Samsung to Post Third Straight Quarterly Profit Decline as Smartphone Market Saturates

IBTimes UK

South Korean electronics giant Samsung said it expects a 25% decline in second-quarter operating profit due to the strong Korean currency, shrinking sales of smartphones and tablets, and increasing marketing expenses to reduce inventories.

The company expects an operating profit of 7.2tn won ($7.1bn, €5.2bn, £4.1bn) for the second quarter, down about 25% from last year and 15.2% from the previous quarter. The guidance was well below the mean forecast of 8.3tn won based on a Thomson Reuters survey of 38 analysts.

This is the company's third straight quarter of year-on-year profit decline.

"Korean won remained strong throughout the second quarter against US Dollar, Euro and most emerging market currencies, which put negative pressure on the Company's overall earnings," the company said in a statement.

The won has recently risen to six-year highs against the US dollar, hurting the profitability of exporters in South Korea.

"For smartphone, amid slow growth of the market, sell-in shipments fell in 2Q due to increase in midto-low end channel inventories as competition intensified among set makers in Chinese and European markets," Samsung said.

Following its rapid growth in recent years, the smartphone market is maturing, according to research firm IDC. IDC predicts that the global smartphone shipment growth will slow down to 19.3% in 2014, compared to 39.2% in 2013.

Samsung, which still remains the smartphone market leader, is facing intense competition from Chinese low-cost rivals such as Lenovo, Huawei and Xiaomi that recently improved their market shares.

Meanwhile, demand for tablets weakened further due to lack of carriers' subsidies policy and high demand of large-screen smartphones.

Samsung added that its marketing expenses for the second quarter was significantly high as it was looking to reduce channel inventories in preparation for the third-quarter peak season and new model launch.

For the third quarter, Samsung expects an improvement in business conditions. The appreciation in the won would be limited in comparison to the second quarter, while the upcoming launch of its new smartphone line-up would result in increased shipments.

Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee has been hospitalised since May following a heart attack. His son Jay Lee is expected to be the heir apparent, even though the succession plan is yet to be revealed.

Israel Launches Fresh Airstrikes against Hamas Targets in Gaza

Smoke and flames are seen following what witnesses said were Israeli air strikes in Rafah in the southern Gaza StripReuters

Israeli forces have launched a major aerial offensive against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip region as part of its "Operation Protective Edge".

Calling up about 1,500 reservists in preparation for further escalation, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said: "Hamas will not be safe as long as it continues to threaten the lives of Israeli civilians."

Palestinians say at least nine people, suspected militants, were killed in the Israeli airstrikes which hit about 50 targets, mostly in the centre of Gaza.

The midnight response came after a barrage of rocket fire from the Gaza region fell into Israel. More than 85 rockets were fired, said the IDF.

Meanwhile, the defiant Islamic militant outfit vowed to keep up its offensive and warned that they would target Tel Aviv.

A spokesperson for the Hamas military wing, al-Qassam Brigades, said Tel Aviv residents should expect rockets in the next few hours and experience "an earthquake".

"This is not the time for quiet. We have a bank of various targets. An Iron Dome [missile battery] will be needed in every Israeli home," said spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum, according to reports.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has urged both sides to avoid conflict, reaffirming Washington's commitment to a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestine conflict.

"Peace is necessary because it's the only way to ensure a secure and democratic future for the Jewish state of Israel. While walls and missile defence systems can help protect against some threats, true safety will only come with a comprehensive negotiated settlement.

"Reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians would also help turn the tide of international sentiment and sideline violent extremists, further bolstering Israel's security," Obama wrote in an op-ed piece in Israel's Haaretz daily.

A Palestinian woman, whom medics said was wounded in an Israeli air strike, arrives at a hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza StripReuters

A Palestinian man, whom medics said was wounded in an Israeli air strike, arrives at a hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza StripReuters

South Africa: 12 Million Mentally Ill People Left Stranded Without Help

One in three people in South Africa suffers from mental illness including depression,substance abuse, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.Getty Images

One in three people in South Africa suffers from mental illness and 75% of them do not receive any sort of help, says a report by the Sunday Times.

According to the investigation, around 12 million people are denied the help they need due to the "severe" shortage of state hospitals specialised in mental illness.

GPs around the country have noted an increase in the number of mentally ill patients, affected mainly by depression, substance abuse, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

However, the government uses just 4% - R9.3billion (£503m) - of its yearly budget to address the problem.

NGOs such as the South African Depression and the Anxiety Group have criticised South Africa's lack of support to people affected by mental health problems, who number around 17 million in total.

Mentally ill youths– who are sometimes rejected by their families and do not receive treatments in institutions - are at risk of sexual assault and being exposed to prison-like conditions.

As only 1% of beds in psychiatric wards are reserved for children or adolescents, mentally ill youths have to wait months before being admitted to a psychiatric ward.

"We have a severe lack of facilities for children suffering mental health problems," said Professor Ann Skelton of the Centre for Child Law. "We see a lot of children who are at the end of the road and who don't have any options available.

"Kids end up in the system because families can't cope any longer. They're often advised to report the child for a crime, otherwise they can't get them into a facility."

Dr Melvyn Freeman, head of non-communicable diseases at the Department of Health, said the problem has to be taken in the context of South Africa. "We have to look at the priority list.

"There is some mortality in mental health, but when you look at HIV, thousands more are dying."

According to Freeman, the only way to effectively deal with mental health would be through the creation of government-run institutions, to complement the existing network of private facilities.

However, the earliest this could happen is in 2025 because the government has no plan for such a scheme.

Iran Birth Control Ban Moves Closer as Ayatollah Seeks to 'Strengthen National Identity'

Decree: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei(Reuters)

Iranian lawmakers are pushing ahead with a ban on vasectomies and other birth control measures in a bid to boost the country's population and economic prospects for the next generation.

Iran's birth rate has dropped to around 1.22% from a 1986 level of 3.22%, according to the CIA World Factbook. The UN has projected that if current trends persist, Iran's median age would increase from 28 in 2013 to 40 in 2030.

In response to the falling birth rate, the country's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a 14 point decree that called for Iranians to double the population from around 76 million to 150 million.

He said that reaching such a goal would "strengthen national identity".

Family planning in the Islamic Republic had long been lauded as a model for slowing a rapidly growing population and strengthening the economy. In the late 1980s, with Iran experiencing one of the fastest population growth rates in the world, the government encouraged Iranians to use birth control.

The policy was maintained for two decades, although it changed drastically under former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who described birth control measures as secular and Western. His government passed a law in which the parents of new children would receive money from the state for each new child.

Iran's lawmakers have now moved a step further, approving a bill that would criminalise doctors if they perform vasectomies or tubal ligations, with a maximum punishment of a five-year prison sentence.

The bill would need to be debated further and ratified by a constitutional oversight body before it could become law.

Strong Earthquake Kills 3 in Mexico and Guatemala

A building damaged by an earthquake in Guatemala.Twitter/@CBMDEPTAL

At least three people have died in a powerful earthquake that hit a wide area of southwestern Mexico and Central America.

The magnitude-6.9 tremor struck at 6:23am local time on the Pacific Coast near the Mexican town of Tapachula, a few kilometres north of the Guatemala border, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

USGS tweeted:

Guatemala authorities said two people were killed and dozens of houses were damaged in the San Marcos region.

"This quake was pretty strong. There are houses destroyed," San Marcos governor Luis Rivera said.

Raul Hernandez, a spokesman for the local fire department, said the two victims died in their homes in the town of Pati, as the walls collapsed.

Hernandez said that at least 30 buildings had been damaged by the quake, which also caused landslides and toppled utility poles. Power outages were reported in some areas of the region.

Photos of damaged buildings were posted by local firefighters on twitter:

Centred 37 miles (60 kilometers) below the surface, the tremor also caused damage in the Mexican state of Chiapas.

Chiapas' civil defence office tweeted that one man was killed by a collapsed wall in the town of Huixtla.

"Buildings were moving, windows broke in some houses and businesses, and people ran through the streets in the dark," said Tapachula resident Omar Santos.

The Red Cross said they were treating a number of adults and children who suffered a shock or were left frightened by the earthquake.

"I thought the house was going to collapse," said Claudia Gonzales, a 32-year old from the town of Comitan.

The tremor was felt also hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre across a broad swathe of southern Mexico, up to the capital Mexico City.

Putin Calls for Russia to Increase Arms Exports as Economy Slumps

A pro-Russian man (not seen) holds a Russian flag behind an armed servicemen on top of a Russian army vehicle outside a Ukrainian border guard post in the Crimean town of Balaclava(Reuters)

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has called on the country to boost its arms exports in order to upgrade the industry and create quality jobs, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Moscow is currently the world's leading arms exporter, with total foreign sales amounting to $15.7bn in 2013.

"It is important to... strengthen Russia's presence on global arms markets," Putin told a meeting on military cooperation with foreign states, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

"Beyond doubt, this should help national defence industries to plan for an expansion and update of production, and create new quality jobs," he said, adding that arms exports for the first half of the year had hit $5.6bn.

Among Russia's clients is the embattled regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has waged a three year war against rebels across Syria. Despite widespread global condemnation over Assad's use of indiscriminate deadly force against civilians, Russia has continued to supply Damascus with sophisticated missiles systems and other weapons of war.

China, India and Algeria are among Russia's other top clients, accounting for nearly 40% of Russia's arms exports from 2009-2013.

Foreign investors have been wary of Russia's geopolitical ambitions, following its annexation of Crimea in March that prompted the United States and the European Union to impose a raft of sanctions against individuals and businesses with close ties to the Kremlin.

Capital flight gained pace as the Ukraine crisis endured, with Russia's economy minister saying that net capital outflows may reach $80bn in the first half of the year, according to Interfax news agency.

Reeva Steenkamp's Dad: I Regret Not Driving Oscar Pistorius Out of My Daughter's Life

Barry Steenkamp wishes he had chased Oscar Pistorius away from daughter ReevaReuters

Barry Steenkamp revealed his regret over failing to drive Oscar Pistorius out of his daughter Reeva's life, before she was killed by the runner.

Barry, a horse trainer, admitted doing so would have made him unpopular with Reeva - but he would not care about it.

Speaking to Hello magazine, Barry said: "If I'd known what I know now, I would have attempted to stop the relationship.

"Reeva wouldn't have liked me for attempting to interfere, but as it turned out she would have thanked me in the end."

Barry has stayed away from the murder trial in Pretoria because of fears the stress of witnessing proceedings could be bad for his health.

He suffered a stroke in the wake of Reeva's death and is in fragile health.

Elsewhere in the same interview, his wife June Steenkamp revealed she has "forgiven" Pistorius for gunning down her daughter, having previously described the failed star as a "devil."

She said: "I don't hate Oscar. I've forgiven him. I have to - that's my religion."

Egypt Reaches Out to UAE as Fuel Subsidy Reforms Bite

A man pays for fuel at a petrol station in Cairo(Reuters)

Three ministers from Egypt's new government have made a surprise visit to the United Arab Emirates in a bid to boost support for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's nascent regime.

The finance minister was accompanied by the investment and petroleum ministers on a three-day visit to one of Egypt's closest allies since former President Mohamed Morsi was ousted in a coup in July 2013.

"The ministers of Petroleum, Finance and Investment will promote investment opportunities during their visit to the United Arab Emirates," said a press statement released by the Finance Ministry after the ministers departed.

Along with its Persian Gulf allies Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates has delivered more than $20bn (£11.7bn, €14.7bn) to post-Morsi administrations, led by the former head of the armed forces.

While some of the aid package was used by Cairo to boost the country's ailing foreign currency reserves, some UAE state-controlled companies have also dealt directly with the Egyptian army in a bid to launch longer term investment projects.

These include an agreement reached between Arabtec and Cairo in March which would see the Dubai-listed company building one million homes in Egypt in a project worth $40.2bn.

While the recently-elected Sisi has said he does not want Egypt to become reliant on Gulf aid money, the surprise trip suggests that Cairo is seeking more support from its ally.

The trio of ministers are visiting the UAE shortly after the Egyptian government introduced a wave of tax and spending reforms that have seen price rises introduced on fuel and electricity. The fuel price hike led to protests by bus drivers in the capital, while the transport union declared a state of emergency.

Some economists have hailed the move to reduce government spending on fuel subsidies which cost the state $20bn in the last fiscal year alone.

Yet, despite the reductions, the government plans to spend around 16% of its annual budget on restraining energy prices for Egyptians.

As well as courting the oil-rich nations of the Persian Gulf, Cairo is seeking to show its reform credentials in a bid to secure a loan from the International Monetary Fund. An agreement with the Washington-based fund would likely unlock a range of finance opportunities for the new government.

June Steenkamp 'Has Forgiven' Oscar Pistorious for Killing Daughter Reeva

June Steenkamp told Hello magazine she 'must' forgive Oscar Pistorius for killing Reeva SteenkampGetty

June Steenkamp revealed she has forgiven Oscar Pistorius for shooting dead her daughter Reeva Steenkamp.

The mother of model Reeva has attended most of the runner's murder trial in Pretoria, including harrowing testimony from him about killing her on Valentine's Day, last year.

June previously described Pistorius as a "devil" for blasting Reeva Steenkamp to death.

Speaking to Hello magazine, June said: "I don't hate Oscar. I've forgiven him. I have to - that's my religion."

She spoke of her battle to "reclaim" the memory of her daughter from the huge publicity triggered by her violent death and Pistorius' trial.

"I am determined to face him and re-claim my daughter," she said. "It's important for him to know that I'm there, that Reeva's mother who gave birth to her and loved her, is there for her."

June Steenkamp revealed she still speaks to her deceased daughter, more than a year after she died.

"I feel her presence and talk to her all the time. She'll only rest in peace when this is over. I trust that God will prevail and justice will be done.

"All we want is the truth."

Pistorius denies murdering Steenkamp and claims he thought she was an intruder in the bathroom of his luxury home in Pretoria. The prosecution say he deliberately killed her in a fit of rage following an argument between them.

The trial continues.

North Korea to Send 'Relationship Improving' Cheerleaders to Asian Games in South Korea

North Korea has so far sent cheerleaders to South Korea only three times since the Korean WarReuters

North Korea has said it will send cheerleaders along with its athletes to the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, as a gesture of peace after weeks of hostilities.

The cheerleaders will be sent to "improve relationships" between the North and the South, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

North Korea last sent cheerleaders in 2005 for the Asian Athletics Championships, which were also held in Incheon. The 101-strong contingent included Ri Sol-ju, who went on to marry leader Kim Jong-un, according to Reuters.

The North, which regularly threatens to fire rockets at the South, has only sent cheerleaders three times since the Korean War. The two sides are technically still at war after the 1950-1953 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

North Korea stated that its decision to send cheerleaders later this year would "create an atmosphere" of reconciliation. It is sending 150 athletes to the games, which will begin on 19 September.

"It is necessary to put an end to all kinds of calumnies and vituperation that foster misunderstanding and distrust among the fellow countrymen," the North said in a statement carried by its official news agency.

"We have decided to dispatch a cheerleading squad along with the athletes to the 17th Asian Games in order to improve relationships between the North and the South and to create an atmosphere of national reconciliation."

Despite their rare appearances, the North's cheerleaders have proved to be a huge attraction in the South since the war, with their tightly choreographed routines and messages of unification.

Over the past few months, North Korea has threatened a fourth nuclear test in violation of UN sanctions. The country has reiterated calls for both sides to draw an end to hostilities, yet has continued to fire short-range missiles and rockets three times in the past ten days.

Last week, during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Seoul, South Korea's President Park Geun-hye called on North Korea to denuclearise and stop nuclear tests. His visit was considered by many to be a snub to the North, as it was the first trip where a Chinese leader visited the South first.

Saudi Arabia Groom Divorces Wife on Wedding Night After Seeing Intimate Photos

Groom from Saudi Arabia divorces wife on wedding night

A groom in Saudi Arabia divorced his wife on their wedding night after he was given intimate images of his new spouse via her former lover.

The newly-weds were celebrating their nuptials when the groom was handed a bouquet of flowers, with a memory stick containing the images hidden inside.

Muslim cleric Shaikh Ghazi Bin Abdul Aziz al-Shammari said the groom decided on the spot to divorce his wife after looking at the photos as he could not "bear the scandal", according to Kuwaiti news website Sabq.

The spurned lover blackmailed the woman days before her wedding saying he would reveal the pictures unless she agreed to rekindle her relationship with him.

But she told him she was getting married to somebody else and wanted to start a new life, become a mother and raise a family.

Unable to take the rejection he sent the pictures to her husband-to-be with a note on the flowers telling him to look at them.

Shammari said: "The groom came to see me the next day and he was under strong emotional trauma.

"It was truly the shock of his life and he could not bear the scandal."

Israel: Avigdor Lieberman Dissolves Coalition Alliance with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud over Gaza

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman attend a Likud-Beitenu faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem.Reuters

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has announced that he is to end his partnership with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and dismantle the Likud-Beiteinu faction.

Lieberman revealed the break from Netanyahu in a press conference where he said that the prime minister's response to unrest among Arab Israelis, rocket fire from Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the murder of three Israeli teenagers was not handled in the correct manner.

"Disagreements between the prime minister and me are fundamental and do not allow for a future partnership," Lieberman said.

"The partnership did not work during the elections, it did not work after the elections and to this day there were quite a few technical issues. When technical issues turn to fundamental ones there is no point in continuing."

Israel's top diplomat said that, despite their bitter disputes, the end of his partnership with Netanyahu did not spell the end of the coalition as his Beiteinu party would remain in the government with its ministers continuing in their roles.

"Our voice is different than that of the Likud and we have to make it heard," Lieberman continued.

Lieberman is a hardliner and a hawk on defence issues who has accused Netanyahu of being soft in his response to Hamas rocket attacks and has called for a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu vowed last week that "Hamas will pay" for the kidnap and murder of teenagers Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar, and Naftali Frankel. Hamas has denied all responsibility for their deaths.

The Likud-Beiteinu coalition held 31 seats in the Israeli Knesset but the split now leaves Likud with 20 seats, one more than the centrist Yesh Atid party, and Lieberman's Beiteinu party with 11.

China Publishes Japanese War Criminals' Confessions as Xi Lambasts Tokyo on Conflict Anniversary

A protester burns a portrait of Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with the Chinese characters "Shameful" written on it.Reuters

China has published written confessions of war crimes by a Japanese general, as President Xi Jinping lambasted Tokyo on the 77th anniversary of the beginning of a bloody conflict between the two countries.

The written war crimes confessions of Tsutomu Nagashima, commander of the 54th Brigade of the Japanese Army, were the last of a series of documents published by the State Archives Administration, describing horrors and massacres allegedly carried out by Japanese troops during the conflict.

"Besides shooting, other extremely cruel killing methods such as bayoneting, hacking, beheading, exploding, burning, hanging and sending to gas chamber were also used during the battles," Nafashima confession read.

Beijing has waged propaganda war on its neighbour, as existing tensions were exacerbated by Japan's reinterpretation of its pacifist constitution to allow its forces more freedom of action.

China said Nagashima was one of the more than 1,000 "Japanese war criminals" captured in 1945.

His confession is part of material from military trials that Beijing has pledged to release on daily basis for 45 days, in answer to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "stubborn denial" of atrocities committed during the war.

Last year, Abe, a right-wing hawk, caused a stir as he visited a shrine in Tokyo that honours Japan's war dead, including convicted war criminals.

Other confessions read: "massacred all inhabitants of about 50 households in a village along the Dengxian County-Laohekou road, 200 meters to the north of Zhulinqiao, killing seniors, women, children... and other inhabitants; used gas shells during the attack in Maqushan on the same day."

"Shot dead 12 Chinese people including one woman in Luoyang, Henan," another one read.

The extracts served as a prelude to President Xi's speech at the unusually high-profile commemoration of the Marco Polo Bridge incident that marked the start of the war.

"Unfortunately, nearly 70 years after the victory of the Chinese war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the anti-Fascist war, there is still a minority group of people who ignore historical facts, who ignore the tens of thousands of lives lost in the war, who go against the tide of history and deny and even beautify the history of aggression and harm international mutual trust and create regional tension," Xi said at a ceremony at the bridge now named Lugou in suburban Beijing.

On 7 July 1937 Japanese forces that had been in China's northeast since 1905 provoked a clash with Chinese soldiers at the bridge in what is considered the first battle of the second Sino-Japanese war, which ended with Japan's defeat by the Allies in 1945.

Today, the two countries are embroiled in a dispute on the ownership of a group of islands in the East China Sea.

Earlier this month, also to counter Beijing's growing influence in the region, Tokyo approved a change in its post-war pacifist security policy to allow its military fight overseas.

Whitelist supported by the United States and Australia the move has been harshly criticised by China and South Korea which described it as a "warring" development.

Sri Lankan Asylum Seekers Sent Back by Australia to Face Criminal Probe

An internally displaced Tamil girl looks out from a broken iron grill at Konappulam Internally Displaced Persons camp in Jaffna, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of ColomboReuters file photo

The 41 asylum seekers from Sri Lanka who fled the war-torn country and were eventually sent back by Australia are to face a criminal probe back home.

The immigrants, who were intercepted by authorities while attempting to illegally enter Australian territorial waters, were handed back to Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan navy says all the asylum-seekers would be taken to the Galle port and then handed over to the Criminal Investigation Division, an intelligence wing. They are likely to face illegal immigration charges.

Of the 41 people on board the vessel, which was intercepted in the last week of June, 37 were Sinhalese and four were Sri Lankan Tamils. Only one of the Sinhalese asylum-seekers passed the screening for refugees but he also chose to go back to Sri Lanka, said Australia's immigration minister Scott Morrison.

In a statement, Morrison, who is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka later this week, said: "The Australian government will continue to act in accordance with our international obligations, including applicable international conventions and to protect the safety of life at sea."

"At the same time will not allow people smugglers to try and exploit and manipulate Australia's support of these conventions as a tool to undermine Australia's strong border protection regime that is stopping the boats and the deaths at sea."

"Accordingly, the government will continue to reject the public and political advocacy of those who have sought to pressure the government into a change of policy."

He has not commented on the report suggesting that there was another boat carrying about 150 immigrants which was also headed to Australia seeking refuge.

Those who are caught and sent back while trying to flee Sri Lanka often face serious terror charges, argue rights groups. The Sri Lankan government denies such happenings and insists that most of the asylum-seekers are released immediately in a majority of the cases.

Human rights groups have been relentlessly arguing that Tamils are being persecuted under the Sinhalese-led government. The two ethnic groups were engaged in a bloody battle for more than two decades which culminated in the Sri Lankan army defeating the main group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

The latest move by the Australian government also evoked a sharp response domestically.

"Australia's international obligations are reliant upon a credible processing system and we have deep concerns about how that could have been performed by video link at sea in a way which gave an individual assessment, when all the time the boat was steaming towards Sri Lanka," said the country's shadow immigration minister Richard Marles.

West Africa Ebola Outbreak: American Citizen Quarantined and Tested for Deadly Virus in Ghana

Health workers carry the body of an Ebola virus victim in Kenema, Sierra Leone. The Ebola outbreak has killed 467 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since FebruaryReuters

An American citizen has been quarantined and is being tested for Ebola in Ghana in the first suspected case in the country.

The unnamed person is believed to be quarantined at the Nyaho clinic in Accra after developing a fever, Citi News reports.

They had previously visited Guinea and Sierra Leone before arriving in Ghana.

Responding to the reports of Ebola in Ghana, the Ministry of Health confirmed it was investigating reports of the disease but said tests had not confirmed the deadly virus was present.

"The Ministry of Health wishes to inform the general public that the suspected fever case recorded at the Nyaho Clinic has not been confirmed yet by Noguchi Memorial Research Centre.

"Meanwhile the Ministry has put in place every precautionary measures at that clinic include additional support of Public Health staff from the Ministry, directive to quarantine patient and clinical staff, supply of protective gowns for staff of that hospital

"The Ministry has also directed that the case remain at that clinic and retreated ... whilst we wait for the laboratory result from the Noguchi Memorial Research Centre. We expect the general public to remain calm as we wait for the result from the blood sample taken for test."

Hundreds of people have died from Ebola across West Africa since the outbreak of the disease. However, this figure could be a gross underestimation due to difficulties in collecting accurate data, the World Health Organisation said.

An emergency meeting held by WHO concluded that the "current situation poses a serious threat to all countries in the region and beyond".

WHO said ministers called for coordinated action by all countries involved to curb the spread of the virus.

Luis Sambo, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said: "We have adopted an inter-country strategy to tackle this outbreak. It's time for concrete action to put an end to the suffering and deaths caused by Ebola virus disease and prevent its further spread."

Hot Shots Photos of the Day: Bodypainting Festival, Running of the Bulls, Tour de France

People watch as water gushes from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir on the Yellow River in Jiyuan, Henan province, China, during an operation to clear silt from the waterGetty

Participants compete for the ball during a handball match at the Mud Olympics, in the northern German city of BrunsbuettelReuters

A model poses during the annual World Bodypainting Festival in Poertschach, AustriaReuters

Workers drag a 21-foot crocodile robot at Crocodile Park in Pasay city, metro Manila . The robot, inspired by Lolong, the largest saltwater crocodile ever to have been in captivity, took three months to buildReuters

Men struggle with a wild horse during the "Rapa Das Bestas" (Shearing of the Beasts) in the Spanish northwestern village of Sabucedo. During the 400-year-old horse festival, hundreds of wild horses are rounded up from the mountains and trimmed and groomedAFP

Billy Bugenig of Ferndale, California, wrestles a steer during day three of the Calgary Stampede rodeo in Calgary, Alberta, CanadaReuters

Revellers shelter from the rain next to fresh graffiti saying "Freedom For The Basque Country" after the opening of the 2014 Festival of the San Fermin Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, SpainGetty

A woman gets crushed as thousands of wine-soaked revellers sing and dance during the firing of the 'Chupinazo' rocket which starts the 2014 Festival of the San Fermin Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, SpainGetty

Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain sprays himself with champagne after winning the British Grand Prix at SilverstoneReuters

Novak Djokovic of Serbia eats some grass after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland in their men's singles final tennis match at the Wimbledon Tennis ChampionshipsReuters

Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic kisses the winner's trophy, the Venus Rosewater Dish, while posing for photographers after defeating Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in their women's singles final tennis match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in LondonReuters

The pack of riders cycles during the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race from York to SheffieldReuters

Police officers hold back fans after several men were stabbed while watching a public screening of the 2014 Brazil World Cup quarter-final game between Costa Rica and the Netherlands, in San Jose, Costa RicaReuters

Medical teams help crushed people out of the crowd as The Libertines perform on stage at the British Summer Time festival in Hyde ParkAFP

Tariq Khdeir is greeted by his mother after being released from jail in Jerusalem. Tariq Khdeir from Tampa, Florida, is a cousin of Mohammed Abu Khudeir, 16, whose abduction and killing in Jerusalem on Wednesday sparked violent protests and calls from Palestinians for a new uprising against IsraelReuters

New Benchmarks Show One in Three Indians Below Poverty Line

A homeless man smokes as he is wrapped in a quilt at a pavement early morning in the old quarters of Delhi.Reuters

Nearly one in every three Indians is poor, according to the country's new poverty benchmarks which have raised a major controversy as the country's parliament heads for a budget session.

Based on the new poverty benchmarks, which have been calculated by a panel of experts headed by former Reserve Bank of India Governor and top economist C Rangarajan, there were about 363 million people below the poverty line in the fiscal year 2011-12 – 100 million more than previous calculations.

India has a population of more than one billion.

The new benchmarks say anyone who spends more than 32 rupees (£0.31, $0.54, €0.39) per day in villages and 47 rupees in cities is not poor.

According to the much-disputed previous benchmarks made by India's Planning Commission, people with a daily income of 27 rupees in villages and 33 rupees in cities are not poor, and they should not be eligible for subsidised food and other supplies.

The Commission thinks that people with incomes above that level would have enough funds to meet food, education and healthcare expenses.

Those benchmarks, which calculated Indian population in poverty at 270 million, were severely criticised by poverty experts, saying they are unrealistic given the country's soaring inflation.

The new benchmarks, representing a name-sake rise from previous calculations, are also expected to be criticised as the country's newly-elected government is preparing for its first budget.

"Poverty figures and assessments are misleading. I will be raising this issue at the appropriate level," said Uma Bharti, senior minister in Narendra Modi's government.

"The figures are appalling. This makes neither common sense nor economic sense. Nearly one third of the country is under poverty," said Sitaram Yechury, member of the politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

According to the new benchmarks, 29.5% of the Indian population lives below the poverty line, however, the poverty rate is down 8.7 percentage points from 38.2% in fiscal year 2009-10.

Despite achieving significant economic growth over the last two decades, the Asian country has been suffering from high poverty rates. Growing income inequality, population explosion and soaring prices have been cited as reasons for the situation.

Airbus Signs Deals to Sell 100 Helicopters to Chinese Firms

Airbus to sell 100 helicopters to Chinese firms.Reuters

Airbus Group's helicopter division has inked agreements to sell 100 helicopters to Chinese firms.

The deals were signed in Beijing and were overseen by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is visiting China, and Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Reuters reported.

China is Germany's second largest export market outside Europe.

Merkel's visit has also helped Deutsche Lufthansa ink a memorandum of understanding with Air China, while automaker Volkswagen and its Chinese partner FAW received permission to build two factories in China at an investment of about $2bn (£1.2bn, €1.5bn).

Japanese Military Order

Airbus Helicopters, AgustaWestland, Bell Helicopter and their Japanese partners are competing to bag a huge contract to build helicopters for Japan's military that will also be exported.

The contract, to build the so called UH-X helicopters, could last for at least a decade and cost about $2bn.

Japan's UH-X helicopter project aims to replace around 150 of Japan's aging fleet of troop-carrying Huey helicopters, a Bell design.

Territorial Dispute

China and Japan are embroiled in a serious territorial dispute over a clutch of islands in the East China Sea, often escalated by rhetoric from the armed forces of both countries.

In 2013, the Japanese government said the country needs better defence against growing threats in the region, apparently referring to North Korea and China.

China's Li Keqiang Says Economy Still Needs Stimulus

German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks on as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks during a joint news conference in Beijing.Reuters

China's economic growth has accelerated in the second quarter from the preceding three-month period, but reasonable government stimulus will still be needed, Premier Li Keqiang has said.

Li said the Chinese economy still faces downward pressures and that the Communist regime will increase its usage of "targeted measures" to boost growth in the world's second largest economy.

Speaking at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is visiting Beijing, Li said his government will fine-tune policies further and expressed confidence that China's 2014 growth target of around 7.5% can be met.

He added that authorities do not plan any massive stimulus programmes.

The Chinese leader's remarks could boost market confidence ahead of the nation's second quarter economic report due out on 16 July. A Reuters poll of analysts has pegged second quarter growth at 7.4%.

"China's economic performance in the second quarter has improved from that in the first quarter. However, we cannot lower our guard against downward pressures," Li said.

"We will keep up our composure and not adopt strong stimulus. Instead, we will increase the strength of targeted measures," the premier added.

PBOC's Tools

Stuart McPhee, currency technical analyst at MarketPulse said in a note to clients: "China's central bank is seeking to support economic growth with unconventional tools that Credit Suisse Group and Everbright Securities say look more like fiscal policy.

"The People's Bank of China (PBOC) this year started a 100bn yuan ($16bn, £9.3bn, €11.8bn) quota for relending earmarked for agriculture and small businesses. It offered another 300bn yuan for low-income housing, China Business News said."

"Governor Zhou Xiaochuan is trying to carry out Communist Party orders to protect this year's 7.5% economic growth target without resorting to nationwide stimulus that stokes debt dangers. While selective tools such as relending can bypass riskier industries including property, JPMorgan says they lack transparency and contrast with the PBOC's efforts to shift to market- from state-directed credit," McPhee added.

Policy Impact

Earlier, Standard Chartered said in a note: "We forecast China GDP growth at 7.4% for 2014, followed by 7% for 2015 and 2016. We believe the impact of policy loosening will not be felt until year-end, leaving growth fairly soft through Q3 amid slowing monetary and credit growth."

"The government plans to implement targeted loosening measures should further growth concerns emerge, and the trajectory continues to be one of a soft landing towards a sustainable growth path.

"We do not expect discontinuities, either in terms of an economic hard landing or credit-market issues, and believe that much of the policy and regulatory uncertainty affecting China markets has already been fully priced in for the more China-sensitive commodities," the British firm added.

China's economic growth dropped to an 18-month low of 7.4% in the first quarter of 2014.