Author: Steven Sahiounie

CNN Business — Elon Musk said Thursday that he will begin restoring most previously banned accounts on Twitter starting next week, in his most wide-reaching move yet to undo the social media platform’s policy of permanently suspending users who repeatedly violated its rules.“The people have spoken,” Musk tweeted on Thursday. “Amnesty begins next week. Vox Populi, Vox Dei.”The announcement comes after Musk on Wednesday polled his followers about whether to offer “general amnesty to suspended accounts, provided that they have not broken the law or engaged in egregious spam.”The poll, which closed around 12:45 pm ET on Thursday, finished with…

Defending champions France became the first team to secure a place in the knockout stages at the Qatar World Cup as they beat Denmark 2-1 thanks to a double from Kylian Mbappe. France broke the deadlock in the 61st minute of the Group D encounter at Stadium 974 in Doha when Mbappe linked up with Theo Hernandez before side-footing a finish past Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. Denmark hit back seven minutes later when Andres Christensen headed in a flick-on by Joachim Andersen at a corner, but Mbappe struck again in the 86th minute when he arrived at the back post…

Russia is aiming to remain part of UEFA and sees more benefits in staying with the European organization than moving to its Asian counterpart, according to football official Aleksandr Alaev.Russian teams are currently banned from UEFA competitions at all levels following a decision imposed alongside FIFA at the end of February because of the conflict in Ukraine.Reports in Russia have suggested that the Russian Football Union (RFU) could seek to move to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), where it would presumably be more welcome and avoid similar sanctions.But Russian Premier League president Alaev has detailed why his country would be…

The Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK) has called on FIFA to take action after accusing Serbia of an “aggressive” act with the display of a flag at the World Cup in Qatar. Images circulating on social media showed the flag hanging in the Serbian team’s locker room prior to their opening World Cup match against Brazil on Thursday. The banner showed a version of the Serbian flag with a map of the country including Kosovo as part of it. The slogan “there will be no surrender” was written on the banner. The FFK published a demand to FIFA on its website on Friday, railing…

Robert Lewandowski was on the scoresheet for the first time in a World Cup match as the forward helped Poland to a 2-0 win against Saudi Arabia in Qatar on Saturday. Lewandowski struck in the 82nd minute of the match at Education City Stadium, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to slot the ball past Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais. One of the most prolific forwards of his generation, the 34-year-old Lewandowski had not previously made his mark in four appearances at the World Cup finals – including three games at the Russia 2018 tournament. The goal was his 77th in 136…

At least 13 flights had to be diverted from Berlin Brandenburg Airport on Thursday after several eco-activists broke onto the runway and glued themselves to the tarmac to protest greenhouse gas emissions. The environmental group Last Generation has since claimed responsibility for the act and explained it as an attempt to persuade the public to stop traveling by air and force the government to stop subsidizing air travel. The group is also responsible for the recent string of attacks on priceless paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet. “In an airport area that is not open to the public,…

Cristiano Ronaldo carved out another piece of history for himself when he opened the scoring in Portugal’s 3-2 Group H win against Ghana at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The former Manchester United star scored the 118th goal of a remarkable career in international football with a second-half penalty to break the deadlock, and Ghanian hearts, just after the hour mark. Already the top goalscorer in international football history, Ronaldo’s successful spot kick meant that he became the first male player to score at five different World Cups, and also the second-oldest goalscorer in World Cup finals. The 37-year-old…

Olympic cross-country skiing champion Veronika Stepanova has accused the Guardian newspaper of spreading “poison,” after she was named in an article which alleged that the Russian leadership is “indoctrinating” the nation’s youth.An opinion piece by Ian Garner – published on Wednesday under the headline “How Putin is preparing children to ‘die for the motherland’” – claimed that popular Russian athletes such as Stepanova and Olympic champion gymnast Nikita Nagornyy are using social media to boost support for the Russian military through its ‘Youth Army’.“The 21-year-old champion skier Veronika Stepanova… posts about her life as an athlete today, as a teen…

Russia may be absent from the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar, but Gael Ondoua, the Cameroonian international midfielder who holds dual Russian nationality, has made sure the country’s flag will at least be present at the tournament. Cameroon came up short in their first Group G encounter on Thursday, losing out to Switzerland through a single goal from the Cameroon-born Breel Embolo, but second-half substitute Ondoua took to the pitch with boots emblazoned with the flags of both Cameroon and Russia. Former CSKA Moscow and Anzhi Makhachkala player Ondoua previously spent several seasons in Russian football after emerging from the Lokomotiv…

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo arrived in the Qatari capital city of Doha on Thursday morning to attend his country’s match at the FIFA World Cup 2022 against Portugal.Upon his arrival, the president visited Ghana’s national team hotel to show his support for the “Black Stars” ahead of their anticipated first game at the tournament. The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar is Ghana’s fourth in the history of the tournament. The Black Stars qualified to Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, and Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cups. Ghana’s opponent, Portugal, has qualified the FIFA World Cup seven times in 1966, 1986…