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☆ Spirits sales beat out beer and wine for second straight year, despite little growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Brandon Gomez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Matthew Horwood | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesThe spirits industry held its market share edge over beer and wine for the second straight year in 2023, even as it showed little growth, according to new data released Wednesday. U.S. spirits revenue grew only a modest 0.2% last year to $37.7 billion, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. annual economic report. Although the industry gained little total revenue, it outpaced beer and wine sales by 0.4% and 26.1%, respectively. "The phenomenal sales growth we saw during the pandemic was unprecedented and unpredictable but also unsustainable, and now, the spirits market is recalibrating." Tequila and mezcal, blended whiskey and American whiskey are among the fastest growing spirits categories by revenue.

Persons: Matthew Horwood, Chris Swonger, Swonger Organizations: Getty, U.S, Diageo, LVMH, Constellation Brands Locations: Cardiff, United Kingdom, U.S

☆ Sweden is exploring giving Ukraine its Gripens, fighters said to be by far the 'most suitable' of the available Western jets for battling Russia: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sweden is considering sending Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, according to a new report. Even if Stockholm agrees to send Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, because it would first take time to consider the transfer and then train Ukrainian pilots, the fighter jets likely wouldn't see combat experience until mid-2024 at the earliest, the report said. Advertisement Advertisement Watch: VIDEO: Why Russia's military is failing so far in UkraineA Saab JAS-39C Gripen at RAF Fairford during the Royal Military Air Tattoo on July 15, 2023. Saab JAS 39 Gripens taxi during the NATO exercise Loyal Arrow outside Lulea in northern Sweden on June 10, 2009. Although Sweden has poured cold water on the idea of sending Gripens to Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last month that his country's service members were already starting to test out the fighter jets.

Persons: Gripens, Sweden's, Saab JAS, Matthew Horwood, PATRICK TRAGARDH, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, there's Organizations: Gripen, Lawmakers, Service, Saab, RAF Fairford, Royal Military Air, Getty, Swedish Saab Gripen, Royal United Services Institute, Swedish Air Force, Ukrainian Air Force, NATO Locations: Sweden, Ukraine, Stockholm, Kyiv, Wall, Silicon, Europe, Russian, Swedish, Ukrainian, Lulea, AFP, NATO, Czech Republic

☆ Ukrainian pilots are finally learning to use F-16s, and NATO training plans have said they could be taught to fly other fighter jets too
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

NATO and European countries have started training Ukrainians on advanced F-16 fighter jets. The months-long program intends to cover language training, flight training, and conversion to the F-16 platform, according to an undated copy of the F-16 training concept that Insider obtained from the Danish defense ministry. The document also hints that Ukraine might get its hands on other fighter jets at some point. It's not immediately clear which fighter aircraft the statement is referencing, but one aircraft that the Ukrainians have been eyeing is Sweden's JAS 39 Gripen. However, the jet is operated by just six countries — only two of which support Ukraine with military aid (Sweden and the Czech Republic) — and has not yet seen combat experience.

Persons: Netherlands —, It's, JAS, Saab JAS, Matthew Horwood, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy, Petr Josek PJ, AA Zelenskyy Organizations: Service, Kyiv, NATO, Saab, RAF Fairford, Royal Military Air, Getty, Gripen, REUTERS, AA, Pentagon Locations: Wall, Silicon, Kyiv, Denmark, Netherlands, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Sweden, Czech Republic, NATO, Stockholm, Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, United Kingdom, Prague, Europe

☆ The Ukrainians are begging Western countries for F-16s, but they've also got their eyes on an often overlooked Swedish jet
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Ukraine has repeatedly asked Western countries to give it F-16 fighter jets to take on Russia. To better fight the air war and support its ground forces, Ukraine has repeatedly asked Western countries for F-16 fighter jets, and those countries are moving toward supplying them. Matthew Horwood/Getty ImagesThe Gripen is well regarded by experts and may be uniquely suited for the war in Ukraine. That'll be great for future marketing of your aircraft,'" Alperovitch added. Of the six countries that fly the jet, only Sweden and the Czech Republic have backed Ukraine in the war.

Persons: Sweden's JAS, Dmitri Alperovitch, Alperovitch, Griffin, JAS, Matthew Horwood, Petr Josek PJ, That'll, Czech JAS, Mindy Bloem, John Kirby, Constantine Atlamazoglou Organizations: Gripen, Service, Royal Military Air, Getty, IRIS, Ukraine's Air Force, Strategic Services, Saab, REUTERS, AA, Russian Air Force, Kyiv, US Air National Guard / Tech, Gripen Es, Swedish Air Force, White House National Security Council, Fletcher School of Law, LinkedIn, Twitter Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Swedish, Wall, Silicon, Western, Kyiv, Prague, Sweden, Stockholm, Czech Republic, Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, Hungary, Czech, Poland, Slovakia

☆ Comparing an orca's brain to a human's explains why killer whales are the ocean's ultimate apex predator
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Emily Swaim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Orcas also have very wrinkly brains, which enables them to think and process information quickly. Orca and human brains are very similarHuman brains and orca brains have similar regions that make both animals highly sociable, empathetic, and intelligent. Joel W. Rogers/Getty ImagesAn orca's brain is five times larger than a human's, but it has many of the same structures that ours do. In fact, the paralimbic system in orca brains has much more intricate folding and detail than human brains do. Now imagine an orca's brain which is five times larger and has way more wrinkles.

Persons: Orcas, —, They've, Joel W, Lori Marino, Serge Melesan, orcas, Gerard Soury, It's, Marino, South Africa —, Matthew Horwood Organizations: Service, Rogers, The, Sanctuary, Orca Network Locations: South Africa

☆ Ukraine’s corn and wheat exports are set to plummet. Here’s what that means for the world's food supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Both Ukraine and Russia were among the world's top producers of commodities such as wheat and barley before the war broke out in February 2022. But the conflict saw the price of U.S. wheat and corn futures hit decade highs (with one benchmark wheat contract hitting an all-time high) and sparked volatility in global wheat prices throughout the year. 2023/24 Ukraine grains exports (corn + wheat) might be 27-30mmt, down 15-18mmt from 2021/22," he added. Global food tradeThe war in Ukraine has contributed to rising food prices, with inflation above 5% in more than 80% of low-income countries, according to World Bank figures. Climate change causing extreme weather is already damaging the food system, according to Alexander, a senior lecturer at Edinburgh University's Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems.

☆ What went wrong at Virgin Orbit? 4 red flags signaled trouble for Richard Branson's satellite launch firm.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit struggled to make a comeback after a failed launch in January. Unlike SpaceX, Virgin Orbit blasts its LauncherOne rocket into space with the help of a modified Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 called Cosmic Girl. This funding "was not enough to counter the strong headwinds and liquidity challenges Virgin Orbit continues to face," the spokesperson added. Ultimately, Virgin Orbit has been unable to reach the rate of launches needed to meet the required revenue, per CNBC. Funding issuesSince the failed UK launch, Virgin Orbit has attempted to rake in funding from investors, per reports.

☆ Virgin Orbit extends unpaid pause as Brown deal collapses, 'dynamic' talks continue
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Virgin Orbit launches its LauncherOne rocket from the spaceport in Cornwall, marking the first ever orbital launch from the UK. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)Virgin Orbit is again extending its unpaid pause in operations to continue pursuing a lifeline investment, CEO Dan Hart told employees in a company-wide email. But discussions between Virgin Orbit and the Texas-based investor stalled and broke down late last week, a person familiar told CNBC. Virgin Orbit was spun out of Branson's Virgin Galactic in 2017 and counts the billionaire as its largest stakeholder, with 75% ownership. Mubadala, the Emirati sovereign wealth fund, holds the second-largest stake in Virgin Orbit, at 18%.

☆ Need to return an Amazon purchase? The ecommerce giant has doubled its return options.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Dennis Green | Mary Meisenzahl | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Return to a UPS storeKen Wolter/ShutterstockYou can return an item to the UPS store without any packing or printing labels. Addresses in the US are eligible for free return shipping, Amazon says. Amazon generally recommends its drop-off options, but you may be required to ship returns yourself if the item is large or heavy. Drop off at Kohl'sBusiness Insider/Jessica TylerReturns at Kohl's work the same as they do at the UPS store. Return to a physical Amazon storeAP/Ted S. WarrenAmazon buyers can bring an unboxed item to return at physical Amazon stores for free using a QR code.

☆ Spaceport locals say rocket launch by billionaire Richard Branson boosted their farming community and put the area on the map
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Virgin Orbit's rocket broke down, but residents said the launch will put Cornwall on the map. Kate Duffy/InsiderSue and Paul Nuttall, who were looking to retire soon, told Insider that Virgin Orbit's launch was needed to put Cornwall, a farming county, on the map. Hosting Virgin Orbit's launch will hopefully keep children like Seth who are interested in space in Cornwall, Emma said. Virgin Orbit's mission was set to be the UK's first orbital space launch from UK soil. In a press conference on Sunday, Melissa Thorpe, head of Spaceport Cornwall, said she hopes residents feel proud of Cornwall "going to the stars."

☆ Virgin Orbit just launched a rocket that failed to reach orbit. Take a look at what happened.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

When the rocket is released from Cosmic Girl at an altitude of 35,000 feet, its engines are designed to accelerate it into orbit. But this didn't happen on Monday at Spaceport Cornwall in southern England. A general view of Cosmic Girl, a repurposed Boeing 747 aircraft carrying the LauncherOne rocket under its left wing, as final preparations are made at Cornwall Airport Newquay on January 9, 2023 in Newquay, United Kingdom. Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

☆ These are all the ways to return your Amazon purchases
▼ + stars: | 2019-05-25 | by ( Dennis Green | Mary Meisenzahl | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon offers multiple return options, with the choice to drop off or have a package picked up. Here are all the ways to return your Amazon order. Return to a UPS storeKen Wolter/ShutterstockYou can return an item to the UPS store without any packing or printing labels. Addresses in the US are eligible for free return shipping, Amazon says. Return to a physical Amazon storeAP/Ted S. WarrenAmazon buyers can bring an unboxed item to return at physical Amazon stores for free using a QR code.

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