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Fukushima nuclear disaster: Japan to release treated water within 48 hours

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

Japan will start releasing treated radioactive water from the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, despite opposition from its neighbours.In 2011, a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake flooded three reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The event is regarded as the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.Shortly after, authorities set up an exclusion zone which continued to be expanded as radiation leaked from the plant, forcing more than 150,000 people to evacuate from the area. Some 1.34 million tonnes of water have accumulated since the 2011 tsunami destroyed the plant.The plan to release water from the plant has caused alarm across Asia and the Pacific since it was approved by the Japanese government two years ago.It was signed off by the UN's nuclear watchdog in July, with authorities concluding the impact on people and the environment would be negligible.But many people, including fishermen in the region, f...

Ask Amy: Must I put up with the name she’s selected for me?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

Dear Amy: My legal given name is a shorter form of another common name (think “Jan” and “Janet”).I have always used “Jan,” and my family and friends call me by that name. It is the only name I’ve ever known.There is a woman living in my town who always calls me “Janet,” even though my daughter and I have told her many times what my real name is.Yesterday in a grocery store she called me “Janet” twice, and I didn’t answer because my back was turned so I didn’t see her and – hello – it’s not my name.She then came up to me, addressed me as “Janet,” and asked me a question.This really bothers me!Should I remind her again, or just put up with it?– Bugged in a Small TownDear Bugged: I wonder if you’ve ever told this person that your name is not short for anything else. She may know a Jan/Janet, and reflexively revert to a name that isn’t yours.The next time this happens, be patient: “You always call me Janet, but I get confused because...

Harriette Cole: My Sunday excess spilled over into work hours

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friends and I have been partying hard all summer. The other night, I told myself we would stop early as it was Sunday, and I knew I had to get up and work in the morning. My “quitting time” came and went, and I was wrecked in the morning.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: Will I be able to convince my fiance we should have babies? Advice | Harriette Cole: This disagreement over my luxury car might break our engagement Advice | Harriette Cole: We went on one date, and he’s so gross every time I see him Advice | Harriette Cole: I learned that my new friend used to badmouth me. What should I do? Advice | Harriette Cole: Was it rash to choose this job over my boyfriend’s objections? I had to cancel a meeting because I just couldn’t be properly present.I know I want to have fun, but I fear that this extreme, reckless behavior is going to do me in. How can...

‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ stars are ‘Scared Scriptless’ at Strathmore

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

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 Colin Mochrie at Strathmore (Part 1) $(function () { $('.wtop-audio-container .fa-play').on('click', function(){ var audio_filename = $('div.wtop-audio-file').data("mp3-url"); ga('send', 'event', 'Audio', 'play', audio_filename); }); }); For decades, they’ve made us laugh on the improv comedy TV series “Whose Line is it Anyway?”This Saturday, Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood are “Scared Scriptless” at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland — what Mochrie called a ...

A judge will consider if Texas can keep its floating barrier to block migrants crossing from Mexico

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday will consider whether Texas can keep a floating barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border as both the Biden administration and Mexico push to remove Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest hardline measure to deter migrants from crossing. The scheduled hearing in Austin comes days after Texas, which installed the water barrier on the Rio Grande in July near the border city of Eagle Pass, repositioned the wrecking ball-sized buoys closer to U.S. soil. Texas is being sued by the Justice Department, which argues the barrier could impact relations with Mexico and pose humanitarian and environmental risks. During a trip Monday to Eagle Pass, Abbott said the barrier was moved “out of an abundance of caution” following what he described as allegations that they had drifted to Mexico’s side of the river. “I don’t know whether they were true or not,” Abbott said. It is not clear when U.S. District Judge David Ezra might rule on the barri...

DC leaders break ground on Anacostia’s first new rec center in 20 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 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: "33eb4435-5e5c-47a5-b078-b08b898d098f"}).render("dde5ac911c0645caaca75ed221373968"); });In a lot behind Ketcham Elementary School in D.C.’s Anacostia neighborhood, ground was broken Monday morning for the city’s newest recreation center. The $15 million Anacostia Recreation Center will be the first new recreation center built in Ward 8 in 20 years, according to Mayor Muriel Bowser.“It will especially play a critical role in keeping our young people active and safe,” Bowser said.According to the D.C. Department of Recreation, the center will provide a full-size gymnasium and one of the biggest fitness centers in the city. There will also be a demonstration kitchen, classrooms and multipurpose rooms inside. ...

Poland cleared for $12B attack helicopter deal with US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

The U.S. government has agreed to the sale of Apache helicopters and related equipment worth $12 billion to Poland’s military, the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said Monday.Following the launch of Russia’s all-out war on Ukraine last year, Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said Warsaw intended to procure Apache helicopters to beef up its deterrence. But any foreign sale of military equipment from U.S. contractors needs to be notified in advance to Congress by the DSCA, a process that is now complete for the potential Apache sale. Until the Boeing-made helicopters are ready, Błaszczak said on social media late Monday that the U.S. army had agreed to supply existing aircraft from its own resources in the meantime. According to the DSCA’s notification, in addition to the sale of 96 Apache attack helicopters the deal also includes missiles, ammunition, guidance systems, night vision sensors and access to U.S. training staff among...

Large police response amid active investigation in Randolph

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

Randolph police have blocked off a neighborhood amid an investigation that began overnight and has carried over into Tuesday morning.Multiple police cruisers and fire trucks and officers using a drone could be seen in the area of Moulton Street.No additional information was immediately available.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Fresh Air

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

Whoosh! Just like that, the slightly higher humidity is gone as refreshing northerly breezes take over this morning. That breeze is behind a cold front that came through late yesterday/last night with the scattered downpours that rolled through. The rain, now well off our coast this morning, won’t return to the forecast until Thursday evening. That’ll leave us nice and dry the next few days with mostly sunny skies today and tomorrow. The forecast is almost a cut and paste from this afternoon, to tomorrow afternoon as temps run low to mid 70s coast to upper 70s to 80 inland. All and all, superb weather the next couple of days with low humidity and comfortable cool overnights. Clouds start to increase Thursday afternoon and as a warm front approaches us, we’ll likely track scattered showers and storms with localized downpours Thursday night, into early Friday morning. A few scattered showers and storms will be with us Friday afternoon, into the weekend, but likely be...

Thousands of Massachusetts police disciplinary records released by regulators

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:46:30 GMT

The state’s police licensing board released thousands of disciplinary records Tuesday for law enforcement officers across Massachusetts as part of a long-awaited database that they were required to create under state law.The database, available in PDF and spreadsheet formats, fulfills a requirement in a 2020 police reform law and offers the public an easily accessible look at the backgrounds of their hometown cops. The publication of the database also clears from the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission’s plate a challenging project that took years to make.Regulators published 3,413 disciplinary records from 273 of the 440 law enforcement agencies under the POST Commission’s purview. The Boston Police Department has the third-most disciplinary records in the database behind the Springfield Police Department in second and the Massachusetts State Police in first.The remaining agencies not represented in the database are those that confirmed to regulators they have no histor...