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Tunisians root for Morocco ahead of World Cup semi-final

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Football unites people when politics divides them”: the relations between Tunisia and Morocco may be in crisis, but the Tunisian Wissam Sultani will encourage the Atlas Lions on Wednesday against France in the semi-final of the World Cup in Qatar.

“On the pitch, politics has nothing to do. Supporting an Arab country, whatever it is, is a duty when it reaches this stage of the competition,” said Sultani, 41, who runs a fruit and vegetable stall in the central market of Tunis.

After breaking a glass ceiling by becoming the first African or Arab team to reach the last four of a World Cup, Morocco can indeed count on the support of an entire continent whose hopes it carries, by challenging the French title holders for a place in the final.

Morocco’s run, which eliminated the Spanish giants in the round of 16 and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the quarterfinals, has sparked a surge of pride and excitement among neighbors Tunisia and Algeria, transcending political squabbles in the Maghreb, as well as in the rest of Africa.

In downtown Tunis, a sports store’s sound system blares Moroccan folk songs to attract customers. The red Atlas Lions jersey is the highlight of the display.

“Stand up”

The country is however in cold with Morocco, which reproaches him for having aligned with the position of Algeria in the Western Sahara issue, at the heart of extreme tensions between the two neighbors of the Maghreb.

In Algeria, if the official media have virtually ignored the performance of the Moroccans, sometimes content with the dry result, the private press has welcomed their achievements.

“It is quite normal that Algerians support Morocco, which is a Muslim country, brother and neighbor,” says Madjid, 58 years.

For Salim, 45 years old, employee of a public company, “Algerians are with the Moroccan team because it represents a Maghreb country and Amazigh” (Berber).

In the Maghreb as elsewhere in the Arab world, fans say their support for Morocco is increased tenfold when they see its supporters and players waving the Palestinian flag, showing their attachment to the Palestinian cause even though Rabat normalized relations with Israel in December 2020.

According to Tunisian sociologist Mohamed Jouili, this support for Morocco, which is becoming more and more apparent as the match against Les Bleus approaches, can also be explained by “France’s colonial past in the Maghreb.

“The countries of the region can not compete with France economically, militarily or geopolitically, but can stand up to 90 minutes on a soccer field and even beat it,” he added, recalling the victory of Tunisia in the group stage against the men of Didier Deschamps.

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What happened to Travis Rudolph? Ex-NFL WR faces murder trial over death of Sebastien Jean-Jacques

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Former NFL wide receiver Travis Rudolph faces murder trial in a shooting incident from April 2021.

He is charged with one count of first-degree murder over the death of Sebastien Jean-Jacques. The former Florida State star also faces three counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Both sides presented their arguments on the first day of the trial. The prosecution insisted that Rudolph was the aggressor, while the defense maintained that he was the victim.

Last year, Rudolph asked Judge Jeffrey Gillen to dismiss the case on the ground of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Gillen denied the request. Now, the jury will decide if Rudolph instigated Jean-Jacques’ death or shot him in self-defense.

Updates on the Travis Rudolph murder trial

The Palm Beach Post reports that Dominique Jones, Travis Rudolph’s ex-girlfriend, took the witness stand on Day 1 of the trial. She recalled an argument on that fateful night after discovering her partner’s infidelity.

She said her emotions got the better of her, and she texted her brother, Keishaun Jones, saying, “Please go shoot his s*** up.” Jones admitted that it was a horrible choice of words.

Meanwhile, Keishaun Jones testified that he and three other men arrived at Rudolph’s residence to demand an apology, not to assault. He also clarified that Jean-Jacques did not point a firearm toward the defendant.

However, Tyler Robinson, one of the three men with Jean-Jacques, admitted that he had a gun in his pocket. He brought the firearm because he was upset that Rudolph physically assaulted Jones.

One of Rudolph’s neighbors, Ruben Estes, said that Dominique Jones slapped her then-boyfriend after learning about his cheating. He also said that a confrontation took place between Rudolph and Jones’ brother’s entourage.

But while he didn’t see the men exposing weapons, Estes managed to retrieve his firearm before hearing shots fired by Travis Rudolph. After the shooting, he saw Rudolph walking back to his home with a rifle in hand.

The incident happened in the residence of Rudolph’s mother, and it was revealed that she convinced the visitors to watch the recorded door camera footage of Jones hitting her son.

Rudolph was arrested following that incident on April 7, 2021. He allegedly fired 39 rounds of an AR-15 pistol, killing Jean-Jacques and wounding others.

In April 2022, his attorney successfully negotiated his release from jail on a $160,000 cash bond. The presiding judge ordered that Rudolph would remain on house arrest.

Travis Rudolph’s football career

The Florida native went undrafted in 2017 despite being a Second-Team All-ACC member the year before. But the New York Giants took a chance by signing him as an undrafted free agent.

He made it to the active roster after injuries to several starters at wide receiver. However, he didn’t do much and was waived before the 2018 season.

The Miami Dolphins signed him to their practice squad. Unfortunately, an ACL tear relegated him to the practice squad/injured list. He ended his NFL career with eight catches for 101 yards.

Travis Rudolph tried his luck in the Canadian Football League by signing with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on January 2020. The team released him on April 2021.

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UFC Star ‘catches wife in bed with mate on Wedding Night’

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UFC fighter Tim Elliott claims his ex-wife cheated on him with his friend on their WEDDING NIGHT and during their ‘entire marriage’.

UFC flyweight fighter Tim Elliott has accused his ex-wife Gina Mazany of cheating on him with his friend and teammate Kevin Croom throughout their marriage – including on their wedding night, it’s been reported by The New York Post.

The report found Elliott took to Twitter to make his accusations – posting a picture of Mazany reading wedding vows to his daughter Sterling (who he had through a past marriage) while Croom holds a microphone for her.

‘You want to see something gross? This is my “wife” reading vows to my daughter on our “wedding” night,’ Elliott wrote.

‘The guy holding the microphone was my “friend/teammate” my wife cheated on me with this guy the same night! and they have had a relationship our entire “marriage.”‘

The Post reports Elliott also says that he is no longer married to Mazany. He also says Mazany and Croom are currently together. Dailymail.com has reached out to their representatives for comment.

UFC flyweight fighter Tim Elliott is reportedly accusing his ex-wife of infidelity in a Twitter post

  Gina Mazany

Kevin Croom

Elliott made this post, calling out Mazany’s infidelity with his friend Croom (holding mic)

Elliott says he found out about the alleged infidelity through text messages sent by Mazany to a friend, according to the report.He also says Mazany later confessed to him.He also says that the wedding night cheating happened as he went back home to put his daughter to sleep. Mazany didn’t go back with him afterwards due to ‘friends there from out of state’.

Elliott poses for a portrait with now ex-wife Mazany after his UFC victory back in July 2020

Mazany has deleted her Instagram account but pictures of the couple are still on Elliott’s page

Elliott and Mazany at the annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards in Las Vegas in July 2019

Mazany has deleted her Instagram account recently. However, there are a number of posts of the former couple still up on Elliott’s page.

Both Mazany and Croom were cut by the UFC last April following losses – but they have since pursued other promotions.

Elliott has not fought in the UFC since his appearance in UFC 272 where he defeated Tagir Ulanbekov by unanimous decision.

He’s next scheduled to face Victor Altamirano on June 3.

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Former NFL player Chris Smith dies at 31

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Former NFL star Chris Smith has died, his agent announced on Twitter. He was 31.
Smith, who was a former defensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns, spent eight years in the NFL and played for multiple teams including the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cincinnati Bengals and the Las Vegas Raiders.
His cause of death was not immediately known.
On social media, tributes poured in for the former player.
“Chris was one of the kindest people, team-mates and friends we’ve had in our organisation,” the Browns team wrote on Twitter.

Smith began his NFL career in 2014 when he was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars as a defensive lineman. But his personal life was marred by tragedy. In 2019, his girlfriend Petara Cordero was killed in a car accident just weeks after giving birth to their child.

Chris Smith played for the BrownsIMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES

Image caption, Chris Smith played for multiple teams in the NFL including the Cleveland Browns

Tony Khan, son of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, described Smith as a “great team-mate and friend”.

“He suffered a tragic loss,” he wrote on Twitter. “I hope they are reunited in Heaven.”

Smith spent three seasons with the Jaguars before going on to play for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns. But before he joined the NFL, he was a hometown hero and star of his North Carolina high school football team, according to a local newspaper.

“He had been the ultimate give-back guy and had been a generous donor to local schools and projects,” the Salisbury Post wrote in an obituary.

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