Casper Ruud defeats British number one Jack Draper in a gripping Madrid Open final, denying Draper his first ATP Tour clay-court title. Kawhi Leonard Shares Candid Remarks About Harden and Clippers Following Series Loss
Following a disappointing Game 7 loss to the Denver Nuggets that ended the Los Angeles Clippers' playoff run, Kawhi Leonard shared candid thoughts about his uncertain future with James Harden and the franchise. The Clippers fell 120-101, losing the series 4-3 despite Leonard’s consistent performance throughout the postseason. Speaking after the loss, Leonard, when asked about building forward with Harden, admitted, “I don’t know right now. I guess we’re still playing at a high level, in a sense. But that’s a hard question to answer right now.” The defeat marks the third consecutive first-round exit for the Clippers, despite Leonard averaging 25 points and staying healthy through the series. With two years remaining on his $150 million contract and a looming decision on Harden’s player option, the Clippers enter a pivotal offseason filled with questions about the core of their roster and the future of their star duo. Jay Bhattacharya Shuts Down NIH’s Final Beagle Research Facility
In a landmark move, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya has announced the closure of the agency’s final in-house beagle research lab, marking the end of federally funded painful dog experiments at the NIH. The last active project at the NIH Clinical Center, which focused on stress- and sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy and involved procedures classified under the USDA’s most severe pain categories, has been officially terminated.
Bhattacharya emphasized the NIH’s shift toward innovative, humane research methodologies, including artificial intelligence and organ-on-a-chip technologies, that offer greater relevance to human health. The decision follows years of advocacy from groups like White Coat Waste Project and comes amid renewed scrutiny over the use of beagles, historically chosen for their docile nature, in ethically controversial experiments.
The move also severs NIH’s ties with beagle supplier Envigo, which recently agreed to a record $35.5 million settlement for Animal Welfare Act violations. As part of a broader initiative announced April 29, the NIH plans to reduce animal research funding, promote non-animal training programs, and establish a new Office of Research Innovation to scale replacements for animal testing. The Kansas City Chiefs have released defensive end and recent draft pick BJ Thompson with conditional terms, as well as linebacker Blake Lynch. Thompson, who has not played since suffering a seizure and cardiac arrest during a team meeting in the summer of 2024, is expected to revert to the team's non-football illness list for continued rehabilitation if he clears waivers. Head coach Andy Reid noted Thompson has made progress but remains unready to return to football. Meanwhile, Lynch's departure follows the team's decision to draft linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, intensifying competition in an already deep linebacker corps. KDE Ends Support for Plasma LTS Releases
In a major shift for the popular open-source desktop environment, KDE has announced it will discontinue long-term support (LTS) releases of its Plasma desktop. Known for its traditional layout and high customizability, KDE Plasma will now focus on enhancing bug-fix and feature releases instead of maintaining older versions. This change, shared by KDE developer Nate Graham, stems from challenges including inconsistent user expectations, reluctance among developers to maintain outdated software, and the lack of unified LTS support across related components like Frameworks and Gear apps. Going forward, regular Plasma releases will receive extended bug-fix periods, effectively offering more stability without the traditional LTS label.