Author: Defenceline Webdesk

Myanmar’s Readmission to ASEAN Summits Still ‘Far Off,’ Special Envoy Says – The Diplomat

Indo-Pacific

The return of Myanmar’s leaders to top meetings of the Association of Southeast ​Asian Nations (ASEAN) remains “far off,” the bloc’s special envoy said yesterday, despite the efforts of the country’s new military-backed civilian government to gain readmission. Speaking at a press conference after an ASEAN meeting in Manila, Reuters reported, Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said that Myanmar’s compliance with ASEAN’s ​Five-Point Consensus plan for resolving the conflict was still ​being assessed. “It’s still far off,” said ​Lazaro, who is serving as ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar this year, while the Philippines holds the bloc’s rotating chairmanship. “There…

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Jakarta, the Sinking Metropolis Where Millions Still Struggle to Access Piped Water – The Diplomat

Indo-Pacific

The blue water tanker rumbles into the narrow lanes of Muara Angke, a fishing community on Jakarta’s northern coast, every few days. Within minutes, residents emerge carrying hoses and plastic containers. Some connect pipes snaking through the densely packed community. Others wait with buckets. For families here, in one of the poorest neighborhoods in the world’s most populous metropolis, the truck delivers something millions of people in Indonesia’s capital still cannot rely on: clean water. “When the deliveries stop, life quickly becomes impossible,” said Ellah, who runs a small neighborhood water kiosk. “For seven days,” she recalled of one such…

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Lockheed Martin, Leonardo to explore C-130J MRO centre in Italy

Military & Technology

Officials at the signing of the agreement. Credit: Leonardo S.p.A. Lockheed Martin and Leonardo have entered into an agreement to consider expanding maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa (MENA).  Under this agreement, Leonardo’s facilities could serve as an MRO centre for C-130J operators in the designated regions.   Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more Lockheed Martin will support Leonardo with technical assistance, equipment, and training to develop additional capabilities…

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The German navy can’t get enough P-8 patrol aircraft

Geopolitics

FARNBOROUGH, England—The German navy is buying eight submarine-hunting P-8A aircraft, but it would welcome more, said the nation’s head of naval air warfare. “No, eight is not enough. Give me 10, and I will say I need more. And give me 12, I will say give me more,” Capt. Broder Nielsen, the commanding officer of Germany’s naval air command told reporters Wednesday at the Farnborough International Airshow. NATO countries are working to bolster their anti-submarine capabilities to protect against Russian activity in the region, including attacks on undersea cables. Earlier this month, Denmark agreed to buy two Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft and…

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Hong Kong’s National Security Law Comes for the Bookstores – The Diplomat

Indo-Pacific

On July 15, the Hong Kong national security police raided two bookstores in Mong Kok: Have a Nice Stay (founded by former journalists) and Greenfield Bookstore. The police arrested five people on suspicion of selling seditious publications.  This falls into a larger pattern of national security operations against bookstores, with Book Punch and Hunter Bookstore being targeted in March and June, respectively. Book Punch and Hunter are well-known and established bookstores within Hong Kong, and the government cracking down on them sends a signal to all independently operated bookstores and civic spaces.  These raids represent a qualitative shift in the…

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