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Russian missile strikes force emergency power shutdowns in Ukraine

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The fire at an airfield in Kursk was burning hours after an oil storage tank was blown up

Ukraine is switching to emergency shutdowns to stabilise its power grid after Monday’s Russian missile attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

He said many regions were affected, and the local authorities warned that about half of the Kyiv region would remain without electricity in the coming days.

Four people were killed in Monday’s attacks.

Overnight, more missiles hit critical infrastructure near the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, officials said.

In a separate development on Tuesday, the governor of Russia’s Kursk region said a drone attack on an airfield set an oil storage tank alight.

Video posted online shows fierce flames and dense black smoke billowing from the site. There were no casualties, said Roman Starovoyt, but two local schools were closed for the day. He did not say who could be behind the attack in the region that borders Ukraine.

In Ukraine, the energy minister said he hoped to significantly reduce the power deficit caused by the latest Russian strikes by Tuesday evening, bringing nuclear power stations back onto the grid.

Credit: bbc.com

China’s Xi to visit Saudi Arabia, amid frayed ties with US

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Chinese President Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a two-day state visit amid high tensions between the United States and the two countries, according to a source with knowledge of the trip, an Arab diplomatic source and two senior Arab officials.

Xi’s trip to Riyadh will include a China-Arab summit and a China-GCC conference, according to the four sources.

At least 14 Arab heads of state are expected to attend the China-Arab summit, according to the Arab diplomatic source who described the trip as a “milestone” for Arab-Chinese relations.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Rumors of a Chinese presidential visit to the US’ largest Middle East ally have been circulating for months, but are yet to be confirmed by the governments of Saudi Arabia and China. Beijing has not made an official announcement that Xi will visit Saudi Arabia.

Credit: cnn.com

Tuberculosis

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Tuberculosis

Diagnosis

During the physical exam, your doctor will check your lymph nodes for swelling and use a stethoscope to listen to the sounds your lungs make when you breathe.

The most commonly used diagnostic tool for tuberculosis is a skin test, though blood tests are becoming more commonplace. A small amount of a substance called tuberculin is injected just below the skin on the inside of your forearm. You should feel only a slight needle prick.

Within 48 to 72 hours, a health care professional will check your arm for swelling at the injection site. A hard, raised red bump means you’re likely to have TB infection. The size of the bump determines whether the test results are significant.

Results can be wrong

The TB skin test isn’t perfect. Sometimes, it suggests that people have TB when they don’t. It can also indicate that people don’t have TB when they do.

You can have a false-positive result if you’ve been vaccinated recently with the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine. This tuberculosis vaccine is seldom used in the United States but is widely used in countries with high TB infection rates.

False-negative results also can occur.

Blood tests

Blood tests can confirm or rule out latent or active tuberculosis. These tests measure your immune system’s reaction to TB bacteria.

These tests require only one office visit. A blood test might be useful if you’re at high risk of TB infection but have a negative response to the skin test, or if you’ve recently received the BCG vaccine.

Imaging tests

If you’ve had a positive skin test, your doctor is likely to order a chest X-ray or a CT scan. This might show white spots in your lungs where your immune system has walled off TB bacteria, or it might reveal changes in your lungs caused by active tuberculosis.

Sputum tests

If your chest X-ray shows signs of tuberculosis, your doctor might take samples of your sputum — the mucus that comes up when you cough. The samples are tested for TB bacteria.

Sputum samples can also be used to test for drug-resistant strains of TB. This helps your doctor choose the medications that are most likely to work. Getting results of these tests can take four to eight weeks.

Treatment

If you have latent TB, your doctor might recommend treatment with medication if you’re at high risk of developing active TB. For active tuberculosis, you must take antibiotics for at least six to nine months.

The exact drugs and length of treatment depend on your age, overall health, possible drug resistance and where the infection is in your body.

Most common TB drugs

If you have latent tuberculosis, you might need to take only one or two types of TB drugs. Active tuberculosis, particularly if it’s a drug-resistant strain, will require several drugs at once. The most common medications used to treat tuberculosis include:

Isoniazid

Rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)

Ethambutol (Myambutol)

Pyrazinamide

If you have drug-resistant TB, a combination of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones and injectable medications, such as amikacin or capreomycin (Capastat), are generally used for 20 to 30 months. Some types of TB are developing resistance to these medications as well.

Some drugs might be added to therapy to counter drug resistance, including:

Bedaquiline (Sirturo)

Linezolid (Zyvox)

Medication side effects

Serious side effects of TB drugs aren’t common but can be dangerous when they do occur. All tuberculosis medications can be toxic to your liver. When taking these medications, call your doctor immediately if you have any of the following:

Nausea or vomiting

Loss of appetite

A yellow color to your skin (jaundice)

Dark urine

Easy bruising or bleeding

Blurred vision

Completing treatment is essential

After a few weeks, you won’t be contagious and you might start to feel better. Don’t stop taking your TB drugs — you must finish the full course of therapy and take the medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Stopping treatment too soon or skipping doses can allow the bacteria that are still alive to become resistant to those drugs, leading to TB that is much more dangerous and difficult to treat.

A program called directly observed therapy (DOT) can help people stick to their treatment regimen. A health care worker gives you your medication so that you don’t have to remember to take it on your own.

Source: www.mayoclinic.org

Croatia ready to challenge ‘terrifying favourites’ Brazil –Coach Zlatko Dalic

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Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic

Croatia are ready to challenge “terrifying favourites” Brazil in their World Cup quarter-final on Friday, says manager Zlatko Dalic.

Dalic’s side came through extra time three times in the knockout rounds at the 2018 World Cup before losing 4-2 to France in the final.

Croatia beat Japan in the last 16 on Monday on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

“Brazil is the favourite, let’s face it,” Dalic said.

“Brazil is the most powerful and the best national team at the World Cup. What I’ve seen so far, when you take a look at their selection of players, their quality, skills and value, then it is indeed terrifying.

“I think we have a great exam ahead of us, a tough task against the team which plays great soccer with so many good quality and fast players.”

Dalic added that Croatia, ranked 12th in the world, winning the knock-out match would not be a huge upset.

“I think we have nothing to fear,” Dalic said. “We need to enter the match with much faith, self-confidence and looking for our chances, enjoy the occasion of playing Brazil, that’s it. [It’s] too early, if only it were the final.

“It is a great team, but I believe that we can challenge them, we need to be smart … The match is not 50-50, but we are also not outsiders.”

Croatia would face Argentina or the Netherlands in the semi-finals if they beat Brazil.

Credit: bbc.com

Cameroon football chief Eto’o involved in altercation …victim reports to police

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Footage emerged of the Cameroon FA President (in cap) attacking a fan after a World Cup match

Shocking footage has emerged online of football legend and current Cameroon FA president Samuel Eto’o attacking a man outside a stadium at the World Cup in Qatar.

The incredible clip shows the former  striker leaving Stadium 974 in Doha, having just watched Brazil romp to victory against South Korea in their round-of-16 match.

At first, Eto’o appears happy to pose for photos with waiting fans as he makes his way out of the venue, before a man with a video camera approaches him to his right.

The footage, filmed by La Opinion, then seemingly shows the pair exchanging words, before the video cuts to a few seconds later, and Eto’o returning to the scene to confront the man.

It is unclear what was said to rile Eto’o – who is in Qatar in his role as World Cup 2022 legacy ambassador – but he reacts furiously and begins to push the cameraman.

At this point, various onlookers step in to try and quell the disruption, but Eto’o is set on chasing the man and eventually has to be held back as he continues to try and confront him.

With four men holding Eto’o back, the footage then shows him giving his phone to a man, before breaking out of the huddle to knee the man in the face, knocking him to the ground.

Although understandably shocked, the unknown man is helped to his feet and did not appear to be badly hurt by the shocking blow, while Eto’o is held back again by two men.

Meanwhile, an Algerian YouTuber who claims he is the man kneed in the chest by Samuel Eto’o has said he has reported the ex-footballer to police in Dubai.

The Algerian YouTuber was named in Spain as Said Mamouni, with more than 66,000 subscribers. A video emerged of the North African showing off his injuries and broken camera.

Spanish press reported that Mamouni is claiming Eto’o lost his temper after he asked him about referee Bakary Papa Gassama, and whether Eto’o had given him a bribe before Cameroon’s playoff victory over Algeria in March, granting his team a place in the World Cup.

The Gambian referee officiated the World Cup play-off second-leg between Algeria and Cameroon in Algiers earlier this year.

Cameroon won the match but afterwards the Algerian Football Federation sent a request to FIFA asking for a replay having claimed that the referee’s performance was unsatisfactory.

Despite the controversy Papa Gassama was one of the eight referees from Africa selected for the World Cup in Qatar.Eto has issued an apology.

Credit: dailymail.co.uk

Morocco beat Spain on penalties to reach quarter finals

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Morocco manager Walid Regragui is hoisted up into the air by his squad
Nico Williams – brother of Inaki – came on and was Spain’s best player

Achraf Hakimi made himself a hero with a chipped winning penalty as Morocco stunned Spain in a shootout after a goalless draw to reach the World Cup quarter-finals.

The two teams played out a draw after 120 minutes and Spain failed to convert any of their three penalties – goalkeeper Yaccine Bounou saving two – leaving PSG’s Hakimi to win it with a nerveless ‘Panenka’ to spark jubilant scenes.

The north African side’s fans had been making themselves heard all game but the atmosphere in the stands did not match the attritional battle on the pitch.

Spain hogged the ball and Morocco sat back plugging the gaps, with very few clear-cut chances being created.

Luis Enrique’s side came closest to breaking the deadlock courtesy of Dani Olmo, who struck an arrowed drive from the angle which Bounou pushed away and the goalkeeper also did brilliantly well to keep out Olmo’s dangerous free-kick late on.

Morocco were playing on the counter and should have scored in the opening period but Nayef Aguerd sent his unmarked header over, while their only shot on target came via Noussair Mazraoui’s long-range drive which was gathered by Unai Simon.

With the sides not being able to be separated, the game went into extra time and substitute Walid Cheddira had Morocco’s best chance, but scuffed his shot straight at Simon from eight yards out.

Spain notched over 1,000 passes in the contest and almost won it in the 123rd minute, but Pablo Sarabia’s volley agonisingly flicked the outside of the far post.

Credit: bbc.com

Fuel Prices Tumble @ Pumps … but transport unions are mute

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MAXWELL OFORI
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A fuel station in Ghana

The country has for some days now witnessed a considerable decline in the prices of petrol and diesel. However, the commercial transport operators have turned a blind eye to the development.

Transport unions, which advocate for increases in fares whenever fuel prices are increased, are yet to act upon the reduction, which is inconsistent with their agitations, whenever there is an increase.

Fuel station

In the last quarter of this year, transport fares have increased astronomically, on the back of a 40% initial proposal from the operators. Though 15% was the final adjustment, the cumulative increase moves the percentage higher, within the last two months.

A journey from Accra to Kumasi, which cost GH¢70 in July, had shot up to GH¢100 as of September this year.

Intercity fares have also increased, depending on the distance. Moving from Ashaiman to Lapaz, for instance, used to cost GH¢12 in July, but today it is GH¢18.

Since November 30, 2022 some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have reduced their prices by two percent to four percent.

Petrol is now selling for GH¢15.41 whilst diesel is selling for GH¢18.86.

It was the second time the price of petroleum products had decreased in the month of November this year.

In the heat of the fare increases, news of scuffles between drivers and passengers was regular, resulting in the death of a passenger.

Another repercussion of the transportation fare increase was an increase in food prices, which traders blamed on the cost of transportation.

It got to the point where the Ghana National Cargo Transport Association threatened strike action over the cost of fuel. They demanded that their fees be raised or they would stop transporting charcoal, plantains, and other commodities to the capital cities.

TRACJECTORY

The year began with a first hike in January, when the prices of petrol and diesel shot up by 20 pesewas to GH¢6. 90 pesewas per litre. By January 17, a litre of fuel had crossed GH¢7.

This was on the heels of happenings on the international market. Within that month, Brent crude oil had moved from about $77 to about $83 per barrel, representing an increase of about 8%.

By February 28, 2022 fuel prices had registered a cost of GH¢8.11 per liter, and by March 16 consumers were paying at least GH¢11 per litre.

The bulk oil distributors blamed the situation on the volatility of the market as well as the rising cost of crude on the international market.

Brent crude was $113.34 per barrel in May, this year, but it was only $104.58 per barrel in April of 2022.  Over the last twelve months, the price had risen by 65.39%.

Amid a marginal reduction on the world market in August, the depreciated Ghana cedis blocked the impact.

As of November 28, 2022, diesel was selling for more than GH¢23, while the price of petrol was hovering around GH¢18. Since the start of this month, the international price of petrol has decreased by at least 13%, from $969.08 per MT to $838.78 per MT. In Ghana, petrol is now selling at GH¢15.41, and diesel at GH¢18.86.

ADVOCAY

Meanwhile, a social media campaign for reduction of  transportation fares is gaining attraction. A section of the public would not agree that fuel prices have been reduced for about four consecutive times, but transportation fares have yet to go down.

Analysts have blamed the continuous rise of fuel prices on the persistent decline of the cedi against the dollar and the unsteady rates of crude oil and finished petroleum products on the international market.

NSS pushes Authority status

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AGNES ANSAH
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The Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Mr Osei Asibey Antwi addressing the media
National Service Secretariat

The Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Mr Osei Asibey Antwi has made a clarion call to the powers that be, to give the Scheme a mandate to become an Authority, by supporting a draft bill which is currently in the bossom of the President.

According to Mr Antwi, obtaining the status of an Authority will enable the Scheme enter into joint ventureship with other companies and engage in commercial activities to generate revenue internally, to augment their activities.

He said generating IGF will help the Scheme not to rely on only the government but also bear some of its operational cost.

“We have worked on all the documents to transition us to become an Authority because without becoming an Authority there is a lot of things that we cannot do,” Mr Antwi said.

He made the appeal at the State of the Agencies Report, a weekly media conference organised by the Ministry of Information to enable state agencies reach out to the public on activities being undertaken in their various agencies.

Throwing more light on the need for state actors to support the draft bill, the Executive Director demonstrated the work the Scheme has undertaken in contributing its quota to the economy.

He said one of such areas is in the agric sector where the scheme has grown farm products to support the school feeding program.

He noted that the scheme supplied Cereals to the National Food Buffer Stock Company and the Poultry Industry and also possess piggery, rabbitry, aquaculture facilities and poultry.

Mr Antwi said all these were made possible under the Integrated Demonstrated Farms that the Scheme has set up at Papao, Haatso-Accra and other farms across the country.

Aside agric, Mr Antwi also said the Scheme has a “Deployment for Employment” initiative that provides competency-based skills training through partnerships with the private sector to the NSS personnel.

He said the approach is intended to fill the “missing middle” where most graduates fall off because they do not have the right competencies and skills needed for the job market, either as employees or self-employed and “so the initiative serves as drivers in shaping and equipping the graduate youth for the job market.”

Mr Antwi noted that these partnerships and many more are the things the Scheme would want to venture into, but would need the powers that Authorities possess before it can delve into those areas, hence the appeal.

“The work that we want to do, we need a lot of powers to support us to be able to do it. So if we are an Authority, there is a lot that we can do. As at now we are a Scheme, we are limited in doing so many things.  We cannot engage in commercial ventures, we cannot go beyond our scope…”

He said the Scheme has done almost all the consultation works on the draft bill and has submitted it to the President through the Ministry of Education and called on all to support it.

Ofori-Atta launches Ghana’s debt Exchange Program

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AGNES ANSAH
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Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister

To ensure that Ghana is able to restore its capacity in servicing its debt, the Ministry of Finance yesterday launched the country’s Domestic Debt Exchange programme.

The Minister of Finance indicated that under the program, there will be an exchange for new Ghana bonds, with a coupon that steps up to 10%.

“Existing domestic bonds as of 1st December 2022 will be exchanged for a set of four new bonds maturing in 2027, 2029, 2032 and 2037,” the Minister said.

Mr. Ofori-Atta noted that this domestic debt exchange is part of a more comprehensive agenda to restore debt and financial sustainability.

The second measure Mr Ofori-Atta announced under the program was the restructuring of Ghana’s external indebtedness. He said more updates in this measure will be announced in due course.

Thirdly, he reiterated that under the program, there will be no principal haircut on eligible Bonds. He explained that by this no haircut concept, individual holders of domestic bonds are not affected and will not lose the face value of their investments. He outlined these measures at a press conference held at the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday.

Ghana’s Debt Situation

Giving reasons for the need to pursue the measures vigorously to get the country out of the woods, Minister Ofori-Atta said a Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) has demonstrated that Ghana’s public debt is unsustainable, and that the Government may not be able to fully service its debt down the road, if no action is taken.

He pointed out that debt servicing is now absorbing more than half of total government revenues and almost 70% of tax revenues, while total public debt stock, including that of State-Owned Enterprises and all, exceeds 100% of our GDP.

He said this was occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic, rising global food prices, rising crude oil & energy prices as well as the Russia-Ukraine war.

“This is why we are today announcing the debt exchange which will help in restoring our capacity to service debt,” the Minister said.

Benefits to be derived

The Minister stated specifically that some of the aforementioned measures will allow Ghana’s economy to recover as fast as possible from the economic crisis and also secure an IMF support.

“We are confident that with the measures we are putting in place, including those outlined in the 2023 Budget Statement and underpinned by a successful IMF programme, Ghana will witness a stable and thriving economy from 2023.”

He also envisaged that it will bring inflation to a single digit to ensure that real returns on the new bonds will be protected. The Minister also indicated that the measures will help restore macro-economic stability, achieve debt sustainability and get the economy fully back on track in order to create and protect jobs, provide and enhance incomes, foster strong and inclusive growth led by exports, and restore hope to the people of Ghana. He noted that the overall objective is to alleviate the debt burden in a most transparent, efficient, and expedited manner.

Steps taken by government

The Minister noted that before the government extends a call on others to help, it had to ensure it has also taken some steps to see the success of the program. Mr Ofori-Atta said the government has created a Financial Stability Fund (FSF) where banks, pension funds, insurance companies, fund managers, and collective investment schemes will be supported to ensure that they are able to meet their obligations to their clients as they fall due.

He also said the government has dialogued extensively with regulators across the Financial Sector including Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), National Insurance Commission (NIC) and National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA) to agree that regulatory forbearance will be provided to all entities whose financial position is adversely affected by virtue of participating in the exchange.

A call for support

Minister Ofori-Atta observed that the benefits that the country stands to gain from the debt restructuring measures can only be achieved through the active participation of all key economic actors and hence called upon all domestic debt holders to take their share in ensuring that public debt sustainability is quickly restored by participating in the exchange programme.

Volta is my 2nd home -Alan

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Mr Alan Kyerematen at the Gbi Festival

The Minister for Trade and Industry and New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirant, Mr Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, has pleaded with the people of Volta Region, which he considers as a his second home  and Ghanaians as a whole, to exercise patience as the government takes  steps to solve the current economic meltdown.

Speaking at the celebration of this year’s Gbidukor Festival by the chiefs and people in the Gbi traditional area over the weekend, the minister, who received a rousing welcome to Hohoe, the traditional capital of the Gbis, said the Akufo-Addo government is aware of the current economic situation and is doing everything humanly possible to stem the tide.

While l congratulate Fiagba of the Gbi Traditional Area, Togbega Gabusu VII, the Regional Minister, other Ministers of State and Members of Parliament of the region for their relentless efforts to bring development to the area, l assure you that government is very much in tune with the current hardships facing all of us and is relentless in its efforts to turn things around, so we can all enjoy the good times again.

In this vein, l wish to appeal to all of you, my Brothers and Sisters, to support government’s efforts aimed at resolving the situation in record time, including the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative aimed at exploiting local opportunities to create sustainable jobs for all Ghanaians, particularly the youth in their home districts”, Alan Kyerematen pleaded.

The Trade and Industry Minister, who was enthused about the cultural display of the Gbi people, said he considers Volta Region as his second home and that he has a strong bond with the people,  that spans over two decades.

The recent love and affections from natives of the Volta region is a confirmation of the known love affair between the two parties.

The annual Gbidukor festival is the flagship traditional festival celebrated by the people of Volta region.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is expected to head to the polls in early 2023 to elect the flag bearer that will lead them to 2024 make or break general elections and Alan is one of the lead contestants.

Alan Kyerematen is heavily tipped by political experts to shake off oppositions from Assin Central lawmaker, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong and Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Alan Kyerematen was accompanied to the festival grounds by some current and former New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament, including John Peter Amewu, MP for Hohoe, Asante Boateng, MP for Asante Akyem South, Dr Kissi Adomako, MP for Anyaa Sowotuom, Davis Opoku Ansah, MP for Mpraeso, Ridwan Abass Dauda, former MP for Sisala East, Yaw Boaben Asamoah, former MP for Adenta and Gifty Klenam, former MP for Lower West Akim.

Also in Alan’s company were some prominent NPP members such as; Nana Ohene-Ntow, former General Secretary of NPP, Dr Samuel Yaw Annor, former NHIS Boss and former Eastern Regional Chairman, Kofi Agyei Ntim, former NPP 1st Vice Chair of Oti Region and Alhaji Haruna Warlord, former NPP chairman for Tain.

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