The following tweet about the US raid on the Abbottabad compound housing Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011 is the most celebrated example of such social media reporting.

Shoaib Akhtar, an IT professional working late at night in Abbottabad, heard the sound of helicopters and shared this information on X, then Twitter, barely knowing what he was talking about. Later, when the Operation Neptune Spear by US Navy SEAL Team Six killing the Al Qaeda leader became known worldwide, his tweet also received global attention as the first public user-generated information about the raid.

India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, 2025, targeting nine terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.  At 1:44 am on that day, the Union government’s Press Information Bureau issued a statement informing the public of the same. later in the day, the Indian Armed Forces held a press conference in which Colonel Sophia Qureshi mentioned the exact timing of the operation. It took place between 1:05 am and 1:30 am.

Armed with this information, and using specific keywords and time filters we tried to find out who first tweeted and in a sense reported about Operation Sindoor.

Use of the Epoch Time Filter

Usually, Twitter advanced search only has a date filter, in which tweets between two  particular days, or months or years can be searched. But to look for tweets between two different times on the same day, epoch time filter is useful. In simple language, epoch time is a single numerical format to represent any year, month, day and time. To filter tweets based on the time of the event, we have to convert the date and time of Operation Sindoor to epoch time.

For example, Operation Sindoor occurred on May 7, 2025 between 1:05 am and 1:30 am. The epoch time for this date and time can be calculated using various online epoch converters. We are using a website called vk2zay.net .

With the help of this tool, we found the epoch time of 1:05 am and 1:30 am on May 7, 2025.

The epoch time of 1:05 am on 7 May 2025 is 1746560100, while the epoch time of 1:30 am on 7 May 2025 is 1746561600.

Advanced Search

To search different keywords in a single search, they are separated by ‘OR’, while to search tweets between two moments, one has to use ‘SINCE:’ and ‘UNTIL:’ filters. In this case, our advanced search terms were: Fighter jet OR aircraft OR blast OR explosion OR Pakistan OR loud OR sound since:1746560100 until:1746561600

On searching these keywords with time filter, we found many tweets by Pakistani users which mentioned explosions and fighter jets flying.

The oldest tweet among all these was found by a user named Tahreem (X handle: @Fedfacforever), who tweeted at 1:09 am and mentioned spotting a fighter jet.

The same user went on to share more tweets on the same topic. One minute later, at 1.10 am, the user wrote, “There was light!!! This was a fighter jet Oh God People are sleeping what the hell!!! More tweets followed. At 1.14 am, they wrote, “This was a fighter jet! I can’t decide if it was Thunder or F-16”.

Readers should note that both JF-17 Thunder and F-16 are combat aircraft used by Pakistan Air Force.

To sum up, according to our findings, the 1.09am IST tweet by Pakistani X user Tehreem (@Fedfanforever) could be the first public mention of Operation Sindoor, (not by that name though). The airstrikes were thus reported on social media at least 35 minutes before the Indian government informed the public about the operation.

The post ‘Ya Allah. This was a fighter jet!!!!’: Pak X user’s tweet could be first ‘report’ on Operation Sindoor appeared first on Alt News.

This content originally appeared on Alt News and was authored by Abhishek Kumar.

I am saddened by the death of one of the most inspirational Pacific women and leaders I have worked with — Motarilavoa Hilda Lini of Vanuatu.

She was one of the strongest, most committed passionate fighter I know for self-determination, decolonisation, independence, indigenous rights, customary systems and a nuclear-free Pacific.

Hilda coordinated the executive committee of the women’s wing of the Vanuatu Liberation Movement prior to independence and became the first woman Member of Parliament in Vanuatu in 1987.

• READ MORE: Motarilavoa Hilda Lini, ‘a trailblazer’ for Vanuatu women in politics, dies
• Other Hilda Lini reports

Hilda became director of the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre (PCRC) in Suva in 2000. She took over from another Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) giant Lopeti Senituli, who returned to Tonga to help the late ‘Akilisi Poviha with the pro-democracy movement.

I was editor of the PCRC newsletter Pacific News Bulletin at the time. There was no social media then so the newsletter spread information to activists and groups across the Pacific on issues such as the struggle in West Papua, East Timor’s fight for independence, decolonisation in Tahiti and New Caledonia, demilitarisation, indigenous movements, anti-nuclear issues, and sustainable development.

On all these issues — Hilda Lini was a willing and fearless chief taking on any government, corporation or entity that undermined the rights or interests of Pacific peoples.

Hilda was uncompromising on issues close to her heart. There are very few Pacific leaders like her left today. Leaders who did not hold back from challenging the norm or disrupting the status quo, even if that meant being an outsider.

Banned over activism
She was banned from entering French Pacific territories in the 1990s for her activism against their colonial rule and nuclear testing.

She was fierce but also strategic and effective.

We brought Jose Ramos Horta to speak and lobby in Fiji as East Timor fought for independence from Indonesia, Oscar Temaru before he became President of French Polynesia, West Papua’s Otto Ondawame, and organised Flotilla protests against shipments of Japanese plutonium across the Pacific, among the many other actions to stir awareness and action.

On top of her bold activism, Hilda was also a mother to us. She was kind and caring and always pushed the importance of family and indigenous values.

Our Pacific connections were strong and before our eldest son Mitchell was born in 2002 — she asked me if she could give him a middle name.

She gave him the name Hadye after her brother — Father Walter Hadye Lini who was the first Prime Minister of Vanuatu. Mitchell’s full name is Mitchell Julian Hadye Simpson.

Pushed strongly for ideas
We would cross paths several times even after I moved to start the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) but she finished from PCRC in 2004 and returned to Vanuatu.

She often pushed ideas on indigenous rights and systems that some found uncomfortable but stood strong on what she believed in.

Hilda had mana, spoke with authority and truly embodied the spirit and heart of a Melanesian and Pacific leader and chief.

Thank you Hilda for being the Pacific champion that you were.

Stanley Simpson is director of Fiji’s Mai Television and general secretary of the Fijian Media Association. Father Walter Hadye Lini wrote the foreword to Asia Pacific Media editor David Robie’s 1986 book Eyes Of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior.

This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by Pacific Media Watch.

I am saddened by the death of one of the most inspirational Pacific women and leaders I have worked with — Motarilavoa Hilda Lini of Vanuatu.

She was one of the strongest, most committed passionate fighter I know for self-determination, decolonisation, independence, indigenous rights, customary systems and a nuclear-free Pacific.

Hilda coordinated the executive committee of the women’s wing of the Vanuatu Liberation Movement prior to independence and became the first woman Member of Parliament in Vanuatu in 1987.

• READ MORE: Motarilavoa Hilda Lini, ‘a trailblazer’ for Vanuatu women in politics, dies
• Other Hilda Lini reports

Hilda became director of the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre (PCRC) in Suva in 2000. She took over from another Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) giant Lopeti Senituli, who returned to Tonga to help the late ‘Akilisi Poviha with the pro-democracy movement.

I was editor of the PCRC newsletter Pacific News Bulletin at the time. There was no social media then so the newsletter spread information to activists and groups across the Pacific on issues such as the struggle in West Papua, East Timor’s fight for independence, decolonisation in Tahiti and New Caledonia, demilitarisation, indigenous movements, anti-nuclear issues, and sustainable development.

On all these issues — Hilda Lini was a willing and fearless chief taking on any government, corporation or entity that undermined the rights or interests of Pacific peoples.

Hilda was uncompromising on issues close to her heart. There are very few Pacific leaders like her left today. Leaders who did not hold back from challenging the norm or disrupting the status quo, even if that meant being an outsider.

Banned over activism
She was banned from entering French Pacific territories in the 1990s for her activism against their colonial rule and nuclear testing.

She was fierce but also strategic and effective.

We brought Jose Ramos Horta to speak and lobby in Fiji as East Timor fought for independence from Indonesia, Oscar Temaru before he became President of French Polynesia, West Papua’s Otto Ondawame, and organised Flotilla protests against shipments of Japanese plutonium across the Pacific, among the many other actions to stir awareness and action.

On top of her bold activism, Hilda was also a mother to us. She was kind and caring and always pushed the importance of family and indigenous values.

Our Pacific connections were strong and before our eldest son Mitchell was born in 2002 — she asked me if she could give him a middle name.

She gave him the name Hadye after her brother — Father Walter Hadye Lini who was the first Prime Minister of Vanuatu. Mitchell’s full name is Mitchell Julian Hadye Simpson.

Pushed strongly for ideas
We would cross paths several times even after I moved to start the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) but she finished from PCRC in 2004 and returned to Vanuatu.

She often pushed ideas on indigenous rights and systems that some found uncomfortable but stood strong on what she believed in.

Hilda had mana, spoke with authority and truly embodied the spirit and heart of a Melanesian and Pacific leader and chief.

Thank you Hilda for being the Pacific champion that you were.

Stanley Simpson is director of Fiji’s Mai Television and general secretary of the Fijian Media Association. Father Walter Hadye Lini wrote the foreword to Asia Pacific Media editor David Robie’s 1986 book Eyes Of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior.

This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by Pacific Media Watch.

The parody X account ‘@RichKettle07’ posted the video with the same claim on May 10. It has received 10 Lakh views so far. (Archived version of the post)

Live Visuals

~ India has brought down 2 Pakistani Fighter Jets during an insane dogfight in the Kashmir valley around Srinagar-Budgam-Baramulla #IndiaPakistanWar pic.twitter.com/Ul5j7jjVHA

— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) May 10, 2025

Another X user named Premanand also posted the video with the same claim. (Archived link)

Live Visuals

~ India has brought down 2 Pakistani Fighter Jets during an insane dogfight in the Kashmir valley around Srinagar-Budgam-Baramulla #IndiaPakistanWar#JF17 Smoked pic.twitter.com/C0wVeGBAqX

— Premanand (@PremanandJohns5) May 10, 2025

Many X accounts shared the clip with the same claim. (Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, Link 4) At the same time, the video was viral on Facebook as well. 

Fact Check

Using a simple reverse image search using key frames from the video, we found visuals from the video in a report by The Irish Sun dated September 26, 2022. According to the report, these visuals are of an American-made Stinger missile shooting down a Russian fighter jet mid-air. The article states that a Su-30 fighter jet flying around Kharkiv in Ukraine was shot down.

Express.co.uk also published a report on the incident. This article contains an embedded version of the viral video and reports that a Russian fighter jet was shot down by the United States’ ‘Stringer’ missile.

The former Defence Minister of Ukraine had also informed the public about a Russian Su-30 jet being shot down in Kharkiv on September 25, 2022.

Ten months ago, in WDC, I asked for Stingers 4 #UAarmy & heard “It’s impossible.”
Many times.
Today, rus Su-30 jet was shot down by Stinger in the Kharkiv region.
So…the impossible is indeed possible.
Thanks to our partners.
We will win!
Горить, “Палає техніка ворожа” pic.twitter.com/c1NtHcqlsD

— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) September 24, 2022

To sum up, a three-year-old video is being shared with the false claim that two Pakistani jets were shot down around Srinagar-Budgam-Baramulla.

The post Old footage of Russian aircraft shot midair shared as Pakistani fighter jet taken down by India appeared first on Alt News.

This content originally appeared on Alt News and was authored by Kinjal.

The United States has approved a multibillion-dollar deal to sell 20 fighter jets to the Philippines, officials announced just days after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made his first official visit to Manila.

The sale for the package of F-16s along with related equipment and parts is contingent on Manila formally accepting it through a letter, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA) said in a statement Tuesday.

“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Philippines of F-16 Aircraft for an estimated cost of $5.58 billion,” the statement said, adding the DCSA had notified Congress about the possible sale.

The Philippines, one of America’s closest allies in Southeast Asia, for years has been looking to modernize and upgrade its military arsenal and air force fleet as it confronts territorial tensions with China in the South China Sea.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner that continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in Southeast Asia,” the DCSA said.

If finalized, the sale “will enhance the Philippine Air Force’s ability to conduct maritime domain awareness and close air support missions and enhance its suppression of enemy air defenses,” the agency said. “This sale will also increase the ability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to protect vital interests and territory, as well as expand interoperability with the U.S. forces.”

The sale, the agency also said, would “not alter the basic military balance in the region.”

The Philippine Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a BenarNews request for comment.

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Greg Poling, a maritime analyst from the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said it was too soon to say if the deal would go through.

“State has approved it, but that doesn’t mean the Philippines will actually follow through with the purchase, or that the final number will really be 20 F-16s,” he told BenarNews.

“If this does happen, it certainly doesn’t change the balance of power, but it could give the Philippines a greater ability to defend its own aircraft over the South China Sea. Right now, the Philippines’ only capable combat aircraft are FA-50 trainer jets from South Korea.”

Defense secretary visit

The announcement followed Hegseth’s meetings with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. on March 28 in Manila, where he assured the Filipinos that Washington’s defense commitment to its treaty ally would remain strong under the second administration of President Donald Trump.

“Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese, and that friends need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to deter conflict,” Hegseth told Marcos, according to a transcript of their meeting at Malacañang Palace.

(Basilio Sepe/Reuters)

Marcos said that Hegseth’s choosing Manila as the first stop on his first Asian trip as the Pentagon chief “sends a very strong message of the commitment of both our countries to continue to work together to maintain the peace in the Indo-Pacific region within the South China Sea.”

China: Who’s fueling the flames?

In Beijing on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Guo Jiakun questioned the proposed sale.

“We’ve made clear more than once our position on military and security cooperation between the Philippines and the U.S. Whatever defense or security cooperation between the Philippines and other countries should not target any third party or harm their interest, still less threaten regional peace and security or escalate tensions in the region,” he said in response to a question during the daily news conference.

“Who exactly is fueling the flames? Who exactly is instigating military confrontation? Who exactly is turning Asia into a ‘powder keg?’ Regional countries are not blind.” 

For months, Philippine officials had filed diplomatic complaints against their Chinese counterparts over incidents involving ships firing water cannons and jets flying too closely in disputed South China Sea waters.

In January, a Philippine Navy spokesman accused China of an “increase in aggression” by using a long-rang acoustic device that sailors said could damage hearing or cause severe discomfort by emitting piercing, high-decibel sounds.

‘Unprecedented’ funding

Under Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, the U.S. announced in July 2024 what it called an “unprecedented” infusion of $500 million to help the Philippines defend its shores against perceived threats from China.

Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken, then the U.S. secretaries of defense and state, negotiated with their Filipino counterparts, Teodoro and Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo at a “2+2” meeting in Manila.

“[W]e are taking bold steps to strengthen our alliance,” Austin told reporters following nearly four hours of closed-door talks.

“We are poised to deliver a once-in-a-generation investment to help modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard. We are working with the U.S. congress to allocate $500 million in foreign military financing into the Philippines,” he said.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news service.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by BenarNews staff.

Produced by a Chinese aviation company, Shenyang, the new jet took more than a decade to build- and bears more than a passing resemblance a U.S. fighter, the F-35, made by Lockheed Martin.

As the U.S. Air Force’s chief of staff, David Allvin, told Air & Space Forces Magazine, the similarities between the two aircraft were striking. Both models have silver-grey wings, a pointed nose and a smooth, slicked-back design. Though made in two different countries, they looked as if they came from the same factory. If you were to put the two jets side-by-side, said Allvin, you could practically see where they both “got their blueprints.”

That in itself is an achievement for the Chinese military, which has for years struggled to compete with the U.S. military advances. Still, there are differences between the two aircraft.

The Chinese-made J-31 is more svelte than the American jet—despite the fact that the Chinese model has two engines, while the U.S.-made F-35 has one.

Chinese designers may have chosen to build their aircraft with two engines to give the jet more power, says Douglas Royce, a senior aircraft analyst with the Sandy Hook, Connecticut-based research company, Forecast International.

But the design could have also been chosen for a more primitive reason: the second engine could serve as a backup in case of mission failure.

“Maybe they have less faith in the reliability of the aircraft,” says Greg Malandrino, a former U.S. fighter pilot now at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

Chinese pilots will have to make do with a smaller workspace than American F-35 pilots, according to Boyko Nikolov, the head of a media company Bulgarian Military. The U.S. fighter jet’s cockpit is cushier, roomier, with a bigger canopy, while the Chinese plane’s cockpit reflects “a more utilitarian approach to pilot ergonomics,” according to Nikolov.

Malandrino, says he did not notice any significant differences in the design of the two cockpits. Besides, as he points out, the cockpit of a fighter jet, whether Chinese or American, is not known for comfort. The seat is designed to provide the pilot with a way out of a tricky situation.

“You’re sitting on ejection seat,” he says. “It’s basically a rocket seat.”

Others questioned whether the Chinese jet, however well-designed, is all that sneaky. According to aviation expert Dario Leone, the J-31 spits a lot of smoke from its exhaust pipe when it’s in the air, which could make it easier to detect the plane.

But experts agree that the real power of a fighter jet lies in the overall strength of the military they serve. Says Forecast International’s Royce: “People are thinking about two jets operating in a dog fight. But in the real world, it depends on the entire combat system.”

“Until the two countries fight, it’s just guesswork,” Royce says. “You really don’t know till the shooting starts.”

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Tara McKelvey.

Alexander Mikheev, Rosoboronexport’s director general, told journalists at the Zhuhai Airshow in China last week that the company had secured

“first contracts” with some “friendly” foreign countries without giving further details.

Mikheev was quoted in an interview with the Rossyia-1 TV channel as saying “our partners want to buy reliable, proven Russian weapons.”

The Su-57 is a multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Russian Sukhoi company and the first designed with stealth technology. It is known by the NATO reporting name Felon and first entered service with the Russian air force in 2022.

The manufacturer says that this fifth generation stealth multirole fighter is capable of aerial combat as well as ground and maritime strikes. It has a supersonic cruising speed, internal weapons, a radio-absorbing coating, and the latest onboard equipment, according to Mikheev

Rosoboronexport brought two Su-57s to the Zhuhai Airshow, one flown in by the company’s top test pilot, Sergey Bogdan, who showcased the aircraft’s claimed “super maneuverabilities” at the event.

Andreas Rupprecht, an aviation blogger, told RFA that he was not impressed: “The Russians brought one flying old prototype and one static test specimen for the display, nothing special in fact.”

“It seems there was a lot of exaggeration,” he said, referring to the aircraft’s capabilities.

Some social media users in China also seemed to question the Su-57, with posts exposing its obvious design flaws.

Potential buyers

Peter Suciu, a U.S.-based writer specializing in military matters, said he questioned just how advanced the aircraft was.

“From the open sources I’ve read, it isn’t likely as advanced as the hype suggests,” Suciu said.

“The U.S. and its allies have used the F-35 in combat, and the U.S. has sent the F-22 in a warzone. Russia hasn’t really done the same with the Su-57. That says a lot about the aircraft.”

Mikheev was quoted in Russian media as saying that his company was “holding technical consultations with a number of Russia’s strategic partners.”

“We are discussing both deliveries of final products from Russia and cooperation within joint development and production projects,” Mikheev said.

Suciu told RFA that he questioned the level of outside interest.

“My opinion is that Rosoboronexport wants the world to believe there is more interest than there really is - in part to save face, but also to entice other potential buyers,” Suciu said.

“In the past, India, Egypt, Turkey, Vietnam and Indonesia were mentioned as potential buyers, but we don’t know how far talks progressed,” he added.

Vietnamese sources with knowledge of the matter told RFA they could not confirm news of a deal.

Due to Western sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, not many countries could be expected to publicly express an interest in buying Russian weapons.

Analysts say Algeria is the most likely buyer of the Su-57 and may already be operating an aircraft. The Algerian air force has already bought nearly 60 heavyweight twin engine fighter Su-30MKA from Russia.

China, which is also developing its fifth-generation fighter jet, the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, thought to be inspired by the American F-35 JSF, is clearly not interested in buying the Su-57.

The biggest customer of the fighter jets remains the Russian air force, with 22 aircraft being supplied by the end of 2024 and 76 more expected by 2028, according to Russia’s Center for Arms Trade Analyses.

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Edited by Mike Firn.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by RFA Staff.

But the claim is false. Experts told AFCL that none of the planes seen in the video is an F-16 fighter jet, adding the footage might have been taken from a video game. The U.S. Department of Defense also dismissed the claim. 

The video and the claim were shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Aug. 30, 2024.

“Breaking news! Russia shot down a U.S. F16 fighter jet over the Black Sea!” the claim reads in part. 

The 19-second video appears to show fighter jets engaged in an exchange of fire.

The Chinese-language text superimposed on the video read: “A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced the incident at a press conference on Aug. 28.” 

The same video alongside similar claims was also shared on X and Douyin, a Chinese version of TikTok. 

But the claim is false. 

Different planes

Hsiao-Huang Shu, an associate researcher at the Taipei-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said none of the planes seen in the video is an F-16 fighter jet.

Shu explained it would be unlikely for the U.S. to send F-16 fighter jets to the Black Sea since most are deployed in Germany and Italy.

The U.S. has stopped flying warplanes over the Black Sea to avoid any possibility of  being drawn into the Russian-Ukrainian War, Shu added. 

While U.S. aircraft are operating near the conflict zone to provide intelligence support to Ukraine, they will not engage in combat on their own initiative, according to Shu. 

Shu also noted that the footage seems to have been taken from a video game, pointing out the fuzzy picture quality and the unrealistic appearance of smoke and fire coming from the plane as it is shot down. 

No Russian statement

A review of a recorded video and transcript of the Russian foreign ministry’s press conference on Aug. 28 found no mention of a U.S F-16 fighter jet. 

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not responded to inquiries as of press time.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense told AFCL that the claim was false but clarified that it does not authenticate video footage from sources outside its organization.

Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke and Taejun Kang.

Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) was established to counter disinformation in today’s complex media environment. We publish fact-checks, media-watches and in-depth reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers’ understanding of current affairs and public issues. If you like our content, you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Dong Zhe and Alan Lu for Asia Fact Check Lab.

U.S. companies and nationals will need to apply for a special license – with a “presumption of denial” – before doing any business with China’s Global Training Solutions and Smartech Future, South Africa’s Grace Air and the United Kingdom’s Livingston Aerospace.

The firms were blacklisted “because of their links to the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA) and the training of China’s military forces using Western … sources,” according to a U.S. Department of Commerce federal filing set to be published on Wednesday.

TFASA itself was added to the Commerce Ministry’s banned Entity List in June 2023 and is at the center of the former U.S. Marine and now Australian citizen Daniel Duggan’s high-profile extradition case. 

The United States has accused Duggan, who renounced his U.S. citizenship in 2016 and now has a family in Australia, of knowingly training Chinese military pilots at the South African school in 2012 in technical skills that included landing on aircraft carriers.

Duggan has denied the accusations and says he only thought he was training civilian Chinese pilots. His Australian family says the U.S. military is trying to make an example of him in order to warn other American ex-military members against training Chinese pilots.

In a memo last month, the U.S. military warned Western ex-military against lucrative job offers to train Chinese pilots, with recruitment by firms with ties to China’s People’s Liberation Army “not always obvious, as companies may not initially promote the PLA’s role.”

“Job locations may be in China, South Africa, or elsewhere, with lucrative contracts and the opportunity to fly exotic aircraft, with vague details on the ultimate customers,” the June 5 memo said.

Edited by Malcolm Foster.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Alex Willemyns for RFA.

“I am from northern Shan state and I’ve come to Kayin state for the revolution,” she says to Radio Free Asia.

Moe Pyae Sone pauses for a moment at an internally displaced people’s camp just south of Myawaddy, where ethnic rebels recently overran military junta positions.

Wearing camouflage pants and a tactical vest over a traditional red garment, she recalls her participation in protests – like so many other young people – against Myanmar’s military junta after the Feb. 1, 2021, coup d’etat.

Knowing of her desire to fight, her parents asked her to remain in school, she says. But in 2022, she secretly sold a pair of earrings to pay for travel expenses. 

On the other side of the country – in Chin state – she joined rebel forces and eventually became a trainer. 

“In Chin state, I’ve gained combat experience,” she says. “I’ve participated in quite a few battles.”

She speaks matter-of-factly and occasionally lets loose with a nervous giggle.

Earlier this year, she made her way to Kayin state to join with another group of anti-junta fighters. 

She’s the eldest of three siblings. She says her mother still lives in the same village in Shan state. 

“Of course they worry about me,” she says.

Then she jumps in the back of a pickup truck with a half dozen others. She turns around to wave goodbye – still smiling – as they drive off toward a junta outpost.

Edited by Matt Reed.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Pimuk Rakkanam for Radio Free Asia.

Blair responded to a report by Canada’s Global News that Chinese fighter jets intercepted a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) military airplane in an “aggressive manner” while the latter was flying over international waters off the coast of China on Monday.

The news outlet said a missile-carrying Chinese jet came as close as five meters from the Canadian aircraft – a distance deemed by military analysts to be leaving “very little margin for error.”

Reporters from Radio Canada and Global News were on board the CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft which was on a U.N. mission to monitor sanctions against North Korea.

“I am very concerned about the unprofessional way in which this was done,” Blair told reporters in Ottawa.

“It was quite frankly dangerous and reckless. And those types of behaviors are not ever acceptable and we will express that to the People’s Republic of China in the most appropriate way,” he said.

The Chinese government has yet to say anything about the incident, believed to involve at least two People’s Liberation Army Air Force fighter jets carrying air-to-air missiles.

Global News quoted the commander of RCAF’s 1st Air Division Maj. Gen. Iain Huddleston, who was also on board, as saying that the Chinese jets also launched multiple flares near the front of the Aurora. 

“They became very aggressive and to a degree we would deem it unsafe and unprofessional,” Huddleston told the broadcaster.

The Canadian surveillance aircraft was taking part in U.N. Operation NEON to monitor shipping lanes in the East China Sea for signs of vessels that may be violating the oil embargo against North Korea. 

The Aurora is “Canada’s primary airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft,” according to the Canadian government website. The RCAF has a fleet of 14 CP-140 Aurora planes.

Risk of collision

According to Global News, Chinese jets “intercepted the Canadian plane consistently for multiple hours during the more than eight-hour-long mission.”

One of the Chinese aircraft was “aggressively flying back and forth in close proximity while appearing to put the Canadian plane in its blind spot,” it said.

“Such close air encounters were common,” said Collin Koh, a regional military analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. 

“Those that happened but were unreported were not counted. But 5m is awfully close and for aircraft, that’s very little margin for error,” Koh told Radio Free Asia.

“A variety of aerodynamic factors can lead to collision, that’s why a safe separation is required,” the analyst said. “Unless the PLA aviator is doing scripted aerobatic stunts to wow the crowd, this kind of operational behavior is uncalled for.”

This is not the first time Canada has accused the Chinese air force of conducting dangerous maneuvers against its military aircraft. In June 2022, it said Chinese jets were “buzzing,” or flying extremely close and fast, a RCAF’s airplane multiple times.

A spokesperson for the Canadian Department of National Defence said at that time that the incidents were “of concern and of increasing frequency,” with around 60 such interceptions reported in a six-month period from December 2021 to June 2022.

There have been many close encounters between Chinese and foreign military airplanes in recent years.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in December that a Chinese J-11 fighter pilot performed an unsafe maneuver during an intercept of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft, forcing the RC-135 to “take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision.”

In March 2022, U.S. F-35 fighters reportedly had at least one close contact with China’s J-20 stealth fighters over the East China Sea.

The worst incident occurred in April 2001 when a Chinese F-8 fighter jet collided with a U.S. Navy EP-3 Aries II surveillance plane over the South China Sea, killing the Chinese pilot. The U.S. airplane had to make an emergency landing on China’s Hainan island and its 24 crew members were detained for 11 days before being released.

Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Staff.

Blair responded to a report by Canada’s Global News that Chinese fighter jets intercepted a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) military airplane in an “aggressive manner” while the latter was flying over international waters off the coast of China on Monday.

The news outlet said a missile-carrying Chinese jet came as close as five meters from the Canadian aircraft – a distance deemed by military analysts to be leaving “very little margin for error.”

Reporters from Radio Canada and Global News were on board the CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft which was on a U.N. mission to monitor sanctions against North Korea.

“I am very concerned about the unprofessional way in which this was done,” Blair told reporters in Ottawa.

“It was quite frankly dangerous and reckless. And those types of behaviors are not ever acceptable and we will express that to the People’s Republic of China in the most appropriate way,” he said.

The Chinese government has yet to say anything about the incident, believed to involve at least two People’s Liberation Army Air Force fighter jets carrying air-to-air missiles.

Global News quoted the commander of RCAF’s 1st Air Division Maj. Gen. Iain Huddleston, who was also on board, as saying that the Chinese jets also launched multiple flares near the front of the Aurora. 

“They became very aggressive and to a degree we would deem it unsafe and unprofessional,” Huddleston told the broadcaster.

The Canadian surveillance aircraft was taking part in U.N. Operation NEON to monitor shipping lanes in the East China Sea for signs of vessels that may be violating the oil embargo against North Korea. 

The Aurora is “Canada’s primary airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft,” according to the Canadian government website. The RCAF has a fleet of 14 CP-140 Aurora planes.

Risk of collision

According to Global News, Chinese jets “intercepted the Canadian plane consistently for multiple hours during the more than eight-hour-long mission.”

One of the Chinese aircraft was “aggressively flying back and forth in close proximity while appearing to put the Canadian plane in its blind spot,” it said.

“Such close air encounters were common,” said Collin Koh, a regional military analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. 

“Those that happened but were unreported were not counted. But 5m is awfully close and for aircraft, that’s very little margin for error,” Koh told Radio Free Asia.

“A variety of aerodynamic factors can lead to collision, that’s why a safe separation is required,” the analyst said. “Unless the PLA aviator is doing scripted aerobatic stunts to wow the crowd, this kind of operational behavior is uncalled for.”

This is not the first time Canada has accused the Chinese air force of conducting dangerous maneuvers against its military aircraft. In June 2022, it said Chinese jets were “buzzing,” or flying extremely close and fast, a RCAF’s airplane multiple times.

A spokesperson for the Canadian Department of National Defence said at that time that the incidents were “of concern and of increasing frequency,” with around 60 such interceptions reported in a six-month period from December 2021 to June 2022.

There have been many close encounters between Chinese and foreign military airplanes in recent years.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in December that a Chinese J-11 fighter pilot performed an unsafe maneuver during an intercept of a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft, forcing the RC-135 to “take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision.”

In March 2022, U.S. F-35 fighters reportedly had at least one close contact with China’s J-20 stealth fighters over the East China Sea.

The worst incident occurred in April 2001 when a Chinese F-8 fighter jet collided with a U.S. Navy EP-3 Aries II surveillance plane over the South China Sea, killing the Chinese pilot. The U.S. airplane had to make an emergency landing on China’s Hainan island and its 24 crew members were detained for 11 days before being released.

Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Staff.

The post Sacrificing Security for Militarism: European Fighter Jet Transfers and the Discourse of World War III appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This content originally appeared on CounterPunch.org and was authored by Jonathan Feldman.

The post Is the Eurofighter Typhoon the Best Fighter? appeared first on CounterPunch.org.

This content originally appeared on CounterPunch.org and was authored by Roger Thompson.

The incident prompted Thailand’s opposition Commoners Party on Monday to condemn the Thai government for cooperating with Myanmar’s military regime in what it said was a violation of domestic and international law.

The three members of the anti-junta People’s Defense Force entered the Thai border town of Mae Sot, across from Myawaddy in Myanmar’s Kayin state, on April 1 seeking medical treatment, but were arrested by Thai authorities at the Thai-Myanmar border immigration gate. On the morning of April 4, they were sent back across the border to Myanmar’s Karen Border Guard Force, who arrested them and transferred them into the custody of junta troops.

Following their deportation, reports emerged that the three PDF members – Thiha, the Lion Battalion’s deputy platoon commander, and fighters Htet Nay Win and Saw Phyo Lay – were killed in junta captivity.

On Monday, the Lion Battalion spokesperson Anyar Thar told RFA that Saw Phyo Lay was shot as he attempted to escape during the handover and later died from his injuries. The status of the other two men remained unclear.

“When [the PDF fighters] learned that they were being handed over to the BGF [Border Guard Forces], they jumped out of the boat that was carrying them,” he said.

“Troops from both sides shot at them. [Saw Phyo Lay] who was about to die [from his injuries] was even handcuffed, put back into the boat and sent over to the BGF. This shows how good the relations are between the BGF and Thai authorities.”

Anyar Thar said that Thiha and Htet Nay Win have been sent to the junta’s Southeast Regional Military Headquarters based in the Mon state city of Mawlamyine.

Neither the junta nor the Karen Border Guard have released any news regarding the incident and attempts by RFA to reach Col. Saw Chit Thu, the head of Myanmar’s Border Guard Force, went unanswered on Monday.

Opposition condemnation

On Monday, Thailand’s opposition Commoners Party issued a statement criticizing the Thai government for collaborating with Myanmar’s junta and accusing it of perpetrating an “inhumane act” by assisting the junta in committing “war crimes.”

The statement also called on Thailand’s Immigration Department to publicly clarify why it violated international and domestic laws by repatriating the PDF fighters after they entered Thailand in need of medical attention.

“I do not accept the Thai government's policy towards Myanmar anti-junta activists and refugee applicants,” Commoners Party spokesperson Kornkanok Khamta told RFA Burmese. “The government is sending them back to unsafe locations. We all have to show that we are one with the people of Myanmar.”

When asked about the Thai government’s response to the Commoners Party statement, Kornkanok Khamta said none was provided.

“They silently neglect the statements of other organizations as well,” she said.

Attempts by RFA to contact Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kanchana Patarachoke went unanswered on Monday.

Human rights groups have also called on the Thai government to examine its immigration department’s handling of the three resistance fighters.

Speaking to RFA, Patrick Phongsathorn, a legal expert for the NGO Fortify Rights, urged the Thai government to investigate the situation as soon as possible and to prosecute the officer responsible for deporting the PDF members under Thailand’s anti-torture law.

Refugees fearful

Previously, Thai authorities have arrested Myanmar nationals seeking shelter in Thailand after fleeing fighting between the military and anti-junta forces and warned them to abide by Thai law, but mostly allowed them to stay on humanitarian grounds.

One Myanmar refugee in Thailand named Nikki told RFA that members of the Burmese community there are now worried for their safety after the three PDF fighters were arrested and returned across the border.

“This incident has seriously scared the Burmese people who are taking refuge in Thailand,” she said.

“We are too scared to even go out to buy food. Thai police are regularly arresting Burmese refugees in Mae Sot, targeting the undocumented and political refugees.”

Reports of the deportation came amid an April 5-8 attack by a combined force of the ethnic Karen National Liberation Army and the Lion Battalion on military and Karen Border Guard Force bases located north of Myawaddy.

Although details of the attacks were not immediately clear, injuries have been reported and nearly 10,000 residents of the area are believed to have fled the fighting to safety.

Some of the anti-junta fighters injured in the battle were taken to the Thai side of the border on April 9 and later arrested by Thai police.

Translated by Myo Min Aung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Matt Reed.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By Tin Aung Khine and Saw Kyaw San for RFA Burmese.

Indonesia’s Papua police chief Inspector-General Mathius D Fakhiri has called for action to ensure that “security disturbances” in the Puncak Jaya highlands do not widen in the face of escalating attacks by pro-independence militants.

“For Puncak, we will take immediate action,” he said.

According to General Fakhiri, attacks by the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) had happened repeatedly since early 2023.

• READ MORE: Other Papua security reports

A number of attacks had caused casualties with soldiers, police, and civilians.

General Fakhiri urged civilians not to travel to places far from the observation of security forces, both the police and the Indonesian Military (TNI).

“I have also called on TPNPB members to immediately cooperate with all stakeholders, while providing security guarantees so that security disturbances do not recur,” General Fakhiri said.

Cited incidents
He cited these “disturbances” in Puncak Regency:

• On January 23, 2023, an armed group shot dead a motorcycle taxi driver on the Ilame Bridge, Wako Village, Gome District.
• On January 24, 2023, armed groups attacked a member of the Indonesian military (TNI) at Sinak Market, Sinak District.
• On February 18, 2023, armed groups burned down a house and engaged in a shootout with security forces in Ilaga.
• On March 3, 2023, armed groups attacked a TNI post and shot dead one TIN soldier and a civilian in Pamebut Village, Yugu Muak District. However, TPNPB claimed that the civilian was shot by security forces.
• On March 22, 2023, armed groups shot dead a motorcycle taxi driver at the Kimak road junction, Ilaga District.

General Fakhiri also reminded his forces not to respond excessively to the burning of houses and the Gome District Office, Puncak Regency, Central Papua Province last Tuesday.

Arson ‘a strategy’
According to him, such arson was a strategy of the militants to provoke the security forces into pursuing them

“I ask the officers in the field not to respond excessively. Because usually the motive for the West Papua National Liberation Army armed group to burn is hoping that the officers will respond and then be shot at,” General Fakhiri said.

“I have reminded every rank, if there is an incident in the afternoon or evening do not respond immediately. Wait for the afternoon, then respond and carry out crime scene processing,” he said.

General Fakhiri said that the series of incidents in several vulnerable areas was motivated by an attempt to show the existence of each armed group.

He considered that the various attacks were uncoordinated.

“That’s why I hope the authorities in the field can scrutinise them well. Except for the incidents in Nduga and Lanny Jaya, of course it is of more concern, because it can interfere with the efforts of the authorities to rescue the Susi Air pilot who is currently still being held hostage by the Egianus Kogoya group,” he said.

New Zealand hostage pilot Phillip Merhtens was captured by a TPNPB group on February 7 and has remained a captive since.

Meanwhile, the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) has claimed that Indonesian authorities have arrested 32 Papuans taking part in fund-raising for the Vanuatu tropical cyclones.

Republished from Tabloid Jubi with permission.

This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

Fears of an escalation between nuclear superpowers Russia and the United States mounted Tuesday after a U.S. Air Force Reaper drone went down in international waters in the Black Sea during an encounter with a Russian fighter jet, with both sides giving varying accounts of the incident.

According to U.S. European Command (EUCOM):

Two Russian Su-27 aircraft conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept with a U.S. Air Force intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance unmanned MQ-9 aircraft that was operating within international airspace over the Black Sea today. At approximately 7:03 am (CET), one of the Russian Su-27 aircraft struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters. Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional manner. This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.

"This incident follows a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea," EUCOM added. "These aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation. "

U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker said in a statement that "U.S. and allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely."

The Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement on the incident claiming that the U.S. drone had its transponders turned off and denying that Russian aircraft came into contact with the MQ-9. The ministry said the U.S. aircraft "violated the boundaries" of an area demarcated by Moscow "for the purpose of conducting a special military operation"—an invasion—in Ukraine, and that the drone "went into uncontrolled flight with a loss of altitude and collided with the water surface" as "a result of sharp maneuvering."

An unnamed U.S. Air Force official toldThe War Zone that American officials do not believe the Russians deliberately tried to bring down the drone, but that the alleged collision "seems to be simple incompetence."

War Zone reporters Howard Altman and Joseph Trevithick wrote that "today's incident does, of course, come amid long-standing concerns about the potential for the conflict in Ukraine to spill out more broadly in the region."

"Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, routinely issue nebulous threats to retaliate against the United States, other members of NATO, and other countries over military aid and other support for Ukraine," the pair added. "How either side will react to the loss of the MQ-9 remains to be seen."

This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Brett Wilkins.

Progressive lawmakers were among those mourning the death of former U.S. Rep. Patricia Schroeder, who served in the House for 24 years and pushed for legislation to protect the jobs of parents, control military spending, and expand healthcare for low-income people. She died in Celebration, Florida on Monday at age 82.

Schroeder first ran for Congress in 1972, representing the Denver area and centering her grassroots campaign largely on her opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam.

She was one of just 14 women in the House when she took office and was the first woman to serve on the House Armed Services Committee, on which she sat for her entire legislative career.

Upon being named to the committee, Schroeder recalled being ordered by Chairman F. Edward Hébert, a right-wing Democrat from Louisiana, to share a seat with African-American Rep. Ron Dellums (D-Calif.), saying that Hébert told the newly elected lawmakers that they were "only worth half the normal member."

She had previously been told by a dean at Harvard Law School, where she earned a law degree in 1964, that she and the other 14 women in her class had "taken this position from a man."

She was undaunted by the sexism she encountered, and used her position on the Armed Services Committee to regularly call for arms control and reduced military spending. Schroeder aimed to reform the committee that she said acted too frequently as the Pentagon's "lap dog."

The congresswoman was also well known for leading the fight for women's rights in the workplace, pushing for the passage of the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which prohibited employers from firing women because they were pregnant. Fifteen years later, she helped pass the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to ensure people wouldn't lose their jobs for taking time off work to care for a newborn or other family member.

Other legislation she played a crucial role in passing included the Violence Against Women Act of 1994; the National Child Protection Act of 1993, which established a background check system for childcare providers; and the Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Prevention Act of 1990, which provided screenings for lower-income women.

In 1995, Schroeder joined Bernie Sanders, then an Independent member of the House representing Vermont, in rising to oppose the comments of Rep. Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.). Cunningham uttered a slur as he attacked the two lawmakers for supporting gay Americans who served in the military and told Sanders, "Sit down, you socialist!"

Schroeder retorted with a "parliamentary inquiry," asking, "Do we have to call the gentleman a gentleman if he's not one?"

On Tuesday, Sanders tweeted that Schroeder "was not only a friend but an extraordinarily effective congresswoman who, in so many ways, led the way in opening up opportunities for women."

"Former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder was a fearless champion for women's rights," said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez(D-N.Y.). "Her work has inspired countless women in politics and government, and we hope to continue to uphold her legacy."

Newly elected progressive Reps. Maxwell Alejandro Frost (D-Fla.) and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) also expressed appreciation for Schroeder's legacy.

"A pioneer for women's rights, Rep. Schroeder spoke up for Colorado in D.C. for over two decades, defying odds and making her mark," said Crockett. "Last night we lost a giant—but Pat Schroeder's legacy and work lives on!"

This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Julia Conley.

During his one term in the Senate (1973 to 1978), he singlehandedly took the plight and causes of Native Americans to heights the long-complicit Congress and media could not ignore. Read what the Associated Press had to say in its obituary:

Mr. Abourezk was the first chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and successfully pressed for the American Indian Policy Review Commission. It produced a comprehensive review of federal policy with American Indian tribes and sparked the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, and the Indian Child Welfare Act — a landmark piece of legislation meant to cut down on the alarming rate at which Native American children were taken from their homes and placed with white families.

Abourezk found a keen supporter in fellow South Dakotan Senator George McGovern, who was pioneering Senate hearings “discovering” serious hunger in America, including on Indian Reservations. He grew up on the impoverished Rosebud Reservation and never forgot where he came from.

As Senator, he visited Lebanon, the ancestral land of his immigrant parents, which introduced him to U.S. policy in the Middle East and the oppression of the Palestinian people by Israel and its main backer, the U.S. government. As a lone voice on Capitol Hill, he championed wider recognition of these racist practices, including discrimination against Arab-Americans (the other anti-Semitism).

His style was one of dialogue and friendly debate. He co-authored a book with Hyman Bookbinder titled, Through Different Eyes: Two Leading Americans, a Jew and an Arab, Debate U.S. Policy in the Middle East (1987). They travelled together around the country discussing and disagreeing before rapt audiences unused to such two-way dialogues.

The former Senate Democratic majority leader, South Dakotan Tom Daschle was a Senate aide to Senator Abourezk. He told AP, “He was courageous, he was outspoken. I give him great credit for his advocacy of human rights, especially of the need to recognize the Arab American community in the United States. He was a lone voice for many years. He was a great storyteller; he had great humor; he was quick-witted and people loved to be around him.”

Not surprising when you learn of all the jobs Abourezk had before and after serving four years in the Navy, earning a civil engineering degree from the South Dakota School of Mines and a law degree from the University of South Dakota School of Law. He worked as a ranger, blackjack dealer, judo instructor, bartender, bouncer, car salesman and wholesale grocery salesman.

Such experiences can lead to an independence of thought and practice. These jobs gave him a sense of theatre. Saying that sports was not controversial and can bring people together, he arranged for the University of South Dakota basketball team to play a game with the Cuban national basketball team in Cuba, where he met with Fidel Castro.

After retiring from the U.S. Senate, he wrote a memoir epitomizing his sense of humor, rooted in truth, emerged in force. He wrote of the Senate: “Where else are your doors opened for you, is your travel all over the world provided free of charge, can you meet with world leaders who would otherwise never let you into their countries, have your bad jokes laughed at and your boring speeches applauded? It’s the ultimate place to have one’s ego massaged, over and over.”

He believed in term limits and practiced what he preached – one term only – to the detriment of the American people that “this prairie populist” so dutifully spoke and acted for in the corporate-dominated Congress. We found him to be the “go-to” person in the Senate when time was of the essence. He took up consumer, labor, and family farmer causes as a matter of duty. With knowledge and intuition, he rose to the occasion, often with his close collaborator, Senator Howard Metzenbaum (D-OH), to challenge big business lobbies.

After he left the Senate, he founded the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), practiced law in South Dakota for good causes, and continued to speak out on U.S. foreign policy. Former ADC president, Albert Mokhiber wrote: “We lost a dear friend and mentor, a brave leader and the best that America has and hopefully will continue to offer.”

In the Nineties, he told me he sometimes regretted leaving the Senate, noting that by then his seniority would have made him chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He observed that had he led that Committee, several top judicial nominees, including Clarence Thomas, would not have been confirmed.

He was an exceedingly compassionate man. He was quick to express condolences and suggest some award or other legacy be established in honor of the deceased.

His many friends should gather together and decide what kinds of permanent legacies can be established in honor of a man who stood out, stood tall and proclaimed the needs of justice for the dispossessed. That would be a good way to convey condolences to his outstanding restaurateur wife and author, Sanaa Dieb, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The young generation, turned off by corrupt and cowardly politicians, needs to learn about the luminous life of 92-year-old James Abourezk.

This content originally appeared on Dissident Voice and was authored by Ralph Nader.

The Chinese Navy J-11 fighter jet suddenly flew in front of the nose of the U.S. Air Force RC-135 plane, forcing the latter to take evasive action, a statement from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said. 

The American military said its plane “was lawfully conducting routine operations over the South China Sea in international airspace.” 

“The U.S. Indo-Pacific Joint Force is dedicated to a free and open Indo-Pacific region and will continue to fly, sail and operate at sea and in international airspace with due regard for the safety of all vessels and aircraft under international law,” it said.

Beijing claims a large swathe of the South China Sea as its sovereign territory, which the United States and other allies, many of whom have overlapping maritime claims, reject as illegal. China’s claim runs far south from its land border, starting on the edge of Taiwan and extending along the Vietnamese coast to Malaysia.

In 2016, an international tribunal rejected China’s claim to the large area of ocean – falling within a “nine-dash line” present on some historical Chinese maps – as having no legal basis. 

The United States, meanwhile, has long maintained that the bulk of the South China Sea – through which more than $3 trillion in trade passes each year – is international waters. U.S. military craft often carry out associated “freedom of navigation” exercises through the area, leading to rebukes from Beijing but rarely confrontation.

But the latest incident came just days before one of China’s biggest ever incursions into Taiwanese airspace, which itself came just days after the U.S. Congress approved billions of dollars in loans and military aid to Taiwan in a defense spending package.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Alex Willemyns for RFA.

A Russian professional paratrooper was called up to fight against Ukraine. He and his unit entered Kherson with instructions to conquer the city. Then they found themselves entrenched 70 kilometers further on, near Mykolaiv. For a whole month they endured heavy artillery fire. The soldier suffered head wounds, which gave him an eye infection. Then he thought: “Our mission is absurd, why are we in this war? God, if I survive, I will do my best to stop this madness.”

Thanks to his eye infection, Pavel Filatyev, that’s the soldier’s name, was admitted to a hospital in Crimea. During the 45 days of his hospitalization he wrote a personal diary about his war experience. In August he published his text, titled ZOV (“call”; moreover, is the acronym for the war against Ukraine) on the social media site Vkontakte. After publication, the ex-paratrooper was forced to go into hiding: he stayed in different hotels, one night in each. His mother advised him to leave Russia and that’s what he did. He traveled from one country to another – he was arrested in Tunisia where he was suspected of being a spy – until he arrived in France, where he asked for political asylum.

Shortly after its publication I had access to ZOV, in Russian. The account, which begins on February 24, the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is a unique source of information about the conditions of the Russian army on the Ukrainian front. The soldiers did not know why they had been posted to Ukraine. “It took me weeks to understand that there was no war on Russian territory and that Russia had attacked Ukraine,” the author explains and then goes on to report on the state of debasement in which the army found itself. “The paratroopers, the elite of the Russian army, captured Kherson and started stealing computers because their value is higher than their salary. Then we attacked the kitchens. Like animals, we devoured everything we found: oatmeal, porridge, jam, honey… We didn’t care about anything, we had been pushed to the limit, to a savage state. Like hostages, we were just trying to survive.”

While reading ZOV – soon to appear in English – I couldn’t help but think of The Good Soldier Švejk by Czech writer Jaroslav Hašek (whose centenary is coming up soon: he died on January 3, 1923). Although the Czech novel is written in a humorous vein – Milan Kundera considers it the best modern comic novel – wheras ZOV has a serious, chilling tone bordering on anger, the two books have much in common. They are united by their anti-war message, the accusation of the absurdity of war and the denunciation of those who set it in motion.

Like the Russian author, Jaroslav Hašek, who fought in World War I, highlights the crumbling morale of the Austro-Hungarian army, which could neither eat well nor rest, nor did it have modern weapons at its disposal. In addition, both multinational empires earned the animosity of the peoples and nations far from the capitals Moscow and Vienna for their domineering treatment.

Just as Filatyev fled Russia, so did Hašek: but in his case he went over to the enemy, the Russians; in the novel we see how Švejk, that amusing buffoon, a sort of Sancho Panza, puts on a Russian uniform to see if it suits him. All these attitudes reveal the same thing: war is madness and one must do whatever it takes to escape from it. Both books revolve around the idea that combatants only help some abstract, dehumanized, Kafkaesque power, but definitely not people.

Filatyev observes: “Most of the army members were unhappy with the front, the government, Putin and [Russian Defense Minister] Shoigu who has never served in the army.” In Hašek’s dark comedy, Austro-Hungarian soldiers and civilians express their contempt for the empire’s rulers through black humor. “Flies are shitting on the portrait of Emperor Franz Joseph,” says the bartender, and is immediately arrested.

Hašek, and the whole pleiad of Central European writers, from Prague, Vienna and other cities, lived through a period of transition, the end of one era and the beginning of another. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was collapsing, a period that Stefan Zweig would later describe as “the world of yesterday” had come to an end. Change, war and fear of the unknown permeated the air. That’s when Hašek wrote his Good Soldier Švejk, Joseph Roth, The Radetzky March, Karl Kraus, The Last Days of Mankind; and Franz Kafka, The Trial.

World War I contributed to the self-destruction of the Austro-Hungarian empire that had launched it. Without seeking parallels that may be misleading, the Russian invasion could trigger, in case of defeat, the fragmentation of the Russian Federation as we know it today. To avoid this, Moscow should learn its lesson from history.

But for Russia, it may already be too late.

This content originally appeared on CounterPunch.org and was authored by Monika Zgustova.

Prominent anti-war voices including Medea Benjamin, Noam Chomsky, Abby Martin, and Roger Waters on Monday joined over 220 groups around the world in calling for the cancellation of Lockheed Martin's $1.7 trillion F-35 fighter plane program.

"The only people this project benefits are the executives at Lockheed Martin."

The women-led peace group CodePink is spearheading an international effort to urge President Joe Biden and members of the U.S. Congress to cancel the manufacturing and training of the F-35 fighter jet, which has been dogged by serious technical and operational problems since it first flew in 2006.

"I joined over 200 organizations from around the world in calling on the U.S. government to end the disastrous F-35 fighter jet program because as a global community we need to drastically change our priorities." Waters, co-founder of the iconic rock band Pink Floyd, said in a statement.

"To the people in the countries the F-35 is sold to and produced in, it's time we demand a reinvestment into life, not war," he added.

In a letter to Biden and U.S. lawmakers signed by nearly 230 groups, CodePink says that its cancellation demand is "based on the harm caused abroad, cost of the program to the taxpayer, inefficiencies and failures, the environmental impact of F-35s, and the effects training has on local communities."

Some of those communities are in Vermont, where—despite railing against the military-industrial complex during his two presidential runs—Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) supports the F-35 program.

"Currently, F-35 training in Vermont disrupts the lives of working-class people," the letter states. "The training is irregular and Vermonters go without warning of when these trainings will take place. The noise caused by the F-35 hits 115 decibels which especially hurts and injures infants and children, the elderly, and the disabled. The F-35 has 300 to 600 takeoffs and landings a month."

Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and a Vermont resident, said that "the global community is fed up with overpriced, underperforming weapon systems like the F-35. It's a complete waste of taxpayer dollars that causes harm abroad and here at home in Vermont."

"The only people this project benefits are the executives at Lockheed Martin," Cohen added. "Real security is knowing you can see a doctor when you're sick, not a boondoggle fighter jet that can't fly near thunderstorms."

That's just one of the many problems plaguing the F-35. The warplane's exorbitant cost has also raised critics eyebrows and ire. According to the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation:

The F-35's price per unit, including ancillary costs like depot maintenance, ground support equipment, and spare parts is $110.3 million per F-35A, $135.8 million per F-35B, and $117.3 million per F-35C. Those totals do not include the nearly $1.3 trillion in life cycle costs to operate and sustain the aircraft over its 66-year life cycle, making it the most expensive weapons system in U.S. history.

Ashik Siddique, a research analyst for the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, recently noted that canceling all U.S. student loan debt would cost about $1.75 trillion, or about the same amount as the total cost of the F-35 program. Department of Education data shows that amount is also enough to eliminate all tuition at U.S. public colleges for more than 20 years. 

According to the Children's Defense Fund, the projected cost of the program would also be enough to reduce child poverty in the United States by more than 60% for the next two decades.

"The F-35 program is a microcosm of the military-industrial complex. Each year the U.S. government funnels massive amounts of money into the program while letting places in the U.S. go without clean water for months or years," said CodePink national co-director Danaka Katovich. "Sustaining this program for any longer will have detrimental effects on human life and the Earth."

This content originally appeared on Common Dreams - Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community and was authored by Brett Wilkins.

Dominic Bryce Abelen has been described as a “warrior until the end”. He is also New Zealand’s first serving soldier to be killed fighting in Ukraine.

His death puts renewed focus on the status of foreign fighters in that war.

Abelen was off duty from the Royal NZ Infantry Regiment’s 2/1 Battalion and one of many former or current New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) soldiers in Ukraine.

• READ MORE: Few NZ personnel fighting in Ukraine, says former defence minister
• Ukraine’s foreign legion may be new, but the idea isn’t
• There is little to stop New Zealanders leaving to fight in Ukraine – but few legal protections if they do

Like other volunteers, he will have felt a strong ethical duty to be there and believed he was defending a country against an indiscriminate and inhumane aggressor.

The call by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for individuals to help has seen thousands of foreign fighters respond since Russia invaded six months ago. Russia is playing the same game, actively recruiting mercenaries and foreign volunteers.

The upshot is that hundreds of New Zealand volunteers may be in Ukraine right now, despite the very limited assistance their government can give them.

Walking a tightrope
Two problems arise when volunteers from other countries join the fight on another nation’s soil.

First, the lines between what constitutes a lawful or unlawful fighter blurs, and warfare can often become particularly unrestrained.

Second, what starts out as a bilateral conflict turns into an international quagmire.

That is why the United States, NATO and allied countries like New Zealand have actively tried to walk a difficult tightrope — giving military support, but only up to Ukraine’s sovereign border.

So, New Zealand may provide military equipment but cannot physically use it within the country’s borders. Military personal from the NZDF may also train Ukrainian soldiers, but this must be done outside Ukrainian territory.

While these efforts mean New Zealand is not technically neutral, neither is it an active participant. It is a very fine line.

And if NATO or its supporters became active participants, Ukraine could easily turn into a third world war.

If New Zealanders were to fight in Ukraine with official authorisation, it would effectively make New Zealand an active participant. New Zealand’s relationship with Russia would become very difficult.

To avoid a global conflict, then, there can be no officially sanctioned NATO (or Kiwi) boots on the ground.

Dominic Abelen, who was killed in contact with the enemy in a night operation to retake trenches from Russian forces, has been hailed as a brave man by a fellow soldier on the front. https://t.co/89seJQ7nJh

— Stuff (@NZStuff) August 24, 2022

The status of unofficial soldiers
Assuming that critical boundary is not crossed, the question then becomes what to do about volunteers who go to fight without official permission or recognition. Two basic principles apply when considering the status of New Zealanders fighting in Ukraine:

• NZDF members who join to fight for another country without permission are on dangerous legal ground — a soldier cannot have two masters
• a general principle applies that such fighters must not become mercenaries, a status prohibited by both international and domestic law.

The key definition of a mercenary is they make money “substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar rank and functions in the armed forces” of the foreign country they are fighting for.

If they are caught, mercenaries do not have the rights of genuine prisoners of war and can be executed. If the volunteer is a citizen or resident of the country at war, or they are a member of the armed forces of that country, they are not mercenaries.

For such reasons, countries such as Britain, Australia and the US have tried to steer would-be volunteers away from joining.

So the status of New Zealanders fighting in Ukraine without official permission is difficult. Although a general travel warning to avoid Ukraine has been issued, this does not actually prohibit New Zealanders going. Nor does it prohibit them volunteering to fight.

There is something of an anomaly here, considering the lengths taken to prevent volunteers joining terrorist groups and to deal with those returning.

ICYMI | Special Report “Foreign Fighters, Volunteers, and Mercenaries: Non-State Actors and Narratives in Ukraine”

This TSC report sets out how states should prepare themselves as non-state actors complicate the battlefield in #Ukraine.

Read: https://t.co/sp9yOTHYQI

— The Soufan Center (@TheSoufanCenter) August 24, 2022

Can NZ volunteers be stopped?
In reality, whether the rules around foreign fighters in Ukraine are being followed is up for debate.

Russia is already taking a hard line against foreign volunteers, conducting trials and promising executions. Captured New Zealand volunteers will likely face the same consequences — irrespective of whether they are wearing the uniform of the Ukrainian army.

This is difficult for any government. Offering more equipment, training and humanitarian relief to Ukraine can be justified. But this can also encourage some that joining a “just” war themselves is the right thing to do.

There is no question the government must keep an exceptionally tight leash on any NZDF personnel who try to join the conflict. That cannot be tolerated.

The harder question is whether to take a firmer position against those outside the military who would voluntarily put themselves at risk — and in doing so, make this war even more complicated and dangerous.

Dr Alexander Gillespie is professor of law at the University of Waikato. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

Against this backdrop, a video of multiple fighter planes flying simultaneously is viral on social media. This video has been recorded from a ship in the middle of the sea. While sharing the clip, many have claimed that US Navy fighter jets were seen flying near Taiwan ahead of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.

Journalist Aji Rasheed Ali associated with Zee Media tweeted the video and wrote that the world was on the verge of World War III as US Navy warplanes were flying near Taiwan. He added, “Before Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, there were still many strong statements from China. Tension in the region has reached its highest level.” (Archived link)

World War III is on the verge.
US Navy warplanes fly near Taiwan. Before Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, there are still very strong statements from China. Tension in the region has reached its highest level.‌‌ pic.twitter.com/sKtTXzwQ31

— Aji Rasheed Ali اجی رشید علی (@ajirasheed) August 3, 2022

A user named Vinod Mishra tweeted this video and wrote that a fleet of 20 fighter planes reached Taiwan with Nancy Pelosi. They have all been given permission to fire back in case of an attack. This is called the ‘security circle’. (Archived link)

नैंसी पेलोसी के साथ 20 फाइटर्स प्लेन का बेड़ा ताइवान गया था। इन सभी को हमला के वक़्त जवाबी हमले का पहले से ही आदेश था। इसे कहते है सुरक्षा चक्र।#Taiwan #NancyPelosi #ChinaTaiwanCrisis pic.twitter.com/rFc25LXNpS

— Vinod Mishra ‘बिनोद’ (@vinod9live) August 3, 2022

Hindi daily ‘Rajmangal Times’ tweeted this video with a similar claim. (Archived link)

Turkish media EHA News also made a similar claim while tweeting this video. (Archived link)

The footage is also widespread on Facebook and Twitter as a fleet of 20 fighter planes arriving in Taiwan with Nancy Pelosi. 

Fact-check

Alt News performed a reverse image search of several frames of the viral video using Google and Yandex. We found the original video on Youtube, which had been uploaded on April 15, 2021. Another YouTube video from June 27, 2021, contains better visuals of the viral video.

The title of these videos mentions the “US Navy”, “SA West Philippine Sea”, etc. However, we could not find any related news reports to corroborate this claim. Hence, Alt News cannot independently verify this bit of information as of yet. We will update this article when we receive more information. But, it is clear that this video was shared at least a year before Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan visit. 

To sum it up, several social media users falsely shared an old video as footage of US Navy fighter jets flying near Taiwan ahead of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the country.

The post Old video of fighter jets viral as video of US Navy flying in Taiwan ahead of Nancy Pelosi’s visit appeared first on Alt News.

This content originally appeared on Alt News and was authored by Abhishek Kumar.

Controversy gripped the Greek political scene on April 7 as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was invited by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to speak before Greece’s parliament in a virtual address, appeared alongside two fighters of the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion. Although the Greek government and its media arms attempted to whitewash the Azov Battalion in the first weeks of the war in Ukraine, which failed, it actually ended up being counterproductive as it made Greek civilians aware to the fact that the neo-Nazi group were oppressing the 100,000+ ethnic Greeks living in Mariupol and its surrounding villages like Sartana.

Zelensky’s invitation to speak to the Greek Parliament was already mired in controversy as the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), left-wing MeRA25 and right-wing Hellenic Solution boycotted parliament that day. The appearance of the Azov fighters prompted MPs from the official opposition SYRIZA to storm out of parliament, despite the party initially being enthusiastic for Zelensky to speak before parliamentarians.

With Greek media and opposition parties, even those who supported Zelensky, blowing up at the appearance of the Azov Battalion, it took the Greek government almost three hours to try and distance themselves from the debacle, with government spokesperson Yiannis Economou saying: “including a message from an Azov Battalion member was wrong and inappropriate.

For their part, Mitsotakis and President Katerina Sakellaropoulou highlighted Zelensky’s speech but made no reference to the appearance of the Azov Battalion. SYRIZA, MeRA25 and fellow left-wing party KINAL (third largest party in Greece) are demanding explanations from the ruling New Democracy government. Even former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras of the New Democracy party characterised the speech from the Azov Battalion fighter as “a big mistake.”

This scandal is now being moved to the forthcoming Conference of [Party] Presidents, and the opposition are seeking explanations as to whether the government was aware or agreed with Zelensky to give the floor to Azov Battalion fighters.

The appearance of the Azov Battalion in the Greek parliament should not be surprising when the Greek mainstream media were whitewashing the group to the point of even lionising them in interviews and claiming they had “nothing to do with the Ukrainian government” despite being a unit of the Republican Guard, which falls under the command of the Interior Ministry.

In addition, Manolis Androulakis, the last EU diplomat to evacuate Mariupol, deliberately lied to the Greek public and claimed in an interview that the “Azov do not kill their own”; i.e., civilians. This not only contradicts all available evidence from Mariupol civilians themselves, including from ethnic Greeks, but even contradicts Western liberal human rights organizations who have documented Azov Battalion crimes since 2014.With a Greek diplomat and mainstream media whitewashing the Azov Battalion, it is little wonder why Zelensky had the audacity to play a video message from the two Azov Battalion fighters claiming to be ethnic Greeks from Mariupol.

One of the biggest questions being raised in Greece at the moment is why did the two Azov Battalion fighters appear in Zelensky’s virtual address to the Greek Parliament to begin with when the Ukrainian president has always appeared alone during his tour of receiving the applause and adulation of European parliaments.

One of the supposed ethnic Greek fighters of the Azov Battalion identified himself as Mikhail. The other kept his face hidden. Speculation is rife whether the Azov Battalion member, who spoke in Ukrainian to the Greek parliament, is actually an ethnic Greek or not – but at this time it is impossible to verify, and more importantly, irrelevant to the fact that the Greek government has exposed itself to a massive humiliation at a time when its popularity is already dropping due to the declining economic situation and decision to send weapons to Ukraine.

As the Azov Battalion has the disdain of all Greeks – from liberals to the Far Right and the Far Left, except from the most radical neoliberal circles, it can be assumed that Zelensky attempted to foster a good image for the neo-Nazi group. The beginning of the war in Ukraine saw the pro-government Greek media engage in a massive whitewashing of the Azov Battalion, but as the weeks passed on, more and more testimonies from Greeks in Mariupol revealed the suffering they had endured under the Kiev regime and the Azov Battalion.

More revealing, ethnic Greeks from Essentuki, Chechnya and other parts of Russia were joining the Russian military to fight against the Azov Battalion in Mariupol, especially after news filtered that one ethnic Greek in the Russian military was killed, public opinion towards the Azov Battalion began to sway significantly. It can only be assumed that Zelensky attempted to restore the image of the Azov Battalion by presenting their own alleged ethnic Greek fighters.

What began as an exercise to tick off the Greek Parliament’s participation in Zelensky’s tour of Europe’s Parliaments, has now turned into a massive debacle. As Greece has a special responsibility for the 100,000+ Greeks in Mariupol, the country should not just blindly follow Western interests who have been silent about Donbass’ suffering since 2014. But alas, as New Democracy serve the interests of NATO and the West rather than Greek citizens and diaspora Greeks, it will once again have to deal with another blow to its already diminishing popularity.

• First published in InfoBrics

This content originally appeared on Dissident Voice and was authored by Paul Antonopoulos.

A Mirage 2000-5 multirole fighter jet crashed into the sea near Taitung on the island’s southeastern coast during a routine combat training mission, the military said in a statement, adding that the pilot managed to eject safely and has been hospitalized for observation.

The army is searching for the aircraft and conducting an investigation into the accident, the statement said.

Air force Inspector-General Liu Hui-chien told reporters that the Mirage fleet would be grounded while the investigation was carried out.

Taiwan purchased 60 Mirage 2000 fighters in 1992 and last year signed a technical support service agreement with the French manufacturer Dassault Aviation S.A to help maintain the aging Mirage fleet.

On Jan. 11, a F-16V – one of the most advanced fighters in Taiwan’s possession, crashed in the sea off the west coast, killing its sole pilot.

The Taiwanese air force suspended combat training for its U.S.-made F-16 fleet for over a week but put them back in action in late January.

Heavy flight demands

In recent months, the island’s military airplanes have been scrambled regularly as China continued almost daily incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

The rate was noticeably high in January. On Jan. 23 the PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force) deployed 39 aircraft in the island's ADIZ.

Analysts say that the incursions may be strategically intended to wear down Taiwan’s air capabilities through near constant overuse and shortened maintenance schedules.

“Due to PLAAF increasing activities in Taiwan’s southwest, the Mirage aircraft originally based in Hsinchu were transferred to Taitung for training and tasks execution,” said Shen Ming-Shih, acting deputy chief executive officer at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research.

“As the investigation into the crash is being conducted, it cannot be ruled out that personnel and machine failure was due to heavy flight demands,” he said.

But this incident would not stop Taiwan’s air force from performing “the task of preventing Chinese incursions,” Shen said.

Last year, two F-5 fighter jets crashed into the sea near the southeastern coast in an apparent collision during a training mission, resulting in two deaths.

The Taiwanese air force suffered four crashes in 2020 including two helicopters and two fighter jets – an F-5 and a F-16.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Staff.

The wreckage was recovered on Wednesday from a depth of approximately 12,400 feet (3,779 meters), the Fleet’s spokesperson, Cdr. Amanda S. Kitchner, said in a statement.

Last week, another spokesperson told RFA that a team including personnel from Task Force 75 (CTF 75), the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and NAVSEA’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, was sent “to verify the site and recover” the aircraft.

That spokesperson, Cdr. Hayley Sims, said the team aboard the diving support construction vessel Picasso left Naha in Okinawa, Japan, to the site in the northern part of the South China Sea on Feb. 23.

The recovery operations have been completed “within 37 days of the incident,” CTF 75 Commodore, Capt. Gareth Healy, was quoted as saying. He added that “this was an aggressive and achievable timeline.”

The F-35C crashed into the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and then fell into the water on Jan. 24. A leaked video showed the plane hit the deck then rotated and skidded in flames before sliding off the flight deck and into the sea.

Five Navy personnel were facing charges for leaking the video, deemed official as it was taken from the pilot’s landing aid television on the aircraft carrier. It’s unclear whether they’ve been formally charged.

The crash is listed as “Class A mishap” - an incident either “involving loss of life or permanent disability, or the complete loss of an aircraft or property damage of $2.5 million or more,” according to the U.S. Navy.

“The aircraft was recovered using a CURV-21, a remotely operated vehicle, which attached specialized rigging and lift lines to the aircraft. The ship's crane lifting hook was then lowered to the seafloor and connected to the rigging, and then lifted the aircraft to the surface and hoisted it onboard Picasso,” the 7^th Fleet’s statement reads.

“The aircraft will be delivered to a nearby military installation to aid in the ongoing investigation and evaluated for potential transport to the United States,” it added.

Prior to this, experts suggested that it would take weeks if not months, and millions of dollars to recover the state-of-the-art stealth fighter jet. The recovery process turned out to be speedier than expected.

There were fears that China, which maintains a large presence in the South China Sea, could get hold of the wreckage that may contain sensitive technological information before the U.S.

 Beijing however has always denied that it has any interest in recovering it.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Staff.

U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder/3rd Combat Camera Squadron CC BY 2.0

The U.S. Air Force wants to modify 10 Military Operations Areas that stretch across southern Arizona and southwest New Mexico. We can’t let this military expansion despoil some of America’s wildest country.

The proposal would authorize low-level fighter jet maneuvers and supersonic flights that cause sonic booms above rural and Tribal communities, some of the Southwest’s most fragile sky-island ecosystems, and beloved wilderness areas and national monuments.

The Air Force also wants to permit dropping of flares at lower altitudes, increasing the risk of human-caused wildfires across landscapes already experiencing severe drought. Additionally, the proposal would allow release of aluminum-coated silica “chaff” over public lands, polluting the environment.

WildEarth Guardians needs your help to stop these proposed actions before fighter jet condensation trails hit the skies. Public comments are being accepted through Thursday, March 4. You can submit your comments here.

Use these talking points below as a guide for writing your comments. But to make the biggest impact, please use your own voice to convey that the current project website lacks detailed information, making it difficult for the public to provide substantive comments, and the Air Force needs to do the following:

* Evaluate the impacts of extreme noise from low-level and supersonic training on communities (including potential for damage to structures), outdoor recreation economies, livestock, and wildlife (including threatened and endangered species).

* Assess the wildfire risk from the use of flares at lower elevations and potential military aircraft crashes, develop mitigation measures to reduce the risks, develop realistic plans for fighting a flare-induced or crash-induced fire, and express how public safety will be ensured.

* Fully assess contamination of air, land, and water from aircraft emissions and release of chaff and flares.

* Evaluate the environmental justice impacts of this proposal on communities of color and low-income communities, including the San Carlos and White Mountain Apache Tribes, Tohono O’odham Nation, and Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Furthermore, consultation with these Tribes must occur.

* Provide an analysis of the cumulative impacts of these airspace modifications to communities and wildlife and a plan for how impacts will be mitigated.

This proposal would impact dozens of rural communities, four Tribes, and millions of acres of public lands that sustain ecosystems, water quality, wildlife, and public recreation. So please click here to submit your comments and oppose the Air Force’s plans to despoil the quiet and wildness of the Desert Southwest.

This content originally appeared on CounterPunch.org and was authored by Andrew Rothman.

The U.S. Navy 7th Fleet spokesperson confirmed to RFA on Thursday that it has sent a team “to verify the site and recover the F-35C aircraft involved in the Jan. 24 crash aboard USS Carl Vinson.”

Only after the crash site is verified can the recovery process officially begin.

Cdr. Hayley Sims said that the Navy has “embarked personnel … aboard the diving support construction vessel (DSCV) Picasso, which departed Naha, Okinawa [on] Feb. 23.”

The team includes personnel from Task Force 75 (CTF 75), the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and NAVSEA’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), Sims said.

Carl Schuster, a retired U.S. Navy captain and former director of operations at the U.S. Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center, said it would take “three to five days for the Picasso to reach the location from Okinawa, depending on transit speed and sea conditions along the route.”

“The Navy and CTF 75 have spent the last month planning and gathering what they needed,” he said.

CTF 75 specializes in disaster response, expeditionary operations that require specialized skills and equipment, including salvage operations.

The F-35C crashed into the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and then fell into the water on Jan. 24. A leaked video showed the plane hit the deck then rotated and skidded in flames before sliding off the flight deck and into the sea.

Five Navy personnel are facing charges for leaking the video, deemed official as it was taken from the pilot’s landing aid television on the aircraft carrier.

Last month the Japanese Coast Guard’s Hydrological and Oceanographic Department issued a navigation warning for salvage operations to be carried out in northern part of the South China Sea “until further notice.”

A navigation warning is a public advisory notice to mariners about changes to navigational aids and current marine activities or hazards including fishing zones and military exercises.

The operations are believed to be for the crashed F-35C and the navigation warning is still in effect.

It would take weeks if not months, and millions of dollars to recover the state-of-the-art stealth fighter jet, experts said.

The crash is listed as “Class A mishap” - an incident either “involving loss of life or permanent disability, or the complete loss of an aircraft or property damage of $2.5 million or more,” according to the U.S. Navy.

The vessel contracted by the U.S. Navy for the operation, DSCV Picasso, is a high-tech, deep-diving support vessel built and operated by Singapore-based Ultra Deep Solutions.

Picasso can carry deep-diving underwater unmanned vehicles to do the survey work.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by By RFA Staff.

#RussiaUkraineCrisis: Ukraine says 5 Russian planes, 1 helicopter shot down in Luhansk#PutinOnTheMarch #Russia #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/yl1SR70lhc

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) February 24, 2022

Jan Ki Baat tweeted the same video along with the text, “BREAKING : Russia Launches Air strike on Khariv, Ukraine [sic]”. This video gained over 2,000 retweets.

News24, Republic World and NewsX also aired the video as footage of the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

Old, unrelated video

Using the video verification tool InVID, we performed a reverse image search of the video’s keyframes and found that the video was uploaded by a YouTube channel on May 4, 2020. As per the YouTube video’s title, it is from Moscow.

Russia celebrates Victory Day, a holiday that commemorates the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945, on May 9 each year. There are several such media reports and clips on YouTube. The Moscow Times reported that V-Day rehearsals in 2020 took place on May 4. In this video, we spotted the identical formation of jets as seen in the viral video.

To sum it up, several Indian media outlets shared a two-year-old video of aircraft flying in Russia with the false claim that it shows the country’s recent military operations in Ukraine.

The post Times Now, Republic air old video of fighter jets as Russian invasion in Ukraine appeared first on Alt News.

This content originally appeared on Alt News and was authored by Archit Mehta.

Cmdr. Zach Harrell, spokesperson for the commander of Naval Air Forces, confirmed to the RFA on Friday that “one U.S. navy ensign, one senior chief petty officer, and three chief petty officers have been charged under Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”

A navy ensign is the lowest rank of junior officer while chief petty officer and senior chief petty officer are senior enlisted ranks.

The video of the so-called “ramp strike” by the fighter jet on the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier emerged earlier this month and was shared widely on social media.

The Pentagon afterwards confirmed that the shipboard video of the Jan. 24 crash was authentic. It shows footage, apparently originating from the pilot’s landing aid television (PLAT) and taken from two angles as the jet comes into land.

From the first one, the plane hits the deck then rotates and skids in flames. In the second, it crashes onto the deck before sliding off the flight deck and into the sea.

PLAT is installed on the carrier to assist pilots in making accurate landings.

In the video, yelling can be heard for the pilot to abort the landing attempt but within five seconds the F-35C drops into the South China Sea. The pilot safely ejected, the U.S. Navy said.

Another video clip and a photo circulating on social media shows the F-35C hitting the water. Nobody has been charged in connection with those as they are deemed personal recordings and not government property, according to an anonymous spokesman cited by USNI News.

Cmdr. Harrell did not disclose identities of the four senior enlisted sailors and the junior officer facing charges, adding that “there is an ongoing investigation into the crash.”

Carl Schuster, a retired U.S. Navy captain, predicted the five personnel will likely receive a “captain's mast,” also known as an Article 15.

A captain’s mast is a non-judicial disciplinary hearing into minor offenses of the crew.

“The senior chief and chief petty officers are looking at a reduction in rank and forfeiture of pay. The ensign would receive a letter of reprimand, which will prevent him from being promoted, ensuring he is out of the Navy in 18 months,” Schuster said.

“They are on sea duty so they can't refuse a captain's mast but they can request court martial. However, a special court martial can inflict very severe punishment,” he added.

“We remain grateful to the highly trained sailors aboard USS Carl Vinson who immediately responded to ensure that the pilot was recovered from the water, all injured personnel were cared for, and flight deck was cleared and re-set for operations,” he told RFA.

“After a short pause in accordance with safety procedures, the rapid response from the crew enabled flight operations to resume with minimal impact to mission requirements.”

Still pending is the task of recovering the sunken jet from the depths of the South China Sea.

The U.S. Navy said in late January that it was “making recovery operations arrangements for the F-35C aircraft” but did not give further details. The Japanese coastguard also issued a navigation warning for mariners to beware of salvage operations in an area in the northern part of the South China Sea. The warning remains in effect.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by Radio Free Asia.