Latest news with #Hyder
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Upstate farmers say 2025 peach season looks promising
LANDRUM, S.C. (WSPA) – Peach season is around the corner and Upstate farmers are getting ready for a busy season. At the base of Hogback Mountain sits 150 acres of peach trees. Hyder Farms has been tending to these crops for more than a century. 'We grow about 17 different varieties, ranging from yellow peaches, freestones, all the way to white peaches and nectarines,' Brandon Hyder, with Hyder Farms, said. Hyder said some of the peaches on his family's farm are ready to be picked. 'I am looking for color and size, you definitely want to have the yellow reddish color to it and each variety is a little different,' Hyder said. Once each peach is picked, it is sorted into boxes, chilled and will eventually be ready to sell. This year, farmers have been fortunate to have warmer weather this spring. 'Peach season in the south is typically from Memorial Day until Labor Day, but this year we are a little bit early,' Hyder said. 'We are about two weeks early, and that is due to weather. [It] has been abnormally warmer this spring.' In a good season, the farm will produce somewhere between 60,000 to 90,000 baskets of peaches. Hyder said this year, that goal looks promising. 'Everybody has a really strong crop. The only thing we have to worry about right now is weather related stuff, such as hailstorms and thunderstorms in the afternoon, that could do some damage,' Hyder said. 'This may be one of the bigger years in the south for peaches. We are really hoping a lot of people will come out and enjoy one of the good fruits the south has to offer.' Although some spring rain is good for the crop, peaches prefer hot and dry weather. Hyder said you can pick up their locally grown peaches at several farmers markets this year including Spartanburg Hub City Market, DT Saturday Market, downtown Greenville and Landrum Farmers Market, or you can visit their farm at 500 Hogback Mountain Road, in Landrum. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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First Post
10-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
What missiles does India have? How do they compare with Pakistan's arsenal?
The ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan continues to escalate. On Friday night, Islamabad deployed a Fatah-II missile aimed at New Delhi. However, it was intercepted in Haryana's Sirsa. As the two countries engage in missile strikes, we take a look at both countries' rocket arsenal and how they compare read more Indian Army's Brahmos missile system showcased at New Delhi. It is the cornerstone of India's conventional missile arsenal. File image/AFP India and Pakistan are right on the precipice of a full-blown war — the two neighbouring nations have been involved in a standoff for the past four days, since May 7, when New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor, a series of precise strikes aimed at terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In the wee hours of Saturday, as part of the ongoing standoff, Islamabad launched a Fatah-II missile, which India intercepted over Haryana's Sirsa. The ballistic missile was fired by Pakistan while it continued unprovoked attacks on several Indian cities through the night on Friday-Saturday. Sources say the missile was aimed at Delhi. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This action by Pakistan has put the spotlight back on the neighbouring nation's missiles arsenal and how it compares to India. Notably, both have sophisticated missile systems developed in response to the perceived threat of the other. Here's a head to (war)-head comparison between the two nations' missile capabilities. INDIA India has a rich history of missile technology. Before Independence, several kingdoms in India were using rockets as part of their warfare. Mysore ruler Hyder Ali started inducting iron-cased rockets in his army in the mid-18th century. By the time Hyder's son Tipu Sultan died, a company of rocketeers was attached to each brigade of his army, which has been estimated at around 5,000 rocket-carrying troops. Following Independence, India began its pursuit of missiles and over the years developed a breadth of missile technology, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), making her one of just seven nations on Earth with this technology. Today, it has a wide range of missiles — from anti-tank guided missiles, such as the Nag, to ballistic missiles, such as the Prithvi series, and the supersonic cruise missiles, such as the BrahMos. Let's take a closer look at each one of these missiles and others that India has in its arsenal. BrahMos: A supersonic cruise missile, the BrahMos is the cornerstone of India's conventional missile arsenal. They have been built by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya. It has a range of between 300-500 km depending on which variant and launch platform is used. The missile carries a conventional warhead weighing 200-300 kg. The BrahMos missiles can be launched from land, air, sea, or sub-sea platforms. The launch of an Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile at Wheeler Island, India's Odisha state. File image/AFP Agni V: In 2024, India successfully tested its Agni V missile, which is the country's contender for an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). With the capability of a 1,100 kg nuclear payload, the missile is capable of travelling over 5,000 km. Former DRDO head Vijay K Saraswat has claimed that the Agni-V possesses a minimum range of 3,000 km and a maximum range 'in the order of' 5,500 – 5,800 km. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Agni-V uses similar solid-propellant motors to the Agni-III with the addition of a conical, composite-cased third-stage motor. It uses a ring laser gyro-based inertial guidance system and is capable of loading nuclear and conventional payloads. Prithvi: One of India's most important missiles, the Prithvi missile is a short-range ballistic missile with a range of 350 km. Nirbhay: A long-range cruise missile, the Nirbhay is India's first indigenously-produced cruise missile. It is similar in appearance to the US Tomahawk and the Russian Club SS-N-27 with its cylindrical fuselage. It is reported to be capable of flying at an altitude that ranges from less than 50 to 4,000 metres with an operational range of about 1,000 km. Weighing about 1,500 kg, Nirbhay can be loaded with a 450 kg conventional or a 12 kilo-tonne nuclear warhead. The Nirbhay sub-sonic cruise missile launched at Balasore. File image/AFP Pralay: Pralay is India's newest short-range ballistic missile. It can hit targets up to 500 km away and is designed for quick strikes on enemy bases. Pralay is fast, accurate, and hard to stop. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Scalp: Used in Operation Sindoor to target terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the Scalp missiles are air-launched cruise missiles with stealth features, designed for long-range deep strikes. Known as Storm Shadow in Britain, these missiles can be operated at night and in all weather conditions. The missile, manufactured by the European multinational MBDA, has a range of 450 km, and is difficult to detect due to its low-flying capability when fired from an aircraft. Its advanced and highly accurate navigation system, which uses Inertial Navigation System (INS), Global Positioning System (GPS) and terrain referencing, can penetrate bunkers and ammunition stores. An Astra air-to-air missile being fired from a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jet. File image/AFP Astra: Carried by the Su-30MKI, the Astra is India's first homegrown beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (AAM). According to the DRDO, the Astra is capable of engaging highly maneuvering and supersonic targets at a range of up to 61 miles and flies at a speed of Mach 4.5. The missile features inertial guidance, midcourse updates via datalink, and an active radar seeker for the terminal phase (the active seeker is activated around eight miles from the target). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meteor: Also used in Operation Sindoor, the Meteor is a new-generation Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) system, which is effective in dense electronic-warfare environments. This missile's 'no-escape zone' is much larger than other weapons. This means the enemy's chance of evading the missile is considerably reduced. PAKISTAN Like India, Pakistan has a diverse missile arsenal with both conventional and nuclear options. Many of its missiles, however, have been provided by its friend and neighbour — China. In the past, experts have noted that Pakistan's missiles, both offensive and defensive, lag well behind India —giving New Delhi a distinct edge on paper. PL-15: Among AAMs, this is Pakistan's deadliest missile. Made in China, this new missile employs a dual-pulse rocket motor that enables it to have an operational range of 200-300 kilometres and can travel at speeds of Mach 5. In the current standoff, Pakistan has been using these missiles, which have been mounted on its J-10C aircraft. Pakistan's Fatah-II missile. Image courtesy: X Fatah-II: A hypersonic ballistic missile, the Fatah-II has a range of 400 km. It can hit targets with pointpoint accuracy – including the Russian-made S-400 Triumf missile systems owned by India. The Fatah-II rocket can hold a 365-kilo warhead. It has a navigation system, unique trajectory, and is maneuverable – all of which allow it to hit targets with high precision and sidestep missile defence systems. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shaheen-III: This is the longest range missile in Pakistan's strategic arsenal. It is a two-stage, solid-fuelled medium-range ballistic missile capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional payloads to a range of 2,750 km. Pakistani military personnel stand beside a Shaheen III surface-to-surface ballistic missile. File image/Reuters Ghauri: This is a Pakistani medium-range, road-mobile, liquid-fuelled ballistic missile. It can carry a 700 kg warhead up to 1,500 km. Notably, it is nearly identical in appearance to North Korea's Nodong 1 MRBM. Babur: A ground-launched cruise missile, it is capable of carrying a 450 kg payload 350 – 700 km. The missile is vertically launched with a solid-propellant rocket booster and employs a turbofan engine for its subsonic cruising flight. The Babur missile comes in several disclosed variants. Pakistan's Ghaznavi (Hatf III) ballistic missile with a range of 300 km (185 miles) takes off during a test flight. File image/Reuters Ghaznavi: A short-range missile, the Ghaznavi is directly derived from China's DF-11 short-range ballistic missile. It can carry a single warhead of up to 700 kg to a range of 290 – 300 km. Nasr: The Nasr missile is a tactical ballistic missile with a range of approximately 70 km. It can carry low-yield nuclear warheads for battlefield use. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pakistan says it downed 25 Indian drones after attacks escalate tensions
Pakistan's military says it shot down 25 Indian drones that entered its airspace, as hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbours continue to spiral following Indian air raids on multiple locations within Pakistan's territory. Pakistani Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the military spokesperson, said on Thursday that Indian-made Israeli Harop drones had been deployed to targets including Karachi and Lahore. 'Indian drones continue to be sent into Pakistan airspace … [India] will continue to pay dearly for this naked aggression,' Chaudhry said. The military said one civilian was killed and four Pakistani soldiers were wounded as a result of the drone incidents. India's army said it 'neutralised' attempts by Pakistan to 'engage' several military targets in its northern and western regions on Wednesday night and early Thursday. It targeted air defence systems in several locations in Pakistan, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement, adding that 16 people were reported killed as a result of Pakistani fire. Wednesday's incident came a day after India said it launched precision strikes on what it called 'terrorist infrastructure' inside Pakistan. Pakistan said those attacks killed at least 31 civilians. New Delhi's operation followed a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir two weeks ago, which killed 26 people. India blamed Islamabad for the attack – a charge Pakistan strongly denies. Reporting from New Delhi, Al Jazeera's Neha Poonia described the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) – the de facto border in Kashmir – as deteriorating rapidly. 'There's been a significant escalation in the manner in which the two armies are engaging,' she said. The Indian army said 13 civilians had been killed, 59 injured, and one soldier had also died in the exchanges. Villages near the LoC have emptied out, with residents fleeing or sheltering in bunkers. 'We haven't seen this kind of civilian movement in years,' Poonia noted. Amid the security crisis, 20 airports across northern India have been closed until at least May 10, severely affecting travel and commercial activity. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority said Karachi airport will be closed until 6pm (13:00 GMT), while the airports at Islamabad and Lahore were briefly shut 'for operational reasons'.From Islamabad, Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder reported that the Pakistani military has accused India of endangering civilian and aviation safety with repeated airspace violations. Hyder also noted a fresh point of contention: India's release of water into the Chenab River. Islamabad sees this as a breach of longstanding agreements, an 'existential threat' and 'an act of war'. 'Pakistan's parliament, with cross-party consensus, has now authorised a military response,' Hyder said, pointing to mounting fears of a wider war. After Wednesday's strikes, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate, raising fears that the two countries could be headed toward another all-out conflict. Saudi Arabia and Iran have sent their foreign ministers to New Delhi and Islamabad in a bid to mediate. Meanwhile, the Indian government has convened an all-party meeting to present its assessment of the situation. As India and Pakistan both accuse each other of provocation, analysts suggest Pakistan is under pressure to deliver a strong response to India's actions. 'India's limited objectives are met,' said Happymon Jacob, director of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research in New Delhi, speaking to Al Jazeera. 'Pakistan has a limited objective of ensuring that it carries out a retaliatory strike to save face domestically and internationally. So, that is likely to happen.' Jacob predicted the exchange may evolve into a few rounds of cross-border missile or artillery fire, similar to past confrontations. Security analyst Hassan Khan told Al Jazeera that the Pakistani government and military are under pressure to respond decisively. 'Pakistan will respond and the people expect that response to be harder than what the Indians have done,' he said from Islamabad. Khan predicted Pakistan could target multiple Indian installations using missiles while avoiding crossing the LoC.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Business groups in Canada list demands for Carney's new Liberal government
Canada's business lobby groups are spelling out wishlists from Prime Minister Mark Carney, following the Liberal Party's federal election victory on Monday in a tighter-than-expected race. Carney faces a full plate of business-related challenges, from the impact of a trade war with the United States, to lagging productivity, and sluggish business investment. In his victory speech on Monday, he repeated promises to reduce economic reliance on the U.S. and cut interprovincial trade barriers by Canada Day. 'We will need to do things previously thought impossible at speeds we haven't seen in generations,' Carney told supporters in Ottawa on Monday night, shortly after the election had been called in his favour. '[U.S.] President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never, ever happen.' In an open letter addressed to the prime minister published on Tuesday, the Business Council of Canada says stabilizing the economic relationship with the U.S. 'must be a top priority.' The group claims to represent chief executives and entrepreneurs of over 170 leading Canadian companies. In the letter, president and CEO Goldy Hyder urges Carney to focus on preserving the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement framework, rather than attempting to strike a bilateral trade deal with the White House. 'In recent weeks, you have indicated that you intend to immediately begin comprehensive, possibly bilateral, negotiations with the United States for a new economic and security relationship,' Hyder wrote. 'In our view, a bilateral arrangement could create unnecessary risk, and undermine Canada's mutually beneficial trilateral economic partnership with the United States and Mexico.' The council is also calling on Ottawa to reduce trade barriers between provinces, territories, and Indigenous communities, invest in 'trade-enabling' infrastructure like ports, rail hubs, and energy corridors, and diversify with new partners in the European and Indo-Pacific markets. Hyder says Canada is facing an economic crisis. He recommends delaying tax cuts and other 'commitments that are not central to Canada's immediate economic response, or essential to restoring growth and stability.' 'Postponing immediate tax reductions in favour of long-term stability would send a strong signal of fiscal discipline and responsibility,' Hyder wrote. On Tuesday, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) called on Ottawa to lower the federal small business tax rate from nine per cent to zero for the foreseeable future, ensure funds from counter-tariffs on U.S. imports flow to affected small businesses, cut the carbon tax for small businesses, and increase the lifetime capital gains exemption. 'Now that we have a degree of political clarity, government needs to turn its attention to reducing taxes, cutting red tape and providing much-needed economic certainty,' CFIB president Dan Kelly stated in a news release on Tuesday. The CFIB says its membership spans 100,000 small and medium-sized businesses in every industry and region of Canada. Last month, it found that confidence among small businesses plummeted to an all-time low, weaker than any time during the pandemic, the 2008 financial crisis or in the aftermath of 9/11. "Small businesses are looking to the new government to follow through on its campaign promises, particularly around dropping the increase in the capital gains inclusion rate, removing the consumer carbon tax, and knocking down interprovincial trade barriers,' Kelly added. Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Sign in to access your portfolio
CBC
30-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
What matters to voters in Mississauga in the federal election
Social Sharing The voters of Mississauga have backed the winning party in each of the past four federal elections. That makes the city a good litmus test of voter sentiment in a campaign that's rolling out amid U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of slapping crippling tariffs on Canadian goods and even forcing the country to become the 51st state. CBC News spoke to voters at random in a Mississauga in a supermarket parking lot, outside a shopping mall and beside the city's main library. Here's what they had to say about what matters most to them heading into the April 28 federal election. 'Trump, that's my first thought' Manuel Vieira is undecided about how he'll vote but is quite decisive when asked what issue is top of mind. "Trump, that's my first thought," said Vieira. "If we don't have then there's no point of worrying about health care or anything else." He says he has voted both Liberal and Conservative in the past and backed Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives in last month's provincial election, specifically because of Ford's stance against Trump's threats. 'Inflation, taxes, tariffs' This will be Waheed Hyder's first federal election since becoming a Canadian citizen. He says "inflation, the effect of taxes and the tariffs" are what matter most to him. Hyder says he has not decided which party he'll support but is now open to voting Liberal since Justin Trudeau resigned. Whoever forms the government, Hyder says they need to put the people first in their decisions. 'Give back to Canadians' For Tanisha Francois Cassel, the U.S. president is also top of mind. "Obviously Trump, he's one of the issues," she said. She says she's also concerned about the affordability of housing and the cost of post-secondary education. She says governments should invest more in education to make it cost less. "Give back to Canadians, and we're able to give back to our economy." 'Economic knowledge and experience' Asked what matters to her most in the election, Eniber Cabrera says it's "that Canada stays strong as a country, that we're independent and free." She says the affordability of housing and a healthy economy are also important. What does that mean for who she's thinking of supporting? "I would prefer somebody that is strong in economic knowledge and experience, who can get us out of this crisis," Cabrera said. 'Cost of living' Cerise Lee says Trump's tariff threats concern her, but it's not the only thing that matters as she considers how to vote. "Also cost of living, the overall cost of food, and housing for those who need it, those are issues that are worrisome for me," said Lee. Lee says she tries to research what policies the leaders are proposing about the issues — "especially the ones that hit home for me'' — before she makes up her mind how to vote. 'Actions more than words' Mississauga residents Bassam and Deena Majid say they're concerned about the turmoil caused by the U.S. president and they're looking for politicians who'll do more than just talk. "We'd like to see actions more than words," said Bassam. "We hear all kind of good things from everybody but would like to see action." "I personally find the minute they're elected and they're sitting on the chair, nothing really happens, and that's what's so frustrating," said Deena. Both say they feel the need for a change in government and are leaning toward the Conservatives. 'Stand up to Donald Trump' Ziyad Khan, a warehouse worker, believes the best candidate for prime minister is "whoever can stand up to Donald Trump" and best protect Canada from the tariff threats, but says he hasn't decided yet who that is. Trump "wants to make Canada the 51st state, he's threatening to annex Canada," said Khan. "We want to show him that we will never be the 51st state, that we will always be an independent country." Khan says he "wouldn't have voted for Trudeau" had he stayed on as Liberal leader. "I think he made a lot of controversial decisions and alienated a lot of Canadians," he said. 'Speak for the middle class' The affordability of basic items such as food and housing are what matters most to Melissa Shin. "I need somebody to really speak for the middle-class people," said Shin. She says she intends to vote for Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives because the Liberal government "didn't do the work" that needed to be done. 'Create more jobs' Zandro Chivinda, a plumber who works in Mississauga, says he wants a government that will "create more jobs, lower interest rates and make life more affordable." Chivinda says a lot of people are struggling financially right now. "We don't want to buy luxury stuff, we just want to be able to afford living," he said. He also says it's important for politicians to listen to the people and keep their promises. "They always tell us what we want to hear, but they don't give us what we really want," he said.
