Latest news with #daSilva
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
UFC Fighter Ariane da Silva's Brain Tumor Made Weight Cut Impossible, Now Promotion May Cut Her After Third Consecutive Loss
UFC Fighter Ariane da Silva's Brain Tumor Made Weight Cut Impossible, Now Promotion May Cut Her After Third Consecutive Loss originally appeared on Athlon Sports. UFC fighters routinely push their bodies to dangerous extremes just to step on the scale—starving for weeks, sweating out water in saunas until they faint, and enduring kidney-straining dehydration protocols. The sport's weight-cutting culture forces athletes to gamble with their health, often walking the line between competition and hospitalization in pursuit of a size advantage. Advertisement These practices persist despite medical emergencies. Behind every weigh-in, there's often an untold story of suffering that does not get the spotlight as much as the knockout finishes and the trash talk. Dana WhiteGetty Images UFC flyweight Ariane da Silva's shocking six-pound weight miss ahead of her UFC 316 bout against Wang Cong was caused by complications from a benign pituitary tumor, her coach and husband Renato da Silva revealed during an interview with MMA Fighting. The Brazilian fighter, who tipped the scales at 132 pounds—well above the 126-pound non-title limit—underwent a dangerous weight cut attempt while managing hormonal imbalances triggered by the tumor. Advertisement Blood tests during her camp showed elevated prolactin and cortisol levels, leading to the discovery of the tumor, which disrupted her body's ability to shed weight safely. The situation worsened when da Silva's team enlisted a new nutritionist, whose strategy to retain water until the final days of the weight cut, backfired catastrophically. Renato described harrowing symptoms during the final push, including double vision, slurred speech, and loss of motor control—clear signs her body was shutting down. He emphasized that UFC medical staff intervened to halt the cut after deeming it life-threatening, saying, 'She wasn't walking right, blinking too slow, and couldn't focus.' Advertisement Her coach's decision to allow her to continue to fight despite these issues was baffling and was met with criticism by some people online. SportingNews journalist Val Dewar shared the interview on X (formerly Twitter), and expressed his opinion that 'Fighting with a tumor in your f— brain, even a benign one, seems like a bad Idea. Like, [a] really, really bad idea.' Her opponent Wang Cong was gracious enough to agree to a catchweight bout despite the weight disparity and accepted 30% of da Silva's purse. Wang also expressed sympathy on social media towards da Silva and her struggle trying to make weight, saying, 'After she came out, I went over to see her situation. Fortunately, there is no big problem, because it's not easy for every athlete.' Advertisement Da Silva ultimately lost a unanimous decision to Cong, extending her skid to three fights and putting her in the crosshairs of being cut from the promotion. The incident casts a spotlight on MMA's weight-cutting crisis, where fighters often gamble with extreme measures to hit weight targets before a fight. Da Silva's case is uniquely alarming due to the tumor's role, raising questions about whether she should have been cleared to fight at all. The UFC has yet to address if da Silva will receive medical suspension or specialized support moving forward. Related: UFC Champion Alexander Volkanovski Suffers Medical Scare During Fight 'I could not see' Related: UFC Coach Reveals He Nearly Pulled Out 'Half-Dead' Champion from Title Defense Due to Severe Medical Issues This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mass. high school volleyball player released on bond after being detained by ICE
A Massachusetts high school volleyball player who ICE had detained on May 31 was granted bail by an immigration court. On June 5 at Lowell Immigration Court, Judge Jenny Beverly issued a $2,000 bond for 18-year-old Marcelo Gomes da Silva, the lowest amount allowable, according to da Silva's lawyer. He had been stopped by ICE agents while picking up teammates to drive to volleyball practice. Federal agents said they had been targeting his father, who they believe to be an undocumented immigrant from Brazil, according to the Milford Daily News. Da Silva's lawyer, Robin Nice, told the Milford Daily News that da Silva entered the United States with his family at the age of 7 while on a visitor visa. He was told while in detention that his student visa expired in 2015, according to the outlet. Community members, including Mass. Gov. Maura Healey, have called for his release. There was a rally on June 1 in support of the teenager, as well as a school walkout and signs, posters and t-shirts at the Sweet 16 volleyball match. Healey issued a statement following the Jun 5 hearing: 'I'm relieved that Marcelo will be returning home to his parents, siblings, classmates and the Milford community," she said in the written statement. "This has been such a traumatic time for this community, and I hope that they find some solace in knowing that the rule of law and due process still prevail. Marcelo never should have been arrested or detained, and it certainly did not make us safer. It's not OK that students across the state are fearful of going to school or sports practice, and that parents have to question whether their children will come home at the end of the day. In Massachusetts, we are going to keep speaking out for what's right and supporting one another in our communities.' Da Silva spoke to the media about the jail conditions, telling the Daily News, "You sleep on concrete floors. The bathroom — I have to use the bathroom in the open with like 35-year-old men. It's humiliating." He said that he helped translate deportation paperwork for other detainees. Da Silva also said he shared the crackers he was provided for lunch and dinner with the larger men in custody. Read more here. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Milford HS volleyball player released after being detained by ICE
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Brazilian president pledges to push Putin towards talks in Istanbul
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has stated he will personally demand that Russian leader Vladimir Putin take part in negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Türkiye. Source: Kyiv Post, a Ukrainian English-language newspaper; Hurriyet Daily News, a Turkish English-language newspaper Details: Media reports indicate that da Silva is expected to make a stop in Moscow on his way back to Brazil after attending a regional forum in China. Quote from da Silva at a press conference in Beijing ahead of his departure: "I'll try to talk to Putin. It costs me nothing to say: 'Hey, comrade Putin, go to Istanbul and negotiate, dammit'." More details: Talks scheduled for 15 May in Istanbul may become the first direct negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow since 2022. Da Silva's remarks followed a 13 May statement by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urging Brazil to use its influence over Russia to help ensure a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy takes place. They also came after Brazil and China issued a joint declaration on 13 May calling for direct negotiations as the "only way to end the conflict". Background: On 11 June 2024, Putin held a phone call with the Brazilian president. Both sides stated that they discussed the Peace Summit scheduled for 15-16 June in Switzerland and Brazil's intention to "contribute" to resolving the war in Ukraine. Brazil was among the countries that did not sign the final communiqué of the Global Peace Summit held in Switzerland on 15-16 June 2024. Later, China and Brazil jointly released a "six-point consensus" aimed at promoting a "political resolution to the Ukrainian crisis". China's Foreign Ministry claimed the plan had "received a positive response from over 110 countries around the world". Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
IOL News
08-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Real costs and implications of an unpredictable political landscape for SMEs
SMEs in particular will rue the cost of the confusion that resulted in this process, and hope that the uneasy political alliance can find a way to avoid it in the future. Image: Supplied. In his second of several budget speeches this year, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced two increases in the standard rate of VAT over two years, prompting businesses to spend quite a lot of time and money preparing for their impact. The increase was hotly disputed both in and outside the GNU, with legal opposition against the plan briefly uniting the DA and EFF. The VAT hike was ultimately reversed just six days before the 1 May effective date. Now there's a third speech, coming up on 21 May, where Godongwana will show how he intends to make up the roughly R75 billion he'd hoped for from the tax. Meanwhile, businesses are spending quite a lot of time and money reversing their previous work. Edward Kieswetter, who is having to manage the same reversal at SARS, said he 'understands the complexity and confusion that has resulted from this process.' SMEs in particular will rue the cost of the confusion that resulted in this process, and hope that the uneasy political alliance can find a way to avoid it in the future. Miguel da Silva, Group Executive: Business Banking at TymeBank, looked at the very real costs and implications of an unpredictable political landscape for SMEs. International trade is increasingly volatile South African SMEs, like their counterparts across the globe, are waiting to see how the international-trade cards lie after US President Donald Trump upended the table on 2 April. Recently released trade data for March showed SA's balance of trade sitting at roughly R24 billion, somewhat lower than the consensus estimate of R35 billion. da Silva said, "That doesn't take into account the spiralling effects of the so-called Liberation Day in the US. With most tariffs currently paused, trade delegations are trying to simultaneously mend relationships with the US and establish new markets that aren't subject to the same volatility." "There will be pain for certain sectors in particular – the reinstatement of Trump's 30% tariff on SA would fall in the peak of citrus season, and if Trump's intention is truly to revive US manufacturing, it doesn't bode well for SA's automotive sector," da Silva added. Opportunities will also present themselves as the rest of the world looks for better deals elsewhere. "For smaller businesses in the export chain, this uncertainty might prompt a focus on building cash reserves, more flexible supplier arrangements, and conversations with foreign buyers to prepare for all eventualities," da Silva said. Government launches Spaza Shops Support Fund The Department of Small Business Development has found R500 million to launch the Spaza Shop Support Fund (SSSF). Government aims to help the township and rural retail sectors become more formalised and financially included, and to 'realise the potential of spaza shops to serve as a market for locally manufactured goods'. "The former means that individual spaza shops will get up to R50 000 through a combination of training support and a blended loan, and the latter that the SSSF will facilitate a group-buying system, helping shops to access bulk markets. This is an understandably popular opportunity for spaza shop owners feeling pressure from retail chains, which was loudly illustrated when the launch event was nearly derailed when attendance far exceeded expectations," da Silva added. SA tourism grows year on year International tourism is changing. Visits to the United States fell approximately 14% in March 2025 compared to the same period last year. International visitors to SA increased by 10% in the same period. Overseas visits increased from France, the Netherlands, Australia, and Russia (by nearly a third). Most international tourists in the country – 71.5% – are from SADC countries. "Are we picking up some of the US's slack? Are safety and loadshedding fears easing in the minds of prospective travellers? Either way, the steady resurgence is a lifeline for SMEs in an industry still recovering from the Covid shock." da Silva said. Business sentiment is improving The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) released its composite Business Confidence Index (BCI) on 16 April, highlighting a positive trend over the past 12 months. The BCI climbed from a low of 107.8 in May 2024 to a record level of 125.8 in February 2025. SACCI gauges the improvements to be due to increased tourism and exports, and lower inflation (and the absence of loadshedding certainly played a role). SACCI also noted that a weaker rand and poor earnings for JSE-listed companies continued to have a depressive effect. "That said, rising business confidence reflects a relative calm amongst the business community, despite mounting uncertainties. Let's hope it's reflected in GDP growth figures – as former U.S. Treasury secretary Larry Summers said, 'confidence is the cheapest stimulus.' Reserve Bank faces tight window for interest rate cuts South Africa's headline inflation fell to a four-year low of 2.7% in March, down from 3.2% in February and below economists' forecasts. Despite this positive news, the Reserve Bank's opportunity to cut interest rates appears to be narrowing throughout 2025. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee have made it clear that they're not only watching local inflation but also keeping a close eye on global events, even hinting at possible rate hikes if global uncertainty increases and impacts the rand further. "Adding to this complexity, the Bank appears to believe that South Africa's low economic growth stems not primarily from high interest rates, but from structural economic constraints. This suggests that more aggressive rate cuts would do little to boost growth without significant economic reforms," da Silva said. SMEs should prepare for a cautious approach from the Reserve Bank in the coming months, with the possibility of fewer rate cuts than initially hoped for in 2025. BUSINESS REPORT
Tokyo Weekender
07-05-2025
- Tokyo Weekender
Horror Blaze Kills Brazilian Traveler in Japan, Sri Lankan Man Arrested
Police arrested a 31-year-old Sri Lankan national on May 3 after a Brazilian woman was found dead in an apartment that reportedly caught fire near Narita Airport in Chiba Prefecture. The victim, Amanda Borges da Silva, 30, a researcher with a master's degree in linguistics, departed her home country in March to travel around Asia. A huge motorsports fan, she arrived in Japan at the start of April in time for the F1 Grand Prix. On Instagram, da Silva uploaded pictures of her trip in Japan, informing her followers of how much she was enjoying the country. Her final update was posted on April 25. 'Thank you Lord! For taking good care of me and allowing me to live special moments,' she wrote . 'In love with this country!' Five days later, she reportedly spoke to her mother, saying ' I feel safe in Japan. ' The following day , her dream trip came to a tragic conclusion. Amanda Borges da Silva Was Scheduled To Leave Japan on the Day Her Body Was Discovered Her body was discovered in a two-story apartment in Honsarizuka, Narita city at approximately 9 a.m. on May 1. According to her friend, James Fernandez, she was scheduled to leave Japan that evening. Her boyfriend lost contact with her a few hours before she was scheduled to depart. He then alerted her family, and the authorities were soon informed. The cause of da Silva's death remains unclear. Police are investigating it as a potential murder robbery as her bag and cellphone were missing from the scene. The suspect, Abailija Patawadige Pathum Udayang, allegedly left the premises without extinguishing the flames. He reportedly told investigators that he was 'too shocked to put out the fire.' Police are investigating the details of the suspect's relationship with the da Silva. Related Posts News Roundup: Japan's Anti-Stalking Act Under the Microscope Following Murder in Fukuoka Shinjuku Murder Raises More Questions About Japan's Anti-Stalking Law | News Roundup Ukrainian Model Claims She Found a Man Hiding Under Her Bed in Tokyo Hotel
