Photos: Happy New Year 2023 TOYsters!

From Doha, Qatar with love.

Here is wishing y'all a very happy, prosperous, fruitful, blessed, peaceful, fun, remarkable and fabulous 2023!! 

I am still in Doha, Qatar post the Qatar 2022 World Cup project.

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These 16 countries reintroduce PCR tests for international arrivals as COVID-19 cases rise

Great, the UAE should also start this!

Some international travellers are facing renewed restrictions at airports as countries around the world are once again witnessing a steady increase in Covid-19 positive cases.

Some governments have reintroduced PCR testing for arrivals, while others have begun analysing swabs and conducting virus sequencing to help identify new variants of the virus. 

Here are the countries that have announced stricter measures for international arrivals: 

1. Australia 

Australia said on Sunday that travellers from China will have to provide negative Covid-19 test results from Jan. 5, joining a growing number of nations that have implemented similar restrictions as cases surge. 

The requirement will also apply to visitors from Hong Kong and Macau. The government is also considering additional measures including testing wastewater from airplanes and voluntary sampling at airports for arrivals. Citing a lack of epidemiological information and genomic sequencing data from China, Australian health minister Mark Butler said the government has decided out of an abundance of caution to require visitors to present a negative test taken within 48 hours of their departure. 

2. Canada 

Canada on Saturday said it will require travelers on Canadian-bound flights departing China to test negative for Covid-19. The requirements, which take effect at 12:01am ET on Thursday, apply to all travelers two years of age and older arriving on flights in Canada originating from the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong or Macao. 

Travelers will be required to provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test result, taken no more than two days before departure, to the airline prior to boarding. The temporary measure will be in place for 30 days and be reassessed as more data becomes available, the Canadian government said. 

3. Morocco 

Morocco will impose a ban on people arriving from China, whatever their nationality, from January 3 to avert any new wave of coronavirus infections, the foreign ministry said on Saturday. Several countries have imposed restrictions on travellers from China due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. Thousands of tourists visit Morocco from China every year. 

4. India 

In light of the increasing trajectory of cases being noted in some countries across the world, India has issued updated protocol guidelines for international passengers arriving in the country. The guidelines state that two per cent of passengers on incoming flights will undergo random testing for Covid-19 on arrival. 

Additionally, passengers displaying symptoms of Covid-19 during travel shall be isolated as per standard protocol. 

Children under 12 are exempt from the testing – however, if found symptomatic for the virus on arrival or during the self-monitoring period, they shall undergo testing and treated as per protocol. The country's Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also announced that RT-PCR testing will be made mandatory for international arrivals from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Thailand. If travellers test positive or display symptoms of Covid-19, they will be put under quarantine. 

5. Pakistan 

International passengers arriving in Pakistan’s airports will undergo random testing for Covid-19. In a tweet, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority announced screening of 2 per cent of passengers arriving in Pakistan by international flights has started at country's major airports. 

“Owing to the Covid-19 situation in the region, screening of 2% of passengers arriving in Pakistan by int'l flights has started at country's major airports. 

Where needed, RAT and PCR tests are being conducted too,” the tweet said. The authority also urged passengers to keep their vaccination certificate handy while at airport. 

6. Japan 

From December 30, the Japanese government will reintroduce mandatory testing on arrival for travellers from China due to an increase in the number of confirmed cases there, the Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday. 

The measure applies to travelers from mainland China, and those who visited it within the past seven days, who will be required to take a Covid-19 test upon their arrival in Japan. Those who test positive will be quarantined for seven days. 

7. Taiwan 

Authorities have stated that Taiwan will test arrivals from China for Covid-19 from January 1, 2023, in response to a surge in cases there. Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Centre said all passengers arriving on direct flights from China, as well as by boat two two offshore islands, will be required to take PCR tests upon arrival. 

Health officials will conduct virus sequencing for those who arrive from China and test positive to track new variants of the coronavirus, it said in a statement. The measures, which will run until the end of January, do not include those arriving from Hong Kong or Macau. 

Those who test positive will be able to isolate at home. 

8. Italy 

Italy is making coronavirus tests for visitors from China mandatory following an explosion in cases in China, the health minister said Wednesday. 

"I have ordered mandatory Covid-19 antigenic swabs, and related virus sequencing, for all passengers coming from China and transiting through Italy," minister Orazio Schillaci said. 

The measure was "essential to ensure the surveillance and identification of any variants of the virus in order to protect the Italian population", he said. 

The Italian northern region of Lombardy introduced screening from Tuesday, a day before the measure was brought in nationwide. Lombardy, the first region to impose a lockdown when coronavirus hit Europe in early 2020, is testing arrivals from China at Milan's Malpensa airport at least until January 30, the foreign ministry said. 

Swabs collected at Malpensa in recent days are already being analysed by the national health ministry, to help identify any new variants. 

9. United States 

The United States will require negative Covid tests from all air travellers from China following the surge in coronavirus cases in Beijing, health officials said Wednesday. 

From January 5, "all air passengers two years and older originating from China will be required to get a test no more than two days before their departure from China, Hong Kong and Macau, and show a negative test result to the airlines upon departure," a federal health official said. 

10. United Kingdom 

The UK said on Friday that passengers arriving to England from China from Jan. 5 will need to show a negative Covid-19 pre-departure test, taken no more than two days prior to departure, according to a statement. 

11. South Korea 

South Korea said it would impose mandatory Covid-19 tests on travelers from China, joining other countries in taking new border measures after Beijing's decision to lift its stringent zero-Covid policies. 

South Korea will also restrict issuing short-term visas for Chinese nationals until the end of the next month and temporarily halt increasing flights from China, while using Incheon International Airport as the only gateway for any flights from the neighboring country, Prime Minister Han Duck Soo said. Effective January 5, travelers from China would be required to submit a negative result from a PCR test within no more than 48 hours or a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours before departure, and undergo another PCR test upon arrival starting January 2, officials said. 

12.Spain 

Spain will require a negative Covid-19 test or a full course of vaccination against the disease upon arrival for travelers from China, the country's Health Minister Carolina Darias said. 

13. Malaysia 

Malaysia will screen all inbound travelers for fever and test wastewater from aircraft arriving from China for Covid-19, Minister Zaliha Mustafa said in a statement. 

14. Philippines

The Philippines should be "very cautious" when receiving inbound travelers from China, which is grappling with a sharp rise in Covid case numbers, the Philippine transportation minister said on Wednesday. 

The Southeast Asian country could impose measures like testing requirements on visitors from China, but not an outright ban, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista told reporters. 

15. Israel 

The Israeli health ministry said on Friday it will impose Covid tests on foreigners intending to travel from China, where coronavirus cases have surged. 

It was decided to order that foreign airlines only accept foreign citizens on a flight from China to Israel if they have tested (negative) for Covid," Health Minister Aryeh Deri said in a statement. 

16. France 

France will require travelers from China to provide a negative Covid-19 test result less than 48 hours before departure, the health and transport ministries said on Friday. The test will be required on all flights from China, including flights with stopovers. 

Travelers on airplanes arriving from China will also have to wear masks.

Photos: Ronaldo joins Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr Club

Awesome!

After much anticipation and speculation among football fans, it was finally announced that star football player Cristiano Ronaldo would be joining Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr club. 

A viral photo showing Ronaldo holding up his new jersey was posted on their Instagram account. 

The next few hours proved just how popular the Portuguese player is around the world, with the Instagram account gaining so many followers that the count tripled in number. 

“This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home,” the post said. 

News of a lucrative contract offer from the Saudi Pro League club initially broke during the World Cup, with Ronaldo said to be in line to earn £62million (€69.9 million) per season. 

"I can't wait to discover a new football league in a different country," said the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus player.

25 Least Developed Countries in the World, Out Of Which 21 Are African Countries

While Western Europe and North America have been home to developed economies for quite some time now, great strides have been made in major countries in Asia, including China, Indonesia and Vietnam.

To determine the least developed countries in the world, we consulted statistics compiled by the Human Development Report Office, taking into consideration life expectancy, mean years of schooling and gross national income per capita. 

25. Eritrea
Life expectancy at birth (in years): 66.5 Mean years of schooling: 4.9 Gross national income per capita: $1,729 Eritrea's economy has been significantly dependent on a rain-fed agricultural sector which makes up about a third of the nation's economy, making it particularly vulnerable to climate change. 

24. Rwanda 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 66.1 Mean years of schooling: 4.1 Gross national income per capita: $2,210 Even though Rwanda has recovered remarkably since the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, but the country still needs to do more to be considered a powerhouse in the continent. 

23. Madagascar 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 64.5 Mean years of schooling: 5.1 Gross national income per capita: $1,484 Due to the relatively small population of the country and lack of development in the country, Madagascar has not been a very attractive proposition to foreign firms, which is one of the reasons why it has struggled to develop. 

22. Ethiopia 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 65 Mean years of schooling: 3.2 Gross national income per capita: $2,361 The Tigray war, fought from 2020 to 2022, and primarily centered in Ethiopia, has led to tens of thousands of deaths while impacting the nation's infrastructure. 

21. Lesotho 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 53.1 Mean years of schooling: 6 Gross national income per capita: $2,700 Political instability and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has hurt the country's development. 

20. Democratic Republic of Congo 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 59.2 Mean years of schooling: 7.0 Gross national income per capita: $1,076 Political conflicts and instability, combined with high rates of various diseases and illnesses, have stunted the growth of DCR's economic stability. 

19. Gambia

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 62.1 Mean years of schooling : 4.6 Gross national income per capita: $2,172 Gambia is very dependent on re-exports and tourism, which means that it has a very narrow economic base. 

18. Togo 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 61.6 Mean years of schooling: 5.0 Gross national income per capita: $2,167 While urbanization has increased, the manufacturing sector has not developed proportionately, with the country also being impacted by Germany ending its development cooperation with Togo in 1993. 

17. Benin 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 59.8 Mean years of schooling: 4.3 Gross national income per capita: $3,409 Cotton makes up 70% of Benin's exports, so the country's economy is highly dependent on commodity prices. 

16. Malawi 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 62.9 Mean years of schooling: 4.5 Gross national income per capita: $1,466 Food insecurity, HIV/AIDS, limited arable land and a fast growing population have all impeded Malawi's growth. 

15. Yemen 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 63.8 Mean years of schooling: 3.2 Gross national income per capita: $1,314 Yemen has been the battleground for a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The proxy war has destroyed the political stability and infrastructure of Yemen in the past several years. 

14. Liberia Life expectancy at birth (in years): 60.7 Mean years of schooling: 5.1 Gross national income per capita: $1,289 With a GDP of just over $3 billion in 2019, Liberia's economy remains extremely undeveloped. 

13. Afghanistan 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 62.0 Mean years of schooling: 3.0 Gross national income per capita: $1,824 Afghanistan has been a battleground for several decades. These wars have left the country suffering from deep economic and social problems which are expected to worsen in the coming years. 

12. Sierra Leone 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 60.1 Mean years of schooling: 4.6 Gross national income per capita: $1,622 Sierra Leone was attempting to achieve middle-income status by 2035 and was performing well in this regard, but an Ebola outbreak in 2014 resulted in the progress being halted, not to mention the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in the economy of the nation contracting by 2%. 

11. South Sudan 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 55.0 Mean years of schooling: 5.7 Gross national income per capita: $768 South Sudan was created in 2011 and has faced a lack of stability since, resulting in the country struggling to get off the ground and improve its economy and the standard of living for its people. 

10. Somalia 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 55.3 Mean years of schooling: – Gross national income per capita: $1,018 Somalia has seen more conflict than most, with decades of political fragmentation and civil war devastating the country and its economy. Nearly 70% of Somalians live in poverty, and with conflicts showing no signs of abating, the future doesn’t look very bright either. 

9. Guinea-Bissau 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 59.7 Mean years of schooling: 3.6 Gross national income per capita: $1,908 Home to forests, fisheries, agricultural land and natural habitats, you would expect Guinea-Bissau to have a much more developed economy. On the positive side, the country is using digital technology to improve the lives of citizens. 

8. Burundi 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 61.7 Mean years of schooling: 3.1 Gross national income per capita: $732 Burundi is home to a low income population where nearly all of the population is employed in agriculture, and the country is also one of the most densely populated countries in the world. 

7. Niger 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 61.6 Mean years of schooling: 2.1 Gross national income per capita: $1,240 Niger’s economy is not very diversified with more than 40% of its GDP being derived from agriculture. 

Nearly 42% of the population or more than 10 million people live in extreme poverty in the country. 

6. Guinea 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 58.9 Mean years of schooling: 2.2 Gross national income per capita: $2,481 While Guinea has large reserves of natural resources, arable land and energy opportunities, the country is still among the least developed countries in the world. 

5. Mali 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 58.9 Mean years of schooling : 2.3 Gross national income per capita: $2,133 Poverty has significantly restricted Mali’s attempt to progress its economy. Only 2.3 mean years of schooling mean that illiteracy is quite high in the country while a slowly developing economy means that unemployment is rife as well. High population growth is another issue faced by Mali as its already meagre resources will be divided among a larger population which is why more jobs need to be created. 

4. Burkina Faso 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 59.3 Mean years of schooling : 2.1 Gross national income per capita: $2,118 The Sahelian country has limited natural resources where the economy is based on agriculture, while more than 40% of the total population lives below the poverty line. 

In early 2022, a coup took place in Burkina Faso, which resulted in the African Union and Economic Community of West African States suspending the country from decision-making bodies. The nation has also struggled with terrorist attacks which have ensured that instability persists in the region. 

3. Mozambique 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 59.3 Mean years of schooling: 3.2 Gross national income per capita: $1,198 21 out of our 25 least developed countries are based in Africa, showing that a lot of work needs to be done in the continent to improve the standards of living in most countries there. Mozambique suffered a devastating cyclone back in 2019 and the company has struggled to recover since. Mozambique has vast natural resources and farmland so it does have potential to recover and develop further. 

2. Central African Republic 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 53.9 Mean years of schooling: 4.3 Gross national income per capita: $966 According to the World Bank, more than 70% of the population of Central African Republic lives well below the poverty line. In the rankings compiled by Human Development Index, Central African Republic ranked 188 out of 189 countries. 

1. Chad 

Life expectancy at birth (in years): 52.5 Mean years of schooling: 2.6 Gross national income per capita: $1,364 Topping the list of the 25 least developed countries in the world is Chad, which is also among the poorest countries in the world. The economy of the country as well as its social performance are largely to blame for the lack of development, which in turn are due to a lack of implementation of the law and fragility of institution. 

#Qatar2022: What you didn't know about the black robe that Lionel Messi wore prior to accepting the World Cup

For those who missed the memo....

For my friends who don’t know the Bisht. 

There has been quite a bit of online commentary, some of it quite derogatory, regarding the black robe that Lionel Messi wore prior to accepting the World Cup. 

For context, I wanted to explain its significance. The garment is called a ‘bisht’ and it is an outer garment worn in predominantly Arab countries. 

The name is derived from the Akkadian word ‘bishtu’ which means ‘nobility’ or ‘prestige’. This garment is considered a symbol of great honour. 

It’s a status symbol amongst royalty, the wealthy and those with high social rank, much like a cross between ceremonial graduation robes or, in Western terms, wearing a black tuxedo at a special occasion. When it’s the Emir of a country literally gifting you the bisht, putting it on you with his own hands, it’s the highest honour that can be bestowed upon that civilian. 

It has nothing to do with religion at all. 

Messi may not have understood what it meant when he graciously wore it, but it was the Qatari way of recognising him for the GOAT that he is. 

#Qatarworldcup2022 #bisht 

By Dr Sarah Marzouk.

*As seen on LinkedIn.

So there you have it!

Kandoras, Abayas, Bishts are beautiful and elegant outfits.

For the record, many people online are saying that this Qatar World Cup was by far the best or one of the best but the Final was most certainly the most astonishing and memorable.

These were some of what my TOYsters had to say:

#ThankYouQatar!

Check out Forbes‘ 2022 'World’s 100 Most Powerful Women’ List

Beyoncé, Rihanna and Taylor Swift have each done their fair share of dominating Billboard‘s charts, and now, they’re taking command of Forbes‘ rankings, too.

On Tuesday (Dec. 6), the publication unveiled its list of the world’s 100 most powerful women, and all three of the hit-making pop stars earned a spot. Of the three women, Rihanna placed the highest at No. 73, with Forbes citing her billionaire status and her Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty businesses as her major achievements. 

According to the publication, her net worth is currently $1.4 billion, making her the 2,031st richest person in the world. Six spots behind Ri is Swift, who ranked No. 79. The success of Midnights and her re-recorded albums Red (Taylor’s Version) and Fearless (Taylor’s Version) were highlighted, along with her political influence and November’s Eras Tour ticket sale meltdown, which has recently been addressed by Congress, and is the subject of a lawsuit leveraged by fans against Ticketmaster. Her net worth in 2022 was $570 million, according to Forbes. Close behind her at No. 80 is Queen Bey, whose net worth is listed at $450 million. 

The publication cited her and Jay-Z’s On The Run II stadium tour, which grossed roughly $5 million per night and earned a total of more than $250 million, and her groundbreaking performance at 2018’s Coachella. 

Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women list is a yearly ranking of high-profile women wielding substantial public influence, and is determined by money, media, impact and spheres of influence, according to the publication. 

“The result is a collection of women who are fighting the status quo,” this year’s list reads. Rihanna, Beyoncé and Swift were all featured on last year’s Most Powerful Women roundup as well, ranking at No. 68, 76 and 78, respectively. 

The three also each hold a spot on this year’s Forbes list of America’s richest self-made women, with Ri at No. 21, Swift at No. 48 and Bey at No. 61.

Click HERE for the full list.

Photos: Nigeria's Tems wins Best New Artist at the #SoulTrainAwards2022

Beyoncé was the top winner at the Soul Train Awards, which aired on BET and BET Her on Saturday (Nov. 27).

She won album of the year for the fourth time with Renaissance, song of the year for the third time with “Break My Soul,” and best collaboration for “Make Me Say It Again, Girl,” a pairing with Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers. 

This is the fifth consecutive year that a female solo artist has won album of the year. Bey’s victory was preceded by wins for H.E.R.’s H.E.R., Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You, Summer Walker’s Over It and Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales.

Album of the Year

An Evening With Silk Sonic, Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
Away Message (EP), Ari Lennox
Breezy, Chris Brown
Good Morning Gorgeous, Mary J. Blige
Heaux Tales, Mo’ Tales: The Deluxe, Jazmine Sullivan
R&B Money, Tank
WINNER: Renaissance, Beyoncé
Special, Lizzo

Song of the Year
“About Damn Time,” Lizzo
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
WINNER: “Break My Soul,” Beyoncé
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
“Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long
“Last Last,” Burna Boy
“Pressure,” Ari Lennox

Video of the Year
“About Damn Time,” Lizzo
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
“Have Mercy,” Chlöe
“Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long
“Last Last,” Burna Boy
“Pressure,” Ari Lennox
WINNER: “Smokin Out the Window,” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)

Best New Artist
CKay
Coco Jones
Dixson
Doechii
Fireboy DML
Muni Long
Steve Lacy
WINNER: Tems

Best R&B/Soul Female Artist

Ari Lennox
Beyoncé
H.E.R.
WINNER: Jazmine Sullivan
LizzoMary J. Blige
SZA
Tems

Best R&B/Soul Male Artist
Babyface
Brent Faiyaz
Burna Boy
Charlie Wilson
WINNER: Chris Brown
Giveon
Lucky Daye
PJ Morton

Best Collaboration

“Amazing,” Mary J. Blige feat. DJ Khaled
“Be Like Water,” PJ Morton feat. Stevie Wonder & Nas
“Call Me Every Day,” Chris Brown feat. Wizkid
“Gotta Move On,” Diddy feat. Bryson Tiller
“Hate Our Love,” Queen Naija & Big Sean
WINNER: “Make Me Say It Again, Girl,” Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers feat. Beyoncé
“Move,” Beyoncé feat. Grace Jones & Tems
“Slow,” Tank feat. J. Valentine

Certified Soul Award
Chaka Khan
Charlie Wilson
Diana Ross
WINNER: Mary J. Blige
Maxwell
PJ Morton
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
T-Pain

The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award
“Bad Habit,” Steve Lacy
“Break My Soul,” Beyoncé
“Church Girl,” Beyoncé
“Good Morning Gorgeous,” Mary J. Blige
WINNER: “Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long
“I Hate U,” SZA
“Last, Last,” Burna Boy
“Pressure,” Ari Lennox

Best Dance Performance
WINNER: “About Damn Time,” Lizzo
“Call Me Every Day,” Chris Brown feat. Wizkid
“Have Mercy,” Chlöe
“Persuasive,” Doechii
“Pressure,” Ari Lennox
“Smokin Out the Window,” Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak)
“We (Warm Embrace),” Chris Brown
“Woman,” Doja Cat

Best Gospel/Inspirational Award

CeCe Winans
Erica Campbell
Fred Hammond
Major.
Marvin Sapp
WINNER: Maverick City Music X Kirk Franklin
Tamela Mann
Tasha Cobbs Leonard

Legend Award: The Time

Lady of Soul Award: Xscape