slot fortune gems jili games rules This Multitasking Face Gadget Is 64% Off on AmazonThe United States is expected to announce that it will send 1.25 billion dollars (£1 billion) in military assistance to Ukraine, US officials said on Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on January 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the Hawk air defence system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defence officials acknowledged that the US Defence Department may not be able to send all of the remaining 5.6 billion dollars (£4.5 billion) in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Mr Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many US and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he will not provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about 4.35 billion dollars (£3.46 billion). Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky decide it is time to negotiate. One senior defence official said that while the US will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until January 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about 1.2 billion dollars (£0.9 billion) remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the US will have provided more than 64 billion dollars (£50.8 billion) in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.Mocha Mousse on fashion, beauty, interior and designDodgers minor leaguer suspended for doping

ABS WavesightTM, the ABS-affiliated Software-as-a-Service company, is pleased to announce that UNI-FLEET SDN BHD, a specialized shipping company operating tanker vessels primarily focused on the transportation of ammonia across Asia, has chosen to implement Nautical Systems (NS) Maintenance Manager and Purchasing Manager modules to revolutionize their maintenance and inventory processes. “We’re excited for the opportunity to support UNI-FLEET with Nautical Systems,” said Staci Satterwhite, CEO at ABS Wavesight. “The integration of NS Maintenance Manager and NS Purchasing Manager will equip UNI-FLEET with the tools they need to automate maintenance processes, manage inventory efficiently and drive operational excellence.” NS Maintenance Manager will provide UNI-FLEET with a powerful, integrated database that brings together critical maintenance and purchasing information to streamline scheduling, tracking and forecasting, helping to reduce costs and increase uptime. NS Purchasing Manager will assist UNI-FLEET in revolutionizing procurement and inventory control activities by facilitating competitive bidding, contracting and inventory tracking and connecting these activities back to their maintenance operations. “The implementation of ABS Wavesight’s Nautical Systems solutions marks a significant step forward for our organization in enhancing our maintenance and procurement operations,” said Mohd Iylia Tan, General Manager at UNI-FLEET SDN BHD. “We are confident that this technology will streamline our processes and strengthen our operational efficiency.” Source: ABS Wavesight

SANTA CLARA — Quarterback Brock Purdy appeared to experience discomfort in his right shoulder as he threw some passes before the start of 49ers practice on Thursday. San Francisco's head athletic trainer, Dustin Little, was seen rubbing Purdy’s throwing shoulder. Then, Purdy left the field before the start of practice. Purdy’s status for the 49ers’ critical appears to be in question due to the condition of his right shoulder. Backup quarterback Brandon Allen would get the start if Purdy were unable to play. Purdy took part in limited practice on Wednesday, but did not throw any passes during the warm up periods in which reporters were allowed to observe. Coach Kyle Shanahan expressed optimism on Wednesday that Purdy would be able to play against the Packers when asked about his level of concern. “Not much right now,” Shanahan said. “We’ll see how this week goes. But he is limited today, so I think that's good news.” Purdy has started all 10 games for the 49ers this season. He is completing 66 percent of his pass attempts for 2,613 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also has run the ball 51 times for 267 yards, with a team-leading four touchdowns on the ground. In 16 games last season, he rushed for 144 yards on 39 attempts. Allen, 32, has made just nine starts in his NFL career. His last start was in the final week of the 2021 season, when he completed 15 of 29 pass attempts for 136 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for the Cincinnati Bengals in a 21-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Allen beat out Joshua Dobbs for the backup job to open the regular season.To play Maria Callas, Angelina Jolie had to lean how to breathe again

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that "several" wounded North Korean soldiers died after being captured by Ukrainian forces, as he accused Russia of throwing them into battle with "minimal protection". Ukraine and its western allies say North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support Russia's army, in what is seen as a major escalation in the nearly three-year war following Moscow's 2022 invasion. "Today there were reports about several soldiers from North Korea. Our soldiers managed to take them prisoner. But they were very seriously wounded and could not be resuscitated," Zelensky said in an evening address posted on social media. South Korea's spy agency said earlier on Friday that a North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine had died of his wounds. Zelensky did not specify how many North Koreans had died after being captured by Ukrainian troops. Zelensky had earlier said that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been "killed or wounded" so far as they joined Russia's forces in combat in its western Kursk border region, where Ukraine mounted a shock incursion in August. South Korea's intelligence service had previously put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 1,000, saying the high casualty rate could be down to an unfamiliar battlefield environment and their lack of capability to counter drone attacks. The White House on Friday confirmed the South Korean estimates, saying that Pyongyang's troops were being sent to their deaths in futile attacks by generals who see them as "expendable". "We also have reports of North Korean soldiers taking their own lives rather than surrendering to Ukrainian forces, likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they're captured," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A landmark defence pact between Pyongyang and Moscow signed in June came into force this month, with Russian President Vladimir Putin hailing it as a "breakthrough document". North Korean state media said Friday that Putin sent a New Year's message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying: "The bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang." Seoul's military believes that North Korea was seeking to modernise its conventional warfare capabilities through combat experience gained in the Russia-Ukraine war. NATO chief Mark Rutte had also said that Moscow was providing support to Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programmes in exchange for the troops. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday that Pyongyang is reportedly "preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers" and supplying "240mm rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled artillery" to the Russian army. Pyongyang's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine had prompted warnings from Seoul. South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, currently suspended, said in November that Seoul was "not ruling out the possibility of providing weapons" to Kyiv, which would mark a major shift to a long-standing policy barring the sale of weapons to countries in active conflict. hs/bjt/mlm/gv/rlpWhat teenagers really think of the incoming social media ban

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rally House, the fastest growing officially licensed sports apparel and merchandise retailer in the nation, announces they have opened their doors to the newest Rally House location in the Twin Cities area with Rally House Maple Grove. Rally House entered the Minnesota market this year with their first location of Rally House Tamarack Village in Woodbury. Now, the company proudly operates five storefront locations throughout the state. Find Rally House in the Maple Grove Crossing shopping mall, between Five Below and Old Navy. Rally House Maple Grove brings high-quality licensed sports gear to the city and surrounding areas just in time for the holiday shopping rush. The company is known for their outrageous product selection featuring well-known brands and exclusive styles. Fans, visitors, and residents of Maple Grove will enjoy shopping local teams including the Vikings, Wild, Timberwolves, United FC, Lynx, and Minnesota Golden Gophers, among others. Shoppers can expect to find top-tier brands such as Tommy Bahama, Cutter & Buck, Starter, Nike, New Era, WEAR by Erin Andrews, and many more. “You won’t find many retailers that are opening new storefront locations the day before Thanksgiving,” says VP of Marketing Strategy, Aaron Johnson. “But Rally House isn’t like other retailers. There was a void in the area for a premier sports merchandise location, and we wanted to make sure we filled that void just in time for the holidays,” added Johnson. Rally House Maple Grove will not only be the go-to location to shop officially licensed team gear, but the company also provides a great selection of locally inspired Minnesota merchandise. This merchandise includes apparel featuring beloved area landmarks and destinations, home décor to show off your love of Minnesota, and even locally sourced food, sauces, and snacks that are staples in the state. No matter who you are shopping for this holiday season, there’s something for everyone on your list at Rally House Maple Grove. The staff at Rally House Maple Grove is eager to assist customers and the company looks forward to further expanding their presence in the state of Minnesota. Customers are invited to visit Rally House Maple Grove store page and follow the company on Instagram ( @rally_house ) and Facebook ( @RallyHouse ) for updates and current store information. About Rally House Rally House and Sampler Stores Inc. is a family-owned specialty boutique that offers a large selection of apparel, hats, gifts and home décor representing local NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS teams in addition to locally inspired apparel, gifts and food. Proudly based in Lenexa, Kansas, Rally House operates 275+ locations across 23 states. CONTACT: Aaron Johnson, VP of Marketing Strategy media@rallyhouse.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/86d7d521-81b0-4c50-94d6-b2db11953187

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TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Wilson scored a power-play goal with 3:26 left in regulation to lift the Washington Capitals to a 5-4 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. With Anthony Cirelli in the box for a high-sticking, double-minor penalty with 4:03 left, Wilson tipped a Jakob Chychrun shot for the winning goal. Aliaksei Protas scored shorthanded while Andrew Mangiapane, Dylan Strome and John Carlson scored for Washington, which has won six straight on the road. Charlie Lindgren finished with 24 saves. Brayden Point registered his fifth career hat trick for Tampa Bay while Michael Eyssimont also scored for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 27 shots. Tampa Bay had leads of 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3, with Point’s hat trick goal giving Tampa Bay the lead after Lindgren tried to play the puck behind him but fired it into his own net at 7:25 of the third period. But Carlson pulled the Capitals even again with 9:30 left. Takeaways Capitals: Washington has two power-play goals in four games since Alex Ovechkin was injured. Lightning: Head coach Jon Cooper coached his 900th career regular season game to become just the eighth coach in league history to do so with one franchise. Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) looks at the replay after giving up an own goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Jason Behnken Key moment After Lindgren’s mishap on the own goal put Tampa Bay in front, the Capitals did not get rattled and answered three minutes later with Carlson's third goal of the season. Key stat Point scored three goals on Wednesday, including his league-leading eighth power-play goal. Point has a goal in 71% of the games he’s played in this season, 12 of 17 games. Up next Washington returns home to host the New York Islanders on Friday while the Lightning are at Nashville on Friday.

In the weeks since the 2024 election ended, Democrats have been soul-searching about how Donald Trump was re-elected under a cloud of scandal and court cases. Was it the economy that did it? A weak Harris campaign? For former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, the answer is pretty simple. The main difference maker was Elon Musk. “Elon and I disagree on some things, but Elon deserves his place at the table,” Bannon recently told Puck . “He stroked a $150 million check for the ground game, which is not sexy, at the exact moment we needed it. He came in with the money and the professionals. To be brutally frank, it’s the reason we won.” The tech billionaire’s support means more than just money though, according to Bannon. “This is what I like about Elon Musk. He and Vivek are talking about what we’ve been preaching on the War Room for years,” Bannon added, referencing his radio show. “They are down in the trenches with the hard part of how you actually start to turn the country around. That’s what I appreciate.” Musk, despite initial shows of support for Trump challenger Ron DeSantis, eventually came out as perhaps the key backer for the former and now incoming president. Musk’s super PAC ended up spending around $200m to support the Trump campaign, and Musk himself appeared on the campaign trail as an enthusiastic surrogate. The Tesla co-founder’s efforts also included a $1m-a-day giveaway to voters who signed a petition supporting conservative issues, an effort critics saw as a vote-buying scheme for Trump. Musk also helped the Trump campaign with get-out-the-vote efforts, part of the Republican’s unorthodox strategy of farming out large parts of his ground game to outside groups and volunteers. Since the election, Musk has hardly left Trump’s side , and the pair have appeared together at Mar-a-Lago and a SpaceX rocket launch. The billionaire is also the driving force behind Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a non-governmental effort to find and eliminate excess government spending, through which Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have promised to gut large parts of the federal budget .

SANTA CLARA — Quarterback Brock Purdy appeared to experience discomfort in his right shoulder as he threw some passes before the start of 49ers practice on Thursday. San Francisco's head athletic trainer, Dustin Little, was seen rubbing Purdy’s throwing shoulder. Then, Purdy left the field before the start of practice. Purdy’s status for the 49ers’ critical appears to be in question due to the condition of his right shoulder. Backup quarterback Brandon Allen would get the start if Purdy were unable to play. Purdy took part in limited practice on Wednesday, but did not throw any passes during the warm up periods in which reporters were allowed to observe. Coach Kyle Shanahan expressed optimism on Wednesday that Purdy would be able to play against the Packers when asked about his level of concern. “Not much right now,” Shanahan said. “We’ll see how this week goes. But he is limited today, so I think that's good news.” Purdy has started all 10 games for the 49ers this season. He is completing 66 percent of his pass attempts for 2,613 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also has run the ball 51 times for 267 yards, with a team-leading four touchdowns on the ground. In 16 games last season, he rushed for 144 yards on 39 attempts. Allen, 32, has made just nine starts in his NFL career. His last start was in the final week of the 2021 season, when he completed 15 of 29 pass attempts for 136 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for the Cincinnati Bengals in a 21-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Allen beat out Joshua Dobbs for the backup job to open the regular season.

Cricket Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News. Virat Kohli came close to an angry moment with fans after he was involved in a disastrous run-out near the end of Day 2’s action between Australia and India on Friday. Footage was captured by a fan, and later uploaded to the social media platform X, showing Kohli walking down the tunnel and towards the dressing room after he was booed off following his dismissal. Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. However, Kohli then turned around and appeared to stare at a section of the fans before an ICC official helped move him back down the tunnel. The scenes crossed the line in the eyes of Indian great Sunil Gavaskar. “Yeah, I thought that that was really uncalled for,” Gavaskar said on Channel 7 about the crowd booing the former captain. “Like you said, he has been a great player and, look, he is out now and for you to boo him, the question that I always ask is what have you done in your own life that you feel that you have the authority to boo an achiever like that? “Have you achieved something in your own life that you can look down upon someone like Kohli? “I don’t think that should be the case. That should never, ever have been a situation that Kohli should have been booed. Even when he came out to bat, I can understand a little bit of fun element, but this was completely uncalled for.” At this stage it is unclear what prompted Kohli to walk back towards the fans, while Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club are yet to receive a complaint from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Virat Kohli was not happy. It comes after a drama-filled Test involving the Indian superstar, who drew the ire of MCG spectators after bumping Sam Konstas on Boxing Day . Kohli was fined 20 per cent of his match fees and docked one demerit point for the incident. Kohli was then involved in another critical moment on Saturday when Indian sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed following a calamitous mix-up that led to his run out. Steve Smith, who was the hero for Australia on Day 2 with his second century in as many Test, was diplomatic when asked about the incident in his post-play press conference. “It looks like Jaiswal called ‘yes’ and ran and Virat sent him back. It is as simple as that,” Smith said. “It was obviously a really good partnership to break that one and then obviously get two more wickets. It was a huge last hour for us, so, yeah, that was a big play in the context of the day, I suppose.” Nathan Lyon though put the blame squarely on Kohli for the mix-up with a hilarious sledge. “It was probably one of the best barbecues I’ve seen, to be honest with you,” Lyon said on ABC Radio. “It came out of the blue. They were doing it pretty easy out there ... pressure does funny things. Silly run-outs are coach killers, aren’t they? It was pretty special.” Aussie cricket commentator Rudi Edsall also pointed the blame at Kohli. “That’s really poor cricket from Virat,” he wrote on X. “Burnt their best bat of the series who makes monster tons for fun to look after himself and then gets out an over later. “Now a period of Indian control turns into a complete shambles. Terrible five minutes for him.” Originally published as Kohli drama as Indian hero confronts spectator in tense scene More related stories Cricket India battling in MCG massacre as Kohli’s ‘schoolboy error’ lashed India is massively on the back foot at the MCG - and superstar Virat Kohli is still creating headlines, and copping heat from back home, for his game-changing runout. FOLLOW LIVE INSIDE. Read more Sport How Aussie legend created phenom’s ‘fearless’ superpower From ramp shots to revving up the MCG crowd, Sam Konstas is the teenage cricket star making Australians stand up and take notice. Here’s the secret behind Australia’s new ‘fearless’ freak. Read more

Like clockwork, Nvidia ( NVDA 2.15% ) delivered another round of explosive growth in its third-quarter earnings report, but investors seemed to be missing the most impressive part of the performance. The company didn't mention it in the earnings call or press release, consigning it instead to the "CFO Commentary" section of its earnings report. By now, most investors know that the data center segment is driving Nvidia's growth. While Nvidia's business spans everything from gaming to autonomous vehicles to visualization tools like the Omniverse, its success in the data center business, driven by the explosive growth of AI, has stolen the narrative and now makes up the vast majority of Nvidia's revenue. While overall revenue in the fiscal 2025 third quarter jumped 94% from a year ago to $35.1 billion, growth in the data center segment was even stronger, climbing 112% from a year ago to $30.8 billion. However, Nvidia breaks down its data center revenue into two categories. It brings in revenue from "networking" and "compute." Compute refers to the components that run applications on a server, such as processors and memory chips. Networking includes components like switches and routers that provides the connectivity and the security needed for the applications to run. AI training and inference is driven by the compute components so it makes sense that compute makes up the bulk of that revenue. Data center networking revenue in the third quarter grew just 20% year over year to $3.1 billion, while data center compute revenue was up 132% to $27.6 billion. The data center compute figure looks like the best reflection of the underlying growth in Nvidia's business, even with the discrepancy between demand and supply as the company said several times on the earnings call that the business is supply constrained and it expects those constraints to continue for the next several quarters, especially on the Blackwell platform. Data center compute revenue also grew 22% sequentially, above 17% overall sequential growth for the whole company. and 17% sequential growth in the data center. The chart below shows the performance in data center compute revenue over the last several quarters. Data center compute revenue Year-over-year growth Sequential growth Dollar Amount (in billions) Q2 2024 171% 141% N/A Q3 2024 324% 38% N/A Q4 2024 488% 27% N/A Q1 2025 478% 29% $19.4 Q2 2025 162% 17% $22.6 Q3 2025 132% 22% $27.6 Source: Nvidia filings. (Note: compute revenue was not reported in fiscal 2024) The data center compute platform is at the core of Nvidia's AI offering. It accelerates the most compute-intensive workloads, and it includes a wide range of products such as APIs, software development kits (SDKs), its DGX Cloud, which is an AI training-as-a-service platform, and GPUs, DPUs, and AI enterprise software. All of that makes it very difficult to compete with Nvidia and helps explain why the data center business is growing so fast. Revenue growth is heating up The other telling data point in the table above is that while Nvidia's year-over-year revenue growth in the data center compute segment continued to decelerate, sequential revenue growth, which is arguably a better barometer of growth, accelerated from 17% to 22%, lifting a similar acceleration in overall revenue from 15% to 17%. Sequential growth of 22% would translate to a 122% year-over-year growth rate if the business grew at that pace over four quarters. Given the launch of the new Blackwell platform and management's commentary about demand outstripping supply for the next several quarters, the company could maintain a growth rate similar to that over the next year. What's next for Nvidia Nvidia stock fell slightly on the earnings report. Investors seemed to think guidance was underwhelming as the company called for year-over-year revenue growth to slow to 70% in the fourth quarter, with the top line reaching $37.5 billion, plus or minus 2%. However, Nvidia has a long history of topping its guidance, and it looks like a good bet to do so again in the fourth quarter, given the scorching growth from the data center compute business and locked-in demand for its Blackwell platform. Don't be surprised to see Nvidia top that forecast again three months from now. The business is on fire. It continues to deliver stellar results, and there's little in the way to slow it down.WASHINGTON — China is expanding its nuclear force, has increased military pressure against Taiwan and has strengthened its ties with Russia over the past year, according to a Pentagon report Wednesday that details actions accelerating key areas of conflict with the United States. The report, however, also notes that the recent rash of corruption allegations within China's powerful Central Military Commission, which oversees the People's Liberation Army, is hurting Beijing's military growth and could slow its campaign to modernize. The impact, said a senior defense official, is a bit of a mixed bag because while there has been progress in some programs, China has slid back in others. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the U.S. assessment, warned that Beijing is working toward developing a more diverse and technologically sophisticated nuclear force. While the expected number of nuclear warheads has maintained consistent growth, China is broadening its targeting abilities. Beijing is going to be able to go after more and different types of targets, do greater damage and have more options for multiple rounds of counterstrikes, the official said. The U.S. is urging China to be more transparent about its nuclear program, while also warning that America will defend its allies and take appropriate steps in response. According to the report, which provides the annual U.S. assessment of China's military power and is required by Congress, China had more than 600 operational nuclear warheads as of May, and the U.S. expects it will have more than 1,000 by 2030. The Chinese Embassy, in response, said China has always "firmly adhered to a nuclear strategy of self-defense," follows the no-first-use nuclear policy and maintains its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security. Liu Pengyu, the embassy spokesman, said such annual reports by the Pentagon are "filled with 'Cold-War' thinking and zero-sum game mentality, which China firmly opposes." The Biden administration has worked to maintain a balance with China, building up the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region to be ready to counter Beijing while also encouraging increased communications between the two countries at the diplomatic and military levels. That uptick in talks has coincided with a decrease in coercive and risky intercepts of U.S. aircraft since late 2023, compared with the previous two years. China still, however, does what the U.S. military considers "unsafe" flights near American and allied forces in the region. The Pentagon's national defense strategy is built around China being the greatest security challenge for the U.S., and the threat from Beijing influences how the U.S. military is equipped and organized for the future. The corruption within the PLA has resulted in at least 15 high-ranking officials being ousted in a major shakeup of China's defense establishment. "This wave of corruption touches every service in the PLA, and it may have shaken Beijing's confidence," the report said. In June, China announced that former Defense Minister Li Shangfu and his predecessor, Wei Fenghe, were expelled from the ruling Communist Party and accused of corruption. Last month, another senior official, Miao Hua, was suspended and put under investigation, according to China's Defense Ministry. The U.S. report points to a persistent increased military presence by China around Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its own. It said China's navy has been in the region more and that there have been increased crossings into the island's air defense identification zone and major military exercises in the area. Just last week, a large deployment of Chinese navy and coast guard vessels in the waters around Taiwan triggered alarm as Taiwanese officials said it looked like China was simulating a blockade. Officials have said there were as many as 90 ships involved in what Taiwan described as two walls designed to demonstrate that the waters belong to China. Taiwan split from communist China in 1949 and has rejected Beijing's demands that it accept unification. China says it will do so by force if necessary, and leaders have said they want to be ready to do so by 2027. Beijing also has demanded that Washington not interfere with the Taiwan issue, citing that it is an internal matter. The United States is obligated under domestic law to help defend Taiwan and give it weapons and technology to deter invasion. The island democracy has been the chief source of tension between Washington and Beijing for decades and is widely seen as the most likely trigger for a potentially catastrophic U.S.-China war. More broadly, the report concluded that the PLA continued its drive to develop greater military capabilities but "made uneven progress toward its 2027" milestone for modernization. One area of expansion, the report said, is with unmanned aerial systems, which officials said are "quickly approaching U.S. standards." Regarding Russia, the report said China has supported Russia's war against Ukraine and sold Russia dual-use items that Moscow's military industry relies on. Dual use items can be used for both civilian and military purposes.