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Showing posts from March 21, 2023

NBA legend, Shaquille O'Neal sparks concern by tweeting photo of himself in a hospital bed

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  NBA legend, Shaquille O'Neal has sparked concern after he posted a photograph of himself in a hospital bed. It's unclear why O'Neal is in the hospital but TMZ is reporting that O'Neal underwent hip surgery over the weekend to repair a 'nagging injury,' but that he's now doing fine.   The 51-year-old posted the picture of himself on Twitter along with the caption: 'I'm always watching @TurnerSportsEJ and @Candace_Parker miss y'all.'     The Twitter handles belong to his TNT co-hosts, Ernie Johnson and Candace Parker. Parker responded online, writing: 'Love ya big Fella.' Former NBA stars Steve Smith and Roy Hibbert both shared their concern for O'Neal on Twitter. 'U good big man?' asked Hibbert.  

Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Paul Grant dies at 56 after collapsing in public

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An actor who appeared in the Star Wars and Harry Potter films has died. Paul Grant, who played an Ewok in Return of the Jedi and a goblin in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was found collapsed outside King's Cross station in London last Thursday afternoon, March 16. The 56-year-old's daughter, Sophie Jayne Grant, confirmed his death to Sky News, saying: "I'm heartbroken... No girl deserves their dad to be taken away... He was so well known and loved [for his work]. He's gone too soon." Mr Grant was pronounced dead at 3.49am on March 20, but had been declared brain dead before that following his collapse. A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called at 2.08pm on Thursday 16 March to reports of an incident at St Pancras Station, Euston Road. "We sent an ambulance crew and a medic in a response car. We treated a man at the scene and took him to hospital as a priority."   Mr Grant is survived by his girlfri...

French President, Emmanuel Macron survives no-confidence votes amid plans to raise retirement age from 62 to 64

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Emmanuel Macron’s government survived two no-confidence votes brought by opposition lawmakers on Monday over hugely unpopular pension reforms. The poll in the National Assembly on Monday was triggered by the head of state raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a parliamentary vote.   The no-confidence motion filed by a small group called Liot garnered support from 278 members of parliament in the National Assembly, falling short by only 9 votes, an unexpectedly close result. A separate one filed by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party only received 94 votes because other opposition parties remain wary of teaming up with the far-right party. The no-confidence motions were the result of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne triggering the 49.3 clause of the French constitution last week, passing the draft law without a parliamentary vote. Now that the motions have failed, the pensions reform raising the retirement age by two years to 64 can be adopted and the Borne g...

MMA fighter Iuri Lapicus dies in a motorcycle crash in Italy

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  One Championship fighter Iuri Lapicus died Monday, March 20, in Italy from injuries he sustained in a motorcycle crash last week.  The 27-year-old rising mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter had lost control of his motorbike on Friday, March 17, in Northwest Milan, crashing into another vehicle.   He was taken by helicopter to a hospital and had remained in a coma, until he tragically succumbed to his injuries on Monday. One Championship, the org. Lapicus began fighting for in 2019, confirmed his death, describing it as “heartbreaking”.    "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones at this difficult time," the org said in a statement to ESPN. Lapicus had fought five times in the ONE Championship, logging a 2-2 record. His April 2021 bout against Alvarez ultimately ended in a no-contest. His last fight was against Zebaztian Kadestam on August 26, 2022, but the Modolvan-Italian fighter lost, going down in Round 1 via KO.

Finland retains 1st position as world's happiest country while Nigeria ranked 95th

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  Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the world for the sixth year in a row, with a happiness score significantly ahead of all other countries. The enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the war in Ukraine, and worldwide inflation made 2022 a year of global crises but the human resolve to be happy has been "remarkably resilient," says the 2023 World Happiness Report, which recorded global satisfaction averages as high as those in the pre-pandemic years.  The report, which draws on global survey data from people in more than 150 countries, placed Finland in the top position for the sixth year in a row. Other countries in the top ten include Denmark, Iceland, Israel, Netherlands. While Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg and New Zealand make up 6,7,8,9, and 10th position.   The report utilized the World Happiness Report—an annual survey of how satisfied citizens are worldwide—to map out the world’s happiest and least happy co...