VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Britain's BAE Systems (BAES.L), Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T), and Italy's Leonardo (LDOF.MI) have agreed the next steps to deliver the concept phase of a next-generation combat aircraft, BAE Systems said on Tuesday.

The three nations agreed in December 2022 to collaborate to build an advanced front-line fighter to enter service around the middle of the next decade.

The new Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) agreement will support discussions to set out working arrangements and capability requirements for the aircraft, BAE said.

Herman Claesen, BAE's GCAP leader, said a "high tempo of engagement with industrial and government partners in Italy and Japan" had been maintained since the launch of the programme.

The three nations will update on the project's progress at London's DSEI international arms fair this week, BAE said.

GCAP is expected to cost tens of billions of dollars but the parties have not yet finalised how the budget will be split.

Britain's defence ministry had committed 2 billion pounds to the project, formerly known as Tempest, before Japan and Italy joined. (Reuters)

The coming meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un could help reshape how the reclusive and distrustful North has dealt with its partners in Moscow and Beijing, analysts say.

When Kim visited Russia for the first time in 2019, his summit with Putin was almost an afterthought amid the flashier meetings with then-U.S. President Donald Trump and multiple visits to meet with North Korea's only treaty ally and main economic partner, China.

This year, Pyongyang's relations with Moscow are in the spotlight, with Kim choosing Russia - not China - as his first foreign visit since before the COVID-19 pandemic, raising the prospect that he may be looking to balance the two major powers on his borders against each other, analysts said.

It remains to be seen whether Putin and Kim agree on anything substantive such as an arms deal or economic aid, but their moves to repair ties may have implications for the war in Ukraine, tensions with South Korea and Japan, and the China-U.S. rivalry.

“North Korea has basically been on its own, without any true allies,” said Artyom Lukin of Russia's Far Eastern Federal University. “Now North Korea needs allies in the full politico-military sense of the term.”

China will be Pyongyang's main ally and protector, but Russia will have a role too, he said.

“Unlike the China-North Korea alliance, the Russia-North Korea alliance will be that of equals,” he added.

Early in his rule, Kim's relations with Beijing and Moscow were chilly, with both countries joining international sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Since 2018, however, Kim has moved to repair ties and has capitalised on rivalries that have split China and Russia from the United States and others.

Pyongyang and Moscow have denied that North Korea would supply arms to Russia, but they have vowed to boost military ties, possibly including joint drills, and discussions may also include Russian humanitarian aid to the North.

Some analysts and Beijing-based diplomats say China may view Kim's decision to visit Russia in his first international trip in years as somewhat of a slight.

Kim visited Xi in Beijing in his first known foreign trip as leader in 2018, and they last met when Xi visited Pyongyang in 2019, just before the COVID pandemic erupted.

"If you are Xi Jinping, you have to wonder why Kim is visiting Vladivostok and not Beijing on the first trip outside North Korea since before the pandemic," said John Delury, a professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea.

"During the Cold War, Kim's grandfather (Kim Il Sung) subtly and effectively played on the vanities and anxieties of Beijing and Moscow, who were locked in a competition for dominance within the socialist bloc," he added. "In this new Cold War-ish environment, we should not dismiss the possibility that the Chinese are a bit miffed seeing Kim choose Putin over them."

China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the summit. Several Chinese academics asked to comment on the summit declined, saying the matter was too sensitive. The few reports in Chinese state media have referred only to official statements from Russia and North Korea on the meeting.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said he was unsurprised that Kim chose Russia as his first post-pandemic destination abroad given the North Korean leader's interest in exploiting "new Cold War" geopolitics.

Even so, tensions and distrust linger among North Korea, China, and Russia, and that may limit cooperation on things such as joint military drills or transferring sensitive military technology, he said.

"Putin is unlikely to provide Kim with technology to miniaturise nuclear devices or propel nuclear-powered submarines because even a desperate war machine does not trade its military crown jewels for old, dumb munitions," Easley said. "Trust is so low among Russia, North Korea, and China that a real alliance of the three isn’t credible or sustainable." (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - National Development Planning (Bappenas) Minister Suharso Monoarfa invited Indonesians to start adopting sustainable living to help achieve targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

According to the United Nations' Environment Programme (UNEP), people can adopt such a way of living by being aware that their lifestyle choices could impact the world while actively finding ways to help everyone live a better life.

"I believe we should start aligning our lifestyles with the sustainable development goals. We can start with ourselves before inviting other people, our families (to do the same)," he stated at a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Minister Monoarfa made the statement while attending the launch event of the Green Economy and Green Environment campaign that was held in collaboration with transportation company PT Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta.

As part of the world's population, Indonesians should partake in the collective efforts in saving the Earth from the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and loss of global biodiversity by preserving the environment in Indonesia, he emphasized.

He urged the people to actively reduce pollution and waste in their environments.

The minister reiterated that the COVID-19 pandemic had hindered several countries, including Indonesia, in their efforts to achieve the 169 targets encapsulated in the 17 SDGs. Hence, he pushed Indonesian people to invest even greater efforts to achieve the targets by 2030.

"We want to regain the pace and contribute to the global efforts in reaching the 17 goals," he affirmed.

As the national coordinator for SDGs, Bappenas launched the Green Economy and Green Environment campaign, with the aim of attracting more people to switch to means of public transport, such as MRT, so they can contribute actively to the efforts to realize SDGs.

To implement the campaign, Bappenas will display videos in several spots at MRT stations that invite people to use MRT as a contribution to reduce air pollution, especially in Jakarta.

"I am very happy that today, we initiated (the campaign) in MRT, an instrument of the government for reducing pollution and resolving traffic congestion issues in Jakarta," he remarked.

He then expressed hope that more people would opt for public transport as their main means of transportation.

"The government will continue to promote (the use of public transport) and make significant efforts to provide the people with better public transportation," the Bappenas head stated. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno expected that the 2023 World Tourism Network (Summit) would increase the number of international meeting, incentive, conference, and exhibition (MICE) activities held in Indonesia.

Bali Province will host the summit from September 28 to October 1 this year.

"We will continue to promote MICE activities (in Indonesia) through the (holding) of the World Tourism Network Summit. Hopefully, this summit will further boost Indonesia's appeal," he noted in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The minister expressed optimism that the event would facilitate domestic and international tourism players to collaborate through the establishment of cooperation commitments.

"The 2023 WTN Summit serves as an international forum that brings together tourism stakeholders to determine the direction of development of the tourism sector," he stated.

According to Uno, some 200-250 participants representing 133 member countries of the network, such as the United States, Jamaica, Canada, Montenegro, Malta, and Turkey, will take part in the 2023 WTN Summit.

He then invited the public to support the holding of the 2023 WTN Summit, as he considers the summit as another opportunity for Indonesia to host a grand MICE after the country's success in organizing the recent 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta and the World Islamic Entrepreneur Summit in Padang, West Sumatra.

The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is collaborating with several institutions, including the Bali Tourism Board, to hold the 2023 WTN Summit.

At the summit, participants will be able to join various activities, such as trade exhibitions, seminars, discussion forums, networking forums, investment forums, awarding event, delivery of a joint declaration, and a post tour program. (Antaranews)