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Pentagon increases its estimate of Chinese nuclear warheads

CHINESE AND US flags flutter near The Bund in Shanghai, China July 30, 2019. — REUTERS

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Wednesday sharply increased its estimate of China’s projected nuclear weapons arsenal over the coming years, saying Beijing could have 700 warheads by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.

While the numbers would still be significantly smaller than the current US nuclear stockpile, they represent a significant change in the US projection from just last year, when the Pentagon warned the Chinese arsenal would top 400 by the end of the decade.

Washington has repeatedly called on China to join it and Russia in a new arms control treaty.

In its wide-ranging annual report to Congress on China’s military, the Pentagon reiterated concerns about increasing pressure on self-ruled Taiwan, an island China sees as a breakaway province, and China’s chemical and biological programs and technological advancements.

But the report put particular emphasis on China’s growing nuclear arsenal. “Over the next decade, the PRC aims to modernize, diversify, and expand its nuclear forces,” the report said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

It added that China had started building at least three intercontinental ballistic missile silo fields.

“Whether China follows through with these estimates from the United States will depend in great part on the policies and actions of the United States,” Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association, said.

“The potential for China to increase its arsenal to these levels underscores the urgent necessity of pragmatic bilateral or multilateral talks to reduce nuclear risks,” Mr. Kimball added.

China says its arsenal is dwarfed by those of the United States and Russia, and that it is ready for dialogue, but only if Washington reduces its nuclear stockpile to China’s level.

The United States has a stockpile of 3,750 nuclear warheads, of which 1,389 were deployed as of Sept. 1.

TAIWAN RISKS
Beijing has vowed to bring fiercely democratic Taiwan, which it considers its “sacred territory.” Under its rule and has not renounced the use of force.

The Pentagon report renewed concerns about China’s increasingly muscular military and its development of options to take Taiwan, one of several scenarios the US military cautioned Beijing could pursue.

But a senior US defense official, who briefed reporters, declined to speculate about whether that scenario was likely or say if they saw a near or even a medium-term risk of armed conflict between Beijing and Taipei.

On the long list of potential Taiwan scenarios outlined in the briefing, the US official cited the possibility that China could work on options for everything from a joint blockade campaign against Taiwan to a full-scale amphibious invasion.

It could carry out air and missile strikes or cyber attacks. China could also potentially seize offshore islands. The official declined to say which one of these contingencies was most likely or if any were likely at all.

But the Pentagon has voiced concern about China’s pursuit of capabilities that would enable such actions.

“They have a range of different things that they are wanting to be prepared to do,” the official said.

Separately, the top US general said on Wednesday that China was unlikely to try to militarily seize Taiwan in the next couple of years.

“Based on my analysis of China, I don’t think that it is likely in the near future — being defined as, you know, six, 12, maybe 24 months, that kind of window,” General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said when asked if China was preparing to make a move on Taiwan in the near future.

The Pentagon report added a section on China’s biological weapons and potential dual use, but did not look at the origins of COVID-19.

There has been increased focus on China’s chemical and biological capabilities after COVID-19 was first identified in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

US intelligence agencies said last week that they may never be able to identify the origins of the pandemic, as they released a detailed version of their review of whether the coronavirus came from animal-to-human transmission or leaked from a lab.

China has consistently denied allegations that the virus was leaked from a specialist laboratory in Wuhan. — Reuters

‘You are not alone’: EU Parliament makes 1st official visit to Taiwan

REUTERS

TAIPEI — The European Parliament’s first official delegation to Taiwan said on Thursday the diplomatically isolated island is not alone and called for bolder actions to strengthen EU-Taiwan ties as Taipei faces rising pressure from Beijing.

Taiwan, which does not have formal diplomatic ties with any European nations except tiny Vatican City, is keen to deepen relations with members of the European Union (EU).

The visit comes at a time when China has ramped up military pressure, including repeated missions by Chinese warplanes near democratic Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own and has not ruled out taking by force.

“We came here with a very simple, very clear message: You are not alone. Europe is standing with you,” Raphael Glucksmann, a French member of the European Parliament, told Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in a meeting broadcast live on Facebook.

“Our visit should be considered as an important first step,” said Mr. Glucksmann, who is leading the delegation. “But next we need a very concrete agenda of high-level meetings and high-level concrete steps together to build a much stronger EU-Taiwan partnership.”

The three-day visit, organized by a committee of the European Parliament on foreign interference in democratic processes, will include exchanges with Taiwanese officials on threats such as disinformation and cyber attacks.

Ms. Tsai has warned of increasing Chinese efforts to gain influence in Taiwan, asking security agencies to counter infiltration efforts.

“We hope to establish a democratic alliance against disinformation,” Ms. Tsai told the delegation in the Presidential Office.

“We believe Taiwan and the EU can certainly continue strengthening our partnership in all domains.”

Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu made a rare trip to Europe last month that angered Beijing, which warned the host countries against undermining relations with China.

Fearing retaliation from Beijing, most countries are unwilling to host senior Taiwanese ministers or send high-level officials to the island.

Last month, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution to deepen ties with Taiwan, with steps such as looking into an investment agreement. — Reuters

WHO approves Indian-made COVID vaccine for emergency use

BHARATBIOTECH.COM

THE WORLD Health Organization (WHO) granted emergency authorization to a COVID-19 vaccine co-developed by India’s medical-research agency and local manufacturer Bharat Biotech International Ltd., ending a months-long wait that added to controversy around the homegrown shot.

The WHO approved the vaccine’s use in people aged 18 and older on a two-dose schedule with four weeks between shots, according to a statement on Wednesday. Covaxin joins a range of WHO emergency-cleared shots from AstraZeneca Plc, China’s Sinopharm Group Co. and Sinovac Biotech Ltd., Pfizer, Inc., and BioNTech SE , Johnson & Johnson and Moderna, Inc.

The agency’s nod on the eve of Diwali, India’s largest festival, is a welcome endorsement for Covaxin’s manufacturer Bharat Biotech International Ltd., as well as a political boon for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government had heavily promoted the vaccine.

The Hyderabad-based company has been beset with problems since it partnered with the state-funded Indian Council of Medical Research last year to develop the inoculation. Covaxin has been criticized from the onset. The vaccine won emergency approval from the nation’s drug regulator in January before clearing final-stage clinical tests, fueling hesitancy around the shot and the early stages of India’s immunization drive.

More than 100 million doses have since been administered across India. Bharat Biotech said in July that the vaccine was 77.8% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID, but that Phase 3 data was yet to be peer reviewed. In the course of its analysis, the WHO repeatedly asked the company for further information, delaying its addition to the body’s pre-qualified list.

Bharat Biotech’s joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella said in a statement the WHO nod was a “validation” of the company’s work, while Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister, said that “it facilitates travel for many Indian citizens and contributes to vaccine equity.”

The listing is a prerequisite for exports via the WHO-backed Covax vaccine-sharing facility, which was set up to provide Covid shots to the world’s poorest countries. The WHO’s approval may accelerate the resumption of vaccine shipments from India, which halted exports in April to prioritize its own citizens amid a lethal second coronavirus wave.

India will likely restart vaccine exports to Covax by early November, Adar Poonawalla, head of the Serum Institute of India Ltd., told Bloomberg News last month. Serum, the world’s largest vaccine maker, has pumped out hundreds of millions of doses of AstraZeneca’s inoculation and the company was meant to be the main provider of vaccines to Covax before the export halt. — Bloomberg

COP26 coal deals take aim at dirtiest fossil fuel

REUTERS
Smoke is seen from a cooling tower of a China Energy ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant in Sanhe, Hebei province, China July 18, 2019. — REUTERS/SHIVANI SINGH

GLASGOW — Poland, Vietnam, Chile and other countries will pledge on Thursday to phase out coal-fueled power generation and stop building new plants, in a deal the COP26 summit’s British hosts said would commit 190 nations and organizations to quit the fuel.

Coal is the most polluting fossil fuel and greenhouse gas emissions from burning it are the single biggest contributor to climate change. Weaning the world off coal is seen as vital to achieve globally agreed climate targets.

Signatories of the COP26 agreement would commit on Thursday to shun investments in new coal plants at home and abroad, and phase out coal-fueled power generation in the 2030s in richer countries, and the 2040s for poorer nations, the British government said.

“The end of coal is in sight. The world is moving in the right direction, standing ready to seal coal’s fate and embrace the environmental and economic benefits of building a future that is powered by clean energy,” British business and energy secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said.

Separately, the Powering Past Coal Alliance — an international campaign aimed at phasing out the fuel — said it had secured 28 new members, including Ukraine, which pledged to quit the fuel by 2035. Coal produced roughly a third of Ukraine’s power last year.

Factors including concerns over planet-warming pollution and a worsening economic profile for coal-fueled generation have curbed its share in wealthy western countries including Britain, Germany and Ireland over the last few decades.

But coal still produced around 37% of the world’s electricity in 2019, and a cheap, abundant local supply means the fuel dominates power production in countries including South Africa, Poland and India. These countries will require huge investments to shift their industries and energy sectors onto cleaner sources.

The global pipeline for new coal power projects has shriveled in recent years, although China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia are among those planning to build new coal plants.

Britain did not confirm if those countries would be involved in the COP26 coal phase out pledge, or if Vietnam’s pledge on Thursday would affect its pipeline of coal projects already in the pre-construction stage.

China said in September it would stop funding overseas coal plants, although the pledge did not cover domestic projects.

A raft of finance announcements is expected at COP26 on Thursday to accompany the coal pledges — both through new investments in clean power, and funds to support workers and regions that depend on the coal sector for their livelihoods.

Countries including Britain and the United States announced a $8.5 billion partnership with South Africa at the COP26 conference on Tuesday, to help the country phase out coal faster. — Reuters

PBA 3×3 tournament being readied to tip off

THE long-awaited inaugural season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) 3×3 tournament is being readied to tip off with the announcement of the roster of competing teams and the players seeing action for them.

As per the league, the PBA 3×3 will have 13 competing teams in its maiden offering which is set to begin around the same time the five-a-side tournament kicks off later this month.

Ten teams are made up of PBA member squads and three are guests.

League mainstays Magnolia, NLEX, Rain or Shine, Phoenix, San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra, TnT, Meralco, Northport, and Terrafirma will be parading teams with Blackwater and Alaska declining to field squads for the time being for various reasons.

The guest teams are the Zamboanga Valientes MLV, Platinum Karaoke and Pioneer Pro Tibay.

Magnolia, to play as the Purefoods Tender Juicy Titans, will have Val Acuna, Pao Javelona, Jed Mendoza and Jun Bonsubre; CAVITEX Road Warriors (NLEX) will be led by seven-time PBA champion Larry Fonacier; Sista Super Sealers (ROS) have Joseph Eriobu, Franky Johnson, Prince Rivero and Kenneth Mocon part of the team; and the Limitless Appmasters (Phoenix) have Mike Gamboa and Nico Salva in the squad.

Barangay Ginebra is bannered by Dennis Villamor; Meralco by Tonino Gonzaga and Alfred Batino; Northport had Jervy Cruz, Sean Manganti and LA Revilla; San Miguel is led by Bacon Austria; Terrafirma has Roider Cabrera and Matt Salem; and TnT will have Samboy de Leon, Lervin Flores, Jeremiah Gray and Almond Vosotros.

Dylan Ababou, JR Alabanza, Chris De Chavez, Karl Dehesa and Yutien Andrada play for Platinum Karaoke; Carlo Escalambre, Robin Rono, Gian Abrigo, Christian Rivera, Carlo De Chavez and Dan Reducto for Pioneer Tibay; and Mac Cardona, Gabby Espinas, Rudy Lingganay and JR Cawaling for Zamboanga Valientes.

The league, through 3×3 commissioner Dickie Bachmann, said the tournament will have three conferences composed of two-day legs and a grand final in the end.

In coming up with the 3×3 tournament, the PBA hopes to help in the further growth of the sport in the country as well as to provide employment for players, especially during this time of the pandemic.

It is also positioning PBA 3×3 as complementing the efforts of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas for three-on-three basketball.

The tournament was originally set to start early this year but had to be deferred several times because of the changing quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Copa Paulino Alcantara kicks off this weekend

THE Philippine Football Federation is kicking off its national cup competition Copa Paulino Alcantara this weekend. — PFL FB PAGE

LOCAL football action is back this weekend with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) kicking off its national cup competition — the Copa Paulino Alcantara — this weekend.

Set at the PFF National Training Center in Carmona, Cavite, the tournament, named after Filipino football legend Paulino Alcantara, starts on Nov. 7 and ushers in the Philippines Football League’s (PFL) 2022 season.

It also marks the return of football competition in the country after a year since the PFL staged its “bubble” tournament in 2020.

“The staging of the Cup is PFF’s commitment to provide a proper and intense football competition, and livelihood to all stakeholders, particularly the players and officials,” said PFF general secretary Edwin Gastanes in a statement of the tournament which is taking the place of the league competition for the time being because of the pandemic.

The PFF, however, assured that the 2022 PFL season will push through in the first quarter next year.

The Cup was originally set to see six clubs competing until reigning PFL champion United City Football Club pulled out this week.

League Commissioner Coco Torre said the Copa will still push through with five clubs, namely: Stallion Laguna FC, Dynamic Herb Cebu FC, Kaya FC-Iloilo, Mendiola FC 1991, and the Azkals Development Team (ADT).

United City was supposed to play in Group A along with the Stallions and newcomer Dynamic Herb. The development leaves Stallion and Cebu as the remaining clubs that will contest the top seeding in the group for the crossover semifinals.

Playing in Group B are Kaya, Mendiola, and ADT.

In staging the Copa, to be held under a closed-circuit biomedical bubble, organizers are making sure they comply with the Department of Health-Philippine Sports Commission-Games and Amusements Board Joint Administrative Order 2021-0002, including requiring clubs to arrange their own accommodation with provisions for health and safety protocols while inside their respective bubbles.

They, too, are hoping the tournament will reinvigorate the domestic football scene greatly affected by the pandemic.

“The Copa is a viable competition for clubs to remain physically and mentally active during these trying times while adhering to the health and safety protocols,” said Mr. Torre. “The competition will provide healthy and compelling rivalries and at the same time will determine clubs’ performance on sporting merit.” — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Sports short courses in PSC’s latest project

LEARNING never stops.

It is at the center of the latest Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) project dubbed MAKE It Sports.

MAKE (Modules for Asynchronous Knowledge Enhancement) It Sports is designed to provide information on different topics in everyday life, touching on the boundaries of sports like law, medicine, economics, and technology, among others.

It is a module-based, asynchronous learning opportunity for various sports stakeholders.

The project picks up from the many topics discussed during the National Sports Summit and will feature invited speakers.

The PSC said participants in MAKE It Sports can learn at their own pace and time and may apply for certification by getting the exam.

Courses will be given exclusively to registered learners for the first three months, after which the courses will be uploaded to the PSC’s website for public access. Registration for the program starts on Friday.

“Learning never stops. For some of our athletes, studies gave way to their training, but learning should never stop. We must find a way,” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez in highlighting their thrust for the program.

The first module to be released will deal with Sports Law, to be discussed by sports law-for-all advocate and Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation President Alberto Agra. To be offered as well this month are courses on Arbitration in Sports and Netball. — MASM

Memphis Grizzlies complete two-game sweep of Denver Nuggets

JAREN Jackson, Jr. scored 11 of his season-high 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Memphis Grizzlies recorded their second consecutive win over the visiting Nuggets, beating Denver (108-106) on Wednesday.

Jackson made five 3-pointers and grabbed eight rebounds for Memphis, which escaped with the win after Nikola Jokić’s 11-foot jump shot hit the front rim at the buzzer.

Ja Morant recorded 18 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Grizzlies while Desmond Bane and Kyle Anderson had 16 points apiece.

Jokić put up a season-high 34 points while adding 11 rebounds for Denver, which lost 106-97 in Memphis on Monday. Will Barton scored a season-high 26 points on Wednesday.

Denver guard Monte Morris was 2-for-11 from the field before his midrange jumper tied the game at 102 with 3:30 left to play.

After the teams exchanged baskets, Bane hit a 3-pointer to put Memphis ahead 107-104 with 1:20 remaining.

Jokić scored at the rim with 22.4 seconds left to pull Denver within 107-106, and the Nuggets sent Morant to the foul line with 10.6 seconds to play.

Morant, who missed five of his seven free throws for the game, made one of his two shots to put Memphis ahead 108-106.

Memphis rookie Ziaire Williams, who finished a career-high 11 points, made three 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Grizzlies stormed to a 37-19 lead.

The Grizzlies led by as many as 20 in the first quarter and were 7 of 11 from beyond the arc in the opening 12 minutes.

Frustrated by his team’s slow start, Denver coach Michael Malone benched four of his starters after seven minutes in the first quarter.

The Nuggets opened the second quarter with a 19-5 run, and they later moved ahead 47-46 on Aaron Gordon’s 3-pointer with 3:04 left in the half.

Anderson scored 14 points in the first half for the Grizzlies, who entered the break with a 56-55 lead despite being outscored 36-19 in the second quarter. — Reuters

UEFA Champions League: Liverpool into last 16 with win over Atlético

LIVERPOOL, England — Liverpool marched into the knockout stages of the Champions League with two games to spare after a convincing 2-0 victory over 10-man Atlético Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday guaranteed them top spot in Group B.

With four wins out of four, Jürgen Klopp’s side can now take their foot off the gas for the final two games of the group stage and focus their resources on their Premier League title push.

Liverpool has yet to lose in 16 matches in all competitions this season and their unbeaten run stretches back 25 matches to their April 6 loss to Real Madrid in last season’s Champions League campaign.

“The first target was to get through this group. I didn’t expect we would be through after four games but the boys did it and it’s really well deserved,” said Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp.

The only negative for Klopp’s side was a hamstring injury to Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino in the second half.

A draw would have been enough for Liverpool to be sure of their passage to the last 16, but from the outset Klopp’s side looked like they had nothing but victory on their minds. — Reuters

Dodgers early favorites to win 2022 World Series

THE Los Angeles Dodgers are entering the offseason as the favorite to win the 2022 World Series.

On Wednesday, Caesars Sportsbook installed the Dodgers as 11-2 favorites, with the 2021 World Series runners-up Houston Astros second at 7-1. They were followed by the world champion Atlanta Braves (9-1), New York Yankees (10-1), and Chicago White Sox (12-1).

BetMGM concurred on the favorites listing the Dodgers at 5-1, followed by the Astros (8-1), Braves (10-1), White Sox, and Tampa Bay Rays (12-1).

The Dodgers won 106 regular-season games in 2021, then dispatched the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League (NL) wild card game and the San Francisco Giants in the NL Division Series. They lost to the Braves in six games in the NL Championship Series.

Los Angeles faces decisions when it comes to who will return in 2022. Veteran pitchers Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen and Max Scherzer all are free agents, as are infielder Corey Seager and infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor.

Caesars listed the Boston Red Sox and Rays at 14-1, followed by the Giants, Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres at 16-1. The Toronto Blue Jays are being offered at 18-1, with the New York Mets at 20-1.

The rest of the field: Cardinals (25-1); Philadelphia Phillies (30-1); Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds (40-1); Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians (50-1); Washington Nationals (60-1); Miami Marlins, Colorado Rockies, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins (80-1); Pittsburgh Pirates (125-1), Texas Rangers (150-1); and Arizona Diamondbacks, and Baltimore Orioles (200-1). — Reuters

Wijnaldum scores first PSG goals in 2-2 draw at Leipzig

LEIPZIG, Germany — Georginio Wijnaldum scored his first two goals for his new club Paris St.-Germain on Wednesday but a stoppage-time penalty for RB Leipzig rescued a 2-2 draw in their Champions League Group A game.

The Dutchman, who had struggled this season after joining from Liverpool, struck in the 21st minute and headed in another goal six minutes before half time.

Leipzig, eliminated from competition with just one point from four matches, had taken the lead through Christopher Nkunku in the eighth minute and they missed the chance to double it when Andre Silva’s 12th-minute penalty was saved.

Substitute Dominik Szoboszlai did better from the spot in second-half stoppage time, however, to rescue a point for the Germans, semifinalists in 2020.

The French side, without the injured Lionel Messi, are in second place on eight points, one behind Manchester City. Club Brugge are on four with Leipzig bottom on one.

“We created a lot of opportunities but also gave a few away and that’s why they stayed in the game,” Wijnaldum said. “At times, we made it easy for them.”

“If you look at the end of the game, we lost the ball too often. We also did not convert our chances. Maybe Leipzig deserved the point.

“I work hard every day and I’m getting to know my team mates better. Let’s hope I can continue this form,” he added.

The Germans, looking for a win that would boost their slim chances of a knockout stage spot, had made a barnstorming start when Christopher Nkunku headed in at the near post eight minutes into the game.

The hosts could have doubled the advantage when they were awarded a penalty four minutes later but Silva’s tame effort was stopped by keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

That proved to be the turning-point in the game as a quick PSG combination between Neymar and Kylian Mbappé allowed Wijnaldum to slot in the equalizer.

He struck again in the 39th, heading in his second goal of the evening and celebrating it only after a lengthy VAR review.

Mbappé went close to scoring on the stroke of half time but keeper Peter Gulacsi pulled off a reflex save to deny the French striker, who also missed a golden opportunity early in the second half.

With the French backline far from solid, Leipzig constantly found the spaces to get into the box but they struggled with their finishing and Szoboszlai missed the target with their best chance.

The Hungarian, however, made amends when he stepped up to take a stoppage-time penalty, awarded for a foul on Nkunku, and equalized to earn his team’s first point in the competition and keep them in the running for a spot in the Europa League. — Reuters

Russia and US set up Billie Jean King Cup semifinal clash

PRAGUE — Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova rallied from a set down to beat Alize Cornet on Wednesday and help the Russian Tennis Federation oust defending champions France and reach the Billie Jean King Cup semifinals for the first time since 2015.

The Russians will face the United States after they beat Spain (2-1) to claim first place in Group C in the day’s other tie inside Prague’s O2 Arena.

The RTF team, whose five players in Prague are ranked inside the world’s top 40, needed to win just one match in their second round-robin tie in Group A after blanking Canada 3-0 in their opener.

Ekaterina Alexandrova lost the first rubber to Clara Burel, leaving Pavlyuchenkova, the highest ranked among the Russian side at 12th, needing to beat the 59th-ranked Cornet to avoid leaving their fate depending on the doubles.

Cornet showed heart against the big-hitting Russian to win the opening set but Pavlyuchenkova found an extra gear and more power to edge a grueling match (5-7, 6-4, 6-2).

Pavlyuchenkova broke Cornet’s serve three times in the deciding set and converted her first match point with an immaculate drop volley before breaking into a jig with team mate Daria Kasatkina on court.

“I’m really, really tired right now because I gave it all out there, physically and emotionally,” Pavlyuchenkova told reporters.

“I didn’t feel so great before the match actually, and in the first set, I was a bit slow for some reason… but in the end, I found this amazing energy and I was in that sort of zone and vibe.”

Burel and Cornet returned to the court for the doubles, hoping to at least help France win the tie but the Russian pair of Liudmila Samsonova and Veronika Kudermetova completely outplayed them in a 6-2, 6-1 win.

Under the tournament’s new format, 12 teams have been split into four groups of round-robin play and the group winners progress to Friday’s semifinals, with the final on Saturday.

The United States, record 18-times champions, were under pressure after losing to Slovakia in their opening match and knew only a convincing victory against Spain would be enough.

Sloane Stephens opened up with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Nuria Parrizas Diaz before Danielle Collins thrashed Sara Sorribes Tormo for the loss of only one game to seal victory in the tie.

A straight-sets win for Spanish pair Aliona Bolsova and Rebeka Masarova over Caroline Dolehide and Coco Vandeweghewas was purely academic as Kathy Rinaldi’s US were assured of first place in the group on a superior sets win-loss percentage.

Russia, who won the former Fed Cup four times between 2004-2008, will meet the US on Friday.

Thursday’s action concludes group play with Australia up against Belarus in Group B and Switzerland taking on the host Czech Republic in Group D. — Reuters