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Iran steps up claim to control Strait of Hormuz

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Strait of Hormuz

Iran has said it is significantly expanding the area around the Strait of Hormuz over which it claims military control in an effort to assert its sovereignty of the key trade route.

A map published by Iran’s newly-created “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” claims “Iranian armed forces oversight” across more than 22,000 sq km (8,800 sq miles).

It extends into the territorial waters of Oman and the UAE. The UAE described Iran’s claims of control as “nothing but fragments of dreams”.

Iran’s new authority added that all transit through the strait “requires coordination with and authorization from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority”.

The US and Gulf allies have repeatedly rejected Iranian attempts to assert control over the strait. The US has told ships not to comply with Iran’s rules.

The diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, Anwar Gargash, said Iran is “trying to consecrate a new reality born from a clear military defeat, but attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz or encroach on the UAE’s maritime sovereignty are nothing but fragments of dreams”.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ships are guaranteed safe passage through another country’s waters – but Iran has not ratified this convention.

Credit: bbc.com

 

 

 

Trump says he will speak to Taiwan’s president in break from protocol

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US President Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump says he will talk to Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te about a possible arms sale, in what would be a sharp departure from diplomatic tradition.

US and Taiwanese leaders have not spoken directly since 1979 – when Washington severed formal ties with Taiwan to recognise the Chinese government in Beijing.

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out taking it by force. The US has long supported the self-ruled island and is bound by law to provide it with a means of self-defence, but has balanced this with maintaining diplomatic relations with China.

As president-elect in 2016, Trump took a phone call from Taiwan’s then leader Tsai Ing-wen, angering Beijing.

President Lai, who took office in 2024, is behind one of the strongest pushes in years to strengthen the island’s defence.

When asked on Wednesday if he planned to speak to Lai ahead of making a decision on US arms sales, Trump said: “I’ll speak to him. I speak to everybody.. we’ll work on that, the Taiwan problem.”

He also hailed his relationship with China’s President Xi as “amazing”, on the back of a two-day summit in Beijing last week.

When asked about the potential conversation between Trump and Lai, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that China “firmly opposes official exchanges between the United States and Taiwan”, as well as US arms sales to Taiwan.

China urges the US to “stop sending wrong signals to the separatist forces in Taiwan,” the spokesperson said.

In 1979, the US passed the Taiwan Relations Act which states that the US can “provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character” – which is why it continues to sell weapons to Taiwan.

Credit: bbc.com

Air France and Airbus found guilty of manslaughter over 2009 plane crash

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The 2009 plane crash killed 228 people

Air France and Airbus have been found guilty of manslaughter over a 2009 plane crash which killed 228 people. The Paris Appeals Court found the airline and aircraft manufacturer guilty of corporate manslaughter over the incident, in which flight AF447 between Rio de Janeiro and Paris crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.

The passenger jet stalled during a storm and plunged into the water, killing all on board.

A court had previously cleared the companies in April 2023 but they were found guilty after this appeal. The Airbus A330 vanished from radars during a storm on 1 June 2009, with its wreckage found after a long search of 10,000 sq km (3,860 sq miles) of sea floor.

The black box was found after months of deep-sea searches in 2011.

All 12 crew members and 216 passengers on board the flight were killed when the plane crashed into the sea from a height of 38,000ft (11,580m), making it the deadliest incident in French aviation history.

Relatives of some of the passengers, included mainly French, Brazilian and German nationals, gathered to hear the verdict on Thursday. The companies have been asked to pay the maximum fine, €225,000 ($261,720; £194,500) each – but some of the victims’ families have criticised the amount as a token penalty.

However, the ruling may be seen as causing damage to the companies’ reputations.

During their closing arguments in November, the deputy prosecutors said the companies’ behaviour had been “unacceptable”, accusing them of “spouting nonsense and pulling arguments out of thin air”.

Both Airbus and Air France had repeatedly denied the charges, and French lawyers believe they are likely to launch further appeals.

Credit: bbc.com

China says US should stop ‘threats’ against Cuba after ex-leader charged

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Former President Raul Castro, pictured in 2017

China has called on the US to stop using “coercion” and “threats” against its ally Cuba, after Washington indicted former leader Raúl Castro on murder charges.

An American court has accused the 94-year-old former president of conspiracy to kill US nationals over the 1996 downing of two planes, an incident which killed four people and fuelled diplomatic tensions between Washington and the Caribbean island.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to exert pressure on Cuba and has openly discussed toppling its communist regime.

On Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the US should “stop threatening force at every turn”, and that Beijing “firmly supports Cuba”.

On Wednesday, Castro was charged alongside five others of involvement in the shooting down of two planes travelling between Cuba and Florida three decades ago, and was indicted with offences which carry penalties of life in prison or death.

The aircraft, which were operated by the Cuban-American dissident group Brothers to the Rescue, were carrying three US citizens when they were downed, all of whom were killed.

At the time, Castro – who stepped down as president in 2018 – was head of the country’s armed forces.

The incident caused outcry among Cuban exiles living in the US and has long been a source of contention between Washington and Havana.

Cuba’s president Miguel Díaz-Canel has described the charges as “a political manoeuvre, devoid of any legal foundation”.

The foreign minister of China, a long-standing supporter of Cuba, said Beijing opposed “any attempt by external forces to exert pressure on Cuba under any pretext”.

Credit: bbc.com

Five minutes of exercise a day could help millions of people live longer

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Small increases in physical activity as part of our daily lives can bring long-term benefits to our health.

Some mornings, I really struggle to go out for a jog, but I force myself because I know it will be good for me. The protective effect that exercise can have not only the body, but our brain, memory and general wellbeing is something I’ve spoken to researchers a lot about recently.

But what has also become clear is that we don’t need to be doing intense workouts to see benefits.

New research shows that even small increases in activity can have a powerful impact on health and longevity. Just five minutes of moderate activity each day – such as brisk walking, cycling or climbing stairs – could prevent around one in ten premature deaths, which could help millions of individuals live longer.

While this doesn’t mean that just doing five minutes of exercise is enough to ensure you stay healthy, it is an indication that compared to doing nothing, this small increase in physical activity can bring improvements to overall health. For those who are already pretty active or relatively fit, doing five minutes more exercise will have a smaller effect.

But it shows the power of doing even just some very basic forms of exercise.

“Physical activity is something that is really beneficial for preventing high stress rates and high burnout rates,” says Nicole Logan, an assistant professor of kinesiology from the University of Rhode Island in the US. “We know that physical function, muscle strength, muscle quality, bone strength, these are really good predictors of later life mortality. So living longer and living healthier for longer.”

Increasing lifespan

 

The new research involved a large-scale analysis of data from 150,000 adults in the UK, US and Scandinavia.

“It was surprising that very small changes in physical activity of five minutes per day have such a large impact on reducing the risk for premature mortality,” says Ulf Ekelund, lead author of the research and a professor of physical activity and health at the Norwegian School of Sport. The findings reveal the health benefits of doing five minutes of exercise across the whole population rather than on an individual level, he says.

Adults should still strive for the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, Ekelund says. But the study shows that those who might struggle to go to the gym or join a sports club, can still benefit from adding more movement into their lives.

Reducing inactivity was also found to be beneficial. Cutting daily sitting time by 30 minutes was linked to a 7% reduction of early death across the population. This is especially important because physical inactivity is a leading cause of chronic disease and an earlier death.

Ekelund says that consistency is key. “Start slow and gradually build up the amount,” he says. The activity should be tailored to the individual’s preferences and ability.”

Exercise snacking

 

The study builds on many others that show how long-term health benefits from exercise do not require us to radically change our lifestyle. Simply adding movement into our daily life can have an outsized effect.

Muscle strengthening activities have also been shown to be beneficial. One US study found that individuals in their 60s and 70s who combined aerobic exercise with muscle-strengthening activities lived longer and had a lower risk of dying compared to those who did no exercise.

Other recent work shows that “exercise snacking” – which consists of short bursts of activity spread throughout the day – can improve heart health. A large authoritative analysis of existing research found that among older adults, it also helped with muscular endurance. Uptake was high too, with over 82% of participants continuing to take part, most likely because exercise snacking is easy to “integrate into daily routines”, the authors note.

Unlike a gym session, these “snacks” can be spread throughout the day as part of your normal routine. This can include anything that gets your heart rate up – be it vigorous hoovering, dancing to a song in your kitchen or running up and down your stairs faster than normal.

As Marie Murphy, professor of exercise and health at Ulster University in the UK, told the BBC’s Just One Thing podcast, smaller chunks of exercise increase how often we are stimulating our metabolism. “When we stop exercising, our metabolism keeps going a little bit quicker while we recover,” she said. “You still have that metabolic mill turning.”

When it comes to how you exercise, there are numerous options. You could go rock climbing, join a dance class or try some something a little more vigorous like high-intensity interval training, which can improve blood sugar control and blood pressure, as well as reducing body fat.

Credit: bbc.com

Igniting The Pentecost Fire: Nine Ways To Light The Spiritual Fire In Your Life

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Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee, Executive Director, Salt and Light Ministries

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. Acts 2: 1-3

INTRODUCTION

 “Get on fire for God and men will come and see you burn”. – John Wesley

This Sunday, 24th May, 2026 is Pentecost Sunday and I would like to invite us to allow the Holy Spirit to put us on fire.  Recently I have been thinking about what the Apostle Paul meant when He talked about being fervent in spirit in Romans 12:11(NKJV): ‘Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;’ The Greek word for fervent is “zeo” which means to boil with heat.  This means that we have a mandate to keep our fire for the Lord hot no matter what the spiritual climate is around us. I am sure that all of us can remember the very pointed quote about being hot or cold in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 3:15-16 – “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold.  I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”

None of us want to be distasteful to the Lord.  None of us want to make Him sick.  None of us want to be viewed as tasking like lukewarm soft drink that has lost its fizz.  So what do we do to keep the flames of fire burning in our spirit?  Here are nine ways that will help you keep those revival fires burning.

NINE WAYS TO LIGHT THE FIRE OF THE LORD IN YOUR SPIRIT 

  1. Feed the Flames with the Word of God

In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. What I am talking about is not dutifully doing our daily devotion with sleep filled eyes every morning.  It is not about hungrily searching the scriptures for the voice of the Lord within their pages.  Just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus who had their hearts set ablaze when the scriptures were explained to them by Jesus – Luke 24:32 we need to dig into the scriptures and allow the Lord to start explaining the scriptures to us just as He did to them.

 

  1. Stoke the Furnace with Prayer

There are three things we need to have a blazing fire, fuel, oxygen and heat.  Prayer is the oxygen we use to stoke the flames high.  Spending time in prayer is spending time in the presence of God and the presence of God is the air that our souls need to be on fire. Oswald Chambers puts it bluntly: “Prayer is the vital breath of the Christian; not the thing that makes Him alive, but the evidence that He is alive.”  When we pray, we are breathing.  We are taking in the vital element that gives life to our soul.

 

  1. 3. Worship the Lord with Extravagance

One of the things that keeps fire small is containment.  We cannot have a big fire in a small metal box.  The way to break these walls of containment is to worship the Lord with extravagance.  Let us go beyond our comfort zone.  Let us offer up sacrifices of praise with our lips in greater degrees than we are comfortable with.  Let us make praise and worship a true sacrifice of ourselves conscious and self inhibitions.

Let us firmly decide that we will praise God in a more vocal, uninhibited way this year than we have ever done.  If we need help praising God, let us play a recording by a favourite Christian artist and sing along.  Let us challenge ourselves to learn how to raise our hands, bow our knees in worship, and even fall flat on our faces.  These things will break down any walls of containment where we are keeping the fire in a small metal box.

 

  1. Allow the Holy Spirit to Move

The Apostle Paul gives us a very pointed exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 – “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit”. Is there anything in your life that is hindering the Spirit’s work?  Are you resisting doing something or giving up something that you know the Spirit is tapping you on the shoulder about?  Do you have mindsets or mentalities that are contrary to allowing the Holy Spirit to move? Some of the greatest breakthroughs I have had in my life have been when I stopped telling the Holy Spirit how He can operate.  I am very good at setting up preconditions that the Holy Spirit has to fulfill before I believe that it is Him.  I may be good at setting those preconditions up, but I have found that the Holy Spirit will not know kowtow to my whims.  Those preconditions were stifling the Holy Spirit and I learned quickly to allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in my life.

 

  1. Do a Spring Cleaning Of Our Heart

The Bible says that in the last days the love of many will grow cold – Matthew 24:12. Many times this is caused by unforgiveness and bitterness taking hold and growing in our heart rather than love.  Let us take time to do a spring cleaning of our heart; let go of any unforgiveness we may hold towards someone and remove any roots of bitterness that might have sprung up. Let us forgive one another as in Christ God has forgiven us – Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:13. Nothing puts out the flame of God’s love faster than bitterness.  Do not let us allow unforgiveness to freeze our soul.  Let us guard our heart and deal with offenses quickly.

 

  1. Bring Your Flame Closer To Other Flames

Those of us who have been Boy Scouts can remember having a raging fire at night during camping.  Many times in the morning there will still be some embers from the fire wood and if we need to build a new fire, the first thing we would do is gather all the smoldering firewood or charcoal together. This is why we should never live the Christian life in seclusion.  God has called us to be in community.  But let us make sure we are in a church that is on fire for God – because a dead church could put out what is left of our fire.  If our church compromises God’s Word or ignores the Great Commission, we should find a new church home.

 

  1. Start Making Your Fire Useful

Spiritual passion is ignited when it is being used to serve others.  Start using the gifts and talents that God has given us to help others.  Every believer in Jesus has been given gifts and talents and we are no exception.  We must face our fears and stretch our faith as we begin to step out, but soon we will find there is no greater joy than being an instrument of the Holy Spirit to bless people. When we become obedient to stop burying our gifts and talents and start investing them into the lives of others, then we will be given even more to give as we read in Matthew 25:14

 

  1. Find a Personal Firebrand

Everyone has to learn how to make fire.  We do not normally discover it naturally.  We need spiritual fathers and mothers to teach us how to light our spiritual fires.

Let us sometimes ask these firebrands to lay hands on us and pray.  We can also make appointments with them so we can glean from their wisdom and experience. It is certain that when Elisha saw Elijah go to heaven in a fiery chariot, he was affected by the heat, so let us also get as close as possible to those who are burning for God, and we will be ignited.

 

  1. Spread the Flame

The biggest thing we can each do is to raise our spiritual temperature and light the fire of God in our life is to spread our flame.  There is nothing more exciting I can say than leading a person to faith in Christ.  I guarantee if we step out of our timidity and share the gospel with a neighbour, a co-worker, or a stranger on the bus, our spiritual temperature will instantly rise to 30 degrees – and we will want to share with someone else. Just as John Wesley said that if you light yourself on fire that men will come for miles to watch you burn.  Part of that is spreading the flame of the spectators.  Let’s challenge ourselves this year to speak of our faith, share our testimony, and pray with people who need the reality of Jesus Christ in their life.

Culled from: ViralBeliever.com

 

Stay blessed!

Please note that the preaching program on Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays at 5:30 am has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 am and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 am for our Radio Bible Study, as well as on Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm for Hymns and Their Stories.

Feature:No Tears For (Ananse) Abronye  

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Africanus Owusu Ansah (Hot Issues)

In “No Tears for Ananse”, Ananse feigned death. Asked to be buried on his farm, he would come out at night to harvest the crops. His family put a statue besmeared with glue. Ananse came out and saw the statue; slapped, kicked it, and got glued; family caught the real thief. – 1968 film Ato Kwamena Yanney

Call the name Abronye DC and you will find NPP people of Ghana divided sharply between the “against” and the “for” groups. Indeed, this man is helping to wreak havoc in the NPP family — ripping even families apart.

Abronye will sit in the studios and spew out unprintable words against those who fall into his “against” group, and he knows he will get support from NPP of which he is the Bono Regional Chairman.

Don’t mind if he inherited 11 seats in Parliament (for NPP), but at the time he was the Chairman, he had only one (1) seat left for the NPP to his credit.

He will pick on Duncan-Williams and accuse him of funding pastors to support NDC (25 pastors given $10,000 each to pray for the return of NDC), he will touch Dr. Amane and allege he administers false drugs to pregnant women; he will pull President Mahama down and allege that he had impregnated his house helps; he will take Kennedy Agyapong to the cleaners and call him “greedy and selfish”;

Says Abronye: “We are tired of Kennedy Agyapong. Any time he has issues with someone, he accuses the person of receiving help from him. He had issues with Naa Torshie and he claimed he was taking care of her. Come to Yaw Adomako Baafi and he called him poor. He fought the late Chairman Kutin simply because Kutin did not support him but instead backed Bawumia.

He also clashed with Hawa Koomson and called her a poor teacher. Every day he claims he has financed the NPP, but have you ever heard Kennedy Agyapong telling party members about the advantages he has also gained? That shows how evil and greedy he is…”

Kennedy Agyapong was forced to withdraw from the Bawumia Thank You Tour when he was faced with insinuations from Abronye. Kennedy stated; “I will not allow Abronye whom I fed to disrespect me…” (Readers may recall Macbeth’s soliloquy; Act 1 Sc 7 “If it were done when ’tis done… this even-handed justice commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice to our own lips…” Who openly said “Mahama is a foolish man”? And what didn’t Abronye say about the present IGP?)

Abronye’s latest: he took the judiciary to the dumping grounds, lambasting the judge at Court 9, and called him a “political judge”. The judge justified Abronye’s incarceration on the grounds that if he granted him bail he (Abronye) would go to his studios and repeat his “insults”. (Is this sound ground?) Whatever it was, there were other remedies (including an appeal) available to the “suspect”.

Now, Abronye will come out of BNI cells as a hero, and get recognition as an “astute” politician, an outspoken one at that people will forget his abysmal performance as Chairman of Bono NPP… go to a foreign embassy for a visa, citing “political persecution”…

Forget about S207 of Act 29: “Any person who … uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of peace… shall be guilty of a misdemeanour.”

In sympathy with Abronye, Afenyo–Markin, MP for Efutu would say: “… That Circuit Court 9 judge, I have no respect for him. I pray the Court summons me for contempt. I will continue to disrespect him until he upholds the law. It’s a shame on the judiciary … he doesn’t talk law … I don’t think the judge passed the law exams…”

In reaction to the remark by Afenyo–Markin, the Ghana Bar Association has issued a statement; “… We will never condone such conduct. Over the years we have consistently cautioned and condemned similar behaviour by lawyers… I will not mince words in saying that what the Minority leader, a Senior Lawyer at the Bar has done is condemnable at every level. A Senior Lawyer” who also holds a public position ought to have done better… if dissatisfied, you appeal. You don’t go on air to attack a judge!

A few hours earlier than the GBA reaction, Felix Kwakye Ofosu had attacked the GBA of being “loudly silent”, imputing the GBA of being pro-NPP!

So, Salam Mustapha the NPP National Youth Organiser with the Minority Deputy Leader, Patricia Appiagyei have challenged the arrest and detention of Abronye as not being a criminal offence, but rather violates Article 14 of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992.

The NPP has again gone ahead to formally petition the diplomatic community in Ghana to buttress their suspicion of political intimidation and state-sponsored suppression of free expression and Henry Nana Boakye, NPP National Organiser says NPP plans to organise protests against the perceived weaponisation of State power, suggesting NPP’s strategy of fighting back by making the nation ungovernable!

Who will pardon Salam Mustapha for saying; “If this nonsense doesn’t stop, we will weaponise our support base and make this country extremely ungovernable for them!” For whom? Because of the filthy mouth of Abronye?

Dr Bawumia, NPP flagbearer has made matters worse for his statement concerning the arrest and detention of Abronye (and David Essandoh) over social media comments on the “return of dumsor”! Is it NDC government that arrested Abronye? How does the arrest of Abronye affect democracy? Is it intimidation? Witch-hunting? So, for democracy, we should allow all kinds of behaviour? — people insulting others? No, Bawumia is above this, and he should come again.

He (Dr Bawumia) is advised by Lawyer Asare Nurudeen “not to be seen as endorsing mediocrity or undermining the rule of law”

Nana Yaa Jantuah reminds Bawumia: “There was no need for Bawumia’s statement. When I was picked up by the security, I went to him crying, he ignored me. He was the sitting Vice-President then… The Abronye he was defending called me a wee smoker… he said a lot of things about me and other people publicly…”

Let’s be frank with the current crop of NPP leaders: YOU ARE DRIVING AWAY LEVEL-HEADED NPP people from the Party. This cannot be the party J.B. da Rocha, J.H. Mensah, J.A. Kufuor, and even Busia left… this cannot be the party that credits itself with the tag – democratic — and which flaunts intellectuals, learned people and even decent politicians. We are getting fed up with veiled propaganda dressed in the garb of “free speech”, “democracy;

To call a spade a spade, and not an instrument for digging, some NPP members cannot accept Bawumia’s statement, to wit: “I condemn in the strongest of terms the unholy collaboration between the Executive, State investigative agencies, and some elements within the Judiciary to use intimidation and harassment to silence members of the New Patriotic Party…” What about Montie 3?

We cannot be friends with Kevin Taylor for his utterance’s “aboa funu”, “nkwaseafoo”, “gyimifoo” “morebo dam”; nor can we accept the approach of Captain Smart on Onua TV…, but we thought NPP is above this type of politics? Should we agree with those who say the choice of either NPP or NDC is a choice between the lesser of two evils?

 

 

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2025/26 GPL Final Round Preview and Fixtures  

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Hearts of Oak goalkeeper Benjamin Asare

The curtain comes down on the 2025/26 Ghana Premier League season, this weekend, with champions already crowned, but tension still gripping both the top and bottom ends of the table. While Medeama prepare to continue their title celebrations and clubs chase strong finishes to the campaign, the battle for survival remains wide open, heading into the final round of fixtures. With Hohoe United and Eleven Wonders already relegated, several clubs are still fighting to avoid joining them in the drop zone, setting the stage for a dramatic final day, where every point could prove decisive.

Medeama Eye Coronation Finish against Phobians

Newly crowned Ghana Premier League champions Medeama will travel to face Hearts of Oak in what promises to be an entertaining clash as the league season approaches its conclusion.

Shaban Mohammed, Dreams FC

Medeama head into the fixture with confidence and momentum after sealing the league title in emphatic fashion with a thrilling 5-2 victory over Heart of Lions in their previous outing. The Tarkwa-based side has been the standout team this season, sitting top of the table with 62 points from 33 matches, boasting the league’s best attack and one of the strongest defensive records.

Having already secured the title, this fixture now serves as part of Medeama’s coronation celebrations, but the champions will still be eager to finish the campaign strongly and underline their dominance.

For Hearts, the encounter presents an opportunity to end the season on a positive note and potentially spoil the champions’ celebration. The Phobians currently sit third on the league table with 51 points and remain one of the toughest defensive sides in the division, having conceded only 13 goals all season.

The recent head-to-head meetings suggest a tightly contested affair. Medeama claimed a narrow 1-0 win in the reverse fixture earlier this season, while Hearts have also enjoyed victories in previous meetings, including a 2-0 away triumph in 2024 and a 3-1 home victory in 2023.

With Medeama playing with the freedom of champions and Hearts determined to finish strongly in front of their supporters, the clash could provide an entertaining end-to-end contest. All eyes, however, will remain on the champions as Medeama prepare to continue their title celebrations after a remarkable campaign.

Kotoko Face Nervy Test Against All Blacks

Asante Kotoko will look to end their disappointing run of form when they welcome Swedru All Blacks in a crucial Ghana Premier League clash this weekend.

Philip Amoh, Asante Kotoko

Kotoko head into the encounter under pressure after losing four of their last five league matches. The Porcupine Warriors have suffered defeats against Bechem United, Dreams, Medeama and Samartex, with their only victory in that period coming against already relegated Eleven Wonders. Their recent struggles have seen them slip to eighth on the table with 46 points from 32 matches, leaving their hopes of a strong finish hanging in the balance.

Despite their inconsistent form, Kotoko will be eager to respond in front of their home supporters, especially after suffering a painful 2-1 defeat to All Blacks in the reverse fixture earlier this season. That result remains one of the standout wins for the visitors this campaign and will give them confidence heading into this contest.

Prince Tweneboah, Holy Stars

All Blacks may sit 13th with 42 points, but they are far from safe. While they currently remain outside the relegation zone, the tight nature of the bottom half means they still need at least a point or ideally all three to avoid any late drama should teams below them produce surprise results on the final day. Their recent form has been mixed, recording two wins, one draw and two defeats in their last five outings.

The visitors have shown resilience away from home in recent weeks, notably securing a valuable victory over Vision and earning important points in difficult fixtures. However, their latest defeat to Karela highlighted some defensive vulnerability they cannot afford against a wounded Kotoko side desperate for redemption.

Gold Stars Seek Strong Finish

Bibiani Gold Stars will aim to round off their campaign on a positive note when they host already relegated Eleven Wonders in their final Ghana Premier League fixture of the season.

Micheal Nkoah, Gold Stars

Gold Stars head into the encounter sitting second on the table with 54 points from 32 matches after an inconsistent run in recent weeks. The defending champions saw their title hopes fade following defeats to Dreams, Medeama and Aduana, leaving them unable to retain the crown despite another competitive campaign. However, they remain determined to finish strongly, especially in front of their home fans where they have built one of the league’s most impressive records this season.

Their home form has been the foundation of their campaign, with the Miners consistently turning Bibiani into a difficult venue for visiting sides. Recent victories over Samartex and Nations FC highlighted their resilience and attacking quality at home, and they will be confident of adding another win before the curtain falls on the season.

For Eleven Wonders, the match offers little more than pride after a disastrous campaign confirmed their relegation. Wonders sit bottom of the table with just 10 points and have endured a miserable run of form, losing all of their last five matches while conceding heavily in the process. Defeats to Berekum Chelsea, Asante Kotoko, Swedru All Blacks, Bechem United and Dreams have further exposed the struggles of a side that has found life in the top flight extremely difficult this season.

Medeama SC players

Despite their poor campaign, Wonders could still take encouragement from the reverse fixture earlier in the season, where Gold Stars needed a narrow 3-2 victory to secure all three points. The visitors will hope to produce a spirited display and avoid ending the season with another heavy defeat.

Historically, meetings between the two sides have often been closely contested. Wonders defeated Gold Stars 2-1 back in the 2021 season before Gold Stars responded with a 1-0 victory in 2022. The Miners have since edged the recent encounters, including the thrilling five-goal clash in January.

Gold Stars possess the stronger squad, better form and home advantage heading into the fixture, while Wonders arrive with little momentum and a fragile defense that has conceded 65 goals this season the worst record in the league.

By Jesse Otoo

FIXTURES

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Kotoko 15:00 Swedru All Blacks

Berekum Chelsea 15:00 Bechem United

Bibiani Gold Stars 15:00 Eleven Wonders

Hearts 15:00 Medeama

Holy Stars 15:00 Dreams

Karela 15:00 Nations FC

Vision 15:00 Aduana

Young Apostles 15:00 Samartex

 

 

 

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Banks may tighten grips on forex deposits -Gideon Boako

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RICHARD OWUSU-AKYAW
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Dr Gideon Boako, MP for Tano North

Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee and Member of Parliament for Tano North, Dr. Gideon Boako, has cautioned that commercial banks may, from next month, begin rejecting certain foreign exchange deposits—raising concerns over possible tightening in Ghana’s already pressured forex market.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, May 21, Dr. Boako urged individuals holding foreign currency, particularly US dollars, to deposit them without delay, warning that failure to do so could result in missed opportunities once new banking practices take effect.

He linked the anticipated development to broader financial sector strains, which he attributed to recent policy shifts under the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), following adjustments to the Bank of Ghana’s cash reserve requirements on foreign currency holdings.

“Hear me clearly: starting next month, commercial banks may begin rejecting certain foreign exchange deposits. If you have dollars you intend to deposit, it may be wise to do so now. Otherwise, you could risk losing that opportunity later,” he wrote.

While Dr. Boako insisted his comments were not intended to trigger public panic, he said they were necessary to draw attention to what he described as emerging systemic vulnerabilities within the economy.

However, the Tano North MP did not specify the categories of foreign exchange deposits likely to be affected, nor did he cite any formal directive from the Bank of Ghana or commercial banks indicating an official policy change.

The Bank of Ghana has not yet publicly responded to the claims, leaving uncertainty over whether the anticipated restrictions reflect formal regulatory action or market speculation driven by evolving liquidity conditions in the banking sector.

 

 

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Ghana Postpones Evacuation Of Citizens From South Africa Over Screening, Flight Permit Delays

By
RICHARD OWUSU-AKYAW
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The Independence Arch, Accra, Ghana.
The Independence Arch, Accra, Ghana.

The Government of Ghana has postponed the evacuation of more than 800 Ghanaians stranded in South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks, citing logistical and legal challenges.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday that the evacuation exercise, which was scheduled to begin on May 21, 2026, had been deferred by a few days to allow Ghana’s High Commission in Pretoria to satisfy mandatory South African evacuation requirements.

According to the Ministry, the postponement became necessary because of the large number of evacuees involved and the stringent procedures required by South African authorities before clearance could be granted.

The statement explained that mandatory passenger screening, multi-institutional coordination and the processing of flight permits were among the critical conditions delaying the operation.

“The planned evacuation has been deferred by a few days to enable our High Commission meet these evacuation conditions,” the Ministry stated.

Government disclosed that more than 800 Ghanaians had so far registered with the Ghana High Commission in Pretoria seeking evacuation assistance amid the latest wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa.

The Ministry said Ghanaian and South African authorities had since agreed on enhanced pre-evacuation arrangements aimed at expediting the process and ensuring a smooth evacuation exercise.

It further revealed that senior government officials from both countries remained actively engaged in efforts to facilitate the safe return of affected Ghanaian nationals.

Despite the postponement, the Government assured Ghanaians in South Africa that every effort was being made to guarantee their safety and eventual return home.

“The Government of Ghana assures our nationals in South Africa that best efforts are being pursued to ensure their safe return home,” the statement emphasised.

The Ministry also praised the affected Ghanaians for their patience and understanding as authorities work through the operational requirements.

Government pledged to continue updating the public on developments surrounding the evacuation exercise in a transparent and timely manner.

The postponement comes against the backdrop of renewed xenophobic tensions in South Africa, where foreign nationals have periodically faced violent attacks and intimidation.

 

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