LONDON (BN24) — Arsenal delivered a commanding 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, maintaining momentum in their pursuit of Premier League leadership.
Martín Zubimendi opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, firing a long-range volley past the Forest goalkeeper to give Mikel Arteta’s side the lead. Just after the break, Viktor Gyökeres doubled the advantage in the 46th minute, converting a precise pass from Eberechi Eze to cap a fluid attacking move.
Zubimendi added his second of the match with a powerful header in the 79th minute, putting the result beyond doubt and underlining Arsenal’s dominance throughout the contest.
The Gunners were forced into an early substitution when captain Martin Ødegaard left the pitch after suffering a shoulder injury from a fall. Arsenal were already missing key players Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Kai Havertz, but their squad depth proved sufficient as they controlled possession and rarely looked troubled.
For Nottingham Forest, it was a difficult afternoon under new manager Ange Postecoglou, who took charge earlier this week. Despite his attacking philosophy, Forest struggled to create chances and was repeatedly exposed by Arsenal’s sharp movement and control.
The defeat extends Forest’s poor away form and leaves them hovering near the relegation zone. Meanwhile, the win propels Arsenal to the top of the Premier League table, strengthening their position as title contenders heading into a crucial phase of the season.
Real Madrid's French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe kicks the ball during the Spanish league football match between Real Sociedad and Real Madrid CF at Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian on September 13, 2025. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA / AFP)
SAN SEBASTIÁN, Spain (BN24) — Kylian Mbappe delivered another standout performance as 10-man Real Madrid overcame Real Sociedad 2-1 on Saturday in La Liga, with the French star scoring one and assisting another before Dean Huijsen’s red card forced the league leaders to dig deep.
Mbappe struck early and set up Arda Guler for Madrid’s second, helping Los Blancos maintain their perfect start to the season. Mikel Oyarzabal converted a second-half penalty for the hosts, but it wasn’t enough to deny Madrid all three points at Reale Arena.
Xabi Alonso’s side now top the standings with 12 points from four matches. Athletic Bilbao, trailing in second, face Alaves later in the weekend, while defending champions Barcelona host Valencia on Sunday.
Real Madrid implemented significant changes for the match, beginning with Dani Carvajal starting at right back instead of Trent Alexander-Arnold. Additionally, Dani Ceballos was given a rare opportunity to start in midfield, taking the place of the rested Fede Valverde. Madrid quickly established its dominance, although Güler had an early goal disallowed for offside. owed for offside.
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 12th minute, latching onto a wayward back-pass and surging past two defenders before clinically finishing past Álex Remiro for his fourth goal of the league campaign.
Madrid’s momentum took a hit just before the half-hour mark when Dean Huijsen, the young Spanish center-back signed from Bournemouth, was shown a straight red for hauling down Oyarzabal on a breakaway. The sending off forced Madrid to play over an hour with 10 men.
Despite the setback, the visitors doubled their lead before halftime. Mbappe again proved decisive, dancing in from the left wing and laying off a well-timed pass to Guler, who slotted home with a composed finish.
Real Sociedad responded after the interval and were rewarded with a penalty when Carvajal handled inside the area. Oyarzabal calmly sent Thibaut Courtois the wrong way to halve the deficit.
The home side pushed for an equalizer, but Courtois stood firm, twice denying Oyarzabal with crucial saves. Ancelotti, aiming to protect the lead, substituted an ineffective Vinicius Junior for Fran Garcia midway through the second half, tightening Madrid’s shape as they weathered late pressure.
Real Madrid held firm through six minutes of stoppage time to preserve their fourth straight win of the campaign, underlining their early title credentials and showcasing their depth and resilience under adversity.
Washington (BN24) – President Donald Trump on Saturday called on NATO members to immediately halt all purchases of Russian oil and warned he would impose tariffs of 50% to 100% on China if it continues buying petroleum from Moscow, saying such steps would end the war in Ukraine.
Posting on his social media platform, Trump criticized NATO’s commitment to the conflict, calling it “far less than 100%.” He described the alliance’s ongoing purchase of Russian oil as “shocking” and said it undermined the bloc’s bargaining power with Moscow. “It greatly weakens your negotiating position and bargaining power over Russia,” Trump wrote, framing his comments as if addressing NATO leaders directly.
Turkey, a NATO member, ranks as the third-largest buyer of Russian oil after China and India, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Hungary and Slovakia, also members of the 32-nation alliance, have continued their purchases as well. It remains unclear whether Trump intends to press Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to stop the imports.
The president’s remarks came days after Polish forces shot down multiple Russian drones that entered the country’s airspace, in what NATO officials described as a dangerous escalation. Trump played down the significance of the incursion, saying it “could have been a mistake,” while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “unacceptable and unfortunate and dangerous.” Rubio said NATO’s measured response was appropriate but added that determining whether Russia intentionally targeted Poland would be critical.
Trump, who has long promised to end the war swiftly, has so far avoided directly confronting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Last month, he hosted Putin in Alaska for talks that failed to make progress on peace. Meanwhile, Congress is pressing the president to support a sanctions bill designed to increase pressure on Moscow.
At the United Nations, acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea pledged Friday that the United States “will defend every inch of NATO territory,” calling the drone incident in Poland an affront to international efforts to end the war. Britain followed with new sanctions banning 70 vessels accused of transporting Russian oil and blacklisting 30 individuals and companies, including several in China and Turkey, for supplying Russia with weapons components.
Trump said Saturday that a NATO-wide ban on Russian oil, paired with steep tariffs on China, would “be of great help in ENDING this deadly, but RIDICULOUS, WAR.” He argued that Beijing holds significant leverage over Moscow, and that tariffs “will break that grip.”
The president has already levied a 25% import tax on Indian goods tied to Russian energy purchases, and a broader 50% tariff on imports from India remains in place. He has signaled a willingness to negotiate with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi but has shown less flexibility with China.
Earlier this year, Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods to 145%, prompting Beijing to retaliate with a 125% tax on U.S. imports. The measures temporarily froze commerce between the world’s two largest economies and rattled global markets. Subsequent negotiations reduced U.S. tariffs to 30% and Chinese duties to 10%, but the threat of new increases remains.
In his latest post, Trump blamed his predecessor Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the ongoing war, omitting any direct criticism of Putin, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Trump’s statement followed a call with Group of Seven finance ministers in which U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged allied nations to adopt a “unified front” to cut off funding for what they called “Putin’s war machine.”
MOSCOW (BN24)— A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck early Saturday near the eastern coastline of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake’s epicenter was located approximately 111.7 kilometers (69.3 miles) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 39 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface.
While the tremor prompted initial tsunami concerns, the Pacific Tsunami Warning System later withdrew its alert. The Japan Meteorological Agency noted that while slight sea level changes were possible in coastal zones, the risk of significant damage remained low.
As of early Saturday, no injuries or major property damage had been reported. The seismic event is one of five powerful earthquakes to impact the region on July 20, with this one being the most intense in magnitude.
Kamchatka, a volcanically active region in Russia’s Far East, frequently experiences seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
CHICAGO (BN24) — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a Mexican national in a Chicago suburb on Friday during an attempted arrest, igniting sharp criticism from local leaders and renewed debate over federal immigration tactics.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the incident, saying ICE agents were conducting a vehicle stop to detain Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, 38, when he allegedly drove his car toward the officers. According to DHS, one officer was dragged by the vehicle and opened fire, striking and killing Villegas-Gonzalez. The officer, whose name has not been released, was injured and remains in stable condition.
The Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago identified the deceased as Villegas-Gonzalez, a cook originally from Mexico. Officials said they are in contact with his family and have requested further information from U.S. authorities.
DHS Defends Shooting, Local Leaders Condemn Tactics
DHS said the officer used “appropriate force” during the confrontation, citing Villegas-Gonzalez’s history of reckless driving. The agency accused activists of encouraging undocumented migrants to resist law enforcement — a claim strongly rejected by elected officials.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and State Rep. Lilian Jimenez said the shooting took place in Franklin Park, just outside Chicago. Pritzker called for transparency, writing on X that Illinois residents “deserve a full, factual accounting of what’s happened today.”
Jimenez denounced the death, saying: “This endangers all of our community for ICE to operate in this manner. Now we have seen the ultimate, horrific circumstances that we were all worried about. They have taken away the life of our community member.”
U.S. Reps. Jesús “Chuy” García, Delia Ramirez, and State Rep. Norma Hernandez also criticized ICE’s tactics, describing them as “a violent escalation.”
Trump Administration Launches New Enforcement Push
The fatal encounter occurred days after the Trump administration announced “Operation Midway Blitz,” a targeted immigration enforcement initiative in Chicago and across Illinois.
President Donald Trump has recently signaled that he could deploy National Guard troops and additional federal officers to Chicago to combat crime and illegal immigration. His threat has drawn protests across the city and its suburbs, with critics warning that federal crackdowns will heighten tensions in immigrant communities.
On Friday, Trump told reporters he would send National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee, part of a broader federal push to address what he calls urban lawlessness and failures of Democratic-led cities.
Community Demands Accountability
Immigrant-rights advocates said the shooting reflects the dangers of intensified ICE operations under Trump’s leadership. “We warned that ICE’s aggressive tactics and disregard for due process were a violent escalation,” García, Ramirez, and Hernandez said in a joint statement.
For now, DHS maintains that its officers acted lawfully, while Mexican officials press for answers and Illinois leaders demand accountability. The death of Villegas-Gonzalez is expected to add pressure to the already contentious debate over immigration enforcement in Chicago, a city with one of the nation’s largest immigrant populations.
LONDON (BN24) — Prince Harry made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Friday, meeting with wounded service members in a show of solidarity and support for their recovery. The trip marks his second visit to the war-torn country and comes as Ukraine positions itself as a potential host for the Invictus Games in four years.
The Duke of Sussex, who founded the Invictus Games to support injured and sick service personnel and veterans, traveled by overnight train to the capital. His visit underscores continued international support for Ukrainian soldiers wounded in Russia’s ongoing invasion.
“We cannot stop the war but what we can do is do everything we can to help the recovery process,” Harry told The Guardian during his journey to Kyiv.
Representatives for Prince Harry confirmed his arrival, though the visit had not been publicly announced beforehand. Ukraine is among several nations vying to host a future edition of the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting event that Harry launched in 2014.
His visit is seen as both a morale boost for Ukraine’s wounded veterans and a reaffirmation of the Invictus Games’ mission to empower those who have sacrificed in military service.
TRABZON, Turkey (BN24) — Cameroonian goalkeeper André Onana has been officially unveiled as a Trabzonspor player following a season-long loan move from Manchester United, the Turkish club confirmed Friday.
The 29-year-old departs Old Trafford temporarily after falling down the pecking order, following the arrival of young Belgian keeper Senne Lammens. Onana’s loan will run until June 30, 2026, with no loan fee involved and no option for Trabzonspor to make the transfer permanent.
“An agreement has been reached with Manchester United for the temporary transfer of footballer André Onana to our club, free of charge, for the 2025–2026 football season,” Trabzonspor said in an official statement.
While Manchester United will not receive a financial return for the move, the deal is expected to benefit Onana significantly. According to The Daily Mail, the former Inter Milan keeper will see his salary nearly double, thanks to a lucrative signing bonus and additional performance-related incentives built into the agreement.
Onana, who joined Manchester United in 2023, has had a turbulent spell in England and now looks to revive his form with regular minutes in the Turkish Süper Lig. The loan offers a fresh opportunity for both player and club as the Cameroonian international looks to regain momentum ahead of next season.
LONDON (BN24) — A local British councillor has resigned following a wave of public outrage after she suggested American conservative commentator Charlie Kirk “brought his assassination upon himself” in a controversial social media post.
Fiona Wild, who was serving as an independent councilor in Burnley, stepped down after her comments about Kirk who was shot in the neck while speaking at a university campus in Utah drew condemnation from across the political spectrum. Authorities in the U.S. are still searching for the gunman responsible for the attack.
In a now-deleted post, Wild wrote: “I don’t condone violence, but I do think he made himself a target and brought this on himself, so good riddance to not a very nice man! America needs to get rid of the other tit now.” Her remarks quickly went viral, prompting widespread calls for her resignation.
Burnley Council confirmed her departure in a statement on Friday: “People may be aware of a social media post made by former independent councillor Fiona Wild. We can confirm that Ms Wild has now resigned from her position. Ms Wild was serving as an independent councillor at the time of her resignation and was not affiliated with any political party group within Burnley Council.”
Council leader Jamie McGowan, who had earlier urged Wild to resign, labeled her comments as “vile,” noting the emotional toll on Kirk’s family. “I think what Cllr Fiona Wild forgets is that two small children have woken up without their daddy this morning, because of nothing more than his political beliefs,” McGowan said. “It’s such a disgusting thing to say, which shows a nasty side I didn’t know she had.”
Wild had previously quit the Labour Party in August and had been serving as an unaffiliated councillor since then. McGowan, a Conservative, responded tersely to her resignation, saying, “All I can say is, good riddance to a not very nice woman.”
Kirk, a prominent figure in the U.S. conservative movement and founder of Turning Point USA, was reportedly addressing issues related to mass shootings when he was struck by a bullet in a targeted attack. He remains in critical condition, according to U.S. authorities, as the investigation continues.
ACCRA, Ghana (BN24) — Tensions escalated in parts of Ghana on Tuesday as groups of protesters took to the streets demanding the expulsion of Nigerians, accusing them of driving up crime and dominating local economic sectors.
Videos widely shared on social media showed demonstrators holding placards with inflammatory slogans, including accusations of kidnapping, ritual killings, and widespread prostitution allegedly linked to Nigerian nationals. Some signs claimed Nigerians were behind the disappearance of children and rising violence in several Ghanaian communities.
One woman, shouting into a megaphone in a protest video, said, “Nigerians must go because you can’t be in someone’s country and be doing anyhow.” Another protester, referring to Nigeria’s Igbo ethnic group, said, “They even have an Igbo king in Ghana. They have hijacked our lands. It is just a matter of time; we will conquer them and take over our country.”
Protesters also held up an image of a man they alleged had been killed by a Nigerian in the capital, Accra, though no independent confirmation of the incident was available at the time of reporting.
The Ghanaian government has not yet issued an official response to the protests or addressed the status of Nigerian nationals residing in the country. The Nigerian government had also made no public statement as of press time.
The unrest raises concerns of a diplomatic rift between the two West African neighbors, whose history includes a reversal of similar tensions. In 1983, Nigerian President Shehu Shagari ordered the mass expulsion of nearly two million undocumented immigrants mostly Ghanaians—during an economic downturn, a move widely remembered under the phrase “Ghana Must Go.”
At the time, Shagari justified the decision, saying, “If you break a law, then you have to pay for it. Illegal immigrants, under normal circumstances, should not be given any notice whatsoever.”
Tuesday’s protest represents one of the most overt public backlashes against Nigerian immigrants in Ghana in recent memory and has reignited debates around immigration policy, regional cooperation, and the rise of xenophobic rhetoric in West Africa.
Authorities have not confirmed any arrests or incidents of violence connected to the demonstrations. However, the situation remains volatile, with community leaders and regional observers urging calm amid fears the unrest could escalate further.
LAGOS, Nigeria (BN24) — Nigerian celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder Hilda Baci on Friday officially began her latest culinary challenge: cooking the world’s largest pot of jollof rice.
The ambitious attempt, held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, is part of the “Gino Jollof Festival,” a food-themed event hosted in collaboration with seasoning and culinary brand Gino.
Baci, who made international headlines in 2023 after setting the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon, is now eyeing another milestone with a custom-built pot designed specifically for the feat. The massive vessel measures six meters in both width and height and will hold 250 bags of rice during the cooking process.
Before the cooking commenced, the lead pastor of Harvesters International Christian Centre, Bolaji Idowu, offered prayers and a blessing over the event, marking a ceremonial start to the historic effort.
A crowd of celebrities and influencers, including Enioluwa Adeoluwa, Tomike Adeoye, Folagade Banks, and Veekee James, were present to support Baci. Thousands of attendees, largely made up of Gen Zs, millennials, and food enthusiasts, gathered at the venue, turning the event into a vibrant celebration of Nigerian cuisine.
Organizers reported that over 20,000 people registered to attend the festival, which is free and open to the public.
Baci assured attendees of the meal’s quality, promising that the jollof rice would be “amazing and hygienic,” and described the event as a chance to create a record-breaking experience centered on one of West Africa’s most beloved dishes.
