‘Excited’ Andreatta says Scotland can avoid Nations League relegation

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Women’s Nations League: Scotland vs. Austria

After working with the players for the first time with the women’s team, new head coach Melissa Andreatta is more excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for Scotland’s women’s team, believing they can maintain their top-tier Nations League status.

Scotland kick off a so far unfavorable Nations League Group A1 campaign on Friday with a visit to Austria and then four days later, with both games broadcast live on the BBC.

Scotland have struggled among the elite of the Nations League and hasn’t taken a point from their four matches, as they did during their first stint in League A in 2023.

At Hampden, they will need to defeat Austria by two goals to have a shot at preserving League A status through a play-off.

The Josko Arena’s matchday one defeat was 1-0, but those are Austria’s only losses in their modest campaign.

When the former Australia assistant head coach was questioned about whether she believed her new team could avoid falling to the bottom of the Nations League, she responded, “We believe we can do that.”

The 46-year-old continued, “Excited is a good word for me to use. I’m certainly on the ball, but I also want to be evaluated and aware that it will take time and that progress must be made to match our goals and beliefs.

The first few weeks have been more than I had anticipated. I told the players that football speaks for itself and that I’m falling in love with this nation.

Following Scotland’s failure to reach the Euro 2025 finals, Pedro Martinez Losa left and is now in charge of Mexican club Tigres. Andreatta has since assumed his new role.

Given that the 35-year-old will retire at the end of this international window, she will only have two games to work with Rachel Corsie, but she has been impressed by what she has seen.

In her final international camp, the Australian paid tribute to the former captain’s demeanor.

What a legend working with Rachel Corsie has been very humbling, Andreatta said.

“Rachel’s professionalism and willingness to share her experiences with both players and staff is what really stood out,” she said.

On her return to camp, “I think she’s had a really positive impact on the group,” she said, noting that her only interest is her role and what the team needs to do to play the way we want to.

Kathleen McGovern, who has scored 25 goals for the Scottish Women’s Premier League leaders, has received his first callup for Andreatta’s first squad, along with Rangers captain Nicola Docherty and two club-mates, winger Brogan Hay and forward Kirsty Howat.

Austria issue a call for reinforcements in the attack.

Analysis – Thomas Duncan, a commentator for BBC Scotland

Andreatta hopes to draw inspiration from Alexander Schreibl, who won his first game against Scotland in February and came out on top with a score of just 1-0.

The last two times they met, and these two have each won once, demonstrating how closely fought Friday’s game will be. These two teams have been separated by one goal each.

Austria have faced challenges since that opening victory, losing 4-1 to Germany and 3-1 to the Netherlands both home and away.

However, they won two of those three games, and Schreibl has deployed additional attacking players to counteract Scotland, who have struggled for goals against teams with comparable or better squad quality.

Nicole Billa, who has 106 caps and has been called up, could start in a front two that has been deployed behind a diamond midfield throughout the Nations League.

Eileen Campbell, a second forward, has recovered from a hip injury.

Scotland squad

Goalkeepers: Sandy MacIver (Washington Spirit), Lee Gibson (Glasgow City), and Eartha Cumings (Rosengard).

Jenna Clark (Liverpool), Rachel Corsie (Aston Villa), Nicola Docherty (Rangers), Sophie Howard (Leicester City), Emma Lawton (Celtic), Rachel McLauchlan (Rangers), Amy Muir (Glasgow City), and Kirsty Smith (unattached) are the defenders.

Chelsea Cornet (Rangers), Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea), Lauren Davidson (Brann), Freya Gregory (Newcastle United), Brogan Hay (Rangers), Kirsty MacLean (Rangers), Amy Rodgers (Bristol City), Emma Watson (Manchester United), and Caroline Weir (Real Madrid).

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  • Women’s Football Team of Scotland
  • Scottish Women’s Football
  • Scottish Football
  • Football
  • Women’s Football

Peter Kwong dead: Big Trouble in Little China star dies as co-stars pay tribute

Peter Kwong, the star of Big Trouble in Little China, has passed away at the age of 73, his family has confirmed. The actor and martial artist was best known for his roles in Kim Cattrall and Kurt Russell in John Carpenter’s classic film from 1986.

The actor passed away on Tuesday night while he was sleeping, his family and I have no further information. His agent, Theo Caesar, described him as “a great guy” in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. In addition to The A-Team, Wonder Woman, Little House of the Prairie, and Miami Vice, the Californian actor frequently appeared.

1978 (Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images), Peter Kwong

Peter’s fans have taken to social media to express their condolences to the iconic movie star since the sad news broke. One user reported on X: “Peter Kwong, who played Rain in Big Trouble in Little China, has sadly passed away. Another era of our youth gone. RIP”.

Another user wrote, “This is shocking and I’m saddened that actor Peter Kwong, who played the role in “RAIN,” passed away in his sleep overnight. The coolest cat ever with long locks to wear a two-piece suit, Peter, will forever be to me, RAIN! #RIP”.

Lydia Cornell, the late actress from Too Close for Comfort, paid tribute to her, revealing that they were meant to be together in a movie. “I’m gutted”, she wrote. Peter Kwong, my dear friend, passed away. This Friday’s filming will feature us playing vampires.

“Just reconnected at @ChillerTheatre. Fly with Peter the Angel. Till we can reconnect.

Peter began his acting career in 1976 with the television series Visions before appearing in roles in Wonder Woman, Dynasty, and Never Too Young To Die.

His big break, however, came in 1986 when he was cast in the fictional action comedy Little China, which follows a truck driver who assists a friend in Chinatown, San Francisco, to save his ex-wife from bandits.

Peter reprised the role of Rain, one of the Three Storms in the movie. While James Pax played Lightning, Carter Wong assumed the role of Thunder. The movie has since grown to be a cult classic despite not receiving much box office success.

Eddie Murphy, who played a detective looking for a missing child, and Peter also appeared in The Golden Child in 1986.

Peter has voiced Mike in Pepito’s Mamadas in the animated series Curb Your Enthusiasm, Lethal Weapon, and in the music video for Ed Sheeran’s song Sing in recent years.

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Movie Streamers Left Nollywood Because Of Naira Devaluation – Akinmolayan

Niyi Akinmolayan, a filmmaker in Nigeria, attributes the devaluation of the naira to the devaluation of the naira.

Akinmolayan made the claim on Thursday during a guest appearance on Channels Television’s Youth Forum’s “Pressing Issues Affecting Nigeria’s Youth.”

President Bola Tinubu reorganized multiple foreign exchange channels into a single Importer and Exporter (I&amp, E), resulting in a dramatic decline in the naira’s value.

READ MORE: Netflix Reports Increase In Subscribers, Prices Increase

The main reason the streamers left, in Akinmolayan’s opinion, was the naira’s decision to devalue it. He also attributed blame to the government for ignoring the effects of these streamers’ withdrawal.

We as filmmakers simply woke up and saw emails from the big streamers as they left the Netflix and Amazons and said, “This isn’t just some random companies, the government is aware, the government tax these people, how come the government isn’t even aware of some of these changes because that significantly altered how we are doing the productions that we are doing”

People typically make movies because they are aware of the existence of a future revenue stream, but that has vanished. The government didn’t take any action to warn people that the reason they left was largely due to the devaluation of the naira and the fact that paying the price they are paying for the license became a big deal, according to Kinmolayan.

Title race does not feel like a fight – Verstappen

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Max Verstappen of Red Bull claims this year’s championship contest doesn’t “feel like a fight.”

After winning two of the first seven races, the four-time champion is 25 points adrift of championship leader Oscar Piastri.

Lando Norris, Piastri’s McLaren team-mate, is three points adrift of the Australian in victories.

Verstappen made it clear that he had little chance of securing a fifth title in 2025.

Verstappen remarked, “I just try my best and have a little fun out there.”

“I’m more excited if I know we’re going to be very quickly,” she said. That is the most exciting. Although I always make an effort, this year has had some real positives and some negatives, of course. We are really off the pace in some races, which is unfavorable.

That also doesn’t imply that I’m enjoying or loving it. It appeals to me. It hasn’t been remembered forever up until this point.

Verstappen’s pessimism stems from the fact that while the Red Bull is quick on circuits with medium and high-speed corners, like the Barcelona track, which hosts this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, it is slow at low-speed and over bumps and kerbs on street circuits.

He continued, “I don’t believe, not at all. Every weekend, I just rock up to the track and do my best. I don’t need to believe it. Totally or not. Every time I go out there, I make sure to do my best, I am aware of this.

“I will put it P5 if that’s with a car that can do that,” I said. I’ll win if it can win. Since I have a lot of free time outside of that, I just approach it very casually and it doesn’t consume a lot of energy.

Verstappen was a title contender, according to Piastri, who has four victories.

According to Piastri, “I don’t believe he can be counted out.” They have genuinely competed at a respectable number of circuits before, and the gap is not very large at the moment.

Will a rule change affect the situation?

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Verstappen expressed concern that a new technical regulation for this weekend would improve his chances of defeating McLaren.

At this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, F1 will conduct more stringent front wing flexibility tests to stop competitors from purposefully utilizing wing flex to improve aerodynamics.

Teams can balance their cars between high-speed corners and low-speed corners by flexing the front wings and using cunning carbon-fibre manufacturing techniques.

Because the wing lifts up when the car is cornering, they also “back off” on straights to increase top speed without sacrificing cornering performance.

Red Bull had hoped McLaren’s upcoming rule change, which allows wings to flex less for a certain weight when tested by governing body the FIA, would hinder the team.

Verstappen, however, says that “more must be done for our side to succeed.” Although some people will experience a little more impact than others, the situation won’t change everything.

“It will probably affect the car’s balance a little bit. Not too much for us. I don’t anticipate significant time differences between the teams.

Norris, who won in Monaco on Sunday, claimed that his team was unconcerned with them.

No, not at all, said Norris. There are a few minor adjustments, but nothing that will alter how we operate.

We’re confident because Lando has run the front wing before this year, even though I have not yet done so.

Not our magic bullet, though. Our main strength is not our ability to use magic bullets, but we do not.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton criticized the decision to place the stricter tests on the grounds that it would stop teams from addressing a fundamental issue with the aerodynamic behavior of the current generation of cars. The cars typically have too much front grip in the slow-speed corners and too much in the high-speed corners.

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Nigeria Can Compete Globally In Agriculture — Kayo-Ajayi, Canada-Based Entrepreneur

Toyin Kayo-Ajayi, the founder of the Canadian Black Farmers Association, asserts that if it uses its plentiful resources, Nigeria can compete internationally in the agricultural sector.

During Channels Television’s Youth Forum, a live interactive program, Kayo-Ajayi made the statement on Thursday.

He claimed that countries around the world are highly sought-after for agricultural products like yam and vegetables grown in Nigeria.

He declared, “I will tell all the youth that Nigeria will be a very beautiful, industrial country in the next ten years. Even so, I’m going to move back home.

“Nigeria has such a wonderful country. I had to make the conditions that Nigeria’s have here (in Canada). I’m going to pack it in bags and ship it across Canada because I just created loamy soil in Nigeria.

Read more about Gov. Bago’s government’s plan to tackle poverty: it is rich in agriculture but has no business in poverty.

“We can control a lot of things globally with agriculture alone,” says Nigerian President. I’m researching whether or not our vegetables are herbs.

“I’m trying to grow yam in Canada,” I say. Although I must protect the environment, Nigeria has it in abundance.

He criticized the notion that farming was only available to those with academic success while describing his agricultural career.

What dissuaded me from farming in Nigeria was the instruction to me when I was in school that “you can’t become a farmer if you don’t study.” It sounded like a curse. &nbsp,

He continued, “I went to the farm with my grandparents from the age of five, six, and seven, and I saw the benefits of farming, which is a profession that will never go out of style.”

With the focus on “Pressing Issues Affecting Nigeria’s Youth,” the Youth Forum organizes discussions with experts and youth leaders on issues affecting young Nigerians in fields like business, education, health, industry, and other fields.

As President Bola Tinubu and several other governors in the state mark their second years in office, it provides a platform for youth engagement.

Ex-DRC President Kabila holds talks in M23-held city of Goma: Reports

According to the Reuters and AFP news agencies, former president Joseph Kabila returned to the Democratic Republic of the Congo just days after losing his immunity due to allegations he aided armed rebels fighting in the eastern DRC.

Kabila was in Goma, a city in the east of the country, on Thursday when the M23 militia seized it along with several other areas earlier this year.

Without releasing a statement, an AFP team of journalists witnessed Kabila meet local religious leaders in Lawrence Kanyuka, the M23 spokesperson.

According to Reuters, the former president spoke with locals in Goma, according to three unnamed sources close to Kabila.

The former president is scheduled to meet with the former president as part of a possible treason trial for his alleged support for M23.

Kabila’s immunity was lifted earlier this month, allowing for his prosecution.

The ex-president, who has been living in self-imposed exile since 2023, denies the allegations and criticizes the charges against him as “arbitrary decisions with disconcerting levity.”

A Kabila aided by a member of his entourage told AFP on Thursday that they both had the “same goal” in mind when they attempted to end the presidency of Felix Tshisekedi, despite the absence of a formal alliance between their parties.

Rwanda’s government and the UN claim that Rwanda has backed the M23 with weapons and troops, which the neighboring nation denies.

Concerned that the renewed violence will elicit a full-fledged conflict similar to the ones that the DRC experienced in the late 1990s, when several African nations joined forces and carried out massacres that claimed the lives of millions of people.

According to the UN, about 700,000 people have already been displaced by the current fighting this year.

Amnesty International accused M23 of carrying out abuses against civilians in areas under its control on Tuesday, including “torture, killings, and enforced disappearances.”

The organization stated in a statement that “These acts may amount to war crimes because they violate international humanitarian law.”