Posts

A Different Kind of December: Christmas on the Beach

Image
  Christmas on the Shore: A Holiday Wrapped in Sunlight There’s something quietly rebellious about spending Christmas on the beach. While the rest of the world pulls on wool sweaters, warms their hands around mugs of spiced cider, and braces for winter’s bite, you’re standing barefoot in warm sand, with the sun painting everything in gold. The ocean murmurs in the background like an easygoing caroler who only knows one verse but hums it proudly. Christmas ornaments sparkle in palm trees instead of pines. And the only frost you’ll see is the faint mist on the rim of a cold drink pulled from an ice chest. For many people, Christmas is tied tightly to a sense of tradition. Snow. Fireplaces. Cozy nights. A sense of retreat from the cold. I grew up with that version, too. But the first time I celebrated Christmas on the beach, everything I thought I knew about the holiday rearranged itself. It didn’t ruin my childhood nostalgia. It didn’t replace it. Instead, it carved out a warm, sun...

Hilda Baci completes a world record attempt for the largest pot of Jollof rice

Image
  Nigerian chef Hilda ‘Baci’ Bassey has completed her attempt to set a world record for the largest pot of jollof rice during an eight-hour cooking session at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos. Using more than five tonnes of ingredients, Baci aimed to create the largest jollof dish ever prepared. She reported pouring 4,000 kilograms of basmati rice, 500 cartons of tomato concentrate, 750 kilograms of cooking oil, and 600 kilograms of onions into a large steel cauldron measuring six metres in diameter. Initially planning to cook 250 bags of rice, she adjusted the amount to 200 bags to remain within the 20,000-kilogram limit. “It was safer to keep it below the scale’s capacity. Reducing by 1,000 kilograms still gave us enough to feed 20,000 people,” she noted. The Weigh-In The event attracted thousands, with 20,000 individuals officially registered for the free occasion titled “Gino World Jollof Festival With Hilda Baci.” However, tension arose when the pot was lifted for weighing. Duri...

UK announces a £400m contract with Google Cloud Information

Image
The UK government has entered into a £400 million ($543 million) contract with Google Cloud, just days before President Donald Trump’s visit. The agreement is intended to enable the UK to utilize the same technology as the US and enhance bilateral cooperation.  According to Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD), the deal aims to strengthen secure communication links between the UK and US, complementing the existing intelligence and security partnership between the two nations the MoD stated, ''that the latest technology from Google Cloud, including AI, data analytics, and cyber security, will be made available to defence intelligence and national security experts.''  The department indicated that both the UK and US will now be able to use the same technology at the same classification, thus reinforcing allied missions and partnerships.  The ministry emphasized that data stored on the platform will not be shared with the US through this platform.  Additionally, the mini...

Maresca: Chelsea's striker delap could be out for up to three months

Image
  Chelsea striker Liam Delap may be out of action until December due to a hamstring injury sustained before the international break, according to manager Enzo Maresca. Delap, who joined the team from Ipswich for £30 million ($40 million) in June, has participated in all three of Chelsea's Premier League matches this season. However, he had to leave the field early during the 2-0 victory against Fulham on August 30. Maresca mentioned that Delap's recovery timeline is estimated to be around 10 to 12 weeks. In light of Delap's injury and following the departure of Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day, Chelsea has recalled forward Marc Guiu from a loan at Sunderland. Maresca also has Joao Pedro available, who signed from Brighton in July, but acknowledged a shortage of forward options ahead of the upcoming derby against Brentford. Maresca indicated that Guiu is currently the only option to play as a number nine, while Joao Pedro could also fill that role. D...

After record move, Slot urges patience with 'Best Striker' Isak

Image
  Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Friday referred to new signing Alexander Isak as “maybe the best striker in the world,” but cautioned that his integration into the team will be gradual due to a disrupted pre-season.  The Premier League champions acquired the Sweden forward from Newcastle on transfer deadline day for a British record fee of £125 million ($169 million), enhancing their already strong squad.  Isak’s arrival followed a prolonged pursuit and was part of a notable spending spree exceeding £400 million during the summer transfer window, although a late attempt to sign Crystal Palace and England defender Marc Guehi was unsuccessful.  “A lot of things happened on the last day (of the transfer window), which is not always the situation, because last season we hardly did anything during the whole window,” Slot noted. “But the thing that pleases me most, of course, is us getting the deal for Alex over the line.”  The Dutch manager commended Sweden coach Jo...

74 charges against Chelsea over alleged violations of agent rules

Image
The Football Association has charged Chelsea with 74 alleged breaches of rules regarding payments to agents that occurred between 2009 and 2022.  The FA indicated that the charges mainly involve the timeframe spanning the 2010/11 to 2015/16 seasons. Chelsea has until September 19 to respond to the charges.  Roman Abramovich significantly changed Chelsea’s circumstances after acquiring the club in west London in 2003.  He sold the club in May 2022 to a consortium that includes American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital.  Chelsea released a statement confirming that its discussions with the FA regarding issues that the club had self-reported are nearing resolution.  The statement noted that the ownership group completed the purchase of the club on May 30, 2022. “During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting regarding historical...

Oracle nears $1 trillion club, tech stocks rise

Image
  Oracle’s shares increased on Thursday, continuing a record surge from the previous session and positively affecting the tech sector.  A report from Reuters indicated that the company is approaching the significant milestone of a trillion-dollar valuation, driven by substantial growth in its AI cloud business.  The enterprise software company's notable rise has been supported by a series of multi-billion-dollar cloud contracts, highlighting the increasing demand for computing power as many companies invest heavily to lead in the AI industry.  The stock's performance also positions Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison to potentially surpass Elon Musk as the world's richest individual.  Additionally, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that OpenAI has entered into a $300 billion agreement with Oracle for computing power, one of the largest deals in history, which is expected to contribute significantly to the new revenue Oracle announced on Tuesday.  Or...

Premier League, Manchester City end months-long dispute over commercial deals

Image
  Manchester City and the Premier League have resolved their disagreement regarding the rules that govern commercial deals.  City has acknowledged that the current rules for 'associated party transactions' are “valid and binding.”  The club initiated arbitration proceedings on January 20 against the existing rules, which aim to ensure that transactions between teams and related entities are conducted at fair market value.  City's challenge reportedly included criticism of how the Premier League addressed shareholder loans under these rules.  Both the league and City have agreed to refrain from making further comments on the situation.  The associated party transaction rules were originally implemented in December 2021, following the Saudi-led acquisition of Newcastle earlier that year.  Last year, City successfully contested those rules, with a tribunal finding them unlawful on various grounds, including their exclusion of shareholder loans from fair m...