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GPHA Fire and Safety, LCB Worldwide Ghana Crowned LCB Corporate Games Champions

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) Fire and Safety Team and LCB Worldwide Ghana Football Team have emerged champions of the 2026 LCB Corporate Games in the Tema and Accra Zones respectively, following weeks of competitive football action.

The grand finale of the fifth edition of the competition was held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at Mexico Park, Community 2, Tema, bringing together participating companies from the ports and shipping industry and other sectors.

In the Tema Zone final, GPHA Fire and Safety secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) Team to clinch the ultimate title.

In another decisive encounter, LCB Worldwide Ghana delivered an impressive performance in the Accra Zone, thrashing the Ghana Immigration Service Team 5-0 to emerge champions.

The final standings saw LCB Worldwide Ghana finish first in the Accra Zone, followed by the Ghana Immigration Service in second place, while Manna Team settled for third.

In the Tema Zone, GPHA Fire and Safety claimed the top spot, with the Ghana National Fire Service finishing as runners-up and Wilmar Africa taking third place.

The victorious teams were rewarded with cash prizes in recognition of their performances.

The champions in both zones received GHS20,000 each, while the first runners-up took home GHS10,000 each. The second runners-up were also rewarded with GHS5,000 each.

Individual awards were presented to outstanding performers, with the tournament’s top scorer receiving GHS2,000 and the Best Goalkeeper taking home GHS1,000.

A total of 16 teams, comprising eight teams from each zone, participated in this year’s competition, which featured several weeks of exciting football action.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the grand finale, a representative of the Human Resource Department at LCB Worldwide, Solomon Dwamena Aboagye expressed satisfaction with the performance of the participating teams and the overall impact of the competition.

He noted that the objectives behind organising the games had consistently been achieved over the years, adding that LCB Worldwide Ghana remained committed to expanding the initiative to attract more corporate organisations.

‘We are hoping that in the next few years, the participating companies will be more. We are hoping to bring companies from other industries. We are expecting the financial institutions, oil and gas companies and even the educational sector as well,’ he said.

Mr. Aboagye further disclosed that the competition was fully sponsored by LCB Worldwide Ghana, expressing optimism that the company would continue to mobilise resources to sustain and increase the prize money in subsequent editions.

The LCB Worldwide Corporate Games was initiated to foster camaraderie, strengthen professional relationships and promote bonds of friendship among companies, particularly those operating within the ports and shipping industry.

Beyond sports, LCB Worldwide Ghana has also established a strong presence through its corporate social responsibility initiatives.

The crisis management company has been operating in Ghana since 2017 and has been contracted by the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Health, to undertake fumigation and disinfection of cargo at the country’s ports and designated points of entry and exit.

8 Perish On Elubo Road

Eight persons died in a ghastly accident that occurred on the Takoradi-Elubo road in the Western Region last Thursday.

The accident, which occurred at about 7:30 p.m., involved two passenger buses, and it happened at Azuletti, near Samenye, along the highway.

An Ivorian-registered bus travelling towards Benin rammed into the rear of a parked Burkinabè passenger bus.

Twenty-one other passengers who sustained various degrees of injuries were rescued by personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) from the wreckage.

The 21 injured persons were transported to the nearest hospital for medical attention, while the bodies of the deceased were handed over to the police.

According to personnel of the GNFS, the parked vehicle had obstructed one lane of the highway, which might have partly resulted in the accident.

Seven people were pronounced dead at the scene, while another died later at a hospital.

Preliminary investigations suggest that speeding may have contributed to the crash.

EU could allow UK to rejoin without adopting euro

The European Union could take a flexible approach to the euro and Schengen membership requirements if the United Kingdom seeks to rejoin the bloc, Politico reports, citing anonymous sources in Brussels.

According to the publication, London may not necessarily be required to adopt the single European currency or join the Schengen Area as a condition for returning to the EU.

Such an approach could increase the UK’s chances of rejoining the bloc. However, EU officials have stressed that it is still too early to discuss an official position on a potential British return.

According to a YouGov poll cited by Politico, 55% of Britons support reversing Brexit, while 34% favour remaining outside the EU.

However, when respondents were told that rejoining the EU would require adopting the euro and joining the Schengen Area, support for returning to the bloc fell to 35%, while opposition rose to 43%.

Earlier, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain could remain outside the European Union or potentially rejoin the bloc if that is what the public wants. He added that the government could consider proposals for a customs union, discuss the Liberal Democrats’ calls for membership of the single market, or “go all the way” toward rejoining the EU.

The UK held its referendum on EU membership on June 23, 2016. Some 51.9% of voters backed leaving the bloc, while 48.1% voted to remain. The UK formally left the EU on February 1, 2020, after several years of negotiations. The post-Brexit transition period ended on January 1, 2021.

NTB to wind up Waldlock Mackenzie

The Nations Trust Bank PLC is to wind up its fully owned subsidiary Waldlock Mackenzie Ltd.

It said that the Board of Directors at its meeting on 30 October granted approval to commence the process for the voluntary winding up of Waldlock Mackenzie which has been inactive since 2024.

Its proposed winding-up is intended to comply with the Banking Act (as amended), which requires licenced banks to divest non-financial subsidiaries that do not provide services to the bank or its banking group.

Commercial Drivers Declare Nationwide Strike

Commercial transport operators have declared a nationwide strike on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, in protest against ‘the government’s failure’ to enforce traffic regulations prohibiting trading at bus stops and pedestrian walkways.

The transport operators have accordingly directed their members to park their vehicles from Wednesday until further notice, in a move to disrupt public transportation and leave commuters struggling to get to work, school and other destinations.

The announcement was made in a public notice issued on November 1, 2026 and signed by representatives of five transport organisations.

They are Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Commercial Transport Operators of Ghana, True Drivers Union, Ghana Committed Drivers Association and Concerned Drivers Association of Ghana.

The transport operators accused the government and the Ghana Police Service of neglecting their responsibility to enforce Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2519, Regulation 142, which they said prohibits trading at bus stops and on pedestrian walkways.

They argued that while the state authorities had failed to address the occupation of bus stops by traders, the government was rolling out the TRAFFITECH-GH system to penalise commercial drivers.

‘We cannot operate in bus stops occupied by traders and still be fined by cameras,’ the groups stated.

According to the operators, the situation had made it difficult for drivers to carry out their duties without risking penalties under the traffic enforcement system.

They expressed regret over the inconvenience the planned action would cause the public but insisted that they had been left with no alternative.

‘We apologise for the inconvenience, but we are left with no option,’ the notice stated.

The transport operators consequently directed all drivers under their respective organisations to park their vehicles on Wednesday and remain off the roads until further notice.

Suvarnabhumi taxiway under repair after Emirates jet gets stuck

Suvarnabhumi airport is expediting repairs to a taxiway after an Emirates Airbus A380 became immobilised on Monday night. The incident happened less than a week after the landing gear of a China Airlines plane got stuck on a runway at Thailand’s largest airport.

Airport officials said on Tuesday that Emirates flight EK373, bound for Dubai and operated by an Airbus A380, was unable to continue taxiing while on Taxiway E21 at 9.11pm on Monday.

The airport quickly contacted the ground-handling operator Bangkok Flight Services to dispatch an aircraft towing vehicle. The aircraft was successfully removed from the area at 10.18pm and subsequently departed at 10.22pm.

An inspection found that a section of Taxiway E21 had sustained surface damage. Airport officials attributed the problem to prolonged periods of heavy rainfall and flooding in areas surrounding the airport, which had increased water accumulation beneath the soil layers.

The excess moisture is believed to have weakened parts of the taxiway pavement, which subsequently deteriorated under the weight of the superjumbo aircraft.

Emirates A380 aircraft seat between 484 and 615 passengers, depending on the specific cabin configuration.

Suvarnabhumi officials said they have since launched a comprehensive assessment of the structural integrity of Taxiway E21 and adjacent areas. Emergency repair work is scheduled from 7pm on Tuesday until 8am on Friday.

The timeframe includes both the repair process and the period required for the rehabilitated pavement to gain sufficient strength before being returned to service, according to the airport’s statement.

To minimise operational impacts, Suvarnabhumi Airport is preparing to bring into service a newly completed extension of Taxiway D located near the affected area. The site is currently undergoing inspection by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand and is expected to provide an additional route for aircraft accessing runway 02R-20L.

No impact on flights

During the closure of the affected taxiway section, the airport will work with Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) and air traffic control authorities to manage aircraft movements using the airport’s two remaining runways.

Aerothai has confirmed that the available runways have sufficient capacity to accommodate flight operations, and no significant disruption to overall airport services is anticipated.

Suvarnabhumi airport stressed that it would continue to inspect and strengthen affected airside infrastructure while carrying out a long-term maintenance programme aimed at ensuring safe, efficient and uninterrupted operations, as well as maintaining confidence of airlines and passengers.

The incident involving the Emirates plane came just days after a similar mishap on Runway 02R.

On Oct 28, the landing gear of a China Airlines Boeing 737-800 got stuck in a damaged section of the runway as it was preparing to take off for Kaohsiung in Taiwan.

The plane was evacuated and moved before the damaged runway section received a temporary repair.

Reminiscent of Pacquiao

There were glimpses of Manny Pacquiao in the way Carl Jammes Martin fought Mexico’s David Picasso to win a split 10-round decision in his featherweight debut at the Kingdome Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, last weekend.

The first resemblance is Pacquiao and Martin are both southpaws. But beyond their stance, Martin displayed moves that reminded fans of Pacquiao in his prime. Martin attacked relentlessly, showering Picasso with punches from all angles like Pacquiao used to in smothering opponents. He gave Picasso little room to breathe. Picasso had a five-inch reach advantage yet chose to engage the rampaging Martin at close range.

A high work rate and volume punching put Martin in a position to dominate. He had prepared three months in Las Vegas and Los Angeles so his lungs wouldn’t fail him over 10 rounds. Down the stretch, Martin had a lot more gas in his tank than Picasso. In the third round, Martin busted Picasso’s nose and made it difficult for the Mexican to breathe the rest of the way. Pacquiao did the same to Lehlo Ledwaba in his US debut in 2001. In the first frame, Pacquiao broke Ledwaba’s nose and the South African was never the same, eventually losing on a sixth round stoppage.

Martin, 27, borrowed another page from Pacquiao’s playbook in slipping punches, frustrating Picasso with constant movement, spinning away while striking, darting in and out, avoiding staying in the pocket and throwing combinations with dizzying handspeed. More than anything, Martin displayed Pacquiao’s heart in stunning the WBC No. 2 featherweight.

Martin still has a lot to improve on but from his performance against Picasso, he’s on the right track. An Ifugao native, Martin hopes to eclipse the exploits of another Cordillera fighter Rey Tam who campaigned from 1974 to 1992. In 1978, the unbeaten Tam battled WBC superfeatherweight champion Alexis Arguello of Nicaragua at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Baguio City’s Tam was stopped in the fifth round. Martin aims to challenge for a world crown like Tam did and when it happens, he’ll make sure to join Pacquiao in the ranks of Filipino ring heroes.

Fire guts feed mill factory in Ibadan

Properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed after a fire ravaged a feed mill factory in the Podo area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The fire incident affected a prefabricated building within the factory premises that was being used as a store, although no casualty was recorded.

The Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Dr. Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday.

Akinwande said firefighters, upon arriving at the scene, discovered that the fire had severely affected the prefabricated store but were able to bring it under control and prevent it from spreading to other buildings and facilities within the factory.

He said preliminary investigations suggested that the fire might have been triggered by a spontaneous reaction involving materials used in the factory.

Retro Woman gives preloved luxury bags a home customers can walk into

The online shop that built a following on Friday-night live-selling now has a showroom with a front door.

Retro Woman Philippines, an online shop for preloved (secondhand) designer bags and vintage fashion, opened its first physical showroom in Makati City on Oct. 28, giving customers a bigger space to see, touch, and try on authentic pieces at budget-friendly prices before they buy.

The showroom is on the ground floor of King’s Court II Building along Pasong Tamo corner Dela Rosa Street. The larger space aims to draw loyal customers and new clients, bringing the business closer to its online followers and to the homes, offices and shops around Makati.

For a shop that has lived on phone screens and laptops, the showroom adds something a camera cannot: a front door.

‘It is a new space for more beautiful finds and the same great deals you’ve come to love,’ said Retro Woman Philippines co-founder Jena Fetalino.

Jena and her niece, Nikki Fetalino, founded the family-run business in 2021 with a handful of pre-owned designer bags in Jena’s townhouse in Paranaque City. Both are public relations practitioners who were already busy running their own PR business.

Live selling began that November. In live selling, hosts show items on camera while viewers watch and ask questions in real time. The format let a small home operation feel like a shop floor.

‘We started live selling in November 2021, right in my townhouse, with very limited stock. Thankfully, it went well. Since we were also busy running our PR business, we decided to do live selling just once a week, every Friday. It became something our customers looked forward to, and before we knew it, Friday live selling had become a regular thing,’ Jena said.

The Friday show soon became a weekly habit for customers. The store itself took longer. Jena said it took the pair 5 years to build the courage to open one.

‘We’re honestly very happy with how far Retro Woman has come. It took us five years to finally gather the courage to open a physical store, so having our own showroom is a big milestone for us. We started small, right at home, and to see the business grow to this point is both exciting and fulfilling. It’s a reminder that sometimes, you just have to take that leap of faith,’ said Jena Fetalino.

Feeling the leather

The founders designed the showroom to make browsing part of the experience. Contemporary elements mix with vintage-inspired details. Traditional solihiya and narra chairs sit alongside vintage posters, collectible Louis Vuitton catalogues and other fashion memorabilia.

The idea is simple, the founders said. A photograph cannot fully convey the texture of leather or the way a bag sits when carried. In the showroom, buyers can inspect the stitching, assess the condition, compare sizes and try different styles before choosing the piece that suits them. Those details matter most with pre-owned pieces, where condition and small signs of wear shape a buyer’s decision.

Friday streams are staying

The showroom will complement live selling, not replace it, Jena said. Sessions run every Friday at 7 p.m. on the company’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Hosts show each bag in full light, covering the branding, interior, exterior, bottom corners, and lining, then share the item’s history and what the original owner paid. Viewers see a bag from every angle before they hear its backstory.

‘Live selling has become an integral part of Retro Woman, and we have no plans of stopping it. Our customers enjoy seeing the bags up close, hearing us talk about their features, and being able to ask questions in real time. With pre-owned luxury bags, details matter – the condition, the texture of the leather, the size, and even the little signs of wear. Photos can only show so much,’ she said.

Live selling also lets the team interact with customers and build relationships with them.

‘It’s a more personal shopping experience, and over the years, it has become a big part of what makes Retro Woman what it is today. The showroom gives customers another way to shop with us, but our Friday live selling will always have a special place in the business,’ Jena said.

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How buying works

The business is Entrupy-verified, meaning it uses Entrupy, an outside service that checks whether luxury items are authentic. It also offers authenticity checks, customer service, and flexible payment terms. Layaway plans run up to 10 months, which lets buyers pay in installments, and delivery is free nationwide. Together, the services aim to give shoppers confidence in a category where authenticity and condition decide the sale.

Customer Aileen Beltrano-Bautista said the shop carries hard-to-find vintage luxury items and gives clear condition grades, such as 8.5/10, so buyers know what to expect. She said the long layaway terms put luxury within reach. She added that the hosts’ knowledge of brand history and retail prices makes them trustworthy and transparent.

The team behind the bags

Jena set up her own PR firm, JFPRC, in 2016 and has decades of experience in communications, publishing and public relations. As president of Mosman NewMedia Inc., publisher of Medical Observer, she won the Gold Stevie Award for Female Executive of the Year in the Business Services category for small and medium-sized enterprises at the 2014 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

JFPRC business development director Nikki, co-founder of Retro Woman Philippines, has worked in advertising, corporate communications, digital marketing and multimedia production. She handles online strategy, client relations and business growth. The aunt and niece pair Jena’s strengths in communications, leadership and media relations with Nikki’s skills in digital marketing. Maxene Andrea Pinon, a registered nurse, also joins the team on Fridays.

A growing market

The timing is good. Mobility Foresight estimates the Philippine market for secondhand luxury and pre-owned bags at P8.6 billion in 2026, nearly doubling to P16.5 billion by 2032. The figures reflect the report’s specific market definition and methodology. By that estimate, Retro Woman is stepping into a segment that continues to grow.

Jake Paul Faces MMA Star Cedric Doumbe On Christmas Eve In Dubai

heavy defeat to Anthony Joshua last December.

The American suffered a broken jaw in that loss, requiring two titanium plates and the removal of some teeth.

In May, the 29-year-old influencer said his boxing career was ‘most definitely’ in doubt after the injury, but he will now return to action on Christmas Eve.

The fight will take place at the Coca-Cola Arena and is a professionally sanctioned eight-round cruiserweight contest, with both fighters using 10oz gloves.

Doumbe, a Cameroonian-born Frenchman, is a multi-time kickboxing world champion turned MMA fighter.

The 34-year-old is signed to the Professional Fighters League (PFL), which merged with Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) in July. He has won two of his three fights since joining the PFL in 2023, but has only one professional boxing bout to his name, a win in 2015.

Paul has won 12 of his 14 professional fights, with defeats to Tommy Fury and Joshua. In July 2025, he earned a place in the WBA cruiserweight rankings after beating former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, but lost it in January following the Joshua defeat.

In that fight, he was knocked down twice by the British two-time heavyweight world champion before being stopped in the sixth round.