ESPN’s Jay Bilas calls NCAA tournament expansion to 76 teams unnecessary

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ESPN’s Jay Bilas calls NCAA tournament expansion to 76 teams unnecessary

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ESPN college basketball broadcaster Jay Bilas said that the NCAA’s decision to expand the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments to 76 teams was unnecessary.

Bilas, 62, said that while he is indifferent to the NCAA’s decision to expand, no one was clamoring for it.

“I don’t want to say I don’t care, but I’m not bothered by it. It’s not a decision I would have chosen for the NCAA because — I’m not one of those ‘if it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ guys, because nobody ever says, ‘if it’s not broke, don’t improve it or or don’t maintain it.’ But I don’t think it was necessary,” Bilas told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.

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Sports broadcaster Jay Bilas golfing at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course

Sports broadcaster Jay Bilas plays golf during the first practice round at the ACC Celebrity Golf Championship 2025 at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nev., on July 9, 2025. (David Calvert/Getty Images for American Century Investments)

“Nobody was clamoring to see a .500 team from a major conference making the tournament.”

Bilas noted that had the tournament been expanded for this past season’s tournament, there would have been .500 teams in the tournament.

In the new expanded tournament, the first two days of the tournament would look drastically different. On that Tuesday and Wednesday, there would be 12 games played between 24 teams due to the eight added at-large bids. The games would be played at two different sites.

Bilas said it might be “a little bit confusing” for the average fan to fill out their bracket. He called the added play-in games “inconsequential.”

“The overwhelming majority of fans don’t think the tournament starts until the first Thursday of the 64-team bracket,” Bilas said.

NCAA TOURNAMENTS EXPAND TO 76 TEAMS: NEW FORMAT, REVENUE BOOM, AND ADDITIONAL GAMES AHEAD

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas standing courtside at Madison Square Garden

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas stands courtside before the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Florida Atlantic Owls at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 5, 2023. (Porter Binks/Getty Images)

“People still watch the games and especially the basketball nerds like me will watch religiously, but for most fans, they’re kind of — I don’t want to say inconsequential, but they are.”

Bilas did say that the teams who win the play-in games will be rewarded financially for them.

“What it does is give a bunch of teams a chance to win an NCAA tournament game. Even though most fans won’t give them credit for it, they’ll get money credit. They’ll get an NCAA tournament unit and be able to say, ‘Hey, we won an NCAA tournament game, even though it was against a team with the exact same seed,’” Bilas said.

“It’s fine. I don’t think it’s as big a deal as some are making out of it,” Bilas continued.  “Money is a good reason to do something. I’m cool with that.”

UConn head coach Danny Hurley was among the coaches who were concerned tournament expansion could devalue the regular season. Bilas said he understands Hurley’s point and agrees.

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Jay Bilas preparing to broadcast at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina

ESPN College GameDay host Jay Bilas prepares to broadcast ahead of the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., on Feb. 1, 2025. (Lance King/Getty Images)

“I understand it, and I think it does a little bit. So, the argument about who’s in, who’s out is diminished. Now, if we’re going to have .500 teams out of major conferences that make the tournament now, do I think that’s good? No, I don’t,” Bilas said.

“But it’s not that big of a deal. Most of those teams are going to be out by the first weekend anyway. You may have somebody that puts it together at the end of the year and is better than their record, but I think that horse is already out of the barn.”

American Century Tournament

Bilas will be playing in the American Century Tournament July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe.

The tournament has raised more than $8 million for regional and national charities. American Century Investments donates 40% of its profits to the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and activates fundraising at the tournament to drive direct donations to Stowers each year.

Bilas said he was invited six or seven years ago and called it the equivalent of a PGA Tour player getting invited to the Masters.

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Jay Bilas looking on during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium

ESPN basketball analyst and former Duke player Jay Bilas looks on during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., on Oct. 19, 2012. (Lance King/Getty Images)

“When I got invited six, seven years ago and I was thrilled. I just couldn’t believe I would get to do it. And  they’ve been they must have a very low bar, but they’ve invited me back ever since. And to me, getting that invitation has got to be the equivalent of a PGA tour player getting invited to the Masters. So, you get the invitation, you’re like, “Oh, my God, I can’t believe they invited me back again.” And it’s an automatic yes,” Bilas said.

“It’s just a thrill. And it’s equally thrilling once you’re there cause it’s a beautiful setting in Lake Tahoe at the Edgewood Resort. The weather’s always spectacular. Seventy thousand people are there in shorts and sundresses and just enjoying seeing some of their favorite celebs.”

Bilas said he loves competing in the tournament, but called the atmosphere what makes it special. He credited CEO Justin Thomas for being so welcoming and creating a family environment that everyone loves, on top of the tournament’s remarkable charitable work. The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.



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Himachal Panchayat Elections: 15708 candidates withdrew their nominations, how many candidates are left in the fray?

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Himachal Panchayat Elections: 15708 candidates withdrew their nominations, how many candidates are left in the fray?

Politics is heated regarding Panchayati Raj elections in Himachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, the position of the candidates in the election field has now become clear. While sharing information regarding the general elections of Panchayati Raj Institutions, the State Election Commission of Himachal Pradesh said that a total of 70,224 candidates are left in the fray in the state. A total of 86,725 nomination papers were received across the state, out of which 793 nomination papers were cancelled, while 15,708 candidates withdrew their names. After this, now 70,224 candidates are in the election fray.

In the district-wise figures, Kangra district has the maximum number of 17,643 candidates contesting the elections, while Lahaul-Spiti has the least number of 425 candidates. 11,728 candidates are contesting in Mandi, 6,118 in Shimla and 4,755 in Una.

Elections in 449 wards of 51 urban bodies on May 17?

Apart from this, the Commission said that voting will be held in 51 urban bodies of the state on May 17, 2026. These include 4 municipal corporations and 47 city councils and nagar panchayats. According to the Commission, all the polling parties have reached the polling stations and elections will be conducted in 449 wards of 51 urban bodies.

Himachal: ‘Elections are over, inflation has started’, Minister Vikramaditya attacks the central government on petrol and diesel prices.

Panchayat election notification was issued on 29 April

The notification for Panchayat elections was issued by the State Election Commission on 29 April 2026. According to the State Election Commission, voting will be conducted in three phases on 26, 28 and 30 May 2026 from 7 am to 3 pm through ballot papers and ballot boxes.

Panchayats will get Rs 25-25 lakh as reward

According to the Commission, the process of filling nomination forms was completed on 7, 8 and 11 May 2026. After this, the nomination papers were scrutinized on 12th and 13th May. After the completion of the process of withdrawal of nominations on May 15, 2026, election symbols were allotted to the candidates. 128 Panchayats in Himachal Pradesh have been elected unopposed. These Panchayats will be given Rs 25 lakh each as reward.

Himachal Politics: Jairam Thakur’s claim – Lotus will bloom in all four municipal corporations, people are angry with the Congress government.

Funnel Builder Flaw Under Active Exploitation Enables WooCommerce Checkout Skimming

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Funnel Builder Flaw Under Active Exploitation Enables WooCommerce Checkout Skimming

Ravie LakshmananMay 16, 2026Vulnerability / Website Security

A critical security vulnerability impacting the Funnel Builder plugin for WordPress has come under active exploitation in the wild to inject malicious JavaScript code into WooCommerce checkout pages with the goal of stealing payment data.

Details of the activity were published by Sansec this week. The vulnerability currently does not have an official CVE identifier. It affects all versions of the plugin before 3.15.0.3. It’s used in more than 40,000 WooCommerce stores. 

The flaw lets unauthenticated attackers inject arbitrary JavaScript into every checkout page on the store, the Dutch e-commerce security company said. FunnelKit, which maintains Funnel Builder, has released a patch for the vulnerability in version 3.15.0.3.

“Attackers are planting fake Google Tag Manager scripts into the plugin’s ‘External Scripts’ setting,” it noted. “The injected code looks like ordinary analytics next to the store’s real tags, but loads a payment skimmer that steals credit card numbers, CVVs, and billing addresses from checkout.”

Per Sansec, Funnel Builder includes a publicly exposed checkout endpoint that allows an incoming request to choose the type of internal method to run. However, older versions were designed such that they never checked the caller’s permissions or limited which methods are allowed to be invoked.

A bad actor could exploit this loophole by issuing an unauthenticated request that can reach an unspecified internal method that writes attacker-controlled data directly into the plugin’s global settings. The added code snippet is then injected into every Funnel Builder checkout page.

As a result, an attacker could plant a malicious <script> tag that’s triggered on every checkout transaction in a susceptible WordPress site.

In at least one case, Sansec said it observed a payload masquerading as a Google Tag Manager (GTM) loader to launch JavaScript hosted on a remote domain. It subsequently opens a WebSocket connection to the attacker’s command-and-control (C2) server (“wss://protect-wss[.]com/ws”) to retrieve a skimmer that’s tailored to the victim’s storefront.

The end goal of the attack is to siphon credit card numbers, CVVs, billing addresses, and other personal information that could be entered by site visitors at checkout. Site owners are advised to update the Funnel Builder plugin to the latest version and review Settings > Checkout > External Scripts for anything that’s unfamiliar and remove it.

“Dressing skimmers up as Google Analytics or Tag Manager code is a recurring Magecart pattern , since reviewers tend to skim straight past anything that looks like a familiar tracking tag,” Sansec said.

The disclosure comes weeks after Sucuri detailed a campaign in which Joomla websites are being backdoored with heavily obfuscated PHP code to contact attacker-controlled C2 servers, receive and process instructions sent by the operators, and serve spammy content to visitors and search engines without the site owner’s knowledge. The ultimate aim is to leverage the sites’ reputation for injecting spam.

“The script acts as a remote loader,” security researcher Puja Srivastava said . “It contacts an external server, sends information about the infected website, and waits for instructions. The response from the remote server determines what content the infected site should serve.”

“This approach allows attackers to change the behavior of the compromised website at any time without modifying the local files again. The attacker can inject spam product links, redirect visitors, or display malicious pages dynamically.”



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Iran warns of readiness for war and economic costs as US talks falter | US-Israel war on Iran News

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Iran warns of readiness for war and economic costs as US talks falter | US-Israel war on Iran News

Tehran, Iran – Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran remains ready to resume direct military conflict with the United States, if negotiations fail to produce acceptable results.

In a stream of state-orchestrated messaging to both domestic and foreign audiences, Araghchi also warned that despite the damage the US-Israel war on Iran has done to the region, it is also impacting ordinary American households.

US energy and inflation costs have increased significantly since the conflict began on February 28, resulting in the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas is normally shipped.

“Americans are told that they must absorb rocketing costs of war of choice on Iran,” Araghchi wrote on X, coupled with an image of rising yields on US Treasury bonds.

“Put aside gas price hike and stock market bubble, real pain begins when US debt and mortgage rates start to jump. Auto loan delinquencies are already at 30+-year high.”

Inflation in the US

Araghchi’s message to people in the US was essentially that inflation in the US will continue so long as the threat of war is maintained, predicting that the pressure will soon translate into higher borrowing costs, leading to a potential recession.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker who led the first round of talks with the US in April, also highlighted the financial cost of the war for Americans, albeit with a more mocking tone.

“So, you’re funding [Pete] Hegseth the failed TV host at rates unheard of since 2007, so he can cosplay as Secretary of War in our backyard in Hormuz?” Ghalibaf posted on X on Thursday, referring to the US defense secretary.

“You know what’s crazier than $39 trillion in debt? Paying a pre-GFC [global financial crisis] premium to fund a LARP [live-action role-playing] and all you’ll get is a brand new GFC,” the post said.

The comments followed the US government’s auction on Wednesday of $25bn worth of 30-year bonds at a five percent yield, which has not been done in nearly two decades.

On Friday, benchmark 10-year Treasury yields hit their highest in about a year, with traders anticipating potential interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve to counter rising inflation on global energy markets caused by the Hormuz blockade.

A key sticking point in negotiations between the US and Iran has been the future of the strait. Iranian officials insist that any agreement with Washington must grant Tehran sovereignty over the waterway – a demand rejected by other Gulf states which have highlighted its international status.

Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission, said on Saturday that Tehran has “prepared a professional mechanism to manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz along a designated route, which will be unveiled soon”.

“In this process, only commercial vessels and parties cooperating with Iran will benefit from it,” he said, adding that vessels would have to pay fees, and that supporters of Washington’s ‘Project Freedom’ would be denied access.

Iran’s economic hit

The mounting costs for Iranian households have been even more significant, with official figures indicating that food inflation hit 115 percent in the first Persian calendar month, ending in late April, with many staples – such as cooking oil, rice and chicken – tripling in price over the past year.

In recent weeks, prices for food, medicine, electronics, cars and petrochemical products have risen to new heights.

The general impact on the Iranian economy appears evident with the rial at about 1.8 million to the US dollar in the open market in Tehran on Saturday. That is close to the all-time low registered earlier this month.

epa12921895 Iranians take part in a rally to show their support and solidarity with new Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, 29 April 2026. The demonstration follows an announcement by US President Trump on 21 April, that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran has been extended indefinitely at the request of Pakistan, as a naval blockade remains in place and diplomatic negotiations continue. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranians take part in a rally to show their support and solidarity with new Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, 29 April 2026 [Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]

Iran has said that a lack of trust with the United States has been a major obstacle to achieving tangible results during negotiations, as seen last month when talks in Islamabad failed to end the war.

But in light of Donald Trump’s visit to China, and meetings with President Xi Jinping, Araghchi told reporters at a BRICS meeting in New Delhi on Friday that Tehran welcomes mediation from Beijing.

Guns on television and in the streets

As the fragile ceasefire holds, Iranian authorities have called on supporters to take to the streets every night, framing the mobilisation as an essential component to ensuring “victory” against the US.

State television intensified its messaging on Friday evening, with multiple channels broadcasting hosts brandishing assault rifles, with rumours circulating that the war might restart.

The state-run Ofogh channel hosted a masked commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who instructed viewers on how to load a variant of an AK-47 assault rifle, and invited them to visit booths set up during pro-government rallies to receive weapons training

The segment concluded with the host firing a rifle into the ceiling before aiming one shot at a flag of the United Arab Emirates, amid simmering tensions with the Gulf state.

On Channel 3, host Mobina Nasiri held an assault rifle during a speech and said she was ready to “sacrifice” her life for Iran, part of a state-orchestrated call to arms during the war.

Major squares and streets in Iranian cities remain filled with armoured vehicles and checkpoints controlled by masked armed men, the same personnel who guard the demonstrations by supporters of the Islamic Republic at night.

It comes after thousands of anti-government protesters were killed during nationwide protests in January, which authorities described as a “coup attempt” orchestrated by the US and Israel.

Iranian authorities have imposed a near-total internet shutdown for 78 days, whilst promoting a state-operated tiered-access plan for limited services. The judiciary has announced the executions of alleged dissidents on a near-daily basis during the war, highlighting to all Iranians the high price for opposing the government.

 



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Abu-Bilal al-Minuki: ISIL’s shadow commander in West Africa | ISIL/ISIS News

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Abu-Bilal al-Minuki: ISIL’s shadow commander in West Africa | ISIL/ISIS News

The presidents of Nigeria and the United States have announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIL (ISIS).

Donald Trump first made the announcement in a social media post on Friday, without disclosing when or where the joint Nigerian-US military operation happened.

On Saturday, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said in a statement that al-Minuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, was killed “along with several of his lieutenants” during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.

The Nigerian army described it as “a meticulously planned and highly complex precision air-land operation” carried out on Saturday between midnight and 4am (23:00 to 03:00 GMT) in Metele, in Borno state in northeast Nigeria.

Borno has been the epicentre of a long-running campaign by the Boko Haram armed group and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which is linked to ISIL.

Who was al-Minuki?

Little is publicly known about al-Minuki, who had been under US sanctions since 2023.

Before pledging allegiance to ISIL in 2015, al-Minuki was a prominent Boko Haram leader, according to the Nigerian army.

An army statement described him as a “key” operational and strategic figure who provided guidance to ISIL entities outside Nigeria on media operations, economic warfare and weapons manufacturing.

“His death removes a critical node through which ISIS coordinated and directed operations across different regions of the world,” the army said.

It added that al-Minuki oversaw ISIL-linked operations across the Sahel and West Africa, including attacks against “ethnic and religious minority communities”. In 2018, he was linked to the kidnapping of more than 100 schoolgirls in Dapchi, in northeastern Nigeria’s Yobe state.

Emerging power

Al-Minuki is believed to have risen through the ranks of ISWAP following the disappearance of veteran commander Mamman Nur in 2018.

His reported ability to operate discreetly and avoid public attention helped him maintain influence over operations, while evading detection by regional and international security forces.

Cheta Nwanze, chief executive of the Lagos-based advisory group, SBM Intelligence, said al-Minuki had previously been declared killed in 2024 after a military operation in Kaduna state.

“That earlier announcement did not produce a lasting degradation of ISWAP’s capabilities,” he told Al Jazeera, warning that eliminating a single commander may have a limited impact.

Nwanze said the group will be able to recover as long as a growing “ransom economy” in Nigeria – which raised some $1.66m between July 2024 and June 2025, according to an SBM intelligence report – “remains intact”.

“The ultimate tool for control is the man on the ground with a gun, and the ultimate backing for that man is a functional social contract, which sadly Nigeria does not have,” he said. “Until the economic logic that feeds these groups is disrupted, the cycle will continue.”

Experts say leaders such as al-Minuki have been central to coordination between local fighters and ISIL’s broader network, but are not irreplaceable due to the group’s decentralised command structure.

“The killing of al-Minuki will disrupt ISWAP operationally in the short term,” Alex Vines, the Africa programme director at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told Al Jazeera.

“ISWAP has proven resilient to leadership losses, suggesting this killing will not be strategically decisive on its own.”

‘Inclusive governance reforms’

ISWAP has recently intensified attacks along the Nigeria-Cameroon border, targeting military outposts and humanitarian convoys.

These operations are seen as part of a deliberate effort to consolidate territory and demonstrate the group’s continued relevance despite ongoing pressure, including after Trump accused Nigeria of not doing enough to protect Christians in the country’s north from attacks.

The Nigerian government has rejected the claim, insisting that Muslims are also being targeted by armed groups. In recent months, dozens of US troops have been deployed to Nigeria to help in the fight against armed groups by providing intelligence sharing and technical support.

Tinubu said Nigeria “appreciates” the partnership with the US “in advancing our shared security objectives,” adding that he looked forward “to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation”.

Vines said al-Minuki’s killing was “a tactical win” for the Tinubu administration, but ISWAP remains a “serious security concern”.

As for the US, eliminating al-Minuki is likely to be framed as a victory against ISIL’s Africa network. It will also reinforce Nigeria’s importance “as a key security partner and a reminder that bilateral relations are much better than a year ago”, Vines told Al Jazeera.

Nwanze said the joint nature of the strike signalled a deepening of US‑Nigeria security cooperation, but the collaboration “will face limits”.

“Washington’s willingness to engage is likely contingent on narrow counter‑terrorism objectives, not on a wholesale commitment to rebuilding Nigeria’s fractured security architecture,” he added.

Mubarak Aliyu, a political and security risk analyst, called the elimination of al-Minuki “a remarkable operational success”. He stressed, however, that “broader, inclusive governance reforms remain fundamental to solving the long-term security challenges in the wider region”.



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Anthony Edwards catches flak for congratulating Spurs with eight minutes left in game

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Anthony Edwards catches flak for congratulating Spurs with eight minutes left in game

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ season came to an end on Friday night at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs in the form of a 30-point beatdown in front of a capacity home crowd at Target Center.

For the people of Minneapolis, it was another crushing blow to a sports town that has witnessed its fair share of “close, but no cigar” moments over the past several decades.

It will be another long offseason for Wolves fans after falling short of yet another conference championship appearance, a series they haven’t played in since their magical 2004 postseason run.

A general view of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves playing at Target Center in Minneapolis

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves compete during the first quarter of Game Three in the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 24, 2025. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

It’s not like they needed the knife to be twisted any more than it already was, but one man decided to take the suffering a step further, and it came from the unlikeliest of sources.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES ARE COOKED: WHY SAN ANTONIO SPURS CLOSE OUT THE SERIES AND COVER IN GAME 6

That’s T-Wolves superstar Anthony Edwards going to congratulate the Spurs on a well-played series, which is fairly normal in competitive sports, but take a look at the score graphic in the bottom left of the screen.

Just over eight minutes remained on the clock in the fourth quarter, but Edwards was already waving the white flag and dapping up the Spurs’ bench.

Sure, Minnesota was down by 33 points and there was no world where they were coming back, but maybe wait until the clock hits triple zeroes before glad-handing your opponents in front of your home fans.

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards celebrates making a 3-pointer in Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series vs. the Denver Nuggets at Target Center in Minneapolis.

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards celebrates making a 3-pointer in Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series vs. the Denver Nuggets at Target Center in Minneapolis. (Abbie Parr/AP)

I’ll never question Edwards’ competitive edge, as he’s one of the few modern NBA players who has that throwback, “don’t give a damn” attitude that the league desperately needs, but the optics on this one are pretty poor.

Fans weren’t thrilled with his display of sportsmanship either, if the comments on X are any indication.

At the end of the day, these are just salty fans and keyboard warriors, so their opinions probably mean next to nothing in the eyes of Edwards.

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But what about his peers? Or, better yet, how do the legends who played the game before him feel about the move?

Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin and Udonis Haslem weren’t impressed, with Nowitzki going so far as to say he’s never seen anything like it in his two decades of playing in the NBA.

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Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards shoots over San Antonio Spurs C Victor Wembanyama during Game 2 of the 2026 Western Conference Semifinals.

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards shoots over San Antonio Spurs C Victor Wembanyama during Game 2 of the 2026 Western Conference Semifinals. (Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images)

I’m sure the intent from Edwards was pure, but it was obviously not a well-received move from the T-Wolves’ leader.

He’s young. He’ll learn. But this was a rare miss from the Ant-Man.

Austin Perry is a writer for OutKick.



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Netherlands returned priceless 11th century heritage to India after 100 years, PM Modi expressed happiness

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Netherlands returned priceless 11th century heritage to India after 100 years, PM Modi expressed happiness

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Met King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at the Royal Palace on Saturday (16 May 2026). After this, PM Modi told that the copper plates of the Chola dynasty of the 11th century (Chola Era) will now be brought back to India from the Netherlands. Regarding this historic decision, the Prime Minister said that this is a very happy moment for every Indian.

Copper plates of Chola dynasty will be brought to India

While sharing the picture on PM Modi X, he wrote, ‘A very happy moment for every Indian! Copper plates (copper plates) of the Chola dynasty will be brought back to India from the Netherlands. In the presence of Prime Minister Rob Jetten, I participated in this ceremony. These Chola Copper Plates are a set of total 24 plates, of which 21 are large and 3 small plates. Articles are written on them in Tamil language, one of the most beautiful languages ​​in the world. These documents date back to the time of the great king Rajendra Chola I, who formalized an oral promise made by his father, King Rajaraja I.’

PM Modi wrote, ‘This also shows the greatness of the Cholas. We are extremely proud of the Indian Cholas, their culture and their maritime power. I express my gratitude to the Government of the Netherlands and especially to the University of Leiden, where this copper plate was preserved since the middle of the 19th century. These copper plates remained with the Dutch administration for more than a hundred years.

Netherlands and India working together: PM Modi

PM Modi said that India and the Netherlands are working together to build a reliable, transparent and future-ready supply chain. He said, ‘From energy security to water conservation, Netherlands and India are working together. Our cooperation on green hydrogen is very important. The historic trade agreement between India and the European Union will further strengthen the partnership between India and the Netherlands.

Referring to Netherlands being famous for tulips, PM Modi said that India is famous for lotus. He said, ‘Both tulip and lotus teach us that whether their roots are in water or earth, both have beauty and strength. India and Netherlands can coordinate on the international platform and work together to achieve global projects. He also said that many civilizations disappeared with time, but India’s diverse culture is still present in the hearts of the people here.

Also read: ‘If the situation does not get better, everything can end’, PM Modi warned about the energy crisis

Hamas confirms killing of Qassam Brigades leader in Israeli attack | Hamas News

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Hamas confirms killing of Qassam Brigades leader in Israeli attack | Hamas News

Israel targeted Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the head of Hamas’s armed wing in Gaza, in an attack that killed seven people.

Published On 16 May 2026

Hamas has confirmed the killing of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the head of the armed wing of the Palestinian group in Gaza, in an Israeli attack a day earlier.

Hamas condemned Israel’s “treacherous and cowardly assassination” of al-Haddad, who led the Qassam Brigades, in a statement on Saturday.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israeli forces had targeted and killed al-Haddad, calling him “one of the architects” of the October 7, 2023, attacks.

Hamas said al-Haddad was killed along with his wife, his daughter, and other Palestinian civilians on Friday evening.

The Israeli strikes targeted the Remal neighbourhood west of Gaza City. Three Palestinians were killed in a strike on a civilian vehicle, and four others died in a strike on a building, medical sources said.

Three women and a baby were among those killed, sources told Al Jazeera. Dozens of other people were wounded.

Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim Al Khalili, reporting from Gaza on the attack that killed al-Haddad, said the strikes caused “panic” at the scene as dozens of Palestinians were forced to flee the “massive fire” that engulfed the residential building.

Hamas said al-Haddad’s killing marks the latest Israeli breach of the Gaza “ceasefire” agreement, as well as its “ongoing aggression against innocent civilians” in the enclave.

Such attacks reaffirm “the criminal and fascist nature” of Israel, the group said.

“It demonstrates its disregard for all international laws and conventions, and its failed attempts to impose political and military realities that it has been unable to achieve by force,” its statement added.

The Palestinian Mujahideen Movement and its military wing, the Mujahideen Brigades, also mourned al-Haddad.

“We commend his immense sacrifices and long struggle, and we recall his rich history of resistance against the Zionist enemy, fighting it until he was martyred,” their joint statement said.

It added that the “cowardly assassination” will not “weaken the resolve of the” resistance group. “It will not be able to resolve the conflict, despite the war machine and annihilation it has unleashed for over two and a half years.”

Last December, Israel killed senior Hamas commander Raed Saad, then Haddad’s second-in-command, in attack that wounded at least 25 people.

Since the so-called “ceasefire” began in October last year, the death toll from Israeli attacks has reached 870, and the number of injured has climbed to 2,543, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Hospitals across Gaza received 13 bodies and 57 wounded patients over the past 24 hours, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.



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2026 Preakness Stakes: Odds, post time and how to watch at Laurel Park

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2026 Preakness Stakes: Odds, post time and how to watch at Laurel Park

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The 151st Preakness Stakes will take place on Saturday, but it will not take place at its usual racetrack.

For the first time ever, the Preakness Stakes will be run at a different course than the Pimlico Race Course. The racetrack, which is located in Baltimore, is under construction with hopes that it will be ready next season.

This year’s Preakness Stakes will be run at Laurel Park, which is just outside of Washington, D.C., and is about 20 miles south of the Pimlico Race Course.

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Jockeys racing horses on a dirt track at Laurel Park

Jockeys race horses during the Preakness Meet at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, on May 8, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

The Preakness Stakes will also be without the Kentucky Derby winner, Golden Tempo, meaning there will not be a chance to witness a potential Triple Crown this year.

Fourteen 3-year-old horses will run 1 3/16 miles, competing for a $2 million purse.

Who is racing and what are the betting odds?

  1. Taj Mahal (Sheldon Russell) 5-1
  2. Ocelli (Tyler Gaffalione)  8-1
  3. Crupper (Junior Alvarado) 25-1
  4. Robusta (Rafael Bejarno) 29-1
  5. Talkin (Irad Ortiz Jr.) 9-1
  6. Chip Honcho (Jose L. Ortiz) 11-1
  7. The Hell We Did (Luis Saez) 9-1
  8. Bull by the Horns (Micah J. Husbands) 17-1
  9. Iron Honor (Flavien Prat) 8-1
  10. Napoleon Solo (Paco Lopez) 9-1
  11. Corona de Oro (John R. Velazquez) 16-1
  12. Incredibolt (Jaime A. Torres) 5-1
  13. Great White (Alex Achard) 7-1
  14. Pretty Boy Miah (Ricardo Santana Jr.) 31-1

Who are the favorites?

Taj Mahal, who is trained by Brittany Russell, and Incredibolt, who is trained by Riley Mott, are both 5-1.

Great White, who is trained by John Ennis, is at 7-1. Ocelli, who is trained by D. Whitworth Beckman, and Iron Honor, who is trained by Chad Brown, are both 8-1.

GOLDEN TEMPO TRAINER CHERIE DEVAUX CALLS CRITICISM OF PREAKNESS DECISION UNFAIR: ‘THE HORSE IS NOT A MACHINE’

A horse working out at Laurel Park racetrack during sunrise.

A horse works out at Laurel Park racetrack during sunrise in Laurel, Md., on May 8, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

What everyone’s talking about ahead of the Preakness Stakes

The weekend had a tragic beginning, as on Friday, Hit Zero collapsed and died after crossing the finish line in its first career race.

Hit Zero, who was trained by Russell, came in last place after being the favorite to win. After crossing the finish line, Hit Zero began coughing, dropped to its knees, put its head down and passed away.

Fans of horse racing hope to avoid any more tragedies during the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Fourteen horses are racing, which is the most the race has seen in 15 years. This is the second time in the last 40 years that the first- or second-place finisher from the Kentucky Derby is not racing in the Preakness Stakes.

CHERIE DEVAUX REFLECTS ON MAKING KENTUCKY DERBY HISTORY AS FIRST FEMALE TRAINER TO WIN THE RACE

Jockeys racing horses on a dirt track at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Jockeys race horses during Laurel Park’s Preakness Meet in Laurel, Maryland, on May 8, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

Just three of the horses in the Preakness Stakes ran in the Kentucky Derby: Ocelli (finished third), Robusta (finished 14th) and Incredibolt (finished sixth). Great White was scheduled to run in the Kentucky Derby but was scratched.

On the heels of Cherie DeVaux becoming the first female trainer to have her horse win the Kentucky Derby, Russell seeks to become the first woman trainer to win the Preakness Stakes.

Taj Mahal, Russell’s horse, has won all three of the races he has competed in at Laurel.

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Trainer Brittany Russell talking to people in a barn at Laurel Park

Trainer Brittany Russell talks to people in her barn ahead of the 102nd running of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Laurel Park in Laurel, Maryland, on May 15, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

How to watch?

Where: Laurel, Maryland

When: May 16, 2026

Projected post time: 6:50 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Purse: $2 million

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.



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