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Soldiers in rubber boats take part in the US-Philippines Balikatan joint military exercise in Palawan on April 30, 2024. Photo: VCG The US military has recently announced its support for Philippine operations in the South China Sea through task force Ayungin, named after the Philippine term for China's Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef). This initiative, according to Manila, will involve collaboration in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance efforts. What additional, lesser-known details exist about this task force? Why was its launch timed during such a sensitive period? To what extent can it bolster the Philippines' provocations in the South China Sea? The Global Times conducted interviews with a Chinese expert who has engaged with high-level sources in the Philippines, as well as a former deputy national security advisor of the Philippines, to uncover deeper insights on the task force. The announcement represents the latest example of the US "fanning the flames" in the South China Sea. It also underscores the current Philippine government's dedication to strengthening its strategic partnership with the US, according to Ding Duo, a deputy director at the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, who recently concluded a visit to the Philippines, where he engaged with local sources familiar with the matter. "The US task force will only hinder the peaceful resolution of disputes that require direct dialogue, consultations, and negotiations between the Philippines and China," stated Rommel C. Banlaoi, Chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism Research, in an interview with the Global Times on Monday. As the former director of the Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies in the Philippines, Banlaoi previously told the Global Times that he is dismayed by the current government's decision to increase American military presence, which he believes undermines the balance in the Philippines' relationship with China and promotes a markedly pro-Americanism in foreign policy. He pointed out that the Marcos administration is complicating efforts to improve Philippines-China relations and that these unilateral actions are counterproductive to peacefully resolving disputes with China. Demonstrators hold banners during a protest against the visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Manila, the Philippines, on February 2, 2023. Photo: VCG What is the US task force? According to Ding, local sources revealed the concept of the US task force began to take shape in July 2024. The idea for forming the US task force emerged after the direct serious clash between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea on June 17 when a Philippine supply boat ignored warnings from the Chinese side and charged into waters off China's Ren'ai Jiao. The US brought out the idea of founding a task force to the Philippines following the incident, which was then accepted by the Philippine side. Ding deems that the formation of the US task force likely stemmed from concerns over the July 21 agreement between China and the Philippines regarding maritime disputes following the clash. The temporary agreement established arrangements for humanitarian supplies of essential goods for the Philippine warship stranded at the Ren'ai Jiao. Both parties agree to jointly manage maritime disputes and promote the easing of tensions in the South China Sea. The US task force was established around the same time as the temporary agreement, suggesting that the US is concerned the agreement may hinder its strategic goals in the South China Sea, according to the expert. The task force comprises approximately 15 US military personnel stationed on Palawan Island in the Philippines, who regularly engage in training exercises with the Western Command (WesCom) under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). These exercises primarily focus on providing personnel rotation and logistical support to the Philippine military vessel that is illegally stranded at China's Renai Jiao, Ding revealed to the Global Times. Following US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's high-profile introduction of the US task force, both military and political officials from the US and the Philippines released statements. US embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay stated, "Task Force Ayungin enhances US-Philippine alliance coordination and interoperability, enabling US forces to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the South China Sea," according to Reuters. Philippines National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano, however, stressed that the US task force Ayungin "will not directly participate in missions in the West Philippine Sea [South China Sea]," as reported by Filipino GMA. Ding revealed that specific tasks provided by the US task force include improving the coordination capabilities of both manned and unmanned military equipment and providing personnel training to the Philippines. The instructors for the so-called "small vessel defensive tactics course," conducted by the US military for the Philippines in October of this year, were selected from this task force, Ding said. The Philippine media Inquirer reported that Philippine coast guardsmen (PCG) trained with US special forces over nearly three weeks in Palawan on how to respond to "noncompliant vessels" as part of the course. Banlaoi said that the US established the US task force to support Philippine forces not only in rotation and reprovisioning missions, but also in protecting Philippine presence in Ayungin Shoal (Ren'ai Jiao). "The US provides operational training, intelligence information sharing and threat assessment of situation around the shoal, almost the same kind of support that the US has provided the Philippines during the siege of Marawi in 2017 and the Global War on Terrorism from 2001-2010 through the Joint Special Operations Task Force - Philippines." Ding further noted that the unmanned equipment currently provided by the US task force to the Philippines includes at least four unmanned surface vessels MANTAS T-12 and at least one T-38 Devil Ray, both of which are from Australian company Maritime Tactical Systems (MARTAC) USA Division. According to a piece on an online news platform Straight Arrow News, Devil Rays can be used as a mother ship of sorts to help relay signals to the T-12s. They can also be used as a weapons platform. How much can it support Manila? The maritime situational awareness capabilities of the Philippines remain relatively underdeveloped, a longstanding concern held by the Philippine military. An article from the US think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative in December 2023 pointed out that "the Philippines faces substantial maritime governance capacity gaps, with shortfalls in maritime domain awareness standing out as a primary concern." The US has provided substantial support to the Philippines in areas such as information sharing, situational awareness, and engagement tactics to bolster its capabilities. Since 2021, the Philippines has been utilizing the SeaVision program, a maritime situational awareness tool, led by the US Department of Transportation, at no cost. Currently, this system is being employed by the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the National Coast Watch Center, as observed by Beijing-based think tank South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI). In May, the US and the Philippines issued a joint statement on space dialogue, announcing an enhancement of cooperation in leveraging space for both maritime and space situational awareness. Moreover, within the framework of the US-Japan-India-Australia "Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Partnership," the US is coordinating resource support from Japan, India, and Australia for the Philippines, according to SCSPI. Many Filipino scholars contend that the security cooperation between the Philippines and the US is designed to strengthen the asymmetric advantage over China, enabling the execution of surveillance missions focused on China's maritime activities, Ding noted. The Ayunjin task force has been interpreted by Philippine media as a direct indication of US military assistance to the Philippines. Banlaoi believes that the US task will benefit the Philippine military for operational support, intelligence gathering and tactical capacity building, but it politically hinders peaceful dispute resolution between the Philippines and China. By establishing the task force, the US has sought to gain direct insights into the operational patterns of China Coast Guard vessels, thereby enhancing its situational awareness and battlefield readiness. This move can be interpreted as a concealed intention of the US, Ding noted. "It remains unclear whether the US task force will expand in personnel and scope. The US may also use this opportunity to encourage the Philippines to provoke incidents at sea, such as conducting 'freedom of navigation operations' against China or providing 'escort' services for Philippine supply ships in contested areas. US military personnel might observe aboard these vessels under the guise of journalists or offer guidance for Philippine maritime operations," he told the Global Times. If the Philippines continues to provoke incidents through its strengthened alliance and external support, engaging in "gray zone" tactics and challenging China's South China Sea policies with misleading narratives, it risks undermining constructive resolutions and managing differences, Ding stressed.
New York Jets running back Breece Hall sat out practice Wednesday with an injured knee and it's uncertain if he'll play Sunday against Seattle. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Hall hurt the knee in the on Nov. 17, but was able to finish the game. Hall experienced some soreness, so the team is being cautious with its leading rusher. “We’re going to protect him from himself a little bit today, but we’ll see how the week goes along,” Ulbrich said. “Still hopeful that he’s going to play for us, but we’ll see.” Hall has 632 yards rushing and four touchdowns, along with 46 catches for 401 yards and two scores for the Jets, who were holding their first full practice since returning from their bye-week break. Rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis would likely fill in if Hall can't play. Left tackle Tyron Smith remains sidelined with a neck injury and Ulbrich acknowledged Smith could be a candidate for the injured reserve list. Smith, in his first season with New York after 13 in Dallas, missed the game against the Colts after leaving the Jets' loss in Arizona with the neck injury. Rookie Olu Fashanu would be in line to start again in Smith's place. “Just not enough improvement at this point,” Ulbrich said of Smith. “It’s really become apparent that we might have to do what’s best for Tyron in that way. But (we're) still collecting information.” Ulbrich said Smith, whose injury hasn't been specified, has been splitting his time between being at the facility and having exams elsewhere. “He's getting stuff done,” Ulbrich said. “He's got the best doctors on Earth working with him.” The Jets could get linebacker in his neck that sidelined him the past four games. Mosley, who was injured during pregame warmups on Oct. 27, fully practiced Wednesday. “He's going to give it a run,” Ulbrich said before practice. “We're going to see what it looks like. ... And then tomorrow will be the big test. You know, get pads on him, get him to contact and see how he responds with that. If things go well, which I’m hopeful they will, he’ll go. If not, he won’t.” Wide receiver Malachi Corley didn't practice because of an illness and cornerback Quan'tez Stiggers was out for personal reasons. Offensive lineman Xavier Newman was limited after having his practice window opened. Newman has been on injured reserve since hurting his neck at Pittsburgh last month and being taken to the hospital. ___ AP NFL: Dennis Waszak Jr., The Associated PressRandy Macchi, Houston Public Works director, announced during a Dec. 11 City Council meeting that Houston Public Works has installed 125,000 new remote water usage reading equipments as of Thanksgiving. How we got here As part of Mayor John Whitmire’s Water Improvement Plan , Houston Public Works began replacing broken remote-read devices that were causing inaccurate water bills for Houston residents earlier this year. Diving in deeper The new remote readers were installed to residential and commercial customers, with nearly 100,000 of those installations done at single-residential households, Macchi said. “We’ve been able to go through and make a five-year plan, and condense it into a few months and get it done really quickly,” Macchi said. A Houston Public Works employee installed the new water usage reading equipment. (Courtesy of Houston Public Works) However, there are still 15,000 readers that are buried underneath people’s driveways or placed in inaccessible areas that require the department to work with the homeowners individually, Macchi said. The replacement and installations of these readers required a temporary charge to single-family residential customers as a fixed set monthly amount. Macchi said the department is working on communicating with residents to transition them back to their actual usage bill and verifying the accuracy of the readings. “Roughly 50,000 people have already transitioned and have been back on actual usage,” Macchi said. “There’s 75,000 right now that are still on set, [and] 30,000 in the next 60 days will transition back to actual usage. Looking ahead Macchi noted that there is still a total of 437,000 water meters across the city of Houston, with 273,000 devices in the ground that will need to be replaced. Erin Jones, the Houston Public Works spokesperson, said the department will address those in the future. “The next 273,000 in the future, which are customers who have working devices, will need a replacement at some point soon," Macchi said. "Many of them have devices that are older technology, they don’t provide the advanced metrics, the advanced alert systems that the customers that have received the new devices have. They are going to need to be upgraded." Council members commended Macchi and the public works department on the installations, and how they worked diligently on a problem that has plagued the city for years. Abbie Kamin, District C, said she has seen a decrease in water bill complaints and applauded the department for ramping up the installations. “During the pandemic, we had huge equipment issues, we could not get the equipment that we needed to install a lot of these,” Kamin said. “To see it ramp up, so expeditiously, it’s tremendous.”The United States continues to lead the world in artificial intelligence ( AI ) innovation, according to the latest AI Index report from Stanford University 's Institute for Human-Centered AI. The report evaluates the "vibrancy" of the AI industry across various dimensions, including research activity, investment levels, and the pursuit of responsible AI practices. "The gap is actually widening" between the U.S. and China, said computer scientist Ray Perrault, director of the steering committee that oversees Stanford's AI Index. Stanford's findings show China eclipsed in key areas such as research output and private investment. "The U.S. is investing a lot more, at least at the level of firm creation and funding." The United States has maintained its top position since 2018, bolstered by substantial private AI investment, which reached $67.2 billion last year, significantly surpassing China's $7.8 billion. The U.S. also leads in publishing research focused on responsible AI development. Home to major AI companies like Google , Meta , OpenAI and Anthropic, the U.S. has produced numerous influential AI models that shape the technology's development and application. Additionally, the country has enacted several AI-related laws, though comprehensive federal regulations are still pending as the country waits on Republican President-elect Donald Trump 's approach. China, while trailing the U.S. in overall ranking, has demonstrated strong growth in AI innovation. The United Nations intellectual property agency reported that China has filed more patents related to generative AI than any other nation. It says, "China's focus on developing cutting-edge AI technologies and increasing its R&D investments has positioned it as a major AI powerhouse." Chinese universities have produced a significant volume of AI research publications, and companies like Baidu have developed notable AI models, such as the chatbot Ernie. The United Kingdom ranks third, attributed to its robust research and development infrastructure and leading computer science universities that cultivate a skilled AI workforce. The U.K. is also home to DeepMind , Google's AI subsidiary, whose co-founder recently received a Nobel Prize . The country has shown a high level of governmental engagement with AI, having more mentions of AI in parliamentary proceedings than any other nation, pushed by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak . In the previous year, the U.K. hosted the world's first international AI safety summit . India follows closely in fourth place, supported by a strong AI research community, increased economic investments in AI, and active public discourse on AI topics across social media platforms. The United Arab Emirates placed fifth, having attracted significant investments including a $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft into the Abu Dhabi -based tech firm G42, which operates data centers and has developed Jais, considered the world's leading Arabic-language AI model. Completing the top 10 are France, South Korea, Germany, Japan and Singapore. France, home to the emerging AI startup Mistral, ranks high in AI policy and governance. Both France and Germany are part of the European Union 's sweeping new AI Act, which implements safeguards on various AI applications based on their risk levels. The EU is also following the U.S. in developing a plan to expand semiconductor production within the bloc. This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lynne Roberts wasn’t looking to leave the Utah women’s basketball team. Then she got a call from Los Angeles Sparks general manager Reagan Pebley that changed her thinking. Roberts was introduced Thursday as coach of the Sparks, becoming the second coach to make the leap from college to the WNBA this month. Karl Smesko of Florida Gulf Coast got the Atlanta Dream job last week. “I was 100 percent invested at Utah,” Roberts said. “It just kind of felt like this is a golden opportunity. As a competitor, the chance to coach the best in the world, it’s what I want.” She replaces Curt Miller , who was let go in September and now is general manager of the Dallas Wings. Roberts inherits a team that has a strong young nucleus of Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink and Dearica Hamby. The Sparks have the No. 2 pick in next year’s WNBA draft. “We’ve got kind of a cool combination of some veteran leadership and then we’ve got a really dynamic young group,” Roberts said. “That’s a good roster right there and then we can keep working with it.” Los Angeles finished 8-32 last season for the league’s worst record and has missed the playoffs for four straight years. “I want to compete, I want to win now,” Roberts said. “I know that’s easier said than done, but I’m up for the challenge and I can’t wait to get started.” Roberts is friends with Southern California women’s coach Lindsay Gottlieb and UCLA coach Cori Close. “That was intentional,” Sparks general manager Reagan Pebley said. “That we were bringing somebody into this role that had existing relationships because again this is a community of women’s basketball that is exceptional.” Roberts added, “I want to be the top of that pyramid with the Sparks.” Roberts is returning to her native California. The 49-year-old coach grew up in the Northern California city of Redding. She played college ball at Seattle Pacific and then began coaching at Chico State before moving to Pacific and then Utah. Roberts was 165-116 in nine-plus seasons at Utah and recently signed a six-year extension. She led the team to three straight NCAA Tournament berths and was the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023. The Utes have started this season 3-1 and will be coached by Gavin Petersen, who was promoted from associate head coach. “I poured 10 years of my life into that place and I loved it. I loved every minute of it,” Roberts said. “Where we started wasn’t great, where it is now is great and I’m very proud of that.” Roberts said the current upheaval in college basketball including name, image and likeness, the transfer portal and Utah's move to the Big 12 this season had nothing to do with her leaving. “I'm sitting here because it's a chance to coach the best people in the world and win a championship in LA. That's it,” she said. “As a competitor and as someone that kind of thrives in pressure, being in this market, being in LA, it sounds like heaven to me." AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
HR Ratings has become the second agency to downgrade Mexico’s economic outlook in November. The Mexican ratings agency changed its outlook for Mexico’s sovereign rating from stable to negative on Monday. “The change in the outlook from stable to negative is the result of the deterioration in our estimates of economic growth in 2024 and 2025 for Mexico, as well as our expectation of a slower reduction in the fiscal deficit for 2025, compared to that estimated by the Finance Ministry, which could put pressure on net debt as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” said HR Ratings in a press release. The rating agency expects economic growth in Mexico of 1.4% in 2024 and 1.1% in 2025, lower than the Finance Ministry’s forecast of 2.1% and 2.3%, respectively. HR cited the industrial sector’s negative performance over the last year as a reason for the downgrade, “especially due to the lower dynamism of the construction sector, in addition to a slowdown in the manufacturing sector and lower external demand.” Although Mexico aims to reduce its fiscal deficit in 2025, it is difficult to maintain low capital expenditure in the long term without negative consequences for economic performance, said HR. The agency also stressed the potentially negative impact that the coming change in U.S. political leadership could have on Mexico’s trade. President-elect Donald Trump will take office in the United States in January 2025. The New York-based credit rating agency Moody’s Ratings recently downgraded its Mexico outlook from stable to negative but maintained the country’s long-term ratings at the second lowest investment grade level. It said the decision was “driven by our view of a weakening in the policymaking and institutional settings that risks undermining fiscal and economic outcomes.” The Finance Ministry responded to HR’s downgrade in a press release . “The growth outlook for Mexico is positive, given that supply shocks have started to decrease, and industrial production has shown greater dynamism during the second half of the year,” it stated. “Our growth forecast, presented in the Economic Package for 2025, remains between 2% and 3%, supported by the strength of domestic demand, the support of social programs and investment in strategic sectors,” the ministry added. It also said that the U.S. continues to be Mexico’s main trading partner and highlighted the importance of the USMCA free trade agreement. “Mexico has the necessary fiscal buffers to mitigate possible adverse scenarios in the global environment,” the ministry stressed. Eight rating agencies that evaluate Mexico’s debt have maintained Mexico’s sovereign debt rating in 2024, the press release stated, which is “a reflection of the confidence in the country’s macroeconomic stability.” With reports from Expansion , Forbes and El Universal
Frontline, Golden Ocean, Hafnia set to report earnings WednesdayLynne Roberts wasn't looking to leave as Utah women's basketball coach. Then she got a call from LA
APPALACHIAN STATE 66, SAM HOUSTON 63
Home | Trump warns BRICS nations against replacing US dollar Meanwhile, Trump also said on Saturday that he had a “very productive” meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in which they discussed border-related issues and other topics including trade, energy, and the Arctic. “We discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and drug crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American workers and the massive trade deficit the US has with Canada,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of US families,” he added. SABC © 2024Believe it or not, Cowboys might have hope yet after chaotic win at WashingtonNone
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