by admin | Mar 27, 2025 | business, football clubs, scotland, soccer, sports
-
The former Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur player confesses he couldn’t resist answering his previous manager’s call for aid to assist in lifting Dundee United out of the Championship relegation zone.
-
The Kenyan player Wanyama is equally captivated by the ambitions displayed by the club’s ownership from Fife.
-
Now he is all set for an exciting debut against another ex-Celtic player as Pars go up against Scott Brown’s Ayr United at Somerset Park.
The possibility of an experienced player like
Victor Wanyama
Blending it with the intensity of the Scottish Championship would have once been unimaginable.
Ultimately, this is a midfielder who proved exceptionally effective during his prime years, and
Mauricio Pochettino
insisted on having him sign again, initially for
Southampton
and then for
Tottenham
.
And there he was at East End Park, talking about his comeback to Scottish football after being away for 12 years, calling it ‘a fairytale’ and an ‘easy decision’.
Mainly, of course, because he couldn’t ignore the distress signal from his ex-Parkhead manager Neil Lennon, who is now at Dunfermline, or the excitement of making his first appearance against Scott Brown’s Ayr United team.
Nevertheless, the 33-year-old Kenyan footballer emphasized that what really caught his attention was the vision of the new proprietors of Pars, who were determined to elevate the team from battling against relegation in the Championship to achieving much greater things.
One that could maybe see the club eventually return to the top flight Wanyama once graced with
Celtic
between 2011 and 2013.
James Bord from Las Vegas and Evan Soter recently acquired a controlling interest in Dunfermline, and Lennon has expressed excitement over the latter’s perspective on analytics as well as his future strategies for the team.
‘The manager has had a significant role in my career, and he requested that I come to assist him,’ disclosed Wanyama during his introduction.
‘I asked, “Why not?” Since he has been a significant figure in my career, I decided to go down and lend him a helping hand.’
“I also had a conversation with the owner. He has big aspirations. After hearing his goals and intentions for the team, it became clear right away. His enthusiasm for the sport is immense, and he aims to elevate the club to new heights.”
To start off, there’s an intense fight against relegation in this challenging and unforgiving atmosphere, where Lennon and Wanyama must work hard to steer the team clear of the perilous area before the season concludes.
‘I had various destinations to visit, but after Neil called me, nothing else came to mind,’ explained Wanyama, who recently concluded his four-year tenure with MLS club Montreal, where he also played alongside Celtic defender Alistair Johnston.
When he makes his debut against the Ayr side, who are coached by his ex-Parkhead teammate Brown, he will recognize another familiar face at Somerset Park on Saturday.
I haven’t talked to him (Brown), but I’ll reach out to him,” grinned Wanyama. “When I visited Celtic to see a match, I ran into him and we had a chat.
‘It’s really exciting to play against him as a manager. Definitely, my role and the boss’s will align against him, so it should be quite enjoyable. It feels somewhat like a fairy tale; I’m really anticipating this.’
Lennon strongly believes that Wanyama has the ability to utilize his extensive experience in this new type of challenge.
The Kenyan initially joined the Northern Irish manager in 2011 after moving from the Belgian club Beerschot. He became an essential part of Celtic’s team, contributing significantly with his goal during their memorable Champions League victory against Barcelona. This performance led to him securing a £12.5 million transfer to the Premier League with Southampton.
An unused Tottenham substitute in the 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool, he says he understands why many will see this move to the Scottish second tier as a surprise.
‘No matter where I’ve been, it has always involved pushing myself, striving to elevate the team to the next level,’ he confessed.
‘This is an obstacle I’m eager to overcome. I am prepared, and with luck, together as a team, we can achieve this.’
‘I have experience, I’ve picked up knowledge along the way. I grasp what Scottish football is all about, and there isn’t too much difference. Therefore, we should do well; we’ll adapt to whatever comes my way.’
Wanyama’s contract runs through the end of the season, similar to Lennon, he hasn’t closed the door on potentially prolonging his tenure should everything work out positively.
“My aim is to assist the club in remaining within the league, and once that has been achieved, we can reconvene for further discussions,” he stated.
Read more
by admin | Mar 27, 2025 | politics, sports, tennis, tournaments, women's sports
MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala is anticipated to break into the top 100 of the WTA World Rankings as she keeps making waves at the 2025 Miami Open.
Eala, who is currently ranked 140th in the world, defeated three players with Grand Slam titles to advance to the semifinals of the Miami Open.
And the most recent top player she defeated was World No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek, as the 19-year-old Filipina pulled off a significant 6-2, 7-5 victory to move into the Final Four on Thursday (Manila time).
READ:
Alex Eala defeats world No. 2 Iga Swiatek at the Miami Open.
After her impressive performance at the WTA 1000 event, Eala has climbed to 75th place in the live rankings and should break into the top 100 irrespective of how she performs in this competition.
The player, who graduated from the Rafael Nadal Academy and has reached a career peak at World No. 134, is expected to receive direct entries into the main draws of Grand Slam tournaments once she breaks into the top 100.
As stated by the WTA, Eala has matched the finest outcome secured by a wildcard entry at the Miami Open since the event began in 1985.
The young Filipino tennis star became just the second wildcard entry to secure three back-to-back victories against Grand Slam winners at a single WTA tournament.
She made history as the initial Filipina to advance to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event and defeat a competitor ranked within the top two since the inception of the WTA Tour rankings in 1975.
Alex Eala versus Jessica Pegula at the Miami Open: Where can you catch it on television?
Eala secured her initial victory at the Miami Open main draw by defeating World No. 73 Katie Volynets with scores of 6-3, 7-6(3) in the Round of 128.
She defeated the World No. 25 and 2017 French Open winner Jeļena Ostapenko from Latvia with a score of 7-6 (2), 7-5, then shocked WTA player number five Madison Keys with a 6-4, 6-2 victory in the third round. She advanced directly to the quarterfinals when Spain’s Paula Badosa had to pull out of their fourth-round game because of a lower back injury.
Eala sets her sights on the Miami Open championship after facing World No.4 Jessica Pegula in the semifinals on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Manila time.
by admin | Mar 27, 2025 | military, news, search and rescue, ukraine, weapons
Search operations persisted into Thursday for four absent U.S. servicemen close to the Belarus frontier in Lithuania following the discovery of their vehicle underwater one day prior.
The M88 Hercules armored vehicle was found submerged over five meters deep. Following this discovery, sufficient water was pumped out to allow for excavation work, as stated by Lithuania’s Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė.
She stated that “every scenario remains plausible” concerning the soldiers’ status, since it had yet to be verified if they were still within the vehicle.
The Lithuanian national radio and television station, LRT, reported that on Tuesday afternoon, four U.S. servicemen along with their vehicle went missing during a training exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training grounds in Pabradė, a town situated less than ten kilometers away from the Belarus border.
![]()
As stated by Šakalienė, the rescue operations persisted through the night, involving water removal and strengthening of the terrain to allow heavy machinery to reach the location safely without compromising a nearby gas pipeline.
Lithuanian authorities characterize the search and rescue mission as extremely intricate, involving “hundreds of individuals” from different backgrounds such as Lithuanian and U.S. forces, multiple governmental organizations, and private enterprises.
The US Ambassador to Lithuania, Kara McDonald, stated, “We will continue our efforts until our service members are located,” and expressed gratitude to the Lithuanian government and officials for their assistance in the search operation.
“Lithuania serves as an exemplary ally, and we are immensely thankful for their assistance,” she stated.
Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which gained their independence from the Soviet Union in 1990 and subsequently became part of NATO, frequently experience strained relationships with Russia and Belarus.
Tensions escalated even more after Russia initiated its extensive military operation against Ukraine in 2022. During this time, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda emerged as one of the strongest voices among European leaders backing Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression.
by admin | Mar 27, 2025 | immigration, international relations, politics, politics and government, politics and law
![]()
The U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, stated that the United States has invalidated at least 300 international student visas as part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to curb pro-Palestinian demonstrators on college grounds.
“Possibly over 300 by now,” he stated when addressing journalists during his trip to Guyana. “I handle this daily, each time I come across one of those crazies.”
Rubio was questioned about verifying the number of student visa revocations carried out by the administration as part of its campaign against what it views as anti-Israeli sentiment at educational institutions.
The comments come after immigration authorities detained a Turkish PhD student at Tufts University, an apprehension the secretary supported.
A clip showing student Rumeysa Ozturk being escorted by masked off-duty officers to an unregistered vehicle near Boston, Massachusetts, has circulated widely online and ignited protests.
Ms. Ozturk is a Fulbright Scholar enrolled with an F-1 student visa and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University.
Rubio was questioned on Thursday regarding why the Turkish student’s visa had been canceled.
I’ve stated this repeatedly, and I will continue to do so,” Rubio explained. “Should an individual applying for a student visa claim they intend not only to pursue education but also engage in activities such as defacing university property, intimidating fellow students, occupying buildings, and inciting disorder, their application for that visa will be denied.
At present, it remains uncertain if Ms Ozturk has faced any charges.
Rubio didn’t disclose any particular accusations against the individual, aged 30, who has taken part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Additionally, the Tufts University student jointly authored an op-ed in the campus paper earlier last year advocating for their institution to withdraw investments from firms connected to Israel and recognize what they described as “the Palestinian genocide.”
According to the trends observed nationwide, it seems that her exercise of her right to free speech contributed to her detainment,” stated Mahsa Khanbabai, who represents Ms. Ozturk, to Reuters.
This detention is part of an ongoing series of measures targeting international students in the US who have shown backing for Palestinians.
Trump administration officials have stated that they are utilizing the Immigration and Nationality Act. This legislation permits the State Department to remove non-citizens who pose a threat to the United States’ foreign policy and national security objectives.
The arrests are in line with Trump’s commitment to address what his administration has categorized as antisemitism, a classification that was included in an executive order in January.
Following this, the White House has rescinded $400 million (£308 million) in funding for Columbia University due to claims that the institution did not effectively address anti-Semitism on campus. They have also indicated they might take similar actions against other universities.
A high-profile arrest involved Mahmoud Khalil, a distinguished Palestinian activist and Columbia alumnus, who continues to be held at a detention center in Louisiana without being charged with any crime.
Ms. Ozturk was similarly transported to a detention center in Louisiana. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that Ms. Ozturk should remain in Massachusetts, yet federal documents indicate she continues to be held in Louisiana.
The government must furnish additional details regarding Ms Ozturk’s detention by this coming Friday.
The US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, stated earlier this week that Ms. Ozturk was involved in actions supporting Hamas, which she described as a foreign terrorist group known for its participation in acts targeting Americans.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic representative from Massachusetts, described the arrest as “part of a troubling trend aimed at suppressing civil liberties.”
“The Trump administration is going after students who have legal standing and forcibly removing individuals from their communities without proper procedures. This constitutes an assault on our Constitution and fundamental liberties — and we will resist,” she stated.
On Wednesday, a federal judge instructed the Trump administration to cease its attempts to deport and apprehend an additional student named Yunseo Chung from Columbia University. The 21-year-old is a lawful permanent resident who came to the United States from South Korea during his childhood.
On Thursday, Rubio stated that the U.S. provided visas for students aiming to obtain a degree rather than becoming activists intent on disrupting college campuses.
“If you deceive them, obtain the visa, and subsequently participate in such behavior upon arrival, they will cancel it,” he stated.
-
U.S. immigration authorities detain Turkish student as part of ongoing crackdown
-
Who is Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian student activist who faces deportation from the US?
-
Columbia University student activist files lawsuit against Trump to prevent deportation
by admin | Mar 27, 2025 | crimes, criminal law, politics, politics and government, politics and law
The French prosecution has asked for a seven-year jail term and a €300,000 penalty against ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy. This request stems from claims suggesting that Gaddafi’s administration in Libya potentially provided illicit funding for Sarkozy’s 2017 bid for presidency.
The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) also called for a five-year ban on Sarkozy’s civic, civil and family rights, a measure that would bar him from holding elected office or serving in any public judicial role.
The proceedings, starting from January and anticipated to wrap up by April 10th, stand as the gravest among several legal controversies overshadowing Sarkozy’s time after his presidency.
The former French leader, Nicolas Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012 and is now 70 years old, is facing accusations including passive corruption, unlawful funding for his election campaigns, hiding the misappropriation of public money, and being part of a criminal group.
He has refuted any claims of misconduct.
The accusations date back to 2011, when a Libyan news outlet and Gaddafi himself claimed that the Libyan government had covertly channeled millions of euros into Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign.
In 2012, the French investigative platform Mediapart released documents they claimed were from a Libyan intelligence memo. The papers indicated an alleged financial arrangement of €50 million.
Sarkozy dismissed the paper as fake news and filed a lawsuit for defamation.
Later, French judges indicated that the document seemed genuine; however, no definitive proof of a concluded deal has been shown.
The investigators similarly examined multiple journeys made by Sarkozy’s associates to Libya spanning from 2005 to 2007.
In 2016, Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine informed Mediapart that he had transported suitcases containing money from Tripoli to the French Interior Ministry during Sarkozy’s tenure.
He subsequently withdrew his comment. This about-face is currently at the center of an independent probe into potential witness intimidation.
Sarkozy along with his spouse, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, have also been initiated into the early stages of the inquiry for that particular case.
Former ministers of Sarkozy, Claude Guéant, Brice Hortefeux, and Éric Woerth, alongside eight additional accused individuals, are currently undergoing the legal process.
However, prosecutors have explicitly stated that the key person at the center of this case is the ex-president, who is charged with deliberately profiting from a “bribery agreement” with an overseas authoritarian regime during his campaign to head the French Republic.
Although Sarkozy has previously faced convictions in two separate legal cases, the Libya scandal is broadly considered to be the most politically damaging and the one expected to have the greatest impact on his lasting reputation.
In December 2024, France’s top judicial body confirmed his sentence for bribery and Influence trafficking.
sentencing him to spend one year under house arrest using an electronic monitor
.
The case originated from intercepted telephone conversations revealed during the Libya investigation.
In an independent judgment issued in February 2024, a Paris appellate court determined he was guilty of unlawful campaign funding during his unsuccessful attempt at re-election in 2012.
Sarkozy has brushed off the Libya accusations as being driven by politics and based on falsified evidence.
However, if found guilty, he would be the first ex-French president sentenced for receiving illicit international contributions to secure his election.
A decision is anticipated before the end of this year.
