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Japan govt makes final plea to gain fisheries’ understanding for Fukushima plant water release

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese government officials sought understanding from fisheries groups Monday for the impending release of treated radioactive wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea and pledged to support their livelihoods throughout the process that will take decades. Economy and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura met with the head of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives and promised that the government is doing everything it can to ensure the safety of the release and prepared measures to protect the fisheries industry’s reputation.Nishimura told the fisheries official, Masanobu Sakamoto, that the water release is essential for the plant decommissioning and Fukushima’s recovery and can’t be postponed. He also said the government will stand by the concerns and needs of the fisheries community until the release ends decades later.Sakamoto, at the outset, stressed that his organization as a whole remains opposed to the releas...

Washington hosts Connecticut following Thomas’ 22-point game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

Connecticut Sun (22-10, 12-3 Eastern Conference) at Washington Mystics (15-17, 8-9 Eastern Conference)Washington; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Connecticut faces the Washington Mystics after Alyssa Thomas scored 22 points in the Sun’s 79-73 victory against the Chicago Sky.The Mystics are 8-9 against Eastern Conference opponents. Washington ranks fifth in the WNBA allowing 82.3 points per game while holding opponents to 44.5% shooting.The Sun are 12-3 in conference games. Connecticut ranks second in the Eastern Conference shooting 35.8% from 3-point range.The teams meet for the fourth time this season. In the last meeting on July 9 the Sun won 92-84 led by 28 points from DeWanna Bonner, while Tianna Hawkins scored 24 points for the Mystics.TOP PERFORMERS: Brittney Sykes is shooting 44.1% and averaging 15.6 points for the Mystics. Natasha Cloud is averaging 13.5 points over the last 10 games for Washington.Tiffany Hayes is averaging 12.1 points for the Sun. Bonner is averaging...

Atlanta hosts Las Vegas after Parker’s 29-point game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

Las Vegas Aces (28-4, 15-2 Western Conference) at Atlanta Dream (16-16, 10-8 Eastern Conference)College Park, Georgia; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Atlanta hosts the Las Vegas Aces after Cheyenne Parker scored 29 points in the Atlanta Dream’s 78-67 victory against the Chicago Sky.The Dream have gone 9-6 in home games. Atlanta gives up 83.7 points and has been outscored by 1.6 points per game.The Aces are 12-3 on the road. Las Vegas is second in the WNBA with 28.6 defensive rebounds per game led by A’ja Wilson averaging 7.4.The teams play for the fourth time this season. The Aces won the last meeting 86-65 on Aug. 14. Wilson scored 21 points to help lead the Aces to the victory.TOP PERFORMERS: Allisha Gray is scoring 17.5 points per game with 5.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Dream. Parker is averaging 14.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and two blocks over the last 10 games for Atlanta.Wilson is averaging 21.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.1 blocks for the Aces. Kel...

Chicago hosts Seattle following Loyd’s 31-point game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

Seattle Storm (10-22, 7-9 Western Conference) at Chicago Sky (12-20, 3-14 Eastern Conference)Chicago; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Seattle takes on the Chicago Sky after Jewell Loyd scored 31 points in the Storm’s 88-74 victory against the Minnesota Lynx.The Sky are 5-11 on their home court. Chicago is seventh in the WNBA allowing 83.4 points per game while holding opponents to 45.7% shooting.The Storm are 6-8 on the road. Seattle averages 14.3 turnovers per game and is 4- when winning the turnover battle.The teams meet for the third time this season. In the last matchup on July 29 the Storm won 83-74 led by 17 points from Gabby Williams, while Kahleah Copper scored 17 points for the Sky.TOP PERFORMERS: Courtney Williams is averaging 10 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists for the Sky. Copper is averaging 20.3 points over the last 10 games for Chicago.Loyd is averaging 24.1 points and 3.3 assists for the Storm. Ezi Magbegor is averaging 14.7 points over the last 10 games fo...

Dallas takes road win streak into matchup with Minnesota

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

Dallas Wings (18-14, 9-7 Western Conference) at Minnesota Lynx (15-17, 9-8 Western Conference)Minneapolis; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: Dallas hits the road against Minnesota trying to prolong its three-game road winning streak.The Lynx are 9-8 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota has a 3-11 record in games decided by 10 points or more.The Wings are 9-7 against Western Conference opponents. Dallas is second in the Western Conference with 20.1 assists per game led by Arike Ogunbowale averaging 4.5.The teams square off for the third time this season. The Wings won the last meeting 107-67 on July 12, with Natasha Howard scoring 28 points in the victory.TOP PERFORMERS: Kayla McBride is averaging 13.3 points for the Lynx. Napheesa Collier is averaging 13.3 points over the last 10 games for Minnesota.Satou Sabally is averaging 17.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 steals for the Wings. Ogunbowale is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Dallas.LAS...

‘In Living Color’ alum Tommy Davidson comes home to Bethesda Theater

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

(new Image()).src = "https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=9be9c680-c459-4acb-af21-654a2ccca384&cid=c2ffed0c-3624-46c0-b10f-97c976d290a3";cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "9be9c680-c459-4acb-af21-654a2ccca384",mediaId: "9a34c641-48ba-4dd8-aacc-47bba83a237a"}).render("e0425db44eb94de2804bc951e7ad2cf8"); });Hear our full chat on my podcast “Beyond the Fame with Jason Fraley.” toggle audio on and off change volume download audio WTOP's Jason Fraley previews Tommy Davidson at Bethesda Theater (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ...

Ukraine finalizes deal with insurers to cover Black Sea grain ships

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

Ukraine is close to finalizing a scheme with global insurers to cover grain ships traveling through its Black Sea ports, according to reports. Oleksandr Gryban, Ukraine’s deputy economy minister, told the Financial Times on Monday that the deal is “currently being pursued and actively discussed” between the relevant ministries, local banks and international insurance groups, including Lloyd’s of London.The scheme, which could be in place as early as next month, could cover five to 30 ships against damage sustained during travel through the Black Sea, Gryban said.Insurers and a local state-owned bank would share the risk, the FT reported, with the public portion of the risk backed by Ukraine’s state road fund.In July, Russia pulled out of the U.N.-backed Black Sea grain deal which allowed Ukraine to export wheat and other produce through its ports. After leaving the deal, the Kremlin warned that ships traveling to and from Ukrainian ports could be seen as military tar...

Suspected Palestinian gunman kills an Israeli, wounds another in latest attack in occupied West Bank

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — A suspected Palestinian attacker killed an Israeli woman and seriously wounded a man in the south of the occupied West Bank on Monday, Israeli authorities said, as violence continued to flare in the restive territory shortly after another shooting killed two Israelis. The latest attack is part of a sharp escalation in the region in recent months involving Palestinian militants, Israeli security forces and radical Jewish settlers. It took place as Israeli forces were already on high alert and searching for the gunman who had killed the two Israelis in the northern West Bank on Saturday.The combustible mix of armed Palestinians carrying out shooting attacks against Israelis as well as near-nightly — and often deadly — raids by the Israeli army to arrest militants has fueled the worst fighting between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank in nearly two decades. Reprisals by fanatic Jewish settlers against Palestinians have also heightened tensions in the territo...

Zelenskyy thanks Denmark for pledging to send F-16s for use against Russia’s invading forces

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Danish lawmakers on Monday for helping his country resist Russia’s invasion, a day after Denmark and the Netherlands announced they will provide Kyiv with American-made F-16 warplanes.Zelenskyy said that if Russia’s invasion is successful, other parts of Europe would be at risk from the Kremlin’s military aggression.“All of Russia’s neighbors are under threat if Ukraine does not prevail,” he said in a speech in Copenhagen.Zelenskyy portrays Ukraine as defending Western values of freedom and democracy against tyranny and argues that Ukraine needs to be properly provisioned to fend off Russia’s much bigger force. Ukraine has been pressing its Western allies for months to grant it F-16s. Its armed forces are still using aging Soviet-era combat planes, and its counteroffensive against Russian positions is advancing without air support in what analysts say is a major handicap.Zelenskyy said on Telegram that Ukrain...

In the news today: Wildfires continue raging across B.C., N.W.T.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:34 GMT

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…Smoky conditions help B.C. fire fightAs Metro Vancouver is being warned about the risk of particulates in the air from wildfire smoke, those battling blazes in the central Okanagan say the smoke is helping their cause.The Metro Vancouver Regional District remains under an air quality advisory as a result of smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning across the province.An estimated 30,000 people are under evacuation orders in the province because the blazes, including the 110-square-kilometre McDougall Creek fire burning on both sides of Lake Okanagan.Kelowna Fire Chief Travis Whiting told a press conference that while the amount of smoke in the air has been “tough” it is reducing the sun’s intensity, which helps in the fight.—More soldiers deployed to N.W.T for wildfire fightDefence Minister Bill Blair says another company of soldiers is ...