I am so blessed to have a Mum like you. I know raising me was not easy so I am ever so thankful for all your unconditional love and patience! You mean so much to me Mum. I love you with all my heart and wish you a Happy Mother’s Day!

WordPress is the world’s most popular site builder and content management system. Designed for publishing but used for sites ranging from small blogs to large corporations, this free and open source software allows anyone to establish an online presence – and make money. Depending on your goals and interests, you can create one, or many, different income streams with a little time and minimal expense with your WordPress skills and the tools of your self-hosted Word Press site.

How Can You Make Money With WordPress?

WordPress was created to help all kinds of users create a basic website, and from that core code it’s possible to design sites for many different purposes with the many theme options, plugins, and extensions that are available from WordPress itself and third-party developers around the world. 

WordPress itself is free to download and install with the web hosting provider of your choice, so it’s possible to create a WordPress site or blog that can make money for the price of a domain name and a web hosting package, using only free WordPress themes and plugins. Depending on the nature of your site and your goals, you can also choose from a variety of premium themes and plugins, as well as other tools and services for setting up and monetizing specific kinds of WordPress sites, such as membership or eCommerce websites.

Your self-hosted WordPress site is your “home base” online, and you’re free to use it to develop a number of different avenues for earning money; but just as you would need to investigate local laws and regulations before setting up a physical business or service, it’s important to consider the legalities of online commerce, too. 

For example, if you’re planning to sell products or conduct business that involves collecting personal information from users, it’s important to be sure that your site follows national and international regulations regarding collecting and using that information. You might also need to investigate issues like taxes, shipping charges or local laws pertaining to your physical place of business. If you’re freelancing, you might need to look into the legalities of writing contracts and negotiating with clients.

Your WordPress site can be used to earn income from the things you create like from a blog, the services you provide, or the space you offer to others. Your site can become a business in itself, or it can become another tool to support a business you already own. While it may be hard work at first, monetizing your website is a great way to earn an extra income or it can even turn into a full-time job. For example, a local small business might find that a website provides another tool for maintaining an existing customer base. 

Whatever your goals might be, your WordPress site can open doors to a global marketplace of possibilities for making money with WordPress with these 7 tips.

1.) Sell Your WordPress Skills

Whether you’re a seasoned WordPress user with development skills or a relative newcomer to the platform, you can leverage your WordPress skills to earn money. Opportunities include:

• Building WordPress themes and plugins
• Designing WordPress sites
• Teaching others how to set up a WordPress site
• Setting up blogs or other kinds of sites for new users
• Creating tutorials or “how to” articles and videos on WordPress

2.) Sell Products on Your WordPress Site

Your WordPress site can become an online storefront for selling just about any kind of physical or digital goods. Products ranging from e-books and digital images to T-shirts, apparel, and electronics can be marketed from your site using free eCommerce plugins, such as WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads. Integrate with third-party print-on-demand and shipping services to fulfill orders for physical products, or connect your site with online marketplaces and shopping sites. Once you’ve built a strong WordPress website, you’ll be able to start selling and earn money in no time at all. 

3.) Create a Freelance Business

The Internet is made for freelancing and creative entrepreneurship, and your WordPress site can help. Photographers, designers, freelance writers, and other creatives can set up portfolio sites, build professional profiles and offer a variety of goods and services with the tools of WordPress themes and plugins. Your WordPress site can showcase your services and rates and establish you as an authority in your niche. Free and premium plugins can provide tools for creating landing pages, email and newsletter campaigns, and building forums and social networks on your site.

4.) Become an Affiliate Marketer

You don’t have to offer your own goods and services to make money with WordPress. Affiliate marketing is a way of earning money by promoting other people’s products on your site. Whenever someone clicks on a link you provide in a post or page, or buys a product you recommend, you receive a commission from the sponsoring company. Affiliate networks provide extensive lists of companies with affiliate programs you can join, but to be approved, you’ll most likely have to provide a link to your site. Make sure it’s ready for visitors before you sign up.

5.) Offer Memberships and Subscriptions

Although many sites are accessible to everyone, “members only” sites are growing fast. A membership site makes the content available only to paid members, or through a variety of subscription plans. If you can provide valuable content not found anywhere else, such as exclusive news stories or a niche-specific magazine, putting it behind a paywall or creating a members-only section with a variety of WordPress plugins can be a way to generate income.

6.) Host Content from Others

Another way to make money with WordPress is to make space available for others to post content. Host advertising from affiliate sponsors (or through services like Google AdSense), or create a directory or classified advertising site that charges users to post listings. Create a forum or niche-specific social network using WordPress plugins like BuddyPress, and charge membership fees to join and comment.

7.) Offer Courses

If you have skills to share, consider creating online courses or tutorials and posting them to your WordPress site. Courses can be sold as downloadable products or offered through subscriptions and memberships to your site. Some WordPress themes are designed with e-learning in mind, and premium plugins like LearnDash and WPCourseware have all the tools you need to turn your WordPress site into a classroom.

Whether you make money blogging, offer online courses, or start your own eCommerce website, there are many ways to make a living through WordPress. One reason WordPress is so popular is that it allows users to create virtually any kind of site; and with thousands of themes and plugins to help you get started, you can make money with your WordPress website in just about any way you can imagine.

#Blog #Business

All Twitter JavaScript is loaded through WordPress resource managers for optimized execution. Twitter Cards are customized by post format and post type. Sharing options are only presented for a public post status.

#Blog #SocialMedia

The captain of a fishing vessel is feared dead and one observer is reported missing after the large boat sunk between the sea waters of Elmina and Takoradi.

Three people on board the vessel have been rescued and are undergoing treatment.

Information gathered by JoyNews indicate that the Menghxin 11 vessel sunk in the early hours of Saturday with all the crew on board but fortunately some were able to swim to a nearby vessel, with the name Menghxin 6.

The crew was hauling a net that had so much fish in it. The crew, it is reported had some difficulty pulling the net full of fish to the vessel. Around that same time, it was raining heavily couple with thunderstorms. The vessel, according to the survivors, could not sustain the balance on one side and sunk with all the crew on board. 

The rescue mission began with the nearby vessel, Menghxin 6, and the Ghana Navy later joined. The Navy has been combing the incident area and is still on a search of other survivors. So far, the body of the captain of the vessel has been recovered but the observer on board the vessel is yet to be found.https://www.youtube.com/embed/vtIjBk-7o1c?feature=oembed

#blog #topstories

More soon…

A$AP Rocky is using his new song to call out one of Rihanna‘s exes … referencing his girlfriend’s infamous beating at the hands of Chris Brown.

The rapper takes a thinly-veiled shot at Breezy in his new track, “D.M.B” … where Rocky raps, “I don’t beat my bitch, I need my bitch.” 

The song title stands for, “DAT$ MAH B!*$H.”

Of course, A$AP is referencing CB’s well-document attack on RiRi back in 2009, when Chris punched her in his car, resulting in bruising and a split lip.https://www.youtube.com/embed/0NzlbBmkM3E

Chris was sentenced to five years probation and community service for assaulting Rihanna and later admitted the incident made him feel like a monster and would haunt him forever. 

Clearly, A$AP is not letting Chris live it down.

The music video for “D.M.B.” just dropped Thursday, and there’s also imagery of A$AP and Rihanna tying the knot — they have gold grills that say “Marry Me” and “I Do” — which is interesting because RiRi is pregnant with Rocky’s baby.

#blog #Entertainment

It was the low point of the 2022 Oscars but for a Will Smith look-alike called Shad Ellis, the actor slapping Chris Rock on stage over a joke the latter made about his wife is a blessing in disguise.

Ellis said he has been cashing in on Smith for the past 25 years but his business has boomed as demand for his appearances has gone up. 

He now charges at least $1000 per appearance but “is also having to deal with a lot of comments from strangers and friends alike – both in-person and online,” Yahoo News reports.

According to the outlet, Ellis, from Bedfordshire in the UK, makes money by appearing at nightclubs, weddings and corporate events across the globe as a doppelgänger. Sometimes, onlookers mistake him for Will Smith.

“I get comments about it daily,” Ellis told Jam Press. “When I’m at my day job people always ask me about it and point it out to me.

He continued: “I had a guy last week stop me to say how much I look like Will Smith. We spoke for a bit and he ended the conversation by jokingly saying ‘Don’t slap me’.

“It’s all in good humor.”

Ellis said working as a part-time Will Smith look-alike has allowed him to buy his first house at just 21 years and drive nice cars.

Speaking on the actual incident, Ellis noted that he does not condone violence but said he can see “both sides” of the argument.

“I think we all as humans are capable of a flashpoint triggered by a raw emotion or feeling, and regardless of the situation, once you see red, everything around you becomes blurred,” said Ellis. “I strongly disagree — he should [not] have slapped him, but how many of us do an action we immediately regret after doing it, driven by being caught in your feelings or the moment.”

The 23rd edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards came off on Friday and Saturday at the Grand Arena in Accra.

The first night of the event saw Fameye, Wizkid, Kweisey Pee, Stonebwoy and MOG Beatz take home awards.

KiDi, Black Sherif, Sarkodie, Kofi Kinaata, Sefa and many artistes also took home awards on the second night.

See the full list of winners below:

Artiste Of The Year

• King Promise
• Kuami Eugene
• Sarkodie
• Black Sherif
• KiDi ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Joe Mettle

Best Hiplife Song

• Yeeko – Okyeame Kwame ft Kuami Eugene ––––––––––––––– Winner
• No Fugazy – Sarkodie
• BiiBi Bese – Kwame Yogot ft Kuami Eugene
• Accra – Medikal
• Abodie – Captain Planet ft Kuami Eugene
• Kom – Fancy Gadam
• Zinabu –  DopeNation ft Dancegod Lloyd, Afrobeat, DWP Academy
• S3k3 – Mr Drew

Video of The Year

• Mon Bebe – KiDi
• Mood – Mr Drew
• Odeshie – Epixode
• Bad Girls Luv Money Remix – Amaarae
• Slow Down – King Promise
• Rollies And Cigar – Sarkodie
• Nyinya – Bosom P Yung ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Let It Go – Kweku Smoke
• Fine Girl – Mona 4 Reall

Best HipLife/HipHop Artiste

• Sarkodie ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Okyeame Kwame
• Black Sherif
• D Black
• Amerado
• Medikal

Best Afrobeats Song

• Celebrate – Kwesi Arthur
• Dollar On You – Kuami Eugene
• E Choke Sefa ft Mr Drew ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Coming Home – Mzvee ft Tiwa Savage
• Sugarcane – Camidoh ft Phantom
• Mon Bebe – KiDi
• Je M’apelle – Darko Vibes ft Davido

Best Afropop Song

• Wendy Shay ft Shay Gang – Heat
• Gyakie ft Omah Lay – Forever Remix
• Mr Drew – Mood
• King Promise – Slow Down
• D Black ft Quamina MP, Stonebwoy – Enjoyment Minister
• Amaarae ft Moliy, Kali Uchis – Bad Girls Luv Money Remix
• Fameye – Praise ––––––––––––––– Winner

Afrobeats/Afropop Artiste

• Sefa
• KiDi ––––––––––––––– Winner
• King Promise
• Mr. Drew
• Wendy Shay
• Gyakie
• Camidoh
• Darkovibes

Best Gospel Song

• Joyce Blessing – Oluwa Is Involved
• Joe Mettle – Ye Obua Mi
• Ohemaa Mercy ft MOG Music -Ote Me Mu ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Diana Hamilton – Awurade Ye
• Celestine Donkor – Only You
• Bethel Revival ft Joe Mettle – Enyo
• Akesse Brempong ft MOG Music – Yaweh
• Empress Gifty – Eye Woaa
• Scott Evans – Mapek3
• Obaapa Christy – The Glory

Best Gospel Artiste

• Diana Hamilton
• Obaapa Christy
• Celestine Donkor
• MoG Music
• Empress Gifty
• Joe Mettle ———————- Winner
• Ohemaa Mercy
• Akesse Brempong

Best Highlife Song

• Kofi Kinaata – Thy Grace PT1 ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Ak Songstress – Jonathan
• Akwaboah ft Cina Soul – Obiaa
• Bisa KDei – Yard
• Kuami Eugene – Te Na Fie
• Cina Soul – Feelings

Best Highlife Artiste

• Cina Soul
• Akwaboah ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Bisa Kdei
• Fameye
• Kuami Eugene
• Kofi Kinaata

Album Of The Year

• Sarkodie – No Pressure
• KiDi – The Golden Boy ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Joe Mettle – Experience
• Akwaboah – Lighthouse
• D Black – Loyalty
• Kuami Eugene – The Afro Highlife

Songwriter Of The Year

• Minister OJ – Deburu
• Fameye – Praise –––––––––––––– Winner
• Abiana – Bo Nooni
• Kofi Kinaata – The Grace PT 1
• Akwaboah – Obiaa
• Diana Hamilton – Awurade Ye

Best Hiphop Song of the Year

• Abotre – Amerado ft Black Sherif
• Winning – Kwesi Arthur ft Vic Mensa
• Second Sermon – Black Sherif ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Coachella – Sarkodie ft Kwesi Arthur
• Sika Aba Fie Remix – Kweku Darlington ft Kuami Eugene and Kweku Flick
• Sore Remix – Yaw Tog ft Stormzy and Kwesi Arthur

Best Reggae/Dancehall Song

• 1Gad – Stonebwoy
• Touch It- KiDi ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Picture – Samini ft Efya
• Greedy Men – Stonebwoy
• New Gen – Larrusi
• Odeshie – Epixode

Male Vocal Performance

• Akwaboah Ntro – Naa
• Black Sherif – Golddigger
• Joe Mettle – Ye Obuami
• KiDi – Bad Things
• King Promise – Slow Down
• Kweisey Pee – Amazing God ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Luigi McLean – Mala

Female Vocal Performance

• Celestine Donkor – Only You
• Abiana – MY House
• Esther Goodwill – Faithful God
• Niiella – Where You Are ————————— Winner
• Efe Grace – Overflow
• Cina Soul – OMG

Best African Artiste

• Wizkid ——————————— Winner 
• Fireboy DML
• Ckay
• Tems
• Focalistic
• Joeboy

Collaboration of the year

• Captain Planet ft Kuami Eugene – Abodie
• Okyeame Kwame ft Kuami Eugene – Yeeko
• D Black ft Stonebwoy, Quamina MP – Enjoyment Minister ———————– Winner
• Sefa ft Mr Drew – E Choke
• Kweku Darlington ft Kuami Eugene, Fameye, Yaw Tog, Kweku Flick – Sika Aba Fie Remix
• Sarkodie ft Kwesi Arthur – Coachella
• Kwame Yogot ft Kuami Eugne – Biibi Besi
• Ohemaa Mercy ft MOG Music – Ote Mimu

International Collaboration of the year

• Coming Home – Mzvee ft Tiwa Savage
• Sore Remix – Yaw Tog ft Kwesi Arthur, Stormzy
• Sad Girls Love Money- Amaarae ft Moliy, Kali Uchis
• Je M’appelle – DarkoVibes ft Davido
• Second Sermon Remix – Black Sherif ft Burna Boy
• Spiritual- KiDi ft Kuami Eugene, Patoranking
• Non-Living Thing- Sarkodie ft Oxlade
• Forever Remix – Gyakie ft Omah Lay ———————– Winner

Vodafone Most Popular Song 

• King Promise – Slow Down
• Ohemaa Mercy ft MoG Music – Ote Me Mu
• Okyeame Kwame ft Kuami Eugene – Yeeko
• Gyakie ft Omah Lay – Forever Remix
• Darkovibes ft Davido – Je M’appelle
• KiDi – Touch It ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Black Sherif – Second Sermon (2nd)
• Kuami Eugene – Dollar On You
• Joe Mettle – Ye Obuame
• Fameye – Praise
• Sefa – EChoke
• Mr. Drew – Mood

Best New Artiste

• Sefa
• Black Sherif ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Scott Evans
• Mona 4 Reall
• Kweku Darlington
• Kwame Yogot

Best Rap Performance

• Lyrical Joe – 5th August ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Strongman – Last Verse
• Obibini – Wudini
• Teephlow – WonteAse3
• Sarkodie – Rollies And Cigars
• Amerado – The Throne

Best Reggae / Dancehall Artiste

• Samini
• Larruso
• Epixode
• Stonebwoy ––––––––––––––– Winner

Record Of The Year

• Akwaboah – Ntro Naa
• Wutah Afriyie – Country Hot
• Fameye – Praise
• Minister OJ – Meduru
• Amaarae ft Moliy, Kali Uchis – Sad Girls Luv Money ––––––––––––––– Winner
• Okyeame Kwame ft Adina – Love Locked Down

Best Traditional Artiste of the Year – Nii Tettey Tetteh

Lifetime Achievement of the Year – Agya Koo Nimoh

Music for Good – Stonebwoy

Producer of the year – MOG

Vodafone Green Awards – Stonebwoy

The Sky’s the Limit, normally it does not work to take photos with a clear blue sky background. Most photographers like to have some clouds or …

The Sky’s the Limit

The Sky’s the Limit, normally it does not work to take photos with a clear blue sky background. Most photographers like to have some clouds or …

The Sky’s the Limit

Ghanaian blogger Kobby Kyei says Shatta Wale, Stonebwoy and Sarkodie need to beef up their PR teams.

In an interview with Doreen Avio on Daybreak Hitz, Kobby Kyei was responding to Stonebwoy’s call for support following his new deal with DefJam records.

According to Stonebwoy, the likes of himself, Sarkodie and Shatta Wale would have been global brands by now, if Ghanaians held on to major moments.

He stressed that his major achievements and that of his colleagues are not celebrated enough.

However, Kobby Kyei believes that some of the issues happen because these artists in question do not have strong public relations teams to let the public know about the achievements Stonebwoy spoke about.

“Our Ghanaian artistes are not paying attention to PR. When you mention the likes of Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy, they have websites where you can get any information that they need you to know about them. 

“How many Ghanaian artists have websites that are always updated? They don’t take some of these things seriously. Even getting the information from them to feed their fanbase is a struggle. I think they (Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale and Sarkodie) do not have strong PR teams,” he said

Kobby Kyei on the other hand congratulated Stonebwoy for putting up a well-organized press conference to inform the press about his deal with an American multinational record label owned by the Universal Music Group DefJam recordings.

Stonebwoy is an award-winning African artist that has been placing the continent firmly on the musical map with international touring, standout collaborations and hugely popular singles since 2012.

He released his brand-new single, Therapy, on May 3 via DefJam Recordings, supported by UMG labels around the world.

At least 22 people have died and more than 60 have been hospitalised after a massive explosion rocked one of Cuba’s most exclusive five-star hotels.

It is believed a gas tanker which was parked outside the Saratoga Hotel in Old Havana ignited, causing an explosion which destroyed several floors of the building.

The historic hotel was set for a post-pandemic reopening in four days.

It now lies in ruins, with much of its outer wall torn off.

Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate people trapped under the debris.

The Cuban presidency said the dead included a pregnant woman and a child.

The injured are being treated at nearby hospitals.

Yazira de la Caridad, who lives a block from the hotel, told CBS News she “thought [the explosion] was an earthquake”.

Witnesses said they saw plumes of black smoke and clouds of dust billowing into the sky following the explosion.

A school which is located directly behind the hotel was unaffected, with local officials confirming all its children have been safely evacuated.

Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel has visited the damage site, which sits opposite the government’s old congressional building. The president said: “It was not a bomb or an attack, it’s an unfortunate accident.”

The incident comes as tourism in the country was re-emerging from two difficult years caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Saratoga Hotel, a landmark in the colonial district of the capital, had been closed for refurbishment during much of this period.

The 19th century building is synonymous in Havana with visiting celebrities – after stars such as Madonna, Beyonce and Mick Jagger stayed there during the thaw between Havana and Washington under President Barack Obama.

MTN Ghana has donated 10,000 MTN recharge cards, hampers and other souvenirs to the Efutu Traditional Area in the Central Region to contribute to this year’s Aboakyer Festival.

Senior Manager for the South-West Business District for MTN, Prince Owusu Nyarko, who led the delegation to the Efutu Traditional Council, said they will continue to partner with the chiefs and people of the area in some critical development areas.

According to him, the gesture was also a way of showing gratitude to the Chiefs and people of Efutu for their support over the years.

“Your continuous support for our brand has helped immensely make MTN the network of choice and leader in the telecommunications industry today,” he said.

He added, “We breathe a sigh of relief as we gradually see some normalcy after two years of COVID-19 restrictions that put all these celebrations on hold.

“We are thrilled to see the chiefs and people reunite as a family, renew friendships and make new ones.”

According to MTN, they have come to join the chiefs and people to reaffirm their relationship and lend our continuous support to the people of Efutu.

“Today, we have come to support the traditional council in revamping the festivities and rituals after the devastating effect of COVID-19,” he stated.

Prince Owusu Nyarko said that the theme for this year’s celebration, “Together we build the road to a progressive society,” cannot be overemphasised since no society can be developed without unity.

A German woman has been found guilty of sexual assault after poking holes in her partner’s condoms in an attempt to get pregnant, according to reports.

The woman, 39, was in a “friends with benefits” relationship with the man when she deliberately damaged the condoms without his knowledge.

The case made legal history, according to the judge, because the crime known as “stealthing” – where a man secretly removes the contraceptive during sex – was in this instance committed by a woman.

She was given a six-month suspended sentence.

The pair met online at the beginning of 2021 and began a casual, sexual relationship.

She developed deeper feelings for her partner, 42, but knew he did not want to be in a committed relationship, according to the Bild newspaper.

The woman secretly poked holes in the packet of condoms in the hope of getting pregnant, but was said to be unsuccessful.

Despite this, she later sent the man a WhatsApp message saying she believed she was pregnant – and told him what she had done.

He subsequently brought a complaint against her.

Although prosecutors and the court agreed a crime had been committed, there was initial uncertainty over what she should be charged with.

“We have written legal history here today,” Judge Astrid Salewski told the regional court in the western city of Bielefeld.

After first investigating whether the crime constituted rape, she decided a charge of sexual assault was appropriate after reading about the crime of stealthing while reviewing case law.

The judge said in her decision: “This provision also applies in the reverse case.

“The condoms were rendered unusable without the man’s knowledge or his consent.”

She added: “No means no here as well.”

The Ghanaian version of Grammy Vodafone Ghana Music Awards is here again tonight. It’s happening at the Grand Arena, Accra International Conference Center. Artists to perform; Sarkodie, Samini, D-Black, Kofi Kinaata, Joe Mettle, Joyce Blessing and many more…..
VGMA23 #VGMA

The Ghanaian version of Grammy Vodafone Ghana Music Awards is here again tonight. It’s happening at the Grand Arena, Accra International Conference Center. Artists to perform; Sarkodie, Samini, D-Black, Kofi Kinaata, Joe Mettle, Joyce Blessing and many more…..

VGMA23 #VGMA

Liberia’s president has sacked the head of the country’s only international airport after dark runways, caused by power failures, had forced numerous incoming flights to land in neighbouring Sierra Leone instead.

A presidential press release says the new man to manage the airport will be Darlington Karnley, who presently works at American aircraft manufacturer Boeing as an aviation electronic technical specialist manager.

It’s not clear when he’s assuming duties at the Roberts International Airport, 45km (28 miles) south-east of Monrovia, but critics say the airport faults are purely administrative.

The change in leadership comes amid reports of jet fuel shortages at the struggling airport.

Liberia’s oldest independent daily, the Daily Observer newspaper quotes a press statement from Conex Energy – the company that supplies jet fuel to the country – as informing the public that “there is a [jet] fuel shortage in the region” due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

“This is causing major delays of jet fuel and other petroleum product vessels around the world,” Conex Energy said, adding, “the next jet fuel vessel to Liberia is expected around May 17.”

The country’s hydro-electro plant, destroyed in the brutal civil wars, were repaired by the former government of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, but electricity transmission and distribution have remained a challenge, nearly 20 years after the wars ended.

For the first time in black and white, a detailed account of how Castro the Destroyer disappeared has been told by Asamoah Gyan.

‘LeGyanDary’, the autobiography of the former Ghana captain, has hit the bookshelves this month after a star-studded launch led by the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo at the weekend.

Joy Sports, in collaboration with King-Dawie Publishers, has been serialising interesting portions of the book.

In one of the most captivating parts of the story, Gyan gives a blow-by-blow account of how his prolific musician friend mysteriously disappeared at a beach resort – and the frantic attempts to find him, including going to a nearby shrine.

We take the story from the moment it was realised that Castro had been away on a jet ski for a while and could not be accounted for…

*

As they left, I was confident of finding him somewhere doing his own thing. That was the only glimmer of hope I could give myself. Anim-Addo joined them and the other fellow mounted a jet ski. We continued our game though I was a bit distracted. Thirty minutes later, they all returned with the same news that they couldn’t find him. 

During the wait, Baffour was fuming. He was pretty flabbergasted at how Castro had simply refused to listen and was waiting to lambast him. He kept pacing and murmuring. I knew my brother. 

He felt disrespected by Castro’s actions and he was going to tell him in no uncertain terms to never repeat that. When the news reached us, my brother was outraged. His incessant outbursts were drawing attention and I had to calm him down. I explained to him that this wasn’t the best place to create such a scene and that when we finally find him, we will have a chat with him about it. I recall Sammy tearing up when they informed us he was nowhere to be found. 

I had to calm Sammy down so he doesn’t draw too much attention. There were a lot of fans around and it would be disastrous to even let any of them suspect what we were all suspecting. We decided to go out and search again. This time, we had an expert join the team.

He was an expatriate who worked with the hotel. The wait was incredibly long. I am sure they were gone for just about thirty minutes but it felt like forever. We were all huddled in silence with a little chat occasionally. 

In those moments, my imaginations would run wild and I will quickly dismiss any negative thoughts. The silence was deafening at a point and I whispered a silent prayer to God. When the search party returned, they came along with the key to his jet ski. My heart skipped a beat, maybe two or three more. 

The looks on the faces of the search party got me worried. They all had this look of morbid fear in their eyes. That got me even more worried. I mean, if the experts looked this perturbed and helpless, then something must be very wrong somewhere. 

I started asking questions and then he revealed to me that some seventeen years ago, a white man got missing in a similar fashion and was never seen or heard of again to date. He suspected whatever happened then may have happened to Castro. At this juncture, we all remembered he was on the ski with the lady. My brother broke down in tears and started talking about how he could have prevented all this if only Castro had listened to him. He said he felt something was going to happen and that was why he kept asking him to return to shore. 

As we contemplated our next line of action, a man from the town showed up. He claimed there was an oracle in Ada which could help us find the missing persons. He added that the oracle was very powerful and such matters can be easily handled by it. Though I wasn’t very superstitious, I felt obliged to go along since we were in a fix. 

What else could we do? I was a little scared of the ensuing encounter with a priest so I declined to join them to the shrine. I had a little money on me so I decided to return to the hotel and gather some money in case we had to make any payments later on. I was in a dilemma, lost in thought and wondering if perhaps this oracle could help. One returned with news that the consultation would cost Ghc 100 and a bottle of schnapps. I wondered silently if the schnapps was for the gods or for the priest. 

Anyways, I went back inside and returned with some money. I joined them this time to go and see for myself. The fear of what lay ahead scared me a bit. I wondered how the shrine looked like and if it would have any future repercussions on me. But Castro was worth every bit of the sacrifice that was ahead.

The organizers of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards in partnership with Akwaaba UK organizers of the Ghana Party In The Park are ensuring that the winner of this year’s ‘New Artiste of the Year’ Category gets to expand their reach by allowing them to perform at Ghana Party in the Park in the UK.

PRO of Charter House, Robert Klah, in an interview with Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz revealed this as they discussed the build-up to this year’s edition of the VGMA.

According to him, the ‘Best New Artiste’ category always produces top talents that eventually rise to be A-list artists in the country.https://www.youtube.com/embed/rEFslnI6Taw?feature=oembed

Hence, informs the organization’s decision to ensure that the artiste that emerges winner in that category is given that push.

“The key thing here is that for new artiste of the year, from this year, the VGMA is a partnership with Akwaaba UK has a package for them. Anybody who wins a VGMA new artiste of the year automatically qualifies to have a fully funded performance at the Ghana Party in the Park,” Klah said.

The category over the years has seen the likes of Sarkodie, Fameye, Kuami Eugene, and Mr Drew, among others, win that award.

This year’s VGMA has several new artists getting nominated in that category.

The likes of Black Sherif, Scott Evans, Kweku Darlington, S3FA, Mona 4 Real and Kwame Yogot who have all been exceptional in the year under review stand the chance of mounting that prestigious stage.

This year’s edition of VGMA comes off on the 6th and 7th of May at the Grand Arena. 

The first day of the awards ceremony scheduled for Friday, 6th May 2022 is categorized as an industry awards ceremony. 

The second day, 7th May 2022, is the general award ceremony for the public.

The organizers of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards in partnership with Akwaaba UK organizers of the Ghana Party In The Park are ensuring that the winner of this year’s ‘New Artiste of the Year’ Category gets to expand their reach by allowing them to perform at Ghana Party in the Park in the UK.

PRO of Charter House, Robert Klah, in an interview with Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz revealed this as they discussed the build-up to this year’s edition of the VGMA.

According to him, the ‘Best New Artiste’ category always produces top talents that eventually rise to be A-list artists in the country.https://www.youtube.com/embed/rEFslnI6Taw?feature=oembed

Hence, informs the organization’s decision to ensure that the artiste that emerges winner in that category is given that push.

“The key thing here is that for new artiste of the year, from this year, the VGMA is a partnership with Akwaaba UK has a package for them. Anybody who wins a VGMA new artiste of the year automatically qualifies to have a fully funded performance at the Ghana Party in the Park,” Klah said.

The category over the years has seen the likes of Sarkodie, Fameye, Kuami Eugene, and Mr Drew, among others, win that award.

This year’s VGMA has several new artists getting nominated in that category.

The likes of Black Sherif, Scott Evans, Kweku Darlington, S3FA, Mona 4 Real and Kwame Yogot who have all been exceptional in the year under review stand the chance of mounting that prestigious stage.

This year’s edition of VGMA comes off on the 6th and 7th of May at the Grand Arena. 

The first day of the awards ceremony scheduled for Friday, 6th May 2022 is categorized as an industry awards ceremony. 

The second day, 7th May 2022, is the general award ceremony for the public.

Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari says he’s shocked to learn that a military officer and his female partner were shot dead and then beheaded in the south-east of the country.

Mr Buhari has ordered that the perpetrators of the barbaric crime be brought to justice.

The authorities have accused a separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, for killing the couple as they travelled for their wedding last weekend.

The group has denied their involvement.

Gunmen in south-east Nigeria have recently stepped up their attacks mostly targeting the security forces.

The Russian Orthodox Church scolded Pope Francis on Wednesday for using the wrong tone after he urged Patriarch Kirill not to become the Kremlin’s “altar boy”, cautioning the Vatican that such remarks would hurt dialogue between the churches.

Francis told Italy’s Corriere Della Sera newspaper that Kirill, who has given the Ukraine war his backing, “cannot become [President Vladimir] Putin’s altar boy”.

The Russian Orthodox Church said it was regrettable that a month and a half after Francis and Kirill, the patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, had spoken directly, the pope had adopted such a tone.

“Pope Francis chose an incorrect tone to convey the content of this conversation,” the Moscow Patriarchy said, though it did not explicitly mention the “altar boy” comment.

“Such statements are unlikely to contribute to the establishment of a constructive dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches, which is especially necessary at the present time.”

Kirill, 75, a close ally of Putin, sees the war as a bulwark against a West he considers decadent, particularly over the acceptance of homosexuality.

The Russian Orthodox Church is by far the biggest of the churches in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which split with Western Christianity in the Great Schism of 1054. Today it has about 100 million followers within Russia and more outside.

Ukraine has about 30 million Orthodox believers, divided between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and two other Orthodox Churches, one of which is the autocephalous, or self-governing, Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Francis, 85, has asked for a meeting in Moscow with Putin about Ukraine but the Kremlin said on Wednesday there was no agreement on this.

Russia and the West frame the conflict in Ukraine very differently.

Moscow calls its actions a “special military operation” to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Kyiv and its Western backers say the fascism claim is absurd and say Russia is waging an unprovoked war that threatens Ukraine’s continued existence as a sovereign, democratic state.

The Moscow Patriarchy quoted Kirill as telling Pope Francis on March 16 that the Western media had failed to accurately report the situation in Ukraine – a frequent Russian complaint.

‘DIVIDED FLOCK’

Kirill said the conflict in Ukraine had begun in 2014 when protests toppled a pro-Russian president. Kirill noted what he said was the persecution of Russian speakers in Ukraine’s port city of Odesa. Ukraine denies any such persecution.

But Kirill also expressed sorrow over the conflict.

“Of course, this situation is associated with great pain for me. My flock is on both sides of the confrontation, they are mostly Orthodox people,” the Patriarchy quoted him as saying.

“How can we foster the pacification of those fighting with the single goal of achieving the consolidation of peace and justice?”

Putin has also cited NATO enlargement to Russia’s borders as a reason for the conflict in Ukraine despite what he says were assurances given as the Soviet Union collapsed that the alliance would not expand – an issue Kirill touched on.

“Patriarch Kirill further recalled that at the end of the Soviet era, Russia received an assurance that NATO would not move one inch in the eastern direction,” the Moscow Patriarchy said. “However, this promise was broken.”

The United States and NATO deny such assurances were given but say countries are free to apply to join an alliance they say is purely defensive and poses no threat to Russia.

The Central Region Health Directorate is bemoaning how residents in the Region are refusing to avail themselves for vaccination against COVID-19.

According to the Ghana Health Service, many of those who refuse the jabs tell them that COVID-19 is no more prevalent, thus they don’t see the need to take the jabs.

Speaking at a news conference in Cape Coast, Central Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Akosua Sarpong, called for the support of the media to help drum home the need for all to be vaccinated for the country to achieve herd immunity.

The Central Region has made headway in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and several efforts have been made by the Ghana Health Service in the Region to reduce the burden of the disease to the barest minimum. The Centra Region, so far, has recorded 5,820 cases, with some deaths. Currently, it has no active cases.

The roll out of the COVID-19 vaccines, as an effective measure to deal with the pandemic, started in phases in the Region, whereby the initial ones were done in high and population-at-risk areas and eventually scaled up. 

But the Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Akosua Sarpong, says there is a section of the population in the region who have concluded that the COVID-19 is no more prevalent, therefore measures like hand-washing exercises have been reduced and, in some places, halted altogether as a result of the misconception.

Dr. Akosua Sarpong is therefore canvassing for the support of the media and well-meaning Ghanaians to help the Region achieve herd immunity.

“There are vaccines in all our outlets. All that one has to do is just walk in to get vaccinated. We have made an effort to reach out to everyone through the media and other information centers in our communities, and we want more of your support to achieve herd immunity,” she stated.

“It is the desire of the Ghana Health Service that the hand-washing practices that supported the fight against COVID-19 would be continued for the prevention of diseases other than COVID-19,” Dr. Akosua Sarpong urged.

All Drake haters better watch their girls and significant others. The hip-hop star has hit back at a troll, who made a joke about Drizzy’s son Adonis, by following his wife and DM-ing her on Instagram.

It all began after the rapper star defended Ja Morant’s dad Tee Morant over a meme criticizing his support for the young NBA star throughout the playoffs. 

The supportive dad had been caught passionately giving his son props from the sidelines on many occasions, which some have deemed “annoying.”

Disagreeing with the critics, Drake wrote in Instagram comments, “Imagine your son makes the league and he’s Ja Or Melo (Ball) or Lonzo (Ball) all you can do is be elated and competitive and over supportive and it’s a right of passage to that the OG’s talk s**t [laughing with tears emojis].”

Believing that it’s only natural for a father to show support like what Tee did, he added, “I know I’mma be this way even if my son is in a rubix cube competition.(sic)”

The troll responded to Drake’s comment by quipping, “ya son prolly play with ghostwriters(sic),” referencing the rumours he doesn’t write his own songs. https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1521872713370898436&lang=en&origin=file%3A%2F%2F%2Fprivate%2Fvar%2Fcontainers%2FBundle%2FApplication%2F70DC1C4A-9BD0-46F3-8824-3AE8808A3BE5%2FMyJoyOnline.app%2F&theme=light&widgetsVersion=c8fe9736dd6fb%3A1649830956492&width=550px

Not having it that the troll brought up his son, Drake wrote back, “I just followed your girl cause she prob miserable and needs some excitement in her life.”

The troll has shared a screenshot of the “Laugh Now Cry Later” spitter sliding into his wife’s DMs. “I’m here for u ma,” the 35-year-old wrote to the wife. Left in disbelief, the troll penned over the screenshot, “Really DM’d my wife. I’m [tons of laughing with tears emojis].”

PAYING HOMAGE TO THOSE WHO WENT BEFORESoldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team Rakkasans, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) stand in formation to …

Luzon | February 1945 (3)

One of the UK’s most wanted men has been arrested after attempting to fly from Lisbon to Istanbul on a fraudulent passport. Alex Male, 29, was …

Fugitive on the run for alleged drugs and firearms offences arrested in Lisbon

Congratulations are in order for Post Malone, who is expecting his first child.

According to TMZ, who first reported the news, the “Circles” singer and his “longtime girlfriend” — who remained unnamed in the story — celebrated the occasion with a small, private party in Southern California over the weekend.

“I’m excited for this next chapter in my life, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and for since I could remember I was sad,” Post told TMZ. “Time to take care of my body and my family and friends, and spread as much love as we can every day.”

It’s been an exciting year for Post Malone, who revealed just last month forthcoming studio LP, Twelve Carat Toothache, is coming in May. The album is led by the single “One Right Now,” which arrived last November and features an assist from Republic labelmate The Weeknd.

It’s the followup to 2019’s Hollywood’s Bleeding, one of Malone’s two Billboard 200 No. 1 albums. The hip-hop star also has four Hot 100 No. 1 hits, three of which placed on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs ranking: “Circles,” “Sunflower” and “Rockstar” (featuring 21 Savage).

Speaking with Billboard for his recent cover story, Post said the new songs “speak more to how I’m feeling at the moment: the ups and downs and the disarray and the bipolar aspect of being an artist in the mainstream.”

To make Twelve Carat Toothache, Post had to rediscover what made him want to do music in the first place. “There was a switch that flipped, and it felt like I was making Stoney,” he told Billboard, referencing his 2016 debut album. “I lost that, and the hardest part is getting it back. It ebbs and flows. It’s figuring out: ‘Just because I’m not inspired to do it at the moment doesn’t mean I’m giving up.’”

Congratulations are in order for Post Malone, who is expecting his first child.

According to TMZ, who first reported the news, the “Circles” singer and his “longtime girlfriend” — who remained unnamed in the story — celebrated the occasion with a small, private party in Southern California over the weekend.

“I’m excited for this next chapter in my life, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and for since I could remember I was sad,” Post told TMZ. “Time to take care of my body and my family and friends, and spread as much love as we can every day.”

It’s been an exciting year for Post Malone, who revealed just last month forthcoming studio LP, Twelve Carat Toothache, is coming in May. The album is led by the single “One Right Now,” which arrived last November and features an assist from Republic labelmate The Weeknd.

It’s the followup to 2019’s Hollywood’s Bleeding, one of Malone’s two Billboard 200 No. 1 albums. The hip-hop star also has four Hot 100 No. 1 hits, three of which placed on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs ranking: “Circles,” “Sunflower” and “Rockstar” (featuring 21 Savage).

Speaking with Billboard for his recent cover story, Post said the new songs “speak more to how I’m feeling at the moment: the ups and downs and the disarray and the bipolar aspect of being an artist in the mainstream.”

To make Twelve Carat Toothache, Post had to rediscover what made him want to do music in the first place. “There was a switch that flipped, and it felt like I was making Stoney,” he told Billboard, referencing his 2016 debut album. “I lost that, and the hardest part is getting it back. It ebbs and flows. It’s figuring out: ‘Just because I’m not inspired to do it at the moment doesn’t mean I’m giving up.’”

Last week, director Justin Lin made the shocking decision to step away from directing the 10th Fast and Furious film, a move that is now being blamed on star Vin Diesel’s “difficult” behavior on set.

Lin left the project less than two weeks into filming, forcing Universal to pause production while it scrambles for a replacement at an estimated cost of $600,000 to $1 million a day. 

According to the New York Daily News, the filmmaker had simply had enough of Diesel’s unprofessionalism. “Diesel shows up late to the set. He doesn’t know his lines,” said an unnamed source. “And he shows up out of shape.”

The franchise star must have really pushed Lin to his limits, as the director left behind a “$10 or $20 million” payday by exiting the movie. 

What’s more, Lin was meant to direct both Fast X and Fast 11, set to be the final entry in the lucrative series, a job which is now obviously in question. It all brings an abrupt end to Lin’s longtime involvement in Fast and Furious, as he helmed five entires in the series, including the franchise-revitalizing Fast Five in 2011 and last year’s F9.

This is not the first time Diesel’s work relationships have apparently impacted the Fast franchise. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson infamously refused to return to the main series after 2017’s The Fate of the Furious due to a beef with Diesel, instead starring in the Hobbs & Shaw spinoff alongside Jason Statham. Johnson most recently rejected a public plea from Diesel to rejoin the Fast team, calling his former costar’s social media post “manipulation.”

“No one is dissing Vin Diesel on the record, but everyone knows,” said the Daily News’ source.