Politics
Messi The Latest Pawn In Proxy Rivalry In Middle East
Lionel Messi was scheduled to workout with his Paris Saint-Germain colleagues on Monday, with his club locked in a tense French league title race.
Instead, he was in Saudi Arabia, petting a falcon, seeing a palm-weaving performance, and touring the Arabian Horse Museum as part of a business partnership with the kingdom to promote tourism in the Middle Eastern country.
It will be an expensive trip for the recent World Cup champion.
Messi has been suspended by PSG, supposedly for two weeks, during which he will not be paid or allowed to practice or play with the squad. That could signal the end of a turbulent and somewhat underwhelming two-season stint at a club where soap opera-style drama, both on and off the pitch, is never far away, given the presence of other superstars such as Kylian Mbappé and Neymar in the squad.
It also highlights the difficulties arising from Qatar and Saudi Arabia – gulf neighbors and strong recent adversaries in regional politics — becoming big football influencers.
Messi is at the center of it all by choice and because everyone — inside and outside the game — wants a piece of one of the all-time greats.
Argentina forward never intended to play for PSG, a club owned by Qatar Sports Investments, but found himself transferring there in 2021 after his previous team, Barcelona, ran into financial difficulties that are still ongoing.
It immediately put Messi in the hands of Qataris, as QSI is a subsidiary of the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund, and invited accusations of sports washing against him.
Messi put himself in an even more precarious situation last year when he agreed to be effectively an ambassador for Saudi Arabia only months before the World Cup in Qatar.
Lionel Messi was scheduled to workout with his Paris Saint-Germain colleagues on Monday, with his club locked in a tense French league title race.
As a result, he chose to make this week’s journey to the kingdom without PSG’s authorization and during a period when the squad had been requested to practice in response to the team’s 3-1 setback at home to Lorient on Sunday.
According to the French daily L’Equipe, PSG coach Christophe Galtier has promised his players a day off on Monday and Tuesday if they win Lorient. Instead, the team practiced on Monday and had the day off on Tuesday.
Following Messi’s suspension, the Saudi Tourism Authority issued a lengthy news release detailing the movements of the “football icon” and his family on a day he was supposed to be in France. Other trip highlights included “feeding the indigenous Arabian gazelles,” the Messis were supposedly “charmed by the authenticity and architecture of At-Turaif, as well as the beauty of the Arabian horses.”
“Messi’s visit to Saudi Arabia was jam-packed with exciting activities, with something for everyone in the family,” enthused the tourism board.
It would be fascinating reading for PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chairman of QSI and beIN Media Group, which has recently been the victim of broadcasting piracy in Saudi Arabia.
Indeed, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are fighting over who will be the epicenter of Asian football. The president of the Asian Football Confederation is up for grabs in 2027, and both organizations have possible candidates lined up.
The presidents of the Saudi and Qatari football federations, Yasser Almisehal and Sheikh Hamad Al Thani, have been members of the FIFA Council, the executive body that makes decisions in world football, since the February elections.
The neighbors and rivals were battling for the right to host the Asian Cup in 2027 until a solution arose that rewarded both.
Qatar stepped up after China rescinded hosting rights for the 2023 event, citing the COVID-19 outbreak, and the tournament will begin in January in Doha. The AFC then granted Saudi Arabia the 2027 edition, a possible tryout for future World Cup dreams, possibly in 2034.
Messi put himself in an even more precarious situation last year when he agreed to be effectively an ambassador for Saudi Arabia only months before the World Cup in Qatar.
It does not end with football. Doha will host the multi-sport Asian Games in 2030, and Qatar is largely expected to launch a new bid to host the Olympics in 2036.
The 2034 Asian Games will be held in Riyadh, and Saudi Arabia has won the bid to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Trojena, a futuristic mountainous resort that has yet to be developed.
All of this is above Messi’s head, but his decisions over the last two years have put him front and center in this regional competition.
However, his association with PSG may be coming to an end. His contract ends at the end of the season, and there is speculation regarding his next move, with speculations tying him to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, a return to Barcelona, and, of course, a lucrative move to a Saudi team, possibly Al-Hilal.
Playing for Al-Hilal would pit him against long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been with Saudi club Al-Nassr since the beginning of the year.
Moving the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry to Saudi Arabia would encapsulate modern-day soccer, with the Middle East’s riches proving as alluring to two of the game’s GOATs as they are to FIFA and other sports organizations.
SOURCE – (AP)
Politics
Trudeau GST Tax Holiday to Cost Taxpayers $6.3 Billion
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a two-month GST break on some purchases and a one-time $250 rebate for all Canadians earning less than $150,000. The proposed GST break would last from December 14 to February 15.
The Liberals said it would cover various things, including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals, and beer and wine. It also refers to real and artificial Christmas trees, snack foods and beverages, and video game systems.
The move will cost taxpayers almost $4.7 billion, and the GST exemption will cost an additional $1.6 billion, totaling $6.3 Billion.
The federal government is now running a significant deficit. This raises the question of who will have to foot the $6.3 billion bill for today’s one-time payments. The government will have to borrow the money, and future taxpayers must either repay it or service the additional debt perpetually.
Critics argue that the GST credit is a collection of terrible ideas that will do little to lift Canada out of the long-term economic rut in which our economy is stuck.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre responded Thursday to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pledge of a “GST Holiday” for Canadians, calling it a “tax trick.”
Poilievre stated that the temporary exemption from the Goods and Services Tax on various ordinary commodities “would not make up for the permanent quadrupling carbon tax on heat, housing, food, and fuel.”
Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet stated he is “against any idea of a prime minister who says, ‘I will give you money in order for you to consider voting for me.'”
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, temporary sales tax holidays will only increase confusion and administrative burden for small business owners.
A temporary sales tax decrease would help boost demand in some industries, including restaurants, Canadians, and companies, which require sustainable tax relief during the slow post-holiday season.
The changes amid an inflation-driven affordability crisis have left many dissatisfied with the Trudeau government. A federal election is scheduled for before next October, although it might happen sooner if the minority government falls before then.
For months, the Conservatives have held a double-digit lead over the Liberals in public opinion polls, with Leader Pierre Poilievre promising to cut taxes and government spending to restore affordability.
High inflation has also pressured the Liberals to avoid proposing policies that would boost spending and raise fuel prices.
According to the Fraser Institute, The Trudeau government got one thing fundamentally right: Lowering the tax burden on Canadians has benefits. Unfortunately, the policy package it has proposed to deliver tax relief is completely wrong.
It lowers the incorrect taxes, moves taxes temporarily rather than lowering them, does little to improve economic incentives, and punishes future taxpayers. With the holiday season approaching, this attempt at a gift for Canadian taxpayers is the economic equivalent of a lump of coal in the stocking.
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Politics
Matt Gaetz Withdraws as Trump’s Pick for Attorney General
Congressman Matt Gaetz has withdrawn as President-elect Donald Trump’s candidate for Attorney General, citing concerns about a federal sex trafficking probe that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed.
Gaetz resigned after failing to persuade the Senate to endorse his contentious candidacy. Shortly after Gaetz’s unexpected departure, the president-elect issued a statement applauding his former AG nominee’s choice to seek Senate confirmation.
“I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all the great things he will do!” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social.
Gaetz had earlier stated that he was retiring from his current seat in Congress and would not take the oath of office for the upcoming session, which begins in January. Now that he has withdrawn from consideration for AG, his future in Washington is uncertain.
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Politics
Eric Hovde Concedes The United States Senate Race To Tammy Baldwin.
(VOR News) – Eric Hovde, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate, has acknowledged that he was defeated by Tammy Baldwin, the Democratic candidate for the same seat on the ballot.
Baldwin acknowledged Hovde’s defeat and consented to it. Furthermore, he released a statement in which he contends that the election results are not only inaccurate, but also devoid of any factual foundation.
Eric Hovde experienced this two weeks after the election.
Baldwin emerged as the unofficial victor of the Senate campaign in Wisconsin, a race that was closely monitored by a significant number of individuals. Baldwin was awarded the title of victor on November 6th. Baldwin emerged victorious by a razor-thin margin.
According to the data provided by the Associated Press, Baldwin emerged victorious by a margin of 29,116 ballots, which is approximately equivalent to 0.9 percent of the total votes cast. Baldwin emerged victorious by a substantial margin, as indicated by the results.
Hovde issued his public apology subsequent to the conclusion of the canvassing of the results by the majority of county clerks throughout the state. This process will ultimately result in the results being recognized as official. Publication of Eric Hovde’s decision. Not only were the results announced at this time, but they were also proclaimed in an official capacity.
The exact phrase of the announcement, “Thank you for your support,” was included in a post by Eric Hovde on Monday and published on the social networking site X.
The public was notified of this announcement. The announcement was public on Monday. It has drawn a lot of attention. “It is time to begin moving on.”
In contrast, Eric Hovde’s film began with a somewhat less inclusive tone, which persisted throughout. He made this assumption without offering any evidence to back it up, and his claims that there were “many troubling issues” with absentee ballots tabulated late on election night were factually incorrect. His claims were not supported by empirical evidence.
His claims were unsupported by any proof. Not a single piece of evidence could possibly prove that his allegations were correct. He stated in the statement that “numerous supporters” had demanded that he challenge the election results. He acknowledged receiving the request.
Eric Hovde acknowledged receiving these demands.
In particular, Eric Hovde asserts, “However, a request for a recount would serve no purpose if it were not for a detailed review of all the ballots and their legitimacy, which will be difficult to obtain in the courts.”
Subsequently, you would recount the identical ballots, regardless of their authenticity. This is the reason, as elucidated in this article. This is the rationale for the current state of affairs.
Hovde and his campaign refrained from issuing any public statements subsequent to Baldwin’s disclosure that Eric Hovde had emerged victorious in the election, which transpired over a week after Baldwin’s initial announcement.
The previous week, he uploaded a video to social media platforms that expressed his “deeply concerned” sentiments regarding the election results in Milwaukee.
The election was conducted in Milwaukee. While the film was being screened, there was a discussion regarding the results of the election in Milwaukee. As the ballots were still being counted in the largest city in Wisconsin on the evening of the election, he expressed his “shock” at the sequence of events that had transpired.
Eric Hovde was emphasizing the occurrence of specific events.
In addition, he declared that ballots were still being tallied at the time of the election. Eric Hovde made this declaration during the voting period, while ballots were still being tabulated.
Baldwin’s team referenced her victory speech, which she delivered the week prior to the election, in response to a request for comment that was submitted on Monday.
In response to the campaign’s request, this action was implemented.
A representative of Baldwin’s team has verified that “Hovde has not called,” which is consistent with the information that was disclosed on Monday morning. The representative who provided these details has worked in a variety of capacities throughout their career.
SOURCE: WPR
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