According to Citi News’ Tema Correspondent, Elvis Washington, he was locked up together with all the party executives on the instructions of Mr. Sam George as some heavily built men believed to be land guards threatened to beat them up.

Elvis Washington said the party officials and branch executives were in the house of the MP because some re-registration booklets that were to be handed over to the constituency executives from the national headquarters, had been allegedly diverted to the MP’s house, a situation that did not go down well with the branch executives who stormed the house to demand explanations.

According to Washington, he together with the branch executives were initially prevented from entering the premises, just when Madam Sherry Ayittey arrived with a team to deliver the booklets.

However, the delivery was halted after the branch executives protested against it.

At this point, the former Minister categorically stated that she was unable to deliver the books due to the confusion, and would thus take them back to the national headquarters.

Washington said the Member of Parliament then called the former Minister and other party executives into a meeting for about an hour in his house.

He said after the meeting, the branch executives were called into the house, where he also joined.

“As soon as we entered, there were these land guards who locked up the gate behind us. Honourable Sam George was having issues with the Greater Accra Regional Secretary, Victor Quarshie, and they were arguing seriously and the man was raising his voice saying that Sam George had attacked his personality, suggesting that he was nobody but for politics they are colleagues. And information I picked from the ground was that, Mr. Sam George asked Mr. Quarshie to come and address the people, insisting that the branch executives were not invited to that meeting.”

This back and forth over whether or not the branch executives should be part of the meeting, escalated the confusion between the two men, and Mr. Quarshie opted to leave the house.

“So Mr. Quarshie said he was not going to tell the people any lies but the truth. So Mr. Quarshie opted to leave the house and we all decided to follow him because we sensed danger. When he got to the gate, upon the instructions of Mr. Sam George, they [Land guards] said they will not allow us to leave. So we were all in there begging and there are sound bites I have to that effect. We pleaded with the land guards but they said they will not allow us unless Sam George instructs them to do so” Elvis narrated.

At this point however, the former Minister Sherry Ayitey, was outside the house.

Sam George even ignored the police

Elvis Washington added that, when the police was called into to calm the situation and rescue them from the house, they were eventually disregarded by the MP.

“The police then came in and spoke to the MP. But according to the police, Mr. Sam George damned them. In one of the sound clips, I was even begging the police to help us out of the house but they didn’t. The Land guards only allowed the police to leave and locked us again, and then we begged repeatedly before the MP finally allowed us to leave the premises” Washington added.

Sam George denies the narration

When the MP, Sam George was called on Eyewitness News, he blatantly denied any such incident saying he was not available in the house and could not confirm such an incident.

When he was reminded that Citi News’ Correspondent had evidence of his presence in the house, Mr. Sam George said he was unaware, and that the journalist would have been trespassing if indeed he was in his house.

In what appears to be a clear contradiction, Sam George later said he only had a meeting with some party executives on internal party matters that he could not divulge.

Victor Quarshie exposes Sam George’s ‘lies’

When the party’s Greater Accra Regional Secretary, Victor Quarshie, who he had the altercation with at his residence was called on Eyewitness News, he confirmed Elvis Washington’s narration of events, saying the MP was not being truthful.

Mr. Quarshie said he was only forced to speak to the issue due to the MP’s blatant denial. He also said the incident was embarrassing, as he criticized Mr. Sam George’s arrogant posture towards party executives in times past.

It will be recalled that, Mr. Sam George’s election at the NDC’s primaries that saw him defeat long-serving MP E.T. Mensah prior to the 2016 election, was an acrimonious process that ended in fisticuffs among their followers.

He has often been accused by his political opponents of being arrogant and violent, but he has often denied these tags.

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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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He described the new move by the NCA as “refreshing.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) legislator had earlier accused the NCA of contravening certain constitutional provisions with the sanctions imposed on 131 radio stations.

[contextly_sidebar id=”gv9zP8gjEOFFIEuVR9kfGVweLw0VX74q”]According to him, the NCA did not follow certain provisions of Parliament before imposing the fines.

The NCA in September sanctioned 131 stations for several infractions, and at the time gave 34 radio stations the option to pay or be taken off air; a decision which was criticized by groups, particularly the NDC minority in Parliament.

Whiles the first 30-day ultimatum given to the stations has elapsed, and some stations have been taken off-air, the NCA in what appears to be an act of leniency, has lessened the fines and also relaxed other penalties.

The stations have now been given additional 30 days to pay up or risk being shutdown after the 50% slash.

This was after the Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, defended the sanctions, following her appearance in Parliament, where Sam George had vehemently objected her views.

Sam George in a statement said the review of the fines is a good step aimed at protecting free speech.

“It is refreshing to read the release from the Ministry of Communications on the fines by the NCA. I must commend the Ministry for its initial actions aimed at mitigating the enormity of the sanctions. They are the first good steps aimed at protecting free speech,” he said.

Below is the full statement from Sam George:

It is refreshing to read the release from the Ministry of Communications on the fines by the NCA. I must commend the Ministry for its initial actions aimed at mitigating the enormity of the sanctions. They are the first good steps aimed at protecting free speech.

However, I still believe that as the Ministry’s statement suggests, there is room for more dialogue and negotiations. One key issue would be the apparent retrospective nature of the fines. It is important as a cardinal rule of natural justice that penalties are not applied retrospectively. I believe that with the good faith shown by the Ministry, this issue too would be resolved amicably during discussions with the Ministry.

Let us continue to build a conducive environment for Ghanaian businesses to thrive even as the businesses respect their obligations to the State. It is my hope that the affected radio stations would take advantage of the current dispensation to engage the Ministry further to settle whatever outstanding issues may exist.

GOD bless our Homeland Ghana and make our Nation great and strong.

Samuel Nartey George(MP)

Ningo-Prampram

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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According to the legislator, the NCA had reviewed the default sanctions for radio stations which fall foul of the regulations, without seeking Parliamentary approval, which he says is required per the Constitution.

[contextly_sidebar id=”BEQyWOgxtC6RDWgDJH8aB6WFYAry5DGC”]He added that, despite being mandated by an Act of Parliament to impose fines and sanctions of any implicated media organisations, the Constitution requires that any amendments to the sanctions would need the approval of Parliament before implementation.

“Section 72 (1) (e) of Act 775, gives the NCA the power to manage and impose fines, and I have absolutely no qualms with that. However, any L.I or Act is subsidiary to the 1992 Constitution,” Sam George said on Eyewitness News on Thursday.

“174 (2) [of the 1992 Constitution), which is where my argument is, says that where an Act enacted in accordance with Clause 1 of this Article, confers power on any person or authority (in this case the NCA), to waive or vary a tax as imposed by that Act, the exercise of the power of waiver or variation in favour of any person or authority, shall be subject to the prior approval of Parliament by resolution.”

Sam George explained that,  NCA had in 2015, reviewed the “flat fines” of GHc 1, 000 and Ghc 2,000 in addition to other sanctions that might be imposed by the regulator.

He, however stated that, despite gazetting the new sanctions of a daily fine of GHc10, 000, the NCA failed to bring them before the House for debate and approval.

“L.I 1991 set out a schedule of penalties in which it is clearly stated there that, for contraventions of your license regulatory framework, which is what the NCA is talking about, two [sanctions] are imposed. The first is a financial fine, where it’s stated clearly that for those contraventions, a flat fine ranging between 1, 000 cedis and 2, 000 cedis, and any other sanctions as the NCA or the Authority may deem fit. It means that, a financial fine has been placed, and any other sanctions could be added to it. In 2015, the NCA chose to review its schedule of penalties, which is where my argument is,” he contended.

“It did not come to Parliament in 2015. They varied the penalties from 1, 000 and 2, 000 to 10, 000 cedis a day. It didn’t come before the subsidiary legislation committee in Parliament, and before the floor of the House for approval, and that’s why I’m saying that the schedule of penalties, even though it was duly gazetted on the 25^th of April in 2015, is illegal. It did not take cognizance of Article 174 (2). They might have gazetted it, but did they seek Parliamentary approval before gazetting it”? he asked.

The stations, including Accra-based Radio Gold, Atlantis Radio and Radio XYZ, 3-FM, were either fined or had their licenses revoked by the National Communications Authority (NCA), following the completion of a nationwide FM Spectrum Audit.

Radio XYZ was fined GHc 4,090,000, Atinka FM GHc 14,800,000, while Radio Gold and Atlantis Radio picked up the heftiest fines with GHc 61,330,000 and GHc 60, 350,000 respectively.

Accra-based Okay FM and Kumasi-based Hello FM, both under the Despite group, have since been shut down as a result of the failure to pay their fines.

He also reiterated the Minority’s assertion that the NCA was monetising free speech in the country with the huge fines.

The Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, had earlier defended the NCA’s sanctions on the floor of Parliament, stating that the regulator’s actions were backed by law.

“Clause 2(1) of the Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775) further mandates the NCA to regulate the radio spectrum designated or allocated for use by broadcasting organisations and providers of broadcasting services in accordance with the standards and requirements of the International Telecommunications Union and its Radio Regulations as agreed to or adopted by the Republic,” she said.

“These provisions give the NCA the clear mandate to manage spectrum and issue, suspend or revoke frequency authorizations, and that is simply what they seek to do. ”

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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As part of this, the leadership of the NDC Greater Accra Caucus thus visited the Ningo Prampram constituency to interact with branch executives.

The event, which started on a very good note, at a point turned chaotic as some branch executives were unhappy with the removal and replacement of their names from the main register by some constituency executives.

According to the aggrieved executives, their names were replaced by their MP, Sam George, and some constituency executives as part of efforts to field their favourite candidates.

“How come the names of the incumbent branch executives have to be deleted from the register when our tenure of office has not ended?” One unhappy executive questioned.

The Mobole branch communications officer, Oko Mensah in a very angry mood accused the MP of creating his favourite campaign team ahead of the elections thereby creating division and confusion.

“Going into the 2016 elections, we realized the parliamentary candidate whom the onus lies on as the front-runner of the party created his own parallel campaign team ahead of the elections. He used his own campaign guys ahead of the primaries to work in the main elections thereby creating confusion in the constituency. Sam George invited me to a hotel around Dawhenya and requested me to work with him as an individual because of my personal capabilities which I declined and asked him to do the right thing by inviting the entire branch executives so we work for the good of the party, but not in our individual capabilities. This didn’t go down well with him and as such, he has refused to work with me,” he noted.

Mr. Mensah noted that, the Member of Parliament for the area, Sam George, lacks the ability to unify the party in the constituency, and the earlier he works with the party members as a team rather than towing individual lines, the better for the future of the party.

“You will be there and before you realize, there is another party member who does not occupy any party position in the constituency taking front-line position and working for the party without prior notice to you. This makes working with the MP very difficult because he does not respect party structures.”

The branch secretary for Akpakope, madam Bernice, also accused the Member of Parliament for not taking the initiative to unify the party and is rather engaged in divide and rule tactics in the constituency.

“I came here as a branch executive for Akpakpe, yet another comrade is also here occupying the same position from my branch which is highly unacceptable.”

The situation of the alleged removal and replacement of names of branch executives at some areas became quite serious to the extent that some of the party executives whose names were removed had a personal confrontation with the constituency executives thereby almost bringing the well attended programme to a halt.

However, in reaction to the numerous allegations raised, the Member of Parliament for the constituency, Sam Dzata George, noted that the allegations are untrue, and that rather, the party has decided to reward loyalty, dedication and hard work in the constituency.

“The issues raised are no new issues, but are natural ones which are bound to occur. During the last elections, some neutral party persons in the constituency worked so hard for the victory of the party. By their hard work the party won 86 polling stations out of 93 in the constituency. This is quite significant as a party. We have not replaced branch executives, and as a leader of the party in the constituency, I shall reward loyalty and hard work to ensure the NDC secures enough vote for the party in the coming elections in 2020.”

The executives have however vowed to resist any attempt by the party leadership at both the constituency level and at the national level, to impose on them any candidate ahead of the branch reorganization.

Other members of Parliament from other constituencies in the Greater Accra region also urged the party members to ensure their grievances are channeled through the right quarters for redress.

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By: Elvis Washinton/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This is the assertion by the National Democratic Congress’ Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram constituency, Sam George.

“This government has the best opportunity to fight galamsey. Previously, President Mahama tried it, the media did not support it, the media was silent. Today the media has embraced it so the government of Nana Addo must show political will,” he said in an interview with Citi News.

There has been intense pressure on government from all levels for the cessation of illegal mining also known as galamsey in Ghana following Citi FM’s consistent revelation about the effects of such activities on river bodies and the environment.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7gdC5fuNgHggyIe7lZwnVTf1tlNQo6Mi”]Watchers of the mining sector have predicted that Ghana may soon import water if the menace is not stopped now.

Citi FM in playing effectively its advocacy role last week launched a campaign dubbed #StopGalamseyNow in a bid to put pressure on duty bearers to halt all galamsey operations in the country.

Other civil society organisations including IMANI Ghana, the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) as well as other media houses have also joined the fray.

Meanwhile speaking to Sam George on the sidelines of Citi FM’s #StopGalamseyNow petition presentation to Parliament last Friday, the Ningo Prampram legislator said the fight against galamsey will yield no positive result if politicians who allow such impunity to go on are not “named and shamed.”

“The fight against galamsey is basically superficial; we are not going down to the real facts of the issue. The people who are engaged in galamsey activities are known to the security services. Politicians who have offices by virtue of sponsorship from galamsey operators are known. There are politicians at all levels of governance from the district assembly to parliament to the highest office of the land whose political campaigns have been supported by individuals whose only business is galamsey. So the bottom line is until and unless we are ready to name, shame and arrest, be it politicians, traditional leaders, in whose domains these things happen, who know and connive and facilitate the acquisition of land for some of these galamsey operators, we are going nowhere,” he argued.

Sam George further explained that the so-called Chinese who are accused of being involved in galamsey activities in Ghana do not operate on their own but with support from leaders and politicians in the various catchment areas.

“The Chinese man in China, how does he know that there is gold in a particular part of the Eastern Region or Bole Bamboi? This is not on the basis of politics it is a national catastrophe and that is why I am saying that we must put aside everything; we must have the political will,” he added.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This was after the Joe Ghartey committee found the Bawku Central MP, Mahama Ayariga guilty of contempt of Parliament, and recommended that he should apologize to the House.

[contextly_sidebar id=”KmaYIRPFHwClBwxgOL4CvsbgLmsrztAg”]Dr. Opoku Prempeh in a statement said he took “grave exception to the scurrilous and unfounded allegations”.

He further said he expected “Sam George to do the honourable thing by swiftly apologizing for his unfounded claim.”

‘I owe him no apology’

But responding to the statement on Eyewitness News, Sam George asserted that, he owed the Education Minister no apology.

“I stand fully and solely by the words I uttered in my interview this [Friday] morning on the Citi Breakfast Show. He should run away from it. He should rather be a man and admit that he did the wrong thing and stop running around and bundling words around.”

“I owe him no apology. He owes the honourable member from Tamale North an apology. And if he will be humble enough, he owes me an apology from four weeks ago,” the Ningo Prampram MP stated.

Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s statement also made reference to proceedings on March 10, 2017, and denied Sam George’s claim that he had called him a fool for prompting the Speaker to ask him if he was wearing a school uniform or was properly dressed to Parliament.

Sam George again stood by his claims that Dr. Opoku Prempeh called him a fool on the floor of Parliament for his actions, noting that Parliament’s Hansard “chose to omit some very unprintable words.”

“We were all in the chamber and I was not the only one who heard it. There are members of Parliament on our side who equally heard it and that is what triggered Alhassa Suhuyini’s anger… During the heckling, a lot of words were bundled around that don’t make their way into the Hansard.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This is an allegation made by the Member of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram constituency, Samuel George on Citi FM’s news analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday.

“We’ve heard that an order has been placed for four Mercedes Benz X-classes for our president,” he noted.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8dCWqDDnD1CJPjYTyEIIXOCXINlequ9A”]The New Patriotic Party government has in the last few days accused the erstwhile John Mahama government of hording over 200 vehicles meant for the presidency before exiting office, a claim the National Democratic Congress had denied.

According to Sam George, although he has no qualms if the President buys new vehicles his only worry is that it is part of a ploy by the NPP to “denigrate the legacy of former President Mahama and create a lacuna that will enable them import supersonic luxury vehicles for President Akufo-Addo.”

“Personally, I have no problem if our President drives in an X-500. President Mahama chose to drive in an Avalons while his vice was driving in Mercedes Benz. So if our president wants to drive an X-500 he should go ahead and buy it, but he shouldn’t come and paint a picture that we have stolen cars…Is it just what the conspiracy theorists are saying?”

Claims of car importation not true

Meanwhile an NPP Member of Parliament for the Effiduase Asokore, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie who was also on The Big Issue rejected Sam George’s claim describing it as untrue.

Nana Addo forced to use 10-yr old BMW

According to the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin because some of the vehicles have gone missing, “the President of the Republic currently has virtually only one vehicle at his disposal. This is the vehicle which was purchased in 2007 during the Ghana at 50 celebrations. It is a BMW.”

We left Nana Addo 4 bulletproof cars – NDC
Meanwhile the NDC had argued that it left Akufo-Add with four bulletproof vehicles.

“It must be placed on record that the use of the BMWs and his personal vehicle if it is true, is not due to the non-availability of presidential vehicles. It is clearly a choice that he made on his own accord. Among the vehicles handed over to the NPP team were two bulletproof salon cars and two bulletproof cross country vehicles specifically dedicated to the use of the President. Both sets of bulletproof vehicles are relatively new and in good condition for the transportation of the President,” a statement signed by former Chief of Staff, Johnny Osei Kofi explained.

Click below for Sam George’s claims:

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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According to the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Samuel George, about 271 of the vehicles allegedly missing vehicles from the President’s vehicle pool were purchased by some officials of the former government.

[contextly_sidebar id=”70e8awkDHyrYcKHVOZBQTTVCsQSjGfJq”]He made the revelation on Citi FM’s news analysis program, The Big Issue on Saturday.

According to Same George, although he declined to purchase the vehicle allocated to him while serving as a Presidential staffer under the former government, some of his colleagues bought theirs after the vehicles were duly properly valuated by the State Transport Company.

The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, had earlier this week revealed, that about 208 of the vehicles bequeathed to the new government by the National Democratic Congress government could not be traced.

But the Deputy Chief of Staff under the Mahama administration, Johnny Osei Kofi, in a counter statement described Mr Arhin’s claims as “false, baseless and without merit.”

However, speaking on our news analysis and current affairs programme, The Big Issue, on Saturday morning, the Ningo Prampram legislator said the auctioning was in comformity with standard practice to enable officials of the former administration to purchase the vehicles.

“A number of my colleagues chose to buy their cars. I for personal reasons declined to buy my car and I returned it to the director of logistics at the Office of President. We put out a list of 641 vehicles. We handed over about 370 vehicles to the assets and logistics committee [of the new government] and these vehicles were physically inspected by the assets committee led by lawyer Ayikoi Otu.”

“You’ll see a disparity and it is because 271 salon cars were purchased by staffers who had put in a request to purchase their vehicles which were 2 years and above.”

Sam George’s revelation appear to introduce a different twist of the story as it suggests that the purchased vehicles were also included in the list presented to the new government as vehicles available for its use.

Selling state cars to politicians ‘bush way of doing things’

Meanwhile, a retired Ghanaian diplomat, KB Asante, has said that government officials buying state vehicles they previously used is a “bush way of doing things.” According to him, the vehicles must be properly auctioned to allow interested Ghanaians buy them.

Speaking to Citi News, he questioned the logic behind such direct sales to officials, arguing that the practice will always lead to wanton abuse of state property.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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According to the President, E.T. Mensah, who lost the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) parliamentary primary in the Ningo-Prampram constituency to Sam George, should not despair despite his loss.

[contextly_sidebar id=”MzRniHaITEpCAHxxjzxCSA6h2M6Rd4s4″]Mahama, who made the comment during the NDC campaign launch in the area, commended ET Mensah, saying he plays a very important role in his administration and urged the MP to move on.

“Sometimes when God closes one door, don’t stand in front of that door and weep; look around to see he has opened another door for you. Don’t stand there and be weeping and say God why have you closed this door to me. My brother ET Mensah is a very important member of our party and we all appreciate him very much; but the time comes when you have to move on and you will move on to better things. In my administration, ET will not struggle to do something in my administration.”

“And so I want himself and all the people who support him, the chiefs, parliamentary candidates and everybody to become one strong Ningo-Prampram constituency.

Sam George defeated ET Mensah in NDC primary

Sam George in 2016 defeated E.T Mensah in the party’s primaries; ending his 20 year reign as MP.

Sam George polled 63% of the total votes cast in the primary while E.T. Mensah had 38.5%.

The relationship between the two NDC members had become sour after the primary.

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Reports say an unknown woman, possibly Ms Lewthwaite, was given a police escort to visit a Kenyan army base in Somalia before disappearing.

She is accused of links to Somali Islamist group al-Shabab, which has attacked Kenya several times.

Ms Lewthwaite’s husband died in a 2005 suicide attack.

Her husband Germaine Lindsay was one of the four bombers who carried out the 7 July bombings in London that year in which 52 people were killed and hundreds more injured.

Different identity

Kenyan police officers in the coastal town of Lamu provided an armed escort to a white woman who disappeared after her attempts to enter Somalia were blocked by immigration officials.

Well-placed security sources have told the BBC they have reliable information that Ms Lewthwaite is in the country and they have launched a massive operation to find her.

But Lamu Police Commander Leonard Omollo told the AFP news agency the woman had been identified as a Spanish tourist who had since returned home, without giving further details.

Kenyan army spokesman Willy Wesonga has confirmed that a team of detectives is investigating whether the woman was Ms Lewthwaite and, if it was her, why she intended to visit the Kenyan army camp.

After last year’s attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi, Kenya sought an international warrant for her arrest.

She was reported to have been linked to the attack but this was not mentioned on the warrant.

An Interpol statement said she was “wanted by Kenya on charges of being in possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit a felony dating back to December 2011”.

Kenya has several thousand troops helping the UN-backed government battle al-Shabab in Somalia.

Source: BBC

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