Golden Knights back to work after Stanley Cup win and short offseason

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

Golden Knights back to work after Stanley Cup win and short offseason LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights went from hoisting the Stanley Cup, to a victory parade on the Strip, to a summer of celebrating, to now getting down to the business of playing hockey again.A short offseason is a good problem to have, but still an issue.“That’s part of why some teams maybe have trouble going back to back with the championships,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said Thursday as the team opened training camp. “There’s tremendous energy and excitement around our team right now. I’ve always felt that if you play until the end and you win, you don’t mind that short summer. If you play to the end and you lose in the final, then the summer does seem short.”The Knights, who defeated the Florida Panthers in five games to win the Cup, hope to become the latest team to repat as champions. The Tampa Bay Lightning accomplished that feat just two years ago, and the Pittsburgh Penguins did it in 2017, the only teams to do so in the salary-cap era.Vegas ...

A weak spot last year, the Seahawks’ run defense is much improved through 2 games

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

A weak spot last year, the Seahawks’ run defense is much improved through 2 games RENTON, Wash. (AP) — A year ago, the Seattle Seahawks’ run defense was a bit of a problem. OK, a big problem. Through two games this season, it’s one of Seattle’s biggest bright spots, thanks to some specific changes and focus entering the year.“Everything that we’re doing right now is a big improvement,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “The containment and the perimeter play has really cleaned up, minimizing the breakout plays is one. … The toughness of the guys up front. It’s fitting together, and we’ve been very aggressive with how we’ve been playing it. Hopefully we can keep rolling.”Opponents ran all over the Seahawks last season. Seattle allowed 4.9 yards per carry and 152 yards rushing per game, both of which were 30th in the league. But after revamping the defense in the offseason by bringing back a pair of former standouts in linebacker Bobby Wagner and nose tackle Jarran Reed, and signing defensive ends Dre’Mont Jones and Mario Edwards Jr., the cha...

Dolphins seeking second straight 3-0 start when they host the winless Broncos

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

Dolphins seeking second straight 3-0 start when they host the winless Broncos DENVER BRONCOS (0-2) at MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-0)Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBSOPENING LINE: Dolphins by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel SportsBook.AGAINST THE SPREAD: Broncos 0-2, Dolphins 2-0.SERIES RECORD: Dolphins lead 12-6-1.LAST MEETING: Broncos defeated Dolphins 20-13 on Nov. 22, 2020, in Denver.LAST WEEK: Broncos lost 35-33 to Commanders; Dolphins beat Patriots 24-17.BRONCOS OFFENSE: OVERALL (16), RUSH (15), PASS (12), SCORING (14T)BRONCOS DEFENSE: OVERALL (16), RUSH (11), PASS (21), SCORING (23T)DOLPHINS OFFENSE: OVERALL (1), RUSH (16), PASS (1), SCORING (3T)DOLPHINS DEFENSE: OVERALL (24), RUSH (28), PASS (14), SCORING (19T)TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Broncos minus-1; Dolphins minus-1.BRONCOS PLAYER TO WATCH: Rookie WR Marvin Mims Jr. had 168 all-purpose yards on just five touches against the Commanders, but coach Sean Payton inexplicably didn’t have him targeted after his 45-yard punt return in the second quarter. He had two catches for 113 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown on a play in whi...

Aurora mayor addresses youth violence concerns

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

Aurora mayor addresses youth violence concerns DENVER (KDVR) -- New data from the City of Aurora shows violent crime is trending down. Compared to September 2022, murder rates have dropped nearly 7%. During the last year, aggravated assaults have also gone down more than 12% and robberies have dropped by 36%.Despite the trend, Aurora is still dealing with violent crime and a lot of the time either the victim or the suspects are teenagers or even kids. In March, 13-year-old Phoenix Day was shot and killed outside the Town Center of Aurora Mall following a fight between a different group of teens. Grieving mom opens up about 13-year-old son’s killing Following that incident, Interim Police Chief Art Acevedo blamed the judicial system for out-of-control juvenile crime, saying “the fact that we are chasing or arresting people and they're going in one door and out the other. And this is what happens folks get hurt and killed.” Acevedo then encouraged people to demand accountability from legislators.Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman told C...

FAA investigating after crew reports laser pointed at helicopter landing at a Boston hospital

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

FAA investigating after crew reports laser pointed at helicopter landing at a Boston hospital The FAA will investigate after a helicopter crew reported being hit by a laser while landing at a hospital in Boston Thursday night, officials said. The FAA in a statement said the crew reported the incident around 8 p.m. No one was injured, according to the FAA, and local authorities were notified. No further information was immediately available about the incident Thursday night. This, though, came hours after the FAA said two JetBlue flight crews reported being illuminated by a laser around 5:40 a.m. Thursday near Boston. As with the incident Thursday night, the FAA said no one was hurt in the early-morning laser strikes. Later speaking with 7NEWS, aviation expert and former Massport Director Tom Kinton said incidents involving lasers and aircraft “(are) happening way too often.” “It’s a very dangerous way to play around that can cause injury to the pilots and loss of sight at a critical phase of flight could involve an accident or a missed approach,” Kin...

MBTA temporarily pauses nearly all contract work on tracks

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

MBTA temporarily pauses nearly all contract work on tracks The MBTA has temporarily paused nearly all contractor work on its tracks, officials said Thursday, citing to safety concerns. A T spokesperson said officials paused work beginning on Wednesday. The pause, the spokesperson said, was scheduled to continue for 48 hours and would include “all contractor work that is not taking place inside an established diversion area.”The pause this week comes after news of more close calls between MBTA trains and workers became public.The pause, in turn, comes after a crackdown on the T from the Federal Transit Authority, which recently ordered new safety changes to protect employees.Among recent incidents was one on Sept. 11 that happened in a tunnel between Porter and Harvard stations on the Red Line. A worker tried to flag a train driver to stop. The driver did not stop and the incident was not immediately reported. In a letter last week, the Federal Transit Authority said it “has determined that a combination of unsafe conditions and practic...

‘Our family’: Four B.C. firefighters who died in crash worked for Kamloops firm

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

‘Our family’: Four B.C. firefighters who died in crash worked for Kamloops firm The four British Columbia firefighters who died in a highway crash this week all worked for a Kamloops-based contractor, whose owner said they were “our family.”Aaron Duczak, owner of Tomahawk Ventures, said three of the men were Indigenous, and that all four were “irreplaceable.”The men died when their pickup collided head-on with a semi-truck on Highway 1 east of Cache Creek in the province’s southern Interior early Tuesday morning.Duczak said in a statement that the men’s lives had been “tragically cut short.”RCMP say the initial investigation suggests a Ford F-350 pickup truck carrying the four men failed to navigate a bend in the highway and slammed into the semi travelling in the opposite direction.Duczak said the company appreciates the public’s support and concerns but is asking for privacy.“The wildland firefighting community has lost four good ones and they are irreplaceable,” he said. Posts on social media ...

Gold, watches and other luxury items totaling $1.75B seized in Singapore money laundering scheme

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

Gold, watches and other luxury items totaling $1.75B seized in Singapore money laundering scheme KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Singapore police say they have uncovered more luxury watches, gold bars and other assets from a massive money laundering scheme that was busted last month, bringing the total amount of assets seized or frozen to 2.4 billion Singapore dollars ($1.75 billion).The police had launched further operations related to a group of foreign nationals suspected to be involved in laundering the proceeds of their organized criminal activities, including scams and online gambling, police said in a statement on Wednesday.The latest action followed multiple other raids across the city-state last month that saw properties, vehicles, luxury goods and gold bars worth SG$1 billion ($731 million) seized or frozen. Nine men and a woman from Cyprus, Turkey, China, Cambodia and Vanuatu have been charged in court.The case has cast a shadow on Singapore’s status as a financial hub known for its low crime and clean image.The latest operations saw additional assets seized or f...

North Korea’s Kim sets forth steps to boost Russia ties as US and Seoul warn about weapons deals

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

North Korea’s Kim sets forth steps to boost Russia ties as US and Seoul warn about weapons deals SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered unspecified steps to further develop relations with Russia after his recent visit to the country as his foreign rivals warn that any cooperation on military weapons would be dangerous and bring consequences.Experts speculated North Korea and Russia likely discussed banned arms transfer deals and other cooperation measures during Kim’s six-day trip last week. They say the two countries are serious about sharply boosting their ties while they are engaged in separate confrontations with the West. During a Politburo meeting on Wednesday, Kim arranged for work to be done on further developing bilateral ties at “a new high level at the practical stage” to consolidate “the success” of his Russia trip, the official Korean Central News Agency said Friday.Kim underscored the need to expand bilateral cooperation in every field, making a substantial contribution to the promotion of the well-being of the people of the ...

Australia’s government posts $14.2 billion budget surplus after 15 years in the red

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:07:35 GMT

Australia’s government posts $14.2 billion budget surplus after 15 years in the red CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s government reported Friday that it had a budget surplus of 22.1 billion Australian dollars ($14.2 billion) in the last fiscal year, the first time the nation’s books have been balanced in 15 years.The government cited low unemployment and high prices for the country’s commodities, including iron ore, coal and gas. The surplus was equivalent to 0.9% of Australia’s GDP, The positive showing for the year that ended June 30 was larger than the AU$4.3 billion ($2.8 billion) surplus forecast in May. And it was a vast improvement from the AU$77.9 billion ($49.9 billion) deficit forecast ahead of elections in May 2022.But Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he did not expect another budget surplus in the current fiscal year, citing China’s economic problems and recent Australian interest rate rises continuing to weigh on growth.“We’re not currently anticipating a second surplus for the time being,” Chalmers told reporters.In announcing the surplus,...