749. Large Issue From Malawi Depicts Local Fish.

  The Malawi Post Facebook site now shows illustrations of the "Endemic fish of Malawi" set which was due to be issued on 6 April 2016 and which has certainly now been released. There are a number of  illustrations which suggests that Malawi Post is attempting to make up for not having issued any stamps during 2015. The centrepiece of the issue seems to be a sheetlet of 8 different stamps and then there are also 4 single-stamp miniature sheets plus one miniature sheet which contains 2 different stamps. There is an additional illustration of a K1 stamp contained in a resin or plastic paperweight but the extremely low face value of the stamp suggests that it is only sold as part of this Collectable rather than being issues as a true postage stamp. Interesting. Rating:- ***.

  An Post, the postal service of Ireland, will issue a single stamp on 23 June 2016 to commemorate the Centenary of the Battle of The Somme. The stamp was designed by Red And Grey Design and lithographed by Cartor, perforated 13 x 13.5. Rating:- ****.

  India Post issued a single stamp on 27 April 2016 to commemorate Govardhanram Triparthy, a novelist in the Gujarati language of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His most famous work is the 4 volume Saraswatichandra. Rating:- **

  In Blogs 424, 601 and 717 I have told the story of Iraq, a country whose early issues are included in catalogues of Commonwealth stamps, as reflected in its philatelic products. Currently the country is tied up in a war with the terrorist forces of the so-called "Islamic State" and stamp issues appear from time to time reflecting what is going on in that conflict. 

  The Iraqi postal service issued another interesting set of 2 stamps and 1 accompanying miniature sheet on 23 November 2015 which highlighted the appalling destruction of Iraqi antiquities by the thugs of the so-called Islamic State which is one regular aspect of the terror group's activities. The first day cover includes a spine-chilling illustration of 2 of the ISIS thugs dressed in black and holding sledge hammers, the tools for their destructive work. A very interesting and moving issue.

  Canada Post has now revealed 7 designs of its upcoming Star Trek set, one or 2 of the values emphasising the link between the television programme and Canada (see Blog 739). Of the 7 designs which have now been revealed one features James Doohan who played Scotty and who was born in Vancouver. The latest 2 stamps to be revealed feature a Klingon and a Kingon war spaceship. The issue will be released on 5 May 2016. Rating:- ****.

  It's hard to believe that Jersey Post has gone a whole 10 days without announcing a new stamp issue but things are now back to normal and this time collectors are being enticed to buy a new Post And Go issue unusually dispensed actually on Jersey itself from kiosk JE02 sited in the Broad Street Post Office.

  The latest gems take the form of the Jersey Crest labels with an added inscription which commemorates the Centenary of the inter-insular football competition between Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney and the award of the Muratti Vase to the victors. JE02 will dispense these desirable items in the form of "Collectors strips" from 14 May to 14 June 2016 at a price of £4.38p. Rating:- *.

  This week's products from the notorious Stamperija include items with the name of Sierra Leone printed on them - the usual "sheetlets", each containing 4 different "stamps", with 10 accompanying miniature sheets. Some of the products are truly dire and in shockingly bad taste. Worst of all is an appalling sub-set titled "Dogs and tanks of World War II" with one stamp and the accompanying miniature sheet featuring Nazi stormtroopers with their officer holding the lead of a slathering German shepherd dog. The item is a disgrace and if the Sierra Leone postal administration ever finds out what has been released with its name printed on it then it should immediately distance itself from such a shocking product and the agency that produced it.

  Rendering these items even more appalling is the fact that other products in this set commemorate worthy subjects including Pope Francis (and his visit to New York):-

  as well as items commemorating ostensibly the 120th birth anniversary of Otto Lillienthal, The outbreak of Zika virus, The 5th anniversary of the death of the film actress, Elizabeth Taylor, 75th anniversary of the death of Lord Baden Powell, Ice Hockey, Champions of the "Winter Games Sochi",  85th anniversary of the death of Thomas Edison and a "Tribute to Edgar Mitchell" (astronaut). The stated da te of all this stuff is 26 February 2016. I await a chance to see contemporary genuine mail from Sierra Leone with any of these items fixed to it. Rating:- 0.