Partial Media News & Editorials
Moscow, August 25 — Russian Federation gun maker Kalshnikov expected to bring out latest weapons to the Army-2016 international show early next month, reports TASS.
The newest sniper rifles SVK and VVS-338 are expected to be shown off. Also expected to be shown off new Lebedev 9x19mm handgun and newest model of upgraded assault rifles. In addition a selection of remote-controlled platforms inc. “drones and amphibious assault boats” continues TASS.
Read full article at TASS.
Sao Paulo, Brazil, August 25 — The first female president of Brazil to enter final phase of her impeachment. The entire Brazil Senate body is expected to hear testimony from defense and prosecution.
The suspended president is expected to answer to the Senate on August 29th. “She has been accused of borrowing money from state-owned banks to pay for social programs but not including these ‘loans’ in the federal accounting results.” reports RioTimesOnline.
Read the full article at RioTimesOnline.
Jarablus, Syria, August 25 — Turkish military forces sent another 10 battle tanks across the border to the Syrian border town of Jarablus. This is part of a US-led coalition to drive ISIS terrorist group out of the border zone.
Battle armor and support equipment already began moving across the border yesterday August 24 and this new build up will put substantial pressure on the ISIS forces in the region.
Read the full article at HurriyetDailyNews.
Istanbul, August 25 — Highly accomplished Turkish writer who was detained and jailed earlier this month during police raid on Ozgur Gundem newspaper for which she was a columnist reports being abused while in prison.
They are treating me in a way that will leave permanent damage on my body,
she told daily Cumhuriyet through her lawyer, Nesrullah Oğuz, — reports Hurriyetdailynews.
Several days ago on August 22nd Istanbul court issued arrest warrants for the Editor-in-Chief and managing editor of Ozgur Gundem newspaper on “charges of being members of a terrorist group”, reports Hurriyetdailynews (another article).
Istanbul classifies the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) as a terrorist organization and is banned. Looking over at Wikipedia description of PKK their history is very interesting and worth becoming familiar with.
NATO classifies PKK as a terrorist organization.
US State Department classifies PKK as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), click on the link to see the complete list.
Read full article about condition of Asli Erdogan at Hurriyetdailynews,
Read full article about further arrests of Ozgur Gundem newspaper members at Hurriyetdailynews,
Read about Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) on Wikipedia.
Beijing, August 25 — Within five years China is determined to improve the quality of consumer goods. The new guidelines for standards and quality for 2016-2020 has been approved by appropriate Chinese authorities, reports Xinhuanet.
By improving the consumer goods sector, we will force the upgrading of equipment manufacturing,
“By improving the consumer goods sector, we will force the upgrading of equipment manufacturing,” [Premier Li Keqiang] said (reported by Xinhuanet). Among other things safety of consumer goods has been emphasized as one of most important objectives.
Recall related event from history
As far as food safety is concerned some may recall from 2008 the infamous Chinese milk scandal in which several hundred thousand victims fell ill with six infants dead and thousands hospitalized from complications resulted from baby milk tainted with toxic melamine.
Later in 2009 Chinese court found two middlemen (people who bought milk from local farmers and sold it to dairies) guilty of the heinous crimes when investigators showed the two men diluting milk with water and then mixing with the toxic chemical melamine to cheat protein content tests. The two men were sentenced to death.
The third person a former head of Sanlu (the company) Tian Wenhua received a life sentence after admitting to known of awful quality problems the company was facing with its products and not informing authorities.
Why is this case important?
Most people around the world are at least once in their life become familiar with a knock-off product. Often times these knock-off products are purchased already assuming they are knock-off by price alone. Say a cheap USB cable.
This is a gamble because these cables tend to rip, tear and short-out within a much, much shorter use time over a brand-name cable. In more serious cases such products – bad USB cables in this example – can have bad internal wiring simply because the actual USB standards that government operational requirements for the cables are ignored and result in damaged electronics equipment and fires.
Read popularmechanics article discussing how Amazon is starting a war against knock-off USB cables.
But that is for cables and such “throw-away” goods. The issue comes up with consumable goods even more. It only takes one baby milk scandal to utterly extirpate entire product sector from international trade.
Read full article at Xinhuanet.
Read about the 2008 Chinese Baby Milk scandal at Time.
Read about the 2009 Chinese court conviction of scandal at TheGuardian.
Israel, August 24 — Israeli international aid organization IsraAid will be sending an assistance force to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to help in the aftermath of latest floodings.
The assistance group will be composed of eight people. They will be assisting local residents with a variety of tasks including “returning to their homes and collect[ing] personal effects, …” reports Ynetnews.
Read the full article at Ynetnews.
Straits of Hormuz, August 24 — US Navy posted a video showing USS Nitze (DDG-94) guided missile destroyer being approached by four Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) patrol boats in a threatening manner.
The destroyed shot warning flares and sounded warning horns. The patrol boats approached the ship “within 300 yards of the destroyer before slowing and breaking off their chase” reports USNI.
Read the full article at USNI.
Pyongyang, August 24 (25 local) — North Korean leader Kim John Un successfully test-fires ballistic missile “Pukguksong” from a strategic submarine from high depth.
The SLBM’s (submarine-launched ballistic missile) has successfully satisfied all operational parameters according to KCNA.
The SLBM test-fire was successfully carried out without any adverse impact on neighboring countries.
KCNA continues to report “the SLBM test-fire was successfully carried out without any adverse impact on neighboring countries”.
Interestingly “Japan condemns North Korea’s submarine missile launch as ‘unforgivable‘”, reports TheGuardian.
Read the full story at KCNA (North Korean state operated news agency).
Read the full story about Japan reaction to NK SLBM launch at TheGuardian.
Central Italy, August 24 — The 6.2 magnitude earthquake registered in Italy early Wednesday in city of Norcia at deapth of 10km. The later aftershock registered 5.2 magnitude.
Current dead are at 120 with additional wounded possibly in hundreds. Many people still trapped under rubble. The situation is ongoing.
Our hearts and prayers with the victims.
Read full story at TheLOCAL
Turkey, August 23 — Islamic State war in Syria is spilling into Turkey. During fighting in Syrian town of Jarablus two shells have managed to hit a nearby town of Karkamis in Turkey.
Local police advising residents to move out of the city for safety. Turkish military forces are amassing on the border for a possible preparation for an offensive operation.
“We do not want Daesh to exist in Iraq and Syria,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. [Daesh is another name for ISIS/ISIL]. Pledging additional aid and support to get the ISIS out of the region, reports DW.com.
Read the full article at DW.