Defending champ Avs force Game 7 with 4-1 win over Kraken

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

Defending champ Avs force Game 7 with 4-1 win over Kraken SEATTLE (AP) — It took six games of these playoffs for the Colorado Avalanche to finally look the part of a defending Stanley Cup champion. Colorado’s reward? A trip back home for Game 7 and the chance to dispatch the pesky Seattle Kraken.Mikko Rantanen scored his seventh goal of the playoffs, Artturi Lehkonen scored twice, including an empty-net goal in the closing seconds, and the Avalanche beat the Kraken 4-1 on Friday night in their first-round playoff series. Rantanen scored in the final seconds of the first period, tying it at 1 after Seattle posted the first goal yet again. The Avalanche then dominated the final two periods, flashing some of what made them Stanley Cup champs a season ago. “I don’t think we’ve had a full 60 (minutes) yet, a full, good 60 and today we did. We played three good periods, even though they scored the first goal again, but we (stuck) with it and played to our identity,” Rantanen said. Erik Johnson scored his first of the playoffs on a deflected shot...

Sergio Garcia tied for 2nd-round lead at LIV Singapore

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

Sergio Garcia tied for 2nd-round lead at LIV Singapore SINGAPORE (AP) — Sergio Garcia shot a 7-under 64 at Sentosa Golf Club on Saturday to move into a share of the second-round lead with Talor Gooch at the LIV Singapore tournament.Garcia and Gooch, who birdied his last two holes for a 65, had 36-hole totals of 13-under 129.Gooch won last week’s LIV tournament at Adelaide, Australia and was the first-round leader by a stroke in Singapore after a 64.Brooks Koepka (65 Saturday) was in third place, a stroke behind Garcia and Gooch. British Open champion Cameron Smith was in a three-way tied for fourth place after a 66 and two behind the leaders. Phil Mickelson, who shot a second straight 66, was in seventh place and three strokes behind. Mickelson birdied four of his first five holes but had two late bogeys.Garcia, who began his round on the first hole with Gooch in the shotgun-start format, birdied three of his final four holes.Gooch opened with a pair of 10-under 62s while winning at The Grange last week at Adelaide. He continued h...

Courage defeat Dash 1-0 in weather-shortened match

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

Courage defeat Dash 1-0 in weather-shortened match HOUSTON (AP) — Tyler Lussi scored in the opening half to give the North Carolina Courage a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dash in a weather-shortened match on Friday night.Lightning was spotted in the area in the 52nd minute and the game was stopped for more than three hours before officials ended it. At one point players returned to the field to warm up but moments later headed back to the locker room when more lightning was spotted. The National Women’s Soccer League issued a brief statement: “Due to adverse weather conditions, tonight’s match between the Houston Dash and the North Carolina Courage at Shell Energy Stadium has been abandoned. As the first half was played in its entirety, the match is considered complete and will not be rescheduled.”The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for North Carolina, which hadn’t won a match since the opener against the Kansas City Current. Lussi scored in the 33rd minute for North Carolina (2-3-0) off a cross from Emily Fox...

Kings force Warriors to Game 7, Lakers eliminate Grizzlies

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

Kings force Warriors to Game 7, Lakers eliminate Grizzlies SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Malik Monk scored 28 points, De’Aaron Fox added 26 points and 11 assists, and the Sacramento Kings staved off elimination in their first-round playoff series by beating Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 118-99 on Friday night in Game 6.Now, a winner-takes-all Game 7 is back in Sacramento on Sunday afternoon.Rookie Keegan Murray scored 15 points with four 3-pointers and grabbed 12 rebounds for his first playoff double-double, and the No. 3-seeded Kings withstood every scoring surge the defending champions made on their home court and shined in nearly every facet of this one with their special season on the line.Kevin Huerter, struggling with his shot all series — 20 of 52 coming into the game — hit a 3 with 6:23 to go and another with 4:58 left as Sacramento gave the state capital one more chance to Light the Beam.Curry scored 29, Klay Thompson 22 and Kevon Looney pulled down 13 more rebounds to give him an NBA-leading 85 this postseason. He was coming ...

Iran: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the confirmation of the death sentence against Jamshid Sharmahd by Iranian court

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

Iran: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the confirmation of the death sentence against Jamshid Sharmahd by Iranian court The European Union strongly condemns the Iranian Supreme Court’s decision on 26 April 2023 to uphold the death sentence against German-Iranian national Jamshid Sharmahd (pictured).The European Union calls upon Iran to refrain from executing the death penalty on Mr Sharmahd, repeal his sentence and ensure Mr Sharmahd be provided the basic rights to which he is entitled under International Law without delay.Mr Sharmahd has been detained since 2020. Throughout his time in detention, Mr Sharmahd has not had access to a lawyer of his choice. Also, Iranian authorities have denied consular access to Mr Sharmahd, despite his German nationality.The death penalty violates the inalienable right to life enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.The European Union calls on Iran to refrain from any executions, to pursue a consistent policy towards the abolition of capital punishment and to strictly abide by its international...

'Despicable attack against Omar Harfouch, we give solidarity and support'

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

'Despicable attack against Omar Harfouch, we give solidarity and support' "Our friend Omar Harfouch, esteemed member of the Scientificcommittee of our Institute, leader of the Lebanese Third Republic party, man, liberal and moderate, and our guest a little over a month ago for a conference on the future of Lebanon at the Chamber of Deputies, announced today that he risks being arrested if he returned to Lebanon," said Alessandro Bertoldi, executive director of the Milton Friedman Institute.The political authorities in power in Lebanon are said to have issued an arrest warrant against him, without any charges being brought by the judicial authorities, but justifying this arbitrary act with the words "Collaboration with the enemy!!!", and this because Harfouch held a conference in the European Parliament in which - according to them - "Israelis" were presentOmar Harfouch's international campaign for peace, secularism, democracy, freedom and civil rights in Lebanon, as well as his fight against corruption, the sectarian political system and the extremists, h...

Fentanyl deaths skyrocket in Southern California prompting outcry for stricter laws

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

Fentanyl deaths skyrocket in Southern California prompting outcry for stricter laws The number of fentanyl-related deaths in California has skyrocketed over the past six years.For comparison, around 230 fentanyl deaths were reported in 2016. Now that number has jumped to nearly 5,800 in 2021 — marking an increase of over 2,000 percent.That alarming number has local leaders and victims’ families speaking out and demanding more legislation, including extra safeguards on social media and stricter penalties for fentanyl dealers."As a mom, this scares the hell out of me,” said Irvine Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris. “As a legislator, I am determined to act."Petrie-Norris is pushing for stiffer penalties for fentanyl dealers caught selling the drug on social media. “The reality is that dealers don't need to lurk in dark street corners or remote parking lots,” said Petrie-Norris. “Now they are connecting with our kids on platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.” Baby found dead in South El Monte park Irvine Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris speakin...

Milpitas: Public’s help sought in identifying attempted arson suspect

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

Milpitas: Public’s help sought in identifying attempted arson suspect The Milpitas Police Department released this image of a man suspected of leaving an incendiary device in front of a Bank of America in the 700 block of East Calaveras Boulevard on Friday, April 28, 2023. Police said he left the scene in a newer maroon Honda Accord. MILPITAS — Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who left an incendiary device in front of a Bank of America in Milpitas on Friday afternoon.The incident was reported around 2:40 p.m. in the 700 block of East Calaveras Boulevard.The man placed the incendiary device on the ground, lit it on fire and left the scene in a newer maroon Honda Accord, the Milpitas Police Department said in a statement.The device was extinguished before anyone was injured or property was damaged, police said.The man was described as light-skinned and heavyset. He was last seen wearing a blue Golden State Warriors T-shirt, gray basketball shorts with yellow trim and black shoes.Anyone with information related to th...

What went wrong for Warriors in Game 6 vs. Kings, and how it can change for Game 7

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

What went wrong for Warriors in Game 6 vs. Kings, and how it can change for Game 7 SAN FRANCISCO — The playoffs are supposed to bring out a different beast in a true contender. Yet the Warriors have looked every bit their regular-season selves during this first-round series against the Sacramento.A starting lineup adjustment, tighter screws on the turnovers and fight on the boards helped the Warriors take a 3-2 series lead and looking primed to close out in the comfort of their own home. Instead, the Warriors fell back into their worst habits.They were complacent, sloppy and perhaps a bit entitled as they watched the Kings beat them at their own game on their home floor, 118-99, sending the series to a Game 7 at Golden 1 Center. For the Warriors, this series has mimicked their regular season woes: Smart enough to beat anyone, bogged down by failure to execute, drawn to the .500 win line.But a win-or-go-home game is familiar territory to the core players in the Warriors’ locker room. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney savor the ...

A’s met by fans in Oakland with chants of `Sell the team!’

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:03:10 GMT

A’s met by fans in Oakland with chants of `Sell the team!’ OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Just 6,423 fans showed up for the Athletics’ first home game since announcing a deal for land to build a ballpark in Las Vegas, many chanting “Sell the team!” and “Stay in Oakland!” during an 11-7 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.“Obviously, they have every right to do what they want and wear whatever T-shirts they want, say what they want, because they paid for their ticket,” A’s second baseman Tony Kemp said. “So yeah, it’s unfortunate that it’s come to this situation.”Unable to make progress on a new ballpark in the Bay Area and wanting to make plans as the expiration of their Oakland Coliseum lease approaches at the end of the 2024 season, the team announced April 19 that it had signed a binding agreement to purchase land for a new retractable roof ballpark in Las Vegas.The A’s, led by owner John Fisher, intend to work with Nevada and Clark County on a public-private partnership to fund the stadium. They hope to break ground by next year a...