give an agreement to the IMF. ”
Ghana’s bonds that need to be paid back in 2049 dropped a little bit in value, to 41. 18 cents on the dollar.
The IMF and Ghana agreed on a plan last month for the first review of the program that began in May. The lender in Washington has said they will give West Africa $600 million more if the country’s lenders agree to specific debt conditions that were promised a few months ago.
Ghana is making changes to almost all of its $50 billion debt to make it manageable under the IMF program. The government has finished making changes to its loans within the country. The next move is to improve $13 billion in eurobonds.
Discussions are ongoing with people who have eurobonds and the government is looking at ideas from two groups about how to deal with the debt.
“He said that in the next few weeks, we will have long discussions with both groups to make sure we reach the goals set by the IMF/World Bank Debt Sustainability Framework. ” “We think things will get better by the end of the year. ”
This month, Fitch Ratings said that Ghana’s credit score got better because the government finished making changes to its debt. This saved them a lot of money.
Ofori-Atta’s budget did not include measures that voters might like because there will be an election next year.
The finance minister explained how they are going to make the economy grow, reduce prices from going up, and make the budget better next year. They said that these plans are starting to work because of the strict rules from the IMF agreement.
He predicted that the economy will grow by at least 2. 8% next year and by 5% in 2027, compared to 2. 3% in 2023 The central bank’s plans to control high prices should reduce inflation to 15% by the end of 2024. In October, the percentage was 35. 2%
“Ghana is improving and getting back on course,” Ofori-Atta said. He said Ghana is committed to keeping the economy stable by being disciplined, kind, and creative.
Other things to know about the budget:
The economy is expected to make 1 trillion cedis for the first time in 2024.
We expect the non-oil economy to grow by at least 2. 1%
Next year, it is expected that we will have a surplus of 0. 5% in our budget.
In 2024, it is predicted that the amount of foreign currency saved will be enough to pay for at least three months worth of imports.
More taxes will be added on plastic packaging, and emissions from factories and vehicles to protect the environment.
The government will look at how much money people can earn without paying taxes.
The government wants to stop charging taxes on electric buses and other public transportation vehicles for eight years.
A 5% flat tax rate will be applied to all commercial properties instead of the current 15% standard rate.Source: The Independent Ghana
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Government’s move to recapitalize NIB long overdue – John Gatsi
Prof John Gatsi, the Dean of the University of Cape Coast Business School, praised the government for putting GH¢4 million into National Investment Bank to help it grow.
He asked the finance minister to help the bank because it has been important in funding projects in the country.
“For a while, people have been saying that the Minister should use his position to help NIB get more money. ” NIB has been giving money to help projects in the country like farming, rubber plantations, and construction. They want to be a bank that helps the country to grow.
“This is what we expected for a long time. ” For about four or five years, no one knew why the government ignored NIB.
Prof Gatsi said NIB has been in trouble for a while, so the government needs to make sure it gives the bank some money.
He also said that if the bank fails, the government will be responsible.
“The bank has been having some problems. If the government gives it more money, that would be good news. ADB wanted to join with the bank, but people were very upset about it. ”
“Now that the Minister said they will give the bank money in the budget, all I can say is they need to pay attention and give the bank money. If they don’t, people will blame the government for the bank failing. ” He
The finance minister announced the 2024 budget in Parliament on November 15, 2023. They said that the Financial Sector Strengthening Strategy (FSSS) was created to help lessen the effects of the government debt on the financial sector. It aims to solve old problems from the financial sector clean-up that happened from 2017 to 2019.
He said the Fund has two parts. One part has $250 million from the World Bank for banks and financial institutions. The other part has $500 million from the Ghanaian government to help state-owned financial institutions. It could also help other Ghanaian-controlled financial institutions to become financially stronger after the Debt and Distressed Entities Programme (DDEP).
Ken Ofori also said, “Mr. n The speaker said that the 2024 Budget includes a plan to give GH¢4 billion to help the National Investment Bank (NIB), struggling SDIs, and other old problems in the financial system.Source: The Independent Ghana
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Big companies stop running advertisements on Elon Musk’s twitter platform
Many popular brands stopped advertising on X on Friday. This is bad for Elon Musk‘s social media company because he publicly supported an antisemitic conspiracy theory that White supremacists like.
Some of the biggest media companies like Disney, Paramount, NBC Universal, Comcast, Lions gate, and Warner Bros are angry and stopping their ads. Discovery is the company that owns CNN.
X is said to have lost Apple. This was reported by several news outlets, including Axios, which was the first to report that Apple had withdrawn.
Apple did not answer when asked for comments several times.
The fast and wide withdrawals from X, the platform that used to be called Twitter, are happening because more and more people are upset with Musk for speaking out in support of extreme beliefs.
And it makes people unsure about the future of a company that Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino promised would start making money again as soon as next year.
The companies have stopped their advertising, just like IBM did on Thursday.
IBM’s ads were shown next to content that supports Nazis. IBM said clearly that the situation is completely unacceptable.
IBM is very serious about not allowing hate speech and discrimination. We have stopped all advertising on X while we look into this bad situation. This is not okay.
On Friday, X CEO Linda Yaccarino wrote on social media that X has been very clear about their work to stop antisemitism and discrimination. “It’s not okay anywhere in the world. ”
“On Friday evening, Musk said that anyone who supports killing an entire group of people will be banned from this platform. It’s just common sense. ”
This week, Media Matters found that ads from big companies like IBM, Apple, Comcast, NBC, and Oracle appeared next to similar content.
Oracle’s representatives have not answered requests for a comment.
A person speaking for X said that the accounts supporting Nazis mentioned in the Media Matters report on Thursday will no longer be able to make money from ads on their pages.
In August, two other companies, NCTA and Gilead Sciences, stopped advertising on X because their ads were shown with pro-Nazi content.Source: The Independent Ghana
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Thousands of cocoa farmers in Ahafo Region lament over unpaid premiums
More than 1,000 cocoa farmers in Hwidiem, Ahafo Region, are upset with a company called Touton-Eliho Ghana Limited because they haven’t been paid their bonuses. So, they want the government to get involved in the situation.
Sampson Awal Mohammed, who leads the group, said at a press conference in Hwidiem that the company has not paid them bonuses totaling GH₵470,000. 00 or GH₵47 billion, as they had agreed. The group says not getting paid is causing problems for their lives and cocoa farms.
“COBOBOD and other trusted groups said we should sell our cocoa to this company because it’s trustworthy and follows the rules.
Nana Yaw Marfo, a cocoa farmer, said that if they don’t get their extra money soon, they will take the company to court.
Adom News Reporter, Sammy Asare, talked to the company managers who agreed they owed the farmers money but said they will explain their side of the story later. -
Government has allocated GHS16 billion for road repairs and expansion – Ofori-Atta
The Akufo-Addo government has spent about GH¢16 billion to make the road network better and bigger, according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
Mr Ofori-Atta said in the budget he gave to parliament on November 15, 2023, that the government made a lot of roads and interchanges.
He also said that they gathered and used resources to make the railway network bigger. They connected Tema to Mpakadan to help trade in the Eastern Corridor.
He also mentioned that 12 places where fish are brought in and two fishing harbors were built for the coastal people. It cost GH¢19. 5 This was done to help the people who make a living from fishing.
The government spent a lot of money to make the community better by investing in over 2,000 projects. They also spent money to help improve the inner city.Source: The Independent Ghana
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Femi Otedola Nigerian millionaire worth reaches $1.2 billion
Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola is still one of the richest people in Africa, with more than $1. 2
Billionairesafrica says that his many different investments and clever strategy made him the third richest investor on the Nigerian Exchange, after Abdul Samad Rabiu and Aliko Dangote.
Otedola is the boss of Geregu Power Plc and a boss at FBN Holdings Plc. He has a lot of money – $1. 22 billion – in stocks on the Nigerian Exchange. He owns 95. 38% of Geregu Power Plc, a big company that makes electricity, and 5. 56% of FBN Holdings, showing that he likes to invest in different things.
Otedola became even richer when Geregu Power was listed on October 5, 2022. In September 2022, his collection of investments was worth $25 million, but now it’s worth a huge $1. 22 billion, mostly because the value of his power company has gone up.
His investments in Geregu Power and FBN Holdings are about to reach a value of at least N1 trillion ($1. 2 billion) Geregu Power is worth N989 billion ($1. 22 billion), and FBN Holdings is worth N718 billion ($892 million).
Otedola made smart choices in the stock market and now his investments in Geregu Power are worth a lot more, with an increase of N192. 31 billion ($25145 His investment in FBN Holdings also went up by N6. 8 billion ($864 million) in the last few weeks.
Apart from doing well in business, Otedola has also made a big impact in education and helping others through his charity work. In October, he gave N750 million ($1 million) to Augustine University in Ilara-Epe, Lagos State, at the same time as he became the second Chancellor of the university.Source: The Independent Ghana
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Parliament of Ghana authorises COCOBOD’s $800 million financing deal
The government of Ghana agreed to borrow $800 million for the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) from banks and financial institutions.
This approval will help COCOBOD buy nearly half of the cocoa beans it expects to need for the 2023/2024 harvest.
Meanwhile, the leader of the smaller group in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson said in the House that he was only agreeing to the COCOBOD loan because he wanted to help the poor cocoa farmers.
He said he can’t understand how much money COCOBOD has been losing every year.
He said that COCOBOD is not being managed well and needs attention from the country.
“Mr Smith” Speaker, COCOBOD requires some attention. They need people in the country to pay attention to them. I’m not saying this because my brother Bryan is a minister now. You just got a job as a cocoa Agriculture Minister but Mr. Speaker, I’m approving the loan for the farmer because it’s the right thing to do. Besides that, we should have said no to this. He said we should have said no to it and then asked COCOBOD to check how they are managing Ghana Cocoa Board.
Some people from a small group are worried about how COCOBOD is being managed poorly.Source: The Independent Ghana
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Watch Nigel Gaisie sour reaction to a prophecy about his death
In a surprising turn of events, Prophet Nigel Gaisie, the leader of the True Word Prophetic Fire Ministries, faced a peculiar situation as he became the subject of a prophecy predicting his own demise. The ‘doomsday’ prophet received a taste of his own medicine, and his response was nothing short of noteworthy.
During an interview with UTV presenter Abeiku Santana, Prophet Nigel Gaisie was confronted with a prophecy about his own death. Rather than displaying fear or concern, the prophet opted for defiance, and in a rather unconventional move, he chose to “curse” the individual responsible for sending such a prophecy his way.
The interview, which took an unexpected twist, showcased the prophet’s resilient reaction to the ominous prediction. It appears that instead of being shaken by the prophecy, Prophet Nigel Gaisie turned the tables by expressing his disapproval and issuing what he referred to as a “curse” on the sender.
This unusual exchange has sparked discussions and reactions on social media, with observers noting the irony of a prophet, known for delivering prophecies, facing one himself. The incident has added a unique chapter to the public persona of Prophet Nigel Gaisie, and the dynamics of how individuals in religious leadership navigate such situations continue to be a subject of intrigue and discussion.
Watch the video below
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‘Life in Sudan has turn into living hell’ – Survivors
Seven months after Sudan’s civil war began, things are getting worse for many people in the capital city, Khartoum. Some who fled the city at the beginning of the war are also having a hard time surviving.
Abdul-Aziz Hussein – not his real name for safety – decided to stay in Khartoum in April. He didn’t expect the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to keep fighting for so long.
“We are still surrounded and the fighting is continuing,” he tells me when I call him.
The RSF have come into the area and caused a lot of trouble, while the army is attacking their positions in the neighborhood. Death may happen at any time.
Around 5,000 Sudanese people have died in fighting between two parts of the military, and many more have been hurt.
The 45-year-old teacher wants to leave with his wife and three kids. He really wants to go. They almost moved last month, but the fighting near their home in the Kalakla suburb was too strong.
The place is empty and quiet, the family hasn’t had any food for two days and it’s difficult to find water. According to Mr Hussein, electricity is not easy to get.
When I call again, Mr Hussein says that violent soldiers are stealing from stores and homes.
He says it feels like living in a really bad place.
The UN says that the strong fighting in Khartoum and Darfur is making it hard to deliver aid.
More than five million people had to leave their homes because of the fighting, and 24. 7 million need urgent help.
Many people don’t have clean water, which makes them more likely to get sick with cholera and other diseases.
The UN’s deputy special representative in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, says we need a break in fighting so we can give food and help to people in need and see how much help they need.
“Most importantly, we need the fighting to stop for good. ” We want the fighting to stop so we can deliver help, and the people in Sudan can go back to their regular lives.
A few short breaks in fighting were agreed at the beginning of the war to help people, but efforts to make long-lasting peace are not making much progress. Unicef’s person in charge in Sudan, Mandeep O’Brien, told the BBC that a big problem where people need help is coming soon.
“If the war keeps going, we think things will be really bad by the end of the year. ”
Even people who fled from Khartoum to Port Sudan, on the Red Sea coast, are having a hard time staying alive.
I met Hawa Suleiman in a shelter in the port city. She was trying to make food for her five children from the little bit of wheat she had, but there wasn’t enough.
They get one meal a day from a charity in Qatar. Suleiman shares it with her kids so they can have breakfast. Without a fridge, the food can go bad and make her kids ill.
She and her kids ran away from Omdurman, the city near Khartoum, when the fighting began on April 14th. Bombs were dropping while they ran away, and she and her husband got separated in all the confusion. We haven’t heard from him and we don’t know if he’s alive or dead.
The family traveled 1,000km to Port Sudan and tried to leave, but were told they couldn’t because the boats were only for people from other countries.
Ms Suleiman found out that she didn’t have anyone to help her. When one of her kids got sick from bad food, she could only afford medicine because someone kind helped pay for half of it.
“MsSuleiman said the doctor cried when she saw how sick we were. ” “We are very tired. ” We are suffering too much.
Many different people from different countries are also suffering because of the war, including Syrians, Pakistanis, Indians, and a lot of refugees from South Sudan. In Port Sudan, many families are living in a crowded shelter that used to be a university dormitory.
Abiol is part of that group. She had run away from South Sudan before and now lives in a camp in Khartoum in a place called al-Haj Yousif.
“I wanted to go back to my country, but there was a war in Khartoum, so we had to move to Port Sudan,” she explains.
“It’s like destiny has decided that we will spend our whole lives in refugee camps. ”
Peter, who fled from Congo, was studying at a university in Khartoum before the fighting started. He says the living conditions in the Port Sudan dormitory are very bad, so he sells charcoal to have a slightly better life.
The conflict has also hurt aid workers. 900 times, UN workers have been in dangerous situations, and 19 of them have died. This means it’s the most unsafe place in the world for people who help others.
At the same time, the UN is having trouble getting enough money to do its work in the country. They have only been able to raise enough money to cover a quarter of their $2. 6 billion humanitarian response plan.
Ms Nkweta-Salami says that not doing anything will be very expensive. “We ask our donors to support us and ask the parties to stop the fighting. ”Source: The Independent Ghana
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Cheddar warms up for presidential race as he ‘rescues’ boy with cancer
The man who is widely believed to be the presidential candidate behind masked-face billboards with the trending caption “The Third Force” may well be lacing his boots for the 2024 elections by intensifying his humanitarian efforts.
Businessman Nana Kwame Bediako, renowned as “Cheddar” and the founder/CEO of Wonda World Estates and Petronia City Development Company Limited, has stepped in to bring hope and support to a young boy battling cancer in Nandom, a town in the Upper West Region of Ghana.
Though such humanitarians supports is not new to the businessman, netizens appear to be reading a different meaning to this particular one.
The undisclosed-aged boy and his family were airlifted from Nandom to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital by Cheddar. In a heartfelt video and post shared by UTV on their social media page, Cheddar not only covered the surgery expenses but also took care of the medical costs after the unfortunate amputation of one of the boy’s legs to prevent the spread of cancer.
The touching footage captures the close bond between Cheddar and the young beneficiary, showcasing moments of care as Cheddar personally moves the boy around in a wheelchair and shares warm hugs.
This compassionate act by Cheddar has garnered widespread admiration on social media, with many expressing gratitude for the generosity demonstrated by the Ghanaian millionaire. The gesture is seen as a profound example of the positive impact that individuals can make in the lives of those in need.
Cheddar’s philanthropic efforts extend beyond this recent act of kindness. In a previous notable gesture, he provided significant assistance to the family of conjoined twins scheduled for surgery in 2021. Cheddar not only donated a 5-bedroom rented house to the parents but also contributed GH¢600,000 to support the twins’ separation surgery, earning him further acclaim for his commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.
source: backend.theindependentghana.com
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I will abolish useless licensure exams for teachers – Mahama
Former President John Dramani Mahama, Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced his commitment to abolish the controversial licensure exams for teacher trainees and reinstate the automatic employment of graduates in the teaching profession. In a bold statement, Mahama declared that under the next government led by him, no teacher trainee graduate would face denial of posting or employment.
The licensure exams for teacher trainees have been a subject of criticism and debate, with concerns raised about their necessity and effectiveness in the education system. Critics argue that these exams add an unnecessary burden to aspiring teachers and may not accurately reflect their preparedness for the profession.
Mahama’s promise to eliminate the licensure exams aligns with his broader vision to address challenges in the education sector and create a more supportive environment for teacher trainees. By pledging to reinstate automatic employment for graduates, Mahama aims to provide assurance to those pursuing careers in education, ensuring that their training culminates in secure job opportunities.
As the former president positions himself for a potential return to office, his education policies, including the proposed changes for teacher trainees, will likely be a focal point of his campaign and a topic of discussion in the broader political landscape.
“We will abolish the obnoxious licensure exams for teacher trainees and restore the automatic employment of teacher trainee graduates. Let me state unequivocally that, no teacher trainee graduate will be denied posting or employment under the next Mahama government,” Former President John Dramani says
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Israel claims to permit entry of two fuel trucks into Gaza each day
Israel will now let two fuel trucks go into Gaza each day because the US asked them to.
A person from the US State Department said that they will let 140,000 liters of fuel come in every two days.
Most of the supplies are for trucks that bring help, and also for helping the UN provide water and clean facilities, the official stated.
The remaining money is for phone and internet services, but they got shut off because there was no more fuel.
On Friday, the company that gives Gaza’s internet and phone services said that they are working again after getting some fuel from Unrwa, the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees.
The US government told Israel to sign the fuel agreement by putting a lot of pressure on them.
The agreement was made weeks ago, but Israel delayed it for two reasons. Israeli leaders told the US that there was still fuel in southern Gaza, and they also wanted to see if they could make a deal to release a hostage before taking action.
Biden is dealing with disagreement within his own group over Israel’s attack on Gaza.
The leader of Unrwa said on Thursday that the agency might have to stop all its work because it doesn’t have enough fuel.
In its latest report, the agency said it needs “160,000 litres of fuel every day for basic humanitarian operations” – more than twice what was agreed upon.
Before, an Israeli official said that they would give fuel to the people in southern Gaza through the UN at the Rafah crossing, as long as it doesn’t go to Hamas.
The Israeli official said the fuel would help support water, sewage, and sanitation systems to prevent the outbreak of diseases in the area.
Many groups from different countries are very worried about the difficult situation for people in Gaza.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that there are serious problems with the spread of illness in Gaza. The healthcare system and sanitation facilities have been greatly affected by the lack of fuel and Israeli bombing.
On Friday, Richard Peeperkorn from the WHO in the Palestinian Territories said that more than 70,000 people have gotten very sick with breathing problems and over 44,000 have had diarrhea. These numbers are much higher than what was expected.
Gaza needs fuel to power the desalination plant, supply electricity to homes and hospitals, and for sanitation, transportation, and communication systems.
It is also very important for getting help to people all over the area.
Israel stopped fuel from going into Gaza because they think Hamas might take it and use it for war.
Before the recent war, Israel gave most of the electricity to Gaza. The rest of the electricity came from the only power plant in Gaza, but it is not working now.
On Saturday, the leader of Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, said it got the bodies of 26 people and 23 others who were badly hurt after a bomb hit a home in Hamad city.
The Israeli army has not said anything about the report yet.
At the same time, the Red Crescent reported that five Palestinians died in an Israeli air attack on a building in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, West Bank.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports.
The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has told Israel to quickly do something to calm down the situation in the West Bank. This includes dealing with increasing levels of violent behavior by settlers.
The strike happened a day later the Israeli military said it killed at least seven fighters in two separate fights in the West Bank.
Israel started a new attack and military operation because Hamas attacked on 7th October, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 230 people hostage. Hamas is considered a terrorist group by the UK and US.
At least 12,000 people have died in the area since Israel started attacking, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian territory. -
Rejecting bid to keep Trump out of the Republican field
A judge in Colorado said no to a request to stop Donald Trump from being in the state’s 2024 Republican presidential primary.
It was a big trial about whether Mr. Trump should be allowed to be in office again because of what he did before the Capitol riot in 2021. Now the trial is over.
Other states have also tried and failed to make similar changes based on a constitutional amendment from the US Civil War era.
Mr Trump did not go to the hearing and said he didn’t care about it.
Explanation of the 14th Amendment’s plan to disqualify Trump.
District Judge Sarah Wallace made a decision on Friday that says the Colorado secretary of state has to put Mr. Trump on the state’s primary ballot next year.
The 14th Amendment says that people who promised to follow the Constitution but then rebelled against it cannot hold public office. Some voters in Colorado want this rule to apply to Mr Trump because of his role in the 2021 riot at the US Capitol.
However, Ms Wallace did not agree. She said in her decision that the rule in the 14th amendment about uprisings does not include presidents because it does not specifically mention them in Section 3.
“After hearing both sides, the Court decided that the President of the United States is not considered to be an ‘officer of the United States. ‘”
“The court thinks that the people who wrote Section Three may not have wanted to include someone who has only taken the presidential oath,” she wrote in her decision.
Ms Wallace discovered that Mr. Trump encouraged a rebellion on January 6, 2021. She also found that the First Amendment doesn’t protect Trump’s speech.
The decision is the most recent problem for attempts to remove Mr. Trump from the Republican primary election.
Lawsuits in New Hampshire, Minnesota, and Michigan have already been unsuccessful.
After the decision was made, the left-leaning group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, who filed the lawsuit in Colorado, said they will appeal to the Colorado Supreme Court soon.
The group clapped for Ms Wallace’s discovery that Mr Trump had taken part in the 6th January insurrection.
“We are happy that we brought this important case and we believe we are correct based on the facts and the law,” the group stated. “Today was not the last part of this work, but just another step forward. ”
After a week of trial, lawyers for the voters argued that Mr. Trump should not be allowed to run for president again because of his involvement in the Capitol riots on January 6th. The lawyers for the people suing called a few people to testify, including two police officers who got hurt during the riots at the US Capitol.
Mr Trump’s lawyers said he was not responsible for the attacks. They saw that other attempts to sue the president have not worked.
Trump’s lawyer, Scott Gessler, said the petitioners are asking the court to do something that has never been done before in the history of the United States. “The evidence isn’t enough for the court to do it. ”
The 14th Amendment was approved after the Civil War, and Section 3 was used to stop people who wanted to leave the country from getting their old jobs back once southern states were back in the Union.
It was used against Confederate president Jefferson Davis and vice-president Alexander Stephens. But it hasn’t been used much since then.
The legal plan has gained more support since August, when Mr. Trump was accused of trying to interfere with the election in two different criminal cases.
It is not clear if there will be any more attempts to stop Mr. Trump’s name from appearing on the ballot in Colorado or other states before the Republican primary and the general election.
Legal experts think that this case, or a similar one, will probably go to the US Supreme Court. -
Hospital shooting in New Hampshire claimed one life
A person with a gun shot and killed a security guard at a hospital in New Hampshire. Then a police officer shot and killed the attacker.
Authorities said the suspect was shot and killed by a police officer at the hospital. The police officer was okay.
The police don’t know who attacked or why.
At first, officials said there were “many people hurt”, but then they said there were fewer.
Bradley Haas, who was 63 years old, was the security officer working at the front entrance. He was the person who got hurt.
CPR was done to try to save the police officer, but he passed away later at Concord Hospital.
On Friday evening, police spokesperson Colonel Mark Hall told reporters that the suspect went into the hospital lobby and shot someone.
A police officer stopped and stopped the suspect. Col Hall said the problem was only in the front lobby.
He didn’t want to say who the person who died was, and he also said that the police are trying to find out who the person who shot him is.
Officials searched a suspicious box truck nearby and found that it was not dangerous.
Lori Weaver, who works for the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, said at the meeting that everyone at the hospital is okay and things are running as usual.
The hospital’s website says it’s the best psychiatric hospital in the state and has about 185 beds. -
Israel declares it will permit two fuel trucks into Gaza each day
Israel will let two trucks with diesel fuel into Gaza every day.
None of the fuel has come into the area yet today, according to the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) speaking to the BBC.
The boss of the agency said yesterday that they might have to stop doing everything because they don’t have enough fuel.
Israel said yes to America’s request to let fuel into the trapped Palestinian area.
The fuel will help the UN provide water and clean toilets, said an official from Israel.
The big trucks will go through the Rafah crossing to give supplies to the people in the southern part of Gaza. The UN will make sure that the supplies don’t end up with Hamas.
Israel’s Kan news agency said that they will be delivering about 60,000 litres of fuel every day.
UNRWA said it needs more than three times this amount. In its newest report, the agency said it needs “160,000 liters of fuel every day for basic humanitarian operations“.
The Israeli official said the fuel was meant to help with water, sewage, and cleaning systems to stop the spread of diseases in the area.
Global groups are very worried about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said they are concerned about how diseases are spreading in Gaza. There is not enough fuel and the Israeli attacks have made it hard for people to get healthcare and keep things clean.
Earlier today, Richard Peeperkorn, a person from the World Health Organization in the Palestinian Territories, said that there are more than 70,000 cases of serious breathing problems and over 44,000 cases of diarrhea. These numbers are much higher than expected.
Gaza needs fuel to run the water plant, provide electricity to homes and hospitals, and for transportation and communication.
It is also very important to get help to the people living in the area. According to information from the Egyptian Red Crescent and UNRWA, no trucks with aid have been able to enter the Gaza Strip for the last three days because there is not enough fuel.
Israel stopped fuel from going into Gaza because they are worried that Hamas might take it and use it for fighting.
Before the recent war, Israel provided most of the electricity for Gaza, and the rest was made by their only power plant, which is now not working.
Israel started fighting back after Hamas attacked on October 7th, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 230 people hostage. Hamas is considered a terrorist group by many countries including the UK and US.
At least 12,000 people have been killed in the area since Israel started its counterattacks, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian region run by Hamas. -
George Weah loses to opposition in Liberian presidential election
Opposition candidate Joseph Boakai is slightly ahead in the Liberian presidential election after the electoral commission released the latest results.
The 78-year-old politician has more votes than the current President George Weah.
This means the person is winning by over 28,000 votes and almost all votes have been counted.
The most recent results have caused people to celebrate in Monrovia.
The commission says it has shared the results from almost all of the polling stations, 99. 58% of themMore update on this story soon…
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Numerous Hamas sympathisers turn out for Lebanon rally
About half a million Palestinians and their descendants live in Lebanon. They live in crowded refugee camps with limited resources. For the past month, they have been getting more and more angry as they watch the war between Israel and Hamas destroy a lot of Gaza.
In Lebanon‘s third-biggest city, Sidon, many people who support Hamas came together today in Nejmeh Square. They were holding their green flags. Some people wore Palestinian scarves while others wore black face masks.
Many people talked about how they disapproved of Israel’s military action in Gaza. They promised that Israel and its friends in the West would be blamed for the growing number of civilian deaths.
Boys wearing soldier clothes and carrying toy guns sat on their dads’ shoulders or on top of cars. They watched as Hamas leaders in Lebanon blamed Israel for making the situation in Gaza worse on purpose. They also said Israel doesn’t want to have meaningful discussions to free around 240 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. -
Sudanese army and rebels team up in civil war
Two revolt bunches from Sudan’s Darfur locale say they will battle nearby the armed force within the country’s gracious war.
This comes after the paramilitary Quick Bolster Strengths (RSF) made major picks up in Darfur, where it has been charged of ethnic cleansing.
Revolt pioneer Gibril Ibrahim told BBC Newsday they “need to protect their civilians” from the RSF, which he says has been burying individuals lively.
He said the choice to connect powers with the army was not a simple one.
The pioneer of the Equity and Correspondence Development (Jem) said it had taken seven months to come to an assention.
The relationship between Jem and the Sudanese armed force is full. Mr Ibrahim’s brother was slaughtered by the armed force, who was already the group’s pioneer.
Jem and the Sudanese Freedom Development (SLM) took up arms in Darfur in 2003, charging the government of minimizing the region’s dark African communities.
The government at that point prepared Middle easterner local armies against them, driving to what has been portrayed as the 21st Century’s to begin with genocide.
These local armies have since changed into the RSF, which has been battling the armed force for control of the nation since April.
The RSF has taken a few key towns in Darfur in later weeks, counting the country’s moment greatest city, Nyala.
Final week, there were reports they had slaughtered hundreds of individuals within the West Darfur capital of El Geneina.
The RSF has denied obligation for the killings, saying they were portion of a “tribal struggle”.
A joint explanation from Jem and the SLM examined: “We have declared finishing any lack of bias and joining the military operations at all frontlines without delay.”
Jem and the SLM are not as solid as they utilized to be, but their passage into the Sudanese gracious war is noteworthy.
Both Darfuri revolt pioneers marked a peace bargain in 2020, and have since been closer to the Sudanese military than would once have appeared conceivable.
It is conceivable JEM and SLM will see their positions swell with modern initiates – expanding their significance on the Sudanese political scene.
In joining the shred presently – after months of declared nonpartisanship – they look for to guard their back base in Darfur, in specific the Zaghawa ethnic bunch both men come from.
They will moreover have concluded that an RSF triumph would be sad for them, and Darfur.
Mr Ibrahim communicated concern at the RSF’s progresses, saying he dreaded Sudan would conclusion up divided.
There are fears it seem pronounce its possess government within the ruined war-torn western locale.
The worldwide measurement is critical as well.
The Zaghawa are display in Chad as wellas Sudan, and rule Chadian legislative issues. Mr Ibrahim and others have charged Chad of supporting the RSF.
He will be trusting that he can utilize his associations – counting with Chad’s pioneer Gen Mahamat Deby – to cut any ties between Chad and the RSF. -
Dutch election promises political upheaval and a new era
The upcoming parliamentary election in the Netherlands marks the start of a new era in Dutch politics.
A new party that was started only three months ago is leading in the polls. Also, the Netherlands might get its first female prime minister.
After being prime minister for 13 years, Mark Rutte is stepping down. The upcoming election on 22nd November is focused on a number of problems in the country, like high living expenses, not enough housing, healthcare and migration.
“What you need to understand”
It’s only been two years since the last vote, but many of the leaders running now are new, including the two top candidates.
Dilan Yeşilgöz, age 46, is the new leader of Mr Rutte’s liberal-conservative VVD party. She is the daughter of Turkish refugees and is expected to lead her country.
Pieter Omtzigt, who is 49 years old, is becoming very popular in Dutch politics. His centrist party, New Social Contract, is now a favorite in the upcoming election even though it was not well-known before. But he has not been very excited about becoming the prime minister.
This election is very hard to guess because a lot of people haven’t decided which of the 26 parties should get the 150 seats in the Dutch parliament. There is a small number needed and the polls show that up to 17 parties could get in. It took a long time to make the last coalition, and it didn’t last very long, only two years.
Be careful of who you keep an eye on.
Dilan Yeşilgöz was called a “pitbull in high heels” because she is tough and doesn’t mess around with politics. Now, she is leading a smooth campaign as the new leader of VVD. A video on social media shows her practicing kickboxing with heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven.
As the justice minister, she was known for being a tough negotiator and a good communicator. Her gender didn’t affect her campaign. “I believe she’s ignoring these problems because there are too many male voters in the party,” explained Sarah de Lange, who teaches about different political views at the University of Amsterdam.The next election in the Netherlands is the beginning of a new time in Dutch politics.
A party that just began three months ago is winning in the polls. Furthermore, the Netherlands could have its first woman leader.
After serving as prime minister for 13 years, Mark Rutte is leaving his position. The next election on November 22 is about a lot of problems in the country, like expensive living, not enough homes, healthcare, and migration.
“What you should know”
It has only been two years since the last vote, but there are a lot of new leaders running for office, including the two most popular candidates.
Dilan Yeşilgöz, who is 46 years old, is now the leader of Mr Rutte’s VVD party, which is liberal-conservative. She is the child of Turkish people who had to leave their own country and is supposed to be in charge of her country.
Pieter Omtzigt, 49, is getting more famous in Dutch politics. His party, New Social Contract, is now popular for the upcoming election even though it was not well-known before. However, he is not very thrilled about being the prime minister.
A small number is needed, and the polls show that up to 17 parties could win. It took a while to form the last group, but it didn’t stay together for very long, only two years.
Watch out for the people you are watching.
Dilan Yeşilgöz is tough and doesn’t play around with politics. That’s why she’s sometimes called a “pitbull in high heels. ” Currently, she is running a successful campaign as the new leader of VVD. She was recorded doing kickboxing with heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven and shared it on social media.
She was a strong negotiator and good at talking to people when she was the justice minister. Her being a woman did not have an effect on her campaign. “I think she’s not paying attention to these issues because there are too many men who vote for the party,” said Sarah de Lange, a teacher at the University of Amsterdam who studies different political beliefs.
Simon Otjes, from the University of Leiden, says that Pieter Omtzigt is the politician in charge of the election and other parties are waiting to see what he will do.
His main ideas have become popular words in the campaign: making Dutch households financially secure and changing the way politics is run.
As people talk more about a group of four center and right-wing parties joining together, he has said he doesn’t want to work with populist leader Geert Wilders. He believes a government should follow basic rights.
Geert Wilders and his Party for Freedom want to stop mosques, the Koran, and Islamic schools. But now, Wilders is saying there are other things that are more important. He might put his ideas on hold to be part of the government. His party is currently in fourth place in the polls, behind a Green-Labour alliance.
Frans Timmermans is a left-wing candidate who is doing well in the polls. He quit his job as EU climate commissioner to lead the campaign for the Labour and GreenLeft parties.
According to a poll, most young adults aged 18-34 prefer the Labour-Green leader to be the next prime minister. However, the man in charge of the EU’s green deal had to give up a promise to reduce nitrogen pollutants by half by 2030 after speaking with young farmers.
He doesn’t have clear people to work with from the other top candidates, but he hasn’t said no to working with Pieter Omtzigt or Dilan Yeşilgöz.
The BBB’s support has decreased, but they might be part of the next government. They mainly want to fight against tougher rules for the climate and set a limit on the number of refugees. But Ms van der Plas has said she won’t be the prime minister because she’s afraid of flying and prefers talking to the public instead of working in Brussels.There aren’t enough houses for sale, so the price of a regular home has gone up to over €400,000 (£350,000). There are nine times more people looking for homes than there are homes available to buy.
Asja has been looking for a home for herself and her two kids for seven months. “She told the BBC that it’s not possible to afford an €800 monthly mortgage on a teacher’s salary. ”
Government housing is very popular and there is not enough of it. On top of that, the cost of renting a private home in big cities has gone up a lot.
Cost of living is going up. Prices at the stores, for energy, and for housing are getting higher. This is causing about 830,000 people to have less money to live on. Surveys show that most people in the Netherlands, even those with average incomes, are worried about what’s going to happen next.
Even people who have found a place to live are dealing with very expensive energy bills. Laurie Schram, a new teacher in training, says she and her daughter rely on warm clothes and electric blankets to stay comfortable.
All the parties agree there is a problem, and an expert from the University of Groningen says the issue has almost stopped being political. Money problems are the most important thing for 18-34 year olds when deciding who to vote for.
Migration: The old government fell apart in July because they couldn’t agree on how to limit the number of people seeking asylum. Almost two-thirds of Dutch people want fewer people to be able to claim asylum. One of the issues is that there are not enough places to stay. Three top candidates want to make it harder for people to seek asylum, and Pieter Omtzigt thinks immigrant rights are connected to not having enough houses.
Healthcare is getting more expensive and five million people in the Netherlands say they are taking care of others without being officially recognized.
Since 2006, the people in the Netherlands have been paying over €141 a month for basic health insurance. However, 61% of them are worried that they won’t be able to afford it. That’s maybe why lots of voters want the government to take control of healthcare again.
Climate change: Ten days before the election, a lot of people in Amsterdam marched to ask for quick action on the climate crisis. The Labour-Green team is talking a lot about the issue in their campaign, but Pieter Omtzigt thinks that recent climate policies only help rich people. -
Narratives of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas
Israeli forces let go four hostages and set one free. An Israeli soldier named Ori Megidish was rescued during a mission on the ground in Gaza on 29 October. Two women, Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifschitz, were released on Monday 24 October. On Friday 20 October, two American hostages – a mom and her daughter – were also let go.
Israel has found the bodies of two hostages, Noa Marciano and Yehudit Weiss, near Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza.
Hamas says it has kept the hostages safe in hidden places and tunnels in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that there are 20 children and between 10 to 20 people over the age of 60 who are being held as hostages.
The IDF told some families that their loved ones are being held against their will. Other families think their relatives have been taken, but they are not sure.
These are the stories of people who were taken captive from Israel on 7 October. The BBC has confirmed some of these stories, while others have been reported by credible sources.
This list changes often because some people who were feared to be kidnapped have either been found dead or set free.
Yagev Kirsht, who is Rimon’s husband, was also taken from their home in Kibbutz Nirim.
Lena’s son Alexander Trupanov, his partner Sapir Cohen, 29, and his grandmother Irina Tati, 73, were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz while they were spending the Sabbath together, according to a statement from Canada’s Raoul Wallenburg Center for Human Rights.
Daniele Aloni, who is 44 years old, is in custody with her 5-year-old daughter Emilia. Also with them are Daniele’s sister Sharon Aloni Cunio, who is 34, her husband David Cunio, who is 33, and their three-year-old twin daughters Ema and Yuly. Moran told CNN that they were taken from Nir Oz. Sharon and Daniele’s brother Moran said this.
Ariel Cunio, his girlfriend Arbel Yahud, and her brother Dolev were also believed to have been taken by force in the same attack at Nir Oz. Eitan Cunio, who is the brother of Ariel and David Cunio, escaped from Hamas. He told the Jewish Chronicle that Ariel’s last message said, “We are in a scary movie. ”
77-year-old Ophelia Roitman asked for help when Hamas attacked Nir Oz. Her daughter said in a video that when they searched her house, they found other bodies. She is missing and believed to have been taken by someone.
Shani Goren, 29, was taken from her home in Nir Oz and later her family saw her in a video posted by Hamas. She is the granddaughter of people from Uruguay. They are trying to get her released after she was taken. Uruguay has said they are working on it.
Doron Steinbrecher, 30 years old, is a vet nurse. She was at her home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza when Hamas attacked, according to the Times of Israel. At 10:30 on October 7th, she sent a message to her friends saying “They’re here, they got me. ” -
Erdogan on edge in Berlin following harsh criticism from Israel
No talking to happy people. Leaders will not be seen together in public. There was talk about both Germany and Turkey going to a football match in Berlin together, but it turns out that it’s not happening.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s visit to Germany on Friday for a state visit is very quiet and not getting much attention. He will first meet the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and then have dinner with the chancellor, Olaf Scholz.
Two secret meetings and a quiet dinner don’t sound very exciting.
In the middle of the capital, there is very strong security for the visit of Mr. Erdogan, similar to when the US president visits. The German government wants Mr. Erdogan’s visit to not attract much attention.
This event is happening at a really bad time for Germany.
The President of Turkey, Erdogan, has had a hard time getting along with the German government for many years. They often argue with each other. When German government people talk about a “difficult partner,” they mean President Erdogan.
The fighting between Hamas and Israel on 7 October has caused Germany and Turkey to take different sides in the conflict.
In the last month, the President of Turkey has been more and more outspoken in his disapproval of Israel.
He won’t criticize the killings and hostage-taking by Hamas, and he calls them “liberators. ” Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Western countries, like Germany.
He has also seemed to doubt that Israel should exist by saying that Israel’s “own fascism” made it less rightful.
Leaders of the Jewish community in Germany are saying that Mr. Erdogan’s comments are making antisemitism worse. They want the German government to cancel the Turkish president’s visit.
Germany feels responsible for the Holocaust and so they will always support Israel, no matter what. This is really important for their foreign policy.
Both Olaf Scholz and former Chancellor Angela Merkel have said that protecting Israel’s security is very important to Germany. They use the term “reason of state” to show that Germany will always support Israel.
However, as Israel keeps attacking Gaza more and more, and more people are dying, that idea is being tested.
After the surprising Hamas attacks, German newspapers are starting to talk more about the problems facing the people in Gaza. This is making more people in Germany feel worried about what Israel is doing.
In Germany, many people are getting angrier about what Israel is doing, and there have been protests in support of Palestine almost every weekend since October 7th. Germany has many Arab communities who have connections to, or feel sorry for, people in Gaza. Some German left-wing groups have always been very supportive of Palestinians.
There are worries that if President Erdogan talks about the conflict during his visit, it could make the situation worse.
Germany and Turkey rely on each other. Turkey and Germany trade a lot. It also has the biggest group of Turkish people who live away from their homeland, and it’s an important place for President Erdogan’s election campaign. Many German-Turks like him.
About three million people with family roots in Turkey live in Germany, and about half of them have the right to vote. In May, most Turkish voters in Germany voted for Mr. Erdogan in the election.
Berlin needs the help of Turkey to manage the flow of people from the Middle East. Chancellor Scholz wants to make a new agreement with Turkey to send back people seeking asylum and hopes that Turkey will help the West in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
On Friday, the issues will be talked about privately. The German government might worry about what President Erdogan will say in public.
He probably now wishes he hadn’t done it. -
French senator detained on allegations of giving MP drugs to sexually assault her
A French senator was arrested for allegedly giving drugs to a member of parliament in order to sexually assault her, according to reports.
Joël Guerriau was held at his home in Paris after a parliament member had a drink with him on Tuesday night and then said they felt sick.
She was brought to the hospital where tests showed that she had taken the drug ecstasy.
After the tests, the woman reported a crime to the police.
Mr Guerriau is one of 18 people who are not part of any specific political party in the French upper house. He is a member of the centrist Horizons party.
The prosecutors did not say that the woman is an MP, but some news sources said that she is a member of the Chamber of Deputies.
The senator has not been accused of anything and his lawyer, Rémi-Pierre Drai, said that the initial reports in the press are wrong and give a bad impression.
The lawyer was very angry that some of the investigation details were shared with the media. He said that either the prosecutors were responsible for this or they had nothing to do with it and should find out who did it.
“I was surprised that the [complainant’s] name was not made public, but my client’s name was,” he said.
Mr Guerriau is a 66-year-oldman who used to work in a bank. He was chosen to be in the Senate in 2011 and is now the vice-president of the committee that deals with foreign and military matters. He became the mayor of a small area in western France when he was in his 30s.
The police in Paris arrested him because they think he gave someone a drug to make them unable to think clearly or control themselves,so he could rape or assault them.
The senator can’tuse parliamentary immunity because he was caught breaking the law.
The prosecutor said that anyone who is proven to have committed this crime could go to jail for up to five years and have to pay a fine of €75,000 (£65,000).
Christophe Béchu, who is a member of the same political party and the minister in charge of protecting the environment, said that the leaders of Horizons will have a meeting on Saturday to talk about his role. “He said that if there is any doubt about the truth of all this, he definitely won’t be able to stay at the party,” he told French radio. -
Cholera emergency declared in the capital of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has said there is a big problem with cholera in the capital city, so they have called a state of emergency.
The outbreak has killed many people and there are over 7,000 suspected cases.
The city officials say the spread of the outbreak is reminding people of a deadly outbreak in 2008, when many people died.
“The mayor Ian Makone said there is a state of emergency due to cholera,” according to the local news.
The government is asking for help to stop the spread of a disease and make sure people have clean water. They say they need more help than they are getting.
Health officials are having a hard time dealing with the large number of people getting sick after the outbreak, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC).
It says there are not enough doctors and nurses to take care of the sick people, and not enough medical supplies to stop the sickness from spreading.
Zimbabwe has been fighting a serious cholera outbreak because people don’t have clean water.
The middle of the new sickness outbreak is in Kuwadzana, a crowded area in Harare. Almost half of the reported cases are from there, the authorities say.
Cholera is a disease that makes you have really bad diarrhea. It happens when you eat or drink something with a germ called Vibrio cholerae in it.
It is given a special drink to replace the fluids and salts lost from diarrhea and vomiting.
On Thursday, the mayor of Harare said that the cholera outbreak is similar to the one that happened in 2008.
The disease spread and more than 4,000 people died. About 100,000 people got sick. This made it hard for basic services to work in the country.
This made President Robert Mugabe agree to share power with his rival Morgan Tsvangirai.
“The mayor said on Thursday that the cholera outbreak has become very serious. ”
On Tuesday, the health department said that there were 7,398 possible cases of illness, 50 people died, and 109 are in the hospital.
The health minister visited the center of the outbreak and announced plans to deal with it. This includes getting rid of street food sellers and bringing in clean water by truck.
The Red Cross says the sickness is spreading fast, affecting many different areas in 45 out of 62 districts and in all 10 provinces of the country.
It means the disease will likely spread to different countries.
Other countries nearby, like Malawi, South Africa, and Mozambique, have also had many cholera outbreaks before. -
Kenya intends to increase police salaries by 40% over next three years
Kenya’s police and prison officers are going to get a 40% raise in their pay over the next three years. This is based on a review of the security sector, said President William Ruto.
The pay raise is meant to make people feel better and make them feel more secure.
A group that studied how to make policing better in the country suggested it.
Kenyan police are known for being violent and taking bribes, but people are also worried about their well-being.
They don’t get much money and some have turned to crime. In the past few years, some police officers have died by suicide and it’s been acknowledged that many of them are having a hard time with their mental health.
In the past, there were attempts to increase their salary, but it did not make Kenyans think of them differently.
“We will look at the rules for our military to make them happier and improve our safety. ”
He said the suggestion to increase pay by 40% over three years was “carefully thought out. We will now wait for the Salaries and Remuneration Commission to make the needed changes so we can carry out the decision.
The president promised to be tough on corruption in the police and acknowledged that it is a big problem.
He said that the raise in pay and other changes they want to make will solve the problems the task force found – not enough money, bad leadership, problems with the structure and organization, and corruption.
The group, led by David Maraga, was created in December after Mr. Ruto became president.
We were asked to find ways to make the working and living conditions better for police, prison, and NYS officers, and also to suggest other changes.
The task force suggested that people should be at least 21 years old to join the police force, not 18. It was also recommended to require a C-minus grade for admission to secondary school and to spend more time on training. Currently, the minimum grade for admission is a D-plus.
The task force also wants to improve medical and housing benefits, decrease overcrowding in prisons, and grow the NYS program, which teaches young people important life and work skills.
Mr Ruto said the government will do all the things that were suggested, but it might take some time because they have to change some laws and policies. -
Italy outlaws lab-grown meat in gesture towards farmers
Italian politicians voted to support a law that stops the making, selling, or bringing in of lab-grown meat or animal food. The right-wing government says it’s to protect Italian traditions.
Italy’s Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said that Italy is the first country in the world to be safe from the dangers of fake food that can harm society and the economy.
There were protests both in favor and against the ban when parliament voted.
At one time, there was a fight between farmers and some MPs.
The leader of the Coldiretti farmers’ group, Ettore Prandini, argued with two politicians from the More Europe party. He called them “criminals” for not supporting the ban on lab-grown meat and said their signs were against science and Italy.
One of the politicians, Benedetto Della Vedova, said he was a troublemaker. The middle-of-the-road politicians asked the farmers’ group to say sorry, and the head of the lower house of parliament said that disagreements should never turn into violence.
Breaking the law could result in a fine of €60,000 (£52,000).
Right now, the law won’t do much because lab-grown meat is only allowed to be sold for people to eat in Singapore and the US.
The EU has not approved lab-grown meat, also known as “novel foods”, yet. But if it does, Italy’s new law might be questioned by the European Commission.
In September, Wolfgang Gelbmann from the European Food Safety Authority said that they hadn’t received any proposal for approval yet.
“In Europe, we do not have those products for sale yet. ” Because regulators, the European Commission, and member states see them as new foods that need to be checked for safety by Efsa, approved by member states and the European Commission.
The new law is a win for Italy’s agriculture minister. He promised a year ago to stop fake food from being served in Italy. He thanked the MPs for supporting the new law, which was created because of a request from the Coldiretti lobby group.
“We are protecting our food and how we get it by keeping the connection between food, land, and the work people do to get it. This has been happening for thousands of years,” said Mr. Lollobrigida on Italian TV.
We need to keep our workers, farmers, and people who deserve to eat good food safe. Lollobrigida is in the prime minister’s far-right Brothers of Italy party and has praised Italy’s tradition of food and wine.
However, Professor Elena Cattaneo, a lifelong senator and expert in bioscience, criticized the petition. She said it was a very emotional and simplistic leaflet that portrayed natural food as good and lab-grown food as bad, made from “crazy cells in bioreactors”.
The law says you can’t make fake meat from animal cells unless you don’t hurt the animal. And you can’t use meat words on plant-based food labels.
Critics say lab-grown meat is not fake because it is made by growing natural cells without changing their genes.
The law is not good for animal welfare groups. They think that lab-made meat can help the environment by reducing carbon emissions. -
Man set to receive sentence for killing Irish teacher
A man who was found to have killed school teacher Ashling Murphy in Ireland is going to court on Friday to find out his punishment.
A 23-year-old woman was stabbed many times in the neck while she was out for a run near the Grand Canal in County Offaly on 12 January 2022.
The death of Ms Murphy made many people very upset. There were ceremonies held in Ireland and the UK to remember her.
Jozef Puska, aged 33, from Lynally Grove in Mucklagh, County Offaly, was found guilty by all the members of the jury at a court in Dublin last week.
The jury only took a couple of hours to decide after listening to three weeks of evidence.
Puska, who is from Slovakia, said he didn’t do it.
In court, he said he was trying to help Ms Murphy after she was attacked by another man who also stabbed him.
After the jurors made their decision, the judge said there was evil in the courtroom.
He said he was happy they didn’t waste any more of their important time with Puska’s nonsense, because that’s what it was.
Ms Murphy’s family, who was a talented folk musician, cried in the courtroom when the judge talked.
Her mother Kathleen had a picture of her daughter who was killed in a frame. -
Four African countries listed as climate leaders including Kenya’s President Ruto
Time Magazine has named Kenya’s President William Ruto as one of the top 100 leaders in the world who are making a big difference in helping the environment.
He announced the list during the week when he organized a national holiday to plant 100 million trees in one day.
Mr Ruto was chosen with the mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr.
Architect Francis Kéré from Burkina Faso and entrepreneur Kidus Asfaw from Ethiopia were also on the Time list.
The “Time 100 Climate” ranking was released on Thursday. It’s the first time the magazine has tried to name people who are important in addressing climate change around the world.
Time chose those who have made big progress in fighting climate change while also creating value for their businesses.
The magazine chose the honourees because they have recently made successful and measurable progress in fighting climate change, instead of just making promises and announcements.
Mr Ruto has been speaking out about helping with the effects of climate change in Kenya and Africa.
The special day to plant trees on 13 November was a small part of his big goal for Kenya to plant 15 billion trees in 10 years.
In September, he held the first Africa Climate Summit in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. They asked big polluters to give more help to poorer countries.
Some environmentalists say Mr. Ruto is a hypocrite because he promotes planting trees but doesn’t stop illegal logging in public forests.
Last month, a court that deals with issues about the environment stopped Mr Ruto from lifting a ban on logging that was put in place in 2018.
In October, he said that people should be made to leave the 380,000-hectare Mau Forest.
Some people who care about the environment think it’s good to protect the forest. But others say the government kicked out the Ogiek people, who have lived there for a long time, just to make money from carbon offsetting.
MrRuto is being recognized as a leader for taking action on climate change. The World Bank said on Friday that if Kenya doesn’t do something about climate change, its economy could shrink by 7. 25%
Time named Francis Kéré an architect for his creative and environmentally friendly building designs. He worked on projects like state houses in Benin and his own country, Burkina Faso.
In 2022, he was the first black person from Africa to win the important Pritzker Architecture Prize.
Mr Asfaw has a small business that turns old plastic into cheap and eco-friendly building materials.
Time magazine said that his new company provides a fast and long-lasting way to fix the lack of houses as the population in Africa keeps increasing.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr was recognized for “working to protect the environment and make the city better prepared for climate change. ” She did things like creating a plan to deal with climate change in Freetown and hiring someone to help with extreme heat in the city, which had never been done in Sierra Leone or Africa before. -
Rwanda Prime Minister’s new strategy won’t work – Braverman argues
The Prime Minister’s new plan for Rwanda means that no asylum seekers will be sent there before the next election, according to former Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
She wrote in the Telegraph that making small changes to a plan that didn’t work before won’t help the government reach its goals.
She said the leaders should not follow human rights laws at all to make it happen.
But former government minister Damian Green said this is the least conservative idea I’ve ever heard.
Mr Green, who used to work for Theresa May, said on BBC Radio 4 that going against the law is something only dictators like the leaders of China and Russia do.
The Supreme Court said the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda may not be safe because they could be sent back to dangerous places.
After the court decision, Rishi Sunak said he will make a new law to say that Rwanda is a “safe” country.
The leader of the country said he will make a new agreement with Rwanda, so that the first flights can start in the spring.An alternative
Mrs Braverman said a new treaty was unrealistic, using the same strong language as her angry letter to Mr. Sunak when he fired her.
She said the suggested agreement would not help with the main problem, which is that the UK’s top court said Rwanda is not safe for sending back people who are seeking asylum.
Mrs Braverman lost her job as home secretary on Monday. She said that unless the prime minister makes better plans, the government won’t be able to keep its promise in time.
She said that if there’s a new treaty, it would still need to go through the courts, which would probably take at least a year.
She said that the process “could end in another loss”.
“That’s why the Prime Minister’s plan won’t have flights to Rwanda before an election if Plan B is just a slightly changed version of the failed Plan A,” she said.
Mrs Braverman said the PM’s new law should not follow the Human Rights Act, the European Convention on Human Rights, or other international rules like the Refugee Convention.
Caption for media.
Some of Mrs Braverman’s coworkers agree with her arguments.
Ex-cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke said that parliament has the right to reject certain parts of the law if it’s absolutely necessary.
He said it was not right that our rules about human rights were stopping the government from policing the UK’s borders.
Mr Sunak wants to use the Rwanda policy to stop people from crossing the English Channel in small boats. This is one of his main promises and it’s meant to make people think twice about making the dangerous journey.
Transport Minister Mark Harper told BBC Breakfast that the government is determined to make the Rwanda policy work by spring.
The new law will likely have a hard time getting approved by the House of Lords because it has many judges from the Supreme Court. It could also be possible to have legal problems in court.
‘White is the opposite of black. ‘
Mr David Normington, who used to work for the Home Office, said on the Today show that Mrs. Braverman was “correct in a way” when she said it would be very hard to come up with a good policy for Rwanda.
The courts have said that the country is not safe. You cannot say that black is white.
Sir David was asked if international law is old-fashioned. He said that international agreements were made to protect those who are easily harmed.It’s not clear how Mrs. Braverman’s plan would work legally and quickly right away.
The UK and other countries in the European Convention on Human Rights can temporarily ignore some of its rules during a war or emergency. The main protection in the Rwanda case is that no one should be tortured or treated in a cruel way, and this right cannot be taken away, even in special circumstances.
In 2001, there was a new rule to keep al-Qaeda suspects in jail without any charges. But the courts said this was against the law.
While Boris Johnson was prime minister, the government suggested making changes to some human rights laws in a bill that was heavily criticized. However, Rishi Sunak later canceled the bill.It’s not clear how Mrs. Braverman’s plan would work legally and fast.
The UK and other countries in Europe can choose to ignore certain parts of the European Convention on Human Rights in times of war or emergencies. The main protection in the Rwanda case is that no one should be tortured or treated in a cruel way, and this right cannot be taken away, even in extreme situations.
The UK has only not followed the rules of the ECHR eight times in 70 years. Seven times, paramilitaries were held during the fighting in Northern Ireland. In 2001, there was a controversy about keeping al-Qaeda suspects in custody without charging them. The courts later ruled that this was against the law.
While Boris Johnson was prime minister, the government suggested changing and reducing certain human rights protections in a new bill. But Rishi Sunak cancelled the bill after it received a lot of criticism.
Leaving the ECHR completely would break the Good Friday Agreement, which is important for peace in Northern Ireland, and make the UK’s partners in Europe very angry. This could make it harder for the UK to work with other countries to stop boats. -
Media Commission lists 15 TV stations showing p0rn0, money rituals; issues warning
The National Media Commission (NMC) has issued a cautionary notice to 15 television stations in Ghana, warning them against airing content deemed inappropriate by the standards of media ethics, Ghanaian culture, traditions, and norms. The warning comes in response to reports received from the public about the objectionable content being broadcasted by these stations.
The identified television stations include Asomafo TV, Adwenpa TV, Eagle TV, Best TV, Energy TV, Diamond TV, X TV, Asomdwie TV, Funny TV, Advice TV, Big TV, Passion TV, Nkabom TV, Seekers TV, and Elephant TV.
In an official statement dated November 16, 2023, and signed by the Executive Secretary, George Sarpong, the NMC expressed concern over the content aired by these stations, which reportedly includes material related to rituals, fake lotteries, pornography, and other offensive content.
The NMC highlighted that these contents are considered unacceptable by the standards of media ethics and are inconsistent with Ghanaian cultural values and norms. The Commission stressed the importance of upholding high standards in broadcasting to ensure responsible and culturally sensitive content.
The statement warned the identified TV stations to cease and desist from broadcasting such content immediately, emphasizing that failure to comply would result in severe consequences. The NMC is committed to maintaining the integrity of the media landscape and safeguarding the cultural values of the nation.
The caution comes as part of a joint monitoring initiative between the National Media Commission and the National Communications Authority, launched on October 31, 2023. This collaborative effort aims to address deficits in broadcast content by involving citizens in the regulatory process. The public is encouraged to report concerns via the toll-free number 0800-419-666, allowing for a more participatory and democratic approach to monitoring broadcasting standards.
The NMC’s statement also provided a summary of citizen complaints, revealing that the public expressed concerns about various incidents, including money doubling, money rituals, fake lotteries, occultic practices, and pornography. The Commission assured the public that it would continue to assess and address complaints to maintain a high standard of broadcasting in Ghana. Additionally, the Commission disclosed ongoing regulatory interventions in response to specific broadcasts that have implications for national cohesion. The public will be informed of decisions regarding these matters in due course.
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‘Cashing out’ with my body; The Story of hook-ups in Accra
It is 2200 hours on Friday. About 100 girls actively pitch for clients on a Telegram platform with the hope of catching the eye of men who would pay for their body and have them for the night.
This is an emerging form of prostitution popularly known as ‘hook-up’ – a departure from the old practice where commercial sex workers operated in sequestered places to offer sex in exchange for money.
The Telegram platform, solely dedicated to sex trading activities, has garnered more than 21,000 members.
One of the advertisements on the platform reads (edited): “Promotion, promotion, promotion. Two rounds with BJ and romance for cool price. I don’t go out. I host in a hotel at…”
The advertisement mentions services rendered and adds: “I give boyfriend treatment with respect. Come to me and you will not regret.”
A message from another certified account reads: “Ignore your annoying wife and come to me for the best treatment and trust me you will like my personality.” It mentions the locations the advertiser visits within Accra and adds contact details.
Some of the users go to the extent of showing their nakedness and their faces to attract clients.
Some advertisers also sell sexual enhancement products and aphrodisiacs and tout the efficacy of those products.
The Ghana News Agency’s investigative team has identified more than 10 separate groups on Telegram where young women prospect for clients for paid sex and are willing to risk anything for the money.
A member of the news team booked Grace (not her real name) and meets her at a Guest House at Lapaz, a suburb of Accra, where she hosts her clients.
A fair slim woman, who is in her late twenties, meets him at the reception and takes him to her room on the second floor of the building.
Her room is filled with an intense smell of a substance (like incense) that appears to have been just burned.
She explains that she burns the substance before she receives a client to drive away evil spirits because “not everyone that comes here has good intentions.”
“You don’t know the intentions of the customer, so this offers me spiritual protection,” she said.
A Bible, assorted lubricants, condoms, and tissue lie on a table beside a single-sized bed.
Asked about the Bible, she replies: “You think I’m a bad girl, so I don’t know God,” and giggles.
She cuts the conversation and demands payment before she renders her service. In a telephone conversation before the visit, it was agreed that she would offer one-round of sex at a fee of GHc200.
Then she spells her rules: “You cannot touch my breast or kiss me. My breast is for my boyfriend so you must pay extra 50 cedis to touch,” she says, and adds: “I can offer you a 360 service with good romance if you pay 400 cedis.”
Asked if she offers unprotected sex, she reluctantly replies: “I’ll consider it if you pay me GHS1,000.”
The client opts for a short massage “without a happy ending” at a fee of GHc200, which will last between 30-40 minutes.
In a friendly conversation, Grace shares that she is a 28-year-old mother of two. She migrated from the North East Region three years ago to Accra to work and fend for her family.
She said her difficulty in finding a job that would match her needs made her join the hook-up business two years ago.
She declines to mention how much she makes in a day but says her dream is to raise enough money to travel outside the country in search of greener pastures.
Grace says she is not comfortable with the business because it is “disgusting”, and the risk outweighs the benefits.
“I will not advise any young woman to do this business. One of our girls disappeared after visiting a client about three months ago and since then I only host in a hotel where I feel safe,” she said.
An engagement with a lot more ladies through the Telegram platform revealed that these young women are overly ambitious and are willing to risk their health and safety for money.
Some of them are either in school or have graduated and after many years of not finding jobs, resort to sex work to earn a living.
An assessment of the profiles of the users of the Telegram platform indicates that many of the ladies are migrants from neighbouring African countries who have settled in Ghana to undertake such activities for survival.
Commercial sex work has been identified as a high-risk activity that spreads sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
Dr Stephen Ayisi Addo, Programmes Manager, National AIDS/STI Control Programme, said female sex workers have a higher HIV prevalence rate as compared to the general population.
He said most people who engage in multiple sexual encounters are unaware of their HIV status, making it even more dangerous.
“If you compare the general population prevalence, which is 1.7 per cent, with female sex workers, including those who engage in hook-up, their prevalence is 4.6 per cent. This means that if you take a 100 people, about five of them will be positive,” Dr Addo said.
Dr Addo said if condoms were not used well during a sexual activity both the commercial sex worker and the client would be exposed to higher risk.
On the daily basis, more online sex trading services appear on social media platforms.
The GNA gathered that certified users of a particular Telegram hook-up service pay between GHc 300 and GHc400 fortnightly to ‘faceless’ Group Administrators to be permitted to advertise on the platform.
Mr Adib Saani, Security Analyst and Executive Director, Centre for Human Security and Peace Building, said the pervasiveness of uncontrolled online dating and hook-up sites has serious cyber security implications, as criminals could use such platforms to lure and defraud their victims.
He added that children could be susceptible and exposed to inappropriate content and activities online and advised parents to be cautious about their children’s internet habits by restricting some applications on their phones.
The rise in commercial sex workers has been linked to dwindling employment opportunities in the country, particularly among the youth.
The 2021 Population and Housing Census conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service indicates that more than 1.55 million people or 13.4 per cent of Ghana’s economically-active population are out of work — as compared to the of 5.3 per cent jobless rate recorded in the 2010 census.
The World Bank in 2016 projected that Ghana would have to create at least 300,000 new jobs annually to absorb the increasing number of unemployed people given the country’s growing youth population.
Mr Solomon Adjei, President, Association of Ghana Start-ups, said the “hook-up” trade should not be considered as a business and warned that such activities could jeopardise the future and productivity of the youth.
He appealed to the Government to roll out deliberate policies to support young people who intend to run their own business after school.
The GNA’s investigations suggest that the main drivers of the hook-up business in Accra are unemployment, uncontrolled immigration, and the absence of robust national online policy that will check and restrict illicit online activities, especially on social media.
The rate at which the youth engage in such activities should cause national concern as it has implications for the spread of Sexually Transmitted Infections, cyber security, child safety, and the country’s rich cultural, religious, and social values.
A GNA Feature by Edward Acquah
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Cost of a grave at Osu Cemetery surges from GHC2500 to GHC4900
In a recent news report, it has been revealed that the cost of graves in Accra has witnessed a significant upsurge, raising concerns about the accessibility and affordability of burial spaces for families in the capital.
The report highlights variations in pricing across different cemeteries in Accra, indicating a notable increase in burial expenses over the past five years.
At the Osu Cemetery in Accra, a worker named Sammy disclosed that the cost of a grave, inclusive of the service for digging, has experienced a substantial rise. In 2018, the price stood at GH¢830, but it surged to between GH¢2,500 and GH¢3,500 last year and now stands at GH¢4,900.
Addressing social media claims supported by a receipt indicating a GH¢14,000 payment for a grave, the cemetery official dismissed the allegations as false. He clarified that the standard cost is GH¢4,900, covering the site, digging, and other related services.
The Osu Cemetery worker emphasized the importance of a medical doctor providing the cause of death for obtaining a death certificate, a requirement for obtaining a burial permit. He stated that the entire process costs GH¢4,900.
Meanwhile, the Awudome Cemetery, while having lower grave prices compared to Osu, has also experienced an increase. Those opting not to erect a tombstone now pay GH¢1,100, while those desiring a well-laid tomb contribute GH¢2,600.
At the Gethsemane Memorial Park in East Legon, the administrator, Albert Eyeson, revealed that the cost of a burial plot is GH¢47,000. This amount includes a 20-year lease, grave digging, and tombstone construction. The recent GH¢2,000 increase was attributed to the government’s VAT increment.
For the government-run Madina Public Cemetery, caretaker Kofi Dampare disclosed that the burial plot cost is GH¢450, with additional fees for digging and customization. These prices, he added, have seen a rise over the past two years, mainly due to inflation rates.
The report sheds light on the varying costs of graves in different cemeteries, sparking concerns and discussions about the accessibility and affordability of burial spaces in Accra. As families grapple with the increasing financial burden of laying their loved ones to rest, there is a growing need for attention and potential reforms in the burial services sector to ensure equitable access for all.
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Santos opted not to run for re-election following release of embarrassing ethics report
George Santos said he won’t run for re-election in 2024 because a committee found he did something wrong.
The group discovered that the congressman stole money from his campaign and used his run for a seat in the House to make money for himself.
Mr Santos said on social media that the report was a “political attack”.
However, he said he will not run for another term because of the investigation.
“My family should not have to deal with constant pressure from the press all the time,” he wrote in a lengthy post, which also criticized the report for being unfair.
The Republican in New York might not stay in office until next November.
Two other people in the government are trying to kick him out of his job.
The ethics committee looked into Mr. Santos and found that he pretended to take out loans for his political groups to make people give more money to his campaign. The committee is made up of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats.
He used campaign money to pay himself back for loans that were not real.
“He used his powerful friends and other political campaigns to get more money for himself by doing dishonest or suspicious business deals,” the committee said in a report. “He kept up with all of this by telling a lot of lies to the people who voted for him, gave him money, and worked for him about where he came from and what he has done. ”
He’s said to have paid for things like Botox and a vacation, even though they didn’t really have anything to do with his campaign.
The ethics committee decided not to take action against the congressman because it might give him more chances to avoid punishment and could interfere with the criminal case against him.
It also said that his behavior deserves public disapproval, is not appropriate for the job, and has damaged the reputation of the House.
They sent Representative Santos to the Department of Justice to consider charging him with more crimes.
Mr Santos has been accused of doing bad things like lying, stealing money, and using someone else’s identity and credit cards.
After the report came out, the head of the ethics committee, Mississippi Republican Michael Guest, said he would propose a plan to kick Mr Santos out of Congress, according to Fox News.
Another politician, California Democrat Robert Garcia, also said online that he will propose a plan to remove someone from their position.
Earlier this month, Santos didn’t get kicked out of the House because most of the members didn’t want that to happen.
Only five people in the history of the US government have been kicked out, and three of them were expelled during the civil war.
‘Awful at telling the truth’
Mr Santos became a member of the House one year ago after winning an election.
He said he’s not a good liar, but he described himself during the campaign as someone who represents the American dream. He’s openly gay, his parents are from Brazil, and he worked on Wall Street before going into politics.
However, his story started to fall apart even before he took the oath of office.
Mr Santos said he went to Baruch College in New York City and then worked on Wall Street as a financial expert at big companies like Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. He said his mom almost died in the 9/11 attacks, that he owns a lot of real estate, and that he is a proud Jewish American.
He said he didn’t finish college at Baruch or any other university, and he didn’t work for Goldman Sachs or Citigroup. He didn’t have any property in New York. He is a follower of the Catholic faith, not of the Jewish faith, and it’s possible that his mother was not in the United States on September 11, 2001.