Archive September 3, 2025

Williams’ US Open dream ends in last eight

By in News, Sports News
Images courtesy of Getty

US Open 2025

Dates: August 24 through September 7 in Flushing Meadows, New York

Venus Williams and partner Leylah Fernandez lost to top-seeded Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova in the women’s doubles quarter-finals, ending their long-awaited US Open careers.

Williams, 45, and her 22-year-old partner had already knocked down two seeded pairs in the tournament’s final eight and had not dropped a set.

Townsend and Siniakova, who have won two Grand Slams together, were unable to hold back the American-Canadian wildcard duo, winning 6-1, 6-2, in 57 minutes.

After winning the first round of the singles competition, Williams was clearly overcome with emotion as she embraced the standing ovation from the audience.

Williams was described as an “inspiration” and a “legend” by Townsend and Siniakova.

We both wanted to be like Venus and Serena when we were younger. Townsend said it was a pleasure to share the court with her.

Townsend would have been the crowd favorite on any other day if she had played at her home major.

The Louis Armstrong Stadium sported every high and low on Sunday, as she failed to score eight matches and fell to Barbora Krejcikova in three sets to lose to the women’s singles in the final 16.

But she was playing against a partisan crowd in the same doubles match.

After all, Williams has won four titles at Flushing Meadows across all different formats, including back-to-back singles titles in 2000 and 2001 and two doubles titles alongside sister Serena in 1999 and 2009.

She has recovered from wrist and back injuries throughout her career and was identified with fatigue-causing Sjogren’s syndrome.

Since winning Wimbledon in 2016, she had her first doubles quarter-final appearance in the final eight of a Grand Slam and her first singles appearance since reaching the semi-finals in New York in 2017.

However, the match was one-way traffic despite the raucous reception as she proceeded to the court.

The top seeds fought back, claiming 12 of the first 13 points and extending their 3-0 lead.

The crowd erupted into life after their success was met with polite, if muted, applause, and it wasn’t until the fourth game when Williams brought the crowd back together with a brutal forehand winner off Siniakova’s serve.

Williams’ second service game ended with 15 more points, but Townsend and Siniakova, who had only six points on serve throughout the match, had one foot in the final four after 22 minutes.

Williams and Fernandez both managed to get their serve, but with their rivals making just two unforced errors and 12 winners, they were unable to break into the match.

For a spot in the final, Townsend and Czech Siniakova will face fourth-seeded Veronika Kudermetova and Elise Mertens, who have yet to drop a set.

In another match on Tuesday, sixth seeds Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski of Great Britain rallied from set pieces to defeat Monaco’s Hugo Nys and Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4 to advance to the third round of the men’s doubles.

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Trump says 11 killed in strike on alleged drug-carrying boat from Venezuela

By in News, World News

Donald Trump has revealed that the military carried out a “kinetic” strike on a small boat for the Tren de Aragua gang, which he claimed was attempting to smuggle drugs out of Venezuela.

Trump shared black-and-white aerial photos of the bombing, which reportedly claimed 11 lives, in a Tuesday post on his social media platform, Truth Social.

11 terrorists were killed in action as a result of the strike. In this strike, Trump claimed, no U.S. forces were hurt.

“Please let anyone who is considering importing drugs into the United States of America know about this.” BEWARE”!

The president claims that the bombing occurred early on Tuesday morning. It represents a significant escalation in tensions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who Trump has repeatedly claimed, without providing any proof, to be responsible for arranging transnational gang activity.

Trump first made the revelations at a Tuesday afternoon press conference in the Oval Office.

Trump flipped from a US Space Command announcement to make a seemingly spontaneous break from the news.

As he sat atop a podium surrounded by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Trump told reporters in the room, “you’ll see that we just, over the last few minutes, literally shot out a boat, a drug-carrying boat.”

There are a lot of drugs in that vessel. And you’ll be reading about that and seeing that, Trump continued, later adding, “These came out of Venezuela.”

Since the Trump administration increased its military presence in the Caribbean last month, the US has launched its first known military attack against alleged drug smugglers.

There are currently no details about the strike. No further details about the strike’s location have been provided, despite Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, who stated on social media that it had taken place in the “southern Caribbean.”

Trump called the passengers on the boat “narcoterrorists” who were “at sea in international waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States,” according to Trump.

Seven US warships and one fast attack submarine with nuclear power are either stationed in the Caribbean or anticipated to be there soon, according to the Reuters news agency. More than 4,500 sailors and marines are on board the ships.

Concerns about the deployment’s growing tensions with Venezuela have heightened since the deployment, which Maduro has already responded to by deploying more military forces to the coast.

In Venezuela, Maduro, a long-time adversary of Trump, pledged to “declare a republic in arms” on Monday.

Maduro has long accused the US government of interfering with his opposition’s political plans in Venezuela. He claimed in his remarks on Monday that Trump was “seeking a regime change through military threat.”

Trump, in spite of his initial apprehensions, resumed the campaign under the most extreme pressure that characterized his foreign policy toward Venezuela during his first term.

Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, traveled to Caracas, Venezuela, to meet with Maduro shortly after his second inauguration in January.

Six American prisoners who had been released from Venezuelan prisons were taken back by Grenell from the trip. Venezuela consented to US deportation flights by March. Since then, more prisoners have been released and exchanged.

The Trump administration has since increased its pressure on Venezuela, using the nation as justification for enlisting in the Alien Enemies Act, a law passed during the war.

Trump has repeatedly drawn a direct line between groups like Tren de Aragua and the Venezuelan government in an effort to portray immigration into the US as a criminal “invasion.”

According to Trump, Maduro is in charge of the gang as part of a plot to “destabilize the US.”

In consequence, Trump announced last month that he would increase the reward for Maduro’s arrest from his previous first-term’s $15 million to $50 million.

A connection to the group has not been made by Maduro. The Trump administration’s claim is refuted by at least two US intelligence reports.

For instance, a declassified National Intelligence Council report from May revealed that Maduro’s government “probably does not have a policy of cooperating with” Tren de Aragua.

The report also claimed that Maduro is “not directing” the gang’s US operations, despite acknowledging that Venezuela offers a “permissive environment” that Tren de Aragua can operate in.

Tren de Aragua is one of the many Latin American criminal organizations designated by the Trump administration as “foreign terrorist organizations.”

Media reports in August revealed that Trump had authorized military action against cartels and other such organizations, causing rumors of strikes in Latin America.

Venezuelan authorities demanded “the immediate cessation of the US military deployment in the Caribbean” last week.

Isak, Gyokeres, Garnacho And Other Key Premier League Summer Transfer Moves

By in News, sport-news

Following a record-breaking summer filled with signings across the division, the Premier League transfer window closed on Monday.

Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz were the blockbusters that Liverpool and Manchester United did, but Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United also made significant spending decisions.

Ten of the most intriguing deals are examined by AFP Sport:

Alexander Isak (Newcastle to Liverpool)

Alexander Isak

With a British record swoop for the Sweden striker, whose £125 million ($169 million) signing ended Liverpool’s remarkable spending spree of more than $ 400 million, the Reds finally acquired their man.

Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool)

The German playmaker immediately set his sights on “winning everything every year” with the Premier League champions after signing an initial $100 million in a deal that could rise to $116 million.

READ ALSO: Premier League Clubs Break £3 billion Barrier To Surpass Rivals

Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City vs. Paris Saint-Germain)

The Italy goalkeeper has reportedly been lured to the Etihad Stadium in a £26 million deal after City boss Pep Guardiola decided to leave his long-serving number one, who is set to join Turkish side Fenerbahce, just months after playing a key role in PSG’s maiden Champions League title.

Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Manchester United’

With Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha joining the new faces in a £200 million revamp that will determine whether their manager’s reign is over, Ruben Amorim’s rework of his misfiring attack was completed with the £73 million arrival of the Slovenia striker.

(Manchester City to Everton) Jack Grealish

The flamboyant England winger’s stock had fallen so far that he was allowed to join Everton on a season-long loan deal, despite City paying a then British record £100 million for the deal to sign him from Aston Villa. His improved performance suggests a potential career renaissance.

Lisbon to Arsenal Viktor Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres, an Arsenal forward, trains at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on July 30, 2025, just before their friendly exhibition match against Tottenham Hotspur, which will be played on July 31. (Photo by Peter PARKS/AFP)

The Sweden international was moved to the Emirates after being inspired by Arsenal’s stunning 5-1 win over Sporting last season. He accepted a £64 million offer from Mikel Arteta, who was subsequently given the opportunity to make a prolific target man the centerpiece of his attack.

Chelsea vs. Manchester United Alejandro Garnacho

Garnacho Instagram account: X@ChelseaFC

After losing his job to Manchester United manager Amorim, the Argentine winger hopes to resurrect his career there after signing for Chelsea for $ 40 million.

(Stuttgart to Newcastle) Nick Woltemade

The signing of the Germany striker, who is six feet six inches (1.98 meters) tall, places a huge pressure on the 23-year-old, who is known for his creativity as well as his aerial prowess, to reach the club-record £69 million cap.

Xavi Simons (Pottsburg to Leipzig)

During the German first division football match between Mainz 05 and RB Leipzig in Mainz on October 19, 2024, ex-Leipzig Dutch midfielder #10 Xavi Simons reacts. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP)

Thomas Frank, who paid £51 million to bring the 22-year-old to north London after scoring 22 goals and contributing 24 goals in 78 appearances for Leipzig, is now the standout signing for the talented Dutch midfielder.

(Manchester United vs. Aston Villa) Jadon Sancho

England winger Sancho signed for Birmingham on a temporary deal after following in the footsteps of United teammate Marcus Rashford, who is currently at Barcelona. After a disappointing loan spell with Chelsea last season, he hopes Villa boss Unai Emery can rekindle his stagnant career.

UNICEF, FG Train Journalists On Ethical Reporting Of Children Rights

By in News, Nigeria News

In order to prepare journalists for reporting stories involving children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information held a two-day regional workshop in Kano.

Participants from Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, were a part of the workshop, which started on Monday.

Rahama Muhammad, UNICEF’s Kano Field Office’s head, referred to ethical reporting on children as “a vital service to democracy and the community,” stressing that journalists must place a value on children’s welfare over sensationalism in their keynote address.

According to Muhammad, “ethical journalism strengthens social cohesion, protects the vulnerable, and fosters trust.”

An ethical story defends a child’s right to a future free from shame and harm, according to the statement “A sensational headline about a child might sell newspapers.”

Read more about the two media houses and the 65 journalists who were attacked in nine months, according to IPC.

He warned against publishing the names, photos, or other identifying details of children who had been victims of violence, conflict, or abuse, as these actions could re-traumatize victims, stigmatize families, and harm children for a long time.

He also urged journalists to support ongoing efforts to uphold child’s rights, warning that those who distribute harmful online content could face legal action.

In the same vein, the Federal Ministry of Information’s Head of the Child Rights International Bureau (CRIB) advised participants to strike a balance between compelling storytelling and the highest standards of journalistic integrity.

You play a crucial role in influencing decisions that affect children, according to Falayi, and you have a crucial role in protecting children’s rights.

“This training provides an opportunity to learn more about Nigeria’s children’s specific vulnerabilities, ethical principles, and child protection laws.”

He acknowledged the contributions of Nigerian media professionals and child rights advocates from all over the country. He also noted that while progress has been made in highlighting child-related issues, much more needs to be done to ensure that young people in Nigeria grow up in a safe and honorable environment.

Jack Osbourne fumes ‘f*** Roger Waters’ after Pink Floyd frontman’s comments about Ozzy

By in Entertainment News, News

With Roger Waters in the firing line, Jack Osbourne is pulling no punches when it comes to protecting his late father’s legacy.

We weren’t particularly fond of Ozzy Osbourne’s music or any of the music he produced with Black Sabbath, according to Pink Floyd frontman Roger in a recent interview.

Just weeks after his homecoming show in his hometown of Birmingham, The Prince of Darkness passed away in July at the age of 76. In the wake of his passing, many have been sharing hysterical tributes with others.

In a recent conversation with The Independent Ink, Roger chose to take a more brutally honest stance. He pondered, “Ozzy Osbourne, who just passed away, bless him in whatever state of being his entire life.”

“We’ll never be certain,” I have no idea what the music is. I couldn’t give a f***”. He continued, “I never cared about Black Sabbath, I don’t care.” Have no desire to bite chickens’ heads or do anything else. You see, I had no control over it.

Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne passed away this summer at the age of 76 (Getty Images).

Jack, Ozzy’s youngest son, made his feelings for Roger public on Tuesday night on his Instagram Stories, but Roger’s thoughts haven’t been well received.

“Hey @rogerwaters,” F*** You. How uninspired and careless have you become. He wrote to his followers, “The only way you seem to get attention these days is by vomiting out bullshit in the press.”

Thank you for making my father believe he was wrong. ]clown emoji]”. Jack also added the hashtag “#f***rogerwaters” to a second Instagram Story.

According to his death certificate, The Prince of Darkness passed away after a cardiac arrest, an acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and autonomic dysfunction (joint causes). His industry included the roles of “rock legend, songwriter, and performer.”

When the heart’s muscles are hampered, frequently by a blood clot, by an acute myocardial infarction, the heart’s muscles are damaged. The symptoms include chest pain, which includes pressure, heaviness, tightness or squeezing, pain in other parts of the body, including pain in the arms, jaw, neck, back, and stomach, lightheadedness, sweating, shortness of breath, and feeling sick.

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