Pompeo, Iraqi Foreign Minister hold press conference, LIVE
Streamed live 45 minutes ago, sorry
Massive fire burning at Texas plastics plant
Massive Texas plant fire seen from miles away, could rage for hours
A large fire is burning at an industrial park in Grand Prairie, west of Dallas. Firefighters are concerned about the chemicals burning, a nearby lumber yard catching fire and power lines coming down.
The fire at the Poly-America facility near the President George Bush Turnpike just north of Pioneer Parkway started burning around 1 a.m. Wednesday.
Flames and smoke could be seen from miles away and explosions could be heard in the distance.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-plant-fire-grand-prairie
Scotland spaceport gets full approval, will be able to host up to 12 launches per year
Scotland's first proposed spaceport has been fully approved to proceed with construction and operation (via The Northern Times). The facility, which will be built in northern Sutherland on a peninsula that extends into the North Atlantic. This will be the future launch site for Orbex, a startup looking to develop the UK's first re-usable orbital launch vehicle.
This approval follows submission of all the necessary documents, including a full environmental assessment, to local regulators and the Scottish government. Full approval means that construction can proceed, paving the way for launches to begin taking off from the site sometime over the course of the next few years.
Domestic launch capabilities in the UK would provide a significant opportunity for the area's expansion of its bourgeoning private space industry. Aside from offering the UK government small satellite launch capabilities from local suppliers, including Orbex once its rockets become operational, earlier this year the UK and the US signed an agreement that permits US launch companies to fly missions from UK sites, meaning this Scottish site could potentially host international missions and secure more global business.
https://news.yahoo.com/scotland-spaceport-gets-full-approval-140314750.html
How Russian Spy Submarines Can Interfere With Undersea Internet Cables
America and the West’s dependency on undersea internet cables could be a strategic vulnerability. It is the consequence of both geography and the rise of the international digital economy. Russia, by comparison, doesn’t rely on the cables as much, and it has a substantial fleet of spy submarines designed to operate on them.
Russia’s ability to meddle with undersea cables has raised concerns on many occasions in recent years. Let’s look at which Russian Navy submarines may be involved and how they operate, based on previous incidents which are only now being spoken about.
During the Cold War the focus was military communication cables and sonar arrays laid on the sea floor. But today the ‘seabed warfare’ arena has been expanded to include the internet cables which crisscross the oceans. Around 99% of our transoceanic data traffic flows through undersea cables, including financial transactions, email, social media and of course military communications.
Aaron Amick, a sonar expert who runs the Sub Brief channel on YouTube and Patreon has shared his firsthand experience of their modus operandi. Amick served aboard U.S. Navy submarines shadowing Russian subs operating over NATO cables off the Norwegian coast in the early 1990s. Note that this was after the end of the Cold War.
The first thing that the West may know of a Russian operation against the cables is the arrival of an Akula Class nuclear-powered attack submarine in the area. These can be very stealthy so they may not be detected. This is the over-watch patrol and will circle the target area to create a perimeter defense against snooping NATO submarines.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/hisutton/2020/08/19/how-russian-spy-submarines-can-interfere-with-undersea-internet-cables/#251e6f7f3b04
Mystery surrounding interstellar 'Oumuamua deepens as researchers challenge earlier theory
A newly published study in The Astrophysical Journal Letters has put the kibosh on the idea that 'Oumuamua is made of molecular hydrogen ice, an idea first proposed in April and reported by Fox News.
"The proposal by [Darryl] Seligman and [Gregory] Laughlin appeared promising because it might explain the extreme elongated shape of ‘Oumuamua as well as the non-gravitational acceleration," the study's lead author, Dr. Thiem Hoang, senior researcher in the theoretical astrophysics group at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), said in a statement. "However, their theory is based on an assumption that H2 ice could form in dense molecular clouds. If this is true, H2 ice objects could be abundant in the universe, and thus would have far-reaching implications. H2 ice was also proposed to explain dark matter, a mystery of modern astrophysics."
Dr. Avi Loeb, a co-author of the new study, said the researchers wanted to test the dark matter proposition, as well as the assumptions in the theory.
"We were suspicious that hydrogen icebergs could not survive the journey – which is likely to take hundreds of millions of years – because they evaporate too quickly, and as to whether they could form in molecular clouds," Loeb added in the statement.
Fox News has reached out to Laughlin with a request for comment on this story.
In November 2018, a study published by Loeb and others at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics suggested 'Oumuamua could be "a lightsail of artificial origin" sent from another civilization.
https://www.foxnews.com/science/mystery-surrounding-interstellar-oumuamua-deepens-as-researchers-challenge-earlier-theory
completely off topic, but I'm excited to play
Baldur’s Gate 3 enters Early Access next month
Baldur’s Gate 3 will be available on PC in early access starting on the 30th of September. Those diving into this pre-release version of the game will have at least 25 hours worth of content to play through, all of which is from Act 1 of the game. You will also be able to move on to Act 2 and Act 3 during early access, with the rest of the story being held back until the full release.
If you watch the full video above, you’ll see Baldur’s Gate 3 creative director, Swen Vincke, talking about the different RPG mechanics in place, all of which serve to generate different permutations and choices in gameplay.
In total, Larian is promising five Origin characters, 80 combat situations, 45,980 lines of English dialogue, 596 characters and 146 spells/actions in the Early Access version. The game will grow over time and hopefully by this time next year, the full game will have been assembled.
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/baldurs-gate-3-enters-early-access-next-month/
interdasting
>Russia fear Pron
NBC News Deletes Tweet About Ocasio-Cortez She Calls ‘Misleading’
NBC News deleted a tweet about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Tuesday night DNC appearance that she called “misleading.” The congresswoman still wants to know what the news organization will do to “fix the incredible amount of damage and misinformation” caused by the headline and post.
The original tweet from NBC News was posted shortly before 10 p.m. ET Tuesday and read, “In one of the shortest speeches of the DNC, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez did not endorse Joe Biden: ‘I hereby second the nomination of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont for the president of the United States of America.'”
The tweet was deleted around 1:15 a.m. ET Wednesday morning and NBC News added a note to clarify that it “should have included more detail on the nominating process.” The outlet left a screen shot of the original tweet for transparency.
While it is true Ocasio-Cortez nominated Sanders and not newly-minted nominee Joe Biden, that was her role in the proceedings for the evening. As she explained on Twitter after her video rolled, “Convention rules require roll call & nominations for every candidate that passes the delegate threshold.” Ocasio-Cortez said she was asked to second Sanders’ nomination for the roll call, but that “I extend my deepest congratulations to @JoeBiden – let’s go win in November.” The congresswoman has previously endorsed Biden.
At 1:46 a.m. ET, Ocasio-Cortez responded to the NBC News update, writing, “This is completely unacceptable, disappointing, and appalling. The DNC shared the procedural purpose of my remarks to media WELL in advance. @NBC knew what was going to happen & that it was routine. How does a headline that malicious & misleading happen w/ that prior knowledge?”
“You waited several hours to correct your obvious and blatantly misleading tweet. It sparked an enormous amount of hatred and vitriol, & now the misinfo you created is circulating on other networks. All to generate hate-clicks from a pre-recorded, routine procedural motion,” she went on. “So @NBCNews how are you going to fix the incredible amount of damage and misinformation that you are now responsible for? Because a 1:15am tweet to slip under the radar after blowing up a totally false and divisive narrative across networks isn’t it.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/nbc-news-deletes-tweet-ocasio-133458409.html
checknotablesgood sir or ma'am
CNN Guest Goes There: ‘How Is It That Bill Clinton Hasn’t Been Canceled?’
One CNN guest addressed the elephant in the room Tuesday night about former President Bill Clinton being a guest at the Democratic National Convention, wondering why he hasn’t been “canceled” yet.
Republican contributor Scott Jennings made the comment after Van Jones and former Democratic Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said they were looking forward to his appearance.
"I have to say… I am dumbfounded by this. How is it that Bill Clinton has not been canceled by the Democratic – how has he survived all of these waves of cancellations when he has been one of the biggest violators of these rules all these years?" Jennings asked.
"We believe in redemption, brother," Jones replied.
Jennings then pointed out the hypocrisy of their arguments.
“We talked about the use of character to try to say Donald Trump is a man of low character, Joe Biden is … He’s fair game on that,” he said. “That’s totally fine. So you’re going to say that in one breath and then say, ‘Character matters. Ladies and gentlemen, Bill Clinton.’ Does this make sense to anyone? If you want Republicans to vote for Joe Biden, having Bill Clinton talk about character and not hav[ing] drama in the Oval Office—is that the right answer?"
The Democrats then made excuses for Clinton, including that he "has acknowledged his wrongdoing" and "apologized."
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2020/08/19/cnn-guest-asks-why-bill-clinton-hasnt-been-canceled-n2574634
U.S., Japan to build network of missile-intercepting satellites, report says
Aug. 19 (UPI) – The United States and Japan are to jointly build a network of small satellites capable of detecting new missiles, as Tokyo warns of increasing threats from North Korea.
The purpose of the satellites would be to complement the currently existing system of missile defense, which includes Japan's PAC-3 missile interceptors, the Nikkei reported Wednesday.
Tokyo is growing increasingly wary of North Korean weapons development. In July Japan's defense ministry said North Korea could have perfected the capability to miniaturize nuclear warheads.
China's rising military expenditure and weapons development could be posing new threats. For 2020, China's defense expenditures were up 6.6% from 2019. A total of 2,000 Chinese intermediate-range missiles, capable of reaching Japanese territory, are expected to be in deployment. China could also double the number of nuclear warheads in its arsenal within a decade, the report says.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2020/08/19/US-Japan-to-build-network-of-missile-intercepting-satellites-report-says/8591597846222/
General Motors, Microsoft Shrug Off Trump's Cash Offer to Quit China for U.S.
In the latest flashpoint for U.S.-Chinese diplomatic relations, President Donald Trump is moving to incentivize American firms to shift their operations out of China. But the response from major firms so far has been dismissive or muted.
After moves made to ban Chinese tech companies such as TikTok, WeChat and Huawei in the U.S., Trump has widened his scope to those American companies outsourcing work and production.
Dangling the promise of tax credits in a speech, he vowed to create 10 million jobs in 10 months, saying "we will end our reliance on China." Trump also threatened to remove government contracts from firms continuing to outsource work to China.
Trump said: "We will create tax credits for companies that bring jobs from China back to America. We built the greatest economy in the history of the world and now I have to do it again."
As simple as Trump made this sound, how it will work in practice is in question. For foreign businesses seeking to operate in China, it is often required that they enter joint ventures (JVs) with local firms.
This is partly because U.S. companies have to navigate restrictions to opening up in China, and establishing a JV with a local partner is a helpful method for this.
Those Western businesses that have operations in China, such as General Motors, already work through established JVs, have local distribution channels, and repatriate their profits to the U.S.
https://www.newsweek.com/trumps-cash-offer-us-firms-quit-china-not-enough-tax-1526129
China-India border dispute: advanced fighter jets sent to nearby airbases
Two J-20s seen at Hotan airbase in China’s Xinjiang region, while India has deployed five new Rafales to Ladakh, according to media reports
As tensions remain high, the two neighbours are seeking to gain the advantage on the roof of the world
China and India have reportedly sent their most advanced fighter jets to airbases near their disputed border region in the Himalayas, where a stand-off continues.
According to a Forbes report on Monday that cited commercial satellite imagery, two Chinese J-20 stealth fighters have appeared at the Hotan airbase in the far western Xinjiang region.
The airbase is China’s closest – about 320km (200 miles) – to the disputed Aksai Chin region.
Tensions have remained high in the area since June, when Chinese and Indian troops had their worst border clash in decades in the nearby Galwan Valley between Aksai Chin and Ladakh.
India has meanwhile deployed five new Dassault Rafale fighter jets to Ladakh, the Hindustan Times reported last week. It said the Rafale fighter jets had been practising night flying in the mountainous terrain of Himachal Pradesh.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3098035/china-india-border-dispute-advanced-fighter-jets-sent-nearby
Over 200 aftershocks recorded after Magnitude 6.6 Masbate quake — Phivolcs
MANILA, Philippines — There have been over 200 aftershocks recorded since Masbate and nearby provinces were rocked by a Magnitude 6.6 earthquake on Tuesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
According to a detailed sequence of the earthquakes posted by Phivolcs on Wednesday, this includes the Magnitude 5.1 earthquake that hit 12 kilometers southwest of Cataingan on early Wednesday morning.
State seismologists also revealed that the largest movement was preceded by what they call as foreshocks, or earthquakes before the main earthquake or mainshock.
“This earthquake was preceded by several foreshocks (pink dots) including the M4.9 and M4.6 earthquakes on August 11 and 17, respectively,” Phivolcs said.
“As of 10:30 am of 19 August 2020, there are already more than 200 aftershocks (blue-green dots) recorded including the M5.1 earthquake,” it added.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1324361/over-200-aftershocks-recorded-after-magnitude-6-6-masbate-quake-phivolcs
Possible testing ground?
Saudi Arabia Says No Israel Deal Without Palestinian Peace
Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it would not follow the United Arab Emirates and establish diplomatic ties with Israel until the Jewish state had sealed a peace accord with the Palestinians.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told reporters on a visit to Berlin that "peace must be achieved with the Palestinians" on the basis of international agreements as a condition for any normalisation of relations with Israel.
"Once that is achieved all things are possible," he said.
The surprise Israel-UAE deal last week is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, and raises the prospect of similar accords with other pro-Western Gulf states.
Until now, Saudi Arabia, the Arab world's biggest economy, has maintained a conspicuous silence over the deal, but local officials have hinted that Riyadh is unlikely to immediately follow in the footsteps of its principle regional ally despite US pressure.
At a news conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, Prince Faisal reiterated criticism of Israel's "unilateral policies" of annexation and building settlements in the West Bank as "illegitimate" and "detrimental" to a two-state solution.
As part of the landmark deal, Israel agreed to suspend the annexation of occupied West Bank territories, although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the plan was not off the table in the long run.
https://www.ibtimes.com/saudi-arabia-says-no-israel-deal-without-palestinian-peace-3031035
Turkey has made an energy discovery in the Black Sea, most likely natural gas, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said Wednesday.
The two officials spoke after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised to deliver Turks some “good news” on Friday that would usher in a new era for the nation. He has also vowed to pursue energy exploration in contested Mediterranean waters that has triggered confrontations with the European Union. The president’s office declined to comment.
The size and depth of the discovery, and whether it will be feasible to extract it, remain unclear.
The Turkish leader didn’t elaborate on what he intended to announce, but the lira extended gains against the dollar after the news and was trading 2% stronger at 5:45 p.m. local time. After he spoke, the benchmark Borsa Istanbul 100 Index had also risen 2%, while shares of refiner Turkiye Petrol Rafinerileri AS, or Tupras, and petrochemical manufacturer Petkim Petrokimya Holding AS jumped 8.1% and 9.9% respectively.
Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said last month that the Turkish drilling ship Fatih had started exploration in the so-called Tuna-1 zone, located off Turkey’s western Black Sea coast.
The discovery comes at a time of heightened tensions over territorial disputes with Greece and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is actively searching for oil and gas resources in contested waters. France has temporarily increased its military presence to ward off Turkish steps, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday said the EU was concerned over the increased tensions in the area.
Erdogan said on Wednesday the pressure wouldn’t make him change direction.
“No colonialist power can deprive our country from rich oil and gas resources estimated to be in this region,” he said in televised remarks on Wednesday during the opening of a solar energy factory near Ankara.
(Updates with details of Turkish explorations in Black Sea, Mediterranean.)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/turkey-discovers-energy-black-sea-143613281.html
US Warship Arrives in Crete as Greece-Turkey Standoff Escalates
ATHENS, GREECE - The massive American warship, the USS Hershel Woody Williams, has arrived in the Greek island of Crete, on a mission to keep an eye on escalating tensions between NATO allies Greece and Turkey over energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean. The US vessel joins others from the European Union and Russia, raising concerns among some in Greece about what a military buildup could mean.
Military experts describe the USS Hershel Woody Williams as a floating base, the second of a new class of massive ships the US Navy is now using as fast transport and support centers for military operations.
The 230-meter-long ship, about the size of some skyscrapers, was earlier in Naples, Italy, for a routine logistics stop before it was sent to Crete where it is on standby as Greece and Turkey remain locked in a standoff.
Greek and Turkish battleships have been gathering in the region since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered a research vessel to the eastern Mediterranean to survey for gas and oil.
https://www.voanews.com/europe/us-warship-arrives-crete-greece-turkey-standoff-escalates
okay thank you…good to know..be safe anon
America's future if Dems win