MTQ News

  WNU Editor: A lot of updates on the Russia - Ukraine war from the Military Summary channel (see above). Alexander Mercouris and the Weeb Union give their analysis below.  from War News Updates https://ift.tt/yxHciJB via IFTTT

© Photo : Screenshot / Social Media   Sputnik: How Many Americans Were Killed in Ukrainian Conflict   Since the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict in February 2022, the Kiev regime has welcomed several thousand foreign mercenaries to fight alongside Ukrainian troops, with many of these 'hired guns' perishing on the battlefield.  While the material support the US and its NATO allies provide to Ukraine is openly discussed by Western politicians and media, the foreign militants who contribute to Kiev’s efforts on the battlefield don't seem to be getting as much spotlight, especially when these militants start coming back home in body bags.  In March 2022, Ukrainian officials boasted that about 20,000 foreign militants signed up to fight for Kiev, with over 3,000 applications allegedly being submitted by US citizens.   Read more ....   WNU editor: I suspect the number is greater than the list that Sputnik has provided in the above report. from W...

Galvion, a world leader in power and data management solutions, has announced the release of an upgraded version of their successful Mission Adaptive Charging Station, known as the MAX-8. The MAX-8 is a portable charging solution that reduces operational battery burden, allowing teams to do more with less. MAX-8 is currently used and trusted by troops around the world, including segments of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, NATO Forces, first responder teams, and commercial users. Read full news at this link... Galvion’s upgraded MAX-8 Mission Adaptive Charging Station (Picture source: Galvion) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/l9PYv37 via IFTTT

A virtual reality (VR) system that delivers combined arms training to the UK military has been praised by Royal Corps of Signals soldiers. Over 40 troops from Tidworth-based 207 Armoured Signal Squadron, 15 Signal Regiment recently test-drove the Interim Combined Arms Virtual Simulation (Deployable) (ICAVS (D)). Read full news at this link... Over 40 troops from Tidworth-based 207 Armoured Signal Squadron, 15 Signal Regiment recently test-drove the Interim Combined Arms Virtual Simulation (Deployable) (ICAVS (D)) (Picture source: British Army) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/I6nP70r via IFTTT

  ABC News : US announces historic $345 million military aid package for Taiwan   U.S. will provide weapons to Taiwan from existing military stockpiles. Brisbane, Australia -- The United States has announced a historic $345 million military aid package for Taiwan which for the first time will come from existing U.S. military stockpiles instead of purchases through the foreign military sales program, the White House announced Friday.  The announcement is a lesson learned from the U.S. military assistance to Ukraine where U.S.-made weapons are quickly getting to the battleground, but it will also likely rile China -- which considers Taiwan to be a breakaway province.  The Pentagon has signaled for much of the year that it intended to prepare such a passage after Congress authorized $1 billion for military aid to be provided to Taiwan under what is known as a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA).  The $345 million aid package was announced by the White Hous...

  WNU Editor: A lot of updates on the Russia - Ukraine war from the Military Summary channel (see above). Alexander Mercouris and the New Atlas give their analysis below.  from War News Updates https://ift.tt/YKZDPm7 via IFTTT

Zero Hedge: Poverty In Europe   In 2022, 95.3 million people in the EU (22 percent of the population) were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, i.e. living in households facing at least one of the three risks of poverty and exclusion: income poverty, severe material and social deprivation and/or living in a household with very low work intensity (where adults work at less than 20 percent of their potential over one year).  As Statista's Anna Fleck reports, according to Eurostat data, this figure has remained relatively stable compared to the previous year (95.4 million in 2021, 22 percent of the population).  The proportion of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion varies markedly from one EU country to another.   Read more ....   WNU Editor: I would not be surprised if poverty in Europe will be greater for 2023. from War News Updates https://ift.tt/QudL4Ha via IFTTT

Congrats to Sam Bankman-Fried -- the Dem Party's second-largest donor (behind George Soros) -- on having his campaign finance fraud charges dropped by the Biden DOJ. Their hilarious claim is that they just couldn't proceed because the big, powerful Bahamas wouldn't let them. https://t.co/SSiOfaWg1M — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 27, 2023 WNU Editor: Why am I not surprised. from War News Updates https://ift.tt/DCEtAPW via IFTTT

FILE PHOTO: Russian conscripts called up for military service depart for garrisons from a recruitment centre in Simferopol, Crimea, April 25, 2023. REUTERS/Alexey Pavlishak/File Photo   Reuters: Russia Extends Conscription for Compulsory Military Service up to Age 30    (Reuters) -Russia's lower house of parliament voted on Tuesday to raise the maximum age at which men can be conscripted to 30 years from 27, increasing the number of young men liable for a year of compulsory military service at any one time.  Last year, Russia announced a plan to boost its professional and conscripted combat personnel by more than 30% to 1.5 million, an ambitious task made harder by its heavy but undisclosed casualties in Ukraine.  The new legislation, which comes into effect on Jan. 1, means men will be required to carry out a year of military service, or equivalent training during higher education, between the ages of 18 and 30, rather than 18 and 27 as now.   Read ...

ISTANBUL, TURKEY, July 30, 2023 - On the third day of the International Defense Exhibition (IDEF) 2023, renowned defense companies from around the globe showcased their latest military and security equipment across land, naval, and aerospace sectors. Notable among the displays were the exhibits by Turkish company Otokar and UAE-based International Armored Group (IAG). Read News IDEF 2023 at this link ... Discover the latest innovations and technologies of defense products at IDEF 2023, a defense exhibition in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Picture source Army Recognition) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/xGH0QRO via IFTTT

United States Cyber Command USCYBERCOM   New York Times: U.S. Hunts Chinese Malware That Could Disrupt American Military Operations   The Biden administration is hunting for malicious computer code it believes China has hidden deep inside the networks controlling power grids, communications systems and water supplies that feed military bases in the United States and around the world, according to American military, intelligence and national security officials.  The discovery of the malware has raised fears that Chinese hackers, probably working for the People’s Liberation Army, have inserted code designed to disrupt U.S. military operations in the event of a conflict, including if Beijing moves against Taiwan in coming years.   Read more ....   US Officials Search For Chinese Malware That Could Affect Military Operations   New York Times: US officials search for hidden Chinese malware that could affect military operations -- CNN   Biden...

Northrop Grumman capture   Warzone/The Drive: Northrop Grumman Bails On Next Generation Fighter Competition   Northrop Grumman has decided to focus on other opportunities, among them is the Navy’s own 6th generation fighter program.   Northrop Grumman has removed itself from the running, at least as a prime contractor, to design and build a new sixth-generation stealthy crewed combat jet under the U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. This is in line with a report last month that the field of NGAD combat jet competitors had shrunk from three to two, with the remaining pair widely believed to be Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The company has left open the possibility of joining another NGAD team led by a different prime contractor.  Kathy Warden, Northrop Grumman's CEO, spoke of her company's current strategy around the Air Force's multi-faceted NGAD program during an earning call earlier today. In May, the service announced it had formal...

  WNU Editor: WNU Editor: A lot of updates on the Russia - Ukraine war from the Military Summary channel (see above). Alexander Mercouris, Ween Union, and Defense Politics Asia give their analysis below.  Reports are now coming in that Russian military forces have succeeded in stopping and pushing back Ukraine's latest counteroffensive that many in the West were only saying yesterday was the offensive that would define the course of the war.  from War News Updates https://ift.tt/AniSEgw via IFTTT

 Upgrading my computer right now. Blogging will return this evening. from War News Updates https://ift.tt/k0ew3UI via IFTTT

Ukrainian servicemen at a recaptured position near Klyshchiivka village, south of Bakhmut, Donetsk region on July 13, 2023. (Photo by Anatolii Stepanov / AFP)   Kyiv Post: ‘Every 100m Cost 4-5 Men’: Ukraine’s Frontline Fighters Report Bloody Battles, Battered Morale   Ukraine’s grinding offensive is slowly gaining ground at the price of a continuous flow of dead and wounded. Soldiers say they will fight on but morale is suffering with no quick end in sight.   Front-line Ukrainian soldiers told Kyiv Post their units are suffering from poor morale because of constant and accumulating losses, sometimes poor support and limited summer offensive ground gains against a tough and deeply dug-in Russian opponent.   Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) enlisted soldiers in individual interviews said slow, deliberate assault tactics currently used by Ukrainian military that have left individual fighters strongly suspecting they will be hit, and possibly killed, well before...

North Korean leader Kim Jong un shows off missiles to Russian defense minister, and more. Here's a look at the top 5⃣ stories of the day pic.twitter.com/mX5ODk6qTB — Reuters (@Reuters) July 27, 2023 Niger soldiers announce coup on national TV https://t.co/EMMVMvwYqH — BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) July 27, 2023 WATCH: Military leaders in Niger staged a coup against the nation’s democratically elected president. pic.twitter.com/qvmMSOzkBK — DW News (@dwnews) July 27, 2023 The Dow Jones Industrial Average was finally running out of steam on Thursday as investors cashed in following an historic streak of 13 straight gains. The Dow was lower 0.67% The S&P 500 slid 0.64% The Nasdaq was down 0.55% https://t.co/FOpu5UA2FF pic.twitter.com/s2JUCvAVQY — CNBC (@CNBC) July 27, 2023 The European Central Bank raised rates for a ninth straight time, increasing it by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.75%. That had been widely expected, and bank President Christine Lagar...

  WNU Editor: A lot of updates on the Russia - Ukraine war from the Military Summary channel (see above). Alexander Mercouris gives his analysis below.  from War News Updates https://ift.tt/DdUxGpk via IFTTT

 First showcased at IDEF 2023 in Istanbul, Uça is a strategic guided ammunition designed to be a potent offensive tool against enemy ships and submarines. Read full news at this link Uça air launched smart underwater mine at IDEF 2023.  (Picture source: Navy Recognition) Read more from World Defence News http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2023/07/idef-2023-mke-unveils-uca-air-launched.html via IFTTT

Welcome to Day 1 of our coverage at IDEF 2023 - the International Defense Exhibition in Istanbul, Türkiye. The International Defense Exhibition and Fair (IDEF), taking place this week in Istanbul, is providing a first look at the cutting-edge military technology that could define the future of warfare. The much-anticipated event is marked by the unveiling of innovative equipment and armored vehicles, including state-of-the-art unmanned ground vehicles, drones, and advanced weapons systems. Read News IDEF 2023 at this link ... Discover the latest innovations and technologies of defense products at IDEF 2023, a defense exhibition in Istanbul, Türkiye. (Picture source Army Recognition) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/S7qCK35 via IFTTT

 At the Defense Exhibition IDEF 2023, the Turkish company Aselsan is currently showcasing its state-of-the-art Göksur Air Defense Missile System. Read full news at this link Göksur Air Defense Missile System during IDEF at the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center.  (Picture source: Navy Recognition) Read more from World Defence News https://ift.tt/p6If2AP via IFTTT

U.S. Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell froze and appeared unwell while speaking at a press conference pic.twitter.com/FURwwSCdZm — BNO News (@BNONews) July 26, 2023 WNU Editor: That is what a seizure usually looks like. Most of the time it is far worse than just freezing. I am sure he is being checked right now.  Hat tip The Gateway Pundit .... Shocking Video: Mitch McConnell Stops Speaking, Freezes, During Senate Press Conference… Pulled Away From Podium. Update: Glen Greenwald's comment is spot on (see below). The top leadership of the US Government is extremely old -- they stay around forever, clinging to power as tightly as they can, petrified to give it up -- and so we have more and more upsetting scenes like this. Best wishes to Sen. McConnell's health, but this is gerontocracy. https://t.co/2lcGyif4Rt — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 26, 2023 from War News Updates https://ift.tt/3hsRTSI via IFTTT

 Sonitus, an innovative company specializing in marine technologies, has showcased their flagship underwater vehicle, the NARVAL 504-P, at the industry's premier event. Read full news at this link Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Narval 504-P. (Picture source: Navy Recognition) Read more from World Defence News https://ift.tt/tvBsIkh via IFTTT

  Daily Mail : Hunter Biden pleads NOT GUILTY to all charges and is STILL on the hook for deals with China and Ukraine after plea deal collapsed   * Hunter's court appearance spiraled into chaos after first plea deal fell apart  * U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika questioned the terms of the agreement  * New compromise hashed out means Hunter is still on the hook for more crimes  Hunter Biden has unexpectedly pleaded not guilty to tax and gun crimes after his 'sweetheart' plea deal collapsed in a sensational court hearing.  The scandal-hit first son is also still on the hook for any crimes linked to foreign deals with China and Ukraine after the judge dramatically rejected the first agreement that would have shielded him from future charges and seen him avoid jail.  Hunter had arrived at federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, expecting to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax charges and walk away with a slap on the wrist.   Read more ...

Tensions between the Russian and US militaries escalated on June 23, 2023, during an anti-ISIS mission in Syria, when a Russian fighter jet aggressively approached a US MQ-9 Reaper drone. The Russian fighter jet came within meters of the drone and dropped flares, severely damaging its propeller. And the Russians keep repeating their dangerous provocations of this type. Read full defense news at this link... A Russian fighter jet aggressively approached and damaged a US drone in Syria (Picture sources: US Air Force and OSINTdefender) Read more from World Defence News https://ift.tt/NjJDUKE via IFTTT

Saab has received an order from Poland’s Ministry of National Defence for two Saab 340 Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft. The order value is approximately SEK 600 million and the contract period is 2023-2025. Read full news at this link... Saab 340 AEW, together with associated ground equipment, provides a detailed situational picture that can be used for military and civilian tasks including air surveillance and rescue operations (Picture source: Saab) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/3wkma5U via IFTTT

Reuters: US military aid for Ukraine for first time includes Black Hornet spy drone   WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Department of Defense announced $400 million in additional security assistance for Ukraine on Tuesday, including air defense missiles, armored vehicles and small drones, as Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia grinds on.  The new aid package, which was first reported by Reuters, will include for the first time U.S. furnished Black Hornet surveillance drones made by Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies.  The Norwegian-built Hornet is being used in Ukraine through donations by the British and Norwegian governments, the company said. FLIR Unmanned Aerial Systems was awarded a $93 million contract in April to provide the small reconnaissance drones to the U.S. Army.   Read more ....   Update : US to provide tiny Black Hornet nano-drones to Ukraine in new aid package (Ukrainska Pravda)   WNU Editor : This is what the...

Sgt. Nicole Gee was one of the 13 Americans killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Her family, not the Pentagon, paid to move her to her final resting place. (Misty Fuoco)   FOX News: Family forced to pay to ship body of Marine killed after Pentagon policy change: 'Egregious injustice'   Nonprofit stepped in to pay $60,000 to move Sgt Nicole Gee's remains to Arlington National Cemetery   A Republican lawmaker is sounding the alarm after being notified that one of the 13 Gold Star families from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan was forced to pay to move the body of their loved one.  Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., who is an Army veteran, told Fox News Digital that during a meeting with the families of the "Fallen 13" last week, he was "enraged to learn that the Department of Defense had placed a heavy financial burden" on the family of Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, who were forced to find funding in the thousands to move her body to ...

Police officers escort US ex-marine Trevor Reed, charged with attacking police, into a courtroom prior to a hearing in Moscow on March 11, 2020. Alexander Nemenov/AFP   Messenger : Freed in Russia Prisoner Swap, US Marine Injured Fighting in Ukraine (Exclusive)   US officials are frustrated that Trevor Reed went to Ukraine after the efforts made to bring him home from Russia   A Marine veteran who was freed from Russia in a 2022 prisoner exchange has volunteered to fight for Ukraine and is now asking for U.S. government help after sustaining injuries on the battlefield, The Messenger has learned.  Trevor Reed was wounded after stepping on a landmine roughly two weeks ago, according to two U.S. military officials who were briefed on the events. Reed had spent more than two years in Russian custody before winning his freedom in April 2022.  The officials, who spoke under condition of anonymity due to Defense Department regulations, said they did not know th...

According to a report in Global Times by Liu Xuanzun, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted a cross-sea troop transport exercise using a large ferry ship. This exercise demonstrated the ship's potential significance in large-scale amphibious landing missions and has drawn attention from foreign media in connection to the Taiwan question. Read full news at this link... A combined arms brigade affiliated with the PLA 81st Group Army uses the Chinese Rejuvenation ferry to transport troops and vehicles, including Type 96 main battle tanks, in a military-civilian integrated, cross-sea troop maneuvering exercise in October 2021 (Picture source: screenshot from CCTV) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/WBCd5iQ via IFTTT

Allen-Vanguard, a global leader in providing customized solutions for defeating Radio Frequency (RF) based terrorist and extremist threats, was recently invited to speak on global developments in Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) at the 5th African Annual C-IED Conference held at the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC) Nairobi, Kenya. At the end of the event, Allen-Vanguard donated the training version of their Scorpion ECM manpacks to support future courses at the centre. Read full news at this link... Allen-Vanguard donate training Scorpion ECM to IPSTC (Picture source: Allen-Vanguard) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/tBw4ECf via IFTTT

SAS Technology, the leading Greek innovator in unmanned aerial vehicles, announces the completion of yet another milestone, as the UCAV Sarisa successfully completed the second 2.75'' aerial rocket fire testing. This milestone achievement solidifies SAS Technology's position as a trailblazer in the development of state-of-the-art weaponized Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Read full news at this link... The UCAV Sarisa successfully completed the second 2.75'' aerial rocket fire testing (Picture source: SAS Technology) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/Ku48DCi via IFTTT

UN Command and North Korea begin discussing the case of Travis King, the US soldier who crossed into the North Last week, tour operators begin flying home tourists as wildfires rage on the Greek island of Rhodes, and more. 5⃣ stories you need to know today pic.twitter.com/Yzmypj6SFl — Reuters (@Reuters) July 24, 2023 • Wildfires in Greece force evacuation of thousands • Spain's Conservatives win election but fall short of majority • Russia accuses Ukraine of launching a drone attack on Moscow Today's top stories in 1 minute: pic.twitter.com/WfOPxJ7KTN — DW News (@dwnews) July 24, 2023 Protests raged across Israel after the country’s parliament ratified the first bill of a judicial overhaul sought by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Bill limits the Supreme Court’s power to quash government decisions https://t.co/HQ1LmnlYbR pic.twitter.com/IjKHrsaMUJ — Reuters (@Reuters) July 24, 2023 "Shame! Shame! Shame!" The Israeli parliament has voted in f...

Reuters: Russia attacks Ukraine's vital Danube export route in widening strikes   KYIV (Reuters) -Russia destroyed Ukrainian grain warehouses on the Danube River and wounded seven people in a drone attack on Monday, expanding the target area of an air campaign it launched last week after pulling out of the Black Sea grain deal, Kyiv said.  The attacks last week mostly targeted the sea ports of Odesa but Monday's pre-dawn strikes hit infrastructure along the Danube, an alternative export route that is vital for Kyiv after the demise of the year-old deal allowing safe exports of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea.  "The Russian terrorists have again attacked the Odesa region overnight. Port infrastructure on the Danube river is the target this time," regional governor Oleh Kiper wrote on the Telegram messaging app.   Read more ....   WNU Editor: The Ukrainian port of Reni is only 200 meters across the river Danube from Romania. This attack has surprised ev...

According to customs records obtained by POLITICO, Russian buyers have declared orders for hundreds of thousands of bulletproof vests and helmets made by Shanghai H Win  Politico: China secretly sends enough gear to Russia to equip an army   Shipments of military-capable hardware expose a China-sized loophole in Western sanctions.   The pictures posted on the Chinese company’s website show a tall, Caucasian man with a crew cut and flattened nose inspecting body armor at its factory. “This spring, one of our customers came to our company to confirm the style and quantity of bulletproof vests, and carefully tested the quality of our vests,” Shanghai H Win, a manufacturer of military-grade protective gear, proudly reported on its website in March. The customer “immediately directly confirmed the order quantity of bulletproof vests and subsequent purchase intention.”  The identity of the smiling customer isn’t clear, but there’s a fair chance he was Russian: Acco...

The leader of a clearance team explains the operation as the Ukrainian army's 35th Marine Brigade members conduct mine clearance work at a field in Donetsk, Ukraine on July 11, 2023. Ercin Erturk/Anadolu Agency   Insider: An area of Ukraine approximately the size of Florida is now riddled with land mines, which could take hundreds of years to reverse: report   * Ukrainian troops face a perilous challenge in their continued fight against Russia — land mines.  * The mines have blighted an area of Ukraine roughly the size of Florida, per The Washington Post.  * Humanitarian clearance work, which is intricate and expensive, can take a long time to complete.  More than a year and half after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, land mines have become one of the most daunting issues for the Ukrainian counteroffensive.  With Russian forces having laid down mines across broad areas of Ukraine, it is now the most mined country in the world, and the mines — in addi...

Antiwar.com : Higher Military Spending Will Save Democracy   So says the "liberal" New York Times   Three days ago, I got a story in my New York Times email feed on “A Turning Point in Military Spending.” The article celebrated the greater willingness of NATO members as well as countries like Japan to spend more on military weaponry, which, according to the “liberal” NYT, will help to preserve democracy. Interestingly, even as NATO members have started to spend more, the Pentagon is still demanding yet higher budgets, abetted by Congress. I thought if NATO spent more, the USA could finally spend less?  No matter. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as the hyping of what used to be called the “Yellow Peril,” today read “China,” is ensuring record military spending in the USA as yearly Pentagon budgets approach $900 billion. That figure does not include the roughly $120 billion or more in aid already provided to Ukraine in its war with Russia. And since the Biden adm...

  Moscow Times: Russia Detains Former Separatist Ukraine Commander   Russian army veteran and ex-FSB officer Igor Girkin has been detained, his wife and the RBC business daily’s sources said Friday.  Girkin, who helped Moscow annex Crimea in 2014 and then organized pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, was detained by law enforcement officers around 11:30 a.m. Moscow time, his wife Miroslava Reginskaya said on his Telegram channel.  According to the RBC business daily, the detention came after a complaint from a former member of the Wagner mercenary outfit, which Girkin had criticized in the past.   Read more ....   WNU Editor : Russian army veteran and ex-FSB officer Igor Girkin mentioned a few months ago on his social media channel that if the Kremlin arrests him, it will be a sign that they are desperate.  Is the Kremlin desperate?  I do not think so. But the Kremlin is worried that many Russians are starting to believe that Putin...