DJ Switch emerges Winner of the 2013 Glo X Factor – Photos & Scoop of the Finale

And the winner of the Africa’s debut X Factor show is DJ Switch.

29 year old rapper DJ Switch (real name - Obianuju Catherine Udeh) has been crowned winner of the 2013 Glo X Factor singing competition. The finale show was recorded on Wednesday 18th September 2013 and just aired today Saturday 21st September 2013.

DJ Switch who is a geology graduate from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers, beat out the two other finalists Ethel Eshun and Victoria “Vicky” Gomoti in the last round of voting. She wins a cash prize of N 24 Million and a recording contract with Sony Music. Just before the announcement, there were performances by UK X Factor winner Alexandra Burke as well as Efya and Flavour. The finalists – DJ Switch, Vicky Gomoti and Ethel Eshun also took to the stage to give their farewell performances.

Spiro Damaskinos (Sony Marketing Director), Alexandra Burke, DJ Switch & Bella Disu

DJ Switch & Her Mum

The first runner-up  Ethel Eshun as well as the second runner Vicky Gomoti, both won a cash prize of N 1 Million. Glo ambassadors Chee and Omawumi were also present at the event.

Check out more photos from the event

Ethel Eshun

Victoria Gomoli

Courtesy: BellaNaija

Ghana can earn $300m from cashew if production increases – Association

The prospects of Ghana’s cashew production is high because the country can rake in between $300 and $400 million if she increases her cashew production from the current 50,000 metric tonnes to 200,000 tonnes annually. 

Mr Windfred Osei Owusu, President of the Ghana Cashew Industry Association, who made the observation on Tuesday, added that the country could attain the goal if 90 per cent of the raw cashew nuts were processed. He was speaking in Accra at the launch of the World Cashew Festival and Expo 2013 in Africa, on the theme: “Value Chain and Gains-Focusing on the Potential to Leverage Profit in Each Sector of the Cashew Industry and in New Markets.” The event, which is expected to come off between September 16 and 19, would be organised by the African Cashew Alliance’s (ACA), to assist players in the industry to develop the value-chain process. The four-day programme would also provide a platform for cashew farmers, processors, traders, exporters, service providers, retailers, equipment manufacturers, bankers and other stakeholders to fashion out innovative ways to improve and sustain the industry. Mr Owusu called on the Government to roll out the Cashew Development Project and similar policy interventions to sustain the industry. He was optimistic that if the players received Government support, similar to those enjoyed by cocoa, palm and mango farmers, the cashew business would thrive. 

Mr Owusu appealed to Government to make funds available to cashew farmers through the Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund. He called on the farmers to join associations and apex bodies to access technical support to build their capacity to sustain their businesses. Mr Owusu said increased investor interest in the industry was a positive indication that the sector had much to offer in terms of job creation, poverty alleviation and income generation. He said one of Brazil’s leading cashew businesses, was in the process of setting up a 35,000-metric-tonne capacity facility at Prampram, in the Eastern suburb of Accra. Mr Owusu said he was hopeful the project would create 2000 direct jobs and other auxiliary employment opportunities and called on the media to sensitise the public on the economic and the nutritional value of cashew products. 

Mr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture expressed Government’s commitment to partner ACA to ensure that the cashew industry became vibrant. He discredited speculations in the media that the cashew production in the country was dwindling. Speaking on the upcoming Cashew Festival, Mr Roger Brou, Managing Director of ACA, said the event would give farmers the platform to explore innovative business prospects in the industry. Beekeeping and production of cashew-apple juice are some new markets farmers could discover. Ghana is said to have produced more than 20,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts in the year 2012, with its production largely centered in the Brong-Ahafo Region. 

The country is considered to be the hub for trading cashews from neighbouring countries, including Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. In total, more than 80,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nut was exported in 2011. On the processors side, Ghana has an installed processing capacity of about 18,000 metric tonnes.

Story by: 

Ghana Business News 

Mary of Nazareth, Epic Film on the Mother of Christ in Theaters this October, 2013

This fall’s must-see Catholic movie?  Fr. Donald Calloway got an early look and raved:

The most stunning portrayal of the Virgin Mary on film. It will make you want to love her more than ever. An absolute masterpiece! Yes, my friends, I can assure you that we finally have a movie that gets Mary totally right! Trust me, I am super hard to please when it comes to any portrayal of Mary in film, but this one nailed it entirely!

(Um…Father, is “nailed it” really the way you want to describe a movie about the mother of Jesus?)

Anyway…check out the trailer.

Courtesy: 
Catholic News Agency

Ghana's National Chief Imam praises Akufo-Addo

Sheikh Dr Osumanu Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam, has applauded Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 2012 Presidential Candidate for New Patriotic Party (NPP) for helping to maintain national peace. He gave the commendation when he led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on Nana Akufo-Addo in Accra. 


The delegation made up of Imams, Muslim Chiefs and Islamic Scholars thanked Nana Akufo-Addo for accepting the Supreme Court verdict on the election petition filed by the NPP challenging the election of President John Dramani Mahama in the 2012 general election. Sheikh Sharabutu said the decision of the NPP flagbearer helped in sustaining peace and stability. He said it is important for Ghanaians to preserve the country’s peace towards national development. 

“There is the need for us to unite, preserve and sustain the peace that Ghana is enjoying,” stressed. He said political tolerance is the only means by which Ghana could consolidate the gains of democracy and called on the citizenry to be tolerant and promote tranquillity. 

Sheikh Sharabutu appealed to Muslim religious leaders to remain as peace ambassadors, to ensure national development. Nana Akufo-Addo said the NPP would not seek a review of the Supreme Court’s ruling, observing that Ghana’s election would never be the same again. He also said the NPP had set precedence for generations to follow. 

Read more in Ghana Business News

September 10th 'should brighten everyone's day': Apple announce launch date of new iPhone 5S that will reportedly come in a variety of colors

Apple has officially announced that September 10th will be the date it launches its much anticipated new iPhone 5s. The event will take place at 10 a.m. Pacific time at the Apple Campus in Cupertino a week today and according to rumors will see the unveiling not only of new and improved smartphone but also for the low-cost iPhone, dubbed the 5C.

The 5S will reportedly come with a new and improved camera and in different colored options, while the iPhone 5C will feature a plastic backing but remain essentially the same technology-wise as the iPhone 5. The firm sent out invites today to the press featuring the phrase, 'This should brighten everyone's day' along with a graphic depiction of multi-colored dots, which has led some to suggest indicates the new iPhone 5 will come in a variety of colors.

Walmart Slashes iPhone 5 Price to $98 Ahead of 5S Launch in September, 2013

With the Apple iPhone 5S expected to launch in just a few short weeks, retailers are looking to clear the stock of Apple's current flagship handset any way they can. To that effect, Walmart slashed the cost of the iPhone 5 today, dropping it $100 below its price at launch. The mega-retailer is now selling the device in-store for just $98 with a two-year contract on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon.

This isn’t the first time Walmart has cut the price on the iPhone in recent memory. Back in June, the company started offering the handset for $129 (down from $189.97). It also started selling the iPhone 4S —which may be discontinued if Apple unveils two new smartphones next month—for just $39 at the same time (down from $99).

With the iPhone 5S launch so close, there’s no real reason to take Walmart up on its offer. In a few weeks, the iPhone 5 will naturally drop to $99 on-contract as Apple rolls out a new flagship handset. At that point you’ll have a choice between the 4-inch iPhone 5 and the updated 5S, which is expected to feature a more powerful processor, a larger battery, possibly a built-in fingerprint scanner, but no noticeable external changes.

Story by
Jacob Kleinman

Source: TechnoBuffalo / WALMART

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Buys 'The Washington Post' for $250 Million

In a surprise move, Jeff Bezos, the CEO and founder of Amazon, has purchased The Washington Post and various other newspaper assets from The Washington Post Company for $250 million, it was announced at an all-hands meeting at The Washington Post's offices on Monday afternoon.

Bezos is acquiring WaPo as an individual, not by Amazon, the company confirmed in an e-mailed statement.


Courtesy: 
Lauren Indvik,mashable.com

'SimCity' Coming to Mac Aug. 29

SimCity is finally being released for Mac on Aug. 29, five months after being released for PC, EA announced Monday.

The newest city-building game from EA and Maxis will be a cross-platform game, which means gamers who downloaded it for PC will be able to get a Mac copy for free through Origin, EA's download service.

Courtesy: 
Chelsea Stark, mashable.com

In Memory of a King | Ghanaians Look Back at their Loss as they Celebrate one year of the Death of Former President John Evans Atta Mills

Today, Ghana remembers its year-old loss. At 14.05 GMT last year, the then President, now Late President John Evans Atta-Mills passed away. Ghanaians look back into his life and miss him. Throughout the country, people have been given the chance to express themselves as to what they want to be done in his memory. 

A planning committee was setup to ensure that activities to mark the 1st Anniversary of the Late President John Evans Atta-Mills are made special. Car-parking arrangements have also been decided on towards the 'wreath-laying ceremony' in memory of the Late President. This is scheduled to take place today, Wednesday, 24th July, 2013 at the Asomdwee Park.

"We miss him very much and pray he has eternal rest where ever he is."

Bangladesh Islamist Ghulam Azam found guilty of war crimes

Some believe anything less than a death sentence is not a worthy 
verdict, says the BBC's Mahfuz Sadique

A war crimes court has found Islamist Ghulam Azam guilty of five charges relating to Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence with Pakistan.

Ghulam Azam was sentenced to 90 years in jail for his involvement in mass killings and rape during the war. Supporters of Bangladesh's main Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party, which he led from 1969 until 2000, clashed with police ahead of the verdict.

It is the fifth sentence passed against current and former party leaders. The court found Mr Azam, 90, guilty of five charges including conspiracy, incitement, planning, abetting and failing to prevent murder.

He faced more than 60 counts of crimes against humanity for his role in setting up militia groups which carried out atrocities during the war.

Mr Azam has denied the charges, which his supporters say were politically motivated.

Mr Azam remained stony-faced as the verdict was read out in the courtroom

The prosecution had been seeking the death penalty.

But the three-judge panel said that while Mr Azam deserved capital punishment, he received a prison term because of his advanced age.

Spiritual leader

The mood in Bangladesh is tense, with police on all major streets of the capital and security beefed up around the country, the BBC's Mahfuz Sadique in Dhaka says.

Before the verdict was announce, police reportedly fired rubber bullets to disperse Jamaat-e-Islam supporters protesting in Dhaka and several other cities on Monday.

Journalists were among a number of people hurt in the violence in the Dhalpur district of Dhaka, police say.

On the eve of the verdict there were sporadic clashes in different parts of the capital with reports of some injuries, he adds.

Previous verdicts for former Jamaat leaders have led to deadly protests involving party supporters.

More than 100 people have been killed since January in political violence sparked by verdicts handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal.

Pro-government groups have also taken to the streets demanding death sentences for those being tried, accusing the tribunal of being too lenient.

Continue reading the main story

In February, thousands staged vigils in Dhaka demanding the death penalty for Abdul Kader Mullah, who was sentenced to life for crimes against humanity.

Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi and the party's assistant secretary-general, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, were both indicted and sentenced to death by the tribunal earlier this year.

The International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh was set up by the current Awami League-led government in 2010 to try alleged collaborators of the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's war of independence.

Human rights groups have said the tribunal falls short of international standards.

Mr Azam's defence lawyers say the charges are based only on newspaper reports of Mr Azam's speeches at the time, and none have been proved.

Jamaat has called for a general strike in protest.

Mr Azam was the party's leader from 1969 until 2000 and is seen by many as its spiritual leader.

Described by party colleagues as a writer and Islamic thinker, Mr Azam was strongly opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, arguing at the time that it would divide the Muslim community.

The exact number of people killed during Bangladesh's nine-month war of secession is unclear: official Bangladeshi figures suggest as many as three million people died, but independent researchers suggest the death toll was around 500,000.

Story by:
BBC News