• 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee winner crowned after lightning-round tiebreaker
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    2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee winner crowned after lightning-round tiebreaker

    May 29, 2026 - By 

    Shrey Parikh of California won the Scripps National Spelling Bee, beating Ishaan Gupta in a spell-off. WASHINGTON — Shrey Parikh felt the pressure of arriving at the Scripps National Spelling Bee as a favorite, but his confidence showed every time he got a word he knew. When the bee came down to a lightning-round tiebreaker against Ishaan Gupta, Shrey left no doubt. Shrey turned a tense, high-quality final into a blowout Thursday night, racing through the 90-second “spell-off” and getting 32 words right to be crowned the best young speller in the English language. Ishaan spelled 25 words correctly in…

  • Musical acts back out of Trump's National Mall concert: 'Never told about political involvement'
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    Musical acts back out of Trump’s National Mall concert: ‘Never told about political involvement’

    May 29, 2026 - By 

    Young MC, Morris Day and Milli Vanilli are among the scheduled acts who have said they will not be appearing. WASHINGTON — A day after the President Donald Trump-affiliated Freedom 250 announced the “first wave” of performers for “The Great American State Fair” shows on Washington’s National Mall in June and July, Young MC and Morris Day are among the scheduled acts who have said they will not be appearing. Day and Young MC issued statements on social media disputing Freedom 250’s announcement on Wednesday. Scheduled performers also include “Milli Vanilli,” the pop duo from the 1980s who were discredited…

  • 9 spellers advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals. Here's where they're from.
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    9 spellers advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals. Here’s where they’re from.

    May 28, 2026 - By 

    The Scripps National Spelling Bee started with 247 spellers. After nine rounds, only a few remain. WASHINGTON — The 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee started on Tuesday with 247 spellers. After the semifinals on Wednesday, only nine spellers remained. The spellers in this year’s bee represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories and five other countries: The Bahamas, Canada, Ghana, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates. Finals will be broadcast on Thursday on ION from 8 to 10 p.m. The finals will also air or be streamed on these Scripps-owned channels or services: ION Plus, Bounce,…

  • How much does the winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee get? The answer may surprise you
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    How much does the winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee get? The answer may surprise you

    May 28, 2026 - By 

    In addition to a cash prize, the winner will also receive a trophy, a medal and several other prizes. WASHINGTON — The winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee walks away with far more than just a trophy and some bragging rights. The academic competition that started Tuesday, May 26 and runs through Thursday, May 29, brings together top spellers from across the United States and several other countries. This year’s bee features 247 competitors representing all 50 states, Washington, D.C., U.S. territories and several countries abroad. The finals are being held at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., after the…

  • Seattle middle school student falls in quarterfinals of national spelling bee
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    Seattle middle school student falls in quarterfinals of national spelling bee

    May 27, 2026 - By 

    Raven Amrhein is the only student from Washington participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and one of only 75 competitors to make the quarterfinals. SEATTLE — A Seattle middle school student made it to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Raven Amrhein, a student at Hamilton International Middle School, was Washington state’s sole participant in this year’s competition. During preliminaries on Tuesday, the seventh grader correctly spelled the word “ailette,” a plate of forged iron or steel worn over a coat of mail to protect the shoulder, and accurately defined the meaning of…

  • U.S. men's national team releases official 2026 World Cup roster
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    U.S. men’s national team releases official 2026 World Cup roster

    May 27, 2026 - By 

    The roster announcement came less than three weeks before the tournament opens across the United States, Canada and Mexico. UNITED STATES, — As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup enters its final weeks, the United States men’s national soccer team unveiled the 26 players who will represent the country for the sport’s biggest tournament. The roster looks familiar, as all 26 names were on the leaked roster that was published last Saturday. This story continues below. U.S. Soccer head coach Mauricio Pochettino officially revealed the roster during a nationally televised event in New York. The…

  • Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, who the notable spellers are, rules and prizes
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    Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, who the notable spellers are, rules and prizes

    May 26, 2026 - By 

    This year’s champion will be the 111th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019. WASHINGTON — The best young spellers in the English language are competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee this week, continuing a more than century-old tradition. The three-day competition begins Tuesday and concludes Thursday night. The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. After a long run at a convention center in suburban Maryland, the bee returns to the nation’s capital…

  • National Park Service waives entrance fees for Memorial Day
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    National Park Service waives entrance fees for Memorial Day

    May 24, 2026 - By 

    The fee-free entrance day is one of eight that the National Park Service has planned this year. WASHINGTON — The National Park Service is waiving entrance fees Monday to commemorate Memorial Day. Parks across the U.S. are hosting services and ceremonies to honor and remember U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. A list of those events is available on the National Park Service website. In addition to managing natural recreation sites, the National Park Service also preserves dozens of historical sites, such as battlefields, and includes monuments and memorials. Additionally, the agency oversees 14 national cemeteries that serve…