New York Daily NewsNSA whistleblower Edward Snowden expected to leak more top secret documentsNew York Daily NewsEdward Snowden apparently is not done leaking top secret National Security Agency documents. With the former intelligence contractor again in hiding, officials said Snowden has more sensitive information he can reveal. RELATED: RUSSIA CONSIDERS ...How Prism might work, and why that matters to Congress and youNBCNews.com (blog)Hong Kongers Are Mad As Hell. How Long Will They Take China's Interference?The AtlanticUS intelligence officials defend spy programs as safeguards against terrorVancouver SunCBS News -TIME -The Independentall 3,415 news articles »
BBC NewsQ&A: Protests in TurkeyBBC NewsTurkey has been gripped by the biggest street protests since the Islamist-leaning Justice and Development Party (AKP) took power more than a decade ago. Here, BBC News looks at the causes of the unrest and how it has developed. What sparked the ...Images: Violent protests continue at Istanbul's Taksim square as protesters ...FirstpostIstanbul Awakes After Night of ClashesWall Street JournalThe Emerging Markets BloodbathForbesAngolaPress -MSNBC -euronewsall 238 news articles »
NewsdayGreek state TV closure triggers strikesNewsdayATHENS, Greece - (AP) -- Greece's two largest labor unions called a 24-hour general strike for Thursday to protest the government's move to close state-run TV and radio, a decision that has shocked the public and triggered a political crisis. State TV and ...Greek unions call 24-hour strike on June 13 over state TV closureReutersGreek journalists defy government order to close state broadcasterThe GuardianGreek ERT journalists defy order to cease programsDeutsche WelleStraits Times -ABC Online -The Sun Dailyall 249 news articles »
Ma'an News AgencyCommittee: Israel soldiers force Muslim to drink wine at gunpointMa'an News AgencyHEBRON (Ma'an) -- Israeli intelligence officers forced a Palestinian man from Beit Ummar to drink wine at gunpoint on Tuesday evening, a local committee spokesman said. An Israeli military patrol stopped Muhammad Khalil Abu Dayyah, 24, from the Safa ...Under Threat…Israeli Officer Forces Palestinian to Drink AlcoholPalestine News NetworkBan on Palestinians living with spouses in IsraelBoston.comPalestinian Rights Investigator Says He Will Not Resign, Despite CriticismNew York TimesHuffington Post -Jerusalem Postall 372 news articles »
Vancouver SunNorth Korea prison camps fill up amid crackdown on attempted defectorsCBS NewsSEOUL, South KoreaNorth Korea's prison population has swelled in recent years with those caught fleeing the country under a crackdown on defections by young leader Kim Jong Un, according to defectors living in South Korea and researchers who study ...North Korea won't pick up phone after talks failed: South KoreaNDTVDespite failure, Korea talks still in demand from both sidesFirstpostBehind Breakdown of Korea Talks, a History of SuspicionsNew York Times (blog)Voice of America -Business Standardall 290 news articles »
CBC.caSouth Africans, praying for Mandela, lament lack of information on his healthVancouver SunPRETORIA, South Africa – With virtually no fresh information about the precarious state of Nelson Mandela's health for four days, South Africans Tuesday feared his condition could be even worse than officially acknowledged. “There are just so many rumours ...S Africa's democracy icon Mandela in hospital for a fifth dayBusiness StandardMandela remains in hospital for a 5th dayU.S. News & World ReportPosted by Parvez JabriBusiness Recorder (blog)BBC News -ABC Onlineall 417 news articles »
AFPWCD Ministry to have website to track missing childrenBusiness StandardThe Women and Child Development Ministry will soon have a website to track missing children and help rescue them as part of efforts to deal with the problem of exploitation of children. "We are in the process of developing the website for tracking the missing ...Pakistan among countries with child labour issuesThe News InternationalPope Francis slams child exploitation in domestic workNDTV10.5 m children employed in domestic work in hazardous conditions: ILOHindu Business LineStraits Times -AngolaPress -New Visionall 67 news articles »
Watch pictures of the Ayew brothers meeting Ghana president John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday.
English Premier League side Sunderland have made an offer to Inter Milan to sign Ghana U20 star Alfred Duncan.
Ghana's U20 will play Kosovo on Wednesday night in their first pre-FIFA World Youth Championship friendly in Switzerland.
Ghanaians must realise and accept the fact that the days of cheap power are a thing of the past, Dr. Kwabena Donkor, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, has said, agreeing with power utilities that tariffs must be set to cover costs. Ghanaians, he said, have been “extremely inefficient†in their use of power, largely because it has been historically cheap. “The nation must realise that the days of cheap power are no more. So, going forward we have to be efficient in the use of power. Both the Energy Foundation and the Energy Commission must intensify public education aimed at driving efficiency in power usage,†the Member of Parliament for the Pru East Constituency told the B&FT in an interview. The so-called historically cheap power refers to power from the Akosombo hydroelectric dam, for which the Volta River Authority (VRA) is still paid 4 cents per kilowatt hour, a figure considered too cheap. The VRA is proposing an increase to 9.2 cents per kilowatt hour to bring it close to recovering it costs, especially because it is increasingly moving to thermal power generation which is considered far more expensive. Gas, which could have brought down the cost of thermal power generation, has been missing in the generation mix since the West Africa Gas Pipeline was damaged in August 2012. According to the VRA, the country needs some 300 million standard cubic feet of gas a day, none of which is currently available, to replace the use of crude oil in thermal power generation. “In 2011, when we had gas, for the whole year we purchased about US$200million of crude oil. Now in 2013, when we have no gas, in the first five months of the year -- not even half of the year -- we purchased US$300million, but the tariffs have not changed. The exchange rate has gone down by about 30%, the price of crude oil is more than US$100; that’s the problem,†Chief Executive of the VRA Kwaku Awotwi told the B&FT recently. The MP agreed with the VRA, saying: “We are running the VRA down with such unrealistic tariffs.†A national consensus, according to Dr. Donkor, who is also a former Deputy Minister of Energy, has to be built on the fact that whatever tariff is established must cover the cost of generation. “A former minister in this country once said that affordability is the language of the opposition. In opposition, he preached affordability from the rooftops. Three months after becoming a minister, he said affordability is the language of the opposition, which means there is a certain realistic centre-ground, and that centre-ground must be populated by all political parties. That is where the national consensus has to be,†Dr. Donkor said. In reaching a consensus on the cost of power generation vis-à -vis the tariffs that have to be paid, the MP threw a challenge to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to independently calculate the cost of generation. “I believe we must not just accept the cost the utilities claim. PURC must have a mechanism of not just auditing but also calculating the cost of generation and comparing their conclusion with what the utilities are saying. Once the PURC ascertains the cost of generation, then we must cover that cost of generation.†The power utilities, including the Volta River Authority, the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ghana Grid Company, have put in an application to the PURC calling for more than 200% tariff increments in view of what they say has been the increasing cost of generation. Although the PURC is yet to fully consider their application, indications are that any review could be substantial, even as consumers -- both domestic and commercial -- have kicked against an increment in tariffs. The last such review occurred three years ago, leading to an increase of 89% in electricity tariffs. By Basiru ADAM
The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has begun a nationwide “distress action†to recover approximately GH¢2.7million from 24 tax-defaulting firms in the Greater Accra Region, Commissioner-General, George Blankson, has disclosed. The GRA’s Debt Management and Compliance Enforcement Unit is currently collaborating with offices throughout the country to seal off the premises of these companies to recover all tax arrears owed to the state. The exercise will retrieve all outstanding tax arrears owed to the state between 2005 and 2012. It also marks the beginning of a comprehensive programme of enforcement actions to recover all outstanding tax arrears nationwide, especially as Government is battling a shortfall in tax revenues. Mr. Blankson told journalists at a news conference in Accra before the start of the distress action that “our preferred, and indeed first, option in the recovery of debts is communication by telephone, through visits or in writing to get delinquent taxpayers to comply; because as much as possible we want taxpayers to continue in business, and even grow, so that they pay their current tax arrears and pay more taxes in future.†He explained that the defaulting taxpayers have for several months and years failed to pay or make satisfactory arrangements to defray their indebtedness to the Authority. “We have no other choice than to fall on the provisions of the tax law to recover these outstanding arrears through hard enforcement actions. It is only when the soft approach fails that we can fall on hard enforcement actions as a final resort. It becomes our painful duty to levy a distress warrant or seal off premises in extreme situations,†he said. At the start of the distress action, the GRA sealed off two premises: PH Hotels, located at East Legon, for defaulting on taxes amounting to GH¢314.145.55; while the second firm, AFWest Security also located at East Lagon, was closed down for owing GH¢187,678 in taxes. The management of Mensvic Grand Hotel, whose premises were visited by the enforcement team, promptly paid the amount of GH¢48,159 they owed.Government has projected in its 2013 budget statement that revenue from taxes will amount to GH¢17.1billion, representing 19.3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Taxes on income and property were estimated at GH¢7.8billion, accounting for 45 percent of total tax revenue. The budget also forecast a fiscal deficit of GH¢8billion (9 percent of GDP), but early signs of revenue underperformance -- which threatens the deficit goal -- have led to stronger efforts to boost tax collections and close loopholes in the system. President John Mahama has also made significant changes to the leadership of the divisions and sub-divisions of the GRA to improve the Authority’s performance. By Ekow Essabra-Mensah
Watch Michael Essien and his international friends doing the 'Azonto' dance during Essien's ' Game of Hope' concert in Accra.
The Volta River Authority (VRA) says it is expecting the equipment manufacturer of the Aboadze T3 thermal plant to arrive in the country by Saturday, to assess the cause of the “overheating†that occurred in Turbine Four of the installation. The overheating, which led to an explosion, necessitated a precautionary shutdown of the four-turbine plant inaugurated two months ago to produce 132 megawatts of power. The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) -- the distributor in the three-entity power production chain -- after a stakeholders’ meeting with the VRA and GridCo, has agreed to shed 230 megawatts this week as a result of the development. “We are waiting for the equipment manufacturers to come and assess the situation; and if we are given the all-clear, then the three other turbines will come on-stream. In that case, we will only lose 20 megawatts from the shutdown of Turbine Four,†Samuel Fletcher, the Corporate Communications Manager of the Authority, told the B&FT. “The cooling system might have failed, and this led to the over-heating within the system. This occurred in Turbine Four and an explosion happened. The three other turbines and the steam engine were shut down as a precautionary measure,†he said. The country had to resort to an emergency power-rationing programme as a result of the destruction of a section of the West African Gas Pipeline last year, which cut 200 megawatts of power from the privately-run Asogli plant that relies solely on gas supply from sub-regional pipeline. The West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), which promised the resumption of gas supply by the end of April, failed to deliver -- due to what it said were contractual challenges and defects with machines cleaning the pipeline. At the best of times, even before the breakdown of the pipeline, WAPCO has provided only about 40 to 60 percent of the contractual volume, estimated at some 123 million cubic feet of gas. One of the units of the Bui Hydro Project was brought on-stream last month to generate 133 megawatts of electricity. B&FT has however been told that the project generates 90 megawatts of electricity between 6pm and 10pm each day, after which the plant must be turned off in order to maintain enough water supply for future generation. As the hydropower potential of the country appears to be running out, there is an increasing emphasis on gas for electricity generation. The country currently demands 300 million cubic feet of gas per day, but none of this is available. Ghana’s own gas supply, according to analysts, is not expected to come on-stream until next year, though Government had estimated to have gas before the end of 2013. By Dominick ANDOH
Jewish Daily Forward (blog)Everyday 'Apartheid' and the Liberal DreamJewish Daily Forward (blog)The following items appeared in the Israeli media this month: Superland, an amusement park outside Tel Aviv, makes a policy of reserving separate days for Israeli Arab high school classes and separate ones for Israeli Jewish classes. A Jewish community ...Civilian service for freeloadersHaaretzPrisoners Have Great Ideological and Religious ValueThe Jewish Press (blog)Is a binational identity possible in Israel?+972 Magazine - Independent commentary from Israel and the Palestinian territoriesAmerican Muslim -Mondaq News Alerts (registration) -FrontPage Magazineall 44 news articles »
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