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SINGAPORE: In the immediate aftermath of the United States election, all Pacific Island leaders sent messages of congratulations to president-elect Donald Trump and expressed hope that cooperation with the new administration would continue. What are the chances that the improved relationship between the US and Pacific Island countries, carefully nurtured under the Biden administration, will continue to grow? What are the areas of potential cooperation and possible conflicts of interest? A look at recent US Pacific Islands policies might provide some clues. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES The Biden administration released its Indo-Pacific Strategy in February 2022, the framework for countering Chinese influence, maintaining America's traditional strategic dominance, and signalling its desire to play a greater role in the region. One tool was to strengthen overlapping minilateral alliances, such as AUKUS and the Quad. Others were newly created, such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). After the shock of the China-Solomon Islands security deal in May 2022 , the Biden administration increased its diplomatic and economic engagement with Pacific Island countries. President Joe Biden twice hosted Pacific Island Forum (PIF) leaders at the White House for US-Pacific Summits in 2022 and 2023. The US also announced the US-Pacific Partnership Strategy, a roadmap for strengthening cooperation. Over the past four years, there have been an unusual number of high-level political visits to Pacific Island countries, including visits by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, who was in Fiji in early December. The Biden administration also increased its diplomatic presence, opening embassies in Tonga, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, and a US Agency for International Development (USAID) office in Fiji. After aid cuts in the years before, Biden announced a US$810 million aid package over 10 years, including US$130 million for climate change projects. This funding still has not received full congressional approval and its future under Trump 2.0 remains unclear. In March, Biden renewed the Compact of Freely Associated States (COFA), announcing an unprecedented package of US$7 billion over 20 years for the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. The US has a long-standing special relationship with these three strategic countries in the Western Pacific, which receive the lion's share of US Pacific aid and investment. COFA will continue to allow the US to provide defence, deploy forces and operate bases there. CLOSE ALLY AUSTRALIA ASSISTING America’s ally, Australia, has also been doing the heavy lifting in the South Pacific. Already the biggest aid donor to the Pacific Islands countries, Australia has further increased assistance in the last two years. To counter China’s influence with its neighbours, Australia has concluded several security and aid deals, among them the recent security agreement with Tuvalu which gives Australia a veto power in Tuvalu’s foreign and security affairs. In December, Australia concluded a rather controversial agreement with Nauru which gives it veto power of pacts that Nauru might want to conclude with third countries. The five-year deal continues to secure Australia’s detention facility for Australia-bound refugees and comes with a A$140 million budget (US$87 million) and police support for Nauru. The Australia-Solomon Islands security arrangement , announced recently on Dec 20, will fund A$190 million into the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and set up a new police training centre in the capital Honiara. This deal is a major achievement of the Labour-led Albanese government to counter the China-Solomon Islands security agreement. THE SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: WHAT TO EXPECT? Trump is likely to focus primarily on the security aspects. Fiji and Papua New Guinea had become the main beneficiaries of the Biden administration's strategy over the past two years, with landmark defence and security agreements. Increased economic ties between Papua New Guinea and China will loom large over any potential US disengagement or trade sanctions. The Trump administration can be expected to honour previous agreements, so as not to create loopholes for potential Chinese security-related engagement. But the new administration must also be mindful of the growing discontent over the use of the Pacific as a strategic theatre for the US and China. Pacific Island leaders have voiced concerns about ongoing intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) testing in the Pacific, complaining about an American ICBM test in November that flew over the Marshall Islands and a Chinese ICBM test in the South Pacific in September. PIF Secretary General Baron Waqa recently said: "Geopolitical manoeuvring mean nothing to Pacific peoples who have cyclones on the horizon [and] are focused on building resilience, peace and prosperity for our families, communities and nations." The three COFA nations may also come into focus again. Trump's first administration regarded the ability to use US military installations in these three island nations as an important part of his Indo-Pacific strategy. He hosted the leaders of the three countries at the White House in May 2019. This view of their "usefulness" to the US is likely to prevail. However, a longstanding practice has been to allow citizens of the three COFA states to live and work in the United States and access federal benefits like food stamps and healthcare. This may be at odds with the proclaimed immigration agenda of the second Trump administration. A partial US revision of the COFA articles is unlikely to be acceptable to the three partner countries. There is a strong possibility that the second Trump Administration will leave Biden’s 14-member economic initiative IPEF. Fiji, being the only Pacific Islands member, will probably search for alternative trade agreements. CLIMATE ACTION THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE The biggest obstacle to the relationship between the US and Pacific Island countries will be climate change, as their positions are diametrically opposed. Trump is expected to withdraw from the Paris Agreement a second time and focus US energy policy on oil and gas. Pacific Island countries have become leaders in the global fight against climate change , such as in two United Nations groups – the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Tuvalu's prime minister has called on major polluters to make concrete commitments to phase out fossil fuel production. Current policies – leading to new coal, oil and gas projects - are a "death sentence", he insisted. Samoa rallied UN member states to press for more progress on " loss and damage finance ". And it was Vanuatu that brought about a landmark UN resolution, backed by 130 countries, on climate justice and countries' obligations to address climate change. Under the second Trump administration, there will be difficult discussions at the UN between AOSIS, SIDS and the US. Expect also the Biden climate change package for Pacific Island countries to be reduced or scrapped. PRAGMATIC COOPERATION FOR A LOUDER VOICE The second Trump administration will have to take into account that Pacific Island countries have become more pragmatic and have more options than in the past. Geopolitical wrangling has also meant that other donors, both governmental and non-governmental, are willing to step in. PIF countries have shown that they can overcome some of their internal regional divisions, coordinate their positions and work with like-minded countries outside the Pacific. This pragmatic “New Pacific Diplomacy” has strengthened their climate voice in UN negotiations. The geopolitical power competition has provided Pacific Island leaders the opportunity to leverage their unique position to advance some of their most pressing issues, climate emergency and infrastructure investment. No doubt, they will use it in the next four years.
ConnectDER Will Expand Distributed Energy Products BusinessGeorgia loses QB Carson Beck (arm) during SEC title gameAston Villa manager Unai Emery believes their last-gasp disallowed goal against Juventus was ‘harsh’ even though he acknowledges this is Champions League officiating. The Premier League side thanked goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for his remarkable one-handed save on the line to deny Francisco Conceicao in “I am very happy because we won a point. We played a very competitive match. We were dominating the match to try to get three points,” However, the hosts also had huge chances, above all the Lucas Digne free kick that bounced off the top of the crossbar and a last-gasp disallowed Morgan Rogers goal. He had turned the loose ball into the net after Diego Carlos caught Michele Di Gregorio in the ribs, as While this was really not in doubt for the Italian interpretation of officiating, in the Premier League they are far less protective of the goalkeepers. “The last action is clear. It’s the interpretation of the referee. We know in England, it’s 80% not a foul, but in Europe, maybe not. For me it was harsh. In England, I know it’s not a foul usually, because it was a very soft contact. But in Europe, it could be foul,” noted Emery. “I think the referee, in the beginning, he was giving it as goal. We have to accept his decision.” The call was made by VAR without the need for the referee to view it himself on the On-Field Review monitor. “We played a serious match. We played trying to avoid the mistakes we made from the last matches. We were playing better and I think we more or less deserved to win the match than them,” added Emery. Juventus came to Birmingham with only 14 outfield players and had to use Timothy Weah as a makeshift False 9 in the absence of any centre-forwards. “We analysed their play, they are building a team and are in the process. They are very competitive and very difficult to beat. They’ve only lost one match. “But we wanted to play too. We were dominating them. We were getting into their box better and we had chances to score. They had the chance in the second half with that Emiliano Martinez save. “I think it was very tight match for both teams. But I’m happy with the overall result. Three wins, one draw and one defeat is very good. We still have the possibility to get into the top eight.” Unai Emery has his say after the referee ruled out Morgan Rogers’ late goal 💬 📺 & | 🎙 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt)
The leader of Kurdish separatist group PKK said he’s ready to cooperate with the Turkish government in a bid to end a long-running conflict that’s claimed thousands of lives, according to a statement by the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM, on Sunday. “Re-strengthening the Turkish-Kurdish fellowship has not only become a historical responsibility, but also of fateful importance and urgency for all peoples,” Abdullah Ocalan was cited as saying. “I am ready to take the necessary positive step and make the necessary call,” he said when a party delegation met him on Saturday at Imrali Island, where he’s been imprisoned since his capture in 1999. “I have the competence and determination to contribute positively to the new paradigm that Mr. Bahceli and Mr. Erdogan are empowering,” Ocalan said in the statement, referring to the leader of the ultra-nationalist MHP party Devlet Bahceli and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In October, Bahceli had called for Ocalan’s solitary confinement to be lifted and for him to be allowed to speak in parliament and urge the PKK to lay down arms. Erdogan supported his ally’s call. Bahceli’s remarks were seen as an unexpected shift, given his party’s historically hard-line stance against the Kurdish movement. One day after Bahceli’s call, PKK attacked Turkish state defense firm Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc., killing five people. PKK said at the time that the attack had been planned “a long time ago” and wasn’t connected to the recent “political agenda.” Although Ocalan no longer directs the PKK’s day-to-day operations, he’s still revered by the movement’s commanders. At the same time, any peace deal negotiated by him would mean little if the PKK refused to sign onto it. The Kurdish-backed militant group, which has been waging a war for autonomy in Turkey’s southeast since 1984, is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., Turkey and the European Union. Turkey regards the armed wing of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party of Syria, known as the People’s Protection Units or YPG, as an affiliate of PKK. YPG, which seeks autonomy for Syria’s Kurds, has shown a willingness to work with any power capable of advancing that goal. Syrian Kurds control a zone in Syria’s northeast. On Sunday, Turkey’s Industry and Technology Minister Fatih Kacir announced a new initiative aimed at revitalizing the country’s southeast, an area long affected by clashes with the PKK. The plan, to include $14 billion in investments over the next three years, focuses on agriculture in the region where the population is mostly Kurdish. The southeastern provinces, once a center of intense fighting between PKK and Turkish military, have struggled with underdevelopment and economic instability. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.NexOptic Technology Corp. ( CVE:NXO – Get Free Report ) shares fell 20% on Friday . The stock traded as low as C$0.02 and last traded at C$0.02. 480,200 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 387% from the average session volume of 98,644 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.03. NexOptic Technology Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of C$3.90 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.00 and a beta of 1.14. The firm’s 50-day moving average is C$0.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$0.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 0.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 56.33. NexOptic Technology Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) NexOptic Technology Corp., a technology company, develops artificial intelligence and imaging products. It engages in developing All Light Intelligent Imaging Solutions (ALIIS), a suite of intelligent imaging solution that processes raw images and video in real time; and NexCompress technological solutions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for NexOptic Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NexOptic Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Vikings place LB Ivan Pace on injured reserve and sign LB Jamin Davis off Packers practice squad
East Tennessee State football coach Tre Lamb said his staff went 8-for-8 in recruiting the high school athletes they most wanted during Thursday’s signing day announcement. Another 5-6 high school players are expected to sign in February. There are 10-12 transfers to be announced at the mid-year will the roster to be rounded out in May. “We got who we wanted to get. The old age of surprises on signing day is over,” Lamb said. “A lot of these guys have been committed for weeks. Our coaches got to South Carolina, Georgia, some of those places when we were playing on the road. Getting them to games and seeing our gameday experience, those were big deciding factors for a lot of guys.” The group includes quarterback Jackson Byrd, cornerbacks Ramani Bruton and Brycen Dowdell, running back Jaiden Daniels, offensive linemen Eli Dorton and Cole Norred, and wide receivers Jeremiah Harrison and wide receiver Trenton Wanjogu. Obviously, quarterback has the biggest spotlight. Jaylen King, who started the first nine games for the Bucs, and reserve Reece Fountain have entered the transfer portal. Gino English, who started two games, will be lost to graduation. Byrd, a 6-foot record-setting quarterback from Clayton, N.C., is expected to be a big star in the future. For now, Lamb has plans to redshirt him. Lamb said that Baylor Hayes, who started the final game of the season against VMI, Steven Johnson, who will be in his second year with the Bucs after transferring from Charlotte, and one of the transfers whom the Bucs are bringing on campus the next couple of weeks will compete for the starting job. Byrd threw for over 10,000 yards and 114 touchdowns during his high school career, and Lamb said he even got a text from New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye’s high school coach that said Byrd was the best player in the state of North Carolina. Lamb talked about a conversation with a former ETSU coach as one reason why Byrd will be redshirted. “He’s small and needs to put some weight on,” Lamb said. “I hate playing freshmen at certain positions. Randy Sanders told me years ago that he hated playing a freshman quarterback. They don’t have experience and aren’t getting a ton of reps in training camp. “Now, Jackson is going to be unbelievable. He could easily be our starter moving forward, but we feel good about Baylor, Steve and the transfer we’re bringing in.” ETSU players who entered the transfer portal were: wide receiver A.J. Johnson, linebacker Ty Anderson, running back Torey Lambert and offensive lineman Tyson Moore. Lamb feels they’ve strengthened those positions with the freshmen wide receivers and Daniels, a running back whom he compared to current Buc player Khamran Laborn. There is some family ties with Daniels, who played at Commerce High School’s Ray Lamb Stadium. The stadium is named after Lamb’s grandfather, and it’s a place where Lamb’s dad, uncle and Furman coach Clay Hendrix all played high school football. Daniels rushed for nearly 6,000 yards over his high school career. “We really think he can help us immediately,” Lamb said. “Three positions are easiest to play early — running back, cornerback and receiver — because they’re based on athletic ability and mindset. He’s just a dynamic playmaker who played quarterback this year.” On the defensive side, the cornerbacks have athletic pedigrees. Burton’s uncle was a member of the 1994 Chicago Bulls NBA team, while Maybin’s father played football at Alabama. It was an area of need with Cam Sims and Jimmy Bowdry playing nearly every snap for the Bucs in 2024. Dorton, an offensive lineman from Anderson County, was named one of the top eight recruits from the Knoxville area and originally committed to Furman. Lamb said they reached out to a pair of Science Hill players, who had better offers, and believe a couple from Greeneville will attend ETSU. They’re also interested in bringing a couple of transfers who played high school football locally back home. But, the No. 1 goal was keeping current players on the roster. “We’re using NIL and revenue sharing to retain our best players,” Lamb said. “We’re in a really good spot right now and I feel good about recruiting. We’re not bringing in 50 new players. We get 10-12 good ones and we’re in good shape.” Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter TodayMartinez parades goalkeeper awards and justifies them with wonder save for Villa in Champions League
PITTSBURGH , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - RoadBlock Solutions, a division of RSG International, a leading Canadian company in road safety infrastructure, is officially expanding. Effective immediately, the merger of Corbin Highway Products, Laura-Metaal, Dimensional Products Inc., Summit Rentals US, and Pivot Safety US will unite their collective expertise, cutting-edge technology, and extensive resources. This strategic merger positions RoadBlock Solutions as a major player in the road safety sector, ready to offer innovative and comprehensive solutions. Ryan Samek , Senior Vice-President of RoadBlock Solutions, brings over two decades of road safety experience to the role. He is supported by a team of industry veterans, including Gary Lallo , Roger Spencer , Tony Cappella, Shannon Carroll , and Alex Wolfinger , ensuring a wealth of expertise drives the company's success. "The merger of these five companies represents a major milestone in our organization," said Ryan Samek . Solutions. "By combining our talented and experienced team, we aim to set new standards in the road safety space and offer unmatched service and solutions to our clients. I am thrilled to stand beside this experienced group of industry professionals and am looking forward to what we can accomplish RoadBlock Solutions specializes in the sale and rental of road safety products essential for roadway safety. It's extensive range includes crash cushions, steel and concrete barrier, and other essential devices designed to protect road users and workers. "The merger has created a resourceful, solutions-based network dedicated to delivering top-tier safety, sales, rentals, and installation services," says Roger Spencer , Business Development Manager for RoadBlock Solutions and former Business Development Manager at Corbin Highway Products, with over two decades of industry experience. "This collaboration fuels innovation and value, ensuring safer roads for everyone." Together, this team brings decades of experience and is dedicated to enhancing services, expanding product offerings, and delivering advanced solutions for road safety infrastructure. "We're combining our strengths to innovate, protect, and pave the way for a safer and brighter future on every road," adds Tony Cappella, Business Development Manager at RoadBlock Solutions and former National Sales Manager for Hill and Smith. These words were echoed by the former General Manager of Dimensional Products Inc (DPI). "The merger of DPI will provide us with resources and knowledge from some of the best in the industry. Being part of the Roadblock team will allow us to grow and expand our business to new levels," added Luke Myers , Chesapeake branch manager Roadblock Solutions. RoadBlock Solutions is a customer-focused, solutions-driven company that not only connects clients with the products they need but also introduces them to cutting-edge innovations they never knew existed. About RoadBlock Solutions RoadBlock Solutions is a leading provider and distributor of road safety devices, offering both sales and rentals. As a division of RSG International, RoadBlock Solutions is committed to enhancing road safety through innovative and reliable solutions. About RSG International RSG International is a global leader in the road safety sector, creating advanced solutions for critical safety challenges. Its portfolio includes comprehensive services across road safety infrastructure, including construction, installation, product distribution, new product development, and auxiliary services. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/introducing-roadblock-solutions-a-merger-of-five-road-safety-industry-leaders-302324362.html SOURCE RSG International
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The package, which was first reported by the Financial Times, includes thousands of joint direct attack munition kits (JDAMs) and hundreds of small-diameter bombs, according to the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The news comes less than a day after the ceasefire agreement ended the deadliest confrontation in years between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group, but Israel is still fighting the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The package follows a $20 billion sale in August of fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel. Reuters reported in June that Washington, Israel's biggest ally and weapons supplier, has sent Israel more than 10,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs and thousands of Hellfire missiles since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. In remarks late on Tuesday, Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, listed the need to replenish weapons stocks as one of the reasons for the ceasefire. “And I say it openly, it is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon,” he said. The package has been in the works for several months. It was first brought to the congressional committees in September then submitted for review in October, the US official said. The conversations about the sale had been going on even as a group of progressive US senators including Bernie Sanders introduced resolutions to block the sale of some US weapons to Israel over concerns about the humanitarian catastrophe faced by Palestinians in Gaza. The legislation was shot down last week in the Senate. It was likely the last chance to stop any weapons sales before Republican president-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Biden has strongly backed Israel since Hamas-led gunmen attacked in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Most of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people has been displaced and the enclave is at risk of famine, more than a year into Israel's war against Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. Gaza health officials say more than 43,922 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive. US law requires Congress to be notified of major foreign military sales agreements. An informal review process allows the Democratic and Republican leaders of foreign affairs committees to vet such agreements before a formal notification to Congress. A State Department spokesperson declined to confirm the sale but said US support for Israel’s security was “unwavering” against all Iran-backed threats, but added that Israel had a moral obligation to protect civilians. – Reuters.
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