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‘No-one to blame’ for death of schoolboy Hamdan Aslam
A 14-year-old who collapsed in the grounds of a West Lothian school died from natural causes, police have confirmed.
Schoolboy Hamdan Aslam died in hospital after becoming unwell at St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn on Tuesday.
His family said Hamdan, from Harthill, had a pre-existing heart condition that had never been detected.
They said his death could have happened at any time and no-one was to blame for the death of their “beautiful boy”.
“We want to assure Hamdan’s friends and our community that this was an entirely natural death and could not have been predicted,” the family said in a statement released by their lawyer Aamer Anwar.
Emergency services were called to the school when the S3 pupil collapsed on the school grounds during a lunch break. He was taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards.
A post-mortem examination carried out on Thursday confirmed that Hamdan died from natural causes, Police Scotland said.
There had been widespread rumour and speculation online and in newspapers about the cause of his death.
Hamdan’s family urged people to put a stop to the rumours which they said were compounding their grief.
They said: “We know that Hamdan’s loss is being deeply felt by his friends and teachers and we would urge those who have engaged in rumours on social media to stop. It is untruthful and compounding our grief.
“Please take down the posts, the running commentary is unhelpful to the children, teachers and our family who have been left deeply traumatised and devastated.
“We know that Hamdan’s teachers and friends did everything possible to save his life and for that our family will forever be grateful to them.”
As with any sudden death, a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal.
Police Scotland Ch Insp Jocelyn O’Connor said: “This has been a tragic incident which has deeply affected everyone at the school. Our thoughts remain with Hamdan’s family and friends at this very difficult time and we are providing our support to them.
“They have requested privacy and I would ask their wishes are respected.”
Head teacher Andrew Sharkey said the school community had been devastated by the death of a “bright and diligent young man”.
“Hamdan was an exemplary student and he will be hugely missed by the St Kentigern’s community,” he said.
“He was very friendly, popular with his classmates and he had a close group of friends. He was always polite and well-mannered in class and popular with his teachers. Hamdan was kind and thoughtful in all he did and he was always happy, with a beautiful smile.”
He added: “Our thoughts and prayers remain with his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”
The school – where singers Lewis Capaldi and Susan Boyle are former pupils – has remained open this week and pupils have been offered support.
Local people and pupils left floral tributes and messages outside the school building on Thursday.
On Thursday First Minister Humza Yousaf responded to a question about the tragedy during First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood on Thursday, calling for an end to rumour and speculation around the incident.
He said: “This is the worst tragedy. Anybody who is a parent will know there cannot be a worse fear or nightmare that a parent has than losing a child.”
Bathgate Mosque also paid tribute to Hamdan, saying that his death had “left the community devastated”.
Source: BBC
About 200 company secretaries, governance professionals and institutional leaders will gather in Accra for the ‘Company Secretaries Summit’ next month.
It is aimed at strengthening governance practices and enhance boardroom effectiveness across the country.
The summit, which is scheduled for July 16 at the Labadi Beach Hotel seeks to equip governance professionals with the knowledge, skills, and networks required to navigate the increasingly complex demands of modern corporate leadership.
It will feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions focusing on emerging governance trends, boardroom dynamics, regulatory compliance, digital transformation, and stakeholder expectations.
According to the convener, Catherine Engmann, the summit comes at a critical time when governance professionals are under growing pressure to support sound decision-making, strengthen governance culture, and respond effectively to changing institutional and regulatory environments.
“This gathering is not just another conference. It is a platform for governance leaders who are already operating at the highest level and intend to stay there,” she said.
She noted that the programme was designed to provide participants with practical tools, fresh insights, and valuable professional connections.
According to Ms Engmann, a major highlight of the event will be the awards ceremony, which will recognise individuals and organisations that have demonstrated excellence in governance practice and made significant contributions to improving board effectiveness and corporate accountability.
She mentioned that the summit will also offer participants an opportunity to benchmark their practices against industry standards, exchange ideas with peers, and explore innovative approaches to governance challenges.
Beyond the formal sessions, the event is expected to foster networking and collaboration among governance professionals, helping to strengthen governance practices across Ghana’s corporate and institutional landscape.
Speaking about the vision behind the initiative, Ms Engmann, said the summit was inspired by the need to create a dedicated platform that recognises the critical role played by company secretaries and governance professionals.
According to her, the Company Secretaries’ Summit and Awards reflects her conviction that Ghana’s governance professionals deserve an annual platform where they can engage in meaningful discussions, build strategic relationships, and receive recognition for their contributions to effective governance.
Registration for the summit, she said was currently open, with interested professionals encouraged to secure their participation ahead of the event.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
-1 cup dried soya beans
-4–5 cups for water (for blending)
-Extra water for soaking
-Sugar, honey or dates (optional, for sweetness)
-Vanilla extract (optional)
Preparation
-Pick through the beans to remove stones or damaged seeds and rinse thoroughly
-Place them in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least eight hours or overnight to soften it to blend easier
– After soaking, rub the beans with your hands as the skin begins to remove
– Removing the skins helps reduce the ‘beany’ taste and improves texture
– Put the soaked beans into a blender with 4–5 cups of clean water
-Blend until smooth and milky. (You may need to do this in batches depending on your blender size).
– Using a clean muslin cloth or fine sieve, strain the blended mixture into a pot. (Squeeze well to extract as much liquid as possible).
-The leftover pulp is called okara. Don’t throw it away — it can be used in baking, porridge, or even added to stews.
– Place the strained milk on medium heat and make it boil. Stir continuously to prevent burning or overflowing.
– Allow it to boil for at least 20–25 minutes. Proper boiling removes the raw taste and neutralises natural compounds that can upset the stomach.
-Once boiled a little sugar or honey. Pulse.gh
Health benefits of Soya beans
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