Former Ghana international, Laryea Kingston,has secured a new coaching role at RPS Academies in the United States, where he will focus on grooming young football talents.
Based in Saint Lucie, Florida, Kingston will collaborate with a team of coaches to mentor and develop rising stars in the multi-sport institution.
With a UEFA Licence B coaching certificate and vast experience from his playing and coaching career, Kingston is set to bring valuable insights to his new role.
Despite the disappointment of stepping down as head coach of the Black Starlets during the U-17 WAFU B Championship in Accra, Kingston shared his excitement about embracing this new opportunity in an interview with Graphic Sports.
“I had other coaching opportunities, but this option is very good for me,” he said.
Kingston explained how his new employers had been following his progress for some time before approaching him with the opportunity.
With his deep understanding of the Right to Dream model, Kingston feels confident in his ability to lead RPS Academies.
“I am very much at home working in an environment that combines education with sports performance, but with even bigger responsibilities this time,” he shared.
“We have a few US-based African players here, but we must widen our talent search. I want to give them a scout in Africa, like we had at Right to Dream, where players are scouted across the continent, especially in West Africa,” he said.
Kingston, who has been awarded a five-year deal, is expected to begin work on September 1.
He has previously worked with Right to Dream Academy and as a coach for the under-18 side of Danish club Nordsjaelland.
RPS Academies offers a broad range of sporting disciplines including football, tennis, golf, volleyball, and pickleball, while placing significant emphasis on academic development.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has emphasized that debt transparency is not only beneficial for individual countries but also crucial for the IMF’s operations.
The IMF noted that hidden and opaque debt forms hinder its ability to fulfill its core mandate.
For instance, collateralized loans, complex financing methods, and confidentiality agreements complicate the IMF’s efforts to accurately assess a country’s debt and aid in economic recovery.
In a publication titled “Hidden Debt Hurts Economies, Better Disclosure Laws Can Help Ease the Pain,” the IMF highlighted its efforts to promote debt transparency through technical assistance and program engagements. The publication stated, “Well-designed laws make it harder to hide debt. However, there are insufficient such laws, despite their proven benefits.
To achieve critical transparency, countries and their international partners must advocate for reforms to enhance domestic legal frameworks, benefiting borrowers, legitimate creditors, and the broader system.
Uncovering hidden debts has never been more important.”
The IMF also pointed out that ineffective oversight by legislatures and supreme audit institutions (national government audit bodies), which are vital for accountability, can impede public debt disclosure.
The Fund urged legislative bodies to monitor and scrutinize public debt on behalf of the people and to have staff capable of understanding highly technical reports.
Many legislatures employ committee systems, such as budget and public accounts committees, to allow for specialization among legislators.
In the United States, for example, the Treasury Secretary must send the annual public debt report to the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees, rather than to Congress as a whole.
The IMF also recommended that laws grant supreme audit institutions the authority and necessary powers to monitor and audit government debt and debt operations.
In two TV interviews, Blinken emphasized that the United States thinks Israeli soldiers should leave Gaza. But they are also waiting to see good plans from Israel for keeping the area safe and well-governed after the war.
Hamas is back in some areas of Gaza, and Blinken said that Israel’s strong actions in the southern city of Rafah may make them responsible for dealing with a long-term rebellion.
He said the United States has been working with Arab countries and others for a few weeks to make good plans for keeping Gaza safe, running it well, and fixing it after the damage. But Israel hasn’t shown those plans yet. I’m sorry, I can’t do that. Can you provide me with the text you’d like me to simplify for you. We also need to see that.
Blinken also said that if Israel goes further into Rafah in the south, there may be some success at first, but it could also harm a lot of civilians. This wouldn’t solve the problem of making sure Hamas can’t control Gaza again, which is what both Israel and the US want.
Blinken also said publicly for the first time that a new report from the Biden administration to Congress on Friday found that Israel broke the law by using weapons from the US in Gaza. The report also said that because of war, government officials could not be completely sure about which airstrikes were happening.
Blinken said that when weapons are used, there are worries about the harm done to children, women, and men. He thinks that in some cases, Israel did not follow the international laws that protect people during war. He mentioned the terrible deaths of innocent people.
The war started on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel and killed 1,200 people, most of them were not soldiers. About 250 individuals were captured and held against their will. Israel’s attack has caused the deaths of over 35,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry.
Officials from the US and UN are saying that Israeli rules on sending food since October 7th have caused a severe lack of food in northern Gaza.
Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu are having disagreements about the war, and people in the US are also arguing about supporting Israel. There are protests on college campuses and many Republican lawmakers are saying Biden should give whatever Israel asks for. The problem could have a big impact on who wins the November presidential election.
Biden told CNN in an interview last week that his government won’t give weapons to Israel for attacking Rafah.
Blinken was on CBS show “Face the Nation” and NBC show “Meet the Press. “
The US Senate approved a law that would make TikTok’s parent company, based in Beijing, sell the app within a year or it would be banned in America.
The ban was included in a big aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Trudeau says that the safety and privacy of Canadians are the most important things when it comes to TikTok.
Last September, the government wanted to make sure TikTok is safe for everyone, so they checked it. They decided that TikTok cannot be used on government devices.
Four years after Harry and his wife Meghan Markle moved to a house in Southern California, a travel company he owns told British authorities this week that he now lives in the United States.
The official recognition shows that the prince is becoming more distant from Britain. He and Meghan left their royal responsibilities to make a lot of money from media deals in America. Since then, Harry has kept saying bad things about the royal family, like accusing them of being unconsciously racist in a Netflix series and in his own book, “Spare. ”
Travalyst Ltd, a company mostly owned by Harry and started in 2020 to promote sustainable tourism, submitted their paperwork to Companies House on Monday. This agency oversees the creation of UK companies.
The paperwork makes Harry even more separate from his job as part of the king’s advisors. These advisors can take over the king’s duties if he is sick or away.
Harry and Meghan now live in a rich area called Montecito with their children. But people are also paying close attention to Harry’s move to the US.
The Heritage Foundation, a group that thinks conservatively, has spoken out against the Department of Homeland Security’s choice to give Harry a visa for the US, even though he admitted to using drugs in “Spare. ”
The foundation wants the department to show Harry’s immigration file to the judge. They think Harry may have lied on his visa application or got special treatment because people with a history of drug use are usually not allowed to get a visa.
Donald Trump claims that illegal migrants are contributing to a surge in violent crimes in the US. He is talked about this in his campaign as he fights to become president again. He has said these things before when he ran for president the first time. But research shows that immigrants are not more likely to commit crimes.
What is Trump talking about regarding immigrants and crime.
The ex-president, Donald Trump, is running against Joe Biden in the upcoming elections. He wants to make the borders stronger because he thinks immigrants illegally in the US are committing crimes.
Trump says that Biden’s rules are too lenient and he has called crimes committed by immigrants who are not allowed to be in the country as “Biden migrant crime. ”
Trump has used mean words to talk about immigrants who are in the US without permission. He called them “animals” when talking about crimes they are accused of. He also said they are “poisoning the blood of our country,” which some people criticized as being mean and sounding like what the Nazis used to say.
The Republican National Committee made a website called “Biden Bloodbath” that shows stories about migrants in eight US states, including Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
What did Biden do in response.
During his speech in March, Biden was stopped by Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is a Republican. She wanted Biden to talk about the murder.
Biden said that Riley was a innocent woman who was killed by someone who wasn’t supposed to be in the country. Then he asked how many people were killed by people who are in the country legally.
Biden admitted he made a mistake by using the word “illegal” to describe Riley’s accused killer. He said he should have used the word “undocumented” instead.
Biden’s head border official, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, said last week that he strongly disagrees with trying to make all migrants look bad because of the actions of one person.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier this month that strong language was being used to divide our country.
The US Army is starting a new training program in the Philippines to get better at fighting in tough conditions like jungles and islands. They want to make sure they have enough ammo and other supplies to be ready for anything. A US general talked about it.
The Biden government is building up military partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region to be better prepared for any conflict with China, especially regarding Taiwan. The US is helping the Philippines strengthen its defenses and respond better to natural disasters, especially with China’s disputes in the South China Sea.
Around 2,000 soldiers from the US and the Philippines will have training exercises using helicopters and artillery in the jungle in the northern Philippines in June. This was announced by Major General Marcus Evans, who leads the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division.
Manila has asked for the combat training to take place in the Philippines for the first time. It’s not certain if the long-time treaty partners will choose to make the exercises happen every year, according to Evans.
The drills from June 1 to 10 will happen after two other big exercises between the allied forces – the Salaknib army exercises, which started on Monday, and the Balikatan, which will involve about 16,000 US and Philippine forces and will start later in April. Many countries, including Japan, will send people to watch and learn.
“We need to be ready to help with humanitarian and natural disaster situations, and this training gives us the chance to do that,” Evans said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “We are confident in our training, but we can’t be too relaxed about it. ”
The drill in June will help us improve our preparedness for battle, strengthen our partnerships, and enhance our skills by working together in a tough environment, according to Evans.
The training was set up to be watched live and show what supplies the US and Philippine forces would bring, like ammunition, batteries, and food, and how they would get more supplies in a faraway battlefield.
Evans said it is a way for soldiers, leaders, and units to see how they perform in a pretend battle.
The training in Hawaii has helped small and fast combat units share information better and improve how long they can fight. It helped us to survive in a jungle and island environment because we can’t rely on normal communication lines. We have to use planes or ships to bring supplies.
Last year, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. became the President of the Philippines. He supported his choice to let the US military be in more Philippine military bases under a 2014 defense agreement, saying it was important for his country’s protection of its land.
China told the Philippines that having more American soldiers there would bring them into a lot of trouble with other countries.
Ghanaian TikTok sensation Asantewaa has delighted her fans with the official confirmation of her new bundle of joy through a stunning maternity photoshoot in the United States.
After speculation arose a few months ago regarding Asantewaa welcoming her baby in December 2023 while being in the US since November, the news was recently confirmed by US-based Ghanaian TikTok personality Obaa Cee, who has a close relationship with Asantewaa.
Obaa Cee, expressing joy and excitement, took to TikTok to announce the happy news and congratulate Asantewaa.
“Congratulations, my dear. God has exalted and honoured you. God has heard your cry. God, you’re great, you’ve done us well. When all hope is lost, you are our hope. You have given us a precious gift. Both mother and baby are safe. We thank you, God, you have done what no one can do,” she expressed with utmost excitement.
Despite initially denying the reports, Asantewaa has now put the rumours to rest by sharing beautiful images from her maternity shoot on March 20, 2024.
With this confirmation, fans and well-wishers can join in celebrating Asantewaa’s new journey into motherhood.
On Thursday, the North Korean Central News Agency said that the drills included artillery units that can reach Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
Kim said that artillery units need to act quickly and aggressively as soon as they enter a real war.
North Korea’s big guns that are placed close to the border are a danger to Seoul, a city with 10 million people that is 40 to 50 kilometers away.
North Korea’s army said on Tuesday that they will do military activities in response to South Korea and the USA’s annual military exercises. Military practice that will stop on March 14th. Kim went to a military training area in the west on Wednesday and asked for better abilities to fight in wars.
Alliance is a strong friendship between South Korea and the United States. Training started on Monday. It includes practicing in a pretend command center on a computer and doing 48 different types of activities outside. This is twice as many activities as last year.
North Korea sees South Korea and the United States as enemies. Military drills are seen as a big danger to safety. They are thought to be getting ready to attack the North. Seoul and Washington say their exercises are for defending themselves.
North Korea has been doing more missile tests since 2022 to make stronger nuclear weapons that can reach the U.S Mainland and South Korea. In simpler words: South Korea’s main area. South Korea and the United States. The military has increased their training exercises in reaction.
The experts believe that North Korea wants to use its updated weapons to get the United States to lift sanctions when they start talking again. They think North Korea might do more weapons tests and use aggressive language this year because the United States and South Korea are having important elections.
The Asantehene, the king of Ghana’s traditional Asante kingdom, has been presented with seven royal artifacts that were looted from the kingdom nearly 150 years ago.
These items were repatriated from the Fowler Museum, located at the University of California in the US, and formally handed over to King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II during a ceremony held on Thursday.
Among the returned artifacts are a gold necklace, an ornamental chair, two gold stool ornaments, and two bracelets.
Also included is an elephant tail whisk, described by Erica P Jones, the senior curator of African arts at Fowler Museum, as “a ceremonial piece that is held by someone of incredibly high status.”
These items had been housed at the Fowler Museum since 1965 but were originally looted by British forces from the Asantehene’s Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, southern Ghana, back in 1874.
The repatriation of these artifacts comes shortly after the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK agreed to loan back 32 items that were similarly looted from the kingdom, mainly during the 19th Century.
12-year-old pianist, Jude Kofie based in the United States, has secured a nomination in the coveted Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year category for the inaugural Pianote Awards, set to take place on March 14, 2024.
Despite his youthful age, Kofie finds himself among distinguished contenders, including blind and neurodivergent teen pianist Lucy, acclaimed Alabama tour pianist Miki Sawada, and Ukrainian sensation Helen Martyniuk, known for her viral hit “Bee Theme.”
Jude Kofie’s journey to fame commenced in 2023 when his extraordinary talent caught the attention of a piano tuner, who was so impressed that he gifted Kofie a piano.
Born with autism and a heart defect, Kofie’s story took a turn for the extraordinary when he appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show and received mentorship from Jason Halbert, the music director for Kelly Clarkson and an advocate for autism awareness.
The young pianist’s exposure led to widespread acclaim, culminating in him receiving the Heroes Award at the HollyRod Foundation’s DesignCare Gala.
The Pianote Awards, designed to celebrate pianists globally, encompasses ten categories spanning diverse genres and platforms, including Classical, Pop, Jazz, Contemporary, and recognition for accomplishments on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The event will also honor original compositions and highlight the Most Inspiring Pianist of the Year.
José Alberto García Vilano, also known as La Kena or Ciclon 19, is said to be in charge of the violent gang Los Ciclones.
His group is being accused of taking four US citizens in March last year and causing the death of two of them.
Vilano was caught in a shopping area in Monterrey after officials were tipped off about where he was.
There is a video on social media that might show Vilano and his friends being walked through a mall by the police. But it is not confirmed if it is true.
Four people from the United States were taken by force in the city of Matamoros, which is right across from Brownsville, Texas.
Matamoros is in the middle of a fight between different groups of the Gulf Cartel. They are fighting to control the routes for smuggling drugs into the US.
Four people from America went across the border and into a town that was having problems to get plastic surgery, as told by their family members. Many Americans go to Mexico for cheaper medical treatment, but it can be risky.
A video showed the group getting into a pickup truck while men with big guns were there. One person is pushed onto the vehicle, while the others seem to be asleep and are pulled to the truck.
They had a difficult time for four days.
Two people named Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard were killed, along with a 33-year-old Mexican woman who was not involved in the situation.
The reason for the attack is not clear yet, but the Mexican authorities are looking into whether the group was thought to be part of a rival gang.
Shortly after the event, another group from the Gulf Cartel called the Scorpions Group, said sorry for the kidnapping and handed over five men they believed were responsible.
Since 2022, the government of Tamaulipas state in Mexico has offered a reward of 2,500,000 pesos (equal to $145,000 or £115,000) for information that helps catch Vilano in the city of Matamoros.
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was looking for him too.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his annual New Year’s address, reiterated his assertion that Taiwan “will definitely be reunited” with China.
His message comes ahead of Taiwan’s crucial Jan. 13 election, which will determine the island’s cross-strait policies for the next four years.
He also took a stronger tone than last year, in which he talked about Taiwan being part of “the same family.
” China has stepped up military pressure on Taiwan as the election approaches. They consider the self-governing island of 23 million people a breakaway province that will eventually come under Beijing’s control.
Taiwan considers itself distinct from mainland China, with its own constitution and democratically elected leaders. Separately, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said in her New Year’s speech that the island’s relationship with China should be decided by “the will of the Taiwanese people.
” His government has repeatedly warned that Beijing is trying to interfere in the election, in which a new president and government will be elected.
Taiwan’s Kuomintang (KMT) party has traditionally favored warmer relations with Beijing – although it denies being pro-China.
The KMT’s main rival, Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has ruled Taiwan for eight years and has taken a tougher line on China, asserting that the country is sovereign and not belongs to China.
Mr Xi’s latest comments are in line with China’s long-standing policy of unification, but the message is harsher in tone than Mr. Xi gave last year, when he called “people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait Loan… is a member of one and the same family.
The Taiwan issue also strained relations between the United States and China, with China subsequently condemning any support from Washington for Taipei.
Beijing said it “reserves the ability to take all necessary measures” against external forces that hinder peaceful unification.
However, the two countries marked the new year with a positive message, with Xi and US President Joe Biden exchanging congratulatory messages on Monday.
Xi noted that “adhering to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation is the correct way for China and the US to interact,” according to Reuters, citing state media CCTV China.
In an extraordinary medical event, a woman in the United States with the uncommon condition of having two uteruses gave birth on two consecutive days, marking a rare “one in a million” pregnancy that involved 20 hours of labor.
Kelsey Hatcher, aged 32, experienced the unique joy of welcoming a daughter on Tuesday, followed by the birth of another daughter on Wednesday, both at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.
Celebrating this remarkable occurrence, Ms. Hatcher took to social media to announce the birth of her “miracle babies,” praising the medical team for their outstanding work.
The newborns are fraternal twins, uniquely born on different days, a rarity in itself.
Following the unexpected but joyous events, Ms. Hatcher shared that her family had returned home, ready to celebrate the holiday season. Initially, she had anticipated a Christmas delivery.
A UAB obstetrician spoke about the uniqueness of this case, noting that such events are so rare that many in the field may never encounter them in their entire careers.
Diagnosed with a double uterus, known medically as uterus didelphys, at the age of 17, Ms. Hatcher was part of a small group, as this condition affects only 0.3% of women.
Becoming pregnant in both uteruses simultaneously, known as a dicavitary pregnancy, is an even more extraordinary occurrence, with the UAB citing the odds as “one in a million.”
Instances like these are exceedingly rare worldwide. In a similar case reported in 2019, a woman in Bangladesh gave birth to twins almost a month after having a premature baby, a story shared with the BBC by a local doctor.
Prior to this remarkable pregnancy, Ms. Hatcher had three healthy pregnancies. This time, she initially believed she was pregnant in just one uterus until a routine ultrasound unexpectedly revealed a second baby in the other uterus.
“I gasped… We just could not believe it,” she recalled.
She went on to document her unusual journey on Instagram. One update at 38 weeks asked: “What the heck?! HOW have we made it this far?!”
Image caption,Kelsey, pictured here with her newborns and husband Caleb, first thought she was pregnant in only one womb
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) characterized Ms. Hatcher’s pregnancy as standard, despite its unique nature.
Professor Richard Davis, who supervised the birth, noted that each infant benefited from having its own uterus, providing ample room for growth and development, a contrast to normal twin pregnancies.
Ms. Hatcher’s labor, initiated at 39 weeks, necessitated heightened vigilance and documentation in the hospital, including increased staff involvement.
Dr. Shweta Patel from UAB’s obstetrics and gynecology department remarked that this aspect was the most unconventional in Ms. Hatcher’s situation.
According to Dr. Patel, the medical team had limited specific guidelines or data to reference, compelling them to rely on their general expertise in standard pregnancies.
She confirmed that the babies truly possessed a “mind of their own” and were born using distinct techniques.
On December 19, at approximately 19:45 local time, Roxi was born vaginally. Over ten hours later, Rebel, the second, arrived via C-section.
According to Prof. Davis, the girls might be referred to as fraternal twins, a term that describes babies that are created from individual eggs that are fertilized by individual sperm.
“At the end of the day, it was two babies in one belly at the same time,” he said. “They just had different apartments.”
An Indian man who is said to have planned to kill a Sikh leader living in the US has asked the highest court in India for help with his case.
The US government has accused Nikhil Gupta of attempting to pay someone to murder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Mr Gupta is in prison in Prague and is asking the court to help him get out and have a fair trial.
“The Supreme Court says the case will be heard on January 4th,” his lawyer told the media.
Rohini Musa said that Mr Gupta was arrested unfairly and they are trying to send him to the US.
“He has been ordered to be extradited. ” “We haven’t received a copy of the order,” Ms. Musa, who is speaking for Mr. Gupta’s family, told the media.
“He has already been sent to another country. ” She said we can’t find him or know where he is.
In November, prosecutors in the US accused Mr. Gupta of planning to kill at least four Sikh separatists in North America, including Mr. Pannun
They said Mr Gupta gave $100,000 in cash to someone to kill Mr Pannun in New York.
Prosecutors said the person hired to kill someone was actually working secretly for the government.
He was said to have been told what to do by an Indian government official, but the official was not named or charged in the legal document.
Mr Gupta could go to prison for up to 20 years if he is found guilty.
Mr Gupta says he was arrested by people who called themselves US agents without a warrant. He also says he hasn’t had a fair trial yet.
It also says that he was kept alone in a small room and his rights were ignored. He was made to eat beef and pork, even though it goes against his religious beliefs.
The petition says he has been unfairly treated for political reasons and wrongly accused of working with the Indian government to kill an American in the US, even though he has no ties to the country.
Mr Gupta’s family has asked the Indian government to help get him released and make sure he gets a fair trial.
They also want an Indian lawyer to help him in the Czech Republic and the US.
This is a very important moment for the Security Council. The secretary general has used a special power to ask for a ceasefire right away. It’s the first time he’s ever done this during his time in office.
Antonio Guterres will talk to council diplomats in a public meeting today after talking to many leaders on the phone, including the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and some Arab ministers.
Arab and Islamic countries quickly answered his letter with a proposal that will be voted on today.
Most of the council has been in favor of a quick stop to fighting, so everyone will be watching to see what the United States, who is Israel’s friend, will do. They haven’t said if they will use their veto again, but they have hinted that they will. The US thinks that it would not be helpful to make a decision right now.
If the council is stopped from making decisions by a member with a lot of power, it will make people wonder if the Security Council can do its job.
Armenia and Azerbaijan will work on being friendlier to each other and will trade prisoners they caught during the recent fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The two neighbors have been fighting over some land for many years.
On Thursday night, both countries said they have a big opportunity for peace that they have wanted for a long time.
Both countries want to make an agreement for peace by the end of the year.
Azerbaijan quickly took control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September, ending Armenian rule that had been in place for 30 years. The region is officially part of Azerbaijan, according to the international community.
Most of the 120,000 Armenian people left and went to Armenia nearby.
On Thursday, two countries said they will try to sign a peace treaty that respects each other’s borders.
Baku is allowing 32 Armenian soldiers to go home, and Yerevan is letting go of two soldiers, as a sign of kindness.
Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, said that he is happy about the statement and thinks it is a big improvement in Armenia and Azerbaijan’s relationship. The United States praised a step that helps build trust.
Another action is when Armenia backed Azerbaijan’s request to host the COP29 climate summit by giving up its own candidacy. Azerbaijan said it will help Armenia join a group that talks about climate.
The two countries asked for help from other countries in their efforts.
The prime minister of Armenia and the president of Azerbaijan made a deal during their discussions.
The two leaders have met many times to talk about making things normal again with the help of the EU, the US and Russia.
Conversations had stopped recently because Azerbaijan didn’t want to take part in discussions in the US and Spain. They said they thought Western countries were unfair. The two countries started talking again in Iran at the end of October.
Four Russian soldiers are being accused of doing very bad things during a war, by taking and hurting a person from the United States who was living in Ukraine. Officials have said this.
US lawyers say the American person lived in Ukraine since 2021 and did not fight in the war.
He was kept for 10 days in April 2022, and people say he was made to think he was going to be killed and was hit.
This is the first time that the US has accused someone of breaking its law against war crimes.
On Wednesday morning, Attorney General Merrick Garland said they were charging people for the illegal war in Ukraine. This is an important step towards holding them accountable.
The 58-year-old person from the United States is accused of two crimes, one of which is about encouraging violence on the internet.
Police say he sent many messages online with Christian end of days beliefs to the attackers.
The attack at Wieambilla resulted in the deaths of two police officers, a neighbor, and the three shooters.
The FBI arrested a man from the US in Heber Overgaard, northeast of Phoenix, on Friday.
Police say three people named Nathaniel, Stacey and Gareth Train, were watching videos on two YouTube accounts created by the man. They said he kept sending messages to Gareth and Stacey before the attack happened in Queensland last December.
The police officer said that there is proof that the suspect and Gareth were leaving comments on each other’s YouTube videos.
Queensland Police are helping FBI and local US police with their investigation. They have gone to the US for this.
On 12 December, a very bad attack happened when the police went to Gareth and Stacey Train’s property in Wieambilla – which is about 270km (168 miles) west of Brisbane.
Four police officers went to see Nathaniel Train, who had been reported missing.
As soon as they got out of their car and walked towards the house, they were attacked with a lot of gunfire.
Two police officers – Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29 – were hit first and then shot again as if they were being executed.
Another police officer got hurt but ran away, while the fourth officer was frightened by the shooters who started fires to try and force her out of hiding.
Alan Dare, who was 58 years old and lived nearby, came to help at the scene and was also shot and killed.
The police used a lot of guns during the siege, which lasted for many hours. The suspects were eventually shot by officers who had special training.
Investigators believe the attack was planned ahead of time and involved careful preparation to target law enforcement officers.
Hidden shelters, walls, mounds of dirt, weapons, surveillance cameras, and mirrors on trees were placed all over the land.
Queensland police said the incident was a “religiously-motivated terror attack” and they believe the person involved followed a Christian belief system called premillennialism.
Premillennialism is the idea that Jesus will come back to Earth after a hard time and make things better.
Australian authorities say this is the first time a violent attack has been connected to an extreme Christian belief in Australia.
The man is accused of breaking the law in the US and they don’t have any plans to send him back to Australia.
There are not many shootings in Australia because it has very strict gun laws.
A person who makes videos on YouTube has been sent to jail for six months because he crashed his plane on purpose to get more views, and then lied about it to investigators in the United States.
Trevor Jacob, who is 30 years old, put up a video of a plane crashing in December 2021, suggesting that it was not on purpose. He jumped out of the plane holding a selfie stick and used a parachute to land.
The video was watched by millions of people.
In a deal with the court, Jacob admitted that he made the video as part of a deal with a company.
The person who used to compete in the Olympics for snowboarding admitted earlier this year that they committed a serious crime by trying to hide evidence to stop a federal investigation.
Federal prosecutors in California said on Monday that Jacob most likely did this crime to get attention on social media and news and to make money.
“However, we cannot accept this kind of risky behavior,” they said.
Jacob said that he felt very down to earth by this experience and thought it was the best choice.
In November 2021, Jacob flew by himself from an airport in Santa Barbara, California. He had cameras on his plane. Jacob brought a parachute, cameras, and a selfie stick with him.
He did not want to go to where he was supposed to go. Instead, he wanted to jump out of his airplane with a parachute and film himself. The airplane would crash while he was parachuting to the ground. This information was given by the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
The airplane had an accident and hit the Los Padres National Forest 35 minutes after it took off. Jacob walked to the place and found the video.
He put a video called “I had a plane accident” on YouTube on December 23rd. The video also advertised a company that sells wallets, the prosecutors said.
Some people weren’t sure about the crash. They saw that Jacob had a parachute and didn’t try to land the plane safely.
He told the National Transportation Safety Board about the crash and they said he needed to keep the wreckage safe. Jacob said he didn’t know where the site was.
He went and came back in a helicopter, then he removed the wreckage and got rid of it later, as the plea agreement says.
The video got almost three million views before it was taken down.
CM Punk has made his return to the WWE after being gone for almost 10 years.
The crowd cheered loudly when they heard his music at the Survivor Series event in the United States on Saturday night.
He first quit WWE in 2014 and has often talked about how he was not happy with the storylines and did not get proper medical care.
People thought the 45-year-old would return after he left another wrestling company called All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
WWE’s Triple H said CM Punk’s return in Chicago was a bit last minute.
“Something amazing happened very fast, and we are so excited about it,” he said at the press conference after the show.
“It didn’t start happening until everyone stopped expecting it to happen, and then suddenly it was happening. ”
Triple H mentioned that CM Punk has suggested many times that he wouldn’t come back to WWE after leaving ten years ago.
Triple H said that if you haven’t changed in 10 years, you’ve made a mistake.
“Everyone gets older, and everyone becomes different. ” I am not the same as before, he is not the same as before, this company is new, and we all have the same starting point.
After he left WWE in 2014, CM Punk, whose real name is Phil Brooks, tried out mixed martial arts with UFC for a brief period.
He started working at AEW in 2021, but he left the company this year after the All Out show at Wembley Stadium.
People on social media, as well as other wrestlers, were really surprised when he came back to WWE. One person even said it was the most exciting moment in wrestling history.
Randy Orton came back to the ring after being injured for more than a year. He looked at CM Punk and they both smiled at each other.
WWE wrestler Cody Rhodes said: “If he can help us with our plans and goals, then he is definitely welcome to join us. ”
“I think the CM Punk we’re getting is very eager, and that’s great. “
The top diplomat from China says that the world needs to act quickly to stop the fighting in Gaza. China is trying to help establish a truce between Israel and Hamas.
The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi invited officials from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian National Authority, and Indonesia, along with the head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to visit China’s capital for two days. This is the beginning of their planned trips to other world capitals.
The ministers said that the war needs to stop right away and relief supplies need to be sent in quickly.
The countries in the group wanted to work together with China and other responsible countries who understand how serious the situation is.
Israel started attacking Gaza and sending troops there after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. Israel’s army said more than 200 people were taken captive in the attack.
The meeting in Beijing is happening because CNN has been told that there might be an agreement to free some hostages held by Hamas and to stop fighting for a few days. The United States, Israel, and Hamas have been talking for weeks, with help from Qatar.
Beijing and Washington disagree on how to handle the conflict, including the timing of a ceasefire. Washington does not support an immediate ceasefire, which has caused tension between the two countries. Beijing did not support Israel’s response to the attack and did not speak out against Hamas, causing anger from Israeli leaders.
“Israel needs to stop punishing everyone in Gaza and let aid get through to prevent a big humanitarian crisis. Wang said this during talks with the delegation, as reported by China’s Foreign Ministry. ”
Israel strongly says that it is fighting against terrorism after a terrible attack. It refuses to stop fighting unless the hostages are returned.
China wants to help solve the conflict because it wants to become a big global power.
Last month, Beijing sent a peace representative to visit many countries in the area. China has been speaking up for a quick end to fighting at the United Nations, including the Security Council, where China is currently in charge.
The UN group made a decision about the fighting last week. They want all the people held by Hamas to be let go, and they want safe ways for civilians to get help in the area. The US and the United Kingdom didn’t vote, because they didn’t agree with the resolution for not condemning Hamas.
Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jun said that because of a certain member’s repeated blockages, this resolution is just a first step for now, based on the smallest amount of agreement. It seemed like he was indirectly criticizing the US.
On Monday in Beijing, the Saudi Arabia’s minister praised the Security Council’s decision, which was led by China.
The conflict has helped China make its relationships with Arab countries stronger. China wants to separate the US from the countries it has been friends with for a long time in the Arab world.
“We have always stood up for Arab and Muslim countries, and we have always supported the Palestinian people in getting back their rights,” Wang told the group visiting.
Last month, China’s special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, visited Egypt, Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan to talk about stopping fighting and having peace for a longer time.
Last week, the representative traveled to Turkey and Bahrain to meet with government officials. They also talked about the “regional situation” with people from Singapore, the US, and Europe at an international conference.
Wang talked to Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on the phone last month. It’s not known if China has spoken to Hamas officials during the recent fighting.
This week, the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki from the West Bank-based Palestinian National Authority is visiting officials in Beijing.
Earlier this month, China sent a top official from its Foreign Ministry to Iran to talk about the conflict. This information was shared on the department’s social media account.
Iran has been supporting Hamas and Hezbollah for a long time.
Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden talked for a long time in California. Biden asked Xi to use China’s influence with Iran to prevent a bigger conflict in the region, according to a top US official.
Biden told Xi that he sees Hamas as different from the Palestinian people. The US thinks that Hamas is a terrorist group that has caused a lot of harm to the Palestinian people. They also support Israel’s right to fight back against Hamas.
Beijing is talking about the fighting between Palestinians and Israelis, but they’re not mentioning Hamas specifically.
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said the US would be happy if China helps in a good way in the Middle East.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has personally made it clear in his conversations with China’s Wang, according to Miller.
American officials say that the attacks were done by Iranian groups who are working together with other groups in that area. Iran supports both Hamas, which is in charge of Gaza, and Hezbollah, which operates in Lebanon, by giving them weapons and financial assistance.
Mr Austin said that the attacks on US forces by Iran-backed groups are not acceptable and need to be stopped.
“If Iran’s allies keep attacking our forces, we will do whatever it takes to keep our people safe. ”
The White House announced on Thursday that President Joe Biden had sent a special message to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, advising them not to attack US personnel in the Middle East.
During a meeting at the United Nations in New York, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, cautioned that the United States would also face consequences if the violence in Gaza persists.
The United States has sent military ships and planes to the area recently. On Thursday, a US official mentioned that approximately 900 US soldiers were being relocated to the area.
American military bases in the Middle East have been attacked in the past, and as a result, the United States has responded by launching counterattacks.
In March, the United States did many air attacks in eastern Syria against groups connected to Iran. They did this because a drone attack killed an American worker.
Our attention have been on Gaza, but nearby there is also a lot of tension in the occupied West Bank.
The United Nations says that 95 people have been killed and almost 1,900 have been hurt in the area since October 7th. This area is not controlled by Hamas. The number of people who died is slightly higher according to local officials.
There have been more and more reports of Israeli settlers attacking Palestinians since Hamas first started attacking. Yesterday, Joe Biden, the President of the United States, said that those attacks were making a bad situation even worse.
Fighting has happened between Palestinian militants and Israeli security forces, and it has been very dangerous.
Many soldiers have surrounded Palestinian villages and put roadblocks to defend Jewish settlements. These settlements are considered illegal by international law, but Israel disagrees with this.
Israel has said that it captured almost 1,000 people wanted in the West Bank. Out of those, more than 600 are believed to be members of Hamas.
US President Joe Biden gave Mr Ejeta a medal because of his excellent work in studying plant genetics.
Mr Ejeta is known as one of the best plant scientists in the world.
He focuses on studying sorghum, which is a common food source in Africa.
In 2009, Mr. Ejeta received a special award called the World Food Prize for creating a type of sorghum plant that is able to survive when there isn’t much water and can also fight off a harmful weed called Striga that often causes problems for farmers in Africa.
Sorghum is the fifth most important type of grain crop in the world, ranked after maize, wheat, rice, and barley.
It is also the second most important grain in Africa and many countries in Africa consider it a staple food, especially in areas where there is often not enough water.
Mr Ejeta grew up in a small house made of thatched materials in a village in central Ethiopia, which was not too far from the capital city of Addis Ababa.
But, he could only go to school sometimes because it was far away. He had to travel 20km (12 miles) to another town to go to class and he would come back home on weekends.
His difficult childhood, where he often went hungry and didn’t have enough food, has greatly impacted his scientific research throughout the years. This has motivated him to work towards improving the availability of food for everyone.
He talked about feeling hungry when he was a kid during an interview with the BBC.
When I went to a school far from my home, I always felt hungry. Actually, when I think back to elementary school, there were only a few days where I actually ate breakfast.
He said that going to school in the morning without eating breakfast is difficult. So I often feel hungry.
The president of Purdue University in Indiana, where Mr. Ejeta works as a professor and leads global food security programs, praised Mr. Ejeta for his determination and called him an influential geneticist.
“Our university is very proud and happy to receive another important and well-deserved award,” said Mung Chiang, the president of Purdue University.
Mr Ejeta, who is a citizen of the United States, was one of nine top scientists from the US who received an award at the White House from President Biden on Tuesday.
President Biden stated at the award ceremony that he has improved food security for millions by creating types of sorghum that can survive droughts and fight off pests.
“He believes that science, policy, and institutions are important for economic growth. He has helped farmers and strengthened nations through his support. ”
US presidents have been giving the National Medal of Science since 1959 to people who have made important contributions to different fields of science and deserve special recognition.
Mr Ejeta was given the National Hero Award by the Ethiopian government right after he won the World Food Prize in 2009. This award is the highest honor that the Ethiopian government gives to its citizens.
In 2011, Barack Obama, the former US President, chose him to be part of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development.
A politician from the United States got arrested in Hong Kong because he brought a gun into the city. CNN saw a document that lists the charges against him. He says it was just a mistake and he didn’t mean to do anything wrong.
Washington state senator Jeff Wilson was taken into custody on Saturday at Hong Kong International Airport. He has been accused of having a firearm without a license, which is against the law. If found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to 14 years and have to pay a fine of over $12,000.
Wilson went to court on Monday and was allowed to leave after paying bail, as reported by RTHK.
The Republican state senator, whose whole name is Stephen J. Wilson admitted that he didn’t realize he had put his gun in his bag when he and his wife were going on a five-week vacation to Southeast Asia. This information was shared on his website.
“It was a mistake that was made without any intention to deceive or cause harm. ” Wilson said in the statement that she believes the situation will be fixed soon.
Wilson said he found the weapon while he was flying from San Francisco to Hong Kong.
The person didn’t know that he had a gun in his bag when he went through airport security in Portland. The people checking the bags didn’t see it either.
Wilson said that as soon as the plane arrived in Hong Kong, he went straight to the customs officials and told them about the problem.
A spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration said in an email to CNN that they know a passenger carried an empty gun in their bag through security at Portland International Airport.
The person was taken into custody when they arrived in Hong Kong. The TSA is very concerned about this situation and is currently looking into what happened.
It said that if you bring a gun to a TSA checkpoint, you could be fined up to $15,000. Also, you won’t be allowed to use TSA PreCheck for up to five years.
CNN has asked for a response or statement from Portland International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.
A spokesperson from the US Consulate General said they know about the reports, but can’t say more because they need to respect people’s privacy.
The Customs and Excise Department of Hong Kong declined to comment on ongoing legal proceedings, according to an email sent to CNN.
The news from RTHK says that Wilson will go to court in Hong Kong on October 30 for his next hearing.
In Hong Kong, it is against the law for anyone to have guns or bullets without permission from the police. Only police officers, armed security guard services, and exclusive shooting range club operators are allowed to have licenses.
Problems with guns are not common in Hong Kong, unlike in the United States where guns are a big issue. The leading cause of death for children and teenagers is one dangerous person.
In Washington state, you can carry guns openly without a license. This means you can carry a gun in many public places, but some private property owners can still say no to guns on their property. However, you must have a license to carry hidden guns in this state.
Wilson mentioned that his gun was officially recorded in Washington state and he has a license that allows him to carry it hidden.
Iran has issued a warning that an Israeli ground incursion into Gaza could lead to an escalation of conflicts throughout the Middle East.
These statements were made during a meeting between Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, and Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, according to the AFP news agency.
“No-one can guarantee the control of the situation and the non-expansion of the conflicts,” he said, according to an Iranian foreign ministry statement.
Amirabdollahian said anyone who is interested in preventing the current crisis from growing must prevent the “current barbaric attacks” by Israel against “citizens and civilians in Gaza”.
The Iranian official further expressed disapproval of the United States for its unwavering support of Israel.
Iran’s chief diplomat visited Qatar over the weekend as part of a regional tour that encompasses trips to Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria.
During his visit to Qatar on Saturday, he also held a meeting with Hamas’s leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who is currently based in the country.
Allan Poller, who is 24 years old, confessed that he left a voicemail with offensive words for the lawmaker on March 29th.
Poller warned that if there continued to be attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, they would retaliate. We will end your life if necessary.
Based on the agreement, the student made the call because they were feeling upset and drunk while watching videos on TikTok.
Poller, who is a student at Keene State College in New Hampshire, was charged with a federal crime for sending a threatening message across state lines.
Although Mr Gaetz’s name was not mentioned in court documents, his office informed US media that he was the target of the threat.
Someone who is knowledgeable about the investigation told CBS News, which is a partner of the BBC in the US, that Mr. Gaetz, a member of Congress, was the one being focused on.
In recent years, politicians in different states have experienced more harassment and received more threats.
According to court papers, the offense can result in a maximum of five years in jail, but the government is suggesting a three-year probation instead.
Poller was initially accused of two things, but one was taken out of the charges as part of an agreement.
The BBC has asked a lawyer representing Poller and reached out to Mr Gaetz’s office for their comments.
In a statement to CNN, Poller’s lawyer Jesse Friedman said that his client understands that hate in any shape or form is not right and causes harm.
MrFriedman said that he takes responsibility for what he did and he didn’t mean to harm or threaten anyone.
Poller called Mr. Gaetz’s office but nobody answered, so they left a voicemail message. The rude message said that the Florida lawmaker would be shot in the head.
“And if you choose to continue on that same direction, you already know who will be following. ”
The United States Government, in collaboration with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has introduced a $60 million initiative aimed at enhancing educational accountability in Ghana.
Referred to as the “Strengthening Accountability in Ghana’s Education System” (SAGES) initiative, this program aims to enhance the provision of primary education services throughout a new five-year duration.
The official launch of this initiative took place in Accra and was led by Kimberly Rosen, the Director of USAID Ghana Mission, and Rev John Ntim Fordjour, the Deputy Minister for Education.
Its primary objective is to assist the Ministry of Education, its associated bodies, and collaborators in reinforcing the framework for educational accountability within the primary education sector.
“It would also improve the performance of education system actors and improve the effectiveness of their interactions with each other, in support of education accountability,” the statement said.
Madam Rosen said: “A strong educational foundation opens doors for young people. Education is the cornerstone of progress and development, and it is with immense pride that we join hands with our Ghanaian partners to enhance accountability within the educational system,” she said.
The SAGES initiative will also enhance education management and community engagement in 17 districts spanning the Northern, North East, Upper East, and Upper West regions.
This comprehensive SAGES effort comprises two interrelated components that center on accountability. The $60 million grant, spanning five years, includes $10 million in direct assistance to the Ministry of Education for the implementation of Ghana’s Education Accountability for Learning Framework.
CARE Ghana, with financial backing from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will offer technical support to the Ministry of Education, its affiliated organizations, and partners to ensure effective accountability and improved learning outcomes in Ghana’s primary schools.
The implementation of the SAGES System Strengthening Activity by CARE Ghana involves collaboration with five sub-awardees: AfriKids, Community Development Alliance (CDA), Crown Agents (CA), Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC), and School for Life (SfL).
The United States has declared the resumption of food aid deliveries for refugees in Ethiopia, ending a five-month suspension. This decision followed the agreement of Ethiopian authorities in Addis Ababa to withdraw from the distribution of these supplies.
In May, Washington halted aid distribution, following a similar action by the UN, citing evidence of “widespread and coordinated” food aid theft.
The Ethiopian government introduced reforms, leading to the reinstatement of aid, which included strengthening monitoring, oversight, and enhancing commodity tracking, according to a statement by USAid. Ethiopia has also “transferred responsibility” for the dispatch and warehousing of food aid.
The resumption of aid will benefit hundreds of thousands of refugees currently residing in Ethiopia, primarily from neighboring countries such as Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea.
However, the pause on food aid for around 20 million Ethiopians in dire need of humanitarian assistance remains in effect.
Officials in the conflict-affected Tigray region had previously reported to the BBC that at least 1,400 people had died of starvation in the region since the aid suspension, while in the neighboring Amhara region, where recent conflicts are compounded by drought, many have perished due to the lack of food aid.
The United States has said that it will start giving food aid again to refugees in Ethiopia. This comes after a break of five months.
This happens after the government in Addis Ababa agreed to stop giving out the supplies.
Washington stopped giving aid in May because they discovered that a lot of food aid was being stolen. The United Nations had also stopped giving aid for the same reason.
Changes made by the Ethiopian government that allowed them to start receiving aid again include improving their supervision and tracking of goods, according to a statement from USAid.
Moreover, Ethiopia has given the duty to send and store food aid to someone else.
Many refugees in Ethiopia, who come from nearby countries like Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea, will receive help because aid is starting again.
But help with food for about 20 million Ethiopians who urgently need it is still on hold.
Government representatives in the war-ravaged area of Tigray had informed the BBC that around 1,400 people have died from starvation since aid was stopped. In the nearby region of Amhara, where conflicts and drought have worsened the situation, many people have also died due to lack of food assistance.
France is planning to start moving its soldiers out of Niger beginning this week.
There was a problem between the two countries after a takeover in a country in West Africa two months ago.
France said it did not accept or recognize the new military government in the country that used to be its colony. This caused people to come out and protest in the capital city, Niamey.
After saying no for a long time, France now seems eager to convey that it wants to leave Niger as quickly as it can.
Over 400 soldiers near the border with Mali will be the first to leave, possibly starting Thursday.
An additional 1,000 soldiers are at a military base in Niamey. They are there because protesters have been staying there for many weeks, asking them to leave. The protesters believe that the soldiers have not been able to stop attacks by Islamist rebels.
Last year, fewer people died in terror attacks in Niger. However, it is not known how much the French helped Niger’s armed forces while fighting against groups connected to Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
It is too soon to tell if their leaving will make security worse.
The United States still has a place to operate drones in that area, and the forces from Niger are some of the most well-prepared in the surrounding area.
Since the coup, there have been many attacks by rebels. In addition, violence has increased greatly because foreign forces left Mali.
Western countries have given a lot of money to Niger to help with security. Niger is the only country in the region that supports them.
A $60 million education initiative called “Strengthening Accountability in Ghana’s Education System (SAGES)” has been officially introduced in Accra.
Over the course of five years, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will collaborate with the Ministry of Education to enhance accountability and transparency within Ghana’s education sector.
SAGES aims to enhance primary education in 17 districts across four regions of Ghana, benefiting 1,254 schools and communities, as well as 508,269 students nationwide.
Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, Deputy Minister of Education, emphasized the importance of teamwork among education sector stakeholders to successfully implement the SAGES initiative. He also noted that $10 million had been allocated to the Ghana Education Service and its key partners to strengthen the education accountability framework.
The Deputy Minister highlighted that accountability within the program would be data-driven, employing diagnostic interventions to address challenges and weaknesses in Ghana’s education sector.
Robust systems would be established to measure, compare, and transform data, building on past investments in the sector.
Rev. Fordjour cited the success of the USAID’s previous program in 2015, the “Reading Radio Programme and Classroom-based phonics lessons,” which significantly improved reading proficiency among pupils, demonstrating the positive impact of such initiatives.
Madam Kimberly Rosen, USAID Ghana Mission Director, emphasized the strong partnership between Ghana and the United States and their shared commitment to improving education for children, promoting good governance, and fostering sustainable development through the launch of SAGES.
Madam Rosen said, “this new activity is a $60-million investment in Ghana’s educations system, which means an investment in Ghana’s future. Of this $60 million, USAID will provide $10million directly to Government of Ghana to support government service delivery at national and district levels.”
She stated that USAID was providing extra help in the form of technical assistance to the Ministry of Education and other national organizations, as well as funding for over 1,200 elementary schools in the Northern Region.
“It is essential that education accountability has an impact on every learner. For that to happen, the Education Accountability Framework must drive change throughout the education system to improve the impact of education delivery.
This would entail teachers consistently arriving punctually and staying throughout the school day, supported by their community practice and colleagues engaged in mutual learning and sharing. Additionally, headteachers receive support from School Improvement Support officers. This collective support system aids teachers in assessing students’ progress against established benchmarks,” explained Ms. Rosen.
She expressed confidence that the USAID-supported initiative would have a significant and enduring impact on Ghana’s educational development.
Mrs. Mamle Andrews, Chief Director at the Ministry of Education, emphasized that the SAGES initiative represented a shared commitment among all stakeholders to provide every child in the country with quality education. It prioritizes accountability to ensure that no child is left behind, offering teachers the necessary resources for excellence in teaching.
Madam Rose F. Tchwenko, Country Director of Care International in Ghana, underscored her organization’s dedication to leaving no child behind. She expressed optimism that the investments made under SAGES would yield long-term benefits for future generations.
The USAID/Ghana SAGES activity is divided into two parts. The first component supports the Ministry of Education Accountability Framework on a national level, as well as citizen involvement in 17 districts across four regions.
Care International would lead a system strengthening activity in Ghana’s 17 districts under the second component.
The president of Ukraine is in the capital of the United States trying to get more money to defend against Russia’s attack on their country. Volodymyr Zelensky will speak to lawmakers in the Capitol, go to the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon, and have discussions with President Biden at the White House.
US politicians disagree on giving money to Ukraine. Many Republicans think it would be better to use the money for problems within the United States.
Zelensky went to visit after giving speeches at the UN in New York. In his speeches, he asked countries to come together and stand against Russian aggression. There is growing tension between countries because he criticized Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary for stopping the import of Ukrainian grain. Poland has decided to stop supplying weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, except for the ones that had already been agreed upon before.
They landed in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, near Washington DC on Tuesday morning.
They first flew from Tehran to Doha. In Doha, they got on another plane going to the US.
On Monday, the final part of the agreement was completed when $6 billion of Iranian money, which was being held in South Korea, was transferred to banks in Doha.
The prisoners who were let go hold citizenship in both Iran and the United States. Five Iranians who were being held by the US have been set free. Out of these five, three decided not to go back to Iran.
The airplane with the five Americans arrived at Davison Army Airfield just before 05:30 in the morning (09:30 GMT). They had a very emotional and tearful meeting with their family members on the runway.
The people’s loved ones and friends waved small American flags as they left the airplane.
“The bad dream is finally finished,” a family member of Siamak Namazi, one of the released Americans, said. “We haven’t experienced this moment in more than eight years. ” This is amazing.
“It is the start of a very long journey towards getting better and feeling better,” a spokesperson for the family said.
Also, there were two family members, Roger Carstens and Abram Paley, on the plane. Roger Carstens is a US presidential representative and Abram Paley is a deputy representative for Iran. Both of them saw the people who were released from detention in Doha.
During a speech at Fort Belvoir, Mr. Carstens told the former detainees to use the help that the US military is giving them after leaving isolation. He said that he believes they will keep fighting to bring more Americans back home.
US officials have always said that Iran is holding five people captive just to gain political power
The Americans include a 51-year-old businessman named Mr. Namazi who has been in Tehran’s Evin prison for almost eight years. There is also a businessman named Emad Shargi, 59, and an environmentalist named Morad Tahbaz, 67, who is also a British citizen.
The other two prisoners did not want to give their names.
The five Iranians who were freed as part of the agreement had been mainly jailed in the United States for breaking US sanctions.
US President Joe Biden expressed his support for the prisoner exchange on Monday. He mentioned that the Americans who were in prison would finally be reunited with their loved ones after facing a lot of pain, doubt, and hardship for many years.
At the same time, Mr. Biden promised to keep punishing Iran for their harmful actions in the area.
“And as we greet our fellow citizens returning home, I want to remind all Americans again about the significant dangers of going to Iran,” he said. “Do not go to that place if you have an American passport. ”
The president said some things at the same time that the US said they will punish the former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Iran’s intelligence ministry.
One of the prisoners who was let go, Siamak Namazi, thanked everyone for not letting the world forget about him. He acknowledged that he wouldn’t be free today if it wasn’t for their support.
Thank you very much from my heart. Thank you for speaking up for me when I couldn’t do it myself and for making sure my screams were heard when I had the courage to shout from Evin Prison.
South Korea owed money to Iran for buying oil before the Trump administration banned these transactions in 2019. The money was released to Iran as part of the deal. The US has stated that the money that has been given can only be used for helping people in need.
The act of giving back the money has caused arguments and disagreement in the US. Some of Mr. Biden’s political enemies have strongly criticized this action.
Some important Republicans are worried that Iran will give money to support other groups in the Middle East.
The US government has minimized or played down these worries. Last week, a person from the State Department named Matthew Miller said that the US treasury department is closely watching the money and that Washington can make sure it is used correctly.
A top official in the government also informed journalists that the US plans to prevent Iran from using the funds for anything other than helping people in need.
The United Autoworkers Union said that the companies did not offer acceptable deals, and the current labor contracts are ending on Thursday night.
This fight could cause prices to increase for people who want to buy things and create big problems for the companies GM, Ford, and Stellantis.
The UAW said some workers might go on strike starting Friday at a few locations, and the strike could spread to more places.
UAW president Shawn Fain said on Wednesday that although companies are showing some progress, they are still not willing to agree on giving salary increases that would compensate for the rising prices and declining wages over the past few decades.
The union wanted a 40% raise in pay for its around 140,000 members over four years. They pointed out that company leaders had also received a similar increase in pay.
The discussions between the two parties began in July and were tense right from the beginning. Fain skipped the tradition of shaking hands with the executives, which usually marks the start of negotiations.
The three companies have increased their first offers. Ford wants to raise pay by 20% over the contract time, GM by 18%, and Stellantis (the owner of Jeep and Chrysler) by 17. 5%, according to Mr.
He said that the companies can afford to give more, since they have been making a lot of money for many years.
Mr Fain recently became a leader and had promised to challenge big companies. He described the fight using religious language, saying it was a part of a bigger battle against wealthy individuals and a belief that change could happen.
“We fight to help all the people who work and those who are poor,” he said. We are not the issue. Corporate greed is the issue.
Jim Farley, the leader of Ford, said to the news people earlier this week that he wanted to prevent a strike, but there were things the company couldn’t agree on.
“He said we need to make sure the company stays strong and successful for a long time,”
American car manufacturers are already facing challenges with a decrease in sales and expenses related to new investments as they transition production to electric cars.
According to the Anderson Economic Group, if all workers at the three car companies go on strike for 10 days, it could cost the companies almost $1 billion and the workers nearly $900 million in lost wages. It is estimated that the strike could cause about $5 billion in economic damage as it affects various areas.
Before the strike started, there were not many cars available for sale. This is because there were not enough car parts due to the pandemic. The number of cars available now is much lower than in the past.
Experts said that this could result in a long strike leading to increased prices for shoppers.
Ford, GM, and Stellantis together make up around 40% of car sales in the US, but their portion has significantly decreased in the last 25 years due to the success of foreign companies like Toyota.
The companies have been able to stop unions from forming and have cheaper labor expenses.
But workers in the US are becoming more frustrated because their pay is not keeping up with the increasing prices and there are fewer job opportunities available.
According to research from Cornell University, last year there were over 420 instances where work was stopped, which is more than 50% increase from the previous year.
Earlier this year, the big delivery company UPS almost had a strike where workers refuse to work. Also, in Hollywood, writers and actors are still on strike.
The car industry had a strike in 2019. Workers at General Motors stopped working for six weeks.
The highest-ranking military officer in the United States has cautioned that Ukraine only has six weeks left to continue its counterattack before the weather becomes an obstacle. However, Kyiv has indicated that it might still continue fighting even during the winter season.
There is still enough time to fight for about 30 to 45 more days, according to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mark Milley spoke to the BBC on Sunday. Afterwards, he explained that the mud and rain could affect how easily soldiers can move on the battlefield.
In line with the positive outlook from the Biden administration, Milley said the counteroffensive has been making consistent progress since it started in June.
The Ukrainians are still fighting and they have not finished what they are trying to do. He said that it’s too soon to know how this will end.
On Sunday, it was reported that there were only small improvements in one of Ukraine’s main areas of attack, near the village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region. This area is on the route to the important town of Tokmak.
A Telegram channel of Ukraine’s 46th brigade, which has been trustworthy, said that soldiers have moved forward to the east of a nearby village. However, they warned that Russian forces still have an advantage as they hold the higher ground in the area.
At the moment, a message online from the southern ‘Tavria’ command stated: “we are still moving forward little by little in the Robotyne area. ” Approximately 15 square kilometers of land in Ukraine has been set free, but it didn’t mention how long it took to accomplish this.
When asked about how quickly his forces were moving forward on Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine still had control, but he told the audience in Kyiv not to think of the counteroffensive as a movie that ends in just 90 minutes.
A senior security official of Zelensky said at the same event the next day that Ukraine’s forces might continue attacking throughout the upcoming winter.
Kyrylo Budanov, who is in charge of military intelligence, admitted that the counterattack was not progressing as quickly as he wanted it to. He said that Russia had a good plan for their defenses and they had put a lot of mines. This made the situation on the battlefield difficult.
But even though the military knows about the cold weather, they won’t stop fighting. They will keep attacking and defending.
Earlier in the week, a former US General named David Petraeus said during a different meeting in Kyiv that this situation will continue during the winter season.
Comparisons to Ukraine’s first major counterattack in 2022 indicate that a longer duration may be possible.
A year ago, the Russian forces were pushed out of the Kharkiv region. The Ukrainian forces regained control of the town of Lyman around September 30.
Ukraine fought back in the south for another six weeks until they finally freed Kherson around November 10.
There is a lot of discussion among experts and decision-makers about whether Ukraine should have continued with its efforts, or if the countries supporting them didn’t provide enough weapons and ammunition for them to do so.
People who support Kyiv are worried that if the offensive operations stop during the winter, it will give Russia a chance to make their defenses stronger.
In response to the coup d’état that occurred on July 26th, the United States government has initiated a repositioning of its troops in Niger.
According to Sabrina Singh, a spokesperson for the US Pentagon, a portion of the personnel currently stationed at Air Base 101 near Niger’s capital, Niamey, will be relocated to Air Base 201 in Agadez, situated further north.
During a media briefing at the Pentagon, Ms. Singh emphasized that there is no immediate threat to American troops and no indication of imminent violence on the ground. She clarified that this repositioning is purely a precautionary measure.
The United States maintains a presence of at least 1,100 troops across its two air bases in Niger. Air Base 201 in Agadez is notably a significant $110-million facility dedicated to drone operations, boasting a length of 1.9 kilometers and located approximately 920 kilometers from Niamey.
These US forces are primarily deployed in Niger to support the country’s efforts in counterterrorism and the enhancement of its military capabilities.
It is worth noting that relations between Niger and its Western partners have deteriorated following the overthrow of democratically-elected President Mohamed Bazoum by the military.
In recent developments, France has initiated negotiations with Niger’s military junta concerning the potential withdrawal of some of its 1,500 troops from the country.
The United States is focusing on a important Sudanese paramilitary leader in the most important effort to restrict trade and financial transactions since the current conflict started in Sudan.
Washington has punished Abdelrahim Dagalo, the second-in-command of Rapid Support Forces (RSF), for violating human rights during the group’s conflict with Sudan’s army.
The decision, which was announced on Wednesday, seems to be a reaction to the dangerous fighting that has been happening in West Darfur. The RSF and their allied groups are being blamed for causing this violence.
The US has accused Mr. Dagalo of being involved in bad actions like sexual violence during conflicts and killings based on people’s ethnicity.
Abdelrahim Dagalo, who is the brother of RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also called Hemedti), is the first government official to be punished since the war began.
In the past, some penalties were imposed on companies. These penalties were aimed at both the army and the RSF.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced on Tuesday that she turned down China’s request to reduce the quantity of goods and services sold by the United States to them. The two governments have rules about controlling the export of technology that could be used for military purposes. However, they have agreed to have experts meet and talk about disagreements related to keeping trade secrets safe.
During a recent visit to improve icy relations, Raimondo said she expressed concerns to Chinese officials, including the country’s top leader. Technology companies are businesses that focus on creating and selling products or services related to technology. She said that the situation for foreign companies is getting more difficult because of a new law against spying and government investigations on consulting companies.
Raimondo, along with other American officials including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, visited Beijing in the last three months. They are trying to fix their relationships, which are currently at their worst point in many years because of disagreements over technology, security, Taiwan, and other problems.
A major issue for China is that they are not able to easily get computer chips and other technology from the United States. Technology for security reasons. This could make it difficult for the ruling Communist Party to achieve its goal of developing artificial intelligence and other industries. The regulations severely affected the smartphone business of Huawei Technologies Ltd. , China’s well-known global technology company.
Their request was to lessen the restrictions on technology that could potentially be used for military purposes, and to cancel an order issued by President Joe Biden that limits the United States. Raimondo said that investing in Chinese companies that may be connected to military development.
“Of course, I refused,” Raimondo said. “We don’t discuss or make deals about things that could harm our country’s safety. ”
The two governments agreed on Monday to share information about the United States. Export controls are regulations and procedures put in place by governments to monitor and limit the exportation of certain goods, technologies, or intellectual property, in order to protect national security, public health, or prevent the proliferation of weapons. Raimondo said that Washington wants people to follow the rules more.
Meanwhile, the two governments agreed to have experts meet to “begin to solve problems with sharing private business information,” Raimondo said.
“She said that one of the main things business people talk about all the time is keeping their trade secrets safe. ”
Before, Raimondo had a meeting with Premier Li. Premier Li requested that Washington take real steps to improve relations, referring to China’s desire for changes in the U. S The policy about Taiwan, technology, and other topics.
We hope that the United States Li said that our side will work together with the Chinese side, being honest and taking real actions.
Raimondo said that the meeting, which the American Embassy previously mentioned would only be a short and polite visit, actually lasted for one hour and fifteen minutes.
The leader of China, Xi Jinping, is working to make people more interested in investing in China and to make foreign companies feel safe. He is doing this to improve the country’s economy, which has been doing poorly. Raimondo said that she didn’t talk about the Chinese economy during her meetings, and she didn’t feel that her Chinese colleagues were motivated by the economic decline.
In August 2020, Beijing stopped talking to Washington about military, climate, and other matters because they were upset about a visit from former U. S Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Taiwanese House of Representatives. The Communist Party says that the self-governed island democracy is part of its land.
Relations between the two countries were already not good because of a trade war started by former President Donald Trump. He was unhappy with how Beijing was developing its industries. China’s trading partners say that China protects its new industries from competition, even though they promised to have open markets. They also say that China takes technology from foreign companies by either stealing it or putting pressure on them to give it up.
Foreign companies are facing worse conditions because of a law designed to prevent spying. This law has been expanded and now some companies are unsure about what kind of information they are allowed to collect from consumers and others. A company called Mintz Group got in trouble and had to pay $1. 5 million because it collected data in a wrong and improper way.
Raimondo mentioned that American companies told her that they are encountering a higher difficulty level in China. She mentioned that she had talked to about 120 to 150 CEOs and labor leaders on the phone to get ready for her trip.
Raimondo said we need that problem to be solved. “Each of those things can be dealt with to demonstrate action. ”
Raimondo mentioned that she also pushed Chinese leaders to share more details about limitations on American imports. The woman mentioned that technology companies seemed random and hard to predict, but she didn’t get any promises from them.
This year, Beijing told companies that make equipment handling sensitive information to stop using products from the largest American company. Micron Inc, which creates memory chips. It said the American company did not pass a security check, but did not provide any specifics, which led to ideas that the ban was done to get back at the U. S Restrictions on the use of technology.
Raimondo said the mood of her meetings was good, but she was aware that it would be hard to restart official conversations and achieve desired outcomes.
Raimondo said that we will wait and see if any action will be taken.
“She said we had a lot of honest conversation. ” “I want this to be the time when we begin to see things actually happening. ”
Chinese state media have portrayed the American visitors in a good light. But, Beijing has not shown any sign of changing its trade, strategic, and other policies that are creating tension with Washington, Europe, and its Asian neighbors.
On Tuesday, both parties had positive conversations about artificial intelligence regarding safety measures.
She said that the world wants our two countries to work together. “That was met with some openness. ”
The visits happen because Xi and Biden made a deal when they met in Indonesia last November.
Raimondo also met with Vice Premier He Lifeng, who is responsible for economic relations with Washington. He expressed optimism about having detailed conversations with Janet Yellen, the US Treasury Secretary, in July.
“I’m prepared to work together with you on that, to make new positive efforts to strengthen our agreement and expand our collaboration,” He told Raimondo.
Raimondo supported the plan of the Biden administration to make high-tech manufacturing safer in the US and find more places to get industrial supplies from to prevent problems. Beijing has said that this could be an effort to separate China and slow down its progress.
Raimondo told He that although we will always prioritize national security, we don’t want to separate or hinder China’s economy.
Raimondo said that she and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao had a two-hour lunch meeting on Monday. They agreed to have informal and frequent conversations to improve trade relations.
Raimondo said that she and Wang agreed to meet once a year and their deputies would meet twice a year as part of an agreement to form a group to talk about other business matters.
It won’t fix all our problems. When we talk, it doesn’t mean I’m going to give in or agree,” Raimondo said. “It means we have a chance to make fewer mistakes and exchange information. ”
Officials have decided to organize a meeting in early 2024 to discuss and plan ways to boost tourism between the two countries. This comes after China lifted its restrictions on travel due to the pandemic. The meeting aims to find ways to revive and promote tourism.
Chinese officials have agreed to start allowing big groups of tourists from China to visit the United States again, said Raimondo.
Bekele Gerba, a politician from Ethiopia’s opposition party, said to the BBC that he has asked the US government for political asylum because of the worsening conditions in his country.
He said he quit his job as vice-chair of the main opposition party in Ethiopia‘s Oromia region, which is the home state of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
“I have informed the United States that my life is not safe in Ethiopia,” he said in an interview with the BBC.
“He said that most political party offices have been shut down. ”
The person who was once held in prison accused the government of killing prisoners without a trial, killing large numbers of people, and making many arrests.
The people in charge said before that these accusations are not true.
Ethiopian politicians who disagree with the government have been talking about how the political situation is getting worse, but the government disagrees with them.
Mr Bekele was in prison for a year and a half because he was accused of serious crimes like terrorism and encouraging violence after the death of singer Hachalu Hundessa.
The politician, whose party refused to participate in Ethiopia’s nationwide election, has been in the United States since June of last year.
Last month, Human Rights Watch said that seven important leaders from the opposition group called Oromo Liberation Front are being held in prison without a fair reason. They have been there for almost three years. The organization wants them to be set free right away.
The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry have identified declining productivity as a detrimental factor affecting economic growth within the country.
Both the economic think-tank and the commerce chamber expressed this concern in response to the National Bureau of Statistics’ Gross Domestic Product report for the second quarter of the year.
According to a statement provided to The PUNCH, the CPPE noted that the adverse impacts of recent economic reforms were more significant than anticipated. The Chief Executive Officer, in the statement, emphasized that while the current disruptions in the economy are addressed, a resurgence is expected in the medium to long term.
The statement elaborated, “The existing vulnerabilities in the economy’s structure persist, particularly pertaining to challenges related to productivity and competitiveness within the real economy.”
“The Q2 GDP growth fell short of the sub-Sahara projected average of 3.1 per cent for 2023; but better than projections for the Euro Zone of 1 per cent and the United States of 1.8 per cent.”
Yusuf further pointed out that a number of industries, including oil refining, livestock, crude oil and gas, and textiles, are all experiencing a downturn as a result of macroeconomic, structural, or policy concerns.
He added, “Growth in these sectors continued to be subdued by heightened inflationary pressures, exchange rate volatility, spiking energy cost, insecurity and the political economy of the oil and gas sector.”
The Deputy-President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gabriel Idahosa, blamed the recent economic changes for the drop in productivity in the nation’s real economy in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH.
He continued by saying that the circumstance had contributed to the nation’s currency issue, which had made things challenging for the business community.
Idahosa said, “It’s unsurprising that trade isn’t at the level it should be. These economic reforms have been pushing the economy in one direction. The value of any currency is export minus imports. So, if we manage to push exports up, over time the trend will reverse.”
The gathering of BRICS country leaders in Johannesburg last week depicted China’s efforts in establishing a fresh global arrangement through their united photo session.
At the front and center was Xi Jinping, the strong leader of China. He stood on a stage with leaders from developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The summit was the biggest meeting ever for the BRICS countries. More than 60 countries came to the meeting, including the member nations Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Next to the BRICS leaders, there were also leaders from Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, who were recently invited to join the club.
This is a big win for Xi, who wanted to make the group bigger and more influential. Even though some members like India and Brazil had doubts, he was able to make it happen.
The group is getting bigger and it will have more than twice as many members as before. This will make the group have a bigger influence around the world, especially in the Middle East.
“China is the obvious winner,” said Steve Tsang, who is the director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London. “Adding six new members is a big step in the way it wants to go. ”
Beijing and Moscow want to expand their economic group to be a powerful force against the West and Western organizations like the G7.
That goal has become more important in the past year because China and the United States are in a growing rivalry, and the Ukraine war has also caused China to become more distant from the Western countries because of its support for Moscow.
The BRICS expansion and the long waiting list to join show that many countries in the Global South are interested in Xi’s offer of a different world order. These countries feel left out in the current international system, which they believe is controlled by the US and its wealthy allies.
The BRICS leaders want emerging markets and developing countries to have more power and influence in international organizations like the United Nations, the IMF, and the World Bank.
Xi, who criticized the dominance of the US in his speeches at the summit, expressed positive feelings about the expansion, calling it a significant moment and the beginning of a new phase for cooperation among BRICS countries.
Happymon Jacob, a professor who studies international affairs at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said that the expansion shows a change in global political borders.
He said that if China becomes a leader in non-Western forums and the Global South, they will be able to challenge the US and the world order that is controlled by the US.
BRICS group, which consists of five countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), has invited six other nations, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, to become members.
However, if more countries join BRICS, it may become less unified and less organized. This is because the current members of BRICS already have significant differences in their political systems, economic strength, and diplomatic objectives.
“I have doubts about how well the organization will work after it expands, and whether the expansion will actually make a significant impact,” said Yun Sun, who leads the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington.
The bigger the group, the more different interests the organization has to deal with and make everyone happy.
This is especially true for a group like BRICS, where decisions are only made if everyone agrees.
The new employees are a slightly different and varied group. There are two economies that are facing a lot of difficulties. Argentina has a history of not being able to pay back its debts and has faced problems with high prices and money issues. It borrows the most money from the IMF. Egypt has financial problems of its own, and it owes a lot of money to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is an organization that provides financial assistance to countries.
Ethiopia, a country in Africa with a lot of people, used to have a strong economy but is now suffering a lot because of a civil war that happened in the Tigray region. The war lasted for two years and ended in December. During the war, many people’s rights were violated.
The bigger group will also have three of the biggest countries that sell a lot of oil: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran.
In simpler words, both countries used to be very close friends with America, but now they are getting even closer to China. China has been increasing its presence in the area because it seems like the US isn’t as involved anymore.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are enemies who have been fighting each other for a long time. However, this year they made an agreement with the help of China to start talking to each other again.
This is very different from a more united group like the G7, which is made up of democracies that think similarly and have big developed economies.
Helena Legarda, a top analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin, said it is not clear how much the BRICS expansion will raise the worth and power of the group.
If BRICS doesn’t have a common belief and a clear main objective, it is possible that adding six new members will make the group more split or divided.
One big issue is that China and Russia are against the United States, and now Iran has joined them, making their agenda even stronger.
India and Brazil are worried that the bloc could become too against the West and controlled by China. Some of the new members may also have doubts about this.
Even though China has specific goals for the group, many other developing and emerging economies do not view BRICS as only about politics. She said that they are also driven by the chance to make money and get special advantages in the Chinese and other markets.
However, China is currently facing economic difficulties within its own country. These difficulties include a worsening situation with their real estate market, increasing debt among local governments, a high number of unemployed young people, and a population that is growing older. A lot of economists think that the world’s second largest economy is going to start growing much more slowly. This could have a big effect on the economy of the whole world.
The BRICS expansion may cause more competition and disagreements between China and India. China and India already have strained relations due to an ongoing border conflict.
Jacob in New Delhi said that the competition between China and India for leadership of the Global South is going to intensify even more, with China having a clear advantage.
India has good relationships with the new BRICS members. However, China has lots of money and power which allows them to have more influence in the Middle East and in the institution compared to India.
Sun, from the Stimson Center, said that because of the rivalry and tensions between China and India, as well as between Iran and Saudi Arabia, there will not be many important issues that they can agree on and work together on.
The expansion gives the impression that there is a larger group of countries working together against the West, but just having more countries in the group does not necessarily mean they will be more effective.
The family of Jamshid Sharmahd, an Iranian-German citizen imprisoned in Iran and sentenced to death, met with a United States representative dealing with Iran on Friday.
I was happy to have a chance to meet Jamshid Sharmahd’s family today. The person named Sharmahd was taken by force in Iran, against what should have happened. The Deputy Special Envoy, Abram Paley, expressed his wish to see Sharmahd being able to see his family again one day. This statement was shared on a social media platform called X, along with a picture of Paley with Sharmahd’s son and daughter.
Sharmahd, a person living in the US for a long time, was taken into custody by Iranian authorities in 2020. The authorities stated that he was the leader of a group that was blamed for carrying out a harmful bombing in the city of Shiraz in 2008. This information was reported by state-run news agencies ISNA and IRNA.
Last February, he was given a punishment of death for doing something bad on Earth. This caused many human rights organizations and Western governments to strongly disagree and criticize. Amnesty International said he was given a sentence following a trial that was extremely unfair.
In April, the Iranian Supreme Court confirmed his punishment of death, which was strongly criticized by the European Union and the United States.
The European Union said that the Iranian authorities did not let them visit Sharmahd, even though he is from Germany.
Earlier this month, the US State Department said that the way the Iranian regime treated Sharmahd was very bad.
He has been given the punishment of death as a result of a legal proceeding that many people have strongly criticized as an unfair trial. And we strongly denounce this type of treatment,” Vedant Patel, who is the second most important spokesperson for the US State Department, stated in a meeting on August 14.
After Paley made a statement, Gazelle Sharmahd asked the US government to assist in releasing her father.
I told the person in charge that I want them to do something. My dad needs to be involved in whatever is decided to release US citizens for free. We will keep asking the Biden Administration to either help everyone or stop negotiating with the people who took my dad,” she said in a statement on X.
In light of attacks on UN forces, the United States has expressed alarm about the possibility of Mali’s conflict escalating.
The attacks were “unacceptable,” according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, who also denounced “such violence and the greater threat posed by armed actors operating” there.
The UN peacekeeping operation in Mali, Minusma, announced on Monday that deteriorating security had compelled them to leave the northern town of Ber earlier than usual.
It claimed that two attacks on its retreating forces resulted in some of the soldiers being hurt.
According to the US State Department, the attacks show how dangerous escalating violence is and how crucial it is for all Malian parties to resolve their issues amicably.
It continues, “We call on the transition administration to cooperate completely until the final Minusma element departs. It is essential that Minusma be permitted to undertake its departure in a secure and orderly way.
Tuesday, New Zealand lifted the last of its Covid restrictions, putting an end to one of the tightest pandemic regulations in history. The government noted that the country had a much lower fatality rate than many other countries.
According to the health minister, Ayesha Verrall, the island nation would no longer require masks in medical institutions or the final seven days of required isolation for those who test positive for the coronavirus.
When the coronavirus first appeared in 2020, New Zealand served as something of a model for how countries may effectively fend it off by implementing early lockdowns and stringent border controls.
The coronavirus outbreak’s initial effects were greatly diminished by the early zero-Covid approach, sparing New Zealand the widespread mortality and overburdened healthcare systems observed in many parts of the world, notably the United States.
However, as the restrictions dragged on and had a negative impact on the economy, it also kept the island nation isolated globally and made it more and more unpopular.
Verrall said in a statement on Monday that it had been a long road, but New Zealand’s COVID-19 method had transitioned from an emergency response to sustainable long-term management.
The health minister continued, “While our case counts will continue to fluctuate, we have not observed the spectacular peaks that characterised COVID-19 rates last year.
According to the government, Covid has significantly lessened the strain on the healthcare system this winter in New Zealand, with cases making up just 2.2% of recent hospital admissions.
According to Cabinet and I, we are in a position to safely remove the remaining COVID-19 criteria because of this and the population’s immunity levels, Verrall stated.
She added, however, that anyone who are “ill” or “have tested positive for Covid-19” should stay at home for five days.
She also emphasised that using face masks is still an effective way to stop the spread of respiratory infections in hospitals and centres for people with disabilities.
The action was referred to as a “significant milestone” by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.
During a press conference on Monday, he added, “The unity of the Kiwi response, and the sacrifices that were all commonplace all contributed to the many thousands of lives that were saved.”
5.1 million people in New Zealand, according to Hipkins, were affected by the coronavirus, resulting in 3,249 deaths.
“We would be reporting about 15,000 deaths from Covid if New Zealand had had a similar rate of Covid-19 mortality as the United States,” he asserted.
The Labour Party, which is currently in power in New Zealand, paid a political price for the severe rules.
His predecessor, Jacinda Ardern, was responsible for the initial success. However, as the stringent limitations persisted, the people grew increasingly frustrated with their effects, which included the months-long separation of families and the exclusion of almost all foreigners.
Last March, during a time when the country was experiencing economic unrest and rising living expenses, protesters camped out in front of the Parliament for weeks and set fire to tents, mattresses, and chairs. This was a result of the protracted Covid lockdowns and mandates.
Support for Ardern and the Labour Party plummeted in 2022, just before she abruptly announced her resignation in January, citing a lack of energy.
Hipkins had a strong connection to the zero-Covid regulations because he served as health minister for a large portion of the epidemic.
The center-right opposition National Party is posing a serious threat to Labour in New Zealand’s next elections.
Gradually throughout 2022, the nation’s borders were reopened, restoring the strict controls put in place in March 2020 to keep immigrants at away and restrict places for citizens to return.
It implemented a five-step plan, allowing locals to return home before welcoming a large-scale tourism recovery.
It has shared hosting duties for the 2023 Women’s World Cup with Australia for the past three weeks.
Trade interactions between Ghana and the United States (US) reached a remarkable sum of $3.7 billion in the year 2022, as highlighted in data divulged by the US Embassy situated in Ghana. This notable achievement solidified the US’s position as Ghana’s fourth most significant export destination, further affirming the substantial economic ties between the two nations.
Ghana’s exports to the US in 2022 amounted to $2.7 billion and the main exports from Ghana include crude oil, cocoa (bean, paste, and butter), apparel, rubber, and cassava.
Ghana’s imports from the US in 2022 amounted to $1 billion, and the major imports include cars, machinery, paper products, plastics, medical devices, fertilizers, and agricultural goods.
Ghana’s trade surplus with the US in 2022 was $1.8 billion, while trade in services is also growing strongly, the information said.
It also indicated that in that same year, US bilateral assistance to Ghana was over $150 million; and that went into financing health, economic growth, agriculture, education, human rights, governance, and security.
The US government in 2022 provided over $32 million in agricultural assistance to Ghana.
It stated that more recently, the US Development Finance Corporation announced new support for $25 million in financing for micro, small, and medium sized enterprises in the agricultural sector in Northern Ghana.
“Supporting digital economic development, the United States recently announced a $300 million investment in data centers in Africa, including Ghana,” it added. Ghana registered a total of $421 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from the US in 2021.
In a private ceremony held on Friday night in the nation’s capital, the body of the assassinated Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was laid to rest.
According to his campaign staff, the 59-year-old was buried in the Monteolivo cemetery in Quito’s north.
They claimed that the funeral took place in complete secrecy, with police officers and his nearest family accompanying the casket.
Villavicencio, an anti-corruption activist and congressman who spoke out against the carnage brought on by drug trafficking in the nation, was shot and killed on Wednesday during a campaign rally in Quito.
Villavicencio was assassinated just 10 days before the first round of the presidential election was scheduled to take place. Villavicencio belonged to the Movimiento Construye political party.
Six suspects, all of whom are gang members and citizens of Colombia, were reportedly detained by authorities on Thursday in connection with his murder. Although it is yet unknown what country the suspected shooter was from, he passed away earlier while in police custody.
The Andean country, which was until a few years ago a relatively calm country, is now afflicted by a worsening security crisis caused by drug trafficking and a turf war between competing criminal organisations.
As criminal organisations compete to control and distribute narcotics, particularly cocaine, the Pacific coast of Ecuador has seen the most violence.
The assassination sparked a global outcry of disapproval, notably from the UN Human Rights chief, the United States, and the European Union.
During the course of the inquiry, investigators confiscated two motorcycles, a stolen car that was thought to have been utilised by the suspects, a rifle, a machine gun, four handguns, three grenades, two rifle magazines, and four boxes of ammunition.
President Guillermo Lasso also requested assistance from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation in response to the incident, and he tweeted earlier that a mission would soon be in the nation.
Following other recent extreme weather events throughout the world, there have been wildfires in Hawaii.
Wildfires in Greece had their worst July on record, severely affecting the islands of Corfu and Rhodes.
The wildfire season in Canada has likewise been the worst on record; as of now, more than 25,000 acres (100 sq km) had burned. That comes after devastating wildfires earlier in 2023 in Australia and Chile.
In some areas, such as the western United States, wildfires have burned more land recently.
According to scientists, climate change is bringing about the climatic conditions that make wildfires more likely to spread.
Large fires start every yearly in specific areas of the Hawaiian islands, according to the University of Hawaii, but the size of these fires is exceptional.
