Today's News 07 July 2021 (Wednesday) - Philippine Navy

Today’s News 07 July 2021 (Wednesday)

A. NAVY NEWS/COVID NEWS/PHOTOS

Title Writer Newspaper Page

NIL NIL NIL NIL

B. NATIONAL HEADLINES


1 Delivery delay halts vaccination in cities R Vilanueva P Star 1

2 SC ‘Mercy’ for ex-Justice who fixed Napoles case

M Ramos PDI A1

C. NATIONAL SECURITY


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D. INDO-PACIFIC


NIL NIL NIL NIL

E. AFP RELATED


3 He jumped just in time to survive C-130 crash

J Alipala PDI A3

4 ‘Pilot error, strong wind may have caused crash’

V Reyes P Star 2

5 Black box retrieved M Sadongdong Malaya B1

6 C -130 Black box found A Geducos Tempo 1

7 Duterte bestows order of Lapu – Lapu on soldiers in C – 130 crash in Sulu

M Sadongdong M Bulletin 1

8 Thankful for ‘second life’, new 4ID commander recalls last ride in ill-fated C -130

K Maralit M Bulletin 2

9 All AFP assets in tip-top shape M Sadongdong D Tribune A1

10 PAF cargo plane crash victims honored N Lacson Tempo 1

11 Sulu crash victims extended assistance D Tribune B16

12 Zubiri renews call for AFP modernization amid C-130 crash

M Purification P Journal 7

F. CPP-NPA-NDF-LCM


13 Gov’t wars on dissenters, Moro worry rights groups

K Subingsubing PDI A4

14 Brawner to rebs: Magbalik loob kayo sa mapayapang pamumuhay

J Legaspi P Tonight 7

G. MNLF/MILF/BIFF/ASG


15 Ex – Maguindanao vice mayor surrenders guns

E Tupas P Star 8

H. EDITORIAL-OPINION-COMMENTARY-SPECIAL


16 Thwack at reality A Cardona D Tribune A5

17 Pray if you must, but better probe the crashes

Malaya B2

18 VFA gets another lease on life M Gallaga PDI A4

19 Flaming reminder D Ventura D Tribune A5

20 House chief back AFP P Journal 4

21 The mess Aquino created for Duterte D Tribune A5

I. ONLINE NEWS

Title Link

NATIONAL NEWS

22 White plumes three-km high jet out of Taal https://manilastandard.net/news/top-

stories/359051/white-plumes-three-km-high-jet-out-of-taal.html

23 Bereft of merit:’ Malacañang shrugs off press freedom predator tag on Duterte

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/bereft-of-merit-malacanang-shrugs-off-press-freedom-predator-tag-on-duterte/

24 PH's P11-T debt midrange among lower-middle income nations: Roque

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1146102

25 PH can pay for P11-trillion debt, Palace says

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/ph-can-pay-for-p11-trillion-debt-palace-says/

26 Government policies touted for slowing inflation

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/government-policies-touted-for-slowing-inflation/

27 Food, transport inflation to pose problems up ahead, says solon

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/food-transport-inflation-to-pose-problems-up-ahead-says-solon/

28 Transparency, accountability a must in foreigner-funded infrastructure projects in PH–study

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/07/transparency-accountability-a-must-in-foreigner-funded-infrastructure-projects-in-ph-study/

29

Without friends and play, DepEd says children need help to manage their emotions amid COVID-19 pandemic

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/without-friends-and-play-deped-says-children-need-help-to-manage-their-emotions-amid-covid-19-pandemic/

30 'Habagat' to bring scattered rains over Metro Manila, parts of Luzon, Visayas — PAGASA

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/habagat-to-bring-scattered-rains-over-metro-manila-parts-of-luzon-visayas-pagasa/

NAVY NEWS

31 Go to Trillanes: Did you stop parents as suppliers during your stint in PN?

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/go-to-trillanes-did-you-stop-parents-as-suppliers-during-your-stint-in-pn/

32 Expert says new baselines law would reinforce present occupation, clarification of PH claims in WPS

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/expert-says-new-baselines-law-would-reinforce-present-occupation-clarification-of-ph-claims-in-wps/

33 La Union residents seek protection from governor following discovery of assassination squad

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/la-union-residents-seek-protection-fromgovernor-following-discovery-of-assassination-squad/

https://manilastandard.net/news/top-stories/359051/white-plumes-three-km-high-jet-out-of-taal.html

































34 Senator prods DOTr to commend PCG men for shooing away WPS ‘intruders’

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/senator-prods-dotr-to-commend-pcg-men-for-shooing-away-wps-intruders/

35 Coast Guard intensifies radio communications training in West PH Sea

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/coast-guard-intensifies-radio-communications-training-in-west-ph-sea/

AFP RELATED

36 Pilot error, strong wind may have caused crash’

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/07/2110734/pilot-error-strong-wind-may-have-caused-crash

37 Duterte on Sulu plane crash: Filipinos will always remember soldiers’ devotion to duty

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/07/duterte-on-sulu-plane-crash-filipinos-will-always-remember-soldiers-devotion-to-duty/

38 Sobejana recounts eyewitnesses' tales after Sulu plane crash; blackbox retrieved

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/sobejana-recounts-eyewitnesses-tales-after-sulu-plane-crash-blackbox-retrieved/

39 MRT-3 stations, depot join mourning for Sulu victims


40 Sulu crash victims also need spiritual support: solon


41 Soldier succumbs to injuries as Sulu crash death toll rises to 53

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/soldier-succumbs-to-injuries-as-sulu-crash-death-toll-rises-to-53/

42 CBCP prays for Sulu plane crash casualties, kin


43 Military bishop asks for prayers, masses for C130 plane crash victims

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/military-bishop-asks-for-prayers-masses-for-c130-plane-crash-victims/

44 Assure aid for families of Sulu plane crash victims, Legarda asks gov't

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/assure-aid-for-families-of-sulu-plane-crash-victims-legarda-asks-govt/

45 Go: 'President Duterte and I will give financial assistance to C-130 crash victims'

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/go-president-duterte-and-i-will-give-financial-assistance-to-c-130-crash-victims/

46 Pacquiao donating over P3-M personal money to aid C-130 crash victims

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/pacquiao-donating-over-p3-m-personal-money-to-aid-c-130-crash-victims/

47 Strong maintenance operations, continuous training after Sulu C-130 crash needed – PH Red Cross

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/strong-maintenance-operations-continuous-training-after-sulu-c-130-crash-needed-ph-red-cross/

48 Zubiri presses for AFP modernization after Sulu C-130 crash

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/zubiri-presses-for-afp-modernization-after-sulu-c-130-crash/

49 Thankful for 'second life': New 4ID commander recalls near-death experience in Sulu crash

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/thankful-for-second-life-new-4id-commander-recalls-near-death-experience-in-sulu-crash/

50 Roque says he rode C-130 plane days before it crashed in Sulu

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456633/roque-says-he-rode-same-c-130-plane-days-before-it-crashed-in-sulu

51 Pilot, female lieutenant among those killed in Sulu crash

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/pilot-female-lieutenant-among-killed-in-sulu-crash/















































52 CHR seeks ‘thorough probe’ on Sulu military plane crash

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/chr-seeks-thorough-probe-on-sulu-military-plane-crash/

53

Int’l rights group show more proof of impunity in serious rights violations in PH

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456608/intl-rights-group-provides-more-evidence-on-widespread-immunity-over-serious-human-rights-violations-in-ph

54 BCDA works on finding fund sources for military


55 Ex-rebel bares how CPP-NPA-NDF ‘tentacles’ work


56 Over 40K defense, military personnel vaccinated against COVID-19

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/07/over-40k-defense-military-personnel-vaccinated-against-covid-19/

57 OSG defends longer warrantless detention for terror suspects

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456616/osg-defends-longer-warrantless-detention-for-terror-suspects

INDO-PACIFIC NEWS

58 ‘Constructive, peaceful’ talks between PH, China vital: Duterte


59 Russia condoles with PH over Sulu plane crash


60

Biden’s Asia Czar Says the U.S.’s Standing in Asia Has ‘Slipped’

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-06/biden-s-asia-czar-says-the-u-s-s-standing-in-asia-has-slipped?srnd=premium-asia

61 US needs to step up its game in Southeast Asia, says senior official

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3140095/us-needs-step-its-game-southeast-asia-says-senior-official

62 China, U.S. can coexist in peace but challenge is enormous - White House

https://www.reuters.com/world/china-us-can-coexist-peace-challenge-enormous-white-house-2021-07-06/

63 U.S. envoy on North Korea speaks with Chinese counterpart

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-envoy-north-korea-speaks-with-chinese-counterpart-2021-07-06/

64 Blinken meets with Uighur internment camp survivors

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456701/blinken-meets-with-uighur-internment-camp-survivors

65 U.S. urges China, private sector to boost participation in G20 debt response

https://www.reuters.com/business/us-urges-china-private-sector-boost-participation-g20-debt-response-2021-07-06/

66 Biden Seeks Xi's Help with North Korea's Nuclear Weapons, China Asks U.S. to Hear Kim Out

https://www.newsweek.com/biden-seeks-xis-help-north-koreas-nuclear-weapons-china-asks-us-hear-kim-out-1607281

67 Biden to host summit of Quad countries this year - White House

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-host-summit-quad-countries-this-year-white-house-2021-07-06/

68 China floats 'Africa Quad' with Germany and France

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/China-floats-Africa-Quad-with-Germany-and-France

69 Xi extends condolences to Philippine president over military plane crash

http://en.people.cn/n3/2021/0706/c90000-9868911.html














































70 China will never seek hegemony: Xi https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1227

983.shtml

71 China shows world an alternative path to modern future, Xi Jinping says

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3140079/china-shows-world-alternative-path-modern-future-xi-jinping

72 China deepens crypto crackdown with central bank warning

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/china-deepens-crypto-crackdown-with-central-bank-warning-15165968

72 Obscure Chinese venture capital fund in spotlight after string of chip deals

https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3140020/uk-chipmaker-newport-wafer-fab-acquired-wise-road-capital-little

74 Catholic Writer, Activist Detained For 'Inciting Secession' in China's Hebei

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/writer-detained-07052021182111.html

75 Tibetan monks secretly jailed for up to 20 years: rights watchdog

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Tibetan-monks-secretly-jailed-for-up-to-20-years-rights-watchdog

76 Japan deputy PM comment on defending Taiwan if invaded angers China

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japans-aso-peaceful-solution-desirable-any-taiwan-contingency-2021-07-06/

77 China: Japanese politicians slammed over ‘wrong and dangerous’ remarks on Taiwan, urged to learn lesson from history

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1227988.shtml

78 Politicizing origin-tracing undermines global solidarity against COVID-19: FM spokesperson


79

Twitter restricts account of China expert for tweets on Xi Jinping

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/twitter-restricts-account-of-china-expert-for-tweets-on-xi-jinping-restores-access-later-101625571842925.html

80 Twitter Denies Working With Governments After Accusations of Censoring Complaints on China

https://www.newsweek.com/twitter-denies-working-governments-after-accusations-censoring-complaints-china-1607143

81 Outlook For Hong Kong's Press Freedom Similar to Post-1949 Shanghai: Veteran Journalist

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/hongkong-media-07052021123308.html

82 Hong Kong Security Czar Vows 'No Leniency' in Wake of Police Stabbing, Suicide

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/hongkong-stabbing-07052021115811.html

83 Hong Kong defends internet privacy abuse law

https://asiatimes.com/2021/07/hong-kong-defends-internet-privacy-abuse-law/

84 Aso walks back claim Japan would join US in defence of Taiwan if mainland Chinese forces invade

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3139995/aso-walks-back-claim-japan-would-join-us-defence-taiwan-if

85 Japan arranging Olympics opening ceremony without spectators except VIPs

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/japan-arranging-olympics-opening-ceremony-without-spectators-15163458

86 Rescuers struggle to locate dozens in landslide-hit Japan town

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/rescuers-struggle-to-locate-dozens-in-landslide-hit-japan-town-15161634














































87 U.S.-Backed Taiwan Vows Defense of 'Precious Democracy' Amid China's 'Constant Advances'

https://www.newsweek.com/us-backed-taiwan-vows-defense-precious-democracy-amid-chinas-constant-advances-1607054

88 Moon pledges Korea’s bigger role as ‘advanced nation’

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210706000809

89 South Korea’s ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ Dilemma

https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/south-koreas-free-and-open-indo-pacific-dilemma-2/

90 Credible reports of a North Korean food crisis

https://asiatimes.com/2021/07/credible-reports-of-a-north-korean-food-crisis/

91 Singapore to carry out land reclamation on island formerly claimed by Malaysia

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/singapore-to-carry-out-land-reclamation-on-island-formerly-claimed-by-malaysia

92 India's Modi phones Dalai Lama on birthday, sign of friction with Beijing

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/indian-pm-modi-greets-dalai-lama-birthday-rare-phone-call-2021-07-06/

93

Australia, China clash over vaccine diplomacy in the Pacific

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-australia-china-clash-over-vaccine-diplomacy-in-the-pacific/PIWAUTOMXWP5JTJSLLSD5WVK4Q/

94 Australia Denies Interfering in China’s Pacific Vaccine Help

https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/australia-denies-interfering-in-chinas-pacific-vaccine-help/

95 Russia backs ASEAN plan on tackling Myanmar crisis

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/197538/russia-backs-asean-plan-on-tackling-myanmar-crisis

96 The Chinese Communist Party and the people

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-chinese-communist-party-and-the-people/

97 Beijing's False Narratives, Overconfidence https://opensource.csis.org/features/beijing-

narrative-us-decline/

98 Time to Confront China’s ‘Counterterrorism’ Claims in Xinjiang

https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/time-to-confront-chinas-counterterrorism-claims-in-xinjiang/

99

The Unlikely, Indispensable U.S.-Vietnam Partnership

https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/210706_Poling_USVietnam_Partnership.pdf

100 Want to Understand Asian Geopolitics? Go Back to Genghis Khan

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/want-understand-asian-geopolitics-go-back-genghis-khan-189067

101 China’s Search for a Negotiated Settlement

https://geopoliticalfutures.com/chinas-search-for-a-negotiated-settlement/

102

South China Sea dispute: The three challenges to ASEAN’s position

https://www.9dashline.com/article/south-china-sea-dispute-the-three-challenges-to-aseans-position

DEFENSE NEWS

103 American security: From aliens to ‘Havana Syndrome’ and cyberattacks

https://www.jpost.com/international/american-security-from-aliens-to-havana-syndrome-and-cyber-attacks-673022



























https://opensource.csis.org/features/beijing-narrative-us-decline/

https://opensource.csis.org/features/beijing-narrative-us-decline/



















104 Hunt for US Capitol attackers still on 6 months after Jan 6

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/hunt-for-us-capitol-attackers-still-on-6-months-after-jan-6-15164046

105 Sovereign Citizens: More Than Paper Terrorists

https://www.justsecurity.org/77328/sovereign-citizens-more-than-paper-terrorists/

106 DHS Adds Boston, New Orleans to Rad/Nuke Detection Program

https://www.defensedaily.com/dhs-adds-boston-new-orleans-to-rad-nuke-detection-program/homeland-security/

107 The fight by Microsoft and Amazon for the Pentagon's cloud contract

https://www.reuters.com/technology/pentagons-cloud-deal-latest-trump-move-halted-by-biden-2021-07-06/

108 Hackers demand $70 mil. in cyberattack https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/2021

0706_10/

109 US Senators Introduce Supply Chain Security Bill

https://www.defensedaily.com/peters-johnson-introduce-supply-chain-security-bill/congress/

110 Biden Signs Order to Bolster Cybersecurity

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/7/6/biden-signs-order-to-bolster-cybersecurity

111 Bots starting to help DoD figure out right price for weapons systems

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/defense-main/2021/07/bots-starting-to-help-dod-figure-out-right-price-for-weapons-systems/

112 US Pullout From Afghanistan Over 90% Complete: Pentagon

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/07/06/us-pullout-afghanistan-90-percent/

113

U.S. to Maintain Robust Over-the-Horizon Capability for Afghanistan if Needed

http://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/2682472/us-to-maintain-robust-over-the-horizon-capability-for-afghanistan-if-needed/

114 What America Didn’t Understand About Its Longest War

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/07/06/afghanistan-war-malkasian-book-excerpt-497843

115

US Navy receives Independence-class USS Savannah from Austal

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/10240-naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense-industry/10391-us-navy-receives-independence-class-uss-savannah-from-austal.html

116 The Navy’s electromagnetic railgun is officially dead

https://taskandpurpose.com/military-tech/navy-electromagnetic-railgun-dead/

117 Clandestine Cargo: Hiding Sealift In Plain Sight

https://cimsec.org/clandestine-cargo-hiding-sealift-in-plain-sight/

118 The Navy Should Innovate Now https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/202

1/07/06/the_navy_should_innovate_now_784278.html

119

Report to Congress on Navy Light Amphibious Warship

https://news.usni.org/2021/07/06/report-to-congress-on-navy-light-amphibious-warship-5

120

US Navy Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/20983516/navy-light-amphibious-warship-law-program-background-and-issues-for-congress-june-29-2021.pdf












https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210706_10/





























https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/07/06/the_navy_should_innovate_now_784278.html









121 Get Amphibious with Antisubmarine Warfare

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/july/get-amphibious-antisubmarine-warfare

122 First US Marine F-35C Squadron Ready to Deploy on Navy Aircraft Carriers

https://news.usni.org/2021/07/06/first-marine-f-35c-squadron-ready-to-deploy-on-navy-aircraft-carriers

123 US spy planes make fewer flights over South China Sea as focus shifts: report

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3139980/china-us-tension-american-flights-over-south-china-sea-decline

124 Washington Post editors warn US to take China’s ‘heads bashed bloody’ threat seriously

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/washington-post-editors-warn-us-to-take-chinas-heads-bashed-bloody-threat-seriously/

125 China Is Preparing For Nuclear War https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/07/china-is-

preparing-for-nuclear-war/

126 China’s military modernisation continues with swift senior promotions

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3140072/chinas-military-modernisation-continues-new-commanders-swift

127 China 'Will Never Allow' Military Intervention Over Taiwan: Beijing

https://www.newsweek.com/china-will-never-allow-military-intervention-over-taiwan-beijing-1607124

128 Changes to the ocean around Taiwan may mean China has to change its submarine warfare plans

https://www.businessinsider.com/taiwan-ocean-changes-may-require-china-to-change-submarine-plans-2021-7

129 China's third aircraft carrier taking shape https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-

detail/chinas-third-aircraft-carrier-taking-shape

130 China Could Hand Over 36 J-10C Jets to Pakistan in 2021

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29961/China_Could_Hand_Over_36_J_10C_Jets_to_Pakistan_in_2021

131

Top Chinese firms red flag risks over CPEC for first time; mulls shifting office

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/top-chinese-firms-red-flag-risks-over-cpec-for-first-time-mulls-shifting-office/articleshow/84175956.cms

132 China displays land, sea, air combat robots at expo


133 China’s biggest research ship to head to South China Sea on maiden voyage

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3140067/chinas-biggest-research-ship-head-south-china-sea-maiden

134 Man charged in Germany with spying for China

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/germany-man-charged-with-spying-china-15165290

135 German, Chinese defence ministers discuss South China Sea in call – statement

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/german-chinese-defence-ministers-discuss-south-china-sea-call-statement-2021-07-06/

136

Newly promoted PLA General to head Chinese troops along Indian border amid eastern Ladakh standoff

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/newly-promoted-pla-general-to-head-chinese-troops-along-indian-border-amid-eastern-ladakh-standoff/articleshow/84183332.cms

137 The terror group China fears the most https://asiatimes.com/2021/07/the-terror-

group-china-fears-the-most/













https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/07/china-is-preparing-for-nuclear-war/

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/07/china-is-preparing-for-nuclear-war/










https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/chinas-third-aircraft-carrier-taking-shape

























https://asiatimes.com/2021/07/the-terror-group-china-fears-the-most/

https://asiatimes.com/2021/07/the-terror-group-china-fears-the-most/

138 9 arrested over alleged plot to plant bombs around Hong Kong

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/9-arrested-over-alleged-plot-to-plant-bombs-around-hong-kong-15164096

139 Hong Kong leader urges parents to spy on teens, as bomb plot emerges

https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/hong-kong-leader-urges-parents-to-spy-on-teens-as-bomb-plot-emerges-20210706-p587e3.html

140

Japan deputy PM Taro Aso says need to defend Taiwan with United States if invaded: Media

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/japan-deputy-pm-taro-aso-says-need-to-defend-taiwan-with-united-states-if-invaded-media/articleshow/84165140.cms

141 Tokyo company probed for exporting drone motors to China, Yemen

https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0007556655

142

Naval drills between Takanami class JS Makinami and US Navy

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/10240-naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense-industry/10388-naval-drills-between-takanami-class-js-makinami-and-us-navy.html

143 Okinawa, 50 years after reversion / U.S. Marines train intensively with China in mind but disturbing local residents


144 Opposition to Henoko relocation unchanged


145 British defense secretary to visit Japan this month


146 Taiwan: Arms plans to counter amphibious attacks: researcher

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/07/07/2003760436

147 Taiwan military to produce anti-tank rounds for new armored vehicle

https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202107060025

148

South Korea conducts Hyunmoo 2B variant ballistic missile test

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/10240-naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense-industry/10392-south-korea-conducts-hyunmoo-2b-variant-ballistic-missile-test.html

149 South Korean general arrested for sexual assault of female officer

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3139981/south-korean-army-general-arrested-sexual-assault-female

150 Chinese aircraft that flew into S'pore's flight info region in May did not pose threat

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/chinese-aircraft-that-flew-into-singapores-flight-info-region-in-may-did-not-pose

151 Thailand To Purchase 5 New Vehicle-Mounted Short-Range Man-Portable Air Defense System

https://www.asiapacificdefensejournal.com/2021/07/thailand-to-purchase-5-new-vehicle.html

152 Cambodian Cadets at American Military Academies Lose US Funding

https://www.voanews.com/student-union/cambodian-cadets-american-military-academies-lose-us-funding

153 Indonesian peacekeeping and civil–military relations: a double-edged sword

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/indonesian-peacekeeping-and-civil-military-relations-a-double-edged-sword/














































154 Royal Brunei Air Force acquires Insitu Integrator unmanned aerial system

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/royal-brunei-air-force-acquires-insitu-integrator-unmanned-aerial-system

155 Dozens of Myanmar civilians killed in new clashes


156 The police defecting as a new civil war looms in Myanmar

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-57739572

157

China-India border dispute: New Delhi talks up infrastructure build-up in strategy shift against Beijing

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3139929/china-india-border-dispute-new-delhi-talks-infrastructure-build

158 Things to Know About Indian navy upcoming Aircraft Carrier “INS Vikrat”

https://defenceview.in/things-to-know-about-indian-navy-upcoming-aircraft-carrier-ins-vikrant/

159 As China Rises, Britain and Australia Need Closer Security Ties

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/06/britain-australia-china-boycott-alliance-wine-indo-pacific-geopolitics-security-strategy/

160

Australian Navy Anzac-Class Frigate HMAS Perth Back Afloat After Major Upgrades

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/07/australian-navy-anzac-class-frigate-hmas-perth-back-afloat-after-major-upgrades/

161 Tanks and the ADF capability calculus https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/tanks-and-

the-adf-capability-calculus/

162

Russia drills attack helicopters, pledges help to secure Tajik-Afghan border

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/russia-drills-attack-helicopters-pledges-help-to-secure-tajik-afghan-border/articleshow/84170878.cms

163 Russia to conduct missile drills in Japan’s EEZ


164 Afghan forces deploy to counter Taliban assault

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/afghan-forces-deploy-to-counter-taliban-assault-15165102

165

Warlords, jihadists and Islamic republics: the key players in Afghanistan

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/warlords-jihadists-and-islamic-republics-the-key-players-in-afghanistan/articleshow/84166192.cms

166 Taliban shows off weapons, military hardware seized from Afghan forces

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/561684-taliban-shows-off-weapons-military-hardware-seized-from-afghan-forces

167

If Afghanistan Falls https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/afghanistan-taliban-implications-for-central-asia-china-russia-europe-by-djoomart-otorbaev-2021-07

168 UK Developing Missiles Capable of Communicating With Each Other

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/07/05/uk-developing-smarter-missiles/

169 The Glutted Mariner Shortfall https://cimsec.org/the-glutted-mariner-shortfall/

170 TikTok, Schrems II, and Cross‐Border Data Flows

https://www.cato.org/blog/tiktok-schrems-ii-cross-border-data-flows

171 Hiding and Finding: The Challenge of Security Competition

https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-






















https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/tanks-and-the-adf-capability-calculus/

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/tanks-and-the-adf-capability-calculus/

















https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/afghanistan-taliban-implications-for-central-asia-china-russia-europe-by-djoomart-otorbaev-2021-07






https://cimsec.org/the-glutted-mariner-shortfall/



https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/210706_Jones_Hiding_and_Finding.pdf


public/publication/210706_Jones_Hiding_and_Finding.pdf

172 Imposing Costs: Unconventional Warfare in the Information Environment

https://mwi.usma.edu/imposing-costs-unconventional-warfare-in-the-information-environment/

173

Assessing Wargame Effectiveness https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/07/06/assessing_wargame_effectiveness_using_natural_language_processing_to_evaluate_wargaming_dynamics_and_outcomes_784277.html

174 LISTEN: Taiwan on the Chessboard with Bonny Lin

https://www.csis.org/node/61465

175 Warbots: Tactically Brilliant, Strategically Naïve

https://warontherocks.com/2021/07/warbots-tactically-brilliant-strategically-naive/

176 The West Should Not Be Complacent About China’s Cyber Capabilities

https://carnegieendowment.org/2021/07/06/west-should-not-be-complacent-about-china-s-cyber-capabilities-pub-84884

177 Does the Pentagon Take China Seriously? https://www.wsj.com/articles/does-the-

pentagon-take-china-seriously-11625503914

COVID NEWS

178 ‘Remarkable’: WHO exec commends PH COVID-19 vaccination program

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/remarkable-who-exec-commends-ph-covid-19-vaccination-program/

179 DOH: Strict border controls, genomic surveillance can contain new variant threats

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/07/doh-strict-border-controls-genomic-surveillance-can-contain-new-variant-threats/

180 Gordon: Vaccinated persons can still be Covid carriers

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/gordon-vaccinated-persons-can-still-be-covid-carriers/

181 Health expert opposes waiving swab test as travel requirement for fully vaccinated individuals

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/health-expert-opposes-waiving-swab-test-as-travel-requirement-for-fully-vaccinated-individuals/

182 Japan donates 687-M yen aid to PH for COVID-19 vaccine cold chain supply

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/197548/japan-donates-687-million-yen-aid-for-covid-19-vaccine-cold-chain-supply-to-ph

183 ‘Conjecture won’t help’: scientists say no evidence for lab leak theory

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3140052/coronavirus-scientists-again-say-theres-no-evidence-lab-leak

184

Ultra-contagious Lambda Covid strain detected in Australia

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-ultra-contagious-lambda-variant-detected-in-australia/LAUYIDU2L7SSWMX6IQDTOYCX6A/

185

Pfizer vaccine efficacy drops in Israel as Delta variant spreads (

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-pfizer-vaccine-efficacy-drops-in-israel-as-delta-variant-spreads/KSMKTWB4SZ2ONZAWJ7G5PDSXV4/

186 Messenger RNA vaccine benefits outweigh heart risks, U.S. CDC says

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/messenger-rna-vaccine-benefits-






https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/07/06/assessing_wargame_effectiveness_using_natural_language_processing_to_evaluate_wargaming_dynamics_and_outcomes_784277.html











https://www.wsj.com/articles/does-the-pentagon-take-china-seriously-11625503914






























https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/messenger-rna-vaccine-benefits-outweigh-heart-risks-u-s-cdc-says-101625592075375.html


outweigh-heart-risks-u-s-cdc-says-101625592075375.html

187 Arthritis drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab reduce COVID deaths: study

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/07/arthritis-drugs-tocilizumab-and-sarilumab-reduce-covid-deaths-study/

188 Uptick in COVID-19 cases, deaths in Malaysia one month after latest lockdown imposed

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/covid-19-malaysia-lockdown-mco-surge-cases-deaths-15165806

189 ASEAN reports record number of COVID-19 cases, as situation worsens in Indonesia

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/197544/asean-reports-record-number-of-covid-19-cases-as-situation-worsens-in-indonesia

190 Daily new COVID-19 cases in Indonesia could go up to 40,000, says coordinating minister

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/covid-19-indonesia-40000-cases-oxygen-singapore-china-15164940

191 Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak Across the World

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-coronavirus-cases-world-map/?srnd=coronavirus

192 Covid map: Where are cases the highest? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105

193 Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-

vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/?srnd=premium-asia

J. OPINION/EDITORIAL/COMMENTARY

Title Link

194 VFA gets another lease on life https://opinion.inquirer.net/141808/vfa-gets-another-lease-on-life

195 Weaponizing the law https://opinion.inquirer.net/141818/weaponizing-the-law-3

196 Fact-check alternative news organizations, too

https://opinion.inquirer.net/141804/fact-check-alternative-news-organizations-too

197 What is China Buying in the Biden Administration?

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17518/china-biden-administration

198 Why are Chinese troops assembling on the Myanmar border?

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/china-military-troops-border-myanamar-economic-interests-15158170

199 China should embody the gentle giant, not the wolf warrior

https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3139964/china-gentle-giant-would-win-more-hearts-wolf-warrior-diplomacy

200 China's hostility ensures the rise of a more antagonistic India

https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/China-s-hostility-ensures-the-rise-of-a-more-antagonistic-India

201 Even if PM Muhyiddin steps down, few good options for Malaysia’s top role

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/pm-muhyiddin-malaysia-who-replace-bersatu-zahid-najib-anwar-15158310

202 As cases rise, how well are the Tokyo Games prepared for a virus crisis?

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3139962/condoms-vaccines-and-sport-tokyo-olympics-sending-mixed-messages


















https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/?srnd=premium-asia



https://opinion.inquirer.net/141808/vfa-gets-another-lease-on-life


https://opinion.inquirer.net/141818/weaponizing-the-law-3






















White plumes three-km high jet out of Taal

Published July 07, 2021, 12:50 AM

by Rio N. Araja and Othel V. Campos

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has observed steam-rich plumes that rose three kilometers over the main crater of Taal Volcano in the past 24 hours. (Photo Courtesy of Rod Fernandez for PonD News Asia) “High levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide or SO2 gas emissions and steam-rich plumes that rose as much as 3,000 meters high before drifting south and east were generated from the Taal main crater,” Phivolcs said in its volcano bulletin on Tuesday. In the past 24 hours, Phivolcs also recorded 39 volcanic earthquakes, including two volcanic tremor events having durations of three to five minutes, 35 low-frequency volcanic earthquakes, two hybrid earthquakes and low-level background tremor that has persisted since April 8. Phivolcs said that Taal Volcano remains on Alert Level 3 due to continuous “magmatic unrest.” “At Alert Level 3, magma extruding from the Main Crater could drive an explosive eruption,” Phivolcs said. Meanwhile, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, through the National Housing Authority, has readied 950 housing units for families affected by the restive activities of Taal Volcano in Batangas. Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said there were currently 950 housing units in the towns of Sariaya and Tiaong both in Quezon province, being offered by the NHA. “These housing units are readily available to serve as temporary or permanent shelters for those affected by the Taal volcano eruption,” he said. “The Office of Civil Defense, (and) the Department of Interior and Local Government, as well as the NHA, have already inspected the housing units and they can be utilized whenever the need arises,” he added. At the same time, Agriculture Secretary William Dar assured Taal Lake fisherfolk, Batangas farmers and their families that the Department of Agriculture was ready to extend assistance in the event the Taal Volcano would erupt again. "As always, we are proactive and have laid out immediate action plans and strategies for fisherfolk and farm families in lakeshore areas and adjoining barangays that may be affected," he said. Del Rosario announced that the Social Housing Finance Corp., another attached key shelter agency of DHSUD, would provide assistance to families within affected areas through its community mort-gage program.

“The government, through DHSUD, is always ready to provide necessary assistance to families af-fected by disasters. It is part of the department’s mandate to help relocate and provide decent housing to those impacted by calamities,” he said. Jann Roby Otero, Regional 4A director, said that in coordination with his NHA counterpart, they had started preparation for the provision of temporary electricity and water supply in the Sariaya and Tiaong sites just in case they would be utilized. The profiling of houses and intended beneficiary families are under way. Prior to the latest eruption of Taal Volcano, DHSUD has been actively engaging local government units affected by the January 2020 eruption, Del Rosario said. The volcano erupted last year on January 12, displacing thousands of families and causing P3.4 billion worth of damage to infrastructure, and agriculture, fishery and livestock sector in Batangas, Laguna and Cavite, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). “Our ‘OneDA’ family in Calabarzon, led by the Regional Field Office and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, is ready to provide technical assistance and distribute agri-fishery and livestock interventions in areas that may be affected. However, we hope and pray that we would not experience a second massive eruption," Dar said. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 4A director Sammy Malvas said 6,375 cage structures for milkfish and tilapia production, owned and maintained by 5,100 fishers may be directly affected in the event of a massive eruption. Taal Lake, he said, has an average tilapia production of around 60,100 metric tons, over the last 5 years, of which 40 percent or about 24,000 metric tons is transported and supplied in Metro Manila. “Consumption of fish from Taal Lake is safe, but it must be confined to those that are fresh and caught alive. Fish must also be washed thoroughly, internal organs removed, and cooked properly ,” he added. Given this assurance, Dar said that there should be no price increase in fishes. The average prices of tilapia and bangus are stable at P120 and P160 per kilo, respectively. “We have more than enough catch from Taal lake and other areas. We ask the traders not to take advantage of the situation. They should be part of the solution in providing sufficient food at affordable prices to our consumers,” Dar said. In the event of an eruption, BFAR proposes a P282-million budget for immediate assistance, and rehabilitation and recovery initiatives. Part of it would be spent on social and environmental assess-ment for water quality monitoring and analysis; food safety assurance to look into the environmental effects of volcanic ash to water quality and fishes; and information campaign and dissemination.



‘Bereft of merit:’ Malacañang shrugs off press freedom pred-ator tag on Duterte

Published July 06, 2021

by Samuel Medenilla

THE government has played down the concerns raised by international organizations over violations of press freedom and labor rights in the country. In an online news briefing, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque called the inclusion of President Duterte on the 2021 list of “press freedom predators” of the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) as “bereft of merit.” He noted no less than the International Criminal Court prosecutor cited media reports, which were “critical of the government” in seeking to investigate the alleged state-perpetrated killings in the coun-try. “So that proves that freedom of the press is alive and well in the Philippines. The President has not filed a single libel case against or jailed any reporter,” Roque said. Media predator The RSF noted how Duterte singled out local media firms such as the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI), ABS-CBN Corp., and Rappler for reports on the President’s “authoritarian excesses.” Under the current administration, PDI faced tax evasion allegations, while Rappler is being accused of violating foreign-equity restrictions. Also during President Duterte’s term, ABS-CBN lost is broadcast franchise. Roque said the President had no hand in the case against Rappler, which was initiated by the Secu-rities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As for ABS-CBN, he said it was the House of Representatives which decided not to renew its broad-cast franchise. “So there is no bases in calling the President a media predator,” Roque said. Anti-labor The country was also tagged by the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC) as one of the top 10 worst countries for workers due to the arrest of at least 7 labor leaders and unionists. The Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) and the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), both local affiliates of the ITUC, called on the government to stop the said anti-labor measures. Sentro demanded an immediate end to the “assault on trade unionism” and the investigation of arrests and deaths of labor unionists. KMU said the situation is worsened by the government’s red-tagging of members of organized labor as well as the continuation of extra-judicial killings.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) questioned the basis of ITUC on its report, which it claimed was “based on the mere reports of violence and murder, arbitrary arrests and union bust-ing.” “These reports are not without action. Appropriate investigation and resolution were initiated and con-tinuously pursued,” Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III told BusinessMirror in a SMS. “Importantly, the reported violence and murder, arbitrary arrests and union busting are isolated cases. This is not the state of affairs of labor and employment in the country given the many reforms imple-mented under the administration,” he added. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/beref t-of -merit-malacanang-shrugs-of f -press-f reedom-predator-tag-

on-duterte/



PH's P11-T debt midrange among lower-middle income na-

tions: Roque

Published July 06, 2021, 2:27 PM

by Azer Parrocha

The Philippines breaching the PHP11 trillion debt level in May is still midrange among lower-middle income countries, Malacañang said on Tuesday. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque downplayed the Bureau of Treasury's (BTr) announcement that total outstanding debt jumped to an all-time high of PHP11.071 trillion as the government bor-rowed more from the domestic market to fund its pandemic response. “Yung ating naiulat pong external debt ngayon, ‘yan po ay nasa midrange kung ikukumpara natin sa mga ekonomiya na kasing lakas natin gaya ng iba’t-ibang ekonomiya po ng Latin America, lower-middle income countries (The reported external debt is midrange if you compare it to economies as strong as the Philippines, such as economies in Latin America, lower-middle income countries),” he said in a press briefing in Pampanga. He also assured that the Philippines has the capacity to pay its debts even as it ramped up its bor-rowings to finance measures to address the prevailing coronavirus health crisis. “So, malaki pong tignan ‘yan, but we are in the midrange at wala naman pong problema ‘yan pag-dating dun sa ating kakayahan na magbayad as they fall due (So it looks huge, but we are in the midrange and it won’t be a problem in terms of our ability to pay them off as they fall due),” he added. According to the BTr, the government's debt level rose 24 percent to PHP11.071 in May from PHP8.89 trillion in the same month last year. Of the total debt stock, 28.5 percent was sourced externally, while 71.5 percent are domestic borrow-ings. The government plans to borrow a total of PHP3.02 trillion this year to speed up the recovery of the economy. Bayanihan 2 Meanwhile, Roque said the Palace has yet to confirm reports that PHP6.49 billion under the Republic Act 11519 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2) were unused as the measure expired last week. He said the amount was supposedly released to line agencies, but the Palace has to wait until after July 15 for the spending report. “Lahat po ng pondo ng Bayanihan 2, according to [Budget] Secretary Wendel Avisado, nailabas po sa mga line agencies. So as of now, I am not able to confirm kung mayroon ngang hindi nagastos dahil (According to Secretary Wendel Avisado, all funds of Bayanihan 2 have been released to line agencies. As of now, I am not able to confirm if there are unused funds because) the line agencies are given until July 15 to report back to DBM,” he said. He also appealed to Vice President Leni Robredo to withhold making conclusions until the report is released.

Robredo earlier said that it was "disappointing" to see such a large amount of money not being used when many could have benefited from it. “We will be able to confirm kung magkano po yung magre-revert sa (how much will be reverted to the) National Treasury but only on July 15. And I ask the Vice President, who is an economist, please let's wait for data before we make conclusions,” Roque added.



PH can pay for P11-trillion debt, Palace says


by Genalyn Kabiling

The government has the capacity to settle its financial obligations after the country’s debt reached more than P11 trillion amid efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, Malacañang said Tuesday. According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, the country’s debt seemed huge but the figure actually remained in the middle range especially since the government economic team stayed con-servative when it comes to borrowings. The Bureau of the Treasury earlier reported the national debt jumped to P11.071 trillion in May, or 24 percent from P8.89 billion trillion in the same month last year. The debt burden consisted of domestic debt amounting to P7.915 trillion as well as foreign obligations that reached P3.115 trillion. Both local and foreign obligations have increased from P6.034 trillion and P2.856 trillion from a year before. “Yung ating naiulat pong external debt ngayon, iyan po ay nasa mid-range kung ikukumpara natin sa mga ekonomiya na kasinlakas natin, kagaya ng iba’t ibang ekonomiya po ng Latin America – lower middle-income countries (The external debt reported is in the mid-range compared to other econo-mies as strong as ours, like countries in Latin America, the lower middle income countries),” he said during a televised press briefing Tuesday, July 6. “So malaki pong tingnan iyan, but we are in the mid-range at wala naman pong problema iyan pag-dating doon sa ating kakayahan na magbayad as they fall due (So it looks huge but we are in the mid-range and there is no problem when it comes to our capacity to pay as they fall due),” he added. The government has allocated billions of pesos in its response and recovery efforts following the debilitating impact of the pandemic. The programs included cash subsidies to poor households and displaced workers affected by the coronavirus outbreak.



Government policies touted for slowing inflation


by Cai Ordinario and Bianca Cuaresma

FOOD prices will continue to stabilize in the coming months due to policies of the Duterte administra-tion, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said on Tuesday. This, after the sta-tistics agency reported slowing inflation in June—development that the central bank deemed within the range of their expectations that inflation will eventually move back to within target range toward year-end. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua issued a statement after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that inflation slowed to 4.1 percent in June 2021. This was slower than the 4.5 percent inflation recorded in May 2021 but still higher than the 2.5 percent posted in June 2020. “Recent policies to increase food supply are beginning to bring down inflation. Rest assured that the government will continue to address constraints in the availability and movement of goods amid quar-antine restrictions to ensure that households have access to affordable food,” Chua said. In particular, the Neda sees meat and rice prices further declining in the second half even as the rainy season has started. The country is usually visited by strong typhoons in the second semester, causing supply bottlenecks. Last month, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pa-gasa) said the rainy season officially began when tropical cyclone Dante entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Chua said Executive Orders (EO) 133 and 134 helped slow the increase in meat prices to 19.2 per-cent in June 2021 from 22.1 percent in April and May. EO 133 increased the minimum access volume (MAV) for imported pork while EO 134 imposed a temporary reduction of pork tariffs. “The declining meat inflation points to the positive effects of Executive Orders [EO] 133 and 134. These are expected to further bring down meat prices during the second half of the year,” Chua said. On rice prices, Chua said the issuance of EO 135 to temporarily reduce the most favored nation (MFN) tariff rates on imported rice to 35 percent from 40-50 percent helped keep rice prices low. PSA data showed rice prices contracted 1.1 percent in June 2021, a sharper decline compared to the contraction of 0.8 percent in May 2021. Chua said EO 135 allowed the country to diversify its market sources, expand rice supply, and further bring down rice prices. “In managing inflation, our priority will be to continue improving our domestic production and providing needed support to our farmers and producers. When necessary, we will augment supply with impor-tation to keep prices stable and to guarantee food security. This balancing act will help us better manage the impact of inflation on the people and the economy,” Chua said.

BSP’s take According to BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno risks to inflation remain broadly balanced in the policy horizon. “The latest inflation number is consistent with expectations that inflation could remain above target in the near-term as meat and oil prices remain elevated…However, price pressures are seen to abate leading to the reversion of average inflation near the midpoint of the target in 2022 and 2023,” Diokno said in a message to reporters. In the latest monetary policy meeting, the BSP announced their expectation of a 4-percent average inflation for the entire year, hitting the ceiling of their 2 to 4 percent target range for the year. Inflation has now reached an average of 4.4 percent in the first half of the year. This means that inflation should reach an average of 3.6 percent in the second half to meet the BSP’s projection. Diokno sought the implementation of policies to bring down price pressures and said pressures on prices in the future remain supply-side driven. “The effective implementation of direct non-monetary measures will be crucial in mitigating further supply-side pressures…The uptick in international commodity prices owing to supply chain bottle-necks and the recovery in global demand could lend to upward pressures on inflation,” Diokno said. “However, downside risks to the inflation outlook continue to emanate from the emergence of new coronavirus variants which could delay the easing of lockdown measures and temper prospects for domestic growth,” he added. Accommodative monetary policy In terms of monetary policy, Diokno said they will remain “watchful” over evolving pandemic-induced economic conditions and challenges to ensure that the monetary policy stance remains consistent with price and financial stability objectives. Local economists, meanwhile, said the slower inflation in June will not likely change the BSP’s mon-etary policy path. ING Bank economist Nicholas Mapa said BSP is not likely to alter their course anytime soon to con-tinue providing monetary support for the economic recovery. “The BSP has looked past the 6-month inflation target breach, citing the need to deliver stimulus at a time of economic struggle and stalling inflation will relieve some pressure on the Central Bank to hike policy rates to combat inflation. With price pressures fading, we expect inflation to decelerate in the second half of the year as meat prices normalize with authorities allowing higher import volume for the commodity,” Mapa said. “With inflation set to glide back within target, we expect BSP to retain policy rates at 2 percent for the balance of 2021 and only consider adjusting policy by mid-2022,” he added. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) economist Michael Ricafort also saw monetary policy remaining accommodative “in the foreseeable future.” Ricafort, however, cited possible cuts in large banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) from the current 12 percent, especially if inflation stabilizes further in the coming months.

“More accommodative monetary policy would still do more of the heavy lifting for the economy amid lack of funds for any additional economic stimulus, and as the economy still needs all the support measures that it could get to help sustain recovery from Covid-19 pandemic,” the economist said. Economists’ outlook Meanwhile, local economists said inflation would likely remain at present levels, if not be lower in the coming months on the back of weak consumption. In an e-mail to the BusinessMirror on Tuesday, Unionbank Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said the weakness in consumption may remain as the country struggles to get more vaccine supplies. Asuncion said the longer route to herd immunity will lead to a “slower-than-expected” domestic de-mand and overall consumption. As a result, this will lead to slower inflation. “We think that amid subdued broad-based demand—in other words, weak consumption brought about by the coronavirus pandemic—has something to do with the weakened effect. The June 2021 inflation print is indeed a symptom of a weak consumption base overall,” Asuncion said. Meanwhile, BPI Chief Economist Emilio S. Neri Jr. told the BusinessMirror inflation could stay close to 4 percent in the coming months or slightly higher. Neri said global commodity prices, particularly crude oil, remain elevated and the peso is seen to continue depreciating for the rest of the year. “The deceleration was largely a result of lower transport prices due largely to decline in the tricycle fares compared to the same time last year. While transport demand remains below pre-pandemic, they are much stronger than the second quarter of 2020,” Neri said. “Electricity and other utilities demand have actually continued to exceed pre pandemic in the second quarter and an indication of strong demand despite malls and schools still not being able to fully reopen,” he added. Pinoy vices The PSA data showed inflation for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products for all income house-holds was at 11.2 percent in June 2021, slower than the 11.8 percent posted in May 2021 and 18.5 percent posted in June 2020. The trend is the same for the poorest households which recorded an inflation of 11.5 percent for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products in June 2021. This is also slower than the 12.7 percent in May 2021 and 21.2 percent in June 2020. In terms of cost, consumers need to pay an additional P172.1 today for P100 worth of alcoholic bev-erages and tobacco products they used to buy in 2012. The bottom 30 percent of households need to pay P186.3 more in June 2021 to buy P100 worth of these products in 2012. “The increase in CPI for Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco from its initial CPI of 100 in 2012, which is the current base year, reflects the increase in the prices of goods in this commodity group,” PSA, however, told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail. “Though consumption in terms of expenditure is part of the index computation through the weights, it does not affect the changes in the estimates of CPI since weights are fixed until the next rebasing. Rebasing from 2012 to 2018 is currently being done,” it explained.

PSA noted that the double-digit increases in the prices of these commodities began in 2013 due to the Sin Tax Law (STL) which took effect on January 1, 2013. The prices rose anew with the implementation of RA 10963 or the TRAIN Law on January 1, 2018 increasing the tax rates on cigarettes. The poorest Filipinos, meanwhile, saw inflation average 28.7 percent in 2013 and 20.4 percent in 2018. This reflected the two highest inflation rates recorded for this commodity between 2012 and 2021. The third highest rate was recorded in 2020 at 16.1 percent for all households and 18.8 percent for the bottom 30 percent of households nationwide. Based on the weights of the Consumer Price Index, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products had a weight of 1.58 percent for all income households while the weight is 2.45 percent for the poorest households.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/government-policies-touted-for-slowing-inf lation/


Food, transport inflation to pose problems up ahead, says so-

lon


by Jovee Marie De La Cruz

WHILE the slowdown in inflation is a positive development for the country’s economic recovery, an economist-lawmaker on Tuesday said there are still key issues that the government should address. In a statement, House Economic Recovery Cluster co-chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said the country must remain vigilant with inflationary pressures. “First, the 4.1 percent inflation rate [in June] is still very slightly above the 2 to 4 percent target band of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Elevated inflation during a difficult time narrows our options when it comes to interest rate adjustments,” he said. According to Salceda, the Philippine cannot afford any sudden contractionary interest rate increases at the moment, as it would constrict growth prospects in this period of recovery. Second, the lawmaker said the inflation for key food items is still high, especially for meat. “Meat inflation has decelerated to 17.2 percent from 22.3 percent. This is still above what many poor families can afford. Fortunately, the African swine fever [ASF] is beginning to retreat here and in our sources of meat imports,” he said. The lawmaker said the Department of Agriculture must sustain its efforts to prevent any further spread of the disease among farms and backyard hog raising facilities. Third, Salceda said while transport inflation is declining, it is still at elevated levels. “The sudden suspension of free bus rides in Metro Manila is certain to make its dent on the July transport inflation. As a supply-augmenting move, as well as a matter of basic moral duty, the P4.6 billion in unpaid obligations incurred by the government in contracting transport service providers under Bayanihan 2 should be paid as soon as possible,” he said. “Tricycle fare remains high at 20.4 percent, even as it is a basic transport service among many poor, rural communities. We must begin to consider loosening restrictions on tricycle rides among family members, particularly as it is a well-ventilated transport option,” he added. Also, while petroleum and fuels inflation decelerated from 35.1 percent to 22.6 percent, the senior lawmaker said the country must be prepared for price hikes in fuel as global demand for fuel begins to recover. Outside Metro Manila, Salceda, meanwhile, said the Bicol region posted the highest inflation rate. “Although the inflation rate has decelerated from 7.5 percent to 6.3 percent, this remains far too high for our constituents. Outside of NCR, corn prices have increased, from an inflation of 5.6 percent to 5.9 percent this month. As corn is a key ingredient to feeds for livestock, we expect this to continue to impact meat prices. Fish prices have also increased outside of NCR, from 7.9 percent inflation last month to 8.6 percent,” he said. With this, Salceda asked the national government to rationalize policies on transport, particularly on tricycles, which is a key mode of travel in Bicol, and a key driver of inflation.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/food-transport-inf lation-to-pose-problems-up-ahead-says-solon/


Transparency, accountability a must in foreigner-funded in-

frastructure projects in PH–study


by Ellson Quismorio

A locally-published think thank study is batting for increased transparency and accountability from government when it comes to infrastructure projects in the Philippines that have been funded by other nations, particularly China. “It is the responsibility of the government to ensure transparency and accountability when it comes to transactions with other states especially for foreign investments,” Stratbase Albert del Rosario Insti-tute (ADRi) president, professor Dindo Manhit said in a statement Wednesday, July 7. Manhit was sounding off from the paper titled, “Chinese Investments in The Philippines: Are They Corrosive Capital?” The study was penned by professor Edwin Santiago of the De La Salle University (DLSU) Political Science Department. Santiago said that these foreigner-funded infrastructure endeavors have become controversial “pri-marily due to allegations that they followed a unique way of doing things that disregarded the rule of law and characteristically lacked transparency and accountability.” He said that one of the common issues was the severe lack of transparency in the deals and that “critical information seems to be left out deliberately to force some form of interpretation inconsistency that could eventually weaken one’s data presentation and analysis.” “For instance, leaving out the exchange rate used in the computations will invariably lead to incon-sistencies with government data—such incongruence can be used to undermine the credibility of the data,” Santiago said. Citing the case of the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project (CRPIP), Santiago said, “Although to the government’s credit, while more information was disclosed in other projects, they were still signifi-cantly incomplete.” According to him, there is no information as to how CAMCE [China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd.] was selected as contractor for the CRPIP. “Even conflicting pronouncements from Cabinet members re-garding the issues surrounding the selection were largely ignored and allowed to die down,” he said. Mentioning another project, Santiago noted: “For the NCWS-KDP [New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project], while the negative findings from the Commission on Audit [COA] about the bidding process were publicized, no action resulting from the findings was ever disclosed.” He further stated that the government’s claim “that the agreements have been vetted—even if true—does not necessarily mean that there is nothing wrong with them.” “Moreover, using as defense the reason that these are standard provisions in loan agreements with China does not abandon the point that they are indeed onerous. Also, it hardly offers any explanation as to why our government officials will concede to terms that are unconstitutional at worst or burden-some at best. If at all, this raises the question as to why the Philippines would even consider loans from China,” Santiago said. The study was featured in “Spark”, a quarterly online publication of ADRi.

“This paper is part of the institute’s advocacy partnership with International think tank Center for In-ternational Private Enterprise and a broad network of think tanks in the region to study the impact of Chinese investments on fragile economies like the Philippines,” Manhit said. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/07/transparency-accountability-a-must-in-foreigner-funded-inf rastructure-projects-

in-ph-study/



Without friends and play, DepEd says children need help to

manage their emotions amid COVID-19 pandemic


by Merlina Hernando-Malipot

Having been deprived of play and social interaction due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pan-demic for over a year now, the Department of Education (DepEd) underscored the need to help chil-dren to manage their emotions. “Dahil limitado ang interaksyon sa ating kapwa, naging bihira ang pagkakataong linangin ang socio-emotional skills ng mga bata (Because of the limited interaction with our neighbors, the opportunity to develop children’s socio-emotional skills has become limited),” said Undersecretary for Administra-tion Alain Del Pascua in a statement issued Tuesday, July 6. Recognizing this, DepEd and its partners came up with T.A.L.A. (Tuklasin, Alamin, Likhain at Ala-lahanin) as part of the department’s Education’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS). Led by the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), the 11-episode web series helped children recognize and manage their emotions. It also provided psychosocial support to elementary learners amidst the remote learning setup as it wrapped up its first season. Pascua, in the last episode of T.A.L.A., said that the program is just among several initiatives of DepEd to focus on the emotional and social development of the youth. T.A.L.A. was made possible through a partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Komun-idad X, University of the Philippines Los Baños – Department of Human and Family Development Studies, Save the Children Philippines, the DepEd Bureau of Learning Resources, and UPLB Tsikit-ing Stories. Providing psychosocial support in a fun way DRRMS collaborated with other organizations in conceptualizing the child-friendly program, incorpo-rating elements and segments reminiscent of children’s shows like Batibot and Art Angel. DepEd said that T.A.L.A. made a mark on its audience because of its entertaining storytelling ses-sions and the presence of Arki (derived from Ready Kid), the official DRRMS mascot, who made each episode more enjoyable and relatable for children. The program has four segments which include Tuklasin which talked about discovery through songs and exercises; Alamin which was the storytelling session; Likhain which featured art-based activities based on the episode’s topic and story; and Alalahanin which served as a synthesis of the whole program. The program also catered to parents, guardians, and teachers through the segment called “Tala Para Sa Mga Magulang” The episodes shared important tips on how to help improve their child’s mental health based on the episode and theme tackled for the day. Each episode also features a storyteller whether it is a DepEd official from the Central or Regional Offices, a teacher, or a representative from the show’s external partners.

In its last episode, T.A.L.A. showcased the story “Mama, Para! Para kay Mama” to introduce the growth mindset as a dimension of self-efficacy with DRRMS Director Ronilda Co as the storyteller. Meanwhile, Pascua expressed hope that the lessons, storytelling and art activities of T.A.L.A helped children and their parents during these trying times. “Ang mga aral na ipinamahagi ng T.A.L.A. ay habambuhay na dadalhin ng ating mga anak sa kanil-ang pagharap sa mga darating pang pagsubok (The lessons shared by T.A.L.A. will last a lifetime for our children as they face future trials),” Pascua said. “Patuloy tayong magiging matatag at malakas sa pamamagitan ng pagtutulungan at pagkakaisa, sama-sama nating malalampasan ang anumang hamon ng buhay (Let’s remain strong through co-operation and unity, together we can overcome any challenge in life),” he added. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/without-f riends-and-play-deped-says-children-need-help-to-manage-their-emo-

tions-amid-covid-19-pandemic/



'Habagat' to bring scattered rains over Metro Manila, parts of

Luzon, Visayas — PAGASA


by Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz

Scattered rain showers due to the southwest monsoon or “habagat” could affect some areas in Luzon and Visayas in the next 24 hours, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Ser-vices Administration (PAGASA) said on Tuesday afternoon, July 6. Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms may particularly prevail over Metro Ma-nila, Bataan, Zambales, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Min-doro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cebu, and Siquijor. Under these conditions, isolated flash floods 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 the hazard maps, PAGASA warned. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the habagat and localized thunderstorms. PAGASA advised the public to remain vigilant against possible flash floods or landslides during se-vere thunderstorms. Severe thunderstorms are often associated with bursts of heavy rainfall, lightning, thunder, gusty winds, and sometimes hail. Moreover, PAGASA said moderate to rough sea conditions will likely prevail over the coasts of Luzon, while slight to moderate conditions may prevail over the seas across the rest of the country. It advised seafarers and fisherfolk to remain alert during severe thunderstorms as sea conditions may become rough. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/habagat-to-bring-scattered-rains-over-metro-manila-parts-of -luzon-visayas-pa-

gasa/



Go to Trillanes: Did you stop parents as suppliers during your

stint in PN?


by Mario Casayuran

Senator Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go on Monday July 5 demanded that his critic, former Senator Antonio ‘’Sonny’’ Trillanes IV, explain whether he tried to prevent his parents from entering as suppliers when he was with the Philippine Navy. Trillanes was a former Navy officer before openly defying then Pres-ident Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. In a video statement, Go labeled Trillanes as ‘’Mr. Fake News’’ and ‘’walang delicadeza’’ (no sense of propriety) for alleging that he and President Duterte, then Davao city mayor, should be accused of plunder arising from an alleged P6.6 billion worth of contracts entered into by Go’s father and half brother with the Davao city and Davao region local governments. Go, a confidant of then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and later as Special Assistant to President Dutete, said he never helped his father and half brother land contracts and that he has not benefitted finan-cially from their business interests. ‘’Noong nagtatrabaho pa ako sa city hall, sinabihan ko ang aking pamilya na huwag silang lumapit sa City Hall (ng Davao) dahil kapag lumapit sila, aalis ako sa aking trabaho (When I was working at Davao city hall, I told my family not to approach me because if they do, I will resign from my work). Ang ibang tao ay nakakalapit sa akin para humingi ng kahit anong tulong, basta nasa tama, tutulong po ako (Other people could approach me and I helped them when it is legally correct). Pero ang pamilya ko, hindi yan nakakahingi ng anong pabor mula sa akin (But my family did not ask favors from me),’’ he said. Go said Trillanes latest attacks are old and rotting. ‘’Wala na bang bago (is there anything new)?’’ he asked. ‘’Katunayan, noong Setyembre 2018 pa, hindi pa ako Senador, ay sinagot ko na ito at hinamon ko pa nga si Trillanes na imbestigahan nya at magsampa siya ng kaso (Truth be told, on September 2018 when I was not yet a senator, I already answered the chargers and I even dared Trillanes to investigate and file the appropriate charges). Hinding-hindi ako uurong sa kaso dahil alam ko na malinis ang aking konsensya at wala akong batas na nilabag (I will not back away from any cases because my conscience is clear and I did not violate any law),’’ he added. Go asked aloud whether Trillanes could make his alleged plunder allegation stick because the trans-actions were legitimate and that he has nothing to do with the contracts. ‘’Sinabi ko na sa kanya noon na kung mapapatunayan niya ang paratang niya, magre-resign kaagad ako (I told him I will resign if he can prove his charges.) Nakalipas na po ang halos tatlong taon at wala namang napatunayan si Trillanes (Three years have passed yet Trillanes still has to prove his accusations). Lahat ng mga ito ay nasagot ko na (I have answered all these charges). Puro kasinun-galingan ang pinapakain niya sa taumbayan… Kaysa makatulong, nilalason lang niya ang isipan ng mga Pilipino para sa kanyang pansariling interes (These are all lies that are being fed to the people. instead of helping, Trillanes has been poisoning the minds of Filipinos to serve his personal inter-ests),’’ he added. Go lamented that all these charges are being rehashed as the 2022 election approaches. Trillanes, according to Go, is re-cycling fake news.



Expert says new baselines law would reinforce present occu-

pation, clarification of PH claims in WPS


by Richa Noriega

The proposed new baselines law is set to reinforce the Philippines’ actual occupation and clarification of claims of the features in the West Philippine Sea, an international law expert said on Monday, July 5. During the online forum on Monday, international law consultant Dr. Melissa Loja said that the proposed new baselines law is set to identify the spec ific features as part of the country’s claim in the disputed areas. Retired Supreme Court associate justice Jardeleza, along with Loja and professor Romel Bagares, drafted the proposed measure to identify by name and coordinates at least 100 features being claimed and occupied in the West Philippine Sea. Jardeleza has submitted a letter to President Duterte last June 5, to certify as urgent a bill amending the Republic Act No. 9522 or the country’s baselines law to enforce the arbitral award on the South China Sea issue. Loja said the drafted measure is a reiteration and clarification of specific features in the West Philip-pine Sea. “Under the section number 3, it is to identify the specific features as part of our claim and to reiterate, this is not a new claim, to reiterate this is a reiteration and a clarification of our claim to each feature,” Loja said. The proposed measure applies to the maritime areas in the West Philippine Sea, which includes the Luzon Sea as well as the waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group, and Bajo De Masinloc, also known as the Scarborough Shoal. The international law expert said the proposed new baselines law will also reinforce the actual occu-pation on certain features and provide specific legislative places of any actions. “To reinforce the occupation that we presently enjoy of certain features and therefore to provide spe-cific legislative places of any action, any act of territory sovereignty who are presently occupying these features may exercise as a way of exercising territory sovereignty,” Loja said. Jardeleza served as the Solicitor General during the Aquino administration that challenged China’s excessive claims over the disputed territory. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a decision in favor of the Philippines. China, how-ever, has ignored the ruling and insisted on its historic claims to the territory. Last June 10, President Duterte expressed willingness to look into the proposed amendments to the country’s baselines law that supposedly aim to strengthen the nation’s claim to the West Philippine Sea. The country’s baselines law, which defines the country’s territorial waters and considers the Spratlys Islands and Scarborough Shoal as a “regime of islands” under the Philippines, was signed by then President Arroyo in 2009.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/expert-says-new-baselines-law-would-reinforce-present-occupation-clarif ica-tion-of -ph-claims-in-wps/



La Union residents seek protection from governor following

discovery of assassination squad


by BMPLUS

Residents of La Union province called on Governor Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” Ortega III to protect their communities from violent crimes, following the discovery of an alleged assassination squad composed of former police and military personnel last month. “Kaming mga residente ng La Union ay humihingi ng proteksyon mula sa aming gobernador dahil sa pagkakaroon ng pagpaslang sa lalawigan na di umano ay gawain ng assasination squad,” the Cru-saders for Peace said in a statement. The group issued the statement after several members of the alleged Magpali gun-for-hire group were arrested on June 23, 2021 following the killing of a farm caretaker in Barangay Ballogo, Bacno-tan, La Union on June 22, 2021. Police confiscated from the suspects’ vehicle several high-powered firearms, ammunition, bullet vests, two-way radios, cellphones, backpacks and other items. Police also discovered that the group had several safe houses in La Union. In a statement, the Crusaders for Peace said they were afraid that the violence in the run-up to the 2019 elections would be repeated as the next national and local elections approach. “Ito ay panawagan mula sa mga natatakot sa himagsik na mamamayan, at mga pangkat ng relihiyon at mga negosyante,” the group said. The Crusaders for Peace asked Ortega to ensure that peace will prevail by going after the remaining members of the assassination squad. “Karahasan ay dapat tuldukan. Stop the killings now!” the Crusaders for Peace said. Several ex-military and police personnel, who are believed to be members of the Magpali gun-for-hire group, were arrested on June 23, 2021 following the killing of Cristito Morate, a farm caretaker in Barangay Ballogo, Bacnotan, La Union on June 22, 2021. The 49-year-old victim was shot dead over a right-of-way dispute with a member of the group. La Union police said the suspects reportedly shot the victim in the head and fled to San Juan town. In a report Police Major Gerardo Macaraeg Jr., chief of the San Juan Police Station, said several suspects were eventually arrested while trying to flee aboard a pickup truck following the discovery of their safe house in a resort. The group were renting four rooms in Vilas Buenavista Hotel and Restaurant in Barangay Ili Sur, San Juan The suspects were identified as Alan Alegria (alias Major Allan Rashid Ortega), an enlisted and active member of Philippine Marines; dismissed Patrolman Rogie Ege; Jomar Magpali, brother of dismissed PCol. Winston Magpali; and Police Master Sgt. Adonis Bayan, a member of Revitalized-Pulis Sa Barangay. Ege is an AWOL member of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force and a security guard of World Cup Security Services assigned at Aureo Resort and Hotel. The group’s safehouse is reportedly rented by dismissed PCol. Winston Magpali at Vilas Buenavista Hotel and Restaurant. CCTV tracking helped the police track down the suspects.

Macaraeg said the suspects tried to flee aboard an orange pick-up truck from San Juan and were cornered at a checkpoint by authorities in Barangay Lingsat, San Fernando City. Confiscated from the suspects’ vehicle were high-powered firearms, ammunition, bullet vests, two-way radios, cellphones, back packs and other items. PCol. Winston Magpali, a dismissed PNP official, is allegedly the leader of the group. Aside from renting the safe house, Magpali reportedly provided the different vehicles to the group, including the Ford wildtrack used by the suspects. Other vehicles maintained by the group were CRV Honda, Mitsubishi Pajero, Ford Everest, an orange sedan and an NMax motorcycle. Police said they will zero in on the mastermind of the crime and the real motive, adding that the vehicle used by the suspects was registered to a resident of Dagupan City, Pangasinan. Magpali also has standing warrant of arrest for estafa issued by a Baguio City court. Background and record check on the arrested suspects and other counterparts and intel monitoring on the wherea-bouts of Col. Magpali is being conducted, according to La Union police. Authorities are also monitoring different safe houses used by the suspects in Aringay, San Juan, Caba and Naguilian. Other members of the group are still at large. The killing of Morate is believed to be a side contract, as the group prepares for high-profile targets ahead of the election next year. The group is reportedly financed by an influential individual. A lawyer from Sudipen, La Union came to the defense of the suspects just an hour after their arrest, records showed. On June 30, PNP Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar met with officials of the province to assess the peace and order situation and coordinate measures on how to protect the people following the discovery of the dangerous assassination squad. A series of high-profile political killings occurred in the province in 2018. These included the unsolved killings of Balaoan Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion on Nov. 14; Sudipen Mayor Alexander Buquing on Oct. 1; and former Second District Rep. Franny Eriguel on May 12. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/la-union-residents-seek-protection-f romgovernor-following-discov-

ery-of -assassination-squad/

Senator prods DOTr to commend PCG men for shooing away

WPS ‘intruders’


by Butch Fernandez

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) was prodded Tuesday to commend Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel for successfully driving away intruding foreign vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Sen. Risa Hontiveros reminded DOTr that “congratulations are in order for the PCG personnel who bravely stood up for our sovereign rights,” stressing that these “acts of bravery should not go unno-ticed.” “Such was not an easy feat. These PCG personnel should be accorded with recognition due them,” the senator said in Filipino. “It takes more than the fulfillment of an obligation,” she said, stressing that protecting Philippine territory against potentially armed intruders is “not an easy task.” In a news statement, the opposition senator cited a recent incident report when the PCG’s BRP Cabra “issued a radio challenge to five Chinese ships and two Vietnamese ships” that were spotted in Marie Louise Bank in WPS. She recalled PCG spokesman Commodore Armand Balilo reporting that “a female radio operator used a Long Range Acoustic Device to conduct the radio challenge, which drove away the seven foreign vessels.” “It makes us proud that our Coast Guards are bold enough to successfully shoo away foreign intruders trying their luck in our seas,” Hontiveros said. The senator stressed that such acts should be promptly commended, saying, “We need to be able to regularly and continuously give commendations so as to encourage more officers to steadfastly de-fend and protect our seas and our people,” she added. Hontiveros reminded that just last May, the Coast Guards also successfully dispersed intruders at the Sabina Shoal in the WPS, after the patrolling PCG team issued a radio challenge “for being in the Philippines’s exclusive economic zone.” She observed that these radio challenges only affirms that the Philippines can “assert our ownership of the WPS without resorting to war.” “There is no need to go to war in defending and protecting our West Philippine Sea,” the senator said, adding “Our brave Coast Guard officers are living proof that we can stand up and assert Philippine sovereignty without being harsh and inhuman.” Hontiveros affirmed that “considering the heightened tensions in the disputed waters, official com-mendation should be given to our officers. It’s the least we can do for those who serve on the frontlines of our national security.” https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/senator-prods-dotr-to-commend-pcg-men-for-shooing-away-wps-

intruders/



Coast Guard intensifies radio communications training in

West PH Sea


by Richa Noriega

Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)’s BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) have strengthened their radio communications capability training during their maritime patrol in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). (Photo courtesy of the PCG) The PCG said the radio communications training honed the skills of the male and female crew mem-bers of the BRP Cabra in communicating with Filipino and foreign vessels, while “upholding peace and maritime safety” in the tension filled-areas from June 27 to July 1. The personnel were put to the test soon after five Chinese and two Vietnamese ships were spotted off Marie Louise Bank, which is within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) last June 30. The Marie Louise Bank is located approximately 147 nautical miles from El Nido, Palawan. “In order to promote safety of navigation and a peaceful, rules-based order at sea, radio communication mes-sages were broadcast to five Chinese and two Vietnamese fishing vessels anchored within the vicinity waters of Marie Louise Bank during its routine exercise in Kalayaan Island Group (KIG),” the PCG said in a statement on Monday, July 5. The PCG personnel received no response but the foreign vessels immediately dispersed and left the area after conducting radio communications. The BRP Cabra is one of the participating vessels under the PCG’s Task Force Pagsasanay. The country’s capital ships were deployed on a rotational basis to conduct capability enhancement training and patrol in the WPS. “The PCG in Palawan continues to conduct various training to strengthen its maritime law enforcement, safety, and security functions through the conduct of joint patrols, maritime domain and situational awareness, as well as to protect the productive fishing zone and rich biodiver-sity of the WPS,” the PCG said. Last June 25, at least 81 female personnel graduated from the first-ever PCG’S radio operator course. The Coast Guard said some of the newly female graduates will be assigned to aboard the PCG’s vessels conducting maritime training in the WPS.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/coast-guard-intensif ies-radio-communications-training-in-west-ph-sea/


‘Pilot error, strong wind may have caused crash’ Michael Punongbayan (The Philippine Star ) - July 7, 2021 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines — A combination of pilot error and bad weather may have led to the crash of an Air Force C-130 that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians in Sulu last Sunday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday.

“Combination of the two because there was wind, strong wind that seemed to be pushing the plane. That’s why the plane failed to slow down,” he said in Cagayan de Oro City.

“Another factor maybe was pilot error. He may have missed doing something. Not the air-craft, it’s new. It arrived only on Jan. 29,” he added.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said the pilot in com-mand, who was among the fatalities, had several years of experience flying a C-130 air-

craft. He also said authorities have retrieved the ill-fated plane’s black box.

He said the black box retrieved on Monday should enable investigators to listen to the con-

versations of the pilots and crew before the plane crashed.

This developed as the number of casualties rose to 53, with the death of one more soldier

at a hospital.

“I spoke to the survivors and they said the plane bounced two to three times and zig-zagged. The pilot tried to regain power because he wanted to lift the plane but it was too late. The right wing hit a tree,” he said.

Sobejana said no one jumped from the aircraft before it crashed. There had been earlier accounts from witnesses that some passengers had tried to leap to safety before the air-craft struck the ground.

He said the front of the aircraft was sliced open and some of the soldiers took advantage of the opening to escape. But those who were unconscious were unable to get out and the

plane burst into flames.

The Lockheed C-130 transport aircraft was carrying troops bound for counter-insurgency

operations in the southern Philippines when it crashed with 96 aboard.

The death toll rose on Monday to 52, including three civilians on the ground, after two of the

49 soldiers hurt in the crash succumbed to their injuries, the defense department said.

Military spokesman Edgard Arevalo said the plane was in “very good condition” and had 11,000 flying hours remaining before its next scheduled maintenance.

President Duterte personally conferred military awards Monday evening on soldiers who

perished in the crash.

The Commander-in-Chief visited the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City two

days after the tragedy.

https://www.philstar.com/authors/1804754/michael-punongbayan

Duterte personally awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kampilan to the in-jured at the Camp Navarro General Hospital.

“The AFP is grateful for the President for honoring our soldiers’ courage, bravery and dedi-cation to their sworn duty in pursuit of a lasting peace and development for our nation,” So-bejana said.

The investigating team from the 220th Airlift Wing is already at the crash site, along with the 45th Infantry Battalion and Tactical Operations Group 11 to continuously secure the area and gather more evidence.

C-130 that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians in Sulu last Sunday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday.

“Combination of the two because there was wind, strong wind that seemed to be pushing the plane. That’s why the plane failed to slow down,” he said in Cagayan de Oro City.

“Another factor maybe was pilot error. He may have missed doing something. Not the air-craft, it’s new. It arrived only on Jan. 29,” he added.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said the pilot in com-mand, who was among the fatalities, had several years of experience flying a C-130 air-

craft. He also said authorities have retrieved the ill-fated plane’s black box.

He said the black box retrieved on Monday should enable investigators to listen to the con-

versations of the pilots and crew before the plane crashed.

This developed as the number of casualties rose to 53, with the death of one more soldier

at a hospital.

“I spoke to the survivors and they said the plane bounced two to three times and zig-zagged. The pilot tried to regain power because he wanted to lift the plane but it was too late. The right wing hit a tree,” he said.

Sobejana said no one jumped from the aircraft before it crashed. There had been earlier accounts from witnesses that some passengers had tried to leap to safety before the air-craft struck the ground.

He said the front of the aircraft was sliced open and some of the soldiers took advantage of the opening to escape. But those who were unconscious were unable to get out and the

plane burst into flames.

The Lockheed C-130 transport aircraft was carrying troops bound for counter-insurgency

operations in the southern Philippines when it crashed with 96 aboard.

The death toll rose on Monday to 52, including three civilians on the ground, after two of the

49 soldiers hurt in the crash succumbed to their injuries, the defense department said.

Military spokesman Edgard Arevalo said the plane was in “very good condition” and had 11,000 flying hours remaining before its next scheduled maintenance.

President Duterte personally conferred military awards Monday evening on soldiers who perished in the crash.

The Commander-in-Chief visited the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City two days after the tragedy.

Duterte personally awarded the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kampilan to the in-jured at the Camp Navarro General Hospital.

“The AFP is grateful for the President for honoring our soldiers’ courage, bravery and dedi-cation to their sworn duty in pursuit of a lasting peace and development for our nation,” So-bejana said.

The investigating team from the 220th Airlift Wing is already at the crash site, along with the 45th Infantry Battalion and Tactical Operations Group 11 to continuously secure the area and gather more evidence.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/07/2110734/pilot-error-strong-wind-may-have-

caused-crash



Duterte on Sulu plane crash: Filipinos will always

remember soldiers’ devotion to duty


by Genalyn Kabiling

President Duterte has offered sympathies following the tragic military plane crash in Sulu that left more than 50 people dead.

President Rodrigo Dutete lays the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kalasag medal on

top of the coffin of a soldier who died in the C130 plane mishap, during his visit at the West-

ern Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City on July 5, 2021. (Malacañang)

The President mentioned the incident at the start of his taped public address early Wednesday, saying the Filipino nation would remain grateful for the service of the fallen soldiers.

“Let me extend the nation’s deepest condolences to the families of our soldiers and ci-vilians who perished in the C-130 crash in Sulu, Sunday, July 4,” he said.

“The passengers were given immediate medical attendance and further treatment. The Filipino people recognizes and will always remember our soldiers’ deep devotion to duty. To their families, please accept the love and prayers of a grateful nation,” he added.

Duterte likewise extended his gratitude to the people of Sulu who helped in the rescue of the crash victims.

“To the civilians of Sulu, mainly the Tausugs, who assisted government in rescuing the passengers of the crash, maraming salamat (Thank you very much),” he said.

Fifty soldiers and three civilians were killed following a fatal crash of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane in Sulu over the weekend. The tragedy is considered among the worst in the military aviation history.

More than 40 military personnel continue to receive treatment at hospitals following the plane crash.

On Monday, the President traveled to Zamboanga City to visit the wake of the soldiers killed in the plane crash. He also visited the wounded soldiers during his visit to the province.

https://mb.com.ph/author/genalyn-kabiling

The soldiers were given the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kalasag medal in honor of their service.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/07/duterte-on-sulu-plane-crash-filipinos-will -always-remem-ber-soldiers-devotion-to-duty/

Sobejana recounts eyewitnesses' tales after Sulu

plane crash; blackbox retrieved




by Martin Sadongdong

Two days after the deadly C-130 cargo plane crash in Patikul, Sulu, the details of the cause of the accident that claimed the lives of 52 individuals have yet to be cleared as investigation continues.

To help ferret out the truth, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said Tuesday, July 6, that he has visited the survivors of the military plane crash where he personally heard their experiences moments before the tragedy struck.

This, along with the recovery of the blackbox or flight data recorder, will help clear the gray areas in the investigation to determine why one of the most reliable assets of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) crashed last Sunday, which is now considered as one of the worst aviation accidents in the history of the country’s military.

“Actually, there are different versions of the eyewitnesses’ accounts. I spoke with the passengers, the survivors who are in our military hospital in Zamboanga, and one of them said that the airplane bounced three times,” Sobejana said in an interview over CNN Philippines.

After it bounced, the survivor told Sobejana that the plane went zig-zag on the runway. Sobejana said the pilots must have attempted to elevate the plane and try a second landing but it already lost its power midway the air until one of its blades hit a tree. The plane then crashed and burst into flames.

“They did not regain enough power so when the blades h it a tree, it banked on its right and crashed,” he said.

What caused the plane to bounce upon its landing at the Jolo airport is yet to be con-firmed.


MRT-3 stations, depot join mourning for Sulu vic-tims

By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz July 6, 2021, 7:51 pm

https://mb.com.ph/author/martin-sadongdong



IN SORROW. Erico Nograles National High School-Davao head Jocelyn Simafranca (left) lowers the national flag at half-mast on Tuesday (July 6, 2021) in honor of the 49 fatalities of the C-130 plane crash in Patikul, Sulu. Other cities and establishments, like Metro Rail Transit Line 3 stations and depot, are bestowing the same respect on the fallen sol-diers. (Photo courtesy of Nograles HS)

MANILA – The management of Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) ordered all Philippine flags in its stations and depot to be flown at half-mast in honor of the 49 soldiers who died Sunday in the C-130H Hercules military plane crash in Patikul, Sulu.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, MRT-3 said all its flags will remain at half-mast until Fri-day.

“[Ito ay] bilang pagbibigay-pugay sa mga biktima ng nasabing insidente na karamihan ay miyembro ng sandatahang lakas, na tapat at buong katapangan ang pagsisilbi sa bayan (This is to pay tribute to the victims of the said incident who were mostly members of the military who faithfully and fearlessly served the country),” it said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is still in a period of mourning until July 25 over the death of former President Benigno Aquino III on June 24.

The incident happened the day after the end of the 10-day national period of mourning over Aquino’s passing.

Under the Period of National Mourning, the national flag was flown at half -mast from sun-rise to sunset in all government buildings and installations nationwide and abroad.

Other cities and establishments are bestowing the same honor on the fallen soldiers.

The aircraft bound for Jolo, Sulu carried 96 individuals, including three pilots. It crashed af-ter missing the runway of the Jolo Airport. (PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph /articles/1146179

Sulu crash victims also need spiritual support: so-lon

By Benjamin Pulta July 6, 2021, 7:46 pm RECUPERATING. Twenty-two of the 47 wounded-in-action soldiers of Sunday’s (July 4, 2021) C-130 crash in Patikul, Sulu are undergoing treatment at the Zamboanga City Medi-cal Center. Hospital spokesperson Dra. Shadrina Sarapuddin said two of the soldiers are in


critical condition while two are in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19. (Photo cour-tesy of PTV)

MANILA – The victims of the C-130 crash in Patikul, Sulu need all the moral and spiritual support they could get.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Committee on National Defense and Security, reiter-ated his call for prayers and the need to comfort and support the victims' families.

"I would rather that we pause to pray for the souls of those who perished in that il l-fated C-130 plane as well as for the full and speedy recovery of the injured passengers," Lacson told reporters in a text message on Tuesday.

Senator Imee Marcos said the incident “leaves a huge void in our collective consciousness as a nation".

"They were supposed to be the future of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), but true to their calling, they gave up their lives in the line of duty and service to our country," Marcos said in a statement.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri renewed the call for AFP modernization as sol-diers are dying “because of poor equipment and outdated aircraft".

"We in the Senate are prepared to listen and to help our military with their budget. Anything we can do to ensure that this what happened in Sulu is our last accident of this kind. We have to get serious about modernizing our military. We cannot lose any more lives like this,” he said in another statement.

Zubiri hails from Bukidnon, where most of the new soldiers in the aircraft trained in the 4th Infantry Division camp in Malaybalay.

"I am unfortunately starting to sound like a broken record in my call for modern aircraft and training equipment for our troops. I am so saddened by the loss of such brave and patriotic individuals in such a senseless death,” he said.


Soldier succumbs to injuries as Sulu crash death toll

rises to 53



Another soldier died from the tragic military plane crash in Patikul, Sulu last Sunday, July 4, raising the death toll to 53.



Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), confirmed Tuesday night, July 6, that the latest fatality was confined at the West Metro Medical Center in Zamboanga City following the tragedy that struck a Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane (tail number 5125) over the weekend.

He said the soldier, whose identity is yet to be revealed pending information of the next of kin, suffered chemical burns on his face. The soldier died on Monday night, July 5.

“Accordingly, he must have inhaled smoke which aggravated his medical condition,” Sobejana said.

With the latest development, the aviation tragedy — considered as one of the worst in the history of the country’s military — has since claimed the lives of 50 soldiers and three civilians.

Further, 46 military personnel and four civilians were being treated and monitored in different hospitals in Zamboanga City and Sulu province, with some of them still in criti-cal condition.

Sobejana asked for prayers from the public that there would be no more soldiers who would add to the growing death toll in the Sulu plane crash.


CBCP prays for Sulu plane crash casualties, kin

By Ferdinand Patinio July 6, 2021, 4:29 pm

MANILA – The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Tuesday ex-tended sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) C-130 plane that crashed in Sulu over the weekend.



In a statement, Archbishop Romulo Valles, CBCP president, also enjoined the public to continue to pray for those recovering in hospitals, and the families of the deceased.

“To our merciful Lord, we commend the souls of our departed soldiers, and we invoke His healing hands upon those who have survived and who have sustained injuries,” he said.

He added that the bishops are one with the families of the victims in mourning over the inci-dent.

“As your pastors, we share the pain of loss that this recent news has brought us. We con-dole with the families and friends of the several soldiers and civilians who were killed by the crash,” the Catholic prelate added.

The death toll from the plane crash rose to 52 as of Monday, including three civilians on the ground.

Reports from the military showed that the C-130 plane carrying 96 passengers was set to transport troops from Cagayan de Oro City to Sulu when the pilots failed to regain power and missed the runway. (PNA)


Military bishop asks for prayers, masses for C130

plane crash victims


by Leslie Ann Aquino

Bishop Oscar Florencio of the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines has asked for prayers for those who died in the military plane crash in Sulu, Sunday, July 4. In a circular letter, the prelate also asked all military chaplains to offer Masses for the vic-tims.


https://mb.com.ph/author/leslie-ann-aquino

“I would like to exhort all MOP Chaplains/Priests to include in your Holy Mass Intentions and Private Prayers for the comfort of the bereaved and worrying families, the eternal re-pose of the souls,” said Florencio. He said prayers should also be offered for the fast recovery of those who survived the inci-dent. On Tuesday, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles also expressed sadness over the incident. “It is with great sadness that we, your bishops, received the news of the crash of a C -130 aircraft in Jolo, Sulu,” he said. “As your pastors, we share the pain of loss that this recent news has brought us. We con-dole with the families and friends of the several soldiers and civilians who were killed by the crash,” added Valles. “To our merciful Lord we commend the souls of our departed soldiers, and we invoke His healing hands upon those who have survived and who have sustained injuries,” he said. The deadly crash took place while the C-130 transport aircraft carrying dozens of combat troops overshot a runway at Jolo airport in Sulu province. At least 47 of those killed were military personnel while the other three were civilians on the ground. Forty-nine army personnel survived the crash and are being treated in hospitals. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/military-bishop-asks-for-prayers-masses-for-c130-plane-

crash-victims/

Assure aid for families of Sulu plane crash victims,

Legarda asks gov't


by Vanne Elaine Terrazola

House deputy speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda urged the govern-ment to ensure aid and other compensation for the families of soldiers who perished and were hurt in the C-130 plane crash in Sulu on Sunday, July 4.

“We mourn together with the families they have left behind for this tragic loss of lives. As government officials, we have the moral responsibility to look after those they have left behind, and those who are still in the hospital fighting for survival and recuperat-ing,” Legarda said in a statement Monday, July 5.



https://mb.com.ph/author/vanne-elaine-terrazola

She noted that the Republic Act No. 6963 prescribes the special financial assistance and benefits for families of military personnel who died or were permanently incapaci-tated while in the line of duty.

She said that under the law, families of deceased or permanently incapacitated soldiers shall receive special financial assistance for the next six months after the personnel’s death or incapacity.

The surviving spouse or an employable child should be given priority in employment in a government or agency or office where their qualifications are fitted, the law also pro-vided.

Moreover, all surviving children of the deceased or permanently incapacitated military or police personnel are entitled to scholarships up to college in a nonexclusive institu-tion.

Legarda also appealed that equal assistance should be extended to the families of ci-vilians who died and were injured at the crash site.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families of our fallen soldiers and also civilians who have met an untimely death yesterday. These young soldiers were supposed to report to their battalions to perform their mission with utmost dedication and integrity, even sacrificing their personal needs, comfort and time,” the congress-woman said.

“No amount is enough to compensate for the lost lives and for those who were injured but, their families deserve to receive financial and other forms of assistance as a way of conveying our gratitude and to ensure that the families left behind will be provided with the necessary government support,” she added.

At least 52 individuals died after the air force’s transporter aircraft carrying 96 military personnel crashed while it was landing at the Jolo airport on Sunday morning. The fa-talities included three civilians who were crushed by the wreckage of the plane.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/assure-aid-for-families-of-sulu-plane-crash-victims-le-garda-asks-govt/



Go: 'President Duterte and I will give financial as-

sistance to C-130 crash victims'


by Mario Casayuran

Senator Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go on Tuesday, July 6 said he and President Duterte would separately help the victims of the July 4 C-130 transport plane crash in Sulu.

Go, chairman of the Senate Health and Demography committee, said the Office of the President would provide financial assistance and other items to the families of soldiers who died or were injured during the incident.

On the other hand, Go said his office would distribute additional financial aid to the families and other items.

https://mb.com.ph/author/mario-casayuran

In a radio interview, Go expressed his sympathies to the families of those who died as well as the wounded ones after a Philippine Air Force C-130 plane crashed in Patikul, Sulu.

“Nalulungkot po kami, nakikiramay po kami (We are sad, We express our condo-lences). Alam niyo, nakakalungkot po na ang mga sundalo natin halos po nagsasa-kripisyo, nakipagdigmaan doon sa Jolo, ay sila po ang naging biktima nitong plane crash na ito (It is distressful that our soldiers who were assigned to fight rebels in Jolo had to die in a plane crash),” he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte arrived at the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Min-danao Command Gymnasium in Zamboanga City Monday night to visit government troops who were injured by the incident.

Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Cirilito Sobejana said that all 96 individuals on board the plane have been identified. 52 people were killed while 47 soldiers were injured according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Asked about the cause of the tragic incident, the senator from Davao asked the public to wait for the results of the investigation by the authorities.

Go, former Special Assistant to President Duterte, said he is sure the Philippine Air Force would submit its findings on the crash incident to President Duterte as Com-mander in Chief.

“Possible sa mga video nakita natin nag-overshoot sa runway (Based on videos, it is possible the plane overshoot the runway,” he added.

Go then asked authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and determine the cause of the problem given that just last week, a newly acquired S-70i Black Hawk utility heli-copter of the Air Force also crashed during a night flight training near Tarlac, killing six people.

He said that Duterte is saddened by the incident, adding that they both share the grief of Filipinos over the tragedy.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/go-president-duterte-and-i-will -give-financial-assistance-to-c-130-crash-victims/



Pacquiao donating over P3-M personal money to

aid C-130 crash victims


by Mario Casayuran

Boxing icon Senator Emmanuel ‘’Manny’’ D. Pacquiao on Tuesday, July 6 said he is giving financial aid to victims of the July 4 crash of a Philippine Air Force (PAF) C-130 transport plane in Patikul, Sulu.

In a press statement, Pacquiao said he is giving P50,000 to the family of each airman killed in the crash and P20,000 to each of the injured.

‘’Kasama po ako ng sambayanan sa panalangin para ating mga bayaning nasawi at para sa agarang paggaling ng mga sugatan (I join the Filipino people in praying for those killed and the injured,’’ Pacquaio said.

Fifty died and 53 others were injured in that plane crash.

https://mb.com.ph/author/mario-casayuran

Earlier, Senator Christopher ‘’Bong’’ Go said his office and that of President Duterte are separately giving their assistance to the C-130 transport plane victims.

Opposition Senator Francis ‘’Kiko’’ N. Pangilinan also offered his deepest sympathies to the families of the plane crash victims in Sulu.

‘’This is indeed a devastating incident for our Filipino soldiers who brave the frontlines every day to carry out their duty of protecting and serving their fellowmen,’’ he said.

‘’As we urge full assistance to their bereaved ones, we also seek a thorough investiga-tion on cause of the crash and to find ways to avert another tragedy,’’ he stressed.

‘’As they risk their lives in performing their tasks, our soldiers deserve better equipment and hardware to make every flying safe,’’ Pangilinan added.


Strong maintenance operations, continuous train-

ing after Sulu C-130 crash needed – PH Red Cross


by Merlina Hernando-Malipot

Following the tragic plane crash in Sulu which killed over 50 people, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard Gordon called for continuous training and stronger maintenance operations for the troops.

“There must be strong maintenance operations and continuous training by our troops to obviate the loss of life, manpower, and material,” Gordon said.

After the reported Philippine Air Force (PAF) C-130 crashed on July 4 at Brgy. Bangkal in Patikul, Sulu, the PRC immediately sent a response team.

The aircraft, PRC said, was carrying 96 passengers – including three pilots, five crews, and army personnel. The C-130 plane reportedly burst into flames after missing the landing strip.

PRC sent a response team to the scene and dispatched an ambulance with three emergency medical services (EMS) personnel.



https://mb.com.ph/author/merlina-hernando-malipot

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/strong-maintenance-operations-continuous-training-af-ter-sulu-c-130-crash-needed-ph-red-cross/

Zubiri presses for AFP modernization after Sulu C-

130 crash


by Vanne Elaine Terrazola

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Tuesday, July 6, underscored the im-portance of modernizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), as well as exten-sively training its personnel, in preventing accidents like the recent plane crash in Sulu.

Zubiri lamented the death of least 52 soldiers and civilians after the air force’s C-130 plane crashed in Patikul, Sulu on Sunday, July 4, which he said could have been pre-vented if the military had modern equipment and training.

“I am unfortunately starting to sound like a broken record in my call for modern aircraft and training equipment for our troops. I am so saddened by the loss of such brave and patriotic individuals in such a senseless death,” the Senate leader said in his state-ment.

“That’s what angers me the most. We’re losing so many great men and women be-cause of poor equipment and outdated aircraft,” he added.

Zubiri recalled similar plane crashes in Isabela in July last year; in Basilan in Septem-ber; in Lanao del Sur in November; then in Bukidnon last January, and in Tarlac in June.

“Just over the last year, we’ve already lost over seventy people in military aircraft acci-dents,” he said.



https://mb.com.ph/author/vanne-elaine-terrazola

“And now, over fifty people in Sulu. This is one of the worst air disasters for the Air Force and the AFP. We really need to fast-track our aircraft modernization so we can stop ruining lives like this, and ensure that no other accident surpasses this one in the future,” he added.

Zubiri appealed to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to look for avail-able funds necessary for the Philippine Air Force, “to replace their aging fleet, particu-larly their workhorses, which are their overused and extremely old C-130s.”

Aside from upgrading the military’s aircrafts, he said the government must also beef up its training programs for our military pilots.

“Modernization entails not only buying the best aircraft and equipment, but also provid-ing state-of-the-art and extensive training for our military personnel. We have to invest in simulators, so we can consistently train our soldiers without risking their lives, or the lives of civilians,” Zubiri said.

“We have to get serious about modernizing our military. We cannot lose any more lives like this,” he added.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/zubiri -presses-for-afp-modernization-after-sulu-c-130-crash/



Thankful for 'second life': New 4ID commander re-

calls near-death experience in Sulu crash



Major Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. officially took command of the Cagayan de Oro City-based 4th Infantry Division (4ID) of the Philippine Army on Monday, July 5, a day after a C-130 transport plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) carrying him and his family crashed in Patikul, Sulu.

Brawner was with his wife and three children when they boarded the crashed Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Sunday morning, July 4.

Hours before the crash, the Baguio City-native said he was to fly from Manila to Caga-yan de Oro City to prepare for the change of command ceremony where he would re-place Maj. Gen. Andres Centino, who was recently installed as the new Army Com-manding General.

Brawner said he was fortunate to have cheated death as they disembarked at Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro City where he and his family stayed.

However, it was not the same for 49 soldiers and three civilians who died and 51 others who were injured in the plane crash.

From Cagayan de Oro City, the plane then proceeded to Laguindingan airport to pick up over four dozen Army personnel, most of them were from 4ID and fresh graduates from military training. The plane left for Sulu where the soldiers were supposed to serve as augmentation forces of the 11th Infantry Division (11ID) to help in the province’s counter-terrorism efforts.

Hours later, Brawner got a call informing him that the plane they rode crashed in Patikul, Sulu.


“Ibinalita sa akin na ‘yong C-130 na sinakyan namin a few hours before ay bumagsak. Ako ay nalungkot. Tumayo ang balahibo ko (I was informed that the C-130 that we used a few hours before crashed). We were given a second chance to live,” said Brawner during the change of command ceremony.

“I saw and talked to the pilots, I saw the passengers. I remember their faces,” he added, recounting his near-death experience.

He even recalled how Maj. Emanuel Makalintal, the pilot in command, gave him a brief-ing as the most senior official on the plane prior to their takeoff from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

“He gave me a pilot’s briefing which was a standard operating peocedure. There was a briefing about the weather. Then the last thing we did was we prayed. We all prayed in-cluding the pilots and the passengers. I met all the pilots,” he said.

Makalintal was among the 52 individuals who perished in the incident. Two co-pilots and five crew members also died with him.

Brawner said they organized a mass for the soldiers who perished in the incident.

Although saddened by the plane crash, his first major setback as the 4ID commander, Brawner vowed to give all the necessary assitance to the families of the perished sol-diers under his unit.

Brawner is a product of the Philippine Military Academy “Makatao” Class of 1989. He is a native of Baguio City.




Roque says he rode C-130 plane days before it crashed in Sulu

By: Daphne Galvez - Reporter / @DYGalvezINQ

INQUIRER.net / 03:08 AM July 07, 2021

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque revealed early on Wednes-

day that he rode the C-130 military cargo plane a few days before it crashed in Jolo, Sulu

province last Sunday.

He boarded the plane on July 1 to deliver medical supplies — including COVID-19 vaccines,

personal protective equipment, and mechanical ventilators — to Iloilo City, Roque said in the

weekly taped briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte.

= “We turned over some medical supplies in Iloilo City and the C-130 plane that crashed was

the same plane we rode,” he said in Filipino.

“Fortunately, it appears that it was a different crew who were there, but still there were some who died. Our condolences. But when I talked with some of the crew members of the flight

we were on, they were really in shock. They knew that it could have happened to them too,” he added.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456633/roque-says-he-rode-same-c-130-plane-days-be-fore-it-crashed-in-sulu

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Pilot, female lieutenant among those killed in Sulu

crash



The pilot-in-command of the ill-fated C-130 transport aircraft and a female lieutenant were among the 52 individuals who died in a military plane crash in Patikul, Sulu last Sunday, July 4.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana identified Tuesday, July 6, the fatalities as Major Emmanuel Makalintal, the most senior among the three pilots of the crashed airplane; and Lt. Sheena Alexandrea Tato, a military flight nurse.

Sobejana said Makalintal was a “seasoned” pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours on a C-130 plane.

During Pres. Duterte’s visit to the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NavForWes) head-quarters in Zamboanga City on Monday, Sobejana said the Commander-in-Chief be-stowed the Order of Lapu-Lapu with a rank of “Kalasag” to six military officers who died in the plane crash, including Makalintal.

“The President was really saddened of what had happened and unfortunately wala pong dependents na nakarating doon (there was no dependent of the victims present) except for the older brother of the pilot-in-command, Major Makalintal. He was there physically present so he was the only relative present during the visit of the President,” Sobejana said in an interview over CNN Philippines.

Aside from Makalintal, Duterte also bestowed the Order of Lapu-Lapu with a rank of Kalasag to three Privates, a Technical Sergeant, and a Captain. The Order is a military merit conferred by a President to officials and personnel of the government and private individuals “in recognition of their invaluable or extraordinary service in relation to a campaign or advocacy of the President.”




CHR seeks ‘thorough probe’ on Sulu military plane crash


by Czarina Nicole Ong Ki

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) asked the government to conduct a “thor-ough investigation” into the Air Force C-130 plane crash in Patikul, Sulu last July 4 to ensure that a similar tragedy would not happen again.

After concluding its rescue and retrieval operations on Monday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed that 52 soldiers and civilians died in the crash. This was considered as one of the deadliest military air disasters recorded in Philippine his-tory.

In a statement, CHR Deputy Spokesperson Marc Louis Siapno said that the country’s soldiers deserve to be given adequate safety and protection especially since they are risking their lives to offer the same protection for civilians.

The CHR likewise offered its condolences to the families and loved ones of the soldiers and civilians who lost their lives and got injured because of the crash.

“Bawat buhay ay mahalaga. Para sa ating mga kasundaluhan, kin ikilala natin ang kanil-ang dedikasyon sa kanilang tungkulin na panatilihing ligtas ang bansa laban sa terorismo at iba pang uri ng mga banta sa ating seguridad, (Every life is important. For our troops, we recognize their dedication to their duty to keep the country safe against terrorism and other types of threats to our security),” he said.

“Hiling din natin na maibigay sa mga naulilang pamilya ng mga sundalo at sibilyan ang lahat ng tulong at suporta na kailangan nila, kabilang silang mga nagpapagaling n a nasa kritikal na kondisyon, (We also request that the bereaved families of soldiers and civilians be given all the help and support they need, including those who are recover-ing from critical condition),” Siapno added.


https://mb.com.ph/author/czarina-nicole-ong-ki


Int’l rights group show more proof of impunity in serious rights violations in PH

By: Zacarian Sarao - @inquirerdotnet

INQUIRER.net / 03:58 AM July 07, 2021

MANILA, Philippines — The Second Report of Investigate PH, which was released on Tues-

day, offers more evidence of widespread impunity in the Philippines of those committing

rights violations, including the killing of dissenters and the abuse of Moro communities.

The report — which is available for download on the Investigate PH website — focuses on

abuses perpetrated by security forces, including the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“State policies, including Executive Order 70 or the whole-of-nation approach to counter-in-

surgency program and the 2020 Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) have emboldened both the police

and military to massacre the poor and marginalised, as well as those who are fighting for the

rights of these communities, including activists and advocates of peasant and Indigenous

People’s rights,” said one of Investigate PH’s commissioners, lawyer Suzanne Adely.

“Moreover, the government’s capture of domestic redress and accountability mechanisms continue to fail victims,” she added.

According to the report, military operations, which are part of the so-called War on Terror, in

Mindanao continue to perpetrate violence, further entrenching the marginalization of Moro

communities.

The operations are propped by military aid from the United States.

Since 2015, the US has donated over $765 million worth of planes, ships, and other military

equipment to the Philippines — most of them used in Mindanao.

These operations, according to Investigate PH, failed to distinguish between civilians and

combatants, causing mass displacement of Moro communities.

The report also covered how state forces are killing off dissenters the same way it targeted

suspects in the drug war of President Rodrigo Duterte.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/byline/zacarian-sarao

https://www.twitter.com/@inquirerdotnet

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/source/inquirer-net

https://www.investigate.ph/SecondReport

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456537/pnp-national-govt-continues-to-obstruct-justice-to-cover-up-drug-war-says-international-rights-watchdog

“Police and soldiers are now executing political dissenters in a manner similar to extrajudicial

killings in anti-drug operations,” the report said.

“Duterte’s NTF- ELCAC [National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict], the

July 2020 ATA [Anti-Terrorism Act], and increasingly the justice system have not only facili-

tated these killings but are institutionalizing repression that broadly harms civil society, from

alleged communists to churches to long-standing democratic institutions,” it added.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456608/intl-rights-group-provides-more-evidence-on-

widespread-immunity-over-serious-human-rights-violations-in-ph



BCDA works on finding fund sources for military

By Azer Parrocha July 6, 2021, 2:26 pm

MANILA – The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is looking for fund-ing sources to raise funds for the country’s soldiers, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this statement after President Rodrigo Duterte, in his visit to Zamboanga City to honor the casualties in the military plane crash in Patikul, Sulu, reiterated the government's plan to sell or lease part of Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City to raise funds for soldiers' benefits.

He said the government has yet to come up with a timeline for its plan to lease part of Fort Bonifacio, but noted that the BCDA is working on finding other fund sources.

“Wala pa namang timeline pero (There is no timeline yet but) we have an agency headed by Secretary Vince Dizon, BCDA, and the mandate precisely is to make full utilization of all our military assets including the camps and bases para po ma-improve din ang kapakanan ng ating mga sundalo (to improve the capabilities of our soldiers),” Roque said in a press briefing in Pampanga.

The BCDA engages in public-private partnerships to push forward public infrastructure such as tollways, airports, seaports, and also major real estate development.

BCDA president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vince Dizon, who was also present in the press briefing, said the Department of Finance is studying solutions to raise funds for both soldiers and police.

“May working group po si [Finance] Secretary [Carlos] Dominguez to study the long-term solution to the pension issue, not just of the Armed Forces, but also of the police. And I think maghintay tayo dun sa magiging recommendations ng Department of Finance tungkol dito (let us just wait for the recommendations of the Department of Finance),” he said.



Ex-rebel bares how CPP-NPA-NDF ‘tentacles’ work

By Lade Jean Kabagani July 6, 2021, 6:25 pm

ENOUGH. Anti-Reds groups demonstrate outside the Dutch Embassy in Makati in this June 2021 photo. They demanded that the Kingdom of the Netherlands send back exiled Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair Jose Maria Sison to face numerous charges. (Photo courtesy of SMNI)

MANILA – The operations of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) to recruit and radicalize more members is "comparable to an octopus with many tentacles", a former rebel said.

Jeffrey Celiz, also known as Ka Eric Almendras in the communist terrorist group (CTG), said the CTGs put up the National Organizations Department (NOD) to infiltrate and radi-calize various sectors such as the youth, women, industry workers, urban poor, transport, and even the government.

"NOD is a central committee staff organ of the Communist Party of the Philippines at dyan po nagmumula ang (and that's the start of) organizing and recruitment, infiltration, radicali-zation both above ground and underground," Celiz said during Monday's regular press con-ference "Debunking lies by telling the truth" of the National Task Force To End Local Com-munist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Celiz said the NOD is responsible for luring people from rural areas, central towns, universi-ties, religious groups, media, and other professionals to join the communist revolution.

The CPP-NPA-NDF also has an international department which is maneuvered by CPP founding chair Jose Maria "Joma" Sison himself, he said.

"Iyan ay mayroong humigit-kumulang 47 years of existence abroad. Diyan nagtatago

sila Joma Sison at iyan din po ang kumukumpas ng mga peace talks sa (It has been more or less 47 years of existence abroad. That's where Joma Sison is hiding at and it's the one demanding for peace talks) abroad and infiltrating overseas Filipino workers and Filipino communities," he added.

Departments, roles

The National Military Commission (NMC), he said, is responsible for the operational com-mand and attacks by NPA rebels across the country.

The NMC organizes mass actions and stages rallies in urban and far-flung communities while the national propaganda and cultural commission is handled directly by the Com-munist Party Central Committee.

"Nandirito po ang kanilang mga pagmi-maintain ng pangalan na (It involves maintaining the name) Marco Valbuena. In fact, Marco Valbuena is just a name, it’s not a person. Marami pong gumagamit ng pangalan na iyan sa ilalim ng (Several individuals are using that name under the) CPP information bureau. It’s an alias being used by at least three (persons)," Celiz said, noting that Sison himself is hiding under the name to communicate with CTGs.

Celiz lamented that the CPP-NPA is also using tactical operations against local businesses, telecommunications companies, and politicians to extort money they will spend for their ter-roristic operations.

"So, they are very organized like a big criminal syndicate. This is a national finance extor-tionist unit. The NPA also has a unit involved in burning, explosions, attackin g businesses and politicians, and even targeting big companies such as telecommunications firms," he said.

The CTGs likewise established the national tax implementing group and the national peas-ant commission that conspire with the land grabbers.

There is also the National United Front Commission responsible for mass actions involving the middle class, media operations infiltration, lawyers, campaign for party-list groups, and non-governmental organization operations.

"Ito iyong binabanggit ni Lt. General Antonio Parlade, na ang threat sa pagwasak sa kabuhayan, karapatan at kagalingan ng mga kabataang Pilipino at ng pamilyang Pilipino by way of the deceptive and radical recruitment among the youth ay totoo at hindi kathang isip ng military o ng NTF-ELCAC (This has been mentioned by Lt. General Antonio Parlade that the threat of destroying the livelihood, rights, and well-being of the Filipino youth and the Filipino family by way of deceptive and radical recruitment among the youth is real, not mere imaginations by the military or the NTF ELCAC)," he said.

Celiz said the CPP-NPA-NDF is expanding toward infiltrating "government rank and file workers, the academe, teachers, and even health professionals in public hospitals.

"We are confronting an enemy no matter how maybe small their numbers, compared to our government bureaucracy organization, but they have the capability to sabotage, subvert, and undermine our way of life in a democratic system, even able to maximize legal pro-cesses and democratic processes such as elections," he said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Un-ion, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)



Over 40K defense, military personnel vaccinated

against COVID-19



More than 40,000 military and civilian personnel of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have already been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lo-renzana. Lorenzana said a total of 40,059 DND and AFP personnel have already received an anti -COVID shot. This represents 26.6 percent of their total population. “Kanina po nag-usap kami ni [vaccine czar] Secretary [Carlito] Galvez [Jr.] na kung pwede mabigyan na ng bakuna ang AFP para matapos na ang armed forces. Pagkatapos ng ac-tive military [personnel], isusunod natin ang pamilya nila (I talked to Secretary Galvez ear-lier and I asked him to send additional vaccines to the AFP so we can finish the vaccination of the armed forces. After the active military, we will vaccinate their families),” Lorenzana said during President Duterte’s pre-recorded public address which was aired late Tuesday night, July 6. However, the status of the immunization program in the country hit a snag with the delayed delivery of vaccines. No vaccines have been delivered to the country as of Tuesday. Meanwhile, Lorenzana said a total of 1,232,947 overseas Filipinos (OFs) and overseas Fili-pino workers (OFWs) have been repatriated by the national government after they got stranded or lost their jobs abroad as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 3,289 returning Filipinos who were stuck in Sabah, Malaysia have also been re-patriated by the government as of June 28 while 4,683 others are still waiting to be sent home. “Hindi pa po sila makaalis kasi hindi pa sila tinatanggap ng LGUs dahil sa mga variant na kumakalat sa Pilipinas (They could not leave because the local government units are still unwilling to accept them due to the variants that are spreading in the Philippines),” Lo-renzana said. The DND chief has been leading the repatriation efforts of affected Filipinos overseas amid the COVID-19 pandemic since last year. https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/07/over-40k-defense-mili tary-personnel-vaccinated-against-

covid-19/




OSG defends longer warrantless detention for ter-ror suspects

By: Marlon Ramos - Reporter / @MRamosINQ

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:10 AM July 07, 2021

MANILA, Philippines — An individual may spend up to 24 days in prison without being charged under the antiterror law, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has told the Su-preme Court anew, a provision that several justices had already flagged for disregarding the three-day constitutional limit on warrantless detention. In its 812-page memorandum, the OSG reiterated that groups behind the 37 separate peti-tions contesting Republic Act No. 11479, or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, had no legal personality to seek the high court’s intervention since none of them would suffer “imminent injury” with the implementation of the contentious law. The state lawyers said the petitioners, among them retired Supreme Court Senior Associ-ate Justice Antonio Carpio and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, erred in claiming that the law might be subjected to a facial challenge for being vague and over-broad. A facial challenge opposes a statute for being unconstitutional on its face without cit-ing any existing legal controversy. “In sum, there is no actual case or controversy that is ripe for this honorable court’s adjudi-cation,” the OSG argued in asking the magistrates to junk the petitions. “Indubitably, for failure to comply with the strict requisites of judicial review, the consoli-dated petitions must be dismissed outright,” it said. The petitioners earlier pointed out that the high tribunal had struck down as unconstitutional portions of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, and RA 10354, also known as the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, through a facial review. They said the magistrates had ruled that a petitioner need not suffer directly if the law being questioned would infringe on basic rights guaranteed under the Constitution. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456616/osg-defends-longer-warrantless-detention-for-ter-

ror-suspects

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https://www.twitter.com/@MRamosINQ

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‘Constructive, peaceful’ talks between PH, China vital: Duterte

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos July 6, 2021, 11:42 pm VIRTUAL SUMMIT . President Rodrigo Roa Duterte speaks during the Communist Party of China (CPC) and World Political Parties Summit via video link on Tuesday (July 6, 2021). Duterte valued the friendship and ties between CPC and the Philippines’ ruling Par-tido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) which he chairs. (Screengrab from Facebook)

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday emphasized the need to maintain the Philippines’ “constructive” and “peaceful” negotiations with China to further bolster “mutual trust and confidence" between the two countries.

Duterte made the remarks, as he joined China in celebrating the centennial anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the sole governing political party of China with over 95 million members.

In his message during the CPC and World Political Parties Summit via video link on Tues-day, Duterte expressed gratitude to the growing friendship between CPC and his ruling party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

“We value the friendship [and] ties between PDP-Laban and the CPC that have grown sig-nificantly over the years. To further build mutual trust and confidence, we must sustain our constructive dialogue and peaceful engagement. This is crucial as the bilateral relations be-tween our two countries expand and deepen,” he said.

Duterte said the Philippines counts on China as a “friend and a partner for peace and de-velopment.”

He hoped that the “deep and enduring” ties between China and the Philippines would con-tinue to thrive as the two nations “value win -win cooperation, amity and mutual respect.”

“We trust in the collective wisdom of the great Chinese nation that China will use its new-found strength in defense of what is good and just for all humanity,” Duterte said. “After all we exist, in one global village, our destinies are inextricably linked with each other, peace and prosperity therefore must be shared and enjoyed by all.”



Russia condoles with PH over Sulu plane crash

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora July 6, 2021, 3:09 pm

MANILA – Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his condolences to the families and friends of those killed in the C-130 military plane crash in Patikul, Sulu last July 4.

The message was conveyed through a telegram dated July 5 to President Rodrigo Duterte, according to Kremlin's website.

"Dear Mr. President, please accept our deep condolences over the tragic consequences of the crash of a military transport plane on the island of Jolo. I ask you to convey my words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims, as well as wishes for a speedy recovery to all the victims," Putin wrote.

The ill-fated C-130H Hercules plane of the Philippine Air Force crashed in Barangay Bangkal, Patikul, Sulu after it missed the runway when it tried to land at the Jolo Airport.

Of its passengers and crew, the Department of National Defense said 49 soldiers and three civilians died, while 51 were injured.

The military aircraft was carrying 96 troops deployed to combat the terror group Abu Sayyaf on the southern island.

Aside from Russia, several countries also sent their sympathies to the Philippines, including Australia, France, the United States, Canada, China, Israel, and the Netherlands, among others.

READ: Int'l community joins PH in mourning deaths of crash victims

In a July 5 statement, Dutch Ambassador to the Philippines Saskia de Lang, said: "I was very sorry upon hearing of the tragic incident last Sunday, 04 July 2021, that took the lives of 43 military personnel and 3 civilians. We share in the grief of the Filipino nation, particu-larly with the bereaved families of those serving with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, in this difficult time."

"On behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, I offer my deepest sympathies to the Armed Forces, to the family and friends of those deceased; and extend my wishes for the swift re-covery of those who were injured," she said.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila also said Beijing's thoughts and prayers are also with the bereaved kin during this time.

"The Chinese Embassy extends its heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families who lost their beloved ones in the tragic crash of Philippine Air Force flight 5125 in Sulu. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time," it said.

Israel's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it also stands with the Philippines as it sent its condolences to the Filipino people.


"We send our deepest condolences to the people and government of the Philippines on the tragic loss of life in the Air Force plane crash in Sulu province. Israel stands with the Philip-pines in these difficult times," it said. (PNA)



US needs to step up its game in Southeast Asia, says senior official

• Biden administration is aware of the balancing act it faces strengthening ties with Taiwan without emboldening independence forces in Taipei, says Kurt Campbell

• Cooperation between Washington and Beijing will be limited and increasingly com-petitive, he adds

The US has been “missing in action” in Asia and needs to step up its game especially in Southeast Asia

to show Chinese hardliners that the world’s largest economic and military power is not in free fall, a senior US official said on Tuesday.

“Ideologues around Xi Jinping think the US is hurtling toward decline,” said Kurt Campbell, the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific coordinator, speaking to the Asia Society.

“Rumours of our decline are greatly exaggerated. [We] have the wherewithal, the will and the determination to continue to play a leading role in the global community, but particularly in the Indo-Pacific.”

The long-time public servant, who left a consulting job to rejoin government in January, said the US has weathered tough periods before and re-emerged stronger, including the Cold War with the Soviet Union and the 1980s economic showdown with Japan

.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3140095/us-needs-step-i ts-game-southeast-asia-says-senior-official

China, U.S. can coexist in peace but challenge is enormous - White House David BrunnstromHumeyra Pamuk

https://www.scmp.com/topics/united-states

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia

https://www.scmp.com/topics/japan



WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said on Tuesday that it was possible for China and United States to coexist in peace but the challenge was enormous and Beijing had become increasingly assertive.

Campbell told the Asia Society think tank President Joe Biden will host a summit later this year with the leaders of Australia, India and Japan - the so-called "Quad" group Washing-ton sees as a means of standing up to China.

Asked when he expected a first meeting between Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping and whether this could come at the G20 summit in October, he replied: "My expectation will be that we'll have some sort of engagement before too long."

Campbell said the challenge for the United States would be to come up with a strategy that presented China with opportunities, but also a response if it takes steps "antithetical to the maintenance of peace and stability".




U.S. envoy on North Korea speaks with Chinese counterpart Simon LewisDavid Brunnstrom

Sung Kim, US Special Representative for North Korea, speaks to Noh Kyu -duk (not pic-tured), South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Af-fairs, and Takehiro Funakoshi (not pictured), Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, during their trilateral meeting at a hotel in Seoul , South Korea June 21, 2021. Jung Yeon-Je/Pool via REUTERS

WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - The United States' top envoy for North Korea spoke with his Chinese counterpart on Tuesday, a State Department spokesman said, after Pyong-yang's repeated rejection of the Biden administration's attempts to establish dialogue.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier its special representative on the Korean Pen-insula, Liu Xiaoming, spoke by phone with U.S. special representative Sung Kim and that the two "agreed to keep contact."


Blinken meets with Uighur internment camp survi-vors

Agence France-Presse / 08:25 AM July 07, 2021



https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/source/agence-france-presse

WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Tuesday with Uighurs who sur-

vived internment camps in China’s Xinjiang region, in a bid to promote human rights and highlight Beijing’s “genocide” against the Muslim minority group.

America’s top diplomat met with seven survivors, advocates and relatives of people still de-

tained in Xinjiang, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a readout of the

roundtable meeting.

The purpose was to help show US commitment to “calling for an end to the People’s Repub-

lic of China’s ongoing crimes against humanity and genocide against Uighurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang,” Price said.

“The United States will continue to place human rights at the forefront of our China policy and

will always support the voices of activists, survivors, and family members of victims who cou-

rageously speak out against these atrocities.”

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456701/blinken-meets-with-uighur-internment-camp-sur-vivors

U.S. urges China, private sector to boost participa-tion in G20 debt response Andrea Shalal



WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - (This July 6 story removes word 'private,' which incor-rectly described creditor committee, in last paragraph)

The United States on Tuesday urged China and the private sector to increase their partici-pation in a G20 debt moratorium for low-income countries hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a common framework for restructuring their debts.

A senior U.S. Treasury official said Washington was open to expanding the common frame-work for debt treatment agreed by the G20 and the Paris Club beyond just low-income countries to include small island states, fragile states and even some lower middle-income countries with high debt burdens.


Biden to host summit of Quad countries this year - White House Reuters



U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the White House at a celebration of Inde-pendence Day in Washington, U.S., July 4, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. coordinator for the Indo-Pacific region Kurt Campbell said on Tuesday that U.S. President Joe Biden will host a summit with the lead-ers of Australia, India and Japan this year and it should bring "decisive" commitments on vaccine diplomacy and infrastructure.

Campbell made the remarks at an event hosted by the Asia Society think tank.


China floats 'Africa Quad' with Germany and France Xi seeks to drive wedge in Atlantic alliance with cooperation proposals



People stand in front of Nairobi Terminus, a railway station on the Chinese-built Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, outside Nairobi, Kenya. © Reuters

KEN MORIYASU and TSUKASA HADANO, Nikkei staff writersJuly 7, 2021 04:33 JST

NEW YORK/BEIJING -- China, Germany and France can together assist the development

of Africa in a "four-party" framework, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed to his Euro-

pean counterparts in an online summit.

The idea of quadrilateral cooperation on Africa -- an "Africa Quad" -- came in the form of an

invitation to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to

join the Initiative on Partnership for Africa's Development, a framework Beijing launched

with African countries in May.

Xi's discussion with the German and French leaders on Monday was his first known over-

seas call after the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party on July 1. A Xinhua

News Agency read out hinted at the Chinese leader's frustration at the Biden administra-

tion's efforts to unite allies in the face of a rising Beijing.

The world more than ever needs mutual respect and close collaboration, rather than suspi-

cion, antagonism or zero-sum game, Xi said.

China and Europe should "view each other's differences in a correct way, rationally handle

divergences, and ensure ties between the two sides move forward," he said.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Poli tics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/China-floats-Africa-Quad-with-Germany-and-France

Xi extends condolences to Philippine president over military plane crash (Xinhua) 19:30, July 06, 2021



http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/

Rescuers are seen at the crash site of a C-130 military plane of the Philippine Air Force in Sulu Province, the Philippines, July 4, 2021. (Joint Task Force Sulu/Handout via Xinhua) BEIJING, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sent a message of condolence to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte over the recent crash of a military plane. In his message, Xi said he was shocked to learn that the military plane crashed when land-ing, which caused grave casualties. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi expressed condolences to th e victims, and offered sympathies to the injured and the bereaved families.


China shows world an alternative path to modern future, Xi Jinping says

• No one-size-fits-all model for modernisation and countries must do what’s best for them, political parties’ summit hears

• Comments come less than a week after Communist Party’s centenary


told an international political summit on Tuesday that China’s modernisation had proven itself as a viable alternative to the Western system of governance and Beijing was willing to

share its experiences with other countries.

“History and practice have proven and will further demonstrate that this path [by China] is the right and correct one … and we will continue our journey on this bright avenue both for ourselves and for the benefit of the world,” Xi said at the World Political Parties Summit via a video link from Beijing.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3140079/china-shows-world-alter-native-path-modern-future-xi-jinping

China deepens crypto crackdown with central bank warning

China's central bank has warned companies against assisting cryptocurrency-related

businesses AFP/INA FASSBENDER

06 Jul 2021 07:42PM



BEIJING: China's central bank warned companies on Tuesday (Jul 6) against assisting cryptocurrency-related businesses as it shut down a software firm over suspected involve-ment in digital currency transactions.

Beijing has turned a sharp eye on cryptocurrency in recent months as it widens its regula-tory crackdown on the tech sector.

Cryptocurrency trading is banned in China, and authorities have recently closed mines and warned banks to halt related transactions.

On Tuesday, a Beijing office of the central bank ordered the closure of software company Beijing Qudao Cultural Development, alleging it had been involved in providing software services for cryptocurrency transactions.

The move was necessary "to prevent and control the risk of speculation in virtual currency transactions, and protect the safety of the public's assets", it said in a statement.

The bank also warned organisations not to "provide premises, commercial display, adver-tising... and other services for cryptocurrency-related business activities".

Financial and payment institutions are instructed not to provide cryptocurrency-related ser-vices to customers.


UK chip maker Newport Wafer Fab now Chinese-owned thanks to Wise Road Capital, a little-known venture capital fund

• Wise Road Capital appeared on the radar in 2017 when it acquired the standard prod-ucts business of NXP for US$2.75 billion, renaming the unit Nexperia



• Although Beijing quickly granted approval for Wise Road to acquire MagnaChip, the deal is now under review by Seoul after CFIUS temporarily blocked it

A five-year-old Chinese private equity fund is emerging as a front runner in acquiring semi-conductor operations across Asia and Europe, and in some cases relocating the assets to China in line with Beijing’s desire for greater self-sufficiency in chips.

Wise Road Capital appeared on the radar in 2017 when it joined sister fund JAC Capital to acquire NXP Semiconductors’ standard products business for US$2.75 billion, renaming the unit Nexperia.

In June last year, Wise Road sold its equity stake in Nexperia to Wingtech Technology, a deal hailed by China’s official Xinhua news agency as one that “not only created Chin a’s largest integrated device manufacturer in chips, but also generated high returns to inves-tors”.

Now Nexperia is buying Newport Wafer Fab, the largest chip foundry in Britain, according to a stock filing by Wingtech on Tuesday. Nexperia, already the second-largest shareholder of Newport Wafer, will own 100 per cent after the deal.

Separately, Wise Road generated headlines in South Korea after it tried to buy MagnaChip Semiconductor Corp, a spin-off from Hynix Semiconductor. Although Beijing quickly granted approval for Wise Road to go ahead, the deal is now under review by Seoul after the US Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) issued an interim order blocking the US$1.4 billion deal.

https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3140020/uk-chipmaker-newport-wafer-fab-acquired-wise-road-capital-li ttle

Tibetan monks secretly jailed for up to 20 years: rights watchdog Human Rights Watch slams China over 'shocking miscarriage of justice'



Monks at the Tengdro monastery in southern Tibet were severely punished by Chinese au-

thorities, Human Rights Watch said on July 6 -- the 86th birthday of the exiled Dalai Lama,

right. (Source photos by Human Rights Watch and Reuters)

KENJI KAWASE, Nikkei Asia chief business news correspondentJuly 6, 2021 22:00

JSTUpdated on July 7, 2021 00:48 JST

HONG KONG -- Four Tibetan Buddhist monks were handed prison sentences as long as

20 years last fall after a secret trial in southern Tibet, according to a Human Rights Watch

investigation revealed on Tuesday.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Poli tics/Tibetan-monks-secretly-jailed-for-up-to-20-years-rights-watchdog

Japan deputy PM comment on defending Taiwan if invaded angers China Reuters

Japan's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, wearing a protective face mask, delivers his policy speech at the opening of an ordinary session of the parliament in Tokyo, Japan January 18, 2021. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo



TOKYO, July 6 (Reuters) - Japan's deputy prime minister said the country needed to de-fend Taiwan with the United States if the island was invaded, Kyodo news agency reported late on Monday, angering Beijing which regards Taiwan as its own territory.

China has never ruled out using force to reunite Taiwan with the mainland and recent mili-tary exercises by China and Taiwan across the Straits of Taiwan have raised tensions.

"If a major problem took place in Taiwan, it would not be too much to say that it could relate to a survival-threatening situation (for Japan)," Japan's deputy prime minister Taro Aso said at a fundraising party by a fellow Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, according to Kyodo.

A "survival-threatening situation" refers to a situation where an armed attack against a for-eign country that is in a close relationship with Japan occurs, which in turns poses a clear risk of threatening Japan's survival.

Such a situation is one of the conditions that need to be met for Japan to exercise its right of collective self-defence, or coming to the aid of an ally under attack.

"We need to think hard that Okinawa could be the next," Aso was quoted by Kyodo as say-ing.

China foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a regular news conference on Tuesday that Aso's remarks "harmed the political foundation of China-Japan relations", and China "resolutely opposed" them.


Japanese politicians slammed over ‘wrong and dangerous’ remarks on Taiwan, urged to learn les-son from history

By Wang Qi Published: Jul 06, 2021 09:41 PM



https://www.globaltimes.cn/author/Reporter-Wang-Qi.html

Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, who recently said Japan would defend the is-

land of Taiwan together with the US if a war erupts cross the Taiwan Straits, was slammed

by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as wrong and dangerous, with experts saying that the poli-

tician's political manipulation looks pale in the face of national strength.

Aso, who is also a cabinet member of Japan's national security council, said on Monday

that a Chinese mainland "invasion" of Taiwan could be viewed as a "existential crisis situa-

tion," which would allow Tokyo to deploy its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to exercise collec-

tive self-defense, media reported.

Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday that Aso's remarks

are "extremely wrong and dangerous," and gravely undermine the political foundation of

China-Japan relations.

Zhao mentioned the history of the Japanese militarists' invasion of China in the 20th cen-

tury, saying "today's China is not what it was then" but the Japanese have not learned the

lessons of history deeply.

We will never allow any country to interfere in the Taiwan question by any means. No one

should underestimate the Chinese people's firm determination, firm will and strong ability to

safeguard national sovereignty, Zhao said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed strong determination and confidence in reunifica-

tion and the defeat of secessionists, in his speech at a grand ceremony to mark the centen-

nial of the CPC on July 1.


Senior Japanese officials have recently issued outrageous statements related to the island

of Taiwan.


Politicizing origin-tracing undermines global soli-darity against COVID-19: FM spokesperson (Xinhua) 09:16, July 06, 2021

BEIJING, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Any action that politicizes origin-tracing poisons the atmos-phere of scientific research, hampers global cooperation in this regard, and undermines global efforts to fight the novel coronavirus, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Monday.


http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/

It is reported that some "international scientists" co-signed an open letter, clamoring for a comprehensive inquiry into the origin of the novel coronavirus. In response, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said it was not the first time for the so-called "in-ternational scientists" to resort to grandstanding. He said one of the so-called scientists who co-initiated the open letter is a senior researcher at the Atlantic Council, a U.S. think tank. He is also a former member of the White House National Security Council. Another scientist is a bank data engineer, an imposter in the field of origin studies, who, emboldened by ignorance, makes unverified and irresponsible remarks, Wang added. He said the open letter also proposed an "alternative investigation" carried out by Western countries with G7 and the Quad that groups the United States, Japan, India and Australia. It reveals the true intention of certain countries to blatantly seek presumption of guilt and political manipulation in the name of "international scientists," Wang said. He stressed the origin tracing of the virus is a scientific issue, and any attempt to politicize it is to poison the scientific research atmosphere, hamper global cooperation, and undermine the global anti-epidemic efforts. "We advise certain countries and relevant forces to stop the clumsy performance, and truly contribute to human life and health," Wang said. http://en.people.cn/n3/2021/0706/c90000-9868633.html

Twitter restricts account of China expert for tweets on Xi Jinping, restores access later During the CCP’s 100th anniversary celebrations earlier this week, Prof Brady had tweeted an opinion article which she had written for the Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian news

website, suggesting an alternative headline which mocked Xi Jinping.

By hindustantimes.com | Written by Srivatsan K C | Edited by Avik Roy, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

PUBLISHED ON JUL 06, 2021 05:22 PM IST


https://www.hindustantimes.com/author/hindustantimes-com-101607439170281

An academician from New Zealand on Monday said that her Twitter account was restricted

over the weekend following her tweets mocking Chinese President Xi Jinping. However,

she later confirmed that the access to her account was restored on Monday.

What happened?

Professor Anne-Marie Brady of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand is an expert on

China and its political influence and is also a critic of the country’s ruling Chinese Com-munist Party (CCP).

During the CCP’s 100th anniversary celebrations earlier this week, Prof Brady had tweeted an opinion article which she had written for the Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian news

website, suggesting an alternative headline which mocked Xi Jinping. “Alternative headline: "Xi: Its my Party and I'll cry if I want to" #CPC100Years,” she tweeted on July 1 (IST). In a subsequent tweet, she also shared an image of the Chinese leader and said “A p icture is

worth a thousand words.” https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/twitter-restricts-account-of-china-expert-for-tweets-on-xi-jinping-restores-access-later-101625571842925.html

Outlook For Hong Kong's Press Freedom Similar to Post-1949 Shanghai: Veteran Journalist Veteran Chinese journalist Ling Cangzhou says any difference between Hong Kong and

other Chinese cities will disappear. 2021-07-05

Tweet



The media landscape in Hong Kong following the forced closure of the Apple Daily bears

a striking resemblance to that of Shanghai after the ruling Chinese Communist Party

(CCP) took power in 1949, a veteran Chinese journalist told RFA.

Essayist and former Beijing-based editor Ling Cangzhou, who now lives in the United

States, told RFA that he saw strong parallels between an ongoing crackdown on press

freedom in Hong Kong since the CCP imposed a national security law on the city, and

the early days of the People's Republic of China in Shanghai.

"[They want] everyone to keep quiet and only say things that agree with the government

... so as to keep the authorities happy by making it easier for them to rule," Ling said.

"The situation for the media in Hong Kong right now is pretty similar to the situation in

1949 Shanghai," he said. "Back then, the CCP didn't get rid of all of the newspapers and

publishing companies ... right away: it took a while. Not all publishers were dealt with im-

mediately."

"Looking at Shanghai in 1949 and the direction Hong Kong is going in right now, it will

wind up the same as mainland China; it will be assimilated," Ling said in an interview

shortly after Hong Kong police arrested Fung Wai-kong, managing editor and chief opin-

ion writer for shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily's English website, at the

airport on suspicion of "colluding with a foreign power" under the national security law.


Hong Kong Security Czar Vows 'No Leniency' in Wake of Police Stabbing, Suicide The city's national security police will be investigating the attack, after which Leung Kin-fai killed himself.

2021-07-05

Tweet

National security police in Hong Kong will show no leniency in an ongoing crackdown on

dissent and political opposition in the city, China's security czar for Hong Kong warned

on Monday.

Speaking after Hongkonger Leung Kin-fai stabbed a police officer before killing himself


on July 1, the anniversary of the 1997 handover to China, Zheng Yanxiong, the hardline

head of the Beijing's National Security Administration in Hong Kong, said there should be

no quarter given to protesters.

"We are no longer talking about a pro-democracy movement, calls for autonomy or free-

dom of speech," Zheng said. "[We are talking about] the total subversion of the govern-

ment and a violation of national sovereignty."

"Extreme activities like rioting and hype have evolved into cruelty, and there can be no

illusions or compromise when it comes to seriously anti-social crimes," Zheng told a na-

tional security forum in Hong Kong on Monday. "There can be no quarter given to those

who would take advantage, only the fight against them; only the law."


Hong Kong defends internet privacy abuse law

Doxxing to attract big fines and jail terms but tech giants say they may be forced to flee the

city

By JEFF PAOJULY 6, 2021

Hong Kong privacy officials have defended controversial new laws against doxxing – mali-cious publication of people’s personal details such as addresses and phone numbers on the internet.

Since anti-extradition protests erupted in Hong Kong in June 2019, police officers and judges, among others, have become the target of privacy infringements.


https://asiatimes.com/author/jeff-pao/

As most social media platforms have their servers outside Hong Kong, police have failed to get information from them to trace the origins of the posts.

However moves to tighten the law have run into opposition from the Singapore-based Asia Internet Coalition (AIC). On June 26, the AIC, an industry association with members includ-ing Facebook, Google and Twitter, submitted a letter to the Office of the Privacy Commis-sioner for Personal Data (PCPD) asking for a meeting to talk about the law amendments.

It said “any anti-doxxing legislation, which can have the effect of curtailing free expression, must be built upon principles of necessity and proportionality.”


Aso walks back claim Japan would join US in de-fence of Taiwan if mainland Chinese forces invade

• Gaffe-prone deputy prime minister had said aggression against the island could be seen as a ‘threat to Japan’s survival’ and that deploying the Self-Defence Forces would therefore ‘not be strange at all’

• He later backtracked, saying any clashes should be resolved through diplomacy. Beijing issued a stern rebuke, saying Japan’s ‘obsession with Taiwan’ showed it had not learned the lessons of history

Taro Aso, Japan’s deputy prime minister, on Tuesday appeared to walk back comments he had made the previous day suggesting that Japan’s military would be deployed to assist the United States in the event mainland Chinese forces invaded Taiwan.Speaking on Mon-day at a political fundraising event in Tokyo, Aso said aggression against Taiwan could be interpreted as a “threat to Japan’s survival” and lead to the deployment of the Self-Defence Forces to exercise collective self-defence, the term in the constitution that limits the actions of the nation’s armed forces.

https://aicasia.org/2021/07/05/hong-kong-aic-submits-position-paper-on-the-proposed-amendments-to-hong-kongs-personal-data-privacy-ordinance-to-pcpd/




https://www.scmp.com/topics/taiwan-0

“If a major incident happened [involving Taiwan], it would not be strange at all if it touches on a situation that threatens [Japan’s] survival,” Kyodo quoted Aso as saying. “If that is the case, then Japan and the US must defend Taiwan together.”

Aso added that the situation surrounding the self-governed island was “becoming extremely intense”.


Japan arranging Olympics opening ceremony without spectators except VIPs: Report

Visitors looks at newly installed Olympic rings celebrating the 2020 Tokyo Olympic

Games in Yokohama on Jun 30, 2021. (File photo: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

06 Jul 2021 10:10AM (Updated: 06 Jul 2021 10:55AM)

TOKYO: Japan's government is arranging for the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony to be held with only a reduced number of VIP spectators, the Asahi newspaper reported on Tues-day (Jul 6), ahead of talks with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other organ-isers this week.

Events at large venues and night events after 9pm would also be held without spectators, while the number of VIPs such as sponsors' guests and diplomats at the opening ceremony would be reduced sharply from an initial estimate of about 10,000, the paper said, citing multiple unidentified government sources.

Already delayed by a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Games are set to open on Jul 23 amid concern that the influx of tens of thousands of people from around the world could unleash another wave of infections in the country.



Organisers of the Games have already banned spectators from overseas and set a cap on domestic spectators at 10,000 per venue for the Games, or 50 per cent of capacity, despite medical experts' view that no spectators would be the “least risky” option.

Japan's government, however, looks likely to decide on Thursday to extend a state of quasi-emergency in Tokyo and three nearby prefectures beyond an original end-date of Jul 11, a move which will require a rethink on spectators as well.

That matter will be decided at five-way talks also on Thursday that will include the Tokyo governor and IOC President Thomas Bach, who arrives in Japan the same day.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/japan-arranging-olympics-opening-cere-mony-without-spectators-15163458

Rescuers struggle to locate dozens in landslide-hit Japan town

Japanese rescuers sift through mud and debris as they search for missing people at

the scene of a landslide in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture on Jul 5, 2021. (Photo: AFP/Charly

Triballeau)


ATAMI, Japan: Rescuers were holding out hope of finding at least 64 people buried under the mud and wreckage of a Japanese holiday city that was hit by a devastating landslide, with teams set to resume the desperate search for survivors on Tuesday (Jul 6). Soldiers and emergency workers used handheld poles and mechanical diggers to sift through the muddy debris, two days after a torrent of earth slammed down a mountainside and through part of the hot-spring resort city of Atami in central Japan.

Rescue operations were suspended in the evening and will resume early Tuesday, city offi-cials said.

Four people have been confirmed dead, although officials are struggling to pinpoint the whereabouts of dozens as they scour the wreckage of 130 homes and other buildings that were destroyed.




https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/japan-landslide-tokyo-atami-19-missing-heavy-rain-destroy-homes-15147428



Moon pledges Korea’s bigger role as ‘ad-vanced nation’ By Lee Ji-yoon Published : Jul 6, 2021 - 14:55 Updated : Jul 6, 2021 - 14:55 President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday pledged to play a bigger role in the international com-munity, touting the nation’s recent status upgrade as an “advanced nation” as recognized by an UN agency last week. “I’m very proud that the status change is the first of its kind since the establishment of the UN Conference on Trade and Development in 1964,” the president said at the start of a weekly Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae. “We will continue to move forward by carrying out our responsibility and role in the interna-tional community.” On Friday, the UNCTAD decided to reclassify Korea as an advanced economy under the List B group alongside 31 other countries, including the US, UK, Germany, France and Ja-pan. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210706000809

http://www.koreaherald.com/search/list_name.php?byline=Lee+Ji-yoon


South Korea’s ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ Di-lemma

Testing Seoul’s embrace of the United States’ regional strategy. By Tam-Sang Huynh

July 06, 2021

South Korea’s reticent response to the U.S. Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy

has been in the spotlight, producing mixed perceptions. South Korea’s geopolitical climate

is dominated by the nuclear threat posed by North Korea but Seoul is also concerned about

China’s growing assertiveness. Embracing the U.S. FOIP rhetoric would likely enrage Chi-

nese leaders, who could decode Seoul’s commitment to the U.S. FOIP construct as a risky

position taken up to counter Beijing’s growing influence. In 2017, Beijing was angered by

U.S. anti-missile systems deployed in South Korea and retaliated against Seoul with eco-

nomic measures.

South Korea’s economic dependence on China is rising, and Beijing is Seoul’s biggest trad-

ing partner, with exports totaling $13.4 billion in April 2021. South Korea not only needs

China as its core trading partner but also as the primary leverage for Seoul’s North Korea

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-retaliates-south-korea-us-thaad-missile-defense-lotte-and-k-pop/

https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/29626/south-korea-is-staying-out-of-the-china-us-competition

https://oec.world/en/profile/country/kor

strategy, given Beijing’s close ideological links and traditional friendship with Pyongyang. In

April this year, China’s ambassador to North Korea, Li Jinjun, hailed the Sino-North Korea

friendship as “enduring and unbreakable.” Without the participation of China in the North

Korean nuclear issue, it seems unlikely that Seoul can secure Pyongyang’s presence at the

negotiating table.

https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/sou th-koreas-free-and-open-indo-pacific-dilemma-2/

Credible reports of a North Korean food crisis

AsiaPress editor says North Korea's current shortage qualifies as 'the worst humanitarian

crisis in Asia'

By BRADLEY K. MARTINJULY 6, 2021

A worker with a machine on a production line for 'Taeha' brand cakes at the Unha Taesong

Foodstuff Factory in Pyongyang on April 6, 2021. Photo: AFP / Kim Won Jin

“People are dying,” warns Jiro Ishimaru of the current situation in North Korea. “People are dying for lack of food and medicine.”

The founder and chief editor of Osaka-based AsiaPress, Ishimaru specializes in keeping in touch with undercover reporters who he has trained outside and sent back into North Korea bearing smuggled Chinese cellphones, which can be used if they’re close enou gh to the border.

His “reporting partners” have told him of a sudden deterioration of residents’ situations starting in June – a drastic decline that, in a new article, he compares to a dam breaking. Ishimaru asks: “What do people do when they can’t afford to live?” In answer he quotes his local observers as saying:

“When people run out of cash, they borrow money, rice or corn from their neighbors or ac-quaintances. When that becomes difficult, they pawn or sell their household goods. In the neighborhoods, we often see debt collectors barging in and taking away everything, even pot kettles. The only recourse left is to turn to crime or, in the case of women, prostitution. In the end, they sell their houses.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-28/china-reaffirms-alliance-with-north-korea-in-bid-to-check-biden

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3138204/china-and-north-korea-show-united-front-us-offers-talks


https://asiatimes.com/author/bradley-k-martin/

https://www.asiapress.org/rimjin-gang/2021/07/society-economy/kiga/


Singapore to carry out land reclamation on island formerly claimed by Malaysia

by Ridzwan Rahmat

The Singapore government will proceed with its plan to begin land reclamation works on Pedra Branca: a rocky South China Sea island located at the eastern approach to the Sin-gapore Strait.

The reclamation will be carried out as part of development works to enhance maritime safety and security, and improve search-and-rescue capabilities in the area, Singapore's

Ministry of National Development (MND) announced on 5 July.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail /singapore-to-carry-out-land-reclama-tion-on-island-formerly-claimed-by-malaysia




India's Modi phones Dalai Lama on birthday, sign of friction with Beijing Sanjeev Miglani

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama addresses a gathering at the Thupsung Dhargyeling Monastery in Dirang, in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, India April 6, 2017. REUTERS/Anuwar Hazarika

NEW DELHI, July 6 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi let the world know on Tuesday that he had personally wished Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama a happy 86th birthday in a phone call, disregarding any potential disapproval from China.

Reporting by Sanjeev Miglani Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei Editing by Si-mon Cameron-Moore https://www.reuters.com/world/china/indian-pm-modi-greets-dalai-lama-birthday-rare-phone-call-2021-07-06/



Covid 19 coronavirus: Australia, China clash over vaccine diplomacy in the Pacific

6 Jul, 2021 05:00 PM4 minutes to read

Australia has denied Chinese Government and media allegations that it is interfering in the

rollout of Chinese Covid vaccines in Papua New Guinea.

The clash over vaccine diplomacy marks another rift in bilateral relations, which plummeted

last year when Australia called for an independent investigation into the origins of and re-

sponses to Covid-19.

Australia in March became the first country to provide PNG with vaccines as infection num-

bers rose rapidly in the former Australian colony and Australia's nearest neighbour.

Papua New Guinea took delivery of 200,000 doses of the Chinese-made Sinopharm vac-

cine on June 23. The PNG government said the Sinopharm vaccine would initially be pro-

vided to Chinese citizens in the country.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-australia-china-clash-over-vaccine-

diplomacy-in-the-pacific/PIWAUTOMXWP5JTJSLLSD5WVK4Q/



Russia backs Asean plan on tackling Myanmar cri-sis

Reuters / 02:35 PM July 06, 2021

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov talks as a painting of Indonesia’s First Presiden Soe-karno is seen behind in the background during a press briefing following his meeting with In-

donesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (unseen) in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 6, 2021. REUTERS

JAKARTA — Russia strongly supports the Southeast Asian diplomatic effort to end the crisis

in Myanmar and has conveyed similar messages to the country’s military leadership, its for-eign minister said on Tuesday.

The five-point consensus agreed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) bloc

should be the basis by which the situation can be resolved, Sergei Lavrov said during a visit

to Jakarta.

“In our contacts with Myanmar leaders, military leaders, we promote the position of Asean which should be in our view, considered as a basis for resolving this crisis and bring the situ-

ation back to normalcy,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov will hold virtual talks with his Asean counterparts, during the visit to Jakarta, Indone-

sia’s foreign minister Retno Marsudi said.

Lavrov’s comments are significant and come amid deepening engagement between Russia and Myanmar’s military, as major global powers sanction its businesses and top leaders and

call for a global ban on arms sales to the country.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/source/reuters

Myanmar has been in crisis since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected govern-ment on Feb. 1, unleashing nationwide anger that quickly turned into protests and strikes

brutally suppressed by security forces.

Fighting between the army and newly formed militias in several regions have displaced tens

of thousands of people.

Despite junta leader Min Aung Hlaing agreeing to an Asean peace plan reached in April, the

military has shown no intent to follow through and has instead reiterated its own, entirely dif-

ferent plan to restore order and democracy.

The Asean effort calls for dialogue between all parties, the appointment of a special envoy,

greater humanitarian access and an end to violence, but the bloc’s most outspoken mem-bers, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, have been frustrated by the military’s lack of action.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/197538/russia-backs-asean-plan-on-tackling-myanmar-cri-

sis



The Chinese Communist Party and the people

6 Jul 2021|John FitzgeraldCCP centenary

Enough has been said and left unsaid about the history of the Chinese Communist Party on the centenary of its founding to last us all a while. As the doyen of official party historians, Jin Chongji, once explained to his students, good party historians need to tell the truth, but they need not tell all of it. Official party history is crafted on the assumption that partial truths need to be told at very great length.

While the party can hide from its history, it cannot escape its sociology. General Secretary Xi Jinping heads an exclusive elite of powerful Red-Successor families who flaunt their sta-tus and privilege. Their group photo was placed on display on 1 July.

The CCP was formally established as a Leninist vanguard party in Shanghai in July 1921 with a founding vision of achieving national wealth and power by overthrowing the political power of property-owning classes, doing away with private property altogether, building a socialist economy, installing a dictatorship of the proletariat, and promoting world revolution to overthrow liberal capitalism. It has been aiming to achieve those goals on and off ever since.

For a time in the Reform era (1979–2009), the party leadership recognised the incon-sistency between the socialist and nationalist goals of that original vision and focused on growing the economy, rebuilding the state, and restoring the party’s standing in the eyes of China’s people and the world. On most measures it succeeded.

In November 2012, Xi took over and promised, in what was to become a signature phrase, ‘not to forget the original vision’ (buwang chuxin). Since then, he has harnessed the re-sources of a great and powerful country to realise all of the party’s original goals—with the notable exception of world revolution. Exporting Leninist rule or communist ideology to other countries would surrender the party’s authoritarian advantage. China’s trade, invest-ment, security and foreign-influence strategies are parasitical on the conventions of open-ness, rule of law and reciprocity that are hard-wired into the liberal democratic model. The last thing the government of China can afford is for other countries to model their systems or behaviour on its own.


https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/author/john-fitzgerald/

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/dinkus/ccp-centenary/


Want to Understand Asian Geopolitics? Go Back to Genghis Khan The Mongols began besieging the more than one million residents of Beijing. by Warfare History Network

Key Point: The Mongols attacked the Xi Xia in 1209, first taking the border settlements north of the Yellow River.

In ad 1205, Mongol ruler Genghis Khan, having completed the unification of his Gobi De-sert empire, began looking south toward China for further conquest. The ever-truculent Mongols had been a thorn in China’s side for more than 2,000 years. Their many raids were the main reason the Chinese had constructed a 1,500-mile-long Great Wall from the eastern coast on the Pacific Ocean to the very edge of the Gobi. Not without reason did the Chinese consider the Mongols barbarians—their very name meant “earth shak-ers.” At the head of a united army of fearsome nomads, Genghis Khan would soon make the earth shake again.

War With Xi Xia

Genghis’s first target was the western Chinese kingdom of Xi Xia. The Xi, known to the Mongols as the Tanguts, had emigrated east from the mountains of Tibet to the hilly grasslands centered on the Yellow River in the 7th century ad. The Mongols and the Xi, as wary neighbors, shared some of the same relatives; one of Genghis’s own stepdaugh-ters was the wife of a Tangut chieftain. Family ties meant little to Genghis Khan. His fa-ther, Yesugei, had been poisoned by grudge-bearing members of a Tatar clan when Genghis, then called Temujin, was eight. Five years later, Temujin killed his own half brother Begter in cold blood after the two quarreled over some birds and minnows that Temujin had caught. “Apart from our shadows we have no friends,” he had been taught from the cradle. It was lesson he never forgot. After he had consolidated his power, Gen-ghis Khan killed every male member of the Tatar clan that had killed his father—any boy

taller than a wagon wheel was struck down.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/reboot/want-understand-asian-geopolitics-go-back-genghis-

khan-189067

https://nationalinterest.org/profile/warfare-history-network



China’s Search for a Negotiated Settlement By George Friedman

Last week, China celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party.

The celebration included a plan for the invasion of Taiwan, along with a threat to bloody the

heads of China’s enemies. The published plan for invasion, obviously, was merely a car-

toon summary of an invasion, designed to intimidate rather than pass tactical information

on to the United States. The threat of blood was to make China appear ferocious. The

problem was that a planned amphibious invasion needs to include the element of surprise.

Amphibious invasions are huge risks and must be surrounded by “a bodyguard of lies,” as

was said in World War II, and threatening to bloody its enemies’ heads seems more like a

temper tantrum than a threat. Still, China is signaling a readiness for war in the hope it

won’t have to fight one.

I have written a great deal in the past few weeks about China’s strategic dilemma and its

options for resolving it. Last week, I wrote about the strategy of indirection China and Rus-

sia must take with the United States. Focusing on China, I want to consider how that strat-

egy might lead to a negotiated settlement. I want to dive deeper into what I think is the opti-

mal strategy for China.

The United States favors the status quo. Its political and military position stretches from Ja-

pan to the Indian Ocean. Given the chokepoints between various landmasses, the U.S. has

the opportunity to block Chinese access to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean,

threatening closure of maritime routes needed by China to maintain trade – particularly vital

for an export-oriented economy. For the U.S., this is a satisfactory and powerful position to

hold. In the event of a massive Chinese naval and air assault, the U.S. has the option to

engage China or retreat into the Western Pacific. The U.S. can, to some extent, control the

risk it incurs.


https://geopoliticalfutures.com/author/gfriedman/

https://geopoliticalfutures.com/china-russia-and-the-strategy-of-indirection/


SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE: THREE CHAL-LENGES TO ASEAN’S POSITION

WRITTEN BY KELVIN FUNG

5 July 2021 Over the last three decades, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been a major factor in maintaining peace and order in the South China Sea (SCS). ASEAN's track record of persuading China to accept multilateral negotiation as a basis of dispute settlement in the mid-1990s, and nudging Beijing to accommodate its urge to expe-dite the consultation process of the Code of Conduct (COC) in 2013, revealed that the or-ganisation could exercise agency to make effective policy initiatives even when facing its powerful northern neighbour. However, the matter in question is not ASEAN’s capacity to “speak in one voice”, but its willingness to do so. The ongoing developments in the SCS suggest a rather pessimistic view that ASEAN’s strength in the dispute might be in decline.

Cambodia and Laos, as non-claimants without direct interests in the SCS, have been heav-ily dependent on Chinese aid and investment, driving them to lean towards China’s position to secure their national interests. With the disastrous economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on both of them, these trends are unlikely to reduce any time soon. In 2012, Cambodia, the then ASEAN chair, was reportedly responsible for blocking proposals from the Philippines and Vietnam — both claimants to the SCS dispute — for stronger language over China’s assertive behaviour toward Scarborough Shoal in the joint communique fol-lowing a meeting of ASEAN Ministers.

The incident was later dubbed a “fiasco” as ASEAN members had never before failed to is-sue a joint communique. Likewise, in June 2016 ASEAN foreign ministers were compelled to “abort” a joint media statement — which referred to their “serious concerns” over ten-sions surrounding the building of artificial islands and military facilities in the disputed area following the Special China-ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Kunming. Media re-ports from The Straits Times suggested that China had lobbied Cambodia and Laos, con-vincing the latter to make a last-minute U-turn, opposing the release of the joint statement. The following month, during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, Cambodia allegedly blocked a reference to the Permanent Court of Arbitration's (PCA) Arbitral Award, which rejected the legality of China's nine-dash line claims. Once again, the incident reflected ASEAN's inter-nal discord. At this year’s Nikkei forum, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen praised the closeness of Sino-Cambodian relations, stating “if I don’t rely on China, who will I rely on?” while simultaneously denying plans to host China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy at the Ream Naval Base. Cambodia is set to chair ASEAN in 2022 and given its track record at the ASEAN meetings, no one should overlook the risk of another ‘fiasco’ over its unity.

https://www.9dashline.com/article/south-china-sea-dispute-the-three-challenges-to-aseans-

position

https://twitter.com/kalvinfks

https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-asean-reclamation-south-china-sea

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-18825148

https://theasanforum.org/aseans-failing-grade-in-the-south-china-sea/

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/asean-media-statement-had-consensus-says-malaysia

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/jakarta-manila-agree-with-aborted-asean-statement-over-south-china-sea

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-ruling-asean-idUSKCN1050F6

https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/The-Future-of-Asia/The-Future-of-Asia-2021/Cambodia-s-Hun-Sen-If-I-don-t-rely-on-China-who-will-I-rely-on



American security: From aliens to ‘Havana Syn-drome’ and cyberattacks

America is not likely under attack from aliens, but American military pilots have re-

ported 144 instances of these UAPs, the unidentified phenomena that used to be

called UFOs.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN

JULY 6, 2021 15:27

The United States appears to have been struggling with numerous mysterious threats over the last

decade. They are also increasing as the US faces new cyberattacks. Among the recent mysterious

incidents the US continues to learn about are incidences of “unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAPs) and a mysterious illness among US officials called “Havana Syndrome.”

Let’s start with the UAPs – previously referred to as "unidentified flying objects" (UFOs) – associ-

ated with extraterrestrial aliens in science fiction writings and films. America is likely not under at-

tack by such aliens, but American military pilots have reported 144 sightings of UAPs.

“These objects show physics we don’t understand,” say reports. In the old days, these reports were the realm of conspiracy theorists or considered fake. However, when it comes to the military and

pilots, they are ostensibly the least likely to report false information. Pilots are in the air often and

when they see something they don’t understand, it's because it is rare and is a phenomenon that has not been seen before.

The US government report on this issue doesn’t provide much clarity. When these details began to be released in recent years, in videos and then culminating in the June 25 report, there were hopes

that the government would put these claims to rest. If it’s not aliens, then is it some super-secret US

program, or drones used by adversaries. The public doesn't know – and the government may not

either.

There are the 144 cases reported between 2004 and 2021. A new report has also been described

as difficult to explain, including aspects of the phenomena's behavior, such as extreme accelera-

tion. If the unclassified report is really everything the US government knows, then we are left with

concerns that a threat could be emerging.

IF THE UFO threat appears unclear and far-fetched, the actual damage done by “Havana Syn-

drome” is more acute. Like the UFOs, Havana Syndrome has been around for years but has only recently come to light with more coverage as the Biden administration struggles to deal with the

problem.

https://www.jpost.com/international/american-security-from-aliens-to-havana-syndrome-

and-cyber-attacks-673022

https://www.jpost.com/author/seth-j-frantzman

https://www.jpost.com/omg/us-report-on-pentagon-documented-ufos-leaves-sightings-unexplained-672066

https://www.jpost.com/international/blinken-says-us-still-probing-havana-syndrome-attacks-on-diplomats-670457

https://www.jpost.com/international/blinken-says-us-still-probing-havana-syndrome-attacks-on-diplomats-670457



Hunt for US Capitol attackers still on 6 months af-ter Jan 6

Rioters loyal to then president Donald Trump outside the United States Capitol in

Washington on Jan 6, 2021, in Washington. (File photo: AP/Jose Luis Magana)

06 Jul 2021 01:03PM

WASHINGTON: The first waves of arrests in the deadly siege at the United States Capitol focused on the easy targets.

Dozens in the pro-Trump mob openly bragged about their actions on Jan 6 on social me-dia and were captured in shocking footage broadcast live by national news outlets.

But six months after the insurrection, the Justice Department is still hunting for scores of ri-oters, even as the first of more than 500 people already arrested have pleaded guilty.

The struggle reflects the massive scale of the investigation and the gruelling work still ahead for authorities in the face of an increasing effort by some Republican lawmakers to rewrite what happened that day.

Among those who still haven't been caught: The person who planted two pipe bombs out-side the offices of the Republican and Democratic national committees the night before the melee, as well as many people accused of attacks on law enforcement officers or violence and threats against journalists.

The FBI website seeking information about those involved in the Capitol violence includes more than 900 pictures of roughly 300 people labelled “unidentified”.

Part of the problem is that authorities made very few arrests on Jan 6. They were focused instead on clearing the building of members of the massive mob that attacked police, dam-aged historic property and combed the halls for lawmakers they threatened to kill.

Federal investigators have been forced to go back and hunt down participants.

The FBI has since received countless tips and pieces of digital media from the public. But a tip is only the first step of a painstaking process - involving things like search warrants and interviews - to confirm people's identities and their presence at the insurrection in order to bring a case in court.

And authorities have no record of many of the attackers because this was their first run -in with the law.

“Most of these people never showed up on the radar screen before,” said Frank Montoya Jr, a retired FBI special agent who led the bureau’s field offices in Seattle and Honolulu.

“You watch the movies and a name comes up on the radar screen and they know all the aliases and the last place he ate dinner, all with a click of a button. Unfortunately, that’s not how it is in reality.”

The FBI has been helped by "sedition hunters”, or armchair detectives who have teamed up to identify some of the most elusive suspects, using crowdsourcing to pore over the vast trove of videos and photos from the assault.

Forrest Rogers, a business consultant who helped form a group of sedition hunters called Deep State Dogs, said the group has reported the possible identities of about 100 suspects to the FBI based on evidence it collected.

Sometimes, a distinctive article of clothing helps the group make a match. In one case, a woman carrying a unique iPhone case on Jan 6 had been photographed with the same case at an earlier protest, Rogers said.

“It’s seeking justice," he said. “This is something that’s unprecedented in the history of our country.” Rogers asked, “Where else have you had several thousands of people who com-mit a crime and then immediately disperse all over the United States?"

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/hunt-for-us-capitol-attackers-still-on-6-

months-after-jan-6-15164046



Sovereign Citizens: More Than Paper Terrorists by Christine Sarteschi July 5, 2021

The Biden-Harris administration recently recognized “anti-government violent extremists… as being one of the most lethal elements of today’s domestic terrorism threat.” Sovereign citizens are individuals who are recognized as being anti-government extremists. Sover-eigns have been mischaracterized by some as a nonviolent group whose existence is mainly just a problem for the U.S. court system. One author characterized how sovereign citizens are viewed “as obstructionists of the legal system, tying up the courts with spurious lawsuits of the legal system.” Undoubtedly, sovereign citizens are “paper terrorists” in that bureaucratic respect, but ex-perts have also described them as a violent domestic terrorist threat. Too often, their poten-tial for violence is minimized by the public and the popular press.

Sovereign citizens are most straightforwardly an anti-government group. They self-identify as sovereign citizens and are recognized by their beliefs. Each sovereign citizen group has its own specific dogma, but they share in common non-varying core beliefs: the United States government is not valid, none of its laws are valid, and as such no court or law en-forcement officer has power over the sovereign citizen.

One group, Moorish sovereign citizens, was involved in an armed standoff in Wakefield, Massachusetts over July 4th weekend. A group of heavily armed men, owning a YouTube channel named Rise of the Moors, was reportedly stopped by the Massachusetts State Po-lice. They stated to the investigating officers that they were “traveling to our private land to train.” “The men refused to put down their weapons or comply with authorities’ orders, claiming to be from a group ‘that does not recognize our laws’ before taking off into a wooded area, police said,” the Associated Press reported. Moors believe that all of the land contained within the borders of the United States of Amer-ica, and everything built upon that land, belongs to them. They believe the Moors were the first inhabitants of America and thus own all the land. This is best exemplified by Moorish sovereigns who brazenly break into homes, empty or occupied, and claim the home and its contents as their own. This happened to a family in Kansas when a sovereign citizen took up residence in their home. She refused to leave because the laws of “God” made her ac-tions acceptable and legal. That is merely one in a string of recent incidents, as J.J. Mac-Nab, a fellow at the George Washington University GW Program on Extremism, explained. https://www.justsecurity.org/77328/sovereign-citizens-more-than-paper-terrorists/

https://www.justsecurity.org/author/sarteschichristine/

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/15/fact-sheet-national-strategy-for-countering-domestic-terrorism/

https://www.justsecurity.org/76636/the-passionate-intensity-of-ammon-bundy-and-the-peoples-rights-movement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-passionate-intensity-of-ammon-bundy-and-the-peoples-rights-movement

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/crime/2021/07/03/standoff-massachusetts-police-i-95-rt-128-wakefield-reading-traveling-rhode-island-to-maine/7851457002/

https://apnews.com/article/armed-standoff-wakefield-massachusetts-9ee61b69ca96bb5ce212f56651f0dd11?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=ap&utm_campaign=socialflow

https://www.kake.com/story/43913691/kake-news-investigates-group-members-harass-family

https://twitter.com/jjmacnab/status/1411375869113692162?s=21


The fight by Microsoft and Amazon for the Pen-tagon's cloud contract Reuters

WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department dealt a blow to Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) on Tuesday when the Pentagon announced it was scrapping the Trump-era award of a $10 billion JEDI cloud-computing project.

https://www.reuters.com/technology/pentagons-cloud-deal-latest-trump-move-halted-by-

biden-2021-07-06/

https://www.reuters.com/companies/MSFT.O



US media: Hackers demand $70 mil. in cyberattack #World Tuesday, July 6, 12:18 A Russia-linked group of hackers is reportedly behind a cyberattack on US IT firm Ka-seya. Media outlets have also reported a ransom of 70 million dollars.

Software provided to businesses by Kaseya was targeted in a ransomware attack last Fri-day, impacting user companies across the world. The FBI and others are investigating.

US media outlets reported that the REvil gang was behind the attack. The group report-edly posted a statement on a dark web site, offering to restore affected data, if a ransom of 70 million dollars was paid in cryptocurrency.

The software company said it was working around the clock to resolve the issue and re-store service to its customers. It has not disclosed whether it is responding to the ransom demand.

The attack is the latest in a string of ransomware attacks. A major US pipeline network and a global meatpacking giant fell victim to similar attacks in May. Both companies paid ransoms.


https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/59/


Biden Signs Order to Bolster Cybersecurity

7/6/2021

By Susan B. Cassidy, Trisha Anderson, Micaela McMurrough, Robert Huffman and Tyler

Holbrook

On May 12, President Joe Biden issued the “Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cy-bersecurity.”

The directive aims to strengthen the federal government’s abili ty to respond to and prevent cybersecurity threats, including by modernizing federal networks, enhancing the federal government’s software supply chain security, implementing enhanced cybersecurity prac-tices and procedures in the federal government, and creating government-wide plans for incident response.

Private sector entities, including federal contractors and service providers, will have oppor-tunities to provide input to some of these actions.

The directive covers a wide array of issues and processes, setting numerous deadlines for recommendations and actions by federal agencies, and focusing on enhancing the protec-tion of federal networks in partnership with the service providers on which federal agencies rely.

It seeks to remove obstacles to sharing threat information between the private sector and federal agencies; mandates that software purchased by the federal government meet new cybersecurity standards; discusses securing cloud-based systems, including information-technology systems that process data, and operational-technology systems that run vital machinery and infrastructure.

It also aims to impose new cyber incident reporting requirements on certain IT and OT pro-viders and software product and service vendors, and establishes a cyber safety review board to evaluate and assess such cyber incidents and other cyber events; and addresses the creation of pilot programs related to consumer labeling in connection with the cyberse-curity capabilities of internet-of-things devices.

The order acknowledges that the federal government regularly contracts with IT and OT service providers who have “unique access to and insight into cyber threat and incident in-formation” on “federal information systems.” However, it notes that “contract terms” can re-strict the ability of those companies to share threat or incident information with federal agencies. It requires a review of the current regulations for revisions to improve data report-ing.

Bots starting to help DoD figure out right price for weapons systems Making sure the government gets fair and reasonable prices for goods and services is a core function of the procurement system. But getting those assurances can be slow and costly for both agencies and vendors, so the military services are turning to automation for help.

The Army, for instance, is looking to supplement its ranks of pricing specialists with algo-rithms that have the potential to replace some of the most manpower-intensive aspects of reaching those fairness conclusions.

As part of a pilot project now underway, the service is experimenting with bots that can scrape through the bills of materials (BOMs) that make up certain complex vendor pro-posals and make determinations about whether each of those line items’ proposed prices are realistic.

“We get these giant, 3,000-page BOM proposals, and we have little bots that go out and crawl the web, crawl Defense Logistics Agency systems, and they’re able to come back within minutes,” said Rebecca Weirick, the deputy assistant secretary of the Army for pro-curement. “They’re doing what took our price analysts three or four months to analyze, get to prices paid, etc.”

Weirick told a government contracting conference hosted by ProPricer that the automation experiment is one way the Army is trying to reduce the time its contracting officers and con-tract specialists spend on “low value” work that might be better performed by machines, so that they can apply their skills and training toward the kinds of critical thinking that can only be done by people.

https://federalnewsnetwork.com/defense-main/2021/07/bots-starting-to-help-dod-figure-out-

right-price-for-weapons-systems/



US Pullout From Afghanistan Over 90% Complete: Pentagon

The withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan is more than 90 percent completed, the Pen-

tagon’s Central Command announced Tuesday.

CentCom said it had officially handed over seven former US bases to the Afghan security

forces and had evacuated the equivalent of nearly 1,000 C-17 air freighter loads of equip-

ment from the country, ahead of the September deadline to complete the pullout.

On Friday US forces handed over the sprawling Bagram air base north of Kabul, the main

center of US military operations in the country for most of the past two decades of conflict.

Tuesday’s announcement underscored that most of the process of withdrawing US military

and civilian personnel ordered by President Joe Biden in April had been completed.

At the time of Biden’s order, there were officially 2,500 US troops and 16,000 private con-

tractors. According to reports there were also some 1,000 US special forces operating in

Afghanistan at the time as well not included in the official tally.

While Biden had set a deadline of September — the 20th anniversary of the Afghan-based

Al-Qaeda attack on the United States that sparked the American invasion of the country —

the Pentagon has moved quickly to reduce its presence to a minimum this month.

“We expect it to be completed by the end of August,” White House press secretary Jen

Psaki said on Friday after the Bagram handover.

The United States is expected to keep a reported 650 or more military personnel in the

country to protect the US embassy and diplomats.


https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/2682484/update-on-withdrawal-of-us-forces-from-afghanistan-july-5-2021/

https://www.centcom.mil/MEDIA/PRESS-RELEASES/Press-Release-View/Article/2682484/update-on-withdrawal-of-us-forces-from-afghanistan-july-5-2021/

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/07/02/us-nato-leave-bagram-afghanistan/

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/05/26/us-afghanistan-pullout-at-16-percent/


What America Didn’t Understand About Its Long-est War

That the war went on so long may be tragic, but it is hardly surprising.

An Afghan militiaman raises his rifle in Afghanistan's Bajur tribal region, March 2010.

| AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen

By CARTER MALKASIAN 07/06/2021 04:30 AM EDT

Carter Malkasian is the author of The American War in Afghanistan: A History. He served as a civilian advisor in Iraq and Afghanistan and was the senior advisor to General Joseph

Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, from 2015 to 2019.

As the United States leaves Afghanistan after 20 years of war, there can be little doubt that

we lost the war — or to put it more gently, did not attain our objectives. In recent weeks, the

Taliban have advanced across the north of the country. Bereft of U.S. support, the Afghan

army and police have reportedly lost more than two dozen districts over the course of a

month and are now fighting on the outskirts of key cities such as Kandahar and Mazar-e-

Sharif. Senior U.S. officials have warned of a civil war, while intelligence reports are said to

forecast the fall of the Afghan government — which the United States has worked to

strengthen for two decades — within a year.

Why did we lose? I’ve been trying to answer that question for 12 years, starting in 2009

when I was a civilian officer in the far-off district of Garmser in Helmand Province. I contin-

ued to ponder the question in 2013 and 2014, when I served as political adviser to Gen. Jo-

seph Dunford, commander of all U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and later as Dunford’s senior adviser when he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. As I traveled the country with

senior U.S. military commanders, I saw that in battle after battle, numerically superior and

better-supplied soldiers and police were being defeated by poorly resourced and unexcep-

tionally led Taliban — a dynamic certain to eventually doom the Afghan government unless

the United States were to stay indefinitely.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/07/06/afghanistan-war-malkasian-book-ex-

cerpt-497843

https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-american-war-in-afghanistan-9780197550779?cc=us&lang=en&%27



US Navy receives Independence-class USS Savan-nah from Austal

Naval News July 2021 Navy Forces Maritime Defense Industry

POSTED ON TUESDAY, 06 JULY 2021 14:59

According to information published by Austal USA on June 28, 2021, the company delivered the future USS Savannah, the 14th Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), to the U.S. Navy on June 25. Savannah (LCS 28) is the seventh ship Austal has delivered to the Navy in less than two years highlighting Austal’s unique capability in the serial production of ships for the U.S. Navy.

LCS 28 was completed in just under three years, a full 12-month improvement over earlier ships in the program.

Five LCS and two Expeditionary Fast Transports (EPF) are currently under construction at Austal’s Alabama shipyard. Two additional ships, LCS 38 and EPF 15, are under contract and will soon be under construction. Austal USA was recently awarded a design contract for the U.S. Navy’s Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) that would be manufactured on Austal USA’s new steel construction serial production line.

LCS is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. It is designed to defeat asymmetric “anti-access” threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft. The Independence-variant LCS integrates new technology and capability to support current and future mission capability from deep water to the littorals.

USS Savannah (LCS-28) will be an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy.

The Independence-class is a class of littoral combat ships built for the United States Navy.

The ships are 127.4 m (418 ft) long, with a beam of 31.6 m (104 ft), and a draft of 13 ft (3.96 m). Their displacement is rated at 2,176 tons light, 2,784 tons full, and 608 tons deadweight. The standard ship's company is 40, although this can increase depending on the ship's role with mission-specific personnel.

The Independence-class LCS is armed with one BAE Systems Mk 110 57 mm naval gun, one Ray-theon SeaRAM CIWS CloseIn Weapon System, four .50-cal machine guns, two 30 mm Mk44 Bush-master II automatic cannons (part of SUW module), eight RGM-184A anti-ship Naval Strike Missiles, 24 AGM-114L Hellfire air-to-surface missiles (SUW vertical launch module). The ship can accommo-date 1 MH-60R/S Seahawk naval helicopter as well as two MQ-8B Fire Scouts or one MQ-8C Fire Scout helicopter VTOL drones.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/10240-

naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense-industry/10391-us-navy-receives-inde-

pendence-class-uss-savannah-from-austal.html

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/10240-naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense-industry.html




CLANDESTINE CARGO: HIDING SEALIFT IN PLAIN SIGHT JULY 5, 2021 GUEST AUTHOR 2 COMMENTS

Strategic Sealift Topic Week By Christian Morris and Heather Bacon-Shone Insulated by oceans to the east and west, and friendly neighbors to the north and south, America will always have to concern itself with sealift when fighting. It is well-acknowledged that while for some eight decades the U.S. has been able to move military materiel largely without contest from one theater to another. But this will likely not be the case in some fu-ture fight. This concern has dredged up, in memory and in practice, tactics employed dec-ades ago to defend against contested oceans.1 To pace threats and ensure sealift surviva-bility, America could relatively safely “smuggle” a certain amount of clandestinely loaded military materiel across contested oceans and through contested chokepoints, until reach-ing friendly offload destinations in theater. In a 21st-century world of over-the-horizon ballistic missiles, cloud-penetrating synthetic ap-erture radar, and global satellite imagery, where remarkable resolution and coverage are available even from open sources, we can no longer rely upon 20th-century tactics to “hide” sealift, whether solo or convoyed, in transit. While certain elements of emissions control (EMCON) and operational discipline can complicate adversary firing solutions and enhance escorts’ ability to shield high-value assets from attack,2 we must assume the adversary will be attentively watching every step of loadout, transit, and offload and in near-real time. America’s hope is that its large network of allies and coalition partners worldwide, a small handful of Afloat Prepositioning ships, and a scattering of vestigial bases largely left over from previous generations’ conflicts, will provide sufficient maritime resupply and security in case of conflicts across contested waters. Though such friendly ports may wait with wel-come roads, railways, and runways at the end of an arduous maritime journey, sealift ships still have to get there safely. For those early stages of overseas conflict, before America has gained control over her sea lines of communication (SLOCs), she still lacks a 21st-cen-tury secure sealift solution.



https://cimsec.org/author/cim_poster/

https://cimsec.org/clandestine-cargo-hiding-sealift-in-plain-sight/#comments

https://cimsec.org/strategic-sealift-week-kicks-off-on-cimsec/

https://tnsr.org/2020/11/the-u-s-navys-loss-of-command-of-the-seas-and-how-to-regain-it/

https://tnsr.org/2020/11/the-u-s-navys-loss-of-command-of-the-seas-and-how-to-regain-it/

https://media.defense.gov/2020/Dec/16/2002553074/-1/-1/0/TRISERVICESTRATEGY.PDF

https://media.defense.gov/2020/Dec/16/2002553074/-1/-1/0/TRISERVICESTRATEGY.PDF

https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2018/10/10/youre-on-your-own-us-sealift-cant-count-on-us-navy-escorts-in-the-next-big-war-forcing-changes/

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1060065.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Carrier_Group_tactics

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/july/battleship-chess

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/july/battleship-chess

https://gijn.org/2021/02/09/tracking-dark-ships-with-new-satellite-technology/

https://www.msc.usff.navy.mil/Ships/Prepositioning-PM3/


Report to Congress on Navy Light Amphibious Warship

July 6, 2021 8:31 AM

The Navy’s new Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program envisions procuring a class of 24 to 35 new amphibious ships to support the Marine Corps, particularly in implementing a new Marine Corps operational concept called Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). The Navy envisions the first LAW being procured in FY2023. The Navy’s pro-posed FY2022 budget requests $13.2 million in research and development funding for the

program.

The EABO concept was developed with an eye toward potential conflict scenarios with China in the Western Pacific. Under the concept, the Marine Corps envisions, among other things, having reinforced-platoon-sized Marine Corps units maneuver around the theater, moving from island to island, to fire anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) and perform other missions so as to contribute, alongside Navy and other U.S. military forces, to U.S. opera-tions to counter and deny sea control to Chinese forces. The LAW ships would be instru-mental to these operations, with LAWs embarking, transporting, landing, and subsequently reembarking these small Marine Corps units.

As conceived by the Navy and Marine Corps, LAWs would be much smaller and individu-ally much less expensive to procure and operate than the Navy’s current amphibious ships. The Navy wants LAWs to be 200 to 400 feet in length, and to have a unit procurement cost of $100 million to $150 million.

The LAW as outlined by the Navy is small enough that it could be built by any of several U.S. shipyards. The Navy’s baseline preference is to have a single shipyard build all the ships, but the Navy is open to having them built in multiple yards to the same design if do-ing so could permit the program to be implemented more quickly and/or less expensively.

The LAW program poses a number of potential oversight matters for Congress, including the merits of the EABO concept, how LAWs would fit into the Navy’s future fleet architec-ture, the Navy’s preliminary unit procurement cost target for the ship, and the industrial-base implications of the program.

The issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy’s annual funding requests and envisioned acquisition strategy for the program. Congress’s decisions regard-ing the program could affect Navy and Marine Corps capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.


Get Amphibious with Antisubmarine Warfare By Commander Terry McKearney, U.S. Navy (Retired)


July 2021 Marine Corps Commandant General David Berger has suggested a role for Marine Corps forces in antisubmarine warfare (ASW). In “Resurrect the Hunter-Killer Group,” Captain Stephen Ilteris and Commander Michael Ilteris suggest embarking a destroyer squadron staff and supporting ASW helicopters on board an LPD-17 as an alternative ASW force. Marine Captain Walker Mills and Lieutenant Commanders Collin Fox, Dylan Phillips-Levine, and Trevor Phillips-Levine have outlined a concept for using Marine Corps assets, including the MV-22 and unmanned vehicles, in an ASW role from expeditionary advanced bases (EABs). The Commandant is building on an idea that both the Navy and Marine Corps have embraced in the major power fight: Navy and Marine forces will have to “fight forward,” pushing their way into contested waters and littoral regions. Present ASW capabilities are stretched thin, and the Commandant is right to be concerned about the U.S. ability to shield deployed forces from the Chinese and Russian submarine threat. However, in expanding ASW capability to include the expeditionary force, the key question is how to protect the basic units of this force, the amphibious ready group (ARG) and its embarked Marine expe-ditionary unit (MEU.)

This extension leads to some definitions and mission shaping. Amphibious forces have plenty to do while transiting the oceans and conducting ashore operations; adding a major ASW role to their “job jar” would be a mission -threatening stretch. So, the foundation of any attempt to include the “gators” should be the extension of the existing ASW and theater un-dersea warfare (USW) picture to include the amphibious force. In practical terms this would have two goals. First, employing ARG forces in extending the ASW/USW sensor grid will provide ARG leaders with the situational awareness to plan and conduct their primary mis-sion ashore. Second, extending ASW awareness can inform and help guide the ASW forces that will ultimately neutralize the threat.

From these precepts a basic operational scheme emerges: the air combat element (ACE) of the ARG can place ASW sonobuoys in the ARG’s operating area, providing an expanded undersea umbrella. With some specialized training for their crews, aircraft that could deploy sonobuoys are the tiltrotor MV-22s and the rotary-wing UH-1s and CH-53s. This deploy-ment could be primary tasking for several of the ACE’s assets, or a collateral mission car-ried out in conjunction with usual ACE missions.

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/july/get-amphibious-antisubmarine-war-

fare

First Marine F-35C Squadron Ready to Deploy on Navy Aircraft Carriers

https://news.usni.org/2020/12/08/cmc-berger-outlines-how-marines-could-fight-submarines-in-the-future

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/april/resurrect-hunter-killer-group

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/april/implementing-expeditionary-asw



By: Mallory Shelbourne

July 6, 2021 6:35 PM

The “Black Knights” of U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 have taken their next step ahead of deploying on Navy aircraft carriers for the first time. The squadron of Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters officially attained full

operational capability, the service said in a news release issued last week.

“Many hours were spent maintaining aircraft, launching and recovering aircraft in Miramar, at other military facilities, and aboard the ship to conduct the training required to meet these goals,” Maj. Derek Heinz, the operations officer for VMFA-314, said in the release. “The Marines of VMFA-314 have gained confidence in fighting this aircraft and feel confident we can do so in combat if called upon.”

The “Black Knights,” which are based out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Di-ego, Calif., achieved initial operational capability late last year, USNI News reported at the time. The squadron, which will deploy on the Navy’s aircraft carriers, are part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

“VMFA-314 is currently continuing its preparations towards future deployments by conduct-ing tailored ship’s training availability (TSTA), marking the first F-35C squadron to conduct TSTA in the Marine Corps,” the Marine Corps said in the release. “This training will consist of communication rehearsals, medical drills, flight operations, and shipboard drills con-ducted while underway, ensuring the squadron is prepared to deploy in support of maritime campaigns.”

https://news.usni.org/2021/07/06/first-marine-f-35c-squadron-ready-to-deploy-on-navy-air-

craft-carriers

US spy planes make fewer flights over South China Sea as focus shifts: report

• Beijing think tank says the US military last month turned its attention to the East China Sea and was also diverted by Russian drills near Hawaii

• Report details an American anti-submarine patrol aircraft crossing the Taiwan Strait from north to south for the first time

https://news.usni.org/author/mshelbourne

https://news.usni.org/2020/12/02/first-marine-corps-carrier-capable-f-35c-squadron-now-ready-to-deploy

https://news.usni.org/2020/12/02/first-marine-corps-carrier-capable-f-35c-squadron-now-ready-to-deploy



The United States conducted 36 reconnaissance flights over the South China Sea

in June, half the number from May, a Beijing-based think tank said, saying the US had

temporarily shifted focus to the East China Sea.In a monthly summary, the South China

Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) said there was a “significant” increase in reconnaissance flights the US sent to the East China Sea last month, compared with its

previous “sporadic” sorties.

The 22 large-scale spy planes sent to the East China Sea included an E-3B early warning aircraft, RC-135U electronic reconnaissance aircraft, MQ-4C unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and RQ-4 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, it said.

The think tank previously reported that a US RC-135U aircraft flew directly into the East China Sea area of China’s air defence identification zone (ADIZ) on June 3. The plane took off from Kadena base in Okinawa, Japan, and flew into the East China Sea before heading west towards China.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3139980/china-us-tension-american-

flights-over-south-china-sea-decline

Washington Post editors warn US to take China’s ‘heads bashed bloody’ threat seriously Chinese leader Xi Jinping speaks during celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Chi-nese Communist Party (CCP), on July 1, 2021. (YouTube screenshot) JULY 06, 2021 RYAN MORGAN


https://www.scmp.com/topics/south-china-sea

https://www.scmp.com/topics/east-china-sea



https://americanmilitarynews.com/author/staff-writer-15/

The Washington Posts editorial board warned readers on Monday to take seriously a threat

made by Communist Chinese leader Xi Jinping that countries who attempt to “bully” China will have their “heads bashed bloody.”

“Those who worry that hawks in Washington are drumming up an unnecessary and danger-

ous new cold war with China ought to take the time to read the address delivered in Bei-

jing’s Tiananmen Square on Thursday by Chinese President Xi Jinping,” the op-ed began.

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/washington-post-editors-warn-us-to-take-chinas-

heads-bashed-bloody-threat-seriously/

China’s military modernisation continues with new commanders’ swift promotions

• Quartet promoted to lead commands and branches gain rank less than two years af-ter previous promotions, in break with tradition

• Western and southern theatre commands, ground force and strategic support force have new commanders

The Chinese militaryhas promoted four senior officials as the country’s western and south-ern theatre commands, ground force and strategic support force gained new commanders.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-party-heads-bashed-xi/2021/07/01/277c8f0c-da3f-11eb-8c87-ad6f27918c78_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_2

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/07/05/chinas-xi-promises-world-heads-bashed-bloody-he-should-be-taken-seriously/



https://www.scmp.com/topics/china-military

The promotions mean half of the 10 top People’s Liberation Army (PLA) commanders, cov-ering the five theatre commands and branches, are aged 60 or younger, in what military ob-servers saw as reflecting the ongoing military reform, which highlights that military officers’ positions should be consistent with their ranks.

One of the generals whose promotion was revealed on Monday by state broadcaster China Central Television was Xu Qiling, 59, chief of the Western Theatre Command, which over-sees areas around China’s shared border with India in the

Xinjiang and Tibet regions.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3140072/chinas-military-modernisation-

continues-new-commanders-swift

China's third aircraft carrier taking shape

by Andrew Tate

Recent aerial images of the aircraft carrier under construction at the Changxingdao ship-yard in Shanghai show that the island unit has been installed and that most of the metal fabrication work is complete, suggesting that the ship could be launched within the next six months.


https://www.scmp.com/knowledge/places/xinjiang




China Could Hand Over 36 J-10C Jets to Pakistan in 2021 Pakistan will reportedly receive 36 Chengdu J-10C multirole fighters from China by the end of this year.

On Monday, House for Strategic & International Affairs (HSIA) posted on Twitter, “Pakistan is set to receive 36 J-10C semi-stealth, 4.5 gen advanced fighter Jets from China by the end of 2021.”

The information has not been confirmed by the defense ministries of China or Pakistan.

As per 2020 reports, high-level government officials from Islamabad were in Talks with China over the procurement of PL-10 and PL-15 missiles, as well as J-10 jets that are often compared with the American F-16s.

During Shaheen-9 joint air exercises held in January 2021 which saw participation of these two countries, China’s J-10C and J-11B fighters simulated India's Rafale and Su-30 jets re-spectively in mock battles. Air Forces from both sides focused on “large scale confronta-tion, including large scale aerial battles and use of forces in mass and close-quarters aerial support.” More than 200 sorties were conducted by both sides, to boost combat capabilities in learning from each other.

Beijing has been trying to hardsell its J-10C and J-11B fighters to Pakistan whose air force has shown preference for the latest version of the F-16 jets. A Chinese expert told state media after Shaheen-9 that many aspects of the J-10C mid-sized fighter jet, including the size, aerodynamic characteristics, aviation, weapon systems and overall combat capability are comparable to the Indian Air Force (IAF)’s Rafale.

Powered by a Russian engine (Lyulka Saturn AL-31FN) giving it a maximum static thrust of approximately 123 kN, the single-engine tail-less canard delta wing J-10C features fly-by-wire flight controls and sports an AESA fire control radar. It is made of composite materials for high strength and lower weight. China has developed a brand new engine, WS-10, to replace the Russian ones.

The aircraft's internal armament consists of a Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 twin-barrel can-non, located underneath the port side of the intake. Other weaponry and equipment is mounted externally on 11 hardpoints, to which 6,000 kg of either missiles and bombs, drop-tanks containing fuel, or other equipment such as avionics pods can be attached.

Air-to-air missiles deployed may include short-range air-to-air missiles such as the PL-8 and PL-10, medium-range radar-guided air-to-air missiles such as the PL-12 and PL-15, unguided and precision guided munitions such as laser-guided bombs, air-to-surface mis-sile such as KD-88, anti-ship missiles such as the YJ-91A and anti-radiation missiles such as the YJ-91.

https://www.defense-

world.net/news/29961/China_Could_Hand_Over_36_J_10C_Jets_to_Paki-

stan_in_2021#.YOpx0egzZPY

China displays land, sea, air combat robots at

expo

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Jul 05, 2021 11:50 PM China introduced some of its latest achievements in military intelligent technology by dis-playing advanced land, sea and air combat robots at an expo in Beijing on Monday, show-ing the Chinese arms industry's fast development to meet the demands of future warfare, analysts said. Organized by the Chinese Institute of Command and Control, the 9th China Conference on

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29961/China_Could_Hand_Over_36_J_10C_Jets_to_Pakistan_in_2021#.YOpx0egzZPY



https://www.globaltimes.cn/author/Reporter-Liu-Xuanzun.html

Command and Control and the 7th China Military Intelligent Technology Expo kicked off in Beijing on Monday and will last until Wednesday. The event aims to accelerate the Chinese military's intelligentization development, enhanc-ing its joint and all-field combat capability based on a system of network and information and boosting its integrated development of mechanization, informatization and intelligenti-zation, the institute told the Global Times at the event. Developed by Beijing North Vehicle Group Corporation under the state-owned China North Industries Group Corporation, the Pathbreaker unmanned ground vehicle weighs 1.2 tons, runs at a top speed of 30 kilometers an hour with caterpillar tracks, and is equipped with an armed reconnaissance system which allows it to conduct reconnaissance, fire assault, pa-trol, search and destroy operations, as well as strike guidance in complicated terrain at high mobility.


China’s biggest research ship to head to South China Sea on maiden voyage

• The ship named Sun Yat-sen University will be used for atmospheric and marine re-search projects, professor says

• While Beijing insists the research will be used for public good, China’s maritime re-search activities are not always welcomed by its South China Sea neighbours

China’s newest and biggest research vessel is expected to make its maiden voyage to the South China Sea in October as part of Beijing’s efforts to boost exploration in the re-source-rich waters.

The vessel was manufactured by Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard, builder of China’s second and third aircraft carriers and was handed over to researchers at Guangzhou-based Sun Yat-sen University, after which it is named, in a ceremony in Shanghai last month.Professor Yu Weidong, from the university’s school of atmospheric sciences, told the Yangcheng Evening News that the vessel would sail to the Paracel Islands in October to study “the


https://www.scmp.com/topics/south-china-sea

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3116402/china-speeds-building-aircraft-carriers-will-pla-sailors-be

https://www.scmp.com/topics/paracel-islands

steam of the western boundaries of the South China Sea as well as its neighbouring waters … that could provide scientific support for disaster prevention”.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3140067/chinas-biggest-research-

ship-head-south-china-sea-maiden

Man charged in Germany with spying for China

The flags of Germany and China fly side by side in this file photo. (File photo: AFP/Odd

Andersen)

06 Jul 2021 05:26PM

MUNICH: Germany has arrested and indicted a man suspected of spying for China's secret service, the prosecutor's office said on Tuesday (Jul 6).

The man, identified as Klaus L according to German reporting rules, is a political scientist and had worked at a think tank since 2001, the prosecutor said in a statement.

He was recruited by the Chinese intelligence service during a lecture trip to Shanghai in 2010, and had handed information regularly for money and trips to China until November 2019, the office said.



The suspect, who will appear before a Munich court on Tuesday, had collected information through his various high-ranking political contacts which he had developed over the years working for the think tank, it said.

Broadcaster ARD said that the man worked for the Munich-based Hanns Seidel Founda-tion, a think tank associated with Chancellor Angela Merkel's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). The foundation had no immediate comment. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/germany-man-charged-with-spying-china-

15165290

German, Chinese defence ministers discuss South China Sea in call - statement Reuters

BERLIN, July 6 (Reuters) - German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer dis-cussed the situation in the South China Sea with her Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe, in-cluding the upcoming deployment of a German frigate there, the Berlin ministry said.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/german-chinese-defence-ministers-discuss-south-

china-sea-call-statement-2021-07-06/b



https://www.reuters.com/world/china/german-chinese-defence-ministers-discuss-south-china-sea-call-statement-2021-07-06/b

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/german-chinese-defence-ministers-discuss-south-china-sea-call-statement-2021-07-06/b

9 arrested over alleged plot to plant bombs around Hong Kong

File photo. A man uses his umbrella on Kowloon's Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront that faces

Victoria Harbour and the Hong Kong Island skyline (back). (Photo: AFP/Anthony WAL-

LACE)

06 Jul 2021 12:48PM (Updated: 06 Jul 2021 02:56PM)

HONG KONG: Hong Kong police on Tuesday (Jul 6) said they arrested nine people on sus-picion of engaging in terrorist activity, after uncovering an attempt to make explosives and plant bombs across the city.

Of the nine arrested, six are secondary school students, police said. The group were at-tempting to make the explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP) in a homemade laboratory in a hostel.

Police said they planned to use the TATP to bomb courts, cross-harbor tunnels in the city, railways and even planned to put some of these explosives in trash bins on the street “to maximise damage caused to the society".

The nine arrested were between 15 and 39 years of age and are five men and four women, according to Senior Superintendent Li Kwai-wah of the Hong Kong Police National Security Department.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/9-arrested-over-alleged-plot-to-plant-bombs-

around-hong-kong-15164096

Hong Kong leader urges parents to spy on teens, as bomb plot emerges

By Sharon Abratique and Jessie Pang

July 6, 2021 — 5.16pm

Hong Kong: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has said “ideologies” posed risks to national se-curity and urged parents, teachers and religious leaders to observe the behaviour of teen-agers and report those who break the law to the authorities. The financial hub has taken a swift authoritarian turn since China’s imposition of a sweep-ing national security law last year and changes to its political system to reduce democratic participation and oust people deemed disloyal to Beijing.

At her weekly news conference, Lam expressed dismay at some residents mourning the death of a 50-year-old who stabbed a policeman before killing himself on July 1, the anni-versary of the former British colony’s return to Chinese rule and the Chinese Communist Party’s centenary. “For a long time, citizens have been exposed to wrong ideas, such as achieving justice through illegal means,” Lam told reporters, adding that national security risks stemmed not only from “public order” acts, but also from ideology.



https://www.smh.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p585xz

https://www.smh.com.au/link/follow-20170101-p585xz

https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/hong-kong-leader-urges-parents-to-spy-on-teens-as-

bomb-plot-emerges-20210706-p587e3.html

Naval drills between Takanami class JS Makinami and US Navy



According to a tweet published by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force on July 1, 2021, Takanami class destroyer JS Makinami conducted a bilateral exercise with Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Rafael Peralta and Lewis and Clark-class cargo ship USS Sacagewea to improve tactical capability and further strength cooperation with U.S. Navy.

JS Makinami is the third vessel of the Takanami class destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self -Defense Force (JMSDF). She was laid down on 17 July 2001, launched on 8 Au gust 2002. She was commissioned into service on 18 March 2004 and was initially assigned to the JMSDF Escort Flotilla 2 based at Sasebo.

The Takanami-class destroyer is a class of destroyer serving with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). This warship is the slightly modified class of second-generation, general-purpose destroyers of the JMSDF.

The hull design is generally based on the one of the Murasame-class. However, as a part of weapons was changed, the internal structure has also been changed.




The combat system was slightly improved. The combat direction system is similar to Mu-rasame-class in the first three ships, but in the fourth ship, workstations are changed to AN/UYQ-70, and in the fifth ship, it corresponded to the communication in Link 16.

In terms of weaponry, instead of the 3-inch gun that has been adopted by conventional DD type destroyers, a larger Oto Melara 127 mm gun is introduced. Although vertical launching systems were divided into two places in the Murasame-class, 16-cell Mk 41 for VL-ASROC on the bow deck and 16-cell Mk 48 for Sea Sparrow (later replaced with Evolved Sea Spar-row) on the middle deck, they are compiled in one place, 32-cell Mk 41 on the bow deck in this class.


naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense-industry/10388-naval-drills-between-

takanami-class-js-makinami-and-us-navy.html

Arms plans to counter amphibious attacks: re-searcher

• By Aaron Tu and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan’s planned acquisition of anti-ship and air-defense missiles is aimed at countering Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) amphibious assault ships and advanced ballistic missiles, a researcher said.

According to projections by Taiwanese and US militaries, China’s amphibious capabilities would threaten Taiwan in five years, said Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), an associate research fel-

low at the Institute of National Security and Defense Research.

China is laying down more amphibious assault ships and tank-landing ships, including the 40,000-tonne Type 071 amphibious assault dock and the 25,000-tonne Type 075 landing helicopter dock, he said.

The procurement of the ships illustrates the PLA’s expanding capability to launch multi-pronged amphibious operations, posing a security threat to Taiwan, he said.

A report by South China Morning Post said the PLA has deployed missiles in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces across the Taiwan Strait. Although the specifications of the missiles have not been confirmed by publicly available sources, they are believed to be tipped with hypersonic warheads, Su said.




Taiwan’s efforts to obtain PAC-3 missiles from the US and improve its indigenous Sky Bow-series missiles should be understood as a response to China’s potential use of hypersonic missiles, he said.

Indigenous submarines and a plan to buy 400 ground-launched Harpoon missiles from the US would give Taiwan crucial capabilities in defending against an amphibious attack, he said.


Taiwan military to produce anti-tank rounds for new armored vehicle

07/06/2021 10:15 PM

Taipei, July 6 (CNA) A military munitions factory has won a contract to produce anti -tank rounds for the new variant of Taiwan's locally-developed armored vehicles called the Cloud Leopard, which will be mounted with 105mm mortars.

According to a notification of award posted on the government's procurement website, the 209th Arsenal, responsible for the development of the Cloud Leopard, will procure anti -tank munitions from the 202nd Arsenal, which produces artillery shells.

Both armament factories are under the supervision of the Armaments Bureau of the Minis-try of National Defense (MND).

The contract, worth NT$14.02 million (US$498,000), involves the production of armor-pierc-ing fin-stabilized discarding sabot tracers (APFSDS-Ts).

This ammunition will be used to test two 105mm tank guns purchased overseas, which will be delivered in September and installed on two Clouded Leopard prototypes.


Military officials have told CNA that the new tank guns will have 70 percent less recoil com-pared with ones of the same caliber currently used in Taiwan, making the Clouded Leopard more stable when firing.

Once they are mass produced the new Clouded Leopards with 105mm tank guns will be deployed to various Combined Arms Battalions.

Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a senior analyst at the government-funded Institute for National De-

fense and Security Research, told CNA in a phone interview Tuesday that the 105mm tank gun, when partnered with APFSDS, will be capable of penetrating 250mm tank armor from

a distance of 2 kilometers.


South Korea conducts Hyunmoo 2B variant ballis-tic missile test



According to information published by Yonhap on July 5, 2021, the Republic of Korea Navy successfully conducts Hyunmoo 2B variant submarine-launched ballistic missile test (SLBM).

The Hyunmoo-2B is a short-range, solid-fueled ballistic missile developed and deployed by South Korea. The missile has a standard range of 500 km, but can travel up to 800 km with a reduced payload. It entered service in 2009 and remains operational.

It was developed by the state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and en tered ser-vice in 2009.

The Hyunmoo-2B ballistic missile is an upgraded variant of the previous version that into service with South Korea in late 2009. The missile has now a range of 500 km. The missile is propelled by solid-fueled and two-stage solid rocket motor

The Hyunmoo-2B has a length of over 12 m, diameter of 0.9 m, and launch weight of approx-imately 5,400 kg.3 The missile is solid-fueled and two-staged.4 It has a range of 500 km while carrying a 997 kg warhead.5 Reports also indicate that the Hyunmoo-2B can travel up to 800 km with a smaller (500 kg) warhead. The missile has a reported CEP of 30 m.6.

A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) each of which carries a nuclear warhead and allows a single launched



missile to strike several targets. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles operate in a different way from submarine-launched cruise missiles.


naval-news-july-2021-navy-forces-maritime-defense-industry/10392-south-korea-conducts-

hyunmoo-2b-variant-ballistic-missile-test.html

South Korean army general arrested for sexual as-sault of female colleague

• The brigadier general reportedly attempted inappropriate physical advances to a subordinate after a dinner with other soldiers

• The case comes a month after the air force chief resigned over the suicide of a mas-ter sergeant who was sexually assaulted by a colleague

A South Korean two-star army general has been arrested for sexually harassing a female subordinate, officials said on Tuesday, in the latest high -profile sex crime to rock the coun-try’s military.

The case comes just a month after the country’s

air force chief resigned

over the suicide of a master sergeant who was sexually assaulted by a colleague.

She reported the case higher up the chain of command, only to have her complaints ig-nored, and took her own life in May.

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3139981/south-korean-army-general-ar-

rested-sexual-assault-female




https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3136077/south-korean-air-force-chief-quits-over-death-sexual-abuse



Chinese aircraft that flew into S'pore's flight info region in May did not pose threat: Ng Eng Hen

A photo showing a Chinese PLAAF Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft over Malaysia's maritime zone, on

May 31, 2021. PHOTO: AFP/ROYAL MALAYSIAN AIR FORCE

SINGAPORE - A group of People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft that flew into

Singapore's Flight Information Region (FIR) in May was not deemed to have posed an aer-

ial threat to Singapore, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) - the appointed authority to manage Sin-

gapore's FIR - did not receive any flight plans from the PLAAF, nor did CAAS communicate

with it nor any of its aircraft, he said in Parliament on Tuesday (July 6).

However, state aircraft, which includes military aircraft, are not required to do so, as long as

they fly with regard for the safety of other aircraft, he said.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/chinese-aircraft-that-flew-into-singapores-

flight-info-region-in-may-did-not-pose



Indonesian peacekeeping and civil–military rela-tions: a double-edged sword

During Indonesia’s two-year stint on the United Nation’s Security Council (2019–2020), the country made significant gains not just in promoting peacekeeping operations but in aug-menting the role of female peacekeepers with the passing of Indonesian-sponsored resolu-tion 2538.

Since its first first peacekeeping deployment of 559 infantry personnel to Sinai in 1957, In-donesia’s commitment to UN peace missions has met many of the country’s foreign and defence policy objectives as well as domestic interests.

Most notably, these operations have strengthened Indonesia’s constitutionally mandated obligation to be a ‘free and active’ contributor to global peace and stability. Its participation has garnered reputational dividends for its military, the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI), and police, the Kepolisian Republik Indonesia (POLRI).

Domestically, Indonesia’s peacekeeping is also driven by a belief that it will enhance mili-tary professionalism by promoting interoperability and enhancing skills. However, peace-keeping might be a double-edged sword: what works in the short term for Indonesia’s mili-tary capacity may throw up challenges for civil–military relations in the long run. While there are several other factors like patronage systems and strongman nostalgia that influence the civil–military balance in the archipelago, the impact of UN peacekeeping has been a rela-tively underexamined area in scholarly and policy analysis.

Since 1998, both civilian and uniformed leaders have pushed for reform of the TNI, starting with its exit from formal politics and separation from the police. Policymakers have also en-deavoured to build up the military’s reputation as a capable and externally focused fighting force, leaving behind memories of human rights violations and an obsession for internal se-curity.

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/indonesian-peacekeeping-and-civil-military-relations-a-

double-edged-sword/

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/un-security-council-adopts-resolution-on-female-peacekeeping-force

https://jakartaglobe.id/news/un-security-council-adopts-resolution-on-female-peacekeeping-force

https://kemlu.go.id/portal/en/read/91/halaman_list_lainnya/indonesia-and-the-united-nations-peacekeeping-mission



Royal Brunei Air Force acquires Insitu Integrator unmanned aerial system

by Gabriel Dominguez & Alessandra Giovanzanti

The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) has acquired at least one Insitu Integrator unmanned aerial system (UAS) to enhance its maritime surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, according to the US Embassy in Brunei.

The embassy said in a statement that the UAS was unveiled during an event held in June to mark the 60th anniversary of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, which was attended by the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, who is also the supreme commander of the country's armed forces.

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is seen here inspecting the RBAirF's latest acquisi-tion – an Insitu Integrator UAS – during an event held in June to mark the 60th anniversary of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces. (US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam)

No further details were provided by the embassy, including the contract value and number of UASs procured, but Janes understands they will be used to contribute to the protection of territorial waters as well as the country's exclusive economic zone. In this regard the country's longstanding territorial disputes in the South China Sea with neighbouring coun-tries, including China, are among the drivers behind the recent acquisition of the system.

The country reiterated in its recently published 2021 Defence White Paper the need to build more effective and integrated maritime security capabilities to face growing tensions in the South China Sea, with the paper listing these as one of the strategic threats the country has to respond to over the next 15 years.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/royal-brunei-air-force-acquires-insitu-inte-

grator-unmanned-aerial-system



China-India border dispute: New Delhi talks up in-frastructure build-up in strategy shift against Bei-jing

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated 63 new bridges and 12 roads in seven states that border China in the last month

• Analysts say New Delhi’s move to publicise new infrastructures signals a changing strategy – though it has still been careful when it comes to the sensitive Arunachal Pradesh region

In the last month, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has undertaken two highly-publi-cised visits to inaugurate 63 new bridges and 12 roads across seven states which border

China.One of the bridges, on the Leh-Loma road which connects the largest town in India’s Ladakh region to areas along its disputed border with China, was described by the defence

ministry as a 50-metre steel “superstructure” to facilitate “unhindered movement of heavy weapon systems, including guns, tanks and other specialised equipment”.

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3139929/china-india-border-dispute-new-

delhi-talks-infrastructure-build

https://www.scmp.com/topics/india

https://www.scmp.com/news/china



Australian Navy Anzac-Class Frigate HMAS Perth Back Afloat After Major Upgrades

Royal Australian Navy's HMAS Perth is back in the water after completion of a major

part of the anzac midlife capability assurance program.

Martin Manaranche 05 Ju l 2021

Australian Department of Defence press release

She was lowered out of the dry dock at the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson, Western Australia, after completion of upgrades to her radar capabilities, communications systems and crew-habitable areas, wh

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/07/australian-navy-anzac-class-frigate-hmas-

perth-back-afloat-after-major-upgrades/

https://www.navalnews.com/author/martin/



Afghan forces vow to retake districts lost to Tali-ban

Afghan forces have been guarding Bagram Air Base since US and NATO forces left

AFP/WAKIL KOHSAR

06 Jul 2021 03:54PM (Updated: 07 Jul 2021 02:12AM)

KABUL: Afghan authorities on Tuesday vowed to retake all the districts lost to the Taliban as the pullout of US forces from the country neared completion.

Hundreds of commandos were deployed to counter the insurgents' blistering offensive in the north, a day after more than 1,000 government troops fled into neighbouring Tajikistan.

The US Central Command announced that the American withdrawal from the country, or-dered in April by President Joe Biden, was now more than 90 percent completed, under-scoring that Afghan forces were increasingly on their own in the battle with th e hardline Is-lamist Taliban. Fighting has raged across several provinces, but the insurgents have primarily focused on a devastating campaign across the northern countryside, seizing dozens of districts in the past two months.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/afghan-forces-vow-to-retake-districts-lost-to-

taliban-15165102

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/us-military-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-more-than-90-complete-15167132

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/afghan-forces-vow-to-retake-districts-lost-to-taliban-15165102

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/afghan-forces-vow-to-retake-districts-lost-to-taliban-15165102

Taliban shows off weapons, military hardware seized from Afghan forces BY MYCHAEL SCHNELL - 07/06/21 01:41 PM EDT 319

Share to Facebook Share to Twitter

The Taliban showed off weapons and military hardware it says were seized from Afghan

forces, as the group regains ground in Afghanistan’s northern districts amid a U.S. troop

withdrawal from the country.

Sky News, which was granted access to the Sultan Khil military base in the Wardak prov-ince near Kabul, reported that a Taliban commander said the group had taken 70 sniper ri-fles, 900 guns and 65 vehicles, including Humvees.

The Taliban also showed off shipping containers that were consisted of satellite phones, grenades, mortars, bullets and a variety of other ammunition.

A number of the weapons were labeled “Property of USA Government,” according to Sky News. They were reportedly supplied to the Afghan army by the U.S. to fight the Taliban.

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/561684-taliban-shows-off-weapons-military-hardware-

seized-from-afghan-forces

https://thehill.com/author/mychael-schnell

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/561684-taliban-shows-off-weapons-military-hardware-seized-from-afghan-forces#bottom-story-socials

https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/561684-taliban-shows-off-weapons-military-hardware-seized-from-afghan-forces

http://www.twitter.com/share?url=https://thehill.com/policy/defense/561684-taliban-shows-off-weapons-military-hardware-seized-from-afghan-forces&text=Taliban%20shows%20off%20weapons,%20military%20hardware%20seized%20from%20Afghan%20forces

https://news.sky.com/story/the-taliaban-are-making-gains-in-afghanistan-and-showing-off-their-progress-to-the-world-12348957



UK Developing Missiles Capable of Communi-cating With Each Other The British Ministry of Defence has awarded 3.5 million pounds ($4.8 million) to the De-

fence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL) to develop smarter missile systems capable

of communicating with each other.

The initiative is part of the Co-operative Strike Weapons Technology Demonstrator pro-

gram that aims to explore how inter-missile communication can enable weapons systems

to work together for improved performance.

Furthermore, the contract will seek to improve the flexibility and responsiveness of the

country’s missile systems through software upgrades to ensure that they can adapt to vari-

ous changes arising in the battlespace.

“Currently, missiles can communicate with the launch platform but not each other,” a DSTL

Scientist pointed out. “The aim of this program is to investigate how inter-missile communi-

cation and cooperative behaviors can be technically achieved to solve UK military chal-

lenges.”

Development of the smarter missile systems may take two years. At present, DSTL scien-

tists are assessing different military tactics and scenarios in partnership with multinational

missile developer and manufacturer MBDA.


https://www.gov.uk/government/news/35-million-investment-for-smarter-missile-systems


IMPOSING COSTS: UNCONVENTIONAL WAR-FARE IN THE INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT

Otto C. Fiala and Jim Worrall | 07.06.21

The term unconventional warfare (UW) is commonly misunderstood and subject to frequent calls for

revision. The Department of Defense Dictionary defines UW as “activities conducted to enable a re-

sistance movement or insurgency to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow a government or occupying

power by operating through or with an underground, auxiliary, and guerrilla force in a denied area.”

Originally considered the specialty of US Army Special Forces, UW’s scope and definition has ex-

panded and, by 2015, included various components of the US government. Doctrinally, UW has

three objectives: to coerce, disrupt, or overthrow an adversary. However, too often, the focus of UW

discussions is centered on support to indigenous forces to enable the overthrow of an oppressive

regime—rarely is the focus on coercion or disruption. Yet, an improved understanding of UW and,

more specifically, the operational or strategic disruption of an adversary, will allow the US govern-

ment to better recognize when our enemies apply UW techniques against the United States or our

allies and partners.

This article examines UW from the perspective of great power competition and the current state of

persistent engagement with one of our near-peer competitors, Russia. Today’s perpetual competi-

tion is the manifestation of great power competition as defined in the 2017 National Security Strat-

egy and revisited in the Interim National Security Strategic Guidance released in 2021. Specifically,

this article investigates Russian integrated operations in the information environment (OIE) and

cyber domain as a form of continuous competition that falls below the threshold of open armed con-

flict. We assess Russia’s OIE effects and capabilities, our understanding of Russian OIE, and po-

tential responses to Russian aggression.

Key Square: Taiwan on the Chessboard with Bonny Lin

This week, Mike sits down with Bonny Lin, senior fellow for Asian security and the new director of the China Power Project at CSIS, to talk about one of the hottest topics on the Chessboard: the Tai-wan Strait. Bonny and Mike assess if China and Taiwan are truly on the brink of war and dive into China's overall strategy towards Taiwan, including gray zone coercion and disinformation cam-paigns. They also discuss what U.S. commitment to Taiwan's security means for the region, and how U.S. allies in Asia and Europe fit into U.S. and Chinese strategic planning regarding the Tai-wan Strait.


https://mwi.usma.edu/author/otto-c-fiala/

https://mwi.usma.edu/author/jim-worrall/

https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/dictionary.pdf

https://warontherocks.com/2017/10/its-time-for-special-operations-to-dump-unconventional-warfare/#:~:text=The%20National%20Defense%20Authorization%20Act%20of%202016%20amended,of%20

https://warontherocks.com/2017/10/its-time-for-special-operations-to-dump-unconventional-warfare/#:~:text=The%20National%20Defense%20Authorization%20Act%20of%202016%20amended,of%20

https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/dictionary.pdf

http://nssarchive.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2017.pdf

http://nssarchive.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2017.pdf

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/NSC-1v2.pdf


Does the Pentagon Take China Seriously?

Its leaders warn of the threat from Beijing, but their budgets suggest otherwise.

U.S. defense leaders have a problem: What they say doesn’t line up with what they do. The mis-

match is apparent in the latest Pentagon budget, and a “say-do” gap undermines the trust of Con-

gress and the American people.

Military leaders identify China as our No. 1 challenge, often calling Beijing “an increasingly capable

strategic competitor,” as Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley has warned, or a “pacing” threat.

Yet the budget request reduces the ability of the Navy and the Air Force—the services that would

have outsize roles in any conflict in the Western Pacific—to respond to threats in that region. Mean-

while, the budget promises undeveloped weapons that may take decades to enter the fleet, funded

by a “divest to invest” strategy.

The Navy wants to retire 15 ships, including seven guided-missile cruisers and four littoral combat

ships, while procuring only two surface combatant ships and two submarines. (Congress’ budget

draft would buy another destroyer and limit the retirements.) Naval aviation procurement dropped

15.6% over 2021 even as the Navy speeds up F/A-18 retirements. The USS Ronald Reagan, based

in Japan to counter a threat from China, is overseeing the Afghanistan withdrawal in the Middle

East because no other aircraft carrier is available. Meanwhile, China is building warships at an

astonishing rate. In 2010 the U.S. Navy had 68 more ships than the Chinese navy. Today, it has

63 fewer, a swing of 131 ships in 10 years.

The Air Force is also following the Pentagon’s “divest to invest” lead. Combat aircraft procurement

is down 22% from 2021. The force wants to retire 137 aircraft, more than double the number it

plans to buy. After the retirement of 17 B-1s last year, the Air Force’s bomber inventory is at a level

top officers have called the bare minimum. Ammunition procurement is down more than 40%. China

in recent years has focused on procuring advanced aircraft and has the world’s third-largest air

force. In addition, China has an extensive ground-based conventional missile force, including the

DF-26, known as the “carrier killer” which is capable of striking Guam.


https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/a-guide-to-china-s-unprecedented-naval-shipbuilding-drive

https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/a-guide-to-china-s-unprecedented-naval-shipbuilding-drive


‘Remarkable’: WHO exec commends PH COVID-19

vaccination program


by Analou de Vera

An official of the World Health Organization (WHO) has commended the Philippines’ COVID-19 vaccination rollout as more than 11 million vaccine doses were already ad-ministered nationwide.

WHO Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said that the Philippines will most likely achieve the organization’s goal with regards to vaccina-tion.

“It’s been remarkable. We’re now, I think, at almost 12 million people vaccinated and the vaccination program which began in March, in just three months…and that also with limited access to vaccines…If you have (more) vaccines, you can go much faster,” Abeyasinghe said in an ABS-CBN News Channel interview on Tuesday, July 6.

“We commend the efforts of the government and private sector, everybody who is con-tributing to try to access vaccines,” he added.

Abeyasinghe said that the WHO is encouraging countries to vaccinate at least 10 per-cent of their population by September, 40 percent by the end of this year, and 70 per-cent by June 2022.

“For the Philippines, you have more ambitious goals. I think you are now at more than 10 percent of your population already vaccinated with the first dose. About four to fi ve percent (are) already fully vaccinated, and we are looking at significantly large quanti-ties of vaccines arriving over the next few weeks and months,” he said.

“We believe that you will exceed the 10 percent before September. And certainly, you may exceed (the) 40 percent threshold before (the) end of year,” he added.

He noted that countries need to vaccinate at least 85 percent of their population amid the threat of coronavirus variants.

“With the emergence of the more transmissible variants, the proportion that needs to be vaccinated has been estimated to be significantly higher,” said Abeyasinghe.

“We’re now looking at approximately 85 percent or beyond. That’s why we now advo-cate not to talk about herd immunity but talk about how many people can be protected,” he added.

https://mb.com.ph/author/analoudevera

A total of 11,708,029 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the country.

The DOH said that 2,868,905 people are now fully vaccinated, while 8,839,124 re-ceived their first dose so far.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/06/remarkable-who-exec-commends-ph-covid-19-vaccina-tion-program/



DOH: Strict border controls, genomic surveillance can contain new variant threats BYSAMUEL MEDENILLA JULY 7, 2021 Quezon City Police District personnel manning a checkpoint along Kamuning Road check on motorcycle riders in this file photo. The Department of Health is confident that the government’s strict border controls and ge-nome sequencing surveillance are sufficient to prevent the entry of the new Covid variants into the country.

The DOH issued the statement amid the reported spread of the Lamda variant (C.37) that caused Covid surges in more countries.

The Lamda variant contains protein mutations that makes it more infectious and resilient to vaccines.

“We have proven that this [strict border control] is effective since there are currently no Delta variant, which managed to slip into our communities. It has no local case or local transmission,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in an online press briefing on Tuesday.

Last Monday, DOH reported the number of Delta variant cases in the country rose to 19.

All of the said cases came from inbound travelers who underwent the 10-day quarantine period in government facilities and were only allowed to home after their recovery.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/07/doh-strict-border-controls-genomic-surveil-lance-can-contain-new-variant-threats/

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/07/doh-strict-border-controls-genomic-surveillance-can-contain-new-variant-threats/#molongui-disabled-link



Gordon: Vaccinated persons can still be Covid car-riers BYCLAUDETH MOCON-CIRIACO JULY 6, 2021 2 MINUTE READ NOTING that even a fully vaccinated person is still a “potential carrier” of Covid-19, Philip-pine Red Cross Chairman and CEO Senator Richard Gordon stressed the need for travel-ers to still undergo an RT-PCR test after the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) relaxes its re-striction for interzonal travel for fully vaccinated persons.

“Kailangan patuloy pa rin ang ating pagtetest upang maihiwalay ang mga healthy individu-als sa mga apektado ng Covid-19 [We still need to test to separate those infected from healthy individuals],” Gordon said, stressing that there is a high possibility of infecting the unvaccinated.

PRC, the leading organization for Covid-19 testing, has now conducted 3,382,981 tests na-tionwide, or 23 percent of the total tests done nationwide.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/07/06/gordon-vaccinated-persons-can-still -be-covid-carriers/

Health expert opposes waiving swab test as travel

requirement for fully vaccinated individuals


https://businessmirror.com.ph/author/claudethmocon/



by Gabriela Baron

Former task force adviser Dr. Tony Leachon said the new protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for fully vaccinated individ-uals traveling within the Philippines is “too premature.”

In an interview with CNN Philippines on Tuesday, July 6, Leachon reiterated the importance of testing.

“If we remove the negative RT-PCR test — which is our weakest link — we will decrease the number of people we are testing. The virus may spread, especially from those who are from the countryside going to the National Capital Region or it may cause problems to areas that still have high cases of COVID-19,” Leachon said in Filipino.

“It’s a good move for the future, but I think the measure is too premature given that our coun-tryside in this interzonal travel has a higher reproduction number and positivity rate,” he added.

The health expert said the positivity rate in the country is still high at 12 percent. The World Health Organization’s positivity benchmark is at 5 percent.

Leachon said the “risk is still there” given the country’s low vaccination rate and limited vaccine supply and COVID-19 tests.

“Knowing that our vaccination coverage is still low at three percent, our vaccines may not ad-dress other variants, and our lack of genomic surveillance studies, it’s difficult to ease guide-lines yet. I think we should not waive testing in fully vaccinated individuals,” he added.

On July 4, the IATF announced that interzonal travelers who are fully vaccinated are now only required to present proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination instead of swab test results.


Japan donates 687-M yen aid to PH for COVID-19 vaccine cold chain supply

By: Christia Marie Ramos - Reporter / @CMRamosINQ INQUIRER.net / 06:52 PM July 06, 2021

https://mb.com.ph/author/gabrielabaron


https://globalnation.inquirer.net/byline/christia-marie-ramos

https://www.twitter.com/@CMRamosINQ

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/source/inquirer-net

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko signs exchange of notes on

the implementation of the COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support from the Japa-

nese government. Photos from the Japanese Embassy in Manila.

MANILA, Philippines — Japan will donate 687 million yen (around P300 million) worth of as-

sistance for COVID-19 vaccine cold chain supply to the Philippines.

On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the

Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko signed the exchange of notes on the implementation of th e

COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support from the Japanese government.

The grant aid, according to the Japanese Embassy in Manila, will be “implemented through-out the Philippines with the provision of cold chain transport and ancillaries.”

“With the distribution of vaccines to the provinces a top priority of the Philippine Government,

the cold chain facility system will boost efforts in the nation’s vaccination program,” the em-bassy said.


Coronavirus: scientists again say there’s no evi-dence for lab leak theory

• Group who earlier condemned ‘conspiracy theories’ calls for more investigation into origins of virus

• They say it’s ‘time to turn down the heat of the rhetoric and turn up the light of scien-tific inquiry’ in Lancet letter



A member of the WHO-backed team visits an animal disease control and prevention centre

in Hubei, China in February. Scientists urged the WHO to “expeditiously” continue the in-vestigation. Photo: AP

Scientists who were among the first to speak out against the theory that the pan-demic could have started from a laboratory leak have again disputed the idea and called for more collaboration to investigate the origins of the virus.

In a letter published in The Lancet medical journal on Monday, two dozen prominent inter-national scientists backed a recent call from G7 nations for further inquiry into the origins of the virus that causes Covid-19, and urged the

World Health Organization to “expeditiously” continue a study with experts in China and the Chinese government.

“It is time to turn down the heat of the rhetoric and turn up the light of scientific inquiry,” said the scientists, who were also among signatories of a February 2020 letter in the same jour-nal “condemning conspiracy theories suggesting that Covid-19 does not have a natural origin”.


Covid 19 coronavirus: Ultra-contagious Lambda variant detected in Australia

6 Jul, 2021 02:26 PM3 minutes to readFul

Sydney’s lockdown is set to be extended after New South Wales Premier Gladys Bereji-klian held Covid crisis meetings. Video / Sky News Australia

news.com.au

https://www.scmp.com/coronavirus

https://www.scmp.com/coronavirus

https://www.scmp.com/topics/world-health-organisation



By: Mitchell Van Homrigh The world's most transmissible Covid-19 strain has found its way into Australia – with wor-rying research revealing it may be even more infectious than the Delta variant.

The Lambda strain has puzzled World Health Organisation scientists after it spread to nearly 30 countries in the last four weeks. The mutation was originally discovered in Peru and is related to 81 per cent of the country's cases since April.

Peru currently has the highest Covid mortality rate in the world.

In Australia, the variant was detected in an overseas traveller who had been in hotel quar-antine in New South Wales in April, according to national genomics database AusTrakka.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-ultra-contagious-lambda-vari-ant-detected-in-australia/LAUYIDU2L7SSWMX6IQDTOYCX6A/

Covid 19 coronavirus: Pfizer vaccine efficacy drops in Israel as Delta variant spreads

6 Jul, 2021 01:56 AM4 minutes to read

Just the facts - A closer look at the first four vaccines to be rolled out in New Zealand. How they work, why we need them and who developed them. Video / NZ Herald

Daily Telegraph UK

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/covid-19-coronavirus-lambda-strain-hits-uk/BSJ52H5XDJJEB6NGMFIOWYZG44/



By: Campbell MacDiarmid

The efficacy of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine in preventing Covid-19 infections has declined

by nearly a third in Israel, largely due to the spread of the Delta variant, data from the coun-

try's health ministry suggests.

The vaccine had a 64 per cent efficacy rate from early June until early July, the latest fig-

ures show, down from 94 per cent a month earlier. The decrease coincides with a period in

which the government reversed coronavirus restrictions and the Delta variant spread

through the country.

The vaccine is still conferring strong protection against severe symptoms of the virus, with

hospital admission rates remaining low. The ministry's data shows the vaccine's efficacy in

preventing hospital admission was 93 per cent from June 6 to July 3, compared to a 98 per

cent rate in the previous period.

But the rising cases offer a "preliminary signal" that the vaccine may be less effective at

preventing mild symptoms from the Delta variant, the chairman of Israel's national expert

panel on Covid-19, Ran Balicer, said.


Messenger RNA vaccine benefits outweigh heart risks, U.S. CDC says There has been increasing concern that these possible cardiovascular side effects could

threaten vaccine uptake among young Americans as the highly transmissible delta variant

is hitting under-vaccinated hot spots of the country.

By Bloomberg



UPDATED ON JUL 06, 2021 10:54 PM IST

The benefits of messenger RNA Covid-19 vaccines clearly outweigh the risks despite heart

complications seen in a relatively small number of mostly young men, according to the US

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Roughly 1,200 cases of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart wall, were reported in

people who received mRNA vaccines, the CDC said in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly

Report on Tuesday. But with about 296 million doses of mRNA vaccines having been ad-

ministered as of June 11, the benefit is clear in all populations, including adolescents and

young adults, the researchers reported.

Vaccines made by Moderna Inc. and the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE partnership are the only

mRNA inoculations authorised for emergency use in the US. The issue was first explored in

a June 23 meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

There has been increasing concern that these possible cardiovascular side effects could

threaten vaccine uptake among young Americans as the highly transmissible delta variant

is hitting under-vaccinated hot spots of the country.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/messenger-rna-vaccine-benefits-out-weigh-heart-risks-u-s-cdc-says-101625592075375.html

Arthritis drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab reduce

COVID deaths: study


by Agence-France-Presse WASHINGTON, United States – Arthritis drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab reduce the risk of death and the need for ventilators among hospitalized Covid -19 patients, according to an analysis of nearly 11,000 patients published Tuesday.

The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association and prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to recommend the use of the medicines, known as IL-6 inhibitors, in addition to corticosteroids among patients with severe or critical COVID.



https://mb.com.ph/author/agence-france-presse

Manu Shankar-Hari, a professor at King’s College London and lead author of the paper, told AFP that the research represented a “def initive piece of evidence” in favor of the drugs af ter earlier studies pro-duced mixed results.

Among hospitalized COVID patients, administering one of the drugs in addition to corticosteroids re-duced the risk of death by 17 percent, compared to the use of corticosteroids alone.

In patients who were not on ventilators, the risk of progressing to mechanical ventilation or death was reduced by 21 percent, compared to the use of corticosteroids alone.

Severely ill COVID patients experience an immune system overreaction known as a “cytokine storm” that can cause severe organ damage and death.

Tocilizumab and sarilumab are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, by inhibiting the ef fects of interleukin (IL)-6, a type of protein called a cytokine that signals the body to mount an in-

f lammatory response.

But previous research on whether IL-6 inhibitors can be useful against severe COVID have variously reported benef it, no ef fect and harm.

This prompted the WHO to coordinate the new study that combined data f rom 27 randomized trials con-ducted across 28 countries.

The analysis included information on 10,930 patients, of whom 6,449 were rand omly assigned to re-

ceive interleukin-6 inhibitors and 4,481 to receive usual care or placebo.


Uptick in COVID-19 cases, deaths in Malaysia one month after latest lockdown imposed

A resident receives food from a delivery worker through barbwire at Segambut Dalam,

Malaysia on Jul 4, 2021. (Photo: AP/Vincent Thian)

By Low Zoey


KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported a sharp uptick in new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday (Jul 6), one month after a nationwide lockdown was reimposed in a bid to curb a surging number of infections. Of the 7,643 new COVID-19 cases, more than half were from the Klang Valley area. Selan-gor reported 3,260 infections while 1,550 were found in Kuala Lumpur.



https://www.channelnewsasia.com/author/9912830

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-total-lockdown-jun-1-14-muhyiddin-covid-19-cases-record-14905394

A total of 698 cases were found in the neighbouring state of Negeri Sembilan while 313 in-fections were identified in Johor.

The health ministry also reported 103 fatalities from the disease, aged 21 to 100. Twelve of them were classified as “brought in dead” including a 21-year-old man from Pahang who had a medical history of epilepsy.

Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said 943 patients are currently being treated in the intensive care unit, with 450 of them requiring respiratory support.

Twenty-one new clusters were also identified, taking the total number of active clusters in Malaysia to 852, he added.

New daily COVID-19 cases in Malaysia have stayed above the 6,000 mark in the past week, after dipping to the 5,000 range at the end of June.

The country last reported more than 7,000 new infections on Jun 5.

Lockdown measures, which were initially expected to end on Jun 28, have been ex-tended as infection numbers continue to remain high. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin previously said that curbs will not ease until daily cases fall below 4,000.


Asean reports record number of COVID-19 cases, as situation worsens in Indonesia

The Nation/Asia News Network / 04:26 PM July 06, 2021

People receive the Sinovac Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at a makeshift mass vaccination

clinic on a football field in Surabaya, East Java, on July 6, 2021, as the Southeast Asian na-

tion battles an unprecedented wave of new infections. AFP

BANGKOK — Southeast Asia reported a record number of Covid-19 cases on a single day,

mostly due to the worsening situation in Indonesia.

Asean saw 52,726 new cases on Monday, higher than Sunday’s 49,404, while 802 patients died, down slightly from the previous day’s 809. Total Covid-19 cases crossed 5.13 million

with 98,523 deaths.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/mco-malaysia-covid-19-lockdown-extended-pm-muhyiddin-15102368

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/mco-malaysia-covid-19-lockdown-extended-pm-muhyiddin-15102368



https://globalnation.inquirer.net/source/the-nationasia-news-network

Indonesia reported a new daily high of 29,745 cases, up from 27,233 on Saturday, and a rec-

ord 558 deaths, taking cumulative cases in the country to 2,313,829 and the death toll to

61,140.

The rapidly increasing infections have caused severe shortage of ICU beds and oxygen can-

isters in major cities, especially in Jakarta.

Laos reported 56 new cases on Sunday, taking cumulative cases in the country to 2,300. Of

these, 2,075 people have been cured and discharged. The government has introduced the

“Lao Su Su” application as a one-stop platform for all Covid-19 related matters. People can

check-in and check-out the venues they visit, book a Covid test as well as reserve a jab via

this app.


Daily new COVID-19 cases in Indonesia could go up to 40,000, says coordinating minister

Workers wearing protective masks load empty coffins for coronavirus disease (COVID-

19) victims into an ambulance to be distributed to a hospital as the cases surge in Jakarta,

Indonesia, July 5, 2021. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan


JAKARTA: Indonesia’s daily COVID-19 infections could go up to 40,000, said Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan on Tuesday (Jul 6).

Speaking at a virtual joint press conference with the health min ister and head of the disas-ter agency, Mr Pandjaitan said that the government has prepared for a "worst-case sce-nario" in which cases hit 40,000.

"This number can continue to rise. Yesterday it was 29,000, it could be 40,000 or more later.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456335/indonesia-imports-oxygen-as-hospitals-battered-by-covid-19

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1456335/indonesia-imports-oxygen-as-hospitals-battered-by-covid-19



“Therefore, we have prepared (to face) all the scenarios, regarding medicine, oxygen and hospitals. If someone previously said that we need help from abroad, we have communi-cated with Singapore, we also communicated with China.

“And also communicated with other sources. So actually, we have done everything compre-hensively,” said the minister without further elaborating.


Mapping the Coronavirus Outbreak Across the World

Updated: July 11, 2021, 10:21 AM 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 pan-

demic has infected more than 185 million people and killed more than 4.0 million globally

since late January 2020. Efforts many countries took to stamp out the pneumonia-like ill-

ness 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.

01002003004005001 yrDays since 100 confirmed cases1001,00010,000100,0001,000,00010,000,00030,000,000CasesMainland ChinaSouth



https://data.oecd.org/pinboard/4ta8

https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus

https://github.com/owid/covid-19-data/tree/master/public/data/testing

https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/idb/region.php?T=13&RT=0&A=both&Y=2019&C=CH,SP,FR,GM,FR,JA,KS,UK,US,RS,BR&R=

https://www.bloomberg.com/search?query=virus%20update

https://www.bloomberg.com/search?query=virus%20update

https://www.bloomberg.com/topics/coronavirus

https://www.bloomberg.com/topics/coronavirus

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-20/n-y-gov-cuomo-100-percent-of-workforce-must-stay-home

http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-china-coronavirus-airlines-business-effects

http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-china-coronavirus-airlines-business-effects

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-mass-layoff-notice/?srnd=graphics-v2

KoreaJapanFranceSingaporeSpainU.K.Hong KongU.S.AustraliaBrazilIndiaRussia-TaiwanNew Zealand

Note: JHU CSSE reporting began on January 22, 2020, when mainland China had already

surpassed 500 cases.

Source: Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering

Note: Totals for Denmark, France, the Netherlands, the U.K., and the U.S. include over-

seas territories and other dependencies. Cases and deaths for cruise ships have been sep-

arated in accordance with JHU CSSE data.

The epicenter of the pandemic has continued to shift throughout the year, from China, then

Europe, then the U.S., and now to developing countries like Brazil. Cases globally sur-

passed 10 million in late June, but ever since infections have been multiplying faster. The

U.S. and India have the most infections, accounting for more than a third of all cases com-

bined.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2020-coronavirus-cases-world-map/?srnd=coro-navirus

Covid map: Coronavirus cases, deaths, vaccina-tions by country By The Visual and Data Journalism Team

BBC News

Covid-19 is continuing to spread around the world, with more than 180 million con-

firmed cases and four million deaths across nearly 200 countries.

The US, India and Brazil have seen the highest number of confirmed cases, followed by

France, Russia, Turkey and the UK.

Very few places have been left untouched.

In the table below, countries can be reordered by deaths, death rate and total cases. In the

coloured bars on the right-hand side, countries in which cases have risen to more than

10,000 per day are those with black bars on the relevant date.

Note: The map, table and animated bar chart in this page use a different source for figures

for France and the UK from that used by Johns Hopkins University. US figures do not in-

clude Puerto Rico, Guam or the US Virgin Islands.



Confirmed cases have been rising steeply since the middle of last year, but the true extent

of the first outbreaks in 2020 is unclear because testing was not then widely available.

The 100 millionth Covid case was recorded at the end of January - about a year after the

first officially diagnosed case of the virus.

Deaths have also been rising, however official figures may not fully reflect the true number

in many countries.

Data on excess deaths, a measure of how many more people are dying than would be ex-

pected based on the previous few years, may give a better indication of the actual numbers

in many cases.

Who has vaccinated the most?

Several coronavirus vaccines have been approved for use, either by individual countries or

groups of countries, such as the European Union and the World Health Organization

(WHO).

Of the 193 countries and territories administering vaccines and publishing rollout data, 67

are high-income nations, 101 are middle-income and 25 low-income.

The map below, using figures collated by Our World in Data - a collaboration between Ox-

ford University and an educational charity - shows the total number of doses given per 100

people, mostly first doses.

This information is regularly updated but may not reflect the latest totals for each country. Total vaccinations refers to the number of doses given, not the number of people vac-cinated. It is possible to have more than 100 doses per 100 population as some vaccines require two doses per person.

Source: Our World in Data, ONS, gov.uk dashboard

Last updated: 8 July 2021, 12:22 BST

Overall, China and India have administered the highest number of doses, with about 1.3 bil-lion and 360 million respectively. The US ranks third, with more than 330 million. But when breaking the figures down by doses per 100 people in countries with a population of at least one million, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel top the list. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-53073046

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105

More Than 3.39 Billion Shots Given: Covid-19 Tracker

In the U.S., 334 million doses have been administered

Updated: July 11, 2021, 2:32 AM GMT+8

The biggest vaccination campaign in history is underway. More than 3.39 bil-

lion doses have been administered across 180 countries, according to data collected by

Bloomberg. The latest rate was roughly 31.5 million doses a day.

In the U.S., 334 million doses have been given so far. In the last week, an average

of 513,550 doses per day were administered.

World Map of Vaccinations

More than 3.39 billion doses have been administered—enough to fully vaccinate 22.1% of

the global population

• no data01102030%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.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/

Enough doses have now been administered to fully vaccinate 22.1% of the global popula-

tion—but the distribution has been lopsided. Countries and regions with the highest in-

comes are getting vaccinated more than 30 times faster than those with the lowest.

Note: Vaccine access calculations account for the number of doses needed for full protec-

tion; 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 31.5 mil-

lion a day, it would take another year to achieve a high level of global immunity. The rate,

however, is steadily increasing, and new vaccines by additional manufacturers are coming

to market.

The Path to Immunity Around the World

In the U.S., the latest vaccination rate is 513,550 doses per day, on average. At this pace,

it will take another 9 months to cover 75% of the population.

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 ex-

ceed 100% in some places, as shots may be administered to non-residents. Data are from

Bloomberg’s Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker.

Israel was first to show that vaccinations were having a nationwide effect. The country has

led the world in vaccinations, and by February more than 84% of people ages 70 and older

had received two doses. Severe covid cases and deaths declined rapidly. A separate anal-

ysis in the U.K. showed similar results.

It’s now a life-and-death contest between vaccine and virus. New strains threaten renewed

outbreaks. In the early stages of a campaign, the effect of vaccinations are often out-

weighed by other factors of transmissibility: virus mutations, seasonality, effectiveness of

mask use and social distancing. In time, higher vaccination rates should limit the Covid-19

burden around the world.

Vaccinations vs. Cases

Covid rates have generally flattened or declined where vaccination rates are highest. Cur-

rently, 41 places have administered enough shots to cover at least 40% of the population.

Note: “People covered” divides the doses administered for each vaccine type by the num-ber of doses required for full vaccination. Vaccine data from Bloomberg’s Covid-19 Tracker.

Cases data: Johns Hopkins University.

access to vaccines and varying degrees of efficiency in getting shots into people’s arms. Before March, few African nations had received a single shipment of shots. In the

U.S., 100.5 doses have been administered for every 100 people.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-09/when-will-world-be-fully-vaccinated-pace-is-2-400-faster-in-wealthy-countries

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2021-01-21/methodology-and-analysis-for-the-covid-19-vaccine-tracker#60270FB0B2240003

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7009e3.htm?s_cid=mm7009e3_x

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/

Delivering billions of vaccines to stop the spread of Covid-19 worldwide will be one of the

greatest logistical challenges ever undertaken.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribu-tion/?srnd=premium-asia

VFA gets another lease on life

By: Moira G. Gallaga - @inquirerdotnet Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:03 AM July 07, 2021

In a brief video message released on June 14, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. an-

nounced that the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) has been suspended

again for another six months.

This is the third six-month suspension of the agreement’s abrogation. It may be recalled that President Duterte decided to abrogate the VFA in early 2020, and formal notice was served

by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to the US government on Feb. 11, 2020. How-

ever, on June 3 and then on Nov. 11 of that same year, the VFA abrogation was suspended

for six months each time.

Were the incidents involving Chinese maritime militia vessels in Julian Felipe Reef in March

this year and other incursions in the weeks that followed a factor in the President’s decision to again suspend the VFA abrogation? Locsin’s short video message doesn’t mention the ra-tionale for the President’s decision, only mentioning that the decision was made following a

meeting between him, the President, and the Philippine ambassador to the US.



https://opinion.inquirer.net/byline/moira-g-gallaga

https://www.twitter.com/@inquirerdotnet

https://opinion.inquirer.net/source/philippine-daily-inquirer

However, a review of the statements made on the previous suspensions of the VFA abroga-

tion show that such extensions were made in the context of the South China Sea (SCS) is-

sue. The June 3, 2020 statement released by the DFA made reference to the pandemic and

“heightened superpower tensions.” On June 22, Locsin further clarified that “a rise in military tension in the South China Sea does not help anybody.” Locsin’s statement released by the DFA on Nov. 11, 2020, on the other hand, announcing the second suspension of the VFA

abrogation, specifically mentioned the SCS as a basis for the decision.

Viewed in that context, the latest suspension of the VFA abrogation is a message meant not

only for the Americans, but also for countries in the region and for China in particular. The ab-

rogation of the VFA would be in China’s main interests as it will affect the ability of the Philip-pine and US armed forces to conduct exercises and bilateral activities in the Philippines.

More critically, it will hamper US military presence in the Philippines and in the region as well.

Assuming that the swarming of Julian Felipe Reef and other related incidents in March and

April this year may have influenced the decision to further suspend the VFA abrogation, did

China in fact commit a blunder, leading the Philippines to keep the VFA for the meantime?

Quite unlikely. The incidents in March were meant to test not only the Philippines, but also

the new Biden administration and its commitment to its allies in the region. Note that around

the same time, China was also testing another US ally, Taiwan, with provocative military ac-

tions.



Weaponizing the law


In his heyday as first gentleman, Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo filed at least 40 criminal libel suits against journalists on allegations of acts of corruption and of aiding and abetting his

wife, then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in rigging the 2004 presidential election. The

threat of arrest and imprisonment hung over the heads of those sued and indeed of their

comrades in the profession; it didn’t help that the killing of journalists was also occurring at a frightening rate in the countryside (the murder in March 2005 of Marlene Esperat, who was

shot dead in front of her then 10-year-old son by a gunman who had casually walked into her

home, was particularly, chillingly, brutal).

In May 2007, “grateful for surviving a delicate open -heart surgery with a very low survival

rate,” Mike Arroyo sought peace and reconciliation with those he had haled to court and with-drew all of the libel suits. But before then, in December 2006, journalists and news organiza-

tions filed a class action suit with the Makati Regional Trial Court against the first gentleman,

claiming abuse of power. They sought damages of P12.5 million, the money to go to a press


freedom fund if the suit succeeds. The matter was last heard about in May 2010, with the Su-

preme Court upholding the Court of Appeals (CA) in rejecting the Arroyo camp’s petition to throw out the class suit.

This flashback provides ample context to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court that gives

journalists a leg up in their continuing struggle to decriminalize libel. In the ruling dated Jan.

11 but released to the media only on June 29, the high court’s Third Division reversed a Pa-say City court’s libel conviction of broadcast personality Raffy Tulfo for a tabloid column writ-ten 22 years ago. It said the constitutionality of the definition of libel as a criminal offense was

“doubtful,” and cited the press’ “vital role” in checking government abuse.

“In libel, the kinds of speech actually deterred are more valuable than the state interest the law against libel protects,” the Supreme Court said in its ruling that also cleared Allen Maca-

saet and Nicolas Quijano, then publisher and managing editor, respectively, of the tabloid

Abante Tonite.

Tulfo had written about the extortion and other illegal activities of lawyer Carlos So of the Bu-

reau of Customs. So sued him and the others of 14 counts of libel; the Pasay court convicted

them of the crime and was upheld by the CA in 2006. On their motion for reconsideration, the

CA in 2009 amended its decision and acquitted them of 8 of the 14 counts. Tulfo et al. raised

their case to the Supreme Court.

Said the high court in its ruling: “Our libel laws must not be broadly construed as to deter comments on public affairs and the conduct of public officials. Such comments are made in

the exercise of the fundamental right to freedom of expression and of the press.”

More: “[W]ithout a vigilant press, the government’s mistakes would go unnoticed, their abuses unexposed and their wrongdoings uncorrected.”



Fact-check alternative news organizations, too


While I agree that an inquiry into the cyberattacks reported by the Swedish digital forensic

group Qurium Media Foundation (QMF) on altermidya.org and bulatlat.com websites should

be conducted, I feel that an investigation on the information and data published by these two

online sites is also necessary.

I’ve noticed that bulatlat.com’s data aren’t checked or even validated in earlier postings. They

have articles that just present one side of the story, which I believe is unethical. While report-

ing news or data, one must know all sides of the subject and report them objectively.

For starters, the agencies involved in the so-called “cyberattacks,” DOST and the Philippine Army, have already given their side of the story, and I believe self-regulation is required, and

everything must be done in accordance with Philippine law.




What is China Buying in the Biden Administration? by Peter Schweizer July 6, 2021 at 5:00 am

Tweet

Share475

▪ The simple fact is that there are large, powerful donors to the Biden campaign that have big financial stakes in these green energy companies. It is a wealth transfer to

Biden's biggest bundlers, and that is a huge and massive problem.

▪ For those companies with inside connections to the Biden campaign, it is American

taxpayer money that is truly "shovel-ready."

▪ Former congressmen and senators, and former US ambassadors are being paid large sums of money by governments such as China, or by firms directly linked to those governments, which do not have America's best interest at heart. They are

lobbying in Washington to get their paymasters' voices heard.

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/author/Peter+Schweizer

http://twitter.com/share


mailto:?subject=What%20is%20China%20Buying%20in%20the%20Biden%20Administration%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatestoneinstitute.org%2F17518%2Fchina-biden-administration


https://gab.com/compose?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatestoneinstitute.org%2F17518%2Fchina-biden-administration&text=What+is+China+Buying+in+the+Biden+Administration%3F

▪ If you invest a couple of million dollars, let us say, in lobbying, or you invest a couple of million dollars in campaign contributions, often you can get benefits that are worth

ten times that.

▪ For Wall Street and Silicon Valley, the prospect of doing deals in China is mesmeriz-ing. To do those deals in China, as they have learned, you must play nice with the regime, speak well of them, feather their nests.... It is no less tempting for American politicians.... Of greatest concern are the deals that actually advance Chinese state interests.

▪ There is no other way to state this. The only way we can correct this situation is by exposing these people and showing U.S. citizens exactly what they are doing in our

society.


Commentary: Why are Chinese troops assembling on the Myanmar border? With no signs of a resolution to the Myanmar crisis, China is uneasy about its interests in the coun-try and making contingency plans to protect those interests, says an observer.

Muse, on the border between China and Myanmar, is an important gateway for trade. (File

photo: AFP/Ye Aung THU)

By John Walsh


BANGKOK: China’s interests in Myanmar has gradually increased in recent years.

This has materialised through three different but related means — individuals privately investing mostly in Mandalay and northern Myanmar, corporations investing in industrial estates and farming land, and state-level investment in long-term developmental projects such as oil and gas pipelines from Kyaukpyu to Kunming.



But for these investments to succeed, peace and order in Myanmar is necessary.

Chinese institutions and individuals know all too well that when there is internal disorder, ethnic Chi-nese families and businesses can very quickly be victimised. And such disorder is widespread in Myanmar — especially in the northern border regions — due to armed uprisings against the state and against rival factions.

Cash-based trade in narcotics and precious stones pose another threat to law and order.

When China closed its border with Myanmar in September 2020 due to the spread of COVID-19 and a Myanmar government seemingly overwhelmed by the problem, the impact was immediately apparent.

Border trade between the two countries at the Muse crossing alone was worth more than US$3.4 million per day and traders and farmers cannot afford the loss of such revenue.

The border closure damages Chinese investors who have established banana plantations and are now threatened with the loss of their principal market. Banana plantation investment is a conten-tious issue in Kachin State, where portions of the estimated 40,000 acres of land concerned was expropriated from internally displaced persons or otherwise designated as vacant.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/china-military-troops-border-my-anamar-economic-interests-15158170

China as gentle giant would win more hearts than wolf warrior diplomacy

• For many Chinese, Xi Jinping’s stern warning to foreign powers on the cen-tenary of the Communist Party was a sign of strength and resolve

• But it would not have gone down well with the rest of the world, at a time when many are already wary of China’s rapid rise

A woman on an electric scooter films a large screen outside a shopping mall showing Pres-

ident Xi Jinping’s speech on the 100th anniversary of China’s Communist Party on July 1. Although the speech was intended for the domestic audience, it was bound to have an in-

ternational effect. Photo: AP

In a speech marking 100 years of the Communist Party on July 1, President Xi Jinping

warned that hostile foreign powers would

“have their heads cracked and bleeding”

.



https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3139493/communist-party-centenary-xi-warns-foreign-powers-will-have


Commentary: Even if PM Muhyiddin steps down, few good options for Malaysia’s top role

Malaysian political parties are each making secret moves behind the scene leading up to Aug 1 when the state of emergency ends, says James Chin.

Composite picture of Anwar Ibrahim, Muhyiddin Yassin and Zahid Hamidi. (Photo:

Agencies)

By James Chin


HOBART: After tremendous pressure was applied by the Agong and the general public, the two houses of the Malaysian Parliament will now sit before 1 Aug. Initially, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s government had announced that Parliament will only sit in September, more than two months away, to give the government a chance to catch up on the vaccination programme and, perhaps more importantly, give Muhyiddin time to crunch the numbers to stay in power.




https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/malaysia-covid-19-parliament-convene-before-aug-1-takiyuddin-15139722

Other than Muhyiddin and his allies, everyone wants Parliament to sit as soon as possible and for the emergency to be lifted as planned on Aug 1.

Malaysians have been incredibly unhappy with the performance of the government towards mitigating COVID-19, the vaccination rollout and shutdown of the economy. Many are wav-ing the white flag in a #BenderaPutih movement to seek help. For Muhyiddin, there is the added pressure of UMNO, the most powerful party in the ruling coalition, wanting to pull out of the government to force a general election.

People are saying the political pressure became so overwhelming, it led Muhyiddin to check himself into a hospital on Jun 30. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/pm-muhyiddin-malaysia-who-re-place-bersatu-zahid-najib-anwar-15158310

Condoms, vaccines and sport: Tokyo Olym-pics sending mixed messages about corona-virus safety

• How well are the Games prepared for a virus crisis when there is still an out-break in Japan, the vaccination rates are low and athletes are asked to socially distance?

• The rules about what sportspersons and officials can and can’t do at the Olympics to limit the spread of Covid-19 are constantly being revised

Maximilian de Courten and Hans Westerbeek

Published: 11:13am, 6 Jul, 2021

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/malaysia-fly-white-flag-call-for-help-covid-19-lockdown-15138100

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/malaysia-pm-stable-condition-to-be-discharged-hospital-15153142



https://www.scmp.com/author/maximilian-de-courten

https://www.scmp.com/author/hans-westerbeek

The Tokyo Olympics are less than three weeks away. And the pressure is on for the Inter-

national Olympic Committee (IOC).Japan

was just coming out of its fourth Covid-19 wave with about 1,400 new cases every day, but

numbers are now rising again. This could turn into a fifth wave.

Despite this, the games will go ahead. There will be limited numbers of local spectators al-

lowed in venues filled up to 50 per cent capacity. This means 10,000 spectators wearing

masks at all times and who are not allow to shout or cheer.

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3139962/condoms-vaccines-and-sport-tokyo-olympics-sending-

mixed-messages

https://www.scmp.com/tokyo-olympics


