Archive September 3, 2025

‘More of the same no longer good enough for Townsend’

By in News, Sports News
Images courtesy of Getty
English, Tom
The chief sports writer for BBC Scotland
@tenglishsport
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You can tell when the most powerful player in Scottish rugby declares that more of the same from the national team is no longer sufficient.

David Nucifora, the performance director, most certainly delivered that message on Wednesday when he formally announced a number of fresh appointments and new ideas for the way the game is conducted in Scotland.

His contract extension extends to 2027 for Gregor Townsend. The Glasgow Warriors coach, Franco Smith, is also active.

A brand-new player pathway program has been created with experts from the likes of Team Andy Murray, GB Aquatics, the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Major League Baseball (MLB) in addition to the artificial intelligence field.

Al Kellock, the managing director of Glasgow and the club’s hero, is a closer match for the top performance position and is likely to take the position from Nucifora when it comes time to take the top performance position.

The here and now was primarily about Townsend, but all those new department head managers are tasked with developing future talent.

Nucifora is a fan. He completely supports Townsend, applauds his efforts, and believes he deserves a better chance to do better. He describes him as the best.

He is currently in a position where our team is progressing nicely, leading to a 2027 World Cup, according to Townsend Townsend’s Nucifora. He now has a much larger, support- and bulk-focused high-performance department centered on him.

“Gregor is a person who is constantly striving to improve and improve.” He is a perplexing coach. He wants to discover ways to grow both the team and himself personally. When you lose your desire to learn and grow, you realize head coaches are likely to run their own time, and Gregor is undoubtedly not. He has never been more or more keen than he has ever been.

Nucifora was asked if his response to the Six Nations and World Cup performances was more of the same. No, in high performance you never sit still, he replied. You must constantly be evolving.

So more money for Townsend, but it seems there is also more pressure to deliver, even though his chief executive, Alex Williamson, would not discuss specific goals.

He asserted that “we’re not taking wins and losses as hard targets.” On that basis, I simply believe you fall head over your shoulders.

We are very focused on having the best coaches and what we believe to be a very talented group of players with more players coming through our pipeline, which puts us in the best position for the World Cup and, prior to that, the Six Nations.

Williamson was similarly questioned about whether or not Scotland would continue to finish somewhere in the Six Nations.

No, I don’t believe that would apply to any organization, regardless of whether it is high performance or not because, he said, “You are immediately going backwards at a rate of knots” when you become content with where you are.

We have a lot of ambitions; we’re making investments in our high-performance environment to levels that Scottish Rugby has never before made. This is the first indication of our intentions, I suppose, and I want to be the world’s premier rugby union.

So, there’s no pressure then. More resources will be provided for Townsend in physiotherapy, rehabilitation, nutrition, and other areas. These serve as the foundation for the new initiatives that Nucifora and Williamson have announced.

“I would say that our structure has been set up slightly in Gregor,” Williamson said. He will now have a full-time high-performance environment that is dedicated to him because we are changing that.

The men’s national team will have dedicated strength and conditioning physios, nutritionists, and coaching resources, Williamson said.

“He immediately receives a boost of, let’s say, 40% in terms of actual available time from individuals,” he says.

“And then we have a pathway that is being developed to enable players to progress both with their already-developed specialist skills and more quickly.

“I think they have everything they need to be the best version of the Scottish national team, both physically and mentally. We’re giving ourselves the best chance possible for success.

Scotland will face the United States, Argentina, New Zealand, and Tonga in four games in the fall. Before the Calcutta Cup takes place in Edinburgh a week later, their Six Nation campaign will kick off in Rome. Townsend will play for Scotland for the 100th time in that series.

The campaign, Townsend’s penultimate Six Nations, is completed by Wales, France, and Ireland. Third place is what he achieved in 2023 and 2018 with his best-place finish. On his watch, Scotland finished fourth on five occasions.

Is that adequate? Is it more consistent? A title challenge deserving of the name is unquestionably the goal in the course of this enormous effort to advance Scotland on all fronts.

related subjects

  • Rugby Union of Scotland
  • Scottish Rugby
  • Rugby Union

Police Arrest Mother In Kebbi For Burying Newborn Baby Alive

By in News, Nigeria News

A 20-year-old woman has been detained for allegedly burying her newborn baby girl alive in the Kebbi State Police Command.

Nafiu Abubakar, the command’s public relations officer, released a statement on Wednesday disclosing this.

A 20-year-old resident of the Nasarawa region of Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Maryam Atiku, said on June 25, 2025, at around 8 p.m., gave birth to a girl.

Maryam allegedly transported the baby to a bush close to Malam Yaro village, tied her neck with three pieces of wrapper, covered her mouth, and transported her to a bush. According to reports, she reportedly dug a shallow grave there and buried the infant there.

READ ALSO: Police Arrest Two Suspects, Recover Locally Made Arms, and Ammunition In Plateau

North-western Nigeria is where Kebbi State is located.

A farmer, Kabiru Muhammad, who was working on his farm near Malam Yaro village, fortunately, noticed a suspicious patch of newly disturbed soil on June 26, 2025, around 12:30 p.m. He raised an alarm that caught the attention of nearby residents by posing as a witness to something unusual. The baby was miraculously still alive when she was exhumed, and she was then taken to the General Hospital in Kamba. She is now in a stable condition and was immediately rushed to by medical personnel.

A team of detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Birnin Kebbi immediately launched an investigation after receiving the report and successfully apprehended the suspect. Maryam Atiku admitted to the crime during preliminary questioning.

Bello Sani, the commissioner of police for Kebbi State Command, reiterated the organization’s zero tolerance policy against all forms of gender-based violence in the state.

Matthew Perry drug dealer ‘Ketamine Queen’ pleads guilty to selling actor fatal drug dose

By in Entertainment News, News

A woman dubbed the ‘Ketamine Queen’ has pleaded guilty to selling a fatal dose of the drug to actor Matthew Perry. The Friends star died aged 54 in October 2023.

Jasveen Sangha, 42, who is a citizen of the UK and the US, had previously pleaded not guilty to the charge but has since changed her plea. She becomes the fifth and final defendant to be charged over the death of the Hollywood star.

Sangha signed a statement to change her plea after agreeing a deal with prosecutors. It comes weeks before her trial was due to start. She pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of ketamine resulting in death.






Jasveen Sangha


Jasveen Sangha was dubbed the Ketamine Queen
(
instagram)

Her lawyer, Mark Geragos said in a brief statement following the deal: “She’s taking responsibility for her actions.” She had previously denied the charges, as she was set to face five counts of ketamine distribution, including one count of distribution resulting in death.

Prior to her change of plea, her defence team had requested her trial to be delayed on four occasions as they wanted more time to examine evidence.

The drug dealer could get a sentence of up to 45 years in prison, with the judge not bound to follow any terms of the plea agreement. However, prosecutors have said they will request less than the maximum. Her sentencing is scheduled for December.

To date, none of the co-defendants have been sentenced. Dr Salvador Plasencia also pleaded guilty in July, while Dr Mark Chavez, Kenneth Iwamasa and Erik Fleming pleaded guilty in exchange for their cooperation.






Matthew Perry


Matthew Perry was found unresponsive at home
(
AFP via Getty Images)

The actor died in October 2023 aged 54. The star was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. It was later found that he had overdosed on the drug ketamine. A post-mortem confirmed Perry drowned in his hot tub after taking a lethal dose of ketamine, a powerful anaesthetic increasingly used in mental health treatment.

Investigators say the actor had been undergoing ketamine therapy for depression through legal prescriptions but was taking it up to eight times a day and began seeking additional supplies illicitly.

Court documents allege the actor turned to Sangha after his physician, Dr Salvador Plasencia, refused to continue prescribing high volumes of the drug.

In his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry wrote candidly about his decades-long struggle with substance abuse, including multiple stints in rehab and near-death experiences.

He was best known for playing the iconic role of Chandler Bing in the long-running sitcom Friends. He had battled addiction for much of his adult life.

Speaking about his addiction, Friends co-star Jennifer Aniston recently told US magazine Vanity Fair: “We did everything we could when we could. But it almost felt like we’d been mourning Matthew for a long time because his battle with that disease was a really hard one for him to fight.

“As hard as it was for all of us and for the fans, there’s a part of me that thinks this is better. I’m glad he’s out of that pain.”

She went on: “What helped raise me is something I got to put into the world and help other people. If (Friends) was the only thing on my resume, I would be very happy and blessed.”

Aniston took on the role of Rachel Green in the hit US sitcom, which also starred Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc.

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UK deputy PM admits underpaying tax as opposition seeks her dismissal

By in News, World News

As her party struggles with declining poll numbers as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, UK deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has admitted she underpaid property tax on a purchase of a home.

After initially relying on incorrect advice, Rayner, who also serves as housing minister, confirmed she owed more tax on a property she purchased in southern England’s Hove.

She told Sky News on Wednesday, “I’m devastated because I’ve always upheld the rules and always have done so.” According to the advice I received at the time, I “made a mistake.”

She is now under pressure as Labour struggles to win the election, a year after Keir Starmer won by a landslide.

In a June YouGov poll, Reform’s victory over Labour’s party in parliament has soared to 271 seats, putting Labour’s lead at 178. Just 46 seats would be occupied by the Conservatives, who suffered a historic defeat last year.

Rayner, 45, is thought to be a contender for the position of ministerial leader in the future, but her future may depend on an independent ministerial standards investigation. Prior to purchasing the Hove property, her opponents have accused her of avoiding 40, 000 pounds ($54, 000) in stamp duty on a second home.

resignation calls

Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservatives, urged Starmer to sack her at Prime Minister’s Questions. Starmer defended his deputy, claiming she had “over and above” the transparency requirements for her property dealings and that he was “very proud” to work with her.

Four ministers have already resigned over misconduct since the Labour government’s election, which has already shook the organization. Starmer and Rayner received criticism earlier this year for accepting donations for expensive clothing, which they later discontinued.

Rayner is widely regarded as one of Labour’s most powerful political assets because of her blunt style and strong working-class roots.

She gained notoriety from a posh background and frequently used her story to make connections with disenchanted voters. According to political analysts, Starmer’s leadership team’s potential demise is a significant blow because of her significant appeal to working-class communities as a key component of Labour’s strategy.

The controversy comes as Labour battles sluggish economic growth, anger over welfare-cuts, and frustration among voters who voted for sweeping change last year. Farage positioning himself as the voice of working-class Britons, according to pollsters, indicates a high level of public outcry at the mainstream parties.

US and EU sanctions have killed 38 million people since 1970

By in News, World News

United States and Europe have long used unilateral sanctions as a means of imperial power to discipline and even overthrow Global South governments that seek to end Western dominance, chart a free path, and establish any kind of meaningful sovereignty.

In any given year, there were on average about 15 nations subject to unilateral sanctions from the West during the 1970s. In many cases, these sanctions sought to stifle trade and finance, destabilize industries, and exacerbate crises to stoke state collapse.

The US government, for instance, harshly retaliated against Chile when the popular socialist Salvador Allende won the election in 1970. US President Richard Nixon stated at a White House meeting in September 1970 that the goal was to “make Chile’s] economy scream.” The sanctions, according to historian Peter Kornbluh, were an “invisible blockade” that deposed Chile of access to international money, sparked social unrest, and opened the door for the US-backed coup that erected the brutal right-wing dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.

The US and Europe have since used sanctions in a significant way. In any given year, an average of 30 nations were subject to unilateral sanctions from the West during the 1990s and 2000s. It is more than 60% of the countries in the Global South as of the 2020s, which is a staggering high proportion.

Sanctions frequently have a significant impact on people. Scholars have demonstrated this in a number of well-known cases, including the US’s sanctions against Iraq in the 1990s, which caused widespread malnormation, a lack of clean water, and a shortage of medicine and electricity. More recently, US economic strife against Venezuela has caused a severe economic crisis, according to a study that found that 40, 000 extra-dead deaths occurred between 2017 and 2018 in one year.

Researchers have focused on understanding the human toll of sanctions on a case-by-case basis up until now. This work is challenging, and it only ever provides a glimpse into the finished product. However, this has changed with the release of new research, which was first published in The Lancet Global Health this year. The University of Denver study, led by economist Francisco Rodriguez, calculates the total number of extra-deaths caused by international sanctions between 1970 and 2021.

The outcomes are astounding. According to their principal estimate, the authors discover that the US and the EU have since instituted unilateral sanctions that have resulted in 38 million deaths. More than a million people died in the 1990s, some years. Sanctions were responsible for more than 800 000 deaths in the most recent year of data, 2021.

According to these results, sanctions cause approximately 100, 000 deaths annually, which is more than direct casualties of war (on average, around 100, 000). Children and the elderly, who are most susceptible to malnutrition, account for more than half of the victims. According to the study, more than one million children have been killed by sanctions since 2012 alone.

Hunger and poverty are a key goal of Western sanctions, not an accidental result. A State Department memo from April 1960, which explains the purpose of US sanctions against Cuba, makes this clear. According to the memo, Fidel Castro and the revolution in general enjoyed acclaim in Cuba. It argued that “every possible means should be taken seriously to weaken the economic life of Cuba,” that “distribution of resources to Cuba, a reduction in monetary and real wages, hunger, desperation, and the overthrow of government should be taken seriously.”

The effectiveness of Western sanctions depends on their dominance of the world’s reserve currencies (the US dollar and the euro), their dominance of SWIFT, and their monopoly over key technologies (such as satellites, cloud computing, and software). Countries in the Global South will need to take steps to lessen their dependence on these things and protect themselves from negative feedback if they want to chart a more independent path towards a multipolar world. Such a strategy can be successful, according to recent Russian experience.

By establishing new payment systems outside Western control, establishing South-South trade and swap lines between the main currencies, using regional planning to develop necessary technologies, and establishing new payment systems, governments can increase their independence. In fact, several nations are already implementing this strategy. Importantly, new Chinese systems (such as CIPS for international payments, BeiDou for satellites, Huawei for telecom) now offer other world South countries alternative options that can help them break Western dependence and the sanctions net.

These actions are both morally necessary and necessary for nations that want to experience sovereign development. We cannot accept the fact that half a million people are murdered annually to advance Western hegemony. This kind of violence must be replaced and eliminated from an international order.

Jamie Laing hates wife Sophie Habboo being pregnant due to her very strict house rule

By in Entertainment News, News

Jamie Laing, the star of Made in Chelsea, revealed that his wife Sophie Habboo has set some strict guidelines as they prepare to welcome their first child. He admits he “hates it.”

Jamie Laing has revealed an odd rule that wife Sophie Habboo has created(Image: Getty Images)

Jamie Laing has made a wild confession about his wife Sophie Habboo’s home rules as they prepare to welcome their first child. The Made In Chelsea star, 36, announced he is expecting his first child with Sophie, 31, back in June.

Since then, the couple have been sharing updates on their pregnancy and even rebranded their podcast to NearlyParents. Sophie has been candid about her experiences so far as she prepares to give birth and confessed her teeth are “frail and rotting”.

Now that Sophie and Jamie are making sure their home is perfect for their newborn’s arrival very soon, Jamie has revealed a very strict rule that Sophie has already established. Jamie is perplexed by the couple’s recent relocation to a stunning new home, which also includes some new regulations.

READ MORE: Pregnant Made In Chelsea star Frankie Gaff announces tragic death of her sisterREAD MORE: Jamie Laing left humiliated after fans point out the mortifying blunder in racy post

Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo
Jamie and Sophie are expecting their first child together(Image: Instagram/sophiehabboo)
Sophie Habboo
Sophie has laid down some strict rules for Jamie(Image: Instagram/sophiehabboo)

“A lot is going on everyone,” he admitted on his BBC Radio 1 show. “I feel like I have really become and adult this year. I don’t know what you listeners think when you’re an adult now, maybe it’s when you’re driving or married, when you’re having kids.”

As Jamie said he now feels as grown up as ever, he spilled on his home life with Sophie. “I tell you one thing that is actually quite weird, we just moved into a new house, very exciting, and my wife, who is pregnant, has this new rule in the house.

I’ll let you know what I’m going to say on the radio. I detest it. She won’t be giving a damn. Really, I don’t like it, and I pretend to like it at home.

Jamie explained to Jamie, “I have outdoor clothes and indoor clothes, and this is the rule.” He then explained what has been grating him. So I have to dress outside the house and dress inside the house so I don’t mess up when I return home.

She once ran upstairs with my outside clothes like a rat. When he admitted, “I come in and I get naked,” his radio co-star Katie Thistleton questioned how the logistics were run.

Katie quipped, “Let’s blame the hormones,” while Jamie and Katie argued over Sophie’s justification for the rule. Jamie, however, feared Sophie would learn about his confession because he believed it had gone too far.

“I am scared if she is listening. I just want everyone to know I love, love wearing indoor clothes,” he teased. Last month, Jamie shared how he had a ‘chemical reaction’ after feeling his baby kick for the first time.

The baby sounded like it was kicking. It’s like a little foot, he said on their podcast, “I felt it there.” It’s like a little foot.

Continue reading the article.

Then Jamie said, “It’s insane, you can put your hands on the tummy and you can feel the baby kicking,” Sophie then described the sensation of a fish swimming through her stomach. What does it do, I can’t explain. There must be some kind of chemical reaction.

The only way to describe it is “pure love,” as my body reacts when I feel the kick, something hits me, some chemically nails my body, and it feels like it. I’ve never experienced real pure love like that.

READ MORE: Dentist-backed 95p teeth whitening strips shoppers keep saying they’ll ‘buy again’