EIGHT DEAD AFTER CHANNEL CROSSING ATTEMPT Eight people have died overnight while trying to cross the Channel from France to England, French police say. Rescue services were alerted after the boat got into difficulty in waters north of Boulogne-sur-mer in the northern Pas-de-Calais region after 01:00 local time (00:00 BST). The rubber vessel had around 50 people on board and started to sink not long after leaving the coast. It comes less than two weeks after 12 people, including six children and a pregnant woman, died when a boat carrying dozens of migrants sank in what was the deadliest loss of life in the Channel this year. The French coast guard said the boat in the incident reported on Sunday was seen heading towards a beach in the town of Ambleteuse but rescue teams could not offer assistance from the sea. On the beach, emergency services provided care to 53 people and confirmed eight had died, the coast guard said. No other people were found during sea searches. An investigation has been opened by the Boulogne-sur-mer public prosecutor's office. A UK government spokesperson confirmed the latest incident and said French authorities were leading the response and investigation. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said it was "awful" to hear of a "further loss of life" in the Channel. He told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that many people were "of course not able to make it" across the Channel, having seen the types of rubber dinghies people have been using. He also reiterated the government's plan to work with European partners to tackle the criminal people-smuggling gangs to deter small boat crossings. There has been a spate of crossing attempts across the Channel in the last two days with the arrival of calmer weather. French maritime authorities said that 200 people were rescued in a 24-hour period over Friday and Saturday. The French coast guard and other first responders rescued people onboard four separate boats - one with 61, another with 55, and two others with 48 and 36 each. Eighteen attempted crossings were monitored by authorities over the course of the day. Including the eight latest victims, a total of 45 people have died in the Channel this year - the highest reported number since 2021, according to the UN's International Organisation for Migration. Amnesty International UK said the latest incident was "yet another appalling and avoidable tragedy". Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said the deaths were not "inevitable" and a comprehensive approach to reduce crossings was needed. "Enforcement alone is not the solution," he said, adding that there needed to be improved access to safe asylum routes. 15th September,2024

DEPUTY PRESIDENT MASHATILE COLLAPSES Deputy President Paul Mashatile has collapsed on the podium while addressing N’wamitwa Day in Tzaneen in Limpopo. He was rushed to hospital. Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba says Mashatile is fine after the collapse. Ramathuba says the public should not be alarmed by the situation. She suspects that heat exhaustion could have led to the collapse. She however did not reveal where Mashatile was taken for treatment after the collapse. Mashatile was addressing N’wamitwa Day in his capacity as chairperson of the Presidential Task Team on matters of Traditional and Khoisan leaders. He was taken off from podium by security officers and emergency officials. This was Mashatile’s words before he collapsed, “We must collaborate and create more equitable and united South Africa towards another 30 years of democracy let us recommit to the National Development Plan and the goal of ending poverty and reducing inequality by 2030.” N’wamitwa Day is aimed at commemorating the inauguration of Her Royal Highness Hosi Dr N’wamitwa II, which took place on 29 August 2008 as a pioneer woman traditional leader among the Vatsonga people. Meanwhile, the South African presidency has assured the public that Paul Mashatile is well. “Deputy President Paul Mashatile is well after the unfortunate incident at the N’wamitwa Day Celebrations.” “While delivering his keynote address Mashatile felt lightheaded from the heat and was attended to by his medical team,” the statement further elaborates. 15th September,2024

US MUST CHOOSE ‘LESSER OF TWO EVILS Pope Francis on Friday described the choice US voters must make in the presidential election as one between the “lesser of two evils,” deeming former President Donald Trump’s anti-migrant policies and Vice President Kamala Harris’ support of abortion rights as both being “against life.” “One must choose the lesser of two evils. Who is the lesser of two evils? That lady or that gentleman? I don’t know,” Francis said during a press conference on the papal plane, referring to Harris and Trump. “Everyone with a conscience should think on this and do it.” Francis has been more vocal about politics than his predecessors and has moved to make the Catholic Church more open. While he has consistently and strongly defended the Catholic Church’s teaching that abortion is the deliberate destruction of a human life, Francis has also insisted it cannot be isolated from other issues concerning human life, including immigration. “To send migrants away, to leave them wherever you want, to leave them … it’s something terrible, there is evil there. To send away a child from the womb of the mother is an assassination, because there is life. We must speak about these things clearly,” he said. Francis has previously weighed in on political issues, signaling more progressive stances by allowing priests to forgive abortions, authorizing blessings for same-sex couples and repeatedly warning about climate change. He has challenged Catholic bishops in the US who have insisted that abortion is the “pre-eminent” issue, arguing that the plight of migrants is also about the defense of life. In 2016, Francis described then-presidential candidate Trump’s plan to build a wall to stop migrants from crossing the US-Mexico border as “not Christian.” And when bishops were debating in 2021 whether to deny communion to public figures who support abortion rights, including President Joe Biden, Francis urged them to make their decisions from a “pastoral” viewpoint and not a political one. The pope has said he has never denied communion to anyone. Francis has criticized couples who choose to have pets rather than children, aligning with views expressed by Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, a converted Catholic who has derided women without kids as “childless cat ladies” and described those in the country’s “leadership class” who don’t have children as “more sociopathic.” US Catholics also have a range of views. According to Pew Research, 52% of Catholic registered voters describe themselves as being or leaning Republican, while 44% say they are or lean Democrat. Catholic voters were split in 2020, with 50% voting for Biden and 49% supporting Trump, according to Pew. But a majority of Catholics – 61% – believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. 15th September,2024

CENTRAL EUROPE DEALS WITH DEADLY FLOODS Torrential rain is continuing to swell rivers across Central and Eastern Europe, with one person confirmed to have drowned in Poland and thousands left without power. Poland's prime minister Donald Tusk confirmed the death on Sunday as he urged stricken residents to cooperate with rescuers. Storm Boris also proved deadly in Romania on Saturday, where four people were killed during floods in the south-eastern region of Galati. In the Czech Republic, flooding has led to evacuations and 51,000 households in the country's northern areas have been hit by power outages, Czech power company CEZ says. Flood barriers have gone up in the capital Prague. "We are again facing the effects of climate change, which are increasingly present on the European continent, with dramatic consequences," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Saturday. How climate change worsens heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and floods Extreme precipitation is becoming more likely in Europe, as across much of the world, due to climate change. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, which can lead to heavier rainfall. The mayor of Slobozia Conachi, a village in Romania's Galati region, said 700 homes had been flooded. "This is a catastrophe of epic proportions," Emil Dragomir said. 15th September,2024

DR. NII AMU DARKO VOWS TO CHALLENGE After the dramatic events of September 13, 2024, when Dr. Nii Amu Darko and the Progressive People’s Party’s (PPP) flagbearer, Kofi Asamoah-Siaw, submitted their presidential nominations after the official deadline, the independent candidate is preparing to challenge any unfavorable ruling from the Electoral Commission (EC). Despite arriving at the EC headquarters before 4:00pm, Dr. Darko’s candidacy now hangs in the balance, and he is ready to contest any decision to disqualify him from the 2024 presidential race. In an impassioned statement after the submission, Dr. Nii Amu Darko expressed his frustration with the EC’s decision to receive his forms but not necessarily accept them, indicating that he believes he met the filing requirements. 15th September,2024

FELLOWSHIP MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 110YRS Global Chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship (WAGF), Rev Dominic Yeo, has expressed delight about Ghana hosting the WAGF meeting for the first time. Addressing a press conference, he said this is the first time in the 110-year history of Assemblies of God that Africa, and for that matter, Ghana is hosting such a high-level meeting. This meeting is part of activities to plan the World Assemblies of God Congress slated to take place here in Accra in 2026, he said. The World Congress of Assemblies of God was first held in Seoul, Korea in 1994. Since then, the Congress, normally held every three years, has been held in Sao Paolo – Brazil, Indianaplolis- USA, Sydney – Australia, Lisbon-Portugal and Madras – India. The rest are Springfield Missouri – USA and Singapore, Rev Yeo said. “The 2020 event was cancelled due to COVID. It was at the 2023 event in Madrid Spain that the baton for the 2026 Congress was handed to Ghana. Globally Assemblies of God is 110 years old, tracing its root to the Azusa Street revival in the US regarded as the greatest revival experienced in the world’s history. 15th September,2024

MAHAMA ACCUSES NPP Mahama accuses NPP of eroding investor confidence in energy sector 15th September,2024

CORRUPTION IN AFRICA The Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin says Western institutions and economies cannot be exonerated from the complicity of Corruption on the African continent. He says some actions and inactions of the Western leaders contribute to the menace of corruption in Africa. Okyenhene mentioned that western leaders have made their countries a safe haven for corrupt politicians and African leaders to hide and enjoy their stolen wealth. "If I walk to the bank today to deposit $ 15,000, the teller will take the money and report to the bank manager. The Bank manager will invite me and inquire about the sources of that money. But the African leaders have their own way to deposit huge monies in foreign banks without facing probes. Why must it be so?" Osagyefuo questioned Delivering a lecture under the theme: 'Sustainable Leadership in African Governance' at the School of Management, University of Bradford in the UK, Okyenhene hinted that many African leaders and politicians have their way of depositing huge monies in foreign accounts and investing in real estate business abroad without questions. 15th September,2024