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Zamboanga nips Naic Aces, 79-78, in Asian tourney

REINFORCED by ex-NBA star Demarcus Cousins, host Zamboanga zoomed to a 2-0 slate after a narrow 79-78 win over the Naic Aces in The Asian Tournament grand final late Tuesday night at the Zamboanga City Coliseum.

Rickey Brice led the way with 29 points and 21 rebounds laced by two blocks as the Valientes bolstered their semifinal bid entering their last preliminary assignment against the Vanta Black Dragons.

Zamboanga previously beat the Macau Black Bears, 93-81, to welcome Mr. Cousins, a four-time NBA All-Star, in his Philippine team debut with a bang.

Former UAAP MVP Malick Diouf headlined that victory with 32 points, 29 rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block as Mr. Cousins added three points, four rebounds and an assist in seven minutes of action as starter.

Owned by Junnie Navarro, the Valientes are determined to win the ultimate prize in the grand finals after falling short in the first four legs

Former PBA standouts Rudy Lingganay, Mac Belo and Franky Johnson are also on Zamboanga’s roster to beef up their chances. — John Bryan Ulanday

Ando braces for talent-laden cast of weightlifting

ELREEN ANN ANDO — PVL

PARIS, France — Elreen Ann Ando could well be the future of Philippine weightlifting, being the very lifter who denied Hidilyn Diaz another Olympic return.

The question is whether her time is now.

Ms. Ando, 25, competes in her second Olympics but in a new weight category with a talent-laden, star-studded cast led by Tokyo gold medal winners Kuo Hsing-chun of Chinese Taipei and Luo Shifang of China.

World No. 2 Kim Il-Gyong of North Korea will not be seeing action, but world No. 3 Maude Charron and No. 5 Kamila Konotop of Ukraine are in the start list of the competition set at 3 p.m. Thursday (9 p.m. in Manila) at the South Paris Arena.

Ms. Kuo won the 59kg event in Tokyo in 2021 where Ms. Luo was also champ in the 49kg. Meanwhile, Ms. Ando was there competing in the 64kg.

They had their showdown in the 59kg in the IWF World Cup in Thailand where Ms. Luo emerged champ with a total lift of 248 followed by Ms. Kim with 240 then Ms. Charron, another Chinese in Pei Xinyi, Kuo and Konotop all at 130.

Ms. Ando was good for only eighth at 228, topping Ms. Diaz who did a 122. Ms. Diaz moved up to 59kg with the cancelation of 54kg for the 2024 Olympics.

In the run-up to the Paris Games, Ms. Ando and the rest of the Philippine weightlifting team spent time training at Metz and in Germany.

Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas President Monico Puentevella said, needless to say, they’re facing a tough competition and they have to beat themselves to have a chance at a podium finish.

Looking to continue what Ms. Diaz started, Ms. Ando, from Cebu, will also be facing Mexico’s Janeth Gomez Valdivia, Nigeria’s Rafiatu Folashade Lawal, Italian Lucresia Magistris, Marshall Islands’ Mathlynn Sasser, Venezuela’s Anyelin Venegas Valera, Colombia’s Yenny Alvarez and home bet Dora Tchakounte. — Nelson Beltran

US to increase force projection from Australia in face of ‘coercive’ China

REUTERS

SYDNEY — Australia will begin co-manufacturing guided weapons with the US next year to boost supply for allies in the Indo Pacific and increase a US military presence in the country, including bomber aircraft, the two nations said after annual defense talks.

Australia and the United States are already working to upgrade air bases in northern and western Australia, which are closer to potential flashpoints with China in the South China Sea than Australia’s capital of Canberra.

After annual AUSMIN talks in Annapolis, Maryland, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said there would be an increase in the presence of rotational US forces in Australia.

“This will mean more maritime patrol aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft operating from bases across northern Australia. It will also mean more frequent rotational bomber deployments,” he said.

In opening remarks Mr. Austin said the two allies faced shared security challenges including “coercive behavior” by China.

A joint statement released after the AUSMIN talks expressed concern over Chinese military activity around Taiwan, and China’s excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea.

They “noted grave concern about China’s dangerous and escalatory behavior toward Philippine vessels lawfully operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone”.

There are no US military bases in Australia, but the northern city of Darwin hosts a US Marine Rotational Force six months of each year and the US is building facilities for its marines and visiting air squadrons within Australian bases.

Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles said the presence of United States forces in Australia contributed to deterrence in the Indo Pacific region, and there would be closer collaboration on guided weapons manufacture in Australia.

Australia will begin co-manufacturing guided missiles next year, including the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) used in Ukraine.

Australia is also testing a Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) with the United States, which Australia said it will consider fielding as its first hypersonic weapon for fighter jets, the joint statement said.

“The presence of American force posture in our nation provides an enormous opportunity to work with our neighbors in the region,” Mr. Marles said.

Japan would increase exercises with US Marines in Darwin, while Australia and the US would hold regular exercises in the Philippines exclusive economic zone, the statement said.

The statement mentioned Australia’s strategic Indian Ocean territory, Cocos Islands, for the first time, saying the United States welcomed Australia’s planned infrastructure upgrades there and supported Australia’s completion of this work.

The Cocos Islands, with a population of 600, sits 3,000 km (1,864 miles) west of the Australian mainland and is described by the Australian Defense Force as key to its maritime surveillance operations in the Indian Ocean, where China is increasing submarine activity.

Australia has said it will start construction on an expanded airfield on the island this year, to carry heavier military aircraft, including the submarine-hunting P-8A Poseidon. — Reuters

Paris delivers Seine swimming, but some still skeptical

A GENERAL VIEW of Paris and the River Seine, Aug. 1, 2024. — MAJA HITIJ/POOL VIA REUTERS

PARIS — Parisians will swim in the River Seine by the foot of the Eiffel Tower next year, Paris City Hall has pledged, although the high bacteria levels that delayed Olympic triathlon events this summer have left some residents and tourists hesitant over diving in.

France spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) turning a river frequently laden with sewage into one clean enough to swim in. Holding outdoor swimming events in the Seine would demonstrate its transformation to a global audience, Paris had hoped.

The triathlon events did go ahead. But earlier torrential rains led to a spike in bacteria in the river beyond safe levels, forcing the cancelation of training sessions and a days-long delay to the men’s race.

That and Be lgium’s decision to withdraw its team from the mixed triathlon relay after an athlete fell ill — even if there was no proof the river water was to blame — have not helped convince doubters of the Seine’s cleanliness.

“I don’t think we would swim in the river after all the coverage,” said British tourist Jack Wolper after his young daughter and wife took a dip in Paris’ Ourcq canal.

“This felt a bit more acceptable, but I don’t think we’ll be jumping in the Seine. If they delay an elite race by two days, that’s reason enough for us not to go swimming,” he added.

Paris resident Pedro Couri, 29, said he would wait for President Emmanuel Macron to fulfil his promise of swimming in the Seine before having a go himself.

“That might reassure me,” he told Reuters.

Others were more trusting in the Paris authorities.

“It’s reassuring that they postponed some races, it shows they don’t take any risk with quality water,” Jade Goasguen, 34, from the Paris suburb of Clichy said, adding she would happily try swimming in the Seine next year.

‘PLAN A WORKED’
The green light to hold the triathlon events hung on whether the concentration of the E.Coli and Enterococcus faecalis bacteria had fallen below European safe limit thresholds.

However, some scientists have said a broader range of bacteria should be tested to be certain the river is safe.

“E. coli doesn’t reliably tell you when the water quality has recovered to a safe level, and I think that’s the mistake that authorities in Paris have been making,” said Professor Stuart Khan of the University of Sydney.

Paris authorities say they comply with European safety guidelines and have been testing water in the Seine and other swimming facilities for years rigorously.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo and her team remain sanguine about their plans to open three swimming facilities along the Seine, including near the Notre-Dame cathedral and Eiffel Tower.

“I’ve been asked 777 times whether we had a plan B, plan C, plan E. We had just plan A, we stuck to it and it worked,” Pierre Rabadan, the official in charge of the Seine program at City Hall told reporters.

Funded by the government and Paris City Hall, the ambitious project to modernize the capital’s sanitation system included digging new pipes to houses and houseboats that once pumped raw sewage into the river, additional treatment plants and a cavernous reservoir underneath the capital’s Gare d’Austerlitz.

More work will be done upstream by 2025 to ensure other houseboats and towns outside Paris do not pollute water going through the capital, Mr. Rabadan said.

He added that Paris had faced a barrage of skepticism when it opened the Ourcq canal bathing facility, just outside the city center, seven years ago, but that it had been a huge success in the end.

“We’ll soon have the same issue we had with other facilities: we won’t have enough space for all the people who want to swim in the Seine next year,” he added. — Reuters

Chinese academic convicted of acting as foreign agent in US

ALEJANDRO LUENGO-UNSPLASH

NEW YORK — A Chinese academic was convicted on Tuesday of illegally acting as a foreign agent in the United States by collecting information about New York-based activists supporting democracy in China and sharing his findings with Beijing.

A jury found Wang Shujun guilty on four counts including acting as a foreign agent without notifying the US attorney general and lying to US authorities, following a week-long trial in Brooklyn federal court.

Mr. Wang could face up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025.

Federal prosecutors said Mr. Wang, a naturalized US citizen, portrayed himself as a fierce opponent of the ruling Chinese Communist Party to gain the trust of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, advocates for Taiwanese independence and campaigners for Uyghur and Tibetan rights.

Prosecutors said Mr. Wang was actually spying on the activists and sharing his findings with four officials in China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), an intelligence service.

“The indictment could have been the plot of a spy novel, but the evidence is shockingly real,” Breon Peace, the top federal prosecutor in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, said in a statement. “Wang was willing to betray those who respected and trusted him.”

Mr. Wang, who emigrated to the United States in 1994, was arrested in March 2022.

Defense lawyer Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma said Mr. Wang spoke to the intelligence officials about the pro-democracy movement to win their support and promote social change, and was not acting as their agent.

Mr. Margulis-Ohnuma said he respected the jury’s verdict and would request a sentence that spares Mr. Wang the “agony” of prison.

“We look forward to sentencing,” Margulis-Ohnuma told reporters after the verdict. “He’s a 76-year-old man. He certainly didn’t mean to hurt anyone. He’s spent his life fighting the communist regime.”

The U.S. Department of Justice has in recent years cracked down on what it calls “transnational repression” by U.S. adversaries such as China and Iran.

That term refers to the surveillance, intimidation and in some cases attempted repatriation or murder of activists against those governments.

Last year, a former New York City police sergeant was convicted of acting as a Chinese agent by intimidating a U.S.-based fugitive to return to his homeland and face charges.

U.S. prosecutors have also charged four Chinese intelligence officers who allegedly acted as Wang’s handlers. Those officers are at large and believed to be in China. — Reuters

Bluey coins worth $400,000 stolen by Australian warehouse worker  police say

ESHOP.RAMINT.GOV.AU

SYDNEY — An Australian man is set to appear in court on Wednesday after being arrested for the alleged theft of more than A$600,000 ($393,000) worth of commemorative coins linked to the popular children’s television show Bluey, police said.

The 47-year-old is accused of stealing 64,000 unreleased, limited-edition A$1 coins from a warehouse in the Sydney suburb of Wetherill Park in June, according to “Strike Force Bandit,” a special unit police set up to investigate the theft.

One of last year’s most streamed television shows in the United States, the Australian animated show targeted at children is widely loved by adults and was the 14th highest rated show of all time, the movie tracker website IMDB.com shows.

The coins, produced by the Australian mint, look like A$1 coins and would be legal tender. Police say they are selling online for ten times their face value

A similar run of special commemorative coins sell for A$20 each on the mint’s website. One eBay seller was charging almost A$600 for a pack of three.

Detective Superintendent Joseph Doueihi told reporters at a news conference he was not initially aware of the show’s popularity.

“The theft of these coins have deprived a lot of young children and members of the community from having access to these coins, so we’re doing our absolute best to try to recover these coins and put them back into circulation.”

Police say the man worked at the warehouse and stole the coins, which weighed 500 kilograms (1102 lb), from the back of a truck, before selling them online within hours. Police are looking for two male accomplices.

A raid on a Sydney house in June recovered 189 coins and Doueihi said the vast bulk of coins are already in circulation. Those who receive one do not need to surrender it to police, he added.

He appealed for anyone with information about large stashes of coins to contact the police. — Reuters

China arrests woman suspected of ‘defaming’ Olympic table tennis players

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Лечение наркомании from Pixabay

 – Beijing police have arrested a woman suspected of posting defamatory comments on social media about Chinese athletes and coaches following the table tennis women’s singles final at the Paris Olympics, the police said.

The suspect, a 29-year-old surnamed He, “maliciously fabricated information and blatantly defamed others, resulting in an adverse impact on society”, the police at Daxing district said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The case was being investigated, the police said, although specific details about the defamatory comments were not disclosed.

In the Aug. 3 match, China’s defending champion Chen Meng defeated teammate Sun Yingsha, also world No.1, 4-2, in a replay of their previous encounter in Tokyo three years ago.

Throughout the game, there were audible cheers for Sun and boos directed at Chen whenever she scored, according to a broadcast of the event.

After the game, many people took to social media to criticize the crowd’s behavior.

“If this kind of fan culture is allowed to permeate in sports, it can ultimately undermine even the most talented athletes, like Sun Yingsha,” a user on Weibo said.

Weibo, China’s popular X-like microblogging site, said it had deleted over 12,000 posts and banned more than 300 accounts over what it called “illegal” comments.

Many people also took to social media to express their joy and national pride after Chinese swimmer Pan Zhanle smashed his own 100 meters freestyle world record, even as China was plunged backed into the doping spotlight after media reports that two swimmers in 2022 had tested positive for a banned steroid. – Reuters

Processed soybean workers in Argentina launch strike over wage dispute

AN ARGENTINIAN FLAG waves at the Presidential Palace Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Oct. 29, 2019. — REUTERS

 – Two unions representing soybean oil factory workers in Argentina announced a strike over wages on Tuesday, halting activity in one of the world’s largest exporting hubs for processed soybeans.

Agricultural powerhouse Argentina is a top global supplier of the oilseed derivative, widely used across industries for products ranging from foods to biodiesel.

“A joint strike has been initiated at all soybean oil plants in the country… due to the lack of agreement in collective bargaining over wages,” the SOEA and the Federation of Oilseed Industry Workers said in the statement.

The two unions launched the strike early on Tuesday after meeting with sector companies, including oilseed industry chamber CIARA, to demand higher salaries for their workers. But the parties were not able to reach an agreement.

Later in the day, SOEA secretary Martin Morales told Reuters that the workers would continue the strike on Wednesday and discuss whether to prolong it later.

“We have not had any contact with the companies and we are maintaining the measure,” Mr. Morales said.

Although triple-digit inflation has been slowing in Argentina as the country grapples with a prolonged economic crisis, official data shows that consumer prices still rose 80% in just the first half of this year.

The head of CIARA, Gustavo Idigoras, said in an interview that the strike has paralyzed activity at all soybean processing plants in the South American country. – Reuters

Mexico invites Putin to presidential inauguration, Russia’s Izvestia newspaper says

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN — KREMLIN.RU-COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG

Mexico has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Oct. 1 inauguration of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, Russia’s Izvestia newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing Mexico’s embassy to Russia.

“Russia’s invitation to take part in the inauguration of President Sheinbaum was sent to President Putin,” a representative of the Mexican embassy said, according to Izvestia.

“The Russian President will decide whether he will participate in the ceremony himself or appoint another high-ranking official to do so on his behalf.”

Mexico’s foreign ministry later told Reuters the government had sent diplomatic notes to all nations with which it had relations, as well as international organizations of which it is a member, inviting them to Ms. Sheinbaum’s inauguration.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against Putin in 2023, accusing him of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion on its smaller neighbour in February 2022.

While Russia is not a member of the ICC, Mexico is. But the two countries have been forging close ties, with Putin congratulating Sheinbaum on her June win, saying that Mexico is Russia’s “historically friendly partner in Latin America.”

The foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a question regarding how Mexico’s ICC membership would affect Putin’s possible attendance at Ms. Sheinbaum’s inauguration.

A Russian military unit took part in September 2023 in a parade marking Mexico’s independence day, spurring sharp criticism of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that his country gave a platform to forces that invaded Ukraine. – Reuters

Philippines upwardly revises Q1 GDP to 5.8%

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

MANILA – The Philippines has revised up annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first quarter to 5.8% from the previously reported 5.7%, the statistics agency said on Wednesday.

The government will release second-quarter GDP data at around 0200 GMT on Thursday. — Reuters

US has communicated need to not escalate conflict to Iran and Israel, says Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Official White House — CAMERON SMITH VIA FLICKR

 – The United States has communicated to Iran and Israel that conflict in the Middle East must not escalate, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday, even as the Pentagon warned that it would not tolerate attacks against its forces in the region.

The Middle East is bracing for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following last week’s killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Five U.S. troops and two contractors were injured in an attack on a base in Iraq on Monday, which US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin blamed on Iran-backed groups.

Officials had been in constant contact with allies and partners in the region and there was a “clear consensus” that no one should escalate the situation, the top US diplomat said.

“We’ve been engaged in intense diplomacy with allies and partners, communicating that message directly to Iran. We’ve communicated that message directly to Israel,” Mr. Blinken said.

The United States will continue to defend Israel against attacks, Mr. Blinken said, but noted that everyone in the region should understand the risks of escalation and miscalculation.

“Further attacks only raise the risk of dangerous outcomes that no one can predict and no one can fully control.”

The Pentagon has said it will deploy additional fighter jets and Navy warships to the Middle East as Washington seeks to bolster defenses in the region.

“What I’ve been focused on is making sure that we’re doing everything we can to put measures in place to protect our troops and also make sure that we’re in a good position to aid in the in the defense of Israel, if called upon to do that,” Mr. said.

Mr. Blinken, following a meeting involving Mr. Austin and their Australian counterparts, also said talks to achieve a ceasefire and hostage deal on the war in Gaza had reached their final stage and should end very soon. – Reuters

 

WILL NOT TOLERATE ATTACK ON TROOPS

Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, was assassinated in the Iranian capital of Tehran last week. The attack drew threats of revenge by Iran on Israel, which has not claimed responsibility.

Coupled with the killing of the senior military commander of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, by Israel in a strike on Beirut last week, concern has intensified that the conflict in Gaza is turning into a wider Middle East war.

Iran has said the US bears responsibility in the assassination of Mr. Haniyeh because of its support for Israel.

On Monday, a rocket attack on al Asad airbase in western Iraq injured seven US personnel.

Mr. Austin said the United States “will not tolerate” attacks on its personnel.

Asked if he knew who was behind the attack, Mr. Austin added the US was sure it was an Iran-backed militia, but had not determined which one.

“We’re still investigating to determine that,” he said.

Iraq’s military condemned on Tuesday what it called “reckless” actions against bases on its soil and said it had captured a truck with a rocket launcher.

A small truck was seized with a rocket launcher fixed on the back. Eight unfired rockets were dismantled, the statement said.

A rare ally of both the US and Iran, Iraq hosts 2,500 U.S. troops and has Iran-backed militias linked to its security forces. It has witnessed escalating tit-for-tat attacks since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October. – Reuters

 

Philippines Q2 farm output value down 3.3% yr/yr

PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

MANILA – The Philippines’ agricultural and fisheries output value dropped an annual 3.3% in the second quarter of the year, led by decreases in the crops and livestock sector, the statistics agency said on Wednesday.

The Southeast Asian nation’s crop output, which accounted for 53% of the agriculture sector’s total production, sank 8.6% from a year earlier while livestock output contracted by 0.3%, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

Poultry output rose 8.7% and fisheries production increased by 2.2%.

The government will release second-quarter gross domestic product figures on Thursday, giving the central bank more data ahead of their Aug. 15 rate-setting meeting. — Reuters