Actress Wumi Toriola has been hospitalised following intense online criticism for her response to actor Afeez Owo’s comments about her movie character.
Wumi, via her Instagram page, shared a photo from her hospital bed, stating, “Internet dragging and ICU are siblings”.
In a subsequent post, Wumi expressed regret and promised to “do better next time,” asking her fans for well wishes for a quick recovery.
The incident began when Afeez Owo discussed Wumi’s acting style, sparking a heated exchange online.
Wumi’s fans have flooded her page with messages of encouragement and goodwill, wishing her a speedy recovery. (Nation)
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, on Saturday, successfully defended her US Open title with a thrilling 6-4 7-6 (7-3) win over Amanda Anisimova in New York, United States.
Sabalenka sealed a hard-fought victory against Anisimova at Flushing Meadows, making her the first woman to win the tournament in consecutive years since Serena Williams in 2014.
The Belarusian picked up the fourth Grand Slam title of her career as a result, all on hard courts – having now added two New York triumphs to her pair of Australian Open trophies.
Both women were looking to bury recent scar tissue, with Anisimova back in a major final 56 days after her Wimbledon whitewash, while Sabalenka suffered heart-breaking defeats at the Australian Open and French Open – forced to apologise after an ungracious press conference towards winner Coco Gauff at the latter.
Sabalenka also lost to Anisimova in the semi-finals at Wimbledon, putting her in the strange position of being by a distance the best player in the world but without a major trophy in 2025, but she quelled a fightback from her opponent to secure the silverware.
The set was threatening to run away from Anisimova in a similar fashion to Wimbledon, but she told herself above all this tournament to be brave and she powered winners into opposite corners to finally get on the board.
Having won one game, she quickly made that three in a row, the crowd greeting every winner with a huge cheer.
The American was dominating both the winner and error count and it was the latter that climbed again as Sabalenka responded with four games in a row to take the opening set.
Anisimova, who was struggling with the roof lighting on her ball toss, was too inconsistent to apply any solid pressure.
Anisimova slammed a ball down in frustration when a backhand pass from Sabalenka gave her another break in the third game of the second set and, although she fought back to level, the eighth seed’s serve was too much of a liability.
Sabalenka forged ahead again to lead 5-3 and soon found herself serving for the title.
Perhaps it was inevitable that it would not be straightforward. Anisimova somehow dug out a backhand lob that Sabalenka dumped into the net to give herself a chance to level and more huge hitting made it 5-5.
If there was a moment for the demons to resurface, it was now, but Sabalenka took the set to a tie-break, where she has been untouchable this season, and this time finished the job.
Anisimova’s final tally of 29 unforced errors, including seven double faults, was ultimately too many, but the American, who started the year ranked outside the top 30, will have the consolation of being a top-four player on Monday.
Reacting to her win, Sabalenka, who fell to her knees after clinching victory with an unreturnable serve and jumped up and down with her coaches in the stands in a scene of utter joy, said, “I want to thank everyone who came here, who flew in to be there in my box.
“I’m going to reach a lot more finals and I don’t care where you are in the world I want you in my box.”
Also speaking after her loss, Anisimova, who was left in tears yet again after the heartbreak of her 6-0 6-0 drubbing in the Wimbledon final two months ago, said, “It’s been a great summer, losing in two finals in a row is great but it’s also super hard.
“I didn’t fight hard enough for my dreams today.”
She later admitted having problems seeing the ball with the glare of the roof causing her issues when serving.
“I haven’t played on the court during the day with the roof closed. It was literally white, and I couldn’t see the ball when I was serving the whole match.
“It started from the warm-up. I was like, ‘this is really going to be a problem for me’. I didn’t know what to do.
“There was no way of adjusting, because I could not see the ball when I was serving, and that was a huge shock to my system, because I knew if I can’t hold my serve, it was going to be very tough to stay in the match,” she said. (Punch)
Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner in four sets on Sunday to win the US Open as loud boos — mixed with a smattering of cheers — greeted President Donald Trump at the final in New York. The 22-year-old Alcaraz won 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to capture his second US Open crown and sixth Grand Slam title, avenging his lone defeat in a major final by Sinner at Wimbledon in July. Alcaraz will reclaim the world number one ranking from Sinner, returning to top spot for the first time since September 2023 after ending the Italian’s 27-match winning run at hard-court Grand Slams. ”I tried my best today. I couldn’t do more,” said Sinner, who was also defeated by Alcaraz in an epic French Open final in June. Sinner’s defeat extends the longest drought without a successful men’s title defence of any Grand Slam in the Open era. No man has retained the US Open crown since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004 to 2008. Anticipation for the third straight Grand Slam final between the sport’s top two players assumed an even greater dimension with the presence of Trump.
It was the latest in a series of visits to major sporting events for the US leader after his trip to the NFL’s Super Bowl in February and the FIFA Club World Cup final in July. He appeared before the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner, waving to the crowd, which greeted him with a mix of cheers and boos. He was given a frostier reception later in the match though when shown again on the stadium’s big screens. A constellation of showbiz and sports icons turned out as well, with rock star Bruce Springsteen, fashion icon Tommy Hilfiger, actor Michael Douglas and basketball superstar Stephen Curry all on hand.
The start of the final was pushed back 30 minutes to allow fans additional time to enter Arthur Ashe Stadium as a result of tighter security measures in effect due to Trump’s attendance. Even then the 23,000-capacity venue was no more than three-quarters full when Alcaraz broke Sinner in the opening game of the match. As he did in the Wimbledon final, Alcaraz pinned Sinner on the back front early and broke a second time for a 5-2 lead before serving out to love. With hundreds of spectators still waiting to get in at the start of the second set, Alcaraz sought to hammer home his advantage. He created a break point but Sinner hung on and stalled Alcaraz’s momentum, belatedly ramping up his game and surging 3-1 ahead as the Spaniard suffered a brief dip on serve.
Sinner levelled the contest at a set apiece but Alcaraz stormed back with another break early in the third, wriggling out of a tight spot on serve with the help of a sensational baseline smash that sliced away from his rival for a 3-0 edge. He padded his lead with another break and quickly wrapped up the set, keeping his foot down to corner Sinner again to begin the fourth set. This time Sinner saved two break points but Alcaraz made another charge in the fifth game, delivering the decisive blow for an advantage he never relinquished as the Spaniard became only the fourth man to win multiple majors on hard court, grass and clay. (Punch)
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has lauded Team Lagos for their record-breaking performance at the 9th National Youth Games, which ended on Saturday in Asaba, Delta State.
The state emerged as champions with a total of 110 medals, including 52 golds, 32 silvers, and 26 bronzes, confirming its dominance in youth sports nationwide.
“I am immensely proud of Team Lagos for their outstanding performance at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, where they finished first on the medals table with a total of 110 medals; 52 gold medals, 32 silver, and 26 bronze,” he said.
The governor emphasised that this achievement reflects not only the talent of the athletes but also Lagos State’s growing commitment to sports development.
“Our young athletes, together with their coaches and the Lagos State Sports Commission, have made history and demonstrated the strength of Lagos in sports,” Sanwo-Olu added.
He also expressed excitement about plans to formally recognise the team’s achievement.
“In the coming days, I look forward to hosting the team to celebrate this remarkable achievement.
“Congratulations, Team Lagos. We are very proud of you all,” the governor concluded.
Team Lagos’ success came amid stiff competition, with the host state, Delta, finishing second with 37 gold, 38 silver, and 39 bronze medals, displacing Edo State from the runner-up position.
At the closing ceremony of the games at Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, commended the winners while also praising all young athletes for their efforts.
He urged the National Sports Commission to urgently tackle the problem of age cheating in youth sports to protect the credibility and fairness of the National Youth Games.
Oborevwori presented the trophies to Team Lagos, celebrating their haul and highlighting the importance of sustained investment in youth sports development across Nigeria.
The 9th National Youth Games in Asaba has now cemented Team Lagos’ reputation as a powerhouse in Nigerian youth sports, showcasing the state’s depth of talent and the effectiveness of its sports development programmes. (Punch)
Germany fell to a shocking 2-0 defeat against Slovakia in their World Cup qualifying opener in Bratislava on Thursday, their first-ever away loss in a qualifier for the tournament.
Ranked 52 in the world, Slovakia frequently carved up their heavily fancied opponents and took the lead after 42 minutes through David Hancko.
Slovakia doubled their lead at 55 minutes when David Strelec dribbled in from the right to blast past a flat-footed Antonio Rudiger.
Germany defender Jonathan Tah said his side were the worst team “in all phases” of the match and “we deserved to lose today.”
“There was something missing today, something beyond fatigue. It wasn’t something they did which surprised us — we need to take a look at ourselves and do better in the next game.”
The Germans were toothless up front and disorganised at the back, losing to Slovakia in a competitive fixture for the first time in their history.
The loss, Germany’s third in a row, is their first away defeat in a World Cup qualifier and just their fourth in total after defeats to Portugal in 1985, England in 2001, and North Macedonia in 2021.
The result will turn up the heat on coach Julian Nagelsmann and Germany just under a year out from next year’s tournament.
The four-time winners have crashed out at the group stage of the past two World Cups.
Credited with improving Germany after a decade of poor performances at major tournaments, Nagelsmann was bullish pre-match, speaking of his “healthy desire to win the World Cup.”
Already thin up front without Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, and Tim Kleindienst, Germany were hit with another injury withdrawal just before kickoff, with starting striker Niclas Fuellkrug ruled out with a calf injury.
Nick Woltemade was named in Fuellkrug’s place up front, just days after his big-money move to Newcastle United.
The visitors were overrun in the first half, with Leo Sauer repeatedly running into acres of space behind the sluggish German center-backs.
Slovakia failed to convert their chances and looked set to enter halftime unrewarded until Hancko blasted the hosts in front.
The hosts picked Florian Wirtz’s pocket in midfield and went on the attack, Hancko finding Strelec down the left.
Strelec cut back for Hancko, who shed the lethargic Rudiger and cut a left-footed finish past a helpless Oliver Baumann.
Moments after halftime, Germany’s Leon Goretzka shot directly at Slovakia goalie Martin Dubravka when one-on-one with the Burnley shot-stopper.
Things returned to normal service afterwards , however and Slovakia got a second 10 minutes into the second period when Strelec danced his way down the right and smashed the ball home past Rudiger.
The Germans dominated possession but created few chances in attack and will need to improve quickly ahead of Sunday’s next qualifier at home in Cologne against Northern Ireland. (Punch)
American YouTuber and media personality James Stephen Donaldson popularly known as Mr. Beast has offered to acquire a Nigerian artwork’s sketch of him.
Mr. Beast announced this on X.
He had earlier posted an AI generated picture on X sent to him by his partner hinting that she wanted something in exchange.
“My fiancé sent me this AI generated image of us with two kids. I can’t quite pit my finger on it, but something tells me she wants something,” he wrote.
The Nigerian artist Ifure Usen, then took the picture and sketched a drawing on it, posted it on X, and tagged Mr. Beast, “I did it guys!!! @MrBeast.”
In response, Mr. Beast wrote: “Love it, I’ll shoot you a dm. Would love to put this on my wall!” (Nation)
Daniel Levy’s near 25-year reign as executive chairman of Tottenham is over.
Spurs’ official announcement said he had “stepped down”, but BBC Sport understands the decision was taken out of Levy’s hands.
Well-placed sources said the ownership agreed for him to leave his position amid a belief that change would lead to greater sporting success.
Levy was appointed in March 2001 and leaves after the club won the Europa League in May to end a 17-year wait for a trophy.
The 63-year-old was the Premier League’s longest-serving chairman and earned an estimated £50m-plus during his time in charge, but he was also the target of regular protests from Spurs fans, especially last season.
Levy will go with immediate effect and there will be no notice period, with the timing of his departure after the summer transfer window a deliberate move.
However, one source familiar with Levy told BBC Sport the former chairman had to operate with “one hand tied behind his back” during his tenure, and had to diversify revenue streams as a result.
They said they felt there’d been insufficient investment in Spurs for the past 25 years, and the question was whether that would really change.
“I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees,” said Levy, who had a reputation in football for being a shrewd operator and tough negotiator.
“I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees,” said Levy, who had a reputation in football for being a shrewd operator and tough negotiator.
“We have built this club into a global heavyweight competing at the highest level. More than that, we have built a community.
“I was lucky enough to work with some of the greatest people in this sport, from the team at Lilywhite House and Hotspur Way to all the players and managers over the years.
“I wish to thank all the fans that have supported me over the years. It hasn’t always been an easy journey but significant progress has been made. I will continue to support this club passionately.”
Tottenham’s European trophy success last season came against the backdrop of a difficult Premier League campaign in which the team finished 17th under head coach Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked in the summer and replaced by Thomas Frank.
There were a number of protests aimed at Levy last season, with prominent banners at the home defeat by Leicester in January carrying the messages “Our game is about glory, Levy’s game is about greed” and “24 years, 16 managers, 1 trophy – time for change”.
There were also regular chants of “Levy out” during the campaign.
During his tenure, Levy oversaw the switch from White Hart Lane to the £1bn state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which the club made their new home in 2019.
Spurs also reached the Champions League final under former manager Mauricio Pochettino in 2019 but missed out on the trophy following a 2-0 defeat by Liverpool. (BBC)
The Chief Executive Officer of StarTimes, Joshua Wang, has opened up on the cancellation of the broadcast deal with the Nigeria Premier Football League, confirming The PUNCH’s initial report on why both parties ended the partnership.
StarTimesand the NPFL signed a five-year deal worth N6bn in 2023, but the agreement has been terminated after two years.
The PUNCH understands that StarTimes ended their deal as the official broadcast partners of the NPFL following a poor return on investment, especially in the patronage of their decoder and offerings by Nigerians.
Wang also affirmed this in Abuja, during an event orgaised by the NPFL.
“Since StarTimes has been the broadcast partners of the NPFL, during the past two seasons, we have tried to meet our promises to promote and broadcast the NPFL,” he said.
“But unfortunately, we are here because of these economic issues; we are not making it as a business partner for the pay TV business to be sustainable.
“Everything is business; we don’t have the capability to continue. I also heard last week that our partners NTA have taken over the broadcast.”
Chairman of the NPFL, Gbenga Elegbeleye, also revealed that the five-year deal didn’t pass the two-year probation that both parties set.
“Signing with StarTimes that time, we said that the first two seasons are probatory, after that we would discuss again on how to go further,” Elegbeleye said.
“Our last match in Lagos between Ikorodu City and El-Kanemi Warriors was live on NTA. We will still be going ahead with that until we finish the current discussion regarding the broadcast.”
Last week, Elegbeleye led the NPFL board to meet with the management of the NTA to seal a new broadcast partnership for the league, but the future of the arrangement is currently uncertain, no thanks to the premature reshuffling of the station’s management by President Bola Tinubu.
Tinubu appointed Rotimi Pedro (whom the NPFL board met) as the new DG of the NTA on August 20, but the appointment was reversed after the President ordered the reinstatement of Salihu Abdullahi Dembos to complete his three-year tenure as the NTA DG on Tuesday. (Punch)
Britain’s deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, resigned on Friday after an investigation found she breached the ministerial code by underpaying on a property tax, in a major blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s embattled Labour government.
Rayner, a figurehead among the party’s left-wing base, had earlier this week admitted not paying enough on the flat purchase and referred herself to the government’s independent ethics adviser.
In a letter to Starmer, ethics chief, Laurie Magnus, wrote that Rayner had failed to “heed the caution” of legal advice she had received and had therefore breached the ministerial code.
“Given the findings, and the impact on my family, I have therefore decided to resign,” Rayner wrote in a letter to Starmer, adding she would also be stepping down as housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party.
“I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice,” Rayner said, adding she took “full responsiblity for this error”.
In his reply, Starmer told her he was “very sad” to lose her from government, but added: “You will remain a major figure in our party”.
Rayner disclosed on Wednesday that she had underpayed on the so-called stamp duty on a flat in southern England following days of reports suggesting that she had saved £40,000 ($53,000) by removing her name from the deeds of another property.
The 45-year-old has three sons, one of whom was born prematurely and is registered blind with lifelong special needs.
She said on Wednesday that after her 2023 divorce she sold her part of the family home to the trust fund to protect it for her child’s future and used the money in the flat purchase.
She paid less of the property surcharge because she claimed it was her main home rather than a second home, but later conceded this was wrong because her son is under 18 years old.
Magnus said Rayner had “acted with integrity and with a dedicated and exemplary commitment to public service” but concluded he considered the “code to have been breached”.
Rayner had often been tipped to become Labour leader one day and has been a top target for political attacks by the Conservatives and right-wing media.
She left school with no qualifications after becoming pregnant aged 16, and has a straight-talking style that has proved popular with working-class voters.
She grew up in Stockport on the outskirts of Manchester in northwest England, living in one of the area’s most deprived social housing complexes. (Punch)
The Duchess of Kent, one of Britain’s most beloved royals, died on Thursday night at age 92, surrounded by close family, Buckingham Palace announced Friday.
“It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent,” a statement from Buckingham Palace said.
“Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family,” the statement continued.
King Charles, Queen Camilla and other members of the British royal family will remember the duchess for her “life-long devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people,” the palace said.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sent his “sincere condolences” to the royal family following the death, calling the duchess “one of our hardest working royals.”
“She brought compassion, dignity and a human touch to everything she did,” he added.
The Prince and Princess of Wales said the duchess “will be a much missed member of the family” in a statement posted on X. “The Duchess worked tirelessly to help others and supported many causes, including through her love of music,” the post said.
The King has approved a period of royal mourning to take place until the day of her funeral. Details of the funeral and who will attend have not yet been released. The Union Jack over Buckingham Palace was lowered to half mast in a sign of respect following the announcement of the duchess’ death, and the traditional framed announcement was placed on the royal residence’s railings.
During this period of royal mourning, members of the royal family and staff will wear specific clothing until the funeral. Troops on public duties and those working in the Royal Mews and Livery will wear black armbands.
The duchess may not be as well known as other members of the family to the current generation of royal-watchers as she stepped back from royal duties more than two decades ago, in 2002. However, in Britain and to tennis fans worldwide she will be remembered for the part she played at the Wimbledon tennis tournament., where she presented the trophy at the ladies’ singles final for years.
Born Katharine Worsley to an aristocratic family from Yorkshire, the duchess met her future husband, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, in 1956, while he was stationed at a military barracks in northern England. She married into the royal family five years later, in 1961. Prince Edward was a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Following their wedding, the duchess became a working royal, volunteering for the Passage night shelter for the homeless, and traveling the world as an ambassador for UNICEF. The couple had three children, and another son who was stillborn. In 1994, she became the first royal to convert to Catholicism for more than 300 years.
At Wimbledon, she famously cast aside royal formalities and became a consoling figure for the competition’s finalists – most notably comforting a devastated Jana Novotna following the Czech star’s defeat in the 1993 final.
Five years later, it was a different story when Novotna beat Nathalie Tauziat in the final to win the title, with the duchess on hand to present the trophy.
After stepping back from public duties in 2002, the duchess, who had a deep passion for music and played the piano, organ and violin, taught the subject at a primary school in Hull, northeastern England, for several years. She also founded Future Talent, a charity that seeks to give children equal opportunities to excel in music. (CNN)
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