Basketball’s world governing body Fiba has suspended the British Basketball Federation (BBF) and barred the men’s team from international competition because of governance issues.
A Fiba taskforce was set up in August to investigate “regulatory non-compliance” within British basketball.
In April, the BBF awarded a 15-year licence to run a new professional men’s competition – the Great Britain Basketball League – to GBB League Ltd (GBBL).
The BBF said GBBL, a consortium led by the American businessman Marshall Glickman, would provide £15m funding in the first two years.
However, the existing nine Super League Basketball [SLB] clubs claimed the tender process run by the governing body was “illegal and unjust” and refused to join the new league.
The clubs launched legal action against the BBF in the high court, while UK sports minister Stephanie Peacock reportedly asked the government body responsible for elite funding, UK Sport, to investigate the allegations.
In a statement, Fiba said it had completed a “comprehensive review of the situation, including interviews and meetings with basketball stakeholders”.
Under the terms of the suspension, the BBF will not be permitted to licence or recognise national men’s competitions, or field a men’s national team in Fiba senior competitions.
The taskforce will now “engage directly with basketball stakeholders and the UK government to explore and propose an interim operational framework for the top-tier men’s national competitions”.
The statement added: “These measures aim to restore regulatory integrity and promote sustainable governance of men’s basketball in Great Britain as soon as possible.”
On Sunday, the BBF announced the resignation of chairman Chris Grant after three years because of “personal reasons”.
The wellbeing of pop icon Britney Spears has been a hot topic for years and now her ex-husband Kevin Federline has fanned the flames by levying a series of explosive claims against her in his new book
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Britney is said to have called Justin Timberlake on the eve of her wedding to Kevin Federline(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)
Fears for Britney Spears have been mounting in recent months, and now her ex-husband Kevin Federline has added fuel to the fire with a series of wild claims in his new memoir.
Kevin, 47, married the popstar in 2004 following a whirlwind romance and the former couple went onto have two sons, Sean Preston, 19, and Jayden, 18. The former backing dancer was granted full custody of the boys a year after they divorced, in the wake of Britney’s mental health battles.
According to an excerpt obtained by the New York Times, in the 47-year-old’s upcoming book You Thought You Knew, Federline alleges that the children would wake up to find their mother holding a knife at their bedroom door while watching them sleep.
READ MORE: Britney Spears facing ‘make or break’ decision but her hands are tied
“They would awaken sometimes at night to find her standing silently in the doorway, watching them sleep – “Oh, you’re awake?” – with a knife in her hand,” writes Kevin. “Then she’d turn around and pad off without explanation.”
The knife allegation follows claims made by Britney’s sister Jamie Lynn Spears in her 2022 memoir Things I Never Said. Jamie, 34, alleged Britney had locked them both in a room together while holding a knife, a claim the singer branded “crazy lies”.
Federline goes on to claim that the boys cited ‘fear’ as a reason for not wanting to visit their mother at home in their teenage years. Talking about the infamous night in 2008 which saw Britney committed to the psych ward of Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after refusing to relinquish her sons to their father, he insisted it was “one of the hardest nights of my life”.
The star was placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold and Federline was granted full custody of the children with Britney forced to pay him a sizeable child maintenance each month.
Britney’s relationship with her sons is said to remained strained and the boys moved to Hawaii with their father in August 2023. In her own memoir The Woman in Me, which was released the same year, Britney hit back at her ex-husband.
“Kevin tried to convince everyone that I was completely out of control,” she said. “He started to say I shouldn’t have my kids anymore – at all.”
The singer revealed she had struggled with postpartum depression and admitted to taking Adderall, an ADHD medication, but denied having a drinking or drug problem.
Chillingly, in his memoir Kevin voiced his fears the “clock is ticking” for his ex-wife. “The truth is, this situation with Britney feels like it’s racing toward something irreversible,” he said. “It’s become impossible to pretend everything’s OK.
“From where I sit, the clock is ticking, and we’re getting close to the 11th hour. Something bad is going to happen if things don’t change and my biggest fear is that our sons will be left holding the pieces.”
In a statement provided to Us Weekly, Spears’ representative said, “Once again [Federline] and others are profiting off her, and sadly it comes after child support has ended with Kevin.
“All she cares about are her kids, Sean Preston and Jayden James, and their well-being during this sensationalism,” they added.
It comes as he also claimed he caught Britney on the phone to her ex-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, the night before their wedding when they were staying at the Fairmont in Santa Monica.
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“I’m like, ‘What’s wrong?’ I thought she was talking to her mom on the phone or something and maybe she was, like, having doubts. And she told me that she was on the phone with Justin.
“I just kind of stepped back like, ‘Did I just hear you right? What the hell is going on?’ And I immediately was, ‘Okay, we don’t have to do this.’ I didn’t care if we got married or not,” he said. “And she told me no and really was like, ‘I just wanted to make sure that everything is done. I want to make sure that I say my final piece.’ I’m like, ‘Damn. On the night before our wedding, this is what you decide to do?'”
The Senate has ordered a full-scale investigation into rising safety concerns within the aviation sector, following revelations from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) about a runway overrun incident involving an Air Peace aircraft at Port Harcourt International Airport.
The resolution was passed on Wednesday after a motion was raised by Senator Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North) on the need to strengthen Aviation Safety following the NSIB report on the Air Peace runway incident.
The Senate directed its Committee on Aviation to engage all relevant stakeholders, including the NSIB, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and airline operators and to submit a comprehensive report within six weeks.
READ ALSO: Air Peace Plane Veers Off Runway In Port Harcourt
In a related resolution, the Senate also urged the Federal Government to construct an additional runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, citing the need to prevent operational bottlenecks and improve safety margins in the nation’s capital.
Lawmakers noted that the NSIB’s investigative report on the June 22, 2025 incident, involving a Boeing 737-500 operated by Air Peace exposed serious lapses in runway conditions, airfield lighting, pilot decision-making and regulatory oversight.
Antananarivo, Madagascar – On a typical Sunday morning in Mahamasina, a suburb of Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, Sarobidy Ramarimanana joined the queue at her neighbourhood water point just after sunrise.
“I just wanted to fill my jerrycan and go to church,” she told Al Jazeera. “I was about to draw water when people started running; jerrycans everywhere.” The sound of police sirens had sparked panic, interrupting the calm of the neighbourhood as people fled.
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After weeks of tense antigovernment protests – and a crackdown that turned deadly – fear has become instinct, Ramarimanana said. People ran, tripping over their jerrycans, scattering them across the street. “I picked mine up and ran, too. I was scared.”
The 22-year-old studentreturned home, but she went back “angry”, she said, frustrated by the years of severe power and water supply cuts, sometimes lasting for days at a time, and the government’s failure to deliver improvements to such services.
She never made it to church. But later on Sunday she decided to join a bustling protest march in nearby Independence Square.
“How can they expect us to stay silent?” she asked from the square, holding a yellow jerrycan and small tin-can lamp – “jiro-kapoaka” – items that have become symbols of resistance among the youth protesters.
“We fetch water in the dark, we sleep through power cuts, and they tell us to be patient? For how long?”
Since September 25, hundreds of protesters led by the “Gen Z Madagascar” youth movement have been taking to the streets of Antananarivo. What began as anger about the persistent water and power cuts soon led to general discontent and calls for President Andry Rajoelina to step down.
For weeks, angry demonstrators blocked roads with burning tyres and rocks, and in response, police fired rubber bullets, stun grenades, and tear gas.
At least 22 people have died and dozens of others have been injured, the United Nations says.
Faced with mounting unrest, Rajoelina did attempt some changes last month, dissolving his government and promising to appoint a new prime minister. But delays, plus Rajoelina’s choice of a military general, sparked backlash among the youth who saw the appointment as a sign that the same political cycle was simply restarting in a different uniform.
This all culminated in the weekend’s protests, which were the largest recorded in the weeks of unrest – and where police once again cracked down.
A student in Antananarivo carries water in a jerrycan before participating in a demonstration against frequent power outages and water shortages, in Madagascar, on September 30 [Zo Andrianjafy/Reuters]
‘It’s about survival’
Jose Raharimino is not a regular protester, nor does he see himself as political. But when the power cut out at his apartment on Sunday morning, hedecided to make his way to Independence Square.
“I just wanted to document what’s happening,” the 31-year-old freelance photographer told Al Jazeera, a camera slung over his shoulder and a jerrycan at his feet.
“At first, I thought I’d stay on the sidelines – just watch, maybe take a few photos.”
On Saturday, an elite army unit once allied to the president, CAPSAT, defected and declared it would join forces with the protesters against the government.
As a result, the atmosphere felt almost hopeful early on Sunday – chants rising, people laughing nervously, the smell of fried “mofo gasy”, Malagasy local donut, from a nearby stall.
“We weren’t angry yet. We were desperate, but it felt like we were together in that desperation,” Raharimino said.
As the sun climbed higher, he began livestreaming on his phone. “I wanted people abroad to see this – that we’re not violent, just tired.” Around him, the crowd swelled: vendors, students, office clerks, mothers balancing babies and jerrycans.
“This isn’t political,” he told someone beside him. “It’s about survival.”
But hope turned brittle when the first canister landed. The hiss of tear gas cut through the chants. “At first, people didn’t move,” Raharimino said. “Then another one fell – and another.”
He watched as smoke spread through the crowd, stinging his eyes, his camera shaking in his hands. He backed away, coughing, but refused to stop filming. “You could hear people screaming – not from pain, but from anger,” he said. “Someone near me yelled, ‘Why are you shooting at us? We only came for water!’”
Moments later, the police line advanced. Protesters scattered through side streets, clutching jerrycans, hiding behind walls. Raharimino ducked behind a kiosk, helping a young man rinse his face with bottled water.
“It felt like 2009 all over again,” he said quietly, recalling the weeks of antigovernment protests that eventually led to Rajoelina taking power from democratically elected then-President Marc Ravalomanana through a military coup.
Sixteen years later, the military and government were in another standoff – with CAPSAT, which once helped Rajoelina take power, now helping see him out as its members squared off against forces loyal to the president.
Among the hundreds of people at the march on Sunday, some had been out in the streets for weeks, while others were newly emboldened by CAPSAT’s announcement.
Rajoelina, however, called the army’s move an illegal coup attempt and fled to an unknown location. By Tuesday, parliament voted to impeach him for desertion of duty.
Meanwhile, the military has now taken power, forming a transitional committee with the promise to quickly restore civilian rule in Madagascar.
Henintsoa Andriniaina documented the protests in Antananarivo [Govina Damy/Al Jazeera]
‘We need a new system’
The rapid changes came with celebrations in the streets, and pictures of soldiers united with ordinary citizens in the hope of building a better country.
But just below the surface optimism, many are still worried.
“I can’t just watch things stay the same any more. We’ve been stuck with the same problems for too long – corruption, poverty, no jobs, and no real change,” Henintsoa Andriniaina, 24, told Al Jazeera in Independence Square.
The entrepreneur from Isotry sells hand-painted tote bags online. His business depends on electricity – something he now calls “a luxury.”
“When there’s no power, I can’t print, I can’t sew, I can’t even charge my phone to post new designs. And when there’s no water, I can’t even wash my brushes,” he said.
“We’re not lazy youth shouting slogans. We’re people trying to live.”
He joined Sunday’s protest with a sign reading “Miala Rajoelina! Mila rafitra vaovao! Tsimbazaza miray!” – which means “Rajoelina out! We need a new system. Tsimbazaza united.”
“When I wrote that, I wasn’t just asking one person to step down – I was speaking for everyone who’s tired of this cycle,” he said. “‘Mila rafitra vaovao’ means we need to rebuild from the ground up: new structures, fairer leadership, and a system that truly serves the people. ‘Tsimbazaza miray’ represents unity – the youth, the workers, the vendors – everyone standing together for change.
“I’m not here for violence or revenge. I’m here because I believe Madagascar can do better if we dare to change the structure itself, not just the faces in power.”
Andriniaina thinks structural reform and accountability are essential. “We need leaders who serve, not steal,” he said. “Change means building systems that outlast people – transparent budgets, fair opportunities, and power that belongs to citizens, not to offices.”
A member of the military looks on near a banner featuring a Malagasy version of the logo of the popular Japanese manga One Piece, a symbol adopted by Gen Z protest movements worldwide, as he leaves after joining protesters gathered outside the town hall on Independence Avenue during a nationwide youth-led demonstration against frequent power outages and water shortages, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, October 14, 2025 [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]
‘Uncertain’ future
In the middle of Sunday’s police clampdown, Raharimino captured what he could on camera before police seized his phone.
The square had turned into a haze of smoke, sirens, and chaos by early afternoon, which reminded him of the 2009 protests. “I was a teenager then. I remember the fear,” he said.
Hours later, he made it home with red eyes and shaking hands. “This isn’t about politics,” he repeated. “It’s about the right to live with dignity. The right to wake up and know the lights will turn on.”
Raharimino believes that truth and visibility are critical for change. “If we can’t speak, record, or show what’s happening, nothing will change,” he said. “Change begins when truth can flow as freely as water – without fear, without silence.”
In the shadow of a closed grocery stall in the capital sat Bako, a 56-year-old street cleaner who only goes by one name.
Shewas not part of the march, but watched from a distance as the smoke from burning tyres drifted across the skyline of Antananarivo.
“I’ve seen this before,” she said softly, her voice breaking. “In 2009, we shouted, too. My husband went to the protests. He never came back.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she pointed in the direction of the stadium. “Now, it’s the children of those who shouted before. And they’re crying again.”
Bako wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. “I don’t blame them. I cry for them. Because they want what I wanted too – just a little dignity.”
As the day faded, the echoes of gunfire mixed with chants and the hum of generators sputtering to life in the distance. By nightfall, dozens had been arrested. Rumours swirled across the capital – of resignations, of tanks near the palace.
By Monday morning, it was confirmed: President Rajoelina had resigned. The military had taken over. Some called it liberation. Others, a dangerous replay of history.
“What happens next is uncertain,” Luke Freeman, Madagascar expert at University College London, told Al Jazeera.
“As far as the Gen Z protesters, who’ve set this ball rolling, it might well be that their egalitarian structure now plays against them because, in order to have political penetration, to get a seat at those discussions for setting out the roadmap for Madagascar’s future, they’re probably going to need to appoint leaders and spokespeople,” he said.
“They’re going from social human rights protests into the murky and dirty world of political negotiations. And for that, you need to be part of a coalition, and that’s where they’re going to have to fight for their right to still be part of this process.”
For young people in the streets, a better country with functional water and electricity services is “our right, not a plea”, Ramarimanana said.
Whether the military’s takeover will bring positive change remains to be seen. But for Ramarimanana, it was neither a full victory nor relief, as it has not yet brought dignity.
“We can’t dream of democracy if we can’t drink clean water. Change starts when every home has what it needs – not promises, but pipes that work and lights that stay on,” she said.
On the streets of Antananarivo, littered with the symbols of both defiance and despair, Ramarimanana looked down at her scuffed yellow jerrycan, still empty and waiting to be filled.
“We didn’t want power. We wanted water. We wanted light,” she said quietly. “Maybe now, they’ll listen. Or maybe … they’ll just forget us again.”
A drone view shows protesters gathering outside the town hall on Independence Avenue during a nationwide youth-led demonstration in Antananarivo, October 14, 2025 [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]
Meghan Markle is trying to pivot to a new venture after her and Harry’s exclusive contract with Netflix recently ended, with the streaming giant now only promising a ‘first look’ for any of their upcoming projects
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Meghan Markle has teased her next move after the end of her previous Netflix deal(Image: Getty Images for Fortune Media)
Meghan Markle has revealed what she is planning to try her hand at next in the aftermath of her relationship with Netflix changing, while on stage for the Fortune Most Powerful Women summit in Washington DC.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, compared the terms of her new first-look deal to that of Barack and Michelle Obama’s company, Higher Ground.
Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, first signed a reported $100 million (£74 million) contract with Netflix in 2020 after stepping back as senior working royals.
READ MORE: Meghan Markle attempts to spin ‘downgraded’ Netflix deal and compares herself to Obamas
READ MORE: Meghan Markle’s trip to Paris Fashion Week heralded as ‘first positive PR in years’
In August, the couple announced a new “multi-year, first-look deal,” which gives Netflix the option to pick up their film and TV projects before anyone else.
Meghan addressed speculation that the revised agreement signals Netflix is scaling back its relationship with the Sussexes, describing the change as a “strength”.
While on stage, she told the audience: “My husband and I were in an overall deal with Netflix, and then not just similar to Higher Ground in the Obamas’ deal, once that had come to its term, the extension of it, which was such an incredible sign of the strength of our partnership, was now being in a first look deal.”
She added: “Which is also exciting, because it gives us flexibility to go to our partners first, and then at the same time, to be able to shop content that might not be the right fit for Netflix, but has a home somewhere else.”
The Duchess then confirmed that she is currently developing short-form recipe videos for her lifestyle brand, As Ever, which will appear on platforms outside of Netflix. “We’re testing out how to give people a recipe in two minutes,” she explained.
Meghan’s comments come in the middle of some uncertainty around the future of her lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, which debuted on Netflix in March but received mixed reviews.
When asked if the show will return for a third season, Meghan sidestepped the question, only saying: “The holiday special is coming out in November and that’s a really good one.”
During the discussion, Meghan spoke about what her career has looked like since leaving royal life in 2020, saying that early on she was mainly focused on “nesting and healing”.
She revealed that her newfound passion for cooking led her to launch As Ever despite people thinking she would get involved in fashion related projects next, explaining: “I’ve always loved being able to share, cook, and entertain…it ended up becoming the thing that really was my passion project that I turned into a business.”
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Meanwhile, model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen, who appeared in season two of With Love, Meghan, has recently spoken warmly about her friend, calling her “deeply misunderstood”.
Chrissy told People: “I really adore her. I think she is so incredibly strong. It is insane to me how polarising she is…she really is just such a kind, good person.”
Taylor Swift’s newest album, The Life Of A Showgirl, caused a stir after fans believed one of her songs, titled ‘Actually Romantic’ was about Charli XCX – but now the feud has taken a new turn
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Charli XCX had nothing to say about her feud with Taylor Swift(Image: Aiden Zamiri / Vanity Fair)
Earlier this month, Taylor Swift made her musical comeback by releasing her 12th studio album, titled The Life of a Showgirl. With a total of 12 songs and one collaboration – of course, it had to be Sabrina Carpenter. Swifites have been trying to figure out the meaning behind each song.
After reading the lyrics, fans believe that her seventh track might send a message to the Brat singer. The lyrics say: “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave.”
The song carries on: “High-fived my ex and then said you’re glad he ghosted me / Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face / Some people might be offended / But it’s actually sweet.”
READ MORE: Taylor Swift reveals the pain she went through after finishing Eras tourREAD MORE: Bad Bunny has perfect response to MAGA critics ahead of Super Bowl performance
In a latest development, Charli XCX has refused to comment amid the speculations that Taylor Swift ’s tune ‘Actually Romantic’ from her latest album might be about the British singer.
During an interview with Vanity Fair, Charli got asked about her thoughts on the song, but the singer refused to make a statement. However, the star spoke about how people portrayed her for her ‘party girl’ image.
She said: “It’s fascinating to see people ingest your personality and spit it back out – what people cling to, what people miss. I’m always interested in, like, what does the casual viewer think? And probably think I’m a girl who parties and does drugs and is a little bit b****y.”
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READ MORE: SKIMS launch new ‘ultimate bush’ thongs people are branding ‘disgusting’
Interestingly, Taylor and Charli XCX previously had a good friendship and collaborated in the past. The 33-year-old Briton performed on the 1989 World Tour, and previously opened her Reputation World Tour.
Rumours about a tense relationship between the singers began in 2024, following the release of Charli XCX’s most popular album to date, Brat. As reported by Harper’s Bazaar, one of the songs, titled ‘Sympathy Is A Knife’, seemed to have been inspired by the country-pop superstar. She highlighted how she felt insecure around Taylor, sparking controversy amongst both fandoms.
Both Swifties and Angels, their respective fandoms, believe that Taylor’s song is a response to Charli’s song. The lyrics are: “Don’t know if I’m spiralling / One voice tells me that they laugh / George says I’m just paranoid / Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show / Fingers crossed behind my back / I hope they break up real quick.”
Neither Taylor nor Charli have publicly confirmed whether or not their songs are about each other. So for fans it will remain a mystery until they do.
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