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Visible from space, a mega iceberg could be on a collision course
January 28, 2025
Visible from space, the world’s largest iceberg is headed towards a remote Antarctic island, threatening local animals.
A23a, the trillion-ton megaberg, which is 40 meters tall, twice as broad as London, and viewable through satellites, could either collide with the island of South Georgia, or get trapped in ocean currents revolving around it.
Past iceberg collisions on the island, which is home to King penguins and about half of the world’s population of Southern elephant seals, have led to mass animal deaths due to starvation.
A23a first broke off from Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986, when it measured around 3,900 square kilometers, and some of its sides extended up to 400 meters tall.
The warming of waters near Antarctica have been shrinking it slowly, and scientists expect it to eventually break into multiple vast pieces.
https://mashable.com/video/biggest-iceberg-antarctica-island-penguins-a23a
New Leadership at Sony Interactive Entertainment
January 28, 2025 09:07 PM EST
Sony Group Corporation and Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), the company behind PlayStation, today announced the appointment of Hideaki Nishino to the role of President and CEO effective April 1, 2025.
This marks an evolution designed to maximize synergies across SIE that was announced in May 2024 in which Nishino was appointed CEO of the Platform Business Group effective June 1, 2024, alongside Hermen Hulst, who was appointed CEO of the Studio Business Group.
Hulst will continue to serve as CEO, Studio Business Group, SIE, reporting to Nishino.
Sony Group Corporation and SIE also announced that effective April 1, Hiroki Totoki, President, COO and CFO of Sony Group Corporation, will step down from the SIE Chairman position to become President and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, and that Lin Tao, currently serving as SVP, Finance, Corporate Strategy and Development for SIE, will step down from her position at SIE to become CFO of Sony Group Corporation.
Her successor at SIE will be announced at a later time.
"It has been a pleasure working more closely with Hermen and Nishino-san and gaining insight into the ever-changing, fast-paced world of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
As we hand the baton to Nishino and this exceptional leadership team, I am confident that SIE will reach new heights in the days ahead.
After 30 years of delivering exceptional entertainment worldwide, this marks an exciting new chapter for SIE, highlighting its commitment to fostering creativity and building meaningful connections for millions of players.
I am delighted to welcome Lin Tao as my successor as CFO of Sony Group Corporation. Lin has been instrumental to our success at SIE, leading the finance and corporate strategy and development functions, and I look forward to working closely with her at Sony Group Corporation," said Hiroki Totoki, Chairman, Sony Interactive Entertainment, President, COO and CFO, Sony Group Corporation.
Nishino began his career at Sony in 2000 and currently serves as CEO, Platform Business Group, SIE.
As CEO of Platform Business Group, Nishino led technology, products, services, and platform experience, in addition to overseeing third party publisher and developer relations, and commercial operations, including sales and marketing of hardware, services, and peripherals.
Prior to that role, he served as SVP, Platform Experience Group.
“I am truly honored to take the helm at Sony Interactive Entertainment. Technology and creativity are two of our biggest strengths as we continue to focus on developing experiences that deliver entertainment for everyone.
We will continue to grow the PlayStation community in new ways, such as IP expansion, while also delivering the best in technology innovation.
I want to thank Hermen for his expertise and leadership as he continues his role as CEO, Studio Business group.
I am deeply grateful for the PlayStation community and their continued support and I am very excited for what the future holds," said Hideaki Nishino, CEO, Platform Business Group.
Nishino will continue to serve as CEO of the Platform Business Group and as CEO of the Studio Business Group, Hulst will continue to lead the development, publishing, and business operations of SIE’s first party-content.
He is also responsible for developing games across many devices including PlayStation consoles and PCs and bringing video game IP to new mediums through PlayStation Productions.
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250128118356/en/New-Leadership-at-Sony-Interactive-Entertainment
https://sonyinteractive.com/en/press-releases/2025/new-leadership-at-sony-interactive-entertainment/
https://silverseek.com/article/arizona-bill-would-create-gold-and-silver-backed-transactional-currency
https://legiscan.com/AZ/bill/SB1096/2025
Arizona Bill Would Create Gold and Silver-Backed Transactional Currency
January 29, 2025
A well-meaning bill filed in the Arizona Senate seeks to establish a state-sanctioned transactional currency backed 100 percent by gold and silver, along with a state-operated bullion depository.
Interestingly, the state would also issue physical gold and silver coins, even as such actions by a state are explicitly barred by the U.S. Constitution.
The legislation seeks to create government infrastructure to facilitate the everyday use of sound money, while also offering a government-run alternative to private-sector storage for precious metals.
Sen. Jake Hoffman and Sen. Rachel Jones filed Senate Bill 1096. The legislation would establish the Arizona Bullion Depository to serve as storage for precious metals and facilitate the issuance of state-minted gold and silver coins, along with a specie-backed transactional currency.
The depository provisions are based on a similar law that was passed in Texas and signed into law by Gov. Abbott in 2015.
The government-run bullion depository would serve as the “custodian, guardian and administrator of certain bullion and specie that may be transferred to or otherwise acquired by this state or an agency, a political subdivision or another instrumentality of this state.”
The proposed law specifies that the state treasurer “may deposit a portion of state monies in the depository in the form of bullion, and that bullion deposit is considered part of this state’s financial reserves.”
While many private options are already available, individuals and businesses could alternatively choose to deposit their bullion into the government’s own depository.
Gold and Silver Transactional Currency
Under SB1096 the Director of the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions would be required to issue specie (gold and silver coins) and establish a transactional currency “as the director determines to be practicable.”
Article 1 Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution, however, states that “No State shall… coin Money,” an activity that is delegated to Congress and reserved to the people themselves.
Specie is defined as “a precious metal that is limited to gold and silver and that is stamped into coins of uniform shape, size, design, content and purity that are suitable for or customarily used as currency, as a medium of exchange or as the medium for purchase, sale, storage, transfer or delivery of precious metals in retail or wholesale transactions.”
A transactional currency is defined as “a representation of actual precious metals, specie, and bullion held in a depository account by a depository account holder that may be transferred by electronic instruction and that reflects the exact unit of physical precious metals, specie or bullion in the pooled depository account in its fractional troy ounce measurement.”
The government depository would manage the transfer of the digital transactional currency between parties and ensure it is backed 100 percent by physical gold or silver held there.
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Practical Impact
Despite its drafting problems, this legislation is representative of an exciting increase in support for sound money reforms.
Ownership of gold and silver gives people a way to shield themselves from the rapid loss of purchasing power inherent in the fiat dollar, and state policymakers across the nation are increasingly backing sound money proposals to address these problems.
Private gold transactional currencies already exist. For instance, any citizen may spend their gold and silver coins, bars, and rounds, so long as the other party is willing to accept them as payment.
Also, some services enable folks to do business using a debit card that seamlessly converts gold and silver to fiat currency in the background.
The existence of private options for facilitating gold and silver transactions is a fact that has not escaped legislators in other states – and this reality has so far created significant headwinds for passing complex bills of this nature.
Background
The United States Constitution states in Article I, Section 10, “No State shall…make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts.”
Currently, all debts and taxes in most states are either paid with Federal Reserve Notes (dollars) which were authorized as legal tender by Congress, or with coins issued by the U.S. Treasury – very few of which have gold or silver in them.
The Federal Reserve destroys this constitutional monetary system by creating a monopoly based on its fiat paper currency. Without the backing of gold or silver, the central bank can easily create money out of thin air.
This not only devalues your purchasing power over time; it also allows the federal government to borrow and spend far beyond what would be possible in a sound money system.
Without the Fed, the U.S. government wouldn’t be able to maintain all of its unconstitutional wars and programs. The Federal Reserve is the engine that drives the most powerful government in the history of the world.
State laws that facilitate and encourage the use of sound money create a playing field where people can push back against the Fed’s monetary malfeasance.
Ultimately, it could create a scenario where people can drive out the “bad” fiat money with “good” sound money.
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SpaceX SpainSat NG I Mission
January 29, 2025 8:34 p.m. ET
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, January 29 for a Falcon 9 launch of the Hisdesat SpainSat NG I mission to geosynchronous transfer orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The two-hour window opens at 8:34 p.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Thursday, January 30 at the same time.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 15 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
Due to the additional performance required to deliver this payload to orbit, this will be the 21st and final flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched SES-22, ispace's HAKUTO-R MISSION 1, Amazonas-6, CRS-27, Bandwagon-1, GSAT-20, Thuraya-4, and 13 Starlink missions.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=spainsatng1
Congressman Van Drew Addresses White House Drone Announcement
January 29, 2025, 12:20 pm
Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement after the White House confirmed that the drones flying over New Jersey were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for research purposes.
“For months, the Biden administration ignored us,” said Congressman Van Drew. “They refused to tell the people of New Jersey what was going on with these mysterious drones.
Now, just one week into the Trump administration, we finally have some answers. This is what transparency looks like and it is what the American people deserve.
But let’s be clear: what we have learned is alarming. We are nearly a decade behind China in our drone technology, and our enemies are far more advanced than we thought.
This is our wake-up call. America should always be the best at everything. It is time for us to step up and ensure our country is always ahead of the curve.”
https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/congressman-van-drew-addresses-white-house-drone-announcement/
Man convicted of drunk-driving a drone in Sweden’s first case of its kind
Wed 29 Jan 2025 11.21 EST
A man has been convicted for drunk-driving a drone in what is thought to be the first case of its kind in Sweden.
The 55-year-old man was found guilty in July of flying the device at a classic car event in Rättvik, a town in Dalarna, central Sweden, in a temporary no-fly zone.
Police noticed the drone while flying their own device to monitor the event.
When they found the spot where the drone was being controlled, a man whose bloodstream contained 0.69 parts alcohol for every 1,000 parts blood admitted to flying it.
Under Swedish law, anything above 0.2 parts alcohol in 1,000 parts blood is punishable; 1.0 is a serious offence.
Drink-driving laws are strict in Sweden compared with other parts of Europe. In the UK, the limit is 0.8; in Spain, France and Belgium it is 0.5. In Romania and Hungary it is 0.
The man later claimed he did not fly the drone under the influence and blamed a friend who was not present when police arrived.
He was fined 32,000 SEK (£2,341) to be paid across 80 days in daily fines of 400 SEK (£29).
It is understood to be the first case in Sweden in which a person has been prosecuted and convicted of drunkenness while flying a drone.
“I have not seen a case like this before,” Jenny Holden Nyström, prosecuting, told the broadcaster SVT. “I am satisfied with the verdict.”
Karin Hellmont, the district court president, said it applied the same punishment scale as it would for drink-driving to the drone case.
“It is an aircraft. Even though it is flown by itself, it is controlled by someone down on the ground and can fall from a high height and injure someone,” she said.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/29/man-convicted-of-drunk-driving-a-drone-in-swedens-first-case-of-its-kind
Ukrainian Drones Hit Missile Arsenal, Key Russian Oil Facility in Russia’s Tver Region
January 29, 2025, 6:45 pm
Drones operated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Special Operations Forces (SSO) targeted the Andreapol oil pumping station and a missile arsenal in Russia’s Tver region, Ukrainian intelligence sources told Kyiv Post.
“This night, the SBU and the SSO carried out a joint special operation to destroy the Andreapol oil pumping station, a critical part of the Baltic Pipeline System-2,” a source said.
According to the source, the drone strike damaged the station’sDrones operated by Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and Special Operations Forces (SSO) targeted the Andreapol oil pumping station and a missile arsenal in Russia’s Tver region, Ukrainian intelligence sources told Kyiv Post.
“The Russians were forced to halt the main pipeline supplying oil to the Ust-Luga terminal in the Leningrad region,” the source added.
Andreapol plays a crucial role in Russia’s energy infrastructure. Commissioned in 1982 as part of the Surgut-Polotsk main oil pipeline, it is a vital part of oil transit to Belarus.
Another key target was the 23rd missile arsenal of the Russian Defense Ministry. Ukrainian drones struck the warehouse itself and three buildings of the military unit.
Residents reported over 20 explosions and talked about evacuations on social media.
“The SBU, together with the Defense Forces, continues to strike military and logistical facilities inside enemy territory, reducing Russia’s capacity to wage war against Ukraine,” the source said.
He added that the attacks – what he called “drone sanctions” – are proving effective and will continue.
Meanwhile, the Russian Telegram channel ASTRA reported audible explosions in the Tver region early on Jan. 29, with at least 29 drones involved in the attack.
According to ASTRA, more than 20 drones hit an ammunition depot and the adjacent military unit.
The facility, along with three military buildings, sustained damage. However, there was reportedly no ammunition present during the attack.
This is not the first attack on the 23rd missile arsenal – back in September 2024, an attack damaged 58 buildings, according to satellite imagery.
On Jan. 29, Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (HUR) launched a drone attack on Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, targeting the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez oil refinery in Kstovo – one of Russia’s largest oil processing facilities, Kyiv Post sources in Ukraine’s special services said.
All four drones reportedly reached their targets, damaging the refinery’s tank farm. Videos circulating on Russian social media show a massive fire at the site.
The refinery had previously been hit by a drone attack in early 2024, which caused equipment damage and forced a shutdown for up to two months.
The strike was part of a broader overnight drone attack across Russia, with more than 100 drones targeting nine different regions.
In Russia’s Smolensk region, local governor Vasily Anokhin claimed that one drone targeted a “nuclear power facility.” He did not specify which but said a drone was intercepted and destroyed, with no reported casualties or damage.
Later, the Russian Telegram channel SHOT reported that debris from the downed drone fell near the Smolensk Nuclear Power Plant in Desnogorsk.
This marked the third-largest drone assault on Russia in 2024, following a Jan. 14 strike involving over 200 drones and a Jan. 24 attack where Ukrainian forces launched more than 121 drones at Russian military and industrial targets.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/46261
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-drone-attacks-target-russian-power-oil-facilities-officials-media-say-2025-01-28/
>juan carlos
Spain Plans To Convert Aircraft Carrier Juan Carlos I For Drone Operations
January 29, 2025
Spain’s Navy is planning to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) aboard its flagship aircraft carrier, the Juan Carlos I.
The Spanish Navy plans to integrate the Airbus-developed SIRTAP drone onto the ship, to ensure the vessel remains operationally relevant as its fleet of EAV-8B+ Matador II jets nears retirement.
In a joint initiative with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia, Airbus announced the signing of an agreement to study the integration of the SIRTAP UAV on the Juan Carlos I.
The goal is to ensure full compatibility between the drone and the carrier, particularly in terms of command and control (C2), combat system integration, and navigation support, which will include takeoff and landing operations.
The Juan Carlos I is classified as a landing helicopter dock (LHD), but it also has fixed-wing aircraft capabilities, with a ski-jump ramp for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) operations.
The ship currently operates the EAV-8B+ Matador II, but Spain plans to retire these jets between 2030 and 2034.
Since replacing them with the F-35B would be costly, the integration of drones like the SIRTAP is seen as a more cost-effective solution to maintain carrier-based fixed-wing operations.
Airbus developed the SIRTAP as a high-end tactical UAV designed primarily for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
The drone can carry two payloads, including an electro-optical turret and multi-mission radar, within a 400-pound mission payload.
It has a maximum takeoff weight of 750 kg (1,650 lb) and a payload capacity of over 180 kg.
The drone has an endurance of more than 20 hours and can operate at altitudes of around 21,000 feet.
The integration effort will ensure that the SIRTAP is fully interoperable with the Juan Carlos I, not just for flying to and from the ship’s flight deck but also for incorporating the drone into the ship’s SCOMBA combat management system.
This will focus on command and control, combat system integration, and navigation support, including takeoff and landing operations.
While the Juan Carlos I is equipped with a ski-jump ramp to support short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) operations, it does not have a catapult launch system or arrester cables.
This raises questions about how the SIRTAP will be launched and recovered.
Airbus has released images showing a full-scale mockup of the SIRTAP on the deck of the carrier, showing that the integration process is underway.
However, details about how the SIRTAP will operate from the carrier are still uncertain.
The SIRTAP is primarily designed as a surveillance platform, equipped with dual payload capabilities such as electro-optical sensors and radar.
While it is not designed to carry weapons, the drone’s surveillance capabilities will greatly enhance Spain’s maritime situational awareness.
It could also be used for targeting, network relays, and airborne early warning (AEW), a capability Spain lost with the retirement of its SH-3 Sea King helicopters.
Spain has become the launch customer for the SIRTAP, with the first prototype expected to take flight by the end of 2025.
Under a €495 million ($516 million) development and production deal signed in 2013, Spain will receive 27 SIRTAP drones, along with nine ground control stations.
If the integration of the SIRTAP on the Juan Carlos I is successful, it could lead to additional orders.
While the SIRTAP will not replace the EAV-8B+ Matador II jets’ strike capabilities, it could provide valuable operational experience.
The drone could also play a role in surveillance, reconnaissance, and possibly even armed operations in the future.
Spain joins other nations, such as Turkey and the United Kingdom, in exploring the potential of using tactical UAVs from naval vessels.
Turkey’s Anadolu has successfully launched and recovered the Bayraktar TB3 drone, while the UK Royal Navy has demonstrated the use of General Atomics Mojave drones aboard the HMS Prince of Wales.
https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/spain-plans-to-convert-aircraft-carrier-juan-carlos-i-for-drone-operations/
https://twitter.com/Selcuk/status/1858890686147260649