Latest from Akhbar Al Sabah
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Panthers exit interviews: Tkachuk talks possible surgery, Ekblad talks contract
The Florida Panthers held their exit interviews with the media on Saturday, one day before the team's parade to celebrate their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. Here are some of the notables from the interview sessions. Panthers star winger Matthew Tkachuk played through the entire postseason with torn adductor muscle, which had torn all the way off the bone, in addition to a sports hernia that he had sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in mid-February. 'He was a mess,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. Yet despite missing the final 25 games of the season and being uncertain for the start of the playoffs, Tkachuk played in every game of the postseason and finished averaging a point per game — 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 23 games — while fighting through the injury. Tkachuk said he might have to get surgery this summer but nothing is definitive just yet. 'I don't know yet,' Tkachuk said. 'I've gotta go through some steps here and then see if I need surgery or not. It's it's gonna take a few weeks to determine if I need it. Probably 50-50 right now. I don't know if it'll be a normal summer or not. I hope so. I'm just gonna jump right into surgery without talking to everybody and going through everything. I mean, I have a few weeks here where I can figure it out.' Regardless, it will not be a 'normal summer' for Tkachuk for personal reasons — he's getting married. Top-pair defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who has been with the Panthers his entire career since being selected No. 1 overall in 2014, is due to become a free agent on July 1 unless he signs an extension before that. Ekblad said 'conversations have been had,' but a deal hasn't materialized just yet. 'They'll be working on it,' Ekblad said. 'Things like to seem to come down to the last minute here.' Ekblad has mentioned time and again how much he wants to stay with the Panthers. He's a lifer, with 732 career regular-season games played and 83 playoff games. 'It's part of who I am at this point,' Ekblad said. 'I've spent 11 years here. That's more than I've spent in any home or city in my life. It's home, and I expect it to be home.' The Panthers certainly have been enjoying themselves the past few days, making multiple trips to the Elbo Room on Fort Lauderdale Beach, a stop at the Miami nightclub E11even, going out to team dinners and taking a boat ride. Things have gotten chaotic at times, but after becoming just the seventh team in the expansion era of the NHL to win the Cup in consecutive years, yeah, they're taking the time to celebrate. 'We're not toning it down,' Ekblad said. 'We just won two Stanley Cups in a row; we deserve to have a good time. We have good people in that room, so anything…if people think we're crossing the line, there's no chance. We're just having a good time, it's pure excitement. There's obviously a respect factor, and, you know, personally, I try to toe that line, but, no, it's all fun, and you know, we deserve it, for sure.' Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said the team is able to enjoy itself more this time around because they 'know the feeling already a little bit.' 'Don't get me wrong, it's still amazing,' Barkov said, 'but now everyone just knows how to sit back a little bit and enjoy it because last year was so hectic. It happened and it's your first time ever, and you've been dreaming about it for such a long time. I feel like this year, everyone gave permission to themselves to enjoy it. We've had a good time.' Who's been the party MVP at this point? 'I don't see how Barky doesn't get his jersey retired at E11even,' Tkachuk said with a smile. 'He was incredible. E-Rod [Evan Rodrigues] was on another level. Marchy [Brad Marchand] has been Marchy. I'd say Reino has been really good, too. It's been great for me. I'm just able to hide in the weeds this year, and I feel like I've been doing pretty good, as well. But there's been some guys that have put in quite a shift. It's been an impressive outing from the team.' Now, the partying has led to some dings and dents on the Stanley Cup. Has the team heard from the Hall of Fame about that? 'No. I think they've seen worse,' Barkov said. 'I think every week, they have to go and fix some part of it. But yeah, don't be stupid. Don't take it to the ocean, stuff like that. We should know the rules by now.' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said that, yes, he will be wearing a shirt depicting his two cats (Penny and Poppy) at the team's parade on Sunday, just like he did last year. 'I don't have a choice,' Maurice said. 'That's I deal I made a couple years ago.' Maurice also said his speech at the parade this year will be 'PG-rated' compared to the one he gave last year. As for how the coach has celebrated the past few days compared to his players? 'I haven't had a hangover yet, so way ahead of where I was last year,' he said.
Forbes
18 minutes ago
- Politics
- Forbes
U.S. Strikes Iranian Nuclear Sites, Trump Says
The U.S. has conducted aerial strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said Saturday, marking the U.S.'s entry into the Israel-Iran conflict. President Donald Trump speaks as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Saturday, June 21, 2025. (AP ... More Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Trump said in a Truth Social post: 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,' saying a full payload of bombs was dropped on the heavily-fortified Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. This is a developing story and will be updated.
North Wales Chronicle
18 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Families to march against knife crime through streets of Glasgow
Starting at 1pm, the Parents Against Knives march will be joined by the family of Kory McCrimmon, who died after an attack involving a bladed weapon on May 31 2024. His family said the 16-year-old's life 'will not be in vain' as they urged others to join the march. The 16-year-old died after he was found seriously injured in Greenfield Park in the east end of Glasgow. A 14-year-old was last month sentenced to five years detention after admitting culpable homicide. The march comes in the wake of the deaths of teenagers Amen Teklay and Kayden Moy in separate incidents in recent weeks. In a statement issued through Victim Support Scotland, Kory's family previously said: 'Kory McCrimmon's young life was a brushstroke in time but we his family wish for his death to make a difference: Kory's life will not be in vain. 'Our aim here is to continue highlighting the increase in deaths and danger by knife and violent crime. Our sons and daughters are more than statistics, they deserve better. 'Kory's parents are very clear: if we can prevent at least one more family going through this life-shattering agony, we have gone a long way in our mission, but let's go further. 'We walk in Kory's name but we stand for all those lives lost or maimed to knife violence: too much, too many. No more. 'Come join our walk and lend your hearts and voices to making our streets, our young people and our lives safer.' Two boys aged 14 and 16 have appeared in court charged with murder following the death of 15-year-old Amen in the Maryhill area of Glasgow on March 5. Kayden, 16, was found seriously injured on Irvine beach in North Ayrshire after police were called to the area at about 6.45pm on May 17. A 14-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys have appeared in court charged with murder following his death. The Parents Against Knives march will set off from Rangers' Ibrox stadium and those taking part will walk to Celtic Park in the east end of the city. Kate Wallace, chief executive of Victim Support Scotland, said: 'Too many lives are being devastated by knife crime in Scotland. 'Behind every statistic, hundreds of lives are irreversibly impacted with tragic consequences for everyone involved; family, friends, siblings, school mates, and the wider communities in which we all live. 'We support the Parents Against Knives walk, organised entirely by the McCrimmon family in memory of their son Kory, which will undoubtedly help draw attention to this growing crisis. 'These are complex and sensitive situations which require a multi-agency response from the Scottish Government, victim support organisations, police, social work, youth work and others to work together to tackle knife crime and the devastation it causes. People across Scotland deserve to feel safe in their own communities.'
North Wales Chronicle
18 minutes ago
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Tommy Fleetwood leads by three to boost maiden PGA Tour win hopes in Connecticut
The Englishman fired a flawless 63, including five birdies and an eagle at the par-five 13th, to reach 16 under par, three clear of American pair Russell Henley and Keegan Bradley going into Sunday's final round at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut. It was Fleetwood's lowest round on the PGA Tour this year – two shots better than his 65 on the final day of the Truist Championship in Philadelphia last month – and just one stroke away from his best ever. Back-to-back days with eagles on 13 for @TommyFleetwood1 🦅 📺 CBS — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 21, 2025 'It (winning) will come down to a bunch of things,' Fleetwood told CBS Sports. 'I haven't been in contention much at all this year, I've been on the outskirts if you like. 'My best finishes have been just outside of being in contention, but like really close. So to put myself there and be in the last group (on Sunday), I'm really happy with that. 'I've been here plenty of times, I'm looking forward to it. I'm happy with the work I've done and happy I've bounced back for the first few days of this tournament from last week (US Open). 'It's just an amazing opportunity for me to go out and enjoy it, and hopefully it's our time.' Fleetwood would be a popular winner as the 34-year-old had the most top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour since 1983 without a win. That number totals 41 – seven more than the second man, Brett Quigley, on that list – but the elusive victory hovered into sight on a curious day when overnight leaders Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas went backwards. World number one Scheffler made a triple bogey seven at the first hole and was strangely out of sorts for most of the day. Scheffler signed for a double bogey at the eighth and dropped more shots at the fourth and 16th saw him finish with a 72, nine shots adrift of Fleetwood at nine under par. Thomas went round in 73 with his card wrecked by a quadruple bogey nine at the 13th as he sat 10 shots back at six under. American Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley roared into contention with a 63 to join Henley, who shot 61, on 13 under par. Jason Day is two shots further back. Solo leader Tommy Fleetwood is looking for his first TOUR victory @TravelersChamp 🤩 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 21, 2025 Rory McIlroy covered the outward nine in 31 to move to nine under par and put his name high on the leaderboard. But the Masters champion took six at the par-four 12th and a birdie at the 15th was quickly cancelled out by a dropped shot at the next. McIlroy starts the final day tied for eighth among a group which includes Scheffler.
North Wales Chronicle
18 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Mike Lynch's superyacht set to be brought to town where prosecutors are based
Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off Sicily on August 19 including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18. Salvage crews spent Saturday raising the 56-metre (184ft) yacht above the water using one of Europe's most powerful sea cranes near the fishing town of Porticello. They said that on Sunday the vessel will be taken to Termini Imerese, a town around 20km away, where prosecutors investigating the sinking are based. Italian prosecutors previously said raising and examining the yacht for evidence would provide key information for its investigation into possible charges of manslaughter and negligent shipwreck. The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation, which began last month. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks, Kent.
