Real Madrid produced a convincing performance to beat Real Sociedad and extend their lead at the top of La Liga to eight points.
The impressive Vinicius Jr opened the scoring for the visitors, combining well with Luka Jovic inside the area before finding the bottom corner.
Jovic, who replaced the injured Karim Benzema in the first half, then scored his first goal of the season, heading in from close range following a corner.
The hosts created little in response.
Alexander Isak flicked on a well-weighted delivery from Diego Rico in the first half, but Eder Militao recovered well to block the Sociedad forward’s effort.
Militao, who looked solid in the centre of Madrid’s defence, sent Vinicius through with a clever pass late on, but the frontman was denied by the feet of keeper Alex Remiro.
It means Real Madrid head into the derby against Atletico a week on Sunday with a healthy lead at the top after Diego Simeone’s side were beaten 2-1 at home by Mallorca.
That saw Atletico slip back to fourth on 29 points, with Sevilla now Real’s closest challengers on 31 points and with a game in hand on the leaders.
It was a second successive defeat for Real Sociedad after going 13 unbeaten in the top flight, meaning they sit fifth, level on points with Atletico having played a game more.
Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as title rival Max Verstappen crashed trying to beat the Mercedes driver’s time.
In a gripping, see-saw qualifying session, Verstappen hit the wall on the exit of the final corner when he looked set to displace Hamilton from the front of the grid.
Verstappen was ringing the Red Bull’s neck on what looked a superlative lap but was late on the brakes for Turn 27 and slid wide on the exit and broke his rear suspension.
To add insult to injury, Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas also beat Verstappen’s earlier quickest time to join Hamilton on the front row.
And there will be questions as to whether Verstappen might have damaged his car’s gearbox. If it needs replacing, he will take a five-place grid penalty and drop from third to eighth.
The Dutchman leads Hamilton by eight points with two races of the season remaining.
The championship fight hangs in the balance, but in the context of each driver’s title hopes, it is more important for Hamilton to win in Saudi Arabia than Verstappen.
If Verstappen beats Hamilton, the Mercedes driver would need the Dutchman to hit trouble in the final race in Abu Dhabi to overhaul him. But Verstappen can afford to finish second behind Hamilton in Jeddah and still be more or less level on points.
Verstappen walks away after stopping his car
Nothing between the title rivals
Verstappen had set the pace on the first runs in final qualifying, nearly 0.4secs quicker than Hamilton.
Hamilton had a scrappy first run, a mistake at the first corner on one lap and then a slide at Turn Six on another before finally setting a time.
But he managed to sneak ahead of Verstappen’s first time on his second run, beating the Dutchman by 0.142 seconds.
Verstappen then looked on for a stunning time on his final lap.
He was right on the edge through Turn One, lightly brushing the wall on the exit, and was more than 0.2secs up on Hamilton’s time after the first two sectors of the lap.
With such an advantage, he could have afforded to be relatively cautious at the final corner. Instead, he braked too late for the final corner, went in too deep, side wide on the exit and smashed sideways into the wall.
It appeared to be his first major mistake of what has been a superlative season by Verstappen and it remains to be seen how costly it is.
“It is of course terrible,” Verstappen said. “It was a good qualifying. I knew the pace was there, I don’t really understand what happened but I locked up, clipped the wall and had to stop.
“P3 is a bit disappointing but the car is quick and let’s see what we can do in the race.”
Hamilton said: “We were so quick on Friday but for some reason in final practice and qualifying just lacking pace and struggling with the tyres, so to get a one-two, this is a great result.
“Those guys were so fast. Those Bulls were incredible round this track.”
Even worse for Red Bull, Charles Leclerc managed to get his Ferrari on to the second row in fourth place, knocking Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez down to fifth.
Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly took sixth, split from his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda by McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi completed the top 10.
The second Ferrari of Carlos Sainz will start 15th after a difficult session for the Spaniard.
Sainz spun at high speed at Turn Nine on his first lap in the second session. He managed to avoid a big crash, but the car’s rear-wing endplate clipped the barriers as he slid sideways and was damaged.
There was no time to repair it and Sainz did not realise it when he went out to try again, and had another moment at the same corner, the rear snapping and taking him into the run-off area.
It is the first F1 race to be held in Saudi ArabiaJeddah is a port city on the Red Sea
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is live on BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The word nativity comes from the latin word ‘natal’ which means birth (and is also where we get the word ‘native’ from).
It is traditional in the UK for Primary (Elementary) schools to perform Nativity Play for the parents and local people associated with the school.
The Nativity Play recreates the scene of Jesus’ Birth and tells of how Mary and Joseph were visited by the Shepherds and Wise Men.
The parts of Mary, Joseph, the Shepherds and the Wise Men are played by children. If the school is attached to a Church, the play often takes place in the Church. Sunday Schools in Churches also sometimes put on Nativity Plays.
In the past, it was common for live animals including an ox and donkey and other farm animals (but not pigs) to be used in the plays. Sometimes they still are, but it is now more common for children to dress up as the animals in costumes or to have animal props.
The first Nativity Play was not performed by Children in the UK, but in a cave by Monks in Italy!
In some countries such as Italy and Malta, and many South American countries, the crib is the most important Christmas decoration.
The city of Naples, in Italy, has used cribs to decorate houses and Churches since the 1020s!
Nativity Scenes called ‘Pessebres’ are popular in the Catalonia region of Spain.
Cribs also have a long tradition and importance in Malta, where they are called ‘Presepju’.
The highest volcano on Indonesia’s most densely populated island of Java spewed thick columns of ash, searing gas and lava down its slopes in a sudden eruption triggered by heavy rains on Saturday.
At least one villager died from burns and dozens were hospitalized.
Mount Semeru’s eruption in Lumajang district in East Java province left several villages blanketed with falling ash.
A thunderstorm and days of rain, which had eroded and finally collapsed the lava dome atop the 3,676-meter (12,060-foot) Semeru, triggered an eruption, said Eko Budi Lelono, who heads the geological survey center.
He said flows of searing gas and lava traveled up to 800 meters (2,624 feet) to a nearby river at least twice on Saturday. People were advised to stay 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the crater’s mouth, the agency said.
“Thick columns of ash have turned several villages to darkness,” said Lumajang district head Thoriqul Haq. Several hundred people were moved to temporary shelters or left for other safe areas, he said, adding that power blackout hampered the evacuation.
The debris and lava mixed with the rainfall formed thick mud that destroyed the main bridge connecting Lumajang and the neighboring district of Malang, as well as a smaller bridge, Haq said.
Despite an increase in activity since Wednesday, Semeru’s alert status has remained at the third highest of four levels since it began erupting last year, and Indonesia’s Volcanology Center for Geological Hazard Mitigation did not raise it this week, Lelono said.
One man died from severe burns, and 41 others were hospitalized with burn injuries, said Indah Masdar, the deputy district head. She said two villagers were reported missing and several sand miners were trapped in isolated areas along the village river.
Entire houses in Curah Kobokan village were damaged by volcanic debris, Masdar said.
Television reports showed people screaming and running under a huge ash cloud, their faces wet from rain mixed with volcanic dust. The last time Semeru erupted in January, there were no casualties.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 270 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because it sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of fault lines.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Economic Development and Ibom Deep Seaport, Mr Akan Okon has assured Nigerians that the Ibom Deep Seaport when completed will be a ‘Game Changer to Akwa Ibom State Economy’.
Mr Okon made this known at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo on arrival from Seoul, South Korea where he was part of the Nigerian delegation at the Maritime Sector and Harbour Development Programme.
According to the Economic Development Commissioner: “This trip gave us an opportunity to interact with people in the maritime sector especially Busan Port Officials; Busan Port is the second largest and easiest Port in the world. It’s a transhipment port with 17 Meters draft which is similar to what we have at Ibom Deep Seaport.
” The meeting also gave us the opportunity to interact with The Korea Maritime and Ocean University Officials with a view to developing manpower for our citizens that will be able to take advantage of the opportunities that will be created in the Maritime sector as a result of this project.
“We are looking at areas like Maritime logistics, and other businesses associated with the shipping industry.”
Reacting to questions about the interactions and the outcome of the interactions, the Commissioner stated that contacts has been created and that the host are interested in the development of the Ibom Deep Seaport due to the stellar presentation made and similarities between the Ibom Seaport and the Busan Port.
He added that Ibom Deep Seaport is expected to be a transhipment port.
The delegation according to the Commissioner also met with the Korean Cooperative for Overseas Port Development with hope of creating a strong partnership as well as a working relationship with the agency for rapid development of the Seaport.
He assured citizens that the State Government alongside Bolloré, the major investor is moving ahead with the programme implementation, adding that the Geo Physical and the Geo clinical studies will commence in a week time.
The elated Commissioner commended the State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel for ensuring that the Ibom Deep Seaport is a reality and for the approval given them to be part of the delegation on maritime sector and Harbour Development Programme.
As in The Netherlands, children in Belgium believe that ‘Sinterklaas/St. Niklaas’ (Flemish) or ‘Saint Nicholas’ (Walloon) brings them presents on December 5th and 6th, St. Nicholas’ Eve and St. Nicholas’ Day.
In Belgium there are three official languages, Dutch (a Belgium version of Dutch is known as Flemish, this is mainly spoken in the northern area of Belgium called Flanders), French (mainly spoken in the southern Walloon Region) and German (spoken by about 1% of Belgiums in the east of the country).
In Belgium Dutch/Flemish Happy/Merry Christmas is ‘Vrolijk Kerstfeest’, French it’s ‘Joyeux Noël’, in German it’s ‘Frohe Weihnachten’ and in the Walloon language (spoken by some people in the Walloon Region) it’s ‘djoyeus Noyé’. Happy/Merry Christmas in lots more languages.
On Christmas Eve (‘Kerstavond’ in Flemish and ‘le réveillion de Noël’ in Walloon), a special meal is eaten by most families.
It starts with a drink (apéritif) and ‘nibbles’, followed by a starter course such as sea-food, and then stuffed turkey.
The dessert is ‘Kerststronk’ (Flemish) or ‘la bûche de Noël’ (Walloon) a chocolate Christmas Log made of sponge roll layered with cream. The outside is covered with chocolate butter cream and made to resemble a bark-covered log.
In the weeks before Christmas, people also like to go to Christmas Markets.
People go to buy Christmas presents, decorations and food.
Going ice skating with friends is also something which is very common.
At Christmas parties at schools, it’s common to buy a small gift which can be for anyone.
A game is played to give out the presents. A very popular one is putting on some music and passing the parcel around everyone sitting in a circle.
When the music stops, the one who holds the parcel, gets to keep the present. That’s why the present should be something that anyone would like!
Most people will have a Christmas Tree (real or fake!) decorated with lights, baubles, garlands and a star on the top.
Next to the tree, many people will have a nativity scene.
Some people even have a life-size one in their gardens! In most villages, there are big ‘real’ scenes next to the church with real animals (donkey, sheep, ox) and non-stop choir music playing. Some people also decorate the outside of their house with lights, or reindeer, or a Santa climbing up the roof (that’s very popular).
On Christmas Eve, people normally celebrate with their close family and keep it small and cosy.
The main meal is eaten on Christmas Eve. You might start the evening with small things like crisps, mini-pizzas, etc., or have a starter like soup. For the main course popular dishes include game or seafood, but turkey or chicken are also popular. But whatever you have, there’s always some potato croquettes! Ice-cream cake is a very popular dessert.
Small family Christmas presents are also given at Christmas too, where they are put under the tree. They are opened on Christmas Eve. People also like to listen to Christmas music on the radio. Some people also go a Midnight Mass service
The traditional Christmas breakfast is the same as the normal Sunday breakfast eaten throughout the year. This is freshly baked crusty rolls (bakeries do their best trade on Sundays in the Flanders region) with butter & cold meats and/or jam, followed by pastries (like Danish pastries) called ‘koffiekoek(en)’ (meaning coffee cake(s) as they are normal eaten with a cup of coffee!).
On Christmas day itself people visit friends or distant relatives.
1534Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent occupies Baghdad.
1563 Council of Trent holds its last session, after 18 years. Last ecumenical council for more than 300 years.
1619 38 colonists from Berkeley Parish, England disembark in Virginia and give thanks to God. Considered by many the first Thanksgiving in the Americas.
1791 Britain’s Observer, oldest Sunday newspaper in the world, first published.
1829 Britain outlaws “suttee” in India (widow burning herself to death on her husband’s funeral pyre).
1918 US President Woodrow Wilson sails for Versailles Peace Conference in France.
1964 Medical missionary Dr. Paul Carlson appears on the cover of Time magazine. He had become a symbol for events in the Congo when he was seized by Simba rebels who executed him.
1972 President Idi Amin ousts fifty missionaries from Uganda, charging that they have connections with Israel and South Africa.
Today’s Historical Events Today in Film & TV 1933 Jack Kirkland’s play “Tobacco Road” premieres in NYC, became the longest-running play of its time.
Today in Music 1927 Duke Ellington opens at the Cotton Club in Harlem.
Today in Sport 1943 Commissioner Landis announces any baseball club may sign Negroes.
Do you know this fact about today? Did You Know? 1952 Killer fogs begin in London, England; the term “Smog” is coined.
Would you believe this fact about today? Would You Believe? 1961 Museum of Modern Art hangs Matisse’s Le Bateau upside down for 47 days.
Gombe State Agency for the Control of AIDS, says no fewer than 5,340 children are undergoing treatment for HIV/AIDS in the state out of 31,450 persons with the viral condition.
Speaking with Newsmen in Gombe in commemoration of the 2021 World AIDS Day, the Project Manager of the agency Dr. Suraj Abdulkarim stated that the failure of some pregnant women to get tested may be the reason why some of the babies became positive.
World AIDS Day is marked every 1st of December. It is a day set aside to sensitise people about the scourge of HIV/AIDS and how to prevent the viral disease. The 2021 World AIDS Day is themed ‘End Inequalities, End AIDS through a sustainable HIV financing in C’.
Abdulkarim disclosed further that the state is still grappling with a lack of test kits, especially in primary healthcare facilities.
He lauded donor agencies for supporting about 250 persons living with HIV/AIDS, noting that their collaboration has aided viral suppression in the state.
He said, “31,450 people are on treatment, 5,340 of them are children.
“Test kits are not available in most primary health care facilities. Some pregnant women not tested during the antenatal stage led to delivering of babies with HIV,” Abdulkarim said.
The Project Manager revealed further that the agency has extended awareness campaigns to custodial centres, and other specialised groups.
On her part, Bathseba Kalah, the State Coordinator, Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria, explained the new test kit named oral quick self-test kit is very effective, noting that it only requires saliva instead of blood for the test.
She called on the government to assist in making the oral quick self-test kit affordable, stressing that it cost at N1000 per one.
The United Nations Children’s Fund on Thursday revealed that 240 million children living with disabilities all around the world are being denied basic rights.
By this figure, one in 10 children worldwide suffers from denial of basic human rights.
UNICEF stated this in a report on Thursday titled, ‘Fact Shee: The world’s nearly 240 million children living with disabilities are being denied basic rights – UNICEF’, which was released ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
In the report, UNICEF Global Lead on Disability, Rosangela Berman-Bieler, said, “Like every child in the world, children with disabilities have the right to be nurtured through responsive care, supported in education, and provided with adequate nutrition and social protection, including in humanitarian situations. But all too often, such rights are denied.
“We can and must do more to ensure the nearly quarter of a billion children with disabilities worldwide are able to realise their rights.
“We must provide children with disabilities with equal opportunities by ensuring community support and services are inclusive and accessible, stigma and discrimination are eradicated, and that they are protected from violence, abuse and neglect.
“There is a story behind every statistic – a child with hopes, fears, potential and ambitions.”
The latest data also showed that children with disabilities are 24 per cent less likely to receive early stimulation and responsive care, and 42 per cent less likely to have foundational reading and numeracy skills.
As a result, UNICEF called on governments to ensure that children with disabilities are provided with equal opportunities.
The agency maintained that all services should be inclusive and accessible to children living with disabilities.
Such services include birth registration, early childhood development, education, health, nutrition, immunisations, water and sanitation, and other social services.
A disabilities rights group, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Act 2021.
This was contained in a statement signed by the CCD’s Executive Director, David Anyaele, which noted that the bill removes barriers that limit persons with disabilities from participating in electoral processes.
The statement read in part, “We are marking this day at a time Nigerians are awaiting the assent of the President on a Bill for an Act to Repeal The Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 And Enact The Electoral Act 2021, To Regulate The Conduct Of Federal, State And Area Councils In The Federal Capital Territory Elections; And For Related Matters.
“The Bill provides for the removal of barriers that hinders citizens with disabilities from participating in the electoral process on an equal basis with others. We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into an Act the Electoral Bill without further delay in order to open space for necessary actions towards 2023 General Elections.”
The CCD also called on state governments to adopt the Disability Rights Act, noting that only 13 states of the federation had demonstrated measures to adopt the act.
The group stated that a failure by state governments to adopt the Act was an endorsement of discrimination against persons with disabilities.
“We are worried that 36 months after the passage of the Disability Rights Act, only 13 states have demonstrated measures to adopt the Act. We commend States like Lagos, Anambra, Ekiti, Ondo, Plateau, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kogi, Niger, Kwara, and Niger states. We call on the State governments yet to adopt the National Disability Rights Act to do so without further delay,” the statement added.
“This is important because failure in this regard is an indirect endorsement of discrimination and other harmful practices against their citizens with disabilities. It is important for state governments to make inclusion and participation of citizens with disabilities in governance and development programmes a priority, as it is very expensive and difficult to live with a disability without government support.”
The group warned that Nigeria will not be able to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals target if policies meant to protect the rights of persons with disabilities are not protected.
“Acknowledging that Nigeria has signed the United Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities including its optional protocols, we state that SDGs will not be achieved if state and none state actors continue to discriminate, isolate and marginalize over 31 million Nigerians with disabilities in planning and implementation of the SDGs in Nigeria,” the group stated.
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