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Ronaldo and Morocco - a Love Affair Made in Marrakech

Portugal and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. (AFP)
Portugal and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. (AFP)
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Ronaldo and Morocco - a Love Affair Made in Marrakech

Portugal and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. (AFP)
Portugal and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. (AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo has fallen under the charm of Morocco, and the feeling is mutual with the Portugal and Real Madrid star adored by millions of fans from the North African kingdom, said an Agence France Presse report on Wednesday.

There may be no statue yet honoring Ronaldo, who led Portugal against Morocco in the World Cup on Wednesday, as there is in his hometown of Funchal, but he will soon have a hotel in his name.

Ronaldo's love affair with Morocco began in Marrakech in December 2014 at the Club World Cup which Real competed in after winning their 10th Champions League title.

For the first time Ronaldo experienced at first hand his popularity from a country where divided loyalties over Real Madrid and Barcelona can split families in two.

Ronaldo was "enchanted by "an exceptional quality of life that he hadn't come across before, and that was so close to where he lived too", someone close to the player said.

“CR7” was hooked, and returned the following year, catching up with his Dutch-Moroccan friend, kickboxer Badr Hari.

According to the Spanish press, whenever he has free time Ronaldo takes a private jet from the Torrejon de Ardoz airport beside Real's training ground to return to the country he loves -- and top up his perma-tan, said AFP.

Even his beloved mum Dolores has fallen under Morocco's spell, judging by photos posted on Instagram of her in front of a plate of couscous, or visiting Jemaa El-Fnaa square in Marrakech where tourists can pick up replica shirts of her son.

Ronaldo has a 50-percent stake in the Portuguese hotel chain Pestana through his own 'CR7 brand, and he announced in January he would be opening his fifth hotel in Marrakech.

He already has branches in Funchal and Lisbon in Portugal-- not surprisingly the rooms feature dozens of photographs of the player, his shirts and mementoes of his career.

However, only true fans will enjoy washing their face in the morning confronted by a giant view of the man himself with his sunglasses acting as mirrors.

Two more branches are soon to open in Madrid and New York.

The 160-room establishment in Marrakech is due to welcome its first guests by early 2020.

"He really does have a personal connection to the city," Nabil Slitine, chief of the Downtown Hotel Corporation project where the CR7 hotel is due to be built, told AFP.

"From my first meeting with the Pestana group to explore the project they told me 'it's incredible, it's been six months now that Cristiano hasn't stopped telling us I'm going to open up in Marrakech'".

Ronaldo's name brings with it a certain cache.

"I won't disguise the fact that it's good publicity for the venture, which has been marketed around the world," he says.

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Caffeinated Beverages May Help Protect the Brain, Study Says

A cup of coffee and a cappuccino are seen at a Juan Valdez store in Bogota, Colombia June 5, 2019. (Reuters)
A cup of coffee and a cappuccino are seen at a Juan Valdez store in Bogota, Colombia June 5, 2019. (Reuters)
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Caffeinated Beverages May Help Protect the Brain, Study Says

A cup of coffee and a cappuccino are seen at a Juan Valdez store in Bogota, Colombia June 5, 2019. (Reuters)
A cup of coffee and a cappuccino are seen at a Juan Valdez store in Bogota, Colombia June 5, 2019. (Reuters)

Drinking a few cups of caffeinated coffee or tea every day may help in a small way to preserve brain power and prevent dementia, researchers reported on Monday.

People with the highest daily intake of caffeinated coffee had an 18% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those with the lowest such intake, according to a study based on responses to questionnaires by 132,000 U.S. adults spanning four decades.

The study, published in JAMA, also found that the people with the highest intake had a lower rate - by nearly 2 percentage points - of ‌self-perceived memory ‌or thinking problems compared to those with ‌the ⁠lowest intake.

Results were ‌similar with caffeinated tea, but not with decaffeinated beverages, the researchers said.

While the findings are encouraging, the study does not prove caffeine helps protect the brain, they said.

The magnitude of caffeine's effect, if any, was small, and there are other better-documented ways to protect cognitive function as people age, study leader Dr. Daniel Wang ⁠of Harvard Medical School said in a statement.

Lifestyle factors linked with lower risks of ‌dementia include physical exercise, a healthy diet ‍and adequate sleep, according to previous ‍research.

"Our study suggests that caffeinated coffee or tea consumption can ‍be one piece of that puzzle," Wang said.

The findings were most pronounced in participants who consumed two to three cups of caffeinated coffee or one to two cups of caffeinated tea daily, the researchers reported.

Those who drank caffeinated coffee also showed better performance on some objective tests of cognitive function, according to the ⁠study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Further research is needed to validate the factors and mechanisms responsible for the findings, the researchers said.

They noted that bioactive ingredients in coffee and tea such as caffeine and polyphenols have emerged as possible factors that reduce nerve cell inflammation and damage while protecting against cognitive decline.

"We also compared people with different genetic predispositions to developing dementia and saw the same results - meaning coffee or caffeine is likely equally beneficial for people with high and low genetic risk of developing ‌dementia," study coauthor Dr. Yu Zhang of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said in a statement.

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AlUla Announces Exceptional Ramadan Experiences

These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience - SPA
These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience - SPA
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AlUla Announces Exceptional Ramadan Experiences

These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience - SPA
These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience - SPA

AlUla Governorate is welcoming the holy month of Ramadan this year with a wide range of diverse tourism experiences that reflect the area’s distinctive character and rich cultural heritage, reinforcing its position as one of the Kingdom’s most prominent destinations to visit during the holy month.

During Ramadan, AlUla offers an integrated experience catering to different visitor preferences, including guided stargazing experiences, cultural events, and night markets, in addition to traditional dining experiences for Iftar and Suhoor, embodying the depth of AlUla’s cultural heritage and local identity.

The Ramadan programs in AlUla include a variety of standout events, such as Ramadan experiences at Maraya Hall, a cultural market, and live performances in the atmosphere of Ashar Valley, alongside heritage tours in AlUla Old Town that narrate stories of AlUla and its Ramadan customs, including the award-winning Incense Road Experience, SPA reported.

The programs also feature seasonal art exhibitions hosted across multiple cultural venues, including Design Space AlUla, the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla, and the Arduna exhibition at AlUla Oasis, in addition to experiences combining art, nature, and stargazing at Daimumah Oasis in collaboration with AlUla Manara.

Visitors are also offered tours to prominent archaeological sites, including Hegra, Dadan, and Jabal Ikmah, to explore ancient sites dating back centuries BCE and view unique rock inscriptions, as well as adventure experiences ranging from dinner and stargazing in Sharaan, hot-air balloon rides, mountain hiking trails, and safari tours.

These programs come as part of efforts to enhance AlUla’s tourism experience during the holy month of Ramadan and provide diverse options that meet visitor expectations, contributing to the growth of tourism activity and showcasing the governorate’s natural and cultural assets.

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NCW Releases over 10,000 Animals under Reintroduction Programs

The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species - SPA
The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species - SPA
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NCW Releases over 10,000 Animals under Reintroduction Programs

The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species - SPA
The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species - SPA

The National Center for Wildlife (NCW) announced that the total number of wildlife animals released under its breeding and reintroduction programs for locally threatened species has exceeded 10,000 animals, an achievement reflecting the scale of the center’s sustained efforts to develop wildlife, restore ecosystems, and enhance biodiversity across various regions of the Kingdom.

The releases carried out by the center over the past years included more than 80 priority wildlife species, including reem gazelles (sand gazelles), Arabian oryx, Idmi gazelles, mountain ibex, houbara bustards, ostriches, and sandgrouse, as part of efforts aimed at supporting the recovery of natural populations of these species and enhancing their sustainability within their environmental and historical ranges, SPA reported.

CEO of NCW Dr. Mohammad Qurban noted that release operations are among the key tools for restoring ecosystems and reducing ecological imbalance, as the return of wildlife to their natural habitats contributes to protecting biodiversity and improving environmental quality, which in turn supports habitat integrity, the continuity of plant and animal components, and the enhancement of ecosystem functions over the long term.

NCW continues to implement its strategic plans to develop wildlife, protect endangered species, and enhance the efficiency of natural habitat management through expanding breeding programs, enhancing applied scientific research, building national capacities, and applying the best international practices in biodiversity management, in addition to raising environmental awareness, engaging local communities, and supporting eco-tourism, thereby contributing to achieving the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative and Saudi Vision 2030, and the National Environment Strategy, toward thriving and sustainable wildlife, biodiversity, and ecosystems.