馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Messi scores in Argentina's World Cup warm-up win as Somali referee's dream ends
via The Namibian3 min read
Lionel Messi scored a penalty after coming on as a substitute, helping Argentina secure a 3-0 victory against Iceland in their final World Cup warm-up match. The 38-year-old, who had been recovering from a hamstring injury, entered the game with 20 minutes remaining and converted a penalty after Lautaro Martinez was fouled. This win comes as the World Cup, set to begin on Thursday in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, faces various controversies. Somali referee Omar Artan, named men's referee of the year by the Confederation of African Football in 2025, expressed deep disappointment after being denied entry to the United States. Artan, who would have been the first Somali to officiate at a World Cup, stated he had the correct papers and visa but was subjected to an 11-hour interview and detention before being sent back to Turkey. A US State Department official alleged Artan was "associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations." Meanwhile, concerns are rising in Mexico City over potential disruptions to the opening match due to ongoing teacher protests. A police blockade prevented demonstrators from reaching the Estadio Azteca, where Mexico will play South Africa. President Claudia Sheinbaum has guaranteed the opening match will proceed but ruled out using police to repress the demonstrations. Argentina is considered a favorite for the title, and Messi's cameo allayed injury fears ahead of their first match against Algeria on June 16. The United States team is
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Mentor, life, and business coach Sidney Boois encouraged men to speak up about their mental health challenges during an awareness event at Eros Primary School. Boois stated that speaking is the initial step towards addressing mental health and that good mental health involves learning to respond to problems rather than avoiding them. He also urged men to support each other and recognize when someone close to them is struggling. This call for open dialogue comes as Namibia faces high suicide rates, with 1,474 Namibians dying by suicide last year, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the World Health Organisation. Soccer coach Costa Khaiseb believes open conversations can help break the silence surrounding mental health and encourage individuals to seek support. Hockey player Berthwell Sabisa emphasized that people should not feel they have to face difficult moments alone. The article also included a separate anecdote from single mother Annalize Tjipanga about how a letter from her son altered her parenting approach, making her realize she had placed excessive pressure on him.
Olympic gold medallist Noah Lyles secured his third US 100m title on Friday at the US athletics championships, clocking a world-leading time of 9.79 seconds. Lyles, who was trailing early in the race, surged in the final 30 meters to win convincingly. Veteran Ronnie Baker finished second, and Kenny Bednarek took third, both with a time of 9.88 seconds. Former world champion Christian Coleman placed fourth in 9.93 seconds. Lyles's performance matched his personal best from the 2024 Paris Olympics and surpassed the previous world-leading time of 9.82 seconds set by Oblique Seville in June. In the women's 100m, Sha'Carri Richardson, the 2023 world champion and 2024 Olympic silver medallist, won her third national title with a time of 10.77 seconds. Kayla White was second in 10.90 seconds, and Tamari Davis finished third in 11.00 seconds. Lyles is scheduled to compete in the 200m heats on Saturday. In other events, 17-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus advanced to the men's 800m final, winning his heat in 1:45.83. Quincy Hall, the 2024 Paris Olympics 400m gold medallist, did not advance from his heats.
Duncan Scott secured Scotland's first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, winning the 200-meter individual medley with a Games record of 1 minute 56.38 seconds. This victory interrupted Australia's strong performance in the pool, where they claimed four of the five opening night finals. Australian swimmers are incentivized by mining baron Gina Rinehart, who offers 20,000 Australian dollars for each gold medal and 30,000 Australian dollars for a world record. Lani Pallister led an Australian 1-2-3 in the women鈥檚 400m freestyle, and Jenna Forrester won the women鈥檚 200m backstroke. Australia also triumphed in both the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 4x100m freestyle races, with the men's team setting a new Games record. Chad le Clos of South Africa made history by earning his 19th Commonwealth medal, the most by any male athlete. In other events, Canada won gold in the men鈥檚 gymnastics team final, an event marred by a serious fall from England鈥檚 Gabriel Langton. Mark Swan of England secured the first gold of the Games in para powerlifting, while Nigeria dominated other para powerlifting categories with three golds, including a world record for Folashade Oluwafemiayo.