The Epstein files show how easily the sex offender collected confidential information from his well-connected associates.
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How Epstein Collected Insider Tips on Stocks and Startups From His Network
NIT tournament bracket, scores: No. 1 seeds Auburn, Tulsa survive upset bids
The 2026 NIT began Tuesday from various home sites across the country, and the theme of the first round was upsets. Liberty eliminated No. 3 seed George Mason 77-71 behind 23 points from Josh Smith. Liberty will face the winner of No. 2 seed Nevada and Murray State in the second round this weekend.
And the shocking results didn’t stop there. UNC-Wilmington defeated No. 3 seed Yale 68-67 on the road and will face No. 2 seed Dayton or Bradley in the second round. No. 1 seed Auburn trailed at halftime by six to South Alabama at home. However, the Tigers flipped the switch in the second half and avoided an upset scare with a 78-67 win over the Jaguars.
Auburn will face No. 4 seed Seattle U next.
The first round continues on Wednesday with eight more first-round matchups. One of the games to keep an eye on is No. 1 seed New Mexico facing Sam Houston. No. 1 seed Wake Forest will also be in action when it faces Navy at home.
Only four power conference teams are competing in the NIT this year: Auburn, Cal, Wake Forest and Oklahoma State. Multiple programs — such as Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, Belmont and San Diego State declined an invitation to the NIT after missing out on the NCAA Tournament.
Here is a look at the full bracket.
2026 NIT key dates
First Round: March 17-18
Second round: March 21-22
Quarterfinals: March 24-25
Semifinals: April 2 (Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis)
Championship: April 5 (Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis)
All times Eastern
2026 NIT First Round schedule
Games in the first three rounds to be played at the higher-seeded team’s home arena
Auburn Region
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Auburn 78, South Alabama 67 | Recap
No. 2 Nevada vs. Murray State | Wednesday, 10 p.m.
Liberty 77, No. 3 George Mason 71 | Recap
No. 4 Seattle U 67, St. Thomas (MN) 52 | Recap
SECOND ROUND
No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 4 Seattle U
TBD vs. Liberty
Albuquerque Region
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 New Mexico vs. Sam Houston | Wednesday, 9 p.m.
No. 2 Cal vs. UIC | Wednesday, 11 p.m.
No. 3 Colorado State vs. Saint Joseph’s | Wednesday, 11 p.m.
No. 4 Utah Valley vs. George Washington | Wednesday, 8 p.m
SECOND ROUND
TBD vs. TBD
TBD vs. TBD
Winston-Salem Region
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Wake Forest vs. Navy | Wednesday, 7 p.m.
No. 2 Dayton vs. Bradley | Wednesday, 9 p.m.
UNCW 68, No. 3 Yale 67 | Recap
No. 4 Illinois State vs. Kent State | Wednesday, 8 p.m
SECOND ROUND
TBD vs. TBD
TBD vs. UNC-Wilmington
Tulsa Region
FIRST ROUND
No. 1 Tulsa 89, Stephen F. Austin 84 (OT) | Recap
No. 2 Oklahoma State 84, Davidson 80 | Recap
No. 3 Wichita State 74, Wyoming 70 | Recap
No. 4 UC Irvine vs. UNLV | Tuesday, 11 p.m
SECOND ROUND
No. 1 Tulsa vs. TBD
No. 2 Oklahoma State vs. No. 3 Wichita State
Former New Mexico Attorney General explains why first Zorro Ranch investigation was shut down
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – The New Mexico Department of Justice is working to figure out what exactly happened at Jeffrey Epstein’s former New Mexico ranch outside Santa Fe. But this latest investigation into the notorious financier’s property actually marks the second time a New Mexico Attorney General has looked into it. A land of secrets, all eyes […]
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GEOFF TATE Talks Upcoming Operation: Mindcrime III Album, Says “It’s Heavier Than Mindcrime I”
In a new interview with Canada’s The Metal Voice, ex-Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate opened up about Operation: Mindcrime III, the third and final chapter in the classic album series, due in May. The first single, “Power,” arrives next week.
Tate explained why he returned to the Mindcrime universe a third time, pointing to a character the story had never fully explored.
“It’s a subject I’ve always been interested in, the ‘Mindcrime’ saga, the story of these three characters, really: Nikki, Dr. X, and Sister Mary,” he said. “A fascinating triangle there of… Oh, it’s an interesting relationship between all three of them.
“And Nikki’s story has really been kind of chronicled on Mindcrime I and Mindcrime II, and nothing has really been written about Dr. X. Like, who is he? What’s he all about? Why is he the way he is? What got him to this place he’s at?,” Tate elaborated.
For Tate, the project took on a more personal dimension as well. “Especially at the age I’m at now, where I’m probably very close to Dr. X‘s age, I’m looking at life differently now, and [I have] different goals, [and I have] a different reason to be, really, which I think probably happens with people as they age and get older,” he said.
“You’ve had past accomplishments, you’ve had things that you’ve done that you’ve really been interested in, and you’ve followed your dreams, you followed your muse, and now you’re at a different place where those wants and needs kind of change. So Dr. X is a character study, really, of where he is and how he got to where he is.”
As for where the new album fits in the timeline, Tate described it as a parallel perspective rather than a sequel or prequel. “It’s kind of a — hmm, I’d say it’s in the same universe, but a different perspective,” he said. “It’s X‘s perspective. It’s happening in time at the same time as Mindcrime I.”
On the sonic side, Tate put Operation: Mindcrime III at least on par with — and possibly heavier than — the original. “The new one is probably, I guess, in the same realm. It’s heavier than Mindcrime I,” he said. “I don’t know. I’d have to go back and listen to it again, Mindcrime II, to see where it compared in the heaviness [laughs] scale.”
The album was produced by John Moyer, bassist for Disturbed, and Tate had high praise for the results, particularly the low end.
“John did an amazing job putting it all together, and the sound, especially of the rhythm section — oh, it’s phenomenal. It’s really, really crunchy, punchy, big,” he said. “I think it’s miles above Mindcrime I — absolutely. Especially the bottom end — the bass and drums, rhythm section. It’s so modern, so huge.”
He also pointed to how far recording technology has come since the late ’80s. “If you listen back to the Mindcrime I album, it sounds like… I think it was one of the three first digital recordings made, and so it has a brittleness to it that you just don’t hear anymore, ’cause the technology has gotten so much better now,” Tate said.
“The analog-to-digital converters are so much more sophisticated now. So, yeah, it sounds miles above that. I’m very happy, very happy with it.”
Tate closed with a simple ask for listeners: “I just hope everybody can give it a spin, check it out. And especially with headphones. It’s a wonderful headphone album. Absolutely. We spent a lot of time dialing in all the details that I find to be very important with the record; it’s gotta sound good on headphones. And it really sounds great with the mixing and the engineering on it.”
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European Gas Price Slips But Remains High as Supply Strains Mount
European natural-gas prices edged lower but remained more than 60% higher on month, as Iranian attacks on Persian Gulf energy infrastructure raised concerns over fuel supplies.
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WNBA, players’ union reach verbal agreement on new CBA terms
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Alexa Philippou
Multiple Authors
NEW YORK — After a prolonged labor battle, the WNBA and Women’s National Basketball Players Association reached a verbal agreement on the terms for a new collective bargaining agreement early Wednesday, just 51 days before the league’s 30th season is set to tip.
“The progress made in these discussions marks a transformative step forward for players and the league,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told reporters shortly before 3 a.m. ET, “and it’s underscoring a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game.
“It’s [been] a process, but we’re very proud to be leading in women’s sports, and these players are amazing, and we’re going to have an amazing 30th season tipping off in May.”
Engelbert, WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson and four members of the WNBPA executive committee — president Nneka Ogwumike, vice presidents Breanna Stewart and Alysha Clark and treasurer Brianna Turner — shared the news with reporters in the lobby of a midtown Manhattan hotel, the very spot they began their 100-plus-hour stretch of marathon bargaining sessions a week prior.
“I think this can be summed up in two words: player empowerment … players coming to the table and standing on business and being reminded of the collective voice and of what it means to be in a union and the power of this union,” Jackson said. “They never forgot it, and they have taken it, like they always do, to the next level.”
Both sides declined to share details of the agreement. A formal term sheet still needs to be finalized, and the agreement is pending ratification by the players as well as the WNBA board of governors.
This will be the sixth CBA in league history following deals in 1999, 2003, 2008, 2014 and 2020.
“We’re just really grateful to be able to come to a deal,” Ogwumike said. “We’re proud of ourselves. And quite frankly, we always told you all we were going to stand on business, and that’s what this looks like.”
The agreement is poised to reflect the league’s skyrocketing growth and popularity, with viewership, attendance and investment reaching historic levels in the past few years. For the first time in WNBA history, the salary system is expected to be directly tied to revenue growth and players are anticipated to earn the league’s first $1 million salaries.
“This deal is going to be transformational,” Stewart said. “It’s going to build and help create a system where everybody is getting exactly what they deserve and more, from on the court and off the court aspects. Just excited that we can tell our fans that we’re going to be back.”
In a formal statement, Ogwumike acknowledged the deal’s revenue sharing system will drive “exponential” growth in the salary cap; increases average compensation beyond half a million dollars; raises the professional standard across facilities, staffing and support; and strengthens housing, retirement and other benefits.
For the first time, she told reporters, players will come into the league “and not [have] a sense of lack.”
“We’re just really grateful to be able to come to a deal. We’re proud of ourselves. And quite frankly, we always told you all we were going to stand on business, and that’s what this looks like.”
WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike
“What we just accomplished is going to change the lives of so many players,” Clark said. “And speaking from experience, players like me are going to be the ones that I think feel it the most, and that’s what I think we’re all super proud of, because that’s what we set out from the beginning, was making sure every player felt the change in the CBA, and that’s exactly what has happened.”
Engelbert said the extended negotiations avoided any impacts to the 2026 schedule. Training camp is set to open April 19, followed by preseason games beginning April 25 and the start of the regular season May 8.
The verbal agreement comes 17 months after the players opted out of their previous agreement and five months after the former deal was initially set to expire, with talks oftentimes becoming contentious.
But after a week of intense in-person bargaining, both sides were finally able to share a moment of celebration together in their main conference meeting room, enjoying glasses of champagne as they toasted to the present and the future.
Engelbert called the deal “a fair win-win for all,” while Jackson added, “Cathy and her team understood that the players wins were the league’s wins, and that our stories of success are shared stories of success, period.”
“I really feel like a lot of what we were at the table for was for the next generation,” Ogwumike said. “When we consider the next 10 years, this is really going to continue to catapult us.”
Man arrested after climbing into pygmy hippo Moo Deng’s enclosure at Thai zoo
BANGKOK — A man has been arrested after he was caught climbing into an enclosure of Moo Deng, the adorable pygmy hippo who became a social media sensation, zoo officials said.
The Thai man allegedly entered the enclosure on Tuesday evening while a keeper was away and no other visitors were around, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo’s Director Narongwit Chodchoy told The Associated Press.
Security footage widely shared online shows a man wearing a black beanie, sunglasses, a green tank top, and brown shorts approaching Moo Deng and her mother Jona while holding a tablet, apparently recording or taking photos.
The man remained inside the enclosure for a minute or two before staff noticed him, Narongwit said, adding that he did not attempt to flee while the zoo called for police.
Moo Deng soared to stardom shortly after she was born in 2024, largely thanks to a keeper who shared adorable pictures and videos of the baby hippo on social media. Since then, she has drawn large crowds from Thailand and abroad who want to witness her charm in person and shoot photos and videos of her cute moments for themselves.
Police have initially charged the man with trespassing, but investigation is still ongoing and Narongwit said the zoo intends to pursue all available legal action. Police did not identify the suspect.
The man has now been released on bail, Narongwit said. He said Moo Deng and Jona were safe as the man did not try to touch them.
In a statement posted Tuesday on the zoo’s official Facebook page, it said both animals appeared slightly startled by the encounter and would be monitored closely by a veterinarian.
The zoo also urged visitors to “strictly follow all rules and instructions from staff for the safety of both themselves and the wildlife.”
The Khao Kheow Open Zoo, which is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Bangkok, sits on 800 hectares (almost 2,000 acres) of land and is home to more than 2,000 animals.
China ignores Trump’s Hormuz request as the Iran war deepens
China won’t help the United States reopen the Strait of Hormuz as requested by President Donald Trump, but it is probably welcoming the delay in Trump’s highly anticipated trip to Beijing as the U.S. risks getting bogged down in the Middle East, analysts say.Related video above: Gas prices continue to climb in the U.S. as Strait of Hormuz remains threatenedThe latest developments are unfolding as Trump’s Iran war, in its third week, is faced with mounting pressure as oil has stopped moving through the strait and U.S. allies have refused to step up to secure the strait. That has produced concerns that China, the United States’ biggest geopolitical rival, could stand to benefit from a war that some say was ill-considered.“President Trump’s request to delay his long-awaited summit with President Xi Jinping underscores how significantly he underestimated the fallout from Operation Epic Fury,” said Ali Wyne, senior research and advocacy adviser for U.S.-China relations at the International Crisis Group. “A show of U.S. force that was meant to intimidate Beijing has instead served to puncture the illusion of U.S. omnipotence: Unable to reopen the Strait of Hormuz alone, Washington now needs its principal strategic competitor to help it manage a crisis of its own making.”The Chinese Foreign Ministry gave a nonanswer when asked if it would help reopen the strait but repeated its call for “parties to immediately stop military operations, avoid further escalation of the tense situation and prevent regional turmoil from further impacting the global economy.”Beijing, which had never officially confirmed Trump’s state visit, originally scheduled for March 31, has signaled willingness to work with the U.S. to reschedule the visit by stating that the two sides “remain in communication.” It even helped clarify that the postponement had nothing to do with Trump’s request for China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.On Tuesday, Trump said the Chinese “were fine” with the delay and claimed “a very good working relationship with China.”Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, said, “I think the Iran request is now going to be less pressing for China to fulfill.” At the same time, Chinese diplomats have been engaging with countries in the Middle East, pledging a constructive role in easing tensions and restoring peace.On Sunday, through the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, Beijing delivered to Iran an emergency humanitarian aid package of $200,000, earmarked for families of children and teachers killed in the bombing of the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school building in Minab, Iran, with the Chinese ambassador to Iran condemning the school attack.State visit delayedA delay in the state visit is welcome by both the Trump administration and China, said Brett Fetterly, a managing principal in the China practice at The Asia Group, a Washington-based consultancy.“I think the political environment is difficult for the United States to have the commander in chief travel abroad while managing military operations,” Fetterly said. “On the Chinese side, it doesn’t hurt to play for more time, to better understand what exactly President Trump might want.”Video below: Trump says China trip postponed amid war with Iran during his Oval Office meeting with Irish PMA recent trade talk in Paris between the two governments appears to have yielded little agreement and suggested difficulties remain in addressing structural differences in trade, technology and economic security, Fetterly said. “At the end of the day, both sides really needed some time to define what the range of deliverables are,” he said.The U.S. business community has also expressed concern that preparations for the summit might not have been sufficient to produce substantive agreements.Pivot away from AsiaTransfers of military assets from the Indo-Pacific region to the Middle East,, including a sizable portion of Marines deployed there as part of a rapid-response unit and an anti-missile defense system, have raised concerns that the U.S. could get distracted from its own stated priority to refocus on Asia.“The longer this war continues, and the more forces that are shifted out of Asia, the more it will feed Asian allies’ concerns about U.S. distraction and resource constraints,” said Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies U.S. strategy in Asia.A delay in the state visit could also mean a delay in any arms sales to the self-governing island of Taiwan to deter attacks from Beijing, he said. China has vowed to take Taiwan by force if necessary, but the United States is obligated by its own law to give the island sufficient hardware to defend itself. The issue remains the thorniest in U.S.-China relations.“I believe that China is happy to delay the visit and reap the benefits as the United States once again gets bogged down in the Middle East,” Cooper said.And Beijing probably doesn’t need to do much, he added: “I think most Chinese experts and officials believe that the United States is undermining itself, so they just need to get out of the way.”
WASHINGTON —
China won’t help the United States reopen the Strait of Hormuz as requested by President Donald Trump, but it is probably welcoming the delay in Trump’s highly anticipated trip to Beijing as the U.S. risks getting bogged down in the Middle East, analysts say.
Related video above: Gas prices continue to climb in the U.S. as Strait of Hormuz remains threatened
The latest developments are unfolding as Trump’s Iran war, in its third week, is faced with mounting pressure as oil has stopped moving through the strait and U.S. allies have refused to step up to secure the strait. That has produced concerns that China, the United States’ biggest geopolitical rival, could stand to benefit from a war that some say was ill-considered.
“President Trump’s request to delay his long-awaited summit with President Xi Jinping underscores how significantly he underestimated the fallout from Operation Epic Fury,” said Ali Wyne, senior research and advocacy adviser for U.S.-China relations at the International Crisis Group. “A show of U.S. force that was meant to intimidate Beijing has instead served to puncture the illusion of U.S. omnipotence: Unable to reopen the Strait of Hormuz alone, Washington now needs its principal strategic competitor to help it manage a crisis of its own making.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry gave a nonanswer when asked if it would help reopen the strait but repeated its call for “parties to immediately stop military operations, avoid further escalation of the tense situation and prevent regional turmoil from further impacting the global economy.”
Beijing, which had never officially confirmed Trump’s state visit, originally scheduled for March 31, has signaled willingness to work with the U.S. to reschedule the visit by stating that the two sides “remain in communication.” It even helped clarify that the postponement had nothing to do with Trump’s request for China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
On Tuesday, Trump said the Chinese “were fine” with the delay and claimed “a very good working relationship with China.”
Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Stimson Center, said, “I think the Iran request is now going to be less pressing for China to fulfill.” At the same time, Chinese diplomats have been engaging with countries in the Middle East, pledging a constructive role in easing tensions and restoring peace.
On Sunday, through the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, Beijing delivered to Iran an emergency humanitarian aid package of $200,000, earmarked for families of children and teachers killed in the bombing of the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school building in Minab, Iran, with the Chinese ambassador to Iran condemning the school attack.
State visit delayed
A delay in the state visit is welcome by both the Trump administration and China, said Brett Fetterly, a managing principal in the China practice at The Asia Group, a Washington-based consultancy.
“I think the political environment is difficult for the United States to have the commander in chief travel abroad while managing military operations,” Fetterly said. “On the Chinese side, it doesn’t hurt to play for more time, to better understand what exactly President Trump might want.”
Video below: Trump says China trip postponed amid war with Iran during his Oval Office meeting with Irish PM
A recent trade talk in Paris between the two governments appears to have yielded little agreement and suggested difficulties remain in addressing structural differences in trade, technology and economic security, Fetterly said. “At the end of the day, both sides really needed some time to define what the range of deliverables are,” he said.
The U.S. business community has also expressed concern that preparations for the summit might not have been sufficient to produce substantive agreements.
Pivot away from Asia
Transfers of military assets from the Indo-Pacific region to the Middle East,, including a sizable portion of Marines deployed there as part of a rapid-response unit and an anti-missile defense system, have raised concerns that the U.S. could get distracted from its own stated priority to refocus on Asia.
“The longer this war continues, and the more forces that are shifted out of Asia, the more it will feed Asian allies’ concerns about U.S. distraction and resource constraints,” said Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies U.S. strategy in Asia.
A delay in the state visit could also mean a delay in any arms sales to the self-governing island of Taiwan to deter attacks from Beijing, he said. China has vowed to take Taiwan by force if necessary, but the United States is obligated by its own law to give the island sufficient hardware to defend itself. The issue remains the thorniest in U.S.-China relations.
“I believe that China is happy to delay the visit and reap the benefits as the United States once again gets bogged down in the Middle East,” Cooper said.
And Beijing probably doesn’t need to do much, he added: “I think most Chinese experts and officials believe that the United States is undermining itself, so they just need to get out of the way.”
JINJER Announces North American Tour With CRYSTAL LAKE & ENTHEOS
Jinjer has officially announced their first North American headline tour since 2024, marking the last chapter of their Duél album cycle. Fans can expect an explosive run of shows as the group hits cities across the continent with special guests Crystal Lake and Entheos.
“This tour will mark the final touring chapter of the Duél album cycle,” the band shared, teasing a must-see live experience for diehard fans. Get your tickets here.
6/5 Ottawa ON Bronson Centre (no Crystal Lake)
6/6 Granby QC Festival Au Lac
6/7 Toronto ON Danforth Music Hall (no Crystal Lake)
6/9 Boston MA Big Night Live
6/10 Wallingford CT Dome at Oakdale
6/12 New York NY Paramount Times Square
6/13 Washington DC Warped Tour
6/14 Philadelphia PA The Fillmore
6/16 Pittsburgh PA Roxian
6/17 Charlotte NC The Fillmore
6/18 Atlanta GA Buckhead Theater
6/19 Nashville TN Brooklyn Bowl
6/21 Orlando FL House of Blues
6/23 Houston TX House of Blues
6/24 Dallas TX House of Blues
6/25 San Antonio TX Aztec Theatre
6/27 Austin TX Emo’s
6/28 Oklahoma City OK Diamond Ballroom
6/30 Tempe AZ Marquee
7/1 San Diego CA House of Blues
7/2 Los Angeles CA The Wiltern
7/3 San Francisco CA The Fillmore
7/5 Sacramento CA Ace of Spades
7/7 Portland OR Roseland Ballroom
7/8 Vancouver BC Commodore Ballroom
7/9 Tacoma WA Temple Theatre
7/10 Boise ID Revolution
7/13 Des Moines IA Val Air Ballroom
7/14 Madison WI The Sylvee
7/15 St Louis MO The Pageant
7/17 Mansfield OH INKarceration
7/18 Grand Rapids MI Upheaval
7/19 Chicago IL House of Blues
7/21 Denver CO Summit (no Crystal Lake)
7/22 Albuquerque NM Revel (no Crystal Lake)
7/24 Las Vegas NV House of Blues (no Crystal Lake)
7/25 Long Beach CA Warped Tour
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