Somali World Cup referee denied entry to US arrives home to hero’s welcome
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — A World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States has returned to Somalia’s capital of Mogadishu, where he was received by a crowd of supporters and officials. Omar Artan was set to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate at a World Cup after making FIFA’s final list for the tournament. He is one of Africa’s top referees and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025. Artan received a hero’s welcome at the airport in Mogadishu on Wednesday. He thanked the Somali government and people as well as FIFA for their support for him.
A wild Stanley Cup Final swings again as Hurricanes win 5-3 to make series 2-2 with Golden Knights
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jordan Staal scored his second goal of the game at 6:32 of the third period to put the Carolina Hurricanes ahead for good in their 5-3 victory in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final over the Vegas Golden Knights. The win on Tuesday night evened the series after four games. Game 5 is Thursday night at Carolina. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist, Logan Stankoven scored a goal. Brandon Bussi made 18 saves. Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Brett Howden scored goals for the Golden Knights, and Carter Hart made 23 saves
Law firms cheated in filing claims with NFL’s $1 billion concussion settlement fund, report says
The court officials overseeing the NFL’s $1 billion settlement fund for concussion-related injuries have barred five law firms from handling any more claims from former players, after finding that they fraudulently steered clients toward doctors willing to give them a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis whether they exhibited symptoms or not. A report filed in federal court in Philadelphia this week says the five firms represented or performed work involving 98 former players who in recent years sought payouts from the settlement for Parkinson’s disease claims. Dozens of those claims were approved to the tune of $95 million — with the share going to the attorneys totaling about $20 million.
Judge dismisses lawsuit by 31 former NC State athletes alleging abuse, misconduct by ex-head trainer
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A state judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by 31 former N.C. State male athletes alleging sexual abuse under the guise of treatment and harassment by the Wolfpack’s former director of sports medicine. In orders filed Tuesday, Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins dismissed claims against Robert M. Murphy Jr., as well as multiple N.C. State athletics officials tied to their oversight rules. Collins cited procedural reasons. That included an expired statute of limitations on claims dating back as early as 2013. Durham-based attorney Kerry Sutton has represented the players and says they plan to appeal.
Paul Skenes is in a bit of a rough patch. A visit to a local Little League field cleared his head
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes, the Pirates ace, recently found himself at a Little League practice in Pittsburgh. While driving on an off day, the reigning NL Cy Young winner noticed kids practicing decided to stop by. The 24-year-old spent two hours playing catch and signing autographs, reminding himself of the simple joys of baseball. This break came during a tough stretch for him and the Pirates. Skenes is winless in his last five starts following a 12-2 loss to Los Angeles in which the Dodgers erupted for 10 runs after Skenes exited. Skenes says he’s focusing on the process and believes better results are coming. He described his stop to hang out with the Little Leaguers as an important reminder of why he started playing baseball in the first place.
Celebrations clash with social tensions in Mexico ahead of World Cup
MEXICO CITY (AP) — FIFA World Cup celebrations in Mexico are running into wider social tensions as the capital prepares to open its arms to the world in the opening ceremonies. The World Cup comes at a time when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is walking a political tightrope. If things go off without a hitch, experts say the event will act as a feather in the president’s hat. But celebrations have been marked by mounting protests and wider criticisms that the government has dedicated too much of its time in catering to international visitors instead of addressing the country’s more pressing issues.
At World Cup stadiums, there will be zero tolerance for drones because of the threat they pose
Fans who hear the whirring sound of a drone over a stadium might see it as a nuisance but law enforcement has long viewed those aircraft as a potential weapon of mass destruction. Cheap drones are readily available and the bloodshed they have caused during the wars in Ukraine and Iran have underscored the dangers law enforcement have been increasingly worried about. Experts say a terrorist could spend a few hundred dollars on a drone, strap some explosives to it and fly it into a target like a stadium full of people. So drones won’t be tolerated over the 78 World Cup games in 11 U.S. cities.
Veteran Staal scoring at a pace not seen in the Stanley Cup Final since Bossy in 1982
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal chose the simple approach to Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final with Carolina trailing in the best-of-seven series. But, the 20-year veteran’s game-winning goal Tuesday night was anything but simple. Then again, considering how he has played against the Vegas Golden Knights in this series, perhaps it was. With the game tied at 3 in the third period, Staal’s sprawling backhand shot while in midair with 13:29 left beat Vegas’ Carter Hart and found the back of the net for his second score of the game, and it held up as the winner in the 5-3 victory. The series is tied at 2-all heading back to Carolina on Thursday.
Messi scores on a penalty as Argentina beats Iceland 3-0 in its final World Cup tune-up
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Lionel Messi is ready for his sixth World Cup. After recovering from a muscle injury, he played 20 minutes and scored a penalty in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Iceland. Messi had been dealing with muscle fatigue and a slight strain in his left hamstring since May 24. He came on in the 70th minute and scored a penalty kick after Lautaro Martínez was fouled. Argentina, seeking its fourth World Cup title, will open against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City. Messi is the all-time top scorer for the Argentine national team with 117 goals.
Bengals restructure Joe Burrow’s contract to free up cap space, AP source says
The Cincinnati Bengals have restructured the contract of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the move was not announced. The restructured deal was first reported by ESPN and NFL Network. Cincinnati gains around $10 million in cap space by spreading out some of his base salary over the final three years of the deal — 2027 through ’29. Burrow signed a five-year, $275-million extension in 2023. The Bengals found themselves low on cap space after acquiring defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants before the NFL draft and signing him to a one-year extension worth $28 million.