NEW CHANDIGARH: The last time Mohammed Siraj ran in at Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the contest lasted a couple of overs between the two, but somehow managed to capture the mood of this IPL season.After being contemptuously swatted for a six in the first over, and three boundaries in Siraj’s second, the Gujarat Titans pacer banged one in short and hostile and eventually had the 15-year-old undone. In the same innings, Kagiso Rabada too discovered that reputation and pace mean little to a teenager who bats as though consequences are optional.On Friday night at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium here, that duel returns with far greater stakes attached.Qualifier 2 between Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans is not merely a fight for a place in the IPL-2026 final. It feels increasingly like a contest between a polished, system-driven bowling unit and a young batter who is rewriting the emotional tempo of T20 cricket one bat swing at a time.Gujarat Titans arrive bruised after Royal Challengers Bengaluru dismantled their vaunted bowling attack in Qualifier 1. For much of the season, GT’s fast bowlers functioned like a well-drilled pace cartel — Siraj with his skiddy aggression, Rabada with bursts of hostility and Prasidh Krishna extracting awkward bounce. Together, they built GT’s campaign on discipline rather than spectacle.But Sooryavanshi does not appear particularly interested in discipline. His astonishing 97 off 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator felt less like an innings and more like a sporting event unfolding at double speed. Even a legend like Pat Cummins was pulled into the mayhem and every over carried the possibility of public humiliation for the bowler.The challenge for GT is obvious. If Sooryavanshi survives the opening exchanges, the geometry of the game changes rapidly.And yet, Gujarat will believe they have found some clues to get the better of Sooryavanshi. The teenager’s occasional vulnerability against the short ball remains one of the few visible cracks in an otherwise frightening batting profile. Siraj exploited it once; others have too during the tournament. The question is whether GT can persist with that plan without allowing Sooryavanshi room to free his arms square of the wicket.GT assistant coach Parthiv Patel was careful not to reveal tactical specifics but acknowledged the scale of the challenge.“I am not a broadcaster at the moment, so won’t be able to reveal our plans,” Parthiv said with a smile at the pre-match press conference on Thursday. “I am very excited about the way he (Sooryavanshi) is batting. Hopefully, we will be able to get him out early in the game and we will be able to execute our plans.”“But what it is, you will only know when we are on the ground,” he added.Parthiv, like much of the cricketing world, sounded genuinely captivated by the teenager. “The way he is batting, people are liking it. We should not be talking about his age. I think that’s something we need to put an end to. He’s been a phenomenal talent just the way he’s been playing. And it’s great to see him; and just from the opposition point of view, we hope that he doesn’t get too many runs,” Parthiv said.Rajasthan Royals, increasingly, are being powered by two forces — Sooryavanshi’s slam bang at the top and Jofra Archer’s thunderbolts with the ball. In fact, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s quieter contributions have almost disappeared behind the glare created by his teenage opening partner.GT, meanwhile, remain structurally dependent on consistency. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan build innings with precision, Jos Buttler supplies acceleration and the bowlers usually squeeze opponents into errors. It is cricket played with method rather than chaos.Parthiv defended that approach strongly despite criticism following their heavy loss to RCB. “We know what kind of cricket we want to play,” he said. “We trust in our ability. We know what we can do. Since GT’s inception, four out of five years, we have qualified (for the playoffs). The results are there for everyone to see.”

Five Drury softball players were announced as part of the 2026 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team on Tuesday, May 26.Kaley Adzick earned her first Academic All-District honor after posting a strong 2026 campaign that netted the senior a Second-Team All-GLVC selection. The Ballwin product finished her collegiate career with two all-conference citations, while topping the 100-career hit milestone. She also logged more than 300 innings pitched, 200 strikeouts and 30 pitching victories in her career. In her three years with Drury, Adzick held a 2.75 ERA — the sixth-best in program history — along with 22 wins and 180 strikeouts, ranking seventh and eighth all-time, respectively. Her 2.00 ERA this season ranks as the fifth-best single-season mark in program history.Sophomore shortstop Reece Anderson was also as selected to her first CSC Academic All-District team. The Willard native reset the program record for single-season assists with 170, surpassing her mark from last season (160). Entering postseason play, Anderson led the nation in assists.Senior third baseman Gabrielle Bax picked up Academic All-District recognition for the first time as a Panther. The Jefferson City product posted 142 assists this season, the 10th most in the nation. Bax finished her Drury career with 229 assists, the seventh-best total in program history. This season, Bax clinched the Panthers' berth in the GLVC Tournament with a walk-off single against Southwest Baptist.Junior outfielder Landry Cochrane was named to a CSC Academic All-District team for the second time in her career. The Carthage native recorded six triples this season, the second-most in Drury single-season history. She will enter her senior year with eight career triples, which ranks as the No. 4 total in program history. Cochrane was named an NFCA Top Performer of the Week on two occasions this season.Third-Team All-GLVC pitcher Jordyn Foley was named a CSC Academic All-District honoree for the first time after posting 15 wins in the circle for Drury this spring. That total represents the fifth-best in DU history. Foley also eclipsed the 100-career strikeout mark this season. The Ozark native threw the program's seventh no-hitter with an 11-strikeout performance against Quincy.The 2026 CSC Academic All-District Softball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes softball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA.To be eligible for this honor, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher and achieve success on the field throughout the season. Student-athletes must also be at least a sophomore academically and athletically.Drury posted a 27-29 record this season, ending in the GLVC Tournament as one of the final four teams standing for the second consecutive season.This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Five Drury softball players earn academic honors

The losses sting, surely. But for the Marist University softball team, there is quite the silver lining.Despite falling in each of its two games in the NCAA Tournament's Lubbock Regional, Marist softball had yet another historic season on the diamond. Winning the MAAC championship for the third time in the past four seasons, the Red Foxes are making a name for themselves on the national stage.On the national stage, Marist has gained recognition. It is a bit of a name brand in the softball world after squaring off with a national power like Texas Tech."I've gotten more emails from Texas kids in the past month than I had in the past 18 years," said Red Foxes head coach Joe Ausanio, whose team played the 2025 regional in College Station, Texas. "It's definitely a testament to the current kids on the team that they're representing Marist University well and that, when they're on that big stage, they're competing.Reaching the NCAA Tournament so regularly has helped the school and the program's marketability, although to Marist's coach, advertising the institution has never seemed like a hard task."Honestly, I think it's pretty easy to sell Marist. When you look at all the accolades Marist gets, they're rated in the Princeton Review as one of the best colleges in the northeast," he said. "Ther aree so many things where Marist kind of sells itself ... for me, this is about preparing kids for the next 40 years and not just the next four."More: Metzger and Murray guide Marist to next round in NCAA TournamentBefore the postseason run, the program was impressing in front of large audiences all year. That includes a 2-1 victory over then-No. 22 South Carolina back in February.Overall, the Red Foxes followed an all-time 2025 season (48-9-1 with one NCAA tourney victory) with a lesser, but albeit still impressive 2026 campaign. Marist finished the season with a 37-21 record, going 24-3 in MAAC play and boasting a 17-2 home record.Peyton Pusey earned herself a MAAC Player of the Year award and All-MAAC first-team selection. Senior Haley Ahr earned All-MAAC first team honors as well, while underclassmen Sienna Kunze and Annabelle Geiser were tabbed to the second team. Marist also saw Livia Wiltsie grab a spot on the All-Rookie team."Last year we had an all-star team, we were so talented across the board and such a senior-laden team ... to continue what we've built with seven freshman and a transfer, I think that was a pleasant surprise," Ausanio said. "We almost didn't skip a beat."Adding to the accolades, Ausanio was named MAAC Coach of the Year for the third straight season and the sixth time in his career at Marist. While incredibly grateful for the individual honor, he wants to make sure it's known that he doesn't win the award without the effort the whole program has put in."It may sound cliché but, to me, a coach of the year award is a team award," he said. "I have assistant coaches who help do a lot and we have great players that make us good coaches. When they buy in to what you're trying to do and they do all the right things, not only on the field but in the classroom as well, it just makes my job so much easier and this year was by far the most fun to coach that I've had."More: NY school district calls for separate playoffs for public, non-public teamsAusanio has assembled character- and personality-driven teams in his time with the Red Foxes. It doesn't hurt that they also collect some wins along the way.This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Marist softball looks to build off exposure of another NCAA Tournament

Why Jose Mourinho was really in Berlin as Michael Olise rumours swirlJose Mourinho was not specifically attending the DFB Pokal final to observe Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.The Portuguese head coach, who will lead Real Madrid next term, was present in Berlin at Fabian Wohlgemuth’s invitation.The France international has been heavily linked with Los Blancos ahead of the summer transfer window.Jose Mourinho was not in Berlin for Michael OliseOne might imagine that Mourinho would not have been disappointed to additionally take a closer look at Olise in action for FC Bayern!However, we understand at CF Bayern Insider that this was not the main purpose of the former Chelsea boss’s trip to the German capital.“It is NOT TRUE: Jose Mourinho was at the Olympiastadion to watch Michael Olise for Real Madrid,” Christian Falk exclusively informed CF Bayern Insider.“There was a really big rumour around, as everyone was thinking, ‘What is Mourinho doing there?’ Indeed, he was not there on his own, nor was he there at the request of Bayern Munich. The Portuguese head coach was invited by VfB Stuttgart! “The board member for sport, Fabian Wohlgemuth, has a close connection with Gestifute, Mourinho’s agency, and wanted to invite the Real Madrid coach to meet him and, perhaps, have talks about a few players from Stuttgart. Angelo Stiller, it’s worth noting, is still on the radar at Real Madrid. Perhaps he’s one reason. “It was nice, of course, for Mourinho that he could see Michael Olise in Bayern’s fabulous red jersey. But in the end, Uli Hoeneß, the godfather of Bayern Munich, made it clear that Mourinho can come five times again to see the Frenchman play, but he won’t sign him!”The Bavarian champions secured a 3-0 win against VfB Stuttgart at the Olympiastadion to secure the DFB Pokal trophy and confirm a domestic double.Want more CF Bayern Insider coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trustThe first time FC Bayern secured the achievement since Hansi Flick’s reign.Michael Olise has catapulted himself into the eliteYou could entirely forgive Jose Mourinho for keeping at least one eye trained on Michael Olise at all times.Since his £50m move from Crystal Palace, the France international has been quickly moulded into an elite-level winger.The numbers speak for themselves. 96 goal contributions (42 goals and 54 assists) in 107 games, at a rate of one goal or assist every 81.84 minutes.* Michael Olise’s comparative stats (correct as of 27/05/26), courtesy of TransfermarktIt’s a significant improvement in a relatively short space of time – and one that signals that this is a player well and truly catapulted into the £100m+ category.However, judging by Uli Hoeneß’s comments about Liverpool’s prior reported interest in Olise, not even €200m [£173.2m] will be enough to prise the right-sided winger out of Munich this summer.

Chelsea extend keeper Spencer’s deal by additional yearChelsea have opted to extend the contract of goalkeeper Becky Spencer by a further year.WSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from The Blues this morning.The 35-year-old Jamaican international stopper was set to be out of contract at Stamford Bridge this summer but Chelsea have taken up a one-year extension option in the player’s contract.Spencer is in her second spell with Chelsea. She initially represented the club between 2016 and 2018 before returning on a short-term loan deal from Tottenham Hotspur in March 2025. Chelsea re-acquired her services on a permanent basis last summer.In her two spells with the South West Londoners, Spencer has won three league titles, two Adobe Women’s FA Cups and two Subway Women’s League Cups. She briefly represented the team in last season’s domestic treble-winning campaign.Since returning to Chelsea, Spencer has provided competition in the club’s goalkeeping department. She has also shared her wealth of experience with the younger members of the squad. The player is highly thought of by The Blues and the club have therefore moved to extend her contract into 2026/2027.Spencer is currently competing with Chelsea at the World Sevens event which is being held in Brentford.

Report: Barcelona eyeing move for £45m Arsenal starBarcelona Eye Piero Hincapie as Arsenal Face Defensive Transfer TestBarcelona’s interest in Piero Hincapie feels like one of those transfer stories that quickly reveals how a club truly values a player. According to the Daily Mail, the Spanish champions are weighing up an approach for the Arsenal defender, while also accepting that any deal would be difficult to complete.That difficulty is obvious. Arsenal signed Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen last summer on loan, with an option to buy worth £45million and a 10 percent sell-on clause. Should that clause be activated, a five year contract has already been agreed. For a player who has settled, adapted and contributed across a high pressure campaign, that looks less like a gamble and more like smart squad building.Hincapie Value Clear in Arsenal’s Title PushHincapie has made 38 appearances as Arsenal stand close to a potential Premier League and Champions League double. That volume matters. He has not been a fringe figure waiting for scraps. He has been used at centre-back and left-back, offering Mikel Arteta the type of defensive security elite squads require.Arteta’s trust is also telling. The report notes that when he asked Xabi Alonso about Hincapie, the new Chelsea boss described him as ‘a warrior who would run through walls for you’. That line captures why Barcelona are interested, and why Arsenal may be reluctant to let the Ecuador international go.Photo IMAGOArteta Stance Signals Arsenal IntentAsked about taking up the option to sign Hincapie permanently, Arteta said: ‘I would say so. Let’s go through the season. We have already discussed the possible outcomes that we have after that period. But so far, we are very, very happy with him.’That is not a definitive announcement, but it sounds like a manager who sees genuine value. Arsenal’s defensive structure has been central to their progress, and Hincapie gives them balance, aggression and tactical flexibility.Barcelona Test Could Shape Summer StrategyBarcelona sporting director Deco is understood to be searching for a left-sided centre-back, and Hincapie fits the profile. He is 24, physically strong, technically comfortable and already tested in major fixtures. The issue for Barcelona is that Arsenal appear to hold the cleaner route to securing him.There is, however, a wider squad-building question. Arsenal want upgrades at full-back and in attack, while Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez is also admired by the Gunners, Paris St Germain and Barcelona. The Daily Mail adds that “a couple of financial sacrifices may be required along the way”, with Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard named as possible departures.Jesus, though, reportedly wants to see out his contract, while interested clubs have been told bids above £18million would be required.Arsenal’s decision on Hincapie should therefore be read as more than a defensive call. It will show whether Arteta views him as part of the next phase, or as a valuable asset in a summer where ambition may require difficult choices.Our View – EPL Index AnalysisFrom an Arsenal perspective, this feels like a situation the club must handle with real care. Hincapie has not arrived as a headline superstar, yet his importance has grown because he solves several problems at once. He can cover Gabriel, support the left side, step into physical games and give Arteta options without weakening the whole structure.Barcelona’s interest is flattering, but it should not automatically change Arsenal’s plan. If the option is £45million, and the contract is already agreed, Arsenal may struggle to find better value in today’s market. Left-sided defenders with pace, aggression and composure are expensive. Ones who already understand the system are even harder to replace.There is also a message here. Arsenal are no longer a club that should develop players for others to cherry-pick. If Hincapie is happy, and Arteta is “very, very happy with him”, then the sensible move is to complete the deal and build from strength.Financial sacrifices may be needed, but supporters would probably look first at fringe attackers before sacrificing defensive depth. Titles are won by elite squads, not only elite elevens. Hincapie looks like part of that.

NEW CHANDIGARH: Pat Cummins had a plan. Of course he did. He’s Pat Cummins, multiple World Cup winner, one of the shrewdest operators the game has produced, a man who has spent a career thinking two steps ahead of the batsman. Before the IPL-2026 Eliminator, he would’ve sat in meetings, reviewed footage and drawn margins on what he could and couldn’t do.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi walked out at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium here on Wednesday evening and turned Cummins’s plans and SRH’s entire bowling attack into something resembling a video game simulation.Twenty-nine balls, 97 runs, 12 sixes. A strike-rate of 334.48. Sooryavanshi batted like he has never been told what is impossible. That, perhaps, is the most startling thing about him. Not the 97 off 29, not the 12 sixes, not even the audacity of taking on Pat Cummins as if he was a club bowler serving gentle throwdowns. It is the complete absence of baggage in his batting. No hesitation. No inherited fear. No reverence once the bowler starts running in.What makes the phenomenon an outlier is his age, just 15. Fifteen-year-olds are supposed to be intimidated by packed stadiums and elite fast bowling. They are supposed to survive tournaments, not dominate them. Sooryavanshi, meanwhile, has made 680 runs at a strike-rate touching 243 and broken Chris Gayle’s record for most sixes in an IPL season. Gayle needed 456 balls for his 59 sixes in 2012. Sooryavanshi flew past him in barely 266 deliveries. The ‘boy wonder’ now has 65 maximums to his credit out of which 42 have come against pacers.Dhruv Jurel, his teammate and himself in tremendous form this season, put it perfectly when he said, “When we go to an academy, we’re told ‘Don’t watch the bowler, watch the ball’. As 17-year-olds, we always watch the bowler, (and think) he’s a big name. But really, he (Sooryavanshi) just watches the ball. That’s all. His mantra is ‘I don’t give a damn about any bowler’. He just wants to play the ball.”Names like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Kagiso Rabada, Pat Cummins, to Sooryavanshi they are simply men running towards him with a ball and their reputation in his internal landscape is irrelevant data.“The best thing about Vaibhav that I have noticed is that he doesn’t plan anything because he practices a lot and he always backs himself. That’s what he does every time he goes out and plays. He doesn’t even have a shadow of doubt that ‘I am not able to do it’,” Jurel added.James Franklin, SRH’s assistant coach, said something that will stay with anyone who heard it. “I don’t think anyone’s ever seen a talent like this. It’s freakish what he is doing at the moment. To think that he has potentially got 25 years left in a career is quite scary. And he is only going to get better,” Franklin said.When Sooryavanshi was asked about his 97 — about falling three runs short of what would have been the fastest-ever century in IPL — he was entirely unbothered. “My only focus was on contributing as much as I could because centuries will keep happening, but right now the focus is on how to win the trophy,” he said.Interestingly, Royals skipper Riyan Parag underlined the “management philosophy” for Sooryavanshi: “do nothing, leave him alone and let him have fun”. “We don’t have any conversations,” Parag said. “He likes batting, so we get him a lot of batting practice at the nets and stuff like that. And then he goes out and does his thing.”Indian cricket has always produced prodigies. Sachin Tendulkar arrived at 16 carrying the weight of national expectations. Virat Kohli brought fury and edge. Sooryavanshi feels different from them. And this is where Indian cricket must be careful. India has a habit of turning gifted teenagers into national obsessions before they have learned how to breathe between innings. The noise will only grow louder after this IPL.Maybe, the real task for the stakeholders of Indian cricket is to preserve the innocence, preserve the lightness, because this lightness is what is making what we are watching now extraordinary.

“I’m actually a really analytical person.”Madison Haley is speaking about decision-making, and the Brighton & Hove Albion and American striker’s tone suggests she’s had to mount this defence before.From where The Athletic sits — across a Zoom camera six days after Haley helped Brighton to a first-ever major final in the club’s history — Haley’s analysis skills seem perfectly sufficient.She’s a graduate of Stanford University with a master’s degree in Sustainability Science and Practice. She’s a two-time NCAA National Championship winner with Stanford, a three-time PAC Conference title winner, a CoSIDA Academic All-America first-teamer, a three-time Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Rollee, the current top-ranking striker in Australia’s A-League for goals per minute thanks to the 11 goals in 15 matches for Sydney FC she scored between October 2022 and June 2023 to clinch the A-League title.A few weeks ago, Haley managed to score against Arsenal, Manchester City (twice) and Liverpool in the space of five weeks, sending the Women’s Super League (WSL) title race into momentary paroxysms and Brighton into the history books.But Haley knows better than anyone that people have opinions on her career, specifically her decision to forgo the NWSL College Draft in 2021, despite being selected seventh overall by Chicago Red Stars, to pursue her master’s, before following up that decision a year later with a move halfway across the globe to Australia.It’s generally at this stage when the unsolicited opinions arrive, the belated personal advice of others imagining the fit of her shoes. Had Haley accepted her seventh draft pick in 2021 — alongside Emily Fox (drafted No 1 overall), Trinity Rodman (No 2), Yazmeen Ryan (No 6), Tara McKeown (No 8) and Sam Coffey (12) — perhaps she might’ve forced herself more bullishly into the USWNT first-team bubble ahead of next year’s World Cup.Perhaps the move to Australia — to a league ranked No 1 in Asia but 16th globally and operating 14 to 19 hours ahead of the States — pushed her even further into the periphery.And while her dream had always been to one day play in the WSL, maybe joining Brighton — a team that had just finished second from bottom with its fourth manager of the season upon her arrival in 2023 — was still a little too plucky for an aspiring USWNT international.“You can look and everything is better in hindsight,” Haley says. “Obviously, I’ve seen a lot of my teammates and their careers take off in different ways. But I’ve been happy I’ve done something different. I’ve done it my own way. I’m really enjoying this journey over here in the WSL, which I think is one of the best leagues in the world. So I’m very, very happy with my decisions.”If there is a thread that runs through Haley’s trophied but unconventional career path, it is a fast faith in her decision-making.That infectious conviction has been nurtured from the start. Despite being the youngest of four siblings growing up in Dallas, Texas, with five-time Super Bowl winner Charles Haley as a father, Haley relished the freedom to pave her own path.“I remember getting asked that question all the time, particularly when I was growing up: ‘How involved is your dad? Does he coach you and all of that?’” Haley says with audible weariness.“I’m always like, ‘He’s not really involved.’ And that’s always surprising to people. But, for one, it’s a different sport. Soccer isn’t American football. So my dad didn’t know it even in general terms. He still asks me questions.“But growing up, he was always adamant about me owning my journey and having the accountability to push myself. He’d say, ‘I’ll do anything to help you. I’ll get you with the right people, but it’s not going to be me that is telling you what to do because it’s not my expertise.’“So I feel like everything happened really organically. This definitely wasn’t like a Project Haaland or Project Mbappe that you see parents doing now.”The methodology proved more than fruitful. Haley passion for football blossomed, leading her to Ursuline High School in Dallas, a soccer powerhouse with whom she claimed a 24th state title, before being recruited by Stanford in 2017.While Haley was attracted initially by Stanford’s education standards, she quickly learned the sporting pressure cooker to which she was committing.“Andi Sullivan was our captain, who’s been on the national team,” Haley recalls. “She was also my freshman-year roommate in pre-season, so I learned very quickly. But there was also Alana Cook, Tierna Davidson.“Immediately the sense was get in there, work hard, get your head down and get down to business.”Triumph in the 2017 NCAA title further impressed upon her the weight of the program, as did defeat to Florida State University in the 2018 final. But it was the 2019 Stanford class, armed with Haley and future USWNT stars Naomi Girma, Sophia Wilson and Catarina Macario, that announced themselves to the wider American soccer scene with Stanford reclaiming the NCAA title in a penalty shootout against the University of North Carolina in a season that saw them go undefeated.Haley was instrumental that season, scoring 11 goals and providing 14 assists to finish as the second-highest goal scorer that season alongside Wilson (Macario led the team with 32 goals).“I just think it was Stanford,” Haley says when asked about what clicked that season. “From the first minute that you’re there, you buy in. It’s clear what the expectations are. There’s no other option but to win.”The nature of that season is perhaps why some found it so surprising when Haley deferred the NWSL draft in 2021, instead opting to pursue a fifth year at Stanford to complete her master’s degree after the Covid-19 pandemic curtailed her final year of playing eligibility.“For me, it was never really a question,” Haley says. What became a question was what she would do after her fifth year. The NWSL beckoned and many assumed she would re-enter the draft. But playing in Europe had long been a dream and Haley again chose to pursue the unexpected path, joining Sydney FC before moving to the WSL the following season.It is at Brighton that Haley has arguably grown the most. Injury in her first season made gathering any momentum a struggle, as did Brighton’s rotating carousel of managers, seeing Haley finished the season with just one goal and one assist from 13 WSL appearances.The arrival of Dario Vidosic, whom Haley played against while Sydney FC, signalled a moment of change for both player and club. The Australian coach brought stability and clarity to a programme in lurch but also a sense of purpose and intensity to those involved as Brighton finished the season with their record points total in the top flight (28) while finishing fifth overall.For Haley, the season still brought challenges. Despite finding more opportunities in starting roles midway through the season, the opportunities arrived out wide rather than her preference of through the middle. Injury at the end of the season again stymied her momentum, limiting her to just one goal and two assists in 20 appearances.“There was obviously a lot of learning,” Haley says. “But I knew deep down that if I could string together that consistency on the pitch, on the training pitch and in games, that there’s a certain level I could reach.“I think I’m seeing that now. I wish I would have seen it earlier.”Indeed, this season has returned Haley to a more familiar momentum, scoring seven goals and providing three assists in a season that has seen Brighton go from strength to strength, searing past Arsenal and then Liverpool to reach the FA Cup final, while claiming a scalp against WSL title winners Manchester City and points against Manchester United and Arsenal.“This season, particularly this run that we’ve had the last couple of months, people are turning their heads,” Haley says.“We were disappointed early in the season not to get some of the results when the performances were there.“We knew we could tidy up in key moments and string together some consistency to compete against anyone. And we’ve been showing that.”In many ways, Haley’s own trajectory this season mirrors that of Brighton, both finding consistency and, in many ways, vindication in the decisions made to reach this point.Neither will rest contently. “Even now I’m not happy,” Haley. “I always want more. I know I can do more. I expect that for myself. I want to be smashing in the goals left and right, left and right every week.”The prospect of doing so naturally inspires questions of representing the USWNT. Called up to a training camp following her electric 2019 campaign, Haley hasn’t been called up since nor made a senior appearance.“It’s not even something I can really be disappointed because I knew I need to perform for my club before I can even think about that,” Haley says. “It’s always been full focus on performing for Brighton. And if I can do that and I can do that across a period of time and at a high level, then that opportunity will come.“It would mean everything for me and for my family to have that opportunity, but ultimately at the end of the day, all I can do is keep doing what I’m doing and try to finish the season as strong as I can with Brighton, just keep giving everything and hopefully I’ll get an opportunity.”For now, Haley’s focus rests on the FA Cup final, a trip to Wembley, the arrival of her family to Brighton. But Haley is far from satisfied. “I’m already ready for next season.”This article originally appeared in The Athletic.Brighton & Hove Albion WFC, Women's Soccer2026 The Athletic Media Company

Manchester United’s valuation of Mateus Fernandes comes to lightManchester United enjoyed a strong end to the season under Michael Carrick, finishing third in the Premier League and securing qualification for next season’s Champions League. The English manager transformed the team upon his arrival in January, initially in a caretaker role, embarking on a run of 12 wins and just two defeats in 17 games. His efforts earned him the permanent position last week, but Carrick will be expected to build on the recent rise and step up to an even higher level next season. Understandably, the Red Devils are preparing for a summer of reinforcements, with midfield emerging as the primary area of focus. Recent reports suggest that the English giants are close to securing the services of Atalanta’s Ederson, but he is unlikely to be the only midfielder to arrive at the Theatre of Dreams this summer. United are preparing for life after Casemiro, and possibly Manuel Ugarte, and are also eyeing several Premier League-proven candidates for the role.The Red Devils’ priority target, Elliot Anderson, could be on his way to Manchester City. Among the other midfielders on United’s wish list for the job is Mateus Fernandes.United to take advantage of West Ham’s relegationWest Ham United were relegated to the Championship this season, adding to speculation regarding the futures of several of their stars. The Hammers struggled to impress this campaign, yet Fernandes, who arrived in London last summer from Southampton, managed to stand out. The Portuguese registered five goals and four assists in 39 appearances in all competitions this season for West Ham, all but one of which were starts. Mateus Fernandes Stats: 2025/26 SeasonSource: Transfermarkt. A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person suggested that Fernandes is prioritising a move to Old Trafford this summer. It has also been reported that the London club want £80 million for 21 year old, although a deal could be possible for £60 million. An update on the situation has now emerged.United value Fernandes at £50 millionAccording to Flashscore, United value Fernandes at £50 million and are already assessing the possibility of a deal. The report states: “Flashscore understands United want to sign three midfield players during the transfer window and 21-year-old Fernandes has emerged as one of the names under serious consideration.”“There is belief that Fernandes will become available on the market and United are looking to understand the terms he could be signed for. They value him in the region of £50 million, and want to assess whether a reasonable deal can be completed.”The report confirms that West Ham United will attempt to ignite a bidding war for their prized asset, with Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) also in the picture. The report states that United are determined not to overpay in the market and that approach could affect their pursuit of long-term target Carlos Baleba, adding: “United are determined not to overpay in the market and that stance could affect their pursuit of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, who remains a player they very much admire if Brighton soften their £100 million valuation.”Final ThoughtsUnited must take advantage of West Ham’s relegation to secure the services of Fernandes. The Portuguese midfielder matches the age profile INEOS have targeted of late, and has a very high ceiling, so the Red Devils cannot afford to miss out on him. Featured image Clive Rose via Getty Imagesonline pollsThe Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

It's finally happening! Meet Liverpool's next Steven GerrardA new Liverpool wonderkid very much looks like the next Steven Gerrard and he's on his way to the first-team soon. Liverpool’s former number eight was the definition of what the club is all about.He had everything fans love to see in a player - passion, leadership, fight, and unbelievable quality on the ball. He wasn’t just a great midfielder, he was someone who could completely change the mood of a game on his own, which is why he became such an iconic figure at Anfield.What made him special was how much he influenced every part of the match. He could fly into tackles, break up attacks, slow the game down when needed, or drive Liverpool forward with pure determination. In the biggest moments, he always seemed to step up and inspire the players around him.There were so many times when he carried the team through difficult matches almost by himself. His leadership was obvious every time he played, but it was often his moments of brilliance that people remember most.Whenever he shaped to shoot from long range, there was a real feeling that something special could happen. He had that rare ability to hit the ball with both incredible power and accuracy, making stunning goals look almost effortless.Whether it was a thunderous strike into the top corner or a curling shot from outside the box, he consistently produced goals that left supporters speechless.The biggest thing was the timing of those moments. His best goals nearly always arrived in huge games - title races, famous European nights, and major cup finals when Liverpool needed him most.If you’re a young midfielder coming through Liverpool’s academy, comparisons to Steven Gerrard are almost impossible to avoid.Over the years, plenty of talented youngsters have been called the “next Gerrard.” Players like Jay Spearing, Jordan Rossiter, and several others all had that label attached to them at some stage during their development.But the truth is, nobody can really recreate what Gerrard did at Liverpool. His impact on the club was unique, and for a lot of supporters, he’s still considered the greatest player to ever wear the shirt.That said, every so often a young player comes along who shows flashes of the same qualities that made Gerrard so special. It’s not about copying him exactly, but more the personality on the pitch — the confidence, the intensity, and the ability to grab hold of a game when it matters most.Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold both gave fans that feeling as they broke into the first team. Being local lads with huge talent only made supporters connect with them even more, and there were moments where they reminded people of Gerrard in the way they carried themselves.Now, there’s another young talent starting to create that same kind of excitement around the club. It’s still early days, but there’s already a growing sense that Liverpool could have another special academy product on their hands.Let's us introduce you to Luca Eden. It's not often that a 14-year-old breaks a record at a club of the Reds' prestige but Eden can put himself in this category.Last year at just 14 years and 263 days old, Eden broke the record for making an appearance for Liverpool at U18 level. He became the youngest to ever represent the Reds at that level.Earlier this year in January, Eden then also became the youngest player to score for Liverpool at this level when he netted against Burnley.Despite being so young, he made 10 appearances in total and became a regular for Liverpool's young side in the U18 Premier League, which is a massive sign of his talent considering he's still only 15-years-old.Eden also captains England at U15 level and he recently registered an assist against Brazil. Clips of him from that game show the type of player he is and if you watch them you will see a player very similar to Gerrard.In terms of his playing style Eden is a technically gifted midfielder. He is very tenacious and aggressive. He's good at using his body and winning his physical battles, and duels.On top of that, he has a fantastic shooting range on him and has scored some spectacular goals from outside the box.In many ways he is similar to Steven Gerrard. Obviously, there is still a long way to go for him but his playing style is very much like that of Gerrard, he plays just like him really, so he could become a fan favourite.His a name to keep a close eye on.

Nathaniel Brown responds to Bayern linksEintracht Frankfurt left-back Nathaniel Brown has addressed speculation linking him with a potential summer move to FC Bayern Munich, saying he currently wants to focus fully on the upcoming World Cup with Germany.“I read about it too, of course, but right now I want to focus on the World Cup. I’ll see what comes after that later. For now, my full focus is on the World Cup,” Brown told Abendzeitung.The 22-year-old went on to stress that he is well settled at Eintracht Frankfurt and happy with life in the city.“I feel great in Frankfurt. I have friends there, I'm really settled in, and am enjoying it.,” the defender said, adding that he is under contract until 2030.It's been suggested that Eintracht Frankfurt would demand a fee of around €60 million to consider a sale of the left-back, who has also been linked with clubs in England.He scored four goals and provided six assists for Eintracht in the 2025/26 season.

DUSSELDORF, GERMANY - OCTOBER 24: (M) Klara Bühl of Germany celebrates her team's first goal with her Teammates during the Women's Nations League 2025 Semi-Final first leg match between Germany and France at Düsseldorf Arena on October 24, 2025 in Dusseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Jan Fromme - firo sportphoto/Getty Images) | Getty Images Germany has released its women’s national team roster for the final two group stage matches of Women’s World Cup Qualifying next month. The matches will be played against Norway (June 5th, in Köln) and away to Slovenia (June 9th, in Ljubljana).From the DFB homepage:GoalkeepersAnn-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC)Stina Johannes (VfL Wolfsburg)Ena Mahmutović (Bayern Munich)DefendersKathrin Hendrich (Chicago Stars)Sophia Kleinherne (VfL Wolfsburg)Rebecca Knaak (Manchester City)Camilla Küver (VfL Wolfsburg)Sarai Linder (VfL Wolfsburg)Marie Müller (Portland Thorns)Carlotta Wamser (Bayer Leverkusen)Midfielders/AttackersJule Brand (Lyon)Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich)Selina Cerci (TSG Hoffenheim)Linda Dallmann (Bayern Munich)Vivien Endemann (VfL Wolfsburg)Lisanne Gräwe (Eintracht Frankfurt)Melissa Kössler (Denver Summit)Shekiera Martinez (West Ham United)Janina Minge (VfL Wolfsburg)Larissa Mühlhaus (SV Werder Bremen)Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea)Lea Schüller (Manchester United)Elisa Senß (Eintracht Frankfurt)It is a welcome comeback for quartet Bühl, Kleinherne, Hendrich, and Müller following injuries as well as an intriguing return for Kössler, the former Hoffenheim forward who has four NWSL goals to her name since moving to Denver in January. Bayern full-backs Giulia Gwinn — normally the Germany captain — and Franziska Kett are both missing out due to injury. Kett was a part of the original call-ups but has not been replaced in the squad, per OneFootball. Frankfurt forward Nicole Anyomi is also absent.As captured via the DFB site, head coach Christian Wück shared his thoughts on the home stretch.“Our goal is clear: we want to finish top of this group and qualify directly for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. We will give everything in the upcoming games to make that happen – with maximum focus, passion and team spirit,” Wück said. “Of course, missing those injured players is a blow for us. At the same time, we know others will step up and take responsibility. We have great faith in this squad and in every single player. Everyone knows what is at stake, and we know the team is ready to secure World Cup qualification.”Germany sits top of the group with 10 points from four matches, having drawn 0-0 to Austria in April, but Norway is just behind at nine. If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor… Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

Photo by WWE/Getty ImagesWWE have been much more open to hosting events outside of the United States in recent years, especially in Europe.This coming Sunday will see WWE host Clash in Italy, with Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu among the notable matches announced for the card.In the lead up to the Premium Live Event, the company are on a small tour of Europe, most recently putting on a house show in Liverpool, England, where Cody Rhodes has now teased that WWE ‘should’ do a PLE.Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty ImagesCody Rhodes teases WWE Clash in LiverpoolWWE scrapped house shows during TKO’s ownership of the company, but they have been brought back recently.At the latest show, Rhodes has been filmed speaking to the Liverpool crowd after his match.When doing so, he praised how loud the fans were and even went as far as to say the next instalment of WWE’s ‘Clash in…’ PLE should be on Merseyside.In the video shared by WrestleTalk on X/Twitter, he said: “You guys [the Liverpool crowd] sound great. We should be doing Clash in Liverpool. Maybe next year.”WWE’s first-ever PLE (previously known as pay-per-views) in the United Kingdom saw SummerSlam held at Wembley in 1992.After many years away from the UK, WWE eventually returned to host Clash at the Castle in Cardiff back in 2022.In England, their most recent PLE was Money in the Bank 2023, which was held in London, while Liverpool have never hosted a PLE/PPV in their history.Will the UK ever host a WrestleMania?While having another ‘Clash in…’ PLE held in the UK would be a positive for fans, they would no doubt much prefer to finally see WrestleMania on their own turf.WWE are set to host WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia, so they are seemingly more willing to put on their marquee event away from the United States.Whether or not it will ever happen in the UK remains to be seen, but Rhodes has previously said he wanted it to happen ‘within five years’ when speaking back in 2024.As per the BBC, he stated: “If I’m aiming, it would be cool to get it [in the UK] in the next five years.“There’s some really big venues over here that could host a WrestleMania. I think American fans would jump at the chance to come to a WrestleMania [overseas], whether that be in Manchester or London, I think they’d go nuts for it.”Read more:Every confirmed match for WWE Clash in Italy including Roman Reigns vs Jacob FatuJake Paul and WWE’s Rhea Ripley react to Logan Paul’s ‘crazy’ post-surgery photosWWE talent urges Ronda Rousey to have more fights after 17-second MMA victory

Tottenham close in on signing Bournemouth starTottenham are close to agreeing a deal for Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi, according to the BBC. Senesi is out of contract with Bournemouth this summer and Tottenham are nearing a deal for the Argentinian centre-back. Senesi played 37 of Bournemouth’s 38 league games, starting every single one of them. Centre-back is a position where Tottenham need to strengthen, given the likely departure of captain Cristian Romero. Senesi joined the Cherries from Dutch side Feyenoord in 2022, and has played 128 games for the club. Alongside this transfer, Tottenham are also close to signing Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, also on a free transfer.

Monaco near agreement with Ansu FatiSpeaking in April, Ansu Fati’s (23) father, Bori, stated that his son’s wish was to remain at AS Monaco, where he thrived on loan last season. Nice-Matin now understands that an agreement between the Spaniard and the Principality club is close.Fati’s loan from Barcelona to Monaco included a buy option worth €11m. Reports in France have suggested that the Principality club have been inclined to trigger that option, however, the stumbling block came in the form of Fati’s wages. This season, Monaco have been paying 50% of those wages, with his parent club paying the other half. His salary at the La Liga side was worth €500,000 per month. It is a figure that Monaco cannot match.Les Monégasques have been in talks to find an agreement with the Spain international, with the club keen to trigger the buy option. And Nice-Matin now understands that an agreement on personal terms is close. GFFN | Luke Entiwstle

Motorsport photoRed Bull boss Laurent Mekies is confident the FIA will implement the power unit changes required for Max Verstappen to stay heading into the 2027 Formula 1 campaign.The four-time world champion has been a huge critic of F1’s contentious regulation overhaul for 2026, featuring a near-50:50 split between engine and electrical power.But the FIA is trying to implement a 60-40 split for 2027, a change Verstappen agrees with, yet Audi, Ferrari and Honda are all believed to have voted against it - hoping to delay the move until 2028.It has put the switch at jeopardy, given a supermajority amongst manufacturers is needed, and has caused Verstappen to reignite his threats to quit F1 amid his ongoing GT3 commitments. Read Also: Max Verstappen: "Not doable" to stay in F1 if rules aren't improved for 2027 Mekies reckons the power unit suppliers will eventually come together for the wider good, however, meaning Verstappen should go into the final year of his contract - 2028 - at Red Bull.“I’m optimistic we’ll find the right solutions,” said the Frenchman. “So, I’m optimistic we’ll find a majority of people agreeing on improving the race.“Because when it comes to what matters for the sport, I think at some stage we will all put on the side what we feel it may or may not do to our relative competitiveness to do a step in the right direction for the sport.“I think ultimately we’ll get to that point.”Max Verstappen, Red Bull RacingMax Verstappen, Red Bull RacingThe FIA plans to implement the switch by increasing the fuel flow and tank capacity, alongside reducing energy deployment, yet the hardware power unit changes come with financial obstacles.But Mekies reckons “I don’t think the amount of investment is relevant compared to the size of the sport.“So, I think, let me put it this way, we should fix it once for all and not have this as a recurring topic,” he added.“We see a fantastic battle on the track. There is a lot of positive and a lot of great aspects with what we are seeing. I think there is a part that we want to improve and we should do it once for all.” Read Also: Red Bull reacts to Max Verstappen’s criticism – why ‘I told you’ moments are needed To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 06: Josko Gvardiol of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their side's second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Sunderland at Etihad Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images) | Getty Images Barcelona are being linked with a move for Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol as attempts continue to strengthen the squad this summer.The Catalan giants have already agreed a deal for Anthony Gordon and are expected to make an offer for Atletico’s Julian Alvarez shortly.Barcelona are also still thinking about their defence and are considering going for Gvardiol as well this summer, per Cadena SER.The defender only has one year left on his contract with the Cityzens and his ability to play at center-back or left-back is an attraction for Barca, according to the report.Barcelona’s top target for their defence had been Alessandro Bastoni but that deal now seems to be off. The Catalans have cooled their interest and Inter have confirmed they now expect the Italy international to stay. Would Josko Gvardiol be a good signing for Barcelona this summer? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

[Getty Images]The former coach of Arsenal's Piero Hincapie and Paris St-Germain's Willian Pacho is excited to attend the Champions League final on Saturday and watch the two battle for European football's most coveted prize.The centre-backs played for Miguel Angel Ramirez while at Independiente del Valle in Ecuador and were team-mates for a year before Hincapie joined Talleres in 2020.The Ecuador internationals went on to play one another again when Pacho was at Eintracht Frankfurt and Hincapie was at Bayer Leverkusen two seasons ago, but now they will compete against one another in the Champions League final. "It's crazy," said Ramirez on BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues podcast. "They made their debut in the first team with me and now they are playing together in the Champions League final. "They are competitive animals [and have been] since they were in the academy. Piero [Hincapie] especially, he was under-18 when he joined us in the first team, and was really good on the ball and had good understanding."Both of them are really good competitors and beasts."I'm in touch with them, and I got a text from Pacho a few weeks ago asking if I was coming to the final, but I said I couldn't make it because I'm coaching."But I got sacked a few weeks ago, so straight after I texted him and said: 'I'm in and I'm going!'"I am so happy because it's a great opportunity for me to see them play and it's a positive side of the story [being sacked]."Listen to Euro Leagues on BBC Sounds

This image made from the video provided by Benz Norrased Palasing Seascout Diving shows the villagers who were trapped and found in a flooded cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Benz Norrased Palasing Seascout Diving via AP)2026-05-29T07:52:17Z BANGKOK (AP) — Rescuers working at a flooded cave in Laos said Friday that they were trying to drain water out to help extricate five villagers who have been trapped for more than a week.An overnight rainstorm has complicated their efforts, they said. Meanwhile, searching continues for two more people who still haven’t been located. The villagers had reportedly entered the cave to look for valuable minerals.Rescue experts from Laos and neighboring Thailand have been working together for the past week, making their way through twisting, narrow passages with jagged walls and flooded sections of the cave located in a rugged area in the central province of Xaisomboun, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) north of the capital, Vientiane.Those helping out included several divers who took part in the complicated 2018 rescue in northern Thailand of 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach who were trapped for more than two weeks in a cave. The Lao organization Rescue Volunteer for People says that another diver from Malaysia is assisting in the operation. Kengkaj Bongkawong, head of Thai rescue group Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin, said that divers from Indonesia, Japan and France were also on their way. The discovery on Wednesday of five trapped villagers triggered celebrations among the rescue teams. They said the search for the other missing two will continue.A video filmed by Thai cave diver Norrased Palasing showed the emotional moment he and Finnish diving instructor Miiko Paasi emerged from the water and discovered the trapped men. In the footage, the men are wearing headlamps and sitting on a rock surrounded by floodwater. Read More The five men were identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing, and Laen, according to the Lao rescue group. They were reportedly in good health but exhausted from dehydration and lack of food. Divers have since delivered soft food and water to them. The men could be heard wailing as they saw their rescuers, and Norrased inquired about their health and conditions.Along with introducing themselves on camera, they delivered messages to their families telling them not to worry.“Don’t worry mom, dad. I’m still strong, I’m still healthy. Tomorrow I will be home. I love you mom and dad,” said the man, who introduced himself as Mued.Lao officials say the villagers normally forage in the mountainous, heavily wooded surroundings for a living.The villagers had been reported to have entered the cave to look for gold deposits. Bounphong Khammanyvong, a local official in Longcheng, the district where the cave is located, said that they had noticed rocks or sand with unusual colors in the cave, so they entered it in the hope of digging them out to see if they were valuable.Bounphong, in an interview on Thursday with local media outlet Xaisomboun Province Television, said the villagers were trapped when heavy rain caused flooding that blocked them from leaving. An eighth person who managed to escape alerted the authorities.He said that the group went in on May 20, contradicting rescuers who put the date at May 19. Rescue Volunteer for People posted on its Facebook page that Friday’s operation plan included pumping water out of the cave in an attempt to get the five villagers out later in the day, but that heavy early morning rain had complicated their efforts.“The front of the cave is in a low-lying area. When it rains, all water will flow down to this area and into the cave,” Bounphong said in his interview.

Workers load World Health Organization (WHO) emergency supplies onto a United Nations plane in Nairobi, Kenya, Wednesday, May 20, 2026, headed for Congo to combat the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)2026-05-29T07:36:17Z NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A court in Kenya on Friday suspended a U.S. plan to establish a quarantine facility for Americans exposed to a rare type of Ebola virus spreading in northeastern Congo, following a backlash by medical workers and activists. A U.S. administration official said on Wednesday that the U.S. was planning to send Americans who are exposed to Ebola while abroad to a new facility in Kenya instead of flying them home. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to share the administration’s plans. It was unclear where in Kenya the new facility will be built or whether the Kenyan government has signed off on the plan.The Kenyan government only revealed discussions with the U.S. on support for Ebola preparedness but did not address the facility. The U.S. government intends to commit $13.5 million toward Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. The High Court in Nairobi on Friday put a stop to any deal on the Ebola facility until petitions against it are heard on Tuesday.An organization formed to defend Kenya’s Constitution, Katiba Institute, and the Kenya Law Society separately challenged any presence of Ebola-related facilities. The Kenya Law Society asked the court to nullify any agreements signed between the U.S. and Kenya on the project, citing public health risks and a lack of public participation. It also said that Kenya lacks “the high-containment infrastructure required to safely manage such a facility, exposing the public to serious health risks.” Read More A Kenyan doctors’ union on Thursday issued a 48-hour strike notice should the country proceed with the deal. It said the U.S. was clear that they would not allow Ebola on their soil and therefore Kenya should not become another “dumping ground.”“As the vanguard of Kenya’s healthcare system, we are utterly disgusted by the government’s apparent willingness to trade national biosecurity and the lives of its citizens for foreign aid,” the union’s chairperson, Davji Atellah, said in a statement. In northeastern Congo, health workers with scant supplies have been struggling to contain an outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, a kind of Ebola that has no approved treatment or vaccine. The Congolese government has confirmed more than 1,000 suspected cases, with at least 220 deaths, since it declared an outbreak on May 15. But the virus had been spreading undetected for weeks and the WHO suspects it is much larger than what has been reported.The virus also has reached neighboring Uganda, which has confirmed seven cases and one death. EVELYNE MUSAMBI Musambi is an Associated Press reporter based in Nairobi, Kenya. She covers regional security, geopolitics, trade relations and foreign policy across East Africa. twitter mailto

A much-needed, nuanced conversation about masculinity and feminism today.

A Dayton Dragons player made history at Day Air Ballpark on Thursday night.[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]First baseman Carter Graham drove in eight runs, the most ever in a Dayton Dragons home game. It also tied the club record in a 12-3 run win over Great Lakes.The Dragons are also two games out of first place in the Midwest League East Division with 18 games left to play in the first half of the season.TRENDING STORIES:Village leaders vote to fire police chief who claimed to visit schools on behalf of ICEBlue Origin rocket explodes on the launch pad during an engine-firing testPrecautions urged as tick-related ER visits hit 9-year highDayton led 3-1 when Graham’s two-run double increased it to 5-1 in the bottom of the second.He hit another two-run double in the fourth and added a two-run home run in the sixth to extend it to 10-3.Graham stepped to the plate in the eighth inning with bases loaded. He hit a two-run single to give him eight RBIs for the game.He broke the previous record of seven RBIS set in 2007 by Juan Francisco.Dayton will host Great Lakes on Friday in the fourth game of a six-game series. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. at Day Air Ballpark. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Moeen Ali came out of retirement to sign a one-year contract with Yorkshire this season [Getty Images]Yorkshire head coach Anthony McGrath believes his team's flying start in the T20 Blast has shown the wisdom of the county's "Dad's Army" recruitment approach.Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali, 38, and Australian pace bowler AJ Tye, 39, were signed on T20-only contracts and the Tykes have won their opening two matches in the North Group.Moeen made a half-century and Tye combined with another of Yorkshire's new recruits, Hasan Ali, to see them over the line in a breathless two-wicket win against Derbyshire which backed up their opening victory over Nottinghamshire."We have a really good core of younger players who are gaining experience but probably aren't the finished article in terms of the higher end of competition. Moeen Ali, AJ Tye and Hasan have probably played 1,000 T20 games between them all which is gold really," McGrath told BBC Radio Leeds."It's not just what you are seeing on the pitch. More than anything we are bringing those guys in to help the younger guys and accelerate their development in training and pass on bits you can't get unless you have been through those things yourself as a player."That was the thinking behind it."We have started really well and hopefully those guys can keep contributing and the younger guys are learning on the job as well."Anthony McGrath oversaw a disappointing Vitality Blast campaign last season with Yorkshire finishing eighth out of nine in their group [Getty Images]Yorkshire are one of only four counties never to have won the domestic T20 competition, but their early statement of intent has raised hopes that this could be the year of the White Rose.Their recruitment policy was playfully dubbed "Dad's Army" by Yorkshire spinner Dom Bess in pre-season."The players who, as Dom said, are a bit older just have that love for the game. If you have that in players of that ability the young players lap that up," McGrath added."It's great for the coaches as well because it is like having extra coaches in the building."Yorkshire face a Durham side who made the quarter-final last season on Friday at Chester-le-Street before hosting Gloucestershire on Sunday at Headingley."It's a big weekend for us," McGrath said. "If we can get two wins that really does set us up well. We know the goal this weekend. We go up to Chester-le-Street full of confidence."

Matt Grohal was not ready for his coaching career to be over at Windber. However, following a hazing incident involving members of the football team, Grohal was essentially pushed out the door at his alma mater and a place he spent 15 years as head varsity football coach.After a winter of not knowing what would come next, Grohal finally found his answer. He was approved by the Forest Hills school district as an assistant to first-year coach Tom Blanchetti."I got approved two Thursdays ago," Grohal said. "I knew if I didn't coach this year, I would probably never coach again. I wanted to go somewhere. I had several opportunities, but when (Tom) Blanchetti got hired, it was a no-brainer when he called me."Blanchetti was on Grohal's staff at Windber for seven seasons, serving as a defensive assistant. Now, Grohal will call the plays as a member of Blanchetti's staff."It was a weird offseason. I've actually done a lot of stuff around the house that I normally don't do, and got to be a better husband and father," Grohal said. "Every day after school for the past 20-plus years, I've been in the weight room, on the field, setting up fundraisers and doing everything else a head coach does."Coaching is a way of life, so you miss it. To go to Forest Hills, which is arguably one of the best football programs in the area, historically, is special. What Don Bailey did, and Justin Myers after him, it was a great opportunity to go to a storied program. It is super exciting."Some of the Windber coaching band is getting back together. Former Windber assistant Matt Waite, who was on Grohal's staff for 12 years, will also head to Forest Hills."Being around the kids these first couple days has been fantastic," Grohal said. "The kids and the administration have been great. To coach in the LHAC is a huge challenge. You have to put the work in. It's a bit different than coaching in the WestPAC or Inter-County Conference. You better put your big boy pants on every Friday night in this league. I've always wanted to coach in this conference, and I am super excited for the opportunity."Grohal has 107 career varsity wins, along with a pair of District 5 titles. He's ready to help Blanchetti continue the tradition at Forest Hills."We had discussions of (Blanchetti) taking over the Windber program. I just think that highly of him," Grohal said. "He's an excellent X's and O's football coach, but he's a better person. There's a genuine care for kids and that's why we do it. It's all about how we can help these kids eventually be better fathers, husbands and members of the community. Hopefully, I can give him at least seven years back and see where this thing goes."While the decision to leave Windber was not easy and still weighs heavy on his heart, Grohal is ready for a fresh start."Everything happens for a reason," he said. "I wish Windber nothing but the best moving forward. I am a Windber guy forever, but this is a bigger and better opportunity for me. I am thankful to the administration at Forest Hills and the school board to come over here and help the kids in this school district."Play-calling has been something Grohal has thrived at. Not having the stresses of everything that goes into being a head football coach may bring out even more from Grohal as an offensive coordinator."Unless you've been in that role as head football coach, you have no idea how much work it entails beyond the field," Grohal said. "I will do anything in my power to help Tom, but to not have that stress of setting up car washes, fundraisers, meeting with the Boosters and parents and selling the discount cards will be nice. It is a 12-month job. I can't wait to have Saturdays off in the fall and watch my son, Ryan play at Washington and Jefferson."Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on X @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Blanchetti tabs former Windber coach Matt Grohal as new OC

Arsenal travelling squad for Budapest confirmed pre-CL finalArsenal’s entire playing squad have travelled to Budapest for the Champions League final, including the injured Ben White and a couple of youngsters.Photo via Arsenal.comArsenal have shared images of their travelling squad for the Champions League final, confirming that all of the senior players will be in Budapest for the match.Of the club’s current injury concerns, Ben White is travelling despite having no chance to feature in the match, and Jurrien Timber is also making the trip amid hopes that he may have returned to fitness just in time. Timber held his first full training session post-injury earlier this week.Also pictured with the travelling squad are youngsters Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, who have both been with the first-team squad regularly throughout the current Champions League campaign.Third-choice goalkeeper Tommy Setford also remains involved, and should be named on the bench. It’s normal to name three goalkeepers in the squad in UEFA competitions.Photo via Arsenal.comIn all, 26 players are travelling to Hungary, but there are only 23 spots in the matchday squad. White will miss out through injury, and Salmon is likely to miss out as well, but at least one of the other senior players will have to be excluded too (Dowman is considered a senior player by Arsenal).If Timber or Mikel Merino aren’t at 100% after their injury lay-offs, they would be the easy players to leave out. Otherwise, Mikel Arteta will have a decision to make.Merino obviously played briefly against Crystal Palace at the weekend, but it remains to be seen whether he’s sharp enough for a fixture with much higher stakes.The encouraging sign with both Timber and Merino is that they’ve both been selected for their countries’ World Cup squads, suggesting their international managers believe they’ll be ready for crucial fixtures in June at the latest.Photo by Gabriel Kuchta/Getty ImagesIt looks like Arteta will be able to name his first-choice player in every position except perhaps right-back, given White’s absence and strong doubts over Timber.That’s an improvement on last season’s team to face PSG, where multiple starters were absent for the semi-final first leg including Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz, and Riccardo Calafiori, and only Calafiori returned (as a substitute) for the second.The Gunners have also added a lot of players to the squad since then. Now is the chance to prove that they’ve done enough to change the end result.

Revealed: Gasperini rejected Napoli a few days agoGian Piero Gasperini is increasingly central to the Roma world. The Grugliasco-born coach will soon begin working with Tony D’Amico, the Giallorossi’s next sporting director, with whom he already shared a successful experience in Bergamo with Atalanta. The Roman coach, having secured third place in his first year, has attracted the attention of major clubs who are changing their coaching management. As Ubaldo Righetti reported on Radio Romanista, Napoli was among these clubs.Napoli’s new coach will be Massimiliano Allegri, who will have the daunting task of replacing Antonio Conte. However, before choosing the former AC Milan manager, Aurelio De Laurentiis attempted to tempt Gian Piero Gasperini. The Napoli president contacted the Roma coach, who declined the offer. This was also the case during the season with sporting director Giovanni Manna, who was linked with the Giallorossi before firmly opting for Tony D’Amico. However, he was also denied. Gasperini wants to stay in the capital and hopefully win something important in three years.

Nature, Published online: 29 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01393-zStephon Alexander says his passion for musical improvisation helps him to understand and teach complex ideas.

Brian Smith teaches students at the school in Sleetmute, Alaska, in 2024, which has suffered from a leaky roof and structural problems as a result. One lawmaker has labeled the school “the poster child” for what’s wrong with the state’s public school infrastructure. Emily Schwing/KYUK Alaska would more than triple the funding it devotes to school construction and maintenance projects next year under a budget approved this month by the state Legislature. The funding, which awaits Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s signature, follows reporting by KYUK, ProPublica and NPR last year that documented a severe health and safety crisis inside the buildings used daily for public education. The bill would allocate more than $148 million toward construction and maintenance in the 2027 fiscal year, up from $40 million in fiscal 2026, which ends June 30. The new budget line is an effort to help with millions in backlogged major maintenance needs for schools around the state. Years of lacking investment in Alaska’s public schools have resulted in leaking roofs, broken water pipes and failing foundations. If the governor signs off, it would be the largest allocation in more than a decade. The money could pay for more than 30 projects but would still cover only a fraction of the requested repairs. Some of the worst conditions exist inside rural public schools that serve predominantly Indigenous student populations and are often used as emergency shelters. In December, former students and concerned parents told the State Board of Education about squalid conditions inside Alaska’s only state-owned boarding school. Their testimony further fueled efforts by lawmakers to help unburden cash-strapped rural school districts in communities where residents don’t pay taxes to help fund education. As Alaska legislators wrestled with statewide budget shortfalls, money for education, including for school construction and maintenance, “bubbled to the top,” according to state Sen. Lyman Hoffman, an Alaska Native Democrat who represents the largest rural school district in the state. “Even though the whole state is having a problem balancing its checkbook, at the top of the list is education,” he said during an Alaska Senate Finance Committee meeting in March, at which legislators questioned state education department leadership. Every year, districts follow an application process to submit their construction and maintenance funding requests to Alaska’s education department. Since 1998, the Legislature has funded only a fraction of those proposed projects. Last year, lawmakers were able to secure about 5% of the nearly $800 million that both rural and urban school districts said they needed to keep their buildings safe and operating. This year, school districts requested more than $1.12 billion for infrastructure — the second-highest total requested statewide since 1998. Despite the legislative infusion of cash, the 2027 budget for school infrastructure will cover only about 13% of what school districts asked for. “I do appreciate it,” said Kuspuk School District Superintendent Madeline Aguillard, “but the hole that the state is in is so deep and so big. It’s going to take a long time to hit that word ‘enough.’” Aguillard’s district includes schools in nine roadless communities along the middle stretch of the Kuskokwim River in the heart of Alaska’s interior. The district first requested funds from the state to repair a leaking roof at its school in Sleetmute in 2007. For nearly two decades, the leak persisted, resulting in other problems for the building. In 2021, an architect inspected the building and uncovered severe structural damage. Further reporting by ProPublica, KYUK and NPR revealed a bat infestation and other serious health and safety issues in Sleetmute’s school. At least one lawmaker has publicly labeled that school “the poster child” for what’s wrong with Alaska’s public school infrastructure. Aguillard said news reporting in 2024 on serious structural deficiencies inside Sleetmute’s K-12 Jack Egnaty Sr. School “really lit a fire” in the state Legislature. Damage inside the woodshop of Sleetmute’s school in 2024. The school district first requested funds from the state to repair a leaking roof in 2007. Emily Schwing/KYUK For years, lawmakers and state education department staff have blamed each other for the annual school infrastructure shortfall. Last year, education Commissioner Deena Bishop told Propublica, KYUK and NPR that she can do little more than advocate on behalf of districts. “The power of the purse is with the Legislature,” said Bishop, who has served as the state’s education commissioner for three years. But this March, at the Senate Finance Committee meeting with education department leaders, co-chair Bert Stedman, a Republican, suggested the committee had not received sufficient information from school districts and Bishop. “She’s responsible. The buck stops with her,” Stedman, from the coastal hub community of Sitka in Southeast Alaska, told his colleagues. (In response, education department staff said they rely on information school districts provide about conditions inside buildings; those districts have an annual opportunity to make requests for money for maintenance and construction.) Stedman, Hoffman and one other ranking co-chair have been on the Finance Committee for more than 15 years. None of the co-chairs agreed to comment for this story. Previous reporting by the news organizations has also brought to light several problems with the system school districts must use to request funds and the process the state education department relies on to rank those projects. “There is, I would personally say, a flaw in the system, in the ranking that we are trying to fix,” Bishop said during that March hearing. Read More Alaska Ignored Warning Signs of a Budget Crisis. Now It Doesn’t Have Funding to Fix Crumbling Schools. Bishop described how wealthier urban school districts with more staff fare better than more remote districts. Those urban districts have more resources to hire professional grant writers and pay for building inspections, which can help elevate applications. More than half of the projects approved for funding this year are in urban school districts that also have access to local tax revenue to pay for education. Alaska’s rural school districts are almost entirely reliant on state funding because they serve communities where residents do not pay taxes to help fund education. “Some are winners and some are losers,” Bishop said. In the absence of a permanent solution to pay for decades of backlogged major maintenance projects, the Legislature has relied on a few stopgap measures. For instance, the incorporated Galena City School District proposed a $36.5 million major renovation project that includes the removal of hazardous materials and major upgrades to outdated critical systems like heating and ventilation, plumbing and electricity. In its first year on the state’s list, it was ranked second for funding priority, above several other projects in rural school districts that have waited several years, and in some cases decades, for approval. So lawmakers reduced the amount of money that will go to Galena in order to deliver money to a larger overall number of projects. In recent months, Lawmakers have also taken steps to help schools deal with the rising price of heating fuel, which is delivered by barge or air in ice and snow-free months to districts that are not accessible by road. Approached by Aguillard about the issue, state Sen. Löki Tobin, a Democrat from Anchorage who chairs the Senate Education Committee, led an effort to create a one-time grant program to help defray those rising energy costs. “It’s hard to argue against keeping the facilities warm and the lights on,” said Tobin, who acknowledges that the money only scratches the surface. “There’s so many competing priorities in our state,” she said. “I think we’re all kind of competing for scraps of a pie.” Three days before the session was set to end, Alaska’s Senate voted to make Tobin’s program permanent beginning in 2028. Dunleavy has until early June to sign the budget lawmakers sent to his desk. According to Tobin, there’s no indication this year that he won’t sign off. In his eight years as governor, Dunleavy has acknowledged the budget shortfall but used his veto power to cut state investment in public school infrastructure. We’re Investigating Alaska Internet Companies. We Need Your Help. Alaskans pay the most for phone and internet but get the slowest service. Please fill out our quick survey to share how much it costs you to get online and what you think of the service. Share Your Experience The post Alaska’s Deteriorating Schools Could Receive More Than $148 Million for Repairs. It’s a Fraction of What They Need. appeared first on ProPublica.

NEW DELHI: Rohit Sharma’s childhood friend and cricketer Siddhesh Lad went down memory lane and shared several untold stories and anecdotes about the India captain. Siddhesh, the son of Dinesh Lad - Rohit Sharma’s childhood and longtime coach - studied with Rohit in school and has played cricket alongside him since their early days.Having played under Rohit’s captaincy in school cricket and later for Mumbai as well, Siddhesh was also a part of the Mumbai Indians squad during the IPL 2019 season.Speaking about Rohit, Siddhesh described him as a ‘Shana’ (street smart) and explained how the youngster he grew up with evolved into one of the finest cricketers in the world.Recalling their childhood days together, Siddhesh said: “I feel the talent was always there. Whenever my first game for the school I played was under Rohit when I was 10 years old, so we always knew that he was someone special. When we saw him batting in the nets or in the games, but with that he's worked really hard, you just can't reach that level with your talent.”“You need to work really, really hard, and you need to add all those things, which makes you a good, a great cricketer, because if you want to play at the international level, your routines have to be good, and our preparations have to be good, so in all, I've got to learn a lot from Rohit since my childhood,” Lad told CricTracker.Siddhesh also reflected on the fun moments they shared during their school days and how Rohit naturally emerged as a leader even back then.“He's always been an inspiration to a lot of us because we've also seen Rohit grow as a cricketer. I've seen him as a schoolboy and as one of the best in the world as a batsman, so we've also spent a lot of time bunking during the school days. After practice, we had that free time when we were allowed to practise for a couple of hours, but we always extended those two hours to three hours, four hours, bunking off school, so he was a leader at that time. But yeah, those were great memories for me. He was a Shana back then, and he's a Shana now,” Siddhesh said.Rohit has enjoyed a remarkable journey in international cricket and as captain. Under his leadership, India won two ICC titles - the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025. 131383692He also led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, making him one of the most successful captains in IPL history.In 281 IPL matches, Rohit has scored 7,329 runs at an average of 29.91 and a strike rate of 132.91. He has registered two centuries and 49 half-centuries in the tournament.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been the headline act of IPL 2026, breaking records on a regular basis and earning praise from across the cricket fraternity. Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer made an honest confession about the teenager. Following the match between Sooryavanshi’s Rajasthan Royals and LSG, Langer requested the youngster for a selfie.During the IPL 2026 season, 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi completely took the tournament by storm, rewriting the record books for Rajasthan Royals. The dynamic left-handed opener has established himself as the premier breakout star of the year, combining unprecedented hitting with an astonishing strike rate.IPL 2026 Season StatsFollowing his remarkable knock in the Eliminator, Sooryavanshi climbed to the top of the Orange Cap standings, In 15 matches he lead with 680 runs with a strike rate of 242.85. Reflecting on the youngster, Langer wrote on his LinkedIn Post:“Last week, I did something I have only done twice in my life. I asked another athlete for a selfie. The first time was for my childhood AFL hero, South Fremantle’s Stephen Michael, a couple of years ago at Optus Stadium. The second was a 15-year-old boy from a village in Bihar.”“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had just smashed my Lucknow Super Giants to every part of the ground. He has hit 53 sixes this IPL season, the second most by any batter in any T20 tournament in history, behind only Chris Gayle. He is the youngest centurion in men’s T20 cricket. He is 15.”— CricCrazyJohns (@CricCrazyJohns) “After 35 years in the game, I simply can’t believe how this kid plays. He is unlike anything I have seen before. He did it again last night in the playoff final. It got me thinking about talent, the word we use most often and understand the least.” 131382364Record-Breaking Milestones in 2026Sooryavanshi’s campaign is widely regarded as one of the most destructive individual seasons in T20 history:The Sixes King: He smashed 65 sixes this season, breaking Chris Gayle’s long-standing 2012 record of 59.Uncapped Run Landmark: His 680 runs are the most by an uncapped batter in an IPL season, surpassing teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 625 in 2023.Powerplay Tyrant: He scored a record 490 runs in the powerplay (overs 1–6), overtaking David Warner’s 2016 tally of 467.Elite 600+ Club: He became the first cricketer to score over 600 runs in a major men’s T20 tournament with a strike rate above 200.Centuries & Knockouts: He smashed the fastest century of IPL 2026 (36 balls) against SRH and followed it with a stunning 29-ball 97 in the Eliminator.

Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez's scoreless streak boosts his Cy Young case originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The National League Cy Young Award race is shaping up to be one that could come down to the wire. Four different starting pitchers and possibly one reliever are vying for the award, as all four starters have an ERA of under 2.00 (minimum of 50.0 innings) and have at least one strikeout per inning. According to MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan, since 1967, when the award was first introduced to both leagues, there has never been a tighter race where so many pitchers met so many benchmarks. Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez is one arm vying to win his first Cy Young Award. The former All-Star (2024) added to his case on Wednesday when he surpassed Phillies great right-hander Grover Cleveland Alexander for the most scoreless innings tossed (44 2/3 innings) in franchise history. Sanchez is the only pitcher in MLB history to not allow a run in a calendar month while striking out 40 or more batters, according to OptaSTATS. Second to Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski in strikeouts -- Misiorowski has 100 strikeouts in 64.0 innings, while Sanchez has 95 in 75.1 innings -- Sanchez leads Major League Baseball in ERA (1.47), in a six-way tie for home runs allowed (three) and is one of three pitchers to have a complete game shutout this season. Philadelphia Phillies Cristopher Sanchez's scoreless streak could prove what helps win him the National League Cy Young Award After breaking Ole Pete's (Alexander) record, which stood for 115 years, Sanchez is tracking down Los Angeles Dodgers great, right-hander Orel Hershiser, who owns the longest scoreless streak in MLB history (59.0 innings). "After placing second in the NL Cy Young Award race last season with a 2.50 ERA and 212 strikeouts over 202 innings, Sánchez has managed to unlock another level in 2026," wrote Harrigan. "He leads all qualifiers in ERA (1.47), FIP (1.81) and has the third-most WAR (3.3, per FanGraphs) of any player."More MLB News:Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez found his historical outing 'special'If Sanchez can throw one more complete frame in his next start, he will leapfrog three players: right-hander Zack Greinke (45.2 innings pitched in 2015), left-hander and screwball master Carl Hubbell (45.1 innings pitched in 1933) and right-hander Sal Maglie (45 innings pitched in 1950). More MLB News: Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski is in line to bring home some valuable hardwarePirates' Paul Skenes is not the odds-on favorite to win the NL Cy YoungDodgers' Shohei Ohtani is primed to win his first Cy Young AwardThe Phillies bench has been another weak part of the rosterGiants' Rafael Devers needs to put his struggles in 'the rear-view mirror'

Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski on pace to accomplish feat not seen since 2019 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The National League Cy Young Award race is shaping up to be one that could come down to the wire. Four different starting pitchers and possibly one reliever are vying for the award, as all four starters have an ERA of under 2.00 (minimum of 50.0 innings) and have at least one strikeout per inning. According to MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan, since 1967, when the award was first introduced to both leagues, there has never been a tighter race where so many pitchers met so many benchmarks.Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is one arm vying to win his first Cy Young Award. Misiorowski is Major League Baseball's strikeout leader -- Misiorowski has 100 strikeouts in 64.0 innings, with Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez having 95 in 75.1 innings -- and sits second to Sanchez (1.47 ERA) in the National League in ERA (1.83). More MLB News:Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez found his historical outing 'special'Misiorowski also leads Major League Baseball in WHIP (0.83), batting average against (.152) and has allowed the fewest hits off him (34), which is eight more than Cincinnati Reds right-hander Chase Burns (42). One of the hardest throwing arms in baseball -- the 24-year-old is in the 99th percentile for fastball velocity (99.8 miles per hour) -- Misiorowski's strikeout ability (40.3% strikeout percentage) is putting him on track to strikeout 300 batters. Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is on pace for 300 strikeoutsThrowing 57 pitches that were over 100 miles per hour in his last start versus the St. Louis Cardinals, Misiorowski is on pace to strike out 300+ this season. No pitcher has had 300+ strikeouts in Major League Baseball since former Houston Astros right-handers Justin Verlander (300) and Gerrit Cole (326) in 2019. The Missouri native is in the 99th percentile for his Whiff percentage (39%)."Misiorowski tied a career high with 12 strikeouts against St. Louis, reaching double figures for the third time in four starts and becoming the first pitcher to notch 100 K’s this season," wrote Harrigan. "The lanky righty has struck out more than 40% of the batters he’s faced and has a chance to become the first pitcher to reach the 300-strikeout plateau since Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander did it in 2019. He has a 1.83 ERA to boot, including a 0.29 ERA in May."Given that a handful of other pitchers, including himself, are vying for the Cy Young Award, Misiorowski's potential achievement of 300 strikeouts in a season could help him beat out the competition. Misiorowski's main competitors are Sanchez, Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani (0.82 ERA), Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes (2.89), Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale (2.01), and Burns (1.96). More MLB News: Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski is in line to bring home some valuable hardwarePirates' Paul Skenes is not the odds-on favorite to win the NL Cy YoungDodgers' Shohei Ohtani is primed to win his first Cy Young AwardThe Phillies bench has been another weak part of the rosterGiants' Rafael Devers needs to put his struggles in 'the rear-view mirror'

Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani continues to build his case for the NL Cy Young originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The National League Cy Young Award race is shaping up to be one that could come down to the wire. Four different starting pitchers and possibly one reliever are vying for the award, as all four starters have an ERA of under 2.00 (minimum of 50.0 innings) and have at least one strikeout per inning. According to MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan, since 1967, when the award was first introduced to both leagues, there has never been a tighter race where so many pitchers met so many benchmarks. Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani is one arm vying to win his first Cy Young Award after collecting every other piece of hardware possible, minus a Gold Glove. Ohtani is coming off another dominant outing on Wednesday, where he tossed six hitless innings and struck out seven against the Colorado Rockies, adding to his Cy Young case. "Shohei Ohtani made a strong return to the mound last season after spending 2024 solely as a DH, but the Dodgers were careful not to overwork his surgically repaired right arm," wrote Harrigan. "This season, though, Ohtani has been fully unleashed as a pitcher, and he’s been simply magnificent."Harrigan added: "After throwing six innings of no-hit ball against the Rockies on Wednesday, Ohtani owns a 0.82 ERA with a .147 opponents’ batting average over 55 innings in 2026. Excluding openers, that's tied for the fourth-lowest ERA a pitcher has recorded through nine starts since earned runs became official in 1913. Ohtani doesn’t have enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, but there are no such requirements for Cy Young consideration."Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani has stiff competition to win the Cy Young AwardGiven that a handful of other pitchers, including Ohtani, are vying for the Cy Young Award, his dominance as a two-way player could help him beat out the competition. Facing off to thwart Ohtani are Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (1.47 ERA), Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes (2.89), Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale (2.01), Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski (1.83) and Cincinnati Reds right-hander Chase Burns (1.96). More MLB News:Phillies' Cristopher Sanchez found his historical outing 'special'Ohtani switching his focus to winning a Cy Young has cost him a little at the plate, as his OPS (.882) is under 1.000 for the first time since 2022 (.875) when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. 2022 was the only season in which Ohtani placed in the Cy Young voting, finishing fourth behind former Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah (third), former Chicago White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease (second) and former Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander. The last pitcher to win both the Cy Young Award and the MVP award was Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw in 2014. The future Hall of Famer went 21-3 (led MLB in wins) with a MLB-leading 1.77 ERA, six complete games and 0.857 WHIP. More MLB News: Dodgers' Teoscar Hernandez exits victory over Rockies with concerning injuryPirates' Paul Skenes is not the odds-on favorite to win the NL Cy YoungDodgers' Shohei Ohtani is primed to win his first Cy Young AwardThe Phillies bench has been another weak part of the rosterGiants' Rafael Devers needs to put his struggles in 'the rear-view mirror'

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo speaks to reporters in Guatemala City, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File)2026-05-28T19:55:56Z GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo on Thursday denied the existence of an agreement with the United States to conduct anti-drug trafficking operations on Guatemalan soil.The comments come after The New York Times reported that the Central American nation agreed to carry out joint strikes. The case is the latest in ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Latin American governments that seek to strike a balance between bilateral cooperation to fight drug trafficking and maintaining sovereignty.“There is no agreement. There is a request that falls within the framework of existing agreements in several countries,” Arévalo said at a news conference.“What we are signing are types of collaboration that have been taking place in the past. We conduct maritime interdictions where the United States has been collaborating with training, capacity building and equipment,” Arévalo said. He said the government’s actions are in accordance with Guatemalan law and the Constitution.“The only body that can authorize operations involving soldiers on Guatemalan soil is the Congress of the Republic. The Guatemalan government is not requesting this cooperation and has no plans to do so,” the president said. When asked about the supposed agreement, acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez said he cannot “speculate on future operations or discuss matters of operational security” but emphasized that the Department of War works with partners in the region to fight drug trafficking and other transnational threats. Read More The Guatemalan government also published a press release and two letters in which its defense minister discusses combined military operations under pre-existing agreements with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The April deaths of two CIA agents in northern Mexico after an operation to destroy a drug lab highlighted the presence of U.S. agents in Latin America and raised questions about heightened U.S. involvement throughout the region. In the days following, Mexican officials offered contradictory accounts on how much information the country had regarding the CIA agents’ involvement.The Mexican government acknowledges the presence of U.S. agencies on Mexican territory but says that they cannot participate in on-the-ground operations.___Ben Finley in Washington D.C. contributed to this report.___Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaks to the media upon his arrival at N'djili International Airport in Kinshasa, Congo, Thursday, May 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Samy Ntumba Shambuyi)2026-05-29T09:07:44Z KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization arrived in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, late Thursday to witness efforts against an outbreak of a rare type of Ebola virus, as medical personnel struggle with a lack of equipment, a distrustful population and armed groups in a volatile region.“To come here is to really show to the community that they’re not alone,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at the airport. “Pushing orders from my comfortable office in Geneva is easy, but I’m asking my colleagues to work with the community and I am asking communities to protect themselves,” he added.Medical aid donated by the European Union arrived in Ituri province, the heart of Congo’s Ebola outbreak, on Thursday. The United States announced the same day $80 million in additional aid, bringing its total commitment to more than $112 million. Health workers with scant supplies have been struggling to contain an outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, a kind of Ebola that has no approved treatment or vaccine. In some areas, doctors have resorted to wearing expired medical masks while treating suspected patients. According to WHO, 1,077 suspected cases and 238 suspected deaths have been recorded as of Tuesday,Dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by anger among residents over the stringent medical protocols for dealing with the bodies of victims, which clash with local burial rites. Residents have launched at least three attacks against health centers. Read More Tedros said other challenges are also complicating the containment of the outbreak, including the high number of people displaced by armed conflict in the region, and food insecurity.On Wednesday, he had called for a ceasefire in a region where armed groups have staged violent attacks for decades.“We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling,” Tedros said. Tucked in the northeastern part of Congo close to the Ugandan border, Ituri province has been reeling from attacks by the Allied Democratic Force, a rebel group allied with the Islamic State group, and a coalition of ethnic militias. In early May, the ADF killed at least 40 people and burned several homes in Ituri.The illness also has been reported in the Congolese provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, south of Ituri, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group controls many key cities, including Goma and Bukavu. The rebels have reported two cases.The region’s main airport in Goma, which doubles as a staging ground for humanitarian efforts into the region, has been closed since January 2025, when M23 seized the city.The conflict has precipitated one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with at least 7 million people displaced in eastern Congo.The WHO chief said Thursday he discourages countries from imposing travel bans against nationals of countries affected by the outbreak.“There are ways to manage workers and to manage cases without having a strong, restricted travel ban and we don’t encourage that as WHO,” Tedros said. The Trump administration last week announced a temporary ban on the entry of people without U.S. passports, as well as U.S. green-card holders, who have visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan in the past 21 days. It said Wednesday it plans to send Americans who are exposed to Ebola to a new facility in Kenya instead of flying them to the U.S. Congo’s neighbors, Uganda and Rwanda, recently closed their borders.——Banchereau contributed from Dakar, Senegal. MARK BANCHEREAU Banchereau covers 22 countries across West and Central Africa for The Associated Press. He is based in Dakar, Senegal. twitter mailto

India Women's cricket team kicked off their T20I series against England in emphatic fashion, registering a commanding 38-run victory in the opening match at Chelmsford on May 28, 2026. Riding on brilliant half-centuries from Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia, India posted an imposing total of 188/7 before restricting England to 150/8 to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Jemimah Rodrigues was named Player of the Match after a scintillating knock of 69 runs off just 40 deliveries, while Yastika Bhatia marked her return with a composed 54 off 40 balls. Their partnership proved to be the defining moment of the contest after India suffered an early collapse.England's decision to bowl first appeared justified when Lauren Bell struck twice in the opening over, dismissing Smriti Mandhana for a duck and Shafali Verma for just two runs. At 7/2, India found themselves under immense pressure. However, Rodrigues and Bhatia responded in stunning fashion, launching a counterattack that completely shifted the momentum.The duo added a remarkable 126 runs for the third wicket, punishing England's bowlers with aggressive stroke play. A particularly costly over from Issy Wong, which yielded 27 runs, accelerated India's scoring rate significantly. The visitors finished the powerplay with their highest-ever T20I powerplay score and continued to dominate through the middle overs.After both set batters departed, Deepti Sharma provided the finishing touches with a quickfire 22 off 13 balls, helping India reach a formidable total of 188/7. Lauren Bell was England's standout bowler, finishing with figures of 3/34.Chasing 189, England needed a strong start but were immediately put on the back foot. Young pacer Kranti Gaud struck early, removing Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey to leave the hosts struggling. Amy Jones then mounted a fightback with an impressive 67 off 48 deliveries and shared a 64-run partnership with captain Heather Knight, who contributed 21 runs.Despite Jones' resistance, England struggled to maintain the required run rate. The turning point came in the 16th over when debutant Nandani Sharma produced a dream spell. She dismissed the dangerous Jones and Dani Gibson on consecutive deliveries, effectively ending England's hopes of a comeback.Nandani finished with outstanding figures of 3/34 on debut, while Kranti Gaud chipped in with 2/24 to ensure England never got close to the target. The hosts eventually ended on 150/8, falling 38 runs short.The victory gives India a valuable 1-0 advantage in the three-match series and showcases the depth and balance within the squad. With experienced performers like Rodrigues stepping up and newcomers such as Nandani Sharma making an immediate impact, India will head into the second T20I full of confidence as they look to seal the series.

The roads are closed for two qualifying sessions on Friday [IOM TT]People on the Isle of Man have been urged to be aware of daytime road closures as the final qualifying sessions for the 2026 TT races take place.The mountain section of the 37.7-mile (60km) course closed at 08:45 BST, with the lower section closed at 10:00.Under the current schedule, roads are set to reopen no later than 17:20 following two qualifying sessions for solo machines.A contingency closure between 18:00 and 21:30 is also available to the clerk of the course should there be any disruption to the sessions.Friday's schedule10:30 Superbike & Superstock classes12:15 Supersport & Sportbike classes14:00 Superbike & Superstock classes15:15 Supersport & Sportbike classesQualifying for the 2026 TT has faced disruption due to several red flag incidents, including a crash which left eight spectators injured.That incident, during the opening untimed practice session, led to the first timed laps of the event being pushed back by a day to Tuesday evening.Friday's schedule no longer features a sidecar session after a crash on Wednesday led to the class being suspended from the remainder of the event on safety grounds.The first race of the 2026 programme is due to take place on Saturday, with the event set to culminate with the senior race on Saturday, 6 June.Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. More like this story Ex-champion backs TT sidecar suspension after sons' crashTT competitor killed in qualifying crashTT sidecar class suspended on safety groundsHarrison and Dunlop impress in IOM TT qualifyingTT sidecar driver transferred to UK after crashTwo people receive specialist care after TT crashEight spectators and rider hurt at TT practice Related internet links Isle of Man TT

Hearts striker Claudio Braga and head coach Derek McInnes have been honoured in BBC Sport's first end-of-season football awards.Voted for by our expert pundits, dedicated team of journalists, and specialist football programme makers, these awards celebrate the players who starred in the Premier League, Women's Super League, Scottish Premiership and EFL in 2025-26.Scottish Premiership player of the season - Claudio BragaBraga helped fire Hearts' title charge, with the tenacious Portuguese forward scoring 14 goals and providing three assists as his side fell just short on the final day.Motherwell winger Elijah Just was in second, while Braga's Hearts team-mate Lawrence Shankland - who is moving to Rangers - came third.Scottish Premiership manager of the season - Derek McInnesThis one was hotly contested, but Hearts boss McInnes won by a single vote ahead of Motherwell's Jens Berthel Askou.Like Braga, McInnes will be left to rue Hearts' defeat by champions Celtic on the last day, which meant the wait for a non-Old Firm manager to win the Scottish title has stretched to 41 years.Askou guided Motherwell to an impressive fourth-placed finish and guaranteed European football, although the Dane has left to become head coach of Toulouse.Martin O'Neill led Celtic to their fifth straight title - and lifted the spirits of a struggling club after the exits of Brendan Rodgers and Wilfried Nancy - but only came third for our award.

Texas A&M ended the regular season with 39 wins, including 18 in SEC play, and after missing the NCAA Tournament last season, second-year coach Michael Earley led his veteran squad back to the postseason, surprising many in the Aggie fan base who felt he should have been relieved of his duties last offseason.After being named the 12-seed and earning a hosting spot in the Regional Round, the Aggies will return to Blue Bell Park for a Friday afternoon matchup vs. Lamar, while USC will face Texas State in the College Station Regional. Just two years ago, former head coach Jim Schlossnagle led the Aggies all the way to the national title games before losing to Tennessee, just weeks before his dramatic departure to take over the Texas Longhorns' program.This season has been a rollercoaster for Texas A&M's thin pitching staff, led by a starting pitching rotation that has struggled outside of sophomore Aiden Sims, who finished the regular season with an 8-1 record and the best ERA on the team. However, Sims has been dealing with tightness, missing the final regular-season series vs. Mississippi State.Still, Texas A&M's offense finished the regular season with 114 home runs, led by Caden Sorrell (23) and Gavin Grahovac (19), while starting third baseman Nico Partida's injury resulted in the star freshman missing the last two series, but he is officially back in the lineup heading into Friday's game.On Thursday, Earley revealed that Shane Sdao (4-4 record, 6.75 ERA, 1.59 WHIP in 68.0 IP) will take the mound, and while the junior has struggled this season, Earley is completely confident that his starter will get the job done in the postseason.Before Friday's 3:00 p.m. game, here are our final Aggies Wire predictions for the College Station Regional. Cameron Ohnysty — Lead writer Opening round: Texas A&M > LamarUSC > Texas StateWinners: Texas A&M > USCLosers: Texas State > LamarUSC > Texas StateFinal: Texas A&M > USCJarrett Johnson — ContributorOpening round: Texas A&M > LamarUSC > Texas StateWinner’s: Texas A&M > USCLoser’s: Texas State > LamarTexas State > USCFinal: Texas A&M > Texas StateDylan Flippo — ContributorOpening round: Texas A&M > LamarTexas State > USCWinner’s: Texas A&M > Texas StateLoser’s: USC > LamarUSC > Texas StateFinal: Texas A&M > USCAll three writers predict that Texas A&M will win the College Station Regional and reach the Super Regional Round for the first time since 2024. Texas A&M will face Lamar on Friday at 3:00 p.m., and the game will air on the SEC Network. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Final staff predictions for Texas A&M in the College Station Regional

It was a little easy to overlook in the chaos of general NFL news, but former Cincinnati Bengals great Domata Peko joined the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff back in February. Now, Peko is getting the standard media interviews as a coach and dropping some quotes that Bengals fans won’t like.“The traditions, the culture, everything they’ve done in the past here, it's really good to be part of it,” Peko said, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I just want to make my mark now that I'm a Steeler, to continue to show greatness here. I’m so excited for it.”Granted, Peko doesn’t have much else he can say, given the situation. But he also had some nice things to say, generally speaking, about the times he repped the Bengals against the Steelers. “It was like a bloodbath every time we played,” Peko said. “I remember that was like the most sore I've ever felt after games was when we played in the AFC North here versus the Steelers."Peko has been making the coaching rounds for a few years now, working with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024 before a stint with Deion Sanders at Colorado last year. Now, as much as it might bother Bengals fans a bit, Peko will show up at Paycor Stadium in black and gold with a rival looking to play the spoiler in the AFC North.This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals fans won’t love Domata Peko’s comments about Steelers

A French multinational, Schneider Electric, decided to use artificial intelligence in manufacturing to make workers more productive, rather than to replace them. Here’s how that’s going.

Special rules will again be in place. Podium spots might be shared.

Representative Doris Matsui has been re-elected 10 times with ease. But an upstart Democrat is threatening to end her run in Congress.

In its finale, this comedy about comedy circled back to the romance of creative partnership and the saving power of laughs.

The debate over whether Graham Platner is “working class” comes at a time when more and more people are at risk of falling into it.

Everton's 2025/26 transfers: Hits and misses Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall of Everton.(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Everton made 10 signings in 2025-26 — seven permanent deals and three players joined on loan, with the agreement for one of those, Merlin Röhl, including an obligation to make the move permanent this coming summer.It’s fair to say it was a mixed bag when it came to the success rate.In an interview with Toffee TV back in September, Everton’s CEO Angus Kinnear said the success of the new signings would be measured on whether those players featured for at least 50% of the “available minutes” (presumably, that means that players who suffer long-term injuries aren’t necessarily counted as failures) across the campaign.It’s a strange yard stick, and if we used that barometer, then only three of Everton’s signings can be put down as a success. That’s probably about right, in all fairness, but it doesn’t take into account that two additions were back-up goalkeepers, who you would be hoping aren’t playing over 50% of available minutes.So, we won’t use the club’s measurement, and instead I’ll assess how I felt each of Everton’s additions got on.MARK TRAVERS (£4M) — HITHe’s a back-up goalkeeper. He played twice, both in the EFL Cup. Everton won one of those matches and lost the other, and while Travers didn’t cover himself in glory against Wolves, he was hardly terrible. It’s a hit for me, all things considered, though he’d have had to be pretty awful to be a miss.TOM KING (~£500K) — HITLike Travers, King would have had to go a long way to be a miss, given he was brought in as a third-choice goalkeeper, and he has fulfilled the role he was brought in for. So, in that regard, he’s a hit.ADAM AZNOU (£8M) — MISSIt feels harsh labelling Aznou as a miss, as he simply hasn’t had the minutes needed to try and show what he can do. He’s only just about to turn 20, and so he has time on his side, but given he made just one senior appearance all season — an impressive cameo in the FA Cup against Sunderland — he can’t go down as a hit.Aznou was clearly seen as a development signing by Everton, but how is he meant to develop if he is not playing? Surely, he could have been given a few minutes here or there in the first half of the season, and allowed to settle into the club, before getting moved out on loan in January. The plan for next season has to be a lot clearer for the Moroccan.CARLOS ALCARAZ (£12M) — MISSAlcaraz ended last season in fine form, and it seemed a no-brainer to sign up the Argentine. Everton also managed to negotiate down the fee, though there was some contention when the club revealed the playmaker had signed only a two-year deal, with the option for a third.Alcaraz scored just once this season, netting a beauty in the EFL Cup against Mansfield Town. Otherwise, he provided only one assist, which came in the league win over Bournemouth in December. The 23-year-old has plenty of talent, but is erratic on the ball and it seems David Moyes just can’t see beyond that.He should have been given more minutes — perhaps playing him more would mean Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall would not have ended up quite as tired late in the season — but let’s also not pretend he is absolutely outstanding, either.It’d be a shame if Alcaraz were to be moved on, but given the small fee Everton paid for him, they should be able to make their money back.KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL (£25M) — HITNo doubt about this one. Dewsbury-Hall was an instant hit and showed exactly the calibre of player Everton needed to be targeting last summer: Someone to provide a guaranteed level of output. Goals, assists, chance creation, energy and leadership.Dewsbury-Hall dipped in form around October, but he came back in full force then before he suffered a cruel injury just before Christmas. When he returned, he needed to work his way back to fitness, but consistently proved to be Everton’s go-to-man in key moments.More signings of his level are required to go straight into the team this coming summer.MERLIN RÖHL (LOAN TO BUY) — HITRöhl came in for unnecessary stick earlier in the season, based on some hardly inspiring cameos in matches. But the word was he was impressing in training. The issue, however, was that he was carrying an injury that needed resolving.He came back from a lay-off around Christmas and played well against Nottingham Forest and then Aston Villa, only for Moyes to bizarrely leave him out until later in the campaign, when he then went on to make an impact on the right flank.But Röhl has shown his strengths: He is versatile, good in possession and quick, especially for a central midfielder. There is enough there to be positive about heading into next season.JACK GREALISH (LOAN) — HITReports last summer suggested Everton were hunting a “premium loan”, and that loanee was Grealish.And he was, and is, class. It gets glossed over, but if he doesn’t suffer that serious foot injury in January, then I find it hard to see Everton having the drop-off they did late on in the campaign, when they badly lacked another option to retain the ball and create chances.Despite that injury, Grealish still created the second-most chances for Everton, after James Garner, even though he missed almost half the campaign.It seems likely Everton will do all they can to keep the 30-year-old, and there’s no doubting they’d be a better team for it, but they have to be wary of going too big financially to get the signing over the line. Another loan move, if they can strike it with Manchester City, would be sensible, given what Grealish brings both on and off the pitch.TYLER DIBLING (£35M) — MISSMy issue with this signing at the time, and it has only been further compounded across the season, is that Dibling was simply not the type of winger Everton needed.After signing Grealish, Everton did not need another winger who wants to slow down the play before exploding off a standing start. Instead, they required someone with all-out pace and a more direct approach.That’s not to say Dibling is a bad player, he clearly isn’t, and he’s so young, but Everton weren’t in a position last year to be spending marquee-signing money on a player who is so early on in their development.He should still have been given more minutes, and Moyes’ use of him — especially post-January — was incredibly frustrating. At the same time, this is a lesson for the club, too. Dibling now needs a strong pre-season, and the club must ensure he gets the required game time next term, either here, or out on loan. But for now, at that price, he has to be a miss.TYRIQUE GEORGE (LOAN) — HITGeorge played only 210 minutes and did not score or assist, but he provided the kind of spark and drive that Everton should have been prioritising last summer.He is quick across the ground, is not afraid to shoot and also showed he can get to the byline and deliver dangerous deliveries. In that sense, he was a hit, but he did not get enough minutes — and again, that is the fault of Moyes.Everton have a purchase option, but that will not last forever and they need to make a call on whether to spend close to £25m on another youngster, or if that money could be better directed elsewhere in the squad for now.THIERNO BARRY (£27M) — MISSEverton spent £27m to sign Barry from Villarreal, and all in all, a return of eight Premier League goals in his first season in England is not bad for the 23-year-old.But it just feels like there’s a bit too much drama and baggage around him.Barry has had his moments: His first goal for the club, against Nottingham Forest in December, and his second, which came against the same team to clinch a brilliant away win. There was his deft finish against Aston Villa and his bundled home winner against Newcastle United, while he also bagged what should have been a decisive double against Man City.Yet Barry still seems to have a long way to go to win over Evertonians, especially after the attitude he showed in the wake of the furore over the Arsenal game in mid-March.It feels like Everton need to make a decision to sell one of their strikers this summer, and while Beto is older and heading into the final year of his deal, it might well depend on whether Barry wants to make a future at this club. If he pushes for a move away, then it’s not hard to imagine the club deciding not to stand in his way.

Spurs forced a Game 7 — but Thunder own the moment at home originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The San Antonio Spurs forced Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals as they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 118-91. While the momentum is with Victor Wembanyama & Co., there is one record that will make them nervous at Paycom Center.The Thunder are unbeatable when it comes to Game 7 at home. Since 2008, there have been four such games, and on all occasions, the Thunder has managed to hold down the fort.They won Game 7 in the 2011 Western Conference Semifinals and 2014 first-round Game 7 against the Memphis Grizzlies. Last season, there were two such occasions: Game 7 of the 2025 West semifinals vs. the Denver Nuggets and Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals vs. the Indiana Pacers. Both times, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Co. did the job.The recent two victories forming this trend are more significant since the core group of Thunder is still very much the same, including Chet Holmgren, SGA, Lu Dort and Jalen Williams.MORE: One stat proves Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't Thunder's MVP vs. SpursCan Shai Gilgeous-Alexander do it again for ThunderShai Gilgeous-Alexander was the difference maker in both of those Game 7s last season.In the West semifinals against Nikola Jokic & Co., SGA exploded for 35 points, four assists and three rebounds in a blowout 125-93 victory. Meanwhile, in the NBA Finals against the Pacers, he had a double-double with 29 points and 12 rebounds, along with five rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Combined in those two home Game 7s, the Thunder guard averaged 32 points, eight assists and four rebounds per game.Once again, the responsibility rests on SGA's shoulders, who had a disappointing performance in Game 6, finishing with just 15 points on 6-18 shooting, including 0-5 from beyond the arc. He only played 28 minutes for -28 (+/-) rating.More Thunder news:Thunder fans will love this 85.7% playoff stat after OKC takes 3-2 leadVictor Wembanyama goes silent after Thunder push Spurs to brink in Game 5Not Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, Thunder’s unexpected X-factor is fueling their playoff runVictor Wembanyama leaves Shai Gilgeous-Alexander searching for answersThunder's Alex Caruso equals Stephen Curry in massive 3-point record vs. Spurs

The Detroit Lions' first OTA of 2026 kicked off on May 27. There are some players with injury concerns coming out of the 2025 season to keep an eye on. I compiled a list of players to watch, along with their OTA activity expectations.Here is the excerpt on Terrion Arnold from my Detroit Lions OTA Player Watchlist: May 2026:Terrion Arnold, CB: Is the shoulder ready?Two shoulder surgeries - December 2025Recent workout videos have shown Arnold doing football CB activity.There is not supposed to be any contact at OTA which will make it hard to assess his shoulder readiness for the season. Some limitation in OTA is possible, but even so, he should be ready in plenty of time for training camp.OTA expectations: With no live contact, Arnold should be able to participate fully in OTA.For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMDThis article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions OTA Medical Watchlist: Terrion Arnold CB

Two major annual events honoring athletes in the Amarillo area and region are coming up soon: the Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame and the Dick Bynum Awards. Here's a schedule of events, as well as this year's athletes and coaches being recognized.Dick Bynum AwardsAmarillo Downtown Lions Club is hosting the annual Dick Bynum Awards, noon to 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 at Polk Street Methodist Church, 1401 S. Polk. Lunch will be served at 11:45 a.m. Guests are asked to enter on the northwest corner, across from the Amarillo College Downtown Campus.These awards honor the most valuable female collegiate athletes from the Amarillo Metro Area. Dick Bynum was an avid Amarillo athletic supporter, and the grand award winner will have $1,000 given to the women's high school athletic department. They will recognize the following five finalists:Volleyball: Currie Marusak, Amarillo High School, West Texas A&M UniversityTrack: Symone Quiles, Amarillo High School, University Central ArkansasBasketball: Bailey Maupin, Gruver High School, Texas Tech UniversitySoccer: Kealy Juarez, Randall High School, Mid-American Christian UniversityWrestling: Niyasia McCampbell, Caprock High School, Lakeland UniversityTexas Panhandle Sports Hall of FameGolf takes center stage with the installation of two prominent names in the sport, along with two others, in the 68th Annual Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies, which start at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7 in the Civic Center Grand Plaza, 401 S. Buchanan St. There is no admission charge, and a free catered reception is scheduled before and following the ceremonies.Harold Lewis, Sherwin Cox, Teresa Tinner, and Ryan Palmer propel the elite number of inductions to 214 in the 2026 class. The greatest golfer in Texas Panhandle history and a longtime golf professional who impacted the game for 37 years, joins one of the top football players in the 1950s who later played for the world champion Baltimore Colts, and one of the top players in West Texas A&M’s women’s basketball program, in the latest inductees.They will be honored, along with coaches and athletes of the year from 2025-2026 in 11 sports, and five special award winners at the June 7 ceremonies. The Kids Inc. WareHouse, 2201 E. 27th Ave., will be hosting media conferences ahead of the event Friday, May 29 and Saturday, June 6. The mission of the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame, managed by Kids, Inc., is to honor outstanding athletes, coaches, and sports contributors, preserve the region’s rich sports history, and inspire future generations through recognition and celebration of excellence in sports.The Class of 2026:Harold Lewis Harold Lewis, born in Pampa during the Depression in the 1930s, discovered sports in the final years of World War II. Lewis had the body of an athlete and had natural talent to go with it. Lewis headed to Pampa High School at a golden age for talented athletes at the school, and Lewis soon became part of the very best to walk the hallways at Pampa. The Harvesters would win four state basketball championships in the 1950s, and Lewis started on the 1954 state title team, one that was part of a 72-game winning streak.He was a sprinter for all four years in track, running the 100, 220, and 440 relays. He was among the five who competed at the Texas Relays. But football was his main sport, the one around which other sports, including baseball, revolved.Lewis was a three-year starter, going both ways as a running back and defensive back. He was 180 pounds, strong and fast. As a junior, he was honorable mention all-state, and that was the prelude to a senior season in 1954, in which he was co-captain, all-district, all-state in Texas’ highest classification, and named to the All-Southern team, which expanded into several states.The University of Houston won a hard-fought recruiting battle for Lewis. He became a fixture on the UH football team, lettering as a sophomore and, as a fullback in his junior year of 1957, helping lead the Cougars to the Missouri Valley Conference title, where he was named first-team All-Conference. He started against Houston as a senior.Lewis was then drafted in the seventh round of the 1959 NFL draft by the world champion Baltimore Colts. As a rookie, Lewis played in 12 games for the 9-3 Colts, who repeated as world champions with a 31-16 win over the New York Giants. He played alongside five who would eventually be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1960, he was signed by the Buffalo Bills in the American Football League's first year. He played briefly for Montreal of the Canadian Football League, and then in 1962, he joined the Oakland Raiders, where he started four games, played in 11, caught seven passes, and returned 12 punts and kickoffs.Lewis returned to his hometown in 1963, making a career working for Cabot, a manufacturer of carbon black. Lewis died on Dec. 14, 2014, at the age of 79. Charlotte, his wife of 59 years, passed away in 2020. They had two sets of twins, Howie and Dean, and Andrea and Annette, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.Sherwin CoxSherwin Cox discovered the game of golf innocently enough in the fifth grade when a friend asked if he wanted to caddy at the Pampa Country Club. Sure, Cox said, especially when finding out he’d get some loose change for his trouble. Golf has been part of his life ever since.Cox spent 47 years of his adult life — 37 years as the golf pro at Ross Rogers and later the specialized title of director of golf operations for the city of Amarillo — promoting the game, improving courses, welcoming charity tournaments, making the rank-and-file golfer feel catered to, the likes of which this area has never seen.He spent much of his free time in high school working for golf pro Hart Warren at the Pampa Country Club. That led to becoming the assistant pro at Pampa at age 19 in 1971. He was there for 5 ½ years before accepting the assistant golf pro position at Tascosa Country Club in 1976.In 1980, he ran his first golf course as head pro at Canyon Country Club, cementing his growing reputation for golf innovation. He was soon offered and got the job as golf professional at Ross Rogers Golf Course, the 36-hole public course on Amarillo’s north end. On Jan. 1, 1981, Cox began 37 years, in many ways, as the face of golf in Amarillo.His goal was to enhance the golf experience and grow the game. He quickly realized that to attract more golfers, the Ross Rogers courses needed improvement. It was a major undertaking. But in that first year, there were 64,000 rounds played, an increase of 7,000. By 1990, play had nearly doubled to 100,140 rounds. Eventually, the Wildhorse and Mustang courses at Ross Rogers would be recognized multiple times by the Dallas Morning News as one of the top 50 public courses in Texas.He started a free junior clinic, from which sprang the extremely popular Junior Coca-Cola tournament. Cox started the Amarillo Junior City Championship and the Ladies City Championship and revived the Men’s City Championship. In just his third year, a new badly needed clubhouse was built.Cox also enhanced the most prestigious tournament in the Panhandle, the Ross Rogers Partnership, by securing several naming rights. In 1994, Sherwin and Richard O’Neal began the Amarillo Tournament of Champions, now in its 32nd year. Ross Rogers became the prime location for charity tournaments. The courses hosted as many as 140 charity tournaments a year and raised between $15 and $ 20 million.Cox won two national awards from the PGA, 12 awards from the West Texas PGA, and 10 from the NTPGA. He’s served on the North Texas PGA for 19 years, including one year as president.Cox, who retired on New Year’s Eve 2017, and his late wife, Jenny, have two children, Ty and Teela, and two grandchildren.Teresa TinnerIn the late 1980s, she was known as “Triple T,” Teresa Tinner of Tulia. She was a triple threat – and more – for the West Texas State Lady Buffs. She could rebound, score, and play tight defense. Tinner was instrumental in helping WT to the most dominant four-year basketball period in school history.Tinner grew up in Tulia, playing primarily against her boy cousins and brothers. She learned not to concede anything. She moved back and forth between Tulia and Amarillo, and ended up starting for Horace Mann Junior High in Amarillo before moving back to Tulia to stay.Tulia had a strong track program in the 1980s and excelled in the sport. But she also had a couple of growth spurts that had her close to six feet tall, and coach Bill Schneider took over the basketball program and took Tinner under his wing. She underwent surgery for a knee injury in her junior year, but recovered from that well enough to be one of the top players in the Panhandle/South Plains.Location and her mother’s insistence that she play closer to home won the recruiting push for WT. In effect, Bill Schneider handed Tinner off to his brother, Bob, WT’s Hall of Fame coach, in 1986. Under Schneider, Tinner’s potential was unlocked.She was a key part of the best four-year run in WT’s renowned history. In her four years, along with fellow All-American Vanessa Wells, Von Tucker, and Angela Seay, WT was a dominant 116-10. The Lady Buffs advanced to the NCAA Division II national semifinals in her freshman year, to the national championship game as a sophomore, and to two regional tournament finals as a junior and senior.A three-time All-Lone Star Conference player, Tinner stepped up her game even more as a junior after Wells graduated. She earned first-team Kodak All-America honors in 1989, averaging 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in leading the Lady Buffs to a 26-3 record. On Feb. 20, 1989, in leading WT to a 69-66 win over Abilene Christian to clinch the LSC title, Teresa was perfect, going 14-for-14 from the field.Her career was one of the best in WT history, leaving as the school’s all-time leading rebounder with 777, still fourth 36 years later, and her 1,598 points were third all-time, now eighth. She finished second all-time in field goals with 720.Tinner was inducted into the WT Hall of Champions in 1997, and in 2001, along with Wells, had their jerseys retired. For 26 years, Tinner has worked out of Amarillo as a customer service agent and, later, as a flight attendant for First American Airlines and now Southwest Airlines. Her daughter, Jade, followed in her footsteps, playing for state-champion Canyon in 2018 and later at the collegiate level.Ryan PalmerNearly $34 million in career earnings, a seven-time qualifier for The Masters, and four PGA tournament victories are just a few of the accomplishments that make Ryan Palmer the greatest golfer in Texas Panhandle history.Palmer got his start playing with friend Ty Cox and in the junior clinics and tournaments organized by Sherwin Cox, the golf pro at Ross Rogers. The two continued on at Amarillo High, where they were part of two Sandies teams that qualified for the state tournament in the mid-1990s. After a year at the University of North Texas, Palmer again joined Cox, this time at Texas A&M.His game reached another level at College Station. Palmer qualified for the U.S. Open as a junior at A&M. During that time, he won two individual tournaments with the Aggies, was named All-Big 12 from 1997-1999, and left as the single-season record holder with a 73.4 scoring average. He would be inducted into the A&M Hall of Honor in 2016.Palmer had the aspirations and talent for the PGA Tour, but he had to grind for four years to earn that coveted PGA card. He played on the Tight Lies and Hooters tour through 2002, topping the Tight Lies money list in 2002 while winning four tournaments. He was on the Nationwide Tour in 2003, winning the Clearwater Classic and finishing sixth on the money list. He would then earn that PGA card in 2004.Over the next 22 years on the PGA Tour, Palmer earned $33.8 million and made the cut 328 times. But he did more than just make cuts. Palmer won four PGA tournaments spaced over 15 years – the Funai Classic in his rookie year of 2004, the Gin Suer Mer Classic in 2008, the Sony Open in Hawaii in 2010, and the Zurich Classic in 2019.He was also runner-up in four tournaments. Palmer played in 30 majors, with best finishes of fifth in the 2014 PGA Championship and tied for 21st in the U.S. Open, and, as for the Masters, he played it seven times. He finished 10th at Augusta in 2011. In his first Master's in 2005, he made the cut, finished 39th, and led the tournament for four holes.More than 20 years ago, he established the Ryan Palmer Foundation, in which philanthropic efforts are focused on breast cancer initiatives and dental services for children, with many in Amarillo benefiting.Palmer turns 50 in September and will be eligible for the Seniors Tour. He and Jennifer have two children, Mason and Madelyn, and reside in Colleyville.Coaches of the YearBaseball: Colby Chandler, West Plains High SchoolBasketball: (co) Rob Schmucker, Josh Strickland, Panhandle High SchoolCross Country: Wes KirtonFootball: Jeff Smith, West Texas HighGolf: Axel Ochoa, West Texas A&MSoccer: Victoria Nunez, Borger High SchoolSoftball: Carlyn Tolleson, Dumas High SchoolTennis: David DeLeon, Canyon High SchoolTrack: Cade Wartes, Canyon High SchoolVolleyball: Holly Lindley, Fort Elliott High SchoolWrestling: Chris Allen, Caprock High SchoolAthletes of the YearBaseball: Carson Allen, Canyon High SchoolBasketball: Bailey Maupin, Gruver High School/Texas TechCross Country: Addyson Bristow, Canyon High SchoolFootball: Cayde Winters, West Texas High SchoolGolf: Hunter Corman, Wildorado High SchoolSoccer: Sophie Ferro, Amarillo High SchoolSoftball: Star Cortes, Dumas High SchoolTennis: Sara Shelhamer, Olivia Hefley, Amarillo High SchoolTrack: Addyson Bristow, Canyon High SchoolVolleyball: Harper Vaughan, Amarillo High SchoolWrestling: Elijah Luna, Randall High SchoolSpecial Achievement AwardsJan Barker, Amarillo High VolleyballAlec Purdy, Amarillo High SwimmingBlayne Robison, San Jacinto Christian TennisAmarillo Bombers, Indoor SoccerMatt Stewart, WTAMU Track & FieldDick Risenhoover Memorial Award: Brenen Thompson, Spearman/Mississippi State/Los Angeles ChargersBig Play: Addyson Bristow, Canyon High School/Elijah Luna, Randall High SchoolSuper Team: Canyon High School boys and girls cross country and track teamsDee Henry Inspiration Award: Kynley Craddock, Randall High SchoolIn addition, all state and national champions will be recognized.For more information on the Texas Panhandle Hall of Fame, contact Kids, Inc. at 806-376-5936 or TPSHOF chairman Jon Mark Beilue at 806-674-3658.This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame announces 2026 class

Last year, Jannik Sinner suffered one of the most devastating losses imaginable when he allowed Carlos Alcaraz to wriggle from his grasp when three championship points down in their memorable French Open final. A year on, the world No 1 returned to Court Philippe-Chatrier and experienced an even more staggering collapse. From 6-3, 6-2, 5-1, the chances of Sinner’s opponent, the world No 56 Juan Manuel Cerundolo, reaching the third round and ending the top seed’s dominant 30-match winning streak were unthinkable. Sinner, though, was dealing with a ticking time bomb. The 24-year-old had been scheduled to play the day’s opening match, with a noon start time. That raised an eyebrow to begin with, as it represented the first time a men’s singles match had been scheduled first on the French Open’s biggest court in three years. Given the unprecedented May heatwave, the rationale was clear: Sinner wanted to get his match over and done with as soon as possible, and avoid the worst of the sweltering mid-afternoon conditions.Sinner was four points away from victory. He even served for it. But then he unravelled, losing 15 points in a row to slump from 5-1 up to 5-4, 0-40. He left the court for a medical exemption, telling the on-court trainer that he felt nauseous and dizzy. With it, Cerundolo had the glimmer of hope he was looking for. Sinner, meanwhile, saw his movement, timing of shot and usual power completely desert him, managing just two more games as Cerundolo won 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 for the biggest grand slam upset in years. Jannik Sinner began to feel dizzy as he approached the finish line against Juan Manuel Cerundolo (AP)“I woke up this morning and didn't feel very well,” Sinner explained, while denying that heat was to blame. “I tried to keep the points very short in the beginning. I was hitting very clean, very good, and then I just kind of hit the wall, and that's it. It was warm, but not crazy warm. I feel like it was quite OK to play, and really, it was nothing against the heat, nothing against the weather. It was just me today, but it happens.” With defending champion Alcaraz absent from the draw due to his wrist injury, Sinner was the biggest pre-tournament favourite since Rafael Nadal in 2009. That, however, was the year Nadal suffered his first ever defeat at Roland Garros, to Robin Soderling in the fourth round. Now the tournament has experienced a similar earthquake, one that will spread throughout the draw and should act as a wake-up call for every player remaining. Sinner is also the first top seed at Roland Garros to lose before the third round since 2000, the career grand slam remaining out of reach. It does, though, reignite wider interest in the men’s tournament. Between them, Sinner and Alcaraz had swept the last nine grand slam titles in a row. It means Novak Djokovic, who lost to Sinner in Paris last year and has suffered numerous defeats to his young rivals while bidding to win a record 25th grand slam title, is the only grand slam champion left in the draw. Djokovic, at 39, still faces a tough route to making history, but his two most significant obstacles since he won his last major title at the 2023 US Open have been removed from his path. Djokovic, who plays Joao Fonseca in the third round, now has an excellent opportunity to win a 25th grand slam title (AP)Second seed Alexander Zverev, a defeated finalist in a Roland Garros final, has lost nine matches in a row against Sinner, and should also sense that this has to be his biggest opportunity to win a first grand slam title. Djokovic and Zverev are in the same half – on the other side of the draw, an out-of-form Stefanos Tsitsipas is left as the only player to have previously reached a French Open final, with Felix Auger-Aliassime and Ben Shelton the highest remaining seeds. A Sinner title felt inevitable after he had swept the clay-court season, winning titles in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome, but there is going to be an unexpected grand slam finalist on Sunday, 7 June; there may be an unexpected champion. Sinner will have many more opportunities to win a first French Open title, but not doing so in a year where Alcaraz is absent from the draw represents a significant blow. So, too, is the manner of his collapse, from a seemingly unassailable lead, as well as the cause of it. The distressing scenes of Jakub Mensik’s collapse after suffering full-body cramps on match point and Casper Ruud feeling like a “zombie” while playing during this heatwave would have alerted Sinner and his teams to the danger of playing under the sun. Cerundolo admitted he felt ‘lucky’ after coming from two sets down to beat Sinner (Getty)Sinner’s last defeat at Masters level came when he was forced to retire from last season’s Shanghai Masters due to severe leg cramps amid extreme heat and humidity. He then had a fortunate escape against Eliot Spizzirri in this season’s Australian Open, suffering cramps as temperatures reached 36C before the tournament’s extreme heat rule was enforced; Sinner was able to recover before progressing in four sets. This time, he could not recover. “Shanghai was very tough for humidity, very high. Australia was very, very warm. It's different when you play on hard court because the heat comes also underneath. Here, it was warm but it was OK,” he said. “It was not like I was dying because of the heat. I think today was a completely different scenario. This can happen. It's tough to accept, of course, because of the position I've been in and everything considered.“As I said in the beginning of the year, this is my main goal here, and I had a very early exit.” It has blown the French Open wide open.