(CNN) The owners of Jiangsu FC, the defending Chinese Super League (CSL) champion, announced on Sunday that the club would "cease operations" with immediate effect. Jiangsu FC -- formerly known as Jiangsu Suning -- hit the headlines in 2019 after it was reported to have offered Gareth Bale a highly lucrative contract to leave Real Madrid. "Due to various uncontrollable elements, Jiangsu Football Club cannot effectively guarantee to continue to play in the Super League and the AFC [Asian Football Confederation]," the club's owners, Nanjing-based retailer Suning, said in a statement. "In the past six months, the club has gone all the way to seek to transfer the club's equity with great sincerity, and did not give up the opportunity of Jiangsu Football Club's inheritance. "On the occasion of the deadline for admission to the 2021 season ... we have no choice but to announce: with immediate effect, Jiangsu Football Club ceases operations of its teams, and at the same … [Read more...] about Reigning Chinese Super League champion Jiangsu FC ‘ceases operations’
Chinese new year
Green New Deal’s 3 billion ton problem: sourcing technology metals
President Joe Biden’s climate plan faces a policy challenge that cuts across clean energy, technology and national security: critical minerals. This is also an area of policy which may find bipartisan convergence as critical metal supply was an area of interest to the Trump-Pompeo state department when they launched the Energy Resource Governance Initiative in 2019. In one of his valedictory pieces of prose , Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, alongside erstwhile Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Francis Fannon, made a plea for continuing this policy. Indeed, as a bipartisan gesture that ironically also aligns with the Green New Deal, the Biden administration should find ways to continue this effort. Ensuring sustainably sourced mineral supply for the United States through mineral exploration relations with key allies should be a priority for not only the State department but also the Departments of Energy and Interior. The World Bank estimates that meeting targets of … [Read more...] about Green New Deal’s 3 billion ton problem: sourcing technology metals
Chinese Military to Hold Month-Long Drill in Occupied South China Sea
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will begin military exercises in the South China Sea — which China illegally claims is entirely within its territory — on Monday, in a move Chinese social media framed as a message to the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden. China’s claims in the South China Sea span over the sovereign territory of five countries: Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Taiwan. The government of the Philippines sued China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague, a venue open only to state claimants, and received a favorable ruling in 2016 which affirmed the illegality of Beijing’s claims. China has since openly vowed to defy the ruling and the Philippines, under a new presidential administration, has done little to challenge China’s continued presence in its waters. Recent satellite images suggest China has embarked upon further illegal construction operations in parts of Vietnam and the Philippines throughout the time of … [Read more...] about Chinese Military to Hold Month-Long Drill in Occupied South China Sea
US ‘unprepared’ to defend against new AI threats, report finds
The federal government is "unprepared" to defend the nation against new threats posed by the increased adoption of artificial intelligence technologies, according to a report released Monday. The report , compiled by the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence, recommended that the U.S. implement a “significant change” to keep up with countries such as China and Russia in the field of AI to address national security concerns. “The United States must act now to field AI systems and invest substantially more resources in AI innovation to protect its security, promote its prosperity, and safeguard the future of democracy,” the commission wrote. ADVERTISEMENT “Today, the government is not organizing or investing to win the technology competition against a committed competitor, nor is it prepared to defend against AI-enabled threats and rapidly adopt AI applications for national security purposes,” it continued. The report emphasized that with the … [Read more...] about US ‘unprepared’ to defend against new AI threats, report finds
Chinese Students Say Their Visas Are Delayed
Chinese students who went home for winter break say their visas to return to the U.S. are being delayed. Students cited in the Chinese press say that at best, their coursework is lagging behind, and at worst, earning their degrees is in jeopardy if they cannot return to school to complete their studies. The English-language daily Caixin reports that at least 100 students , many of them in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs, have organized a WeChat to discuss their plight. Visas shortened In June, the U.S. State Department shortened the length of visas for Chinese graduate students studying aviation, robotics and advanced manufacturing to one year from five. U.S. officials said the goal was to curb the risk of spying and theft of intellectual property in areas vital to national security. In November, the Trump administration announced it was mulling whether to subject Chinese students to additional vetting before they attend U.S. schools. The … [Read more...] about Chinese Students Say Their Visas Are Delayed
