The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress of the US Air Force is practically a household name, as it should be, with some aircraft seeing three generations of pilots from the same families. This mighty bird is an icon of American air power and having served from the Vietnam War to the War in Afghanistan, it has proven to be a reliable and powerful aircraft, time and time again. Worldwide strategic presence relies on a combination of continuous operations, forward deployments , and the posture to meet emerging defense challenges. Originally intended to be primarily a nuclear deterrence platform, the venerable B-52 has evolved to be an incredibly versatile platform that is capable of a vast spectrum of missions and is capable of carrying anything from a nuclear warhead to an experimental aircraft. During Desert Storm , B-52s delivered 40 percent of all the weapons dropped by coalition forces. It is highly effective when used for ocean surveillance and can assist the U.S. Navy in anti-ship and mine-laying operations. In two hours, two B-52s can monitor 140,000 square miles (364,000 square kilometers) of ocean surface. At any given moment, the B-52 fleet is spread around the globe at different bases in the US and allied nations, as well as forward deployments, to provide flexible responses as defense needs emerge and change. The varied deployment cycles and locations of the B-52s reinforce the partnerships between the US Air Force and allied air forces. Whether a permanent overseas base or a joint training exercise, interoperability and cooperative training are valuable sources of improving aircrew and unit-level performance. Training, training, training Maintaining a global presence with the readiness to execute any mission, on-call demands a relentless training regimen for the aircrews and ground crews that operate the mighty B-52 . There are countless scenarios and contingencies, special circumstances or adverse conditions that are all thrown at the Air Force crews in a never-ending cycle of training and training again. As the landscape of global defense evolves and new threats emerge, the dedicated men and women of the Air Force rise to the challenge and ensure their Stratofortress is always ready. Maintenance is often performed under demanding schedules to meet the timelines of combat missions. The ground crew trains for this continuously during peacetime processes until they become second nature, such as checking airframe integrity, engine performance, avionics functions, and weapons systems performance. Extended maintenance periods are crucial for an aircraft that has been in service for so many decades to ensure that every plane receives comprehensive inspections. These depot cycles focus on finding and mitigating problems before impacting mission readiness. Skilled technicians who are masters of nuances in the aircraft work at maintenance depots, following methodical processes based on detailed and stringent guidelines. Even the smallest mechanical irregularities can affect mission performance; no step in this cycle is any less than the other, and all the staff working hard to keep the B-52s in the air are consummate professionals. The B-52J and B-21 Raider are set to become the most unequal of strategic bomber counterparts into the 2050s. Supply chain for a global fleet Maintaining a high readiness level for a fleet spread to the far corners of the earth requires an efficient and bullet-proof supply chain of parts and materials. The B-52 is an old warbird, but over its lifetime, it has learned many new tricks. That means that the logistics apparatus to support these giants of the sky has to accommodate both legacy and modern systems. Another aspect of readiness is prepositioning routine and essential materials and parts, from fuel and lubricants to ordinance and common spare parts. This system requires strong regional partnerships to ensure the timely and safe delivery of important components and everything else required to keep the mighty beasts flying. The B-52 bomber is old , as the National Interest remarked. The aircraft first reached operating capability in 1952, only seven years after the end of the Second World War, and entered service in 1961. The Air Force plans to operate well into the 2050s, meaning the B-52 will likely hit a century in service before it retires. System Upgrades and Modernization Maintaining a legacy platform requires steadily introducing new technologies and periodic improvements to stay operationally relevant. Each upgrade integrates emerging capabilities that expand mission sets and ensure the aircraft remains viable against evolving threats. Avionics modernization allows improved navigation accuracy, digital communications, and integration with modern weaponry. Life-extension programs extend the aircraft's operational lifespan, ensuring the structure can withstand extra flight hours and combat conditions. As each change is made, the aircraft’s operational capabilities expand, rendering it a versatile tool suitable for conducting reconnaissance, long-range strikes, maritime patrol, and other essential mission sets. Boeing B-52 Stratofortress specs : Length: 159 ft 4 in/48.5 m Wingspan: 185 ft/56.4 m Height: 40 ft 8 in/12.4 m Weight Empty: 185,000 lbs/83,250 kg Maximum Takeoff Weight: 488,000 lbs/221,353 kg Powerplant: Eight (8) Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofan engines, each providing 17,000 lbf /75.6 kN thrust Speed: 650 mph/1,046 kmh Range: 8,800 miles/14,080 km, without refueling Continuous training guarantees that flight crews are competent and confident in various situations, and maintenance procedures ensure that every airframe operates dependably over extended flights. Through training, maintenance, strong supply chains, and constant improvement, the B-52 Stratofortress's ability to operate globally enables it to sustain a global strategic presence that promotes stability and deterrence. The B-52J will see the massive bomber used for missions launching long-range missiles for many years to come.are indian casino slots regulated 。

Five-star center Chris Cenac Jr. commits to HoustonGRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Tai'Reon Joseph scored 28 points off the bench to lead UTSA over North Dakota 95-85 on Sunday. Joseph shot 8 of 11 from the field, including 6 for 8 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 7 from the free-throw line for the Roadrunners (5-5). Primo Spears scored 16 points while shooting 4 for 12 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. Damari Monsanto finished 4 of 4 from 3-point range and 3 for 4 from the line to finish with 15 points. The Fightin' Hawks (4-8) were led by Treysen Eaglestaff, who finished with 24 points, four assists and two steals. Dariyus Woodson added 23 points. Deng Mayar contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds. UTSA took the lead with 19:02 to go in the first half and did not relinquish it. The score was 39-34 at halftime, with Monsanto racking up nine points. UTSA used a 9-0 run in the second half to build a 13-point lead at 55-42 with 15:16 left in the half before finishing off the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Gorakhpur: Protests erupted at AIIMS Gorakhpur after an MBBS student accused a security guard of allegedly attempting to sexually assault her on the campus, officials said on Saturday. The incident occurred around 9 pm on Friday when the student was heading to her hostel near gate number four, police said. Guard Satpal Yadav allegedly passed inappropriate comments but she ignored him and walked ahead. He then allegedly followed her, forcibly grabbed her hand and attempted to drag her into the nearby bushes, they said. The student resisted and raised an alarm prompting other students to intervene, they added. In the commotion, students managed to apprehend the accused but other security guards intervened and allegedly helped him escape, the officials said. Enraged, students staged at a protest at the gate demanding Yadav’s arrest and action against those who aided his escape, they said. AIIMS officials and police rushed to the spot to pacify the students and by 12.30 am police detained Yadav from Pipraich. The protest was called off after assurances of strict action against the accused, they added. A case has been registered under Section 74 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, AIIMS Medical Superintendent Vikas Srivastava said. Yadav was intoxicated at the time of the incident, he added. Authorities are also probing the role of other guards and an unidentified biker, the official said. AIIMS Executive Director Prof. Ajay Singh termed the incident “grave” and assured stringent action against those responsible. Superintendent of Police (City) Abhinav Tyagi said that further investigation is underway.

WASHINGTON—The quit-the-party movement in China is a spiritual and cultural awakening in which the country’s millennia-old traditions are making a comeback in Chinese society, experts said at a forum on Capitol Hill on Nov. 22. The number of withdrawals from the CCP also includes people who were once members of the CCP’s junior organizations: the Young Pioneers for elementary school children, and the Communist Youth League for those who are middle- or high-school-aged. Many Chinese people who quit the communist party and its affiliated organizations say they’re doing it to rid themselves of the CCP’s control and to avoid being considered an affiliate if or when the CCP is held accountable for its crimes in or outside of China. “There’s a moral problem,” Tozzi told The Epoch Times after the forum, “You’re responding to that by withdrawing from it. You’re not giving consent to that.” Quitting the CCP, or “tuidang” in Chinese, is an “active choice of passive resistance,” Tozzi told the forum attendees. Taoism, an ancient belief in China, speaks about “wu wei,” or letting things run their natural course without inserting too much intention or intervention. “Some of us who studied martial arts are familiar with the ‘wu wei’ principle,” he said. “When you have a superior force, instead of trying to meet it and getting crushed, you give way.” As an act of passive resistance, the tuidang movement is “very difficult to control and combat” and has a “tremendous impact,” he said after the forum. John Lenczowski, a former principal Soviet affairs advisor to President Ronald Reagan, told The Epoch Times after the forum, “Even if people are not particularly ideologically aware, they do have a deeper cultural sense that there’s something wrong about communist tyranny.” Lenczowski, the founder of the Institute of World Politics, a Washington-based graduate school, added that even during ancient imperial rule, Chinese dynasties didn’t have unlimited state power as the CCP does today. He said at the forum that the CCP’s “center of gravity,” without which the Party might not even survive, is its internal security system, and its nucleus is the “combination of a monopoly of information and communication, and the ideological Party line.” He said the CCP’s psychological strategy is to subject people to “fatalistic acceptance” that any resistance would be futile and hopeless. Therefore, individual decisions, which people can embrace after breaking through the communist psyche, are effective in dismantling control. He gave an analogy of coral reefs, which cease to exist when the organisms that cling to them leave or die off. Tuidang, an “act of individual dissociation from the party-state,” helps to “break down that reef,” Lenczowski said. In his view, the CCP’s claims to add “Chinese characteristics” to Marxism and Leninism are “a lot of nonsense”; communism is a “Western import” that is “completely incompatible with Chinese culture.” There’s a “war of ideas” in China between communism and “elements of traditional Chinese culture and the religious foundations,” he added. Robert Destro, a law professor at the Catholic University of America and former assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, told the forum audience that tuidang is the way to confront the CCP, which treats the people in China as “commodities.” “We need to be realistic and understand that what we’ve got is a form of spiritual warfare,” he said. “Unless we understand it as such, we will not know how to prepare.” “Let the Party fall,” he said. He criticized the President George H.W. Bush administration for sending national security adviser Brent Scowcroft to Beijing and helping the CCP stabilize its power after it crushed Chinese students’ pro-democratic pursuits by killing them on Tiananmen Square in June 1989. “Never again should we side with the communist party against the Chinese people. Never again,” Tozzi said. “And if we allow the party to fall, we allow the Chinese people to spring back,” he added. “Then, and only then, without the Chinese Communist Party, will we see a true rejuvenation of the Chinese people.” Nury Turkel, a senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank Hudson Institute and former chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, called the tuidang movement “something very significant, truly remarkable that over 400 million people left or decided to quit the CCP.” “This is not just a number,” he said, reminding the audience of the risks people take by making the “significant decision” to denounce the Party. A lot of Americans don’t understand how much the CCP controls Chinese people, Turkel said. “The CCP decides everything” in China, he said, and often subjects its people to “ill-treatment, punishment, or collective punishment.” Journalist Kim Se Hoon took it further. He said the world is “under the grip of the CCP in some way, shape, or form,” whether through the Belt and Road Initiative, the Party’s geopolitical influence platform positioned as global infrastructure investments, or school classrooms in which Chinese-language teaching is embedded with CCP doctrines. Kim said when people realize the true situation, they will no longer separate human rights issues from defense and trade.

GTD sees nothing wrong in naming KRS road after CM if not already named after Princess

Video: This man is a graduate, but you won't believe what he is doing for a livingOver the weekend, I came across a story that resonates with many in the riding public: A commuter group calling on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to uniformly enforce government-mandated discounts for students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities (PWDs). These discounts are not just a financial relief but also a source of comfort for working and non-working Filipinos in these special categories of commuters. They apply to rides across all digital ride-hailing platforms operated by transport network companies (TNCs). With advancements in transportation technology, digital ride-hailing platforms have become indispensable for many commuters, particularly in the country’s urban areas. As these platforms’ services become more popular, the need for standardized fare structures is increasingly critical. A consistent discount ensures convenience and promotes fairness, accessibility, and financial relief for some of the country’s most vulnerable populations. The rationale for enforcing uniform discounts is based on the principle of equality. Students, senior citizens, and PWDs often have fixed, limited, or no incomes, making transportation costs a significant burden for them. Although the law mandates discounts for these groups, inconsistent application across ride-hailing platforms can create disparities that undermine the effectiveness of these discounts. By implementing a standardized discount system, the government can guarantee that all eligible individuals receive equitable benefits, irrespective of the ride-hailing service they choose. This approach aligns with the legislation’s overall intent and promotes fairness and accessibility within public transportation. Such standardization would reduce confusion among users navigating various promotional offerings from different services, ensuring no one is disadvantaged based on their service selection. The discount initiative also fosters a culture of inclusivity in public transportation. It encourages more individuals to take advantage of ride-hailing services while knowing they will receive consistent support, enhancing overall mobility options for the community. Inconsistent application creates confusion for consumers. Another concern relates to the burden on drivers to absorb government-mandated discounts. Implementing a uniform discount policy would clarify the responsibilities of both TNCs and drivers. It would ensure that ride-hailing companies bear the costs of these discounts rather than placing the financial burden solely on drivers. Such a balanced approach would prevent unfair revenue loss for drivers while still providing necessary discounts to those who need them most. The absence of standardization makes the customer experience more complex, often causing individuals to relinquish their rights out of convenience or frustration. A uniform policy would offer clear and easily understandable guidelines, empowering commuters to assert their rights without fearing complications or misunderstandings. The discrepancies likewise create opportunities for exploitation and potential legal violations. Some platforms reportedly fail to apply the required discounts, taking advantage of uninformed commuters. There should be a greater focus on an equitable public transportation environment by addressing the issues of accessibility and financial sustainability, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic status, can enjoy the benefits of modern transportation services. By prioritizing fairness and consistency, we can create a system that truly serves the community’s needs, promoting inclusivity and supporting the most vulnerable. A uniform discount policy, therefore, would facilitate stricter oversight and accountability from TNCs, reducing opportunities for exploitation. The government has a responsibility to ensure the rights and welfare of its citizens, and a uniform discount policy is a step in the right direction. Regulatory bodies like the LTFRB would have a framework within which to monitor compliance effectively, helping to protect commuters’ rights. During tough economic times, every peso counts, and standardized discounts could alleviate some financial strain for these groups. Implementing a uniform discount policy could also stimulate the economy by increasing the purchasing power of these groups. (You may send comments and reactions to feedback032020@gmail.com or text 0931-1057135.)

Wicknell Chivayo parades new girlfriend, plans to buy her Range Rover & Lamborghini, ex-wife speaks out as new Tezvara rejects US$100,000 lobolaBarclays PLC grew its stake in FuboTV Inc. ( NYSE:FUBO – Free Report ) by 121.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,256,459 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 688,625 shares during the quarter. Barclays PLC’s holdings in FuboTV were worth $1,784,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of FUBO. United Advisor Group LLC acquired a new position in FuboTV in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Hibernia Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of FuboTV in the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Algert Global LLC bought a new stake in shares of FuboTV in the second quarter worth $37,000. Apollon Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in FuboTV by 41.2% during the third quarter. Apollon Wealth Management LLC now owns 42,611 shares of the company’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 12,431 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arkadios Wealth Advisors bought a new position in FuboTV in the second quarter valued at $76,000. 39.31% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. FuboTV Stock Performance Shares of FuboTV stock opened at $1.35 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $451.03 million, a P/E ratio of -2.01 and a beta of 1.74. The business’s 50 day moving average is $1.54 and its 200-day moving average is $1.49. FuboTV Inc. has a 12-month low of $1.10 and a 12-month high of $3.36. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.50. Insider Activity at FuboTV FuboTV Company Profile ( Free Report ) fuboTV Inc operates a live TV streaming platform for live sports, news, and entertainment content in the United States and internationally. The company’s platform allows customers to access content through streaming devices, as well as on SmartTVs, mobile phones, tablets, and computers. fuboTV Inc was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FUBO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for FuboTV Inc. ( NYSE:FUBO – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for FuboTV Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for FuboTV and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Bengaluru, December 28: In a gesture of respect for the late former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the grand New Year celebrations at Mysuru Palace, a major annual event, have been called off this year. Known for its spectacular fireworks, illuminations, and cultural performances, the event at Mysuru Palace will not take place in 2024. The Mysore Palace Board confirmed that the palace would remain unilluminated on December 31. According to a report published by The Hindu , the cancellation includes the performance by the police band, which was scheduled from 11:00 pm on December 31 until midnight, as well as the fireworks display planned from 12:00 am to 12:15 am. However, the ongoing flower show, which began on December 21, will continue as scheduled and remain open to the public daily from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm through December 31. Dr Manmohan Singh Laid to Rest: Nation Bids Farewell to ‘Architect of India’s Economic Reforms’ With Full State Honours (Video) . Mysuru Palace Cancels New Year Celebrations in Respect of Former PM Manmohan Singh This move follows the death of Dr Manmohan Singh on Thursday night, December 26, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. He passed away at the age of 92 due to age-related health complications. Singh served as India's Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014. In honour of the late leader, the Karnataka government has declared a seven-day mourning period. This also led to the cancellation of the centenary celebrations of the Congress Belgaum session, which had been planned as a large-scale public event. A national mourning period has been observed, with the national flag flying at half-mast across the country. Dr Manmohan Singh Laid to Rest: Nation Bids Farewell to ‘Architect of India’s Economic Reforms’ With Full State Honours (Video) . Singh's cremation took place with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat in New Delhi on Saturday afternoon, December 28, with his daughter lighting the funeral pyre in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and senior Congress leaders. Meanwhile, preparations for New Year celebrations are underway in Bengaluru and Mangaluru. Karnataka's Home Minister, G Parameshwara, has instructed police officials to ensure law and order are maintained across the state during the festivities. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 28, 2024 08:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).