Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo wished his fans Ramadan Kareem on Tuesday.

The UAE confirmed the official start date of Ramadan will begin on February 18.

Recently, Ronaldo marked his first match since turning 41 in the best possible way, scoring in Al Nassr’s 2-0 win over Al Fateh on Saturday at the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Stadium.

The victory keeps Al Nassr firmly in the Saudi Pro League title race. They are now just one point behind leaders Al Hilal after game week 21.

Making his return to the starting eleven after missing three matches amid a dispute with club management, Ronaldo wasted little time reminding everyone of his value.

In the 18th minute, Sadio Mane delivered a sharp cross into the box and Ronaldo met it first time, guiding the ball into the bottom right corner. It was a calm and clinical finish, the kind that has defined his career for more than two decades.

Al Nassr controlled most of the game after taking the lead. They sealed the win in the 78th minute when Ayman Yahya struck a fine second goal to secure all three points for the visitors.

Al Nassr will aim to extend their winning streak when they face Al Hazem on February 21. With Ronaldo back among the goals and fully focused on football again, the Riyadh giants remain the biggest challenge to Al Hilal in the race for the Saudi Pro League crown.

GN

For athletes at the ongoing 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, a podium finish can mean more than glory and a medal. In some countries, it also comes with watches and six-figure payouts.

Nearly 2,900 athletes from more than 90 national Olympic committees are competing at the Winter Games across 116 medal events across eight sports.

While the International Olympic Committee does not award prize money, many governments and national Olympic bodies offer cash bonuses.

Here is how some countries stack up, based on information compiled by CNBC from national Olympic committees, sports associations and local reports.

https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/j1RHA/1/ Singapore tops the payout rankings for the 2026 Winter Games.

The Southeast Asian nation offers about $792,000 for an individual gold medal, $395,000 for silver and $197,000 for bronze, making it the most generous gold-medal payout among the countries reviewed.

Singapore has only competed in one previous Winter Games, the 2018 edition, where short-track speedskater Cheyenne Goh finished 28th in the women’s 1,500 meters.

The country is again represented by a single athlete in Italy: alpine skier Faiz Basha, who failed to finish the first run of the giant slalom at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio, ending his campaign in a field of 81 athletes.

Hong Kong, which has sent alpine skiers and short-track speedskaters to compete in Italy, offers roughly $768,000 for gold, $384,000 for silver and $192,000 for bronze. The city has yet to win a medal at the Winter Olympics.

In Europe, Poland stands out not only for the scale but also for the variety of its rewards. Individual gold medalists can receive about $211,000. The package also includes a Toyota Corolla passenger car, a fully finished two-room apartment, a painting, a holiday voucher and jewelry.

Paintings and jewelry are also part of the entitlements offered to silver and bronze medalists, along with monetary rewards of about $169,000 and $124,000, respectively.

Italy, the host nation, offers about $214,000 for gold, $107,000 for silver and $71,000 for bronze.

South Korea awards about $208,000 for gold, roughly $139,000 for silver and $70,000 for bronze.

In some cases, rewards extend beyond standard medal bonuses. South Korean state media reported that snowboarder Choi Ga-on received 300 million won from her sports association after winning gold, while private companies also presented additional gifts, including a luxury watch from Swiss brand Omega.

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee awards $37,500 for gold, $22,500 for silver and $15,000 for bronze.

Glory only, for some

That said, not every winter sports powerhouse pays direct prize money. 

Norway, which boasts the most medals in Winter Games history, does not award cash bonuses for podium finishes. Instead, athletes who continue competing may qualify for financial support from the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The stipend is worth roughly 160,000 Norwegian kroner per year ($16,831) and includes access to professional training and medical services.

In some countries, there is no publicly disclosed medal bonus scheme. The United Kingdom does not award cash bonuses for Olympic medals, meaning Team Great Britain athletes will not receive additional payments for podium finishes in 2026. Instead, financial support is provided through UK Sport, which uses National Lottery funding to back training, coaching and athlete development.

China also does not publish a standardized national payout structure for Winter Games medals, with rewards often determined at the provincial or sponsor level.

An Olympic medal represents years of sacrifice and training. In a high-stakes competition decided in seconds, a podium finish can also bring a life-changing payout.

CNBC

The incredible 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics opening ceremony on Friday demonstrated Italian culture and underlined a strong formal agreement on the theme of harmony. The City of Milan took the spotlight on the eve of the Games not only for high-level celebrations but also for global protests.

Protests were ongoing against the environmental impact caused by the Winter Olympics. They marched through the city, passing by the newly opened Olympic Village. Fireworks and smoke bombs were set off, but the demonstration was overall peaceful.

Among the banners displayed, some read “ICE out” while others criticized Giorgia Meloni’s government as well as Milan mayor Beppe Sala.

Meanwhile, protestors condemned the Olympics, arguing that the Games have not brought any wealth to the city of Milan and Lombardy. They were of the view that funds had been diverted from social welfare, public schools and healthcare. With resources physically damaged by fire, not a single euro will be returned to Italian citizens, specifically those in Lombardy. The chaos and protests have raised public concern and sparked questions for the administration.