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Israel's first F-35A Lightning II fighter jet is revealed during a ceremony.  (Lockheed Martin) « less Israel received three F-35s from the US on Tuesday, bringing its total inventory of the revolutionary fighter up to five, but according to a French journalist citing French intelligence reports, Israeli F-35s have already carried out combat missions in Syria. In Air Forces Monthly,  Thomas Newdick  summarized  a report  from Georges Malbrunot at the French newspaper Le Figaro that said Israel took its F-35s out on a combat mission one month after getting them from the US. Malbrunot reported that on January 12, Israeli F-35s took out a Russian-made S-300 air defense system around Syrian President Bashar Assad's palace in Damascus and a Russian-made Pantsir-S1 mobile surface-to-air missile system set for delivery to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel has  repeatedly and firmly asserted  that its goal to make sure weapons cannot reach Hezbollah...

US President Donald Trump and Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman (R) shake hands in the State Dining Room before lunch at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 14, 2017. (Photo by AFP) President Donald Trump has criticized Saudi Arabia for not paying its fair share in return for the US security umbrella. "Frankly, Saudi Arabia has not treated us fairly, because we are losing a tremendous amount of money in defending Saudi Arabia,” Trump said in an interview with Reuters news agency on Wednesday. Trump’s criticism of Saudi Arabia was a return to his 2016 election campaign rhetoric where he questioned the protective nature of US relations with the oil-rich kingdom. "We take care of Saudi Arabia. Nobody’s going to mess with Saudi Arabia because we’re watching them," Trump said during a rally in Wisconsin a year ago. “They’re not paying us a fair price. We’re losing our shirt.” The billionaire even suggested then that Washington sh...

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe give a press conference following their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on April 27, 2017. (Photos by AFP) Leaders of Russia and Japan have called for an urgent resumption of multi-party talks to find a solution to the current crisis in the Korean Peninsula. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday that they were seeking de-escalation in the Korean conflict, admitting that the situation had seriously deteriorated over the past weeks. Putin urged all sides of the crisis to refrain from any provocation that could further deteriorate the situation. He also said the surge in hostilities had made it necessary for all stakeholders to embark on renewed efforts to find a solution to the conflict.  Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe following their meeting at the Kremlin in Mos...

REUTERS/Carlos BarriaU.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an interview with Reuters in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 27, 2017. President Donald Trump appeared to commend North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's ability to control his country. "Not many 27-year-old men could go in and take over a regime," Trump said in a  Reuters  interview published Thursday night. "Say what you want, but that's not easy - especially at that age." "I'm just telling you, and I'm not giving him credit or not giving him credit - I'm just saying that's a very hard thing to do." Trump has praised the North Korean dictator's unmerciful rule  in the past . During a campaign stop in Iowa in 2016, he was reported to have said, "You gotta give him credit." "How many young guys - he was, like, 26 or 25 when his father died - take over these tough generals, and all of a sudden ... he goes in, he takes over, ...

A number of Japanese banks are reportedly set to test domestic fund transfers using digital currencies over a blockchain as a low-cost alternative to traditional money transfers. According to a Thursday report by  Nikkei , Japan’s most prominent financial publication, a handful of major Japanese banks will perform tests to determine if a digital currency powered blockchain platform could prove a viable alternative for the current national payments clearing platform ‘ Zengin ’. Operated by the Japanese Bankers Association, the Zengin System powers domestic money transfers in Japan. The restrictive traditional system typically offers money transfers between 8:30 AM and 3:30 PM in the country. The banks are a part of a consortium of Japanese banks led by SBI Holdings and  SBI Ripple Asia , which sees over 50 members its payments consortium. However, the report reveals that only a handful of banks are participating in the test using virtual currencies, of which Ripple’s XRP is...

Moscow (Sputnik) Apr 26, 2017 In an interview with Sputnik, Russian military expert Viktor Baranets specifically touted unprecedented the damage range of Russia's next-generation S-500 Prometey missile system, which is currently undergoing state tests. Earlier this week, Pavel Sozinov, chief engineer of the Russian defense corporation Almaz-Antey, said that Russia's next-generation S-500 surface-to-air missile system would be able to engage targets in the upper layer of the atmosphere, 100 kilometers [62 miles] above the Earth's surface. The S-500, designed by Almaz Antey, is said to have a range of 600 kilometers (more than 370 miles). The system can simultaneously intercept up to ten ballistic and hypersonic missiles traveling at a speed of up to 7 kilometers per second. Speaking to Sputnik, Viktor Baranets pointed, in particular, to the unique performance characteristics of the new Russian missile system. "The S-500 will be capable of hitting targets at an alt...

Ryne Hager It might not matter how high the DPI on a screen gets cranked by each new model if you have trouble seeing it. Thankfully we have Google's TalkBack, Android's accessibility service for the blind and disabled. It reads what's on your screen, but it also provides feedback for actions allowing users to fully interact with their device. Now the latest update has left beta after a few months of testing, bringing with it even more features, like verbosity (an adjustment for how much or little content it reads, based on your preferences), character counts for password fields, and a new Select to Speak service that allows you to tap content to hear it spoken, and more. The recent changes should go some ways towards easing accessible interaction with an Android device. Phones are pretty much a requirement these days to a productive life, and each new accessibility feature makes them easier to use, enabling everyone to have the same advantages in communication. Google f...

KCNA/REUTERSKim Jong Un at the test of a strategic submarine ballistic missile in an undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency in 2015. As tensions reach a boiling point between North Korea, the US, and the North's neighbors, Japan's government has issued a guide for its citizens on how to survive a missile attack that would take less than 10 minutes to hit Japan,  The Washington Post reports . The guide  warns specifically of nuclear ballistic-missile attacks, as North Korea continues both nuclear and ballistic-missile programs. The guide instructs people to keep calm, keep roads clear, and maintain communication with the outside world through radio or TV in the event of a nuclear, chemical, or biological attack. It recommends that in the event of a nuclear explosion, people not look at the flash, which could be blinding, and have the least possible amount of skin exposed to the blast of radiation. Paranoia or real concern? North Korea  stu...

'Admiral Kuznetsov' to get new cruise missiles, flight deck WIB SEA  April 26, 2017  Robert Beckhuse Russia’s rusty aircraft carrier  Admiral Kuznetsov  has been back at her home port near Murmansk since February following a 2016 combat deployment off the Syrian coast.  Kuznetsov  took a beating from heavy use and what’s next is a long-awaited refit, of which we now have a few details. First of all, the  Kuznetsov  is not technically an aircraft carrier—according to the Russian Navy’s definition—but a clumsily-titled “heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser” owing to her 12 Granit anti-ship cruise missiles. The retrofit will replace these with Kalibr-NK land-attack missiles, substantially boosting range, and fitted inside universal vertical launchers also capable of firing P-800 Oniks anti-ship missiles,  according to Tass . Russian warships have on several prior occasions fired Kalibr missiles at Syrian rebel and Islamic State targ...

In-Depth Coverage Iran Press TV The US AirForce has test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads, a move that is expected to escalate simmering tensions with North Korea over its development of missiles and nuclear weapons. The unarmed Minuteman III missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles, California, and successfully hit the target near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The test was aimed at assessing the effectiveness, readiness, and accuracy of the missile system, the USAF said. Colonel John Moss, the commander of the 30th Space Wing, said the Minuteman missiles need to be tested on a regular basis to ensure their reliability and to demonstrate the national nuclear capabilities. The timing of the test was questioned by peacegroups, with the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation calling it a "double standard" in the wake of rising tensions w...

For as much as some pundits like to believe that Snapchat poses a serious threat to Instagram, the popular photo-sharing site owned by Facebook is as popular as ever. Not only has Instagram seen its user base grow considerably over the past few years, the cumulative number of Instagram users continues to accelerate with each passing year. Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom recently revealed that Instagram now boasts more than 700 million users, according to a new report  from  The New York Times . Of that subset, an estimated 400 million users check the website or the app on a daily basis. Interestingly enough, approximately 560 million of Instagram’s total user base now resides outside of the United States, a data point which speaks to the site’s broad appeal across the globe. As a quick point of comparison, Snapchat currently boasts upwards of 160 million daily users. To help illustrate Instagram’s tremendous growth over the past few years, consider this: From ...

China Image captionChinese state media released a picture of the launch showing the carrier bedecked in giant colourful streamers China has launched a new aircraft carrier, boosting its military presence amid rising tensions in the region. It is the country's second aircraft carrier, after the Liaoning, and the first to be made domestically. State media said the unnamed ship was "transferred from dry dock into the water" in the north-eastern port of Dalian. Previous reports said it would be operational by 2020. It comes amid heated rhetoric between the US and North Korea in recent days. China has had only one operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which it bought from Ukraine and refitted. The US has deployed  warships and a submarine  to the Korean peninsula, prompting an angry reaction from North Korea. China has urged calm. There is also the ongoing issue of  competing territorial claims in the South China Sea . The new carrier will deploy Shenyang J-1...

An F-35 fighter pilot and ground crew member check out their plane before a training mission at Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah, March 15, 2017. (Photo by AFP) The US Air Force is deploying F-35 jets to Estonia, putting the service’s newest fighter jets even closer to Russia’s doorstep. F-35A stealth Joint Strike Fighters flew from a base in the United Kingdom to Estonia, which has an almost 200-mile-long border with Russia. The advanced aircraft flew from Hill Air Force Base in Utah to Royal Air Force’s Lakenheath airfield earlier this month. Officials noted at the time that the Air Force also planned several “out and back” flights to other NATO nations that would help familiarize pilots with the region. ‘F-35 on first operational deployment to Europe’ The fighter jets arrived at the Ämari Air Base on Tuesday and will remain in the Baltic country for “several weeks.” The move was seen by Estonian defense officials as a gesture underscoring the US commitment to...

This US Navy photo obtained on March 31, 2017 shows the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and other vessels as they participate in an exercise with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers in the Philippine Sea on March 28, 2017. (Via AFP) North Korea is reportedly engaged in a large-scale live-fire artillery exercise, in what is apparently intended to signal to a hostile United States that Pyongyang is combat-ready. On Tuesday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that the North appeared to have deployed a large number of long-range artillery units in the region of Wonsan on its east coast for the drill. The day coincides with the anniversary of the establishment of the North’s military. The United States, North Korea’s archenemy, and regional adversaries South Korea and Japan have harbored fears that the occasion might witness another nuclear test by Pyongyang. North Korea has so far conducted five confirmed nuclear tests and numerous missile test-launches. Pyongyang...

Newcastle United have secured their return to the English Premier League after a season in the Championship. Nearly a year after being relegated, Newcastle earned a convincing 4-1 home victory over 10-man Preston North End on Monday to spark a noisy promotion party at St James' Park. Ayoze Perez put the Magpies ahead with a tap-in early on but the visitors responded in a matter of minutes.  Newcastle took the lead once again at half-time when Christian Atsu finished off a fine counter attack. Preston's Paul Gallagher was shown a red card for handling on the line and Matt Ritchie scored the resulting penalty before Perez got his second of the night from close range to guarantee his side’s promotion from the Championship

Washington (AFP) April 24, 2017 Russian warplanes last week flew a series of missions near Alaska, prompting the North American air defense agency to scramble US and Canadian jets, officials said Monday. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the Pentagon said Tu-95 Bear bombers were spotted in international air space on three occasions -- twice near the Aleutian Islands and once near mainland Alaska and Canada. The bomber missions occurred April 17, 18 and 20, and on two occasions NORAD launched fighters to conduct "safe and professional" intercepts. Mid-air interceptions are routine in international air space, and Russian jets frequently scramble to fly alongside US spy planes in and around the Baltic Sea and near Russia. But Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said there had been a lengthy pause in such operations off Alaska, possibly caused by the enormous, propeller-powered Tu-95s having been grounded due to maintenance issues. "This...

Electric vehicles are all of the rage right now, and that situation will not change anytime soon. Significant advancements have been made in this industry over the past few years. Late last week, the world’s first electric jet plane took off and landed vertically without any issues. Moreover, the machine completed several brief test flights in the process. A very intriguing development, to say the least. ELECTRIC JETS CAN INDEED FLY It is always a bit worrisome when engineers will test a new concept that has never succeeded before. In the case of the electric jet plane, there are a lot of things that could go wrong. It turns out a lot of these concerns were unfounded, though, as the plane successfully took off and landed vertically after completing several test flights. A major breakthrough in the world of electric vehicles, that much is certain. Essentially, the Lilium jet is a two-seater hybrid aircraft which utilizes the mechanisms of both a conventional airplane and a helicopter...

Can Bitcoin help people break out of poverty? What if we could build a financial system with Bitcoin that would lead to a  more equitable and fairer society ? Bitcoin has been around for nearly a decade now and it has survived many doomsday predictions regarding its demise. It has grown to become an accepted medium of transferring money, it has also been recognized as a currency in some countries like Japan. Why is the existing system broken? The present financial system is supported by  large-scale financial institutions  that provide financial services. This means banks, insurance companies, credit card companies, housing finance companies, money transfer companies etc. The problem is that while these businesses have existed for a long time, accessibility has always been an issue. According to the world bank, two bln people still do not have access to a bank account. Yet this present financial institution based payment system is stuck in an archaic era. People are...

Bitcoin price is pushing on with its bullish gains as the cryptocurrency continues to reach the dizzying heights scaled in early March during the lead-up the SEC decision of the Winklevoss bitcoin electronic traded fund (ETF). It has been a month of continuing gains with a positive trend for the world’s most prominent cryptocurrency. Having started April at $1,068 on the Bitstamp Price Index (BPI), today’s trading shows price reach a high of $1,274. Bitcoin has now gained nearly 20% in value since the turn of April. Bitcoin prices since April began. BPI data reveals trading on Monday begain at $1,241 and a sustained trading period has seen an upward climb for the value of the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin prices were hovering above $1,250 at the start of Tuesday (midnight UTC) into the early hours of the day. At 07:30, a surge spurred prices from $1,252 to $1,260 in a 2-hour period. A more notable spike followed in the next 2-hour period as price pushed upwards of $1,270 to peak at $1,2...

Aside from  stress tests ,  IFixit teardown , comparisons, and  reviews , we always look forward to that teardown by research firm IHS because it tells us how much the Samsung Galaxy S8 really costs. The phone starts at $720 for the 64GB models and can go high up to $850. This is really  more expensive than the S7  which started at $669 last year. The IHS Markit’s analysis of the Galaxy S8 has revealed the phone costs around  $301.60 . It goes up to 307.50 once the manufacturing costs are included–higher than the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Inside the Galaxy S8, you will see a 10-nanometer (nm) system-on-chip, CAT-16 LTE modem, radio, Snapdragon 835 (US and China) or Exynos 8895 for the international version. According to IHS Markit, the CAT-16 LTE radio can handle three carriers up to 20 megahertz each. It can reach 1Gbps, making Gigabit LTE as the highest standard in 2017 flagship phone as per one analyst. It will still depend on the mobile carrier so hope ...

The  Infinity Display  on the Galaxy S8 is impressive to say the least. Its sleek curves set it miles apart from the competition. According to a new report out of South Korea, Samsung is now working on a new kind of display panel which will have curves on all four sides, meaning that even the top and bottom edges would be curved. The report mentions that this display panel would allow for a screen-to-body ratio more than 98 percent so the front of the device will essentially be a big slab of glass. The handset would have no top or bottom bezels and would look unlike any other smartphone on the market right now. However, the report does caution that there are some difficulties in the lamination process that have to be eliminated first before we can see these displays in consumer devices. The current lamination process won’t allow the display’s four corners to register the user’s touch thus making them essentially useless. This challenge has to be addressed ...