Today’s democracy can’t fight corruption - Rawlings

Former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings has rallied Ghanaians to rejuvenate the revolutionary spirit to combat corruption, greed and selfishness or risk derailing our political and social cohesion.
The leader of the June 4 1979 uprising and the 31^st December 1981 revolution said: “The colour of the democracy especially from the period of 2000 appears to lack the will, the capacity and the ability to fight corruption.”
The former President, who spoke at a ceremony to mark the 34^th anniversary of the 31^st December revolution on Thursday, described as a source of national pain, the loss of the spirit of defiance that could contain greed and selfishness and which has led to the institution of vice and corruption in the country.
Recalling the rationale behind the revolutions, Flt Lt Rawlings said:
“The colour of these revolutions contained a strong element of justice, truthfulness and freedom and the spirit of defiance to contain wrongdoing. We should be asking ourselves what happened especially from the year 2000.
“…The significance of this ceremony, as simple as it is, should never be lost on us. It should serve as a constant reminder of where we were and where we are. It should serve as a constant reminder of what led to the revolt of June 4 1979 and serve as a constant reminder of the 31^st December Revolution.”
Other speakers at the parade and lighting of perpetual flame event, which took place at the Revolutionary Square in Accra, included Nii Dodoo Nsakie, Otublohum Mantse, who reminded the audience, comprising cadres, members of the public, traditional rulers and some government officials that the revolution occurred to restore transparency, accountability and selfless leadership.
Nii Nsakie who is also the Acting President of the Ga Traditional Council, charged Ghanaians to use the commemoration to remind themselves of the need to be open and transparent at all levels to ensure that the peace and stability we enjoy is sustained.
The National Democratic Congress constituency chairman for Keta, Dr. Kofi Djokoto recalled the spirit of selflessness that heralded the revolution and challenged all to hold leadership accountable. He enjoined Ghanaians to embrace the spirit of patriotism and equity and to demand efficiency and compassion from those who govern us.
“The spirit of the revolution must be rejuvenated and resuscitated,” Dr. Djokoto asserted.
Earlier wreaths in honour of the fallen heroes were laid on behalf of the People ofGhana, the security services, the cadre corps, traditional institutions, farmers and fishermen and the youth.
The perpetual flame was lit by a triad of police officers at the request of Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings.

The full text of the former President’s address is published below.

FULL TEXT OF WHAT PRESIDENT RAWLINGS SAID AT 34^TH ANNIVERSARY CEREMONY OF THE 31^ST DECEMBER REVOLUTION

The significance of this ceremony, as simple as it is, should never be lost on us. It should serve as a constant reminder of where we were and where we are. It should serve as a constant reminder of what led to the revolt of June 4 1979 and serve as a constant reminder of the 31^st December Revolution.”
Ladies and gentlemen, from what I can see, it appears that the colour of this democracy is very different from the colour of the democracy we knew from 1982 to 1992 and also very different from the colour of the democracy we knew from the constitutional period of 1992 to 2000.
The colour of these revolutions contained a strong element of justice, truthfulness and freedom and the spirit of defiance to contain wrongdoing. We should be asking ourselves what happened especially from the year 2000. The colour of the democracy especially from the period of 2000 appears to lack the will, the capacity and the ability to fight corruption. I keep harping on this issue and I will continue to do so.
The colour of this democracy seems a little too different from what we used to know, from the spirit of defiance that could contain the greed, the selfishness that has given rise to so much corruption and pain in this country. I keep reminding ourselves of the colour of the revolution. It is extremely important that we do everything possible to capture that spirit before it becomes too late. I keep saying that the people of this country are peace-loving people and it is important that we do not take that peace loving nature of Ghanaians for granted.
In a few months we will meet again to light the flame of June 4^th. Let us hope that some colour that we identify with, that is discernible with the revolution will begin to show. We need to rejuvenate the spirit to fight corruption, the spirit to contain greed, selfishness, otherwise ladies and gentlemen, we may not be able to reach our destination.
The time has come for us to start looking at those who profited from the change of the colour, starting from 2000 and those who are profiting from that change in colour. Ladies and gentlemen, Niimei, Naamei that’s all I have for you on this somber occasion.

Credit: Joy News

BNI arrests ex-NHIA boss Sylvester Mensah

The former Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) Sylvester Mensah who was arrested by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) Friday morning has been transferred to the facility’s regional headquarters for further interrogation.
It is not clear what his charges are and when he would be released, a close associate of Mr. Mensah told myjoyonline.com.
Mr. Mensah tendered himself to the BNI on the New Year Day, January 1, after seven armed BNI operatives stormed his residence at Tse Addo near Trade Fair in Accra today’s dawn.
Mr. Mensah was not home when the armed men invaded his residence.
They however proceeded to search his house and manhandle his security man, our sources claimed.
It is also not clear if his arrest has anything to do with a fraudulent case being investigated by the BNI in which five officials of the NHIA have bee arrested.
Some 17 persons have also been cautioned and granted bail by the BNI.
The investigations began six months ago at the instance of the President John Mahama and according to the BNI, many of the medical facilities have been falsifying documents and submitting bloated claims to the NHIA, and in some cases colluded with officials of the NHIA to defraud the Authority.
But a source at the NHIA has played down reports of the arrests.
The source told Myjoyonline.com the directors of the Authority have been invited for routine interactions with officials of the BNI.
He conceded that even though there have been such interactions between officials of the two institutions  in the past, this interaction appears to be comprehensive.
The source said some of the key issues being discussed include;
1. The Accreditation/credentialing process: What processes a health facility goes through to become a service provider of the NHIA.
2. Provider tariffs: How tariffs for providers are calculated and what tariffs apply to the various provider levels under the NHIS.
3. Claims: How claims are vetted/processed. What ingredients go into claims vetting and how monies are paid to providers after claims vetting, operation of the NHIS Claims Processing Centres etc.

Credit: Joy News

‘Dumsor is not over' – GRIDCo Boss

The Chief Executive Officer of GRIDCo, William Amuna has stated emphatically that erratic power supply in the country is not over yet, saying the load shedding exercise has not been suspended.

‘I wouldn’t say the load shedding exercise is over but now we have enough generation to supply to the whole of Ghana, and we want to make sure that we maintain that,’ he said.

According to him, power was not shed during the yuletides, adding that there is enough power generation to man the demand.

 ‘As you may realise since the 24^th December, 2015 we have not been shedding load, this is because, we had enough generation to man the demand that we have now,’ he stated.

Mr. Amuna hinted that an additional 50megawatts of generation will be brought into the country.

‘On the 31^st December 2015 tomorrow, mid night we are bringing in additional 50megawatts and by 15^th January we will have 100 megawatts, we are building up,’ he revealed.

Touching on projection of projection of power, he further assured that Ghanaians will only sleep in darkness if generators break down.

 ‘If we don’t have any faults with any generator in the system then we are assured that it can take us to the next barge of generators that will be brought into the system,’ he said.

Asked if there are preventive mechanisms to ensure that these generators do not go off, he explained that these are machines they operate at very high temperatures 1,500 degrees, anything could happen at anytime.

‘In the mean time, we have some generators that will be coming up very soon, by mid January we expect an additional 1,50 megawatts at least to add to what we have now. If that comes off stream we are more assured of availability of power,’ he indicated.

The CEO of GRIDCo emphasised that it’s important that all the generators that have come on stream lately are always on.

Speaking on Ultimate breakfast hosted by Prince Minkah, Mr. Amuna attributed the improvement in the ‘Dumsor’ to the arrival of the various power barges.

 ‘Introduction of  Karpower shifts, commissioning of Tico steam unit, Volta River Authority (VRA) steam unit coming on that was out for some time and its back into service, with all these additions we are assured of supplying power to everybody in Ghana. So it’s very important to ensure that the generators are always on. With GRIDCO, assuming we are generating close to about 1,800 mega watts, that is the demand in Ghana. Now the generators around just match the demand, assuming one generator goes off now under fault, that means we are going to shed load,’ he said.

He anticipated that the country needs 18% of power generation reserve.

‘What we normally do is we always want you to have enough generation and an additional 18% in reserve, from our calculations we need an additional 18% in reserve to be able to confirm that if one generator goes off, then we are able to supply to everybody,’ he envisaged.

He disclosed that Akosombo power plant is running on a low level because it’s cannot meet the demand.

He encouraged Ghanaians to conserve energy, observing that people misused power during the yuletide.

‘Since 24 December, 2015 I have been  round and you could see the clear misuse of power, I couldn’t sleep in my house because people were playing music at the loudest point you can ever had. Let’s educate our people to use electricity wisely so that we can supply power to everybody,’ he urged.

Credit: Ultimate News

Ministers panic at reshuffle loom

A major ministerial reshuffle that will sweep away key ministers in the Mahama administration and bring in fresh faces as Ghana enters election year is in the offing.

The reshuffle was to take place before the Christmas but upon a second thought the President decided to allow the existing ministers to have a merry Christmas with their families.

The ministers, who have been informed about the possible reshuffle, have started lobbying, using chiefs, religious leaders and other influential members of the society who can speak the language of the president, to intercede for them.

However, sources said the President is determined to carry through the reshuffle to make his administration water-tight in view of recent string of bad media reports, occasioned by alleged corrupt practices by his appointees. It is also meant to position his administration properly for the 2016 general elections.

The proposed massive reshuffle, which insiders describe as ruthless, is expected anytime from now with the Christmas holidays over.

The resignation of the Transport Minister, Dzifa Aku Attivor, following the GH¢3.6 million bus rebranding scandal was only a dress rehearsal of the impending cabinet shake-up, as the minister was already penciled down for dismissal.

According to sources at the presidency, some key ministers, including the Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, may be affected by the reshuffle.
Mr Terkper, who has succeeded in weakening the country’s economy, was said to have been rapping the president to entrust the management of the economy to him, but all his prescriptions have not yielded any tangible fruit – including the signing up to the IMF conditionalities.

The management of the economy has been the major headache of the Mahama administration, defying all prescriptions, including the Senchi Consensus which was the brain child of Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, an economist and former Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

With the failure of ‘Terkpernomic’ to alleviate the suffering of Ghanaians, in spite of the claims being touted by the government spokespersons, the Finance Minister, who has been using the IMF programmes to clinch on to his position, may be shown the exit route this time around, even though the IMF is due to evaluate the Ghana programme and possibly release another tranche of the bail-out in January.

Also billed to be axed from the cabinet is Nii Osah Mills, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, who joined the government barely a year ago.

A former Ghana Bar Association president, Lawyer Osah Mills is said to be encouraging Ga land owners – whose land have been taken over by the government – to file for compensation against the state to the displeasure of President Mahama.

Credit: Daily Guide

Imported cement scuttles GH¢50m revenue

The country has lost over GH¢50 million due to the importation of some 500,000 tons of bagged cement, the Cement Manufacturers Association of Ghana (CMAG) has said.

According to the association, the realistic cost and freight values of imported bagged cement from China must not be less than $80 per tonne but owing to certain ridiculous measures being employed in the calculation of the cost and freight values at the ports, between $25 and $30 per tonne was being charged for imported bagged Chinese cement at the ports.

The association said that it has on countless occasions stressed the need to stop the importation of bagged cement since local manufacturers have installed capacity of about 7.4 million tonnes per annum whereas the current consumption is 5 million tonnes per annum, thereby leaving a surplus of 2.4 million tonnes.

A statement recently issued by the association and signed by its chairman, George Dawson-Ahmoah, said: “It’s mindboggling to see the ascendancy of imports of bagged cement from China despite persistent petitions that the manufacturers have installed capacities to meet local demand.”

It said that the menace poses a setback and challenge to the operations of local manufacturers which comprise GHACEM Limited, Diamond Cement Ghana, Savanna Diamond Cement and Western Diamond Cement.
 
The association has since April 2015 petitioned the Ministry of Trade, the Tariff Advisory Board, Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Parliamentary Select Committees on Finance and Trade/Industry, among others, on the influx of imported bagged Chinese cement and its attendant negative consequences on the economy and the local cement manufacturing industries.

“Government decided to undertake promotion of made-in-Ghana campaign to increase production and consumption of indigenous goods and services to expand the production capacities of Ghanaian companies. Yet, the expected reduction in Ghana’s imports will dramatically reduce our import bill that piles heavy amounts of pressure on the cedi to reduce its strength.

Credit: Daily Guide

I’m sorry I showed my dick -Wisa

The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has officially charged upcoming musician, Wisa Greid of ‘Ekiki Me’ fame, with sexual assault and indecent exposure.
He will be processed for court this week after he willfully showed his manhood in public and even rubbed it on the buttocks of a female dancer during his performance at the famous ‘December 2 Remember’ concert last week at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

A video recording that captured Wisa’s exposure of his manhood has gone viral on social media and attracted several comments, with one of the most common being on the apparently small size of his organ.
The musician has issued an official statement apologising to the organisers, Citi FM, patrons of the event and his fans for his shocking behaviour on the night.

“I have disappointed myself, my family, my hardworking management team, Citi FM and the audience who paid hard-earned money to be entertained but instead went away feeling anything but entertained… Most importantly, I disappointed my God. I am exceedingly sorry for what I have done,” Wisa disclosed in his statement.
The musician insists he cannot explain why he exposed his manhood on stage on that fateful night, but vehemently denied public speculations that he might have been under the influence of hard drugs or liquor.
Wisa Greid has subsequently released an ‘apology song’ to appease the rising public anger and condemnation of his misconduct.
However, ASP Afia Tenge, spokesperson of the Greater Accra Regional Police Command, has, however, told Joy FM that what Wisa did during his performance is a misdemeanour and the Ghana Police Service will allow the courts to give its ruling on it.

The police spokesperson said Wisa admitted to the act when he was invited and he was subsequently granted bail, but asked to report to the police while investigations continue.
Wisa Greid, on Monday told the media, “My mother has been crying since that day. She didn’t watch it but she heard the news the following day. As for my grandmother, I can’t face her… It wasn’t something I had planned to do on stage, it just happened. Me myself I was surprised I did it. I wasn’t high as some people are claiming, it just happened.”
Surely, the 2015 edition of Citi FM’s ‘December 2 Remember’ concert will be remembered for a very long time, courtesy Wisa Greid’s ‘Phallic’ performance.

Credit: Daily Guide

Adebayor shows off watches

Emmanuel Adebayor seems to be in no hurry to find a new club, but time is ticking away on his collection of personalised watches.

The Togo striker left Tottenham in September, but is still picking up his £100,000-a-week wages.

And Adebayor is wasting no time spending his earnings as he showed off his luxury collection of time pieces suped-up by top jewelers, Frost of London.

His diamond encrusted collection has a combined value of £210,000 with watches by Hubolt, Jacob & Co, Audemars Piguet, deLaCour, Cvstos and Snyper.

The most expensive time pieces owned by the former Manchester City striker are the Hublot LTD Edition F1 King power and his Hublot Big Bang King Power Chrono Tourbillon, both priced at about £25,000.
Posting alongside the picture of 12 high-end watches the striker wrote: ‘SEA, haters are gonna hate. Imma do me no matter what. The SEA collection by @josephfrostoflondon.’
The jeweler in London’s west end has also designed watches for the likes of Jose Mourinho, Mesut Ozil and Justin Beiber.
It’s not just his watch collection the 31-year-old has been showing off during his sabbatical from football.
Adebayor had been pictured alongside classic cars and enjoying himself by the pool while relaxing in Ghana and Togo.
But more recently the striker has shown his desire to get back on the pitch, posting several videos and pictures of himself working out.

Follow these 6 rules for a happy family

"A lot of parents will do anything for their kids except let them be themselves”. – Banksy There’s no such thing as ‘perfect parenting’. Being a parent is a full-time job and a difficult one at that. So, it’s only human if at times most parents unwillingly slip in and out of their roles of being the guiding force.
In fact, think of all your goof-ups as a learning experience for both you and your child. Acknowledge your shortcomings and start working on them. This way, you are setting an example for your child that it’s okay to make mistakes, provided you own up to it and make amends.

During an Express Masterclass on ‘How to be a better parent’, Gloria Burrett, integrative psychotherapist, gave us some valuable inputs on how to raise a child. Here are some of the salient points.

Learn to trust your gut feeling:

Use your intuition to guide your child. If in doubt, remind yourself that there are no fixed rules in parenting. Tailor your parenting skills to suit you and your child’s needs. Maybe, this way you won’t have to wear a mask of superfluous authority at all times.
Treat your child as a friend. Start early; carve a way for yourself and your child where you can be easily approached. (Source: Thinkstock) Treat your child as a friend. Start early; carve a way for yourself and your child where you can be easily approached. (Source: Thinkstock)
If your child is stubborn, use gentle force. Bossing him/her around will not work. Instead, take the trouble to find out how to get your message across and devise your strategy accordingly. It’s all about playing smart. Keep your child’s interests in mind rather than indulging your own needs and aspirations, but stay alert and be very careful not to fall into the trap of helicopter parenting.

Don’t let your child overpower you:

Now, most parents complain about not being able to handle their child and eventually succumbing under pressure. So, the golden rule is to simply make sure your intentions and strategies are the same when it comes to delivering. For instance, if your child throws a tantrum for something he/she wants immediately, say ‘no’ if you think it’s not right. You need to understand that for a child, everything is a need.
Let him/her develop a sense of tolerance. Let him/her cry his/her heart out. It’s difficult to see your child suffer, sure, but it’s all for a greater good. Let him/her experience frustration without you hovering around the sacred space. But be there when he/she needs you.
And while you are at it, your child may feel unloved and neglected — which, in some cases, might lead to negative feelings — but don’t worry, it’s just a natural process and short-lived. You can easily break through the barrier with love and open dialogues.

Do away with stereotypes: 

The ability to command respect is something every parent yearns for. But it’s only possible if you connect with your child at a deeper level. In all humility, communication and trust is the key, but it’s also accepting the fact that your child is a unique entity with a life of his/her own.
Your child is unique. Help him/her realise his/her potential. (Source: Thinkstock) Your child is unique. Help him/her realise his/her potential.
Don’t compare your childhood to that of your child’s, and don’t keep repeating instances that involve telling him/her about how you were a much better kid in comparison.
It’s not easy to avoid deriving reference from you own childhood  or comparing him/her with his/her siblings or friends since Indian parents are wired that way, but try steering clear of it. You simply cannot expect your child to do the same things that others have done while growing up.
Take a closer look at yourself: Move away from the kids for once and take a closer look at yourself. Along with your emotional quotient (EQ), you should also focus on your playfulness quotient (PQ). Start working on it as this may change the dynamics of your relationship. You need to realise that your attitude towards life will leave a huge impact on your child. And, while this holds true, it’s vital that you maintain — or just in case you don’t have one, develop — a sense of humour.
To be a good parent, you will need humour and a never-ending supply of patience. But it’s easier said than done. Even then, try and be attentive and listen to what your child has to say. Initiate and encourage dialogues, just like you are conversing with an adult. This way you can get your child to share his/her feelings. But please refrain from being judgemental, and, that too, soon. It will simply backfire and create confusion.
Treat your child as a grown-up, but be strict when needed: First things first, start treating your child as an individual and listen to what he/she has to say. A child is always vocal and each one of them has their own unique way of expressing things. If you do so, you will immediately see results.
But at the same time, don’t be too lenient; always maintain a balance. Adopt an approach keeping in mind your child’s characteristics. If there is a problem, make sure that you address it at the earliest. Don’t procrastinate. Things will only get worse as your child might never get a clear message. Ground him/her, if needed.
Create a sense of belonging. Let your child know that his/her family is always around. (Source: Thinkstock) Create a sense of belonging. Let your child know that his/her family is always around.
This way you can get him/her thinking. But don’t leave it to your child completely to understand the logic behind your actions. Use subtle ways to discuss it. For instance, if your 5-year-old child refuses to keep his/her toys in their place every time after his/her play session, then initiate a conversation when he/she asks for the toys the next time. Let him/her know that you will get the toys provided it’s back in its place. Remember, to use a soft tone.

Teach your child to be a good human being:

A sign of a healthy tree is a strong root. Similarly, for your child to flourish, you need to imbibe the right sense of belonging in him/her. Also, the ability to be grateful, happy, adaptive, emotionally balanced, spiritually secure and financially independent does not come easy. You will have to be the guiding force.
It will also require on your part to refrain from being over protective. Never lie for your child as it will never get him/her to be a responsible person. Let him/her be accountable for his/her actions. For instance, if your child has not studied for a test, don’t bail him/her out from school with a fake sick leave note.
Also, don’t force him/her to do things if he/she says no. It’s important that your child learns to reply in the negative at times. Confused? Well, this way it will become easier for him/her to say ‘no’ to peer pressure. Self-opinion will hold an important place and there will be no fear of not being accepted in the circle.
To summarise, the future of your child is directly proportionate to your parenting abilities and like everything else in life, it will require a lot of practise on your part. You will need the patience and sharpness to be tuned into what’s happening, the humility to accept the shortcomings and a heightened ability to not impose verdicts.
Remember, you don’t have to be perfect in the eyes of your child, you just need to be humane.

Wisa charged with sexual assault, indecent exposure

Hiplife artiste Eugene Ashie popularly known as Wisa has been charged with indecent exposure and sexual assault for showing his genitals at a live event in Accra.

Wisa told Joy News he regrets his action which he describes as "childish". He said he is prepared to face any sanction for his behavior.
"It was very bad. I don't like to talk about it too much because i feel bad when i am talking about it.
"I feel ashamed and disappointed in myself," he said.

He explained he was too excited during his performance and that may have led to his childish conduct.
The artiste has already produced and released a song apologising for his action.

Commenting on the charges, he said "he is ready to face the law."
But one of the charges- Sexual Assault- may be struck out if, the lady dancer, on whose butt Wisa rubbed his sleepy little manhood, does not lodge a complaint.

A former state attorney Lawyer Augustine Obour told Joy News' Francisca Kakra Forson there has to be a complainant for the charge of sexual assault to hold in court.
On the charge of the Indecent Exposure, Obour said the artiste cannot escape from the law.

He said the video evidence and the confessions by the artiste are enough to hang him in the court of law.
He expressed regrets that the artiste may soon become an ex-convict if the police decided to go ahead with the prosecution.

Credit: Joy News

12 killed in separate road accidents this morning

JOHANNESBURG/CAPE TOWN - At least 12 people have been killed in three separate accidents around the country this morning.
In the first accident, six people were killed and 12 others injured on the N17.

It’s understood a taxi collided with a truck and BMW between Springs and Secunda.
Police are investigating the cause of the accident.

During a separate incident, five people died and a woman was critically injured after a crash in the Free State.

Paramedics say two cars collided on the N1 between Kroonstad and Ventersburg, instantly killing the five people.
Netcare 911’s Chris Botha says a woman was rushed to a nearby hospital.

“One female survived the crash, but she was in a very serious condition. Paramedics stabilised her on the scene and transported her to a local hospital for further treatment. The cause of the accident is unknown and police were on the scene. They will launch a full investigation.”

TAXI DRIVER DEAD
At the same time, a taxi driver has was killed after his vehicle collided with a Golden Arrow bus and a BMW.

The incident occurred on the Stellenbosch Arterial road in the Western Cape this morning.                        

The bus driver and a passenger sustained minor injuries.
City of Cape Town Traffic Spokesperson Richard Coleman says, “There we had Nooiensfontein Road closed between Stellenbosch Arterial and Wembley Road.

This was in both directions and we had one lane closed at the Stellenbosch Arterial westbound. There was one fatality, a male taxi driver.

Credit: Eyewitness News

Woman, 21, dies in bus accident on I-55

CHICAGO -- A 21-year-old woman has died in a charter bus accident on the inbound Stevenson Expressway Monday morning. She has been identified as Nicole M. Underwood of Des Moines, Iowa.

At about 6:45 a.m., a Burlington Trailways bus was traveling on I-55 northbound near Damen, when for unknown reasons, lost control and struck a construction arrow board sign.

 Four other passengers were sent to the hospital in stable condition with injuries that appeared not to be life-threatening.

At this time, the far right two lanes on I-55 near Damen are closed, but traffic is able to get by in the far left lane and shoulder.

No other information is available at this time. The crash is still being investigated.
Check back for updates.

At about 6:45 a.m., a Burlington Trailways bus was traveling on I-55 northbound near Damen, when for unknown reasons, lost control and struck a construction arrow board sign.

Four other passengers were sent to the hospital in stable condition with injuries that appeared not to be life-threatening.

At this time, the far right two lanes on I-55 near Damen are closed, but traffic is able to get by in the far left lane and shoulder. No other information is available at this time. The crash is still being investigated.

Credit:  wgntv

Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott cited in Columbus car accident, will play in Fiesta Bowl vs. Notre Dame

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott was cited by Columbus police after a car accident on Sunday before the Buckeyes left for Arizona and the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame, according to Franklin County court records.

Elliott was cited for driving under suspension, driving without a license and failure to control. According to court records, the accident occurred on northbound Route 315 near Lane Avenue, not far from Ohio State's campus.
Elliott has a preliminary court date set for Jan. 26 in Columbus.

An Ohio State spokesperson confirmed to cleveland.com that Elliott will not be suspended for the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1. The spokesperson also said that Elliott had an expired license that he had not yet renewed.

However, court records show that Elliott had his license suspended after he failed to pay the fine for a speeding ticket he received on May 15 of this year.

That case did not immediately come up in the initial search of court records because Elliott's name is spelled incorrectly in the report.
Elliott was also issued another speeding ticket in June 2014, for which the fine was paid by his mother, Dawn Elliott.

The Columbus Dispatch, citing Columbus police, reported that Elliott hit a puddle around 1:30 p.m., hydroplaned and collided with another vehicle carrying two people. One of the people in the other vehicle suffered minor injuries. Elliott, who was on the team plane to Phoenix on Sunday, did not suffer any injuries.

Ohio State is already shorthanded in the Fiesta Bowl after defensive tackle Adolphus Washington was cited for solicitation by Columbus police earlier this month. Washington was suspended for the Fiesta Bowl.

Quarterback J.T. Barrett missed one game earlier this season after a drunken driving citation in November. But Elliott, the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year this season, will play Friday against the Fighting Irish.

Credit: Cleveland

How fast will 5G be?

 

 Just five years after the first 4G smartphone hit the market, the wireless industry is already preparing for 5G.

Each of the four nationwide cell phone carriers, as well as smartphone chipmakers and the major network equipment companies are working on developing 5G network technology for their customers.
There are many significant hurdles that all the industry players have to clear before you'll see a little 5G symbol next to the signal bars on your smartphone screen. For example, it has yet to be determined what 5G even means, let alone what it will look like and when it will get here.

But as consumers use up rapidly growing amounts of 4G bandwidth watching streaming videos on their phones, 5G will soon become a necessity. As telecom engineers work furiously to develop 5G technology, we're getting a clearer picture of the who, what, where, when and why of 5G.

The "G" in 3G, 4G and 5G stands for "generation." So 5G will be the fifth generation of wireless network technology.

The standards for 5G have not yet been set. According to Bill Smith, president of AT&T's (T, Tech30) network operations, 5G will likely be defined in 2018, and the standards for 5G will codified sometime in 2019 by the standards-setting International Telecommunication Union, a branch of the United Nations.

The standards will determine which wireless technologies can be called "5G," as well as what its characteristics must include, such as how fast it will be.
Still, it's possible to make a very educated guess about what 5G will look like based on the emerging 5G technologies that the wireless industry is experimenting with.

Here's the elevator pitch: 5G will be faster, smarter and less power-hungry than 4G, enabling a slew of new wireless gadgets. 5G will let us have faster smartphones, more smart-home devices and longer-lasting wearable gizmos.

With all the questions surrounding 5G and all the wrinkles that need to be ironed out, it's exceedingly unlikely that anything Verizon does will be widely deployed. For example, the smartphone makers will need to develop chips that are capable of sending and receiving 5G signal without driving costs significantly higher.

Credit: CNN

China Telecom chairman Chang Xiaobing under investigation

The chairman of one of China's largest state-owned mobile operators, China Telecom, is being investigated by the country's anti-corruption watchdog.

Chang Xiaobing is "suspected of serious violation of discipline", according to a statement on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection website.
The executive was reported missing by local media on Sunday.

He is the latest in a series of high-profile executives to become embroiled in Beijing's crackdown on corruption.
The government's ongoing anti-corruption drive resulted in more than 70 senior officials at state firms being investigated in 2014.

Top Chinese executives investigated

• Jiang Jiemin, former chairman of leading energy group China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) jailed for 16 years in October for graft
• Xu Jianyi, former chairman of top automaker China FAW Group expelled from the ruling Communist Party in August for embezzling funds and taking bribes
• Shen Hao, former president of financial media group 21st Century jailed for four years last week for extortion and blackmail
• Cheng Boming, president of China's largest brokerage, CITIC Securities, under investigation in September for alleged trading on insider information

Little information was given on the investigation involving Mr Chang, but the statement mentioned his position as the former chairman of the country's second-largest mobile operator China Unicom.
The 58-year-old became the chairman at China Telecom in August. Earlier this year, there were reports that the government was considering merging the two telecom giants.

Government scrutiny of the top firms in the world's second largest economy has spread beyond state-owned enterprises.

Earlier this month, Guo Guangchang, the chairman of one of China's largest private conglomerates Fosun International, was also reported to have gone missing, which eventually led the firm to announce that he was helping with a police investigation. He reappeared in public a few days later.

Correspondents say that Beijing's crackdown on corruption is partly about using high profile cases to prove the government is serious about tackling corruption.

But many suspect that the downfall of some executives and other investigations can also be attributed to ongoing political infighting and an attempt to pressure high profile figures to toe the party line.

Credit: BBC

Fake ECG officer jailed 24 months

A 35-year old electrician, who posed as an official of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and succeeded in duping five people of cash of GH¢1,650.00 has been sentenced to 24 months imprisonment by the Asamankese Magistrate Court.

Ofosu Agyei was additionally ordered to pay back the money collected from the victims under the pretext of supplying them with electricity meters.

He was charged with defrauding by false pretence and pleaded guilty.
Police Chief Inspector Samuel Tetteh told the court presided over by Mr. Charles Wiafe that the crime was committed at Oseanase near Asamankese.

The convict had introduced himself to the victims, who were looking for electricity meters, as a worker of the ECG and convinced them that he could get these electrically powered devices for them.

They fell for the bait and paid to him various amounts of money totaling GHȼ1,650.00.
The victims reported the matter to the Asamankese Office of the Company after attempts to get him to deliver on his promise had failed, leading to his arrest.

Credit: Joy News

Robert Spitzer, influential US psychiatrist, dies aged 83

Dr Spitzer played a leading role in the development of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
He was also lauded for pushing to remove homosexuality's classification as a mental disorder in 1973.
Dr Spitzer's wife said he died from heart problems in Seattle on Friday.

His work on several editions of the field's diagnostic manual, known as the DSM, was seen as a "major breakthrough in the profession", his wife and colleague Janet Williams told the AP news agency.
It helped to give psychiatrists definitions of all of the major disorders so that they "could agree on what they were seeing", she said.

Working from Columbia University in New York, he pioneered an approach that relied on empirical study rather than traditional theory.

Dr Spitzer was "by far the most influential psychiatrist of his time," Dr Allen Frances, editor of a later edition of the DSM manual, told the New York Times.

Homosexuality, which at the time was listed as a mental disorder, was among the behaviours Dr Spitzer analysed and later removed from the list in the 1970s.

Until that point, the DSM had classified homosexuality as an illness, designating it a "sociopathic personality disturbance."

Dr Spitzer said he pressed for the change after meeting gay rights activists and determining that homosexuality could not be a disorder if gay people were comfortable with their sexuality.
"A medical disorder either had to be associated with subjective distress, pain or general impairment in social function," he told the Washington Post.

Dr Jack Drescher, a gay psychoanalyst, described it as a major advance for gay rights.
"The fact that gay marriage is allowed today is in part owed to Bob Spitzer," he told the New York Times.

But Dr Spitzer later courted controversy after publishing a study in 2001 which purported to support reparative therapy to turn gay people straight, sparking claims of betrayal from gay rights activists.

More than 10 years later, he apologised for the study, which he said was flawed.
He said it was the only thing in his career that he regretted.

Credit: BBC

The inmates who chose to remain on prison island says they ate rats to survive

Buru Island in East Indonesia was once home to 12,000 political prisoners, suspected communist sympathisers sent to toil there during the rule of President Suharto from the late 1960s.

It became known as the prison island: it was where people were detained without charge, forced to do hard labour clearing the jungle with simple tools to make roads and farms.

They were not given adequate food or clothing. Hundreds died due to illness, worn down by the toll of physical labour. Some others committed suicide.

In the face of increasing global condemnation they were released by the end of the 1970s. They were free to leave the island but had to report regularly to the local authorities. This continued until President Suharto fell from power in 1998.

But for some of the prisoners, returning to everyday life was simply not possible because of the stigma surrounding their detention.

Diro was in his late 20s, married and with a young son when the military arrested him from his village of Boyolali in Central Java in 1968.
"I was a farmer, helping my father on the farm, nothing more," he said.

"Until now, I really don't understand why they detained me for more than 10 years; my wife never recovered from the shock and became mentally ill. She died while pregnant with my second child," he said.

"We had to eat rats, snakes, mushrooms and plants—anything we could find in the jungle to survive," he recalled.

He says he was beaten many times: "They beat my head and my legs. It hurts sometimes even now."
His family were ostracised from their community.

"My oldest child left school because he couldn't stand the stigma of being a son of an accused Communist Party member," he said.

"If I went back to my village and I married again I was worried that my new wife and children couldn't stand it when people stigmatize them for being so-called communists," said Utomo.

The Communist Party is still banned in Indonesia. When former political prisoners have tried to hold meetings in recent months they have been shut down.

After being released Diro married a local woman, Mada, and they now live with their four children in the Savana Jaya Village alongside a small community of former political prisoners.

His wife runs a food stall in front of their house and he works in their vegetable fields.

Credit: BBC

Bukom Banku knocked out Powers in Kumasi bout

Braimah Kamoko, aka Bukom Banku, has knocked out Ayittey Powers in a special bout in Kumasi on Boxing Day, December 26.

Ayittey Powers took a beating in the opening five rounds and could not regain his composure to return to the ring for round six.

Even though Powers endured the fight in this bout better than he did in a similar bout in Accra against Banku last year, he still could not withstand Banku's heavy punches.
Banku calmly controlled the exchanges and pounded on his opponent round after round.

At the end of round five, Powers did not make it back for the commencement of the next round, enabling Kamoko to pick up the technical knockout decision.

Banku remains unbeaten, improving his record to 27 wins. He said his next bout would be a world title fight against Brit Nathan Cleverly.

Banku was presented with a brand new SUV Range Rover, a ticket for a holiday trip to South Africa and a cash prize of Ghc100, 000 donated by Joy Industries, producers of Joy Dadi Bitters.

Credit: Joy News

Gonorrhoea 'could become untreatable'

Gonorrhoea could become an untreatable disease, England's chief medical officer has warned.

Dame Sally Davies has written to all GPs and pharmacies to ensure they are prescribing the correct drugs after the rise of "super-gonorrhoea" in Leeds.
Her warning comes after concerns were raised that some patients were not getting both of the antibiotics needed to clear the infection.
Sexual health doctors said gonorrhoea was "rapidly" developing resistance.
A highly drug-resistant strain of gonorrhoea was detected in the north of England in March.
That strain is able to shrug off the antibiotic azithromycin, which is normally used alongside another drug, ceftriaxone.
In her letter, the chief medical officer said: "Gonorrhoea is at risk of becoming an untreatable disease due to the continuing emergence of antimicrobial resistance."

Soaring cases

But while an injection of ceftriaxone and an azithromycin pill are supposed to be used in combination, this may not always be the case for all patients.

Earlier this year, the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) warned that some online pharmacies were offering only oral medication.
Using just one of the two drugs makes it easier for the bacterium to develop resistance.

The letter, which is also signed by chief pharmaceutical officer Dr Keith Ridge, stated: "Gonorrhoea has rapidly acquired resistance to new antibiotics, leaving few alternatives to the current recommendations.
"It is therefore extremely important that suboptimal treatment does not occur."

The disease is caused by the bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoea.
The infection is spread by unprotected vaginal, oral and anal sex.

Symptoms can include a thick green or yellow discharge from sexual organs, pain when urinating and bleeding between periods. Often the person has no symptoms, however, but can still easily spread the disease to others.

Untreated infection can lead to infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and can be passed on to a child during pregnancy.

Gonorrhoea is the second most common sexually transmitted infection in England and cases are soaring.

The number of infections increased by 19% from 29,419 in 2013 to 34,958 the following year.

Dr Jan Clarke, the president of BASHH, told the BBC News website: "We're really pleased that the chief medical officer has stressed that gonorrhoea needs this approach to treatment due to the rapid development of resistance.

"We need to protect what we've got and we need to encourage pharmacists and general practitioners to follow first-line treatment."

Dr Andrew Lee, from Public Health England, added: "Investigations are ongoing into a number of cases of anti-microbial resistant gonorrhoea.

"Public Health England will continue to monitor, and act on, the spread of antimicrobial resistance and potential gonorrhoea treatment failures, to make sure they are identified and managed promptly."

Credit: BBC

Star Wars (The Force Awakens) becomes fastest to take $1bn

The Force Awakens has become the fastest film to take $1bn (£674m) at the global box office.
JJ Abrams' film achieved the feat in 12 days, beating the previous record of 13 days set by Jurassic World in June.

But while Jurassic World had the benefit of record takings in China over the period, The Force Awakens has yet to open there.

Star Wars also scored the biggest US Christmas Day box office takings in history with $49.3m (£33.2m).

The film took $153.5m (£103.5m) in the US in its second weekend, bringing its total domestic haul to $544.6m (£367m).

The weekend's other releases included the Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg comedy Daddy's Home, which took $35m (£23.6m).

The Jennifer Lawrence film Joy - which sees the actress reunite with Silver Linings Playbook director David O Russell for the biopic about the creator of the Miracle Mop - took $17.5m (£11.8m).

Point Break, a remake of the 1991 Kathryn Bigelow film starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze, flopped however with audiences.

The film, which had a reported budget of $105m (£70.8m), took just $10.2m (£6.9m) across 2.910 venues,

In limited release, Leonardo DiCaprio's film The Revenant earned $471,000 (£317,000) from four locations, averaging $117,750 (£79,000) per screen.

The actor's performance as a wilderness guide abandoned after a savage bear attack, is expected to earn him an Oscar nomination next month.

Source: BBC