Dan Vladar good to go for Flyers in Game 4; Penguins turn to Arturs Silovs

The Philadelphia Flyers are soaring through their first-round playoff series thanks to Dan Vladar, who has been confirmed to start Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

Philadelphia leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 after notching a pair of wins in Pittsburgh followed by a 5-2 home victory Wednesday. Vladar made 27 saves in Game 3, but injured his right arm during a chaotic sequence in front of the net in the third period.

While Vladar, 28, finished Game 3 without further incident, he did not practice on Thursday and the team had Friday off before he participated in Saturday's morning skate. Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed on Saturday morning that Vladar will start Game 4.

After a strong regular season, Vladar has a .946 save percentage in this series that includes a 27-save shutout in Game 2. If Vladar had been unable to play on Saturday, then fourth-year veteran Samuel Ersson was set to make his postseason debut.

"I feel like I'm in a good spot with my game," said Ersson, who has not played since April 14.

Of course, it will help if the Flyers continue to receive scoring production from up and down their lineup. The team had five goal-scorers in Game 3, including four who registered their first career playoff tally.

Trevor Zegras and Noah Cates each had a goal and an assist for Philadelphia, which has won six straight games dating back to the regular season. The Flyers will try to ride the momentum of their home crowd to their first series victory since 2020.

"That was the craziest building I've ever played in," defenseman Nick Seeler said of the Game 3 atmosphere. "The fans were fantastic."

Part of the chaotic atmosphere was a product of a penalty-filled second period in which the teams combined for 17 penalties. Penguins coach Dan Muse was not happy about how the officials handled the physicality in that period, but his squad doesn't have time to dwell on their recent losses.

"We have to win a hockey game," Muse said. "So, we'll have a practice (Friday) and get ready for that game and then go into that game and we need to win a game. That's entirely where the focus is right now."

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Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Erik Karlsson scored in Game 3 for Pittsburgh, which has dropped six straight contests going back to the regular season. Malkin has two goals in this series, which equals the rest of his teammates combined.

"Now we're going to see what we're really made of," Karlsson said. "Now it's do-or-die. The toughest game to win is that fourth one, so hopefully we can start by winning one."

Only four teams in NHL history have come back from a 3-0 series deficit to win the final four games. It hasn't happened in more than a decade -- the Los Angeles Kings turned the trick against the San Jose Sharks in 2014 -- and the Penguins have never accomplished it.

"There's not much room for error when you're in this position. That's reality," Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said. "But the fact is, we've got to win a game. That's got to be our focus. You can't grab three on Saturday. You've got to win one."

The Penguins are making a goaltending change, with Arturs Silovs getting the nod over Stuart Skinner.

"Both guys have played very well for us all year," Muse said of Silovs and Skinner. "You go through the entire regular season, both guys have won big games. We have a lot of confidence in both guys. Decision isn't based on Stu's play; I thought Stu's played really well this series.

"We lost three games and so (we) decided that we made some changes there in the lineup."

Skinner, who started the first three games, has a 3.08 goals-against average and .873 save percentage in the series.

Silovs, 25, posted a 19-12-8 record with two shutouts and a 3.07 GAA and .888 save percentage in 39 games (38 starts) this season. Two seasons ago with the Vancouver Canucks, Silovs went 5-5 in 10 playoff starts with a 2.91 GAA and .898 save percentage.

"I think you've seen in his day to day, just his preparation, he's a competitor, whether it's in practice or in games," Muse said. "You can say that obviously with both guys, but I think it's a good thing and it's a benefit to us, is you've got both guys that have been in a lot of big games, with Arty just going back to playoffs, Olympics, World Championships. He's a young guy, but he has had a lot of big moments that he's been in, and he's attacked those big moments."

--Field Level Media

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April 28, 2026

Dan Vladar good to go for Flyers in Game 4; Penguins turn to Arturs Silovs

The Philadelphia Flyers are soaring through their first-round playoff series thanks to Dan Vladar, who has been confirmed to start Game...

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King Charles jets to US for trip overshadowed by Iran quarrel and shooting

By Michael Holden and Suzanne Plunkett

FILE PHOTO: Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla visit the British Museum on the 100th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's birth

LONDON/WASHINGTON, April 27 (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in the United States later on Monday for a four-day trip, a tour which has taken on even greater prominence after the White House Correspondents' dinner shooting ‌and amid acrimony between the close allies.

The state visit, by far the most high-profile and consequential of Charles's reign, marks the 250th anniversary ‌of the U.S. declaration of independence from British rule, and is the first to the country by a British monarch for two decades.

It begins with a private meeting with self-proclaimed royal ​fan President Donald Trump, and includes an address to Congress and a lavish dinner at the White House.

PRESS DINNER SHOOTING JUST DAYS BEFORE VISIT

But the long-planned trip has become enmeshed in the political spat between the two countries over the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, which led Trump to voice deep displeasure with the British government for failing to support the offensive.

The shooting on Saturday at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, with the president and officials in his ‌administration the likely targets according to the U.S. acting ⁠attorney general, has cast a further pall over the visit.

Buckingham Palace said the trip would still go ahead as planned following discussions between British and U.S. authorities to determine if the incident would impact on the royals' plans.

"The king and ⁠queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the visit getting underway tomorrow," a palace spokesperson said on Sunday.

TRUMP HAS CRITICISED UK OVER IRAN STANCE

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On arriving in Washington, the king and queen have a private tea with the president, an unabashed ​lover ​of the British royal family who regularly describes Charles as a "great man", and his ​wife, first lady Melania Trump.

The 77-year-old king, who is still ‌undergoing treatment for cancer, will address Congress the next day - just the second time a British monarch has done so.

The royals will then head on to New York where they will commemorate those killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks ahead of the 25th anniversary, while the queen will also mark the centenary of children's stories featuring Winnie the Pooh.

The U.S. trip concludes in Virginia with the king meeting those involved in conservation work, a nod to his half century of environmental campaigning.

The government of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hoping the visit will shore up the future of the two allies' "special ‌relationship" which is at its lowest point since the Suez Crisis in 1956.

Britain's ambassador ​to the U.S., Christian Turner, said the visit would underscore the shared history, sacrifice and ​common values between the two countries, adding that the approach would ​be a very British one of: "Keep calm, carry on."

While Trump has eased his criticism of Britain in recent days over ‌its response to the Iran war, an internal Pentagon email ​has set out how the U.S. could ​review its position on Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands as punishment for its lack of support, once again straining ties.

One issue off the table during the visit is the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Royal sources have said it was not possible for the royal couple to meet ​any victims of Epstein during the tour, as ‌some have requested, to avoid impacting on any potential criminal cases.

Charles' brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, whose reputation and royal standing has been destroyed ​over his links to the late U.S. sex offender, is currently facing police inquiries over his connections. The former Prince Andrew ​has denied any wrongdoing.

(Reporting by Michael Holden in London; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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April 28, 2026

King Charles jets to US for trip overshadowed by Iran quarrel and shooting

By Michael Holden and Suzanne Plunkett FILE PHOTO: Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla visit the British Museum on the ...

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Jimmy Kimmel defends himself after Donald and Melania Trump call for his firing

Jimmy Kimmel has responded to Donald and Melania Trumpcalling on Monday for ABC to fire himin the wake of the late-night comic making a joke last week in which he described the first lady as having "the glow of an expectant widow."

The remark about the president's wife was part of a routine on Thursday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in which he pretended to deliver a comedy routine at the then-upcoming White House Correspondents' Association dinner.

That eventtwo nights later was cut shortwhen a man armed with guns and knives tried to enter the Washington ballroom where the Trumps and much of the nation's political leadership had gathered.

"People like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate," Melania Trumpsaid in a social media postlater echoed by her husband. ... "Enough is enough. It is time for ABC to take a stand."

In apost on his Truth Social platformMonday afternoon, Mr. Trump called Kimmel's joke a "despicable call to violence" and said "this is something far beyond the pale. Jimmy Kimmel should be immediately fired by Disney and ABC."

Kimmel described the joke during his Monday night monologue as being about the Trumps' age difference, calling it "a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80 and she's younger than I am. It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination. And they know that.

"I've been very vocal for many years speaking out against gun violence, in particular. But I understand that the first lady had a stressful experience over the weekend. ... And also, I agree that hateful and violent rhetoric is something we should reject. I do. And I think a great place to start to dial that back would be to have a conversation with your husband about it."

After noting that all Americans have a right to free speech, Kimmel said, "I am sorry that you and the president and everyone in that room on Saturday went through that. I really am. Because no one got killed doesn't mean it wasn't traumatic and scary. And we should come together. ... But do you want us to believe that a joke I made three days before this dinner had any effect on anything that happened (Saturday night)?"

CBS News has reached out to ABC for comment.

Prior Trump-Kimmel clash

Kimmel was pulled from the airfor several nights in September after being criticized by conservatives, including Mr. Trump, for his remarks in the aftermath of theCharlie Kirk assassination. Kimmel had said that America "hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it."

Kimmel did not issue a blanket apology for the remarks, but he did say he could see how they were offensive to some. Whenhe returned to the air on Sept. 23, he said it was "not my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual," referring to the alleged gunman, who is in custody pending trial.

His late-night competitor, Stephen Colbert, another frequent Trump critic, is seeing his CBS show end next month.

More criticism of Kimmel's joke

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Kimmel's Thursday joke was part of a campaign of rhetoric from Democrats and some in the media that "has helped to legitimize this violence."

"Who in their right mind says a wife would be glowing over the potential murder of her beloved husband?" Leavitt said. There was no indication that Kimmel was referring to violence.

The National Religious Broadcasters association filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission, asking the agency to investigate ABC.

"We're seeing a pattern of violence in this country that didn't appear overnight," said Troy Miller, NRB's president and CEO. "When influential voices joke about death or treat political opponents as disposable, it contributes to a culture where violence feels thinkable to the already unstable."

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byCosmopolite

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April 28, 2026

Jimmy Kimmel defends himself after Donald and Melania Trump call for his firing

Jimmy Kimmel has responded to Donald and Melania Trumpcalling on Monday for ABC to fire himin the wake of the late-night comic making a...

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Red Sox executive Craig Breslow states need for 'consistent, stabilizing voice' in explaining Alex Cora firing

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and team CEO Sam Kennedy met with reporters on Sunday morning in Baltimore followingSaturday’s firing of manager Alex Coraand five coaches.

Kennedy said the decision was made to dismiss Cora and the coaches on Saturday morning, after which he and Breslow traveled to Baltimore to inform them of the change.

Breslow took responsibility for the Red Sox’s disappointing performance thus far with a 10-17 record andlast-place standingin the American League East division, saying it falls upon him and acknowledged that he gave Cora “a challenging roster to manage,” particularly with the everyday lineup.

However, Breslow stated his belief in the players on the roster and hinted that Cora may have had difficulty communicating with a young team, praising new interim manager Chad Tracy for being a “consistent, stabilizing voice” for the players.

As manager of the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Worcester since 2022, Tracy worked with several of the young players now on Boston’s major-league roster including Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Marcelo Mayer and Brayan Bello.

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“He’s familiar with meaningful relationships with the majority of our roster, given the young players that we do have,” Breslow said. “He’s demonstrated an ability to get the most out of that group.”

Kennedy called the Red Sox “a front office-led baseball operation,” indicating that Breslow drove the decision to fire Cora and the coaches. Breslow viewed making the change now as a “fresh start,” with 135 games remaining giving the team “almost a full season’s worth of run.”

Red Sox have had mixed success during Breslow’s tenure

Breslow, 45, has been the Red Sox’s chief baseball officer since October 2023, when he replaced Chaim Bloom (now the St. Louis Cardinals’ president of baseball operations). Prior to joining the Boston front office, he spent five years with the Chicago Cubs, eventually becoming assistant general manager.

In his two seasons leading Boston’s baseball operations, the Red Sox have had two third-place finishes and made the postseason last year as a wild card with an 89-73 record.

His history with the Red Sox goes back to his MLB playing career, when he pitched for the team during two separate stints. In 2006, he compiled a 3.75 ERA in 13 appearances. He returned to the team in a 2012 trade and re-signed with Boston as a free agent in 2015. During his second tour with the Red Sox, Breslow’s best season was 2013, when he registered a 1.81 ERA in 61 games.

Kennedy has been with the Red Sox since 2002, first working in sales before becoming the team’s chief marketing officer, then chief operating officer. In 2016, he succeeded Larry Lucchino as team president and eventually became the franchise’s CEO a year later. Before he joined the Red Sox, Kennedy also worked with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.

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April 28, 2026

Red Sox executive Craig Breslow states need for 'consistent, stabilizing voice' in explaining Alex Cora firing

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and team CEO Sam Kennedy met with reporters on Sunday morning in Baltimore followin...

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Days Of Rain From Texas To Florida Will Help With Drought, Wildfires For South, Southeast

The parched South and Southeast will finally see relief as a pattern change will bring days of rainfall to much of the region.

While it will take many more rounds to remove the drought completely, the parched region will take what ever Mother Nature can provide.

The Forecast

Multiple factors are leading to the days of rainfall for the South and Southeast.

Below is a day-by-day forecast. Scroll through the maps to show the progression of rain through the weekend. Florida finally gets in on the act this weekend.

How Much Rainfall?

The rainfall each day isn’t expected to be a massive drought buster, but this setup could be the most efficient.

You want days of light to moderate rainfall to make the most of the situation, rather than heavy rain falling on drought-stricken land, which creates runoff and excessive flooding.

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It won't completely quench the drought, but your gardens and lawns will take all the rain they can get.

We expect the heaviest rain to fall from eastern Texas into Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. In these areas, expect at least 2 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts.

In Florida, most rainfall amounts should be less than an inch, but a few areas could pick up locally higher totals.

And Beyond?

There could even be some more good news.

According to the Climate Prediction Center, the 8- to 14-day rainfall outlook shows above-average precipitation expected for Florida and much of the Deep South from mid-late next week.

How Bad Is The Drought?

Long story short, it’s bad.

Every part of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama is experiencing drought conditions. Arkansas and Florida are both 99% in drought.In fact, Florida is experiencing the worst drought in 25 years,writes senior meteorologistJonathan Erdman.

(WATCH:Fires Spread Across Southeast In Midst Of Widespread Drought)

Many cities, including Atlanta, Savannah, Tallahassee, Charleston, Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond, Memphis, Nashville and Montgomery, are currently experiencing one of their 10 driest spring seasons to date,according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

Here are the latest drought conditions:

And here's what it looked like back in January:

Rob Shackelfordis a meteorologist and climate scientist at weather.com. He received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia studying meteorology and experimenting with alternative hurricane forecasting tools.

byCosmopolite

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April 28, 2026

Days Of Rain From Texas To Florida Will Help With Drought, Wildfires For South, Southeast

The parched South and Southeast will finally see relief as a pattern change will bring days of rainfall to much of the region. Whi...

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Aston Villa loses 1-0 at Fulham and misses chance to go third in Premier League

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Aston Villa missed a chance to move into the top three of thePremier Leagueafter a 1-0 loss at Fulham on Saturday.

Britain Premier League Soccer

Fourth-placed Villa could have leapfrogged Manchester United in third with a point at Craven Cottage. But Ryan Sessegnon's 43rd-minute goal sealed the win for Fulham.

Villa could drop to fifth by the end of the day if Liverpool wins at home against Crystal Palace.

The top five teams qualify for next season's Champions League.

Sessegnon scored from close range after goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had saved Sasa Lukic's header.

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Arsenal plays Newcastle later Saturday with the chance to move back to the top ahead of Manchester City.

City plays in the semifinals of the FA Cup against second division Southampton at Wembley Stadium.

James Robson is athttps://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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

byCosmopolite

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April 27, 2026

Aston Villa loses 1-0 at Fulham and misses chance to go third in Premier League

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Aston Villa missed a chance to move into the top three of thePremier Leagueafter a 1-0 loss at Fulham on Sat...

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Teen extradited from Dubai in court charged with murder of London woman two years ago

A teenager charged with the 2024 murder of a woman in London has appeared in court after being extradited from the United Arab Emirates.

Enzo Bettamio is accused of stabbing Kamonnan Thiamphanit, also known as Angela to her friends, to death at her home in the Bayswater area on 6 April 2024,WestminsterMagistrates’ Court heard on Saturday.

Bettamio, 18, of no fixed address, was extradited on a flight from Dubai to the UK on Friday. He appeared in court wearing a grey, prison-issue tracksuit and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.

No plea was entered, and Bettamio was remanded into custody to appear at the Old Bailey on April 28.

Prosecutor Frances McCormack told the court: “The defendant is charged with murder. The defendant was extradited from theUAEto the United Kingdom. He arrived and was charged yesterday.“

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The charge relates to the stabbing of the 27-year-old, which took place in Westminster in 2024.

“The circumstance of the murder was that the deceased was found at her home address, which was in Stanhope Place, on April 8 2024

“She was located with multiple stab wounds and pronounced dead at the scene.“

“The investigation was launched, and the defendant was noted as wanted. He was then extradited on April 24, yesterday, and arrived on a flight from Dubai.”

The charge follows a joint investigation by the Metropolitan Police and specialist lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service, she added.

byCosmopolite

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April 27, 2026

Teen extradited from Dubai in court charged with murder of London woman two years ago

A teenager charged with the 2024 murder of a woman in London has appeared in court after being extradited from the United Arab Emirates...

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