After the first legs last week, each playoff series is on a knife’s edge. Two matchups are level on aggregate goals, while the other three only see a one-goal difference. The 10 nations left standing after the previous two rounds of qualifying were drawn together in five different playoff series with the team that scores the most goals across two legs booking a ticket to the 2022 World Cup....

The aquarium’s veterinarian team is conducting further tests to identify a cause of death, and officials said they remain “cautiously optimistic” about the health of the remaining penguins. Tim Binder, senior vice president of animal care and health at the aquarium, said in a statement that the facility’s penguins are being closely monitored while the deaths are investigated. “The Florida Aquarium will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to understand this tragic course of events,” Binder said....

As the years have gone by, and Africa (CAF) was given more qualifying slots for the final tournament, the world has been dazzled by some of the most exciting and entertaining football produced by African countries. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been no different, with five countries from across the continent competing. And one of them, Morocco, has made history. The Sporting News looks at the African teams who have competed at this edition of the tournament, and the best African teams to have played at past World Cups....

During Sunday’s NFC championship game, the Packers quarterback lightly bumped Falcons cornerback Robert Alford with his shoulder. After pausing for a moment to take it all in, Alford responded by flying back with his arms spread open. MORE: Falcons capitalize on Packers mistakes to advance to Super Bowl The amazing flop happened late in the game, after Rodgers was called for a rare offensive facemask penalty for pulling Alford’s helmet off his head....

The article questions whether or not the CBC’s choice to remove the cameo was politically motivated. This was a notion repeated by multiple news outlets, including Fox and Friends. “I think they’re actually terrified that people will remember that before he was the new Hitler, he was a beloved mainstream cultural figure,” said guest Mark Steyn. “That’s who Donald Trump was before he was the new Hitler. I think they’re terrified of these little things that will remind people just how deranged his opponents are....

Pederson still said the words, though, and they still strike the eardrums wrong. They still come off like a stretch and a transparent ploy. Who knows, though — they might work. After blowing a 17-0 fourth-quarter lead at home and losing to the Panthers on Sunday, dropping the Eagles to 3-4, two losses behind NFC East leader Washington, Philadelphia has to try something. MORE: Questionable snap infraction call costs Cowboys against Redskins...

The worst thing about those same quarterbacks? They’re still … so young. Baker Mayfield proved that, and all the Browns can do is talk themselves into believing it’s all part of his well-known swagger. In this case, it led Mayfield to publicly, verbally blame his ex-coach, Hue Jackson, for one of the few things this season for which he was completely and categorically blameless. WATCH: Mayfield’s best plays from four-TD game...

Bayern host Dortmund in Der Klassiker on Saturday and the rivalry between the two Bundesliga heavyweights has deepened over recent years, in part due to the acrimonious transfers of Mario Gotze, Robert Lewandowski and Mats Hummels from Signal Iduna Park to the Allianz Arena. Lewandowski ‘fine’ after scare Dortmund lie a distant fourth as Bayern close in on a fifth consecutive title, but their boss Thomas Tuchel’s squad still boasts one of Europe’s most lethal strikers in Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and a clutch of impressive youngsters led by Julian Weigl, Ousmane Dembele and Christian Pulisic....

In his speech to the nation hours after the attack, Biden described the dead as heroes who gave their lives “in the service of liberty, the service of security and the service of others. In the service of America, like their fellow brothers and sisters in arms who died defending our vision and our values, with the struggle against terrorism, on this day, are part of a great noble company of American heroes....

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, remember, declared in a press conference, “I will say [the Pacers] could’ve done better.” The Oklahoma City police got in a zinger with a tweet that read, “Thanks for the tweets reporting the ‘theft’ of Paul George by @okcthunder. Our investigative findings: totally legal & very savvy.” Sixers center Joel Embiid giddily tweeted, “Playoff spots are opening up hehehehe.” One prominent website gave the trade a “D” for the Pacers....

“Roger Stone was just sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison,” she wrote. “A man I represented is currently serving a sentence of 3-6 years in prison for stealing a jacket.” Her tweet came right after a judge sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison after being convicted for witness tampering and obstructing investigations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. President Donald Trump weighed in on the previous sentencing recommendation of 7 to 9 years, tweeting “This is a horrible and very unfair situation....

For this team, finishing sixth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol was like a win for an elite, heavily funded team. Since that finish, and DiBenedetto’s emotional reaction to it on live television in the moments following the race, the team has faced a heightened media schedule — and the accolades of many of DiBenedetto’s competitors. MORE: Richmond starting lineup | 10 drivers to watch | Tony Stewart’s return...

On Tuesday, six groups representing educators and parents, including the two largest teachers unions and the National Parent Teacher Association, issued a joint statement criticizing Trump’s push to reopen. Instead of the president “brazenly making these decisions,” the groups said health experts should figure out when schools can safely reopen during the pandemic. “[The administration has] failed to listen to families and public school educators who have been on the front lines serving their communities,” the groups said....

This is far from the first time that M.I.A., whose real name is Maya Arulpragasam, has been critical of efforts to vaccinate against COVID-19. In fact, she’s posted her thoughts about the pandemic for years, once tweeting that she would rather “choose death” than get the jab. On Wednesday, M.I.A. railed against the coronavirus vaccine on Twitter, writing: “If Alex jones pays for lying shouldn’t every celebrity pushing vaccines pay too?...

First, he made history in knocking out Eddie Alvarez in the second round to win the UFC lightweight title and become the first fighter in UFC history to hold two titles simultaneously. Then, McGregor revealed during the post-fight press conference that he and long-time girlfriend Dee Devlin are expecting their first child in May. MORE: Is McGregor the UFC’s greatest villain of all time? “I’m going to be a daddy early next year,” McGregor said during the presser....

Not even Buddha himself could have put the island’s predicament more succinctly. Nearly everyone in Taiwan, whether ethnic Chinese or aborigine, is caught in the same devilish dance. The Taiwanese have built a vibrant democracy that is struggling to be recognized by the world. But just as dark forces drag the dancer down, Beijing seems to block the Taiwanese at every turn. Even Washington, committed to a one-China policy that recognizes only Beijing, finds Taiwan’s noisy new democracy awkward....

Not long after the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback and reigning NFL comeback player of the year announced his shocking decision to retire at age 29 on Saturday night, Indianapolis quickly went from the heavy division favorite in sportsbooks to having the worst odds behind Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee. For most teams, having to turn to a backup QB so close to the regular season indeed spells last-place doom. But the Colts aren’t most teams....

Overview Neuroendocrine tumors are tumors which begin in neuroendocrine cells. They may occur in the digestive tract, the lungs, or the brain. In the digestive tract, they may involve the stomach, the pancreas, the small intestine, colon, and rectum. Unfortunately, unlike some other types of colon cancer, the prognosis has not changed much in recent years with colon cancer screening. Neuroendocrine tumors have been increasing, with a fivefold increase noted from 1973 to 2004 and a continued increase since that time....

“First and foremost, if you are unvaccinated, we would recommend not traveling,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told reporters during a Tuesday White House COVID-19 briefing. “People who are fully vaccinated, and who are wearing masks, can travel,” Walensky said. “Although, given where we are with disease transmission right now, we would say that people need to take these risks into their own consideration as they think about traveling.”...