- Save The Environment Project (STEP), which is being executed by Miss Malaika 2011 finalist, Emma Awunyo has scored another effective alliance or endorsement by signing a significant partnership memorandum with the Students Representative Council of the University of Ghana, Legon. Speaking at the signing, Emma Awunyo highlighted the current state of environmental degradation and the rampant disregard for environmental issues not only in Ghana but globally. She recounted how certain human activities have overtime impacted on life and nature, ciiting the increasingly frequent incidents of hurricanes, mudslides, floods, droughts, loss of cultures, and diseases as examples. She further la…

Kenyan long distance runner, Vivian Cheruiyot and South Africa's "Blade Runner," Oscar Pistorius made Africa proud winning awards at the just ended Laureus World Sports Awards. The winners of the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards were unveiled at a globally televised Awards Ceremony in London. - Oscar Pistorius, dubbed the ‘Blade Runner’ because he uses carbon fibre blades, was presented with the Laurels Disability Award, after becoming the first amputee to win a track medal in the non-disabled World Championships, a silver in the 4 x 400 metres relay. The Laurels Sportswoman of the Year Award went to Kenya’s extraordinary distance runner Vivian Cheruiyot,…

- Miss Emma Awunyo, a final year student of the School of Performing Arts (University of Ghana), who made a huge impact on the 2011 Miss Malaika beauty pageant by winning Miss Catwalk, Miss Talent and making the Top 5 finalist cut, is about to make an even bigger impact on society by launching an environmental protections project. Although, she couldn’t win the Miss Malaika contest, the young student and model is using the exposure from the show to take on a project that’s dear to her heart. Emma with her management is set to launch the much endorsed Save The Environment Project (STEP) in the first quarter of this year. She comments: “I feel like a winner within and w…

- In the era of growing concerns over environmental degradation and its impact on lives and society, a new initiative which will take effective steps towards launching a comprehensive and effective campaign to address environmental protection, Save The Environment Project (STEP) is to be launched in the first quarter of this year. The project amongst other things seeks to complement the efforts of government and non-governmental agencies in the fight against environmental degradation; maximize key stakeholder and general public awareness on environmental issues; and encourage positive attitudes towards the environment amongst the general public. Ms. Jasmine Nkrumah, Executive Secretary…

- South African athlete, Oscar Pistorius, the first amputee to win track medal in non-disabled World Championships, joins a glittering collection of the world’s greatest sports stars in the nominations for the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards, following a ballot by the world’s media. ‘Blade Runner’ Oscar Pistorius and Czech tennis star Petra Kvitova were both nominated in two categories – Kvitova for Sportswoman and Breakthrough, while athlete Pistorius qualifies for the Breakthrough and Disability Awards. Argentina’s charismatic football star Lionel Messi has been nominated for the third straight time for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award.…

- Virgin Atlantic has announced a brand new offering in its Economy class cabin with a fresh new take on plane dining. This new product offering is part of the airline’s recently announced £100 million product investment. The new service introduced from November 1 will feel much more like a restaurant service with a menu offering a fresh approach to dining on board aircraft including a number of unexpected delights such as a welcome cocktail and a snack tray service! The new services include the ‘Welcome Cocktail’, a refreshing mix of fruit juices with or without vodka, served in a fabulous new purple glass with a stylish, quirky, new swizzle stick that makes the…

- The past few months have certainly been exciting for runaway Nigerian sensation, Ice Prince and his record label, Chocolate City which parades other internationally recognized acts like M.I, Jesse Jags, and Brymo. There is even more excitement for Ice Prince and his fans as his debut album is scheduled for release on October 9.Ice Prince’s debut album, titled ‘E.L.I (Everybody Loves Ice Prince)’ will be launched at the Expo Hall of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos by Chocolate City in partnership with Conceptshot Nigeria Limited and Pearl Entertainment. Ice Prince has already released two singles off the ‘E.L.I’ album, namely ‘Oleku’…

- Global consumer electronics manufacturer, Samsung is set to hold its first spectacular Week Celebrations in Ghana next month. The three-day celebrations dubbed “Beautiful Ghana through the eyes of Samsung” is to unveil its presence and entrench its position as a market leader in the telecommunications and electronics industry. Scheduled to be held from Wednesday September 7, to Friday September 9 at the National Theatre in Accra, the celebrations will include activities such as Samsung Cultural Icon and Facebook Photo Competitions, Free Service Campaign and an exhibition of all Samsung’s latest technologies dubbed ‘the Experience Zone’. According to th…

The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) in London is inviting young people from around the Commonwealth, to make their voice heard on a Global Platform, through Film and Photography. In previous years, winners of the competitions have included those making a film or taking a picture for the very first time. - As noted by the RCS team, “what we are looking for is a creative spark, a unique insight, or a new idea!” This year, the Commonwealth theme is ‘Women as Agents of Change’. To this end, the RCS is inviting entrants to use the medium of Film or Photography to describe the opportunities and barriers faced by women and the roles they play in their family, community …

Rockstar4000 and Sony Music Worldwide have announced the signing of international mega-star R. Kelly to the ONE8 music super group, ending weeks of anticipation across the globe. The star-studded gathering of African musical giants has continued to gather mass momentum with eight of Africa's rockstar legends combining their star power and talent into the continent's first super group. - The ONE8 artists have been amped up, living the high life in Chicago and most importantly, recording what will no doubt be one of the world’s hottest singles this holiday season. ‘Hands Across the World’ would soon be released to radio stations and clubs across Africa and worldwide…

Ghanaian Hip-Hop artist Be Black (Bismark Asare) has been nominated for the International Artist of the Year nod at the 2010 Los Angeles Music Awards. Earlier this year, Be Black was in the US to receive the nomination and he seized the opportunity to deliver a thrilling rendition of his chart topping hit 'All Level' to a cross section of spectators at the world famous Whiskey A Go Go in Hollywood. - The Los Angeles Music Awards is an annual red carpet event which has been one of the premier platforms for showcasing emerging artists and bands in LA since 1991. The 20th edition of the Awards would be a global event, open to artists from all genres of music from every continent. The …

South African swimwear designer Dax Martin is one of 11 international designers to be invited to the Gran Canaria Moda Cálida show in Las Palmas, Spain, at the end of June. - Martin is well known for his striking pieces that have been seen by television viewers around the world during the Miss World 2009 and 2010 pageants, when more than 100 contestants at a time modeled his swimsuits. “It’s a very high honour to be placed up there on the same level as other international designers such as Andres Sardá, La Perla, Dolores Cortes, Guillermina Baeza, TCN, Dos Mares, Gema, Vanity Fair, Modesto Lomba and Javier Larrainzar,” said Martin. “I’m still on a ‘pinc…

Dozens of children from KwaZulu-Natal will have the thrill of experiencing skateboarding for the first time, after Laureus World Sports Academy Member and US skateboard legend Tony Hawk presented a brand new portable Half-Pipe to the Indigo Youth Movement in Isithumba, a rural village near Durban. - Also present was former South African cricket captain, Shaun Pollock, now a member of the Laureus Friends & Ambassadors programme. Multi-skateboard world champion Hawk handed over the Half-Pipe, which Laureus has made available to Indigo that will allow more children in the region to access the sport and benefit from the advantages of taking part in the Laureus-supported project. The ne…

- DStv Ghana, a pay TV company, has donated an HD PVR decoder and satellite to Rita Marley in support and solidarity with the widow of legendary reggae star, Bob Marley following a fire outbreak at her residence in Aburi, Ghana. Her Akwapim Mountain recording studio and residence was gutted by raging fire in the evening of Saturday May 22, destroying property and memorabilia valued at $20 million. The Rita Marley Recording Studio was stocked with materials full of tourist potential. The studio, which housed most of Bob Marley’s original tapes, was due for commissioning late last year, but was postponed for some personal reasons. Rita Marley has been in and out of Ghana after her v…

Ghana's sensational actress, Jackie Appiah, continues to be on the rise following her recent 'Best Actress in a Leading Role' honours at the 2010 African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for her role in 'Perfect Picture'. - Jackie, who played the role of a flustered wife battling with sexual incompatible with her new husband, has described her new achievement as exciting and a beautiful feeling. The young and beautiful actress is not new to AMAA; in 2007 she won the nod for ‘Best Actress in a Supporting Role’ for ‘Beyonce’ and was nominated the following year for ‘Best Actress in a Leading role’ for ‘Princess Tyra’. &…

- Worldreader.org, a non-profit organization that aims to put a library of books in the hands of each family around the globe, using e-reader technology is currently in Ghana for a two week trial project at the OrphanAid Africa community centre in the rural community of Ayenyah. Grade 6 pupils of the community center are amongst some of the first in the world to benefit from a new technology, using Amazon.com’s Kindle e-reader. The e-readers are portable, lightweight devices capable of holding up to 1500 books, and use very little electricity. Students and teachers are taking part in a trial to help identify how this new technology can best benefit them and others in the future. Wa…

- Stakeholders of the African movie industry were on tenterhooks on March 6, as all attention shifted to Accra, Ghana for the announcement of nominees for the 2010 Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA). The glitzy nominations party brought together some of the crème in the industry from all over Africa to celebrate the growth of African movies in the past year and to observe which movies, actors and technical players were deemed fit by the Academy for laurels this year. Among the tall list of stars that passed through the night were, Majid Michel, Adjetey Anang, Osita Iheme, Akintola Abimbola Mary-Anne, Amijo Mofe Richard, Ali Nuhu, Rita Dominic, Jackie Appiah, Lydia Forson and several other…

One of the leading female vocalists in Ghana, Rebecca Acheampong or simply referred to as Becca is on a mission to help raise resources for at least 10,000 Ghanaian children to be signed onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). - According to the singer she decided to embark on this campaign when she visited a local hospital in early 2009. “I saw a dishevelled woman sitting on a bench and staring blankly into the air, drained of all hopes and it seemed the world had come to an end for her. He four-month old baby had just passed away because she could not afford medication that cost only GhC15. My heart sunk because that was an amount that many of us waste on non-essentials …

- Africa has not been left out of the global surge of hip hop music and culture; and the strong presence of rap music/hip hop popularly known as hiplife in the nominations for the 11th Annual Ghana Music Awards proves the growing impact on Ghanaian music. The nominations were announced on February 26, and Sarkodie, touted as the fastest rapper led the pack with 8 nominations including artist of the year and song of the year. Fellow hiplife artists Ayigbe Edem, 4X4, and Bradez had 6, 5 and 5 nominations respectively. The well attended event that saw performances from the likes of Kwabena Kwabena, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Celestine Donkor, Ohemaa Mercy and Wutah ended up with the big reveal…

- Rugby World Champions South Africa and courageous disabled swimmer Natalie du Toit have expressed their delight at being nominated for the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards. The Springboks were named International Rugby Board Team of the Year in 2009, and they have now been short-listed for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award, while Natalie du Toit, who is breaking down the barriers between disabled and able-bodied sport, is nominated for Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability. The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement during the period January 1 - December 31, 2009, are recognised as the premier honours on the international sporting…

- A spectacular year of sport has set up one of the most exciting contests ever for the 2010 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award. The major question in the world of sport is whether anyone can stop the phenomenal Usain Bolt winning a second straight Laureus Award and for us Africans, we wonder if there would be any silverware for us. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt followed his wonderful Olympic year with an equally spectacular 2009. At the World Championships in Berlin, Bolt won 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres relay gold medals, just as he had done in Beijing 12 months earlier. In the 100 metres, Bolt improved his world record with a time of 9.58 secs, taking over a tenth of a…

- International Olympic Committee member and Laureus World Sports Academy Member Nawal El Moutawakel has been appointed Chair of the IOC Co-ordination Commission for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016. The announcement which was made by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge also named Nawal’s fellow Laureus Academy Member Sergey Bubka as one of the 17-strong group that will be assisting Rio de Janeiro and monitoring their preparations in the lead up to the Games. Nawal, 47, was the first Moroccan, African and Muslim woman to win an Olympic gold medal, in the 400 metres hurdles in Los Angeles in 1984. She is a former Vice-Chair of Laureus and Minister of Sp…

MultiChoice Africa, a leading pay-TV operator in Africa, has broken through the one million subscriber mark. - "This is a significant milestone and we are well on track to achieve further growth with the introduction of new satellite technology early next year," says newly appointed President Collins Khumalo, adding that this growth reflects the resilience of pay TV in tough economic conditions. Khumalo, who recently replaced Eben Greyling as MultiChoice Africa President, will provide strategic leadership as the company moves to the next stage of its development. A seasoned executive with a comprehensive track record at MultiChoice Africa's operations around the continent, …

Big Brother Africa Revolution was launched last Sunday, September 6 and Wayoe, a 34-year old unemployed web designer was announced as the Ghana's representative for the reality TV series. The announcement triggered some mixed feelings among some media practitioners in Accra. - Although they all agreed that Wayoe appears fun and energetic for they show, most of them wish that the 'rastaman' would not continue to use the Jamaican patois, which was very much conspicuous in his introductory remarks during his reveal last Sunday. The father of 2 girls, LLB student lists his greatest achievement in life as making it into the Big Brother house. Wayoe enjoys talk shows and soap op…

- Mnet, the producers of Big Brother Africa, has announced that the September 6 launch of the reality TV series will also feature up and coming African sensation K’Naan. The Somali born, Canadian based musician has won global attention for fusing hip hop, rap and reggae with poetic insight and a keen sense of timing. It’s no wonder then that his breakout album The Dusty Foot Philosopher has become an international hit. Following on from his debut success, his second album Troubadour, released earlier this year, has seen him build on a reputation for talent and powerful lyrics. Now African fans across the continent will see the star in action, right on the Big Brother sta…

- M-Net has announced that it will partner with Africa’s first-ever supermodel, Iman and the company she founded for the new season of Face of Africa; as IMAN Cosmetics becomes an official partner of the iconic search. From her head office in New York, the Somali born superstar and CEO of IMAN Cosmetics endorsed the project in a TV promo to be screened across the continent on M-Net. In it she says, "Now is the time for you, the next generation of beautiful, talented African women to make your mark on the modeling industry and the world. IMAN Cosmetics is proud to be associated with M-Net’s Face of Africa.” With the partnership announced, IMAN Cosmetics becomes…

The BBC World News will be hosting a new series, Africa Business Report, to focus on business on the continent. The programme, sponsored by Skye Bank, plans to focus on business in Africa, examining the people, businesses and products as well as the issues, challenges and opportunities for companies trading there. - Africa Business Report will offer BBC World News viewers a revealing insight into the stories behind the continent's increasingly successful and diverse business culture, a statement from the BBC said. It said the first episode was produced in South Africa with a special report on uncovering the foundations of the country’s construction boom. The show looked at how a s…

An event aimed at taking African fashion to the world while contributing to the realization of the African Renaissance kicks off in Johannesburg from 12th - 19th June 2009. Arise Africa Fashion Week is a collaborative effort between African Fashion International (AFI) and ARISE magazine. - AFI believes that it is providing the designers from the north, east, west and south of the continent a platform that would stimulate the continent’s creative economy and showcase its rich and deep cultures. “Africa has long been a muse for the arts throughout the world, most recently in fashion, with the world’s top designers choosing to look towards African techniques, designs and m…

Following the liquidation of Gateway Broadcast Services (GBS) last weekend, MultiChoice has announced that SuperSports has secured the license to the Barclays Premier League Live Package A and will be showing these live matches on SuperSports from this weekend to all subscribers across Africa. - SuperSport already held both Live Package A & B rights for South Africa and Live Package B rights for the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa and with this deal has now secured all Premier League live rights for the remainder of the 2008/2009 season and for the whole of next season. In a press statement, SuperSports said it is proud of its long association with the Premier League and has a long history…

All is set for the NIKE sponsored Premier Cup Ghana Country Finals starting Friday, December 12 at the Dawu Sports Stadium. The competition, hosted by Right to Dream Academy, brings together six of the best under-15 football teams in the country to fight for the chance to become national champions. - In June 2009, the winners will travel to the Netherlands and represent Ghana in a playoff against national champions from Egypt, Angola and Algeria in the Premier Cup Africa qualifications. The Africa Champions will then proceed to the MUPC World Finals next summer. Premier Cup is the biggest - and best - football tournament for under-15s in the world. A chance for young footballers to live the …

South African music legend, Miriam Makeba has died at age 76 after taken ill near the southern Italian town of Caserta after a concert. She died overnight after singing with Roberto Saviano, a writer threatened with death by the Mafia. Known as "Mama Africa", she was the legendary voice of Africa. - Makeba became a symbol of the fight against apartheid in her home country. She was born in Johannesburg on March 4, 1932. She made an international farewell tour in 2005. Born from a Swazi mother and Xhosa father, Makeba captured international attention as vocalist for the South African group, The Manhattan Brothers, while they toured the United States in 1959. The following year, wh…

Right to Dream Soccer Academy proved its superiority in African academy football when its under-15 and 17 teams thrashed visiting Nigerian team, Ultimate FC 4:0 and 5:0 respectively on Saturday. It formed part of friendly matches lined up for the Lagos-based amateur second division team. - Ultimate FC has toured the Ivory Coast, Togo and Benin playing against some of the best under 15 and under-17 teams on the West coast. They first played in a friendly match against the Shooting Stars of Achimota at the Azumah Nelson Sports Complex in Kaneshie, Accra. They lost 2:0 in the under-15 category and drew 1:1 in the under-17 division. According to Coach Tunde Johnson, Ultimate FC could not per…

Fifteen young and talented contestants have been selected into the Project Fame Academy in Lagos, where they will go through grooming and training for a long lasting career in music. Their selection came after several rounds of auditions across Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Liberia. - This is the West African edition of the global Star Academy phenomenon, which has been a worldwide, hit with competitions in England, Spain, Italy, Russia and many other countries. The show that discovered some of the world’s biggest talents such as UK’s R&B sensation Lemar, made a remarkable impact on Africa when she hosted the pan-African version, Project Fame. Held in Johannesburg, South A…

After weeks of preparations and a night of keen contest, Miss Mawuse Appea beat 21 other beautiful and intelligent ladies to wear the coveted Miss Ghana crown. She won for herself a new Hyundai Accent, a cash prize and the rare opportunity to represent Ghana at Miss World 2009. - The Miss Ghana pageant was a test of elegance, intelligence, eloquence and overall beauty and all 22 contestants gave off their best on the night and this was evident during the talent hunt segment. The ladies proved that beauty could also be brain-deep, with remarkable poetry recitals, sketches and dance routines. Ghana’s forthcoming general election was the underlying theme for most of the acts. The nu…

Ghana lost ace music producer Faisal Helwani in the early hours of Monday July 28 after a short illness. Mr. Helwani was a huge exponent of contemporary highlife and Ghanaian traditional music and he played a vital role in the growth of Ghanaian music in post-independent Ghana. - He was the founder of the Musician’s Union of Ghana, CEO of Bibini Music, the first president of the Phonogram Producer’s Society of Ghana and the first president of the International Federation of Phonogram Industries, Ghana Branch. Faisal Helwani was the manager of Fela Kuti and is already a legend for his engagements in music in West Africa. He was also the owner of the legendary Napoleon Club whic…

251 Ghanaian achievers who have excelled in their various fields of endeavour 2008 have received national honours for their contribution towards the development of Ghana. The award ceremony themed 'Branding Ghana for a Prosperous Future' took place on July 3. - The ceremony is designed to reward creativity, innovation, hard work and excellence across a broad spectrum of national achievements including business, academia, medication, healthcare, education, public service, private enterprise, sports, religion, judiciary, civil society, media, traditional authority, arts and culture. The national honours award was instituted by Dr Kwame Nkrumah 48 years ago after Ghana became a rep…

Sarah Adoley Addo, a beautiful native of Greater Accra has been crowned as 'Ghana's Most Beautiful' after a night of keen competition and display of rich Ghanaian cultures at the National Theatre, Accra. - For her prize, she won a Tata Indigo sedan car, 3,000 cedis and other prizes from sponsors. She would also have a Tata Safari at her disposal for official duties, which would include a project aimed at alleviating the plight of the physically challenged in society. Ghana's Most Beautiful under the theme, "Redefining Beauty to Promote National Unity" is a unique beauty contest designed to portray the rich cultures of people living within all 10 regions of Gh…

Right to Dream Football Academy, an under-15 football team has qualified to play in the World Manchester United Premier Cup in August this year. The Ghanaian team beat their Egyptian counterparts, ENPPI 1-0 in the African Premier Cup qualifier played in Hilversum, Netherlands on June 10. - This is the first time an African team will be playing in the tournament alongside youth sides of European clubs such as Manchester United, Juventus, Barcelona, FC Basel, among others. It was a nervous start for both teams although Right to Dream looked more likely to score as the game progressed but ENPPI held solid in defence and the match finished 0:0 after regular time. Right to Dream raised their …

Two of the best under-15 football teams from Africa will be gathering in Hilversum, the Netherlands next week (June 15), to compete in the Tournament, sponsored by Nike. Both Ghana and Egypt will be playing to win one place at the World Finals in Manchester later this year. - This year will be the first time that Africa will have their qualification tournament for the World Finals in Manchester. Only 2 teams with very strong and talented players have been selected for this qualification tournament. Next year there will be 4 teams from 4 different nations playing for 1 final place. The following teams have already qualified for the World Finals in August alongside the host team Manchester…