CHET HOLMGREN and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led a balanced attack with 26 and 23 points, respectively, and Isaiah Hartenstein registered a career-high-tying four steals in a solid all-around game as the visiting Oklahoma City (OKC) Thunder handed New Orleans Pelicans interim coach James Borrego a second straight defeat, 126-109, on Monday night.
Hartenstein complemented his four steals with 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a block for the Thunder, who won their sixth in a row and 14th in 15 outings this season.
Each of the six victories in the current Oklahoma City winning streak have been by double-digit margins. The Thunder also had a 31-point home win over the Pelicans at the start of November.
Lu Dort (17), Isaiah Joe (14) and Ajay Mitchell (11) also scored in double figures for Oklahoma City, which ran out to a 13-2 lead in the game’s third minute and coasted home. Dort tipped off the rout with consecutive 3-pointers in the opening 50 seconds.
The Thunder exploded for 49 points in the first period, with Dort bombing in four 3-pointers and Gilgeous-Alexander going 7-for-7 at the free-throw line among 11 points.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high eight assists and three steals.
Down by 25 points after one period and seeking to end a five-game losing streak, New Orleans rallied to within 69-56 at halftime. But Holmgren opened the third period with a 3-pointer and the Thunder never looked back.
The defending champs shot 49.4% overall and outscored the hosts 51-36 on 3-pointers, with Dort (four), Joe (four), Holmgren (three) and Gilgeous-Alexander (three) accounting for 14 of the team’s 17 successes from deep.
Holmgren shot 10-for-14 overall and also found time for a game-high nine rebounds. Hartenstein converted seven of his 10 field goal attempts.
Hitting nine of his 16 shots, rookie Jeremiah Fears paced the Pelicans with 24 points. — Reuters
To argue that the Mavericks find themselves in a precarious situation would be to understate the obvious. True, they finally got around to firing Nico Harrison, the reviled architect of the forced departure of erstwhile foundational piece Luka Doncic. On the other hand, the move has no significance outside of arresting the continued erosion of their brand. They have serious roster issues, and are once again compelled to choose between competing now or planning for the future, and suffering the consequences regardless of their decision.
There is little to rejoice in the lay of the barren land. Anthony Davis may be a proven star, but he’s hurt, again, and slated for a rich extension. Were he to meet his potential at 32, he would still move the needle. Unfortunately, his well-documented injury history makes him a big question mark. What is his long-term value? Does he even merit the $275-million contract extension he is eligible to sign in August? At four years, the new deal nets him a whopping $75 million in 2030, by which time he will be an old 37.
This, then, brings the Mavericks to their first option. If they trade Davis, what gains can they reasonable expect? Only a fool would think they’re due to get a dollar-for-dollar return. Still moving him signals a commitment to a full-blown reset that figures to bring in more youth and flexibility. The benefits are obvious, but only after a likely downturn. The step backward consolidates their belief in Cooper Flagg, the top overall pick in the 2025 draft, by clearing the decks and assembling a better supporting cast moving forward.
On paper, the second option makes sense. The Mavericks would essentially be doubling down on the reasoning behind Davis’ arrival early this year. Assuming he comes back healthy and is joined by seven-time All-Star Kyrie Irving following a long convalescence from an anterior cruciate ligament tear, contention cannot but be far behind. Unfortunately, the premise requires a leap of faith. Can they truly make a deep run for the hardware when their biggest weapons are brittle at best?
It bears noting that the Mavericks are big taxpayers and thus constrained from making significant lineup changes.
And with no shot at sustainability, they are left to consider gambling for success in the short term or preaching prudence for the long haul. At this point, the choice is clear.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
MICROSCOPIC magnetic fossils found in North Atlantic seafloor sediments may represent components of an internal “GPS system” for an ancient marine creature that used Earth’s magnetic field to navigate long distances, according to scientists.
The researchers said the fossils – about 50 times smaller than the width of a human hair – are made of a strongly magnetic iron-bearing mineral called magnetite. They suspect these particles were once part of a marine organism, though its identity remains mysterious.
Scientists have recovered a number of these fossils dating back as far as 97 million years ago. There has been a debate as to whether or not they were biological in origin.
A new study employed three-dimensional imaging to determine the magnetic structure of one of the fossils, a magnetite particle shaped like a tiny ice cream cone that dates to 56 million years ago. The researchers identified features optimized to detect the strength and direction of Earth’s magnetic field, a dynamic force generated by the motion of molten iron in our planet’s core and extending out into space.
The fossil’s interior harbored a closed loop of magnetization resembling a vortex. The particle could have been used to create a magnetoreception sense in an animal useful for guiding navigation, the researchers said.
“We show that the large magnetization means it would be optimized to detect variations in the strength of Earth’s magnetic field from location to location, which is a key part of building a natural ‘GPS system,’ enabling an animal to actually geolocate itself, not just know, for instance, which way is north,” said Rich Harrison, a University of Cambridge professor of Earth and planetary materials and co-leader of the study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.
A global positioning system provides satellite-based navigation guidance.
While some migratory animals including birds, fish and insects are thought to use Earth’s magnetic field to navigate, how they manage this remains unanswered. One hypothesis is that magnetite particles inside their bodies align with Earth’s magnetic field, akin to a compass needle.
Identifying the creature to which the fossils may have belonged remains a challenge as they were not associated with any other bodily remains.
It would make sense, the researchers said, if they came from a migratory animal common enough to have left behind abundant fossil remains. Eels are a possibility, Mr. Harrison said.
“Eels are just one example of a migratory marine organism, famous for having to navigate twice across the Atlantic Ocean. Larval eels are transported by ocean currents associated with the Gulf Stream system from Sargasso Sea breeding grounds to coastal and freshwater habitats from North Africa to Scandinavia. After a decade or more, maturing adults migrate back to the Sargasso Sea, spawn and die,” Mr. Harrison said.
The organism responsible for the magnetite fossils also may have been simply a microbe of some sort. These particles closely resemble magnetite fossils called magnetosomes produced by certain bacteria, though magnetosomes are around 20 times smaller.
Certain aquatic bacteria possess a form of magnetoreception arising from chains of magnetosomes inside these unicellular organisms that enable them to line up with Earth’s magnetic field, helping them navigate to their preferred water depth.
“There is strong evidence suggesting that many other organisms – including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects – do have magnetic-navigation capabilities. What remains unknown is how they do it,” said physicist and study co-leader Sergio Valencia of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin research institute in Germany.
“One major challenge is that if magnetic particles exist in these animals, they are extremely small and sparse, making them very difficult to locate within the whole organism,” Mr. Valencia said.
So how would this biological “GPS system” work?
“If these particles were indeed part of a living organism, one intriguing possibility is that they were connected to magnetoreceptive cells, acting as magnetic sensors. As the particle reoriented itself with Earth’s magnetic field, it could have generated a mechanical or electrical signal that the organism used to detect magnetic intensity and direction,” Mr. Valencia said.
“In this way, the organism might have had a magnetic ‘sense’ – analogous to our sense of sight, which captures light distribution – allowing it to navigate its environment safely using the local strength and direction of the planet’s magnetic field as a guide,” Mr. Valencia said. — Reuters
MANILA — The Philippine president’s office said on Tuesday that claims by his estranged sister that he uses illicit drugs are baseless and should not be taken seriously.
Speaking at an anti-corruption rally on Monday, Senator Imee Marcos said, without providing evidence, that her brother had struggled with drug use since their youth and that it had persisted to the present day.
“It is the reason for the flood of corruption”, she said.
In response, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told a press briefing on Tuesday that “it is a story without value.” She cited a drug test Mr. Marcos took in 2021, when he was campaigning for president, that yielded negative results.
President Marcos has faced accusations of illicit drug use before. His predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, had said Mr. Marcos was included in the drug agency’s so-called ‘narco-list’ that was submitted to him when he was mayor of Davao City, a charge which the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has denied.
Mr. Duterte, president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March on a warrant linking him to killings during his “war on drugs”, in which thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed.
Imee Marcos is an ally of Mr. Duterte and says she no longer speaks to her brother.
She was elected as an independent senator in May’s midterm elections, and ran with the backing of Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of the former president and political rival of President Marcos.
Imee Marcos has criticized her brother’s policies, including moves to deepen security ties with the United States, which are in contrast to Mr. Duterte’s pro-China stance.
The president’s son, Congressman Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, issued a statement defending his father and calling his aunt’s assertions “a web of lies aimed at destabilizing this government to advance her own political ambitions.”
President Marcos has launched a sweeping investigation into irregularities in infrastructure projects, particularly flood-control works, after an internal audit showed many were substandard, poorly documented, and in some cases nonexistent.
The scandal, which has implicated officials and lawmakers, has angered a graft-weary public, with many taking to the streets to demand accountability. — Reuters
US PRESIDENT Donald J. Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they hold a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. — REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN
CHICAGO — China bought at least 14 cargoes of US soybeans on Monday, two traders with knowledge of the deals said, its largest purchase since at least January and the most significant since a summit between President Donald J. Trump and President Xi Jinping in October.
China is buying US soybeans to meet the pledges it made to Washington at the trade summit in Busan, South Korea, even though the cargoes are priced higher than rival Brazilian offers, two Asia-based traders said.
“This bigger round of US soybean buying is no longer a goodwill gesture but a manifestation of China’s commitment to the Busan terms,” said a Singapore-based trader.
China’s state-owned grain trader COFCO bought at least 840,000 metric tons for shipment in December and January, the two traders with knowledge of the deals told Reuters.
Eight of the vessels were for shipment in December and January from US Gulf Coast terminals, while the rest were for shipment in January from Pacific Northwest ports, one trader said. A second trader estimated around 75% of the sales were for Gulf shipment, with the remainder from the Pacific Northwest ports.
The sales total may ultimately be larger if more deals are finalized, traders said.
COFCO did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
All four traders declined to be named due to the market sensitivity of the issue.
The White House said China had agreed to buy 12 million metric tons of US soybeans this year, but only a small volume of sales had occurred before Monday. China imported nearly 27 million tons of US soy last year, according to US government data.
EXPENSIVE US BEANS Asian traders estimated COFCO paid $2.35-$2.40 per bushel over the January Chicago contract SF26 for shipments from Gulf terminals and a premium of $2.15-$2.20 per bushel from Pacific Northwest ports, well above the prices for Brazilian new-crop soybeans, which are around $1.25 per bushel over the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) futures.
“It is a political move, as prices being paid by COFCO are much higher than Brazilian prices,” said a trader at a company which runs soybean processing plants in China. “Chinese companies are just doing it as a commitment to buy US soybeans.”
Mr. Trump said on Friday sales would be on track by the spring.
“It is good to see the hard work of our US trade negotiators and their Chinese counterparts turning into business for US soy farmers and exporters. We look forward to this continuing as trade lanes are restored,” said Jim Sutter, chief executive officer of the US Soybean Export Council.
China had largely shunned US soybeans this season due to a heated trade war with Washington, sourcing supplies from export rivals Brazil and Argentina instead.
The absence of their top customer dragged US soy prices to near multi-year lows this summer and heaped strain on a farm economy already struggling from rising costs for inputs like fuel, fertilizer and seeds.
Farmers and trade groups have been working to open new markets for US soy, but those efforts to replace Chinese demand have been difficult.
US soybean futures Sv1 on CBOT rallied nearly 3% on Monday to a 17-month high on the China trade optimism.
Cash premiums for soybeans delivered to Gulf Coast and Pacific Northwest terminals in the coming months and loaded for export jumped by 10 cents a bushel or more, traders said. — Reuters
TAIPEI — Taiwan will tighten its export controls for potential dual-use civilian-military technology to include quantum computers and advanced semiconductor equipment to fulfill its obligations to stop weapons proliferation, its economy ministry said.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Taiwan has announced successive updates to its export control regime to prevent Taiwanese high-tech goods from being illicitly used for military purposes.
On Monday, the economy ministry’s International Trade Administration issued a 60-day review period for planned revisions to its export control list for dual-use items and technology, and another list that covers military items.
The review period is to elicit feedback from interested parties before the final rules are implemented, the ministry added.
Taiwan was making the revisions to comply with the Wassenaar Arrangement, the ministry said, referring to an international agreement to prevent weapons proliferation, though diplomatically isolated Taiwan is not a signatory.
The rules, when they go into force, mean Taiwanese companies would need government approval for such exports.
It did not say when exactly the rules would go into effect.
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the strong objections of Taipei’s government, already has separate tight chip export controls when it comes to Taiwanese companies either manufacturing in China or supplying Chinese firms.
In June, Taiwan added China’s Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) to its export control list, which includes other proscribed organizations like the Taliban and al Qaeda.
Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker and a major supplier of chips to artificial intelligence darling Nvidia. — Reuters
BEIJING/TOKYO — Japan has warned its citizens in China to step up safety precautions and avoid crowded places amid a deepening dispute between Asia’s two largest economies over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan.
The advisory issued by Japan’s embassy in China came as a senior Japanese foreign ministry official traveled to Beijing to hold talks on Tuesday with his Chinese counterpart to try and tamp down tensions.
China has urged its citizens not to travel to Japan, in what could deal a sizeable blow to Japan’s economy given Chinese currently make up nearly a quarter of all tourists there, according to official data. Tourism-related stocks in Japan have plunged.
MOST SERIOUS DIPLOMATIC CLASH IN YEARS Ms. Takaichi sparked the most serious diplomatic clash in years when she told Japanese lawmakers this month that a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan’s survival could trigger a military response.
In response, a Chinese diplomat in Japan posted a threatening comment aimed at Ms. Takaichi on social media. That drew a strong rebuke from Tokyo but has failed to stem a wave of vitriolic commentaries aimed at her in Chinese state media.
“We have made judgments based on comprehensive consideration of the security situation in the country or region, as well as its political and social conditions,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Tuesday about the safety notice.
Noting the media coverage in China, the Japanese embassy there had on Monday reminded citizens to respect local customs and be careful in their interactions with Chinese people. It asked citizens to be aware of their surroundings when outside, advising them to not travel alone and urging extra caution when traveling with children.
“If you see a person or group that looks even slightly suspicious, do not approach them and leave the area immediately,” the embassy notice said.
Film distributors have also suspended the screening of at least two Japanese films in China amid the deepening dispute between Tokyo and Beijing, in what Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said late on Monday was a “prudent decision” that took into account souring domestic audience sentiment.
Some Japanese films including the animated Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! Scorching Kasukabe Dancers and manga-turned-movie Cells at Work!, originally slated for release in the coming weeks, will not begin screening in mainland China as scheduled, CCTV said, citing checks with film importers and distributors.
EFFORTS TO EASE TENSIONS Beijing claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out using force to take control of the island. Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s claims and says only its people can decide the island’s future.
Taiwan sits just over 110 km (68 miles) from Japanese territory and the waters around the island provide a vital sea route for trade that Tokyo depends on. Japan also hosts the largest contingent of US military overseas.
On Sunday, Chinese coast guard ships sailed through waters around a group of East China Sea islands controlled by Japan but claimed by China. Japan’s coast guard said it drove the Chinese ships away.
The US does not formally recognize the islands, known as Senkaku in Tokyo and the Diaoyu in Beijing, as Japanese sovereign territory but since 2014 has said it would be obliged to defend them if attacked under the Japan-US security treaty.
“In case anyone was in doubt, the United States is fully committed to the defense of Japan, which includes the Senkaku Islands. And formations of Chinese coast guard ships won’t change that,” US ambassador to Japan George Glass said on X.
This week’s Group of 20 (G20) summit in South Africa provided a potential forum to help ease tensions but China said its premier has no plans to meet Ms. Takaichi on the sidelines of the gathering.
Mr. Kihara said nothing has been decided about bilateral meetings during G20, but that Japan remains open to conducting “various dialogues” with China.
‘ON A KNIFE’S EDGE’ As well as tourism, Japan is heavily dependent on China for supply of critical minerals for everything from electronics to cars.
“If we rely too heavily on a country that resorts to economic coercion the moment something displeases it, that creates risks not only for supply chains but also for tourism,” Japan’s economic security minister Kimi Onoda told a press conference on Tuesday.
“We need to recognize that it’s dangerous to be economically dependent on somewhere that poses such risks,” she added, responding to a question about China’s calls for its citizens to avoid travel to Japan.
Japan’s Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa said on Tuesday there had been no particular changes in China’s export control measures on rare earths and other materials as of yet.
The heads of Japan’s three business federations met with Ms. Takaichi late on Monday and urged dialogue to resolve the diplomatic tensions.
“Political stability is a prerequisite for economic exchange,” Yoshinobu Tsutsui, chairman of Japan’s biggest business lobby Keidanren, told reporters after the meeting, according to media reports.
Japan’s refusal to retract its statements meant its de-escalatory efforts had failed to mollify Beijing, Cornell University’s China foreign policy expert Allen Carlson said.
“As a result, the two countries now stand on a knife’s edge.” — Reuters
HANOI — Police in Vietnam are prosecuting a Berlin-based journalist and news website editor known for critical reports about the leaders of the Southeast Asian nation, accusing him of anti-state activities, authorities said.
Despite sweeping economic reform and increasing openness to social change, Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party retains tight media censorship and tolerates little criticism, particularly in the run-up to its five-year congress, next set for January.
The journalist, Le Trung Khoa, 54, was accused of “making, storing, spreading information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the state,” Vietnam’s public security ministry said in a statement on Monday.
Authorities have approved the decision to prosecute Khoa and an order to arrest him, it added.
Mr. Khoa, editor in chief of the news site Thoibao.de, said on Tuesday the effort to prosecute him was a government “farce” and part of its strategy against the news site, which cannot be accessed from Vietnam and is not subject to its censorship.
The ministry said Mr. Khoa holds a Vietnamese passport. On his social media account, Mr. Khoa said he was also a German.
The German embassy in Hanoi did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
At the Communist Party’s next congress from January 19 to 25, its leaders will set out their main strategies and policies. — Reuters
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One of the frothiest stocks in the Philippines has plunged in recent days, erasing more than $16 billion of its founder’s fortune and raising new questions about its remarkable ascent and sudden nosedive.
Property developer Golden MV Holdings Inc. began falling on Thursday after regulators lifted a six-month trading suspension on the stock, continuing through Tuesday morning. So far it’s down 76%, its worst streak as a public company.
It has also knocked Golden MV founder Manuel Villar off the perch as the richest man in the Philippines. He’s now worth $5.6 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, eclipsed by business tycoon Enrique Razon.
Golden MV told regulators both on Friday and Monday that it didn’t know why the stock dropped, filings show. A company representative didn’t respond to a request for comment.
“When a stock returns from trading halt — especially one linked to a high-profile tycoon like Manny Villar — investors typically reassess” its price relative to the company’s fundamentals, said Toby Allan Arce, an analyst at Globalinks Securities & Stocks Inc. “The market appears to have concluded that the company’s pre-suspension valuation was far too rich.”
Regulators suspended the stock in May after the company failed to file financial results because of a disagreement with its auditor. The sticking point was the valuation of land that Golden MV acquired from its founder for $93 million and subsequently revalued to $23.3 billion.
That transaction followed a run-up in Golden MV’s stock price that pushed the company’s price-to-earnings ratio above 1,000 and perplexed Manila’s financial community. Villar and parties related to him control 89% of the company’s shares.
In its 2024 annual report filed last week, Golden MV noted that it had agreed to value the land using a method suggested by its external auditors, which yielded a value closer to what the company paid for it.
Golden MV develops and manages cemeteries, memorial parks and low-cost housing. It’s developing a project called Villar City, which it says is a plan to transform a cluster of cities in southern Manila into the capital’s “new center of gravity.” The land acquired last year is meant to be part of that development. — Bloomberg
“Invictus was built on the spirit of cooperation and shared success. By uniting suppliers, developers, architects, and engineers, we aim to raise industry standards, pioneer innovation, and ensure that every member is not just a participant, but a leader in their field,” said Peter Mangasing, Invictus chairman.
The Federation of Construction Suppliers of the Philippines, largest construction supplier group in the country, pushes for stronger industry collaboration and sustainable growth
The Federation of Construction Suppliers of the Philippines, also known as Invictus, marked a milestone late October with the election and induction of its first set of officers. It’s an event that doubled as a festive reunion for the country’s leading players in construction and supply.
Held in grand fashion, the night was as much about community as it was about leadership. Nearly 500 guests—developers, engineers, architects, and suppliers—gathered to celebrate what organizers described as both a symbolic rebirth and a renewed call for collaboration in the construction industry.
The festivities opened with a traditional dragon dance that drew cheers from the crowd, followed by a dragon eye-dotting ceremony, signifying the “awakening of the dragon within Invictus.” Guests later joined the Mid-Autumn Festival-inspired dice game, with around P2 million worth of prizes that were given away.
A new chapter for Invictus
“On behalf of Invictus, it is my great pleasure to welcome you all to our annual induction and Mid-Autumn Festival,” said Invictus president Aldrin Derrick Chua in his welcome remarks.“Around 25 years, the founders of Invictus envisioned an organization of construction suppliers dedicated to helping one another grow. That same spirit of cooperation inspired us to revive that vision, leading to what we call Invictus today.”
Chua emphasized that the federation’s name embodies a philosophy—“always winning, yet always humble.”
“As Invictus, we are committed to winning together by working closely with industry partners and pioneering innovations in building materials,” he said. “Our goal is to ensure every member of this federation is not just a participant, but a leader in their respective field.”
Invictus, the largest construction supplier organization in the country, aims to guide the industry toward modernization through shared standards of excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
Invictus President Aldrin Derrick Chua emphasized that the federation’s name embodies a philosophy—“always winning, yet always humble.”
Honoring tradition and progress
The induction was led by Mayor Donya Tesoro of San Manuel, Tarlac, and witnessed by former Senator Cynthia Villar as the keynote speaker, and guest speaker Frederick Tan, Chief Operating Officer of Megawide Construction Corporation and second vice president of the Philippine Constructors Association.
Villar, who has long advocated for inclusive economic growth through housing and infrastructure, congratulated the officers and acknowledged the role of construction suppliers in nation-building.
Tan, in his keynote, shared insights from Megawide’s own journey as one of the country’s leading engineering and infrastructure firms, recounting its milestones—from its early beginnings in 1994 to major projects like the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange. He underscored the importance of innovation, resilience, and collaboration as key to surviving and thriving amid changing market conditions.
“Construction is not just about building structures—it’s about creating the foundation for progress,” Tan said. “The industry has weathered many challenges, but we continue to move forward by investing in technology and sustainable solutions.”
Steady growth ahead
The night also featured a presentation from Shiela Lobien, the president of Lobien Realty Group, which gave an upbeat overview of the Philippine real estate and construction markets. Despite global headwinds, the country remains one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies, with GDP expected to grow by 5–6% this year.
The property market, said Lobien, remains resilient: “Developers are refocusing on residential and mixed-use projects, while the office market is stabilizing as more firms return to on-site work.” She added that government infrastructure programs, provincial development, and the continued demand for housing—particularly from OFWs—are fueling steady construction activity across the country.
“Land remains finite, and the Philippine demographic advantage continues to attract investment,” she said. “The construction and supply industries will play a vital role in sustaining that momentum.”
A celebration of unity and optimism
Beyond speeches and industry updates, the event was a celebration of community spirit—the very thing that binds Invictus’ members. Between rounds of games, dinner, and raffle draws, attendees shared stories and laughter, a reflection of the camaraderie that has long defined the construction sector.
For Invictus, the long-term goal is to “creating a future where every project is built with world-class expertise and a shared commitment to progress.”
“Invictus was built on the spirit of cooperation and shared success. By uniting suppliers, developers, architects, and engineers, we aim to raise industry standards, pioneer innovation, and ensure that every member is not just a participant, but a leader in their field,” said Peter Mangasing, Invictus chairman.
With its new leadership and renewed sense of purpose, Invictus is poised to strengthen its role as a driving force in Philippine construction—resilient, collaborative, and, true to its name, unconquered.
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SYDNEY — Australia’s remote Indian Ocean outpost of Christmas Island has enough power to support a new Google data center without depriving locals, but its arrival could spur a push to renewable energy, the island’s biggest employer and the tech giant said.
Alphabet’s Google announced on Monday it will build a data hub on the tiny island located 350 km (220 miles) south of Indonesia, confirming a Reuters report.
It said it would also build a subsea cable system connecting Christmas Island to the Maldives and Oman, with two new data hubs to “deepen the resilience of internet infrastructure in the Indian Ocean Region”.
Google’s plans had raised concern there would not be enough power to meet the needs of locals, the island’s phosphate mine and the data center, but Phosphate Resources chief executive, Nicholas Gan, said supply was ample for now.
The phosphate company, which employs half the island’s population of 1,600, imports diesel to run a power generator that supplies the mine and meets Australian defense force needs.
“The power grid can supply both Google’s requirements and our requirements comfortably,” Mr. Gan said.
Capacity would be strained, however, if the island’s detention center for asylum seekers or a shuttered resort were to reopen, he said, adding that Google’s arrival bolsters the case for switching to renewable energy, which would be cheaper than importing diesel.
Australia’s infrastructure department is in discussions with Google to ensure its energy requirements are met without impacting supply to Christmas Island’s residents and businesses.
BOOM-BUST CYCLE ON REMOTE ISLAND
Another two planned Google subsea cables stretching east from Christmas Island will land near key Australian military bases, Reuters previously reported. Military experts say such a facility on the island would be valuable for using AI drones to monitor Chinese submarine activity.
Google said the island’s data hub would be smaller than some other Google data centers, and it would share its digital infrastructure with local users.
“The power required for a connectivity hub can still be a lot for some smaller locations, and where it is, Google is exploring using its power demand to accelerate local investment in sustainable energy generation,” its statement said.
A member of the island’s economic future working group, Mr. Gan said Google’s project will bring economic activity to an island 1,600 km from mainland Australia, with a history of boom and bust cycles, as it faced “the last era for mining”.
About 23 years ago, Australia and Russia planned to build a commercial spaceport on Christmas Island, but it prompted concern from Indonesia and was never opened, Australian parliament records show.
A casino that opened in 1993 attracted high rollers arriving by private jet from Jakarta but closed five years later amid an Asian economic downturn, the records show.
A detention center for asylum seekers trying to reach Australia by boat dominated the island for two decades, until a shift in Australia’s immigration policy saw it largely emptied in 2023.— Reuters
