Final Four most outstanding player Elliot Cadeau announces he is returning to Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Elliot Cadeau, who was named the Final Four's most outstanding player after helping Michigan to itsfirst national titlesince 1989, announced on social media Thursday night that he will be back with the Wolverines next season.

The point guard said in an Instagram reel “let's do it again” after his return was first reported by ESPN.

Cadeau tied a season high with 19 points in Michigan's 69-63 victory over UConn in the national championship game. He averaged 10.5 points and 5.9 assists in his first season with the program after two years at North Carolina.

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Cadeau's announcement came shortly after J.P. Estrellaconfirmed on Instagramthat he is transferring from Tennessee and joining the Wolverines.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign uphere. AP college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

byAndy Corry

in

April 10, 2026

Final Four most outstanding player Elliot Cadeau announces he is returning to Michigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Elliot Cadeau, who was named the Final Four's most outstanding player after helping Michigan to itsfirst na...

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Food and drink at 2026 Masters: Concession prices at Augusta still a huge bargain

There's a lot that makes the Masters a special event, aside fromhosting the top golfers in the worldat one of the most exclusive golf clubs there is. The merchandise is always highly sought-after, from Masters-branded polo shirts to garden gnomes.

And then, there's the food.

A trip to Augusta National isn't complete without taking a bite of either the signature pimento cheese sandwich or egg salad sold at concession stands all over the grounds. And if the Southern heat starts kick in, a Georgia peach ice cream sandwich is one of the best ways to cool off.

Another big draw about the concessions at the Masters is that they have always been reasonably priced, and that tradition continues this year, even with some marginal changes.

Azaleas are blooming, pine trees are standing tall and the dogwoods are flowering. The 90th Masters Tournament is set to begin at the Augusta National Golf Club. See one image from each hole of the fabled course. Tiger Woods watches his approach shot on the first hole, named Tea Olive, during the third round of the 2022 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. The par-4, 445-yard hole has a slight dogleg right that plays uphill.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

One photo from every hole at iconic Augusta National, home of Masters

Azaleas are blooming, pine trees are standing tall and the dogwoods are flowering. The90th Masters Tournamentis set to begin at the Augusta National Golf Club. See one image from each hole of the fabled course. Tiger Woods watches his approach shot on the first hole, named Tea Olive, during the third round of the 2022 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. The par-4, 445-yard hole has a slight dogleg right that plays uphill.

Here's a look at how much patrons at the year's first major golf championship can expect to shell out for food:

Masters concession prices in 2026

Three items have slightly increased in price this year. The blueberry muffin and southern cheese straws are both up to $2.50 from $2 a year ago, and cookies are now up to $2, a 25-cent increase from last year.

However, all the other traditional Augusta National staples will stay at the same prices as they were in 2025. In fact, the price of the egg salad and pimento cheese sandwiches hasn't increased since 2002.

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• Egg Salad: $1.50

• Pimento Cheese: $1.50

• Masters Club: $3

• Pork Bar-B-Que: $3

• Chicken Salad on Honey Wheat: $3

• Ham & Cheese on Rye: $3

• Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich: $3

The savory tomato pie, an empanada-style handheld that made its limited debut a year ago, is back on the menu in 2026. It will be priced at $3.

Beverages, too, remain the same as last year.

• Soft drinks: $2

• Iced tea/bottled water: $2

• Beer/wine: $6

Augusta National also serves a special wheat ale called "Crow's Nest," which replaced Blue Moon ale in 2021 and also sells for $6.

Why is food so cheap at the Masters?

Every year fans in attendance share their favorite treats and rave about how the prices are a throwback to decades earlier. And they're right, it's all intentional.

Masters 2026:Predictions, sleepers, longshots at Augusta National

“We believe that one of the reasons the Masters is popular with patrons of the game is because they can obtain good food and drink at reasonable prices,” former Augusta National chairman Clifford Roberts wrote in his 1976 book, “The Story of Augusta National Golf Club.”

Even with inflation spiking the costs of food across the nation, The Masters has held true to this philosophy.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:2026 Masters concessions prices: Sandwiches still a huge bargain

byAndy Corry

in

April 09, 2026

Food and drink at 2026 Masters: Concession prices at Augusta still a huge bargain

There's a lot that makes the Masters a special event, aside fromhosting the top golfers in the worldat one of the most exclusive go...

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How WNBA's new CBA impacts Angel Reese's Atlanta Dream contract

TheWNBA free agencyperiod opened with a bombshell trade on April 6 whenthe Atlanta Dream acquired Angel Reese from the Chicago Skyin exchange for two first-round draft picks, a deal that could have significant financial implications for both teams.

The trade allows the Sky to avoid paying Reese the much higher salary she is owed this season under the terms of theWNBA’s new collective bargaining agreementnegotiated between the players’ union and the league last month, which includes massive pay raises across the league.

Reese,the seventh overall pick by Chicagoin the2024 WNBA Draft, enters the third season of a four-year, rookie-scale contract initially worth $324,383 in total. However, Reese and 37 other players on existing rookie deals will have their salaries adjusted to align with the updated rookie scale established in the new CBA. That means Reese’s base salary for the 2026 season will increase from about $75,000 to $350,692, according to Spotrac.

Reese’s contract has a team option for the 2027 season. If exercised, she’d earn $396,282 – unless she receives All-WNBA honors this season, in which case she’d be eligible next season for a maximum contract worth up to $1.4 million.

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That’s not a far-fetched scenario for Reese, a two-time WNBA All-Star who led the league in rebounding average in each of her first two seasons and was named to the All-Rookie team in 2024.

Althoughtrading Reese is effectively a short-term salary dump for Chicago,which had the seventh highest player payroll in the league last season, Atlanta could consider it beneficial that Reese’s contract is cost controlled for at least one season as player salaries continue to climb.

In 2026, the average salary in the WNBA is expected to be $583,000 while the minimum is $270,000 to $300,000 based on years of service. Reese’s salary is on the lower side and equivalent to 5% of the $7 million salary cap, which gives the Dream some flexibility when it comes to roster construction and navigating the remainder of free agency.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Angel Reese trade: How WNBA's new CBA affects her Atlanta Dream salary

byAndy Corry

in

April 09, 2026

How WNBA's new CBA impacts Angel Reese's Atlanta Dream contract

TheWNBA free agencyperiod opened with a bombshell trade on April 6 whenthe Atlanta Dream acquired Angel Reese from the Chicago Skyin ex...

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Vilma Jää Brings herding calls and mocking songs to Met Opera’s production of 'Innocence'

NEW YORK (AP) — When Vilma Jää enrolled at the Sibelius Academy to study folk music she never expected to end up playing a major role in one of the 21st century’smost acclaimed operas.

Kaija Saariaho, Finland’s leading opera composer, was working on a piece called “Innocence” and wanted one of the characters tosing in a style based on Finnish folk musicrather than with a traditional operatic sound. She had heard Jää’s work on YouTube and asked her to make an audition tape.

“I said yes, that’s cool,” Jää said. “Everyone knows Kaija in Finland, so I knew her name, but I hadn’t listened to her music because I wasn’t into classical music.”

She grew up in Helsinki with a father who loved opera, but her musical tastes were more influenced by her mother. “Her side of the family has been into folklore for I don’t know how long,” Jää said. “My mother did folk dancing, taught it, and organized festivals of folk music and costumes.”

On the audition tape, she offered Saariaho samples of four different folk traditions — two of which ended up in the opera. “She liked what she saw,” Jää recalled. “And that’s how I found my way into this.”

Her role as Markéta thrust Jää into the international opera scene, starting with the world premiere of “Innocence” at the Aix-en-Provence festival in France in 2021, then productions in London, Amsterdam,San Francisco,and now New York, where “Innocence” is playing at the Metropolitan Opera through April 29.

The story of ‘Innocence’

The opera, which runs just under two hours with no intermission, takes place in two time periods 10 years apart that — in director Simon Stone’s production — play out simultaneously on a split-level revolving set.

In the present is a wedding banquet, where the characters include a waitress whose connection to the groom’s family gradually becomes clear. In the past is an international school that was the scene of a horrific shooting. There are roles in Sofi Oksanen’s libretto for 13 characters, who sing or speak in a variety of languages.

Susanna Mälkki, who led the premiere in Aix and is conducting at the Met, said Saariaho wanted to have “a multitude of musical elements. … Even the spoken parts have different qualities. ... It’s an extraordinary variety, and of course the most striking part is indeed Vilma’s because it’s unexpected.”

Melding Jää’s voice, opera and Finnish folk traditions

Saariaho, who died two years after the premiere, had already written some music for Jää’s first scene, but once she got involved the two of them worked on the role together.

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“Everything after she wrote for my voice and the techniques I introduced to her,” said Jää, whose character is a pupil in the school and also the daughter of the waitress.

“I showed her which vowels to use, how high you can do each technique,” Jää said. “Whenever she composed something for me she would send it over and ask, Does this work? How does this sound? How would you sing this?”

“Kaija was aware that she wasn’t the expert in that Finnish folk tradition,” said Stone. “So of course she was leaning into someone who had just spent years at university studying it.”

One of the folk traditions that figure in Markéta’s music is the herding call or Karjankutsu, which Jää describes as “very high-pitched, very straight, no vibrato.”

“It’s a call, so it’s not trying to be beautiful,” she said. “It’s trying to be loud so that your herd will hear you, like 5 kilometers away when they’re roaming around the forest.”

The other tradition is Viena Karelian yoik. “Most of them are mocking songs toward young men,” she said, “so they have this voice-breaking technique. Whenever there is the letter H you would break your voice, and you also add syllables so you can use the voice-breaking in the middle of a word. Then you have a part where you just improvise with the voice breaking … very few notes, maybe only three pitches.”

Stone said there is “a kind of innocence to her as a character who didn’t ever grow up into adulthood. Which means that her almost naive folksinging style allows it to feel slightly free of the very complex psychological burden that a lot of the rest of the music has.”

Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato,who portrays Markéta’s mother, said, “it’s almost like having Kaija in the room with us because it’s such a unique portrayal. … Vilma has this beautiful presence and serenity about her, and it makes the closing scene of having to let her go terribly poignant.”

When Jää isn’t performing in “Innocence” she pursues a busy career as singer, composer, fiddler, researcher and recording artist. Her 2023 debut album “Kosto” blended Finnish folklore with electronic music.

Does she imagine herself ever performing in another opera? “Sure, if a composer would write a role for me,” she said. “Nothing compares to singing live with a full orchestra … because the music lives and breathes. It’s something pop music can never do.”

byAndy Corry

in

April 09, 2026

Vilma Jää Brings herding calls and mocking songs to Met Opera’s production of 'Innocence'

NEW YORK (AP) — When Vilma Jää enrolled at the Sibelius Academy to study folk music she never expected to end up playing a major role i...

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Ex-Prince Andrew’s Home Sparks ‘Unusual’ Activity Locals Dislike — Source

Ex-Prince Andrew‘s move to the Wood Farm home on the Sandringham estate is drawing a lot of attention, which, as per a source, has disrupted the peace of the locals. The former royal moved to his temporary home after being stripped of his title and being evicted from Royal Lodge in Windsor. He is staying at Wood Farm for a brief period as his permanent residence, Marsh Farm, in the same estate, is under renovation.

Ex-Prince Andrew’s home has led to a disruption of peace, claims source

Ex-Prince Andrew’s temporary home, Wood Farms, is drawing a lot of attention, especially after his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in a public office. And a source toldRadarOnline. Com, the locals are not very happy with the “noticeable surge in visitors treating the area almost like a spectacle,” as it disrupts their peace. The insider revealed that the “people are driving in specifically to catch a glimpse or film the property” of the former royal.

Residents in Wolferton, a small hamlet near Wood Farm, have reported a steady increase in traffic. Many cars have stopped to take photographs and videos of the property of the ex-prince. Moreover, some visitors are even taking selfies near the entrance, while others gather to spotMountbatten-Windsor.

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“It’s become a talking point in the area because it’s so unusual – people are coming from outside just to see where he is staying, even though it’s otherwise a quiet and remote place,” said a resident.

Adding more, another resident said that due to the surge, there is “frustration” among locals “because the roads aren’t built for this kind of attention and it’s disrupting what is normally a very peaceful community.”

As per the outlet, the Sandringham estate’s Land Rover Safari Tour costs $211 per person. It passes by the entrance to Wood Farm as well as Marsh Farm, which has further fueled interest among visitors, and people have been “treating the location almost as a landmark.”

The postEx-Prince Andrew’s Home Sparks ‘Unusual’ Activity Locals Dislike — Sourceappeared first onReality Tea.

byAndy Corry

in

April 08, 2026

Ex-Prince Andrew’s Home Sparks ‘Unusual’ Activity Locals Dislike — Source

Ex-Prince Andrew‘s move to the Wood Farm home on the Sandringham estate is drawing a lot of attention, which, as per a source, has disrupte...

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Will Iran play in World Cup? FIFA must respond on venue switch amid US-Israel war

Iran's government will only decide on the national team's participation in the World Cup once it receive a response from FIFA over the relocation of their matches, the country's Minister of Sport Ahmad Donyamali said.

Iran's football federation (FFIRI) has been pushing to move the team's three World Cup group-stage matches from the United States to Mexico, citing American military involvement alongside Israel in strikes that sparked an ongoing war in the region.

FFIRI said last month they were in discussions with FIFA about a venue switch, while Iran's sports ministry has banned national and club sports teams from traveling to countries it considers hostile until further notice.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last week, however, that Iran would play their matches as scheduled.

"Our request to FIFA to relocate Iran's games from the U.S. to Mexico is still valid, but we have not yet received a response," Donyamali told Turkish state news agency Anadolu in an interview published at the weekend.

"If accepted, Iran's participation in the World Cup will be certain. However, FIFA has not yet responded.

"As the Minister of Sports, together with the Iranian football federation, we will keep the football team ready for the World Cup. However, the final decision will be made by our government."

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MetLife Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey (hosting World Cup final)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Estadio BBVA – Monterrey, Mexico

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Estadio Akron –Guadalajara, Mexico

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> BMO Field – Toronto

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> SoFi Stadium – Inglewood, California

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> BC Place – Vancouver, Canada

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lumen Field – Seattle

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> NRG Stadium – Houston

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Levi's Stadium – Santa Clara, California

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, Massachusetts

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What stadiums are hosting the 2026 World Cup in North America? See all 16

MetLife Stadium– East Rutherford, New Jersey (hosting World Cup final)

Iran are scheduled to play all of their Group G matches on American soil -- against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles before their final fixture against Egypt in Seattle.

U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpsaid last month that while Iran's national team were welcome to play in the U.S., it might not be appropriate for their "life and safety".

He later made it clear that any threat to players would not come from the United States.

"According to FIFA's relevant regulations, security must be provided in the country concerned," Donyamali added. "However, the World Cup is taking place soon, and providing guarantees during this period is questionable.

"Under these circumstances, the possibility of Iran participating in the World Cup matches in the U.S. is very low. But, if the relevant security guarantees are provided, our government will make the decision on Iran's participation in the World Cup."

FIFA did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The World Cup takes place in the U.S., Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

Spain – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Brazil – 23rd appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> United States of America – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mexico – 18th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> England – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Portugal – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> France – 17th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Iran – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Switzerland – 13th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Croatia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Australia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Morocco – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Austria – eighth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ecuador – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Senegal – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> South Korea – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Japan – eighth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Colombia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Netherlands – 12th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Germany – 21st appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Belgium – 15th appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Canada – third appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Saudi Arabia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Uzbekistan – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jordan – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Tunisia – seventh appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> South Africa – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ivory Coast – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Scotland – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Algeria – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> New Zealand – third appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Paraguay – ninth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Egypt – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Cape Verde – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Qatar – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Norway – fourth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Panama – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Curacao – first appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Ghana – fifth appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Haiti – second appearance

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Who qualified for 2026 World Cup? See every country in the tournament

Spain– 17th appearance

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Did Iran withdraw from World Cup? FIFA must respond amid US-Israel war

byAndy Corry

in

April 08, 2026

Will Iran play in World Cup? FIFA must respond on venue switch amid US-Israel war

Iran's government will only decide on the national team's participation in the World Cup once it receive a response from FIFA o...

Read More