Categories
Sports

Tiebreaker Tracker: The Blazers’ victory in Los Angeles has complicated the West’s playoff bracket

Tiebreaker Tracker: The Blazers’ victory in Los Angeles has complicated the West’s playoff bracket

The Portland Trail Blazers were major winners after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers on the road.

 

The Portland Trail Blazers are enjoying a 114-104 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome.

 

The victory pushes the Blazers above. 500 for the first time since mid-January. It also brings them closer to the Clippers for the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings.

 

The win moves the Blazers to 39-38 with five games remaining, while the Clippers are 39-37 with six games left. The Clippers will be underdogs in their next game against the San Antonio Spurs, which might result in a tie later this week.

 

This was the most important game of the season, according to Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter, and the team rose to the occasion. That should boost the Blazers’ confidence going ahead, and they did a terrific job protecting Kawhi Leonard. Deni Avdija and Jrue Holiday combined for 58 points, and their defense on Leonard, Toumani Camara, and others was a major reason for the Blazers’ victory.

Tiebreaker Tracker: The Blazers’ victory in Los Angeles has complicated the West’s playoff bracket

The Blazers and Clippers will meet again on April 10 before the season ends. That matchup could ultimately determine who finishes better in the standings at the end of the season.

 

Holiday led the game with 30 points and seven three-pointers. Avdija recorded a double-double with 28 points and 11 rebounds. He also got eight assists, putting him just short of a triple double. Camara finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Scoot Henderson added 15 while filling in for an injured Jerami Grant.

 

Leonard was the Clippers’ top scorer with 23 points. Darius Garland was next on the list, with twenty. John Collins contributed 17 points, while Brook Lopez had 18. Jordan Miller joined his teammates in scoring double digits, with 16 points off the bench.

 

What’s Next for the Blazers?

The Blazers have now won seven of their past nine games and will aim to maintain this momentum when they return home to face the lottery-bound New Orleans Pelicans.

 

The Pelicans and Blazers will face battle Thursday at 7 p.m. PT at the Moda Center. Fans may watch the game on Rip City Sports Network or NBA League Pass.

Categories
Sports

Guardians vs. Dodgers FREE STREAM today: Where to Watch MLB (3/31/26)?

Guardians vs. Dodgers FREE STREAM today: Where to Watch MLB (3/31/26)?

LOS ANGELES – After defeating the back-to-back champions in the series opener, the Cleveland Guardians’ lineup faces two-way wonder Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers today, Tuesday, March 31, at Dodger Stadium. This MLB game is accessible for free on several streaming sources.

 

How can I watch Guardians baseball for free today?

There are two ways to get this Guardians game for free. Fans who have left their local cable provider can watch for free by taking advantage of DIRECTV’s free trial, which also includes a $35 discount on their first month. FuboTV offers a free trial and $25 off the first month.

 

Is Shohei Ohtani throwing today?

Yes, Shohei Ohtani, the two-time defending National League MVP and two-way superstar, will make his first start of the season against the Cleveland Guardians today.

 

What are the current odds for Guardians vs. Dodgers?

Spread: CLE: (+1.5), LOS: (-1.5)

Moneyline: CLE: (+200), LOS: (-285)

Run total: 8.5

Guardians vs. Dodgers FREE STREAM today: Where to Watch MLB (3/31/26)?

LOS ANGELES — During the offseason, the Guardians delivered a message to their starting pitchers.

Rookie left-hander Parker Messick received the message, and he’s been pitching like it since the first day of spring training.

It earned him a position in the rotation, and on Monday night, it resulted in a 4-2 victory over the Dodgers, who had won the previous two World Series.

 

Messick made his first start of the season and tossed six scoreless innings.

How effective was Messick? He required only 76 pitches to complete six innings, at an average of slightly under 13 pitches per inning.

“What a fantastic outing,” exclaimed manager Stephen Vogt. “It felt like he was in charge the entire time. He remained composed, executed pitches, and recorded quick outs.”

 

Messick called it an “amazing opportunity” to face a lineup that makes up a significant percentage of the Dodgers’ $317 million payroll.

 

Categories
World News

Environmentalists accuse Mexico of lying about the origins of the Gulf oil spill

Environmentalists accuse Mexico of lying about the origins of the Gulf oil spill

MEXICO CITY – Environmentalists accused Mexico’s government of lying about the cause of a large oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which officials quickly disputed.

 

The spill off the coast of southern Veracruz state has expanded over 373 miles and into seven natural areas. It has delivered a blow to the region’s nature, with turtles and other marine creatures discovered on oil-covered seashores, as well as fisherman who have been unable to operate in the oceans they have fished for decades.

 

The Mexican authorities announced that 800 tons of hydrocarbon-laden garbage had poured into the ocean. The spill began in March, according to the government, and was caused by a ship anchored off the coast of Veracruz, as well as two spots where oil naturally seeps.

 

On Monday, a group of 17 organizations, including Greenpeace Mexico, the Mexican Alliance Against Fracking, and the Mexican Center for Environmental Rights, or CEMDA, refuted that claim, claiming that satellite images they captured showed that the source of the spill was a pipeline from Mexico’s state-run oil company, Pemex, and that a large oil slick appeared in early February.

 

“The absence of information is inflicting enormous economic and environmental damage. “So far, no one has been held accountable,” CEMDA spokesperson Margarita Campuzano said on Tuesday.

Environmentalists accuse Mexico of lying about the origins of the Gulf oil spill

The activists’ photographs from February match those acquired by The Associated Press on Tuesday from Copernicus, the European climate agency. The photographs show a boat floating over a sea clouded with what the groups describe as oil, which looks to be spilling from a platform.

 

According to the groups, the boat in the photographs is Árbol Grande, which specializes in pipeline repair. This suggests that the government knew about the spill before reporting it and “hid it.”

 

Pemex deemed the information and photographs circulated by the groups “inaccurate” and stated that the Árbol Grande boat is permanently traversing the Gulf of Mexico, carrying out preventive inspections of platforms and specialized spill response operations.

 

Campuzano advocated for increased transparency and vigorous probes by authorities.

During her morning press briefing on Tuesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum refuted the accusations, saying that “no leak has been reported” in state oil infrastructure up to this point and that such natural seeps in the Gulf have occurred before.

 

She stated that the government was working with scientists to determine if the spill was “due to these natural seeps in the area, which have been reported on many occasions and are well-documented in scientific literature, or a leak from one of the facilities.”

 

Sheinbaum stated that the spill was most likely caused by natural seeps and that crews were working hard to clean up and mitigate the effects.

While government officials acknowledged the effects on turtles, birds, and fish, as well as the spread to protected environments, they maintained that there had been no “severe environmental damage.”

 

The accusations come as environmental groups in the United States have expressed concern after the Trump administration exempted oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act, claiming that environmentalist lawsuits threatened to disrupt domestic energy supplies during the US-Israeli war with Iran.

 

Critics claimed the measure would hurt marine life and endanger a unique whale species.

 

Categories
Uncategorized

South Carolina routs TCU to reach sixth straight Final Four

South Carolina routs TCU to reach sixth straight Final Four

The road to the 2026 women’s collegiate basketball championship has taken shape in overpowering fashion, with four strong institutions (South Carolina Gamecocks, Texas Longhorns, UCLA Bruins, and UConn Huskies) securing their positions in the Final Four.

South Carolina continues to appear practically unstoppable. The Gamecocks defeated TCU 78-52, securing their sixth consecutive Final Four appearance—an elite level of consistency rarely seen in NCAA history. Despite TCU’s strong start, South Carolina immediately seized control and never looked back.

Their depth and scoring ability were on full show, with Joyce Edwards leading the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds. The team’s ability to dominate both ends of the court has made them the team to beat entering the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Texas provided one of the tournament’s most commanding performances, defeating Michigan 77-41. The Longhorns have won 12 consecutive games and appear to be peaking at the right time. Madison Booker led the team in scoring with 19 points, earning regional MVP honors.

After experiencing some midseason challenges, Texas has completely transformed, playing with intensity and self-assurance. Their defense has been particularly impressive, limiting opponents’ shooting percentages while controlling the speed of play.

UCLA’s route to the Final Four was not as straightforward, but it could have been just as significant. The Bruins trailed at halfway against a tough Duke team but rallied with a dominant second half to win 70-58. Senior Lauren Betts contributed 23 points and 10 rebounds to their comeback, demonstrating leadership and accountability.

UCLA’s resiliency and ability to adapt under pressure could be crucial as they pursue their first national championship.

On the other hand, UConn is continuing to build on its rich legacy. Despite a poor start, UConn recovered its flow in the second half, paced by Sarah Strong’s 21 points. Coach Geno Auriemma lauded the team’s tenacity and unity, stating that while they lack the swagger of previous groups, they play hard for one another. With an unbeaten record and championship experience, UConn remains a strong contender.

This year’s Final Four is remarkable because it includes the same four teams as the previous season, which is unusual in NCAA basketball. Fans throughout the United States can expect high-level action, tough matchups, and standout performances as these best programs compete for the national championship.

With South Carolina facing UConn and Texas playing UCLA, the stage is set for an explosive matchup.

Each team has a distinct strength—whether it is domination, momentum, resilience, or experience. One thing is certain: the journey to the title will be nothing short of exciting.

Categories
World News

Oracle lays off people to reduce expenses during AI buildout

Oracle lays off people to reduce expenses during AI buildout

Oracle laid off some workers on Tuesday, according to two employees and LinkedIn posts.

The changes come as Oracle attempts to minimize costs.

This year, the company’s stock has fallen roughly 30% as anxieties about AI have fueled a software sell-off.

Oracle began laying off staff on Tuesday, according to two affected employees and multiple social media postings.

The cuts appear to have affected staff worldwide, but the full scope of the layoffs could not be determined immediately. More than a dozen people announced on LinkedIn on Tuesday that they had been affected by the layoffs.

According to LinkedIn posts analyzed by Division Insider, affected roles appear to include employees from Oracle’s cloud computing division. Several of the employees that posted were software developers.

Oracle’s representative declined to comment.

Oracle has around 162,000 full-time employees as of May 2025, according to its most recent 10-K filing.

Oracle lays off people to reduce expenses during AI buildout

The changes are part of Oracle’s efforts to reduce costs. Earlier this month, Oracle officials encouraged investors not to be concerned about the company’s huge data center spending because it is “very, very good” at cost-cutting.

Business Insider revealed in January that Oracle was having difficulty securing funding for Stargate, its $500 billion data center collaboration with OpenAI. Oracle launched a $50 billion debt offering in February to fund its infrastructure expansion.

Oracle stock has fallen over 30% this year. Fears that AI would replace traditional software tools have caused a widespread sell-off in software equities.

During an earnings call earlier in March, Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison downplayed similar concerns, telling analysts that the so-called SaaSpocalypse will be a problem for other companies but not his.

The layoffs are the latest example of technology corporations decreasing headcount. Amazon announced in January that it would lose approximately 16,000 corporate jobs, months after laying off 14,000. Last year, Microsoft announced that it will remove approximately 15,000 roles.

Last week, Meta began laying off hundreds of employees, following years of downsizing that resulted in the elimination of thousands of positions.

 

Categories
Sports

Rec Room closed due to inability to become sustainably profitable

Rec Room closed due to inability to become sustainably profitable

Rec Room, a VR conversation and game platform, will cease operations on June 1, 2026. The title will be closed exactly ten years after its release.

 

Rec Room developer Rec Room stated that they never found out how to efficiently monetize the experience, which was offered on a variety of VR platforms such as Meta Quest, PlayStation VR, and Pico.

 

The game was also playable on console and PC without VR gear, and it included a suite of user-generated content (UGC) tools that allowed users to construct their own play experiences known as ‘Rooms.

 

Rec Room was free to use; however, it did have purchaseable in-game currency in the form of tokens that could be spent on cosmetics. Rec Room Plus, an optional premium membership for $7.99/month, provides unique privileges like discounts, exclusive merchandise, and a monthly token allowance.

Rec Room closed due to inability to become sustainably profitable

The top UGC rooms had almost 500 years of playtime each. That is a large group of individuals enjoying a lot of fun. This community has accomplished tremendous things, which we will always be proud of. Even now, millions of people visit this joyful and welcoming place each month,” according to a blog post announcing the closure.

 

Our expenses always exceeded the revenue we generated. We spent a long time trying to figure out how to make the numbers work. But with the current shift in the VR market, combined with larger challenges in gaming, the route to profitability has become so challenging that we’ve made the sad decision to shut things down.”

 

Rec Room had already cut off almost half of its personnel in August 2025, citing the need to change depending on the “financial trajectory of the company.”

 

In 2021, the studio raised $145 million, valued at $3.5 billion. It raised over $300 million in capital over its history.

 

Categories
World News

Lamar Odom said recalling the past is ‘like swimming in a quagmire of trauma

Lamar Odom said recalling the past is ‘like swimming in a quagmire of trauma

The two-time NBA champion, who dribbled into the Kardashians’ reality while concealing a drug habit, is now a recovering addict nearing 60 days of recovery as we speak on March 24. (Odom completed a 30-day rehab term in February, following an arrest for driving under the influence the previous month.

 

Odom has pleaded not guilty, and the bench trial is set on July 7. “Every recovering addict knows that you want to kind of stay away from things that were traumatizing in your life,” Odom says in an interview with USA Today.

 

The 46-year-old, who has been sober since January 28, appreciates the opportunity to voice his thoughts, but revisiting the traumas and misdeeds in interviews comes at a cost.

 

(His present companion has not been confirmed.) “And I attempt to get out of it, but the story keeps pulling me back in.

 

But I know I’m bigger than this scenario, and I aim to help a lot of others by sharing my story. Not just via the story, but in everyday life, we may all conquer addiction.”

 

Lamar Odom believes a day at a Nevada brothel might be ‘a hit,’ but is concerned they may ‘want to finish the job.’

 

On Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, Odom was discovered unresponsive at a now-demolished brothel about 80 miles outside Las Vegas. “They need to hurry, please,” a person at the Love Ranch urged in a 911 call, “because he’s got blood hanging out of his nose and white stuff coming out of his mouth. They can’t wake him up.”

 

Odom spent nearly three months rehabilitating at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He claims he had 12 strokes and six heart attacks, but he eventually overcame doctors’ predictions that he would never walk or speak again.

 

At the time of the event, Love Ranch staff told the Nye County Sheriff’s Office that Odom had used cocaine the day before and taken many sexual performance-enhancing tablets. However, Odom says he did not overdose on cocaine.

“It was like a hit,” Odom describes what happened at the Love Ranch. “Obviously, they missed. I’m not sure if they want to finish the task.

 

Kobe Bryant advised Khloe Kardashian to undergo high-risk surgery, which had a 10% chance of success.

In the documentary, Kardashian discloses that Odom’s lungs collapsed after his hospitalization. According to the host of the “Khloe in Wonder Land” podcast, Odom’s medical staff urged him to have surgery with a 10% chance of success or risk death on the operating table.

Lamar Odom said recalling the past is ‘like swimming in a quagmire of trauma

“Odom’s former Lakers colleague, the late Kobe Bryant, “helpedme make the choice to get the surgery,” Kardashian says in “Untold.” “We got his lungs to function, and he did not die. But he went into a coma.

 

“He’s been more than a brother to me,” Odom describes his bond with Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in 2020.

My relationship with him was quite unique, and I sort of accepted and adopted the mamba mentality. And the mamba attitude is putting your best foot forward every day.”

 

Lamar Odom and KKhloeKardashian haven’t communicated, despite her participation in the documentary.

Odom says he hasn’t spoken to or seen Kardashian, whom he divorced in 2016, since their televised reunion for Hulu’s “The Kardashians” in February 2025. Their meeting was occasionally unpleasant and tense. Kardashian responded to Odom’s overt friendliness with uneasy sentiments about their turbulent past.

 

“To me, it didn’t really go well,” Odom admits. “It felt like she was on attack mode, but I can’t really invalidate her feelings, and I won’t. I nearly felt sorry for her as I walked away.

 

Although I know she’s fine and has children (True and Tatum Thompson, with ex Tristan Thompson), I appreciate the pain I caused her.

 

Kardashian and Odom had a brief courtship; they married 30 days after meeting in 2009.

“It’s a period of time that I wouldn’t change,” Odom says. For the most part. “The only thing I’d change is probably my actions. But that was part of my book, part of my history, and it’s not going anywhere.

Categories
World News

New in iOS 26.5: Notification Forwarding and Apple Intelligence in China

New in iOS 26.5: Notification Forwarding and Apple Intelligence in China

The first beta of iOS 26.5 has been released, with Apple Intelligence now available to customers in China and notification forwarding going beyond the EU.

 

Apple began the iOS 26.4 beta testing cycle on Monday, less than a week after it was fully released to the public. The iPhone software upgrade bears the build number 23F5043g, which is up from 23E246 in the final version of iOS 26.4.

 

Apple Intelligence debuted in China.

According to many iOS users in China, including former leaker LoveToDream, Apple Intelligence features appear to have become available in the nation.

 

Apple Intelligence first became available to customers in the United States with the iOS 18.1 upgrade. Apple eventually added support for regions and languages outside English. Users in China, however, will not obtain the AI-powered tools as rapidly.

 

Apple Intelligence has to partner with a domestic AI company in order to launch in China, and the iPhone maker is said to have chosen Alibaba and Baidu.

 

Throughout 2025, it was widely speculated that Alibaba’s involvement will include the development of a filtering layer for Apple Intelligence. In contrast, the iOS 26.5 developer beta on Monday refers to Baidu’s Wenxin Yiyan model rather than Alibaba’s.

 

In any scenario, Apple Intelligence customers in China will most likely be unable to access material that their government disagrees with or does not want made public. This effectively symbolizes a censored version of Apple Intelligence that is exclusive to China.

 

While Apple Intelligence is now available to users of Monday’s developer beta, it has to be clear whether its China distribution is linked to the iOS 26.5 upgrade. The AI-powered feature set may also be available to Chinese customers running iOS 26.4 and earlier.

 

Notification forwarding is now available beyond the EU.

With the iOS 26.3 release, Apple implemented a notification forwarding capability to improve iPhone compatibility with non-Apple smartwatches. Initially, however, the functionality was only available within the European Union.

New in iOS 26.5: Notification Forwarding and Apple Intelligence in China

The new feature, located in the Notifications section of the Settings app, determines whether notifications from an iPhone can be seen on a non-Apple device.

 

Notification forwarding was most likely intended to assure Apple’s compliance with the interoperability criteria outlined in the EU’s Digital Market Act. Essentially, the DMA forces Apple to make certain of its unique capabilities available on other manufacturers’ devices.

 

Apple was similarly obliged to open up the iPhone’s NFC hardware, which aided Apple Wallet competitors. The iPhone maker later made the same capabilities available to developers in the United States, and it appears that notification forwarding will follow suit in iOS 26.5.

 

Monday’s iOS 26.5 beta also allows developers to test end-to-end encrypted RCS communications. This capability has been available for testing since iOS 26.4’s second developer beta, but it has yet to be included in the public release.

 

End-to-end encrypted RCS texting is still only available to developers and anyone who wants to test the technology.

 

There are no Siri improvements in iOS 26.5 yet.

While the iOS 26 version is most recognized for its Liquid Glass appearance, iOS 26.5 may bring Apple’s long-awaited Siri makeover. According to a February 2026 report, personalization options for the virtual assistant were being tried with iOS 26.5.

 

Siri was expected to receive a significant update with the introduction of Apple Intelligence, which debuted at WWDC 2024. Apple’s virtual assistant was designed to improve in-app capabilities and contextual awareness, which Apple even promoted in ads.

 

While the iPhone maker’s other AI-powered features, such as Image Playground and Writing Tools, were made accessible to the public, the contextually aware Siri was delayed.

 

According to reports, Apple intends to deploy the Siri redesign with iOS 26.5 after failing to do so with the previous iOS 26.4 version. It’s unclear whether Siri will receive an update in iOS 26.5.

 

Overall, based on the first developer beta, iOS 26.5 appears to be a more restrained release. Still, the software has only recently entered developer testing, so Apple has time to enable the much-anticipated Siri improvement later.

Categories
Sports

LeBron James’ triple-double leads the Lakers to victory over the Wizards in the absence of Luka Doncic

LeBron James’ triple-double leads the Lakers to victory over the Wizards in the absence of Luka Doncic

 

Without Luka Doncic, the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers scarcely slowed down. LeBron James made certain of it.

 

With Doncic out on Monday to serve a one-game suspension for his 16th technical foul of the season against the Brooklyn Nets on March 27.

 

James had 12 assists and 10 rebounds to go with his 20 points, and LA’s offense worked, with six players scoring in double figures. Austin Reaves, Luke Kennard, and Jaxson Hayes all scored 19 points, with Reaves adding nine assists, while Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton scored 14 and 12, respectively, as the Lakers won their third straight game and 15th in their past 17 games.

 

It was also James’ 1,228th career win, including playoffs, tying another Kareem Abdul-Jabbar record for most all-time.

LeBron James’ triple-double leads the Lakers to victory over the Wizards in the absence of Luka Doncic

“He’s very praiseworthy,” head coach JJ Redick told reporters after the game. “I’m not sure what more to say about him. At this stage. I’ve tried giving different versions of the same soliloquy about his lifespan.”

 

Monday was about clinching a playoff position or the Pacific Division, which they had the opportunity to do. Los Angeles secured their victory over Washington, but they also required a loss by the Phoenix Suns, who pulled away from the Memphis Grizzlies in the fourth quarter to win, 131-105.

 

On Tuesday, March 31, the Lakers will face the Cleveland Cavaliers, giving them a chance to win 50 games in a row for the first time since the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.

 

Categories
Sports

South Carolina routs TCU to reach sixth straight Final Four

South Carolina routs TCU to reach sixth straight Final Four

The road to the 2026 women’s collegiate basketball championship has taken shape in overpowering fashion, with four strong institutions (South Carolina Gamecocks, Texas Longhorns, UCLA Bruins, and UConn Huskies) securing their positions in the Final Four.

 

South Carolina continues to appear practically unstoppable. The Gamecocks defeated TCU 78-52, securing their sixth consecutive Final Four appearance—an elite level of consistency rarely seen in NCAA history. Despite TCU’s strong start, South Carolina immediately seized control and never looked back.

 

Their depth and scoring ability were on full show, with Joyce Edwards leading the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds. The team’s ability to dominate both ends of the court has made them the team to beat entering the semifinals.

 

Meanwhile, Texas provided one of the tournament’s most commanding performances, defeating Michigan 77-41. The Longhorns have won 12 consecutive games and appear to be peaking at the right time. Madison Booker led the team in scoring with 19 points, earning regional MVP honors.

 

After experiencing some midseason challenges, Texas has completely transformed, playing with intensity and self-assurance. Their defense has been particularly impressive, limiting opponents’ shooting percentages while controlling the speed of play.

 

UCLA’s route to the Final Four was not as straightforward, but it could have been just as significant. The Bruins trailed at halfway against a tough Duke team but rallied with a dominant second half to win 70-58. Senior Lauren Betts contributed 23 points and 10 rebounds to their comeback, demonstrating leadership and accountability.

South Carolina routs TCU to reach sixth straight Final Four

UCLA’s resiliency and ability to adapt under pressure could be crucial as they pursue their first national championship.

On the other hand, UConn is continuing to build on its rich legacy. Despite a poor start, UConn recovered its flow in the second half, paced by Sarah Strong’s 21 points. Coach Geno Auriemma lauded the team’s tenacity and unity, stating that while they lack the swagger of previous groups, they play hard for one another. With an unbeaten record and championship experience, UConn remains a strong contender.

 

This year’s Final Four is remarkable because it includes the same four teams as the previous season, which is unusual in NCAA basketball. Fans throughout the United States can expect high-level action, tough matchups, and standout performances as these best programs compete for the national championship.

 

With South Carolina facing UConn and Texas playing UCLA, the stage is set for an explosive matchup.

 

Each team has a distinct strength—whether it is domination, momentum, resilience, or experience. One thing is certain: the journey to the title will be nothing short of exciting.

Exit mobile version