The United States has decided that it will continue to partner with civil society, law enforcement, and judicial systems to support bilateral and regional capacity-building initiatives to counter threats of terrorism and violent extremism in Africa.
According to the US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia E. Palmer, tackling the root causes of conflict, economic issues, inter and intra-communal schisms and weak institutions remained critical in securing the continent.
Speaking in Sogakope in the Volta Region last Tuesday, where the last leg of Operation Flintlock, the US-Africa Command’s special operations exercise was held, Ms Palmer said improved security conditions could go to create the stability required to attract foreign investment and encourage economic growth.
“Through Flintlock and decades of military-to-military cooperation, we’ve demonstrated that our bilateral relationship is strong, productive and mutually beneficial,” she said.
The approach, she said, was to bring to bear the US government’s diplomatic, development and security tools, in collaboration with its partners, for a more peaceful and prosperous region.
The joint exercise, hosted by Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire over the past two weeks, had 1,400 personnel drawn from the Navies of Ghana, Cape Verde, Nigeria, Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire being trained.
Flintlock is the largest multinational training exercise, with a new purpose to address the critical themes of counter-terrorism, counter-illicit trafficking, collective security and partnership among the US, Europe, the United Kingdom and Africa.
Spanning five sites, it conducts command-post exercises and field training exercises, with maritime crime detection and rescue exercises being the new additions to the training series under the programme.
During the exercise, the team staged a simulation, during which it rescued a supposed hostage from terrorists.
Human Rights
Ms Palmer pointed out that improving governance and respect for human rights, promoting the rule of law and accountability and providing services and economic opportunities for populations were all imperatives to security.
“We know security concerns cannot be fully addressed through military force, and our expectations are that the rights of people will be upheld,” she said.
Ghana, she said, had taken a very holistic approach, having security interventions layered down to human rights training for the police and the armed forces.
That, she said, saw the US Agency for International Development (USAID) supporting the government’s effort to improve inclusive economic growth and social cohesion, particularly in the northern part of the country, committing $140 million a year into health, water and sanitation and educational programmes to help address the vulnerability in that part of the country.
Building trust
She said during the Flintlock exercise, the partners, had worked together to build trust between at-risk communities through medical outreach events.
Mobile clinics, she said, were established in the Northern and the Volta regions, where some residents were provided with medical screening and basic health care.
“It’s this kind of work that builds trust and connection and can improve security,” Ms Palmer said.
She applauded President Akufo-Addo’s efforts to expand the work of the Accra Initiative, the regional approach needed for Coastal West Africa and the Sahel, keeping in mind that the complex problems in the region required African-led and sourced solutions.
US Africa
In his remarks, the Commander of the US Special Operations Command Africa, Rear Admiral Jamie Sands, said he was delighted at the effort the participating forces put into the training programme.
“By the cooperation and networks built through this exercise, we are coming together to set the groundwork to solve the security challenges that pose threats across the region,” he said.
Being the first Flintlock since 2020 and the COVID-19, the coordination and planning, he noted, had grown the exercise in many ways and commended the partners for participating in the training.
Ghana
In his remarks, the Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces and Staff College, Major General Irvine Nii Ayitey Aryeetey, said Ghana recognised the importance of the exercise in promoting interoperability and mutual understanding among the participating nations.
“This exercise is a testament to the importance of collaboration among nations in the face of the global security challenge,” he said.
Banking stocks have dropped sharply again, as investors remain concerned following the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in the United States last week.
The failure of SVB has raised concerns that other banks may also be in trouble.
Credit Suisse shares have reached a new low after falling by 20%.
The drop occurred after Credit Suisse’s largest investor stated that it could no longer provide the bank with financial assistance.
By mid-morning, European stock indexes, including the FTSE 100 in the United Kingdom, were down about 2.5%.
The FTSE 100 has fallen 6% in the past week to reach a three-month low.
“Investors remain nervous about what might be lurking in the shadows,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
“It’s no wonder that investor sentiment remains cautious towards the big banks given that credit agency Moody’s downgraded its outlook on the US banking system to ‘negative’.“
Credit Suisse’s shares slumped after it revealed on Tuesday that its auditor, PwC, had identified “material weaknesses” in its financial reporting controls.
That prompted major investor the Saudi National Bank to say it would reject calls to inject further funds into the Swiss lender.
The wider problems in the banking sector began last week with the collapse of SVB, the US’s 16th-largest bank.
The bank – which specialised in lending to technology companies – was shut down by US regulators on Friday in what was the largest failure of a US bank since 2008.
SVB’s UK arm was snapped up for £1 by HSBC.
In the wake of the SVB collapse, New York-based Signature Bank also went bust, with the US regulators guaranteeing all deposits at both.
But fears have persisted over the fallout from the collapse and trading in bank shares has been volatile this week.
On Monday, trading was temporarily halted in several smaller US banks as shares slumped, although Tuesday saw stock prices rebound.
However, credit ratings giant Moody’s has warned of more pain ahead for the US banking system.
On Tuesday, it cut its outlook for the sector to “negative” from stable, warning of “a rapid deterioration in the operating environment”.
“The worry is that banks sitting on large unrealised losses in their bond portfolios might not have sufficient buffers if there is a fast withdrawal of deposits,” said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.
“Although the biggest players are judged not to be at risk, thanks to the chunky layer of capital they are sitting on and the stable nature of their deposits, the nervousness is palpable.”
As per a new analysis, only 13 of the world’s countries and territories enjoyed “good” air last year as air pollution rose to dangerous levels in 2022.
The World Health Organization‘s air quality guidelines, which are intended to assist governments in developing regulations to protect the public health, were found to be exceeded in roughly 90% of the countries and territories examined, according to a report by IQAir, a company that monitors air quality globally.
IQAir analyzed average air quality from 131 countries and territories, and found that just six countries — Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland and New Zealand — and seven territories in the Pacific and Caribbean, including Guam and Puerto Rico, met the WHO air quality guidelines, which call for an average air pollution level of 5 micrograms per cubic meter or less.
Seven countries – Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Kuwait and India – had poor air quality that far exceeded the WHO guidelines with average air pollution over 50 micrograms per cubic meter.
The study looked specifically at fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which is the tiniest pollutant but also the most dangerous. When inhaled, the PM2.5 travels deep into lung tissue where it can enter the bloodstream. It comes from sources like the combustion of fossil fuels, dust storms and wildfires, and has been linked to a number of health problems including asthma, heart disease and other respiratory illnesses.
WHO tightened its annual air pollution guidelines in September 2021, cutting the acceptable amount of fine particulate matter from 10 to 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Millions of people die each year from air pollution-related health issues. In 2016, around 4.2 million premature deaths were associated with fine particulate matter, according to the UN agency. If the latest guidelines had been applied back then, WHO found there could have been nearly 3.3 million fewer pollution-related deaths.
The report also continues to highlight a worrying inequality: the lack of monitoring stations in developing countries in Africa, South America and the Middle East, which results in a dearth of air quality data in those regions.
Although Africa saw improvement in the number of countries included in this year’s report compared with 2021, the continent still largely remains the most underrepresented. According to IQAir, only 19 out of 54 African countries had sufficient data available from their monitoring stations.
Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir North America, said that each time it adds a new country that once lacked air quality data – as it did with Chad in 2021 – those countries inevitably wind up at the top of the most-polluted list.
“If you look at what’s called satellite or modeled data, Africa is supposed to be probably the most polluted continent on the planet, but we don’t have enough data,” Hammes told CNN. “What that means is there’s a whole lot more data that’s needed in order for us to truly determine what are the most polluted countries and cities in the world.”
But one of the biggest barriers right now, she said, is “the way that governments currently monitor air quality.” Hammes said most governments tend to invest in instruments that fail to accurately measure fine particulate matter in the air.
In the United States, the report found air pollution improved significantly last year compared with 2021 due to a relatively mild wildfire season.
Coffeyville, Kansas, had the worst air quality in the US last year, which IQAir attributed to a nearby oil refinery. Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta and Chicago topped the list of major US cities with the worst air quality, though the researchers also noted that California was home to 10 of the 15 worst major cities for air pollution, including Los Angeles and Sacramento.
Around the world, researchers said, the main sources of air pollution last year were wildfires and the burning of fossil fuels for transportation and energy production, which wreaks havoc on the most vulnerable and marginalized communities.
“This is literally about how we as a planet are continuing this unhealthy relationship with fossil fuels,” Hammes said. “We are still dependent on fossil fuels and fossil fuels are responsible for the majority of air pollution that we encounter on this planet.”
China, which had for decades been near the top of the list for the worst air pollution, continued to show improved air quality in 2022. Nearly 64% of the 524 cities analyzed in mainland China saw reductions in annual PM2.5.
Still, IQAir notes that the country’s coal usage continues to be a major climate and environmental concern, and that despite the improvement, none of the Chinese cities actually met the annual WHO guidelines.
Climate change-fueled wildfires, Hammes said, also play a significant role in worsening air quality, especially in the US. The report notes that wildfires in recent years have been rapidly erasing air quality improvements that the US has made over the past decade.
“Wildfires are very much so a global warming issue, and it is creating essentially unsafe conditions,” Hammes said.
Hammes said countries must learn from each other, noting that the countries with best air quality, for example, are the ones taking on specific actions to transition away from polluting industries and into greener forms of energy, such as solar and wind.
She adds it is also important to expand air quality monitoring networks, especially in predominantly disadvantaged regions. For instance, despite Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the IQAir report shows that Ukraine expanded air monitoring networks, collecting data from nearly triple the number of cities in 2022 than in 2021.
“What we’ve learned is that what gets measured gets done,” Hammes said. “We need to collect more data. We need to inform folks of this information, and it does need to be free and available, so that they can make more informed choices.”
IQAir analyzed average air quality from 131 countries and territories, and found that just six countries — Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland and New Zealand — and seven territories in the Pacific and Caribbean, including Guam and Puerto Rico, met the WHO air quality guidelines, which call for an average air pollution level of 5 micrograms per cubic meter or less.
Seven countries – Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Kuwait and India – had poor air quality that far exceeded the WHO guidelines with average air pollution over 50 micrograms per cubic meter.
The study looked specifically at fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which is the tiniest pollutant but also the most dangerous. When inhaled, the PM2.5 travels deep into lung tissue where it can enter the bloodstream. It comes from sources like the combustion of fossil fuels, dust storms and wildfires, and has been linked to a number of health problems including asthma, heart disease and other respiratory illnesses.
WHO tightened its annual air pollution guidelines in September 2021, cutting the acceptable amount of fine particulate matter from 10 to 5 micrograms per cubic meter.
Millions of people die each year from air pollution-related health issues. In 2016, around 4.2 million premature deaths were associated with fine particulate matter, according to the UN agency. If the latest guidelines had been applied back then, WHO found there could have been nearly 3.3 million fewer pollution-related deaths.
The report also continues to highlight a worrying inequality: the lack of monitoring stations in developing countries in Africa, South America and the Middle East, which results in a dearth of air quality data in those regions.
Although Africa saw improvement in the number of countries included in this year’s report compared with 2021, the continent still largely remains the most underrepresented. According to IQAir, only 19 out of 54 African countries had sufficient data available from their monitoring stations.
Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir North America, said that each time it adds a new country that once lacked air quality data – as it did with Chad in 2021 – those countries inevitably wind up at the top of the most-polluted list.
“If you look at what’s called satellite or modeled data, Africa is supposed to be probably the most polluted continent on the planet, but we don’t have enough data,” Hammes told CNN. “What that means is there’s a whole lot more data that’s needed in order for us to truly determine what are the most polluted countries and cities in the world.”
But one of the biggest barriers right now, she said, is “the way that governments currently monitor air quality.” Hammes said most governments tend to invest in instruments that fail to accurately measure fine particulate matter in the air.
In the United States, the report found air pollution improved significantly last year compared with 2021 due to a relatively mild wildfire season.
Coffeyville, Kansas, had the worst air quality in the US last year, which IQAir attributed to a nearby oil refinery. Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta and Chicago topped the list of major US cities with the worst air quality, though the researchers also noted that California was home to 10 of the 15 worst major cities for air pollution, including Los Angeles and Sacramento.
Around the world, researchers said, the main sources of air pollution last year were wildfires and the burning of fossil fuels for transportation and energy production, which wreaks havoc on the most vulnerable and marginalized communities.
“This is literally about how we as a planet are continuing this unhealthy relationship with fossil fuels,” Hammes said. “We are still dependent on fossil fuels and fossil fuels are responsible for the majority of air pollution that we encounter on this planet.”
China, which had for decades been near the top of the list for the worst air pollution, continued to show improved air quality in 2022. Nearly 64% of the 524 cities analyzed in mainland China saw reductions in annual PM2.5.
Still, IQAir notes that the country’s coal usage continues to be a major climate and environmental concern, and that despite the improvement, none of the Chinese cities actually met the annual WHO guidelines.
Climate change-fueled wildfires, Hammes said, also play a significant role in worsening air quality, especially in the US. The report notes that wildfires in recent years have been rapidly erasing air quality improvements that the US has made over the past decade.
“Wildfires are very much so a global warming issue, and it is creating essentially unsafe conditions,” Hammes said.
Hammes said countries must learn from each other, noting that the countries with best air quality, for example, are the ones taking on specific actions to transition away from polluting industries and into greener forms of energy, such as solar and wind.
She adds it is also important to expand air quality monitoring networks, especially in predominantly disadvantaged regions. For instance, despite Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the IQAir report shows that Ukraine expanded air monitoring networks, collecting data from nearly triple the number of cities in 2022 than in 2021.
“What we’ve learned is that what gets measured gets done,” Hammes said. “We need to collect more data. We need to inform folks of this information, and it does need to be free and available, so that they can make more informed choices.”
Following an inquiry into a 1992 domestic incident involving his wife, Gregg Berhalter is still being considered for a new contract as the head coach of the United States.
Rosalind Berhalter, who was then his girlfriend, was shoved and kicked by Berhalter in a nightclub when they were both freshman at the University of North Carolina. Berhalter confirmed in January that he was the focus of an investigation into the incident.
It was later discovered that Danielle, Giovanni Reyna’s mother, had complained to U.S. Soccer about the event because she had been upset by Berhalter’s handling of her son at the 2014 World Cup.
Reyna saw little playing time throughout the competition, and Berhalter indicated the Borussia Dortmund player nearly left his team because of bad behavior in Qatar.
Berhalter’s contract with U.S. Soccer expired at the end of December, though he said he was hopeful of returning to the post as a probe into the domestic altercation was announced.
While that investigation has concluded Berhalter did kick his wife, the legal firm that carried it out has advised U.S. Soccer there is no legal impediment to re-employing him.
A statement from U.S. Soccer read: “Upon learning of a serious allegation of past misconduct against then-U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter, U.S. Soccer immediately engaged a team at Alston & Bird LLP to conduct an independent investigation into the matter.
“U.S. Soccer takes seriously both allegations of violence and allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards our officials and staff.
“U.S. Soccer’s process for determining who will serve as sporting director is ongoing, and interviews are underway. The sporting director will lead the process of determining who will serve as head coach of the men’s national team.
“Given the investigators’ conclusion that there is no legal impediment to employing him, Gregg Berhalter remains a candidate to serve as head coach.
“The report also identifies a need to revisit U.S. Soccer’s policies concerning appropriate parental conduct. We will be updating those policies as we continue to work to ensure safe environments for all participants in our game.”
TheGhana Cedi has been branded a junk currency by a professor of applied economics at the John Hopkins University in the United States.
According to a tweet he posted on March 11, 2023, he has classified it as one of the currencies in his collection of rogue currencies.
According to Hanke, a serial critic of the government and its management of the Ghanaian economy, the cedi’s woes should be blamed on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s incompetence and eceonomic mismanagement.
“In #Ghana, the #cedi is junk. By my measure, the cedi has depreciated ~49.77% against the USD since Jan. 1, 2022. Thanks to Pres. Akufo-Addo’s incompetence & economic mismanagement, the cedi has been entered into my rogue’s gallery of JUNK currencies,” his tweet read.
As of last Friday, March 10, 2023, the Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana showed that the Ghana Cedi was trading against the dollar at a buying price of 11.0082 and a selling price of 11.0192.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 12.20 and sold at a rate of 12.80.
Government run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2022 at a time the economy was in a downward spiral.
The government only recently secured a Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which according to experts is a major conditionality of the lender in granting Board approval for a US$3 billion bailout.
The programme was meant to ensure the streamlining Ghana’s unsustainable debt. Government announced an 85% participation rate.
Ghana is hoping to get the first tranche of the bailout by March this year in order to among others rein in inflation and arrest the galloping depreciation of the cedi.
Talks are currently underway with Ghana’s external creditors in a bid to restructure loans in order to get IMF Board approval in March 2023.
In an exclusive interview with CNN on Wednesday, the US ambassador to Japan stated that Washington and its allies in Asia are strengthening their military connections in light of Beijing’s hostile actions toward several of its neighbors.
“You look at Japan, the United States, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, India, the United States, and the Philippines. China has engaged in military or other types of conflict with every nation in the previous three months alone. Then they are astonished to learn that several nations are taking their own precautions to safeguard themselves through deterrence. What did they believe they would do? In an interview at his Tokyo home, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel made the following statement.
The US envoy listed a string of what he said were aggressive military actions by China, including “attacks” against India along their shared Himalayan border, Chinese coast guard ships aiming lasers at Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, the firing of missiles into Japan’s exclusive economic zone and the harassment of US, Canadian and Australian aircraft by People’s Liberation Army ships and planes.
Beijing has denied being an aggressor in all those instances and accused Washington of being the primary instigator of heightened tensions in the region.
On Tuesday, China’s new Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned that “conflict and confrontation” with the US is inevitable if Washington does not change course.
“The US claims it seeks to compete with China but does not seek conflict. But in reality, the so-called ‘competition’ by the US is all-round containment and suppression, a zero-sum game of life and death,” he said during his first news conference in the new post.
“Containment and suppression will not make America great, and the US will not stop the rejuvenation of China,” Qin said.
Emanuel countered on Wednesday that military buildups and exercises by the US and its partners in the Indo-Pacific are not acts of containment, as Beijing charges, but acts of deterrence against further – and possibly more dangerous – Chinese aggression.
“They’ve come together to realize that (Chinese aggression) can’t continue as is,so every country is taking steps, both within an alliance (and)also within their own self-interest of creating a comprehensive coalition of deterrence. That’s what’s going on,” Emanuel said.
He praised Japan for doubling its defense budget and taking on a leadership role in the region, citing plans for it to operate joint South China Sea patrols with the Philippines and its agreement with South Korea just this week to settle grievances dating back to before World War II concerning Japan’s colonial rule in Korea.
And he praised both Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for putting the future before history and taking a stance that has prompted domestic backlash in both Tokyo and Seoul.
“I do think that both leaders showed a braveness and a boldness to look to the 21st century and make the most of that rather than being tied by 20th century,” Emanuel said.
“To me the test of leadership is to be idealistic enough to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. And then tough enough to get it done,” he said, adding that both Kishida and Yoon had passed that test.
The US ambassador also contrasted the countries Japan has been partnering with, including South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, India and even the United Kingdom, with countries with whom China works, including Russia, North Korea and Iran.
“There’s a phrase in America, you’re known by the company you keep,” Emanuel said.
Over the past 18 months, the Biden administration has been keeping good company, too, he said, noting its record in uniting allies and partners.
Emanuel cited multilateral agreements like the Quad – the informal alliance of the US, Japan, Australia and India – and the AUKUS deal for nuclear-powered submarines between the US, Australia and the UK as well as other economic, diplomatic and military initiatives.
“I think that has given our allies confidence, like Japan, to increase the defense budget, to be more active on the diplomatic arena and stage,” he said, giving credit to Tokyo for getting eight of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to vote to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a March 3 United Nations General Assembly vote.
Countries around the world will respond to Japan, or South Korea, or the US for a simple reason that China doesn’t understand, “the gravitational pull of freedom,” Emanuel said.
“A rules-based system that upholds respect both for the individual and in trying to uphold freedom has its own, I don’t know how else to say it, but seductive gravitational pull.”
China is attempting to step up its diplomatic offensive and regain lost ground after three years of mainly self-imposed isolation on the international stage, all the while hardening its public stance against its superpower competitor, the United States.
Beijing’s new foreign minister, Qin Gang, claimed on Tuesday that “China’s diplomacy has hit the ‘accelerator button’” in reference to the nation’s recovery from the pandemic and the restart of international relations.
Such outreach will be strengthened by a 12.2% rise in the Chinese government‘s budget for diplomatic expenses this year. It is a significant change from the zero-Covid era, when China’s borders were largely closed: in 2020, China cut its diplomacy expenditure by 11.8%, followed by a modest 2.4% increase in 2022.
This year’s budget, pegged at 54.84 billion yuan (about $8 billion), remains below the pre-pandemic peak, but experts say it marks a significant increase for China to resume and expand its diplomatic engagement with the world. In comparison, in the US, the requested 2023 budget for “international affairs” listed on the State Department’s website was $67 billion.
And the money will be used not only to fund diplomatic trips. According to China’s Ministry of Finance, the umbrella term “diplomatic expenditure” covers a wide range of areas, from budgets for the Foreign Ministry, Chinese embassies and consulates, to China’s participation in international organizations, foreign aid and external propaganda.
Alfred Wu, an associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, noted that China is likely to increase its spending on propaganda efforts targeting foreign audiences to service Beijing’s diplomatic interests – including through Chinese social media apps.
“For example, they try to extend influence in different countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia, through WeChat, targeting those who speak the Chinese language,” Wu said.
Experts also question whether some of the increase is due to the debt stress and repayment problems faced by countries under Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s signature overseas development initiative, known as the Belt and Road.
“Even if the interest and principal repayment is suspended, it still creates a large hole,” said Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Washington-based Stimson Center think tank.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road, and Chinese leaders will likely travel the world to talk up its successes, Sun said. “That usually means more diplomatic expenditures such as aid and gift packages,” she said.
China is set to host the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this year, after a long delay due to the pandemic. It will also host the first in-person summit between Xi and leaders from five Central Asian countries.
“China wishes to catch up and do more to make up for the lost time and opportunities,” Sun said.
And China has a lot of catching up to do, at least in terms of stabilizing relations with developed countries.
Global surveys by the Pew Research Center have shown that public opinion toward China in advanced economies has turned “precipitously more negative” since 2017, due to concerns about Beijing’s human rights record and military buildup in the South China Sea, with the most dramatic declines between 2019 and 2020.
Since the pandemic, opinions have only deteriorated further, partly due to perceptions that China had mishandled the initial Covid outbreak in Wuhan, according to a Pew survey published last year.
A notable shift in China’s diplomatic endeavors is a more forceful approach in publicly pushing back against the US – from the very top of the Chinese leadership.
In unusually direct remarks Monday, Xi accused the US of leading a campaign to suppress China and causing its serious domestic woes.
“Western countries led by the United States have contained and suppressed us in an all-round way, which has brought unprecedented severe challenges to our development,” Xi told a group of government advisers representing private businesses on the sidelines of an annual legislative meeting in Beijing.
China’s top leader usually avoids directly attacking the US in public even as bilateral relations have deteriorated sharply. He generally refers only to “Western countries” or “some developed nations” when making critical comments about Washington.
Xi’s blunt rebuke of US policy was echoed Tuesday by Qin, the foreign minister, who said US competition with China is in fact all about “containment and suppression” and “a zero-sum game of life and death.”
“If the United States does not hit the brakes, but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing, and there will surely be conflict and confrontation,” Qin warned.
To longtime observers of Chinese politics, the sharpened rhetoric rings alarm bells for already tense US-China relations, with no off-ramp in sight for deescalation.
“It sure feels like the (Chinese) side has decided to level up in responding much more forcefully to what it sees as unfair US accusations and actions,” wrote Bill Bishop, author of the Sinocism newsletter.
Now that Xi – the most powerful Chinese leader in decades – has lashed out at the US directly, China’s entire officialdom and propaganda machine are expected to take note and rigorously follow.
Temperatures are not likely to cool in Washington, either, given the consensus across the aisle to be tough on China and hardening American public perceptions. According to a Gallup poll released Tuesday, a record-low 15% of Americans view China favorably in 2023, a 5% fall from last year and a 38% decrease since 2018. More than eight in 10 US adults now hold a negative opinion of China, the poll said.
“Expect US-China to get worse faster,” Bishop wrote. “I fear we are entering into a much more dangerous period in US-China relations.”
Since late last year, some observers have noted Beijing’s softening tone on foreign affairs as it upped its diplomacy with Western governments, following Xi’s flurry of meetings with Western leaders at the G20 summit in Indonesia.
The demotion of combative foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian and the promotion of Qin – a measured former ambassador to the US – to foreign minister had been seen by some as a signal China was moving away from “wolf warrior” diplomacy, the aggressive style adopted by Beijing’s envoys in recent years.
When asked about that perceived shift Tuesday, Qin criticized “wolf warrior” diplomacy as a “narrative trap.”
“Those who coined the term and set the trap either know little about China and its diplomacy, or have a hidden agenda in disregard of facts,” Qin said. “In China’s diplomacy, there is no shortage of goodwill and kindness. But if faced with jackals or wolves, Chinese diplomats would have no choice but to confront them head-on and protect our motherland.”
To Sun, the expert at Stimson Center, the tone of Qin’s remarks did not come as a surprise – it simply aligns with China’s established lines on foreign policy, she said. “I think it is assertive and spiky, but not as aggressive as wolf warrior diplomacy was.”
Wu, the expert in Singapore, meanwhile, said he hadn’t observed much of a mellowing in Beijing’s diplomatic outreach. “Qin Gang may be a bit softer than Wang Yi,” he said, referring to Qin’s predecessor who was recently promoted as Xi’s top foreign policy adviser.
“But Wang is the No.1 official in diplomacy. They are still following Xi’s instruction to show their ‘fighting spirits’ – to go out proactively to fight hostile forces against China.”
Ayda Zugay clasps her hands collectively in an effort to calm her nerves.
She has been anticipating this day for years.
The woman she spent so much time trying to find will arrive at any moment.
More than 23 years have passed since Zugay and her sister received the $100 envelope that would forever alter their lives from a stranger on an airline.
A CNN story last spring featured Zugay’s quest to find the woman and thank her. At the time, Zugay only knew that the woman’s first name was Tracy, that she played tennis and that her act of generosity had made a tremendous difference in the lives of two refugees from the former Yugoslavia who were just beginning a new life in the United States.
The story reached millions of readers – many of whom sent in tips to help with the search. Several of them saw the handwriting on the envelope and knew right away who was behind it: Tracy Peck of Blaine, Minnesota.
Zugay and her older sister, Vanja Contino, reconnected with Peck in an emotional Zoom call that weekend.
But they haven’t had a chance to meet in person – until now, when an invitation to appear as special guests on “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” has brought all three women to New York City.
It’s a joyful occasion. But as they wait for Peck to arrive, Zugay tells her sister that she’s feeling anxious and emotional.
What if the moment doesn’t feel right? What if they struggle to connect with each other? What if the woman who’s inspired her for so many years ends up seeing her as a disappointment?
Tears well up in her eyes.
“I don’t want to let her down,” she says.
Contino tells her sister that could never happen.
“You are an amazing person,” she says. “This is all happening because of you.”
Zugay and Contino hide themselves behind a Christmas tree covered with gleaming gold ornaments, hoping to surprise Peck when she arrives.
As they wait, the Midtown Manhattan hotel lobby where they’ve planned to meet is bustling. Guests toting suitcases and shopping bags dart past them, oblivious to the dramatic moment that’s about to unfold.
Even though they know she’s coming, Peck catches them by surprise when she finally appears.
“Hi!” the sisters shout in unison, rushing forward to wrap their arms around Peck.
“My lovelies!” Peck exclaims.
Her face reddens as tears stream down her cheeks. “Oh! This is such a blessing,” she says, and they hold each other tighter.
To Peck, the hug feels like an embrace from family members she’s known for years.
To Contino, it’s an amazing connection between the past and the present that she never imagined would be possible.
To Zugay, it feels like a moment of closure, and a moment of something new that’s just beginning.
A few minutes later, Zugay and Peck settle down on the couch in Zugay’s hotel room. Contino sits on a chair nearby, snapping photos and taking in the scene.
They’ve exchanged some texts and messages on social media since their virtual meetup in the spring. When she got engaged several months ago, Zugay texted Peck to tell her.
But there’s so much more to catch up on, and so much to share.
The last time these three women sat side by side, they were in very different places, even though they were flying to the same destination.
On May 31, 1999, Peck was in her late 40s and had just finished a dream vacation watching the French Open with friends.
Contino, then 17, and Zugay, then nearly 12, had just said goodbye to their parents and everything they knew as they fled their war-torn country.
Peck was heading home to be with her family. Zugay and Contino were heading into uncertainty. They were seeking refuge in the United States, but had no idea what they’d find once they arrived.
Zugay didn’t speak much English then, but she sensed the compassion in her seatmate’s voice.
“We were able to communicate even though we had so many differences,” she says.
After hearing the sisters’ story that day, Peck handed them an envelope at the end of the flight, telling them to wait until they got off the plane to open it. Inside she tucked a $100 bill and the dangly earrings she’d been wearing.
“To the girls from Yugoslavia –” her note on the outside of the envelope began. “I am so sorry that the bombing of your country has caused your family any problems. I hope your stay in America will be a safe and happy one for you — Welcome to America — please use this to help you here. A friend from the plane — TRACY”.
Peck had no idea how much that gesture would come to mean to its recipients – and how much writing it would end up changing her life, too.
Contino, who’s now 41 and an anesthesiologist in Connecticut, sees the envelope as a reason why she still tries to prioritize giving to people in need, and why she’s teaching her two daughters to do that, too.
Zugay, a 35-year-old who lives in Boston, sees Peck’s simple act of generosity as the foundation of many things in her life, including her work with numerous nonprofits and the consulting company she cofounded.
And now that they’re finally reunited, Zugay wants to make sure Peck knows how much it’s meant.
“I thought of you for so many years,” she says. “It was almost like you were next to me in the things I was doing.”
Zugay unzips a black backpack, pulls out the envelope and hands it to Peck.
It’s in remarkably good condition, with no major wrinkles or tears. Zugay keeps it with her important documents and has tried hard to protect it.
“This is so wonderful,” Peck says. “I just can’t believe you kept this all these years.”
Peck says she’s amazed Zugay kept searching when so many others would have given up.
“Thank you so much for everything, Tracy,” Zugay says. “You’re such a beautiful person. I’m so excited for your joy to radiate across the planet.”
Zugay tells Peck she still remembers having a panic attack once when she thought she’d lost the envelope, and the many hours she spent looking at it and searching for clues. For so many years, that piece of paper seemed to be the only thing connecting her to a puzzle in her past she needed to solve.
Now that she and Peck have reunited, the envelope itself doesn’t seem as important. But what it symbolizes seems more important than ever. And that, Zugay says, is why she’s determined to keep telling the story.
“It’s been really beautiful to be able to elevate the message of welcoming people, and encouraging people to be kind,” she says. “You don’t have to be a wealthy philanthropist; you don’t have to be somebody who has a lot of power. You can be an average person, and you can have an incredible impact on somebody’s life.”
Since CNN’s coverage of her search began, Zugay estimates she’s received more than 2,300 emails from readers who were moved by Tracy’s story.
Some shared their own experiences of reaching out to others or receiving unexpected support at moments when they felt lost.
One person wrote that they’d been dangerously close to suicide but reconsidered after reading about Zugay’s search for Tracy.
“Something woke up in me that was quiet for so long. … Instead of ending my life that day, I walked around the city feeling gratitude for people like Tracy in my life,” the note said. “Now when I think about what I hope to build out of my life, I will always think of you and Tracy.”
Sisters reunite with stranger who helped them 20 years ago
Zugay says it’s been overwhelming and inspiring to receive so many beautiful messages.
But while most responses have been positive, a few negative emails have also made their way to her inbox.
To Zugay, that’s important to acknowledge, too.
“That’s why I do the work I do,” she says. “The goal is for everybody here to feel belonging and welcome and to thrive.”
And no matter how many negative responses she gets, Zugay says finding Tracy makes it all worthwhile.
When Peck learned she’d be traveling to New York, there was one thing she knew she wanted to see with Zugay and Contino: the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
“To me, the whole idea of Christmas is about love and giving and kindness,” Peck says. And who better to see the tree with than the women who’d given her such a beautiful reminder of how a small act of kindness can grow into something so much bigger?
So after hours of swapping stories about their family members, discussing their lives and careers, and sharing memories of the past and dreams for the future, the trio venture out to the packed sidewalks of Midtown Manhattan for a glimpse of the iconic sight.
At points, it feels like someone is shoving them from every direction. In the commotion, Zugay and Contino try to keep their eyes trained on Peck’s blonde hair.
“We can’t lose Tracy now,” Contino laughs, “not after we finally found her.”
They marvel at the Saks Fifth Avenue holiday lights display and snap selfies beside the tree.
“So beautiful,” Peck says.
And no matter how crowded the sidewalks around them get, the three women stick together.
Reuniting in person, Peck says, has brought even more unexpected joy than their initial conversation.
“Love and friendship among women is to me among the greatest gifts in the world,” she says. “I feel I’ve gained that bond with these two amazing women.”
Waiting backstage the next day as they prepare for their appearance on “CNN Heroes,” the women marvel at the stories of this year’s honorees.
“There are good people in this world,” Contino says.
Zugay nods in agreement.
Before long, a familiar voice echoes in the event space as a video plays that includes excerpts from their May reunion on Zoom.
It’s Tracy – the Tracy. Hearing her voice makes Zugay feel instantly emotional. Now they’re together at last.
The audience gives them a standing ovation as they walk on stage side by side.
As they return to their New York hotel after the show, they rehash highlights of the night – the celebrities who stopped them in the hallway to marvel at their story, the many honorees doing extraordinary things for their communities and, best of all, the fact that they got to spend an entire weekend together after so many years apart.
Peck thinks back to the young girls she met on the plane and how brave they were that day.
“I wouldn’t have been nearly as strong as you were. I wouldn’t have been mature enough to do it. … I’m so proud of you, the two women you’ve become,” she says.
Zugay thinks back to her many years searching for Tracy, and what she hoped she’d find.
“You turned out to be so much more than I ever expected,” Zugay tells Peck. “Just hearing your voice means so much to me. I can’t wait to hear about our future days together.”
They’re hoping to plan a bigger reunion so more members of their families can meet. And next year, Zugay hopes Peck will be a guest at her wedding.
Still reveling in the many inspiring stories of the evening and the chance they had to share the moment together, Zugay says she feels so overwhelmed with gratitude that she won’t be able to sleep.
Over the years, the efforts of so many people helped her find Tracy – at least 17, by her latest count, from the first journalist to cover her story for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune to the videographer who helped her get the word out on social media.
Tonight, she can only think of one thing to do: write her own notes, just like Tracy did, thanking them.
After receiving more than 25% of the vote in 12 states, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress Party has obtained the simple majority needed to be proclaimed the winner of the presidential elections.
With 8,805,428 votes, the former governor of Lagos and APC national leader won the majority of the vote. Atiku and Obi came in second and third with 6,984,290 votes and 6,093,962 votes, respectively.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria Peoples Party’s (NNPP) fourth-place finisher in the presidential election, received 1,496,671 votes.
The winner must receive the most votes overall and at least 25% of the votes cast in each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as required by the constitution (Abuja)
According to the results, Peter Obi of the Labour Party is in second place with 24% of the votes, followed by former vice president Abubakar with 2%.
Tinubu won the elections in Rivers, Borno, Jigawa, Zamfara, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, and Ogun states.
Atiku won in Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, Gombe, Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa, and Taraba states. He also won in Osun, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa states.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly discussed his country’s peace initiatives at the UN, according to a tweet.
He claimed that they also talked about the potential for expanding their mutual relations.
Zelensky stated that he anticipated close collaboration, particularly in enhancing food security.
It happened as the 193-member UN General Assembly was debating a motion supported by Ukraine that called for a vote on a resolution to bring about peace in that country.
The assembly has voted on three resolutions opposing the Russian invasion in the past year, receiving between 140 and 143 votes in favour.
The latest vote comes just ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The New Jersey Republican Party (NJGOP) in the United States has unreservedly condemned the murder of one of its members, Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfuor, a Ghanaian-American.
According to multiple reports by news portals, the 30-year-old, from Sayreville, New Jersey, was found inside her car with multiple gunshot wounds just before 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
The police have since said they believe she was the intended target of the shooting, but they do not have a clear motive, the report added.
Eunice Dwumfour, who was a business analyst and part-time EMT, is said to have been elected to the council in 2021.
The NJGOP statement was issued by Chairman Bob Hugin, who mourned the demise of Dwumfour describing it as one that came about as a result of ‘senseless violence.’
His statement eulogized her for among others, “the steadfast dedication to the community, as well as her deep and abiding Christian faith.”
“We have the utmost confidence that law enforcement will bring the perpetrators of this heartbreaking tragedy to justice. God Bless Councilwoman Dwumfuor and her family,” the statement concluded.
Full statement: NJGOP Statement on the Murder of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfuor
TRENTON – “On behalf of the New Jersey Republican State Committee, I would like to express our horror and deepest sorrow at the senseless violence that claimed the life of Sayreville Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfuor. We will remember Eunice for the steadfast dedication to the community, as well as her deep and abiding Christian faith. We have the utmost confidence that law enforcement will bring the perpetrators of this heartbreaking tragedy to justice. God Bless Councilwoman Dwumfuor and her family. Chairman Bob Hugin
The United States says it is deeply concerned over the release this week of a Sudanese man facing the death penalty in connection with the killing of a US diplomat 15 years ago.
The Sudanese authorities on Monday freed Abdel-Raouf Abu Zaid, who was convicted over the killing of John Granville and his Sudanese driver Abdel Rahman Abbas.
They were shot dead by Islamist gunmen on New Year’s Day 2008.
The State Department denied that the release was part of an agreement by both countries.
It said it was troubled by the lack of transparency in the legal process.
The police chief “permanently deactivates” the unit that included the five officers charged over the death of Tyre Nichols.
The city of Memphis in the United States has disbanded a police unit that included five officers charged with the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist.
Cerelyn ‘CJ’ Davis, the Memphis police chief, announced the move on Saturday, citing a “cloud of dishonour”.
Davis said in a statement it was imperative that the police “take proactive steps in the healing process” and that it was in “the best interest of all to permanently deactivate the Scorpion unit”.
She said she made the decision after speaking with members of Nichols’s family, community leaders and other officers.
Her announcement came a day after harrowing videos emerged of the police beating Nichols. It showed the 29-year-old Black man repeatedly screaming “Mom!” as officers kicked, punched and struck him with a baton in his mother’s neighbourhood after a January 7 traffic stop. He was hospitalised and died of his injuries three days later.
Five Black officers involved in the beating were charged on Thursday with murder, assault, kidnapping and other charges.
All have been dismissed from the department.
Protesters marching through downtown Memphis cheered when they heard the unit had been dissolved. One protester said over a bullhorn that “the unit that killed Tyre has been permanently disbanded”.
The unit is composed of three teams of about 30 officers whose stated aim is to target violent offenders in areas beset by high crime.
It had been inactive since Nichols’s January 7 arrest and subsequent beating.
Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, lawyers for the Nichols family, said the deactivation was “a decent and just decision”.
“We must keep in mind that this is just the next step on this journey for justice and accountability, as clearly this misconduct is not restricted to these specialty units. It extends so much further,” they said.
Demonstrators gather during a protest in Times Square on Saturday, January 28, 2023, in New York City, in response to the death of Tyre Nichols, who died after being beaten by Memphis police during a traffic stop [Yuki Iwamura/ AP]
Nichols’s death is the latest high-profile instance of police using excessive force against Black people and other minorities.
The 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, galvanised worldwide protests over racial injustice.
Rallies calling for justice for Nichols took place in cities across the US on Saturday. Several dozen demonstrators in Memphis blocked the Interstate 55 bridge that carries traffic over the Mississippi River towards Arkansas, while crowds also marched in New York City, Los Angeles, California, and Portland, Oregon.
Human rights activists said the video of Nichols’s beating left many unanswered questions about the traffic stop.
“It just went to 100. … This was never a matter of de-escalation,” she said. “The young man never had a chance from the moment that he was stopped.”
Goss Andrews added that the video also raised questions about the other law enforcement officers who stood by as Nichols lay motionless on the pavement. “Nobody tried to stop anything,” she said. “They have a duty to intervene, a duty to render care.”
Davis, the Memphis police chief, told The Associated Press news agency that the department could not substantiate the reason for the stop.
“We don’t know what happened,” she said, adding, “All we know is the amount of force that was applied in this situation was over the top.”
Davis has said other officers are under investigation, and Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said two deputies were relieved of duty without pay while their conduct is investigated.
Rodney Wells, Nichols’s stepfather, said the family would “continue to seek justice”, and those who failed to render aid are “just as culpable as the officers who threw the blows”.
A Memphis police spokeswoman declined to comment on the other officers’ conduct.
Reverend Al Sharpton, a prominent human rights activist, said on Saturday that the beating was particularly egregious because the officers were also Black.
“Your Blackness will not stop us from fighting you,” Sharpton said in a speech in Harlem, New York. “These five cops not only disgraced their names, they disgraced our race,” he added.
Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Chairman, Alhaji MND Jawula, has died at the age of 74.
The veteran Ghanaian football administrator died in Nashville, United States.
He was the leader of Ghana’s football governing body from 1997 to 2001.
Before his rise to the top of Ghana football administration, Alhaji Jawula was chairman of the 1995 Black Starlets team that won the World Cup in Ecuador.
He last served as Chairman of the seven-member Ghana Premier League Management Committee from 2019.
Alhaji Jawula was also a board member of Real Tamale United and a CAF Interclub Committee Member.
Aside football, he was the Lepowura of the Kujolobite Gate of Lepo-Kpempe in the Northern Region.
A potential flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, asserted that his dedication to the party once caused him to lose a woman he had planned to marry.
According to Kennedy Agyapong, the said woman left him after he returned from the United States of America to support the party in the 1992 elections.
“In 1992, I was in a relationship with Madam Stella. I also had another girlfriend back here in Ghana that I intended to marry. But when it comes to women some are good and some are bad.
“In 1992 I returned home one day to meet the one back here in Ghana holding my ticket and trying to find out if I could go back, because Adu Boahen had lost and NPP had also lost.,” the Assin Central MP said during an interview on his Net2 TV.
“The other woman left me because I had gone broke, she saw the amount of money I brought at that age and spent everything on the NPP. Right after losing the election, she said by their fruits you will know them; she left,” he added.
Ultimately he said, he had to go back to the U.S where he was accepted by his first girlfriend – Stella who forgave him and accepted him back.
“I stayed in Ghana for 8 months, and when I went back my office had been repossessed. I went back to driving a taxi.
“Stella remained. She forgave me and I had no option because her friends back here were calling her to that a lady is driving your man’s car. But she forgave me. All because of NPP, I lost the woman, I lost the office,” she added.
Kennedy Agyapong was responding to Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, who in a recent interview with JoyNews, questioned his competence and devotion as a prospective flagbearer of the NPP.
According to Kennedy Agyapong who is regarded as a financier of the NPP, he has a track record assisting the party in various moments of financial need.
This is corroborated by the former Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Obiri Boahen.
Obiri Boahen in an interview with Wontumi radio while calling out Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said, “I said what! What is Nyaho Tamakloe trying to say? In 2016 alone, Kennedy Agypong and Kutin bought almost a hundred pickups. He paid a debt of $3 million for the NPP and that was even in the 90s,” Obiri Boahen said.
“Tell me which of the 275 constituencies in Ghana have not felt the impact of Kennedy Agyapong? I am with Bawumia, I am campaigning for Bawumia but it doesn’t mean I should sit aloof if someone says something about Bawumia’s competitor and I have details about it,” he added.
The raids come after a string of ISIL assaults, including a deadly bombing close to a checkpoint in Kabul.
According to a senior Taliban government spokesman, eight ISIL (ISIS) fighters have been killed and a number of others have been arrested in a series of raids targeting prominent figures in a wave of attacks in Kabul.
The raids in the capital city and western Nimroz province the day before were directed at ISIL members who were responsible for the recent attacks on Kabul’s Longan Hotel, Pakistan’s embassy, and the military airport, according to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Thursday.
Eight ISIL fighters, including foreign nationals, were killed and seven others arrested in Kabul, while a separate operation in western Nimroz province resulted in two more ISIL arrests, Mujahid said.
“These members had a main role in the attack on the [Logan] hotel and paved the way for foreign [ISIL] members to come to Afghanistan,” the spokesperson said in a tweet.
ISIL claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing near a checkpoint at the Afghan capital’s military airport on Sunday. The group said that attack was carried out by someone that also took part in the Longan Hotel assault in mid-December.
ISIL had published a photo of the attacker, identifying him as Abdul Jabbar, saying he withdrew safely from the attack on the hotel after he ran out of ammunition. It added he detonated his explosives-laden vest targeting the soldiers gathered at the checkpoint.
Mujahid said light weapons, hand grenades, mines, vests and explosives were confiscated by the Taliban’s security forces during the raids on an ISIL hideout in the Shahdai Salehin neighbourhood of Kabul. Residents reported sounds of several explosions and an hours-long gun battle.
ISIL’s regional affiliate – known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) – is a key rival of the Taliban and has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Targets have included Taliban patrols and members of Afghanistan’s Shia minority.
The Taliban swept across the country in August 2021, seizing power as United States and NATO forces were in the last weeks of their final withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.
Nigerian national Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, 40, a prisoner, owned 15 acres of land in Ghana, Abbas is known on Instagram as “Ray Hushpuppi.”
The notorious prisoner, who is doing more than 11 years in a federal state prison in the United States of America for money laundering and fraudulent crimes, was reportedly fishing in Ghana, according to the reports.
The prolific international fraudster’s catfish farm is also said to have been discovered after documents were found in his home, according to thisis50.com.
The information also showed that Hushpuppi was in the process of expanding operations on the farm.
The documents also showed that once, Hushpuppi gave a female waitress $5,000 as a tip, as receipts found in his apartment during his arrest at the Palazzo Versace in Dubai showed.
Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai in 2020 over an extensive fraud scheme that has robbed victims of their money in the U.S., Qatar, the United Kingdom, and other places.
He was extradited to the US, where he was charged with fraud and money laundering. He pleaded guilty to all charges levelled against him.
The socialite, however, bagged only 11 years in prison after he appealed to US Judge Otis Wright to tamper justice with mercy and a lighter jail term after scoring high in cleaning activities while in prison.
For instance, Emma Grede’s net worth has increased.
Grede’s net worth as of right now is $360 million, and it comes from businesses like Kim Kardashian’s shapewear line Skims and the size-inclusive clothing line Good American, which she co-founded with Khloe Kardashian in 2016.
Not all Black businesswomen in the US, meanwhile, were as lucky this year.
Some people’s net worth decreased as a result of rising interest rates, the uneven recovery of the epidemic, and market instability brought on by the war in Europe, including billionaire Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty, who owns a cosmetics company.
Despite these challenges, many Black businesswomen in the United States were able to achieve success and increase their wealth, showcasing their hard work, determination, and resilience.
According to data from Forbes, here is how these businesswomen rank.
1. Oprah Winfrey
Net worth: $2.5 billion
Source: Media
Oprah Winfrey, the talk show host turned media mogul, has a net worth of $2.5 billion, making her the wealthiest Black woman in America, according to Forbes.
Oprah has transformed her hit talk show, which aired for 25 years, into a media and business empire. To preserve and grow her fortune over time, the leading media mogul has reinvested profits from her show, as well as profits from films like “The Color Purple,” “Beloved,” and “Selma,” into key assets and entities in the media industry.
This year, Oprah faced some setbacks, including a decrease in her net worth from $2.6 billion at the start of the year.
Despite these challenges, Oprah’s media empire continues to thrive, thanks to her shrewd business acumen and her determination to succeed.
She recently earned $6.6 million from the sale of her Montecito estate in California, which she had purchased for $10.5 million just a year ago.
2. Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty
Net worth: $1.4 billion
Source: Music and Cosmetics
Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty is a successful musician and entrepreneur with a net worth of $1.4 billion. She is the second-richest Black woman in the United States. However, her net worth has declined by $300 million since the beginning of the year, going from $1.7 billion to $1.4 billion.
Fenty’s main source of wealth is her cosmetics company, Fenty Beauty, which she launched in collaboration with LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton in 2017.
The company sells makeup and skincare products on Sephora shelves and online to more than 150 countries, and is expected to bring in over $550 million in revenue in 2020.
In addition to Fenty Beauty, Rihanna has recently filed two applications for Fenty Hair with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, indicating her plans to launch a haircare line under the Fenty brand.
The Fenty Hair collection will include a range of accessories such as hairbands, bows, clips, ribbons, scrunchies, wigs, curlers, pins, brushes, and combs, further expanding the Fenty brand’s presence in the fashion and cosmetics industries.
3. Sheila Johnson
Net worth: $780 million
Source: CableTV
Sheila Johnson is a successful American businesswoman and co-founder of the cable TV channel BET, or Black Entertainment Network.
According to Forbes, she is one of the richest Black women in the United States. Johnson was the first African-American woman to achieve a net worth of at least $1 billion, but her fortune has decreased to $780 million in recent years.
However, data from Forbes shows that her net worth has increased by more than $30 million in the current year, going from $750 million at the beginning of the year to $780 million as of now.
4. Janice Bryant Howroyd
Net worth: $630 million
Source: Workforce Solutions
Janice Bryant Howroyd is a leading businesswoman and one of the richest Black women in the world, with a net worth of $630 million. She founded ActOne in 1978 with just $1,500, including a $900 loan from her mother, and a fax machine and phone. Today, the agency has more than 17,000 clients and 2,600 employees in 19 countries.
In 2019, Howroyd released her second book, “Acting Up,” in which she shared her advice for conquering the business world. Her net worth has increased significantly from $285 million in 2020 to its present value of $630 million.
In addition to her successful agency, Howroyd also owns several dozen properties, including commercial rental properties and personal residences.
5. Beyonce Knowles
Net worth: $450 million
Source: Music, Fashion
Beyonce Knowles is a highly successful musician and one of the wealthiest women in the world, with a net worth of $450 million, according to Forbes.
In addition to her music career, Beyoncé has also had multiple clothing lines, including her activewear line, Ivy Park, which has a partnership with Adidas.
In November 2022, Beyonce received nine new Grammy nominations, bringing her lifetime total to 88 and tying the record for the most nominations in Grammy history. She shares this record with her husband, further solidifying her place as a dominant force in the music industry.
6. Emma Grede
Net worth: $360 million
Source: Fashion
Emma Grede is the founder and CEO of Good American, a premium apparel label in the United States that promotes a healthy body ideal with a full and inclusive size range.
She co-founded the company with Khloé Kardashian in 2016, and it has since become one of the most successful apparel launches in history, with sales reaching upwards of one million dollars on the first day.
Grede was raised in East London by a single mother and began working a paper route at the age of 12, saving her earnings to buy fashion magazines. She later founded fashion and entertainment marketing agency ITB Worldwide in 2008 and became the first Black woman to serve as an investor on the popular ABC series Shark Tank.
7. Serena Williams
Net worth: $260 million
Source: Tennis, Investments
Serena Williams, one of the most successful and wealthy Black women in America, has a net worth of $260 million. Williams is also widely regarded as one of the greatest female tennis players of all time, having earned over $94 million in career prize money.
However, Williams’ success extends beyond her achievements on the tennis court. She has also made smart investments through her firm, Serena Ventures, which has invested in over 60 startups.
In March 2022, Serena Ventures raised an initial fund of $111 million. Recently, Williams launched a new company called Will Perform as part of her efforts to enter the booming sports recovery industry. This industry includes both large and small-scale stakeholders, such as wellness centers, sports recovery spas, and gyms.
Since appearing on Forbes’ annual list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women in 2019, Williams’ net worth has increased by $20 million, from $240 million at the start of the year to $260 million at present.
It was a successful year for Black businesswomen in the United States, as several saw their wealth significantly increase through new deals, acquisitions, and business expansion.
Emma Grede, for example, experienced a significant rise in her net worth. With a current fortune of $360 million, Grede derives her net worth from ventures such as Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims and size-inclusive fashion brand Good American, which she co-founded with Khloe Kardashian in 2016.
However, not all Black businesswomen in the United States had such fortunate this year. Some, like cosmetics billionaire Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty, saw their net worth drop due to rising interest rates, the uneven reopening of the pandemic, and market uncertainty caused by the war in Europe.
Despite these challenges, many Black businesswomen in the United States were able to achieve success and increase their wealth, showcasing their hard work, determination, and resilience.
It is important to recognize and celebrate these achievements, as they inspire and encourage other women of color to pursue their entrepreneurial goals.
According to data from Forbes, here is how these businesswomen rank.
1. Oprah Winfrey
Net worth: $2.5 billion
Source: Media
Oprah Winfrey, the talk show host turned media mogul, has a net worth of $2.5 billion, making her the wealthiest Black woman in America, according to Forbes.
Oprah has transformed her hit talk show, which aired for 25 years, into a media and business empire. To preserve and grow her fortune over time, the leading media mogul has reinvested profits from her show, as well as profits from films like “The Color Purple,” “Beloved,” and “Selma,” into key assets and entities in the media industry.
This year, Oprah faced some setbacks, including a decrease in her net worth from $2.6 billion at the start of the year.
Despite these challenges, Oprah’s media empire continues to thrive, thanks to her shrewd business acumen and her determination to succeed.
She recently earned $6.6 million from the sale of her Montecito estate in California, which she had purchased for $10.5 million just a year ago.
2. Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty
Net worth: $1.4 billion
Source: Music and Cosmetics
Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty is a successful musician and entrepreneur with a net worth of $1.4 billion. She is the second-richest Black woman in the United States. However, her net worth has declined by $300 million since the beginning of the year, going from $1.7 billion to $1.4 billion.
Fenty’s main source of wealth is her cosmetics company, Fenty Beauty, which she launched in collaboration with LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton in 2017.
The company sells makeup and skincare products on Sephora shelves and online to more than 150 countries, and is expected to bring in over $550 million in revenue in 2020.
In addition to Fenty Beauty, Rihanna has recently filed two applications for Fenty Hair with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, indicating her plans to launch a haircare line under the Fenty brand.
The Fenty Hair collection will include a range of accessories such as hairbands, bows, clips, ribbons, scrunchies, wigs, curlers, pins, brushes, and combs, further expanding the Fenty brand’s presence in the fashion and cosmetics industries.
3. Sheila Johnson
Net worth: $780 million
Source: CableTV
Sheila Johnson is a successful American businesswoman and co-founder of the cable TV channel BET, or Black Entertainment Network.
According to Forbes, she is one of the richest Black women in the United States. Johnson was the first African-American woman to achieve a net worth of at least $1 billion, but her fortune has decreased to $780 million in recent years.
However, data from Forbes shows that her net worth has increased by more than $30 million in the current year, going from $750 million at the beginning of the year to $780 million as of now.
4. Janice Bryant Howroyd
Net worth: $630 million
Source: Workforce Solutions
Janice Bryant Howroyd is a leading businesswoman and one of the richest Black women in the world, with a net worth of $630 million. She founded ActOne in 1978 with just $1,500, including a $900 loan from her mother, and a fax machine and phone. Today, the agency has more than 17,000 clients and 2,600 employees in 19 countries.
In 2019, Howroyd released her second book, “Acting Up,” in which she shared her advice for conquering the business world. Her net worth has increased significantly from $285 million in 2020 to its present value of $630 million.
In addition to her successful agency, Howroyd also owns several dozen properties, including commercial rental properties and personal residences.
5. Beyonce Knowles
Net worth: $450 million
Source: Music, Fashion
Beyonce Knowles is a highly successful musician and one of the wealthiest women in the world, with a net worth of $450 million, according to Forbes.
In addition to her music career, Beyoncé has also had multiple clothing lines, including her activewear line, Ivy Park, which has a partnership with Adidas.
In November 2022, Beyonce received nine new Grammy nominations, bringing her lifetime total to 88 and tying the record for the most nominations in Grammy history. She shares this record with her husband, further solidifying her place as a dominant force in the music industry.
6. Emma Grede
Net worth: $360 million
Source: Fashion
Emma Grede is the founder and CEO of Good American, a premium apparel label in the United States that promotes a healthy body ideal with a full and inclusive size range.
She co-founded the company with Khloé Kardashian in 2016, and it has since become one of the most successful apparel launches in history, with sales reaching upwards of one million dollars on the first day.
Grede was raised in East London by a single mother and began working a paper route at the age of 12, saving her earnings to buy fashion magazines. She later founded fashion and entertainment marketing agency ITB Worldwide in 2008 and became the first Black woman to serve as an investor on the popular ABC series Shark Tank.
7. Serena Williams
Net worth: $260 million
Source: Tennis, Investments
Serena Williams, one of the most successful and wealthy Black women in America, has a net worth of $260 million. Williams is also widely regarded as one of the greatest female tennis players of all time, having earned over $94 million in career prize money.
However, Williams’ success extends beyond her achievements on the tennis court. She has also made smart investments through her firm, Serena Ventures, which has invested in over 60 startups.
In March 2022, Serena Ventures raised an initial fund of $111 million. Recently, Williams launched a new company called Will Perform as part of her efforts to enter the booming sports recovery industry. This industry includes both large and small-scale stakeholders, such as wellness centers, sports recovery spas, and gyms.
Since appearing on Forbes’ annual list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women in 2019, Williams’ net worth has increased by $20 million, from $240 million at the start of the year to $260 million at present.
Of all the economies worldwide, the United States saw the biggest gain in inbound foreign direct investment in 2021. According to the most recent Coordinated Direct Investment Survey report from the IMF, the US position improved by $506 billion (11.3%) last year.
For the 112 economies that reported data, inward FDI positions rose by an average of 7.1 percent in national currencies. In dollar terms, this global growth figure translates to only 2.3 percent, due to the recent strengthening of the greenback.
As the Chart of the Week shows, the United States is now the world’s top destination for FDI, while China has moved up to the third position. It also shows how smaller economies take prominent positions among the global top 10. The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, Ireland, and Switzerland all appear on this list even though none of these economies rank among the top 10 when it comes to gross domestic product.
The apparent disconnect between FDI data and the real economy comes down to the fact that these numbers are fundamentally a set of financial statistics. They show cross-border financial flows and positions between entities tied to each other by a direct or indirect ownership share of at least 10 percent. Such flows can end up as investments into productive activities within a country, like funds going into new factories and machinery, but they can also be purely financial investments with little to no link to the real economy.
For instance, many multinational companies set up special purpose entities in offshore financial centers where funds just flow through the economy, as an intermediate step towards their final destination. These entities are often established to obtain tax or regulatory benefits and can inflate FDI data considerably even though they have relatively little tangible impact on the host economy.
Research by Damgaard, Elkjaer, and Johannesen and Lane and Milesi-Ferretti shows how offshore financial centers play an outsized role in global FDI statistics, which increased even further in the years following the 2008 global financial crisis. The latest data from the CDIS shows that offshore financial centers still account for a disproportionately high share of global FDI. However, their share has gradually declined since 2017, while that of the largest economies such as the United States and China has increased.
The exact drivers of this development are hard to disentangle, but are likely linked to several policy initiatives. For example, the fall in the offshore financial centers’ share of global FDI comes after the US Tax Cuts and Jobs Act took effect in 2018.
This legislation reduced incentives to keep profits in low-tax jurisdictions and led to a substantial US repatriation of funds from foreign subsidiaries. Additionally, sustained international efforts to reduce tax avoidance, like the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting initiative, may have halted some flows to offshore financial centers.
This highlights the continued need for comprehensive and timely statistics to better understand these developments and to guide policymakers in their decision-making on international investment and tax policies. In addition to the CDIS, the IMF has launched an initiative to collect data on special purpose entities and released the first set of SPE statistics earlier this year. Country reporting of comprehensive FDI statistics was also an important part of the second phase of the G20 Data Gaps Initiative, with 19 out of 20 member economies now reporting data.
Even more policy-relevant data are in the pipeline. In close collaboration with its members and other international organizations, the IMF is updating the balance of payments manual to strengthen its relevance for surveillance and policy analysis.
The CDIS is the only worldwide survey of FDI positions and is conducted annually by the IMF. The database presents detailed data on bilateral FDI relations among economies. It aims to provide a geographic distribution of inward and outward FDI worldwide, contribute to a better understanding of the extent of globalization, and support the analysis of cross-border linkages and spillovers in an increasingly interconnected world.
Nearly 20,000 people in the United States were admitted to the hospital for flu last week, almost double the number of admissions from the week before, according to data updated Friday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC estimates that there have been at least 8.7 million illnesses, 78,000 hospitalizations and 4,500 deaths from influenza this season.
In a letter to the nation’s governors Friday, US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra notes that flu and other respiratory viruses are “increasing strain” on the country’s health care systems.
In a letter obtained exclusively by CNN, Becerra wrote that the Biden administration “stands ready to continue assisting you with resources, supplies, and personnel.”
Last month, children’s health leaders requested a formal emergency declaration from the federal government to support hospitals and communities amid an “alarming surge of pediatric respiratory illnesses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza, along with the continuing children’s mental health emergency.”
The Biden administration has not declared a public emergency for RSV or flu, but the Becerra letter outlines ways the public health emergency declaration for Covid-19 can be applied to more broadly address challenges brought on by a confluence of Covid-19 and other respiratory and seasonal illnesses.
“The Administration has exercised regulatory flexibilities to help health care providers and suppliers continue to respond to COVID-19. These flexibilities – while critical in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic – can also help address many of the challenges you face during the spread of non-COVID-19 illnesses, including RSV and flu,” the letter says. “They remain available to you and health care providers as you all make care available in response to flu, RSV, COVID-19, and other illnesses.”
For example, if a hospital has staffing shortages that have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, it may use a waiver that would allow increased surge capacity or easier patient transfers – even if the patients need treatment for something other than Covid-19, such as flu or RSV.
The letter also highlights available funding, including $400 million from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prepare for and respond to public health threats each year, including flu and other respiratory diseases such as RSV, along with data, analysis and other planning resources put together by the federal government. It also notes that the federal government is monitoring the supply chain for critical drugs and devices and that federal health officials over the past month have been engaging with the nation’s governors through a meeting hosted by the National Governors Association.
“As your federal partner, we stand ready to evaluate any request for federal medical assistance and support – including requests for medical personnel and equipment – working in close coordination with you and local jurisdictions to determine the needs and availability of matching resources,” Becerra wrote.
Flu activity has been highest in the South, with hot spots spreading from El Paso to southwest Virginia. All but six states are experiencing “high” or “very high” respiratory virus levels, and seasonal flu activity remains “high and continues to increase,” according to the CDC.
There have been nearly 17 flu hospitalizations for every 100,000 people this season, rates typically seen in December or January. The cumulative hospitalization rate hasn’t been this high at this point in the season in more than a decade.
The latest surveillance data probably does not reflect the full effects of holiday gatherings, as it only captures through November 26, two days past Thanksgiving.
While flu continues to ramp up, RSV has shown signs of slowing nationwide, but test positivity rates are still higher than they’ve been in years, and cumulative hospitalization rates are about 10 times higher than typical for this point in the season. Less than two months in, the RSV hospitalization rate this season is already nearing the total RSV hospitalization rate from the entire 2018-19 season.
There is no vaccine for RSV, but health officials have urged people to get their flu shots and updated Covid-19 boosters heading into winter. With the holiday season – and flu season – underway, Dr. Anthony Fauci warned this week of the potential for an emergency situation.
“When you have very little wiggle room of intensive care beds, when you have like almost all the intensive care beds that are occupied, it’s bad for the children who have RSV and need intensive care. But it also occupies all the beds, and children who have a number of other diseases that require intensive care or ICU, they don’t have the bed for it,” Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “So if you get to that situation, that’s approaching an emergency.”
United States manager Gregg Berhalter has apologised after a modified version of Iran’s flag was used in social mediaposts by the US national team.
Before their World Cup meeting on Tuesday, the US removed the the Islamic Republic emblem from the flag in graphics posted online, which were later deleted.
Iran’s football federation complained to Fifa over the issue.
“Sometimes things are out of our control,” Berhalter said on Monday.
“We’re not focused on those outside things and all we can do is apologise on behalf of the players and the staff, but it’s not something that we were a part of.”
The US and Iran cut diplomatic relations in 1980 and the meeting of the two nations in the World Cup comes amidst a backdrop of widespread anti-government protests in Iran.
Iran has accused the US and other foreign adversaries of instigating the protests, with the US government imposing sanctions on Iranian officials over the crackdown.
The US said they decided not to use Iran’s official flag in the social media posts to show “support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights”, amid mass anti-government protests in the country.
The protests in Iran, met with a fierce crackdown, have been sparked by the death in custody in September of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was detained by morality police for allegedly breaking the strict rules around head coverings.
A US Soccer spokesman later said the posts had been removed and replaced with ones using the correct Iran flag, but added: “We still support the women of Iran.”
Berhalter said: “We had no idea what US Soccer put out. The staff, the players, we had no idea. For us our focus is on this match and I don’t want to sound aloof, or we’re not caring by saying that.
“Of course are thoughts are with the Iranian people, the whole country, and everyone. But our thoughts are only on this match.”
Both the United States and Iran go into Tuesday’s match knowing they will definitely go through to the World Cup last 16 with a win, but will be eliminated if they lose. A draw would knock out the US, and leave Iran relying on Wales not beating England.
The two teams last met at the World Cup in 1998, with Iran winning 2-1, but both teams going out in the group.
This reportedly ensued during a heated altercation between Britney, 22, and 41-year-old Tyona Dodson in the East Side, Colombus.
Tyona is believed to be Britney’s sister-in-law.
According to Colombus Division police, the shooting occurred early in the morning.
Detectives have arrested a 41-year-old woman for the deadly shooting that occurred overnight on S. Weyant Ave. Tyona Dodson is charged with murder in the death of Britney Boateng. Investigators have determined an argument between both women led to the fatal shooting. pic.twitter.com/n5rPTPfoIO
Yunus Musah became the first teenager to be named in the United States‘ starting line-up for a World Cup match ahead of their Group B opener against Wales on Monday.
Having missed out on qualification for the tournament in Russia four years ago, Gregg Berhalter’s side marked their return to the finals at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, against a Wales side featuring at just their second World Cup.
Musah, who also made his senior international debut against Wales in 2020, is now the youngest player to start a World Cup match for the USA, aged 19 years and 358 days.
The Valencia midfielder also becomes the first LaLiga-based player to represent the Stars and Stripes at the finals, while 10 of the starting XI play their club football in Europe – the team’s highest total in a World Cup line-up.
Musah was selected to partner Tyler Adams in midfield, with the Leeds United man – aged 23 years and 279 days – becoming the USA’s youngest World Cup captain since Harry Keough in 1950.
Berhalter, who becomes the first person to represent the Stars and Stripes at the World Cup as a player and coach, began with Matt Turner in goal behind a back four of Sergino Dest, Walker Zimmerman, Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson.
Adams and Musah were selected to anchor the midfield behind Timothy Weah, Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic, with Josh Sargent starting as a lone striker.
Meanwhile, Gareth Bale – at least temporarily – drew level with Chris Gunter’s record of 109 Wales caps, with the full-back being named on the bench by Rob Page.
Wayne Hennessey was preferred to Danny Ward in goal behind a back three of Chris Mepham, Joe Rodon and Ben Davies.
Connor Roberts, Ethan Ampadu, Aaron Ramsey, Harry Wilson and Neco Williams comprised a five-man midfield, with Dan James providing support to Bale in attack.
The employees of the Twitter Africa office in Ghana have initiated steps to take legal action against their employer, Elon Musk, over the imbalance in the severance pay they have been offered.
This is in comparison to other colleagues of the microblogging site in other parts of the world, like the United States, where a proper outline of severance packages have been offered to the sacked employees.
It would be recalled that at the start of November 2022, just a few days after the Twitter Africa office started physical operations from its location in Accra, all the staff of the office received termination notifications via their personal emails.
The CNN’s Larry Madowo reported that this was so because the Twitter Africa staff had been locked out of their work emails as well as from accessing their working machines.
“The company is reorganizing its operations as a result of a need to reduce costs. It is with regret that we’re writing to inform you that your employment is terminating as a result of this exercise.
“Your last day of employment will be 4th December, 2022. You will be placed on garden leave until your termination date,” the termination notices to them on November 4 read.
The earlier story also indicated that unlike other staff of Twitter in other locations of the world, the Africa staff received no indications of severances.
“At least for the African staff, that email did not even mention them by name; it just said ‘see attached.’ And even though Elon Musk said everybody who got fired would be getting at least three months severance above the law – that’s in the US, those in Africa office didn’t get a next step, or if they’re going to get any severance at all, which some lawyers in Ghana are now pointing out could be a violation of Ghanaian employment law,” Larry Madowo added.
But in an updated report by the CNN, it has said that the displeased sacked Africa staff want fairness in the severances they are being offered.
The staff have since taken a lawyer who is on the verge of suing the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, over this matter, Larry has said.
“They are asking to be treated the same way Twitter treated employees who were departing in the US and Europe; they want three months severance pay like Elon promised and other relevant benefits: stock investing, continued healthcare, and that sort of thing.
“But they feel that’s not happened; they have not been treated the same way as everyone at Twitter,” he stated.
The journalist also reported that it was only after the CNN’s first report on this subject that Twitter offered the Africa staff a severance pays.
He added that the team got personal emails that claimed to give them what they called “Ghana mutual separation agreement and it offered a certain figure. They say this email claims to have been arrived at after a negotiation with the staff but they say they have actually never negotiated with anyone at Twitter.
“In fact, they don’t even have a way to contact anyone at Twitter because their emails keep bouncing back. So, they’ve rejected that severance pay offer, they have hired a lawyer and have written a demand notice to Twitter, asking Twitter to comply with Ghanaian employment laws.”
The Africa staff of Twitter have also petitioned the Ministry of Employment in Ghana to compel Twitter to do the right thing, he added.
Here is a portion of that notice to the authorities in Ghana:
“It is clear that Twitter, under Elon Musk, is either deliberately or recklessly flouting the laws of Ghana, is operating in bad faith and in a manner that seeks to silence and intimidate former employees into accepting any terms unilaterally thrown at them.
“Without pressure from higher authorities, they are clearly not willing to provide a fair or just package in order to minimize the hardship of this takeover and resulting loss of jobs on their workforce in Africa.”
It is worth mentioning that the Twitter Africa staff includes some employees who were hired from Nigeria and other countries and they want to be paid to move back to their countries.
Wales manager Rob Page was relieved to gain an “important point” in their World Cup opener against the United States, and praised Gareth Bale’s intelligence in winning a second-half penalty.
The United States took a deserved first-half lead through Timothy Weah, though an improved Welsh side came back in the second and equalised via Bale’s 82nd-minute spot kick.
The 1-1 draw leaves both two points behind England after the first games in Group B in Qatar after the Three Lions beat Iran 6-2 earlier on Monday, but Page was happy enough with a point and suggested his team were the ones who could have won it late on.
“It was a really important point for us,” he told reporters at his post-match press conference. “I thought for the last 10 minutes if anybody was going to go on to get the winner it was going to be us as well.”
Bale’s penalty made him just the fourth player to score a World Cup goal for Wales after John Charles, Ivor Allchurch (two) and Terry Medwin, all in their 1958 campaign.
85 – Gareth Bale, Wales’ all-time top scorer, has scored 85% of his international goals in competitive matches (35/41). Precious. #USAWALpic.twitter.com/bhIGVSCEU8
The Los Angeles FC forward had an otherwise quiet game, but once again stepped up when his country needed him, winning the penalty when he got across USA defender Walker Zimmerman and drew the foul.
“We’ve sort of evolved Gareth’s position, put it that way,” Page explained about his star player. “He can still play out wide, of course he can, but I like to give him the freedom to come inside and play off a frontman.
Yesterday was the toughest news I’ve ever had to face and that was listening to my mum tell me my grandad past away last night😓 to go from crying all day to start in a World Cup game was extremely tough but I got through it from the support of my team mates and family❤️🕊 pic.twitter.com/3pcxl0C3Qc
“He’s very good at finding those spaces, he’s intelligent, he’s got a wise head, so he puts himself in those positions in the box to be able to get us penalties, and defenders commit to making tackles, and if they don’t get their timing right in the box, inevitably it’s a penalty.”
Welsh full-back Neco Williams played 79 minutes at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium and was visibly emotional at full-time, later revealing he had only found out last night that his grandad had passed away.
Williams posted on Twitter after the game: “Yesterday was the toughest news I’ve ever had to face and that was listening to my mum tell me my grandad past away last night.
“To go from crying all day to start in a World Cup game was extremely tough but I got through it from the support of my team-mates and family.”
Wales face Iran in their second Group B game on Friday.
United States head coach Gregg Berhalter is confident his side can defeat anyone on their day, as they prepare to commence their World Cup campaign against Wales.
Having failed to qualify for the tournament in Russia four years ago, the US side head to Qatar with the intent to make an impact ahead of co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico in 2026.
Eight years ago in Brazil, Berhalter’s predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann made it clear the USMNT could not win the tournament which, although a realistic assessment, was seen to be a defeatist mentality in the eyes of many.
Berhalter is not looking to rock the boat fully by declaring his side can go all the way, though he does fancy their chances against any opposition.
“What I do believe is that on our best day we can beat anyone in the world. Anyone,” he told ESPN.
“Look, it is a great honour to play in the World Cup, but we don’t want to just be participants. We want to perform.
“We think the first step is getting out of the group. And the second step is, in the knockout games, playing our best possible game and seeing how far we can go.”
Midfielder Weston McKennie is keen to take it one match at a time, starting with Monday’s opener against Wales.
“As a team, as a group, we always want to just focus game by game. So of course with Wales being the first one, there’s no way that we’re going to look past them or anything because we know they’re a strong team.
“We know that it’s going to be a hard game. But we definitely want to win the first game, to come out with three points.
“[It’s been] just three, four years of just working up to this moment. I think all the guys are ready to go, and the staff are ready to go and put a game plan together. So hopeful we execute that.”
The United States also face England and Iran in Group B, as they look to continue their consistent record at the World Cup – only failing to advance from the group stages in four of their nine involvements.
There were more than 50,000 home births in the United States in 2021, an increase of 12% over the year before and the highest level since at least 1990, according to a report released Thursday from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.
This follows a 22% increase in home births between 2019 and 2020, “corresponding with the initial surge of COVID-19cases in the United States,” the report says.
Home births increased 21% for Black women, 15% for Hispanic women and 10% for White women in 2021.
Among the 30 states that reported more births at home, West Virginia had the highest increase: 49% between 2020 and 2021.
Despite the rise, home births still remain rare, accounting for 1.26% of all births in the US, according to the report.
Data for home births before 1990 is not available.
Planned home birth in the United States has been associated with an absolute risk increase of about 1 to 2 fetal or newborn deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Infants born at home in the US also have an increased incidence of low Apgar scores and neonatal seizures.
The pediatrician group generally doesn’t recommend planned home births, but it does recognize a woman’s right to choose one.
The academy’s guidelines say a home birth is best for women who have no preexisting or maternal disease and who can plan to have two medical providers present with the necessary skills and equipment.
Providers should have the training, skills and equipment needed for infant resuscitation, as some babies have difficulty breathing, and the nearest hospital should be at maximum 20 minutes away, according to the guidelines.
An explosion in eastern Poland near Ukraine’s border killed two, prompting world leaders to call for an investigation.
A missile hit Przewodow village in eastern Poland near the Ukrainian border and killed two people on Tuesday, raising alarm among world leaders about a possible escalation of the war in Ukraine.
The blast occurred as Russian attacks hit cities and towns throughout Ukraine.
While Russia and Ukraine were quick to trade blame over the incident, the United States and NATO adopted a cautious approach to ease tensions.
Ultimately, US President Joe Biden said the missile that struck the village in Poland was “unlikely” to have been fired from Russia.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, who on Tuesday suggested the missiles were Russian, changed track on Wednesday and said it is “very likely” that the rocket was from Ukraine’s air defence system.
Here is how some world leaders reacted:
President Duda of Poland, a strong ally of Kyiv, said on Wednesday the missile appeared to be from Ukraine’s air defence.
“Absolutely nothing indicates that this was an intentional attack on Poland … It’s very likely that it was a rocket used in anti-missile defence, meaning that it was used by Ukraine’s defence forces,” he told reporters.
Previously, he had said it was “most probably” a Russian attack but that its origins were still being verified.
“We are acting with calm,” he said. “This is a difficult situation.”
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau earlier summoned the Russian ambassador and “demanded immediate detailed explanations”, the government said.
Ukraine
Zelenskyy told G20 leaders there was a “terrorist state” among them and accused Russia of the missile attack.
“We exchanged available information and are clarifying all the facts. Ukraine, Poland and all of Europe and the world must be fully protected from terrorist Russia,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.
After NATO and Poland said the blast was likely a Ukrainian accident, officials in Kyiv demanded to visit the site of the blast and asked that allies share their information.
Had a call with 🇵🇱 President @AndrzejDuda. Expressed condolences over the death of Polish citizens from Russian missile terror. We exchanged available information and are clarifying all the facts. 🇺🇦, 🇵🇱, all of Europe and the world must be fully protected from terrorist Russia.
Vasily Nebenzya, head of the permanent mission of Russia to the United Nations, said the missile blast was an attempt to provoke a direct clash between Russia and NATO.
Dmitry Polyanskiy, the first deputy permanent representative of Russia to the UN, wrote on Twitter: “I advise everyone to analyse facts before rushing to conclusions. It’s obvious that impact of direct rocket strike would be significantly bigger than the pictures show.”
The Russian defence ministry said the explosion had been caused by a Ukrainian air defence missile, and that Russian strikes in Ukraine had been no closer than 35km (22 miles) from the Polish border.
“The photos published in the evening of Nov. 15 in Poland of the wreckage found in the village of Przewodow are unequivocally identified by Russian defence industry specialists as elements of an anti-aircraft guided missile of the S-300 air defence system of the Ukrainian air force,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
On Wednesday, the Kremlin decried Poland’s initial response as hysterical and said the US had been more “measured” – rare praise.
I advise everyone to analyze facts before rushing to conclusions. It’s obvious that impact of direct rocket strike would be significantly bigger than the pictures show #Przewodowhttps://t.co/WQXTG3fzrK
US President Joe Biden attended an “emergency” meeting of the G7 and NATOleaders in Indonesia on Wednesday morning for consultations over the explosion, and later said the missile was “unlikely” to have been fired from Russia.
“There is preliminary information that contests that,” Biden told reporters when asked if the missile had been fired from Russia. “It is unlikely in the lines of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we’ll see.
“I’m going to make sure we find out exactly what happened,” he said. “And then we’re going to collectively determine our next step as we investigate.”
Unnamed US officials told The Associated Press news agency the missile was fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian missile.
Biden called Duda to express his condolences.
On Twitter, Biden promised “full support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation”.
Earlier, I met with G20 and NATO Leaders to discuss the explosion in Eastern Poland near the Ukrainian border.
We offer our full support for and assistance with Poland’s ongoing investigation. pic.twitter.com/KZcWZBo4VI
Jens Stoltenberg said even though the Ukrainian air defence missile likely caused the explosion, Russia should be ultimately blamed since it is behind the war.
“This is not Ukraine’s fault. Russia bears ultimate responsibility as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine,” he said.
He had called an emergency meeting of the alliance’s envoys in Brussels on Wednesday. Like Biden, he offered his condolences to Duda.
“NATO is monitoring the situation and Allies are closely consulting. Important that all facts are established,” Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter.
Spoke with President Duda @prezydentpl about the explosion in #Poland. I offered my condolences for the loss of life. #NATO is monitoring the situation and Allies are closely consulting. Important that all facts are established.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who holds good ties with both warring sides, said Russia had “nothing to do” with the missiles and that he respects Moscow’s statement denying the accusation.
“Russia saying this has nothing to do with them and Biden saying these missiles are not Russian-made show that this has nothing to do with Russia,” Erdogan said at a news conference during the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.
“It could be a technical glitch or something else. That’s why it’s necessary to investigate and research into this.”
He said pointing fingers at Russia after finding out that the missile is not Russian-made “will cause provocation”, as Turkey has been working to “gather Russia and Ukraine around the same table” for negotiations.
European Union
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the G20 summit participants discussed the blast in Poland and expressed their continued solidarity with Ukraine.
“We offer our full support to Poland and assistance with the ongoing investigation. We will remain in close contacts with our partners on the next steps. We will stand with Ukraine as long as it takes,” she said.
While G20 leaders were meeting and calling for the war to end, Russia conducted massive strikes against Ukraine.
With G7 and NATO partners, we condemn these brutal acts.
We also offer full support to Poland and assistance with the investigation on the explosion at the border. pic.twitter.com/gohB25y1et
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the origin of the missile does not change much since Russia is still to blame for attacking infrastructure in Ukraine.
“The possibility that the missile falling on Poland was not a Russian missile but a Ukrainian one changes very little,” she said.
Meloni said she spoke to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
China
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called for calm.
“Under the current situation, all relevant parties should stay calm and exercise restraint to avoid escalation of the situation,” she told a press briefing.
United Kingdom
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Duda about the missile blast and “reiterated the UK’s solidarity with Poland and expressed condolences for the victims”, he wrote on Twitter.
I have just spoken to Polish President @AndrzejDuda following reports of a missile strike in Poland.
I reiterated the UK’s solidarity with Poland and expressed condolences for the victims.
We will remain in close contact and continue to coordinate with our NATO allies.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for a careful inquiry.
“This destruction must be investigated, the rocket parts must be investigated and then we must wait for the results before they are publicly released,” Scholz told reporters in Indonesia.
“In such a serious matter, there must not be any hasty conclusions about the course of events before this careful investigation.”
Meanwhile, a German government spokesperson dismissed Ukraine’s call for a no-fly zone, saying such a move would threaten a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.
Ukraine’s presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak had earlier tweeted that European countries should “close the sky” over Ukraine after the blast.
Turkey’s interior minister has rejected a message of condolence from the United States.
“We do not accept the US embassy’s message of condolences,” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said in a response designed to focus attention on US support for groups Ankara considers to be offshoots of the PKK, such as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement on Sunday, saying: “The United States strongly condemns the act of violence that took place today in Istanbul, Türkiye.”
A former Speaker of Parliament, Edward Doe Adjaho, has urged members of the National Democratic Congress to ensure that the NDC wins the 2024 elections, otherwise the party will disintegrate.
Speaking at the NDC’s Volta Regional Delegates Conference in Ho on Saturday, the former MP for the Avenor-Ave constituency now Akatsi South, called on party members to sacrifice to ensure the party achieves its target in the next elections.
“We are a social democratic party, we put people at the centre of what we do so please I beg you, colleagues I beg you, we have to win the 2024 elections otherwise NDC will be disintegrated, let’s sacrifice for this party for once,” Mr Doe Adjaho said.
Mr Doe Adjaho also has charged members of the party to be united and remain focused as the current economic crisis is not sufficient to guarantee the party a victory in the 2024 general elections.
“The statement is that we should not be complacent as a party. The mid-term elections in the United States have taught us that hardship alone, inflation and the economy cannot win an election…So let us not be complacent.”
“Hardship is a factor, and cost of living is a factor, but it is not sufficient. We have to work hard, we have to be united and present a united front in this region and in the party,” Doe Adjaho said.
The executive director of PFM Tax Africa, Seth Terkper, will be teaching at Bentley University in the United States as a visiting scholar from January 2023.
Terkper, a former finance minister, will collaborate with outstanding finance professors at the university in research, teach courses on public finance and participate as keynote speaker in seminars that will be opened to the university community and the public.
Bentley University (based in Waltham, Massachusetts), is a prestigious private University focused on business programs. It offers undergraduate, masters, and PhD programmes in business disciplines. Its undergraduate tuition is US$56,500 per year.
It was founded in 1917 as a college of accounting and finance in Boston’s Back Bay Neighborhood.
“We are very delighted to have Hon. Terkper joining our faculty with such a wealth of experience,” says Kartik Raman, George and Louis Kane Professor of Finance and Chair of Finance Department. “We have no doubt that he will make quite an impact with his presence, knowledge and experience.”
Terkper has vast experience in global and national public finance. He previously served as the Minister of Finance under the John Mahama administration, during which he was at some point given additional concurrent responsibilities as Minister of Power.
He previously worked for a decade in the Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He is currently on the expert roster for the African Development Bank (AfDB), IMF, World Bank, and other global financial institutions, and serves on several steering committees focused on global policy issues.
“Bentley University has a great track record in training some of the best business and finance professionals I’ve had the privilege of working with,” Terkper said.
“I am therefore honoured by this opportunity to go there as a visiting scholar and contribute to training and research at this great institution with a proud history and a very bright future.”
His expertise is in public financial management (PFM), including taxation, financial and fiscal accounting. He has a keen interest in structural fiscal reforms that will ensure a smooth transition from low-income country (LIC) to middle income country (MIC) status – as the minister who received the official notification from the WB and AFDB on his country’s transition.
Terkper has written several reviews and articles and has published a book on Value Added Tax (VAT). He is the Founder and Executive Director of PFM-TAX Africa (Network) Ltd.
He currently does some part-time teaching at the University of Ghana and has taught occasionally in other universities in Ghana, UK, and US.
Terkper is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), and holds degrees from Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government (MPA; Cert. Tax), Strayer University (MBA), and University of Cape Coast (Bachelor of Commerce, and Diploma in Education). He is married with two children.
Efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are on course as the World Bank is set to release up to fifty million United States dollars (US$50,000,000.00) to Ghana to fight carbon dioxide emissions.
Speaking at an event on Ghana’s Forest Solutions to Climate Change, Climate Change Manager of the World Bank, Mr. Erwin DeNys, noted that the payment is in
exchange for a six million hectare area of the West African Guinean Forest being predicted to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about ten million tonnes by 2024.
The event was organised by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources at the ongoing twenty- seventh session of Conference of Parties (COP27) of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.
The gesture is to commend Ghana for being an important and active member of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility since its establishment in 2008.
Ghana is one of the first countries to transition to emission reduction programmes and results-based payments, according to Mr De Nys.
According to Mr. De Nys, the nation will soon receive US$4.8 million for over 970,000 tons of confirmed and documented emission reductions between June and December 2019.
He mentioned that the payment will be used to reward stakeholders in emission reduction, and boost confidence in Ghana’s REDD+ process.
In order to further cut emissions and achieve social inclusion, Mr. De Nys added that Ghana will also profit from the World Bank’s Enabling Access to Benefits while Lowering Emissions (EnABLE) programme.
On his part, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, urged strategic cooperation to close the financing gap for climate change.
He emphasised that the current financial sources are insufficient to address the scale of the issue, and because the $100 billion climate finance pledge made in
Copenhagen was not met, there is an urgent need for stakeholders to collaborate in order to close the gap between ambition and action.
Mr. Jinapor called on governments and all actors to deliver action beyond pledges and declarations. “We are at a stage in the climate struggle where mere talk, commitments, declarations, and/or pledges are not enough.
Consistent with the clarion call of COP27, this is the time the world must “walk the talk” and get on with action and implementation of the many years of unfulfilled climate action promises,” the Minister said.
He said Ghana was committed to forest and nature-based solutions to climate change, which is evidenced by the over 547,000 hectares of degraded forests cultivated between 2017 and 2021, and the over thirty million trees planted under the Green Ghana Project, as well as the verified and validated emission reductionunder the Ghana REDD+ Strategy.
He expressed his confidence in COP27, which has been termed action and implementation COP, to deliver real action towards limiting global warming to the one point five degrees Celsius (1.5oC) target set out in the Paris Agreement.
The UNDP’s Principal Advisor on Climate and Forests, Tim Claris, who also spoke at the event, commended Ghana for its forest solutions to climate change and said the country deserves to be rewarded for actions being taken
in the forestry sector.
Tiffany Trump, the fourth daughter of the immediate past president of the United States is set to wed her Nigerian fiancé, Michael Boulos at a lavish ceremony at the Trump Estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday, 12th November, 2022.
The 29-year-old Tiffany and Boulos, 24, became engaged in 2021 and have been dating since 2018 having first known one another in 2017.
Michael’s father, Massad, is the Chief Executive Officer of SCOA Nigeria while his mother, Sarah, is the founder of the Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria.
Michael Boulos who is of Lebanese descent is, however, a naturalised Nigerian and was bred in Lagos and his fashionable mother, Sarah Boulos considers Nigeria her home.
The family moved to Lagos when Michael was an infant and he attended the American International School of Lagos in Nigeria before proceeding to London, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Global Business Management from Regent’s University in 2018.
He also bagged a Master’s Degree in Project Management, Finance and Risk at City, at the University of London in 2019.
Michael Boulus has been the Associate Director of SCOA Nigeria since 2016, the Director of Fadoul Group since 2019 and the Business Development Manager of Royalton Investment since 2019 and is also now a naturalised Nigerian.
His mother, Sarah was quoted in a Punch interview in 2016 as saying that Nigeria is her home.
Tiffany Trump made her first journey to visit her fiancé’s Nigerian roots in April 2022 during which they were received by Pastor Paul Adefarasin of House of The Rock in a session that had some other eminent Nigerians including Toyin Saraki.
Michael reportedly proposed to Tiffany with a 13-carat emerald-cut diamond from Dubai said to be worth $1.2 million (N1.03 billion).
Tiffany is daughter to Trump’s second wife, Marla Maples, the American actress. They were married in 1993 and divorced in 1999.
The bride and her parents according to reports would entertain more than 500 guests at the big wedding.
A source close to the couple revealed that “There has been a lot of planning and staging. This is Tiffany’s big moment, and it will be lavish. It is going to be a huge and beautiful affair.”
Tiffany reportedly celebrated her bridal shower over the weekend with her sister Ivanka, sister-in-law Lara Trump and Donald Junior’s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle in Miami, miles away from her father’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
The Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has assured her constituents of her continuous service to them as their representative in the legislature.
The assurance comes few days after she returned from the United States, when tensions surrounding her political career seem to have abated.
Madam Sarah Adwoa Safo had been away since early months of 2021 on the back of an excuse to deal some personal issues.
By October 6, 2021, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, had indicated an indefinite extension of her leave which was supposed to have ended on August 31, 2021.
Her continuous absence from the country and consequently parliament over the period thus breached parliament’s 15-sitting-day threshold for absenteeism.
This led to the Speaker’s decision to refer her together with two other MPs to Parliament’s Privileges Committee to inquire into her absence and make recommendations to the House.
Although efforts to get the embattled MP to speak about her absence have proved futile, the House will in the coming days debate whether or not her seat should be declared vacant.
That notwithstanding, her actions over the period had also fomented discussions in the public space, creating divisions even among her own constituents and party members, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), some of whom believed that she determined to hold the party and government to ransom.
But like a Phoenix rising out the ashes, the MP who has been stripped of her responsibilities as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, has indicated that she will remain the lawmaker for the people of Dome-Kwabenya.
“Thanks to the whole constituency, especially Taifa, for all the prayers and all the support. I know I will be back and I will continue to be your Member of Parliament”, said the former Minister during her thanksgiving at some churches in her constituency on November 6, 2022.
The United Stateshas announced an additional $400m of military aid for Ukraine, including paying for the refurbishment of 45 Czech T-72 tanks to be sent to Kyiv.
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said she did not have an exact timeline for the supply of the tanks but expected the first units to be delivered before the end of the year.
She acknowledged that T-72s are “Soviet-era tanks” and were chosen because the Ukrainians had already been trained on them, rather than sending other, more modern tank systems.
Michael Adomako, better known by his stage name Mike of the award-winning gospel duet Willie & Mike, was ordained and consecrated as a minister last Saturday at the Paintsil & Associates School of Ministry at Hyatt Regency, New Jersey, United States.
Many people in Burkina Faso, South Africa, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, North America, and other regions of Africa have been moved by his music.
When asked about what being called into the ministry would mean for his music ministry, the successful musician said he sees it not as a setback but as an opportunity to reach more people for Christ via his songs.
Mike has served as a minister for 27 years and counting.
“This honor is humbling to me. Because I know that this is not going to be an easy road, but because I also know that God’s love and mercy will carry me through any difficulty that may arise, I am asking for greater prayers and support and seeking God’s direction.”
Several well-known gospel artists, such as Rev. Graceman, Mary Agyemang, Nana Yaw de Worshiper, the Lord of No Tribe Group, and many more dignitaries from over the globe attended the coronation basically to show their support for their fellow minister friend.
The worship leader thanked God for the day, his family, Apostle Dr. Steve Paintsil, his fellow members of the gospel music community, and everyone who had prayed for him and supported him over the years.
The United States has ordered some diplomatic staff and their relatives to leave Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, citing the risk of terror attacks.
The American embassy in Abuja has advised US citizens not to travel to the city.
It hasn’t given any details of the potential threat.
On Wednesday the US made a similar warning for South Africa, saying people in Sandton – a wealthy neighbourhood in Johannesburg – should stay away from crowded areas this weekend.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said it was “unfortunate” that Washington hadn’t spoken to his government before making the announcement.
Nigeria beat the United States 4-3 on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the Under-17 Women’s World Cup for the first time following a 1-1 draw.
Omamuzo Edafe scored the deciding spot kick to end a tense shoot-out in Navi Mumbai.
Kick-off was delayed for almost two hours because of a thunderstorm, and Edafe gave the West Africans the lead from the spot in the 26th minute after Ella Emri committed a foul in the box.
Amalia Villarreal levelled for the Americans with a deflected shot shortly before the break.
USA, who finished runners-up at the maiden tournament in 2008, and Nigeria both failed to find a winner in the second half which took the game to penalties.
A dramatic shoot-out saw Emri shoot wide in the second round of penalties to hand Nigeria an early advantage.
Miracle Usani saw her effort saved in the following round, but was allowed a retake because USA keeper Valentina Amaral had strayed off her line and was able to net at the second attempt.
Comfort Folorunsho sent her effort over the bar in the fourth round of penalties to give the USA hope but Nigeria keeper Linda Jiwuaku, who had come on as an injury-time substitute, then saved from Riley Jackson.
That allowed Edafe to calmly slot home to send the Flamingos into their maiden semi-final.
Nigeria, who have taken part in all but the 2018 edition of the U17 World Cup finals, will face the winner of Saturday’s game between Colombia and African other representative Tanzania in the semi-finals on 26 October.
Actress and model, Efia Odo, is concerned about the continued depreciation of the Ghana cedi.
She joined a long list of showbiz personalities lamenting the rate at which the cedi is losing grounds against the United States dollar.
In an October 20, 2022 tweet, at the time forex bureaus were reporting that a dollar had reached a record 13 Ghana cedi mark, Efia posed a rhetorical question on her timeline.
“$1=13 Cedis. Did we die and wake up in hell?” she asked.
She joins the likes of actresses Lydia Forson and Yvonne Nelson in calling out the government over the cedi depreciation.
Actor Prince David Osei has also threatened a protest amid calls for the government to fix the economy. On her part, broadcaster Nana Aba Anamoah published an open letter on the economy among others, calling on Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to resign.
The economy is facing major headwinds that have been characterized by galloping inflation, consistent depreciation of the cedi and general high cost of living and of doing business.
The government is hoping to reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, IMF, for an economic support programme aimed at shoring up the economy and easing the burden on ordinary Ghanaians.
23 looted artefacts have been delivered back to Nigeria by the United States.
A Nigerian delegation received the Benin Bronzes during a ceremony on Tuesday in Washington.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, who received the artefacts, hailed the US and its institutions for the repatriation of the “highly-cherished” cultural artworks.
“These artefacts are intrinsic to the culture that produced them. A people ought not to be denied the works of their forebears. It is in the light of this that we are delighted with today’s repatriation,” he said.
The information ministry said the returned artefacts “comprise 21 from the Smithsonian and one each from the National Gallery of Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design”.
The repatriation is part of a bilateral cultural property agreement to prevent illegal imports into the US of some categories of Nigerian artefacts.
Lonnie G. Bunch III, the secretary of the Smithsonian, said the institution was “humbled and honoured to play a small role in transferring ownership of the artworks to Nigeria”, based on ethical consideration.
The items were among thousands of artworks known as the Benin Bronzes stolen from the Benin Kingdom in present-day Nigeria by British colonialists in 1897.
The items were then distributed to various museums and institutions across Europe and the US.
Nigeria is set to receive more such artefacts from The Netherlands, the UK, and Germany.
The West African country says it will soon launch an international traveling exhibition with the artefacts ”in a manner that will win more friends and promote greater goodwill for Nigeria and the ethnic groups that produced [them]”.
United States captain Becky Sauerbrunn has declared the squad are “heartbroken and frustrated” after an independent enquiry found widespread misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates released a report on Monday saying abuse and sexual misconduct spanned multiple teams and coaches, while the NWSL and US Soccer failed to put in “basic measures” to safeguard players or “respond appropriately when confronted with player reports and evidence of abuse”.
The revelations have overshadowed the national side’s preparations to face Englandat Wembley on Friday, with Sauerbrunn stating the squad have been left furious with the situation.
“The players are not doing well. We are horrified and heartbroken and frustrated and exhausted and really, really angry. We are angry that it took a third-party investigation,” she said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Sauerbrunn also called for the removal of individuals from both organisations who failed to protect the players.
We commend the @nwsl_players and @USWNTPlayers for their extraordinary efforts to hold @ussoccer and the @NWSL accountable. We stand with these courageous women in their fight to be treated with dignity and respect.
“I think for so long this has fallen on the players to demand change. That is because the people in authority and decision-making positions have repeatedly failed to protect us and they have failed to hold themselves and each other accountable,” she added.
“Who are you actually protecting and what values are you upholding? You have failed in your stewardship.
“Every owner and executive and US Soccer official who has repeatedly failed the players and failed to protect the players who have hidden behind legalities and have not participated in these investigations should be gone.”
OL Reign defender Alana Cook added that the situation has marred the upcoming clash against England, saying: “I think we have such a momentous occasion on Friday playing at a sold out Wembley Stadium.
“It’s marred by this report, and it’s marred by the atrocities that have been condoned and tolerated and allowed to go on.”
Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson and Chicago Red Stars owner Arnim Whisler have already announced they will step aside from their stewardship of the clubs following the release of the report.
Both Paulson and Whisler were cited within the report, the former accused of enabling ex-Thorns boss Paul Riley, who has faced accusations of sexual coercion from former players, while the latter was deemed to have dismissed concerns over the abusive behaviour of former coach Rory Dames.
Tagoe had on October 4, 2022, made a routine post about the government’s intervention in the health sector when the user by the name of Mo Barhama jumped into the comment section with his ‘attack.’
“The $10000 you wasted on a plane ticket only to get deported could have been put to good use in this regard,” he responded to Tagoe’s post which was an artwork with a child and a caption that read: “The government through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has developed a strategic framework to end child marriage in Ghana,”
A clearly unenthused staffer responded: “Mo Barhama I just went through your pictures and I won’t say anything again. Kwasiaaaaa saaa no. Internet has worried us paaaaa.”
An unrepentant Mo Barhama will not back down, going ahead to share the purported boarding pass of Tagoe’s trip and a cedi conversion of US$10,000 while responding to other commenters who were defending the presidential staffer.
One such defender by the name of IK Bonney was then asked by the presidential staffer to stop minding Barhama.
“IK Bonney You have time to waste on this idiot? You paaaa. Hunger will continue to kill idiots like that. Don’t waste time and energy,” Tagoe replied.
Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe was reported by The Herald Newspaper to have been deported from the United States in mid-September, hours after he arrived in the country.
He has not denied making the trip but has flatly denied having been deported and threatened to sue the paper and its publisher Larry Dogbe.
Dogbe has since published supposed flight details and dared Tagoe to follow through with his promise to sue.
After a failed missile launch during a joint drill with the United States alarmed locals in the coastal city of Gangneung, the South Korean military has apologized.
They reported hearing an explosion and seeing a fire overnight.
But the military, which has said there were no casualties, did not acknowledge the incident until seven hours later.
The launch was in response to North Korea firing a missile over Japan early on Tuesday.
This is the first time Pyongyang has flown a missile over Japan since 2017 – and it prompted a show of force from the US, Japan, and South Koreawhich conducted military drills. Seoul and Washington also fired a volley of missiles into the East Sea – also known as the Sea of Japan – between the Korean peninsula and Japan.
The South Korean military later confirmed that one of their missiles failed soon after it was launched and crashed – this was separate from the ones launched by the US.
The military also said that the Hyunmoo-2 missile carried a warhead but that it did not explode, and apologised for causing worry.
Residents in Gangneung said they saw a bright flash and heard an explosion at around 01:00 on Wednesday (16:00 GMT Tuesday).
They were left in the dark for hours, and many of them posted on social media wondering what had happened while sharing photos and videos of the incident. The footage showed what appeared to be a brightly burning fire, with smoke rising from a distance.
“I can’t sleep because I feel anxious [after hearing] the explosion,” said one user, according to news site Kang Won Ilbo. Another wondered if a plane had crashed.
It’s only just been confirmed that the US and ROK conducted their own missile drill in response to North Korea’s recent missile test.
One of South Korea’s Hyunmoo-2 failed shortly after launch and crashed, but caused no casualties.https://t.co/j7K3semX3g
An explosion near Gangneung last night caused a social media storm in South Korea. Zero media reports or emergency alerts, raising suspicions of a cover up, a jet crash, or a missile launch.
North Korea’s missile launch on Tuesday was the fifth carried out by Pyongyang in a week. Many of its missile tests are conducted on a flight path that reaches a high altitude, avoiding flights over its neighbours.
But firing over or past Japan allows North Korean scientists to test missiles under circumstances “that are more representative of the conditions they’d endure in real-world use”, analyst Ankit Panda told news agency Reuters.
In September, North Korea passed a law declaring itself to be a nuclear weapons state, with leader Kim Jong-un ruling out the possibility of talks on de-nuclearization.
WHAT HAPPENED: Christian Pulisic put on a defiant face following the conclusion of a disastrous September international window for the United States, claiming the team can turn it around in time for the upcoming World Cup. The USMNT fell 2-0 to Japan before playing to an insipid 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in their final matches ahead of the tournament in November. They’ve registered just two shots on goal over the last 180 minutes.
WHAT THEY SAID: “I’m not panicked at all,” Pulisic said after Tuesday’s game. “We have a fresh slate going into the World Cup and we’re going to give it everything that we have… I know that we’re gonna do well.
“I think we have quality on the ball, but I think there’s times where we can use our strengths a bit more and be sort of a nasty and difficult team to play against. I think we saw glimpses of that tonight.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Although missing several key players – including Tim Weah, Antonee Robinson and Yunus Musah – the USMNT completely underwhelmed in their final World Cup tune-up matches. As expected, fans and pundits alike tore into the team for their lackluster performances, with Berhalter bearing the brunt of criticism for his tactics and lineup decisions.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT’S NEXT FOR PULISIC: The USMNT captain is facing uncertain times at Chelsea, where he’s struggled to find minutes this season under former boss Thomas Tuchel. The hope for the 24-year-old playmaker is that new manager Graham Potter will give him more chances to play – beginning with Saturday’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.
United States Park Police say the Washington Monument is temporarily closed and a man is in custody for allegedly vandalizing the monument with paint on the evening of Tuesday, September 20.
The man splashed red paint and wrote a profane message on the base of the Washington, DC monument, police said.
Park Police are unsure at this time if the temporary closure will affect public visitation of the monument which would normally reopen at 10:00 am the following day. Repairs and cleaning of the paint will be handled by National Park Service conservators. The iconic structure on the National Mall is named for George Washington, the country’s first president.
The United States has traditionally adhered to a strategy of “strategic ambiguity” and has not been explicit about how it would react to an attack in terms of military force.
In his clearest remarks to date on the subject, US President Joe Biden stated US military would defend Taiwan in the case of a Chinese invasion.
Asked in a TV interview whether America would defend the self-ruled island, claimed by China, he replied bluntly: “Yes, if in fact, there was an unprecedented attack.”
The US has long stuck to a policy of “strategic ambiguity” and has not made clear whether it would respond
militarily, to an attack.
Asked to clarify if he meant that, unlike in Ukraine, US forces would defend Taiwan from Chinese invasion, Mr Biden again replied: “Yes.”
The CBS 60 Minutes interview showed a president appearing to go beyond long-standing US policy onTaiwan, which states a commitment to a One-China policy, in which Washington officially recognises Beijing and not Taipei.
Biden’s remarks are sure to anger Beijing, which was enraged by a visit to Taiwan by US House speaker Nancy Pelosi back in August.
That visit prompted China to conduct its largest-ever military exercises around Taiwan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to bring democratically-governed Taiwan under Beijing’s control and has
not ruled out the use of force.
Asked last October if the United States would come to the defence of Taiwan, the president said: “Yes, we have a commitment to do that,” but a White House spokesperson said he was not, in fact, announcing any change in US policy – and some experts denounced the comment as a “gaffe”.
The United States will turn over to Nigeria $23 million taken by former military ruler Sani Abacha, officials said at an event to sign the agreement on Tuesday.
Nigeria has reached several agreements to return stolen cash in recent years. Abacha ruled Africa‘s most populous nation and top oil exporter from 1993 until his death in 1998, during which time Transparency International estimated that he took up to $5 billion of public money. He was never charged.
U.S. Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard said the cash was in UK accounts but was identified and frozen by U.S. officials. She added that including the latest deal, the United States had agreed to repatriate more than $334.7 million linked to Abacha.
Attorney General Abubakar Malami said the funds would be used for infrastructure projects, including the Abuja-Kano road, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the second Niger bridge under the supervision of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).
“The president’s mandate to my office is to ensure that all international recoveries are transparently invested and monitored by civil society organizations to compete for these three projects within the agreed timeline,” Malami.
The U.S. Justice Department has previously said that Nigeria must use money repatriated from funds looted by Abacha on agreed public projects or be forced to “replace” it https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-nigeria-corruption-idUSL8N2CI8QA.
The United States has announced that it will provide Ukraine $89m (£73m) to enable the country remove land mines set up by forces of Russia.
According to the US State Department, approximately five million Ukrainians are still residing in areas threatened by bombs planted by the Russians.
In a statement, the US Department said “Russia’s unlawful and unprovoked further invasion of Ukraine has littered massive swaths of the country with landmines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices.”
These explosive hazards are reportedly blocking access to fertile farmland, delay reconstruction efforts, prevent displaced communities from returning to their homes, as well as maiming innocent civilians in Ukraine.
Since March, about 160,000 mines have been defused in Ukraine due to the ongoing war.
An official says Ukraine’s challenge to attempt to disarm unexploded ordnance “may be on a par” with similar efforts in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos following the American war of the 1960s and 70s.
China said Friday it was ending cooperation with the United States on a litany of key issues including climate change, anti-drug efforts and military talks, as relations between the two superpowers nosedive over the island of Taiwan.
Beijing has reacted furiously to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island, which it claims as its territory and has vowed to retake, by force if necessary.
It has since Thursday encircled the self-ruled, democratic island with a series of huge military drills that have been roundly condemned by the United Statesand other Western allies.
And Friday saw its foreign ministry hit back further against the United States, suspending talks and cooperation on multiple agreements between the two — including on fighting climate change.
The world’s two largest polluters last year pledged to work together to accelerate climate action this decade, and vowed to meet regularly to “address the climate crisis”.
But that deal looks shaky as relations sink to some of their lowest levels in years, as do agreements on everything from talks on military matters to anti-drug cooperation.
Graphic charting recent Chinese military plane flights over Taiwan’s air defence identification zone, according to the island’s ministry of defense announcements via Twitter.. Photo: John SAEKI / AFP
Source: AFP
Pelosi — who was also hit with sanctions by Beijing for the visit — has defended her trip to Taiwan, saying Friday that Washington would “not allow” China to isolate the island.
Taiwan has also condemned Beijing’s furious response to the visit, with premier Su Tseng-chang calling for allies to push for de-escalation.
“(We) didn’t expect that the evil neighbour next door would show off its power at our door and arbitrarily jeopardise the busiest waterways in the world with its military exercises,” he told reporters.
‘Our motherland is powerful’
Beijing has said its military exercises will continue until midday Sunday, and Taipei reported that Chinese fighter jets and ships crossed the “median line” that runs down the Taiwan Strait on Friday morning.
“As of 11 am, multiple batches of Chinese warplanes and warships conducted exercises around the Taiwan Strait and crossed the median line of the strait,” Taipei’s defence ministry said in a statement.
AFP journalists on the Chinese island of Pingtan saw a fighter jet flying overhead, prompting tourists to snap photos as it flew along the coast.
China’s drills involved a “conventional missile firepower assault” in waters to the east of Taiwan, the Chinese military said.. Photo: Hector RETAMAL / AFP
Source: AFP
A Chinese military vessel was also visible sailing through the Taiwan Strait, they added.
China’s drills involved a “conventional missile firepower assault” in waters to the east of Taiwan, the Chinese military said.
And state broadcaster CCTV reported that Chinese missiles had flown directly over Taiwan — a major escalation if officially confirmed.
On the Chinese island of Pingtan, local tourists proudly extolled their country’s military might against its much smaller neighbour.
“Our motherland is powerful. We are not afraid of having war with Taiwan, the US or any country in the world,” Liu, a 40-year-old tourist from Zhejiang province, told AFP.
“We hope to unify Taiwan soon. We are not scared of anyone,” he added.
“Our country is powerful. We don’t want to start a war, but we are not afraid of others.”
‘Significant escalation’
China’s ruling Communist Party views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day take it, by force if necessary.
But the scale and intensity of the drills have triggered outrage in the United States and other democracies.
“These provocative actions are a significant escalation,” Blinken said after talks with Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Phnom Penh.
“The fact is, the speaker’s visit was peaceful. There is no justification for this extreme, disproportionate and escalatory military response,” he added.
Japan lodged a formal diplomatic complaint against Beijing, with five of China’s missiles believed to have landed in its exclusive economic zone.
And Australia — which has a troubled relationship with China, its largest trading partner — condemned the drills as “disproportionate and destabilising”.
The manoeuvres are taking place along some of the world’s busiest shipping routes, used to disseminate the global supply of vital semiconductors and electronic equipment produced in East Asia.
