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Russia is in the process of equipping its new nuclear submarines with hypersonic Zircon missiles, the head of Russia’s largest shipbuilder has said. “Multi-purpose nuclear submarines of the Yasen-M project will... be equipped with the Zircon missile system on a regular basis,” Alexei Rakhmanov, chief executive officer of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, told RIA. “Work in this direction is already underway.” Yasen-class submarines, also known as Project 885M, are nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines built to replace Soviet-era nuclear attack submarines as part of a programme to modernise the Russian navy’s fleet. Sea-based Zircon hypersonic missiles have a range of 560 miles and can travel at several times the speed of sound, making them extremely difficult to defend against them. What are hypersonic missiles? Hypersonic missiles, like the Zircons or the Kinzhal (”Dagger”) rockets the Russian Air Force has allegedly already deployed in its war in Ukraine, are thought to represent the next generation of arms. The Kinzhals can travel at exceptionally high velocities – up to ten times the speed of sound, which is around 8,000mph. By comparison, a subsonic cruise missile like the US Air Force’s Tomahawk rocket moves at a relatively sluggish 550mph. Kinzhals are typically carried by MiG-31K fighter jets and can hit targets as far away as 1,250 miles, their speed, mid-flight manoeuvrability and ability to fly at low altitudes making them difficult to track using radar on the ground and therefore near-impossible to stop. Perhaps most alarmingly, the Kinzhal can carry a nuclear warhead as well as a conventional explosive, a strategy it has been feared Russia could resort to as its war becomes ever-more desperate and drawn-out than expected due to the heroic resistance put up by the locals, well armed by their international allies. Which countries have them? Australia, the UK and US, together known as the Aukus nations, previously announced a plan to expand their military pact to collaborate on the development of hypersonic missiles and anti-hypersonic weapons. In April 2022, the then-prime ministers of Australia and Britain, Scott Morrison and Boris Johnson, joined Joe Biden in issuing a joint statement saying their countries would “commence new trilateral cooperation on hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, and electronic warfare capabilities, as well as to expand information sharing and to deepen co-operation on defence innovation”. “These initiatives will add to our existing efforts to deepen cooperation on cyber capabilities, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and additional undersea capabilities.” The Aukus deal was initially signed to concentrate on nuclear submarine development with a wary eye on potential Chinese aggression in the Pacific, but focus has now shifted towards the threat posed by Vladimir Putin. Russia’s defence ministry has already said its forces have fired hypersonic ballistic missiles in the conflict, claiming to have destroyed a fuel depot in the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv and an underground ammunition store in western Ivano-Frankivsk. How effective are they? Military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer has argued that the use of such weapons will make little difference on the ground and that their true value is “giving a certain psychological and propaganda effect”. In other words, inspiring terror. Mr Putin has boasted of Russia’s investment in such “invincible” weaponry, justifying doing so as a response to what he considers to be Nato military expansion on his country’s doorstep in Eastern Europe. The US and China are said to be working on their own versions, as are the navies of Britain and France, who are understood to have been collaborating on one known as Perseus since 2011, although it is not expected to enter service for another seven years or so. What’s happening in the US? Andrew Hunter, assistant secretary of the US Air Force’s acquisition team, told politicians in March this year that his team would not go ahead with purchasing the hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon after the prototyping phase ended. There were problems with the weapons during testing. Mr Hunter, in written testimony, told the House Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee the service planned to finish the ARRW programme’s last two all-up round test flights to collect data that might help with future hypersonic programmes. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Moscow’s ‘convict’ assault squads straining Kyiv’s forces in northeast Ukraine’s intelligence service claims responsibility for Crimean Bridge drone attack Wagner mercenaries issue a chilling message on Poland’s doorstep: ‘We are here’ The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Sin bins should be trialled at higher levels of football following their successful implementation in the grassroots game, the sport’s lawmaking body has agreed. Temporary dismissals of players for offences such as dissent and specific tactical fouls were backed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) at its annual business meeting. IFAB board members also supported a proposed trial whereby only the team captain may approach the referee in certain major game situations. Tuesday’s meeting in London will shape the agenda for the organisation’s annual general meeting, which will be held on March 2 in Glasgow, where any proposed changes to the laws of the game will be considered for approval. Protocols and a system for trialling will now be developed. Board member Mark Bullingham, the chief executive of the Football Association, said: “When we were looking at sin bins – protocol clearly has to be developed – the areas we were looking at were dissent, where it’s worked very, very well in the grassroots game in England. “We’ve also spoken about other areas, particularly tactical fouls. We're then looking at whether we should extend it into other areas, such as tactical fouls Mark Bullingham on the use of sin bins “I think frustration for fans watching games when they see a promising counter-attack that’s ruined by that and the question of whether a yellow card is sufficient for that has led to us looking at whether that should be involved in the protocol as well. “The starting point was looking at player behaviour and dissent – we’re then looking at whether we should extend it into other areas, such as tactical fouls, as well.” Sin bins were introduced across all levels of grassroots football from the 2019-20 season in an attempt to to improve levels of respect and fair play in the game. The rule change was implemented up to step five of the National League system and tier three and below in women’s football. Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA referees committee who sits on the IFAB’s technical subcommittee, said the proposed trials would “very probably” involve professional football. Subject to approval at the AGM in March, they could begin as early as next season. “The idea is to go deeper into all of the details because it’s easy to say we do (it) and it’s a bit more difficult how to regulate everything,” he said. “But the idea is to start working on this as soon as possible to provide those who would be involved in the trial a protocol to be used. “The idea is to get it soon. “The trial was very successful in a grassroots competition. Now we are talking of a higher level, very probably professional or even high professional football. “We need to draft something that works or is worthy for top football.” Improving player behaviour was at the heart of the Heathrow meeting, which was chaired by Ian Maxwell, the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association. Discussions included support of measures to prevent players surrounding match officials, which has become a common sight in the modern game, by limiting access to the referee to team captains at certain times. Board members also agreed any new VAR measures should not result in any additional delays to matches, while supporting the need to continue developing semi-automated offside technology. Additionally, they discussed potential strategies to address time lost in matches and tactics aimed at disrupting the game’s tempo, including in relation to the six-second restriction for goalkeepers, delaying restarts and managing injuries. A possible law amendment, which would result in handball offences for which penalties are awarded being punished in the same way as fouls in terms of yellow and red cards, was a further consideration. Read More Ronnie O’Sullivan reels off six successive frames to advance at UK Championship ECB boss admits challenges remain for cricket after positive impact report Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta feels he still has something to prove in Europe England’s Zach Mercer installs oxygen chamber at home to combat ankle injury Top two tiers of women’s football poised to break away from Football Association Tom Daley back on British Swimming’s World Class Programme in Olympic boost

SINGAPORE China's international trade council has formally asked the United States to "carefully consider" rules that ban or

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