The FOX Forecast Center is monitoring a severe weather threat that kicks off on Wednesday and could stretch into the start of next week. FOX Weather Meteorologists Bob Van Dillen and Ari Sarsalari break down the forecast on May 14, 2025.
CHICAGO – There’s been an eerie lull in extreme weather across the U.S. recently, but it is slowly changing as the FOX Forecast Center monitors severe storms across the Plains during what is expected to be a seven-day stretch of severe weather.
The FOX Forecast Center said that confidence is continuing to grow around a more active severe weather pattern as an upper-level disturbance emerges from the West and moves into the central U.S.
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A landspout tornado was caught on video as it spun across the landscape in North Platte, Nebraska, on Wednesday, May 14.
The first round of storms on Wednesday evening caused the issuance of a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas. Several Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were also issued due to the threat of large hail and damaging winds.
A video recorded in North Platte, Nebraska, showed a landspout tornado spinning across the landscape as severe weather rolled through on Wednesday.
In addition, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center received reports of 2.5-inch hail in the same area on Wednesday.
Winds, too, were an issue. A 75-mph wind gust, which is as strong as a Category 1 hurricane, was reported near Lewellen, Nebraska.
In Colorado, an 86-mph wind gust was reported near Pleasant Valley, and a 79-mph gust was reported near Holyoke.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times‘ revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player’s flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
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Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable
Here are the clues and answers to NYT’s The Mini for Wednesday, May 14, 2025:
Across
Opposite ends of the earth
Animal with “white” and “black” varieties (really, they’re both gray)
Plant deeply
What’s coming to you
“No” vote
Down
Program for kids aged 3-5, informally
“That’s crazy, dude!”
Sign after Virgo
Sworn ___
Pop bottles, e.g.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
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Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to today’s Mini Crossword.
Bournemouth’s young center back Dean Huijsen is a player in huge demand and the latest reports state the trio of Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid are pushing hard to sign the Spaniard.
Huijsen, 20, has burst onto the scene this season following his move from Juventus to Bournemouth last summer. It took him a while to get into the Bournemouth team but he’s never looked back and now his reported $66.1 million release clause for this summer has plenty of big teams circling.
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According to a report from Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid are speaking with soon-to-be-announced manager Xabi Alonso about center back targets and Huijsen, who has recently broken into the Spanish national team, dreams of playing for Real. Another report from Relevo in Spain says that Alonso is pushing to sign Huijsen this summer as Real are clearly looking to upgrade their defensive options after injuries ravaged their aging defense this season.
But according to Sky in Germany, Premier League giants Liverpool and Arsenal are leading the race for Huijsen. The plot thickens.
How good can Huijsen become?
There are so many talented young players in the Premier League but it’s no exaggeration to say Huijsen is the best center back in Europe under the age of 21. He’s ahead of the likes of Leny Yoro and Pau Cubarsi and his rise has been meteoric.
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But if you watch Huijsen play you can understand why he’s taken to the Premier League so easy.
He’s so slick and quick on the ball, is happy playing out from the back and most importantly he loves to attack the ball and press high, both aerially and when it comes to man-marking and making challenges. He is the epitome of the modern center back.
At six-foot-four he’s also a huge threat from attacking set-pieces and he’s yet to fully fill out his frame. His potential is scary and his release clause is really low considering how high his ceiling is.
Where should Huijsen go?
It seems like Huijsen’s heart is set on a move to Real Madrid and can you blame him?
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Xabi Alonso is coming in and the likes of Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are coming towards the end of their careers and Eder Militao is coming off a huge ACL injury. There is a real opportunity for Huijsen to quickly cement himself in the Real Madrid starting lineup in a new era for the giants.
Liverpool could be his next best landing spot as Ibrahima Konate’s future is uncertain, while Jarell Quansah could be moved on this summer and the opportunity to learn and grow alongside one of the best center backs in the world in Virgil van Dijk is a real pull.
Arsenal should only be an option for Huijsen if William Saliba moves on. Which could happen as Real Madrid also want to sign the French center back. That seems unlikely to happen, for now, and Huijsen may have to wait behind Saliba and Gabriel for a while as the partnership they’ve formed is formidable and among the best in the world.
Huijsen will have plenty of great options this summer but he has to make the right decision and right now it should be a choice between Real Madrid and Liverpool. Two pretty good options.
Paraguayan Olympian Luana Alonso is returning to swimming after she stirred up more than just water during last year’s Paris Olympic Games.
Alonso, who represented Paraguay during the 2024 Paris Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, seemingly ended her retirement and vowed to return to swimming after she was allegedly booted from the Olympic Village over “inappropriate behavior.”
“Next year I’m coming back,” Alonso, 21, revealed on her Instagram story after a fan asked her if she’d swim or participate in the Olympics again. “But I don’t know if I will be back to competitive swimming.”
Paraguayan Olympian Luana Alonso said she will return to swimming after she retired in 2024. Facebook /Luana Alonso
Alonso, who went viral for a tattoo of the Olympic five rings on her hip, failed to make the semi-finals in her last two appearances at the Summer Games.
After she failed to advance out of her heat in the women’s 100m butterfly, Alonso immediately announced she was retiring from the sport and later started an OnlyFans page.
“It’s official!” Alonso wrote in the caption. “I’m retiring from swimming, thank you all so much for your support! Sorry Paraguay I just have to say thank you!”
Alonso opted to stay at the village after retiring from the sport, which was allowed, but her conduct caused controversy during her time before and during the games, according to reports.
Her alleged conduct reportedly frustrated the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, which booted her out of the village.
The controversial athlete was allegedly kicked out of the Olympic Village in 2024 and started an OnlyFans account. Facebook /Luana AlonsoAlonso denied that she was kicked out of the Olympic Village. Facebook /Luana Alonso
“Her presence is creating an inappropriate atmosphere within Team Paraguay,” Larissa Schaerer, head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, told The Sun at the time. “We thank her for proceeding as instructed, as it was of her own free will that she did not spend the night in the Athletes’ Village.
Paraguayan media outlets reported that she spent time at Disneyland instead of supporting her teammates.
She reportedly appeared on a live stream ahead of the games and said, “I want to represent the United States more” than Paraguay.
Alonso spent time at Disneyland instead of supporting her teammates, Paraguayan media outlets reported. Facebook /Luana Alonso
She also allegedly became a distraction to competitors with her “skimpy clothing and socializing with other athletes,” according to the Daily Mail.
Alonso denied that she was kicked out of the Olympic Village.
“I just wanted to make it clear that I was never removed or expelled from anywhere, stop spreading false information,” Alonso wrote in a post on her Instagram story.
“I don’t want to give any statement but I’m not going to let lies affect me either.”
Her planned return to the sport will come after she graduates from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She suited up for the university for one season before she chose not to return to the team in 2023-2024.
ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service will launch in early fall with a $29.99 per month price point, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro announced Tuesday.
The service will keep the linear network’s name — ESPN.
“We are providing everything ESPN has to offer directly to fans and all in one place,” Pitaro said. “As we thought about the name, we kept returning to the fact that, across every generation, ESPN is the most trusted, loved and recognized name in sports, and that we should keep it simple and double down on the power of ESPN.
“Our straightforward approach to name and pricing will help fans cut through the clutter, and provide them compelling options to access all our content within the enhanced ESPN App. It will be the ultimate sports destination for personalized experiences and features, and, on top of that, fans will be able to choose to bundle ESPN with the industry-leading Disney+ and Hulu streaming services,” Pitaro said.
Users can also buy an annual subscription for $299 per year, in addition to a select plan which offers all content available on ESPN+ for $11.99 per month/$119 per year. Current users, depending on their plan, will automatically become subscribers of the new service. In addition, there will be bundling options with Disney+ and Hulu, including an introductory offer of all three services for $29.99 for the first year.
The direct-to-consumer service will allow users to get all seven of ESPN’s domestic linear networks in addition to ESPN on ABC and several other streaming options. At launch, it will offer 47,000 live events a year, plus on-demand replays, studio shows and original programming.
The ESPN App will also be upgraded with a number of unique features, including enhanced betting, statistical analysis and personalized “SportsCenter,” on mobile and connected TV devices. Additional features will be rolled out at a later date, the company said in a news release.
Additional details about the service, including a specific launch date, will be announced later this summer.
Former NBA star Jameer Nelson is reportedly rising up the ranks in the Philadelphia 76ers’ front office.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Sixers promoted Nelson to assistant general manager under GM Elton Brand and team president Daryl Morey.
Nelson was a one-time All-Star over his 14-year NBA career that included stints with the Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans and Detroit Pistons. After ending his playing career in 2018, the Pennsylvania native quickly embarked on an executive career and joined the Philadelphia organization in 2020 as assistant GM of the G League affiliate Delaware Blue Coats before being promoted to the team’s GM in 2023.
Nelson’s promotion with the Sixers adds him to a group that is tasked with figuring out the best path forward for the franchise after its massively disappointing 2024-25 season. Philadelphia entered the year with championship aspirations, but injuries and inconsistencies caused the team to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17 with a 24-58 record.
The outlook isn’t completely bleak for the Sixers, as they earned the No. 3 pick in Monday’s NBA draft lottery. B/R’s Jonathan Wasserman predicted in his most recent mock draft that Philadelphia would select Baylor wing VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick, adding him to a core that is led by center Joel Embiid, point guard Tyrese Maxey and forward Paul George.
Nelson and the rest of the Sixers front office will be motivated to improve the team this offseason in hopes of returning to title contention in 2025-26.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. 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 today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
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What is Connections?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of 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 until the game ends.
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.
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NYT’s The Mini crossword answers for May 14
Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Mashable Top Stories
Yellow: To inhale
Green: They share similar beginnings
Blue: Air Bud is an example
Purple: Pronounced differently than its spelling
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Connections: How to play and how to win
Here are today’s Connections categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Absorb using capillary action
Green: Greek prefixes
Blue:Titular talking animals of film
Purple: Starting with silent letters
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 #703 is…
What is the answer to Connections today
Absorb using capillary action: DRAW, PULL, SUCK, WICK
Greek prefixes: HYPER, KILO, META, NEO
Titular talking animals of film: BABE, BOLT, DUMBO, TED
Starting with silent letters: GNOME, KNEE, MNEMONIC, PSYCHE
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
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NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 14
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.
Jameer Nelson never played for his hometown team during his 14-year NBA career, but he found a way to join them once he hung up his sneakers. Nelson was promoted into an assistant general manager role with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Nelson initially joined the organization in 2020, when he served in that same role with the team’s G League squad, the Delaware Blue Coats. He was promoted to general manager with the Blue Coats in 2023. The team went 19-15 in Nelson’s first year as general manager. The Blue Coats finished with a 14-20 record during the 2024-25 season.
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Prior to joining the 76ers as a front-office member, Nelson spent 14 seasons in the NBA. He spent 10 years with the Orlando Magic after being selected with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft. Nelson later played for the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics. He averaged 11.3 points and 5.1 assists over his career.
Nelson’s best year came during the 2008-09 NBA season. He averaged a career-high 16.7 points and added 5.4 assists, earning his first and only All-Star selection. Nelson reached the playoffs in five consecutive seasons with the Magic, but never won a championship over his career.
The 76ers are looking to bounce back next season after going a disappointing 24-58. Injuries were mostly to blame for the team’s failures. Joel Embiid played in just 19 games due to a knee issue. Both Paul George and Tyrese Maxey also missed time due to injury.
USA TODAY’s Erin Jensen caught up with Nate Bargatze on his new book “Big Dumb Eyes” and what’s next after stand up.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was working to change the world long before the 7-foot-2-inch center became one of the greatest NBA players ever, and one of the most politically outspoken.
In his 20th book, “We All Want to Change the World: My Journey Through Social Justice Movements from the 1960s to Today” ($30, out now from Crown) the prolific author and one-time Time magazine columnist looks back at America’s protests movements – from free speech and civil rights to the national protests following the murder of George Floyd.
At age 78, the NBA Hall of Famer has seen them all, often first hand.
His personal journey effectively starts in the turbulent summer of 1964 when, as a 17-year-old high school senior, he participated in a journalism program sponsored by Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited (HARYOU). When Martin Luther King, Jr. announced a Harlem press conference in June, the son of a jazz-loving transit cop threw up his hand to cover the inspirational leader.
Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. (Abdul-Jabbar changed his name in 1971 after converting to Islam) felt out of place among the professional reporters, “the serious men in serious suits.”
“I showed my press credentials to the burly men at the door and wandered in, afraid that at any minute, someone would grab me by the arm and drag me out, shouting, ‘Who’s this punk kid pretending to be a journalist?’” Abdul-Jabbar writes. “I was at least a foot taller than everybody else in that room, so I would be easy to find.”
Abdul-Jabbar posted a throwback photo of the meeting on his Instagram page for Martin Luther King Day. He has never forgotten King’s eloquent response to his standard press conference question, even though he was fully “focused on not passing out” as his smiling hero directed his answer to him.
Abdul-Jabbar cites the encounter as the start of his civil rights activism, leaving the meeting with “a renewed allegiance to Dr. King’s optimism about humanity’s innate goodness,” he writes.
That feeling did not last long. In July, he made a spontaneous decision to cover a Harlem rally protesting the shooting death of a 15-year-old African American, James Powell, by a white off-duty police officer. When the student journalist emerged from the subway, “the city was already in chaos.”
“I’d never experienced a riot before, and I was terrified,” Abdul-Jabbar writes. “I did what I did best: I ran as fast as I could away from the danger. Spurring me on was the knowledge that I was a pretty big target and that I didn’t know whether a bullet hitting me would come from a rioter or a cop.”
The Harlem riot of 1964, a part of which he witnessed, left him filled with rage and confusion over the effectiveness of King’s message.
Abdul-Jabbar has never stopped searching for answers or using his superstar status to protest injustice. As a rising star at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1967, he was personally invited by NFL Browns football star Jim Brown to participate in the Cleveland Summit. Brown gathered prominent African American voices, primarily star athletes, to discuss and ultimately support heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali’s refusal, a month earlier, to enter the Vietnam War draft.
The press conference photo shows him at the table with his personal hero, Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, Ali and Brown. Even as one of the serious men wearing a serious suit, Abdul-Jabbar, the youngest invitee, writes that he “never felt more out of my depth.”
“But I had been picked to join the team, and there was no way I would give it less than my all,” he writes.
Abdul-Jabbar has never stopped giving his best or believing in the importance of protests. For the critics, he often cites the national roots of dissent, starting with the 1773 Boston Tea Party, which is “celebrated in schoolroom textbooks as a political protest that helped establish the United States.”
The author still wonders if his work, or his new book, will make a noticeable difference in the arc of history.
“Whether it does or doesn’t isn’t the question. Rather, the question we all face is ‘Have I at least tried to make this country a better, more humane, more compassionate, freer place?'” Abdul-Jabbar writes. “I think I have.”
As US President Donald Trump prepares to return to the Middle East next week, attention is once again turning to the possibility of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Trump, who launched the original Abraham Accords, is expected to use his upcoming visit as an opportunity to expand the framework. However, the regional dynamics have changed significantly since 2020, when the original accords were signed.
Saudi Arabia has moved closer to Iran, the war in Gaza – and, by extension, Israel’s existential battle with Iran – continues, and US influence in the region is less certain. The question now is whether Saudi Arabia will take the next step, or whether that moment has passed.
The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, led to formal relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. For Trump, who has faced a dramatic first few months back in the White House, a renewed push in the Middle East could serve both diplomatic and political purposes. He is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, aiming to build on the normalization process.
At Israel’s 77th Independence Day reception at its embassy in Washington on Monday evening, Trump’s senior adviser and Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said: “Very soon, we expect to hear many announcements related to the expansion of the Abraham Accords.”
FILE PHOTO: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fist bumps U.S. President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Al Salman Palace, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. (credit: BANDAR ALGALOUD/COURTESY OF SAUDI ROYAL COURT/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
This led to whispers that Riyadh and Jerusalem could finally be ready to officially establish ties.
Despite the lack of any formal relationship, Saudi Arabia and Israel have maintained quiet cooperation for years, particularly over shared concerns about Iran. Intelligence sharing and behind-the-scenes coordination have increased, especially regarding Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. During April 2024’s Iranian missile attacks on Israel, Saudi Arabia reportedly provided the US and Israel with intelligence, and Saudi sources said the kingdom intercepted “suspicious entities” in its airspace.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to pursue normalization with Saudi Arabia, though Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas and political instability have complicated that goal.
Former US president Joe Biden’s 2022 visit to Saudi Arabia yielded little progress on normalization. The trip, widely remembered for a fist bump with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), failed to deliver results. Biden’s focus on other issues, such as human rights and energy cooperation, did not produce the strategic incentives Riyadh would require to move forward with Israel.
THE MAJOR elephant in the room is Iran. Riyadh and Tehran have been at odds for years, both pushing for supremacy in the Middle East. However, after years of frosty relations, in 2023, Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran re-established diplomatic ties in a deal brokered by China.
The agreement led to continued discussions between Saudi and Iranian officials on regional issues. The move signaled a more balanced Saudi foreign policy, one that is not tied solely to the US-Israel axis. Riyadh is increasingly focused on regional stability and economic development under its Vision 2030 strategy.
At the Independence Day event in DC, Witkoff also brought up Iran, stating, “Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.” Speaking with reporters, the envoy noted progress in nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran, with a fourth round of nuclear talks between the countries likely to occur over the weekend in Oman.
“I hope we’re moving in the right direction,” Witkoff said. “The president has stated his desire to resolve this issue diplomatically if possible, and we are working toward an agreement. Efforts are now underway to coordinate a fourth round of talks.”
What stands in the way of a formal alliance with Israel?
Any agreement would affect regional power dynamics. A formal alliance between Jerusalem and Riyadh would strengthen opposition to Iran but also risk renewed tensions with the Islamic Republic.
Since the October 7 attacks, Israel and Iran have come closer to all-out war than ever before, and with Trump back in the White House, Netanyahu would feel confident in having US support over taking Tehran to task for years of attacks on Israel through its proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah, and now the Houthis of Yemen.
Saudi Arabia maintains – and has always maintained – that any normalization with Israel must involve progress on the Palestinian issue. Officials have reiterated support for a two-state solution and opposed any forced displacement from Gaza or the West Bank.
This position clashes with the makeup of Israel’s current government, which includes ministers who oppose a Palestinian state and favor settlement expansion. However, Saudi Arabia may accept limited concessions, such as a freeze on settlements or increased support for the Palestinian Authority, in exchange for US security guarantees and civilian nuclear cooperation.
THE US, protectors of the Al-Saud ruling family since the first meeting by Ibn Al Saud and then-US president Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945, could help sweeten any deal for the Saudis.
The kingdom’s news agency, SPA, reported on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia’s cabinet announced that the country is set to discuss and sign a deal with the US in the fields of mining and mineral resources.
MBS has been determined since his rise in power to bring Saudi Arabia into the 21st century, attempting to modernize the country at the risk of alienating the religious fundamentalist factions in the country. At times, in the diplomatic field, it has seemed that his patience with the Palestinians has worn thin and that their refusal to agree to any form of a peace deal is to their own detriment.
It seems, however, that – with the war in Gaza playing a role – the crown prince has returned to his previous stance of supporting the Palestinians in the past few years.
For Israel, a deal with Saudi Arabia, the guardian of the holiest sites in the Muslim world, would represent a major diplomatic success at a time of growing international criticism due to the war against Hamas. Netanyahu has shown a willingness in the past to delay controversial policies to enable normalization with Arab states.
Domestic support for such a deal would be huge; many Israelis welcome peace with Arab neighbors as a step forward. However, Netanyahu’s popularity has plummeted since October 7 beyond his usual demographic and may be limited amid the ongoing war in Gaza and broader concerns over security.
While normalization remains possible and an intriguing addition to the region’s geopolitics, it will depend on a number of moving parts: Israel’s internal politics, Saudi Arabia’s regional calculations, Iran’s actions, and the effectiveness of US diplomacy. Any major progress will require careful negotiations and realistic compromises from all parties.
If Witkoff’s statement about the “expansion” of the accords is true, it could reshape the Middle East for years to come.
