Vice-Chancellor urges youth to be agents for peace

Professor Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, the Vice Chancellor, University of Cape Coast

Professor Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, the Vice Chancellor, University of Cape Coast, has called on the youth to be agents for peace building efforts in the society.

He noted that they were not often conscripted as agents of violence but also the primary enablers of social change.

Expert calls for Implement Recognition of Prior Learning

Experts have called for the implementation of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to recognise and validate competencies obtained outside the formal education and training systems for purposes of certification.

The RPL is a process for assessing and formally recognising people's existing skills and knowledge which may have been obtained through formal or informal training, work experience, voluntary work or life experiences.

Provisional results of private out WASSCE candidates

.The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the provisional results of 128, 707 candidates who took the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates, in 2016.

The results of 668 candidates alleged to have been involved in various malpractices have, however, been withheld pending the conclusion of investigations into the cases.

KAIPTC graduates class of 2016

A total of 89 students graduated from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) at a joint ceremony in Accra on Wednesday.

The students comprised 27 in Master of Arts in Gender, 31 in Peace and Security (MGPS), 31 Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security (MCPS) and 31 in Executive Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security (EMCPS) graduates.

Indian tycoon throws mass wedding for fatherless brides

Participants pose for a photo at the mass wedding of 236 fatherless girls organised by the charitable PP Savani Group in Surat, some 270 km from Ahmedabad

Out of 236 fatherless girls married in the mass wedding event, five were from the Muslim community, and one Christian, with the majority being Hindus. / AFP PHOTO / SAM PANTHAKYAn Indian diamond trader has thrown a mass wedding for more than 200 fatherless brides and given each of them gifts worth thousands of dollars, to help poor women start a new life.

Chelsea to set new club record with win over Bournemouth

Chelsea will set a new club record with 12 straight Premier League victories if they can find a way past Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth tomorrow.

The current crop matched the best winning streak in the club’s history against Crystal Palace on Saturday and will now have their sights set on Arsenal’s Premier League record.

Arsenal aim to bounce back against West Brom

Arsenal’s Premier League title ambitions have taken a big hit during the run up to Christmas, with a midweek defeat at Everton being followed by a loss at Manchester City but Arsene Wenger’s side are tipped to make a comeback against West Brom at the Emirates tomorrow.

The loss to Everton ended their 14 match unbeaten streak in the Premier League, and with Chelsea in such scintillating form Arsenal now find themselves in 4th position and nine points adrift of the leaders, despite enjoying an overall excellent season.

Mourinho has finally found Pogba solution – Ferdinand

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand feels Jose Mourinho has finally found a formation to get the best out of Paul Pogba.

The France international initially struggled to live up to the high expectations at Old Trafford following his world record move from Juventus, but he has thrived in recent weeks as United have gone 10 games unbeaten.

Committing suicide was heavily on my mind – Eboue

Former Arsenal player Emmanuel Eboue has admitted that his struggle to cope with his year-long ban from football has driven him to consider suicide.

The Ivory Coast international is serving a one-year suspension from football imposed by FIFA as part of a dispute with an agent over an unpaid debt.

Eboue’s contract at Sunderland was cancelled after FIFA awarded in favour of Sebastien Boisseau, who claims he is owed a fee reportedly close to £1million for his part in the defender’s transfer to Galatasaray from Arsenal in 2011.

“There are a lot of days when I don’t feel like getting out of bed,” he told The Daily Telegraph. “One day I wanted to kill myself. My family keep me strong, it’s them that I have to think about but if I was alone, I worry about what I’d have done to myself by now.

A look at Trump’s team

Four weeks to his inauguration, US-President-elect Donald Trump has already made key appointments in his new government. The incoming 45th US president would be inaugurated on 20January, 2017. Daily Trust on Sunday looked at the individuals who could play a key in decision making during his administration.

Counselor to the President: Kellyanne Conway: Conway, 49, is a veteran political operative, having spent the last three decades advising Republicans on how to appeal to female voters.

Conway became Trump’s campaign manager in August, appearing frequently on TV to defend him.

Conway will be responsible for carrying out the president’s priorities and communicating his message. It makes Conway the highest-ranking woman in Trump’s White House.

Chief of Staff: Reince Priebus: The chief of staff is the highest-ranking employee in the White House The chief of staff usually manages White House staff, oversees the president’s schedule, and acts as the president’s gatekeeper.

Priebus, 44, is the current Chairman of the Republican National Committee. During the general election, Priebus stood by Trump even as other Republicans withdrew their support or openly criticized the candidate. He was nominated on …..

Chief Strategist: Stephen Bannon: Bannon is arguably the most controversial of all of Trump’s choices, whose appointment sparked protests nationwide and strong condemnations from the Anti-Defamation League. Bannon and Priebus will work “as equal partners to transform the federal government,” according to Trump’s transition team.

Bannon, 63, was the CEO of the Trump campaign in its final stretch. He is the former chairman of Breitbart News, a far-right-wing website that Bannon has called a “platform for the ‘alt-right’.”



National Security Adviser: Michael Flynn: Flynn, 57, is a retired Army lieutenant general who served as Trump’s primary national security adviser during his campaign. In 2012, Flynn became director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, which is the nation’s highest-ranking military intelligence officer.

He was fired in 2014 and soon began railing against Washington elite and the dangers of radical Islam. Flynn will be responsible to weigh in on policies from the departments of State and Defense.

Secretary of State: Rex W. Tillerson: Tillerson, 64, is the CEO of energy giant ExxonMobil, a role he’s held since 2006. As the company’s top executive, he’s traveled the world and negotiated with its leaders.

Although Tillerson works with world leaders on behalf of ExxonMobil, he has no background in diplomacy.

His appointment marks the first time in modern history that a secretary of state has no experience in the public sector.

Secretary of Treasury: Steven Mnuchin: The treasury secretary oversees the country’s tax system-including the IRS-borrows money on behalf of the government.

The 53-year-old was the national finance chairman for Trump’s campaign. Although Mnuchin spent his career in finance and is hailed as a “financial expert” by Trump insiders, he has no experience in government.

Secretary of Defense: James Mattis: Mattis, 66, is a retired Marine Corps general. He led U.S. Marine raids in Afghanistan in 2001 and commanded a division of Marines during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In 2004, he led Marines in the ferocious battle to take the Iraqi city of Fallujah.

Mattis, a critic of the Obama administration, shares Trump’s position on taking a stronger approach against America’s enemies. But he also differs from Trump on key issues, including Russia, disagreeing with Trump’s glowing reviews of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Secretary of Justice (Attorney General): Jeff Sessions: The attorney general is America’s top law enforcement official and top lawyer. Sessions, 69, is the junior senator from Alabama, a role he’s held for the past 20 years.

In February 2016, Sessions became the first sitting U.S. Senator to support Trump for president. He is also a hardliner on immigration, earning a reputation as the most vocal opponent to immigration reform in the Senate.

Secretary of Interior: Ryan Zinke: The Secretary of Interior oversees the nation’s federal land, natural resources, and public waters, as well as manages relations with Native Americans.

Zinke, 55, is a Republican member of the House of Representatives from Montana, a post he’s held since 2015.

He spent 23 years as a Navy SEAL-serving in hotspots like Iraq and Kosovo while earning two Bronze Stars-before entering state politics in Montana in 2008.

Secretary of Commerce: Wilbur Ross: Ross, 79, is a veteran private-equity investor whose wealth is estimated at $2.9 billion. Ross will be key to Trump’s plan to create jobs as well as push his agenda on trade, according to Bloomberg.

Although Ross is among Trump’s less controversial choices, at least two of the companies he’s bought have run into trouble.

Secretary of Labour: Andrew Puzder: Puzder, 66, was an advisor and contributor to Trump’s campaign. He has been a vocal critic of the Obama administration, particularly of Obamacare.

Puzder has argued against raising the federal minimum wage above $9 per hour. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25, but 29 states have introduced higher wages.

Secretary of Health and Human Services: Tom Price: A Republican congressman from Georgia, Price, 62, has served in the House of Representatives since 2005. He was also an orthopedic surgeon.

In congress, Price has earned a reputation as the leading voice to repeal the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, drafting multiple bills meant to replace it.

He’s also staunchly pro-life and he’s against same-sex marriage. Price will be instrumental in carrying out Trump’s pledge to repeal and replace Obamacare.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Ben Carson: Carson, 65, is most widely known for running for the Republican presidential nomination earlier in this campaign-a bid he dropped in March before throwing his support behind Trump.

Born into poverty in Detroit, Carson earned scholarships to Yale and the University of Michigan and, by the age of 33, was director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, a role he held from 1984 until his retirement in 2013.

Carson has no experience in government or in the field of housing and urban development. He is to oversee federal programs designed to increase American homeownership.

Elaine Chao: Secretary or Transportation: Chao, 63, have worked in three Republican White Houses. She was Secretary of Labour under George W. Bush for eight years, making her the only cabinet member to serve his entire term.

Under George H.W. Bush, she was director of the Peace Corps and then deputy transportation secretary. And, in the Reagan administration, she was a White House fellow.

Chao, who is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, brings some diversity to Trump’s cabinet. She was born in Taiwan and moved to the U.S. with her family at the age of eight.

Secretary of Energy: Rick Perry: Perry, 66, served as governor of Texas from 2000 to 2015 and as the state’s agriculture commissioner before that. He ran unsuccessfully for president during the 2012 and 2016 elections (although he dropped out in 2015).

Perry was a harsh critic of Trump and even called him a “cancer to conservatism,” but ultimately campaigned for him.

Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos: DeVos, 58, is a billionaire businesswoman who chairs a company called the Windquest Group that invests in technology, manufacturing, and clean energy.

Her nonprofit work is extensive, particularly in the field of education, where she’s raised money for charter schools.

She’s also a high-profile Republican fundraiser and held prominent roles in the Michigan Republican Party, including chairwoman from 1996 to 2000.

Secretary of Homeland Security: Gen. John F. Kelly: The choice of Kelly continues Trump’s pattern of surrounding himself with generals. Kelly, 66, spent 40 years in the military, rising to general in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served three tours in Iraq, where he led troops into intense battle.

Kelly’s office is charged with keeping America safe, including securing the nation’s airports and borders and responding to emergencies. It is the third-largest cabinet department.

United Nations Ambassador: Nikki Haley: Haley, 44, is the governor of South Carolina, a role she’s held since 2011. She is the first woman to hold the office in South Carolina and currently the youngest governor in the country.

Haley was also critical of Trump during the campaign and even drew a rebuke on Twitter from then-candidate Trump after she delivered the Republican response to Obama’s State of the Union address in 2015.

Haley lacks foreign policy experience, and opposed the settlement of Syrian refugees in South Carolina.

Tech Workers Pledge Not To Help Trump Build Muslim Database

More than 1,200 software engineers and tech workers from a veritable who’s who of the tech world have signed an on-line pledge not to participate or help any Donald Trump administration initiative to design or build a proposed database to track people in the US based on their race, religion or national origin.



Signatories have come from within a wide range of companies, including, Google, IBM, Twitter, Mozilla and NVIDIA, Facebook and Twitter. Readers should note that these are individuals working in these companies and do not represent the firms themselves.

The pledge came in an open letter published on Neveragain.tech website, where the workers criticized the president-elect for campaign commitments and comments he made while trying to gain as many votes as he could.

One of the most xenophobically minded promises Trump made while campaigning was the one that preyed on the mostly unfounded fears of deep within certain layers of the US population; specifically the one where Trump called for the creation of a registry system to track Muslims in the US.

“We are choosing to stand in solidarity with Muslim Americans, immigrants, and all people whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by the incoming administration’s proposed data collection policies,” the letter reads. “We refuse to build a database of people based on their Constitutionally-protected religious beliefs. We refuse to facilitate mass deportations of people the government believes to be undesirable.”

The letter goes on to clarify that it recognizes the role that technology has had in aiding horrendous abuses of human rights abuses in the past. It highlights the fact that IBM had worked with Nazi Germany. The pledge also includes a commitment for the signatories to engage in whistle-blowing if necessary.

“We recognize that mass deportations precipitated the very atrocity the word genocide was created to describe: the murder of 1.5 million Armenians in Turkey,” the pledge continues. “We acknowledge that genocides are not merely a relic of the distant past – among others, Tutsi Rwandans and Bosnian Muslims have been victims in our lifetimes. Today we stand together to say: not on our watch, and never again.”

However, it is yet, unclear as to whether Donald Trump’s incoming government will ask the tech sector to build such databases, or even attempt to ban Muslims from entering the US.

In the weeks following Trump’s victory, the president-elect has started backtracking from some of the wilder promises and statements he made while campaigning.

While the Trump website still calls for “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,” his wall across the US-Mexico border may now be partly fenced, and he no longer is shouting for Hillary Clinton to be ‘locked up,’ and the keys thrown away, as he was vocally advocating less than two months ago.

Time will tell. 

African first ladies task leaders on women empowerment

African first ladies have called on leaders in the continent to step up efforts toward ensuring women and youth empowerment. The President of the African First Ladies Network for Peace and wife of Nigeria’s President, Mrs Aisha Buhari gave the charge at an occasion to mark the 2016 Regional Open Day on Women, Youth, Peace and Security in Abuja. 

Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs Adejoke Adefulire, Mrs. Buhari said when women and youth are empowered, they would be able to contribute meaningfully to the development of the nation; hence, crisis would be kept at bay. 

Also speaking, the first lady of Niger Republic, Mrs Mahamadou Issoufou Aissata said unemployment, weak purchasing power, inequality, among others, hinder peace and security of any society, while exposing the youths to social vices such as terrorism, illicit trafficking, drug abuse and various trans-border crimes.

In his speech, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, urged the authorities of the West African sub-region to implement various affirmative action and laws on women representation in leadership position they have adopted.

Ronaldo hat-trick wins Club World Cup for Real

Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick seals extra-time win for Real Madrid against Kashima Antlers in final - Club World Cup 2016

Cristi.ano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid survived a scare to beat Japanese side Kashima Antlers in extra time and win the Club World Cup.

Real took the lead in the ninth minute through Karim Benzema, but Gaku Shibasaki scored either side of half-time to put Kashima in front.

Ronaldo leveled from the penalty spot on the hour mark after Lucas Vazquez was fouled by Shuto Yamamoto.

The Ballon d’Or winner then put his side ahead in extra time after being played through by Benzema, and completed his hat-trick seven minutes later.

Victory gave Real their second Club World Cup and extended their unbeaten run to 37 games in all competitions.

It also means nine of the past 10 winners of the competition have come from Europe.

The Champions League winners looked set for a comfortable afternoon when Benzema put them ahead, and they dominated possession in the opening stages.

But Kashima - the first Japanese team to reach a Club World Cup final - impressed in an entertaining game, and Shibasaki took both goals well.

Indeed, after Ronaldo’s equalising penalty, Kashima had the better chances late in normal time. First Keylor Navas saved a long-range strike from Fabricio, then Yasushi Endo shot wide at the back post with the final kick of the 90 minutes. At 3-2 down, Yuma Suzuki hit the bar with a header.

The Japanese side also felt Real captain Sergio Ramos should have been sent off in normal time when he appeared to body-check an opponent when on a yellow card.

Referees used video replays to review several decisions during the competition, but Janny Sikazwe chose not take a second look at this incident.

Victory for Ronaldo capped an impressive year for the forward, coming six days after he won the Ballon d’Or, awarded to the world’s best player.

City stun Arsenal in comeback to go second

Manchester City came from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium yesterday and move to second place above their opponents in the Premier League standings.

The visitors had deservedly led at the break thanks to Theo Walcott’s early strike, only to throw away their advantage for the second match in a row.

Leroy Sane brought City level straight after half-time, before Raheem Sterling won the game with a goal 19 minutes from time.

As a result, the home team have jumped up to second in the table, albeit still seven points behind pace-setters Chelsea, while the Gunners have dropped to fourth.

Arsenal opted to stiffen up their midfield by bringing in Alex Iwobi for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the one alteration from the team that suffered their first away defeat of the season at Everton on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, City made two changes from the side that beat Watford 2-0 in midweek, Fernando replacing Ilkay Gundogan, who suffered a serious knee injury in that game, and Leroy Sane coming in for Nolito.

However, for the first time this season, Pep Guardiola kept the same back five for two league games in a row after their shut-out against the Hornets, meaning John Stones had to once again settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench.

That continuity in defence made little difference, though, as Arsenal opened the scoring just five minutes in after a quick-fire move that took just 16 seconds to go from back to front. Petr Cech started the move by rolling the ball out to Hector Bellerin, who strode forward unchallenged into the City half before finding Alexis Sanchez.

The Chile international’s brilliant reverse pass then picked out Walcott’s run in the box, with the forward making no mistake to score his 11th goal in all competitions this campaign, and his fourth in his last four games against City.

However, that lead was very nearly wiped out within minutes as City worked the ball out wide to Kevin De Bruyne and the Belgian’s brilliant cross from the left was somehow headed wide of the gaping goal by Sterling, playing the lone front role in place of the suspended Sergio Aguero.

Incredibly, it took the home team until the final minute of the first half to have their first effort on target, a Yaya Toure header straight at Cech, as the Gunners looked to produce a repeat performance to when they won 2-0 at City in January 2015.

But all the visitors’ good work in the first half was soon forgotten as City drew level two minutes after the interval as the Gunners went a 12th game in a row without keeping a clean sheet.

Sharing your location with people you trust

Do you want your family and loved ones to know where you are at all times? Are you interested in knowing whether or not your child made it back to school safely? Do you want to find out the location of your husband (boyfriend) or wife (girlfriend) at this very moment? Are you interested in knowing if your friend made it through the fracas that occurred in a certain city in the country? 

Your buddy flew on Arik Air to Accra and you haven’t heard from him; do you want to confirm that he made it to Accra safely? For that matter, and for any reasons, do you want a particular person to know your whereabouts at any time or are you interested in knowing the whereabouts of a particular person in your life?

If your answer to each of the foregoing questions is “yes” and you have an Android smartphone, then you could download Google’s Trusted Contacts app and get to work. It’s that easy! The app was released less than two weeks ago. However, you want to make sure you are sharing your location only with people you truly trust, because, as you can imagine, the potential for abuse is significant. Trusted Contacts is intended by Google to be a personal safety app, but the app is also rife with potential misuse. Possessive or jealous boyfriends or girlfriends, abusive husbands or wives, or folks who are just plainly nosey, could try to keep track of your whereabouts at all time, if you leave the app running innocently in the background.

To use the app after downloading it from Google Play, you’ll first need to select the contacts with whom you want to share your location from your Contact list. Adding them to your Trusted Contacts list evokes an email that is sent to them to let them know you trust them dearly to the point that you want to share your whereabouts with them. (You’ll also hope that they’ll replicate by including you in their Trusted Contacts list.) Whomever you add to the list has to approve your request to receive your location, and vice-versa. As of this moment, Trusted Contacts is only available on Android devices, but you can still add someone that uses iOS (iPhone) into the list, since they can receive notifications by e-mail.

The Trusted Contacts app works using a Google Account and you’ll need to have Google Location History turned on. If your phone is offline, this feature lets people see your last known location, provided, of course, that you send your location data to Google all the time.

You can send your location in two ways: normal or emergency. In the normal mode, you are able to select particular people in your Trusted Contacts list and send your location to them individually. In the emergency mode, you can send an “emergency blast” to every single person in your Trusted Contacts list; they will all be notified (of your location) on their phones, as well as by email.

Some control is built into the app, so you can gather yourself in the very likely event that you forget to stop sharing. That is, the app automatically stops sharing 24 hours from the time you ask it to start sharing. Thus, you have to manually start sharing again - for another round of 24 hours. Pretty useful, I’ll say.

What happens if you request for someone’s location and they don’t respond to your request? If they don’t respond to your request in 5 minutes, the app will just automatically give you their location anyway, and do so for the next 24 hours! You may wonder why the app does this. Well, because these are people you trust. Case closed. If you don’t trust them anymore, remove them from your Trusted Contacts list.

As you can imagine, the technology used in this app is not new at all, though the application is. Phone manufacturers like Samsung and Motorola have had these kinds of tools baked into their devices before - Samsung’s SOS service or Motorola Alert. Since Samsung phones are based on the Android OS, which didn’t support this capability, it’s no surprise that the SOS service hasn’t caught on. As for Alert, no one uses Motorola anyway. iOS has “Find My Friend!” Even for Google, it’s kind of déjà vu, in the sense that a lot of the functionality in Trusted Contacts already exist in Google Latitude, a contact location app that has been built into Google Maps for several years. Latitude was ditched in favor of a location solution embedded in the social network called Google+ Location Sharing.

If most of your trusted contacts are on Android, you may not have any reasons to not have Trusted Contacts installed and set up in your phone, since it’s free and potentially very useful. It may be too late to wait until you need the app!

Python and a bat clash in an epic survival battle... who wins?

A python and a bat are locked in an epic battle for survival but as the killer snake tightened its grip the fight took an unexpected twist. The bat was strangled by the python during the tense fight for survival in the Australian jungle, but miraculously squirmed its way free. 

Using its impressive wings to claw its way out of the snake’s killer grip, the bat lived to fight another day. Strangely, instead of attacking its prey again, the snake allowed the bat to escape without chase. They(bat) have an impressive wingspan that can exceed one metre, an attribute that certainly came in handy for the bat.

Photo: You Tube/Final Boss

President Mahama’s concession speech

My fellow Ghanaians, My Brothers and Sisters, A while ago, I phoned Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and offered him my congratulations for emerging the winner of the 2016 Presidential Elections.

Every election is a hard-fought battle, and this one was no exception. For those of us who choose to be contenders and go into electoral contests, we go about it as a win-lose proposition.

We believe that only one person can emerge as the winner. And while it is true that only one person can be elected President, in reality, and certainly in a democracy such as ours, every election is an opportunity for the people of this nation to express their will, to have their say in who will lead them in the shaping of Ghana’s future.

In this way, each victory belongs to the people. And the true winner is always Ghana. It is precisely on account of my belief in Ghana and its future that notwithstanding the irregularities associated with this election, I have decided at this stage to congratulate the President-elect.

With this understanding, I would like to assure the people of Ghana of my commitment to the sustenance of our country’s democracy and would work to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition to the incoming administration. I remain committed to the unity and stability of our great nation.

I am profoundly grateful to the almighty God and the people of Ghana for the opportunity to serve in the high office of President.

As President, I have done my bit and made a contribution to the political, social and economic development of our country. I would have cherished an opportunity to do even more, but I respect the will of the Ghanaian people.

I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to the individuals who have made this journey with me.

I wish to thank all of the people who worked on my campaign for their dedication and tireless efforts. I wish to thank the leadership of the NDC, all of our members, foot soldiers and sympathizers for their belief in the principles of social democracy and their commitment to the vision.

Likewise, I would like to thank the members of my administration for their diligent service and for bringing to fruition many of the plans we set out to accomplish—the numerous programs that have been implemented and the infrastructural projects that have been completed and ongoing.

I wish to thank my able Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur for his unflinching support and loyalty during our period in office. To the service commanders and men and women in uniform, I wish to extend my profound gratitude to you for your selfless service to Ghana. I thoroughly enjoyed working with you to ensure the internal and external security of our country. I am very proud of you. To organised labour, the civil and public services, traditional rulers, the clergy, workers, youth groups and all identifiable bodies, I am immensely appreciative of your contributions to the development of our country in the last four years.

I wish to thank my family: my children, my brothers, and sisters, and especially my wife, Lordina, for standing as firmly with me through the times of challenge and difficulty as they have through the times of achievement and promise.

Most importantly, I am grateful to the almighty God who has sustained us through the implementation of the Agenda for Transformation. I am eternally grateful. Ghana, this land that we all call home, is a powerful nation with a history of taking the improbable and making it possible.

We have been a leader on so many fronts, not just on this continent but also in the world–from our attainment of independence, to our development of a democracy that maintains at its core a pledge of stability and a respect for the rule of law, to our formation of much-needed peacekeeping and other humanitarian missions for other nations in need.

And we have been able to do all of these things because we have always functioned as one nation, one people.

Notwithstanding our diversity, religious faiths, ethnic groups and political affiliations, we have always recognized that we are all, ultimately, on the same side—the side of Ghana and its progress.

We see all throughout the world in countries that are much older than ours the devastation that division and intolerance bring.

So I pray that as we move forward, even as we voice our differences and possibly even disagree on agendas and decisions and other details of governance, we always keep in mind the fact of our shared destiny and the undeniable possibilities of power that exist in our unity.

It has been, without a doubt, one of the most tremendous privileges of my life to serve this great nation as President and to work on behalf of all Ghanaians.

I will leave it to history to be the judge of my time and contributions while in that highest office.

To all of the people who cheered us on, who gathered at rallies to show their support, and who queued in long lines to vote for me, I know that this is not the outcome that we wanted and hoped for, but I say to you that this day should not mark the defeat of your role in this nation’s political process.

We must do our part to ensure that the progress of all our past governments, from the very first one led by our nation’s founder, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to this most recent one that I have led, continues—because progress does not happen all at once; it takes time and dedication.In the words of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, “Forward ever, backward never.”

At this point let me commend the electoral Commission for living up to its constitutional duty in successfully conducting the 2016 elections. My thanks also goes to the media and all stakeholders for their role in the election.

Again, allow me to offer my sincere congratulations to the President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo.

I thank you for your kind attention.

May God bless you all, and may God continue to bless our homeland Ghana

Demonstrations continue for third day

Protests in the Polish capital Warsaw against government plans to restrict journalists’ access to parliament have continued for a third day.

Protesters gathered outside parliament, where opposition MPs have been holding a sit-in since Friday.

Government supporters also held a demonstration in Warsaw.

Polish President, Andrzej Duda, who is aligned with the governing party but has offered to mediate, held meetings with opposition party leaders.

A spokesman for Mr Duda said the president began talks on Sunday in the hope of easing the escalating tensions.

On Saturday, journalists met the speaker of the upper house of parliament to discuss the new rules.

Although no breakthrough was made at the talks, there were signs that a compromise deal may be reached after another meeting was scheduled for Monday.

Member States move to protect Basin resources

Member countries of the Volta Basin Authority (VBA) have reviewed the challenges facing the Volta Basin and are making efforts to enhancing coordinated approach to protect and utilise the natural resources in the river.

Volta Basin, estimated to be 400,000 square kilometres, is the ninth largest basin in Sub-Saharan Africa and is shared by six countries in West Africa; Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Togo.

Briefing newsmen after the 7th meeting of the VBA Council of Ministers held in Abuja last weekend, the Minister of Water and Sanitation of Burkina Faso, Mr Niouga Ouedraogo, said it would be a “catastrophe” if each country decides to do what it wants with the resources in the basin.

Mr Samuel Adusei, Deputy Minister, Water Resources, Works and Housing, Ghana, said that meeting would develop a master plan that could help countries work towards utilizing the potential of the natural resources in the basin.

Adusei further said that the policies developed by the VBA would be geared towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Jewish settlers agree to leave Amona site in occupied W/Bank

Residents of a Jewish outpost in the occupied West Bank have agreed to evacuate the area just one week before the deadline for eviction.

The community of Amona accepted a government relocation proposal with 45 votes in favour and 29 against.

Sunday’s decision comes after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Supreme Court earlier ruled that the homes were built on private Palestinian land.

Families living at the unauthorised site, or outpost, were ordered to leave the area in the northern West Bank by 25 December.

Messages posted on Twitter by representatives of the Amona community said the decision to accept the government proposal was “not an easy one”.

“We can definitely say that this decision was the most difficult one we ever took,” one tweet reads, while another adds: “All who voted FOR did that with a heavy heart.”

Mugabe to stand for 2018 election

Zimbabwe’s governing Zanu-PF party has confirmed President Robert Mugabe as its candidate for the 2018 elections.

Mr Mugabe, who is 92, has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980. At the party’s conference, the Zanu-PF youth wing even proposed that Mr Mugabe should be declared president for life. However, there have been unprecedented protests this year against Zimbabwe’s economic turmoil and Mr Mugabe’s leadership.

The Zanu-PF has also suffered serious infighting as factions battle it out to succeed Mr Mugabe once he eventually leaves.

His supporters broke into thunderous applause and chanted “tongai, tongai baba” [rule, rule father] as the Zanu-PF annual conference in the south-eastern town of Masvingo nominated Mr Mugabe on Saturday.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Mugabe called for an end to party infighting. “We agreed that conflicts should end. Infighting should end. The party ideology should be followed,” he said.

Home remedies for cracked skin

Lemon juice could be used to dissolve dry skin for easy removal. Soak the feet in lemon juice for few minutes. When it is soaked, use a soft brush on the feet. But if you have sores or injuries there, then don’t do this home remedy till it is healed.

For almost all beauty issues, there are preventive measures. Here are ways to prevent having cracked skin, especially in this harmattan season.

- The skin needs vitamins, hence get the proper nutrients by eating fruits and vegetables.

- Many experience cracked skin more on the feet. To prevent this, check to see your shoes have good padding.

- If you have dry skin, moisturise often to keep the skin moist.

Ways to relieve your skin this harmattan

The harmattan as known by many is a very dusty and dry season. Many, in this season, especially those with dry skin find it very difficult to care for their skin, hence having to battle with different skin infections. One of such skin problems is having cracked skin. Here are tips on how to care for cracked skin.

- You can soak the affected skin part in water mixed with few drops of oil. This would help to replenish the skin and soothe the affected area. However it is important to note that you soak the affected area for few minutes and not for long hours, as that can strip the skin of its essential oils.

- In this time of harmattan, it is advised that one uses more of oil to moisturize the skin. Using petroleum jelly can be an easy way out for those with very dry skin.

- Water is very essential to almost all beauty and health treatment. The skin benefits a lot from adequate intake of water. It not only stays hydrated but feels subtle and healthy, hence free from unnecessary blemish, including cracked skin.

- When you have cracked skin, check to see that the affected area is not infected. If it is, see a dermatologist who will give the appropriate treatment.

- Avoid peeling the cracked areas of the skin, as that could lead to more injury, and harmful to the skin.

Leading Nigerian Designer Mai Atafo Won West Africa’s Designer of the year

Nigerian bespoke designer Mai Atafo has been named fashion designer of the year in the whole of West Africa at the 2016 edition of the Abryanz Style & Fashion Awards (ASFAs)”.

The prestigious awards ceremony under the theme “Dress to Inspire” held on Friday evening at the Kampala Serena Hotel was by far the biggest fashion event to ever take place in Uganda.

There were music performances from fast-rising Ugandan singer, Ceaserous, Kenyan diva Avril and singer Runtown from Nigeria.

Among the people that attended the event were BBA Hotshots winner, Idris Sultan (the host), socialites Judith Heard, Bad Black’s ex-lover David Greenhalgh and his wife Miss Parker Dee, Herbert Shonga and his newly wedded wife Dorothy, Singers Bebe Cool and his wife Zuena Kirema, Jose Chameleone, Desire Luzinda, Voltage Music singers Kent and Flosso, fashionista Kim Swagga to mention but a few.

5 Ideas for men this season

It’s that time of the year again. The year 2016 has zoomed past pretty fast and judging by the Christmas trees at almost every spot and departmental stores all around most parts of the world, we know it’s arguably the most exciting time of the year.

While kids are getting all gooey about Santa Claus and gifts and ladies are attending more weddings than they have in the past couple of months, here are a few pointers as to what every gentleman should sustain through the festivities:

1. Stay well-groomed: This involves working out to stay fit and shaving any excess beard as you don’t want to look like a scary bounty hunter when guests come visiting

2. Stock in the casuals: The end of the year is usually that time of the year set aside for parties. Whether it’s an office end of the year party or a beach party with friends, it undoubtedly calls for ditching those corporate wears for some casual hip outfits. Pay attention to the loafers, chinos pants and maybe the cool bowler hats

3. Treat out your loved ones: This might be your girlfriend, wife, kids, nieces or nephews, you just have to make them feel lucky to have you and always look forward to spending the festive season with you

4. Get yourself a gift: Depends on your budget, rounding off the year with a souvenir for yourself doesn’t sound like a bad idea

5. Recharge your batteries: Getting as much rest as possible this season is more than ideal.

Health Corner: CS and normal delivery

Question:

I had Caesarean section two years ago due to breech presentation. I am currently thirty nine weeks pregnant. Initially my doctor told me I could deliver by myself but two days ago after scanning and the weight was 3.8kg. He is insisting on Caesarean section. Can I not deliver by myself? Is it true if I have this Caesarean section I cannot deliver by myself again?

Answer:

Women must realize that the mode of delivery is immaterial the most important thing is a healthy baby and a healthy mother. After a previous Caesarean section and the fetal weight is above 3.5kg we discourage vaginal birth after Caesarean section. This is because of the risk of uterine rupture. In this case the estimated fetal weight is 3.8kg which could be slightly less or more. It is not advisable to try vaginal delivery.

Also after two, caesarean section subsequent deliveries are usually by same route.

Health Corner: Persistent Headache

Question:

I am 17 yrs old, I have re-current headache, mostly at night. I had taken some medications but still the situation didn’t change. Arfat Maiduguri

Answer:

Any milky discharge from your breast? What is your blood pressure? I will advise you to see your family physician for proper history and examination. Part of the investigation should include malaria, enteric fever among others.

Health Corner: Whitish/ Yellowish Discharge

Question:

Good morning sir, I am 23 yrs I’ve been having white/yellowish discharge from my private part for about a month now, what do I do? Maimuna, Minna

Answer:

There is mixed infection including fungi because of the whitish discharge and most likely chlamydia because of the yellowish discharge. You will need to do endocervical and high vaginal swabs for microscopy, culture and sensitivity. No matter the result the medication will include antifungal preferably insertion and doxycycline.

Why breakfast is essential for every weight loss program

One major concern of everybody today, is how not to gain excess weight but to keep fit. In achieving this feat many have tolled towards the wrong direction, hence making mistakes in dieting. One of such many mistakes is skipping breakfast. Across the world, many dieticians have continuously highlighted the importance and essentials of taking breakfast. In fact having breakfast and losing weight loss are two lines that are inter twined. Asides breakfast being the most important meal of the day, here are other reasons why you shouldn’t skip it;

- Eating breakfast helps reduce hunger in the day, which would deprive you from falling prey to junk food. It is important to note however that during weight loss you need not skip meals but eat healthy.

- To kick start the day, you need all the energy you can gather. When you wake up, the body needs all the essential nutrients that would aid active brain work, and boost all other organs to function properly. Skipping breakfast increases insulin response, leading to storage of fat and weight gain.

- You don’t have to eat very heavy meals for breakfast, you can have a timetable to guide you in eating healthy meals for breakfast. This will go a long way to assist in dieting. A dietician can be of great help in choosing the right and healthy meals for breakfast.

- During weight loss, what many complain of is the inability to eat what we love. But this can be changed, you can substitute soda drinks for pure fruit drinks. You can still eat healthy even with meals that you think are high in calories. A professional guide can help in this regard.

Why skipping a meal is not weight loss

Starvation have repeatedly been said not to be weight loss, Starving would only lead to more damage than good. From the days in school, it was taught that our body needs a certain amount of nutrient daily, depriving your body from this nutrients will only cause harm. Starvation can lead to;

1. Weak immune: A good immune system leads to a healthy condition. Your immune system is what fight against diseases, and this is only possible with the input of food. When there is no sufficient supply of food to the body, the immune gets weak.

2. Muscle Loss: Starving yourself can make your body act on its own, by using stored fat as a means to giving you energy. This could affect the body, hence leading in muscle loss.

3. Decreased Energy: Our body needs the right amount of energy to function daily. Not eating can make you slow in your productivity and output at activities.

4. Malnutrition: You need food to feel nourished, not giving your body the required nutrients or starving could make you malnourished, which could lead to other health issues, if not properly handled.

Buttery garlic potatoes

These potatoes are so easy to make yet so delicious and the perfect addition or side to any meal.

Ingredients

•   12 potatoes, quartered
•   1⁄4 butter
•   4 garlic cloves, minced (more or less to taste)
•   1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
•   1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
•   1⁄2 teaspoon salt
•   1⁄2 1tablespoon dill, chopped

Directions



Add potatoes to salted water in a large pot. Cook until tender and drain.
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until garlic is tender.
Add parsley, pepper, and dill. Pour over potatoes, tossing gently to coat. Enjoy.

A taste of Italy with turkey lasagna

Bearing in mind that Christmas is just a week away, we have gathered a few recipes to try out instead of the everyday rice and swallow meals that we have become so accustomed to. There are no rules saying that it is a must to put them on the table so why not go for something a little different this year? Turkey is pretty much a staple all over the world for Christmas feast so it is only right to give this Italian dish a small twist too.

Turkey Lasagna

Ingredients

• 6 lasagna noodles

• 1 (16-ounce) seasoned ground turkey

• 1 jar spaghetti sauce

• 1 package ricotta cheese

• ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided


Directions
• Heat oven to 350ºF. Cook noodles according to package directions. Cook ground turkey 14 to 16 minutes or until well done. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Combine ricotta cheese, basil and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and mix well.

• Spoon ¾ cup spaghetti sauce mixture over bottom of 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Layer half of cooked noodles over sauce, top with half of ricotta cheese mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese and top with 1 cup spaghetti sauce. Repeat layering with remaining ricotta cheese mixture, 3 noodles and remaining spaghetti sauce. Top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil; bake 50 minutes. Uncover; continue baking 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Costa extends high flying Chelsea’s lead at the top

Chelsea moved nine points clear at the top of the Premier League as they extended their winning run to 11 games with a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace.

Diego Costa scored the only goal of the game, heading home Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross in the 44th minute to score his 13th league goal of the season.

The visitors, who will be without both Costa and N’Golo Kante for the Boxing Day fixture against Bournemouth after the pair picked up yellow cards, pushed for a second with substitute Cesc Fabregas and Marcos Alonso both being denied by Wayne Hennessey saves.

Alonso then struck the crossbar with a free-kick in the 84th minute but the wasted chances did not prove costly as Antonio Conte’s side held on for a third straight 1-0 win to extend their lead at the top, and equal a club-record run of successive wins.

The closest the visitors came to extending their advantage was in the 83rd minute when Damien Delaney fouled Hazard on the edge of the area. Alonso stepped up and curled a free-kick against the underside of the crossbar.

A second goal was not forthcoming but it was never truly needed. The home fans were buoyed by five minutes of added time but Chelsea held on for victory as they head into Christmas with a healthy lead at the top.

Barcelona set to close gap on leaders Real Madrid

Barcelona set to close gap on leaders Real Madrid

Barcelona will have to end Espanyol’s 10-game unbeaten run if the Spanish champions are to close to within three points of La Liga leaders Real Madrid in today’s Catalan derby.

Barca have the chance to end the year within striking distance of their rivals with Madrid not in Liga action due to their participation in the Club World Cup in Japan.

However, they will confronted by an Espanyol side that have conceded in just two of their last nine league outings to shoot up the table and to within just four points of the Champions League places.

Barca boss Luis Enrique will at least have the rare luxury this season of counting on a fully-fit squad as Neymar returns from suspension after missing the comfortable 3-0 win at Osasuna last weekend.

“In the past two or three games the team has improved and got back to feeling positive,” said captain Andres Iniesta, whose comeback from a six-week injury layoff has coincided with Barca’s return to form.

“We have to continue that into the two games we have to end the year.”

Barca also received a welcome boost on Thursday as Luis Suarez extended his contract with the club until 2021.

Luis Enrique’s men had the unwelcome distraction of fulfilling a friendly commitment in Qatar in midweek, but Lionel Messi, Suarez and Neymar were all on target in a 5-3 win over Saudi champions Al-Ahli.

Barca have not lost to Espanyol since 2009 and have outscored them by 19 to one in their last five league meetings at the Nou Camp, but midfielder David Lopez believes his side are ready to make their mark on the derby again.

“It’s been a long time since we last beat them but now is a good time because the team has realised we’re capable of great things,” Lopez said. “We’re on form and feeling confident and we need to take advantage of that.”

Mikel edging closer to China move

Reports that Super Eagles and Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi is set to move to China are credible according to some insiders at the London Club. If the move goes through, the player will be joining his team mate, Oscar in the Far East, come January.

The Nigerian has failed to make a single appearance this season for the Blues, as new manager Antonio Conte consistently overlooks him in his new 3-4-3 formation.

With Oscar set to make a sensational £52 million move to Shanghai SIPG, it’s reported that two Chinese clubs are looking at signing Mikel. Chelsea are yet to offer their veteran a new deal, with his current deal set to expire after this season.

The central midfielder has been at Stamford Bridge since 2006, and has made 374 appearances for the West London side, winning two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, the Europa League and the Champions League.

Last season Mikel established himself as an important player, and cemented his position in the starting eleven when Guus Hiddink took charge. But Conte has taken a blind side to his abilities, there are other stories that Ligue 1 giants Marseille are also rumoured to be interested.

Conte has revealed he has no plans to let the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist leave in January, but has conceded that a new deal is unlikely. Chelsea sits top of the Premier League, winning their last eleven matches as they chase down Arsenal’s record of 14 straight league wins.

Chinese retirees could fuel the next overseas property boom

 The Aust-China Group, a residential developer targeted to Chinese buyers based in Melbourne, has seen a notable increase in Chinese retirement investments      (Credit: Getty Images)

More and more of China’s elderly are looking to retire abroad - and property developers are looking to cash in, writes Justin Bergman.

When Mika Sun started looking for a retirement house for his parents, he had a few non-negotiable requirements.

Decent healthcare was a must, as was a safe community and a pristine environment. It also had to be a good investment, at a price Sun - a 35-year-old network engineer at a telecommunications firm in Shanghai - could afford.

This retirement dream of palm trees and sunny skies wasn’t in China, though. Like many well-travelled Chinese, Sun found what he was looking for overseas - specifically, in Irvine, California, a city 40 miles southeast of Los Angeles in the US. He recently bought a townhouse there for his parents, and in a few years when he’s secured a US visa, he plans to move there for work and his parents will follow.

Well-to-do Chinese are increasingly investing in retirement properties overseas - both for their parents and their own golden years
Sun’s parents, who are both in their 60s, might even find it easy to acclimatise to their new, foreign home. As many of his Shanghai friends are buying properties in Irvine for themselves and their parents, they’ll be able to socialise in their native Shanghainese dialect.

“I mainly considered the community. Chinese people like to live together, so it will be more comfortable for older people to have a neighbour they can talk to,” he says. “They can walk around the community, and there are public pools, facilities, lawns and gardens. And no need to maintain it themselves, there is a professional property management to do that.”

China is facing a looming demographic crisis due to its rapidly aging society
China is facing a looming demographic crisis due to its rapidly aging society. According to the United Nations, there will be an estimated 360 million Chinese over the age of 60 in 2030 - a full quarter of the total population and more than the number of people currently living in the US.

With limited resources to care for a large retired population, not to mention growing concerns about the Chinese economy, well-to-do Chinese are increasingly investing in retirement properties overseas - both for their parents and their own golden years.

Golden years abroad
“We get asked a lot by the younger generation, ‘Is there a retirement village nearby?’” says Charles Pittar, CEO of Juwai.com, a real-estate website that lists international properties for Chinese buyers. “But we’re also getting enquiries from older Chinese who have been through a pretty significant property boom in China, they’ve generated a lot of wealth and they’re looking to retire somewhere clean, comfortable, safe, that obviously has good medical facilities.”

As property prices have skyrocketed at home and as the yuan has steadily declined in value against the dollar, Chinese investors have been pouring their money into overseas property to safeguard their wealth in recent years. Overall Chinese investment in foreign commercial and residential real estate jumped from $5.6 billion in 2012 to $34.4 billion last year, according to a report by Knight Frank Research.

And according to a 2016 survey of wealthy Chinese who had either emigrated or were considering emigrating, 60% said they would buy an overseas property in the next three years, with the US, UK, Canada and Australia as the top destinations. More than half indicated they were concerned about the continuing depreciation of the yuan.

According to a Citi report in October, outbound tourism by elderly Chinese shot up by 217% in 2015
Juwai doesn’t specifically track retirement investments among its clients, but one important indicator of the potential size of the market is the spike in interest in overseas travel by elderly Chinese in recent years. According to a Citi report in October, outbound tourism by elderly Chinese shot up by 217% in 2015, compared to the year before, and elderly tourists now comprise 20% of all tourists in China.

And as this group becomes more comfortable with travel, settling down somewhere foreign becomes less daunting.
“We actually had some Chinese consumers doing a tour of [Australian capital] Canberra recently,” Pittar says. “And one of the older family members said, ‘Gee, this looks like a wonderful place to retire.’”

Wealthy Chinese expect to lead full, exciting lives in their golden years
For many Chinese, attitudes about retirement are also shifting as they become wealthier and more independent. Another survey on retirement planning, conducted this year by Taikang Insurance and the Hurun Report, showed that wealthy Chinese expect to lead full, exciting lives in their golden years. A majority cited top-quality medical and living services, an excellent living environment and good weather as paramount concerns for their retirements, while just under half anticipated frequent travel to “broaden one’s horizons”.

And while a majority said they wanted to retire in their home city, more than a third preferred a “travel or vacation” destination like the resort island of Hainan in southern China - a far sunnier and more relaxing locale than most Chinese cities.

Planning for the senior rush
Property developers are already looking to cash in, particularly in countries considered attractive by elderly Chinese, namely Australia, Canada and the US.

The Aust-China Group, a Melbourne-based residential developer targeted to Chinese buyers, has seen a notable increase in Chinese retirement investments in the past few years and has started specifically catering to this community by helping seniors adapt to the local life. Zheng Mingyue, the company’s marketing director, says its service representatives can accompany elderly residents to the hospital, if need be, or help them set up small businesses.

Another small perk the company offers that has proven popular among retirees: free seeds to grow vegetables and flowers in their gardens and trees for the backyard, a novelty for those accustomed to apartment living in dense Chinese cities.

For Chinese retirees, Zheng ticks off the same benefits in Australia that attracted Mika Sun’s family to California - clean air, a warm climate, an excellent healthcare system and public services for senior citizens. The country’s education system is a major draw, too, she says.

They think a lot about the third generation
“What’s most interesting is they think a lot about the third generation - they would like their grandchildren to be born and study and live in Australia,” she says.

The Chinese property company Poly Real Estate is also eyeing the retiree market, according to Australian media reports, with plans for a membership-style global network of senior housing that could allow elderly Chinese to spend part of the year in Sydney or Los Angeles, while also keeping their home base in China. And in the US, another group of Chinese investors has purchased a century-old factory in Maine, according to local media reports, with plans to turn it into a five-star health and wellness resort for wealthy Chinese retirees and medical tourists, though work has yet to start on the project.

South East Asian countries, long popular with Japanese and Korean retirees, are also starting to court elderly Chinese homebuyers.
Malaysia’s “My Second Home” programme offers renewable, 10-year visas to anyone over the age of 50 who makes a deposit of $33,700 or has a monthly pension of $2,250. Thailand has a similar one-year renewable visa for retirees over 50 who make a deposit of $22,300, while the Philippines opens its doors to those desiring really early retirement - the minimum age is just 35, with a $20,000 deposit.

The Philippines is hoping an influx of elderly (and perhaps middle-aged) Chinese can help it double the number of foreign retirees living in the country to 100,000 by 2020. Already, Chinese seniors have overtaken the Japanese and Koreans as the largest group in the overseas retirement programme.

Cultural barriers
But while older people in China are generally becoming more independent and don’t want to feel like a burden to their grown children, there are still cultural barriers that may prevent them from retiring overseas on their own, says Daniel Lai, a social work and gerontology professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and director of the school’s Institute of Active Ageing.

Perhaps the biggest impediment is leaving their children behind
Some may struggle with the language and culture in a new country, while others are reluctant to give up their social circle in China. Perhaps the biggest impediment, however, is leaving their children behind, Lai says.

“Very seldom you see a pair or couple of older Chinese moving overseas for retirement on their own,” he says. “They would love to travel to see things, but I’m not sure many would choose to retire overseas by themselves because they want to stay close to their children, they want to stay close to their grandchildren.”

Lai says it’s much more common to see older parents moving with their children overseas for retirement and then choosing to stay put if their children move back to the mainland for work. “They’re reluctant to come back to China because they’re used to it, they’re independent, they’re healthy,” he says.

Mika Sun says his parents aren’t particularly excited about the move to California, even though he’ll be accompanying them. But he thinks they’ll come around once they get there.

“From an emotional standpoint, they will [miss China],” he says. “But to borrow a poem by [Chinese poet] Su Tung-po, ‘Where my heart feels secure and peaceful is my hometown.’”

Source: bbc.com

Beans and peas increase fullness more than meat – Study

Meals based on legumes such as beans and peas are more satiating than pork and veal-based meals according to a recent study by the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Nutrition, Excercise and Sports. Results suggest that sustainable eating may also help with weight loss.

Numerous modern dietary recommendations encourage high protein consumption to help with weight loss or prevent the age-related loss of muscle mass. Furthermore, consuming more vegetable-based protein from beans and peas, and less protein from meats such as pork, veal and beef, is recommended because meat production is a far greater burden on our climate than vegetable cultivation. Until now, we haven’t known very much about how legumes like beans and peas stack up against meat in satiating hunger. As a result, little has been known about the impact of vegetables and the possibility of them catalyzing or maintaining weight loss.

High protein vegetables fill more
The recent study demonstrated that protein-rich meals based on beans and peas increased satiety more in the study participants than protein-rich veal and pork based meals. In the study, 43 young men were served three different meals in which patties -- consisting of either beans/peas or veal/pork -- were a key element. The study also demonstrated that when participants ate a protein-rich meal based on beans and peas, they consumed 12% fewer calories in their next meal than if they had eaten a meat-based meal.

“The protein-rich meal composed of legumes contained significantly more fiber than the protein-rich meal of pork and veal, which probably contributed to the increased feeling of satiety,” according to the head researcher, Professor Anne Raben of the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports.

Sustainable eating can help weight loss
Most interestingly, the study also demonstrated that a less protein-rich meal based on beans and peas was as satiating and tasty as the protein-rich veal and pork-based meals.

“It is somewhat contrary to the widespread belief that one ought to consume a large amount of protein because it increases satiety more. Now, something suggests that one can eat a fiber-rich meal, with less protein, and achieve the same sensation of fullness. While more studies are needed for a definitive proof, it appears as if vegetable-based meals -- particularly those based on beans and peas -- both can serve as a long term basis for weight loss and as a sustainable eating habit,” concludes Professor Raben.

The results are published in the scientific journal Food & Nutrition in the article: Meals based on vegetable protein sources (beans and peas) are more satiating than meals based on animal protein sources (veal and pork) -- a randomized cross-over meal test study.

Source: sciencedaily.com