Tina Knowles’ “Matriarch” hits #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, Rema sells out Madison Square Garden, Tottenham Hotspur manager Postecoglou says James Maddison injury doesn’t look great. Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
Here is a rundown of five of the hottest news topics…
1. Tina Knowles’ “Matriarch” hits #1 on New York Times bestseller list
Tina, congratulations on your New York Times #1 best seller “Matriarch.”
Mathew pic.twitter.com/tTRr73MaV8
— Mathew Knowles (@MathewKnowles) May 1, 2025
Tina Knowles is now a New York Times best-selling author, as her deeply personal memoir “Matriarch” has officially claimed the #1 spot on the prestigious list. The announcement coincided with the kickoff of her national book tour in Washington, D.C., where former First Lady Michelle Obama moderated the inaugural event. Oprah Winfrey, who named Matriarch her 113th Book Club pick, was joined by Beyoncé and Solange in a surprise video tribute that played ahead of the conversation, celebrating Knowles’s milestone with heartfelt messages. “You’ve always been number one in our book,” Solange shared, while Beyoncé added, “This is well-deserved.”
Released just ahead of Mother’s Day, Matriarch traces Tina Knowles’s journey from her upbringing in segregated Galveston, Texas, to becoming the mother of two cultural icons and a matriarch in her own right. With raw honesty, she explores themes of motherhood, resilience, infidelity, and self-discovery, offering a stirring portrait of generational strength. Knowles likens the vulnerability of writing the memoir to “having a baby,” and said Oprah’s Book Club endorsement made the risk feel worthwhile. The tour continues across eight U.S. cities and one stop in London, featuring star-studded moderators like Tyler Perry, Kelly Rowland, and Gayle King, ensuring that the celebration of Matriarch is far from over.
2. Rema sells out Madison Square Garden
Rema performing ‘Bout U’ & ‘Baby (Is it a crime)’ at Madison Square Garden, New York City. 🦇 pic.twitter.com/wTYJHGTehw
— MAVIN (@MavinRecords) May 4, 2025
On Friday night, Nigerian superstar Rema made history by selling out Madison Square Garden, delivering a fiery, genre-defining performance that confirmed his spot among Afrobeats’ elite. Three years after his global breakout hit “Calm Down” with Selena Gomez, the 25-year-old artist took the legendary New York stage by storm as part of his Heis World Tour, named after his Grammy-nominated 2024 album. With dramatic flair, including a levitating entrance in a fur coat wielding a machete, Rema opened with “March Am,” setting the tone for a high-octane night that seamlessly blended spectacle, sound, and storytelling.
For 90 minutes, Rema led a genre-bending journey through his discography, from early hits like “Dumebi” to newer fan favorites such as “Azaman,” “Yayo,” and “Baby (Is It a Crime).” Though the setlist’s flow leaned experimental, the energy never dipped, peaking with an arena-wide sing-along to “Calm Down.” Smart staging, vivid visuals, and subtle flourishes—like background harmonies and a cheeky kiss-cam—elevated the show from concert to cultural statement. With his Madison Square Garden debut, Rema made Afrobeats history and solidified himself as a global force redefining the future of music.
3. Six Triple Eight becomes the first Black female WWII unit to receive the Congressional Gold Medal
The only Black, all-female unit to serve in Europe during WWII, known as the “Six Triple Eight,” were presented the Congressional Gold Medal. @DavidMuir shares more on the honor decades overdue. pic.twitter.com/U1Ngpe2c9c
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) April 30, 2025
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, famously known as the “Six Triple Eight,” has made history once again—this time on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, the trailblazing unit became the first all-Black, all-female military group from World War II to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress. Their long-overdue recognition celebrates their critical wartime service, where they were deployed to Europe in 1945 to resolve a massive mail backlog affecting U.S. troops. In just three months, half the time expected, the battalion sorted through 17 million pieces of mail, ensuring soldiers received vital letters from home to boost morale.
The ceremony, held in Emancipation Hall, saw over 300 descendants of the battalion in attendance as House Speaker Mike Johnson presented the medal to the family of commanding officer Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley. “The Six Triple Eight are great American patriots, loyal to a nation that, for far too long, failed to return the favor,” Johnson said. Their long-overlooked contributions have recently come back into focus, with a 2018 monument, a documentary, and Tyler Perry’s 2024 Netflix film “The Six Triple Eight,” starring Kerry Washington. This historic recognition cements the battalion’s legacy as pioneers who not only broke racial and gender barriers but also helped preserve the spirit of a nation at war.
4. South African filmmaker Murena Emmanuel Netshitangani wins the best African film award at the Cannes Film Festival
South African 🇿🇦 filmmaker Murena Emmanuel Netshitangani won the Best African Film award at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in France for Lubunyu, a powerful village story about the fight against GBV and femicide. pic.twitter.com/IyRFoKu5YC
— Africa View Facts (@AfricaViewFacts) May 4, 2025
South African filmmaker Murena Emmanuel Netshitangani has made history at the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival in France by winning the Best African Film Award for his critically acclaimed movie “Lubunyu.” Shot in the picturesque village of Ha-Khakhu Makuleni in Limpopo, the film, whose title translates to “the naked intruder,” explores the tensions between tradition and modernity in a rural community. Blending a true story with fictional elements, Lubunyu captivated audiences with its powerful storytelling and standout performances from a stellar cast including Tshamano Sebe, Macdonald Ndou, and Elsie Rasalanavho. The film also earned a spot at the prestigious World Film Festival in Cannes.
Netshitangani, an alumnus of Tshwane University of Technology, expressed his gratitude and joy on Facebook, calling the win a “monumental achievement” and a moment of pride for the Venda people. “A boy from Venda… has carried the heart of Venda culture onto the grand stage of the world,” he wrote. Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba lauded the filmmaker’s victory as a watershed moment for the province’s creative industry, praising Netshitangani for proving that stories rooted in the quiet villages of Venda can captivate the global stage. Competing against top African entries like “My Father’s Shadow,” from Nigeria’s Akinola Davies Jr., Lubunyu’s win marks a significant leap forward for South African cinema.
5. Tottenham Hotspur manager Postecoglou says Maddison’s injury doesn’t look great
🗣️ Ange Postecoglou on James Maddison’s injury: “It doesn’t look good. We will probably get more clarity tomorrow but it’s not looking good.” pic.twitter.com/uMQEGRQsT4
— The Touchline | Football Coverage (@TouchlineX) May 4, 2025
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has admitted that James Maddison’s injury “does not look great,” casting doubt over the midfielder’s availability for Thursday’s crucial Europa League semi-final second leg against Bodø/Glimt. Maddison, who scored in Spurs’ 3-1 first-leg win, was forced off in the second half and missed Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw with West Ham. “It doesn’t look promising, but I’ll just wait and see,” Postecoglou said, adding that further assessment is expected soon. The setback is another blow to a squad already stretched by injuries, with Lucas Bergvall ruled out for the rest of the season and several key players returning from knocks.
Despite the injury concerns, there was better news for Spurs fans as striker Dominic Solanke is expected to be fit for the trip to Norway, while captain Son Heung-min has returned to training. Postecoglou, who made eight changes to his starting line-up for the West Ham clash to prioritise the Europa League, praised his players’ resilience in a tough London derby. “It’s not easy making so many changes,” he said. “But the effort was outstanding.” Tottenham remain 16th in the Premier League, just a point above the relegation zone, making their European campaign a crucial opportunity to salvage their season with silverware and a potential Champions League spot.
Featured Image: Kobe Wagstaff for NYT
Our Weekday News Digest summarizes five of the hottest news topics worldwide–including celebrity news from Hollywood to Nollywood, the latest trending global headlines from American reports to top African news today, and the best sports stories in 2025.
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