AFCON 2025 Day Two delivers drama
AFCON 2025 got moving with three tight group games, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana grabbed a win, and Mohamed Salah did that thing where a single superstar strolls in and rescues an entire national mood. Football is a team sport, except when it is not.
Video game executive Vince Zampella dies at 55
Vince Zampella, described as a co-creator of the Call of Duty franchise, has died in a car crash at 55. Whatever you think about modern gaming’s obsession with sequels and monetization, a sudden loss like this is stark, and condolences go to his family, friends, and colleagues.
New Banksy artwork appears in London, twice
A new Banksy showing two children lying down and pointing at the sky has appeared in west London, with a second identical piece unveiled in central London. Nothing says “anti-establishment street art” like instantly becoming a citywide scavenger hunt for property developers and Instagram accounts.
Ukrainian soldier turns a year of war into paintings
Ukrainian soldier Vlad has been painting his last year fighting Russia’s war on Ukraine, capturing fear and hope while diplomacy grinds from Berlin to Miami and peace still looks distant. It is grimly refreshing to see truth told with brushstrokes instead of podium slogans.
Sky Sports viewers furious as football briefly becomes darts
Sky Sports briefly switched Monday Night Football from Fulham vs Nottingham Forest to the World Darts Championship for over a minute near the 80th minute, because apparently the remote control is now running the network. Fulham still won 1 to 0 at Craven Cottage, sealed by Raul Jimenez’s first-half stoppage-time penalty, so at least the plot survived the channel roulette.
Man dies weeks after pub assault in East London
A man has died in hospital three weeks after being assaulted at an East London pub. Police have named the victim and are asking witnesses or anyone with information to come forward, because accountability should not depend on luck or the passage of time.
Florida hotel pool incident leads to aggravated child abuse charge
Authorities say a 36-year-old woman, Tiffany Lee Griffith, was arrested after an incident at the Gaylord Palms Hotel pool in Kissimmee where she allegedly held a 6-year-old boy underwater for two to four seconds. She claimed she was protecting her nonverbal autistic son, but deputies said security footage did not show a prior incident and instead supported witnesses, she was charged with aggravated child abuse and had a court appearance scheduled.
Dec. 23 birthdays
Dec. 23 marks birthdays including Carla Bruni turning 58 and Susan Lucci turning 79. Another year older, another year the rest of us try to pretend time is not coming for everyone with the same unblinking efficiency.
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