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A fire on a ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars is burning in the North Sea and 1 crew member has died

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A fire on a freight ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars was burning out of control Wednesday in the North Sea, and the Dutch coast guard said one crew member had died, others were hurt and it was working to save the vessel from sinking.Boats and helicopters were used to get the 23 crew members off the ship after they tried unsuccessfully to put out the blaze, the coast guard said in a statement. “Currently there are a lot of vessels on scene to monitor the situation and to see how to get the fire under control,” Coast Guard spokeswoman Lea Versteeg told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “But it’s all depending on weather and the damage to the vessel. So we’re currently working out to see how we can make sure that … the least bad situation is going to happen.”Asked if it was possible the ship could sink, Versteeg said: “It’s a scenario we’re taking into account and we’re preparing for all scenarios.”The Freman...

Small funnel cloud over US Capitol turns into viral photo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Observant visitors to the area around the U.S. Capitol building on Tuesday afternoon were treated to a unusual sight: the unmistakable shape of a funnel cloud extending diagonally from the sky and seemingly almost reaching the tip of the Capitol dome itself.The funnel cloud never touched down on the ground and therefore can’t be classified as a tornado. There was no damage and no reports of any other funnel clouds in the area Tuesday. But a photo of the thin, wispy twister curving over the Capitol drew more than 1 million views on Twitter.Although the area around Washington isn’t considered a tornado hotspot, small proto-twisters like the one Tuesday “certainly do happen sometimes,” said Austin Mansfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. They’re most common during what Mansfield called “convection season” — the warm months running from spring through the end of summer. Although strong thunderstorms are fairly routine in the natio...

Japan records steepest population decline while number of foreign residents hits new high

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s population declined in all of its 47 prefectures for the first time in a record drop, while its number of foreign residents hit a new high, reaching almost 3 million people, according to government data released Wednesday, highlighting the increasing role that non-Japanese people play in the shrinking and aging country.The population of Japanese nationals fell by about 800,000 people, or 0.65%, to 122.4 million in 2022 from the previous year, falling for a 14th straight year, according to data from the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry based on residency registrations as of Jan. 1 this year.Japan’s total population was 125.41 million, down just over half a million people from a year earlier, and there was a 10.7% jump in foreign residents with addresses registered in Japan, the ministry said.The increase in Japan’s foreign population was the biggest year-on-year rise since the ministry started taking statistics in 2013. Foreign resid...

Traders union UGA wants EU to increase capacity of grain 'solidarity lanes'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

The Ukrainian grain traders union UGA said on Monday (24 July) it had urged the European Union to increase the capacity of so-called solidarity lanes to help it export grain following the collapse of the Black Sea grain deal.The EU established the solidarity lanes last year after Russia's invasion to try to help Ukraine export grain and other agricultural products by providing alternative transit routes via rail, road and inland waterways.Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU's executive European Commission, last week underlined the need for the solidarity lanes to continue operating after Russia quit the deal allowing safe export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea.Outlining its proposals on its website, the UGA said it wanted exports via the solidarity lanes to grow by 1-1.5 million tons a month and suggested European carriers and ports involved in the transit of Ukrainian grain should receive partial compensation from the Commission in the form of subsidies.It did not say how...

Dear Abby: My fiance left me, and now I’m pregnant. That’s just the start of it.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend of six years left me five months ago for another woman. We were engaged to be married this year.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: This painting hurts me, and I don’t know what to do about it Advice | Dear Abby: How honest should I be with my married pickleball partner? Advice | Dear Abby: I’m leaving, and I don’t want to hear their phony farewells Advice | Dear Abby: This guy I just met has gotten very creepy online Advice | Dear Abby: My teen’s phone has deranged her life, but I’m not allowed to take it away After he left, I discovered that for the last two years he had been seeing this woman behind my back. It was devastating.We are expecting quadruplets in about four months, and he all of a sudden abandoned me and our babies. It has been a big shock.Am I normal for feeling devastated, angry, mad and hateful all at the same time? And is it normal ...

Single family residence sells in Oakland for $2.8 million

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

5970 Canning Street – Google Street ViewA historic house located in the 5900 block of Canning Street in Oakland has a new owner. The 1,477-square-foot property, built in 1910, was sold on June 5, 2023, for $2,800,000, or $1,896 per square foot. This single-story home presents a roomy floor plan, featuring five bedrooms and two bathrooms. In addition, the house includes a garage. The lot of the property covers an area of 4,000 square feet.Additional houses that have recently been sold close by include:A 2,639-square-foot home on the 5900 block of Canning Street in Oakland sold in October 2022, for $2,500,000, a price per square foot of $947. The home has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.In May 2023, a 1,226-square-foot home on 61st Street in Oakland sold for $1,860,000, a price per square foot of $1,517. The home has 3 bedrooms 1 bathroom.On 62nd Street, Oakland, in August 2022, a 1,703-square-foot home was sold for $2,850,000, a price per square foot of $1,674. The home has 4 bedrooms and...

Cambodian leader Hun Sen says he is stepping down as prime minister and his son will take the post

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Longtime Cambodian leader Hun Sen says will step down in three weeks as prime minister and hand the position to his oldest son.The announcement Wednesday came after his Cambodian People’s Party won a landslide victory in weekend elections that Western countries and rights organizations criticized as neither free nor fair, in which the country’s main opposition was suppressed.Hun Sen has been Cambodia’s autocratic leader for 38 years but said ahead of the elections he would hand off the position to his oldest son, Hun Manet, sometime during this next five-year term. Hun Manet is currently the chief of the country’s army and won his first seat in parliament in Sunday’s election.Source

Long-serving Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen says he will resign in 3 weeks and hand power to his son Hun Manet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Long-serving Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen says he will resign in 3 weeks and hand power to his son Hun Manet.Source

Los Angeles takes on Indiana for out-of-conference game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

Indiana Fever (6-16, 4-9 Eastern Conference) at Los Angeles Sparks (7-15, 6-10 Western Conference)Los Angeles; Thursday, 3:30 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Sparks take on the Indiana Fever in non-conference action.The Sparks have gone 6-6 in home games. Los Angeles is sixth in the WNBA allowing 82.5 points per game while holding opponents to 46.5% shooting.The Fever are 5-10 in road games. Indiana ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference shooting 32.8% from 3-point range.The teams meet for the second time this season. The won in the last matchup on July 26.TOP PERFORMERS: Nneka Ogwumike is scoring 19.6 points per game with 9.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Sparks. Jordin Canada is averaging 10.8 points and 5.4 assists over the last 10 games for Los Angeles.NaLyssa Smith is averaging 15.6 points and 9.7 rebounds for the Fever. Kelsey Mitchell is averaging 14.8 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 38.6% over the last 10 games for Indiana.LAST 10 GAMES: Sparks: 2-8, averaging ...

Liberty face the Dream on 3-game win streak

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:54 GMT

Atlanta Dream (13-10, 7-7 Eastern Conference) at New York Liberty (17-5, 10-3 Eastern Conference)New York; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: New York will attempt to keep its three-game win streak going when the Liberty take on Atlanta.The Liberty are 10-3 against Eastern Conference opponents. New York leads the Eastern Conference in rebounding, averaging 37.7 boards. Breanna Stewart leads the Liberty with 9.3 rebounds.The Dream are 7-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta is ninth in the WNBA allowing 84.7 points while holding opponents to 42.5% shooting.The teams square off for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on June 23 the Liberty won 110-80 led by 19 points from Betnijah Laney, while Rhyne Howard scored 24 points for the Dream.TOP PERFORMERS: Stewart is averaging 22.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.5 steals for the Liberty. Sabrina Ionescu is averaging 15.3 points over the last 10 games for New York.Howard is averaging 18.6 points and 3.4 assist...