San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama holds the MVP trophy as he celebrates with teammates after Game 7 of the Western Conference finals of the NBA basketball playoffs series win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)2026-05-31T04:05:10Z OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — When the Western Conference finals started, Victor Wembanyama watched Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hoist a Most Valuable Player trophy that the San Antonio Spurs star desperately wanted.Wembanyama left the series with an MVP trophy of his own — and a whole lot more.The French standout — in just his third season — has led the Spurs to the NBA Finals. The newly crowned Western Conference finals MVP had 22 points in a Game 7 win at Oklahoma City, one that gave San Antonio a chance to play for the NBA title for the first time since 2014. It’ll be San Antonio vs. New York in the NBA Finals, starting Wednesday night.“Winning the Larry O’Brien, it’s a childhood dream,” Wembanyama said, referring to the name of the trophy given to the NBA champions. “And having a real shot at it, having a chance, a tangible chance at winning it and realizing a dream … it’s a lifetime chance. You never know when it’s going to happen again. “It’s hard to put into words. It’s almost like the meaning of my life now.”He averaged 27.3 points and 10.9 rebounds in the series, scoring at least 20 points in every game. He set the tone with a 41-point effort in a Game 1 win, then did a little of everything — dunks, blocks, playing point guard even — to keep control on the way to the Game 7 win. He was the unanimous pick as series MVP, which should be no surprise. He carried that trophy into the locker room after the game, screaming in joy at supporters and teammates. “You work all these hours, it’s for these type of emotions,” Wembanyama said. “I want to win so bad. It’s like my life depends on it.” Read More On the night he was drafted, Wembanyama talked about all the things he knew about San Antonio. Breakfast tacos, which he couldn’t wait to try. Spanish, which he said he wanted to learn. The culture, which he said he wanted to embrace.And, of course, the winning. “The ring,” Wembanyama said that night.The ring. The championship ring. Not even three years since leaving France and coming to the U.S., Wembanyama is about to get his first chance to play for it.“The best player in the world,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson yelled at no one in particular, but making clear everyone knew who he was talking about.He didn’t get that NBA MVP trophy. But it wouldn’t be difficult to say Wembanyama indeed is the best player in the world. Or at the very least, will be soon. He might not even be near his prime yet. The Spurs are young and built for the long haul.Translated: This may just be the start.“When you step into a game in regular season, you don’t even look at the big picture of the season. You look at what you need to do tonight, what you have to do in the first half, on the first possession,” Wembanyama said. “And when you lay a brick like this every time you get a chance and you lay it perfectly fine, at the end of the day you get a big castle — a beautiful house and we just did. This, it’s just like the entry hall of our castle right here.”___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba TIM REYNOLDS Reynolds is an Associated Press sports writer, based in South Florida. twitter mailto

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was only afforded a sliver of space. And a sliver was all he needed. With the Spurs draped over him like a blackout curtain, SGA kept finding daylight. Kept hitting impossible midrange jumpers. Kept the Thunder in it. Flummoxed by Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs for the better part of six games, Gilgeous-Alexander reached a flow state in Game 7. And still the Thunder lost, a 111-103 defeat in the finale of these Western Conference finals. After dapping up a few Spurs players and staff members, Gilgeous-Alexander walked off the floor with his head held high. He did everything he could. “Didn’t really have a choice,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Big game, win or go home, just wanted to leave everything out there.” We don’t always know what to do with performances like these. Where do losses belong on an all-timer’s ledger of legacy games? Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-time MVP. An NBA champion and an NBA Finals MVP. Who knows how many more trophies the 27-year-old Thunder star will have by the end of his career. Before he’s inducted into the hall of fame. The context of this Thunder loss will be lost to time, as will the mastery of how Gilgeous-Alexander played in the loss, but it should be appreciated in the moment. Our memories are short, but not that short. REPORT CARD: Chet Holmgren crumbles for Thunder vs Spurs, Wemby in Game 7“We knew what he was gonna do,” teammate Alex Caruso said. “He was gonna try to will us to a victory and unfortunately I think we could’ve made a couple more plays to help him out. Myself included. Just heroic from him to try and put us on his back to win the game … That’s why he was the two-time MVP.” OKC had a few pathways to victory in Game 7. 1. Role players hitting shots: Take a bow Cason Wallace, who was all kinds of clutch with 14 points in the fourth quarter. Wallace finished 5 of 9 from three. Lu Dort, Jared McCain, Alex Caruso, Jaylin Williams and Kenrich Williams combined to shoot 5 of 21 from three. 2. The Spurs would be overwhelmed by the moment. Yeah right. San Antonio shot 61% in the fourth quarter. The Spurs matched the Thunder big bucket for big bucket. The Spurs are young and inexperienced. Scared, they are not. 3. SGA would outplay Wemby, reminding everyone who the MVP was. “We knew coming into Game 7 that he was going to take the weight of that team,” said Spurs wing Lindy Waters III, who saw SGA’s game up close as a former Thunder teammate. “Make or miss he was gonna live with the result, and he wasn’t missing.” Gilgeous-Alexander took seven non-paint two-pointers. He made six of them. “For him to come out and have that kind of performance, it made that Game 7 legendary,” Waters said. TAKEAWAYS: SGA, OKC Thunder stunned by Spurs, Wemby in Game 7 to miss NBA FinalsGilgeous-Alexander was magnificent, but not so much as to overcome the fact that OKC was missing its second-and third-best offensive engines in Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell — an All-NBA player and an ascendent star. OKC probably wins the series with one of J-Dub or Ajay healthy. Not having either to supplement SGA was too tall a mountain.“He gave it his all,” Thunder veteran Kenrich Williams said. “We just came up short as a team.” Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points on 12 of 21 shooting. It was both his highest scoring and most efficient game of the series. Wallace was the Thunder’s second-leading scorer with 17. Wembanyama led a balanced Spurs attack with 22 points. Gilgeous-Alexander’s nine assists were also a game high. So were his 43 minutes played. “I wanted to make sure I gave it my all,” he said. “I was who I was today.” SGA was SGA. “He was brilliant,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “... Obviously that would’ve been one of the stories of the game had we been able to figure out a way to win it.” Would've been a legacy game for Gilgeous-Alexander. And maybe it still was. Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: SGA 'brilliant' in Game 7, but he needs more for Thunder to beat Spurs

The Atlanta Falcons made a few changes to their undrafted free agent class after their rookie minicamp, but the current group has survived the first two weeks of OTAs. Nine out of the team's 14 undrafted free agents play on the offensive side of the football. That list includes former Michigan State tight end Jack Velling, who's the subject of our latest Falcons undrafted free agent spotlight. Let's take a closer look at the former Spartans tight end to find out what he can bring to Atlanta in 2026.Falcons UDFA profile: TE Jack Velling2025 stats: 36 catches, 359 yards, 3 TDThe Falcons placed their franchise tag on Kyle Pitts, but they don't have a long-term replacement if he departs following the 2026 season. While former Michigan State Spartans tight end Jack Velling is a far cry from Pitts in terms of playmaking ability, he has some potential upside as a pass-catcher/red-zone specialist. Velling began his career at Oregon State, where he posted a career-best 438 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2023. Despite a promising two-year stretch in which he recorded 45 catches for 719 receiving yards (16 yards per reception) and 11 touchdowns, Velling transferred to Michigan State in 2024.During his two seasons in East Lansing, Velling saw an increase in catches (72 total), but his yardage stayed about the same (770 total receiving yards). At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, the former Spartans tight end has enough size to play at the NFL level but must improve his blocking ability.In terms of speed, Velling isn't a burner by any means, but he moves well enough and can be an effective red-zone target for whoever starts at quarterback in Atlanta. "Velling's natural hands and route-running polish give him an immediate advantage in passing situations, yet the blocking deficiencies that plagued him in college won't disappear overnight against stronger, more technical NFL defenders," NFL Draft Scout wrote in Velling's pre-draft scouting report.Jack Velling finds the end zone for @MSU_Football 🔥 pic.twitter.com/HWXqir0XYc— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 4, 2025Falcons' undrafted free agents: 14 players signedThe Falcons officially signed their 2026 undrafted free agent class last week, agreeing to terms with 14 players. The team has since released tight end Brandon Frazier and signed UDFA linebacker Daveren Rayner. Check out the full list of Falcons UDFA signings below.QB Jack Strand, MSU-Moorhead: Atlanta met with Strand before the draft and now he joins the team as its fourth quarterback. Last season, Strand had 3,546 yards and 42 touchdowns with 14 interceptions.RB Cash Jones, Georgia: Jones met with the team ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. The pass-catching weapon is someone to watch in training camp.TE Jack Velling, Michigan State: The Falcons have signed former Michigan State tight end Jack Velling. Last season, Velling had 36 catches for 359 receiving yards and three touchdowns over 12 games in East Lansing.WR Keelan Marion, Miami: The Falcons are signing undrafted Miami wide receiver Keelan Marion, per report. Marion had 57 receptions for 746 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the Hurricanes last season.WR Vinny Anthony, Wisconsin: The former Badgers wideout will reportedly get $265,000 guaranteed to join Atlanta. Last season, he had 31 catches for 391 receiving yards and one touchdown.WR Le'Meke Brockington, Minnesota: The Falcons also signed Minnesota wide receiver Le'Meke Brockington. Last season, he had 46 catches for 484 receiving yards and four touchdowns for the Golden Gophers.OL Kam Dewberry, Alabama: The Falcons are signing former Alabama's Kam Dewberry. The former Crimson Tide offensive lineman gives the team another developmental guard prospect with some upside.OL Riley Mahlman, Wisconsin: The Falcons are signing Wisconsin offensive lineman Riley Mahlman. The 6-foot-8 left tackle is an intriguing developmental prospect.C James Brockermeyer, Miami: The Atlanta Falcons are signing Miami center James Brockermeyer. The former Hurricane offensive lineman can provide depth behind Ryan Neuzil in 2026.DT Carlos Allen, Houston: Atlanta has signed Houston defensive tackle Carlos Allen Jr. The Falcons needed help at defensive tackle and Allen is someone to watch in training camp.LB Daveren Rayner, Kentucky: The Falcons signed former Kentucky linebacker Daveren Rayner following their rookie minicamp. DL CJ Nunnally, Purdue: The Falcons have signed former Purdue defensive lineman CJ Nunnally. CB Malcolm Dewalt, Akron: The Falcons are signing Akron CB Malcolm Dewalt. Last season, he had two interceptions, one forced fumble and eight passes defended.LSPhilip Florenzo, Clemson: The Falcons have signed long snapper Philip Florenzo out of Clemson. Florenzo was one of just seven long snappers at the combine.This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: UDFA Jack Velling can help team in red zone

Texas A&M hosted a long and talented list of 2027 prospects this weekend, providing third-year coach Mike Elko and his staff another key opportunity to communicate with several of the program's 14 commits, combined with a host of uncommitted priority prospects who will announce their commitment dates in the coming weeks.This offseason, Elko hired former Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams as the program's new linebackers coach, one of the better moves following former defensive coordinator Jay Bateman's departure for Kentucky after two seasons with the program.After landing four linebacker commitments in the 2026 signing class, Elko and Williams are hoping that either five-star Kaden Henderson or four-star Mikahi Allen becomes the first linebacker commitment, as Allen, one of the late additions to the busy weekend, took his official visit on Saturday, while announcing his targeted commitment date in the process.Thanks to AggieYell (subscription required) insider Joseph Hastings' reporting, Allen's mother, Josie Payoute, stated that Mikahi spent time with Mike Elko and Travis Williams, trusting both coaches to develop her son, while stating that early July is when the four-star backer is looking to announce his commitment.“July 11,” Payoute stated. “He’s definitely going to go with his heart when it’s time to commit. He’s going to pray on it, feel it out and, as a family, we’re going to make a decision. See where he’s going to go, be able to play, and grow on and off the field.”According to Hastings, Allen will take one more official visit with the Texas Longhorns next weekend (June 5-7) and has no other OV plans this summer. If this recruiting battle comes down to Texas A&M and the Longhorns, I'd give the Aggies an edge after his official visit this weekend based on his Mother's conversations with the coaching staff.Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: 2027 4-star LB and Texas A&M target Mikahi Allen sets commitment date

WWE is staging it's first ever premium live event in Italy, and you can expect a raucous crowd and plenty of sing-a-longs in Turin during Sunday's Clash In Italy. WWE's trips to Europe in recent years have delivered classic moments, with hot crowds elevating every moment and turning even ho-hum matches into classics. Four championships will be defended on Sunday in Italy, including Cody Rhodes' Undisputed WWE Championship and Roman Reigns' World Heavyweight Championship.Here's everything you need to know about Clash in Italy, including our match-by-match predictions.What time does Clash In Italy start?Clash In Italy will start at 2 p.m. ET at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy.Clash In Italy full match cardCody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther for the Undisputed WWE ChampionshipRhea Ripley (c) vs. Jade Cargill for the WWE Women's ChampionshipOba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sol Ruca for the WWE Women's Intercontinental ChampionshipRoman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu in Tribal Combat for the World Heavyweight ChampionshipClash In Italy predictions: Cody Rhodes vs. GuntherRhodes has held the Undisputed WWE Championship since early March, and retained the title at WrestleMania against Randy Orton. This match could go either way, and it really comes down to WWE's plan for Gunther at SummerSlam. Is the Career Killer being lined up to eventually retire Brock Lesnar? And if Gunther vs. Lesnar is shaping up for SummerSlam, does it really need an Undisputed WWE Championship attached to it?WWE will want both of these guys to look great, but the story driving this championship tilt isn't the strongest. Rhodes retains in a controversial finish. Winner: Cody RhodesRhea Ripley vs. Jade CargillA WrestleMania 42 rematch that should eclipse the original, if only because it's unlikely Ripley and Cargill will be so limited on match time at Clash In Italy. Ripley snatched Cargill's title away in April, and there's really no good reason to take the belt off the biggest star in the women's division right now.Winner: Rhea RipleyBrock Lesnar vs. Oba FemiWhen Brock Lesnar "retired" at WrestleMania 42 earlier this year, it was speculated that the original plan would have been for Lesnar's final match to come at SummerSlam in Minneapolis in August. Lesnar's back now, at any rate, and for perhaps one of the only times in his career, he's a massive underdog against the behemoth that is Oba Femi.Femi has rapidly become a major star and a fan favorite, and it's hard to imagine WWE curbing that on Sunday to hand a 48-year-old Lesnar what would be a meaningless win - unless WWE plans for Oba to retire Lesnar at SummerSlam in the rubber match.Winner: Oba FemiBecky Lynch vs. Sol RucaIt will be interesting to see if WWE calls an audible here, as Sol Ruca's arrival on the main roster has been a bit shaky to start, with multiple mishaps occurring as she's tried to execute her sensational Sol Snatcher finisher. Still, Sol Ruca is a major star of the future in the women's division, while Becky Lynch remains a main-eventer who doesn't really need to be carrying around the intercontinental title to be a top star. That being said, WWE may opt to let Sol Ruca develop a bit more before a coronation later this year.Winner: Sol RucaRoman Reigns vs. Jacob FatuRoman Reigns has never lost a "Tribal Combat" match - a stipulation that means that there's no disqualifications or count-outs - but is the time finally ripe for a new "Head of the Table?" Just as at Backlash in their first title bout, Fatu winning here and changing the dynamic of The Bloodline is the more interesting outcome from a storytelling perspective, but picking against Roman Reigns is usually the incorrect choice.Winner: Roman ReignsHow to watch WWE Clash In Italy:The first hour of Clash In Italy will air on ESPN and ESPN's streaming service.Afterward, Clash In Italy will stream exclusively on ESPN's streaming service. Viewers can sign up for a subscription to the site here, which starts at $29.99 a month.ESPN's service is available through select cable and TV packages, including:DIRECTVFubo TVHulu + Live TVSpectrumVerizon FiOSU-verseCoxComcast XfinityThis article originally appeared on For The Win: Clash In Italy 2026 predictions for every match

“Back to back” read the message projected on to Budapest’s elegantly historic main train station, Keleti palyaudvar. It was in English, though perhaps it should have been in French, with the faces of Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia beneath the words. It is Paris Saint-Germain who have gone back to back.With a couple of different penalties, it could have been Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice’s images there. Instead, after Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat, their faces were seen only in the bowels of the Puskas Arena.The ground is named after a man who scored four times in a European Cup final, in a team who got seven goals, which is not something that Arsenal, as a team, threatened to do. They only mustered seven shots. But it still took spot kicks to beat them. “Small margins,” rued the captain Odegaard, powerless to take part in the shootout after being substituted. “You want to win it so bad and to end up with nothing is brutal.” Martin Odegaard rued the fine margins of the final (Reuters)Rice finished with the armband, converted his penalty and then delivered the rallying cry. It was underpinned by both realism and optimism. “The overriding emotion is that we are devastated,” he said. “But congratulations to PSG. Over the last couple of seasons, they have been the best team in Europe.”It felt a significant admission; unlike Mikel Arteta, Rice did not plead misfortune about Noni Madueke’s rejected penalty appeal when the winger grappled with Nuno Mendes. Paris Saint-Germain have beaten Arsenal both years they have won the trophy; 3-1 in the semi-final in 2025, now only on spot kicks in 2026. Arsenal finished far above them in the league phase both times. Ultimately, though, they were not the best team in Europe. But they are getting closer. “Ever since I have come to this club we have been going on an upwards trajectory,” said Rice. That is true in the Champions League: after losing in the quarter-final, semi-final and now final, there is only one step left to take. But it is the hardest step. Arsenal made it in the Premier League, from second to first. Making the equivalent leap in Europe may be harder still. “To win the Premier League after 22 years was a dream and getting to this final was also a dream come true but it wasn’t meant to be,” Rice added. “It doesn’t define us. We are going to use this moment to add fuel to the upcoming seasons. Speaking to the players and the manager, there is no reason why we are stopping here.Declan Rice consoled teammate Gabriel after the Champions League final (PA Wire)“We’re gutted but we move on. There’s been so many top players who have taken so many years to win their first Champions League. This is the way it is. Seeing that trophy, seeing them lift it: we want that, we want that success.” Rice may take heart from PSG, who have shed their status as Champions League nearly men to go back to back, as Budapest station declared. Or not, given the sense that Luis Enrique has forged a new team, untainted by past failures. There were outstanding PSG players, such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani, who never won the Champions League or, in the case of Thiago Silva, only did after he left.PSG are proof that it can take time to secure Champions League success (Getty)A couple of Premier League precedents can offer encouragement. Chelsea eventually prevailed in 2012, consigning heartbreak and near-misses to their past. Manchester City’s long-awaited triumph came in 2023 and with a core of the players who had come close before, though not the generation of Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Fernandinho. The age profile of Arteta’s squad, with Leandro Trossard the only outfielder over 28 to take the field in Budapest, suggests few need to be pensioned off, though there is a case they could benefit from attacking upgrades. Arsenal scored four goals in five European games from the quarter-final onwards this season; over three campaigns, they have 12 goals in 11 such matches.Arsenal may require more potency in the final third (PA)There is also the problem that there is a history of sides who come close but never scale the highest peaks. A decade ago, Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid and Massimiliano Allegri’s Juventus both reached two Champions League finals in three seasons, won neither and could not get there again. More recently, Internazionale, under Simone Inzaghi, have done likewise. The manager has gone. Some of those players will never win the Champions League.Rewind two decades and Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal were the best side of their era never to become European champions; one of the best of any era, perhaps. That side had more elan than this, but Arteta’s more efficient methods almost succeeded where the Invincibles could not.Arsene Wenger's Invincibles failed to win the Champions League, losing the final in 2006 (Getty)This summer, Rice can test his theory that persistence will eventually pay off. He has been part of an England side who have reached two finals, and taken one to a penalty shootout. For Rice, England and Arsenal, the upwards trajectory may continue. The danger is it may not. But at least he and Arsenal have hit top spot in the Premier League.

RCB's record in IPL finals: Total appearances, results, highest score and win percentage originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:RCB have arrived at their fifth appearance in the IPL finals in 19 years.They look to become the third side to win back-to-back titles after CSK and MI.After overcoming GT in Qualifier 1, the same two sides meet in IPL 2026 final.RCB's IPL final historyRoyal Challengers Bengaluru might have tasted the most glory and misery of any teams to participate in the IPL tournaments. The franchise had been waiting for long before clinching their first title ever in 2025 and again reached the finals in 2026.Having made five IPL finals till date, their debut was in 2009 when their captain was Anil Kumble, while their latest final was in IPL 2026 after defeating Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1.MORE:'RCB have cracked the IPL formula': Andy Flower and coaching unit hailedIt took RCB three runners-up finishes in 2009, 2011 and 2016 before ending their 18-year wait for the coveted trophy, by beating Punjab Kings.Now they can go for another title in 2026 and become the third franchise, after Chennai Super Kings (2010, 2011) and Mumbai Indians (2019, 2020), to ever win back-to-back IPL titles.RCB's record in IPL finalsYearOpponentResult2009Deccan ChargersLost by 6 runs2011Chennai Super KingsLost by 58 runs2016Sunrisers HyderabadLost by 8 runs2025Punjab KingsWon by 6 runs 🏆2026Gujarat TitansTBDRCB IPL finals record: Matches, wins, losses and win percentageRCB have won one of their four completed IPL finals, giving them finals win percentage of 25%.MatchesWinsLossesWin percentage4*1325%*Completed IPL finals only.MORE:Holder's fiery celebration in front of Kohli after dismissing him again in IPL 2026What is RCB's highest score in an IPL final?Royal Challengers Bengaluru's highest score in an IPL final was recorded in the during the 2016 season against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.Despite 50-plus contributions by Chris Gayle (76 runs off 38) and Virat Kohli (54 runs off 35), it was not enough to reach SRH's target of 209 runs.RCB highest scores in IPL finalsYearOpponentScore2016Sunrisers Hyderabad200/72025Punjab Kings190/92011Chennai Super Kings147/82009Deccan Chargers137/9MORE:Virat Kohli IPL playoff record and statsThe Cricket News Opinion: RCB can improve their IPL finals record in 2026Royal Challengers Bengaluru head into the IPL 2026 final as defending champions following their impressive win in Qualifier 1 against GT. Captained by Rajat Patidar, they are hoping to lift consecutive IPL titles for the very first time in the franchise's history.Winning in the 2026 final would see RCB's finals record reach two from five and finals win percentage of 40%.To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 02: Landon Robinson #96 of the Navy Midshipmen reacts during the first half of the 2026 AutoZone Liberty Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium on January 02, 2026 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Cincinnati Bengals sat idle on Night 1 of the NFL Draft because of the Dexter Lawrence trade that sent their No. 10 pick to the Giants, but the subsequent days saw the team drive a lot of excitement. A big source of that excitement came late on Day 3 when Cincinnati selected defensive lineman Landon Robinson in the seventh round.Robinson was a bit of a darling in the pre-draft process, posting solid workouts and impressing teams in interviews. While he has a chance to make an impact on the final roster in a few months, the team’s heavy investments in the defensive line this offseason are going to put Robinson in a scrum for a spot come Week 1.As expected, Robinson is using the myriad of skills and learned discipline at the Naval Academy in his trek to make the team. At his graduation, Robinson was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.“I was here for two weeks before going back for commissioning, so being able to go back and see my friends and my family and everybody there — after a long four or five years that we were at the Naval Academy — and being able to celebrate that with them was super special,” Robinson said, via Cincinnati’s Local 12.At the draft this April, there was a great 20 minutes of television, during which the telecasts showed Robinson being selected and a touching live moment when his Navy teammate, Eli Heidenreich, was selected by the Steelers two picks later. The city of Pittsburgh welcomed the former Midshipman, as the draft showcased its appreciation for these two men of national service.It was a full-circle moment for Robinson, who grew up in a Bengals-faithful household. The Bengals were one of the teams he targeted as a draft destination, noting that his father was a Cincinnati fan throughout his childhood. Aside from his desire to play for one of his childhood favorite teams, Robinson is eager to show the Bengals that his time at the Naval Academy has him well-prepared for the NFL.“I learned about the Naval Academy pretty late in my high school career, but once I learned about it, I was like, this is a special place that has a lot of special people who go on to do a lot of special things,” Robinson continued. “To be able to be around those people for years and learn from them, and to be able to play football and bring that here, it’s super special. I like being different and doing something that’s special, and being at the Naval Academy is special.”While Navy isn’t the pro football factory of some of the other major NCAA conferences, there have been a number of notable NFL players to come from the Academy. Robinson hopes to be the next in line for the Bengals and is relying on the many skills the Naval Academy taught him over his four years as a student-athlete.“The discipline, the perseverance — I mean, football is a hard game,” Robinson said of the Naval Academy’s uniqueness in the realm of both academics and athletics. “It’s hard on your body; it’s hard on the mental side. When you go through something like the Naval Academy, it’s truly crucial to stay focused, stay disciplined. That’s how you continue to get better.”“The structure of the Naval Academy — having to wake up at a certain hour, be where you need to be on time and get the job done every single day — helped me. At the Naval Academy, you have formations, school and homework, and to be able to fit football in there, that structure helped me when I got here. I know I have to set aside time for film, eat at a certain time and get in as much work as possible.”Zac Taylor has prioritized a strong locker room culture in his time as Bengals head coach, preferring to add players with previous team captain designations, high academics, and those who are high on-field achievers. Robinson fits that bill in a number of ways, with the military discipline factor being another welcome addition to the team’s culture.The new defensive lineman also talked about some of the time missed for his graduation and commission ceremony, and how he’s had to play a little bit of catch-up before training camp in a couple of months. But with his learned skills at the Naval Academy, that shouldn’t be a tough task for Robinson.

Before Copa trip, Brazil bid farewell in Panama friendly on SundayBrazil National Team's preparation for the friendly against Panama took place at Granja ComaryCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBFBrazil will face Panama in a friendly this Sunday (31) at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro. The match, at the most iconic venue in Brazilian football, will be the last before the trip to the United States for the World Cup and marks the Seleção's farewell to Brazilian fans.The starting lineup was announced by Carlo Ancelotti at a press conference this Saturday (30): Alisson; Wesley, Bremer, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães; Luiz Henrique, Matheus Cunha, Raphinha and Vini Jr. All preparations took place at Granja Comary in Teresópolis (Rio de Janeiro state), where head coach Carlo Ancelotti led four training sessions.Of the 26 players called up for the World Cup, Ancelotti will have 22 available for the match. The Arsenal duo Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhães faced PSG's Marquinhos in the Champions League final this Saturday (30) in the Hungarian capital, Budapest. The trio will only join the squad in the United States. Neymar, meanwhile, is out with a right calf injury.__instagram:https://www.instagram.com/p/DY_LazXlNOt/?igsh=MXVrcGoxd29vdTMwMw==__World Cup opponentOne of the 48 teams in the World Cup, Panama is ranked 33rd in the FIFA Men's World Ranking and is in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Ghana. This will be the country's second appearance at a World Cup. The first came in the 2018 edition in Russia, when they did not advance past the group stage.This year, Panama has played four matches. In January, they drew 1-1 with Bolivia and were beaten 1-0 by Mexico. In March, they faced South Africa twice: they drew 1-1 and won 2-1.Paquetá and Casemiro played in the last match between Brazil and Panama, in 2019, in PortoCredits: Lucas Figueiredo/CBFThe last meeting between the two teams took place on March 23, 2019, ending in a 1-1 draw at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, with a goal from Lucas Paquetá. It was Brazil's first match after the 2018 World Cup. The overall record between Brazil and Panama stands at five matches, with four Brazilian wins and one draw.OfficiatingThe officiating crew for the friendly will be German and made up of the following officials: Daniel Schlager (referee), Sven Washitzki-Günther and Lasse Koslowski (assistant referees), and Florian Badstübner (fourth official). On VAR will be Christian Dingert and Katrin Rafalski.The referee appointments are part of an exchange program between the CBF and the German Football Association.Francesco Mauri, Davide Ancelotti and Carlo Ancelotti watch the national team's training session at Granja ComaryCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBFThis article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

BASEBALLKimberly 7, Slinger 0FRANKLIN - The Papermakers scored two runs in the third inning, one in the fourth and four in the sixth in the nonconference victory over the Owls.Brady Merzlicker had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs for Kimberly. Shaefer Peterson added two hits and an RBI. Beckett Hermus also had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Will Girard added a double and Pierson Hacker had a triple.Peterson, Hacker and Hermus combined to pitch a two-hitter. Peterson pitched three hitless innings and struck out one, Hacker allowed one hit and struck out one in two innings, and Hermus allowed one hit and struck out two in two innings.Kimberly finishes the regular season with a 21-2 record. The second-seeded Papermakers will host either Pulaski or Ashwaubenon on June 4 in a Division 1 regional final.Appleton North 9, Menomonee Falls 4MENOMONEE FALLS - The Lightning scored eight runs in the fourth inning in the nonconference win over the Phoenix.Colin Reddy and Brennan Otto each had two hits for Appleton North. Jackson Skorr had a double and two RBIs. Reddy and Nathan Ramus also drove in two runs.Thomas Carew pitched three innings to get the win. He allowed five hits, two runs and struck out one. Aedan Waterstreet pitched two innings, allowed one run and struck out three. Owen Reuland pitched two innings, allowed one run and struck out four.Appleton North finishes the regular season with a 13-11 record. The eighth-seeded Lightning will host ninth-seeded Green Bay Preble on June 2 in a Division 1 regional semifinal game.Neenah 9, Whitefish Bay 3NEENAH - The Rockets scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 7-2 lead in the nonconference win over the Blue Dukes.Neenah finished with 16 hits.Matthew Schoenfeldt, Charlie McIntyre and Charlie Hoven each had two hits for Whitefish Bay.Neenah finishes the regular season with a 17-9 record. The third-seeded Rockets will host No. 14 seed Appleton East on June 2 in a regional semifinal.This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton area high school sports results for Saturday, May 30

The IPL 2026 final is finally here, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans set to battle for their second IPL title at the world's largest cricket stadium, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. As always, much of the spotlight will be on Virat Kohli, who has once again been RCB's most dependable performer this season.Virat Kohli's Dominance Against GTFew batters have enjoyed as much success against Gujarat Titans as Virat Kohli. In nine innings against the franchise, the RCB stalwart has amassed 503 runs at an outstanding average of 71.85 and a strike rate of 153.82. His record includes four half-centuries and a memorable century that came during the 2023 season.#Match DateVenueScore (Balls)Match Result1April 30, 2022Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai58 (53)GT won by 6 wickets2May 19, 2022Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai73 (54)RCB won by 8 wickets3May 21, 2023M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru101 (61)*GT won by 6 wickets4April 28, 2024Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad70 (44)*RCB won by 9 wickets5May 4, 2024M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru42 (27)RCB won by 4 wickets6April 2, 2025Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad7 (6)GT won by 8 wickets7April 24, 2026M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru81 (44)RCB won by 7 wickets8April 30, 2026Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad28 (13)GT won by 8 wickets9May 26, 2026HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala43 (25)RCB won by 92 runs (Qualifier 1)Kohli's love affair with GT continued in Qualifier 1 earlier this week, where he crossed the 500-run mark against the Titans. During the same innings, he also became the first player in IPL history to score 600 or more runs in four consecutive seasons.Kohli heads into the final as RCB's leading run-scorer this season, he has already 600 runs in 15 innings at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 164.38. With one final match separating RCB from back-to-back IPL titles, Kohli will be eager to continue his dominance against a team he has consistently punished over the years. For Gujarat Titans, stopping Kohli early could be the key to lifting the trophy. 131419798

The No. 3 national seed Georgia Bulldogs are one win away from winning the Athens Regional. On Sunday, Georgia will play the winner of the Boston College-Liberty game with an opportunity to advance to the super regionals, where the Bulldogs would host a series against the winner of the Starkville Regional (No. 14 national seed Mississippi State has the edge in the regional). If Georgia lost on Sunday, then they'd have a rematch with either Boston College or Liberty on Monday. In the regional, which is double elimination, Georgia is the only remaining undefeated team. The Bulldogs hit five home runs in their 6-2 win over Liberty, which helped UGA take control of the regional. "We gave up three hits today, and we gave up two yesterday," Georgia baseball coach Wes Johnson said after the Bulldogs beat Liberty on Sunday. "Our offense is extremely, extremely good, but other offenses are good as well. I thought our pitching and defense was outstanding today."Georgia's combination of pitching and hitting is elite. The Bulldogs are one of the hottest teams in college baseball right now and have lost just one game in May. Athens Regional schedule, scoresFriday, May 29Game 1: No. 3 Liberty 4, No. 2 Boston College 3Saturday, May 30Game 2: No. 1 Georgia 18, No. 4 Long Island 2 (delayed from Saturday)Game 3: Boston College 8, Long Island 4Game 4: Georgia 6, Liberty 2Sunday, May 31Game 5: Boston College vs. Liberty at noon ET (ESPN+)Game 6: Georgia vs. Winner of Game 5 at 5 p.m. ET (ESPN+)Monday, June 1 (if necessary)Game 7: Game 6 rematch only if Georgia loses; time TBAThis article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Georgia baseball: Athens Regional schedule, scores

South Africa's final home friendly on Friday ended in a 0-0 draw against Nicaragua [AFP via Getty Images]South Africa's sports minister has demanded an explanation after the country's football team was delayed travelling to Mexico ahead of the World Cup due to visa issues.The South African Football Association (Safa) admitted the team had "experienced challenges regarding Visas for some players and officials" but did not give further details.National broadcaster SABC described what happened as an "administrative bungle".In response, sports minister Gayton McKenzie said he had told Safa: "I need a report and action must be taken against those responsible for this mess." "We are being made to look like fools," he added on X.The team, nicknamed Bafana Bafana, are due to face Jamaica in a friendly in Mexico on Friday. They will then play in the World Cup opening match against Mexico, which is co-hosting the competition alongside the US and Canada, on 11 June."This Safa travel & visa debacle is embarrassing & grossly unfair towards the players & coaching staff," McKenzie also wrote on X. A brief statement from Safa said it was "working around the clock to ensure that the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible ahead of the opening match".According to South African news site TimesLive, efforts were being made to get the team US visas to allow the team to travel either later on Sunday or on Monday. The Bafana Bafana squad and staff need permission to enter the US as they play their second World Cup game against the Czech Republic in Atlanta.South Africa is one of 10 African nations taking part in the expanded 48-team World Cup.The game against Jamaica will be Bafana Bafana's last chance to get ready for the tournament, which they last appeared at when South Africa hosted the finals in 2010.Their final home match on Friday - a 0-0 draw against Nicaragua that included a missed South African penalty - was described in some reports as "disappointing" and extended their winless run to four games. More on the World Cup Burnley striker Foster named in South Africa squadWorld Cup fixtures and group standingsEverything you need to know about the World Cup[Getty Images/BBC]Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica BBC Africa podcasts Focus on AfricaThis Is Africa

Florida's defense should look considerably different in 2026 under first-year defensive coordinator Brad White. The former Wake Forest linebacker arrives in Gainesville after a successful stint with Kentucky, where he helped develop several NFL draft picks, including two-time pro-bowler Josh Allen. He also helped lead the Wildcats to six bowl appearances and top-25 defensive rankings in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022.The Gators will be more versatile under White, as he's said the team will utilize three and four-man fronts. Playing from multiple fronts will allow Florida to disguise pressures and create matchup problems for SEC opposition. White's defenses are built on stopping the run, generating pressure and getting ahead of pre-snap looks.White and head coach Jon Sumrall worked together at Kentucky and aligned on philosophy. Key returners and added depth through the portal should give White ample talent to position week-to-week — spring practice offered a preview of the unit's potential.Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Breaking down changes Brad White made to Florida football's defense

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — After going back-to-back in the Champions League, the next target for Paris Saint-Germain is the threepeat.The French team, built with Qatari riches and styled by a Spanish perfectionist, looks capable of setting all kinds of records in European club soccer's biggest competition. And after triumphing 4-3 in a penalty shootout against Arsenal in Saturday's final, there is no indication that PSG is ready to relinquish its position of dominance. “Of course we’re going to go to the market,” president Nasser Al-Khelaifi told TNT Sports while celebrations were just getting started in the center of the field at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.Those words will ring ominously around Europe. When Qatar-backed PSG goes to the market, it goes hard. That was the case when signing the world's biggest stars during its Galactico era of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. And the same is true in its current incarnation, where it has amassed a remarkable array of young talent that has swept all aside and taken a stronghold on the Champions League in a manner only bettered by Real Madrid in the modern era. The team that started against Arsenal had an average age of 25.8 years. Ten of the starting XI was in the starting lineup that won the trophy 12 months earlier. In other words, Spanish coach Luis Enrique has built a squad that looks capable of dominating for years to come. “It’s whet our appetite,” said man of the match Vitinha. “You always want to win again. Never give up. Never stop. Luis Enrique is probably guilty of that and I hope that he will continue to push us so we can win more and more.”How to make the best betterThe best don't stand still and Luis Enrique demonstrated his ruthless side when discarding goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma last year and promoting back-up Matvey Safonov as his replacement. The 20-year-old midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery could have more of a prominent role next season and potentially break up the central trio of Fabian Ruiz, João Neves and Vitinha. Luis Enrique made a point of saying how unfortunate Zaire-Emery was not to start the final.Perhaps a long-term successor to 32-year-old captain Marquinhos will be sought, but it is difficult to see how PSG can improve on a team that, even when it was not at its most fluid, totally dominated Arsenal."What they are able to do with the ball, individual actions, I haven’t seen it (before),” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said afterwards. And while the usually lethal Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué were subdued by Arsenal's suffocating defense, PSG still found a way through when trailing to Kai Havertz's early goal. Its incessant pressure paid off when Kvaratskhelia's dribbling forced Cristhian Mosquera into a rash challenge in the box to concede the penalty that Dembélé converted to take the game to extra time. As mesmerizing as PSG’s attacking talent is, maybe a more consistent back-up to Dembélé than Goncalo Ramos would add depth. Bradley Barcola still has room to improve as demonstrated by his errant touch when given the chance to score a late winner at the end of regulation time. Only the best will do“We are going to follow the same line. We do not need a lot of players because it is very difficult to find the right players to play in our team,” Luis Enrique said. “We already have a great squad and we need some players to change some different positions. But we are the champions of Europe the last two years.”It is an important point. Not only is PSG the best team in Europe, but it is also unlike any other team in Europe. Luis Enrique's insistence on high-intensity, high-pressure soccer with electrifying forwards that dribble through defenses has created a rare blend — arguably even improving on Pep Guardiola's two-time champion Barcelona. It has expanded on the possession soccer of Spain's best teams with the addition of the risk-taking and attacking approach. It is perhaps uniquely suited to such a young team and PSG's shift away from Galactico signings has seen it become an industry leader in identifying emerging talent, albeit still at a great cost.Doué is a two-time Champions League winner at the age of 20. João Neves is 21. Nuno Mendes is 23. "We are really hungry. We are a young team, and we know we are really ambitious. So next season we have to go again,” said Doué.A question of longevityHow long the players can cope with the demands of Luis Enrique and an overloaded schedule is not known. Last year, PSG was one game away from winning a quadruple of trophies, but ran out of steam in the final of the newly expanded Club World Cup. While it has the benefit of playing in a relatively weaker domestic league in France compared to Europe's other top teams, the Champions League final was its 56th game of the season and came after a 65-game campaign the previous year. Ballon d'Or winner Dembélé has not quite hit the same heights as last year. Ruiz has had an injury-disrupted campaign, which has given Zaire-Emery room to emerge. When Luis Enrique talks about the need to add to his squad, it may be in acknowledgement of the strain on his players. PSG has the power to keep hold of its best talentPSG is not the first team to amass such an array of young talent. Ajax, through its famed academy, has repeatedly done as much. The Monaco team of Mbappé did likewise. Those teams were broken up when European giants came calling. That should not be a concern for PSG, which has been owned by Qatar Sports Investments since 2011, and can withstand any approach from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester City. And that is what makes this team different and gives it the potential to emulate or even better Madrid's three Champions League titles in a row from 2016-18. “It’s normal that big clubs want PSG players because they are at the top right now,” Vitinha said. “Today we can say we are the best in the world, the best in Europe and we take a lot of pleasure being here to play in this incredible group.”The biggest signing of allMaybe the biggest challenge will be to keep hold of Luis Enrique, who has joined an elite group of coaches including Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane and Pep Guardiola by winning three European Cups.He has done what the likes of Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino could not in Paris, by leading it to the summit of European soccer. Keeping it there may be dependent on keeping him in the French capital. “I want to thank all the managers, ex-managers who trained Paris Saint-Germain, but he’s very, very special as a coach, as a human being, as a person,” said Al-Khelaifi. “He’s fantastic. He’s the best coach in the world.”___James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 23: Konrad Laimer of FC Bayern Muenchen celebrates after Harry Kane scores his team's first goal during the DFB Cup Final 2026 match between FC Bayern München and VfB Stuttgart at Olympiastadion on May 23, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by S. Mellar/FC Bayern via Getty Images) | FC Bayern via Getty Images Bayern Munich’s contract impasse with star right-back Konrad Laimer appears to be drawing to a close — and it is thanks in significant part to the personal efforts of honorary president Uli Hoeneß, according to a report.Hoeneß had previously made waves with stance on how far Bayern would go in its proposal, then made peace with the player at Bayern’s Bundesliga title celebrations. Still, the club’s strong stance appears to have won out. From Sport1, as captured by @iMiaSanMia:Uli Hoeneß has personally intervened in the new contract negotiations with Konrad Laimer and told the player’s agents in clear terms about the financial limits the club won’t exceed. Hoeneß’ intervention appears to be successful. There are strong indications that Laimer would get a rather moderate pay rise if he wants to stay in Munich. The big figures that had previously circulated in the media are no longer relevant [@StefanKumberger, @SPORT1]A modest bump would be a sensible solution from a Bayern perspective. If Laimer still wants to stay, he will still be rewarded for it. If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor… Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts

What happens when a reporter who has interviewed some of the biggest names in Hollywood sits down with the first A.I. actress?

Liverpool were left with no choice but to sack Arne Slot – OpinionIraola’s Patience May Have Forced Liverpool’s HandWith Arne Slot now officially gone, attention immediately turns to who will replace him at Anfield. For me, the timing of the decision says almost as much as the decision itself.Liverpool waited one week after the final game of the season before making their move. On the surface, that appears respectful and measured. It allowed Slot to complete the campaign, conduct his media duties, say his goodbyes, and participate in what was always going to be a formal review process.However, I suspect the reality is that the decision had been made long before that meeting ever took place.The evidence has been there for months.The collapse against PSG and Manchester City in March exposed a Liverpool side that looked physically inferior, tactically vulnerable, and completely unable to compete against elite opposition. From that point onward, the season increasingly felt like a club managing a situation rather than genuinely debating whether its head coach should remain.What changed recently was the managerial market.Andoni Iraola’s name has continued to emerge as one of the most attractive coaching options available anywhere in Europe. The Spaniard had already indicated he would leave Bournemouth, yet he seemed remarkably patient regarding his next move.That patience was notable.Reports of interest from AC Milan surfaced, yet no agreement appeared imminent. Despite the prestige of the Italian giants, Iraola appeared willing to wait.Perhaps he was simply evaluating his options.Or perhaps he believed a bigger opportunity was developing elsewhere. Liverpool would certainly fit that description.Bayer Leverkusen Created a DeadlineIf AC Milan represented interest, Bayer Leverkusen may have represented genuine urgency, understandably so.Once the German club entered the conversation, Liverpool’s hierarchy likely recognised they could no longer afford to move at their own leisurely pace.Leverkusen are one of Europe’s most attractive projects. Strong infrastructure, Champions League football, intelligent recruitment, and a growing reputation for progressive coaching. If they seriously targeted Iraola, Liverpool suddenly risked losing the candidate who many supporters believe should be at the top of the shortlist.That possibility may have accelerated everything.Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are many things, but indecisive is not typically one of them. If they identified Iraola as their preferred candidate months ago, then the appearance of another major European suitor would naturally force action.The timing of Slot’s departure therefore feels logical.The season ended. The review was conducted. The news was delivered. The club moved forward.Publicly, Liverpool will frame the decision as the result of careful analysis and thorough consideration. That is understandable and probably appropriate.Privately, I remain convinced this outcome was settled months ago.The review was important, but perhaps not because it would determine Slot’s future. Instead, it may have been designed to formally conclude a process that had already reached its conclusion behind closed doors.Now Liverpool enters a new phase.If Iraola is indeed the man waiting in the wings, his patience may ultimately have been rewarded. More importantly, Liverpool’s decisiveness may prevent them from missing out on the coach they believe can restore the intensity, aggression, and identity that disappeared throughout the past season.The waiting is over for Slot.Now the focus shifts entirely to who comes next.

Iga Swiatek is a six-time Grand Slam winner, including last year's Wimbledon [Getty Images]Four-time champion Iga Swiatek was knocked out of the French Open on her 25th birthday, losing her fourth-round match in straight sets to in-form Marta Kostyuk.Polish third seed Swiatek was plagued by inconsistencies as Ukrainian 15th seed Kostyuk won 7-5 6-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier to record her 15th straight victory.Swiatek is nicknamed the "Queen of Clay" having won four titles at Roland Garros, but has not won a title on the surface since her most recent triumph in Paris in 2024.The six-time Grand Slam champion, who will start the defence of her Wimbledon title at the end of June, is yet to win a a tournament in 2026.In contrast, Kostyuk entered the French Open undefeated on clay in 2026 having won titles at the Madrid Open earlier this month and the Rouen Open in April."I'm still in shock to beat such an unbelievable player who won four times here," said Kostyuk."I feel like I've given myself more space to just create something, to challenge my opponents. I woke up in the morning and all I thought was 'what an unbelievable day I have to live today... there's nothing I could do other than this'."Sabalenka v Osaka in French Open night sessionThere was little to separate the duo in the first set as they twice traded breaks, before Kostyuk took control at the end.The brilliance of Swiatek's strokeplay was on display when returning against Kostyuk but unforced errors hampered her serve as two double faults gave the Ukrainian the advantage before she won the opening set with a fine backhand winner.Kostyuk had not taken a set off Swiatek in their three previous tour-level meetings and the 23-year-old's confidence grew as she tightened her grip on the match.Her powerful groundstrokes continued to wear Swiatek down as she ran away with the second set to reach the last eight at Roland Garros for the first time, while it is the first time that Swiatek has failed to reach the quarter-final at the French Open since her debut in 2019.Swiatek's defeat comes amid a spell of big names exiting the men's and women's draws at Roland Garros.Men's world number one Jannik Sinner, 24-times Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic and defending women's champion Coco Gauff have all gone out of the event in recent days.Meanwhile, Romanian 18th seed Sorana Cirstea is into her second French Open quarter-final - 17 years after her first appearance in the last eight at Roland Garros.The 36-year-old, who plans to retire at the end of the year, was a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) winner against Chinese qualifier Wang Xiyu.Live scores, results and order of playGet tennis news sent straight to your phone

Report – Inter Identify Ideal Replacement for Exit-Linked Yann BisseckSerie A giants Inter have reportedly identified Udinese center-back Oumar Solet as an ideal replacement for Yann Bisseck. According to German outlet Bild via Calciomercato, the Nerazzurri defender could leave San Siro this summer.Inter paid Danish side Aarhus around €7 million to sign Yann Bisseck in 2023. However, Cristian Chivu had reportedly considered offloading the 25-year-old a year ago, only for the German star to earn his trust throughout the 2025/26 season. Indeed, Bisseck has become one of the staples of Inter’s backline.Bisseck registered 36 competitive appearances this term, netting three goals and adding three assists. Furthermore, his meteoric rise has not gone unnoticed. In addition to several Premier League clubs, Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich have set their sights on him.Meanwhile, Inter could listen to offers for Bisseck. However, they’re reluctant to sell their starting center-back for less than €40 million.Our Take on Inter & Oumar SoletSolet could be a decent option to replace Bisseck, given his outstanding form this season. Indeed, the 26-year-old has become one of the most reliable defenders in Serie A, helping Udinese secure another mid-table finish.Moreover, Solet has already agreed personal terms with Inter, but it’s now up to the Nerazzurri to convince Kosta Runjaic’s side to sanction a transfer. The Frenchman has just over a year left to run on his current contract. Therefore, he could be available on favorable terms.It’s also worth noting that Solet isn’t the only Serie A defender heavily linked with a move to Inter. Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic is also on Marotta’s radar, though his arrival might hinge on Alessandro Bastoni’s future.

For the past three years, the French Open has been criticized for not scheduling a women’s singles match as the night match at Roland Garros.That is about to change as the tournament announced on Sunday that it will put the Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka match on its Monday night docket.Sabalenka vs. Osaka just got more visibility, if that’s possible, and tennis fans think it means two things.MORE: Marta Kostyuk’s stellar season continues, defeats Iga Swiatek at French OpenSabalenka will thrive under the lightsWTA World No. 1 Sabalenka loves playing under the lights and was one of the last to do so at Roland Garros a few years ago. She defeated Osaka in two 2026 meetings (Indian Wells and Madrid) was the heavy favorite in this match before it became a night match.She feeds off the crowd in electric night settings, most notably at the US Open.May 30, 2026; Paris, France; Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot during her match against Daria Kasatkina of Australia on day seven at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn ImagesIt is an unpredictable French Open, but this is welcome news for Sabalenka and her team.MORE: 3 Americans advance into French Open second weekOsaka will use fashion to alleviate the pressureNaomi Osaka has been subtly changing her fashionable looks for each entrance at Roland Garros.Her fashion statements have garnered a lot of attention and admirers, including Sabalenka.What will she wear to capture the moment against the current World No. 1? She said her kits are planned over a year in advance so it will not be drastic, but fans are anxious to see the next iteration of the current golden kit.It may be a way to redirect the nerves that Osaka will likely have about the match now shifted to the night session.Watch the Aryna Sabalenka vs. Naomi Osaka match on TNT Sports on Monday, June 1 at 2:15 PM EDT.

All offseason, there were rumblings on social media that the Tennessee Titans needed to make a change in their backfield, even though running back Tony Pollard was coming off another 1,000-yard season, and Tyjae Spears once again flashed his potential when healthy.While no one will ever know if the reported interest in Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love was real, the fact that Pollard returns, poised for another big season, should not be overlooked. That is something that running backs coach Randy Jordan pointed out when talking about his veteran back.Tony Pollard is looking for his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season. #Titans RB coach Randy Jordan. pic.twitter.com/H4GBl0KrT2— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) May 29, 2026"He's a pro's pro, right? He just wants to win. He's a highly competitive guy — just like they all are. I tell him all the time: When you go out and do the things that he's done, it's the intangible. He loves to compete. He wants to be there for his teammates every week.” Jordan said, “This is not a sprint. This is a marathon. And the hits and stuff that the running backs take — for him to show up every week, just like they all have to do — that's a testimony in terms of him being the player that he is, the success he had for the last four years."While he may not be as explosive as some running backs in the league, it’s hard to discount his production. Pollard joins former Titans running back Derrick Henry as the only running backs in the league to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in each of the past four seasons.Tennessee did add rookie Nick Singleton out of Penn State in the draft, but until he proves he can handle the load and until Spears proves he can stay healthy, Pollard will lead the way, and likely run himself into a new contract.This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans RB coach Randy Jordan opens up on Tony Pollard

Gujarat Titans enter the IPL 2026 final after a dominant victory over Rajasthan Royals, powered by a masterful chase from captain Shubman Gill. The GT skipper will once again be in the spotlight as his side faces Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a high-stakes clash for the title.Despite his success against most teams in the IPL, Gill does not have a particularly favorable record against RCB. Across 17 innings against Bengaluru, including his stint with Kolkata Knight Riders from 2018 to 2021, he has scored 395 runs at an average of 28.21 and a strike rate of 140.56. His only fifty-plus score against RCB came in 2023, when he converted it into a magnificent century that famously knocked Bengaluru out of playoff contention. Here's a look at his last 5 encounters against RCB:Gill vs RCB in IPL 2026This season, Gill has faced RCB three times with mixed results:DateVenueScoreResultApril 24, 2026M. Chinnaswamy Stadium32 (24)RCB won by 5 wicketsApril 30, 2026Narendra Modi Stadium43 (18)GT won by 4 wicketsMay 26, 2026HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala (Qualifier 1)2 (7)RCB won by 92 runsHis recent record against RCB also includes:DateVenueScoreResultApril 2, 2025M. Chinnaswamy Stadium14 (14)GT won by 8 wicketsMay 4, 2024M. Chinnaswamy Stadium2 (7)RCB won by 4 wicketsWith the IPL trophy on the line, Gill will be eager to produce a defining knock against a team that has often managed to keep him relatively quiet. 131421162Shubman Gill's Dominance in IPL 2026While his record against RCB may not be imposing, Gill has been one of the standout performers of IPL 2026. The Gujarat Titans captain has led from the front, combining leadership with exceptional batting form. In 15 innings this season, Gill has amassed 722 runs and currently sits second in the Orange Cap race, trailing teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 776 runs by just 54.After a disappointing dismissal for 2 in Qualifier 1, Gill responded in emphatic fashion during Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals. He smashed a breathtaking 104 off just 53 balls, registering the fastest century in IPL playoff history and guiding GT into the final.

Watch BBC Radio Sussex preview programmeFull live text coverage from 13:45 BSTWSL champions Man City chase first domestic doubleBrighton play in first FA Cup finalListen to full BBC Radio 5 Live commentary Watch: BBC Radio Sussex at Wembley before Brighton v Man City in Women's FA Cup final

The Buffalo Bills did their best at trying to improve their roster during the 2026 NFL offseason. Between the draft, free agency and trades, plenty of roster movement happened in Buffalo. However, ESPN does not agree with all of those moves. The Bills landed wide receiver DJ Moore in a trade with the Chicago Bears. Adding playmaking talent around quarterback Josh Allen was a need this offseason. The marquee addition was Moore but ESPN is not completely sold. Could the Bills have made a better decision?ESPN's Bill Barnwell called trading for Moore Buffalo's worst move of this offseason. His breakdown on the Moore trade can be found below:Worst: Everything that happened with DJ Moore. Though Beane anticipated the market and found real value in re-signing McGovern, every step of the Moore process felt like a franchise acting out of desperation. It's clear that the Bills were frustrated by their wide receivers in 2025, as players such as Brandin Cooks, Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers were getting meaningful reps late in the season. Keon Coleman, who hasn't lived up to expectations on the outside, became the public scapegoat for what felt like an organizational policy of trying to hit singles at one of the league's most important positions.Under that lens, making a significant move for a receiver made sense. I'm just not sure this was the right one. Moore is coming off what was comfortably his worst season as a pro, one in which he seemingly fell out of favor with Ben Johnson in the Chicago offense. The Bears had little leverage in dealing with Moore, given that they were about to be on the hook for $49 million over the next two seasons for a guy who might have been their fourth option in the passing game heading into 2026. This should have essentially been a salary dump scenario for Ryan Poles.Instead, the Bills sent a second-round pick to the Bears for Moore. That was already a curious choice by Beane. Even more inexplicably, the Bills ate all of the salary that was already owed to Moore and then guaranteed their new wideout $13.5 million in 2028, committing money three years down the line to a player who had no leverage as part of this trade. If Moore had a no-trade clause or was about to become a free agent, making that sort of move might have made more sense.The Bills are spending $59.5 million in cash on wide receivers this year, the seventh-highest total in the league. That ranking will rise to fifth once A.J. Brown and Brandon Aiyuk move on later this offseason. Four of the organizations ahead of them are teams with superstar wideouts (Seahawks, Eagles, Bengals and Cowboys). The other one is the Titans, who used a top-five pick on a potential WR1 in Carnell Tate. The Bills are committing plenty of cash to finding Josh Allen playmakers, but I still don't think they have a player whom Allen can rely upon in a key spot -- and they haven't since Stefon Diggs left town.This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: ESPN names the Bills' worst move of the 2026 NFL offseason

The Oregon Ducks seem to be having quite a bit of fun in the Eugene Regional and are finding ways to win games in many different ways. They now find themselves advancing to the championship game on Sunday night. If you are wondering how to watch the action live, you have come to the right place.After a 14-2 blowout win over the Yale Bulldogs on Friday that featured 15 hits from the home team, Oregon entered a pitching duel against the Washington State Cougars on Saturday night, riding ace Will Sanford and his career-high 14 strikeouts. Of course, it wouldn't be Oregon baseball without a bit of power at the plate, too. In the top of the ninth inning, freshman phenom Junior Lauaki provided a huge bit of insurance, blasting a three-run homer over the center field wall to give the Ducks a 4-0 victory. Hang it, bang it, again.Naulivou Lauaki Jr. delivers in the biggest moments yet again for Oregon. pic.twitter.com/BzLliIrEeJ— Logan Brown (@LoganABrown) May 31, 2026Now, Oregon awaits its opponent in the championship, which will be decided between Washington State and the Oregon State Beavers on Sunday at 1 p.m. Where to watch Oregon baseball in the Eugene Regional Championship on Sunday?TV Channel: Not TelevisedStreaming: ESPN+The game between Oregon and either Washington State or Oregon State will not be televised on normal cable, but can be streamed on ESPN+.What time does Oregon baseball play today?Time: 6:00 p.m. PTLocation: Eugene, OregonThe game between Oregon and Washington State or Oregon State is set to start at 6:00 p.m. PT at PK Park in Eugene, Oregon. The Ducks are 25-5 at home this season.Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon Ducks in Eugene Regional Championship; time, channel, streaming

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis addressed the media recently for phase 3 of OTAs. He shared his focus on improving his get-off ability and noted that he's seen R Mason Thomas perform well at that in OTAs."For me, a lot of it's in the offseason training that I do, and a lot of it's really in film study. When I was a rookie, (former DE)Frank Clark gave me some tips that have really helped me out throughout my career so far. I'm really thankful that I've had great vets," said Karlaftis, "Now I'm starting to reach that role, I'm only 25, but I feel old in here, but yeah, I had great vets, (former DE) Carlos (Dunlap), Frank(and) Chris (Jones), obviously. Those guys helped me a lot just seeing keys and how I can improve offseason training and all that kind of stuff, too."Karlaftis finished the 2025 season with 48 total tackles and six sacks in 16 games. He also had a fumble recovery with two pass deflections. He hopes to pass down his wisdom to rookie Thomas, who has a high upside."R Mason (Thomas), he's got a lot of juice," said Karlaftis, "He's a body type that we really haven't had as much of around here. He's very fluid, he's very athletic, he's very explosive, and he loves football, and he's trying to learn right now, and he's trying to prove himself. Him and all the rookies, they're great and like I said before, they have bright, bright futures here."During four seasons at Oklahoma, Thomas played in 42 games, collecting 65 total tackles and 17 sacks, earning AP second-team All-American honors. Thomas was selected in the second round, 40th overall.This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs DE George Karlaftis praises rookie pass rusher's impact at OTAs

Mayor Ras Baraka of Newark imposed a curfew early Sunday around the immigration detention center after a second consecutive night of unrest over living conditions there.

A designer added texture and artwork with special meaning behind it to a blank canvas spot in her home. READ MORE...

NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru may have dominated Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, but former RCB star AB de Villiers believes the defending champions still have plenty to worry about heading into Sunday's IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad.RCB and Gujarat Titans will battle for the title at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, with both teams chasing their second IPL crown. While RCB are aiming to become only the third franchise to successfully defend the trophy, GT are looking to add another title to the one they won in 2022.Despite RCB's commanding 92-run win over Gujarat in Qualifier 1, De Villiers admitted he is nervous about the challenge posed by Shubman Gill's side, particularly their bowling attack."So I'm nervous," AB de Villiers said."It's GTs got a lot to be confident about playing in Ahmedabad. The way they've played that win the other night, even though the Suryavanshi factor was there, they still came out on top and once again shows you that good bowling attacks tend to come out on top at the end of the day. So I'm worried about that bowling attack in the final, but I think it's going to be edge of the seat stuff and a fantastic final and hopefully a close one. And for all the fans around the world to enjoy," De Villiers said during the ESPNcricinfo awards.RCB's road to the final has been impressive.Under Rajat Patidar's leadership, the defending champions finished atop the points table with nine wins from 14 league matches. Their campaign featured notable victories over Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans, while they sealed direct qualification for the final with a crushing win over GT in Qualifier 1.— cricsam02 (@cricsam02) The batting unit has once again been led by Virat Kohli, who has amassed 600 runs in 15 matches. Captain Patidar has also played a crucial role, scoring 486 runs and leading from the front throughout the season. 131421161With the ball, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has spearheaded the attack with 26 wickets, while youngster Rasikh Salam has emerged as one of the revelations of the tournament with 16 wickets from 11 matches.Gujarat Titans, however, arrive in the final with momentum of their own. After finishing among the top two during the league stage, they bounced back from their Qualifier 1 defeat to beat Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 and book their place in the title clash.While RCB carry the confidence of a dominant win over GT earlier in the playoffs, De Villiers' concern highlights the threat posed by Gujarat's bowling unit on their home turf. With two of the season's best teams set to face off, the stage is perfectly set for a thrilling IPL 2026 final.

May 31—Heading into Saturday's Avista NAIA World Series baseball title game at Harris Field, many observers believed the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs would be on their last legs after coming through a four-hour-plus epic the previous night that stretched deep into the a.m. hours.Eighth-seeded TWU would have been considered an underdog against No. 1 Taylor (Ind.) under normal circumstances, let alone in the position of taking the field on a 16-hour turnover after a topsy-turvy epic while the Trojans entered with a day of rest to their benefit. This, however, was the Series of surprises all along, and its finale did not let up.Tennessee Wesleyan exploded for a 21-3 rout of the Trojans, achieving the greatest margin of victory in NAIA national championship history."When you don't believe in the Puppies, that's when the Puppies come out," said TWU leadoff hitter Allan Gil Fernandez, who batted 4-for-5 on the day with a home run before receiving the tournament MVP award. "This has been us all year. When people see us as the underdog, when they don't think we'll do it, that's when we do it."It was the third national title in program history, and in the career of coach Billy Berry."This team's relentless, man," Berry said. "This team's relentless; it's focused; it's determined; it doesn't give in. There was only one team that was going to be built for the path that we had to go, and God built this team to do that."How it happenedAdvertisementAfter a shaky showing from the mound in its 16-14 marathon against William Carey the previous night, Tennessee Wesleyan (49-15) brought back McGwire Taylor, a standout from earlier outings in the Series, as its starting pitcher. Taylor racked up six strikeouts and kept Taylor (56-7) thoroughly in check for the first three innings, extending his Series total to more than 11 innings pitched without conceding a run before the Trojans finally got on the board in the fourth."Any time you can go put up zeroes in the postseason, it's hard to top that," Taylor said. "Especially in a situation like this."Relieving Taylor in the fourth inning was Cameron Goffar, who recorded his 10th and most critical pitching win of the season.Meanwhile, the Bulldogs, who had scored at least one run in every inning of their Friday-night-to-early-Saturday-morning epic, continued to showcase outstanding offensive depth and consistency.Kolton Reynolds delivered a rare 5-for-5 batting performance with five RBI, going on to cross home plate himself all five times."Definitely not," Reynolds replied when asked if he had ever enjoyed a 5-for-5 day before. Adding to his big day, the senior — who had made one of the best catches of the tournament to secure the second out in the ninth inning against William Carey — received the Golden Glove award following Saturday's title game.Driving in three more runs apiece were Gil Fernandez, David Ballenilla and Brayan Espinoza — who notched four hits including a double and home run of his own."When the Puppies are hot, the Puppies are hot," Gil Fernandez said. "You cannot stop us."The seven-year itchTennessee Wesleyan's previous national victories had come in 2012 and 2019, with Saturday's result continuing an apparent seven-year cycle. Players confirmed that they had been aware of the good omen heading into this year's championship."I didn't even know it was a thing, and then all of a sudden everybody started talking about it," Berry said. "I'll play the lottery tonight; I'll play three 7s, I guess."Asked whether more of the same should be expected from his team in 2033, Berry responded, "I hope it doesn't take that long."In the meantime, however, he was happy to celebrate with his players, and to let them rest."You've only seen this group for two weeks," he said. "We've seen this group for 60 games, so we knew what they were capable of. This group's got no quit in it. This group's got nothing but fight in it, and it showed it tonight."Taylor 000 120 000— 3 7 5Tennessee Wesleyan 043 400 46x—21 22 1Lewis, Gongwer (2), Hunt, Frady (7), Fine (7), Doran (8), Hershberger (8), Klunke (8), Osbourne (8) and Schrock, Wu (7); Taylor, Goffar (5), Brumley (9) and Teel, Tolson (8). W — Goffar; L — Lewis.Taylor hits — Kennedy 2, Sutter (2B), Manning (2B), Malott (2B), Frickel (HR), Gladd.Tennessee Wesleyan hits — Reynolds 5, Espinoza 4 (HR, 2B), Gil Fernandez 4 (HR), Bosque, Ballenilla 3 (2B), Wright 2, Teel, Escoto 2.A — 2,219.

Kai Havertz excited for World Cup after Champions League final heartbreakGermany forward Kai Havertz gave Arsenal an early lead in Saturday’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, but couldn't prevent his side from losing on penalties after Ousmane Dembélé’s equaliser.“We can be proud of the season. We won the league, but of course you’re a bit down right after the game,” Havertz told Sky after the defeat.“In the end, it turned out the way it did. You have to accept it. Next year we’ll try again,” he added.The former Bayer Leverkusen forward is now looking forward with “huge excitement” to joining up with his Germany teammates ahead of the World Cup in a couple of days.“I’ve already watched a few videos of the guys on YouTube. I can’t wait to join up with them. Now I’ll take another day or two off and then it starts on Tuesday,” he said.In the first of two warm-up friendlies, Germany take on Finland on Sunday without Havertz.

Scotland are on their way to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, with the squad flying out to a training base in Florida on Sunday morning."This is the third tournament this group has been at and we want to be the first Scottish team to get to the knockout stage," said head coach Steve Clarke at Glasgow Airport."Hopefully we can show a bit of tournament experience and make it a summer to remember."There has been one late change to the squad of 26 players, with Billy Gilmour injured in Saturday's friendly win over Curacao.Manchester United's Tyler Fletcher, 19, replaces the Napoli midfielder."Everybody is devastated for Billy," said Clarke. "It's heartbreaking when it happens at any time during a campaign, but for it to happen in the send-off game is particularly tough."World Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

FOOTBALL World Cup tune-up matches, including Japan v Iceland since 1025, Germany v Finland at 1845 and Brazil v Panama at 2130- Mexico, South Korea and Ecuador win World Cup tune-up matches, moved- France detains almost 800 in unrest after PSG Champions League win, moved- Havertz: 'Thrill of anticipation' to join German squad after CL drama, moved- Adi Hütter back as Frankfurt coach, contract until 2029, moved- Arsenal to ease Champions League heartbreak with open-top bus parade, moving on eca-3p wire_____TENNIS Marta Kostyuk stuns Iga Swiatek with French Open victory, moving on eca-3p wire- French Open to stage women’s night match for first time since 2023, moved_____CYCLING Giro d'Italia, 21st and final stage over 131 from Rome to Rome at 1345_____OLYMPICS Hamburg referendum on future Olympic bid starts, moving (results expected by 2000)

Journalist: Liverpool and chosen new head coach in talks todayLiverpool have their no.1 pick as a new head coach and are holding talks with him today.Arne Slot is out at Liverpool and the Reds plan on moving quickly to find a new head coach. They've got an idea in mind, too, with The Times reporting a desire for "a more front-foot, aggressive and urgent style of football".As in, not what Slot had Liverpool playing this season. The club now want to move forward with something akin to the 'heavy metal' football that Mohamed Salah called for towards the end of the campaign.So is Andoni Iraola the one to bring it? Liverpool appear to believe so. He's been regarded as the most likely appointment for some time now and journalist Ben Jacobs confirms that the Reds are in talks with the Spaniard on Sunday."Andoni Iraola is the clear favourite to replace Arne Slot, with talks set to take place today," he wrote on Twitter.It seems that Iraola is the choice here, if he wants the job. Liverpool are in talks, pushing hard and will want this wrapped up ASAP so they can properly go about their transfer business.The next hours could be absolutely crucial for Liverpool's immediate future.Andoni Iraola: Situation SummaryBournemouth Campaign and StatsAs of 31 May 2026, Andoni Iraola has concluded his highly successful tenure with AFC Bournemouth. The 43-year-old Spanish manager capped off an impressive final season by guiding the Cherries into European qualification, securing a spot in the upcoming UEFA Europa League after a dramatic final-day draw against Nottingham Forest. Iraola's high-pressing, dynamic football philosophy leaves a lasting legacy at the Vitality Stadium, where he achieved legendary status before confirming his departure following the expiration of his contract this summer.High-Profile Managerial ChaseHaving officially parted ways with Bournemouth, the Basque tactician has instantly become Europe's most sought-after manager. Following the sudden sacking of Arne Slot, Liverpool have made Iraola their absolute priority, reportedly demanding an answer within 24 hours to secure his signature for an Anfield rebuild. However, the Reds face an intense battle, with AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen, and Crystal Palace all launching concrete approaches to lure the coveted manager to their respective dugouts.

Chapel Hill regional schedule 2026: Times, TV channels, scores for UNC, Tennessee, ECU college baseball games originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.When it comes to college baseball pedigree, it's tough to beat the lineup for the NCAA tournament's Chapel Hill regional this year. Host North Carolina is the No. 5 national seed and has 12 College World Series appearances to its credit while still seeking its first national title. Tennessee won it all in Omaha two years ago and has been to the CWS three of the last five seasons. East Carolina is an NCAA fixture, making the regionals for the 10th time in the last 11 tournaments. Those three programs have strong followings and should guarantee a raucous atmosphere in Chapel Hill this weekend as they fight it out for a berth in the super regionals along with VCU. The Tar Heels enter as the favorite, ranked in the top five nationally much of the season thanks in large part to their pitching staff, which ranks 10th in the country with a 3.92 ERA. While their arms keep them in the game, they have plenty of offense, too — look no further than their 13-run, 22-hit outburst against Pitt in last week's ACC semifinals. The home team will have plenty of competition, though, with the Vols the most likely to pull the upset. While Tennessee is down a bit from its championship team of a couple years ago and finished 15-15 in SEC play during the regular season, the Vols still bring plenty of talent to the table. While NCAA regionals are always unpredictable, this figures to be one of the best in 2026. Here's when and where to watch every game. Chapel Hill regional schedule 2026Friday, May 29GameTime (ET)WatchGame 1: East Carolina 7, Tennessee 3 (14 inn.)——Game 2: No. 5 North Carolina 8, VCU 0——Saturday, May 30GameTime (ET)WatchGame 3: VCU 5, Tennessee 4——Game 4: No. 5 North Carolina 7, East Carolina 5——Sunday, May 31GameTime (ET)WatchGame 5: East Carolina vs. VCU12 p.m.ESPN appGame 6: No. 5 North Carolina vs. Game 5 winner5 p.m.ESPN appMonday, June 1GameTime (ET)WatchGame 7: Game 6 rematch (if necessary)TBDESPN appWhere to watch NCAA baseball Chapel Hill regional gamesTV channels: ESPNULive streams:ESPN app, fuboThe first game of the Chapel Hill regional will air on ESPNU, with linear television channels for the following days still to be announced. Fans can stream that game live on fubo, which offers a free trial, or stream every game via the ESPN app.Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take, and all your favorite ESPN shows—anytime, anywhere—only in the ESPN app.NCAA baseball bracket, seeds 2026The top 16 national seeds are below in bracket format. The top eight seeds would be in line to host best-of-three super regionals if they advance. The winner of the Chapel Hill regional will play the winner of the College Station regional next weekend.SeedTeamRegional1UCLALos Angeles16West VirginiaMorgantown9Southern MissHattiesburg8FloridaGainesville5North CarolinaChapel Hill12Texas A&MCollege Station13NebraskaLincoln4AuburnAuburn2Georgia TechAtlanta15KansasLawrence10Florida StateTallahassee7AlabamaTuscaloosa6TexasAustin11OregonEugene14Mississippi StateStarkville3GeorgiaAthensNCAA baseball tournament schedule 2026Here are the key dates for this year's NCAA baseball tournament: Regionals: May 29-June 1Super regionals: June 5-8College World Series: June 12-21 or 22College World Series finals: June 20-21 or 22

Julian Champagnie enters insane Stephen Curry levels as Spurs demolish Thunder in Game 7 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The expectation, in the current landscape of the NBA, is that the three-point revolution is coming to an end. Julian Champagnie is dispelling all these notions. In a big display of talent in Game 7 against a supposedly dynastic Oklahoma City Thunder squad, he reached levels only Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson reached.Champagnie enters historic Curry and Thompson territory vs. ThunderJulian Champagnie was able to score 20 points by knocking down six of his 10 attempts from three-point range. The sharpshooter who complements Victor Wembanyama well when he flares out now holds the record for the most three-pointers ever made by a Spurs player in a Game 7, per StatMuse.Champagnie was not just reaching new records with the Spurs. He made over five threes in a Conference Finals Game 7, a feat that has only been reached by two other players. Who are they? Well, it's none other than the historic Golden State Warriors duo of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.The Spurs, along with any other modern dynasty since the turn of the century, have always found success when they land a great three-point sharpshooter who can kill other teams through their streaky momentum. Champagnie will be that person for them as they enter this dynasty led by Victor Wembanyama. These feats against a loaded Thunder squad led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are a big example.But there will be hardships along the way too. Champagnie had already faced tough 3-and-D players throughout the Spurs' NBA Playoffs run like Jaden McDaniels, Cason Wallace, Jrue Holiday, and Alex Caruso. His final set of matchups will have him paired against New York Knicks stars Mikal Bridges, Deuce McBride, and OG Anunoby. If he tramples these guys too and retains his status for being Curry-like, Champagnie has a case for being the greatest 3-and-D player of this generation.More Spurs News:Spurs' Stephon Castle equals Kobe Bryant & SGA in historic WCF featCason Wallace declares the San Antonio Spurs a 'beatable team' despite losing to themVictor Wembanyama's emotional moment with father says everything after Spurs reach NBA Finals

Nebraska and Mississippi will resume their game at 11:30 a.m. Sunday | Nebraska Athletics The decision to suspend the game between Nebraska and Mississippi due to weather was made at approximately 11:45 p.m. The two teams will pick up at the top of the ninth inning at 11:30 a.m. Sunday with the score Mississippi 6, Nebraska 3.Should Mississippi go on to win, Nebraska could end up playing three contests during the day. Arizona State awaits the loser of the game at 2:00 p.m. The winner of that game will move on to take on Mississippi at 7:00 p.m. If Mississippi would lose that game, the seventh and final game of the series will be player on Monday.

The Tennessee Titans have wrapped up another week of offseason team activities (OTAs), and the players are heading into June with a well-deserved weekend break before starting their third week of practice.By all accounts, the new faces Tennessee has brought in are working hard to build the new culture within the organization. One of those, new Titans tight end Daniel Bellinger, met with the media and talked about what the team is building and working with second-year tight end Gunnar Helm..@Titans tight end Daniel Bellinger on settling in with a new team, and working with Gunnar Helm. pic.twitter.com/uFRsCFeyrq— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) May 29, 2026“Yeah, I love that. The big guy represents that dog that I was talking about. And you know, he is a dog on the field. He’s got it. We can rely on each other. I can lean on him. You know, I love big guy. There’s gonna be a lot of great days for him.”Tennessee signed Bellinger to a three-year deal during free agency, adding a reliable option opposite Helm, who flashed during his rookie campaign. Now, the Titans hope that Helm and Bellinger will work in tandem to give Cam Ward some reliable play out of the tight end position.This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans' Daniel Bellinger settling in, impressed by Gunnar Helm

It’s small but mighty. READ MORE...

WWE.comFrom the Shield to the Bloodline, from the Big Dog to the OTC, Roman Reigns has carved out a legendary career for himself, long dominating WWE's main event scene and headlining more WrestleManias than anybody in company history.Of course, it's not always been smooth sailing for Roman, particularly during those years where Vince McMahon constantly told the WWE audience that this was the guy you were meant to cheer, regardless of how bungled and forced Reigns' presentation was. Still, a 2020 shake-up saw Roman reinvigorated as a villainous bad guy, complete with Paul Heyman at his side. And before you knew it, the Usos and Solo Sikoa were under their cousin's spell, not to mention the arrival of the Honorary Uce, Sami Zayn.At WrestleMania 42, Roman Reigns once again took his spot atop the WWE mountain, defeating CM Punk to become the World Heavyweight Champion, which was a first slice of gold for Roman since memorably losing to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. But with Reigns so often splitting his time between WWE and Hollywood, one has to wonder just how long he's got before he calls time on his in-ring career. To be fair, if Roman called it a day tomorrow, he's already a first-ballot Hall of Famer by any metric you wish to measure such matters.So, with all of that in mind, how well do you really know the Tribal Chief? It's time to find out and acknowledge this as the toughest Roman Reigns quiz out there.All Future PLC brands are supported by its audience. When you purchase through the links on this article, Future PLC may earn an affiliate commission.

Victor Wembanyama made it clear that the San Antonio Spurs are not satisfied with simply reaching the NBA Finals.After leading the Spurs to an 111-103 Game 7 victory over the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, the 22-year-old superstar delivered a strong message about the team’s mindset as San Antonio secured its first Finals appearance since 2014.“We want four more. We’re not done. Go Spurs, go!” Wembanyama said during the postgame celebration.MORE: James Harden is left with a difficult decision this offseason The Spurs completed an impressive comeback after trailing 3-2 in the Western Conference Finals, winning consecutive elimination games against the top-seeded Thunder. Wembanyama finished Game 7 with 22 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 42 minutes, leading San Antonio in both scoring and rebounding.San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrates with the MVP trophy at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn ImagesWhile the stat line was not his most dominant of the postseason, his impact was felt on both ends of the floor. The French star anchored the defense and controlled critical stretches as the Spurs pulled away in the fourth quarter.Wembanyama was named Western Conference Finals MVP after averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.7 blocks and 1.4 steals during the series.“They don’t even know how much I love them,” Wembanyama said of his teammates. “They’re just incredible. Everybody stepped up tonight. We know everybody got each other’s back. I love these guys.”Team success driving Spurs’ and Victor Wembanyama’s risePerhaps the most telling quote came when Wembanyama was asked about winning the Western Conference Finals MVP award.“This doesn’t mean anything, but the fact that we’re a team,” he said. “We got that together, and it means for all of us and for all the fans right here.”That response reflects what has separated San Antonio throughout the playoffs. Seven Spurs players scored in double figures in Game 7, highlighting the depth that has supported Wembanyama’s superstar production. Julian Champagnie added 20 points, while De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and others made key contributions.MORE: NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo reveals preferred trade destinationThe Spurs’ rise is not solely about Wembanyama’s brilliance. Their balanced roster, defensive discipline, and ability to execute under pressure have accelerated their timeline. Coach Mitch Johnson has built a group that complements its franchise centerpiece rather than relying entirely on him.Now the challenge shifts to the New York Knicks. With home-court advantage and a confident young core, the Spurs are four wins away from completing one of the league’s fastest championship ascents.

Seaver King hit his second home run of the year for Rochester and the Red Wings beat the Syracuse Mets 5-3 Saturday night at ESL Ballpark.King’s leadoff home run in the third inning opened the scoring for Rochester, which added two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to secure the win. The Red Wings have now won four of the first five games in the series and 17 of their last 19 games.King, who finished with multiple hits, singled in the seventh and scored on a line-drive single by Yohandy Morales. Morales advanced to third on a Syracuse fielding error. Abimelec Ortiz then drove in Morales with a single to extend Rochester’s lead to 5-0.Red Wings did most of their scoring against Syracuse pitcher Jack Wenninger. In the sixth, Andrew Pinckney led off with a single, and Joey Wiemer doubled to put runners on second and third. Robert Hassell III grounded out to bring home Pinckney, and after a Riley Adams walk, Trey Lipscomb hit a sacrifice fly to score Wiemer and give Rochester a 3-0 lead.Syracuse attempted a comeback late in the game but came up short. In the eighth, Ryan Clifford and Andy Ibáñez singled, and Yonny Hernández walked to load the bases. Cristian Pache then walked to force in a run. After Rochester went to reliever Eddy Yean, a wild pitch allowed another run to score before Yean worked out of further trouble to preserve a 5-2 lead.Christian Arroyo hit a leadoff home run in the ninth to cut the deficit to 5-3, but Zach Penrod retired the next three batters to end the game.Red Wings bullpen covers six innings in winThe Red Wings bullpen played a significant role in securing the win, covering six innings and allowing three runs. Trevor Gott, Jack Sinclair, PJ Poulin, Eddy Yean and Penrod combined to protect the lead.The series finale is set for Sunday, with Rochester looking to close out another series win against Syracuse and continue its strong May performance. The Red Wings have the best record it the International League.Information gathered from milb.com.This story was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester Red Wings top Syracuse Mets behind Seaver King

DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 01: Former NFL player Michael Irvin, former First Lady Laura Bush and former U.S. President George W. Bush speak prior to a game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Miami Hurricanes at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on November 01, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Miami Hurricanes were upset by the SMU Mustangs 26-20 on November 1st, 2025. The ‘Canes had a 10-7 lead at halftime before allowing SMU to sneak back in and eventually beat Miami in overtime. Miami was better on 3rd down but two Carson Beck interceptions (one his fault, one not) and being stopped on 4th down were the difference makers for The U on the road. Beck averaged 7.2 yards per attempt with two TD’s and MarkFletcher averaged 5.3 yards per carry. Malachi Toney didn’t have a huge game, but Jo Jo Trader and Keelan Marion did. The duo averaged 16.2 and 15.4 yards per catch, respectively. Trader also caught a touchdown while being the ‘reason’ for Beck’s first INT. This is an All-22 Review of the Miami Hurricanes offense vs. SMU from '25. This is a screen. Dawson sends Toney in motion, and then throws him the football with no other read. Clearly the D will have eyes on 10, but more so now that he's in motion. Don't distract the D to no10! pic.twitter.com/WiGPJ7r0AP— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- I’ve never understood motioning your star only to directly throw him the ball to where he motioned to. It adds bodies and eyes to the POA instead of away from it. ie- motion Mark Fletcher away from Toney to put playmakers on opposite sides of the field and the motion to make eyes / adjustments go to Fletcher vs. Toney. Beck fires a line drive to Trader up the seam. Beck saw Trader as unCAPd and took that 1on1 shot. Trader corrals the ball in over the shoulder and against his body- this is key info for a play later in the game. I prefer the Malachi Toney method- eyes/chest back to the ball. pic.twitter.com/DheQ3XFe9s— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above– 1-on1 vs. man on a switch route and it’s a nice shot up the seam. Beck fires a line drive and Trader uses an over the shoulder catch. We’ll come back to how that backfires later, but for now it’s a win. What I like about Mark Fletcher is that he trusts that sliver of light and his OL and goes for it. Clemson had a ton of success when backs trusted that sliver, got skinny, and ran hard. The OL can't dominate every DL they go against. Great vision and hard running here. pic.twitter.com/GeqWXRRnbG— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- Fletcher is the perfect back for what the run game has become: duo and outside zone. He has patience, vision, and trusts the OL to make that sliver of light work for him. Then he’s a hard runner which duo needs. Another ball hauled in by Trader with an over the shoulder body catch. He's cradling the ball into his shoulder pads. He gets one foot down and holds on for an explosive pic.twitter.com/xKoXfb7490— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- Trader hauls in another big catch, this time a fade up the sideline. In press man he’s hard to stop as he’s fast and physical. BUT he catches another ball in his body and over the shoulder. And now you can see why I prefer chest-eyes-hands back to the football rather than the old Willie Mays Hayes basket catch. The facemask and shoulder pads can get in the way on an over the shoulder ball and we want our eyes on the target and our hands on the rock. pic.twitter.com/vk0vHc1xuG— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- And here is where it bites him in the… butt. He goes for his 3rd basket catch but this one bounces off his shoulder pads and into the SMU defense. Trader vs. Toney. Toney uses his hands, eyes back to the ball while Trader uses his body and goes over the shoulder. pic.twitter.com/6DIawIjDvm— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- One looks significantly more fluid than the other three that look clumsy. Malachi Toney grabs this tipped pass and breaks 2-3 tackles before going down. What a stud. He should be on the Heisman watch list this season pic.twitter.com/8hjOdy5efy— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- Toney is a stud. He hauls in this tipped pass and breaks 2-3 tackles. Everything you do against him is a tough out. This is mesh ran to perfection inside the +10. A lot of defenses will play man inside the deep red zone and mesh is a man beater. Elija Lofton drops the ball after taking a hit from an SMU defender. pic.twitter.com/LLEwT7vIfU— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- Dawson dials up mesh at the exact right place and time. +10YL, SMU in man, Lofton comes wide open and drops the TD off of contact. You HAVE to catch this ball to win national championships. Miami puts EIGHT OL on the field, yes even the guy lined up as a FB is an OL, and runs play action to Bauman and Fletcher in a hi-lo. Beck throws a nice ball to Bauman who hauls in the TD. pic.twitter.com/a4KUzrgHad— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- Dawson puts EIGHT O-Line on the field (even the FB is one) and then throws the ball on play-action. Bauman and Fletcher hi-lo and Bauman beats his man for a TD. On 4th & short SMU is in man coverage. Motioning Toney only impacted the OODA Loop of that CB assigned to cover him. In the Run & Shoot (the OG Air Raid) Toney would've had a 1-step route here because his defender is 8y off. Take one step forward and catch a 'now' ball for a 1st pic.twitter.com/mGp4OXpn3G— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- As I said in the Twitter post, the Run & Shoot had some really good ideas. Toney is unCAPd as the DB over him is at 8y, the hard deck is 7y. In the R&S that means Toney would take a 1-step ‘now’ throw from Beck and get the 1st down that way. Instead, they motion him which is ineffective vs. man coverage (only one guy moves and he’s on Toney who is doing nothing) and the run is stuffed. Brown looked to cut this back from the jump. I'll put up a screenshot in a second that shows you where his eyes are going the second he has the ball. The issue is the front side bounce is there, not the bend back. pic.twitter.com/vtCxXYS25d— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- Brown looks for the cut back here and it is a TFL. His eyes are going to cut back the entire way vs. bouncing play side. A clear moment to have Fletcher in, who has elite vision and patience vs. anyone else on the roster. pic.twitter.com/nSxBL1ZBZ4— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- If he pushes playside Bauman cuts the defender off and it’s that sliver of light Fletcher makes happen but Marty Brown just doesn’t seem to find. And the final snap. It's 3rd down so there is a chance at a FG here to take a 3 point lead in OT. That'd force SMU to think differently about their upcoming possession but Beck throws this late over the middle and it's picked. Live to fight another day pic.twitter.com/d0HFXhXvew— imfb_blog (@IMFB_Blog) May 30, 2026Above- And here’s Beck on the final throw of the game for Miami’s offense. It’s 3rd and 6 and the QB can just throw this away, kick a FG, and force SMU to either kick and tie (always tricky in college) or score a TD (Hetherman is a hell of a DC). Once the pick is thrown the defense just about gives up on Miami and SMU scores. But back to the pick- Beck throws this over the middle and late which is a recipe for disaster. No one is open, it’s a throw away or scramble situation. The WrapIt’s tough to see a great run game and some explosive throws offset by a tipped pick, and bad decision here, and a couple of “and short” runs fail. Beck and the ‘Canes rally off this loss and have a hell of an end to their season. Typically you learn more from losses than wins.Sadly Miami doesn’t play SMU in the regular season in ‘26. I think SMU and Louisville as well as Ga. Tech are great games for college football but the ACC gave Miami a rather boring slate of games. I can’t imagine paying for season tickets with a home slate of FAMU, Central Michigan, Duke and Boston College. You do get FSU, Pitt and Virginia Tech but the odds of all three being ‘good’ again in ‘26 are slim.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has paid tribute to Arne Slot after his fellow Dutchman was sacked as Reds head coach.After replacing Jürgen Klopp in the Anfield hotseat two years ago, Slot had instant success as he steered Liverpool to just a second Premier League crown in his first season in charge.However, a disappointing title defence and disharmony in the dressing room – with the outgoing Mohamed Salah the most outspoken – led to fans turning on Slot, who was relieved of his position on Saturday.Van Dijk looked back at happier times as he posted in an Instagram story on Sunday: “We’ll never forget winning the Premier League in our first season together.“Thank you, Trainer, and best of luck to you and your family for the future.”

Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, visits health workers at the Evangelical Medical Centre (CEM) in Bunia, Congo, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)2026-05-31T11:09:30Z BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Five patients have recovered from a rare type of Ebola, the head of the World Health Organization said Sunday during a visit to eastern Congo’s Bunia, a city at the heart of an outbreak.“Four people will be discharged today and there was one that was discharged the day before yesterday,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during the opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the provinical capital of Ituri.“Of course, we’re still working on vaccines and treatments but that doesn’t mean that people cannot recover from Ebola,” he added.The WHO said Friday a patient had recovered from the Bundibugyo virus, the current kind of Ebola, which has no approved treatment or vaccine. It was the first documented recovery of a confirmed Bundibugyo patient during the current outbreak.The health organization said latest official figures showed 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths. Neighboring Uganda has confirmed nine cases and one death, the Ugandan Health Ministry said Friday. The virus continues to spread faster than the response despite better-organized health facilities and new aid arrivals, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, said Saturday, calling for the immediate expansion of testing, faster deployment of aid workers and sustained access for medical supplies. The dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by anger among residents over the stringent medical protocols for handling the victims’ bodies, which clash with local burial rites. Residents have launched at least three attacks against health centers. Read More Tedros stressed the importance of involving the community in the outbreak response during the opening of the new treatment center on Sunday.“If you come to health facilities when you have symptoms, you can get the support and recover, so the key is to come forward as early as possible and to get the necessary support,” the WHO chief said. “We can stop this Ebola and anyone who has it can also recover. But the rule ... is this thing is everybody’s business and every citizen should be involved,” he added.Attacks in the region by the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group allied with the Islamic State group, and a coalition of ethnic militias have also hindered the response. ADF fighters killed seven people Saturday in Beni, North Kivu province, an area also affected by the outbreak, the Congolese army and civil society groups said. The illness also has been reported in both North Kivu and South Kivu, south of Ituri, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group controls many key cities, including Goma and Bukavu. “The final message we would like to share with the Ituri community is that there is hope,” Pierre Akilimali, Incident Manager at Congo’s National Institute of Public Health, said during the inauguration on Sunday.“With the symptomatic treatment that we are currently providing, we are seeing patients recover,” Akilimali added.“We truly have hope. The virus here is not as complicated as those we have dealt with in the past, and with the support of all our partners, we believe we will be able to bring this outbreak under control as quickly as possible,” said Davin Ambitapio, another doctor at the treatment center.——Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal. MARK BANCHEREAU Banchereau covers 22 countries across West and Central Africa for The Associated Press. He is based in Dakar, Senegal. twitter mailto

Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, visits health workers at the Evangelical Medical Centre (CEM) in Bunia, Congo, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)2026-05-31T09:08:38Z BEIJING (AP) — A collapse occurred in an illegal mining operation in China on Sunday, killing five people and injuring one other person, Chinese official news agency Xinhua reported.The incident took place in Huize County in Yunnan province in southwest China at about 4:30 a.m., Xinhua reported. The news outlet did not specify what kind of mine it was. Rescuers pulled out all six people trapped at the site in Baiwu village and sent them to the hospital, but five of them succumbed to their injuries. The survivor was in stable condition, the report said. Authorities were investigating the cause of the collapse. Just more than a week ago, the country was hit by its deadliest coal mine explosion in recent years, which killed at least 82 people in China’s northern Shanxi province. Local officials earlier said there were “serious violations” of the law by that mine’s operator.

This undated microscope image from USC via the NIH shows pancreatic cancer cells, nuclei in blue, growing as a sphere encased in membranes, red. (Min Yu/Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC, USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, File)2026-05-31T12:05:12Z WASHINGTON (AP) — A novel pill helped people with advanced pancreatic cancer live longer, researchers reported Sunday, raising hopes of long-needed better treatments for one of the deadliest types of cancer.“While not curing the cancer, it is a very large step forward,” said Dr. Zev Wainberg, of the University of California, Los Angeles, who helped lead the study.The drug is called daraxonrasib and it blocks a mutated protein that fuels tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases — a target that had eluded treatment for decades.The daily pills nearly doubled survival time, with fewer severe side effects, in a study that randomly assigned the experimental drug or more chemotherapy to 500 patients whose metastatic, or spreading, cancer had quit responding to prior treatment. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented Sunday at the American Society for Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago. Those taking daraxonrasib lived for a median of 13.2 months compared with 6.7 months for chemotherapy recipients. While that may seem like a small improvement, Wainberg said it marked the first drug to show a substantial advantage over chemotherapy. “Having treated pancreatic cancer for 16 years, I actually started crying” when first seeing the study results, Dr. Rachna Shroff of the University of Arizona Cancer Center, who wasn’t involved with the research, said from the ASCO meeting. She was struck by how “patients stayed on this treatment because it was providing durable and meaningful benefit to them.” Read More The pills’ effects eventually wane but recipients used them for significantly longer than the comparison group stayed on chemotherapy, reporting less pain and a better quality of life as their tumors shrank. Many still were using the drug after the data was analyzed, which Wainberg said means the survival gap may widen as researchers continue tracking them. Dr. Brian Wolpin, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, presented the findings Sunday. He said the drug should become “a new standard of care” for previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer, adding that researchers also will explore its use earlier in the disease, including to see if tumor shrinkage might let more patients qualify for surgery.Side effects most likely to affect pill usage were a rash that can be severe and mouth sores, he said.Maker Revolution Medicines funded the study and the Food and Drug Administration plans to expedite review of the drug. Meanwhile, the agency is allowing what’s called “expanded access” to the experimental drug for patients who meet certain criteria. The drug garnered public attention when former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse described on “60 Minutes” how he’s had less pain while taking it. Oncologists are being flooded with requests as the special access program gets started.Pancreatic cancer is among the most deadly forms in large part because it’s hard to detect before it starts spreading to other organs. The American Cancer Society estimates about 67,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year and more than 52,000 people will die from the disease. The five-year overall survival rate is 13%. Unlike with other cancers that have benefitted from a variety of chemotherapy alternatives, pancreatic cancer has been harder to tackle.Cancer specialists not involved in the new research expressed optimism that this may be a turning point in the quest for new options, with dozens of experimental drugs in development.The new drug targets mutations in the RAS gene family that normally regulates cell growth. So-called KRAS mutations are especially critical in fueling pancreatic cancer. But a structure that made it hard for drugs to stick to the mutated proteins meant this cancer driver was long considered “undruggable.”Revolution Medicines’ drug uses what’s essentially a molecular glue to bind with multiple KRAS subtypes. Wainberg said researchers next will probe whether the drug worked better in certain of those subtypes. The drug will change pancreatic cancer treatment, said Dr. Andrew Coveler of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, who wasn’t involved in the research.“This thing works drastically differently,” he said.Wainberg said other drugs in development target specific KRAS subtypes. Other approaches in earlier stages of testing include vaccines designed to prevent recurrence after pancreatic cancer surgery by teaching the immune system to recognize the mutated protein.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. LAURAN NEERGAARD Neergaard is an Associated Press medical writer who covers research on brain health, infectious diseases, organ transplantation and more. She is based in Washington, D.C. mailto

Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk reacts after the fourth-round tennis against Poland's Iga Swiatek match at the French Open in Paris, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)2026-05-31T11:13:01Z PARIS (AP) — There will be a first-time women’s champion at Roland-Garros this year, and the odds are stacked in Marta Kostyuk’s favor.Undefeated this season on clay, the 15th-seeded Ukrainian player reached the quarterfinals at the French Open for the first time on Sunday by taking out four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 and ruining her birthday.None of the players still in the draw have yet lifted the trophy in Paris, following Coco Gauff’s elimination on Saturday and Swiatek’s exit. It’s the same in the men’s draw, after the defeats of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic and with Carlos Alcaraz absent because of an injury.Kostyuk had lost her three previous matches against Swiatek and never taken a set against the former top-ranked player, who turned 25 on Sunday.“I’m still in shock. To beat such an unbelievable player, who won four times here,” she said. Kostyuk has been the best player of the clay-court season. She defended extremely well, chasing Swiatek’s shots all over the court, and also produced some stunning groundstroke winners while her rival was also undone by her own mistakes. An intense baseline battle unfolded from the outset and Swiatek earned the first break when she overwhelmed Kostyuk after a long rally with a backhand winner. Kostyuk broke back immediately, though, only to drop her serve again and hand Swiatek a 5-4 lead.The Polish player showed signs of nerves as she double-faulted, shanked a forehand wide and then missed a volley at the net, allowing Kostyuk to level at 5-5. Swiatek hit two more double faults in the 12th game and the 15th-seeded Ukrainian player sealed the set with a backhand passing shot. Read More Swiatek then briefly left the court. Meanwhile, Kostyuk kept herself warm by stretching and hopping beside her chair, then received some applause as she did a few dance moves to the music playing in the stadium. Following a first week marked by a suffocating heatwave, relief finally arrived in Paris on Sunday, with temperatures dropping to 21 degrees C (70 F) around midday.When play resumed, Swiatek broke, but yet another double fault coupled with more unforced errors brought her opponent back at 1-1. Kostyuk then won the last five games.Kostyuk had reached the fourth round at Roland Garros in 2021, losing to Swiatek.The 15th-ranked Ukrainian is in a strong run of form and extended her winning streak on clay to 16 matches. Ahead of Roland Garros, she won in Madrid — the biggest title of her career — after she claimed another clay-court title in Rouen, France.“The most important thing that I’ve been doing this whole time is really just trying to enjoy,” she said. “It’s helping. I want to keep enjoying. I try not to focus at all on winning or losing because I’m not playing tennis to win, I’m playing tennis because I love it.”Swiatek has not won a title on clay since the 2024 French Open. 17 years laterRomanian veteran Sorana Cirstea, who is planning to retire at the end of the season, beat Chinese qualifier Wang Xiyu 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach her second Roland Garros quarterfinal, 17 years after first making it to the last eight. The gap between Cirstea’s first and second Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances in Paris is the longest at a single major by any woman in the Open Era.“There is no expiration date for ambition and for dreams,” Cirstea said. “And I have so much passion for this sport. I absolutely love tennis and to be able to play to still play at this level, have my family, my team, the closest people watching me.“It’s an absolute joy. Sometimes society puts us in certain groups because of the age, but I think in life you are free to do whatever you want and I want to play. And here I am.”___AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf contributed to this report.___AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis SAMUEL PETREQUIN Petrequin has been covering sports and news for the Associated Press for 25 years. He is based in Paris. twitter mailto