Speculation about edge rusher Josh Sweat's future with the Cardinals has picked up over the course of his absence from the team's offseason program, but a report on Wednesday tosses some cold water on thoughts of a trade. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Cardinals are not going to trade Sweat. Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur sent a similar message last week when asked about a report that the Cardinals have gotten trade offers from other teams. Sweat also missed the voluntary portions of the offseason work after signing a four-year, $76.4 million deal with Arizona last year. He had 30 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in his first season with the team.Based on the recent word from inside and outside the organization, Sweat will get a chance to add to those totals in a Cardinals uniform this fall.

While Islam lacks a central governing body to put forth any official stance on homosexuality, those who adhere strictly to the words of the Quran tend to interpret the text similarly to the traditionalist followers of the other Abrahamic religions – as condemning same-sex love. But Nour Tayara doesn’t see it that way. Related Queer Sikhs are challenging bigotry by mixing their identities, faith, & cultural traditions The queer Arab makeup mogul has never viewed his sexuality as contradictory to his faith. In fact, he believes in an Islam that has always embraced the beauty of human diversity. Tayara is the founder of the plastic-free makeup brand AORA, which he launched in 2023 after working for over a decade at L’Oreal. He runs the company from Mexico, though he lived all over the world before settling there about five years ago. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Islam is about One Thousand and One Nights, the harems, men dressed in silk robes lying on gorgeous cushions in amazing interiors. It never felt austere. It never felt scary. It always felt like something so happy. For me, it always felt a bit gay. The company launched in the country in 2023 and then in the United States in 2025. Tayara found success quickly in the U.S. market, so much so that AORA was asked to do the makeup for this year’s Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show. Through it all, he has remained committed to his Muslim faith and to publicly expressing pride in his Arab roots. Tayra spoke with LGBTQ Nation about what keeps him connected to Islam, and why, in his view, the religion has always felt a little bit gay. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nour Tayara (@nourness) LGBTQ Nation: You were raised in Lebanon as Muslim, is that correct? Nour Tayara: Yes, my mom is Christian, and my dad is Muslim. Which religion do you most identify with? More Muslim. Because one, from a legal perspective, in Lebanon you get the religion of your dad. So, my ID said Muslim. Number two, we don’t have civil marriage in Lebanon. So my mom had to become Muslim on paper so that they could actually get married religiously. Growing up, we spent much more time in Islam with my dad’s family. I got to learn a lot of stuff from the Quran. I like the religion. It started with a lot of intellect, with a lot of art, with a lot of culture. I’m talking about Islam as a religion and not Islam as the culture that this world has decided to paint in the past 30, 40 years. It’s not the Islam of oil countries or the Islam of terrorism or the Islam of no women’s rights or of being anti-gay. For me, it’s the Islam of the One Thousand and One Nights, and it’s the Islam of the start of algebra and astronomy and medicine. It’s a religion that I find very, very, very beautiful because it was based on fixing a lot of societal issues. I kept seeing the world seeing Arabs as either uneducated or terrorists or extremely misogynistic, a lot of things that do not represent my culture. So, the more visibility I get, the more I want to put out there what I am and how proud I am of it. How do you see your faith in relation to your sexuality, considering Islam has historically rejected LGBTQ+ identities? Or, do you even feel that it has? I actually don’t feel that. For one, I don’t feel like Islam is that vocal about rejecting gays or queerness. It hasn’t been vocal about embracing it either, but I personally think Christianity has been a lot more vocal about closing the door. When I came out to my parents, I was about 20. Religion was such an important thing for me back then. I had to figure out how can I explain to my parents who live in Lebanon, in a very religious country, who don’t know much about gay anything, because it’s not on TV, it’s not in culture, it’s not in conversation, there are no magazines. So I decided to start making them these little PowerPoint presentations and getting them to watch movies. I discovered a couple of documentarists that were doing documentaries about Islam and queerness. A Jihad for Love was a beauty. I made my dad watch it. Then I found something about Christianity, C.R.A.Z.Y by Jean-Marc Vallée, so I made my mom watch it. I think if I had not seen that documentary at 20 years old, I would not have known that there are Muslims who did not want to say, “Hey, I’m going to just give up absolutely fully on having a faith.” It doesn’t mean that you have to be the most religious person. I don’t go to the mosque right now, but I think we all use and experience religion in a way that works for us. That is the way it should be. Islam is something that gave me a sense of belonging, a sense of security, a sense of love, a sense of empathy, a sense of rules and values that help me judge and weigh my behavior. I was not going to just give that all up just because someone said I’m not allowed, and not in a very clear way. Just because mortals decided to hate on me. No. So you struggled for a while with how to come out to your parents. Did you struggle internally at all with your sexuality and its relationship to Islam? No. I don’t want this to be too controversial, but I’ve also always found Islam personally to be, visually and artistically, very homoerotic. Islam is about One Thousand and One Nights, the harems, men dressed in silk robes lying on gorgeous cushions in amazing interiors. It never felt austere. It never felt scary. It always felt like something so happy. For me, it always felt a bit gay. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nour Tayara (@nourness) You describe yourself on social media as a “proud queer Arab.” Why is it important to you that those parts are front and center? I am extremely proud of my origins. I really believe in representation. I grew up without seeing people like me. I know a lot of us say that, and it might seem cliché, but it’s not — it’s the reality. I grew up not seeing gay men doing what I’m doing. It doesn’t mean I haven’t seen some of them successful, but in Lebanon it was very specific careers, and it had to do a lot with either like fashion or beauty, but not in a big boss way. Then 9/11 happened, and I kept seeing the world seeing Arabs as either uneducated or terrorists or extremely misogynistic, a lot of things that do not represent my culture. So, the more visibility I get, the more I want to put out there what I am and how proud I am of it. I would love more people to see that queer people can make all of this happen and that Arab people also are so much more than the Islamophobic or anti-Arab narrative. I think in Christianity and Judaism, there’s a dependency on your rabbi, on the priest, on the church accepting you. I think in Islam… the place of worship is not as crucial in your everyday relationship to the religion. You said you don’t currently go to a mosque. How would you describe your current relationship with your faith? Is it more of a cultural connection? I think it is. I recite and say things to myself when I feel the need to. I celebrate holidays. Sometimes I fast for Ramadan, but not always. I carry a little Quran with me. Again, I think religion is personal. So if I’m traveling, I always carry a little Quran with me. I feel very safe there. I had a lot of difficulty finding an out queer Muslim person to interview for this piece. Do you feel there is a strong queer Muslim community? There is a very strong queer Muslim community, but I think the queer Muslim community, but also Islam overall, relies a lot less on the place of worship than Judaism and Christianity. Islam is something that you take with you a lot more. The five times you pray in a day, if you do, you do it anywhere. And this is my personal interpretation to your question. I think in Christianity and Judaism, there’s a dependency on your rabbi, on the priest, on the church accepting you. I think in Islam, we’ve created a community that’s not about finding the mosque that will accept you. Because the place of worship is not as crucial in your everyday relationship to the religion. The U.K. was, for example, [puritan and anti-women’s expression, anti-gay expression] 100 years ago, when the Arab and Muslim world was seeing beautiful expressionism of all things sexuality, and a world that was much more extravagant… So it feels less visible or less official for you because there hasn’t been a need for the priests that will do their sermon and bless you at the end, or the synagogue that says gays are welcome. Then, on another end, Islam as a religion has been less schismed in a way. Like Christianity has so many versions. You have a version where a priest could be also married, or there are now women priests, so it has evolved in its hierarchy of human resources. In Judaism, that’s true, too. Islam has not. So I think our expectations have been different. No one is expecting we’re going to get a woman imam that’s going to welcome the gays. I don’t think anyone has that expectation right now. So just kind of a less progressive arc overall. It’s definitely less progressive on the official side of things there, but at the same time, it’s a religion where your relationship to religion doesn’t necessarily need that officialization. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nour Tayara (@nourness) What advice would you give to queer Arab youth who don’t know how to tell their families? The biggest advice I would say is about not being afraid of telling your parents. At the end of the day, we have a responsibility to educate our families. When we come from these countries or from these religions, it’s very important to remember that our parents are not ignorant, they’re not homophobic, they are just uneducated, and they have not been surrounded by the information. It’s easy to say Western parents are more accepting, but they’ve also had 50 or 60 years of media around them. They have been able to humanize this topic a lot more. It’s up to us to humanize it to our parents. Be patient with your parents, hold their hand. Don’t throw that information at them and then leave them with the gravity of a topic that they cannot grasp. Everyone cannot necessarily come out. Some people depend financially or depend in other ways. When the time is right, I think it’s good to have that patience and that courage to know that things will go in the right direction. Historically, the Arab world has been a lot more open. We shouldn’t forget that. We live in a cyclical historical world, and I love to remind myself how puritan and anti-women’s expression, anti-gay expression, the U.K. was, for example, 100 years ago, when the Arab and Muslim world was seeing beautiful expressionism of all things sexuality, and a world that was much more extravagant, where men were wearing mascara, and women were wearing beautiful [garments]. People came and saw us as sexual savages for having harams… and all of that. So I like to remember that we once were all of that, and we can be again. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01633-2How cells sense fluctuations in the availability of water has long been unclear. The protein SAM8 is now shown to undergo a process called phase separation in a way that depends on its hydration, thereby sensing cellular water availability and linking changes in water status to the regulation of gene expression.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10610-8Chloroplast plastoglobules act as nitrogen-assimilation hubs in maize, with key enzymes enhancing nitrogen-use efficiency and offering new strategies for developing high-yield, sustainable crops.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10583-8An analysis of enamel nanocrystal misorientation in primate and human teeth across three major dietary shifts in human evolution shows that misorientation increased with harder diets, suggesting that misorientation contributes to enamel’s resilience.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10606-4An analysis of post-sorting plastic packaging shows that target polymer purity is similar across source-separation and post-sorting pathways, but post-sorted plastics contain more contaminants that need to be removed before recyclate production.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10598-1Centromeric DNA repeat insertions and CENP-A chromatin assembly are identified as genomic signatures that preserve telomere integrity in ALT cancer cells.

A man was shot dead surrounded by witnesses in Skidmore, Mo., but no one was ever prosecuted. Now that act of vigilante justice has inspired the play “Kenrex.”

James Dolan, the longtime owner of the N.B.A. team, has faced years of jeers. Could a championship change all that?

Some of the fiercest battles took place in South Carolina, but its part in the fight for independence is often overlooked. Our reporter found history, myths, beauty and contradiction across the Lowcountry landscapes.

Plainfield’s Reagan Richards has been voted The Bulletin athlete of the week for May 18-23. The Panthers sophomore shortstop drove in four runs with two hits in an 11-3 girls' softball victory over Lyman Memorial.Last week saw plenty of standout performances in baseball, softball, boys outdoor track and field, girls outdoor track and field, girls tennis, and girls golf across Eastern Connecticut. While there's no shortage of talent, we went and found the best of the best.Did your hometown hero make the list?The Bulletin has you covered for what's happening this spring at Norwich Free Academy, Killingly High School, Plainfield High School, Griswold High School, Norwich Technical School, and Harvard Ellis Technical School.Please vote now for The Bulletin ‘Athlete of the Week’ for May 25 to June 1. Voting closes at 5 p.m. on Sunday. You can cast your vote below.Who is The Bulletin Athlete of the Week?Here are the nominees: Nyomi Barboza, Norwich TechThe Warriors senior catcher had two hits, including a triple, in Norwich Tech’s Class M girls softball tournament opening round 7-6 loss against O’Brien Tech. Barboza also had a double and a home run in the Warriors’ 13-4 win over Goodwin Tech in the CTC tournament semifinals.Olivia Bourdon, Norwich Free AcademyThe Wildcats junior allowed just one hit while striking out nine and also hit a three-run homer to lift NFA to an 8-1 victory over Stamford in the Class LL girls softball tournament opening round. Bourdon set NFA’s all-time single-season home run record with her eighth homer.Bourdon was the winning pitcher in NFA’s 12-6 win over East Lyme in the ECC Division I tournament semifinals. She also had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. She also pitched three scoreless relief innings in the Wildcats’ 13-6 win over Waterford in the ECC tournament championship game.Dillan Coats, Norwich TechThe Warriors senior catcher blasted a three-run, walk-off home run to give Norwich Tech a thrilling 7-4 victory over O’Brien Tech in the CTC baseball tournament quarterfinals. Coats also had a clutch RBI double in the top of the seventh during the Warriors’ 6-1 victory over Wolcott Tech in the CTC championship game.More: Sea Unicorns are ready for their sixth season in Futures LeagueNevaeh Dailey, PlainfieldThe Panthers junior won the Class M girls outdoor track and field championship in the discus with a throw of 132 feet and 10 inches.Amelia Driscoll, Norwich Free AcademyThe Wildcats senior catcher drove in five runs with a two-run double and a three-run homer to lead NFA to a 13-6 victory over Waterford in the ECC Division I girls softball tournament championship game. Driscoll also had two hits and two RBIs in the Wildcats’ 8-1 win over Stamford in the Class LL tournament opening round.Tycen LaBelle, GriswoldThe Wolverines junior won the Class M boys outdoor track and field championship in the 3200 meter run with a personal best time of 9 minutes and 18.42 seconds.Amanda Muench, Norwich Free AcademyThe Wildcats sophomore won the Class LL girls outdoor track and field championship in the high jump with a personal best jump of 5 feet and zero inches.More: NFA baseball 'won a lot of games' but sees season end in state playoffsOriana Pescatello, Norwich Free AcademyThe Wildcats sophomore won the Class LL girls outdoor track and field championship in the 800 meter run with a time of 2 minutes and 19.15 seconds. Pescatello also placed third in the 1600 (5:08.35).Talia Santese, KillinglyThe Trailblazers senior led a singles sweep as Killingly edged Woodland, 4-3, in the Class M girls tennis state tournament qualifying round. Santese defeated Olivia McDonald, 6-0, 6-3, at No. 1 singles. Santese also earned a singles win in a 4-3 loss against Rocky Hill in the opening round of the Class M state tournament. Lexi Smith, PlainfieldThe Panthers freshman went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBIs to power Plainfield past Wheeler, 9-1, in the ECC Division 2 girls softball tournament quarterfinals. Carter Stringer, Norwich Free AcademyThe Wildcats junior tossed a complete game three-hitter to lead NFA to a 2-1 win over Montville in the ECC Division I baseball tournament quarterfinals. Stringer struck out 11.Stringer also went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs in NFA’s 7-5 semifinal round win over Woodstock Academy.Kyle Stringer, Norwich TechThe Warriors junior was the winning pitcher in Norwich Tech’s 6-1 victory over Wolcott Tech in the CTC baseball tournament championship game. Stringer allowed just one run and struck out three over 5.1 innings. He also went 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBIs at the plate. Stringer also earned the win in Norwich Tech’s 12-2 win over Wilcox Tech in the CTC semifinals. The lefthander allowed zero hits and zero runs over four innings, striking out three and walking one. This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Plainfield’s Richards voted The Bulletin athlete of the week

The 158th running of the Belmont Stakes is nearly here, with a 7:04 p.m. ET post time in Saratoga, New York on Saturday. It is the end of the most important stretch of the horse racing season — the Triple Crown — and another huge betting day in the sport.Renegade drew the No. 4 post position and is the 2-1 morning-line favorite, ahead of Chief Wallabee (3-1, post No. 3) and 2026 Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo (9-2, post No. 9)Be sure to keep up with the most recent Belmont odds right here, as the odds will keep changing leading up to the race.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentYahoo Sports spoke to horse racing handicapper Peter Fornatale (creator of In the Money Media Network) — to preview the favorites, long shots and get his wagering strategy for Saturday’s Triple Crown race.The favoritesRenegade (2-1): “I don’t think it’s hard to make the case that Renegade is the best horse of his generation. He was so heralded coming into this year’s Derby, and his trip was less than ideal. It was a roughly run race. Granted, in the end, the way the pace fell apart, he got a setup. I was against him in the Derby, but I picked him to win this race before the draw and I don’t see a lot of reason to get off the opinion that he’ll win the Belmont. Rather than betting him to win as a favorite, it might be more profitable to bet him in some exactas with other horses I like.”Chief Wallabee (3-1): “This was my Derby pick. I think that you can tell a story that he ran the best race of anyone there. Hung on to fourth despite having trouble. This time around, he should be able to have a better trip – smaller field, better pace scenario. I like him immensely. I’ll want to use him in my exactas.” Golden Tempo (9-2): “Such a cool horse and so great to see him and everyone involved make racing history at the Kentucky Derby. Rooting for him in my heart in a lot of my ways, but in my head, here we had a horse that had a great setup in the Derby that produced a historically slow final time. When you have a Derby winner that has had that setup, you’re supposed to do bet against them in the next race. My money will be going elsewhere.”One long shotEmerging Market (6-1): “The other runner out of the Derby I’m really interested in is Emerging Market. Another horse who was closer to that supersonic early pace, but the other angle is that he lost a shoe in the first turn. He was so lightly raced coming in that I’m willing to ignore the Derby run. It shows all kinds of confidence that Chad Brown wants to run him in this race. I think he’s another one that has another great shot to run in the top two.”Belmont best bets“I’ll look to play Renegade in exactas with Chief Wallabee and Emerging Market. I’ll have a larger denomination with Renegade over those two runners and a smaller amount on Renegade under those two runners. And then I’ll have a smaller exacta box just with Emerging Market and Chief Wallabee.”

Right before the start of Spring Training, the Milwaukee Brewers traded their entire Major League third base depth chart, which included fan-favorite Caleb Durbin, to the Boston Red Sox. In return, the Brewers received one of their own former prospects back, David Hamilton, as well as two left-handed pitchers: Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan.At the time of the trade, many fans were saddened to see Durbin traded. However, the addition of Harrison was an exciting one. Even though he had not seen much success on the Major League level prior to the season, fans knew he had serious potential and Milwaukee’s pitching lab had worked wonders before.And it has again.Kyle Harrison joins Milwaukee Brewers legends with strikeout feats against the San Francisco GiantsJun 2, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws a pitch in the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn ImagesHarrison was originally drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the third round of the 2020 MLB amateur draft. He made his Major League debut in 2023 and spent parts of three seasons in a Giants uniform. During that time, he was 9-9 with a 4.48 ERA.In 2025, San Francisco traded Harrison to Boston. In three appearances (two starts) with the Red Sox, he was 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA.Once coming to Milwaukee though, Harrison found the level of success many knew he was capable of achieving. He is currently 7-1 with a 1.57 ERA, and his latest gem came on Tuesday night against those same Giants that gave up on him.Harrison pitched 5.2 innings and allowed one run on four hits and two walks while matching his career-high with 12 strikeouts.He recorded 10 strikeouts before the end of the fourth inning, making him just the third pitcher in franchise history to do so. The others were Jacob Misiorowski and Corbin Burnes.As noted above, Harrison now has a 1.57 ERA through his first 11 starts in a Brewers uniform. The only pitcher in franchise history with a lower ERA through his first 11 games with the team was CC Sabathia in 2008, when he posted a 1.43 ERA in his first 11 starts.Misiorowski is an easy early prediction to be an NL All-Star and Cy Young candidate. But Harrison is not far behind him. If both pitchers keep up their historic starts to the 2026 season, they could go down as the best 1-2 punch in franchise history.More Milwaukee Brewers news from Wisconsin Sports HeroicsAaron Ashby owns MLB analyst’s “most astounding stat” of MayShane Drohan named one of the top-25 rookies in Major League BaseballJeff Passan explains why Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison make the Brewers differentFor More Great Wisconsin Sports ContentFollow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!

As Memorial Day comes and goes this MLB season, each team’s records and statistics now honestly reflect its 2026 outlook. Although endless streaks and narratives are still to come, first-place teams through the turn of June have made the postseason 83% of the time since the updated format in 2022.That said, the number has dropped to just 58% of first-place teams going on to win their respective divisions since then. At this point, division races across the league are still in a developmental phase, yet the first third of the 2026 season has set up for some interesting battles to observe.An Entire Division Above .500There’s a chance that the National League Central could have been voted as the least likely group to have every team above .500 entering June. Through two months, the opposite is true.Since April 15, all five teams have been at .500 or better, unexpectedly forming the newest powerhouse division. Expectations around the Milwaukee Brewers – who’ve won the Central four out of the last five times – and the Chicago Cubs have primarily been met. The other three teams, however, have been a surprise.The St. Louis Cardinals may be the most unlikely team, not just in the NL Central but in all of baseball. As the youngest team in the league, St. Louis has excelled in close games and in avoiding strikeouts. They’re a combined 18-7 in games that go into extra innings and one-run outcomes.The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds represent the floor of the division, yet neither is lower than 13th in the league-wide standings. The Reds have gone 9-17 after an incredible 20-11 start, and the Pirates are finally capitalizing on Paul Skenes.As of May 31, Milwaukee holds a 4.5-game lead over Chicago. The last-place Reds only sit six games back, teeing up for a pivotal month of June.An Entire Division Below .500The American League West has been the worst division in baseball, and it hasn’t been close. It took until May 27 for the Seattle Mariners to take their spot atop the table, doing so with a 28-29 record.Beforehand, it was the Athletics who led, fluctuating around .500 for the first two months. Outside of the Texas Rangers and their bottom-10 offense, the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels have been outright horrible. For 16 days in May, the Astros and Angels had the worst records in the American League.Entering 2026, the AL West felt it was Seattle’s to lose. The A’s had an exciting offense but were far from contention; the Rangers had an 81-81 record written all over them, and the Astros were playing out the dying days of an empire.It’s been the Mariners’ offense that’s held them back from a 10-plus-game lead going into June. Instead, they hold 2.5 wins over Texas and the A’s, with Houston 4.5 back and LA staring down an eight-game hole.Payroll AnomaliesThe two other division leaders in the AL sit in first while ranking last in payroll. Both the Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians are fifth in total payroll in the AL East and Central, respectively, yet beat teams like the $291 million New York Yankees and the $210 million Detroit Tigers.Tampa Bay leads New York by only 1.5 games in June, but has been in first place for three weeks and counting. The pair has separated early on, with the third-place Toronto Blue Jays already nine games back and the dumpster-fire Boston Red Sox 12 games back. The Rays are executing a low-market, small-ball style of play to perfection, and it’s been winning them games.Similarly, Cleveland matches Tampa Bay with better results. Since 2020, the Guardians haven’t left the bottom seven in total payroll, yet have four postseason appearances and three division titles to show for it. 2026 seems no exception to that, with Cleveland trotting into June at 34-27. Surprisingly enough, the Chicago White Sox appear as the biggest threat, also above .500 and only a game back.It’s both Tampa Bay’s and Cleveland’s second time in first place entering June since 2022. Both made the postseason last time it happened.Rightful HeirsThere are the pleasant surprises of Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and even the Athletics as division leaders at one point. Then there are the tyrants sitting in first, as no surprise.The Los Angeles Dodgers have some room to breathe in the NL West, over five games atop the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks. However, the two-time defending champions do not have the best record after May. That belongs to the Atlanta Braves.After injuries derailed Atlanta’s 2025 campaign, they’ve come out of the gate hot and are widely regarded as one of, if not the, best teams of 2026. They have a monster nine-game lead in the NL East, taking advantage of sluggish starts from the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. In front of those two lies the Washington Nationals in second place at 31-29, with, shockingly, the best offense in the sport.All six current division leaders in baseball look primed to make a World Series push. Top-heavy teams like the Dodgers seek their 13th NL West title in the last 14 seasons, while scrappy clubs like the Rays and Mariners look for just their fifth in franchise history.As the MLB season enters the dog days of summer, the upcoming months will reveal which teams truly have what it takes to win a division and go all the way.The post What Are the Most Enticing Division Races So Far in the MLB? appeared first on The Lead.

The 16-team field for the NCAA baseball super regionals is set. The NCAA Tournament's original field of 64 has been whittled down to eight two-team competitions. The eight super regional winners will go to Omaha for the College World Series later this month. USA TODAY Sports re-ranked the 16 teams left in the tournament. North Carolina, USC's next opponent, came in at No. 2:"When North Carolina's draw was revealed, there was a lot of hand-wringing about what looked like a regional of death," USA TODAY's Kevin Skiver wrote. "There was the big name in Tennessee, the sneaky auto-bid in East Carolina, and of course the treacherous No. 4 seed in VCU. The Tar Heels looked unfazed, dispatching VCU with ease behind normal Saturday night starter Ryan Lynch. Even with a less-than stellar outing from Jason DeCaro against ECU, the Tar Heels rallied and won. They're going to be a tough out moving forward."It has to concern USC -- and encourage North Carolina -- that the Tar Heels smoothly won their regional even though their staff ace, Jason DeCaro, did not pitch well. UNC is surely expecting DeCaro to pitch a lot better against USC. The Trojans, whose bats came alive in the College Station Regional, will simply have to send a message in Chapel Hill this weekend. USC didn't just hit a bunch of home runs against Texas State, Lamar, and Texas A&M; those were clutch home runs which came in high-leverage moments. Timely extra-base hits will need to remain part of the formula for the Trojans, who are two wins from Omaha.This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: North Carolina seen as national title contender entering USC series

We start this week with Jason’s story about one of the wildest hacking stories in a while. Hackers simply asked Meta’s AI to change the email address on a target Instagram account, and the chatbot did so. Insane. After the break, Emanuel tells us about Amazon’s internal leaderboard for tracking AI usage and how it was cheated. In the subscribers-only section, we provided an update on our lawsuit against ICE. Listen to the weekly podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Become a paid subscriber for access to this episode's bonus content and to power our journalism. If you become a paid subscriber, check your inbox for an email from our podcast host Transistor for a link to the subscribers-only version! You can also add that subscribers feed to your podcast app of choice and never miss an episode that way. The email should also contain the subscribers-only unlisted YouTube link for the extended video version too. It will also be in the show notes in your podcast player. ⁠Hackers Simply Asked Meta AI to Give Them Access to High-Profile Instagram Accounts. It Worked⁠⁠Amazon Shuts Down Internal AI Leaderboard After Employees Cheated⁠⁠We Sued ICE to Get Its Spyware Contract. The Agency Is Redacting Essentially Everything⁠

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10561-0Reply to: The size of tropical vegetation gross primary production

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01793-1Passive heart-rate monitoring during regular phone use could provide early warning of health issues — plus, testing Richard Feynman’s solution to the ‘restaurant dilemma’ problem.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10604-6ATG8 conjugation on damaged lysosomes triggers rapid assembly of a protein complex containing TFG, which directs lysosomal membrane repair by recruiting ESCRT proteins to sites of damage.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10597-2A non-canonical metabolic route for spermine synthesis mediated by ALDH18A1 limits iron availability and lipid peroxidation in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01759-3Recovering plastic packaging from mixed domestic waste, as well as collecting plastic waste already sorted by households, increases recycling volumes but raises contamination and safety risks. Policies that support the sorting of plastics from mixed waste at central facilities should have strict quality standards and investment in advanced purification systems to ensure safe recycling outcomes.

Dec. 22, 2011; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Kellen Moore following the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the 2011 Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium. Boise State defeated Arizona State 56-24. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images On Tuesday, the National Football Foundation (NFF) announced the former players under consideration for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2027 and former Boise State quarterback and current New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore has made the list again and rightfully so.While Moore may be more known around New Orleans for his leadership of the Saints, he had a pretty prestigious college football career before later gravitating so naturally into coaching.The former Boise State QB was named First Team All-American and Quarterback of the Year twice (2010 and 2011) He also set records to become the NCAA’s passer rating leader (2010) and completion percentage leader (2011) and earned three conference Player of the Year honors (2-WAC and 1-MWC).Moore is currently Boise State’s all-time leading passer (14,667 yards) He played 53 in games for the Broncos throwing 142 TDs and just 28 INTs for a passer rating of 169. After leading Boise State to 50-3 record, Kellen Moore is highly respected as the winningest quarterback in college football history.The NFF’s 2027 ballot includes 80 players and nine coaches from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 99 players and 39 coaches from the NCAA divisional and NAIA ranks and was emailed to more than 12,000 NFF members and current NFF Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the 2027 class.To see all the players on the 2027 ballot, visit Game’s Greatest Legends Headline 2027 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Ballot – National Football FoundationThe announcement of the 2027 NFF Hall of Fame Class will take place next January with the induction ceremony taking place later in the year during the NFF Annual Awards Dinner.

MOBILE, AL - NOVEMBER 01: Jaden Dugger #3 of the Ragin' Cajuns celebrates making a tackle during the third quarter of the game between Louisiana and South Alabama at Hancock Whitney Bank Stadium on November 1, 2025 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Ragin' Cajuns Athletics/university Images via Getty images) The San Francisco 49ers traded a linebacker they selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, as Dee Winters entered the final year of his contract. Winters looked the part last season, playing alongside Fred Warner for the first month and a half of the season.You could only point to one blemish, and that was more a case of Winters playing in a difficult spot against the Rams than of him being a bad matchup. Winters took his lumps so the rest of the defense could flourish.It’s not a 1-for-1 swap for 2026, but the 49ers drafted Jaden Dugger in the fifth round in hopes that he could be an asset on defense at some point over the next couple of years.Dugger has the foundation you’re looking for to play the position. He’ll need to improve his processing, willingness to take on blocks, and overall tenacity and instincts. But you can’t teach his speed, frame, or ability to tackle. There’s plenty to work with for the 49ers coaching staff.The 49ers have a new linebackers coach. Well, kinda. K.J. Wright holds that title this season, although it’s a position he’s been hands-on with since joining the 49ers. Wright had nothing but positive things to say about Dugger on Tuesday.It didn’t take long for Wright to want Dugger. He said, “I kid you not, when I watched Dugger and the first 15 plays, I was like, ‘I’ve got to have this dude. I’ve got to have him. I just looked at his frame, I looked at his speed, and he had this one play that not too many linebackers can make. It was a reverse. It started to his right, and it went to his left. Most guys are late on reverses, but I saw this guy move to his right, and he went to his left so quick.”Dugger had himself a week at the East-West Shrine game. That’s likely how he first landed on the 49ers radar:Louisiana Linebacker Jaden Dugger!!!🚨🚨🚨East-West Shrine Bowl Practice Film!🔥– Very underrated linebacker– Hidden Gem– Great overall linebacker– He can do it all!– Very good athlete– Great speed – Great in coverage – Great in the box – Great tackler– Big play… pic.twitter.com/jyfBqprDiz— Linebackers University™ (@Linebackers_U) January 30, 2026Wright spoke about a few traits of Dugger’s you can see in the clip above that he found during the evaluation process: “So, long, athletic, smart. His football IQ is something that you all are going to love about him. Really, really smart linebacker, and really good player. I fell in love in the first 15 plays.”Wright was one of the most underrated linebackers of the 2010s. If he says a linebacker is smart, we should take his word for it. What Dugger has working in his favor is versatility. Wright said the team knows what they’re getting from Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, but that other linebacker needs to be versatile: “They’re going to be here, they’re going to be there. You gotta be asked to do different things in different situations. You gotta be able to have a nice toolbox to stay on the football field.”Wright believes Dugger is similiar to himself: “Both tall. He’s faster than I am. He’s longer. I know I’m a long guy, but he’s got these long arms. But I really love smart linebackers, guys that can see the game good. Guys that can anticipate plays is something that I love. When I saw that from Dugger — he can bed as well. So watch Dugger when he makes tackles. A lot of guys play high, really high. He’s a guy that can bend, sink in his hips, and find a way to still make really good plays.”Wright acknowledged Dugger “has a ways to go,” but added “this guy’s going to be a really, really, sepcial player.”

After a difficult month of May, Erick Fedde takes the mound looking to give the White Sox a much-needed quality start in the series finale against Minnesota. | (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) The White Sox limp into the finale of this three-game set looking to avoid a sweep before finally getting a much-needed off-day. The timing couldn’t be better, because after Minnesota, the schedule turns downright cruel. Chicago’s next 12 games come against the Phillies, Braves, Dodgers, and Yankees. Every one of those clubs is above .500, and Atlanta currently owns the best record in baseball.Oddly enough, offense hasn’t been the biggest problem this week. Even without Munetaka Murakami in the lineup, the Sox have shown they can still score enough runs to compete. The pitching staff, however, has been another story. David Sandlin was knocked around in Monday’s opener, and Davis Martin endured his roughest outing of the season in Tuesday night’s loss. That leaves Erick Fedde with the task of stopping the skid.Which version of Fedde shows up will go a long way toward deciding this game. The veteran righthander enters at 0-5 with a 5.40 ERA, but those numbers hide two very different seasons. In April, Fedde looked like a reliable mid-rotation arm, posting a 2.86 ERA and 0.99 WHIP while consistently giving at least five innings. May, on the other hand, was a disaster. He reached five innings only once, was tagged for a 9.00 ERA, and opponents hit .360 against him. With Noah Schultz expected back at some point, Fedde needs to start showing signs of life, or he may find himself on the waiver wire.The Twins counter with righthander Taj Bradley, who has rebounded nicely after a rocky finish to last season following his arrival from Tampa Bay in the Griffin Jax trade. Bradley is 5-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, though he is coming off his shortest outing of the year after allowing four runs in four innings against Pittsburgh last week. Bradley attacks hitters with a power four-seamer that sits 96-97 mph, along with a cutter, splitter, and curveball. The White Sox would be wise not to go hunting that fastball. Bradley’s breaking-ball metrics are far less impressive than his fastball numbers, so the recipe is simple: stay disciplined, don’t chase, force deep counts, take the walks when they’re there, and make him throw secondary pitches in the strike zone. When the Sox get a mistake, they need to elevate it.The lineup reflects that approach. Sam Antonacci gets another shot atop the order after continuing to provide quality at-bats and speed on the bases. Miguel Vargas remains one of the club’s hottest hitters and will bat second, while Andrew Benintendi slides into the DH spot. Colson Montgomery hits cleanup, and Chase Meidroth’s on-base ability will be important against a strikeout pitcher like Bradley, while Jacob Gonzalez, Tristan Peters, Drew Romo, and Rikuu Nishida round out a lineup that will need patience as much as power this afternoon.View LinkFor Minnesota, Byron Buxton and Brooks Lee headline a lineup that has already done plenty of damage in this series. The Twins have scored 15 runs over the first two games and will be looking to keep the pressure on Chicago’s pitching staff, searching for answers.View LinkOne more game before the off day. The Sox would like nothing more than to head home to face Atlanta with a win and avoid carrying a sweep into what may be the toughest stretch of their season.First pitch is set for 12:40 p.m. CT on CHSN, with radio coverage on ESPN 1000.Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!

Rory McIlroy has urged US Open officials to prevent green speeds from becoming "too out of hand" at Shinnecock Hills, insisting that the notoriously challenging surfaces are already fast enough. The Northern Irishman’s comments come after a reconnaissance visit to the Long Island course, ahead of this week’s Memorial Tournament in Ohio.During his Monday stop, McIlroy expressed pleasant surprise at the generous width of the fairways, found the depth of the rough unsurprising, and was content with the current playability of the greens. However, with a forecast predicting nearly two weeks of sun, temperatures in the low to mid-20s Celsius, and minimal rain, he fears conditions could rapidly accelerate.Concerns over excessively slick putting surfaces have plagued previous US Opens, with balls famously rolling off greens. The last time Shinnecock hosted the tournament in 2018, Phil Mickelson incurred a two-shot penalty for hitting his ball while it was still moving to prevent it from disappearing off a false front – a stark reminder of the course’s potential for extreme conditions.Rory McIlroy does not want green speeds at the US Open to get ‘out of hand’ (PA Wire)"The fairways are very generous. They’re more generous than they were in 2018 but the first cut of rough is five inches long," McIlroy stated. "The greens are rolling around 11, 11.2 (anything over 12 is considered fast and last year’s US Open at Oakmont was between 13 and 14), something like that and I really don’t think they need to get much faster. “I think if they can keep them at that speed they can get them firm and use the hole locations that they want to use without having some of the struggles that they have had the last couple of US Opens. It’s all about them just maintaining the green speeds really where they are and not getting them too out of hand and I think it will be a great week."McIlroy is currently playing only his sixth regular PGA Tour event of the year, a reflection of his decision to tailor his schedule to personal circumstances. While he remains unconcerned about future changes to the tour, he acknowledges that playing less reduces his chances of securing the lucrative end-of-year FedEx Cup. "I would back myself to finish in that top 100 or whatever it is (to retain his status) if I play a limited schedule," he added. "Does it mean it makes it harder for myself to win the FedEx Cup or whatever the season-long title race is going to be called? Absolutely, but I’m OK with that because it brings balance to my life and lets me enjoy things outside of the game."Meanwhile, world number one Scottie Scheffler is aiming for a third successive victory at the Memorial Tournament in Muirfield, hosted by 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus. Scheffler remarked: "The last two years don’t mean much when you stand on the first tee. But this is a golf course I’ve had some success at and this will be a cool place to be able to accomplish something like winning the same tournament three years in a row, especially with it being Jack’s place."

Houston Stratford three-star interior offensive lineman Ty Greene has committed to TCU, according to Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman.He chose the Horned Frogs over the likes of Houston, Baylor, Oklahoma State and Kansas State.Greene is the No. 88 IOL and No. 129 player in Texas in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He checks in as the No. 1,057 prospect overall.[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]The towering 6-foot-6, 290-pounder is locking in with head coach Sonny Dykes and the in-state Big 12 program after taking an official visit to Fort Worth over the weekend.“I’m loving it,” Greene told Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman while on his OV. “The highlights have probably been the facilities and the belief the coaches have in all of the players. I just feel like I could thrive there.”Greene is the second OL recruit to choose TCU this cycle, flanking Crowley (Texas) three-star offensive tackle Alexander Herrera. An up-to-date look at the Frogs’ 2027 haul can be seen here.

LGBTQ Nation will be sharing your pictures of Pride throughout May and June. Submit your own if you want to be included! In the small town of Neenah, along the banks of Lake Winnebago in rural Wisconsin, Pride was alive and thriving one night last year when Jesse Moore and his wife, Joline, attended their first Trans Day of Visibility celebration together. Their picture captures the moment. Related “She loves me for me”: This small town trans man proposed to his wife at an Easter egg hunt “I want to show people what true love is, and if they love you, they will always support you and stand by your side,” Jesse tells LGBTQ Nation of Joline. “This world is a scary place for the LGBTQ community right now, and I want to stand up and share my pride with the world.” Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The small-town event was put on by Hate Free Outagamie, a grassroots LGBTQ+ coalition in the area that advocates for inclusivity and transgender rights. “Neenah is a small town with all the benefits of a small town, but despite its size, there is still a great queer community here,” Jesse says. The couple met online about 20 years ago — “on MySpace!” Jesse exclaims — when Joline “messaged me and told me I was cute. We chatted online, via video calls on AOL, and on the phone for a few weeks before meeting in person.”It wasn’t long before a proposal, in the form of an Easter egg hunt for Joline. “We had talked about it together and knew we wanted to get married, but I used one of those crayons to write ‘Will you marry me?’ while dying eggs with my family.” The colorful question earned an immediate “yes” from Joline. Several years later, Jesse announced his transition. “I had always been more masculine presenting, but she had no clue,” Jesse says. “I was so scared and nervous. My fears were that she loved women, and also the reaction from her side of the family.” But Jesse’s honesty — which he calls “the true foundation of a relationship” — paid off. Joline’s surprise was overwhelmed by the same quality that she’d always provided her husband: her support. “I was surprised,” Joline says. “He had always dressed more ‘butch,’ but I had no idea. However, I have always said that I am attracted to someone for who they are, not because of what sex they are.” “She loves me for me,” Jesse adds. And like him, Joline can now see the man that Jesse “was always meant to be.” “Jesse is my home,” says Joline. “We have been together for almost 20 years, and I cannot imagine my life without him.” “It is currently a scary time for a lot of people in the U.S., especially for those in our community,” she says. “I hope people can see our story and feel the confidence to be themselves. There is a community here of amazing people that deserve the same rights as anyone else.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10637-xChiral perovskite superlattices exhibit room-temperature circularly polarized superfluorescence, with emission intensity and polarization controllable by weak magnetic fields.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01582-wAn analysis of the extent to which mining caused deforestation between 2001 and 2020 in areas near mines in sub-Saharan Africa could help conservation efforts.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10557-wEmbedding a small fraction of force-sensitive mechanophores as cross-links into common polymers enhances ballistic energy dissipation.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01580-yWhen considering what shapes animal development, factors such as genetics come to mind. For a queen bee, however, her special wax home also has a role.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10592-7A diet–microbiome–host axis strengthens mucosal immune defences and reinforces host–microbiota mutualism.

TikToker Cody Gould’s 740-square-foot rental is packed with concrete walls, reclaimed details, original art, and a green kitchen painted with car paint. READ MORE...

If Brendan Sorsby is allowed to play quarterback for Texas Tech this season via injunction or some other manner of legal sorcery, it will represent the new standard for humiliation in America’s all-out judicial assault on the NCAA rulebook.Even if you concede the validity of arguments around gambling addiction as illness and that Sorsby’s mental health would be better served by playing college football — arguments that Texas Tech and Sorsby’s legal representation are making on his behalf — the behavior was so egregious that it’s not really worth debate.After admitting to making thousands of bets worth more than $90,000, including some on teams he was playing for, three things should be self-evident: The NCAA was correct to rule him permanently ineligible, Sorsby should not play another down of college football and Texas Tech should be embarrassed as an institution that it has not already told him to leave campus immediately and never come back.This is simple, foundational stuff, and a suspension isn’t going to cut it. Any other outcome than Judge Ken Curry upholding the NCAA’s decision for a permanent ban opens the door to existential disaster — not just for college sports but perhaps all sports. If a line cannot be drawn here when it comes to college athletes gambling on college sports, can it really be drawn anywhere?Merely given the facts that are now public, the attempt to salvage Sorsby’s college career should shock the senses. Instead, it seems like business as usual in the systemic picking apart of the NCAA rulebook from within, aided and abetted by the schools that claim to want order.Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby shouts during a Red Raider basketball game on Jan. 24. John E. Moore III via Getty ImagesHow did it get this way? Where did people in college sports get the idea that it was OK to mangle the rulebook — not because they believe the rules are inherently or morally wrong but because of a momentary imperative to win?There are flashpoints that led to this inevitable race to the bottom, but the one I keep coming back to happened nearly 16 years ago — a sliding doors moment the NCAA has paid for almost every day since.Yes, looking back, the $180,000 figure attached to Cam Newton and the greatest individual season in college football history now seems quaint. What would a talent like Newton have been worth on the open, mostly unregulated NIL market in 2026? $5 million? $7 million? Heck, $20 million wouldn’t have been unreasonable given the national title he almost single-handedly delivered for Auburn that season.But it’s possible for two things to be true at once: NCAA rules that prohibited someone like Newton from being paid his market value were unjust AND creating loopholes in those rules so Newton wouldn’t get pulled off the field in the midst of a Heisman Trophy run and championship season was a Pandora’s Box that accelerated the culture of using legal threats for schools to reverse an outcome they don’t like.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentFor those whose memories are fuzzy, here’s the basic version: When Newton was coming out of Blinn Junior College, his father shopped him around, and specifically to Mississippi State for $180,000. That is not conjecture; it is fact — a fact that led to Auburn declaring Newton ineligible on Nov. 30 of that season.But Auburn, of course, never intended for Newton to stop playing. It was a procedural move that, as the scandal blew up publicly over several weeks, was part of a deal struck between the NCAA enforcement staff, Newton’s lawyer and then-SEC commissioner Mike Slive to make sure he would be able to play in the SEC championship and ultimately the BCS championship game.Did the NCAA have hard evidence that Auburn paid Newton? No, but under the rules they really didn’t need it. So instead, they came up with this to avoid an ugly lawsuit: If Newton didn’t know his father was trying to sell him to the highest bidder — and, of course he claimed he didn’t — then the NCAA had to reinstate him.Not everybody agreed with that rationale. As then-Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told the New York Times: “Who is closer to a player than the parent?” Delany said. “If that person is found to be shopping that player, I think the rule-of-agency principle could easily apply. I would argue in the environment we’re in that it should apply.”It was a particularly stinging outcome at USC, which just a few months earlier was hammered over the Reggie Bush scandal when the same principle did not seem to matter.“I was always told the parent is the child,” then-Trojans athletic director Pat Haden said at the time.Whether or not you believe the Newton outcome was the right one, this was the primary takeaway from the whole ordeal: Lawyer up, threaten and sue if you have to because everything in college sports is built on a house of sand. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that over the next 15 years, everyone started copying those same tactics. The SEC even hired Newton’s lawyer, William King, and made him in-house counsel.One case after another built upon the idea that the rules were meaningless, fungible and could be twisted to fit a situation. That meant some bad rules were going to be dismantled, but perhaps some good ones, too. Get denied eligibility after a transfer? Find a friendly attorney general willing to sue the NCAA. Your NIL deal got rejected? Find the nearest court of law. Oh, your basketball player isn’t allowed to play because he got drafted by the NBA and has been a pro in six different countries? Find a friendly local judge to do a solid for his alma mater.When that becomes the culture — and it is now the defining culture of college sports — we cannot be surprised that we find ourselves in a situation where a high-profile transfer quarterback, with the backing of his coach and institution, is now challenging perhaps the most incontrovertible rule in sports: Don’t bet on your own games.I’m not trying to draw any equivalence here between Newton being paid and Sorsby gambling or anything that has happened in between.But this is where it leads when you’re making it up as you go along, when you chicken out of applying a rule that you’ve all agreed to for the sake of expedience. Even if the rule is a bad one — and ultimately most people now believe someone like Newton should obviously be paid what he’s worth as a college athlete — in many ways, that was the moment that broke the NCAA.Now we’ll see if yet another judge is willing to apply the finishing blow. If Sorsby plays for Texas Tech next season, everyone can turn out the lights. Whatever’s left of law and order in college sports is over.

Texas' hopes of repeating as champions in the Women's College World Series fall largely on the shoulders of first baseman Katie Stewart. The SEC Player of the Year helped Texas get past Tennessee in the semifinals with a clutch home run in Game 1, but an injury in Game 2 has fans worried about her availability for the Championship Series.Stewart took a hard hit ball off the face, resulting in coach Mike White removing her from the game during the sixth inning. Texas went on to win while Stewart finished the victories over Tennessee with two home runs, two RBI and two runs scored.So, will Stewart's injury affect her in the Championship Series? Here's what we know?Will Katie Stewart play in Championship Series?She sure will. Stewart told reporters Tuesday, "My Lip's good. It's fine." She plans to be out there vs. Texas Tech.Who is Katie Stewart? One of the nation's best hitters. She ranks fourth nationally this season with 30 home runs, plus she's 11th in RBI (77) and ninth in slugging percentage (.989).This article originally appeared on For The Win: Katie Stewart injury update: Will Texas softball star play in NCAA Championship Series after injury?

The Miami Dolphins held their second mandatory minicamp session on Wednesday at their Baptist Health Training Complex, and during the practice, the team seemed to have some bad luck.According to those in attendance, offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer left the field on a cart in the middle of the session.More to come...More Dolphins: Super Bowl champion LB tabbed as Dolphins top trade candidateThis article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins offensive lineman carted off of practice field on Wednesday

Myles Garrett was added to the Commanders schedule earlier this week. The Cleveland Browns weren’t suddenly part of Washington’s slate. Garrett became one after being traded to the Los Angeles Rams in a blockbuster deal made official on Monday. The Rams got Garrett. The Browns got young edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a conditional 2029 third-round pick. That means Garrett will face the Commanders in a Week 9 matchup at Northwest Stadium. He almost exclusively lines up over the left tackle, creating an epic matchup with Washington’s Laremy Tunsil one of the best at his position. There’s a mutual respect between these two titans, which Tunsil made clear in a recent podcast appearance on “Strong Talk” posted by Men’s Health Magazine. “Myles Garrett is the best defensive player in the NFL,” Tunsil said. “I’ve been playing against Myles since he was a freshman in college and that had to be, like, (2014). We’ve been battling ever since. Every time we see each other, it’s respect. It’s a different type of lock in, because he doesn’t want to lose and I don’t want to lose. We play the Rams in (Week 9), so it’ll be another fun one.” Garrett is a challenge for any offensive lineman, and even the best of them get got. That’s why he’s the single-season sacks leader and has 125.5 in his career. The four-time, first-team All-Pro has had at least 10 sacks in each season since 2018, an incredible run in Cleveland that now transfers to Los Angeles. Tunsil has been shockingly effective against Garrett, as illustrated by this great stat from Commanders team reporter Zach Selby. The Commanders play the Rams in Week 9, and just as a reminder, Laremy Tunsil has given up just one pressure against Myles Garrett since 2018 — the lowest allowed to Garrett in that time frame. The midseason matchup between the two should be a fun watch— Zach Selby (@ZachSelbyWC) June 1, 2026The initial meeting Tunsil referred to came on Oct. 11, 2014, when Garrett was a true freshman at Texas A&M and Tunsil was at Mississippi. They’ve battled several times since then, as each went on to stardom at their respective positions. Tunsil was drafted No. 13 overall in 2016 – he should’ve gone much earlier, if not for a draft-day controversy – and Garrett went at No. 1 overall the following year. Garrett said on the Chasing10Fishing show run my Randy Moss, while having a conversation with Will Anderson, said that Tunsil was the last guy who made Garrett feel frustrated. Myles Garrett & Will Anderson Jr. on @chasing10fishin w/ Randy Moss on tackles that give them trouble:“First person to give me problems in my career was David Bakhtiari. Last time I felt like I was frustrated w/ somebody was probably Laremy [Tunsil].” -MG“I go against him… pic.twitter.com/Z2MyvMqdIx— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 3, 2026If both guys are healthy in Week 9, that individual matchup should be theater within the greater context of the game.

Birmingham Groves running back Jeremiah Whitley had to wait for Mario Campoy-LoVasco, who held four Division I offers, and three-star Toledo commit Noah Sanders, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, to graduate before getting his chance to start.Now the 5-foot-11, 205-pound incoming senior is at the front of the line.Quite literally.Whitley was one of hundreds who participated in Sound Mind Sound Body Academy’s annual National College Showcase on Monday, June 1, at Wayne State University.They competed in front of head coaches and assistants from nearly 75 colleges, including Michigan, Michigan State and recent national champion Indiana.And there was Whitley, leading the running back group in every drill. He demonstrated how to juke, stiff-arm and cut in front of nearly a dozen coaches recruiting for his position.Alabama State assistant Juwan Lewis explained each drill, and Whitley was one of five players in a group of about 60 selected to go first each time. Coaches from Akron, Davenport, Ferris State, Kent State, Tiffin and Saginaw Valley State huddled around the practice area.Afterward, Whitley got feedback from several coaches, hoping those early relationships turn into campus visits and, of course, offers.“They really just want to see my timed speed,” Whitley said. “They want to know how fast I really am. This is their first time seeing how fast I am as my recruiting starts to open up. They really didn’t know who I was before, so it’s good they’re finally finding out.”On the radarOn one hand, it’s easy to see why Whitley remains a bit unknown. On the other, it’s surprising colleges are just now finding out about him.After Groves’ run to the Division 2 state semifinals in 2024, which included a heartbreaking one-point loss to eventual state champion Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, many expected the Falcons to take a step back in 2025.After all, they graduated four-star Michigan offensive lineman Avery Gach, Michigan State receiver Nick Hardy and Grand Valley State defensive back Chris Little.Instead, they overcame a 2-3 start by winning seven straight games to repeat as district and regional champions before falling to eventual state runner-up Dexter in the final four.Leading the charge was Whitley, who broke out after spending his sophomore season on JV while Campoy-LoVasco and Sanders dominated the backfield.As a junior, he carried 117 times for a school-record 1,421 yards and 17 touchdowns. He averaged more than 8 yards per carry and also caught eight passes for 117 yards, good enough to earn Hometown Life's Offensive Player of the Year honor. That’s saying something, considering Campoy-LoVasco (1,074 rushing yards) and Sanders (1,097) cracked Groves’ all-time single-season rushing leaderboard in 2023 and 2024, respectively.And Whitley wasn’t putting up those numbers against scrubs.RELATED: Folsom's favorites: Meet the 2025 Hometown Life All-Area football teamGroves again played in the Oakland Activities Association-White, which has produced recent state champions Southfield A&T and Harper Woods. The Falcons also faced a difficult playoff path.Whitley accounted for 570 yards and nine touchdowns in Groves’ first two playoff games alone. That included a school-record 322 rushing yards and six touchdowns against Warren Mott in the district opener.Sure, maybe colleges weren’t paying much attention to the Falcons, who weren’t expected to return to the state semifinals.But how do you ignore numbers like the ones Whitley put up in his first season as Groves’ starting running back?College watchAs he continues making campus visits this offseason, schools are getting a firsthand look at what he’s done over the past year. He has visited or attended camps at Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Northwood, SVSU and Western Michigan. Penn and Northern Illinois have also stopped by Groves to visit him at school.LOOK BACK: Meet Jeremiah Whitley, the record-breaking RB for Birmingham Groves footballNow he plans to spend the summer narrowing his options with hopes of choosing a college before his senior season begins at the annual Amazon Prep Kickoff against North Farmington on Aug. 28 at WSU.For now, he’s working on the little things that will make him more marketable on the recruiting trail.“I’ve been working on my open-field cuts when I’m at the second or third level, going against a linebacker or safety,” Whitley said. “I want to make them miss or at least run them over, however it may go. I’m definitely working on my speed, for sure, and I already have the strength from staying in the weight room. I just want to get even faster than I already am.“And I’m working on my pass blocking, 100%. Last year was my first year actually pass blocking. The running part isn’t what the colleges are looking at. They’re looking at the other stuff, like pass blocking and running routes out of the backfield. So those have been the main things I’ve been focused on this offseason.”Once again, Groves graduated plenty of talent, led by offensive tackle Mattia Andriano, a 6-4, 300-pound GVSU commit who helped pave the way for Whitley’s breakout season.That leaves the Falcons as somewhat of an unknown entering the fall.But that’s OK.Whitley isn’t worried, nor does he feel any pressure. He knows the talent is there for Groves to have another strong rushing attack.“We’ve got a nice group coming in, with three linemen returning, including my center, Darin Caza, tackle, Henry Roberts, and my other tackle, Judah Scobie,” Whitley said. “Mattia was a beast, for sure, but we’ve got another beast coming in in sophomore Desmond Walker, and he’s 6-4, 270. A lot of people don’t know about him because he’s so young, but he’ll be a threat, for sure.”REPLAY: Birmingham Groves 'wins the response' at Lakeview, repeating as regional championsAnd so should Whitley, whose hard-nosed running style will keep Groves competitive as it moves down to the OAA-Blue for the first time in 11 years.Regardless, he’ll be tough to stop, especially if he has the confidence of knowing where he’ll play college football before taking his first snap as a senior this August.Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life and the Detroit Free Press. Follow him on his new X.com account at @folsomwrites.This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Birmingham Groves RB Jeremiah Whitley aims to open eyes in encore year

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01691-6Nature talks to specialists about whether people might soon be diagnosed by artificial-intelligence systems.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10616-2The scattering of high-energy electrons from three different nuclei demonstrated that short-range-correlated pairing depends far more on the specific quantum orbitals occupied by nucleons than predicted by theoretical models.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01774-4Discover the strengths, limitations and risks associated with using artificial intelligence in your science job applications.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10517-4A Mamyshev oscillator mode-locked laser compactly integrated on a photonic-chip delivers nanojoule, femtosecond pulses.

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01741-zAn innovative method of mass spectrometry has detected the small protein ubiquitin on biomolecules other than proteins. In mouse liver, the energy-storing molecule glycogen has a large increase in ubiquitination — involving 1% of the liver’s total ubiquitin — during fasting, when glycogen is broken down.

Pulte’s one evident qualification is his eagerness to advance the president’s political revenge campaign.

After voting twice for Barack Obama, Iowa swung to the right. But the state has been hit hard economically and by Trump policies while growing disenchanted with its leaders.

How Tigers can incite a huge bidding war for Tarik Skubal at trade deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Detroit Tigers are looking like one of the worst teams in baseball this season, and while they've been better in June so far, they're still very much on the outside looking in for the playoff hunt.Unless they go on an incredible run, the Tigers are likely to be sellers at the trade deadline. In such a scenario, Tarik Skubal is sure to draw plenty of interest in the trade market.But, as CBS Sports' Mike Axisa highlighted, the Tigers actually could incite a massive bidding war for Skubal beyond the normal big spenders having interest. The way they can do so is simple: take on most, if not all, of Skubal's remaining contract.How Tigers can incite a huge Tarik Skubal bidding war"If the Tigers are smart," Axisa writes, "they'll pay down some (or all) of the $9 million or so that will still be owed to Skubal at the deadline to improve the return and get more teams involved."While clubs like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Diego Padres are sure to be interested in Skubal, some other teams might be on the outside looking in due to monetary constraints.Skubal is making $32 million this year, and at the deadline, a team acquiring him will owe Skubal $9 million or so. But the Tigers can take on that money and open the door for some other lower-spending clubs to join the fray.MORE: Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agencyTeams like the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and other small-market clubs seeking a postseason run and a new ace would have a much easier path to taking on Skubal's contract if they don't have to pay much, if any of it.Of course, such a change would mean the Tigers are going to ask for a bit more in the trade return, but since he's a half-season rental, the cost won't be too egregious for teams to spend to acquire Skubal.Adding the back-to-back Cy Young ace would be a dream outcome for any buyer at the trade deadline, and if the Tigers want to get the best return possible, allowing for these small-market teams to join in on the bidding war would be a great way to do so.More MLB news:5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for CardinalsEx-MLB GM projects White Sox to sell at trade deadline despite 2026 successCubs’ cost to trade for Tarik Skubal from Tigers revealed by ex-MLB GMYankees’ Ryan McMahon problem has a $25 million release solution Phillies extending Cristopher Sanchez to his $107 million deal was genius

The latest round of realignment has certainly created some geographic oddities within conferences.The most notable example is the Big Ten, which now spans from coast to coast with the additions of the four West Coast teams. The same can be said for the ACC, which now has two teams from the Bay Area and one from Texas in the "Atlantic Coast Conference."Things will get even wackier this season with movement in the Group of Five ranks as Texas State joins the new Pac-12, Northern Illinois moves to the Mountain West and FBS newcomer Sacramento State plays in the MAC.This has, understandably, created some headaches — particularly when it comes to travel for non-football sports. During a congressional hearing for the proposed "Protect College Sports Act," former Alabama coach Nick Saban voiced his support for regionally coherent conferences."I think it is in the best interest of student-athletes to have regional conferences," Saban said, per Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger."I don’t think it’s fair for someone at USC to have to go to Rutgers, whether field hockey or a football game," he added. "That’s crazy."Saban: "I don’t think it’s fair for someone at USC to have to go to Rutgers, whether field hockey or a football game. That’s crazy." https://t.co/BbV9Y3c0KA— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 3, 2026Conference realignment is nothing new in college football, and the SEC underwent two major expansions during Saban's tenure with the Crimson Tide. However, it could be argued that those moves — which added teams from Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri — still largely preserved the conference's geographic footprint in the southeast.Saban isn't the only one voicing concern about the increased travel demand in college sports. Still, geographically incoherent realignment moves were made to maximize conference revenue and improve the college football product.As long as those two things are accomplished, it doesn't seem Saban and others are going to get their way.Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Nick Saban wants regional conferences in college sports

Punjab Kings looked unstoppable during the opening phase of IPL 2026. Under Shreyas Iyer's leadership, the franchise stormed through the first half of the season without losing a game, collecting 13 points from their opening seven matches and establishing themselves as early title favourites. However, their campaign unravelled just as quickly as it had gathered momentum. Punjab suffered six consecutive defeats during the second half of the league stage and, despite ending the season with a victory, failed to recover sufficiently to secure a playoff berth. It was a stunning reversal for a team coached by Ricky Ponting and one that had appeared destined for a top-four finish. While Royal Challengers Bengaluru eventually lifted the trophy for a second successive season under Rajat Patidar, Gujarat Titans once again demonstrated their consistency by finishing runners-up. Rajasthan Royals reached Qualifier 2 on the back of another outstanding season from teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, while Sunrisers Hyderabad completed the playoff line-up after producing several strong performances throughout the campaign. Reflecting on the season, Sachin Tendulkar offered his assessment of Punjab's dramatic decline and highlighted how a shift in mindset may have contributed to their downfall. "Punjab Kings brought wonderful energy to the tournament. Their cricket was positive, brave and often game-changing. Momentum plays a crucial role in lengthy tournaments. Eventually, in such a fast-moving tournament, it boils down to process and not getting attached to results. Punjab focused more on process in the first half and more on results in the second," he wrote in a Reddit post. Tendulkar also reserved special praise for Gujarat Titans, who once again proved to be one of the most reliable teams in the competition. Despite falling short in the final, GT maintained the consistency that has become a hallmark of the franchise since its debut season in 2022. "What stands out about the Gujarat Titans is their ability to operate within a remarkably consistent performance band across an entire season. The IPL is inherently volatile, but GT rarely stray too far from their method, even when results fluctuate. They minimize both peaks and troughs, staying close to their brand of cricket more consistently than most teams. Over a long tournament, that ability to control uncertainty often proves more valuable than occasional bursts of brilliance or isolated match-winning performances," he wrote. The batting great also reflected on how quickly fortunes can change during a long IPL season, pointing out that early standings often provide little indication of where teams will eventually finish. "Looking back at IPL 2026, I was reminded that tournaments are rarely defined by how they begin. More than once this season, the table told a very different story at the halfway mark than it did at the end. Teams adjusted, players improved, and new solutions emerged as the competition progressed. The game demands constant evolution, and that is part of what makes it so fascinating to watch." Punjab Kings' campaign ultimately became one of the biggest talking points of IPL 2026. From setting the pace during the first half of the tournament to missing out on the playoffs altogether, their season served as a reminder of how quickly momentum can shift in the IPL.

That harsh reality of pulling off the blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett left the Los Angeles Rams with a decision they originally didn't want to make: Adding young edge rusher Jared Verse in the deal with the Cleveland Browns.Rams general manager Les Snead explained during an appearance on ESPN's Pat McAfee Show that the Rams had no intention of including Verse in the deal, but understood at the end that that was what it was going to take to land Garrett."You know, he's one of the few first-rounders that we've drafted over the last decade. And I believe he's exceeded that 19th pick, you know, in kind of what he's done on the field," Snead said. "And he's been a big part of what we've been able to accomplish the last three years. So, we did not want to trade Jared Verse. But in the end, that is what it took.""We did not want to trade Jared Verse."Rams GM Les Snead talks about what it meant to trade Jared Verse for Myles Garrett 🏈(via @patmcafeeshow) pic.twitter.com/BGU1qcHxfb— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) June 3, 2026The Rams reportedly "hounded" the Browns about a Garrett deal, but were only able to secure the trade once they agreed to include Verse.Losing an elite, 25-year-old pass rusher who is still playing on his affordable rookie contract is a gut-wrenching pill for the front office to swallow. However, swapping Verse's high-volume disruption for Garrett’s generational, elite finishing ability immediately vaults the Rams' defense into Super Bowl-ready status. Snead's blockbusters have always been defined by a willingness to part with massive assets for established gold, and while losing Verse hurts the blueprint, adding a two-time Defensive Player of the Year means the Rams are entirely maximized for the 2026 season.This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams GM Les Snead 'didn't want to trade Jared Verse' in Garrett deal

The New York Knicks will reportedly have center Mitchell Robinson available to them for Wednesday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.Robinson underwent surgery last week to repair a fractured fifth metacarpal in his right hand. Despite the procedure, he was clear about being ready to play Game 1.This story will be updated.