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Reports: RHP Nick Martinez, Rays conform to 1-year deal

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(Photo credit score: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Images)

The Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Nick Martinez agreed to a one-year contract, a number of media shops reported Monday.

Per MLB.com, the veteran swingman’s deal is for $13 million.

Martinez, 35, was 11-14 with a 4.45 ERA in 40 video games (26 begins) final season with the Cincinnati Reds. He struck out 116 over a career-high 165 2/3 innings to assist the Reds attain the postseason for the primary time since 2020.

Over eight seasons with the Texas Rangers (2014-17), San Diego Padres (2022-23) and Reds (2024-25), Martinez is 48-59 with a 4.16 ERA in 280 video games (129 begins), with a 1.302 WHIP in 940 innings.

Martinez spent 4 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball from 2018-21 with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and Fukuoka Softbank Hawks.

–Field Level Media

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New Interactive Experience Opens in Harajuku This Weekend

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TOKYO, Feb 10 (News On Japan) –
A brand new experiential attraction centered on the “kawaii” aesthetic will open this weekend alongside Takeshita Street in Tokyo’s Harajuku district, with the ability unveiled to the media forward of its launch.

The roaming-style venue, named KAWAII MONSTER LAND, inherits the idea of the favored KAWAII MONSTER CAFE in Harajuku, which closed in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors transfer by means of the house as a part of a 60-minute, reservation-only expertise.

Admission begins from 2,800 yen for adults, and company can take pleasure in facility-exclusive menu objects reminiscent of monster-themed hamburgers in addition to dwell reveals staged contained in the attraction.

Source: テレ東BIZ

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(MICO2026)ITALY-MILAN-OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES-ICE HOCKEY-WOMEN-PRELIMINARY-JPN VS ITA

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(260209) — MILAN, Feb. 9, 2026 (Xinhua) — Hosoyamada Akane (L) of Japan vies with Justine Reyes of Italy through the ice hockey girls’s preliminary spherical group B match between Japan and Italy on the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 9, 2026. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

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Japan PM Takaichi expresses gratitude to PM Modi after decisive decrease home victory, reaffirms dedication to free, open Indo-Pacific

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Tokyo [Japan], February 9 (ANI): Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his congratulatory message following her coalition’s decisive victory in Sunday’s election in Japan’s decrease home, the House of Representatives, whereas reaffirming Tokyo’s dedication to strengthening ties with India for advancing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).

In a publish on X, Prime Minister Takaichi, who led the coalition together with her occasion, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which gained a two-thirds majority in the home, thanked Prime Minister Modi for his message and underscored her intent to proceed shut cooperation with India.

‘Thank you very a lot, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on your heat congratulations on the House of Representatives election. I look ahead to persevering with to work along with you to strengthen the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between Japan and India and to cooperate in realising a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP),’ she stated. She additionally expressed her gratitude to PM Modi in Hindi in the identical publish.

According to Kyodo News, the LDP gained a mandate, securing 310 seats within the 465-member decrease home, which permits the occasion to pursue constitutional revision and go laws even whether it is rejected by the higher home, the House of Councillors. The ruling coalition nonetheless stays in a minority within the higher home. The LDP has additionally develop into the primary occasion in postwar Japan to attain such a margin.

Following the projection in Sunday’s snap elections, which famous that the Takaichi-led coalition is ready to have a decisive win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prolonged heat congratulations to the Japanese Prime Minister, emphasising that India-Japan ties stay important for advancing international peace, stability, and shared prosperity by their strong Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

In a publish on X, Prime Minister Modi congratulated Takaichi on her projected landmark electoral win and reaffirmed the significance of the partnership that established eight all-nation strains of effort for the subsequent decade.

‘Congratulations, Sanae Takaichi, in your landmark victory within the elections to the House of Representatives! Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership performs a significant position in enhancing international peace, stability and prosperity. I’m assured that below your ready management, we’ll proceed to take the India-Japan friendship to higher heights,’ PM Modi acknowledged in his publish.

The congratulatory message got here as projections indicated that Takaichi’s ruling coalition is ready to safe a historic win in Japan’s decrease home elections, with a two-thirds majority.

India and Japan laid out eight instructions to steer their Special Strategic and Global Partnership over the subsequent decade on August 29, 2025, throughout PM Modi’s go to to Japan for the India-Japan Annual Summit 2025.

According to the joint imaginative and prescient, the 2 sides reaffirm their shared dedication to a free, open, peaceable, affluent, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

The landslide end result marks a pointy improve from the occasion’s pre-election energy of 198 seats and was extensively attributed to Takaichi’s private reputation.

The LDP and its coalition companion, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), will collectively command a dominant presence within the chamber, reinforcing Takaichi’s place after she took workplace in October, changing into the nation’s first lady prime minister.

‘We bear an especially heavy duty to concentrate on steadily delivering on the marketing campaign pledges we’ve made,’ Takaichi stated throughout a tv programme after the victory was reported, as quoted by Kyodo News.

The election delivered a serious setback to the newly shaped Centrist Reform Alliance, whose seats had been halved from 167 earlier than the vote.

Its co-leaders, Yoshihiko Noda and Tetsuo Saito, hinted at doable resignations following the defeat, Kyodo News reported.

Among smaller events, the populist Sanseito, campaigning on a ‘Japanese First’ platform, gained 13 seats, up from two, whereas Team Mirai, which promotes digital know-how to spice up political participation, entered the decrease home for the primary time with 9 seats, Kyodo News reported. (ANI)

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Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Plant Restarted

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NIIGATA, Feb 10 (News On Japan) –
Tokyo Electric Power introduced that it has restarted the reactor at Unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear energy plant in Niigata Prefecture, which had been halted shortly after its preliminary restart resulting from gear issues.

For the time being, the utility will conduct inspections whereas adjusting output, with industrial operations anticipated to start on March 18. If the method proceeds easily, it is going to mark TEPCO’s first industrial nuclear energy operation for the reason that 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear catastrophe.

Source: テレ東BIZ

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Sathiyan hails nation’s Table Tennis rise forward of WTT Star Contender Chennai

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Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 9 (ANI): Asiad and CWG medallist, Arjuna Awardee, and the Men’s Singles tenth seed going into the event, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, has labelled the Indian contingent a ‘real risk’ to the world’s greatest gamers forward of the WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026, set to begin from Tuesday on the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University.

Over 80 gamers from over 15 nations will compete in the primary draw throughout 5 classes: Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah are the top-seeded males’s duo, whereas Shah and Diya Chitale-India’s historical past makers on the WTT Contender Muscat 2026-will begin as prime seeds within the Mixed Doubles, in keeping with a launch.

India may also have three players-Thakkar, Shah, and Gnanasekaran-among the highest 16 Men’s Singles gamers, a transparent signal of progress from final yr, the place not one of the Indians have been seeded within the singles’ draw.

Addressing India’s current performances, Gnanasekaran stated, ‘I’m extraordinarily pleased to see the progress Indian desk tennis has revamped the previous few years. The progress has been exponential throughout all classes, from juniors to seniors. Many Indian gamers have damaged into the highest 100, and we are actually a real risk to the world’s greatest. Hosting UTT and WTT occasions in India, together with feeder tournaments, Star Contenders, and Youth Contenders, has supplied invaluable publicity. You can clearly see the influence, with Indians changing into regulars on the WTT circuit and bettering persistently.’

‘With the event taking place in Chennai, my hometown, I could not ask for extra. I’m tremendous excited to be taking part in a WTT occasion at house once more and hope to make a powerful mark and pull off a couple of upsets,’ he added.

Chitale and Shah arrive in Chennai on the again of a landmark run on the WTT Contender Muscat 2026, the place the Indian pair surprised heavyweight China’s fourth seeds Huang Youzheng and Shi Xunyao 3-2 in an exciting 37-minute remaining to say their second WTT combined doubles title.

Chitale, paired with Yashaswini Ghorpade, may also function because the fourth seed in Women’s Doubles principal draw.

Speaking on her current achievements and looking out forward, Chitale stated, ‘It feels superb to be the highest seed on the WTT Star Contender in Chennai. Manush (Shah) and I just lately received the Contender occasion in Muscat, Oman, beating a number of high quality opponents alongside the way in which, which has given us loads of confidence. The progress of Indian desk tennis over the previous yr has been great, and we have labored arduous on completely different features of our recreation. We’re bettering steadily and can take it one match at a time. Of course, the objective is at all times to win gold for India, and taking part in at house, I’m actually hoping for robust assist from the gang.’

Meanwhile, Thakkar, seeded fourth within the Men’s Singles draw, may also accomplice Shah as the highest seeds within the Men’s Doubles occasion. India has 27 gamers and 38 entries throughout the primary and qualifying attracts, the very best by any nation at this yr’s WTT Star Contender Chennai.

Over sixty (60) abroad gamers function in the primary draw, with South Korea (17) and Japan (13) boasting the very best share.

‘It’s actually particular, and I’m very excited to be again taking part in in Chennai. I’ve some nice recollections from right here and can hopefully attempt to make them even higher this yr. It’s at all times a pleasure to play in India, and this season I’ll even be competing in doubles, the place I’ll be trying to do effectively,’ Thakkar stated.

The WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026 gives important rewards, with the Men’s and Women’s Singles champions incomes USD 17,000 and 600 world rating factors. Doubles winners will obtain USD 5,500 and 600 factors, underlining the event’s significance on the worldwide WTT calendar. (ANI)

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Inside Japan’s Secretive Executions

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TOKYO, Feb 10 (News On Japan) –
The loss of life penalty and life imprisonment, usually described as shrouded in secrecy relating to the main points of executions, proceed to impress debate in Japan, the place roughly 1,700 inmates are serving life sentences and plenty of dwell with the data that they had been as soon as candidates for execution.

A group of tanka poems recounts scenes witnessed by an execution official who attended hangings, describing the tense moments earlier than the tip, the condemned individual being led away calmly by a chaplain, generally singing hymns, provided tea and cigarettes, and talking quietly as if acknowledging the second. When the ground dropped, the condemned reportedly expressed because of these current, leaving a long-lasting impression on the official, who continues to put in writing poems in reminiscence of these executed.

In Tokyo, an enormous concrete construction throughout the Arakawa River homes the Tokyo Detention House, the place executions are carried out in a basement chamber recognized solely to a restricted variety of employees. Officials obtain discover from the Justice Ministry every week earlier than an execution and conduct rehearsals utilizing weighted mannequins. The condemned is knowledgeable solely on the morning of the execution and escorted directly to the chamber, the place some reportedly wrestle to stroll resulting from worry.

The warden affords last phrases, and after a short spiritual ceremony, the prisoner is moved to the execution room. Bound on the ft and neck, the prisoner stands on a trapdoor. Three buttons management the mechanism, and it’s unclear which officer’s press triggers the drop. Staff members with pregnant members of the family or severe private circumstances are excluded from the function. The physique falls about 4 meters and stops midair. After about quarter-hour, a health care provider confirms loss of life.

Executions don’t all the time proceed easily. In some circumstances, all three officers have hesitated to press the buttons, or mechanical points have delayed the method. One prisoner reportedly lashed out after ready almost 20 years for execution. Father Javier Garralda, who spent 28 years accompanying condemned inmates of their last moments, mentioned executions don’t resolve grief. While acknowledging victims’ households’ ache, he argued that killing the offender doesn’t deliver peace and finally quantities to revenge.

Executions are introduced by the justice minister at press conferences, however particulars are hardly ever disclosed. One former minister, who attended an execution for the primary time in workplace, described being shocked by the silence and gravity of the method, calling it a deeply merciless act even whereas finishing up official duties. He had beforehand opposed capital punishment however mentioned he finally might do nothing to halt the system.

Until the late Nineteen Nineties, executed prisoners’ our bodies had been usually donated to medical colleges for anatomical examine, with college students studying from them for months earlier than cremation. Internal Justice Ministry paperwork element the well being and authorized standing of death-row inmates, however the standards for deciding the order of executions stay unclear, even to the minister.

Some prisoners have filed lawsuits arguing that same-day notification of execution is merciless. Lawyers representing them say the secrecy surrounding executions prevents public debate. They name for higher disclosure to permit society to look at whether or not the system ought to proceed.

At Okayama Prison, about half of the 450 inmates are serving life sentences for severe crimes, together with homicide. Nationwide, the typical time served by lifers exceeds 38 years. Many as soon as confronted the potential of execution. Some say that being informed they might dwell reasonably than die woke up a want to maintain going, even whereas acknowledging the severity of their crimes.

Daily life is regimented, with early wake-ups, train, and restricted recreation. Annual occasions like a sports activities day present uncommon moments of pleasure. Some inmates say they oppose the loss of life penalty, arguing that offenders ought to be given an opportunity to atone via a lifetime of effort. Others admit feeling grateful merely to be alive, even with out hope of launch.

Aging is a rising concern amongst lifers. Some have spent a long time in jail and haven’t any household left to obtain them if launched. Rehabilitation services for parolees present non permanent housing and help, however many die inside a couple of years of launch. Some victims’ households argue that life imprisonment with out parole could also be harsher than execution, forcing offenders to dwell with their actions for many years.

One bereaved member of the family whose brother was murdered for insurance coverage cash initially demanded the loss of life penalty however later concluded that execution wouldn’t deliver reduction. He now advocates for a system that ensures offenders stay imprisoned for all times, arguing that true accountability requires enduring duty reasonably than a swift finish.

As debates proceed, executions in Japan proceed quietly, with restricted public info. Surveys present about 80 p.c of the general public helps capital punishment, although critics say opinions are shaped with out full data of how the system operates. Calls for higher transparency have grown, with some arguing that nationwide dialogue requires extra openness about what occurs behind jail partitions.

Source: TBS

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(SP)CROATIA-ZAGREB-WRESTLING-GRAND PRIX

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(260209) — ZAGREB, Feb. 9, 2026 (Xinhua) — Gomi Koto (R) of Japan competes towards Alisher Ganiev of Uzbekistan in the course of the Men’s Greco-Roman 60kg weight class gold medal match on the UWW Grand Prix Ranking Series Zagreb Open 2026 in Zagreb, Croatia, Feb. 8, 2026. (Photo by Igor Kralj/PIXSELL through Xinhua)

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Highlights of Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games Day 2

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BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) — Norway’s Sander Eitrem delivered a record-breaking triumph on the pace skating oval on Sunday, because the Milan-Cortina Winter Games produced drama throughout a number of venues on the second competitors day.

Breezy Johnson, competing in her second Olympics, turned the second American lady to win an Olympic downhill gold.

Germany’s Max Langenhan dominated the boys’s singles luge, profitable gold with a four-run whole of three minutes, 31.191 seconds.

Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo surged clear late to win the boys’s 10km+10km skiathlon in 46:11, capturing his sixth Olympic gold medal.

At the Milano Ice Skating Arena, the United States captured gold within the determine skating staff occasion with 69 factors, edging Japan by a single level. Italy earned bronze with 60 factors.

France opened the biathlon program by profitable gold within the blended 4x6km relay. Anchor Julia Simon shot clear, hitting all 10 targets, as France completed in 1:04:15.5. Italy earned silver on house snow, with Germany taking bronze.

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‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ trailer: Chris Pratt returns for space-faring sequel

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California [US], February 9 (ANI): The Mushroom Kingdom is buying and selling its inexperienced pipes for the celebrities.

During the 2026 Super Bowl conflict between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, Universal Pictures and Nintendo formally launched the ‘Level Up’ trailer for ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’, confirming a theatrical rollout starting April 1, 2026, as per the Hollywood Reporter.

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the sequel to the blockbuster follows Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) as they enterprise into outer area alongside Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key).

The footage posted by the makers on their official social media handles, highlights new gravitational mechanics, displaying the heroes working the other way up in area fits as they navigate the cosmos.

A significant spotlight of the trailer is the introduction of Princess Rosalina, voiced by Brie Larson, who warns of the universe’s material unraveling from the Comet Observatory.

The stakes are additional raised by Benny Safdie’s debut as Bowser Jr., who pilots a large ‘Megaleg’ mech swimsuit and declares, ‘The nice battle of my life attracts close to!’

The trailer additionally leans into fan-favourite cameos and humour. A distinguished sequence options Yoshi alongside Baby Mario and Baby Luigi, with the inexperienced dinosaur seen consuming Kamek (Kevin Michael Richardson).

In a nod to Super Mario Odyssey, a practical T-Rex chases the group after Baby Mario disturbs its slumber.

Produced by Chris Meledandri and Shigeru Miyamoto, the movie goals to construct on the huge success of the 2023 unique.

Following its April 1 debut, the film will hit the United States on April 3 and Japan on April 24. (ANI)

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