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Ghana’s 2024 election a test for EU foreign policy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

With almost a year to go until the US presidential election, EU analysts and policymakers are laser-focused on assessing the prospect and ramifications of another term for President Joe Biden, or a second Trump Administration, writes Louis Auge.The US vote will come shortly after another tight and relatively unheralded election – but one which may yet also have a significant impact on EU countries. In October 2024 Ghana goes to the polls to elect their new president, in a race predicted to be tightly contested between two very different candidates.Ghana’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) this weekend elected the current vice president, Mahamadu Bawumia, as its candidate for the October 2024 race. A technocrat and trained economist, Bawumia will face John Dramani Mahama, a populist who was president from 2012 to 2017.Maintaining stability and bolstering the economic recovery will be at the forefront of voters’ minds. It is easy to see why these issues are so critical to voters simply...

Ex-Council President Martinez denies moving to Arizona, becoming a Republican

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

A former Los Angeles city leader is denying a report that she left the state and changed her politics after a scandal forced her resignation.On Monday, Los Angeles Magazine reported that former City Council President Nury Martinez had moved to Arizona and left the Democratic party, spurning her longtime political home for the GOP."She and her husband, Gerry Guzman, have set up camp in Arizona," the magazine reported. "The couple’s new residence isn’t the only thing that’s changed, though — so, apparently, have their politics."The publication cited "several sources with knowledge of the ongoing investigation into the secret City Hall taping" that led to the resignation of Martinez and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor President Ron Herrera, as well as much public criticism of former Councilmember Gil Cedillo and current Councilmember Kevin de León.On Tuesday, however, Martinez denied both of aspects of that report in a text message to Los Angeles Times reporter David Zahniser. H...

New developments in rape case involving L.A. Lyft driver

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

A Lyft driver accused of raping a University of Southern California student on Halloween night has been permanently banned from the platform, the company confirmed with KTLA.The alleged sexual assault occurred near USC's campus after the student called a rideshare to be driven home to her off-campus apartment after attending West Hollywood’s Carnaval celebration, the university’s Department of Public Safety said.She claims the driver raped her inside his vehicle.Lyft says it is cooperating with the investigation. No charges have been filed.“Our thoughts are with the victim and this has no place in society," the company said in a statement after the allegation first surfaced.

Police robot dog helps end standoff on L.A. Metro bus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

Police shut down the intersection of two major Los Angeles thoroughfares to investigate reports of a man armed with a gun on a Metro bus, leading to an hours-long standoff that ended with the man in custody.Initial reports of the barricaded armed suspect came in to the Los Angeles Police Department around 4 a.m., law enforcement officials told KTLA, closing Melrose and Western avenues in the area. ‘Shockwaves of emotions’ after 4 L.A. Sheriff’s Department employees die of suicide in 24-hour span Authorities were not able to immediately confirm if the man actually had a weapon, police said, but the SWAT team was called in. At about 6 a.m., the LAPD deployed a robot dog as the man was motionless in the back of the bus.Police shut down the intersection of two major Los Angeles thoroughfares to investigate reports of a man armed with a gun on a Metro bus on Nov. 8, 2023. Police shut down the intersection of two major Los Angeles thoroughfares to investigate reports of a man armed with...

Mariah Carey talks 'timeless' quality of 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

When Mariah Carey penned "All I Want For Christmas Is You" nearly 30 years ago, she never thought it would become the holiday staple that it is today."Did I know? That it would be this anthem? No, I didn't," she admitted to KTLA 5's Sam Rubin. "Normally, when people ask me questions, like the 'did you know?' type thing, I pretty much say 'Yeah, I knew, I had an idea.' "With this, I didn't know. It was the first Christmas song I'd ever written. I just wanted it to be real to me like to my little girl self. It was like, what are the things I think about Christmas? What did I not want? What did I wish for? You know, all that kind of stuff."Mariah Carey sat down with KTLA 5's Sam Rubin to talk about her upcoming Merry Christmas One and All tour and more. The Merry Christmas One and All tour heads to the Hollywood Bowl on Nov. 17 and 19.This segment aired on the KTLA 5 Morning News on Nov. 8, 2023. Mariah Carey brings holiday concert to the Hollywood Bowl While the song is decades old,...

Frankie Valli says he has no plans of this being his final concert tour

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

Despite what you may have heard, Frankie Valli isn’t ready to say goodbye.“You know? Everybody is thinking that it is my last tour,” says the 89-year-old New Jersey native, who now calls Southern California home. “And I don’t know when my last tour is, personally. If I can continue to do this, as long as I’m not feeling ill, I’ll do it.”Perhaps some of the confusion comes from this tour’s title – The Last Encores – which definitely sounds like something that would be used to mark a last hurrah. Yet, Valli says he’s not waving farewell to touring, but rather his intention is simply dial back some on the road work.“After this year, we will slow down on the amount of things that we do,” he says. “Instead of 70 or 80 or 90 things a year, we will probably cut it down to like 30 or 35.”Yet, why wait for future tours when you still see Valli on this one? The famed singer and his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, the Four Seasons, are set to perform on Nov. 12 at the San Jose Civic. Showtim...

Map: 7 major San Francisco closures during APEC conference

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference will bring world leaders and widespread security closures to San Francisco next week.The map above shows seven main areas where drivers, pedestrians and residents will encounter closures or security checkpoints.1/ Bay Bridge. One eastbound and one westbound lane will be closed from 5 a.m. Nov. 14 to 9 p.m. Nov. 17.2/ I-80 off-ramps. The 4th Street ramp from eastbound I-80 and the 5th Street ramp from westbound I-80 will be closed from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 15-17.3/ Golden Gate Bridge. The vista point at the north end and Marin County access to the pedestrian walkway on the bridge will be closed from Nov. 14-18.4/ Moscone Center security zone, Nov. 14-18. Vehicle restrictions, pedestrian checkpoints with bag checks. The peripheral area outside the zone’s boundaries will have traffic restrictions, detours and public transit stop closures, including for the cable cars. The Moscone Center, Yerba Buena and Fifth & Mission parking...

Person dies after being hit by BART train in Berkeley

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

BERKELEY — A person died Tuesday night after they were struck by a train at the North Berkeley BART station, authorities said.Authorities did not release any information about the person killed, including their gender or age.The collision happened about 11:06 p.m. Tuesday.Related ArticlesCrashes and Disasters | Pedestrian hit and killed by driver in South San Jose Crashes and Disasters | Passenger killed, driver critically injured in solo crash Sunday morning in Hayward Crashes and Disasters | Pedestrian hit and killed by Amtrak train in Oakland Crashes and Disasters | Right turn on red? With pedestrian deaths rising, US cities are considering bans Crashes and Disasters | Authorities ID teens killed in Bay Point shooting, fatal crash on Cummings Skyway after pursuit BART officials said in a statement that the person “entered the trackway at (the station) as a train was approaching” and ...

Stanford preps for run-heavy No. 12 Beavers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

After playing pass-first offenses in Washington and Washington State, Stanford fifth-year linebacker Tristan Sinclair is looking forward to facing a different kind of challenge when the Cardinal travel to No. 12 Oregon State Saturday (2:30 p.m. Pac-12 Network).The Beavers (7-2, 4-2) are 15th nationally at 5.21 rushing yards per attempt, and Damien Martinez is second in the Pac-12 at 97.6 rushing yards a game.“Every week you have to adapt,” Sinclair said. “We’re facing a big running back and a big-time running game, and that’s just part of the job. As a linebacker, we’re excited to play this team. It’s fun when teams run the ball. It gets boring when it’s all spread out and we’re always just running to the perimeter and chasing down receivers, so we’re juiced up for this one.”The defense has another reason to be excited – in its previous game, a 10-7 win at Washington State, it held an opponent to seven points for the first time since the 2019 season opener against Northwestern.The C...

Geracie: When San Jose’s aces ruled Major League Baseball

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:52:02 GMT

They grew up here, the three of them close in age, closer in geographic proximity, and they grew into three of the most dominant pitchers in Major League Baseball during the 1980s.Thirteen All-Star Games, seven Gold Gloves, more than 400 wins and 255 saves.All from three guys who grew up within 20 minutes of one another.“I was always proud to say, ‘Yeah, we’re from San Jose,'” Dave Righetti said recently. “Nobody knew where that was. There was no Sharks. There was no Silicon Valley.”Righetti is the most San Jose of them all. Born here, still lives here.Mark Langston was born in San Diego, came here at age 5.Dave Stieb, born in Santa Ana, arrived as a high school freshman.Their story is more than 60 years in the making, This story, almost 30. Righetti pitched it to me in 1994. You’re seeing it now because tonight Stieb, the pride of Oak Grove High School, will be inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame where plaques of Righetti (Pionee...