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☆ Someone in Russia broke into a military airfield to set fire to a bomber jet, and Russian cops only found out it was happening on social media: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russian authorities found out through social media that someone set fire to a military jet. Footage of the burning aircraft emerged on Monday on the Telegram channel for the Freedom of Russia Legion, a Ukrainian organization that consists of military defectors from Russia and Belarus. Local police then discovered the video online, reported the independent Russian media outlet Baza. But it reported that despite the Freedom of Russia Legion's claims that the Su-24 was "completely destroyed," the aircraft was "not particularly damaged." Russian authorities categorized the Freedom of Russia Legion as a terrorist group on March 16.

☆ Russia's Kinzhal was never an unstoppable hypersonic missile, but the Patriot shot that killed one is still 'impressive,' expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Ukraine shot down a Russian Kinzhal missile described as a hypersonic weapon with a US-made Patriot interceptor. Still, a missile defense expert told Insider the missile is tough target, making it an "impressive" kill. A missile defense expert called the intercept by a Patriot missile "impressive," for both the advanced American-made missile defense system and its Ukrainian operators. A general view of a mobile defence surface-to-air missile system, Patriot, before it is transported to Poland from Gnoien, Germany January 23, 2023. Gen. Pat Ryder said that he could "confirm that they did down a Russian missile by employing the Patriot missile defense system."

☆ Frankfurt to Dubai in 90 minutes? Europe enters the hypersonic plane race
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In recent years, numerous pretenders to the throne – supersonic, hypersonic, hydrogen-powered, with anti-boom technology – have been whizzing round, conceptually at least, but many of these projects promising seamless super-fast travel have instead stalled, sputtered out or hit delays. The Destinus concept is hydrogen-powered flight at five times the speed of sound, cutting flight duration to less than a quarter of current commercial air travel. Its first two prototypes have made successful test flights and are about to start testing hydrogen-powered flight. Hydrogen-powered aviation is still in its infancy, with hydrogen jet engines yet to enter commercial use. The upcoming prototype, Destinus 3, will be supersonic and the hope is for it to achieve supersonic hydrogen-powered flight in 2024.

☆ Congress presses Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein on forced labor
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —US Congress is stepping up the pressure on Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein. The United States has banned all imports from the Xinjiang region over concerns of the use of forced labor. Lawmakers “are demanding transparency and seeking independent verification — free from state influence — that the company does not use Uyghur forced labor,” according to the letter. A Shein spokesperson told CNN that the company has no suppliers in the Xinjiang region and it has zero tolerance for forced labor. The letter illustrates how Congress is scrutinizing Shein and rival fast-fashion app Temu amid their surging popularity in the United States.

☆ What it was like to pilot the supersonic Concorde jet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +28 min

It’s said that during the aircraft’s 27 years of service, there were more qualified American astronauts than there were British Airways Concorde pilots. Supersonic flyingA photo of Concorde pilot Barbara Harmer, Concorde at the controls for a London to New York flight in 1993. Concorde: When supersonic travel was a reality 02:32 - Source: CNNThe small pool of Concorde pilots also meant everyone knew everyone. It would take him back to the day he stood at Heathrow, watching the first commercial Concorde flight take off. Future of supersonic flightAlmost two decades since Concorde’s final flight, the allure of supersonic flight hasn’t waned, with companies such as Boom Supersonic plotting plans for Concorde’s successor.

Hong Kong/New York CNN —Temu and Shein are taking off in the United States, topping app stores and creating a frenzy with consumers. Shein was started in China, while Temu was launched by a Chinese company that now bills itself as a multinational firm. Both firms have enjoyed major success in the United States, noted Nicholas Kaufman, a policy analyst for the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Topping the chartsTemu and Shein have taken the world’s largest retail market — the United States — by storm. It has quickly become the most downloaded app in the United States, and continues to expand its user base.

☆ Residents in Russia's Belgorod returning home after bomb scare
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW, April 22 (Reuters) - More than 3,000 people in the Russian city of Belgorod were returning to their homes on Saturday after being evacuated while an explosive was disposed of, the local governor said. Two days earlier a Russian warplane accidentally dropped a bomb on the city, damaging local houses, authorities said. Military explosive experts decided to "neutralise" the explosive at a training ground, Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov wrote on Telegram. He said later that people had started to return to their homes after a "shell" was removed from the area. On Thursday, a Russian Sukhoi-34 supersonic warplane accidentally fired a weapon into Belgorod, causing an explosion and injuring three people, Russian officials said.

REUTERS/Go NakamuraBOCA CHICA, Texas, April 20 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX aimed on Thursday to launch the company's next-generation Starship spacecraft atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket for the first time, on a highly anticipated but brief uncrewed test flight from the Gulf Coast of Texas. A successful flight would instantly rank the Starship system as the most powerful launch vehicle on Earth. In February, SpaceX conducted a test-firing of the Super Heavy, igniting 31 of its 33 engines for roughly 10 seconds with the rocket bolted in place vertically atop a platform. The Federal Aviation Administration last Friday granted a license for the first test flight of the fully stacked rocket system, clearing a final regulatory hurdle for the long-awaited launch. After separating from the Starship, the Super Heavy booster is expected to execute the beginnings of a controlled return flight before plunging into the Gulf.

☆ Russia warplane accidentally fires into city near Ukraine, causing blast -Tass
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] A view shows the accident scene following a large blast in a street in the city of Belgorod, Russia, April 20, 2023. Mayor of Belgorod City Valentin Demidov via Telegram/Handout via REUTERSApril 20 (Reuters) - A Russian warplane accidentally fired a weapon into the city of Belgorod near Ukraine late on Thursday, causing an explosion and damaging buildings, Tass cited the defence ministry as saying. Local authorities reported a large blast in the city, which lies just across the border from Ukraine. "As a Sukhoi Su-34 air force plane was flying over the city of Belgorod there was an accidental discharge of aviation ammunition," Tass cited the defence ministry as saying. The ministry said some buildings had been damaged and announced a probe was already under way, according to Tass.

☆ Leaked documents reveal China's plans to launch a supersonic spy drone that could fly 3 times the speed of sound, WaPo reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Some of the documents showed China's plans for a supersonic drone, The Washington Post reported. China's WZ-8 rocket-propelled reconnaissance drones can travel three times the speed of sound. The drones could assist China in real-time mapping that would inform strategy or enable high-speed missile strikes in a future conflict, The Washington Post reported. The documents reported on by the outlet included flight paths for the drone, as well as the bomber plane used to launch the device. Representatives for the Department of Defense and China's Ministry of National Defense did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.

☆ Leaked US assessment says China readying supersonic spy drone unit - Washington Post
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kanishka Singh | Thomson Reuters | Kanishka Singh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Reuters In Washington Dc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 18 (Reuters) - A leaked U.S. military assessment says the Chinese military may soon deploy a high-altitude spy drone that travels at least three times the speed of sound, the Washington Post reported late on Tuesday. The newspaper cited a secret document from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The Washington Post said it obtained the assessment of the program from a trove of images of classified files posted on the Discord messaging app, allegedly by a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, who was arrested last week. The FBI on Thursday arrested Jack Douglas Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the U.S. Air National Guard, over the leaks online of classified documents that embarrassed Washington with allies around the world. The leaks first became widely known earlier this month, setting Washington on edge about the damage they may have caused.

BOCA CHICA, Texas, April 17 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX called off the highly anticipated debut launch of its newly-combined Starship cruise vessel and Super Heavy rocket in the final minutes of countdown due to a frozen valve, delaying the uncrewed test flight for at least two days. But the California-based space company announced in a live webcast that it was scrubbing the planned 90-minute flight into space for a minimum of 48 hours, citing a frozen pressurization valve in the lower-stage rocket booster. A successful debut flight would also instantly rank the Starship system as the most powerful launch vehicle on Earth. But neither stage would be recovered for the expendable first test flight to space. After separating from the Starship, the Super Heavy booster is expected to execute the beginnings of a controlled return flight before plunging into the Gulf of Mexico.

REUTERS/Gene BlevinsBOCA CHICA, Texas, April 17 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX made final preparations early on Monday to launch its powerful new Starship rocket system to space for the first time, on a brief but highly anticipated uncrewed test flight from the Gulf Coast of Texas. But neither stage will be recovered for the expendable first test flight to space, expected to last no more than 90 minutes. The Federal Aviation Administration just last Friday granted a license for what would be the first test flight of the fully stacked rocket system, clearing a final regulatory hurdle for the long-awaited launch. As designed, the Starship rocket is nearly two times more powerful than NASA's own Space Launch System (SLS), which made its debut uncrewed flight to orbit in November, sending a NASA cruise vessel called Orion on a 10-day voyage around the moon and back. Reporting by Joe Skipper in Boca Chica, Texas, and Joey Roulette in Denver; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The world's first supersonic trainer jet is on the market for just $800,000 — take a look inside the T-38 Talon
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Though it's a military aircraft, civilians can own one of these jets for $800,000. A T-38 Talon aircraft flying from Columbus Air Force Base in Ohio. Airman First Class Thomas Sjoberg/DVIDSAccording to aviation maintenance company Thornton Aviation, one unit of the T-38 is currently on the market. The one T-38 unit is the only available unit "in stock military condition," per Thornton Aviation's website. Thornton Aviation did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Russia conducts surprise inspection of Pacific Fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 14 (Reuters) - Russia will conduct missile launches and torpedo tests as part of a surprise inspection of its Pacific naval fleet, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday. "The main objective of this inspection is to increase the ability of the Armed Forces to repel the aggression of a probable enemy from the direction of ocean and sea," Shoigu said on state television. "This is a common practice, it has been constantly carried out in recent years and it continues. This is about maintaining the necessary level of combat readiness of our armed forces," Peskov told a daily news briefing. In other recent military activity in the area, Russia's navy fired supersonic anti-ship missiles at a mock target in the Sea of Japan on March 28.

☆ Why Hooters Air, Pan Am, and the Concorde all disappeared from the skies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Noah Lewis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Pan Am was an icon of early travel that no longer exists, and even Hooters had its own airline. Meanwhile, the Concorde was an engineering marvel that wowed passengers, but it no longer flies. Did you know that the restaurant chain Hooters once had its own airline, where the wait staff got a chance to work at 32,000 feet? Getting a new airline off the ground can be the easy part, but many struggle to stay above the competition. America's premier airline boasted the first ever scheduled international flight and became an icon of early air travel.

☆ JPMorgan, H&M join Google, Meta to buy, collectively, more than $1 billion of carbon removal
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"We see Frontier's advanced market commitment as an important demand signal boost for the carbon removal market. Carbon dioxide emissions from energy production topped 36 billion tons last year, according to the International Energy Agency, with total global carbon dioxide emissions projected to have been 40.6 billion tons in 2022, according to the Global Carbon Project. So far, Frontier has spent $5.6 million buying nearly 9,000 tons of contracted carbon removal from 15 carbon dioxide removal startups that are collectively pursuing seven methods. And Living Carbon is a synthetic biology startup working on engineering natural systems to remove carbon dioxide. "However, the science is increasingly clear: Carbon removal is an increasingly necessary tool for limiting warming.

☆ Virgin Orbit, Richard Branson's rocket company, to lay off 85% of staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Virgin Orbit — the rocket company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson — is laying off the vast majority of its workforce as company leadership struggles to secure additional funding. Virgin Orbit spokespeople declined to comment beyond the filing. Virgin Orbit was founded in 2017 after spinning off from its sister company, Virgin Galactic, which is focused on using supersonic planes to vault high-paying tourists on joy rides to the edge of space. Virgin Orbit, on the other hand, has been developing an air-launched rocket, dubbed LauncherOne, for hauling small satellites to orbit. Virgin Orbit announced it was going public — via a reverse merger agreement called a SPAC — in the fall of 2021.

☆ Ukraine war live updates: German and British tanks arrive in Ukraine; Russia fires supersonic missiles off Japan's coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The first shipment of German Leopard 2 tanks, much-awaited by Ukraine, has arrived in the war-torn country, Germany's defense ministry said Tuesday. Eighteen of the tanks, ammunition and spare parts, as well as two "Buffalo" armored recovery vehicles arrived in Ukraine, the ministry said in a statement. "As promised, our tanks arrived on time in the hands of our Ukrainian friends. The Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, has spent the last two months training Ukrainian soldiers on the weapon systems at a site near Munster, Germany. On the heels of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's decision in January to provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks, the Biden administration announced it will equip Ukraine with the mighty M1A1 Abrams tank.

☆ Russia fires supersonic anti-ship missile at mock target in Sea of Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 28 (Reuters) - Russia's navy fired supersonic anti-ship missiles at a mock target in the Sea of Japan, the Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday. "In the waters of the Sea of Japan, missile ships of the Pacific Fleet fired Moskit cruise missiles at a mock enemy sea target," it said in a statement on its Telegram account. "The target, located at a distance of about 100 kilometres (62.14 miles), was successfully hit by a direct hit from two Moskit cruise missiles." The P-270 Moskit missile, which has the NATO reporting name or SS-N-22 Sunburn, is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile of Soviet origin, capable of destroying a ship within a range of up to 120 km (75 miles). Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Himani SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ There's more economic pain coming as the SVB fallout is likely not contained, Mohamed El-Erian says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

More economic pain is coming as the SVB fallout is likely not contained, Mohamed El-Erian said. Though policymakers have quelled financial contagion, economic contagion is still a risk, he warned. Other market commentators have also warned of more economic pain, as the outflow of deposits in recent weeks will make banks less willing to lend, leading to tighter credit conditions. It is also a reminder to markets not to allow the understandable focus on supersonic-speed financial contagion divert all the attention away from slower-moving economic contagion," El-Erian warned. Though El-Erian has said a recession isn't inevitable, other commentators have warned that a downturn is more likely.

☆ India approves purchase of military equipment worth $8.5 bln
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] An armed soldier stands guard outside India's Defence Ministry building in New Delhi, India, February 27, 2019. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File PhotoNEW DELHI, March 16 (Reuters) - India on Thursday approved purchases of missiles, helicopters, artillery guns and electronic warfare systems worth $8.5 billion as it sought to add more teeth to its military. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the top government body for capital acquisition approvals for the Indian military, approved the orders worth 705 billion rupees ($8.52 billion) for all its services, the Defence Ministry said in a statement. The list of purchases approved included 200 additional BrahMos missiles, 50 utility helicopters and electronic warfare systems for the navy. All three Indian military services have been using versions of the missile for over a decade.

On Tuesday, Boeing announced orders for 78 Dreamliners, split between state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) and new national airline Riyadh Air. The $37 billion sale, which Boeing called its fifth-largest commercial order by value, followed a deal with United Airlines (UAL.O) in December for 100 Dreamliners and a purchase by Air India that included 20 787s. Planemakers are also grappling with the after-effects of the pandemic, which forced waves of layoffs and retirements of skilled workers. While Airbus outsold Boeing in the Air India deal, landing orders for 40 A350 widebodys, the U.S. planemaker swept both the United Airlines and Saudi orders. “Saudi Airlines is a government-owned airline, and so there are politics involved with this,” analyst Stallard said.

☆ India-Russia defence firm eyes $200 mln missile deal with Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Devjyot Ghoshal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The company has been in protracted negotiations with Indonesia and details about the size and timeline of a potential deal have not been previously reported. "I have a team right now in Jakarta," Rane told Reuters in an interview, adding that a deal could be in place within the year. "The defence forces of Indonesia are extremely interested." A spokesperson for the Philippine Department of National Defence did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Western-led sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine have not impacted BrahMos production or planning, said Rane.

☆ Ukraine says it shot down a Russian supersonic bomber over the war's bloodiest battlefield: video
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's forces shot down a Russian Soviet-era bomber, officials said on Wednesday. The feat took place near Bakhmut by the 93rd separate mechanized brigade, officials said. Later in the clip a number of missiles then appear to be shot from the pilot's landing location. The Su-24 is a Soviet-era bomber. As of Wednesday, 352 Russian aircraft had been documented by the site as having been destroyed, damaged or captured during the war.

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