Russia's new ‘Frankenstein' missile terrorising Ukraine
For weeks, a new Russian missile has been tormenting Ukraine.
It is fast, lethal and was unrecognisable until Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) unmasked it as the S8000 'Banderol'.
Translated as 'small parcel' in English, it is a lightweight, low-cost, small cruise missile that reaches speeds of 400mph and can hit targets more than 300 miles away.
It is also, specialists have found, a Frankenstein-like creation of foreign-sourced components which flies in the face of international sanctions.
Kyiv says the precision-guided weapon, which carries a high-explosive 115kg warhead, has been used in deadly strikes on southern Ukraine, with unofficial reports saying it has been targeting Odesa and Mykolaiv since February.
Uniquely, it is launched by Russia's large Orion drones, meaning Russia does not have to risk tactical aircraft, while its considerable range allows it to strike targets well behind enemy lines. In the future, reports say it will be launched by Mi-28 attack helicopters.
Russia appeared to have produced 'a formidable weapon system' that could give its forces a 'significant advantage on the battlefield', said Vijainder K Thakur, a military analyst and former Indian fighter pilot.
It also represents a significant milestone for Russia – the ability to produce a low-cost missile for mass production.
For example, its SW800Pro jet engine, built by Chinese company Swiwin, is sold through online marketplaces, including China's AliExpress and Alibaba, for £12,000.
But Chinese parts are just the beginning.
By pulling apart downed Banderols, HUR discovered more than 20 key components coming from 30 companies, including from the US, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and South Korea.
The discovery exposes the extent to which foreign technologies, often sourced from Kyiv's backers, have slipped through cracks in sanctions and ended up being fired at Ukraine.
There has been no official Russian confirmation of the Banderol's specifications or operational status, and its development was kept secret until recently.
In February, Moscow reported the first 'successful test flight of a new unmanned aerial vehicle' but offered no technical details.
Ukrainian defence sources suspected it was the Banderol and soon after, reports of an unknown weapon striking Ukraine began to circulate.
In late April, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy of Russia's security council, went to inspect the mystery weapon deep in southern Russia. He nodded his head, appearing impressed, as officials pointed to various design elements.
Credit: X/@OSINTWarfare
The S8000 is developed by the sanctioned Kronstadt Group, a Russian defence enterprise best known for producing the Orion UAVs.
It appears to closely resemble America's joint air-to-surface standoff missile, a cornerstone of US long-range strike capabilities, designed to strike heavily defended targets without having to be launched inside hostile airspace.
Russia's new missile also can make tighter turns than the country's traditional missiles and, according to Ukraine's HUR, has radar-evading technology and onboard anti-jamming systems.
If the Banderol is capable of what Ukraine claims, it could mark the arrival of a new generation of precision-guided, low-cost munitions that pose a significant risk to Ukraine.
But Russia's dependence on foreign components highlights the gaping so-called 'sanctions hole' that allows Russia to circumvent Western sanctions using convoluted supply chains via a third country, including China, Turkey, the UAE and neighbouring former Soviet states.
Russian weapons 'depend on foreign components', HUR wrote alongside its Banderol report. 'Without them, they cannot continue to fight, occupy, and kill.'
A Banderol reportedly contains a US-made motion tracking device, a microcontroller from Switzerland, an Australian-built information exchange model, a battery pack from Japan and a South Korean servo drive.
HUR identified the 'Chip and DIP' network, one of Russia's largest electronics distributors, as a key supplier of many of the foreign components. It is sanctioned by the US and Ukraine, but not by the EU, UK, Japan and Australia.
One of the great advantages of the Banderol missile is its low cost, according to John Hardie, a weapons expert and deputy director of the Russia programme at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
'The name of the game here is increasing Russia's strike depth and capacity to fire missiles in larger numbers,' he told The Telegraph. 'Ukraine is pretty successful at downing Russian missiles, but the more Russia can launch, the more likely they are to get through and the more Ukraine has to expend its limited supply of interceptor missiles.'
According to a 2022 report by the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank, more than 450 foreign-made components were discovered in Russian weapons found in Ukraine, with 318 of them made in the US.
'We see the same picture today, often the same culprits,' said Maria Shagina, a senior sanctions researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Russia is both breaking sanctions and exploiting the loopholes. 'It all boils down to diversion, through intermediaries and third countries,' Ms Shagina said, adding that technologies were much harder to track than financial transactions.
The key issue, she said, 'is that Western enforcement of sanctions is poor and the manufacturers must do better due diligence to who they supply. They do not ask the questions they should'.
And when it comes to commercially available, off-the-shelf parts, it was near-impossible to prevent them from being procured by Russia. 'No one can crack down on all procurement networks and all circumvention schemes,' Ms Shagina added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Peru turns to China as US tariffs squeeze blueberry exports
(Refiles with new headline) By Marco Aquino PISCO, Peru (Reuters) -In Peru's Pisco Desert, rows of blueberry bushes towering as much as two meters high stretch towards the horizon, finally giving way to sand dunes. Traditional blueberries need chilly nights to bring fruit, but genetic innovations have created varieties like Eureka Sunset that can grow in this kind of arid landscape some 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of Lima. For more than a decade the healthy berries have rolled north to U.S. supermarket shelves, but there is a rival buyer in town: China. Growers in Peru are looking for new markets as production rises and their best customer, the United States, is waging a trade tariff war on partners around the world. China has insatiable demand and has built a huge new port near Lima that cuts shipping time across the Pacific in half. "There will be a rebalancing of export share to different markets," said Miguel Bentín, general manager of major producer the Valle y Pampa farm, which began production in 2012 when the blueberry harvest was a tenth of the size it is today. The desert has long been a source of grapes made for Pisco brandy, the base for Pisco Sour cocktails, but blueberry growers have transformed the landscape by drilling wells up to 100 meters (328 feet) deep to find water for the crops and bringing in workers to care for them. Now, Bentin says, they are looking for new buyers. "The full potential of the Chinese market for our products has not yet been fully realized," Bentín told Reuters at the farm. Valle y Pampa typically ships 60% of its blueberries to the United States and the rest to Europe. This year, though, it is planning its first big China shipment to mitigate the impact of a 10% U.S. tariff on all goods from Peru. Peru overtook Chile in 2021 as the world's largest exporter of blueberries and the sector has been adding new markets, according to half a dozen ministers, farming and export officials, and government presentations seen by Reuters. "The search for new markets in Asia, Europe and Oceania (Australia) for agricultural exports has intensified," Peru's Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Úrsula León said in mid-May, explaining that U.S. tariffs could slow the deep purple fruit's booming rise that boosted Peru's exports by some $2.3 billion last year. Production during the 2025-2026 harvest is expected to grow by 25% to 400,000 tons. "If the U.S. tariff measure is maintained, there would be a drop in shipments, especially in the agricultural, textile and mining sectors," added León following a meeting with the Trump administration. She named India, Indonesia and China as markets with growth potential. Peru is negotiating to end U.S. tariffs, which it says breach a free trade agreement. If supplies from Peru decrease, U.S. consumers will likely see prices rise. The Andean country is its top supplier of blueberries ahead of Mexico and Chile. "With a significant portion of produce being imported to the U.S. and not easily produced domestically, tariffs may have an impact on product availability," said Ben Wynkoop, global industry strategist of grocery & convenience, at Blue Yonder, which provides supply chain software to global retailers. "Depending on the severity of the shortage, smaller retailers with limited negotiation power may face significant inventory shortages, particularly for blueberries," he added. "It won't be a moderate effect, it will be quite big," said Gabriel Amaro, head of the Peruvian Association of Agricultural Producers' Guilds, adding farmers were lobbying the government to find ways to soften the blow and protect the free trade deal. "Our strategy is market diversification. We have a whole list of products, especially to open up markets in Asia." David Magaña, senior research analyst at Rabobank, who specializes in the global fruit market downplayed the impact of tariffs. For one, China produces its own berries for more months of the year than the United States, he said. "I don't think anybody in the industry is expecting China to surpass the U.S. as the primary destination for Peruvian blueberries," added Magaña. CHINA-OWNED PORT A 'GAME CHANGER' Peru's wider farm exports - also including grapes and avocados - rose 22% to $12.8 billion last year, mainly to the United States and Europe. Exports of blueberries dipped 30% year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, reflecting a change in harvest timing. However, even as quarterly U.S. shipments ticked down, those to China rose, from a lower base. Peru's new Chinese-controlled port of Chancay, meanwhile, cuts the sea journey times to Asia in half to around 20 days, a big plus for keeping fruit fresh. China's Guangzhou port in April joined others by opening a direct route to Chancay. U.S. fruit firm Fruitist, which produces most of its blueberries in Peru and is one of the Andean country's top exporters of the fruit, sent some 15-18 containers of blueberries to China late last year via Chancay. "It transforms the shipping part, the logistical part for everyone who's in fresh fruit in Peru," said John Early, Fruitist's director of global sales. "There is a huge opportunity to expand that business in China." Back in the Pisco Desert, Valle y Pampa manager Bentín agreed, forecasting a noticeable increase to China as the harvest begins to peak around August. "The port of Chancay, especially with its costs and faster transit times, is a game changer," he said. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Latest: US orders nonessential staff to leave Baghdad Embassy as Iran tensions rise
The United States is reducing the number of people deemed nonessential to operations in the Middle East, the State Department has announced. The U.S. is also authorizing nonessential personnel and family members to leave Bahrain and Kuwait, which will give them a choice on whether to leave those countries. The State Department said it made the orders after evaluating recent tensions, which are on the rise in the region as high-stakes nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran appear to have hit an impasse. Meanwhile President Donald Trump announced that China will make it easier for American industry to obtain magnets and rare earth minerals, clearing the way for trade talks to continue between the world's two biggest economies. Trump also said Wednesday that the U.S. will stop efforts to revoke the visas of Chinese nationals on U.S. college campuses. Here's the latest: About 500 National Guard troops in LA are trained to accompany agents on immigration raids About 500 of the National Guard troops deployed to the Los Angeles protests have been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations, the commander in charge said Wednesday. And while some troops have already gone on such missions, he said it's too early to say if that will continue even after the protests die down. Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, speaking in an interview with The Associated Press and ABC, also warned that he expects the protest situation will escalate. 'We are expecting a ramp up,' he said, noting that protests across the nation are being planned and discussed now. 'I'm focused right here in LA, what's going on right here. But you know, I think we're, we're very concerned.' Sherman, commander of Task Force 51 that is overseeing the more than 4,000 Guard troops and 700 Marines deployed, initially said that National Guard troops had already temporarily detained some civilians. He later said he was incorrect, and that he had based his comments on photos and footage he had seen that turned out to not be a representation of Guard members in Los Angeles. ___ This item has been corrected. The commander initially told the AP that National Guard members had already detained some civilians. He later said his information was incorrect and Guard members have not detained civilians. Trump's plan to begin 'phasing out' FEMA burdens states, experts warn The president's plan for the federal agency that responds to disasters after the 2025 hurricane season is likely to put more responsibilities on states to provide services following increasingly frequent and expensive climate disasters, experts said. While there has been bipartisan support for reforming the agency, experts say dismantling it completely would leave gaps in crucial services and funding. 'It just causes more concern on how states should be planning for the future if the federal government's not going to be there for them,' said Michael Coen, FEMA chief of staff during the Obama and Biden administrations. Disaster response is already locally led and state-managed, but FEMA supports by coordinating resources from federal agencies, providing direct assistance programs for households and moving money to states for repairing public infrastructure. ▶ Read more about Trump's plan on phasing out FEMA Non VIP crowd mingles at Kennedy Center before Trump arrives for Les Miserables After going through magnetometers and bag searches, the guests are mingling on the center's Cross Hall-style red carpet. Some patrons are availing themselves of several concession stands selling turkey or chicken salad sandwiches, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and boxes of candy. A canned soda costs $8, and a glass of wine $19. House uses procedural vote to amend big GOP tax bill That means Trump's massive tax and immigration bill finally will make its way to the Senate. The changes struck some provisions from the bill that had been flagged as problematic by the Senate parliamentarian. Provisions that were dropped include $2 billion to enhance military intelligence and about $500 million for the development of cruise missiles. The House also dropped increased penalties for fraud committed through the employee retention tax credit established during the COVID pandemic. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said most of the changes were technical corrections, but he said the vote also gave Republicans who have expressed concern about the bill a chance to stop it. 'Now you have a second chance to actually stop this one big, ugly bill and the provisions you disagree with,' Jeffries said. Raids in Southern California rattle immigrant communities — including those in the US legally Jacob Vasquez began working at a clothing warehouse in Los Angeles soon after arriving from Mexico less than three years ago. Now he is among dozens of workers detained by federal immigration authorities in a series of raids in Southern California. Vasquez has a three-month-old baby, according to his family, who spoke to reporters outside the Ambiance Apparel warehouse, a clothing company founded in 1999 where he worked. 'Jacob is a family man and the sole breadwinner of his household,' said his brother Gabriel, speaking in Spanish during a news conference this week. 'We don't know where he is.' Immigrant advocates say the workers who were detained do not have criminal histories and are being denied their due process rights. ▶ Read more about the raids and immigrant communities GOP Sen. Rand Paul — a Trump bill critic — says he was disinvited from White House picnic Paul told reporters that his family, including his young grandson — who has his own MAGA hat — were planning on attending the annual event for members of Congress. The senator said he expects the disinvitation is part of a broader campaign against him over his stated opposition to the deficit numbers in Trump's big bill. 'It's people who choose to stand up to the president, and I have stood up to the president on the debt — but no differently than I stood up to Biden or to Obama,' he said. 'They don't like it, and they don't want to have a reasonable argument or a discussion over the policy,' he said. 'They think they're gonna somehow needle me or get me me disinvited — my grandson — to the picnic.' 'I think it's just really petty and juvenile and, I think they should be called out for it.' Judge says government must release Columbia University protester Mahmoud Khalil The judge ruled that the government cannot deport and must release Khalil, the student whom the Trump administration jailed over his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia University. U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz said Khalil has shown that his continued detention is causing irreparable harm to his career, his family and his free speech rights. Farbiarz gave the government until Friday to appeal. He also required Khalil to post a $1 bond. Khalil was detained by immigration agents March 8 in the lobby of his university-owned apartment in New York. He was then taken to an immigration detention center in Jena, Louisiana. Khalil's lawyers have challenged the legality of his detention. They say the administration is trying to crack down on free speech. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he has the power to deport Khalil because his presence in the U.S. could harm foreign policy. Farbiarz had ruled earlier that expelling Khalil on those grounds was likely unconstitutional. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. names 8 vaccine committee replacements, including COVID shot critic The U.S. health secretary named the new vaccine policy advisers to replace the panel that he abruptly dismissed earlier this week. They include a scientist who researched mRNA vaccine technology and transformed into a conservative darling for his criticisms of COVID-19 vaccines, and a leading critic of pandemic-era lockdowns. Kennedy's decision to 'retire' the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations. The new appointees to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include Dr. Robert Malone, the former mRNA researcher who emerged as a close adviser to Kennedy during the measles outbreak. Malone, who runs a wellness institute and a popular blog, rose to popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as he relayed conspiracy theories around the outbreak and the vaccines that followed. At concert in Berlin, Bruce Springsteen criticizes Trump administration again The veteran rock star, a longtime and high-profile critic of the president, called the administration 'corrupt, incompetent and treasonous.' Springsteen was addressing tens of thousands of fans Wednesday at a stadium built for the 1936 Olympic Games that still bears the scars of World War II and contains relics from the country's dark Nazi past. 'Tonight we ask all who believe in democracy and the best of our American experiment to rise with us, raise your voices, stand with us against authoritarianism and let freedom reign,' he said. Springsteen has made increasingly pointed and contentious public statements in recent concerts. He denounced Trump's politics during a show last month in Manchester, calling him an 'unfit president' leading a 'rogue government' of people who have 'no concern or idea for what it means to be deeply American.' Trump gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran The president told the New York Post's 'Pod Force One' podcast that he was 'getting more and more less confident about' a deal over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program. 'They seem to be delaying, and I think that's a shame. I'm less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them,' he said in the interview recorded Monday and released Wednesday. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. Bessent says tariff delays 'highly likely' for countries negotiating in good faith The treasury secretary made his comment before the House Ways and Means Committee. Trump imposed tariffs on countries around the world in early April, then set the pause button and promised 90 deals in 90 days. The clock is ticking as the U.S. has come up with an framework agreement with the United Kingdom, delayed tariffs for the European Union and reached a plan on minerals and foreign students with China. 'It is highly likely that those countries that are negotiating in good faith, we will roll the date forward to continue good faith negotiations,' Bessent said. 'If someone is not negotiating, then we will not.' Hundreds of laid-off CDC employees are being reinstated More than 460 laid-off employees at the nation's top public health agency are being reinstated, according to a union representing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workers. The Department of Health and Human Services confirmed reinstatement notices went out, but provided few details. About 2,400 CDC employees lost their jobs in a wave of cuts across federal health agencies in early April. Whole CDC programs were essentially shut down. An estimated 200 of the reinstated workers are based at a CDC center focused on sexually transmitted diseases. Also reinstated are dozens of employees at the CDC's National Center for Environmental Health. ▶Read more about the reinstatements US Central Command confirms Hegseth OK'd voluntary departure of military dependents The command confirmed the authorization in a statement. It says it 'is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East.' Warning issued to ships in the Middle East region Earlier Wednesday, a statement from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, a Mideast-based effort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning that it 'has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.' It urged caution in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past. US military authorizes 'voluntary departure' of troops' dependents across the Mideast amid Iran tensions, officials say The U.S. military has authorized the voluntary departure of troops' dependents from locations across the Middle East amid tensions with Iran, two U.S. officials say. One U.S. defense official said the order came from defense secretary Hegseth. That official said the U.S. military was working with the State Department and its allies in the region 'to maintain a constant state of readiness.' The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that had yet to be made public. —By Matthew Lee, Tara Copp and Jon Gambrell White House confirms voluntary evacuation at Baghdad embassy 'The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad, and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,' White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said. EPA set to roll back rules that limit greenhouse gases and mercury from power plants The Environmental Protection Agency is poised to eliminate the rules for power plants fueled by coal and natural gas. It's part of a wide-ranging rollback of environmental regulations that Administrator Lee Zeldin has said would eliminate trillions of dollars in costs and 'unleash' American energy. The agency also plans to weaken a regulation that requires power plants to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants that can harm brain development of young children and contribute to health problems in adults. The rollbacks are set to be announced Wednesday. —By Matthew Daly ▶Read more about the EPA's move US prepares to order departure of nonessential staff from embassy in Baghdad over regional tensions, officials say Two U.S. officials say the order will not affect a large number of personnel, but the State Department also is authorizing the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them an option on whether to leave the country. The Pentagon is standing by to support a potential evacuation of U.S. personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, another U.S. official said. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail plans that had not been made public. —By Matthew Lee and Tara Copp Tensions in the region have been rising in recent days That's because talks between the U.S. and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency was set to potentially vote on a measure to censure Iran. That could set in motion an effort to snap back United Nations sanctions on Iran via a measure in Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that's still active until October. Amid the reports of preparations for embassy departures, Iran's mission to the U.N. posted on social media that 'threats of overwhelming force won't change the facts.' ▶Read more about this developing story Trump reviewing trade framework with China ahead of signing measure to continue negotiations White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump 'is reviewing the details' of the framework agreement with China 'with his trade team right now.' The Trump administration has said Tuesday's yet-to-be-signed agreement would allow trade talks to continue between the world's two largest economies. 'What the president heard, he liked,' Leavitt said at Wednesday's briefing. 'China has agreed to open their markets to the United States separately of this deal.' Leavitt said Trump's team did a 'fantastic job' in the negotiations, which will allow the U.S. to get access to critical minerals exports from China. 'We're in a great place right now,' Leavitt said. Earlier Wednesday, Trump announced that a U.S.-China trade deal was 'done' — and that in exchange for China's acceptance of 55% tariffs on Chinese goods and an agreement to sell Chinese magnets and rare earth minerals, the U.S. will provide China 'what was agreed to,' including allowing Chinese students to attend American colleges and universities. White House continues criticism of Democratic leaders over LA protests Press secretary Karoline Leavitt began her Wednesday briefing by continuing to lambaste California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. 'Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom fanned the flames and demonized our brave ICE officers,' Leavitt said. While protests have been largely peaceful, Leavitt continue to criticize the California leaders for failing to restore order. She asserted that local law enforcement efforts have been 'kneecapped by incompetent Democrat policies' that prevent coordination with federal immigration authorities. Lawyers for the first president found guilty of a crime argue to erase the conviction Trump's lawyer argued in a federal appellate court Wednesday that the case belongs in federal court, where his administration can throw it out. The Manhattan district attorney's office — which prosecuted the case and wants it to remain in state court, argued the contrary. The judges — two nominated by President Barack Obama and one by President Joe Biden — were at turns skeptical and receptive to both sides' arguments on weighty and seldom-tested legal issues. The one thing everyone agreed on: It is a highly unusual case. Trump lawyer Jeffrey Wall said Trump is in 'a class of one.' The judges said they would issue a ruling at a later date. Trump was convicted in May 2024 of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to upend his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump denies her claim and said he did nothing wrong. It was the only one of his four criminal cases to go to trial. Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board resigns in protest All 12 members of the board overseeing Fulbright scholarships have resigned in protest of what they call Trump administration meddling with the program established by Congress nearly 80 years ago as a non-ideological, bipartisan pillar of American diplomacy. A statement published by the board members said the administration 'usurped' the board's authority by denying awards to scholars who already had been selected for the 2025-2026 academic year. The resignations were first reported by The New York Times. A message seeking comment was left with the State Department, which runs the international scholarship program. 'We believe these actions not only contradict the statute but are antithetical to the Fulbright mission and the values, including free speech and academic freedom, that Congress specified in the statute,' the statement said. 'It is our sincere hope that Congress, the courts, and future Fulbright Boards will prevent the administration's efforts to degrade, dismantle, or even eliminate one of our nation's most respected and valuable programs.' Trump says he could forgive Musk but it's not a priority Trump was the first guest on a new podcast launched Wednesday by New York Post columnist Miranda Devine. She asked the president if he could reconcile with or forgive Musk. 'I guess I could,' Trump said, 'but, you know, we have to straighten out the country and my sole function now is getting this country back to a level higher than it's ever been.' Vice President JD Vance and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles called Musk on Friday and urged him to end his feud with Trump, according to two people familiar with the call who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The call was first reported Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal. — Michelle Price Hegseth says the National Guard deployment was authorized to get 'ahead of a problem' Hegseth explained to the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee that the National Guard will be on hand to support local law enforcement and help out if protests expand to other areas. 'Part of it is getting ahead of a problem,' Hegseth said. He said most states would welcome the help but 'In California unfortunately the governor wants to play politics with it.' As of Tuesday, Trump has authorized 4,100 National Guard members and 700 Marines to deploy to Los Angeles. White House Press secretary Karoline Leavitt began her Wednesday briefing by accusing California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of fanning flames and demonizing 'our brave ICE officers.' While protests have been largely peaceful, Leavitt continue to criticize the California leaders for failing to restore order. She asserted that local law enforcement efforts have been 'kneecapped by incompetent Democrat policies' that prevent coordination with federal immigration authorities. National History Day competition presents challenging facts about America Thousands of middle and high school students from all 50 states and several countries are at the University of Maryland for the 51st National History Day Competition. It comes as Trump targets cultural establishments, downsizing the federal government and ending initiatives seen as promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, which he calls 'discrimination.' The student's work shows how difficult scrubbing history can be. Presentations range from Brown V. Board of Education, the landmark 1954 school desegregation case, to 'The Dark History of Indian Boarding Schools' and 'The Thind White Line,' the 1923 Supreme Court case that denied citizenship to Bhagat Singh Thind, a Caucasian, because he was not considered white. Executive Director Cathy Gorn says the competition's goal is to show students 'that people of all kinds of backgrounds, people of all kinds of shapes and sizes and colors and ethnicities have contributed to the building of this incredible country of ours. This is a great opportunity to truly show what America is about and at the same time say hey, it's also been a struggle.' Jeffries and Schumer defend Newsom The Democratic leaders of the House and Senate are defending Gov. Gavin Newsom's handling of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in California, which prompted protests and now the president's deployment of the National Guard and Marines. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said Newsom 'has been doing a tremendous job on behalf of the people of California.' Jeffries said Democrats believe along with Newsom that anybody who commits violence or destroys property should be held accountable to the full extent of that law. But he said that people have a right to 'peacefully protest and petition their government.' Sen. Chuck Schumer said Trump has been trying to bully the governor. 'He has shown he's not going to be intimidated, and we're all for that,' Schumer said. Top US military commander sees no evidence of a foreign government invasion Wednesday's testimony by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine complicates Trump's justification for mass deportations. Asked if he believes the U.S. is being invaded by a foreign power, Caine said: 'I don't see any foreign state-sponsored folks invading but I'll be mindful of the fact that there have been some border issues.' Asked whether he sees evidence of 'rebellion' in the country — a word that arguably justifies using the Insurrection Act to send military units into U.S. states and cities over the objections of local officials — Caine said: 'There are definitely some frustrated folks out there.' Responding to the same question, Hegseth repeated Trump's argument that 'there has been an invasion' of migrants entering the country without legal permission, and he said the protests in Los Angeles could spread to other areas. FAA administrator nominee says $12.5 billion budgeted for upgrades is just a down payment 'The system is old,' Bedford said. 'So we have to do better.' Pilots' unions and Democrats have raised concerns that Bedford may support weakening the 1,500-hour experience standard for airline pilots that was adopted after a 2009 crash, or might consider allowing some airlines to operate with only one pilot. Senators Maria Cantwell and Tammy Duckworth pressed him on maintaining the rule, noting that he had funded and lobbied to change it while he was running an airline. Bedford refused to make that commitment. 'I don't believe safety is static,' Bedford said, adding later: 'I can commit to you that we will not have anything that will reduce safety.' Trump's FAA administrator nominee gets grilled about crashes and near misses Trump's pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration is facing tough questions about safety after a string of crashes and near misses since January's deadly collision over the Potomac River. Much of the industry, including the major airlines and their trade groups, supports Bryan Bedford's nomination. But pilots unions and Democrats have raised concerns that he might weaken pilot training standards. Bedford has been CEO of regional airline Republic Airways since 1999 and has more than three decades of experience in the industry. He has pledged to make safety the FAA's top priority and work to restore public confidence in flying. Bedford also said he'll work with Congress on Trump's multi-billion-dollar plan to overhaul the nation's air traffic control system. The National Transportation Safety Board has said the FAA should have acted before the crash in Washington, D.C., because there had been 85 near misses reported around Ronald Reagan National Airport in the years prior. The FAA has banned some helicopter routes to keep helicopters and planes from sharing airspace, but there have been more near misses since then. Hegseth says Qatar still has not signed memo to release Trump 747 to Pentagon The defense secretary confirmed reports that the Qataris have not come to an agreement with the Trump administration over a memo that would allow the Department of Defense to take possession of the 747 jet, which Trump wants as his temporary Air Force One. This also means that no contracts have been signed to move forward on overhauling the aircraft. 'A memorandum of understanding remains to be signed,' Hegseth said, while refusing to answer senator's questions on the cost or potential timeframe of refurbishing the aircraft — even though data on two other 747s being reconditioned to serve as Air Force One by Boeing is public. Trump toured the Qatari plane in February when it was parked at an airport near Mar-a-Lago, his Florida resort. Hegseth says Europe needs to increase support for Ukraine The defense secretary told senators that the Pentagon budget includes hard choices and 'reflects the reality that Europe needs to step up more for the defense of its own continent. And President Trump deserves the credit for that.' Questioned at a defense appropriations hearing about U.S. security support for Kyiv Hegseth did not respond when asked if the U.S. will send the remaining $3.8 billion in aid already approved. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned that Russia will not stop with its assault on Ukraine and said the U.S. has to end the war. Hegseth said a negotiated peace in Ukraine will make America look strong. The Associated Press
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Charlotte man accused of trying to sexually assault woman after helping her with groceries
Court records obtained by Channel 9 this week say a man offered to help a woman with her groceries before trying to sexually assault her in her own apartment. It happened last week after the woman got off the bus along Monroe Road. Channel 9 Crime Reporter Hunter Sáenz learned that the woman fought back. Kristopher Davis was arrested and charged with attempted second-degree sexual offense. Police say the victim is a woman who is developmentally disabled. 'I think it always hits home a little bit more when it's someone who we know is especially vulnerable,' said Leanna Pai, who works with survivors at Safe Alliance. The domestic and sexual violence resource center says roughly 80% of women with disabilities say they've been sexually assaulted. That's 40% higher than their non-disabled counterparts. 'Someone who is an abuser or might assault someone can definitely take advantage of physical limitations, or cognitive limitations,' Pai told Sáenz. The victim told police she got off a bus with her groceries and Davis walked up, introduced himself, and insisted on helping her carry her groceries. When they got to her apartment, she told police that Davis insisted on coming inside. When he did, he told her, 'Now I'm going to have oral sex with you,' according to court records. Davis is then accused of 'smacking her twice' and also grabbed for her clothing, court documents say. She told officers she was able to run out screaming, and that got the attention of someone at the leasing office, who came outside -- that spooked off Davis. Police say that when the victim went to get help, Davis ran away. He was later caught and taken into custody and held on a $100,000 secured bond. He was then transferred to another county to face additional charges there. Pai says she wants women to know they have a safe place they can go. Safe Alliance has a 24-hour hope line that survivors can call for support and resources. That number is 980-771-HOPE and it's available in English and Spanish. (VIDEO: Former CMS educator arrested in St. Louis, accused of sexually abusing students)
