Home Blog Page 1620

“You need gays to excel in Hollywood” -Actor David Osei

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
-
0
Prince David Osei

Actor Prince David Osei has said members of the LGBTQIA+ have filled up the Hollywood industry.

Speaking in an interview on Accra FM, the actor recalled his encounter with one Hollywood producer who tried to make advances towards him.

He said these gays make promises to advance acting careers in the Hollywood industry provided you succumb to their sexual advances.

According to him, his encounter turned him off and is the reason he has not yet featured in any Hollywood movie.

“Some of the people I met that were in the business, some of them were on the other side. And I’m a very straight person.

“From conversations, you notice they are on a totally different path from mine, and so I told them to take their Hollywood. I’m not interested.

“It discouraged me because that was what I saw from the very beginning. Those were the people all over anytime we went for priemere and Q&As after the movies,” the actor disclosed.

Recalling a time in Los Angeles at a drink up where one Mexican Latino complimented on his physique and later touched him inappropriately in a crowd.

“At a point he [Mexican Latino] put his hand on my shoulder but I didn’t read much into it. But later, when the place got crowded, I felt someone press my bottom. Reflexively, I turn around and punched him. When that happened, they all asked: ‘What’s going on? And I said ‘he just touched my bum’. They started laughing,” he said adding that their reaction upset him.

“I told them: No, you don’t touch me inappropriately,” he stressed.

“After a while, the guy who touched me pulled aside and told me, ‘Well, if you really want to excel here, you need people like me. You need people like us. We run the show here.”

“I got that into my head,” David Osei said. The actor noted that when he returned to his hotel, he told himself, “I can’t pay this price. No, it is not worth it.”

K.K. Kabobo receives support from John Mahama, GHAMRO, others for treatment of liver disease

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
-
0

Following the announcement of his failing health, veteran Highlife musician, K.K. Kabobo has received support from former President John Mahama and the Ghana Music Rights Organisation for treatment of his liver disease.

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama made a donation of GH₵5000 to the veteran musician.

This was disclosed by Broadcaster Barima Kaakyire Agyemang in a post on his Facebook page, adding that; “After I broke the story of Veteran Musician K.K. Kabobo The flag bearer of the NDC His Excellency John Dramani Mahama has donated GH₵5000 to him. God bless you H.E. The family is grateful.”

Speaking in an interview with Hitz FM on February 27, K.K. Kabobo said he received an amount of GH₵2000 from GHAMRO to support his treatment.

“GHAMRO was here, they gave me GH2000 for medication. Some other groups based in Takoradi were also able to raise some money, which they donated,” he noted.

The veteran musician appealed for more support stating that he pays an amount of GH₵3000 for tests and medication for every visit to the hospital.

The general public can also support the veteran musician by making donations through the number, 0242112136 with name Kobbena Kwakye Kabobo.

K.K. Kabobo is a veteran highlife musician with an extensive recognition for some of his most popular songs, such as ‘Onyame Ahu Wo’, ‘Nyatse Nyatse Girl’, and ‘Running Away’.

At least 24 dead in migrant shipwreck off Senegal

By
admin
-
0
Senegal's coast is common departure point for Africans fleeing poverty

At least 24 people seeking to reach Europe drowned off northern Senegal when their loaded vessel sank, the governor of the Saint Louis region told AFP on Thursday. Governor Alioune Badara Samb said 24 bodies had been found since Wednesday when the boat got into difficulty in a particularly dangerous part of the northern coast. He added that 21 people had been rescued.

The Saint Louis estuary, where the Senegal River meets the Atlantic Ocean, is notorious for strong currents and areas of thick mud.

Samb did not say how many people were missing from the vessel, which witnesses said could have been carrying more than 300 people.

A number of survivors managed to reach shore and dispersed among locals on the sea banks, making it difficult to say exactly how many people were involved, he said.

Credit: rfi

Burkina Faso builds schools that stay cool in 40C heat

By
admin
-
0
The Noomdo orphanage school

If architects are people who like to think their way around challenges, building schools in Burkina Faso must be the dream job. The challenges, after all, are legion: scorching temperatures in the high seasons, limited funds, materials, electricity and water, and clients who are vulnerable and young. How do you keep a building cool under a baking sun when there is no air conditioning? Architect Diébédo Francis Kéré grew up in the small village of Gando and knows the challenges well.

Gando primary school, built in 2001, was Kéré’s first construction after completing his studies.The Noomdo orphanage was another of his projects. “The Kéré building provides us with good thermal comfort because when it’s hot, we’re cool, and when it’s cold, we’re warm inside,” says Pierre Sanou, a social educator at the orphanage near the city of Koudougou in the Centre-Ouest (centre-west) region of Burkina Faso. “We don’t need air conditioning, which is an incredible energy saving,” says Sanou. Temperatures in this region of the world remain at about 40C (104F) during the hottest season.

Credit: theguardian.com

Cuba asks UN for help as food shortages worsen

By
admin
-
0
Many Cubans struggle to get hold of milk

Cuba’s government has for the first time asked the UN’s food programme for help as food shortages on the Communist-run island worsen.

The World Food Programme (WFP) said it had received an unprecedented official request from the Cuban government for help providing powdered milk to children under seven years of age.

The request is a sign of the seriousness of Cuba’s economic crisis.

As well as a shortage of milk, fuel and medicines are also running low.

The WFP confirmed to Spanish news agency Efe that it been approached by the Cuban government to “continue the monthly delivery of 1kg [35oz] of milk for girls and boys under the age of seven throughout the country”.

The WFP said it had already started delivering milk powder to the island.

Powdered milk and other basic foods are provided to Cubans at a subsidised price through ration books, but delays and lack of supplies are common, especially at times of economic hardship.

The system was first introduced in 1962 by Cuban leader Fidel Castro after the United States imposed sanctions on the island, which exacerbated shortages.

Credit: bbc.com

French readers enjoy world’s only Leap-year newspaper

By
admin
-
0
La Bougie du Sapeur gives a satirical take on topics

The world’s only quadrennial, or four-yearly newspaper, has hit the kiosks again in France with the release of a new issue of the satirical La Bougie du Sapeur.

The singularity of the 20-page tabloid is that it comes out only on 29 February – so once every leap-year.

The first edition was in 1980, and this is issue 12.

Conceived by a group of friends who “wanted to have a laugh”, La Bougie du Sapeur (The Sapper’s Candle) has a print run of 200,000.

It is priced at €4.90 (£4.20), and more than meets its costs.

“After the first issue sold out in two days, the newsagents were clamouring for more copies – so we said fine, but only in four years’ time!”, says editor Jean d’Indy, whose main job is running the French equivalent of the Jockey Club.

Styling itself as anti-politically correct, La Bougie is organised like a regular newspaper, with sections on politics, sport, international affairs, arts, puzzles and celebrity gossip. But the articles are designed as humorous commentaries.

Credit: bbc.com

Putin warns West against sending troops to Ukraine

By
admin
-
0
President Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Western countries against sending troops to Ukraine. The consequences of such a decision would be “tragic”, he said.

In his annual state of the nation address, President Putin accused the West of trying to drag Russia into an arms race.

At the same time, he said that Russia needed to strengthen its defences on its western border now that Sweden and Finland were joining Nato.

President Putin said the West “provoked” the conflict in Ukraine and “continues to lie, without any embarrassment, saying that Russia allegedly intends to attack Europe”.

Probably referring to comments by French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week that sending Nato ground troops to Ukraine “could not be excluded”, President Putin said: “The consequences for possible interventionists will be… tragic.”

“We also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory,” he added.

“All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilisation. Don’t they get that?”

Several Nato countries, including the US, Germany and the UK, ruled out deploying ground troops to Ukraine.

Credit: bbc.com

Opposition leader killed in Chad shootout

By
admin
-
0
Opposition politician Yaya Dillo killed

An opposition leader in Chad has been killed during a shootout with security forces, officials say. Yaya Dillo’s death comes after the government blamed him for a deadly attack on the country’s security agency. He denied the accusation.

On Wednesday, heavy gunfire was heard near his party’s headquarters in the capital, N’Djamena.

Mr Dillo is a vocal opponent of his cousin, President Mahamat Déby, who has been in power since 2021.

Mr Déby succeeded his father who was killed by rebels after three decades in power.

The unrest in the Central African country follows the announcement that presidential elections will be held on 6 May.

These elections are intended to return the country to constitutional rule.

Communications Minister Abderaman Koulamallah told the AFP news agency that Mr Dillo had died on Wednesday “where he had retreated, at the headquarters of his party. He didn’t want to surrender and fired on law enforcement”.

On Wednesday, Mr Dillo said the accusation he was behind the attack on the National Security Agency (ANSE) headquarters was intended “to make me afraid so that I don’t go to the election”.

Credit: bbc.com

Ultra-processed foods are harmful to the body

By
admin
-
0

Diets high in ultra-processed food may be harmful to every part of the body, a major review of research found. Ultra-processed foods — such as frozen dinners, sugary cereals, potato chips and fast food — account for up to 58 percent of total daily energy intake in the United States, the researchers said.

Ultra-processed food are linked to an increased risk of 32 health problems including cancer, type 2 diabetes and mental health disorders.

Often high in fat, salt and sugar and low in vitamins and fibre, researchers found ‘convincing’ evidence higher consumption was associated with a 50 per cent greater risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke.

 In the biggest analysis of evidence to date involving 10million people, researchers found those eating the most had between a 40 and 66 per cent increased risk of dying from heart disease.

They were also significantly more likely to be diagnosed with obesity, lung conditions and sleep problems.

Likening it to tobacco, they said ‘public policies and actions are essential’ to curb intake and called on public health officials to urgently develop guidelines and ‘best practice’ for ultra processed foods.

In a linked editorial, they suggest foods are clearly labelled when ‘ultra-processed’.

UPFs refers to items which contain ingredients people would not usually add when they were cooking homemade food.

These additions might include chemicals, colourings, sweeteners and preservatives that extend shelf life.

Restrictions should be placed on advertising and sales ‘prohibited in or near schools and hospitals,’ they say.

Governments need to adopt national dietary guidelines recommending varieties of minimally processed foods, they say, while taking steps to make freshly prepared meals cheaper and more accessible to all.

The UK is the worst in Europe for eating ultra-processed foods, making up an estimated 57 per cent of the national diet.

They are thought to be a key driver of obesity, which costs the NHS around £6.5billion a year.

Often containing colours, emulsifiers, flavours, and other additives, they typically undergo multiple industrial processes which research has found degrades the physical structure of foods, making it rapid to absorb.

This in turn increases blood sugar, reduces satiety and damages the microbiome – the community of ‘friendly’ bacteria that live inside us and which we depend for good health.

Food additives like non-nutritive sweeteners, modified starches, gums and emulsifiers also seem to affect the microbiome, levels of gut inflammation and metabolic responses to food which may also increase risk of heart attack and stroke.

An umbrella review conducted by academics in Australia analysed 14 review articles published in the last three years which associated consumption with poor health outcomes.

Evidence was graded as convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak or no evidence.

There was convincing evidence higher intake was linked to a 50 per cent greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease, a 12 per cent greater risk of type 2 diabetes, and a 48-53per cent greater risk of developing anxiety.

There was ‘highly suggestive’ evidence that eating more ultra-processed foods can increase chances of dying from any cause by a fifth, according to findings published in the BMJ.

This was also the case for when it came to obesity, type 2 diabetes, sleep problems and dying from heart disease, which all showed between a 40 to 66 per cent heightened risk.

Source: webmd.com

God Has His People Everywhere

By
admin
-
0
Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee, Executive Director, Salt and Light Ministries

“He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believe in His Name He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” – John 1:11-13 (NIV)

Introduction

As you look at the world today, you may feel that the tide of evil is rising, while the number of people committed to Godly faith and righteousness is on the decline.  It may seem to you that control of things has slipped into the hands of those who have no fear of God.  But in evaluating the state of the world, consider this: God has His people everywhere, in place and positions that most of us would never imagine.

That was true for the Jews deported to ancient Babylon.  Most of them were resettled along the Chebar River, a canal northeast of the city of Babylon. It is probable that they were conscripted for labour on Nebuchadnezzar’s vast building projects in the nearby city.

This left the Jews free to live in their own communities, but dependent on the Babylonians for work.  In other words, it left them poor.  Nor did they have much reason to hope for a change in their circumstances.  They lived in ghettos with few freedoms, limited resources, and few advocates with the government.

But Daniel was one of those advocates.  We do not know how much contact he had with the Jewish exiles.  They may have been unaware of him but he was not unaware of their situation.  Perhaps he had them in mind as he urged Nebuchadnezzar to change his ways by “showing mercy to the poor” – Daniel 4:27.

In doing so, the king would be showing mercy to Daniel’s own people who were also God’s people. Thus God was at work on behalf of the Jews, even though they were completely unaware of it.

God’s Strategic Placement

Daniel’s strategic placement is a reminder that God never leaves Himself without a means of accomplishing His purpose. He has a way of placing the right person where we would least expect it.This gives God’s people hope. No matter what “hot spot” in the world we may point to, the likelihood is that God has a believer or two strategically placed in the center of it. They may have limited control over what happens, but their presence can promote much good and avoid much evil in ways that we can hardly imagine.

Daniel Saves the Lives of His Enemies

In today’s political landscape, where the motto seems to be “Don’t get mad, get even,” Daniel’s example of showing mercy to his enemies is particularly relevant.As a result, officeholders, candidates, lobbyists, and special interest groups often engage in ‘total war,’ where the sole objective appears to be winning at any cost – even if it involves smearing an opponent’s character or resorting to dirty tricks.

However, as rough –and-tumble as politics might be today, things were far worse in ancient kingdoms such Babylon. In those days, the price of losing a political battle was not merely a loss of power or electability; often it was the loss of one’s life (Dan. 6:24; compare Esth.7:10)

This is the world in which Daniel lived and served, and he was keenly aware of the stakes involved. It is interesting, then, to consider his reaction to the news of Nebuchadnezzar’s decree to execute all the wise men of occult-based advice (2:2) completed with his own godly counsel (2:17-18). Instead, he pleaded with Arioch to stop the killing and allow him to speak with the King (2:24). Thus he saved the lives of pagan sorcerers who were in fact his enemies (compare 3:8).

Would you have done the same? Consider how you regard and treat your opponents and competitors. Are you committed to their destruction? Or can you look beyond ideologies and political jockeying and see the people involved? Daniel exemplifies the biblical admonition: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink”(Rom. 12:20; compare Matt.5:43-48.)

To be continued.

Stay blessed!

Please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sunday 5.30 am., Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays 5:30 am; and YFM 107.9 – Sundays 6.30am; for our Radio Bible Study as well as Sunny FM 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm. for Hymn and their Stories.

1...1,6191,6201,621...3,053Page 1,620 of 3,053

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

©
The Ghanaian Chronicle