Dubai chocolate is a rare combination of creativity
flavours and social media success that has broken all industry records
but the festive tunes and the twinkling fairy lights at the Marienplatz Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market) lifted my spirits
With a mug of glühwein (hot mulled wine) in hand
I made my way to the candy stall to get my usual supply of German Christmas cookies
But I stopped in my tracks when I realised that the longest queue was not for lebkuchen (gingerbread biscuits baked for Christmas) or the traditional stollen fruit bread
but for a new kid on the block: Dubai chocolate
A decadent milk chocolate bar filled with silky pistachio cream, earthy tahini and crunchy shards of knafeh pastry, the original Dubai chocolate was launched by Dubai-based FIX Dessert Chocolatier in 2022 when its British Egyptian founder
had an urge to create something unique to satisfy her pregnancy cravings for knafeh and pistachio
FIX called their creation "Can't Get Knafeh Of It"
Can't Get Knafeh Of It took the world by storm when TikTok influencer Maria Vehera posted a rapturous video of herself trying the chocolate bar inside her car in December 2023
attracting more than 125 million views and scores of fans around the world who were willing to do anything to grab a bite
The bar became a craze and was promptly christened "Dubai chocolate"
have inundated supermarkets and neighbourhood bodegas all over the world
the Dubai chocolate craze has shaken the global chocolate industry
This has opened up a whole new market for artisan confectioners worldwide, including the renowned Maison Samadi in London
a UK chocolatier with roots in Lebanon dating to 1872
was the first to introduce their version of the viral Dubai chocolate bars
named "Dubai Viral Style Chocolate" in London
business development director at Maison Samadi
making Dubai Viral Style Chocolate was a natural segue in their chocolate-making journey
"We were already working on our heritage collection when we discovered the viral Dubai chocolate
It fitted perfectly because it combined a beloved Middle Eastern dessert
which was a tribute to the Samadi family heritage
BBC.com's World's Table "smashes the kitchen ceiling" by changing the way the world thinks about food
food lovers have relished knafeh on its own
Dubai chocolate allows them to sample this well-known dessert inside a chocolate shell
making the experience even more intriguing and exciting
"The real success of Dubai chocolate stems from its texture," agrees leading Turkish food writer Aylin Öney Tan
"The velvety gooeyness of the pistachio cream doesn't just feel good on your palate; it is also visually attractive
the crunchy texture of the kadayif pastry from the knafeh makes the dessert even more irresistible."
It was born to be a champion – Nabil Chehab"Having Dubai in the name also adds to the chocolate's popularity and hype," says Naval
Similar "feelings of indulgence drive the success of Dubai chocolate," she adds
Dubai chocolate's resonance also lies in its deep Middle Eastern roots – tapping into family traditions of sharing sweets
gifting edible treats and the nostalgic flavours of knafeh and pistachios woven into daily life across the region
"When my wife's great-grandfather
started Al Samadi Sweets in Beirut in 1872
knafeh was one of the first sweets he ever sold," he reminisces
I remember taking the famous Lebanese shared taxi to Al Samadi Sweets daily
picking up a plate of knafeh for breakfast and eating it on my way to my father's shop
Little did I know [at that time] that I would be marrying Samadi's lovely great-granddaughter," he adds
In an interview with Arabian Business last year
"I wanted the FIX experience to be different
to relive moments of their past." And for many fans around the world
that first bite delivers exactly what Hamouda intended: an edible journey back to bustling Middle Eastern souks
where merchants sell delicious local sweets and the air is dense with the aroma of pistachios
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"Sixty-eight percent of the world's consumers want to experience cultures other than their own and that includes a willingness and desire to try new flavours and ingredients," explains Naval. Pistachios – a Middle Eastern staple – are riding this wave too, billed as the next big seasonal flavour globally
and appearing in everything from lattes to liqueurs
At the same time, Middle Eastern tourism is booming and Dubai has emerged as a culinary destination in its own right, with some visitors flying in just to taste the viral chocolate firsthand
What began as a simple chocolate bar in a Dubai dessert shop has evolved into a global sensation
"I am not surprised," says Chehab
reflecting on the chocolate's meteoric rise
"It is the perfect amalgamation of taste
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Inside one of the world's most remote restaurants'Off-Map Destination' winner Wolfgat offers a menu made from hyper-local and foraged ingredients.
South African Braai: What it is and why you should try itThe Braai tradition in South Africa is more than just a BBQ, it's a phenomenon that ties the nation together.
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Bayern’s Harry Kane applauds supporters at the end of the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and FC Bayern Munich at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig
Bayern players thank the fans at the end of the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and FC Bayern Munich at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig
vies for the ball with Freiburg’s Ritsu Doan
during the German Bundesliga soccer match between
Freiburg’s Maximilian Eggestein celebrates scoring a goal
celebrates with his teammates after scoring against Augsburg during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and Holstein Kiel at the WWK-Arena in Augsburg
Harry Kane can finally celebrate his first career title after Bayern Munich became Bundesliga champion with a little help from Freiburg on Sunday
Freiburg drew with second-placed Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 to leave Bayern an unassailable eight points clear of the 2024 champion with two rounds of the German league remaining
The 31-year-old Kane had never won a title in a career of runner-up finishes and defeats in finals with Bayern
leading some to speak of a “curse” against a player considered one of the world’s best forwards
Harry!” teammate Thomas Müller wrote on Instagram
Leverkusen played without conviction in Freiburg
knowing that second place was already secured and that it only had a mathematical chance of defending its title with Bayern having a far superior goal difference
Maximilian Eggestein fired the home team ahead before the break and an own-goal from Piero Hincapie after it put Freiburg firmly in control
Leverkusen had to wait till the 82nd minute for Florian Wirtz to pull one back with his team’s first shot on target
Jonathan Tah equalized with the next in stoppage time
but it made no difference for the new league champion
“We are the champions!” Kane sang with teammates in a Munich restaurant
where he and Joshua Kimmich were doused in beer or champagne as they sang Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.”
It’s Bayern’s record-extending 34th German championship including the first for the club in 1932
Every other title came after the Bundesliga’s formation in 1963
Bayern will be presented with the trophy after its home game against Borussia Mönchengladbach next weekend
when Müller will be given what’s sure to be an emotional send-off after 25 years at the club
“He’s going as a legend,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said of Müller’s 13 Bundesliga titles
Freiburg’s draw kept it fourth in the final place for Champions League qualification
just a point ahead of a resurgent Borussia Dortmund and two ahead of Leipzig
Third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt stayed four points clear of Freiburg with a 1-1 draw at Mainz in the late game
Only the top four teams qualify for Europe’s premier club competition
Holstein Kiel boosted its hopes of avoiding the drop with a 3-1 win at Augsburg
which occupies the relegation playoff place
Additional flights create nonstop service to college towns and build on Delta’s well-positioned domestic network to give customers convenient flight options
getting to the biggest college football matchups just got easier
Delta is launching its largest-ever college football flying schedule with the addition of more than 40 additional flights to help fans cover more ground
tailgate longer and celebrate bigger.
“College football is one of the great American traditions
and Delta is excited to help bring even more fans to the games that matter to them the most,” said Amy Martin – Vice President North America Network Planning
“With these increases Delta is adding about 8,000 additional seats for customers
making it easier and more convenient for fans to be there for every kickoff
These extra flights will support some of this season’s most-anticipated matchups
Texas at Ohio State and several Notre Dame games.
These added flights are in addition to Delta’s regularly scheduled operation that is well equipped to get customers to key rivalries
conference match ups and other big games with either a direct flight or with less than one layover.
A full list of our schedule increase can be viewed below:
Baton Rouge (BTR) - Greenville (GSP)
South Bend (SBN) - Northwest Arkansas (XNA)
Raleigh-Durham (RDU) - South Bend (SBN)
Columbia (CAE) - Oklahoma City (OKC)
Oklahoma City (OKC) - Knoxville (TYS)
Oklahoma City (OKC) - Birmingham (BHM)
Columbus (CMH) - Los Angeles (LAX)
Eastern Iowa (CID) - Los Angeles (LAX)
Austin (AUS) - Northwest Arkansas (XNA)
Baton Rouge (BTR) - Oklahoma City (OKC)
Timberlake x Nike shoe collab early access
Looking to add some yards to your drives this season
Try these easy-to-implement swing tweaks from 2019 U.S
Hitting the ball long is more important now than ever before
If you can’t blast your driver in the neighborhood of 300 yards
you have little chance to compete at the highest level
it’s not quite as important to belt long drives
you’ve got license for bragging rights in your regular game
If you’re someone who’s looking to add some yards to your drives this season, it’d be wise to listen to the pros. Below, we’ve repackaged a piece that GOLF Magazine ran over a decade ago featuring Gary Woodland. Read it and you’ll learn how to smash the ball with ease.
What it is: The way to add swing speed using your stance and swing width
What it does: Creates width at every stage of your motion
helping you store precious miles per hour instead of wasting them before impact.
Copy the moves below — the same ones that have upped my driving distance average to more than 312 yards in 2014
It’s science: The wider you make your swing
One of the biggest mistakes I see weekend players make is that they set up with their feet too close together — often barely shoulder-width apart
you lose balance and fall backward through impact
I take my normal stance — which is fairly wide to begin with — then move my right foot to the right about six inches
This adjustment gives me a more stable base for improved balance and sets me up to trace the widest arc possible
because wide arcs give you more time to add speed
My timing also seems to improve with a wider stance
I make my most deliberate takeaway possible
It’s a timing issue for me — the slower I start
the more potential speed I can build into my swing
I think of it as a gradual building up of energy
Keeping it slow also helps me extend my arms so I can max out the width of my swing
which limits how much speed I can release on my downswing
I also have a very hard time making a full shoulder turn or a good transition at the top when I’m rushing
Think of your backswing as a way to store energy — don’t use it all up at the start
Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging
he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association
He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf
He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com
All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team
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TNA World Champion Joe Hendry has discussed how close he is to facing John Cena in WWE
and also revealed details about his conversation with Cena after WrestleMania 41
He now has a similar premonition that he'll one day face John Cena and is confident that dream will also come to life
He even teased the possibility of bringing a musician to his corner
"Anything that I'm thinking just seems to be seems to be unfolding
I've got a couple other thoughts of things that I think could happen this year," he stated
"It just now makes more sense than ever [a match with Cena]
Can you imagine if a huge star in music just reached out to Joe Hendry
Someone in the same ballpark as Travis Scott reached out to Joe Hendry and said maybe they might want to start backing me
The Scottish star teased that the musician in question performs the same genre of music as Scott
and that the unnamed musician wants to team with him
and even invited Hendry to his concert recently
Joe Hendry detailed later in the interview the bits of advice John Cena gave to him after his triumphant 17th world title win
there's filming going on all the time — and I hope John doesn't mind me saying this because John has spoken publicly about conversations we've had — so I will do the same
John came back from Gorilla and came right up to me
and he basically said what he said on Pat McAfee
and you were great tonight.' He gave me some advice
For him to say on Pat McAfee's show that he thinks I'm going to be a major player — that was the biggest compliment
It was very important to me to show John that respect because
John Cena is the greatest professional wrestler of all time," stated Hendry
The TNA star stated that he was flattered Cena took the time to give him his flowers and offer advice shortly after he won the world title
Hendry added that he's optimistic about the possibility of facing John Cena
especially after how unexpectedly everything came together for his match against Randy Orton at WrestleMania
Hendry also feels that the 20-odd dates Cena has remaining before his retirement provide ample time for a match between them
Install the TJR Wrestling web app for instant access to the very latest news and reviews
It’s been reported by Fightful Select that Shotzi has been informed that her WWE contract won’t be renewed
The star had been moved to the alumni section of the company’s website on May 3
Her exit comes after a raft of main roster and NXT stars were released 24 hours earlier
Shotzi is said to have seen the writing on the wall and is already feeling optimistic about her future
After the news broke, Shotzi posted an upbeat message on social media
writing that she was excited to see what comes next
Can’t wait to see where this crazy journey takes me next
Shotzi’s first brush with WWE came in 2015 when she was selected to take part in the sixth season of Tough Enough
she was forced to withdraw after failing a medical
Shotzi signed with WWE in 2019 and went on to win the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship while with the developmental brand
The Californian star was promoted to the main roster in 2021
While there’s been no public comment on the reason behind the releases, it seems at least one was down to money. According to Dave Meltzer, Braun Strowman was released because WWE felt he was overpaid.
As noted by one source, there was a feeling within the company that Strowman was being paid too much compared to how much he was being used.
“He is the one that the salary was high. One person told me that they felt he was being… he was paid more than how they were using him, I guess is the best way to put it, but salary played a part in this.”
Following the news that NXT star Dani Palmer had also left the company, it was reported by Fightful that she isn’t expected to continue wrestling. Palmer also made reference to her athletic career being over.
A former WWE Superstar has slammed the company following the recent wave of releases.
Steve Austin has detailed his reasons for missing the final bout of WrestleMania 41.
A WWE Hall of Famer has questioned Joe Hendry's loss at WrestleMania.
A former WWE Superstar has opened up about his participation in the Money In The Bank ladder match.
Despite losing, Drew McIntyre has fond memories of one particular title match.
Two released WWE stars have fired back at suggestions that laziness was the reason behind them being cut from the company.
Dakota Kai has broken her silence after being released by WWE on 2nd May.
clawing and fighting his way through the many levels of professional hockey for most of the past 38 years
so you can excuse him if he’s not intimidated by the Florida Panthers
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Article contentWhen asked how his Maple Leafs will fare in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the defending-champion Panthers
who play a particularly nasty brand of hockey
Berube amused himself with his rhetorical answer
“I don’t necessarily think it’s mean … We’re a physical team too
You’re going to get banged around and they’re going to come at you and they’re going to hit you
the back and forth of a playoff series on the day before the second round between the Maple Leafs and the champion Panthers begins Monday night
Which team will be able to dictate the style of play against the other
Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond
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There are a couple of boxing analogies that come to mind here
Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought classics
The second boxing analogy: Everyone has a game plan
You can have a sound game plan against the Panthers and then you eat a stick from Matthew Tkachuk
take a crosscheck from Sam Bennett or a face wash from Brad Marchand and it changes the way you approach the game
We know pretty much what the Panthers will try to do to the Maple Leafs
What we don’t know is how the Leafs will respond
They have some training about dealing with tight spaces
All you have to is drive around downtown Toronto on any given day and it equates in some way to this hockey series
You know there’s all kinds of traffic and construction
But you still have to find a way to get it done
Berube has been talking to the team a lot about playing in tight spaces. About playing with little room on the ice. The Leafs are uber-talented up front with Matthews, new dad Mitch Marner and the wayward son, William Nylander, all of whom were part of the 4-Nations tournament a few months back.
But the rather stacked Panthers had nine players in that tournament, including captain Sasha Barkov, Team USA leader Tkachuk, sound defensive players such as Gustav Forsling on defence and third-liners Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen.
The biggest advantage on paper in this series is the difference between third lines: Lundell centres hugely underrated Luostarinen and Marchand. The Leafs third line has been a work in progress all year long. Look for the Leafs to continue to treat the Scott Laughton-centred fourth unit like more of a third line in this series.
Berube may have to find the right match against Lundell, with Barkov centring one line and Bennett another.
This is really new territory for Matthews and Marner. They have struggled to produce in playoff series in the past. They have struggled to succeed when there is little open ice. But in the first round, in particular Matthews, he might have been the best player in the series when all 200 feet of the game are taken into account.
He was doing the Barkov thing and now must do it head-to-head against Barkov. The challenge for Berube in the games at home is to take advantage of last change. That would keep Barkov and Forsling away from Matthews and Marner.
But it would still wind up with Lundell and a defenceman such as Aaron Ekblad against the Leafs’ first line. That’s not easy, either.
The wild card for the Leafs is always Nylander. He doesn’t fit any regular descriptions. He is capable of scoring at almost any time or giving up something similar in the wrong end. Florida has no one similar to him. Most NHL teams don’t.
Berube needs the Leafs to be composed against the Panthers. There was a lot of talk of composure on Sunday. Staying composed against Florida’s supposed meanness. Composed against its physical play. Composed dealing with the Panthers crossing the line, if and when they do so.
“Talk about composure,” Berube said, referring to Nylander. “He’s pretty composed, maybe sometimes too much.”
Then he laughed again. Everybody did. You can laugh now. The not-so-funny part begins on Monday night.
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Ben Davies
Senior Boxing ReporterPublished: Invalid Date
Featherweight giant Rafael Espinoza battered Edward Vasquez
which saw him capture the boxing world's eye
a Mexican superstar and hugely tall featherweight champion at 6ft
was looking to make a statement in Las Vegas
He took on Vasquez in a WBO world title clash on the undercard of Naoya Inoue's US return against Ramon Cardenas
And he battered his rival into submission in the seventh period
with the referee stepping in to stop the contest
Espinoza looked too big and too strong for his helpless rival
who was left with a battered face and bruised body
And fans couldn't believe what they were watching
Another commented: "This is ridiculous. He is genuinely huge."
A viewer added: "Don't think I've ever seen a featherweight this big.
The Mexican superstar in the making even spoke about a potential future clash with Inoue.
he has to go through all the best fighters
"A fight against Naoya Inoue would catapult me into super stardom
Vasquez turned up the ante in the fifth round
battering Vasquez who looked to be wilting to the power and output of the rangy giant
And although the storm appeared weathered for now
he came again and ripped a body shot which hurt his opponent two rounds later
but it became quickly apparent that things were over
The huge Espinoza is the biggest at the weight class, and has regularly left the boxing fraternity stunned
That includes Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum
who plans to keep Inoue away from Espinoza if he moves up to the weight
Inoue is gonna move up to featherweight," he said
"I don’t think Inoue's handlers are gonna wanna put him in with a featherweight that's just so big
"I don't remember ever seeing a featherweight as big as Espinoza
he towers above the normal featherweight and is a really good fighter
he's very aggressive but a skilled boxer and an impressive kid when you talk to him
I talked to him with a translator and he seems like a very
This can happen if the link you followed has changed or if you bookmarked a page that moved
– Marta López Echevarría will compete in the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship Lexington Regional at Champion Trace at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville
The Wildcat will tee off in the first round Monday at 9:50 a.m
Champion Trace was the home of the ISCO Championship on the PGA Tour last summer
native was one of 36 individuals selected to one of the six NCAA Regional fields across the nation
including one of six individuals in the Lexington Regional
Following 54 holes of stroke play this week
the leading individual not on an advancing team will advance to the final site at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad
boasting a 72.7 stroke average and a 72.0 adjusted stroke average through 24 rounds and eight events in 2024-25
Twenty-two of her 24 rounds contributed to the team total this season
and nine of her 24 rounds were par-or-better
That includes her season-best 67 (-3) in the final round of the Southeastern Conference Championship in Tampa
The Wildcat had two finishes inside the top 10 and three finishes inside the top 20 this season
she began her season at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational at Champion Trace
she came up with a career-best fifth place on a 217 (+1)
Two tournaments later at the Charles Schwab
she tied for sixth place on a career-best 213 (E)
At the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational – one of the most decorated fields in college golf – she landed T19 with a 217 (+7)
The team captain of the Wildcats in 2024-25
She shed two full strokes off her scoring average from just a season ago
she has improved her scoring average each season at UK
217 (+1) showing earlier this season at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational
López Echevarría strung together rounds of 75
Live scoring throughout the event can be found here
playHutchison: Villa and Chelsea will miss out on the top 5 (1:04)Don Hutchison believes Aston Villa and Chelsea could be the teams to miss out on a tight race for Champions League football next season
The Premier League season is edging toward its climax, with a host of clubs battling to secure places in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), UEFA Europa League (UEL) and UEFA Conference League (UCoL)
Yet there are a whole host of clauses and considerations that could affect where the places go
First of all, the Premier League will have five teams in the UCL next season after it secured one of the extra places for performance by clubs across the three competitions
But what happens to the places reserved for the domestic cups
And what does it mean if any English clubs lift a European trophy
Here's your guide to European qualification in the Premier League
This article will be updated through to the end of the season as more details emerge
Manchester City could still qualify for Europe via the Premier League or the FA Cup. Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty ImagesWhat's the usual allocation for the Premier League?At the start of every season
the Premier League's European allocation is:
The two leagues with the best set of collective results in European competition get a fifth team in the Champions League through the European Performance Spots (EPS)
It was confirmed on April 8 -- through Arsenal's 3-0 win over Real Madrid -- that the Premier League will get one of the two EPS
The extra place goes to fifth in the league
For the final positions in the 2024-25 season
to qualify for Europe the positions are now:
there are a host of factors that could change this
Newcastle United are guaranteed a place in the Conference League after they beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Carabao Cup final on March 16
where Newcastle finish in the table could impact the allocation
If the Magpies qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League
the Conference League place transfers to the Premier League
as it stands the Conference League place passes to seventh
This is now looking very possible as Newcastle are in fourth place but with only a three-point gap to Villa in seventh
The winners of the competition qualify for the Europa League
But if Man City win the FA Cup and finish in the top six
the place for the FA Cup transfers to seventh in the league:
if both Newcastle and the winners of the FA Cup finish inside the top seven
a Europa League place goes to seventh and the allocation for the Conference League is given to eighth:
It's still possible that Man City could finish seventh
if Man City finish seventh that means Newcastle will be in the top six -- so the Conference League place would still go to eighth
The EPS is applied after all considerations related to the winners of domestic cups and the three European competitions
the EPS provides a plus-1 to a league's allocation -- so the Premier League will have eight teams minimum irrelevant of anything else
The winners of the UCL and UEL would have to finish outside the top four to create the extra UCL allocation
If Arsenal (second) win the Champions League and finish inside the top four (the latter of which is almost certain)
The spot in the Champions League reserved for the holders
goes to the highest-ranked team in the playoff round
if Arsenal win the Champions League and finish fifth
the Premier League would have six teams in the Champions League (the top four
the EPS and Arsenal) and it would surrender the place in the Europa League designated for Arsenal by league position
Only the FA Cup winners would play in the UEL
the Premier League would have a ninth team in Europe
as they would not -- as it stands -- be in a domestic European place
Once the EPS is applied the Europa League place passes over Arsenal to seventh
Yet this can all be complicated by the final position of Newcastle and/or the FA Cup winners
which would push qualification down a place or two
if Newcastle United finish inside the top five
Arsenal would now be in the Conference League place
once the EPS is applied this sends the Europa League spot to eighth
But if Man City win the FA Cup winners and finish inside the top six
it's a place in the Europa League which is surrendered
Yet the EPS still pushes one Europa League place to seventh
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are both in the semifinals of the Europa League
with the winners earning a place in the Champions League for next season
Neither team will finish in a European position domestically
therefore either team winning the UEL would provide a ninth team in Europe
If Arsenal also were to win the UCL and finish outside the top four
this would mean seven Premier League teams in the Champions League
This could prove crucial for one Premier League club
as it's Chelsea's performance in the Conference League
which has the greatest chance to benefit another team (more detail on this in a later section.)
three points ahead of seventh-placed Villa
the winners of the Conference League get a place in the Europa League
If Chelsea lift the trophy and finish inside the top five
If Chelsea win the Conference League and finish sixth
the Premier League gets an extra team in the Europa League
the Europa League place originally for fifth goes to the team in seventh
thus passing the Conference League place to sixth and Chelsea finish in that place
the Premier League surrenders the berth in the Conference League and Chelsea play in the Europa League
the UEL place makes a jump and goes to seventh
The Premier League would have three teams in the UEL and eight in Europe
Now let's add to the last scenario Newcastle and Man City as FA Cup winners finishing inside the top six
There is no change to the Europa League allocation
as Chelsea in sixth have finished in a domestic UEL qualifying position
The EPS still sends a Europa League place to seventh
Chelsea are favorites to win the Conference League. Getty ImagesHow 11 Premier League clubs could qualify for Europe -- but not this seasonEach European titleholder is guaranteed a place in Europe
if any team finishes in a European place domestically
if a team does not qualify from domestic competition
it's an extra spot for the titleholders on top of the league allocation -- even if all three were to do so
for the Premier League to have 11 teams in Europe
because it would be quite the collapse for Arsenal not to finish in a domestic European place
it would require Man United or Tottenham to win the UEL
plus Chelsea the Conference League and finish outside the top six:
If Newcastle were to finish in the top six
For clubs hovering around eighth in the table
the performance of Chelsea is going to be very important
They are the only team who could win a European title and finish in a position to cause this drop down
We need to assume Newcastle United and Man City as winners of the FA Cup have finished inside the top six
Chelsea win the Conference League and finish seventh -- they sit three points ahead of this place right now
and the Premier League would give up Chelsea's place in the Conference League
and everything moves down one place -- but the Europa League place for 6th position jumps over Chelsea and is given to eighth
the difference being the European titleholder finishes in the first place outside the European positions
For this to happen a European title winner would need to finish eighth
the Conference League winners finish in eighth place -- one below the Conference League spot
Chelsea play in the Europa League as Conference League winners
and the Premier League has eight teams in Europe
Now the EPS is applied with fifth in the UCL
and as this creates the plus-1 in all scenarios there are now nine teams in Europe
but as Chelsea already have a place in the Europa League
the Conference League spot "jumps" over them and goes to ninth
The same EPS logic can be applied to push the allocation down two or three places in the league
It requires multiple European titleholders to be in consecutive places outside the domestic spots
This is the effect of two teams winning European titles and finishing eighth and ninth -- 10th gets the Conference League spot after the EPS is applied
Add in the UCL winners finishing in a consecutive place
The beloved podcaster and comedian is the voice of UFC pay-per-view events
but for the past few years has opted against travelling internationally for shows
Despite the fact that Canada is within North America
Instead, he will be replaced by two-time bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz on the broadcast team for UFC 315. The show is headlined by Belal Muhammad’s welterweight title defence against Jack Della Maddalena
While it has been well-known for a while that Joe Rogan won’t be joining the broadcast for this weekend’s pay-per-view, the news was made official today. His spot on the team is being taken by Cruz, who tends to rotate with Michael Bisping for the third mic position
As is standard for most UFC shows, Cruz is joined on the desk by play-by-play host Jon Anik and the legendary two-weight champion Daniel Cormier for the show. Brendan Fitzgerald will also serve as the reporter on the scene, MMAFighting confirmed last night
Speaking about the decisions for who gets on the broadcast, Bisping told the Jaxxon podcast: “They mix it up between me, Dominick Cruz and Paul Felder because we all want to do the pay-per-views because you know
You know what I mean if one of those can’t make it then they kick it down to the B-team.”
During his podcast Fight Companion for UFC London back in March, Rogan noted that he won’t be attending the world title double header, which wasn’t unexpected for hardcore fans. He told co-hosts Gordon Ryan, Brendan Schaub and Eddie Bravo that the reason is his unwillingness to travel to Canada
Speaking from his Austin compound with his long-time pals
he said of the event: “I will not be there
When Schaub joked ‘nor should you,’ Rogan replied that he would “rather go to Russia,” leading to laughter throughout the studio. He also told a story of a meeting with President Donald Trump where he claimed he has started referring to the former Prime Minister Justin Trudaeu as ‘Governor Trudeau’
Union Bordeaux-Bègles banished the ghosts of past heartbreaks with a sensational 35-18 victory over defending champion Toulouse in the Investec Champions Cup semifinal on Saturday
setting up a date with the Northampton Saints in the final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on May 24
The hosts delivered a high-octane performance from the opening whistle
led by dynamic halfback pairing of Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert
whose game management and pinpoint kicking consistently kept Toulouse on the back foot.
A raucous Stade Chaban-Delmas crowd witnessed UBB defeat Toulouse for the third time this season
Former Wallaby Pete Samu lit the fuse early
finishing a length-of-the-field move in the sixth minute to give Bordeaux the lead
Jalibert’s boot added a penalty soon after
Juan Cruz Mallia slotted two penalties and converted a try by Dimitri Delibes to edge Toulouse ahead 11-10 midway through the first half
But Bordeaux struck back with flair and precision.
Rising star Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored his seventh try of the tournament in the 22nd minute
before Lucu landed a stunning 55-meter penalty to make it 18-11
and that dominance only grew in the second period
Bielle-Biarrey pounced again straight from the second-half restart
blazing through the Toulouse defense to extend the lead
but a yellow card to Bordeaux flanker Marko Gazzotti in the 52nd minute handed Toulouse a lifeline.
Pierre-Louis Barassi exploited the extra-man minutes later to cut the deficit to seven
The defining moment came in the 63rd minute
when Bordeaux’s pack forced a turnover deep in Toulouse territory
and after a powerful maul and several phases
Pierre Bochaton crashed over to restore a two-score advantage.
and a late try by Ben Tameifuna sealed the win
while the Bordeaux pack outmuscled a depleted Toulouse lineup
The result marks a cathartic moment for UBB after falling short in last year’s Top 14 final and the Champions Cup quarterfinals
Bordeaux-Bègles now sets its sights on European glory in Cardiff
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.
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Wise Crowned A-10 Champion in Long Jump05/03/2025 | Women's Track & Field
SULPHUR - Opelousas Catholic head softball coach Cullen Matherne was more than pleased with the way the Vikings swung the bats against Holy Savior Menard at Frasch Park in Sulphur Sunday
Unfortunately for Matherne and the Vikings
those good swings didn’t materialize into many hits as OC loss 4-1 to Menard in the Division IV select state finals
but we hit the ball right at them,” Matherne said
They made the plays that needed to be made to win the game.”
“We made two errors on the day and they scored off of both of them,” Matherne said
Senior pitcher Ashley Little was the losing pitcher after allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks
“She left her heart out on that field,” Matherne said of Little
“She’s human and they got a few good swings off of her
“But what she has done for this program is amazing,” Matherne continued
“I wish we could have sent her off in a better way.”
the Vikings recorded four singles by Little
“I just told the girls that is life,” Matherne said
“Sometimes you can hit the ball really hard and it is an out
Then sometimes you can hit it really soft and it is a bad hit
Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com
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Joey Logano celebrates after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas — Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Joey Logano stayed in front on a restart in overtime at Texas on Sunday to get his first victory this season
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Early favorites for Finals MVP include Gilgeous-Alexander, Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell, with a surging Anthony Edwards behind them
A full list of MVP candidate odds follows below
Resources: Daily Lines | Where to watch | NBA Playoff Bracket
Odds accurate as of publication. For latest and most complete odds go to ESPN BET
The NBA Finals MVP Award recognizes the player deemed most valuable to his team in the NBA Finals only
The final rounds of the Champions League are often the finest exhibits of high-calibre football
The first legs of the competition’s semi-finals provided compelling evidence of that last week
as Paris Saint-Germain edged Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium
while Barcelona and Inter traded blows in a 3-3 draw in Catalonia
pressing schemes or defensive organisation could provide tie-changing results
The Athletic looks at five tactical trends that could determine who participates in the Champions League final in Munich on May 31
PSG’s fluidity was crucial to their third-minute goal scored by Ousmane Dembele in the first leg
Smooth positional interchanges between the front six
Achraf Hakimi’s positioning out wide and higher up the pitch
and crisp passing all bothered Arsenal in the opening 25 minutes
Mikel Arteta’s solution was to instruct Martin Odegaard to lead Arsenal’s press instead of Leandro Trossard and push the Belgian wider while Gabriel Martinelli marked Hakimi
that change led to Nuno Mendes — under pressure from Bukayo Saka and fearing Declan Rice might win the ball off Vitinha if he passed short — launching the ball out for a throw-in
Arsenal’s in-possession play improved on the back of that change
but PSG found the counter-solution after the break
Centre-back Willian Pacho passes to Nuno Mendes under pressure from Odegaard
Saka moves up to press Mendes but is also watchful of Vitinha
with Fabian Ruiz now positioned out wide to pull Rice away from midfield
Mendes passes into the space Rice vacated for the retreating Dembele (not in frame)
with Trossard leaving Joao Neves to double up on the PSG striker
PSG move the ball from their own box to the halfway line
taking seven Arsenal players out in the process
Thomas Partey’s return and Dembele’s potential absence due to a hamstring injury bode well for Arsenal
But Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos — who came on as substitutes for PSG in the first leg — are more than capable of leading the line
Both went close to scoring in the first leg through different moves — Barcola from a neat passing sequence and Ramos from Marquinhos’ ball over the top — illustrating the different approaches PSG can use in Dembele’s absence
For all of Arsenal’s prowess from offensive set pieces
They have conceded 26 chances from set plays in the Champions League this season
in addition to letting in goals from corners against Bournemouth and Palace in their last two Premier League matches
Marquinhos tested David Raya with a header from a later phase of a corner in the first leg
conceding 28 chances from set pieces in Europe
Merino’s headed strike from a free kick was disallowed for offside in the first leg
Saka scored Arsenal’s opener from a direct free kick from the right wing when the teams met in the league phase back in October
Corners and lateral free kicks could prove crucial on Wednesday
While Lamine Yamal rightfully dominated headlines after the first leg
Pedri’s display from midfield drove Barcelona
The 22-year-old was afforded time on the ball with Inter dropping into a compact defensive shape focused on protecting their box and limiting Yamal
That meant Pedri often found himself in situations like the one below
Pedri could cut Inter open in different ways
he forms a triangle with Frenkie de Jong and Ferran Torres
with Torres feeding Pedri in behind the Inter defence
The midfielder turns back and passes to Yamal after pulling three defenders towards him
That frees Yamal up while giving Barcelona’s forwards space in the box
The positional interchanges between Raphinha
Torres and Dani Olmo also allowed for line-breaking passes like the one below to the Brazilian
Pedri was crucial to Barcelona’s second goal too
as he was given the time to pick out a pass over the top to Raphinha
Inter will hope to have more possession at home on Tuesday
which could marginally limit Pedri’s influence
But if they double or triple up on Yamal again
Pedri will have the space and time to make an impact again
Barcelona’s high line is difficult to bypass but not impossible
One way to beat the offside trap is by using diagonal balls that stretch the pitch
These are more effective than straight passes over the top or through-balls as they require defenders to shuffle across
during which the defensive line can become disjointed
That then creates space for the receiver of the pass to play in a more central player
Inter attempted just three switches of play
After Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu overhit their switches in the first half
Mehdi Taremi — who replaced the injured Lautaro Martinez at half-time — found Denzel Dumfries
With Barcelona’s defensive line shifting over
Pau Cubarsi is caught in no man’s land while Inigo Martinez is unsure whether to push up or play the trap
Wojciech Szczesny swept up before the offside flag was raised
Had Martinez dropped half a yard deeper or Thuram timed his run better
the Inter striker would have been in on goal or had teammates to pass to
Diagonals are a viable solution for Barcelona’s high line but Inter have an alternative too…
A standout quality of Simone Inzaghi’s team is the seamless positional interchanges between their centre-backs and midfielders
They often progress the ball from the back by getting Henrikh Mkhitaryan or Calhanoglu (sometimes both) to become centre-backs
while their wide centre-backs move into midfield
This causes chaos for teams that press high or use man-marking schemes
The other advantage it has is higher up the field
Alessandro Bastoni on the left and Yann Bisseck on the right
moved near the opposition’s penalty area while the midfielders hung back
Bastoni receives a pass from Federico Dimarco in the box after running on the blindside of Yamal and Jules Kounde
with the move eventually ending in Martinez
Bisseck pushes up from centre-back to meet Dumfries’ pass in behind on Inigo Martinez’s blind side
Bisseck’s cutback is deflected by Ronald Araujo to Dimarco
Barcelona could be without their first-choice full-backs for the second leg
Following Alejandro Balde’s left hamstring injury in April
Kounde was substituted in the 42nd minute of the first leg against Inter after injuring his left hamstring
Inzaghi’s side could target the flanks through combinations between their wing-backs and wide centre-backs to catch Barcelona off guard
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separate futurities for four and five-year-olds
The four-year-olds competing in the BFA Futurity were on fire
William Ball and 2024 BFA $uper$takes Champion
Red As Hale (Streaking Ta Fame x Designer Diamond x Designer Red) took the average win
the duo finished over two-tenths of a second faster than second place
They also placed third in the Big Spender Slot Race and Open 1D
Netting roughly $5,500 in the barrel racing
the pair also dominated in another speed event
Ball and Red As Hale broke the internet last November
when the Kentucky trainer explained that he had been running poles on the talented mare during her three-year-old year
horses cannot have competed in the barrel racing prior to November 15 of their designated year
The sorrel mare was deadly in the pole bending throughout 2024 and continues to prove her love for the event
she won the Open and National Pole Bending Association Futurity both days
With a 19.616 on Friday and 19.500 on Saturday
the duo swept the events for roughly $2,500
Brianna McMillion and The Kandy Maker (2020 gelding by The Kandyman x Beter WatchThis Guyz x Frenchmans Guy) ran to a second-place finish in Round 1
and the win in the average of the Five-Year-Old Futurity
Summer Pauly and Cathy's Kandy (The Kandyman x Frenchmans Perkette x Frenchmans Guy) taking the top spot in both the Saturday Open 1D
and the Big Spender Slot Race by two-tenths of a second at 15.245
Kaylee Weaver and French Bling N Kandy (The Kandyman x French StreakOfBling x A Streak Of Fling) won the Friday Open 1D and Adult 1D with a 15.439
Troy Crumrine and Willie B Smashed (Willie B Firewater x Smashedona Blue Moon x Connies Smashed) earned the Average win in the Derby
with Brad Shirey and KF Famous Frenchman (Frenchmans Guy x Gotta Go Fame x Dash Ta Fame) winning Round 1 and Summer Muhlenkamp and TS French Traffic (First Down Frenchman x TS Frosted Reflector x PC Mr Sun Peppy) taking Round 2
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Montreal Victoire's Laura Stacey (7) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning goal in overtime during PWHL hockey game action against the Boston Fleet in Laval
The PWHL regular-season champion Montreal Victoire bucked the standings on Sunday in selecting to open the playoffs facing the third-place Ottawa Charge
general manager Danièle Sauvageau said the team followed a process that included consulting with her staff and players
didn’t go into detail in choosing to face Ottawa over fourth-place Minnesota
“There was a lot of considerations that went into it
there wasn’t just one ingredient,” she said
The best-of-five semifinals open Wednesday
with second-place Toronto hosting defending champion Frost
Montreal will open its postseason on Thursday against the Charge
who are making their first postseason appearance
There was very little to differentiate between Ottawa and Minnesota
given the teams finished in a three-way tie with Boston in having 44 points
Boston finished fifth based on having fewer regulation wins
Montreal finished the season series going 4-2 against both Ottawa and Minnesota — though the Charge won the final two outings
the six-team league adopted a rule in which the first-place team chooses whether to play the third- or fourth-place team rather than following the standings order
Toronto finished first and went with the 1 vs
4 matchup in selecting Minnesota as its first-round opponent
The Frost rallied from a 2-0 series deficit to eliminate the Sceptres before going on to claim the first Walter Cup in winning a five-game series over Boston
The Victoire closed this season 4-4-2 and clinched first place on Saturday by virtue of Toronto’s 2-1 overtime loss to Ottawa
Similar to how the PWHL’s inaugural regular season ended last year
the playoff race came down to the final day with Ottawa and Minnesota clinching the final two spots along with Montreal securing first place
Ottawa secured its first playoff berth on Katerina Mrazova’s goal to seal the Charge’s 2-1 overtime win over Toronto
Minnesota clinched its berth while also eliminating Boston with an 8-1 win over the Fleet
The New York Sirens finished last for a second straight season
The PWHL is expanding to eight teams next season with the additions of Vancouver and Seattle
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KC not only landed a potential left tackle for years to come in Josh Simmons
but third-round pick Nohl Williams projects as an NFL-ready cornerback from the jump
and fourth-round receiver selection Jalen Royals adds major playmaking
There's a ton of excitement about the class of rookies the Kansas City Chiefs are bringing in for the 2025 season
The Chiefs were also active after the draft finding possible gems among the rookie free agents
such as dual-threat running back Brashard Smith
who could instantly compete for a role on this team
However, this injection of youth creates a need for roster spots, and Kansas City opened up two this weekend by waiving B.J
head coach Andy Reid offered a message to Thompson
who's still working his way back from a seizure
Chiefs HC Andy Reid on BJ Thompson being waived with the injury designation: "He's making progress
That doesn't mean his career is over by any means
That's just where we're at today."
Reid offered some reassurance to Thompson by noting the Super Bowl champion is "making progress" while speaking to reporters
The Chiefs' HC admitted that Thompson is "not quite there yet," but expressed confidence the pass rusher's career isn't "over by any means."
Reid's comments here show why he is so beloved by his locker rooms and considered a player's coach
Even though this move distances Thompson from his teammates
Reid is still trying to keep him motivated just like any other member of the roster
This certainly is another bump in the road for Thompson's career
but the priority remains his long-term health and safety
He'll also revert to the team's non-football illness list assuming he's not claimed on waivers
so his time as a Chief isn't likely over despite being waived to open up roster space
Thompson is only two years removed from being a fifth-round pick as well
which means he should have plenty NFL games left in front of him still as long as he keeps making strides in his recovery
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Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands
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Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands
with a big focus on providing quality news coverage to fans
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''),\n sessionid: sessionId,\n articleId: articleId,\n };\n\n try {\n fetch(TRACKING_URL_BULK
{\n method: 'POST',\n body: JSON.stringify({ events: [heartbeatData] }),\n headers: {\n 'Content-Type': 'application/json',\n },\n });\n } catch (e) {\n console.error(e);\n }\n\n count++;\n }
However, this injection of youth creates a need for roster spots, and Kansas City opened up two this weekend by waiving B.J
That's a wrap for PogChamps 6
fans have witnessed many nerve-wracking moments and piece blunders
We also saw a first in PogChamps history: not a single stalemate in the entire tournament
Ebere Eze became the sixth PogChampion after a clean 2-0 win against Sapnap
while Mongraal won the Consolation Bracket by defeating LydiaViolet.
twice going after Linzor's king and twice succeeding
Linzor took too many liberties with her pawns and got punished accordingly
That led to Linzor's first failed attempt at castling
who went for a "nice little combination" in the second game
Mongraal took his time to deliver the final blow to end the match
and Linzor had to say her goodbyes to PogChamps
The second match was a tale of courage and resilience
The lower-rated LydiaViolet could not help but feel intimidated by Filian
Filian's mighty opening could not withstand the "wall of pawns" led by the "Pawn General," LydiaViolet
Despite pushing pawns like there's no tomorrow and refusing to castle
Lydia pounced on Filian's mistake to win the first game
Her first-game win gave Lydia the confidence she needed for the second game
she found a tactic to trap Filian's queen:
but Violet held her own and eventually defeated her opponent to win the match and go to the Final
It was now time for her to get back at Mongraal
who said she was an "easy win" in the Group Stage
The Championship Bracket Final was a show to behold. Allow me to set up the stage by sharing our Game Review accuracy score for the first game:
"how is that even possible?" you're not alone
It all started with Lydia's signature play style
which involves moving only pawns and her queen in the opening
Though behind in material, Mongraal kept applying pressure with his pieces, which he did develop. True to her beliefs, Lydia kept refusing to develop, pushing GM Aman Hambleton to the limit
That ultimately led to a series of blunders
and two rooks against Mongraal's three pawns and lone rook
Lydia finally developed her knight—right when that was one of the only moves she could play to lose
After this absolute masterpiece of a first game
the match's second game was not that close
Mongraal found a good tactic and won Lydia's queen
Lydia fought on but ultimately lost game two when Mongraal kept his cool under pressure and found a checkmate
Mongraal finished first in the Consolation Bracket and took home $10,000
while Lydia finished second with an $8,000 prize
The massive rating gap between the two would make you think Wolfey would have an easy time
It sure looked like that would be the case in game one
when Sapnap's only hope was pleading to the chess overlords for a stalemate
But that first game loss was not about to crush Sapnap's hopes
Especially after he found a great tactic to win material right out of the opening in the second game:
Sapnap played well and even found a nice knight and rook checkmate to win the second game
and Sapnap had a surprise lined up for Wolfey
Yes, Sapnap played the Fried Liver
earning his second brilliant move of the tournament
Despite not following it up the best way possible
Sapnap recognized that his opponent's pawn weaknesses gave him good chances:
The affair quickly evolved into an endgame that was certainly above PogChamps level
and that's all it took for Sapnap to deliver a major upset and make it to the Championship Bracket Final
it was football (the one where you actually use your feet) against pommel horse (the one where there's actually no horse).
there was no telling how the match would go
Steve played a sneaky move that looked like a good tactic
but overlooked a check that ruined both his plans and his game
who found a checkmate just a few moves later
He was soon ahead in material and had a crushing attack
when Steve found a great tactic to turn the tables
one tiny mistake can squander a winning position
Ebere moved on to the Final to face Sapnap
while Steve was eliminated and netted $8,000 in prizes
Tensions were high in the Final of the Championship Bracket
Ebere had proven so far to be a ruthless opponent
and Sapnap came in as the dark horse who could play brilliant attacking moves out of nowhere
It started out with a great game by both players
The underdog Sapnap had a great position but missed a key attacking idea
which led to an unfortunate brain fart and piece blunder
Ebere spotted a way to trap his opponent's bishop
giving him a huge advantage out of the opening
Ebere postponed the capture and learned that sometimes
Sapnap not only escaped with his bishop but also got into a very comfortable position
His active pieces were slicing off the board
and eventually led to a material advantage and very active pieces
Ebere showed that he's as good at defending as he is at attacking
he managed to survive long enough to put Sapnap under tremendous time pressure
Ebere quickly pounced and found a sneaky counterattack to checkmate Sapnap
Ebere won $20,000 and became the sixth PogChampion:
Sapnap returned home $14,000 richer and with quite a few good games on his resume.
Pedro Pinhata is the Writing Lead for Chess.com
He has been playing chess since 2019 and lives in Brazil
is the new WBA super flyweight world champion after recently earning a major decision win over Mexico’s Regina Chavez
Artiga (13-0-1) is undefeated in the boxing ring with six wins coming by the way of knockout
Artiga is Tampa’s first native-born major boxing world title and belt holder
ABC Action News sports anchor Kyle Burger sat down with Artiga to find out what it takes to become a world champion
“You have to dedicate your whole life to this sport,” Artiga said
You have to give up a lot of things people aren’t willing to give up for it.”
That dedication led to her earning the WBA world title belt
“This is the biggest belt you can win in boxing,” she said
“It is the oldest belt and most recognizable belt in all of professional boxing.”
but she didn’t start boxing until the late age of 21
was on his way to a promising boxing career before sacrificing his world championship dreams for his daughter’s dreams
“I did used to hit the heavy bag and hoped my dad could hear I was hitting it hard enough to put me in boxing,” Jasmine said
“After working with her for about six months
I realized that she really had what it took,” Eddie said
“My wife went by what I said and ‘Eddie wouldn’t lie.’ He’s not a little league coach that thinks his son is going to prosper what it's not there.”
Eddie is in Jasmine’s corner for every sparring session and whenever she’s hitting the bag
“I’m lucky to have a father who has dedicated my whole life
Not too many fathers would do that,” Jasmine said
“I want to cry just talking about it,” Eddie added
“It’s a beautiful dream to give your daughter all the input you know.”
which includes her 94-year-old grandmother
“I just gained guardianship of my grandma,” Jasmine said
but I knew she was going to make it,” Mercedes said
“I knew it was my job to get her a world title and become a world champion while she is still with us,” Jasmine said
Now that Artiga is a world champion and belt holder
she has a platform to give back to the younger generation
She runs a kids' camp in Brandon three days a week
She started doing this during the COVID-19 pandemic to get kids outside and active
“It definitely gives them something to look up to,” she said
It can be anything you put your mind to that you love enough
I want to show the kids the right way to do it
Artiga begins the class with warm-ups and stretching before she grabs a duffle bag filled with boxing gloves from the trunk of her car
“We’re going to go two minutes,” she yelled to the group
The kids work on their form and footwork by punching the wall
they take turns sparring with the world champion
“She’s out here training other people when she could be out there doing her own thing
“I can see the same kids that I was like,” Artiga said
I can instill confidence in them through the sport of boxing.”
and I feel like that's part of where the system failed"
Henry Betsey Jr. is facing charges for marrying three Florida women in three different counties at the same time. Now
saying the system that handles marriage licenses kept them in the dark
Report a typo
Canelo Alvarez beat William Scull in a unanimous points decision Sunday to become undisputed super middleweight champion again
The 34-year-old Alvarez is a four-weight world champion and entered the fight with the WBA
He was stripped of the IBF belt last July when he declined to make a mandatory defense against Scull
Alvarez became a two-time undisputed champion in the division for the second time when the judges scored it 115-113
The fight against IBF champion Scull didn’t live up to the hype
12 fight between Alvarez and Terence Crawford began
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or Mexico for the first time and had to make plenty of adjustments
The fighters walked into the ring and the anthems started around 6:20 a.m
The opening rounds were slow with both boxers feeling for range and the intensity gradually lifted with Scull throwing many more punches but barely landing any
stayed patient and was landing powerful body punches
who later said he hated fighting that style of boxer
The veteran pro wrestler spent the greater part of the past decade at the top of the sport and was one-half of the previous women's tag team champion duo with Katana Chance
Before Carter earned her spot with the WWE
and was part of Shaw University's 2011-12 women's basketball NCAA Division II national championship team
Her success wasn't limited to the hardwood as she graduated magna cum laude before making a jump to wrestling in 2018
Carter's journey from HBCU champ to a long run inside professional wrestling set the mark for a few others
She tried her hand at sports-entertainment and learned to mix it up in the ring from two of the best brawlers around
"Carter didn’t choose to limit herself to only a smash-mouth style
learning the art of lucha libre and maximizing her natural awe-inspiring athleticism with high-flying attacks."
as part of its post-WrestleMania adjustments
The duo last wrestled on the April 11th episode of WWE SmackDown
competing in the WWE Women's Tag Team Title #1 contender-ship gauntlet
They were moved from WWE Raw to WWE SmackDown as part of the transfer window.
marking the end of Carter’s seven-year tenure with the company
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an alumnus of The Ohio State University and a national championship-winning Buckeye football player
recently returned to the Columbus campus to share how he translated the leadership lessons he learned on the field to the business world
Doss was one of the keynote speakers at the Ohio State Center for Operational Excellence (COE) 2025 Summit at the Fawcett Center
The event brought together business professionals from around the nation to exchange ideas and best practices
Doss is just one of eight three-time All-Americans in Ohio State history
according to the College Football Hall of Fame
he served as co-captain of the Buckeyes team that won the national championship
He is an inductee of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame
After graduating from Ohio State with a bachelor’s degree in communication
Doss went on to play in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts
the Minnesota Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals
He won Super Bowl XLI as a member of the Colts
Doss earned a master of business operational excellence (MBOE) degree from Ohio State
and a friend who genuinely cares,” said Laurie Spadaro
director of admissions and operations for Fisher College of Business executive degree programs
Doss reinvented himself and launched a successful business career
By applying the tenacity that he developed as an athlete to the business world
Doss became a successful sales representative
“His competitive nature served him well in this industry
and he became known for his consistency in meeting or exceeding sales goals by building strong relationships with key influencers and decision-makers,” she said
achieving the president’s club award several times over his tenure.”
He sought a different career that would enable him to spend more time with his wife and three children
That decision led him to return to Ohio State
earn the MBOE degree and transition to real estate sales
those same disciplines that are about continuous improvement that I learned in MBOE
and I do it in real estate on a daily [basis]
It allows me to live my life and be able to raise my kids and be a dad.”
Doss said he continues to draw on and pay forward the lessons he learned as a Buckeye – in business and in life
He encouraged summit attendees to assess how they can align their actions with what matters most
continuously improving yourselves in your current careers?” he said
The COE 2025 Summit also featured keynote presentations by nationally recognized business advisers: Brodie Riordan
an organizational psychologist and executive coach; management consultant Sarah Tilkens; leadership coach Leah Roe; and journalist and author Celeste Headlee
Workshops and presentations included building a culture of continuous improvement
problem-solving strategies and navigating change
A little rain didn’t stop the 2025 spring commencement at The Ohio State University
As students and loved ones alike pulled out umbrellas and ponchos
Marine Corps (Ret.) and NASA administrator from 2009-2017
Educators who were recognized at Ohio State's annual Faculty Awards Celebration represent inventive teaching
offers a variety of support and resources to students
including connecting them to employers through job fairs or through tools like Handshake
a job posting website that matches students with part-time jobs
playHow 11 English teams can play in Europe next season (1:06)Take a look at how a staggering 11 English teams could potentially play in Europe's top three competitions next season
Two leagues have been rewarded with an extra place in next season's UEFA Champions League (UCL) based on performance in Europe this season
Last season, Borussia Dortmund of the German Bundesliga and Bologna from Italian Serie A were the lucky recipients
with clubs in Germany and Italy outperforming those from England
This season, the English Premier League sealed the first additional place for 2025-26 on April 8, and the Spanish LaLiga claimed the second on April 17
Arsenal's run to the Champions League semifinals helped seal the Premier League's extra place. Stefan Koops / EYE4images/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesHow does it work?It's about the collective performance of all teams from each country taking part in Europe this season
The two leagues with the best average coefficient scores get an extra place
penalties are not taken into account if the game is drawn
as they are used to determine the tie rather than the individual match
The points gained by all clubs are added together
and that total score is divided by the number of clubs a country has in Europe in the season
if a country has 60 coefficient points and seven teams in Europe
The additional place goes to the first team in the league table outside the UCL places
in the Premier League it would go to fifth
It's a place on top of the regular allocation
so if a league usually has seven places in Europe
the coefficient system is essentially designed to assess the overall strength of leagues
it would be impossible for those leagues with few or no teams in the UCL group stage to move up the coefficient rankings
clubs in the UCoL do play two fewer games in the league phase
a revamped bonus points system does give more weight to the UCL clubs
If we look back at the previous seven seasons
England and Spain take nine of the 14 slots
Only in 2021-22 did one of the countries with fewer than four teams in the Champions League (the Netherlands) finish in the top two of average coefficient
History already told us that it's highly likely two of the top leagues will have five places in the Champions League
Now that's been strengthened by the extra bonus points in the UCL
The brackets indicate how many of a league's original allocation are still active
4/7 indicates three of a league's seven teams has been knocked out
and performance in the UCL became much more valuable than the UEL
the maximum bonus points for a club in the UCL was 12
Every club that participates in the UCL gets a minimum of six bonus points just for taking part (+4) in the league phase
you have to finish first to get six bonus points
There are no bonus in the UEL or UCoL if you finish outside the top 24
There are then bonus points for reaching each of the knockout rounds
As well as those high bonus points in the UCL for position
the teams who finish in the top eight are guaranteed another 1.500 for reaching the round of 16
There were no bonus points for participating in the knockout playoffs in February in any of the competitions
but you did get points for the result of each leg -- something which isn't available to the top eight
Results in the knockout playoffs counted to the league's overall coefficient
But the totals were much lower in the other two European competitions
Manchester United (6.500) and Tottenham Hotspur (6.250) picked up much fewer bonus points in the UEL league phase than Man City in the UCL even though they finished third and fourth
By comparison, Chelsea got only 4.500 bonus points even though they finished first in the UCoL league phase
While Serie A and the Bundesliga have five teams in the Champions League
worth less than it is for the other leagues
there's no chance of challenging for the top two
Italian clubs had been holding up well until that horrendous knockout playoff round
while German teams unperformed greatly and are already out of contention
England and Spain will find out if they are at a disadvantage next season
In many seasons it can be obvious in March
once we know which leagues have multiple teams through to the quarterfinals of the three European competitions
Serie A clinched an extra berth on April 18
but terrible results for English clubs in the quarterfinals
effectively handed second place to Germany
The Premier League was well out in front this year and sealed its place on April 8
the 2019-20 season shows that it can go right down to the wire
Germany didn't overtake the Premier League for second place until Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the final of the Champions League
we wouldn't know which league gets the second additional spot until the UCL final on May 31
It would leave two clubs in the domestic leagues praying for the right result in the final. In 2019-20, Bayer Leverkusen and Leicester City finished fifth in Germany and England respectively
Leverkusen would have needed Bayern to win the UCL final to get the place
while Leicester required Bayern to lose the match
a maximum of five clubs from one association could play in the Champions League
The cap has been removed and it will be possible for seven teams to get a place in the UCL: The top four
fifth through league performance in Europe
and the winners of the UCL and the UEL (if they do not finish in the top four)
to have 11 teams in Europe: The usual allocation of seven
plus the extra Champions League place and the titleholders of all three European competitions
As the extra spots will go to one of the top leagues
fifth place will enter the Champions League and the two leagues will have eight (rather than seven) places in Europe
In all cases if a team win the domestic cup and finish in a European place in the league
If a team win the UEL or UCL but don't qualify for the UCL domestically
that league would have six places in the UCL -- the five places to the leagues plus the UEL or UCL titleholders as an additional
The league would forfeit the domestic place earned by the titleholders
if Borussia Dortmund had won the Champions League
Germany would have had six teams (the top six) in the UCL but only one in the UEL -- losing the spot earned by Dortmund
and one of its teams finishes eighth and wins a European trophy
11th in the Premier League could have qualified for the UCoL if English clubs won all three European competitions and finish eighth
Chelsea are fifth in England, with Villarreal holding that spot in LaLiga
Leeds United’s Ethan Ampadu and teammates celebrate with the trophy after being crowned champions following the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle
Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game during the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle
Leeds United players celebrate being crowned champions following the English Football League Championship soccer match against Plymouth Argyle
Leeds was promoted to the Premier League as second-division champion on Saturday after Manor Solomon’s dramatic winner in stoppage time
Solomon’s late goal sealed a 2-1 comeback win against relegated Plymouth and saw Leeds top the Championship — edging out second-placed Burnley on goal difference
Both teams had clinched promotion last week but fought to go up as champion
They ended the season level on 100 points each after Burnley beat Millwall 3-1 and was promoted as runner-up
Coventry and Bristol City took the last two playoff places
Coventry beat Middlesbrough 2-0 to end the season in fifth place and Bristol City was sixth after a 2-2 draw against Preston
Third-place Sheffield United and Sunderland in fourth complete the playoffs lineup
Those four teams will compete for the third and final promotion spot
Luton Town was relegated for the second year in a row after a 5-3 loss against West Brom
Luton was a Premier League team last season
but will be playing in the third tier of English soccer next term after Hull climbed out of the relegation zone in the final game of the season with a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth
Leeds and Burnley were neck and neck at the top of the standings going into the last round of games
And it looked like Burnley — relegated from the top flight last year — would clinch the title with victory against Millwall
Leeds trailed at second from bottom Plymouth in the 18th when Sam Byram put through his own net
Wilfried Gnonto leveled the game at Home Park in the 53rd
but time was running out to complete the comeback
That was until Solomon’s dramatic winner in the first minute of stoppage time
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