China to suspend imports of Japanese seafood amid diplomatic row: Reports

As a diplomatic row between the two nations grows, China will once more forbid the importation of Japanese seafood, according to Japanese media reports.

Following Beijing’s lifting of import restrictions on Japanese marine products earlier this month, which were lifted by Japan’s public broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News Agency, were the seafood ban, according to NHK and Kyodo News Agency on Wednesday.

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According to sources with knowledge of the situation, Kyodo News claimed that China had informed Japan that the ban had been lifted because there had to be more closely monitoring of the water entering the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima.

However, the ban comes as Beijing and Tokyo’s relations between Sanae Takaichi’s remarks grow deeper. One of the few instances in which Japan could retaliate militarily against Taiwan, the premier claimed in a statement released on November 7 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan was one of the few that could lead to a military response from Tokyo.

The comments made by Takaichi were met with widespread criticism from Chinese authorities and state media, which prompted Japan to enjoin its citizens in China to take precautions and avoid crowded locations.

The Chinese consular general in Osaka, Xue Jian, threatened to “cut off that dirty neck,” according to an article on X that Takaichi made after Takaichi made the comments. Over the now-deleted social media post, Tokyo claimed to have called in the Chinese ambassador.

Tokyo said her remarks were in line with the government’s position, but Beijing also advised Chinese citizens to avoid visiting Japan.

Masaaki Kanai, Japan’s top official in charge of the Asia-Pacific region, and Liu Jinsong, his Chinese counterpart, held talks in Beijing on Tuesday to resolve the conflict.

According to Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “China once again lodged a strong protest against Japan” over “Takaichi’s erroneous remarks.”

Mao said that Takaichi’s fallacies “seriously violate international law and the fundamental standards governing international relations,” adding that the comments “fundamentally damage” China-Japan relations’ political foundation.

Very unhappy, I guess.

Despite Takaichi’s remarks, Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu, a reporter from Beijing, claimed that Tokyo intended to de-escalate tensions and show to China that Japan’s position on independent-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims is its own territory, has not changed.

“It seems like there were no specific outcomes, but what we saw is some footage that shows these two diplomats interacting briefly, and I think it really speaks for itself. Both of these diplomats speak very cold English, Yu said.

According to Yu, Liu Jinsong “had his hands in his pockets and refused to shake hands with the senior Japanese diplomat,” adding that the Chinese official later admitted to being “very unhappy” with the meeting.

Prior to the most recent seafood ban, China, according to official data, made up more than one-fifth of Japan’s seafood exports.

Other China-Japan relations have been suffocated by the conflict, with China Film News, whose state-backed China Film Administration oversees the country’s film industry, announcing that the release of two imported Japanese films would be delayed as a result.

England name Bashir in squad for Ashes opener

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By naming off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad along with five pace bowlers, England kept their options open for the first Ashes Test.

Mark Wood has been assessed for fitness and appears to be playing against Australia on Friday in Perth. Bashir’s choice will likely be decided between the seamer Brydon Carse and the off-spinner.

The fastest bowling group they have ever fielded in an Ashes Test in this country would be if England chose an all-pace attack that included four specialists and all-rounder Ben Stokes.

It appears likely that England will stick to a long-standing strategy of an exclusively pace attack, as predicted by Western Australia pitch curator Isaac McDonald on Wednesday when he predicted “pace and bounce” from the surface at Perth Stadium.

Australia’s off-spinner Nathan Lyon leads the wicket-taker with 29 in the short history of this venue, which has hosted five previous Tests.

Bashir, 22, has been England’s first-choice spinner for more than a year, and he became the youngest Test bowler to take 50 wickets in a row in May.

Since taking the final wicket in the dramatic victory over India in the third Test at Lord’s in July, he has not played a competitive game.

In England’s only warm-up match against the England Lions, Bashir struggled and returned combined numbers of 2-151 from 24 overs despite having broken his finger.

Additionally, Bashir’s potential participation in an Ashes Test without being a member of a nation raises. At the conclusion of the summer, his Somerset contract came to an end.

The most likely scenario is still Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, captain Stokes, and Carse, all of whom are capable of reaching 90 mph.

Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, and Shoaib Bashir are England’s starting Ashes Test squad.
    • two hours ago

Although England has won the Ashes twice at home and abroad with pace, they have never had the same number of express pace bowlers play for the same team.

Steve Harmison, Simon Jones, and Andrew Flintoff made up the popular series of 2005’s home side.

Bob Willis, Peter Lever, and John Snow made up Raymond Illingworth’s formidable Australian team that won in 1954-55, which included Brian Statham and Frank “Typhoon” Tyson.

Due to a short-bowling strategy intended to stifle the great Don Bradman, England’s most well-known Australian tour, the 1932-33 Bodyline series, sparked diplomatic tensions between the two nations.

England are looking to bounce back from a terrible record that hasn’t been won in Australia since 2011 in one of the most eagerly awaited Ashes series ever.

Atkinson says that the 16-man squad’s only five Test appearances in Australia might benefit England.

He told BBC Sport, “It could be advantageous.” Many players have claimed that Australia has been through some difficult times.

We are a very relaxed, optimistic group, in our opinion. No affliction It’s very exciting. We all perceive it as a fantastic opportunity to do something special.

The threat of lightning briefly slowed Australia’s net session on Wednesday.

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James breaks NBA record with first game of season

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LeBron James took to the court for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, becoming the first player to play in 23 NBA seasons.

The 40-year-old, who had sciatica, missed his team’s opening 14 games of the season and had 11 points, 12 assists, and three rebounds in the team’s 140-126 home victory over the Utah Jazz.

James, the NBA’s top scorer, surpasses Vince Carter’s record of 22 NBA seasons, while his two three-pointers place him ahead of Reggie Miller in the all-time list of three-pointers made.

For the first time since he played basketball, I believe that he looked amazing, according to Lakers teammate Luka Doncic.

In addition to ten assists and five rebounds, Doncic also had a game-high 37 points and four steals in the Jazz win.

Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen each scored 34 and 31 points, respectively, for the Lakers.

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Haiti reach World Cup despite coach having never been to country

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Despite their manager not having visited the Caribbean island, Haiti defeated Nicaragua 2-0 to advance to their second World Cup appearance.

Due to a conflict in Haiti, which forces them to play their home games 500 miles away in Curacao, an island nation off the coast of South American country Venezuela, the team’s 52-year-old French coach, Sebastien Migne, has been unable to travel there since being appointed 18 months ago.

Haiti has experienced a lot of turmoil since the devastating earthquake of 2010. In a conflict that has forced 1.3 million people from their homes and caused famine-level hunger, armed gangs have taken control of almost all of Port-au-Prince, the capital city.

Travelers are cautioned against visiting the country of 12 million because of the possibility of kidnappings, crimes, terrorist activity, and civil unrest.

Because it’s too dangerous, Migne said, “It’s impossible.”

“I typically reside in the nations where I work, but I can’t here. He stated in France Football magazine that there are no more international flights taking land there.

Migne, who served as Cameroon’s assistant at the previous World Cup, relyed on phone data from Haitian football federation officials regarding local players. I was able to manage the team remotely after they gave me information.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, a French midfielder born in France, is now the only member of their squad, which is now entirely foreign-based. Additionally, they hope to persuade Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor, who was born in France to Haitian parents, to elude them.

For the first time since 1974, Haiti’s victory over Nicaragua placed them third overall at the World Cup of Summer in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

After drawing with Jamaica as qualifiers from the Concacaf region, they will be joined by Panama, which defeated El Salvador 3-0, and Curacao, who debuted in the World Cup.

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‘Now feels like the right time to start family’

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Football has been Simone Magill’s life since she can recall.

She rose to prominence as the country’s captain and one of the most recognizable sporting names in Northern Ireland after beginning her professional career at Everton as a teenager.

She will now have her first child with her husband, Mark, who will be having her first child in May.

In the coming months, football will take a backseat, and Magill, 31, claims that Mark and her have “felt a lot of love” since they made their announcement.

The Birmingham City striker told BBC Sport NI that it was something I’ve always wanted at some point in my life and that this was the ideal time for Mark and I to start a family.

Everyone is so welcoming, and everyone is incredibly excited about us. “We’ve been really overwhelmed by the love and support we’ve received.

    • November 5th

Prior to joining Everton as an 18-year-old in 2013, Magill spent the majority of her professional career at Everton.

She moved to Aston Villa for a fresh start in 2022 after leading Northern Ireland to their first major tournament, and she then made her first managerial switch to Birmingham City last year.

Before her move to Villa, she briefly fell in love with the game and said she was about to start a family. She has since settled with the Blues.

“I was asking myself when the right time was constantly.” I was just about ready when I finished the last season really pleased with everything I had accomplished.

“You can only make plans,” I said, “but I’m happy to see us try.” I’m really looking forward to it because it’s so exciting and something entirely new.

Magill will miss the remainder of the WSL2 season and Northern Ireland’s 2027 World Cup qualifying campaign since playing her final game in September.

However, she realized that “there was more to life than football when she suffered an ACL injury in Northern Ireland’s Euro 2022 opener.”

When I realized that I wanted to prioritize myself, that is when. My career and my entire life have prioritized football,” said Magill.

I’ve heard from both the club and the country, he said.

In a heartfelt video, Magill revealed her pregnancy to her Birmingham City team-mates, and the club gave her a “Magill #9” baby kit.

She still has contact with her team-mates, but she now has her own individual program and training schedule.

It’s something we’ve always wanted, and it’s really nice now that I can enter the field and continue to work in it while having a healthy pregnancy. I want to return, and it’s entirely within my means.

I feel very fortunate to have both my club and my country supporting me, which is fantastic.

“Especially at my club, things are customized to what I need.” Although I’m training separately, I’m still as active as possible in and around the girls.

I’m completing warm-ups and any other form of non-contact training I can.

Simone MagillImages courtesy of Getty

She doesn’t need to look further than her Northern Ireland team-mate Sarah McFadden if she needs any inspiration to make a comeback after her pregnancy.

McFadden, 38, was expecting her second child at the start of 2025 and returned to international football following Iceland’s Nations League play-off defeat in November.

“Sarah is a shining example for me,” she said. By embarking on this journey, I hope to inspire a generation in a different way than I did in the past.

She was one of the first people to actually contact me. She and I have a lot of conversation going on. It’s difficult for me to compare and establish concrete goals and objectives because I am aware that everyone’s journey is unique.

“I want to come back, and it’s my goal, and God willing, everything goes smoothly enough for me.”

However, I’m very fortunate to have her and others I know in the game to go and talk to people like Sarah.

For the time being, Magill will be watching from the sidelines and support both Birmingham City and Northern Ireland.

You always want to be playing, she said, which can be difficult to watch.

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