Map depicting the Strait of Hormuz. Image: Goran_tek-en.
On Sunday, United States President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the US is imposing a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. According to Trump, the blockade was in effect as of 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (1400 UTC).
The blockade was imposed following the collapse of talks held in Islamabad between the United States and Iran.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the finest in the world, will be BLOCKADING any and all ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump declared.
According to The Guardian, oil prices briefly rose above US$100 a barrel following news of the blockade, before easing back to just over US$99; gas prices also increased.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted on X to “Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade’, soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.” He further stated that Iran would respond in kind to both escalation and diplomacy, warning that it would “fight” if confronted militarily but would “deal with logic” if approached constructively.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope that the ceasefire would remain stable, stating that Beijing is willing to cooperate with all parties to “guarantee the uninterrupted flow of energy supplies,” and that stability in the Strait of Hormuz is critically important to China.
For some reason, I have painted a lot of stairs in my time. Exterior, interior—I’ve painted more stairs than I ever imagined I would. But sometimes, painting stairs is the easiest way to transform them. When my wife and I moved into our house, the stairs were covered in this truly awful green carpet. We tore that up almost immediately, and I figured I’d just paint the stairs as a short-term solution. But we wound up actually liking the paint, and just left it there.
It’s getting a little worn, though, so it’s time to refresh the paint job, and we thought it was a good idea to change things up by painting the risers a lighter color, for contrast (we’re fancy like that). This gave me the chance to use one of my favorite little painting hacks: A wall edging pad on stair risers. I forget who showed this to me, but it makes the whole process a lot faster. In the past, painting something like stairs with all those angles and corners would mean a metric ton of painter’s tape and a stiff wrist from using a cut brush. (I’m pretty good with a cut brush these days and skip a lot of taping, but stairs still present a challenge.) But using a wall edging pad means I can skip all the tape and save my wrist a lot of strain.
Everything you need to paint stairs
Shur-Line 2006649 7-Inch Premium Pad Painter
$20.59 at Amazon
$20.59 at Amazon
Shur-Line 2006645 7-Inch Premium Pad Painter Refill
$13.49 at Amazon
$13.49 at Amazon
DAP Alex Ultra Advanced Latex Sealant, White, 10.1 Oz (7079818200)
$7.98 at Amazon
$9.46 Save $1.48
$7.98 at Amazon
$9.46 Save $1.48
FrogTape Advanced Painters Tape, 2 Inch Wide (1.88-Inch x 45-Yard) Multi-Surface Tape with PAINTBLOCK, Conforms Around Curves & Contours, Tear-Free Removability, 1 Roll, Green
$10.98 at Amazon
$10.98 at Amazon
Purdy Clearcut Glide Paint Brush, 2-1/2 in. 144152125
$14.98 at Amazon
$16.25 Save $1.27
$14.98 at Amazon
$16.25 Save $1.27
RUST-OLEUM 1 qt Zinsser 271009 White Zinsser, B-I-N Advanced Synthetic Shellac Primer Pack of 1
$24.80 at Amazon
$24.80 at Amazon
Bates- 9 Inch Paint Tray, 3 Pack, Black Plastic Paint Roller Tray 9 Inch, Deep Capacity, Textured Ridge
$15.99 at Amazon
$15.99 at Amazon
You can see here what the stairs looked like before I began—obviously, they needed a little attention.
Before. Credit: Jeff Somers
I gathered my supplies:
I bought this pad painter from Shur-Line. The 7-inch size is about right for stair risers, and it features a swivel pad holder that locks into the angle you need. I picked up a refill pad, too, just in case.
A tube of painter’s caulk so I could fill in any gaps that have opened up over the years.
Some painter’s tape, just to be safe—even the best painting trick sometimes runs into trouble.
Some cut brushes for the same reason—these are old stairs that haven’t seen a 90° angle in years, so I anticipated some spots where a brush might be necessary.
Primer and a paint tray—the actual paint color will match the walls.
Equipped with everything, I got to work.
How to paint your stair risers with an edging pad
I didn’t bother taping off the treads—I just filled the pan with primer and grabbed the pad. The black button in the middle locks the pad at whatever angle you need; it’s easy to press it with your thumb to adjust on the fly. You can slide the pad out (and a new one in) by pressing the lock tab in the middle. Then you dip the pad into the paint/primer and press it out a bit to get rid of excess paint:
Loading up the paint pad. Credit: Jeff Somers
When the pad isn’t dripping, and you’ve got it loaded with a manageable amount of paint that you can control, just place it against the stair riser and move it horizontally:
Painting the riser with the paint pad. Credit: Jeff Somers
Since the pad is rectangular, it produces a straight, sharp line without taping or cutting, and it doesn’t have as many lines as a brush. And since it’s flat and designed to be used as an edger (and painting stair risers is essentially just working all edges), you can get right to the edge, which you can’t do when using a roller. Sometimes it’s useful to slide the pad out of the holder and use it manually, because the pad is more flexible and bendy, so you can have a little more control in tight corners.
It takes a bit of practice to get it right, but once you have the hang of it, you can breeze through those risers very quickly. If you want to cut down your prep and painting time on stairs, using an edger pad like this is the way. Here’s my final product:
After! Credit: Jeff Somers
The stairs are old and don’t have any straight lines left, but the risers turned out pretty neat—all without taping. I probably saved myself about an hour of work painting these stairs this way.
The NBA Play-In Tournament runs from April 14-17, here’s how to watch as teams vie for the playoffs. (Jayden Mack/Getty Images)
Jayden Mack via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA playoffs will begin with a play-in tournament on April 14. In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat will play the Charlotte Hornets tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET, while the the Portland Trail Blazers play the Phoenix Suns at 10 p.m. ET. On April 15, the Orlando Magic will face the Philadelphia 76ers while the Golden State Warriors and L.A. Clippers face off.
Play-in tournament games will run April 14-17 and every play-in game will stream exclusively on Prime Video. The regular playoffs are set to begin April 18.
Here’s what you need to know so you won’t miss a single game of the 2026 NBA play-in tournament, including the complete schedule and where to stream, plus key dates for the rest of the playoffs.
How to watch the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament:
Dates: April 14 – 17, 2026
TV channel: n/a
Streaming: Prime Video
When is the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA playoffs unofficially begin with the play-in tournament from April 14-17. The playoffs then officially get under way on April 18.
How to watch the Play-In Tournament:
All games of this year’s play-in tournament will be broadcast live on Prime Video from April 14-17, with winners advancing to the first round of the NBA Playoffs starting Saturday, April 18.
What teams are in the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament?
The play-in tournament features the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. In the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat will play the Charlotte Hornets and the Orlando Magic will face the Philadelphia 76ers. In the Western Conference, The Portland Trail Blazers play the Phoenix Suns while the Golden State Warriors play the L.A. Clippers.
2026 NBA Play-In Tournament Schedule
All times Eastern.
April 14, 7:30 p.m.: SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Hornets (Prime Video)
April 14, 10 p.m.: SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, Portland Trailblazers vs, Phoenix Suns (Prime Video)
April 15, 7:30 p.m.: SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers (Prime Video)
April 15, 10 p.m.: SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, Golden State Warriors vs. L.A. Clippers (Prime Video)
April 17, 7:30 p.m.: East Final Eliminator Game (Prime Video)
April 17, 10 p.m.: West Final Eliminator Game (Prime Video)
NBA Playoff schedule:
All times Eastern.
April 14-17: NBA Play-In Tournament
April 18: NBA Playoffs begin
May 4: Conference Semifinals begin (can move up to May 2 or 3)
May 19: Eastern Conference Finals begin on ESPN/ABC (can move up to May 17)
May 20: Western Conference Finals begin on NBC/Peacock (can move up to May 18)
June 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 5: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 2 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 8: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 3 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 10: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 4 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
June 13: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 5 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
June 16: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 6 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET (if necessary)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 12: Nick Pivetta #27 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres officially announced that starter Nick Pivetta, who suffered an injury while pitching on Sunday, is being placed on the 15-day injured list. It will be retroactive to April 13. The diagnosis is right elbow inflammation. Pivetta was in the fourth inning of a perfect start against the Colorado Rockies when his velocity dropped and manager Craig Stammen walked out and took the ball.
Starter Matt Waldron and reliever Alek Jacob have been brought up from Triple-A El Paso with Waldron saying (per Padres media) that he will be starting on Friday in Anaheim against the Angels. Waldron has had starts for the Chihuahuas with 12 innings pitched and has allowed seven hits and no runs with 12 strikeouts.
His last start was April 9, going five innings with two hits and no runs with three strikeouts. Friday would normally be the spot for Germán Márquez, following Walker Buehler on Thursday, but the starting pitchers past today’s game against the Mariners have not been announced by the Padres.
Jacob can be activated and used out of the bullpen until Waldron is needed to start. That would give the bullpen a fresher arm to relieve some stress on the current pitchers. Jacob last pitched 1.2 innings on Sunday for El Paso. He has pitched 7.1 innings over five games with a 0.00 ERA. He has six strikeouts and three walks.
Pivetta was placed on the injured list by the Boston Red Sox, his team in 2024, with a right elbow flexor strain and he was activated after a month on the IL. He also experienced what was described as arm fatigue during Spring Training this year and was shut down for a start before resuming his build up.
There was no announcement regarding elbow imaging done or if that is in the plan for Pivetta.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 12: Nick Pivetta #27 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The San Diego Padres officially announced that starter Nick Pivetta, who suffered an injury while pitching on Sunday, is being placed on the 15-day injured list. It will be retroactive to April 13. The diagnosis is right elbow inflammation. Pivetta was in the fourth inning of a perfect start against the Colorado Rockies when his velocity dropped and manager Craig Stammen walked out and took the ball.
Starter Matt Waldron and reliever Alek Jacob have been brought up from Triple-A El Paso with Waldron saying (per Padres media) that he will be starting on Friday in Anaheim against the Angels. Waldron has had starts for the Chihuahuas with 12 innings pitched and has allowed seven hits and no runs with 12 strikeouts.
His last start was April 9, going five innings with two hits and no runs with three strikeouts. Friday would normally be the spot for Germán Márquez, following Walker Buehler on Thursday, but the starting pitchers past today’s game against the Mariners have not been announced by the Padres.
Jacob can be activated and used out of the bullpen until Waldron is needed to start. That would give the bullpen a fresher arm to relieve some stress on the current pitchers. Jacob last pitched 1.2 innings on Sunday for El Paso. He has pitched 7.1 innings over five games with a 0.00 ERA. He has six strikeouts and three walks.
Pivetta was placed on the injured list by the Boston Red Sox, his team in 2024, with a right elbow flexor strain and he was activated after a month on the IL. He also experienced what was described as arm fatigue during Spring Training this year and was shut down for a start before resuming his build up.
There was no announcement regarding elbow imaging done or if that is in the plan for Pivetta.
Neymar is smiling again, as after days of uncertainty over his physical condition, he puts the criticism on hold and ends a ¡14-year! goal drought.
The Brazilian star put Santos ahead in the Copa Sudamericana four minutes after kickoff, a goal that stands out in his record as a killer, since he scored again in a Conmebol club tournament after just over a decade.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – APRIL 14: Jonathan India #6 of the Kansas City Royals throws the ball to first base as Kevin McGonigle #7 of the Detroit Tigers collides with him during the bottom of the first inning at Comerica Park on April 14, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. McGonigle was out at second base and Dillon Dingler #13 of the Detroit Tigers was thrown out at first base to complete the double play. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Tigers are happy to be home. They had an incredible weekend sweep against the Marlins, and with division rivals the Kansas City Royals in town for a three-game series, they were hoping to keep climbing in the AL Central standings. For the first game of the series, Framber Valdez was up against Cole Ragans. Valdez had a rough go in his last outing and was looking for some redemption at home.
In the top of the first, Maikel Garcia reached on a fielding error by Kevin McGonigle at third. Bobby Witt Jr., who is certain to be a problem for the Tigers this series, grounded into a double play, and another out wrapped up the ending with no damage done. In the home half, Matt Vierling hit a one-out single. Isaac Collins, the Royals’ left fielder, chased down a Kevin McGonigle foul, landing in the seats and soon exiting the game entirely.
McGonigle ended up walking, but then a double play ended the inning.
Salvador Perez kicked off the second with a single. A groundout then resulted in possibly the funniest out of the season, as Framber Valdez knocked down a ball from Vinnie Pasquantino, going to the ground and struggling to get a grip on it before making the slowest toss in history to second and still managing to get the out. Pasquantino did manage to get safely to first, though. Starling Marte then singled. Jonathan India walked to load the bases. Carter Jensen grounded into a force out, eliminating India, but scoring Pasquantino, putting the Royals on the board first. The Royals would have to settle for the one run, though. In the bottom of the inning, Ragans got the Tigers out in order.
In the top of the third, Valdez finally got his feet under him a little better, getting two outs before giving up a walk to Lane Thomas. In the home half, the Tigers went down 1-2-3 again.
The fourth finally went entirely smoothly for Valdez as he got the Royals to go three-up, three-down. Matt Vierling for MVP of this game as he got on base for the second time in the game, this time with a walk. A McGonigle groundout advanced him to second. A Dingler groundout got Vierling to third. On a lengthy plate battle (and hoping to finally, finally get on base) Wenceel Perez went to a full count, before a called strikeout, which he then challenged, and good for him, because it was ruled ball four and got him a free base. The Tigers couldn’t manage to get a run across though.
The top of the fifth saw the Royals go 1-2-3 again. Hurray! In the bottom of the inning Spencer Torkelson took a leadoff walk twice. The first time the ball four call was overturned on a challenge, then he worked the count again and got on base. The effort didn’t pay off, though as a pop out and double play ended the inning.
Bobby Witt Jr. got a leadoff single in the top of the sixth. Three outs followed, including Valdez’s first strikeout of the game. The man just really loves inducing a ground ball, what can I say? Speaking of groundouts, the Tigers got two of them in the bottom of the inning, plus a lineout for a little fun.
The Royals went 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh. In the home half, it was getting on to crunch time for the Tigers, who needed to act soon if they were planning to make some kind of comeback and not lose the game by a single run. The Royals were the first to go to their bullpen, bringing in Matt Strahm. Dingler got things going with a leadoff single to the infield, beating out a slow throw by Maikel Garcia. With two outs, Torkelson drew a walk, and it was up to Javier Baez. But death by groundout continued, and the Tigers left the inning with a goose egg on the scoreboard.
Valdez’s day was done, with a final line of 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K on 87 pitches. Having a pitcher who is good at inducing groundballs is swell, but you need to have the infield defense to make it work for you. Unclear at this point if the Tigers have the necessary combo for success. Still, decidedly a better outing for Valdez overall. Will Vest came on to replace him. And you know who does strikeout batters? Will Vest. He did it three times in a row, in fact, and man, there’s just something extra enjoyable about watching fastball strikeouts after watching a pitcher who specializes in weak contact. Mmmm, fastballs. In the home hald, Nick Mears was the newest Royals pitcher to face the Tigers. Zach McKinstry got a leadoff double. Gleyber Torres hit a grounder to get McKinstry to third. Colt Keith came off the bench to pinch hit for Vierling. He hit a liner down the middle but Bobby Witt Jr. is a menace and smothered what would have been an RBI single for the second out of the inning. It’s really rude when he’s good against us. A wild pitch by Mears and heads up baserunning scored the Tigers’ first run of the game to tie things up.
McGonigle took a walk. Dingler then drove the ball right down the third base line and McGonigle went first to third on the double, giving the Tigers the lead. The Tigers wouldn’t get any more runs, but they had the lead, and the best closer in the business coming up.
Kenley Jansen came in for the ninth. Lane Thomas got a leadoff single. Thomas stole second, and while McKinstry did try a really fun jump-over-the-runner-and-tag-him-on-the-head play, it was just a little too slow. A Perez groundout advanced Thomas to third. A Pasquantino groundout put the Tigers just one out from victory, and one runner 90 feet from a tie game. Let’s all hold our breath. A flyout to Baez after getting to a full count ended the game, and Jansen managed to snag himself a save that puts him alone at third all-time saves leader with 479.
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