POLSON — Bigfork’s Mason Lewis threw a shutout.Columbia Falls put away the Columbus Cougars late, and the Wildcats’ reward is unbeaten Dillon.That’s how the first day of the State A baseball tournament went at O’Malley Park Thursday: Two of the three Northwest A teams pushed into the semifinals.Lewis and the Vikings beat defending state champion Billings Central 1-0; Zeke Dunn threw a complete game 2-hitter, striking out eight, and Jett Pitts’ two-run, sixth-inning triple broke a 1-1 tie in Columbia Falls’ 4-1 in over Columbus.The 16-4 Wildcats will take on 18-0 Dillon, which similarly beat Whitefish 5-3, in the 11 a.m. semifinal Friday.Bigfork will take on Frenchtown in the 1:30 p.m. semifinal. The schedule has been compacted because of rain expected Friday and Saturday.Bigfork 1, Billings Central 0Lewis needed just 89 pitches to get through seven innings. He allowed one hit and four walks. He struck out three.The Vikings got their only run in the third: Wyatt Hickey singled, moved to third when two Vikings were hit by pitches and came in on Hayden Mayer’s sacrifice fly. The Rams got a double play out of it — Hickey scored before Ryder Hamilton was cut down at third.Central ace Paxton Prill did not make the start on the mound. Instead the trio of Matteo Harris, Zach McDonald and Howie Martin combined to allow just four hits and four walks. Harris gave up the run. McDonald fanned seven in four innings.C-Falls 4, Columbus 1Dunn threw just 86 pitches, allowing one walk and one run — Koleman Gairrett singled, stole second and came in on an error in the fourth.That tied the game at 1-1; the Cats had gone up 1-0 when Tristan Victor led off the second with a triple and scored on Jory Hill’s sacrifice fly.Columbia Falls untied it in the sixth. Lincoln Fisher reached on an error, Nico Young followed with a single and both came in on Pitts’ triple to right.Victor followed with an RBI single to make it 4-1, and Dunn worked around a two-out walk in the ninth.Graycen Waltner threw five solid innings for Columbus, allowing seven hits and three earned runs. He fanned two.Dillon 5, Whitefish 3The Beavers rallied from a 3-0 deficit with two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.Whitefish led 1-0 on Finn Ryan’s RBI single in the first, and Carter Godsey hit a leadoff home run to spark a two-run third inning. Tait Orme followed Godsey’s shot to left with a double; he came in on Ryan’s second RBI single.Dillon got two runs back on Levi Stonebraker’s home run in the fourth and tied it up with Cohen Hartman’s RBI double in the fifth.In the sixth, a walk and two errors led to the go-ahead runs.Whitefish got two runners aboard in the seventh but Stonebraker came on in relief of starter Logan Fox with one out and closed it out.Orme threw six solid innings for the Bulldogs, allowing six hits and three walks. He fanned two. Fox went 6 1-3 innings for Dillon; he gave up five hits and four walks, fanning five.Frenchtown 5, Laurel 3Konnor Klimpel doubled, had two hits and drove in two runs for Frenchtown, and four Broncs pitchers combined to hold the Locomotives to six hits.A three-run fourth inning made the difference for the Broncs:Brooks Day got the last five outs to close it out.Dallas Jackson drove in two runs for Laurel.State A-B BaseballMarch 28-30, O’Malley ParkPolsonThursdayGame 1: Dillon 5, Whitefish 3Columbia Falls 4, Columbus 1Frenchtown 5, Laurel 3Bigfork 1, Billings Central 0FridayGame 5: Whitefish (14-9) vs. Columbus (11-6), 8:30 a.m., loser outGame 6: Laurel (10-6) vs. Billings Central (15-4), 8:30 a.m., in Ronan, loGame 7: Dillon (18-0) vs. Columbia Falls (16-4),11 a.m., semifinalGame 8: Frenchtown (17-4) vs. Bigfork (15-5), 1:30 p.m., semifinalGame 9: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 7, 4 p.m., Ronan, loGame 10: Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 8, 4 p.m., loGame 11: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, TBD, thirdGame 12: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, TBD, championship

Deniz Aytekin and Fabienne Michel named DFB Referees of the Year 2025-26Deniz Aytekin and Fabienne Michel are in line to be named as DFB Referees of the Year 2026, based on Sky Germany's latest update. This outcome is the result of a week-long vote that was open to all referees across Germany to determine the best male and female arbiter.As was the case two years ago, Aytekin and Michel will also grace the cover of the new rulebook for the 2026-27 season.The duo received their individual trophies on Friday evening at the joint season finale for all elite referees in Leipzig.Aytekin, despite being just 47-years-old, refereed his last Bundesliga game which ended in a 5-1 win for Bayern Munich over 1.FC Köln.His age is the cut-off point for officials in Germany to help keep the pace of topflight officiating and encourage young referees.

BUTTE — Thursday’s fantastic start gave away to Friday frustration for the Glacier baseball team, which bowed out of the State AA tournament with losses to Missoula Sentinel and the host Butte Bulldogs.Sentinel ate up a 6-0 deficit with a six-run fifth inning, then scored nine the next inning in a 15-8 win in the semifinals.That put the Pack in the loser’s bracket, and Butte combined nine hits with 11 walks and four hit batters to take a 14-4 victory.Glacier, which opened the tournament with a 12-1 win over CMR, ended their first baseball season 14-8.Sentinel 15, Glacier 8Brady Buckmaster went 3-for-4 for the Wolfpack, hitting an RBI double in the third inning and a triple in the seventh.Falon Clark’s two-run single put Glacier ahead 4-0 in the third, and Max Weber’s two-run double in the fifth made it 6-0.To that point Kaeden Kahler had thrown four spotless innings for Glacier, but Sentinel got to him and reliever Wyatt Sharp in the fifth.A Kaden Thennis triple drove in the Spartans’ first run, and they kept coming: with two out they got a two-run single from Keaton Elliott to close to 6-3; two Glacier errors let in three more runs and it was tied.In the sixth two hit batters, an RBI single by Stellan Ridley and three straight walks had Sentinel in front for good, 9-7. A two-out, two run triple by Thennis made it 14-7.Buckmaster tripled and scored on Bridger Sunde’s two-out single in the seventh for Glacier.The Spartans (16-8) then beat Gallatin 6-3 in the championship.Butte 14, Glacier 4Glacier led this one as well, though just briefly — Buckmaster doubled in Ryne Gillette for a 1-0 lead in the first.Butte (10-10) responded with eight runs in the second, combining four singles with four walks and a hit batter. Four Wolfpack pitchers walked a total of 11 Bulldogs and hit four. Butte had nine hits, with Kodye Kjersten and Tegan Duffy getting two each. Each player drove in three runs.Glacier’s three-run fifth inning had little fireworks as well. Buckmaster drew a bases-loaded walk and Sunde and Eli Beck added RBI grounders.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will host the San Antonio Spurs for the 2026 NBA playoffs on Saturday. It will be Game 7 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals. The series is tied at 3-3 apiece.The Thunder were a no-show in their 118-91 Game 6 loss to the Spurs on Thursday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again struggled with just 15 points and four assists. Chet Holmgren was also a ghost with 10 points and 11 rebounds. They trailed by as many as 28 points.Meanwhile, the Spurs kept their title hopes alive in a must-win scenario. Victor Wembanyama answered the call with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Stephon Castle had 17 points and nine assists. Dylan Harper popped off for 18 points and six rebounds off the bench.Once again, the Thunder will be without two important players. Jalen Williams (hamstring strain injury management) is out. Ajay Mitchell (soleus strain) is out. Thomas Sorber (torn ACL) is out.Meanwhile, the Spurs are completely healthy. They had no injuries submitted.Tipoff from Oklahoma City is set for 7 p.m. CT.This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Full injury report for Saturday's Spurs vs. Thunder Game 7 matchup

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​​Good morning, New York Giants fans!From Big Blue ViewJaxson Dart, Abdul Carter, Giants navigating ‘conversation of life’ after Trump issueNY Giants news: LB Arvell Reese signs his rookie contractNY Giants News: Gunner Olszewski Suffers Non-Contact Injury at PracticeLB Tremaine Edmunds ‘could really be beneficial’ to Giants’ defenseBetter or worse? NY Giants deeper at safety, but will the starters improve?Other Giant observationsGiants past and present going to bat for Brian Burns, autism awareness | The RecordYou might wonder how a charity softball game expected to feature nearly 100 Giants players from the past and present goes from an idea in the mind of a super fan a decade ago to the mega-event it again promises to be Saturday. Well, here’s the simple answer: Joe Ruback just asked. Known in NFL circles as “License Plate Guy,” Ruback approached former Giants safety Landon Collins at the Pro Bowl in January 2017 to gauge his interest in being the headliner of an event that would serve both a proud fan base and a charitable cause to boot.First sighting of Cam Skattebo on the field since his injuryCam Skattebo out on the field during OTAs pic.twitter.com/VEN0Nqb9F1— SNY Giants (@SNYGiants) May 29, 2026Second-year NFL players poised for massive breakout | CBSSports.comNew York Giants EDGE Abdul Carter. Stardom is just within reach for 2025 NFL Draft third overall pick edge rusher Abdul Carter’s grasp. His 66 quarterback pressures ranked as tied for the 12th-most in the entire NFL in 2025, and that figure was 21 more than the next closest rookie — Atlanta Falcons edge rusher James Pearce. Jr. and his 45, according to TruMedia.However, Carter turned just four of those 66 pressures into sacks for sack-to-pressure rate that ranked 211th among 271 players with 100 or more pass-rush snaps. That production doesn’t align with a player who possesses the bend, fluidity and athleticism of a player like Carter. With a full year under his belt and playing alongside Brian Burns, whose 16.5 sacks were the second-most in the NFL last season, and 2026 fifth overall pick Arvell Reese, Carter has what he needs to ascend to stardom. What Jaxson Dart needs next in his on-field development: Giants mailbag | The AthleticDart needs to play quarterback conventionally better and more consistently. The playground element of his game is awesome and will raise his ceiling, but it’s hard to live like that in the NFL. This is far from a perfect stat, but Pro Football Focus credited 39.1 percent of Dart’s pressures to the quarterback. The next highest rate was Lamar Jackson at 27.3 percent. If Dart can get into that range with Jackson and other scrambling quarterbacks, he should be fine. That will mean recognizing that there isn’t a big play available on every snap, and that sometimes a 2-yard completion on first down is acceptable.Dart didn’t always seem to read coverages cleanly, which led to some of his crazy scrambles. Those were great when they worked, but many of the best quarterbacks are ruthlessly boring because they always know where they’re going with the ball and therefore don’t need to walk a high-wire for four quarters every Sunday.The Main Obstacle Facing Every NFL Starting QB in 2026 | Bleacher ReportJaxson Dart, New York Giants: Increased exposure. Dart generated 24 passing/rushing touchdowns to just five interceptions in 14 games as a rookie. But as was the case with Stroud and Jayden Daniels, the league will adjust. How will he handle being the face of the franchise in America’s biggest media market with opposing defenses gunning for him? Let’s see. The size of Patrick Ricard makes you stop300 pound fullback Patrick Ricard warming up. pic.twitter.com/2ALy6GGdQO— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) May 29, 2026Giants’ Malachi Fields draws praise from Hall of Fame running back | USAToday.comThere has been considerable hype surrounding the third-round pick, and now Hall of Fame running back Jerome Bettis has added to it with his own strong endorsement of the Notre Dame product.“He’s a tough, physical player and his range is outstanding,” Bettis said. “He’s a big guy, right? When you see him, he’s physically commanding with his presence. But he’s also got speed, great hands, and a huge catch radius. He’s going to be a really special receiver, and I think he can really complement that receiving core they already have. Yeah, he’s that big receiver you want to have opposite your speedy guy and Nabers. He’s the type of player who, if you put him in one-on-one situations, is going to win most of those battles. I think he’s going to be a great addition to the Giants.”2026 NFL offseason: Ranking 10 biggest position upgrades | ESPN.com8. New York Giants linebackers. The Giants swapped Okereke for Edmunds, who himself was a cap casualty in Chicago. Edmunds was drafted a year before Okereke but is younger, bigger and faster — he just has a larger range of influence, even if he still has mental lapses on the field. Had Edmunds been the only change, the Giants’ linebackers room wouldn’t have sniffed this list.But he’s not. New York also adds Reese with the fifth pick, and that is exciting. Though Reese was considered a bit of a developmental edge rusher, he’s a ready-made NFL linebacker. He has quality technique for taking on blocks, and though he’ll always be more dangerous as a blitzer than as a dropper, he’s not lost in coverage, either. Reese and Edmunds should give the Giants an infusion of team speed and stopping power at the second level of the defense. And New York’s 2.5 yards allowed before contact per carry last season — the league’s worst figure — should recover back to league average.Around the leagueHow Javon Kinlaw’s perfect quote expresses passion, optimism felt at Washington Commanders OTAs | Hogs Havens49ers DT Osa Odighizuwa has game vs. Cowboys on his dartboard | Pro Football TalkNiners RB Christian McCaffrey shrugs off workload concerns entering age-30 season | NFL.comGeno Smith Dismisses ‘Superhero Movie’ Cliché, Focuses on Reality in Jets Return | FOX SportsPuka Nacua says he’s ‘grateful’ to Rams for support after lawsuit | ESPN.comNFL bumps up roster-cutdown deadline due to Rams-49ers game in Australia | The AthleticBBV mailbagHave a Giants-related question? E-mail it to bigblueview@gmail.com and it might be featured in our weekly mailbag.BBV on social mediaBBV on X: Follow @BigBlueView | Ed Valentine: @Valentine_Ed |Threads: @ed.valentineBluesky: @edvalentineBBV on Facebook: Click here to like the Big Blue View Facebook pageBBV on YouTube: Subscribe to the Big Blue View YouTube channelBBV on Instagram: Click here to follow our Instagram page

Milan and Allegri battle over exit payment as Napoli waitA legal battle is erupting between Milan and sacked coach Max Allegri, as the club thinks he already had a deal in place with Napoli, so is not owed an exit package payment.The club used a single statement to fire coach Allegri, director of sport Igli Tare, CEO Giorgio Furlani and technical director Geoffrey Moncada the day after their failure to qualify for the Champions League.Within hours, Allegri had been heavily linked with the now vacant job at Napoli, with Antonio Conte walking away from his job by mutual consent.Allegri ready for Napoli after MilanMILAN, ITALY – MAY 24: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, reacts prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Cagliari Calcio at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)However, although the decision seems to have been made to hire him, the announcement might take several more weeks, as a legal battle is breaking out.According to Calciomercato com and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Allegri is demanding anywhere from €500,000 to €1m to terminate his contract with Milan early, as his current salary for one more year is worth €5.5m.MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 11: Massimiliano Allegri, Head Coach of AC Milan, looks on prior to the Serie A match between AC Milan and Udinese Calcio at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on April 11, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)The contract he is ready to sign for Napoli involves a pay cut to €4.5m, but padded with performance-related bonuses for Champions League and Scudetto targets.He notes there is a clause where Milan would cover the difference in salary from his current contract and the new deal.Milan are seemingly not prepared to pay Allegri anything after his sacking, because they claim that the coach had already agreed personal terms with Napoli even before the final defeat to Cagliari and his dismissal.There will be no progress until at least June 3, but even then this could take a while.

Report Slot now top Milan target after being fired by LiverpoolA surprising report claims that Arne Slot is the new favourite to take over at Milan, just hours after he was sacked by Liverpool and probably replaced by Andoni Iraola.The managerial merry-go-round is spinning off its axis this summer, with numerous clubs changing coaches.Milan had targeted Iraola after sacking Max Allegri, and thought that the Spaniard was ideal following his impressive Bournemouth spell.However, it quickly became evident that he was waiting for another offer, and it turns out that was from Liverpool.Iraola to Liverpool, Slot for Milan?MILAN, ITALY – DECEMBER 09: Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Liverpool FC at Stadio San Siro on December 09, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Only this afternoon was it made official that Liverpool had fired Slot, and very quickly Belgian transfer pundit Sacha Tavolieri claimed that the Dutchman was in negotiations with Milan.The 47-year-old won the Premier League last season, before that taking the Dutch League title with Feyenoord.He had been on the bench at Anfield for only two seasons and was sacked after finishing fifth in the Premier League this term.LEIPZIG, GERMANY – MAY 27: Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace, looks on prior to the UEFA Conference League Final 2026 match between Crystal Palace FC and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Football Arena Leipzig on May 27, 2026 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)Until now, Slot had not been linked with the Milan job, as their main target now seems to be former Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner.A meeting with him has been scheduled for next week.

‘I wasn’t expecting it’: Barcelona versatile star shares excitement after World Cup call-upWhile most of Barcelona’s players called up for the Spanish national team were the usual suspects, some names came as a surprise.One of the players whose call-up was unexpected was Eric Garcia, and the player’s hard-work and consistency over the past year paid off with great dividends as he was named in Luis de la Fuente’s final list.It remains to be seen what role the Spaniard plays in the World Cup and whether he is seen as a starter or a substitute option. In either case, his versatility and quality suggest that he will have minutes to reflect his importance.Garcia is excited about the World CupThe Barcelona defender spoke to RAC1 (h/t MARCA) in a recent interview where he revealed his excitement about being called up for the World Cup by Luis de la Fuente.“I wasn’t expecting it. Obviously, I had hope, but I wasn’t 100% sure. I found out when the video was released; nobody calls you beforehand.”“I was working with the fitness coach when I saw it. I gave him a big hug and then spoke with my parents,” he added, reliving the moment.Eric Garcia will play for Spain at the World Cup. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)The player was then asked about the lack of any Real Madrid representation and Barcelona having as many as eight players, to which he highlighted that the dominance could have been even more.“In the end, Gerard has had a good season, and Bernal comes to train with us. We have a great base of players who can play for Spain. It’s a credit to the club and to us.”He then spoke on how he was excited to join the national team next week and time was seemingly not moving forward.“This week is dragging on forever for me.”On his personal ambitions and developmentGarcia has been tipped to become a first-team captain for Barcelona in the years to come, and the player was asked about what it would mean to him.“Everyone would love it. I’ve always been a captain at the youth level. It’s not something you go looking for. It comes naturally from each person’s character.”He then revealed how he works with a psychologist to help him stay in the best mental state possible given all the pressure that comes with being a Barcelona player.Excited for the World Cup. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)“Three or four years ago I started working with a psychologist because, at the end of the day, we’re normal people. You know when you’ve played well or badly, you don’t need to read the press to know that.”“But when there are personal insults or people start involving your family, that’s when you really suffer. From the beginning, I tried to take things calmly,” he added.The defender was then asked about his social media usage, to which he said,“I hardly spend any time on social media or pay attention to what people say about me. I don’t need to know what others think.”“I know whether I’ve played well or badly, and the coach speaks to me about it as well,” he added.The player was then asked jovially if Hansi Flick knew Spanish, to which Garcia jokingly suggested that the manager may well be playing a charade.“I think he’s fooling us and actually understands everything we say (laughs). He has a strong character when he needs to show it, and doing it in another language probably adds an extra effect.”

Crucial meetings for Milan, Rangnick and Glasner booked: Dates revealedThe latest updates confirm that a series of crucial meetings will take place on Monday and Tuesday next week, involving Ralf Rangnick, the Austrian FA and Oliver Glasner, who is among the candidates under consideration for the vacant Milan head coach role.When will Milan meet with Glasner?It is an uncertain time for Milan, who currently have no head coach, sporting director, technical director nor CEO following the departures of Massimiliano Allegri, Igli Tare, Geoffrey Moncada and Giorgio Furlani the day after the Serie A season ended.Owners RedBird are now tasked with rebuilding the senior management team and reports over the last few days indicate that Ralf Rangnick is currently the leading candidate to take over the sporting sector of the club.Rangnick made a name for himself in Germany by leading TSG Hoffenheim to consecutive promotions and would later go on to serve as Red Bull’s director of football. He is credited with influencing the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann and Oliver Glasner among various other German and Austrian tacticians.Manchester United’s manager Ralf Rangnick reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Leicester City in Manchester, Britain, 02 April 2022. EPA-EFE/TIM KEETON EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publicationsRangnick is currently serving as head coach of the Austria national team, and according to the latest updates from Fabrizio Romano (via Milannews.it), he will sit down with the local FA to discuss his future on Monday.The Austrian FA are reportedly keen to tie Rangnick down to a new contract, but the German is aware of the opportunity that could await him in Milan.LEIPZIG, GERMANY – MAY 27: Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace, looks on prior to the UEFA Conference League Final 2026 match between Crystal Palace FC and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid at Football Arena Leipzig on May 27, 2026 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)Meanwhile, the aforementioned Glasner is among the current frontrunners to land the vacant Milan head coach role. He is one of the coaches that Rangnick knows well and is fresh off winning his third trophy with Crystal Palace, defeating Rayo Vallecano to claim the 2025-26 Conference League.According to the latest Fabrizio Romano update, Glasner will meet with the remaining representatives from Milan on Tuesday.

Tom Kean Jr., GOP candidate for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, arrives at his election night party in Basking Ridge N.J., Nov. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)2026-05-30T12:57:27Z WESTFIELD, N.J. (AP) — When New Jersey voters gathered this week to talk with a state lawmaker about affordable housing and new data centers, there was something else on their mind, too. Where is their congressman, Republican Tom Kean Jr.?“What’s the word?” Steve McCabe, an 80-year-old retired lawyer, asked Jon Bramnick, a GOP state senator.Bramnick had no answer for Kean’s unexplained medical absence that has stretched over nearly three months. But he told the audience how Kean hated to miss votes when they served together in the Legislature, even if that meant driving through a snowstorm.“I said, ‘Tom, we should really turn around,’” he recalled. Now Kean has missed more than 100 votes in Congress, and he has not been spotted in Washington or in his district. It is a political mystery with potentially national consequences: Kean represents a district that is among Democrats’ top targets as they try to retake control of Congress. Kean’s office insists he is still running for reelection. He is not facing any challengers in Tuesday’s primary while several Democrats are running for their party’s nomination. Harrison Neely, Kean’s campaign consultant, said the congressman was dealing with a medical emergency. He promised that Kean would be transparent about the issue and would return to a full schedule “very soon.”“This was an emergency, you don’t get to plan these,” Neely said. “There’s no good timing for this.” Read More To Bramnick, it seems like it must be something serious.“For him not to be there, that’s a big deal,” he said. ‘We’re expecting him back here soon’Kean represents the 7th Congressional District, a mix of suburbs and small towns. It includes President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course.Despite being redrawn after the most recent census in 2021 to become more favorable to Republicans, the district has seesawed between the parties in each of the last two midterm elections. Republican Leonard Lance lost to Democrat Tom Malinowski in 2018. Malinowski lost to Kean in 2022. Kean’s last vote in the House was March 5. Since then his absence has drawn escalating attention.“We’re expecting him back here soon,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., recently. “He’s going to be fully transparent.”Kean comes from a storied political family. His father served as governor. An ancestor was New Jersey’s first leader after the United States declared independence. The New Jersey Globe, a local political website, said it received a call from Kean this month. He did not explain his condition, only that “my doctors are confident that I’m on the road to a full recovery.”McCabe, the voter who asked Bramnick about Kean, said he wanted an update after reading the news about the congressman’s absence. “I hope he’s not sick,” he said. What if Kean steps down?Bruce Paterson, a 75-year-old retired engineer from Garwood, described himself as a “regular Democrat, not like the crazy Democrats they have today.” He attended the town hall with Bramnick and plans to support Kean in the general election.“I hope he comes back,” he said. “I mean, will I vote for him? Probably only because we need a nice balance” in a state otherwise dominated by Democrats. Another voter asked Bramnick if Kean steps down after Tuesday’s primary whether he would accept the Republican nomination for the 7th District. If that were to happen, party leaders in the district’s counties would hold a convention to choose a replacement. Bramnick repeatedly noted Kean is running for reelection and questioned whether his own candidacy would be a good fit in today’s Republican Party. While Bramnick has criticized Trump, including during Bramnick’s failed campaign for governor last year, Kean has embraced the president and features his endorsement prominently on social media accounts. “I’m not considered the biggest fan of Donald Trump,” Bramnick said. “I don’t think that the Republican Party is interested in sending someone to Washington that may vote yes or no depending on how I feel about the issue.” Democrats are waiting in the wingsSome Democrats running in the primary have criticized Kean over the failure to tell constituents about what is going on. “Tom Kean disappeared from the job,” said Michael Roth, a former Small Business Administration official. Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy pilot also in the race, wished Kean a speedy recovery but criticized his record in Congress, including the battle over money for a new railway tunnel connecting New Jersey with New York City. “He was nowhere to be found when funding got cut for the Gateway Tunnel, which is a critical infrastructure project in our district,” she said.Candidates Tina Shah, an intensive care unit doctor, and Brian Varela, a marketing agency founder, have also been critical of Kean during debates. Kean, who has a cash advantage at this point over his potential Democratic opponents, still has time before the November election to connect with voters, said Benjamin Dworkin, director of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship. “The issue is not going to be that he was out for a hundred plus votes in the spring,” he said. “The question is really, how effective is he going to get once he returns?” MIKE CATALINI Catalini covers government, elections and news primarily in New Jersey for The Associated Press. He focuses on accountability and how policy affects people. twitter

Victims of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse, from left, Liz Stein, Dani Bensky, Sharlene Rochard, Marina Lacerda and Andrea Sterling, are seen before former Attorney General Pam Bondi arrives for her deposition at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill, Friday, May 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Ceneta)2026-05-30T12:54:27Z WASHINGTON (AP) — For nearly a year, public demand and increasingly outspoken calls from the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse have driven Congress to mostly set aside party politics and search for accountability.Yet even after interviews with some of the highest-ranked officials to ever appear before a congressional investigation, including a former president, lawmakers have little to show in terms of criminal culpability for Epstein’s crimes or a definitive acknowledgment of government failure.Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who sponsored legislation to force the release of case files on Epstein, told The Associated Press he is still asking, “Why there has not been a single investigation of people who have allegedly abused or committed financial crimes?”Lawmakers hoped to get some answers to those questions during a transcribed interview Friday with Pam Bondi, President Donald Trump’s former attorney general who oversaw the release of the files. But the interview left Democrats fuming at Bondi’s decision to defend the Trump administration’s handling of that material, as well as her refusal to answer questions about the Republican president’s involvement. Democratic lawmakers also singled out Republican Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, saying he has allowed administration officials to dodge tough questions from Congress. For survivors of Epstein’s abuse, including several who traveled to Washington to confront Bondi, it was a frustrating development at a time when many are weary of pleading their case before government officials. They say the Department of Justice’s chaotic release of the files, which included nude photos and personal information of potential victims, has only added to a wider failure by the criminal justice system to believe or protect them.“The government’s refusal to acknowledge the failures that were there have led to so much harm,” said Annie Farmer. “And I think whenever you’re thinking about things from a perspective of justice or healing, without acknowledgment, it’s really hard to move forward.” Read More Push for accountability scrambled political linesThe committee’s investigation has been remarkably bipartisan at many moments, with Democrats and Republicans joining to issue subpoenas and force witness testimony. Besides Bondi, lawmakers have interviewed former Democratic President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Trump’s commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick.That effort shows lawmakers are willing to cross political lines when there is overwhelming public pressure to act. Dozens of women have accused Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier, of sexual abuse and rape, including in the years after he reached a deal with federal prosecutors in 2008 to dispose of a federal investigation in exchange for pleading guilty to state level sex offense charges in Florida. Epstein, who was found dead in a New York jail cell in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges, was accused of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them.His case has captured the public imagination as an example of how the rich and powerful escape accountability for wrongdoing. Lawmakers took up the cause last year after the administration failed to meet promises to provide transparency on the case. Different continents, different standards?Despite the investigation originating in the United States, the reckoning over Epstein has been relatively mild in the country compared with Europe. There, senior figures in governments including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway and Slovakia have all been forced to step down over their ties to Epstein.In its investigation, the House committee spoke to some of Epstein’s closest associates, including his former financial client Les Wexner, his lawyer Darren Indyke and his accountant Richard Kahn. The Clintons, Lutnick and others were also called to testify.All have said more or less the same thing: They knew nothing about Epstein abusing underage girls.Still, the release of Epstein files has had consequences. At least eight American academic and business figures have been forced from positions of power, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers from teaching at Harvard University and Kathy Ruemmler from her post as the chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs. Bank of America and Epstein’s estate have reached multimillion-dollar settlements with women who have accused the institutions of facilitating Epstein’s sex-trafficking operations.Comer, R-Ky., said last week that the names of three people allegedly involved in abuse had come up in an interview with Epstein’s former personal assistant, Sarah Kellen. The congresswoman plans to interview six more people with connections to Epstein in the coming weeks, including billionaire Bill Gates, private equity investor Leon Black, the former CEO of Barclays Bank Jes Staley and Ruemmler. “The government has failed the survivors. There’s no doubt about that,” Comer said, adding, “What we’re trying to do is connect all the dots and see if there is a way to hold people accountable.”But it has stung lawmakers to see a reckoning over Epstein for figures such as Britain’s former Prince Andrew at time when the administration has tried repeatedly to move past the issue.“A prince has been taken down and here in the United States, our Department of Justice, which is sitting on millions of files, is refusing to act,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., pointing to unreleased case files that the Justice Department is withholding on the grounds that they are duplicative or illegal to make public.“That is not a failure, that is a choice,” Stansbury said.Survivors and Democratic lawmakers have also taken issue with the administration’s decision to move Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidant and former girlfriend, to a minimum-security prison camp. She is serving a 20-year sentence for luring teenage girls for Epstein to abuse.Will survivors be heard?Scattered across the country and busy with lives of their own, survivors of Epstein’s abuse have made repeated trips to Washington to push for government action. After years of fighting in court and sharing traumatic stories privately, they have become increasingly outspoken in their quest for accountability. “It is very taxing to be continually focused on this case,” Farmer said. She added that even if the government’s response has not met her hopes, she has seen a wider cultural movement to address sexual predation.To Marina Lacerda, another survivor, “Accountability is kind of hard right now. But we are looking for saving the next generation.”But they also want the administration to listen to their stories. Pressing for the president’s ear, several victims spoke this month at a hearing just miles away from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida that was organized by Democrats on the House committee.For some of the survivors, the return to South Florida was also an opportunity to finally be heard. Jena-Lisa Jones told the panel that she was 14 years old when she was abused by Epstein in Palm Beach.She implored the lawmakers: “Find a way to bring closure to the story of Jeffrey Epstein to allow survivors and this country to finally begin to move forward so that one day, and I pray soon, Jeffrey Epstein’s name is no longer something we are forced to hear every single day.” STEPHEN GROVES Groves covers Congress for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

Ancelotti names Brazil line-up for friendly against PanamaCoach Carlo Ancelotti announced the Brazil national team lineup for the friendly against Panama during a press conference held this Saturday (30) at Granja Comary, in Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro. In the match scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time), the Seleção will take the field at the Maracanã with: Alisson; Wesley, Bremer, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães; Luiz Henrique, Matheus Cunha, Raphinha and Vini Jr.The match will mark the Seleção’s farewell in Brazil before traveling to New Jersey, on the east coast of the United States, for the World Cup.“An important match for us to say goodbye to our fans and our stadium. Tomorrow everyone will play,” commented the Italian coach.Carlo Ancelotti during a press conference with the national team at Granja ComaryCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBFThis morning, he will lead the final training session at Granja Comary. In the afternoon, the delegation will travel to Rio de Janeiro to face Panama on Sunday. According to Ancelotti, the “preparation has been very good.”“Day to day, there is happiness. I’m happy to be here preparing for a World Cup, with a strong team, serious and professional players. So far, the preparation has been very good. We have time to prepare well. The atmosphere is good, beautiful, clean, lively. It’s a great opportunity for all of us to do something important for this country,” he said.Carlo Ancelotti announced Brazil’s lineup for the friendly against Panama during a press conference at Granja ComaryCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBFRefereeing at the World CupOn Friday (29), the Seleção delegation attended a talk led by CBF Refereeing Commission president Rodrigo Cintra, who explained changes to VAR protocols, substitutions, and ball restarts, among other things. Ancelotti approved of the new measures.“What FIFA is establishing as a new rule is good for football. It prevents time-wasting and simulation. Yesterday we spoke with the CBF refereeing group, which explained all the rules; they are very good for keeping the game flowing. For us, that is important,” he said.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

🤔 They’ll destroy them: this Champions League prediction could be way off!Patrice Evra does not seem to give Arsenal much of a chance ahead of the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. "My favorite for this game is PSG," he said in an interview with 'GOAL'.So far, so good. All in all, a large part of the football world is likely expecting the defending champions to win. But Evra goes one step further: "If PSG have all their players fit and available – if Ousmane Dembélé and the others are ready – then they will destroy Arsenal."The Frenchman’s very specific warning is this: if Arsenal sit back in defense, PSG will "put five goals past them." The bizarre thing about this prediction is that, if it comes true, the Gunners would have conceded almost as many goals in a single match as they had in all their previous Champions League games combined. In a total of 14 matches, goalkeeper David Raya has only had to pick the ball out of his net six times. On no fewer than nine occasions, the Spaniard and his teammates also kept a clean sheet.So despite all of PSG’s quality, it seems virtually impossible for them to put five past this North London defensive fortress (just 27 goals conceded in 38 Premier League games) in 90 minutes.Then again, no one would have expected Paris to beat Inter 5-0 last year either...This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

Jan 30, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; NFC defensive end Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers (left) with brother and AFC linebacker Joey Bosa during the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge at Nicholson Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images If you were still holding out hope that the San Francisco 49ers might sign free agent pass-rusher Joey Bosa, you’re in luck. He remains a free agent. Unfortunately, his brother, 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa, isn’t optimistic. “I think he’s working on his golf game right now,” Bosa said when speaking with the media Thursday. “So I don’t think he’s thinking too much about football.”The 49ers are currently $70 million under the salary cap—most in the league. Some speculated that the buildup of cap space was intended to make another free-agent signing. Joey Bosa may fit that bill without making the 49ers drop to last in the league in cap space. Unfortunately, they will need every penny for 2027. Right now, the 49ers are projected to be $35 million over the salary cap in 2027, but after some moves when the regular season begins, they can be as low as $30 million under. That’s a steep dropoff from $70 million. The 49ers would need the $30 million to cover the 2027 draft class and transactions throughout the season. If they didn’t have that $70 million, they’d be even further over in 2027, and some abrupt decisions would need to be made. Back to Joey Bosa. If the 49ers are looking at getting his services, he wouldn’t sap all the cap space of the 49ers, but they don’t necessarily have much space there to make a competitive offer to begin with, if you are looking to the future. That’s not to say it’s not going to happen, but Joey Bosa, let alone any free agent veteran, isn’t budgeted like you’d think when you consider the 49ers’ 2027 cap concerns.

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: Mason Miller #22 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Friday, May 29, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images Ty France smacked a game-tying solo home run in the top of the sixth inning and Jackson Merrill hit what would prove to be a game-winning two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to give the San Diego Padres a 7-5 win over the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.The home runs were the highlights for the Padres at the plate, but the high-wire act by the San Diego bullpen may have been the most critical part of the game. Mason Miller allowed a two-out walk to James Wood to load the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning. Luis Garcia Jr. came to the plate with a chance to tie the game with a hit and put the ball in play with a sharp line drive to left field. Ramon Laureano got twisted around, but was able to recover and make the catch running back toward the wall to end the inning and the Washington scoring threat.Miller came back out for the ninth inning and issued a leadoff walk to Curtis Mead, who hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning off starter Lucas Giolito. Miller was able to lock in and looked more like the dominant closer the Friar Faithful have come to expect and struck out CJ Abrams, got a flyout from Dylan Crews and ended the game with a strikeout of Daylen Lile to secure the win for the Padres and earn his 17th save of the season.Giolito was staked to a 1-0 lead after San Diego manufactured a first-inning run on a sacrifice fly from Xander Bogaerts to score Fernando Tatis Jr. Giolito gave up the lead with the two-run home run to Mead, which put Washington ahead, 2-1. The Nationals would push the lead to 3-1 with a solo home run by Keibert Ruiz in the bottom of the second and the Padres answered with and RBI-single from Manny Machado to score Gavin Sheets in the top of the third inning to make the score, 3-2. The single by Machado snapped an 0-for-35 streak with runners in scoring position for San Diego. Washington regained a two-run advantage in the bottom of the third inning when Crews singled to score Abrams to make the score, 4-2. Giolito was replaced on the mound one batter later after allowing a walk to Jacob Young. Giolito ended his day with four runs allowed on five hits with four walks and one strikeout in just 2.2 innings pitched. The Padres answered back in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI-groundout from Freddy Fermin to pull within a run and then tied the game when Tatis hit an RBI-single to right field, which scored France. The Nationals took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Young singled to center field off Jeremiah Estrada to score Abrams to make the score, 5-4. That set the stage for France who tied the game with his solo home run in the top of the sixth before Merrill homered in the top of the seventh to give the Padres their first lead since the top of the first inning.The back-and-forth game was much different than what San Diego fans have come to expect and the blast from Merrill may have provided a sigh of relief for many. He finished his night 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBI, but that followed a multi-hit performance in the final game of the homestand against the Philadelphia Phillies. Additionally, Tatis finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Machado went 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. The Padres got production from each of their three struggling stars, which might indicate they are breaking out of their offensive slumps. France and Sheets also went 2-for-3 and were part of 10 total hits for San Diego.The Padres snapped a four-game losing streak with the win and will look to make it two wins in a row today at 1:05 p.m.Padres News:Craig Stammen has shown a willingness to do what it takes to help his team win games. He has shuffled the lineup, rotated players in and out of the lineup and has held his team accountable with comments in the media. AJ Cassavell of Padres.com looks at what Padres fans have learned about their first-year, first-time manager two months into his tenure.Jhony Brito is working to make his way back to the MLB roster for San Diego. He took a step in that direction with six scoreless innings in his latest rehab start.In some positive news on the injury front for the Padres, Nick Pivetta played catch.Baseball News:The Los Angeles Dodgers hit four home runs and outslugged Zack Wheeler and the Philadelphia Phillies to get win.Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami left their game with hamstring tightness and is expected to miss a couple weeks.The New York Yankees got a stellar start from Carlos Rodon and pushed their win streak to five games.Ethan Holliday, the Colorado Rockies top prospect, is expected to have season-ending foot surgery.Ezequiel Tovar lifts Colorado over the San Francisco Giants with walk-off home run.The New York Mets got a 9-7 walk-off win over the Miami Marlins.Bryan Reynolds hit a walk-off home run to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Minnesota Twins.The Seattle Mariners got a one-run win with walk-off against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 12: Jayden Daniels #5 of the Washington Commanders hugs Terry McLaurin #17 after an NFL football wild card playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on January 12, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images Editor’s note: Each day, Hogs Haven compiles a collection of articles, podcasts & tweets from around the web to keep you in touch with the Commanders, the NFC East, the NFL and sports in general, with a sprinkling of other stuff. Enjoy!Commanders linksArticlesCommanders.comWhether he’s inside or outside, Mike Sainristil just wants to make playsThere’s more of a focus on creating better matchups — a significant departure from the past two years — so players having defined roles is more of a concept as opposed to a hard-and-fast rule.But players like Mike Sainristil aren’t concerned about where they are on the field as long as they’re out there.“I’ve always been a sponge,” he said after Wednesday’s OTA practice. “No matter where you put me at, I’m going to do my best [to] make sure whatever you got me doing, I’m going to get the job done.”Sainristil is used to being moved around by now. Injuries in Washington’s secondary have forced him to play both in the slot, where he played in college, and on the outside. Sainristil’s strengths at both spots have created some speculation about how he fits in defensive coordinator Daronte Jones’ system — a question even Sainristil doesn’t have an answer to at this point. Rather than worry about it, Sainristil’s approach has been to learn as much as possible and let the situation sort itself out.Sainristil’s track record thus far makes him a fit for both inside and outside, which ironically could make him a fit for Jones’ scheme, which will adopt much of Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ philosophies on using multiple fronts to create confusion for offenses. Jones has a similar belief, saying during his introductory press conference that good defense is more about putting players in position to make plays as opposed to having them line up in specific spots on the field.A to Z SportsJayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin already look like they’re back to the 2024 form that helped Commanders get to playoffs[T]he Jayden Daniels-Terry McLaurin connection: it’s back.The Commanders’ latest OTA session featured a highlight-worthy play from Jayden Daniels to McLaurin and the duo looked as crisp as ever as the latter hauled it in and executed a perfect toe-tap on the sideline to complete the play:things you love to see: pic.twitter.com/5gAbDs9fF7— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 29, 2026Jayden Dainels-Terry McLaurin stats from 2024 (regular season only)Below are the stats that were produced when Daniels targeted McLaurin in 2024, per Sumer Sports:Receptions: 70Receiving yards: 944Yards per reception: 13.5Touchdowns: 12Yards per route run: 9.08EPA per dropback: 0.55Those numbers are pretty insane, especially the yards per route run and EPA totals. Just to put it in context: Anything over 2.0 yards per route run is considered good for receivers and most quarterbacks average 0.0 to 0.05 EPA per dropback.McLaurin’s YPRR is a whopping 454% above average and Jayden Daniels’ EPA per dropback is 1,110% higher than the peak average of 0.05 for QBs.Yea. That’s explosiveness and efficiency to a tee. It’s clear this is one of the most effective QB-WR combos in the NFL and it’ll get a chance to get back on track in 2026.That’s the positive spin on last year’s drop off, too. It’s not like Daniels and McLaurin couldn’t rekindle the magic. Both guys were hurt pretty much all throughout the season and played a total of three games together.They should get right back to tormenting opposing defenses as long as both guys are healthy. It’ll be fun to watch and the Commanders are hoping it can be the spark that gets them back to the postseason.Heavy.comJayden Daniels Already Borrowing from Peyton ManningSpeaking on ‘The John Keim Report,’ Keim noted how Daniels is already emulating Manning during Commanders OTAs. Keim remembered how his ESPN colleague and NFL Films Senior Producer Greg Cosell revealed “Manning would talk to him about executing play action from under center, and just how he would fake the handoff by extending his arm fully. Because if you don’t, if you’re just bending it, what does that signal to the defense? That you’re not gonna hand it off, you’ve gotta sell the handoff. And today, I saw Daniels’ arm fully extended on the handoff, selling the fake on the handoff, ’cause it starts with that. You’ve got to make it look like a run, and that’s the details of the position.”Manning is a good frame of reference for Daniels to borrow from because the 14-time Pro Bowler and five-time NFL MVP could gash defenses in so many ways, from so many looks.This is no small change for Daniels, who has spent the majority of his career operating from shotgun and pistol looks, at a remove from the center. The adjustment is expected to be a challenging, but necessary process for the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.Commanders WireCommanders’ Jayden Daniels will ‘remind everyone’ who he is in 2026What some forget about Daniels is that he did more with less. Yes, he had Terry McLaurin in 2024, but the duo played together in only three games last season. And, for as good as the other three quarterbacks were in 2025, Daniels was far better in 2024. Did anyone catch Maye’s performances throughout the playoffs, despite New England’s run to the Super Bowl? Compare that to Daniels in 2024.Speaking of fourth-quarter comebacks, Daniels had five during his rookie season. He set an NFL rookie record with 12 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and overtime. Even more impressive, Daniels was the first rookie quarterback in 74 years to lead back-to-back double-digit comebacks. His Week 16 comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles was one of the best performances across the NFL in 2024. Daniels passed for five touchdowns, including the game-winner to Jamison Crowder with only seconds remaining. Daniels led the Commanders to the comeback win against the NFL’s best defense despite five turnovers from Washington’s offense.Riggo’s RagCommanders’ 2025 draft pick Kain Medrano is barely hanging on (and no one is paying attention)Medrano faces a real fight to stay relevant this summer.The Commanders signed Leo Chenal in free agency. They took Ohio State prospect Sonny Styles at No. 7 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. Frankie Luvu is moving back to his off-ball role, and Washington still has high hopes for Jordan Magee entering a critical Year 3 of his professional career.These four linebackers are roster locks. Much will depend on how many the Commanders take through, but Medrano has to make huge strides this offseason to justify this place on the squad.Medrano is in danger of following the same path as Dominique Hampton. He was a Day 3 pick who didn’t make an impression in his rookie year. He failed to improve in his second offseason, and a disastrous preseason performance was enough for Peters to cut this experiment short.Medrano has more about him, and his athletic attributes could potentially replace the aging Nick Bellore on special teams. But this is all predicated on the second-year pro developing under the watchful eye of defensive coordinator Daronte Jones.NFL.com2026 NFL London Games tickets sales windowsYour sales windows for the 2026 NFL London Games to be played at Tottenham Hotspur stadium are as follows:Amex presale: **From Wednesday 27th May 10am to Tuesday 2nd June 5pm BST. Please click here to purchase.Hospitality: From Friday 5th June midday BSTTottenham STH: *From Tuesday 23rd June midday BSTGeneral Admission: From Tuesday 7th July midday BST**subject to availability*2024 NFL Tottenham Season Ticket Holders will be contacted separately by email regarding a priority purchase window, as per 2025.Ticket pricing is as follows for the Indianapolis Colts vs Washington Commanders Game to be played on October 4th at 2:30pm BSTView the stadium seating map here for the Colts vs Commanders gameCategory2026 *All In Ticket Price1 £245.652 £235.653 £215.654 £200.655 £185.656 £164.157 £142.358 £115.109 £79.13Category 4 Child£101.48Category 9 Child£39.89OTA Slo-mo VDORUN FATMAN RUN! pic.twitter.com/vuHXBzqEXn— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 29, 2026things you love to see: pic.twitter.com/5gAbDs9fF7— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 29, 2026LUUUUUKE 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/jETgt3XGWq— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 29, 202614 ‼️ pic.twitter.com/JK9MHzUfIX— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 30, 2026Podcasts & videosBACKFIELD BATTLE?: Commanders COMPLIMENTARY Running Back Group On Display at OTAsNFC East linksBleeding Green NationWill the Eagles be better off without A.J. Brown?Brown is aging. He’ll be entering his age-29 season, and historically, production begins to drop off significantly for receivers approaching 30. It appears we began to see a bit of that a year ago, when Brown put up his lowest yardage total since coming to Philadelphia (1,003 yards in 15 games, 66.9 average per game).His yards per target were down (8.3), and his 12.9 yards per reception were a career low, and his 50.4% success rate was also the lowest of his career. Brown supporters would argue much of this can and should be attributed to Kevin Patullo’s putrid playcalling, but to me, Brown appeared a step slower last season and was unable to win the one-on-one battles that have been the hallmark of his Eagles career. It’s fair to wonder if Howie Roseman would be trading Brown before his trade value decreases.The Eagles have also added a ton of new receivers to the roster through free agency and the draft, acknowledging that, yes, Brown is almost certainly to be moved elsewhere. They drafted Makai Lemon in the first round this year and signed Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore and John Metchie III. Not all of those receivers will join DeVonta Smith during the regular season this year, but there are enough viable bodies in the mix to allow the Eagles to begin anew with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.Much of Brown’s lack of production can likely also be traced to effort. It seemed clear by the end of the season Brown was simply playing out the string. In terms of the locker room, while Brown is still beloved by his teammates, the constant distraction was just too much drama for them to overcome. Removing him from the equation can help the Eagles re-focus on the true goal of winning a Super Bowl.At the end of the day, if the player doesn’t want to be here, he’s not going to be good. And so, in my mind, there’s little choice. The Eagles are more likely to return to Super Bowl contention without A.J. Brown than with him, given his current physical abilities, reluctance to play here, and off-season roster construction.Sources: Giants fear that WR Gunner Olszewski, who was carted off the practice field today, tore his Achilles. He will undergo additional testing to confirm the injury. pic.twitter.com/Qp37HGMrp0— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 29, 2026Why did the Giants extend GM Joe Schoen? The Giants landed John Harbaugh this offseason as their next head coach. Harbaugh fought for and was granted more power. That led to questions about the future of GM Joe Schoen. My report from my BR show Tuesdays at 2pm pic.twitter.com/aVn2BK1HlN— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) May 29, 2026NFL league linksArticlesNFL.comTexans QB C.J. Stroud on looming contract extension entering 2026: ‘I think I’ve held my bargain up’Stroud isn’t spending much time worrying about his future, though; he knows he can still pilot his ship toward paradise with his performance.“I let my agent handle that. If it’s time to do it, then it is,” Stroud said Thursday, via ESPN. “My job is football. That’s what I’m focused on, just getting better. I think I’ve held my bargain up. Whatever happens, happens.”Despite his confidence, Stroud’s take on keeping up his end of the bargain is arguable. His scintillating rookie season set expectations astronomically high, which also set him up for relative disappointment, especially once the Texans placed him behind an incredibly leaky offensive line in his second season.Year 3 saw an improvement up front, but the consistency and stellar production didn’t follow. Stroud finished 19th in passing yards (3,041), posted a respectable 19-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and ended with a passer rating (92.9), good for 13th in the NFL.[C]onsidering how general manager Nick Caserio has constructed an elite defense directed by coach DeMeco Ryans, [t]he Texans know that side of the ball is good enough to win a Super Bowl. They need their offense to do its part in order to achieve such a goal. And that begins with Stroud, whose reputation isn’t exactly sparkling after a seven-turnover nightmare in Houston’s Divisional Round loss to the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots."My guess is that CJ Stroud gets paid this offseason..I would say by the time the season begins he has a new deal" ~ @AdamSchefter#PMSLivepic.twitter.com/n0vpRHCMGY— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 29, 2026Discussion topicsDeadspinVikings Need to Move On From J.J. McCarthy Before It Gets WorseIt’s uncomfortable, especially because the team invested the No. 10 overall pick into McCarthy during the 2024 NFL Draft. But since then, the Vikings fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and brought in free agent quarterback Kyler Murray in free agency.The Vikings are signaling to McCarthy that they’re giving up on him, but now it’s time to formalize that by trading the 23-year-old quarterback.McCarthy was asked if there’s any awkwardness with Murray. And he didn’t exactly shut it down.“It’s just like two guys in a classroom, he sits on one side, I sit on the other side, and it’s the coach’s responsibility to teach us and coach us,” McCarthy said. “Awkwardness? You know, it’s just like the same feeling when you’re in high school and there’s another person on the other side of the room, I wouldn’t say there’s any awkwardness.”The Vikings need to nip this in the [bud] now before it becomes a bigger issue.When was the last time a quarterback competition worked? When Russell Wilson beat out Matt Flynn with the Seattle Seahawks? That was almost two decades ago. Quarterback competitions rarely bear fruit. Instead, they take valuable preseason reps away from the team’s starter.That’s why the Vikings need to just admit that this experiment with McCarthy is over. It was screwed up from the moment he injured himself, allowing Darnold to flourish. McCarthy wildly underperformed last year, throwing 12 interceptions compared to 11 touchdown passes.The J.J. McCarthy vs. Kyler Murray competition could be a win-win for the Vikings, regardless of who wins it. pic.twitter.com/WtHReAFasn— PFT Live (@PFT_Live) May 28, 2026It’s clear the organization is iffy about him. Now, he sounds iffy about the organization.Cut bait. Somebody might be willing to give up a Day 2 draft pick to try and save McCarthy’s career. It’s not happening in Minnesota and it’s already time to turn the page.aBit o’TwitterHighest passer rating in the 4th quarter over the last 2 seasons…1. Jayden Daniels – 116.92. Lamar Jackson – 115.53. Matthew Stafford – 112.64. Josh Allen – 105.95. Jalen Hurts – 101.46. Joe Burrow – 101.4— NFL Researcher (@NFL_Researcher) May 29, 2026😎 mode activated @bigbearai | #RaiseHailpic.twitter.com/Bju6es9tdt— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 29, 2026#Commanders OL Brandon Coleman is locked in on becoming the starting left guard this seasonThanks to @DHarrison82 for the information #RaiseHailpic.twitter.com/r1NK8MrRBG— Full Command (@FullCommandShow) May 29, 2026The biggest storyline this offseason? Jayden Daniels’ comfort level and command in the new offense.After the first week of OTAs, I asked @DHarrison82 for his raw first impressions on how JD is looking out there.@DougMcCrayNFL#RaiseHailpic.twitter.com/GP8rj7sZ8l— George Carmi (@Gcarmi21) May 29, 2026I think it's great with all the excitement surrounding Jayden Daniels running David Blough's new offense, but I would just add there will still be plenty of shotgun. In Chicago last year, Caleb Williams took over 1,100 snaps, a little more than half were still from shotgun.— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) May 29, 2026The first events we have in store for you all in London Town, on Friday 2nd October we will be going on a Red Open Top Bus Tour & Boat Party at Night exploring the famous landmarks with drinks included. Get your limited tickets here https://t.co/Fwd7BaEW0a#RaiseHailpic.twitter.com/l9YOVTV4Gh— Andy Burrows (@washingtonukfan) May 29, 2026"This started way back in the days of the beginning of the NFL, where the big market owners agreed that in simplest terms, the league was only as good as the weakest link."@AndrewBrandt discusses the NFL's revenue sharing model, and how it may be coming to College Football, on… pic.twitter.com/VxKFlvNvuG— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) May 29, 2026The NBA's new draft lottery odds, visualized ⬇️ https://t.co/bUdgWPReF9pic.twitter.com/IizHm5nL3M— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) May 28, 2026

I felt less reactive throughout the day — and slept better, too. READ MORE...

MACAU, CHINA - MAY 29: (L-R) Song Yadong of China and Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil face off during the UFC Fight Night official weigh-ins at Galaxy International Convention Center on May 29, 2026 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) This is the live blog for Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, the bantamweight main event for Saturday’s UFC Macau card at the Galaxy Arena in Macau, China.Song is currently No. 7 at 135 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, with Figueiredo close behind at No. 9.This headlining bout presents Song (22-8-1, 2 NC) with another opportunity to prove he belongs among the elite after having mixed results against the likes of Sean O’Malley, Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, and Cory Sandhagen in the past. Song is coming off of a loss to former UFC champion Sean O’Malley, but at 28, still has plenty of time to make a title run of his own, a run that could start with a showcase performance in his home country.Figueiredo (25-6-1) has fought his way to a top 10 ranking since moving up a division from flyweight, where he won UFC gold twice. The 38-year-old is mired in a 1-3 slump, though like Song, his losses have come against the division’s best including Umar Nurmagomedov, Yan, and Sandhagen. It’s now or never for Figueiredo, who still hopes to fight for a title again.Check out the Song Yadong vs. Deiveson Figueiredo live blog below.PreambleWell, that was a disappointing performance by Zhang Mingyang, which puts even more pressure on Song to send the fans home happy. Can he put on a dominant performance against Deiveson Figueiredo or does the wily vet still have some tricks up his sleeve?Always tell me the oddsPer FanDuel, Song is a massive favorite at -620, with Figueiredo the underdog at +460.Round 1Referee Jason Herzog oversees the main event.Song immediately takes the center of the cage. Both men staying patient to start, hardly throwing anything. Song is the first to throw punches with intent, but Figueiredo easily moves out of the way. Good body kick by Figueiredo. Not much to score at the halfway mark of Round 1.Figueiredo ventures in and lands a crisp right across the chin. Song stuffs a couple of takedown attempts and continues to chip away with leg kicks. Song slips on a leg kick and Figueiredo quick to jump into his guard. Not much to score in this round, but Figueiredo landed the most impactful strikes in my view.MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Figueiredo.Round 2Neither fighter letting their hands go. Song connects with a counter right. Pretty bad fight with three minutes to go in the second round.Song catches a kick and trips Figueiredo, but the former champ scrambles out of danger. Hard straight right scores for Song. Another leg kick from Song, Figueiredo felt that one. Song stuffs another takedown and catches Figueiredo with a glancing high kick. Still not much action, but Figueiredo was definitely less busy. Late takedown attempt by Figueiredo and it proves to be disastrous as Song quickly jumps on a guillotine! Team Alpha Male special and it works, Figueiredo taps. Out of nowhere!Official DecisionSong Yadong def. Deiveson Figueiredo via submission (guillotine choke) (R2, 4:42)Post-Fight

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic reportedly partnered with former Dallas Mavericks executive Donnie Nelson to purchase an Italian basketball team.The team is the professional basketball club Vanoli Cremona in Italy’s Lega Basket Serie A. Nelson is the lead investor and managing partner of the group that purchased the club. In addition to Nelson and Doncic, the ownership group also includes longtime Italian coach Valerio Bianchini and former player Rimantas Kaukėnas.Vanoli Cremona will be relocating to Rome ahead of the 2026-27 season. “I have dreamed about owning a team in Europe for a long time, to finally have this happen is amazing,” Doncic said in a statement, per ESPN. “Vanoli has a great history, and we are ready to take it to the next level in Rome. We have an amazing group of partners, and I really believe we can do something special for basketball in Italy and Europe.”NBA Wants to Expand to Europe Part of the reason, Doncic invested in Vanoli Cremona is because the NBA is looking to expand to Europe in the near future. Earlier this year, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced the league is working with FIBA to develop an NBA Europe league.NBA Europe could begin as early as fall 2027, according to ESPN.Rome is one of the target cities to host a team in the NBA Europe League. The ownership group reportedly submitted a bid for Vanoli Cremona to be the league’s Rome representative.“Rome deserves world-class basketball, and we are excited to be bringing it back,” Nelson said in a statement, per ESPN. “Vanoli Cremona has a proud history, and we are committed to honoring that legacy as we build toward an exciting future in Rome. This city has been without top-flight basketball for too long. That changes now. We are bringing the resources, the expertise, and the passion to make this club a source of pride for Rome and for all Italy.”Doncic has personal experience competing in Europe. He has represented the Slovenian national team in several international tournaments and played for Real Madrid in Spain before joining the NBA.Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn ImagesPhoto Credit: William Liang-Imagn ImagesThe post Luka Doncic Invests in Rising Italian Team Eyeing NBA Europe Future appeared first on LA Sports Report.

HERZOGENAURACH, GERMANY - MAY 28: Lennart Karl of Germany looks on during a team Germany training session at Homeground on May 28, 2026 in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Germany are preparing in Herzogenaurach for their upcoming international friendly matches, before heading out to the United States to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images It is just a World Cup tune-up game and not the actual tournament yet, but Bayern Munich phenom Lennart Karl will start for the German national team against Finland on Sunday in what can only be considered a great opportunity for the talented youngster. “Lennart Karl will start tomorrow. He made a very good impression in training. But we have different options and profiles in Jamie [Leweling] and Leroy [Sané]. Lenny will get his chance tomorrow to show what he can do,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). Nagelsmann also provided an updated on banged up starting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and gave a hint on the rest of the starting lineup as well.“(Neuer has) been running, it’s looking good. He has no problem and all is going to plan. We’ll make a decision before the USA friendly,” Nagelsmann stated. “Felix Nmecha and Aleks Pavlović will start in midfield. As of today, Deniz Undav will start upfront.”Sky Germany has predicted this lineup for Germany vs. Finland: This is how Germany are expected to line up against Finland tomorrow [@SkySportDE] pic.twitter.com/jRk8hG8etd— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) May 30, 2026If 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

The title match in soccer’s biggest club competition is here: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest, Hungary. PSG is looking to win Europe’s elite competition for a second straight year, while Arsenal is bidding to become European champion for the first time on its return to the final after a 20-year wait.Both teams are coming off winning their own domestic leagues, in France and England, respectively.Here's the Latest ahead of the 1600 GMT kickoff:Dembélé, Doué, Saka ... a bunch of the world’s best players are on showMany of soccer’s superstar players will be taking the field at Puskas Arena – not least PSG forward Ousmane Dembélé, the most recent world player of the year.Désiré Doué, the 20-year-old forward who lit up last year’s final with two goals in the record 5-0 win over Inter Milan, is still a shining light for PSG along with Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and three of Cristiano Ronaldo’s top teammates with Portugal – Vitinha, Nuno Mendes and Joao Neves.Arsenal has England stars Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice in midfield and the striker who has just sent Sweden to the World Cup – Viktor Gyökeres.Fans brawl in central BudapestGroups of fans got physical late Friday in Budapest’s frequented party area, leading police to launch an investigation over disorderly conduct.Videos on social media showed several dozen people throwing punches and kicks, driving another group down Király street in the capital’s District 7.One fan held a burning red flare before throwing it toward the other group, which was retreating down the street. Budapest police said in a statement that the violence erupted shortly after midnight, and that it was using surveillance footage to try to identify participants.__ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Oregon Ducks celebrate their victory over Yale with fans during the NCAA Eugene Regional Baseball Tournament at PK Park n Eugene May 29, 2026. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The first day of baseball at the 2026 NCAA tournament has yet to officially conclude, as three games were pushed to Saturday due to rain.Still, there was enough baseball played to draw some early conclusions.Here are four things we learned from the first day of action at the 2026 NCAA baseball tournament. Georgia Tech’s offense is as advertised Georgia Tech entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 overall seed, with one of the most prolific offenses in both the nation, and program history.That offense played to form on Friday.After falling down 2-0 early to UIC, the Yellow Jackets exploded for 17 unanswered runs, en route to a 22-5 win in their first game. Five Georgia Tech batters left the yard, including Parker Brosius, Carson Kerce, Vahn Lackey, Jarren Advincula, and Alex Hernandes, who homered three times in the win. All told, Georgia Tech tallied 22 runs on 22 hits, and every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit save one.The one player without a hit in their starting lineup? That would be Drew Burress, who recently became the program’s all-time single-season home run leader. He’ll get his hits soon enough. Up next for the Yellow Jackets? The winner of Saturday morning’s game between The Citadel and Oklahoma, which was pushed to Saturday morning because of weather. But this looks like a team that could make a very, very deep run thanks to this offense.The Yellow Jackets are not aloneGeorgia Tech’s offense might get the most attention today, but they were not the only lineup to put on a show Friday.Texas, the No. 6 overall seed, poured it on against Holy Cross, racking up 21 hits in their 19-1 victory. Aiden Robbins, Anthony Pack Jr., and Jayden Duplantier all homered in the win. Alabama, the No. 7 overall seed, exploded for 21 runs in its 21-3 victory over in-state opponent Alabama State. The Crimson Tide roped 15 hits, including home runs from Bryce Fowler, Justin Lebron — a potential top-ten pick in the July MLB Draft — Brady Neal, and Luke Vaughn. Fowler also tripled in the Crimson Tide victory. And while this was a 3-2 game after three innings, Alabama broke it open with a six-spot in the fourth inning, followed by three more runs in the fifth and another six spot in the sixth.And how about Oregon? Many believed that the Selection Committee did not do the No. 11-overall seed any favors, putting them in a region with Oregon State and Washington State, as well as Yale, which meant they would likely face 2025 All-American Jake Ohman on Friday. But that is exactly who the Ducks faced, and Oregon chased him with five runs in the first four innings, and put a big crooked number up on the board in the eighth when they pushed eight runs across the plate. The final score in Eugene? Oregon 14, Yale 2. Designated Hitter Naulivou Lauaki homered in the win. Note: At the time of publication, Georgia is winning 18-1 against Long Island, so we can slot the Bulldogs into this category as well. While that game has yet to go final, Georgia has already hit nine home runs in this game, including two from Brennan Hudson and two more from Ryan Wynn. No. 4 seeds came to playIn the regionals format, the 64 teams in the field are divided into 16 double-elimination tournaments, with each of those four teams seeded No. 1 through No. 4 in the regional. That set up 16 No. 1 vs. No. 4 games for Friday, with each of those games featured one of the top 16 teams in the nation as ranked by the Selection Committee.While we are still waiting on the results of one of those games — the Georgia vs. Long Island contest, which was pushed to Saturday due to weather — four of those No. 4 seeds delivered upsets on Friday.St. John’s knocked off Florida State by a final score of 6-5, while Little Rock knocked off Southern Miss by a final score of 7-4. But those upsets pale in comparison to the other two. First was Milwaukee over Auburn, as the Panthers from the Horizon League took an early 10-0 lead over the Tigers (the No. 4 overall seed) and held on for a 13-8 victory. That win saw Auburn join a rather small list, as the Tigers became just the sixth top four national seed in NCAA tournament history to lose a regional opener, along with Alabama (No. 3, 2002), Georgia Tech (No. 3, 2003), Florida State (No. 4, 2008), Baylor (No. 4, 2012), Florida (No. 2, 2014), and North Carolina (No. 2, 2017).Hours later, UCLA joined that list. The Bruins, who entered the tournament as the top-ranked team in the nation, lost to Saint Mary’s by a final score of 3-2. That dropped UCLA (who went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the nation according to D1Baseball this season) into today’s elimination game and made the Bruins the first No. 1 overall seed to lose their regional opener. Jacksonville State made its caseWhen the Field of 64 was announced on Selection Monday, many were surprised to see the Jaguars on the No. 3 line. Jacksonville State finished the year with a 46-13 record out of Conference USA, which was good for the 25th-best RPI in the nation. Perhaps it was the schedule, ranked 108th in the nation, that saw the Committee drop them down to a No. 3 line instead of slotting them in as a No. 2.So that meant a meeting with the No. 2 team in the Hattiesburg regional on Friday, in Virginia. Jacksonville State pushed a pair of runs across the dish in the second, two more in the third, and then a five-run fifth inning powered the Jaguars to a 15-7 win. Caleb Johnson went 3-for-6 in the win with a home run and three RBI, while Brady Thomas went 3-for-5 with a double and three more RBI.And with Southern Miss losing to Little Rock, that means that Jacksonville State has a Saturday date with the No. 4 seed in the regional, with a spot in the super regionals on the line.

Insurrectionists loyal to President Donald Trump breach the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)2026-05-30T12:50:24Z WASHINGTON (AP) — David Johnston was a licensed attorney when he illegally entered the Capitol with a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. More than five years later, the South Carolina man is offering to help fellow “J6ers” apply for payouts from the Trump administration’s nearly $1.8 billion new fund for people claiming to be victims of a weaponized government.He’ll do it for a 10% cut of any award, capped at $5,000 apiece.“I think the narrative is changing” about how the history of that day is being told, Johnston said in a video he posted to social media. “I think good things are happening for us.”Hundreds of Trump loyalists pleaded guilty to storming the Capitol, admitting under oath that they broke the law. Now pardoned by Trump, many hope to capitalize on their crimes by tapping into the $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate the Republican president’s allies who believe they were politically prosecuted. A bipartisan backlash to the fund and a legal roadblock have not dimmed the celebratory response from Jan. 6 rioters clamoring for a share of the taxpayer money. Some are staking claims even though the government has not established an application process and a judge has frozen the fund’s formation, at least temporarily. Rioters seek compensation payoutsThe fund’s critics see it as another vehicle for Trump and his allies to whitewash the events of Jan. 6, retroactively justify the mob’s assault on a pillar of American democracy and reward some of Trump’s most loyal followers.Jason Riddle, a military veteran from New Hampshire who was sentenced to 90 days behind bars after pleading guilty to riot charges, publicly rejected a pardon from Trump. Likewise, he said it would be “ridiculous” for him or any other Jan. 6 rioter to get government compensation.“I’d love money, but I can’t accept that. That would bother me for the rest of my life,” he said. “We weren’t innocently persecuted just because of who we are or who we vote for. We were persecuted for committing criminal behavior in the Capitol of the United States.” Read More Plenty of other “J6ers” do not share Riddle’s reluctance. A Florida man who posed for photos with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s podium argued on social media that he deserves to be compensated for the cost of his infamy. A rioter from New Jersey described by prosecutors as a Nazi sympathizer hailed the fund as “good news not just for J6ers but all victims of weaponization.” A Texas man who received a seven-year prison sentence for storming the Capitol with a metal tomahawk celebrated the fund as “payback” for “victims of Biden’s tyranny,” referring to Democratic President Joe Biden.Oregon resident Pamela Hemphill, sentenced to 60 days in jail for her conviction, rejected a pardon from Trump but has drafted a written claim for compensation from the fund. Unlike scores of rioters who claim to be victims of a government weaponized by Democrats, Hemphill blames Trump for her legal troubles. Her claims letter says she is seeking $5 million in compensation.“I wouldn’t have been through all of this if Trump hadn’t lied about the election being stolen,” she said during a telephone interview. “It’s a direct result of his lies that I was even there that day.” Fund faces legal and political challengesIt is an open question whether anyone convicted of a Capitol riot-related crime could be eligible for payments from a fund created to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns.Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has not ruled out that possibility. Blanche said there are no limits on who can apply, but he noted that the fund’s five commissioners — all yet to be named — will decide who deserves to be compensated and why, based on factors such as “what the person did, his sentence, how much time he was in jail.”“That’s up to the commissioners,” Blanche told The Associated Press on Thursday when asked about his position on whether violent Jan. 6 defendants should be eligible for payments.“You have to define something and then stick to it. That’s something I’ve been hesitant to try to do, because it’s very fact-intensive,” Blanche said. ”Me sitting here and talking in hypotheticals is something that I don’t think is fair to the process.” It is unclear whether Congress would block payments to Jan. 6 defendants. Senate Republicans who are angry about the settlement have said they want to place parameters on the fund as part of a Department of Homeland Security spending bill. They abruptly left town earlier this month after a tense meeting with Blanche and will return on Monday with the situation unresolved.A federal judge in Virginia has frozen the fund’s establishment and temporarily blocked any processing or paying of claims. The judge issued that ruling Friday in one of at least three lawsuits challenging the fund.Brendan Ballou, a former prosecutor who tried several Jan. 6 cases before leaving the Department of Justice last year, sued on behalf of two police officers who helped defend the Capitol from the mob. Ballou views the fund’s creation as part of a broader Trump campaign to undermine democratic institutions and rewrite the history of Jan. 6.“And if the president is successful in that effort, if he’s able to get people to either forget or condone that day, he knows that he can get people to accept any attack on democracy,” Ballou said. Rioters emboldened by Trump’s Jan. 6 recastingNearly 1,600 people were charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. More than 1,200 were convicted and sentenced before Trump issued mass pardons and ordered the dismissal of all pending Jan. 6 cases. Trump also freed far-right extremist group members who were imprisoned for plotting to attack the Capitol to keep Trump in office after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Biden.The self-described “J6 community” isn’t the only pro-Trump constituency angling for cuts of the money. Meshawn Maddock, who was charged as being a fake elector for Trump in Michigan before a judge dismissed the case last year, said she and her husband, state Rep. Matt Maddock, “absolutely” plan on making a claim. She believes the fund’s use of taxpayer money is justified because it “paid for the prosecution and investigation of the years that I was being hunted down.”“I want vengeance and I want retribution,” Maddock said.Trump’s campaign to recast Jan. 6 as a peaceful protest seems to have emboldened many convicted rioters. Johnston’s eagerness to help other Capitol rioters with claims contrasts with his remorse at sentencing in 2022. He apologized for his “terrible lapse in judgment” before a judge sentenced him to three weeks in jail and three months of home detention. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor trespassing charge.“It was a dumb, dumb thing to do,” Johnston told the judge. “I am 100% responsible for what I did that day.”___Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle in Dallas and Mary Claire Jalonick and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

The plan was to bring in a Dutch coach from Feyenoord to support a Dutch coach from Feyenoord. Until Liverpool decided they had too many Dutch coaches from Feyenoord. Etienne Reijnen, the set-piece specialist who was due to link up with Arne Slot again, will not arrive. Slot is gone.His departure may have been welcomed by much of a fanbase that had turned against him but came with considerable regret at Anfield. It nevertheless represented a swift and sudden change of heart. Liverpool’s support for Slot was such that they never intervened when Chelsea appointed Xabi Alonso. They had instead planned to reinforce his backroom staff. Slot himself was expecting to be back for a third season at Anfield; hoping, too, with the dramatic developments of the sacking disappointing him. He believed he had the backing of the club. Until the last couple of days, it seemed he did.Arne Slot’s sacking came after a sudden change of heart at Liverpool (PA)An end-of-season review carried a harshness. Slot, one of only two men to make Liverpool champions in the last 36 years, is axed after two seasons. Liverpool were the club who never sacked their title-winning managers; except Kenny Dalglish, but in his second spell. Slot is gone 12 months after his triumph; a sign of more impatient times, perhaps.Keeping him ran the obvious risk that he would become Erik ten Hag, or Brendan Rodgers: a manager dismissed in the autumn when the eventual verdict was that, as many thought at the time, he should have gone in the previous summer. Slot’s argument was always that, with fewer injuries and astute recruitment, a third season under him would be better than the second. Liverpool eventually decided they would not put that theory to the test. Director of football Richard Hughes took the decision, supported by Michael Edwards and Fenway Sports Group. Hughes had spearheaded the appointment of Slot; now the candidates to replace him include Andoni Iraola, who the Scot brought to Bournemouth. The Liverpool hierarchy prefer to keep a low profile; arguably, though, they have questions to answer.Andoni Iraola may well be Liverpool’s next manager (Getty)Slot may have ended up carrying the can for their poor recruitment; the £450m outlay created more problems than it solved. Alexander Isak posed rather more issues for a manager presented with a semi-fit £125m white elephant than opposition defences. The narrative developed, though, that Slot won with Jurgen Klopp’s team and lost with his own.It was not entirely fair. Slot’s tweaks helped turn a side who finished third in 2024 into champions a year later. The subsequent signings were not all his; injury problems proved debilitating and the entire season came in the shadow of the tragic loss of Diogo Jota.That was horrific. Other circumstances were difficult. Slot conducted himself with dignity and usually in good humour. On a personal level, he merits considerable sympathy. Some of it came from within the club. Liverpool acted reluctantly. The decision did not sit easily with them or feel entirely fair. But, as their statement said, they ruled that “change is necessary”. Increasingly, it felt more and more change was needed; maybe a damaged Slot was not trusted to oversee it.Slot fell from the high of winning the Premier League 12 months ago (Getty)Some of the numbers were damning. Liverpool got just 60 points, 24 fewer than the year before. Their goal tally dropped by 23. They conceded more goals than in any previous 38-game Premier League season. In all competitions, they lost 19 times. Nor were there signs things were getting better. Liverpool took just two points from their last four matches. In all competitions, they won only three of the last 11.Slot had orchestrated a revival of sorts after the awful autumn run of nine defeats in 12; Liverpool lost none of the next 13. Yet it felt that many supporters’ minds were made up in October or November. Fan feeling was a factor in his eventual dismissal, though far from the only one.But if people turned against Slot, so did football in general. The style of play as the Premier League became faster, more physical. He could complain about set-pieces and low blocks, but Liverpool had to combat them and too often they did not. Slot had seemed the calm antidote to Klopp but Liverpool concluded they needed a more urgent, front-footed and aggressive style of play; the heavy-metal football Mohamed Salah said they had lost.Mohamed Salah criticised Slot’s style of football on his way out of the club (PA)Salah’s own decline hardly helped in that. There were ways in which circumstances conspired against Slot. There were also times when he seemed to have too few answers to the questions that were being posed. Perhaps a man who, 12 months ago, seemed the ideal replacement for Klopp can now testify to the difficulties of being the manager who came after Klopp.He can certainly wonder if things would be different had his season been reversed: fifth the first year, first the second. The fact, though, is that they were not. He accomplished something Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez, arguably more revered figures and managers who were given six seasons, could not, and made them champions. It was not enough to save him.It is anticipated that Slot will be paid for the final year of his Liverpool contract. He should not need a lengthy break from management. His achievements at Anfield ought to position him for another job with one of the European elite. Liverpool felt he was one of the leading coaches in the global game and, imperfect as his time at Anfield was, he deserves another big job. But Liverpool looks a huge task for his successor as they stumble their way into a summer of upheaval.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a really interesting problem on their hands with Myles Murphy in 2026. Those Bengals turned down Murphy’s fifth-year option, the first real sign (a Joe Burrow contract restructure hasn’t happened, after all) that the big cap splashes of the offseason actually have them thinking about how to compensate. Murphy’s hungry to prove them wrong and earn a big payday though, which would create some interesting cap hurdles in the future.Technically speaking, that makes Murphy a breakout candidate. And he just cracked a list at fifth overall of contract-year breakout candidates to watch across the NFL in 2026, courtesy of Fox Sports’ Ben Arthur.“Myles Murphy started to come on at the end of last season, recording three of his career-high 5.5 sacks in the final four weeks of the year,” Arthur wrote. “The additions of nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II, defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and edge rusher Boye Mafe should create favorable matchups for Murphy, a 2023 first-round pick, in 2026.”The Bengals have made it very clear that, despite the very uncharacteristic decision not to pick up an affordable fifth-year option, they still believe in Murphy. And why not? He flashed a bit down the stretch last year and now gets to rotate with a platoon that includes Shemar Stewart, Boye Mafe, Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, BJ Hill and others. If it all works out, the Bengals should be considering it a good problem if and when Murphy finally lives up to that first-round billing.This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals quietly boast massive contract-year breakout candidate

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Women's College World Series on Saturday evening.The Tide will enter the contest fresh off an electrifying 6-3 victory over UCLA in the opening round. Star pitcher Jocelyn Briski was able to recover after allowing three earned runs in the third inning, and the flamethrower played a critical role in Alabama’s victory over the red-hot Bruins. Here are three bold predictions for Alabama’s WCWS matchup against Nebraska. Brooke Wells delivers in clutch once again, records 3+ hits Wells delivered in authoritative fashion against UCLA on Thursday evening. The star sophomore went 1-for-4 at the plate with three RBI, as Wells was able to hit the eventual game-winning home run in the sixth inning of the matchup. Wells’ moonshot ultimately gave the Tide a 6-3 lead, and the sophomore could easily heat up once again against Nebraska. Vic Moten dominates in circle, records 10+ strikeoutsMoten was widely regarded among the top overall freshman in college softball throughout the 2026 campaign. The star flamethrower will need to be at her best during her WCWS debut, should she get the start, as Moten will face a star-studded Cornhuskers’ lineup on Saturday in Oklahoma City. Moten will be faced with a true test against Nebraska, but the freshman will more than likely prove to dominate in the circle once again. Alexis Pupillo records 3+ RBI, home runPupillo was able to deliver in the clutch against UCLA in similar fashion to Wells. The senior hit a massive two-run home run in the fifth inning, which tied the game, as Pupillo has remained scorching hot over the course of the postseason. The talented utility star went 1-for-4 in the win over UCLA, and Pupillo will look to keep things rolling against the Cornhuskers on Saturday night. Alabama will face Nebraska on Saturday evening at 6 p.m. CT, as the Tide will look to advance and survive throughout the WCWS. Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama predictions vs. Nebraska in Women's College World Series

Everything about Gujarat Titans' season has revolved around the opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, and now former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has joined the growing list of admirers of the duo.The pair once again showcased their brilliance in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals, stitching together a match-winning 167-run opening stand while chasing a daunting target of 215. Gill led the charge with a sublime 104 off 53 balls, while Sudharsan provided explosive support with 58 off just 32 deliveries. Their partnership completely absorbed the pressure of the knockout contest and effectively sealed the result long before the final overs.Both batters have crossed the 700-run mark this season, with Gill currently occupying second place in the Orange Cap standings with 722 runs, while Sudharsan is close behind with 710 runs.Speaking on JioStar, Irfan Pathan hailed Gill and Sudharsan as the greatest opening pair in IPL history."Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan are the best batting pair in TATA IPL history. They hold the record for the most 100-run partnerships and the most 50-plus partnerships in the tournament. In T20 cricket, if you want a flying start, you want both of them at the top. They complement each other perfectly. One rotates the strike, the other finds the boundaries. Their understanding is remarkable,'' Irfan Pathan said on JioStar.Pathan also highlighted how the pair punished Rajasthan Royals' bowling plans in Qualifier 2."If bowlers try short-pitched deliveries, they actually enjoy it. They are ready to play the cut shot and punish anything short. That is exactly what Nandre Burger and Jofra Archer did. They bowled short, and Gill and Sudharsan were waiting. Even when Yash Raj Punja came into the attack, he bowled slightly shorter lengths. Shubman Gill is not afraid to use his feet against both fast bowlers and spinners. He steps out, creates room, and hits over the top,'' he added. According to Pathan, the 167-run stand proved to be the decisive moment of the match - "The opening partnership of 167 runs in just 77 balls was where Rajasthan Royals lost the game. That stand took the chase away from them completely."Their consistency is not new. Last season, despite Gujarat Titans' Eliminator defeat to Mumbai Indians, Gill and Sudharsan combined for 912 runs in 15 innings, the highest partnership aggregate of IPL 2025. Sudharsan also finished that campaign as the Orange Cap winner. This season, the duo has already amassed 886 runs together in 15 innings and needs just 27 more runs in the final to surpass their own record.

Credit: Chis Murphy, ESPN BetGambling has has taken over the sports world to an extent that it’s hard to imagine what life was like before the proliferation of advertisements and props. But an ESPN post about Victor Wembanyama drew the ire of United States senator Chris Murphy.The Democratic senator from Connecticut has been outspoken about a number of issues regarding the integrity of sports from betting to private equity in youth sports. The tidal wave of gambling has led to multiple high-profile scandals in major sports from Jontay Porter and Terry Rozier to Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz to several through college sports. The effect on the culture has also been profound with impacts not just financially, but on mental health and athlete abuse.But regardless, the leagues and the media companies that cover them continue pushing forward with betting stories now front and center of everyday life. And that’s where Murphy is trying to shine a light on how this normalization has degraded the culture of sports.ESPN Bet and SportsCenter shared a post talking about Game 6 of the Spurs-Thunder series. But instead of highlighting the Spurs’ dominant victory and forcing a Game 7, their post focused on Victor Wembanyama failing to hit the over for his 28.5 points prop because he sat on the bench for the final nine minutes with the game out of reach for the Thunder.Murphy shared the post on his social media account calling it a “heartbreaking” example of how sports fandom has gone from being about loyalty and joy to monetization and commodification.The transition of sports fandom from loyalty and joy and community to monetization and commodification is a little heartbreaking to me. A signal of the broader commercialization of everything not nailed down in America. pic.twitter.com/6bMDU3JKj4— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) May 29, 2026“The transition of sports fandom from loyalty and joy and community to monetization and commodification is a little heartbreaking to me. A signal of the broader commercialization of everything not nailed down in America,” Murphy said.This isn’t an imagined phenomenon that Murphy is talking about. Fans are now locked in to prop bets and same game parlays just as much as they are whether their team wins a championship or not. The growing discontent with the effects of sports betting is bipartisan. Outgoing Republican Ohio governor Mike Dewine has even called the legalization of sports betting his biggest mistake in office.The players know it and feel it as well. Just 34% of NBA players viewed sports betting partnerships favorably in a survey earlier this year. But it’s far from just betting. It’s soaring television rights and streaming proliferation, absurd ticket prices, and unpopular moves made for the bottom line instead of fan welfare. The sports world is getting more expensive and harder to connect to for fans of all ages and experiences because of the crushing weight of needing to monetize everything to the max.The post Senator calls out ESPN over Victor Wembanyama gambling post appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Cruzeiro trigger buy clause, keep striker until 2028Cruzeiro officially announced the permanent signing of Colombian forward Luis Sinisterra.The player, who had been on loan from Bournemouth (England) since the middle of last year, signed a new contract running until the end of 2028 after reaching the targets set out in the agreement.The numbers behind the dealThe agreement between Raposa and the English club involved significant amounts for Cruzeiro’s coffers, split into two stages:Loan fee: Initially, Cruzeiro paid 2.5 million euros (around R$16 million) for the player’s temporary move.Permanent transfer: With the targets met, the obligation to buy part of the economic rights was triggered for 3.5 million euros (approximately R$22 million). This amount will be paid by the Minas Gerais club in installments.Technical assessment and medical historySinisterra’s stay was not secured only because of the contract, but also due to technical approval.According to ge, coach Artur Jorge has praised the Colombian’s performances in training, highlighting his physical and technical improvement.Despite the positive internal momentum, the forward’s medical history remains a point of attention for Cruzeiro’s medical department. Since his arrival, Sinisterra has suffered four muscle injuries.Player breakdown:Current season (2026): 10 matches played and 2 goals scored. He was recently sidelined for nearly two months with swelling in his right thigh suffered against Mirassol.Last year: 14 matches and 2 goals.Past in England: In three seasons with Bournemouth, the forward dealt with long spells on the sidelines, recording six different physical issues.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

The two best words in sports are “Game 7.” The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have exchanged blows like it’s a heavyweight title fight, and now it all comes down to Saturday night for a win-or-go-home to determine who will face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. With Game 7 just a day away and a trip to the NBA Finals on the line, player legacies always come into play in high-stakes playoff series.Some guys can catapult themselves into all-time conversations, and some can create stains on their careers. In this NBA Western Conference Finals, there’s one player who has the most to lose in this series, and it’s easily Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.MORE: Oklahoma City Thunder couldn’t handle San Antonio Spurs physical Game 6Shai’s Struggles Throughout the WCFMay 24, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) arrives before game four of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn ImagesShai Gilgeous-Alexander is fresh off a second consecutive NBA MVP award, earning the award because of his elite scoring and all-time great efficiency while doing so. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31 points on 55% shooting throughout the regular season. Those numbers have dipped significantly in the WCF, with Shai now averaging just 24 points on an abysmal 38% from the field. A huge part of what makes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander so effective is his ability to get to the rim and either finish or draw a foul. In this series against the Spurs, San Antonio has completely negated Shai’s ability to get downhill and either finish or force contact.If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has another stinker of a game, where he doesn’t eclipse 30 points and shoots in the high 30 or low 40% range, this becomes an immediate stain on his career and raises real questions for Oklahoma City’s future. Beating the Spurs now, while they’re youngMay 20, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends during the third quarter during game two of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn ImagesAfter the 2025 season ended, and the Thunder hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy at home after their Game 7 win over the Pacers, it felt like OKC had a clear runway through the west for the next five years.Now the Spurs have emerged and are way ahead of schedule, and the Thunder are being taken to a Game 7 against a Spurs team where guys like Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle are the worst versions of themselves that the Thunder will see for the near future. Not to mention Victor Wembanyama is already emerging as a clear top-three player in the world, which puts even more pressure on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win tomorrow night’s Game 7 and then go after a second consecutive ring and Finals MVP.Shai’s legacy as a top-five guard ever can be created this season, with just five more wins, if the first of those five wins doesn’t happen tomorrow, then it’s going to be a major missed opportunity that they could not get back with the Spurs ascending even further. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

Liverpool have sacked manager Arne Slot (Paul ELLIS)Liverpool sacked manager Arne Slot on Saturday, saying the club were seeking a "change of direction", after a disastrous defence of their Premier League title.The Reds finished fifth in the table, 25 points behind champions Arsenal, despite spending a Premier League record of nearly £450 million ($605 million) on new players in one transfer window last year.Outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is reportedly set to take over at Anfield after leading the Cherries into Europe for the first time in the club's history.Just over a year ago Slot was heralded as a hero after taking on the daunting role of succeeding Jurgen Klopp and leading Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title in his debut season in charge.Yet fans turned on the Dutchman this season after a series of lacklustre performances.There was also sign of dressing room disharmony, most notably from Mohamed Salah on his way out of the club. In an explosive social media post earlier this month, which was liked by multiple members of the Liverpool squad, Salah called for a return to "heavy metal football", referring to Klopp's high energy style of play, in a perceived dig at Slot's more cautious approach.Liverpool's return of 60 points was their lowest since the 2015/16 season.Despite their troubles, it had been reported that Slot would be handed a stay of execution after securing Champions League qualification.- 'Different approach' -However, the club's owners, the American-based Fenway Sports Group, have succumbed to fan pressure to axe the former Feyenoord boss."We have collectively come to the conclusion that change is necessary in order for the club to keep moving forward. Again, it must be stressed that this is not a decision which has been reached lightly, anything but," the club said in a statement."The conclusion we have come to is built on a belief that the team’s trajectory is best addressed through a change of direction. That does not diminish the work Arne has done here, or the respect we have for him. Nor is it a reflection of his talents. Rather, it is indicative of the need for a different approach."Arne leaves with our gratitude, with a Premier League title to his name, and with the knowledge that he and his family will always be welcomed back at Anfield."Liverpool added that "the process to appoint a successor is under way".Many fans were keen for the return of Xabi Alonso to Anfield, but the club's former midfielder will instead take charge of Chelsea next season.Iraola's stock is high after an 18-game unbeaten league run to finish the campaign in sixth, just three points behind Liverpool despite vastly inferior resources.The Spaniard also worked together with Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, who previously held a similar role at Bournemouth.Slot ultimately paid for failing to get a return on Liverpool's huge investment last summer.British transfer record signing Alexander Isak was beset by fitness problems, while Florian Wirtz struggled with the transition to the Premier League after a £100 million move from Bayer Leverkusen.Slot, though, also had to deal with emotional turmoil caused by the death of forward Diogo Jota in a car accident in July.kca-jw/ea

MACAU, CHINA - MAY 30: Song Yadong of China secures a submission against Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Galaxy Arena on May 30, 2026 in Macau, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Song Yadong second UFC submission couldn’t have come at a better time.Saturday’s UFC Macau bantamweight main event saw Song pick up a thrilling submission victory over Deiveson Figueiredo in his first fight in his home country of China since 2018. After a slow start, Song caught Figueiredo in a guillotine choke near the end of the second round and forced the two-time flyweight champion to tap out.Watch the out-of-nowhere finish below.Song Yadon sends the crowd home happy at #UFCMACAU! pic.twitter.com/9qmmssaNuy— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) May 30, 2026Heading into the fight, Song was a heavy favorite, with the expectation that his size, youth, and striking skills would be too much for the 38-year-old Figueiredo. However, there wasn’t much striking to speak of through the opening round and the lone power punch that connected belonged to Figueiredo, who else ended the opening round in top position after Song slipped throwing a kick.That disappointing opening five minutes made the Round 2 finish even more surprising as Song appeared to be eking out the frame on the feet before having to defend a late Figueiredo takedown attempt. Song quickly turned the tables on Figueiredo, snatching his neck and securing the submission 4:42 into the second round.This was Song’s first submission victory since a guillotine choke win in his UFC debut in 2017 against Bharat Khandare.Afterwards, Song credited Team Alpha Male head coach Urijah Faber and the rest of his team for sharpening his grappling skills. He was then asked who he’d like to fight next, and he made his thoughts on the subject very clear.“I don’t give a f*ck, I take whatever you guys give me,” Song said. “Let’s go!”Song (23-8-1, 1 NC) entered UFC Macau as the No. 7 bantamweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings and while beating a fading Figueiredo is unlikely to move the needle much, it keeps Song in the mix after a loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324. The 28-year-old can now claim victories over former UFC champions Figueiredo and Henry Cejudo, as well as former WSOF champion Marlon Moraes.As for Figueiredo (25-7-1), he has now lost four of his past five fights at 135 pounds after a promising start in the division and what remains of his championship hopes are hanging by a thread.

As Gujarat Titans prepare to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 final, they will take confidence from one major factor, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The Titans have turned the world's largest cricket stadium into a fortress since joining the IPL in 2022, and their impressive home record could play a decisive role when they meet RCB on May 31. While Bengaluru enter the final with momentum following their dominant victory over GT in Qualifier 1, Ahmedabad presents an entirely different challenge.GT's Strong Home Record in IPL 2026During the league stage, Gujarat Titans won five of their seven matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium, suffering only two defeats. Their performances showcased a blend of aggressive batting, clinical chases, and disciplined bowling.The campaign began with a narrow six-run defeat against Rajasthan Royals in a high-scoring thriller. GT then bounced back by chasing down 180 against Kolkata Knight Riders before suffering their worst defeat of the season, a 99-run loss to Mumbai Indians.However, the Titans responded strongly. They defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by four wickets, chased down Punjab Kings' target in a tense finish, demolished Sunrisers Hyderabad by 82 runs, and crushed Chennai Super Kings by 89 runs in their final home league fixture.A Venue Built for Gujarat TitansAhmedabad has been synonymous with Gujarat Titans' success since the franchise entered the IPL. GT have won 15 of their 22 matches at the venue, giving them an outstanding win percentage at their home ground. More importantly, the stadium has been the site of some of the franchise's most iconic moments.It was here that Gujarat lifted their maiden IPL title in 2022 after defeating Rajasthan Royals in the final. A year later, the venue witnessed Shubman Gill's unforgettable 129 against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2, helping GT reach another IPL final. The stadium has become a symbol of Gujarat's rise as one of the league's most successful modern franchises.Shubman Gill's Favourite Hunting GroundFew batters enjoy batting in Ahmedabad as much as Shubman Gill. The Gujarat captain has accumulated 1,347 IPL runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, making it his most productive venue in the tournament. Gill's form this season has been exceptional, he is currently at the 2nd spot in Orange Cap race with 722 runs and the Titans will once again look towards their captain to lead from the front in the biggest match of the season.Why Ahmedabad Could Neutralise RCB's MomentumRCB may enter the final with confidence after their emphatic 92-run win over Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, but Ahmedabad offers a completely different tactical landscape. The two teams have already met at this venue during IPL 2026, and Gujarat emerged victorious. Arshad Khan's brilliant spell of 3/22 helped bowl out RCB for just 155 before Gill's explosive 43 off 18 balls guided GT to a comfortable four-wicket victory.The conditions in Ahmedabad have frequently rewarded teams bowling first, with early movement under lights creating opportunities for fast bowlers. This is an area where Gujarat possess a major advantage. Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj have been among the most effective pace bowlers in the competition, consistently exploiting hard lengths and generating movement with the new ball. Kagiso Rabada has picked 11 wickets while, Mohammed Siraj has picked 10 wickets in their home fortress. While history and home conditions favour Gujarat Titans, finals are rarely decided by past records alone. RCB have been one of the best teams in IPL 2026 and will arrive determined to claim their maiden title. Yet, if there is one venue where Gujarat Titans would choose to play a winner-takes-all match, it is undoubtedly Ahmedabad.

Colombia’s leftist candidate for president leads in polls, but his main rival — a far-right outsider who calls himself “The Tiger” — has gained momentum. Elections are Sunday.

West Virginia is home to the country’s last greyhound races, a sport that once drew millions of spectators each year but may soon be banned nationwide.

The 2026 season marks a new era for LSU football. Head coach Lane Kiffin will lead the team into Tiger Stadium during the home opener against Clemson on September 5.The matchup against the ACC foe won't be the first time Kiffin took the field in Baton Rouge. LSU is the third SEC program to place him at the helm, and he led one of those squads against the Tigers several times.Kiffin comes to LSU fresh off a six-year tenure at Ole Miss. He brought the Rebels back to national relevance, guiding the program to four double-digit win seasons. The Rebels made the College Football Playoffs for the first time in program history. In 2009, Kiffin held the head coach role at Tennessee. The Volunteers finished second in the SEC East and made an appearance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. He brings plenty of familiarity with the conference between his stops in Knoxville and Oxford.Here are the three times Kiffin's teams played at LSU inside Tiger Stadium.December 19, 2020Kiffin's first game in Baton Rouge came in the abbreviated 2020 season. He led Ole Miss into Tiger Stadium for the season finale and lost 53-48, despite holding a late lead. The contest turned into a shootout as Max Johnson threw for 435 yards and five touchdowns for the Tigers and Matt Corral threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns. The LSU defense forced six turnovers, including five interceptions, while Kayshon Boutte set an SEC record with 308 receiving yards. He scored the game-winning strike on a 45-yard pass with under two minutes to play.October 22, 2022Another shootout ensured in 2022 between LSU and Ole Miss. Heisman winner Jayden Daniels threw for 248 yards and rushed for 121 yards in the 45-20 victory for the Tigers on their home field. After trailing to start the fourth quarter, LSU used two rushing touchdowns by Daniels to take the win.Jaxon Dart led Kiffin's squad, passing for 283 yards, as did Quinshon Judkins. The running back found the end zone twice. Jaray Jenkins and Mason Taylor each caught touchdowns for LSU. Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas combined for 63 receiving yards. October 12, 2024The latest matchup between LSU and Ole Miss at Tiger Stadium needed overtime to decide a winner. The Tigers got the best of Kiffin again, using a 25-yard strike from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to Kyren Lacy to win 29-26.Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis set the stadium record with a 57-yard field goal to begin the extra frame but LSU ended on top. Nussmeier passed for 337 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers sacked Dart six times and broke up 12 of his pass attempts. Lacy recorded 11 passing yards while Cayden Lee and Tre Harris both went over 100 receiving yards for the Rebels.This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: What is Lane Kiffin's record in LSU football's Tiger Stadium?

No. 2 seed Tennessee (38-21) will return to action in the NCAA Tournament Chapel Hill Regional on Saturday. The Vols will face No. 4 seed VCU (37-24) at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.First pitch between the Vols and Rams is scheduled for noon EDT. The elimination game can be watched on ESPN+.Tennessee leads the all-time baseball series versus VCU, 1-0. The Vols won the only meeting, 10-6, on Feb. 10, 2001 in Charleston, South Carolina. The two schools were scheduled to play on Feb. 26, 2006 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The game was canceled.On Friday in the Chapel Hill Regional, Tennessee lost to No. 2 seed East Carolina, 7-3, in 14 innings. VCU also lost to No. 1 seed and host North Carolina, 8-0, on Friday.Ahead of Saturday's loser's bracket game, Nolan Analytics projects Tennessee to defeat VCU, 12-0. East Carolina is also projected to defeat North Carolina, 3-2.First pitch for a winner's bracket game between the Tar Heels and Pirates is scheduled for 5 p.m. EDT. ACC Network will televise the matchup.More: Breaking down Tennessee-ECU 14-inning baseball gameFollow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Tennessee versus VCU baseball game score prediction

Photo by Carl Recine/Getty ImagesA major criticism of LIV Golf is how it leaves players unprepared for major championships. The golf courses LIV goes to simply don’t give players anything like a major championship test. For the most part, they’re resort courses all over the world.This was especially clear at The Masters, when only one LIV player finished inside the top 30 at Augusta National, and Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut.LIV players did rally at the PGA Championship, as Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith got in the mix, but again DeChambeau looked out of his depth.But this shouldn’t be as much of an issue at the US Open because of the golf course LIV are heading to just before.Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty ImagesLIV Golf players will be better prepared for the US OpenBefore the players head to Shinnecock Hills for the US Open, they will play LIV Andalucia at one of the toughest golf courses in the world.Real Club Valderrama in Spain will be the challenge put to the LIV player, a historic golfing venue, and a proper test.Widely known as the best golf course in Spain, Valderrama hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup, the first Ryder Cup hosted in Continental Europe. It hosted the Open de España in 2016 and a LIV event in 2023 won by Dustin Johnson.Valderrama demands absolute precision over raw power. The course is famously lined with thousands of oak trees, and their overhanging canopy creates incredibly narrow fairways and severely punishes even slightly offline tee shots, leaving golfers with no clear line to the green.The greens are small, elevated, notoriously fast, and heavily guarded by deep bunkers. Missing a green on the wrong side practically guarantees a bogey.While it’s a different prospect than Shinnecock, there can be no accusation that the LIV players weren’t tested before this year’s US Open.READ MORE: Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm appear to have some leverage now after the PGA Tour’s event this week

Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesJason Whitlock believes Caitlin Clark’s growing frustration with referees is becoming a bigger issue for the Indiana Fever guard than any single missed call.The discussion flared up again after another tense matchup against the Golden State Valkyries, where Clark’s reactions to contact once more became a talking point.Whitlock framed his comments as concern, though his language went well beyond typical basketball analysis.Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesJason Whitlock says Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever referee reactions have become bigger issueIn a recent Jason Whitlock IG reel, he used Clark’s reaction after trying to draw contact as an example of a pattern he feels has developed over time.“She tried to draw a foul. There was no foul, and then you turn to the refs and yell and scream at them like they’ve done something wrong.“This has been going on her entire career in the WNBA. I’ve been pointing it out. Her dad’s been pointing it out,” Whitlock said.He added, “People that care about her have been pointing it out. Hey, (Caitlin), love you to death, but control yourself. Find a better way to channel your energy, and I am sympathetic. I do think this is a mental health issue.”That is a strong statement, and it should be treated as Whitlock’s opinion, not a diagnosis. Clark has shown frustration with officials before, including in recent games against Golden State, but emotional reactions on the court do not automatically prove a medical issue.There is a basketball concern, though. If Clark spends too much time arguing with referees instead of focusing on the next play, it can disrupt Indiana’s rhythm and draw more attention from officials.Jason Whitlock connects Caitlin Clark criticism to Indiana Fever and Golden State Valkyries tensionWhitlock also extended his criticism to Clark’s fan base, suggesting that some supporters overlook the issue because they are protective of her.“The Caitlin cult, which I’m a part of, and I know many of you think I’m a sellout, and you’re upset that I’m saying this.“Caitlin Clark behaves poorly on the court, and I’m sympathetic, but she clearly has some mental issues,” Whitlock concluded.Those comments came during a week when Clark and the Fever were already under scrutiny. In one game against the Valkyries, Clark had a heated exchange with Janelle Salaun and was given a technical foul after both players had to be separated.Golden State won the rematch 90-88 at Chase Center, with Clark scoring 16 points on a tough shooting night as the crowd booed her every touch.That backdrop helps explain why Whitlock’s comments gained traction. Clark’s competitiveness is a key part of her game, but the Fever need her energy focused on playmaking, shot creation and leadership.Whitlock’s mental-health language was extreme. The fairer basketball point is simpler: Clark needs to manage her frustration with referees more effectively, because every reaction now adds to the growing narrative around her.Read more:Caitlin Clark record shows why Cari Champion criticism misses bigger Fever pointIndiana Fever HC Stephanie White has a strange reason for Caitlin Clark’s repeated probable statusWNBA expert drops eye-opening Caitlin Clark-Stephen Curry reality check about Fever star’s gravity

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesCarlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Neymar will remain in Brazil’s World Cup squad despite his injury concern.The Brazil manager said: “We expect Neymar for the first World Cup game against Morocco. If he cannot make it, we will wait for the second game. We are not changing anyone. The players chosen are these 26, and these 26 will play the World Cup.”Ancelotti’s comments confirm that Brazil do not plan to replace Neymar before the tournament. The forward remains part of the 26-man group selected for the World Cup.Carlo Ancelotti says Brazil will wait for NeymarPhoto by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty ImagesAncelotti made it clear that Neymar’s place in the squad is not under review at this stage.His answer also confirmed Brazil’s plan for the opening games. If Neymar is not ready to face Morocco, the national team will wait for him ahead of the second match.The manager also said there would be no changes to the group. That means the 26 players already selected are expected to remain Brazil’s squad for the World Cup.Neymar’s fitness will still be followed closely before the opener. However, Ancelotti’s public position is that Brazil will give him time rather than make a late change.Brazil fans react to Neymar decisionBrazil fans have reacted strongly to Ancelotti’s comments, with several supporters questioning the decision to keep Neymar in the squad.One fan wrote that Ancelotti “seems completely comfortable” with the situation, adding that it felt as though “what matters is 2030” rather than the 2026 tournament.Another supporter said there would be “no excuses” if the result does not come, while one fan claimed Neymar “is the one in charge” and predicted Brazil would struggle at the World Cup.Other comments focused on sponsorship and Neymar’s influence around the national team. Those are fan reactions and not verified claims about the decision-making process.For now, the position from Ancelotti is straightforward. Neymar is staying in the squad, Brazil will wait for his recovery, and the 26-man group will not be changed.Read more:Chelsea shouldn’t rush Nicolas Jackson decision before Xabi Alonso assessmentLiverpool are right to make ruthless Arne Slot call but his legacy should not be rewrittenAnthony Gordon reveals how he managed to speak fluent Spanish at Barcelona unveil despite being English

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 29: Geraldo Perdomo #2 of the Arizona Diamondbacks throws out a runner during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on May 29, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images Diamondbacks NewsMarte’s Hit Streak, Snakes Fall to Mariners in ExtrasGeraldo Perdomo broke ot of his funk, but Zac Gallen was unable to keep the qality start streak alive. In the end, the Diamondbacks were unable to capitalize on some opportunities and fell in extras.Diamondbacks Walked Off in 10A bit better timing by either Zac Gallen or the offense (if not both) and this game goes the other way.#Dbacks RHP Zac Gallen—Closes May with a 7.04 ERA over 6 starts (30.2 IP, 37 H, 24 ER, 1.57 WHIP). Season ERA of 5.16 is 5th worst in MLB amongst qualified pitchers.Allowed 2 HR over first 6 starts, allowed 8 HR over last 5 starts.Averaging under 5 IP per start in ‘26.— Arizona Diamondbacks | Stats & Info (@DbacksStatsInfo) May 30, 2026I expect there will be plenty more posts like the one above until after Gallen is gone from the team, regardless of how the rest of the season goes. Gallen certainly is doing himself no favours, but it isn’t as though there were better options to be had at the time.Former AZ Reliever John Curtiss Heads to MexicoNot at all where I expected this old friend alert to end up.Other Baseball NewsMLB CBA Panic CheckJeff Passan and others are still trying to keep a positive spin on tings and point out that it is entirely too early to panic. Spencer Striders Fascinating First ExaminedDiamondbacks fans are well aware that simply giving up three in the first inning is not the end of the world if the pitcher can buckle down moving forward.What Should Giants Do with Robbie RayAnother old friend alert. After bouncing back from injury in Arizona, Robbie Ray went on to be one of the better pitchers in the American League for a spell. Now, he’s starting to show signs of aging jst as the Giants are looking at the possibility of unloading him at the deadline.MLB Power Rankings Week 9 – End of May EditionThe Diamondbacks recent run of games against the Giants and Rockies has lifted them to #8 in the latest rankings.Murakami Exits Game Due to Hamstring TightnessThe South-sider’s slugging rookie phenom left last night’s tilt against the Tigers early after suffering a tweak in his right hamstring running to first base. He will undergo imaging today and is likely headed to the IL.

EAST HARTFORD, CT - OCTOBER 14: Tim Ream #13 of the United States puts on the captain's armband during an international friendly game between Germany and USMNT at Pratt and Whitney Stadium on October 14, 2023 in East Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Doug Zimmerman/ISI Photos/Getty Images) | Getty Images The United States Men’s National Team have a captain. Today, during a press conference, USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino named Tim Ream as the captain for the team for the 2026 World Cup.“Tim was my first captain,” Pochettino said. “I’m so grateful he’s with us, he’s a great captain not only on the field and, maybe more importantly, off the field. He has the experience and capacity to be the positive leader we want.”The Charlotte FC centerback has experience as captain with the national team, as he has worn the armband for most matches he has played during Pochettino’s tenure, including for his first match as head coach. Ream now will officially lead the team as captain during the World Cup. There will be other players who will be counted upon to provide leadership on the field. Tyler Adams captained the team during the 2022 World Cup, and Christian Pulisic, Chris Richards, Weston McKennie, and Miles Robinson also have worn the armband for matches. However, whether he’s on the field or not, Ream will be the guy to lead the team in this World Cup.

Use the 'watch & listen' tab for BBC Radio 5 Live commentary or to watch 5 Live Final ScoreArsenal bidding to win first Champions League/European CupPSG looking to retain title, after beating Inter 5-0 in last year's finalHavertz starts for Arsenal, Lewis-Skelly in midfield, Mosquera at right back - Gyokeres on bench Champions League final: Havertz starts as Arsenal face holders PSG in Budapest

May 30—CHAMPAIGN — The first time Morton High School football coach Adam O'Neill saw Soren Fifer, he did not immediately think "future Big Ten offensive lineman."The then-freshman Fifer checked in at 6 feet, 1 inches, and 195 pounds."He was an athlete and he played lots of sports growing up," O'Neill said. "He looks pretty good with a basketball in his hand."Soon, a growth spurt. By that spring, Fifer was 6-4 and 240 pounds. With football in his future.Now 6-6 and pushing 300 pounds, Fifer is on his way to Illinois in 2027. He made a verbal commitment to Bret Bielema's team on May 14, picking Illinois ahead of offers from Big Ten schools Iowa, Oregon and Indiana.Toward the end of the process, O'Neill felt Fifer lean toward Bielema's program."Illinois was not a surprise," O'Neill said. "When he broke down his last four or five schools that he was really excited about, Illinois was always there. In the conversations I had with him, Illinois just kept coming back up. It seemed to me like it was going to go that way."Morton has a handful of former players now at the FCS level, including Illinois State running back Seth Glatz and South Dakota State offensive lineman Ian Mutchler.O'Neill, who previously worked for a decade on the coaching staff at Peoria High, is entering his fourth year in charge of the Potters/Hogs.Morton went 7-4 in 2025, winning its playoff opener before dropping a second-round game against Peoria."We lost a heartbreaker, back and forth," O'Neill said. "It hurt me a little extra. I'm always rooting for (Peoria) unless we are playing each other."About the nickname: officially, Morton is the Potters. But back in the 1970s, a reporter quoted the coach, after a big victory win on a rainy day, saying "we were just rolling around like a bunch of hogs."The nickname stuck and is the unofficial football mascot. The players refer to themselves as the Hogs. So do the fans.Room to growFifer is at the young end age-wise for his class. He could be entering his junior year in high school instead of his final season."I think there's a ton of development physically, emotionally that is going to happen on its own," O'Neill said. "He's still young."Fifer is a good student with a 3.5 grade-point average. And he is becoming a leader with the Hogs."We've had some very strong senior leadership at offensive line," O'Neill said. "He's been the next in line, waiting and following those guys. He's done a really good job in the offseason pushing and leading our offensive line group. They've done a really good job in the weight room."At Illinois, O'Neill expects Fifer's growth to continue."He is going to look like a different kid in the next couple years," O'Neill said. "And he looks good now."If Fifer makes the progress O'Neill expects at Illinois, the NFL could be part of his future."He's got all that physicalness that you can't coach," O'Neill said.He knows what he is talking about. O'Neill worked with current NFL players Kendrick Green (Browns), Marques Cox (Dolphins) and LaCale London (Falcons)."(Fifer) is bigger then all of them at this age," O'Neill said.Fifer, a three-star recruit, is one of four Illinois commits so far for the class of 2027. All four are from the state, as Fifer joins Lincoln-Way East offensive lineman Mason Halliman, Evanston Township cornerback Justin Johnson and St. Laurence linebacker Sean Rice.Coming soonIllinois fans will have a chance to check out Fifer early in the high school season. Morton opens its season in Champaign County, playing Mahomet-Seymour at Frank Dutton Field in Mahomet on Aug. 21.O'Neill expects a good 2026 season for Morton. Having Fifer lead the way adds to his confidence.Fifer's college choice of Illinois is popular in Morton, which is just 82 miles from Champaign-Urbana and located right off Interstate 74 before arriving in Peoria."Lots of our teachers went to Illinois," O'Neill said.Soren isn't the last football-playing Fifer. His younger brother, Koen, is on track to help Morton and play in college, too. Youngest brother Locklin is in the seventh grade.Soren wrestled earlier in his high school career. He competed in track and field, throwing the shot and discus while working on his speed."He's going to be dominant," O'Neill said of what he expects from Fifer this fall. "The kids we've got around him are going to help, too. We've got a chance to have a really good team. We've got two all-conference quarterbacks coming back."

Florida baseball's matchup against Miami will start later on Saturday, May 30. The Gators advanced to the Gainesville Regional winners bracket after walking off Rider 8-7, while the Hurricanes defeated Troy 10-5. However, since Miami's matchup against Troy did not conclude until 1:53 a.m. on Saturday morning, start times have been pushed back by two hours. Per NCAA rules, the next game of the Regional must begin at least 12 hours after the previous contest if it runs past 1 a.m. local time.As a result, the losers game between Rider and Troy will start at 3 p.m. E.T., while Florida vs Miami is scheduled for 8 p.m.The Gators and Hurricanes met earlier this season, which ended in UF winning a pair of games as the final contest of the series was rained out. In those two games, three different Gators homered in the series as UF won the first game 7-2 and then the second game 8-2 back in February.Reach Florida Gators writer Andrew Abadie at AAbadie@usatodayco.com or on X (formerly Twitter) at @AndrewAbadie. You can also find him on Facebook at Andrew Abadie Sports Reporter or on Instagram @andrewabadie_sports.This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida baseball vs Miami game time change in Gainesville Regional

The fallout from Donald Trump’s decision to illegally rename the Kennedy Center to give himself top billing continues to grow, creating an embarrassing situation for the president. As it turns out, artists don’t want their work associated with Trump, despite legal threats from Ric Grenell, the president’s openly gay factotum who heads the center. On Monday, just days before their scheduled New Year’s Eve concerts, the Cookers, a highly regarded jazz group, announced that they were cancelling their appearance at the Kennedy Center. “With deep regret, we must share that we are unable to perform as planned on New Year’s Eve,” the group said in a statement, explaining that the decision came together very quickly. “We remain committed to playing music that reaches across divisions rather than deepening them.” The Cookers said that their decision was in line with what jazz is about. “Jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom: freedom of thought, of expression, and of the full human voice,” their statement said. While the statement didn’t directly refer to the renaming, drummer Billy Hart told The New York Times that the decision was “evidently” because of it. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today As it turns out, the Cookers are hardly alone in that decision. Last week’s Christmas Eve concert was canceled at the last minute for the same reason. Long-time host Chuck Redd, another giant in the world of jazz, said that Trump renaming the Center was the last straw. “When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd told the Associated Press. Kristy Lee, a folk singer from Alabama, announced last week that she was cancelling her January concert because of the Center renaming. “When American history starts getting treated like something you can ban, erase, rename, or rebrand for somebody else’s ego, I can’t stand on that stage and sleep right at night,” she wrote on Instagram. “America didn’t get built by branding. It got built by people showing up and doing the work. And the folks who carry it don’t need their name on it, they just show up. That’s all I’m doing here.I’m showing up.” Other artists are piling on as well. Doug Varone and Dancers, who were scheduled to appear at the Kennedy Center next April, announced Monday that they were cancelling their appearance as well. “We can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once great institution,” Varone said. The holiday cancellations in particular hit the Kennedy Center hard, because the season is “highly lucrative.” The bottom line already took a hit when Grenell signed off on a deal to let FIFA, the governing body for international soccer, use the Center free of charge over the holidays for its World Cup planning. That decision led to multiple holiday performances being cancelled or rescheduled. In response to the cancellation of the Christmas Eve concert, Grenell threatened to sue Redd for $1 million, calling that Redd’s decision “classic intolerance” while lauding “President Trump’s extraordinary efforts to save this national treasure.” The newest cancellations led Grenell to resort to trashing the artists. “The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership,” Grenell said on X. “Their actions prove that the previous team was more concerned about booking far left political activists rather than artists willing to perform for everyone regardless of their political beliefs.” The Kennedy Center has been reeling with empty seats and plummeting revenue ever since Trump fired the previous board and named himself the new chairman. Meanwhile, Democrats in the Senate are investigating Grenell for “an unprecedented pattern of self-dealing, favoritism, and waste.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

2026-05-30T14:09:55Z ADLOUN, Lebanon (AP) — Israel’s air force and artillery struck areas close to a strategic mountain housing a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon Saturday as fighting raged in villages close to the southern city of Nabatieh.Israel’s military issued evacuation warnings for more than a dozen villages in southern Lebanon, a day after Lebanese and Israeli military officials held their first direct talks in decades at the Pentagon.The situation in southern Lebanon was discussed during a meeting Saturday between Lebanon’s president and prime minister who said in a statement later that they will intensify their contacts to make Israel stop demolition and bulldozing of homes and historical sites as well as its evacuation warnings.Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling near the Crusader-built Beaufort castle that is about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Israeli border and overlooks wide parts of southern Lebanon. The strategic castle was held by Israeli troops for 18 years until they withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000. Israeli troops have been advancing for days in villages close to the castle, including Yohmor and Zawtar al-Sharqieh near the city of Nabatieh after they crossed the strategic Litani River, which the Israeli military has used as a de facto boundary.Large areas to the south are under Israeli military control, despite an April 17, U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Israel and Hezbollah exchange strikes despite ceasefireNNA reported airstrikes on different parts of southern Lebanon including in the village of Ansar that killed three people. A drone strike on a road linking the village of Ebba with Nabatieh wounded two Lebanese soldiers, the army said in a statement. Hezbollah, meanwhile, said its fighters fired rockets at northern Israel’s largest city, Kiryat Shmona, on the border with Lebanon. The group said its attack was in retaliation for airstrikes that killed civilians in Lebanon. Hezbollah later said it also fired rockets toward the northern city of Safed. Read More Among those killed in southern Lebanon on Friday were a Syrian family — Qais al-Bakir, his pregnant wife and their six children — who died in an Israeli airstrike on the coastal village of Adloun, north of the city of Tyre. The family, which belonged to Syria’s minority Alawite sect, had fled to Lebanon from the central province of Hama after the fall of Bashar Assad in Syria in December 2024. Some members of Assad’s Alawite sect have been subjected to revenge attacks by members of Islamist groups who removed the former president from power. The family had been living in a sheep farm and they received no warning in advance of the strike on the village, said Ali al-Bakir the brother of the man killed. He said the family plans to send the bodies for burial in their hometown in Syria.“He worked in farming and all he cared about was to feed his children,” his brother said.The latest Israel-Hezbollah war started on March 2, when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel two days after Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran.It has left 3,350 people dead in Lebanon and over 1 million people displaced. Further strikes in GazaIn the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian nurse was killed in an Israeli strike Saturday, hospital authorities said, the latest death by Israeli fire since a shaky ceasefire halted major fighting in the enclave last year.The strike late Saturday morning hit a Hamas-manned police point in the central city of Deir al-Balah. At least three other people were wounded, according to the city’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, which received the casualties.The Israeli military didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.The dead nurse was identified as Jamal Abu Aoun, who worked at Yafa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. His funeral was held at noon in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital’s courtyard.He was the latest fatality among Palestinians in the coastal enclave since a fragile October ceasefire deal attempted to halt a more than two-year war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.While the heaviest fighting has subsided, the shaky ceasefire has seen almost daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, killing at least 929 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts. But it does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel says its strikes are in response to that and other violations. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire._____Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.

Fulton County Senior ADA Eleanor Ross speaks during opening statements Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010 in Atlanta. (Vino Wong/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File)2026-05-30T14:26:49Z ATLANTA (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a judge to recuse herself in a fight over Georgia election records, arguing that she attended an event honoring Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who prosecuted President Donald Trump, raising questions about the judge’s ability to be impartial.A federal judge in 11th Judicial Circuit received a “private reprimand” after a court investigation found that the judge had sex in the courthouse with a high-ranking uniformed police officer within earshot of staff, attended a partisan event and then initially lied to deny the allegations. The court’s investigation did not publicly identify the judge or the court location within the 11th Circuit’s jurisdiction, which includes Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The Justice Department is relying on media reports that identify U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta as the judge in question. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the judge’s identity. A person who answered the phone in Ross’ chambers Friday said the judge was unavailable and referred questions about the allegations to the court’s media office which said, “Judge Ross has no comment right now.” The media office did not immediately respond Saturday to a second email seeking comment about the Justice Department motion seeking Ross’ recusal. Federal judges are appointed for life but can be subject to disciplinary action, including censure, public or private reprimands and temporary withholding of cases. They can only be removed through impeachment by Congress. Read More Ross was nominated in January 2014 by then-President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and she was confirmed by the Senate in November of that year. She had previously served as a state court judge in DeKalb County, which includes a small part of the city of Atlanta, since 2011. Prior to taking the bench, she had worked as a state and federal prosecutor, mostly in Atlanta, for more than a decade. The election records fightRoss is overseeing the election records case filed by the Justice Department against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.The Justice Department has sued multiple states seeking statewide voter lists. Raffensperger has said that Georgia law prohibits the release of voters’ confidential personal information unless certain qualifications are met and that the federal government hadn’t met those conditions. He has said that he sent the public part of the voter roll to the Justice Department in December. Ross has scheduled a hearing in the case for Wednesday, though the Justice Department has asked to delay that hearing because of its request for the judge to recuse herself.The judicial discipline caseIn the disciplinary case against the unnamed federal judge, the Judicial Council of the 11th Circuit chose in a February order to impose a private reprimand that kept the judge’s name secret. The Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability of the Judicial Conference of the United States on May 22 affirmed that order. An investigation report attached to the order says the judge went to an event hosted by a district attorney’s campaign. The judge acknowledged having gone to the event to visit with former colleagues in the district attorney’s office at a private mixer that was held in the same place but was separated from the prosecutor’s victory party. Ross previously worked in the Fulton County district attorney’s office and overlapped with Willis there before Willis was district attorney. The 2020 Georgia election caseWillis began investigating Trump and others for possible interference in the 2020 election in Fulton County soon after becoming district attorney in January 2021. Among the things she looked at was a January 2021 phone call in which Trump urged Raffensperger to help “find” the votes needed to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s win in Georgia in the 2020 presidential election. Willis in August 2023 obtained an indictment against Trump and 18 others, accusing them of participating in a wide-ranging scheme to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. That case was ultimately dismissed in November after an appeals court found an “appearance of impropriety” created by a romantic relationship Willis had with the outside lawyer she had hired to lead the prosecution. The Justice Department’s arguments“A judge who attended a party celebrating the election of a Democrat best known for prosecuting a Republican President for alleged election interference cannot then preside over a case concerning that President’s efforts to ensure election integrity,” Justice Department lawyers wrote in their filing Friday.The Justice Department argued that any “objective reasonable observer” would see Ross’ presence at Willis’ election night party as an endorsement of her election and her actions in office.“If Judge Ross is indeed the Subject Judge, that conduct gives rise to an appearance of bias, which requires Judge Ross to recuse herself from this election-related case,” the Justice Department filing says. The Justice Department filing makes passing mention of the allegations of improper sexual activity with a police officer in the judge’s chambers and the subsequent false statements the judge made to deny those allegations, but says “those are not the subject of this Motion.”Separately, the Atlanta Police Department has said it has opened an investigation to determine whether the “high-ranking law enforcement officer” found to have had sex with a federal judge in the judge’s chambers is a member of their department. KATE BRUMBACK Brumback covers courts, immigration, elections and breaking news. She is based in Atlanta. twitter instagram mailto