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Is Doncic Playing for Lakers vs Thunder Game 4 Today?
LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic will miss his ninth consecutive game when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday night, continuing his recovery from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that has sidelined him since early April.
The Lakers officially listed Doncic as out on their injury report released Monday afternoon, with no change in status from previous games. The Slovenian superstar has been progressing in his rehabilitation — recently beginning running — but remains well short of full basketball activity as the team fights to avoid a sweep.
Eight-week timeline looms large
Doncic suffered the injury on April 2 against these same Thunder. The initial MRI projected an eight-week recovery window, placing a potential return around early June. At five weeks post-injury, he has begun running but has not progressed to on-court contact, 5-on-5 work or game-speed drills.
In his most detailed public update last week, Doncic acknowledged the conservative timeline. “The doctor said eight weeks at the beginning of the first MRI,” he told reporters. “I’m just going day by day, and I feel better every day.” He has traveled to Europe for specialized treatment but has not accelerated the process beyond medical guidance.
Lakers desperate without their star
Without Doncic, the Lakers have leaned heavily on LeBron James and a supporting cast that includes Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell. The team has shown flashes of competitiveness but has been unable to match Oklahoma City’s depth, athleticism and defensive versatility. The Thunder lead the series 3-0 heading into Monday’s must-win game at Crypto.com Arena.
Coach JJ Redick has emphasized adjustments and next-man-up mentality, but the absence of Doncic’s scoring gravity, playmaking and size has been glaring. James has logged heavy minutes, but the offensive ceiling without the 30-point, 8-assist threat has proven difficult to reach consistently.
Medical and long-term outlook
Medical experts note that Grade 2 hamstring strains carry significant re-injury risk if rushed. The Lakers are taking a measured approach, prioritizing Doncic’s long-term health over a desperate playoff push. Even if the Lakers extend the series, a return in the Western Conference finals would require rapid progression in the coming days.
Doncic has dealt with lower-body soft-tissue issues in recent seasons. This latest strain, described as more severe than previous ones, has tested both his patience and the organization’s contingency planning.
Thunder capitalize on Lakers’ vulnerabilities
Oklahoma City has exploited the mismatch effectively. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s deep roster have dominated transition play and the glass, building double-digit leads in each of the first three games. Coach Mark Daigneault’s team enters Game 4 with a chance to sweep and advance to the Western Conference finals.
The Thunder have shown championship poise, maintaining focus despite the Lakers’ home-court energy. Their length and switching defense have neutralized much of Los Angeles’ half-court offense in Doncic’s absence.
Fan frustration and broader implications
Lakers fans have expressed a mix of disappointment and realism on social media. Many hoped for a miracle return, but the eight-week timeline and medical updates have tempered expectations. The organization’s investment in pairing James with Doncic faces its first major test, with questions about roster construction and future flexibility likely to intensify if the series ends quickly.
A sweep would mark another early postseason exit and intensify scrutiny on front-office decisions. General manager Rob Pelinka faces difficult choices this offseason regardless of the outcome, particularly around supporting cast construction and managing aging stars.
Path forward for Doncic and Lakers
For Doncic, the focus remains steady rehabilitation. If the original timeline holds, he could target late May for basketball activities, potentially aligning with a hypothetical Conference Finals appearance. Any earlier return would require pain-free running, strength testing and medical clearance.
The Lakers, meanwhile, must find answers quickly. Monday night’s Game 4 represents more than survival — it is a chance to salvage pride, extend the series and buy time for potential reinforcements. Whether they can force the Thunder into a longer battle without their star remains to be seen.
As Crypto.com Arena prepares for what could be a pivotal home game, the spotlight remains on Doncic’s recovery timeline and the Lakers’ ability to compete shorthanded. The hamstring injury has tested the franchise’s depth and resilience at the worst possible moment, leaving fans hoping for a miracle in a season defined by high expectations.
Game 4 tips off at 10:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video. While Doncic watches from the sideline, the Lakers will attempt to defy the odds and keep their season alive against a Thunder team playing with championship momentum.
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SBI sheds over $11 billion in market value in 2 sessions on margin squeeze, disappointing earnings
Shares of India’s largest lender by customers dropped 4.5% to a year-to-date low of 973.60 rupees on Monday, extending Friday’s near-7% post-results fall.
The selloff brought the stock down more than 10% in two sessions, wiping out $11.3 billion.
NSE data showed the heaviest fresh call writing on SBI’s 1,000 strike on Monday, signalling that investors expect any near-term rebound in the stock’s price to likely be capped at that level.
About 95 million shares changed hands over the two sessions, almost five-fold the 30‑day average of 18.7 million.
Analysts said the lender’s fourth-quarter earnings miss reinforced concerns that Indian banks are entering a tougher profitability cycle, with rising funding costs beginning to erode lending margins.
SBI on Friday reported a narrower net interest margin of 2.8% for the quarter, compared with 2.98% in the previous three-month period, and also missed analysts’ profit estimate.”NIM compression is becoming more visible as funding costs reprice faster,” JP Morgan said on Monday, adding that earnings momentum could moderate in the coming quarters.
“Core earnings were underwhelming, with incremental margins tightening,” Bernstein said, cautioning that upside catalysts may be limited without a stabilisation in margins.
SBI’s asset quality remained a key positive, with bad loans and credit costs staying benign, brokerages said, but warned it may not fully offset pressure on net interest income from margin compression.
Nonetheless, analysts retained a constructive long‑term view, citing the bank’s strong balance sheet, scale and market leadership.
The two-session selloff erased SBI’s year-to-date gains, leaving the stock down 0.8% in 2026, though it still outperformed the benchmark Nifty 50’s 8.8% drop.
Former White House ‘AI czar’ David Sacks discusses President Donald Trump’s upcoming China trip, where he is expected to talk about AI with Chinese President Xi Jinping on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
Former White House AI czar David Sacks predicted potential outcomes of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping as the two leaders prepare to discuss artificial intelligence.
Sacks assessed the state of the intensifying AI arms race on “The Claman Countdown” Monday as China and the U.S. emerge as fierce competitors on the global stage.
“I do think that there are things that may be in our common interest, and it’s worthwhile to explore having those conversations,” he said.
“The fact is we have to still protect from against each other. So I think it’s going to be a little bit limited in terms of what we can achieve there.”
BEIJING IS QUIETLY DICTATING THE TRADE WAR’S NEXT MOVES AS TRUMP AND XI PREPARE TO MEET
US President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP / Getty Images)
Sacks’ comments follow the release of Anthropic’s Mythos, a model that has raised widespread worry over its capability to identify decades-old security vulnerabilities.
Sacks said the U.S. and China could potentially reach an agreement on new cyber standards during this week’s meeting, noting that neither country wants “rogue actors” to use AI models for dangerous purposes.
He also warned that the U.S. must take proactive defensive measures to ensure new AI models do not exploit existing vulnerabilities.
WHITE HOUSE MEETS AI FIRM ANTHROPIC AMID POLITICAL TENSIONS, PENTAGON DISPUTE
“We need to take steps now to harden our systems and scan our code bases to find latent vulnerabilities and patch them,” the former ‘AI czar’ said.
AI assistant apps on a smartphone — OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic Claude. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
Sacks also downplayed concerns about AI, arguing there is no need for strong federal regulation of the technology, while cautioning that China’s advancing cyber capabilities remain a serious concern.
“There’s been this debate about whether we needed an FDA for AI. That would be solving a problem I don’t think we have,” he told FOX Business.
“The real issue is not what the American labs do. It’s the fact that Chinese models and other models that other actors could train are gonna have advanced cyber capabilities within the next six months or so.”
Sacks cited previous success in AI discussions with China, including a late 2024 summit between former President Joe Biden and Jinping, where both countries agreed to keep AI away from nuclear weapons systems.
U.S. President Joe Biden escorts Chinese President Xi Jinping to his car to bid farewell after their talks in the Filoli Estate in the U.S. state of California, Nov. 15, 2023. (Photo by Li Xueren/Xinhua via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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The former ‘AI czar’ said that while the U.S. and China remain locked in a highly competitive race for AI dominance, dialogue about the technology is a step in the right direction.
“I think the point here is for the two sides to start talking, to establish an initial dialogue and just to see how the Chinese are thinking about this,” Sacks said.
The US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Graeme Sloan | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way on Monday for Alabama Republicans to pursue a congressional voting map more favorable to their party ahead of November’s midterm elections, the latest fallout from the court’s seismic voting rights ruling.
The justices lifted a lower court’s decision that had blocked state Republicans’ preferred map as racially discriminatory and for illegally diluting the voting power of Black Alabamians.
The politically conservative Southern state is expected to seek to revert to this previous map, which would drop the number of districts where Black voters comprise a majority, or near-majority, from two to one out of the state’s seven U.S. House districts. Use of the previous map could be beneficial to Republicans.
The order was powered by the nine-member court’s conservative majority. The three liberal justices dissented and suggested that the lower court could reapply its judicial block to the Alabama Republicans’ preferred map.
President Donald Trump‘s fellow Republicans are fighting to maintain their control of the House, as well as the Senate, in the midterm elections.
Alabama is among a group of Republican-led states that has sought to eliminate majority-Black congressional districts and boost their party’s chances ahead of the elections following the Supreme Court’s ruling undercutting a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. Black voters tend to support Democratic candidates.
In its landmark April 29 ruling, the court, in a 6-3 ruling powered by its conservative members, struck down an electoral map that had given Louisiana a second Black-majority U.S. congressional district. The redrawn map, the majority ruled, had relied too heavily on race in violation of the constitutional equal protection principle.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, Alabama immediately filed emergency motions asking the justices to allow it to revert to an older map with only a single majority-Black district.
Alabama, where Black voters make up a quarter of the electorate, had been ordered by a lower court to use a map that includes two majority-Black districts out of seven. Both are held by Black Democrats.
The lower court decided that a prior map had intentionally discriminated against Black voters and unlawfully diluted their voting power.
Alabama officials had argued in Supreme Court filings that Alabama’s court-ordered map shared the same constitutional defects as Louisiana’s.
In a dissent, liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor emphasized that the lower court’s ruling concerning Alabama’s map was more expansive than the case involving Louisiana and included a finding of unconstitutional discrimination by intentionally diluting the votes of Black voters in Alabama.
The majority’s decision to set aside the lower court’s ruling is therefore “inappropriate and will cause only confusion as Alabamians begin to vote in the elections scheduled for next week,” Sotomayor wrote in a dissent that was joined by her two fellow liberal justices.
She said the lower court “remains free on remand to decide for itself whether Callais has any bearing on its Fourteenth Amendment analysis or if its prior reasoning is unaffected by that decision,” referring to the court’s April 29 decision, called Louisiana v. Callais.
In 2023, the court had upheld the lower court’s decision that the state’s Republican-drawn electoral map diluted Black voters’ power, violating the Voting Rights Act. That 5-4 ruling was authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, and he was joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the court’s three liberal justices.
In a process called redistricting, the boundaries of legislative districts across the United States are reconfigured to reflect population changes as measured by the national census conducted every 10 years. Redistricting typically has been carried out by state legislatures once per decade.
Republicans and Democrats have been waging a multistate redistricting fight ignited last year when Trump initiated an unprecedented mid-decade effort to redraw maps in Republican-led states, starting with Texas.
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Passengers aboard Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Adventure say their four-night Singapore sailing was canceled after boarding due to technical issues, leaving families waiting hours for answers before being sent to hotels late at night.
Guests had already embarked on the May 7 voyage when the ship’s captain reportedly told them there were technical issues and that they would “set sail soon,” according to a passenger who documented the situation on Reddit.
By around 2 p.m. local time the following day, the captain announced the sailing would be canceled entirely.
“It’s really disappointing especially if vacationing with kids,” the user wrote.
DISNEY LAUNCHES NEWEST CRUISE SHIP AMID MASSIVE SEAFARING EXPANSION
The cruise ship “Disney Adventure”, built in the Wismar shipyard, is moored in the port of Mukran on the island of Rügen, while bathers and a windsurfer are in the water in the foreground. After around seven years of construction, one of the world’s (Photo by Stefan Sauer/picture alliance via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The passenger said guests waited hours for official instructions after the announcement, with only a handful of crew members assisting guests.
They said they did not receive hotel details until 12:10 a.m. and did not expect to reach their hotel until well after 1:30 a.m.
A letter to guests, later obtained and published by Disney Cruise Line Blog, said the sailing could not proceed as planned and apologized for the disruption.
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Captain Mickey, Captain Minnie, Susan Egan, Josh D’Amaro and Joe Schott during the Disney Destiny christening in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Nov. 10, 2025. (Pilar Arias/Fox News Digital / Fox News)
“We are truly sorry to let you know that we are unable to proceed with your Disney Adventure experience from May 7-11, 2026 as planned,” the company wrote, adding that “your safety and comfort as our guests are always our highest priority.”
The cruise line said affected guests would receive a full refund, 50% off a future cruise and a complimentary hotel stay, along with coverage for potential flight change fees and up to $500 per stateroom for incidental expenses.
However, the passenger raised concerns about the compensation, noting that the 50% future cruise discount requires booking by July 31, 2026, and sailing by May 31, 2027.
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Disney Adventure should have capacity for about 6,700 guests and 2,500 crew members, Disney Cruise Line said. (Disney)
The user also questioned whether accommodations were consistent across guests, claiming that some passengers with back-to-back bookings received multiple complimentary nights while others were provided just one.
“We reached our hotel at around 2:00 a.m. and we have to check out at 12 noon… that isn’t even a full night,” the user wrote.
Additional complaints included a reported S$200 (about $150 USD) food and beverage credit, which the passenger said barely covered meals for one person — let alone a family of four.
The user said some travelers had flown in from countries including India, Australia and Canada specifically for the cruise, describing it as “one of the worst” experiences they’ve had with Disney.
“The Disney Adventure departed as scheduled on its next sailing after the mechanical issue was resolved,” a Disney spokesperson told FOX Business. “We completely understand this was an unfortunate situation for our guests and worked with them directly to support their travel needs, help make their trip home as smooth as possible and invite them back to a future sailing.”
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The Disney Adventure is part of Disney Cruise Line’s major expansion plans, with the company aiming to grow its fleet to 13 ships by 2031. The vessel, which is home ported in Singapore, marks Disney’s first permanent cruise deployment in Asia.
FOX Business previously reported that Disney Cruise Line has been aggressively expanding its global cruise footprint, with Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro saying the company is focused on bringing Disney cruises “to new guests on new shores.”
Andrew Archambault named president and chief operating officer.
NEW YORK — The NFL will unveil its highly anticipated 2026 regular-season schedule on Thursday, May 14, powered for the first time by Amazon Web Services artificial intelligence and advanced analytics, promising fans deeper insights, personalized viewing options and a more data-driven approach to one of the league’s biggest annual events.
The schedule release, traditionally one of the most exciting days on the NFL calendar, will be broadcast live across NFL Network, ESPN, and the league’s digital platforms beginning at 8 p.m. ET. This marks the first year the NFL has partnered with AWS to use machine learning models for schedule optimization, aiming to balance competitive fairness, travel demands, and broadcast appeal.
AWS technology transforms schedule creation
For the first time, AWS’s cloud infrastructure and AI tools played a central role in generating thousands of potential schedules before finalizing the version that best satisfied multiple constraints. The technology helped minimize back-to-back road games, optimize travel distances, and ensure key rivalries received optimal national television slots.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell highlighted the partnership during a recent media availability. “AWS has helped us create the fairest and most fan-friendly schedule we’ve ever produced,” he said. “This technology allows us to analyze millions of variables in real time — something that was impossible just a few years ago.”
What fans can expect on May 14
The 2026 schedule release will follow the familiar format fans love while incorporating new digital features. The NFL app and NFL+ will offer interactive tools allowing users to filter games by team, division, prime-time slots, and international matchups. Personalized “My Schedule” features will let fans generate custom calendars with alerts for their favorite teams.
Key highlights expected to dominate discussion include:
- The traditional Thanksgiving Day tripleheader
- Potential Christmas Day games
- International games in London, Munich, and possibly São Paulo
- Prime-time matchups featuring high-profile rivalries and high-scoring offenses
The defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder — wait, no, the NFL champion from the previous season will open the season on Thursday Night Football in a traditional kickoff game.
Major storylines heading into 2026
The schedule release will shine a spotlight on several compelling narratives:
- Aaron Rodgers’ future: Depending on his status with the Pittsburgh Steelers or a potential new team, his games will carry major intrigue.
- Rookie quarterbacks: The 2026 draft class, headlined by top prospects, will make their regular-season debuts under the national spotlight.
- Super Bowl rematch potential: Teams from the previous Super Bowl will likely face each other again.
- Expanded international presence: With growing global interest, more games outside the U.S. are anticipated.
Impact on teams and players
For the 32 NFL clubs, the schedule release marks the true beginning of preparations for the 2026 campaign. Teams will immediately begin analyzing opponents, travel schedules, and bye weeks to adjust training camp and preseason plans.
Players have mixed feelings about the May release date. While it provides clarity for family planning and training, many veterans note the increasing physical and mental demands of the modern NFL calendar. The AWS-powered optimization aims to reduce excessive travel fatigue, particularly for West Coast teams making multiple cross-country trips.
Broadcast and streaming implications
The 2026 season will feature expanded streaming options. Amazon Prime Video will once again handle exclusive Thursday Night Football games, while Netflix and YouTube continue growing their NFL presence. The schedule release will reveal which matchups receive the biggest national windows across ABC, ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, and streaming platforms.
Fan engagement and viewing parties
NFL fans are already planning watch parties and social media events for the May 14 release. Fantasy football leagues typically see a surge in activity immediately following the schedule drop as managers begin early draft research. Bars and restaurants across the country are expected to draw large crowds for the primetime reveal.
Historical context
The NFL has released its schedule in May since 2005 (with occasional exceptions). Last year’s release generated record digital engagement, with over 65 million unique users accessing NFL platforms within 24 hours. The league expects even higher numbers in 2026 thanks to improved technology and global interest.
What analysts are watching for
League insiders and betting markets are particularly interested in:
- Strength of schedule rankings for playoff contenders
- Primetime game distribution
- Bye week clustering
- Potential for flexible scheduling in the final weeks
Early projections suggest the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles could face particularly challenging slates, while certain rebuilding teams may benefit from more favorable matchups.
The road to Super Bowl LXI
The 2026 schedule will culminate in Super Bowl LXI on February 8, 2027, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The release of the 17-game regular season roadmap is the first major step on that journey for all 32 teams.
As excitement builds toward Thursday’s reveal, the partnership with AWS signals the NFL’s continued embrace of technology to enhance both the on-field product and the fan experience. For millions of football fans counting down the days until September, May 14 cannot come soon enough.
The 2026 NFL schedule promises new rivalries, historic matchups, and another unforgettable season — and it all begins with the highly anticipated release this Thursday.
America turns 250 this year. Laird & Co., a family-run distillery in Colts Neck, N.J., can beat that—easily.
The roots of the business go all the way back to 1698, when founder William Laird began making and selling spirits; it became a formal business entity in 1780, in the midst of the Revolution. George Washington, according to family lore, enjoyed its signature Laird’s Applejack brandy.
Today, the company has expanded and diversified, and become the leading seller of American apple brandy in the U.S. and abroad. But it still makes its signature product with the same recipe, using the same methods. And it is still run by Lairds.
On some level, the arc of the Lairds’ business mirrors the arc of the country: from a colonial, farm-based economy to a national market stitched together by rail, through the shock of Prohibition and the mobilization of war, and into a modern era of reinvention and consolidation. The specifics change—laws, technologies, tastes—but the underlying challenge remains the same: how to survive in a country that is constantly remaking itself.
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