Putin made another veiled nuclear threat on Thursday as the Ukraine war rages on. This came as the Russian leader likened the war to the battle of Stalingrad during WWII. But in the case of Stalingrad, Russia (then part of the USSR) was being invaded — not doing the invading. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday leveled another veiled nuclear threat in relation to the war in Ukraine as he ripped into Germany for providing battle tanks to Kyiv, while comparing Russia's unprovoked invasion of its next-door neighbor to the Soviet Union's fight against the Nazis during World War II. Read More

Before Tuesday night’s game between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James stood a hundred and seventeen points away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for points scored in a career. James’s chase of Abdul-Jabbar down the halls of history has had an odd, preëmptively anticlimactic vibe. It’s an incredible feat whose impending reality we’ve had three or four years to digest. Barring a major injury—which, on the one hand, is always possible, especially for a player in his later thirties, but which, on the other hand, seems hard to imagine, given LeBron’s remarkable durability—nobody has doubted, for almost half a decade, that the record would eventually belong to him. Last year, when he passed Abdul-Jabbar’s record for points in the regular season and post-season combined, it barely registered in the news—largely, I think, because those of us who care about such things were anticipating, without much true suspense, this season’s weightier milestone. Maybe that certainty has been unfair. The lead-up to LeBron’s big accomplishment hasn’t felt like the bazaar of praise that welcomed Steph Curry’s triumphal assumption of the record for three-pointers made. That might be because the Lakers have been so strangely mediocre for the past two seasons. Their other, younger star, Anthony Davis, was supposed to take over as the team’s best player, allowing LeBron, who recently turned thirty-eight, to rest a bit, but Davis is stuck in a purgatorial loop of injury, convalescence, return, and reinjury. Last season’s chief acquisition, Russell Westbrook, was an outright disaster as lead guard before settling into place as the team’s sixth man. Recently, James scored forty-six points in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Toward the end of the game, the cameras fixated on his defeated posture as he sat on the bench. He looked like the lost parent of a wayward... Read More

USATSI Nick Saban is zeroing in on Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees as the top target to fill the same roll at Alabama, according to multiple reports. Rees is reportedly expected to be in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Thursday. Saban is seeking a new play-caller after Bill O'Brien left the program this offseason for the same job with the New England Patriots, though O'Brien was not expected to be retained either way. Saban is seeking a fifth offensive coordinator since Lane Kiffin left to be the FAU coach prior to the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship. Read More

Tom Pennington | Getty Images New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wants Tom Brady to re-sign with the team for one day so that he can officially end his legendary career with the franchise that drafted him 23 years ago. "We will do everything in our power to bring him back, have him sign off as a Patriot," Kraft said in an interview with CNN on Thursday. Read More

Aaron E. Martinez / American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK Will we see more teams on the grid in 2025? Formula 1 may be growing. The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the governing body which oversees motorsport, announced on Thursday the opening of an application process for teams seeking entry into F1. In a statement released on their website, FIA stated that the governing body “welcomes interest from entities with a serious intent to enter the FIA Formula One World Championship. The high level of interest from a number of potential candidates is further proof of the popularity and growth of the Championship.” The statement further outlined how all applicants will undergo a thorough examination of their financial stability, as well as their ability to handle the rigorous technical aspects of competing in F1: All applicants will undergo thorough due diligence. The assessment of each application will cover in particular the technical capabilities and resources of the applicant team, the ability of the team to raise and maintain sufficient funding to allow participation in the Championship at a competitive level and the team’s experience and human resources. According to FIA, teams can seek to begin competing in the 2025, 2026 or the 2027 season. In addition, applicants will need to demonstrate how they would meet the sustainability challenges imposed by F1, and how they would meet a goal of being net-zero by 2030: For the first time ever, any candidate would be required to address how it would manage the sustainability challenge and how it plans to achieve a net-zero CO2 impact by 2030. Any prospective F1 team would also need to illustrate how they intend to achieve a positive societal impact through its participation in the sport. This would help meet the mutual aims of the FIA and Formula One Management. With respect to the size of the field, as well as the status of current teams, FIA included this language in their Call for Expressions of Interest: For the avoidance of doubt, no new applicant has an automatic right of entry to the Championship and the maximum number of teams competing in the Championship up to and including the 2025 season is capped at 12. Existing F1 teams will be given priority over new applicants. In the event that no applicant is considered suitable by the FIA and/or by the F1 Commercial Rights Holder, no new F1 team(s) will be selected. There are currently ten teams on the grid. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem issued a statement that said in part: “The growth and appeal of the FIA Formula One World Championship is at unprecedented levels. The FIA believes the conditions are right for interested parties, which meet the selection criteria, to express a formal interest in entering the Championship.” The Call for Expressions of Interest comes as the future of F1 has become a hot-button topic in the world of motorsport. Weeks ago Andretti Autosport announced to media members including SB Nation the formation of a partnership with General Motors seeking to join F1. That announcement has touched off a war of words in the sport, with FIA President Ben Sulayem seeming in favor of expanding the field, while other teams already on the grid have started to push back on the idea of expansion. This war of words might ultimately be good for the sport, as it has kept F1 in the conversation during the off-season. Most recently, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner addressed the idea of expanding the field, calling for a “sensible conversation” about expansion. In an interview with Racer, Horner noted that “to have the Andretti brand and name and Cadillac in Formula 1 would be fantastic, and hopefully a solution can be found.” However, Horner did point out why existing teams might not be in favor of expanding the field, and as always, it comes down to money. “If you introduce another one or two teams, you dilute the value of the current 10 franchises, which of course teams — particularly down towards the bottom end of the grid — have got a very inflated inherent value at the moment.” Perhaps the biggest question that remains is this: How many prospective teams take FIA up on their offer to apply? We can be sure that Andretti-Cadillac will be at the forefront, but will another prospective team — or teams — follow suit? In addition to Andretti-Cadillac, Panthera Team Asia F1 has revived their own push for a team on the circuit. Could they also be in the mix for a future spot on the grid? Read More

Kylie Kelce is taking no chances after last year's Super Bowl in which a player's wife had to leave the game to deliver their child. Read More

It looks like the Jimmy Garoppolo experiment with the San Francisco 49ers is over. During a press conference on Wednesday, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told the press that he didn’t “see any scenario” in which Jimmy G. returns to the squad next season. Read More

Rafael Henrique | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Penn Entertainment on Thursday became the first U.S. gambling company to post a profit in its sports betting business during the final three months of a year. Read More

With the flip of the calendar turning to February that means we're in the midst of the busiest month during the NBA season. The trade deadline is just a few days away on Feb. 9, followed by All-Star Weekend just over a week later. For the rookies, All-Star Weekend means participation in the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars tournament on Feb. 17, and this year the pool of first-year players to choose from was deep. The rookies who will be representing their teams during the Rising Stars tournament are: All of these players are completely deserving of this honor, as they've all been highlighted multiple times during these weekly rankings. That list also isn't exhaustive of the several other rookies who are having solid seasons for their teams, which shows just how deep the 2022 NBA Draft really was. Read More

Of all regions across the United States, Southern California has long had a particular knack for ushering in a new year. Each time the calendar turns from one year to the next, the nation is enchanted by the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, which includes events such as the Rose Parade and college football's Rose Bowl that celebrate all that begins anew. It is fitting, then, that Southern California is now also where NASCAR celebrates both a new year before it and the many years that have come before. The sport's 75th Anniversary season begins at the Los Angeles Coliseum -- fittingly celebrating its centennial in 2023 -- with the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, a non-points showcase for the new season that puts all of the sport's stars on a close-quarters quarter-mile track within one of the most famous stadiums in all the world. This year marks the second edition of the new concept for the Clash after its successful debut in 2022, which was won by eventual NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano. Read More

In the US, the volume of plastic waste hit 44 million metric tons in 2019.  Some beauty companies are ditching plastics in favor of aluminum, glass, or plant-based materials. Consumers are willing to pay a higher price for sustainable products.   This article is part of the "Innovation at Work" series exploring the trends and barriers to workplace transformation.  Retail buzzwords like clean, green, and sustainable are the face of consumer-product goods today. But for the beauty industry, they're becoming an identity — for the companies creating their products and to the consumers who use them in their everyday routines. Read More

LeBron James is inching closer to passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time scoring leader. On Tuesday night against the Knicks, James recorded his first triple-double of the season and also passed Mark Jackson and Steve Nash for fourth on the NBA's all-time assists leaderboard. The Lakers superstar enters Thursday night's game against the Pacers 89 points behind Abdul-Jabbar. He owes the near achievement to a near mythical two-decade scoring stretch. James was probably never the best pure scorer in the league, playing in an era with Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady and others. His one scoring title speaks to that. But he's on the brink of making history due to consistent greatness and longevity. Read More

Photo by George Rose/Getty Images Who is doing what at The Pro Bowl Games? The lineups for the first-ever Pro Bowl Games are set. Coaches Eli and Peyton Manning announced their squads, and assignments, on the NFL Network Wednesday evening. Here are the lineups for the events, as well as the flag football games, that will take place Thursday and Sunday. The Pro Bowl Games - Thursday events The first night of competition takes place on Thursday night, with the following events: Pro Bowl Dodgeball Lightning Round Longest Drive Precision Passing Best Catch - First Round Pro Bowl Dodgeball. This is a three-round event, consisting of four teams with five players each. In the first round, the AFC Offense will face off with the AFC Defense, to determine the AFC representatives. The second round will see the NFC Offense take on the NFC Defense to determine the NFC representatives. In the final round, the AFC representatives will square off with the NFC representatives to determine the winner. According to NFL.com, three points will be awarded to the winning conference. Here are the participants: AFC Offense. Nick Chubb, Browns Tyreek Hill, Dolphins Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals Josh Jacobs, Raiders Mark Andrews, Ravens Dawson Knox, Bills. AFC Defense. Myles Garrett, Browns Maxx Crosby, Raiders Sauce Garder, Jets Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers Roquan Smith, Ravens Marlon Humphrey, Ravens. NFC Offense. Dalvin Cook, Vikings CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys Saquon Barkley, Giants George Kittle, 49ers Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers Christian McCaffrey, 49ers. NFC Defense. Demario Davis, Saints Jaire Alexander, Packers Trevon Diggs, Cowboys Micah Parsons, Cowboys Jalen Ramsey, Rams Tariq Woolen, Seahawks. Honestly, that NFC Defense squad looks stacked. Lightning Round. The next event is the lightning round, which sounds like something right out of Nickelodeon. Each conference will designate 16 players to participate in this three-round, elimination challenge, and the remaining player will secure three points for their conference. In the first round, “Splash Catch,” two-player teams from each conference compete by playing catch with water balloons from increasing distances. Each tandem that completes all their tosses advances to the second round. The second round is “High Stakes.” In this stage, the players who advanced will try and field punts from a JUGS machine. The final round is “Thrill of the Spill.” In this event, the remaining players will try and hit targets aimed above the head of a coach from the opposing conference. The first team to hit the target — and dump a bucket of water on an opposing coach — wins the event, and three points for their conference. Here are the two-person teams. AFC. Quinnen Williams, Jets Mitch Morse, Bills. Joel Bitonio, Browns Pat Surtain II, Broncos. Laremy Tunsil, Texans Ben Jones, Titans. Jamal Agnew, Jaguars Justin Hardee, Jets. Bradley Chubb, Dolphins Rodger Saffold, Bills. Matt Milano, Bills Jeffrey Simmons, Titans. Wyatt Teller, Browns Derrick Henry, Titans. Dion Dawkins, Bills Patrick Ricard, Ravens. Cam Heyward, Steelers Trey Hendrickson, Bengals. Terron Armstead, Dolphins Xavien Howard, Dolphins. NFC. Frank Ragnow, Lions Budda Baker, Cardinals. Chris Lindstrom, Falcons Brian Burns, Panthers. KaVontae Turpin, Cowboys Jeremy Reaves, Commanders. Penei Sewell, Lions Cam Jordan, Saints. Terry McLaurin, Commanders Fred Warner, 49ers. Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers Demarcus Lawrence, Cowboys. Talanoa Hufanga, 49ers Quandre Diggs, Seahawks. Dexter Lawrence, Giants Zack Martin, Cowboys. Tyler Biadasz, Cowboys Danielle Hunter, Vikings. Trent Williams, 49ers Elgton Jenkins, Packers. Longest Drive. From Topgolf to the Pro Bowl. In this event, four players from each conference form a team. Each participant gets three golf swings, working off a tee. The player with the longest drive, that stays in-bounds wins three points for their conference. According to NFL.com, this event is pre-recorded and will air on Thursday night. Here are the participants from each conference: AFC. Justin Tucker, Ravens Jordan Poyer, Bills C.J. Mosley, Jets Marlon Humphrey, Ravens Matt Judon, Patriots. NFC. Jonathan Allen, Commanders Tress Way, Commanders Daron Payne, Commanders T.J. Hockenson, Vikings Za’Darius Smith, Vikings. In case you are wondering, there is a Topgolf 14.3 miles away from FedEx Field, at National Harbor in Maryland. Precision Passing. In this competition, the participants will engage in a one-minute accuracy challenge, trying to hit moving targets with their throws. At the end of each one-minute period, each passer will then attempt a longest-throw challenge to earn extra points. Here are your quarterbacks for Precision Passing: AFC. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars Tyler Huntley, Ravens Derek Carr, Raiders. NFC. Kirk Cousins, Vikings Geno Smith, Seahawks Jared Goff, Lions. Advantage NFC? Best Catch - First Round. In the Best Catch competition, two players from each conference will participate in an event designed to showcase their creativity. In the first round, the players will execute their “best catches” at “iconic venues around Las Vegas.” A fan vote will determine which player advance to the final on Sunday. According to NFL.com, this event is pre-recorded and will air on Thursday night. AFC. Pat Surtain II, Broncos Stefon Diggs, Bills. NFC. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions Justin Jefferson, Vikings. Something tells us the NFC might have the edge here. The Pro Bowl Games - Sunday events The Pro Bowl Games conclude on Sunday with four more skills challenges, as well as three different 7-on-7 flag football games. At the end, the winning conference will be determined. Best Catch - Finale Gridiron Gauntlet Move the Chains Kick Tac Toe 7-on-7 Flag Games Best Catch - Finale. The two remaining players in Best Catch will compete in front of a panel of celebrity judges to determine a winner. The winner secures three points for their conference. As noted above, here are the four players vying for a spot in the Best Catch - Finale: AFC. Pat Surtain II, Broncos Stefon Diggs, Bills. NFC. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions Justin Jefferson, Vikings. Gridiron Gauntlet. Players from each conference will participate in this relay-style event aimed to showcase “strength, speed, and agility.” It is a four-stage event, each covering 40 yards in length. Each segment “includes a series of breakaway walls, a section of climbing over walls and under tables, a tire run and a blocking sled carrying a Legend coach across the finish line.” The winning team secures three points for their conference. Here are the participants: AFC. Joel Bitonio, Browns Myles Garrett, Browns Nick Chubb, Browns Cam Heyward, Steelers Dion Dawkins, Bills. NFC. Penei Sewell, Lions Brian Burns, Panthers Saquon Barkley, Giants Tristan Wirfs, Buccaneers Cam Jordan, Saints. The team chemistry from the three Cleveland players might give the AFC the edge here. Move the Chains. Four teams of five players — two teams from each conference — compete in this event, a side-by-side “weighted wall pull that will showcase their strength, speed and ingenuity.” Players have to pull a heavily-weighted wall ten yards as quickly as possible, using first-down chains. The team that wins the best-of-three playoff secures three points for their conference. Here are the teams from each conference: AFC. Team 1. Quinnen Williams, Jets Trey Hendrickson, Bengals Laremy Tunsil, Texans Terron Armstead, Dolphins Jeffrey Simmons, Titans. Team 2. Maxx Crosby, Raiders Rodger Saffold, Bills Ben Jones, Titans Mitch Morse, Bills Wyatt Teller, Browns. NFC. Team 1. Jonathan Allen, Commanders Frank Ragnow, Lions Chris Lindstrom, Falcons Trent Williams, 49ers Demarcus Lawrence, Cowboys. Team 2. Dexter Lawrence, Giants Daron Payne, Commanders Zack Martin, Cowboys Elgton Jenkins, Packers Tyler Biadasz, Cowboys. Honestly, all four of these teams look stacked. NFC Team 1 might have a slight edge with Trent Williams in the mix. Kick Tac Toe. Let’s get the specialists involved! In this event, each team’s kicker, punter, and long snapper participate in a large-scale tic-tac-toe competition. The first team to either create a connecting line of three squares, or hit five squares total, wins. According to NFL.com, this event is pre-recorded and will air on Thursday night. AFC. Justin Tucker, Ravens AJ Cole, Raiders Morgan Cox, Titans. NFC. Jason Myers, Seahawks Tress Way, Commanders Andrew DePaola, Vikings. Hard to bet against Justin Tucker. Flag Football Games. Three flag football games will be played, all using a 7-on-7 format. The first two will be factored into the scoring, along with the results of the various skills events, to set the stage for the finale of the weekend, the final flag football game. In these games, the center will snap and kneel. The winner of the flag football game — incorporating the scoring from the previous events that we will outline in a minute — will be named the champion of The Pro Bowl Games. Here are the players taking part in the flag football games: AFC. QB Derek Carr, Raiders QB Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars QB Tyler Huntley, Ravens RB Nick Chubb, Browns RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders RB Derrick Henry, Titans WR Davante Adams, Raiders WR Stefon Diggs, Bills WR Tyreek Hill, Dolphins WR Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals TE Mark Andrews, Ravens TE Dawson Knox, Bills FB Patrick Ricard, Ravens OLB Matt Judon, Patriots OLB Matt Milano, Bills OLB Bradley Chubb, Dolphins ILB C.J. Mosley, Jets ILB Roquan Smith, Ravens CB Pat Surtain II, Broncos CB Sauce Gardner, Jets CB Xavien Howard, Dolphins CB Marlon Humphrey, Ravens FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, Steelers SS Derwin James, Chargers SS Jordan Poyer, Bills RET SPEC Jamal Agnew, Jaguars SP TEAM Justin Hardee, Jets C Ben Jones, Titans C Mitch Morse, Bills. NFC. QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings QB Geno Smith, Seahawks QB Jared Goff, Lions RB Dalvin Cook, Vikings RB Saquon Barkley, Giants RB Christian McCaffrey, 49ers WR Terry McLaurin, Commanders WR Justin Jefferson, Vikings WR CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions TE T.J. Hockenson, Vikings TE George Kittle, 49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers OLB Micah Parsons, Cowboys OLB Danielle Hunter, Vikings OLB Za’Darius Smith, Vikings ILB Demario Davis, Saints ILB Fred Warner, 49ers CB Jaire Alexander, Packers CB Jalen Ramsey, Rams CB Trevon Diggs, Cowboys CB Tariq Woolen, Seahawks FS Quandre Diggs, Seahawks SS Talanoa Hufanga, 49ers SS Budda Baker, Cardinals RET SPEC KaVontae Turpin, Cowboys SP TEAM Jeremy Reaves, Commanders C Frank Ragnow, Lions C Tyler Biadasz, Cowboys. Hard to say either team has the advantage here, although I am looking forward to seeing players try and grab a flag off Tyreek Hill in the open field. Read More

The stock market has been highly sensitive to shifts in interest-rate volatility since the Fed started tightening policy last March. Falling bond-market volatility is now underpinning the rebounding investor confidence in equities. The MOVE Index of US bond swings has slid to lows last seen in March 2022, when the Fed started raising rates. After a terrible 2022, the stock market has waltzed into this year in a surprisingly merry mood, seemingly downplaying the gloom-and-doom economic predictions from Wall Street. Read More

This is the last season of Big 12 basketball in its current form as the 10-team league prepares to offset the departures of Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC with the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. This iteration of the conference will be missed, but it is sure going out with a bang. Nine of the conference's 10 teams rank among the top 40 at KenPom.com and seven Big 12 teams are projected to make the NCAA Tournament, according to Jerry Palm's Bracketology. While the conference is clearly the best in college basketball, it does not have an obvious title favorite. Texas holds a one-game lead in the conference standings entering Wednesday's action, and there is a four-way tie for second place. Lurking just behind those five teams is a sixth threat in No. 11 Baylor, and the Bears should not be counted out. Read More

As a team near the top of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, largely happy with its current rotation and short on moveable assets, the Philadelphia 76ers aren't expected to be major players at the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline this season. However, that doesn't mean they won't look to upgrade the roster around the edges. Specifically, the Sixers would probably benefit from some added depth at the center spot and on the perimeter. With that in mind, here's a look at five potential trade targets for Philadelphia ahead of next week's deadline. Read More

A federal judge signed off on a settlement giving 200,000 student-loan borrowers $6 billion in debt relief last year. In January, three companies requested a stay on the relief, citing reputational harm the settlement brought them. Borrowers in the case recently filed a motion opposing the stay due to the harm postponing the relief would bring. A group of student-loan borrowers who believe they were defrauded by their schools responded to the companies that want to block them from getting long-awaited debt relief. Read More

The AFC West rivalry between the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers is about to get a little more heated. After the Chargers Super Wild Card loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Joey Bosa exploded on the referees during and after the game because he thought they missed holding calls. His Raiders counterpart, Maxx Crosby, went on the 'Bussin' with the Boys' podcast and blasted Bosa for his behavior. "A couple games ago when the f---ing dude had a meltdown blaming the refs," Crosby said. "I see dudes blaming the refs. 'Oh, o-linemen hold all the time!' I'll never be that guy, bro. S-t like that is so weak to me. I know. I get held all the time, bro. You watch the Rams last drive against us where I was getting literally tackled, but I'm not gonna go and double down and look like a little f---ing crybaby. That's not me." Read More

House Democrats pushing for a stock trade ban in Congress got burned by Pelosi last year. In a letter exclusively shared with Insider, they're now pushing McCarthy to pick up where she left off. The GOP House Speaker has spoken favorably of a ban in the last year, but hasn't gotten specific. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is facing new calls to pass legislation to ban members of Congress from trading stocks. Read More

If you've ever seen the face Fedor Emelianenko makes when sitting down for an interview, it might be a familiar sight. In fact, it's the same face the heavyweight MMA legend makes pretty much anytime he's in the public eye, whether he's fighting or walking to and from the cage. Distant. Cold. Unapologetically succinct in every way. If it wasn't for a few passing grins in response to overly animated questions -- a rare glimpse into who the well-guarded family man, known for his humility to the few in MMA who really know him, might actually be -- one would be hard-pressed to realize that this weekend was anything but just another fight in the unparalleled 23-year career of a fighter almost universally regarded as the best heavyweight in history. Read More

Recycling rates in US states could hit 75% if companies bear the costs, a study found. The policy, known as extended producer responsibility, is successful in Canada and Europe. EPR is gaining popularity in the US after four states passed laws to help reduce packaging waste. This article is part of Insider's weekly newsletter on sustainability, written by Catherine Boudreau, senior sustainability reporter. Sign up here. Read More

Wednesday was a big night for point guards. The Toronto Raptors' Fred VanVleet unexpectedly put together the best performance of the night with a 34-point triple-double against the Utah Jazz. While he paced all players in Fantasy points, Damian Lillard and a couple other floor generals weren't far behind. We'll go over who's hot and who's not before picking out our favorite Thursday DFS play here. Who's hot  Dame Dolla's still cooking and scored 42 points in a second straight game in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. He nearly notched a triple-double by contributing eight assists and 10 rebounds to the cause as well. The Portland Trail Blazers point guard has scored at least 37 points in four of his past five games while shooting 57.7 percent from the field. He's also converted 46.7 percent of his 3-pointers during that span on 12.0 attempts per contest. Read More

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is now streaming exclusively on Disney Plus. The Marvel sequel stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, and Winston Duke. Disney Plus costs $8/month with ads, or $11 a month for ad-free streaming. Read More

The Golden State Warriors (26-25) will take on the Denver Nuggets (35-16) on Thursday at Ball Arena. Denver is 23-4 at home, while the Warriors are 7-19 on the road. The Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, snapped a two-game losing streak with a 122-113 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. The Warriors are coming off a 119-114 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Golden State will be on the second night of a back-to-back and may opt to rest Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. ET. Denver is favored by 11.5 points in the latest Nuggets vs. Warriors odds from Caesars Sportsbook, and the over/under is set at 231.5. Before making any Warriors vs. Nuggets picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the red-hot computer simulation model at SportsLine. Read More

Billionaire investor Mark Mobius said his firm avoided the share sale by Adani Enterprises that was later pulled.  The debt load at Indian conglomerate Adani and its associates "sort of scared us away," he told Bloomberg. The Adani Group was accused of stock manipulation by short seller Hindenburg.  Mark Mobius, a pioneer in emerging-markets investing, said his firm didn't take part in Adani Enterprises' stock sale before it was scrapped because it had concerns about the embattled Indian conglomerate's debt. Read More

Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Why are the Orange Krush and Iowa basketball fighting? We have some Big Ten Basketball beef that you should be aware of. In one corner you have the University of Illinois, or more specifically, the Orange Krush. The Orange Krush describe themselves as the “nation’s premier student section,” and every college basketball season, they attend one road game as a group. This year they selected the upcoming game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. As you might imagine from the framing of this story, Iowa basketball is in the other corner. The one and only game regular season game between these two schools this season is set for this Saturday, February 4, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the University of Iowa’s campus. Illinois enters the weekend with a 16-6 record, winners of three-straight games. Iowa, on the other hand, is 14-8 on the season, having won two-straight games. Now let’s get to the issue at hand. Wednesday evening, the Orange Krush issued a statement on social media indicating that they would not be attending this weekend’s game at Iowa after all. In the statement, the Orange Krush stated that Iowa’s Athletic Department “invalidated all 200 tickets that the Orange Krush had legally purchased.” The statement further outlined how members of the Orange Krush had participated in fundraisers to secure a spot on the trip, and pointed the finger squarely at the Iowa Athletic Department: It is highly unfortunate for the 150 students that collectively fundraised a total of $2649.41 for local charitable organizations in order to be invited on this trip. Most of all, it is highly unfortunate that the University of Iowa and their athletic department refused to face the consequences of the mistake THEY MADE in selling tickets to a billing address in Champaign, Illinois. It is against the spirit of competition and rivalry, two outstanding attributes of the Big Ten Conference, to make this decision. The statement concluded with some chest-thumping from the Orange Krush: It is disappointing, without a doubt, that we will not get to be there in person to see the game this Saturday. However, we take it as a great compliment that the Orange Krush is a strong enough section to be so feared that an opposing athletic department is willing to sacrifice $5400 and ruin a sellout to turn us away. Gary Barta and staff, we issue great thanks to all of you for the adoration you have shown the Orange Krush through your cowardice. Here is the statement in full: Statement from the Orange Krush: pic.twitter.com/etb13geis1.— The Orange Krush (@TheOrangeKrush) February 2, 2023 Is this true? Is Iowa basketball scared to compete? As you might expect, there was another side to the story. On Wednesday night, the Iowa Athletic Department issued their own version of events: A statement from the Iowa Athletics Department regarding Saturday’s game vs Illinois: pic.twitter.com/8gzZmf87Ns.— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) February 2, 2023 As indicated, the story was a little different in their eyes: The Iowa athletics department became aware of a discounted group ticket order for the Iowa-Illinois men’s basketball game on behalf of an Illinois chapter of the Boys and Girls Club. In following up with that organization, it became clear this was not factual. When contacting the individual who made the original ticket order, they admitted to falsely ordering tickets under the non-profit organization. According to the Iowa Athletic Department, the ticket order was refunded. In addition, the school is donating the tickets to the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids. So now we have a war of words between a school and a rival student section — although it would seem the facts are on the side of the Iowa Athletic Department in this instance — and a group of kids from the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids getting tickets to Saturday’s game. At least something positive might result from this beef. Read More

A Chinese dealership briefly listed a Porsche Panamera for a mere $18,000.  A Panamera costs at least $92,000 in the US, and has a starting price of $148,000 in China.  Porsche reported sales of 310,000 vehicles in 2022, 3% more than in 2021. For a brief, sweet moment, Porsche lovers in the city of Yinchuan, China, thought they had found the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Read More

"This is about targeting women of color in the United States of America," she says of the vote to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar from the foreign affairs committee. Read More

If Cathie Wood had to hold one stock for the next decade, it would be Tesla, she said in an interview. Wood has been snapping up Tesla stock since shares of the EV maker closed out a dismal year in 2022.  She estimates the stock will soar to $1,500 a share over the next five years, marking a 675% increase. If Cathie Wood had to buy one stock today and hold it for the next 10 years, it would be Tesla, the Ark Invest CEO said. Read More

Lawyers representing Jeffrey Epstein's estate want out of a sex assault lawsuit against Leon Black. Cheri Pierson claims Epstein set up a massage for Black, where Black raped her in 2002.  Epstein's lawyers say there isn't enough evidence that Epstein was negligent.  The executors of Jeffrey Epstein's estate are trying to get themselves removed from a lawsuit filed by a woman who claims she was raped by hedge fund manager Leon Black at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse in 2002. Read More

Legendary WWE star Lanny Poffo has died at the age of 68, fellow wrestler Jim Duggan confirmed on Thursday. “With a very, very heavy heart, I’ve been asked to let everyone know about the passing of our friend and colleague Lanny Poffo, The Genius,” Duggan wrote to his Instagram page. Read More

Colorado first-year coach Deion Sanders was hired to bring visibility back to the once-proud program, and he succeeded on National Signing Day 2023 when he finalized a star-studded recruiting class. That class, made up of 19 high school recruits and 24 transfer players, ranks 21st in the country overall and No. 5 among transfer classes. It's Colorado's best class since 2008 when it finished 15th overall and signed the nation's No. 4 player (running back Darrell Scott). Sanders wasn't surprised with the surge of energy that materialized on signing day. Fans shouldn't be, either. After all, this was the primary reason Sanders was brought to Boulder. Read More

The No. 9 UCLA Bruins will try to snap their two-game losing streak when they face the Washington Huskies in a Pac-12 matchup on Thursday night. UCLA had won 14 consecutive games, but it is now coming off back-to-back losses against Arizona and USC. Washington has lost two of its last three games, falling to Arizona in a 95-72 blowout last Saturday. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Bruins are favored by 17.5 points in the latest UCLA vs. Washington odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 136. Before entering any Washington vs. UCLA picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine. Read More

The Pistons, who played against the Dallas Mavericks Monday night, were unable to fly out of Dallas in time to get home and play the Washington Wizards Wednesday. Read More

The No. 5 Arizona Wildcats look to avenge a blowout road loss nearly three weeks ago to the Oregon Ducks on Thursday night. Arizona, 19-3 (8-3 in the Pac-12), enters off a 95-72 win at Washington. Oregon, 13-9 (7-4 in conference), defeated Utah 68-56 at home last Saturday. Oregon has won 11 of the last 14 matchups between the teams, including an 87-68 victory on January 14th in Eugene. Oregon is 11-11 against the spread, while Arizona is 9-12 ATS thus far in the 2022-23 season. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET at the McKale Center. The Wildcats are favored by 8 points in the latest Arizona vs. Oregon odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 151.5. Before entering any Oregon vs. Arizona picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine. Read More

King Charles III will not appear on Australia's new $5 banknotes, the central bank said.  The paper currency will instead feature designs representing the country's indigenous people.  Australian coins, however, will continue to carry images of the British monarchy. King Charles III will not appear on Australia's new $5 banknotes as the former British colony pivots away from the monarchy. Read More

For the past three seasons, Tom Brady has been the oldest player in the NFL, but with the 45-year-old now officially retired, that title will be going to someone else for the 2023 season, and that someone else is Jason Peters. The Cowboys' offensive lineman, who turned 41 on Jan. 22, is not only the oldest, but he's also one of just three players in the NFL older than 40. During the 2022 season, Peters played in 10 games for the Cowboys, but he also missed multiple games due to a chest injury. With Peters set to hit free agency in March, there's no guarantee that he's going to want to keep playing. In each of the past two seasons, he skipped the opening of free agency in March and didn't sign with a new team until after training camp was over. Read More

The US Virgin Islands is suing JPMorgan for facilitating Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking scheme. But the bank says the territory should have stopped Epstein with its law enforcement powers. The Virgin Islands gave tax breaks to Epstein's businesses, the bank said. Attorneys for JPMorgan lashed out at the US Virgin Islands in a court filing on Wednesday night, alleging the territory "did nothing to stop" Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking operation and is merely deflecting blame by suing the bank for facilitating the now-dead pedophile's scheme. Read More

Costco has more than 838 warehouses around the world and made more than $226 billion in sales in 2022. The wholesale club has similar customer loyalty as other big box stores, and it adds more new customers than it loses. The average Costco customer is a 39-year-old Asian American woman who's married and earns $125,000, Numerator found. Costco is the third-largest retailer in the US, pulling in more than $226.9 billion in sales in 2022. The store operates as a wholesale club, with nearly 119 million cardholders representing households and small and midsize businesses. Read More

One of the questions I struggle the most with during draft season is "what's your draft strategy" and that's because, for the most part, I let the draft room determine my draft strategy. I'm as comfortable with Zero-RB as I and with Robust RB, and I think most managers should be if they want to optimize their chances of winning. And in a Dynasty start-up, there's another layer added on top of that. My first few picks also determine my strategy. To better understand this, we can take a look at one drafter's team in our recent mock. Alfredo Brown started his team from the No. 2 pick with Ja'Marr Chase. Chase is the rare player who would fit perfectly as the best player on a rebuilding team or the best player on a contending team. But the next pick changed everything because he selected Travis Kelce. Kelce in Round 2 is too early for me, but Brown did exactly what he should have done after making that pick. Read More

Criminal proceedings against Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood have been dropped, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) announced on Thursday. Greenwood, 21, faced allegations of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behavior and assault, all relating to the same woman and had been due to stand trial on Nov. 27 of this year. The investigation had opened in January 2022. The Crown Prosecution Service said, "In this case, a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. In these circumstances, we are under a duty to stop the case. Read More

When you think of Mike McDaniel's debut as Dolphins head coach, you don't necessarily think defense. Miami's 2022 campaign was all about what happened on McDaniel's preferred side of the ball: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa made a noticeable leap as the starter (before a polarizing string of concussions sidelined him indefinitely), wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle dominated as the speediest duo in the game and the team's explosive aerial attack offset one of the shakiest defenses in the league -- a unit that ranked in the bottom half for points and passing yards allowed, and second-worst in total takeaways. In today's NFL, the offense does take precedence. And it's arguable Miami's biggest, most underrated need going into the 2023 offseason remained under center. As promising as Tagovailoa looked out of the gate in his first year under McDaniel, the former first-round pick remains unproven as an off-script passer. More concerningly, he hasn't played a full, healthy season of football since 2018, his sophomore year of college. Read More

The Milwaukee Bucks will take on the Los Angeles Clippers at 10 p.m. ET on Thursday at Fiserv Forum. Milwaukee is 34-17 overall and 21-5 at home, while Los Angeles is 29-25 overall and 15-14 on the road. The two franchises have split their last 10 head-to-head meetings but the Clippers do hold a 6-3-1 edge against the spread during that span, including a 153-119 win as a 3.5-point underdog in their last meeting in April. However, the Bucks are 27-21 against the spread this season while the Clippers are just 27-27. On Thursday, Milwaukee is favored by 3.5 points in the latest Bucks vs. Clippers odds from Caesars Sportsbook and the over/under is set at 230.5. Before entering any Clippers vs. Bucks picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine. Read More

"As our family and close friends know, after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends," the statement read. "If we had known we would separate after 25 years, we would do it all again." MacKenzie Scott, formerly MacKenzie Bezos, was one of Amazon's earliest employees. The couple has four children together. Read More

Video appears to show the moments after a baby was ditched by his parents at a Tel Aviv airport. "She left him here!" a woman can be heard saying in the video, published by local outlet N12. The parents arrived late for their flight and didn't have a ticket for the infant, authorities said. A cell phone video appears to show the moments after a baby boy was abandoned this week by his parents at an airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, leaving staffers in "shock." Read More

The No. 3 Houston Cougars will be trying to remain atop the American Athletic Conference standings when they face the Wichita State Shockers on Thursday night. Houston suffered its first conference loss on Jan. 22, but it has responded with wins over UCF and Cincinnati. Wichita State has won two of its last three games, beating East Carolina by 13 points on Sunday. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Cougars are favored by 12 points in the latest Wichita State vs. Houston odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under is set at 130.5. Before entering any Houston vs. Wichita State picks, you'll want to see the college basketball predictions from the model at SportsLine. Read More

Risk-on sentiment returned to the stock market on Thursday after the Fed acknowledged inflation is falling. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell mentioned the word "disinflation" 13 times during Wednesday's FOMC speech. Read More

Creditors in FTX's bankruptcy say Sam Bankman-Fried and his top deputies aren't playing ball. The parallel criminal case against SBF, Caroline Ellison, and Gary Wang may be to blame. Usually, cooperating witnesses share everything — but prosecutors may be holding back, experts say. In the months since FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the company and its creditors have said they're leaving no stone unturned in their search for the fallen crypto exchange's funds that disappeared. Read More

Top Highlights & Picks Watch on CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 sports news network. Nonstop highlights, analysis, and winning picks. Patrick Mahomes is nearly flawless while the Eagles are plagued by ill-timed turnovers in this video game. Read More

"It's as if Zuckerberg is just saying what investors want to hear," Munster said. "What that tells me is that Zuckerberg gets it and that's important." Read More