Iran soccer officials to meet FIFA in Zurich and plan for World Cup games in US

GENEVA (AP) — Iranian soccer officials are set to meet soon with FIFA in Zurich about theirWorld Cupgames in the United States in June.

Canada FIFA Congress Soccer

Iran’s top soccer official Mehdi Taj said on Friday “we have many issues to discuss” on his return home fromCanada where he failedto attendFIFA’s annual congressheld on Thursday in Vancouver.

FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström has invited an Iranian delegation to its headquarters by a May 20 deadline, a person familiar with the proposal told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing sensitivity of the issue.

That target date in Zurich is three weeks beforethe Iran squadis due in the U.S., staying at a training base in Tucson, Arizona, to prepare for three group games in Inglewood, California and Seattle.

“Our position is that we will soon have a meeting with FIFA,” Taj told Iranian media on Friday.

Iran's difficult road to World Cup

Iran is an Asian soccer power but its ability and willingness to come to the World Cup has been questioned since the U.S. and Israel launched military attacks on Feb. 28. The tournament is being co-hosted by Canada and Mexico,

On Thursday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino opened his keynote speech to global soccer leaders — with only Iran missing of the 211 member federations — insisting again thatIran will come and playas scheduled in the U.S.

At the White House later Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed his support for Iran’s team, adding: “If Gianni said it, I’m OK.”

Trump and Infantino have closely alliedover the World Cup preparations which has challenges, beyond Iran with fans from several African countries, overgranting entry visasand security concerns.

Canada arrival issue

Taj and two more Iran officials had issues this week on landing in Toronto en route to Vancouver where they were expected at the FIFA annual meeting.

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Taj, who is also a vice president of Asia’s soccer body, detailed on Friday the problems with Canadian authorities though he said he was not deported.

“In Canada they asked us, ‘Are you members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?’ We told them, ‘In Iran, 90 million of us are IRGC,’” Taj was reported as saying in Iranian media.

After being detained for two hours at Toronto airport, the Iran soccer delegation which had arrived from Istanbul was told it could continue the journey.

“There was some discussion and he said, ‘It’s up to you,’ and then we decided as a group to go back” to Istanbul, Taj said. “They did not officially deport us, there is nothing labeled as deportation in our file, but in practice it was like that.”

Taj had a valid visa to enter Canada after he wasdenied one by the U.S.to attend the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5. At that event, Infantino presented Trump with thefirst FIFA Peace Prize.

Iran's World Cup games

Iran has World Cup group games against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt, respectively, from June 15-26. The first two games are at the NFL stadium of the Los Angeles Rams and the third is at the Seattle Seahawks’ stadium.

If Iran advances as runner-up in its group, the team could face the United States in the round of 32 at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium on July 3.

The Iranian soccer league shut down after the war started and is not due to resume before the World Cup. The squad played two warmup games in March at a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, where it could return this month to prepare for the World Cup that opens on June 11.

AP soccer:https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

byJastin

in

May 01, 2026

Iran soccer officials to meet FIFA in Zurich and plan for World Cup games in US

GENEVA (AP) — Iranian soccer officials are set to meet soon with FIFA in Zurich about theirWorld Cupgames in the United States in June....

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King Charles Gets an Unexpected Compliment About His Hair During Solo Outing in Harlem

King Charles' day in New York City included visiting an urban farm in Harlem

NEED TO KNOW

• While there, a young student paid the monarch a compliment

• The King also had to be coaxed away from a chicken coop to continue the tour

King Charlesheaded to Harlem during his andQueen Camilla's day in New York City.

The British monarch made a solo stop at an urban farm in Harlem, arriving around 2 p.m. local time on Wednesday, April 29, and was greeted by Tony Hillery, founder and chief executive of Harlem Grown, a nonprofit that operates urban farms to provide youth development programming. There, he was shown by Harlem Grown members and schoolchildren from Thurgood Marshall Lower Academy around the raised beds, greenhouse, tool shed, composting station, chicken coops, bee hives and more in the middle of a city block.

At one point, one of the students had a compliment for the King: "I like your hair," the child said.

“Do you? Good,” King Charles replied.

King Charles, 77, was enthusiastic about feeding chickens — after all, he tends to the animals back in the U.K., and his flock lives in acoop dubbed Cluckingham Palace. Hillery had to coax the monarch away from the chickens to continue the tour.

Hillery was left with a special gift: honey from bees at Highgrove House, one of the King’s residences.

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After the farm visit, the King stopped to shake a few hands of onlookers waiting behind a barricade.

“I’m sure I’m ruining your day,” the King said, referencing the street closure that was part of the security measures surrounding the monarch's visit.

While King Charles was in Harlem,Queen Camillahad herown solo event. The Queen, 78, celebrated the U.S. and the U.K.'s shared love of literature and her charity,The Queen's Reading Room, at the New York Public Library, and guests included Sarah Jessica Parker, Jenna Bush Hager, Anna Wintour and more.

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in New York City on Wednesday morning after spending two days in Washington, D.C., to kick off their state visit. Their schedule in the capital city included a White House dinner with PresidentDonald Trumpand first ladyMelania Trumpas well as King Charles'historic address to Congress.

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

in

May 01, 2026

King Charles Gets an Unexpected Compliment About His Hair During Solo Outing in Harlem

King Charles' day in New York City included visiting an urban farm in Harlem NEED TO KNOW While there, a young...

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“Dutton Ranch” teaser sees Beth and Rip honor Kevin Costner's “Yellowstone” character after his death: 'I miss him'

Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler are paying tribute to her late dad John, played by Kevin Costner, in a new teaser for the Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch.

Key Points

• The sneak peek shows the couple gazing upon a memorial for John that features his cowboy hat and a photograph.

• “I miss him,” Beth confesses.

Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) are paying tribute to her late dad John (Kevin Costner) in the latest teaser for their upcomingYellowstonespinoff,Dutton Ranch.

The sneak peek showcases a poignant moment between the couple as they sit at a dining table and gaze upon a makeshift memorial for John consisting of his cowboy hat and photograph.

“I miss him,” Beth confesses. To which Rip responds, “We brought the best part of your father with us.”

Dutton Ranchfollows Beth, Rip, and their adopted son Carter (Finn Little) as they make the move from Montana to Rio Paloma, Texas, following the dramatic events ofYellowstone.

Among the fifth and final season’s many twists and turns was the reveal thatJohn had been killedby hitmen as part of a murder-for-hire plot coordinated by Jamie’s (Wes Bentley) girlfriend, Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri).

Speaking withThe Hollywood Reporterafter John’s shocking death,Yellowstonedirector and cinematographer Christina Alexandra Voros praised creator Taylor Sheridan’s decision to center the season around the emotional aftermath of his passing rather than the act.

“What’s interesting about birth and death is not the birth and death itself, but the way it affects us as people,” she said at the time. “To me, I think that was the driving force in telling the story this way. He’s asked, ‘How does everybody else survive and what do they do?’ And that’s where the mystery is. That is where the unraveling is. That is where the story is.”

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For Rip and Beth, it’s getting a fresh start in a new state. Although, as the teaser trailer reveals, they haven’t exactly settled down in a calm and tranquil environment, with the footage showcasing plenty of fistfights, an exploding barn, and dead bodies.

At one point, Beth can be seen handling weapons as she warns Carter that danger may soon be at their doorstep.

“I need you ready for the hard parts ’cause they’re coming,” she says. Carter simply responds, “Sounds like fun.”

The clip also gives fans another look atEd Harris' andAnnette Bening’s characters, with the latter noting that Rio Paloma is “a bit more complicated” than Big Sky country.

Dutton Ranchpremieres its first two episodes on May 15 on Paramount+ and on the Paramount Network. The series will then switch to weekly installments for the rest of its nine-episode season.

Watch Beth and Rip reflect on John’s passing in the clip above.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byJastin

in

May 01, 2026

“Dutton Ranch” teaser sees Beth and Rip honor Kevin Costner's “Yellowstone” character after his death: 'I miss him'

Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler are paying tribute to her late dad John, played by Kevin Costner, in a new teaser for the Yellowstone spin...

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Lewis Hamilton ‘Fired Up’ for Miami Grand Prix After Weeks of Canceled F1 Races

Lewis Hamilton spoke to reporters in advance of the Miami Grand Prix

NEED TO KNOW

• The Ferrari driver said he was "fired up" for the race

• Hamilton has made recent headlines for his relationship with Kim Kardashian

Lewis Hamilton is ready to race!

The Formula 1 star, 41, says he’s looking forward to this weekend at the Miami Grand Prix after previous races were canceled this month.

“Everyone's had a chance to go over what happened in the first three races,” the Ferrari drivertold reporterson Thursday, April 30. "Everyone's had more of an intense time to work on refining the car. Just feel fired up for the second stab at it."

The F1 schedule was put on pause in April, with the cancellations of the Bahrain Grand Prix (April 12) and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (April 19) due to ongoing security concerns in the Middle East.

In late March, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes won the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, a monumental achievement for the 19-year-old Italian driver, who became the youngest driver to lead the Formula One World Championship.

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As far as Hamilton is concerned, the Miami Grand Prix — which consists of 57 laps around the 3.36-mile Miami International Autodrome track at upwards of 200 to 205 mph — offers a challenge, particularly after last season in which he failed to make a podium for thefirst time in his career.

Of course off the course, the star has grabbed headlines for his relationship withKim Kardashian.

The reality star, 45, and the race car driver went Instagram official on Monday, April 6 in an Instagram Reel.

The two were seen on a high-speed drive in the video, which showed him whipping around in his Ferrari F40 at the Daikoku Parking Area in Tokyo, Japan.

"HERE WE GO AGAIN 🇯🇵 TOKYO DRIFT VOL. III," Hamilton wrote in the caption of the Reel, which was set to the song "Victory Lap" by Skepta, PlaqueboyMax and Fred Again.Rumors of their romance picked up in March when Hamilton left a flirty comment on Kardashian's Instagram post. On March 16, the SKIMS founder shared snaps from an Oscar party including several clips and photos of herself getting ready. In response to the sultry snaps, Hamilton had a simple comment: “😍.”

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

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May 01, 2026

Lewis Hamilton ‘Fired Up’ for Miami Grand Prix After Weeks of Canceled F1 Races

Lewis Hamilton spoke to reporters in advance of the Miami Grand Prix NEED TO KNOW The Ferrari driver said he was ...

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Undermanned Wolves try to eliminate balanced Nuggets in Game 6

Faced with key injuries, the Minnesota Timberwolves will try to close out their Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday in Minneapolis.

Minnesota successfully managed Game 4 despite losing star Anthony Edwards and his starting backcourt mate, Donte DiVincenzo, early. But with Edwards sidelined due to a bone bruise and hyperextension in his left knee and DiVincenzo gone with a torn right Achilles tendon, the Timberwolves dropped a close-out opportunity on Monday in Denver, 125-113.

Edwards and DiVincenzo were both catalysts as Minnesota gained the early advantage in the series, with Edwards going for 30 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2. DiVincenzo scored a total of 31 points in Games 2 and 3, both Timberwolves victories.

With the two perimeter playmakers out Monday, Minnesota committed 25 turnovers -- two more than the Timberwolves lost in their previous two games combined, and a team-high dating back to before the All-Star break.

"A lot of silly, forced play by guys trying to make something out of nothing," Minnesota coach Chris Finch said of the Game 5 turnover woes.

Finch also pointed to Denver's defensive adjustments, noting that the Nuggets "put two (defenders)" on Ayo Dosunmu for the first time in the series.

Dosunmu, a late-season acquisition via trade from Chicago, emerged as the hero in Game 4 after Edwards and DiVincenzo exited. He scored 43 points, bookended by performances of 25 and 18 points, respectively, in Games 3 and 5.

Aside from Julius Randle's 27 points, however, no other Minnesota player managed more than 13 in Monday's loss.

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Denver, meanwhile, got 18-plus points from four of its five starters in the elimination contest. Among the quartet was forward Spencer Jones, who has seen a significant uptick in minutes with Aaron Gordon dealing with a calf injury.

Jones, who scored 11 total points in the series' first four games, went for 20 in Game 5. Gordon, who averaged 16.2 points per game in the regular season, played limited minutes in Game 4, but missed both Games 3 and 5 and is listed as questionable for Thursday.

Jones, who averaged just 5.5 points per game in the regular season, delivered his highest-scoring performance since Dec. 1 (28 points) at an opportune time.

"It's something that happened throughout the season, guys going down and me getting an opportunity to start," Jones said. "I'll get more minutes, but the role is still the same, the duties are still the same."

Building on the momentum from his making four 3-pointers Monday, Jones could play a role in Denver's key perimeter scorer, Jamal Murray, finding cleaner looks from beyond the arc.

Murray has scored 30 points three times in the series, and with his 24 in Game 5, he is up to 26.0 points per game through the five contests. That's a team-high, outpacing three-time league Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic's 25.4 ppg.

However, Murray has gone 0-for from deep twice, including the Game 3 loss.

Jokic, meanwhile, had his best game of the series Monday, finishing as a plus-18 with 27 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds. He was a plus-one, minus-21 and minus-12 in Denver's three losses.

--Field Level Media

byJastin

in

April 30, 2026

Undermanned Wolves try to eliminate balanced Nuggets in Game 6

Faced with key injuries, the Minnesota Timberwolves will try to close out their Western Conference first-round playoff series against t...

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Hannah Brown Recovers from Surgery for Rare, 'Abnormal' Uterus Condition, Says She's Now in Her 'Family Planning Era'

Hannah Brown underwent surgery for a rare uterine condition that can cause infertility and miscarriages

NEED TO KNOW

• She discovered the condition after being diagnosed with PCOS and undergoing further testing, including an ultrasound

• Brown shared her gratitude for early diagnosis and support while poking fun at the recovery process

Hannah Brownsaid she's in her "family planning era" while recovering from surgery for a rare uterine condition that can "lead to infertility issues" and cause miscarriages.

"I finally had a procedure I'd been putting off for a while," theBachelorettealum, 31, wrote in the caption for an April 27Instagram Reelof herself resting in bed. She shared that she'd undergone surgery for a bicorporeal septate uterus, a rareconditionwhere a membrane splits the uterus. Although it's generally symptomless, it can causemiscarriages. As she described it, "basically my uterus is kind of separated into two sides, and that can lead to infertility issues."

Brown shared that she didn't know she had the condition until she was diagnosed withPCOSand underwent an ultrasound. At first, doctors thought she hadtwo uteruses— but through further testing,  "I found out I have an abnormal uterus."

"I've known for a while that I'd need to take care of this before trying to have kids one day… but life has been so full. Moving across the country, writing books, planning a wedding, buying a house — family planning just hasn't been front of mind," thenovelistexplained. "I still don't know if I'm ready (does anyone ever fully feel ready?!) but it felt like time to take a first step — and this was that for me."

In the video, Brown, resting in bed, flashes a peace symbol as her mother hands her a drink. Over the video, she penned a caption referencingJustin Bieber's ad-libs during hisperformanceof "Everything Hallelujah" at Coachella.

Superimposed over the video is the text, "Doing what I put off for years hallelujah/Successful surgery hallelujah/Family planning era hallelujah/My mom being my superhero hallelujah/Matching PJ sets hallelujah/Disposable under wear hallelujah/Naps and Netflix hallelujah."

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Although she said recovery "has been pretty smooth" — and thanked herhusbandAdam Woolardand parents — she did poke fun at her post-surgical diaper and catheter.

"These are my options for the next two weeks," she said, lifting her sweatshirt to show her diaper, visible above the hem of her shorts. "It's either diaper out," she said, before pulling her pants up to show a catheter taped to the inside of her leg. "Or catheter out."

"I'm thinking we cover up the catheter," she said with a laugh. She shared that she would have the catheter for two weeks, quipping, "You won't catch me in any leggings."

Although she called the medical device "quite humbling and quite annoying," Brown kept her recovery in perspective.

"I also know how fortunate I am to have found this out ahead of time," she captioned the post. "So many women walk through loss and disappointment before getting answers, and that's not lost on me. Thank you to those who have shared your stories with me and encouraged me to share mine 🫶."

Read the original article onPeople

byJastin

in

April 30, 2026

Hannah Brown Recovers from Surgery for Rare, 'Abnormal' Uterus Condition, Says She's Now in Her 'Family Planning Era'

Hannah Brown underwent surgery for a rare uterine condition that can cause infertility and miscarriages NEED TO KNOW ...

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Seattle Kraken say assistant coach Jessica Campbell will not return next season

SEATTLE (AP) — Jessica Campbell, thefirst woman to be an on-bench assistant coachin NHL history, will not return to the Seattle Kraken next season, the team said Thursday.

General manager Jason Botterill said Campbell’s contract is expiring and she expressed a desire to explore other roles around the league.

“We support her in this process,” Botterill said in a statement. “Jessica has been an important member of our coaching staff for the past four years, demonstrating deep knowledge and a unique ability to connect with and develop players. We respect her decision and believe strongly in her as a coach in this league.”

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Campbell was promoted from the American Hockey League’s Coachella Firebirds along with Dan Bylsma in 2024 after he became the organization’s second head coach. She was retained after Bylsma was fired a year ago andreplaced by Lane Lambert.

The Kraken missed the playoffseach of the past two seasons and only qualified once since their debut in 2021-22. The Firebirds made back-to-back trips to the Calder Cup Final when Campbell was on Bylsma's AHL staff.

AP NHL playoffs:https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cupandhttps://apnews.com/hub/nhl

byJastin

in

April 30, 2026

Seattle Kraken say assistant coach Jessica Campbell will not return next season

SEATTLE (AP) — Jessica Campbell, thefirst woman to be an on-bench assistant coachin NHL history, will not return to the Seattle Kraken ...

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