Latest news with #BCW
Newsweek
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Former WWE Champion Involved In Controversial Moment At Indie Show
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A mid-match walkout by former WWE Champion Raj Dhesi, formerly known as Jinder Mahal, at an independent event has been the subject of conflicting reports, with the latest suggesting the entire incident was a planned storyline. Dhesi has been active on the independent scene since his WWE release, including a run in AAA. This recent appearance at a Battleground Championship Wrestling (BCW) event in May, however, caused significant confusion. A Controversial Finish In a match against deathmatch veteran MASADA, Dhesi walked out mid-bout, resulting in a count-out loss and reportedly leaving the venue altogether. The promoter initially claimed the walkout was due to issues with hotel bookings. The story gained more attention after MASADA claimed on social media that Dhesi had arrived with a list of rules for what could and could not be done in their match. This painted a picture of a legitimate backstage dispute between the two performers. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation Was It All A Work? According to a report from Fightful Select, the entire situation may have been a planned angle from the start. Sources close to Dhesi insist that the walkout was a complete "work" orchestrated by the BCW promoter to generate buzz for the promotion. BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - NOVEMBER 16: A general view of the AAA Mexican Lucha Libre friday night show at the Movistar Arena during an AAA World Wide Wrestling match on November 16, 2018 in Bogota, Colombia. BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - NOVEMBER 16: A general view of the AAA Mexican Lucha Libre friday night show at the Movistar Arena during an AAA World Wide Wrestling match on November 16, 2018 in Bogota, news re-frames the incident from a backstage issue into a deliberate attempt to blur the lines between reality and storyline. Regardless of the reason, Dhesi is not currently booked for any future dates with the promotion. Dhesi's Post-WWE Career Mahal's career in WWE is marked by two distinct runs, with his major accomplishments coming during his second tenure with the company after a significant physical transformation. Mahal is also a former United States Champion. He won the title at WrestleMania 34 in a Fatal 4-Way match, defeating champion Randy Orton, Bobby Roode, and Rusev. The controversial walkout comes after another notable event in Dhesi's post-WWE career. He and AEW's Satnam Singh won the AAA World Tag Team Championship in August 2024. However, after 241 days of inactivity and never defending the belts, the pair were stripped of the titles by the promotion in March 2025. It will be interesting to see where Mahal goes from here in his pro wrestling career. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
The Guardian
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Support for Reform has surged – what does this mean for UK politics? Our panel responds
John McTernan Former political secretary to Tony Blair and current political strategist for BCW Two-party politics is back. The election results declared so far this morning show that the future of British politics is a fight between two main parties – Labour and Reform UK. The opinion polls were right: Nigel Farage is the leader of the right in Britain. The humiliating slump in support for the Conservative party puts Kemi Badenoch's leadership on life support and means that Reform will dictate the terms of any deal between the two parties of the right. In politics you can never argue with momentum – and Farage certainly has it. With support slumping, Labour retained mayoralties in Doncaster, North Tyneside, and the West of England, pushing Reform into second place – demonstrating that Labour's Rolls-Royce election machine is still the best in class and that Green-leaning progressive voters will turn out for Labour when it matters. What should be taken from the results? That the electoral contest is now all about change – that was Labour's slogan last year and is also the message implicit in the name of Farage's party. But change to what? Reform is clear – being pro-worker and pro-nationalisation, a sort of Labour-lite. That's a fight Labour can win if it remembers who the party is for. Carys Afoko Communications strategist and co-host of the Over the Top, Under the Radar podcast There are still many votes to be counted. And, even once they are in, the number of seats being contested this week is too small to tell us anything definitive about the UK's political future. So far, turnout has been low, and Reform's surge has mostly harmed the Conservatives. But the results, especially in Runcorn and Lincolnshire, are still a headache for Labour. They should be a sign that their current strategy isn't working. There will undoubtedly be some in the party who look to Mark Carney's recent victory in Canada and say the solution is a change of leader. Switch out Keir Starmer for Wes Streeting and all our troubles will be over. They are missing the bigger issue. What Nigel Farage and Reform have is momentum and, more importantly, a coherent story about what is wrong with Britain and what must happen to fix it. Until Labour has a competing story that connects with the public on an emotional level it will continue to flounder. Farage launched his local election campaign riding into a rally on a JCB and talking about potholes. He ended his speech with a five-year plan to get Reform into government. Labour needs to be similarly bold in setting out a vision and as effective in communicating it. Caroline Lucas Environmental activist and former Green MP While only a handful of results have been announced so far, one lesson is already clear. Our democratic system isn't working. We're now in an unprecedented era of five-party politics in the UK, yet we're stuck with first past the post – an electoral system built for a bygone era of two-party dominance. The result is a fundamentally broken relationship between how people vote and who holds power – and, as the outcomes of the byelection in Runcorn and the Greater Lincolnshire mayoralty have just shown, the main beneficiaries are the populist Reform, capitalising on public anger and weaponising it against minorities and against our institutions. Whatever the final results today, one thing is certain: if we're serious about restoring trust in politics, we have to start by replacing our archaic voting system with a fairer alternative. There are particular lessons for Labour. Trying to out-Reform Reform doesn't work. Instead of lurching to the right, the government urgently needs to rethink its approach. It could start by addressing the genuine concerns of working people by taxing wealth so we can rebuild our creaking public services, and reversing its cruel decisions to remove support from sick and disabled people. As Greens, we understand why people have lost faith in the old, tired parties. As they collapse in popularity, we know we will take votes from both, as we did in the general election, where even under the two-party system we've managed to work strategically to break through – often being the only credible alternative to the rise of Reform. And unlike Reform, we have a track record of delivery, having formed part of the ruling administration of over 40 councils, including Bristol city council, where we took control last year. We've increased our number of councillors seven years in a row, and we are sure this will be an eighth. We know voters want change, and Greens have that bold and positive vision that stands in contrast to Reform whose politics breed fear and division. Peter Kellner Former president of YouGov Nigel Farage should enjoy Reform's triumphs while he can. This may be as good as it gets. In May 2015, his former party, Ukip, gained control of Thanet district council. Before last night, it was the only time any of his parties won the power to run anything. What pointers does it offer to the months ahead? Ukip's 10-seat majority in Thanet should have given it four years of power to show what its new brand of politics could achieve. Alas, it turned out, that was very little. Six months later, five of its councillors defected, following internal rows about a local airport. A byelection subsequently restored its majority, but only until another councillor defected, saying Ukip had failed to make 'significant change'. The following year, 12 Ukip councillors peeled off to form an independent group. Ukip's days in charge of Thanet were over. In 2019, it fielded just three candidates. They all lost. Thanet was not the only place where Ukip struggled. In 2017, seven of its 12 councillors in Great Yarmouth defected to the Conservatives – although to be fair, some defections elsewhere went the other way, including two Tory MPs, Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless. Maybe it will all be different this time. After today, Reform will have many more chances to show what it does with power. An era of milk, honey and joyful unity – or arsenic, ashes and destructive divisions? We shall see.
Winnipeg Free Press
26-04-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sisters of the holy outdoors
It began in 2017 as an Instagram account, but two years later turned into a social enterprise, providing a highly valued service for women of all ages. Backcountry Women (BCW) is a Manitoba-based group empowering women and other marginalized genders to experience the thrill and the immeasurable mental and physical benefits of outdoor adventures. Founder Ashley Moore was seeing other people's stories in other cities and provinces on the social media platform and decided it was time for Manitoba to do more. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Ashley Moore is the founder of Backcountry Women, a group that focuses on outdoor adventure through education, skill development, and year-round outdoor focused recreation experiences. 'There was kind of this big gap,' Moore said. 'Manitoba is behind in outdoor recreation spaces. I started forming a community to connect with others,' she explained. After holding a few events she realized the interest was significant, so she launched a membership program and formalized a structure that would allow her to focus entirely on expanding opportunities. Aided by several volunteers, Moore takes care of the logistics, planning and community settings so participants and members can focus on having fun, making connections, and experiencing the transformative power of nature. Moore is hoping to secure stable funding for operational support. BCW believes in creating a diverse and positive space for like-minded individuals to become empowered and confident through outdoor education, resources, skill development, shared activities and year-round outdoor-focused recreation experiences. In the past, Moore had found herself overly reliant on her husband for certain tasks. One weekend when he was away on a snowboarding trip she needed to inflate her bicycle tires, something he usually did. 'Once I got out I was like, 'I'm perfectly capable to do this thing.' I think we are just often letting males take the lead, accepting the traditional gender roles. We are very capable. It feels empowering,' she said about the learning that comes with doing things outside one's comfort zone. BCW offers various workshops and full-day courses, such as Hiking with Confidence and Backpacking with Confidence. 'Women often don't have people in their lives to help them build important skills that empower them to be confident and independent in exploring the outdoors,' said Moore about the programs focused on supporting women to feel prepared and self-sufficient in the outdoors. Lydia Michaelis, 66, joined BCW in 2019, and loves the range of outings and the learning she's experienced with the group. 'BCW has so many wonderful activities and workshops to choose from. I have learned how to read a topographic map, start a fire, set up an emergency shelter, pack a backpack (harder than one thinks), first aid on the trail and, after a 49-year hiatus from downhill skiing, took it up again. 'BCW also has more challenging activities and excursions,' Michaelis continued, adding that meeting women adventurers and sharing these experiences with new friends has enhanced her life. 'I want women of all ages to feel comfortable to take the step and join without needing or having a buddy to do it with them. I needed to be with women who wanted to enjoy outdoor activities as strongly as I do. BCW met this need and more.' BCW membership is made up of women between the ages of 18 and up, from various backgrounds and professions. The registered organization holds a Manitoba government permit to operate tourism activities. Several members have Outdoor Council of Canada field leader training. 'Everything that we do is participant focused. It's about creating safe and fun events where people's needs are met,' said Moore. 'Everyone can benefit from spending time outside. We just need community, to absorb nature, come together and have a good time.' Whether it's a two-hour hike at Bunns Creek Park or Birds Hill on a weeknight, or a half-day adventure on the weekend somewhere outside the city, BCW has something for every age and level of fitness. Backcountry Women focuses on outdoor adventure through education, skill development, and year-round outdoor focused recreation experiences. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press) The group has an active online community forum where members post details about trails and conditions, carpooling options and more. 'I love bringing people out to Whiteshell Provincial Park,' said Moore. 'It's such a unique landscape. I love that area, and there are so many gems around the city. Putting myself in that leadership role has made me grow to empower others. Working as a team, we are increasing female outdoor leadership in Manitoba. 'We describe the difficulty and terrain; our leaders are trained and check in with people. You have somebody to lean on. We have everything from urban walks to more difficult ones outside the city.' Moore points to a tendency in society, especially for women in caregiving roles, to prioritize everyone else's needs, leaving little or no time for their own mental and physical health. 'We live in a world where people are behind screens and at work. That community connection is missing. We are providing space for women to connect, leave their other roles behind for a while, and have time for self-care, health and well-being.' With 75 outings per year, BCW is busy during every season and hopes to find corporate sponsors and company supporters so it can continue to offer the variety of events and activities its members and others appreciate. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Beginning Monday, April 28, Moore will be leading a weeklong, 175-kilometre hike on the Trans Canada Trail across Whiteshell Provincial Park to raise funds for BCW's affordable outdoor programming. She hopes to raise awareness about the group, and funds to keep BCW thriving so it can introduce more women to new outdoor adventures. With her husband supporting her in the camper van along the way, Moore will provide regular updates on social media about her routes, community stops, and time in the wilderness, some of it intense terrain, going through West Hawk, Rennie, Otter Falls, Seven Sisters and Pinawa. She hopes supporters will join her on the path. 'It's important for individuals to experience the benefits of being outside. We need more kindness and openness in this world, a judgment-free space. We've created such a supportive environment. People can be themselves. That's why we are focused on this community aspect.' Visit: fpcity@
Associated Press
27-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Babson College Hosts Global Entrepreneurship Summit This Week in Tuscany
Prominent Entrepreneurial Leaders to Gather in Italy for Conversations on Innovation, Design, Family Enterprise, and the Future of Global Business Wellesley, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - March 27, 2025) - From March 27–29, 2025, Babson College will host its ninth Babson Connect Worldwide (BCW), the College's premier global entrepreneurship summit, at Castelfalfi, a five-star, alumni-owned estate in the heart of Tuscany. This year's gathering—Decoding the Medici: Pioneering the Digital Renaissance—will spotlight the intersection of heritage and innovation in the birthplace of the Renaissance, drawing more than 300 entrepreneurial leaders from more than 30 countries. Bringing together global founders, executives, family enterprise leaders, and rising changemakers—alongside alumni and friends of the College—BCW invites top minds in business to share ideas, explore bold solutions, and create social and economic value worldwide. The summit features keynote speakers and panel discussions with prominent leaders, as well as interactive executive education workshops and curated networking experiences focused on the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurial leaders today. Topics will explore some of the most compelling forces shaping global business today, including sustainable entrepreneurship, evolving consumer behavior, and the future of luxury, fashion, and culinary ventures. Sessions will also examine the growing influence of technology and AI, and how family enterprises are adapting-balancing tradition with bold reinvention. Discussions will be led by a distinguished roster of speakers representing some of the most iconic names in global business and innovation. Featured voices include Carlo Cracco (Cracco Investimenti), Giovanni Colavita (Colavita USA), Paolo Barilla (Barilla Group), and Albiera Antinori (Marchesi Antinori); James Ferragamo (Salvatore Ferragamo); Marco Bizzarri (former CEO, Gucci); Filippo Ricci (Stefano Ricci); and Audrey McLoghlin (Frank & Eileen); as well as Veronica Berti Bocelli and Laura Biancalani of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. Additional speakers include Nerio Alessandri (Technogym) and Michele Uva (UEFA). Italian civic leaders—including Sara Funaro, Mayor of Florence, and Paolo Pomponi, Mayor of Montaione—round out a program that spans sectors, generations, and global perspectives. With contributions from government officials, family enterprise founders, and sustainability champions, BCW 2025 reflects the full spectrum of entrepreneurial leadership shaping the future of business and society. 'Babson Connect Worldwide is a vital component in our global programming aimed at supporting and inspiring entrepreneurial leaders to impact communities around the world,' said Babson College President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA'92, Ph.D. 'Babson alumni and friends around the world make us an everywhere institution, and BCW provides them with an opportunity to recommit themselves to lifelong learning in their quest to make the world a better place while forging new and meaningful connections. The timeless beauty of the Tuscan countryside, with its breathtaking vistas and rich history, sets the stage for what will be a memorable gathering.' This year's summit reflects the reach and diversity of Babson's global network, with participants representing nearly every region of the world—including North and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. Participants include family business leaders, global executives, social innovators, and next-generation entrepreneurs—each bringing a unique perspective to a shared commitment: using entrepreneurship to drive meaningful change. Since its launch in 2015, BCW has brought together alumni and friends from 129 countries. The 2025 summit continues that tradition by providing a platform for meaningful connections, opportunities for lifelong learning, and collective action in support of entrepreneurial leadership worldwide. Learn more at at or view the full program guide here. About Babson College Babson College is a global leader in entrepreneurship education. Through its proven Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® methodology, the College prepares entrepreneurial leaders who create, grow, and steward sustainable economic and social value around the world. Founded in 1917 in Wellesley, Massachusetts, Babson has empowered more than 45,000 entrepreneurial leaders to impact communities and industries of all kinds. Babson is recognized as the No. 2 best college in the United States by The Wall Street Journal and has maintained its place as No. 1 atop U.S. News & World Report's entrepreneurship rankings for decades. The College offers an array of undergraduate, graduate, and executive education programs and partners with organizations around the world to support global entrepreneurship initiatives. Through the Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership and Babson's centers and institutes, the College empowers accomplished and aspiring entrepreneurs to advance the study and practice of entrepreneurial thought leadership around the world.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Independent Wrestler Vince Steele Passes Away
Independent wrestler Vince Steele has passed away at the age of 39. Coastal Championship Wrestling issued a statement and announced that Vince Steele passed away on March 16th. Per Mike Johnson of PWInsider, Steele was competing in a four-way match at a Brii Combination Wrestling event on Sunday, and there was a medical emergency. Further details were not provided. Steele, 39, had been wrestling since 2004, and he worked for BCW and ACE, among others. He wrestled in Puerto Rico in 2024 as well. WrestleZone sends its condolences to Steele's family and friends. The post Independent Wrestler Vince Steele Passes Away appeared first on Wrestlezone.
