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Beijing, China, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aircraft carriers are important strategic platforms for China as a major power to defend its national sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and development interests while contributing to peace and stability to the region and the world. In 2024, all three aircraft carriers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy made tremendous achievements, as they took confident strides toward blue waters. One of the biggest highlights of China's aircraft carrier program in 2024 is the start of the sea trials phase for the PLA Navy's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian. The Fujian set out from Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard for maiden sea trials on May 1, and returned to the shipyard on May 8. During the eight-day sea trials, the Fujian tested its propulsion and electrical systems and other equipment, and achieved the expected results, the Xinhua News Agency reported at the time. The Fujian was launched on June 17, 2022. It is China's first domestically-made carrier that uses catapults. With a full-load displacement of more than 80,000 tons, the carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices. Since its maiden voyage, the carrier has reportedly conducted a total of five sea trials as of December. Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, on December 13 responded at a press conference to a media query about whether the Fujian had returned to port after its latest sea trial, following the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration's announcement of traffic controls for large vessels entering the Yangtze River estuary in early December. Wu said that the trials of the Fujian aircraft carrier are a standard part of its construction process and subsequent trials will be conducted as construction advances. Chinese military expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times on Monday that the frequency and intensity of the sea trials of the Fujian are considered high, and more sea trials are expected to come in the future, so as to test the new technologies used on the carrier and make sure it becomes combat-ready as soon as possible. For future sea trials, Song said he expects to see tests such as aircraft takeoff and landing as well as integration with other vessels. Another highlight of China's aircraft carrier program in 2024 is the first-ever exercise of the long-anticipated dual-carrier group. The formations of Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong carried out a dual aircraft carrier formation exercise for the first time in the South China Sea, Xinhua quoted the PLA Navy as saying on October 31. Commissioned in September 2012, the Liaoning is China's first aircraft carrier, and the Shandong, the second aircraft carrier, the first one built domestically, was commissioned in December 2019. Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times that a dual-carrier group is not just an addition of two aircraft carrier groups, as it can carry out more diverse and complicated missions. The two carriers can share some of their defense and reconnaissance forces, while each carrier can focus on more specific roles. For example, one carrier can focus on land attack, while the other focuses on air defense and air superiority, Wang said. The first dual-carrier exercise is just a beginning, and more will follow, Wang said. Another important aspect is the warplanes aircraft carriers can carry. At the Airshow China 2024, held in November in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province, China unveiled three new types of carrier-borne fixed-wing aircraft: the J-15T fighter jet, which has been upgraded and made compatible with catapults, the J-15D electronic warfare aircraft and the J-35 stealth fighter jet. The J-15T, which is capable of catapult launches and reverse command, has demonstrated its preliminary readiness for takeoff and landing operations on the Fujian aircraft carrier, Xinhua quoted military expert Cao Weidong as saying. "Once commissioned, the Fujian will rapidly attain combat capability through coordinated operations with the J-15T," Cao added. Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that the J-15T has also been upgraded with a radar with longer detection distance. This will also allow the J-15T to fire air-to-air missiles with longer range. On the J-15D, Zhang said that it is a dedicated electronic warfare aircraft for aircraft carriers and a vital component in an aircraft carrier's air wing. He noted that the J-15D has powerful electronic disruption and suppression capabilities, and such capabilities are particularly important in modern information-driven naval warfare. The star of Airshow China 2024, the J-35A stealth fighter jet, has been commissioned into the PLA Air Force, but at the exhibition hall, only a model of the J-35 carrier-based fighter jet was displayed. Sun Cong, the chief designer of the J-15, confirmed at a press conference at Airshow China 2024 that in addition to the J-15, the J-35 will also become carrier-borne, China Central Television reported on November 12. Song, the military expert, said that the J-35 will likely operate from not only the Fujian, but also the Liaoning and the Shandong. It will likely form a combination with the J-15, similar to the combination of the US' F-35 and F/A-18E/F. "The biggest advantage of the J-35 is its stealth capability. It has strong air-to-surface and air-to-air combat capabilities, and the combination [with the J-15] can yield maximum efficiency," Song said. Sovereignty protectors Over the past year, the PLA Navy's aircraft carriers have conducted multiple exercises, including not only the dual-carrier formation exercise in the South China Sea, but also the "Joint Sword-2024B" exercise around the island of Taiwan, firmly defending China's national sovereignty, territorial integrity and development interests. During the "Joint Sword-2024B" drills on October 14, the PLA Eastern Theater Command deployed the Liaoning aircraft carrier group to conduct exercises, along with its army, navy, air force and rocket force troops, on vessel-aircraft collaboration, joint air control, and strikes on sea and land targets in the waters and airspace to the east of Taiwan, Li Xi, a spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, announced at the time, Xinhua reported. The drills aim to test the joint combat capabilities of multiple services in integrated operations inside and outside the island chain, Li said. He said earlier that the drills are a powerful deterrent to the separatist activities of "Taiwan independence" elements, and are legitimate and necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and national unity. Zhang Chi, a professor at the PLA National Defense University, told the Global Times at the time that the Liaoning controlled a key chokepoint and formed a solid maritime barrier. The carrier formed a strategic situation that blocked external interference and effectively exerted pressure on "Taiwan independence" secessionist forces. Noting that the PLA Navy now has three aircraft carriers, Song said that the PLA Navy's capabilities and confidence in safeguarding national sovereignty and security are growing. Aside from the Taiwan question, Song said that aircraft carriers are destined to sail to far seas. They provide confidence for China to safeguard its development interests, which is a key consideration for China in building a blue water, strategic navy, he said. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202412/1325175.shtml Company: Global Times Contact Person: Liu Xuanzun Email: liuxuanzun@globaltimes.com.cn Website: https://www.globaltimes.cn/ Telephone: 18618317023 City: Beijing Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of KISS PR or its partners. This content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or professional advice. KISS PR makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.
In Jan. 2023, I wrote about my 10 top stocks to buy for the new year. I ended up pretty proud of my list because if you'd invested $1,000 in each of the 10 stocks the day the article was published, you'd have ended 2023 with $13,301, including dividends. If you'd instead put your $10,000 into an S&P 500 ( ^GSPC 0.25% ) index fund, you would've had just $11,900 at the end of the year. In other words, the total return of my stock picks beat the broad market by 74%. And last December, I updated my list of top 10 stocks for 2024 , which have again outperformed the market. With $10,000 invested equally across those 10 stocks at the beginning of the year, you'd have $14,281 as of the Dec. 5 market close. An equal investment in an S&P 500 index fund would be worth $12,890. That's a total return difference of 48%. That's an encouraging result given how strong stocks have been this year. When the market is down, it's much easier to beat. For example, when the S&P 500 lost 18% in 2022, 51% of U.S. equity managers underperformed the market. But through the first half of a bullish 2024, 57% of large-cap U.S. equity managers were underperforming the index, and 60% underperformed it last year when the index was up 24%. Let's take a closer look at how my picks are faring with about a month to go in 2024 and consider whether you should buy them for the coming year. Drumroll, please ... The top 10 stocks I chose for 2024 were Airbnb ( ABNB 0.44% ) , Amazon ( AMZN 2.94% ) , Costco Wholesale ( COST 1.05% ) , Global-e Online ( GLBE 1.94% ) , Lemonade ( LMND 2.22% ) , Lululemon Athletica ( LULU 15.89% ) , MercadoLibre ( MELI -1.90% ) , Nu Holdings ( NU 0.58% ) , SoFi Technologies ( SOFI 2.36% ) , and Visa ( V 0.62% ) . Here's how they are performing compared to the S&P 500 as of Dec. 5: Data by YCharts . Nine of my top 10 picks are up year to date. The lone exception, Lululemon, is experiencing some major challenges right now. Let's do a quick rundown on each of these stocks and their prospects for 2025. Airbnb: Flat After gaining 59% in 2023, Airbnb has been flat this year. Growth has slowed, but profitability has soared. It's looking more like a value stock right now, and it's building on its popular platform. Shares trade at only 22 times trailing-12-month free cash flow, and value investors should take a look. Amazon: Up 45% Amazon has launched powerful artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities that are driving tremendous growth in its cloud computing segment, Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS is the leading global cloud services provider, and AI is bringing in new clients. It's also the largest e-commerce company in the U.S. with a wide lead. Amazon remains a top choice for almost any investor. Costco: Up 50% Costco is one of my favorite all-weather stocks, and it continues to climb despite reaching fresh all-time highs this year. It's reliable for strong performance under almost any macroeconomic conditions, and the market can't seem to get enough of it. If you have a long-term mindset, you can add some shares even now, but you might want to adopt a dollar-cost averaging strategy. Global-e Online: Up 34% Global-e is a small but growing e-commerce powerhouse that provides cross-border solutions for online retailers. It services A-list clients like Disney , LVMH , and Nordstrom , and it adds more customers every quarter. It boasts high growth, and it's getting closer to profitability too. That positions the company to extend its momentum into 2025. Lemonade: Up 185% Lemonade is the standout stock on this list, and you can see how one big winner can carry a portfolio. The insurance company entered 2024 down more than 90% from its all-time high as investors were frustrated with its progress toward profitability. It made great strides this year, and its AI algorithms are doing their job. Lemonade still has a tremendous opportunity. Lululemon: Down 33% Lululemon is a consumer favorite, but it made a few missteps this year in its product launches. That wasn't helped by a soft market in general for premium apparel, and Lululemon isn't the only activewear company struggling right now. However, at the current price, it trades at only 26 times trailing-12-month earnings, a discount to the S&P 500 average. There may be some more volatility in the near future, but long-term investors should view this as an opportunity to buy a leading consumer apparel brand on the dip. MercadoLibre: Up 26% MercadoLibre has been a top performer for a long time, but the stock fell earlier this year due to economic instability and new competition in some of its key markets. However, MercadoLibre continues to run an outstanding business that's highly profitable and still reporting high growth, and its opportunity across Latin America is enormous. Nu: Up 44% Nu is an all-digital bank headquartered in Brazil, and it's growing by leaps and bounds. It has a cross-selling strategy that's resulting in high engagement and rising average revenue per active customer. The company has 110 million global customers, and it's entering new markets that should fuel its gains through 2025 and beyond. SoFi: Up 57% SoFi is an all-digital bank in the U.S., and it's also demonstrating momentum as it captures market share and becomes sustainably profitable. It has reported positive net income in the past four quarters, and management expects that trend to continue. The business is successfully expanding into a full financial services app, adding to its core lending segment, and it has years of growth ahead of it. Visa: Up 20% Visa is an all-weather stock that grows when the economy does. It's slightly underperforming the market this year since the market's gains have been fueled by big tech stocks. But Visa has been a winning choice for years, and it's an excellent value pick. The best portfolio is diversified Ten stocks aren't enough for a diversified portfolio , and this list skews toward growth stocks. But if your research leads you to invest in a few of these companies and you round out your portfolio with additional stocks or even an exchange-traded fund for greater diversification, you can be well prepared for various market conditions. And it's important to remember that every year will look different -- some picks may be duds, while others surge. But these year-to-year swings become less important when you focus on buying quality stocks and holding them long term. This remains a winning strategy for building wealth in the stock market.ASPI crosses 15,000 mark
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Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are an essential tool for those looking to privately and securely use the internet. They encrypt your online traffic and hide your true IP address from would-be hackers or other snooping third parties. While the best VPNs are usually dedicated apps, you may have also heard about VPN browser extensions. They look appealing due to their ease of use and affordable price. But which should you choose? Below I'll give you a rundown of what a VPN browser extension does and help you decide which is the best option for you. What is a VPN browser extension? A VPN browser extension is essentially a VPN that protects the browser that it's a part of, and only that browser. For example, a Chrome VPN browser extension will cover only that Chrome browser. Other apps that connect to the internet outside of the browser, such as games or streaming apps, won't be protected by the extension. It might help to think of a VPN app as a fortress that protects all of your assets and a VPN browser extension as more like a small personal safe that only protects a few carefully selected items. Pros and cons of a VPN browser extension Pros A VPN browser extension can be a nice upgrade to your personal privacy and security while online. It might not come with the complete coverage of a VPN app, but it does have its advantages. VPN browser extensions are typically lightweight and don't take up nearly as many resources as a full VPN app. As a result of this simplicity, they are also extremely easy to use. While most VPN apps require you to pay a premium for a subscription, a VPN... Sam SingletonWest Virginia knocks off No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in overtime in the Battle 4 AtlantisBoeing plane makes emergency landing at Montreal's Mirabel airport after landing gear malfunction
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