IT General

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch international soccer.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Skill move

• Green: Trustworthy

• Blue: Famous Dodgers

• Purple: In the bullpen

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Move to Evade a Defender

• Green: Dependable

• Blue: Dodgers in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Familiarly

• Purple: Pitching____

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #648 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Move to Evade a Defender: DEKE, JUKE, SIDESTEP, SPIN

• Dependable: CONSISTENT, RELIABLE, STEADY, UNFAILING

• Dodgers in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Familiarly: DUKE, JACKIE, PEE WEE, SANDY

• Pitching____: COACH, MACHINE, STAFF, WEDGE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 3, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for July 3, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 3 Pips

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 3 Pips

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 3 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 6-4, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 6-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Summer vacation season is upon us. As you're packing your swimsuit and sunscreen, don't forget to pack your e-reader with plenty of summer reads. Luckily, Amazon just dropped its July First Reads lineup.

Prime members who also happen to be bookworms can maximize their monthly reading with the Amazon First Reads program. Similar to Book of the Month, every month, Amazon First Reads drops a new collection of discounted titles. However, unlike Book of the Month, these books are totally free for Prime Members. Here's everything you need to know about Amazon First Reads.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon First Reads   Learn More What is Amazon First Reads?

Amazon First Reads is a monthly program in which eight to 10 editor-selected books are offered free to Prime members. Members are allowed to choose one book per month, which is then added to their library. Non-Prime members can still join in on the fun, but they have to pay $1.99 for their book pick.

Featured Amazon First Reads books are totally free at checkout for Prime members. Credit: Screenshot: Amazon / Mashable composite

Some months, like Prime Day's July (or June) and Black Friday's November, offer two free books. And in others, you can select a free short story with your one free e-book.

To select your book, visit the Amazon First Reads home page to browse the options. As a Prime Member, you'll see the option to "read now for free " when you go to purchase the titles. Once you make your selection, it'll automatically be added to your Kindle library.

Which books are featured in Amazon First Reads?

Among the eight to ten books selected each month, the book editors at Amazon provide a variety of genres for every reader. The books are typically new or soon-to-be-released books — many of the books are published under one of Amazon's publishing imprints, so they're exclusive to Amazon's shelves.

In addition to the full-length books offered each month, there's typically a short story available, too, exclusive to read through the Kindle Store. You'll find familiar names in the First Reads collections. Past authors include Abby Jimenez, Rebecca Yarros, Lee Child, Fredrik Backman, Alice Hoffman, and Dean Koontz.

Kindle Unlimited members are able to read most of the previous First Reads picks for free, so if there are multiple each month that you want to add to your digital bookshelf, consider a Kindle Unlimited membership.

July 2026 Amazon First Reads books July's First Reads includes a short story from Peter James and an array of thrillers, romance, and fiction. Credit: Screenshot / Amazon

July's First Reads lineup brings more fun stories for your summer reading list. The July deals feature nine novels and one short read.

This month's short read, John Grebble Is Gone, comes from Sunday Times bestselling author Peter James. It follows John Grebble, who wakes up to find he's been declared dead. He realizes this was no accident — someone intentionally tried to erase him, and he's on a quest to figure out who.

But there are plenty more books to choose from, including a cozy mystery, The Oxford Detective Society, which is the first book in the Lyssa Moore Mysteries series.

Here are all of the First Reads deals for July 2026:

• How to Ruin a Wedding by Elba Luz

• No Light but the Stars by Lindsay Jayne Ashford

• Ransom by Leslie Wolfe

• When She Was Ours by Anna Nordberg

• The Oxford Detective Society by Faith Martin

• Fields of Asphodel by Callie Rowland

• Dead Girls Tell No Tales by Carissa Ann Lynch

• A Heartbeat at My Feet by Kristin Judd

• Where Her Secrets Lie by Katie Tallo

Do you need a Kindle for Amazon First Reads?

All of the books selected are technically purchased through the Kindle Store. But does that mean you need a Kindle to read them?

Nope! No Kindle e-reader is necessary to read books collected through First Reads. All books purchased through the Kindle Store are available in the Kindle app, which can be read on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

However, if you're asking if you should get a Kindle, that's a different question. While a Kindle is not required to enjoy the bounty of the Kindle store, it is our favorite e-reader brand if you're in the market.

Kindle Paperwhite $159.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy

A quick look at our favorite 4th of July sales SharkNinja save up to 30% on kitchen appliances, vacuums, and more Shop Now Bear Mattress save 35% sitewide Get Deal Oru Kayak save 20% sitewide Get Deal Home Depot save up to 30% on appliances, furniture, grills, and more, plus get free tools Shop Now Funboy save 25% sitewide Shop Now Best Buy save up to 45% on TVs, up to $400 on select MacBooks and iPads, and more Shop Now

It doesn't matter if Prime Day runs for a singular day or nearly 100 hours like the 2026 sale last week — it's easy to get overwhelmed and forget to buy something. Luckily, Prime Day 2026's unusual timing means we get to flow directly into 4th of July sales.

If there are any items still lingering on your summer shopping list, you have quite the host of July 4th sales to shop over the long weekend. As always, home gear like bedding and mattresses, countertop appliances, and tools are major 4th of July themes, as well as the outdoor items that come to mind when you think "fun in the sun": inflatables, kayaks, fire pits, and more are on sale.

Below, we're tracking the best 4th of July deals through the holiday weekend:

Home deals

• AirDoctor: Save up to $709 on air purifier bundles

• Caraway Home: Save up to 15% on cookware and bakeware

• Cozy Earth: Save 20% when you buy three or more items

• Crate & Barrel: Save up to 60% on dinnerware and drinkware, 35% on kitchen brands, and 30% on furniture

• Cuisinart:

• Ecobee: Save 25% on smart home thermostats

• Home Depot: Save up to 30% on home appliances, living room and patio furniture, up to $165 on power tools, and up to $250 on grills

• IKEA: Save up to 50% on furniture and storage, home textiles, pillows, and more

• Joybird: Save up to 45% off on bestselling furniture and 35% sitewide

• KitchenAid: Save up to 25% on select countertop appliances

• Levoit: Save up to 40% on air purifiers, tower fans, and cordless vacuums

• Lovesac: Save 40% sitewide

• Lowe's: Save up to 45% on select major appliances, up to 40% on lighting and ceiling fans, up to 30% on gardening products, and more

• Mellow Sleep: Save up to 50% sitewide

• Michael's: Save 50% on all red, white, and blue party decor, up to 60% on summer party and craft supplies, BOGO frames and shadow boxes, plus save 30% on all regular price purchases

• Nest New York: Save 25% sitewide on Limited Editions

• Nutribullet: Save up to 44% on blenders and ice cream makers

• PetSmart: Save 15% when you spend $50 on same-day delivery

• Pluto Pillow: Save $25 on a custom pillow + pillow case set

• Pottery Barn: Save up to 70% on select outdoor furniture, bathroom accessories, quilts, and more, plus an extra 20% on select styles

• Revival Rugs: Save 20% sitewide

• Rugs Direct: Save up to 80% sitewide on brands like Safavieh, Chris Loves Julia, Loloi, Rifle Paper Co., and Rugs USA

• SharkNinja: Save up to 30% on Ninja kitchen appliances and Shark vacuums, hair tools, and fans

• Target: Save up to 25% on sunscreen, up to 20% on inflatable pools and water toys, and more

• Wayfair: Save up to 70% on indoor and outdoor rugs, umbrellas, gazebos, mattresses, pillows, and more

Mattress deals

• Avocado: Save up to 15% on organic mattresses

• Bear: Save 35% sitewide

• Brooklyn Bedding: Save 30% sitewide

• DreamCloud: Save up to 60% on mattresses and 66% on bundles

• Eight Sleep: Save up to $500 on Pods and accessories

• Helix: Save 20% sitewide with code JULY20, 25% on Luxe mattresses with code LUXE25, and 30% on Elite mattresses with code ELITE30

• Nectar: Save up to 50% on mattresses + 66% on bundles

• Purple: Save up to $800 on a mattress and base

• Saatva: Save up to $650 on mattresses or up to $750 on bundles

• Tuft & Needle: Save 25% on all bundles

• Zinus: Save up to 60% off, plus get an additional 20% off

Bedding deals

• Baloo: Save $30 on weighted throw blanket + cotton duvet cover bundle

• Breescape: Save 30% sitewide

• Brooklinen: Save 25% sitewide

• Buffy: Save 20% sitewide

• Coyuchi: Save up to 40% sitewide

• Cozy Earth: Save 20% on bedding bundles and save 15% sitewide with code MASHABLE

• Ettitude: Save up to 25% sitewide and up to 70% on final sale

• Naturepedic: Save 20% on organic bedding + get a free muslin blanket

• Rest: Save up to 40% on cooling comforters and sheets

• Silk & Snow: Save 20% on all sheets

Beauty deals

• Dyson: Save up to $130 on the Dyson Airwrap i.d., Airstrait, and Supersonic Nural

• FabFitFun: Get a free Bonus Box worth $250 when you sign up for a membership

• L'ange: Save up to 50% sitewide

• Shark: Save up to $120 on the Shark FlexStyle, Glam, and SpeedStyle

Outdoor deals

• Bote: Save up to 20% on Hangout inflatables, kayaks and paddle boards, and more

• Diadem Sports: Save up to 50% sitewide on pickleball paddles, grips, and more

• Dick's Sporting Goods: Save up to 50% on bikes, running shoes, kayaks, swimsuits and swim trunks, and more

• Funboy: Save 25% sitewide

• HOVERAir: Save up to 50% sitewide

• JisuLife: Save up to 45% on handheld portable fans

• Oru Kayak: Save 20% sitewide

• REI: Save up to 50% on REI Co-op, Vuori, Hoka, The North Face, and more

• Solo Stove: Save 20% on select fire pits and pizza ovens

• TGW: Save up to 50% on select golf cart bags, golf stands, clothing and shoes, and drivers

TV deals

For even more 4th of July TV deals, check out our story of the best Prime Day TV deals — almost every model is still at its Prime Day price as of July 2.

• Hisense 50-inch E7 Cinema Mini LED QLED 4K Fire TV — $398.99 $699 (save $300.01)

• Hisense 50-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K Art TV — $649.99 $1,299.99 (save $650)

• Insignia 55-inch F50 Series 4K TV — $179.99 $349.99 (save $170)

• LG 55-inch 75B QNED 4K TV — $379.99 $599.99 (save $220)

• Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro Mini LED QLED 4K Fire TV — $529.99 $849.99 (save $320)

• Samsung 55-inch S90F OLED 4K TV — $997.99 $1,397.99 (save $400)

• Hisense 65-inch U6 Pro Mini LED QLED 4K Fire TV — $698.99 $1,099.99 (save $401)

• Hisense 65-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K Art TV — $799.99 $1,299.99 (save $500)

• TCL 65-inch QM8K Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $997.99 $1,499.99 (save $502)

• Samsung 65-inch S90F OLED 4K TV — $1,199.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,300)

• Hisense 65-inch UR8 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $1,299.99 $1,999.99 (save $700)

• LG 75-inch 75B QNED 4K TV — $699.99 $999.99 (save $300)

• Hisense 75-inch U6 Pro Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $848.99 $1,399.99 (save $249.01)

• TCL 75-inch QM8K Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $1,397.99 $1,999.99 (save $602)

• Hisense 75-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K Art TV — $1,398.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,101)

• Hisense 75-inch UR8 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $1,699.99 $2,499.99 (save $800)

• LG 77-inch C5 OLED 4K TV — $1,999.99 $3,699.99 (save $1,700)

• Insignia 85-inch QF QLED 4K TV — $659.99 $1,099.99 (save $440)

• Hisense 85-inch QD6 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $749.99 $1,099.99 (save $350)

Tech deals

• Garmin: Save $50 on the Venu 4, $100 on the Forerunner 70, $40 on the Vívofit Jr. 3, $100 on the Tread 2 Overland Edition, and more

• Best Buy: Save up to 45% on select TVs, up to $400 on select MacBooks and iPads, up to $600 on select Windows devices, and more

• HP: Save up to 72% on OmniBook laptops, Omen gaming PCs, All-in-One desktops, and more

• LG: Save up $1,300 on wall ovens, washers and dryers, and more

• Tile: Save up to 30% on trackers

Just days after the rumors, Tesla has released the Model Y L in the U.S. market. However, the initial version of the three-row, six-seat electric SUV is more expensive than some expected.

TL;DR: GitMind turns PDFs, YouTube links, audio, and webpages into AI-generated mind maps, and a Basic Plan lifetime subscription is on sale for $34.99 through July 5.

Opens in a new window Credit: GitMind GitMind Basic Plan: Lifetime Subscription $34.99
$169 Save $134.01   Get Deal

Mind mapping apps usually assume you’ve already done the hard work of figuring out what the map should show. GitMind is a new AI workspace that ingests a PDF, YouTube link, audio file, or webpage and builds a finished visual map in seconds, and a Basic Plan lifetime subscription is on sale for $34.99 (reg. $169) for a few days longer.

Paste a YouTube URL into the app, and GitMind pulls the transcript, runs the words through its multimodal model, then arranges the key claims into a branching map you can drag and edit. Think of it like turning a college lecture into the professor’s handwritten chalkboard outline, without having to sit through the lecture twice. The same trick works for a 60-page PDF, where the thesis, methodology, and findings each get their own branch instead of leaving you to skim. Audio recordings get transcribed and visualized in the same pass. Screenshots and webpages feed into the same engine.

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Researchers can feed in a stack of papers and pull a comparison map across them without manually outlining each one. Project managers can drop meeting notes and watch decisions, action items, and open questions sort themselves into separate branches. Content planners can paste a long-form interview transcript and get a story map back, ready to script from.

Past the mind maps, GitMind includes a chat feature for asking questions of any uploaded file, OCR for scanned documents, and diagram generation for workflows. Real-time collaboration handles multi-person editing on the same canvas. Privacy posture sets the app apart from most AI tools on the market right now, with user content kept out of model training.

Until July 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT, it’s only $34.99 to get a GitMind Basic Lifetime Plan.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Taylor Swift once joked that "anyone I’ve ever talked to" would be invited to her wedding.

Apparently, she was not kidding.

Swift and Travis Kelce’s reported Madison Square Garden wedding this weekend is expected to include around 1,000 guests, which means the guest list is less “intimate gathering” and more “award show with vows.” The couple has not publicly confirmed the full guest list, but reports, sightings, interviews, and a few very suspicious tuxedo fittings have started to sketch out who may be inside the Garden.

SEE ALSO: Here's everyone who definitely won't be at Taylor Swift's wedding

So who is reportedly going? Let’s check the seating chart.

Gigi Hadid Credit: XNY/Getty Images

Gigi Hadid is not just expected to be a guest. She is reportedly part of the bridal party. Hadid and Swift’s friendship dates back to 2014, and Hadid has publicly supported Swift’s relationship with Kelce, writing in 2023 that they were "over the moon" for her. Swift was seen arriving at Hadid’s New York City apartment on July 1, just days before the reported wedding. Nothing to get you wedding ready like girl-time with your best friend!

Selena Gomez Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Selena Gomez is another obvious Swift guest, and another reported bridesmaid. The two have been best friends for over 17 year — Swift even has a song about Gomez called "dorthea." Gomez has been filming Only Murders in the Building in London but is expected to fly back to New York for the festivities.

Abigail Anderson Berard Credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage

Abigail Anderson Berard is not just another famous friend. She is Swift’s childhood best friend and the “Abigail” fans know from the song “Fifteen.” Elle reported that Anderson Berard was seen at Swift’s Watch Hill, Rhode Island, beach house during the weekend Swift was rumored to be having her bachelorette, and that she has long been expected to attend the wedding. Anderson Berard is expected to serve as Swift’s maid of honor.

Andy Reid View this post on Instagram

Chiefs coach Andy Reid is also a shoe-in for an invitation. Reid joked on a radio show that he "probably" had an invite and would go if he did not outgrow his tuxedo. He also was spotted picking up his tuxedo on June 25. That is a lot of tuxedo activity for a man not going to a wedding.

Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz has been friends with Swift for years, she even co-wrote the song "Lavender Haze" on Midnights. People reported that a source close to Swift said Kravitz received an invitation, but her fiancé — Taylor Swift's ex boyfriend and 1989-muse — Harry Styles, has a concert scheduled in London that night. Hopefully he can make a late-night flight across the pond and get to MSG in time.

Ed Sheeran Credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Ed Sheeran is also one of Swift's oldest friends and collaborators — and he's already been spotted in New York about 60 miles from Aaron Dessner’s Hudson Valley recording studio. Swift herself teased his likely involvement during an October interview on the U.K.’s Hits Radio Breakfast Show, when she was asked whether Sheeran would sing at her wedding and replied that it would be hard to keep him from it. How I wish I could experience that private concert.

Sabrina Carpenter Credit: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images

Sabrina Carpenter has not publicly confirmed she is attending, but the clues are definitely there. Carpenter opened for Swift on several international Eras Tour dates, later became part of Swift’s current music universe with their Life of a Showgirl collaboration, and was spotted in New York on June 30 having dinner with friends in the West Village just days before the Big Day.

Suki Waterhouse

Suki Waterhouse can be presumed to be in attendance because she literally said she is going. In a Variety interview published in May, Waterhouse said, “I’m gonna go to Taylor’s wedding,” and joked that she might get inspiration for her own wedding to actor Robert Pattinson.

She and Swift have been friendly for years: they were spotted out together in New York with Cara Delevingne and Dakota Johnson back in 2016, dancing together at the 2024 MTV Music Awards, and Waterhouse opened for Swift at Wembley Stadium during the Eras Tour.

Mariska Hargitay Credit: Dustin Satloff/Getty Images

Mariska Hargitay and Swift have been connected for years, especially through one very furry friend: Swift's cat, named Olivia after Hargitay's Law & Order SVU character. Fans have already started to watch Hargitay’s Broadway schedule because her show Every Brilliant Thing had a break on July 3, the reported wedding date. Hopefully she can make it, considering they looked like they had a pretty fun time together at the Knicks game.

Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw

Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw are reportedly expected to both attend and perform. Swift has written songs about both of the musical legends: "Clara Bow" and, fittingly, "Tim McGraw." I hope those songs made it to the top of the request list.

Jack Antonoff Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

Jack Antonoff is one of the easiest names to imagine on Swift’s guest list. The producer and Bleachers frontman has worked with Swift for more than a decade, from early collaborations like “Sweeter Than Fiction” through major albums including 1989, Reputation, Lover, Midnights, Folklore, and beyond. He is also a close real-life friend: Swift attended Antonoff and Margaret Qualley’s wedding in New Jersey in Aug. 2023. So if Swift and Kelce are gathering their inner circle at MSG, Antonoff and Qualley would make sense as both friends and returned-wedding-energy guests.

Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne is another longtime Swift friend. Delevingne once even lived with Swift during a difficult breakup. In a 2024 conversation, Delevingne said Swift “looked after” her well but that she also took Swift on “a bit of a wild ride.” Isn't that what best friends are for?

The Haim sisters Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim have been part of Swift’s inner circle for years, and are expected to be wedding guests. Their current Swiftworld relevance is also very MSG-specific: Este, Alana, and Swift made headlines at Game 4 of the NBA Finals for their punny “Knicks” graphic-t-shirts.

Graham Norton This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Graham Norton has the clearest paper trail of almost any non-family invitee. In Oct. 2025, Swift appeared on The Graham Norton Show to promote The Life of a Showgirl and told Norton she planned to invite him. That invite was, seemingly, not empty. Norton was pictured arriving at JFK airport July 2, ahead of the reported wedding weekend. Norton also joked on his Wanging On podcast in January that he had signed "so many NDAs," though he later clarified that was a "joke." Sure, Graham. Sure.

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes

Patrick and Brittany Mahomes are widely expected on Kelce’s side of the list. Patrick is Kelce’s quarterback, teammate, close friend, and one of the central figures in the Chiefs’ dynasty. Kelce served as a groomsman at Mahomes’ 2022 wedding, so it only makes sense for Mahomes to return the favor.

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George Kittle, the San Francisco 49ers tight end and Kelce’s Tight End University co-founder, has also basically confirmed his own attendance. People reported that Kittle told ExtraTV at the Tight Ends & Friends concert that the couple had a strict no-gift rule, then joked that he might get Kelce an old coin anyway.

How about the New York Knicks’ starting lineup? This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

July 2 saw reports that the Knicks' starting lineup was going to return to the Garden halls — but this time as wedding guests. However, star player Josh Hart debunked the rumor. Maybe after another championship win?

Again, Swift and Kelce have not publicly confirmed the final guest list, so all of this still lives in the world of reports, sightings, public comments, and heavily analyzed celebrity logistics. But if even half these names make it inside the Garden, "anyone I’ve ever talked to" may not have been much of an exaggeration.

Team USA won its game on Wednesday night, defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It marks only the second time that the team has won in a knockout stage match in the team's history at the World Cup.

While many U.S. soccer fans celebrated the win, referee Raphael Claus put a major damper on the celebrations due to a red card issued to Team USA striker Folarin Balogun. Fans took to the internet to voice their displeasure with the ref's decision, which required a VAR review.

The red card was issued in the 64th minute of the game, making the win even more challenging for Team USA. The team ultimately pulled off the win, but there are further consequences from receiving the red card that may affect Team USA's chances in the round of 16 game against Belgium on Monday.

So, what does this all mean for Team USA? Here's a rundown along with some of the internet's best reactions to Balogun being issued a red card.

What is a red card?

Yellow cards and red cards are doled out by referees in order to uphold the rules of the match.

Yellow cards serve as a warning, whereas red cards are issued for more serious, egregious violations.

What happens when a player receives a red card?

When a player receives a red card, they are immediately forced out of the game and their team is forced to play with a man down. In Team USA's case, Balogun had to leave the game and USA needed to play the rest of the match with 10 players versus Bosnia and Herzegovina's 11 players.

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In addition, the player that's issued the red card is suspended for their team's next match. Team USA will be able to play with 11 on the pitch against Belgium, but Balogun will not be able to play.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Why are U.S. fans upset?

For one, the red card was seen as fairly controversial.

During the 64th minute of the game, Balogun and Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic both appeared to go for the ball. Balogun and Muharemovic collided, with Balogun's cleat stepping on Muharemovic's ankle as both players fell to the ground.

Analysts and former FIFA refs have shared their opinions on whether Balogun deserved the red card, and there doesn't seem to be much of a consensus. Some agree it was a red card offense, others disagree.

Furthermore, the contact appeared accidental as both Balogun and the player for Bosnia and Herzegovina went for the ball. In addition, the red didn't even issue a yellow card at first and required a VAR check before issuing any card. After review, the ref deemed the incident as a "serious foul" and issued the red card.

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Balogun has been Team USA's top goal scorer with three goals across three games that he played in. Not having him on the field against Belgium certainly puts Team USA at a disadvantage.

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Some fans have been upset about what they view as uneven refereeing across the tournament. A common example being used by fans is when Messi appeared to commit a similar foul in the group stage games. Messi was not called on the foul and didn't receive a red or yellow card.

Can the ref's red card decision be appealed? This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

A red card and a subsequent match suspension cannot be appealed, according to FIFA.

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To make matters even worse, FIFA can review the foul and decide to suspend Balogun for additional games. This already happened in one World Cup game this year when FIFA extended a red card suspension against a Qatari player to five games after a foul resulted in a Canadian player breaking their leg.

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For now, though, Team USA is focused on their round of 16 game against Belgium on Monday.

Taylor Swift's wedding hasn't even happened yet, and it's already become the internet's biggest event of the summer.

Between TikTok breakdowns, Reddit megathreads, and minute-by-minute updates from press and photographers stationed outside of Madison Square Garden in New York City — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's reported wedding venue — fans have been dissecting everything from security plans to celebrity arrivals. There are enough rumors and speculation to make even seasoned Swifties dizzy.

SEE ALSO: Is Taylor Swift getting married this weekend? Everything we know.

That got us wondering: If the world's biggest pop star is about to walk down the aisle, what Taylor Swift songs deserve a spot on the wedding playlist?

In honor of Swift's favorite number, here's our dream 13-song Taylor Swift wedding playlist.

"Lover"

If one Taylor Swift song was destined for weddings, it's this one. A timeless waltz wrapped in intimate lyrics, "Lover" has become a first-dance staple for countless couples. Released during Swift's pink-hued, heart-on-her-sleeve Lover era, it's romantic without veering into cheese, capturing not just the magic of a wedding day but the quiet promise of the life two people are about to build together.

"Love Story"

No Taylor Swift wedding playlist would be complete without the Fearless song that made generations of fans believe in fairy tales. More than 15 years after its release, "Love Story" still feels tailor-made for a wedding reception singalong.

"Paper Rings"

"I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings." Need we say more? It's joyful, chaotic, and impossible not to dance to in a pop-punk kind of way — a reminder that the relationship matters far more than the diamonds. (Though, have you seen the massive old mine cut diamond engagement ring?)

"So High School"

If one song belongs to Taylor and Travis, it's this one. Fans have long connected "So High School" to Kelce thanks to its football imagery, playful flirtation, and unmistakable sense of giddy new love. ("You know how to ball, I know Aristotle" is unfortunately one of Swift's funniest lyrics.)

Whether or not it actually makes the wedding playlist, it's become the unofficial soundtrack to their relationship. Its nostalgic, '90s-pop sound and playful, butterflies-in-your-stomach energy make it a natural fit for any reception.

"Mary's Song (Oh My My My)"

An early-career deep cut became one of Swifties' favorite Tayvis songs after Taylor mashed it up with "So High School" and "Everything Has Changed" on the Eras Tour, weaving in the lyric, "I'll be 87, you'll be 89" — playful a wink to Kelce's jersey number and Swift's birth year.

If there was ever an Easter egg disguised as a love song, this is it.

"Invisible String"

Some love stories feel destined. That's the idea behind the red string theory, the East Asian folk belief that two people who are meant to be together are connected by an invisible red thread, no matter how far apart life takes them.

Folklore's "Invisible String" imagines that same kind of fate, tracing two lives that were quietly intertwined long before they ever crossed paths. Whether you believe in soulmates or simply good timing, it's one of Swift's most tender meditations on finding the right person. (Joe Alwyn, you will always be remembered for your contributions to the Taylor Swift discography.)

"You Are in Love"

Truly one of the best love songs in Swift's entire catalog, "You Are in Love" doesn't rely on grand gestures. Instead, the 1989 deluxe cut celebrates the tiny moments that define a relationship — the shared glances, the routines, the comfort of simply knowing someone.

"Daylight"

By the time Lover closes with "Daylight," Swift has left behind the dramatic, all-consuming romances that defined so much of her earlier work. Instead, love becomes something calmer. Healthier. Brighter. Warmer. It's less about the wedding day than the marriage that comes after it. After years of searching in the dark, she's finally found someone who feels like daylight.

"Everything Has Changed"

Swift and Ed Sheeran's Red-era duet captures the butterflies of realizing your life might be about to change forever after meeting someone for the first time. In many ways, it feels like the grown-up, grounded counterpart to "Enchanted" — less about wondering if someone feels the same way and more about recognizing, almost instantly, that your life has changed. It's sweet, understated, and ideal for cocktail hour or dinner.

And if Sheeran happens to be in attendance, no one would complain if the longtime collaborators dusted it off for one more duet.

"King of My Heart"

When it's finally time to fill the dance floor, let Reputation have its moment. "King of My Heart" delivers all the romance without sacrificing energy, making it one of Swift's strongest reception songs. Consider it the perfect soundtrack for introducing Mr. Taylor Swift himself, the king of her heart. If only those castle rumors were true...

"Call It What You Want"

Despite its marketing, Reputation is actually one of Swift's most romantic albums. Half of the album is about falling in love. And one of its most intimate tracks, "Call It What You Want," is about finding peace in a relationship while the rest of the world keeps talking.

For one of the most famous couples on the planet, that message feels especially fitting.

"New Year's Day"

Picture this: the flowers have been packed away, the guests have gone home, the party is over. "New Year's Day" reminds us that a wedding lasts one day, but marriage is about who's still there helping clean up afterward. Few songs capture that sentiment more beautifully.

"Long Live"

No gathering is complete without at least one singalong of "Long Live." Every great wedding deserves one last anthem. Whether it's the final song of the night or simply one that brings everyone onto the dance floor with their arms around each other, "Long Live" is less about romance than gratitude — for the people who helped you get to this moment and the memories you'll carry long after the last dance.

Happy Fourth of July to all of our American readers celebrating this weekend. Many parts of the country are experiencing heat waves, so some of you might try to spend some of your time indoors. If you're inside with some AC, there are several noteworthy television releases to check out. Our top selection is the third season of an excellent sci-fi show based on Hugh Howey's novels.

TL;DR: Headway condenses the books you don’t have time to read, and through July 5, a lifetime subscription is only $49.

Opens in a new window Credit: Headway Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription $48.99
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Buying a book is easy. Actually reading it takes a lot of time, and that investment doesn’t even guarantee it’ll be worth it. Headway is a mobile app that condenses more than 2,000 nonfiction and fiction bestsellers into 15-minute summaries you can read or listen to, and a lifetime subscription is on sale for $48.99 (reg. $299.95) through July 5.

Headway pulls insights from books across business, psychology, productivity, health and wellness, and fiction. Each summary is available in text and audio, with audio versions narrated by professional voice actors rather than a synthetic read. Audiocasts let you queue summaries like podcast episodes for a long drive or a workout block. New titles get added monthly, so the catalog keeps moving forward.

Past the summaries themselves, Headway runs on a layer of features that help new ideas stick. Self-growth plans group related titles around a single learning goal, so each session builds toward something instead of feeling random. Highlights save as interactive flashcards that resurface at spaced intervals to lock the lessons in. Quizzes test recall after a reading, and trivia questions surface curious facts in between. Brainy, the app’s in-house mascot, even shows up to keep the streak going when motivation dips. The touch sounds silly until it works.

Daily microlearning sessions push a single insight to the home screen, Video Role-Plays drop you into real scenarios to apply what a summary teaches, and a Screen Locker shuts down distracting apps during a session. Downloads work offline for flights or commutes without service. A Sleep Timer turns a summary into a bedtime story for adults, replacing the usual phone scroll right before lights out. Curated collections also surface based on goals you set during onboarding, so the library narrows itself around the topics you set as priorities.

Until 11:59 p.m. PT on July 5, you can get a Headway Lifetime Subscription for only $48.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Portugal vs. Croatia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup continues with another batch of exciting fixtures. Today's lineup includes Portugal vs. Croatia, an interesting clash between two strong sides.

Both have star players in the latter years of their career — Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal and Luka Modric for Croatia — and both teams have been forced to answer questions about whether they're past their best. Portugal arguably have the edge here, though Croatia won more games in the group stage. However it plays out, it's another must-watch World Cup fixture.

If you want to watch Portugal vs. Croatia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Portugal vs. Croatia?

Portugal vs. Croatia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on July 2. This fixture takes place at the Toronto Stadium.

How to watch Portugal vs. Croatia for free

Portugal vs. Croatia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Portugal vs. Croatia for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Portugal vs. Croatia for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Portugal vs. Croatia (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Portugal vs. Croatia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

For a wedding with a reported 1,000-person guest list, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s alleged Madison Square Garden celebration still appears to have a velvet rope.

The reported wedding has become a full-blown spectacle in the middle of sweltering-hot Manhattan, with fans, photographers, and celebrity-watchers all trying to figure out who will actually make it inside the Garden. But the more revealing question might be who will not.

While plenty of A-listers are reportedly gearing up for the alleged big night, there is also a pretty long list of people who appear set to watch the wedding content on Instagram like the rest of us.

Keep reading for the reported, rumored, and heavily speculated names we do not expect to see inside the Garden tomorrow night.

Prince William and Kate Middleton

Despite weeks of speculation, Prince William and Kate Middleton will not be attending Swift and Kelce’s wedding. A People report ended chatter that the Prince and Princess of Wales would be in attendance after William jokingly said he was "hoping" there might be an invitation during a May appearance on the British radio show Heart Breakfast.

William has known Swift for years, famously joined her and Jon Bon Jovi onstage in 2013, and later took Prince George and Princess Charlotte to the Eras Tour in London, where the royal family posed backstage with Swift and Kelce.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

Blake Lively has been one of the most-discussed possible absences from the wedding because, for years, she was one of Swift’s most visible close friends. Lively directed Swift’s "I Bet You Think About Me" music video, Swift used the names of Lively and Ryan Reynolds' children in "Betty" and other songs, and the couple was regularly part of Swift's public friend circle, from New York outings to the 2024 Super Bowl suite where Swift cheered on Kelce.

The reported strain stems from Lively's legal battle with Justin Baldoni over It Ends With Us, which pulled Swift into the surrounding drama even though she was not part of the film.

As the dispute unfolded, reports said Swift had been referenced in court filings and text messages, and Baldoni’s side accused Lively of using her friendship with Swift as leverage during conversations about the movie. Swift’s rep denied that she had any involvement with It Ends With Us beyond licensing “My Tears Ricochet” for the soundtrack, but the damage appeared to be done.

Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry

Miles Teller and his wife, Keleigh Sperry, are also reportedly not on the guest list. Sources close to the couple claim they were not invited, despite their once-close ties to Swift and Kelce, which allegedly ended due to the drama between Swift and Lively, and that Sperry did not want to be involved.

Sperry and Teller were seen with Swift during the early days of her relationship with Kelce, including at the 2024 Super Bowl. Teller also later appeared on Travis and Jason Kelce's New Heights podcast, where he referred to Travis as his "brother." Doesn't seem like it anymore.

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss is another name with a long history in Swiftie lore. She and Swift were once inseparable during the 1989 era, appearing together at events, on social media, and even on a joint Vogue cover. Then, over time, public sightings slowed, and fan theories took over.

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The widely discussed fracture has often been linked to Scooter Braun, who acquired Swift's Big Machine master recordings in 2019, sparking one of the most public disputes of Swift's career. Kloss' 2018 wedding to Joshua Kushner became part of the speculation because Braun was reportedly a guest, and Swift did not attend.

Kloss' wedding status, however, is messy. Some outlets have reported she is not invited, while TMZ suggested the opposite. Given that she sat GA at the Eras Tour, I'm going to go with the former.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

This choice isn't a surprise. Kardashian and Swift's history goes back to the 2016 fallout over Kanye West's song "Famous," after West claimed Swift had approved lyrics about her, and Kardashian released edited clips of a phone call between West and Swift. A fuller version of the call later leaked in 2020, which supported Swift's claim that she had not been told about the most offensive lyric.

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That feud became one of the defining celebrity conflicts of Swift's Reputation era, complete with snake emojis, public backlash, and years of fan analysis. Taylor even has a song called "thanK you IMee" with the letters "KIM" capitalized. Real subtle.

Scooter Braun

Scooter Braun is also widely presumed to be nowhere near the guest list. The reason is obvious: Swift's long-running masters dispute began after Braun's Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Label Group in 2019, giving him control of the master recordings for Swift's first six albums. Swift publicly criticized the deal, and the dispute eventually became a major artist-rights story as Swift began rerecording her old albums.

So yes, Braun's absence would be expected.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Calvin Harris

Calvin Harris, Swift's ex-boyfriend, has also been named in some rumored "not invited" lists. The history there is less dramatic than Kardashian-West, but it did get messy in 2016 after Swift's team confirmed she had co-written Harris and Rihanna’s hit "This Is What You Came For" under the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg. Harris responded in a series of tweets, including one accusing Swift's team of trying to make him look bad after their breakup. At least we got a really good song out of it.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. John Mayer

John Mayer is another ex who is most likely far, far away from the Garden on July 3. Mayer dated Swift when he was 32, and she was 19. Following their breakup, Swift released "Dear John," which fans have long believed is about Mayer. Mayer even told Rolling Stone that the song made him feel "really humiliated" and called it "cheap songwriting."

That "cheap songwriting" was inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame, but I digress.

Charli XCX

Speaking of artists believed to have been called out on The Life of a Showgirl, Charli XCX is also rumored not to be in attendance. Rumors of a feud between the two began after Charli released "Sympathy Is a Knife" on Brat, which some listeners interpreted as a dig at Swift. Swift then appeared to respond with "Actually Romantic," a song fans believe is about Charli and includes the pointed line: "I heard you call me boring Barbie when the coke's got you brave."

Charli is also engaged to George Daniel, the drummer for The 1975 — the same band fronted by Matty Healy, whom Swift briefly dated in 2023 and wrote an entire album about in 2024.

Kayla Nicole

Kayla Nicole, Kelce's ex-girlfriend, is another snub that is not especially surprising. Nicole dated Kelce on and off for about five years before they split in 2022. In Oct. 2023, shortly after Kelce and Swift's relationship became public, Nicole told People that she had unfollowed Brittany and Patrick Mahomes on Instagram because she needed to "protect" herself, while emphasizing that she still had love for her Kansas City circle.

After Kelce and Swift announced their engagement in Aug. 2025, Nicole posted about choosing "joy" on Instagram Stories. More recently, in Feb. 2026, she reflected on her last serious relationship during a TikTok Live and described the breakup as potentially a "right person, wrong time" situation.

Most weddings do not include the bride or groom’s exes unless everyone involved has reached an unusually high level of emotional maturity, so Nicole's absence would not be particularly shocking. Well, besides Harry Styles, of course, who will likely be there with his fiancée, Zoë Kravitz. Now that's called growth.

Many affordable cars promise a little extra excitement through sporty styling packages, but most fail to deliver anything meaningful once you're behind the wheel. That's what makes the shrinking pool of genuinely fun, budget-friendly sedans so refreshing—and so easy to overlook.

People on social media are already honking about the new gay dating app Goose, due to a Wired investigation that claims it might be using AI-generated men to advertise the app.

Goose, founded by actor and model Derek Chadwick, markets itself as an "anti-algorithm" app. It's membership only, and there are no matches, but users can "wave" to each other.

SEE ALSO: The best gay dating apps of 2026: Grindr is still king (even if we sometimes wish it wasn't)

Before Goose launched, gay men already had plenty of apps to choose from. There's Grindr, which is ubiquitous and easily the most well-known, but over the past few years, users have complained about paywalled features and a buggy user interface. Additionally, there are the apps Sniffies — which dating app conglomerate Match Group just invested $100 million in — SCRUFF, Jack'd, and the new-for-mobile Squirt (to name a few).

And one is no longer: During Pride Month, Match sunset its "intentional" gay dating app Archer.

In this crowded market, people on social media are describing random men DMing them and adding them to their Close Friends stories, only to promote Goose — and these men might be AI-generated.

Wired found more than two dozen Instagram accounts created in May or June 2026 that posted only a few times, suggesting they might be inauthentic. Wired also ran images from the accounts through AI detectors, and there was a high likelihood that AI was used to create these profiles. As Mashable previously reported, these AI checkers aren't foolproof, but combined with other factors, Wired — and gay men the accounts are DMing — have reported that these men may be fake, created solely for the purpose of promoting Goose.

Reached for comment, Goose provided this statement: Goose is disrupting the gay app space by creating a place where real people can make real friends, dates, and community – our team hand-picked every person who received an invite to our app, and we are proud of the community we are building. We work 24/7 to keep our app safe and free of the fake profiles that have soured other platforms. Clearly, our competitors are taking notice.

The Federal Trade Commission prohibits false advertising, Wired noted, and requires disclosure on social media ads.

UPDATE: Jul. 2, 2026, 5:56 p.m. EDT This article was updated to include a statement from Goose.

Some television viewers may respond to the return of The Bear, which recently released its final season, with a dismissive groan. Not me. Despite my past misgivings about the FX restaurant drama/comedy, I excitedly binged its last eight episodes within a few days. 

By no means is it perfect storytelling. The series still sometimes flails, as my colleague Belen Edwards astutely pointed out, and I'll return to those challenges later. 

What I watched, however, was a rare feat of television: a years-long exploration of human redemption that ends, improbably, with optimism for the future. In an entertainment landscape dominated by apocalyptic fare, serial killer mysteries, whodunit tick-tocks, and paint-by-number procedurals, The Bear offered viewers something radically different. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Bear' Season 5 gives Carmy one hell of a career pivot

Take characters with undeniable flaws, rough edges, and mental health struggles, give them a dream to believe in, and watch as they messily chart a path to their own greatness, through passion, work, and belonging. 

This is the stuff that redemption is made of, and Season 5 finally delivered on its promise of fulfillment, particularly for Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) and Richard 'Richie' Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). These two grown men were so haunted by heartbreak and stunted self-actualization that they cruelly tortured everyone around them. 

What happens to Carmy and Richie in Season 5 of The Bear?

As a brilliant but borderline abusive chef, Carmy berated the staff of his deceased brother's restaurant as he tried to transform it from a sandwich shop into a restaurant worthy of a Michelin star or two. 

By Season 4's end, Carmy understands his time as a chef is over if he wants a different life for himself. In Season 5, he observes, "To break patterns you need to break patterns."

He spends much of the final season clumsily trying to be of service to others, offering to do whatever his former deputy Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) needs, like chopping onions and taking out the trash. 

When his own mistake leads to a broken dish and ruined meal, thus threatening the evening's do-or-die success, Carmy freezes in fear rather than lashing out. To me, this was remarkable progress, and I loved every second of it, including Carmy's eyes as they welled with tears. 

If every second counts, as the kitchen's mantra declares, the same applies to the passing moments of human weakness, when hard-fought gains against bad habits might be lost in a panic. The scene only deepens when Syd recognizes what's at stake for Carmy and offers reassurance that everyone in the kitchen has his back. 

Together, the staff salvage the night, against all odds — a scenario that The Bear has been building up to since its first season. Together, they redeem themselves as a group of people with competing priorities and conflicting personalities who still, somehow, feel like family to each other. 

Sure, there's something satisfying about what my colleague describes as The Bear's competence porn. But at a time of deep division and loneliness, I also relished Season 5's insistence on being part of something greater than yourself. Even if that something is a dysfunctional restaurant that manages to both feed people and give them joy. 

Richie finally grows up

Carmy's cousin Richie appeared to understand the reward of this bargain from the beginning, but ego, immaturity, and violent tendencies got in the way. 

In the first season, Richie settles a conflict outside the sandwich shop, then known as The Original Beef of Chicagoland, by firing a gun. Despite his innate desire to make customers of that shop feel welcome, Richie also found ways to sabotage a jovial atmosphere with screams, curses, and tantrums. He hated ceding power to Carmy, whose absence and reappearance Richie resented, and to Syd, whose elevated role in a kitchen he once dominated makes him feel small. 

Richie was initially a repellent character. By the final season, though, the small and large lessons in self-control Richie learns along the way have transformed him (see, especially, the episode "Forks"). He's composed yet vulnerable, mature yet playful. 

Richie's temper and self-doubt still flare, but he's found strategies for slowing down, like naming the objects in his immediate presence. As someone who's spent more than 15 years reporting on mental health, I found the inclusion of this and similar grounding tactics such a gift to the audience. When do viewers get to see a man, once easily possessed by rage, use such a simple emotion-regulation technique, without the involvement of a therapist? Only on The Bear.  

One of the best scenes in Season 5 happens when Carmy enters the walk-in fridge to find Richie managing a panic attack. Carmy, despite a fumbling first attempt at being supportive, finds a way to talk plainly about dealing with his own anxiety in a way that calms Richie. 

A callback joke to Carmy's walk-in fridge meltdown from Season 2 makes both men laugh, and they cheerfully push each other around. In seasons past, they would've lobbed insults and escalated conflict. Sometimes atonement for previous transgressions is about changing behavior and acknowledging, in some way, the harm. 

Redemption through family 

The Bear delivers this message over and over again with its emphasis on family ties, whether they're forged through blood or choice. 

I appreciate that The Bear vividly depicts family trauma and dysfunction without championing estrangement. People get enough of that on social media when influencers promote severing foundational relationships, sometimes for clicks and views. 

What happens to Donna?

The show is unequivocal about the damage the Berzatto family matriarch, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, has wrought. Donna's longtime alcohol abuse, in combination with a probable mood disorder, has made her unpredictable, manipulative, and grievously harmful.

At The Bear's beginning, Donna's surviving children, now scarred by the suicide death of their brother Mikey, are grappling with whether to tolerate her in their lives. The phenomenal episode "Fishes" makes clear why this is no easy calculus. Carmy and his sister Natalie, known as Sugar (Abby Elliott), wouldn't be who they are without their familial closeness, on display in their expansive yet explosive gatherings. 

As they grow increasingly weary of Donna's volatility, she finds the courage to try to be the mother they need. Ultimately, Carmy and Sugar let her, at considerable risk to themselves. 

It's no small moment when Donna finally enters The Bear for the first time toward the end of Season 5. The scene is relatively subtle, but suggests the healing that might be possible given Donna's effort to be a reliable grandmother to Sugar's newborn and a present mother to both Sugar and Carmy. 

In real life, some relationships are so toxic that they must be ended. But The Bear asks its audience to imagine the value of holding tight to bonds when the person on the other side keeps showing up as a better version of themselves, even if that change is incremental. 

Belonging for The Bear staff

It's true that several of The Bear's characters don't need the redemption that's in store for Carmy, Richie, and Donna. What they need instead is belief in themselves and to be believed in by others. The Bear sends Syd and the other chefs and staff, including Marcus (Lionel Boyce) and Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas), on that trajectory in varying ways. 

The point, which is reiterated by probably a few too many characters in Season 5, is that belonging to a group of people that feels like family can make that growth possible. As one minor character says upon his departure, that's essentially The Bear's advantage over countless other restaurants. 

Forgiving The Bear's flaws

It's possible that I'm giving The Bear's final season a lot of grace because I think what it's tried to accomplish over the past few years is remarkable. Maybe I'm falling for the message and too readily dismissing the flaws in the medium. 

Like my colleague, I found the storm that plagues Season 5 on-the-nose. Staging the season over the course of a single day during which torrential rain is a constant visual and audible reminder of the characters' emotional tumult does feel cliché at times. Cityscape views of Chicago were so intensely lit that they evoked the Upside Down vibe of Stranger Things, a melodramatic flourish the show doesn't need. 

The first handful of episodes can feel tedious, too. The characters lament the uncertainty of their fate. Will they surrender or see another day in their beloved kitchen? As they contemplate this question, sometimes repetitively, in-show ads for watches, soda, and McDonald's pop up. The marketing hollowed out those scenes for me, but the product placements taper off toward the end, with one notable exception for Coke. 

I'm not sure I could blame viewers if they give up before service begins. Still, the payoff was ultimately worth it for me. 

At a time when character-building friction is replaced by click-of-a-button contentment, The Bear depicted the gratification of mastering a craft. While algorithms push facile therapy-speak encouraging people to turn inward, The Bear (eventually) pulled its characters out of their heads so they could pursue meaning and purpose. It also gave them basic mindfulness tools to combat their worst impulses. When many storytellers use suicide only as a dramatic plot twist, The Bear sought meaningful healing for its characters, and remembered the lost brother, son, and friend for much more than the manner of his death. 

Maybe I'm too forgiving of The Bear for these and other reasons. But I guess I'd rather spend my time with the show's characters and their aspirations, however imperfectly executed on screen, than on a show that doesn't dream as big. 

TL;DR: Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 is on sale for $69.97 (reg. $219), a lifetime license that includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime License $39.97
$219 Save $179.03   Get Deal

Plenty of software has quietly shifted from something you buy once to something you pay for every month, and Microsoft Office is one of the most obvious examples. Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 is on sale for $69.97 right now (regularly $219), and it’s a true lifetime license for Mac or Windows, not another charge added to the pile.

There’s not much need to sell anyone on why Office still matters. Most people used Microsoft’s apps long before browser-based alternatives existed, and plenty of workplaces still run on them today. Whether we like it or not, most of us still have to use them. This license lets you install the full Office suite on one device and keep using it indefinitely, a one-time expense with long-term payoff instead of a recurring one.

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Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote are the full desktop versions rather than scaled-down web apps. That distinction matters once you’re deep into a long document, a dense spreadsheet, or a presentation with a lot riding on it.

Buying gets you a license key and download link immediately, so there’s no gap between checkout and actually opening the apps. Paying once for software you’ll rely on for years beats resetting a subscription clock every month.

Grab Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac or Windows for $69.97 while the lifetime license deal is live.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

At a time when AI is facing a growing backlash, when even his own administration is tiptoeing towards real regulatory oversight of the industry, President Donald Trump is doubling down on his own usage of what can only be described as AI slop — this time containing dubious deepfakes.

On July 1, Trump posted an AI-generated video casting himself as "Doctor Trump," a white-coat-wearing physician offering a "treatment plan" for “Trump Derangement Syndrome," a phrase he and his supporters have long used to attack his critics.

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The clip opens like a pharmaceutical ad, with an AI-generated Trump wearing a stethoscope and telling viewers he has a plan to treat TDS. It then cuts to fake versions of celebrity critics, including Whoopi Goldberg, Robert De Niro, Julia Roberts, Rosie O’Donnell, Edward Norton, and John Leguizamo, who appear as "patients" describing their supposed symptoms and recovery.

The fake De Niro says he could not eat or sleep, and was "constantly angry." The fake O’Donnell says she had been "suffering for over a decade." The fake Goldberg describes herself as a lost cause. The clip ends with Trump’s AI persona prescribing a mix of media criticism, prayer, and Diet Coke.

Social media, outside Trump's MAGA followers, was not amused.

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This is not Trump's only bizarre interaction with AI this week. On Wednesday, the president visited the newly built Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, where he interacted with an AI version of Roosevelt.

The library, which opens to the public on July 4, lets visitors explore Roosevelt’s letters, speeches, photographs, and other archival material, including via a lifelike AI version of the former president, all created with help from Microsoft.

During the visit, Trump asked the AI Roosevelt whether the Panama Canal was his greatest achievement. The digital Roosevelt said the canal was one of his proudest achievements, but also pointed to parks, medicine, and the Square Deal.

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Trump later told the audience he had "a conversation with Theodore Roosevelt," a comment which circulated online before clips made clear he was referring to the library’s AI exhibit. Not everyone was convinced, however.

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This is all part of a broader pattern on Trump’s social feeds, where AI-generated images and videos have frequently found a home.

Earlier this week, Trump shared what appeared to be an AI image of a giant golden eagle attached to the White House’s Truman Balcony, calling it “A Golden Gift to the White House for its 250th Birthday Year." The "gift" was also shared by official White House social media accounts.

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The image’s metadata suggested it was indeed created with Google Gemini. Photos taken later that evening showed no giant gold bird attached to the White House, which is generally the kind of thing people would notice.

Social media users wondered why the shield on the eagle appeared to include 11 stars instead of 13. Others mocked the design as “tacky” and questioned the caption — since 2026 marks 250 years since American independence, not 250 years since the White House was built (it was completed in 1800).

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In April, Trump posted and then removed an AI-generated image that showed him as a Jesus-like figure healing a sick man. After backlash from conservative and religious figures including Riley Gaines, Megan Basham, and Bishop Robert Barron, Trump said he thought the image depicted him as a medical worker "making people better." He has also previously posted an AI image of himself as the Pope.

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Trump has also shared AI-generated videos and images that place him in more stylized or exaggerated roles. In May, Trump went on a spree, posting more than 20 mostly AI-generated images or clips in about 90 minutes, including images targeting Barack Obama, Gavin Newsom, Hakeem Jeffries, JB Pritzker, and others.

Another AI-generated video, shared in June and created by Trump-backed congressional candidate Anthony Constantino, depicted Trump as a globe-trotting hero, including scenes of him riding a lion, appearing on Mount Rushmore, riding a camel, and appearing as beloved Japanese character Naruto.

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The Naruto-style imagery added to an existing backlash from anime and manga fans in Japan, where about 20,000 people have signed a petition titled “Protect Japanese Manga” back in March protesting the White House’s use of imagery from Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Naruto, and other franchises in political posts.

According to the petition, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already contacted the U.S. Embassy in Japan over unauthorized use of Yu-Gi-Oh! and Nintendo imagery.

In short, AI has become a regular part of Trump’s online presence. Not in any serious policy-based sense, but as a tool for memes, self-promotion, political attacks, and spectacle.

We'll wait to see whether that helps Team Trump in the 2026 midterm elections. But with the president at an all-time low approval rating, and AI not faring much better in surveys, it's hard to see how such slop-like usage can do anything more than amuse his most hardcore fans.

The automotive industry has spent years convincing buyers that SUVs are the only body style that matters, with crossovers steadily replacing sedans in driveways across America. That shift helped create some dominant sales leaders, but 2026 is proving that consumer tastes aren't always as predictable as they seem.

After 17 years on YouTube, tech creator and Mashable 101 honoree Austin Evans has seen the creator economy evolve from an internet hobby into a full-fledged industry. Along the way, he's gone from solo creator to CEO, built a team, reinvented his content strategy, and learned that long-term success depends on thinking beyond the performance of any single video.

In this conversation with Mashable Culture Editor Crystal Bell at VidCon 2026, Evans reflects on the mindset shifts that helped him build a sustainable career, why he transformed his channel from straightforward tech reviews into entertainment-driven content, and how his perspective on AI has evolved.

He also shares why he no longer obsesses over subscriber counts, the metric he now focuses on, and why he believes authenticity will continue to matter on an increasingly AI-powered internet.

Watch the full interview above.