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Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina resigns as widening unrest sees protesters storm her official residence

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DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s prime minister resigned and fled the country Monday after weeks of protests against a quota system for government jobs descended into violence and grew into a broader challenge to her 15-year rule.

Thousands of demonstrators stormed her official residence and other buildings associated with her party and family.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure threatens to create even more instability in the densely populated nation on India’s border that is already dealing with a series of crises, from high unemployment to corruption to climate change. Amid security concerns, the main airport in Dhaka, the capital, suspended operations.

Violence just before and after her resignation left at least 41 people dead and about 200 others injured, according to media reports, which could not be independently confirmed. More than a dozen were reportedly killed when protesters set fire to a hotel owned by a leader in Hasina’s party in the southwestern town of Jashore.

The military chief, Gen. Waker-uz-Zamam said he was temporarily taking control of the country, and soldiers tried to stem the growing unrest. Mohammed Shahabuddin, the country’s figurehead president, announced late Monday after meeting with Waker-uz-Zamam and opposition politicians that Parliament would be dissolved and a national government would be formed as soon as possible, leading to fresh elections.

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Speaking after the embattled leader was seen in television footage boarding a military helicopter with her sister, Waker-uz-Zaman sought to reassure a jittery nation that order would be restored. Experts, though, warned the road ahead would be long.

Hundreds of thousands of people poured into the streets waving flags and cheering to celebrate Hasina’s resignation. But some celebrations soon turned violent, with protesters attacking symbols of her government and party, ransacking and setting fires in several buildings.

Source:apnea.com

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All set for Ghana Comedy Awards 2026

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Ghana’s comedy industry would take centre stage today, when the sixth edition of the Ghana Comedy Awards is held at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Ridge, Accra. 

The event, which has become the country’s premier platform for recognising excellence in comedy since it rebranded from the Comedy and Poetry Awards, would celebrate comedians whose performances and contributions stood out between January 1 and December 31, 2025. 

This year’s ceremony would begin with a red-carpet session at 7:00 p.m., followed by the main awards event at 8:30 p.m. 

Organisers have promised an evening of entertainment featuring some of Ghana’s foremost comedy talents, including Lekzy, Jeneral Ntatia, Kojo PJay, Oh Joo, Alo Wess, Ranzy Ray and Jerry Ashinyo.  

Musical performances are also expected to complement the comedy acts. 

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Media personality Kwame Dadzie would play host for the event, which is expected to attract comedians, entertainers and fans from across the country. 

Tickets for the awards are selling at GH¢200 for the silver package and GH¢300 for Gold. 

The organisers have also urged the public to support their favourite nominees by voting before polls close at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 1. Voting can be done by dialling 71333*009# and entering the nominee’s code.  

Beyond honouring outstanding performers, the Ghana Comedy Awards seeks to celebrate the growth of Ghana’s comedy industry and the talents who continue to entertain audiences nationwide. -GNA 

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Ghanaian film ‘Eco Reach We All’ secures world premiere at 79th Locarno Film Festival

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After years of development, funding, and creative grit, Ghanaian feature film “Ego Reach We All” has earned an official nomination to make its world premiere at the 79th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland this month.

Formerly titled Vagabonds, the 105-minute drama was written and directed by Amartei Armar and produced by Yemoh Ike.

 It marks one of the biggest international breakthroughs for Ghanaian cinema in recent years.

The film was shot entirely in Ghana with a Ghanaian cast and crew, grounding it in authentic local culture.

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 Post-production was completed in France, a collaboration that Director Amartei Armar says reflects the film’s spirit, “A Ghanaian story told with the world.”

The journey began in 2018 when the short film version won at the Montreal World Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event.

 From there, ‘Ego Reach We All’ grew into a full-length feature backed by some of the most respected names in global film development: Winner – Cannes Focus CoPro, Recipient – Red Sea Development Fund, Honoree – Red Sea Souk Award and Backed by – Red Sea Productions Fund.

Industry watchers have called it one of the most promising African film projects to emerge in the last decade.

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Beyond awards, the project was shaped in top international labs.

Armar was selected for the Heyazah Screening Lab in Doha, Qatar, to refine the film’s narrative. 

Producer, Yemoh Ike joined the prestigious, 2023 EAVE Producers Programme under a CNC scholarship, with training sessions in Luxembourg, Austria, and the Netherlands. 

Most recently, the film was chosen for the 2025 Atlas Workshop in Marrakesh, Morocco, cementing its place in global cinema circles.

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Casts include, Idrissu Tontie, Dorothy Adobea Tandoh, Emmanuel Wilberforce, Barbara Yong Jin, Emmanuel Owusu Ofori, O’Bryan Kwame Enyan, Gabriel Narh Addo, Nelly Bilson, and Kwame Brenya.

For the team, Locarno is not just a festival slot. It’s validation that Ghanaian stories, told by Ghanaians, can compete on the world’s most respected stages.

“Principal photography was done entirely by Ghanaian creatives,” the producers noted.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

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