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Mahama: Trump is nothing but a racist

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Former president John Mahama has slammed controversial US President Donald Trump for describing African countries as shitholes.

The American President made the remarks when lawmakers visited him on Thursday to discuss a bipartisan proposal that would impose new restrictions on immigration but protect the so-called "Dreamers" – hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the US illegally as children – from deportation.

Mr Trump was said to have told them that instead of granting temporary residency to citizens of countries hit by natural disasters, war or epidemics, the US should instead be taking in migrants from countries like Norway.

However, responding to Trump’s comments on his Twitter handle Friday, Mr Mahama said the American President was  demonstrating that he was  nothing but a racist pursuing a policy of ‘Make America White Again.’

“Africans and Haitians come from ‘shithole’ countries? Isn’t Trump demonstrating that he’s nothing but a racist and pursuing a policy of ‘Make America White Again’? I congratulate Botswana for showing the way. Our AU Presidents must respond strongly to this insult,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile the African Union  has demanded an apology from President Donald Trump.

The group's mission in Washington DC expressed its "shock, dismay and outrage" and said the Trump administration misunderstood Africans.

Ghana |Atinkaonline.com

 

African Union blasts Trump over “s***hole" comments; demands apology

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The organisation representing African countries has demanded that US President Donald Trump apologise after he reportedly called nations on the continent "shitholes".

The group's mission in Washington DC expressed its "shock, dismay and outrage" and said the Trump administration misunderstood Africans.

The US leader made the alleged remark in a Thursday meeting on immigration.

But Mr Trump has denied using the language reported.

He has been backed by two Republicans who were at the White House meeting, but Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said Mr Trump called African countries "shitholes" several times and used "racist" language.

On Friday, Mr Trump on Friday tweeted that his language he used at the private meeting with lawmakers to discuss immigration legislation had been "tough".

But he added that the words attributed to him were "not the language used".

What did the African Union say?

It said the "remarks dishonour the celebrated American creed and respect for diversity and human dignity".

It added: "While expressing our shock, dismay and outrage, the African Union strongly believes that there is a huge misunderstanding of the African continent and its people by the current Administration.

"There is a serious need for dialogue between the US Administration and the African countries."

What exactly did Trump say?

The remarks were allegedly made when lawmakers visited him on Thursday to discuss a bipartisan proposal that would impose new restrictions on immigration but protect the so-called "Dreamers" – hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the US illegally as children – from deportation.

Mr Trump was said to have told them that instead of granting temporary residency to citizens of countries hit by natural disasters, war or epidemics, the US should instead be taking in migrants from countries like Norway.

"Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" the Washington Post quoted him as saying.

BBC

US ambassador to Panama resigns because he can 'no longer work for Trump'

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The US ambassador to Panama has resigned from his post on principle, writing in a resignation letter to the State Department that he can no longer serve the Trump administration.

The US State Department confirmed the departure of John D Feeley, saying he decided to “retire for personal reasons, as of 9 March this year”.

Mr Feeley wrote in his resignation letter: “As a junior foreign service officer, I signed an oath to serve faithfully the President and his administration in an apolitical fashion, even when I might not agree with certain policies.

“My instructors made clear that if I believed I could not do that, I would be honour-bound to resign. That time has come.”

The State Department learned of his plans on 27 December, Reuters reported – well before the Washington Post reported Donald Trump had referred to “s***hole countries” in a meeting about immigration.

Haiti, El Salvador and unspecified African nations were said to have been among those discussed with the President at a briefing with congressional leaders.

Mr Trump has denied he used that language but admitted speaking in a “tough” manner during the Oval Office meeting on immigration reform and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme.
Mr Feeley was one of the State Department’s Latin America specialists and among its most senior officers.

According to a Spanish copy of the notice of Mr Feeley’s resignation, tweeted by Univision News, the Barack Obama appointee has been in public service for 35 years, in the US Marine Corps and State Department.

The notice said he held an “unbreakable” belief in the need for close ties between American countries.

Under-secretary of State Steve Goldstein said Mr Feeley’s departure was not a response to the President’s reported comments.

“Everyone has a line that they will not cross,” he said. “If the ambassador feels that he can no longer serve … then he has made the right decision for himself and we respect that.”
The Trump administration has taken a tougher stance on immigration from Latin America, most notably with moves to expel hundreds of thousands of immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti and Nicaragua who benefited from temporary protection status after natural disasters.

Mr Trump’s alleged “s***hole” comments on Thursday led to outraged responses from Haiti and the African Union. The AU said it was “alarmed” by the nature of the President’s remarks while Haiti’s government criticised “these insulting and reprehensible statements”.

El Salvador’s foreign minister said he had sent a formal letter of protest in response to the reports.
On Twitter, Mr Trump twice denied having used the word “s***hole”.

But Democratic senator Dick Durbin, who was present at the DACA meeting, claimed he had used it “repeatedly”.

The Independent

 

Amidu will do a wonderful job – PC Appiah Ofori

Daniel Opare
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Anti-Corruption crusader and former Member of Parliament (MP) for Asikuma Odoben Brokwa, P.C Appiah Ofori believes the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice under the Mills’ administration, Martin B.K Amidu is the right person for the Special Prosecutor  job.

President Nana Akufo Addo on Thursday named citizen vigilante, Martin Lamisi Amidu as Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor.
The President made the announcement on in a short ceremony at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

Speaking on Atinka FM’s Simpieso Thursday evening with host Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, P.C Appiah Ofori revealed that he recommended the Citizen Vigilante to the President  and gave him reasons why he is the best brain.

According to the former law maker, Martin Amidu has shown over the years he can fight corruption regardless of his party affiliation.

“I am satisfied that my recommendation caught the eyes of the President.  Martin Amidu did not condone the corruption practices in the NDC administration and I trust he will do a wonderful job”, he added.

 

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com

 

Amidu’s appointment best so far –Ransford Gyampo

Daniel Opare
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Professor Ransford Gyampo, Head of Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, has lauded the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government on the nomination of former Attorney General, Martin Amidu as Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor.

President Nana Akufo Addo on Thursday named citizen vigilante, Martin Lamisi Amidu as Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor.
The President made the announcement on in a short ceremony at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

Speaking on Atinka FM’s "Simpieso" Thursday evening with host Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, Professor Ransford Gyampo stated that Martin Amidu is credible, objective and neutral, describing his nomination as a step in the right direction.

According to him, Martin Amidu’s works as a Citizen Vigilante is obvious and unquestionable. He said a man who did not hesitate to fight against corruption in his own government, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has proven  beyond reasonable doubts that he is worth the position.

“Martin Amidu is just like a double edged sword and I am sure he will perform to the satisfaction of his appointer. I don’t think the office will affect his political orientation,” he added.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa

10 fabulous beauty hacks every girl needs to know

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From hair to face, there are always going to be shortcuts that will help you to save time and get that slick perfect look, without spending ages or a small fortune in doing so. We have collected a list of 10 beauty hacks that are easy, inexpensive and best of all, relevant to today’s beauty standards. Practise one or practise them all to get the appearance that you need in just a few minutes each day.

Attractiveness is not something that comes naturally to every lady. Some spend significant amounts of time getting ready to achieve the flawless look that they desire. Though each lady is lovely in her own right, it is no secret that there are some who look like they spend much more time with their beauty routine than others. Though, this does not mean that every lovely lady in the world spends ages getting prepared each a.m. There are beauty hacks or shortcuts that you can implement that can help you not to take forever to get ready in the morning. Let’s begin:

Check your face in different lightings

Nothing looks shoddier than rough makeup. Since it can look very different in different lighting, be sure to check it in the car, in the bathroom, as well as outside.

Get smooth as silk foundation

Do you find that your concealer ends up looking cakey and weird? Place a little on the back of your hand and blend it with a little of your favourite moisturiser. It’ll go on oh so smoothly! This method provides medium-to-full, buildable coverage and perfects, corrects and  highlights. Perfect for all skin types, blending your concealer with moisturiser creates a formulation that easily covers inadequacies, hazes the appearance of lines and creases, and hides shady under eye circles and signs of exhaustion. The mixture also hydrates, firms, decreases rawness, and reinforces the appearance of healthy skin by helping its barrier hold moisture. Cosmetics shouldn’t cover your skin, it should just improve your natural beauty, not cover it.

Keep your lipstick off your teeth

Every lady dislikes lipstick on her teeth! Next time you’re heading out, clean off extra lipstick by putting your finger in your mouth, pressing your lips together and lightly dragging your finger out. The extra will get on your finger, not your teeth. Great!

Rinse your nails with ice-cold water to dry them rapidly

Paint your nails, air-dry for a few minutes and then dip them into icy water for a couple of seconds at a time, then repeat as much as you need. This will hurry drying time and indorse a streak-free, perfect appearance to at-home manicures and pedicures. It protects newly applied nail polish against blotches and indentations, helps evade lines and bubbles, and stops dirt or other environmental damages from sticking to the nail. Nail polishes dry to the touch in around 60 seconds with this method.

Use a spoon to keep mascara off your face

Have trouble keeping mascara off your face when you apply it to your lower eyelashes? Use a spoon to help! Hold the spoon underneath your eyelashes, and apply your mascara. All the extra will go on the spoon, not your lashes. One coat – and lashes are filled and well-defined. Two coats – and lashes are even more luscious, curled and dramatic. Three coats can help you attain the most dramatic, dark and multidimensional lashes imaginable.

Curl your lashes with a heated eyelash curler

Give your eyelashes even more va-va-voom by heating your eyelash curler before you use it. Use your hairdryer to heat it for a couple of minutes, let it cool…then curl. The heat will set the curl. Use before applying make-up to stop eyelashes from getting damaged. Center your eyelashes between the rubber pieces of the curler, place it at the lash line and mildly push the grips together. Grip for a couple of seconds. Curl the lashes in an upward and outer direction with mascara if needed, start at the base and working your way to the tips.

Use dry shampoo at night

As convenient as dry shampoo is, it can leave your hair looking awkward and feeling sticky. Try brushing it through your hair before you go to bed. As you move about, it will consistently mete out, and you’ll wake up with flawless, fresh and big locks, because dry shampoo also adds some volume. This is a dry cleansing method to remove oil and product buildup from your hair. This gently helps refresh your hair between shampooing and helps to untangle knots. Great for second, third or fourth day hair, it leaves strands feeling fresh, conditioned, and ready to be re-styled as wanted.

Use hairspray on your eyebrows

Keep boisterous brows in place by squirting a spoolie brush with hairspray and then combing it through your brows. Your eyebrows will stay set all day. You might want to opt for an odourless hairspray, so that you’re not disturbed by the strong smell. This easy-to-use technique helps make the picture-perfect brow in minutes—just draw, style and set. The extreme strength hairspray is water-resistant and long-lasting, so that it can locks in place and sets even the most boisterous brows.

Use lemon juice to lighten hair

For natural ombré tresses or understated highlights, squeeze the juice of two to four lemons into a spray bottle and spritz over your hair and spend some time outside, in the sun (don’t forget to apply the sunblock). If you do this for a few days in a row, you will notice how your hair will lighten naturally. Make sure to condition well later on, as lemon can be a little drying, but this method helps get really natural looking, gorgeous highlights and the best part that you can get it without using any bleach.

Use baking soda to wash your hair

Blend two tablespoons of baking soda with two cups of warm water. Apply it to the roots of your hair and massage. Rinse out well. Your hair will feel squeaky-clean. Don’t forget to condition or apply hair mask as usual. This method will help deeply cleanse your hair, increasing the shine and it is suitable for all hair types. Rinse carefully till water runs clear. Avoid contact with eyes. In case of contact, rinse directly with water.

Makeup artists and beauty devotees have some cool tricks up their sleeves – and up until today, they weren’t sharing. If you liked this article, make sure to share it!

Do you know other beauty hacks every girl needs to know?

Stay beautiful!


Beauty Tips

Be stubborn― very stubborn!

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All of us have dreams but not all of us have the patience to achieve them. All of us get stranded on the journey to our goals but not all of us are stubborn enough to keep moving no matter what. Though failure may hold others back, the stubborn permit nothing to get in their way.

Others reach the top not because the law of gravity was not existent but they defied all odds including gravity. When you see a man decorated with all sorts of achievements, it is not because his resistance was lesser but… his persistence was greater. A well-achieved man is a stubborn man― very stubborn.

When others give umpteen reasons why something can’t be done, the stubborn throw a challenge to themselves to get that same thing done. Where others see problems, the stubborn can only see solutions.       

Do you know that Thomas Edison made a thousand (1000) unsuccessful attempts at trying to create the electric bulb until he finally hit the jackpot? William Golding’s hit literature, “Lord of the Flies”, was rejected twenty (20) times before it was finally published. J. K. Rowling’s bestseller “Harry Potter” can boast of similar rejections.

Sometimes, when we fail, the stubborn man inside of us is dared. When we fail, we challenge ourselves to do more.  

When we give ourselves one more chance to try after we have failed, we give ourselves another chance to succeed. Failure is the same pathway that leads to success so if you encounter it, know that success is hanging around! Try once more!

All men who have risen beyond the ordinary to do something great for themselves and humanity had one trait running through their beings― the gene called stubbornness! They had the guts to persist a little more to try one more time after they had failed. While others are perturbed by failure, great men are inspired by the same failure. They stubbornly focus until they have arrived at their destination!

It’s only stubbornness that will dare one to leave their comfort zone to take on greater challenges. Only a stubborn man will continuously chase after a dream he has failed severally at. No matter the raging storms, stubbornness will always find a way. Stubbornness prioritizes its destination over everything.  

I once read the story of how Donald Trump was featured in the hit movie, Home Alone. Apparently, the director had gone to shoot some parts of the movie in his hotel. He insisted he wanted to be one of his casts. The director resisted but he insisted that if he would be allowed, they’d not have to pay for using the facility. The more the director resisted, the more he insisted.

Eventually, the director gave in. Donald was featured in the movie. Little wonder his trait of stubbornness has led him everywhere, even earning him the highest political office in the US today. It pays to be stubborn― very stubborn. Resistance only gives in to persistence!

Our dreams will only come true if we will be a little stubborn. If we are willing to get up anytime we fall and try once again, success will soon smile at us. Failure will always test our persistence. No matter how many times life knocks our dreams down, we need to be stubborn enough to get up again.  We must never give up.

Unfortunately, many of us give up too easily. In the face of a few setbacks, we give up on our dreams. When our plans come tumbling down, we get exhausted. Listen. The trait that separates the great from the little is that the former is ruthlessly stubborn while the latter is not. Life has no memory of those who find every excuse to give up.

Carrying your dream to the end requires some unreasonable determination. Not everyone would understand you because stubbornness oftentimes doesn’t make sense. You may not have the support of the masses but you must know that nothing great was ever made out of public opinion. All you need is your own unapologetic opinion to move on whatever regardless.

If you want to be extraordinary, you must be ready to be stubborn. You must be prepared to make a vow to go all out― no sitting on the fence. You must be ready to face life boot for boot. Times without number, you would have to keep fighting even with the last of your strength. Stubbornness knows no excuse!

Success never came on a silver platter. The one at the top of the ladder faced the same (if not worse) challenges the one at the bottom faced when climbing. However, what distinguishes between them both is the yearning to stubbornly keep climbing despite the fear of falling. 

 Failure doesn’t mean “stop work”. It means “try again”. Failure is the experience we need to succeed. When you fail, you learn… and try again. When your dreams crash, you reassemble them… and try one more time. You don’t assemble and discard them. Stubbornness will give it one more try instead of discarding it into a bin.

Today, many great dreams have been flushed down life’s bin because those who carried such dreams were not patient enough― they were not stubborn enough. Stubborn people change the world. They set the standards for others to break. They literally run this world!

It doesn’t matter how many times you may have failed at something. If there’s any trait you would want to add up to your life this year, be stubborn― very stubborn― and don’t apologize for it.

The writer is a playwright and Chief Scribe of Scribe Communications (www.scribecommltd.com), an Accra-based writing company which provides all writing services.

Amidu’s "defiant nature" makes him fit for Special Prosecutor job- Aseidu Nketia 

Daniel Opare
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General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has congratulated Citizen Vigilante, Martin Lamisi Amidu, on his nomination as Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor, adding that, his defiant nature  is a requirement for such an office.

President Nana Akufo -Addo has named Martin Amidu as Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor.

The President made the announcement on Thursday in a short ceremony at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

In an interview with Ekourba Gyasi on Atinka AM Drive, General Secretary of the opposition NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia explained that Martin Lamisi Amidu was dismissed as  Attorney General under the Mills administration for defying and refusing to obey the command of the then President and not incompetence as purported.

According to Asiedu Nketia, to run an office like the special prosecutor, you need to  have a defiant attitude  and Martin Amidu has it.

“If he doesn’t change, then I believe he will do a good job, because an office like this needs a person who will not be manipulated by the government in power,” he added.

Asiedu Nketia also refuted claims that Martin Lamisi Amidu is no longer a member of the NDC.

According to him, although the citizen vigilante is facing disciplinary charges from the party, he is a member of the NDC and a card bearing member for that matter.

Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa

Martin Amidu’s special prosecutor job refreshing – Inusah Fuseini 

Daniel Opare
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A former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources under the National Democratic Congress [NDC] administration and Ranking Member on Constitutional and Legal Affairs in Parliament, Inusah Fuseini, has described the appointment of Martin Amidu’s appointment as refreshing and apt.

President Nana Akufo Addo has named Martin Amidu as Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor.
The President made the announcement on Thursday in a short ceremony at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

Speaking to Ekourba Gyasi on Atinka AM Drive, Inusah Fuseini stated that the special prosecutor’s office is a national office that requires competence to run and that, per the qualifications needed to select the candidate, Martin Amidu is the best bet.

According to him, Martin Amidu will be responsible for the prosecution of special corruption  cases.

He dismissed the assertion  that the  role  of the Attorney General’s Office may  contradict that of the Special Prosecutor, and explained that Attorney General’s office is more of a political or partisan appointment whereas the Special Prosecutor office is a national office.

He  said that unlike the special prosecutor, the Attorney General is an appointee of government and per the circumstance surrounding the appointment, might have difficulties prosecuting state officials.

“Unless the contrary can be established, I think Martin Amidu meets the qualification and he is the best brain for the office” he reiterated.

Ghana | Atinlaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa

'I replied to a Facebook post and was married six days later'

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Everyone who uses Facebook will have come across some pretty strange posts in their time.
Random friend requests, being added to groups you did not ask to join, and tags that allow "friends" to clog up your timeline with posts or photos you don't necessarily want.

But a Nigerian man took that to a whole new level when he posted an unusual advert.
Chidimma Amedu put up a post on 30 December, asking any woman interested in being his wife to reply, he told the BBC.

The proposal

"Am of age to and I am ready to say I do and am wasting no time.
"Send in your applications – the most qualified will be married on January 6, 2018. Application closes 12 midnight, 31/12/2017," he posted.


He then followed up with subsequent posts.
"Am serious about this oh and don't say you did not see it on time. Good luck."
He received a couple of responses, but one from a certain Sophy Ijeoma was the one which caught his attention.
"Am interested, just DM me…lols," her post read.
At first, she thought it was a joke and she simply replied to keep the thread flowing.

Man on a mission

A direct message from him to her inbox, followed by a Facebook call, would change her life's trajectory.

Two days after their first conversation, he travelled some 500km (300 miles) from his home in the northern city of Abuja, to Enugu in the east where she lived.
She had been waiting for him outside a retail store and in true fairy-tale style, "it was love at first sight", she recalled.

"He is the most handsome man I've ever met and I liked him instantly."

After two hours of "awkward" conversation, he asked her to go to meet his uncle, who incidentally is also resident in Enugu.
Asked what was going through her mind at the time, she said she thought it was all a bit of a joke, but she was excited about it and thought Chidimma was quite an interesting character.

Tradition meets modernity

"We got to the uncle's house and he said: 'Uncle, meet the woman I want to marry.'"
Like Chidimma, his family don't seem to hang about when it comes to getting things done, because the uncle gave his approval.

Getting family backing for your choice of spouse is an essential part of Igbo culture.
Whereas picking your future wife from dozens of respondents to a Facebook marriage advert and marrying her in six days is decidedly not.

At this point in their day-old relationship, it was beginning to dawn on Sophy that this fellow was not playing, but how do you commit to marrying someone you only just met?

She would not comment on whether they had even shared as much as a kiss at that point, but maintained she was captivated by how focused and determined her new fiancé was.
"When I saw him for the first time, I definitely found him attractive, but what I didn't know was how serious he was about marrying me.
"It was after we met the uncle and his wife, that I realised that this could actually happen and I wanted it."

The engagement

It was now her turn to worry about how she was going to get the approval of her family to marry a guy she had just met on Facebook.
But they had momentum going for them. Having met and fallen in love at first sight, or first message, if you like, and getting Chidimma's uncle's approval, the couple decided to complete the cycle by visiting Sophy's family the same day.

Sophy recounted how she relayed the information to her mother. Her dad had passed away, and her mum said she did not have the final word in terms of giving approval for her to be married, so it was up to Sophy's elder brother to give his blessings.
It would appear the odds were firmly in their favour as Sophy's brother gave his blessings too.

So after a few questions from her brother, it was official – Chidimma and Sophy were engaged to be married in six days.

On the rebound?

Last year Chidimma was engaged to another woman and the wedding was scheduled for December, but the relationship fell apart in March leaving him dejected.
As December approached, the disappointment of not being able to fulfil his dream of getting married made him put up the post, he said.

"I had the desire to get married, I had a date in mind, but no bride, so I decided to place an advert as a joke, but I was open and up for it."
Asked whether she knew about his earlier engagement and her thoughts on how this seemingly rushed marriage might be seen as a rebound, Sophy dismissed any suggestions that her relationship was not well thought through.

"I don't care about that – when you see what you want, you go for it."
They had been friends on Facebook for more than a year, but had never met or spoken to each other until the advert.

"Am interested, just DM me…lols" was all it took for the union to be formed.
Sophy admitted her friends were sceptical about the whole thing, while some are still in disbelief, but as she said: "When you see the one, you will know he is the one".
Happily ever after?

They got married on 6 January in a traditional Igbo ceremony, and posted photos of their wedding day on Facebook of course – to the amusement of the social media community.

Chidimma put up a post saying people may have thought he had been joking but he clearly wasn't.
As can be expected, there were mixed reactions, but mainly a lot of support for the couple.
They hope to have a church wedding in April and perhaps a honeymoon somewhere nice, he said.

BBC

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