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Egypt unveils three multimillion-pound giant tourist projects

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The Egyptian government has unveiled three multi-million dollar giant tourist projects in a bid to expand its tourism potentials in the North African region.

The projects are located in Upper Egypt’s governorate of Minya which ranks third in archaeological and cultural value among the governorates of the country due to its distinguished location and archaeological sites that include all eras.

The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and Culture said in a statement on Tuesday that the development would see the tourist and archaeological areas in Minya Governorate take a quantum leap aimed at contributing to the preservation of the areas.

The projects, according to the ministry, includes the Ashmounin and Tuna al-Jabal to the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Jabal al-Tayr, the Atonian Museum which is the third largest museum in Egypt, as well as the Tell el-Amarna Visitors Center and Museum, which includes 950 artifacts

“The Egyptian state has paid attention to revitalizing tourism.

“The state also developed and restored the Mallawi Museum, which is located in the heart of the city of Mallawi, at a cost of £7 million,” the statement said.

“The museum was reopened after the restoration of the building and the recovery of most of the stolen artifacts, in addition to the restoration of many holdings, and the development of four tourist areas including Tell el-Amarna, Ashmounin, Tuna al-Jabal, and the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Jabal al-Tayr, at a cost of £11 million, and three projects are being implemented in the tourism and antiquities sector, with a total cost of £225 million.

“The Atonian Museum is the third largest museum in Egypt after the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Museum of Civilization. The idea of establishing the museum dates back to 1979 as a documentation of the history of the Pharaohs in Minya and the story of the city of Akhet Aton known as Tell el-Amarna.

“The Bahnasa region of the Bani Mazar Center, north of the Minya Governorate, witnessed the construction of 14 archaeological domes and the development of the visitor center and tourism services in the Bahnasa Islamic Antiquities area.

“This region is also witnessing a great tourist boom, whether from inside or outside Egypt, and the region is called the second Baqi, where about 70 of the companions who witnessed the Battle of Badr with the Prophet Muhammed, Peace be upon him, are buried along with the followers and the righteous.

“The Jabal Al-Tair region witnessed a great development during the last period after the region was included in the pilgrimage trips to the Vatican, where the project to revive the path of the Holy Family in the Jabal Al-Tair area in Samalout, north of Minya, was completed,” the ministry said.

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Ghana’s Afua Asantewaa begins second GWR sing-a-thon attempt

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Ghanaian singer, Afua Asantewaa, on Saturday, began her second attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest singing marathon by an individual.

The sing-a-thon which began in the early hours of Saturday, December 21, at Heroes’ Park, Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, will run until December 25, and will see the determined songstress perform non-stop, focusing exclusively on Ghanaian songs.

According to Asantewaa’s manager, Madam Gladys Osei Owiredu, the audacious initiative is aimed at showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Ghanaian music to a global audience.

Owiredu confirmed that preparations for the event had been extensive but expressed confidence in Asantewaa’s readiness to finally break the record.

“I can confirm that she is ready for the task ahead. It’s been challenging—by way of preparations—but I can say she is ready,” Owiredu said.

Asantewaa’s second attempt follows her first effort in December 2023, which fell short of surpassing the current record of 105 hours held by India’s Sunil Waghmare.

But despite the setback, her team remains optimistic about breaking the record this time with corporate sponsors including International Maritime Hospital, Ghana Gas, Nasco Electronics, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited rallying behind her, underscoring the importance of the attempt in amplifying the global significance of Ghanaian music.

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Ghana’s Supreme Court dismisses suit challenging anti-LGBT bill

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Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two separate suits challenging the legality of one of the proposed anti-LGBT legislations awaiting assent into law by the president.

The separate suits were filed by two legal practitioners, Amanda Odoi and Richard Sky, challenging the bill, seeking to declare it illegal and prevent the president from signing it.

The two cases had challenged the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

But in a ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously decided to dismiss the legal challenges to the new anti-LGBT legislation that has been criticised by rights groups.

The controversial bill was passed earlier this year by Ghanaian lawmakers with three years imprisonment for people identifying as LGBT and five years for forming or funding LGBT groups.

While dismissing the cases, presiding judge, Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, who delivered the ruling on behalf of the seven-member panel, said the cases were premature.

“Until there’s presidential assent, there is no act, the two cases were “unanimously dismissed,” she said.

The ruling is the latest blow to the LGBTQ community in Ghana and paves the way for the president to sign into law what many say is one of Africa’s most restrictive piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term in office ends on 7 January, had delayed signing it pending the outcome of the Supreme Court challenge but the judges said the case could not be reviewed until it had been signed it into law.

It expected that incoming president, John Mahama, will sign the bill into law as he had always expressed his support for the bill during his electioneering campaigns.

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