UFC Sold $4billion, Becomes Largest Franchise Sale In World Sport History

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) President Dana White on Monday morning, said that the mixed martial arts promotional company (UFC) has been sold for approximately $4 billion to a group of investors led by Hollywood talent agency WME-IMG. The sale will make it the largest in Sporting history for any Sports Franchise. White confirmed the sale in text messages to The Associated Press on Sunday night.

The Fertitta brothers and White purchased the promotion for $2 million in 2000, and the brothers’ casino fortune kept it afloat while MMA gained widespread acceptance and increasing popularity.

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta is reportedly expected to step down as chairman following a transitional period, after which he and his brother, Frank Fertitta, will remain on as minority owners. Dana White is expected stay on as president and will also hold a minority stake, according to the report.

World Champion, Lionel Messi Quits International Football

World Champion, Lionel Messi has announced his resignation from International football after losing to Chile in a penalty shootout in the Copa America final last night, BBC reports.

“It’s not meant for me. For me the national team is over. I’ve done all I can, it hurts not to be a champion,” the 29-year-old forward said.

The Argentina team has lost in 3 Copa America final games in the last 9 years – two to Chile on penalties and one to Brazil in 2007. The team also lost the 2014 World Cup final game to Germany after an extra time goal by Mario Gotze.

“It’s been four finals, I tried. It was the thing I wanted the most, but I couldn’t get it, so I think it’s over.

I think this is best for everyone. First of all for me, and then for everyone. I think there’s a lot of people who want this, who obviously are not satisfied, as we are not satisfied reaching a final and not winning it.

It’s very hard, but the decision is taken. Now I will not try more and there will be no going back,” he added.

Beijing Is Now The Billionaire Capital Of The World

Beijing is the new "Billionaire Capital of the World.'' The Chinese capital has overtaken the New York as home to the most billionaires -- 100 to 95 -- according to Hurun, a Shanghai firm that publishes a monthly magazine and releases yearly rankings and research about the world's richest people and their spending habits.

The study, which comes months after reports suggested China now has more billionaires than the United States, highlights how China's elite are continuing to accrue vast wealth despite a wobbling stock market and cooling economy.

Different tabulations of wealth, such as the Hurun Report and the Forbes list, have historically produced somewhat different results depending on their methodology.

Rupert Hoogewerf, the founder of Hurun, attributed China's explosive wealth creation to Chinese market regulators allowing a flood of new initial public offerings after holding back new IPOs for several years.

Hoogewerf said his wealth calculations were made using stock prices as of Jan. 15, which means they took into account the Chinese market's 40 per cent tumble over the past half year.

See full list after cut.....

Meet Jihadi John - The World's most wanted man

First picture of the face of the younger, normal, happy looking schoolboy who has now turned into the reviled, disgusting ISIS executioner, Jihadi John, who has publicly beheaded many foreign nationals and now the face of ISIS. Originally born in Kuwait before moving to UK at 6, his name is Mohammed Emwazi. 

He embraced British life, playing football in the affluent streets of West London while supporting Manchester United. Neighbours recalled a polite, quietly spoken boy who was studious at his Church of England school, where he was the only Muslim pupil in his class. The son of a Kuwaiti minicab driver, young Emwazi arrived in Britain speaking only a few words of English, and appeared more interested in football than in Islam. It was only after he won a place studying computing at the University of Westminster that his behaviour began to change.

World Oil Prices Rise On Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah's Death

By Jonathan Fahey And Youkyung Lee, The Associated Press
Oil prices rose on news of the death of Saudi Arabia's powerful King Abdullah, but the increase is likely to be short-lived without a cut in the kingdom's immense crude production.

The benchmark U.S. crude futures contract was up 71 cents to $47.02 a barrel at 0725 GMT on Friday. Brent crude, an international benchmark, was up 92 cents to $49.42 a barrel.

The small rise reflects added uncertainty about Saudi oil policy because the country's new absolute monarch, Abdullah's 79-year-old half brother Prince Salman, is in poor health.

"It is necessary to stay watchful about Saudi politics," said Oh Jeong-seok, head of commodity markets at state-run Korea Center for International Finance. "As he is nearly 80 years old and his health isn't in good condition, that itself is uncertain. The price of oil goes up when there is an uncertainty."

FIFA World Player Ronaldo dumps model girlfriend because she snubbed his mom's surprise 60th birthday party

Cristiano Ronaldo dumped his model girlfriend – after she apparently refused to attend a surprise birthday celebration for his mum.

The football superstar, 29, spent New Year’s Eve alone with his son when Irina Shayk decided not to attend the 60th birthday party, it was claimed today .

The couple rowed and the former Manchester United star – this week voted the best player in the world – decided to end his romance with the Russian beauty.

Her relationship with his mum Dolores Aveiro and sisters Elma and Katia was at the centre of tensions, according to reports in Portugal.

UK Mirror

Meet first transgender military officer in the world

Captain Hannah Winterbourne (right) is the first transgender officer in the world. She was born a man and spent the first few years in the Army as a man before deciding to undergo a sex-change operation while serving in Afghanistan and began her transition in 2013. Now she's the Army’s most highly ranked transgender soldier and the only one to become an officer. She's now in charge of 100 soldiers

World Must Condemn Use of Girls as Suicide Bombers by BokoHaram - Gordon Brown, UN

The UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, on Thursday, said the world must unite to condemn Boko Haram’s new barbaric and evil use of young girls as suicide bombers to carry out their murderous attacks.

This is contained in a statement from the Office of the Envoy in New York.

Brown recalled that there were three attacks over the past week where girls were used as suicide bombers.

He said that, in contravention of international law, children were now being used as easy targets by Boko Haram.

Brown said they were also exploited as slaves and sex objects and deployed as suicide bombers.

He stressed that “as we approach the first anniversary of the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls from their Chibok school, we must resolve to do more against Boko Haram.

“We must ensure that children are better protected by supporting President Goodluck Jonathan‘s Safe School Initiative.

FIFA World Player Cristiano Ronaldo & Model Girlfriend Irina Shayk Break-Up

Cristiano Ronaldo & Irina Shayk broken up? She unfollows him on twitter. There have been rumours that current World Footballer of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo and longtime supermodel girlfriend Irina Shayk have broken up but 3 major things happened in the last one week that's made the rumour seem true. 1. 

On January 6th, which was Irina's birthday, Cristiano didn't wish her a happy birthday which he's always done in previous years. 2. On January 12th, Irina was visibly absent at World Footballer of the Year event in Zurich and Cristiano didn't acknowledge her while collecting his trophy but the one that's got people talking now is number 3, Irina has unfollowed Cristiano on twitter. Plus, may not matter, but she's on holiday by herself.

There are reports that she dumped Cristiano over Christmas after clashing with his mum.

Canadian man who took random woman on free round-the-world trip because she had same name as ex returns

They met in the departure lounge - then went around the world together.  It was a trip-of-a-lifetime that sparked global attention after Jordan Axani, 28, offered to take any Canadian girl called Elizabeth Gallagher on his Christmas vacation. He booked the trip with his ex-girlfriend - Elizabeth Gallagher - and was determined not to waste her non-transferable ticket when they broke up. After posting his plea on Reddit, he received a picture of Elizabeth 'Quinn' Gallagher's passport on Twitter, and accepted her offer.

Now, after three weeks and eight countries, he and Quinn, 23, have returned. The pair set off on December 21 from Toronto and returned on January 8, visiting New York, Bangkok, Paris, Milan, Venice, Vienna, Prague, New Delhi, Khao Lak, and Hong Kong. Despite looking cozy, the pair say there was no romance. Elizabeth has a boyfriend. See photos from their trip

World decline in oil price to impact Canada real estate in 2015

The Canadian Press - A for sale sign sits outside a home in Vancouver on April 8, 2010. Royal LePage says the price of a Canadian home is expected to rise by a relatively modest 2.9 per cent on average in 2015

By Alexandra Posadzki, The Canadian Press

Royal LePage says the price of a Canadian home is expected to rise by a relatively modest 2.9 per cent on average in 2015 as price appreciation slows across the country.

Toronto is expected to lead the pack when it comes to price increases this year, with the realtor saying the average home price in Canada's largest city is forecast to rise by 4.5 per cent, although that would be well behind last year's pace.

Vancouver is expected to see the second-biggest average jump in prices, up 2.8 per cent, followed by a 2.4 per cent gain in Calgary, 0.6 per cent in Montreal and 0.5 per cent in Halifax among several of the major centres surveyed across the country.

FIFA world player of the year Ronaldo to wear diamond-encrusted gold boots in next game

For winning his third Ballon d'Or, footwear giant Nike has created their first ever micro-diamond encrusted gold football boots for Cristiano Ronaldo which he will wear in his next match which is today January 15th against Atletico Madrid. It's a gift from Nike

The boot, (pictured right) dubbed the Mercurial CR7 Rare Gold, is a gift from Nike to Ronaldo as a tribute 'to his remorseless work ethic'. The company explains:

World silence on BokoHaram attack: Madonna speaks out for Nigeria

Music icon Madonna has joined the many US celebs speaking out for Nigeria. She shared this on instagram

Meet Woman With World's biggest fake boobs 'bra size 32Z'

31 year old German model Mayra Hills better known by her online name, Beshine claims to own the world's largest fake boobs. The surgical enhanced boobies reportedly contains 10 litres of saline solution and weigh a whopping 9kg (20lb) each. Her bra size is a mammoth 32Z. And she's very proud of them!

The world's largest natural boobs are 48V. See more photos after the cut...

CR7 Cristiano Ronaldo Wins FIFA Ballon d’Or World Footballer of the Year Award

Portugal’s captain Cristiano Ronaldo has won the FIFA Ballon d’Or for the best player in the world for the third time, following previous wins in 2008 and 2013.

Germany midfielder Nadine Kessler also claimed her first-ever FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year award.

Germany’s coach Joachim Löw and compatriot Ralf Kellermann, coach of VfL Wolfsburg Ladies, were also named as FIFA World Coaches of the Year for Men’s and Women’s Football, respectively.

All the winners were chosen by the coaches and captains of national teams, as well as by international media representatives invited by FIFA and France Football, a French football magazine.

The entire electoral procedure was overseen and monitored by PricewaterhouseCoopers Switzerland (PwC).

The awards were presented on Monday evening during a 90-minute show at Zurich’s Kongresshaus, which was hosted by British journalist Kate Abdo.

Musical entertainment for the 1,100 guests and TV viewers in 190 countries and territories around the world was provided by Swiss singer-songwriter Bastian Baker.

Canadian museum buys world oldest hockey stick

Mark Presley holds what is thought to be the world's oldest known ice hockey stick during an announcement at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa on Wednesday, January 9, 2015. CP

Terry Pedwell The Canadian Press
An expression of joy beams from Mark Presley’s face as he imagines William Moffatt playing hockey on a small Cape Breton lake almost 200 years ago.

Young Moffatt, nicknamed “Dilly” and born in 1829, is believed to have been the original owner of what the Canadian Museum of History says is the world’s oldest known hockey stick.

The son of Loyalist shipbuilders who settled on the shores of Pottle Lake, Dilly would have been less than 10 years old when the hockey stick was fashioned for him from a single tree branch.

He took ownership of the short-handled puck slapper by carving his initials into its long blade.

Now, the stick sits in a protective case, awaiting its public unveiling when the Canadian Museum of Civilization is officially re-opened as the Museum of History on Canada Day, 2017.

Photos! Charlie Hebdo Victims Honoured By World Leaders #Je Suis Charlie

World leaders including David Cameron of United Kingdom, Angela Merkel of Germany, Isreal's Benjamin Netanyahu and others joined French president and thousands of France nationals in a solidarity march on the streets of Paris this afternoon to protest the killing of 12 Charlie Hebdo cartoonists. The march began in Place de la République and will end at Place de la Nation. More pics after the cut...

Cartoonists around the world draw for slain Charlie Hebdo colleagues

A cartoon hangs outside the French embassy in Buenos Aires. AP

John Leicester The Associated PressAs if to prove that pens are mightier than swords, cartoonists around the world reacted to the cold-bloodied assassination of their colleagues at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo as only they can: with powerful drawings worth thousands of words.

Defiant, angry, poignant, irreverent and sobering, their drawings united cartoonists in grief, tried to make sense of the nonsensical, and sent a shared message: We must not, will not and should not be silenced. Some drawings touched such a nerve they made one want to both laugh and cry.

“Can’t sleep tonight, thoughts with my French cartooning colleagues, their families and loved ones,” David Pope, cartoonist for The Canberra Times in Australia, wrote on his Twitter feed.

Canada Knock Off Russia To Win World Series

Canadian players celebrate with their medals after defeating Russia 5-4 in the gold-medal game at the world junior hockey championship Monday night at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

CP
The sweetest sound was the final buzzer.

Canada built a four-goal lead on Russia and could taste gold at the world junior championship. What followed was a harrowing struggle just to hold on.

"We didn't panic or certainly tried not to panic," Sam Reinhart said.

There were moments of panic, but by the time Monday night was over, gold medals were hanging around the players' necks and they sang along with "O Canada" while locking arms on the blue-line on home ice at Air Canada Centre after a thrilling 5-4 victory over Russia.

Team Canada beats Slovakia 5-1, meets Russia for gold at world juniors

Canada's Nic Petan (19) celebrates after scoring his third goal of the game during the third period of semifinal hockey action against Slovakia at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Toronto on Sunday, Jan.4, 2015. CP

Stephen Whyno The Canadian PressFans at Air Canada Centre sweated through a tense first period and watched Slovak goaltender Denis Godla make save after save. By the time Canada’s world junior team pulled away in the third, the crowd was able to exhale and chant: “We Want Russia,” “We Want Gold” and even sing a full rendition of “O Canada.”

In beating Slovakia 5-1 Sunday night in the semifinals, Canada emerged from its first adversity of the tournament to reach the gold-medal game. The showdown with Russia is one the Canadians are more prepared for than they were through the first five games.

“We thought it was good for us to have that game tonight,” coach Benoit Groulx said. “You’ve got to know how to play in a tournament (in) that type of game. We kept our calm, we made some mistakes but I think we will learn from it.”