Ford halts production, shipments of F-150 Lightning due to battery issue

Ford F-150

Ford Motor Co. has halted production and shipments of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup. SK Innovation shares dropped as much as 3.9%. Ford released dismal quarterly results earlier this month. The F-150 Lightning electric pickup’s production and shipments have been halted, according to Ford Motor Co., which made the discovery during pre-delivery inspections. “We are … Read more

Biden reveal 34 billion dollar agreement between Boeing and Air India worth

Biden

President Joe Biden will announce that Air India would purchase more than 200 aircraft from Boeing. For the aircraft manufacturer, it ranks as the third-largest transaction ever. As trade tensions between the United States and China have essentially stopped Boeing sales. According to a White House official, President Joe Biden will announce Tuesday that Air … Read more

Philippines accuses China of using ‘military-grade’ laser against its vessels in South China Sea

Philippines
  • The glare from the laser temporarily blinded the crew.
  • The ship was on its way to a stranded navy ship.
  • China has used water cannons and sirens in the past to maintain its claim to much of the South China Sea.

The Philippines has accused China of using a “military grade” laser light to thwart a resupply mission to a disputed South China Sea reef.

The glare from the laser temporarily blinded the crew of the Filipino coast guard boat, causing it to retreat.

The ship was on its way to a stranded navy ship that Manila has employed for years to claim the Second Thomas Shoal.

China has used water cannons and sirens in the past to maintain its claim to much of the South China Sea.

The incident, on 6 February, was only reported publicly on Monday. It was a “clear violation of Philippine sovereign rights” in waters that Manila refers to as the West Philippine Sea, the Filipino coastguard said in a statement.

Authorities stated the Chinese ship conducted “dangerous maneuvers

” roughly 150 yards (137m) from the starboard side of the Filipino ship, in addition to flashing laser light twice.

The BBC was unable to reach a representative for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Beijing did not respond immediately.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration of the United Nations concluded in 2016 that Beijing’s broad claims in the South China Sea have no historical validity.

Tensions over the shoal, known as Ayungin in the Philippines, were one of the catalysts for the case, that the Philippines brought.

However, the tribunal lacks the authority to impose its decision, and China has continued to construct massive structures over reefs in the waters, which are also disputed in part by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte similarly refused to acknowledge the arbitration verdict, instead attempting to rebuild diplomatic and economic ties between Manila and Beijing as he shifted the country away from its long-standing ally, the United States.

Mr. Marcos, on the other hand, flipped the script. His government agreed earlier this month to provide the US access to four new military bases.

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, a Chinese navy warship flashed blue lights and blinkers at a Philippine coastguard tugboat in June of last year.

Six months earlier, Australia accused China of beaming a military-grade laser at one of its jets off the coast of northern Australia.

[embedpost slug=”/army-camp-shooting-kills-5-soldiers-in-philippines/”]

Read more

The US military claims to have retrieved sensors from Chinese spy balloon

US
  • The US military retrieved important equipment from a suspected Chinese spy balloon.
  • The incident strained relations between Washington and Beijing.
  • The US military claims that targeting the latest items has been more challenging.

The US military announced on Monday that it had retrieved important equipment from a suspected Chinese spy balloon that had been shot down by a US fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, including key sensors apparently used for intelligence gathering.

“Crews have been able to recover significant debris from the site, including all of the priority sensor and electronics pieces identified as well as large sections of the structure,” the US military’s Northern Command said in a statement.

The Chinese balloon, which Beijing denies was a government espionage craft, flew over the United States and Canada for a week before President Joe Biden ordered its destruction.

The incident strained relations between Washington and Beijing, prompting America’s top ambassador to cancel a trip to China.

It also prompted the US military to comb the skies for other objects that were not being detected by radar, resulting in an unprecedented three shootdowns between Friday and Sunday.

The US military and the Biden administration have recognized that much about the most recent unmanned objects is unclear, including how they remained aloft, who created them, and whether they were spying.

On Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attempted to reassure Americans about the dangers presented by the mystery objects.

“I want to reassure Americans that these things pose no military threat to anyone on the ground,” Austin told reporters as he arrived in Brussels for a NATO meeting.

“They do, however, pose a risk to civil aviation as well as a possible threat to intelligence collection.”

More challenging

Because of their smaller size and absence of a traditional radar signature, the US military claims that targeting the latest items has been more challenging than shooting down the Chinese spy balloon.

The latest shootdown of an unidentifiable object by an F-16 fighter jet on Sunday took two sidewinder missiles – after one of them failed to down the target, a US official said on condition of anonymity.

Austin stated that the US military has not yet retrieved any debris from the three most recent objects shot down, one of which landed in ice and snow off the coast of Alaska. Another shootdown occurred over Canada’s Yukon area.

Officials in the United States have refused to link the instances.

However, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated on Monday that the four aerial objects shot down in recent days were somehow linked, without providing further details.

“Obviously there is some sort of pattern in there, the fact we are seeing this in a significant degree over the past week is a cause for interest and close attention,” Trudeau told reporters in a news conference in Whitehorse, Yukon’s capital.

[embedpost slug=”/the-us-balloons-violated-airspace-at-least-ten-times-china-claims/”]

Read more

Australian government to do more to counter foreign interference: Minister

australian government

Clare O’Neil has warned that foreign interference is a major threat to Australian democracy. She cited that Australian intelligence services had prevented Iran from spying on Iranian Australians. A university foreign interference task force is collaborating with the ASIO. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said on Tuesday that the Australian government intends to “expose” foreign … Read more

No US surveillance planes operational in Chinese airspace, says John Kirby

John Kirby

John Kirby denied the operation of surveillance planes in Chinese airspace. China asserts sovereignty over substantial portions of the South China Sea. The US and China are currently embroiled in a disagreement. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that there are no American surveillance planes operating in Chinese airspace but would … Read more

US accused by China of flying 10 balloons over its airspace

China

China has accused the US of illegally flying high-altitude balloons over its territory. But the US has refuted the charge. The US has imposed economic sanctions on six Chinese firms. More than ten times in the past year, China has charged that the US has flown high-altitude balloons over its territory without authorization. Each time, … Read more

President Ebrahim Raisi leads large delegation to China

Ebrahim Raisi

President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran will be leading a sizable team to China. He is anticipated to leave Tehran late on Monday. Iran’s now-successful application to join the organization. President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran will be leading a sizable team to China at President Xi Jinping’s invitation, and he is anticipated to leave Tehran late … Read more

The US balloons violated airspace at least ten times, China claims

China
  • Chinese authorities claimes US balloons have illegally flown above China without any approval.
  • The accusation comes after the US fired down a suspected spy balloon.
  • The US fired down a suspected spy balloon above its territory on February 4.

The US has sent balloons into Chinese airspace more than 10 times in the last year, according to China’s foreign ministry.

The accusation comes after the US fired down a suspected spy balloon above its territory on February 4, which China claimed was a civilian balloon.

Since then, relations between the two countries have deteriorated. The US claims to have shot down a number of other unexplained objects in recent days.

When questioned on Monday, Beijing stated that the US had violated airspace numerous times.

“It’s not uncommon as well for the US to illegally enter the airspace of other countries,” said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a regular press briefing.

“Since last year alone, US balloons have illegally flown above China more than 10 times without any approval from Chinese authorities.

“The first thing the US side should do is start with a clean slate, undergo some self-reflection, instead of smearing and accusing China,” he added.

He claimed that Beijing has reacted to the invasions in a “responsible and professional” manner.

“If you want to know more about US high-altitude balloons illegally entering China’s airspace, I suggest you refer to the US side,” he said.

Washington has yet to respond to Beijing’s charges.

Following the first balloon incident, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned trip to Beijing. China‘s alleged high-altitude espionage is “unacceptable and reckless,” according to the top diplomat.

On Sunday, the US authorized the downing of an unmanned “octagonal structure” near the Canadian border in Michigan; this was the fourth item taken out in eight days.

Smaller unidentified objects were also shot down by fighter aircraft over Alaska on February 10 and northern Canada on February 11.

Mr. Wang stated he had “no understanding of [these other objects]”.

“But what we want to tell everyone here is that the US’ frequent firing of advanced missiles used to strike down unidentified flying objects is an overreaction of excessive force,” he said.

A US military commander, General Glen VanHerck, said that there was no indication of any threat from the latest object.

He said it could be a “gaseous type of balloon” or “some type of a propulsion system”, adding he could not rule out that the objects were extra-terrestrials.

[embedpost slug=”/us-shoots-down-the-fourth-mysterious-object-near-canadian-border/”]

Read more

US shoots down the fourth mysterious object near Canadian border

US
  • US military fighter planes shot down an octagonal object above Lake Huron.
  • It was the fourth flying object shot down by a US missile over North America.
  • The Chinese foreign ministry stated that it had no information about the latest three flying objects.

Washington: According to the Pentagon, US military fighter planes shot down an octagonal object above Lake Huron on Sunday, the latest incident since a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon put North American security forces on high alert.

It was the fourth flying object shot down by a US missile over North America in less than a week. The Chinese foreign ministry stated that it had no information about the latest three flying objects shot down by the US.

General Glen VanHerck, commander of the United States Air Force, told reporters that the military has not been able to identify the three most recent objects, how they stay aloft, or where they are coming from.

“We’re calling them objects, not balloons, for a reason,” VanHerck, head of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and Northern Command, said.

VanHerck stated that he would not rule out aliens or any other possible explanation.

“I’ll let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out,” he said.

Another defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, later stated that the military had seen no proof that the objects were extraterrestrial.

US-Canada border

According to Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, the object was shot down above Lake Huron on the US-Canada border at 2:42 p.m. local time on President Joe Biden’s command.

Though it did not constitute a military threat, the item may have disrupted domestic air traffic because it was going at 20,000 feet (6,100 m), and it could have had monitoring capabilities, according to Ryder.

According to a US official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the item seemed to be octagonal in shape, with ropes falling off but no obvious cargo.

The object was thought to be the same as one previously discovered above Montana near critical military locations, leading the Pentagon to close US airspace. VanHerck informed reporters that the military will endeavor to recover the object that crashed over Lake Huron in order to learn more about it.

He believes it landed in Canadian waters.

The occurrence prompted concerns about the recent rash of odd objects seen in North American skies, as well as tensions with China.

“We need the facts about where they are originating from, what their purpose is, and why their frequency is increasing,” said U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell, one of several Michigan lawmakers who applauded the military for downing the object.

The first object was identified as a Chinese surveillance balloon by US officials, who shot it down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4. A second item was shot down over sea ice near Deadhorse, Alaska, on Friday. On Saturday, a third object was destroyed above Canada’s Yukon, and investigators are still looking for the wreckage.

“The security of citizens is our top priority and that’s why I made the decision to have that unidentified object shot down,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on Sunday.

Following the emergence of the white, eye-catching Chinese airship above American skies earlier this month, North America has been on high alert for aerial invasions.

That 200-foot-tall (60-meter-high) balloon, which Americans have accused Beijing of employing to spy on the US, sparked an international controversy, prompting Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a trip to China just hours before it was scheduled to leave.

Since then, Pentagon officials have indicated they have been analyzing radar more attentively.

Fears of surveillance appear to have put US officials on high alert.

US officials closed airspace twice in 24 hours, only to quickly reopen it.

The Federal Aviation Administration momentarily blocked space above Lake Michigan on Sunday. The US military dispatched fighter jets to Montana on Saturday to examine a radar abnormality.

China denies using the first balloon for spying and claims it was a civilian research vessel. It denounced the United States for shooting it down last Saturday off the coast of South Carolina.

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told that US officials believe two of the most recent objects were smaller balloons than the original.

The White House said only that the recently downed objects “did not closely resemble” the Chinese balloon, echoing Schumer’s description of them as “much smaller.”

“We will not definitively characterize them until we can recover the debris, which we are working on,” a spokesperson said.

DEBRIS IN REMOTE LOCALE

Canadians attempting to piece together what happened over the Yukon may have their own difficulties. The territory is a thinly populated region bordering Alaska in Canada’s extreme northwest. Winters can be brutally cold, but temperatures are exceptionally moderate for this time of year, which may help with healing.

Republican House Armed Services Committee member Mike Turner indicated the White House may be overcompensating for what he regarded as prior inadequate monitoring of American skies.

“They do appear somewhat trigger-happy,” Turner told on Sunday. “I would prefer them to be trigger-happy than to be permissive.”

Republicans have criticized the Biden administration over its handling of the incursion by the suspected Chinese spy balloon, saying it should have been shot down much earlier.

[embedpost slug=”/as-the-us-shoots-down-a-fresh-mystery-object-speculation-builds/”]

Read more

As the US shoots down a fresh mystery object, speculation builds

US
  • A US warplane shot down a new flying object near the Canadian border.
  • President Joe Biden ordered an F-16 fighter to shoot down the latest object.
  • China maintains that the first object was a weather balloon that was blown off course.

Washington: A US warplane shot down a new flying object near the Canadian border on Sunday, the latest of three mysterious devices spotted since military radar settings were cranked up in the wake of the downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

Americans have been watching the sky with bated breath as the unexplained incursions unfolded amid a backdrop of high tensions with China — but only the first object has so far been traced to Beijing.

The Pentagon said on Sunday that it still doesn’t know what the other three objects are — one shot down Friday over Alaska, one Saturday over Canada’s Yukon territory, and the most recent one Sunday over Lake Huron.

However, it stated that the object that was downed on Sunday had been monitored for nearly a day and did not resemble the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that was destroyed off the coast of the United States on February 4 after transiting the country.

President Joe Biden ordered an F-16 fighter to shoot down the latest object “out of an abundance of caution,” a senior administration official said.

Octagonal structure with strings

The object was described by the official as an octagonal structure with strings hanging off it.

It might have posed a hazard to civil aircraft while drifting at around 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) over Michigan, according to the official.

General Glen VanHerck, Commander of US Northern Command, told reporters that when aircraft were sent up to assess the newest object, they found that there was no evidence of any threat, as there had been with the other objects.

“What we are seeing is very, very small objects that produce a very, very low radar cross-section,” he said.

He declined to characterize the objects’ appearance or size but said they were moving very slowly, approximately the speed of the wind.

In recent days, speculation over what the items could be has erupted.

“I will let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out,” VanHerck told reporters when asked if it was possible the objects are aliens or extra-terrestrials.

“I haven’t ruled out anything at this point.”

Mysterious objects

According to Assistant Secretary of Defense Melissa Dalton, the objects shot down since Friday were spotted after US air defense altered radar settings to check for smaller and slower-moving objects.

“In light of the People’s Republic of China balloon that we took down last Saturday, we have been more closely scrutinizing our airspace at these altitudes, including enhancing our radar, which may at least partly explain the increase in objects that we’ve detected over the past week,” she told reporters.

She stated that they are aware of items drifting at such heights that are operated in the air by scientific institutes and commercial organizations.

“But because we had not been able to definitively assess what these recent objects are, the president wanted to act out of an abundance of caution to protect our security and interests,” she said.

Currently, operations are underway to recover all four objects, according to Dalton.

Officials in Canada described the shot down over Canada’s far northwest on Saturday as small and cylindrical, around the size of a Volkswagen automobile.

Officials stated that recovery workers, aided by a Canadian CP-140 patrol aircraft, were continuing their search for wreckage in the Yukon on Sunday.

US troops were grappling with Arctic weather as they searched near Deadhorse, Alaska, where the second item was shot down on Friday.

Operations were also underway off the coast of South Carolina, where the previous week’s drama culminated when the first huge balloon was shot down.

China relations tense

China maintains that the first object was a weather balloon that was blown off course.

Because of the event, Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a long-planned diplomatic mission to Beijing.

On Sunday, a senior Republican accused Beijing of “belligerence.”

“It was done with provocation to capture intelligence data and intelligence on our three major nuclear installations,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said CBS.

Dalton stated that after being rebuffed by Beijing for several days, US authorities have now talked with Beijing about the purported surveillance balloon.

“There have been contacts made with the PRC on the high-altitude balloon,” she said.

Soon after the balloon was shot down, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requested a meeting with Chinese counterparts.

The Chinese Defense Ministry stated Thursday that it had declined the contact because of Washington’s “irresponsible” action to shoot down the balloon.

[embedpost slug=”/us-latest-flying-objects-shot-down-likely-balloons/”]

Read more

The United States and Papua New Guinea negotiate defence treaty

United States
  • The agreement will create the framework for closer military ties between the two countries.
  • The talks took place amid growing worry over China’s intentions towards self-ruled Taiwan.
  • Negotiators from both countries’ foreign affairs departments met in Honolulu.

The United States and Papua New Guinea have made “significant progress” on the language of a defense cooperation agreement that will create the framework for closer military ties between the two countries, according to the US Department of State on Saturday.

The talks take place amid growing worry over China’s intentions towards self-ruled Taiwan, as well as Beijing’s broad claims in the disputed South China Sea.

Negotiators from the United States State Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea met in Honolulu, Hawaii, from Monday through Friday to discuss a defense cooperation agreement (DCA), according to the state department.

When complete and signed, the agreement “will be the foundational framework around which our two nations will enhance security cooperations and further strengthen our bilateral relationship,” the state department said.

According to the department, the deal will also boost the capabilities of Papua New Guinea‘s Defence Force and increase regional peace and security.

The Philippines allowed the US increased access to its military bases two weeks ago.

[embedpost slug=”/the-military-of-the-united-states-and-canada-have-shot-down-a-new-unidentified-object/”]

Read more

Iran’s Raisi will visit China: state media

Iran
  • President Ebrahim Raisi will travel to China in the coming days for a three-day visit.
  • Raisi will depart for Beijing on Monday evening in response to an official invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
  • Raisi is expected to hold private talks with Xi.

TEHRAN – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will travel to China in the coming days for a three-day visit aimed at expanding economic relations, according to official media.

According to Iran’s national news agency, Raisi will depart for Beijing on Monday evening in response to an official invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Both presidents first met last September in Uzbekistan at a Shanghai Cooperation Organization conference, where the Iranian president advocated for stronger ties.

On his upcoming trip, Raisi is expected to hold private talks with Xi, and delegations from both countries are due to sign “cooperation documents.”

Raisi will also meet with Chinese businesses and Iranians who live in the country.

Iran and China have strong economic relations, particularly in energy, transportation, agriculture, trade, and investment.

Both countries signed in 2021 a 25-year “strategic cooperation pact” said to include “political, strategic and economic” components.

According to Iranian customs authorities’ 10-month figures, China is Iran’s largest trade partner.

Iran’s exports to Beijing totaled $12.6 billion, while imports from China totaled $12.7 billion.

[embedpost slug=”/iran-appears-to-be-modifying-drones-for-russia/”]

Read more

US blacklists six Chinese companies over links to balloon program

Chinese Companies
  • The US banned six Chinese firms it said were tied to Beijing’s aerospace activities.
  • The move is likely to exacerbate the diplomatic spat between the United States and China
  • Biden administration’s vow to consider additional actions to counter Chinese espionage activities.

The move against the Chinese enterprises linked to Beijing’s surveillance-balloon program was taken in retribution for a suspected spy balloon flying above the United States.

As part of its retribution for an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon that crossed US airspace, the US banned six Chinese firms it said were tied to Beijing’s aerospace activities.

Following the Biden administration’s vow to consider additional actions to counter Chinese espionage activities, Friday’s economic limitations will make it more difficult for the five corporations and one research organization to purchase American technology exports.

The move is likely to exacerbate the diplomatic spat between the United States and China triggered by the balloon, which was shot down last weekend off the coast of North Carolina.

The US claimed the balloon was geared to detect and gather intelligence signals, but Beijing claims it was simply a weather balloon that had gotten off track.

The incident prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abruptly cancel a high-stakes trip to Beijing aimed at easing tensions.

Military modernization efforts

The US Bureau of Industry and Security said the six entities were being targeted for “their support to China‘s military modernization efforts, specifically the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) aerospace programs including airships and balloons.”

“The PLA is utilizing High Altitude Balloons (HAB) for intelligence and reconnaissance activities,” it said.

Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said on Twitter his department “will not hesitate to continue to use” such restrictions and other regulatory and enforcement tools “to protect US national security and sovereignty.”

Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co., China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute, Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Co., Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co., Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology Co., and Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co. are the six companies involved.

The research institute did not react immediately to a request for comment. The other five entities were unable to be reached.

On President Joe Biden’s instructions, a US military fighter jet shot down an unexplained object flying off the far northern coast of Alaska on Friday.

The item was shot down because it allegedly posed a threat to the safety of civilian planes, rather than because it was engaged in surveillance.

But the twin incidents in such close succession reflect heightened concerns over China’s surveillance program and public pressure on Biden to take a tough stand against it.

[embedpost slug=”/lula-says-brazil-is-no-more-divided-than-the-us-as-he-meets-biden/”]

Read more

The United States shoots down a “high-altitude object” over Alaska

United States
  • US fighter jet shot down an unidentified object.
  • The purpose or origin of the new item is unknown.
  • It posed a threat to civil aviation while floating at 40,000 feet.

WASHINGTON – The White House claimed on Friday that a United State fighter jet shot down an unidentified object drifting high over Alaska, just six days after the downing of an alleged Chinese spy balloon triggered a new diplomatic split with Beijing.

According to White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, the purpose or origin of the new item is unknown. Still, it was removed because it posed a threat to civil aviation while floating at 40,000 feet.

“The president ordered the military to down the object,” Kirby said.

Questioned about the incident by reporters at the White House, Biden said the shoot-down “was a success.”

The object, according to Kirby, was far smaller than a massive Chinese balloon that crossed the United States last week and was shot down by a US fighter jet off the Atlantic coast on Saturday.

Roughly the size of a small car

It was “roughly the size of a small car,” he said.

“We do not know who owns it, whether state-owned or corporate-owned,” he said. “We don’t understand the full purpose.”

According to Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder, the device was brought down by an F-22 Raptor using an AIM-9X missile – the same aircraft and munition used to target the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon.

The incident occurred amid renewed concern among US officials about China’s continued operation to launch surveillance balloons around the world to collect intelligence.

According to US officials, such balloons have flown over 40 countries, including at least four times over US territory.

Last week’s Chinese balloon generated particular anxiety since it sailed over places where the US stockpiles nuclear weapons in underground silos and bases strategic bombers.

The event prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abandon a long-planned trip to Beijing aimed at boosting communications between the two antagonistic nations.

The new item was discovered late Thursday and shot down Friday afternoon, according to Kirby.

It crashed in northern Alaska near the Canadian border and landed over a frozen body of water, making recovery possible, according to Kirby.

[embedpost slug=”/northeast-united-states-and-canada-brace-for-epic-arctic-blast/”]

Read more

China factory gate prices drop in January, while CPI rises

China CPI

China factory gate prices for January dropped more than economists anticipated. The PPI fell by 0.8% from a year earlier and outpacing the 0.5% decline predicted in a poll. China’s cost of living will increase over the upcoming months. China factory gate prices for January dropped more than economists anticipated, indicating that upstream industries are … Read more