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99-6143 USAFSOC C-32B from Eglin AFB to Vandenberg AFB most likely-it has been frozen for about a half an hour in this position.
U2ABC123 U-2S Dragon Lady out of Skunkworks at 60k/ft and had a pass over downtown LA
BH300 US Navy P-3 Orion south of the Channel Islands from NAS Pt. Mugu, Oxnard-CA
US jobless claims below 1m for first time since March
The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment has dipped below 1 million for the first time since March.
About 963,000 people sought the benefits last week, down from nearly 1.2 million the week before, the Labor Department said. The figures have been subsiding since peaking at 6.9 million in late March. But they remain extremely high, driving debate in Washington over the need for further stimulus.
More than 28 million people - nearly one in five American workers - were still collecting benefits in the week ended 25 July, the Labor Department said. Prior to the pandemic, the highest number of new jobless claims recorded in a week was 695,000, set in 1982.
"Another larger-than-expected decline in jobless claims suggests that the jobs recovery is regaining some momentum but with a staggering 28 million workers still claiming some form of jobless benefits, much labour market progress remains to be done," said Lydia Boussour, senior US economist at Oxford Economics. Hiring in the US slowed last month as the country struggled to contain the coronavirus, with employers adding 1.8 million jobs, down from 4.8 million in June.
The unemployment rate was 10.2%, down from April's 14.7% but still higher the 10% peak during the 2007-2009 financial crisis. Economists say the path of the economic recovery remains uncertain, and likely to worsen after an emergency $600 increase to unemployment benefits, intended to top off payments during the pandemic, expired last month.
Talks in Washington about additional stimulus collapsed last week without a deal.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-53770694
AF2 USAF C-32A on descent for Des Moines, IA should be on the ground momentarily with 2 US Army Lakota's in vicinity 12-72243 and 12-72244 43 out of Des Moines Int'l and 44 from Camp Dodge
you'll find that plebbit is moar your speed
you obviously can't handle open and free speech here.
U.S. barring private charter flights to Cuba
The U.S. Department of Transportation said on Thursday it will suspend private charter flights to Cuba to increase U.S. economic pressure on the Cuban government.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote on Twitter that he had sought the suspension of “private charter flights between the U.S. and Cuba.” “The Castro regime uses tourism and travel funds to finance its abuses and interference in Venezuela. Dictators cannot be allowed to benefit from U.S. travel,” he wrote.
The order suspends all charter flights between the United States and all airports in Cuba, except for authorized public charters to and from Havana and other authorized charter flights for emergency medical purposes, search and rescue, and other travel deemed in the U.S. interest. For most existing charter flights, the suspension becomes effective on Oct. 13. The order was issued on the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s birthday, one U.S. official noted.
In May, the Transportation Department imposed a cap on charter flights to Cuba at 3,600 per year. That action capped charter flights at about 2019 levels, preventing any increase. The United States last October banned regularly scheduled flights to all Cuban cities except Havana. In January, the Transportation Department barred charter to flights to any Cuban airports except Havana.
Trump has clamped down on Cuba following the historic move by Democratic predecessor Barack Obama to reopen U.S.-Cuba ties.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cuba-flights/u-s-barring-private-charter-flights-to-cuba-idUSKCN2592IT
Swiss AF SUI528 Bombardier Challenger 604 se from Zurich-Dubendorf AB