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☆ How much can you make in the military? US officers can earn a $220K salary plus some pretty generous benefits
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But the full compensation package of active military personnel goes beyond annual salary. Officers can earn a $220k salaryAll active duty military personnel adhere to the same pay scale and ranking system for base pay, regardless of which branch they serve in. An enlisted service member with an E-1 ranking receives $2,017.20 per month in basic pay, according to the DoD 2024 basic pay table. Service members outside the US may also receive an additional overseas housing allowance to incentivize military members to serve internationally. With Tricare, military members have no premium charges for coverage, and no out-of-pocket costs for medical care or prescriptions.

Persons: —, Paychecks, you've, you'll Organizations: Service, Military, Department of Defense, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, National Guard, Air Force, Business, O1, Space Force, Housing, Subsistence, Department of Defense's Finance, Accounting Service, US Department of Veteran Affairs, Savings Locations: San Diego, Bahrain, Tricare

☆ Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin rejects accusations Israel has committed genocide in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Rebecca Shabad | Mosheh Gains | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testifies before a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on President Biden's proposed budget request for the Department of Defense on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 9, 2024. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday said the U.S. has seen no evidence that Israel has committed genocide during its military operations against Hamas in Gaza. Asked by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., whether that means Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, Austin said again, "We don't have evidence of that." Earlier in the hearing, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., had asked the defense secretary if Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7 should be considered an act of genocide. "What we witnessed on Oct. 7, senator, was a horrific terrorist attack by Hamas," Austin said, adding it "certainly is a war crime."

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Biden's, Israel, Austin, Joe Biden's, Sen, Tom Cotton, Roger Wicker Organizations: Defense, Armed Services, Department of Defense, Capitol, Israel Defense Forces, Gaza Ministry of Health, United Nations, International Court of Justice, General Assembly Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Gaza, Israel, South Africa

☆ Dali container removal will take weeks, a key to Port of Baltimore reopening
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A Key Bridge Response 2024 Unified Command image of response crews remove shipping containers using a floating crane barge after the cargo ship Dali struck and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge, on April 7, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. CSX was the first rail to start a rail service for diverted containers resulting from the accident and closure of the Port of Baltimore. Once the Dali is refloated and no longer listing, tugs will move the vessel to the CSX terminal at the Port of Baltimore. "Once you see plans of moving the Dali away from the port, that's when you know the channel is ready to be open," Roth said. The size of vessels the Coast Guard is allowing is 96 feet in length, compared to the 984-foot-long Dali, the vessel that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge after losing navigational control and destroyed the key piece of infrastructure.

Persons: Dali, Francis Scott Key, JIC, Aaron Roth, Roth Organizations: Bethlehem Steel, Unified Command, Synergy Marine, U.S . Coast Guard, U.S . Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of, Environment, Maryland Transportation Authority, Maryland State Police, Center, CNBC, Port, CSX, Coast Guard, Chertoff Group, Guard, Francis Scott Key Bridge, Department of Defense, Dover Air Force Base Locations: Baltimore , Maryland, Baltimore Harbor, Baltimore, Port of Baltimore

☆ A Harvard professor is risking his reputation to search for aliens. Tech tycoons are bankrolling his quest.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +26 min

The Harvard professor's research is bankrolled by tech tycoons "pissed off" at academia's dogma. But this boundary-pushing is exactly why he's backed Loeb's research. AdvertisementDesch, the astrophysicist from Arizona University, posted a critique of Loeb's work on arXiv alleging "multiple fatal flaws with the manuscript's arguments." Asked whether he no longer believes in a possible technological origin for the meteor, Loeb said they need to investigate further. As he plans more extravagant expeditions to prove the origin of the interstellar meteor, Loeb likens his critics to crows pecking at the neck of an eagle.

Persons: Avi Loeb, Loeb, —, Steven Desch, they're, Loeb's, they've, Charles Hoskinson, that's, Anibal Martel, Mark Zuckerberg, Stephen Hawking, Lucas Jackson, Oumuamua, Desch, It's, Meech, Hoskinson, Rather, Lane Turner, James Webb, Bill Diamond, Stenzel, AARO, UAPs, Loeb hasn't, Joe Rogan's, Eugene Jhong, Galileo, ", Frank Laukien, Laukien, Charles Alcock, Seth Shostak, Stephen Wolfram, Richard Branson's, Vera, Rubin, Avi Loeb Loeb, what's, Rob McCallum, Mariana Trench, James Cameron, Avi Loeb Hoskinson, spherules, Harvard's Stein Jacobsen, Loeb didn't, Monica Grady, Patricio Gallardo, it's, Diamond, That's Avi, Adam Glanzman Organizations: Harvard, Service, Arizona State University, Netflix, Galileo, Anadolu Agency, Reuters, University of Hawaii, Boston Globe, James Webb Telescope, NASA, SETI Institute, Pew Research Center, Department of Defense, UAP Department of Defense, Jhong, Bruker Corporation, Smithsonian's, for Astrophysics, MIT, Wolfram Research, Harvard University, Survey, US Space Command, Hoskinson, UK's Open University, University of Chicago, Arizona University, U.S . Government, The Washington, Getty, Loeb, Astronomy, Astrophysics Locations: Lexington , Massachusetts, United States, Getty, Loeb's, New York, Cambridge, Massachussetts, UAPs, Colorado, Chile, Papua New Guinea, 2401.09882, IM1

☆ Trump Media payday: What Truth Social executives got paid in stock and compensation
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Dan Mangan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Those thresholds for the share price are well below where Trump Media stock was trading on Monday, when it closed at $37.17, down more than 8%. The filing disclosed that Trump Media awarded company stock to Nunes, chief financial officer Phillip Juhan, and chief operating officer Andrew Northwall. The three top executives, like Trump himself, are currently barred from selling any of their common stock in Trump Media for the next six months. CNBC asked a spokeswoman for Trump Media why promissory notes were used to grant stock to the executives. Legal battlesBesides Trump, the biggest shareholders in Trump Media are two corporate entities.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Donald Trump, Devin Nunes, Trump, Kevin Murphy, Murphy, Nunes, Phillip Juhan, Andrew Northwall, Juhan, Northwall, DWAC, we've, Tom Williams, Kash Patel, Patel, Dan Scavino, Scavino, Department of Defense Kash Patel, Justin Sullivan, Sandro De Moraes, Vladimir Novachki, Scott Glabe, Novachki, Glabe, De Moraes, Eric Swider, beneficially, Renatus, Swider, Andy Litinsky, Wes Moss, Moss, Patrick Orlando, Mike Pont Organizations: Trump Media, Trump . Trump Media, Nasdaq, Corp, Trump, University of Southern, Securities and Exchange Commission, DWAC, SEC, CNBC, Partners, Northwall, Juhan, Trump Media's, U.S, Capitol, CQ, Inc, Getty, Equity, Messrs, Republican, Hudson Digital, Trump White House, Staff, Department of Defense, Digital, Renatus, ARC Global, United Atlantic Ventures, Twitter, Facebook, NBC, FilmMagic Locations: Juhan, California, Minden, Minden , Nevada, Orlando, New York City

☆ Oracle's Larry Ellison thinks every government will want to build a 'sovereign' AI cloud in the future
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-07 | by ( Michelle Castillo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Oracle, which works with Nvidia and Microsoft on generative AI capabilities, has already helped use cloud tech to cut red tape for countries. For the first time, we're beginning to win business for countries," Ellison said. Countries including Serbia are standardizing on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and using generative AI for processes like automating health care. Cloud and generative AI applications allowing countries to give rural areas internet access could increase educational opportunities and create more economic value. "There's the 'Black Mirror' bad side of it: Big Brother, data wars, AI warfare and all that stuff," Garder said.

Persons: Raimo Lenschow, Ellison, Oracle's Larry Ellison, it's, Elon Musk's, you've, we've, Dan Gardner, Tapan Parikh, Parikh, Garder, Gardner, Simone Bohnenberger, It's, Bohnenberger, there's Organizations: Oracle, Barclays, EU, Nvidia, Microsoft, European, Amazon, Department of Defense, Google, Infrastructure, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Cornell University, U.S Locations: Serbia, Albania, European Union, Kenya, Rwanda, U.S, China, TikTok

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Navy Federal Credit Union® Platinum Credit Card, Navy Federal Credit Union® More Rewards American Express® Credit Card, Navy Federal Credit Union® nRewards® Secured Credit Card, Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card, Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. Navy Federal Credit Union® Platinum Credit Card QualificationsYou'll need to be a Navy Federal Credit Union member to be eligible for the Navy Federal Credit Union® Platinum Credit Card. Navy Federal Credit Union® Platinum Credit Card RewardsThe Navy Federal Credit Union® Platinum Credit Card doesn't earn rewards from spending. Navy Federal Credit Union® More Rewards American Express® Credit Card vs. Navy Federal Credit Union® Platinum Credit CardThe Navy Federal Credit Union® More Rewards American Express® Credit Card is designed for consumers with good to excellent credit. Navy Federal Credit Union® nRewards® Secured Credit Card vs. Navy Federal Credit Union® Platinum Credit CardThe Navy Federal Credit Union® nRewards® Secured Credit Card is designed for people who want to build or repair their credit, and may be a good option if you can't qualify for a Navy Federal Credit Union® Platinum Credit Card due to low credit.

Persons: Federal nRewards, cardholders, Read, Cardholders, — Organizations: Business Insider, Navy Federal Credit, Card, Navy Federal Credit Union, Citi, Federal Credit, Credit, National Guard, Department of Defense, DOD, The Navy Federal Credit, Federal Credit Union, Emergency Assistance Navy Federal Credit, Federal, American, Walmart, Wells, Citi Diamond Preferred, Navy, Navy Federal, of Defense, Business Locations: Wells

☆ Exclusive: State Department officials told House investigators they created Afghanistan withdrawal plans from scratch
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Kylie Atwood | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The State Department has continued to publicly defend its decision making around the NEO as well as the ending of the war. Milley and retired Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, who were in charge of the US military during the withdrawal, blamed the State Department for not ordering a NEO sooner. The State Department officials did not weigh in on whether calling a NEO sooner would have had a substantial impact, as this would have preceded their arrival in Afghanistan. Although the State Department has faced sharp criticism from the Defense Department – most recently in a congressional hearing with retired Gens. Coordination with the militaryAnd on the ground, as they grappled with the frenzied and fluid situation, State Department officials and service members at Hamid Karzai International Airport were regularly coordinating.

Persons: John Bass, Jim DeHart, Jayne Howell, Michael McCaul’s, McCaul, Biden, ”, Mark Milley, ” Howell, DeHart, ” Bass, Hamid, Bass, Wendy Sherman, Washington . Howell, I’m, Howell, “, Trump, Anna Moneymaker, Milley, Kenneth McKenzie, McKenzie, Vedant Patel, “ It’s, Defense Department –, Gens, Kenneth McKenzie –, ” DeHart, didn’t Organizations: CNN, State Department, House Foreign Affairs, Republican, Department, Foreign Affairs, Chiefs, House Foreign, ”, DC, State, Department of Defense, Airport, Foreign Service Institute, Pentagon, Biden, Joint Chiefs, Staff, US, US Central Command, ” State Department, Defense Department, Hamid Locations: Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghan, Ukraine, Kabul Afghanistan, Washington ., Turkey, Rayburn, Washington , DC, extremis

☆ As it looks to keep its edge over rivals, the US Navy's biggest shipbuilding projects are delayed by years, new review finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewThe US Navy's biggest shipbuilding projects, from new submarines to a first-in-class guided-missile frigate, are delayed by one to three years, according to a new Navy report. A chart from the Secretary of the Navy's 45-day shipbuilding review. AdvertisementThat growing concern comes as China's shipbuilding turns out not only more warships, but also increasingly capable ones. The Navy review, Guertin said, "identified major initiatives to drive improvement that we plan to pursue." "Our Navy ships exist to strengthen American dominance and deliver warfighting capability by providing the tools our warfighters need to operate the world's strongest navy.

Persons: —, Nick Guertin, There's, COVID, George Washington, Jonathon Gruenke, Carlos Del Toro, Del Toro, James Stavridis, Fang Sihang, Guertin Organizations: Service, Navy, Business, BI, Navy Public Affairs, Department of Defense, USS Enterprise, Enterprise, Ford, Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginian, Tribune, Getty, Virginia, Columbia, DoD, US Locations: China, Virginia, Columbia, Xinhua

☆ F-35 Lightning II fighter jets can finally fly in lightning after years of dodging storms
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A variant of the F-35 fighter jet can now fly in lightning after years of restrictions. Lightning has long been a major — and ironic — issue for the F-35, nicknamed the Lightning II. The 2012 report said "tests of the fuel tank inerting system in 2009 identified deficiencies in maintaining the required lower fuel tank oxygen levels to prevent fuel tank explosions." Advertisement"The system, " according to the report, "is not able to maintain fuel tank inerting through some critical portions of a simulated mission profile. The program is redesigning the On-Board Inert Gas Generating System (OBIGGS) to provide the required levels of protection from threat and from fuel tank explosions induced by lightning."

Persons: —, Russell Goemaere, Goemaere, Theodore Bergan, haven't Organizations: DoD, Service, Department of Defense, Business, Breaking Defense, Board, Marine Fighter Attack, Marine Fighter Attack Training, Marine Corps Air, US Marine Corps, Staff Locations: Point , North Carolina

Still, officials from both countries described the meeting as “constructive” in a joint statement and said another, in-person meeting could take place as early as next week. The Israeli delegation included national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and minister of strategic affairs Ron Dermer, who chaired the meeting. Pentagon officials shared some of their alternatives for Rafah with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant when he was in town last week. Netanyahu has said he is undeterred by the Biden administration’s opposition to an invasion of Rafah. Vice President Kamala Harris left the door open last week for unspecified consequences for Israel if it decides to proceed.

Persons: Biden, Monday’s, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, Jon, Brett McGurk, Jack Lew, Tzachi Hanegbi, Ron Dermer, “ It’s, Lloyd Austin, Yoav Gallant, Austin, Israel “, ”, Karine Jean, Pierre, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, “, ” Still, Kamala Harris, Kevin Liptak, Donald Judd Organizations: Washington CNN —, CNN, White, White House, State Department and Department of Defense, Biden, Pentagon, Israeli, United Nations Security, Netanyahu’s Locations: United States, Israel, Rafah, Gazan, Gaza, “, ”, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, New York

☆ The Quiet Power of Supply Chain Diplomacy in Latin America - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Farah Stockman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Americans used to think of China as a place to do business, and Latin America as a place to vacation. More recently, our neighbors to the south are seen as the source of desperate migrants. I saw evidence of that in Costa Rica, a stable democracy that is vying to become the Silicon Valley of Latin America — with active support from the United States. More than 40 percent of the chips the U.S. Department of Defense uses for weapons systems and infrastructure rely on Chinese suppliers. More than 90 percent of all advanced chips are produced in Taiwan, a self-governing island claimed by China.

Organizations: . Department of Defense Locations: China, America, American, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, United States, Taiwan

☆ George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Another key component was DNA from a living descendant of Samuel Washington. Samuel Washington, George Washington's younger brother, was buried in an unmarked grave at the cemetery at his Harewood estate (an interior view is pictured above) near Charles Town, West Virginia. Fortunately for the authors of the new study, “DNA analysis has come a long way since the early 2000s,” Cavagnino said. Further details came from 95,000 SNPs, an enormous volume of data targeting autosomal DNA (DNA that isn’t attached to sex chromosomes). “The search for Samuel Washington’s grave is no longer underway,” Marshall said.

Persons: George Washington’s, Samuel, Samuel Washington, ”, Charla Marshall, George, Courtney L, George Washington, Cavagnino, George Washington's, Harewood, Frances Benjamin Johnson, Samuel Washington’s, ” Cavagnino, Lucinda “ Lucy ” Payne, George Steptoe Washington Jr, Samuel Walter Washington, Dr, Lucy Payne, Connie J, Mulligan, —, ” Mulligan, “, that’s, — “, Augustine Washington, ” Marshall, Marshall, ” Mindy Weisberger Organizations: CNN, US Department of Defense DNA, West Virginia . Records, US Armed Forces DNA, Library, Zion Episcopal Church, Genomics, University of Florida, Scientific Locations: Washington, Harewood, Charles Town, West Virginia, Mount Vernon , Virginia, Zion

☆ Who can fix Boeing? Here are some potential CEO candidates
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

New York CNN —Since its founding by William Boeing more than a century ago, the Boeing Company has had 12 CEOs. What Boeing wants in its new CEOWhen picking a new CEO, the company likely has two pools of choices. Or it can once again pick a leader like outgoing CEO Calhoun, who has a financial background and an undergraduate degree in accounting. Spirit was the only one to comment, but it did not address the possibility of Shanahan becoming Boeing CEO. Culp has an undergraduate degree in economics and an MBA from Harvard, a business background more than an engineering background.

Persons: William Boeing, Dave Calhoun, Calhoun, “, ”, Sir Tim Clark, ” Calhoun, “ It’s, Richard Aboulafia, Pat Shanahan Pat Shanahan, Donald Trump, Shanahan, “ Mr, Joe Buccino, Larry Culp Larry Culp, Jack Welch, Culp, Aboulafia, Kathy Warden Kathy Warden, Northrop Grumman, Northrop, Warden, ” Aboulafia, Mary Barra, Greg Smith Greg Smith, Smith, Alan Mulally Aboulafia, Alan Mulally, Ford, Mulally, It’s, Ron Epstein, ’, Stephanie Pope, Brian West, Pope, West, Elizabeth Lund Organizations: New, New York CNN, Boeing Company, Boeing, Alaska Airlines, Emirates Airlines, CNBC, US Department of Defense, CNN, General Electric, GE Aerospace, GE, Danaher Corp, Harvard, Northrop, General Motors, Barra, American Airlines, Ford, Detroit, GM, DaimlerChrysler, Chrysler, of America, Airplanes, GE Aviation, Services, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Locations: New York, American, Calhoun

☆ These are the 10 top-paying U.S. cities where women outearn men
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Jennifer Liu | In Jljenniferliu | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Nationwide, women outearn men in just 42 U.S. cities out of an analysis of some 1,800 cities, according to a new GoBankingRates report using Census Bureau data. : Women earn a median $69,983 a year Oakland, Calif.: Women earn a median $68,260 a year Goleta, Calif.: Women earn a median $65,030 a year Laurel, Md. : Women earn a median $65,008 a year Monrovia, Calif.: Women earn a median $62,016 a year Hackensack, N.J.: Women earn a median $60,237 a year Newark, Del. : Women earn a median $58,769 a year Chamblee, Ga.: Women earn a median $58,590 a yearIn each of these cities, women outearn men by a share of .14% to 18.95% of what men earn. However, men outearn women in each of these cities by a rate of 60% to 70%.

Persons: Bowie, Andrew Murray, Murray, San Organizations: Washington D.C, CNBC, Research, Department of Defense, Calif Locations: U.S, Md, Clinton, Fort Washington, Oakland, Calif, Goleta, Laurel, Monrovia, Hackensack, N.J, Newark, Del, Washington, Jacksonville, N.C, Los Altos, Saratoga, McLean, Va, San Carlos, Wellesley, Mass

☆ Trump is just 3 weeks from becoming the first ex-president to go on trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Yet the moment that history is likely to remember most clearly unfolded in a Manhattan courtroom where Trump sat seething as a judge thwarted his latest delaying tactics and set a date for his hush money trial. Of course, it’s also possible that Trump could be acquitted in this criminal case. It is a mark of the depth of Trump’s legal hole that a reduced requirement to post a bond worth $175 million counts as a big win. Already clashing with another judgeTurning to Judge Juan Merchan, who took the gloss off of the ex-president’s day by scheduling the trial date, Trump issued another bitter complaint. Trump’s looming criminal trial presents a challenge and an opportunity for the Biden campaign.

Persons: Donald Trump staved, Trump, it’s, Stormy Daniels, isn’t, ” Trump, ”, he’d, he’ll, Arthur Engoron, Letitia James, “, Juan Merchan, Attorney Alvin Bragg, ” Ryan Goodman, CNN’s Erica Hill, Jack, Fani Willis, Willis, Aileen Cannon, Biden, Nikki Haley, she’s, Joe Biden, Trump’s, “ Donald Trump, James Singer, Donald Trump, –, Merchan, ” Merchan Organizations: CNN, Trump, New York, ”, Manhattan, Attorney, Department of Defense, Fulton, GOP, South Carolina Gov, Biden, Arab American, Israel, Engoron, Monday Locations: Manhattan, New York, Fulton County, Georgia, Lago, Florida, Trump, Atlanta, Michigan, Gaza, York

☆ Navy Federal says external review finds ‘non-race factors’ explained mortgage approval disparities
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Casey Tolan | Rene Marsh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The nearly 29-percentage-point gap in Navy Federal’s approval rates was the widest of any of the 50 lenders that originated the most mortgage loans in 2022. In addition, an analysis by staff of the Senate Banking Committee, which 10 Democratic senators cited in a letter asking federal regulators to review Navy Federal’s mortgage lending earlier this year, also found racial disparities in Navy Federal’s mortgage approval rates based on the publicly available data. A spokesperson for Navy Federal did not respond to a request for additional details about the analysis. Navy Federal described Adegbile’s analysis as an “external review,” but his law firm, WilmerHale, is also defending Navy Federal in a class-action lawsuit from Black and Latino borrowers who allege the credit union discriminated against them in mortgage applications. “Navy Federal should immediately put out the full investigative report and data analysis so that Navy Federal’s members have an opportunity for themselves to review the findings,” the statement said.

Persons: hadn’t, “, ”, Debo Adegbile, ” Adegbile, WilmerHale, – Ben Crump, Adam Levitt, Hassan Zavareei –, Adegbile Organizations: CNN, Navy Federal Credit Union, Department of Defense, Federal, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Banking Committee, Navy Federal, U.S . Commission, Civil Rights Locations: Black, Navy

☆ The cost of key US weapons like artillery shells for Ukraine is soaring
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The cost to maintain a weapon is more than twice the cost to build it, a GAO official said. Related storiesThe Army estimated that O&S costs for the Excalibur — first deployed in 2007 — had soared 183% since a baseline estimate in 2011. Still, all this does raise the question of whether higher maintenance costs for US military equipment at least partially result from problems with design and manufacturing. "We don't know the specific extent of O&S cost growth due to design problems or poor sustainment management," Maurer said. "In some respects, those problems could lower O&S costs because systems cannot fly, operate, or sail as often as planned.

Persons: —, Ukraine —, Diana Maurer, Maurer, Michael Peck Organizations: US Army, Service, GAO, DOD, Department of Defense, Army, Navy, Air Force, US Navy, Raytheon, YouTube, US, EA, Hornet, Navy Multiband, Tactical Mission, Warfighter, Pentagon, Defense, Foreign Policy, Rutgers Univ, Twitter, LinkedIn Locations: Ukraine, China, Forbes

☆ Niger ends military agreement with US, calls it ‘profoundly unfair’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Mitchell Mccluskey | Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Niger’s military government announced that it has ended an accord with the US that allowed military personnel and civilian staff from the Department of Defense to operate in Niger – days after holding high-level talks with US diplomatic and military officials this week. “This agreement is not only profoundly unfair in its substance but it also does not meet the aspirations and interests of the Nigerien people,” he said. Senior Pentagon officials believe that keeping a presence in Niger is vital to efforts to tackle terrorism in the region. In a letter sent to Congress in December 2023, President Joe Biden noted that approximately 648 US military personnel remain deployed to Niger. During meetings, Nigerien and American officials discussed the military transition in Niger and military cooperation between the two countries, Abdramane said.

Persons: CNN —, Major Amadou Abdramane, –, ”, Joe Biden, Abdramane, “, ” Abdramane, Niger “ Organizations: CNN, Department of Defense, American Department of Defense, Nigerien, US, Niger . Senior Pentagon, Pentagon, American, US Department of Defense Locations: Niger, United States, Republic of Niger, CNN Niger, Niger ., US, Nigerien, Russia, Iran

☆ The US Army has its eyes on the Arctic and is readying soldiers for the cold, unforgiving wastes that could be their next battlefield
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementThe two-week JPMRC Alaska training exercise involved over 8,000 troops from the 11th Airborne Division, as well as international allies and partners. Brandon VasquezBack in 2021, the US Army released its new strategy on regaining Arctic dominance, leading to the reorganization of its Alaskan forces and priorities. AdvertisementAll Arctic nations are keeping an eye on what could be seen as increased access to energy, minerals, and resources in the Arctic. AdvertisementU.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 11th Airborne Division patrol on snow machines during the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 exercise at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 17, 2024. For that reason, the Army appears to be encouraging its Arctic soldiers to be creative and able to adapt to whatever conditions or situations they might encounter.

Persons: —, Col, Sean Lucas, JPMRC, Brandon Vasquez, Spc.Wyatt Moore, Abreanna Goodrich, China —, I've, Zachary Burns, Sammantha Ohm, Joseph Gaskin Organizations: US, Army, Service, US Army Pacific's, Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, Business, 11th Airborne Division, U.S ., 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Airborne Division, Pacific Multinational Readiness, U.S, US Army, U.S . Army, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne, Donnelly Training, Public Affairs Detachment, National Intelligence, Spc, Department of Defense, Army Spc, 5th Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment, Delta Co Locations: Russia, China, Fairbanks , Alaska, Alaska, Hawaii, U.S, Utqiagvik, Soviet Union, Canada, Denmark, Russian, JPMRC

☆ Former U.S. official's work for Chinese client stirs concern over disclosure loopholes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Advocating for foreign clients is legal and U.S. law includes a public disclosure exemption for lawyers. The Paul, Weiss law firm declined to comment on the letter, and Lynch did not respond to Reuters emails. The U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments say DJI supported biometric surveillance and tracking of Muslim Uyghur minorities in China. "It is appalling that former senior U.S. officials use their connections to serve the interests of U.S. adversaries," Risch said. Others argue that stricter FARA rules on disclosure could give authoritarian countries like Russia and China cover for their own stifling of free speech.

Persons: Loretta Lynch, Obama, Lynch, Paul, Weiss, DJI, FARA, Jim Risch, Risch, Jonathan Turley, Turley Organizations: U.S, senior Defense Department, SZ DJI Technology Co, U.S . Department of Justice, Reuters, Department of Defense, China's Communist Party, U.S . Treasury, Commerce, The Defense Department, Pentagon, Justice, Republican, Senate Foreign Relations, American Civil Liberties Union, Justice Department, George Washington University Locations: FARA, U.S, China, WuXi, Russia

☆ A signal linked to aliens by a Harvard professor may have been caused by a passing truck
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewYet another study is calling into question a Harvard professor's claims that metallic balls discovered under the ocean may have been made by aliens . Johns Hopkins University-led (JHU-led) research said a blip on the seismometer that Loeb used to pinpoint the crash site may simply have been caused by the vibrations of a passing truck. AdvertisementPinpointing the crash siteIn 2019, Loeb and his team searched databases for unusual meteors that were moving rapidly. The meteor, dubbed by Loeb's team IM1, was first spotted by the Department of Defense's (DoD) sensors. Loeb's team recovered 805 spherules.

Persons: —, Avi Loeb, Loeb, Ben Fernando, It's, Fernando, it's, Charles Hoskinson, Undeterred Organizations: Service, Harvard, Business, Johns Hopkins University, JHU, Department of Defense's, DoD, Planetary Science Conference, Galileo, Space Force Locations: Papua, Guinea, 2401.09882, Papua New Guinea, Houston

☆ A California man charged with smuggling greenhouse gases hints at the revival of a decades-long black market
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But there's also a blooming black market in greenhouse gases. HFCs are commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners, but they're also potent greenhouse gases. There's been a thriving black market for climate-altering refrigerant chemicals since the 1990s, at times as lucrative as selling cocaine. KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty ImagesThe black market "comes with the territory" of regulation, Doniger said. At the height of the CFC black market, many cars still used those refrigerants for their air conditioners.

Persons: there's, hydrofluorocarbons, they're, Adrees Latif, Michael Hart, Tara McGrath, There's, Hart, Carlo Allegri, David Doniger, HFCs, Avipsa, Victor Molina, KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI, Mahapatra, Doniger Organizations: Service, Department of, Business, Facebook, Department of Justice, Reuters, Natural Resources Defense Council, NASA, Environmental Investigation Agency, Getty, EPA, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, DOJ, US Attorney's, Southern, of, New York Times, CFC Locations: San Diego, Mexico, Port of Miami, Montreal, Elk Grove Village , Illinois, AFP, United States, of California, HFCs, Europe

☆ This defense-tech startup bootstrapped its way to nearly $30 million in revenue. Now, it has another $35 million from Sapphire Ventures.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Now, Defense Unicorns, a startup that creates open-source software for national security systems, has announced it raised $35 million in a round of funding led by Sapphire Ventures and Ansa Capital. The world of open-source software for the military is small, making the opportunity much greater. TestifySec, a tiny startup building open-source software for the Department of Homeland Security, raised a $6 million seed round last fall. This year, Defense Unicorns says it will use the initial round of funding to go on a hiring spree. Defense Unicorns will compete for talent in artificial intelligence with tons of other startups.

Persons: —, Jai Das, Rob Slaughter, Das, siphoning, Slaughter, it's, Lockheed Martin Organizations: Service, Sapphire Ventures, Unicorns, Business, Defense Unicorns, Ansa, Department of Defense, Air Force, Lockheed, Department of Homeland Security Locations: Chicago

☆ House Democrats probe SpaceX over alleged illegal export and use of Starlink by Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Lora Kolodny | In Lorakolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

House Democrats Robert Garcia, D-Calif. and Jamie Raskin, D-Md, sent a letter to SpaceX demanding transparency from the defense contractor following reports of potentially illegal purchases and use of Starlink satellite internet equipment by Russia in occupied territories of Ukraine. The congressmen also announced a probe of SpaceX by the Democratic House Committee into the company's safeguards and procedures for preventing illegal exports and use of its Starlink equipment and services. The Washington Post first reported on the probe and March 6 letter to SpaceX president and chief operating officer Gwynne Shotwell. In a statement on Thursday, the congressmen wrote, "Russia's use of Starlink satellite terminals would be in contravention of U.S. export controls that prohibit Russia from acquiring and utilizing U.S.-produced technology." The new probe by House Democrats follows news on Wednesday that a man in New Jersey was arrested on charges of allegedly trafficking 675 SpaceX Starlink terminals which were purchased with stolen credit card accounts or hacked Starlink billing accounts.

Persons: Robert Garcia, Jamie Raskin, Gwynne Shotwell, Elon Musk, Musk, Starlink, Walter Isaacson, —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, GUR, Mike Gallagher, Gallagher Organizations: SpaceX, Democratic, Committee, Washington Post, Netflix, Directorate of Intelligence, Russian, Democrats, House, Department of Defense, CNBC, House Democrats, Police Locations: Ukraine, Warsaw, Poland, Russia, Crimea, Russian, Kyiv's, Ukrainian, Donetsk, House China, Taiwan, Starlink, New Jersey

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