Ipswich Town FC is facing a backlash after Reform Party leader Nigel Farage staged a photo opportunity at its Portman Road stadium.
But the club is understood to have been unaware of the full extent of the event until social media posts emerged.
No official invitation was extended by Ipswich to Mr Farage for the Monday event, it is understood.
Portman Road Events, which manages private tours of the stadium, is understood to have taken a booking on behalf of Reform for Monday afternoon. However, the Championship club only became aware of what was involved later that day when posts appeared on the party’s official account.
Reform posted “Portman Road Awaits” on X on Monday evening, and Mr Farage followed up with a post on Tuesday morning.
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He shared photos of him ‘signing’ for Ipswich and one of him holding up a number 10 Ipswich shirt.
“I’ve never been too bad on the right wing,” he wrote on his official X account.
The party subsequently made a photo of Mr Farage holding the shirt the banner on their official X account.
It came after Reform held a party rally at nearby Trinity Park.
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The club has declined to comment.
However, some supporters have criticised them on X, with one describing it as “PR suicide for a family club”.
Nigel Farage posed with a ’10’ shirt at Portman Road (Nigel Farage/X)
Reform UK has been contacted for comment.
The Ipswich appearance came just days after Mr Farage halted his use of the website Cameo, following an investigation alleging he had filmed content supporting an alleged neo-Nazi event, repeated extremist slogans and made sexist remarks on the platform.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 23: Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan returns a shot against Talia Gibson of Australia during Day 7 of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 23, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Elena Rybakina continued her run at the Miami Open 2026, defeating Talia Gibson 6–2, 6–2 to reach the quarterfinals.
It marks her 20th WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
After the match, Rybakina acknowledged her opponent’s level:
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“She’s a great player. She’s been playing really well lately. From qualies… a lot of matches. I’m pretty happy with my performance today. But definitely, she’s a very good player.”
She also assessed her own performance honestly:
“She has a good serve. I think I was returning not too bad today. I felt like I was moving well. Not the freshest, not my best. But overall I think it was very solid from all the aspects.”
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The result continues a strong stretch of form: 0 sets dropped this week 31 wins in her last 35 matches Back-to-back WTA 1000 quarterfinals Third Miami quarterfinal appearance
Since the North American hard court swing began last July, Rybakina has now won 48 matches, more than any other player on tour during that period.
A consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group, along with The Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures and Blackstone, signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 100 per cent stake in Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), including both its Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL) teams.
The franchise is being acquired from United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo plc, in a deal that values RCB at $1.78 billion (around ₹16,600 crore), according to a Times of India report. The transaction remains subject to customary approvals from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the IPL Governing Council and other regulatory authorities.
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New ownership structure post-IPL 2026
Following the completion of the deal after the 2026 IPL season, Aryaman Vikram Birla, director at the Aditya Birla Group, will take over as chairman of the franchise. Satyan Gajwani of The Times of India Group will serve as vice-chairman.
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The acquisition marks a significant entry of large conglomerates and private capital into franchise cricket, underscoring the IPL’s evolution into a high-value global sports property.
‘Global sporting powerhouse’: Kumar Mangalam Birla
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Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, said the IPL has transformed Indian cricket and created substantial economic value.
“Over the past two decades, the IPL has morphed into a global sporting powerhouse that has changed the face of Indian cricket, creating enormous value for India. RCB, as one of the most compelling franchises in modern sport, offers the Aditya Birla Group a distinctive platform to extend its legacy of institution-building into the arena of global sport. We are delighted to become custodians of this asset and committed to further building this extraordinary legacy,” he was quoted as saying by Times of India.
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Gajwani said the group aims to strengthen RCB’s position as a global sports brand while retaining its strong regional identity.
“RCB is the reigning champion and the most popular brand in the IPL. As The Times of India Group, together with our partners, we will build RCB into a global sporting institution, while remaining rooted in Bengaluru and Karnataka and its incredible fanbase. We are committed to the people who built this championship-winning culture — the players, coaches, leadership team and the fans,” he said.
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Competitive bidding and rising valuations
The sale process had attracted interest from several high-profile bidders, including Serum Institute of India’s Adar Poonawalla, Manipal Hospitals’ Ranjan Pai, private equity firms EQT, TPG and Temasek, as well as the Glazer family, which owns Manchester United.
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The sharp rise in valuation reflects the growing commercial strength of IPL franchises. United Spirits had originally acquired the Bengaluru franchise in 2008 for $111.6 million (around ₹485 crore). The RCB management later paid ₹901 crore in 2023 to secure the WPL team.
From title drought to champion status
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RCB’s on-field success in recent years has further strengthened its brand. The franchise won the WPL title in 2024 and secured its maiden IPL trophy in 2025 after years of near misses.
Over the years, the team has featured some of T20 cricket’s biggest names, including Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Shane Watson, Anil Kumble, Glenn Maxwell, Yuvraj Singh and Faf du Plessis.
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Kohli’s tenure as captain from 2013 played a pivotal role in elevating RCB’s popularity, coinciding with his rise as one of the most influential figures in global cricket.
Strong brand and fan following
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Despite a prolonged title drought before 2025, RCB built one of the most loyal fanbases in the IPL, particularly in Karnataka and across digital platforms.
As of 2026, the franchise remains among the most followed teams in terms of social media reach and broadcast popularity. In 2025, Brand Finance ranked RCB as the second most valuable IPL brand after Mumbai Indians, while also placing it among the three strongest brands alongside Mumbai and Chennai.
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The same year, global investment bank Houlihan Lokey identified RCB as the foremost brand in the IPL ecosystem.
Siena Saints head coach Gerry McNamara claps Thursday, March 19, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament first round game against the Duke Blue Devils at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Gerry McNamara, who led Syracuse to its lone national title in 2003 as the point guard, was named the school’s head coach on Tuesday.
McNamara, 42, was the head coach at Siena the past two seasons, guiding the Saints to the NCAA Tournament this season after winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. As a No. 16 seed, Siena gave top-seeded Duke a scare in the first round on Thursday before losing 71-65.
Before taking over at Siena, McNamara served as an assistant coach under Jim Boeheim and Adrian Autry for 15 seasons.
“I love this place. I love what Syracuse means: to the fans, to the players who have worn this jersey, to the people of Central New York. This program has given me everything, and I am ready to give everything back to it,” McNamara said. “College basketball has changed. How you build a program, recruit talent, compete for resources and win looks different than it did even five years ago. I know that. I’m ready for it. What hasn’t changed is what Orange Nation expects, and what this place deserves. We are going to build something special here.”
Along with helping Syracuse win the national title during his freshman season alongside Carmelo Anthony, McNamara holds the program records for 3-pointers (400), 3-point attempts (1,131), free-throw percentage (88.8%) and minutes played (4,799). An All-Big East honoree three times, he started all 135 games of his career from 2002-06. The school retired his No. 3 jersey in 2023.
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National champion, program icon and No. 3 in the rafters.
McNamara returned to his alma mater in 2009 as a graduate assistant, then was elevated to an assistant in 2011 under Boeheim. He received another promotion, to associate head coach, when Autry was named Boeheim’s successor in 2023.
McNamara left for Siena in 2024, posting a 37-30 record in two seasons. Before this spring, the Saints had not made the NCAA Tournament since 2010. The team was 4-23 in the season before McNamara’s arrival.
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“Gerry McNamara is who our storied basketball program needs at this important moment,” says Bryan B. Blair, incoming director of athletics. “In every conversation, his competitive fire and passion was undeniable — it’s simply part of his DNA. He returns to Syracuse as a proven Division I head coach who led a program through a turnaround and back to the NCAA Tournament. At every stop in his playing and coaching journey, he has elevated those around him — student-athletes, staff and the broader community — through his energy, his standards and his ability to connect.
“While Gerry’s deep connection to Syracuse is meaningful, it’s simply a bonus to what he brings as a coach and leader. He honors our past, but he is driven to build for the future. This is a critical moment for Syracuse basketball, and it will take all of us — everyone connected to Syracuse University, Syracuse Athletics and Central New York — locking arms and supporting this program like never before. We welcome Gerry home and can’t wait to see where he takes our program.”
Autry, also a former star player at Syracuse, was fired earlier this month after the Orange missed out on the NCAA Tournament in each of his three seasons at the helm.
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Syracuse did not qualify for each of the last five NCAA Tournaments, which represents the school’s longest dry spell since 1967-72. From 1973 to 2021, the Orange participated in 39 of the 48 tournaments.
Siena praised McNamara in a statement issued Tuesday and said a national search for his successor would begin immediately.
“Gerry led our Saints with character, grace, and integrity, and built a basketball program that our community was proud of, while reinvigorating our fan base.” the statement read.
“While we would have loved for him to stay at Siena and build upon the success he created, we recognize the unique opportunity for Gerry to return to his alma mater, where he won a National Championship.”
The Egyptian, 33, is the third-highest scorer In Liverpool’s history and won two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Club World Cup in his nine years at Anfield.
Salah won his second Premier League title with Liverpool last season (AFP via Getty Images)
The forward has shattered records at Liverpool since he was signed from Roma in 2017, scoring 255 goals in 435 appearances in all competitions, and was the unanimous player of the year as the Reds lifted the Premier League title last season. He signed a two-year contract extension towards the final weeks of last campaign but Liverpool said an agreement has been reached to end that early.
This campaign has been more difficult for both Salah and Liverpool and he gave an explosive interview to reporters in November when he accused the club of throwing him “under the bus”. Salah later apologised, and will now be set for an emotional farewell ahead of the final weeks of the season.
“Hello, everyone. Unfortunately the day has come,” Salah said in a message posted on social media. “This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.
“I wanted to start by saying that I never imagined how deeply this club, this city, this people, would become part of my life. Liverpool is not just a football club, it’s a passion, it’s a history, it’s a spirit. I can’t explain in words to anyone not part of this club.
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“We celebrated victory, we won the most important trophies, and we fought together through the hardest time in our life.
“I want to thank everyone who was part of this club throughout my time here, especially the teammates, past and present, and to the fans… I don’t have enough words: the support you showed me through the best time of my career and you stood by me in the toughest times, it’s something I will never forget. And something I will take with me always.
“Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time of my life, I will be always one of you. This club will always be my home to me and to my family. Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone.”
Salah is set for an emotional Liverpool farewell (Getty Images)
A statement from Liverpool read: “Mohamed Salah is to bring the curtain down on his illustrious career with Liverpool at the end of the 2025-26 season. The forward has reached an agreement with the Reds that will see him close a remarkable nine-year chapter at Anfield.
“Salah expressed his wish to make this announcement to the supporters at the earliest possible opportunity to provide transparency about his future due to his respect and gratitude for them.”
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Salah could yet end his Liverpool career with more silverware, with Arne Slot’s side facing Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals following the international break, although another Premier League title is beyond last season’s champions after an underwhelming title defence overall.
But Salah’s place in Liverpool folklore is secure. Only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt have scored more goals for the Reds than the “Egyptian King” – who will leave Anfield as one of the club’s greatest ever players. Last season, Salah became the fourth-highest scorer in Premier League history and he is the top-scoring foreign player ever in the top-flight, with 191 goals.
A transformative figure in Liverpool’s modern-day history, Salah was signed under Jurgen Klopp for around £37m in 2017 and played an instrumental role in the club’s run to the Champions League final in his debut season in England.
Disaster would strike in the final, with Salah injured in the early stages of Liverpool’s 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid, but he would get his hands on his first trophy for the Reds a year later when he scored a penalty in the 2-0 victory over Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League final.
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Salah scored in the 2019 Champions League final as Liverpool defeated Tottenham in Madrid (REUTERS)
Forming a formidable front three along with Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, Salah then helped fire Liverpool to a first league title in 30 years when Klopp’s side romped to victory in the Covid-impacted campaign, lifting the Premier League title an empty Anfield in July 2020.
A charge for an unprecedented quadruple resulted in more silverware in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in 2021-22, but there was more heartbreak – to familiar foes – as Liverpool lost another Champions League final to Real Madrid in Paris and were edged out by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
Man Utd unveiled ambitious plans to build a world-class 100,000-seater new Old Trafford at an event in London last year.
Collette Roche has hinted that Manchester United’s new stadium may be completed later than the initial 2030 target. Last year, United unveiled ambitious plans for a state-of-the-art stadium, but the timeframe for completing the project was also considered ambitious.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe identified the 2030/31 season as the target. The British billionaire will be 77 when that Premier League campaign begins, and he views the new stadium as a legacy project.
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However, United have not begun construction, suggesting the stadium project will be completed later than 2030. Spurs spent nearly three seasons at Wembley while the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was under construction, and Everton took four years to build Hill Dickinson Stadium.
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In January, Roche was appointed as ‘chief executive officer, new stadium development’, formalising her role in leading the club’s participation in the Old Trafford regeneration planning. Roche recently sat down with club media to discuss plans for the new Old Trafford, and she was asked for a fresh update on the club’s timeline for completion.
“I think when we launched the idea of a new stadium 12 months ago, we did say it would take between four and five years for construction,” she said.
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“And that’s right. But I think people read that as we might have the stadium ready for 2030. But as you know, with a stadium build as complex as the one that we’re going to enter into, it does take one or two years to get ready for construction.
“To get the land assembled, to get the funds in place and to get the planning permission. So that’s the part that we’re doing right now. So we’ve not named a date for opening, but we are on track within those timescales.”
Before United can push ahead with new stadium plans, they must reach a deal for the rail yard surrounding Old Trafford. The land is owned by Freightliner, but the club are hoping to reach an agreement in the “next few months.”
Roche said: “We’ve made a lot of progress in the last 12 months. But to be fair, a lot of it has been behind the scenes. So people might not have seen that, but some of the examples of progress we’ve made is first and foremost on the land assembly.
“We want to make sure we get the best possible position for this stadium, one which has got plenty of land around it to put the right facilities in place, one that’s connected and offers a great match day experience.
“So I’ve been spending a lot of time talking to all the local landowners to understand where that needs to be, and we’re progressing that really, really well, and I’m hoping to be able to share some positive news on that front in the next few months.”
Speaking about delivering the stadium project, she added: “Same ambition, same vision. We want to build a stadium that’s befitting of our past, but also fit for the future. We want to make sure that we keep what’s important, the special memories that people have had, and not just for our fans, but for our players.
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“So we need to create a new stadium that retains that essence the match day routines, the emotion, the intimidating atmosphere for the away fans and make sure we build something really, really special.
“And we think we can do that through a 100,000 seater stadium. And because we’re so blessed, we’ve got a season ticket waiting list at the moment, so we think it’s our duty and obviously our desire to be able to give them the opportunity to come and witness what we know will be a fantastic experience in our new stadium.”
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
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England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL
England batter Ben Duckett has pulled out of the Indian Premier League 2026, informing Delhi Capitals of his decision on Tuesday.
Duckett, who was bought for Rs 2 crore at the auction, was in contention to open the batting alongside KL Rahul. However, he has decided not to take part in the season.
His withdrawal could lead to a ban until the 2029 edition. This would mean he cannot enter the next two player auctions and will not be eligible to play in IPL 2027 and 2028.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Duckett explained his decision.
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“I have made the extremely difficult decision to withdraw from the IPL. I have given this a lot of thought and it has not been an easy choice. Representing England is something I have dreamed of since I was a child, and I want to give everything I can to English cricket. To do that, I need to ensure I am in the best possible place physically and mentally ahead of the summer,” he wrote.
“I would like to sincerely apologise to everyone at Delhi. I was genuinely very excited about the opportunity to represent the franchise, and I fully appreciate the time and planning that goes into building a squad. I am sorry for any disruption my decision may cause. I would also like to apologise to all the fans as I know how much it means to everyone in Delhi.”
The decision comes after Duckett’s recent Ashes campaign, where he scored 202 runs in 10 innings at an average of 20.20.
Amazon has some amazing monitor deals for the Indian audience. If you are planning to build a PC from scratch, picking the right gaming monitor is among the most important things. If you are a gamer chasing refresh rates or a content creator grading 4K footage, your monitor is your window to the digital world. No matter how great your PC specs are, monitors can make or break your whole experience.
Therefore, we searched through Amazon to pick the best monitor deals currently available. This list will help you make an informed purchasing decision.
With an anti-glare display and a 200 Hz refresh rate at this price range, this is among the best monitor deals on Amazon (Image via Foxin)
Price: 9,990 rupees
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The Foxin Phantom gaming monitor comes with a 1800R curvature, covering your field of view. It has a 27-inch FHD display with a max refresh rate of up to 200 Hz and a 1 ms response time. The anti-glare coating provides a great visual experience even from tight angles and reduces eye strain. The frameless design provides maximum field of view, and the wall-mountable design saves space if needed.
With a 58% discount, this monitor is available for 9,990 rupees only on Amazon, securing its entry in the list of the best Amazon monitor deals of early 2026.
The Acer SA272U comes with impressive color accuracy (Image via Acer)
Price: 11,299 rupees
Acer has frequently delivered some of the best displays over the years, and this 27-inch ultra-thin gaming monitor is one of them. It comes with WQHD resolution and features a zero-frame design and IPS (in-plane switching) technology. It supports HDR10 display, up to 250 nits brightness, and an impressive 178 degrees wide viewing angle, enhancing your visual experience.
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The 120 Hz refresh rate ensures smooth gameplay, while the Visual Response boost delivers blur-free visuals. Acer has also incorporated VisionCare technology in it to help reducing eye strain. With a 100 million:1 ratio, it is also praised for its color accuracy.
With a 25% discount, this monitor is currently selling on Amazon for 11,299 rupees only. So, it also enters the list of the best Amazon monitor deals, especially for budget users.
Geonix Argon is a great deal for budget PC builders (Image via Geonix)
Price: 12,359 rupees
This Geonix Argon gaming monitor boasts a 3000R curvature, making it one of the best picks for those seeking a more immersive display. This 32-inch LED gaming monitor provides HD clarity, producing sharp visuals for an improved experience. You can fully enjoy every scene of your favorite movie or game, thanks to its 8-bit color depth and 16.7 million colors.
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Note that while the 4.5 ms response time does minimize motion blur and ghosting during gaming, there are better options on this list if you are chasing something faster.
This monitor is currently available for 12,359 rupees on Amazon, which is an impressive 59% off of its original price.
Amazon provides one of the best monitor deals of early 2026 on the AOC 27G2Z (Image via AOC)
Price: 14,999 rupees
AOC is another renowned name in the gaming monitor industry, and its 27G2Z easily carries the brand’s legacy. The 27-inch ultra-fast FHD display packs a 240 Hz refresh rate, which is great for competitive gaming, not to mention a 0.5ms response time that eliminates motion blur and ghosting. The DisplayHDR 400, 115% sRGB, and 93% DCI-P3 provide clear, color-accurate visuals. The 178-degree viewing angles are also deeply useful in enhancing immersiveness.
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With a 57% discount on its original price, the device is available on Amazon for 14,999 rupees only. This discount ensures its entry in the list of the best monitor deals on Amazon in early 2026.
ViewSonic delivers a great 4K UHD display with great color accuracy for below 20,000 rupees, thanks to the Amazon deal (Image via ViewSonic)
Price: 18,999 rupees
ViewSonic also brings a 27-inch gaming monitor with a 4K display, a rare feature in this price range. This monitor comes with a 4K UHD display, perfect for creators, streamers, editors, and more. Users also get IPS technology, 178-degree vertical and horizontal viewing angles, with HDR 10 for deeper contrasts, brighter highlights, and more.
The 10-bit color depth and one billion colors produce color-accurate visuals for an enhanced visual experience. However, the 60 Hz refresh rate can be a major drawback for gaming enthusiasts.
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Amazon has a whopping 36% discount on this product, bringing its price down to 18,999 rupees.
The Lenovo ThinkVision gaming monitor provides impressive performance (Image via Lenovo)
Price: 34,499 rupees
The Lenovo ThinkVision P27QD-40 is a 27-inch monitor that comes with a decent refresh rate, great color accuracy, and most of all, impressive brand reliability. This 27-inch monitor from Lenovo features QHD resolution, IPS technology, 120 Hz refresh rate, and 98% DCI-P3. It is a great machine for multitasking students and working professionals, creative editors looking for color accuracy, and gaming enthusiasts as well.
This Lenovo monitor costs 34,499 rupees on Amazon after a 30% discount on its original price. This offer secures its entry in the list of the best monitor deals on Amazon in early 2026.
The AOC Agon monitor has an amazing discount on Amazon (Image via AOC)
Price: 54,999 rupees
The AOC AG276QZD2 27-inch gaming monitor comes with a QHD QD-OLED display. This AOC monitor features an ultra-fast 240 Hz refresh rate along with a 0.03 ms response rate, making it a perfect pick for enthusiasts and esports gamers. The HDR TrueBlack 400 delivers amazing shadow depth and great color accuracy, so that you get a great visual experience while watching your favorite movie, editing videos, or playing your favorite game.
This monitor is available for 54,999 rupees on Amazon, thanks to a staggering 63% discount on its original price.
After news broke that the Milwaukee Bucks and star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo are reportedly in strife over his outlook moving forward, the National Basketball Players Association has decided to chime in.
“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an all-star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the NPBA said in a statement, per ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday.
The organization’s message came after Charania reported last week that the Bucks had requested that the two-time MVP be shut down for the rest of the season, to which he refused in hopes of playing again.
“There have been multiple meetings over Antetokounmpo’s status in the last 24 hours since his hyperextended knee diagnosis, and a disagreement has ensued between the sides on whether it is best for him to return,” Charania wrote.
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The Greek superstar suffered a knee and a bone bruise in a win over the Indiana Pacers last week after landing awkwardly when he dunked late in the third quarter. Since then, Antetokounmpo — averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 36 appearances — has already missed four consecutive games.
It appears to be just a matter of time before the Bucks, 11th in the East, are officially eliminated from post-season contention and fall short of a 10th consecutive playoff berth.
“Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement,” the NBPA statement continued, according to Charania. “Fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”
The Bucks have the ninth-worst record in the NBA and hold a 17.3 per cent chance of landing in the top four following the NBA draft lottery in May. Ironically, despite allegedly trying to help their odds by sitting Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee has little control over the matter, as the Atlanta Hawks are owed the more favourable first-round pick in the 2026 draft between the Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans, who own the eighth-worst record in the NBA.
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As for Antetokounmpo, the 31-year-old is in the first season of a three-year, $175.4-million deal, owed an average salary of $58.5 million over that span, including a $62.8-million player option in 2027-28. With the Bucks middling in mediocrity and in need of a reset, it’s unclear if Antetokounmpo is long for the only team he’s ever known in the NBA.
The NBPA didn’t stop there, also releasing a statement on Detroit Pistons’ star guard Cade Cunningham.
The 24-year-old was recently diagnosed with a collapsed lung and now faces an unclear timeline for return, putting his eligibility for end-of-season awards in jeopardy. Cunningham has appeared in 61 games — averaging 24.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 9.9 assists and 1.5 steals — which puts him four games short of the 65-game threshold.
“Cade Cunningham’s potential ineligibility for postseason awards after a career-defining season is a clear indictment of the 65-game rule and yet another example of why it must be abolished or reformed to create an exception for significant injuries,” the NBPA said, per the Ringer’s Howard Beck.
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The two-time all-star has spearheaded the Pistons to the No. 1 seed in the East through most of the season and has bolstered the league’s No. 2 defence behind only the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Cunningham is also one of many star players this season on the cusp of missing out on end-of-season accolades because of injuries. Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker, Kawhi Leonard, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards can each miss only five or fewer games before they are ineligible.
“Since its implementation, far too many deserving players have been unfairly disqualified from end-of-season honours by this arbitrary and overly rigid quota,” the NBPA finished its statement with.
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s Department of Education (ED) said it has notified San Jose State University (SJSU) that it faces “impending enforcement action” for its “refusal to comply with Title IX.”
SJSU and the California State University (CSU) system filed a lawsuit earlier in March to challenge an ED investigation that determined the university violated Title IX in its handling of a biological male transgender volleyball player on a women’s team from 2022-24.
Now, the administration is cracking down against that resistance.
“We have provided SJSU with multiple opportunities to resolve its Title IX violations with common sense actions: separating male and female athletes based on their biological sex, keeping men out of women’s locker rooms and bathrooms, restoring rightfully-earned titles and accolades to female athletes, and apologizing to the women forced to forfeit competitions to protect themselves,” ED’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in an announcement.
“Yet, SJSU remains obstinate, choosing a radical ideology over safety, dignity, and fairness for its own students. With today’s action, the Department is putting the university on notice: comply with the law or risk losing its federal funding.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to SJSU and CSU for a response.
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Brooke Slusser and Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans call a play during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)
The conflict between Trump’s administration and the school stems back to the 2024 season, when a national controversy involving transgender player Blaire Fleming triggered an election-cycle media firestorm, all during Trump’s third White House campaign.
ED’s investigation has claimed, “SJSU actively recruited and allowed a male to compete on the women’s indoor and beach volleyball teams and reportedly instructed members of the coaching staff not to tell the female players that the athlete was a male.”
The investigation added that “on multiple occasions, the male athlete spiked the ball so forcefully that it knocked females on the opposing team to the ground.”
One of the standout details of the investigation’s findings was that a female SJSU player “discovered that the male student had conspired to have a member of the opposing team spike her in the face during an upcoming match. SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected this female athlete to a Title IX complaint for reportedly ‘misgendering’ the male athlete when discussing this incident in online videos and interviews.”
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Former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser has included those allegations in her ongoing lawsuit against representatives of SJSU and CSU.
After SJSU and CSU announced they were suing the Trump administration to challenge the findings, Slusser, and other former NCAA players, came forward about their alleged experience during the scandal, and how it affected them, in recent interviews with Fox News Digital.
Slusser, who shared an apartment with Fleming at SJSU without knowing the athlete’s birth sex, became the subject of viral debate after her interview reflecting on the experience sharing spaces with Fleming.
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“You find out you’re just chilling in a bed with a man that you have no idea about … I [was] unknowingly sharing a bed at that time with a man,” Slusser said, also alleging SJSU volleyball coach Todd Kress encouraged her to live in the same apartment as the trans teammate when another group of players was also looking for a final tenant.
Former Utah State volleyball star Kaylie Ray told Fox News Digital that during matches against SJSU and Fleming in 2022 and 23, before Fleming’s birth sex was known, she had teammates suffer finger injuries from the trans athlete’s spikes.
“I had teammates who had seriously jammed their fingers, luckily not broken, but a handful of girls who had sustained minor injuries from the male player,” Ray said, adding, “We knew that if the male athlete had a phenomenal game, there was nothing we could do to stop that person.”
Ray’s Utah State team became one of five teams to forfeit at least one game to SJSU in 2024, seemingly in protest of Fleming. She says the forfeit impacted her team’s hopes of winning their fourth straight Mountain West championship.
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Meanwhile, the University of Wyoming forfeited two matches to SJSU in 2024. Former Cowgirls player Macey Boggs told Fox News Digital that the decisions to forfeit the games “permanently ruined” friendships among her teammates.
“There were some of the girls who I really enjoyed, and we got along great, and then this situation came up, some conflict came up, and ultimately we went in separate directions because of that … as soon as we played in our last game, we all went in separate directions… it was hard to maintain those relationships,” Boggs said.
SJSU was plagued by a separate Title IX violation in sports that it had to resolve with former President Joe Biden’s administration in 2021. The university ultimately came to a $1.6 million resolution with the Department of Justice in 2021.
The DOJ found that SJSU failed for more than a decade to respond adequately to reports of sexual harassment, including sexual assault, of female student-athletes by an athletic trainer then working at SJSU, beginning in 2009 when female student-athletes reported that the trainer subjected them to repeated, unwelcome sexual touching.
The department and SJSU entered into a comprehensive agreement to address the findings of the investigation, which began in June 2020 during Trump’s first term.
Now, Trump’s current administration is giving the school 10 more days to comply with a series of resolution agreements to resolve the volleyball situation, or face enforcement action, including referral to the DOJ and termination of SJSU’s federal funding.
Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
One of the top freshmen in the mid-major ranks will be playing for a new school in 2026-27.
On Tuesday, On3’s Joe Tipton reported that Delaware guard Christian Bliss will enter the transfer portal. Bliss, a native of Queens, New York, was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2026. He also earned All-CUSA Second Team honors.
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Bliss started all 31 games as a redshirt freshman this season, averaging 16.7 points, 5.9 assists and 5.2 rebounds. He had 55 steals on the season and shot 39.2% from three-point range.
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He had seven 20-point games this past season, and he dropped 18 in an early season power conference showdown against BYU.
Though officially classified as a redshirt freshman and eligible for freshman awards, Bliss is entering his fourth season of college basketball. He played at Virginia in his first two seasons, but the former three-star prospect redshirted in 2023-24 and didn’t appear in any games in 2024-25.
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