Tuesday, 25 May 2021

'You’ve not only cost me fifty or sixty million dollars, you’ve cost me the biggest fight of all time" - Anthony Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn blasts Tyson Fury over failed fight

Anthony Joshua's promoter and agent, Eddie Hearn has angrily blasted Tyson Fury and his team for not playing their parts to ensure that an undisputed clash with Anthony Joshua happened this summer.
Fury has been ordered to fight Deontay Wilder again after a US judge ruled that Wilder is legally due for a third fight and that it must happen before September 15.

Philippines set to take delivery of 2 war helicopters

The Philippines is expecting the delivery of two of the six T129 attack helicopters it bought from Turkey, an official of the Department of National Defence said on Tuesday, May 25.

Arsenio Andolong, the spokesperson of the ministry said in a statement that two more units are due for delivery in February 2022, while the remaining two are expected to be delivered in February 2023. 

According to Andolong, the defense department purchased the six helicopters for a total contract price of 269.38 dollars from Turkish Aerospace Industries through a government-to-government procurement deal signed last year.

Andolong said the acquisition of the six attack helicopters would boost the Philippine military’s capability to fight terrorists.

“It will bring more airborne firepower to our arsenal.”

 

Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric signs one-year contract extension at the club

Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric has signed a new one-year deal at the club.  The former Tottenham midfielder, who joined in 2012, has enjoyed a successful nine seasons in the Spanish capital, winning 12 major honors for Los Blancos including four Champions Leagues.

TikTok boss, Zhang Yiming, resigns at age 38 with a net worth of $44bn to spend his time "reading and daydreaming"

One of the billionaire co-founders of TikTok is stepping down as CEO of ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok.

Zhang Yiming, 38, said Thursday, May 20, that he will leave the role because he lacks managerial skills. He added that he preferred "reading and daydreaming" to running the tech giant.

According to Bloomberg, he resigns with a net worth of $44.5billion, making him 31st on a list of the world's richest people.

On Monday, May 24, Zhang announced his resignation in an official letter to his employees. he reiterated that he lacked some skills that’d make him an ideal manager.

"The truth is, I lack some of the skills that make an ideal manager. Similarly, I'm not very social, preferring solitary activities like being online, reading, listening to music, and daydreaming about what may be possible," he said. 

Zhang Yiming will step down at the end of the year to focus on long-term strategy.

Former Bayern Munich manager, Hansi Flick appointed new Germany coach

Former Bayern Munich manager, Hansi Flick has been appointed as Germany's new manager. The German Football Association (DFB) confirmed in a statement that Flick will replace incumbent manager Joachim Low at the end of the Euro 2020 campaign, which is set to get underway next month.

The 56-year-old, who guided Bayern Munich to six major honors during his brief tenure at the Allianz Arena, has signed a three-year deal that will run until the end of the 2024 European Championship campaign. 

Cristiano Ronaldo issues cryptic post in hint he is leaving Juventus as he thanks fans on Instagram

Cristiano Ronaldo has fuelled speculations regarding his Juventus career by issuing a lengthy cryptic post on social media.  This comes weeks after the 36-year-old striker had each of his luxury supercars transported to Portugal from his mansion.

Saturday, 22 May 2021

Kelechi Iheanacho wins Leicester City’s goal of the season award

Super Eagles striker, Kelechi Iheanacho has won the Leicester City Goal of the Season award for the 2020-21 campaign.

The Nigeria international has been in form for the Foxes, scoring 19 goals in all competitions so far this season. His 80th-minute goal against Crystal Palace which he beat two defenders before sending a powerful curler into the net, was chosen as the best goal in 2020-2021.

Kim Jong-un bans mullet hairstyles and skinny jeans in North Korea

North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un has reportedly banned mullet hairstyles and skinny jeans in North Korea. The decision was made over concern that they reflect Western cultures that might influence young people in the country and impact his regime.

North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun - which is owned by the ruling Worker's Party - wrote: 'History teaches us a crucial lesson that a country can become vulnerable and eventually collapse like a damp wall regardless of its economic and defence power if we do not hold on to our own lifestyle.'

It went on to say: 'We must be wary of even the slightest sign of the capitalistic lifestyle and fight to get rid of them.'

Those who repeatedly flout the strict laws on fashion - including a ban on colourfully dyed or spiked up hair and piercings will be sent to labour camps under laws put in place by Kim Jong-un.

North Koreans can only choose from between 15 approved hairstyles under the country's laws, it has been claimed. 

Tuesday, 18 May 2021

Roy Hodgson step-downs as Crystal Palace manager at the age of 73 to spend more time with his wife and family

Premier League side, Crystal Palace has confirmed that Roy Hodgson will be leaving the club at the end of the season.

The 73-year-old, who was brought in by Palace in 2017 to replace the struggles, Frank de Boer, as manager, says he feels the time is right to step away from 'the rigours of top-flight Premier League football' and bring to an end his 'responsibilities of being a full-time manager.

His final match in charge will be against his former employers Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, May 23.

Commenting on his impending departure, Hodgson said: 'After more than 45 years of coaching I have decided that the time is right for me to step away from the rigours of top-flight Premier League football, so our final two matches will be my last ones as manager of Crystal Palace.

'It's been a particularly rewarding period of my football life and career to have been able to spend these last four seasons with Palace. 

'I feel now that at the end of another successful season, in which we have secured our Premier League status, the moment is right for me to step down from my responsibilities of being a full-time manager.

Toni Kroos to miss Real Madrid's must-win season finale against Villarreal after testing positive for Covid

Real Madrid playmaker, Toni Kroos will miss his club's final game of the season after testing positive for Coronavirus. 

Real Madrid will face Villarreal on Saturday to close out the campaign and must win, hoping Atletico Madrid loses away at Valladolid for them to be crowned champions of La Liga. 

Kroos, who has been one of Zinedine Zidane's most important players this season, got infected with the virus after coming into direct contact with someone who had coronavirus. 

Rapper, YFN Lucci surrenders to police in racketeering case

American rapper, YFN Lucci has surrendered to police on racketeering charges.

The rapper, whose real name is Rayshawn Bennett, turned himself in after he was named, along with 11 others, in a blockbuster 105-count indictment targeting the Bloods gang, the Channel 2 Action News reported.

Bennett was out of jail after posting bond in a separate murder case, but it was expected that he would be required to turn himself in on the new charges.

YFN surrendered to deputies on May 10 and has been housed in the Fulton County Jail since then. 

Harry Kane reportedly tells Tottenham he wants to leave club this summer with Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea to battle to sign him

Tottenham striker, Harry Kane has reportedly told the club that he wants to leave this summer.

According to Sky Sports, the reason is said to be the fact that Spurs aren't competing for titles.

The 27-year-old England international has spent his entire professional career at Tottenham but has yet to lift a trophy. The closest he has come is losing a Champions League final against Liverpool in 2018–19 and two League Cup finals in the last six years, including last month's loss to Manchester City.

Ariana Grande marries Dalton Gomez

Ariana Grande is married to Dalton Gomez. The couple, who got engaged just before Christmas last year, got married over the weekend at Ariana's home in Montecito.

Ariana bought the house in June 2020, from Ellen DeGeneres. 

According to TMZ, there were less than 20 guests, including family members from both sides at the intimate ceremony.

Dalton, a real estate agent, began dating Ariana in early 2020.

Real Madrid remain most valuable football club brand in the world for the third consecutive year

Real Madrid has been named the most valuable football club brand in the world for the third consecutive year. 

According to the Football 50 2021 report, published by Brand Finance, Real Madrid are top of the football world and boasts a brand value of €1,276 million ahead of FC Barcelona (€1,266m), Manchester United (€1,130m), Manchester City (€1,118m) and Bayern Munich (€1,068m).

Monday, 17 May 2021

Conor McGregor and fiancée Dee Devlin welcome their third child together

Conor McGregor and his fiancee, Dee Devlin, have welcomed their child, a son called Rían.

The UFC champ McGregor, 32, took to Instagram to make the announcement of Monday afternoon, May 17, as he shared a snap of himself posing with his new bundle of joy.

Captioning the adorable snap, he wrote: 'The McGregor Clan is now a family of 5 Healthy baby boy delivered! Baby and Mammy Wonder Woman are doing great!

'God I thank you for everything you give to me and my family in this world. My new born son, Rían McGregor .' 

Donald Trump says 'there is no way Joe Biden won the election' after new poll claims 67% of his voters do not consider the president to be the legitimate winner

Former US President, Donald Trump has said 'there is no way Joe Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election after a new poll claimed the majority of GOP voters do not consider the president to be the legitimate winner.

A CBS News poll published on Sunday, May 16, showed that 67 percent of self-described Republicans did not think that President Joe Biden won the election legitimately.

'Breaking News! New polling by CBS News on the state of the Republican Party (which is very strong!),' Trump wrote on his own website as he reacted to the outcome of the poll. 

''President Trump has a stronghold on the GOP." 80% of Republicans agree with the removal of Liz Cheney from GOP Leadership and only 20% disagree.

'The poll also showed that 67% of Republicans said that they do not consider Sleepy Joe Biden to be the legitimate winner of the 2020 Presidential Election. 

'I agree with them 100%, just look at the facts and the data—there is no way he won the 2020 Presidential Election!'

Cristiano Ronaldo fuels Juventus exit speculation as footage emerges of his seven supercars being removed from his mansion in Italy

Cristiano Ronaldo has fulled speculation regarding a possible summer exit from Juventus, after having his seven supercars transported away from his luxury home in Turin, Italy. Footage has emerged online of Ronaldo's multi-million-pound vehicles being loaded onto a truck of a well-known Portuguese moving company headed to Lisbon, Portugal.

J.Cole reveals why he no longer views Kendrick Lamar and Drake as competition

 

Rapper, J. Cole, says he is no longer trying to compete with his colleagues.

Fresh off the release of his new album, The Off-Season, the rapper paid a visit to “The ETCs” podcast with Kevin Durant and Eddie Gonzalez, where he reflected on his career and relationship with fellow rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which he says has evolved over time. 

According to the Grammy Award-winning rapper, he has learned to value friendship over competitiveness.

Zinedine Zidane to leave Madrid at the end of the season

Real Madrid manager, Zinedine Zidane plans to leave the club at the end of this season, according to new reports.

Zidane, who made his name as a player in the early 2000s and came back to win three champions league titles for Madrid as a coach told his players that he would not be coaching the team next season just before their clash with Sevilla last week, according to a report by GOAL.

The report says the Frenchman said he will walk away from the club at the end of the 2020-21 season, making it the second time he has resigned from the post, having previously quit following Madrid's third consecutive Champions League triumph in 2018. 

The major reason given for his decision to quit is that Zidane is  physically and mentally fatigued. With his decision to resign, there are now rumours linking the Frenchman to a sensational return to Juventus where he made his name as a player.

But it is doubtful whether he would be prepared to jump back into coaching so soon after leaving Madrid.


Tyson Fury confirms heavyweight fight with Anthony Joshua is set for August 14 in Saudi Arabia

Tyson Fury has confirmed his heavyweight fight with Anthony Joshua is on. Fury took to social media last night to declare that a heavyweight unification bout with his British rival will take place on August 14 in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua, 31, holds the WBA, WBO, and IBF belts, while Fury, 32, is the WBC champion. 

In a video posted to Twitter, Fury said: 'I have got some massive news. I have just got off the phone with Prince Khalid of Saudi Arabia and he told me this fight is 100 percent on, August 14.

 'All eyes of the world will be on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 'I cannot wait, I repeat, cannot wait to smash Anthony Joshua on the biggest stage of all time.

'This is going to be the biggest sporting event ever to grace the planet Earth. Do not miss it.'

 

Friday, 14 May 2021

"A lot of people wrote me off' - Kelechi Iheanacho reflects on his early struggles at Leicester City

Super Eagles of Nigeria striker, Kelechi Iheanacho has opened up on his early struggles when he joined Leicester City.

Manchester City sold Iheanacho to the Foxes on a five-year contract worth £25 million, but he performed miserably when he joined which led to some critics questioning manager, Brendan Rodgers’ decision to not offload him.

His below-par performances not only cost him a place in the Leicester squad but he was also axed from Gernot Rohr’s Nigeria team to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad staged in Egypt.

Marcelo is axed from the Real Madrid squad 'after a bust-up with boss Zinedine Zidane

Marcelo has reportedly been axed from Real Madrid's squad following an argument with boss Zinedine Zidane over his tactics and team selections. 

The Brazilian left-back had grown increasingly frustrated with his manager after being relegated to a backup role with Ferland Mendy often the preferred left-back option.

With Ferland Mendy currently out for the remainder of the season, Marcelo was to be in line to start the crucial match at the Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes.

Prince Harry reveals he first met wife Meghan Markle in a supermarket

Prince Harry has said he first met Meghan Markle in a supermarket and they pretended they didn’t know who each other were. He said they acted like they were grabbing some essentials at the shops as they got together for the first time.

The royal couple did their best to stay “incognito” to avoid attracting attention. Harry says he wore a cap and was looking at the floor as they finally met up.

The Duke of Sussex made this revelation while speaking during Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast.

Cristiano Ronaldo's teammates are reportedly angry with the preferential treatment he gets after he skipped training to collect new £1.4M Ferrari

Cristiano Ronaldo's teammates at Juventus are reportedly angry with him and he has been 'isolated' in the Juventus dressing-room with teammates believing the Portuguese star has too much freedom. 

Ronaldo scored his 100th goal for the Old Lady in a 3-1 win at Sassuolo on Wednesday which keeps Andrea Pirlo's side in the hunt for a top-four spot, though they still need Napoli to drop points in one of their final two games. 

U.S. says fully vaccinated Americans can return to life without masks

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has announced that fully vaccinated Americans can return to life without masks in a major step toward returning to pre-life.

CDC Director, Rochelle Walensky made the announcement at a White House briefing Thursday, May 13. 

"If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic," Walensky said, announcing the sweeping change. "Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing."

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to fight in a 'specially-built stadium in Saudi Arabia'

The mouthwatering heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury will take place in a purpose-built stadium in Saudi Arabia, according to Eddie Hearn.

This comes days after the boxing promoter confirmed the fight will take place in Saudi Arabia on August 14.

Hearn has shared more updates on the upcoming fight, revealing that plans are in place for an entirely new venue to stage the fight for the undisputed heavyweight title.

Discussing the venue, Hearn told Sky Sports about the hosts in Saudi Arabia: "They want to build a new stadium. They have indoor options.

"In August at 11pm, it will be about 23 degrees.

"They want to create something very, very special. The last time they built a stadium for the Andy Ruiz Jr fight in just seven weeks and it held 18,000.

"This will be a similar set-up.

Wednesday, 12 May 2021

Goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, 43, confirms he'll leave Juventus at the end of the season

Italian goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon has confirmed he will leave Juventus for the second time in his career, saying he has reached "the end of a cycle".

The former Italian international returned to Juventus in July 2019 after a season at Paris St-Germain and won't be renewing his deal with his contract expiring in June. The 43-year-old has played seven Serie A games for Juve this campaign and the Coppa Italia final against Atalanta on May 19 is set to be his last for the club.

Billboard Music Awards announces Drake is the "Artist Of The Decade"

Drake has been announced as the recipient of an artist of the decade award and will receive the top honor at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards. 

The 34-year-old Canadian rapper will be honored with the Artist of the Decade Award at the ceremony, which is broadcasting live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, May 23.

Cristiano Ronaldo buys £1.4m customized supercar after skipping Juventus training to visit Ferrari garage

Cristiano Ronaldo skipped training with his Juventus mates to visit Ferrari's factory in Maranello and then treated himself to a £1.4m Ferrari supercar according to reports.

Ronaldo, 36, decided to give himself Monday off just a day after the crushing 3-0 defeat against AC Milan that leaves their Champions League dreams in tatters as they sit in the fifth spot with just three games to go.

Zack Steffen becomes first American to win Premier League title with Manchester City

Manchester City is officially Premier League champions for the 2020/2021 season, with US men's national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen becoming the first American to play for the Premier League winners.

City lifted the Premier League title on Tuesday, May 11, when Manchester United lost to Leicester City, making it impossible to overcome a 10 point gap at the top with three matches to go. This is City's fifth Premier League title.

Steffen, 26, made one Premier League appearance in the 2020-21 season, a 3-1 win over Chelsea in January that also served as his Premier League debut. He was the team's first choice in goal during their run in the Carabao Cup, which Manchester City lifted at the end of last month.

Thursday, 6 May 2021

Meghan wins the remainder of her copyright claim against Mail On Sunday over letter to her father

The Duchess of Sussex has won the remainder of her copyright claim against the Mail on Sunday over the publication of a letter she wrote to her estranged father.

Meghan, 39, sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Mail On Sunday and MailOnline over a series of articles that reproduced parts of a handwritten letter sent to Thomas Markle, 76, in August 2018.

Donald Trump blasts Facebook for extending ban, calls it a crime against free speech

Former US President Donald Trump has blasted Facebook’s decision to extend his ban as they plan to review his case for another six months to determine a defined penalty.

Recall the social media giant had announced in January that Trump was locked out of his accounts on Facebook and Instagram indefinitely following the deadly Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

Meek Mill shows off his baby boy with Milan Harris

American rapper, Meek Mill has shared the first photo of his baby boy, Czar, in anticipation of his first birthday on Thursday, May 6. 

The 33-year-old Philadelphia rapper, who welcomed the child with his ex-girlfriend, Milan Harris of Milano Di Rouge, posted the adorable photo of their son to his Instagram page and wished him an early happy birthday.

Bill Gates reportedly gave Melinda Gates almost $2billion in stocks the same day she filed for divorce

Bill Gates reportedly gave his estranged wife nearly $2 billion in stocks the same day she filed for divorce to end their marriage of 27 years.

On Monday, May 3, the couple announced that they are ending their marriage after 27 years, saying they “no longer believe we can grow together as a couple”.

Queen Elizabeth sends Meghan Markle and Prince Harry birthday message as their son Archie turns two

Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family have wished Archie a happy birthday as he turns 2 today.

"Wishing Archie Mountbatten-Windsor a very happy 2nd birthday today," the official @RoyalFamily Twitter account posted on Thursday morning, along with a balloon emoji.

Qatar finance minister, Ali Sherif al-Emadi arrested over alleged embezzlement

Qatari Finance Minister, Ali Sherif al-Emadi has been arrested for questioning over allegations of embezzlement, abuse of power, and crimes related to the public sector. 

A statement carried by state news agency QNA announced his arrest on Thursday, May 6. 

"After reviewing documents, and their attached reports, The Attorney General ordered the arrest of the Minister of Finance Ali Sharif Al-Emadi to investigate what was mentioned in the reports of crimes related to practicing public office, which was damage to public funds, abuse of public office, and abusive of power. The Attorney General ordered extensive investigations regarding the crimes raised in the documents,” read the official statement.

Monday, 3 May 2021

North Korea warns US and South Korea of 'crisis beyond control' in heated statements

 

The Secretive state of North Korea has warned the United States it will face a "crisis beyond control in the near future" and accused South Korea of carrying out an "intolerable provocation" against Pyongyang in a series of statements released Sunday, May 2.