Four former Alabama State basketball players were banned for life by the NCAA for accepting money from gamblers to fix a game during the 2024-25 season. One of them was the key player in Alabama State's first NCAA tournament win.
Key Facts
The NCAA found that four ex-players from Alabama State fixed the outcome of a basketball game.
These players were on the 2024-25 Alabama State team.
One of the players was the main figure in Alabama State’s first-ever NCAA tournament win.
All four players accepted money from gamblers to influence the game result.
The NCAA punished them by banning them permanently from college sports.
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British photographer David Yarrow took a unique team photo of Norway's football squad dressed as Vikings for their first World Cup since 1998. The photo aims to show all 26 players equally and will be used to raise funds for Norwegian charities.
Key Facts
Norway is playing in the World Cup Finals for the first time since 1998.
David Yarrow was chosen to take the team's send-off photo.
Instead of the usual airplane steps photo, the team posed in Viking costumes at a Norwegian fjord.
The photo is called "The Vikings are coming."
The costumes were borrowed from theatre companies in Oslo.
Yarrow wants the photo to show all players equally, regardless of their fame or market value.
Erling Haaland, a Manchester City striker, was previously photographed alone in Viking dress by Yarrow.
The photo will be displayed at the Norway team's base in North Carolina and will help raise money for charities in Norway.
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Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper has been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and criminal mischief. He is currently being held according to jail records.
Key Facts
Jonathon Cooper is an outside linebacker for the Broncos football team.
He has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of domestic violence.
He faces one count of criminal mischief.
The arrest details come from official jail records.
He is currently being held in custody.
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Ned Jarrett, a famous NASCAR driver who won two Cup championships and later worked as a broadcaster, died at age 93. His family said he passed away peacefully at his home in Newton, North Carolina.
Key Facts
Ned Jarrett was a NASCAR Hall of Famer.
He won two NASCAR Cup championships during his racing career.
Jarrett also worked for many years as a NASCAR broadcaster.
He died at his home in Newton, North Carolina.
His family announced that he died of natural causes.
He was 93 years old at the time of his death.
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FIFA canceled about 60 World Cup tickets that were wrongly given for free due to a website mistake. The affected fans have been asked to pay the correct ticket price to keep their seats.
Key Facts
Around 60 fans got World Cup tickets for free because of a website error during checkout.
FIFA announced the mistake and invited those fans to pay the full ticket price.
The error happened on May 21, despite FIFA president Gianni Infantino saying all 104 World Cup games had sold out months earlier.
Tickets are still being sold for the World Cup, which starts next Thursday in Mexico City.
FIFA uses a surge pricing system that adjusts ticket prices based on demand, which some fans find controversial.
FIFA runs its own resale platform and charges a 15% commission to both buyers and sellers.
Tickets for the 2026 World Cup are more expensive than previous tournaments, aiming to raise billions for global football development.
The US, Canada, and Mexico had promised low-cost tickets for group-stage games when they won hosting rights, but FIFA now controls ticket sales and prices directly.
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Celtic is considering Robbie Keane as their new manager, but some fans oppose this due to his previous role coaching Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv during the conflict in Gaza. Supporters who back Palestine have expressed their concerns with banners and statements, asking the club to reconsider Keane’s appointment.
Key Facts
Robbie Keane is a top candidate to become Celtic’s new manager.
Keane previously managed Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv during the Gaza conflict.
Some Celtic fans display Palestinian flags at matches in support of Palestine.
A fan group called “Celtic Fans for the Liberation of Palestine” opposes Keane’s hiring.
The group says Keane’s decision to coach in Israel during conflict is divisive.
Keane managed Maccabi to win the league and cup before resigning in 2024.
He explained staying was due to responsibility for his staff’s wellbeing.
Current interim Celtic manager Martin O’Neill recently won the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup.
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Two longtime friends, Rob Davis and David Lewis, both made a hole-in-one on the same hole during the same round of golf at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. The chance of this happening is estimated at 17 million to one.
Key Facts
Rob Davis, 67, and David Lewis, 64, have been golf partners for more than 30 years.
Both made their hole-in-one shots on the 15th hole, a 107-yard par-three.
Rob used a pitching wedge for his first hole-in-one.
David made his second hole-in-one shortly after Rob's, also with a pitching wedge.
The Royal Liverpool Golf Club has hosted the Open Championship 13 times.
The odds of both friends making a hole-in-one on the same hole in the same round are about 17 million to one.
For comparison, the odds of dying from a shark attack are 1 in 4.3 million.
After their achievement, the friends celebrated by buying drinks for other golfers at the clubhouse.
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Iran’s football team has given their passports to the U.S. embassy in Turkey to get visas for the World Cup, following FIFA’s instructions. The team plans to travel soon to their base camp in Mexico and then to the United States for their group matches.
Key Facts
Iran’s football team handed their passports to the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Turkey for visa approval.
FIFA instructed Iran to submit passports for the U.S. visas needed to enter the country.
The team will first travel from Turkey to Spain, then to their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico.
Mexico has already issued visas to the Iranian squad.
Iran’s World Cup group matches will be played in U.S. cities: Los Angeles and Seattle.
Iran originally planned to base in Tucson, Arizona, but changed to Tijuana, Mexico.
The Iranian football federation warned FIFA they may reconsider plans if visas are not given to all players and staff.
Iran recently won a friendly match against Mali with a score of 2-0 before the World Cup.
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Mexico has appeared in 17 World Cups, reaching the quarterfinals twice when hosting in 1970 and 1986. Coach Javier Aguirre is hopeful the team can break their pattern of exiting in the round of 16, helped by the advantage of playing at home in the 2026 World Cup. Key players include striker Raul Jimenez and goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who will compete in his record sixth World Cup.
Key Facts
Mexico's best World Cup results were reaching the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986.
Mexico has been eliminated in the round of 16 in seven straight World Cups from 1994 to 2018.
Javier “Vasco” Aguirre is the head coach and this will be his third World Cup leading Mexico.
Mexico will host the 2026 World Cup, becoming the first country to host three tournaments.
Key players are Raul Jimenez (striker) and Guillermo Ochoa (goalkeeper), who will play in his sixth World Cup.
The team plays a fast passing style, relying on midfielders Alvaro Fidalgo and Alexis Vega.
Mexico’s defense includes two natural center backs, Johan Vasquez and Cesar Montes, with defensive tactics evolving under Aguirre.
Some players on the squad were born outside Mexico but have naturalized to represent the country.
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Katie Taylor will retire from boxing after a final fight against Flora Pili on September 5 at Croke Park in Dublin. Taylor will defend multiple world titles and try to become a three-time undisputed champion in the first boxing event at Croke Park since 1972.
Key Facts
Katie Taylor will fight Flora Pili on September 5, 2026, at Croke Park.
This will be Taylor’s farewell fight, ending her boxing career.
Taylor holds WBO, WBA, IBF, and Ring Magazine titles and will try to win the vacant WBC belt.
Flora Pili is undefeated with a 12-0 professional record.
The match is the first boxing event at Croke Park since Muhammad Ali fought there in 1972.
Taylor last fought in July 2025, beating Amanda Serrano for the third time.
Taylor lost once to Chantelle Cameron in 2023 but later won a rematch.
Previous attempts to hold Taylor’s homecoming fight at Croke Park were stopped due to high costs.
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Elmo, the character from Sesame Street, posted on social media supporting both the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs during the NBA Finals. This caused mixed reactions among basketball fans online.
Key Facts
Elmo is a popular character from the children’s show Sesame Street.
The NBA Finals is the championship series of professional basketball in the U.S.
Elmo showed support for two teams at the same time: the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
The post was shared on X, a social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Fans had different opinions about Elmo supporting both teams.
The NBA Finals is a widely followed sports event in the U.S.
Social media often creates lively discussions when celebrities or popular figures share opinions about sports.
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Tottenham Hotspur has signed Andy Robertson, the Scotland captain and former Liverpool left-back, on a free transfer starting July 1. Robertson played 378 times for Liverpool, winning major trophies, and will bring experience and leadership to Tottenham's team.
Key Facts
Andy Robertson is the captain of Scotland’s national football team.
He joined Tottenham after leaving Liverpool at the end of his contract.
Robertson will officially become a Tottenham player on July 1.
Tottenham previously tried to sign him in January, but the deal fell through.
Robertson played 378 games for Liverpool since joining in 2017.
He won two Premier League titles and the Champions League with Liverpool.
Tottenham’s new manager, Roberto de Zerbi, praised Robertson’s leadership and skills.
Robertson is expected to lead Scotland in this summer’s World Cup.
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Baker Mayfield, the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said that contract talks for a long-term deal are far from what he expected. He expressed a desire to finalize a new contract soon.
Key Facts
Baker Mayfield is the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He spoke publicly about his contract for the first time this offseason.
Mayfield said contract extension talks are not close to his expectations.
He emphasized the need to complete a long-term contract.
The comments show Mayfield wants clarity on his future with the team.
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The Chicago Bears are moving closer to building a new stadium in Hammond, Indiana. Their board of directors recently approved plans to develop the stadium near Chicago.
Key Facts
The Chicago Bears are planning to leave Chicago for a new stadium.
The new stadium will be located in Hammond, Indiana, which is close to Chicago.
The team's board of directors voted to support the stadium development plans.
This vote happened on Thursday.
The announcement about moving closer to the new stadium plans was made on Friday.
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Charles Leclerc was the fastest driver in the first practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix, followed by Lewis Hamilton. There were crashes involving Isack Hadjar and Fernando Alonso, but no serious injuries were reported.
Key Facts
Charles Leclerc led the first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, driving for Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton finished second, also driving a Ferrari.
Max Verstappen was third, driving for Red Bull.
Isack Hadjar crashed his Red Bull in a corner called the Swimming Pool chicane.
Fernando Alonso had a close call but avoided a major crash at the harbour front chicane driving for Aston Martin.
Both Ferrari drivers had some difficulties controlling their cars during the session.
Other notable drivers included Kimi Antonelli and George Russell from Mercedes, and Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri from McLaren.
The practice showed that Ferrari and other leading teams had strong performance but with some risks on this challenging track.
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Tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup games hosted by the U.S. and Canada still have many seats available, while Mexico’s games are nearly sold out. Data shows Mexico is experiencing much stronger demand for tickets compared to the U.S. men’s national team and Canada.
Key Facts
The U.S. has thousands of tickets left for its group-stage games, including about 5,400 tickets for the opening game against Paraguay.
Canada has around 7,300 tickets available for its opening matches on resale platforms, plus about 1,300 on FIFA’s main site.
Mexico’s opening matches are almost sold out through FIFA’s official ticket system, with only about 1,100 tickets remaining on resale sites.
Fewer than 30,000 tickets remain available for all 104 World Cup matches combined on FIFA’s official ticket platform.
In late May, FIFA’s official available ticket count dropped by 44,000 without explanation; many of these tickets appeared later on resale sites.
Some reports suggest FIFA may have moved unsold tickets to resale platforms to adjust prices and avoid compensation claims.
FIFA has not commented on the ticket inventory changes or resale speculation.
This data was shared by TicketData.com and reported exclusively by Newsweek shortly before the tournament started.
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England’s cricket player Ollie Robinson took five wickets in a Test match against New Zealand at Lord’s cricket ground. This performance took place during his return to Test cricket.
Key Facts
Ollie Robinson plays cricket for England.
He took five wickets in a single Test match innings.
The match was played against New Zealand.
The game took place at Lord’s cricket ground.
This was Robinson’s first Test match after returning.
The information was published recently and relates to live coverage available in the UK.
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The article profiles passionate, older fans of the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs basketball teams. These superfans share their hopes and excitement ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Key Facts
The article features senior superfans of the Knicks and Spurs.
It focuses on their enthusiasm before Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
The NBA Finals is the championship series of professional basketball in the U.S.
The Knicks are a team from New York City; the Spurs are from San Antonio, Texas.
Superfans often show strong loyalty and support for their teams.
The story highlights personal stories and emotions connected to the games.
The NBA Finals attract a lot of attention from fans and media.
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