Latest news with #U.S.AirForce
India.com
8 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
Meet World's second richest person, a college dropout who surpassed Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg in earnings, his net worth is…
New Delhi: Larry Ellison, Oracle co-founder, has now become the second-richest person in the world. According to the reports, in July 2025, Ellison's total net worth surged to USD 275.9 billion (approximately Rs 23 lakh crore). Driven by Oracle's massive stock price rise of 32 percent, Ellison witnessed this incredible rise. However, it is important to note that Ellison still owns 41 percent of the company, which helped him earn USD 56 billion in June alone. He has now surpassed Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg to take the second spot after Elon Musk. The Larry Ellison value today reflects not just wealth—but enduring vision, control, and influence in tech and AI infrastructure. Net worth soared due to Oracle's 32% stock surge in June 2025 Currently ranks second richest in the world, ahead of Zuckerberg The Larry Ellison Story Larry Ellison was born in 1944 to an unmarried Jewish mother, Florence Spellman. His biological father was an Italian-American U.S. Air Force pilot. His mother gave him up for adoption to her aunt and uncle, Lillian and Louis Ellison. He was raised in a modest environment in Chicago with his uncle and aunt. He dropped out of college twice and later worked as a programmer at companies like Amdahl and Ampex. Raised in the Bronx and fueled by a drive to build, he co-founded Oracle, landed landmark deals, and transformed enterprise computing forever. Along the way, he also acquired a taste for big bets—from fighter jets to Hawaiian islands. All You Need To Know about Larry Ellison: In 1977, he started Oracle with just $2,000 and two friends, Bob Miner and Ed Oates. The company's first big break came when the CIA gave them a contract for a special database project called 'Oracle.' Oracle launched the first SQL-based commercial database software, which revolutionized the world of data management within two years. Ellison has transformed Oracle from just a database company into a giant in AI and enterprise technology. Even after stepping down as CEO in 2014, he has remained active as Chairman and Chief Technology Officer. He steered Oracle to focus on AI-ready infrastructure and cloud services, giving tough competition to giants like Amazon and Microsoft. Oracle acquired major companies like Sun Microsystems and NetSuite, and made significant investments in AI How Much Share Does Larry Ellison Have in Oracle? Ellison owns approximately 40–42 percent of Oracle's outstanding shares—a rare level of founder control in today's era. This concentrated ownership not only fuels his wealth but also cements his influence on Oracle's board decisions and strategic direction. That equity stake, combined with Oracle's stock rally, rapidly propelled his net worth past USD 290 billion.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Spain proposes declassifying secret Franco era files
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: A priest holds a rosary next to a flag with the portrait of late Spanish dictator Francisco Franco outside Mingorrubio-El Pardo cemetery, in Madrid, Spain, October 24, 2019. REUTERS/Sergio Perez/File Photo MADRID - The Spanish government on Tuesday introduced a bill to automatically declassify all secret government files older than 45 years, including documents from Francisco Franco's dictatorship and the transition to democracy. If approved by parliament, the proposed law could shed light on some of Spain's darkest chapters, including Franco's ties to Adolf Hitler, the locations of mass graves where victims of his 1939-75 rule were buried, and details of the 1966 Palomares nuclear accident caused by the mid-air collision of two U.S. Air Force planes over a fishing village in southern Spain. "With this law we will overcome an obstacle in our legislation to put us in line with European standards," Justice Minister Felix Bolanos told reporters. "Citizens have the right to know. Administrations have the obligation to provide documentation that is important for history," he added. The bill seeks to replace the existing law governing official secrets, enacted during Franco's rule, which lacks provisions for automatic declassification based on the amount of time that has passed. The law would automatically declassify all documents older than 45 years unless they constituted a justified threat to national security, Bolanos said. For documents created after that period, the draft law outlines a tiered system: "highly classified" documents would remain secret for up to 60 years; "classified" files for up to 45 years; "confidential" material for up to nine years; and "restricted" documents for up to five years. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat Singapore Singaporeans aged 21 to 59 can claim $600 SG60 vouchers from July 22 Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking Singapore Singapore, Vietnam agree to step up defence ties, dialogue among leaders Asia Malaysia govt's reform pledge tested as DAP chief bows over unresolved 2009 death of political aide Singapore Woman evacuated from lift in Supreme Court building after falling glass triggers emergency halt Singapore Prosecution says judge who acquitted duo of bribing ex-LTA official had copied defence arguments Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving The government should not restrict access to documents related to the Catholic Church or former King Juan Carlos, said the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory (ARHM), a volunteer group dedicated to identifying victims of political violence during Spain's Civil War and Franco's dictatorship. It also warned that some documents may have already been removed or redacted, and it called for the immediate digitisation of records to ensure public access. Bolanos said that declassifying Franco-era files would be a gradual process given their volumes. The draft law must now pass through parliament, where Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's minority government struggles to garner sufficient votes as it weighs concessions to disparate political factions. REUTERS
Newsweek
a day ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Military Plans Reaper Drone Operations Near China, North Korea
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States will reportedly deploy the MQ-9 armed reconnaissance drone, commonly known as the Reaper, to South Korea amid growing threats from China and North Korea. The U.S. Seventh Air Force—which commands air operations in South Korea—told Newsweek that it could not discuss potential or planned operations as a matter of policy. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. The North Korean Embassy in China did not immediately respond to a written request for comment. Why It Matters Following the Korean War and the signing of a mutual defense treaty, the U.S. military has approximately 28,500 personnel—along with associated armaments such as fighter aircraft—in South Korea to deter provocations and attacks by nuclear-armed North Korea. While facing North Korea's growing military threat—including through the development of a drone that closely resembles America's Reaper aircraft—South Korea has also been challenged by China's maritime activities in the disputed waters between the two countries. What To Know Citing military officials, South Korean newspaper The Chosun Daily reported on Monday that, beginning in September, the MQ-9 drone is scheduled for a three-month extended rotational deployment in South Korea, during which it will be stationed at Kunsan Air Base. The Reaper drone, which is designed to conduct a range of missions—from intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to precision strikes—has been featured in exercises held in South Korea, including its first live-fire drill on the Korean Peninsula in April 2024. A United States MQ-9 Reaper drone approaches the runway at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea on October 23, 2024. A United States MQ-9 Reaper drone approaches the runway at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea on October 23, 2024. Staff Sgt. Daniel Brosam/U.S. Air Force "Our personnel are equipped and prepared to carry out their missions with precision and professionalism," the U.S. Seventh Air Force told Newsweek, adding that the unit remains in a state of readiness while sustaining and strengthening the alliance with South Korea. The planned deployment, if confirmed, would mark the U.S. drone's longest stint in the allied country to date, according to the report. This move comes as the U.S. Air Force is set to complete the withdrawal of its South Korea-based A-10 attack aircraft by September 30. The replacement of the A-10 attack aircraft—which is designed to counter armored vehicles such as tanks—with a surveillance-focused aerial platform reflects the Pentagon's intention to deter both North Korea and China, a South Korean military official told The Chosun Daily. According to the U.S. Air Force, the Reaper aircraft is remotely controlled by a pilot and a sensor operator, with a flight range of 1,150 miles. The drone is capable of carrying up to 3,750 pounds of payload, including eight Hellfire laser-guided air-to-ground missiles. What People Are Saying Yang Uk, research fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in South Korea, told The Chosun Daily: "The MQ-9 has strike capabilities, but it is fundamentally a surveillance platform." The U.S. Air Force wrote in a fact sheet of the MQ-9 drone: "The Reaper is employed primarily as an intelligence-collection asset and secondarily against dynamic execution targets. Given its significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite, and precision weapons, it provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination, and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the U.S. will deploy additional aircraft to South Korea to bolster its capabilities around the Korean Peninsula. In late June, a number of upgraded F-16 fighter jets were relocated from Misawa Air Base in Japan to Osan Air Base in South Korea.
UPI
a day ago
- UPI
On This Day, July 22: Longest total solar eclipse of 21st century
1 of 3 | A U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle aircraft from the 44th Fighter Squadron out of Kadena Air Base, Japan, releases a flare over Okinawa, Japan, July 22, 2009, during a total solar eclipse. File Photo by Airman 1st Class Chad Warren/U.S. Air Force | License Photo July 22 (UPI) -- On this day in history: In 1864, in the first battle of Atlanta, Confederate troops under Gen. John Hood were defeated by Union forces under Gen. William Sherman. In 1916, a bomb hidden in a suitcase exploded during a Preparedness Day parade on San Francisco's Market Street, killing 10 people and injuring 40. The parade was in support of the United States' entrance into World War I. In 1933, Wiley Post completed his first solo flight around the world. It took him 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes. In 1934, bank robber John Dillinger died in a hail of bullets from federal agents outside Chicago's Biograph Theater. UPI File Photo In 1991, police arrested serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, finding human body parts stored in his refrigerator and freezer, and others decomposing in chemicals in a 57-gallon drum. Dahmer confessed to 17 murders in all. In 1992, cartel boss Pablo Escobar vanished along with 10 fellow prison inmates after they staged a riot and held four high-level government officials hostage for some 20 hours in Bogota, Colombia. In 1994, a U.S. federal judge ordered The Citadel, a state-financed military college in Charleston, S.C., to open its doors to women. File Photo by Edward M. Pio Roda/UPI In 2003, Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusai were killed by U.S. forces in a 6-hour firefight at a house in Mosul in northern Iraq. In 2009, millions of people across Asia sought vantage points to view a rare 6 1/2-minute total solar eclipse, longest of the 21st century. It will not be surpassed until 2132. In 2022, Indians elected their first Indigenous tribal president, Droupadi Murmu, a former schoolteacher from the Adivasi community. In 2024, the Israeli military launched attacks on the safe zones of Khan Younis in Gaza, killing dozens of people. The Israel Defense Forces ordered tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians to leave the vicinity ahead of the strikes.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
Map Shows Reach of US Air Force's Pacific War Games
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Newsweek map shows where the United States has mobilized military aircraft across the Western Pacific during two large-scale Air Force exercises this month amid China's growing threat. Exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025 (REFORPAC 2025), which is taking place from July 10 to August 8, is part of the first-in-a-generation Department-Level Exercise series, according to the U.S. Air Force. The series aims to conduct large-scale operations in "contested, dynamic environments." Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters Amid China's military buildup, the Pentagon has deployed some of its most capable units to the Indo-Pacific—its priority theater—including an aircraft carrier equipped with stealth fighter jets, submarines armed with long-range missiles, and a land-based anti-ship missile system. The Department-Level Exercise series coincides with Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, a multinational drill held across Australia and Papua New Guinea, involving over 35,000 personnel from the U.S. and 18 other Indo-Pacific, North American, and European countries. What To Know According to the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, the Department-Level Exercise series involves about 400 aircraft and over 12,000 personnel across more than 50 locations spanning 3,000 miles. United States military aircraft stand by for mission operations in support of the Department-Level Exercise series at Yokota Air Base in Japan on July 14, 2025. United States military aircraft stand by for mission operations in support of the Department-Level Exercise series at Yokota Air Base in Japan on July 14, 2025. Airman Kayla Karelas/U.S. Air Force REFORPAC 2025, which features more than 300 aircraft, has been described as Pacific Air Forces' "most comprehensive contingency-response exercise," designed to train military personnel to maintain readiness and execute missions under stress. According to photos released by the U.S. military, aircraft deployed at three bases in Japan—Misawa Air Base, Yokota Air Base, and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni—are taking part in REFORPAC 2025 and Exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025. South of Japan, Andersen Air Force Base in Guam—the westernmost U.S. territory and a major military hub—and Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands are also supporting the exercises. The U.S. military is reviving a World War II-era airfield on Tinian for future use. Located east of Guam and Tinian, the U.S. Air National Guard deployed fighter jets to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. Meanwhile, in the South Pacific, Australia—a key U.S. ally—has hosted U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers in its Northern Territory. United States Air Force F-22 fighter jets taxi on the flight line during Exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025 in Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands, on July 17, 2025. United States Air Force F-22 fighter jets taxi on the flight line during Exercise Resolute Force Pacific 2025 in Tinian, Northern Mariana Islands, on July 17, 2025. Airman 1st Class Tala Hunt/U.S. Air Force Participating aircraft include fighter jets, aerial refueling tankers and transport planes. The Pacific Air Forces said it executed a rapid, large-scale deployment of aircraft, personnel, and equipment to multiple locations across the Indo-Pacific, where these units will train and integrate with allies and partners in the coming weeks to enhance readiness and cooperation. General Kevin Schneider, commander of the Pacific Air Forces, praised participating airmen for their global teamwork, which he said demonstrated a collective capability to project decisive U.S. air power into and throughout the Indo-Pacific with dramatic speed and scale. What People Are Saying General Kevin Schneider, commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, said in a press release on July 16: "[Pacific Air Forces] continually seeks to improve our readiness to respond to any contingency, defend the interests of the United States, and work closely together with our Allies and partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific." Brigadier General Mike Zuhlsdorf, U.S. Pacific Air Forces director of logistics, engineering, and force protection, said in a press release on July 16: "This is a logistical movement at an unprecedented scale—an explosive surge into the theater driven by precision and a resilient joint network." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the U.S. Air Force will deploy additional aircraft to American allies across the Western Pacific, including Japan, the Philippines and Australia.
