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Ghanaian National Convicted in UK for Running Illegal Fish Processing Operation from Residential Flat

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Watford, United Kingdom – A Ghanaian man, Stephen Akuoko, has been convicted in the United Kingdom after operating an illegal fish processing business from a residential flat in Watford, in a case that underscores the strict enforcement of food safety regulations in Britain.

Akuoko, who lived at 21 Lincoln Green Court, Haines Way, pleaded guilty to two food safety offences at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on February 11, 2026.

He was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on April 2, 2026. The court heard that he had been processing and supplying cooked and smoked fish products from his home — which is owned by Watford Community Housing — without the necessary approvals, hygiene standards, or registration required for food businesses.

The investigation was triggered after cooked and smoked fish products traced back to Akuoko were found on sale in Watford town centre.

Despite being served a formal notice to immediately stop production, he continued the illegal operation. Environmental Health officers, aided by a tip-off from the Fire Service, eventually confirmed the activity was taking place inside his flat.

The judge described the evidence against him as overwhelming and imposed two consecutive 12-month custodial sentences, suspended for two years. Akuoko was also handed a five-year prohibition order banning him from working in the food industry and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs to the council.

Justine Hoy, Associate Director of Housing and Wellbeing at Watford Borough Council, said food safety laws exist to protect the public. She noted that there was a clear and sustained failure to comply with legal requirements despite formal enforcement action. The council emphasised that fish and seafood production is tightly regulated due to higher risks of contamination, which can lead to serious illnesses such as Salmonella, Listeria, or norovirus.

Watford Borough Council has said the successful prosecution demonstrates the council’s commitment to maintaining high food safety standards and protecting residents and visitors from potential health risks.

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Death of a Belolved Actress, Ghana and France Push New Chapter on Reparatory Justice and other Big Stories in Ghana Today

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Welcome to your curated daily briefing. We have gathered the most relevant stories shaping Ghana today to keep you informed.

Ghanaian Actress Beverly Afaglo Dead

Popular Ghanaian actress Beverly Afaglo has died, according to an announcement made on social media on Sunday, May 24, 2026, by her husband, Eugene Baah, also known as Choirmaster or Praye Honeho. In a heartbreaking post, he described his late wife as his “strength,” his “happiness,” and the reason his life felt complete. He noted that her death comes just four days before her birthday, making the loss even more devastating for the family. Choirmaster promised to continue the dreams and plans they shared together. The news has since prompted an outpouring of condolences from fans and colleagues across social media.

Ghana and France Push New Chapter on Reparatory Justice

The Government of Ghana has welcomed a “historic and courageous” decision by France to engage in reparatory justice discussions over the transatlantic enslavement of Africans, following policy announcements by French President Emmanuel Macron. In a press release issued on May 23, 2026, Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs commended President Macron for his “honest, open, conciliatory and exemplary leadership” on the issue. The development follows Macron’s recent declarations during events marking the 25th anniversary of France’s law recognizing slavery as a crime against humanity, where he signaled France’s readiness to work with Ghana on reparatory justice initiatives. President John Dramani Mahama, who serves as the African Union Champion on Reparatory Justice, has expressed appreciation that Macron accepted an invitation to participate in the upcoming “Next Steps” High-Level Conference on Reparatory Justice scheduled for Accra from June 17 to 19, 2026. The summit is expected to bring together leaders and advocates from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas. Ghana noted that the discussions follow a landmark UN General Assembly resolution adopted on March 25, 2026—led by Ghana—which recognized the transatlantic enslavement of Africans as “the gravest crime against humanity” with the support of 123 member states. Areas of engagement include formal apologies, compensation, return of stolen artefacts, repeal of colonial-era laws such as France’s “Code Noir,” and long-term institutional partnerships.

Interior Ministry Deploys Armored Buses Disguised As Regular Commercial Vehicles to Fight Highway Robbers

Ghana’s Ministry for the Interior has deployed armored buses disguised as commercial vehicles in the form of VIP, STC and OA buses, as part of efforts to track and arrest highway robbers operating on major roads across the country, the sector Minister, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak has disclosed.

Speaking at a town hall meeting at Damongo in the Savannah Region on Saturday [May 23, 2026], the Interior Minister stated: “We have acquired armoured buses, and these armoured buses have been doing a wonderful thing on most of our long stretch roads because we keep branding them differently.”

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More Rains Ahead! Ghanaians Urged to Brace for Possible Floods

The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) is urging Ghanaians to prepare for heavier and more frequent rains in the coming weeks as the country gradually enters the peak of the rainy season.

Joseph Tetteh Portuphy, Deputy Director in charge of Forecasting at GMet in an interview on the Channel One Newsroom on Saturday, May 23, said the recent rains are only the beginning of what is expected to be a more intense rainy period, especially by June.

Read the full story here

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“You Must Leave to Stay”: New U.S. Rule Forces Immigrants to Choose Between Family and Green Card

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Thousands of immigrants living legally in the United States on temporary visas now face an agonizing choice: leave the country and their families behind to apply for a green card from their home nation, or abandon their pursuit of permanent residency altogether.

The choice follows a sweeping policy change announced on May 22, 2026, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), effectively dismantling a decades-old pathway that allowed eligible immigrants already inside the United States to become permanent residents without first departing.

Under the new guidance, most immigrants on temporary visas, including B-2 tourist visa holders, F-1 student visa holders, and other non-immigrant visa categories, must now return to their home country and complete their immigrant visa process at a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad.

The only exceptions are for what USCIS calls “extraordinary circumstances,” a term the agency has not defined.

A Longstanding Path Erased

The legal pathway known as Adjustment of Status (AOS), established under Section 245A of the Immigration and Nationality Act, has for decades allowed many eligible immigrants already in the United States to apply for a green card (permanent residence) without leaving U.S. soil.

Under the new policy, USCIS offices have been instructed to treat Adjustment of Status as “an extraordinary form of relief” rather than a standard option. Each case will now be evaluated individually, but the presumption has shifted decisively against onshore processing.

“This guidance was just published today, May 22nd, 2026,” immigration attorney Akua Poku of AK Poku Law said in a social media commentary. “In practical terms, the Trump administration is telling immigration officers that many people who enter the U.S. on temporary visas should leave the United States to complete their immigrant visa process abroad.”

‘A Clear Divide’

USCIS spokesman Zach Koehler outlined the agency’s new position in stark terms.

“From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a green card must return to their home country to apply except in extraordinary circumstances,” Koehler said.

USCIS Director Joseph Edlo said the Trump administration wants to restore what he calls “a clear divide between temporary visas and permanent immigration.”

The agency has also stated that the new policy will allow USCIS to focus more resources on other case types, including naturalization applications, visas for victims of violent crime, and other agency priorities.

Families in Limbo

For the millions of immigrants living in the United States on temporary visas—international students, temporary workers, spouses of U.S. citizens or green card holders, and others—the policy creates immediate and painful uncertainty.

Those who choose to leave must navigate potentially lengthy consular processing backlogs in their home countries, with no guarantee of approval or a timely return. Those who stay may lose their chance at permanent residency altogether.

The policy does not define what qualifies as “extraordinary circumstances,” leaving families and their attorneys to guess whether medical needs, employment, or U.S.-citizen children might qualify as exceptions.

Legal Challenges Expected

Immigration attorneys have noted that the statutory language of INA Section 245A remains unchanged. The new guidance represents a dramatic reinterpretation of existing law, and legal challenges are widely expected.

“The Adjustment of Status provision has long allowed many eligible immigrants who are already inside the United States to apply for a green card without leaving,” Poku noted in her commentary. The new policy, she said, directs USCIS officers to treat that path as an exception rather than a rule.

For now, immigrants on temporary visas and their families are left watching, waiting, and weighing an impossible choice: leave to stay, or stay and lose the chance forever.

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Ghana’s Young Guinness World Record Holders Finally Get Their Global Spotlight After Feats in 2024 and 2025

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Three young students from Kasoa in Ghana’s Central Region are finally receiving global recognition after the Guinness World Record (GWR) officially confirmed their extraordinary achievements in organization, environmental action, and agriculture, feats accomplished months ago but now trending across social media and national news.

Selorm Kordzo Junior Dzakah, Isaac K. Boadi Atuah, and George K. Kwateng Boadi, all students at the Pentecost Preparatory School in Kasoa, have each secured Guinness World Records under the training of the Sophia Boadi Readathon International Foundation (SBRIF), supervised by Executive Director Sophia Boadi.

A School Bag Packed at Lightning Speed

Selorm Kordzo Junior Dzakah achieved the fastest time to pack a school bag (Under 16s) , completing the task in just 11.77 seconds on 4 December 2025 in Kasoa, according to GWR records.

But the feat was more than a race against the clock. Selorm told GWR that his record attempt was designed to promote essential life skills.

“I hope to promote essential life skills like organization, time management, and problem solving with my record achievement,” Selorm said, according to GWR’s official citation. He added that attempting the record is “a fun activity which also challenges critical thinking, fine motor skills and attention to detail.”

Teamwork for a Cleaner Environment

Isaac K. Boadi Atuah and George K. Kwateng Boadi together achieved the fastest time to sort two bags of recyclable materials (team of two) (Under 16s) , completing the task in 28 seconds on 11 September 2024, also in Kasoa.

The pair attempted the record with a clear environmental mission. According to GWR, Isaac and George took on the challenge “to raise awareness for the importance of a clean and sustainable environment.”

Planting for the Future

Isaac K. Boadi Atuah did not stop there. The same student also holds the record for the most seeds planted in one minute (Under 16s) , successfully planting 14 seeds in under 16 seconds.

Celebration and Pride

Social media posts circulating in Ghana show the three young record holders proudly displaying their certificates. Another image shows Sophia Boadi holding some of the certificates for a pose. In all the photographs, the students and their trainer wear broad smiles, radiating joy and pride in their achievements.

The Guinness World Records organization has formally recognized all three feats on its official website, confirming the students’ places in the global record books.

A Foundation for Youth Achievement

The Sophia Boadi Readathon International Foundation (SBRIF), under the leadership of Executive Director Sophia Boadi, trained and supervised the students throughout their record-breaking attempts. The foundation’s involvement suggests a structured approach to nurturing goal-oriented, skill-based achievements among Ghanaian basic school students.

For a nation that has seen a surge of interest in Guinness World Records in recent years, these three young Ghanaians stand out not only for their speed and precision but for the thoughtful purpose behind each attempt: organization, sustainability, and agriculture.

As the certificates are hung on walls and the social media likes accumulate, Selorm, Isaac, and George have sent a clear message from Kasoa to the world: even the smallest hands can move at record speed—and change the world while doing it.

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