Messi and Putellas voted best players at FIFA awards again
Paris (AP): World Cup winner Lionel Messi edged Kylian Mbapp again, this time to take FIFA's best men's player award on Monday. The best women's player was Spain's Alexia Putellas for a second straight year.
After steering Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against Mbapp 's France last year in Qatar, Messi won the best player vote against Mbapp and Karim Benzema to secure the FIFA prize for the seventh time in 14 years.
The three players made the final shortlist in voting by a global panel of national team captains and coaches, selected journalists in each of FIFA's 211 member countries, plus fans online.
The 35-year-old Messi also beat Mbapp who was seeking his first best player award from FIFA to the Golden Ball trophy awarded by FIFA for the World Cup's best player.
Putellas won her award from Alex Morgan of the United States and Beth Mead, who led England to the European Championship title in 2022.
Barcelona playmaker Putellas made the top three again despite being injured days before the Euro and missing the tournament.
Mead was the joint top scorer at the Euro, and was named the tournament's best player. She sustained a serious knee injury in November while playing for Arsenal and could miss the Women's World Cup in July in Australia and New Zealand.
Morgan, who was second in the 2019 vote to teammate Megan Rapinoe, was player of the tournament when the U.S. won the CONCACAF W Championship last year. She was also the joint top scorer.
Earlier, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni was voted FIFA men's coach of the year after leading his team to the World Cup title in December.
The women's coach award went to Sarina Wiegman, who led the England to the title at the Women's European Championship.
Scaloni took over Argentina at the end of 2018 on an interim basis, and was widely criticized for lacking experience as he had never coached a professional team. Earlier Monday, his contract as the national team coach was extended to the end of the 2026 World Cup.
The other coaches on the shortlist were Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti and Manchester City's Pep Guardiola.
The women's goalkeeper award was given to Euro winner Mary Earps of England, and the best men's goalkeeper was Argentina's World Cup winner Emiliano Mart nez.
The event in Paris was marked by tributes to Pel , who died late last year at age 82 following a battle with colon cancer. Pel 's wife, Marcia Aoki, received a trophy honoring the soccer great from the hands of former Brazil striker Ronaldo.
"I have three words to say to God, who gave us Edson, to Edson, who gave us Pel , and to the world, who received them so well: Grateful, grateful and grateful,'" she said.
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Cong leader held for sharing AI image depicting Kerala CM with Sabarimala gold case accused
Kozhikode (Kerala) (PTI): A Congress leader was arrested on Saturday for allegedly sharing an AI-generated photograph depicting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with Unnikrishnan Potty, an accused in the Sabarimala gold case, police said.
The Chevayoor police took N Subarahmanian, a member of the state unit of Congress's Political Affairs Committee, into custody after registering a case against him. Later, his arrest was recorded after the interrogation and he was released on station bail, police said.
He was booked for sharing a post on a social media platform carrying a photograph depicting the Chief Minister and Potty together, with a caption questioning the reason for their alleged close relationship.
As part of the probe, a police team reached Subarahmanian’s house on Saturday morning to record his statement. Later, it was decided to take him to the police station for detailed interrogation, officials said.
The CPI(M) has claimed that the picture circulating on social media is AI-generated.
Before being taken to the police station, Subarahmanian told reporters that the picture he shared was not AI-generated, but was taken from a video released by the Chief Minister’s Office.
“What the police say are the words of the government. They are branding everything as AI-generated,” he alleged.
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He further claimed that one of the photographs he posted was also seen on the social media account of BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on November 29, but no case was registered against him.
“I will try to prove the authenticity of the photograph. Anyway, the case will reach the court,” he said.
Subarahmanian alleged that the government’s policy was to take action against people criticising the CM by sending them to jail. “People will not shut their mouths with such actions,” he said.
He also said that in his social media post, he had mentioned that the photograph was taken from Facebook. “Let’s wait and see,” he added.
The Police said a case has been registered under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act for causing annoyance through communication.
Congress activists led by Kozhikode DCC president K Praveenkumar held a protest in front of the police station, terming the police action as illegal and unreasonable, as only bailable sections were invoked against Subarahmanian.
He alleged that police surrounded Subarahmanian’s house as if action was being taken against a hardcore criminal.
“Subarahmanian was in Kozhikode, and the police could have served a notice instead of creating drama by surrounding his house. The police will face the consequences of their actions,” he said.
KPCC president Sunny Joseph said the Chief Minister’s Office was trampling upon democracy and freedom of expression by registering a case alleging incitement to riot against N Subarahmanian for sharing the picture.
“Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is now leading Kerala along the same path shown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government. These actions will not weaken or destroy democratic and secular Kerala, nor will they succeed in silencing the state,” he said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan, said fake campaigns using AI tools were mostly carried out by the CPI(M).
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“Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, who are you trying to scare? Are you trying to scare us? This is the end phase of your governance,” he said.
He alleged that a CPI(M) leader who was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for hurling explosives at police personnel was granted parole by the government just a month after being jailed in Kannur.
“You are in charge of the police and the Home department. Your DIG is accepting bribes and releasing prisoners on bail,” he alleged. Satheesan said the Chief Minister should not attempt to intimidate Congress workers, as they would not budge under such tactics.
“If you act in an autocratic manner, we are not afraid of you. You will have to arrest all of us. Such a chief minister is a shame for Kerala,” he said.
He said the CPI(M) had failed to learn from the public warning delivered through the local body elections.
“There is a bigger lesson waiting for you in the Assembly elections,” he said.
