Latest news with #Keita
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
OKTAGON double champ Losene Keita wants UFC shot: 'I already slapped everybody in Europe'
Losene Keita saw and conquered – and now he's out for world domination. The current OKTAGON lightweight and featherweight champion, Keita (16-1) thinks it's finally time to test his hand in the UFC after becoming one of Europe's emerging star talents. "I already slapped everybody in Europe," Keita told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. "Every time I'm sitting in front of the TV, I'm watching a featherweight, (and) it's not what it used to be before. It used to be a fun weight class. We need a big star. We need someone who can sleep people. We need some fun fighters. Imagine being in front of the TV, watching these kind of fights. I'm like, 'How are they in the UFC? How?' For me, my job is now to make featherweight great again in the UFC. I think it's time to go to the UFC. I'm the guy the UFC really needs." Keita, 27, is known for his fighting abilities and highlight-reel knockouts but also his mic skills and electric walkouts. He does it all, one of the most highly touted fighters outside the UFC. His only career loss was due to injury, and he's notched 10 knockout victories in 16 fights. While he's still under contract with OKTAGON and could fight for the organization next, Keita said his agreement with the promotion includes a UFC-out clause. He hopes to activate that sometime in the immediate future. "I'm able to leave," Keita said. "I have a clause where I can leave for the UFC whenever I want." What about Keita? The UFC recently signed a large wave of free-agent talent, ranging from veteran PFL fighters like Ante Delija, to KSW champions like Robert Ruchala and Jakub Wiklacz, to OKTAGON contender Shem Rock. Delija was left scratching his head as to why he was not included. "How can they sign these guys?" Keita said. "You look back and see what I've done and who (I've fought) and look at my highlights with everything. I'm like, OK, the big fish is not there yet. So how can you make something great if the big fish is not there yet? No disrespect to all those guys." There's nothing more Keita would like than for UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby to send a contract his way. However, Keita doesn't see it as a favor when he thinks about what the UFC would get in return. Business would be mutually beneficial for all. Born in Guinea, Keita immigrated to Belgium at age 11 and eventually found himself living a troubling lifestyle. At one point, he was in prison, but shortly after his release, he found mixed martial arts and his life was changed forever. Not only does Keita serve as an example of getting on the straight and narrow, he's built a large following in sections of Europe that the UFC does not often visit. From Belgium to Germany to Czechia, Keita has captivated audiences in massive arenas across Northwestern and Central Europe. "I've fought in OKTAGON, in Czech Republic where there is no one (who is) Black there and how I became one of the fan favorites there," Keita said. "People didn't even speak English there, and I speak English. Imagine me going to America and speaking English to this guy and selling myself by being myself." UFC, 'it's time' In his ideal world, Keita would debut at the UFC Fight Night event Sept. 6 at Accor Arena in Paris. There are already names on the tip of his tongue. Understatedly, Keita isn't impressed with the promotion's division and thinks he could make an impact in short order. "If the UFC called me now to fight Dan Ige, I'd accept it and take it with both hands," Keita said. "If the UFC called me now to fight Josh Emmett, I'd take it with both hands. If the UFC called me now to fight any of these guys in the top 15, I would take it with both hands. Zero hesitation. I've been watching these guys, and that's the only thing I do. I watch this guy and I watch this guy and I'm like, 'How do these guys have this much hype? How are they doing this kind of stuff?' I really think I can beat a lot of these guys. For me, I don't care. It can be a wrestler. It can be a striker. It can be Superman. It can be somebody who flies. My only goal is to be a champ." All he needs is a chance, as he explained while also utilizing the signature line of UFC announcer Bruce Buffer. "It's time," Keita said. "Let's make featherweight great again. I can do both weights actually. I even fought in welterweight before. I fought in lightweight, featherweight. Let's just make fun. Let me knock out people on the biggest platform."
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Team Clark or Team Collier? Our experts draft their WNBA All-Star squads
Who will Caitlin Clark pick? Who will Napheesa Collier take? The WNBA All-Star Game captains will select their rosters in a draft at 7 p.m. (ET) Tuesday, airing on ESPN's 'WNBA Countdown.' Choosing their season-long teammates or optimizing their rosters with a balance of guards and bigs? Lots of interesting decisions await. Our WNBA experts at , Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman, joined 'No Offseason' host Zena Keita to take on the task in a mock draft. Based on a coin flip, Pickman represented Team Clark, and Merchant represented Napheesa Collier. Pickman: I'm going to take the other best player available. Before I get into the positional weeds, I will go with A'ja Wilson. We know Caitlin Clark is going to take Aliyah Boston first, but I personally, as Ben Pickman, will be taking A'ja Wilson. Merchant: I'm going to take (Breanna Stewart). Pickman: Give me Sabrina Ionescu. Guards have won the WNBA All-Star MVP every year since 2013. … Give me Sabrina for some more shooting. Merchant: We'll keep the UConn train rolling here. I'll take Paige. Keita: Staying within the lineage. Geno would be proud, Phee. OK, Caitlin, you're up. Pickman: Paige was going to be my next choice, so I have to reevaluate this draft. I am going to take Allisha Gray. Keita: Oh my gosh, just guard heavy over here. Pickman: All-Star Game performer. Keita: Whether she shows up in the game or the skills or anything, you know she's got a good track record coming in from last year. So far, Caitlin only has one big. Phee, you've got two bigs and Paige. Where do you want to go next? Merchant: There's no more guards left in this pool, so we'll just keep choosing bigs. That's fine. I'll go with Nneka (Ogwumike). Keita: Going across the country to Stanford. Merchant: No more UConns left. What are you going to do? Keita: They'll take the Cardinal in nicely. OK, Caitlin, who do you want next? Pickman: Again, because I am playing the role of myself, I am taking Satou Sabally. That means Aliyah Boston will get assigned to Sabreena's Napheesa Collier WNBA All-Star draft with Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier is tonight — but will air said 'I think there's a high chance that Kels and AB are on my team.'That's the goal. Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) July 7, 2025 Keita: We've got Caitlin's team so far: A'ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, Allisha Gray, Satou Sabally. This is a solid starting lineup. I really like this balance here. And then Napheesa Collier, I'll tell you what, you've got some size. Some big bodies. Merchant: This is the issue with the way the pool is assigned, where the guards also include threes. So I'm just basically picking from fours and fives. Keita: Pretty much. Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, Paige Bueckers, Nneka Ogwumike and Aliyah Boston. OK, Phee, now we are going to go into the reserves. You've got first pick, so you've got a chance to maybe bolster your perimeter. Merchant: Yeah, I think that's going to be necessary. I'm going to have to take some guards here. Very good guard group in the reserve selection. We can have some fun here. I do think … I kind of want some shooting. Let's go Kelsey Mitchell. I've got two Indiana people in Indiana at least, trying to make up for the fact that Caitlin's on the other team. Keita: That's OK. Caitlin will have to be on the sideline watching her pick-and-roll executed right in front of her. All right, Caitlin, what you want? Pickman: Before I make a total strategy shift, I'm going to take Kelsey Plum, and just continue to load up on guards. Kelsey Plum, a former All-Star Game MVP. Reunite her with A'ja Wilson in this game. Keita: There's a lot of size over here on the Phee side. Merchant: I feel good about it. It's all very versatile size. Stewie played the five over the weekend. She could easily play the one or the two for this particular roster. Keita: You pretty much have a team that can take the ball off the rim and go, outside of Aliyah Boston, maybe. Let's keep going, Phee, what do you want? Merchant: Speaking of players who can take the ball off the rim and go, I'm tempted to take Alyssa Thomas here, but she has not shown a lot of interest in All-Star Games before. So I'm not sure if this is the play that I want to take her. Let's just get a little more ballhandling. I'm going to go with Skylar Diggins. Keita: Love that choice. Skylar Diggins and Nneka getting to play again together. I like it. Caitlin, what's the rebuttal? Pickman: I'm going to take Angel (Reese). A little size, frontcourt presence and rebounding. Keita: Also somebody who can take the ball off the rim and go. There you go.⭐️2x ALL-STAR BARBIE⭐️Angel Reese is officially a 2025 WNBA All-Star🤩 Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) July 6, 2025 Merchant: All right, in terms of getting some more players on the same team who are teammates, we'll go with Courtney Williams here. Keita: You're getting a lot of buckets. I like the quick foot speed on this side. Pickman: Sabreena called it out. Alyssa Thomas, not really a fan of All-Star Games, not really a fan of putting up big numbers in them, I should say. But I will take AT. Keita: Let's pause real quick and see how we're looking. Caitlin team's … let's go guards. You've got Caitlin, but Caitlin's still dealing with that groin injury. Kelsey Plum, Allisha Gray, Sabrina Ionescu. That's some solid (guard play). Alyssa Thomas and Angel Reese, both players who can give you that frontcourt size but also the ability to take the ball and go and distribute. … You've got some versatility. And then Satou Sabally, of course, that can play three, four, two, whatever you want. OK, Caitlin's team's looking solid. And of course, A'ja Wilson, you can never doubt her. Then Phee's team: You've got Napheesa Collier, Paige Bueckers, Nneka Ogumike, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Skylar Diggins, Courtney Williams. I like this veteran presence in the guards. This is cool. I like this. You've got some veterans that know how to be All-Stars, know how to play the game, know how to entertain us in the All-Star Game, and are also very competitive. I feel like this game might get spicy the way you have this broken out. Let's round out. You each have three more picks. Merchant: I am going to take Jackie Young. Pickman: I will keep a reunion together. I will take Rhyne Howard of the Atlanta Dream, pairs with Allisha Gray. Keita: Very nice. Big guard energy. Phee, who do you want next? Merchant: We can keep all the Storm together. I'll take Gabby Williams. Pickman: We have three players left: Sonia Citron, Kayla Thornton and Kiki Iriafen. All three first-timers. Who is going to have the best game in an All-Star Game context? These are all good teammates, can be unselfish players at times. It'll be interesting to see if any of them have big games when the actual exhibition kicks off. I am going to take Kayla Thornton. I think repping for the Valkyries, wanting to show out for the expansion fans in this game. Keita: Now, Phee, you have a choice between two rookies. The Mystics. You've got to break them up regardless. Which one do you want? Merchant: I think I'm going to take Citron. I'm a little worried about leaving all of the really good offensive rebounders on Team Caitlin, but every time I see Citron guard Paige Bueckers, I don't think Paige likes it, so we're going to keep Citron. Keita: That means Caitlin / Ben, you're rounding out with Kiki Irafen. You've got some solid size presence. You had me in the first half, a little concerned, but now you've rounded out nicely with your reserves. Phee, I was a little concerned that you couldn't get the ball up the floor, but now you've got really good guard presence. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Golden State Valkyries, WNBA, No Offseason Podcast 2025 The Athletic Media Company
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India.com
08-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
Meet India's Richest Doctor: Built 20 Hospitals Across 3 Countries And Donated Rs... After Air India Crash; His Net Worth Is...
photoDetails english 2928817 India's Richest Doctor: Once a boy from Kerala with dreams far bigger than his hometown, Shamsheer Vayalil dared to imagine a future where he could make a real difference. Armed with determination and a medical degree, he journeyed to the Middle East—not just to build a career, but to build a legacy. Today, Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings, one of the most respected healthcare groups in the UAE. A radiologist by training and a visionary by nature, he has transformed the healthcare landscape across borders. Married into the family of Gulf retailing magnate M.A. Yusuff Ali, he carved his own identity through sheer perseverance and purpose. He now leads a diversified portfolio including Ziva, Keita, RPM, LifePharma, Lakeshore Hospital, and Educare Institute. His compassion is as large as his success—pledging Rs 6 crore to support families of medical students who died in the Air India crash. Dr. Shamsheer is now India's richest doctor and one of the fastest-growing NRIs on Forbes' list reportedly. His story shows that with hard work and big dreams, anything is possible. Updated:Jul 08, 2025, 08:02 PM IST Shamsheer Vayalil: Kerala Roots, Education 1 / 9 He was born on 11 January 1977 in Kerala into a business family. He pursued an MBBS from Manipal's Kasturba Medical College and later earned an MD in Radiology from Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Chennai. Shamsheer Vayalil's Career Beginnings In Abu Dhabi 2 / 9 In 2004, Dr. Shamsheer began his professional career as a radiologist at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi, where his journey toward becoming a healthcare entrepreneur first took root. Shamsheer Vayalil's Transform Healthcare Landscape 3 / 9 While working as a radiologist, he began envisioning owning a hospital. With strong determination and foresight, he started planning to transform the healthcare landscape in the UAE and beyond. Shamsheer Vayalil Launches First Healthcare Venture 4 / 9 In 2007, with initial financial support from his billionaire father-in-law, Dr. Shamsheer launched his first healthcare venture—LLH Hospital in Abu Dhabi—marking the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey. Shamsheer Vayalil: Rise Of Burjeel Holdings 5 / 9 His hard work led to the creation of Burjeel Holdings, a prominent healthcare group with 39 hospitals and medical centers across the UAE and Oman, offering world-class medical services. Shamsheer Vayalil's Healthcare Networks 6 / 9 Over the years, he expanded his healthcare network to 20 hospitals in three countries, 23+ medical centers, and employed over 13,000 healthcare professionals across the Middle East and India. Donated 1.75 crore During Nipah Virus Outbreak 7 / 9 In 2018, he donated Rs 1.75 crore worth of emergency medical equipment to Kerala during the Nipah virus outbreak, and later pledged Rs 6 crore to help families affected by an Air India crash. UAE's 'One Billion Meals Initiative' 8 / 9 A consistent humanitarian, he has donated AED 12 million (Rs 27.2 crore) to the UAE's 'One Billion Meals Initiative,' which aims to combat global hunger in underprivileged communities. Shamsheer Vayalil Net Worth 9 / 9 In 2023, Dr. Shamsheer was ranked 57th on Forbes India's 100 Richest List with an impressive net worth of $3.7 billion (Rs 30,770 crore), highlighting his business success and impact. This makes him India's richest doctor.
Asahi Shimbun
08-07-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Young Tokara evacuees remind me of evacuation from Miyakejima
Evacuees from Akusekijima island and Kotakarajima island disembark from a ferry arriving at Kagoshima Port in Kagoshima on July 6. (Hisaki Tamanaha) Following a series of ominous rumblings, the volcanic island of Miyakejima in the Izu island chain spat a huge plume of smoke in 2000. The local government ordered all schoolchildren to be evacuated from the island, leaving their parents behind. According to an Asahi Shimbun report back then, Keita, a first-year primary school pupil, boarded the evacuation boat with his older sister. The boy was quoted as saying, 'I'm OK because I brought my stuffed toy cat to sleep with.' Sayaka, a third-year pupil, had her parents' mobile phone numbers written on a slip of paper. Tucking it carefully into the bottom of her backpack, she said, 'I'm shedding a few teardrops but I won't dam them up.' The scene depicted above is from a quarter-century ago, but there must be something timeless and universal about the anxiety and sadness of leaving one's hometown after a disaster. The recent sight of evacuees from the Tokara island chain broke my heart. Large backpacks swayed on the backs of children getting off a boat at Kagoshima Port. All elementary and junior high school pupils were evacuated from the quake-struck island of Akusekijima. 'Sangoku Meisho Zue' (Illustrated Famous Places of the Three Provinces), published during the Edo Period (1603-1867), notes that Tokara is 'takara' (treasure). It is indeed quite a gem of a volcanic island, with its blooming hibiscus flowers and colorful fish in the coral reefs. But in nature, beauty and severity inevitably go together. The Tokara islands were always earthquake prone, but seismic activities have grown markedly frequent since late June. There have been more than 1,600 tremors registering 1 or more on the Japanese seismic scale of 7, with no signs of abating any time soon. How long will the islanders have to live with this? In the case of the Miyakejima eruption in 2000, the evacuated children stayed in dormitories at Tokyo Metropolitan Akikawa High School in western Tokyo. Akikawa is written with kanji characters meaning 'autumn river.' A haiku written then by Yuya, a fifth-year pupil, went to the effect, 'In the autumn river/ A young fish/ Resists the current.' The boy probably saw himself in the fish, determined to overcome adversity. I imagine this feeling is probably shared by the young evacuees from Tokara. I pray for their early return to a normal life. —The Asahi Shimbun, July 8 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Scoop
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
DR Congo: Despite Efforts Towards A Political Solution, Violence Still Rages In The East
Since January, the region has seen a new escalation of violence as the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group launched an offensive in North and South Kivu provinces. While tensions persist in the DRC, both frontlines and negotiation positions are shifting, paving the way for peace, the Security Council heard this Friday. The path to lasting peace in the DRC requires 'collective action,' said Bintou Keita, Head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, MONUSCO. 'Priority must be given to dialogue over division, and national cohesion must be actively preserved,' she said. Yet, while diplomatic efforts focus on ways to address the current crisis, the situation in other regions within MONUSCO's area of operations also demands urgent attention. Humanitarian situation With seven million people currently displaced across the country, 27.8 million people facing food insecurity and almost 1.4 million children in acute malnutrition, the humanitarian situation is dire. The security crisis in the east of the country has worsened the humanitarian situation, yet due to funding cuts, MONUSCO does not have sufficient means to respond to it accordingly. The suspension of funding from MONUSCO's main donor, which covered 70 per cent of the humanitarian response in 2024, is 'forcing humanitarian actors to focus solely on life-saving emergencies,' said Ms. Keita. 'We are at the end of July, and the humanitarian response plan is only 11 per cent funded,' she added. Insecurity, sexual violence and abductions Violence in the east of the country continues to disproportionately affect women, boys, and girls, notably as rape and other forms of sexual violence are still being systematically used as weapons of war. Men and boys accused of links with opposing forces are at risk of abduction, while women and girls who have survived sexual violence face severely limited access to healthcare, as healthcare facilities are often targeted by attacks. In 2025, over 290 schools were destroyed, with ongoing cycles of violence keeping 1.3 million children out of the education system in Ituri, in the east of the country.
