DTN News: China TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ China Kicks Off Unprecedented Military Exercise

DTN News: China TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ China Kicks Off Unprecedented Military Exercise

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) BEIJING, China - August 11, 2009: China's military on Aug. 11 launched its largest tactical military exercise, involving 50,000 heavily-armored troops in a long-distance deployment spanning thousands of kilometers, state press said. People's Liberation Army soldiers stand in formation during a military exercise in Beijing, China. China took foreign journalists on a tour of the People's Liberation Army division north of the capital, calling it a sign the world's largest army is improving its openness and transparency. The visit comes to marks the 82nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, which now has 2.3 million members. The live-fire maneuvers, dubbed "Stride-2009," will involve a division each from the Shenyang, Lanzhou, Jinan and Guangzhou regional military commands and will last for two months, Xinhua news agency said. "In the unprecedented exercise, one of the PLA's major objectives will be to improve its capacity of long-range projection," the report said, citing the general staff of the People's Liberation Army. "Unlike previous annual tactical exercises, the army divisions and their air units will be deployed in unfamiliar areas far from their garrison training bases by civilian rail and air transport." This means troops, tanks, vehicles and weapons systems from Shenyang in the northeast will be deployed to Lanzhou in the northwest, while similar exchanges will take place between Jinan in the east and Guangzhou in the south, it said. According to the People's Liberation Army Daily, the exercises will simulate Chinese victories in the war against Japan (1937-45) and victories against U.S. troops during the Korean War (1950-53). Following annual double-digit growth in defense spending over most of the last 20 years, China's rapidly modernizing military has kept pace with the nation's rising political and economic clout. The United States, Japan and their allies have repeatedly expressed concern about China's military build-up and what they see as a lack of transparency about the intent behind the expansion. With 2.3 million soldiers, the People's Liberation Army is the world's largest military.

DTN News: Yonex-Sunrise BWF World Championships 2009 ~ Early Exit For Lee Wan Wah-Choong Tan Fook In World Championship

DTN News: Yonex-Sunrise BWF World Championships 2009 ~ Early Exit For Lee Wan Wah-Choong Tan Fook In World Championship

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) HYDERABAD, India - August 11, 2009: Malaysia's veteran men's doubles pair Choong Tan Fook and Lee Wan Wah were shown an early exit by in the Yonex-Sunrise World Badminton Championship by American pair Howard Bach-Tony Gunawan here Tuesday.

The Americans, who won the 2005 world championship title, took the first game 15-21 but the seasoned Malaysian doubles pair clawed back to win the second 21-18 and force the match into a rubber.

In the deciding game the Malaysian pair, though trailing for most of the match, fought hard to draw level at 19-19 and 20-20 but eventually buckled under pressure to concede the match 21-23.

"They (Americans) played very well and we allowed them to pull away many times. Luck was on their side," Wan Wah told reporters after the match.

Meanwhile, Gunawan said the victory in the first match gave them the encouragement to fight the Malaysians.

"Winning the first game gave us confidence but we were slow in the second. It was a nervy ending but we were a little lucky too," said Gunawan.

Malaysia recorded another loss today when Goh Liu Ying/Chan Peng Soon lost tamely 16-21, 12-21 in the mixed doubles to China's Zheng Bo-Ma Jin pair.

Meanwhile, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) chief operating officer Thomas Lund told the media that the suspected coach (without naming the coach) attending the championship was still undergoing treatment and it is yet to confirm whether he was infected by the influenza A (H1N1).

"The coach is only receiving general treatment for flu like symptoms. So far there is no confirmed diagnosis and the presenting symptoms indicated that the likelihood of this being H1N1 is small," he said.

This morning a Malaysian doubles coach was admitted to the Chest Hospital in the city for treatment.

DTN News: Russia Shortlisted For Submarine Contract With Indonesia

DTN News: Russia Shortlisted For Submarine Contract With Indonesia

*Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti (NSI News Source Info) JAKARTA, Indonesia - August 11, 2009: Russia has been shortlisted for a $700 million contract to deliver two submarines to Indonesia, the Indonesian Navy commander said on Tuesday. Russia might soon sign its long delayed contracts with Venezuela and Indonesia, who intend to commission Project 636 diesel-electric submarines (three for Venezuela and two for Indonesia). Venezuela and other countries also plan to buy next generation Project 677 submarines in the future. "Of the four bidders for the submarines, Russia and South Korea have reached the final round, passing France and Germany," Admiral Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno said. Russia's bid is the Project 636 diesel-electric submarine (export agent Rosoboronexport) while South Korea's is the U-209 sub manufactured by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering under German license. "One of the principal conditions [of the contract] is, among other things, the transfer of technology," Purdijatno said. The successful bidder is expected to be named by the end of August. The Indonesian defense minister has said the submarines are to be delivered in 2011.

DTN News: Technology TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ Humvee Still Made In America

DTN News: Technology TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ Humvee Still Made In America

*Source: DTN News / Defense Media (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - August 11, 2009: The military’s High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, also known as a “HMMWV” or a “Humvee,” will continue to be made in the United States, by an American-owned company. The recent announcement that Detroit-based General Motors will sell their Hummer brand of vehicles to Chinese-based Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company, has no bearing on the U.S. military’s Humvee. “The Army’s Humvee and the civilian Hummer look similar and share a common appearance,” said spokesman Lt. Col. Martin Downie. “But the rights to produce those two different vehicles are no longer owned by the same company.” Humvee manufacturer AM General is an American company based in South Bend, Ind. The company produced the first 55,000 Humvees for the Army in 1985. The company continues today to produce the Humvee for the military. In the early 1990s, AM General began producing a civilian version of the Humvee, calling it a “Hummer.” But by the late 1990s, AM General had sold the Hummer name to General Motors. While GM will sell the Hummer nameplate to Sichuan Tengzhong, the military’s Humvee, its designs, unique performance capabilities and technologies will continue to be owned by, and the vehicle produced by, AM General.

DTN News: Yonex-Sunrise BWF World Championships 2009 ~ Taufik Hidayat Advances To 2nd Round At Badminton Worlds

DTN News: Yonex-Sunrise BWF World Championships 2009 ~ Taufik Hidayat Advances To 2nd Round At Badminton Worlds

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) HYDERABAD, India - August 11, 2009: Former world and Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat advanced to the second round at the badminton world championships with a 21-14, 21-14 win over Christian Boesiger of Switzerland on Tuesday. Indonesia's Taufik Hidayat plays a shot against Switzerland's Christian Boesiger during the World Badminton Championship in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009. The veteran Indonesian, who won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2005 world championships, needed only 27 minutes to sweep past Boesiger. Ninth-seeded Yu Hsing-Hseih of Taiwan struggled to a 21-14, 19-21, 24-22 win over local hope Arvind Bhat just over an hour. Japan's Kenichi Tago rallied for a 16-21, 21-14, 21-13 upset over seventh-seeded Joachim Persson of Denmark. Park Sung-hwan, the No. 8 seed from South Korea, needed 55 minutes to oust Steinar Klausen of Norway 19-21, 21-13, 21-18, while No. 16 Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand held off Lithuania's Kestutis Navickas 21-14, 14-21, 21-17. Top-seeded Lee Chong Wei and defending world and Olympic champion Lin Dan advanced on Monday. In women's singles, No. 9 Wang Chen of Hong Kong beat Taiwan's Chen Hsiao-huan 21-19, 21-10. No. 12 Hwang Hye-youn and No. 13 Pui Yin Yip also advanced.

DTN News: Yonex-Sunrise BWF World Championships 2009 ~ No threat To World Championships Says Cyberabad Police Commissioner

DTN News: Yonex-Sunrise BWF World Championships 2009 ~ No threat To World Championships Says Cyberabad Police Commissioner

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) HYDERABAD, India - August 11, 2009: Dismissing media reports, the Cyberabad police today said the BWF World Championships 2009, beginning here from August 10, was not targetted by terror elements to strike top international shuttlers gathered for the event. Cyberabad Police Commissioner S Prabhakara Reddy, acknowledged that federal authorities in Delhi had issued a general alert with regard to the upcoming Independence Day celebrations on August 15.

Police investigation and information, however, shows that there is no specific threat to the event hosted in Hyderabad.

The championships that will be held at the Gachibowli Indoor stadium has attracted nearly 330 players from 44 countries.

A section of the media reported that the could be a target for terrorists. But at a press conference in the Cyberabad Police Headquarters, Commissioner of Police Prabakhar Reddy dismissed the report and said that the rumour was not based on any credible information.

There is no specific threat to the World Championships, said Reddy.

Stressing that the security measures put in place were equivalent to the measures implemented for any top international events hosted in India, he said police is prepared for meet any eventualities.

Badminton World Federation(BWF) Secretary General Stuart Borrie welcomed the assurance from Police Commissioner and said the BWF was happy with the security measures put in place.

He said the BWF will continue to work closely with the various local authorities and has also hired a security consultant to coordinate security measures.

''The safety of the players and participants in the YONEX-SUNRISE BWF World championships is our main concern and we will work together with the police to ensure that it is achieved''said Mt Borrie.

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ Pakistan Police File FIR Against Former Military Ruler Pervez Musharraf

DTN News: Pakistan TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ Pakistan Police File FIR Against Former Military Ruler Pervez Musharraf

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - August 11, 2009: Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was on Tuesday booked for "illegally" detaining 60 judges after imposing emergency in 2007, an unprecedented move that could eventually land him in prison or force him to turn his current stay abroad into a permanent exile.

Interestingly, the development came on a day when Musharraf, who is in London on a long lecture tour of Europe, turned 66. The Islamabad police registered an FIR against the former President for illegal confinement of the country's top judges after the imposition of emergency on November 3, 2007.

The criminal case was registered by the Secretariat Police after District and Sessions Judge Akmal Raza on Monday asked it to register an FIR against Musharraf, two weeks after the apex court declared his move as "unconstitutional."

The court order was issued after lawyer Aslam Ghuman filed an application asking for a case to be registered against Musharraf.

This was the first time that a court had asked police to register a case against Musharraf. Several persons, including relatives of people detained by intelligence agencies, had earlier approached police for registering cases against Musharraf but officials had been reluctant to act.

In his application, Ghuman accused Musharraf of illegally detaining over 60 judges, including Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, after imposing emergency.

DTN News: Technology TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ First Wi-Fi Pacemaker In U.S. Gives Patient Freedom

DTN News: Technology TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ First Wi-Fi Pacemaker In U.S. Gives Patient Freedom

*Source: DTN News / Reuters By Ben Gruber

(NSI News Source Info) NEW YORK, USA - August 11, 2009: After relying on a pacemaker for 20 years, Carol Kasyjanski has become the first American recipient of a wireless pacemaker that allows her doctor to monitor her health from afar -- over the Internet. A woman is reflected in the heart monitor she is hooked up to in the emergency room at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston, Texas, July 27, 2009. REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi When Kasyjanski heads to St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn, New York, for a routine check-up, about 90 percent of the work has already been done because her doctor logged into his computer and learned most of what he needed to know about his patient. Three weeks ago Kasyjanski, 61, became the first person in the United States to be implanted with a pacemaker with a wireless home monitoring system that transmits critical information to her doctor via the Internet. Kasyjanski, who has suffered from a severe heart condition for more than 20 years, says the device has given her renewed confidence and a new lease of life, because if her pacemaker were to malfunction or stop working, only immediate action would save her life. "Years ago the problem was with my lead, it was nicked, and until I collapsed no one knew what the problem was, no tests would show what the problem was until I passed out," she told Reuters Television. Dr. Steven Greenberg, the director of St. Francis' Arrhythmia and Pacemaker Center, said the new technology helps him better treat his patients and will likely become the new standard in pacemakers. He said the server and the remote monitor communicate at least once a day to download all the relevant information and alert the doctor and patient if there is anything unusual. "If there is anything abnormal, and we have a very intricate system set up, it will literally call the physician responsible at two in the morning if need be," he said. The wireless pacemaker, made by St. Jude Medical Inc., received FDA approval in July. "It is a tremendous convenience for the patient from even interacting with a telephone to call the doctor," he said. "On a larger scale it enhances our ability to pick up and evaluate any problems with their pacemaker and certain other rhythm disorders that could be potentially dangerous or life threatening in ways we really could not do before." Kasyjanski, an account clerk, said it was frightening initially to be the first American patient to be implanted with the device but her fears have slowly been replaced by a sense of relief, knowing that her heart is under constant surveillance. "Deep down I feel like I have gotten another chance," she said. "Right now I feel like this is a new lease on life and I am here for my two children and my grandchildren and, God willing, I will be here for many more years to come." There are more than 3 million people internationally with pacemakers and 600,000 more are implanted each year. Greenberg said wireless technology was likely to become far more common in patient care, and give physicians time to focus more on their patients as opposed to routine tests. "In the future, these pacemakers may be placed not just for people with slow heartbeats. We may be monitoring high blood pressure, we may be measuring glucose, we may be monitoring heart failure," he said, "There are literally dozens of physiological parameters that now, with this wireless technology, we can leverage for the future of monitoring. So it is not just a rhythm monitor but a disease monitor."

DTN News: Thailand TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ Russian 'Merchant of Death' Set For Thai Hearing

DTN News: Thailand TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ Russian 'Merchant of Death' Set For Thai Hearing

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) BANGKOK, Thailand - August 11, 2009: Viktor Bout, the alleged Russian arms dealer dubbed the "Merchant of Death", is due Tuesday to hear the result of his drawn-out fight against extradition from Thailand to the United States. Surrounded by security guards, alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, center, is escorted to a criminal courtroom in Bangkok, Thailand Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009. A Thai court Tuesday rejected a U.S. request to extradite Bout dubbed the "Merchant of Death," dealing a setback to American efforts to try him on charges of plotting to supply arms to Colombian rebels. A Bangkok court is set to rule on a request from Washington to extradite the 42-year-old former Soviet air force pilot, who is said to have inspired the Hollywood film "Lord of War" starring Nicolas Cage. The burly, moustachioed Bout was arrested in a sting operation at a hotel in the Thai capital in March 2008 on charges that he peddled weapons, including to Al-Qaeda, that were used in some of the world's most violent conflicts. Bout, who has since been held at a maximum-security prison outside Bangkok, has denied the charges and insists that he ran a legitimate air cargo business. "I never supplied arms and especially never had any deal with Al-Qaeda," Bout, who speaks six languages and is known by eight different aliases, said in a rare prison interview with British television earlier this year. Bout was born in the Tajikistan capital Dushanbe in 1967 and studied several languages -- including English, French and Portuguese -- at Moscow's military institute for foreign languages before joining the Soviet air force. He has repeatedly denied suggestions that he was a former KGB agent, but the fall of the Soviet Union allowed Bout to buy weaponry, aircraft and helicopters at throwaway rates and supply them to conflict zones. The planes and helicopters as well as the crew manning them were hardy, low maintenance and above all very cheap. Former British foreign office minister Peter Hain dubbed him the "Merchant of Death" and rights watchdog Amnesty International has alleged that at one time he operated a fleet of more than 50 planes ferrying weapons around Africa. The British press has also linked him to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network and to Afghanistan's extremist Taliban movement. Bout is also suspected of smuggling arms to former Liberian president Charles Taylor, who was subject to an UN arms embargo. He was nabbed in a sting operation at a five-star Bangkok hotel after allegedly agreeing to supply surface-to-air missiles to US agents posing as guerrillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Bout faces life in prison if sent to the United States and convicted there on terrorism charges, including conspiracy to kill US officers or employees and conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile. Journalist Douglas Farah, who co-authored a book on Bout, has called him "a unique creature" born of the end of Communism and the rise of unbridled capitalism when the Berlin Wall came down in the early 1990s. "He saw ... abandoned aircraft on the runways from Moscow to Kiev, no longer able to fly because of lack of money for fuel or maintenance; huge stores of surplus weapons that were guarded by guards suddenly receiving little or no salary; and the booming demand for those weapons from traditional Soviet clients and newly emerging armed groups from Africa to the Philippines. "He simply wedded the three things, taking aircraft for almost nothing, filling them with cheaply purchased weapons from the arsenals, and flying them to clients who could pay," Farah said. Bout, also known as "Boris" and "Vadim Markovich Aminov" among several other pseudonyms, has kept a high profile since his arrest, aided by an impassioned appearance by his wife at an extradition hearing earlier this year. "He became a celebrity in a sense because of NGOs and UN reporting about him," Alex Vines, head of the Africa programme at Britain's Royal Institute of International Affairs, told AFP. "He became the brand name for sanction-busting, but there are plenty of others who can offer the same services. It contributed to his problems, that he was a brand to be recognized," he said.

DTN News: Philippines TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ Havoc Created By Typhoon

DTN News: Philippines TODAY August 11, 2009 ~ Havoc Created By Typhoon

*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media

(NSI News Source Info) MANILA, Philippines - August 11, 2009: Philippine coast guardsmen assist stranded residents as flooding continues for a second straight day Saturday Aug. 8, 2009, in Botolan, Zambales in northwestern Philippines. Stranded residents wait to be ferried by the Philippine Coast Guard rescuers to the other end of a highway partially destroyed due to continued flooding in Botolan town in northern Philippines August 8, 2009. Three French tourists and two guides on a trek to Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines drowned on Thursday when their car was swept away by a swollen river. Six other people were killed in flash floods and landslides in the main island of Luzon.

An earthen dike in the foothills of Mt. Pinatubo collapsed under heavy monsoon rains early Friday, flooding towns and villages west of Manila and leaving at least 12 dead, including three foreigners, officials said.