*

*

‘Meet me in court’ - Akoo Nana replies DKB


Akoonananana

Hiplife musician, Akoo Nana, says he "is ready to meet" Comedian, Derick Kobina Bonney popularly known as DKB in court with his lawyers.

DKB earlier this week took offence to the lyrics of a song, titled 'Yawa’ by the hiplife artiste and threatened to sue the singer for making him the theme of the song.

Akoo Nana known in real life as William Ankrah released a new single with some insulting comments targeted at hurting the comedian’s feelings.

Speaking to StarrFMonline.com, Akoo Nana said the beef between him and DKB is about a girl who preferred him to DKB.

According to him, DKB was first to use an offensive word toward him by going about telling people he was cheap by going after his girlfriend.

He said he was only being a true artiste by choosing to react through his music, the one place he finds solace.

“I was only being truthful. DKB was first going to people and telling them s**t about me. So I also sang what I sung. I wanted to show him I am a big dog” he said.

“I am ready for him and I will be very happy if he goes to court as he said. I am ready for him with my lawyers.”

Akoo Nana in his song , 'Yawa' boasts about flirting with the girlfriends and wives of some key entertainment personalities including D-Black, DSP Kofi Sarpong, and comedian DKB and getting away with it.

source: ghanaweb.com/entertainment

Mahama told - Sack all deputy regional ministers

John Mahama @ Flagstaff


A Senior Economics Lecture at the Kumasi Polytechnic, Thomas Kusi Boafo has called on President John Mahama to scrap the position of Deputy Regional Ministers because it is “useless” and an unnecessary financial burden on an ailing economy.

He is also calling on the president to cut the salaries of Ministers by 50% as their contribution to cutting government spending and saving an economy that is near collapse.

Thomas Kusi Boafo was speaking on Adom FM/Asempa FM Burning issues program with Afia Pokua.

He noted that the same speed with which government airlifted money to go pay the Black Stars in Brazil is also needed to rescue the economy.

He said this require some very drastic measures like scrapping the position of deputy regional ministers and reducing all ministers’ salaries by 50% to cut government spending and show from the top that there is political will to save the economy.

He argued that Ghanaians have lost confidence in the President and his ministers who have only worked as communicators so far and not delivered on their actual mandates, saying that to restore confidence, there is the need for the President to do a proper ministerial reshuffle and bring in people who would tackle the challenges head on and competently.

Thomas Kusi Boafo said government has lost control of the fundamentals of stabilizing the economy, and that is reflecting in rising inflation, rising interest rate, depreciation of the cedi and high balance of payment deficit.

The Economist noted that government’s appetite for borrowing from both domestic and foreign sources is crowding out the private sector, killing businesses and increasing unemployment, saying that more businesses are bound to collapse soon if the trend is not reversed.

“Government must stop paying lip service to the private sector. High lending rates, non-payment of contractors, 'dumsor dumsor' and excessive taxation only serve to increase the cost of doing business and will contract rather than expand the economy,” he added.

Mr. Kusi Boafo likened the economy to a person with a heart problem needing urgent attention to prevent death.

“I can tell you honestly per statistic available that over 85% of Ghanaians earn below Ghc4,000 and year and these people may never own homes? he said.

The Economist also proposed a few other measures such as the need to increase cocoa from the current 825,000 to 1million tons within the next 6month to stop the depreciation of the cedis, adopting an integrated approach to agriculture and generating local funds to save the economy.

He thinks the erratic energy situation in the country is also a sign that the economy is on the verge of total collapse if drastic measures are not taken to reverse it soon.

source: ghanaweb.com

All we wanted was a win, says Ayew

Andre Ayew 10.13


Star man Andre Ayew says Ghana wanted to beat Togo at all cost, no matter how they achieved the result to turn the fortunes of the team around.

The Black Stars fought from behind to put away a spirited Togo team buoyed by their home fans with a 3-2 win on Wednesday.

The win sends Ghana join top of Group E alongside Uganda in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Black Stars had opened their qualifying campaign on a disappointing note, drawing 1-1 at home to Uganda to a hostile home crowd.

The Ghanaian fans have been on the back of the Black Stars players for their disappointing showing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The win over Togo on Wednesday is therefore seen by many as the turning point of the Black Stars’ fortunes in going forward.

Ghana forward Andre Ayew says the win was all that matters to lift the cloud of pessimism over the team.

“We were not in any mood to lose any points because we didn’t want to play catch up,” the Olympique Marseille star said after the game played in Lome.

“We just did not care, all we wanted was a win, and thankfully we had it in a great way.

“Before we left for Togo, the mood in the camp was a solemn one because of the Uganda result, the fans and the injuries we had.

“But we knew that if we allowed all those things to weigh us down, the end result won’t be good.

“So we picked ourselves up and talked to each other on the need for us to forget all other things and get the win here and it paid off.”

source: ghanasoccernet.com

Launching of the 8th Pan African Congress in Accra





When Ambassador Kwesi Quartey, the representative of the President of Ghana, announced the launch of the 8th Pan African Congress to a packed hall in Accra, Ghana, he was greeted with resounding applause, punctuated by horns of praise from a youth cultural band and traditional drums. The moment brought back memories of the independence period when Ghana was the mecca of the African liberation movement.

The Secretariat of the Global Pan African Movement and the Local Organising Committee of the 8th Pan African Congress (PAC)launched the8th Pan African Congress in Accra on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at the Accra International Conference Centre.Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Kwesi Quartey represented the President of Ghana. The launch was chaired by Major General KahindeOtafiire, Chairman of the Pan African movement and Minster of Justice in Uganda.

The event was also attended by 300 people various civil society, community and faith based organisations, the trade Unions, members of the Diplomatic Corps, youth and women’s organizations.The Local Organising Committees also organised cultural displays, poetry and songs. The event was dubbed a strictly African affair. Participants were encouraged to dress Africa, eat African and feel African.

Following the 7th PAC in April 1994 in Kampala, a Secretariat was set up to coordinate the affairs of the Global Pan African movement. As part of continuing efforts to galvanize the continent and build an African consensus, a number of institutions, organizations and individuals are collaborating to inject energy into the Pan-African Movement (PAM).

Having engaged in a Pan-African wide discussion, the Secretariat of the Global Pan Africa Movement announced in February 2014 that the 8th Pan African Congress will take place in Accra following consultations with mass organisations, the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the Africa Union (AU). Indeed the AU has adopted the congress as part of activities marking its 50th anniversary and it is expected that at least 10 African Heads of state will be at the opening ceremony.

Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ambassador Quartey called on Africa youth to appreciate the journey that Arica has traversed over the years. He said that the Africa’s relationship with the global world has not been charitable. “The slave trade was the policy of the British colonial administration, and was about profit and commerce, selling Africans as commodities. Treating Africans as commodities signified the start of global trade”. By supporting the 8th pan African Congress, “Ghana is going back to its roots” as then home of pan Africanism

Major General Otafiire described Pan Africanism as a “grassroots movement bringing together different cultures, races and gender”. Mr.KyeretwieOpoku, a member of the Local Organising Committee described the launch as an “important occasion which reflects a growing interest in Africa at the cultural and political level.”. He added that the launch is the first towards re-energising African youth in the Pan African Agenda”.

The 8th Pan African Congress will reinforce the messages emanating from the AU Summit of May 2013 marking the 50th Anniversary of the Africa union. This historic Declaration by this summit emphasized the responsibility of African people wherever they may be to act to realisethe vision of Pan Africanism and African Renaissance. The 8th pan African congress seeks to achieve that.

For more information, contact: Mr.KwasiAdu, Coordinator of the LOC at kwadu@hotmail.com

source: ghanaweb.com

Eazzy says she is back with Keitta

Eazzyhubby

Ghanaian hip life queen Eazzy and her ex-boyfriend Keitta are back together.

Eazzy said this for the first on the Starr Drive with Bola Ray on Thursday.

Eazzy and Ketta were both housemates at the big brother house in 2012 as Ghana’s representatives.

Eazzy said their break-up was unfortunate and they both realised the reason for which they parted ways was not necessary hence their decision to get back together.

“There were many factors. Family, friends plus I was also on tour in the UK then. But we are back together now and it’s BEAUTIFUL.”

This is exciting news as their break up shook the entertainment circles in Ghana, and Africa as a whole.

source: Source: starrfmonline.com

Vikings deactivate Adrian Peterson for Patriots game

Adrian Peterson's attorney says the RB 'deeply regrets the unintentional injury' to his son. (USATSI)

Hours after news surfaced Friday that Adrian Peterson had been indicted in Texas for "reckless or negligent injury to a child," the Vikings chose to deactivate their best player for Sunday's matchup against the Patriots.

Earlier in the day the Vikings released this statement: "The Vikings are in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation involving Adrian Peterson. At this time, we will defer further questions to Adrian's attorney Rusty Hardin."

A short time later -- but before Peterson was deactivated -- Hardin released a statement: “Adrian Peterson has been informed that he was indicted by a grand jury in Montgomery County, Texas for Injury to a Child. The charged conduct involves using a switch to spank his son. This indictment follows Adrian's full cooperation with authorities who have been looking into this matter. Adrian is a loving father who used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son. He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas. Adrian has never hidden from what happened. He has cooperated fully with authorities and voluntarily testified before the grand jury for several hours. Adrian will address the charges with the same respect and responsiveness he has brought to this inquiry from its beginning. It is important to remember that Adrian never intended to harm his son and deeply regrets the unintentional injury.”

The news comes at the end of a tumultuous week for the NFL, which has been heavily criticized for how it handled the case of former Ravens running back Ray Rice. On Monday, TMZ released surveillance video showing Rice punching his then-fiancee in the face and knocking her unconscious in an Atlantic City hotel elevator last February.

On Thursday, Peterson was asked about Rice.

Peterson spoke yesterday about Ray Rice: "All I have to say about that is I send my prayers out to Ray and his wife and wish him the best...

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) September 12, 2014
Peterson on Rice CONT... during this time. I wish them the best during this time and tell them to stay strong.''

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) September 12, 2014

source: http://www.cbssports.com/



Baltimore Orioles’ Chris Davis Suspended for Positive Drug Test


BALTIMORE — The Orioles’ likely charge into the postseason was dealt a setback when Major League Baseball announced Friday that Chris Davis, the slugging corner infielder, had been suspended 25 games after he tested positive for amphetamines.

The suspension, which is for a second offense, extends into the postseason. The Orioles, who beat the Yankees, 2-1, in the first game of a doubleheader, have 16 regular-season games remaining after that. Davis would miss at least eight postseason games, assuming the Orioles advance. Baseball’s division series are best of five; the American League Championship Series is best of seven.

Continue reading the main story
RELATED COVERAGE

Chris Davis, who went 0 for 2 with a run scored against the Yankees on Friday, leads the major leagues with 32 homers.On Baseball: Davis, Drafted by Yankees, Breaks Out With OriolesJULY 5, 2013
Giancarlo Stanton left the Marlins’ game with Milwaukee in an ambulance after he was hit in the head.Roundup: Hit by Pitch, the Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton Is Taken to HospitalSEPT. 12, 2014
Chris Young capped a Yankees’ rally with a three-run homer in the ninth after the team had been hitless into the eighth inning.Yankees 5, Rays 4: Yankees’ Hits Are Few, but Ex-Met Has a Big OneSEPT. 11, 2014
Adam LaRoche rounding the bases after his two-run homer in the first inning off Bartolo Colon.Nationals 6, Mets 2: Nationals Help Turn Mets’ Thoughts to Next Year SEPT. 11, 2014
Davis, 28, tested positive for the stimulant Adderall, according to a person in baseball familiar with the test results. Like several other players in baseball, Davis previously held a therapeutic-use exemption that once allowed him to use it, but it ran out and he did not have clearance at the time of the testing. He is not appealing the suspension. If he had, M.L.B. would not be allowed to announce it.

The Orioles overcame the absence of Davis when Jimmy Paredes lined a two-out, two-run double to right field off Adam Warren with the bases loaded.

Chris Young, whose three-run home run in the ninth inning Thursday gave the Yankees a come-from-behind 5-4 victory, had hit a bases empty shot in the 11th. It was his third home run in seven games for the Yankees.

The Orioles, despite the loss of one of their most dangerous hitters, expanded their lead over the Toronto Blue Jays to 10½ games in the A.L. East entering Friday’s night schedule. But Davis still held the potential to change the course of a game with his mighty swing, a skill that is magnified in the playoffs.

“I think it’s disappointing,” Orioles Manager Buck Showalter said. “I’m disappointed. I know Chris is, too. It is what it is. So we’re going to try to deal with it and move on. The timing is never good, but it’s one of those challenges. That’s why we have this in place, and we’re fully supportive of it. These are the things everybody knew about beforehand, and it’s another way we want the fans to be able to trust a lot of things.”

Showalter said Davis telephoned him at about 8 p.m. Thursday to notify him about the suspension.

A year ago, Davis hit 53 home runs, knocked in 138 runs and had 370 total bases, all highs in M.L.B. He batted .286 that year with a 1.004 on-base-plus slugging percentage. This year his numbers have declined. He has 26 home runs, 182 total bases and has struck out 173 times, the latter figure the highest in baseball. His O.P.S., so impressive last season, fell to .704 this year.

Davis is normally the Orioles’ first baseman, but he recently moved to third base after a season-ending knee injury to Manny Machado.

Davis was not at Camden Yards to address the situation Friday morning.

“In my situation, you got to learn to deal with the problems and challenges along the way,” Showalter said. “If they’re self-inflicted, there’s no, ‘Woe is me.’ And this is self-inflicted. But Chris, like he does a lot of things, you’re going to see in the next day or so, attack it head on. I’m sure he’ll address it. I know he called some of the players last night.”

source: nytimes.com

Akufo-Addo leads Alan, Addai-Nimoh on ballot paper

Alan Akufo Addo Ballot

Former Leader of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be the first on ballot papers for the delegates’ conference of the party on Saturday, October 18.

Balloting was conducted on Friday, September 12 at NPP’s headquarters in Accra.

Member of Parliament for Mampong Constituency Francis Addai-Nimoh will have his portrait on the ballot papers second to Nana Addo’s while Former Minister Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen’s will be third.

The three will be contesting the party’s presidential primary after the withdrawal of Joe Ghartey and Kofi Osei-Ameyaw.

Seven members of the party initially expressed interest to be its flagbearer ahead of the 2016 elections, but two – Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku and Stephen Asamoah Boateng – were voted out at a Special Electoral College.

Source: tv3network.com

Sons Of Anarchy' Succeeds As A Soap Opera Geared Toward Guys

Charlie Hunnam, left, plays Jax Teller, with Marilyn Manson as Ron Tully on FX's Sons of Anarchy.

[Note: This post discusses plot points and story lines from previous seasons.]

The first episode of the final season for FX's biker drama Sons of Anarchy begins with a familiar scene: gang leader/hero Jackson "Jax" Teller brutalizing a man in jail, interspersed with images of his gang and family living life — including his mother caring for his sons — with a mournful tune playing in the background.

Airing on Tuesday, Sept. 9, it's a bracing way to bring viewers up to speed since the show's action-packed season finale last year. That's when Jax's wife was brutally beaten and stabbed to death in their home — by Jax's mother, in a crime that was covered up from everyone by another member of the gang.

But the opening is also a potent reminder of just how Sons of Anarchy has managed to become one of FX's highest-rated series. (The episode where Jax's wife was killed by Katey Sagal's Gemma Teller was the second-highest-rated episode of the show's history). FX reports that the sixth season averaged 5 million key viewers (age 18 to 49) — and 3.6 million of them are men.

Sons of Anarchy works, in part, because it's designed as a soap opera for guys, wrapping emotional stories of family love, betrayal, sacrifice, scandal and murder in a mix of high-adrenaline outlaw action.

For every scene with a shooting or beating — and there are a lot — there are also moments of misguided love, tangled loyalties, complicated friendships and deadly family politics.

"If Jax finds out, not only will he have lost a wife, he'll lose his mother," Gemma Teller tells Juice, the gang member who covered up her crime. "I'm the only thread holding this family together ... as selfish as it seems, keeping our truth away from him is the right thing to do."

The poster for Sons of Anarchy's seventh and final season features Charlie Hunnam as Jackson "Jax" Teller.


Sounds like something you'd expect from Helena Cassadine, the murderous matriarch on General Hospital who killed her own daughter in one story line.

Fans sometimes make a different comparison, likening Sons to Shakespeare. There's some truth to the analogy — especially when Ron Perlman played Clay Morrow, a guy who secretly had killed Jax's dad to marry his mom and take over running the gang. Back then, the show often felt like a Harley-fueled version of Hamlet.

Except Jax never wanted to kill himself, only those who stood in the way of taking care of himself, his family and his gang. Eventually, that list included Morrow, whom Jax killed last season.

Sons of Anarchy also humanizes characters often depicted as degenerate villains in other stories. The biker club sells guns to other dangerous gangs; their side businesses also include a porn video studio and brothels, but the show keeps viewers rooting for these characters by riding a fine line between outlaw and sleazebag. You almost never see them killing someone who isn't somehow involved in the criminal world or law enforcement.

It's a sometimes idealized vision of the outlaw life, where standup guys are judged by their loyalty to family and crew, absent some of the sordid realities in a life of crime.

These are also working-class guys. As I noted in 2011, FX has had a suite of high-quality shows that make antiheroes of working-class white guys in ways you don't see elsewhere in television, through programs including Justified, Louie and the long-gone, firefighter-focused black comedy Rescue Me.

The Sons crew members aren't driving big cars or living in nice suburban subdivisions; they're "average guys" who just happen to make a living selling guns, porn and prostitutes.

The show also has its own version of soap opera melodrama and unbelievable leaps of logic. Charlie Hunnam's Jax Teller has gotten away with more crimes than 10 guys on America's Most Wanted, and seeing him avoid suspicion in his wife's murder is yet another turn to stretch the bounds of logic.

Make no mistake: This is a story geared toward men, focused on fathers and sons, male bonding and loyalty, with an FX-level splash of violence and sexuality. The show's strongest female character, Gemma Teller, wound up killing Jax's wife Tara — the only other major strong, independent female character.

As this seventh season opens, Jax is more dangerous than ever, seeking revenge for the death of his wife by planning an elaborate scheme against the crime family he assumes murdered her.

Early in the show's run, tension in the series sprang from whether Jax would figure out that his mother and stepfather conspired to murder his father. Now, as the show spins out its last season — with guest stars like Marilyn Manson, Lea Michele, Courtney Love and Malcolm-Jamal Warner along for the ride — the question of whether he'll discover that his mother killed his only love hangs over everything.

Like many good soap operas, it all comes down to the good son and the bad parent — even when the story is laced with bullets and biker gangs.

source: http://www.npr.org/

latest iPhone release

Apple charts new course with large iPhones, smartwatch


Apple moved to recapture its role as the leading tech trend-setter on Tuesday when the California giant unveiled its first smartwatch and two large-screen versions of the iPhone.



In a major product event, Apple also said it was introducing a new mobile wallet that will allow consumers to simply tap their phones to pay retailers, aiming to popularize the idea of mobile payments.
The Apple Watch, a sleekly designed wrist device which links to the iPhone, “will redefine what people expect from this category,” chief executive Tim Cook said in Apple’s hometown Cupertino, California.
“It is the next chapter in Apple’s story.”
Also unveiled were the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, in a large boost to the screen size of the popular handsets.
Apple’s main rival Samsung has long had a range of larger handsets and has tried to market a smartwatch of its own.
The iPhone 6 will have a screen of 4.7 inches and the 6-Plus will be 5.5 inches, allowing Apple to adapt to consumers’ apparent preference for bigger displays.
Cook said the new handsets represented “the biggest advancement in the history of iPhones.”
Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller the new iPhones were “simply stunning” with polarized glass displays and bodies that are “thinner than ever before.”
“These are the best phones ever made,” Schiller said, as he described the new devices at a major set-piece event streamed live online.
The new iPhone 6 will start at the same price of existing iPhones at $199 for US customers while the iPhone 6 Plus will be at $299 with a two-year contract.
Schiller said the devices would be available in at least 115 countries by the end of the year.
With the new launch, Apple will cut the price of existing iPhone 5S and 5C with the launch.
Apple’s move, expanding the latest iPhone with a four-inch screen, comes as consumers are switching to handsets with bigger displays to watch videos and browse the Internet.
Observers say the time is right for Apple to introduce a generation of iPhone 6 models with screen sizes stretched to tap into users’ love for “phablets” that combine the features of smartphones and tablets.
Cook said the ApplePay system would replace an “antiquated payment process” with “an entirely new payment system” that allows consumers to touch their phones to retail terminals.
The new payment system will be built into the new iPhones and the upgraded Apple’s operating system called iOS 8.
Cook said that in the United States alone each day, “that’s 200 million times that we scramble through our credit cards and go through what is a fairly antiquated payment process.”
He said other efforts have failed because the companies introducing mobile wallets were working on the basis of “their self-interest” instead of the user experience.
Cook showed a video of a consumer tapping a phone on a payment terminal, commenting, “it’s so cool.” -AFP/ Relaxnews


source:http://www.theborneopost.com

USA Basketball routs Slovenia, on to World Cup semis



BARCELONA – In this setting where winning isn't merely enough and every phase of Team USA's games are analyzed in the context of whether or not they can beat Spain in a championship game, this wasn't a good look.

In the first half, anyway.

It was an alley-oop fest at the end, when the guard-heavy Slovenians simply folded under the pressure of the American's superior talent. Still, the start was ugly enough to make you wonder about what it means going forward.

Team USA missed 10 of its first 11 shots and trailed 10-8 early on, with James Harden (0-5), Stephen Curry (0-4), Kenneth Faried (2-6) the worst offenders in the first quarter that they led 29-22. If not for the monumental size advantage that allowed the Americans to clean up on the glass (16 offensive rebounds to Slovenia's five in the first half that they led 49-42, they could have been in real trouble.

It's a huge 'if,' to be sure, but such is the Six Degrees of Spain mentality that I wrote about Monday.

Team USA finally pulled away in the third, when the emotion built and the highlight reel finally started rolling.

Kyrie Irving, who was wincing in the first half after falling on the same backside that he injured last week, gave a loud yell and a flex when his three-pointer stretched the lead to 17 points. He found Anthony Davis for an alley-oop – or, as the announcer calls them here, a 'Smash-ala! – not long after, and Davis offered a staredown to his frontcourt foe.

The tension that had come with the unexpected early struggles finally seemed to dissipate late in the third quarter, when Harden ran the break with players on all sides and threw a beautiful, no-look pass to a soaring Kenneth Faried for another 'smash-ala' that drew the first real oohs and aahs from the nearly-packed Palau Sant Jordi crowd.

Team USA was led in scoring by Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors, 20 points on seven of 12 shooting, with four three-pointers), while Derrick Rose, Faried, Irving, Harden and Davis combined for 65 points. Slovenia was led by Goran Dragic with 13.

QUOTE

"So far, Spain."

Goran Dragic (Slovenia, Phoenix Suns) on who is favorite at this point in FIBA World Cup.

kenneth faried

WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT

Spain, of course. The Team USA scrutiny is all rooted in the perceived infallibity of the host Spaniards, as they simply seem to be playing on another level. They play France Wednesday in their quarterfinals game – the same Tony Parker-less France team that fell to them by 24 points four games into the tournament. In other words, it'll be 'on to the next' for the hosts.

As for Team USA chatter, say hello again to Derrick Rose. You may have missed him, and we're not referring to the season-ending injuries he's been battling through these past few seasons. The Chicago Bulls point guard was a relative no-show in the tournament coming in, having missed 37 of 45 shots overall and 10 of 11 three-pointers. He hit 6 of 10 and had 12 points in what was easily his best game of the tournament.

WHAT'S NEXT

That aforementioned big-man edge against Slovenia will be much smaller in Thursday's semifinal game against Lithuania (Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas and Houston Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas down low), and nonexistent should the USA-Spain tilt take place (Memphis Grizzlies' Marc Gasol, Chicago Bulls' Pau Gasol, Oklahoma City Thunder's Serge Ibaka).

And therein lies the problem.

As good as Faried and Davis have been for most of the tournament, no one expects them to dominate against the Spanish frontline. As Team USA attempts to maintain its 61-game winning streak (including 18 exhibitions) and keep up the revived gold medal tradition, all the isolation offense and inconsistent performances from game to game from so many perimeter players doesn't bode well.

And Lithuania, by the way, is no pushover. They have won six of seven games, though it's worth noting that they downed Slovenia by just three points (67-64 in their fifth game).

source: usatoday

Al-Qaeda morphs into a new movement since 9/11

Bin Laden

The al-Qaeda that attacked the USA on 9/11 is not the same al-Qaeda the United States fights today. Once based in Afghanistan with a strong leader who ordered attacks on Western capitals, it has become a diffuse movement with offshoots that threaten nations across the Muslim world.

Al-Qaeda's leadership has been driven out of its former safe haven in Afghanistan and weakened by U.S. drone attacks in neighboring Pakistan. It has taken advantage of chaos created by the Arab Spring revolutions that began in 2011 and joined insurgencies that control territory across North Africa and the Middle East — in Nigeria, Mali, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Iraq.

"Al-Qaeda has become weaker, and its affiliates have become stronger," said Patrick Johnston, a terrorism analyst at RAND.

Some examples:

• Egypt is fighting al-Qaeda and Islamist insurgents in its Sinai Peninsula.

• The United Arab Emirates and Egypt sent fighter jets to Libya to bomb Islamist militias seeking to overthrow the Tripoli government, which operates in exile.

• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which was fighting in Yemen, has spread throughout the Arab Peninsula into Jordan and linked with al-Qaeda elements spreading through Syria and Iraq. An al-Qaeda offshoot, the Islamic State, which broke with its parent organization, has emerged as the United States' top terror concern in the Middle East.

• Somalia's al-Qaeda affiliate, al-Shabab, has spread into Uganda and Kenya.

• Boko Haram, an affiliate in Nigeria, has spread from one city, Kano, through much of northeastern Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger.

The Obama administration has claimed credit for weakening "core al-Qaeda" but acknowledges that offshoots and affiliated groups remain a threat.

"What we continue to face are elements that are either sympathetic to al-Qaeda or associate themselves with the ideology of al-Qaeda in other remote areas of the world that do pose a threat to the United States and our interests and our allies," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said this summer.

Analysts say the multiple insurgencies pose a greater danger to U.S. allies in the region and nearby Europe, but they disagree on the threat they pose to the U.S. homeland.

Insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda threaten important allies "and our ability to secure ourselves and engage in commerce with the rest of the world," said Juan Zarate, a terrorism adviser to President George W. Bush. The danger to the U.S. homeland grows when terrorist groups have sanctuaries and resources from which to operate, he said.

Though that's true, U.S. intelligence and aviation security measures implemented since 9/11 make most planned attacks on the USA "hard to pull off," said William McCants, a terrorism analyst at the Brookings Institution.

The 9/11 attacks were ordered by al-Qaeda's leader, Osama bin Laden, who had ordered suicide attacks on American targets in Yemen, Tanzania and Kenya. His goal: to foment a U.S. response that would provoke anti-Western sentiments and create a movement that replaced U.S.-aligned Arab regimes with an Islamic empire.

The attacks with four hijacked jetliners brought down the twin towers of the World Trade Center and left craters in the Pentagon and in a field in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people. They prompted President Bush to order the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan that ousted the Taliban from power and took away the sanctuary the Islamic extremist group provided bin Laden and his followers.

Since then, hundreds of U.S. special operations and drone strikes have decimated the ranks of al-Qaeda's leadership in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Bin Laden was killed in a raid by Navy SEALs ordered by Obama in 2011.

Al-Qaeda survived because it had tentacles reaching into other Muslim countries, where the group spread its ideology, fighters and tactics.

"Between 2001 and the early Arab Spring, the tentacles became heads in many cases, and those heads were spreading their own tentacles," said Walid Phares, an adviser on terrorism to members of Congress. "The U.S. government was hitting the old head in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but the new heads were still growing."

The pro-democracy Arab Spring in 2011 brought the fall of dictators in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya. The protests and revolts led to prison breaks or amnesty to jihadists (holy warriors) imprisoned for years, providing new leaders and soldiers for the Islamist cause. All that turmoil helped "revive the fortune of the global jihadi movement," McCants said.

In addition, civil wars in Libya and Syria placed massive arsenals of weapons into the hands of the militant groups, McCants said. "Before they were fighting to oppose the U.S. presence in the region and overthrow governments. Now they are fighting to establish control of territory in a security vacuum."

The rapid development of militants who control territory in countries such as Mali, Yemen, Syria and Iraq since 2011 mark a difference from al-Qaeda, which hid in the caves of Afghanistan and ordered terrorist attacks from the shadows.

By 2013, new groups operating under the al-Qaeda mantle were stronger than the old al-Qaeda and "local jihadi commanders in those countries felt they became the new leaders of al-Qaeda," Phares said.

Today, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon have all mobilized troops to counter the threat to their countries and elsewhere, because "they got scared," he said. "They know they have their own jihadists within their own borders."

source: usatoday.com

Is it time for Apple smartwatch to jump-start wearables market?

GTY_486084175_63747300

SAN FRANCISCO – Apple has jump-started the PC, phone and tablet markets. Can it do the same for the wearables market?

On Tuesday, Apple's long-rumored smartwatch – many call it iWatch – is expected to make its debut. Apple is also expected to unfurl the iPhone 6 and a mobile-payments system at a product extravaganza in Cupertino, Calif., near its corporate headquarters.

One of the many story lines is whether iWatch will make the same impact as market-shaping products before it, such as Macintosh (PCs), iPhone (smartphones) and iPad (tablets).

"It (iWatch) will be one of its most important and brand-reinforcing launches in years," says James McQuivey, an analyst at market researcher Forrester, which expects Apple to sell more than 10 million iWatches through 2016. "If Apple manages to combine a whole range of phone-based services on the wrist band, it will have the same impact as iPhone and iPad."

McQuivey and others expect Apple to lift the wrist-based wearable tech market, where less than 10 million devices have been sold in the U.S. According to new Forrester data, 25% of American adults plan to buy a wearable device in the next year, and 42% are interested in a wrist-based device.

Apple will become a market leader next year, though it should expect plenty of competition from Google and Amazon.com.

As it has done before with iPhone and iPad, Apple isn't the first to market. But it is often the first to market to get it right, analysts say.

Despite a raft of well-received wrist-based devices on the market, like FitBit and the Pebble Smart watch, the category has yet to catch on with the public.

But eMarketer doesn't expect a seismic change overnight. Though there is widespread consumer awareness of such products – three in four say they know of wearables – only 2% own them.

"No, it's not the year of the wearable," says Cathy Boyle, an analyst at eMarketer. "The market needs a magic product, and maybe Apple is it."

Boyle anticipates the wearables market to take off in 2016.

Another market could benefit from Apple's mega-launch: near field communication (NFC) mobile payments, which is expected to be part of the rumored iPhone 6 and iWatch.

"Apple doing anything can change the game," says Kamran Zaki, president of Adyen, a payment-processing service. Merchants have been hesitant to embrace NFC because the technology is not compatible with most current point-of-sales devices and would require pricey upgrades from merchants, but the power of Apple among consumers could change that, he says.

source: usatoday.com

Serena Williams beats Caroline Wozniacki for Open title

USP_TENNIS__U.S._OPEN-S_67061072

NEW YORK – Serena Williams was 17 and still in beads when she surprised the public and even her own family when she won the 1999 U.S. Open against Martina Hingis.

Her 6-3, 6-3 defeat Sunday of good pal Caroline Wozniacki in Sunday's U.S. Open final — her sixth in New York and third consecutive — comes 15 years later, the longest span between Grand Slam titles in history.

That sustained arc of excellence may one day stand out more than the 32-year-old's number of major championships, her vaunted serve or competitive (and sometimes polarizing) ferocity.

"I'm sure you have your ups and downs, and every time she's so competitive," said five-time Grand Slam champion Hingis, who is one year older than Williams and reached the women's doubles final. "I mean there's no words. I mean Serena is Serena. Geez. Wow."

In a season where eight different women reached Grand Slam finals, Williams cemented her status as the top player. But it took the biggest stage and home turf for Williams to win her first major of 2014.

Shaking off some early nerves on 23,000-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium, No. 1 Williams cruised past 10th seeded Wozniacki in 75 minutes to win her 18th career major singles crown, tying her with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova in fourth place on the all-time leader board.

It also made Williams the second oldest major female winner in the post-1968 Open era behind Navratilova, who was 33 when she won Wimbledon in 1990. Williams — already the oldest No. 1 since computer rankings were introduced in 1975 — turns that age on Sept. 26.

"It is a pleasure to win my first Grand Slam here and number 18," said a teary Williams during the trophy ceremony in which Navratilova and Evert joined her on court. "I'm really emotional. I couldn't ask to do it at a better place."

For much of the year it looked like she might remain stuck on 17 majors and go Slam-less for the first time since 2001 when competing in all four.

In 2013, Williams had one of her best seasons. She hit career highs in titles (11) and match wins (78), including major championships at the French Open and U.S. Open. But she arrived in New York two weeks ago having failed to advance past the fourth round at any Slam since.

Her up-and-down year took a bizarre turn two days after losing in the third round at Wimbledon when she stumbled around a doubles match before defaulting with what tournament officials called a viral illness.

But nothing is as predicable as a re-charged Williams with something to prove.

She hit the North American hardcourt swing ready to shoot down the naysayers and reel in more history. In July, she scratched her way to the title at Stanford, winning despite subpar play. She regained some needed confidence.

"I'm sure if that tournament would have turned out differently who knows how the season would have went," said her longtime hitting partner, Sascha Bajin on Sunday. "It kind of set the stone rolling."

The next week, Williams started to find her form in Montreal where she lost in the semifinals to older sister Venus Williams, and then hit her stride with another title in Cincinnati a week later.

She is now 19-1 since Wimbledon, and didn't drop a set in seven matches in New York.

"I have been trying to reach it for so long, since last year," said Williams of her latest trophy. "I didn't really think would I get there. I just felt so good."

After her very public breakup with No. 1 golfer Rory McIlroy days before the French Open in May, Wozniacki has orchestrated a strong comeback of her own.

She has gone 25-6 since, won a title at Istanbul, and will return to the top 10 when next week's rankings come out.

"It definitely gives me a lot of belief for the end of the year and for next year," said Wozniacki, 24.

Williams will remain, as she has since February of last year, at No. 1.

Navratilova said Sunday that Williams could challenge Steffi Graf's Open-era record of 22 majors or Margaret Smith Court's all-time mark of 24 despite her advancing age.

Due to a lighter schedule and some time off from injuries and illnesses, she has played far fewer matches than Navratilova at the same age. "She hasn't played as many matches and she's really eager," said Navratilova. "She's sees how working hard really pays off."

As long as she stays motivated and healthy, "the sky's the limit," said Navratilova.

Williams said she was already thinking about No. 19 and vowed not to get complacent.

"I have said this before: I don't want to become that," she said. "I want to continue to rise and continue to play really hard and do the best that I can."

source: usatoday.com

Ladies' Code singer Rise dies after crash

A second member of South Korean pop group Ladies' Code has died, four days after the vehicle they were travelling in crashed near Seoul.



Ladies Code

Kwon Ri-sae, known as Rise, died in hospital at the age of 23 on Sunday.

She had been unconscious after emergency brain surgery following Wednesday's accident, a spokesperson from Polaris Entertainment said.

A portrait of South Korean singer EunB at the funeral parlour of the Korea University Hospital in Seoul
The funeral of EunB took place in Seoul on Friday
Her death follows that of 22-year-old bandmate Go Eun-bi, better known as EunB, who died shortly after the crash.

The five-member group made their debut in 2013 and released their latest single Kiss Kiss last month.

One other member of Ladies' Code fractured her jaw and two had minor injuries and were treated for shock.

Police inspector Lee Ho-dong told the Associated Press that the crash happened when band were returning to the South Korean capital after filming a TV appearance in the south-eastern city of Daegu.

The van driver was treated for a minor injury before being questioned and may have been speeding on a wet road to meet a tight schedule, Mr Lee said.

"We are investigating the exact cause of the accident," he said. "But it's difficult because the highway section where the crash occurred did not have a closed-circuit television camera."

He added that a camera from inside the van had been sent to the National Forensic Service.

A portrait of South Korean singer EunB at the funeral parlour of the Korea University Hospital in Seoul

source:BBC.COM






KNUST assures Ebola readiness

KNUST assures Ebola readiness as school resumes Monday


The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology says measures are in place to protect the university community from the Ebola virus, as students arrive for the new academic year.

The university re-opens on Monday after the University Teachers Association of Ghana ended a one-month strike over book and research allowances.

The Education Ministry asked public universities to prepare an Ebola preparedness plan in an effort to contain the disease in case of an outbreak.

The plans would then be forwarded to the inter-ministerial committee on the Ebola Viral Disease for validation by health experts.

The Education Ministry’s request to the public universities was partly because most tertiary institutions have students coming from West African countries.

Deputy Registrar of KNUST, who doubles as University Relations Officer of the school, Vincent Ankamah-Lomotey, told Luv News the university has as an airtight plan to contain an outbreak.

“Fortunately, the Isolation Centre in Kumasi [Suntreso Government Hospital] is so close to us so in case we need to transport someone it will be done easily.

“But I guess we may have a small place around the Students’ clinic set aside to augment it. I believe once we have a place where you can seclude them [potential Ebola patients] from others, then we can say we have a place for them.

He said the school has also procured infra-red devices as well as protective clothing for health workers.

The country’s boarders and ports have been reported to be porous in its preparedness to contain a possible case as foreigners enter the country without screening.

Mr. Ankamah-Lomotey wants intensified screening at borders and ports in order to reduce the burden on tertiary institutions.

Students are due to report on next Monday after staying home for almost two weeks, partly due to a month-long strike by lecturers.

The 2014/15 academic year was expected to last for 16 weeks beginning second week of August but for the UTAG strike.

Though, Mr. Lomotey acknowledges the possible pressure ready to stare students in the face, he insists the academic calendar remains unchanged.

Some students who spoke to Luv News fear impending pressure from the backlog of work.

Source: Ghana | Luv FM | Prince Appiah

Ghana’s education system


Ghana’s education system below international standards: Survey reveals



The latest Global Competitiveness report from the World Economic Forum indicates that Ghana’s educational system is below international standards.

The survey was conducted on some 144 countries across the world, concerning doing business and a nation’s competitiveness by providing insight into what drives their productivity and prosperity.

Some of the twelve pillars on which the survey is conducted are good market efficiency, innovation, higher education and training.

On education, Ghana is ranked among the top 50 with quality management in schools and placed 52 among the 144 on quality mathematics and science education but placed 38 from bottom, coming 106 on tertiary education enrollment.

The report said, “Ghana must do more to develop and deploy talents in the country," adding that education levels continue to fall in the country.

Other African countries that ranked higher than Ghana include: Mauritius which placed 54, Tunisia 73 and Kenya, which placed 95.

The report comes in the wake of criticisms from the poor performance of students during the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

But a teacher specialised in creative writing, Nii Ayi Parkes has proposed that teachers engage students in more visual forms of teaching to improve teaching standards in schools.

He said that even though the current method has the content in many cases students are thought to memorise and reproduce exactly what they have been taught.

Speaking on Joy News Mr. Parkes said, “I think the teaching has the content but in a large proportion of cases, they teach the kids to memories, to be able to regurgitate what the teachers have thought them without necessarily understanding the root theories that govern those ideas they are being taught."

He explained that because teaching is not tied to the real world, it restricts innovation “because if you don’t understand why something is, then you can’t question it and create new ways of doing them."

He explained that even though encouraging students to ask questions is good; it might pose some risks because a teacher’s failure to answer might compromise their authority.

He said even though this might be challenging teachers should not run from answering questions but rather consistently continue to educate themselves and broaden their knowledge base.

source:myjoyonline.com


cholera Alert

FDA issues health alert on cholera


The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has reiterated the need for food vendors and consumers to observe food and personal hygiene rules in the wake of the cholera epidemic which has claimed about 100 lives.

It has in a statement asked consumers to avoid street foods sold under unhygienic conditions, such as close to open gutters, refuse dumps, public toilets etc.

People have also been advised to avoid eating street vended salads and cut fruits. As much as possible, the FDA said, these should be prepared and eaten at home.

Below is the statement


PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), in view of the outbreak of cholera infection in some parts of the country, and as part of its mandate to protect public health and safety, wishes to reiterate the need for food vendors and consumers in general to observe food and personal hygiene rules to avoid contracting and the spread of the disease.

The following rules of paramount importance are to be observed:

The food vending environment should be maintained clean.
Street food vendors should always cover their foods to avoid contamination of foods by houseflies and dirt.
Food vendors should keep food at the appropriate temperatures during sale. Hot foods like koko, kenkey, waakye etc. should be maintained and sold  hot and cold foods such as salads maintained on ice and sold  cold.
Food vendors should use clean ladles, spoons, tongs etc. in serving dishes.
Plates and cutlery should be washed with soap and running water in between uses.
Food vendors including sachet water sellers should wash their hands thoroughly  using soap and running water after visiting the toilet.
Sachet water sellers should desist from holding up the water from the corners when selling and should always keep their hands clean or wear protective cover on their hands.
Sachet water should be purchased from clean vending facilities and sellers who observe personal hygiene.
A person must not be involved in the transportation and sale of ready-to-eat foods if he/she experiences abdominal pains, diarrhea and/or vomiting. 
It is advisable to avoid eating street vended salads and cut fruits. As much as possible prepare these and eat at home.
Fruit and vegetables should be properly washed under running water before eating.
Consumers should avoid street foods sold under unhygienic conditions, such as close to open gutters, refuse dumps, public toilets etc.
Consumers should ensure that foods such as waakye, kenkey, koko etc. should always be eaten hot. When cold, they should be properly reheated before eating.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water before eating and after visiting the toilet.
Itinerant food vendors should not carry their food wares into the public toilet when they visit the toilet.
 In the event that you experience any abdominal pains, diarrhea and/or vomiting, report to the nearest health facility for treatment. TREATMENT OF CHOLERA IS FREE.

Additionally, the general public is being assured of FDA’s readiness to ensure public health and safety at all times. For any information or clarification please contact any of the  following numbers: 0244337235, 0244337243, 0244337251 or 0544341221.

Food and Drugs Authority - Working for your Health and Safety.

source: myjoyonline.com

Baffour Gyan granted bail

Baffour Gyan granted bail, one more arrested



Baffour Gyan, elder brother of Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan has been granted bail after he was arrested for allegedly assaulting a reporter with the Graphic Communication Group, Daniel Kenu.

Baffuor, a former Black Stars player, turned himself in after the police declared him wanted over his alleged involvement in the incident.

Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Regional Police ASP Mohammed Tanko told Joynews that a surety brought by Baffour Gyan was arrested after the police discovered that the surety is also a suspect in the case.

Baffour had to produce another surety before he was released on bail.

He is, however, expected to report to the police on Monday to assist in investigations into the case.

ASP Tanko said the police are searching for two other persons identified by the victim as perpetrators of the assault on him.

Pre-match preparations by the Black Stars in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, had been dogged by controversies.

Baffour Gyan was said to have first assaulted the journalist, followed by macho guys who were with him.

Mr. Kenu had gone to the Baba Yara stadium to pick his accreditation for the Ghana -Uganda clash on Saturday when the incident happened.

Daniel Kenu lodged a complaint at the Kumasi central police station.

He explained to JOY Sports correspondent George Addo Jnr, the men in the company of Baffor Gyan queried him on why he asked a question in connection with the mysterious disappearance of hiplife artiste Theophilus Tagoe, popularly called Castro after he went swimming at the Ada beach resort some months ago.

Daniel Kenu wanted confirmation to allegations that Asamoah Gyan had “sacrificed” his friend Castro when they went for holidays in Ada.

At that press briefing organised by the Ghana Football Association on Wednesday at the Miklin hotel, the Black Stars captain nearly confronted the reporter. His brother is said to have picked up from Asamoah Gyan's fury and beat up the reporter, Friday.

Police declared Mr. Gyan wanted. He, therefore, turned himself in but is now on bail.

Meanwhile,the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists' Association (GJA) has condemned the assault on Regional correspondent of the Daily Graphic newspaper, Mr. Daniel Kenu by some macho men allegedly led by Baffour Gyan, the elder brother of Asamoah Gyan, captain of the black stars.

The GJA in a statement said it “finds it strange and shocking that such a nice opportunity given to the player should be abused. It should be put on record that whether Asamoah Gyan likes it or not the rumour is out there, and the reporter without any malice wished that he used the occasion to clear himself."

“In any case, why did Bafour Gyan not lead thugs to attack Lawyer Justice Ampah when he called for the arrest of Asamoah Gyan for questioning in the wake of the Castro tragedy?

“The GJA would like to remind the family of Gyan to stop thinking that their so-called popularity in football could clothe them with authority to treat journalists with contempt,” the statement cautioned.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kenu has received treatment at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi in the Ashanti region.

soucre: myjoyonline.com

Teacher invents African numerals for Ghana



A basic school teacher in the Northern region of Ghana has invented what he calls African numerals.

Amadu Hudu believes his numerals can facilitate effective teaching and learning of numeracy in the country’s schools.

A 25-page book containing Mr Hudu’s numerals said to have been certified by the Ghana Education Service, was launched on Friday, September 5, 2014.

The comb-like numerals, the author says, are “to help preserve and promote our Ghanaian culture, especially our languages.”

He said Africans, and Ghanaians for that matter struggle with numeracy because the numerals bear no resemblance with the traditions, culture and language of the people.

The Ghanaian numerals, he believes, are in synch with “our speech, our written characters, numerals, symbols, our non-verbal gestures and our expressions.”

In the book, Mr. Hudu explained how the numerals work.

He made a number of mathematical calculations to demonstrate the workability of the numerals.



SOUECE: Myjoyonline.com 

LEAGUE TABLE

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

   

POSLPCLUBPWDLGFGAGDPTS
1(1)Chelsea330011479
2(2)Swansea City33006159
3(8)Aston Villa32103127
4(4)Manchester City32015236
5(11)Liverpool32016426
6(3)Tottenham Hotspur32015326
7(5)Arsenal31205415
8(6)Southampton31114314
9(7)Hull City31113304
10(9)Stoke City31112204
11(10)West Ham United310245-13
12(12)Queens Park Rangers310215-43
13(13)Sunderland302134-12
14(14)Manchester United302123-12
15(18)Leicester City302135-22
16(15)Newcastle United302135-22
17(16)Everton3021710-32
18(17)West Bromwich Albion302125-32
19(19)Crystal Palace301258-31
20(20)Burnley301214-31
POSLPCLUBPWDLGFGAGDPTS

Featured Video

Category 3

 
Support : Creating Website | Johny Template | Mas Template
Copyright © 2011. HOT ISSUES - All Rights Reserved
Template Modify by Creating Website
Proudly powered by Blogger