China's 'teapot' refiners mop up swelling Iranian crude, defying U.S. curbs
By Muyu Xu SINGAPORE Appetite for Iranian crude is growing in China, the world's biggest oil importer, after
1970-01-01 08:00
Russian pilot tried to shoot down RAF plane over Black Sea
A Russian pilot fired two missiles towards an RAF surveillance plane after mistakenly believing he had permission to fire. Following the incident last September, Russia claimed it had been caused by a “technical malfunction” with the UK’s Ministry of Defence publicly accepting their explanation. However, intercepted communications reveal that one of the Russian pilots believed he had been given permission to target the aircraft following an ambiguous command from a Russian ground station. The two Russian SU-27 fighter jets had encountered the RAF plane, which was carrying a crew of up to 30 people, as it was flying a surveillance mission over the Black Sea in international airspace on 29 September. Three Western defence sources with knowledge of the incident have told the BBC that the two Russian pilots received words to the effect of “you have the target”. This prompted one of the pilots to release an air-to-air missile, which successfully launched but failed to strike its target. A row then broke out between the two Russian pilots, as the second did not believe they had been given permission to fire. However, a second missile was released but simply fell from the wing - suggesting the launch was aborted or the weapon malfunctioned. As the Rivet Joint is loaded with sensors to intercept communications, the RAF crew would have been able to listen in to the incident which could have resulted in their own deaths. After the Russian Ministry of Defence called it a “technical malfunction”, the UK government confirmed the incident had taken place. In a statement to MPs on 20 October, the former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace described it as a “potentially dangerous engagement”. However, he added: "We do not consider this incident to constitute a deliberate escalation on the part of the Russians, and our analysis concurs that it was due to a malfunction." An intelligence leak, published online by US airman Jack Teixera, revealed that the US miliary spoke of the incident as a “near shoot-down”. “The incident was far more serious than originally portrayed and could have amounted to an act of war,” the New York Times reported. The MoD has now told the BBC that “this incident is a stark reminder of the potential consequences of Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine.” Read More South Korea expresses 'concern and regret' over military cooperation talks between Kim and Putin What is a Storm Shadow cruise missile? Weapons, spy satellites and nuclear ambitions: what we learned from Putin’s summit with Kim Jong-un in Russia The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary
1970-01-01 08:00
YouTuber crashes New York Fashion Week wearing a bin bag and gets away with it
A YouTube prank at New York Fashion Week has gone viral after one man confidently walked the runway – and no one batted an eyelid. Fred Beyer's stunt was captured during an event held by social media agency Creators Inc. It shows the 21-year-old wearing a transparent bin bag, complete with vibrant shorts and a shower cap as he struts down the ramp. Beyer manages to make it to the end of the catwalk, with no suspicion from the audience. Moments later, a member of security runs up and escorts him off. The clip has since made waves online, with many in hysterics over the harmless prank. "I thought that was the new summer release," one person joked, while another added: "I need confirmation that this wasn't part of the show bc they are weird like this lol." "He probably had one of the most normal fits in there," a third joked. Pranking Fashion Week www.youtube.com Meanwhile, one person commented: "And nobody suspected anything despite that drip. Goes to show how trash these shows be." Another suggested: "There was no reason to rush him off, bro already done damage and completed the mission." The YouTuber has grown popular online, with one of his most clicked videos racking up almost a million views. Titled 'Pulling Fire Alarm Prank,' the clip shows Beyer approaching people in public places telling them he is going to set the fire alarm off and repeatedly being told not to. He later tells staff that his alarms are fakes. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Volvo to start production of electric trucks at Ghent factory
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Sweden's Volvo will begin serial production of heavy battery electric trucks at its Ghent factory in Belgium, the
1970-01-01 08:00
How tall is Gordon Ramsay? Fans once discussed barefoot height of Michelin-star chef
Gordon Ramsay has received a whopping 17 Michelin stars so far
1970-01-01 08:00
Kim Jong Un: The US wants to engage North Korea but doesn't know how
Can President Joe Biden bring the mercurial North Korean leader to the table?
1970-01-01 08:00
Joe Rogan delves into alien abduction theory with Matt Rife on JRE podcast: 'It feels real'
Joe Rogan said, 'When you go to sleep and you dream, there are psychedelic chemicals that your brain makes'
1970-01-01 08:00
Who is Matt Wilkinson? Meghan Markle and Prince Harry fans bizarrely slam journo for 'taking pictures'
A clip of Matt Wilkinson was uploaded to social media, where he could be seen sneakily clicking pictures of the royal couple at the Invictus Games
1970-01-01 08:00
US and Bahrain Sign Security Pact That May Become Model for Middle East
The US and Bahrain have upgraded their defense relationship under a new security and economic deal that could
1970-01-01 08:00
Elon Musk roasted by actor for 'defects' in Amber Heard's cosplay costume
Lucy Pohl, the voice actor behind Overwatch 2’s character Mercy, has roundly mocked Elon Musk for the “defects” in the Mercy cosplay outfit he had Amber Heard wear. Revealed in Walter Isaacson’s new biography on Musk, the tech billionaire made his then-girlfriend Heard cosplay as Mercy for him. It is one of many revelations to come from the new biography, including his difficult relationship with his father, his child’s peculiar names and his relationships with his ex-wives. One aspect of the biography is his love for the Overwatch character Mercy and of video games more generally. The X/Twitter owner even posted a picture of Heard in costume on the app. But Pohl, who played the character in the game, responded by not only taking a swing at the costume but also at Musk’s electric car company, Tesla. She said: “As the real Mercy I can see the manufacturing defects in this cosplay like it’s a Tesla.” Tesla has gained an unwanted reputation for having quality control issues in recent years, and earlier in 2023 was forced to recall 1.1m cars in China over a braking defect. Pohl even responded with a picture of her own Mercy costume – and hers was even customised to the “spooky” skin in the game. Musk did not confirm why he chose Mercy, but he said: “[Heard] did dress up as Mercy. It was awesome.” Heard and Musk reportedly dated for much of 2017, following the breakdown of Heard’s marriage with the actor Johnny Depp. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Taiwan hits back at Elon Musk's claim that it is 'part of China'
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has hit back after Elon Musk called the self-ruled island an "integral part of China."
1970-01-01 08:00
Fans offer explanation after Megyn Kelly questions Kanye West’s wife Bianca Censori's bizarre outfits
Megyn Kelly discussed Kanye West’s raunchy Venice pictures with 'wife' Bianca Censori
1970-01-01 08:00
