The Pittsburgh Pirates worked out a big trade during their matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.Pirates rookie Esmerlyn Valdez’s first major league hit was also his first major league home run.The outfielder celebrated the feat with his teammates in the dugout, after initially getting the silent treatment.The Pirates then began “negotiations” with the young fan who caught the ball, the team said in a social media post, adding, “this kid means business.”The parties eventually struck a deal following what appeared to be some serious bargaining.In exchange, the fan got a signed bat from Valdez, who the Pirates signed during the 2020-21 international signing period.Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

Why Tigers are MLB's biggest disappointment according to Jeff Passan originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Detroit Tigers are not having a good 2026 season by any stretch of the imagination. While they weren't in great shape a few weeks ago, it's quickly devolved into one of the worst seasons of any team in baseball.At 21-33, the Tigers are 10.5 games back in the AL Central, with a Wild Card spot, fortunately, just 5.5 games back. But, it's still a ways away for this Tigers squad.And according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Tigers are the biggest disappointment in Major League Baseball this season. More than the New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, and Houston Astros, the Tigers are the biggest disappointments, and for good reason.Why Tigers are MLB's biggest disappointment"They were strong favorites to win the AL Central after holding onto Tarik Skubal, who is heading into free agency, and signing Framber Valdez to go alongside him this past winter," Passan writes. "They put Kevin McGonigle on the Opening Day roster and signed him to a massive extension. Everything was coming up Tigers. Then the losing started."Detroit was 18-17 on May 3, which isn't an incredibly impressive record by any means, but it was still within the AL Central race. But with Skubal headed for surgery, things quickly unraveled.They've since gone just 3-16, and now are well behind the eight-ball to return to the postseason in what was meant to be a contending season.MORE: Ex-MLB GM projects White Sox to sell at trade deadline despite 2026 successThere are plenty of other teams that have had disappointing seasons so far, but the Tigers, according to Passan, have been the biggest disappointment of all.The Skubal situation is a huge reason why, as the moment he went down, things spiraled out of control. It might get bad enough that the Tigers actually have to trade Skubal at the deadline to recoup something from this potentially disastrous 2026 season.Still, the Tigers have time to rebound from this awful start. But, if things don't get better soon, there might not be any doubt that the Tigers are the biggest disappointments in MLB this season, if there is any at the moment.More MLB news:5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for CardinalsRoman Anthony might’ve been overhyped for Red SoxDodgers still have a Roki Sasaki problemChase Burns becomes first Reds pitcher with elite stat line since 1922Yankees’ Aaron Judge on track to become first player in MLB history with five 50+ homer seasons

Much like the weather might have forced some of you to do over the long Memorial Day weekend, we’ve switched things up on the fly here. The last edition wasn’t the final Longplex Baseball Player of the Week poll for the regular season (and a little extra). It’s here now. A few stray games remained on the schedule through Wednesday before preliminary playoff action got underway. Division I, Division II and Division III started with single-elimination contests before Pod play commenced. Two losses will be required to send teams home for the summer from there, and it all builds toward three best-of-3 title series at Rhode Island College. North Kingstown, Lincoln, Smithfield and Moses Brown advanced in Division I. Narragansett, Chariho, St. Raphael and Johnston moved on in Division II. Hope and Tiverton staged the biggest upsets to date in Division III by toppling Providence Country Day and Juanita Sanchez, respectively – Blackstone Valley Prep/Central Falls and North Smithfield also went through. Winners will be announced in the following Player of the Week poll. The prize is pretty simple – nothing tangible. Bragging rights, a bit of extra exposure on social media, the right to belong to an exclusive club by the start of June – that's about it. Who was last week's Longplex Athlete of the Week in Baseball?Mason Hunt of West Warwick earned 63% of the nearly 15,000 votes cast. North Providence's Mike Ryan was second with 36%.Hunt played a key role in the Wizards' home-and-home sweep of Ponaganset two weeks ago. He picked up a save in a 1-0 win in the opener and was outstanding in the rematch, allowing five hits and striking out six in a 3-1 triumph. Hunt helped himself at the plate with a 3-for-3 day that included a triple, an RBI and a run scored. We still need your helpWe can’t do this alone. We need your help – engagement, reporting scores, spreading the word about the poll. That’s all up to you. We can facilitate in a few different ways, but this weekly competition will be what you make of it – we appreciate you for it. Coaches and athletic administrators from either team in a given game are asked to contact us through the Game Changer app, by phone at (401) 277-7340 or via email at pjsports@providencejournal.com. We’ll accept phone and email submissions Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and we’ll also check email over the course of the weekend. Getting in touch as early as possible will always be preferable. Meet this week's nomineesThat’s enough of a preamble. It’s time for the Week 8 nominees (in alphabetical order).Noah Ferreira, Blackstone Valley Prep/Central Falls The Warrior Pride won four games last week, including a Division III playoff contest over returning finalist Pawtucket Co-op. Ferreira was key in all of them, including against the Tigers – a hit, a walk, a run scored and nine strikeouts in a one-hit gem on the mound. Ferreira added a combined seven hits in victories over Paul Cuffee, Times2 and North Smithfield, driving in a pair of runs apiece against the Eagles and Northmen. Bodie Forsell, North Kingstown Forsell authored one of the best outings of his high school career exactly when it was needed most. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning as the Skippers shut out Cranston East, 5-0, in a Division I preliminary matchup. Forsell allowed just two infield singles, walked one and struck out 10 in a complete game that pushed North Kingstown into Pod 1 play. Brayden Menard, Moses Brown Menard delivered under pressure on the mound as the Quakers outlasted Barrington, 4-3, in a 12-inning Division I preliminary thriller. He allowed just two hits and struck out eight in 5 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory over the Eagles. Menard escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 12th while Moses Brown sealed a place in Pod 1. Alex Monkevicz, Tiverton The Tigers upset their way into Pod 2 of the Division III playoffs by avenging a loss earlier in the week to Juaniat Sanchez. Monkevicz had two hits in the defeat and went to work on the mound in the 12-4 triumph, striking out eight through six innings to go along with his two hits, two runs and three RBI. He also knocked in three runs and scored twice against Scituate and drove home another pair against Davies. Josh Tejada, Hope The Blue Wave advanced as the 12th-seeded team in Division III partly thanks to Tejada, who fired a gem in a 2-1 upset of Providence Country Day. He struck out five, allowed just two hits and scored a run on a Chris Bernard homer that decided it. Tejada also threw five innings in a win over Davies and collected two hits and two RBI in a victory against Paul Cuffee. Who should be the Longplex Athlete of the Week for Baseball?bkoch@providencejournal.com On X: @BillKoch25 This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Vote for The Providence Journal Baseball Player of the Week sponsored by Longplex

Much has been written this offseason about how the Cincinnati Bengals return the same starting five offensive linemen for the first time in the Joe Burrow era. Rest assured Burrow realizes it, too. While speaking with reporters recently during offseason workouts, Burrow made sure to stress this point about what an advantage it is to have the starting five in front of him locked down. "To have all these guys back is a big advantage early in the season," Burrow said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "You don't have young guys trying to fit into the mix and learn the communication on the fly. These guys had a lot of reps last year together, and communication is so key on the offensive line, and to be able to have reps at that is so valuable."The Bengals made sure to avoid more line disruptions this offseason by agreeing to an extension with guard Dalton Risner. It’s a move that got overlooked quickly thanks to the team's gigantic splashes later in the process, but it’s still a massive factor for the 2026 season. With Risner in the fold, the Bengals have Ted Karras at center, breakout sophomore Dylan Fairchild at the other guard spot and Orlando Brown and Amarius Mims at the tackle spots. The buzzword continuity has been the big thing around the Bengals this offseason. Hence, keeping all things related to Zac Taylor in place while the rest of the AFC North resets with new head coaches. What shouldn’t go overlooked, though, is the continuity on the offensive line. Even Burrow isn’t being shy about it in public. This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Joe Burrow’s comment about Bengals’ offensive line says it all

Graeme Shinnie won the 2025 Scottish Cup with Aberdeen [SNS]Aberdeen's Scottish Cup-winning captain Graeme Shinnie is to leave the club next month when his contract expires.The 34-year-old has played 344 times over two spells for his hometown team, with last season's triumph over Celtic at Hampden making him the first Aberdeen captain for 35 years to win the Scottish Cup.The club say Shinnie was offered a two-year contract extension which also included a pathway into coaching. However, the midfielder has chosen to move on to continue playing more regularly.Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson described Shinnie as an "outstanding leader"."His dedication, work rate and influence within the dressing room have been invaluable and he has captained this club with distinction," Robinson added."We understand his desire to continue playing regularly, something I could not guarantee going into next season."It goes without saying that he leaves here with our sincerest thanks, admiration and very best wishes for the future."Shinnie first joined Aberdeen in 2015 after leaving Inverness Caledonian Thistle, where he also lifted the Scottish Cup as captain, and he is now expected to return to the Highland club after their promotion to the Championship.A successful spell working with Derek McInnes followed which included several finals and top-three league finishes, before he departed for Derby County in 2019.Shinnie returned to Pittodrie in 2023 and has been a pivotal figure for three-and-a-half years and the club say he leaves a "true Dons legend".He is 20th on the club's all-time appearance list and also made 32 appearances in European competition, which is the 12th-most in the club's history.Analysis: No surprise as Shinnie departs a heroShinnie's departure will come as no surprise to Aberdeen fans, with his influence on the pitch waning in a turbulent season.The midfielder only started half of the club's league games as they limped to ninth place, with his all-action play becoming less effective week-to-week as age catches up.Robinson clearly agrees as he starts his Aberdeen rebuild, with regular game time the sticking point in Shinnie extending his stay.But the captain will depart as a hero to every Dons supporter. One of their own, he visibly gave everything every time he stepped on to the pitch.Watching a local lad fly into tackles, rally team-mates, and sometimes single-handedly drive their team forward is not something fans are regularly accustomed to in the modern game. That is what Shinnie gave the Red Army.During his first spell he was part of a brilliant midfield three which also involved Kenny McLean and Ryan Jack as Aberdeen became Celtic's main challengers, losing out in finals and in the league.Latterly, with lots of signings coming and going, he has been one of few consistent presences giving the club a sense of identity.Despite that turbulence of recent years, he got the moment he and his fellow fans had dreamed of on 24 May 2025.Shinnie will forever be remembered for sticking Aberdeen's first penalty in the shootout win over Celtic right into the top corner.That, and the celebrations which followed that long-awaited Scottish Cup win will be the defining image of him at Pittodrie.Visit our Aberdeen page for all the latest news, analysis and fan viewsGet Aberdeen news notifications in the BBC Sport app

Mississippi State softball celebrated its Game 3 NCAA Tournament super regional win over Oklahoma in a fun way.The Bulldogs (43-19) defeated the No. 3 seed Sooners (52-10) 6-0 at Love's Field on May 24. With the win, Mississippi State is advancing to the Women's College World Series for the first time.The Bulldogs celebrated their achievement by jumping into a pool fully clothed. A video posted to social media shows coaches and players still in their uniforms leaping into the water and splashing around with big smiles on their faces.Splashing down in OKC!#HailStatepic.twitter.com/86uHHuCZxi— Mississippi State Softball (@HailStateSB) May 25, 2026In its win over Oklahoma, Mississippi State gave the Sooners their first shutout since 2019 thanks to a three-hitter by Delainey Everett. The Bulldogs also snapped Oklahoma's streak of making nine consecutive WCWS appearances.Mississippi State will make its WCWS debut on May 28 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) against No. 11 seed Texas Tech at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.The Bulldogs also played the Red Raiders in last year's NCAA Tournament, losing 9-6 in the regional finals in Lubbock, Texas.2026 Women's College World Series scheduleAll times CTMay 28Game 1: Mississippi State vs Texas Tech (11 a.m., ESPN)Game 2: Tennessee vs Texas (1:30 p.m., ESPN)Game 3: UCLA vs Alabama (6 p.m., ESPN2)Game 4: Arkansas vs Nebraska (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)May 29Game 5: Game 1 loser vs Game 2 loser (6 p.m., ESPN2)Game 6: Game 3 loser vs Game 4 loser (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)May 30Game 7: Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner (2 p.m., ABC)Game 8: Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner (6 p.m., ESPN)May 31Game 9: Game 5 winner vs Game 7 loser (2 p.m., ABC)Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 8 loser (6 p.m., ESPN2)June 1Game 11: Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (11 a.m., ESPN)Game 12 (if necessary): Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (1:30 p.m., ESPN)Game 13: Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (6 p.m., ESPN2)Game 14 (if necessary): Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)June 3Finals Game 1 (7 p.m., ESPN)June 4Finals Game 2 (7 p.m., ESPN)June 5If necessary, finals Game 3 (7 p.m., ESPN)Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State softball celebrates first WCWS by jumping in pool

MLB expert calls Mariners baseball's biggest disappointment despite strong AL West belief originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Seattle Mariners are 25-29 at Memorial Day, and there is plenty of reason to worry about this team that came into the year as a World Series contender.It's been a frustrating 2026 season for the Mariners, and with Cal Raleigh on the injured list after a poor start to the year, and Luis Castillo struggling mightily, it's hard not to be pessimistic about the season so far.That's why it's not a surprise that ESPN's Bradford Doolittle called the Mariners the biggest disappointment of the 2026 season so far. However, while giving the Mariners such a label, Doolittle also shared a strong AL West belief in Seattle.Mariners are biggest disappointment despite AL West favorite label"I'd go with Seattle," Doolittle said of the Mariners being MLB's biggest disappointment. "... The Mariners are still the AL West favorites in my book, but they blew a golden opportunity to seize control of the division early."While the Mariners might be Doolittle's biggest disappointment this season, he still believes them to be the favorites to come out of the AL West.At 25-29, the Mariners aren't in first place, but they are tied for second in the division, and only 2.5 games back of the Athletics for the division lead.MORE: Yankees’ Aaron Judge on track to become first player in MLB history with five 50+ homer seasonsThey begin a three-game series against the A's on Memorial Day, and if they were to sweep them, Seattle would all of a sudden be in first place in the AL West.It's been a disappointing season for the Mariners, but there is still a good chance for them to not only make the playoffs but also win the AL West.Doolittle called the Mariners the biggest disappointment in MLB this season, not necessarily for being the worst team in baseball, but for the missed opportunity the Mariners had to separate themselves from the competition in the AL West this season.More MLB news:5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for CardinalsRoman Anthony might’ve been overhyped for Red SoxDodgers still have a Roki Sasaki problemChase Burns becomes first Reds pitcher with elite stat line since 1922Phillies’ Aidan Miller finally beginning baseball activities amid back injury

‘Perhaps the best player in the world right now’: Former Real Madrid boss defends superstar forwardFormer Real Madrid player and manager Jorge Valdano has come to the defence of Kylian Mbappe at a time when criticism and debate continue to surround the French forward.The 27-year-old striker has divided opinions with his performances this season and there have been occasions when fans at the Bernabeu have let their feelings known by booing and whistling at him.With PSG moving closer to another Champions League title without the Frenchman and Real Madrid coming off an inconsistent season, much of the attention has shifted toward Mbappe and his perceived impact on both clubs.Valdano jumps to Mbappe’s defenceHowever, speaking on Movistar (h/t MARCA), Valdano addressed the scrutiny that has followed Mbappe since his arrival at Real Madrid in 2024 and pushed back against what he considers excessive criticism of the player.Valdano has defended Mbappe against criticism. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)Valdano pointed to the 27-year-old forward’s achievements with France as evidence of the level of player under discussion.“He has won a world championship and was runner-up in another, scoring three goals in the final. We are not talking about a fraud, we are talking about perhaps the best player in the world right now,” the Argentine said.Valdano argued that the narrative surrounding Mbappe’s influence, both at PSG and Real Madrid, has become exaggerated.Too much responsibility placed on MbappeValdano believes the expectations and blame directed toward the forward have become disproportionate.Mbappe has finished as the La Liga top scorer for a second season in a row. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)“To place the blame for everything good that happens to Paris Saint-Germain and everything bad that happens to Real Madrid on this man, who is the league’s top scorer, seems like an abuse to me,” he stated.The former Real Madrid player and executive suggested that Mbappe is being turned into the central explanation for situations that involve many different factors.Despite the criticism surrounding him, the French superstar continues to produce statistically, remaining one of the team’s leading figures and maintaining the goalscoring level expected of one of football’s biggest stars.He ended the 2025/26 campaign with 42 goals from 44 games, with 25 of those strikes coming in La Liga, making him the top scorer for the second consecutive season.

The Road to Omaha will start in Atlanta and Athens.Georgia Tech baseball (48-9) and Georgia baseball (46-12) will both host a regional when the NCAA Division I Baseball postseason begins on Friday. The full bracket and schedule will be unveiled at 12 p.m. Monday.[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]Both the Yellow Jackets and Bulldogs won their conference tournaments in dominating fashion on Sunday afternoon.Georgia Tech defeated North Carolina, 13-6, for its first ACC Tournament championship since 2014 and the first under new head coach James Ramsey. Georgia defeated Arkansas, 11-1, for its first SEC Tournament championship in program history.The Atlanta regional will be the 13th time the Yellow Jackets have hosted and the first since 2019. Tickets can be purchased here.2026 will be the third consecutive and ninth overall time the Bulldogs have hosted a regional. Tickets can be purchased here.Here are all 16 NCAA regional sites and hosts in alphabetical order. Athens RegionalGeorgia (46-12)TBDTBDTBDAtlanta RegionalGeorgia TechTBDTBDTBDAuburn RegionalAuburn (38-19)TBDTBDTBDAustin RegionalTexas (40-13)TBDTBDTBDChapel Hill RegionalNorth Carolina (45-11-1)TBDTBDTBDCollege Station RegionalTexas A&M (39-14)TBDTBDTBDEugene, Oregon RegionalOregon (40-16)TBDTBDTBDGainesville RegionalFlorida (39-19)TBDTBDTBDHattiesburg Regional –Southern Mississippi (43-15) TBDTBDTBDLawrence RegionalLincoln RegionalNebraska (42-15)TBDTBDTBDLos Angeles Regional UCLA (51-6) and No. 1 overall seedTBDTBDTBDMorgantown RegionalWest Virginia (39-14)TBDTBDTBDStarkville RegionalMississippi State (40-17)TBDTBDTBDTallahassee RegionalFlorida State (38-17)TBDTBDTBDTuscaloosa RegionalAlabama (37-19)TBDTBDTBD[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka has handed the captaincy of its one-day and Twenty20 teams back to Kusal Mendis while retaining Dhananjaya de Silva as skipper for the tests on next month's cricket tour of the West Indies.Mendis captained Sri Lanka in the 50-over World Cup in 2023 but was replaced in 2024. He has never led his country in T20s.He succeeds Charith Asalanka as ODI captain and Dasun Shanaka in the T20s. Both former skippers were kept in those respective squads named Monday.Sri Lanka called up two uncapped players, batter Pasindu Sooriyabandara and fast medium bowler Isitha Wijesundara, to its test squad.Leg-spin bowler Wanindu Hasaranga and fast bowler Eshan Malinga, who were ruled out of this year's T20 World Cup because of injury, have returned to the white-ball squads.Paceman Matheesha Pathirana, who also missed the World Cup, is sidelined again after being injured in the Indian Premier League. The first tour game is an ODI in Kingston, Jamaica on June 3.SquadsTest squad: Dhananjaya De Silva (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Kamindu Mendis, Sonal Dinusha, Kusal Mendis, Milan Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Isitha Wijesundara, Kasun Rajitha.ODIs: Kusal Mendis (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Pavan Rathnayake, Janith Liyanage, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Milan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan.T20s: Kusal Mendis (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Lasith Croospulle, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Milan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara.___AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana (R) was sent off against Sunderland (ANDY BUCHANAN)Interim manager Calum McFarlane has admitted Chelsea's dismal disciplinary record was a key reason for their failure to qualify for Europe.The Blues finished in 10th place in the Premier League after a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday ended their faint hopes of securing a European berth for next season.In the last game of McFarlane's second spell in temporary charge, Chelsea once again finished with 10 men.French defender Wesley Fofana was sent off for a second yellow card after fouling Wilson Isidor in the 61st minute.Fofana's dismissal was the eighth red card for Chelsea in the Premier League this season and McFarlane conceded it was a major issue throughout a turbulent campaign."It's definitely an issue, it's definitely a problem. I think we're by far the team that's got the most red cards in the league," he said."Pretty sure if you look at Arsenal, for example, who have won the league, I don't think they had one red card."It doesn't help having that many red cards. It's definitely something we need to look at and improve for next year."Going into the final day of the Premier League season, Chelsea sat eighth in the table -- enough to reach the UEFA Conference League -- but they ended one point away from European qualification, completing a wretched season that also included an FA Cup final loss to Manchester City.McFarlane, who first stepped in following Enzo Maresca's exit, returned as interim boss for the last six games after Liam Rosenior's sacking.Former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso takes over on July 1 and McFarlane is adamant the Spaniard will inherit a squad capable of far more than they achieved this term."I think that this group has shown when they're at their best and when we're in the right place, we're a match for anyone across Europe, they've shown that this season," he said."That hasn't been seen enough throughout the year, that definitely hasn't been seen enough in the second part of the season. We've got some real quality players, we've got a new manager coming in who's got a brilliant reputation in the game."We've still had some flashes in the last month of what this group can do. It's doing that on a more consistent basis."smg/iwd

The New York Knicks currently lead the Eastern Conference final series 3-0 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Game 4 will tip off tonight at 8 p.m. ET and the game will air nationally on ESPN. Want to tune in to the Western Conference finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the OKC Thunder? Those games will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. Stay up-to-date with the latest playoff news in our playoffs hub for scores, stats, and more, and check out the schedule below for all of this week's upcoming games.Here's everything you need to know so you won't miss the Knicks vs. Cavaliers Game 4, or any other playoff games this week. How to watch the New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4:Date: May 25, 2026Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PTTV channel: ESPNStreaming: ESPN Unlimited, DirecTV, YouTube TV and moreNew York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game time: Game 4 between the Knicks and Cavaliers tips off at 8 p.m. ET. New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 channel:The Knicks vs. Cavaliers Game 4 will be broadcast on ESPN.How to watch the New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 without cable:NBA playoff games on ESPN are also streaming on ESPN Unlimited, as well as on streaming platforms like DirecTV and YouTube TV. More ways to watch NBA Playoff Games:2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals schedule:All times EasternTuesday, May 19Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Thursday, May 21Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Saturday, May 23Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ABC)Monday, May 25New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)If necessary:Wednesday, May 27Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Friday, May 29New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Sunday, May 31Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Remaining NBA playoffs key dates:May 4: Conference Semifinals beginMay 18: Western Conference Finals begin on NBC/PeacockMay 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin on ESPN/ABCJune 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ETJune 5: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 2 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ETJune 8: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 3 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ETJune 10: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 4 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ETJune 13: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 5 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)June 16: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 6 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)

This story will be updated.AUBURN — For the second consecutive season, Auburn baseball has landed a top-four overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.It was announced alongside UCLA, Georgia and Georgia Tech and one of the four highest-seeded squads in this year's event, minutes before the tournament selection show on Monday, May 25 (11 a.m., ESPN).Last spring, Auburn earned its first national seed since 2003, which the tournament's selection committee grants to the top eight teams in the field. Like this season, it was a top-four seed, landing Auburn a regional bid and the first-ever NCAA super regional on the Plains.Since the tournament moved to its current format in 2018, Auburn's hosted a regional three other times, including back-to-back regionals in 2022 and 2023.🚨🚨🚨🚨The Top 4️⃣ have been officially released in alphabetical order.@AuburnBaseball@BaseballUGA@GTBaseball@UCLABaseball#RoadToOmahapic.twitter.com/rjiVXbk3oj— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) May 25, 2026Entering Selection Monday, Auburn was a top-five team nationally in at least two of the major metrics used to evaluate tournament teams, RPI and DSR. It also has the strongest schedule in the nation, which resulted in a 38-19 record overall and 17-13 record against the SEC.The Tigers capped the regular season with their longest run at the SEC Tournament since 2003, beating 14-seed LSU and 3-seed Texas A&M en route to a semifinals appearances against 7-seed Arkansas.Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn baseball earns national seed in NCAA Tournament

This is what superstars do.This is what the best player on the planet does.In a showdown of titans, San Antonio is tied 2-2 with defending champion Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals because, for two games, Victor Wembanyama took over. He dropped 41 in the dramatic Game 1 double-overtime win on the road. However, it was in Game 4 — a must-win game for the Spurs, they couldn't afford to go 3-1 down — where he played maybe his best game.WEMBY STUFFED THE STAT SHEET IN GAME 4! 33 PTS 8 REB 5 AST 2 STL 3 BLK 3 3PM Spurs win Game 4 to even the series at 2-2 in the Western Conference Finals pic.twitter.com/S2dZ4kWw6m— NBA (@NBA) May 25, 2026“I think our competitive response all year has been pretty good and he’s been at the forefront of that more than not,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “And I think tonight he felt, not speaking for him, but from my perspective and obligation to set a tone for us in a variety of ways.”Wembanyama hadn't been bad in Games 2 and 3. For example, in Game 3 he had 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting and was +4. However, the Spurs had been able to use Isaiah Hartenstein's physicality to push Wemby away from the rim — he had just four shots in the restricted area, six in the paint — and out on the perimeter.Sunday night, we saw an aggressive Wembanyama who set the tone early (11 first-quarter points) and went hard to the rim — he shot 7-of-10 in the restricted area in Game 4 and took a dozen shots in the paint. When he's that close to the basket, there is nothing any player in the league can do. Especially when he's also 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Johnson also modified his team's defensive schemes in a way that let Wembanyama hang closer to the rim — where he is a force unlike anyone in the league — and the results were dramatic. In Game 3, the Thunder shot 11-of-15 in the restricted area and 21-of-32 in the paint overall. In Game 4, the Thunder still tried to attack and get downhill, but shot 48.3% in the restricted area and were 18-of-41 (43.9%) overall in the paint. Look at the Spurs shot chart.NBA.comAfter the ugly Game 3 loss at home, Spurs legendary former coach (now front office person) Gregg Popovich appeared in the locker room postgame — the first time he had done so all year, according to De'Aaron Fox in a postgame interview on NBC. Popovich's message was simple: That's not Spurs basketball.“He saw it. We all saw it," Fox said. "We all felt it."Wembanyama felt it and did what all the greats do — he took that personally. He put the team on his shoulders. He finished Game 4 with 33 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, but the stats don't tell the story of the tone Wembanyama set. Or the one he continues to set.“We all have high standards and I know I have a lot of responsibilities, but I’m here for it,” Wembanyama said. “Yeah, it was better today. It wasn’t perfect...“The series is far from over. We’ve got six more wins before we can rest.”

Conor McGregor returning at the White House was seemingly not financially viable for the UFC. McGregor (22-6) was originally rallying for a spot on the UFC White House card on June 14. However, “Notorious” is now set to return against Max Holloway (27-9) at UFC 329 on July 11 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. McGregor’s manager Audie Attar recently explained why McGregor’s return during International Fight Week made more sense for the UFC financially. The UFC White House card will not have any tickets on sale for the general public. According to Dana White, 4,300 people, mostly members of the military, will be seated on the South Lawn. Meanwhile, 85,000 tickets will be made available for free to the public to watch the event at the nearby Ellipse Park. Attar notes that the UFC is sacrificing a huge amount of gate revenue at the White House event. With McGregor being arguably the biggest star in the history of the sport, the UFC would lose out on a lot of gate revenue if the Irishman returned at the White House.Good Business Partners “The UFC is actually donating so much in terms of giving up gate revenue,” Attar told

A calendar quirk brings more days of lemonade, glamping and difficult-to-open beach umbrellas to 2026.

From the Hamptons to Majorca, here are six getaways that invite you to eat, drink, lounge and enjoy idyllic surroundings.

For years, courts have welcomed cases brought by self-represented litigants. Now those plaintiffs have A.I., and their filings are consuming more and more bandwidth.

In a devastated section of the Coral Triangle in the Pacific Ocean, a conservation group is trying to build an artificial reef.

We’re all going to die. But first — just one more trick.

In Gdańsk, Poland, a once-minimal 538-square-foot apartment now feels warm, playful, and collected thanks to thrifted finds, vintage IKEA pieces, a muted green kitchen, and one very clever kids’ room divider. READ MORE...

Rajasthan Royals’ teenage batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has set his sight on T20 cricket’s ultimate glory - to be the first ever cricketer in history to score a double century in the shortest format of the game.Sooryavanshi has openly declared his ultimate ambition during a candid interaction on former England captain Kevin Pieterson’s popular youtube show ‘The Switch’. Speaking on the show, the swashbuckling left-hander has claimed that he wants to break the record of legendary Chris Gayle’s knock of 175 runs. The legendary West Indies batter scored the highest individual T20 score ever in the year 2013 playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.“I want to score 200 in T20.” Sooryavanshi said during the show. When Pieterson reminded the 15 year-old about the record of highest T20 score by Gayle, he said , “Yeah, I want to break his record and score 200. If I play 20 overs in any game, I definitely will break that record.”During the show, Pieterson challenged the opening batter to score 100 runs off 50 deliveries. And, in a sensational display of ball-hitting as he has been hitting the international bowlers in IPL, the southpaw scored 100 runs in just 25 balls.Sooryavanshi, who has the highest score of 144 in T20 cricket, also scored a stunning match-winning knock of 175 during U19 World Cup final against England.The Bihar-born batter also holds the record for the fastest century in youth ODI cricket - where he notched up his century in just 52 deliveries against England.“I will try to score 200 in the next match. I will try to play the full 50 overs. The more I score, the more the team will benefit," Sooryavanshi has said after his record-breaking innings against England U19 in the final.

The New York Yankees (31-22) open a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals (22-31). The Yankees are coming off a walk-off win over the Rays courtesy of an Aaron Judge two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Royals have won their past two games. Scheduled starting pitchers are Will Warren for New York, with a 3.61 ERA, and Michael Wacha for Kansas City, with a 2.70 ERA.How to watch New York Yankees vs. Kansas City RoyalsDate: Monday, May 25Time: 3:40 p.m. ET / 12:40 p.m. PTWhere: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MOTV Channels: ESPN/ESPN AppLive Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo SportsTeam recordsNew York Yankees: 31-22 (No. 2 in AL East)Kansas City Royals: 22-31 (No. 4 in AL Central)OddsSpread: Kansas City Royals +1.5Moneyline: Kansas City Royals +132 (41.4%) / New York Yankees -157 (58.6%)Over/Under: 9.0Starting pitchersNew York Yankees: Will Warren (6-1, ERA: 3.61, K: 62, WHIP: 1.18)Kansas City Royals: Michael Wacha (4-2, ERA: 2.70, K: 55, WHIP: 1.03)Weather: 83°F at first pitchBallpark: Capacity: 38,427 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi (Ben STANSALL)Tottenham midfielder James Maddison praised Roberto De Zerbi for using his passionate personality to save the club from the humiliation of relegation.De Zerbi's side went into the last day of the Premier League season in danger of dropping into the second tier for the first time since 1977-78.But a tense 1-0 win over Everton on Sunday, secured by Joao Palhinha's first half goal, sealed their survival and sent London rivals West Ham into the Championship instead.When De Zerbi took over from sacked interim boss Igor Tudor in March, Tottenham were winless in the Premier League in 2026.They slipped into the relegation zone before De Zerbi's debut defeat at Sunderland, while a significant injury list threatened to overwhelm the Italian's survival bid.But Maddison said De Zerbi's infectious positivity restored belief among the players and rebuilt a previously fractured connection with Tottenham's miserable fan-base.A first home victory in the Premier League since December 6 was enough to retain their top-flight status.And Maddison, who missed the majority of the season with a serious knee injury, said: "I am really happy for the manager who came in and steered the ship clear because I think without him, it could have been doom and gloom if I am honest."He's so passionate. He's been living at the training ground with the guys, with his team."He's there at 9pm with all his staff. They've got the tactics board up, there's six of them, they're just talking, it's 9pm and we've already had four or five meetings on each game. He's just obsessed with football and he's passionate."Hailing De Zerbi's enthusiasm and drive as vital qualities while dealing with a struggling squad, Maddison added: "When you feel the authenticity of someone who's passionate for Tottenham and when you see the man who's steering the ship, when he's genuine, and not just saying it for the sake of it, you can tell he means that."That's why he says, 'I have blood inside me, not water'. He always says that. It's because he's genuinely passionate about the club."Without that appointment, disaster could have maybe struck, but it didn't and he takes a lot of credit for that because of the work he's done behind the scenes and on the training pitch."smg/iwd

Baltimore Ravens safety Jaylinn Hawkins recently opened up about his exit from the New England Patriots during an appearance on The Lounge Podcast. Hawkins played for the Patriots for two seasons, but he made a big impact in his short time with the team, recording 19 tackles, four interceptions, seven passes defended and 1.5 sacks across 32 games. His veteran contributions in the secondary helped form one of the best defensive backfields in the NFL last season. But it ended in free agency, with the Patriots signing former Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard and Hawkins landing in Baltimore. For Hawkins, it all came as a surprise. “I actually didn’t expect it,” Hawkins said. “I was in conversation with the Patriots. I believe the [Dallas] Cowboys and the [Houston] Texans reached out. ...[Ravens] Coach [Jesse] Minter and everybody reached out from here, and I was like, ‘OK, cool.’ We were in conversation. ...Pats, they fell off the radar. I was going back and forth with the [Carolina] Panthers. And then, I decided to come here and we worked it out.”Everything worked out for both sides in the end. Byard was a First-Team All-Pro safety who led the league in interceptions last season. He also has a close relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel stemming from their time together with the Tennessee Titans. With that said, Hawkins is also in a good situation playing next to two-time All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton and a Ravens team determined to get back to playoff contention. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: 15-game starter comments on surprising free agency split with Patriots

🎥 Where did Undav come from? Ref cam finally pays off!The so-called RefCam has now become a standard part of every football TV broadcast. A small camera is attached to the referee’s headset or chest, delivering live footage from his perspective.But let’s be honest: while it sounds pretty fancy, it hasn’t exactly turned out to be a groundbreaking addition so far. If the RefCam were scrapped again in the near future, hardly any fan would probably complain.During the DFB Cup final between FC Bayern and VfB Stuttgart, however, the technology produced a real highlight that is currently going viral on social media.The camera worn by referee Sven Jablonski captured a truly delightful moment involving Deniz Undav.Quietly and stealthily, the Germany striker crept up on Jablonski, only to suddenly burst into a sprint right in front of his eyes.What might Undav have said in that moment? This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

Republican officials said they have talked to Tom Kean Jr., who has been absent from Congress for weeks. His office said Mr. Kean will eventually explain his absence.

Waymo has been an object of frustration to some in California. For visually impaired people, it can also bring a rare feeling of independence.

Former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull said he would continue with Venkatesh Iyer as opener alongside Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Tuesday, saying it would not be easy for England batter Phil Salt to return immediately after a long injury break.Qualifier 1 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans will decide the first finalist of IPL 2026. RCB are currently facing a selection debate over their opening pair, with the management needing to decide whether to bring back Salt after injury or continue with Venkatesh following his strong performances against Sunrisers Hyderabad.Jacob Bethell, who crossed the 20-run mark only twice during Salt’s absence, has been ruled out of the tournament because of injury and has returned to England.Speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live, Doull said, "I would stick with Venkatesh Iyer as the opener alongside Virat Kohli. Phil Salt has been out for three and a half weeks. Coming back from a long layoff, especially with a finger injury, is never easy. He is a quality player and has done well for RCB and England in T20s, but match fitness and shot-timing take time to return. The playoffs are not the place to test that," he said.Doull also referred to Venkatesh’s 19-ball 44 against SRH and his half-century against Punjab Kings, saying the batter had built a good rhythm with Kohli."Yes, Salt has a stronger partnership record with Virat, but in cricket, you always go with the player in form. Form matters more than reputation, especially in knockout games. The biggest risk is bringing in someone who hasn't played competitive cricket for weeks. I would continue with Venkatesh at the top. Phil Salt is too good an option to have on the bench, but right now, Venkatesh deserves to keep his place," he signed off.In five IPL matches and four innings across opening and middle-order roles, Venkatesh has scored 158 runs at an average of 79.00 and a strike rate of 177.52, including one half-century and a best score of 73 not out.Salt, meanwhile, has made 202 runs in six innings at the top of the order at an average of 33.66 and a strike rate above 168, with two fifties and a highest score of 78.

BATON ROUGE — LSU baseball had made the NCAA tournament 13 straight seasons.For the first time in 14 years and the first time under head coach Jay Johnson, the Tigers fell short of making an NCAA regional. Monday's NCAA tournament selection show confirmed what everyone in and around the LSU program knew was coming, that the 2026 college baseball postseason would not include the reigning national champion Tigers.This season was one of the worst in recent memory for the Tigers (30-28), and in some way was one of the worst seasons in program history. LSU's 9-21 SEC record was the worst in LSU baseball history, an ugly conference slate performance was expounded by the team getting swept in three straight series and in five of its last six series in the regular season.LSU SEASON ENDS IN HOOVER LSU baseball falls to Auburn at SEC Tournament to end season: Final scoreLSU's final hope to make the NCAA field was dashed in the second round of the SEC tournament with a 3-1 loss to Auburn at the Hoover Met in Hoover, Alabama last week."We were short in a lot of areas," Johnson told reporters following LSU's exit from the SEC Tournament. "I'm not talking about players, it was a little bit in how we recruited, a little bit in how we developed in both the individual player and the team. We lost a lot of close games and that's been a hallmark of why we have two championships in the last four years. We've been able to be on the right side of games like tonight. Against the best team, we just couldn't do it. There's a lot to that."LSU entered the 2026 season after capturing the 2025 College World Series title and opened the season a consensus top-two team in the nation.But by and large, the Tigers couldn't overcome an injury-riddled season headlined by junior pitcher Cooper Moore needing season-ending surgery on his elbow a couple of weeks into SEC play, and star outfielder Jake Brown, who was LSU's best hitter for the better part of the year, breaking the hamate bone in his hand during the Texas A&M series in mid-April, causing him to miss the rest of the season.Casan Evans, who was LSU's Friday night pitcher, also missed time with arm discomfort."We've had a lot of good fortune. Sometimes, baseball is going to baseball you. Sometimes, life doesn't go the way that you want it," Johnson said. "There was a little bit of a stretch here where it was like, 'OK, I'm paying for the sins that helped us get the two championships.' It felt like that sometimes."I feel bad because we didn't get to where we needed to be or wanted to be, or where this team could have been. I don't know if I've ever said that in my entire career. That stings. And that's why there will be not only a ton of reflection but action. This is about what we do with this."Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU baseball won't play in NCAA tournament for 1st time in 14 seasons

The Cincinnati Reds, fourth in the NL Central with a 27-25 record, face the New York Mets, who are last in the NL East at 22-31. The Mets are favored with a -161 moneyline compared to the Cincinnati Reds' +135. Starting pitchers are scheduled to be Nick Lodolo for Cincinnati, with a 7.20 ERA, and Nolan McLean for New York, with a 3.57 ERA.How to watch Cincinnati Reds vs. New York MetsDate: Monday, May 25Time: 4:10 p.m. ET / 1:10 p.m. PTWhere: Citi Field, Flushing, Queens, NYTV Channels: SNY, Reds.TVLive Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo SportsTeam recordsCincinnati Reds: 27-25 (No. 4 in NL Central)New York Mets: 22-31 (No. 5 in NL East)OddsSpread: New York Mets -1.5Moneyline: New York Mets -161 (59.2%) / Cincinnati Reds +135 (40.8%)Over/Under: 7.5Starting pitchersCincinnati Reds: Nick Lodolo (0-1, ERA: 7.20, K: 11, WHIP: 1.53)New York Mets: Nolan McLean (2-3, ERA: 3.57, K: 69, WHIP: 1.03)Weather: 70°F at first pitchBallpark: Capacity: 42,136 | Roof: Open | Surface: GrassBallpark: Capacity: 37,446 | Roof: Retractable | Surface: Artificial Turf

Athletico-PR hit top four, Fla and Flu stall, Palmeiras pull awayMatchday 17 of the Brasileirão was not good for the Rio clubs. Flamengo, Fluminense, and Vasco all lost, and only Botafogo managed to get a point with a 1-1 draw against São Paulo on Saturday (23) at Morumbis. On the same day, Palmeiras beat Flamengo 3-0 at the Maracanã and pulled away at the top of the table with 38 points. The Rubro-Negro, in second place, stayed on 31.Also on Saturday, Fluminense was beaten 1-0 by Mirassol at Maião and remained in third place with 30 points. The other opening-round matches ended as follows: Vitória 2-0 Internacional at Barradão, with two goals from Viveros, the Brasileirão’s top scorer, and Grêmio 3-2 Santos at the Grêmio Arena.In one of Sunday’s (24) four matches, Furacão beat Remo 2-1 at Mangueirão, halted the Pará side’s recovery in the competition, and jumped to fourth place. Another result that reshaped the top of the table came at São Januário, where Vasco was beaten 3-0 by Red Bull Bragantino. The São Paulo side is now in fifth place.Cruzeiro and Corinthians also won their matches and moved a little farther away from the relegation zone. The Minas Gerais club beat Chapecoense 2-1 at Mineirão. Timão, meanwhile, defeated Atlético-MG 1-0 at Neo Química Arena.This Monday, Coritiba vs. Bahia wraps up the round at 8 p.m. at Couto Pereira.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 15: Head coach Elliott Avent of the NC State Wolfpack fives his team after the college baseball game between the Boston College Eagles and the NC State Wolfpack on March 15, 2026 at Doak Field at Dail Park in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images A bubble team if there ever was one, NC State made it into the 2026 NCAA Tournament field, no doubt sliding in as one of the last teams in the field. Whether or not it will be stated as a factor, Elliott Avent’s retirement surely had a role in the Wolfpack making it in.For the second straight season, NC State will head to Auburn for Regional play. This year, the Pack are the 3-seed and will face off with 2-seed UCF to open play.AUBURN REGIONAL(4) @AuburnBaseball@MKE_Baseball@NCStateBaseball@UCF_Baseball#RoadToOmahapic.twitter.com/bMTikYBPmV— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) May 25, 2026Auburn is the #4 national seed as the Tigers played the #1 ranked strength of schedule in the country this year, going 38-19 overall and 17-13 in SEC play. The Tigers made the SEC Tournament semifinals, losing to Arkansas in a 2-1 game. They went a combined 26-19 in Q1 and Q2 games.UCF is the 2-seed in the Auburn Regional, a 31-21 squad out of the Big 12 with a 19-11 conference mark. The Knights went a combined 15-14 in Q1 and Q2 games. They lost their Big 12 Tournament opener to Oklahoma State.Milwaukee won the Horizon League Tournament title in dramatic fashion, on a walk-off 2-run home run in the bottom of the 9th inning to defeat perennial Horizon League juggernaut Wright State. The Panthers went 25-31 on the year with a 14-10 conference record and a 1-13 combined Q1 and Q2 record.

The UNC baseball team, hoping to win its first College World Series in program history, will start its NCAA Tournament run in the Chapel Hill Regional on Friday afternoon.Many debated North Carolina's seed entering the tournament, but every projection included a Top-5 seed. The Diamond Heels lost Sunday to Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship game, but would that affect their seeding?UNC learned its official seeding in Sunday's NCAA Tournament selection show on Monday afternoon, earning the fifth overall seed.North Carolina will open its Road to Omaha on Friday at 5 p.m. against Atlantic-10 Champion VCU, which previously played in the 2022 Chapel Hill Regional. The Rams won a shocking 4-3 game against those Diamond Heels, only for the boys in Carolina Blue to come back and win their own Regional.UNC faces an extremely tough path out of this year's Regional, also welcoming college baseball powers East Carolina and Tennessee to Chapel Hill. The Vols won the 2024 College World Series, while the Pirates quickly caught fire after a slow start.5️⃣ Seed@DiamondHeels 🐏#RoadToOmahapic.twitter.com/lGBlRKFKWl— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) May 25, 2026The Chapel Hill Regional is set!#GoHeelspic.twitter.com/xjwKuD3kka— Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) May 25, 2026North Carolina also faced a tough regular season schedule, previously battling ECU, plus the likes of Virginia, Notre Dame, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Clemson and Virginia Tech. The Diamond Heels will also play in front of their extremely-passionate fanbase, which turns Boshamer Stadium up 10 notches come postseason play.UNC also had a tough 2025 Regional, welcoming Oklahoma, Nebraska and Holy Cross, all of whom are in this year's NCAA Tournament. If there's one thing you should know about the 2026 Diamond Heels, they are equipped for anything.Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC baseball earns 5 seed in NCAA Tournament, to host VCU in opener

The Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens face off in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. The teams split the first two games in Raleigh, North Carolina. Games 3 and 4 are in Montreal. The Hurricanes are favored with a -136 moneyline compared to the Montreal Canadiens' +115. The over/under for the game is set at 5.5 goals.How to watch Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal CanadiensDate: Monday, May 25Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PTWhere: Bell Centre, MontrealTV Channels: TNT, truT, HBO, SporLive Stream:ESPN+ | Follow on Yahoo SportsOddsSpread: Montreal Canadiens +1.5Moneyline: Montreal Canadiens +115 (44.7%) / Carolina Hurricanes -136 (55.3%)Over/Under: 5.5

Report: Juventus make decisive move for Alisson as Liverpool talks reach final stageJuventus are pushing to finalise a deal for Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, with negotiations between the two clubs now understood to be in their decisive phase, and the Bianconeri pressing ahead despite missing out on Champions League football.According to journalist Romeo Agresti, via Goal.com, Juventus have been working on the operation for several weeks and are now moving to close the deal.Alisson would arrive on a permanent basis, with Juventus prepared to pay Liverpool a fee to secure the Brazilian’s release, and a three-year contract until June 2029 is understood to be ready for the goalkeeper to sign.LEEDS, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 06: Alisson Becker of Liverpool warms up prior to the Premier League match between Leeds United and Liverpool at Elland Road on December 06, 2025 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Di Gregorio’s struggles prompt Juventus to pursue Alisson as statement signingThe pursuit of Alisson is driven by a clear need. Michele Di Gregorio endured a difficult debut season at the club, regularly alternating with Mattia Perin, and Luciano Spalletti has been explicit about his desire to add both quality and leadership to the squad.Alisson, a Champions League and Premier League winner with enormous experience at the highest level, fits that profile precisely.The Brazilian’s departure from Liverpool had appeared uncertain given Juventus’s failure to qualify for the Champions League, a competition Alisson has competed in throughout his time at Anfield since joining from Roma in 2018.However, Juventus’s pursuit has not cooled, and the club appear determined to make the move work regardless of competing in the Europa League next season.

The No. 2 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish are taking on the No. 1 seed Princeton Tigers in the 2026 men's lacrosse national championship at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Va.Both Notre Dame and Princeton had first-round byes. Notre Dame advanced by beating Jacksonville 18-5 and Johns Hopkins 15-9. The Irish then beat Syracuse 15-7 with a dominant fourth quarter in the final four.Meanwhile, Princeton beat Marist 17-8, Penn State 14-10 and Duke 14-7.Follow along with our live blog for updates.This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame vs. Princeton: Live updates of NCAA lacrosse championship

Kickboxing veteran Joe Schilling returned to MMA last weekend for PFL in Brussels.“Stitch ’Em Up” threw in the towel just 36 seconds into the fight after absorbing a headbutt from opponent Donegi Abena. Schilling was upset with referee Mike Beltran, who took a point from Abena but attempted to restart the fight in the same position that he paused it — with “Silverback” on top.Watch the bizarre sequence unfold here.“One of the coolest moments of my life,” Schilling wrote on Instagram. “Everything else is just noise. I know exactly who I am and so does my family. Most of you talking shit couldn’t hold my jock strap. My opponent also now exactly who he is and that’s on him. God Bless.”Schilling is referring to the pre-fight walkout with his son by his side.The 42 year-old Schilling dropped to 4-7 in MMA and has been stopped in six of those seven losses. As for Abena, 28, PFL Brussels marked his cage fighting debut after a decorated career on the kickboxing circuit. Probably not how “Silverback” wanted to notch his first win, but that’s the fight game.For more PFL news and notes click here.

President Donald Trump speaks at Rockland Community College, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Suffern, N.Y. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)2026-05-25T15:50:35Z WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that any agreement with Iran should include a requirement for several additional countries, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to join the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered agreements aimed at normalizing relations with Israel that were forged during Trump’s first term. In a social media post, Trump said negotiations are “proceeding nicely” but tied any eventual agreement to expanded participation in the agreements first signed in 2020.He pointed to Saudi Arabia and Qatar as countries that should “immediately” sign on, followed by Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates became the first countries to join in 2020. He wrote that “after all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords.” The president said he brought up the Abraham Accords plan with leaders during negotiations on Saturday. Trump suggested he may accept “one or two” countries declining to sign, but said most should be willing. Egypt and Jordan already formally recognize Israel and have long-standing peace treaties. It remains unclear when or how any deal with Iran might be completed, or how Abraham Accords membership might affect an agreement. He suggested even Iran could eventually sign on, if an agreement is reached. Read More The accords are a series of diplomatic, economic and security agreements created with U.S. influence during Trump’s first term, originally between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, followed by Sudan, Morocco, and more recently, Kazakhstan.They were framed as an effort to promote cooperation among countries in the Middle East and North Africa, and the administration saw them as partly paving a path toward full ties with Israel. LINDSAY WHITEHURST Whitehurst covers the Supreme Court and legal affairs for The Associated Press. She’s won multiple journalism awards in a career that’s spanned two decades. twitter mailto

Water is sprayed on a damaged tank at GKN Aerospace in Garden Grove, Calif., on Sunday, May 24, 2026, after the tank containing a chemical used to make plastic parts overheated Thursday. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)2026-05-24T19:40:43Z Authorities — scrambling to find a safe resolution after a tank containing a hazardous chemical at a Southern California aerospace plant was damaged — believe the risk of a catastrophic explosion has been eliminated. But the evacuation order affecting tens of thousands of residents remains. The storage tank at GKN Aerospace with about 6,000 to 7,000 gallons (22,713 to 26,498 liters) of methyl methacrylate used to make plastic parts overheated last week and began venting vapors into the air around Garden Grove, a city in Orange County. Officials had feared that the tank could leak all the chemical or even explode. But they said Monday that an overnight inspection confirmed that a crack in the tank relieved pressure and cooled the chemical. There’s no active leak and no chemicals have escaped from the tank, officials have said.No injuries have been reported, but more than 50,000 residents were under an evacuation order over the Memorial Day weekend. What is the latest update?After the tank overheated Thursday, firefighters repeatedly sprayed it with water in an attempt to cool the chemical inside. Then, officials said Sunday that a crack that had developed in the tank could potentially lower the risk of an explosion, and a team was sent on an overnight mission to determine if the crack had relieved the pressure.Orange County Fire Authority division chief Craig Covey said the results of the overnight evaluation of the tank — that the temperature inside had dropped and that pressure had been released — was “incredibly positive news.” The tank’s interior reached 100 degrees (37.7 Celsius) Sunday, an increase of 10 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 Celsius) since Saturday, according to Democratic state Sen. Tom Umberg. On Monday, Covey said the temperature fell to 93 degrees F (33.9 degrees C). Why is this chemical dangerous?Methyl methacrylate is a flammable, colorless liquid used in the production of resins, plastics and plastic dentures and is a hazardous substance regulated by the federal government. It can irritate the lungs, eyes and skin and in high doses can cause reduced lung function, along with dizziness and memory problems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In prolonged cases, exposure to methyl methacrylate can cause serious respiratory problems or render a person unconscious. Tests have found that air pollution in the evacuation zone is within normal limits. Read More What is the problem with the tank?The tank’s drainage valves were not functioning, officials said. What was the risk of an explosion?If the temperature inside the tank climbed high enough, it would have caused pressure to build as the methyl methacrylate converted from a liquid to a gas, increasing the risk of explosion, which could have ignited other tanks at the site. A blast that released the chemical would send it into a wider area and could create vapors that would be hazardous to inhale, according to Orange County’s top health officer, Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong. Aerial photos taken by The Associated Press showed streets in the area were empty Sunday, while several evacuation shelters were open.The evacuation zone is west of Anaheim, home to Disneyland’s two theme parks, which were not under evacuation orders. Chinsio-Kwong said people outside the evacuation zone don’t need to worry about health impacts.

A rescue worker climbs on a ladder to help evacuate people from a residential building being destroyed after a Russian strike on Kyiv, Ukraine, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)2026-05-25T10:24:55Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Belarus’ exiled opposition leader visited Kyiv on Monday as the Ukrainian capital cleaned up after Russia’s biggest missile attack of the year, and world leaders kept a close eye on how much support the Belarusian government is ready to provide for Moscow’s all-out invasion.Russia and ally Belarus held joint nuclear drills last week, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned in recent days that Belarus could provide a launchpad for Russia to open a new front in northern Ukraine. Some Russian troops entered Ukraine from Belarusian territory in Moscow’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.In a further sign of concern, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Sunday about the war in Ukraine, their first call since the invasion began. Russia warns of more ‘systemic strikes’Further “systemic strikes” on Kyiv are in store, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday. It urged foreign citizens, including members of diplomatic missions, to leave the city as quickly as possible and told residents to stay away from military and government facilities.The ministry said Friday’s deadly Ukrainian drone strike on a college dormitory in Starobilsk was “the final straw.” Ukraine said it hit only targets supporting Russia’s invasion.The Russian army is locked in a hard and costly slog on the 1,250-kilometer (780-mile) front line that mostly snakes through eastern and southern Ukraine. “Russia hit a dead-end on the battlefield, so it terrorizes Ukraine with deliberate strikes on city centers,” Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said on X, after the weekend barrage that killed two people and damaged buildings across the Ukrainian capital.With U.S.-made air defense missiles in short supply because of the Iran war, Russian missiles are harder for Ukraine to stop. Meanwhile, U.S. efforts to stop the fighting have stalled. Read More Countries keep a wary eye on BelarusIn his call with Lukashenko, Macron “underscored the risks for Belarus of allowing itself to be dragged into Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine,” according to a presidential aide in the French leader’s office who spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with the presidential palace’s practices. Macron also spoke Sunday with Zelenskyy.Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, on her first visit to Kyiv, told The Associated Press on Sunday that “Lukashenko’s regime knows well what needs to be done to improve ties with the European Union, but it isn’t happening. Instead, hybrid attacks, nuclear blackmail and threats to the entire region continue.” A terse readout released by the Belarusian presidential press service said the call with Macron took place “on the French side’s initiative” and the leaders discussed “regional issues” and Belarusian relations with the EU and France.Lukashenko, who has governed his country of some 9.5 million people with an iron fist for more than three decades, relies on the Kremlin for cheap energy, loans and other support. Western countries have repeatedly slapped sanctions on Belarus, including for its crackdown on human rights and for allowing Moscow to use its territory to invade Ukraine.More recently, Lukashenko has been trying to improve ties with the West. Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, Lukashenko has released hundreds of political prisoners as part of deals that lifted some U.S. sanctions. Russia fires hypersonic missile at UkraineSunday’s bombardment included Russia’s powerful hypersonic Oreshnik ballistic missile, which can carry multiple warheads. Russian President Vladimir Putin has boasted it can travel up to 10 times the speed of sound and evade air defense systems.Zelenskyy said Ukrainian intelligence services had received tipoffs from the United States and European countries that Russia was preparing to launch an Oreshnik.In addition to the two deaths, at least 91 people were wounded in Sunday’s barrage, according to Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the Kyiv City Administration.Shattered glass littered sidewalks on Monday after Ukrainian authorities said the assault damaged buildings across the city, including near government offices, residential buildings, schools and a market. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Monday led ambassadors from more than 70 countries on a visit to the sites of the strikes. He urged the international community to step up pressure on Moscow and ensure Ukraine gets more air defense support.In other developments:Russia’s Federal Security Service said divers found magnetic mines attached to the hull of a liquefied petroleum gas tanker in the Russian Baltic port of Ust-Luga. The tanker Arrhenius was bound for Samsun, Turkey, it said, adding that the limpet mines were made in a NATO member country. Ukrainian officials made no immediate comment.Meanwhile, a Russian missile hit a business in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Derhachi, killing two people and wounding 19 others Monday, Kharkiv regional administration head Oleh Syniehubov said. Seventeen people were hospitalized.___Associated Press writer John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report.___Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine HANNA ARHIROVA Arhirova is an Associated Press reporter covering Ukraine. She is based in Kyiv. twitter instagram mailto YURAS KARMANAU Karmanau is an Associated Press journalist covering Belarus and the CIS countries. He has worked in Belarus and Ukraine, as well as other countries in the region, for more than 20 years. He is part of the team that covers the Russia-Ukraine war. mailto

Pope Leo XIV holds the pastoral staff as he celebrates the Pentecost Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)2026-05-25T09:31:15Z VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV made a historic apology on Monday for the role the Holy See played in legitimizing slavery and for having failed to condemn it for centuries, calling the Vatican’s record a “wound in Christian memory.”Past popes have apologized for Christians’ involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. But no pope had ever publicly acknowledged, much less apologized for, the role that past popes played in giving European sovereigns explicit authority to subjugate and enslave “infidels.”History’s first U.S.-born pope, whose family history includes both enslaved people and slave owners, delivered the apology in his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” (Magnificent Humanity), which was released Monday.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks during a campaign event in Lubbock, Texas, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)2026-05-25T14:02:04Z WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters in the Lone Star State will make their second attempt to nominate a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in a primary runoff election on Tuesday, the electoral version of the Texas two-step.Also on the ballot are primary runoffs in more than a dozen congressional districts, plus state contests for lieutenant governor, attorney general and others.U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was the top vote-getter in the March 3 primary, but strong showings by two GOP challengers forced the four-term incumbent to Tuesday’s head-to-head matchup with state Attorney General Ken Paxton, the second-place finisher who received President Donald Trump’s endorsement on May 19.The contest is Trump’s next opportunity to purge the party of incumbents he views as insufficiently loyal to him and his agenda. It also sets the stage for a general election where Democrats are increasingly optimistic about their chances to score an upset in the heavily Republican state as they look to retake control of the U.S. Senate. Historically, voters have tended to punish the incumbent president’s party at the ballot box in midterm election years. The winner will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the general election. Trump seemed open to endorsing Cornyn following the primary, and he did not excoriate the incumbent in his endorsement of Paxton, as he’s done recently with Republican incumbents in Indiana, Louisiana and Kentucky. But he said Cornyn “was not supportive of me when times were tough.” Read More Cornyn was critical of Trump ahead of the president’s 2024 campaign.Since much of the Texas primary campaign has focused on the candidates’ loyalty to Trump, the counties where the president has the most support could play a decisive role. Although many of the counties Trump won in 2024 with 80% or more of the vote are rural and sparsely populated, collectively they made up about a fifth of the GOP primary vote. Paxton beat Cornyn in these counties, 45% to 40%, while Cornyn performed better than Paxton in the rest of the state. In counties Trump carried with between 50% and 80% of the vote, Cornyn received about 42% of the vote, edging Paxton by a percentage point. Republican primary voters in the 12 counties Democrat Kamala Harris carried in 2024 preferred Cornyn, 44% to 40%. These counties made up 25% of the overall primary vote, larger than the share of Trump’s 80%-plus counties.Only two incumbent U.S. senators from Texas have lost a primary in the last 100 years.In 2025, Republicans redrew the state’s congressional districts at Trump’s urging as part of an effort to maintain control of the U.S. House.Among the notable primary runoffs that resulted from the new congressional map, Democratic U.S. Reps. Christian Menefee and Al Green will face each other in the redrawn 18th Congressional District. In the new 33rd Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson faces a challenge from her predecessor, former Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred.Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied: When do polls close?Polls close statewide at 7 p.m. local time, which is 8 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET. Most polls are in Central time and close at 8 p.m. ET, while polls in the westernmost part of the state are in Mountain time and close at 9 p.m. ET.What’s on the ballot?The AP will provide vote results and declare winners in Republican primary runoffs for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, railroad commissioner, Court of Criminal Appeals, state Senate and state House and in Democratic primary runoffs for U.S. House, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state Board of Education and state House.Who gets to vote?Voters who did not participate in a party primary on March 3 may vote in the runoff for either party. Voters who did cast a ballot in a party primary may only vote in the runoff of the same party as they did in the primary. In other words, Democratic primary voters may not vote in a Republican primary runoff or vice versa. Voters in the non-partisan primary may vote in either party’s runoff. How many voters are there?As of the March 3 primary, there were nearly 19 million registered voters in Texas.How many people actually vote?About 2.2 million Republican primary votes and about 2.3 million Democratic primary votes were cast in the March 3 Texas primary.In the 2022 Republican primary for Texas Attorney General, turnout was about 1.9 million voters in the primary and about 932,000 in the primary runoff.How much of the vote is cast early or by absentee ballot? About 63% of the vote in the March 3 Republican primary was cast before primary day.As of Thursday, about 621,000 Republican primary ballots and about 262,000 Democratic primary ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election.When are early and absentee votes released?Counties tend to release all or nearly all results from early and absentee voting in the first vote update of the night, before any in-person Election Day results are released. How long does vote-counting usually take?In the U.S. Senate primary in March, the AP first reported results at 8 p.m. ET just as polls closed in most of the state. By 11:39 p.m. ET, 75% of the vote had been counted. Vote results were released continuously until about 5:58 a.m. ET, with about 98% of the total vote counted.When will the AP declare a winner?The Associated Press does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.How do recounts work?Texas requires an automatic recount only in cases of a tie vote. Losing candidates may request and pay for a recount if the margin is less than 10% of the leading candidate’s vote. The AP may declare a winner in a race that is subject to a recount if it can determine the lead is too large for a recount or legal challenge to change the outcome.Are we there yet?As of Tuesday, there will be 161 days until the 2026 midterm elections.___Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/. ROBERT YOON Yoon is an elections and democracy reporter for The Associated Press, with a focus on analyzing vote and demographic data and explaining the intricacies of the electoral process. He is now covering his seventh presidential campaign cycle. facebook mailto

The diplomatic agreements normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries. Now, as part of the peace talks with Iran, Mr. Trump wants other states to join.

The high school girls flag football season around the country ended last weekend and with that comes honors for coaches and players from the 2025-2026 season. The 2026 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state finals just recently ended and we decided to get right to it when it comes to end of the year honors.[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]We take a look around the country for the top players from 2025-2026 as Rivals looked through the season and selected award nominees from this past season. Who were the best girls flag football players for the 2026 season, though?Rivals give you the high school girls flag football honorees from the 2025-2026 season.Player of the Year: Makena Cook, QB, Orange (CA) Orange Lutheran Cook owns the distinct honor of being the first girls flag football player to ever receive the sport’s first Division I P4 overture, receiving an offer from Nebraska. Now the quarterback, who is already committed to Georgia for soccer, had herself an incredible 2025 season for the Lancers and put up some eye-popping numbers which we recognize with the national Player of the Year award. Cook ended the 2025 campaign throwing for an eye-popping 7,083 yards and 112 touchdowns for the Lancers and also added 313 and three scores on the ground.Offensive Player of the Year: Ariana Akey, QB, Littleton (CO) Mountain Vista Akey is our Offensive Player of the Year after becoming the first ever player to commit to a Division I, Power 4 program when she announced her commitment to Nebraska back in mid-April. Akey has had herself a prolific prep career behind center for the Eagles, with the signal caller throwing for a total of 8,980 yards with 171 touchdowns over the last two seasons. This past season was a prolific year for Akey as she completed 384 of 570 passes for 4,545 yards, 89 touchdowns through the air. On the ground, Akey rushed for 1,526 yards and 22 scores.Coach of the Year: Josh Saunders, Tampa (FL) RobinsonEarly on in the season wasn’t the easiest of times for Tampa Robinson as the Knights dropped a 25-20 decision to Bloomingdale and then Saunders had to deal with the injury loss of quarterback Paige Halverson after a 47-6 win over New Port Richey (FL) Gulf a few games later. All Saunders did was do quite arguably one of his best coaching jobs at the school as the Knights notched their 10th straight state championship and 11th overall. Saunders inserted junior Annie Keith behind center and the rest is history as Robinson ran the table to the FHSAA Class 2A state championship and taking the country’s No. 1 ranking. How to Follow National High School FootballFor high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night high school football action. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement across the country.

Wang Cong already is up 1-0 on Valentina Shevchenko, and after this week, she might consider herself up 2-nil.More than a decade ago, Cong served up a Halloween nightmare for Shevchenko with a three-round decision win in a kickboxing match at Kunlun Fight 33 in China. That was Shevchenko's final kickboxing bout before she moved to the UFC.Shevchenko and her supporters have long held the opinion that home-cooking was at play for Cong in the matchup on her home turf. But still, the record books have it as a win for Cong, and while she chases a chance to fight Shevchenko, the two-time UFC women's flyweight champion, she'll no doubt use that to her advantage.Monday, Cong posted on social media to claim her second win over Shevchenko – by virture of the champ apparently bowing out of a fan Q&A appearance this week at the ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC Macau. Cong posted to say Shevchenko made a request to the UFC to not appear at the Q&A – because Cong will be part of it.Cong called Shevchenko a "sore loser" and criticized her style. Check out Cong's video post and comments – in which she tagged the UFC brass to say their champion was "Box Office Poison" due to her boring fights.View this post on Instagram

Chelsea miss great chance to get big fee for defender – but other clubs “already made enquiries”Chelsea’s plans to sell Axel Disasi have been hurt by West Ham’s relegation, but there is still plenty of interest in the defender.If you enjoy Chelsea News coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.Chelsea missing out on European football means they will have to sell a lot more players than they were planning to – but some sales have long been expected.Axel Disasi has been in the out tray for more than two years, but only a loan to West Ham in January was secured this time around. Their relegation means he won’t be joining them full time, but his impressive performances for the Hammers should mean plenty of other interest.Disasi still has interest in permanent deal for move this summerJournalist Santi Aouna today writes that “clubs have already made enquiries” about the centre back.We would imagine any mid-table team in the Premier League looking for a new defenders will be interested, and Chelsea should be able to get a pretty chunky fee for the Frenchman, who has shown himself to be a capable box-defender.There is likely to be interest from abroad too, although it will be harder to get a suitable fee.In other news…It won’t be all sales though – Chelsea will also be buying players, and a list of potential additions has been put up already.All these players coming in, plus a lack of European games next season, means a “mass exodus” of Chelsea players next season. Nobody will object to that.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL CHELSEA NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON THE APP STORECheck out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:

Former Gunner believes Arteta could become the greatest Arsenal managerIan Wright reckons Mikel Arteta could become the greatest manager in Arsenal’s history if he leads them to Champions League glory at the end of this month and sees a defining moment approaching for the club.Arsenal have never won the competition, having reached the final in 2006, where they suffered defeat to Barcelona, but they now have another opportunity to correct that record when they face PSG on May 30, with supporters believing a historic double could still be achieved this season. The occasion is expected to carry significant pressure and attention given the club’s long wait for European success.Arteta’s Growing Legacy at ArsenalWright believes that Arsène Wenger’s long tenure set a high benchmark at the club, particularly for reaching the Champions League final and consistently qualifying for Europe, but also notes the missing piece of European success at the highest level. He also highlights how that history frames expectations around Arteta’s current project.As quoted by the Metro, Wright said,‘He (Wenger) was forced to stay at the club and what he did in those years, getting us into the Champions League was amazing. But he didn’t quite get us over the line in respect of the Champions League.‘If Mikel Arteta can do that, he supersedes everybody. He will have done something no-one in our history has done before.’Arsenal’s Ambition Ahead of the FinalThe discussion around Arteta’s future success reflects growing optimism among supporters and former players alike.Arsenal believe they can challenge Paris Saint-Germain in the final and complete a historic season, with confidence growing after their domestic success and the prospect of European glory within reach; supporters remain hopeful ahead of the decisive match.Wright’s assessment underlines the scale of Arteta’s potential achievement, suggesting that Champions League success would place him above every previous manager in the club’s history and cement a new era of dominance._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsFormer Gunner believes Arteta could become the greatest Arsenal manager 25 May 2026, 18:00Saliba reveals when he began to believe Arsenal would be EPL champions 25 May 2026, 17:00Arsenal gets a boost as PSG could be without at least one key player 25 May 2026, 16:00

May 22, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Nick Castellanos (21) hits a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Athletics at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Phillies’ righthanded hitters have been a massive disappointment this season. Of their regular players who hit from the right side, Trea Turner has the highest OPS at .619. Adolis Garcia, signed to be the regular right fielder is batting .203 with four home runs. Despite that weak production, Nick Castellanos has done little to make the Phillies regret releasing him.This shouldn’t be surprising because in aggregate, Castellanos was one of the worst players in baseball during his four years with the team. There would be periods when he looked like the middle of the order bat the Phillies thought they were signing, and he deservedly made the All-Star team in 2023. But those periods were too brief and separated by long stretches when he seemed to do nothing but swing futilely at low and away breaking pitches.There has been plenty written about Castellanos since his release. My impression is that he isn’t an outright bad person or teammate, but he was a diva and me-first guy. He didn’t respect the manager or hitting coach – partly because they didn’t play in the major leagues – and wasn’t especially receptive to coaching. Perhaps most importantly, he wanted to be afforded star treatment by management despite a distinct lack of star results on the field.Thanks in part to Castellanos’ Instagram manifesto, there’s been a narrative that the Phillies “got rid of him for drinking a beer.” I’m sure that was his intention. But it’s clear that he wasn’t just trying to enjoy a cold one after a stressful experience, but rather attempting to blatantly break the rules – and yes, this is an MLB rule – to show how mad he was at the manager who had the audacity to pull him – one of the worst defensive players in the game – for a defensive replacement.Nick Castellanos released notes written to the Phillies and regarding the Miami incident that led to his benching.Via Nick Castellanos’ Instagram#RingTheBellpic.twitter.com/ESOQoJ3RHP— SleeperPhillies (@SleeperPhillies) February 12, 2026It’s interesting that nowhere in Castellanos’ written letter did he mention that he would still be on the team had his play even come close to matching expectations from when he signed. I was never crazy about the signing in the first place because it seemed like an impulse buy, but the Phillies thought they were getting a hitter who would be a great complement to their lefthanded sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.Instead, according to WAR, he was one of the least valuable players in baseball two of his four years with the Phillies. In fairness, much of that negative value came on defense, and when he was signed, I believe the expectation was that he’d spend a decent amount of time at designated hitter. But his offensive numbers weren’t all that great either. Over the four years, his OPS+ was an even 100 which represents an average hitter, which is definitely not what the Phillies thought they were getting after a career best season in 2021.And that’s ultimately the reason he is now an ex-Phillie: His production on the field wasn’t nearly enough to compensate for how much of a pain he apparently was off it. If you’re going to act like a diva, then you’d better play like a star. And you need to be self-aware enough to realize that you’re not playing like a star.Maybe he’s happier in San Diego, but his play on the field hasn’t reflected that. He’s batting just .190 with four home runs, although his play has improved since injuries have forced the Padres into making him their everyday right fielder. He’s even delivered a few clutch moments along the way.NICK CASTELLANOS TIES ITPadres were down to their final strike pic.twitter.com/8XMQduXWGH— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 10, 2026Of course, delivering the occasional clutch hit was never Castellanos’ problem. It was the long stretches in between those clutch moments that was the problem.Being who he is, it feels like a given that Castellanos will hit at least one home run this season. It will be extremely interesting to see how he reacts and what he says after the game when that happens.Pennant year song battleThis feature doesn’t seem to be all that popular, so this may be the last one. But for now, It’s a Mistake by Men at Work continues to hold the crown, getting past Flo Rida’s Right Round.In honor of Memorial Day, this week’s song comes from 1915: I Didn’t Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier by Morton Harvey.Vote for the winner:Additional thought about the seriesI’m somewhat confused how the Padres are doing so well. They’re 31-21 despite underperformances from star players Manny Machado (.608 OPS) and Fernando Tatis (.615 OPS).Manny Machado homered last night against the Dodgers as he looks to get on track this season.Harold highlights how the talented slugger returning to an open stance can result in a breakthrough at the plate ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/W7spqTi6eM— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 20, 2026The Padres have the lowest team batting average in baseball, are next to last in on-base percentage, and third from last in slugging percentage. You’d think that meant they were carried by their pitching staff, but the team ERA is a good, but not amazing .386. They’re outplaying their Pythagorean record by four games, and that makes sense once you see how good the backend of their bullpen has been. Closer Mason Miller has been almost untouchable this season, going 16-16 in save opportunities. Not only has he not blown a save, but he also hasn’t allowed a run in his save opportunities. "I'm actually going to go with [Mason] Miller at this point, I think he's the most valuable player in the league."– @JonHeyman on who he thinks is leading the charge in the NL Cy Young Award race pic.twitter.com/Y5guYVqLGK— MLB Now (@MLBNow) May 13, 2026Setup man Jason Adam has been almost as good, with a .102 ERA in 19 games. And the rest of their bullpen with guys like Bradgley Rodriguez and Wandy Peralta has been solid as well.Basically, the key to beating the Padres is to score early. Because if you are trailing heading into the late innings, you’re probably not going to be making a comeback.

In a forest in Madagascar, the demise of a centuries-old baobab points to the fraying of a fragile ecosystem.