Amazon is getting closer to launching Project Kuiper’s broadband satellites. The company has just received critical approval from the Federal Communications Commission in order to launch 3,236 satellites into orbit and begin Kuiper’s satellite internet operations. According to SpaceNews, Amazon received preliminary approval from the agency in 2020. The FCC approved the launch of thousands of Low Earth Orbit satellites on the condition that it later obtain regulatory approval for an updated orbital debris mitigation plan.
The commission stated in the order (PDF) that the updated plan meets the condition it imposed on the company when it granted its request in 2020. This additional approval “will enable Kuiper to begin deploying its constellation in order to achieve its goals.”
As part of its updated orbital debris mitigation plan, the FCC will require Amazon to submit a a semi-annual report “concerning the number of satellites launched and disposal reliability.” If Amazon experiences disposal failure with satellites within a single year, it has to report that fact to the FCC, as well. In addition, the commission is requiring Project Kuiper to ensure that it will be able to deorbit its satellites after their seven-year mission is done. Making sure the decommissioned satellites are out of orbit is necessary to prevent them from colliding with the International Space Station and other inhabitable stations.
Late last year, Amazon revealed that the first two Project Kuiper satellites will head to orbit aboard the maiden flight of United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket. Vulcan Centaur is still currently under testing, but if all goes to plan, it’ll fly for the first time in the next few months.
Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information, Tuesday launched this year’s National Chocolate Week celebration, with a call for the country to focus on processing more cocoa beans locally.
That, he said was a sure way to increasing the country’s chances of raking in substantially from the over USD150 billion revenues accrued from the global chocolate confectionery industry annually.
He also called on all Ghanaians to rally around the cocoa consumption promotion agenda and see it as a national duty.
The Minister said the core purpose of the celebration was to promote local consumption of chocolate and other cocoa-based products by creating opportunities for cocoa processing and value addition companies as well as chocolatiers to showcase their products.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah said the theme for the celebration, “Eat Chocolate, stay healthy Grow Ghana”, resonated well among the citizenry and had become the unique selling message, driving the collective resolve to make Ghana not only the leading producer of premium quality cocoa, but also a global leader in cocoa processing and consumption.
He said a few years ago, Ghana started a journey to increase its annual cocoa production and incrementally regainrd the number one position in global cocoa production.
“We have made significant progress with hundreds of thousands of hectares of cocoa farms rehabilitated across the country. The magic of the high yielding and early bearing cocoa seedlings used for this exercise only implies that some of the rehabilitated farms have started bearing and soon, the national production figures will attest to the success of this exercise.”
Mr Oppong Nkrumah noted that other interventions had also been very instrumental in increasing productivity, thereby keeping the annual production outputs relatively stable even amid the massive rehabilitation process.
“The last three years have seen stakeholders become more aggressive in our agenda to increase local processing and consumption.
“We have sustainably rolled out programmes to gradually enhance the country’s per capita consumption of cocoa from just half a kilogramme in 2017 to nearly 1.0kg as at now. Our processing feat currently hovers around 43 per cent, following the continued support of government.”
He said it was expected that the recent progress would be stimulating the habit of consuming cocoa not only within Ghana, but also in the African region and beyond.
The Minister commended all stakeholders for their contribution in various ways towards the National Cocoa Consumption Campaign.
“We do not want to be complacent with this achievement, given the fact that elsewhere in Europe and America, the per capita consumption ranges between 7kg to 11kg.”
He assured partners and international stakeholders that programmes and policies within the cocoa sector were such that Ghana’s cocoa production was done in the confines of socially responsible and environmentally acceptable standards.
“We have been working to constantly protect the environment, improve afforestation and ensure that all children of school going age have the opportunity to benefit from quality education.”
The Information Minister noted that for the celebrations this year, there were new twists to offering the citizenry the opportunity of accessing the full benefits of consuming cocoa and its related products.
“The Chocolate City at the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange continues to provide one-stop shopping centre for all who would need chocolate confectioneries to give to their loved ones within the period of the celebration.
“We have also received assurance from the processors and chocolatiers that they will make chocolate and other cocoa products available in all regions across the country for the benefits of the consuming public.”
Mr Mac Manu, Board Chairman, Ghana Cocoa Board, said the Board was particularly interested in moving the country beyond the leading producer of premium cocoa beans globally to the leading processor and consumer of premium cocoa.
He said they had introduced policies and liaised with various key stakeholders to create a conducive environment for cocoa processing, especially for small-scale producers.
“While pushing for avenues for increased local processing, we also have the duty to help build a reliable market base locally for our processors, which makes the celebration of the Chocolate Week Celebration even more important.”
Mr Manu encouraged stakeholders to see the success of this year’s National Chocolate Week Celebration as a critical national assignment, and urged Ghanaians to actively promote and participate in the various programme of activities lined up for the celebration.
Programmes lined up for the celebration include health walk, family day out and variety show at the Chocolate City, church visitations, time with school children, meeting moments across the regions, couples’ night out, and donations.
This year’s celebration is organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in collaboration with the Ghana Cocoa Board, (COCOBOD) AND Cocoa Processing Company.
WHAT THEY SAID: Netherlands boss Koeman was at the Barcelona helm during the 2020-21 season and has told Andy van der Meijde’s YouTube channel: “Messi was very humble. He immediately noticed Pedri’s qualities and was willing to combine with him during games, unlike with some other players.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Blaugrana legend Koeman was sacked in October 2021, after just 67 games in charge, and has not been back to Camp Nou since, but he has been keeping an eye on how Xavi’s side are getting on. He added on the class of 2022-23: “Barca are doing great. I watched Barcelona vs Real Madrid, they played amazing football. They were so good. But, yeah, if you get up to 10-12 new players, things get a little easier. It depends on the quality of the squad. During my time that was different.”
WHAT NEXT? Barcelona are currently eight points clear of Clasico rivals Real Madrid at the top of the Liga table and are also through to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and knockout play-off round of the Europa League – where they are due to face Premier League heavyweights Manchester United.
Christophe Galtier vented his frustration after Paris Saint-Germain conceded a “stupid” winning goal to Marseille, which came after a Neymar mistake.
PSG beaten by Marseille
Crashed out of Coupe de France
Neymar’s failed trickery led to second goal
WHAT HAPPENED?PSG were knocked out of the Coupe de France after they lost 2-1 to Marseille in the round of 16 on Wednesday night. Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring from the spot before Sergio Ramos levelled matters in first-half stoppage time. However, a stunning piledriver from Ruslan Malinovskyi tilted the tie in the favour of the hosts. Neymar attempted an ill-advised dummy from a simple throw-in deep in his own half, but was robbed of possession by Chancel Mbemba. The ball eventually broke to Malinovskyi on the edge of the box and he rifled an unstoppable shot into the top corner past the flailing arms of Gianluigi Donnarumma. Galtier was furious at conceding so cheaply and although he didn’t call out Neymar by name, the PSG boss did point back to the initial throw-in gaffe.
WHAT THEY SAID: “It was very open in the first half. Unfortunately, in the second half, we took a rather stupid goal on a touch for us in our last 20 meters,” Galtier told reporters. “From the moment Marseille scored that second goal and they put themselves in a low block with a lot of transition, that’s where we sinned a lot.”
The Frenchman did, however, also praise Neymar for his contribution in the first half, as he added: “In the first period, he found the right spaces, he delivered good balls. After that, it was more complicated for him but also for everyone.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Galtier’s tactics have come under scrutiny in the French media, as his side did not have the bite to overturn the deficit. He opted for four central midfielders while playing Neymar and Messi upfront in an unexpected change of system that left his team scrambling during transitions.
WHAT NEXT? After a disappointing loss in the Coupe de France, PSG will now turn their attention to Ligue 1, where they are set to face Monaco on Saturday, before hosting Bayern Munich on February 14 in the Champions League round of 16.
Erik ten Hag considers Jadon Sancho to be a “magnificent footballer” and was “proud” to see the winger on target for Manchester United against Leeds.
Red Devils trailed by two goals against Leeds
Hit back to take a point
England winger on target off the bench
WHAT HAPPENED? The Red Devils needed inspiration from somewhere during their latest Premier League outing at Old Trafford, with an uncharacteristically sloppy showing seeing them concede after 55 seconds and trail by two goals early in the second half. The in-form Marcus Rashford halved that deficit just past the hour mark, with Sancho – who is being eased back after being exiled for three months – stepping off the bench to grab what proved to be an important equaliser 20 minutes from the end.
WHAT THEY SAID: Ten Hag told Sky Sports of seeing Sancho, who he forced to train away from the first-team group at one stage, register his first league goal since September 1: “I am happy. He is all the way back. We know he is a magnificent football player and he can definitely be, for our team, a big impact. Tonight, he had [that]. I think he can be consistent and have a great impact. But he has to work, every day, really hard, as we all [must]. In this moment, he is in a good mood. I think it will strengthen him, it will motivate him to even give more and then you will see you will get more. Of course, like I said, he is a brilliant footballer and the second goal, I really enjoyed it, especially for him.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Sancho has endured a tough time in the 2022-23 campaign, with an individual training programme set for him during the World Cup break, but Ten Hag added on seeing the 22-year-old rediscover his spark: “I am pleased and proud he did it. It is clear it is a difficult period but he finds himself out and he needs credit for that. He is a brilliant footballer and if he can invest in the right levels he can be outstanding. I will back him, the coaches will and the team will but finally he has to do it himself. It is in his own hands. If he wants, he can do. We now have a team that can play in the opponents’ half. He likes that. He can play in tight areas. At this moment he is in a good mood and it will strengthen him, it will motivate him to give more. He is in the right direction and if he keeps going with that process he can do even more to really help us to achieve our goals.”
WHAT NEXT? Sancho joined United from Borussia Dortmund for £75 million($91m) in the summer of 2021 and has only recorded nine goals through 54 appearances, but his most recent strike will have restored some lost confidence and ensured that the Red Devils did not come unstuck heading into another meeting with Leeds on Sunday.
The three main armed movements that comprise the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) merged on Wednesday in Kidal, a town in northeastern Mali that they have militarily controlled since 2013.
The group includes the Azawad National Liberation Movement, the Arab Movement of Azawad, and the Azawad High Council for Unity.
In concrete terms, the new leadership of the Northern ex-rebels expects to increase pressure on the Malian government.
Members of the new alliance suspended their participation in the Algiers peace agreement’s decision-making bodies a few months ago, accusing the Malian state of abandoning the agreement.
The Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA), a primarily Tuareg alliance that fought the state for years before signing the Algiers peace treaty in 2015, blamed the ruling military junta for the delay.
The new movement is already planning, in collaboration with other armed groups involved in the peace process, to launch a massive operation to protect the people of northern Mali.
Gauteng, South Africa’s economic hub, is bearing the brunt of water shortages caused by dwindling reservoir levels due to high water demand.
As the taps run dry, Dr Ferrial Adam, Water and Environment Manager for the Community Action Network (WaterCAN), believes that factors such as ageing infrastructure and inequality are to blame for the crisis.
“We cannot deny that there is an additional element that is affecting people’s access to water and that is, on a local government level and municipal level. You have infrastructure deterioration and that is also leading to people not having sufficient water. There’s also the element of the unequal distribution of water in South Africa. Less than 40% to 45% have taps in their homes.” said Adam
Innovative solutions
To solve the issue of water shortage, Boitumelo Nkatlo, BN-Aqua Solutions Founding Director, developed a plant that purifies acidic water disposed by mines. And this purified water can be used for drinking and irrigation.
“We all know that water is life and is a scarce resource. Our take is that we do have water underground. Millions and millions that we are in a position to take and treat and treat it at an affordable price because we are using waste material to treat this to a drinking stage.” explains Nkatlo
Sizwe Mavuso, Colsto Founder, came up with a water tank reuse model that could see water being preserved by communities especially in instances where taps run dry easily.
“The innovation was conceptualised around a construction site I used to work at where people do not have water whatsoever and it boiled down to affordability. The great thing about this solution is that we want to harvest water that we already have and that is grey water.” said Mavuso
According to Greenpeace, water is a very unevenly distributed resource meaning that millions of South Africans already drink water that was captured in reservoirs in excess of 400km away. This water insecurity risk is worsened by increasing climate change.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has stated that he is not afraid of being imprisoned.
“Let the cowardly forces of tyranny know that I am not afraid of imprisonment.
“I would rather be a political prisoner of conscience than be forced and compromised into a behind-the-scenes deal with the Republic’s corrosive enemies,” he tweeted.
Reverend Victor Kusi Boateng, Secretary to the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral of Ghana, filed a motion asking the court to commit Mr Ablakwa to prison for his actions.
On Friday, February 3, the MP kicked a writ that was supposed to be served on him by a court bailiff.
When the bailiff approached him at the forecourt of Accra-based Metro TV to serve Rev Kusi Boateng’s writ, he pretended to be on his way to Parliament.
The writ was issued to prevent the legislator from making any further statements about the clergyman’s case of double identity because the matter was before the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
The latest motion is to draw the attention of the court over a possible contempt case against the lawmaker.
“When the Bailiff of this Honourable Court reminded the Respondent that Parliament was in recess, the Respondent then claimed that he was on his way to a meeting of one of the committees of Parliament, an allegation which has since turned out to be a falsehood told by the Respondent merely to evade service of the court processes on him.
“I am informed by my Counsel and verily believe same to be true that the immunities available to members of Parliament from being served personally with court processes can only be invoked when that member of Parliament is either on his way to or way from Parliamentary proceedings or activities; an immunity which the Respondent could not have invoked on the 3rd of February 2023 because the Parliament of Ghana was on recess at that time.
READ ALSO:Doctors’ Strike: Court adjourns hearing against GMA to August 26
“. . .dissatisfied with the excuses that the Respondent was giving to evade service of Exhibits VKB1 and VKB2, the Court Officer proceeded to discharge his statutory duty of serving court processes personally on the Respondent by leaving the processes as close as possible to the Respondent.”
It was after this that the MP kicked the documents on the floor and drove off.
Court issues restraining order on Ablakwa concerning the Prophet’s private matters.Apparently he had been dodging till they caught up with him.
Man have been dodging All this while till he was caught up today,If you know everything you’ve been saying is the truth then why dodge? pic.twitter.com/oqX6aBhpoI
Rev Kusi Boateng, also known as Kwabena Adu Gyamfi, prayed thus: “I am informed by my Counsel and verily believe same to be true that this Honourable Court has the power to commit the Respondent to prison for his conduct to protect the whole administration of justice and serve as a deterrent to other persons.”
Former Finance Minister Seth Terkper has urged the government to express regret for the bad decisions that led to the country’s current economic problems.
According to Mr Terkper, the current challenges, which he claims did not begin today, cannot be solved through government pleas.
In a tweet, Mr Terkper said “Some empathy and regret will help the correction, yet it seems missing. The current situation did not begin in the present. As a result, it cannot and must not be wished away with patriotic cries. Being corky went global after citizens’ alarms about the state of affairs were ignored.
“We exited programmes with fanfare but did u-turns for COVID loans and Special Drawing Rights.” We aborted the Debt Suspension plan yet plead today with eminent patrons of the same bodies and schemes to help restructure our elevated debt. We pray too, as we consult restive domestic patrons. Truth dawns.”
A] Some empathy & regret will help the correction, yet it seems missing. The present state of affairs did not begin in the present. So it can't & must not be wished away with patriotic pleas. When the citizens' alarms at the state of affairs were ignored, being corky went global.
He added “It is partly our propensity to expand expenditure, with stagnant revenues. Then, to longer able to borrow, BoG steps its financing of the deficit [from zero]. With depleting BOG domestic & external reserves, the outcome is not only inflation but currency devaluation and default.”
He was reacting to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta who has pleaded with the pensioners to accept a 3.5% cut and accept the new terms of 15% coupon rate and 5% maturity.
“We really feel that government has listened, there is humanity to us, we are protecting the destitute, widows and the orphans and the older people who have worked for this nation. We are in a crisis, we cannot put our heads under the sun and pretend that we are not.
“We need to be mindful that we really need to be successful in going to the fund by this March to avoid what we all experienced last year which we all don’t want to experience again,”he said while addressing Pensioner bondholders who have resisted their inclusion in a domestic debt exchange programme on Monday, February 6.
In a statement he further released Mr Ofori-Atta said that as a government, the singular motivation “for taking this rather difficult road is to restore macro-economic stability, achieve debt sustainability and get the economy fully back on track. We know that these are necessary pre-conditions for creating jobs; safeguarding and enhancing incomes; fostering inclusive growth; and restoring hope to Ghanaians.”
Through collective hard work and discipline, coupled with the abiding and abundant grace of the Almighty God, he said the government has been focused on avoiding a full-blown economic crisis.
“Indeed, the Grace of God assures us that ‘Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.’ Proverbs 23:18 ESV,
“Our remarkable progress with the on-going International Monetary Fund Programme is a significant boost to our recovery efforts. Continuous progress will steer us further away from the slippery precipice we recently faced. Therefore, the momentum must be sustained,” he said.
Considering the importance of a sustained economic recovery backed by an approved International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme in the first quarter 2023, he said, it is crucial for groups and individuals to consider the merit of the enhanced DDEP, as well as the need for economic stability; and sign up by tomorrow to make it a successful one.
“Let every Ghanaian be encouraged that the DDEP will bring us to a place of stability, economic recovery and transformational growth. We must do this together.
“Government on its part is resolved to continue to undertake all necessary fiscal adjustments that would ensure that our sacrifices will pay-off and the collective good is upheld. Let each and everyone play their part.
“These are difficult times, no doubt, but if we hold on together, we can and we will emerge from this more resilient and more united than before. Then we shall, together, continue rebuilding our economy again; and enable businesses to thrive again; and bring back hope and cheer to our homes again.”
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has stated that the business committee should schedule the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, as soon as possible to discuss the Domestic Debt Exchange programme (DDEP).
The speaker stated that this must be done quickly because the pensioners are picketing at the Ministry of Finance.
He proposed that the Minister appear on February 14, 2023.
“Parliament is always ready to help the government get out of this quagmire. So, as of now, I can say that parliament has spoken, and that is the end of the matter. The Minister must be scheduled by the business committee as soon as possible because the pensioners are picketing at the moment.
“We need to do this as quickly as possible. Business Committee should schedule the Minister to appear before the house for a brief on the state of affairs.”
There have been agitations of Pensioner Bondholders Forum. They picketed in front of the Finance Ministry on Monday, February 6 to demand an exemption from the domestic debt exchange programme.
They said most of them depend on their coupons to cater for themselves and their children hence want an exemption just as the Pension Fund.
But they said the government has not listened to their concerns.
The government has again extended the deadline to register for the domestic debt exchange programme to Friday, February 10, 2023.
According to the finance ministry, the debt exchange has officially ended, but an extension is needed to complete the online tender process for bondholders facing technical challenges.
“As a result, the government is providing bondholders an administrative window to complete processes for tendering their bonds, in response to the terms of Exchange as amended pursuant to the 2nd Amended and Restated Exchange Memorandum. This administrative window ends on Friday, 10th February 2023 at 4:0pm (GMT),” a finance ministry statement stated.
The government is restructuring parts of the country’s total debt, estimated at 575 billion cedis, in order to access $3 billion in funding from the International Monetary Fund.
The finance ministry has struggled to implement the domestic debt restructuring as bondholders reject the programme due to a lack of clarity over the terms and profitability of the new bonds.
It is unclear if the government has reached its target of 80% participation to secure an IMF board approval for the much-wanted bailout to boost the economy.
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