USA army Tests New High-Velocity Cannon on USS Zumwalt, World’s Largest Destroyer

After years of being defenseless, the US Navy’s futuristic USS Zumwalt destroyer has test-fired its new high-velocity gun off the California coast.
The US Pacific Fleet announced on Wednesday the Zumwalt had “successfully executed a ‘structural test fire’ of the Mark 46 MOD 2 Gun Weapon System,” a 30-millimeter high-velocity cannon derived from the Mark 42 Bushmaster gun used in the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The system was also previously installed on the San Antonio-class amphibious landing dock, as well as the Littoral Combat Ship .
The test is part of a systematic shakedown of the ship’s systems designed to discover how firing and operating different systems affects the ship in terms of vibration, damage caused by operation or other hazards to the warship and its crew.
“The privilege of being a ‘first-in-class’ ship includes having the opportunity to systematically conduct testing across the breadth of systems installed onboard the ship,” Capt. Andrew Carlson, the Zumwalt’s commanding officer, said in the news release. “The real plus is conducting those tests, such as today’s live fire with the Mark 46 GWS, which provide tangible evidence of combat capability maturation.”
At nearly 16,000 tons of displacement, the USS Zumwalt is the world’s largest destroyer, outpacing the slightly smaller Type 055 destroyer Nanchang , built by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy.
Although the Zumwalt was commissioned in 2016, only now has it gained working weapons. The warship was initially designed around a pair of massive 155-millimeter rapid-fire cannons that would have given it the firepower of 16 land-based howitzer guns. However, as the cost ballooned to extraordinary heights, the Zumwalt was reimagined and rebuilt as a standard guided missile destroyer. Sputnik reported in late March that the ship’s combat system would soon be installed.
“Today’s event is the first in a chapter of live fire test events over the next year that will prove the lethal capability that these ships will bring to the fight,” Lt. Cmdr. Tim Kubisak, Zumwalt test officer, Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems, said in the statement.

A new drug that has shown its effectiveness at combating COVID-19, which is being produced as a joint venture between the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and the ChemRar Group, will be called Avifavir.

According to the organization, Avifavir is currently undergoing clinical trials and early results are promising. The RDIF stated that it is the first Russian antiviral drug that has shown its effectiveness in clinical trials.
"Avifavir shows better results compared to other drugs that are currently being tested in Russia and abroad. RDIF and ChemRar are cooperating with both leading medical institutions and state regulatory bodies. We look forward to receiving approval for the production of Avifavir in the near future," RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev said in the statement.
On Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Health gave the green light to begin trials of Avifavir on 330 patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, the RDIF stated.
In the first stage of trials , no side-effects were observed and the efficacy rate was over 80 percent.
The treatment, which was previously called favipiravir, disrupts the reproduction mechanisms of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Behemoths a US tech company is Reportedly Cooperating With Chinese Surveillance Firms

In October 2019, Washington put several Chinese artificial intelligence firms on its Entity List in order to restrict their access to US technology, the same blacklist the Chinese firm Huawei is on.
CNBC has cited a Top10VPN report as saying Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are among a spate of US companies that have been named as firms providing "essential web services that power" the websites of Chinese surveillance companies accused of human rights abuses.
Top10VPN is a website that reviews virtual private network (VPN) services and deals with privacy-related issues.
Simon Migliano, head of research at Top10VPN, was quoted by CNBC as saying that "through providing essential web services to these controversial companies, US firms are playing a part in the proliferation of highly invasive surveillance products that have the potential to undermine human rights around the world".
He claimed that "despite the Trump administration's efforts to decouple the American and Chinese technology sectors, the continued presence of American companies in more discreet settings shows that cooperation between the two remains".
Top10VPN specifically singled out Amazon and Google which were allegedly providing web services to Dahua Technology and Hikvision, while Microsoft’s services were reportedly being used by the Chinese artificial intelligence start-ups SenseTime and Megvii.
Additionally, the Top10VPN report mentioned Twitter and Facebook as companies ostensibly providing content delivery network services to the Chinese company Hikvision.
All the US companies singled out in the document have declined to comment on the matter.
The report comes after these Chinese surveillance firms were blacklisted by the White House in October 2019 for alleged human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region . In an August 2018 report, UN experts on the elimination of racial discrimination said that up to 1 million ethnic Uighurs are thought to be detained in so-called re-education camps.
Beijing has repeatedly denied the existence of such camps, claiming that the unsubstantiated accusations are connected to what it insists are vocational colleges set up as part of counter-terrorist efforts in the region.
The Chinese artificial intelligence companies were put on the same blacklist as Huawei, a crackdown that was unleashed by Washington against China's tech giant in May 2019.
At the time, the US Department of Commerce has prohibited internet providers from using the company's products and American tech companies from selling technologies to the Chinese tech titan without obtaining a special license first.
The White House claims that the company is collaborating with the Chinese government to allow it to spy on those who use the firm's equipment, allegations that have been rejected by both Beijing and Huawei.

Days of mourning in Beni city after massacres by ADF

The strong forces of the Bambuka-kisiki group, in the territory of Beni (North Kivu), have just commenced secrete a series of days of mourning this Saturday, May 22, 2020.
The decision is following the rise of growing insecurity in this part of Beni territory, characterized by attacks by the ADF rebels in the country.
Congratulations Muhindo Vukulu, president of the forces in this part, says that these days will be an opportunity for the population to bury all the last victims of the barbarism last week.
He calls on the whole population to respect this measure to foster and honor the memories of the famous missing.
" From this Saturday we will celebrate a series of days of mourning, that is all the work is stopped in Eringeti, May-moya, Kokola, samboko-Tchanichani, and in the rest of the Bambuba-Kisiki group. This series will continue on Sunday so we can bury our brothers recently killed by ADF rebels. You know we are recording dead and even around the middle that proves that the enemy is surrounding us." told Laprunelle DRC Info, Bravo Muhindo Vukulu, before remembering that they also sent a letter to the different security authorities, including the territory admin and the military authorities.
In this letter, the strong forces call on the authorities to go to Eringeti to find out about the situation.
Bravo Muhindo Vukulu, says that during this meeting, civil society will be able to present the security plan of this party as it was done at the front with the former provincial governor and even former Operation Commander Good 1.

What will be more on vitali kamerhe's case on 25/05/2020

DRC has become a country without borders and may again transform into a battlefield of various armies!

Security remains a major challenge for President Félix Tshisekedi tshilombo. A year and a half after its inauguration, territorial integrity and, in turn, the sovereignty of the country are at risk. For reason, some neighbours are taking advantage of the disorganization of its power to make unwanted incursions into Congolese soil.
As if nothing happened, the the president seems more concerned about the management of his alliance with his predecessor Joseph Kabila than the country's management. A summary of the attacks carried out by foreign armed forces in the DRC since last January.
National MPs have asked several questions to the Minister of National Defence and former fighters, Aimé Ngoy I, including the allegations of foreign army incursions into Congolese territory. " In comparison to the Rwandan foray reported in North Kivu, the Minister said he does not have enough evidence to confirm this said National MP Juvenal Munubo, member of the defence and security committee at the assembly national of the DRC.
According to MP Juvenal Munubo, during the commemoration of the Rwandan genocide there were movements of troops from Rwanda to the common border and the minister announced the deployment of experts to check this out.On 13 April 2020, Rwandan military attacked the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR) in the villages of Marangara, Kanyeru and Kazaroho in of territory in North Kivu province. The information had been delivered by the Kivu Security Barometer in its monthly report. It had been denied by the Rwandan army but several sources confirmed it and said that during this clash, 105 houses were burned.
Nine days later, 17 people, including 12 Congolese Rangers, were killed in an ambush near Virunga Park HQ near Goma, North Kivu province. While the management of the park and Congolese security officials accused the FDLR-FOCA armed group "of being the author of this killing", the latter denied and rejected responsibility on the rwandan army.
On April 2020, 24, the civil society of the territory of Lukula announced the foray of more than a hundred army army soldiers into this part of the province of Kongo Central. Angolan soldiers reportedly justify their foray into Congolese territory to chase rebels from the Liberation Front of Cabinda enclave (FLEC), who would have their base in the DRC.
The Chief army still occupied Congolese communities
No longer than Wednesday, 20 May 2020, National MP Geneviève Inagosi Kasongo denounced the operations of the Central African army in Congolese territory to track down their rebels. complained to the Congolese authorities to allow regular troops from other countries to hunt down their rebels on Congolese soil, she sent a question to the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior, Security and Customary Affairs, Gilbert Kankonde.
" Our country is not a battlefield. If there is a fire power problem, at least use the diplomatic route because it is the neighbours we are required to live safely with ", said Geneviève Inagosi, after saying that " he There is the regular Central African army entering our country ".
Meanwhile, the Chief army still occupied Congolese communities in the provinces of Tanganyika and Haut-Katanga in the indifference of the Central Government, which does not consider a military option to remove it.
According to the minutes of the meeting of the Council of Ministers of 15 May 2020, " the armed forces of the DRC are on alert " and that " strong diplomatic contacts are privileged for the resolution of this dispute ".
Comment by an expert in geostrategic relations and international relations: "The DRC has become a country without borders since the inauguration of Félix Tshisekedi to the supreme judicial".
According to Juvenal Munubo, a member of Defense and Security Committee of the National Assembly of the DRC, the minister should respond on different sources of tension. Loved Ngoyi I promised to answer the different questions asked him by the national MPs.
" We did an in-depth review in a kind of constructive dialogue as recognized by the Minister himself, on several tensions in different provinces. We have identified Haut-Katanga, North Kivu, South-kivu, Ituri, Haut Uelé and Tanganyika. We talked about the issues of foreign and local armed groups said National MP, Juvenal Munubo.This, despite the fact that the current head of state has wasted millions of dollars last year for diplomatic trips that obviously did not bear the expected fruits.

military invasion in Tanganyika: civil society is unhappy of FARDC silence ,

The presence of the Zambian military in Congolese territory is increasingly worrying citizens near the border with the territory.
Today 22/05/2020,Some elements of the Zambian army have been deployed still in the areas already occupied. These military people have settled in three other villages.
According to Tanganyika civil society, people have no support. A situation that caused some people to take refuge in the forest.
" Yes, there are enough Congolese military, but they always say they are waiting for the word of order, they are waiting for negotiations and in the meantime it is the population who suffers [...]. The situation is catastrophic and you know we already are experiencing the flood situation ", said a member of civil society contacted

Volatile situation in the DRC: National Defense Minister audition by the National Assembly's Defense and Security Committee 22/05/2020

The National Assembly is waiting to act within the limits of its prerogatives to propose ways of exit to the great security discomfort in several provinces of the country.
To do this, the Defense and Security Committee gets the necessary information from the Minister of Defense before offering effective actions to the government.
This exchange concerns the volatile situation in Upper Katanga in North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri as well as in the provinces of Haut-Uélé and Tanganyika. The CODECO in Ituri goes after the harmless civilians killing hundreds of deaths, in the province of Tanganyika, the Zambian troops operate illegally in Congolese territory.
In Lubumbashi, urban crime has risen a notch. The proposals must be strong in such a way as to give Congolese security forces new strategies to end the ordeal imposed on Congolese citizens by armed groups:
" Hearing of the Minister of National Defence on: " The situation of insecurity and tensions in the provinces of Upper Katanga, North and South Kivu, Ituri, Haut-Uele and Tanganyika ". Proposals for action more effective @FARDC_ ' says Patrick Muyaya National Member of the Defense and Security Committee.
It should be noted that the same committee heard Wednesday the Minister of the Interior on the same issue.

Joseph kony's LRA is surfaces in systematic looting and kidnapping more than 50 people in Bondo .

At least fifty-five (55) people were victims of a Kidnapping during the multiple assaults of the Lord's Armed Forces Lord's resistance army, between 18 and 19 May, in the communities  of Baye, in the territory of Bondo in the province of Lower Uelé.
According to consistent sources mentioned by Radio Okapi, among the abducted persons include 20 women and 3 children.
In their assaults, rebels identified in the LRA group of Joseph Kony have systematically looted the property of the peaceful population, including food, cattle and others.
Contact, the local leader of Bili is in line with the news at UN Radio and calls for the strengthening of military teams.
" In the village of Baye, for example, as a Gulumbe group, the elements of the LRA killed a motorcycle-taxi driver and took his motorcycle away." he regrets.
However, Valentin Senga, governor of the province of Lower Uelé, says 5 people out of the hostages have already been released.
The boss of the lower-Uelé executive still calls on the central government to pay attention to this border part with the Central African Republic in order to ensure the security of its court.
Almost two years later, the LRA, an armed movement of rebel leader Joseph Kony, surfaced in this part of the DRC.
This Ugandan Rebels has been the perpetrators of several barbaric abuses in the Lower Uelé.

Self-proclaimed General Major Maheshe Simba Wa Nkutu, rebel leader of the Mai-Mai Mulangane forces for the defense of the people (FMMDP) handed 20weapons and hundreds of his soldiers to DRC government Wednesday, May 2020, 20 in the territory of Kabare in South Kivu.

In the presence of the provincial and custom authorities, he went with a hundred of his men and handed over 20 weapons and several ammunition.
According to local civil society, this rebel leader who was living in ore mining areas in Bunyakiri, Mulambula and in the plain of the Ruzizi, justifies his surrender by the concern of peace.
Self-proclaimed General Major Maheshe Simba says that he has decided to leave the bush in order to answer the call of the head of state Félix Tshisekedi.
" We dropped the weapons to choose the path of peace and respond to the call of the head of state. We call on other rebel groups to drop the weapons ", he said.
Lwabanji Lwasingabo, provincial minister in charge of interior and security, who participated in this surrender ceremony, confirms this information and says that the rebels who surrender choose the path to peace.
He says that the report of this surrender will be sent to the provincial governor before this rebel leader's next arrival in Bukavu.
It should be remembered that more than 30 Raiya Mutomboki also visited the territory headquaters of Kalehe in South Kivu in bid to drop down their weapons.