Nigerian Afrobeats singer Burna Boy received seven nominations at the 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards, which took place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. However, despite his multiple nominations, Burna Boy did not secure any awards during the event.
It would be recalled that Burna Boy was nominated in the following categories: ‘Hip-Hop Artiste of the Year’, ‘Song of the Year,’ ‘Best Hip-Hop Video’, ‘Best Collaboration’, ‘Best Live Performer’, ‘Lyricist of the Year’, and ‘Hustler of the Year’.
But Kendrick Lamar, who won the most awards that night by taking home four, beat him out for Hip Hop Artist of the Year, Lyricist of the Year, and Best Live Performer of the Year.
In addition, Lamar took home awards for “Best Live Performer,” “Best Lyricist,” “Hip-Hop Artist of the Year,” and “Video Director of the Year.”
Additionally, Burna Boy lost the awards for Hustler of the Year to 50Cent and Best Collaboration of the Year for his work with 21 Savage on “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” to Lil Durk and J. Cole’s “All My Life.”
He also lost Song of the Year and Best Hip Hop Video for his performance of “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” with 21 Savage to Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Want to Rock.”
Meanwhile, Ghanaian musician Black Sherif defeated South Africa’s late AKA and K.O, France’s Gazo and Ninho, the UK’s J Hus, Central Cee, and other artists to win the Best International Flow category.
UK-based Ghanaian musician and actress, Stephanie Benson, has revealed that losing her breast to cancer has not had any negative impact on her marriage. She affirmed that her husband continues to love and support her, showing no signs of rejection despite the loss of her entire breast to cancer.
The well-known actress explained that her complete breast tissues were removed and replaced with a prosthesis that replicates the appearance of a woman’s breast, allowing her to maintain the same shape.
”I still don’t have my breast but my husband loves me exactly as I am. They took all the breast tissues out so I rebuilt it but I feel nothing, it’s just a shell. I have no nipples. Everything that was constructed was from my own body to give me a little bit of projection, so this breast is just for show,” Stephanie Benson said while speaking in an interview with Asempa FM on the subject of breast cancer.
She further added “I want men to understand that a woman’s life does not come to an end just because she does not have breasts anymore. I always want to project to people that my breast is not really who I am but the vibrant person that you see.
“So you can choose to take it or not. And I am not showing you my body because I have voluminous breasts or ass but everything I have is what I have worked for.”
Stephanie Benson and her husband, John Benson, have been married for over three decades.
The crisis is causing new problems for President Biden’s administration. It is making people pay more attention to the current chaos in Congress and could make the 2024 US elections more uncertain.
The American people usually don’t pay much attention to events happening in other countries. However, when they see terrible pictures of innocent people dying in the Middle East, especially when Americans are involved, they will definitely be interested in and concerned about this story.
The argument and accusations start.
Joe Biden‘s critics are already blaming him for the violence in Israel.
They have blamed Iran for planning the attack and claim that US actions towards Iran, such as letting them sell more oil and access frozen assets, in exchange for freeing American prisoners, showed American “weakness”.
A high-ranking government official said on Saturday that the accusation was silly. They explained that only groups not from Iran have been able to use the $6 billion, and it can only be used for helping people in need.
Former president Donald Trump said in a speech in New Hampshire that he wants to bring back all US punishments on Iran and impose a travel ban on all predominantly Muslim countries affected by terrorism.
Mr Trump highlighted his achievement of negotiating the Abraham Accords between Israel and two Gulf states as an example of progress towards peace in the Middle East.
But some experts think that by not addressing the Palestinian issue, the agreements between Israel and Saudi Arabia and the efforts by the Biden administration to improve their relations could have made the Hamas attack more likely. One of the people running against Mr. Trump for president, Governor Ron DeSantis from Florida, said that Democratic administrations have been too lenient on Iran.
“Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that this was ultimately an attack carried out by the Iranians. ” Both Biden and Obama had a positive view of Iran in their US policy.
Most Republicans criticized Mr. Biden the most, but there were also some disagreements within the party about their views on intervening in foreign affairs, which used to be a common practice among Republican presidents.
Former vice-president Mike Pence took the opportunity to criticize some of his Republican rivals for having views that he believes are focused on protecting their own country and being separate from the rest of the world.
“We must definitely speak up and criticize the leaders in the Republican Party,” he stated in a message sent out by his campaign. “Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis are individuals who promote peaceful settlements, but I think their ideas go against our party’s long-standing belief that America should take charge as the leader of the free world. ”
A House divided
On Monday morning, Kevin McCarthy, who used to be the Speaker of the House, joined other Republicans in blaming Mr. Biden’s decisions for making the attack possible.
Mr McCarthy was affected by a revolt among conservative individuals with right-wing beliefs, and his removal has stopped the chamber from making any progress until Republicans can come together and agree on a new speaker – a process that might take a few more days at least.
Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, who came up with and led the effort against the then-speaker, said that he doesn’t believe his actions made it harder for the US Congress to help Israel. He pointed out that America gives Israel $3 billion in military aid each year.
Israel is not requesting anything that we cannot do. It will take us a few days to choose a new speaker. People don’t think too much about Mr. McCarthy’s political career. It was a chance for Mr. McCarthy’s supporters to criticize a colleague they strongly dislike again.
“I observe the world and the various dangers present,” said Michael McCaul, head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, on Sunday. “What are we showing our opponents when we can’t lead, when we’re not working well, when we don’t even have a Speaker of the House. ”
The Biden administration has stated that they don’t think it’s necessary to have a aid package for Israel approved by Congress right now. However, two important people informed US senators today that they believe new help should be given alongside ongoing support for Ukraine, all in one package.
Some Republicans are against giving more money to Ukraine. We don’t know if this disagreement will make it more likely or less likely for the aid package to pass. The post on social media by Senator Josh Hawley, who is a member of the Republican party, appeared to indicate this.
He said that Israel is in great danger and could potentially cease to exist. “Money for Ukraine should be given to Israel right away instead. ”
Currently, people who believe in democracy are supporting widely.
If the Israel crisis has shown divisions among Republicans, the same cannot be said for divisions among Democrats – at least for now.
The Democratic Party used to strongly support Israel, but that has changed as the party has moved left. They now criticize the right-wing government of Israel and its aggressive building of settlements in the occupied territories.
In January 2023, a survey by Gallup found that more Democrats felt supportive towards Palestinians (49%) than Israelis (38%) for the first time in the 22-year history of the poll.
However, the violent and on-going attack by Hamas on innocent Israeli people has made it difficult to notice these differences within the group.
Some very liberal groups have shown support for the Palestinians, but most Democrats have been vocal in their support for Israel and quick to criticize any disagreement from their own party.
Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib from Michigan and Cori Bush from Missouri, who are known for openly criticizing Israel, expressed their condolences for both Israeli and Palestinian civilians who have been killed. They also urged for the United States to stop providing financial support to Israel. Some people in the same political party criticized their comments.
Congressman Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey expressed his strong disapproval of the Israeli people having to mourn their family members who were shot in their homes. He criticized the idea of Congress removing financial support from Israel, a country that is considered a democratic ally of the United States. The congressman thinks this would only lead to harm and suffering for innocent civilians. Ms Bush and Ms Tlaib are currently not supported by most people in their political group. Bernie Sanders, a leader of the progressive left, strongly condemned the terrible attack and expressed his disapproval in a statement on Saturday.
“There is no reason for this violence, and many innocent people from both sides will suffer greatly as a result,” he wrote on social media.
As more news focuses on the Israeli ground campaign in Gaza instead of Israeli civilian deaths, Democrats may start to feel the same way they did earlier this year.
The situation in the Middle East has changed a lot in just a few days. The current crisis in the US is likely to have unpredictable effects on domestic politics due to the existing conflicts and divisions among different groups.
Ghanaian-UK-based musician, actress, and entrepreneur, Stephanie Benson has stated that she is not perturbed when people accuse her of being cursed due to her breast cancer.
The UK-based artist strongly refuted the claim that women battling breast cancer are the victims of curses from their families or others, stating that this assertion is unjust as it demoralizes the individual and adds to the challenges they face during their recovery.
She pointed out that she is not personally affected by such societal stigma because of her unwavering belief in God. However, she acknowledged that those who have faith in other belief systems might make such claims.
During an interview with Asempa FM, Stephanie Benson, when discussing breast cancer, encouraged Ghanaians to avoid stigmatizing individuals who are fighting the disease and to put their trust in God for healing.
“That stigma on breast cancer is not good, as it implies the person has been cursed by their family or somebody else. As for me, I haven’t committed any offense, and even if someone has cursed me, so what?
“We are all supposed to believe in God, as He is the only one who can save us. So if you believe in another entity, how are you going to be saved?” she quizzed.
Stephanie Benson urged men to support their partners when they are battling breast cancer and to focus on enjoying all aspects of their relationship.
“I think that too many women suffer internally when they are going through cancer. Secondly, many women don’t receive support from their partners when they go through breast cancer, which is really damaging for their recovery. I want men to understand that it does not matter what a woman is going through, whether she loses her breast or goes through breast cancer.
“They are not going to die; you have to make them feel good. If you love somebody, it does not matter whether they have breasts or not. There are many other aspects of the woman you can enjoy,” said Stephanie Benson.“
The country was kicked out of the important organization for protecting people’s rights last April because they sent their troops to invade Ukraine.
They expected that getting a new three-year term would make clear the differences of opinions among UN member states on whether to continue supporting Ukraine or not.
The vote happened a few days after a Russian missile attack that caused the death of 52 individuals in a village called Hroza in northeastern Ukraine.
Russia got 83 votes from the UN’s general assembly members. Bulgaria got 160 votes, and Albania got 123 votes.
Before, the ambassador of Albania, Ferit Hoxha, had stated that it was crucial for member countries to demonstrate that they were not willing to accept someone who starts fires as a firefighter.
Russia said it would find suitable answers for human rights problems and wanted to prevent the organization from being controlled by a certain group of countries, likely referring to the West.
Diplomats said they want to regain some international trust after being accused of violating rights in Ukraine and their own country.
Russia believed that it would gain support from many countries, especially those that are still developing, in a confidential voting process. It suggested that these countries privately agreed with Russia but did not express it openly in order to avoid upsetting Western countries.
According to reports, Russia has been actively trying to persuade smaller countries by giving them grain and weapons in exchange for their votes.
The Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, said that the United States is trying to prevent Russia from rejoining the council.
In April 2022, the state was kicked out of the human rights council. 93 UN general assembly members voted in favor of the suspension, 24 voted against, and 58 chose not to vote.
The council will be made up of these countries starting in 2024 for three years: Albania, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, China, the Ivory Coast, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malawi, and the Netherlands.
Reggae musician and former candidate for president of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Ras Caleb, has cursed those who took money from him in exchange for their promises to vote for him but broke their promises after the recently concluded elections, in which his rival Bessa Simons was chosen as MUSIGA president.
Ras Caleb explained that he had conducted extensive tours across all regions of Ghana and was deeply concerned about the poor management within the union. He believed that members had pledged their support to bring about necessary improvements.
However, following the election results, Ras Caleb expressed his disappointment with the outcome. During a media statement, he criticized members who had accepted money from him but did not vote for him. He conveyed his preference for focusing on his other endeavors rather than involving himself in MUSIGA administration, which he described as corrupt and lacking vision.
“The members who took money from me and didn’t vote for me should continue to wallow in poverty. I have a lot of things I am currently doing, and I will prefer to continue doing them than to waste my time with this MUSIGA administration,” Graphic.com.gh quotes him as having told the media.
Ras Caleb expressed that he had meticulously crafted plans to enhance the operations of MUSIGA, but his disappointment with the current state of the union has led him to keep these plans to himself.
In the recent MUSIGA elections, Bessa Simons secured 324 votes, while Ras Appiah Levi received 66 votes. Elected alongside Bessa Simons were Rev. Dr. Yawson (1st Vice President), Abena Ruthy (2nd Vice President), S. K. Agyemang (General Secretary), Rev. Eyison (National Treasurer), Rev. Gifty Ghansah (National Welfare Officer), and Chizzy Wailer (National Organiser).
Ras Caleb, one of the MUSIGA Presidential aspirants says the person who took money from him and didn't vote for him will suffer. This comes after Bessa Simons was elected and declared the new MUSIGA President. He joins us on the phone to tell us more. #DaybreakHitzpic.twitter.com/30E49GdaYx
Poland’s top military leaders have stepped down right before an important election and while the war in Ukraine is happening nearby.
The top military leaders, General Rajmund Andrzejczak and General Tomasz Piotrowski, did not explain why they made their decision.
According to the news, people are concerned that the right-wing government is trying to use the military for political purposes before the upcoming general elections on Sunday.
The government says the claim is not true.
It also denies claims from Poland’s opposing party and the European Union that it is using the country’s courts for political gain and restricting media rights.
General Rajmund Andrzejczak has handed in his resignation. His spokesperson, Col Joanna Klejszmit, informed the AFP news agency that this happened on Monday.
“She said that he has the right to quit his job without explaining why, just like any other soldier. ”
Gen Piotrowski also quit his job.
Poland’s popular newspaper, The Daily Rzeczpospolita, said that two military leaders were arguing with Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak. They disagreed about how politics were influencing the military, and there was also a dispute over a Russian missile that flew over Poland last year.
In May, Mr Blaszczak mentioned that Gen Piotrowski did not tell him in December that the missile entered Poland from Belarus and flew a long way before crashing in a forest.
The missile was found in April by someone who is not part of the government, which made the minister feel very embarrassed.
Mr Blaszczak and the two generals have not said anything publicly about the Rzeczpospolita report.
On Sunday, people in Poland will be voting in a very important election, according to opposition leader Donald Tusk. He says it is their most important election since 1989 when communism ended.
The United Right coalition, which is led by the Law and Justice party under the leadership of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is trying to stay in power for a third time.
However, the difference between the right and centre has become smaller after a very bitter election campaign.
Poland has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s big invasion started in February 2022. They have taken in over a million Ukrainian refugees and given Kyiv weapons worth more than $3 billion.
However, the campaign against a Polish ban on Ukrainian grain imports has caused strain in the relationship.
We just received new information from the Palestinian health ministry. It states that 1,055 people have died and over 5,100 others have been hurt since Israel started their air strikes on Saturday.
However, Ghasan Abu Sitta, a surgeon from Palestine who now lives in Britain, says that the hospital where he is currently working in Gaza has transformed into a place for refugees.
“He said on the Today programme that people are scared and that’s why they are bringing their families to stay in the hospital compound because it is a secure place. ”
The doctor said there were many injured people coming one after another, but his hospital, Shifa, was already full. And it’s the same situation in most other hospitals in Gaza.
Abu Sitta said that Gaza has approximately 2200 to 2500 beds and they have already treated 4500 injured people.
Media personality Kwasi Aboagye, has dismissed Shatta Wale’s assertion that he received a substantial £80,000 payment for his performance at the Ghana Music Awards UK 2023.
Shatta Wale had earlier taken to Twitter to express his gratitude to the event’s organizers and fans, claiming that he was awarded such a substantial sum for his performance.
Shatta said: “Thank you, London, #GMAUK You did what Ghana music in Ghana couldn’t do 80k pounds for performance Artiste of the year 2023 (Icing on the cake) Shatta Wale is a London boy now !!!”
But Kwasi Aboagye insists that Shatta’s statements are mere lies.
In a statement that contradicts Shatta Wale‘s claims, the well-known broadcaster labeled the assertions as unrealistic. During his appearance on Peace FM’s Entertainment Review, he emphasized that it would be unfeasible for the event organizers to pay Shatta Wale such a substantial sum, especially considering the additional expenses involved in his trip. These costs include visa fees, initial flight tickets, accommodations, and other related expenses for both Shatta Wale and his team.
“Shatta Wale said he was paid 80,000 pounds as a performance fee and the ultimate ‘Artiste of the Year’ award. He was never paid 80,000 pounds for his performance. It is a huge lie! Do the organizers even have that 80,000 pounds to give Shatta Wale? He is lying. It is never true. 80,000 pounds. You were given a heroic welcome at the airport, given a royalty treat. You, your girlfriend, and your entire team were given visas. You guys flew first class. I am not sure you were even given 10,000 pounds.
“The organizers cannot speak on it but listeners, I want you to know that it is not true. They cannot give him that kind of money. Which Ghanaian living in the UK, Which promoter can give that amount?” he asked.
Watch video
Shatta Wale performed for free at the Ghana Music Awards UK but man come lie we say he was paid 80k pounds. Fanfooling sorr 😂😂pic.twitter.com/CD9OQ5Msld
As we told you before, alarms are going off this morning in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon because rockets are being shot from Gaza.
Emergency workers are saying that two people were brought to the hospital. One is a 60-year-old man who was hurt by shrapnel, and the other is a 40-year-old woman.
Earlier today, the MDA announced that they had brought a 40-year-old man to the hospital in the Sderot area. He had been injured by shrapnel.
A spokesperson said that the foreign secretary has come to Israel today to show the UK’s strong support for the Israeli people after the terrorist attacks by Hamas.
“He will meet with people who survived the attacks, as well as important leaders of Israel, to explain that the UK supports Israel‘s right to protect itself. ”
Vice President Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia and former Trade Minister Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen had a touching encounter during the one-week observation of the late former First Lady Theresa Kufuor,
The Vice President, who was joined by his wife Samira Bawumia, shook hands with Alan and patted each other on the back while grinning broadly.
As a result, the rumours that the two men were at odds after Mr. Kyerematen’s resignation from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been dispelled.
Netizens have praised Dr. Bawumia and Alan Kyerematen for showing maturity.
Another by Koenig and Vaillant(2009) examined the effect of church attendance on four different indicators of later health in a sample of inner-city men followed throughout their life course. Measures of previous health status, mood, substance abuse, smoking, education, and social class were used to predict the health status at age 70 from church attendance at age 47.
Indirect effects of church attendance on health were observed, with alcohol use/dependence, smoking, and mood being possible mediators of the church attendance-health relationship. The effects of church attendance on more subjective ratings of health, however, may be more direct.
In explaining the progressive benefits of church attendance and longevity, VanderWeele TJ(2017) held the view that this may be the confluence of the religious values and practices, reinforced by social ties and norms, that give religious communities their powerful effects on so many aspects of human flourishing.
Another study by Manning et al.(2012) explores the Spiritual Lives of Centenarians and illustrates the importance spirituality has for older adults over the life course, particularly those in advanced age. The findings indicate that spirituality is a key factor of support, an important resource in late life, and maintains continuity over the life course for the centenarians. Additionally, spirituality serves as a critical component in the everyday lives of the participants and provides a framework for helping older adults make sense of having lived a very long life.
A recent study by Ebert et al.(2020) coded gravestone inscriptions and imagery to assess the religiosity and longevity of 6,400 deceased people from religious and nonreligious U.S. counties. The study shows that in religious cultural contexts, religious people lived 2.2 years longer than non-religious people. In nonreligious cultural contexts, however, religiosity conferred no such longevity benefits. A longer life is not an inherent feature of religiosity. Instead, religious people only live longer in religious and cultural contexts where religiosity is valued.
This longevity appears to benefit women more than men in church attendance. This was explained by Koenig et al.(1997) study that examines a six-year follow-up study of 3,968 older adults and found that particularly women, who attend religious services at least once a week appear to have a survival advantage over those attending services less frequently.
Key takeaways:
Churchgoers have a significantly lower risk of dying in the studies I reviewed
After adjusting for age, sex, race, and chronic medical conditions, 40- to 65-year-old churchgoers were 46 percent less likely to die as compared to non-churchgoers.
There is no statistically significant difference in mortality when measuring how frequently churchgoers attend.
Non-churchgoers had significantly higher rates of blood pressure, HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol), and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol. Non-churchgoers also had a higher overall of these medical issues than churchgoers.
Lower stress levels are not the only possible explanation for churchgoers’ longer lifespans: Non-churchgoers had a higher mortality rate even after controlling their medical conditions, which suggests religiosity alone may play a factor in longevity.
Churchgoers are healthier, as they manage to quit smoking, drinking, etc.
This longevity appears to benefit women more than men in church attendance
The writer is a Professor of Naturopathic Healthcare, a Medical Journalist, an author, and a science writer. E-mail: professor40naturopathy@gmail.com.
The Dutor of Anlo, Torgbiga Wenya III, along with three other traditional leaders, has filed a lawsuit against the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, alleging unconstitutional behavior.
The petitioners are pursuing a judicial review, urging the court to scrutinize the actions of the ministry concerning Anlo Chieftaincy Affairs and the planning of the upcoming Hogbetsotso Za.
Background
In response to concerns regarding the lack of transparency in handling the proceeds from the Hogbetsotso Za festival, leaders of the Anlo Progressive Youth for Accountability and Development took legal action against the authorities responsible for managing these funds.
Among other requests, the applicants approached the Sogakofe High Court, urging it to compel the festival’s planning committee to provide a detailed financial account of the festival’s proceeds from 2011 to 2022.
The defendants in this lawsuit included Awadada Agbesi Awusu II, Torgbi Zewu II, Cilas Aidam, Dan Abodakpi, G.A.S Ladzekpo, Torgbi Zewu IV, and Agbotadua Kumasah.
A new committee for the 2023 Hogbetsotso Za festival was inaugurated under the leadership of the Dutor of Anlo, Torgbiga Wenya III, who took charge of launching the festival in Keta.
However, the embattled committee, supported by the Awomefia, Torgbi Sri III, distributed promotional materials and launched the same festival independently.
Recognizing the sensitivity of the issue, the Chieftaincy Ministry conducted separate meetings with both factions in an attempt to mediate a resolution.
Subsequently, the Ministry issued a letter dated September 27, 2023, addressed to Torgbiga Wenya III. The letter, signed by Minister Stephen Asamoah Boateng, stated that the title “Torgbiga Wenya” was not registered in the records of the National House of Chiefs. Therefore, the letter instructed him to cease identifying himself as the Dutor of Anlo and refrain from organizing the 2023 edition of the Hogbetsotso Za festival.
“In view of the above information, you are to desist from holding yourself as Dutor of Anlo and not to organize any Hogbetsotso Za Festival as your actions have the potential to breach the peace of the Anlo Traditional Area.
“According to section 63(a) of the Chieftaincy Act of 2008, Act 759 it is an offence for a person to “act or perform the functions of a Chief when that person is not qualified to act.
“I am by copy of this letter informing the National Security Minister of my decision and to ask him to put necessary measures in place to prevent you from organizing any festival”, the letter concluded.
Response from Torgbiga Wenya III
Torgbiga Wenya III, represented by his legal counsel, issued a response to the letter from the Chieftaincy Minister on September 29, 2023.
In the response, the lawyers asserted that the minister’s letter displayed bias, prejudice, and an arbitrary exercise of executive authority. They characterized it as unfortunate and a violation of Anlo customary laws for the Minister to address Torgbiga Wenya III by his personal name.
“Further, we hereby inform you that you do not have those powers or authority to decree that a particular traditional ruler should desist from using his traditional title. The title Dutor which means the “founder and Overlord” attached to the Wenya dynasty is more than 400 years old and does not need any registration in the National House of Chiefs or Regional House of Chiefs to give it a recognition”, it added.
The letter further indicated that “from the foregoing, we have our client’s instructions to demand from you a withdrawal of your letter in reference within 72 hours upon receipt of this response failing which, the jurisdiction of a court of competent jurisdiction will be invoked to curb your administrative excesses”.
Judicial review
Upon the lapse of the 72-hour ultimatum, Torgbiga Wenya III and the three others initiated legal proceedings by filing a writ for a judicial review of the actions taken by the Chieftaincy Minister.
In their lawsuit, they sought an injunction to prohibit the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and the Minister for National Security from intervening in Anlo chieftaincy affairs and the upcoming Hogbetsotso Za festival.
Additionally, they demanded compensation in the amount of GH₵1,000,000.00 from the Chieftaincy Minister for what they described as “desecration and breach of Anlo custom and tradition.” This breach pertains to the prohibition against addressing installed leaders by their personal names.
The writ sighted by Joy News argues that the 1st Respondent [Chieftaincy Minister] does not have jurisdiction to order the 4th Applicant [Torgbiga Wenya III] to desist from holding himself as Dutor of Anlo and organizing the 2023 Hogbetsotso Za.
It also argued that the content of the Chieftaincy Minister’s letter could cause a possible threat to the peace and order being enjoyed in the Anlo Kingdom.
“That the decision of the 1st Respondent (Minister for Chieftaincy) and his call on the Minister for National Security (2nd Respondent) to prevent the 4th applicant from organizing the 2023 Hogbetsotso Za evinces a clear abuse of his administrative power and disregard for the jurisdiction of both the Judicial Committee of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs and the High Court in Sogakope”, the writ stated.
The plaintiffs appealed to the court to annul the letter, which they regarded as “filled with bias and devoid of jurisdiction.” They contended that the Chieftaincy Minister’s actions violated Article 23 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.
The people living in an apartment block in Rimal asked me with sarcasm if there is anywhere safe left in the neighborhood that used to be quiet and beautiful.
I had a really hard time being stuck in there for seven hours. Israeli warplanes were bombing again because the Palestinian militant group attacked southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, which was something that had never happened before.
The bombings by Israel also caused a lot of damage to many homes, offices of phone companies, and buildings used for learning at the Islamic University of Gaza.
Scary blasts rattled the area all through Monday night. The kids were yelling and no one could sleep at all.
This text can be rewritten as: It was a night that the people living in Rimal, which is the richest neighborhood in Gaza City and usually very peaceful, will remember for a long time.
On Tuesday morning, as the sun came up, the strikes became less strong and people saw how much damage there was. The area to the southwest had a lot of damage to its buildings and facilities. Many of the roads going there were blocked and not accessible.
While I was driving, it seemed like there had been a big earthquake. There was a lot of broken pieces, glass, and wires all over the place. The destruction was so bad that I couldn’t recognize some of the buildings I walked by.
I lost everything My apartment, where my five kids lived, was in this building. “My store that sells food, located under the building, got destroyed,” Mohammed Abu al-Kass said to me while he carried his daughter Shahd on the street.
Where should we go. We don’t have a home anymore. There is nowhere for us to stay anymore or find jobs.
He asked if Israel would attack his house and grocery shop, and accused their military of lying about not targeting civilians.
The Palestinian health ministry reported that around 300 people lost their lives in Gaza on Monday due to attacks by Israel. Most of those who died were non-military individuals. It was the most deadly day there in a long time.
In the afternoon, at least 15 people died in the crowded Jabalia refugee camp, located in the northeast of Gaza City. The Israeli army attacked the house of a leader from the group called Hamas. But a lot of people at a market close by or in houses nearby were killed. The number of people who have died in Gaza since Saturday is now 900. This includes 260 children, according to the health ministry. An additional 4,500 individuals have been hurt.
The situation in this small, crowded place with limited resources becomes even more serious.
The 22 million people living in Gaza do not have enough food, fuel, electricity, and water. The Israeli government has done a complete blockade and stopped giving any supplies to Gaza because of an attack by Hamas.
On Saturday, there was a surprising attack that resulted in the death of 1,000 people on the Israeli side. Additionally, militants have taken between 100 and 150 people hostage and brought them into Gaza.
Waad al-Mughrabi said that it is hard to believe we don’t have electricity or water in the modern age. She also mentioned that she doesn’t have enough diapers for her baby and only has a little bit of milk left. She looked at the building next to her home, which was destroyed.
“Did my child harm Israel. ”
Dozens of people were waiting in line outside the biggest store in Gaza. It was the first time it had opened since Saturday. The line was forming at a small door in the back. They wanted to buy as much food and supplies as they could, because they were afraid that the war would go on for a long time.
A lot of the vegetables and fruits in Gaza are grown in the south, but because there is not enough fuel, it will be harder to bring them to the north. Up until now, Egypt has not sent any food or important items to Gaza because they have blocked it for security reasons, along with Israel. They started doing this when Hamas took control of the area in 2007.
People cannot escape Gaza through the border crossing with Egypt called Rafah. Normally, only 400 people can go in or out each day. However, Israeli air strikes damaged a gate on the Palestinian side on Monday and Tuesday, which stopped any crossings, according to the Palestinian interior ministry in Gaza.
This has caused many of the 200,000 people who left their homes to stay in schools run by the UN. Some people have run away because they were scared, and others have had their houses destroyed by bombs dropped from airplanes.
Some people in Gaza are deciding to stay in basements for protection. However, they may become stuck inside if the building on top of them falls down. Around 30 families were stuck in a single basement on Monday night.
Mohammed al-Mughrabi, a resident of Rimal, said that in past wars, this area of the city provided safety for people living in border regions with Israel.
The recent Israeli attacks on Monday night demonstrated that nowhere can be considered safe anymore.
Ghanaian actress Vicky Zugah has dropped some hot photos to mark her 40th birthday.
The beautiful actress looked younger and more beautiful despite her age.
In an Instagram post to commemorate the day she said ” This is 40!!! 💃🎊🎉🍾🎂 Dear Lord,Take all the glory,all of it 🙏
In response to her post, netizens extended their warm wishes and well-wishes to Vicky Zugah on her special 40th birthday. It’s heartwarming to see the outpouring of support and affection from her fans and followers. Happy birthday, Vicky Zugah! 🎉🥳
Preventing bedbugs from invading your room requires vigilance and a few precautions. Here are some steps to help you avoid bedbug infestations:
Inspect Second-Hand Furniture: When bringing in used furniture, mattresses, or clothing, carefully inspect them for any signs of bedbugs. Avoid items with stains, discolorations, or tiny black dots, which may indicate an infestation.
Protect Your Mattress and Box Spring: Use bedbug-proof covers on your mattress and box spring. These encasements can trap any existing bedbugs and prevent new ones from infesting.
Regularly Clean and Declutter: Keep your living space tidy and clutter-free. Bedbugs hide in clutter, so maintaining a clean and organized environment can help deter them.
Laundry Practices: After returning from a trip, wash your clothing in hot water and dry it on high heat. This can kill any potential bedbugs that may have hitched a ride in your luggage.
Seal Entry Points: Use caulk or sealant to close any cracks or gaps in walls, floors, or around pipes. Bedbugs can hide in these spaces and travel between rooms through them.
Be Cautious When Traveling: When staying in hotels or motels, inspect your room for signs of bedbugs. Keep your luggage off the floor and away from the bed. After returning home, unpack and inspect your luggage outside and wash your clothing immediately.
Regularly Vacuum: Vacuum your home regularly, including the mattress, box spring, and cracks in the bed frame. Dispose of the vacuum bag or clean the canister outside.
Use Bedbug Monitors: You can use bedbug monitors or traps under your bed legs to detect and trap any bedbugs trying to climb onto your bed.
Be Careful with Used Clothing: When buying second-hand clothing, wash and dry them on high heat before wearing them.
Stay Informed: Keep yourself informed about bedbug prevention and treatment methods. Early detection and action can prevent a small problem from becoming a major infestation.
Professional Inspection: If you suspect bedbugs, consider hiring a pest control professional for a thorough inspection and potential treatment.
Remember that bedbugs can be challenging to eliminate once they infest your home, so taking proactive measures to prevent their entry is crucial. If you do suspect an infestation, it’s best to address it promptly to avoid a more extensive and costly problem.
US President Joe Biden said that Israel has a responsibility to retaliate against Hamas’ attacks, which he described as a very cruel action.
He strongly stated that the US would support Israel and give them any help they needed.
Mr Biden said that at least 14 Americans were killed in the attacks and some other US citizens were captured and held against their will.
A national security spokesperson said on Tuesday that at least 20 Americans were missing in a later update.
The exact number of people captured by Hamas is not currently known, according to Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor.
Members of a group, considered a terrorist organization by the US, broke through the border fence in multiple locations in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, initiating the most significant attack on Israel from across the border in a long time.
Around 1,200 people have died in Israel since Saturday. Over 950 people have been killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza as a response.
Mr Biden stood with Vice President Harris and Secretary of State Blinken at the White House. He stated that there was no good reason for the violent actions carried out by Hamas militants.
Mr Biden said that there are times when extremely evil things happen in the world without any good in them. The people of Israel experienced an important moment this weekend.
He strongly disapproved of horrifying reports of parents being killed and whole families being murdered. “We will work hour by hour to figure out if we can find any of those Americans, or to confirm the exact number of Americans being held hostage. ”
The US is giving information to Israel, said Mr. They have also sent specialists to help Israel with rescuing hostages.
This week, the US said that they will move their naval forces, including a big ship called an aircraft carrier, to the eastern Mediterranean. The US Air Force is adding more combat aircraft to their squadrons in the area.
Mr Biden said he will ask Congress to quickly take action and give more help. The White House is thinking about asking Congress for more help in the form of military aid to Ukraine and Israel, according to a source who talked to Reuters.
On Tuesday, Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris talked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They promised to give new ammunition to Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.
Mr Blinken will go to Israel on Wednesday to meet important Israeli people.
Israel has gathered many soldiers, tanks, and other heavy weapons near Gaza. People think they might be getting ready to invade on the ground, while their airstrikes keep going.
While the FBI doesn’t have detailed information about threats in the US related to the conflict, Mr. Biden mentioned that the police in the country have increased security around Jewish places to find and stop any potential danger connected to these terrible attacks.
In America, there should be no room for hate. “He said that he is not against Jews, he is not against Muslims, and he is not against anyone. ”
A US Democrat believes that we should be helping Israel by providing military and diplomatic assistance.
Claims that President Tinubu’s educational credentials were fraudulent became widely shared on social media after Chicago State University (CSU) made his academic records public last week.
We have examined some of the most popular statements that are widely spread.
The president’s academic papers are being made public because of a court case that started in August. Atiku Abubakar, one of the president’s opponents in the presidential election, filed the case.
Mr Abubakar wanted the winner to be disqualified because he said that the person faked their diploma in Business Administration from CSU in 1979, which was submitted to the electoral authority (INEC).
Mr Abubakar asked a US court in August to make CSU give him Mr. Tinubu’s school records as evidence for his case in Nigeria. This is done through a process called discovery, where both sides share information and documents before a trial.
Mr Tinubu’s lawyers didn’t want the discovery application to happen because they were worried about privacy. However, the US court decided that it should still go forward.
Mr Abubakar asked for certain papers.
You can get a copy of any diploma that was given out by CSU in 1979.
In 1979, Mr. Tinubu received a diploma from CSU.
Diploma copies that look like the one Mr. Tinubu got from CSU in 1979, with the same writing style, official stamp and signatures, and the same words on it, were given to other students too.
Jamar Orr, who worked at CSU, certified documents for CSU between 1 August 2022 and the next 12 months. CSU provided seven diplomas for different areas of study as requested. The names of the students were removed. The university’s registrar says that the students did not pickup these diplomas.
CSU said they couldn’t find Mr. Tinubu’s diploma from 1979 because they don’t keep copies of diplomas once they have been given to students.
CSU added that, they made a new diploma for Mr. Tinubu on June 27, 1979. It also gave out diplomas to other students that looked similar to Mr Tinubu’s diplomas.
As a response to request four, CSU provided additional academic documents that were confirmed and released by Mr. Orr
Atiku Abubakar is disagreeing with Bola Tinubu’s win as president, because Atiku came in second place in the February 2023 elections.
Following the judge’s decision, Mr. Abubakar’s lawyer, Angela Liu, asked Caleb Westberg, who is currently the registrar at CSU, some questions during a legal session.
Mr Abubakar’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, allowed the BBC to see and use the deposition transcript.
Some people on social media in Nigeria claim that the evidence from CSU shows that Mr. Tinubu’s diploma given to Inec was fake. Last week, one of Mr Abubakar’s lawyers, Kalu Kalu, said the same thing at a press conference.
We didn’t find any proof for this statement.
The CSU gave out a bunch of certificates from 1979 to 2003. We looked at all of them.
In our analysis, we talk about three diplomas belonging to Mr. They are different from each other.
The first version of the text, made in 1979, which he previously mentioned that he lost while living away from his home in the 1990s. He submitted another diploma to Inec, which was supposed to be a replacement for his original diploma from CSU. This diploma resembles the ones that CSU issued in the 1990s. Moreover, CSU has an extra diploma for Mr. Tinubu which they believe was issued in the early 2000s, but he never picked it up.
People on social media are saying that Mr. Tinubu’s document that he gave to Inec is similar to the diplomas from CSU in 1979.
During Mr Westberg’s statement, Mr Atiku’s lawyer paid attention to the diploma given by President Tinubu to the electoral commission and argued that it was different from any of the diplomas issued by CSU.
But, Mr Westberg agreed with Ms Liu that the diploma does not resemble the samples from 1979. However, he said that the certificate actually looks similar to three of the diplomas CSU gave to Mr Abubakar. Our study says the same thing.
The reason why the diploma looks different is because it was re-issued in the 1990s.
MrWestberg mentioned that the design of CSU’s diploma has been changed many times in the past. He said if a student wants a new diploma, it would look like the template at the time they request it, regardless of when they graduated.
So, if Mr Tinubu had requested a replacement for his diploma in the late 1990s, the new one would have looked like the diplomas from that time.
CSU gave out diplomas to students in 1998 and 1999. The diploma from 1998 looks exactly the same as the one Mr Tinubu gave to Inec.
CSU submitted three diplomas from the 1990s that were like Mr.
One of them, which was from 18 December 1998, is exactly the same (except for the names, degree class, and dates) as the diploma Mr. Tinubu gave to Inec.
Mr Westberg also said that CSU doesn’t keep track of when a graduate asks for a new diploma, so Mr. Tinubu’s request for a copy of the diploma wasn’t written down.
The copy he gave to the election commission was missing part of the university logo. Westberg said in his statement that it may have been “cut off” during photocopying.
We looked at the diploma. It looks like the bottom of it was not copied. The BBC asked Mr. Tinubu’s team for a copy of his diploma. They sent the only copy of the diploma that they claimed existed. This is a black and white copy of the document that was given to Inec.
Another organization in Nigeria that checks facts claimed that Mr. Tinubu’s diploma was not from CSU because CSU’s diplomas do not say “with honors” under the degree title.
But the BBC discovered that although this was not shown in the other diplomas published by CSU, it does exist in Mr Tinubu’s diploma given in the early 2000s, which was confirmed by Mr Westberg during his statement.
The text means that the words “with honors” on the diploma match the information submitted by the president to INEC. Mr Tinubu’s diploma, which was requested again in the 1990s, is still with CSU because he did not pick it up.
Mr Westberg said that the school could confirm that this specific diploma is real because the school still has it since nobody has come to get it.
Not all students finish university with honours. Tinubu completed his studies at CSU and received high marks, according to court documents reviewed by the BBC.
The BBC asked CSU about its diplomas and CSU directed us to a statement that said they are confident that Tinubu met all the requirements for attending and graduating from CSU.
There is a claim on social media that someone named Bola A Tinubu, who went to CSU, is actually a woman.
Daley College) in Chicago, where he studied Accounting. Daley College is where I went to school first before I moved to CSU in 1976. In the Southwest transcript, it shows that a person who is identified as female attended the school. This has made people say that the person named Mr. Tinubu took the identity of that woman. Atiku’s lawyer, Mr. Kalu, mentioned this during a press conference last week.
However, Westberg made it clear during his statement that there was no doubt that the person who went to CSU was a man named Bola A Tinubu. He said the university used additional things besides the name to make sure the student was who they said they were.
He said that the Social Security Number (SSN) in the transcript from Southwest College is the same as in other documents where the student’s gender is clearly noted as male.
But the documents that were made public made people wonder about Mr. Tinubu’s real birth date and which secondary school he went to.
According to one document, Mr Tinubu went to Government College Lagos in 1970. However, the school website says that it was started in 1974.
Other than the difference in gender, the birth dates mentioned in some of the released documents don’t match President Tinubu’s official birth date, which is 29 March 1952.
The document from CSU shows that he was born on 29 March 1954. The form he used to apply for college asks for his birthday, and he wrote down March 29, 1955.
During Westberg’s questioning, Mr. Atiku’s lawyer stated that Mr. Tinubu had provided his birth date as March 29, 1952 on the forms submitted to Inec.
During questioning, Mr. Westberg said that the differences might have happened because someone made a mistake.
We reached out to Mr. Tinubu’s team to ask about these differences, but instead of giving us a response, a spokesperson told us to contact his political party, the All Progressives Congress. We spoke to Festus Keyamo, who is both Mr. Tinubu’s spokesperson for his campaign and a minister in the government. He ignored our calls and messages.
We also sent some questions to Mr Abubakar’s team. They did not reply.
The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has officially launched the small-scale and community mining operational manual at the Akoon Community Mining site in Tarkwa.
This 32-paged operational manual is dedicated to small-scale and community mining. It provides a comprehensive explanation of the community mining scheme, its administrative structure, and the role of an oversight committee, all designed to enhance its effectiveness. The manual also simplifies the process of obtaining a mining license and outlines the available support services.
The Minister emphasizes the importance of ensuring that Ghanaians comprehend the battle against illegal mining, often referred to as “galamsey,” and believes that this manual will facilitate a deeper understanding of the initiative.
“People are so determined that whatever happens, they will go the extra mile to mine without following regulations. That is why as a ministry, we have also organized this community mining concept, asking them to move out of our river bodies. Come and join the community mining, where it is organized and the government is providing mining machines for you to mine and mine responsibly.”
Honourable George Mireku Duker encouraged all Ghanaians to actively support the fight against illegal mining, also known as ‘galamsey’. He added that all citizens must support and participate in the government’s schemes to win this war.
Mr. Mireku Duker also urged illegal miners to think about the community mining programme as a more durable and advantageous alternative while on a tour of mining sites in the Western Region.
The Community Mining Scheme is an example of artisanal mining practises that supports ethical, profitable, and long-term small-scale mining. The Mine Support Services have provided assistance to the Community Mining Scheme.
Approximately 50,000 direct and indirect jobs are anticipated to be generated. About twenty-eight of these programmes have been launched by the government in various mining regions across the nation.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has launched six schemes so far this year alone.
The Bongo Soe scheme, the Afransie scheme, and the Atwimanso scheme are a few examples. The Manso Nkwanta scheme, Moseaso Abrantie, and the Banko scheme round out the list. Over 60,000 jobs have reportedly been directly and indirectly created since the program’s inception.
Additionally, reports stated that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources was eager to launch additional projects before the end of 2023.
Engineers found the remaining debris and suspected human remains from the Titan submersible, which was destroyed during a tragic journey to the Titanic, according to the US Coast Guard.
The boat got broken when they went underwater to explore the shipwreck in June.
Everyone on board died.
The search for the submarine caused a big search around the world and got a lot of attention from the public until some parts of it were found a few days later.
Coast Guard officials announced on Tuesday that they found more parts of the boat at the bottom of the sea last week. They brought the parts to a port in the US. Doctors will study the leftover parts of the body.
The Titan submersible, which was made by OceanGate, went on many dives to the Titanic wreck. The wreck is located 3,800m (12,467ft) under the sea in the North Atlantic Ocean.
The boss of the company, Stockton Rush, was on the sinking boat, which crushed under the strong pressure of the water.
Four other people died on the plane. Their names were Shahzada Dawood, Suleman Dawood, Hamish Harding, and Paul-Henry Nargeolet. Documents from a court in the US, found after a collapse, revealed that Mr. Rush did not pay attention to warnings about the submersible’s safety. OceanGate, a company that arranged underwater exploration trips in different places worldwide, stopped all activities after the tragic event occurred.
The outside structure of the Titan ship was built using a strong material called carbon fibre. It also had special metal pieces called titanium end plates and a small window at one end. Carbon fibre is not as expensive as titanium or steel and it is very strong. However, it hasn’t been used much before for deep sea dives with people.
Scientists from around the world are still investigating the tragedy, and the Coast Guard has announced that a meeting will be held for everyone to attend at a later time.
All the flights at Luton Airport have been stopped until the afternoon because a big fire happened in the parking lot of one of the buildings on Tuesday evening.
Flights are stopped until 15:00 BST because a fire at the multi-storey building caused it to collapse significantly.
Bedfordshire Fire Service said that around 1,500 vehicles may have been in the car park and got damaged.
Four firefighters and a worker from the airport were brought to the hospital.
They were experiencing health problems because they were inhaling smoke. One more person got medical help at the place, but no major injuries have been reported.
People heard vehicle alarms and loud explosions. One person said the fire spread really quickly on the top floor of the car park.
The airport said that it is most important to help emergency services and keep passengers and staff safe. That’s why they stopped all flights.
Travel expert Simon Calder thinks that around 40,000 to 50,000 people will have their travel plans disrupted. The airport wants to fix the problem and get it back to normal as quickly as they can. The fire service said that they believe the fire was an accident and it probably started in a vehicle that arrived shortly before 9:00 PM BST.
A person who was supposed to fly on a plane when a fire started said: “We were told to leave the plane because there was a problem. Then, we were stuck in the airport without any clear explanation. ”
Two hours later, someone informed them about a big problem and said they had to go out of the airport.
“It was a little confusing because the staff didn’t know exactly what they were supposed to do. ”
A video online shows really big flames and lots of smoke coming from the top level of the car park after a fire started just before 9:00 pm.
Bedfordshire Police have requested that people avoid going to the area.
One person said they saw something explode on top of the parking lot, and then a big flame shot across the parking lot like a flamethrower.
After that, he watched cars blowing up “every few minutes”.
Many people were stuck in Luton, unable to go home because their cars were in the parking lot. Andy Hopkinson, who is in charge of the fire department in Bedfordshire, said they had no information to indicate that the fire was anything other than an accident.
He said that people believed the fire started with a diesel car and then spread throughout the car park.
He complimented his team and said that no members of the public were hurt.
Mr Hopkinson said that the car park, which can fit 1,900 cars, did not seem to have sprinklers.
He said that because the car park didn’t have walls, the fire could easily move across and then go up in the building.
Firefighters were staying at the location to keep an eye on the burning leftovers.
Ghana’s music sensation, Black Sherif, proudly received the prestigious Best International Flow award at the 2023 BET Hip Hop Awards, standing out among a talented field of contenders from across the globe, including AKA from South Africa, Central Cee from the UK, Gazo from France, J Hus from the UK, K.O from South Africa, Major RD from Brazil, Ninho from France, Sampa The Great from Zambia, and Tasha & Tracie from Brazil.
During his acceptance speech, Black Sherif, whose career has experienced remarkable growth since its inception about four years ago, shared a remarkable insight. He mentioned that he had a premonition of winning this award in a dream. Furthermore, he touched on the theme of resilience and determination, highlighting how these qualities have propelled him to his current status.
In an inviting and empowering gesture, Black Sherif extended an invitation to all those present to reconnect with their roots in Africa, where he described everyone as kings and queens, reinforcing the continent’s cultural significance.
“I saw this in my sleep every night. I started making music four years ago in a small city in Ghana called Konongo Zongo and there was no way nobody was going to convince me that I wouldn’t be here, that my music was not going blow. Thank you very much, BET…Remember you are kings and queens back home, welcome back home.”
Taped from Cobb Energy Center in Atlanta, GA, on Tuesday, October 3, this year’s show paid homage to 50 years of Hip Hop with a non-stop party. Tip “T.I.” Harris, Nelly, City Girls, Fabolous, Juvenile, Mannie Fresh, Tyrese, Chingy, DJ Jazzy Jeff, DJ Holiday, D-Nice, and Technician the DJ joined previously announced performers.
This year’s nomination marked the second time Black Sherif had been nominated in the category.
The management of Accra-based United Television has released a statement regarding the raid on its studio that occurred on Saturday, October 7, 2023, during its late-night live programme known as “United Showbiz.“
According to the statement dated October 10, 2023, the persons involved in the invasion were a group of individuals affiliated to the ruling New Patriotic Party.
Further denouncing the incident, the management of United Television called it an act of “violence and vandalism” that violated its fundamental freedoms and rights as a human being.
Again, management of United Television stated that the action violated Chapters 5 and 12 of Ghana’s 1992 constitution, which both uphold the media’s independence.
The statement also revealed that the invasion of the group disrupted its live late-night program which halted the program for an hour but was later continued due to the swift intervention of the Ghana Police Service.
“On the 7th of October, 2023 , our premises were invade by a group of people who identified themselves as sympathizers or members of the New Patriotic Party. This group further disrupted our live program dubbed United Showbiz, for which reason, the program was halted for almost an hour.
“However, with the timely intervention of the Police, peace and order was able to be restored. We are therefore grateful to the Police administration, particularly the Inspector General of Police for their assistance. We will continue to collaborate with the authorities to bring those responsible for this incidence to justice”
Management Of UTV Commits To Improve Security In Its Premises
The management of United Television has stated that it is extremely concerned about the incident that occurred on Saturday night and that it will take security precautions very seriously to ensure that it does not happen again.
“We understand that this event has caused concern amongst stakeholders and we want to assure all that, we are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of our workers, guest, properties, clients and the interest of all other stakeholders.
“We also wish to reassure our employees’ that we are here for you and will put in place all the necessary measures to ensure your safety at the workplace. We understand that this event may have caused some distress or anxiety amongst our working team but we want to assure you of Management’s support during this time”.
Furthermore, the statement claimed that the New Patriotic Party had contacted the station’s management and expressed its regret for the incident.
“We have also had a visit from the General Secretary and some leaders of NPP, who have apologized on behalf of the intruders and condemned the act. They have assured us of the non-occurrence of such an act again”.
The management expressed gratitude to all of its partners and stakeholders for their support and consideration following the incident.
“To our viewers and all stakeholders including the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), National Democratic Congress (NDC), the leader of the Movement for Change, National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and other well-wishers, we appreciate the love and supports shown us”.
The station’s management also emphasised the station’s commitment to upholding its values and principles as an independent media house and vowed to carry out its mandate without fear or favour.
“Our priority is to continue providing quality news while ensuring the safety and security of all stakeholders. We will continue to maintain an impartial and non-biased editorial stance while providing a safe and secure platform for diverse views and opinions to be expressed”.
Kibbutz Kfar Aza is like a small version of what has happened in the beginning of this war. It also shows us a little bit of what might happen in the future.
On Tuesday morning, the fighting continued in the kibbutz, which is an Israeli community near Gaza. That’s why they are only now gathering the bodies of Israeli people who were killed when Hamas came into Israel from Gaza early on Saturday morning.
Soldiers who spent a lot of time searching for and finding dead bodies of regular people said there was a terrible event where lots of people were killed. It seems probable that most of the killing occurred in the early hours of the attack on Saturday.
The Israeli army was surprised and it took them 12 hours to reach the kibbutz, according to Davidi Ben Zion, who is the deputy commander of Unit 71. Unit 71 is a skilled group of paratroopers who led the attack.
“He said we helped many moms and dads and kids survive, thank God. ” Sadly, some people were harmed by Molotov cocktails being thrown at them. They behave very aggressively, just like animals do.
Mr Ben Zion said that the Hamas gunmen who killed families, even babies, were simply a group of people dedicated to killing everyone. Their victims were unarmed and defenseless, just normal citizens who only wanted to have their breakfast.
Some of the people had their heads cut off, he said.
“They murdered them and chopped off some of their heads. It’s really horrifying to witness. We need to always remember who the enemy is and what our goal is – to bring fairness where there is one clear side, and everyone in the world needs to support us. ”
Another police officer indicated a sleeping bag that was covered in blood and was the color purple. A toe that is bigger than normal popped out. He said that a woman was murdered and had her head cut off in her front yard. I didn’t tell the officer to check her body by moving the sleeping bag. A little distance away, there was a dead Hamas fighter whose body looked burned and puffy.
Kibbutz Kfar Aza provides more evidence that shows how Hamas gunmen have committed war crimes. The community was surprised, just like their Israeli neighbors. The first level of protection was the kibbutz guard. These were resident members who had military experience and they would patrol the area around the kibbutz. They died while trying to defend themselves against the people who were attacking them.
Their bodies were taken out this morning from where they were, in the middle of the kibbutz. Like the other Israeli people who died, their bodies were covered in black plastic. They were then carried on stretchers to a place where cars are parked, and placed in a row, waiting to be taken back.
The people who live in the Israeli border communities knew that they might get attacked by rockets sometimes because Hamas took over Gaza in 2007. They were okay with the danger that came with living in the countryside in a close-knit community, which still had some of the adventurous spirit of the first Jewish settlers.
People living in Kfar Aza and other Israeli communities near the Gaza wire had a good life, even though there was a risk of rockets from Hamas. In the houses, lawns, and open areas of the kibbutz, there was always a concrete shelter nearby.
All the houses had extra strong rooms for safety. They also had outdoor areas with open spaces, grills for cooking, swings for the kids, and clean air.
But no one in Kfar Aza or anywhere in Israel believed that Hamas would be able to break through Israel’s protections and cause the deaths of so many people.
Israeli people are feeling a mix of horror, anger, and shock because they can’t believe that their government and military didn’t do their main job of keeping them safe.
The bodies of dead Hamas fighters, who caused the death of many people, have been left to decay in the sun. They are lying uncovered in the places where they were killed, such as bushes, ditches, and the lawns of the kibbutz.
Next to their bodies are the motorcycles they used to quickly enter the kibbutz after getting past the border fence. The broken remains of a paraglider that was used to fly over Israel’s defenses can be seen there. It was knocked off its path and landed on a flower bed.
The Israelis had a tough fight to take back Kfar Aza from other border settlements.
This morning, when we got to the kibbutz entrance, there were many Israeli soldiers guarding its edges. We were able to hear what they were saying on the radio.
A leader told their soldiers to start shooting at a building in Gaza. Fire started from automatic weapons right away and was aimed across the border into Gaza.
The loud sound of bombs dropping from planes could be heard constantly in Gaza while we were in Kfar Aza.
Israel is going through a difficult time because many of their fellow citizens were killed on Saturday, which has caused a lot of emotional pain for everyone.
However, in Gaza, many regular people are also getting killed. International humanitarian law says that everyone fighting in a war should keep the civilians safe.
It is obvious that when Hamas attackers kill many innocent people, they are breaking the rules of war in a very serious way. Israelis do not agree with comparing how Hamas kills innocent people to how Palestinian innocent people die in Israeli air attacks.
Major General Itai Veruv, who was near the end of his military career when he led the battle to recapture the kibbutz, strongly believed that Israel was following the rules of war properly.
I believe we will defend our beliefs and customs with determination and strength, but we will also maintain our principles and ethical standards. We are from Israel and we practice the Jewish religion.
He said very firmly that they did not stop following the laws of war. It is sure that if more Palestinian civilians are killed, Israel will receive more and stronger criticism. This is a small view of what the future might look like in Kfar Aza. I spoke to a soldier who did not want to tell me his name, and he had a similar attitude. Just like many other Israelis, the first few days of this war and what he witnessed made him more determined to fight.
When they got there, he described it as a complete mess with terrorists all around.
I asked how hard the fighting was.
Have you ever done something similar as a soldier in the past.
I don’t understand, I just do what I am told to do. I want us to go inside.
Traveling into Gaza would be a very difficult and challenging battle. Okay We are prepared for it.
The soldiers were mostly from backup groups. In the past, serving in the military was seen as an important way to bring people together and create a strong nation, especially when there were disagreements and conflicts among the population.
Davidi Ben Zion, the leader of the first group to fight against the kibbutz and witness the destruction caused by Hamas, recognized that Israelis had strong differences in their political views. However, he stated that now they are all together in their response to the attack.
There was a very bad smell of rotting flesh in the hot autumn sun of the Mediterranean. Soldiers are being cautious as they clear out the bodies from destroyed houses. They are being careful because they are worried about finding explosives that could still be dangerous, and might even be set up as traps. There was a grenade on a path in the garden.
While they were trying to find and bring back the bodies, sometimes they had to hide because they were warned about rockets being launched by Hamas.
Ghanaian dancehall artist Shatta Wale has, out of the goodness of his heart, decided to gift a man for his act of integrity.
As reported by Adom FM, a currently unemployed man made a remarkable discovery when he found a polythene bag containing over GH¢100,000, a key, and an ID card in the backseat of a taxi he had taken from the Mobile filling station at Nima to Abossey Okai.
This good Samaritan chose not to keep the discovered items for himself and instead, he delivered them to the studios of Adom FM, initiating efforts to locate the rightful owner.
When questioned about why he did not consider keeping the significant amount of money, especially given his current unemployed status, he explained that it went against his principles and values. He felt compelled to do the right thing, emphasizing that this is how he was raised.
The story, shared by Ghanaian blogger Sika Official, who recently received the Twitter Influencer of the Year award at the Pulse Influencer of the Year event, has attracted the attention of a Ghanaian Dancehall star. This artist has pledged to provide the gentleman with GH3000 in recognition of his honesty and integrity.
Commenting on the post by the blogger, Shatta Wale said “if Ghanaians will be truthful like this , Good people will always approach them ..I AM SO TOUCHED GUYS Please guys tag @Adom1063fm and let them know I am sending 3000ghc to this good Samaritan of a driver and also Employ him to work with shaxi if he only he is a professional driver or even if he’s got a qualification that can give him a position in our office .. what he did just touched me. God bless you good Ghanaians”.
A gentleman who is currently unemployed, discovered a polythene bag containing over GH¢100,000, a key, and an ID card in the backseat of a taxi he took from the Mobile filling station at Nima to Abossey Okai; he promptly sent the items to the studios of Adom FM for a search to be… pic.twitter.com/8FjEBl18Gx
The University of Ghana (UG) has issued a formal announcement, indicating that starting from the 2023/2024 academic year, students with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) falling below 1.00 in the Colleges of Basic and Applied Sciences, Education, and Humanities will face withdrawal from the institution.
This decision aligns with Section 9.26 of the University Regulations for Junior Members (2017), which specifies that undergraduate students who fail to attain the prescribed minimum CGPA required for progression to the next level of their studies will be compelled to withdraw from the university.
In a notification from the Academic Affairs Directorate at UG, students who are currently in their second year (level 200) and third year (level 300) and who have already received their examination results for all courses registered during the 2022/2023 academic year, and whose CGPA falls below the approved minimum for their respective college, should anticipate receiving official withdrawal letters from the University via their official UG email addresses in the near future.
Additionally, for those students who have already paid their tuition fees for the upcoming 2023/2024 academic year, the university will process refunds upon request.
The notice also underscored the University of Ghana’s recognition of the gravity of this announcement and encouraged any student with inquiries or in need of assistance to reach out to the appropriate College Academic Affairs Office.
In addition, it was mentioned that a separate notice specifically addressing the College of Health Sciences would be released in the future.
This announcement has taken many students by surprise, especially those who are facing academic challenges and struggling to meet the newly imposed CGPA requirements.
Gaza’s only power station will run out of fuel today, according to the Palestinian Energy Authority.
This week, Israel said they would surround Gaza to stop electricity, fuel, and water from getting in.
People in Gaza are going to schools and hospitals to protect themselves while Israeli planes are attacking certain places. The Israeli military has many soldiers near Gaza, who are prepared and waiting to carry out the task they have been assigned.
Over 1,200 people have died in Israel, with more than 900 people killed in Gaza due to Israeli air strikes.
Inanotherpart of the country, Israel has started a fightwithLebanonbecauseHezbollah attacked themfirst. The BBC has found out that 17 people from the UK have eitherdied or cannotbefound since Hamas startedtheir attacks on Saturday.
A person who used to work for Donald Trump has admitted that they were aware that the former president was exaggerating the size of his apartment in Trump Tower.
Allen Weisselberg, who used to be in charge of finances at the Trump Organization, admitted this information during a legal trial in New York.
He said the records were wrong about the flat being 20,000 sq feet bigger than it actually is.
Mr Trump is being accused of making the value of his properties seem higher by over $2 billion (£1. 6 billion)
Former President Trump, his two children Donald Jr. and Eric, the Trump Organization, and some business leaders are alleged to have engaged in fraud, manipulated business records, provided false financial statements, and plotted together.
Before the trial began, the judge decided that Trump properties were not worth as much as what the former president and his company claimed. Mr Trump has described the trial as a “witch hunt” being carried out by people he sees as his political enemies.
However, on Tuesday, Mr. Weisselberg stated that the apartment in Trump Tower is about 10,000 square feet (929 square meters), which is different from the 30,000 square feet (2,787 square meters) indicated in the financial documents.
Mr Weisselberg initially struggled with talking about the difference in sizes, but later he mentioned that he was more worried about other things being revealed.
Considering the worth of the apartment in relation to his total assets doesn’t really matter. “It’s around 1%,” Mr. When I looked at the financial statement, there were some big things on there that worried me more.
The judge, Arthur Engoron, stopped Mr. Weisselberg while he was talking and said, “You should only answer the questions and not give speeches. ” Please only respond to the questions.
In 2017, Forbes asked about how big the triplex was. They referred to a document from October 1994 where Mr. Trump said the penthouse was 10,996 square feet or 1021 square meters.
From 2012 until now, the triplex has been listed as being 30,000 square feet in size.
Mr Weisselberg admitted that the apartment is actually much smaller than what was stated on the financial documents provided to banks and insurance companies for loan approvals and deals.
This statement comes six months after Mr. Weisselberg was let out of prison. He admitted to cheating on his taxes in 2022 and was in jail for around three months.
The prosecutors in his situation claimed that he received benefits from a company’s plan. These benefits included $1. 76 million, a furnished apartment without rent, private school fees for his grandchildren, and expensive cars.
If the judge agrees with the people trying to prove that Mr. Trump broke the law, he would have to pay a lot of money and would not be allowed to do business in New York.
Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has made a compelling appeal to the leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to initiate efforts aimed at persuading former party stalwart, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, to rejoin the party.
In September, Mr. Kyerematen made the significant decision to resign from the NPP and expressed his ambition to lead a movement as an independent candidate. The Suame Member of Parliament believes that extending an olive branch to Mr Kyerematen may be a constructive step towards resolving the issues at hand.
“I think that every effort must be made, even if it’s a one percent possibility, let’s see what will come out of it. We are talking about Alan’s situation, where we are saying that let’s still engage if he will come back. To now go into specifics will be a difficulty, it may hamper the reconciliation I’m suggesting. It’s possible to bring him back,” the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs opined in a media interview.
On September 25th, the former Minister for Trade and Industry made the significant announcement of his departure from the party, disclosing his intention to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming 2024 elections. His decision was motivated by concerns related to the intimidation faced by his supporters and the perception that the party had been unduly influenced by a select group.
This move by Mr. Kyerematen reverberated throughout the political landscape, given his steadfast and long-standing membership in the NPP, which he had been a part of for many years. With his extensive political experience and notable contributions to the NPP, as well as his previous roles in various government positions, he has been a prominent figure in Ghanaian politics.
Kari Lake, a person who wanted to become the governor of Arizona but didn’t accept losing, plans to run for the state’s Senate position in the 2024 election.
Ms Lake repeated what her friend Donald Trump said by claiming that she lost in 2022 because of a lot of cheating.
She joins a tight competition, where Sen Kyrsten Sinema and Rep Ruben Gallego might also be participating.
Ms Lake spoke to her supporters at a rally in Arizona on Tuesday. She spent a lot of her speech talking negatively about Joe Biden.
The 54-year-old Republican criticized the president’s policies on the US border with Mexico. They called media organizations “un-American” and said they supported Mr. Trump’s time in the White House.
“We only have one year to rescue this country and we need to change our approach, folks. ” She said we need to leave Joe Biden. “We need to have patriotic Americans who prioritize the success of our country in the Senate. ”
Right now, there is a situation at the Arizona border where a group of people or things have forcefully entered without permission. Kyrsten Sinema and Ruben Gallego have consistently said “no” to giving money for the border wall. They have approved this plan to have open borders. Arizonans are tired of it,” she later said in a message on X, which used to be called Twitter.
Ms Lake, who ended up losing the election for governor last year by 17,000 votes, tried to challenge her loss in court but didn’t succeed. The court did not want to listen to the challenge completely. They said in March that there was not enough proof that incorrect ballots had been included in the final count.
But Trump supported her position and fully endorsed her bid in a video message at Tuesday’s rally.
“In the Senate, we need a large, powerful majority to assist me in advancing our America First agenda quickly,” stated Mr. Kari is one of the strongest fighters in our group.
Ms Lake doesn’t have much competition right now to win the Republican nomination. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is currently the only other person who has joined the competition.
However, surveys indicate that there is a close race between Ms. Sinema, and Rep. The state, which used to mostly support Republicans, was won by President Biden in 2020.
Sen Sinema became a Democrat in 2018 by winning the election and taking over the seat previously held by retiring Republican Sen Jeff Flake. However, last year she decided to leave the party and become an independent. She did this because she wanted to challenge what she believed was a “flawed and divided” political system.
The person who is 47 years old has not yet said if they will try to be elected again.
Rep Gallego, a former US marine who some polls suggest is winning by a small margin in the race, was quick to criticize Ms Lake’s announcement. He wrote on X and said that she was “weakening our democracy”.
“That’s why people didn’t vote for you before, and they will do the same again,” he said.
The news has now been officially confirmed: Chioma and Davido have joyfully welcomed twins!
This couple faced a heartbreaking loss in November 2022 when their only child, Ifeanyi, tragically lost his life in a drowning incident at their residence in Banana Island, Lagos.
Their new bundles of joy arrived on Monday, October 9, 2023. According to a trusted inside source, the twins were born in the evening at 9 p.m., and they have been identified as a baby boy and a baby girl.
While neither of the couple has made an official announcement about this delightful news, it was also corroborated by Ovie, a close associate, who shared the report on his official social media page, providing assurance of this wonderful development.
Kari Lake, a person who wanted to become the governor of Arizona but didn’t accept losing, plans to run for the state’s Senate position in the 2024 election.
Ms Lake repeated what her friend Donald Trump said by claiming that she lost in 2022 because of a lot of cheating.
She joins a tight competition, where Sen Kyrsten Sinema and Rep Ruben Gallego might also be participating.
Ms Lake spoke to her supporters at a rally in Arizona on Tuesday. She spent a lot of her speech talking negatively about Joe Biden.
The 54-year-old Republican criticized the president’s policies on the US border with Mexico. They called media organizations “un-American” and said they supported Mr. Trump’s time in the White House.
“We only have one year to rescue this country and we need to change our approach, folks. ” She said we need to leave Joe Biden. “We need to have patriotic Americans who prioritize the success of our country in the Senate. ”
Right now, there is a situation at the Arizona border where a group of people or things have forcefully entered without permission. Kyrsten Sinema and Ruben Gallego have consistently said “no” to giving money for the border wall. They have approved this plan to have open borders. Arizonans are tired of it,” she later said in a message on X, which used to be called Twitter.
Ms Lake, who ended up losing the election for governor last year by 17,000 votes, tried to challenge her loss in court but didn’t succeed. The court did not want to listen to the challenge completely. They said in March that there was not enough proof that incorrect ballots had been included in the final count.
But Trump supported her position and fully endorsed her bid in a video message at Tuesday’s rally.
“In the Senate, we need a large, powerful majority to assist me in advancing our America First agenda quickly,” stated Mr. Kari is one of the strongest fighters in our group.
Ms Lake doesn’t have much competition right now to win the Republican nomination. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is currently the only other person who has joined the competition.
However, surveys indicate that there is a close race between Ms. Sinema, and Rep. The state, which used to mostly support Republicans, was won by President Biden in 2020.
Sen Sinema became a Democrat in 2018 by winning the election and taking over the seat previously held by retiring Republican Sen Jeff Flake. However, last year she decided to leave the party and become an independent. She did this because she wanted to challenge what she believed was a “flawed and divided” political system.
The person who is 47 years old has not yet said if they will try to be elected again.
Rep Gallego, a former US marine who some polls suggest is winning by a small margin in the race, was quick to criticize Ms Lake’s announcement. He wrote on X and said that she was “weakening our democracy”.
“That’s why people didn’t vote for you before, and they will do the same again,” he said.
The former head of Burundi’s central bank has been arrested on suspicions of corruption.
Dieudonné Murengerantwari has been accused by the justice ministry of causing trouble for the national economy, being involved in corruption, hiding money, and taking public assets for personal use.
He hasn’t replied to the accusations made against him.
On Sunday, the President of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye, removed Mr. Murengerantwari from his position and appointed Édouard Normand Bigendako as the replacement.
Mr Murengerantwari was chosen to be in charge of Burundi’s central bank for a period of five years starting in August of the previous year.
Attorney General Leonard Manirakiza said on Tuesday that the accusations against Mr. Murengerantwari are not yet confirmed, and the investigation is still ongoing.
He also mentioned that Mr. Murengerantwari is being treated in line with the law while he is still in custody.
The family of the late Michael Ashie, one of the three individuals who tragically lost their lives due to suffocation while carrying out maintenance work on a faulty fuel reservoir at the COCOBOD office in Koforidua, has expressed their full cooperation with the Ghana Police Service, who have initiated an investigation into this unfortunate incident.
The deceased individuals, Michael Ashie, Jonathan Kokroko, and Paul Ocloo, were technical experts contracted by the management of the PBC workshop to perform repairs on the faulty fuel reservoir at the Koforidua COCOBOD Office. Regrettably, they reportedly suffocated while engaged in their tasks on Monday, October 9.
Health professionals at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Koforidua Effiduase, who confirmed the deaths of these three individuals after their bodies were retrieved from the underground tank and transported to the hospital, are also collaborating with the police. They intend to provide the police with an autopsy report in due course.
Ishmael Kotey Ashie, the son of the deceased Michael Ashie, described the incident as shocking to the family, which they are gradually recovering from.
“It was shocking news, but all the same, we have to embrace whatever news has come, and we are standing strong. I am trying to keep my mother and my sister together,” he said.
Meanwhile, the management of COCOBOD in the Eastern Region is still waiting for confirmation from the national headquarters before briefing the media on the incident.
Hurricane Lidia was a very powerful storm that hit Mexico with extremely strong winds reaching up to 140mph (220km/h).
But the storm has become less strong after moving onto land, with the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) saying it is now a Category 2 storm.
Officials in the state of Nayarit reported that a man died when a tree fell on the van he was driving.
Lidia arrived at the small beach town of Las Penitas right before 6:00 PM local time (12:00 AM GMT).
The hurricane was very strong, being in category 4 out of a maximum of 5 on the hurricane wind scale.
According to the NHC, by 9:00 PM (3:00 AM GMT), Lidia had strong winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). It was passing close to the town of Mascota in Jalisco state.
The center stated that Lidia was heading towards the east-northeast at a speed of 17 mph (28 km/h). It is expected to become weaker soon as it moves over high land in west-central Mexico.
The NHC said that very strong winds from the hurricane could be dangerous to life and they are expected to happen overnight. They also warned about the water levels becoming dangerous, floods happening suddenly, and big waves on the Pacific coast.
“I am telling people who live in the area between Nayarit and Jalisco, especially in Bahia de Banderas, Puerto Vallarta, and Tomatlan, to be careful,” he said on a social media website called X, which used to be called Twitter. He advises people to avoid areas that are lower in elevation, rivers, and slopes.
In Puerto Vallarta, a beach town, people stayed inside to avoid the storm. Store owners secured windows with boards and placed sandbags in case there was too much water.
The airport will be closed from 4:00 pm local time until 8:00 am on Wednesday.
Some areas of Mexico’s Pacific coastline have experienced a lot of flooding this week due to the impact of Tropical Storm Max. According to local news, two people died because of the storm in Guerrero state.
Every year, Mexico gets hit by hurricanes on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts. The official time for hurricanes in the country is from May to November. Most hurricanes form from July to October.
Scientists are not sure yet how climate change affects the number of storms, but they believe that warmer sea temperatures make the air hotter above it and provide more energy for hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons to form and become stronger.
Therefore, they will probably be stronger with heavier rainfall.
The Earth has gotten warmer by 1. 1C (3398F) since industry started, and it will keep getting hotter unless governments reduce emissions significantly.
Customers of the now-defunct Gold Coast Fund Management Company were camped out at the Ministry of Finance’s entrance on the evening of October 10, 2023, demanding the release of their frozen funds.
These aggrieved customers have been persistently clamoring for the disbursement of an approved amount of GH¢8.6 billion, as sanctioned by Parliament, in order to resolve their outstanding claims. Disenchanted by the prolonged delay in accessing their funds, they took to the streets in protest at the ministry on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
Originating from different regions across the nation, these customers united with a clear intent to stage a 48-hour-long demonstration, parking themselves at the ministry premises to underscore their plea. However, their endeavors failed to attract the requisite attention from the ministry.
Charles Nyame, the spokesperson for this collective, clarified that their decision to spend the night at the ministry was a deliberate strategy, meticulously calculated to send an unequivocal message to the government, fervently urging them to honor their financial commitments and responsibilities.
Aggrieved customers of the now-defunct Gold Coast Fund Management company have converged at the Finance Ministry to demand the release of their locked up funds. #CitiNewsroompic.twitter.com/DvX818uwA9
Bessa Simons has officially been elected as President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) following a decisive victory in the elections held on Tuesday, October 10, 2023. This electoral process was administered under the auspices of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, headed by Jean Mensa.
With a resounding total of 324 votes, Bessa Simons emerged victorious in a contest against his lone competitor, Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, who managed to secure only 66 votes.
Notably, the MUSIGA election unfolded across all 16 regions of Ghana, with significant voter turnout, as individuals exercised their democratic rights. In the Greater Accra Region, voting took place at the Accra Tourist Information Centre on Liberation Road.
This successful election marks the conclusion of four previous postponements and brings renewed optimism for the organization. It signals the prospect of fostering greater peace and harmony as MUSIGA continues to champion the welfare and progress of Ghanaian music and its associated artists.
Assisting President Bessa Simons in steering the organization are key figures such as Rev Dr. Thomas Yawson as the First Vice President, Abena Ruthy as the Second Vice President, S.K. Agyemang as the General Secretary, Rev Eyison as the National Treasurer, Rev Gifty Ghansah as the National Welfare Officer, and Chizzy Wailer as the National Organiser.
Bessa Simons, renowned for his contributions as a keyboardist, band leader, and singer-songwriter, previously served as the acting MUSIGA President. This role became his responsibility when Bice Osei Kuffour, known as Obour, concluded his eight-year tenure as President on August 11, 2019.
Meanwhile, Ras Caleb, who had harbored expectations of victory and support from specific individuals, expressed his frustration and issued a warning to those who misled him: “The members who took money from me and didn’t vote for me should continue to wallow in poverty.”
“I have a lot of things I am currently doing and I will prefer to continue doing them than to waste my time with this MUSIGA administration.”
“This is a cartel since the days of Diana Hopeson to Obour and I don’t want to be part of this. I had great ideas for MUSIGA but I can see that the member don’t like progress. I had well thought out plan to move MUSIGA to another level but as it stands now, I will keep it,” he bemoaned.
MUSIGA Updates: MUSIGA is going digital to bring all the industry players on board and make more money.
A new strong quake with a magnitude of 6. 3 hit around 05:10 in the morning, local time (00:40 GMT), on Wednesday. It happened 28km (17 miles) north of the city Herat.
Over 100 people were hurt and taken to the hospital, according to health officials.
The bigger effect is still not certain, but a lot of people were sleeping outside because their houses got destroyed on Saturday.
Charitable organizations have reported that there is not enough blankets, food, and other essential items available.
A person who saw what happened in central Herat, where a few houses are still standing, said that she woke up shouting and quickly ran out of her house.
“I was very tired and slept deeply because I hadn’t slept in the days before,” she said to the BBC.
“I have never felt so near to dying,” she said. She explained that she ran without shoes to the edge of the city, where a lot of people have been sleeping in tents since the initial earthquake. On Saturday morning, an earthquake happened in Zindajan, a rural area that is about 40km away from Herat.
Pictures from the villages show that the houses, which were not strong enough to survive the shaking, have been completely destroyed.
Afghanistan often experiences earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range. This happens because the country is located close to where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates meet. “Video explaining the concept”
“I lost 11 members of my family,” said the person affected by the earthquake.
Today, October 11, within the High Court Complex, Financial Court 2 is scheduled to convene for the purpose of reviewing an application presented by former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Dapaah. This application pertains to the seizure and freezing order initiated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Furthermore, on the upcoming date of October 16, Financial Court 2 is set to hold a session to deliberate an application presented by the OSP. The purpose of this application is to request the court’s permission to submit a supplementary affidavit, which is intended to present additional evidence that has been uncovered in relation to Ms. Dapaah.
Cecilia Dapaah initiated an interlocutory injunction application against the OSP on the 10th of October. This application seeks to impede and prevent the Special Prosecutor from proceeding with its investigation and legal proceedings against her and her husband, Daniel Osei Kufuor, who face allegations of corruption and corruption-related crimes.
As per the court documents that have been obtained and sourced through citinewsroom.com, it becomes evident that the former Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, is also seeking the court’s intervention to compel the OSP to unfreeze her bank accounts, which have been subjected to a freezing order.
She is also asking the court to deem as arbitrary and unfair the seizure of money discovered in her Abelemkpe home and the refreezing of her bank accounts.
“A Declaration that the Respondent’s re-seizure of the money (initially seized from the Applicant’s home on 24/07/23) and re-freezing of Applicant’s bank accounts respectively on 5th September 2023 is unfair, unreasonable, capricious, arbitrary, and ultra vires the Respondent’s statutory powers under Act 959 relative to the constitutional provisions of Articles 23 and 296 of the Constitution, 1992.”
In July, it was revealed that Cecilia Dapaah’s two housekeepers were in court in Accra for allegedly stealing millions of Ghana Cedis’ worth of cash and other items.
She submitted to public pressure and announced her resignation from her position after receiving calls for her to step down and undergo an investigation On July 22, 2023.
Three people who survived a terrorist attack in Mozambique and four family members of the victims have taken legal action against the French oil company TotalEnergies.
The people who survived and their family members, who are from Britain and South Africa, are blaming Total for not taking proper care of its subcontractors and causing their deaths.
Many people, including workers hired by TotalEnergies, were killed in March 2021 when a group of Islamist militants attacked the city of Palma in Mozambique.
The attack happened close to a place where a gas project is being done. TotalEnergies owns part of this project.
The government of Mozambique said that 30 people died in the attack, but a journalist named Alex Perry found that 1,402 people died or went missing, including 55 workers from the company Total.
The lawsuit says that TotalEnergies didn’t tell the subcontractors working there about the danger of possible attacks.
The lawsuit also claims that TotalEnergies did not have enough safety measures in place and did not allow a helicopter to refuel and rescue its workers.
The people who made the complaint say that the militants killed some workers who were hired by TotalEnergies while they were running away from the hotel.
“It is being said that TotalEnergies did not directly cause the deaths of the victims, but they did not behave responsibly as expected of a professional in fulfilling their duties,” stated their lawyers.
According to Reuters, TotalEnergies has denied the survivors and victims’ families’ claims, calling them “incorrect”. The company also mentioned that it removed all its employees from the site.
On October 10, 2023, the remains of the late Enoch Teye Mensah, former Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, arrived in Ghana from South Africa. His passing in South Africa was confirmed by his family on October 2, 2023, while he was in the country for health-related reasons.
A video stream shared by the state broadcaster, GBC, showed a bustling scene at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) as representatives from government, parliament, family, friends, and well-wishers gathered to receive the remains, which arrived on a South African Airways plane.
Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, represented President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and officially received the mortal remains of the late minister and Greater Accra Regional Member of the Council of State. Traditional rituals were observed before the military transported the late ET Mensah’s body to a designated area, with the national flag adorning his remains.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) was represented by General Secretary Fifi Fiavi Kwetey and other high-ranking officials. Following a brief ceremony, the body was conveyed to the morgue.
Enoch Teye Mensah, the former sports minister, passed away at the age of 77. He was born on May 17, 1946, and served as a Minister for Education and a Member of Parliament in Ghana from January 1997 until January 2017.
Vote counting is happening now after the polls ended in Liberia’s presidential and parliamentary elections on Tuesday.
In the country of West Africa, people took part in a vote to choose their president, the members of the House of Representatives, and also half of the Senate.
The current president, George Weah, used to play football and is now running for a second term as president. He is the favorite to win against 19 other people running for the presidency.
But it is predicted that he will have to participate in a second round of voting next month.
The electoral commission will start releasing the first results today.
An important Israeli officer was killed in a fight with armed group on the border with Lebanon on Monday, according to Israel’s military.
The military said that soldiers and planes killed two “terrorist infiltrators” who entered Israel’s land.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that they were a part of it.
Afterwards, the military attacked places in Lebanon because mortar fire was happening, resulting in the deaths of three militants from Hezbollah movement.
On Tuesday, a group called Hezbollah claimed that their soldiers shot a special missile at an Israeli army vehicle in the Avivim area.
The military said that no one got hurt and that a helicopter attacked one of the group’s lookout spots because of what they did.
The Palestinian group Hamas said they launched rockets from Lebanon towards Israel’s western Galilee area.
The Israeli military said that the rockets either got stopped or landed in empty places. In response, they attacked two more Hezbollah observation posts.
For three days in a row, there have been attacks coming from Lebanon, while at the same time, Israel and Hamas were fighting in Gaza.
The United States has told Hezbollah, a strong military group in Lebanon that fought against Israel in 2006, to stay out of a situation.
On Monday, there was a lot of violence. Some armed men came into Lebanon near a town called Dhayra. Israeli soldiers, with help from helicopter gunships, killed these armed men.
It said that two of the fighters died and one went back to Lebanon and got away.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad said that the infiltration was a part of their plan called “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood”. This plan was carried out by the militant group Hamas and involved a large attack on southern Israeli communities from Gaza. It started on Saturday and there are reports that at least 900 Israelis have been killed.
The Israeli military said their helicopters attacked Hezbollah spots in Lebanon, which included two observation posts. This was done in response to two mortar bombs that were fired into Israel, but luckily didn’t cause any injuries.
Hezbollah said that three of their fighters were killed in attacks by Israel on towns and villages in Lebanon. The group fought back by shooting rockets and shells at two places where Israeli soldiers live.
On Sunday, the group called Hezbollah launched several shells and rockets at the Israeli army’s locations in the Shebaa Farms/Mount Dov region, claiming it was showing support for the Palestinian fighters.
The Iran-backed group, which has very strong rockets that can go far into Israel, has said they will get involved in the Israel-Gaza conflict if certain limits are crossed. They say that Israeli troops entered forcefully.
On Monday, a high-ranking US defense official spoke to reporters. They said that they are really worried about Hezbollah making a bad choice and deciding to start another part of the fight.
While we are yet to unravel the details Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) sweet ‘secret deal’ with Frontier Healthcare Service Limited, a company owned by Nigerian businessman Benedict Peters, we get hit by another explosive deal with a company named Heaven Builders Limited linked to the same Benedict Peters.
Ghanaians are beginning to wonder how of the country has been ‘captured’ by this same man who was on Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) WANTED LIST corruption and money laundry allegations
Benedict Peters, the owner of Aiteo Group of Companies in Nigeria, finds himself entangled in a web of controversy as allegations of corruption and questions surrounding the COVID-19 testing contract in Ghana continue to swirl. The lack of transparency regarding the USD 150 COVID-19 test at Kotoka International Airport in Accra has left travelers and Ghana’s political landscape in turmoil.
As if this is not concerning enough, in a developing story that has sent shockwaves through Ghana’s political and business circles, a contentious land transaction involving prime state lands near Kotoka International Airport (KIA) is causing widespread concern and debate.
The Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) is at the center of this controversy as it allegedly prepares to hand over these valuable airport lands to Heaven Builders Limited, a Nigerian-owned company with reported connections to high-ranking figures in Ghana. Critics have accused Heaven Builders Limited of using Ghanaians as fronts in this deal.
One of the primary sources of contention is the vastly differing valuations of the land in question. The Ghana Institute of Surveyors, as far back as 2019, priced just 1.7 acres of the airport lands at over US$6.3 million each. However, Heaven Builders Limited has set the current average value of an acre of this land at a mere US$1.3 million.
Benedict Peters, the owner of Heaven Builders Limited, is alleged to have close ties to the Akufo-Addo family, particularly Edward Akufo-Addo, known as “Bumpty,” the younger brother of the President.
This situation has given rise to a fierce battle within the GACL. The management, led by Managing Director Pamela Djamson-Tettey, has garnered support from the workers’ union to safeguard the state’s interests. In contrast, the board of directors, chaired by Paul Adom-Otchere, appears divided on the matter, with some members siding with the management.
The heart of the dispute lies in the extent of land being offered to Heaven Builders Limited. While Ghana Airports initially intended to lease 38.41 acres of the land to anchor holders for US$85 million over a 45-year period, Benedict Peters has insisted on securing a more substantial 62.14 acres for a 99-year lease, a move many analysts have criticized as detrimental to Ghana’s interests.
According to reports, the 62.14 acres of land, by valuation standards set by the Ghana Institute of Surveyors, should command a price far exceeding US$139 million. However, the proposed deal’s cost aligns with the valuation of the smaller 38.41-acre portion, priced at US$85 million.
These prime airport lands were originally part of a 272-acre tract of land vested in the state and leased to GACL for 99 years during the tenure of the Tony Lithur-led board under the John Mahama administration.
Despite mounting concerns and multiple valuation reports suggesting that Heaven Builders Limited’s counteroffer is significantly undervalued, Paul Adom-Otchere, along with Minister for Transport Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, are reportedly pushing forward with the transaction, favoring Heaven Builders Limited as anchor holders who will subsequently lease the prime lands to private developers.
Inside sources within the Presidency have reportedly revealed Heaven Builders Limited’s connection to Benedict Peters, the same individual who owns Frontier Healthcare Services Limited, known for deploying a costly COVID-19 testing facility at KIA during the pandemic.
Critics argue that Benedict Peters, a Nigerian national with strong ties to the Akufo-Addo family, appears to be leveraging his connections to secure prime KIA lands for a fraction of their true value.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is closely monitoring the transaction, has raised further concerns. He claims that Heaven Builders Limited does not have a physical office at the locations listed in its incorporation documents. Ablakwa’s investigation revealed that one listed address in Tema was an abandoned residential structure, while another address in Accra’s Central Business District did not yield any trace of the company.
This controversy continues to unfold as more details emerge, with allegations of irregularities and questionable practices surrounding the deal. Ghanaian citizens and observers are closely watching developments, and calls for transparency and accountability in this high-stakes land transaction are growing louder by the day.
Embattled former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah has filed an injunction application against the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for prosecuting her until its freeze of her accounts and cash seizure case is determined.
Per the court documents filed today, Tuesday, October 10, the lawyers say if the OSP is not retrained, the accused will suffer irreparable damage.
They have asked the court to balance her rights against the state’s power to fight corruption.
“This Court is enjoined to balance the economic right of the affected persons against the State’s power to fight corruption.”
“It is the Applicants’ considered view that they would suffer irreparable harm if the Respondent is not restrained pending the final determination of the substantive matter.”
The former minister has also refuted allegations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor that she has an undeclared real estate business.
According to her, the OSP has not provided any evidence of that claim.
The court document filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor said Cecilia Abena Dapaah “was engaged in undisclosed and undeclared real estate business in which she obscured and concealed the transactions by employing the use of aliases to avoid detection of the actual ownership of the business and properties, while cleverly receiving proceeds of the transactions in her bank account and investments.”
This is part of OSP’s attempt to confirm the seizure of suspected tainted properties belonging to Madam Dapaah.
Meanwhile, OSP has also failed to declare her income and property.
According to the statement of offence filed at the High Court on Friday, October 6, Cecilia Dapaah failed to with a notice declare her property served on Monday, July 24 within 30 days as stated in the OSP Act.
The OSP says this is a contravention of the OSP Act and that she must be punished for it.
“Cecilia Abena Dapaah, 68 years, 25 August 2023, in Accra in the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana and within the jurisdiction of this Court, being a suspect under investigation for corruption and corruption-related offences including using public office for profit in respect of suspected tainted large cash sums reportedly stolen from your residential premises and also retrieved from same by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, without lawful excuse, failed, within 30 days, to comply with a notice to declare your property and income served on you by the Special Prosecutor on 24 July 2023 under regulation 20(1) per Forms 1A and 1B of the First Schedule of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374) as specified in regulation 20(2) and Form 21 of the First Schedule of the Ofice of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374).”
A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Boakye Agyarko says the party has lost its avowed characters and values.
Mr Agyarko who lost out on his bid to lead the NPP into the 2024 general elections said lies and mischief have taken over integrity and well-thought-out policies in the party.
According to him, the party is derailing and urgent action must be taken to avert same.
In an open letter issued on Tuesday, October 10, he insisted that the party is no longer focused on national development but selfish interests.
“Indeed, our politics is no longer altogether a quiet and dignified affair of attending to the urgent business of national development.”
“It is now politics of noisy marketplace and election platforms where noise, mischief, insincerity and lies have more value than thought, character and integrity.”
“This is the morass, perforce, we must redeem ourselves from,” an excerpt of the opinion letter said.
On his part, one-time presidential aspirant of the governing party, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng also believes the party has lost its morals in governance.
The immediate past Environment Minister insists the party which promoted and exhibited inclusivity in government has now deviated from it.
According to him, the current NPP is now serving Ghanaians with a government of family, friends and praise singers.
The celebrated heart surgeon and founder of the National Cardiothoracic Center thus wondered how low the party has sunk in recent times.
“There are people who claim to be stalwarts of the party; they have neither political appointments nor positions in the party structure. They appear to wield so much power that one of them is described as ‘de facto Prime Minister’ of the country. Apparently, they have what it takes to get their friends and favourites appointed to prominent and powerful positions in society.”
“At the same time, they have the tendency to disrespect and make life difficult for Ghanaians. This is unlike the NPP we know. NPP, HOW DID WE GET HERE?”
“We are being served with a variation of “family, friends, and concubines government”, and control of the press not through violence but through bribery and intimidation. We are witnessing the weaponisation of state institutions to silence transformative voices while allowing patronised corruption to flourish. Instead of development in freedom, we are witnessing unprecedented intimidation, economic retrogression, and suffering in silence. NPP, HOW DID WE GET HERE?”
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There is growing tension in Guatemala because supporters of President-elect Bernardo Arévalo have been protesting for a second week.
The protesters want Attorney-General Consuelo Porras to step down from her position.
They say that Ms Porras planned to stop Mr Arévalo, who promised to fight corruption, from becoming the leader.
On Monday, some of the protests that were calm before became aggressive.
Some people wearing masks threw rocks and broke windows at a protest near the National Palace of Culture in Guatemala City. Efe news agency reported that around 200 troublemakers joined the peaceful protest and caused problems. These troublemakers threatened the protesters, press members, and got into clashes with the police.
A person in the government, Napoleón Barrientos Girón, later said that the violence was caused by “groups of people who had joined secretly”. “MrBarrientos said that we are running after them and catching them. ”
The fights happened on the eighth day in a row of demonstrations by Mr Arévalo’s followers. He had won the presidential election in August by a big margin.
Just a few hours after he won by a large margin, the political party he leads called Movimiento Semilla (Seed Movement), was temporarily stopped by Guatemala’s top election authority, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.
Many people believe that his political party suspended him in order to prevent Mr. Arévalo, who is not an experienced politician and has been fighting against corruption, from becoming officially recognized in January as previously planned. MrArévalo himself called it a coup d’état. His followers are now going out to the streets to ask for the removal of Consuelo Porras, who they believe is trying to stop Mr Arévalo, from her role as attorney-general.
Ms Porras is saying that Mr Arévalo’s party did not follow the proper procedures to become officially registered. However, some people who disagree with her say that she only started looking into this issue after Mr Arévalo did well in the first round of the election and secured a place in the next round.
The protests got worse last week when protesters stopped cars from using important roads all over the country. The blockades have made it difficult for people to get fuel and food in some areas. It has also stopped traffic on important roads.
In a TV speech to the country, the president who is leaving his position, Alejandro Giammattei, asked the protesters to remove the blockades. He said the blockades were against the law, causing a shortage of supplies and endangering the lives of Guatemalan people.
He also requested Mr. Arévalo to meet with mediators from the Organization of American States (OAS) to make sure that the transfer of power on January 14th, when President Giammattei’s term ends, happens peacefully.
The council offices have turned on blue and white lights and hoisted an Israeli flag due to the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza.
The council in Hertsmere Borough, along with Elstree and Borehamwood, started showing solidarity on Monday.
Based on the 2021 census, about 17% of people in the borough of Hertsmere are Jewish. The town of Borehamwood is connected with Shoham in Israel as twins.
Jeremy Newark, who works for Hertsmere Council, said he wants to help victims and strengthen relationships within the community.
In the past few days, many people have died in Israel and Gaza.
The leader of the council, Mr. Newark, organized the display. He said he would not let the “politics of hatred” come into our streets. Mr Newark shared a message online where he expressed his hope to deter people who want to bring conflict to the streets of Hertsmere by showing unity and strength.
Hertsmere Borough Council is teaming up with the Community Security Trust to make sure that people in the local area feel safe.
Mr Newark said that he is really proud of how people from all different political beliefs have come together to make sure that our community will not let hate affect us.
The mayor of Borehamwood, Rebecca Challice, said she talked to the mayor of Shoham to show her support.
