Highlgiths include Justice Alexander (Concord Academy), Kyndoll English and Cooper Cox (Grace Christian of Sanford), Ginny Anne Dumont (Providence Day), and Lila Kelly (Forsyth Country Day).

Web Editor : J. Mike Blake

Posted 2025-06-15T07:08:29-0400 – Updated 2025-06-15T07:10:05-0400

Since seeing thousands of comments justifying the recent murder of a teenage TikTok star in Pakistan, Sunaina Bukhari is considering abandoning her 88,000 followers.  

“In my family, it wasn’t an accepted profession at all, but I’d managed to convince them, and even ended up setting up my own business,” she said. 

Then last week, Sana Yousaf was shot dead outside her house in the capital Islamabad by a man whose advances she had repeatedly rejected, police said. 

News of the murder led to an outpouring of comments under her final post — her 17th birthday celebration where she blew out the candles on a cake.

In between condolence messages, some blamed her for her own death: “You reap what you sow” or “it’s deserved, she was tarnishing Islam”. 

Yousaf had racked up more than a million followers on social media, where she shared her favourite cafes, skincare products and traditional shalwar kameez outfits. 

TikTok is wildly popular in Pakistan, in part because of its accessibility to a population with low literacy levels. On it, women have found both audience and income, rare in a country where fewer than a quarter of the women participate in the formal economy. 

But as TikTok’s views have surged, so have efforts to police the platform.

Pakistani telecommunications authorities have repeatedly blocked or threatened to block the app over what it calls “immoral behaviour”, amid backlash against LGBTQ and sexual content.

TikTok has pledged to better moderate content and blocked millions of videos that do not meet its community guidelines as well as at the request of Pakistan authorities.

After Yousaf’s murder, Bukhari, 28, said her family no longer backs her involvement in the industry.

“I’m the first influencer in my family, and maybe the last,” she told AFP. 

– ‘Fear of being judged’ –

Only 30 percent of women in Pakistan own a smartphone compared to twice as many men (58 percent), the largest gap in the world, according to the Mobile Gender Gap Report of 2025. 

“Friends and family often discourage them from using social media for fear of being judged,” said a statement from the Digital Rights Foundation (DRF).

In southwestern Balochistan, where tribal law governs many rural areas, a man confessed to orchestrating the murder of his 14-year-old daughter earlier this year over TikTok videos that he said compromised her honour.

In October, police in Karachi, in the south, announced the arrest of a man who had killed four women relatives over “indecent” TikTok videos. 

These murders each revive memories of Qandeel Baloch, dubbed Pakistan’s Kim Kardashian and one of the country’s first breakout social media stars whose videos shot her to fame. 

After years in the spotlight, she was suffocated by her brother. 

Violence against women is pervasive in Pakistan, according to the country’s Human Rights Commission, and cases of women being attacked after rejecting men are not uncommon.

“This isn’t one crazy man, this is a culture,” said Kanwal Ahmed, who leads a closed Facebook group of 300,000 women to share advice. 

“Every woman in Pakistan knows this fear. Whether she’s on TikTok or has a private Instagram with 50 followers, men show up. In her DMs. In her comments. On her street,” she wrote in a post.  

In the fifth-most-populous country in the world, where 60 percent of the population is under the age of 30, the director of digital rights organisation Bolo Bhi, Usama Khilji , says “many women don’t post their profile picture, but a flower, an object, very rarely their face”.

“The misogyny and the patriarchy that is prevalent in this society is reflected on the online spaces,” he added. 

A 22-year-old man was arrested over Yousaf’s murder and is due to appear in court next week. 

At a vigil in the capital last week, around 80 men and women gathered, holding placards that read “no means no”. 

“Social media has given us a voice, but the opposing voices are louder,” said Hira, a young woman who joined the gathering. 

The capital’s police chief, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, used a press conference to send a “clear message” to the public. 

“If our sisters or daughters want to become influencers, professionally or as amateurs, we must encourage them,” he said.

jma/sbh/ecl/lb

Nebraska High School Rodeo Athletes put a bow on their 2024-2025 season at the NEHSRA Finals held in Valentine, Nebraska June 11-14. The top four athletes in each event punched their ticket to the National High School Finals Rodeo that will take place in Rock Springs, Wyoming July 13-19, 2025.

Video spotlights from the Champion’s Circle are brought to you by Ravenscroft Red Angus.

Meet this year’s class of state champions below!

All-Around Cowgirl, Breakaway Roping, and Team Roping State Champion | Reagan McIntyre – Grand Island, NE

All- Around Cowboy | Kaddo Schrunk – Pender, NE

Bareback Riding State Champion | Koltdyn Heath – Minden, NE

Barrel Racing State Champion | Kallan Cox – Purdum, NE

Boys Cutting State Champion | Cash Cooper – Kilgore, NE

Boys Cutting State Champion | Ava Smith – Pender, NE

Goat Tying State Champion | Tatum Reid – Crawford, NE

Heeling State Champion | Owen Littau – Newport, NE

Light Rifle State Champion | Karsyn Chesley – Harrisburg, NE

Nebraska High School Rodeo Queen | Felycia Kerkman – Atkinson, NE

Pole Bending State Champion | Rylee Nall Sillivan – St. Paul

Reined Cow Horse State Champion | Callie Olson – Bloomfield, NE

Saddle Bronc Riding and Bull Riding State Champion | Grady Gorwill – Hyannis, NE

Steer Wrestling State Champion | Cotter Johnston – Stapleton, NE

Tie Down Roping State Champion | Tyler McCauley – Pender, NE

Trap Shooting State Champion | Case Shane

School is out for summer. But that doesn’t mean it’s time to move on from the year that was.As our Spring All-Area teams continue to be revealed this week, the 2024-25 athletic calendar remains the subject of TCPalm’s Summer Celebration series, a weekly poll to vote on who are the area’s best programs, athletes, traditions and more from last year and beyond. 

Last week, we wanted to see who was the area’s best boys athlete from the 2024-25 high school calendar. Vero Beach junior pitcher Sebastian Dimitroff won the poll with 47.47% of the vote.

This week, we ask the same question, this time with the girls. The poll is set to close at 12 p.m. Friday.

Without further ado, it’s time to punch in the votes and continue enjoying the summer.

Hailey Brereton, St. Lucie West Centennial soccer and softball

Year: Senior

Brereton was the backup goalkeeper for an Eagles soccer team that finished with a 10-7 record. However, she’s a nominee because of her work on the softball field. The Murray State signee paced all local pitchers with 227 strikeouts and an .144 opponents batting average.  while boisting a record of an 11-4 record and a 1.74 ERA.

What helped Brereton win TCPalm’s Softball Player of the Year was her strong pitching campaign combined with her work at the plate. After hitting just two home runs through her first three seasons, the senior went deep four times. She added six doubles, two triples, 24 RBIs, batted .429 and compiled a 1.392 OPS.

Emerson Brinn, South Fork cross country and track and field

Year: Junior

Brinn started her junior season by being named TCPalm’s Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year after she claimed eighth in the Class 3A state championship meet with a personal-best time of 18:43.8. She ended her year with an All-Area First Team selection in track and field thanks to winning a district title and third-place state finish in the 1,600-meter run.  

Ivy Cooper, Fort Pierce Central volleyball

Year: Senior

Cooper was not only viewed as the area’s best prospect but her talent has caught the attention of plenty across the state and country. The senior captain was named an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention, which recognizes her as one of the top 250 players in the United States. The Virginia Tech signee put up 355 digs, 75 assists, 39 kills and 39 service aces during the 2024-25 season.  

Kha’Lyah Delva, Fort Pierce Central wrestling

Year: Senior

The Cobras senior capped her career with back-to-back state runner up finishes. Delva started the season at 155 pounds before making the switch to 145 at the start of the calendar year. The change didn’t slow her down as she claimed district and regional titles en route to a 40-2 record. 

Valerie Gomez, Jensen Beach tennis

Year: Senior

When you suffer your first singles defeat at the final match of the season, you’ve had an exemplary campaign. Gomez was comfortably the area’s best player as her performance propelled the Falcons to the Class 3A state championship match. There, she lost to Nease No. 1 Kylie Kochis in straight sets to wrap up her singles season at 14-1.

Gomez had similar success at doubles competition alongside sophomore Domenica Ayleen Monserrate. The duo went 11-1 together, winning their first 10 matches after taking a loss against St. Thomas Aquinas’ top pairing in the state semifinals. She was a state qualifier in both singles and doubles competition after winning District 14-3A titles. Gomez will play collegiate in Pensacola at the University of West Florida.

Ella Gravlee, Vero Beach volleyball

Year: Sophomore

With Cooper off to Virginia Tech, this rising junior will likely talent over the mantle as the area’s best volleyball prospect. Blasting shots from the middle of the floor or any area at the net, the 6-foot-3 Gravlee and her powerful, precise swings made her the area’s most intimidating presence. She used her power and shot variety to lead all local players with 336 kills. Gravlee had six matches of 20 or more kills, including a 23-kill effort during the team’s regional semifinal win over Olympia. 

Jada Mosley, Vero Beach weightlifting

Year: Senior

Mosley was yet another dominant lifter to come out of Vero, becoming the eighth champion in program history after claiming the Olympic title at the 199-pound weight class in the Class 3A state meet. The senior won the crown with total lifts of 385 pounds. She later backed that up with a runner-up state finish in traditional competition. Prior to state, Mosley swept through districts and regionals.

Taylor-Nicole Overton, Vero Beach track and field

Year: Sophomore

Overton concluded her first season in Vero by doing something the program hasn’t seen in 23 years. The sophomore became the program’s first track state champion, winning the 400-meter dash in a personal-record time of 53.19 seconds at the Class 4A state meet. She outpaced Fletcher’s Zyaire Thomas by 0.05 seconds.

Overton wasn’t done as she placed second in the 200 (23.99), 10th in the 100 (12.22) and helped Vero’s 1,600-meter relay team to a fourth-place finish. She swept the four events at districts and regionals.

Adrienne Rivera, Fort Pierce Central flag football

Year: Senior

For the third consecutive season, this Cobras quarterback is TCPalm’s Flag Football Offensive Player of the Year. It’s hard to argue that anyone else was more deserving as Rivera set career highs in completion percentage (68%) and quarterback rating (122.8) while tying her career best of 60 touchdown passes and throwing for a career-low 16 interceptions.

She led the area with 4,524 passing yards while adding 595 yards and 15 more scores through the running game. Following a legendary prep career, Rivera has signed to play collegiately at Keiser.

Ellie Smith, Vero Beach volleyball

Year: Senior 

Starting all four years of her varsity career, Smith saved her finest campaign for her last en route to being named TCPalm’s Volleyball Player of the Year.

The captain and leader of the Treasure Coast’s best team, the 5-foot-7 setter topped the area with 708 assists and averaged 9.8 assists per set. She also added 135 digs, 24 aces and 15 blocks. Smith will play collegiately at Northern Illinois. 

Savannah Tatum, South Fork flag football and soccer

Year: Senior

Tatum was a star for both on a Bulldogs soccer team that captured a district title and a Bulldogs flag football team that enjoyed an eight-game improvement.

On the pitch, she recorded an assist in 14 games to lead the area with 25 assists while pouring in 13 goals. Tatum was even better on the football field as the senior threw for 2,152 yards, 33 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while rushing for 1,309 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Giovanna Waksman, Pine soccer

Year: Sophomore

It wasn’t simply that she ran circles around opponents or that she smashed the Knights’ all-time record books while facing constant double and triple teams, Waksman’s production was elite even by national standards. According to MaxPreps, the sophomore led the country with a whopping 87 goals and 188 points. She appeared in every match, averaging 4.6 goals and 9.9 points per game to lead the program to its first state title game appearance.

Her success directly impacted whether or not Pine went home victorious or in defeat as the Knights were 16-0-1 in matches where Waksman scored and 0-2 in matches she didn’t. Beyond uncanny dribbling skills and tremendous ability to send missiles off either foot, the Brazilian star is a particularly intelligent player willing to deliver beautiful balls to a teammate making a run. The sophomore had a team-best 14 assists.

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Patrick Bernadeau is a sports reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at 772-985-9692, on X at @PatBernadeau or via email at pbernadeau@gannett.com. 

As we head into a new week, let’s take a look at the news from this past week.

A former nursing home at 4586 Acushnet Ave. could be redeveloped into 63 apartments under a proposal before the City Council. The 53,662-square-foot building comes on a 3.67-acre lot near the East Freetown line. Most of the apartments would be two-bedroom, with the rest single-bedroom and studios.

Thrown together by the D-Day Invasion of Normandy 81 years ago, an American serviceman’s kindness to four French children created a lasting bond between two families. U.S. Navy Seabee Maurice Louis Rene Dore’s actions were celebrated at the Westport VFW on June 6 on the anniversary of D-Day, with the visit of the descendants of those children, now in their fifth generation.

Make sure to keep up with high school sports with scores, game highlights, and Player of the Week voting at https://www.southcoasttoday.com/sports.

And here are the most-read stories of the week on https://www.southcoasttoday.com:

Mayor Jon Mitchell, together with leadership from New Bedford Public Schools, hosted the Mayor’s List ceremony on June 11, which honored New Bedford High School’s academic Top 10 class of 2025 seniors on the eve of their graduation.

The ceremony — held this year at New Bedford Art Museum — marked the 13th Mayor’s List since Mitchell began the tradition.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum has recently experienced a significant surge in visitors, reaching its highest attendance levels in over 10 years.

The museum reports that, compared to the same period in 2024, overall visitation during the first quarter of 2025 rose by 16.2% across all categories. Notably, the number of school groups touring the museum jumped by 27.9% year over year.

It’s estimated that 17 out of 30-plus people arrested in New Bedford during ICE’s Operation Patriot are Guatemalans.

And that 90% of the Guatemalans detained are of Mayan ethnicity. Adrian Ventura, executive director of the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, provided those estimates when asked about the background of those being detained by ICE.

In the northwest corner of the Stanley Stankiewicz baseball field, Bishop Stang’s players shared one hug after another as their remarkable season and playoff run to a fourth straight MIAA Div. 3 Elite 8 had come to an end on June 8.

Bishop Stang managed just two hits as the No. 5 Spartans were shut out for the first time this year, losing, 4-0, to 13th-seeded Wakefield Memorial.

A New Bedford man posted $10,000 bail after being arraigned June 4 on charges in connection with allegedly driving in the wrong direction on Interstate 95 in New Hampshire leading to a crash in Massachusetts that killed an Endicott College police sergeant.

Keoma Duarte, 40, was arraigned on two felony counts of reckless conduct and one misdemeanor count of disobeying an officer in Hampton District Court in New Hampshire. 

Read these stories in their entirety at https://www.southcoasttoday.com.