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☆ Putin's embattled defense minister Shoigu appeared in a video released after the Wagner mutiny that experts say is confusing and feels off
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russian defense chief Shoigu appeared in a video released after the Wagner Group's armed rebellion. Moscow published the video purportedly showing Shoigu in Ukraine, though its unclear when it was filmed. Some Russian milblogger channels have arrived at the same conclusion, that the video of Shoigu was older footage. Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the notorious Wagner mercenary organization, has long criticized Moscow's military leadership over its handling of the war in Ukraine. Russia denied the allegations, but it didn't stop Prigozhin from openly encouraging his mercenaries to take up arms against the defense ministry in open rebellion.

Persons: Shoigu, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, —, Sergei Shoigu, General Yevgeny Nikiforov, Yevgeny Nikiforov's, Sergei Shoigu's, Jimmy Rushton, Mark Krutov, Yevgeny Nikiforov, I'm, Dara Massicot, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Valery Gerasimov, Russia's, Moscow's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Don, Stringer, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, he's, Antony Blinken, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: Service, Russian Defense, Wagner Group, Russian Ministry of Defence, Twitter, Radio Free, Radio Liberty's, Russian Ministry of Defense, RAND Corporation, Prigozhin Press Service, Prigozhin Press, Associated Press, Don REUTERS, Stringer Western, ABC News, NATO, Ukraine Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty's Russia, Shoigu, Rostov, Don, Russia, Belarus, Ukrainian, Kyiv

☆ Russian state security says it's launching a criminal case against Wagner mercenary boss Prigozhin in response to calls for 'armed rebellion'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Azmi Haroun | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian state security says it's opening a criminal case against Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. The announcement came after Prigozhin called for revenge against Russia's defense ministry for a deadly strike on Wagner. Russian state security forces accused the mercenary group leader of calling for "armed rebellion." In a tirade posted to Telegram, Prigozhin said Russia's defense ministry "must be stopped" and the individuals responsible for the death of Wagner fighters must be punished. Friday's exchange between Prigozhin and Moscow's military leadership marked the latest in a months-long feud between the two parties.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Russia's, —, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Terrorism, Armed Forces, Russian Federation, [ Armed Forces, Wagner, Army Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Prigozhin

‘Living on top of each other’Mission Antarctica: Each year, the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust sends a crack team to run one of the world's most remote post offices. UK Antarctic Heritage Trust Shovel your way in: It was a tough start. UK Antarctic Heritage Trust Food reserves: Unsurprisingly, fresh food is in short supply, other than what comes their way via visiting cruise ships. UK Antarctic Heritage Trust Kitted out: Those sunglasses are crucial if you don't want to risk snow blindness. UK Antarctic Heritage Trust The post office at the end of the world Prev NextThe chosen candidates beat out odds of one in a thousand – but this is not a cozy posting.

Persons: They’d, Clare Ballantyne, it’s, Ballantyne, Lucy Bruzzone, Mairi Hilton, Natalie Corbett, Camilla Nichol, Nichol, “, ”, Vicky Inglis, ‘ Cheeriness, Cheeriness, They’ll, aren’t, Says Nichol Organizations: CNN, Britain’s Royal Navy, Port, Antarctic Heritage Trust, Base, Antarctic Heritage Trust Food, Antarctic Heritage, British Antarctic Survey, International Association of Antarctica Locations: there’s, Antarctica, Inglis, Montreal, Antarctic

☆ The US Air Force is finally retiring the aging A-10. Now it plans to get rid of some the specially trained airmen who guide the Warthog to its targets.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US Air Force has begun retiring the A-10, an aircraft famed for its role in close air support. Indeed, the US Air Force is finally retiring the aging A-10 Warthog ground-attack aircraft, which a top official has said "doesn't scare" China. According to Pentagon's budget request for 2024, the Air Force is looking to cut its TACP force by more than 40% over the next three years. If the plan goes ahead, the Air Force TACP community will have a little over 2,100 positions for officers, enlisted troops, and civilian personnel in 2025, down from the 3,700 slots it has currently, a spokesman told Air Force Times. "I think the military is getting ready for a war where we won't have air dominance," a former Air Force Combat Controller told Insider.

Persons: —, Tyler, Mercedee Wilds, Ryan Conroy, Michael Holzworth, Col, Nathan Colunga, Colunga, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: US Air Force, Tactical Air Control Party, Service, China, US Air National Guard, Staff, Tyler Woodward Tactical Air Control Party, US Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Air Force Times, Air, National Guard, Air Combat Command, Air Force Combat, Combat, Air Commando, 321st Special Tactics Squadron, Navy, Army Green Berets, Marine Raiders, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Force Special, Squadron, Tech, Warfare, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: China, Estonian, Kansas, Fort Irwin, California, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Estonia, Nevada, Johns

☆ Drew Smith: New York Mets pitcher suspended for 10 games after apparent use of sticky substance
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —New York Mets pitcher Drew Smith has been given a 10-game suspension following his ejection on Tuesday for the apparent use of a sticky substance on his hands. Smith told reporters after the game that he had used the same amount of rosin he usually does and has experienced no other issues so far this season. “My hands weren’t sticky,” Smith said. Smith’s Mets teammate Max Scherzer was ejected for the same reason earlier this season. “We’re all angry about this one,” Scherzer told reporters after the game.

Persons: Drew Smith, Michael Hill, MLB’s, Smith, ” Smith, ”, Max Scherzer, “, ” Scherzer, Bill Miller Organizations: CNN, New York Mets, Field Operations, MLB, Smith’s Mets, Mets, New York Yankees

☆ Kansas farmers abandon wheat fields after extreme drought
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Tom Polansek | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/4] Romulo Lollato, a wheat agronomist for Kansas State University, examines wheat in a field, as part of an annual crop tour, near Clay Center, Kansas, U.S., May 16, 2023. REUTERS/Tom PolansekWICHITA, Kansas, May 22 (Reuters) - Farmers in Kansas, the biggest U.S. producer of wheat used to make bread, are abandoning their crops after a severe drought and damaging cold ravaged farms. Kansas farmers are expected to abandon about 19% of the acres planted last autumn, up from 10% last year and 4% in 2021, according to the report. Soaring prices for hay also pressure wheat farmers not to harvest their fields for grain so they can be fed to cattle, Gilpin said. Kansas farmers are expected to produce just 191.4 million bushels of wheat this year, the smallest since 1963, according to the latest monthly government forecast.

☆ Future wars are going to be catastrophic and robotic, and militaries have to 'come to grips' with that, former general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Mick Ryan, the author and a strategist, says militaries need to "come to grips" with what is coming. The scene comes from a new novel, "White Sun War: The Campaign for Taiwan," written by a former military officer. "That is especially the case when the ratio of humans to autonomous systems in militaries is going to flip," Ryan told Insider. "We are not at the point yet where robotic systems are able to match humans in decision making," Ryan said. And these autonomous systems will have many similar flaws. "

☆ Fact Check-The IRS does not have 400% more staff or law enforcement agents than border patrol
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An example (here) with more than 2.1 million views at the time of publishing reads, “America has nearly 400% more IRS agents than Border Patrol agents.” Another example can be seen (here). A smaller subset within each agency are considered law enforcement agents. Border patrol agents and CBP officers within the office of field operations are considered law enforcement, according to a CBP spokesperson. The number of law enforcement agents within the IRS is therefore significantly lower than in the CBP. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service does not have 400 percent more total personnel or law enforcement agents than the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

☆ Leaked details of Wagner boss Prigozhin's dealings suggest he was ready to throw Russia's war 'under the bus' just to win a battle, Russia expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Sinéad Baker | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Wagner Group has frequently feuded with Russia's military leadership over its war in Ukraine. A new report suggests the group leader took it farther than previously known, offering to give Ukraine Russian troop locations. The report indicates that Yevgeny Prigozhin was ready to derail Russia's war for his own aims, an expert told Insider. And according to a new report, amid these tensions, Prigozhin attempted derail Russia's battlefield operations in a major way. Ukrainian soldiers walk in the position close to Bakhmut, Ukraine, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023.

☆ Russia's irregular commanders, like the Wagner boss, are trying to force a top general's hand and risking throwing operations into chaos, war experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Irregular commanders, like Prigozhin, appear to be calling more of the shots in Ukraine, war experts say. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group's founder, and his fighters have routinely criticized Russia's top military officials over their handling of Russia's faltering war in Ukraine. In threatening to do so, the two "likely effectively blackmailed" Russia's military command into giving resources to Wagner, the ISW said in a Monday assessment. Graves of Russian Wagner mercenary group fighters are seen in a cemetery near the village of Bakinskaya in Krasnodar region, Russia, on January 22, 2023. Meanwhile, Prigozhin marked the occasion by feuding with Russia's military leadership, attacking their ability to defend the country.

☆ Moscow's 'special' forces: An inside look at how Russia's famed Spetsnaz really operate
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Mark Galeotti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +24 min

Russia's Spetsnaz forces are often depicted as a kind of Russian super troops. Osprey PublishingMost countries' special forces emphasize physical fitness, determination and aggression. Special people, for special tasksMembers of the Russian military's 16th Separate Special Purpose Brigade during an exercise in 2018. Even so, being better than most of the Soviet army's miserable and recalcitrant conscript forces did not make most of them truly special, special forces. The special operations commandMembers of Russian's 22nd Separate Guards Special Purpose Brigade during an exercise in November 2017.

April 24 (Reuters) - Iraq's northern oil exports showed few concrete signs of an imminent restart after a month of standstill, as aspects of an agreement between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have yet to be resolved, according to four sources. Baghdad and Erbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, signed a temporary agreement on April 4 to restart northern oil exports. The KRG and Iraq's oil ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Iraq's lack of willingness to discuss these issues has frustrated Turkey, according to one source. Fields which are still running include Khurmala, which has reduced output from around 135,000 bpd to 100,000 bpd, according to a source familiar with field operations.

☆ Activity stalls in top U.S. oilfields, outlook sours -Fed survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Liz Hampton | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Overall, a company outlook index turned negative, falling 27 points to -14.1. The survey was conducted among 147 oil and gas firms between March 15 and 23, a period in which oil prices were faltering on concerns about the global banking industry. While the oil production index remained positive, it fell sharply during the quarter to 10.5 from 25.8 in the fourth quarter. The dramatic pullback in natural gas prices has also led to a decrease in appetite to target gas prospects and has also led to some optional gas-rate curtailments," said one. Supplier delivery times turned negative, indicating a continuation of the supply chain snags that have plagued the industry over the past year.

☆ Play ball - more quickly! New rules aim to speed MLB games
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The new rule gives the pitcher 15 seconds in between pitches with the bases empty and 20 seconds with runners on base. Another major change - outlawing the shift - will allow for more hits, making games more exciting for fans. In 2003, the average time of a nine-inning game was two hours and 46 minutes, according to Elias Sports Bureau. An MLB memo obtained by Reuters last week showed the pitch clock was already having its intended effect. The average number of violations per game also dropped from 2.03 in the first week to 1.03 by mid-March.

☆ Iraqi Kurdistan region's oil output at risk after Turkey halts pipeline exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Rowena Edwards | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Iraqi- Turkish pipeline is seen in Zakho district of the Dohuk Governorate of the Iraqi Kurdistan province, Iraq, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Ari JalalMarch 27 (Reuters) - Oil production in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region (KRI) is at risk after a halt in northern exports has forced firms operating there to divert crude to storage, where capacity is limited. Oil firms operating in the region have been left in limbo as they await the outcome of ongoing discussions between Ankara, Baghdad and the KRG to find a way to resume exports. The two firms hold stakes in the Tawke and Peshkabir fields, which produced 107,000 bpd of oil last year. Production at the Khurmala oil field run by Kurdish group Kar is currently unaffected at around 135,000 bpd and heading into tank, a source familiar with the field operations told Reuters.

☆ Inside Peloton's rapid rise and bitter fall — and its attempt at a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"It felt like nothing could get in the way of all that," said a former engineer who attended the party. For this report, CNBC spoke with 16 current and former Peloton employees, the majority of whom declined to be identified because they are not permitted to speak publicly about the company. Foley, meanwhile, spoke briefly with CNBC by phone, saying that while Peloton's stock has fallen, the company has not. Peloton's stock price was slowly sliding down, and employees began to panic as they saw their paper wealth evaporate. By June 30, the end of Peloton's fiscal year, the company's full-year net loss ballooned to $2.83 billion.

The sharp contrast with Bolsonaro, who criticized environmental agents, was a relief to some scientists concerned that the retreating Amazon rainforest may be near a point of no return. Ibama's staffing and resources expanded in Lula's 2003-2010 presidency, when he managed to reduce Amazon deforestation by 72%. Rodrigo Agostinho, whom Lula tapped to run Ibama, told Reuters in an interview that the agency now has about 350 active field agents for all of Brazil. That is less than half what it had at the start of Bolsonaro's term and well below the 2,000 field agents at the peak of its powers, he added. Sidelining Ibama, Bolsonaro deployed the military to protect the Amazon, but their inexperience in conservation failed to lower deforestation while running up a massive bill.

☆ Wagner Group Designated by U.S. as Transnational Criminal Group
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Mengqi Sun | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. took action Thursday against Russian private military group Wagner Group, designating it as a significant transnational criminal organization over its actions in combat operations in Ukraine on behalf of President Vladimir Putin. The U.S. Treasury Department said Wagner Group personnel also are involved in alleged ongoing criminal activity, including mass executions, rape and physical abuse in the Central African Republic and Mali. Thursday’s sanctions come after the White House said last Friday it would designate the Wagner Group as a transnational criminal organization. The Wagner Group has already been sanctioned by Canada, Australia, Japan, the U.K. and the European Union. Representatives for Wagner Group didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

☆ Treasury imposes sanctions against Russian paramilitary firm Wagner Group
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A mural praises the Russian Wagner group and its mercenaries fighting in Ukraine on March 30, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. The Treasury Department identified the Wagner Group, led by Putin crony Yevgeny Prigozhin, as a "significant transnational criminal organization." Joint Stock Company Terra Tech, a Russian-based technology firm, for providing space and aerial imagery to the Wagner Group. Joint Stock Company Research and Production, a Russian space company supporting Russia's military activities in Ukraine. In addition, State announced steps to impose visa restrictions on 531 members of the Russian military for their role in Ukraine.

☆ US Border Officials Fighting Mexico Egg Smuggling, As Prices Soar
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

As egg prices continue to rise in the US, some are attempting to bring cheaper eggs illegally from Mexico over the border. But transporting uncooked eggs poses a risk of disease and could cost smugglers thousands in fines, officials say. Prices in Mexico can be less than half of what some in the US pay, NPR reported. While the prospect of lower egg prices is tempting, customs officials have noticed the increase. Seizures of eggs at the US-Mexico border rose 108% from October to December in 2022, according to Border Report.

☆ $450,000 worth of cocaine seized from wheelchair wheels at JFK airport, customs officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —A traveler at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport was arrested after $450,000 worth of cocaine was discovered hidden in the wheels of her wheelchair. The traveler arrived in New York City from the Dominican Republic on November 10, according to a news release from US Customs and Border Protection. Officers noticed the wheels on her wheelchair were not turning and X-rayed the wheelchair. They discovered a white powder, which later tested positive for cocaine in all four wheels, the news release stated. It amounted to a total of 28 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of around $450,000.

[1/2] Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov talks during an interview with Reuters in Kyiv, Ukraine November 10, 2022. In an interview in Kyiv, Oleksii Reznikov said Russia had 40,000 troops in Kherson region and that it still had forces in the city, around the city and on the right bank of the vast Dnipro River. "It's not that easy to withdraw these troops from Kherson in one day or two days. As a minimum, (it will take) one week," he told Reuters, acknowledging it was difficult to predict Russia's actions. Russia announced on Wednesday it would withdraw from the west bank of the Dnipro that includes Kherson city, the only regional capital Moscow has captured since invading Ukraine in February.

☆ A first-of-its-kind exercise on a Michigan highway shows the aging A-10 Warthog can still make history
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This summer, the US Air Force conducted a first-of-its-kind test on a Michigan highway. Air Force aircraft landed on a civilian roadway for the first time during a similar exercise in August 2021. 'We own airfield ops'US Air Force combat controllers from the 21st Special Tactics Squadron at Fort Polk in Louisiana in August 2013. Parker GyokeresThe success of the exercise in Michigan hinged on a little-known career field in the US special-operations community: Combat Controllers. "Setting up an airstrip is one of the most important skill sets" that Combat Controllers have, a former Air Force Combat Controller told Insider.

☆ Attrition at Amazon is costing the company $8 billion a year, with workers twice as likely to leave by choice than be fired, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Attrition at Amazon costs the company $8 billion a year, according to Engadget. Workers were also twice as likely to leave by choice than to be fired or laid off, per the outlet. Attrition is something all employers face, but we want to do everything we can to make Amazon an employer of choice." Workers across the company were also twice as likely to leave by choice than to be fired or laid off, Engadget reported. In June this year, Insider reported that Amazon was testing a new internal survey aimed at learning more about employee sentiment.

☆ Senior KFC Executives Opt for Retirement as Interest Rates Hit Pension Payouts
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-15 | by ( Heather Haddon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

KFC is the second biggest chicken chain by U.S. sales behind Chick-fil-A. Rising interest rates are adding to companies’ borrowing costs and triggering higher credit-card bills for consumers. At KFC, they are driving a turnover in senior management. The Louisville, Ky.-based brand’s U.S. chief operating officer, chief financial officer and national field operations director have all notified Yum Brands KFC’s parent, that they will leave the chicken chain at the end of next month, according to company messages viewed by The Wall Street Journal.

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