KICNEWS

Author: Chukwu Ikenna

  • Mahama promises to abolish the 10% tax on sports betting

    Mahama promises to abolish the 10% tax on sports betting

    Mahama promises to abolish the 10% tax on sports betting

    Sports betting
    John Mahama, Ghana’s Former President

    Ghanaian presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama, has promised to remove the 10% tax on sports betting if elected into office. 

    He made the statement in Accra while responding to a question raised by a Ghanaian youth during the NDC’s Town Hall Conversation.

    The questioner said, “Mr. President, if we wake up and don’t bet, it means we will not get food to eat. But withdrawing 1000 cedis and getting taxed 100 cedis is not easy. So I want you to assure us that if we vote, you’re going to abolish the 10% tax on betting.”

    In response, the former president said, “We’ve talked a lot about this, if we come, we will abolish the betting tax. We know that this government has signed a deal with the IMF to initiate the betting tax, but when we come, we will find an alternative revenue source to replace the betting tax.”

    Nana Addo’s administration introduced the 10% withholding tax on betting and lottery winnings in August 2023. Despite the public rejection of the tax by Ghanaian youths, the government went ahead to enact and enforce it. 

    It is applied at the payout point for all betting, games and lottery wins. The regulation aimed to mobilize domestic tax revenue and address the country’s economic challenges. 

    Ghanaweb reported that the Domestic Tax Revenue Division of Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) revealed in October 2023 that it generated GHc 15 million within a month from the 10% tax on sports betting alone.

  • Elon Musk’s interview with Trump surpasses 1 billion views

    Elon Musk’s interview with Trump surpasses 1 billion views

    Elon Musk’s interview with Trump surpasses 1 billion views.

    Trump

    The interview session which held between Elon Musk and President Donald J. Trump yesterday at 8PM ET on X Platform has broken a record of the most viewed spaces in X (formally Twitter) history.

    Elon Musk revealed this on his X handle while expressing his satisfaction with the space between him and Trump.

    The post reads, “Combined views of the conversation with @realDonaldTrump and subsequent discussion by other accounts now ~1 billion”

    The space and its aggregate are estimated to have surpassed 1 billion views together with likes and reposts during and after the space interview.

    Despite some glitches, the space recorded more than 1.2 million live streams with many people eager to hear Trump speak about his policies and efforts to regain the presidential seat in the forthcoming November 5 elections.

  • 11 passengers die in a fatal accident in Abia 

    11 passengers die in a fatal accident in Abia 

    11 passengers, including two kids, died on the spot of the accident. 

    Accident

    A fatal accident that took place along the Umuika Junction on the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway in Abia State has claimed the lives of 11 passengers of a commercial bus, including two kids.

    The only survivor of the accident is the driver of the Sienna bus who sustained minor injuries.

    Accident

    Lindaikejisblog reported that the bus collided with a stationary truck on the Apu Na Ekpu/Egbelu Mbutu section of the busy Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway.

    Accident

     

    The victims of the accident were said to have died on the spot before any assistance could arrive.

    The bodies of the 11 passengers have been deposited in a nearby mortuary.

  • WAEC releases 2024 WASSCE results

    WAEC releases 2024 WASSCE results

    WAEC directs candidates who sat for the 2024 WASSCE to go and check their results as it has officially been released.

    WASSCE

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has officially released the 2024 results for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) on Monday, August 12, 2024.

    The examination body disclosed this in a Monday post on X.

    The post read, “The West African Examinations Council is pleased to inform candidates who sat WASSCE for school candidates, 2024 that the result has officially been released today, Monday, August 12, 2024.”

    Candidates are directed to visit waecdirect.org to access their results.

  • Tragedy: 3 teenage girls drown in Jagawa pond

    Tragedy: 3 teenage girls drown in Jagawa pond

    Girls drowning

    A great tragedy hit the people of Tulla village, Buji local government area of Jigawa state on Saturday, as three teenage girls were found drowned in a pond.

    According to a press statement issued by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa state command, the victims were Fatima Sule (12), Nasiya Sale (12), and Huwaila Sa’adu (13).

    Nigerian Tribune reported that the girls met their untimely death while trying to cut grasses to feed their livestock beside the pond.

    The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the NSCDC, ASC Badruddeen Tijjani Mahmud, confirmed the incident. He said the bodies of the girls were recovered after a 30-minute search and rescue mission. The bodies were later taken to the nearest Health Center in Tulla village, where they were confirmed dead by the medical officer on duty.

    Badruddeen post reads “The NSCDC, Buji local government Divisional Officer, received a distress call from some members of the Tulla community at around 1100hrs of Saturday and rushed to the scene with the division’s disaster management team accompanied with members of the community for a rescue mission where able to recover the bodies of the three young girls after about 30 minutes of search and rescue mission.”

    The bodies of the girls were handed over to their respective parents before burying them according to Islamic rites. The incident has left the community in mourning, and the NSCDC has urged residents to be cautious this rainy season to avoid such a scenario again.

  • IDF speculates Yahya Sinwar is running out of hideouts, see why!

    IDF speculates Yahya Sinwar is running out of hideouts, see why!

    A security source estimates Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is running out of hideouts.

    Sinwar
    Hamas’s new leader Yahya Sinwar

    According to security sources, Sinwar’s movement area, like other senior Hamas leaders, is shrinking day by day.

    A security source who spoke to the Jerusalem Post estimates Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is running out of hideouts.

    Friday’s operation in Khan Yunis, as well as around the Gaza Strip and Rafah, may advance the IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to their primary goal: the elimination of senior Hamas leadership.

    Sinwar is almost alone at the top of Hamas leadership as the likes of Mohammad Deif, Rafa’a Salama, Ahmed Ghandour, Raad Saad, and Ayman Nofal have either been eliminated or disappeared.

    According to Arab media, the man closest to Sinwar, the minister in the Hamas government and his right-hand man, Rawhi Mushtaha, was also killed along with Sameh al-Siraj and three military commanders from the al-Qassam Brigades who accompanied them: Abdul Hadi Siam, Sami Odeh, and Muhammad Hadid.

    Mushtaha, one of Hamas’s senior members, is considered to be among the closest to the leader and is the figure that Sinwar relies on the most, both in the military and the political management of the organization.

    Yahya Sinwar’s appointment as the new political head of Hamas came immediately after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh by Israeli forces in Tehran last week. 

    His appointment on Tuesday follows a consensus within Hamas’s leadership and Shura Council, underscoring the movement’s support for Sinwar, one of the most wanted men by Israel, which accuses him of being the mastermind behind the 7 October attacks.

  • Bangladesh Prime Minister Resigns Amid Unrest

    Bangladesh Prime Minister Resigns Amid Unrest

    Bangladesh Prime Minister Resigns Amid Unrest

    Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

    Bangladesh’s prime minister has resigned and fled to India following weeks of violent protests in the country.

    Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 76, and her sister took a military helicopter to India’s eastern state of West Bengal, according to media reports, which is just across the border. Another report, however, said she was headed to India’s north-eastern state of Tripura.

    The protests initially began peacefully in late June as students demanded the abolition of the quota system for government jobs, but escalated into violence following clashes between protesters, police, and pro-government supporters at Dhaka University.

    Despite a nationwide curfew, student activists defied the orders and organized a march to the capital, Dhaka, on Monday to pressure Hasina into resigning.

    Happy protesters jubilating Bangladesh Prime Minister’s resignation.

    On Monday, protesters breached Ms. Hasina’s official residence after defying a military-imposed curfew in Dhaka.

    During a televised speech, Army Chief General Waker-Us-Zaman confirmed that the Prime Minister had fled the country and announced the formation of an interim government.

    In celebration of the Prime Minister’s end of 15-year rule, thousands of people stormed her official residence, shouting slogans, pumping fists, and displaying victory signs.

  • Breaking: “One Love” Singer, Onyeka Onwenu Dies At 72

    Breaking: “One Love” Singer, Onyeka Onwenu Dies At 72

    Breaking: “One Love” Singer, Onyeka Onwenu Dies At 72

    Onyeka Onwenu

     

    Legendary singer, songwriter, and actress Onyeka Onwenu is dead. She died aged 72.

    According to reports she collapsed on Tuesday after performing at a birthday party in Lagos.

    Miss Onwenu was later confirmed dead at a hospital in Victoria Island. However, her family is yet to confirm the news.

    “It is very sad. Onyeka Onwenu just performed at the birthday of Mrs. Stella Okoli today, and after performing, she slumped.

    “She was taken to Reddington Hospital and she couldn’t make it,” TheNiche quoted a witness who was at the party as saying.

    Onwenu’s influence during her lifetime cut across music, acting, broadcasting, advocacy, and politics. 

    She was appointed as the Chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture in 2013 and later became the Director-General of the National Centre for Women Development in 2016.

    Onwenu has been recognized for her contributions to Nigerian society, including being awarded the National Honors of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011. 

  • Zamfara Youth For Community Development Collaborates With Groups To Train 70 Students On Digital Literacy

    Zamfara Youth For Community Development Collaborates With Groups To Train 70 Students On Digital Literacy

    The Zamfara Youth for Community Development in collaboration with AE Tech Industry and Zamfara SDGs Alliance have taken it upon themselves to carry Zamfara youths along on the global digital trends.

    The three groups jointly carried out digital literacy training at Nuruddeen Group of Schools in Gusau, Zamfara State from 10th July and lasted till the 18th of July 2024.

    The one-week training was aimed at equipping Zamfara students with the theoretical concepts of computers. More than 70 students benefited from the training.

    The Chairman of Zamfara Youths for Community Development and CEO of AE Tech industry, Abdullahi Sada Ibrahim expressed his joy in the level of success recorded within the one-week training.

    He said “Zamfara youths need to be digitally equipped to compete with the rest of the youths out there. I and my team together with other stakeholders in the state are determined to make it happen. We will ensure that no youth is left behind digitally in Zamfara State.”

    Hauwa’u Bashir Adam, a participant in the training expressed her gratitude to the organizers for providing them the learning opportunity. She said “The training was insightful and interesting altogether. I learned a lot from it. I want to thank the organizers for choosing our school for this training.”

    The ongoing digital revolution has reinforced learning experiences globally. It has widened the scope of learning to encompass virtual and AI learning.

    Today people can learn anything from the comfort of their homes with just a smartphone or laptop. This new aspect of learning can be virtually carried out with both the instructor and learners achieving the learning objectives.

  • Bayelsa SDGs Alliance Charges Corps Members To Devote Themselves To Community Development Across The State

    Bayelsa SDGs Alliance Charges Corps Members To Devote Themselves To Community Development Across The State

    The Director of Communications for Bayelsa SDGs Alliance, Chukwu Ikenna, on Friday, 12th July 2024, charged the NYSC SDGs Bayelsa corps members to devote themselves to community development across Bayelsa State.

    The Director said this during a courtesy visit to the NYSC SDGs Bayelsa group with his team members at Peace Park Yenagoa.

    Ikenna applauded the CDS group for the skill acquisition training they carried out at Community Primary School, Onopa. He assured the group of their commitment to partnering with organizations promoting SDGs in the state.

    Mr. Tochukwu, the project manager of Bayelsa SDGs Alliance, encouraged the corps members to network and volunteer with other organizations in the state. He charged them to make their one-year service in the state count.

    The two groups had engaging conversations on how they can foster partnerships, build capacity, promote research and innovation, and monitor progress toward achieving sustainable development targets in the state.

    Mr. Michael, the CDS Vice President, appreciated the Bayelsa SDGs Alliance Team for the visit to their group assuring them of their readiness to collaborate with them in promoting SDGs in the state.

    The Bayelsa SDGs Alliance is a youth-based organization affiliated to the SDSN Youth Nigeria that is commissioned to spearhead the actualization of SDGs in Bayelsa State.