Siberian war games send a signal to the West

[The Russians claim almost 300,000 personnel will be participating in Vostok-18]( Aug. 31, 2018 Russia says it’s planning to stage an exercise next month and claims that almost 300,000 personnel will be participating in Vostok-18. If that many men and women really are deployed, [Vostok-18 will be one of the biggest military exercises in history.]( Also, on Aug. 4, in front of the National Rifle Association Headquarters in Virginia, [Shaheera Jalil Albasit addressed dozens of protesters](, many of whom have lost family or friends in school shootings. She clutched a photo of her cousin, who was one of the eight students murdered at a Texas school. And a solid white mass found in a broken jar in an Ancient Egyptian tomb has turned out to be [the world’s oldest example of solid cheese](. It fits into archaeology’s growing understanding of the importance of dairy to the development of the human diet in Europe. — Anna Pratt, The Scan editor [No Images? Click here.]( [Siberian war games send a signal to the West]( [Siberian war games send a signal to the West]( The 1984 Operation Lionheart involved 131,565 British and allied troops. The Russians claim almost 300,000 personnel will be participating in Vostok-18 beginning on Sept. 11. [Siberian war games send a signal to the West]( [Siberian war games send a signal to the West]( The 1984 Operation Lionheart involved 131,565 British and allied troops. The Russians claim almost 300,000 personnel will be participating in Vostok-18 beginning on Sept. 11. [The surprising role cheese played in human evolution]( [The surprising role cheese played in human evolution]( Humans have consumed dairy for thousands of years. Now we're learning more about the importance of dairy to the development of the human diet in Europe. [The surprising role cheese played in human evolution]( [The surprising role cheese played in human evolution]( Humans have consumed dairy for thousands of years. Now we're learning more about the importance of dairy to the development of the human diet in Europe. [Ugandans protest after detained lawmakers are barred from travel abroad]( [Ugandans protest after detained lawmakers are barred from travel abroad]( The lawmakers, Robert Kyagulanyi and Francis Zaake, say they were tortured by security forces while in detention in August. The case led to protests against President Yoweri Museveni. [In China's hinterlands, hopes that trail runners will boost business prospects]( [In China's hinterlands, hopes that trail runners will boost business prospects]( Longyangxia, a sleepy waterfront town of about 3,000 people, has in the last decade poured more than 1.6 billion yuan ($233 million), much of it from private investment, into bike tracks, scenic areas and refurbished hotels in an attempt to lure sporty travelers. b Hey, Scan reader… PRI takes a global approach to the news of the day. We help you understand how what happens around the world matters in Washington and in your neighborhood. Today more than ever, we need conversations, perspectives and diverse voices. [Donate Today >]( Enjoying The Scan? Forward it to a friend! And if you’re not getting it daily, it’s easy to subscribe. [Sign up here](. We also love feedback, so please [tell us how we’re doing](. Today’s newsletter was written by Anna Pratt. Find her on Twitter: [@annapratt](. [Press release]( [PRI Facebook]( [PRI Twitter]( [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( The Scan is brought to you by [GlobalPost]( and [PRI - Public Radio International](.