Ghana's latest Auditor-General’s report has revealed that government agencies overstated claims totaling GH¢161.98 million, as confirmed by the Deputy Minister for Finance.

The Chief Election Commissioner warned that strict action would be taken against officials if any lapses are found during the West Bengal assembly polls, following a series of review meetings with political parties and state agencies.

Finland’s housing market recorded fewer transactions in February 2026, yet price indicators in large cities showed signs of recovery after a prolonged decline. Data from the Finnish Association of Real Estate Agencies points to weak consumer confidence while wage growth and lower property values improved affordability for buyers. A total of 4,039 housing transactions took place across Finland in February. The figure marks a decline of 9.4 per cent from the same month in 2025. The data inclu...

The association of real estate agencies continues to criticize the tariff structure of the atHome real estate portal, while the Chamber of Real Estate has now entered into a dialogue with the platform, leading to the end of a boycott.

Crime Analyst Ransford Nana Addo Jnr has described the GHS 68.7 billion arrears and payables scandal as deliberate acts, not administrative oversights, urging Parliament, the Attorney-General, and state agencies to probe deeper into who truly benefited from government contracts.

The King of Jordan chaired a meeting at a crisis center to assess the readiness of state agencies to manage the potential impact of ongoing regional developments.

Thailand has mandated work-from-home for state agencies as a measure to save fuel amidst rising energy costs.

Bosnian Defense Minister Zukan Helez accused the RS Interior Ministry of deliberately creating an atmosphere of fear, stating that state agencies have not recorded any threats to Jewish community objects in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Reports from several real estate agencies indicate that obtaining housing loans, particularly for properties requiring renovation, has become more challenging in large Finnish cities.

MP Kibagendi claims that state agencies are targeting him and has vowed not to be intimidated by their actions.

Security agencies in Ogun State, Nigeria, are collaborating to ensure seamless Hajj operations at the Gateway International Airport in Iperu-Remo.

Luxembourg's Housing Minister Claude Meisch is aware of cases where real estate agencies charge unauthorized 'membership fees' or 'service fees'. The government plans to investigate if complaints about these practices increase.

Co-determination negotiations are underway in two Finnish state agencies, Elinvoimakeskukset and Keha-keskus, potentially affecting nearly 300 jobs out of over 2,000 employees.

Waste Of The Day: Secret Settlements Get Taxpayer Money Authored by Jeremy Portnoy via RealClearInvestigations, Topline: Eight Massachusetts state agencies and 13 colleges spent $6.8 million to settle grievances, partly in secret, brought by their own employees from 2019 to 2024, according to a Jan. 16 report from State Auditor Diana DiZoglio.  At least 80 of the 263 settlements contain confidentiality language such as a nondisclosure agreement — to keep certain details confidential between the two parties — which the audit claims is banned by state guidelines.  Key facts: The Massachusetts Port Authority transit agency was responsible for 11 of the settlements, costing taxpayers $1.7 million. Most of the money came from a $1.4 million settlement in 2022 with an employee who alleged they were denied a promotion because of their gender. The details are sealed by an NDA. Six of the confidential settlements involved alleged sexual harassment, and two involved alleged racial discrimination. Most of the others were about violations of collective bargaining agreements and employees who were fired without cause. NDAs were seemingly used on an arbitrary basis. None of the colleges and state agencies included in the audit had a written policy explaining when confidentiality language should be used, except the inspector general’s office. “By not having a documented policy on the use of confidentiality language in state employee settlement agreements, there is a risk that confidentiality language may be abused to cover up harassment; discrimination; or other inappropriate, unlawful, or unethical behaviors, potentially allowing perpetrators to continue to remain in their positions and engage in further inappropriate, unlawful, or unethical behavior,” auditor DiZoglio wrote. All of the colleges and state agencies receive legal assistance from the state attorney general’s office. The office’s guidelines prohibit nondisclosure agreements, and the attorneys told auditors that all state agencies were made aware of the guidelines.  DiZoglio argued that the NDAs may not even be enforceable. In June 2013, Suffolk County Superior Court sided with the Boston Globe newspaper in ruling that settlements between state agencies and their employees are public records. Search all federal, state and local salaries and vendor spending with the world’s largest government spending database at OpenTheBooks.com.  Background: The audit is a follow-up to a 2025 report that found 75 state agencies had spent $41 million on more than 2,000 employee settlements from 2010 to 2022. Summary: Massachusetts’ NDAs hurt the public twice. They essentially use taxpayer funds to cover up potentially unethical behavior perpetrated using taxpayer funds. The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com Tyler Durden Mon, 02/16/2026 - 11:40