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Ukraine tells refugees not to return as energy crisis looms

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People from Kherson, where Russian forces have been digging in, arriving in Crimea

Ukraine’s government is advising refugees living abroad not to return until the spring amid mounting fears over whether the country’s damaged energy infrastructure can cope with demand this winter.

The energy crisis comes as officials in Kyiv warned that the coming winter may herald the heaviest fighting of the war, around the southern city of Kherson where Russian forces have been digging in.

With a third of the country’s energy sector compromised by recent Russian missile and drone attacks Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk warned: “The networks will not cope. You see what Russia is doing. We need to survive the winter,” she added. The warning was delivered after a period in which, polling suggested, more Ukrainian refugees had expressed a desire to return home.

Vereshchuk said that although she would like Ukrainians to return in the spring, it was important to refrain from returning for now because “the situation will only get worse. If it is possible, stay abroad for the time being”. Ukrainians have already been asked to be sparing in their use of electricity to balance the country’s struggling electricity grid.

Credit: theguardian.com

UK delays budget as new PM tries to fix ‘economic crisis’

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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

The UK government has delayed its budget by more than two weeks, buying new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak some time to make difficult choices about how to tackle the country’s “profound economic crisis.”

 

Finance minister Jeremy Hunt will now deliver the government’s medium-term fiscal plan on November 17, according to a statement from the Treasury.

 

It had been scheduled for October 31, after the date was previously pulled forward by more than three weeks in a desperate attempt to reassure investors spooked by huge unfunded tax cuts promised by former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Sunak, Britain’s third prime minister in seven weeks, took office on

 

Tuesday with a pledge to fix the “mistakes” Truss made.

He told lawmakers Wednesday that the government would have to take “difficult decisions to restore economic stability and confidence.”

 

Sunak said. “Leadership is not selling fairytales. It is confronting challenges and that is the leadership the British people will get from this government,” he added.

 

Truss’ “mini” budget of September 23 crashed the pound and caused a rout in the bond market, sending UK borrowing costs — including mortgage rates — soaring.

Credit: cnn.com

Most Underrated Benefits of Coconut Oil

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Coconut oil

What’s all the buzz about? Can coconut oil really help you lose weight and improve your health?

You’ve no doubt noticed that coconut oil is on everyone’s lips lately. Quite literally, too, as people are using it in place of Chapstick. You may also be aware that it’s in their frying pans, their smoothies, their hair, and in a little jar on their nightstand. What underlies this oil’s recent adoption by the masses is the sheer benefits of coconut oil for the mind, body, and soul that it promises.

And it’s not a marketing spin; a growing body of research shows that adding coconut oil to your diet and your person could be one of the easiest ways to improve your health, well-being, appearance, and even your sex life. Read on to learn about some of the coconut oil benefits and how to incorporate it more in your diet with these 20 Coconut Oil Recipes That Will Shrink Your Waist.

It helps you lose weight

A meta-analysis of 13 studies published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) can help you lose weight when they replace long-chain triglycerides (like those from soybean and canola oil) in your diet. And a Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology showed that the MCT in coconut oil can increase diet-induced thermogenesis in humans by as much as 6%.

Yet another study found MCTs to increase 24-hour energy expenditure in humans by as much as 5%. Now, burning an extra 100-120 calories per day might not sound like much, but over a year, it amounts to at least 36,000 calories.

It kills bacteria

Around half of the fatty acids in coconut oil are lauric acid. Lauric acid is particularly good at killing bacteria, viruses, and fungi; therefore, it’s great in helping you stave off infections when used externally. To get the most potent antibacterial properties, a Journal of Medicinal Food study found virgin coconut oil—rather than refined—to be your best bet.

On the other hand, when you ingest coconut oil, it reacts with enzymes to forms a monoglyceride called monolaurin. And guess what? Monolaurin is great for killing harmful pathogens, too! In addition to keeping all kinds of nastiness at bay, both of these substances have been shown to kill the bacteria and very dangerous pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus and the yeast Candida albicans, which is a common source of yeast infections.

It can be used in the bedroom

There are many life-enhancing uses for coconut oil, but one of the most fun results takes place in the bedroom. You’d use it in there for the same reasons that you’d use it in other rooms in the house: It’s yummy, it’s organic, it’s all-natural, and it stops things from sticking. I’m talking about sex, people!

Not only does coconut oil feel, taste, and smell good when used to add a little flavor to your sex life, but it also happens to be good for you. It’s moisturizing and, as noted above, it’s anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, which means it does a great job at preventing yeast infections—unlike riskier foods like whipped cream. As with any oil, coconut oil shouldn’t be used with latex condoms because it will weaken the latex, resulting in tears. While you’re slipping the benefits of coconut oil into your sex life, be sure to avoid these 27 Foods That Kill Your Sex Drive!

It can help you build and maintain muscle

As mentioned above, the MCTs in coconut oil are good for upping your body’s energy expenditure and burning calories. Here’s yet another way this wonder-stuff can help your body. It’s great for building muscle, according to a Diabetes study!

The MCTs found in coconut are also used in popular muscle-building products like Perfect Keto Protein Powder. But many supplements use processed forms of MCTs. By eating adding actual coconut oil, you’ll benefit from getting your MCTs in their natural and most effective form.

Coconut oil curbs appetite

Scientists suspect that coconut oil’s interesting effect on hunger may be related to the way the fatty acids in it are metabolized. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition of 14 healthy men discovered that those who ate the most MCTs at breakfast ate significantly fewer calories at lunch and had regulated blood sugar, proving that adding the MCT-rich benefits of coconut oil to one’s diet could have a very positive effect on weight and body composition. You can also use a blender to add it to your coffee for a tasty pick-me-up.

It helps with memory disorders

A 2004 study published in the journal of Neurobiology of Aging demonstrated that the MCTs found in coconut oil improved the memory problems their older subjects were experiencing. All patients felt the benefits of coconut oil in the study and saw a marked improvement in their recall ability after taking the fatty acid. It’s thought that this is due to MCTs being absorbed more easily in the body. As they can be accessed in the brain without the use of insulin, they can more efficiently fuel brain cells.

This is especially good news for people suffering from cognitive disorders. As the brain of an Alzheimer’s patient has lost the ability to create insulin, the ketones from the coconut oil could create an alternate source of energy to help repair brain function, the study suggests.

It promotes heart health

Coconut oil is high in natural saturated fats. That may not sound like a positive but the saturated fats in coconuts work in a different way than those found in animal-derived foods like butter, cream, cheese, and meat. According to an Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine study, coconut oil increases the healthy cholesterol (known as HDL) in your body. By increasing the HDL in the body and changing the ratio of HDL to LDL, the saturated fat in coconut oil helps promote heart health and lower the risk of heart disease.

And for more heart-healthy options, here are 20 Foods That Can Help Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease.

It’s a great moisturizer for your skin and hair

Studies on individuals with dry skin show that coconut oil can improve the moisture and lipid content of the skin. Coconut oil can also be very protective against hair damage. If you have dandruff or dry hair, coconut oil is chock full of fatty acids that can improve these conditions.

A study in the Journal of Cosmetic Science found that coconut oil is the only oil that can prevent hair damage and protein loss because of its low molecular weight and straight linear chain, which allows it to penetrate inside the hair shaft. Based on the study’s findings, use coconut oil before and after washing your hair to reap the benefits.

It improves your oral health

the mouth was a method of cleansing the mouth of bacteria and for helping to heal the nasty ravages of periodontal disease. An abundance of MCTs is the reason why coconut oil is one of the many effective oils to pull with. The oil lifts the bacteria from the surfaces within the mouth and that’s great because removing oral bacteria greatly reduces your risk of disease around your gums. A 2008 study found that oil pulling reduced plaque-causing bacteria. Experts recommend coconut oil pulling three times a week for 20 minutes a day to protect your mouth and its valuable contents.

It may help balance hormones

Hormone disruption can cause a litany of problems in men and women. Coconut oil can help in maintaining an important balance of hormones because of the lauric acid it contains. A 2012 study conducted in the Philippines has suggested that coconut oil may be an excellent fat to consume during menopause and also may have a positive effect on estrogen levels. Speaking of hormones, check out these foods that switch on your fat-burning hormones.

It can reduce the risk of seizures

Let’s talk about ketones some more—they’re pretty darn interesting. The best known therapeutic application of the ketogenic diet is treating drug-resistant epilepsy in children. This diet involves eating very little carbohydrates and large amounts of fat, leading to greatly increased concentrations of ketones in the blood. A study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews has found that this diet can dramatically reduce the occurrence of seizures in epileptic people, even those who haven’t had success with multiple different types of drugs.

It can treat inflammation & arthritis

An Indian study published in International Immunopharmacology showed that the high levels of antioxidants present in virgin coconut oil reduced inflammation and healing arthritis more effectively than leading medications. Another study demonstrated that coconut oil harvested with medium (and not high) heat was found to suppress inflammatory cells. It worked as both an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory.

It can aid in treating osteoporosis

Doctor consulting with patient presenting results on x-ray film

As mentioned above, one of the amazing benefits of coconut oil is that it increases the absorption of absorb fat-soluble vitamins and minerals in the gut. One of those minerals being calcium. An Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine study has found that adding coconut oil to the diet increased bone volume and structure in subjects and decreased bone loss due to osteoporosis.

But osteoporosis isn’t just about calcium: oxidative stress and free radicals are also a cause of the condition. Since coconut oil has such high levels of antioxidants that help fight free radicals, it is a leading natural treatment for the painful and sometimes debilitating condition. To get more antioxidants into your diet, stock up on these antioxidant-packed fruits and veggies.

Source: www.eatthis.com

Feature: Can an African team reach the World Cup 2022 semi-finals?

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Supporters of Ghana Blackstar

There has been an unmistakable glass ceiling over Africa at football World Cups. In reaching the quarter-finals in the 1990 World Cup, Cameroon set a benchmark that has not been bettered yet. Senegal and Ghana also reached the last-eight, in 2002 and 2010 respectively, but the continent’s tale of the tape on the global stage has been one of relative underachievement.

Powered by Roger Milla’s swivelling hips and a fearless athleticism, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions were the shining light of the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Wins over holders Argentina, Romania and Colombia set the bar high and, for the first time, an African side claimed three wins at a World Cup.

That performance was widely expected to herald a new age of achievement. It also seemed to justify Pele’s assertion that an African team would win the World Cup by 2000.

However, that prediction would ultimately fall short. But in 2002, Senegal staked claims for the big prize. Amid a hail of falling seeds early on, the team set out its stall by beating reigning champions France and becoming the first African team to go through a World Cup group stage undefeated.

They were ultimately undone by fatigue and a golden goal, but that success launched the mainstream appeal of Senegalese football.

In 2010, Ghana were the only one of six representatives to advance from the group stage in South Africa.

The Black Stars, combining the experience of their debut in 2006 with the promise of their 2009 under-20 World Cup winning team, played organised, disciplined football and, after wins over Serbia and the USA, came within a handball of a place in the semi-finals.

So, has all that promise and hope disappeared?

The inability of African teams to cross this rubicon is connected to the continent’s economic disadvantages relative to Europe and South America.

According to the World Population Review, going by gross national income per capita (as of 2020), nine of the 10 poorest countries in the world are in Africa.

This creates a snowball effect that affects the continent’s potential, restricting development, enabling corruption and impeding professionalism.

Africa’s World Cup outings have been littered with scandal, mostly about unpaid wages, that has led to opprobrium and derailed focus.

“The politics is too closely involved in the football,” former DR Congo international Gabriel Zakuani told Al Jazeera.

“With African countries, it plays such a big part, especially for the local players who depend on those bonuses. If that doesn’t happen, the focus shifts away from football. So that’s something that should be taken care of before you get to the World Cup or a major tournament.”

Another big talking point is the limited number of slots given to Africa for the World Cup.

For a continent comprising 54 member nations, it only gets five slots, and that, too, only since 1998.

In comparison, Europe, with 55 eligible nations, gets 13, and South America, with only 10 nations, gets between four and five.

From a purely probabilistic standpoint, this severely reduces Africa’s odds of making an impression. It also means Africa’s World Cup qualification is one of the most difficult to negotiate.

In the late 2000s, Egypt bizarrely failed to make the 2006 and 2010 editions, despite winning three straight Africa Cups of Nations and defeating Italy at the 2009 Confederations Cup.

This year, Nigeria and Ivory Coast, both multiple African champions, will miss out in addition to Egypt and Algeria.

Following his side’s elimination from the reckoning, South Africa coach Hugo Broos voiced a popular sentiment on the continent: “It is not fair, it is easier for good teams in Europe to qualify for the World Cup than [good teams] in Africa.” Broos told SA newspaper The Citizen.

Promising Lions

Cameroon, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia and Ghana will represent Africa at Qatar World Cup.

All five have appeared at football’s biggest event previously. Cameroon, Morocco and Senegal made it to the last-eight of the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year.

Tournament experience will not be in short supply, and neither will star power.

Reigning African champions Senegal boast Sadio Mane, Cameroon’s Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has been one of the best midfielders in the Italian top-flight, Ghana’s diaspora recruitment drive will see them line up the likes of Inaki Williams and Tariq Lamptey in addition to Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus and Arsenal’s Thomas Partey, and Morocco’s wing-back Achraf Hakimi is one of the best players in the world in his position.

According to 1994 African Footballer of the Year Emmanuel Amuneke, Senegal and Morocco represent the continent’s best chance of success in the Middle East.

“The five teams have been tested enough in recent friendlies and they know they must first come out of the group before thinking of a semi-final ticket,” Amuneke said. “One step at a time will do. The tournament in Qatar is a great opportunity for African teams to fix what happened in Russia when no team progressed into the second round.”

His optimism is shared by Zakuani, who was even more bullish on Senegal’s prospects.

“I think there’s always a wildcard at the World Cups,”Zakuani said. “I fancy Senegal to get to the semi-finals. A lot of people may look at me like I’m crazy but for me, Senegal are the team that can shock everyone this time around.

“The five African teams will definitely be out there to compete. I don’t think they’ll be there to make up the numbers. There’s a lot of promise and talent.”

It helps that Senegal have the most forgiving draw, having been drawn with hosts Qatar, Ecuador and the Netherlands in Group A.

Morocco, Cameroon, Tunisia and Ghana all have daunting groups to navigate through, with Belgium, Brazil, holders France and Portugal the top seeds in their respective groups.

The challenge before Africa’s representatives has never been tougher. If they are to break that glass ceiling, they will certainly have to earn it.

By Oluwashina Okeleji

Source: aljazeera.com

Chelsea confirm appointment of new technical director

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Chelsea new technical director Laurence Stewart

Chelsea have announced the arrival of Monaco chief Laurence Stewart as their new technical director.

Controlling owner Todd Boehly has been busy revamping Chelsea’s staff off of the pitch and he has pushed hard to land Stewart, who will focus on ‘football globally’ as part of his new role.

Stewart said: ‘I’m delighted to be joining Chelsea and excited about the vision and direction of the club under the new ownership group.

‘I am excited to join them to help them build a world-class global sporting organisation to consistently win on the pitch at the highest levels and provide player pathways to help develop our talent.’

Chelsea chairman Boehly and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali added: ‘Laurence is a world-class football leader who understands talent management, data and scouting, player development and performance.’

Credit: dailymail.co.uk

Qatar to scrap pre-arrival Covid test before World Cup

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FIFA World Cup 2022

Qatar is to drop pre-arrival Covid-19 tests for visitors in the run-up to the World Cup, which starts 20 November, the health ministry said on Wednesday. “Visitors are no longer required to present a negative Covid-19 PCR or Rapid Antigen test result before travelling to Qatar,” a statement said.

The relaxed measures, effective from 1 November, were announced after Qatar last month said Covid vaccinations were not mandatory for the expected million-plus fans.

The 29-day tournament will be the first major global sporting event with fans since the Covid pandemic erupted in December 2019, killing more than six million people.

Qatari citizens and residents will also no longer need to take a PCR or rapid antigen test within 24 hours of returning from abroad, the health ministry added.

The new measures cover all visitors arriving from 1 November, when Qatar will be closed to anyone without a Hayya card – the mandatory document given to ticket holders and their guests, players, media, staff and officials.

Credit: supersport.com

Heinze appointed as manager of Newell’s Old Boys

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ex-Argentina international Gabriel Heinze

Newell’s Old Boys have named their former defender and ex-Argentina international Gabriel Heinze as their new manager.

Heinze started and ended his playing career with the Argentine club.

He also enjoyed spells with Paris St-Germain, Manchester United and Real Madrid.

The 44-year-old replaces interim manager Adrian Coria, who had been in the role since Javier Sanguinetti resigned in August.

“We are delighted to announce that Gabriel Heinze is the new manager of Newell’s Old Boys,” the club said on Twitter, without confirming the length of Heinze’s contract.

Heinze was sacked by MLS side Atlanta United in July 2021 having only won two of his 13 games at the helm.

He previously held coaching propositions at Argentine sides Godoy Cruz, Argentinos Juniors and Velez Sarsfield.

The 72-cap Argentina international won the Premier League with United in 2007 and was famously blocked from signing for rivals Liverpool by manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Credit: bbc.com

Bellingham shoots down transfer speculations

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Jude Bellingham

Borussia Dortmund’s teenage midfielder Jude Bellingham said he has not turned his mind to an off-season move, despite persistent rumours linking him to some of Europe’s top clubs.

Speaking after he helped guide Dortmund to the last 16 of the Champions League with a 0-0 home draw against Manchester City, Bellingham said the sheer amount of games at the moment meant it was hard to focus too far into the future.

“In all honesty I’m not thinking about anything like that. You (the media) will be angry with me as you won’t get a headline, but I’m just focused on the next games with Borussia Dortmund,” Bellingham said late on Tuesday.

“I’m not even thinking about the World Cup. I’m trying to win games with Borussia Dortmund and then we’ll see what happens.”

Bellingham, who played through an ankle complaint on Tuesday, said he hopes his recent performances will earn him a rest in Dortmund’s final Champions League group game, now that progress to the knockouts has been secured.

“Hopefully I’ll get a bit of a rest in Copenhagen, but you guys can ask (manager) Edin (Terzic) for me about that,” Bellingham laughed.

“The other league games are really important and we have to set ourselves up for the new year.”

Other than starting from the bench last week before coming on to win and convert a match-sealing penalty against Hannover in the German Cup, Bellingham has played every minute of every game this season – the only Dortmund player to do so.

Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who saved a second-half penalty from City’s Riyad Mahrez to ensure Dortmund got a share of the spoils, said Dortmund’s qualification meant next week’s Copenhagen match “was no longer a knockout” game.

“It is very, very important that we were rewarded for our performance (with a win) for once,” Kobel said.

Bellingham credited the home fans for giving his side the edge, saying the visitors were “shocked” by the home support.

“(The fans) were unbelievable. Even the City lads were shocked,” Bellingham said.

“You could kind of see (on their faces) how happy they were to be witnessing something like that.

“I’ve said before, it’s not (just) a stadium or a set of fans, it’s like an experience.”

While Dortmund travel to Copenhagen next Wednesday for the final set of group stage fixtures, Man City will welcome Sevilla to Manchester.

Credit: supersport.com

Today’s Europa League Group Stage Previews

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Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal

Zürich vs Bodø/Glimt

Bodo/Glimt make the trip to Switzerland to face FC Zurich knowing that a win could move them level on points with PSV Eindhoven in the race to progress further in the Europa League.

However, despite sitting at the bottom of Group A with zero points, Zurich head into this contest with the opportunity to get back into contention for third spot. These two teams were similarly matched in the reverse fixture and we expect more of the same on Thursday. Nevertheless, there is every chance that the same result may still occur, ending Zurich’s faint hopes of Europa Conference League football after Christmas.

PSV Eindhoven vs Arsenal

Arsenal need just a point to seal a first-placed finish in Europa League Group A with a game to spare, Arsenal face PSV Eindhoven today. The Gunners hold a five-point lead over their second-placed Dutch counterparts, who could be left to battle for second place without a satisfactory result here. A place in the knockout round playoffs should now be the goal for PSV Eindhoven, who could guarantee a second-placed finish with a point if the scoreline in Bodo/Glimt’s clash with Zurich goes their way,

Given the Gunner’s repeated failures to translate their dominance into goals in recent weeks, we are struggling to back an altered Arsenal side to claim all three points here, but Arteta’s men should hang on for the draw they need to seal their spot in the last 16.

Omonia Nicosia vs Real Sociedad

Real Sociedad will look to make it five wins from five in the UEFA Europa League when they take on Omonia Nicosia at the Tsirion Athlítiko Kentro Stadium. The La Liga outfit have secured their place in the knockout but need to keep producing wins to qualify directly for the Round of 16. Omonia are looking to get a point on the board before the conclusion of their campaign, but Sociedad have plenty of quality to beat the Cypriot club again.

Casimero, Manchester United

Manchester United vs Sheriff Tiraspol

Manchester United will endeavour to claim at least the point they need to make it into the knockout rounds of the Europa League when they tackle Sheriff Tiraspol in Group E on Thursday night. The Red Devils sit three points behind the perfect Real Sociedad in second place, while the Moldovan visitors to Old Trafford are third in the group having claimed just one win so far. The Red Devils enter Thursday’s game having gone unbeaten in their last six games in all tournaments. Manchester United should have no trouble inflicting similar punishment on a managerless Sheriff.

SC Freiburg vs Olympiakos

Freiburg will seal top spot in Group G of the Europa League if they can beat Olympiacos on Thursday. The visitors, meanwhile, have already been eliminated from the competition, but they can still claim third place and a spot in the Europa Conference League as a result. We expect Freiburg to have too much quality for Olympiacos, who are hamstrung by several absences due to injury and squad registration rules. The hosts are aiming to maintain their 100% record in the Europa League and can seal top spot in Group G with a victory.

Moses Simon, Nantes

Nantes vs FK Qarabag

Nantes will fight to keep their hopes of continental knockout football alive on Thursday, when they host Qarabag FK in the penultimate round of Europa League group-stage fixtures.

The French outfit have picked up just three points from their four games thus far and sit four points behind their opponents, who will guarantee a place at least in the Europa Conference League round of 16 if they avoid a defeat. Qarabag have certainly been the more impressive of the two sides in the group stage thus far, but we do not see them picking up all three points in France, instead opting for a low-scoring draw. The hosts are far from their best this season and we do not anticipate them having enough to better the Azerbaijani champions and keep the fight for second place alive.

SK Sturm Graz vs Feyenoord

Looking to take a giant step towards progressing into the knockout phase of the Europa League, Sturm Graz and Feyenoord go head-to-head at the Merkur-Arena on Thursday.

The teams are currently tied on five points heading into their penultimate group-stage encounter which has all the makings of an absorbing affair.

Both teams are expected to be fully up for this one, so we are anticipating a keenly-contested and end to end affair. That said, we just about fancy the visitors to see off the threat of their hosts and emerge victorious in the end.

Ciro Immobile, Lazio

Lazio vs. FC Midtjylland

It is all still up for grabs in finely-poised Europa League Group F before the penultimate matchday, as Lazio and FC Midtjylland are two of four teams locked on five points before they meet on Thursday. The teams reconvene at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, following a shock 5-1 victory for the Danish side in last month’s reverse fixture, but the humbled Biancocelesti have been in brilliant form since: claiming four wins from five in Serie A. Due to the incredibly tight nature of Group F, nothing can be settled on its fifth matchday, so qualification for either the last 16 or playoff round will go down to the wire.

However, to put themselves in the most advantageous position possible – and glean a little revenge for their unexpected thrashing in Denmark – Lazio will be intent on continuing a six-match unbeaten run at home in the Europa League.

Rebellion in parliament NPP MPs Split Over Ofori-Atta; But Party Chairman Urges Calm

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The Asante Akim North MP, Kwame Appiah-Kubu addressing the media
Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta

The Parliament of Ghana was yesterday thrown into a state of pandemonium when some eighty members of the Majority side called a press conference to demand the dismissal of the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta and the Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Mr Charles Adu Boahen, over the current economic crisis facing the country.

Whilst the eighty MPs are forcefully pushing the agenda, the remaining fifty seven have remained quiet – fueling the perception that they are not in favour of what their colleagues are doing.

The eighty MPs, led by MP for Asante Akim North, Mr Kwame Appiah-Kubi, warned that until Mr Ofori-Atta and Mr Charles Adu Boahen are made to resign from office, they will not participate in any business of government, by or for the president.

“We are by this medium communicating our strong desire that the president changes Minister of Finance and the Minister of State in charge of Finance without further delay, in order to restore hope in the financial sector and reverse the downward trend in the growth of the economy.

“The summary of our concern leads to a plea that the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori Atta and the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Mr Charles Adu Boahen be removed from office.

“We are saying that if our request is not responded to positively, we will not be present for the budget hearing, neither will we participate in the debate,” he said.

Giving reasons for their call, Mr Appiah- Kubi noted that there have been occasions where the Majority Caucus have defended allegations of conflict of interest, lack of confidence and trust against the finance ministry.

But the recent developments in the economy are of great concern to the greater majority of members of our caucus and our constituents, Mr Appiah- Kubi said.

He indicated that the caucus has made its concerns known to the president through the Parliamentary leadership and the leadership of the party, but has not received any positive response, hence the resort to a presser.

The group called on all their colleagues to support them to make their dream of the Finance Minister’s removal a reality.

Minority files a motion of censure

Meanwhile, the minority members of Parliament have also taken the issue a step further, by filing a Motion of Censure. The motion, when admitted by the Speaker, will require two-thirds of the members of the House to vote to remove the Finance Minister from office.

“Yesterday at the Business Committee, I served notice to the Majority Leader and Chair of the Business Committee that I will lead my side to file a motion for the removal of the Minister for Finance,” Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu said, whilst welcoming his colleagues from recess.

Mr Iddrisu indicated that Parliament had the mandate to censure any Minister who is not living up expectation and they will lead the way with the Finance minister.

Giving reasons for the Minority’s position, Mr Iddrisu said that traders and businesses are suffocating, the cedi is performing badly and poverty is written all over the faces of people, due to the incompetence of the Minister for Finance and as such he must be removed.

The state of the nation requires Parliament to sit up and act in the national interest in order to save industries from collapsing and the economy from further decay, hence the call for the removal of the Finance Minister, Mr Iddrisu said.

“We are convinced he is not competent enough to hold the position further and hold the country and economy to ransom.”

He, however, noted that he does not have the numbers to cause the removal, since members on his side are 137, but he needs about 183 members.

He, therefore, expressed his excitement at the earlier action by the majority and hoped that they will support the minority to save the economy from the mess caused by the Finance minister. “Mr Speaker, I invite them to go beyond the rhetorics of the press conference to join us wholeheartedly and support us…Support us to sack him.”

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu raised his concern about the effect of Ofori-Atta’s removal on the IMF negotiation and 2023 budget.

Despite agreeing with both the Minority and Majority members on hardships in the country and the need to resolve it, the Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu expressed concern over the ramification Mr Ofori-Atta’s dismissal will have on Ghana’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and the preparation of the 2023 budget.

“…Mr Speaker, my own personal thinking is whether or not it should be done midstream into the negotiations with the IMF and again midstream in the crafting of a budget.

“What will be the effect of this in the negotiations and its impact on the performance on the currency as we see now,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu quizzed.

Vice President and Governor of the Bank of Ghana

Before a decision could be taken on the call for the Finance Minister to be removed, another group from the Minority caucus also called for the removal of the Vice President , Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia as the head of the Economic Management Team ( EMT) and the dismissal of the Mr Ernest Addison as the Governor of Bank of Ghana.

According to the group, led by Minority Chief Whip, Mr Muntaka Mubarak, the Finance Minister reports to the head of the Economic Management Team (EMT), while the BoG head is partly in control of the public purse, so Mr Ofori-Atta should not be the only one to be removed.

“We are calling on the Vice President to step down as the head of the Economic Management Team and we are also calling on the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to also step down.”

The group said if parliament had the mandate to dismiss the two, they would have gone ahead to do so but unfortunately Parliament cannot and that’s why they are calling on the government to do so.

The group presented seven strong solid points why Mr Ofori-Atta should not remain in office.

The Seven Sins of Ofori-Atta

  1. The despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefit from Ghana’s economic woes as his company continues to receive commission and other unethical contractual advantage.
  2. Unconstitutional withdrawal from the consolidated fund in blatant contravention with article 178 of the 1992 constitution and the Petroleum Management Act supposedly for the construction of the President’s cathedral.
  3. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts in flagrant violations of Article 176 of the 1992 constitution be and the PFM Act as well as the Petroleum Revenue Act , Act 815
  4. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament where he decided to account for expenditure as amortization and certain expenditure as footnote in the financial reporting standard contrary to global financial reporting standards.
  5. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghanaian cedi which currently the worst performing currency in the entire globe.
  6. The alarming incompetence and the frightening ineptitude resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and excruciating cost of living crisis that we are seeing
  7. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship to the people of Ghana.

Party calls for calm

In a related development, the National Executive body of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken notice of the press conference held yesterday by some members of the Majority Caucus of Parliament. In a statement signed by the National Chairman, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, the National Executive body has urged all stakeholders to remain calm as they engage the Government and the Parliamentary Group to seek an amicable solution.

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