Shamrock Rovers player Markus Poom welcomed his first child before getting the go ahead from his wife to play against Chelsea. Markus and his wife Rebeca, who tied the knot in September 2021, announced the arrival of their baby girl Matilde on Monday and just days after her birth, he flew to the UK to […]
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BEAUTY fans don’t have to wait until the January sales to save money.
Amazon shoppers can now pick up a dupe of GHD straighteners for just £22.
Customers have heaped on the praise for the hair tool, which has received an almost perfect rating of 4.6 stars out of five.
The Remington Shine Therapy Hair Straightener is currently available for £21.45, reduced from £79.99.
And if the 73% savings isn’t enough to entice you, the gadget features “advanced ceramic coating infused with Moroccan Argan oil.”
The Moroccan oil includes Vitamin E to promote hair health and protect your locks while styling.
This straighteners also allow for a “sleek and smooth glide” and digital display showing the nine settings, ranging from 150-degrees Celsius to 230-degrees Celsius.
They are designed for a “fast heat up in 15 seconds” and have an auto switch-off after 60 minutes.
The item, which has been compared to £189 GHD straighteners, has received a 93% positive rating from over 10,000 customers.
Remington offers a five-year guarantee, plus an extra year when the straighteners are registered online.
According to manufacturers, the item “has been proven to give hair 86% more show-stopping shine in a consumer blind test of 60 respondents versus their own high street straightener.”
They added that the gadget helps give a “more intense shine,” while “tackling frizz” leaving you with “healthier looking hair in an instant.”
Impressed Amazon shoppers heaped on the praise for the budget beauty buy.
“I have always had GHD hair straighteners but after my last set broke I didn’t fancy spending over £100 on another set,” wrote one customer.
“I didn’t think these would be anywhere near as good but I am so impressed.
“They feel good quality and straighten my thick curly hair so quickly and effortlessly! Highly recommend!”
“Really needed to replace my GHDs but didn’t want to pay the price!” said another reviewer.
“After a lot of research, both reading and watching videos, I came across these.
“I have to say I was a bit dubious at first because I thought they can’t be this good for such a great price!
“However, I have had them several months now and I am very impressed!
“The quality is great, they are simple to use. I love how you can alter the heat settings.
“I would honestly give these a try before paying for a more expensive brand.”
CAMERON Dicker set a new NFL record during Thursday Night Football.
The Los Angeles Chargers kicker took advantage of a little-known rule to end the first half of the game.
Dicker took part in what is known as a fair catch free kick.
This is a field goal attempt that doesn’t have any defenders in formation to try blocking it.
The Chargers were able to attempt this play after fair catch interference was called on a punt, placing them in field goal range.
With no defenders on the field, Dicker booted a 57-yard field goal through the uprights.
That was the longest fair catch kick in NFL history.
The kick helped spark a comeback for the Chargers in the second half, as it shrank their first-half deficit to 21-13.
The Chargers went on to win 34-27.
Dicker gave credit to his special teams coordinator, Ryan Ficken, as he taught him about the rule in 2022.
He said Ficken prepares him weekly for this kind of scenario.
“It was awesome,” Dicker said.
“It was funny to be in that scenario and just be like, ‘Huh, there’s no lineup there. This looks a little weird,’ but it was really cool.”
The last fair catch kick attempt came in 2019 when Joey Slye missed a 60-yard attempt for the Carolina Panthers.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh loved the moment, and has been a part of a fair catch kick attempt in the past.
In 2013 as the San Francisco 49ers head coach he had Phil Dawson try a 71-yard fair catch kick that was missed.
“This is our chance; this is our moment,” Harbaugh said.
Netflix will be the global home of the NFL on Christmas Day this year.
The streaming service will show two special holiday games live around the world.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs kick off the double header against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 pm ET.
And they’ll be followed by the Baltimore Ravens at the Houston Texans from 4.30 pm ET.
That game will also feature a halftime show from Beyonce in her home town of Houston, Texas.
Netflix also confirmed their broadcast team for the day, led by Fox NFL commentator Greg Olsen and former Good Morning Football host Kay Adams.
“I wanted to try it from 65 [yards].”
Other members of the team had no clue what was going on, with some thinking they should go for a hail mary.
“Everybody was trying to figure out what was going on,” linebacker Bud Dupree said.
“We knew he could make it. We just didn’t understand. Was it going to be a two-point or three-point, or did we get the ball on the 1?
“We didn’t know.”
THIS is the chilling moment North Korean soldiers sent out to fight for Vladimir Putin are forced to jog through a snowy no-mans-land while Ukrainian troops pick them out one by one.
Despot Kim Jong-un has sent thousands of his men to die on the frontline of Putin’s illegal war – including in Kursk – a Russian border region taken by Kyiv earlier this year.
On a battlefield in Kursk, some two dozen men claimed to be North Korean fighters (DPRK) huddle together before jogging out towards enemy lines.
Dressed in Russian army fatigues, they make no effort to find cover and instead cross the icy field in clear view of Ukrainian drones.
Some crouch on the ground while others jog almost carelessly up and down the frontline in the drone video.
Ukrainian veteran Vitaliy, 35, told The Times it was “like a dream for our mortars and machinegunners”.
He added: “I don’t know if they all died. But put it this way, the attack was stopped pretty quickly.
“The Wagner group had a simple order: advance or die.
“It looked like exactly the same thing for the Koreans”.
The video captured a battle along the Ukrainian’s left flank on December 15 – as Kyiv’s forces grit their way through another winter at war.
Troops from Pyongyang have suffered “several hundred” casualties while fighting in the last few weeks, according to the White House and US military.
One US official said: “Several hundred casualties is our latest estimate that the DPRK has suffered.
“This includes everything from… light wounds up to being KIA [killed in action].”
Other drone videos released by Ukraine’s military claimed to show North Korean fighters on the front line and the bodies of slain Russian and Korean soldiers stacked together.
One clip reportedly shows the bodies of dozens of dead Korean soldiers laid out by Putin’s forces after another major clash in the Kursk region.
Meanwhile Ukrainian premier Volodymyr Zelensky has claimed that Russians are burning the faces off of dead North Korean soldiers so they remain unidentifiable.
Today marked Putin’s deadliest day of war so far, with 2,200 soldiers killed.
This brings the total casualties on the Russian side to 770,420, according to the Russian media outlet Pravda.
Almost 20,000 drones, 10,000 tanks and hundreds of warships, planes and helicopters have all been eliminated from the dictator’s arsenal, Kyiv has claimed.
Russia’s staggering death toll marks the Russian tyrant’s most damaging period of his over 1,000-day-old conflict so far.
The previous highest was 2,000 on November 29.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey has warned the 600-mile Russia-Ukraine frontline is now the most unstable it has been since February 2022.
Putin called on his pals over in North Korea for extra support to fight back against a surging Kyiv earlier this year.
Supreme Leader Kim handed over around 10,000 troops to be trained by Russia before they were deployed.
THIS is the powerful moment a British journalist bravely challenges Vladimir Putin and labels him as a “weaker leader” than Donald Trump.
Fearless Keir Simmons launched the rare full-frontal attack on the mad despot at his bizarre annual call-in event with Vlad left red-faced with rage.
Simmons was allowed to ask the Russian leader a question at yesterday’s marathon conference as he took the opportunity to lambast Putin over his unsuccessful 2024.
The top NBC journalist said directly to the tyrant: “Mr President you have failed to reach the objectives of your special military operation.
“Large numbers of Russians have died – including a general assassinated here in Moscow this week and the leader of Syria who you supported has been overthrown.
“Mr President when you face President-elect Trump you will be the weaker leader, how do you propose to compromise, what are you going to offer?”
Before he responded to the question Putin appeared to take a moment to compose himself as he coughed several times to clear his throat.
This fit continued for some time with the despot seemingly choking on his own rage.
In typical tyrant fashion Putin avoided the question altogether as he saved face, according to the clip.
The scathing Russian review from Simmons came just after Putin spoke about his desire to speak with Trump “any time”.
Vlad said he was ready to meet Trump – who has pledged to end Russia’s invasion with a quick peace after he takes office.
He said the pair would “have things to discuss” but said Trump had not contacted him yet.
Putin added: “Politics is the art of compromise. We have always said that we are ready for both talks and compromise.”
The dictator also claimed that his bungled invasion, which he thought would capture Kyiv in three days, had made Russia stronger.
He said: “Russia has become much stronger over the past two or three years because it has become a truly sovereign country.
“We are standing firm in terms of economy, we are strengthening our defence potential and our military capability now is the strongest in the world.”
In response to Putin’s comments, Zelensky said: “Do you think he is a sane person?”
The odd statements from the president was poised to him at his annual strange call-in on Thursday.
The Russian dictator lived up to his typical boastful nature as he rambled on about Russia not losing in Syria despite the embarrassing rebel siege on his pal Assad.
At one point he even came across as childish when he offered out the US to a bizarre “missile duel” involving his Orshenik rockets.
The tightly choreographed press conference has become part of Vlad’s calendar as it gives him a chance to speak to his brainwashed fans.
It is broadcast live by state-controlled TV and gives the ageing tyrant an easy opportunity to reinforce his powerful image of control.
Other topics at the conference included questions regarding Russia‘s health care system, infrastructure and social benefits.
Putin even boasted about Russia‘s economic performance, which he assured was “stable and developing”.
He said: “With the economy as a whole, the situation in Russia is stable, despite external threats and attempts to influence us.”
However, experts believe Russia’s economy has taken a huge blow because of the Ukraine war – something Putin has been reluctant to address.
In the four-hour chat, Putin also appeared to slip up on live TV and confirm he has two secret children.
He revealed he enjoys watching films with his “little ones” amid claims he has a pair of young sons with Olympic gymnast lover Alina Kabaeva.
Rumours over secret sons have surrounded the despot for years after independent journalists uncovered a potential fresh family growing.
The unverified claims say the ageing tyrant and long-term partner Kabaeva – a woman decades younger than him – actually have boys already.
Ivan, 9 and Vladimir, 5, are said to be the latest two additions to the Putin family tree.
He has never confirmed these children with the Kremlin officially stating he has just two daughters – Maria Vorontsova, 39, and Katerina Tikhonova, 38.
By Georgie English, Foreign News Reporter
VLADIMIR Putin’s bizarre call-in event sums up the dictator’s nature as he appeared to spend several hours trying to convince himself and his people that Russia is still in a strong position.
This comes after his war in Ukraine has continuously faltered, his closest foreign ally in Assad was swiftly overthrown and his troops (including North Korean cannon fodder) continue to be killed.
The strange event is known as Putin’s annual address.
In it he answers dozens of questions from Russian civilians in a marathon news conference while also touching on his plans for the future.
It is typically seen as his final yearly round-up but is often used to reinforce his authority and demonstrate sweeping control of the country’s political scene.
This year he touched on a number of subjects from the handpicked questions with Syria and Ukraine both major talking points.
He admitted to being open over having conversations with Ukraine to try and find an end to the conflict after almost three long years.
In a rare sign of honesty, Vlad said he is willing to accept “negotiations and compromises” when it comes to the war.
But his arrogance quickly shone through again as he sensationally claimed Assad’s downfall in Syria isn’t a defeat for Russia.
This comes just days after hoards of Russian soldiers were seen fleeing the country – following in Assad’s footsteps who sneaked away days earlier.
His address was predictably devoid of any tougher questions – with Assad’s whereabouts and his thoughts on the North Korean troops on the frontlines notably absent.
One unusual remark centred around Donald Trump who Vlad seemed to be trying to convince to speak to him in the coming weeks.
Putin said he is happy to talk “anytime” with the president-elect and is ready to discuss ceasefire plans in Ukraine.
A few moments later his lashing tongue reappeared as he threw a punch at America and teased them with his menacing missile arsenal.
The ageing tyrant even offered the US a chance to compare weapons in a bizarre “missile duel”.
The final interesting point from the mega call was around how Vlad seemed to open up about his private life for the first time in years.
He mentioned his “little ones” as a beaming smile appeared across his face.
The comments are a big deal for the Kremlin after months of reports claiming he has two secret sons with a much younger lover.
It could potentially hint towards a changed version of Vlad as a more family friendly leader as he enters the next phase of his presidency.
TRISTAIN HOATH has been described by his police force as “the strongest cop in Canada”.
Here we take a look at his life and career, as well as his record at the World’s Strongest Man.
Tristain Hoath was born on October 29, 1991, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
He is a Canadian professional strongman who also works as a police officer.
But he’s not your average lawman, standing 6ft 3in and weighing in at more than 300 pounds.
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) even describes him as “the strongest cop in Canada”.
Tristain told GlobalNews: “I love my job. I love helping out and I love what I can do in the community.”
He joined the EPS in 2018, where he currently serves as a constable.
It was during his time there that Tristain began seriously training for strength competitions.
Speaking about the support he gets from his police colleagues, he explained: “I really couldn’t ask for more, I’m able to compete and call myself one of the top 10 strongest men in the world, it’s unbelievable and overwhelming.”
Tristain believes strongman and policing go hand-in-hand, as he explained to the Edmonton Journal: “In order to compete at a high level you have to be able to control your emotions, your body, your heart rate, and it coincides with policing because you’re going to high [stress] calls or incidents that are already in progress and you have to be able to control your variables and carry yourself in different ways.”
Tristain grew up dreaming of one day playing soccer at the highest level, as well as working as a policeman.
But after watching the World’s Strongest Man on TV with his dad, he also dreamed of competing himself.
He tried his hand at numerous sports growing up, including football, wrestling and rugby.
Tristain’s athletic pursuits led him to play for the Saskatoon Hilltops, where he won three consecutive Canadian Junior Football League national championships.
He later went on to play for the University of Regina Rams, so all three of his dreams have come true to some extent.
In the 2024 World’s Strongest Man competition, Tristain performed exceptionally well for a rookie.
An absolute dream come true
Tristain Hoath
He advanced to the finals and secured a top-10 finish.
Tristain placed fifth overall — an outstanding achievement for his first appearance in this prestigious event.
He’s only the fourth person from western Canada to compete in the competition.
Tristain said: “The experience has been amazing.
“I was coming here not knowing how I was going to do and more or less my expectation was don’t be last.
“I’ve had less than two weeks to prepare.
“I got called and told I was a reserve athlete, and then 36 hours later I was told I was competing.
“To make it to the final in my rookie year of World’s Strongest Man has been absolutely amazing.”
He told the Edmonton Journal: “My expectations coming in were to not place last in my heats.
“I’m honestly at a loss for words as for my expectations for how well I’ve competed… an absolute dream come true.
Honouring the amazing achievement, his police force posted on Instagram: “EPS would like to congratulate our very own ‘Strong Man’ Cst. Tristain Hoath on competing this past weekend at the SBD World’s Strongest Man competition in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
“Tristain placed 5th as the strongest man in the world!”
During his career, Tristain has placed highly in a number of significant competitions, including:
A NEW judge for Tyson Fury’s rematch against Oleksandr Usyk could be decided with a COIN TOSS.
The rival camps are locked in a dispute over a replacement official as two judges have been drafted to come in for Fernando Barbosa.
Fury, 36, and Usyk, 37, will square off for a second time on Saturday night.
Barbosa had been due to be one of the three judges on fight night but he was unable to travel to Riyadh due to illness.
Two back-up officials, Steve Weisfeld and Ignacio Robles, have been flown in to replace him.
But the respective fighter teams are split on which judge should be used on fight night.
The Gypsy King’s promoter Frank Warren has now suggested a coin toss should settle the issue.
Warren told Sky Sports: “One of the judges has taken ill of the three that were decided upon.
“There are two standby judges, both of them are flying in and we’ve got to decide which one it’s going to be.
“We want one of them and the other camp wants the other, so I’ve suggested we spin a coin.”
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Warren believes a resolution will eventually be found.
He added: “This will get sorted. Use a bit of common sense, and actually both camps are very, very professional and know what they have to do.”
Weisfeld was a judge on Usyk’s first match with Anthony Joshua in 2021, scoring the Ukrainian a 116-112 winner.
He has led an illustrious career stretching back to 1991, with over 2000 fights under his belt, and has largely avoided controversy in that time.
Robert Ramirez Jr of Puerto Rico has been picked as the referee.
But there has been late drama just under 36 hours before the fight is due to get underway.
The other key points of contention at Friday’s rules meeting were the length of Fury’s beard, the position of the shorts and kissing a cross in the corner.
Fury was a clean-shaven giant when he took on Usyk the first time, when the Ukrainian hero won via a split decision.
However, he now sports a great big bushy beard, with Fury admitting he has not groomed anywhere from the eyeballs down.
But the board in charge of the rules for the rematch state fighters must have their jawline visible for safety reasons.
Usyk famously kissed a cross in his corner during the first fight and went out to deliver an inspired performance.
But Fury’s team don’t want a “foreign object” in any corner, in order to eliminate any potential doubt and reduce online speculation.
Warren said: “After the fight there was a lot of speculation, they weren’t sure what it was.
“We just cut through it all. If there’s anything that is used other than water that goes to the fighter’s lips, then the inspector will take it away and hold it and if anything is seen to be not correct then they’ll deal with it, test it, whatever that may be, what they have to do.”
