Cristiano Ronaldo will remain with Al-Nassr after his 42nd birthday by signing a new two-year contract.
After leaving Manchester United in agonizing circumstances and criticizing the club and declaring that he had “no respect” for manager Erik ten Hag, the Portugal captain, 40, joined the Riyadh-based team in December 2022.
There was a possibility that Ronaldo could leave Al-Nassr because his deal with Al-Nasr was going to expire at the end of June, but that has since been overturned.
Ronaldo stated in a post on X that “a new chapter begins.” Same desire and dream. Make history with each other.
Ronaldo’s five-time Ballon d’Or winner has scored a lot of goals for Al-Nassr, but the club has only recently won nine domestic titles.
Ronaldo led the league in scoring for a second consecutive year with 35 goals in 41 matches played across all divisions last term.
He has made 99 goals overall for Al-Nassr in 111 of his career’s 111 appearances, totaling 938 for club and country.
Ronaldo, a wanted man, emigrated to Saudi Arabia.
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Ronaldo stated on social media that the chapter was over a month ago.
Al-Nassr finished third and trophyless once more after the Saudi Pro League was finished.
Ronaldo reportedly earned the highest annual salary in football history with a salary of £177 million when he joined, fueling rumors that he was ready to leave the league.
After Al-Nassr failed to make it to the extended competition that is taking place in the United States, Fifa president Gianni Infantino suggested Ronaldo join a team playing in the Club World Cup.
Ronaldo claimed to have been turned down by offers from participating teams.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced during the highly anticipated draft night of the world’s most renowned basketball league, “The Houston Rockets select Khaman Maluach” with the 10th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft.
“From Rumbek, South Sudan, the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal and Duke]University]”, Silver added as the cameras cut to an emotional Maluach, who bowed his head and shook in disbelief during the ceremony on Wednesday at the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets NBA team.
After stepping up to the stage and picking up his draft hat, the 18-year-old eventually shed his tears and cried out loudly in his close circle.
One fan wrote, “Khaman Maluach’s reaction to being drafted is what sport is all about,” after seeing the moving footage.
The young player said it was a day he would “never forget” in his life as he capped off an incredible journey from the refugee camps in Africa to basketball’s highest stage.
What is the complete Maluach information:
Khaman Maluach, who is he?
Born on September 14, 2006 in Rumbek, a city in the centre of South Sudan, Maluach moved to neighbouring Uganda after a civil war erupted in his home country in 2013.
He was born and raised in Kawempe, a village on the outskirts of Kampala, a refugee camp in Uganda.
Khaman Maluach began playing basketball when and how?
Maluach picked up basketball quite late, at the age of 13, when the push towards the game came from an unexpected source: A motorcyclist, who stopped when he saw Maluach walking down a road in Uganda, and offered some unsolicited yet prophetic advice.
“You should start playing basketball, said he. You’ll be a tall person in three to four years, Maluach said in a statement to the website for the 2023 Olympic Games.
The soft-spoken player began playing seriously after attending a local championship organised by South Sudan’s basketball great Luol Deng in 2019.
He told the Ugandan basketball website Pro Insight in 2023, “I didn’t know basketball for a long time because of the lack of facilities there.”
“I had to walk at least 45 minutes to play basketball because it’s different out there.”
How tall is Khaman Maluach?
In Kawempe, Uganda, Maluach, who was 7-foot-2 (218cm), stood out among boys his age.
In his interview, Maluach said, “When I went to Deng’s tournament, I saw guys my height and felt like I belonged on a basketball court.”
Khaman Maluach poses after being drafted by the Phoenix Suns during the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York]Jennifer Pottheiser/Getty Images via AFP]
Maluach will he join the NBA?
When Maluach was chosen for the NBA draft on Wednesday, a chance he had previously feared was a delusion, he realized his long-term dream.
“]It was] me being delusional about my dreams, believing that I’m going to make it to the NBA one day and now, I’m here – I just got drafted”, an emotional Maluach told reporters shortly afterwards.
Maluach, a proud African, says his story inspires others to follow him wherever they are and keeps him going.
I explain to them that playing in the NBA is not rocket science and not crazy.
” Sometimes it’s OK to be delusional about your dreams and they end up happening. “
He is the most recently selected former NBA Academy Africa player.
How did Maluach transition to the NBA from South Sudan?
Maluach was selected by the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal in 2021, where he honed his basketball skills and worked hard to add muscle to his skinny frame.
He attributes his success to the academy.
A day before the NBA draft, Maluach told ESPN, “They guided me, put me in the right place at the right time for me to succeed.”
In 2024, he made his way to the United States after signing with one of the top college basketball programs in the country at Duke University.
In a Duke-versus-Arizonas game of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Khaman Maluach dunks the ball.
Maluach will play for which NBA team?
While Maluach’s pick was announced by Houston Rockets on draft night, he will play for the Phoenix Suns in his NBA rookie season, as his draft rights had already been traded to the Arizona club in a trade involving superstar Kevin Durant earlier in the week.
After finishing with a 36-46 regular season record, Phoenix was unable to make the NBA playoffs in the 2024-25 season.
After his draft, what did Maluach say?
” It’s such a special moment for me]to be picked], “he said while still in tears shortly after his draft.
I was just so happy because my family and I were able to have my head coach and my circle around me, who had the best day of my life and who had the opportunity to witness it with me.
Maluach was open and proud to discuss his African heritage without a blunder.
” I’m here representing the whole continent of Africa, “he said.
A smiling Maluach unveiled the inside of his jacket before the show, which had South Sudan’s and Uganda’s flags on one side.
I had the continent on my back when I lived in Africa, giving hope to young people and inspiring the next generation of African basketball players.
Maluach said he would send his draft hat back to Africa.
I’ll send it to my two Ugandan basketball players, who taught me the fundamentals.
Khaman Maluach: ☑️ Born in South Sudan 🇸🇸 grew up in Uganda Standing tall throughout the entire continent twitter.com/UzmCwzdHYV
The family of Khaman Maluach is where?
Maluach said his parents were watching the NBA Draft back in Uganda, but some of his family members surrounded him when his name was announced.
He later thanked his parents for elevating him to the status of a “good young man.”
I want to thank them a lot for raising me the way they should and for teaching me good values about life.
In a previous interview, Maluach said he wants to change his mother’s life by bringing her to the US.
Has South Sudan’s Khaman Maluach represented them?
When Maluach represented his country, South Sudan, at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in the Philippines, he was the youngest player at the time.
He was also part of their squad at the Paris Olympics 2024.
When Khaman Maluach represented South Sudan at the Paris 2024 Olympics, he faced the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry.
Khaman Maluach: Will Trump’s “Africa visa ban” affect him?
When the US government revoked all existing visas issued to South Sudanese passport holders and barred further entries of the country’s nationals due to a failed deportation case in April, it signalled an escalation of the Trump administration’s sweeping crackdown on immigration.
While announcing the move, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that South Sudan had taken advantage of Washington by not cooperating fully with the African nation’s transitional government and that the country had not “taken advantage of” it. Since Donald Trump’s election as president, this was the first time a country has received a blanket ban.
At the time of the announcement, Maluach was still at Duke on a student visa and the university said it was” aware of the announcement”.
However, Maluach’s visa category is likely to change as his team, the Phoenix Suns, prepares to play there.
South Sudan’s basketball rank: what?
The African nation is ranked 23rd in FIBA’s rankings but are the top-ranked team on the continent.
Why does South Sudan play basketball so well?
South Sudan became the only African team to qualify for the Paris Olympics in 2024, joining the youngest nation at the FIBA World Cup in 2023.
According to the team’s head coach, Royal Ivey, the players ‘ resilience and hard work are to be credited for their success.
The coach of the Bright Stars said during the World Cup that “they know how to work, they push forward, they fought day in, day out, and we got here because of the hard work and the sweat we put in every day.”
Former two-time NBA All-Star Deng assumed the presidency of the South Sudanese Basketball Federation in 2019, recruited diaspora players, and briefly led the team on his own.
South Sudan’s leading scorer, Carlik Jones of the Chicago Bulls, credits Deng as one of the main reasons for the game’s development in the conflict-ridden country.
After completing all 19 of its Action Plan items, Nigeria is now one step closer to leaving the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
A significant step forward in the global anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing framework is the country’s legal and institutional reforms that have resulted in compliance with 36 of the 40 FATF Recommendations.
At the opening of the National Task Force’s four-day retreat in Abuja, the Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Hafsat Bakari, highlighted this progress.
Hafsat Bakari, the NFIU’s head,
READ ALSO: NFIU, NFIU, and Nigeria Nears Exit from the FATF Grey List
Bakari stressed the value of being prepared for the FATF Africa Joint Group’s trip to New York City next month.
Senior government departments, MDAs, including law enforcement, regulatory, intelligence, and prosecutorial bodies, gathered for the retreat. Ola Olukoyede, the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and Musa Aliyu, the head of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), among others, were present.
The retreat’s goal is to ensure that all MDAs are able to confidently present and defend the FATF assessors’ reports, reforms, and data.
Also read: EFCC Chair Tells Nigerian Students: “Internet Fraud Not A Shortcut To Wealth”
Bakari urged all participants to continue to work together and demonstrate that Nigeria’s reforms are both feasible and viable beyond the confines of grey list monitoring. The onsite assessment, scheduled for the following month, represents the first step toward full integration into the world financial system.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, has made a defiant statement in his first statements since a ceasefire with Israel, saying that Iran will “never surrender” to the United States.
In one of his statements, the American president said Iran had to give up. Surrender ! In a statement and televised speech released by state media on Thursday, Khamenei said, “It is no longer a question of enrichment, nor of the nuclear industry, but rather of Iran’s surrender.” “Such a situation (surrender) will never occur. It won’t ever occur.
It was Khamenei’s first public appearance since June 19 when a ceasefire put an end to a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, which was the foe’s most bloody and destructive confrontation.
The speech comes amid conflicting reports in the US about how much damage was done by US strikes on important Iranian nuclear sites in the conflict at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The strikes “obliterated” nuclear facilities, according to US President Donald Trump.
Khamenei claimed Trump “exaggerated” the impact of the attacks and that the US “lost nothing” from the conflict, while claiming that US strikes “did nothing significant” to Iran’s nuclear facilities.
In response to Iran’s missile launch at the largest US base in the Middle East, which left no casualties, he said, “The Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap the face of America.”
Khamenei also addressed the country’s armed forces, according to Resul Serdar, who is a reporter from Tehran, to congratulate them and refute Iran’s claims that the army has been “huge blows” from Israeli attacks.
Iranians who fled Tehran during the war have since gradually returned to the city, according to Serdar, “because they believe this was just the first wave of the war.”
Many people are skeptical about Iran’s air defense systems’ effectiveness and believe that the US and Israel might launch an attack on the country in the future.
According to Khamenei, the Iranian army successfully attacked both military and non-military positions, causing significant damage to Israel. Serdar added that “if Israel attacks us once more, they will see a further destruction”
In his speech, Khamenei did not threaten Israel or the United States with military action, but he did state that the nation’s nuclear program was still largely in place, according to Serdar, in contrast to US assertions.
He claimed that Iran would continue to support its nuclear program and that the majority of the sites were still operational.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Israel as a “historic victory” on Tuesday as both Iran and Israel won the 12-day conflict.
Iran has also stated that it is open to engaging in nuclear negotiations with Washington.
According to Tehran’s health ministry, at least 627 civilians were killed in Israel’s attacks, and 28 were killed in Israel’s attacks, according to official figures from the Iranian government.
Tadhg Furlong pronounced himself ready for the challenges of a third Lions tour ahead of Saturday’s first game on Australian soil against Western Force here in Perth.
The 32 year-old is a veteran of the last two tours to New Zealand in 2017, which ended in a draw, and South Africa four years ago, when the Lions lost.
The Leinster prop, however, was a stalwart of both series playing in all six tests matches and he’d like to extend that run Down Under.
“Would it be cool to say that I played in all three again?
” Yeah, it would. Is it something that motivates me at the minute? No.
“I think obviously after the result last weekend, we’re looking straight ahead for this Saturday, so it’s just about trying to get my best out onto the pitch and trying to get results with the lads”, explained Furlong.
Not so long ago there were doubts Furlong would make the squad. A calf strain was the latest in a long line of injuries that kept him sidelined for most of last season missing Leinster’s URC win a couple of weeks ago.
“There wasn’t a big bang and it was like you’re out for six months and you’re trying to scramble back.
” They’re all kind of short-term injuries, and you’re always trying to get back for this game or that game, and I suppose I was fully invested in the end of the season with Leinster, so it wasn’t ever feeling of you wouldn’t get back fit for something.
“It’s more a feeling of would you get picked, have you done enough?
Furlong will pack down in the front row against Western Force alongside his Leinster team mate and now Lions captain Dan Sheehan.
” I suppose knowing Dan, he doesn’t overthink it a whole lot, and he always plays well, and I think he has the respect of the group.
“I’m delighted for him as a friend and a teammate.
” He was a big old hooker and I remember him coming into a few scrum sessions.
Finding your slot, what’s comfortable, and what works for you is difficult.
Brave content creator Tanner Martin has said goodbye to his followers on social media just days after becoming a dad, saying he was excited to see what new adventures the afterlife had in store for him
The 30-year-old told fans he’d had a “heck of a life”(Image: Instagram)
The arrival of a first baby should be one of the happiest times in a couple’s life. But when Tanner Martin and Shay Wright welcomed their daughter AmyLou the moment was surely bittersweet, for the influencer was nearing the end of his five year journey with colorectal cancer.
Tanner, 30, died just over a month after the arrival of his bundle of joy and in an unusual step, he delivered the news of his passing himself in a pre-recorded video. Smiling at the camera in the footage posted by wife Shay, the content creator said: “Hey, it’s me, Tanner. If you’re watching this, I am dead.”
With a laugh to soften the news, Tanner bravely added: “I had a heck of a life. I decided to make this video announcing my death because I saw someone did that, like, a year or so ago, and I think it’s a good opportunity to get all your thoughts out.
READ MORE: Nihal Candan dead: Reality star dies age 30 after anorexia battle
Tanner announced his passing in a brave, uplifting video(Image: Instagram)
Signs of Tanner’s condition were evident in the video, with his voice weak and raspy. But his words were filled with positivity, with the influencer saying: “You guys, life was awesome. I really enjoyed it while I was here.
“Hopefully, I believe there’s something after this,” he continued. “I’m excited to meet those people, and hopefully we’re hanging out now and making fun of all you nerds. There’s just a lot of people that for the afterlife, I’m excited to see them, and excited to see them not in pain and just happy.”
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Knowing that the end was approaching, Tanner spent his final days soldiering through treat
The couple shared intimate footage of their bittersweet parenting journey (Image: instagram.com/tannerandshay/)
ment and spending precious moments with his newborn.
On May 11, he told his Instagram followers: “Just thought I’d hop on here and give you guys a quick update,” he began in the clip.
“The chemo makes me really hoarse, so I sound like a different me. But I’m doing okay, just tired. Guess what’s happening. Guess who arrives in six days,” he said, grabbing two little baby slippers alluding to the birth of his daughter.
“Anyway, that’s what I wanted to share. I stop my chemo for a week tomorrow because it’s three weeks on, one week off. Very excited for that… anyways, that’s my update. Love you.”
The influencer was diagnosed with colorectal cancer five years ago(Image: instagram.com/tannerandshay/)
Tanner was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer after he began experiencing stomach aches in 2020 and had trouble going to the bathroom. The disease had already spread to his liver by the time it was discovered and after battling sepsis for eight months in 2023, it spread to his lungs and he was given between two and five years to live.
Announcing Shay’s pregnancy in November 2024, the couple acknowledged concerns about Tanner’s imminent passing.
AmyLou arrived as a result of IVF on May 15 and a video showed the influencer meeting his daughter, whispering: “Sweetheart, I’ve been so excited to meet you. I love you so much… I’ve been waiting for this for so long.”
Tanner and Shay were married for six years(Image: Instagram)
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In his posthumous video, he thanked fans for their support and “helping to make the last years of my life here on earth like fun and enjoyable and helping me be comfortable”. Movingly, Tanner added that he had come to terms with his death.
