Croatia v Morocco – Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar – December 17, 2022 Fans are pictured wearing headpieces depicting Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo inside the stadium before the match
A Saudi Arabian businessman won the bidding to watch the latest chapter in Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s celebrated rivalry in global soccer with a 10 million riyals ($2.66 million) bid for a ticket to their showpiece game.
The Saudi government’s entertainment arm said on Twitter that Mushref Al-Ghamdi, general manager of real estate group AqarOne, was the highest bidder for a “Beyond Imagination” ticket.
The winner will attend Thursday’s match in Riyadh featuring a combined team from Saudi clubs Al Nassr – who recently signed Ronaldo – and Al Hilal versus Messi’s Paris St Germain in the duo’s first on-pitch meeting since Juventus beat Barcelona 3-0 in December 2020.
Winning bidder Al-Ghamdi will attend the winner’s ceremony after the match, enter the dressing rooms, and meet the two players who for years have vied to be the world’s greatest.
Though revenue from the auction will go to charity, the event could also fuel accusations of “sportswashing” by Saudi Arabia — distracting attention from rights abuses by splashing money on sport.
As well as attracting Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia have signed up Messi as a tourism ambassador. Paris St Germain is owned by the Qatari government, which has just staged the World Cup.
McDonald’s mental assault on Children has resurfaced again 3 years after the incident, as another reason to boycott the brand, thanks to a video on Instagram reels.
While customers complained about a third price increase in ten months, McDonald’s poured its fruity beverages into transparent Cups with illustrations of a boy and girl in love. the clear cup reveals another person on the opposite side as soon as the content is consumed.
Soon after, some users began uploading images of the two characters in inappropriate positions. all they had to do was change the angle by combining and rotating the Cups, and things got rather suggestive. remember, these Cups were promotional.
Seven-time African champions, Flying Eagles of Nigeria will take on their Zambian counterparts in two friendly games in the Nigerian capital city as part of preparations for this year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations.
The tour has been consummated following a request letter from the Nigeria Football Federation on 13th January, and which met with the ready acceptance of the Football Association of Zambia.
Through a letter dated 14th January 2023, Adrian Kashala, FAZ’s General Secretary, said the Zambia football-ruling body was agreeable to the proposal. The proposal for the tour includes FAZ flying the Junior Chipolopolo to Nigeria while the NFF will bear the cost of accommodation, feeding and other logistics for the Zambia delegation.
The two matches will take place on Friday, 27th January and Monday, 30th January 2023 respectively.
Free-scoring Flying Eagles have scored a total of 10 goals in two friendly games since resuming camp after the yuletide period – the latest being a 5-1 mauling of Galadima FC in Abuja on Wednesday.
Champions of the WAFU B U20 Championship held in Niger Republic in May 2022, the Flying Eagles have been drawn to play hosts Egypt, Senegal and Mozambique in Group A of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations taking place 19th February – 11th March this year.
Zambia, champions of the 2017 Africa U20 Cup of Nations which they hosted, reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA U20 World Cup in Korea Republic the same year, before losing to Italy after extra time in Suwon.
In Egypt, Zambia will be up against Tunisia, Benin Republic and The Gambia in Group C, while Uganda, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Congo battle things out in Group B.
All four semi-finalists in Egypt will qualify to represent Africa at the 23rd FIFA U20 World Cup finals slated for Indonesia 20th May -11 June this year.
Nigeria is set to have a first cancer hospital, the Chief Executive Officer of the African Medical Centre of Excellence, Brian Deaver has said.
This was made known by the AMCE Chief Executive Officer, Brian Deaver, when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on Wednesday.
Deaver noted that most Nigerian hospitals are general in nature, hence the need to fill up the gaps specifically in tackling cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The CEO also said that the hospital would create jobs for a thousand people and healthcare workers which would help manage the brain drain syndrome, explaining that the environment would be created for those who left to return.
He said, “It is truly a pleasure to be with you here and to talk a little bit about what we are doing and to really seek the collaboration, as we look to bring back all of the talented and educated and experienced doctors and nurses around the world in the US, London and other places to bring them home, and to help us as we seek to treat Nigerians as well as the West African sub-region in the areas of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and haematological diseases.
“Nigeria is fortunate to have many very good hospitals that are general in nature. We have chosen to invest in a very large hospital, ultimately 500 beds that will focus on what we saw as gaps in the care and that is specifically in cancer and cardiovascular disease.
“The beauty of this is not only during construction, but we would also be creating jobs.
“By the way, we have been in construction for a year now and we will invite you to come out and see the site and the great work that has been done.
“But not only will the jobs be added during the construction phase which will continue because of the size of the project for the next two years, afterward as we prepare for opening and after opening, but we will also be adding literally 1,000 jobs to the area. So we desperately need your help.
“We want to partner with you as we seek to get the message out to all of the excellent skilled, educated Nigerians that are out throughout the world to bring them home and to participate in this great project.”
Responding, the NiDCOM Chairman appreciated the team for choosing Nigeria to invest, assuring the team of total support from the Commission in ensuring that Nigerian talented medical personnel returns to the country to boost the health sector.
She expressed optimism that the AMCE would be a game changer in the Nigerian health system.
Dabiri-Erewa said, “We are ready to work with you. We will hit the ground running with you. You can count on our partnership to make it successful.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa
“It is particularly important because we are talking about the medical field. I mean, I am sure you read all the stories. We are not happy about the fact that a lot of medical personnel are leaving. Do you know what makes me happy? They are leaving despite the circumstances, and they are some of the best wherever they go. So those that are leaving the UK to Canada, get there and they excel. They would not do that if the foundation was not right.
“We know we have to do better but they are Nigerians and they are doing very well over there. The beauty of this is that they are still going to come back and be the ones to work with this African Medical Centre of Excellence.
“We should be proud of who we are as a people and the talent of brains that we have. Now, how do you harness all these to the benefit of our own home country? So I am proud of our brothers and sisters everywhere.
“They just need a better environment and is being created by the government and I am sure in the next few years, we will have positive stories to tell, particularly the health sector. I think, even before your coming, we must say we have about 10 hospitals that have been built and there are Nigerians in the diaspora.
“Right here in Abuja, we have about five that come to build these hospitals, populate them, and then they come from time to time. So really, I am sure that when we move on, we are going to be a destination for medical tourism. I am hoping that the AMCE will be a game changer.”
379 Theodosius installed as co-emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire by Emperor Gratian
1812 Peninsular War: After a ten day siege, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, orders British soldiers of the Light and third divisions to storm Ciudad Rodrigo
1883 The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey
1966 Indira Gandhi elected India’s 4th Prime Minister
2013 Calcium deposits are discovered on Mars by NASA’s Curiosity Rover
Historical Events Today Events In 2022
Today In Film & TV
1955 “The Millionaire” TV program premieres on CBS
Today In Music
1853 Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Il Trovatore” premieres in Rome
Today In Sport
2013 Lance Armstrong admits to doping in all seven of his Tour de France victories
1935 Coopers Inc. sells the world’s first men’s briefs in Chicago, calls it the “Jockey”
Famous Weddings
1872 Physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (26) weds Anna Bertha Ludwig in Apeldoorn, Netherlands
1884 Painter Thomas Eakins (39) weds painter and photographer Susan Macdowell (32) in a Quaker ceremony
1957 Golfer Gary Player (21) weds Bobby Verwey’s sister Vivienne Verwey
Queensland, a state in Australia has announced plans to allow teenagers to change genders on their birth certificates without their parents’ permission.
Currently, if people in the state want to change the Gender on their birth certificates, they would have to undergo reassignment surgery. but the new plans from the state Labor Government, which are expected to pass comfortably, will drop the surgery requirement.
They would also allow new Parents to not list any Gender on the documents of their newborn baby. meanwhile, Children aged 12 to 15 will require their Parents’ permission to change their birth certificate. however, they can still apply to the courts if their Parents do not support them.
Queensland will also not require a medical statement from a doctor or psychologist. The Queensland law society has warned the changes to Gender could lead to problems in the court.
Law Society president Kara Thompson said: “we seek further clarification on how verification of identity processes are to be managed in the absence of a Sex descriptor appearing on a person’s birth certificate, where current procedures refer to gender”.
According to Australia’s Parentslink.gov website, ”the law allows Parents to bring up their Children according to their own values and beliefs. this means that you have the right to make decisions about how you bring up your Children without interference unless there are very good reasons and your Child’s safety and well-being are at risk.
Decisions such as Religion, schooling, discipline, medical treatment, and where your child lives are your right and responsibility to make. these decisions will not be interfered with unless your Child is badly treated, is not receiving education, is not allowed medical treatment when it is needed or there is an order by a court”
At 16, young people are allowed to get medical treatments without their Parents’ consent, but can’t drink Alcohol till a much later age. a clear contradiction of the new series of legislation.
The Fidelis Obi-led team has two consecutive wins having defeated Congo and Madagascar national u-20 teams
Nigeria’s national under-18 male handball team on Tuesday recorded their second victory at the ongoing International Handball Federation (IHF) Challenge Trophy Continental Phase in Congo.
The Nigerian team achieved this after winning their second match at the Nicole Oba Gymnasium in Brazzaville.
The team under the tutelage of Emeka Nnamani defeated hosts Congo 28-22.
The national under-20 male team led by Fidelis Obi also defeated their counterparts from Madagascar 51-30.
In their respective first matches on Monday, the under-18 team had defeated Burundi 45-30, while the under-20 team had lost 26-28 to Guinea.
On Wednesday, Nigeria will face Zambia in the under-18 category while in the under-20 category, they will take on Zimbabwe.
2023 IHF Challenge Trophy Continental Phase championship which started on Monday is expected to end on Friday in Congo.
Even though Nadal got injured in the second set, he withstood the pain to complete the match instead of retiring
Defending Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal has been dumped out by World No.63 Mackenzie Mcdonald.
The 27-year-old American beat Nadal in three straight sets of 6-4 6-4 7-5 in two hours and 32 minutes early Wednesday.
Natal, ranked No.1 at Melbourne, made 31 unforced errors in the second-round exit.
Mcdonald’S best performances in the Grand Slams have come at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, where he got to the fourth round in 2021. He made his longest run at the Australian Open in 2021 and 2018 respectively.
Nadal was clearly injured in the second set but decided to finish the match instead of retiring. At the post-match press conference, Nadal revealed the hip injury that curtailed his movement on the court.
“I tried to keep playing without increasing the damage. But I just wanted to finish the match,” Nadal reflected and he was cheered off the court by an understanding crowd.
“I didn’t want to retire, to be defending champion here. Better like this at the end. I lost. Congratulate the opponent.” After the injury, Nadal was denied of his potent backhand, which became impossible.
Nadal continued: “Just try your best till the end. Doesn’t matter the chances that you have. That’s the philosophy of sport. That’s the essence of the sport by itself. I tried to follow that during all my tennis career.
“Just can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally at this time, because I will be lying. It’s hard for me. But let’s see, hopefully is nothing too bad. In the end, have been three positive weeks in terms of practice.
“So I really hope that that don’t put me out of the court for a long time, because then it’s tough to make all the recovery again, all the amount of work that you need to put together to come back at a decent level.
“I went through this process too many times in my career, and I am ready to keep doing, but that’s not easy, without a doubt,” added the 22-time Grand Slam winner.
Novak Djokovic won his second-round match and is now the firm favourite to collect his 10th Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam title.
Carrauntoohil is a mountain peak which is also known as the highest point that is located in the County Kerry within the Republic of Ireland.
Standing at a height of 1,038 meters (3,406 feet) above sea level, overlooks three interesting valleys that are shaped like a bowl, which are altogether part of the Macgillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range.
Being one of the three peaks in the country that are over 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) high, it is an interesting place where people go hiking and climbing.
As there are three main trails that lead to the top, the Devil’s Ladder Route is the most used, which most of the time is referred to as the “tourist route”.
Even though there are some eroded places on the way to the peak, everyone is always reminded to be cautious when ascending, since even the most experienced can get hurt.
The second trail is Brother O’Shea’s Gully (Cummeenoughter) route, which is most of the time used as an alternative to the Devil’s Ladder. Still, this trail offers one of the most spectacular mountain scenery one could see from Ireland.
Nevertheless, even though it is not that dangerous, the last slope of the trail is considered to be dangerous, especially in icy conditions.
The final route is Caher (Coomloughra) route, which is a fairly long, however, relatively straightforward trail that follows the southern rim of the mountain range, and takes in the triple summit of Ireland’s third highest mountain Caher en route to the summit of Carrauntoohil.
This is really difficult hike which is most often taken by more experienced hikers and mountaineers, which can take even up to 8 hours to make a round trip to the peak and back.
At the peak, there was a wooden cross which in 1976 was replaced by a 5 meters (16 feet) tall steel cross, which in 2014 was cut down by criminals, however, shortly after, it was erected once again.
The name of the peak has plenty of spellings and theories of origin, where the present name is an Anglicization of an Irish place-name, but the real origin and meaning of Carrauntoohil is not clear.
Still, considered to be one of the most impressive hikes one could take in the Irish Republic, it is a climb of a reasonable level of fitness, where a bad weather could happen throughout the entire hike.
532 Nika uprising against Emperor Justinian I in Constantinople fails, 30,000 killed by troops loyal to the Emperor in the Hippodrome
1591 King Naresuan of Siam kills Crown Prince Minchit Sra of Burma in single combat, date is now observed as Royal Thai Armed Forces day
1788 First elements of the First Fleet carrying 736 convicts from England to Australia arrives at Botany Bay to set up a penal colony
1817 José de San Martín leads a revolutionary army over the Andes to attack Spanish royalists in Chile
1871 Second German Empire proclaimed by Kaiser Wilhelm I and Otto von Bismarck
Two young girls help assemble Soviet submachine guns during the Siege of Leningrad
1943 Soviets announce they have broken the long Siege of Leningrad by Nazi Germany by opening a narrow land corridor, though the siege would not be fully lifted until a year later
Historical Events Today Events In 2022
Today In Film & TV
1974 “$6 Million Man” starring Lee Majors premieres on ABC TV
Today In Music
1980 Pink Floyd’s album “The Wall” hits #1
Today In Sport
1983 IOC restores Jim Thorpe’s Olympic medals (Pentathlon & Decathlon victories) 70 years after they were taken from him for being paid $25 in semi-pro baseball
More Facts…
2016 World’s 62 richest people are now as wealthy as half the world’s population according to a report published by Oxfam
1644 Pilgrims in Boston reported America’s 1st UFO sighting
Famous Weddings
1486 King Henry VII of England marries Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV
1827 American religious leader Joseph Smith Jr (21) weds future church group movement leader Emma Hale (22) in South Bainbridge, New York, until his death in 1844
1893 British Poet and writer Rudyard Kipling (26) marries Carrie Balestier (29) in London
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