Microsoft faces European open software probe

A Spanish group of open-source users has accused Microsoft of making it difficult for users of Windows 8 to install alternatives. The group of 8,000 Linux developers has filed a complaint to the European Commission about a mechanism that locks out other operating systems. Microsoft said the mechanism was a security feature. Earlier this month the commission fined the firm 561m euros (£484m) for failing to offer users a choice of web browser. The Hispalinux group told Reuters The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Secure Boot in Windows 8 was "a de facto technological jail for computer booting systems... making Microsoft's Windows platform less neutral than ever". Its 14-page complaint said users needed to request digital keys from Microsoft to install another operating system. Microsoft said in a statement: "UEFI is an industry standard aimed at improving computer security and the approach has been public for some time. "We're happy to answer any additional questions, but we are confident our approach complies with the law and helps keep customers safe." Richard Edwards, a principal analyst at research firm Ovum, said: "I can't see too many purchasers of Windows 8 calling foul over this. "Microsoft will argue that the reason the technology has been developed is to provide enhanced security." In January, when the issue was raised by a Euro-MP, European Competition Commissioner Joaquin Alumnia said the commission had no evidence the Windows 8 security requirements violated EU competition rules. ...............eddy......................

Job 600 already deteriorating

The Legislative Office Block, popularly called Job 600 Even before the newly refurbished edifice for use as offices for parliamentarians is handed over, the Job 600 is reported to be showing signs of decay. Members of Parliament (MPs) are therefore questioning the quality of work done on the structure expected to accommodate the over 200 MPs. The legislators have raised serious concerns about the quality of materials used and work done on the building. According to Joy News’ Parliamentary correspondent, Elton John Brobbey, some visible fittings including balustrades which have began decaying were discovered by members of Parliament’s Works and Housing Committee on Wednesday, when they toured the premises to ascertain the extent of work done. He reports the site engineer, Bensti Enchill, attributes the poor state of the structure to its proximity to the sea. Renovation works on the edifice popularly known as JOB 600 began in 2007. The site engineer reportedly gave the edifice, a rating of “fair” when Chair of the Parliamentary sub-committee on housing demanded his expert opinion on the state of the structure. The engineer was however unable to give a set time for completion of work on the legislative office block. The Contractor has since been asked to replace the deteriorating fittings with quality materials. Parliament goes on recess today and members are expected to resume business in mid May..............................................eddy..........................

Climate change threatens food security of urban poor

Policies to increase food security in developing countries focus too much on rural food production instead of ensuring that poor people are able to access and afford food, especially in urban areas. This is contained in a report published on Thursday by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). It warns that climate change would only make this policy gap worse because the impact of climate change would affect not only harvests but also systems that are used to transport, store, buy and sell food. “Food security is back on the agenda thanks to rising prices and the threat that climate change poses to agricultural production,” says the report’s author Dr Cecilia Tacoli. “But policies that focus on rural food production alone will not tackle the rising food insecurity in urban areas. We also need policies that improve poor people’s ability to access and afford food, especially in urban areas.” Most people in urban areas, unlike their counterparts in rural communities buy their food. And any climate-induced disruption to food production, transport and storage – either in the urban area itself or in distant farmlands – could affect food supply and prices in urban areas. Yet, most policies that aim at increasing food security focus solely on boosting productions from farms and fisheries in rural areas. “The journey that food takes from a rural producer to an urban consumer involves many steps,” observes Dr Tacoli. “It must travel through formal and informal systems as it is stored, distributed and sold. Each one of these steps is a point of potential vulnerability to climate change. For consumers, this will mean sharp and sudden increases in food prices.” The report highlights the link between income poverty and food insecurity in urban areas. For most low-income urban citizens, it revealed, food represents a sizeable portion of the money they spend. Even small increases in prices would have big impacts of food security, with citizens reducing the amount and quality of the food they purchase. For residents of informal urban settlements, food insecurity is also the consequence of lack of space to store and cook food, lack of time to shop and prepare meals, inadequate access to clean water and often non-existing sewerage systems. These settlements are disproportionately affected by floods, typhoons, heat waves and other impacts of climate change because they tend to be located in areas more exposed to these events, and because they lack the most basic infrastructure. Tacoli says that governments must rise to these challenges by ensuring that policies protect the urban poor from food insecurity linked to rising prices, inadequate living conditions and the effects of climate change in both rural and urban areas. Decent and stable employment is essential but not sufficient, she emphasised, adequate infrastructure and housing and access to formal and informal markets are just as important. She concluded that “climate change threatens to multiply many of the big challenges that face the world’s urban poor.” ..........................eddy........................

Pope washes women's feet in break with church law

Pope Francis washes the foot of an inmate at the juvenile detention center of Casal del Marmo In his most significant break with tradition yet, Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of two young women at a juvenile detention center — a surprising departure from church rules that restrict the Holy Thursday ritual to men. No pope has ever washed the feet of a woman before, and Francis' gesture sparked a debate among some conservatives and liturgical purists, who lamented he had set a "questionable example." Liberals welcomed the move as a sign of greater inclusiveness in the church. Speaking to the young offenders, including Muslims and Orthodox Christians, Francis said that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion in a gesture of love and service. "This is a symbol, it is a sign. Washing your feet means I am at your service," Francis told the group, aged 14 to 21, at the Casal del Marmo detention facility in Rome. "Help one another. This is what Jesus teaches us," the pope said. "This is what I do. And I do it with my heart. I do this with my heart because it is my duty. As a priest and bishop, I must be at your service." In a video released by the Vatican, the 76-year-old Francis was shown kneeling on the stone floor as he poured water from a silver chalice over the feet of a dozen youths: black, white, male, female, even feet with tattoos. Then, after drying each one with a cotton towel, he bent over and kissed it. Previous popes carried out the Holy Thursday rite in Rome's grand St. John Lateran basilica, choosing 12 priests to represent the 12 apostles whose feet Christ washed during the Last Supper before his crucifixion. Before he became pope, as archbishop of Buenos Aires, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio celebrated the ritual foot-washing in jails, hospitals or hospices — part of his ministry to the poorest and most marginalized of society. He often involved women. Photographs show him washing the feet of a woman holding her newborn child in her arms. That Francis would include women in his inaugural Holy Thursday Mass as pope was remarkable, however, given that current liturgical rules exclude women. Canon lawyer Edward Peters, who is an adviser to the Holy See's top court, noted in a blog that the Congregation for Divine Worship sent a letter to bishops in 1988 making clear that "the washing of the feet of chosen men ... represents the service and charity of Christ, who came 'not to be served, but to serve." While bishops have successfully petitioned Rome over the years for an exemption to allow women to participate, the rules on the issue are clear, Peters said. "By disregarding his own law in this matter, Francis violates, of course, no divine directive," Peters wrote. "What he does do, I fear, is set a questionable example." The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said he didn't want to wade into a canonical dispute over the matter. However, he noted that in a "grand solemn celebration" of the rite, only men are included because Christ washed the feet of his 12 apostles, all of whom were male. "Here, the rite was for a small, unique community made up also of women," Lombardi wrote in an email. "Excluding the girls would have been inopportune in light of the simple aim of communicating a message of love to all, in a group that certainly didn't include experts on liturgical rules." Others on the more liberal side of the debate welcomed the example Francis set. Others on the more liberal side of the debate welcomed the example Francis set. "The pope's washing the feet of women is hugely significant because including women in this part of the Holy Thursday Mass has been frowned on — and even banned — in some dioceses," said the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author of "The Jesuit Guide." "It shows the all-embracing love of Christ, who ministered to all he met: man or woman, slave or free, Jew or Gentile." For some, restricting the rite to men is in line with the church's restriction on ordaining women priests. Church teaching holds that only men should be ordained because Christ's apostles were male. "This is about the ordination of women, not about their feet," wrote the Rev. John Zuhlsdorf, a traditionalist blogger. Liberals "only care about the washing of the feet of women, because ultimately they want women to do the washing." Still, Francis has made clear he doesn't favor ordaining women. In his 2011 book, "On Heaven and Earth," then-Cardinal Bergoglio said there were solid theological reasons why the priesthood was reserved to men: "Because Jesus was a man." On this Holy Thursday, however, Francis had a simple message for the young inmates, whom he greeted one-by-one after the Mass, giving each an Easter egg. "Don't lose hope," Francis said. "Understand? With hope you can always go on." One young man then asked why he had come to visit them. Francis responded that it was to "help me to be humble, as a bishop should be." The gesture, he said, came "from my heart. Things from the heart don't have an explanation." eddy

National Service Personnel To Direct Traffic Date: 28-Mar-2013 The 2013-2014 deployment of National Service Personnel will for the first time see some of them directing road traffic, to support the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service. The personnel who are going to be deployed to work along side the police, will be given special training to enable them perform their duties efficiently. The initiative which forms part of the National Service Scheme’s long term strategic plan is expected to reduce traffic congestions in major cities of the country. This was announced by Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, Executive Director of the National Service Scheme at this year’s 2013-2014 pre-service orientation forum, which was attended by 700 prospective service personnel. Mr. Kuagbenu disclosed that from next year, a new module will be introduced to expand the scheme’s operational areas. This is going to focus on aforestation in the three Northern Regions where desertification and harsh weather conditions are rampant. He hopes the project will help reduce the impact of climate change that is threatening the region. Addressing the personnel, Chairman of the National Media Commission, Ambassador Kabral Blay Amehere who was the Guest of Honor, advised personnel to accept postings to any part of the country to serve the nation. He said it was one of those services he actively took part in some years back, which has made him what he is today and therefore encouraged them to do same. He added that honoring national service is an opportunity that helps personnel to gain more experience in life and also helps them to know about the country. He charged them to use the knowledge they have acquired to effect change in society since there is an enviable recognition awaiting them.

Teenager Sentenced To 15 Years In Jail For Defiling Girl... Eric Boateng, 18, and an illegal miner, has been sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment by the Nkawie circuit court for defilement resulting in a pregnancy. He had defiled his 14-year-old victim in November, last year and pleaded guilty to the offence. Police Detective Sergeant Jonas Adjei told the court presided over by Justice William Boampong that the convict and the girl live at Asakraka, a farming community in the Atwiam-Nwabiagya District. He said in November, last year, Boateng lured the girl to her own elder brother’s room where he forcibly had sex with her. He said months later, the parents detected that she was pregnant and when asked who was responsible, she mentioned the convict. A formal report was made to the police and he was arrested meanwhile medical examination by doctors confirmed the pregnancy Source: GNA

The News: The Galaxy S4 can be a game changer for Samsung': Experts give their verdict on the latest iPhone killer - and say it could even OUTSELL Apple's handset

The News: The Galaxy S4 can be a game changer for Samsung': Experts give their verdict on the latest iPhone killer - and say it could even OUTSELL Apple's handset


you can read more and view pictures from;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2293597/Samsung-Galaxy-S4-reviews-Experts-verdict-latest-iPhone-killer.html
......by Eddy..............................

British woman, 29, and IT engineer, 45, fly to America to lose their virginity

Pictured with their ‘sex surrogates’: British woman, 29, and IT engineer, 45, fly to America to lose their virginity in shocking new Channel 4 documentary 40-Year-Old Virgins follows IT engineer Clive as he undergoes sex therapy Works with Cheryl Cohen-Greene, 68, who inspired film The Sessions Devout Christian loses his virginity to surrogate after two weeks of therapy Mediawatch said documentary could 'cross the line into voyeurism' PUBLISHED: 12:18 GMT, 26 March 2013 | UPDATED: 17:11 GMT, 26 March 2013 Comments (436) Share Scenes of a 45-year-old IT engineer losing his virginity to a 68-year-old 'sex surrogate' are to be aired on prime-time television. Channel 4 documentary 40-Year-Old Virgins follows devout Christian Clive as he flies to the U.S. to meet Cheryl Cohen-Greene, a sex therapist and surrogate sexual partner whose work inspired last year's Oscar-nominated film The Sessions starring Helen Hunt. Viewers will see Ms Cohen-Greene perform a sex act on shy Clive, from Hertfordshire, who has intercourse for the first time after a fortnight of radical sex therapy with the surrogate. Scroll down for video Intimate: The Channel 4 documentary follows shy Clive (left), 45, as he undergoes radical sex therapy with Cheryl Cohen-Greene (right), 68 Intimate: The Channel 4 documentary follows shy Clive (left), 45, as he undergoes radical sex therapy with Cheryl Cohen-Greene (right), 68 Controversial: The documentary also features 29-year-old virgin Rosie (right) as she works with her sexual 'surrogate', Gary (left), 55 Controversial: The documentary also features 29-year-old virgin Rosie (right) as she works with her sexual 'surrogate', Gary (left), 55 The documentary, set to air at 9pm on Thursday, shows the 'intense bond' that develops between Clive and Ms Cohen-Greene as she helps him to face his fears of intimacy, Channel 4 said. More... 'My wife blames me for blowing our £1.8m lottery win... but what about her shopping sprees in Louis Vuitton?' The internet unlocked something dark in humanity. Top author Anthony Horowitz uses speech to make claims The show - the latest in a string of Channel 4 documentaries to tackle the intimate details of subjects' sex lives - also follows 29-year-old Rosie, who dreams of marriage and children, but can't bear to be touched by men. COURTING CONTROVERSY AGAIN: SOME OF CHANNEL 4'S MOST NOTORIOUS PROGRAMMES The Undateables: The name of this dating series for singles with disabilities sparked outrage before the series even aired, with viewers insisting the title was 'offensive' and 'horrible'. Virgin School: The documentary following nervous James, 26, as he spent three months learning the 'art of intimacy' at an Amsterdam sex school, was branded 'juvenile' and 'offensive' by family values campaign group Mediawatch. Tramadol Nights: From offensive comments about Katie Price's disabled son Harvey, to the use of racial slurs in sketches, Scottish comic Frankie Boyle's short-lived Channel 4 comedy series was shrouded in controversy for much of its run. The Joy of Teen Sex: Scenes of lesbian sex and a 'guide to anal sex' were among the controversial material tackled by this factual entertainment series. Channel 4 was accused of taking television to 'new depths of sexual explicitness' by the newspaper Christian Today. Virgin Rosie, who thinks men smell like 'a cross between aftershave and ham', is seen working with her own surrogate partner, 55-year-old Gary, an ex-professional tennis player turned counsellor. Vivienne Patterson, a spokeswoman for Mediawatch, which campaigns for family values in the media, said she worried that the documentary could cross the line from educational programming into voyeurism. 'I haven't seen it yet but I do understand there is a scene in there where he [Clive] goes to see a sex therapist and eventually you see him losing his virginity,' she said. Ms Patterson said that while educational programming was 'fantastic', problems could crop up because of the expectation that shows also be entertaining - particularly given the documentary's 9pm prime-time slot. 'You get this very difficult cross-over,' she said, citing previous Channel 4 shows like The Joy of Teen Sex. The factual entertainment series was billed as a 'bold and informative' look at the love lives and sex lives of teenagers, but was branded 'porn' by critics. 'It's legitimate to have a programme where teens can ask questions about matters sexual... but it became exploitative,' Ms Patterson said. In 2007 Channel 4 broadcast Virgin School, which followed 26-year-old James as he attended a course for sexually inexperienced men in Amsterdam. Shy: The IT engineer from Hertfordshire loses his virginity to the 'sex surrogate', whose work inspired the film The Sessions Shy: The IT engineer from Hertfordshire loses his virginity to the 'sex surrogate', whose work inspired the film The Sessions Viewers will share in Clive's journey as he undergoes radical sex therapy on screen Rosie, 29, can't bear to let men touch her 'Voyeurism': Mediawatch said the documentary was in danger of crossing the line into voyeurism Inspiration: Sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen Greene inspired the award-winning film The Sessions, starring Helen Hunt Inspiration: Sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen-Greene inspired the film The Sessions, starring Helen Hunt. by: eddy..................................

Striking teachers likely to suspend strike

25-03-2013

credit:citifmonlnie.com

School children now spend their time loitering outside their classrooms

A Council meeting of striking teachers by the close of Monday will determine whether they will return to the classroom, one week after embarking on an industrial action.

This follows a crunch meeting with President John Mahama to explore the possibility of reversing the strike as government and other authorities involved work on their concerns.

According to the President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Samuel Doe Alobuia, the council meeting will consider President Mahama’s plea and they might subsequently suspend the strike.

“This President, this is the first time he is appealing to us. He has never appealed to us before and so we are taking him for his words. If our Council takes the appeal and we postpone and later we realize that the promise is not fulfilled, then we will later advise ourselves.”

He maintained that his colleagues will “suspend the strike for a while, and if the demand is not met, then we get back.”

Seven Vehicles Involved In Accident On N1 Highway   25-Mar-2013

Seven vehicles are reported to have been involved in a serious accident on the N1 Highway just about 30 meters away from the Kwashieman junction. An eyewitness who spoke to Joy News said the accident involved a trailer, 207 vehicle, two vans, two taxis a another vehicle carrying charcoal. The accident happened after police arrived on the scene to signal to other drivers to slow down, when a KIA trayback carrying tons of charcoal broke down close to the traffic light at Kwashieman. After the driver of a 207 benz bus complied, an incoming trailer carrying cement bags could not respond to the instruction as he appeared he couldn't apply his brakes sufficiently enough. This was apparently due to the short distance from the scene of the broken-down KIA Trayback. He helplessly crushed into the 207 benz bus causing a ripple of accidents involving other stationary vehicles.       Source: Joy News

Yes! I’m Pregnant & Enjoying With My Newly-Wedded Husband - Actress Emelia Brobbey   25-Mar-2013

Emelia Brobbey Popular actress, Emelia Brobbey would talk about anything and everything but hardly about her marriage which is always an out-of-bounds subject. “My marriage is very private and I intend to keep it as such”, she told Showbiz over the phone last weekend from her UK home. “Some celebrities may be comfortable speaking publicly about their marriages but that is not me. I see marriage as a sacred thing which shouldn’t be in the public domain”. Emelia was responding to media reports that accused her of infidelity and claimed that she was pregnant for another man who was not her husband. Emelia told Showbiz that she would have preferred not to talk about the false report but for the wrong impression that may have been created by it. Although Emelia confirmed that she was pregnant, she said she was pregnant for her husband she got married to not quite long ago. “I divorced my former husband a little over one year ago after I found out that things were not working well for us. I asked for a divorce from my ex when I found out that he had three children without my knowledge. “I got married to him without knowing he had kids and after I found out I said there was no way I could stay with such a man, I filed for a divorce and it was granted” Emelia explained to Showbiz. Emelia Brobbey regretted the timing of the false publication as she is now enjoying a new life with her newly wedded husband. “How would my husband feel reading from a newspaper and on the Internet that his wife’s pregnancy was for another man?” Emelia started acting in 2002 with the help of Daniel Adeley who introduced her to Miracle Films production for her first movie role in Tribal War. Despite the fact that the role was a minor one, she took it and it served as a stepping stone to bigger ones. Currently she has featured in over 50 movies which are a mix of Twi and English. They include War of Roses, Tribal War, Wo Nyamesom Mpo Ni, Hidden Passions, Blackmail, Afunumuba, Aku Sika, Ama Ghana, Sika Ye Abrantie, Obiyaa and Whose Fault. Emelia had two nominations in the 2010 Ghana Movie Awards for Best Actress in Leading Role ( Local Language) and Most Favourite Actress categories alongside others such as Jackie Appiah, Yvonne Nelson, Nana Ama Mcbrown and Rose Mensah popularly known as Kyeiwa. Besides acting, Emelia has sterling teaching credentials. She trained and obtained a Teachers Certificate ‘A’ at the Kibi Presbyterian Training College and taught at Obuasi JSS complex, Martin Luther King School in Kumasi and Soul Clinic International School in Accra. She also holds a Diploma in Journalism from Manifold Tutorial College and a Degree in Human Resource Management from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).   very preggers Emelia     Source: Graphic showbiz

Ameyaw Debrah Wins Best Entertainment/Showbiz Blog In Ghana    25-Mar-2013

Ameyaw Debrah Prolific Ghanaian blogger, Ameyaw Debrah has picked up the award for Best Entertainment/ Showbiz Blog at the maiden Ghana Social Media Awards organized by BloggingGhana and sponsored by tiGO with support from Google Ghana and the US Embassy. The awards which were handed out to deserving bloggers and social media enthusiasts for their activities online were announced at the end of BlogCamp Ghana 2013 at the Kofi Annan ICT Centre in Accra. Ameyaw Debrah who was excited about the award comments: “I knew that if I were ever going to win an award it would come from such a community of like-minded individuals who have embraced the power of new media. It means the more to me to have been nominated and selected as winner by peers, readers and social media enthusiasts.” He added: “I want to say a big ‘thank you’ to all my readers who have made me relevant in the over 4-year existence of www.ameyawdebrah.com. God Bless you. I also thank all those who voted for me and the Ghana Media Awards Jury for endorsing me. A special thanks to BloggingGhana for organizing such an award scheme generally, and I share my award with all the other nominees”. He also said that he is encouraged to do more to promote the art and entertainment scene in Ghana, “My vision to grow a celebrity culture in Ghana while showing the world Ghanaian lifestyles has only received a boost and with your help and support the journey has just begun. God bless you all!” BlogCamp Ghana 2013 also saw discussions and breakout sessions on several issues regarding social media including the role of social media during the last general elections in Ghana, how to make money from social media and blogging, how to create a blog among others. Check out the full list of winners for the 2013 Ghana Social Media Award #blogcampGhana2013: Best Original Content poetrysoundbites.blogspot.co.uk Best Creative, Literary Short Stories, Poetry Blog ganyobinaa.com Best Organisational Blog accradotalttours.wordpress.com Best Technology Blog techy-africa.com Best Citizen Journalism Blog circumspecte.com Organisation with Best Social Media Presence Vodafone Ghana Personality with Best Social Media Presence MutomboPercy the Poet (@MutomboDaPoet) Best Business & Commerce Blog estockanalysisblog.com Best Showbiz and Entertainment Blog ameyawdebrah.com Best Lifestyle Blog ganyobinaa.com Best Activist Blog adventuresfrom.com Best Photo Blog africaphotographer.blogspot.com Best Blog adventuresfrom.com Special Award for Ghanadecides for their role in the December elections.

Wizkid Congratulates Girlfriend   25-Mar-2013

Superstar singer, Wizkid sent out a congratulatory shout out to his girlfriend Omotayo. The singer took to twitter to rejoice with his babe last week Wizkid tweeted, "Wishing you all the luck in the world today babe. Love." We gathered that the singer's girlfriend has graduated from college. The two recently stepped out in Lagos when they made a surprise outing at Banky W's concert in Lagos in the heat of an exit rumour trailing Wizkid.       Source: nigeriafilms.com

Accra Mall Bans Sex In Their Toilet!    25-Mar-2013

Accra Mall notice by Management     The management of the Accra Mall has decided to prosecute all offenders who come to their toilet to wash their kitchen items, change their clothes, buy & sell (only God knows what they are buying and selling), stand on the toilet bowl, brush their teeth, smoke and wait for this…have SEX. Call this the seven (7) laws of the Accra Mall’s management and you will not be wrong. Come to think of it, where there is no law, there is no crime and where there is no crime, there is no punishment therefore that could explain the recent position of the management. It means that if that the law has always been there from the beginning it would have restrained people’s actions and hence no need for this development. It may be funny but what attracted us to the piece was that of all places in the world, people can actually choose the toilet as their pampampam ground-at least it’s written as the sixth law there. Can we say that those involved who are already in a relationship just want to experience another atmosphere? After all, a romantic date at the mall could end up in adventure, possibly we cannot rule out any option here, anything can happen. It may be funny, but we must understand that sometimes problems don't require a solution to solve them; instead they require maturity to outgrow them.

Ghana 4-0 Sudan: Ghana player ratings

Monday, 25th March 2013

 

Before I go ahead to rate the performance of the Black Stars players against Sudan, I would like to state that despite the 4-0 result, there is still a lot of work to be done if Ghana is to become a very good team again.

I will go into detail in an article that will come up after this, but frankly Ghana’s build up was rather slow and the midfield went a bit awry in the second half. Anyway, here we go.

1.      Fatau Dauda: He did not have much to do after from saving a shot to his near post in the first half. He was protected well by his defence, particularly Isaac Vorsah. (6/10)

2.      Harrison Afful: He looked at home in his preferred right back role. Defensively he performed his role admirably and he was also an outlet on the attack, as epitomized by his superb cross that led to the second goal. A very good game. (7.5/10)

3.      John Boye: He has a reasonably above average game, even though he was caught out of position a few times. He did what he had to do to stem the Sudan attacks but was also well covered by Vorsah. (6/10)

4.      Isaac Vorsah: In my opinion, he was the man-of-the-match. He kept Ghana’s defence solid with several interceptions and also brought the ball out to launch attacks. He looked impregnable and is finally beginning to play like a central defender and not a centre half. (8/10)

5.      Richard Kissi Boateng: If this was an audition for the left back slot in the Black Stars, frankly speaking Kissi Boateng did not cover himself with glory. His recovery rate wasn’t the best; he couldn’t provide an outlet for attack down the left and defensively he wasn’t solid enough. So the Sudanese players kept attacking down his flank.  Not a good game overall. (4.5/10)

6.      Rabiu Mohammed: He would probably have taken my vote for man-of-the-match if he had not been substituted. He put in an enormous amount of work and his tackling and harrying allowed the likes of Sulley Muntari and Kwadwo Asamoah to express themselves better in midfield. He is one of the most important players in the squad now without a doubt. (7.5/10)

7.      Kwadwo Asamoah: Sometimes, watching him play for the Black Stars, I get the feeling that he is trying too hard to impress and it clearly showed today. Even though he fought hard from central midfield, too often his first touch let him down and some of his passes went awry. He still managed to get some good moments and worked hard. (6/10)

8.      Sulley Muntari: He probably should have been the one to play in central midfield. As it was, he played out on the right flank and kept cutting into the centre, even though some of his passes proved telling. He is clearly a deep lying playmaker but the role assigned to him restricted him and his lack of pace exposed him a bit, even though he made space for Afful to cross for the second goal. He tired in the second half and was taken off. (6.5/10)

9.      Mubarak Wakaso: The Espanyol midfielder showed enormous appetite for work and he kept tracking back to support Kissi Boateng. His freekick led to the first goal and he scored the second. He was also involved in the last goal and like Rabiu, he is a very important member of the national team now. (7.5/10)

10.  Abdul Majeed Waris: He took some time to warm himself into the game, but he showed great awareness and with Gyan dropping deeper, he was a tireless forward who constantly harried the Sudan defence. After Gyan went off, he was a bit isolated but he fought gamely on and showed his lethal side when he headed home Solomon Asante’s cross. He also unselfishly laid the ball on a plate for Emmanuel Agyemang Badu for Ghana’s fourth. A very encouraging performance on his first competitive start for Ghana. (7.5/10)

11.  Asamoah Gyan: The team captain looked comfortable dropping deep to support Waris upfront and his new role relaxed him. He took his goal well and until he was forced off through injury, he worked as hard as he could to get the team going. Not a bad outing at all. (7/10)

12.  Emmanuel Agyemang Badu: The Udinese midfielder reacted in the right way to being dropped to the bench by bringing his usual dynamism to the team when he came on for Gyan. It took some time for him to get going, but he eventually did and a lung-bursting third man run got him the 4^th goal for the Black Stars. (6.5/10)

13.  Solomon Asante: The diminutive winger also took some time to get into the game but eventually began to trouble Sudan on the right flank. Eventually he produced a peach of a cross for Waris to head home and did his claims to a starting place no harm at all. (6/10)

14.  Emmanuel Frimpong: The Arsenal midfielder showed that he could be a useful option in defensive midfield and he showed strength in the tackle as well as an eye for a pass. He will still need to do more to earn a starting berth, but he will put the likes of Rabiu and Agyemang Badu under pressure. (6/10)

National Road Safety Commission Urges Drivers To Report Accident   25-Mar-2013

The National Road Safety Commission has urged drivers to report accident scenes to the Ghana Police Service when their vehicles get involved in a road crash. Head of Communications at the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), Kwame Koduah Atuahene explaining some road safety measures that drivers should adopt when travelling, noted that the onus lies on any driver involved in an accident to consult with the Police Service in order to “assist the police in its investigations for purposes of prosecution.” Mr. Atuahene was speaking in relation to the recent accident involving Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on the Bole-Bamboi road in the Northern Region. Two of Dr. Bawumia's vehicle tyres exploded during his travel from the Northern Region last Sunday, resulting a close lethal accident. There has since been several outcries particularly from the NPP scribe, Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, who in the wake of event accused President John Dramani Mahama, National security and the government of colluding to claim the life of the party's 2012 election Running mate. Sir John as widely known, NPP General Secretary, unhappy with the turn of events expressed disappointment in the Police Service and so, alleged that they would not conduct thorough investigations to ascertain the exact cause of the accident. Hence, his decision to order the towing of the mangled NPP Veep’s brand new V8 Toyota Land Cruiser from the accident scene for the party to conduct its own investigations. Though Sir John later distanced himself from his claims that he had ordered for the car to be towed, he insisted that efforts by the Police to begin investigations into the road accident will come to nought. The NRSC Head of Communications speaking to Joy FM, outlined some reasons why people should not tamper with accident vehicles. He explained that the wreckages aid the Police to ascertain the “causes for purposes for policy reforms and also for purpose of insurance claims and their likes.” “If the vehicle is such that it is a safety risk, it is a threat to public safety at the time of accident…if the accident vehicle appears to be a public safety threat, they (Police personnel) can direct that it should be towed to a safe location,” he further said. He however was of the view that though Dr. Bawumia’s vehicle was towed from the accident scene before the Police could get access to the vehicle, “it will not affect substantially the works that they decide to do on it.”

Frimpong cherishes Ghana debut   25-Mar-2013

Emmanuel Frimpong made his first appearance for Ghana in their 4-0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Sudan in Kumasi and he was excited to finally pull on the national shirt. Frimpong represented England at Under 16 and Under 17 levels before switching rationality to make his Ghana bow on Sunday. He put in an assured performance in his first display for the Black Stars. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for me. I made my feeling clear I wanted to play for Ghana and the coach gave me this opportunity,” Frimpong said after the game. “It is a great day for my family and for me and it’s a day I would cherish for the rest of my life.” The Fulham midfielder, who started his childhood career in Kumasi was introduced in the 67th minute as the Black Stars went on to win 4-0 to close in the gap at the top of the Group D standings to one point and behind Zambia. “After beating Sudan, we have a great chance. We just have to continue working hard and see how is goes. We want to go to Brazil.”

More People Have Access To Cellphones Than Toilets    25-Mar-2013

A new United Nations study has found that more people around the world have access to a cellphone than to a working toilet. The study’s numbers claim that of the world’s estimated 7 billion people, 6 billion have access to mobile phones. However, only 4.5 billion have access to a toilet. At a press conference announcing the report, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson announced the organization is launching an effort to halve the number of those without access by the end of 2015. “Let’s face it—this is a problem that people do not like to talk about. But it goes to the heart of ensuring good health, a clean environment and fundamental human dignity for billions of people,” Eliasson said at the press conference. In August 2012, the Bill Gates Foundation began its own effort to “reinvent the toilet” as a way to help curb the number of people around the world without access to sanitary waste disposal. Interestingly, the report states that India alone is responsible for 60 percent of the world’s population that does not use a toilet, an estimated 626 million individuals. Yet, at the same time, there are an estimated 1 billion cellphones in India. Conversely, in the world’s most highly populated country, China, only 14 million people do not have access to a toilet. However, there are also fewer cellphones in China, 986 million, according to the Daily Mail. Driving the point home, more than 750,000 people die each year from diarrhea and one of its primary causes is from unsanitary conditions created in communities without access to toilets. And there are other benefits of installing more modern sanitation options that don’t immediately come to mind. “This can also improve the safety of women and girls, who are often targeted when they are alone outdoors,” said Martin Mogwanja, deputy executive director of the U.N. Children’s Fund. “And providing safe and private toilets may also help girls to stay in school, which we know can increase their future earnings and help break the cycle of poverty.”       Source: The Verge

Husband Of Gospel Musician Commits Suicide   25-Mar-2013        credit:peacefmonline.com

Maame Semenhyia Information available to peacefmonline.com indicates that the husband of a renowned musician and herbalist, popularly known as Semenhyia has committed suicide. Narrating the incident, Mrs. Ellen Semenhyia Acheampong popularly known as Madam Se Menhyia, who is also the owner of the Se Menhyia Herbal Clinic at Kasoa said her husband Mr. Semenhyia shot himself for reasons unknown to her. The incident which occurred on Sunday afternoon attracted a lot of people to the scene but could not enter the room where the shots were heard until the police came. Speaking in an interview on Peace FM Midday news, Madam Semenhia said: “We have been married for 22 years now have four children but I don’t know what will lead him to shoot himself. It is only God who knows and so we leave it in his hands” Meanwhile, the police are conducting investigations into what led to the suicide. The body has since been deposited at the morgue of the police hospital.

Preview: Ghana v Sudan    23-Mar-2013

Competition: 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier Match: Ghana v Sudan Venue: Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi Kick off: 16:00 GMT (4:00 pm local time) Date: March 24, 2013 Ghana are looking for a win which will improve their qualifying chances for the 2014 FIFA World Cup when they face Sudan this Sunday. A home win at the Baba Yara Stadium will keep the pressure on leaders, Zambia in Group D as the Black Stars resume their push for Brazil 2014. The Black Stars are three points behind the southern African team but are aware that with three more matches to come in the second round qualifying campaign, victory over the Nile Crocodiles will be most important. Kwesi Appiah's side suffered a setback after losing away to Zambia but the former international is quick to point that his squad are focused on the immediate task of facing Sudan. "We suffered defeat in our first match but we responded with a good result against Lesotho [Ghana won 7-0]," said the Black Stars coach. "Our objective has never changed. We go into every game determined to win. Football can produce different results that one might not expect but we have to take a cue from our last game against Lesotho and maintain a winning run. That is very possible."

NUGS Appeals For Calm   23-Mar-2013

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) wishes to call on the leadership of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) to humbly rescind their decision and go back to the classroom whilst they negotiate with government to respond to their calls on their salaries. NUGS is very aware of the problems that exist within the educational sector, especially the need to adequately provide for our teachers who are core to the progress of education in this nation. The Union sympathizes with the plight of the Ghanaian teacher, but also wishes to remind NAGRAT and GNAT that whilst justifiable reasons for the industrial strike action might exist, we are at a very key stage of the academic calendar where the WASSCE examinations have commenced and the BECE is less than three months away. End of term examinations are also about to be written. On that note, NUGS wishes to appeal to teachers to please return to the classroom whilst leadership engages Government and other related agencies towards a speedy and amicable solution. When that fails, we can only assure NAGRAT and GNAT that NUGS would be far too willing to join them fight a justifiable war even if it means pouring out onto the streets in protests. The Union also wishes to appeal to Government not to be lukewarm towards efforts aimed meeting the demands of GNAT and NAGRAT. We urge Government to be proactive and not reactive when it comes to issues pertaining to labour agitation in Ghana. The issues as being raised by the leadership of the striking teachers were brought up quite some time ago, but it is only unfortunate that Government never saw it a priority to nip the issue in the bud. As a Union we wish to recommend the possible formation of a body to address teacher grievances. We are firm in mind that there is work overload at the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission. We believe the body should be specifically tailored to meet the problems of teachers and that of the educational sector and as such would ensure speedy dispatch of problems that would arise. The National Labour Commission has also been accused of partisanship and lacking the balls to bite. We believe no better opportunity beckons than this to confirm or deny these allegations. NUGS also believe that the teachers have raised pertinent issues on their salary which needs urgent attention but we caution the leadership of GNAT and NAGRAT to be patient with the SSSS policy which is still on a pilot stage whiles they sit and renegotiate with Government, the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) and the West African Examination Council (WAEC) on their premium allowances and salaries in order to help resolve the issue permanently. We further appeal to the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to set up a working committee as soon as possible to look into the teachers’ call for a review of their retention premium after three years of the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) and a renegotiation of the interim market premium, which is currently at 15 percent in order to calm tempers down. Signed. ANDREWS KOFI GYAN (NUGS President) 0247990093/0204690093 EUGENE ACKOM-DAMTEY NUGS Education & Democratization Secretary) 0243286574