After being crowned Canada’s new tennis queen, Mboko has sights set on U.S. Open. With humility and grace, Canada’s freshly minted 18-year-old tennis champion is still riding a wave of emotions, days after winning her home country’s preeminent tennis tournament.

“I’d say it’s hitting me a little harder now than I’d say it was right after the match,” admitted Victoria Mboko.

Determination and talent beyond her years has catapulted Toronto’s Mboko into Canada’s constellation of sports stars.

Speaking one-on-one with CTV National News, Mboko shared that on the morning of the National Bank Open final in Montreal, she found herself in the hospital, unsure if she’d even be able to take on former world No. 1, Naomi Osaka.

“I woke up the morning of the finals with a really swollen wrist, it was really puffy, really painful,” said Mboko. “It hurt to even brush my teeth, comb my hair. So we rushed to the hospital and did an MRI and X-ray.”

With a heavily bandaged wrist, she battled through the pain and into tennis lore.

Mboko’s life story is one of resilience and sacrifice, those very characteristics are embedded into her DNA.

Before she was born, her mother and father fled war and unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2006, Mboko was born in Charlotte, N.C., then shortly thereafter, the family moved to Burlington, Ont.

“They made so many sacrifices to come to a new country, learning new languages, to rebuild a new life for me and my siblings,” said Mboko.

Her parents worked overtime so Mboko and each of her four older siblings could receive extra tennis lessons. She believed her family’s perseverance found its way into her game when the pressure is at its highest.

“I think growing up, I was always aware of (my family’s journey),” she said. “I think I made more of an effort to try and better myself to make (their sacrifice) worth it.”

Mboko started the 2025 season ranked No. 333 in the world. She’s now ranked No. 24 in women’s singles with a 53-9 record, so far this year.

Still just a teenager, Mboko will turn 19 on Aug. 29. When asked how it feels to now be an inspiration for the next generation of tennis players in Canada and around the world, Mboko flashed a smile.

“It’s crazy to think about, I feel like it was not so long ago that I was the one looking up to so many girls (on tour),” she said. “I still do, but it makes me happy if I’m able to inspire young girls in this sport.”

When asked how she plans to stay grounded while continuing to rise up the tennis ranks, Mboko said it’s all about family.

‘Having people who know who you are, it’s very important at tournaments,” she said. “Even in life as I advance in my career, to have great people around me that can make me feel like me and can make me feel comfortable as well.”

Surefooted in the spotlight, the teenage champion will shift her youthful gaze to the upcoming U.S. Open, where she’ll be playing for the very first time – now with aspirations of winning her first grand slam tournament now on the horizon.

Taylor Swift announces 12th studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’. NEW YORK — Look what you made her do — Taylor Swift has announced her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Swift announced the album on her website shortly after a countdown timer expired at 12:12 a.m. Tuesday. No release date was announced, but her site said vinyl editions of the album would ship before Oct. 13.

Fans have long theorized that Swift’s 12th album would soon arrive. On Monday, Taylor Nation — an official branch of the pop superstar’s marketing team — posted a TikTok slide show of 12 images with the caption “Thinking about when she said ‘See you next era…’” Swift is seen wearing orange in every image.

A special limited vinyl edition of the album will be released in “Portofino orange glitter,” according to a pre-order page on her site. A special cassette edition is also available for pre-order.

Sensing a pattern, eagle-eyed fans noticed that 12 minutes earlier, the popular “New Heights” podcast posted a tease for Wednesday. The show, hosted by Swift’s boyfriend and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce alongside his brother, former Eagles center Jason Kelce, posted an orange image on social media with a mysterious silhouette, many believing to be Swift.

The podcast announced early early Tuesday that Swift would would appear on “New Heights” and a teaser video posted about her appearance showed her pulling the album from a briefcase. The actual album artwork, just as it is on her website, is blurred.

“The Life of a Showgirl” follows last year’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” announced during the 2024 Grammys and released during her record-breaking tour, which raked in over $2.2 billion across two years and five continents, making it the highest-grossing tour of all time.

The album is also her first release since Swift regained control over her entire body of work. In May, that pop star said she purchased her catalog of recordings — originally released through Big Machine Records — from their most recent owner, the private equity firm Shamrock Capital. She did not disclose the amount.

In recent years, Swift has been rerecording and releasing her first six albums in an attempt to regain control of her music. The project was instigated by Hybe America CEO Scooter Braun’s purchase and sale of her early catalog and represents Swift’s effort to control her own songs and how they’re used. Previous “Taylor’s Version” releases have been more than conventional re-recordings, arriving with new “from the vault” music, Easter eggs and visuals that deepen understanding of her work.

So far, there have been four rerecorded albums, beginning with “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” and “Red (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021. All four have been massive commercial and cultural successes, each one debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Swift’s last rerecording, “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” arrived in October 2023, just four months after the release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” That was the same year Swift claimed the record for the woman with the most No. 1 albums in history.

Maria Sherman, The Associated Press

Lesotho-based artist Thato Toeba was announced as the 2025 FNB Art Prize winner.

Artist honours rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot at National Mosaic Art Exhibition

Lucasfilm and Disney settle with actor #Gina Carano following her firing from ‘The Mandalorian’

#Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is to be sentenced in October for his conviction on prostitution-related charges, is seeking a pardon from President Donald #Trump, one of his lawyers said Tuesday.

#News: The Walking Dead’ actress Kelley Mack dies at 33. Actress Kelley Mack, known for her appearance in post-apocalyptic zombie drama “The Walking Dead,” has died. She was 33.

Mack, who was born Kelley Klebenow, “passed away peacefully” in her hometown of Cincinatti on Saturday after battling glioma of the central nervous system, according to a statement posted on the social networking site CaringBridge. A glioma is a type of tumour that affects the brain or spinal cord.

“It is with indelible sadness that we are announcing the passing of our dear Kelley. Such a bright, fervent light has transitioned to the beyond, where we all eventually must go,” read a post on Mack’s Instagram on Tuesday alongside a photo of the actress.

Condolences have poured in from colleagues, friends and fans remembering her as “talented” and a “sweet soul.”

“What an incredible human. So proud to have fought alongside her in our final episode together,” wrote Alanna Masterson, who also starred in “The Walking Dead.”

Mack held 35 actress and five producer credits during her career, according to the statement posted to CaringBridge. She was best known for playing Addy in season 9 of “The Walking Dead,” and Penelope Jacobs in season 8 of “Chicago Med” and on FOX’s “9-1-1.”

She also did commercial and voice-over work, appearing in commercials for Dr. Pepper, Ross stores, Dairy Queen and Chick-fil-A, among others. Her love for storytelling flourished after she received a mini video camera as a birthday gift at a young age. She began acting in commercials as a child.

“Kelley was known for her warmth, creativity and unwavering support for those around her,” the statement said. “Her infectious enthusiasm and dedication to her work inspired countless others in the industry and beyond.”

Mack graduated from Hinsdale Central High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in cinematography from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts in Orange, California.

The actress is survived by her parents, Kristen and Lindsay Klebenow; sister Kathryn and brother Parker; grandparents Lois and Larry Klebenow; and her boyfriend Logan Lanier.

“Kelley’s legacy will live on through her contributions to film and television, and in the hearts of those who loved her. She will be deeply missed by forever remembered for her talent, kindness and vibrant spirit,” according to the statement.

By Chris Lau, CNN

Rising Canadian star Victoria Mboko set for marquee match against Coco Gauff at NBO

Jeannie Seely, soulful country singer behind hits like ‘Don’t Touch Me,’ dies at 85

Justin #Timberlake has Lyme disease. The “Mirrors” singer opened up about his diagnosis in an Instagram post Thursday, writing that he wanted to “shed some light” on what he’s been going through behind the scenes.

“Living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically,” Timberlake wrote. “When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure. But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.”

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection, with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi being the most common cause, Dr. Leana Wen previously told CNN. Wen is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of a particular tick, the black-legged tick. There are three stages of Lyme disease, which can include flu-like symptoms, dizziness, chest pain, palpitations, arthritis, facial nerve paralysis, ongoing joint pain, fatigue, depression, palpitations, and other neurological, rheumatological and cardiac involvement.

Timberlake went on to say this week that he was “faced” with a decision to stop touring or to keep going, writing that “the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling.”

“I’m so glad I kept going,” he wrote.

Timberlake has been on his Forget Tomorrow World Tour since April 2024, and performed his final show on Wednesday in Istanbul. In his post on Thursday, Timberlake celebrated his experience while candidly questioning what his Lyme disease diagnosis means for his future on stage.

“There really is no way to put into words the feeling of being on a stage and getting to share the experience of live music with all of you. It’s a vibration of frequency that is unmatched,” he wrote. “I honestly don’t know what my future is onstage but I’ll always cherish this run!”

Timberlake acknowledged that while he’s typically a private person and was initially “reluctant” to speak about his health, he is choosing to open up about it now because he’s “trying to be more transparent about my struggles so that they aren’t misinterpreted,” and wants to “help others.”

“Sharing all of this with the hope that we can all find a way to be more connected,” he added. “I’d like to do my part to help others experiencing this disease too.”