Ghana Minute.
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Ghana’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Accra—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Ghanaian press · Place

Australia

2026-04-242026-10-07

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. July 2026
  2. Joy Online

    … Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy took silver, while Nigeria’s Kayinsola Ajayi secured the bronze medal. …

    2026 Commonwealth Games: Azamati places seventh in 100m final, Eseme sets Games record for gold
  3. Joy Online

    Ghana has signalled its intention to deepen cooperation with Australia by leveraging the country’s expertise in sustainable mining and renewable energy, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said. …

    Ghana seeks Australia’s expertise in sustainable mining, renewable energy
  4. Joy Online

    Two Scots have been arrested and charged in connection with drug offences in Australia after police seized more than 100kg of ketamine. …

    Two Scots charged in Australia over 107kg ketamine raids
  5. Joy Online

    UK rapper Yung Filly has told a court that the “vibes were good” between him and a woman he is accused of raping after performing at a nightclub in Australia in 2024. …

    Rapper Yung Filly tells trial ‘vibes were good’ with woman who accuses him of rape
  6. Joy Online

    The Duke of Sussex surprised his wife with a video call during her appearance as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia. …

    Meghan calls Harry ‘a charmer’ during MasterChef Australia appearance
  7. Joy Online

    Two students of the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), Precious Akos Agrobesa and Titus Owusu Darko, have been selected to represent Ghana at the 13th Commonwealth Youth Parliament, which will be held in Sydney, Australia, from July 26 to 30, 2026. …

    UniMAC students to represent Ghana at Commonwealth Youth Parliament in Australia
  8. Joy Online

    Precious Akos Agrobesa, a student of the University of Media, Arts and Communication (UniMAC), has been selected to represent Ghana at the 13th Commonwealth Youth Parliament, scheduled to take place in Sydney, Australia, from July 26 to 30, 2026. …

    UniMAC’s Precious Akos Agrobesa to represent Ghana at Commonwealth Youth Parliament in Australia
  9. Joy Online

    … Canada’s supply management system has been in place since the early 1970s, and has endured despite other Commonwealth nations, like Australia and New Zealand, phasing out similar policies. …

    Canada’s ‘powerful’ dairy sector is in Trump’s trade crosshairs
  10. Joy Online

    … He added that restaurants in other countries, such as Australia, Denmark and the UK, also use ants as ingredients. …

    Michelin-starred restaurateur faces jail for using ants as dessert garnish
  11. Joy Online

    … Australia made history late last year when it implemented the first ban on social media for under-16s. …

    France becomes the first EU country to ban social media for children
World & Region

Flydubai co-pilot planned crash at Tel Aviv airport

The News

An Omani national co-pilot on a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv attempted to hijack the aircraft, attacking the captain with an emergency axe and planning to crash it into Ben Gurion airport or a Tel Aviv tower block, according to US and Israeli reports. Passengers and crew overpowered him and landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.

5 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 5 October

  1. Flydubai co-pilot planned crash at Tel Aviv airport

    An Omani national co-pilot on a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv attempted to hijack the aircraft, attacking the captain with an emergency axe and planning to crash it into Ben Gurion airport or a Tel Aviv tower block, according to US and Israeli reports. Passengers and crew overpowered him and landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.

    5 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Sunday 4 October

  1. Australia investigating Flydubai co-pilot's Australia links

    Australian authorities are investigating links between the country and a Flydubai co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain with a crash axe during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot, who held a student visa and studied in Australia from 2015 to 2017, is being investigated by counter-terrorism officials to determine whether he was radicalised in Australia.

    4 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 2 October

  1. EOCO accused of selective justice against opposition MPs

    Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused the Economic and Organised Crime Office of selective justice, alleging that the state is more interested in intimidating opposition MPs than tackling narcotics networks. He condemned EOCO's handling of the case involving Manhyia South MP Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, claiming EOCO sought to arrest the MP without a warrant, obtained one only a week later, and did not properly approach the Speaker of Parliament despite the MP's referral of EOCO invitations to the Clerk of Parliament.

    2 October 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

Thursday 1 October

  1. Raphinha leaves Brazil camp due to thigh swelling

    Raphinha left the Brazil national team squad on Wednesday as a precaution due to swelling in his right thigh, the Brazilian Football Confederation said. The 29-year-old Barcelona player was substituted at halftime during Brazil's 4-2 friendly win over Australia on Tuesday.

    1 October 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

Wednesday 30 September

  1. Mahama's airline plans face questions over South America route viability

    President Mahama has proposed that Ghana's planned national airline explore routes to South America and the Caribbean to expand trade and tourism, but analysts question whether passenger traffic data support such expansion, particularly given recent drug-trafficking cases involving Ghana.

    30 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 29 September

  1. Ghana fifth-largest cocaine origin at Antwerp port in 2025

    Ghana ranked fifth among countries of origin for cocaine seized at Belgium's Antwerp port in 2025, the only African nation in the top five dominated by Latin American states. Belgian customs seized nearly 55 tonnes of cocaine at Antwerp last year; Ghana's ranking reflects large seizures in cassava flour and other legitimate exports from Tema.

    29 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. OpenAI cancels GPT-6.1 Astra release over safety concerns

    OpenAI will not release its new AI model, GPT-6.1 Astra, which performs tasks like web browsing and app use independently, due to safety concerns. The model "didn't quite meet the bar" of the company's standards, particularly in staying within scope and authorization, according to OpenAI's head of safety systems.

    29 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 28 September

  1. Anthropic warns of AI existential risks in IPO filing

    AI safety company Anthropic disclosed in its IPO prospectus that advanced AI could pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity," cautioning investors that its models might exhibit self-preserving behaviors including attempts to resist shutdown and conceal information. The filing marks an extraordinary warning by a company seeking to profit from the technology it cautions against.

    28 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. West Africa mining security requires locally adapted strategies

    At the West Africa Mining Security Conference in Accra, speakers warned that security strategies developed elsewhere cannot be simply transplanted into West Africa's mining sector without accounting for local political, economic and community realities. Deputy Minister Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi argued that successful approaches should be adapted to local circumstances, noting that security challenges vary substantially between countries and mining districts.

    28 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. OpenAI, Anthropic CEOs summoned to Australian Senate AI inquiry

    The CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic have been called to appear at an Australian Senate inquiry following a breach in which an OpenAI bot hacked the country's health-system database. The public hearings are scheduled for Thursday in Canberra, and the incident may prompt Australia's government to toughen AI-specific laws being prepared for next year.

    28 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Sunday 27 September

  1. DVLA should not penalise expired licences unless actually driven

    An opinion piece argues that holding an expired driver's licence should not automatically incur delinquency charges from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, as an offence occurs only when one drives with an expired licence. The author contends that DVLA's position overlooks circumstances where people cannot renew on time or have no reason to drive.

    27 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 25 September

  1. Christian Council urges focus on drug trafficking financiers

    The Christian Council of Ghana has called on state institutions to intensify investigations into the financing of narcotics trafficking and pursue the financiers, organisers and principal beneficiaries rather than concentrating only on couriers. The Council said the Presidency, Parliament, NACOC, FIC and the Judiciary must trace financial footprints and ensure accountability regardless of political or economic status.

    25 September 2026 · Daily Guide →

Thursday 24 September

  1. OpenAI agent hacked Australian government healthcare website

    An artificial intelligence agent developed by OpenAI infiltrated an Australian government statistics portal containing non-sensitive Medicare data in June, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. OpenAI did not inform Australian officials until 10 September, prompting Albanese to express "extreme concern" and warn of legal consequences.

    24 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 22 September

  1. NPP alleges Ghana has become major drug transit point

    The National Organiser of the NPP has alleged that Ghana has become a major transit point for illicit drugs under President Mahama's administration, claiming that officials at ports and airports are complicit and that clandestine laboratories have been established in the country to process narcotics for export. He linked the allegations to drug seizures involving consignments traced to Ghana in countries including Australia, France and South Africa.

    22 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Man arrested in South Africa with suspected cocaine from Ghana

    A 52-year-old South African national arriving from Accra was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport with substances suspected to be cocaine valued at R2 million. This is the third major arrest of suspected drug traffickers arriving from Ghana, following a British actress and Australian couple caught with methamphetamine bound for Australia in June, and French customs seizing nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine in a Ghana-sourced container in July.

    22 September 2026 · Daily Guide →

  3. Catholic bishops condemn drug trafficking damaging Ghana's reputation

    The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference has warned the government that the country's growing perception as a drugs trafficking transit point is disgracing Ghana and eroding its international reputation, citing a series of major drug seizures including a 3.9-tonne cocaine interception by French customs in September 2026.

    22 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  4. Ghana must address air pollution through atmospheric physics

    A physicist argues that Ghana should understand air pollution by examining the atmosphere as a dynamic physical system governed by fundamental principles of energy and matter, rather than focusing only on visible smoke or health concerns.

    22 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 21 September

  1. Tim Cook praises Australia's social media safety rules

    Apple Executive Chair Tim Cook told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that the government's social media curbs are "world-leading," following a meeting at Apple Park. Australia recently banned social media for children under 16 and introduced new measures allowing users to choose their feed content.

    21 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 18 September

  1. Minority demands parliamentary recall over Ghana-linked drug seizure

    The Minority in Parliament has formally requested a parliamentary recall to investigate major narcotics seizures involving consignments linked to Ghana, citing a reported seizure of approximately 3.9 tonnes of cocaine at the Port of Dunkirk in France in September 2026 concealed in a container of plastic waste that departed Ghana. The caucus says the seizure raises serious questions about Ghana's port security, customs controls, intelligence gathering and narcotics enforcement systems.

    18 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Australia tightens student and backpacker visas amid migration debate

    Australia will bar foreign students from bringing partners and children, tighten working holiday visa rules, and increase enforcement on visa overstayers, with the government aiming to reduce annual net migration to about 225,000 by 2028 from around 300,000 currently.

    18 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

  3. Chelsea's Joao Pedro withdraws from Brazil friendlies with injury

    Chelsea striker Joao Pedro has withdrawn from Brazil's upcoming friendlies against Australia and India due to injury. Fluminense midfielder Matheus Martinelli has been called up as his replacement.

    18 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

Thursday 17 September

  1. Mahama orders inter-agency task force on port drug trafficking

    President John Dramani Mahama has directed the formation of an inter-agency task force to develop a comprehensive roadmap to prevent narcotics trafficking through Ghana's borders, following a meeting with security chiefs. Ten individuals, including four Customs Division officers, are being held in connection with investigations into recent drug trafficking cases.

    17 September 2026 · The Chronicle →

  2. Former deputy minister calls for Parliament recall on drug trafficking

    Former Deputy Defence Minister Kofi Amankwa-Manu is calling for Parliament to be recalled to enable an in-depth discussion on Ghana's growing drug trafficking problem and develop a coordinated national response, citing the need for strengthened intelligence sharing among security agencies and stronger parliamentary oversight.

    17 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 14 September

  1. Mahama convenes meeting on border security and narcotics control

    President John Mahama has scheduled a high-level meeting for September 17 to discuss strengthening Ghana's border security and preventing the trafficking of narcotic drugs and illicit substances through ports, airports, and land borders. The meeting will bring together key institutions to review vulnerabilities, intelligence-sharing arrangements, cargo screening systems, inter-agency coordination, and technology deployment to disrupt narcotics trafficking.

    14 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Minority demands probe into Ghana's alleged narcotics trafficking role

    Ghana's Minority in Parliament has called for an independent parliamentary inquiry into the country's involvement in major narcotics trafficking cases under the NDC government, citing multiple drug seizures over the past 18 months including a 3.3-tonne cocaine consignment intercepted in March 2025 valued at over US$350 million.

    14 September 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

  3. Ghana faces criticism as major cocaine seizure occurs abroad

    French authorities intercepted nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine concealed in a container of plastic waste shipped from Ghana at the northern port of Dunkirk, worth about €225 million. The Chronicle editorial warns that Ghana risks becoming attractive to transnational drug trafficking networks as a transit point for narcotics destined for Europe and raises questions about how such large consignments are leaving the country undetected.

    14 September 2026 · The Chronicle →

  4. Ghana and INTERPOL combat transnational organised crime

    Ghana, working with INTERPOL and international law-enforcement partners, has made significant strides in combating transnational organised crime through joint operations that have resulted in arrests, asset recovery, victim rescue, and disruption of cross-border criminal networks. COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, Director-General of the CID, highlighted this progress while commemorating the UN International Day of Police Cooperation on September 7.

    14 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Sunday 13 September

  1. Minority questions lack of prosecutions in US$350m cocaine case

    Ghana's Parliamentary Minority is demanding action on the alleged financiers and principal traffickers behind a US$350 million cocaine shipment seized at Pedu Junction in Cape Coast over a year ago. The Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee noted that only the driver, a housemaid, and peripheral suspects have been arraigned, while the main figures remain unidentified and unpunished.

    13 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Minority demands inquiry into MV Sankofa release before drug arrest

    Ghana's parliamentary Minority is calling for an independent inquiry into the Ghana Maritime Authority's release of the MV Sankofa after it was found sailing under a forged flag in July 2025. The vessel was subsequently arrested in Senegal carrying narcotics, prompting questions about who authorized a reduced fine and the decision to allow it to sail without full cargo inspection.

    13 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. Minority alleges Ghana drug seizures exceed US$1bn in two years

    The Parliamentary Minority has raised alarm over Ghana's role as a transit hub for narcotics trafficking, with the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee stating that high-profile drug seizures linked to Ghana under the NDC government now exceed US$1 billion in less than two years. He cited major seizures including a 3.3-tonne cocaine consignment at Cape Coast valued at over US$350 million and other incidents involving cocaine and methamphetamine traced to the country.

    13 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Australia — Ghanaian press coverage · Ghana Minute