MTN Ghana Giveaway!

MTN Ghana is giving away free MTN to MTN airtime to all of its 10.6 million customers for two minutes. This is said to begin from 5am to 12 midnight on Tuesday, 31st of July, 2012. It is MTN's little way of giving back to the public in memory of the late President John Evans Atta Mills whose week celebration is celebrated on the said Tuesday.

MTN Ghana is the market leades with at least 10.65 million customers as at the end of May 2012 and its on-net standard call rate is 9Gp per minute. In other wrods, if all its 10.65 million customers patronize this free two minute call-time, the company would be losing well over 21.3 million minutes of call and that is worth 1.92 million Ghana Cedis.

While MTN givesaway two minutes of airtime, the government of Ghana asks that there be a Nationwide one-minute silence at exactly 14.15 hours GMT on Tuesday, July 31st, 2012. This is to remember the death of the president on the Tuesday, 27th of July at 14.15 hours GMT.

"May his gentle soul continually rest in Peace." 

Story by 

Samuel Nii Darku, Adom News

Olympic Cauldron Extinguished so it can be Relocated

The flame's Cauldron, a symbol of the Olympic Movement, has been put out so it can be moved from the center of the stadium to a new position, still on the stadium. This happened last night, 29th July, 2012 at 9pm, and it is definitely not normal. The Olympic Cauldron is supposed to burn throughout the Gaming period.

The Olympic cauldron after the flame had been extinguished last night. It was put out about 9pm and re-lit in its new position at 7.50am this morning

The Organisers confirmed it was put out temporarily in order that the 28 feet high structure be moved to the edge of the stadium. LOCOG chairman Sebastian Coe also added that the Cauldron is not a tourist attraction and that is probably the reason for it being positioned in the Stadium.

Torchbearer Austin Playfoot, 82, who was also in the 1948 torch relay, re-lights the cauldron this morning after it was moved to the edge of the Olympic Stadium

The cauldron, designed by Thomas Heatherwick out of copper and silver, and it took seven young athletes to light it up at the opening ceremony on Friday. This was after a 70-day torch relay covering 8,000 miles and all corners of Britain.  It was however re-lit at 7.50am this morning although it kept burning in a miners' lamp overnight. 

The new position of the cauldron will make it easier for both track and field events to take place in the stadium

The Cauldron, made up of 204 steel pipes and individually designed copper petals with each country's name inscribed on them, now stands at the southern end of the stadium, ahead of the finish line for the 100m and in the same place where the giant bell marked the start of the Opening Ceremony. At the end of the Games, the cauldron is to be dismantled  each of the copper petals will be returned to the competing 204 National Olympic Committees to keep.


Courtesy:
Story by Louise Eccles and Adam Shergold, DailyMail

Newest Celebrity: Dancer who Captivated The World in the Olympics Opening Ceremony

Jasmine Breinburg

18-year old Brit School student, Jasmine Breinburg is the young dancer who dazzled the world while playing the leading lady at the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony.

In an effort to make their joys known, viewers of the show have turned to twitter to single out the dancer for her show-stopping performance. She ushered the show into the digital age and out of the industrialization segment.

As a tribute to the British scientist and inventer, Tim Berners-Lee, Jasmine played the part of a girl [called June] who had misplaced her phone during her late night outing. However, June was rescued by a young man [Frankie] who spotted her and picked up her lost mobile phone. He was determined to find her and return her phone, which he did. Their love triumphed and they crowned the act with a kiss. The music in the show was a clear walk throughout the last 40 years.

June and Frankie having a moment

Some of the tweets found include: 

The performance in the show was to represent the moves made in
technology during the past years - Digital Age

The scale of the show, watched by an estimated billion people worldwide, was clearly starting to hit home for Jasmine last night however. She said: 'It was amazing, that's an understatement, it was absolutely crazy.

Story by David Baker, Daily Mail

Woman's Nose Bitten Off After Husband Says He Loves Her.

Lynne After Surgery

Lynne Gough, who was in a violent relationship, told the world how her husband, Nick, punched her in the face for half an hour until it was numb that when he bit her, she didn't realise that her nose had actually been bitten off.


She was married to him for 24 years and had six children for him but the violence drove her into the arms of Chris, who later died of a sudden heart attack. Lynne took Nick back after he begs her only to disfigure her face.


'I found work in a care home and after a few years became a manager. He hated the fact that I had freedom. He wanted me at home the whole time,' Lynne says.

'He would wait for me at the front door and accuse me of having affairs with people at work.'

Lynne says the jealousy began in earnest when she had her first child with Nick. 

'Even in the hospital on the day our baby was born he accused me of having affair with one of the members of staff. Then after that it was anyone. If I went shopping it was someone I'd meet on the street, or people at the children's school. He'd even question me if my underwear matched. When we were young and in love I thought it was flattering. But when I went out to work it got worse. Neither of us had any friends,' she says.  


'I wasn't allowed to socialize. One day at the pub a man kissed me on the cheek. Nick accused me of having an affair with him, even though we'd only met half an hour earlier. That night when we got home, he started drinking more and got really aggressive and abusive.'

Shockingly, Lynne reveals that Nick would subject her to what he called 'Chinese Water Torture' at nights - splashing water on her face and straddling her, holding her eyes open - in an attempt to force her to admit to affairs. After all that, she still could not leave him because she loved him.

'The day he attacked me would have been Chris's 47th birthday, so I was obviously emotional, but I carried on as usual. I called Nick at work, told him I loved him and told him what we'd have for tea. He noticed when he came home that I'd been crying and didn't want to tell him, but he persisted until I admitted it would have been Chris's birthday. I could see a change in his eyes. He wasn't happy at all. I took the dog for a walk to try to calm the situation down. When I came back I went out into the back garden. He came out and that's when he started to attack me,' she says. 

Lynne, who has now had her face fully rebuilt, said the doctors worked miracles with reconstructive surgery.

'The first time it didn't work and had to be taken back off, but now it's reattached and works normally - I can still smell.'

"Thank God she survived... what an experience..."

Courtesy:
Story by Deborah Arthurs, dailymail

President Mills Funeral Date has Been Set.

Late President, John Evans Atta Mills.

The family of the late President John E. A. Mills has announced to the entire public that he [the President] will soon be laid to rest. The  days selected for the funeral rites are from 8 - 10th of August, 2012. 

As for the place of burial, it will be in the Flagstaff House, Accra. President John Dramani Mahama was said to have taken the decision which would see to it that a portion of the Flagstaff House is dedicated to the burial of Presidents and other high ranking officials of the country.

Haruna Iddrisu disclosed this on Joy FM and Multi TV’s news analysis programme, Newsfile Saturday, Accra. It is however unknown for now. Mr Kwesi Amissah [President's brother], mentioned that all funeral rites would be held in Accra. He also  added that there would be no other ceremonies anywhere else.

Mr Amissah also revealed that President Mills' one week would be held at his Regimanuel Gray residence at the Spintex Road on Tuesday, July 31.

"I'm not sure if all people are invited but we still pray for his gentle soul."

Courtesy:

myjoyonline

London 2012: Olympic torch Begins Final Journey

The Olympic torch began the final day of its journey at Hampton Court Palace before boarding the royal barge Gloriana and travelling down the Thames. It will finish at Tower Bridge before being transported to the Olympic Park ahead of the opening ceremony. The Gloriana cauldron was lit by Sir Matthew Pinsent

Courtesy:

Guardian

London Olympics - Snippets from Rehearsals

Careful, or you might miss something... Here is a very, very brief collection of snippets from rehearsals for the opening and closing ceremonies.

"I can't wait... 8 hours more!"

Courtesy:

Guardian

Ghana's New President, Mr. John Mahama holds First Cabinet Meeting

President and members of Cabinet.

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday began his first day in office with an emergency cabinet session, following the demise of the late President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday July 24 in Accra.

Earlier, President Mahama led the cabinet ministers including Henry Martey Newman, Chief of Staff and the Secretary to Cabinet, Ben Eghan, in a time of prayer to commit the soul of the departed President Mills to the care of the almighty.

President said, “It is said that in every adversity there are opportunities…may this adversity that has befallen us turn into opportunities for the government, God should give us the strength to continue with the Better Ghana Agenda.”

President Mahama arrived at the Castle at around 11.20 am in the company of his Aide-de Camp, security officers and upon alighting from an ash saloon car, a grief-stricken but confident looking President Mahama waved to some staff at the Presidency and the media who had assembled in droves to capture whatever was going to transpire.

He then headed straight to his office, where he occupied as Vice-President, and later emerged in the company of Mr. Martey Newman, Mr. Eghan and some officials to begin the emergency cabinet session in an adjoining building.

Although all Ministers at the meeting were tight-lipped, it is believed that they deliberated on issues concerning the performance of late President Mills funeral, the nomination of a new Vice President and the re-organisation of the NDC party to elect a new Presidential candidate for the December general election.

Source: GNA, GhanaWeb

"Ghanaians always hope for the best..."

Former Vice President of Ghana, Mr. John Mahama, Sworn in as President.

John Mahama signing in as the New President of Ghana.

Newly sworn-in president, Mr. John Mahama has paid glowing tribute to the late President John Mills. In a short speech after he was sworn-in by the Chief Justice President John Mahama said “I lost a father, a friend and a senior colleague.” 


According to him, the president died at 2:15 pm after a short illness. In a sombre mood and a heavy heart, President Mahama on behalf of the government and the people of Ghana extended his condolences to the family of the late president. He said Prof. John Atta Mills was a humble and modest person throughout his years public life and the finest tribute to give the late president is to maintain unity and stability in the party and country as a whole.


Courtesy:
myjoyonline

Ghana's President, John Evans Atta Mills Announced Dead

Former President of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills.

GHANA's President, John Atta Mills has died suddenly on this day [24th July, 2012] after celebrating his 68th birthday three days ago [21st July, 2012]. Hours after being taken ill, he was reported dead at 14.15GMT at the 37 Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana. 

 "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the sudden and untimely death of the president of the republic of Ghana," the statement said, adding that Mills, who had travelled recently abroad for a medical check-up, died hours after he got sick on Tuesday. He was announced dead, without providing a cause, the presidency said. According to the constitution, Vice President John Dramani Mahama is to take over as interim leader and he is to address the nation shortly. 

Mills was to be the ruling party's candidate. The late president had recently travelled to the United States for what had been described as a routine medical check-up. Mills took over as Ghana's president in January 2009 after a narrow win in 2008 with a less than one per cent margin against  the opposing candidate.

In July last year, Mills was nominated to be the ruling the National Democratic Congress party's presidential candidate for December 2012 elections. The primary represented the first time in the country's history that a sitting president competed for his own party's nomination. Mills beat his only rival in the party primary, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, the wife of ex-military leader Jerry Rawlings. 

Mills rose to prominence in 1997 when Rawlings named him vice president - a position he held until the former coup leader-turned-elected president made way for Kufuor after the 2000 elections. After finishing his law studies in Britain, Mills came home to teach law for 25 years at a Ghana university. Ghana, a country of some 25 million people, recently joined the ranks of the world's large-scale oil producers. It was the country chosen by Barack Obama for his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as US president in 2009.

"I am in tears as I write this message. We, the people of Ghana have lost a father. We will always remember and pray for the peaceful rest of our former president, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills."