Japan's population fell by a record in 2022, government data showed Wednesday, as the country struggles to reverse its perennial low birthrates.

Liverpool reach an agreement for Cody Gakpo's transfer

Liverpool had not intended to sign a striker in January, but injuries of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz correlated with interest from competitors provoked the club to accelerate their interest in another.

Gakpo, who underwent his medical on Wednesday afternoon, is comprehended to have agreed to a deal with Liverpool FC until 2028, with his transfer subject to a work a permit.

He will officially become a Liverpool player on New Year's Day when the transfer window opens and could be in line to make his debut against Brentford on January 2, 2023.

Manchester United was interested in Gakpo in the summer when they rather signed Antony from Ajax, but information suggested they were considering a move for the Dutch international in the upcoming January transfer window.

Jurgen Klopp, who has long been an admirer of the striker, views Gakpo as a multi-functional attacking footballer who is more than qualified of filling any of the positions across the front three.

Gakpo has had little training since returning from Qatar and the focus will be to reveal him to the first team setting and engage him in as much training as possible before being assessed for competitive action. This is in keeping with Liverpool's strategies in dealing with the reconditioning of World Cup returnees.

Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, approved the transfer deal and were pleased to support the move as a means of improving an already strong area of the playing team. The transfer was led and managed by sporting director Julian Ward, who finalized the deal after three days of talks with PSV on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

During the World Cup, Netherlands boss Louis van Gaal said "Cody Gakpo has everything it takes to become a star" and the striker looks like he is on the fast track to the peak of the contest after taking his brilliant Eredivisie form in Qatar. A goal in each group stage game with his country - one with his head, one with his left foot, and one with his right foot - was a testament to his rapidly enhancing play in the final third, appetite for the grand stage, and versatility. His standout performances for Van Gaal came as a center forward or No 10.

But those qualities haven't come about by luck - Gakpo is particular about his development, even hiring a personal tactics trainer to analyze his game. His steadily increasing goals- and assists per 90 minutes stats for his club reveal that additional homework is paying off. That psyche will have engraved his admirers as much as his league-topping tally of goals and assists. At 23, Gakpo is already in a high class - but has the resolution to get even better. That makes him an appealing investment.

2022 has been quite the year for the Bangladeshi music scene

The past few WEEKENDS have been quite favourable for artists in Bangladesh, as live performances have re-established at their full extinct.

With the year is almost come to an end Dhaka rock fest returned with 2 days Concert blast. Featuring 32 bands from different genre from classic rock to death metal.

Dhaka Rock Fest 3.0 held at the Expo Zone of International Convention City, Bashundhara in Dhaka on Tuesday and Wednesday. The event was organised by Sky Tracker Limited and presented by Banglalink Digital Communication Limited.

The opening day of the event featured 16 bands.

The concert started at early 11 A.M. It was earlier than the usual concert time of Bangladesh because there were 16 band performing on that day. The day one of the concert reminded us what a year it was for enjoying live music after the pandemic

Dhaka Rock Fest 3.0 began with Fantasy Realm taking the stage. Later, Torture Goregrinder, Bangu Bibi, Apekkhik, Arekta Rock Band, Trainwreck, Owned, Karnival, Brahmaputra, Bangla Five, Unmaad, Shonar Bangla Circus and Powersurge performed one by one there were less crowed on that time cause of early kick-off

The show really came to hit when cryptic fate took the stage after the Namaj Break. Cryptic Fate started with Bijoyer Gaan cause why not it’s the month of victory and then Protibad and Akromon, Nemesis performed Kobe and Gonojoar. Fans went crazy for Zohad crowed were screaming 20 takar pepsi zohad bhai sexy. After that Artcell brought down the curtain on the first day of Dhaka Rock Fest 3.0. The band, which was accompanied by Miles’ guitarist Jewel, concluded its performance singing the song Oniket Prantor.

On 2nd day Bands, namely Meghdol, Dads in the Park, Aurthohin, Shepherds, Aftermath, Arbovirus, Shuvo Jatra, Warfaze, Bay of Bengal, Sin, Conclusion, Severe Dementia, Mechanix, Subconscious and Avoid Rafa entrained music lovers on the concluding day of the event on Wednesday. However, the fans weren’t very happy with the organiser because they think they didn’t give enough time to aftermath to perform.
When it was time for Aurthohin to brought down the curtain of the last day something magic happened.

Aurthohin relesed their new Album call “ Phononix Er Dairy 1” on the stage for their fans the album was supposed to release on 29th December. Aurthohin eneded the show best possible way they could the fans emotion were visible throughout the live
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Russel Domingo resigned as Bangladesh Cricket coach

Russell Domingo has resigned as the head coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team. He informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board about his conclusion on Tuesday.

Cricket Operations Chairman Jalal Yunus affirmed the news on Wednesday morning. He said, 'Yes, he has quit. He also sent us the resignation letter.'

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had an agreement with the South African coach till the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup. Anyways, he resigned 11 months before the end of the contract.

After failing to win the test match against India last Sunday, there was a glimpse of Domingo's leave. On that day, Jalal Yunus told the media that they are going to revise the coaching panel. They will select a coach who can make an impact on the team.

BCB president Nazmul Hasan Papon MP said the necessity for a new coach while praising Domingo's performance in a different event the next day.

The South African coach was appointed as the head coach of Bangladesh back in September 2019. He was replaced by Steve Rhodes after the ODI World Cup that year. Domingo obtained many successes in Bangladesh after taking responsibility in place of Rhodes.

Under him, Bangladesh beat Australia and New Zealand in the T20 series at its home venue. Notably, a remarkable Test win on New Zealand soil. The ODI series win in South Africa comes after India lost the ODI series at home a few days ago.

However, Bangladesh did not win a single match in the main event of the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup. Despite winning the Test in New Zealand at the start of the year, the rest of the test matches saw a shaky performance.

Domingo was dropped from the T20 coaching staff ahead of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup. Indian coach Sreedharan Sriram was appointed as a twenty-over cricket consultant and sent to Australia for the World Cup along with the national team.

Domingo came to the conference by making harsh remarks in the media at that time. Long before the contract, there was a situation of misunderstanding between him and BCB. But despite all this, he survived. He is seen as the head coach in the India series. After losing against India in the ODI series, there was also the possibility of Domingo surviving another round. However, after the disappointing results in the Test series again, BCB gave the impression of stepping in a different direction with him. Discerning the bitter situation, Domingo announced that he is to depart on his own.

World Cup champion Messi decides to remain at PSG.

Lionel Messi will celebrate his World Cup win by deciding to stay at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), local media proclaimed on Wednesday, as he endeavors to guide the French flank to an elusive Champions League title which they are still to conquer.

The 35-year-old, who guided Argentina to win in the World Cup final against France in Qatar last weekend, will agree to an extension of another season to his existing contract in the French capital which would have expired in the summer.

Le Parisian and RMC Sport conveyed that Messi will sit down with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and other leading club officials when he returns after his World Cup leave.

Messi entered PSG in 2021 on a two-season contract with an option for another year after having spent his entire proficient career with Barcelona. The seven-time Ballon d'Or prizewinner collected four Champions League titles in 2006, 2009, 2011, and 2015 in Spain as well as 10 La Liga peaks.

On Sunday, he uplifted Argentina to a penalty shootout triumph over France in the World Cup 2022 final after the epic battle had ended 3-3 in extra time.

Messi was crowned as the player of the tournament, winning the tournament's golden ball - scored two times in the match against PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe clutching a hat-trick for France.

England slammed out of the World Cup quarterfinals to France after Harry Kane's penalty miss

Harry Kane failed to convert a late penalty as England crashed out of the World Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 loss to current champions France.

Aurelien Tchouameni gave France the lead ahead through a precious strike in the 17th minute. Later on, Kane equalized the two flanks from a 54th-minute penalty. Olivier Giroud scored the decider goal from a header in the 78th minute.

Kane had the opportunity to become England's outright record goalscorer from the spot in the 84th minute, but it was yet more penalty anguish for the Three Lions. The Tottenham Hotspur forward wasted his second spot-kick by sending it over the bar.

It meant Gareth Southgate's squad failed to get them into a second consecutive World Cup semifinal, while France will be marching on to the last four - where they will encounter the Moroccan side on Wednesday.

France got off to an excellent opening when Tchouameni shook off a tackle from Declan Rice and smashed a brilliant step from space which Jordan Pickford was helpless to cease.

There were whistles for an England spot-kick in the 25th minute when Dayot Upamecano twisted with Kane on the edge of the area. Anyways, referee Wilton Sampaio reversed those appeals after a VAR check.

Southgate's battalion was given a way back after a good start to the second half when Tchouameni fouled down Saka for a spot-kick. Kane stepped up and Hugo Lloris dived in the wrong direction. Which resulted in the talisman equalling Wayne Rooney's all-time England record with his 53rd international goal.

England nearly took the lead over the French side for the first time in the 70th minute when Harry Maguire jumped highest from a free-kick, but his effort skimmed the post with Hugo Lloris denying it.

France wasted a good opportunity seven minutes later when Giroud's volley was astonishingly blocked by Pickford. However, the France attacker made up for that with an excellent header from Antoine Griezmann's cross to put his side up with the lead.

It looked like that lead would not stay long when England was granted another spot-kick for Theo Hernandez's foul on substitute player Mason Mount following a VAR check. This time, nevertheless, Kane uncharacteristically skied his big chance.

Morocco 1-0 Portugal: Youssef En-Nesyri scores winner as Cristiano Ronaldo exits World Cup

Morocco becomes the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals with a glorious win over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal. Youssef En-Neysri beat Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa with a cross for the winner from a header, Ronaldo was a second-half substitute but could not change their fate.

Striker En-Nesyri served on a mistake from Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa to head home the major strike for not only Walid Regragui's side- but the entire African mainland.

Not even the 51st-minute introduction to the field of Cristiano Ronaldo could help Portugal - who was once again left on the bench by his manager Fernando Santos. As Bruno Fernandes hit the crossbar while Goncalo Ramos and Bernardo Silva could not make it to the target from fair positions.

Late on, Morocco utilized the heroic saves from goalkeeper Bono who saved shots of Joao Felix and Ronaldo while Pepe missed a sitter at the very end of eight-minute stoppage time. Also in that time, dramas are seen as the crowd saw substitute striker Walid Cheddira was sent off for two quickfire yellow cards by the referee - turning into a red.

The full-time whoosh sparked triumphant scenes from the Morocco players and their thousands of sympathizers in the daises - while Ronaldo instantly left off the pitch in tears in what is likely to be his last World Cup match.

Morocco proceeds to the World Cup semi-final which will take place on Wednesday, December 14, with kick-off at 7 pm GMT. The African side will face the winner of England and France's quarter-final, which kicks off at 7 pm on Saturday night.

Netherlands vs Argentina preview: World Cup 2022 quarter-final

Who: Argentina vs Netherlands
Where: Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar
When: Friday, December 9, 2022, 10 pm (19:00 GMT)

The tantalising clash between two of the great brigades of world football at the,000- capacity Lusail Stadium comes after Lionel Scaloni’s men edged past Australia 2- 1 in the last 16 and his expert counterpart Louis van Gaal led the Dutch to a 3- 1 palm over the USA.

“It’s going to be a very beautiful game, with two historic teams. Sadly one team has to lose and we hope it’s us who go through,” Argentina’s coach Lionel Scaloni told journalists last Sunday.

“We face a difficult opponent, like all of them, and we hope to do well. Maybe they are not shining like past Dutch teams, but they are very clear in what they do.” Lionel Messi, Argentina’s captain, and amulet, was also clear on Sunday about the task ahead.

“They have great players and a great coach, it’s going to be hard-fought,” he said, a day after scoring against Australia in his 1,000th career appearance.

The 35- time-old’s influence in Qatar has grown game by game. Messi has scored three pretensions so far, and he now stands just three triumphs down from delivering Argentina a third World Cup jewel.

Messi’s decreasingly emotional performances have checked with Argentina’s growing elevation as the event has developed, putting aside an opening shock 2- 1 defeat to Saudi Arabia to win three games on the brio since also, scoring five pretensions and conceding just formerly in the process.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, will be concentrated on benumbing Messi in a tourney that will crop the fine forward against Virgil van Dijk – the Netherlands ’ colossal captain and one of the world’s stylish center-tails – while causing Scaloni’s charges problems of their own.

Van Gaal’s side has been buoyed by the return to fitness of skillful bushwhacker Memphis Depay and the continued good form of frontman Cody Gakpo, who has netted three times in Qatar.

Analogous to the strategy they employed against the USA, the Dutch may be happy to again concede control of the ball for long stretches and hang on the counterattack, exposing any spaces left at the reverse by La Albiceleste.

Van Gaal has been under pressure in Qatar since declaring the Oranje were able of getting world titleholders for the first time. He has also faced review over his side’s alleged traditionalism, with Dutch brigades traditionally known for further extensive football.
But the performance against the USA was a notable demonstration of what the Netherlands can produce, with Depay’s opening thing, which came on the reverse of a majestic 21- pass sequence, a graphic memorial of their quality.

Van Dijk said on Wednesday that his platoon has the hunger and the desire to go all the way in Qatar. “We just want to go out there and show our quality, show the team spirit, show the togetherness that we have and progress, hopefully, to the next stage,” he told journalists.

The winners of Friday’s battle will face either Brazil or Croatia in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup.

Barca drop down to Europa again!

This season was meant to be different but Barcelona have again suffered a humiliating and costly Champions League group-stage exit.

Barcelona exited the Champions League at the group stage for the second season running on Wednesday, a 3-0 home defeat by Bayern Munich. Although Barca's departure was ensured by Inter Milan when they beat Viktoria Plzen at San Siro before kick-off at Spotify Camp Nou.

For the second year in succession, the five-time European Cup winners have effectively been relegated to the continent's second division.

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One of Netflix's most popular series, Money Heist (La Casa De Papel) is over, but the franchise is far from over. Not only do we now have a new South Korean adaptation of the Spanish series, but Berlin will also be starring in a full-fledged spin-off. The next spin-off series will premiere in 2023.

Netflix announced the new cast of Berlin, the Spanish series born from the worldwide hit of the streamer Money Heist. Money Heist creators Esther Martínez Lobato and Álex Pina said the concept of the spinoff series was to take Alonso’s Berlin’s character, “the most sparkling personality” of the original Money Heist, and place it in another universe. "We loved the idea of ​​presenting a new gang in Berlin in a completely different emotional state," they said at a Netflix event in Madrid on Wednesday.

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