Its All About Viral News Around The World !: February 2021

Sunday, 28 February 2021

On TV, a Rare Realistic Look at Breastfeeding

By Tiffany Hsu from NYT Business https://ift.tt/2NNV0l1

On ‘S.N.L.,’ Dr. Fauci Hosts ‘So You Think You Can Get the Vaccine’

By Dave Itzkoff from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/3qY3rsi

Lawyer Seeks Criminal Investigation of T.I. and Tiny on Behalf of Multiple Women

By Melena Ryzik and Joe Coscarelli from NYT Arts https://ift.tt/3dRnYLu

Hyunjin: K-pop star suspended for school bullying sparks debate

The singer of South Korean boy band Stray Kids is accused of being verbally abusive while in middle school.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3sFmh7R

New on Sports Illustrated: Southampton-Everton Preview

Carlo Ancelotti has urged his Everton players to remain focused and put an end to their disappointing home form when injury-plagued Southampton visit Goodison Park on Monday.

Everton have lost three successive Premier League games on home soil - to Newcastle United, Fulham and Manchester City - and have gone five without a victory there.

The Toffees still find themselves in top-four contention thanks to their impressive away form, most recently beating Merseyside rivals Liverpool 2-0 last weekend, but Ancelotti accepts that a big improvement is required at Goodison.

"In away games we are more focused defensively," said Ancelotti, who has never lost four consecutive home league games in his managerial career.

"At home, maybe we are thinking that the games are easier and we are not able to keep the concentration that we had away.

"When you are able to open the scoring it is important, not only for us. Of course starting fast [against Southampton] will be really important - but as I said we have to be more focused when we are at home."

Southampton picked up a famous victory of their own against reigning champions Liverpool on January 4, but since then they have taken one point from a possible 24.

The Saints' injury issues deepened on Friday as it was confirmed Oriol Romeu will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury, the midfielder joining Kyle Walker-Peters, Ibrahima Diallo, Theo Walcott, Michael Obafemi, Will Smallbone and Takumi Minamino on the sidelines.

Boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, whose side went down 3-0 to Leeds United in midweek, said: "We have struggled more since Tuesday with injuries than getting over the result and now we must try to find a group for Monday.

"Oriol, that hurts massively. I just don't know who plays on the six at the weekend. It is up to the young players to play and stepping in as a young player is not the best right now.

"The situation we are in, we need to look at every option because there are not a lot."

KEY PLAYERS

Everton - Gylfi Sigurdsson

Sigurdsson scored from the penalty spot at Anfield last weekend and has now been involved in six Premier League goals in 23 appearances this term - four goals and two assists - which is one more than in 35 matches last season.

The Iceland international will be looking to build on that tally against Southampton, whom he has scored six times against in the top flight - only Chelsea, with six goals, has he netted against more often.

Southampton - Alexandre Jankewitz

Romeu's absence could pave the way for Jankewitz to feature for the first time since being red carded two minutes into his Premier League debut against Manchester United - a game Southampton went on to lose by a record-equalling 9-0 margin.

The Switzerland Under-21s international will need to keep his head on what could be a tough afternoon for the visitors' threadbare squad.

KEY OPTA FACTS

- Everton are unbeaten in their last 15 home Premier League games against Southampton (W10 D5) since losing 2-0 under Howard Kendall in the 1997-98 campaign.

- Among Premier League fixtures played at least 25 times, only Everton v Leeds United (11.5 per cent) has a lower away win percentage than Everton v Southampton (11.6 per cent), with the away side winning just five of the 43 meetings between the sides in the competition.

- Following their 2-0 victory against Everton back in October, Southampton are looking to secure their first league double over the Toffees since 1997-98.

- Southampton have won their last two Premier League Monday games, winning 2-1 at Brighton and 1-0 against Liverpool this season. They last won three consecutive top-flight Monday games in April 1992, with the second game in that run being a 1-0 victory against Liverpool.

- No side has scored more headed goals in the Premier League than Everton this season (10), with Dominic Calvert-Lewin netting more with his head than any other player this term (5).

Golden Globe Awards 2021: Virtual ceremony gets under way

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are hosting the year's first major film and TV awards ceremony.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3dUxPQF

Why this teen set up a prize-winning fake cosmetics shop

Polish teenager Krystyna Paszko's idea won an EU prize - she tells the BBC the story behind it.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3rakXtG

Cape Town: Pictures of how Muslim worship helps quell South African ganglands

A team of Islamic scholars in South Africa is on a mission to some dangerous and drug-infested areas.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3bOJ9el

Coronavirus: The misleading claims about an Indian remedy

A traditional herbal remedy said to "cure" Covid has resurfaced, but there's no evidence it works.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3b00OAL

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Slow-starting Panthers host Hurricanes

The Florida Panthers have gone four straight games without scoring a first-period goal.

They have fallen behind in each of those contests.

Further, the Panthers have trailed by at least two goals in three straight games, and they have gone scoreless in the first and second periods during those three contests.

Given those slow-starting issues, the Panthers -- who host the Carolina Hurricanes again on Monday night -- have to feel fortunate to go 2-1-1 over the past four games.

On Saturday night, the Panthers fell behind the Hurricanes 2-0 but rallied to earn a point, losing 4-3 in a shootout. Panthers winger Patric Hornqvist, for one, would like to see more consistency from his team.

"It was easy to play hockey in the third period -- everyone was skating, and everyone was talking," said Hornqvist, who leads the Panthers in goals (nine) and power-play tallies (five). "We have to start like that on Monday."

The Panthers will apparently do so without winger Brett Connolly, who played 7:57 on Saturday and had 19 goals and 14 assists last season. Connolly, according to Florida Hockey Now, has been placed on waivers with two-plus years left on his four-season contract.

Meanwhile, the visiting Hurricanes have a special weapon, and it's the shootout. They have the best shootout record in the NHL this season at 4-0. In fact, they have won their last nine shootouts over the past two seasons.

In contrast, the Hurricanes were 8-11 in shootouts in the three years prior to this run.

"We have upped the talent level around here," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said by way of explanation. "We have a lot more good options on shooters."

Indeed, the Hurricanes won Saturday's shootout in the fifth round with a goal by Martin Necas. Vincent Trocheck and Dougie Hamilton had Carolina's other shootout goals.

Trocheck, who also scored in regulation on Saturday, spent parts of seven seasons with the Panthers. Florida showed a video tribute to Trocheck on the scoreboard during Saturday's game.

Moments later, Trocheck scored. That wasn't ideal timing for the Panthers, but it was surely satisfying for the 27-year-old Trocheck.

"It was a good feeling," Trocheck confirmed. "I played here a long time and have good memories. To get a win against them is really special."

Trocheck, who leads the Hurricanes with 10 goals, was an All-Star with the Panthers in 2016-17. He scored 23 goals that season and followed with a career-high 31 the next season, and he is currently experiencing a rebirth of his scoring touch.

But Trocheck wasn't the only former Panthers player who tortured the Florida side on Saturday. Goalie James Reimer made 28 saves through regulation and overtime, and then he made three more stops in the shootout to earn the victory.

Reimer, who is 9-3-0 with a 2.97 goals-against average this season, could earn the start once again on Monday.

For the Panthers, there has been no announcement yet on whether it will be Sergei Bobrovsky, who was in the net on Saturday, or Chris Driedger.

Those two have split the starts this season, and the plan is working so far for the Panthers. Bobrovsky is 6-2-2 with a 3.02 GAA. Driedger is 7-2-1 with a 2.18 GAA.

Bobrovsky seemed pleased with Saturday's effort in which he had 30 saves through regulation and overtime.

"It was a really solid game and a big point for us," Bobrovsky said. "For me personally, I just have to be better in shootouts."

Indeed, the Panthers are 1-2 in shootouts this season. Bobrovsky is 1-1. Driedger is 0-1.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Holden scores 27 to carry UT Martin past E. Illinois 73-68

CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) Cameron Holden had a season-high 27 points as UT Martin narrowly defeated Eastern Illinois 73-68 on Saturday.

Holden shot 11 for 12 from the line. He added eight rebounds.

Hannes Polla had 13 points for UT Martin (8-16, 6-14 Ohio Valley Conference), which ended its five-game losing streak. Eman Sertovic added 11 points. Jaron Williams had 10 points.

Jordan Skipper-Brown had 18 points and nine rebounds for the Panthers (9-18, 6-14). Marvin Johnson added 17 points. He also had seven turnovers but only six assists. Sammy Friday IV had seven rebounds.

The Skyhawks improve to 2-0 against the Panthers this season. UT Martin defeated Eastern Illinois 51-41 on Jan. 28.

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For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25

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This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Sir Kazuo Ishiguro warns of young authors self-censoring out of 'fear'

Writers may be self-censoring because they don't want to be "cancelled", author Kazuo Ishiguro says.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37Y55CL

Yemen: The nine-year-old war-zone school teacher

Ahmed, blind since birth, stands in for teachers who don't make it in to their ruined school in Yemen.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37VwZQ2

The midwives braving armed gangs in Colombia

A group of Afro-Colombian women use their skills to help women give birth in areas run by gangs.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37UPMLh

Afghanistan: A year of violence on the road to peace

On the anniversary of the US-Taliban deal, Afghanistan finds itself in a precarious state.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ObK0O3

Saturday, 27 February 2021

New York Governor Cuomo faces fresh claims of sexual harassment

New York's governor denies wrongdoing and orders an external inquiry after claims by a second ex-aide.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ZYokYA

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 17 Kansas Hands No. 2 Baylor First Loss of Season

Kansas out-rebounded Baylor, 48 to 28, and held the Bears to just 23.1% shooting on 3-point attempts.

And then there was one.

On the final weekend before the start of March, No. 2 Baylor suffered its first loss of the season in a 71-58 defeat at No. 17 Kansas, leaving top-ranked Gonzaga as the last remaining undefeated team.

The game was back-and-forth for much of the first half, with Kansas entering the break holding a 33-30 lead. The Jayhawks opened the second half on a 10-3 run, and Baylor never got within three points from that point forward.

The usually lethal 3-point attack from the Bears was held in check, as Baylor shot 6-for-26 from deep. Kansas was extremely efficient from the field, shooting 25-for-49 from the field. Kansas allowed Baylor to remain in the game thanks to 14 turnovers, while Baylor committed just three.

Kansas also dominated on the boards, out-rebounding Baylor 48 to 28.

Junior forward David McCormack led the way for the Jayhawks, with 20 points and three blocks. Senior guard Marcus Garrett had 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists with no turnovers. Freshman forward Jalen Wilson scored seven points with a team-high 14 rebounds.

Baylor's three leading scorers—guards Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell and Macio Teague—all struggled, shooting a combined 14-for-44 from the field and 5-for-20 on 3-point attempts. As a team, the Bears shot 6-for-16 from the free throw line.

The road doesn't get easier for Baylor, who will play next on Tuesday at No. 10 West Virginia. Kansas' final regular season game is slated for Thursday at home in a non-conference matchup against UTEP.

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Cryptocurrencies: Why Nigeria is a global leader in Bitcoin trade

A devaluing currency and hard economic conditions make cryptocurrencies attractive despite the risks.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3uCAXXi

Has China lifted 100 million people out of poverty?

President Xi says China has achieved his poverty reduction pledge - but has it?

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3bN2FIo

Covid: How this Indian firm is vaccinating the world

The Serum Institute of India isn't a household name, but it's the world's largest vaccine maker.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3bJBDBI

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Rangers look for repeat performance vs. Bruins

The New York Rangers discovered an easy answer to the question of how the noise from 1,800 fans may resemble the sound from the normal capacity of 18,006 -- score six goals in a decisive victory.

Coming off their biggest offensive showing of the season, the Rangers attempt to impress their fans again Sunday afternoon when they host the suddenly slumping Boston Bruins.

New York opened the two-game series with an impressive 6-2 victory on Friday, highlighted by three goals in the second period. Ryan Strome, Colin Blackwell and Chris Kreider scored in the period on a night when the Rangers welcomed fans to Madison Square Garden for the first time since a 6-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils on March 7.

Strome had a three-point night and has 12 points in his past 12 games while the Rangers got two assists apiece from defensemen Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren. Kreider followed up his hat trick on Wednesday with a goal and an assist. His nine goals lead the Rangers, who for now are playing home games at 10 percent capacity.

"I'm standing there during the national anthem, I had some goosebumps and some energy that (I) haven't had in a long time," Strome said. "It's been a sort of challenging time in the world for everybody, and I think for 2,000 people to have a night out and for us to put on a good performance was a good thing for New York."

The Rangers won a game by more than two goals for the third time this season and improved to 3-1 in their past four games since a four-game skid Feb. 8-16.

"You knew there were going to be fans in the building, but I don't think any of us expected the impact they would make," Rangers coach David Quinn said. "They were incredibly loud and passionate. You hear the number of people that might be in here, think 'That'll be nice but won't have that much of an impact.' They had an impact tonight."

New York also posted one of its most decisive victories without Artemi Panarin, who missed his second game due to personal reasons.

The Bruins posted two one-goal victories in their first two visits to the Rangers two weeks ago and those games were part of a five-game winning streak and a 9-0-1 run that saw Boston win six one-goal games.

Since their 1-0 win on Feb. 12, the Bruins have lost four of five (1-4-0) and were outscored 23-15. After allowing five goals in the third period Thursday in a 7-2 road loss to the New York Islanders, the Bruins were outplayed Friday, creating another distressing performance for coach Bruce Cassidy and his players.

"This doesn't happen here and it can't go on any further than this," Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo said after the Bruins allowed their fourth-highest shot total of the season. "There's been times in my first couple years where we've had games like that but we've always bounced back. This is definitely unacceptable and we've got to look in the mirror and move forward."

Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand scored Boston's goals Friday while David Pastrnak set up both, but the Bruins did little to support goaltender Tuukka Rask, who allowed the second-most goals of his career.

"Hockey is about making sure we stay together as a team when things are up or when things are down," Bergeron said. "It's about figuring out as fast as you can things you can get better at and right now it's obviously our 5-on-5 play defensively and giving up easy plays."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Covid vaccine: Germany urged to back AstraZeneca jab for over-65s

A senior German immunologist tells the BBC that his country should reverse its decision on the jab.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3uEkGBm

Golden Globe Awards 2021: Stars prepare for virtual ceremony

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler return to host the year's first major film and TV awards ceremony on Sunday.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3dRHuHA

The Florida coffee shop where Trump is king

A look inside a "liberal-free zone" and meeting spot for people on the political right.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2O5sZFx

Maids in Lebanon: 'My employer treats me like a slave'

Lucy's dream of working in the Middle East turned into a nightmare of abuse. She's not the only one.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2Pk9vgX

El Salvador polls: More power for President Nayib Bukele?

While the election is for the legislative assembly, it is seen as a key test for President Bukele.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37TmJYy

New on Sports Illustrated: Mayor of New Orleans Recruits Russell Wilson and Ciara to the Saints.

Wilson has listed the Saints as one of four teams he'd consider being traded to.

Nobody can ever say that the mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, isn't a woman of the people.

Despite the fact that

Seahawks quarterback hasn't officially requested a trade, Cantrell posted a video on Twitter not only recruiting Wilson to the Saints but also his wife, pop singer Ciara.

With Ciara's song "Level Up" playing in the background, Cantrell made her case for why Wilson should make his way to the Big Easy.

"I've heard the rumors now, and I want to make sure that you understand that the city of New Orleans is a place for you and your beautiful family," Cantrell said. "I know, Mr. Wilson, that you will be a great addition to the New Orleans Saints, and more importantly, I can see us in that number winning that Super Bowl championship once again."

Cantrell also said she could see Ciara on the main stage of the annual Essence Festival that is held in New Orleans and celebrates Black women.

After rumors of Wilson demanding a trade from the Seahawks began to swirl earlier this week, Wilson's agent Mark Rogers told ESPN that Wilson informed the team he wants to remain in Seattle. However, if the team did entertain trading him, he'd only consider the Saints, Cowboys, Raiders and Bears

Saints quarterback Drew Brees is still on the roster.

Friday, 26 February 2021

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Haiti prison escape: Hundreds of inmates flee from Croix-des-Bouquets jail

The prison's director is among 25 people killed in the mass escape near the capital, Port-au-Prince.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3dWVIat

Monsters, mania and the unstoppable march of Pokémon

Several waves of Pokémania have swept the globe, keeping this lucrative franchise relevant for 25 years.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3bHdRGh

Mayday: How the White Helmets and James Le Mesurier got pulled into a deadly battle for truth

James Le Mesurier fell to his death in Istanbul in 2019 with a sense that Syrian and Russian disinformation had destroyed his reputation.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37RG0cR

The Dissident: Jamal Khashoggi documentary points finger at Saudi Arabia's crown prince

The Dissident explores what happened to the Saudi journalist and who might have ordered his murder.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3ktCFpf

Mourning the sisters killed as they taught handicrafts

Ayesha and Irshad were breadwinners in a former Pakistani tribal area where militancy is rising again.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3bYh9W3

New on Sports Illustrated: Wolverhampton-Newcastle United Preview

Steve Bruce knows Newcastle United are reaching crunch time in their bid to beat the drop, starting against Wolves on Saturday.

Newcastle have seen the gap to the bottom three cut to just three points heading into this weekend, with Fulham, one place below the Magpies in 18th, finding form.

Bruce's side have lost at Chelsea and Manchester United since a run of two wins in three appeared to get their season back on track. But with a more favourable stretch coming up, including Wolves' trip to St James' Park, the pressure is on to pull clear.

"It'd be nice to win, but with 13 games to go, there's a lot (of time left)," Bruce said of Saturday's game. "The tickly bit is upon us, the daffodils are coming up, so that usually is the first sign. We've got some big games coming up and, as I say, the accumulation of points (is key). But it would be great on Saturday night to come away sitting on 28 points, rather than 25. That's got to be the aim."

Ten points from a possible 12 looks to have lifted Wolves to safety and they have been further boosted by Raul Jimenez's return to light training following his skull fracture last year.

Nuno is "totally confident" the talismanic striker will play again this season.

"We have to be very aware of the circumstances and avoid any kind of contact," the manager said. "He has been able to participate in the initial part of training sessions. Just being with his team-mates is a big help for him and us. We are following the protocols. There's no rush but we are delighted that Raul is getting better and better day by day, so it is fantastic for us."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Newcastle United – Martin Dubravka

It looks like the time has come for Newcastle number one Dubravka, injured at the start of the season, to replace Karl Darlow in goal. He will hope to end a run that has seen the Magpies concede exactly twice in each of their past four home league games. They last shipped two or more in five in a row in the league at St James' Park in September 1991, then playing in the second tier.

Wolves – Leander Dendoncker

Against such a porous defence, and despite Dubravka's expected return, Dendoncker will hope this is finally his day. He has had more shots without scoring than any other player in the Premier League this season, his 26 attempts failing to find the net. Still without Raul Jimenez, a scoring run from midfield would provide a real boost.

KEY OPTA FACTS

- Since a 4-1 victory in April 2011, Newcastle are winless in their past four home league games against Wolves (D2 L2).

- Of all the Premier League fixtures to have been played at least 10 times, Newcastle v Wolves has seen the highest percentage of games finish in a draw (73 per cent - eight of 11). Each of the past four league meetings between the sides have finished 1-1.

- Both teams have scored in all 11 Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Wolves, making it the most played fixture in the competition in which neither side has kept a clean sheet.

- Newcastle have had a player sent off in each of their past three home league games against Wolves: Vurnon Anita in September 2016, DeAndre Yedlin in December 2018 and Sean Longstaff in October 2019.

- Newcastle have lost eight of their last 10 Premier League games, winning the other two. Indeed, the Magpies have lost more league games in 2021 than any other Premier League side (eight).

New on Sports Illustrated: Brighton & Hove Albion-West Brom Preview

Sam Allardyce is aiming to expose Brighton and Hove Albion's weak points in order to keep West Brom's slim Premier League survival hopes alive.

It was a familiar story for Brighton last time out as they outshot rivals Crystal Palace 25-3 yet lost 2-1 to a last-gasp strike from Christian Benteke.

Brighton's failure to stick away more of their chances has cost them on countless occasions this season and they enter Saturday's clash just four points above the relegation zone.

West Brom are 11 points from safety, meanwhile, but Allardyce is hoping to close that gap with victory at The Hawthorns this weekend.

"The only reason Brighton are not in the top eight is because they haven't got a goalscorer," Allardyce said. "They create more chances for where they are in the league than any of us in that bottom 10. People were saying how did Crystal Palace win with just two shots on target, but it showed some of Brighton's frailties, what you could do on counter-attacking to a very attacking side.

"The failure to win that game for Brighton must have been very disappointing, particularly on that performance, but what it shows us where those weaknesses may be."

Brighton have defeated Liverpool and Tottenham in recent weeks, but a failure to beat Burnley, Aston Villa and Palace in their last three games has left them in the relegation mix.

"We are where we are in the table, we know the situation," head coach Graham Potter said. "We've got 13 matches to play which gives us 39 points to play for. We've been in a relegation battle for months - that's the narrative of the Premier League when you're there in the table, that's what you can't get away from.

"We know the situation we're in, we know we haven't got the points we need. We need more and that's what we're going to try and get."

KEY PLAYERS

West Brom - Matheus Pereira

Allardyce's side squandered some good opportunities in last week's stalemate with Burnley, the best of which fell to Pereira.

The 24-year-old has a credible five goals and three assists in his first Premier League campaign to date, but he has not been directly involved in a goal in his last four games.

Brighton - Neal Maupay

After scoring four goals in his first four Premier League appearances this season, Maupay has since netted just three times in his subsequent 19 top-flight outings.

That includes another blank in last week's loss to Palace, though 71 per cent of the striker's league goals in 2020-21 have come away from home (5/7).

KEY OPTA FACTS

- West Brom have never lost in 10 previous home league meetings with Brighton (W6 D4) - the most times they have faced an opponent at home in the Football League without ever suffering defeat.

- Allardyce's side are winless in their last seven Premier League games (D3 L4), and also their last seven Premier League home games (D2 L5). The Baggies have conceded a league-high 55 Premier League goals so far this season.

- All four of Brighton's games against teams starting the day in the relegation zone this season have ended in a draw, with three of those finishing goalless.

- Brighton's first eight away league games this season saw 24 goals scored, at an average of three per game (F11 A13). The Seagulls' last four on the road have seen just five goals scored, just over one per game (F3 A2).

- Against no side has West Brom manager Sam Allardyce faced more often without losing in English league football than he has Brighton (9 - W6 D3). The Seagulls are also one of just two sides Allardyce has beaten in each of the top four tiers of English football, along with Cardiff City.

New on Sports Illustrated: West Ham United-Manchester City Preview

David Moyes believes Pep Guardiola is the only candidate to be named the manager of the season after guiding Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League.

City, on a 19-match winning run in all competitions, host Moyes' high-flying West Ham on Saturday in the first game of the Premier League weekend.

Guardiola has built another outstanding City side, but Moyes might also be considered among the league's best bosses as West Ham sit fourth.

"There is only one candidate and that is Pep," Moyes said. "This is the best chance Manchester City have had of winning the Champions League and everybody is sure Man City are going to win the league. They are in one cup final and in with a chance of another. You would have to be football-stupid not to recognise their quality."

Guardiola raised eyebrows in midweek when he acknowledged this quality was due to vast expenditure.

Speaking ahead of the West Ham game, the City manager insisted he was not being sarcastic, even if there is more to the team's success.

"We have this (spending) history behind us," Guardiola said. "It will always be with us. Not just one journalist, many. 'The only reason why we win is the money.' We accept that. Other clubs have a higher budget than us but we have to live with this.

"We have an incredibly strong organisation, backroom staff, work ethic in all departments is incredible - as it was at Barcelona and Bayern. It is not just me talking about myself. All the departments in the club are a machine. The last four seasons, we've won a lot of titles, you have to have top players. It is impossible to do it and sustain it.

"Top players cost, but when people say the only reason why you win is money, you accept and try to do better. It comes for us."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City – Raheem Sterling

Sterling has been in involved in 14 goals (eight goals, six assists) against West Ham in the Premier League, the most he has against any opponent in the competition. But home goals are relatively rare for the forward now. He scored 34 of his 48 City league goals at the Etihad Stadium over his first four seasons with the club yet just nine of 29 at home since then.

West Ham – Jesse Lingard

Manchester United loanee Lingard has been in outstanding form for West Ham, already scoring three times in four league appearances - as many as in his past 36 games for the Old Trafford outfit. But he has never scored or assisted a goal against City in the league, failing to do so in nine meetings, his worst such record.

KEY OPTA FACTS

- City are unbeaten in their past 10 Premier League meetings with West Ham (W8 D2) since a 2-1 home loss in September 2015.

- Since losing 5-2 against Leicester City in September, City have conceded just three goals in 15 home games in all competitions (W13 D2). They have won their past six Premier League home games without conceding, with Chelsea the last team to have a longer such run in the competition (nine between April 2010 and November 2010).

- Only City (33) have won more Premier League points so far in 2021 than West Ham (22). The Hammers have won seven of their nine league games in this calendar year; they did not reach their seventh win until their 23rd match in 2020.

- West Ham have won just two of their 23 Premier League away games against the league leaders (D3 L18), although both of those victories came in Manchester (against United in May 2007 and City in September 2015).

- City are looking to record the sixth run of 14 consecutive victories in the history of England's top flight. This had happened just once across the first 118 seasons of top-flight football (by Arsenal in 2002), with the past four such runs occurring over the past four campaigns (twice Liverpool, twice City).

New on Sports Illustrated: Aston Villa-Leeds United Preview

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa insists he would rather be playing a full-strength Aston Villa than one devoid of their key attacking talent in Jack Grealish.

England international Grealish, who has six goals and 10 assists in 22 Premier League appearances this term, has been ruled out of Saturday's clash with a leg injury.

Villa struggled in the midfielder's absence last week as they suffered a 2-1 loss to Leicester City, but Bielsa wanted to see Grealish back involved at Elland Road this weekend.

"I always prefer that opponents have their best players available because even if that fortifies a team and makes them more scary to face, it's also a stimulus for us to face such players and to try to neutralise them," Bielsa said.

Bielsa has injury concerns of his own as Rodrigo and Kalvin Phillips have been ruled out, while Mateusz Klich is a big doubt and Robin Koch is also not expected to play any part.

Leeds returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Southampton in midweek to move into the top half and within a point of Villa, albeit having played two games more, and Villans boss Dean Smith admires what Bielsa has achieved.

"Leeds have hit the ground running and found that it's a real tough league and you can be inconsistent," Smith said. "They've done fantastically well and there are similarities between how both teams play. They're a team that I love to watch play. They've come into the Premier League and lit it up in terms of how they've played.

"I have an awful lot of respect for the work that Marcelo has done. I'm not sure another manager could have gone into a club like Leeds and made the impact that he's had on them."

KEY PLAYERS

Leeds United - Raphinha

Brazilian attacker Raphinha has enjoyed an impressive first campaign in English football since arriving from Rennes and was the star of the show in the win over Southampton.

He has now been directly involved in six goals in his last seven Premier League outings and will possibly hold the key to unlocking Villa's tight defensive unit.

Aston Villa - Ollie Watkins

Ten goals in 23 Premier League appearances is a good return for Watkins, but he has gone back-to-back matches without netting and does not tend to fare well against Leeds.

Indeed, the striker has faced Leeds more often than any other opponent without scoring in his English league career, drawing a blank in all seven appearances against them.

KEY OPTA FACTS

- Leeds are looking to complete their first league double over Villa since the 1975-76 campaign, following their 3-0 win at Villa Park earlier this season.

- Villa have won just two of their last 17 away league games against Leeds (D9 L6), with those victories coming in January and December 2000.

- Leeds have lost five of their eight Premier League games played on Saturdays this season (W2 D1), while Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last six Saturday league games (W5 D1), keeping a clean sheet each time.

- All three of Villa's Premier League games against promoted sides this season have finished 3-0, with the Villans beating Fulham and West Brom and losing to Leeds. Smith's side are looking to win away against all three promoted teams in a single Premier League season for the first time.

- Leeds striker Patrick Bamford has scored five goals in his three starts in all competitions against Villa, including the first Premier League hat-trick of his career in the reverse fixture earlier this season.

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

John F Kennedy: When the US president met Africa's independence heroes

A photo archive reveals John F Kennedy's efforts to court African leaders in the post-colonial era.

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Week in pictures: 20-26 February 2021

A selection of striking images taken around the world this week.

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Bitcoin energy use 'bigger than most countries'

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Ros Atkins on... Is Facebook too powerful?

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Thursday, 25 February 2021

New on Sports Illustrated: Jules scores 14 to lift Radford past Mount Aloysius 74-51

RADFORD, Va. (AP) Shaquan Jules came off the bench to score 14 points to lead Radford to a 74-51 win over Division III member Mount Aloysius on Wednesday night.

It was the first of an eight-game season for Mount Aloysius, three of which are exhibitions.

Bryan Hart had 13 points for Radford (14-11), which ended its four-game losing streak. Dravon Mangum and Chyree Walker added 12 points apiece.

Carlos Palacio had 13 points for the Mounties. Wesley Ayers added 12 points and Azim Hutson had 11.

---

For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25

---

This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com

New on Sports Illustrated: Calhoun leads No. 11 Seminoles over Miami

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) Florida State continues to build its case for a high NCAA Tournament seed.

Sardaar Calhoun scored a career-high 16 points and the No. 11 Seminoles coasted to an 88-71 win over Miami on Wednesday night.

The Seminoles (14-3, 10-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) were never threatened after a 19-2 run early in the first half. Anthony Polite hit consecutive 3-pointers and Scottie Barnes' jumper with 10:32 remaining capped the surge and increased Florida State's lead to 27-8.

RaiQuan Gray had 12 points and 13 rebounds for the conference leading Seminoles, who have won nine of their last 10. Polite finished with 12 points and Balsa Koprivica was Florida State's fourth double figure scorer with 13 points.

''Our coaches do a great job of preparing us,'' Gray said. ''We treat every game as if it's for the national championship. Our coaches do a great job of keeping us humble.''

Barnes' field goal with 40 seconds remaining gave the Seminoles a 49-28 lead at halftime.

''We're staying focused on things that have gotten us to this point,'' Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton said. ''We really haven't done yet on paper. We're the leader, but if we don't take care of business, that can change. We're trying to deal with things matter of fact.''

Miami (7-14, 3-13) has lost eight of its last nine. Isaiah Wong scored 29 points for the Hurricanes.

''Our guys gave it everything they had,'' Miami coach Jim Larranaga said. ''Our effort from start to finish was good. We're just worn out completely. And we played against a Florida State team that I think is as talented as any team in the country. I think they've got a legitimate chance to win not only the ACC regular season, but the ACC tournament and the NCAA tournament.''

Florida State leading scorer M.J. Walker sat out because of a mild ankle injury. Walker, who averages 13.1 points per game, is seven points shy of 1,000 in his Seminoles career.

The Seminoles also lost forward Malik Osborne after he injured his left ankle while grabbing a rebound early in the first half.

''When you see where we are, for a kid to take a step back for a game and hopefully be strong enough to finish the season, we take advantage of it,'' Hamilton said of the decision to rest Walker.

CALHOUN ACCEPTS HIS ROLE:

Although pleased with his point output, Calhoun understands other responsibilities that come with being a reserve. Walker's absence provided additional minutes for a second unit which scored 57 points.

''At practice we bring the extra juice, that second unit,'' Calhoun said. ''I cherish coming off the bench helping my brothers. When we play hard easy buckets happen.''

HAPPY HOMECOMING FOR GRAY:

Under normal circumstances Gray would have spotted family and friends in the stands when playing at Miami. But Gray, of neighboring Fort Lauderdale, always enjoys returning home to South Florida, empty arena notwithstanding.

''It's always a cool thing to come back and play in South Florida,'' Gray said. ''It's kind of a dream come true to play in this arena and pull out a win.''

MAINTAINING THE WIDE MARGIN:

The Seminoles didn't allow Miami to pull within single digits in the second half. The Hurricanes got no closer than 15 points, when walk-on guard Willie Herenton hit a 3-pointer with 2:17 remaining.

''This team is unselfish,'' Hamilton said. ''They play for each other. That's one of the reasons we're in the position we're in.''

BIG PICTURE:

Florida State: The victory extended the Seminoles' recent dominance over Miami. In addition to sweeping the regular season series, Florida State set an all-time mark with its seventh consecutive win. The Seminoles previously had three different six game winning streaks.

Miami: After close single-digit losses early in their conference schedule, the Hurricanes are trending toward lopsided results. The defeat against Florida State was Miami's third straight by double figures.

UP NEXT:

Florida State: the Seminoles will seek another regular season sweep and conclude a three-game road trip Saturday at North Carolina. Florida State defeated the Tar Heels 82-75 Jan. 16 in Tallahassee.

Miami: the Hurricanes open a two-game road set Saturday at Clemson and attempt to overcome a 66-65 home loss against the Tigers Jan. 2.

Fijian rugby league players sing tribute to Sydney quarantine staff

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Biden approves US airstrike on Iran-backed militias in Syria

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K-pop superstars Blackpink in climate change message

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Analysis: Can Asia help Myanmar find a way out of coup crisis?

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'Op Silent Viper': How an Indian rape suspect was caught after 22 years

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Covid-19: US high school band students rehearse in individual bubbles

Wenatchee High School in Washington state found a creative way for their band students to practise safely.

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Why Greenpeace is dropping huge boulders into the sea

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Golden Globes: Celebrity make-up artists on their job in the pandemic

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New on Sports Illustrated: NBA Investigates Bigotry Allegations Against Jazz Vice President

Former Jazz guard Elijah Millsap accused team executive Dennis Lindsey of making racist remarks during a 2015 end-of-season meeting.

The Utah Jazz is cooperating with a NBA investigation into former Jazz guard Elijah Millsap's allegations of insensitivity against executive vice president of basketball operations Dennis Lindsey, according to

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Millsap, 33, alleged that Lindsey made bigoted comments during a 2015 end-of-season meeting, according to ESPN.

The investigation will examine notes taken in an April 2015 meeting attended by Millsap and three Jazz officials. The meeting included Lindsey, coach Quin Snyder and general manager Justin Zanik, who was then the assistant general manager tasked with taking notes of the conversation.

Utah retained outside help to assist the league in its review of the matter. Utah officials, including Lindsey, encouraged the NBA office to open a review of Millsap's allegations.

Millsap made a series of posts Wednesday on Twitter about how bigotry is "still very well present in our country and should be exposed and expunged." He also said that nearly six years ago, Lindsey made bigoted remarks in his exit interview while conversing with Snyder.

"If you say one more word, I’ll cut your Black ass and send you back to Louisiana," Millsap wrote on Twitter. Lindsey, in a set of prepared notes to media, said that he "categorically denied making that statement," according to ESPN.

Snyder also told reporters that he could not "fathom Dennis saying something like that."

The franchise released a statement saying it has "zero tolerance for discriminatory behavior of any kind. We take these matters seriously. We have proactively engaged outside counsel to work in coordination with the NBA to thoroughly investigate this matter."

Millsap, the younger brother of four-time All-Star Paul Millsap, went undrafted in 2010 and played several seasons in the G League before breaking through with the Jazz. He played parts of two seasons in Utah before bouncing around overseas and earning a short stint in 2017 with the Phoenix Suns. The conversation in question would've occurred at the end of his first season in Utah.

The end-of-season meetings, which can encompass an array of topics, are held between front offices and players to review the previous season and things to consider in the future.

Since Lindsey became the general manager of Utah in 2012, the franchise has kept extensive notes. With all of the notes being kept in the team's database, league forensic investigators can determine if they have been changed or updated.

The Jazz (26-6) currently own the league's best record.

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Amazon rainforest plots sold via Facebook Marketplace ads

Protected land reserved for Brazil's indigenous communities is being traded on the social network.

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Canadian farmers advised to ditch palm oil after 'buttergate' row

The dairy group looking into the hard butter issue has called for a freeze on palm fats in cow feed.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Timberwolves' Malik Beasley Suspended 12 Games for Offseason Charges

Beasley will serve 120 days on work release or home monitoring after the NBA season is over for his charges.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley will be suspended for 12 games by the NBA after pleading guilty to a felony charge of threats of violence for angrily

aiming a rifle at a couple and their teenage daughter in an SUV last September.

Beasley, 24, said in a statement on Instagram that he will take time to reflect on his decisions.

"I apologize to all the great fans out there who have supported me during this difficult time and I promise I will come back very soon as a better person and player," Beasley said.

On Feb. 9, Beasley was sentenced to 120 days in the Hennepin County Workhouse on work release or home monitoring.

The Timberwolves also released a brief statement after Beasley's suspension was announced by the NBA.

Beasley will serve the 120 days after the NBA season is over. A local judge also sentenced Beasley to three years on probation that includes no alcohol or illicit drug use and a lifetime ban on possessing firearms.

Beasley is having a breakout year in his first season with the Timberwolves, pushing him in the conversation for the Most Improved Player of the Year award. He's averaging 20.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 40.6 percent shooting from three-point range. The Florida State product was drafted with the No. 19 pick in the 2016 draft by the Nuggets before he was traded last February and signed a four-year, $60 million deal with Minnesota during the offseason.

Wednesday, 24 February 2021

Viewpoint: Self-defence not the answer to Nigeria's kidnap crisis

The defence minister said people should at times provide their own security but it is not that easy.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37IknLG

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 4 Ohio State looking to bounce back vs. Michigan State

Fourth-ranked Ohio State looks to return to its winning ways at resurgent Michigan State on Thursday.

The Buckeyes (18-5, 12-5 Big Ten) had their seven-game winning streak end with a 92-87 home loss to No. 3 Michigan on Sunday, but with 10 wins in the past 12 games they are still projected to be a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

"We know what we're capable of and what our plan is to do here," Ohio State guard Duane Washington Jr. said.

Michigan State (12-9, 6-9) also knows what it must do: win. The Spartans served notice Tuesday that they are intent on making the NCAA field for a 23rd straight season when defeated visiting No. 5 Illinois 81-72 for their second win in a row.

"We have a long way to go yet, we all know that," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "It's a tough task ahead with another game against Ohio State, which has been off since Sunday, but at the same time, I keep saying -- great opportunities."

Early season struggles caused in part by positive COVID-19 tests among five players have made for a long season for the perennial conference frontrunner, and the Spartans are facing the prospect of not making the NCAA Tournament outside of winning the Big Ten tourney if they don't add numbers to the win column.

Defeating the Buckeyes would make a statement in the competitive conference.

"It's another opportunity," Spartans forward Aaron Henry said after the Illinois game. "We won a game here and we're on to the next, one day at a time. ... It's always good to come along. It's never too late. But man, tonight it was Spartan basketball.

"I'm kind of just frustrated that we haven't been playing with this all year, honestly. And it's tough to look at it like that, but damn, we played good tonight."

The Buckeyes defeated the visiting Spartans 79-62 on Jan. 31, but the Spartans are healthier now and have forward Gabe Brown back in the lineup after he missed the first meeting due to a positive COVID-19 test.

After Michigan made 10 of 13 3-pointers in the first half against the Buckeyes and 53.4 percent from the floor overall for the game, Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann knows what the game plan will be to defend against the Spartans, who hit 54.2 percent of their shots against Illinois.

"Great urgency in the first six (or) seven seconds of the clock is going to be critical," he said on his radio show Monday. "Great urgency to sprint back and build walls and also not foul them.

"They're playing now with a little bit better of an offensive lineup because Gabe Brown is back for them. Offensively they're a little bit different than when we played them last time."

The Buckeyes have not lost consecutive games this season, and Holtmann wants to continue that trend.

"My focus right now is just going to be on areas that we can improve and grow and get better," he said. "There are things that we can do as coaches to put our guys in a little bit better positions defensively. That's what I'm going to focus on."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Western Kentucky riding 6-game win streak, visits No. 12 Houston

In their dispatching of the Cincinnati Bearcats on Sunday, the Houston Cougars played more like the team renowned for stifling defense, rebounding prowess and offensive balance.

It was no coincidence that the Cougars were more like themselves with a trying week finally behind them. Most of Texas came to a standstill last week after a winter storm left millions without power and water across the state, and the Houston metropolis was no exception.

Last Thursday, with most of the region just coming back online, the Cougars lost at home to Wichita State, a setback that followed consecutive postponements and, unsurprisingly, one in which the Cougars appeared flat. No. 12 Houston (18-3, 12-3 American Athletic Conference) will host Western Kentucky on Thursday at the Fertitta Center fresh off a timely, needed rebound.

"Last week was a tough week for everybody," Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. "All Texans. That was a rough week here in our state, especially in our city. There were kids not having power, not having water. The last thing we were worried about for a couple of days was playing basketball.

"We spent a little bit of time (Saturday) and (Sunday) morning and really focused. But this game (the victory over the Bearcats) was more about us. All respect to (Cincinnati coach) John (Brannen) and his program, but this game was all about us."

Houston junior guard Quentin Grimes, named one of five finalists for the Jerry West Award presented annually to the nation's top collegiate shooting guard, posted 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists against the Bearcats. While four other Cougars scored in double figures, it was Grimes who was the linchpin in what was a bounce-back offensive showing.

"The ball's got to be in Quentin and Marcus' (Sasser) hands more, and now that we have Fabian (White) back, his hands more," Sampson said. "Friday, that's what we worked on. I said here's a set of actions we're going to run for Quentin, a set of actions we're going to run for Marcus, and when Fabian comes in we're going to run this for him. Most of our stuff terminated with those three guys.

"Quentin also had eight defensive boards. When he's playing with confidence the game comes easy to him because he's such a good player."

The Hilltoppers (15-4, 8-2 Conference USA) will carry a six-game winning streak into this recent addition to their schedule. Western Kentucky previously joined the Crossover Classic in South Dakota before adding a road game at Alabama earlier this season, both on short notice.

"These kinds of opportunities are something that we kind of cherish a little bit," Hilltoppers coach Rick Stansbury said. "You don't get a lot of them. Sometimes you've got to back into them every once in a while. It's very obvious if you watched them Sunday you can understand why there aren't a lot of takers to go to Houston Opportunity-wise, we just felt like there is a lot more to gain than there is to lose. As a coach, as a player, everybody else, you just want an opportunity to play against the best, and there's no doubt they are one of the best teams in the country.

"It's very obvious a great challenge for us, but at the same time a great opportunity."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Roderick, Vander Plas lift Ohio over Akron 90-73

ATHENS, Ohio (AP) Ben Roderick and Ben Vander Plas scored 17 points apiece as Ohio defeated Akron 90-73 on Tuesday.

Mark Sears and Miles Brown each added 12 points for the Bobcats (12-6, 8-4 Mid-American Conference). Lunden McDay chipped in 10 points, Vander Plas also had nine rebounds and Sears posted nine assists and seven rebounds.

Loren Cristian Jackson had 22 points and seven rebounds for the Zips (14-5, 12-4), whose four-game winning streak ended with the loss. Enrique Freeman added three blocks.

The Bobcats leveled the season series against the Zips. Akron defeated Ohio 90-70 on Dec. 22.

---

For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25

---

This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 13 Creighton looks to cool off DePaul

Nearly two weeks removed from its biggest win -- and most recent game -- of the season, Creighton's immediate focus is simply about getting better.

And avoiding a letdown against the last-place team in the Big East.

The No. 13 Bluejays (16-5, 12-4 Big East) aim for a fourth straight victory when they look to continue their recent series success over visiting DePaul (4-10, 2-10) on Wednesday night in Omaha, Neb.

Creighton is 6-1 since suffering consecutive defeats to Butler and Providence on Jan. 16 and 20, respectively.

However, no win was bigger than a resounding 86-70 home rout of then-No. 5 Villanova on Feb. 13, when Marcus Zegarowski had a season-high 25 points and Mitch Ballock added 20.

Christian Bishop and Damien Jefferson each posted a double-double while combining for 26 points and 20 rebounds as the Bluejays shot 59.3 percent and went 12-for-26 (46.2 percent) from 3-point range.

While that was certainly a statement win the Bluejays aren't satisfied with their recent success.

"The key right now is keep building, keep growing," Zegarowski, averaging a team-best 15.0 points, told the Omaha World-Herald.

"We've got to work on some things and get ready for DePaul ... I still think we have another gear to get to. I think we have a lot to improve on. It's good to know that. We're still not scratching the surface of what we can be -- on both ends of the floor."

Zegarowski had 19 points while Bishop and Denzel Mahoney each scored 14 as Creighton overcame a 41.1-percent shooting effort by holding DePaul to 36.9 percent from the field and 6-for-24 from 3-point range to pull out a 69-62 win in Chicago on Jan. 30.

The Bluejays have won 13 straight against the Blue Demons, including five in a row at home by an average margin of 21.2 points.

DePaul, however, should have a measure of momentum and confidence heading into this contest after snapping its five-game losing streak with Saturday's 88-83 win at St. John's.

Leading scorer Charlie Moore (14.6 ppg) returned from a two-game absence due to a knee injury to come off the bench to post 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

The Blue Demons shot a blistering 63 percent from the field after making just 36.6 percent of their shots during their five-game skid.

Moore has scored at least 21 points in three of his past four games.

"Charlie, after not playing for a couple of weeks, (his performance against St. John's) was huge," Blue Demons coach Dave Leitao told student site The DePaulia. "Particularly, controlling our offense, making plays, getting into the paint, taking shots."

Moore, who did not face Creighton last month, had 20 points in a 93-64 road loss to the Bluejays last season.

Teammate Ray Salnave had a season-high 21 points at Creighton last month. Javon Freeman-Liberty recorded 13 points with eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in that game, but could miss a third consecutive contest while in concussion protocol for the Blue Demons.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: South Carolina hopes to turn tables on Mississippi State

South Carolina hopes to turn tables on Mississippi State

Mississippi State salvaged an impressive win from an otherwise disappointing season in its most recent performance.

South Carolina will try to salvage something similar from its disappointing season when it plays the Bulldogs in a Southeastern Conference game Wednesday night in Starkville, Miss.

Mississippi State (12-11, 6-8 SEC) had lost six of its past seven conference games when it went on the road and ended Ole Miss' four-game winning streak with a 66-56 victory last Saturday.

"We never gave up, and we kept the same energy," said Iverson Molinar, who scored 12 of his game-high 17 points in the second half against Ole Miss. "It's not a good situation to be in by having that losing streak.

"So we took that fight inside of us to keep improving in the areas that we made mistakes in during the past games."

The Bulldogs limited the Rebels to 38.2 percent shooting from the field, including 26.3 percent on 3-pointers.

"I thought we played really good defense," Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. "I thought we set the tone early in the game."

South Carolina (5-11, 3-9) lost its fifth consecutive game, 93-78 at home to then-No. 20 Missouri on Saturday. The skid started with a 75-59 home loss to the Bulldogs on Feb. 6, but the Gamecocks still hope to accomplish something meaningful down the stretch.

"The season is not over with yet," said the Gamecocks' Trae Hannibal, who made all six of his field-goal attempts and scored 15 points against Missouri. "So we've just got to keep going hard, and we've just got to keep positive energy. I think this week coming up, we'll turn it back around."

South Carolina has just three more games scheduled before the SEC Tournament.

Coach Frank Martin said it's "very, very frustrating" that his team hasn't been more competitive.

"We don't make contested layups, we don't make contested plays," he said. "When the ball's in the balance, it's just there, go get it. We just haven't made those plays.

"For 35 years, my players have never gotten out of the way. We get out of the way this year."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Cincy looks to rebound against Tulsa after 'disappointing' loss

Cincy looks to rebound against Tulsa after 'disappointing' loss

Cincinnati aims to rebound from its most lopsided loss in nearly a decade when it returns to the court against host Tulsa on Wednesday.

The Bearcats (7-8 overall, 5-5 American Athletic Conference) saw their four-game winning streak end with a thud, courtesy of a 90-52 shellacking against then-No. 6 Houston on Sunday. The margin of defeat was Cincinnati's worst since an 89-51 setback against Notre Dame on March 10, 2011.

Coach John Brannen's club was held to a season-low point total following its disastrous shooting display against the Cougars. The Bearcats made just 30.0 percent of their shots from the floor (15 of 50) and 23.8 percent from 3-point range (5 of 21).

"I was disappointed by getting boat-raced," Brannen said. "I was disappointed that we took it on the chin like that. I am disappointed that we didn't compete a little more defensively like we have been competing."

Jeremiah Davenport, who paced the Bearcats with 11 points in that contest, had 16 to go along with seven rebounds in a 70-66 setback against Tulsa on Jan. 2.

Keith Williams, who averages a team-best 14.1 points per game, was limited to just six following a 1-for-10 performance from the floor. He had a team-high 18 points in the previous encounter with the Golden Hurricane.

That victory for Tulsa (10-9, 7-7) was its fifth of six in a row at the time.

Brandon Rachal established season-high totals in points (25) and rebounds (13) in that contest. Rachal averages team-best totals in points (14.5), boards (6.6), steals (1.5) and blocks (0.8).

Rachal had 13 points while dealing with foul trouble on Feb. 16 as the Golden Hurricane bounced back from losing the first three contests of their now-five-game homestand with a 72-66 victory over Temple. Tulsa's scheduled home game against East Carolina on Saturday has been postponed due to the continuation of a suspension of activities within the Pirates' program.

Elijah Joiner, who had just seven points in the first meeting with Cincinnati, erupted for a season-high 17 versus the Owls.

"I'm proud of our effort," Golden Hurricane coach Frank Haith said, per the Tulsa World. "I wanted to see us compete and fight and understand who we are as a basketball team and how we have to play to be successful. I think we got back to playing Tulsa basketball."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

GameStop surges again as Reddit crashes temporarily

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Kenya: A sustainable solution to locust swarms?

An NGO is training and paying communities in Kenya to catch locusts, so they can be turned into animal feed.

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The colourful fridges popping up on American streets

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Tuesday, 23 February 2021

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Fresh off perfect road trip, Nets host scuffling Kings

As the Brooklyn Nets completed an impressive five-game road sweep, Kevin Durant was enjoying the performances of his teammates from the sidelines.

Durant missed the final four games of Brooklyn's unbeaten road trip with a hamstring injury, but the Nets found other ways to win and will be seeking a seventh straight victory Tuesday night when they host the Sacramento Kings.

Durant played the first game of the trip when the Nets blitzed the Golden State Warriors. His teammates took it from there -- they beat Sacramento, rallied from 24 points down in Phoenix, methodically beat the Los Angeles Lakers, and pulled out a 112-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday when DeAndre Jordan had the tiebreaking basket in the final minute.

"Winning six in a row, all it does is keep the world silent for a bit," Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving said. "When we hit a bump in the road, then it's, 'What's going on with the Nets?' The destination is making it to that main stage and earning our way there."

The Nets said they do not believe Durant's injury is serious but it is possible he could be out again Tuesday when 300 fans will be allowed to watch the Nets go for their first seven-game winning streak since Dec. 7-19, 2018.

A major factor in Brooklyn's hot streak can be attributed to better defense. After a 122-111 loss in Detroit on Feb. 9, the Nets were allowing 118.4 points per game. During the winning streak, however, they are yielding 111 points.

Another factor is James Harden, who totaled 37 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists Sunday. Harden is averaging 24.9 points on 50.2 percent shooting in 18 games as a Net. In the final four games of the trip, he averaged 31.8 points on 55 percent shooting (44 of 80) from the field.

"We had a lot of frustrating losses," Harden said. "We don't want that to haunt us at the end of the season, so we decided to, as a team, collectively pick it up, each individual," Harden said.

Sacramento heads to Brooklyn in a deep slide. Since winning four straight from Feb. 1-7, Sacramento is on a seven-game losing streak and is trying to avoid its first eight-game skid since Dec. 17-31, 2019.

During their skid, the Kings are allowing 124.3 points per game while taking four losses by double digits.

Sacramento's latest loss -- 128-115 in Milwaukee on Sunday -- came when it allowed Giannis Antetokounmpo to get 38 and Khris Middleton to score 32. That came a night after the Kings allowed Zach LaVine to score 38 Saturday in Chicago.

"We've got to be better defensively, and we know that," Sacramento rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton said. "It feels like every game, everybody's shooting over 50 percent. At some point, people gotta be fed up and we've got to come out here and play harder because losing's not fun."

Haliburton is averaging 15.5 points in his last 11 games, but leading scorer De'Aaron Fox (22.3 points per game) is averaging 17.2 points in five games since missing a game with a knee injury.

The Kings were without Harrison Barnes (strained left foot) against Milwaukee, and if he sits again, rookie DaQuan Jeffries will likely start for him.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Timberwolves set to break in new coach Chris Finch vs. Bucks

In-season coaching changes happen, but hiring a long-term replacement on the spot is rare.

The Minnesota Timberwolves did that late Sunday night when they fired coach Ryan Saunders following the team's 103-99 loss to the New York Knicks. The Timberwolves announced the hiring of Toronto Raptors assistant coach Chris Finch on Monday.

Finch, a first-time NBA head coach, will coach his first game with Minnesota against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Tuesday night in Milwaukee.

Finch, 51, began his NBA coaching career with the Houston Rockets where he spent five seasons as an assistant. Finch coached their G League team for two seasons during which he worked alongside Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas.

After a brief stint in Denver, Finch spent three seasons as an assistant with the Pelicans before joining the Raptors this season.

"Well, we hope that with this change, and we hope that (D'Angelo) Russell gets back, we can get a lot more wins and prepare ourselves not only for this year, but for the future," Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told reporters late Sunday night.

Finch is ready to see if he can help turn around the fortunes of the franchise.

"I look forward to working hand and hand with Gersson to build and lead a team that Timberwolves fans will be proud of," Finch said. "We have excellent pieces in place and I can't wait to get to work."

Saunders, who originally took over as an interim coach during the 2018-19 season after Minnesota moved on from Tom Thibodeau, compiled a 43-94 record during his tenure.

The Wolves, who are off to a 7-24 start, have had both injury and COVID-19 issues affecting key players such as Karl-Anthony Towns and Russell this season, which Taylor said never allowed the team to make a proper evaluation.

Towns and Russell have played in only five games together this season; the former has missed 13 games due to COVID-19 and six because of a dislocated wrist. Towns is averaging 22 points, 11.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 11 games.

Russell has missed the past seven games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body in his left knee and isn't expected back for at least another three to five weeks.

"(Rosas) made the decision, and Russell probably won't be back for a while," Taylor said. "I guess I was hoping he and Karl would be able to play together for a while, so we could make an evaluation. But that didn't work out."

Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo delivered another stellar performance on Sunday with 38 points (19-for-24 on free throws) and 18 rebounds to lead the Bucks to a 128-115 win over spiraling Sacramento.

Khris Middleton backed him up with 32 points as Milwaukee continues to pick up momentum with consecutive wins after losing five in a row.

"It felt good," Antetokounmpo said. "We were making the right plays. We were being aggressive. We were finding teammates. We've done this for eight years."

Jrue Holiday watched the game from the Bucks bench and will miss his ninth consecutive game Tuesday due to health and safety protocols. Jordan Nwora (left ankle sprain) will sit out for the 12th straight game.

Jaylen Adams has missed the past two games. According to local news reports, Adams was cited for disorderly conduct by Milwaukee police after an incident involving an altercation between him and an Uber driver Friday morning.

The Bucks later issued the following statement: "We are aware of the situation involving Jaylen Adams, and are in the process of gathering more information. We have spoken with Jaylen and will continue to have open communication with him."

--Field Level Media

Tiger Woods: Proud champion who bounced back

The man considered by many to be the greatest golfer of all time has overcome many challenges in his career.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3qSBaUa

Biden holds first foreign meeting with Canada's Justin Trudeau

"US leadership has been sorely missed over the past years," the Canadian prime minister said.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ZKQZ3e

Syrian torture verdict expected in landmark German case

A man who fled Syria is accused in Germany of being a "cog in the wheel" of a state torture machine.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37EWbtC

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 11 Florida State seeks to continue mastery of Miami

The No. 11 Florida State Seminoles are one of the deeper teams in the nation, and the Miami Hurricanes are the opposite of that, finishing their most recent game with just five healthy scholarship players.

That, in the nutshell, is the matchup for Wednesday night as the Seminoles visit Miami for an Atlantic Coast Conference game.

With four games left on its regular-season schedule, FSU (13-3, 9-2) leads the ACC standings and is closing in on the top seed in the conference tournament. FSU is 8-1 in its past nine games, including three straight wins.

Miami (7-13, 3-12) is on the other end of the spectrum. The Hurricanes have the second-fewest wins in the ACC and are coming off an 87-60 blowout loss to visiting Georgia Tech. Miami trailed that game by 30 points ... at halftime.

Depth -- or lack thereof -- is a major factor for both teams.

In FSU's most recent game, a 79-72 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday, Seminoles leading scorer M.J. Walker was held without a point, missing all five of his shots.

No problem. FSU still had four players score in double figures, including projected 2021 NBA Draft lottery pick Scottie Barnes, who comes in off the bench, which explains perfectly how deep the Seminoles are this season.

Nine Seminoles players average at least 13 minutes per game.

"They come at you in waves," Pitt coach Jeff Capel said. "They wear you down with big, athletic guys they keep sending in. They constantly pressure the basketball. They take passes away, and they are very physical."

FSU had 33 bench points against Pitt, and that is all part of the plan for Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton.

"We continue to win by committee," Hamilton said. "That represents who we are as a team."

One possible hole in FSU's resume this season is a lack of extensive road success. The Seminoles are 11-1 at home but just 2-2 on the road.

Walker leads FSU in scoring (13.1). RaiQuan Gray tops the Seminoles in rebounds (6.6) and steals (1.5), while ranking second in scoring (11.7). Barnes is first in assists (4.2) while ranking third in scoring (10.3). And 7-foot-1 Balsa Koprivica averages 9.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and a team-high 1.1 blocks per game.

FSU beat Miami in their most recent matchup, 81-59, last month. Overall, FSU has beaten Miami six straight times, including twice in overtime.

The last time Miami beat FSU was on Jan. 7, 2018.

This season, however, has been a mess for the Hurricanes due mostly to injuries as Rodney Miller, Sam Waardenburg -- both starters last season -- are out for the season. Their two freshmen are gone, too, as Earl Timberlake is injured and out for the season, and Matt Cross left the team.

Chris Lykes, Miami's leading scorer last season, hasn't played since the second game of the season. And Isaiah Wong, Miami's leading scorer this season (16.7), missed the second half of the Georgia Tech game due to an ankle injury. It is uncertain if he'll face the Seminoles.

Finally, point guard Harlond Beverly, who missed his first game of the season against Georgia Tech, is out indefinitely. That leaves Miami with just seven players, including two walk-ons who combine to average 0.6 points per game.

"I know it's tough because we don't have a lot of guys, and Florida State has hundreds," Miami center Deng Gak said in a slight exaggeration. "But we're going to keep competing."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Morency scores 18 to carry ULM over UALR 68-64

MONROE, La. (AP) Marco Morency came off the bench to score 18 points to lead Louisiana Monroe to a 68-64 win over Arkansas-Little Rock on Monday.

Elijah Gonzales made four free throws with 17 seconds left for a four-point lead.

Josh Nicholas had 15 points for ULM (7-16, 5-11 Sun Belt Conference). Russell Harrison added 11 points, and Gonzales had 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

Marko Lukic had 20 points for the Trojans (10-13, 6-10), who have lost six consecutive games. Ruot Monyyong added 10 rebounds, and Ben Coupet Jr. had nine points and 10 rebounds.

---

For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25

---

This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Daniel Prude: No charges for US officers over 'spit-hood' death

Officers in New York were filmed using a hood to restrain Daniel Prude until he stopped breathing.

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The Simpsons creator Matt Groening on equality, memes and monorails

BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat sits down for a Zoom chat with Matt Groening.

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Walker Swamp: The mission to restore an Australian wetland

Walker Swamp had been destroyed by 150 years of farming - now it is replenished and welcoming life.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/37EIHyj

Senegal's teenage jockey races to fame

Fallou Diop won the country's top racing prize when he was just 17.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3ktzQop

Priyanka Dewan: The roller-skating star who beat disability stigma

Since taking up skating at the age of eight, Priyanka Dewan has become an international champion.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3bv4Z6M

Coronavirus: Do I send my child back to school?

President Biden wants most children in classrooms again by April - but do parents think that's safe?

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3utqgGD

Motera: The world's largest cricket stadium to host India-England Test

India's Motera stadium gives an unobstructed view of the pitch to 110,000 spectators.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3aMPCXU

Collision between train and truck causes massive explosion in Texas

An 18-wheeler truck crashes with a freight car carrying gasoline.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/3pUqqU0

New on Sports Illustrated: We Don't Know What Caused Tiger's Crash. And It's OK to Worry

The next thing anybody should want to know about Tiger Woods is when he can hug his kids again. Everything else can wait.

Tiger Woods was in a single-car accident in Southern California on Tuesday, and with a story like this, speculation always sprints to an early lead over the facts. First, the facts. Woods was driving fast and his car flipped. He has multiple leg injuries, agent Mark Steinberg told media outlets, leading to immediate surgery. The L.A. Sheriff’s Department says the injuries are not life-threatening. What we can say here is simple and not particularly profound, but it is the frame, perhaps, in which all thoughts should hang:

We don’t know and it’s OK to worry.

Worry like you know him well enough to love him. The most compelling athletes make us feel that way, and Woods is among the most compelling in history. So worry for his kids, Sam and Charlie; for his mom, Kultida; for his girlfriend, Erica Herman; and for everybody in their orbit. Worry for Tiger, too, who has lived several lifetimes in the public’s imagination but is still only 45 years old in his real one.

And yes, it’s reasonable to worry about what caused the accident. We don’t know and it’s OK to worry. We know that Woods has battled prescription-drug addiction, that he has played through excruciating pain and been sidelined by pain that was even worse, and that he recently underwent yet another microdiscectomy surgery. If he were your friend, you would worry. It is rational and not malicious. But we don’t know and sure as hell should not assume.

We don’t need to know, either. Not now. Not soon. We also do not need to know when, or if, he can swing a golf club again. Tiger Woods the golfer belongs to all of us, but Tiger Woods the dad belongs to two people. If you have seen Tiger with Sam and Charlie, or just heard him talk about them, or even just heard anybody who knows the family talk about them, you know they are the center of his life. Part of what made Tiger’s 2019 Masters triumph so compelling is that winning wasn’t everything to him. Sam and Charlie are. The next thing anybody should want is for him to hug them. Everything else can wait.

Woods is fascinating for many reasons, but one is this: He mastered a confounding game at a preposterously young age, but he needed years to figure himself out. There were times in his 20s when he could hit every shot imaginable, at any point in a tournament, but didn’t seem to know how to handle basic human interactions with strangers. For various reasons, he was forced to take a hard look at himself—and he changed. Think of how hard that is for anyone, and Tiger did it.

The Woods we saw in his prime seemed like he had dropped in from another planet. The Woods we saw in the last decade was as Earth-bound as the rest of us, with good days and bad ones, triumphs and failures, challenges he could meet and some he couldn’t. He has been, delightfully, comfortable with this. He has his flaws and his failures; we all do. But he seems at peace with a life in which he doesn’t try to conquer the world. That is why it was so much fun when he did.

Woods was always a riveting figure but now he is an endearing one. That is the Tiger Woods who got in a car accident Tuesday, and that is the Tiger Woods we should all hope to see again soon. Hopefully only his legs are injured. Hopefully he recovers quickly. Hopefully he can go home and be the best version of himself. We don’t know and it’s OK to worry.

Hopefully he plays golf again, not to chase Jack Nicklaus’s record or to entertain us, but because Charlie Woods is 12 years old and he should have hundreds of rounds left with his favorite playing partner.

Monday, 22 February 2021

Thousands dead but no prosecutions - why Liberia has not acted

Horrific tales dominate the history of Liberia's civil war but no-one has been put on trial there.

from BBC News - World https://ift.tt/2ZFDSjL

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Red Wings look to climb out of Central cellar, face Nashville

It has been nearly a month since the Nashville Predators won back-to-back games. The Detroit Red Wings, meanwhile, have yet to accomplish that feat this season.

Each club will look to build on a victory Tuesday night when the Predators visit the Red Wings.

Nashville sits one point ahead of last-place Detroit in the Central Division, and is 3-7-0 since winning consecutive home games over Chicago on Jan. 26-27.

After blowing a 2-0 lead Saturday at Columbus, however, the Predators regrouped and got third-period goals from Calle Jarnkrok and Filip Forsberg to win 4-2.

"Certainly, a game I think we can build off -- some things that we did really well. And, that's how we want to play the game," Predators coach John Hynes said. "It's nice we were able to put together 60 minutes of that.

"We should be ready to go for Detroit."

Forsberg, who continues to be a popular subject of trade rumors, recorded three of his team-leading 15 points while Nashville split back-to-back home games against Detroit earlier this month.

Nashville's Pekka Rinne, who made 21 saves on Saturday, posted a 3.02 goals-against average in starting both of those contests against Detroit. Teammate Juuse Saros, meanwhile, is 0-3-0 with a 4.58 goals-against average during four starts this month, but owns a 2.75 GAA in four career games opposite the Red Wings.

Detroit snapped an 0-2-1 home rut with Saturday's 2-1 victory over surging Florida. Patrik Nemeth and rookie Mathias Brome each scored their first goal of the season in the second period, and Jonathan Bernier stopped 38 shots as the Wings won for just the fifth time in 2020-21.

They last won back-to-back games on March 6 and 8 of last year.

"This was what we've talked about lots," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "We have to be in this spot lots, and find ways to win them."

Even with the victory, Detroit failed two more times to score on the power play Saturday. The Red Wings are scoreless in their last 36 chances with the man-advantage. They went 0-for-8 against the Predators in their two games earlier this month.

Bernier, though, has looked strong while stopping 83 of the 87 shots he's faced in winning two of his three starts this month. That included a 21-save effort in the 4-2 win at Nashville on Feb. 13.

"He's on a great run here," teammate Dylan Larkin said. "It's great to get a win for him and how hard he played (Saturday).

The Red Wings' Thomas Griess, however, has a 3.56 goals-against average during an 0-3-1 starting stretch. That included a 3-2 loss at Nashville on Feb. 11.

Detroit's Robby Fabbri has gone four games without a goal since scoring one in each of this month's contests versus Nashville. He's recorded four goals with three assists in his last 11 games against the Predators.

Larkin leads the Red Wings with 11 points and had an assist in each of the last two games. However, he's gone his last three against the Predators without a point.

The teams will play again Thursday in Detroit.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Facing Ottawa again, Habs seek scoring punch

The Ottawa Senators look to keep capitalizing on the visiting Montreal Canadiens' scoring woes Tuesday night when the teams meet for the second time in three days.

Ottawa collected a 3-2 overtime victory over Montreal on Sunday, when the Senators outshot the Canadiens by a 6-0 margin in the extra frame, culminating in Brady Tkachuk's game-winner at the 3:30 mark.

Senators head coach D.J. Smith saw the win as a sign of progress for his team.

"Our mentality in overtime -- 'Let's win this thing and let's not sit back,'' Smith said. "You can see some of the young kids are starting to get confidence, starting to be a lot better with the puck. A year ago in overtime, we would just be hanging on, and (Sunday) I just thought we were attacking. We were dangerous."

Tkachuk had a goal and an assist. The forward leads the Senators with 13 points (six goals, seven assists).

Ottawa is 3-2-0 over the past five games, with two of those victories coming in overtime.

While the Senators seem to be finding their form after a rough start to the season, the opposite is true for the Canadiens. After going 7-1-2 over their first 10 games, the Habs are only 2-4-1 in their last seven contests.

Montreal has scored only 13 goals scored in those seven games, so it isn't hard to pinpoint the reason behind the team's slump. Adding to the frustration, the Canadiens have outshot opponents five times in the seven-game stretch.

Forward Nick Suzuki said his feels the team is "pretty much all up in our own heads right now" and "overthinking" when a more straightforward offensive approach is required.

"We're not scoring as much as we did at the start of the season, we know we have to bear down on those chances," Suzuki said. "(We had) a couple of opportunities to shoot that we were looking to pass. We've just got to keep it simple as a team and just get back to the basics of what we were doing before."

Suzuki snapped a personal four-game points drought by scoring 1:17 into Sunday's game.

Both teams are looking to break out of major cold streaks on the power play.

Montreal is 1-for-18 with the man advantage over the last eight games, while the Senators are scoreless in their last 24 power-play chances, dating to Feb. 6 when Colin White scored against the Canadiens. But in that game, the Senators then went 0-for-5 on the power play at lost 2-1 and are 0-for-19 in the eight games since then.

Matt Murray is expected to be back in net for Ottawa after stopping 30 of 32 shots on Sunday. Murray is 6-2-0 with a .930 save percentage in eight career games against Montreal.

After Jake Allen made 36 saves to salvage a point for the Canadiens, starter Carey Price is expected to start on Tuesday. Price has yet to hit peak form this season, and he has only an .872 save percentage over his last four outings (0-3-0).

Canadiens forward Jonathan Drouin made an early exit from Sunday's game after being bodychecked into the glass by Mike Reilly in the second period, but he returned to practice Monday. Coach Claude Julien said Drouin would be available Tuesday.

For the Senators, Thomas Chabot (upper body injury) is questionable after missing two consecutive games.

The Canadiens still haven't suffered a regulation loss in nine (6-0-3) road games this season.

This is the fourth meeting between the North Division rivals. Ottawa is 2-1-0 in the previous three.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Capitals trending up as they host hot Penguins

The Washington Capitals will host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night as Sidney Crosby begins kind of a second phase of his career.

Crosby became the first player in Pittsburgh history to reach 1,000 games over the weekend. The 33-year-old and three-time winner of the Stanley Cup ranks second in team history -- behind Mario Lemieux -- with 468 goals, 810 assists and 1,278 points. The team owner leads Crosby in each of those categories.

Crosby is the 350th NHL player to make it to 1,000 games.

"It's a special day ... but it makes it so much better when you win," Crosby said after reaching the milestone Saturday. "It was a pretty awesome experience and a day I'll always remember. But I think I'll remember the whole day itself and leading up to it, and obviously the fact that we won it. It's great that we won, but it was just the way that it felt and that I was treated all day was pretty unique."

Crosby came through once again, posting two assists as Pittsburgh edged the New York Islanders 3-2. Pittsburgh now has won four of its last five games.

In that game, the Penguins took the lead on a Kris Letang goal in the third period. Letang scored twice while Crosby assisted him both times. Crosby was named the No. 1 star.

Goalie Tristan Jarry finished with 33 saves to claim the victory in net.

The Penguins also have found success against the Capitals, winning three of four this season. But Washington beat the Penguins when the teams met last, Feb. 16. The Caps used tough defense to pull out a 3-1 victory. That came two days after the Pens topped Washington, 6-3.

The Caps come in off a 4-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, their third win in four games.

The Capitals, now that they've got their roster back, have been playing stronger of late. They played two matinee games this weekend, looking flat in a 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday and starting slow before coming on late against the Devils.

"I think the last 10 minutes of the first period, we kind of changed the momentum and we started playing the right way," Alex Ovechkin said. "I think we started putting pucks deep, we forechecked, we play physical and the goals come."

And they came in bunches in the third period when Washington scored three to turn around a 2-1 deficit after two. John Carlson scored to tie the game early in the third before T.J. Oshie and Ovechkin notched power-play goals about five minutes apart for a 4-2 lead. The Devils added a late goal, but goalie Craig Anderson got the win in his first start as a Capital.

Now that Ilya Samsonov is back in D.C. after missing over a month due to COVID-19 issues and going through a training stint with the Hershey Bears, he could be in net in one of the next two games.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: Duke, Syracuse continue late-season push

Syracuse and Duke are making pushes to land in the mix for postseason bids, and one of them will take another step in that direction when they meet Monday night in Durham, N.C.

Duke (10-8, 8-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) continued its run on Saturday night when it knocked off No. 7 Virginia 66-65 for its third victory in a row.

"Over the last three games, we've emphasized defense and we've changed our ball screen defense which has helped us," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "The last three games, we've really played well on the defensive end of the court and it's made a difference in us winning and losing. We have to keep going."

"The season hasn't gone how we wanted it," Duke forward Matthew Hurt said. "There has been a lot of negativity. We're just going to try to keep getting better every day."

Syracuse (13-6, 7-5) has won six of its past eight games, including a rally from 20 points down to defeat visiting Notre Dame 75-67 on Saturday. That marked the Orange's biggest comeback since a victory over Rutgers in January 2005.

Junior guard Buddy Boeheim's career-high 29 points was a huge factor for the Orange. So was holding Notre Dame to 21 second-half points.

Coach Jim Boeheim saw other factors as well.

"The whole difference in the game is when Quincy (Guerrier) gets physical and gets on the boards," the Hall of Fame coach said. "He got on the boards, passed out for 3s, and played unselfish basketball."

Duke has found the right formula. Hurt, a sophomore, has scored at least 20 points in three consecutive games, a string he accomplished for the first time in his career.

"There was a couple-game stretch where I wasn't playing well, but my coaching staff and my teammates, they believe in me and they were giving me confidence," Hurt said.

Duke and Syracuse have a strong connection because of the coaching ties between Boeheim and Krzyzewski. There was a bit of a stir last week after Duke freshman Jalen Johnson opted to sit out the rest of the season and Boeheim said the Blue Devils were better off without him.

"What I said the other night about Duke, who we're going to play, had nothing to do with my friendship with Mike Krzyzewski," Boeheim said, referring to comments on a podcast. "Nothing to do with Jalen Johnson at all. ....

"I watched half of North Carolina State and the whole game against Wake (Forest). ... They played the best I've seen them play this year. I just made the observation that I thought they played better without him in those two games, (actually) a game and a half. They were a better team than I've seen this year. ... Duke could be better if he was back. We'll not know that because he didn't come back."

Duke has won the past three meetings with Syracuse. The Orange, though, have won in two of their three recent visits to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Mount St. Mary's defeats Fairleigh Dickinson 74-61

TEANECK, N.J. (AP) Mezie Offurum scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and Mount St. Mary's topped Fairleigh Dickinson 74-61 on Sunday.

Nana Opoku had 16 points and three blocks for Mount St. Mary's (9-10, 8-7 Northeast Conference). Damian Chong Qui added 14 points and 11 rebounds and Josh Reaves had 11 points.

Mount St. Mary's totaled 52 second-half points, a season best for the team.

Jahlil Jenkins had 13 points for the Knights (8-14, 7-9) and Elyjah Williams scored 12.

The Mountaineers avenged their 76-71 defeat at the hands of Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday.

---

For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP-Top25

---

This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from STATS LLC, https://www.stats.com