Kevin Garnett to make Timberwolves return April 12, will have jersey number retired by team next season

Rejoice, Minnesota Timberwolves fans, because the greatest player in franchise history is officially coming back. Kevin Garnett will make his return to Target Center on April 12, theteam announced Friday.

It will mark Garnett's first appearance at the venue since 2018, per the team. The Timberwolves will take on the New Orleans Pelicans in the contest, which is the final game of the regular season.

Garnett said he couldn't wait to make that appearance.

"I can't wait to come home," said Garnett. "Coming back for me is about what's next. I've spent time with Marc and Alex, and you can feel the difference. The energy is real. The vision is real. They're building something that lasts, with a team on the court that's hungry to win. I'm excited to be back in the building with the fans. Minnesota, let's go!"

Garnett reuniting with the franchise shouldn't come as a major surprise, as the team announced he hadre-joined the franchise in a new rolein December. While the Timberwolves announced Garnett would eventually have his number retired back then, it did not provide specifics on when that would happen.

By win shares, Garnett is far and away the greatest player in Timberwolves history. The center averaged 19.8 points and 11 rebounds in 14 seasons with the franchise. He was a perennial contender for both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year award during his time with the team. Garnett did eventually win an MVP award with the Timberwolves during the 2003-04 NBA season. His Defensive Player of the Year award came when Garnett was a member of the Boston Celtics.

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Despite leading the Timberwolves to the playoffs multiple times, Garnett was never able to secure a championship in Minnesota. He eventually did reach that milestone, but it came after a trade to the Celtics.

That trade was the result of mounting frustration from Garnett, who kept performing well despite the team's poor record.

At some point, Garnett's relationship with former Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor soured. Garnett has never gone into specifics on what transpired, though he told ESPN's Shams Charania in 2020, "I won't forgive Glen."

"Glen knows where I'm at, I'm not entertaining it. First of all, it's not genuine. Two, he's getting pressure from a lot of fans and, I guess, the community there. Glen and I had an understanding before Flip died, and when Flip died, that understanding went with Flip. For that, I won't forgive Glen. I won't forgive him for that. I thought he was a straight-up person, straight-up businessman, and when Flip died, everything went with him."

There were rumors Flip Saunders wanted to bring Garnett back to the Timberwolves following his playing career, but those never came to fruition following Saunders' death in 2015. That seems to have played a role in Garnett's frustration with Taylor.

But with Taylor out of the pictureafter selling the team, the door was open for Garnett's return. Garnett reportedly has a close relationship with new team owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, which paved the way for Garnett's new role with the franchise.

Given Garnett's excellence — and his longtime feud — Timberwolves fans will almost certainly give him an enthusiastic reception when he makes his return April 12.

byAlex Forten

in

April 03, 2026

Kevin Garnett to make Timberwolves return April 12, will have jersey number retired by team next season

Rejoice, Minnesota Timberwolves fans, because the greatest player in franchise history is officially coming back. Kevin G...

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Video shows Backstreet Boys star Brian Littrell in heated dispute at Florida home

More details are emerging on an alleged altercation betweenBackstreet Boys member Brian Littrelland a Florida beachgoer.

The"I Want It That Way" singer, 51,reportedly called 911 following the incident on March 22, and later filed a complaint in Walton County, Florida, according toPeopleandABC 13.

Though Littrell sought battery charges against a local man whom he said set up a beach chair on his private property and refused to leave, the prosecutor ultimately declined to pursue the case. Now, a videoreleased by ABC 13is shedding new light on the incident.

In the video, submitted as evidence,Littrellapproached a man, identified by the outlet as Kyle Gallagher. Gallagher was sitting on the beach as Littrell videotaped Gallagher with his phone and came within a few inches of his face. The man pushed Littrell's phone away, and the two began filming each other and hurling expletives.

Kevin Richardson spills secretsbehind Backstreet Boys' stunning Sphere concerts

The boy band member then turned the camera to his own face, laughing and said, "This is what I deal with, people like this," to which the man responded, "You came and shoved your phone in my face, bro." The dispute continued, with both men getting heated, and Littrell at one point saying, "You wanna be gay?"

Gallagher argued that Littrell's property is next to public beach access, while the singer responded, "I can't wait till this gets out, bro."

In statements to authorities, both men offered a different version of events, with Littrell characterizing Gallagher as violent and a disturbance to the peace, while Gallagher said he only batted away the singer's phone out of reflex and being startled.

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Walton County Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney Josh Mitchell declined to pursue charges, citing both a lack of criminal intent and the video backing up Gallagher's version of events, per ABC 13. USA TODAY has reached out to Mitchell's office as well as the Walton County Sheriff.

In a statement sent to USA TODAY on Friday, April 3, Littrell's lawyer alleged he is one of several people in the beachfront neighborhood who are frustrated by trespassers.

"Mr. Littrell enjoys positive relationships with his neighbors. They share a common challenge: repeated trespassing by individuals who deliberately enter private property to provoke confrontation," the singer's attorney, Peter Ticktin, wrote in the statement. "These incidents have affected multiple homeowners in the area and predate Mr. Littrell's purchase of his home."

The statement continued: "A trespasser placed a personal beach chair on Mr. Littrell's private property and refused to leave. When Mr. Littrell approached him calmly, the trespasser became aggressive and struck Mr. Littrell in the face without provocation. This was an act of battery against a homeowner attempting to protect his property."

Ticktin pushed back on "the claim that Mr. Littrell used a homophobic slur," calling it "false."

"The full video of the encounter shows unequivocally that no such language was used. Sexual orientation played no role in this incident, and any suggestion otherwise is knowingly false," Ticktin said.

"Mr. Littrell and his family purchased what they saw as their dream home, only to discover an ongoing pattern of trespassing and harassment targeting private property owners along their and their neighbors' stretch of beach. These actions are not about public access, public beaches exist on both sides of the neighborhood and remain open and uncrowded," Ticktin continued. "Instead, certain individuals appear intent on challenging the very concept of private property rights."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Brian Littrell seen in heated dispute in front of Florida beach home

byAlex Forten

in

April 03, 2026

Video shows Backstreet Boys star Brian Littrell in heated dispute at Florida home

More details are emerging on an alleged altercation betweenBackstreet Boys member Brian Littrelland a Florida beachgoe...

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Brian Cox tears into Edward Norton, Margot Robbie, and more stars in scathing interview: 'I'm gonna say what I want to say'

As he's made apparent many times before,Brian Coxisn't afraid to share his opinion on the work of his fellow thespians.

In a scathing new interview withThe Times, published on Friday, Cox tears into former costars and Oscar nominees alike, includingEdward Norton,Margot Robbie, andJohnny Depp.

Cox said he turned down the role of the governor in thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise because he did not want to work alongside Depp, who he thinks is "so overblown, so overrated." (The part eventually went to Jonathan Pryce.)

As for his25th Hourco-star Norton, Cox said he's "a pain in the arse" while also calling outIan McKellen's acting as "not to my taste."

He even went so far as to bash a film he's not yet seen due to the casting:Emerald Fennell'sWuthering Heights. "'Keith Cliff! It's me, Cathy!'" Cox reportedly declaimed "in a cod Australian accent" to represent Robbie, according toThe Times. "'How ya doing, Keith? Awright?' 'Yeah, I'm awright!'"

The outlet said Cox laughed before adding, "Margot Robbie is far too beautiful for that role. I mean, I think there should be something more of the Gypsy about her but it's wrong of me to judge. It may be a brilliant film."

On his no-holds-barred approach to discussing his craft — and others in the industry — Cox admitted he's too old to care about what people think of him.

"Well, I don't know yet if it's caused me problems," he said. "I mean, my wife [Nicole Ansari-Cox] keeps saying, 'Brian, be careful. Brian, be careful.' I think, 'F--- it, I don't want to be careful any more! I'll be 80 this year. F--- it! I'm gonna say what I want to say.'"

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The Emmy winner also explained that, even thoughDaniel Day-Lewis asked him to callto discuss his thoughts on method acting (in light of Cox's 2023 commentsabout hisSuccessionco-star Jeremy Strong's "f---ing annoying" approach), he declined to make contact.

"No, I haven't reached out because it's got nothing to do with Dan Day-Lewis," he said. "Dan Day-Lewis, he's discreet. He never upsets it [the filming process]. He's never, sort of… I don't want to go on about Jeremy, because I've got into a lot of problems and he's begged me to stop talking about him. He's a good actor, Jeremy. He's a wonderful actor. It's just all the bollocks that goes with it. You watch children — they don't say, 'What's my motivation?' They just do it!"

Cox aimed his criticisms at those behind the camera as well. He said Michael Caton-Jones is "a complete arsehole," David Hare is a "see you next Tuesday" andQuentin Tarantinois "meretricious."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

When discussing his feature directorial debut,Glenrothan, Cox said he's "more egalitarian than a lot of directors, the kind who call themselves visionaries."

He added, "I like to honor the actor's performance. With a Quentin Tarantino film, what you see is all Quentin Tarantino. That's not me. I don't want to do that."

Glenrothan, which stars Cox and fellow ScotAlan Cummingas two brothers who bear the scars of their overbearing father while battling over the family whisky business, is out in the U.K. on April 17.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byAlex Forten

in

April 03, 2026

Brian Cox tears into Edward Norton, Margot Robbie, and more stars in scathing interview: 'I'm gonna say what I want to say'

As he's made apparent many times before,Brian Coxisn't afraid to share his opinion on the work of his fellow thes...

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Worker and Dad of 3 Dies After Falling 60 Feet at Construction Site

David Rodriguez, a 45-year-old construction worker and father of three, died after a 60-foot fall in Kansas

NEED TO KNOW

• A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support his family

• Midwest Drywall and OSHA are investigating the incident, and work at the site has been temporarily suspended

A 45-year-old construction worker and father of three has died after falling approximately 60 feet at a job site in Wichita, Kan., according to local reports.

David Rodriguez was working at the Bio-Med building near English Street and Topeka Avenue, a few blocks west of INTRUST Bank Arena, when the incident occurred around 11 a.m. local time on March 30,12 Newsreported.

The first responding crew began patient care upon arrival, and Rodriguez was considered in critical condition because of how far he fell, Wichita Fire Department Battalion Chief Jose Ocadiz toldKAKE.

Rodriguez later died from his injuries.

Midwest Drywall confirmed in a statement to KAKE, 12 News andThe Wichita Eaglethat one of its employees had died following the incident.

"Midwest Drywall is heartbroken to confirm that a member of our team passed away following an incident today at a construction site in downtown Wichita," Midwest Drywall's statement read. "Our prayers and deepest sympathies are with the individual's family, friends, and teammates during this difficult time. The site has been secured, and work has been temporarily suspended while the incident is reviewed."

Rodriguez is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and their three children, ages 9, 8 and 6. In a postshared to Facebook, the nonprofit League 42 described him as a "hard worker and devoted family man," noting that all three of his children play baseball for the organization.

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"We offer our deepest condolences to David's family and friends," the group said in part.

AGoFundMe campaigncreated on behalf of Rodriguez's family describes him as "one of the hardest workers" who "lived to serve his friends and family."

"I will always remember David as genuine, kind, and funny, he always was making his friends laugh and was definitely the life of the party, he always lit up every room he walked into," the fundraiser reads.

The campaign has raised over $27,000 of its $40,000 goal so far. It aims to help cover funeral and living expenses for his family as they grieve.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating Rodriguez's death, 12 News reported.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

PEOPLE reached out to OSHA, Midwest Drywall and the Wichita fire and police departments.

Read the original article onPeople

byAlex Forten

in

April 03, 2026

Worker and Dad of 3 Dies After Falling 60 Feet at Construction Site

David Rodriguez, a 45-year-old construction worker and father of three, died after a 60-foot fall in Kansas NEE...

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Greek PM reshuffles cabinet as EU aid farm fraud probe widens

By Renee Maltezou and Angeliki Koutantou

ATHENS, April 3 (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffled his cabinet on Friday, as he seeks to limit the fallout ‌from a growing scandal over alleged fraud related to European Union farm funds.

Last year ‌European prosecutors charged dozens of Greek stockbreeders with faking ownership of pastureland to claim millions of euros in EU ​subsidies, allegedly with the help of state employees and conservative politicians.

The affair had already prompted ministerial resignations and led the European Union last year to impose a hefty fine on the country over mismanagement of the subsidies by its OPEKEPE payment agency.

But in a move that widened the ‌investigation, the European Chief Prosecutor on ⁠Wednesday asked the Greek parliament to lift the immunity of at least 11 lawmakers, including ministers, so they can be investigated over their alleged ⁠roles in the scheme.

The EU prosecutor has not named the lawmakers and ministers, who are protected from prosecution by the constitution unless parliament lifts their immunity. A minister and four senior officials in ​the government ​resigned last year for their alleged role in ​the fraud.

On Friday, Mitsotakis appointed Margaritis ‌Schinas, a former European Commission vice-president for Promoting the European Way of Life, as agriculture minister.

Schinas, a former member of the European Parliament as well as a long-serving Commission official, replaces Kostas Tsiaras.

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Evangelos Tournas, a retired Greek air force officer, was named climate crisis and civil protection minister, replacing Giannis Kefalogiannis. Earlier, a deputy health minister, a party secretary and the government's parliamentary ‌spokesman had resigned.

Mitsotakis' New Democracy party holds 156 seats ​in Greece's 300-seat parliament.

The latest probe concerns alleged crimes ​against the EU's financial interests in ​2021, including instigation of breach of trust, computer fraud and false attestation ‌with the intent to obtain an unlawful ​benefit.

The OPEKEPE agency handles ​more than 2 billion euros ($2.31 billion) in annual EU farm aid.

Opposition parties dismissed the reshuffle and renewed calls for early elections.

"No reshuffle can save a government built around a ​majority of people investigated by ‌the judiciary," the Socialist PASOK party, the main opposition, said in a statement.

The ​new cabinet members will be sworn in on Saturday.

($1 = 0.8662 euros)

(Reporting by Renee ​Maltezou and Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Ros Russell)

byAlex Forten

in

April 03, 2026

Greek PM reshuffles cabinet as EU aid farm fraud probe widens

By Renee Maltezou and Angeliki Koutantou ATHENS, April 3 (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ...

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Affiliate of Iranian state TV claims a US pilot ejected from their aircraft over southwestern Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A channel affiliated with Iranian state television claimed Friday that a U.S. fighter pilot ejected from their aircraft oversouthwestern Iran. The U.S. did not respond immediately to requests for comment on the claim.

APTOPIX Iran War

It was not clear what may have happened to the plane, including whether Iran was claiming it was shot down or had another issue. If the claim is confirmed, it could lead to yet another dramatic escalation in the war, nearing the end of its fifth week.

Iran fired on targets across the Mideast on Friday, as Tehran kept the pressure on Israel and its Gulf Arab neighbors, despite U.S. and Israeli insistence thatIran's military capabilitieshave been all but destroyed.

Iran's attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and itstight grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas transits in peacetime, have roiled stock markets, sent oil prices skyrocketing, and threatened to raise the cost of many basic goods, including food.

Television anchor urges residents to hand over pilot

The anchor on the Iranian channel urged residents to hand over any "enemy pilot" to police and promised a reward for anyone who did. The channel is in Kohkilouyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, an intensely rural and mountainous region that spans over 15,500 square kilometers (5,900 square miles).

Authorities also urged the public to search for the pilot in neighboring Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province.

Throughout the war, Iran has made a series of claims about shooting down piloted enemy aircraft that turned out not to be true. Friday was the first time that Iran went on television urging the public to look for a suspected downed pilot.

An on-screen crawl earlier urged the public to "shoot them if you see them," referring to social media footage circulating of what appeared to be U.S. aircraft in the area. The channel showed metal debris in the back of a pickup truck while making the announcement but provided no other immediate details.

Iran targets a desalination plant and a refinery

The claim came after Kuwait's Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery came under Iranian attack, and the state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp. said firefighters were working to control several blazes.

Kuwait also said an Iranian attack caused "material damage" to a desalination plant. Such plants are responsible for most of the drinking water for Gulf states, and they have become a major target in the war.

Sirens also sounded in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia said it had destroyed several Iranian drones, and Israel reported incoming missiles.

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Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shut down a gas field after a missile interception reportedly rained debris on it and started a fire.

Activists reported strikes around Tehran and the central city of Isfahan, but it wasn't immediately clear what was hit. A day earlier, Iran said the U.S. hit a major bridge, which was still under construction,killing eight people.

In Lebanon, where Israel has launched a ground invasion in its fight with the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militant group, an Israeli drone strike on worshippers leaving Friday prayers near Beirut killed two people, according to the state‑run National News Agency

More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war began on Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes. In a review released Friday, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a U.S.-based group, said it found that civilian casualties were clustered around strikes on security and state-linked sites "rather than indiscriminate bombardment" of urban areas.

More than two dozen people have died in Gulf states and the occupied West Bank, 19 have been reported dead in Israel, and 13 U.S.service membershave been killed.

More than 1,300 peoplehave been killedand more than 1 million displaced in Lebanon. Ten Israeli soldiers have also died there.

Iran is keeping a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz

World leadershave struggledto end Iran's stranglehold on the strait, which has had far-reaching consequences for the global economy and has proved to be itsgreatest strategic advantagein the war.The U.N. Security Council wasexpected to take up the matteron Saturday.U.S. President Donald Trump has vacillated on America's role in the strait, alternately threatening Iran if it doesn't open the waterway and telling other nations to "go get your own oil." On Friday, he said in a post on social media that, "With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE."Spot prices of Brent crude, the international standard, were around $109 Friday, up more than 50% since the start of the war, when Iran began restricting traffic through the strait.Iran's former top diplomat suggests terms to end the war

World leadershave struggledto end Iran's stranglehold on the strait, which has had far-reaching consequences for the global economy and has proved to be itsgreatest strategic advantagein the war.

The U.N. Security Council wasexpected to take up the matteron Saturday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has vacillated on America's role in the strait, alternately threatening Iran if it doesn't open the waterway and telling other nations to "go get your own oil." On Friday, he said in a post on social media that, "With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL, & MAKE A FORTUNE."

Spot prices of Brent crude, the international standard, were around $109 Friday, up more than 50% since the start of the war, when Iran began restricting traffic through the strait.

Former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif — a diplomat with long experience negotiating with the West who remains close to a pragmatic wing of Iran's leadership — wrote on Friday in Foreign Affairs magazine that the time has come to end what he referred to as a stalemate.

The U.S. and Iran have proposed dueling plans, and Zarif's proposal included elements of both in a sign part of Iran's leadership might be willing to negotiate.

Iran "should offer to place limits on its nuclear program and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to all sanctions — a deal Washington wouldn't take before but might accept now," he wrote.

It's not clear how much to read into the proposal from Zarif, who has no official position in Iran's government, but would likely not have published such a piece without at least some authorization from senior leaders.

Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Sarah El Deeb in Beirut, Tong-hyung Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

byAlex Forten

in

April 03, 2026

Affiliate of Iranian state TV claims a US pilot ejected from their aircraft over southwestern Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A channel affiliated with Iranian state television claimed Friday that a U.S. fighter ...

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Olympic gold medalist boxer at center of gender controversy advances to Asian semifinals

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Olympic gold medalist Lin Yu-ting won her quarterfinal bout at the Asian boxing championships on Friday in her first event since World Boxing said she passed agene testto confirm her gender.

Taiwan's first Olympic boxing championbeat Thananya Somnuekof Thailand 5-0 in the first round in the 60-kilogram lightweight division earlier this week.

She backed that up Friday with another 5-0 win over Ayaka Taguchi of Japan, the top-seeded woman in the division. Lin won every round on all five judges' scorecards, securing a perfect score of 10 in each round.

The 30-year-old Lin had not competed internationally since winning the women's 57-kg featherweight title at the Paris Olympics in August 2024.

World Boxing took over as the sport's Olympic-level governing body last year, and itimplemented a sex eligibility policyin August requiring all fighters to take a one-time genetic test designed to identify the presence of a Y chromosome.

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World Boxing didn't confirm Lin's eligibility until March 19.

It was not clear whether Lin will have to undergo further gene testing if she wants to compete again at the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee announced last weeknew rulesbanning transgender athletes and a mandatory gene test once in an athlete's career.

Lin andImane Khelifof Algeriawon gold medals at Parisamid international scrutiny and misconceptions over both boxers' sex. While both met the eligibility rules followed at the time by the IOC, which ran the Paris tournament, the two fighters' success sparked a politically charged debate over those standards.

Lin is expected to fight in the Asian tournament semifinals on Monday.

AP boxing:https://apnews.com/boxing

byAlex Forten

in

April 03, 2026

Olympic gold medalist boxer at center of gender controversy advances to Asian semifinals

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Olympic gold medalist Lin Yu-ting won her quarterfinal bout at the Asian boxing championship...

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