内容摘要：Mounting Israeli public support for an end to the war has not swayed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from his stance that Hamas must be destroyed first. The military pressure, vast destruction in Gaza and rising death toll have so far not budged Hamas from its position demanding an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Mounting Israeli public support for an end to the war has not swayed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from his stance that Hamas must be destroyed first. The military pressure, vast destruction in Gaza and rising death toll have so far not budged Hamas from its position demanding an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

This is all happening as women’s sports at college and professional levels have seen a popularity surge in the last few years. Nakase was a Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach for 10 years before she joined the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces in a similar role. In 2023, after the Aces won back-to-back championships, Nakase noticed a shift in interest.She believes the opportunity to be part of the movement happening in women’s sports as the coach of the Valkyries couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, especially going from the NBA, experiencing everything on a day to day on what it looks like, what they get and now coming here,” Nakase said.Nakase’s presence has electrified Bay Area Asian Americans who already were stoked to have a hometown WNBA team to support.Teresa and Nathan Chan, who are Chinese American, had bought Valkyries season tickets for themselves and their daughters Adelaide, 16, and Ashlyn, 15. Both girls play for the San Jose Zebras, one of several Asian American youth teams around the Bay Area.

Adelaide said she was “freaking out” when she found out an Asian American woman would be taking a lead in Dub Nation. She sees parallels with Nakase, who also grew up playing in an Asian American league.“I thought that was just so cool and it felt more so like she was part of our community already,” Adelaide said.

Both Nakase and Chen’s presence have intensified Ashlyn’s interest.

“I didn’t really watch the WNBA like that much before,” Ashlyn said, “but now that I see a lot of Asian representation ... I’m more like, ‘Oh, this is my team now.’”At least five civilians were killed and 29 wounded in the past day, according to authorities in five eastern regions of Ukraine where Russia is trying to advance.

The head of the Russian delegation, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, said in Istanbul that the representatives were ready to meet Ukrainian officials.“The task of these direct negotiations with Ukraine is to establish long-term peace sooner or later by eliminating the root causes of this conflict,” he said in a brief statement.

It was not clear when they would meet. Medinsky said late Thursday that the Russian delegation would be waiting for Ukrainian officials at 10 a.m. Friday.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would confer Friday in Istanbul with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the Ukrainian delegation, adding that the Russian delegation would be meeting with other members of the U.S. team and that he hoped all sides could get together.