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☆ Iran appears to be using Chinese knock-offs of Western parts to build suicide drones for Russia's war in Ukraine, researchers find
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Iran appears to be using Chinese knock-offs of Western hardware in its suicide drones. According to a new report from the Institute for Science and International Security, these weapons appear to be built using Chinese parts that are based on Western designs. Iran has also designed its own parts that are based on these knock-off Chinese parts. And this Chinese engine is based on a British design. It's also unknown when specific Chinese parts arrived in Iran.

☆ Debris from a Russian missile that was shot down landed outside Ukraine, officials say, in a rare instance of fighting spilling over the country's borders
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian forces launched a fresh barrage of missile strikes on Ukraine on Monday morning. Debris from one missile that was shot down landed in a small village in northern Moldova. The incident was a rare moment that saw fighting spill over Ukraine's borders into a neighboring country. "The appalling strikes on critical infrastructure reverberate beyond Ukraine's borders and pose a direct threat to Moldova's energy — and human — security." Monday's incident came as Russian forces fired a barrage of cruise missiles targeting critical infrastructure in Ukraine.

☆ Clarence Thomas says 'I don't have a clue' what 'diversity' means as the Supreme Court tackles affirmative action
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said he didn't know what the word "diversity" meant. The Supreme Court is tackling a case challenging affirmative action in college admissions. "I've heard the word diversity quite a few times and I don't have a clue what it means. The court heard oral arguments Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) vs. the University of North Carolina (UNC), a case centered around the school's admissions process. UNC denied SFFA's allegations, and lower courts sided with the university before the case was brought to the Supreme Court.

☆ Trump asks the Supreme Court to keep his taxes secret after lower courts ordered him to turn the records over
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Jake Epstein | Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Former President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Monday to keep his taxes secret after lower federal courts ordered him to turn the records over. Trump filed an emergency application asking the nation's highest court to block the House Committee on Ways & Means of obtaining his tax records. In the filing, the former president accused lawmakers of trying to "expose" his tax information to the public "for the sake of exposure." "The Committee's purpose in requesting President Trump's tax returns has nothing to do with funding or staffing issues at the IRS and everything to do with releasing the President's tax information to the public," the filing said. Please check back for updates.

☆ UK intel says Russia is rushing reserve troops into battle with 'barely usable' rifles, creating a new kind of headache for Putin's generals
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia sent newly mobilized reservist troops to Ukraine with "barely usable" rifles, UK intel says. Britain's defense ministry said some of these soldiers are using guns designed in 1959. Citing open source imagery, however, Britain's defense ministry said that mobilized reservists who did show up with rifles were often issued with AKM assault rifles. Britain's defense ministry said many of the AKM rifles given to Russian reservists are "likely in barely usable condition following poor storage." Beyond the newly mobilized reservists, Russian forces — like conscripts — have had to use decades-old rifles that exited production long ago.

☆ Investigators found Western parts in the Iranian drones Russia has been using to wage war in Ukraine and terrorize its cities
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian forces have recently been using Iranian-made suicide drones to terrorize Ukrainian cities. Investigators inspecting downed drones have found US and European parts inside of them, The Wall Street Journal reported. Both Russia and Iran have denied the use of such weapons, despite evidence from the West. Iranian-made drones used by Russian forces include the Shahed-136, Shahed-129, Shahed-191, and Qods Mohajer-6. Both Russia and Iran have denied the use of Shahed-136 drones in Ukraine, despite accusations and evidence from Western governments and their intelligence agencies.

☆ Rand Paul calls out Nancy Pelosi's daughter as he wishes her husband a 'speedy recovery' from the early morning-attack that left him hospitalized
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Pelosi's husband was "violently assaulted" by someone who broke into their home, her office said. Sen. Rand Paul said in response that he wishes the House speaker's husband a "speedy recovery." The Kentucky lawmaker also called out Pelosi's daughter in his remarks. "Unlike Nancy Pelosi's daughter who celebrated my assault, I condemn this attack and wish Mr. Pelosi a speedy recovery." Early Friday morning, someone broke into Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home and "violently assaulted" her husband.

☆ A Fox affiliate in Phoenix accidentally shared test election results during a live broadcast, sparking conspiracy theories about rigged elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Fox affiliate station in Phoenix mistakenly shared test election results during a live newscast. "This graphic was never meant to go on air — the numbers were only part of a test," Fox 10 said. It said the results were generated and distributed by the Associated Press, which has historically provided election results to clients. In defense of Fox 10's mistake, Tennessee's WTVC NewsChannel 9 said the test election results are "not some nefarious, election-rigging plot. "Making you aware that before every election night, the @AP tests its election results system — which we use — to make sure it's running properly.

Someone broke into Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco home early Friday morning, her office said. Pelosi was not home at the time, and her husband was "violently assaulted," the office said. "The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time," Pelosi's office said. Pelosi has represented San Francisco for decades in the House, rising to become Speaker, the second in line to the presidency, twice. The San Francisco Police Department and the US Secret Service did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ Putin — who has jailed critics and rivals — took a nonsensical detour in his major foreign policy speech to rail against 'cancel culture'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Putin delivered a nonsensical speech about Western "cancel culture" on Thursday in Moscow. What began as commentary about Russian foreign policy quickly transitioned to a rant. "The so-called cancel culture is basically a cancellation of culture that annihilates everything that is alive and creative. This is not the first time Putin has railed against cancel culture throughout his eight-month-long unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, he also lashed out against cancel culture in a recent rant about gender fluidity.

☆ New videos from a sailor show 'horrible' polluted drinking water on a US Navy aircraft carrier
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The US Navy found drinking water on an aircraft carrier was polluted with bacteria and bilge water. Videos shared with Insider by a USS Abraham Lincoln sailor show murky water bubbling out of drinking fountains and sinks on September 21-22. The sailor told Insider that the water smelled and tasted "horrible" and said "you can't escape it." One sailor told Insider "it was horrible" and that at times the water the crew used to drink, bathe, and cook appeared "black." The Lincoln is the second aircraft carrier to deal with water contamination within the last few weeks.

☆ Ukraine alleges Russian operatives are doing 'secret' work at a captured nuclear power plant and could make a dirty bomb
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine alleged Russian forces are doing "secret" work at a captured nuclear power plant. The country's state nuclear operator said the unauthorized activity could yield a dirty bomb. Energoatom, Ukraine's state energy operator, alleged Russian operatives have been carrying out "unauthorized construction works" over the last few days at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant's Dry Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility, where spent nuclear fuel is kept. "Russian lies about Ukraine allegedly planning to use a 'dirty bomb' are as absurd as they are dangerous. "Russia's statements about the creation of a [dirty nuclear bomb] may indicate that [Russia] is preparing an act of nuclear terrorism," Energoatom said.

☆ Russia isn't backing off its 'dirty bomb' talk, with even Putin himself now peddling baseless claims Ukraine is going to set one off
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian President Putin himself baselessly accused Ukraine of preparing to detonate a dirty bomb. Putin joined Kremlin leadership in accusing Ukraine of preparing to detonate a so-called dirty bomb on its own territory, a claim Ukraine and the West have called "absurd." "There are also plans to use the so-called dirty bomb for provocations," Putin said during the conference, according to a Kremlin translation of the meeting. A dirty bomb is a radiological dispersal device that uses conventional explosives to spread radioactive material. Putin's remarks appear to be his first related to the dirty bomb claims, which other Russian officials have made — without citing any evidence — in recent days.

☆ Russian jets have crashed into apartment buildings twice in less than a week, highlighting Putin's military struggles at home
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Russian warplane crashed in Siberia on Sunday, killing both pilots. The crash was the second time in less than a week a Russian military aircraft slammed into a residential area, causing fatalities. The deadly crashes come as Russia's military also struggles abroad in its fight in Ukraine. It's the second time in less than a week that a Russian warplane crashed into a residential area, resulting in fatalities. Some casualty estimates for the Russian military in Ukraine are as high as 90,000.

☆ The US Navy now knows why the water on an aircraft carrier looked and smelled strange. It had wastewater in it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US Navy found last month that the water on an aircraft carrier had an "odor and cloudy appearance." The service said early last week it didn't know why the water looked and smelled strange. Those tanks were immediately isolated and secured from the potable water system," Naval Air Forces Cmdr. A sailor on the ship — and their parents — told Insider that the issue was worse than what the Navy originally revealed to the public. Navy and Marine Corps veterans told Insider that sailors on Navy flattops, aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, have been drinking and bathing in water contaminated by jet fuel for decades.

☆ Russia sent people to Iran to learn how to use the suicide drones it's now using to terrorize Ukrainian cities far from the front, US says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russian officials previously traveled to Iran to learn how to use suicide drones, the US said this week. This was before Iranian military personnel came to Crimea to train Russian troops, an official said. Russian forces have used Iranian-made suicide drones to terrorize Ukrainian cities in recent weeks. "We assess that Iranian personnel, Iranian military personnel, were on the ground in Crimea and assisted Russia in these operations." Both Moscow and Tehran have denied the use of Iranian-made suicide drones in Ukraine, despite mounting evidence and accusations from Western governments and intelligence agencies.

☆ Zelenskyy says Russia plans to blow up a Ukrainian dam. The Soviets used the same tactic in WWII to slow a Nazi invasion, killing thousands of civilians.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of planning to blow up a major dam in southern Ukraine. It's a tactic that would mirror the Soviet's actions during WWII, in which thousands of civilians died. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of planning to blow up a major hydroelectric dam in southern Ukraine as its forces struggle to hold off advancing Ukrainian forces. Zelenskyy said Russia had kicked out Ukrainian workers from the dam, but Insider could not verify the claims of a pending Russia plot. The dam-busting tactic was also used by Ukrainian forces earlier in the war with Russia this year as Putin's troops marched on the capital Kyiv.

☆ Sailors have long complained about jet fuel seeping into their water on US Navy aircraft carriers and other warships. Here's how that can even happen.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The crew of a US Navy aircraft carrier recently discovered jet fuel contaminating the water supply. In doing this, the crew has to physically connect the ship's potable water system to its fuel oil system through piping. Aligning the potable water system and the fuel system involves opening valves that are normally locked shut in order to allow the two systems to connect. The fuel system is supposed to be depressurized, and the potable system should be pressurized. "Normally, if you flush out your fuel oil tanks — or your fuel oil system, any part of your fuel oil system — you should be watching for this problem, because you've connected the two systems.

☆ A Russian defense advisor was caught on a hot mic saying 'we all know the drones are Iranian' but the Kremlin doesn't want to admit it
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Russian defense advisor recently revealed that Russia uses Iranian-made drones in Ukraine. Both Russia and Iran have denied that Tehran's suicide drones are being deployed in Ukraine. Ruslan Pukhov, who is also a military expert, recently joined Russian Business Channel (RBC TV) for a television interview. Pukhov appears unaware that the show is already on the air, and he reveals before the interview gets started that Russia has been using Iranian-made suicide drones, even if the Kremlin isn't acknowledging it. In addition to the Shahed-136, Russian forces have also deployed Iranian-made Shahed-129, Shahed-191, and Qods Mohajer-6 drones.

☆ A Russian fighter jet fired off a missile while shadowing a Royal Air Force recon plane on patrol over the Black Sea, UK says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian fighter jet recently released a missile near a Royal Air Force reconnaissance aircraft. The UK's Ben Wallace said the plane was patrolling over the Black Sea when the engagement happened. He said Thursday that Moscow delivered a response earlier in October that blamed the incident on a technical issue with the fighter jet after conducting an investigation. "The UK Ministry of Defense has shared this information with allies, and after consultation, I've restarted routine patrols — but this time escorted by fighter aircraft," Wallace said. This wouldn't be the first instance where a fighter jet fired a missile when it wasn't supposed to.

☆ Russia is frantically moving tens of thousands of civilians across the river in Kherson, an early war win for Putin's forces that they may not be able to hold
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Russian forces are rushing to evacuate tens of thousands of people in the key city of Kherson. The move comes as Ukrainian forces advance toward the city — the first that Russia captured. Russian forces have been occupying this southern city since they captured it early in the war. A view of a rocket firing as Ukrainian forces advance against Russian troops in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine on October 7, 2022. All together, Kyiv's advances have seen it liberate thousands of square miles of territory over the last two months that were previously occupied by Russian forces.

☆ The US Navy found water that looked and smelled weird on an aircraft carrier last month, and it still has no idea why
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Navy discovered last month that the water on the USS Abraham Lincoln looked and smelled strange. Testing found E. coli in the water, but Navy officials said it was unrelated to the odor and cloudiness. Nearly a month later, the Navy still has no idea what caused issues with the ship's water. Sailors on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln first noticed on September 21 that the water they drink and bathe in had an "odor and cloudy appearance." The day after the unusual smell and appearance were detected, testing of the water supply revealed the presence of E. coli bacteria in a few of the ship's water tanks.

☆ NATO will send 'hundreds' of signal-jammers to Ukraine to counter Russia's onslaught of explosive Iranian-made suicide drones
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NATO is sending signal-jammers to Ukraine so it can counter Iranian-made suicide drones. These systems will help Ukraine address the "specific threat of drones, including, of course, Iranian-made drones that are now causing a lot of havoc or suffering in Ukraine," Stoltenberg said during the virtual interview. "I welcome @JensStoltenberg's statement on NATO planning to deliver anti-drone air defense systems to Ukraine in the coming days. A composite photo showing a drone in the sky in Kyiv and the aftermath of it hitting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 17, 2022. As recently as Monday, Ukrainian officials said Russia used a swarm of suicide drones to attack Kyiv — killing several.

☆ China is headhunting former British pilots to train its forces, and the UK military is desperate to stop it, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The UK says its military pilots are being recruited by China to help train Beijing's army. According to British media reports, pilots are making as much as $270,000 a year for their help. According to the BBC, China wants to use the pilots to deepen its understanding of Western planes and their operators. To warn military personnel against these efforts, the defense ministry's defense intelligence service even issued a "threat alert" on Tuesday, the report said. The UK defense ministry spokesperson referred to the situation as a "contemporary" security issue in a statement to Insider and said the country is trying to clamp down on security legislation.

☆ The Russian pilots who ejected from a military plane moments before it crashed into an apartment building and killed 13 people could face charges, Russia says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian Su-34 aircraft crashed into an apartment building in western Russia, killing 13 people. Now, a Russian committee is investigating to see if the pilots could faces charges for the incident. Debris of a warplane crashed into a residential area are seen on the damaged building in Yeysk, Russia, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. AP PhotoA burnt bus and debris of a warplane crashed into a residential area are seen in Yeysk, Russia, Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. Yeysk, which is home to around 80,000 people and a Russian military air base, is located along the Sea of Azov and is a short distance from the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

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