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Trump wins Iowa caucuses, cement frontrunner status in 2024 race

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Donald Trump

Former United States President Donald Trump has decisively won the Iowa caucuses, cementing his Republican frontrunner status as he bids to retake the White House in 2024.

Trump handily beat former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in a widely-expected result on Monday, taking him a step closer to securing a third consecutive nomination for the presidency.

Trump won at least 20 of 40 delegates, with DeSantis taking eight and Haley receiving seven, provisional tallies showed, with US media outlets calling the state-wide contest about 30 minutes after the start of voting.

Biotech startup founder Vivek Ramaswamy, who won two delegates, announced as the results came in that he was quitting the race and would endorse Trump.

Trump’s commanding victory points to his continuing dominance over the Republican Party, even as he faces mounting legal woes including four criminal indictments.

Credit: aljazeera.com

Why Roma sacked Jose Mourinho

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Jose Mourinho

Roma confirmed the sacking of manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday morning, bringing an end to his two-and-a-half year reign in the Italian capital.

The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss won the fans over in his first season by winning the Europa Conference League, and led his side to the final of the Europa League last term, before they lost to Sevilla on penalties.

So… where has it all gone wrong?

The warning signs were there right from the start of the season when Roma won just one of their first six league games.

EXCUSES

Their only victory of this period was a 7-0 thrashing of Empoli, but Mourinho still wasn’t happy after this game as he ranted about his team’s quick turnaround after European matches.

‘We are also a bit unlucky: Atalanta, for example, will play on Thursday and then Monday, but we always play on Thursday and Sunday. Maybe there is someone in the league who doesn’t like me,’ he told reporters.

It appeared the 60-year-old was looking for excuses for his team’s below-par performances, having grown sick of taking the blame for Roma’s shortcomings, but that comprehensive victory should have kickstarted their campaign.

It didn’t. They were held to a 1-1 draw by Torino in their next game and then lost 4-1 at Genoa.

Once again, Mourinho blamed the schedule, injuries and lack of transfer activity at the club rather than taking personal responsibility, while also reminding fans and pundits of his achievements over the past two seasons.

TRANSFERS

‘It’s the worst start of my career… but Roma played in two consecutive European finals,’ he said.

‘Genoa played 48 hours before us. In yesterday’s matches five players had muscle injuries, tonight three. How can we get out of this? By staying united. There is no market, no one comes.’

His complaints about transfers were difficult to accept given he had brought in Paulo Dybala, Romelu Lukaku, Renato Sanches, Leonardo Spinazzola, Houssem Aouar, Sardar Azmoun and Chris Smalling – all players with a history of fitness issues.

His unhappiness with Roma’s transfer business upset American owners, the Friedkin family, who had made it clear that a prudent approach had to be taken in the market due to the club’s financial limitations.

MEDIA WARFARE

His constant media guerilla warfare began to test the patience of the board, and his touchline behaviour was becoming a real issue.

After being sent off three times last season, he was shown a red card during his side’s 1-0 win over Monza in October for mocking the opposition bench after Stephan El Shaarawy’s late winner.

Mourinho made ‘cry-baby’ gestures towards the Monza dugout, before later explaining that it was a response to them saying ‘nasty words about us’ last season.

That was no use to Roma, though, as he then served a suspension for their clash with leaders Inter Milan, watching them lose 1-0 to the Nerazzurri from the stands.

RED CARDS

And his touchline ban did not lead to a change in his attitude towards referees as he launched an astonishing attack on Fabio Maresca after the Inter loss and suggested there was an agenda against his players.

‘He gave yellows to players who seemed “chosen”, the two central defenders , Ndicka and Mancini, and the two central midfielders, Paredes and Cristante. There is no respect for my players,’ Mourinho insisted.

He may have felt his players were harshly treated at the San Siro, but Mourinho had no sympathy when they were beaten by Slavia Prague in the Europa League 11 days later.

OUTBURSTS

Mourinho sensationally claimed his team lacked professionalism, and stated that only youngster Edoardo Bove had played well.

‘I didn’t like anything. Very few players have had the professional attitude that I demand. Only Bove did well, but with one out of 11 the games cannot be won. A very fair defeat,’ he said.

It would not be the last time he publicly criticised his squad.

Following a 3-1 win against Udinese in late November, Mourinho suggested that some of his players, specifically ex-Manchester United defender Chris Smalling, were not doing enough to make themselves available for matches, once more questioning the attitude of the team.

‘There are others who are more capable of withstanding the pain. He (Smalling) stands back a little,’ Mourinho explained.

‘Look at Mancini: today he had a physical problem and played under painkillers. He is one of those who would also play on one leg.’

FRINGE PLAYERS

Four days later, Mourinho’s mood had not improved. After being held to a 1-1 draw by Swiss side Servette in the Europa League, he accused his side of being ‘superficial’ and hit out at his fringe players for failing to step up and convince him that they deserved more minutes on the pitch.

‘There are people who play in a superficial way, even without having great experience in Europe. Then there are the usual ones who are always there for 90 minutes, I don’t need to name names,’ Mourinho said.

‘If someone knocks on my office door and tells me that he wants to play more, I will give him playing time when the others are dead. Because the people who respond are always the same.’

His outbursts were almost coming on a daily basis at this stage, and he got himself in hot water again before his side’s league clash with Sassuolo by claiming in his pre-match press conference that referee Matteo Marcenaro ‘doesn’t have the emotional stability to work at this level’.

LAST STRAW

Mourinho needed a strong end to 2023 to ease some of the pressure but didn’t get it as Roma lost consecutive away games at Bologna and Juventus.

They began 2024 with a Coppa Italia win against Cremonese, but that was as good as it got for Mourinho as he was then sent off in successive games against Atalanta and Lazio.

The Lazio red card was his fifth of the season and came after another insipid performance as Roma exited the Coppa Italia following a 1-0 defeat to their fiercest rivals.

Once more, Mourinho was critical of the officials for awarding Lazio a penalty in the second half, and refused to address his team’s lack of threat in the final third.

Having been adored by the Roma fanbase for much of his time at the helm, supporters had become fed up with losing their manager during games as he struggled to contain his emotions.

Credit: bbc.com

Ways to Cope With Your Depression

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Depression can drain your energy, leaving you feeling empty and fatigued. This can make it difficult to muster the strength or desire to get treatment. Small lifestyle changes may help you manage these feelings.

If a person feels sustained, intense feelings of sadness or loss of interest in activities, they may have clinical depression. People also refer to this condition as major depressive disorder.

But there are small steps you can take to help you gain more agency in your life and improve your sense of well-being.

Read on to learn how to incorporate these strategies in a way that makes sense for you.

1. Meet yourself where you are

Depression affects millions of people, including some in your life. You may not realize they face similar challenges, emotions, and obstacles.

Being open, accepting, and loving toward yourself and what you’re going through may help you navigate depression.

Every day with this disorder is different. It’s important to take your mental health seriously and accept that where you are right now isn’t where you’ll always be.

2. Consider a walk around the block

On days when you feel you can’t get out of bed, exercise may seem like the last thing you’d want to do. But exercise and physical activity can help reduce symptoms of depression and improve energy levels.

ResearchTrusted Source suggests that, for some people, exercise can be as effective as medication at relieving depression symptoms. It may also help preventTrusted Source future depressive episodes.

3. Know that today isn’t indicative of tomorrow

Internal emotions and thoughts can change from day to day. Tracking experiences through journaling or keeping a mood diary can help you to remember this.

If you were unsuccessful at getting out of bed or accomplishing goals today, remember that you haven’t lost tomorrow’s opportunity to try again.

Give yourself the grace to accept that while some days will be difficult, others will also be less difficult. Try to look forward to tomorrow’s fresh start.

4. Assess the parts instead of generalizing the whole

Depression can tinge recollections with difficult emotions. You may find yourself focusing on things that are unhelpful or perceived as difficult.

Try to stop this overgeneralization. Push yourself to recognize the good. If it helps, write down what was meaningful about the event or day. You can track what you achieved that day and which activities were enjoyable.

Seeing the weight you’re giving to one thing may help you direct your thoughts away from the whole and to the individual pieces that were helpful.

5. Do the opposite of what the ‘depression voice’ suggests

The automatic, unhelpful voice in your head may talk you out of self-help. But if you learn to recognize this voice, you can learn to work through it.

If you believe an event won’t be fun or worth your time, say to yourself, “You might be right, but it’ll be better than just sitting here another night.” You may soon see that automatic thought isn’t always helpful.

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions: Learn more.

6. Set attainable goals

Instead of compiling a long list of tasks, consider setting small goals. Setting and accomplishing these goals can provide a sense of control and accomplishment and help with motivation.

7. Reward your efforts

All goals are worthy of recognition, and all successes are worthy of celebration. When you achieve a goal, do your best to recognize it.

You may not feel like celebrating with a cake and confetti, but recognizing your own successes can be a powerful tool for depression’s negative weight.

8. Do something you enjoy

Depression can push you to give in to your fatigue. It may feel more powerful than preferred emotions. Try to push back and do something you love — something that’s pleasurable or meaningful. It could be playing an instrument, painting, hiking, or biking.

Engaging in meaningful activities lifts your mood or energy, which can further motivate you to continue to engage in activities that help with navigating symptoms.

9. Listen to music

ResearchTrusted Source shows music can improve your mood and symptoms of depression. It may also strengthen your reception of positive emotions.

Music can be especially beneficial when performed in group settings, such as a musical ensemble or band.

You can also reap some of the same rewards simply by listening.

10. Spend time in nature

Time in nature can have a powerful influence on a person’s mood. Time in natural spaces may improve mood and cognition and lower the risk of mental health disorders. Consider taking a walk at lunch among the trees or spending time in your local park. Or plan a weekend hike. These activities can help you reconnect with nature and soak in some rays at the same time.

11. Spend time with loved ones

Depression can tempt you to isolate yourself and withdraw from people you love and trust, but face-to-face time can help wash away those tendencies.

If you’re unable to spend time together in person, phone calls or video chats can also be helpful.

Source: healthline.com

We need to be more aggressive with our play –Alexander Djiku

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Alexander Djiku

Ghana defender Alexander Djiku says the team has to be more aggressive in their play as they seek their first win of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

The Fenerbahçe player put up an outstanding performance despite Ghana’s 2-1 loss against the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde.

His aggressiveness and zeal during the match earned him the Man of the Match award, having also scored Ghana’s consolation with a brilliant second-half header.

Addressing the media after the disappointing loss, Djiku stated that the team had to be prolific upfront while players should exhibit some form of aggressiveness.
“The game against Cape Verde was so difficult, but we need to do more, be more aggressive, create more chances, and score,” Djiku said.

He noted that the game against seven-time winners Egypt wouldn’t be an easy task, but they would have to focus more and secure the needed win.
“We have the second game, and we have to win. It is a tough game, but nothing is impossible. They drew their first game, and we lost, so anything can happen,” he said.

Source: GNA

 

Security tightened at Black Stars hotel after confrontation between Chris Hughton and a fan

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Coach Chris Hughton

Ghana Football Association (GFA) has increased security measures for the Black Stars following a confrontation between coach Chris Hughton and a fan after the team’s opening defeat to Cape Verde at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.

According to reports, Hughton was allegedly assaulted by a fan when the team returned to their hotel, but the GFA has clarified that it was only a verbal altercation. The association has assured Hughton of their full support and has promised to take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“We’ve dealt with the issue internally,” a GFA spokesperson Henry Asante Twum said to BBC Sport.”We have had a meeting with the coach and gave him 100% assurance that we are solidly behind him.”

Asante Twum said security at the team’s hotel has been beefed up following the incident. He explained that a single supporter had confronted Hughton about the team’s under-performance, but there was no physical altercation.

“There was only a verbal confrontation,” Asante-Twum said. “He was actually trying to get closer to the coach and then the security on duty intervened – there was no arrest but security took him away from the scene.”

Asante-Twum acknowledged that emotions run high after games, especially when teams do not perform well, and assured that the GFA will do everything possible to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The Black Stars face Egypt in their next match, which is a must-win encounter for the team. The GFA is confident that Hughton can turn things around and lead the team to victory.

Credit: ghanasoccernet.com

DR Congo face Zambia in Group F

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DR Congo

DR Congo will face Zambia at the Laurent Pokou Stadium on Wednesday in the opening round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Leopards are set to make their return to the Africa Cup of Nations this week after missing out on the previous edition in Cameroon. They were beaten 2-1 by Burkina Faso in a friendly clash between the two teams last week, finding themselves two goals down at the break before Olympique Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba halved the deficit in the second half.

DR Congo were beaten 2-0 by Uganda in their last AFCON group opener and will be hoping for a positive start this time around.

Zambia, meanwhile, last appeared in the continental showpiece back in 2015 and will be looking to mark their return with a win.

There have been 12 meetings between the two teams. DR Congo have won just two of those games while Zambia have won double that tally. There have been six draws between the two teams.

DR Congo are on a run of back-to-back defeats and have won just one of their last six games across all competitions. They will be looking to shake off their latest results and return to winning ways.

Credit: sportskeeda.com

Morocco are favourites against Tanzania

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Achraf Hakimi (m) will lead Morocco

Morocco are one of the favourites heading into this year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Having made history at the 2022 World Cup by becoming the first African side to reach the semi-final stage, plenty is expected of the Atlas Lions.

Only once before have they lifted the AFCON title and that came way back in 1976 but now feels like the right time.

Boasting some huge talent across some of Europe’s biggest clubs, they will be under pressure to make a statement in their opening fixture.

Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui is a doubt having carried an injury into the tournament, meaning Attiat Allah will likely deputise at left-back.

Ayoub El Kaabi and Tarik Tissoudali are options to cover and compete with Youssef En-Nesyri, who starred at the World Cup.

Tanzania, despite being easy on the eye at times, lack much in the way of firepower and look a favourable opponent to start your campaign against. English-based Haji Mnoga, Tarryn Allarakhia and Anthony Ben Starkie will be hoping to feature for Tanzania.

It would be a major shock to see the Atlas Lions fail to get their campaign off with a win.

Credit: standard.co.uk

Agalga Partly Confirms ‘IGP Tape’ Report … Says “it’s not substantially different” from their draft report

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Mr James Agalga, Ranking member of the committee

Member of Parliament for Builsa South, James Agalga, has confirmed that the draft report of the leaked IGP tape probe in circulation is partly authentic.

According to him, though the committee had not concluded its work, the viral draft report he had seen contained portions that were not different from the original.

James Agalga is the Vice Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee of Parliament that investigated the alleged plot to oust the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, from office.

The committee is yet to submit its report to the Speaker, but its work is unofficially out.

“I have seen the report, which is making the rounds; the committee hasn’t concluded its work yet, but I take note of the fact that certain things said in there may not be substantially different from what we said in the original draft,” he said in an interview with Joy FM.

The leader of the Minority on the Ad-Hoc Committee, Agalga, declined further public commentary on the details of the report though he substantiated aspects of the viral draft report.

He insisted that since the committee had not finished its work, it would be unfair to run commentaries on it.

DISMISS

The Chairman of the Committee, MP for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta-Akyea, has   dismissed some claims in the draft report.

However, he has urged the public to exercise patience as they were yet to complete their work.

In a separate interview with Citi FM, the chairman attributed the delay in finalising the report to other parliamentary commitments and the committee’s dedication to ensuring a fair process.

He, however, assured the public that the report would be presented before the plenary for a decision to be taken once these challenges were overcome.

“A lot of things have happened, and we don’t want to come and give excuses for why we are late in bringing the report. It is just about to be concluded, and then the committee will converge to look at it and ensure an understanding that nobody has been short-changed before putting it before plenary.”
FINDINGS

In the leaked draft report, the committee was said to have found during the probe that Chief Bugri Naabu, COP George Alex Mensah, Supt. George Lysander Asare and Supt Eric Emmanuel Gyebi “conspired purposely to remove the IGP, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, because of his alleged unsubstantiated affiliation to the NDC.”

The viral draft report said further that, the combined effect of the content of the leaked audio tape and the testimony confirmed the affiliation of the three officers to the ruling New Patriotic Party.

The committee was said to have found that the three officers lied under oath before the committee.

According to the leaked draft report, the committee is recommending a further investigation and possible prosecution of the three senior officers “for perjury” under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) and professional misconduct under the Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350) and the Police Service Regulations, 2012 (C.I. 76).

It states in part that the three senior police officers involved in the IGP leaked tape risk being prosecuted for perjury.

By John Bediako and Maxwell Ofori

How Samira escaped death on Accra-Kumasi road

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RICHARD OWUSU-AKYAW
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Mumuni Fuseini, deceased
Two of the vehicles involved in the crash

The convoy of the Second Lady, Her Excellency Samira Bawumia, was involved in a fatal accident at Ohene Nkwanta, near Nobewam, on the Kumasi-Accra road.

Information available to The Chronicle indicates that one Mumuni Fuseini, a staff at the Closed Protection Unit, at the office of the Vice President died, whilst other members of the team sustained various degrees of injury, after a Sprinter bus ran into the Second Lady’s convoy.

Veep Bawumia, Samira, Frema Opare and Mr Kwabena Agyapong at the residence of the deceased yesterday

In a statement issued and posted by Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) on X, formerly Twitter, it explained that on January 13, 2024 the Konongo-Odumasi Fire Station received a distress call from a spot near Nobewam, off the Kumasi-Accra highway, about an accident.

Prayers being said for te deceased

Led by S.T.N.O II Odjer, it stated that the GNFS rescue team rushed to the crash scene at 13:12 hours GMT to find a collision involving a Toyota Land Cruiser (GC-9094-21), Toyota Land Cruiser (VR-2105-15), Mercedes Benz C180 (NR-1977-18) and a Benz Sprinter (GE-7256-14).

Dr Bawumia joined Muslim brothers to say prayers for his departed staff

According to the GNFS, even before they arrived at the scene, some good Samaritans had rescued some of the victims and had rushed them to the hospital.

The engine compartment of the Sprinter Bus, which was mangled .

Giving a description of the magnitude of the accident, it noted that two of the vehicles involved in the accident were badly mangled.

A fire officer writing down notes at the accident scene

“The Mercedes Benz Sprinter and Benz C180 suffered significant damage to their engine compartments and windshields. The rear of the Toyota Land Cruiser (GC-9094-21) was partially damaged, along with the Toyota Land Cruiser (VR- 2105-15).”

When the fire officers arrived at the accident scene

In a statement which was authored by the Ashanti Regional Public Relations Unit of GNFS, it indicated that it has launched investigations into the accident to determine the cause of the crash, with 8 victims suffering varying degrees of injury.

Meanwhile, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Chief of Staff, Frema Opare and Samira Bawumia herself, have visited the family home of the bodyguard who died during the accident.

IMF lauds Ghana on reaching Debt Treatment pact with creditors

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JENNIFER AMBOLLEY
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Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister for Finance

The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, has welcomed Ghana on reaching the Debt Treatment Agreement with its Official Creditors, under the G20 Common Framework.

In a statement sighted on IMF official website, Madam Kristalina Georgieva said: “I welcome Minister of Finance Ofori Atta’s announcement that the Ghanaian authorities have reached an agreement in principle with their official creditors on a debt treatment, consistent with the objectives of the IMF-supported program”.

The agreement aims to restore macro-economic stability and debt sustainability, build resilience and lay the foundations for stronger and more inclusive growth.

She further applauded the Official Creditor Committee, especially the co-chairs, China and France, for their work to reach this agreement.

She indicated that this is another substantial milestone for the G20 Common Framework under which G20 creditors joined forces to agree on debt relief for Ghana.

“This agreement clears the path for IMF Executive Board consideration of the first review of Ghana’s three-year Extended Credit Facility Arrangement in the next few days. I look forward to continuing our fruitful collaboration with Ghana”, she stated.

Background

The minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Attah, over the weekend disclosed that the Government of the Republic of Ghana has reached an agreement with its Official Creditors under the G20 Common Framework, on a comprehensive Debt Treatment beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative.

Following the successful completion of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) in 2023, this development constitutes a significant positive step towards restoring Ghana’s long-term debt sustainability.

“The Government of Ghana commended the support and cooperation of its Official Creditors in reaching this agreement, which demonstrates a mutual commitment to restoring debt sustainability in line with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme targets”, he emphasised.

The Government, he reinstated, is confident that this debt treatment, which entails significant flow relief during the programme period, will allow for the allocation of additional financial resources towards critical public investments, particularly in healthcare, education and infrastructure development.

According to the Minister, the terms of the agreed debt treatment are expected to be formalised in a Memorandum of Understanding between Ghana and Official Creditors, which will then be implemented through bilateral agreements with each member of the Official Creditor Committee.

This agreement, with the Official Creditors, paves the way for IMF Executive Board approval of the first review of the Fund-Supported programme, allowing for the next tranche of IMF financing of US$600 million to be disbursed.

The IMF Board approval should also trigger World Bank Board consideration of US$300 million Development Policy Operation (DPO) financing.

In addition, “the World Bank is expected to support the Ghana Financial Stability Fund with US$250 million to help address the impact of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) on the financial sector. These disbursements are key for Ghana’s economic recovery and ambitious reform agenda”, he continued

With a decline in inflation to 23.2% in December 2023 from 54.2% in December, Reactive strong performance of the Ghana cedi, which reported a marginal depreciation of 7.2% between February and December 2023, compared to 28.4% during the same period in 2022;

overall real GDP growth of 2.8% for the first three quarters of 2023, higher than the 2023 initial GDP growth target of 1.5%.

“The agreement with Official Creditors will support ongoing engagements with Ghana’s commercial creditors, including bondholders. The Government of Ghana remains committed to reaching an agreement with its commercial creditors as soon as possible and takes this opportunity to thank all stakeholders”, he explained.

The Ministry reiterated its commitment to restoring Ghana’s long-term debt sustainability and strengthening macro-economic stability.

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