Archive for August 2021
[ The Drive ] Russian Nuclear Submarine Broke Down In Danish Waters
The Russian Oscar-II class nuclear guided-missile submarine Orel had an unknown problem with its propulsion system on July 30 while transiting Danish waters in the Baltic Sea near Denmark’s second-largest city Aarhus, prompting the Russian Navy to prepare to tow the submarine before it eventually resumed operation. In a Facebook post, the Danish Navy’s Third Squadron wrote that this particular escort “will…
Read More[ National Interest ] India Proves Critics Wrong on Kashmir
Thursday marks the second anniversary since India’s President Ram Nath Kovind revoked Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of India’s constitution. In effect, the move ended Kashmir’s autonomy and turned Kashmir into a union territory equal in status to Delhi or the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Diplomats may have condemned the change to the status quo but, as legal specialist Kelly Buchanan noted for the nonpartisan Library of Congress noted,…
Read More[ CNN Philippines ] Duterte admits US vaccine donations persuaded him to cancel VFA termination
https://www.cnn.ph/news/2021/8/3/Duterte-US-vaccine-donations-cancelation-of-VFA-termination.html President Rodrigo Duterte revealed on Monday that COVID-19 vaccine donations from the United States played a role in his decision to recall the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement. “Give and take lang tayo, so pasalamat tayo sa kanila at may naibigay naman ako sa kanila na (we thank them, and I also gave them a) concession,”…
Read More[ The Jerusalem Strategic Tribute ] Can America Regain Global Leadership? A View From Singapore
Can America regain global leadership? The question reflects the shock and dismay with which foreign policy establishments in North America and Europe greeted and viewed Donald Trump’s election as the 45th president of the United States. They came to regard what Trump said and did in office between 2017 and 2021 as a repudiation of…
Read More[ The Guardian ] Taliban on brink of taking key Afghan city as residents told to flee
Taliban fighters appeared to be on the brink of overrunning the key Afghan provincial capital of Lashkar Gah, as officials confirmed all but one district of the city was under the hardline Islamists’ control and residents were ordered to evacuate. Majid Akhund, the deputy chairman of the Helmand provincial council, said the Taliban had taken…
Read More[ Reuters ] U.S., Britain believe Iran attacked Israeli-managed tanker off Oman
“Upon review of the available information, we are confident that Iran conducted this attack, which killed two innocent people, using one-way explosive UAVs,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, adding there was “no justification” for the attack. “We are working with our partners to consider our next steps and consulting with…
Read More[ Dawn ] Pakistan Cabinet gives the green light to cyber security policy
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved the National Cyber Security Policy 2021 that allows establishment of a national cyber security response framework as the government constituted the Cyber Governance Policy Committee to implement the policy. As per the policy, a cyberattack on any institution of Pakistan will be considered an act of aggression against…
Read More[ Reuters ] Myanmar shadow government condemns army ruler for taking PM role
Members of a shadow government set up by opponents of Myanmar’s coup condemned on Monday the country’s military ruler for taking on the role of prime minister in a caretaker government and said the move was designed to try to win legitimacy. “The transition from a military council to a caretaker government is a reflection…
Read More[ The Irrawaddy ] COVID-19 Rips Through Myanmar Military: Soldiers
The State Administrative Council (SAC), the governing body of the military regime, has imposed a news blackout on COVID-19 deaths in the military, despite widespread infections. The infected junior personnel and their families do not receive treatment at military hospitals until their conditions are serious. Until then they are ordered to isolate in their accommodation,…
Read MoreCopying the 2014 Thailand coup d’etat, Myanmar military coup leader, Min Aung Hlaing declares himself Prime Minister, reneging on his 1 year election promise
In a dramatic, yet unsurprising, turn of event, the Tatmadaw leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing declared himself the Prime Minister in a speech broadcasted on national tv on Sunday, reneging on his 1 year election promise – extending it by 2 years till August 2023. The State Aministration Council (SAC) will now be replaced…
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