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With tons of youth and almost everybody back, Magic eyeing shot at NBA playoffs

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

ORLANDO MAGIC Last season: 34-48, missed playoffs.Coach: Jamahl Mosley (3rd season, 56-108).What to expect: The Magic basically brought everybody back this season — eight of their top nine scorers in terms of total points — and most everyone who started a game. A young team took big steps forward last season and now will be asked to do it again. Expect Orlando to play fast, partly because having so much youth (no expected starter is older than 25) allows it and partly because the team has a ton of guards. One very underrated move was bringing in veteran Joe Ingles over the summer, because now the young team has an older guy who’s been there and done that. Ingles is already showing his value on and off the court, directing traffic when he’s playing and essentially serving as a volunteer assistant coach when he’s not in games. The schedule is tough right away, with eight of the first 13 games on the road (two four-game trips in that span) and two matchups ...

East champion Heat will try to rekindle that playoff magic in ’23-24

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

MIAMI HEAT Last season: 44-38, lost to Denver in NBA Finals.Coach: Erik Spoelstra (16th season, 704-491).What to expect: The defending Eastern Conference champions know their window for championships — at least with the roster as currently constructed — is now. Kyle Lowry is 37, Kevin Love is 35, and Jimmy Butler turned 34 last month as well. There are some serious holes to fill as well, particularly in the area of 3-point shooting. Tyler Herro led the team with 203 makes from beyond the arc last season, but the No. 2 and No. 3 Heat players in that department a year ago — Max Strus (197) and Gabe Vincent (117) — now play elsewhere. And 3-point accuracy was an issue for the Heat throughout the regular season, the team’s 34.4% clip ranked only 27th in the 30-team NBA. But it is a team filled with players who know how to rise to playoff occasions; Butler was the best player in the league for long stretches of the 2023 postseason. The question will be how Mi...

Hamas anuncia la liberación de dos rehenes estadounidenses tras la mediación de Catar

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

JERUSALÉN – El portavoz de las Brigadas Al Qasam, Abu Obeida, anunció este viernes la liberación de dos rehenes estadounidenses por “razones humanitarias”, tras la mediación de Catar.Abu Obeida, cuyo grupo es el brazo armado de Hamas, dijo en su cuenta de Telegram que ambas secuestradas son madre e hija. Biden en su mensaje desde la Oficina Oval: “es vital que Israel y Ucrania tengan éxito” Israel y Hamas en guerra: más de 5,200 personas han muerto en ambos lados Una fuente, mientras tanto, le confirmó a NBC News que se trata de los dos familiares de Martin Fletcher.Restan más estadounidenses secuestrados, cuyo estado se desconoce. Se estima que el total de secuestrados ronda los 200.Source

Suspect in Adams County deputy assault barricaded in Westminster

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

WESTMISNTER, Colo. (KDVR) -- Westminster SWAT is on scene at West 121st Avenue and Zuni Street after a barricaded suspect allegedly assaulted a deputy.On Friday, Oct. 20 at 12:58 p.m., the Westminster Police Department tweeted that Westminster SWAT is currently negotiating with a suspect who assaulted an Adams County deputy. Denver man’s family released by Hamas for ‘humanitarian’ reasons The deputy sustained non-life-threatening injuries. As of 12:59 p.m., area schools have been "placed on secure" until the incident is over, tweeted Westminster PD. Download the FOX31 App: Breaking news alerts & Pinpoint Weather This is a developing story. FOX31 will update this post when more information is available.

Halloween and horror movies filmed in Colorado

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Colorado is home to many iconic movies and TV shows, but some are more festive around Halloween.For those looking for horror or Halloween-themed entertainment, these movies or shows that were filmed in or inspired by Colorado are sure to bring the Halloween spirit to you. These spooky movies will be released this fall Spooky movies with filming locations in Colorado, according to IMBDWarGames (1983) -- Rated PG, Colorado SpringsSnowbeast (1977) -- Unrated, Crested Butte, GunnisonPhantoms (1998) -- Rated R, GeorgetownInk (2009) -- Unrated, DenverDecampitated (1998) -- Rated R, Colorado SpringsElves (1989) -- Rated PG-13, Colorado SpringsCannibal! The Musical (1993) -- Rated R, Boulder, Lake City, Ouray, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National ParkStrangeland (1998) -- Rated R, Colorado Springs, DenverThe Hateful Eight (2015) -- Rated R, Telluride, Wilson MesaRent-A-Pal (2020) -- Unrated, Denver, AuroraDead Zone (2022) -- Rated TV-MA, Grand JunctionThe Jar (1982) -- U...

Israel says two Americans held hostage by Hamas, a mother and daughter, have been released

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas on Friday freed an American woman and her teenage daughter it had held hostage in Gaza, Israel said, the first such release from among the roughly 200 people the militant group abducted from Israel during its Oct. 7 rampage.The two Americans, Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie, were out of the Gaza Strip and in the hands of the Israeli military, an army spokesman said. Hamas said it released them for humanitarian reasons in an agreement with the Qatari government.The release comes amid growing expectations of an expected ground offensive that Israel says is aimed at rooting out Hamas militants who rule the Gaza Strip. Israel said Friday it does not plan to take long-term control over the tiny territory, home to some 2.3 million people.As the Israeli military punished Gaza with airstrikes, authorities inched closer to bringing aid from Egypt to desperate families and hospitals. Fighting between Israel and militants in neighboring L...

Trump announces Hialeah rally as he prepares to skip yet another GOP debate

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Hialeah as counter-programming to the third Republican presidential primary debate, which he is once again choosing to skip.Trump’s campaign says he will hold a rally the evening of Nov. 8th at Ted Hendricks Stadium at Henry Milander Park, about a half-hour drive from the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, where his rivals will be meeting. Trump has repeatedly said he sees no point in participating, given his commanding lead in the race.Hialeah is an overwhelmingly Hispanic suburb, with more than 95% of residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to the most recent census numbers. Most are Cuban or Cuban American and speak Spanish at home.The choice of location reflects Republicans’ hopes that they will be able to continue to win over an increasing share of the Hispanic vote in the 2024 elections. During 2022’s midterms, Florida Gov. Ro...

Florida man convicted of stealing sports camp tuition funds from hundreds of families

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — A Florida man has been convicted by a federal jury of stealing sports camp tuition from hundreds of families and spending the money on plastic surgery, vacations and gambling.Mehdi Belhassan, 53, of Tampa, Florida, was found guilty of two counts of wire fraud and will be sentenced Jan. 11. A charge of wire fraud carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.Belhassan falsely claimed he was running an annual sports camp at a Boston-area college in July and August 2019 and collected $380,000 in payments from more than 300 families across the United States. He also collected $191,000 in advance payments from an online payment company and a commercial finance company.“Mr. Belhassan preyed upon the trust of families, promising summer fun while plotting his own indulgence. He lured in, deceived and betrayed over 300 families — diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars not to the promised camps, but to personal...

MI5 considers raising UK terror threat level

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

LONDON — British intelligence chiefs are considering putting the U.K. on high alert for a terrorist attack, as tensions rise around the world after the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel. According to people familiar with the matter, officials are weighing up whether to raise the government’s terrorism alert level to “critical,” the maximum state of vigilance. The current level is set at “substantial,” which means an attack is “likely,” according to the government’s definitions. Raising it two levels to “critical” would mean that intelligence and security services regard an attack as “highly likely in the near future.” No final decision has been taken, according to the people, who discussed sensitive security matters on condition of anonymity. The level could also remain the same or be raised one notch to “severe.” Security officials across the West have been assessing the threat of violence i...

American mother and daughter taken hostage by Hamas have been released, sources say

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:52:24 GMT

(CNN) — Hamas released two American hostages, Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natali Raanan, on Friday after they abducted around 200 people from Israel in a deadly attack on October 7.The US citizens were handed over at the border with Gaza and are now in the care of the Israel Defense Forces, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said on Friday. They are currently on their way to an Israeli military base to be reunited with family, according to the office for Israel’s prime minister.The Raanans are from Chicago and had been visiting relatives in Nahal Oz, a farming community in southern Israel, when they were taken, according to their family.The two were handed over to the Red Cross and are “on their way out,” a source familiar with negotiations for their release said earlier on Friday.   They are being released on “humanitarian grounds” because the mother is in poor health, the same source said. The release was the result of negotiations between Qatar and ...