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☆ Virtually every orca in an endangered North American group is suffering from mysterious skin lesions, say scientists
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

There has been an increase in skin disease in Pacfic north-west killer whales, a new study found. There is a possible connection between the skin lesions and the declining condition of the orcas. The study found that 99% of the animals examined exhibited the skin disease. Southern Resident killer whale showing gray targets in saddle patch on October 18, 2014. This comes during a growing interest in orcas after increasing killer whale boat interactions in other waters.

Persons: —, Joe Gaydos, UC Davis, Joseph K Gaydos Organizations: Service, Privacy, PLOS ONE, UC, Center for Whale Research Locations: Pacfic, orcas, Southern, British Columbia, Washington

☆ Berlin plans to spend 8 billion euros in package for 60 Boeing Chinook helicopters
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BERLIN, June 23 (Reuters) - Germany aims to purchase 60 Chinook helicopters from Boeing (BA.N) in a package that would cost up to 8 billion euros ($8.71 billion), including necessary infrastructure for the aircraft, a parliamentary source told Reuters on Friday. The sum includes the procurement of the CH-47 heavy-lift helicopters for 6.27 billion euros, 700 million euros for service, 240 million euros for national contracts and 750 million euros for the infrastructure, the source said, confirming reports by other media. Germany announced its intent to buy 60 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from Boeing (BA.N) last year to replace its ageing CH-53 fleet. Originally, six billion euros had been budgeted for the helicopters. Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz shifted policy in February 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine, sharply increasing defense spending and committing 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Sabine Siebold, Maria Sheahan, Tom Sims Organizations: Boeing, Bundeswehr, Thomson Locations: BERLIN, Germany, Russia, Ukraine

☆ 4 US military helicopter crashes in recent months have killed 14 service members and injured nearly a couple dozen more
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A US military MH-47 Chinook crashed in Syria earlier this week, injuring 22 soldiers. It's the latest helicopter in a string of crashes during non-combat missions to result in casualties. Three other crashes involving US military aircraft this year have killed 14 troops. The Chinook accident followed several previous helicopter crashes earlier this year, which eventually forced the US Army to temporarily ground its aircraft except those participating in critical missions. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Idaho National GuardIn one mid-February incident, two Tennessee Army National Guard pilots were killed when their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed during a training flight in Alabama.

Persons: —, Sabrina Singh, Singh, James McConville, McConville Organizations: Service, Central Command, Pentagon, Defense, US Army, UH, Hawk, Guard, Tennessee Army National Guard, Tennessee's Department, Apache, CNN Locations: Syria, CENTCOM's, East, Central, South Asia, Alabama, Kentucky, Alaska

The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) closed 0.2% higher, with the DAX (.GDAXI) up 0.9%. Luxury majors LVMH (LVMH.PA) and Hermes (HRMS.PA) climbed 1.8% and 3%, respectively, further supporting the STOXX 600. Meetings of the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan are lined up for the week. The STOXX 600 started the year on a stronger footing compared to the S&P 500 index (.SPX) but lost steam during the second quarter due to a rise in preference for growth-oriented stocks as opposed to value stocks. Shares in SES tumbled 14.6% to the bottom of the STOXX 600 after the satellite company announced its chief executive Steve Collar would step down.

Persons: BOJ, Bernstein, DAX, Lionel Messi's, Hermes, Daniela Hathorn, Sergio Ermotti, he’s, Michael Hewson, Silvio Berlusconi, Steve Collar, Shreyashi Sanyal, Bansari, Eileen Soreng Organizations: Fed, ECB, Adidas, UBS, CS, Inter Miami, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan, Credit Suisse, CMC Markets, MEDIAFOREUROPE, Italian, Novartis, Seattle, Chinook Therapeutics, SES, BNP, Exane, Thomson Locations: Europe, Bengaluru

☆ Novartis buys Chinook for $3.5 bln in race to treat rare kidney disease
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

June 12 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) said it has agreed to acquire U.S. biotech firm Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY.O) for up to $3.5 billion to boost its late-stage drug development line-up, raising the stakes in the race for a rare kidney disease treatment. The other drug hopeful is iptacopan, which is being trialled against a number of rare genetic disorders, including IgAN and another kidney disease. IgAN is a progressive autoimmune disease that mostly affects young adults and which can lead to kidney failure that requires dialysis or organ transplantation. IgAN is the most common cause of kidney failure in Caucasian young adults, Novartis added. Additional reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Kim Coghill, Sonali Paul and Alexander SmithOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Novartis, Vas Narasimhan, Narasimham, atrasentan, Narasimhan, Kisqali, Roche, Vera, Muddy Waters, Miranda Murray, Kim Coghill, Sonali Paul, Alexander Smith Organizations: Novartis, Chinook Therapeutics, Vera Therapeutics, Sandoz, Chinook, Thomson Locations: Seattle, United States

☆ European shares rise at open, all eyes on c.bank meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 12 (Reuters) - European shares edged higher on Monday at the start of a week packed with major central bank policy meetings, while shares of Swiss drugmaker Novartis rose after it agreed to buy U.S.-based Chinook. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) rose 0.3% by 0715 GMT. Meetings from the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan are lined up for the week. The European healthcare sector index (.SXDP) was up 0.6%, while the personal & household sector index (.SXQP) led gains with a 0.9% rise. German sportswear maker Adidas (ADSGn.DE) jumped 3.1% after Bernstein raised its rating on the stock to "outperform" from "market perform".

Persons: Bernstein, Shreyashi Sanyal, Eileen Soreng Organizations: Swiss, Novartis, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan, ECB, Seattle, Chinook Therapeutics, Adidas, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Novartis to buy Chinook for up to $3.5 bln in boost to late-stage pipeline
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 12 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) has agreed to acquire Seattle-based biotech firm Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY.O) for up to $3.5 billion to boost its late-stage drug development line-up with a new treatment for a rare severe kidney disease. Chinook is also working on zigakibart, another experimental IgAN treatment that is injected, and plans to start a Phase 3 trial in the third quarter of 2023. IgAN is a progressive autoimmune disease that mostly affects young adults and which can lead to dialysis or kidney transplantation. IgAN is the most common cause of kidney failure in Caucasian young adults, the company added. Additional reporting by Miranda Murray; Editing by Kim Coghill and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Swiss drugmaker, Vas Narasimhan, atrasentan, Narasimhan, Kisqali, Soliris, Miranda Murray, Kim Coghill, Sonali Paul Organizations: Novartis, Seattle, Chinook Therapeutics, Chinook, Swiss pharma, Sandoz, Thomson Locations: Swiss, IgAN, United States

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Carnival, Nasdaq, Oracle, KeyCorp and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Carnival Miracle cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line is docked at Pier 27 in San Francisco, Sept. 30, 2022. Other cruise stocks also got a boost, with Norwegian Cruise Line gaining about 9% and Royal Caribbean adding 2%. Chinook Therapeutics — Shares soared 58.32% after Novartis announced it has agreed to acquire the biotech firm for up to $3.5 billion. Oracle — Shares of the IT cloud software company gained 5.99% ahead of its quarterly earnings announcement scheduled for after the bell. Wolfe Research upgraded shares to outperform from peer perform in a Sunday note, citing the company's early-mover advantage in the artificial intelligence boom.

Persons: JPMorgan Chase, Thoma Bravo, Morgan Stanley, Wolfe, Alessandro Maselli, Nio, Nomura, Illumina, Francis deSouza, Carl Icahn, KeyCorp, — CNBC's Hakyung Kim, Alex Harring, Samantha Subin, Jesse Pound Organizations: Carnival Cruise, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Cruise Line, Royal, Chinook Therapeutics, Novartis, Nasdaq —, Thoma, Oracle —, Wolfe Research Locations: San Francisco, Royal Caribbean

☆ The US Army's Green Berets have struggled to bring enough recruits into their elite ranks, data shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Steve Beynon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Army Special Forces has struggled to bring in new talent since before the pandemic, recruiting data shows. These elite troops, known as Green Berets, are the military's go-to force for guerrilla warfare. But the service's Special Forces has been struggling to bring in new talent since before the pandemic, recruiting data shows. It exceeded its goals that year with 1,358 new Special Forces contracts, but dropped again with 779 recruits in 2022. So far this year, 527 new applicants have signed on to try for the Green Berets.

Persons: —, Jon Braga, Military.com, we've, Braga, you'll, Camp, Katherine Kuzminski, Militarry.com, Z, Kuzminski, It's Organizations: Special Forces, Green Berets, Service, Army, Forces, Green Beret, Military.com, Green, U.S . Army, Operations Command, U.S . Army CH, Southern Strike, Center, New, New American Security, Special Forces Groups, 75th Ranger Regiment, Defense Department, Navy, National Guard Locations: America, Camp Shelby , Mississippi, Afghanistan, New American

☆ 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

☆ 5 things you think you know about killer whales that are actually wrong
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But killer whales, or orcas, are actually members of the dolphin family. Killer whales aren't whalesKiller whales are not actually whales, but dolphins. The name "killer" whale isn't from killing humansOrcas are not called killer whales because they're whales that kill humans. Killer whales don't eat just anything that comes their wayContrary to popular belief, orcas are actually pretty picky eaters. Though killer whales may be misunderstood, you definitely shouldn't get a closer look at them.

☆ Fleeing Sudan, U.S. Diplomats Shredded Passports and Stranded Locals
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Declan Walsh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the frantic days before American diplomats evacuated their Khartoum embassy under darkness by helicopter last month, one crucial task remained. Armed with shredders, sledgehammers and gasoline, American officials following protocols destroyed classified documents and sensitive equipment, officials and eyewitnesses said. Many had left them at the embassy days earlier, to apply for American visas. As the embassy evacuated, officials who feared the passports, along with other important papers, might fall into the wrong hands reduced them to confetti. A month later, many of those Sudanese are stranded in the war zone, unable to get out.

☆ Inside the scramble to evacuate a US embassy surrounded by the chaos of street fighting, gunfire, and explosions
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

US forces evacuated the American embassy in Sudan days after violence erupted in its capital. As the situation deteriorated, the Pentagon dispatched Special Operations Forces to evacuate US diplomatic staff in a dramatic helicopter operation. Foreign governments began efforts to pull out their diplomatic staff and, in some cases, also moved to evacuate their civilians. People walk by a house hit in recent fighting in Khartoum, Sudan, Tuesday, April 25, 2023. US Marine Corps courtesy photoWith the embassy staff gone, questions remained over whether Washington would move to evacuate US citizens, as some other Western nations had been doing.

☆ Three Soldiers Killed After U.S. Army Helicopters Collide in Alaska
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Gareth Vipers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Kahiltna Glacier, Alaska, earlier this week. Photo: John Pennell/Associated PressThree soldiers were killed when two U.S. Army helicopters collided after a training mission in Alaska, marking the latest tragedy involving military aircraft in the U.S. in recent months. The AH-64 Apache helicopters were returning to the U.S. Army base Fort Wainwright when they crashed into each other near Healy, Alaska, roughly 180 miles north of Anchorage, on Thursday, Army officials said.

☆ Ukraine's military intelligence agency is showing off the Black Hawk helicopter it got through a crowdfunding campaign
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Stefano D'Urso | The Aviationist | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine's military intelligence agency has released footage of a Black Hawk helicopter it recently received. Special-operations personnel from Ukraine's military intelligence agency train with a Black Hawk helicopter in April. Currently, Ukraine can easily accommodate about a hundred Black Hawk multirole helicopters, about 50 Apache attack helicopters and about 40-60 Chinook cargo helicopters", said the first Ukrainian Black Hawk pilot, who carries the call sign "Maestro." So far this is the only UH-60 helicopter in Ukraine. We now know that the Black Hawk in question is a 1980 UH-60A model, which formerly served in the US Army with the serial number 80-23439.

☆ US Special Operations Command's workhorse helicopter is getting upgrades to replace parts that are nearly 50 years old
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US special operators rely on their variant, the MH-47, for missions at night and behind enemy lines. As such, the US special-operations community's workhorse helicopter is getting upgrades to replace parts that are nearly 50 years old. US Army Special Operations Command has used Chinooks for several decades. Early versions had modifications for special operations. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed "the Night Stalkers," is the cream of the crop when it comes to US military aviation.

☆ US troops rushed to evacuate embassy staff from Sudan, but thousands of Americans remain with advice to 'shelter in place'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US special operators evacuated American embassy personnel from Sudan, where intense fighting continues. Thousands of Americans, however, remain in country and have been warned to "shelter in place." The Washington Post reported Sunday that an estimated 16,000 Americans, many of whom hold dual citizenship, remain in Sudan, where they have been encouraged to "shelter in place." Smoke rises during clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, Sudan on April 19, 2023. The officer noted though that 'tThis is an unfolding situation, and we cannot provide more details for security reasons."

WASHINGTON, April 23 (Reuters) - All U.S. government personnel were evacuated from Washington's embassy in Khartoum, as well as a small number of diplomatic personnel from other countries, U.S. officials said on Saturday, as fighting rocks Sudan. The operation evacuated fewer than 100 people, the officials told reporters. "We evacuated all of the U.S. personnel and dependents assigned to Embassy Khartoum," said Under Secretary of State for Management John Bass. A substantial number of local staff remain in Khartoum supporting the embassy, where Washington decided to suspend operations on Saturday due to the security risks, Bass said. U.S. forces spent just an hour on the ground in Sudan before taking off again, entering and exiting Sudan without being fired upon by the warring factions on the ground, the military said.

☆ US and France evacuate diplomats from Sudan as battles rage on
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Khalid Abdelaziz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"The belligerent parties must implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and respect the will of the people of Sudan," Biden said in a statement. It pits Sudan's army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who jointly staged a coup in 2021 but fell out during negotiations over a plan to form a civilian government and integrate the RSF into the armed forces. Saudi Arabia has already evacuated Gulf citizens from Port Sudan on the Red Sea, 650 km (400 miles) from Khartoum. Egypt, which has more than 10,000 citizens in Sudan, urged its nationals outside Khartoum to head to its consulate in Port Sudan, and to a consular office in Wadi Halfa on the border with Egypt, in preparation for their evacuation. It encouraged those in Khartoum to shelter in place and wait for the situation to improve.

☆ UK navy seizes anti-tank missiles being smuggled out of Iran, adding to a mountain of weapons intercepted by the US and its partners at sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

UK forces recently intercepted a small boat illegally smuggling missiles from Iran to Yemen. It's the latest incident to see the US and partner forces seize weapons in Middle East waters. U.S. naval forces seized 2,116 AK-47 assault rifles from a fishing vessel transiting along a maritime route from Iran to Yemen. Once these weapons are seized, there are a handful of places they can end up — depending on what, exactly, was obtained during the raid. In some past cases, explosives have been detonated at sea while the rifles and ammunition were sent ashore to be destroyed.

☆ Here's what happens to the thousands of weapons the US military seizes from smugglers and gunrunners
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Tim Hawkins, a public affairs officer with the US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), told Insider. In one incident, US forces seized dual-use chemical fertilizer, which can be used for agricultural purposes and also to make explosives. U.S. naval forces seized 2,116 AK-47 assault rifles from a fishing vessel transiting along a maritime route from Iran to Yemen. US Navy photoEarlier in 2022, UK naval forces confiscated surface-to-air missiles and cruise-missile rocket engines. Shortly after that, and most recently, French special forces seized over 3,000 assault rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition, and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles.

☆ U.S. tries to woo India away from Russia with display of F-35s, bombers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Krishn Kaushik | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BENGALURU, Feb 17 - The United States brought its most advanced fighter jet, the F-35, to India for the first time this week alongside F-16s, Super Hornets and B-1B bombers as Washington looks to woo New Delhi away from its traditional military supplier, Russia. The American delegation to the week-long Aero India show in Bengaluru, which ends on Friday, is the biggest in the 27-year history of the show and underlines the growing strategic relationship between the United States and India. Its state-owned weapons exporter Rosoboronexport had a joint stall with United Aircraft and Almaz-Antey, displaying miniature models of aircraft, trucks, radars and tanks. "Even if weapons sales aren't the cornerstone of the relationship, there is a cooperation and collaboration at the military level between India and the U.S.," he added. The United States is selective about which countries it allows to buy the F-35.

☆ Western forces are raiding gunrunners at sea and throwing wrenches into Iran's plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

CENTCOM said this month that it supported "partner naval forces" during a January raid in the Gulf of Oman. U.S. naval forces seized 2,116 AK-47 assault rifles from a fishing vessel transiting along a maritime route from Iran to Yemen. UK naval forces also seized surface-to-air missiles and cruise-missile rocket engines that came from Iran. U.S. naval forces seized 2,116 AK-47 assault rifles from a fishing vessel transiting along a maritime route from Iran to Yemen. It remains to be seen whether the increase in raids will actually impact Iran's regional influence over the long-term.

☆ Killer whales moms spend more time with their sons than daughters, and it may be threatening their survival
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Southern Resident killer whales take care of their sons much longer than their daughters. Killer whale sons need their mom throughout their livesA Southern Resident killer whale and a calf. Among Southern Resident killer whales — a small population that spend the summer and fall off the coast of Washington state — daughters will learn pretty quickly how to fend for themselves. To care for their sons, moms have fewer babiesTwo Southern Resident killer whales. Southern Resident killer whales only feed on Chinook salmon, which is a tiny prey for a big lumbering male.

☆ Orca whales were discovered with a toilet paper chemical in their livers and skeletal muscles. It's just the 'tip of the iceberg' for one of the most contaminated marine mammals in the world.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The scientists also discovered PFAS — known as forever chemicals — in the bodies of the killer whales. The amount of 4NP found in the killer whales, which tended to be higher in the blood-rich liver tissues, reached exceptionally higher in one calf. "So we are here talking about contamination that is harmful to the environment and harmful to this species of killer whales." "And those females that are losing their calves are nutritionally deprived which of course works to increase the impacts of chemicals," Giles said. And scientists like Giles are continuing to pay attention to what other unknown chemicals killer whales may be holding in their bodies.

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