Today’s News 28 July 2021 (Wednesday)

A. NAVY NEWS/COVID NEWS/PHOTOS Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

B. NATIONAL HEADLINES Title Writer Newspaper Page 1 Hero’s welcome awaits Hidilyn J Villar P Star 1 Killing of 2 activists hour before SONA J Palero PDI A1 2 condemned

C. NATIONAL SECURITY Title Writer Newspaper Page North America firm may soon take over ops S Medenilla B Mirror A3 3 of Hanjin shipyard at Subic

D. INDO-PACIFIC Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

E. AFP RELATED Title Writer Newspaper Page 4 Grenade, IEDs found in terrorist liar F Sumangil M Times A7 5 PAO ensures’ aid assured A Murcia D Tribune A7 6 Spot promotion kay Hidilyn, giit sa AFP J Cantos Ngayon 2

F. CPP-NPA-NDF-LCM Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

G. MNLF/MILF/BIFF/ASG Title Writer Newspaper Page NIL NIL NIL NIL

H. EDITORIAL-OPINION-COMMENTARY-SPECIAL Title Writer Newspaper Page 7 The Sona A Masigan P Star 13

I. ONLINE NEWS Title Link NATIONAL NEWS How Hidilyn Diaz made Olympic history https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/ 8 as the Philippines' first gold medalist how-hidilyn-diaz-made-olympic-history- philippines-gold-medal-15303856 June budget gap leads to H1 deficit of https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/june 9 P716.1 billion -budget-gap-leads-to-h1-deficit-of-p716-1- billion/ Independent foreign policy? Recto says https://globalnation.inquirer.net/198044/indepe 10 Duterte is ‘pro-China’ ndent-foreign-policy-recto-says-duterte-is-pro- china Back-and-forth evacuations and a year https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/t 11 of gut punches over Taal volcano's aal-volcano-philippines-back-and-forth- unrest evacuations-15291516 Government should pay for lives, https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/gov 12 property lost during 2017 Marawi siege, ernment-should-pay-for-lives-property-lost- CSOs insist during-2017-marawi-siege-csos-insist/ Gov't to decide on PH quarantine level https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/govt-to-decide- 13 every 15 days on-ph-quarantine-level-every-15-days/ https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/pagasa- 14 PAGASA: ‘Habagat’ to pour more rains across PH habagat-to-pour-more-rains-across-ph/ Habagat dumped more than a month's https://news.abs- 15 worth of rain in NCR, nearby areas, says cbn.com/news/07/28/21/habagat-months- PAGASA worth-rain-ncr-pagasa NAVY NEWS Enforcing WPS arbitral win doesn’t mean https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/rufu 16 war vs China s-enforcing-wps-arbitral-win-doesnt-mean-war- vs-china/ Maritime law expert calls out Duterte's https://news.abs- 'contradicting' SONA remarks on arbitral cbn.com/news/07/27/21/maritime-law-expert- 17 award calls-out-dutertes-contradicting-sona-remarks- on-arbitral-award North American firm may soon take over https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/nort 18 ops of Hanjin shipyard at Subic h-american-firm-may-soon-take-over-ops-of- hanjin-shipyard-at-subic/ Zambales fishermen: Nobody wants to https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1465477/zambale 19 go to war with China s-fishermen-nobody-wants-to-go-to-war-with- china AFP RELATED Duterte vows to end armed communist https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/duterte-vows-to- 20 struggle ‘once and for all’ end-armed-communist-struggle-once-and-for- all/ AFP, PNP welcome Duterte’s call for https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/natio unified pension system, legal aid for n/797003/afp-pnp-welcome-duterte-s-call-for- 21 personnel unified-pension-system-legal-aid-for- personnel/story/ Simple AFP welcome for Hidilyn, for now https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/simp 22 le-afp-welcome-for-hidilyn-for-now/ 'Strong Pinay': DND congratulates https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/strong-pinay- 23 Olympic hero Hidilyn Diaz dnd-congratulates-olympic-hero-hidilyn-diaz/ Lacson: Hidilyn Diaz deserves to be https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/lacson-hidilyn- 24 commissioned as AFP officer diaz-deserves-to-be-commissioned-as-afp- officer/ DND, AFP push military modernization https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/dnd-afp-push- 25 as Duterte's term nears end military-modernization-as-dutertes-term-nears- end/ Fil-Am group slams CPP- https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1148377 26 NPA’s recruitment, fundraising in US Duterte seeks probe into AK-47 imports https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/duterte-seeks- 27 now used by insurgents probe-into-ak-47-imports-now-used-by- insurgents/ Provision of legal assistance to https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/prov 28 uniformed personnel covered by PAO– ision-of-legal-assistance-to-uniformed- Guevarra personnel-covered-by-pao-guevarra/ Legal assistance to PNP, AFP members https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/legal- 29 ‘not the same as legal protection’ — assistance-to-pnp-afp-members-not-the-same- Guevarra as-legal-protection-guevarra/ Armored vehicle hits closed van on https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/armored- 30 Nagtahan Bridge vehicle-hits-closed-van-on-nagtahan-bridge/ Redemptorists deplore red tagging of https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/redemptorists- 31 mission community deplore-red-tagging-of-mission-community/ INDO-PACIFIC NEWS Duterte slams intl. ruling on South China https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/2021 32 Sea 0727_03/ Philippine Leader Defends China https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/speech 33 Diplomacy in Last State of Nation -07262021155327.html Speech US says China's sea claims have 'no https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/de basis' in international law fence/us-says-chinas-sea-claims-have-no- 34 basis-in-international- law/articleshow/84790663.cms China is seen as topping agenda as https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south- 35 Antony Blinken begins India visit asia/article/3142780/china-and-afghanistan- top-agenda-united-states-antony-blinken US calls India ‘leading global power’ and https://www.hindustantimes.com/world- Indo- news/us-calls-india-leading-global-power-and- 36 Pacific ‘front and centre’ indo-pacific-front-and-centre- 101627404800174.html Biden cites pride in Korea-US friendship, https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2021 37 calls it key to peace and stability /07/120_312839.html Biden Warns of Russian Efforts to https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/202 38 Interfere in 2022 Election 1-07-27/biden-warns-of-russian-efforts-to- interfere-in-2022-election?srnd=premium-asia Senators, White House in talks to finish https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden- 39 infrastructure bill government-and-politics-business- f47d9ae3305a185fbe1e3dd7dd72dc36 At first Jan. 6 hearing, police to detail https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden- violence, injuries government-and-politics-race-and-ethnicity- 40 capitol-siege-racial-injustice- 96fd6e07e1d2700417575880df2fde69 US lawmakers urge IOC to postpone, https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/us- 41 relocate Beijing Olympics over treatment lawmakers-urge-ioc-to-postpone-relocate- of Uyghurs beijing-olympics-over-treatment-of-uyghurs/ US conveys to China concerns about https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/2021 42 Taiwan 0727_02/ US and Japan counter China with https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/U 43 powerful IBM quantum computer S-and-Japan-counter-China-with-powerful- IBM-quantum-computer US committed to ‘constructive, stable’ https://www.scmp.com/week- 44 ties with Beijing, US defence chief says asia/politics/article/3142739/us-committed- stable-constructive-ties-china-despite-asia China, Britain relations ‘sour’ due to https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/ 45 warship and possible end of energy article/3142746/china-britain-relations-sour- deals due-warship-and-possible-end China Media Says U.K. Still in 'Colonial https://www.newsweek.com/china-says-uk- 46 Days' as Navy Enters Contested Waters still-colonial-days-navy-enters-contested- waters-1613549 https://asiatimes.com/2021/07/china-gaining- 47 China gaining ‘near monopoly’ on rare earths near-monopoly-on-rare-earths-chomsky/ More intl voices opposing US politicizing https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1229 48 virus origins probe 689.shtml Stay away from separatist forces, https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/artic 49 China’s ‘official’ Panchen Lama says le/3142774/chinas-official-panchen-lama-tells- tibetan-buddhists-stay-away https://asiapost.live/they-have-my-sister-as- 50 They Have My Sister’: As Uyghurs Speak Out, China Targets Their Families uyghurs-speak-out-china-targets-their-families/ First person charged under Hong Kong https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/27/asia/hong- 51 national security law found guilty on two kong-nsl-trial-tong-ying-kit-intl-hnk/index.html charges Hong Kong Has Gotten Seriously Risky https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/26/hong- 52 for International Business kong-risky-international-business-national- security-law/ Taiwan rejects China's claim over it https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4259 53 257 Japan Signals an Opening for US in https://www.hudson.org/research/17125-japan- 54 Countering China signals-an-opening-for-us-in-countering-china Japan: Panel to resume discussions on https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/2021 55 Imperial succession 0727_06/ Tropical storm nears Japan, disrupting https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/ 56 Tokyo Olympics tropical-storm-nears-japan-disrupting-tokyo- olympics-15306252 Commercial quantum computer debuts https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/2021 57 in Japan 0727_24/ Japan seeks bigger Pacific bluefin tuna https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/2021 58 catch 0727_13/ Japan-Russia row over Kuril Islands in https://www.scmp.com/week- spotlight with free-trade zone plan asia/politics/article/3142705/japan-and- 59 russias-kuril-islands-dispute-spotlight-putins- special South, North Korea have restored https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/s 60 hotlines as leaders seek to rebuild ties outh-north-korea-restore-hotline- communications-15305498 Cheong Wa Dae says no plan yet to http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=202 61 send special envoy to N. Korea 10727001068 As food grows scarce, North Korea https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/N-Korea-at- 62 accepts South's olive branch crossroads/As-food-grows-scarce-North- Korea-accepts-South-s-olive-branch N. Korea says restoration of cross- http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=202 63 border hotline will play positive role in 10727000847 improving relations Singapore: Healthcare employers https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singa should diversify recruitment sources pore/diversify-healthcare-workers-employers- 64 amid Filipino nurse permit crunch: Koh nurses-singapore-15306816 Poh Koon https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/ann 65 Myanmar’s Junta Annuls 2020 Election Results, Citing Voter Fraud ulled-07262021204753.html More Than 100 Teenagers Have Been https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/tee 66 Killed in Myanmar Protest Violence nagers-07262021194335.html China-Pakistan alliance in Afghanistan https://www.scmp.com/week- 67 worries India, as Taliban offensive asia/politics/article/3142596/china-pakistan- continues alliance-afghanistan-worries-india-taliban Anti-China Sentiments Grows in https://jamestown.org/program/anti-china- 68 Kazakhstan as Economic Cooperation sentiments-grows-in-kazakhstan-as-economic- Stalls cooperation-stalls/ DOWNLOAD: How to Recalibrate US https://www.fpri.org/wp- 69 Policy in the Middle East content/uploads/2021/07/how-to-recalibrate- us-policy-in-the-middle-east.pdf Macron pressured to apologise for https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/ 70 nuclear tests in French Polynesia macron-pressured-to-apologise-for-nuclear- tests-in-french-polynesia-15304386 Communist China's New Plan: Digital https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17487/china 71 Currency -digital-currency Central Asia and Afghanistan: Old Fears, https://www.rusi.org/explore-our- Old Actors, New Games research/publications/commentary/central- 72 asia-and-afghanistan-old-fears-old-actors-new- games Losing Face: the perils of Facebook's https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Big- 73 Asia strategy Story/Losing-Face-the-perils-of-Facebook-s- Asia-strategy The Problem With https://warontherocks.com/2021/07/the- 74 Biden’s Democracy Agenda problem-with-bidens-democracy-agenda/ Countering Putin's Grand Strategy https://www.project- syndicate.org/commentary/biden-needs- 75 strategy-to-counter-russia-by-anne-marie- slaughter-and-heather-ashby-2021-07 Globalisation strikes back https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/globalisation- 76 strikes-back/ Global Agenda Need Partnership https://www.chinausfocus.com/foreign- 77 policy/global-agenda-need-partnership The connectivity trade-off from social https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the- 78 media misinformation interpreter/connectivity-trade-social-media- misinformation Controlling the Information Space: Big https://www.csis.org/blogs/new-perspectives- 79 Tech and Free Speech in Southeast Asia asia/controlling-information-space-big-tech- and-free-speech-southeast-asia DEFENSE NEWS Duterte promises to boost the military to https://news.tv5.com.ph/politics/read/sona- defense-duterte-promises-to-boost-the- 80 protect the country’s territory in face of rising sea tensions military-to-protect-the-countrys-territory-in- face-of-rising-sea-tensions Esperon bares priorities on Duterte's last https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/esperon-bares- 81 hurrah: Strengthen position in WPS, end priorities-on-dutertes-last-hurrah-strengthen- CPP-NPA position-in-wps-end-cpp-npa/ Japan unveils large multi-role response https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/japan-unveils- 82 vessel to boost PH maritime patrol large-multi-role-response-vessel-to-boost-ph- capability maritime-patrol-capability/ British aircraft carrier ignores Chinese https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/british-aircraft- 83 warnings and enters South China Sea carrier-ignores-chinese-warnings-and-enters- south-china-sea/ SECDEF Austin Outlines U.S. https://news.usni.org/2021/07/27/secdef- Commitment to the Pacific while China austin-outlines-u-s-commitment-to-the-pacific- 84 Protests U.K. Carrier Operations in while-china-protests-u-k-carrier-operations-in- South China Sea south-china-sea Austin Discusses Need for Indo-Pacific http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/ 85 Partnerships in the Future Article/2708315/austin-discusses-need-for- indo-pacific-partnerships-in-the-future/ Pentagon chief calls for new regional https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2021/ 86 order in Indo-Pacific 07/27/pentagon-chief-calls-for-new-regional- order-in-indo-pacific/ Pentagon chief fires broadside at China: https://manilastandard.net/news/world- 87 Sea claims baseless news/360869/pentagon-chief-fires-broadside- at-china-sea-claims-baseless.html US military sees Arctic as a key region to https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3142 88 help counter Chinese aggression 790/arctic-key-region-countering-chinas- aggression-us-air-force-officials ‘It Failed Miserably’: After Wargaming https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/07/it- Loss, Joint Chiefs Are Overhauling How failed-miserably-after-wargaming-loss-joint- 89 the US Military Will Fight chiefs-are-overhauling-how-us-military-will- fight/184050/ DOD Focuses on Aspirational http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/ 90 Challenges in Future Warfighting Article/2707633/dod-focuses-on-aspirational- challenges-in-future-warfighting/ JROC Has Published Requirements For https://www.defensedaily.com/jroc-has- published-requirements-for-joint-warfighting- 91 Joint Warfighting Concept’s Strategic Directives, Hyten Says concepts-strategic-directives-hyten- says/pentagon/ Lawmakers demand clearer picture for https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2021/ 92 Guam missile defense plans 07/27/lawmakers-demand-clearer-picture-for- guam-missile-defense-plans/ 93 US pays $4B to Afghan forces; Who is https://apnews.com/article/business- watching? 83c0fac2109711d703f4f490798868b9 https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/07/no- 94 No, We Don’t Need Women to Register for the Draft we-dont-need-women-to-register-for-the-draft/ https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden- 95 Biden’s 1st visit to intel agency to contrast with Trump’s government-and-politics-health-coronavirus- pandemic-cia- 02b42e34d723ee525eab1d2e18dd14c9 Defense Official Says Food Insecurity Is http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/ a Readiness, National Security Issue Article/2709598/defense-official-says-food- 96 insecurity-is-a-readiness-national-security- issue/ An ‘Equity Audit’ Wants the Virginia https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/07/an- 97 Military Institute to Renounce Its History equity-audit-wants-the-virginia-military- institute-to-renounce-its-history/ The Biden Administration Joins the https://www.lawfareblog.com/biden- 98 Military Justice Reform Debate as It administration-joins-military-justice-reform- Heats Up in the Senate debate-it-heats-senate Climate Change Has National Security http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/ 99 Implications, DOD Official Says Article/2707739/climate-change-has-national- security-implications-dod-official-says/ Cyber Cold War: US pussyfoots around https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021- 100 alleged cyberattacks by Russia and 07-25-cyber-cold-war-us-pussyfoots-around- China alleged-cyberattacks-by-russia-and-china/ House bill would allow US Navy to retire https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2021/07/ cruisers early, adds funds to build 27/hasc-bill-would-allow-navy-to-retire- 101 second destroyer cruisers-early-adds-funding-to-build-a-second- destroyer/ Why Can't the U.S. Navy's Littoral https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/why- 102 Combat Ships Get Their Act Together cant-us-navys-littoral-combat-ships-get-their- act-together-190522 Surface Force commander cites payload https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news- and unmanned deployment potential of detail/surface-force-commander-cites-payload- 103 Independence LCS vessels and-unmanned-deployment-potential-of- independence-lcs-vessels US Navy Shares Details About New https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/artic 104 ‘Intelligent Autonomous Systems’ les/2021/7/27/navy-shares-details-about-new- Strategy intelligent-autonomous-systems-strategy How Would U.S. Marines Fight China in https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/how- 105 a War? Think Rockets would-us-marines-fight-china-war-think- rockets-190544 US Marines swim through surf in new https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/mar training program as AAVs return to use ines-swim-through-surf-in-new-training- 106 in water following deadly accident program-as-aavs-return-to-use-in-water- following-deadly-accident/ Ex-air force analyst jailed for leaking top- https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/former-us- 107 secret drone files air-force-analyst-daniel-hale-jailed-for-leaking- top-secret-drone-files-h2flgt9pc US and Australia must deepen defence https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/us-and- 108 cooperation on climate security australia-must-deepen-defence-cooperation- on-climate-security/ Russia's risky flybys may be attempts at https://www.businessinsider.com/russia- 109 'baiting us into shooting first,' top US baiting-us-into-shooting-top-us-admiral-in- admiral says europe-2021-7 China's PLA to continue defending http://en.people.cn/n3/2021/0727/c90000- 110 national dignity, world peace: Chinese 9877161.html envoy China builds second nuclear missile https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/china- 111 base building-second-nuclear-missile-base-satellite- images-reveal-7j2tkp559 China begins construction of the first https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/na autonomous research ship val-news/naval-news-archive/2021/10240- naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime- 112 defense-industry/10478-china-begins- construction-of-the-first-autonomous-research- ship.html PRC intrusions near Senkakus risk https://ipdefenseforum.com/2021/07/prc- 113 engagement, escalation intrusions-near-senkakus-risk-engagement- escalation/ Chinese, Mongolian defense ministers http://en.people.cn/n3/2021/0727/c90000- 114 agree to strengthen cooperation 9877097.html New MRL system in service with PLA's https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news- 115 Tibet Military Command detail/new-mrl-system-in-service-with-plas- tibet-military-command The Type 093 Submarine Is China's https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/type- 116 Terrifying New Innovation 093-submarine-chinas-terrifying-new- innovation-190543 Why China’s Aircraft Carrier Fleet https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/07/why- 117 Should Worry The U.S. Navy chinas-aircraft-carrier-fleet-should-worry-the-u- s-navy/ Taiwanese navy receives first improved https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news- 118 Tuo Chiang-class corvette detail/taiwanese-navy-receives-first-improved- tuo-chiang-class-corvette Japan eyes F-35B training drills on https://the-japan- 119 Izumo destroyer news.com/news/article/0007618777 SoKor: LiG-Nex1 Developing Close-in https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30102/LiG 120 Weapons System with AESA Radar for _Nex1_Developing_Close_in_Weapons_Syste Warships m_with_AESA_Radar_for_Warships New Approaches to Verifying and https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/07/27/ne 121 Monitoring North Korea’s Nuclear w-approaches-to-verifying-and-monitoring- Arsenal north-korea-s-nuclear-arsenal-pub-85003 Hotels and Free Wi-Fi Are Sitting Ducks https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/hotels-and- 122 for North Korean Cybercriminals free-wi-fi-are-sitting-ducks-for-north-korean- cybercriminals/ Singapore, US affirm 'vital' American https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singa 123 presence in region as defence chiefs pore/singapore-us-defence-meeting-lloyd- meet austin-region-stability-15307008 Austin Emphasizes Partnership in http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/ 124 Singapore Speech Article/2708276/austin-emphasizes- partnership-in-singapore-speech/ British carrier strike group conducts https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/british- 125 passage exercise with Singapore navy carrier-strike-group-conducts-passage- exercise-with-singapore-navy David and Goliath: Myanmar’s Armed https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/david-and- 126 Resistance at the Crossroads goliath-myanmars-armed-resistance-at-the- crossroads/ Myanmar military acts 'flatly https://www.hindustantimes.com/world- 127 unacceptable': Pentagon chief news/pentagon-chief-myanmar-military-acts- flatly-unacceptable-101627396008008.html https://defenceview.in/indias-master-plans-to- 128 India’s Master Plans To Become A Nuclear Submarine Superpower become-a-nuclear-submarine-superpower/ India: Time For UNSC To Take Holistic https://asiapost.live/time-for-unsc-to-take- 129 Approach To Maritime Security Issue holistic-approach-to-maritime-security-issue- india-ahead-of-august-presidency/ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh begins https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/de three-day visit to Dushanbe to attend fence/rajnath-begins-three-day-visit-to- 130 SCO meet dushanbe-to-attend-sco- meet/articleshow/84786839.cms India, Russia to hold 13-day mega https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/de military exercise in Volgograd fence/india-russia-to-hold-13-day-mega- 131 military-exercise-in- volgograd/articleshow/84787233.cms Sri Lanka To Revive And Upgrade Its https://www.asiapacificdefensejournal.com/202 132 Remaining Kfir Fighter Fleet 1/07/sri-lanka-to-revive-and-upgrade-its.html Australia is well positioned for space https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-is- 133 launches well-positioned-for-space-launches/ Australian man jailed for three years for https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/a 134 trying to sell North Korean missile parts rticle/3142722/australian-man-sentenced- three-years-jail-trying-sell-north Putin Expresses Support for Cossack https://jamestown.org/program/putin- 135 Battalion in Russian National Guard expresses-support-for-cossack-battalion-in- russian-national-guard/ Zelenodolsk Shipyard Launched Two https://www.navalnews.com/naval- 136 Russian Navy’s Project 21980 Boats news/2021/07/zelenodolsk-shipyard-launched- two-russian-navys-project-21980-boats/ Russia to float out the Project 885M https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/na nuclear-powered submarine val-news/naval-news-archive/2021/10240- 137 naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime- defense-industry/10480-russia-to-float-out-the- project-885m-nuclear-powered-submarine.html Russia Initiates Fifth-Gen Carrier Based https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30101/Rus 138 VTOL Aircraft Project sia_Initiates_Fifth_Gen_Carrier_Based_VTOL _Aircraft_Project Five key advantages of Russian Su-75 https://defenceview.in/five-key-advantages-of- 139 Checkmate fighter russian-su-75-checkmate-fighter/ Russia's new stealth fighter has the https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-likely- 140 same big problem as its first stealth cant-afford-development-of-new-stealth- fighter fighter-2021-7 Russia works on two new 'Doomsday https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/russia- planes' working-on-two-new-doomsday-planes-for- 141 use-in-nuclear- war/D6KQRUIFMNCMDZ4D6LO3SQQE4Q/ https://jamestown.org/program/naval-parade- 142 Naval Parade Plays Into Putin’s Dangerous Vanity plays-into-putins-dangerous-vanity/ Russia’s New Yasen-M Stealth https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/07/russias- 143 Submarine Is Almost Here new-yasen-m-stealth-submarine-is-almost- here-armed-with-hypersonic-missiles/ Managing COVID-19 risks on navy ships https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/com 144 with small spaces is insanely challenging mentary/covid-19-risks-cruises-ships-navy- ships-small-spaces-disinfect-15297444 The Cyber Apocalypse Never Came. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/ 145 Here’s What We Got Instead 07/27/cyber-apocalypse-russia-china-warfare- 500787 America’s recent military history points to https://www.smh.com.au/world/north- strategic shortcomings america/america-s-recent-military-history- 146 points-to-strategic-shortcomings-20210726- p58d1y.html https://www.cato.org/blog/biden-said-hes- 147 Biden Says He’s Ending Forever Wars. He Isn’t ending-forever-wars-he-isnt As US troops leave Afghanistan, what https://www.cnas.org/press/in-the-news/as-us- 148 will future policy look like troops-leave-afghanistan-what-will-future- policy-look-like Questioning the “Domestic” and https://www.justsecurity.org/77557/questioning 149 “International” in Biden’s -the-domestic-and-international-in-bidens- Counterterrorism Strategy counterterrorism-strategy/ What going to happen, if India-Pakistan https://defenceview.in/what-gonna-happen-if- 150 go for Nuclear War india-pakistan-go-for-nuclear-war/ Back To The Future: Routine https://cimsec.org/back-to-the-future-routine- 151 Experimentation With Prototypes experimentation-with-prototypes/ Confronting Cyber Threats: Challenges https://mwi.usma.edu/confronting-cyber- 152 And Opportunities threats-challenges-and-opportunities/ DOWNLOAD: Tailoring Deterrence for https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/r 153 China in Space esearch_reports/RRA900/RRA943- 1/RAND_RRA943-1.pdf Assessing a Situation Where the Mission https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/202 154 Is a Headline 1/07/27/assessing_a_situation_where_the_mis sion_is_a_headline_787188.html Navigating the Gray Space of Social https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2 155 Media 021/july/navigating-gray-space-social-media COVID NEWS DOH: No definitive evidence of Covid https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/doh- 156 surge in Metro Manila no-definitive-evidence-of-covid-surge-in-metro- manila/ Health experts want hard lockdown amid https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/heal 157 Delta Covid-19 spike th-experts-want-hard-lockdown-amid-delta- covid-19-spike/ DOH says booster shot for Sinovac still https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/28 158 being studied /2115699/doh-says-booster-shot-sinovac-still- being-studied Antibodies from Sinovac's COVID-19 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/ 159 shot fade after about 6 months, booster antibodies-sinovac-covid-vaccine-6-months- helps: Study booster-china-study-15301994 Third shot of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1229 160 offers big increase in antibody levels: 716.shtml study Shielding not as effective, people eight https://www.hindustantimes.com/world- times more likely to get Covid: Study news/shielding-not-effective-as-hoped-people- 161 eight-times-more-likely-to-get-covid-19-study- 101627386021037.html Covid-19 Deaths Rise Sharply in https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-deaths- 162 Indonesia rise-sharply-in-indonesia-11627403315 Thailand's COVID-19 national https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/t 163 vaccination programme hit by supply hailand-covid-19-vaccination-shortage- shortage, uncertain delivery schedule astrazeneca-sinovac-15268932 Vietnam’s fourth wave takes toll on https://www.scmp.com/week- factory output, small businesses asia/economics/article/3142734/vietnams- 164 coronavirus-surge-continues-lockdowns-take- their-toll What you need to know about the https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare- 165 coronavirus right now pharmaceuticals/what-you-need-know-about- coronavirus-right-now-2021-03-02/ Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020- 166 Across the World coronavirus-cases-world- map/?srnd=coronavirus Covid map: Where are cases the https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105 167 highest? Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid- 168 vaccine-tracker-global- distribution/?srnd=premium-asia

J. OPINION/EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY Title Link 169 Indomitable Filipino spirit https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/07/28/ind omitable-filipino-spirit/ 170 Let’s celebrate activism https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/lets- celebrate-activism/ 171 But not yet a surge’ https://opinion.inquirer.net/142538/but-not-yet- a-surge 172 Why We Fight https://thestrategybridge.org/the- bridge/2021/7/27/oxytocin-beats-testosterone- reviewing-why-we-fight 173 Is China taking a more pragmatic https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/ approach to ease tensions with the US? article/3142757/chinas-demands-us-starting- point-ease-tensions-or-path-more 174 We're Not Prepared to Live in This https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/20 Surveillance Society 21-07-26/pegasus-spyware-we-re-not- prepared-to-live-in-this-surveillance- society?srnd=premium 175 The US-China semiconductor race does https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/com not have to be zero-sum mentary/us-china-tech-split-trade-war- globalisation-xi-biden-semicon-15275932 176 Rising China: US and West will stop at https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/ nothing to counter ‘threat’ 3142662/rising-china-huawei-technologies-co- or-hong-kong-us-and-west-will 177 Energy Independence Doesn’t Mean https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/26/energy- What It Used To independence-climate-change-us-national- security/ 178 A Green Light for Russian Hegemony https://www.hoover.org/research/green-light- russian-hegemony 179 Could North Korea And South Korea https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/07/could- Reboot Relations? north-korea-and-south-korea-reboot-relations/

How Hidilyn Diaz made Olympic history as the Philippines' first gold medallist

Hidilyn Diaz trained in the carport of a house in Malaysia before winning a stunning Olympic gold for the Philippines. (File photo: AFP/Mohd Rasfan)

27 Jul 2021 05:44AM(Updated: 27 Jul 2021 11:02AM)

TOKYO: Triumphant weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz will now forget the years of exile, sacrifice, training and nutrition that took her to the Philippines' first Olympic gold by tucking into her favourite sweet passions, cheesecake and bubble tea.

"Yes I will eat a lot tonight," she smiled as she told AFP of her plans after her final massive 127kg lift eclipsed China's world record holder Liao Qiuyun in the women's 55kg class and gave her country a first gold after 97 years of Olympic competition.

"I mean I've been sacrificing my food, and this is the time to celebrate together with the people who are behind me. So I'm really thankful I can eat now, yes," said the 30-year-old who stands just 1.58m tall.

READ: Weightlifter Diaz wins first ever Olympic gold for Philippines

Diaz, 30, was already assured a place in her country's sporting folklore, alongside the likes of Manny Pacquiao, as the only woman from the sprawling archipelago ever to win an Olympic medal when she took a surprise silver in the 53kg class in Rio five years ago.

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That ended a 20-year medal drought for the country who first competed on the Olympic stage in 1924 in Paris.

She was determined to turn Rio silver into Tokyo gold and recruited top Chinese coach Gao Kaiwen two months before picking up her country's first weightlifting Asian Games gold in Jakarta in 2018.

Gao, who has also been head coach of the Chinese national women's army team, "made a difference in my lifts", said Diaz. "He's a positive person and I like to have him around me," she said. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/how-hidilyn-diaz-made-olympic-history-philippines-gold- medal-15303856

June budget gap leads to H1 deficit of P716.1 billion BYBERNADETTE D. NICOLAS JULY 27, 2021 4 MINUTE READ As early as 5:30 am, public school teachers in Caloocan City waited at Maria Clara High School on Tuesday (July 27, 2021), to receive Astra Zeneca Covid-19 vaccine, limited to 590 slots only. The DOH announced on Sunday 55 new cases of the Delta variant, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 119. 1 2 THE national government’s budget balance swung to a deficit in June, pushing the shortfall for the first half of the year to P716.1 billion, according to the Bureau of the Treasury.

The cumulative budget deficit from January to June this year was wider than the P560.4 billion recorded in the same period last year.

The wider deficit resulted from government expenditures exceeding its revenues.

However, the actual budget gap for the six-month period was down by 29.66 percent compared to the government’s program of P1.018 trillion.

Revenues in the first semester this year stood at P1.49 trillion, posting a 2.55-percent uptick from last year’s P1.45 trillion. The government also breached its revised forecast of P1.42 trillion.

Of the total, 90 percent was raised through taxes while the rest came from non-tax sources. On the other hand, state expenditures in the same period rose by 9.57 percent to reach P2.21 trillion from P2.01 trillion a year ago.

Although government spending improved during the first half of this year, it still fell short of the P2.44-trillion revised program by 9.56 percent.

“This is mainly due to the timing of subsidy releases awaiting requests from the concerned GOCCs [government-owned and -controlled corporations], the pending enactment of the GUIDE [Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery Act] bill, outstanding checks as of end-June which are yet to be encashed by contractors or suppliers of line agencies, as well as interest savings,” the BTr said in a statement.

For June alone, the national government posted a P149.9-billion budget deficit, reversing the P1.8-billion budget surplus in the same month in 2020.

This resulted from the decline in revenue collection as there was no extension on the payment of income taxes this year, unlike last year when it was extended to June.

Revenues dropped by 30.03 percent year-on-year to P245.6 billion in June from last year’s P351 billion.

Expenditures

Meanwhile, expenditures during the month climbed to P395.4 billion, a 13.24-percent uptick from P349.2 billion in 2020. The Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) raised its projection for the country’s budget deficit-to-GDP ratio this year to 9.3 percent or P1.86 trillion, from 8.9 percent or P1.78 trillion previously.

ING Bank Manila economist Nicholas Antonio T. Mapa warned that the country could face a credit downgrade as early as the first quarter of next year if the country continues with its “current fiscal deterioriation.”

Mapa noted international credit watcher Fitch Ratings said back in April that it would hold off downgrades for the entire 2021 and postpone possible rating actions to 2022.

While Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on the Philippines’s rating down to “negative” from “stable” as it cited the strong impact of the pandemic on the economy, it affirmed the country’s rating at “BBB.”

“With the YTD [year-to-date] deficit at 716 billion, approximately 8 percent of GDP, it’s getting more challenging to keep the debt-to-GDP level below 60 percent for the year. This could trigger a downgrade as early as 1Q 2022,” Mapa told the BusinessMirror in a message.

For his part, UnionBank Chief Economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion said that other credit rating agencies may follow Fitch Ratings’ move given the current fiscal balance situation of the government.

“With Fitch starting off with a preview of a downgrade, I cannot help but think that other credit rating agencies may follow suit. It may not mean an actual downgrade in the medium-term, but the fiscal challenge is really real,” Asuncion said. As for the government missing its spending program, Mapa said this suggests a “softer outturn” for second-quarter GDP as government spending remains “tepid” amid ongoing recession and pandemic.

“The economy has been counting on government spending to fill the void left by the private sector and with this development, we understand that authorities have struggled to get out badly needed expenditure to help support the economy,” he said.

“Given underspending in the first half of the year, we are expecting 11 percent gain in GDP, largely driven by low base,” he added.

Asuncion noted that government spending has been the challenge, not just because of the crisis. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/june-budget-gap-leads-to-h1-deficit-of-p716- 1-billion/

Independent foreign policy? Recto says Duterte is ‘pro-China’

By: Christia Marie Ramos - Reporter / @CMRamosINQ INQUIRER.net / 11:05 AM July 27, 2021

Senator Ralph Recto. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, who believes that the Chief Executive — President Rodrigo Duterte is “pro China,” according to is not really pursuing an independent foreign policy. pro-China so that is not an independent foreign policy as far as I am concerned. “I don’t think we do have an independent foreign policy. I think the President is And then you see it in the body language and the words that he utters in favor of -CBN News Channel Tuesday.

ADVERTISEMENT China,” Recto said in an interview on ABS The senator, however, was quick to clarify that he has nothing against China and

that hethis favors problem having will good be inherited relations by with the thenext country’s administration neighbors. as well and no one is talking about going to war with China. There are many things that we can do to “But senator went on. assert our sovereignty. You don’t need to go to war with China for that,” the e do have a lot of allies in the region. We have South Korea, Japan, the Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue): India, you have Australia, you have New “W

Zealand, you have the US, the British,s final so State on and of the so forth,”Nation he Address added. (Sona) on Monday, where the President said the Philippines will be if it goes to This was his reaction to Duterte’ war against China. “massacred”

The Chief Executive said this in his Sona criticisms against his previous remarks on

trash that can be the country’s maritime dispute with China, most notably when he said Manila’s thrown away. 2016 arbitral victory was a “piece of paper” and likened it to Recto went on. “I don’t think it is proper for the President to say that is a useless piece of paper,”

Asked how Duterte’s foreign policy will affect the next administration, the senator said: “It would be a continuing problemrst and for foremost,the next president. protect our” fishermen and

“So it is really a balancing act. But fi deal with their allies…Continue dialogue with China. Everyone is concerned.

Everyone in the world, in the region is concerned about China’s assertiveness in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

Read more: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/198044/independent-foreign-policy- recto-says-duterte-is-pro-china#ixzz72FqleTKW Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook https://globalnation.inquirer.net/198044/independent-foreign-policy-recto-says-duterte- is-pro-china

Back-and-forth evacuations and a year of gut punches over Taal volcano's unrest

A sign at a home outside Taal volcano's danger zone. (Image: Robert Malicsi)

By Buena Bernal 27 Jul 2021 06:00AM(Updated: 27 Jul 2021 06:00AM)

BATANGAS, Philippines: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Friday (Jul 23) night lowered the alert status for Taal volcano from level 3 to 2 (out of 5), effectively shrinking the defined danger zone.

The alert level had been raised to 3 on Jul 1, following an eruption that lasted just five minutes. But for the people living around the active volcano, it had been the latest in a series of struggles for more than a year.

Advertisement Within a 7km radius of Taal's crater stands five villages. An evacuation order following the Jul 1 eruption emptied them out, sending their inhabitants scattered across government centres, makeshift shelters and for some, the homes of those willing to take them in.

Eusty Deomampo is one such host. In the compound of her home, she and her husband have a hut, hastily put together with plywood and rust-covered metal roofing. There is no proper flooring and there is just enough space for a bed.

Four evacuee families call it home for now.

Families are cramped in this hut made mostly of corroded metal roofing. (Image: Robert Malicsi) When it rains, the families have to contend with muddy ground and a leaking roof. Despite these less-than-ideal conditions, Mrs Deomampo says this is part of being Filipino: Providing a lifeline to loved ones in need, undeterred by having very little to give.

"Even though there's a lot of us here right now, I tell my husband to extend whatever help we can," she tells me in Filipino. and we are able to eat as a couple, then my relatives will also eat. "My husband is a construction worker … He has no steady job. If it is a good day "Even if there's a pandemic, there's COVID-19 or the volcano (erupting), whatever happens, happens. As long as we're together helping each other out," she added.

Eusty Deomampo, 27, carries her baby niece in her lap. (Image: Robert Malicsi) But even those offering help need assistance themselves. A sign outside Mrs Deomampo's home reads: "Taal volcano victim". Outside the 7km danger zone are houses with similar signs, indicating that displaced families live there.

Adding to the crunch are evacuees who have opted against seeking help at government evacuation centres, where capacity has been limited further by safe distancing protocols. The fear of catching COVID-19 has also discouraged people from going to such facilities.

A sign outside Eusty Deomampo's home. (Image: Robert Malicsi) COVID-19: THE DANGER OF DEBT One of those Mrs Deomampo is hosting is her mother Adoracion Suarez, who was forced to leave her home in one of the five high-risk villages near Taal volcano.

Mrs Suarez is no stranger to the destructive powers of Taal, having survived a 1965 eruption that claimed 200 lives. Unwilling to give up land that she had inherited, she returned soon after.

Mrs Suarez was a 5th grader during the explosive 1965 eruption. She remembers houses destroyed by flaming rock fragments raining down on them. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/taal-volcano-philippines-back-and-forth- evacuations-15291516

Government should pay for lives, property lost during 2017 Marawi siege, CSOs insist BY MANUEL CAYONANDCAI ORDINARIO JULY 27, 2021 3 MINUTE READ In this October 17, 2017, file photo, hundreds of evacuees are housed in a multipurpose hall at Balo-i, Lanao del Norte, after fleeing the besieged city of Marawi in southern Philippines. 1 2 DAVAO CITY – More than the rehabilitation of Marawi City, a group of civil society organizations (CSO) is now demanding compensation from government for properties damaged and lives lost in the 2017 siege to retake the city from the control of ISIS-supported Maute group.

The CSOs were disappointed that President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) last Monday did not mention anything about the compensation they are seeking from the government.

The newly established CSO Marawi Compensation Advocates (CSO- MCA) said its clamor for the government to compensate internally displaced people (IDP) of Marawi would “overshadow” the Sona of President Duterte, whom they said “oversaw the conduct of the war” in Marawi City.

“The imagery of death and destruction coupled with the poverty of action to provide compensation has dwarfed other critical issues in Mindanao, including the political demand for NO-EL or no election in the Bangsamoro,” said Ding Cali, director of the Kalimudan sa Ranao Foundation Inc. The Marawi Reconstruction Conflict Watch, for its part, said the President and Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) should fast-track their efforts to bring thousands of families home.

However, they lamented that the Marawi compensation bill has not been certified as an urgent piece of legislation. The bill, the group said, was filed to rebuild their lives and re-establish trust in government.

“This is a rebuke to the hundreds of thousands of Maranaos who continue to suffer just because they were caught in the middle of a war not of their own making,” the group, composed of local experts that monitor the rehabilitation process, said.

International Alert Philippines agreed and said the national government should not forget the IDP in Marawi because they too are Filipinos and should be part of government’s vision for the country.

“The Marawi people have time and again said: Don’t forget Marawi, we are Filipinos too. Make the compensation bill a priority,” International Alert Philippines said.

CSO-MCA claimed that the demand for compensation for the damages and lives lost in the May to October 2017 siege was aired by the evacuees during consultation with them by their member organizations.

In the first week of July, Cali said, the newly established coalition of 15 CSOs and alliances in Marawi City asked Congress to expedite the passage of the Marawi compensation bill and urged the President to state unequivocally his support for compensation in his Sona speech.

“This is our plea to our President and lawmakers, to certify the passing of the compensation bill as urgent, so that we might have some justice for what happened in Marawi,” he said. Del Rosario’s pledge

TFBM Chairman Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario, for his part, assured President Duterte that the rehabilitation of public infrastructure in Marawi City would be completed within his term.

This after President Duterte’s call for the task force to hasten efforts in rebuilding the country’s lone Islamic city during his Sona.

Del Rosario said TFBM is already 70 percent to 75 percent complete in the overall rehabilitation works. He expects that by December, a substantial number of projects will be completed as embodied in the master development plan.

“On behalf of Task Force Bangon Marawi and our 56 implementing agencies, I would like to assure . . . President Duterte and our Maranao brothers and sisters that we will complete the rehabilitation of all major infrastructures in Marawi City within his administration,” Del Rosario said.

Last week, the TFBM chief visited Marawi, and spearheaded the awarding of 170 more permanent shelters to families of IDP. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/government-should-pay-for-lives-property- lost-during-2017-marawi-siege-csos-insist/

Gov't to decide on PH quarantine level every 15 days

Published July 27, 2021, 6:20 PM by Genalyn Kabiling The country’s quarantine classification will be reviewed and decided upon every two weeks to immediately respond to the threat of the Delta coronavirus variant in the country, Malacañang said Tuesday.

President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a public address on pandemic response at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on July 24, 2021. (Malacañang) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced the latest change in the community quarantine schedule to address any rise in the cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) previously recommends the risk classification of a city and province every month. The recommendation on whether to escalate or downgrade the community quarantine of a certain area is then submitted to the President for final decision.

“Sinabihan na po ng IATF ang Presidente na ang ating classification will now be every 15 days, kasi we need to be able to move quickly kapag talagang sumipa po ang kaso ng Delta variants. Kasi ganiyan po iyong anyo ng Delta variant, bigla na lang sumisipa (The President told the IATF that our classification will now be every 15 days because we need to be able to move quickly when the cases of Delta variant surge),” Roque said during a televised press briefing Tuesday, July 27.

“So, kung dati po ay nasasanay tayo na monthly ang ating quarantine classification, ngayon po ginagawa nating at least every two weeks, pero every week po mino-monitor po natin (So if we are used to having our monthly quarantine classification, now we will make it at least every two weeks but we will monitor the situation every week),” he said.

The government recently placed Iloilo province and three other areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the most restrictive of the four levels of lockdown implemented by the government to curb the coronavirus outbreak, until the end of July. Metro Manila and other areas have been put under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions.

.https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/govt-to-decide-on-ph-quarantine-level-every-15-days/ PAGASA: ‘Habagat’ to pour more rains across PH

Published July 27, 2021, 5:06 PM by Jhon Aldrin Casinas The southwest monsoon or “habagat” will continue to dump more rains across the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

The state weather bureau said the habagat continues to affect the country, and is seen to pour monsoon rains over Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Zambales, and Bataan.

Moderate to heavy, with at times intense rains, due to the habagat may be felt over Ilocos Region, Zambales, and Bataan in the next 24 hours, it added.

State meteorologists warned against possible flash floods or landslides due to scattered or widespread moderate to at times heavy rains.

Occasional rains brought by the monsoon may be prevail over Metro Manila, rest of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Abra, Benguet, rest of Cagayan, Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Northern Palawan including Cuyo and Calamian Islands, Antique, and Aklan.

Likewise, light to moderate, with at times heavy rains, will prevail over Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, and Occidental Mindoro.

“Moreover, occasional gusty winds will be experienced over these areas especially in the coastal and upland localities,” the agency said.

“Under these conditions, scattered to widespread flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps,” it added.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/pagasa-habagat-to-pour-more-rains-across-ph/

Habagat dumped more than a month's worth of rain in NCR, nearby areas, says PAGASA ABS-CBN News Posted at Jul 28 2021 07:17 AM | Updated as of Jul 28 2021 08:58 AM MANILA—The southwest monsoon dumped a month's worth of rains over parts of Luzon in the past 7 days, the state weather bureau said Wednesday.

Several PAGASA weather stations, including Port Area in Manila, Science Gard in Quezon City, Sangley Point in Cavite, and the NAIA in Pasay recorded the rainfall, said weather forecaster Ariel Rojas.

Its Abucay Station in Bataan recorded 886 millimeters or nearly a month's worth of rain in "just 7 days," he added.

"Kaya po malawakang pagbaha at pagguho ng lupa ang naranasan din sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon sa pagpapalakas nitong habagat ng nagdaang Typhoon Fabian," Rojas told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(This is the reason why a big part of Luzon experienced widespread flooding and landslides when Typhoon Fabian enhanced the southwest monsoon.)

• Fabian now outside PH but heavy monsoon rains continue to drench Luzon, W. Visayas

Monsoon rains are expected over Ilocos, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro, PAGASA said in its daily weather bulletin.

Occasional monsoon rains, meanwhile, are expected in Metro Manila, the rest of Cagayan Valley, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Northern Palawan including Cuyo and Calamian Islands, Antique, and Aklan.

The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains or thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon.

There are no expected weather disturbances towards the end of the month, Rojas said. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/28/21/habagat-months-worth-rain-ncr-pagasa

Rufus: Enforcing WPS arbitral win doesn’t mean war vs China BYJOVEE MARIE DE LA CRUZ JULY 27, 2021 2 MINUTE READ

In this April 25, 2019, file photo, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, poses with Chinese President Xi Jinping for a photo before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Kenzaburo Fukuhara /Pool Photo via AP) A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Tuesday reminded President Duterte that going to war against China is not an option in enforcing the Philippines arbitral victory in the West Philippine Sea.

Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez made a statement after President Duterte said during his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) that asserting country’s territorial rights would only lead to war with China.

“However, we can assert our sovereign rights over our 200 Miles Exclusive Economic Zone as upheld by the International Tribunal Award,” he said.

“Under international law, the award is binding upon China. It is to be noted that China sent a position paper which the Tribunal considered and thoroughly deliberated on in granting the award,” he added.

With this, the House leader said on the scale of 1 to 10, “I give the President a grade of 8.”

Earlier, Rodriguez filed House Resolution 1975 urging the Congress to declare July 12 of every year as National West Philippine Sea Victory Day. He said this declaration will celebrate the government’s July 12, 2016 triumph before the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration, which upheld our country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea, “much of which our frenemy China is illegally claiming as part of its territory.”

According to Rodriguez, it is clear that under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Kalayaan Island group and portions of the Spratly Islands in the Palawan area and Panatag Shoal off Zambales and Pangasinan are part of the 200-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

He said China is illegally occupying some of these islands, including Panatag or Scarborough Shoal, which Filipino fishermen call Bajo de Masinloc and which Beijing seized in 2012 after a standoff between the Chinese Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/rufus-enforcing-wps-arbitral-win-doesnt- mean-war-vs-china/

Maritime law expert calls out Duterte's 'contradicting' SONA remarks on arbitral award

Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News Posted at Jul 27 2021 06:03 PM MANILA — A maritime law expert on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte’s “contradicting” statements on the arbitral award during his final State of the Nation Address (SONA) reflected his lack of understanding of the Philippines’ position over the matter.

Duterte, in his SONA, repeated his statement before the UN General Assembly in September last year where he said that the award is now part of international law “beyond compromise and beyond the reach of the passing governments to dilute, to diminish or abandon.”

• Philippines firm on South China Sea win, Duterte tells UN

Yet, he also said the award does not bind China and “there was really no arbitration at all because it was only the Philippine side who was heard.”

• ‘No arbitration’ occurred, says Duterte despite PCA ruling favoring PH

According to UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea director Jay Batongbacal, Duterte echoed the position of China which has refused to recognize the arbitral award, calling it “illegal, null and void.”

"Una, sinabi niya na pinaninidigan daw ang arbitration. At inulit niya ang sinabi niya sa UN General Assembly na hindi raw papayag na ma-undermine ang decision. And then a few minutes later, sasabihin niya wala namang arbitration. So, contradicting. Kaya parang ang lumalabas, talagang hindi niya naiintindihan kahit ang sinasabi niya,” Batongbacal said in a phone interview.

(He first said that we are upholding the arbitration. And he repeated his statement before the UN General Assembly, that we won't allow the decision to be undermined. And then, a few minutes later, he said there was really no arbitration. So, it's contradicting. This shows he doesn't understand what he is talking about.)

Batongbacal said Duterte effectively reinforced China's position.

"There’s a bit of danger there, kasi nga gagamitin sigurado iyan ng Tsina. Iyong sinabi niya na wala naman talagang arbitration kasi hindi nag-participate ang China, eh iyon mismo ang posisyon ng China tungkol dito. Inuulit niya ang posisyon ng China every time tinutuligsa nila itong arbitration. So parang kinakampihan niya talaga ang China kumbaga," he said.

(There's a bit of danger there, because for sure, China will take advantage of that statement. His statement that there was no arbitration because China did not participate, is actually China's position on the matter. He is echoing the portion of China every time the arbitration is being criticized. So, it appears he is take the side of China.)

The President’s officials, Batongbacal said, must do some damage control to clarify the President’s statement.

“Dapat ang Pilipinas manindigan pa rin doon sa tama... At kahit na may nasabi ang Presidente na ganyan, hindi iyan ang totoong posisyon ng bansa. Hindi niya dala ang buong bansa diyan sa mga pananalita niyang napaka-reckless at hindi pinag-iisipan,” added Batongbacal.

(The Philippines should take a stand for what is right... Even though he made those statements, that is not position of the country. He doesn't have the backing of the country when he issued those reckless and not-well-thought-out remarks.)

In May this year, Duterte called the victory in the arbitral tribunal a mere piece of paper that he would throw in the waste basket.

• Duterte calls Philippine arbitral victory vs China a piece of 'paper' that led to nothing

The arbitral award was promulgated in July 2016 just days after Duterte assumed power. He temporarily shelved the ruling as he forged friendlier relations with China to seek investments and aid. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/27/21/maritime-law-expert-calls-out-dutertes- contradicting-sona-remarks-on-arbitral-award

North American firm may soon take over ops of Hanjin shipyard at Subic BYSAMUEL MEDENILLA JULY 27, 2021 1 MINUTE READ The Hanjin shipyard is seen from across Redondo Bay in this BusinessMirror’s February 2019 photo. 1 1 A North American company may soon take over the operation of a sprawling shipyard in Zambales previously operated by Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co.-Philippines (HHICC-Phil) Inc.

In an online news briefing on Monday, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chief Executive Officer and Administrator Wilma Eisma disclosed the agreement for the transfer of the management of the shipyard is now “99.99 percent” complete.

However, she declined to identify the said “white knight” firm until the said accord sealing the transaction is complete.

“Hopefully, before the end of the year, we will be able to announce the reopening of the Hanjin Shipyard,” Eisma said.

Eisma welcomed the development, saying it will translate to hundreds of employment opportunities in Zambales.

In 2019, the BusinessMirror reported the looming closure of the shipyard due to the financial loses of Hanjin, which led to the displacement of at least 3,400 workers.

During its heydays, the shipyard employed as many as 30,000 workers. Eisma said the new operator of the shipyard is open to rehiring the displaced workers of Hanjin.

“We are very excited because it means many jobs will be back,” Eisma said.

Last month, the Philippine Navy (PN) announced it has already signed a “term sheet” with HHICC-Phil for the use of the North Yard of the 300-hectare shipyard in Subic.

The Navy plans to convert the 100-hectare North Yard to house its Philippine Fleet, Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Installation Command, and the Amphibious Assault Battalion. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/north-american-firm-may-soon-take-over-ops- of-hanjin-shipyard-at-subic/

Zambales fishermen: Nobody wants to go to war with China

By: Joanna Rose Aglibot - @inquirerdotnet Inquirer Northern Luzon / 09:20 PM July 27, 2021 SAN ANTONIO, Zambales Fisherman Bobby Roldan from Masinloc town said he - — on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) during his last State of the Nation Address was no longer surprised about President Rodrigo Duterte’s “worn out narrative” (SONA) on Monday, July 26.

Duterte said he could not do anything with the arbitral ruling despite being

pushed to do something about it, saying it was “more than what I can handle.” arbitration. There was really no arbitration at all because it was only the “What will I do with a document that is not binding? China was not a part of that

Philippine side,” Duterte said in his speech. - China? Duterte added: “Ano ang gusto nila? Makipag giyera?…Do you want war against READ: Go to war with China over West PH Sea? It will be a ‘massacre’, says Duterte deliberate neglect to uphold our national sovereignty and But Roldan said Duterte’s remark was “an excuse to justify his cowardice and Unmute Duration 1:06 territorial rights.” / Current Time 0:14

“As usual, Duterte dichotomizes the assertion of our legal rights in the West also vice chair for Central Luzon of fisherfolk group Pamalakaya, told the Inquirer Philippine Sea by equating it with an armed confrontation against China,” Roldan, in a text message.

According to Roldan, fishermen had been insisting that “nobody wants to have war against China or any foreign countries.” decisive assertion stemming from

“What we have been asserting since day one is a said. a strong political will of our exclusive rights in our exclusive economic zone,” he being an enabler of Chinese aggression and imperialist plunder of our territorial He added: “Duterte should be condemned as a national traitor for consistently

seas.”

Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1465477/zambales-fishermen-nobody-wants- to-go-to-war-with-china#ixzz72G2Gzel3 Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1465477/zambales-fishermen-nobody-wants-to-go-to-war- with-china

Duterte vows to end armed communist struggle ‘once and for all’

Published July 27, 2021, 2:30 PM by Genalyn Kabiling The local armed communist struggle will eventually be over following the government’s strides in the anti-insurgency operations, according to President Duterte.

President Duterte arrives at the Batasang Pambansa to deliver his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday, July 26, 2021. (Malacañang) The President highlighted the government’s accomplishments in the quest to end the local communist insurgency, including the dismantling of communist fronts as well as the surrender of more than 17,000 rebels to the government, during his final address to the nation Monday.

With government aid, these former rebels have returned to the fold of the law and were “happily reintegrating” with society, Duterte said.

“With the support of our local government units, I am confident that support for the communist movement will continue to erode in the next few months,” the President said in his sixth State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday, July 26.

“And like the decades-old Moro rebellion in Mindanao, we will also bring an end to the armed struggle of the communists once and for all,”he said.

Citing the work of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF- ELCAC), the President said the government made “great strides in addressing the root causes of the conflict by empowering people used by communists for decades.

In line with building safe and conflict-resilient barangays, he said the government worked towards the sustainable rehabilitation and development of communities where the communists used to operate.

“Through the NTF-ELCAC, we invested in farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water and sanitation [systems], health stations, and livelihood [projects],” he said. The President also slammed anew the extortion activities of local communist groups, saying their leaders earns billions from such “taxation” and live rich lives while their members fighting on the ground die poor and hungry.

“Everybody, as everybody in this country, are paying taxes to the communists. The Communist Party earns billions but pass on a little to their fighting men who die for an ideology that is so rotten and corrupt,” he said.

While party leaders were living comfortably, he said the poor communist rebels were fighting a “losing battle” with the government. “They waste lives, they enlist children and they are proud of it, but they deny it,” he said.

The peace talks between the government and the rebels were terminated in 2017 after the President protested the atrocities committed against troops and civilians. Recently, he ordered government forces to shoot dead any armed communist rebel on sight.

The commander-in-chief reiterated his kill order during his SONA last Monday.

“So that my orders to the — to you, if you see them walking around, kindly shoot them dead. I would be happy,” Duterte told the country’s security forces. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/duterte-vows-to-end-armed-communist-struggle-once- and-for-all/

AFP, PNP welcome Duterte’s call for unified pension system, legal aid for personnel By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News Published July 27, 2021 3:49pm

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday thanked President Rodrigo Duterte after he called for a unified pension system and free legal aid for their personnel.

In a statement, PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar welcomed the statements of Duterte in his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

-alay ng matagal na panahon sa pagsisilbing tapat sa sinumpaang tungkulin para proteksyunan ang “Malaking bagay ito para sa mga nagsakripisyo at nag

(Itbayan is a atbig mamamayan,” help for the personnel who sacrificed and provided long service for their mandate to give protection to the country and the public.)

In a separate statement, the AFP emphasized that the legal assistance would not be taken advantage of to commit abuses.

his will not be an excuse or open opportunities for our

“We reiterate that t soldiers to commit abuses,” the AFP said.

“Rather, this is a testament that the rule of law reigns on every aspect of our efforts in support to law enforcement operations.” At the Laging Handa public briefing AFP public affairs office chief Captain Jonathan Zata, after thanking Duterte, added that the distribution of the differential pension for their retirees was still ongoing.

During the SONA, Duterte urged Congress to pass a law for free legal assistance for the military and the police to assist them when they face charges related to their performance of official duty. — DVM, GMA News https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/797003/afp-pnp-welcome-duterte-s- call-for-unified-pension-system-legal-aid-for-personnel/story/

Simple AFP welcome for Hidilyn, for now BYJUN LOMIBAO JULY 27, 2021 2 MINUTE READ Hidilyn Diaz gestures after winning the gold medal in the women’s 55- kg weightlifting event, at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.

TOKYO—There won’t be a ticker tape parade to welcome Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz when she returns home on Wednesday, not even a red carpet.

Because of prevailing health protocols, Diaz and eight others— including fellow weightlifter Elreen Ando—from Team Philippines who’re flying via Philippine Airlines are headed straight to a Pasay City hotel for a mandatory seven-day quarantine.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines—Diaz is enlisted with the Air Force—and not the Philippine Sports Commission or the Philippine Olympic Committee will be according her a simple welcome ceremony at the airport.

The pandemic protocols do not exempt anyone, even Diaz who two nights ago ended the nation’s almost a century-long quest for its first- ever Olympic gold medal.

But before leaving Tokyo, Diaz took time to give Ando, a potential heir apparent, a pat on the back on Tuesday. She even let the 22-year-old from Cebu wear her gold medal.

“I let her feel and wear my gold medal,” Diaz said. “I want Elreen to feel the Olympics—to aim high.” An Olympic first-timer, Ando wound up seventh in the women’s 64-kg final on Tuesday night at the Tokyo International Forum, a finish that sets her up for a potential Olympic return in Paris 2023.

Ando lifted 100 in the snatch and 122 in the clean and jerk for a 222 total in the event dominated by Canada’s Maude Charron (236), Italy’s Giorgia Bordignon (232) and Chinese Taipei’s Chen Wen Huei (230).

Nesthy Petecio, meanwhile, won’t be the lone Filipino athlete competing in the Olympics on Wednesday.

Remedy Rule qualified for the semifinals of the women’s 200-meter butterfly to join Petecio, who goes for a medal round berth against Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda in a women’s featherweight in boxing. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/simple-afp-welcome-for-hidilyn-for-now/

'Strong Pinay': DND congratulates Olympic hero Hidilyn Diaz

Published July 27, 2021, 12:44 PM by Martin Sadongdong The Department of National Defense (DND) lauded weightlifter and military reservist Hidilyn Diaz for delivering the country’s first Olympic gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Monday night, July 26.

“The Department of National Defense joins the nation in congratulating weighlifting champion and Philippine Air Force (PAF) Sergeant Hidilyn Diaz on winning the country’s first ever Olympic gold medal today [Monday] in Tokyo,” said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a statement.

“Her success is a testament to the unwavering spirit of the Filipino people to rise above all odds,” he added.

Diaz was recruited into the PAF in 2013 through the military’s Direct Enlistment Program, and initially being assigned to the Air Force Special Service Group, a PAF unit that provides physical fitness, morale, and welfare services to its personnel.

Currently, she has a rank of sergeant. She was a recipient of a military merit medal and a Presidential Citation Unit Badge for spearheading PAF events.

On Monday night, Diaz ruled the 55-kilogram category in women’s weightlifting in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by lifting an Olympic record 127 kgs in her third and last attempt at clean and jerk. In total, the Zamboanga City native lifted a total of 224 kgs, which also set a new Olympic mark.

Accordingly, Diaz’ award is the first gold and the 11th overall medal for the country since it started participating in the Olympics in 1924.

In a separate Twitter post, Lorenzana posted a photo of a virtual meeting between him and Diaz.

“I always knew that [Hidilyn Diaz] would bring home the gold! Proud na proud kami sa iyo, Hidilyn! (We are very proud of you, Hidilyn!)” he said. “Her triumph is a proof of the Filipino woman’s strength. Amidst these trying times, Hidilyn has given us so much joy and hope. Her story is one that will inspire all of us,” the Defense Chief added.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PAF also heaped praises on Diaz for her Olympic feat.

“The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, sends his heart-felt greetings to Sgt. Hidilyn Diaz who brought glory not only to the armed forces but also in the entire Philippines. Hail to the Filipino athletes, hail to the Philippines!” said Captain Jonathan Zata, chief of AFP public affairs office, in a “Laging Handa” press briefing on Tuesday.

With her feat, Diaz is expected to receive at least P33 million in cash reward while the Senate has filed multiple resolutions seeking to commend her for the historic victory. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/strong-pinay-dnd-congratulates-olympic-hero-hidilyn- diaz/

Lacson: Hidilyn Diaz deserves to be commissioned as AFP officer

Published July 27, 2021, 11:49 AM by Mario Casayuran For bringing honor and inspiration to her country and people, Philippine Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz deserves to be commissioned as an officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Senator PanfiloM. Lacson on Tuesday, July 27 said.

Lacson suggested to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) leadership that Diaz, a sergeant, be given such a commission, subject to existing laws and AFP regulations.

“As chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, I would strongly recommend to the AFP leadership that she be given a rank as a commissioned officer of the PAF. It’s the least the service can give her,” Lacson said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

“Such a commission – either as a reserve or regular officer – is not just in recognition of her extraordinary feat, but also in recognition of her great potential to provide a good example to her fellow soldiers both as an athlete and as a leader,” he added.

He noted Diaz is very deserving, after she gave the Philippines its first Olympic Gold Medal in weightlifting Monday evening.

“This is an even more extraordinary accomplishment, a first in our history,” he added.

Also, Lacson said Diaz’s feat gave 110 million Filipinos a major reason to celebrate amid the humongous problems they now face.

“She makes us Filipinos very, very proud,” he said. He also said Diaz’s saluting the Philippine flag and singing the National Anthem, “was the most touching moment that will be relived in our memories for a long, long time.” https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/lacson-hidilyn-diaz-deserves-to-be-commissioned-as-afp- officer/

DND, AFP push military modernization as Duterte's term nears end

Published July 27, 2021, 1:50 PM by Martin Sadongdong The Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines will use the final year of President Duterte’s term to procure more assets and equipment that will improve their capabilities.

Multiple military assets are deployed for the conduct of an inter-agency solidarity maritime patrol in the Philippine Rise on June 12, 2021. (Photo courtesy of RTVM livestream) Captain Jonathan Zata, AFP public affairs chief, said 107 modernization projects with a budget of P600 billion were included in the Horizon 2 of the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

“Ang mga projects na iyan ay naisakatuparan na at kung makikita po natin, bukod po sa ongoing Horizon 2 ay marami na rin pong mga kagamitan sa Horizing 1 ang atin pong nakita na, nadeliver na, at ginagamit na po ng hukbong sandatahan (These projects were already finished and aside from the Horizon 2, we also have new equipment from the Horizon 1 which were already delivered and are now being used by the armed forces),” Zata said in a “Laging Handa” press briefing Tuesday, July 26.

Among the new acquisitions include six Super Tucano attack aircraft worth P4.97 billion and six S-70i Black Hawk helicopters worth US$241 million (around P11.5 billion) for the Philippine Air Force; missile-capable frigates BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) worth P16 billion for the Philippine Navy; and force protection equipment for the Philippine Army.

“Patuloy po ang mga proyektong ito at nasa different stages of completion na (These project [aquisitions] will continue and are already at different stages of completion),” Zata said.

The first phase or horizon of the revised modernization program started in 2013 and ended in 2017 but some of the projects were only delivered during the implementation of the second horizon, which will run from 2018 to 2022. the third and final horizon will begin from 2023 up to 2027.

Meanwhile, Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana said that the DND will push for the continued military modernization, enactment of laws to improve the personnel management of the AFP, and focus on other priorities they have set for themselves in 2016 in the remaining 11 months of the Duterte administration.

“Our road ahead is laid for us by the President and we will do our utmost to accomplish our mandate in securing our country and contributing to national development,” he said in a statement.

Both Lorenzana and Zata praised Duterte for “guiding” and supporting” the armed forces all throughout the five years of his presidency.

In his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday night, Duterte urged the Congress to pass priority bills that seek to provide free legal assistance to uniformed personnel who are facing charges for their actions while in the line of duty; and a law that would reform the pension of military and other uniformed personnel. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/dnd-afp-push-military-modernization-as-dutertes-term- nears-end/

Fil-Am group slams CPP-NPA’s recruitment, fundraising in US

By Marita Moaje July 27, 2021, 4:16 pm

STOP RECRUITMENT. Members of the Filipino-Americans Against Crime and Terrorism (FACT) calls on the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army to stop its recruitment and fundraising activities in the United States on Sunday (July 25, 2021). The FACT sought justice for the victims of the communist terrorist group. (Courtesy of FACT Facebook page)

MANILA – A group of Filipino Americans in New York on Sunday called on the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to stop its recruitment activities and the fund-raising activities in the United States.

The Filipino-Americans Against Crime and Terrorism (FACT) made this appeal after groups of young Filipino Americans held a rally outside the Philippine Consulate General in New York on June 11 during the 123rd Philippine Independence Day.

FACT said the protesters were composed of Bayan-USA, Anakbayan-USA, Migrante-USA, and Malaya Movement.

Aside from denouncing the Philippine government and seeking to overthrow President Rodrigo Duterte, the youth groups also demanded the US government to stop its military support for the Philippines.

During the rally, one of the speakers extolled the CPP-NPA, saying the communist terrorist group (CTG) and its members are the true heroes the Filipinos should honor.

“We in the Filipino-Americans Against Crime and Terrorism (FACT) are aghast by the audacity of these groups to praise the CPP-NPA. They did this in open defiance of the United States government, which is one of several countries that had designated the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization,” FACT statement read.

FACT said the US Department of State listed the CPP-NPA as a foreign terrorist organization in August 2002 due to its involvement in countless atrocities not only against the military but on innocent civilians, including women and children.

It said that despite the repeated denials of Bayan-USA, Anakbayan-USA, and other organizations of their links with the CPP-NPA, the youth groups’ actions outside the Philippine Consulate reflect otherwise.

The protesters’ actions also confirmed what the FACT members have been saying all along that the CPP-NPA cadres are actively operating in the US.

“These CPP-NPA cadres are right here in our midst. They are actively recruiting members and sympathizers from the Filipino-American Community and raising funds to support their goal of overthrowing the Philippine government through their so-called armed struggle. In case the Filipino- American Community is not aware, the ultimate objective of the CPP-NPA is to install a communist dictatorship in the Philippines,” the group said.

FACT said the US-based members of Bayan, Anakbayan, and Migrante have been trying to convince the Filipino Americans to support them through deception.

“These CPP-NPA cadres conveniently omit the fact that communist terrorists in the Philippines have been involved in some of the worst atrocities committed against the Filipino people in the past five decades,” the group said. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1148377

Duterte seeks probe into AK-47 imports now used by insurgents

Published July 27, 2021, 2:12 PM by Genalyn Kabiling President Duterte has called for a Senate inquiry into the importation of AK-47 rifles into the country that supposedly ended up in the hands of communist insurgents.

The President made the request to former police chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa to conduct a probe into the weapons supply deal during his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday, July 27.

In his remarks, Duterte claimed that the weapons were imported by a certain police colonel in the guise of providing security for business establishments. The AK-47 rifles however have supposedly been used by communist rebels to kill government troops.

“When you go to the mountains such as I and Senator (Christopher) Go many times, even during the elections, they were there with so many arms that I think somebody — an idiot here in the Philippines supplied the firearms,” Duterte said.

“I’d like to ask Congress, especially Senator Bato (de la Rosa), kindly dig on because we have identified the person who imported the AK-47 into this country on the pretext of using it in the security — providing security and guards in all, in business establishments and for those who can afford their home.

Despite the gains in the anti-insurgency front, the President bewailed that the many soldiers perished from these weapons used by rebels in their encounters.

“This policeman, I think, is still there. He was a colonel and he is still… Walang nangyari. At maraming sundalong namatay dahil sa mga armas na pinasok nila dito sa Pilipinas (Nothing happened. Many soldiers were killed because of the weapons imported into the Philippines),” he said. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/duterte-seeks-probe-into-ak-47-imports-now-used-by- insurgents/

Provision of legal assistance to uniformed personnel covered by PAO–Guevarra BYJOEL R. SAN JUAN JULY 27, 2021 2 MINUTE READ Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra has assured that the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) will continue to provide legal assistance to uniformed personnel, even as the President sought for the passage of a bill that would provide legal aid to soldiers and policemen.

The justice chief noted there’s already a standing directive to the PAO to provide free legal assistance to members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), who may be prone to lawsuits because of the nature of their duties.

“The DOJ [Department of Justice] has a standing directive to the PAO to extend legal assistance to police officers [up to the level of Special Police Officer 4] and other uniformed personnel who may be sued in the course of performing their official duties. The PAO has existing memorandum circulars to its public attorneys regarding this matter,” Guevarra said.

He, however, stressed that the “provision of free legal assistance is subject however to the PAO’s evaluation of the case, including a determination of conflict of interest, as when the adverse party has also sought legal assistance from the PAO.”

In his last yearly address to Congress, President Duterte sought the passage of a bill that would provide free legal aid to the military and the police. Aside from the help extended by the PAO, the DOJ secretary said the PNP and the AFP might also have their own special funds set aside in case their personnel are facing legal cases.

“Maybe an increased budgetary allocation for this purpose will be enough, assuming existing funds are insufficient,” he said.

The DOJ chief also said that while there may be police officers and military personnel who are being investigated by the drug war review panel and the Administrative Order 35 Committee for allegedly being involved in extra-judicial killing incidents, these law enforcers are still entitled to defend themselves against their accusers, just like other people.

“It is just providing law enforcement agents some means to defend themselves in court for acts done in relation to their official duties, such as fighting terrorists and criminals. Unless proven guilty, they are presumed innocent. Like everyone of us, they are also entitled to due process of law,” Guevarra explained. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/provision-of-legal-assistance-to-uniformed- personnel-covered-by-pao-guevarra/

Legal assistance to PNP, AFP members ‘not the same as legal protection’ — Guevarra

Published July 27, 2021, 2:34 PM by Jeffrey Damicog “Legal assistance is not the same as legal protection.”

This was stressed by Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra as he pointed out that the legal assistance being provided by the government to law enforcers who are sued in the performance of their functions is not a shield to protect the erring ones from liability.

“It is just providing law enforcement agents some means to defend themselves in court for acts done in relation to their official duties such as fighting terrorists, criminals,” Guevarra said.

“Unless proven guilty, they are presumed innocent like every one of us. They are also entitled to the due process of law,” he explained.

During the State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday, July 26, President Duterte called on Congress to pass a law providing free legal assistance to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to help defend themselves from charges arising from incidents related to the performance of their official duties.

Guevarra said that free legal assistance is already being provided to policemen and other uniformed personnel who face charges in connection with the performance of their duties. “The DOJ has a standing directive to the PAO (Public Attorney’s Office which is an attached agency of the DOJ) to extend legal assistance to police officers up to the level of SPO4 and other uniformed personnel who get sued in the course of performing their official duties,” Guevarra said.

But, he said, “the provision of free legal assistance is subject to the PAO’s evaluation of the case, including a determination of conflict of interest, as when the adverse party has also sought legal assistance from the PAO.”

He said that in case the PAO would reject its assistance due to conflict of interest, “I think the PNP and the AFP have special funds to enable them to meet cases arising from the performance of their official duties.”

“Maybe an increased budgetary allocation for this purpose will be enough, assuming existing funds are insufficient,” he said. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/legal-assistance-to-pnp-afp-members-not-the-same-as- legal-protection-guevarra/

Armored vehicle hits closed van on Nagtahan Bridge

Published July 27, 2021, 5:58 PM by Noreen Jazul A Philippine Army armored vehicle hit a closed van on Nagtahan (Mabini) Bridge in Pandacan, Manila on Monday night.

The Manila District Traffic Enforcement Unit (MDTEU) reported that both vehicles were traversing the northward lane of Nagtahan Bridge when the accident happened at 11:45 p.m.

Authorities said the right front tire of the armored vehicle exploded which caused the driver to lose control of the wheel.

The armored vehicle then hit the left rear portion of the closed van in front of it.

Since no one was injured in the accident, both parties agreed to settle. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/armored-vehicle-hits-closed-van-on-nagtahan-bridge/

Redemptorists deplore red tagging of mission community

Published July 27, 2021, 9:39 AM by Leslie Ann Aquino The Redemptorist congregation has condemned the “malicious” red-tagging of its mission community in Laoag.

Father Victorino Cueto, superior of the congregation’s Vice Province of Manila, said such action is an “assault to human liberty,” which poses a threat not only to the missionaries but also to their mission partners.

“This kind of action has been happening in many parts of the country, causing harm to individual groups, is not acceptable,” CBCP News quoted Cueto.

The priest issued the statement after a tarpaulin was posted outside the compound of the Redemptorists’ Laoag Mission Community on July 22, tagging them as communist supporters.

Cueto said it is “truly sad” that their mission engagements led to them being red-tagged.

“In conscience, this unfounded accusation must be vehemently denounced. They are not communists or even their supporters,” he said.

“They are Redemptorists who follow the missionary vocation to serve the poor and most abandoned,” added Cueto.

ADVERTISING He called on concerned government agencies, especially the Commission on Human Rights to conduct an investigation “of this unlawful and unjust act.”

The Redemptorists Laoag Mission Community has been active in assisting the local Church and nearby dioceses in providing faith formation and in establishing new parishes in the past 15 years.

The religious community is also known for providing assistance to different sectors who are in need such as farmers, workers, indigenous peoples, and many others. In times of calamity, they were among the first to extend support through relief operations and rehabilitation projects.

The missionaries also continue to assist students to finish their college education through a scholarship program.

“As one Redemptorist family, we stand together! We will not cower in fear. We remain unshaken. We will continue to partake in God’s mission of witnessing to the Good News,” Cueto said. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/redemptorists-deplore-red-tagging-of-mission-community/

Duterte slams intl. ruling on South China Sea

Tuesday, July 27, 3:44 Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has reiterated his stance on an international tribunal ruling that dismissed Beijing's claims to the South China Sea.

Duterte delivered his final State of the Nation Address on Monday.

In 2016, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague dismissed China's claims over most of the South China Sea. Beijing refused to accept the ruling.

Earlier in his address, Duterte took a confrontational stance against China, saying the ruling is part of international law and that there is no room for compromise.

But later he complained that the ruling is a non-binding document. He added that there was really no arbitration at all.

Duterte said that if the Philippines were to go to war with China, it would be a massacre. He said Chinese missiles would arrive in minutes.

Local media outlets criticized the address, saying the issue was not about whether or not to go war with China. They said Duterte failed to answer the question of how the Philippines should safeguard its sovereignty.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is scheduled to visit the country this week. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210727_03/

Philippine Leader Defends China Diplomacy in Last State of Nation Speech Rodrigo Duterte tells lawmakers he could not have been assertive in defending Philippine claims in the South China Sea without risking war with Beijing. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his sixth State of the Nation Address at the House Chamber in Metro Manila, July 26, 2021. Manila’s 2016 victory against Beijing in an arbitration case over the South China Sea was final but the Philippines has not shut the door on diplomacy to settle territorial disputes, President Rodrigo Duterte said in his last State of the Nation speech Monday. In a nationally televised speech to a joint session of Congress that ran three hours, the 76-year-old president also defended his administration’s controversial crackdown on illegal drugs and called for prayers against the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit the Philippines hard. Duterte told lawmakers that he could not have been more assertive about territorial claims in the contested maritime region because of the risk of war with Beijing.

“We will assert what is rightfully ours and fight for what is rightfully due to the Filipino people,” Duterte said. Since taking office five years ago and with one year left before his single term expires, Duterte has been criticized at home for not doing enough to assert the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that affirmed Manila’s sovereign rights in the South China Sea as valid. He said he had made the case of the Philippine victory before the United Nations last year, but that he could not do anything about it when China chose to ignore the international arbitration court’s ruling. “What else do you want? What will I do with a document that (does) not bind China because they were never a part of that arbitration? There was really no arbitration at all because only the Philippine side was heard,” the president said. Even as the Philippines continues to scale up maritime awareness and defense capabilities, Duterte said, “we will not close our doors on diplomacy.” “Because that is how disputes are settled, and never by force,” he said. He reiterated that the Philippines could not afford to go to war with China because of Beijing’s military superiority. “It would be a massacre if I go and fight a war now. We are not yet a competent and able enemy of the other side,” Duterte said. He said he had championed an “independent foreign policy” that brought the Philippines out of “the shadows of the great powers.” Since Duterte took office in 2016, Manila has agreed to bilateral negotiations with Beijing on the South China Sea dispute, a move that critics said put Manila at a disadvantage in light of the arbitral award that would have given the Philippines some leverage. Critics of the president including former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, who helped argue Manila’s arbitration case, have said Beijing could be coaxed into respecting the award if the Philippines rallied international support for its enforcement.

“I do not wish to insult these people who are pushing me [to do] more than what I can handle, but what do they want? To wage war, do something? Do you want war against China?” Duterte said. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/speech-07262021155327.html

China is seen as topping the agenda as US secretary of state begins India visit

• Antony Blinken’s trip is the latest sign of Washington’s growing embrace of New Delhi as relations with Beijing continue to spiral downward • The ‘Quad’ security alliance as a counter to China will feature in the talks with his Indian counterpart and Prime Minister Narendra Modi

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in India on Tuesday for meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s top diplomat, the latest sign of Washington’s growing embrace of New Delhi as relations with Beijing continue to spiral downward.

Blinken will meet on Wednesday with Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to discuss, according to the State Department, “Indo-Pacific engagement” and “shared regional security interests”, among other issues.

It comes as US President

Joe Biden and his administration have been fortifying alliances to counter an increasingly assertive China. In particular, Biden and Blinken have emphasised the importance of a group of four democratic nations – India, Japan, Australia and the US – known as the Quad.

In March, Biden convened a meeting for the first time with the other leaders of the Quad nations, where they discussed “aggression” and “coercion” by China against members of the group. Beijing has accused the Quad of working to “exaggerate and hype up the so-called ‘China threat’”.

Legislation also passed the US Senate last month to establish an intra-parliamentary working group among the four Quad nations.

The State Department said on Tuesday that the US and India have a “strong strategic partnership founded on shared values and a commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region”.

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3142780/china-and-afghanistan-top- agenda-united-states-antony-blinken

Biden cites pride in Korea-US friendship, calls it key to peace and stability

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday said his country is proud of its friendship with South Korea, which he said still remains the key to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

His remarks came as the allied countries mark the anniversary of the signing of the Korean armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War nearly seven decades ago this week.

"Our commitment to protecting peace on the Korean Peninsula has endured and grown in the ensuing decades. We are immensely proud of our historic friendship and the trust we share with the Republic of Korea," the U.S. president said in a statement, released by the White House.

"The service and sacrifices of both our nations have left an indelible determination to sustain peace and promote regional stability," he added.

Some 1.8 million American service members had fought for the defense of South Korea from the invasion of communist China and North Korea, more than 36,000 of whom were killed in action, Biden noted.

"We shall never forget the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice," he said, proclaiming July 27 as National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. "I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities that honor and give thanks to our distinguished Korean War Veterans."

Biden insisted the South Korea-U.S. alliance continues to remain crucial to maintaining peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

"Training side-by-side with the Korean military, our Armed Forces abroad help keep the watch while proudly upholding the legacy of those serving before them. Our partnership remains crucial to maintaining peace and stability today, and to expanding economic growth in a critical region of the world," he said.

The U.S. currently maintains some 28,500 troops on the Korean Peninsula.

Biden also noted the armistice did not officially end the war but that South Korea still managed to thrive.

"The armistice made possible the exchange of prisoners of war as well as an opportunity to negotiate a peaceful settlement. Almost 70 years later, that settlement still has not been reached, and the Korean Peninsula remains divided along the 38th parallel," said the released statement.

"Yet, the Republic of Korea has grown into a thriving, vibrant country, and the enduring relationship between our two nations has flourished through decades of peace." (Yonhap) https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2021/07/120_312839.html

Senators, White House in crunch time on infrastructure deal By LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKINGJuly 28, 2021

WASHINGTON (AP) — Time running short, senators and the White House worked furiously Tuesday to salvage a bipartisan infrastructure deal, with pressure intensifying on all sides to wrap up talks on President Joe Biden’s top priority.

Despite weeks of closed-door discussions, several issues are still unresolved over the nearly $1 trillion package. Spending on public transit remains in question and a new dispute flared over the regulation of broadband access. Patience was running thin as senators accused one another of shifting the debate and picking fights over issues that had already been resolved.

Still, all sides — the White House, Republicans and Democrats — sounded upbeat that an accord was within reach as senators braced for a possible weekend session to finish the deal. No new deadlines were set.

“Good progress,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said as he opened the chamber.

Republican negotiator Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, who took the lead in key talks with a top White House aide, struck a similar tone, but also acknowledged the bipartisan group was “still working” on transit and other issues.

It’s a make-or-break moment that is testing the White House and Congress, and the outcome will set the stage for the next debate over Biden’s much more ambitious $3.5 trillion spending package, a strictly partisan pursuit of far- reaching programs and services including child care, tax breaks and health care that touch almost every corner of American life, and that Republicans vowed Tuesday to oppose.

As talks drag on, anxious Democrats, who have slim control of the House and Senate, face a timeline to act on what would be some of the most substantial pieces of legislation in years. Republicans are weighing whether they will lend their votes for Biden’s first big infrastructure lift or deny the president the political accomplishment in hopes of stopping both packages. Biden met Tuesday morning at the White House with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, one of the Democratic leaders of the bipartisan talks, to discuss both the current bill and the next one.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said after the president’s meeting with Sinema that the administration sees “good signs” but is not setting any deadlines.

Ten Republicans would be needed in the evenly split 50-50 Senate to join all Democrats to advance the bipartisan bill past a filibuster toward passage, but it’s an open debate among Republicans whether it’s politically advantageous to give their support. A recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC found 8 in 10 Americans favor some increased infrastructure spending. https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-government-and-politics-business- f47d9ae3305a185fbe1e3dd7dd72dc36

US lawmakers urge IOC to postpone, relocate Beijing Olympics over treatment of Uyghurs Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building with Tokyo 2020 Olympics poster. (Ftaaffe/Wikimedia Commons) JULY 27, 2021 RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. A group of U.S. lawmakers has called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to postpone the 2022 Beijing Olympics and relocate the event unless China ends its “egregious human rights abuses” against Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups.

The lawmakers said in a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach on July 23 that no Olympics should be held in a country whose government “is committing genocide and crimes against humanity.” The lawmakers also said it would reflect poorly on the Olympic movement if the event, scheduled for February, is held in China and said that postponing and relocating the Olympics would also be in the best interests of the athletes.

“We find it unfair for the IOC to force athletes to sacrifice their conscience in order to pursue their competitive goals, or vice versa,” they said.

The letter was signed by Senator Jeff Merkley (Democrat-Oregon), Representative Jim McGovern (Democrat-Massachusetts), Senator Marco Rubio (Republican-Florida), and Representative Chris Smith (Republican-New Jersey).

The two Democrats are the chairman and co-chairman of the Congressional- Executive Commission on China (CECC); the Republicans are commissioners.

The IOC has the ability to postpone the Olympics even on short notice, the lawmakers noted, citing the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics, which just got under way in Japan. The Tokyo Olympics were postponed last year four months before they were to begin because of the coronavirus pandemic. The IOC has previously said that it is not a “super world government” that can resolve political issues in China.

The lawmakers’ letter said the matter is not whether the Olympics should be immune from politics.

“Taking action against genocide is not politics. It is about basic morality and human dignity,” they said.

China has been under international criticism for detaining more than 1 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities for facilitating forced labor and other abuses in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

The U.S. State Department has determined that these actions constitute genocide and crimes against humanity.

China denies wrongdoing and insists such camps are “vocational education centers” aimed at helping people steer clear of terrorism. https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/us-lawmakers-urge-ioc-to-postpone-relocate- beijing-olympics-over-treatment-of-uyghurs/

US and Japan counter China with powerful IBM quantum computer

TOKYO -- IBM has unveiled Japan's first quantum computer for commercial applications, its Japanese arm said Tuesday, as Washington and Tokyo join hands to push the field toward practical use with an eye on recent strides by China.

The IBM Quantum System One is up and running at the Kawasaki Business Incubation Center near Tokyo. The University of Tokyo will administer access to the machine, which will be used by the Quantum Innovation Initiative Consortium, whose members include Keio University and Toyota Motor.

The project marks a step forward for Japan-U.S. cooperation in a fiercely competitive field that has become embroiled in the battle with China for technological superiority. Quantum computing was among the areas of cooperation discussed by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and U.S. President Joe Biden at their April summit.

"Countries have made huge investments and embarked on large-scale research and development, and competition for future dominance among nations and companies has intensified rapidly," said Koichi Hagiuda, Japan's science and technology minister, in an online briefing.

"It's important to expand international cooperation and collaboration with Japan and the U.S. as the linchpin," he said.

The system is the second of its kind that IBM has built outside the U.S., after one unveiled in Germany last month.

Chinese institutions including the University of Science and Technology of China have risen to the leading edge of the field, threatening the upper hand held by such American tech titans as IBM and Google. Japan and the U.S. aim to use IBM's systems to gain an edge on the practical side.

With quantum computing expected to be available for some commercial applications in as little as three to five years, companies are vying to take advantage of the technology in their own fields.

Mitsubishi Chemical looks to use it in developing light-emitting diodes and solar cells, and JSR for photoresists -- light-sensitive materials used to form circuits on semiconductors -- as well as liquid crystal display materials.

Outside Japan, 10 German companies, including Volkswagen, Bosch and Siemens, have formed a consortium to help make practical use of quantum tech. Goldman Sachs is among the American institutions looking to put it to work in finance soon.

"For the Japanese economy to maintain an appropriate position in the world and achieve sustainable growth and development, we cannot allow ourselves to fall behind in technological development," Mizuho Financial Group Chairman Yasuhiro Sato, who chairs the Japanese quantum consortium, said Tuesday.

Quantum computing could generate up to $850 billion in annual value by 2040, Boston Consulting Group estimates, and the battle to leverage the massive future market has already begun. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/US-and-Japan-counter-China-with- powerful-IBM-quantum-computer

US committed to ‘constructive, stable’ ties with China despite Asia stability concerns, Pentagon chief says

• Lloyd Austin says Washington ‘will not seek confrontation’ with Beijing, but ‘will not flinch’ to protect its interests • His comments in Singapore come ahead of trips to the Philippines and Vietnam, amid reports Vice-President Harris could visit the region next month

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday said he hoped to build a “constructive, stable”

relationship with China and its military even amid continued and varied concerns about Beijing, including its assertions in regional waters, hardened Taiwan policy and treatment of Uygur Muslims.

The Pentagon chief’s somewhat conciliatory comments dovetailed with the line on maintaining open channels of communication taken by a senior US state department official during talks with Chinese counterparts in Tianjin on Monday.

“I am committed to pursuing a constructive, stable relationship with China, including stronger crisis communications with the People’s Liberation Army,” Austin said during a lecture in

Singapore organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank.

US defence chief to visit security partners Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam to show commitment to Southeast Asia 21 Jul 2021

He prefaced this assurance, however, by noting Washington’s disapproval of a range of issues concerning Beijing, which included its assertions in the

South China Sea , its “aggression” against India, “destabilising military activity and other forms of coercion against the people of Taiwan” and “genocide and crimes against humanity against Uygur Muslims in Xinjiang ”.

Austin also reiterated Washington’s long-standing position that China’s claims in the resource-rich waters had no basis under international law, saying the assertions “tread on the sovereignty of the states in the region”.

“Now these differences and disputes are real. But the way that you manage them counts,” Austin said. “We will not flinch when our interests are threatened, yet we do not seek confrontation.”

He referenced President

Joe Biden ’s emphasis that the relationship Washington sought with Beijing was not one of contention.

“We compete necessarily because we are two great economic powers [and] we both have impressive military might, but we don‘t seek a conflict with China,” he said. “We want to make sure that we deter conflict in every case and every opportunity.”

He added that big powers needed to “model transparency and communication”, adding that he hoped the two nations would cooperate on common challenges such as climate change .

Speaking in a lecture titled “The Imperative of Partnership”, the defence secretary said he had come to Southeast Asia to deepen existing ties in the region, adding that the US network of alliances and partnerships was an “unparalleled strategic asset, and I never take an ally for granted”.

Austin arrived in Singapore on Monday as part of a trip to

Southeast Asia that will also include visits to the Philippines and Vietnam.

During a question-and-answer session, Austin parried a query on whether he foresaw a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan – viewed by the mainland as a renegade province – in the coming decade. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3142739/us-committed-stable- constructive-ties-china-despite-asia

China Media Says U.K. Still in 'Colonial Days' as Navy Enters Contested Waters

BY JOHN FENG ON 7/27/21 AT 12:39 PM EDT China's hawkish Communist Party tabloid the Global Times has published pre-emptive warnings aimed at the British Royal Navy as its flagship vessel officially entered the South China Sea this week. In separate op-eds on Sunday and Monday, the newspaper accused Britain of wanting to "revive its past glory" and warned the country against sailing warships into "Chinese territory." HMS Queen Elizabeth is on its maiden voyage to the Indo-Pacific while escorted by half a dozen warships and a nuclear submarine. The lengthy deployment is seen as a signal of the United Kingdom's "tilt" and commitment to collective security in the region—part of its "Global Britain" foreign policy shift. READ MORE • China Spotted Building 110 Secret Nuclear Missile Bases in Desert • China Says Talks With U.S. 'Candid and Helpful,' Despite Fierce Criticism • China Developing Unique Laser Gun for Faster Hypersonic Missiles and Planes

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On Monday, the Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group sailed through the Singapore Strait and took part in an eight-ship maritime exercise with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), according to statements by the British High Commission and Singapore's Defense Ministry. The Royal Navy flagship was joined by Britain's HMS Kent and RFA Tidespring, as well as USS The Sullivans and HNLMS Evertsen, of the U.S. Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy, respectively. Singaporean warships included RSS Intrepid, RSS Unity and RSS Resolution, the bulletins said. It was the carrier group's first such exercise with the RSN, before the British fleet is expected to sail deeper into the contested South China Sea, with eventual port calls in Japan scheduled for September.

It was the such exercise between HMS Queen Elizabeth and the

Republic of Singapore Navy.BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION SINGAPORE China claims almost all of the energy-rich sea as part of its expansive "nine-dash line," which the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague dismissed in a landmark ruling in 2016 as part of the case Philippines v. China. The U.K., like the U.S., has recently voiced its support for the court's decision taken under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, but China rejected every line of the verdict. All eyes are on the carrier group in the coming weeks as observers seek to gauge the U.K.'s precise security posture in the region by how far it will go to challenge China's "red lines." This includes whether any Royal Navy warships directly challenge China's sweeping claims to maritime features in the South China Sea, perhaps in the form of pointed freedom of navigation operations so far only undertaken by the U.S. Navy. https://www.newsweek.com/china-says-uk-still-colonial-days-navy-enters-contested- waters-1613549

More intl voices opposing US politicizing virus origins probe Online petition calling for investigation of Fort Detrick lab garners 13m signatures

By GT staff reportersPublished: Jul 26, 2021 08:35 PM Updated: Jul 27, 2021 12:21 AM

Politicians, media outlets and experts from more countries are choosing to stand against the US' politicization of the coronavirus origins probe and slammed the country's refusal to open Fort Detrick lab to investigation. Analysts expected more countries and people to follow suit, as they see the US selfish deeds of putting politics over science as hobbling international efforts to tackle the COVID-19 surge.

At a Monday briefing, Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave multiple examples of foreign media and experts lashing out at the US for putting politics over science, including Hamdan Shakeel, senior editor of Maldives News Network, who published an article last week suggesting that Western countries are politicizing the search for the source of the coronavirus, which means it is distorting facts and imposing responsibility on China.

The spokesperson revealed that the world has seen through the US' attempt to shift attention away from its bungled approach to COVID-19 and blame China, and urged the US to invite WHO experts to probe the Fort Detrick biolab and "give the world the truth."

More rational voices criticizing US attitude on COVID-19 origins tracing investigation emerged in the international community recently. Anil Sooklal, a deputy director-general at South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, told the Xinhua News Agency earlier this month that countries must refrain from using the tracing of the origins of COVID-19 to score cheap political points.

"What is important is that COVID-19 should not be used for political point scoring exercises, which is what is happening at the present time," said the official, while applauding China's cooperation in tracing the origins of COVID-19.

Herman Tiu Laurel, a columnist, proposed on Philippine media outlet Sovereign PH on Friday an online petition to be signed by netizens for the WHO to look into the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick.

"While China has shown it has nothing to hide by opening the city of Wuhan, its suspected market epicenter, and its virology institute to the WHO international team, the US is not only uninviting but is aggressively applying 'weapons of mass distraction' and smoke-screening Fort Detrick from questions by steering attention back to China with the false narrative of a 'Wuhan lab-leak' conspiracy theory," the columnist added. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1229689.shtml

‘They Have My Sister’: As Uyghurs Speak Out, China Targets Their Families July 27, 2021 in CHINA

Ms. Erkin was a gifted agricultural scientist educated at prestigious universities in Shanghai and Tokyo.Credit Ayup

score…Abduweli https://asiapost.live/they-have-my-sister-as-uyghurs-speak-out-china-targets-their- families/

Hong Kong Has Gotten Seriously Risky for International Business The national security law is a direct threat to foreign firms.

Since taking office in January, the Biden administration has taken a series of steps to signal a firm line on China, while at the same time making clear to Beijing that there is room to collaborate on key issues such as climate change and global health. On July 16, four key U.S. bureaucracies—the departments of State, Treasury, Commerce, and Homeland Security—issued an important advisory to American businesses in Hong Kong, warning them of the dangers posed by Hong Kong’s new national security law. In light of the new law, which was imposed last year, international businesses “should be aware of the potential reputational, economic, and legal risks of maintaining a presence or staff in Hong Kong,” the statement declared.

It’s rare to see four top U.S. government agencies speaking with one voice. The advisory is a product of both the growing friction between Beijing and Washington, and the very real and serious problems posed by the national security law. Past U.S. administrations, more cautious around the relationship, would likely have registered concerns over the law in a less high- profile way or would have refrained from public comment altogether. With the era of engagement now over, Washington is more open in its criticism of China’s human rights record, which explains both the recent advisory and other critical statements made on China by senior officials over the past few months.

But the national security law is also a genuine hazard for international businesses in Hong Kong. Its core criminal provisions are vague and overbroad, and they have been used to target peaceful political activists, lawyers, and mainstream politicians. The law also contains an extremely broad extraterritorial jurisdiction provision: Under Article 38 of the law, actions taken outside Hong Kong by non-Hong Kong citizens are covered. This means that businesses operating in Hong Kong—or even far from Hong Kong—can be dragged into cases involving prominent activists like Joshua Wong or Nathan Law, or more mainstream politicians like Martin Lee or Margaret Ng. All four have faced criminal charges or investigations, either under the national security law or other criminal provisions, over the past year.

For private companies, the key provision of the new law is Article 43, which gives the Hong Kong national security authorities broad powers to engage in search, seizure, freezing of assets, and online censorship of those accused of violating the law. As the number of investigations and prosecutions under the law continue to grow, companies could be called upon to provide information on their customers, to censor their online speech, or to freeze their bank accounts. In January, for example, the Hong Kong government forced local internet service provider Hong Kong Broadband Network to block access to HKChronicles, a website that features writing on the 2019 protest movement. Since then, other websites have been blocked as well. https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/26/hong-kong-risky-international-business-national- security-law/

Japan Signals an Opening for US in Countering China

Seth Cropsey & Harry Halem Diplomatic communication is complex. It entails signaling between multiple entities, each of which has its own internal political language and structure. Offhand comments can be mistaken for government policy. April Glaspie, former Ambassador to Iraq, may have invasion.unintentionally Of course, invited some Saddam’s signals areaggression received in with 1990. the Dean utmos Acheson, then Secretary of virtualState, indicated endorsement that the of the U.S. Berlin would Wall not defendat the Vienna South Korea,Summit, possibly and his prompting weakness overthe North’s the t clarity: John F. Kennedy’s

Cuba question, virtually blessed Khrushchev’s arms transfers to Cuba. However, it is possible to trace the clear delivery and receipt of a diplomatic exchange that ofindicates such dialogue. a regional It presents political theshift. U.S. Xi withJinping’s a clear July opportunity 1 speech, and Japaneseparticularly Deputy given Prime other alliedMinister actions Taro in Aso’s the Indo-Pacificclear statement to of solidify Japan’s Americansupport for and Taiwan NATO on links July with 5, is Taiwan. an example — remarkably forthright. In broad terms,— Xi issued three clear policy statements. First, to foreignXi’s 1 July opponents: speech, commemorating The CCP would usethe Chineseforce to achieveCommunist its objectives. Party’s centenary, Second, towas domestic dissenters, particularly those within the party: CCP would not tolerate policy disagreement, instead treating it as an existential threat. And finally, to the Chinese people: Prepare for the demands of the moment, as sacrifice will be necessary. Taiwanese independence, Xi indicated, would trigger a conflict. indicatesBut China’s a world objectives in which go far Chinese beyond preferences Taiwan, and dominate rather towards political Xi’s structures. dream of In “national short, Xi plansrejuvenation,” to direct athe concept CCP and never Chinese explicitly nation defined in a struggle in his spee for globalch, but dominance, one that clearly one tha t will entail almost certainly a conflict over Taiwan, and most likely an Indo-Pacific military confrontation with the U.S. and its allies. foreign speechJapan’s atresponse a Liberal to Democratic China’s statements Party fundraiser may mark in the which most he decisive stated in shift no uncertainin Japanese terms that Japanpolicy would since defend the World Taiwan War. Taro Aso, Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister, delivered a - because the Japanese constitution— prohibitsindeed, thatthe countryan attack from on Taiwan waging wouldwar, a bemeasure a “survival designedthreatening to preventsituation” the for militarism Japan. This that description had supercharged is critical Imperial in Japan’s Japanese political aggression environment from reasserting itself in post-1945 politics. But the Japan Self-Defense Force, naturally, is permitted to use force to defend Japanese survival.

Japan has deployed military forces in support of U.S. operations in the past, most notably during the 1980s, when Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships assumed anti-submarine duties in the southern approaches to the Japanese home islands. Nevertheless, publicly acting more resolutely than in the past. signaling a commitment to Taiwan’s defense may indicate that Japan now leans toward https://www.hudson.org/research/17125-japan-signals-an-opening-for-us-in-countering- china

Tropical storm nears Japan, disrupting Tokyo Olympics

General view of waves crashing against a seawall as stormy weather conditions occur at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach, Tokyo, Japan, Jul 26, 2021. (Photo: REUTERS/Lisi Niesner) 27 Jul 2021 12:05PM(Updated: 27 Jul 2021 12:30PM)

TOKYO: A tropical storm churned towards Japan and the Olympic Games on Tuesday (Jul 27), whipping up welcome waves for surfing medal hopefuls but disrupting other events with rain and strong winds.

Olympic organisers have rescheduled rowing and archery over concerns about high winds from Tropical Storm Nepartak, which is packing gusts of up to 108 kmh.

Advertisement The storm, currently around 190km east of Choshi city, was originally headed for Tokyo, but has shifted north and is now expected to make landfall around the Miyagi region early on Wednesday.

Miyagi and neighbouring Ibaraki are hosting several Olympic events - some of the few that fans are allowed to attend, but organisers said they would not be affected by the storm.

A tropical storm headed towards Japan's northeastern coast has disrupted several Tokyo Olympics events. (Photo: AFP/Loic VENANCE) "Games in Miyagi and Ibaraki will be held as scheduled. We expect spectators to come watch too," Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya told reporters.

On Tuesday, the approaching storm was already bringing wind and rain to parts of Japan's east coast, making for challenging conditions at the women's triathlon in Tokyo.

The event started 15 minutes late because of the weather and the wet roads slipped up several athletes during the cycling section.

But conditions were better at the surfing competition, taking place east of Tokyo in Chiba.

Brazil's Italo Ferreira goes to the air on a wave during the semifinals of the men's surfing competition at the Tokyo Olympics, Jul 27, 2021, at Tsurigasaki beach in Ichinomiya, Japan. (Photo: AP/Francisco Seco) Organisers decided to squeeze the quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal events of the men's and women's competitions into Tuesday to take advantage of the waves. Japanese government spokesman Katsunobu Kato told reporters on Tuesday that the storm was moving very slowly and already producing strong winds and rough seas along much of the northeast coast. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/tropical-storm-nears-japan-disrupting- tokyo-olympics-15306252

Japan seeks bigger Pacific bluefin tuna catch

A three-day international conference kicked off online on Tuesday to discuss how to manage stocks. Japan plans to propose raising the catch quota by a total of 20 percent.

Officials from South Korea, Taiwan, Mexico and the US and elsewhere are also involved in the discussions.

Japan argues that catch quotas can be raised because stocks have been recovering since 2011.

This is the fourth year in a row that Japan will propose an increase. The US has rejected the idea, saying stocks have not sufficiently recovered. The discussions were held online for the first time last year, and participants did not engage in in-depth negotiations.

Japan's Fisheries Agency plans to explain that the scientific data show an increase in quotas would not hinder a recovery in stocks.

But the negotiations are likely to face headwinds, as the US has reportedly not changed its position. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210727_13/

South, North Korea have restored hotlines as leaders seek to rebuild ties

Bookmark SEOUL: South Korea and North Korea have restored their once-severed hotlines as part of efforts by the two countries' leaders to rebuild strained ties, Seoul's presidential Blue House said on Tuesday (Jul 27).

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have exchanged multiple letters since April and agreed to reconnect the hotlines, said Moon's press secretary, Park Soo-hyun. North Korea's state media outlet, KCNA, also said all inter-Korean communication channels resumed operations at 10am on Tuesday (9am, Singapore time) in line with an agreement between Moon and Kim.

"The two leaders have explored ways to recover relations by exchanging letters on several occasions, and agreed to restore severed hotlines as a first step for that process," Park said in a statement.

"They have also agreed to regain trust as soon as possible and foster progress on relations again."

KCNA touted the reopening of the hotlines as "a big stride in recovering the mutual trust and promoting reconciliation".

READ: Biden has 'no illusions' on difficulty of North Korea denuclearisation North Korea cut the hotlines in June 2020 as cross-border ties soured after a failed second summit in February 2019 between Kim and former US President Donald Trump, which Moon had offered to mediate.

Moon has called for a revival of the hotline and talks, pinning high hopes on US President Joe Biden to restart negotiations aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

The announcement came as the two Koreas marked the 68th anniversary of the armistice that ended the 1950 to 1953 Korean War.

Kim paid tribute to fallen soldiers and sent gifts to surviving veterans, according to KCNA. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/south-north-korea-restore-hotline- communications-15305498 N. Korea says restoration of cross- border hotline will play positive role in improving relations

North Korea said Tuesday that the restoration of communication lines with South Korea will play a positive role in improving relations between the two sides after the severed lines returned to operation after a 13-month suspension.

"Now, the whole Korean nation desires to see the North-South relations recovered from setback and stagnation as early as possible," the official Korean Central News Agency said, confirming that all inter-Korean communication liaison lines were restored as of 10 a.m.

"The top leaders of the North and the South agreed to make a big stride in recovering the mutual trust and promoting reconciliation by restoring the cutoff inter-Korean communication liaison lines through the recent several exchanges of personal letters," the KCNA said.

The restoration "will have positive effects on the improvement and development" of inter-Korean relations, it said.

The same day, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae also announced that the two sides agreed to reopen all direct communication lines, saying that President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have exchanged personal letters on multiple occasions since April for the resumption.

The restoration comes around 13 months after North Korea cut off inter-Korean communication lines in June last year and blew up an inter-Korean liaison office in anger over the sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North from the South.

The unification ministry voiced hope for an improvement in inter-Korean relations.

"The government welcomes the restoration of the inter-Korean communication lines starting today as agreed by the two Koreas," Lee Jong-joo, the ministry's spokesperson, told a press briefing.

"We hope that the communication between the two Koreas will not be suspended again and through the restored communication contact lines, we hope that the two Koreas can discuss various pending issues and implement what was agreed between them," she said.

Lee said the two sides will begin resuming their regular phone calls twice a day Tuesday.

"We proposed to the North that the two Koreas resume the regular phone calls at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and the North responded positively to us," she said.

During the morning phone call, the South Korean liaison officer told his North Korean counterpart that he was pleased to see the communication lines restored, and the North Korean officer mostly listened with a responsive attitude, according to officials.

The ministry said that a phone call was successfully carried out through the Panmunjom channel at 10 a.m. while communication through the inter-Korean liaison office took place later at 11:04 a.m. due to technical reasons and lasted for three minutes.

"We attempted to call them at 10 a.m., but it took some time for technical checks and the actual call started a little over 11 a.m.," a ministry official said.

All personnel working at the inter-Korean liaison office in the North's border town of Kaesong returned to Seoul and set up new communication lines early last year after the two Koreas agreed to temporarily shut down the office amid coronavirus concerns.

Although the North blew up the liaison office last summer, the official said the communication lines remain in place. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210727000847

Myanmar’s Junta Annuls 2020 Election Results, Citing Voter Fraud Political parties condemn the move as the military’s “lame excuse” to justify its takeover. 2021-07-26 Myanmar’s junta has annulled the results of the country’s 2020 election, which saw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party win in a landslide, drawing condemnation from political parties who condemned the move as illegal and said they will not honor it. The military-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) announced the decision late on Monday evening, claiming that more than 11.3 million ballots had been discounted due to fraud and other irregularities during the Nov. 8 vote. Among alleged irregularities, the commission said the deposed NLD government had assigned members of the UEC sub-commission at Myanmar’s state and regional levels, election authorities allowed voters to cast ballots without presenting their national identification cards, voters cast multiple ballots under the same name, and the NLD election victory committee members were part of a commission in charge of gathering early ballots.

The announcement was posted on the website of the junta’s Information Committee under the name of Thein Soe, the chairman of junta’s UEC. Myanmar’s military seized power on Feb. 1 in a coup d’état, arresting Aung San Suu Kyi and other top member of the NLD leadership. The junta has provided no evidence to back up its claims of voter fraud and has violently responded to widespread protests, killing 934 people and arresting 5,370, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

Several of Myanmar’s political parties rejected Monday’s announcement, arguing that it ignores the will of both the voters and the candidates who they say won in a free and fair election. Candidates from 10 political parties won parliamentary seats in the 2020 election, although the NLD party took the clear majority with 396. NLD lawmaker Phyu Phyu Thin, secretary of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Representative Committee (CRPH) shadow parliament, told RFA’s Myanmar Service that the election results cannot be annulled without appropriate legislation. “Citizens across Myanmar and people around the world already knew that the election fraud accusations were just a lame excuse to make way for the military coup. Besides, given the fact that they came to power through a military coup—an unjust method—they lack the legitimacy to cancel the election results and we will not accept the announcement,” she said. “We are already working with ethnic armed groups and civil society groups to eliminate the military dictatorship from Myanmar, once and for all. So, we don’t need to take their announcement seriously.” ‘They planned it all along’ Sai Nyunt Lwin, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) party, said his party’s candidates won 42 parliamentary seats in Shan State through a free and fair contest.

“We didn’t have any connections to the election commission members or local authorities. We didn’t have any ties to the persons in charge of the polling stations. The only people we communicated with were our voters,” he said. “Those who didn’t like our party voted for other parties. We feel sorry that they canceled the election results after we won the third-most seats in the parliament among all political parties. We feel bad and we don’t like that they canceled the results.” Similarly, Phae Than, a leader of Arakan National Party (ANP), which won several seats in Rakhine state, echoed concerns that the junta was using the claims of fraud to justify its takeover. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/annulled-07262021204753.html

China-Pakistan alliance in Afghanistan worries India, as Taliban offensive continues

• New Delhi’s strained ties with Beijing and Islamabad have left it wary of how both are working together in Afghanistan as international troops exit the country • The issue will be on the agenda when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits India this week to meet with PM Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar

China and

Pakistan ’s declaration that they will closely cooperate in Afghanistan – as the last US and international troops withdraw, leaving a security vacuum being exploited by Taliban insurgents – has begun to worry Indian policymakers.

strained, and the five-point plan for collaboration announced by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and his visiting Pakistani counterpart ShahNew Delhi’sMahmood relations Qureshi with during both theirBeijing meeting and Islamabad over the weekendare is an unwelcome prospect in India, which is also gearing up for instability arising from a likely civil war in Afghanistan.

C. Raja Mohan, director of the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore,

said closer collaboration between China and Pakistan could be a “serious challenge for India”.

“China’s global and regional footprint has been increasing and it is a matter of time before it is visible in Afghanistan,” he said. Afghanistan government imposes night curfew to stem Taliban advance 25 Jul 2021

India is locked in a border dispute with China and sees Pakistan as its arch rival, while their bilateral cooperation through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is already seen as a threat to Indian trade and security. Such concerns will be on the agenda this week as the country hosts US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is expected to meet external affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India’s Afghan army chief General Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai was meant to visit on Tuesday to discuss defence cooperation with Indian military and security officials, but his trip was postponed on Monday due the offensive, according to Indian media reports quoting the Afghan embassy. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3142596/china-Taliban’s ongoing pakistan-alliance- afghanistan-worries-india-taliban

Macron pressured to apologise for nuclear tests in French Polynesia

In French Polynesia, the legacy of nuclear tests remain a source of deep resentment, seen as evidence of racist colonial attitudes AFP/Ludovic MARIN 2related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery. 27 Jul 2021 06:43AM Bookmark PAPEETE: French President Emmanuel Macron faced pressure to apologise for the devastating impact of decades of nuclear testing as he kicked off his first official trip to French Polynesia.

During his four-day visit, Macron plans to address the legacy of nuclear testing from 1966 to 1996 as France developed atomic weapons, as well as discuss the South Pacific territory's strategic role and the existential risk of rising seas posed by global warming.

Residents in the sprawling archipelago of more than 100 islands located midway between Mexico and Australia are hoping Macron apologises and confirms compensation for radiation victims.

The tests remain a source of deep resentment, seen as evidence of racist colonial attitudes that disregarded the lives of islanders.

After touching down on Saturday (Jul 24), Macron, whose 2020 trip was postponed due to the pandemic, met hospital workers fighting COVID-19 in the semi-autonomous territory where many are wary of vaccines.

"I want to send a very strong message to call on everyone to get vaccinated," he said, adding: "When you're vaccinated, you're protected and you hardly spread the virus, or at least much less."

Macron will be "encouraging several concrete steps" regarding the legacy of nuclear tests, with the opening up of state archives and individual compensation, a French presidential official who asked not to be named said.

French officials denied any cover-up of radiation exposure at a meeting earlier this month with delegates from the semi-autonomous territory led by President Edouard Fritch. The meeting came after French investigative website Disclose reported in March that the impact from the fallout was far more extensive than authorities had acknowledged, citing declassified French military documents on the 193 tests.

Only 63 Polynesian civilians have been compensated for radiation exposure since the tests ended in 1996, Disclose said, estimating that more than 100,000 people may have been contaminated in total, with leukaemia, lymphoma and other cancers rife.

"We're expecting an apology from the president," said Auguste Uebe-Carlson, head of the 193 Association of victims of nuclear tests.

"Just as he has recognised as a crime the colonisation that took place in Algeria, we also expect him to declare that it was criminal and that it is a form of colonisation linked to nuclear power here in the Pacific."

Patrick Galenon, the former chairman of the territory's CPS social security system, said female Polynesians aged 40 to 50 "have the highest thyroid cancer rates in the world."

He estimates the CPS has spent 670 million euros (US$790 million) to treat illnesses caused by radiation since 1985. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/macron-pressured-to-apologise-for- nuclear-tests-in-french-polynesia-15304386

Central Asia and Afghanistan: Old Fears, Old Actors, New Games

Just over 20 years ago, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was founded, with mitigating risks from Afghanistan as one of its key objectives. In his opening comments at the first session, President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan characterised the country as ‘the cradle of terrorism, separatism and extremism’. Two decades later, security concerns around Afghanistan remain alive and well in Central Asia. This was evident recently in Tashkent, as Uzbekistan hosted a major summit focused on Central and South Asian connectivity. One of the first large-scale international events since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, much of its focus was on Afghanistan, a country which ties the two regions together.

Traditionally, international attention towards Afghanistan has tended to focus on its southern border, given the Taliban’s deep links with Pakistan, as well as the Pashtun communities that tie the two countries together across the still ill-defined border. The attacks of 11 September 2001 brought the focus of international terrorism concerns to Afghanistan. Yet long before 2001, Central Asia had many reasons to worry about security threats emanating from Afghanistan.

The five-year Tajik Civil War which raged during the 1990s was in part fuelled by groups operating out of bases in Afghanistan. Kyrgyzstan was invaded by militants linked to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in the summer of 1999 and 2000. And in February 1999, a series of six car bombs in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent killed 13 people. All of the networks and groups behind these incidents had links to Afghanistan, highlighting President Nazarbayev’s concern over the country, and providing an animating issue for the SCO to group around.

Yet, despite the SCO being created as a vehicle which could – among other things – help coordinate a response to the problems emanating from Afghanistan, the organisation did nothing. In fact, following the September 11 attacks and the abrupt US return to the region, the Central Asian members quite rapidly pivoted to support the renewed US push into Afghanistan. US bases were welcomed into the region, to veiled scepticism in Beijing and Moscow. And for two decades, the SCO did very little practically in support of Afghanistan. https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/central-asia-and- afghanistan-old-fears-old-actors-new-games

THE PROBLEM WITH BIDEN’S DEMOCRACY AGENDA ROBERT MANNING AND MATHEW BURROWS JULY 27, 2021

There is an ironic tension at the heart of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy. The president has said, “I think we’re in a contest — not with China per se, but a contest with autocrats, autocratic governments around the world — as to whether or not democracies can compete with them in the rapidly changing 21st century.” However, according to a Pew survey earlier this year, Americans consider promoting democracy abroad as one of the least important priorities for U.S. foreign policy.

Can Biden’s desire for a struggle between democracy and autocracy be the foundation of an effective grand strategy? Or is it a path toward hubris and conflict that is backed principally by Washington’s foreign policy elite?

On his recent trip to participate in Group of Seven (G-7), NATO, and E.U. meetings, Biden put democracy front and center. He argued that “market democracies, not China or any other country, will write the 21st-century rules around trade and technology.” The president has so frequently cast U.S. foreign policy as a contest between democracies and autocracies that some are calling it the “Biden Doctrine.”

Mobilizing allies and likeminded partners into a coalition to shape updated rules and norms on specific issues is, indeed, the requisite beginning of any viable U.S. strategy. But in a multipolar world of diffused power, it is not sufficient as an organizing principle for world order because dealing with any of the global challenges from climate change and nuclear proliferation to future pandemics will require establishing a basis for cooperation with China, along with other autocracies like Russia and the Gulf countries. Dividing the world on the basis of ideology is ill-advised since democracies are not identical and uniting them is hardly as easy or predictable as many seem to think. The past couple of decades of squabbling, sanctions, and tensions over gas pipelines, the Iraq War, and Western relations with Russia and China — to mention only a few contentious issues — demonstrate that shared values between the United States and its closest allies are no guarantee of comity. Other examples include the myriad U.S.-European disputes over climate policy, vaccine nationalism, tech taxation and regulation, Iran, and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Nations, of course, have interests as well as values. Countries — regardless of political system — calculate their interests based on geography, economics, history, and culture as much as values. As Lord Palmerston famously said of the British Empire: “We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual.” Biden, and it seems much conventional wisdom in Washington, wants to turn Lord Palmerston’s words on their head. Promoting democracy has been a key part of U.S. foreign policy rhetoric ever since Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that the United States was making the world safe for democracy by entering World War I. However, the United States is no longer the dominant power it once was and the increasingly contested “rules-based order” is unraveling. The notion that an alliance of democracies can itself define the global order, excluding non-democratic major powers, threatens international stability and global cooperation on the major challenges facing humanity.

Moving forward, the Biden administration should certainly try to generate a common approach on global issues with its allies and partners. However, this should only be as a first step toward negotiating with China, Russia, and others on how to deal with pressing challenges like trade, international and regional security, and climate change. Believing that the United States or the world’s democracies writ large can sideline China and Russia is a recipe for division and strife. https://warontherocks.com/2021/07/the-problem-with-bidens-democracy-agenda/

Globalisation strikes back 27 Jul 2021|Richard N. Haass

The northern summer of 2021 has come to be largely defined by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and accelerating climate change. Both are manifestations of globalisation and the reality of a world increasingly defined by the vast and fast cross-border flows of just about everything, from goods, services and capital to data, terrorists and disease.

Little nowadays stays local for long. The lethal coronavirus that first appeared in Wuhan, China, everywhere. didn’t remain there, and greenhouse gases emitted anywhere warm the atmosphere and ocean These two crises demonstrate the woeful inadequacy of efforts to address the problematic aspects of globalisation. The so-called international community has again shown itself to be anything but a community. The supply of Covid- needed. The funds to pay for global immunisation are likewise billions of dollars short. Governments are putting their countries first, even19 vaccinesthough fast- is billionsspreading of doses variants short are of what’s emerging in under-vaccinated populations elsewhere and are indifferent to political borders.

As a result, the pandemic remains an intense threat. The death toll thus far is said to be over four million, but the real figure is several times higher, owing in some cases to flawed reporting systems and to deliberate undercounting by populist leaders in Brazil, India, Hungary, Russia and elsewhere. The economic consequences are likewise substantial, with the pandemic estimated to have reduced global GDP by over 3%. Approximately 100 million people have fallen back into extreme poverty. Inequality between and within countries has spiked.

What makes these developments all the more frustrating is that we know what to do about Covid-19 and possess the means to do it. Several safe and extraordinarily effective vaccines exist. What remains to be done is to scale up production to meet global demand.

In some countries, such as the United States, what needs doing is the opposite: to increase demand to meet the available supply. Vaccine hesitancy, fuelled by partisan politics or misinformation circulating on social media, television and talk radio, has become dangerously widespread. If vaccination were complemented by public-health measures known to slow the spread of disease masking, social distancing, readily available and accurate testing and contact tracing, and quarantining there would be far fewer and less severe infections, and the pandemic as we know— it would fade away. — The effects of the other crisis, climate change, have arrived sooner than many anticipated. For years, the tendency has been to put off any concerted response to the threat, despite clear and growing evidence that the planet is warming. As is often the case, the urgent crowded out the important. But the summer of 2021 is showing that climate change is both important and urgent.

Its effects are many. In the US, wildfires in the west rage out of control as the temperature climbs, and smog has blanketed swaths of the country. Europe and China are the scenes of massive flooding. In Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, there are signs of prolonged drought. The loss of life has been relatively modest, but it could well grow. Economic effects will likewise mount. The number of people who are being internally displaced or forced to migrate is rising sharply as large tracts of territory become inhospitable to human life.

United Nations climate-change conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November will continue to emphasiseThere is much an approach talk about whereby how to slow individual or stop countries climate change, offer voluntary but it’s mostly commitments just that. to The reduce their emissions. all costs, and are unable or unwilling to adopt energy paths that will meaningfully reduce their This is important, but it’s obvious that many countries are focused more on economic growth at that raise the prices of goods made in factories fuelled by coal, or to impose sanctions against governmentscontribution to that climate refuse change. to stop It the remains destruction to be seenof rainforest whethers therethat absorb’s the will carbon to adopt dioxide. tariffs Also to be determined is whether wealthier countries are prepared to make available the funds and technologies that poorer countries need to shift to a greener energy mix. https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/globalisation-strikes-back/

The connectivity trade- off from social media misinformation ANDRESSA OLIVEIRA Countries of the Global South hold the greatest potential for new internet users. But also the spectre of violence.

Rumours and falsehoods on social media spread faster than the truth. A recent study conducted in the United States found evidence that polarising political content (such as left vs right) is particularly likely to go viral. And there can be real world consequences of misinformation. Another study conducted in Germany has demonstrated that anti-refugee sentiment on Facebook predicts crimes against refugees.In the Global South – a term used to refer to regions of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania – these studies are corroborated by events that resulted in physical violence in the past years. In 2018, Facebook admitted its platform was used to incite violence in Myanmar. In the same year, the spread of false and inflammatory content on Facebook contributed to more killings in Nigeria. In Indonesia, online misinformation (hoaxes) has also sparked offline violence in 2019. In 2020, misinformation spread on WhatsApp was responsible for a deathly mob lynching in India.

Nevertheless, while often responsible for hosting inflammatory content, Facebook also attempts to help improve the connectivity in countries in the Global South. Facebook has been reported to face challenges in understanding non-English languages and not prioritising cases outside the US and other wealthy nations.

As of April 2021, Facebook ranks as the world’s most used app with 2.8 billion users. Owned by the same company, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram are not far behind. Most Facebook users are in countries of the Global South. Nevertheless, the countries with the highest number of internet users still have the greatest numbers of non-connected people, and most of these countries are in the Global South. In India, for example, which has the second-highest internet penetration in the world, half the population still has no internet access, according to the World Economic Forum. This experience is repeated in many countries in the southern hemisphere. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/connectivity-trade-social-media- misinformation

SONA-DEFENSE | Duterte promises to boost the military to protect the country’s territory in face of rising sea tensions

July 27, 2021 , 12:09 PM By Clarist Zablan

(July 27, 2021) – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday promised to boost the military, strengthening its capability by acquiring new equipment to fulfill its mandate to protect the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in the face of rising tensions in the South China Sea.

During six sixth and last State of the Nation Address (SONA), Duterte asked the joint session of Congress to also pass a unified system of separation retirement and pension of military and uniformed personnel, and provide benefits and remuneration to the new entrants of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

In 2018, the government passed a resolution raising the salaries of the military and police officers and personnel. The government has no funds to create a new pension fund for the uniformed services, separate from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the abolished Retirement and Separation Benefit System (RSBS).

“The continuous upgrading of our defense capability shall ensure that we shall uphold our territorial integrity and sovereignty from external and security threats among the new additions,” Duterte said.

He said the military is ill-equipped to deal with domestic threats from Maoist-led guerrillas while the police force is overwhelmed by a rise of crimes and drug trade problems.

Anticipating lawsuits arising from his brutal and bloody war on drugs policy, the maverick leader also pushed lawmakers to pass a law providing free legal assistance to soldiers and police officers who might face charges because of work-related incidents.

In response, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, head of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said he will introduce a bill which will extend legal assistance for the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Independent Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former national police chief, said the legislation for free legal assistance does not appear to be necessary.

“Free legal assistance to service-related and harassment cases against AFP and PNP personnel, just like free burial and hospitalization expenses may be extended by the AFP and PNP command headquarters using their command reserves,” he said.

Duterte also paid tribute to the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), praising its initiatives in addressing the armed conflict and the citizens whom he said to have been used by communists About 17,000 rebels have surrendered under his administration, he added. However, progressive groups slammed the NTF-ELCAC as ineffective in addressing the source of armed conflict. “What it has accomplished is the squandering of billions of people’s money, rabid red-tagging of critics, and terrorizing of communities which are only demanding cash aid and social services,” said Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas. https://news.tv5.com.ph/politics/read/sona-defense-duterte-promises-to-boost-the- military-to-protect-the-countrys-territory-in-face-of-rising-sea-tensions

Japan unveils large multi-role response vessel to boost PH maritime patrol capability

Published July 27, 2021, 10:49 AM by Roy Mabasa The Japanese and Philippine governments have unveiled the 94-meter long Multi-Role Response Vessel (MRRV) that will be turned over to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) next year to beef up its maritime patrol activities.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko (lower right) and Philippine Ambassador to Tokyo Jose Laurel V lead the virtual launching of the 94-meter multi-role response vessel at the Mitsubishi shipyard in Japan on Monday, July 26, 2021. (Embassy of Japan in Manila) Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko, Transportation Secretary Art Tugade, and Admiral George Villareal Ursabia, Jr., Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) attended the virtual ceremony held at the shipyard of the Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. in Japan on Monday, July 26, 2021.

“Attended the virtual launching ceremony of the 94m class patrol vessel with DOTrPH Sec. Tugade. This huge vessel was unveiled through a nautical tradition of blessing the ship and its crew on its voyage, and will become the PCG’s largest flagship in early 2022,” Koshikawa said in a tweet shortly after the ceremony.

The two 94m-MRRVs were built through a ¥16.5-billion fund from the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and are set to become the largest flagships of the PCG’s fleet.

During the ceremony, the Japanese envoy emphasized that the 94m MRRV will be another “milestone” in the long-standing maritime cooperation between Japan and the Philippines.

Koshikawa also conveyed his hope that the MRRV will play a vital role in maritime law enforcement and marine environment in the Philippines, and further deepen the ties between the Japan Coast Guard and the PCG.

The launching featured the Japanese nautical tradition of blessing the ship and its crew on its voyages. Under this tradition, the shipowner cuts the ceremonial cord using a special ax thought to bring good fortune and protection from evil, after which the ship is released from the slipway onto the water.

The first vessel is scheduled for delivery to the Philippines in March 2022 and will be handed over to the PCG in May 2022.

The new MRRVs are aimed to enhance the Philippines’ law enforcement capabilities, assist in preventing maritime accidents and conducting quick rescue operations, and contribute to the overall improvement of maritime safety and security in the Philippines.

The provision of these vessels is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines amid security concerns in the region. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/27/japan-unveils-large-multi-role-response-vessel-to-boost- ph-maritime-patrol-capability/

SECDEF Austin Outlines U.S. Commitment to the Pacific while China Protests U.K. Carrier Operations in South China Sea

By: Dzirhan Mahadzir July 27, 2021 1:50 PM

KUALA LUMPUR Defense Secretary Lloy commitment to the Indo-Pacific and chided China during his speech at the 40th International– Institute for Strategic Studiesd Austin Fullerton reiterated Le ctureAmerica’s held in Singapore on Tuesday.

Austin criticized China for its action in the region but said the U.S is not seeking confrontation with China and that he is committed to pursuing a majority of the South China Sea have no basis in international law and that suchconstructive, an assertion stable treads relationship on the sovereignty with Beijing. of He nations said China’s in the region. claims Theto the U.S under international law and remains committed to its treaty obligations to Japanwill continue in the Senkaku to support Islands the region’s and to the coastal Philippines states in in upholdi the Southng theirChina rights Sea, Austin said. respect the rule of law is not just occurring on the water, but in other spheres,Austin added like aggression that China’s against unwillingness India, destabilizing to resolve disputes military peaactivicefullyty and and other forms of coercion against the people of Taiwan, and genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. how they were managed. While the differences and disputes were real, Austin said it’s important confrontation. So let me be clear: As Secretary, I am committed to pursuing “We will not flinch when our interests are threatened. Yet we do not seek communications with th know,a constructive, big powers stable need relationship to model transparency with China … and including communication. stronger crisis And we e People’s Liberation Army,” Austin said. “You hope that we can work together with Beijing on common challenges,

especiallyEarlier Austin the threathad spoken of climate on Am change.” together with the Indo-Pacific region to address the challenges facing it, pointing to transnational threats erica’sin the form readiness of the and COVID-19 willingness pande tomic work and the existential threat of climate change, the spectre of coercion from rising powers, the nuclear dangers from North Korea, the struggles against

repression inside countries such as Myanmar, “and leaders who ignore the ruleThe defenseof law and secretary abuse the said basic the U.Srights thinks and meetingdignity that the challengesall people deserve.” to the Indo-Pacific region, helping it recover and rebuild from the effects of the pandemic, and forging a more resilient regional order lies in: recovery, investing in cooperation and capabilities, and the vision of deterrence that will meet the security challenges in Southeast Asia and across the Indo- Pacific and finally, recommitment to coming together as Pacific states to build a free and open region that stretches toward new horizons of partnership, prosperity, and progress.

As for recovery, Austin stated the U.S. has been rushing urgently-needed assistance including testing equipment, oxygen supplies, PPE, ventilators, and storage for vaccines across the Indo-Pacific. The Defense Department— is also pushing other methods of assistance, like providing logistics support, establishing mobile— clinics, and offering new military medical training. He added that President Joe Biden committed to delivering over 500 million vaccinations over the next year and that the Indo-Pacific region was a priority, with the U.S already delivering some 40 million doses in the past two months. https://news.usni.org/2021/07/27/secdef-austin-outlines-u-s-commitment-to-the-pacific- while-china-protests-u-k-carrier-operations-in-south-china-sea

Pentagon chief calls for new regional order in Indo-Pacific

By: Mike Yeo

MELBOURNE, Australia — The U.S. defense secretary has called on allies in the Indo-Pacific to force a new regional order, during his first visit to the area since taking up his post under the Biden administration. Lloyd Austin was speaking Tuesday in Singapore at the 40th Fullerton Lecture, organized by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, when he outlined his vision of “integrated deterrence.” That effort, he said, involves working with partners to deter coercion and aggression across the spectrum of conflict, including in the so-called gray zone that falls below the threshold of an all-out war.

The U.S. should use “every military and nonmilitary tool in our toolbox, in lockstep with our allies and partners. Integrated deterrence is about using existing capabilities and building new ones, and deploying them all in new and networked ways,” he added, “all tailored to a region’s security landscape and in growing partnership with our friends.” “We’re aiming to coordinate better, to network tighter and to innovate faster. And we’re working to ensure that our allies and partners have the capabilities, the capacities and the information that they need,” he noted. The Pentagon chief cited American efforts to improve interoperability with regional allies, pointing to a recent large-scale exercise in Japan that culminated with the first-ever firing of a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System on Japanese soil. Austin also mentioned the exercises Pacific Vanguard as well as Talisman Sabre off Australia, which involved the United States, Japan, Australia and South Korea carrying out “integrated, high-end maritime operations.” He also touched on Singapore’s acquisition of the Lockheed Martin-made F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, which he says will “boost our collective capabilities and open up new opportunities for high-end, combined training.” Austin specifically mentioned China as an assertive actor in the region, saying that “Beijing’s claim to the vast majority of the South China Sea has no basis in international law” and treads on the sovereignty of other states. He reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to its treaty with Japan over the Asian nation’s claim to the Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China, and to its partnership with the Philippines, which also has competing claims in the South China Sea. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2021/07/27/pentagon-chief-calls-for-new- regional-order-in-indo-pacific/

Arctic is key region in countering China’s aggression, US Air Force officials say

• Military installations in Alaska are becoming crucial as bases for operations in the Indo-Pacific, US experts say • Beijing is ‘certainly moving to legitimise a role’ in the Arctic with its Polar Silk Road initiative

US military leaders said on Tuesday that they see Arctic operations as a deterrent to China, which has staked a claim to the region as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, and increasingly as a base for operations in the Indo-Pacific.

Panellists including US Air Force officials Kelli Seybolt and Lieutenant General Clinton Hinote discussed

the strengthening of what Seybolt called defence relationships with “six of the seven other Arctic nations providing key strategic advantages”, excluding Russia. deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration and requirements. Seybolt is the force’s undersecretary for international affairs, and Hinote is the

gas from its deposits in the region, and the US would be open to including Moscow in discussions among ArcticWhile Russia’snations in military the long- activities in the Arctic are understandable given that it has an interest in oil and near- - term if relations were to improve, Seybolt said, China’s claim in 2018 to be a Arctic nation was a “kind of mind boggling statement”. ainly moving to legitimise a role in the

probably“If I look at need the tomap be fromworking above, with I don’t all of seethe that,Arctic but nations they’re to cert ensure that our common interests are region as they continue with their … Polar Silk Road initiative,” she said. “This is the area where we

Tprotected.” -dollar

Belthe Polarand Road Silk RoadInitiative is part of Beijing’s multibillion to expand Chinese global influence through construction of ports, railroads and other infrastructure, and is part of the government’s development blueprint for the next five years. In addition to new freight routes opened by Chinese transport in the region, Beijing also announced plans to launch a satellite by 2022 to track shipping routes and monitor changes in sea ice .

The discussion on Tuesday was hosted by the Wilson Centre in Washington. Also on the panel was William Liquori, a lieutenant general serving in the new United States Space Force.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3142790/arctic-key-region-countering-chinas- aggression-us-air-force-officials DOD FOCUSES ON ASPIRATIONAL CHALLENGES IN FUTURE WARFIGHTING JULY 26, 2021 | BY DAVID VERGUN , D O D N E W S To deter China and Russia from possible future aggression, the Defense Department has come up with a concept known as "expanded maneuver," the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today.

Speaking at the National Defense Industrial Association's Emerging Technologies Institute, Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten said expanded maneuver involves understanding how adversaries can operate in all domains and how to stop them while protecting DOD and coalition forces, he said, noting there are four functional battle areas within expanded maneuver.

The first involves contested logistics. The last time logistics from the U.S. to overseas locations were contested was World War II in the Pacific and European theaters of operation, he said.

Logistics is really difficult to do in a contested environment, he said. Fuel, munitions and other materiel doesn't just show up magically on a remote Pacific island.

"Contested logistics has been an area of rich study, rich conversation, and we're changing our entire logistics approach because of it," he said.

Joint fires is the second functional battle area. In the joint warfighting concept, fires come from all domains and from all services with no restrictions, Hyten said.

The idea for this concept is that the adversary can't figure out where fires are coming from, and they have no way to defend themselves against that, he said.

"That's a purely aspirational requirement, but I hope everybody can see that if you could do that you would change the equation on any future battlefield," he said.

"Now, you have to figure out what is affordable, what is practical, what can you do, where can you bring it from, who can have it. All those kinds of things you have to be able to work out but you should never limit yourself as you begin a concept with what you don't think you can do. So, fires need to come from everywhere, all domains, all services, kinetic and non-kinetic," he said.

The third element is joint all-domain command and control. Command and control links everything together and allows a commander to understand exactly what's going on in the battlespace, he said. http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2707633/dod-focuses-on- aspirational-challenges-in-future-warfighting/

Lawmakers demand clearer picture for Guam missile defense plans

By: Jen Judson

13 WASHINGTON — Consensus is building on Capitol Hill that the Missile Defense Agency needs to provide more clarity on its plans for a missile defense architecture to protect Guam.

The House Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces subpanel, in its markup of the fiscal 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, will require the MDA to provide congressional defense committees a detailed report on its plans for a missile defense architecture for Guam, an acquisition strategy and requirements for funding, according to committee staff. The MDA has yet to reveal what the missile defense architecture for Guam will look like. The House committee has asked the MDA for a report on plans for the island for several years, but this time its subcommittee will require a report be delivered with more detail on the planned architecture and what types of threats it could engage. According to a committee staffer, the MDA never delivered reports asked for in previous years. The subcommittee is not planning to fence off funding in its policy bill that the MDA would need to develop a Guam missile defense capability, the staffer noted. The committee has yet to release its markup of the FY22 authorization bill. The Senate Armed Services Committee did not show its cards on the Guam missile defense architecture in its FY22 policy bill summary released this month and has yet to release the full report on the bill. But House appropriators plan to cut funding to enhance missile defense in Guam due to the absence of a detailed plan from the MDA. The agency requested $78.3 million for Guam missile defense, plus an additional $40 million to procure long-lead items in its FY22 budget request, but the House Appropriations Committee would cut it by $55.9 million. The head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command requested $231.7 million in additional funding for Guam to move at the desired pace for fielding a system. The ask came in a list of unfunded requirements sent to Congress last month. https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2021/07/27/lawmakers-demand-clearer- picture-for-guam-missile-defense-plans/

No, We Don’t Need Women to Register for the Draft

By RICH LOWRY

But most of the Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee voted for this ‘social justice’ cause anyway.

IF you wonder what Republicans are accomplishing in Washington, look no further than the Senate Armed Services Committee, where a majority of them voted to create the predicate for drafting women into the military.

Astonishingly, only five of the committee’s 13 GOP members voted against an amendment requiring women to begin to register for the Selective Service.

It’s unclear why this is a pressing national need, or why anyone believes that it would help during a major war. Perversely, though, it’s considered a blow for gender equity, and, of course, that overwhelms all other considerations for Democrats and Republicans alike.

Currently, men between the ages of 18 and 26 must register with the Selective Service. This is the database that, in theory, we’d draw on in the event of a military draft.

A draft, which we haven’t had since the Vietnam War, isn’t supposed to be a mechanism for making people feel good about themselves or a tool of so-called social justice. Its purpose is to funnel manpower into the military as expeditiously as possible during a national crisis.

A draft is a gargantuan effort. As Max Margulies of West Point and Amy Rutenberg of Iowa State University note, during World War II, more than 180,000 volunteers helped process draftees at 11,000 draft and appeals boards. During Vietnam, 31,000 people did this work.

It would unnecessarily complicate this inherently difficult task to also screen all the young women in the country to find those suited to military roles at a time when, presumably, we’d need to quickly find and train new soldiers en masse.

Although women serve admirably and honorably in the armed services, the military is still overwhelmingly male. According to a recent GAO report, the percentage of women in the military overall has increased only slightly, from 15.1 percent in 2004 to 16.5 percent in 2018. The numbers are tiny when it to comes to combat arms. As of late 2019, 653 women were serving in combat roles in the Army and 231 female Marines in combat arms billets. https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/07/no-we-dont-need-women-to-register-for-the- draft/

DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS FOOD INSECURITY IS A READINESS, NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE

J U L Y 27, 2 0 2 1 | BY TERRI MOON CRONK, DOD NEWS BY Readiness in the U.S. armed forces comprises many factors, but "food insecurity" impacts physical and mental health, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Military Community and Family Policy said in a virtual panel discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Patricia Montes Barron discussed "Food Security in the Military: What We Know and Why It Matters," at CSIS today. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Those serving on active duty, in the military reserves or in the National Guard experienced food insecurity at double the national average in recent months, according to nationwide surveys. And anecdotal evidence points to heightened rates of food insecurity among U.S. veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports show.

Barron said her office has been hard at work since April to develop a plan for the Defense Department that everybody can wrap their arms around. "We've also started to work with the USDA, and we've just gotten approval to work with the Census Bureau on a military family focus panel," she added. Food insecurity is one of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin's III high priorities, she said. "He wants to make sure we're addressing this and ional interest, as well as discussions with [the White House's initiative] Joining Forces," she noted.getting to it as quickly as we can … [via] Congress

"We are gathering data and analyzing relevant statistics, which are going to help us better scope the problem," Barron said. "And while my office is taking the lead, we can't do this alone. We need all of DOD and other federal agencies to work together with us."

Trained members of the Military Family Life Counselor Program will help with assessment tools to assist MC&FP in determining if people counselors deal with need nutritional support, she said, adding that the DOD Federal Financial Readiness Office is also developing an assessment tool and will work closely with MC&FP to make sure families know what financial resources are available. http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2709598/defense-official-says- food-insecurity-is-a-readiness-national-security-issue/

The Biden Administration Joins the Military Justice Reform Debate as It Heats Up in the Senate

By Michel Paradis Tuesday, July 27, 2021, 8:01 AM

What can be done about the persistently high rate of sexual assault in the military, and is reforming the military justice system the way to stamp it out? It is a problem that has bedeviled the defense establishment for years. Soon after taking office, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin sponsored the most recent initiative and appointed the so-called Independent Review Committee (IRC) to assess what reforms should be made. The IRC’s mandate was to develop recommendations along what it described as four “Lines of Effort”: accountability, prevention, climate and culture, and victim care and support.

Last month, the IRC completed its work and issued a 300-page report of findings and recommendations. Austin publicly embraced the IRC’s recommendations in full; and soon after, the IRC report got the unqualified backing of President Biden.

The IRC’s findings and recommendations along the latter three Lines of Effort are likely to be uncontroversial, and many appear to have been included already in the draft 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that was voted out of the Senate Armed Services Committee on July 21. This is likely due to the fact that the recommendations were all reasonably well thought-out and entail steps the Defense Department is generally comfortable implementing, such as expanding training requirements; increasing awareness of available resources; and allocating dedicated personnel to conduct oversight, data collection, planning, outreach, and victim support.

More likely to be contentious are the IRC’s recommendations for accountability. Focused on ways to improve the military justice system, the IRC report drops into the middle of a debate that has been roiling for more than two years over whether the military justice system should continue to operate within the chain of command.

As I have written in greater depth before, military justice in the United States has never depended on a regular system of standing courts with fixed rules dedicated to the pursuit of even-handed justice. Quite the opposite. Military justice has traditionally been nothing more and nothing less than an extension of a commanding officer’s authority to discipline subordinates. The once broad discretion commanders historically have had to impose that discipline has yielded over time to the stringency of greater procedural regularity and judicial standards of fairness. But the core of the system remains the same to this day, insofar as the decision to prosecute a service member before a court-martial at all remains committed to the discretion of that service member’s operational superiors in the chain of command. Indeed, a court-martial is literally called into existence (or “convened”) by a commanding officer for the sole purpose of conducting a particular service member’s trial ad hoc.

Whether operations commanders should continue to have this role in the prosecution of their subordinates has been the central point of friction in the increasingly contentious debate over military justice reform. In May, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act (S.1520), which would remove commanders entirely from the prosecution of serious crimes. That bill, which now has 65 Senate co-sponsors, would create stand-alone prosecutor offices within each service, akin to a U.S. Attorney’s Office, to direct the investigation and prosecution of all serious crimes.

Supporters of S.1520 argue that professionalizing the military justice system is a necessary step to combat the persistently high prevalence of sexual assault in the armed forces. The IRC report does not disagree, though its proposals for reform aim to more narrowly target the way the military goes about prosecuting sex crimes.

In an interesting twist, in the draft 2022 NDAA sent to the floor last week, the Senate Armed Services Committee included both S.1520 and two parallel proposals for military justice reform that appear based, at least in part, on the IRC’s recommendations. A heated conflict over the path forward is therefore brewing as military justice reform reaches the full Senate. I therefore hope to briefly outline the IRC’s vision of military justice reform and offer a few comments on the role it might play in the debate ahead. https://www.lawfareblog.com/biden-administration-joins-military-justice-reform-debate-it- heats-senate

Cyber Cold War: US pussyfoots around alleged cyberattacks by Russia and China By Peter Fabricius• 25 July 2021

Russia has been fingered as being behind recent hacks, but the US’s response has been muted. First published in the Daily Maverick 168 weekly newspaper.

Why does the US not retaliate in kind to the increasing number of cyberattacks against its political, commercial and infrastructure assets – allegedly by Russia but also, lately, by China?

Is this because of concerns about a digital version of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), the unwritten philosophy of nuclear-weapon use during the Cold War? That ultimate deterrent theory was that neither side would dare fire the first nuclear missile because everyone knew that the retaliation would be destructive to all. The strategy worked.

Likewise, there seems to be a fear that an all-out cyberwar between the US and Russia would inflict mutually devastating destruction because digital command and control systems are now so deeply embedded in infrastructure.

Some analysts believe the US is treading gingerly because it feels especially vulnerable to an unrestrained cyberwar because its systems have become more digitalised than Russia’s or China’s. The attacks that the US attributes to Russia, especially, seemed originally to be more narrowly focused on disrupting the political system, notably the hacking of Democratic Party officials and leaders around the time of the 2016 presidential election.

These were apparently intended either to damage US democracy as a whole or to favour the presidential ambitions of the then Republican Party candidate, Donald Trump, on the assumption that he would be more sympathetic as president to Russian President Vladimir Putin. As he turned out to be.

But, since then, and possibly because Trump is no longer in office, cyberattacks mostly attributed to Russia have increasingly also targeted American infrastructure such as fuel supply lines, raising the alarming prospect of major damage to infrastructure.

The attacks on the Democratic National Committee in 2016 were believed to have been carried out by an outfit called APT 29 or Cozy Bear, which the US government links to Russia’s foreign intelligence service. This month Cozy Bear also attacked the Republican National Committee, according to US media. It has also been accused of the supply chain cyberattack involving SolarWinds, an IT company that builds and manages business software. The hack infiltrated nine US government agencies and was disclosed in December 2020.

A major shot across the bows, exposing US infrastructure vulnerability, occurred in May when another Russian-based outfit called DarkSide conducted a ransomware attack on the US company Colonial Pipeline. The company had to shut down the pipeline that provides petrol and jet fuel to much of the East Coast after its computer network was breached.

The most recent culprit fingered by US security agencies is the Russian ransomware firm REvil, which attacked the software of Miami-based Kaseya Ltd, shutting down the IT systems of 1,000 to 1,500 of its direct or indirect clients. REvil then demanded millions of dollars to unlock their accounts.

American intelligence agencies identified REvil, short for “Ransomware evil”, as being responsible for the attack on one of the US’s largest beef producers, JBS. Yet the response of the administration of US President Joe Biden seems to many observers and analysts to be strangely muted.

It responded this week to an alleged cyberattack by China on the Microsoft corporation as though it were reacting to a human rights abuse in a distant country- with a condemnatory statement, coordinated with fellow Nato countries- and no more.

Biden’s response to the recent Russian attacks has been more ambiguous, though. In a summit meeting with Putin on 16 June, Biden demanded that the Russian president call off his hackers.

Nothing happened. In fact, two weeks later, REvil took credit for a hack that affected thousands of businesses around the world on 4 July.

That intensified demands in the US for a stronger response by Biden. William Evalina, who had been a top cybersecurity official in the Trump administration, tweeted on 7 July, after the attack on the Republican Party: “Putin can stop this in five minutes. More egregious than the Russian ‘contractor’ REvil, this is an intelligence agency of the Russian Federation. Putin recognises strength and it is time for the US to proportionally respond.”

He also told the New York Times that it was time for Biden to be “bold” in his response.

The 4 July REvil attack – and perhaps the criticism at home – apparently prompted Biden’s ultimatum in a phone call to Putin a few days later to stop the hackers. Biden told White House reporters that “we expect them to act”, and when asked by a reporter later if he would take down the group’s servers if Putin did not, the president simply said, “Yes.” Biden met with agency heads to discuss what the White House called a “national security and economic security priority for the administration”. A few days later REvil went offline, raising questions about whether Putin had responded positively to Biden’s demand. Other analysts speculated that Putin had ignored an ultimatum from Biden – and so the US Cyber Command had shut REvil down.

Cyber Command is believed by some to have proved last year that it could do just that, paralysing the Russian ransomware group DarkSide because it was concerned it might hack into voter registrations or other election data in the 2020 election. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-07-25-cyber-cold-war-us-pussyfoots- around-alleged-cyberattacks-by-russia-and-china/

Why Can't the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ships Get Their Act Together? by David Axe Follow @daxe on TwitterL

Here's What You Need to Know: It took the Navy nearly two decades to realize the LCS program had failed. The sailing branch in 2014 cut LCS acquisition from 55 ships to 32. Congress eventually added three vessels, boosting the class to 35 ships.

After spending $30 billion over a period of around two decades, the U.S. Navy has managed to acquire just 35 of the 3,000-ton-displacement vessels.

Sixteen were in service as of late 2018. Of those 16, four are test ships. Six are training ships. In 2019 just six LCSs, in theory, are deployable.

While that number should increase as the remaining ships in the class finally commission into service, the LCS’s low readiness rate calls into question the wisdom of the Navy’s investment in the type.

Indeed, the Navy in 2018 didn’t deploy a single LCS, USNI News reported. “The service was supposed to push forward three ships in Fiscal Year 2018, after a 2016 overhaul of LCS homeporting, command and control and manning constructs.”

“However, USNI News first reported in April 2018 that zero LCSs would deploy in [fiscal year] 2018. Since then, the Navy had not talked publicly about progress made towards getting ready to deploy its first LCSs since ships from a block-buy contract started delivering to the fleet at about four a year.”

Navy officials in early 2019 claimed at least three LCSs would deploy before the end of the current fiscal year in September 2019.

“We’re deploying LCS this year, it’s happening,” Commander of Naval Surface Forces Vice Adm. Richard Brown told reporters. “Two ships are going on the West Coast; one ship is going on the East Coast, followed shortly [by a second] in the beginning of ‘20. And that marks the deployment of LCS; there will always be LCS forward-deployed now, just like we designed the program.”

Brown said the LCSs USS Montgomery and USS Gabrielle Giffords would deploy from San Diego to the Western Pacific while USS Detroit deployed from Florida. USS Little Rock in early 2020 also would deploy from Florida. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/why-cant-us-navys-littoral-combat-ships-get- their-act-together-190522

JUST IN: Navy Shares Details About New ‘Intelligent Autonomous Systems’ Strategy 7/27/2021 By Yasmin Tadjdeh Following the release of the Department of the Navy’s “Unmanned Campaign Framework” earlier this year, the sea service recently debuted a new complementary strategy focused on intelligent autonomous systems.

The March framework — which has an overarching vision to make unmanned systems a trusted and sustainable part of the naval force structure — stressed capabilities over platforms and laid out a variety of technologies that will be required to quickly develop and deploy new systems.

Jason Stack, technical director at the Office of Naval Research, said the Navy’s new complementary science and technology strategy, “Intelligent Autonomous Systems,” will be key to unlocking the potential of unmanned platforms.

“IAS will be a cornerstone of future naval power,” he said July 27 during remarks at the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s Unmanned Systems Defense Conference.

IAS is the confluence of autonomy with unmanned systems and artificial intelligence, according to the strategy, which was released in July.

“Prevailing in the IAS competition requires us to move rapidly and focus on the most impactful outcomes,” the strategy said. Objectives include setting a naval intelligent autonomous vision, providing an investment management framework for funding, workforce and infrastructure; and accelerating the development, operationalization and adoption of IAS systems.

Focus areas include capabilities, people and processes, and partnerships, the document said.

At the most foundational level, adding autonomy to an unmanned system makes them adaptable, Stack said.

“When we make machines more intelligent, at the end of the day, it is giving them the ability to adapt,” he said. “When we think about what research we need to be conducting, how we need to be experimenting with [concepts of operations], how [we] as a developer community need to come together and provide more options and alternatives for DoD, this is what it comes down to — it's understanding how to grow the adaptive ability of our unmanned systems.”

Systems must be able to adapt to unstructured and unpredictable scenarios at machine speeds, while overwhelming amounts of data are streamed in, he said.

“When you put these three things together and have machines that can effectively work with humans, where the machines can adapt in these ways, [then] this is a truly revolutionary matter, a truly revolutionary affair on something that the world has not seen before,” he said. “That's exactly why … we claim that IAS and this sort of capability, combined with our humans, will be the cornerstone of future naval power.” https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/7/27/navy-shares-details-about- new-intelligent-autonomous-systems-strategy

Marines swim through surf in new training program as AAVs return to use in water following deadly accident For the first time since nine men died when their amphibious assault vehicle sank during training off San Clemente Island nearly a year ago, infantry Marines at Camp Pendleton were recently back in the water in the seafaring armored vehicles.

Some of the training the Marines are going through is now required after an investigation into the causes of the AAV accident, which was the deadliest training accident in the history of the vehicle’s use by the Marine Corps.

Infantry from the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines and members of the 3rd Amphibian Assault Battalion participated in the multi-week course. The program was designed to make sure Marines didn’t move on to more difficult skills before showing they were confident in their training, said 1st Lt. Kyle McGuire, with the 1st Marine Division.

Among the requirements, the infantry Marines had to complete water survival training and show they mastered escaping from a sinking vehicle. The investigation into last summer’s accident found there were men aboard the AAV that sank who had not completed either training.

The investigation found the mens’ deaths could have been prevented, and training lapses, bad equipment and failures to follow standard operating policies were apparent.

“We start with the basics and then increase complexities,” McGuire said of the new training program.

Marines with the 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion who serve as the crew of the vehicles already were required to have swim qualifications, now the infantry Marines being transported inside the vehicle are expected to have these same skills. Amphibious operations are at the core of the Marines Corps’ mission, especially as it looks to future conflicts in the Indo-Pacific regions where ship-to-shore missions and moving across small island chains could be critical. https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/marines-swim-through-surf-in-new-training- program-as-aavs-return-to-use-in-water-following-deadly-accident/

US and Australia must deepen defence cooperation on climate security

27 Jul 2021|Robert Glasser and Erin Sikorsky address on Indo- SoutheastUS Secretary Asia. of NotDefense surprisingly, Lloyd Austin China has is likelyjust arrived to feature in Singapo prominenre, wheretly in his he’ll remarks, deliver buta major so may climate change.Pacific security. He’s the first member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet to visit

Though thousands of miles apart, Australia and the United States have shared unenviable climate-change-driven devastation in the past two years. The unprecedented drought, heatwaves and fires currently affecting the US and the 2019 20 Australian bushfires, which laid waste to an area larger than the State of Washington, are an indication of the challenges ahead in a warming climate. –

As traumatic and deadly as these events have been for people in both countries, the impact of climate-driven disasters in the broader Indo-Pacific military planning and strategies is likely to be even more devastating, with spillover effects on the security of both nations and their partners and—a allies. region at the core of both countries’ — Canberra and Washington have recently reaffirmed the importance of their defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and while China certainly looms large in their thinking, it is increasingly clear that climate change, a threat that will ultimately amplify and eclipse all others on their risk horizons, must feature prominently in the bilateral defence relationship.

The Indo-Pacific is the most exposed region in the world to the hazards climate change is amplifying. Climate risks in the region are clustered around three hotspots. The first is the major transboundary river basins in South and Southeast Asia, where large concentrations of poor people are exposed to the regular and increasing risk of extreme floods and droughts, and already tense cross-border relationships are likely to be further strained by climate shocks. The second is maritime Southeast Asia along the Ring of Fire, where more than 400 million people reside in low-lying island countries exposed to very rapid sea-level rise, stronger cyclones and increasing floods and droughts, compounded by earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. The third hot spot comprises the Pacific small island developing states, many of which face an existential risk from rising seas and intensifying storms. https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/us-and-australia-must-deepen-defence-cooperation- on-climate-security/

China's PLA to continue defending national dignity, world peace: Chinese envoy (Xinhua) 14:06, July 27, 2021 BEIRUT, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Qian Minjian said on Monday that the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) constitutes a strong pillar in defending their country and will continue to maintain national dignity and safeguard regional and world peace. The ambassador's remarks came during an online reception organized by the Chinese embassy in Lebanon to celebrate the 94th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army which falls on Aug. 1. Chinese Military Attache Brigadier General Zheng Yuchong gave an overview of China's national defense policy and the functions and tasks of the Chinese military, while emphasizing that the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party is key to the rapid and steady development of the Chinese military. Deputy Chief of Staff of the Lebanese Army Brigadier General Ziad Hachem praised the great achievements of the Chinese PLA, and fully affirmed China's positive role in safeguarding world peace. Meanwhile, UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Deputy Force Commander Brigadier General Irvine Nii-Ayitey Aryeetey, representative of the UNIFIL Commander, spoke highly of the achievements of the Chinese peacekeeping forces in mine clearance, infrastructure, medical care and epidemic prevention.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2021/0727/c90000-9877161.html

China begins construction of the first autonomous research ship Naval News July 2021 Navy Forces Maritime Defense Industry POSTED ON TUESDAY, 27 JULY 2021 10:50

According to information published by the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai) in July 2021, the scientific research institute lays the keel of the ship which is expected to be the world's first research vessel with remote control and autonomous navigation. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

The first autonomous research ship is designed by China Ship Design &Research Center and built by Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard.

China Ship Design & Research Center Co., Ltd., is a platform for R&D design and technology innovation of civil vessels and marine engineering equipment established by CSIC with the joint investment of 68 million Yuan from 8 well-known shipbuilding enterprises and research institutes at home.

Huangpu Wenchong is a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and one of the largest shipyards building military and commercial cargo ships. https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news- archive/2021/10240-naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense- industry/10478-china-begins-construction-of-the-first-autonomous-research-ship.html

Chinese, Mongolian defense ministers agree to strengthen cooperation (Xinhua) 11:00, July 27, 2021 ULAN BATOR, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense Wei Fenghe and Mongolian Defense Minister Gursed Saikhanbayar pledged here on Monday to beef up pragmatic cooperation between the two militaries. China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, and their building of a community with a shared future has been constantly deepened, Wei said during a meeting with Saikhanbayar. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have been supporting each other and working together to overcome difficulties, setting an example of anti-pandemic cooperation among neighboring countries and injecting positive energy into a turbulent world, he said. The two sides should continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, remain highly vigilant against interference by outside forces in regional affairs, and jointly safeguard regional security and stability, Wei added. The Chinese military is willing to work with the Mongolian side to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, enhance strategic mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and make greater contribution to the sound and steady development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, he said. Saikhanbayar extended his congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. Mongolia highly appreciates China's building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, among other remarkable achievements, and is grateful to China for its support and assistance in fighting the epidemic and boosting trade, he said. Mongolia attaches great importance to its relations with China and will continue to actively promote pragmatic cooperation in such fields as defense and security, strengthen communication and coordination with China on regional issues, and make positive efforts for regional peace and stability, Saikhanbayar said. Also on Monday, Mongolia's parliamentary speaker Gombojav Zandanshatar met with Wei in Ulan Bator. http://en.people.cn/n3/2021/0727/c90000-9877097.html

The Type 093 Submarine Is China's Terrifying New Innovation

The Shang II-class submarine has helped to make China into a major naval power. by Peter Suciu

Here's What You Need to Know: However, the more significant threat from Beijing may not be the carriers or other surface vessels, or even its aircraft carrier “killer” missiles—but rather its Type 093A attack submarine.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is now the largest naval force in the world, and a lot of attention has been paid to its two aircraft carriers, while a third flattop is reportedly on the way. This is in addition to its naval expansion, which includes assault carriers, cruisers and destroyers.

However, the more significant threat from Beijing may not be the carriers or other surface vessels, or even its aircraft carrier “killer” missiles—but rather its Type 093A attack submarine.

The first iteration of the Type 093 dates all the way back to 2005, but it was not without problems—and it offered little improvement over its problem-plagued, noisy predecessor, the Type 091. However, the Type 093 has been steadily improved.

It now seems that with the enhancements the Type 093 is well on its way to being a world-class attack submarine.

According to submarine expert H I Sutton, writing for Naval News, the Type 093A Shang-II class is the most powerful attack submarine in China’s arsenal today. The roughly 7,000 ton nuclear-powered submarine is roughly the same size as the Royal Navy’s Astute-class, which puts it in between the French Navy Suffren-class and the U.S. Navy’s Virginia- class.

While nuclear-powered submarines tend to be louder than their diesel- electric counterparts, the Type 093A reportedly uses some of its larger size for noise-reducing features including acoustic stealth. Improvements in reactor coolant pump design may have helped reduce the Shang-class’ acoustic signature. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/type-093-submarine-chinas-terrifying-new- innovation-190543

Taiwanese navy receives first improved Tuo Chiang-class corvette

27 JULY 2021 by J Michael Cole & Gabriel Dominguez

The Republic of China Navy (RoCN) has received its first improved Tuo Chiang (also spelled Tuo Jiang)-class fast missile corvette.

Named Ta Chiang (pennant number 619), the vessel was formally handed over in a ceremony held on 27 July at the facilities of Lungteh Shipbuilding in Suao, in north-eastern Taiwan's Yilan County, that was presided over by Defence Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng.

The corvette, which was launched on 15 December 2020, is set to be commissioned in August.

Taipei aims to build a total of six of these improved ships by 2023, with up to five additional vessels expected to be built thereafter.

Developed under the Hsun Hai programme, the Tuo Chiang-class vessels are designed to provide the RoCN with a high-end, asymmetric means to defeat amphibious landing and capital ships.

The RoCN received Ta Chiang , its first improved Tuo Chiang corvette, during a ceremony held on 27 July at the facilities of Lungteh Shipbuilding in Suao, in north-eastern Taiwan's Yilan County. (Via Taiwan's Military News Agency)

As Janes reported, the corvettes, which feature a wave-piercing catamaran hull form, waterjet propulsion, and a low radar cross-section (RCS) design, are meant to assume responsibility for the lower intensity maritime security missions currently undertaken by the service's larger and more-expensive destroyers and frigates in peacetime, while providing an affordable but effective asymmetrical counter against an adversary's larger warships.

Ta Chiang is the first series-produced vessel of the class and features several enhancements over first-of-class Tuo Chiang – which was commissioned in late 2014 – in terms of weaponry, mission systems, and design.

Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) quoted the RoCN as saying that Ta Chiang https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/taiwanese-navy-receives-first- improved-tuo-chiang-class-corvette

LiG-Nex1 Developing Close-in Weapons System with AESA Radar for Warships South Korean LiG-Nex1 is developing close-in weapons system (CIWS-II) whose AESA radar system will be derived from that of the KF-21 jet. The CIWS-II is being developed under a Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) project investing 20 billion won ($277.7 million) to complete the project by 2030. CIWS-II is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short- range missiles and enemy aircraft that penetrate outer defenses. It is typically mounted on warships, Korea JoongAng Daily reported July 25. Current CIWS devices onboard existing Korean Navy ships were procured from foreign manufacturers, namely Thales, and utilize mechanical radars, it said. The new CIWS-II will feature enhanced missile detecting capability thanks to LIG-Nex1’s AESA radar technology and software is already deployed on the KF- 21 Boramae, the country’s first domestically developed fighter jet built by Korea Aerospace Industries. https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30102/LiG_Nex1_Developing_Close_in_Weapons_ System_with_AESA_Radar_for_Warships

Hotels and Free Wi-Fi Are Sitting Ducks for North Korean Cybercriminals North Korea has a track record of conducting sophisticated cyberattacks from unexpected locations through highly creative means. By Jason Bartlett

July 27, 2021

While often viewed as an expected luxury when traveling, free and/or unprotected Wi-Fi can open the digital door to a world of malicious cyber actors ranging from meddlesome hackers to North Korean cybercriminals. The dangerous combination of weak or nonexistent cybersecurity protocols, relaxed travelers and employees, and increased e-commerce and digital financial activity provide an ideal environment for cybercriminals moonlighting as ordinary guests to hack the world.

North Korea has a track record of conducting sophisticated cyberattacks from unexpected locations through highly creative means. For example, the infamous 2014 cyberattack against Sony Pictures Entertainment was later traced to The St. Regis Bangkok hotel and attributed to a North Korean cyberagent working for the notorious Lazarus Group. In other words, North Korean cybercriminals launched a destructive cyberattack against a world-renowned entertainment company using the Wi-Fi of a hotel in Thailand. Over the years, North Korean cyberattacks have been immensely successful in compromising and stealing millions of dollars from individuals, financial institutions, and cryptocurrency exchanges. While some argue that North Korean cybercriminals still lag behind their Russian or Chinese counterparts, the fact that Pyongyang has been this successful against tech giants like the United States exposes the misconceptions surrounding their cyber capabilities. A main distinction is that while Chinese and Russian cybercriminals have greater access to advanced technologies and the global web, North Korean cybercriminals must venture outside of their country to jurisdictions with lax sanctions enforcement and cybersecurity protocols to conduct cyberattacks. And this includes hotels and commercial establishments. https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/hotels-and-free-wi-fi-are-sitting-ducks-for-north-korean- cybercriminals/

Austin Emphasizes Partnership in Singapore Speech JULY 27, 2021 | BY JIM GARAMONE, DOD NEWS

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today emphasized partnership with the United States during a speech in Singapore, saying America is a reliable friend to countries in Southeast Asia. The secretary delivered the International Institute of Strategic Studies 40th Fullerton Lecture, and he used U.S. efforts to combat COVID-19 as examples of America's commitment to the region.

The pandemic had kept Austin from traveling to the region sooner, but this is still his second trip to the Indo-Pacific region since taking office in January. He is the first cabinet-level official in the Biden administration to visit the crucial Southeast Asia area.

''We are meeting in difficult times,'' Austin said. ''But we're working with our friends so that we all come out of the pandemic stronger than before.''

At its heart, Austin's speech emphasized the advantages that partnership with the United States brings to the region. He called it a ''strategic imperative.''

''I learned a core lesson over four decades as a soldier in peace and in war: That lesson is nobody can go it alone, at least not for very long,'' he said. ''We are far stronger, and for far longer, when we come together than when we let ourselves be split apart.'' The international, rules-based order that has allowed the nations of Southeast Asia to prosper, and the U.S. presence in the region helps ensure security via partnerships with the nations involved.

But Austin said there are still threats and problems in the region.

''Together with our friends, we face a range of challenges in this region that demand common action,'' the secretary said. ''There are transnational threats, like the pandemic and the existential threat of climate change, the specter of coercion from rising powers, the nuclear dangers from North Korea, the struggles against repression inside countries such as Myanmar and leaders who ignore the rule of law and abuse the basic rights and dignity that all people deserve. http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2708276/austin-emphasizes- partnership-in-singapore-speech/

David and Goliath: Myanmar’s Armed Resistance at the Crossroads “We can’t just wait to get help until we die”: More and more protesters see no hope for a return to democracy outside of taking up arms. By Robert Bociaga

July 27, 2021

Mahatma Gandhi once said that nonviolence is a weapon of the strong. Although deposed Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is known to have embraced his philosophy, many Myanmar people are turning to armed struggle, hoping to overthrow the junta that seized control on February 1.

What has the Myanmar armed resistance brought, besides increasing the number of casualties?

Since the coup was launched on February 1, the country has been witnessing attacks on civilians by the military on an unprecedented scale. Tatmadaw soldiers are resorting to burning whole villages to terrorize the population,

Forces (PDF) were formed in many areas to counter the junta forces. raping and torturing wherever they go. In response to that, People’s Defense According to some estimates, hundreds of thousands of mostly young people have been receiving underground training in secret locations in the borderlands. It cannot be verified how many are really being trained. Also, some report that joining the PDF is very hard as the groups are fearful of spies.

The PDF has its successes but pays a high price for it. In a clash against raiding military forces, a couple of military officers were recently gunned down in Mandalay before soldiers captured around 10 PDF members.

The PDF also takes actions against the military-appointed administrators of villages and townships, who are believed to spy on the junta-opposing residents. Several have been killed in what we can call an extrajudicial process, prompting

Somemany believeto question that thethe PDF’sviolent code actions of conduct. of the resistance movement are not the

-year-old main means of overthrowing the regime, but are important nonetheless. “I gave up my pacifist views with the onset of the coup,” declares Mya Oo, a 24 teacher. “The Tatmadaw is breaking wartime standards like no one.”

“The world is watching while terror is shaking Myanmar,” says Gum Tun, an ethnic Kachin man living in Yangon. “Aung San Suu Kyi would never support ADVERTISEMENT violence, but we can’t just wait to get help until we die.” Last month, the U.N. adopted a non-binding resolution calling for an arms embargo, which was a rare show of relative unity among its members. Yet not everyone is willing to work toward restoring democracy in Myanmar. The head of Rosoboronexport, the state-owned spearhead of the Russian arms industry, admitted they continue to supply the junta with military hardware, including aircraft. https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/david-and-goliath-myanmars-armed-resistance-at-the- crossroads/

India’s Master Plans To Become A Nuclear Submarine Superpower

July 27, 2021 - India, Latest News, Naval Power

In March 2021, the Times of India reported that the Indian Navy had announced its intent to prioritize the development and construction of a force of six nuclear-powered attack submarines, or SSNs, ahead of building a third, larger aircraft carrier. The initial order of three submarines could begin entering service in 2032.

The SSN program, estimated optimistically to cost $12 billion ($2 billion per submarine), could affect the balance of power in the Indian Ocean as India seeks to offset the growing presence and capability of China’s rapidly expanding navy.

Indian Submarine Strategy and China

In the last two decades, the PLA Navy has secured access to bases in the Indian Ocean to the west and east of India, and periodically dispatches warships and submarines to patrol those waters. Long- running tensions between China and India meanwhile have mounted, culminating in June 2020 in a deadly clash on the Himalayan border in which dozens of soldiers were killed.

INS Arihant

New Delhi’s decision to focus on submarines concludes a year-long debate between senior leaders of the Indian Navy and Chief of Defense Staff Bipin Rawat. Both projects have been on the Navy’s slate for decades, but progress has been slow.

Rawat favored submarines over carriers because the latter make for large and indiscrete targets, and China has developed a wide variety of long-range air, sea- and land-based missiles to attack carriers. https://defenceview.in/indias-master-plans-to-become-a-nuclear-submarine- superpower/

Sri Lanka to revive and upgrade its remaining Kfir fighter fleet JULY 27, 2021

The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence (MOD) has signed a new contract worth US$50 million with Israeli defense company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the reviving and upgrade of its fleet of 5 Kfir multirole fighter aircraft.

The Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) has 5 or 6 Kfir C2/C7/TC2 fighter aircraft operated by the No. 10 Squadron, but have been grounded and in need of modernization.

The program includes replacing the aircraft's basic avionics with advanced 4+ generation fighter aircraft avionics, as well as the transfer of knowledge and skills for refurbishing the aircraft by SLAF personnel.

The upgrade works will also involve several local facilities as well as the SLAF itself, with the works expected to start within the year.

The replacement of avionics would bring the SLAF Kfir fleet to Block 60 standard, although the acquisition and integration advanced radar, sensors, communication systems, and new helmets, which would be acquired separately.

The Kfir is an all-weather, multi-role supersonic fighter aircraft developed by Israel's IAI, and is also currently in use by the Colombian Air Force and US private contractors.

The SLAF acquired a total of 15 Kfir fighter aircraft from Israel between 1996 to 2000, but suffered from high attrition rate with 7 fighters lost or destroyed, and 2 aircraft completely withdrawn from service and used as display and gate guard. https://www.asiapacificdefensejournal.com/2021/07/sri-lanka-to-revive-and-upgrade- its.html

Australian man sentenced to three years in jail for trying to sell North Korean missile parts

• Chan Han Choi, a civil engineer born in South Korea who moved to Australia in the 1980s, pleaded guilty in February to breaching UN sanctions • He was accused of brokering the sale of arms and related material from Pyongyang in exchange for petroleum products and attempting to export coal

An Australian man was sentenced to more than three years in prison after attempting to help sell North Korean missile parts and other goods in contravention of

United Nations sanctions , authorities said on Tuesday.

Chan Han Choi , 62, from Sydney, was charged in 2017 with offences including seeking to broker deals between North Korea and Indonesia.

After initially denying the charges, he pleaded guilty in February to breaching sanctions by

brokering the sale of arms and related material from Pyongyang in exchange for petroleum products and attempting to export coal from North Korea to Indonesia.

Choi, a civil engineer born in South Korea who moved to Australia in the 1980s, was sentenced last week to three years and six months in prison, capping what the Australian Federal Police (AFP) described as a complex investigation with a unique international span.

organisat Wilson“The actions said in of a this statement. man were in contravention of UN sanctions, which means a great deal of effort and ion was required on his part to facilitate these illegal acts,” AFP Detective Acting Inspector Kris https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3142722/australian-man- sentenced-three-years-jail-trying-sell-north

Putin Expresses Support for Cossack Battalion in Russian National Guard

Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 18 Issue: 118 By: Richard Arnold

In a further sign of the rising importance of Cossack neo-imperial structures in Russia’s current political system, apparently President Vladimir Putin recently expressed support for the idea of creating Cossack battalions within the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia). The presidential envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District, Yuri Chaika, claimed, during a Cossack youth meeting in Nalchik, that Putin supported his idea of creating separate units: “we think Cossack battalions will be created that are exclusively Cossack. They will be located where Cossacks live. This is our thought. It is difficult to say how we will implement it, but we will try to realize it.” Chaika reportedly floated the idea of attracting Cossacks into the ranks of Rosgvardia on June 24, proposing to induce members of the Terek Cossack Host (based around Stavropol) to join as a trial run (Meduza, July 10). However, after Chaika came out with his statement, the Kremlin stressed the absence of concrete plans to implement the scheme. Given that Chaika is a seasoned bureaucrat and unlikely to invent such an idea out of whole cloth, the most likely explanation is that one of the elements of the Presidential Administration gave the go ahead, assuming there would be no objection at the very top.

Rosgvardia is a “special new internal army” created in 2016, designed ostensibly to fight terrorists and organized crime, but which many analysts argue is really a specialized armed force to protect the elite in case of civil disturbance—a role held by the Interior Ministry Troops of Soviet times. The special service is headed by Victor Zolotov, who for many years oversaw Putin’s personal security and is the latter’s long- time close associate from St. Petersburg and sparring partner in boxing and judo (see EDM, April 7, 11, 12, 18, 2016). Zolotov himself has no obvious connections to regions of Russia traditionally inhabited by Cossacks, so he is unlikely to have given the permissive nod. A far more likely candidate is the conservative “Orthodox oligarch” Konstantin Malofeev (see Hot Issue, August 8, 2014).

Malofeev is infamous as the owner of the internet television channel Tsargrad, which broadcasts extreme right, anti-Soviet, anti-Communist and obscurantist views. Last year, at the congress of the Society for the Development of Russian Historical Education (“The Double-Headed Eagle”), participants decided to create a public organization with Malofeev as its chair, which would be designed to protect the interests of the Russian people and support candidates for parliament committed to traditional family, cultural and religious values. This organization will also be called Tsargrad. The movement includes public figures and anti-liberal ideologists like Sergei Glazyev and Alexander Dugin, representatives of the Union of Cossack Soldiers of Russia and Abroad, and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church (Rot Front, November 23, 2020). While the main goal of the Tsargrad organization seems to be protection of the current regime, it also promises to engage in “educational” lectures for ordinary people. At the same time, Cossack organizations in Russia also promised to prepare a “unified concept of instruction in history,” whereby an ultra-conservative and “patriotic” version of history could be affirmed as official (see EDM, January 22, 2021). Similarly, the November 4, 2019 (Russia Day holiday), creation of the “All- Russian Cossack Host” under Ataman Nikolai Doluda, which was financed for 62 million rubles ($840,000) from the 2020 state budget (Vsko.ru, accessed July 12, 2021), suggests further centralization. https://jamestown.org/program/putin-expresses-support-for-cossack-battalion-in- russian-national-guard/

Russia to float out the Project 885M nuclear-powered submarine Naval News July 2021 Navy Forces Maritime Defense Industry POSTED ON TUESDAY, 27 JULY 2021 13:05

According to information published by Tass on July 26, 2021, the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) will float out the advanced Project 885M (Yasen-M) nuclear-powered missile-carrying underwater cruiser Krasnoyarsk on July 30, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported.

The Sevmash Shipyard is currently completing preparations for launching the Krasnoyarsk. The readiness of the latest nuclear-powered sub for its float-out will be reported to the Russian Navy’s chief soon, it said.

Russian Navy Chief Yevmenov earlier made a planned working trip to Severodvinsk where he held a meeting on the 2021 program of delivering warships to the Navy.

Currently, seven Project 885M submarines are at various stages of their construction at the Sevmash Shipyard. The Project 885M lead nuclear-powered submarine Kazan was handed over to the Russian Navy on May 7. Project 885/885M submarines are armed with Kalibr-PL and Oniks cruise missiles as their basic strike weapons.

The Yasen-M class is an improved version of the Yasen nuclear attack submarine using an advanced design that increases its ability to detect enemy vessels at speeds far higher than those of its predecessors. A new power supply and acoustic defense systems have been developed for the boat in order to reduce the noise signature and increase its stealth capability. The boat features optimized hull shape, upgraded electronic warfare (EW) and automation systems, two more vertical launching system silos, a pump-jet propulsion system allowing for silent operation and new torpedo tubes.

The Yasen-M is equipped with eight VLS Vertical Launching System able to fire anti-ship and cruise missiles, ten torpedo tubes (533 mm), and Igla-M surface-to-air missiles. The Oniks, also known as Yakhont is a Russian-made supersonic anti-ship cruise missile developed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya. The missile has an operational range of 600 km. https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news- archive/2021/10240-naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense- industry/10480-russia-to-float-out-the-project-885m-nuclear-powered-submarine.html

Five key advantages of Russian Su-75 Checkmate fighter

July 27, 2021 - Air Power, Latest News, Russia

Military Watch magazine has listed the export advantages of the starfighter Su-75 Checkmate at the MAKS 2021 International Aerospace Exhibition.

According to the American newspaper, the first advantage of the Su-75 Checkmate is the missile arsenal, Checkmate’s arsenal will include the R-37M air-to-air missile – the fastest and longest- range air-to-air munition in its class. The R-37M’s Mach 6 speed gives the target very little time to react and dodge.

At the same time, the new aircraft will be equipped with powerful active phased array radar combination allows it to fire at a maximum range of 400 km. Meanwhile, America’s longest-range missile is the AIM-120D capable of hitting targets at a distance of only 180 km.

It is very likely that in the near future, even faster and longer range new generation air-to-air missiles will be introduced into the arsenal of Russian fighters.

The second advantage is the sophistication when Checkmate is applying stealth technology. Moreover, they balance the price-quality ratio: the Su-75 will have to compete with American and Chinese aircraft, where the cost per hour of flight and maintenance time are a very important arguments here.

The Su-75 Checkmate has a low radar reflectance area in frontal projection, especially due to its direct ultrasonic air intake system, which not only provides airflow to the engine in all modes, but also hides the surface, turbine blades from radio waves from most angles.

The third is supersonic speed and super maneuverability, according to the developer, Checkmate will be able to fly at supersonic speed without turning on the booster – this advantage makes the Su- 75 take a favorable position if faced with F-35s with a top speed of only Mach 1.6.

It is known that the engine of the new generation fighter made by Russia has a built-in thrust vectoring control, which makes the aircraft super-maneuverable and gives a great advantage in close-range air combat. So far, many Russian aircraft can boast of this configuration, including the Su-30SM, Su-35, Su-57, besides the Chinese J-10C and partly the F-22 Raptor of USA, equipped with nozzles that can rotate in vertical and horizontal planes.

The fourth advantage is the ability to take off and land from short runways, like all Russian front-line fighters designed for use in the open battlefield, the Checkmate is certainly designed for deployment even with short runways.

Western opponents are said to “do not know how” to do this, while the short take-off and landing is not only the potential of the fighter jet, but also an important advantage in the battle. https://defenceview.in/five-key-advantages-of-russian-su-75-checkmate-fighter/

'Doomsday planes' for use in nuclear war

27 Jul, 2021 02:49 AM3 minutes to read

By: Nataliya Vasilyeva

Russia is on track to build two new "Doomsday planes" designed to serve as a war room for the Kremlin in case of a nuclear attack.

The new plane model, named for its ability to withstand a nuclear blast, would work as a potential aerial command post for top officials.

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The planes will be fitted with technology to manage Russia's nuclear arsenal, including submarines, strategic bombers and missile launchers based as far as 6,000 kilometres away.

State-owned news agency RIA Novosti said on Monday that one plane was being built and another was also expected to be commissioned.

Russian President Vladimir Putin inspects equipment at the MAKS-2021 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow. Photo / Alexei Nikolsky, Pool via AP

The plane was modified from an Il-96-400M, a Soviet-designed airliner, and would be deployed "to evacuate the country's senior leadership and coordinate the troops in case of the destruction of ground and satellite infrastructure," RIA Novosti said.

It is expected to have a longer range than its predecessor, although the exact details were not reported.

A military source of the Izvestia daily, however, said that the plane was still in the design stage and that it was too early to speak about the production https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/russia-working-on-two-new-doomsday-planes-for-use- in-nuclear-war/D6KQRUIFMNCMDZ4D6LO3SQQE4Q/

Russia’s New Yasen-M Stealth Submarine Is Almost Here (Armed With Hypersonic Missiles?)

Russia has taken great strides in modernizing its submarine force, and while it will likely never be as sizeable as the old Soviet Navy’s submarine flotilla, there are now seven nuclear-powered missile-carrying Project 885 (Yasen-M) underwater cruisers currently in various stages of construction at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk. This includes the Krasnoyarsk, which is scheduled to be floated out before the end of the month.

“The nuclear-powered missile-carrying underwater cruiser Krasnoyarsk will be floated out in a special ceremony at the Sevmash Shipyard in Severodvinsk on July 30,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said via a statement to Tass on Monday. “The launch ceremony will be held under the direction of Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov.” According to the reports, the Sevmash Shipyard is currently completing preparations for launching the Krasnoyarsk, while the readiness of the latest nuclear-powered sub for its float-out will be reported to the Russian Navy’s chief soon. Russian Navy Chief Yevmenov recently traveled to Severodvinsk where he held a meeting on the “2021 program of delivering warships” to the Russian Navy.

Lucky Number Seven As noted, there are currently seven Project 885M submarines in various stages of construction at the Sevmash Shipyard. Krasnoyarsk is currently on track to be commissioned into the Northern Fleet sometime next year, and that follows the acceptance of the Project 885M lead nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, which was handed over to the Russian Navy on May 7. She is currently in active service with the Northern Fleet.

Additionally, Novosibirsk is now undergoing her sea trials and it is expected that the underwater cruiser will join the Pacific Fleet later this year. Arkhangelsk, Perm, Ulyanovsk, Voronezh and Vladivostok are now in the mid-to-early stages of construction. The first three should be delivered by 2024, while the latter two are on track for delivery to the Russian Navy in 2027. The completed Project 885/885M submarines are armed with Kalibr-PL and Oniks cruise missiles as their basic strike weapons, while the Voronezh and Vladivostok will reportedly be equipped with the Kalibr-M cruise missiles. https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/07/russias-new-yasen-m-stealth-submarine-is-almost- here-armed-with-hypersonic-missiles/

Opinion | The Cyber Apocalypse Never Came. Here’s What We Got Instead.

Over the past decade, cyber warfare has changed in ways the experts didn’t see coming.

Even for those of us who watch cyber warfare closely, the seeming barrage of cyber-related headlines in 2021 has felt remarkable. This spring, the Biden administration sanctioned Russia for last year’s breach of network software firm SolarWinds, which allowed Russian hackers to access major U.S. government agencies and up to 100 companies. A few months later, Russian cyber attacks were back in the news, with purported Russian criminals extorting oil distributor Colonial Pipeline and meatpacking firm JBS for millions of dollars in ransomware payouts. Ransomware attacks have become so widespread that exhausted cybersecurity firms are turning away desperate customers.

Meanwhile, last week, the United States, NATO and the EU pointed the finger at China for a massive breach of a Microsoft exchange server, propagated by cyber mercenaries hired by the Chinese Ministry of State Security. The countries’ joint statement is all the more remarkable given both NATO and the EU’s unwillingness to brand China an “adversary.” And on the same day, researchers revealed a multi-state effort to hack and monitor presidents, monarchs, journalists and more, using spyware created not by the Russian government, China’s security apparatus or the National Security Agency—but by a private Israeli company called the NSO Group.

So what is going on in cyberspace, and did anyone see this coming? In 2011, hot off a social media-propelled democracy movement dubbed the Arab Spring, a cyber document released by the Obama administration waxed almost poetic about the promise of digital openness for the international order. But only a year later, then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta warned of “cyber Pearl Harbor,” followed in 2015 by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s “cyber Armageddon” warning.

What we got was neither the unbridled promise of digital cooperation nor a fiery cyber apocalypse. Instead, today’s cyber reality seems simultaneously less scary and more of a hot mess—a series of more frequent, less consequential attacks that add up not to a massive Hollywood disaster but rather to a vaguer sense of vulnerability. This can make it hard to understand what’s going on and how bad it really is. Are all these high-visibility cyber events more of the same, or are we living through a new era of cyber warfare?

In some ways, the events of the past few months aren’t that surprising given the trajectory of cyber activity over the last decade. They’re the evolution of a steady, somewhat inevitable shift toward using digital tools as a means of international statecraft and political contestation. However, what we are seeing is also subtly different from the way experts had previously thought cyber would affect the international landscape. Over the last decade, authoritarian governments have embraced digital tools and leaned on shadowy gangs of cyber criminals to do some of their dirty work, while the pandemic has made the world reliant on the internet and created a rich world of targets for those seeking money and leverage. As a result, cyberspace may be less apocalyptic than predicted, and more like a termite infestation, eating at the very foundations of our increasingly digital societies. The good news, though, is that the long-sought international consensus on appropriate uses of cyber means within foreign policy may be finally coming together—which means there’s hope that today’s cyber disorder may eventually abate. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/07/27/cyber-apocalypse-russia-china- warfare-500787

Biden Says He’s Ending Forever Wars. He Isn’t.

JULY 26, 2021 3:02PM

By John Glaser

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President Biden is playing hide the ball with America’s Forever Wars. In his public pronouncements, he depicts his administration as diligently rolling back the numerous post 9/11 U.S. military misadventures. He delivered a number of speeches declaring an end to the U.S. war in Afghanistan and specifying a timeline for a withdrawal of U.S. troops by September. In April, the ad‐ ministration reached a tacit agreement with the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al Kadhimi to officially conclude the U.S. combat mission in Iraq. “There will be no U.S. military forces in a combat role by the end of the year,” says a Biden senior official. ‐

This public rhetoric is profoundly misleading. Biden certainly knows that bringing an end to these far flung “counter terrorism” missions is popular with the electorate. That may explain the eagerness to portray his administration’s approach as one of ending endless wars, as the slogan goes. But it is not‐ true. ‐

In Afghanistan, it looks like most U.S. forces will be withdrawn soon, although a substantial contingent of forces will remain to guard the U.S. embassy. That said, officials have made clear—somewhere beneath the headlines and the prime time coverage—that the U.S. mission in Afghanistan will continue indefinitely. In withdrawing from Afghanistan, the administration sought basing access in neighboring Central Asian countries, and U.S. military assets are being repositioned just outside Afghanistan to enable continued support of the Afghan Armed Forces. Aid to the U.S.-backed Kabul regime will also continue. In other words, the United States will continue a combat role in Afghanistan to defend Kabul from the Taliban. This week, General Kenneth McKenzie put it plainly: “The United States has increased airstrikes in support of Afghan forces over the last several days and we’re prepared to continue this heightened level of support in the coming weeks if the Taliban continue their attacks.” This is not an end to America’s longest war.

As for Iraq, the lofty talk of ending the combat mission hardly seems to match the facts. The public rhetoric is therefore bizarrely contradictory. Officials emphasize that they will “formally end the combat mission and make clear there are no American forces with a combat role in the country,” but that U.S. troop levels will not change, and may even increase. The roughly 2,500 U.S. forces in Iraq will remain there in order to continue assisting Iraqi forces in fighting ISIS and facing other local threats. As a CNN report noted, these changes to the U.S. mission in Iraq “could come on paper only.” When pressed by a journalist, a senior official promises that “it’s far more than semantics” but “I am not going to get into details of what capabilities there are, what capabilities we intend to have in the training/advisory role” and “I’m just not going to talk about numbers at all.” In short, the mission in Iraq continues and the administration believes the exact number of U.S. troops to be deployed in Iraq and what their exact mission will be is none of the American people’s business. https://www.cato.org/blog/biden-said-hes-ending-forever-wars-he-isnt

Questioning the “Domestic” and “International” in Biden’s Counterterrorism Strategy

In June, the Biden administration released its long-awaited strategy on domestic terrorism, billed as the first national strategy that squarely addresses that threat. While the strategy recognizes the increasingly transnational dimensions of white supremacist violence, it retains the basic division between domestic and international terrorism that characterizes U.S. law. Here, I explain what “work” the domestic/international terrorism divide does in U.S. law and policy, and focus on how the “international terrorism” side of that divide preserves an exceptional set of rules for Muslims, even U.S. citizens who have never set foot abroad. My focus here is not to consider what should be the proper response to white supremacists, anti-government militias, or those who invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6, which I have partly addressed here and here. Instead, I want to discuss how the categorization of Muslim threats as presumptively “international,” which derives in part from the racialization of American Muslims as foreign, subjects them to unaccountable security practices and deprivations of rights. In describing the domestic terrorism threat, the Biden National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism begins by citing the definition of domestic terrorism first legislated in the USA Patriot Act of 2001, which refers to dangerous acts that appear intended to intimidate a civilian population or influence government policy or conduct and that “occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.” It’s that last part of the definition that distinguishes domestic from international terrorism, which is defined as similar activities that occur primarily outside the territorial jurisdiction of the United States or transcend national boundaries in terms of the means by which they are accomplished, the persons they appear intended to intimidate or coerce, or the locale in which their perpetrators operate or seek asylum.

These definitions appear to establish a geographic test: If terrorist activities are “primarily within” the United States, they are domestic, and if they “transcend national boundaries,” they are international. But rather than classify individual activities or suspects according to one or the other category based on their geography, the Biden administration follows the FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other security agencies in categorizing threats as a whole based on ideology. Thus, the Biden strategy identifies “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists” and “anti-government or anti-authority violent extremists” as key components of the domestic terrorism threat, alongside those motivated by issues such as abortion, animal rights, the environment, or “involuntary celibacy.” People motivated by Islamic extremism don’t appear on this domestic list because, as I explain below, they are seen as an international terrorist threat no matter how American they are. Despite the classification of white supremacist violence as domestic terrorism, the Biden strategy recognizes that almost all activities transcend national boundaries in “today’s interconnected world.” It observes that even “domestic” terrorists connect with others online, recruit across borders, find inspiration in the acts of ideologically aligned foreign individuals, and aim to forge other transnational linkages. In light of these transnational connections, the Biden administration states that it’s considering designating foreign terrorist organizations linked to domestic terrorism, increasing intelligence sharing with foreign countries, countering foreign disinformation campaigns in the United States, and potentially applying foreign intelligence surveillance tools. https://www.justsecurity.org/77557/questioning-the-domestic-and-international-in- bidens-counterterrorism-strategy/

BACK TO THE FUTURE: ROUTINE EXPERIMENTATION WITH PROTOTYPES

JULY 26, 2021 GUEST AUTHOR LEAVE A COMMENT

By John Hanley Broad agreement exists that the Department of Defense’s, and thus the Navy’s, acquisition system is bound like Gulliver by Lilliputian processes, resulting in an inability to adapt. This inflexibility threatens to increase the risks to operating forces as they face a growing number of adaptive adversaries, ranging from China and Russia, North Korea and Iran, to the Islamic State, Al Qaeda, and others.1 Well-intended legislation and increasing reliance upon computer modeling to inform the selection of future platforms and systems are major contributors to the current situation. Greater reliance on experimenting with prototypes at sea could provide a large improvement.2 Introduction Congress passed the Goldwater-Nichols legislation in 1986 to promote joint operations and provide more civilian control by creating an Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and reducing the role of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and other Service Chiefs in acquisition decisions. This legislation added joint duty requirements to the already-packed career paths for line officers, even as it added new educational and experience requirements for acquisition professionals.3 The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act in 1990 further created mandatory requirements for a more professional acquisition force. Line and acquisition professionals “had completely different chains of command and, consequently, were situated in different performance evaluation and promotion structures.”4 Having little appreciation for an increasingly complex acquisition process, line officers had trouble articulating their needs to an acquisition workforce that was itself increasingly isolated from the operational environment. Though the Packard Commission that informed Goldwater-Nichols legislation called for more prototyping to gain experience with new platforms and systems before making major investments, the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Navy increasingly turned to computer-based combat and campaign simulations as a cheaper and more flexible way to inform acquisition decisions.5 This had the effects of further separating the experience of fleet operators from Navy acquisition, and removed an important source of data for ensuring computer-based simulations were accurate.6 In their book Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, Chip and Dan Heath highlight the value of bright spots; examples of projects that work well to make a case for needed change.7 This article suggests some bright spots, and continuing challenges, in acquiring capabilities the Navy needs to adapt to rapidly emerging security opportunities and challenges. https://cimsec.org/back-to-the-future-routine-experimentation-with-prototypes/

CONFRONTING CYBER THREATS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Michael Poznansky | 07.26.21 Editor’s note: This article is the final piece in a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse issues surrounding US competition with peer and near-peer competitors in the cyber and information spaces. Read all articles in the series here. Special thanks to series editors Capt. Maggie Smith, PhD of the Army Cyber Institute and MWI fellow Dr. Barnett S. Koven.

A flurry of recent high-profile cyber operations targeting the United States, including the SolarWinds hack by Russia, the Microsoft Exchange hack by China, and the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline, among others, has led to spirited debate about how the United States can best defend itself and advance its interests in cyberspace. In May 2021, President Joe Biden released a detailed executive order recently created Office of the

Nationalto “improv[e]Cyber Director, the nation’s Chris Inglis, cybersecurity.” was just sworn The firstin. There head areof the clearly more changes on the horizon to the institutional architecture, strategy documents, and policies in this domain. With that in mind, this essay explores two of a much larger set of challenges facing the United States in cyberspace in the coming years. First is the perennial tension between the desire for more coordination and oversight on the one hand and flexibility, agility, and responsiveness on the other. The second turns on a particular kind of asymmetry in which the United States has certain vulnerabilities that its chief rivals do not, and the effect this has on interactions in cyberspace.

Balancing Agility and Coordination One of the most pressing issues to grapple with in the coming years is how to strike the right balance between responding expeditiously to malicious activity in cyberspace and simultaneously ensuring proper coordination across the federal government. Former President Donald widely reported decision in 2018 to give certain entities most notably US Cyber Command

(USCYBERCOM)Trump’s more authority to carry out offensive cyber operations— tipped the scales in favor of speed and efficiency.— According to news outlets, by rescinding PPD-20, an Obama-era policy that required interagency coordination of offensive cyber operations, the Trump administration sought to give USCYBERCOM the ability to swiftly take the fight to the adversary without getting bogged down in bureaucratic red tape. Reports also suggest that the CIA has similarly been given more freedom of action in cyberspace. The benefits of such a strategy are straightforward. Unlike more conventional domains, cyberspace is characterized by constant contact. As such, the United States must be in a position where it is operating continuously rather than reactively. Continuous competition is the logic behind strategic concepts such as persistent engagement and defend forward. Rescinding PPD-20 was likely part and parcel of such a strategy. The fact that the Biden administration has reportedly kept this decision in place at least for operations of a certain size suggests that it may be with us for the foreseeable future. But— what are the broader implications of this— approach? One commonly discussed risk of granting USCYBERCOM broader authority to act first and unilaterally in cyberspace is that it could inadvertently jeopardize ongoing intelligence operations. In this view, the military may choose to conduct an offensive cyber operation against a given target without regard for, or possibly even awareness of, whether US intelligence agencies are currently collecting against that same target. The fact that the commander of USCYBERCOM also serves as the head of the National Security Agency (what is known as a dual-hat role) may mitigate this problem somewhat, but not entirely.

https://mwi.usma.edu/confronting-cyber-threats-challenges-and-opportunities/

Assessing a Situation Where the Mission Is a Headline By Samir Srivastava July 27, 2021

Samir Srivastava is serving in the Indian Armed Forces. The views expressed and suggestions made in the article are solely of the author in his personal capacity and do not have any official endorsement. Divergent Opinions’ content does not contain information of an official nature nor does the content represent the official position of any government, any organization, or any group.

Title: Assessing a Situation where the Mission is a Headline

Date Originally Written: July 5, 2021.

Date Originally Published: July 26, 2021.

Author and / or Article Point of View: The author is serving with the Indian Armed Forces. The article is written from the point of view of India in its prevailing environment.

Summary: While headlines in news media describe the outcome of military operations, in this information age, the world could now be heading towards a situation where military operations are the outcome of a desired headline. In situations like this, goals can be achieved by taking into assured success, the target audience, connectivity in a retaliatory context, verifiability, and deniability.

Text: When nations fight each other, there will be news media headlines. Through various mediums and platforms, headline(s) will travel to everyone – the belligerents, their allies/supporters and also neutral parties. Conflict will be presented as a series of headlines culminating in one headline that describes the final outcome. Thus, when operations happen, headlines also happen. Yet to be considered is when an operation is planned and executed to make a headline happen.

In nation versus nation conflict, the days of large scale wars are certainly not over, but as trends suggest these will be more of an exception rather than rule. The future war in all likelihood will be fought at a level without a formal war declaration and quite localised. The world has seen wars where each side endeavours to prevail upon the adversary’s bodies and materiel, but already greater emphasis is being laid on prevailing upon the enemy’s mind. In that case, a decision will be required regarding what objective is being pursued – attrition, territory or just a headline.

Today, a military operation is more often than not planned at the strategic level and executed at a tactical level. This model is likely to become a norm because if a strategic outcome is achievable through a standalone tactical action, there is no reason to let the fight get bigger and more costly in terms of blood and treasure. The Balakote Airstrike[1] by the Indian Air Force is a case in point. It has been over two years since that strike took place but there is nothing to show a change in Pakistan’s attitude, which continues to harbour terrorists on its soil who would very well be plotting the next strike on India. However, what has endured is the headlines of February 26-28, 2019, which carried different messages for different people and one for Pakistan as well. https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/07/27/assessing_a_situation_where_th e_mission_is_a_headline_787188.html

DOH: No definitive evidence of Covid surge in Metro Manila BYCLAUDETH MOCON-CIRIACO JULY 27, 2021 The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday night acknowledged an observed increase in Covid-19 cases but said there is “no definitive” evidence of a surge in Metro Manila.

Read related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/health- experts-want-hard-lockdown-amid-delta-covid-19-spike/(opens in a new tab)

This, after the OCTA Research Group had said there is already a “surge” in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The DOH said it values the work of independent experts but appealed to them to be “more careful” in making pronouncements in terms of the national situation, as this may cause more panic and fear.

“While we acknowledge the differences in the metrics and methods of analysis used by these independent groups, we share the same goal to keep the case numbers down and improve the healthcare system of the country, explained Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

Although they are noting these observations, the DOH also stressed that “observations of independent expert groups but maintains that such observations should be carefully verified.”

However, the DOH, assured that they are closely monitoring daily trends and is immediately flagging areas with increases in rates of transmission based on two-week growth rates (TWGR), in affected population as per average daily attack rate (ADAR), and/or health care utilization.

Based on current data analysis by the DOH Epidemiology Bureau and FASSSTER disease surveillance tool, NCR is showing a 19 percent increase for its TWGR and ADAR of 6 cases per 100,000 population, which is at moderate risk.

The DOH said that Makati, Las Piñas, Pasay, Pasig, Taguig, Paranaque, Manila, Valenzuela, Navotas, Marikina, and Caloocan all have positive TWGR – a trend reversal from negative two-week growth rates 3-4 weeks ago. Additionally, Makati, Las Piñas, and Pasay have high risk ADAR. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/27/doh-no-definitive-evidence-of-covid-surge-in- metro-manila/

DOH says booster shot for Sinovac still being studied ) - July 28, 2021 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) is studying whether people administered with Sinovac vaccine should be given booster shots to strengthen their protection against COVID, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said yesterday.

At a public briefing, Duque said the VEP has not recommended booster shots for those who have completed their inoculation.

But he said should the VEP recommend giving them a third dose, those who are immunocompromised will be prioritized.

“If ever we consider that, just like in other countries, the immunocompromised will likely be prioritized. But for the general population, there is no recommendation that booster shots are needed,” he said.

Duque issued the statement in reaction to a study that the antibodies generated by Sinovac vaccine fade after about six months.

The study showed that administering a booster dose may help maintain the vaccine’s efficacy.

Earlier, the DOH defined immunocompromised as those with autoimmune disease, HIV, cancer patients currently undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, transplant patients, those undergoing steroid treatment and patients who are bedridden or with a poor prognosis.

Duque said there is no recommendation for booster shots yet for the general population.

He said the VEP is still gathering all necessary information that could guide the Inter- Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases and the National Vaccination Operations Center in deciding if it is time to give booster shots.

Study According to a lab study, antibodies triggered by Sinovac Biotech’s COVID-19 vaccine declined below a key threshold from around six months after a second dose for most recipients, although a third shot had a strong booster effect.

Chinese researchers reported the findings from a study of blood samples taken from healthy adults aged between 18 and 59 years, in a paper published on Sunday, which has not been peer reviewed. Among participants who received two doses, two or four weeks apart, only 16.9 percent and 35.2 percent, respectively, still had neutralizing antibodies above what researchers regard as a detectable threshold level six months after the second shot, the paper said.

These readings were based on data from two cohorts involving more than 50 participants each, while the study gave third doses of the vaccine or placebo to a total of 540 participants.

Researchers said it was unclear how the decrease in antibodies would affect the shot’s effectiveness, since scientists have yet to figure out precisely the threshold of antibody levels for a vaccine to be able to prevent the disease.

“In the short- tomedium-term, ensuring more people complete the current two-dose schedule of CoronaVac should be the priority,” the paper said.

Indonesia and Thailand agreed to give a third shot from Moderna and Pfizer, respectively, for some people who are fully vaccinated with the Sinovac vaccine, amid concerns over its effectiveness against the more transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.

Turkey had started offering a third dose from either Sinovac or Pfizer to some people who got Sinovac shots.

As of end of June, Sinovac has delivered more than one billion doses of the vaccine, a major vaccination tool in China, Brazil, Indonesia and Chile.

The study also said that participants in some cohorts who received a third dose of the Sinovac shot about six months after the second showed a three- to five-fold increase in antibody levels after a further 28 days, compared with the levels seen four weeks after the second shot.

Researchers cautioned the study did not test the antibodies’ effect against more transmissible variants, and that further research was needed to assess antibody duration after a third shot.

The study was conducted by researchers at disease control authorities in Jiangsu province, Sinovac and other Chinese institutions. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/28/2115699/doh-says-booster-shot- sinovac-still-being-studied

Third shot of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine offers big increase in antibody levels: study

By Global TimesPublished: Jul 27, 2021 12:27 AM -19 vaccine given six months or more after the second shot would result in a remarkable increase in antibody levels, a new studyA third has shot found, of Sinovac’s and a two-dose COVID schedule appears to generate good immune memory. The results of the study were published on medRxiv on Friday for peer review.

The study found that although neutralizing antibody levels declined six months after two Sinovac shots, a two-dose vaccination schedule generates good immune memory, the Global Times learned from the company on Monday.

A third dose, given at an interval of six to eight months after the second dose, led to a strong boost in immune response, with geometric mean titers (GMTs) increasing to approximately 140.

neutralizing antibody titers induced by the first two doses declined after six to eightOverall, months 540 participants to below the received seropositive a third cutoff dose (GMT: in the 4.1).study. When In the a third3 μg group,dose was given six to eight months after a second dose, GMTs assessed 14 days later increased to 137.9, or approximately three-fold.

This pattern is consistent with recent studies into booster immunization with the AstraZeneca vaccine, showing higher concentrations of total antibodies after a third dose.

The study also found that giving a third dose too early (28 days after the second dose) induced a much lower antibody level only one third compared with a third dose given six or more months after a second dose. – Optimizing the timing of a booster dose should take into account immunogenicity, vaccine efficacy/effectiveness, the local epidemic situation, infection risk, and vaccine supply, according to the study. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1229716.shtml Covid-19 Deaths Rise Sharply in Indonesia The world’s fourth most populous nation, where about 7% of people are fully vaccinated, reported more than 2,000 daily fatalities for the first time a Variant Quickly Spread Globally Covid-19’s Delta variant is proliferating world-wide threatening unvaccinated populations and economic recovery. WSJ breaks down events in key countries to explain why Delta spreads faster than previously detected strains. Composite: Sharon Shi By : Jon Emont July 27, 2021 12:28 pm ET

Indonesia recorded a sharp increase in daily Covid-19 deaths, reporting more than 2,000 for the first time on Tuesday, as the highly infectious Delta variant swamps the densely populated and largely unvaccinated country.

The death toll in Indonesia, the increasing dramatically throughout July, with Covid-19 wards full and patients world’s fourth most populous nation, has been struggling to access ventilators and proper care. Like the U.S. and other countries in Europe and Asia, Indonesia is facing a resurgence of the virus driven by the Delta variant, but unlike many developed countries it has sparse vaccine coverage. fully vaccinated. About 7% of the country’s population is Scenes from the country resemble India during the worst of its spring surge in cases, as Indonesians line up for scarce oxygen supplies and whole families, including -day average of daily recorded deaths reached five deaths per million people, 67% higher than healthy young people, get seriously ill. By late July, Indonesia’s seven ect based at the University of Oxford. Epidemiologists believe that both countries have India’s during its peak in late May, according to Our World in Data, a proj severely undercounted Covid-19 deaths, in part because many patients are dying at home without being tested for Covid-19. https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-deaths-rise-sharply-in-indonesia-11627403315 As Vietnam’s coronavirus surge continues, lockdowns take their toll on factory output, small businesses

• Vietnam’s Covid-19 hotspot Ho Chi Minh City has twice extended its lockdown, hitting manufacturers trying to export items such as clothing • An economist said the fourth wave is more devastating for labour migrants, informal workers and those in service industries who cannot work from home

University student Tran Thanh Nha has been working 14-hour shifts almost every day for the past two months, delivering food to locked-down residents and assisting medical workers in conducting Covid-19 tests in

Vietnam

’s southern commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City.

Dressed in a protective suit in the sweltering summer heat, volunteers like her constantly sanitise themselves as they help take up to 250 nasal samples a day. She fears they too may get infected with the

Covid-19

Delta variant that has upended Vietnam’s earlier success at managing the coronavirus.

-year-

“This time around the situation is very serious,” 22 old Nha said. “Everyone is trying so that the https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3142734/vietnamsoutbreak in Saigon could soon come to an end.” -coronavirus- surge-continues-lockdowns-take-their-toll

More Than 4.1 Billion Shots Given: Covid- 19 Tracker In the U.S., 346 million doses have been administered Updated: August 1, 2021, 4:58 AM GMT+8

The biggest vaccination campaign in history is underway. More than 4.1 billion doses have been administered across 180 countries, according to data collected by Bloomberg. The latest rate was roughly 40.6 million doses a day.

In the U.S., 346 million doses have been given so far. In the last week, an average of 657,213 doses per day were administered.

World Map of Vaccinations More than 4.1 billion doses have been administered—enough to fully vaccinate 26.7% of the global population

• no data011025 50%of population covered Note: “Population covered” divides the doses administered for each vaccine type by the number of doses required for full vaccination. Data gathered from government agencies, public statements, Bloomberg interviews and the World Health Organization and Johns Hopkins University.

Enough doses have now been administered to fully vaccinate 26.7% of the global population—but the distribution has been lopsided. Countries and regions with the highest incomes are getting vaccinated more than 30 times faster than those with the lowest.

Uneven Access to Vaccines Least wealthy

• • • • • • • Most wealthy

The least wealthy 50 places have 2.1% of the vaccinations… Vaccines India Mainland China U.S.

Population India Mainland China

…but 19.8% of the world's population Note: Vaccine access calculations account for the number of doses needed for full protection; some vaccines require a two-dose regimen while others require just a single dose. Countries and regions are ordered by GDP per capita (PPP). When will life return to normal?

While the best vaccines are thought to be 95% effective, it takes a coordinated campaign to stop a pandemic. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious-disease official in the U.S., has said that vaccinating 70% to 85% of the U.S. population would enable a return to normalcy.

On a global scale, that’s a daunting level of vaccination. At the current pace of 40.6 million a day, it could take another year to achieve a high level of global immunity. Manufacturing capacity, however, is steadily increasing, and new vaccines by additional manufacturers are coming to market.

The Path to Immunity Around the World Globally, the latest vaccination rate is 40,593,292 doses per day, on average. At this pace, it will take another 6 months to cover 75% of the population.

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• Average daily rate estimate Jan. 4 Feb. 25 April 18 June 9 July 31 Doses administered: 60M 40 20 0 Note: Immunity calculations take into account the number of doses required and the current rate of administration for each vaccine type. The “daily rate estimate” is a seven-day trailing average; interpolation is used for jurisdictions with infrequent updates. *Coverage may exceed 100% in some places, as shots may be administered to non-residents. Data are from Bloomberg’s Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker. ‘Pandemic of the Unvaccinated’

Israel was first to show that vaccines were bending the curve of Covid infections. The country led the world in early vaccinations, and by February more than 84% of people ages 70 and older had received two doses. Covid cases declined rapidly, and similar patterns of vaccination and recovery repeated in dozens of other countries.

This progress is under threat. The emergence of new strains, led by the highly transmissible delta variant, threatens renewed outbreaks. Around the world, new cases and hospitalizations are rising, and after 10 weeks of global declines in deaths, delta is driving a new uptick. It’s now a life-and-death contest between vaccine and virus.

The current slate of vaccines remains highly effective at preventing severe cases that lead to hospitalization and death, according to recent data from the U.S., U.K. and Israel. The vaccines are less effective at preventing mild cases of delta. The disproportionate toll that Covid is taking in under-vaccinated communities has led U.S. health officials to dub it the “pandemic of the unvaccinated.”

Vaccinations vs. Cases Covid rates have generally flattened or declined where vaccination rates are highest. Currently, 18 places have administered enough shots to cover at least 60% of the population. Updated: August 2, 2021, 12:21 AM GMT+8

• Brazil 2,646 94,711 N/A N/A

U.K. 1,987 90,279 3,647.8 2.5

U.S. 1,857 105,929 1,472.3 2.8

France 1,657 91,558 N/A 6.0

Germany 1,141 47,033 834.4 8.0

Russia 1,104 43,732 1,129.2 8.1

India 324 24,136 354.3 0.5

Japan 121 7,447 138.1 13.1

Mainland China 3 67 N/A 4.3

Testing data as of July 30, 2021, 6:08 PM GMT+8 Sources: OECD for number of hospital beds (2016 for the U.S., 2017 for other countries), government agencies and the COVID Tracking Project via Our World in Data for testing data (various recent dates) (reported in the past 45 days) and the U.S. Census Bureau for population figures (2019).

The world is bracing for a new wave of Covid-19 infections, as the coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 195 million people and killed more than 4.2 million globally since late January 2020. Efforts many countries took to stamp out the pneumonia-like illness led to entire nations enforcing lockdowns, widespread halts of international travel, mass layoffs and battered financial markets. Recent attempts to revive social life and financial activities have resulted in another surge in cases and hospitalizations, though new drugs and improved care may help more people who get seriously ill survive. https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global- distribution/?srnd=premium-asia

Indomitable Filipino spirit What the new operator sets out to do is to immediately reverse “the seven- year hiatus on exploration activities” in the field off Palawan.

Published 5 days ago on July 28, 2021 12:15 AM By TEB Since the start of Service Contract 38, otherwise known as the Malampaya natural gas project, the viability of renewable energy became a reality for the country.

The fuel is now an indispensable source of electricity for the Luzon grid where the demand for power to feed economic growth is on an unprecedented momentum.

Recent developments in which Malampaya Energy and sister company UC Malampaya took over 90 percent control, including the operating stake in the project, were questioned by some quarters, particularly since the contract is expiring in 2024 and the energy reserves are supposedly drying up.

The never-say-die Filipino spirit, particularly since the welfare of the nation is at stake, prompted the Udenna group of Davao City-based tycoon Dennis Uy to push the envelope.

The group said it aims to become the energy champion for the Filipino people by “rejuvenating” the natural gas asset, which oil majors Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell had exited.

Indicating that it has the capability to maximize the gas field and possibly extend its known life expectancy, it expressed its full commitment to deliver sustainable energy by retaining the world-class technicians and personnel of operator Shell Petroleum Exploration (SPEX).

What the new operator sets out to do is to immediately reverse “the seven-year hiatus on exploration activities” in the field off Palawan.

Malampaya Energy said the project is approaching an urgent situation where new investments and the industry’s best exploration and development capabilities to drive growth from the depleting assets are required.

Delay will be detrimental to consumers and the economic prospects of the nation, according to the energy firm. Improving the Malampaya development will still largely depend on the SPEX team who, among them, has a cumulative hundred years of experience in the upstream energy industry.

The company, in turn, said it will put in agility and the willingness to invest in growth together with its government partner Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation.

Together, the companies make up 100 percent Filipino operations of the vital energy resource, which is a first for the country.

Uy’s groups expressed belief the development of indigenous energy is the most cost- competitive solution to meet the rapidly growing energy demand.

For so long, the country has been reliant on imported fuel that will again happen if no new energy resource is developed.

Energy has entered a new era where Filipinos are now capable of a self-sustaining business that can compete with the world’s best. Instead of some legislators discouraging the initiative for some vested interest, the project should be given full government support. https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2021/07/28/indomitable-filipino-spirit/

‘But not yet a surge’

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:08 AM July 28, 2021

Hidilyn Diaz lifted our collective spirit, but things look grim with the local transmission of COVID- inexorably rising. By way of emphasizing the gravity of the situation, infectious 19’s Delta variant confirmed and the number of infections disease expert Dr. Anna Lisa Ong Lim was quoted as saying on Saturday that every detected case should be deemed a Delta case so as to ensure implementation of strict border control and efficient disease surveillance. response to the pandemic and, along with disease surveillance through genome Lim described border control as “a very critical component” of the government’s But how to balance border control with the renewed push for local tourism? sequencing, an instrument that would enable experts to “keep one step ahead.” On Friday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Department of Health (DOH) was assuming breached border control protocols with the confirmatio a point n of the Delta variant’s local transmission. She said all ports of entry that should by now go without saying yet still requires constant repetition. She nationwide should implement these protocols “strictly and uniformly” — added, however, that infections in arriving travelers might have gotten past RT- -19 infections is not 100-percent failsafe and also requires proper health monitoring PCR tests. Reality check: The reputed “gold standard” in tracking COVID and assessment.

The rise in infections caused by the highly transmissible Delta variant is truly worrying. Other countries, even the developed ones, are fighting soaring numbers of infection; lockdowns are again in place when freedom from face masks was celebrated only recently. In Australia, citizens have taken to the streets of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide to protest restrictions on their mobility.

In these parts, the figures daily announced by the DOH are on the whole estimates, with a number of labs unable to submit their respective results on any given day.

It’s also a given that a number of infections, whether they end in recovery or death, will be unregistered. Nevertheless, the official numbers have breached the 1.5- million mark, and 119 Delta cases, of whom four have died, have been recorded as of this writing.

Read more: https://opinion.inquirer.net/142538/but-not-yet-a-surge#ixzz72JQPUvpo Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook https://opinion.inquirer.net/142538/but-not-yet-a-surge

China’s demands to US: starting point to ease tensions or a path to more conflict?

• Lists of ‘wrongdoings’ and ‘grave concerns’ given to visiting deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman • Analyst says some of the issues are ‘low-hanging fruit’ and concessions could be made

pragmatic approach to handling Beijing’s move to set out demands for Washington in their latest talks suggests it is taking a more tense relations with its rival, according to analysts.

They say it could be a starting point to improve the fraught relationship, but it could also lead to more conflict if the demands go unmet.

Chinese foreign vice-minister Xie Feng said two lists were given to visiting US deputy secretary of state

Wendy Sherman in Tianjin on Monday. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3142757/chinas-demands-us- starting-point-ease-tensions-or-path-more

Commentary: The US-China semiconductor race does not have to be zero-sum The world needs to be more ambitious and step up efforts to boost global technological cooperation, say Hoe Ee Khor and Suan Yong Foo. Bookmark SINGAPORE: Heightened US-China tensions have raised the prospect of a deep global technology divide, potentially forcing other countries to choose which camp to join.

There are plenty of grim scenarios involving irreconcilable splits between core technologies that power a wide range of products and services, from aircraft and automobiles to precision engineering for robotics and payment systems for e-commerce.

Advertisement of resources into a zero-sum race to control the cutting edge. Should these scenarios materialise, the world’s two largest economies will pour huge amounts Both the United States and China understand the central role of technology in driving their economies and global development.

They also know that mastering it, as well as safeguarding relevant intellectual property, can bolster their national security and geopolitical influence, with important feedback effects for their sustained growth and resilience.

READ: Commentary: One of Big biggest critics is now its regulator. This has implications for users globally Advertisement Tech’s READ: Commentary: Why hasn't US President Joe Biden ended the tariff war with China? THE GREAT US-CHINA TECH DIVIDE In the medium term, the US faces a stiff challenge to its long-standing dominance in science and engineering, as well as to its capacity to produce critical components. For example, although US firms design cutting- tput has declined from 37 per cent in 1990 to only 12 per cent today. edge semiconductors, America’s share of global ou Meanwhile, China, for all its progress, remains a long way from the technological frontier in many products such as computer chips and airplanes.

True, the country has developed a deep ecosystem in many types of manufacturing, and has exceptional capacity to produce rapidly and at scale. It is also near the top of the global rankings for patents and research and development expenditure. But China is vulnerable in many areas. It imports about US$300 billion worth of semiconductors annually, with approximately half going into export manufacturing.

Moreover, many services that are intertwined with goods need semiconductors to operate, as is true of the apps embedded in smartphones. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/us-china-tech-split-trade-war- globalisation-xi-biden-semicon-15275932

Letters | Rising China: US and West will stop at nothing to counter ‘threat’

• With issues from Huawei and the South China Sea to Hong Kong and Xinjiang becoming flashpoints, the US-led West appears to be doing all it can to counter China’s rise

Would the US and its allies be happier to have China just be their sweatshop and under their influence?

While the US has

slapped sanctions on anything to do with Huawei Technologies Co., even pressured its

like-minded allies to do the same, Huawei Technologies Co. founder and chief executive Ren Zhengfei has called the iPhone a good product, and said he

would oppose any plans

to ban Apple products in China – a lesson in graciousness.

Talking to a manufacturing executive in China last year, I asked her how her business had been affected by the pandemic and the US tariffs, expecting her to be bitter.

https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3142662/rising-china-huawei- technologies-co-or-hong-kong-us-and-west-will

A Green Light For Russian Hegemony by Paul R. Gregory

Monday, July 26, 2021

The Biden administration is lifting its opposition to Russia’s Nord Stream 2 undersea pipeline, according to a joint US-German announcement last week. This decision gives Russia’s President Vladimir Putin his Holy Grail: a Europe fueled by Russian energy. Even better, Putin will give up nothing in return. Instead, he can continue his aggressive posture in the Black Sea and his threats to Ukraine’s statehood. Ukraine will lose transit fees and, more important, the geopolitical protection of Russian gas transiting to Europe via its territory. Although Nord Stream 2 was built expressly to bypass Ukraine, Ukraine is supposed to believe German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s promise that its pipelines will continue to transport Russian gas in meaningful volumes. The current arrangement brings Ukraine about $3 billion a year in transit fees.

The Biden-Merkel deal brings to mind British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain return from Munich in 1938 after having sold out Czechoslovakia to the Nazis. As writes experienced observer Timothy Ash: “The optics of this are just stunning. Germany and the USA deciding on Ukraine’s future, without even giving them a seat at the table. It’s perverse that the one country that Nord Stream 2 impacts is not included in the negotiation process. It is expected to take whatever the US and Germany agree.”

As outrage mounts in Ukraine, the US Senate, the Baltic states, much of Eastern Europe, and Ukrainian émigré organizations, President Biden justifies his deal as a goodwill gesture to repair the damage done by the Trump administration to German-American relations. The White House fails to note that most of Europe is opposed to the deal. The two previous US administrations also stood against the development of the pipeline. Biden, remarkably, says he too remains “emphatically” opposed to Nord Stream 2 but has struck the deal to bolster European unity against Russia.

Chancellor Merkel, for her part, continues to justify Nord Stream 2 as a purely commercial undertaking, while ignoring Europe’s fear of Russia’s economic and political dominance through energy. Merkel knows as well as anyone that Nord Stream’s ultimate owner and operator, Gazprom, is not a commercial entity but Russia’s “ministry of gas.” As such, it carries out Kremlin foreign policy and fills Putin’s coffers for his next mischief.

Meanwhile, Ukraine, a US ally and frontline bulwark against Russian aggression, interprets the Biden move as a betrayal by its most important defender. Ukraine’s anger has been intensified by purported requests from Washington to keep quiet on its opposition to the Berlin-Washington deal. The angry reaction did free up a date for Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet with Biden, who chats regularly with Putin, but Ukraine objects that the late-August meeting date coincides with the congressional recess and denies Ukraine the opportunity to meet with key lawmakers.

Ukraine now understands with great clarity that it cannot count on empty assurances that Merkel and Biden are “absolutely united in [their] conviction that Russia must not be allowed to use energy as a weapon to coerce or threaten its neighbors.” In fact, that is exactly what Russia is doing, and it is clear to all. https://www.hoover.org/research/green-light-russian-hegemony