Category Archives: Life Extension

At 11:30 am on May 14, 2005, the aircraft carrier USS America slipped beneath the waves and sank, for nearly three miles, before coming to rest upright, in one piece, upon the Atlantic floor. For the veterans who served on the America viewed the sinking as a solemn moment. But the previous crews could take pride in the Americas exit: she had been intentionally scuttled, in an experiment to gauge how carriers respond to enemy attacks, gleaning invaluable defensive data in her sacrifice.

The USS America (CV-66) was one of three Kitty Hawk-class carriers built in the 1960s. The Kitty Hawk-class of carriers was seen as an incremental improvement from the preceding Forrestal-class; the Kitty Hawks were a transitional batch of carriers. The America, nicknamed The Big A, was commissioned in 1965 and served until 1996.

Building the USS America of the Kitty Hawk-Class

When first ordered, America was planned to house a nuclear power plant. Yet, rising costs resulted in an alteration, mid-construction; the America would be conventionally powered, with four steam turbines producing 280,000 horsepower. The finished America measured 1,048 feet long with a 248-foot beam. The massive ship could reach 34 knots. Over 4,600 men were required to operate the carrier and her roughly 80 airplanes.

The Career of the USS America

America spent the majority of her career sailing the Atlantic and Mediterranean, although she was deployed to the Pacific on three occasions all in support of the Vietnam War. The three decades for which the America served were relatively action-packed; the America loitered nearby, or participated directly, in several conflicts, including the Six-Day War, the Vietnam War, Operation El Dorado Canyon, and Operation Desert Storm. By the 1990s, more advanced, nuclear-powered carriers had long since become the norm; America was growing obsolete. Still, the U.S. Navy felt America had some more to contribute and she was scheduled to undergo a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), which would push her service life out until 2010. However, budget cuts forced the America into retirement. America was decommissioned in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1996 before being transferred to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And thats when things got really interesting.

Life-Fire Tests Give America a Noble End

Initially, the America was scheduled to be scrapped for parts. That didnt happen. Instead, America was selected for a live-fire test a test that would result in her sinking. Navy veterans who had served on the America protested: you cant sink a ship named after the U.S.A.! The Navy disagreed. Make the ship in a museum, the veterans pleaded. The Navy stood firm. The then-Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John B. Nathman, wrote a letter to Americas veterans, explaining the decision.

America will make one final and vital contribution to our national defense, this time as a live-fire test and evaluation platform. Americas legacy will serve as a footprint in the design of future carriers ships that will protect the sons, daughters, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of America veterans. We will conduct a variety of comprehensive tests above and below the waterline collecting data for use by naval architects and engineers in creating the nations future carrier fleet. It is essential we make those ships as highly survivable as possible. When that mission is complete, the America will slip quietly beneath the sea. I know America has a very special place in your hearts, not only for the name, but also for your service aboard her. I ask that you understand why we selected this ship for this one last crucial mission and make note of the critical nature of her final service, Adm. Nathman wrote. The decision was final.

On February 25, 2005, a funeral-like ceremony was held in Philadelphia to salute America and her crew. With the goodbyes concluded, America sailed for the open ocean. On April 19, the live-fire tests commenced. The America proved to be a rather tough ship. For four weeks, the Navy punished America. Still, she wouldnt sink. To scuttle America, she actually had to be boarded.

It took four weeks and they ended up having to scuttle her from on board due to her not sinking, mechanical engineer Blake Horner is quoted in theaviationgeekclub.com. She is not only far larger than WWII battleships, but she is also a lot tougher. While she does not have the heavy armor battleships of yore had, she does have a double layered hull, meaning weapons have to push through alternative layers of steel and empty pockets to reach her internals. On top of that, her internal compartmentalization was far better than that of battleships. She is so large, there are so many more rooms that must be filled in order to make her sink than that of a battleship.

When the America finally did slip beneath the waves, at approximately 11:30am EST, the Navy held a solemn moment of silence. America drifted downward for miles, finally coming to rest in one piece 16,860 feet below the surface, somewhere southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Harrison Kass is the Senior Defense Editor at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison has degrees from Lake Forest College, the University of Oregon, and New York University. He lives in Oregon and listens to Dokken. Follow him on Twitter @harrison_kass.

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USS America: The U.S. Navy Had a Plan to Sink Its Own Aircraft Carrier - 19FortyFive

Utility company Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) announced on Tuesday that they will be submitting an application to receive funds from a federal government program to remain open well past the current 2025 shut down date.

Ever since Diablo Canyon became the last active nuclear power station in California following the shut down of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in the early 2010s, the plant has been targeted for closure by activists. In 2016 PG&E seemingly acquiesced to the environmental and labor groups, announcing that they would be closing the final plant in 2025. However, a major need for electricity has cropped up in California caused by, among other things, shutdowns of oil, gas, and coal plants, unreliable and intermittent renewable energy, as well as the rise of electric car usage and higher temperatures causing more usage.

As Diablo Canyon provides 9% of Californias total energy production, and is a clean source of energy, many have been fighting to keep the plant open. As a strain on the system has already been seen more and more, the loss of Diablo Canyon has been seen by many as a devastating blow to the state. A Stanford/MIT study released last year found that not only would an extension of Diablo Canyons life help California meet state climate goals, but it would serve as a bridge as renewable energy programs catch up to Californias needed energy amount. If operated to 2045, they also estimated that California would save $21 billion in systems costs.

While cost and environmental concerns have dogged extension efforts, especially with many opposed, saying that keeping it open would undercut Californias renewable energy commitments, support for the extension has grown exponentially in recent years. Lawmakers from both parties have agreed that the extension is either needed or warranted, including Governor Gavin Newsom and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

While California boasts a very high portion of electricity from renewable sources, California will have to boost its total renewable energy production by an enormous 20 percent in just two years to replace the clean energy being produced at Diablo Canyon, said a letter by scientists and academics in favor of keeping Diablo Canyon to Secretary Granholm last month.

With so much support for the extending the life of the plant, and a quickly dwarfing opposition, PG&E took advantage of a Department of Energy extension for submissions to receive federal funds from a Biden administration program aimed at keeping energy facilities slated for closure to remain open. If Diablo Canyon gets Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) funds, it would be highly likely that an extension would happen.

PG&E spokeswoman Suzanne Hosn said in a statement on Wednesday that Given the revision and Newsoms request that we take steps to preserve Diablo as an option to promote grid reliability, we expect to submit an application for the Department of Energy funding.

Many in favor of the 20-year extension are concerned about possible legal action from those groups that fought to end Diablo Canyon in 2016, but with federal support and lawmaker support from all levels of government, it could prove to be difficult to challenge.

If PG&E and Diablo Canyon gets those funds, it might very well be game over for anyone hoping for a 2025 end date, explained Sal Braith, a nuclear engineer who worked at several nuclear plants in the Northeast, in a Globe interview on Wednesday. They cant claim costs much anymore, not with the federal government chipping it. They cant claim the environment in many regards due to its role in helping California meet the new state drives to get rid of fossil fuel energy production. Lawmakers, both Democrat and Republican, like it now, especially with it helping the state not face a huge energy shortfall. And more and more Californians like the idea of it too.

Honestly, Id say maybe its time for a new plant built with lessons from previous plants, but that would have so many hurdles to it and might not even get off the ground. If were smart, well get a twenty year extension, but at the same time, double down on clean energy investments to keep the environmentalists happy, as well as promote job growth in renewable energy programs, as that will keep the unions happy. Its not that easy in practice, but it is something to shoot for. For California to get out of the hole it is in with energy, Diablo Canyon is a ladder. We say no to the extension, might as well continue to try to dig our way out going straight down.

An extension application from PG&E for funds is due to the Department of Energy by September 6th.

Excerpt from:

PG&E To Submit Application For Federal Funds to Keep the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Operating Past 2025 - California Globe

From cars and e-bikes to household appliances and wearables semiconductors are an integral part of all electronic systems.

Stuttgart and Dresden, Germany From cars and e-bikes to household appliances and wearables semiconductors are an integral part of all electronic systems. They are the motor that drives the modern world of technology. Bosch recognized their growing significance early on and has now announced investment of further billions of euros in order to strengthen its own semiconductor business. By 2026, Bosch plans to invest another 3 billion euros in its semiconductor division as part of the IPCEI funding program on microelectronics and communications technology. Microelectronics is the future and is vital to the success of all areas of Bosch business. With it, we hold a master key to tomorrows mobility, the internet of things, and to what we at Bosch call technology that is Invented for life, says Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management, at the Bosch Tech Day 2022 in Dresden.

Microelectronics is the future and is vital to the success of all areas of Bosch business. With it, we hold a master key to tomorrows mobility, the internet of things, and to what we at Bosch call technology that is Invented for life.- says Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management, at the Bosch Tech Day 2022 in Dresden.

One of the projects Bosch plans to fund with this investment is the construction of two new development centers in Reutlingen and Dresden at a combined cost of over 170 million euros. In addition, the company will spend 250 million euros over the coming year on the creation of an extra 3,000 square meters of clean-room space at its wafer fab in Dresden. Were gearing up for continued growth in demand for semiconductors also for the benefit of our customers, Hartung said. For us, these miniature components mean big business.

Within the framework of the European Chips Act, the European Union and German federal government are providing additional funding to develop a robust ecosystem for the European microelectronics industry. The objective is to double Europes slice of global semiconductor production from 10 to 20 percent by the end of the decade. The newly launched IPCEI on Microelectronics and Communication Technology is intended primarily to promote research and innovation. Europe can and must capitalize on its own strengths in the semiconductor industry, Hartung said. More than ever, the goal must be to produce chips for the specific needs of European industry. And that means not only chips at the bottom end of the nanoscale. Electronic components used in the electromobility industry, for example, require process sizes of between 40 and 200 nanometers. This is exactly what the Bosch wafer fabs are designed for.

This new investment in microelectronics also opens up new areas of innovation for Bosch. Being a leader in innovation begins with the very smallest of electronic components: semiconductor chips, Hartung said. New fields of innovation at Bosch include systems-on-a-chip, such as the radar sensors a vehicle uses to perform 360 degree scans of its surroundings during automated driving. Bosch will now be looking to enhance such components, making them smaller, smarter, and also cheaper to produce. The company is also working to further modify its own microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) specifically for the consumer goods industry. One of the things company researchers are currently using this technology to develop is a new projection module that is so tiny it can be built into the temple of a pair of smartglasses. In order to cement our leading market position in MEMS technology, we also plan to manufacture our MEMS sensors on 300-millimeter wafers, Hartung said. Production is scheduled to start in 2026. Our new wafer fab gives us the opportunity to scale production an advantage we intend to exploit to the full.

A further focal point at Bosch is the production of new types of semiconductors. At its Reutlingen plant, for example, Bosch has been mass-producing silicon carbide (SiC) chips since the end of 2021. These are used in the power electronics required for electric and hybrid vehicles, where they have already helped boost operating ranges by up to 6 percent. On the back of powerful market growth, at annual rates of 30 percent or more, demand for SiC chips remains high, meaning full order books for Bosch. In a bid to make these power electronics more affordable and more efficient, Bosch is exploring the use of other types of chips as well. Were also looking into the development of chips based on gallium nitride for electromobility applications, Hartung said. These chips are already found in laptop and smartphone chargers. Before they can be used in vehicles, they will have to become more robust and able to withstand substantially higher voltages of up to 1,200 volts. Challenges like these are all part of the job for Bosch engineers. Our strength is that weve been familiar with microelectronics for a long time and we know our way around cars just as well.

Bosch has made several investments in its semiconductor business over the past few years. The best example of this is the wafer fab in Dresden, which opened in June 2021. At 1 billion euros, it is the single biggest investment in the companys history. The semiconductor center in Reutlingen is also being systematically expanded: between now and 2025, Bosch is to invest around 400 million euros in the expansion of manufacturing capacity and the conversion of existing factory space into new clean-room space. This includes construction of a new extension in Reutlingen, which will create an additional 3,600 square meters of ultramodern clean-room space. All in all, clean-room space in Reutlingen is set to grow from around 35,000 square meters at present to over 44,000 square meters by the end of 2025.

Bosch is the automotive industrys leading company for the development and manufacture of semiconductors. These chips are used not only in automotive applications but also in the consumer goods industry. Bosch has been active in this field for over 60 years. The Bosch semiconductor plant in Reutlingen, for example, has been producing chips based on 150- and 200-millimeter wafers for the past 50 years. At the companys Dresden plant, manufacture of chips on the basis of 300-millimeter wafers commenced in 2021. Among the semiconductors manufactured in Reutlingen and Dresden are application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors, and power semiconductors. Bosch is also building a new test center for semiconductors in Penang, Malaysia. As of 2023, this center will be used to test finished semiconductor chips and sensors.

SOURCE: Bosch

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Invented for life with semiconductors: Bosch invests further billions in chip business - Automotive World

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MEGVE, France (VN) Ineos Grenadiers is still in negotiations with Adam Yates over a contract extension.

Yates signed for two years at the start of 2020 with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign

Riders can officially sign for new teams from August 1 but it looks likely that Yates will remain on the British team.

Interest had been raised by Yates former team BikeExchange with the possibility of linking up the current Ineos rider with his brother Simon. VeloNews understands that those talks have gone cold, but a deal with Ineos is likely to be settled after the Tour de France with Yates currently sitting in fifth overall after 10 stages.

Weve still got to negotiate. Its looking OK. Were just talking. As far as Im aware Adam likes it here. No issues, Rod Ellingworth told VeloNews from the Tour.

Also read:

One rider who is set to leave the team is Richard Carapaz with the former Giro dItalia winner heading to EF Education-EasyPost.

VeloNews broke that story in June and while Ellingworth would not go into details he admitted that the team is braced for the departure.

At the end of the day, everyone is free to do what they want. Richard is a brilliant bike racer and hes really done well for us. Hes been brilliant for us and it would have been great for us if he had stayed but thats life. Its not official yet but Im aware, he said.

Ellingworth also hinted that the team would not dip into the transfer market to sign another proven grand tour winner to replace Carapaz.

Instead, the team will continue to develop its young crop of talent with Magnus Sheffield, Luke Plapp, Ethan Hayter, Carlos Rodriguez, and Tom Pidcock leading the charge.

Weve got a really good group and were looking at different options and different development pathways for the riders. The new generation and some of them are super ambitious and youve got to give them opportunities to keep progressing. Weve got some great young talent and its about giving them chances. Thats why Tom is here, to let him see the opportunity ahead of him, Ellingworth said.

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Ineos Grenadiers still in negotiation over Adam Yates renewal, team unlikely to sign replacement for Richard Carapaz - VeloNews

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Statements of Objections click here

HONOLULU Gov. David Ige announced that he has signed 311 of the 343 bills passed by the Hawaii State Legislature in this years session.

The governor is vetoing 26 bills and line-item vetoing two bills out of the 30 bills listed on his Intent to Veto list released on June 27.

Many of the bills that I am vetoing have legal, procedural and compliance issues, said Gov. Ige.

During todays news conference, the governor highlighted the following two vetoed bills:

HB1705 Relating to Agricultural Park Leases

Veto Rationale: This program is meant to be a start-up program for new farmers to become commercially established. There are procedures in place for existing lessees to request an extension of their lease. The Department of Agriculture will continue to work with existing lessees who want a lease extension of up to the maximum 55 years.

Current lessees can reapply for new leases and are likely to submit more competitive bids than potential lessees since they have already established their operations. The purpose of this veto is to ensure that we give as many farmers as possible the opportunity to apply for and benefit from this state program, said Gov. Ige.

HB2424 Relating to Child Welfare Services

Veto Rationale: The monitoring provisions in this bill would violate the Constitutional rights of families who have adopted or taken guardianship of former foster children and receive permanency assistance for that child. The provisions would include unlimited investigations of these families if at any time there had been a complaint filed with DHS about that family, without regard to the merits of the complaint, and regardless of whether the complaint was ever substantiated. These investigations would be allowed while the child is underage, even when the Family Court found the legal relationship to be in the best interests of the child and approved the adoption or other permanent legal relationship between the child and the family. This bill would expand the states duties to monitor and interfere with permanent family relationships in a way that would violate the Constitutional rights of those families, without any evidence of harm or threatened harm to the child that is in the family.

I want to repeat that I strongly support the intent of this bill, which is to give more resources and authority to the Child Welfare Services division to ensure that our keiki are safe, said Gov. Ige. The trauma that our community experienced over the loss of a former foster child is real and cannot be dismissed. But the solution cannot and should not violate the constitutional privacy rights and basic dignity of every family that has taken in and provided a former foster child with love and stability.

For the Intent to Veto list released on June 27, click here.

Governor Ige Signs Two Bills on Intent to Veto List:

Gov. Ige decided not to veto SB3179 Relating to the Department of Land and Natural Resources which requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife to adopt rules and issue funds to licensed hunters. DLNR will incorporate the deer control measures included in the bill, into the planning efforts of the Maui Nui deer control working group. The department continues to evaluate all strategies for the management and reduction of invasive deer species and will implement all feasible and cost-effective methods.

Also SB3272 Relating to Transportation which requires the Department of Transportation to adopt rules to require tour aircraft operations to report details of each flight on a monthly basis, will not be vetoed. It also establishes the Air, Noise, and Safety Task Force.

I know that noise from low-flying aircraft is a big concern for the community, and I believe the taskforce can help communicate concerns and develop solutions to address the issue, said Gov. Ige.

Bills Becoming Law Without the Governors Signature:

In addition, there are six bills that are becoming law without the governors signature. These bills contain either a technical issue or an area that needs to be reworked and discussed more thoroughly with the affected state departments.

The bills are:

SB2990 Relating to Sustainable Agriculture

SB2218 Relating to a Food Hub Pilot Program

HB2020 Relating to Housing

HB1872 Relating to Sustainability

HB2288 Relating to Land

HB1932 Relating to Child Welfare Services

I want to thank the Legislature for its hard work this session. Lawmakers passed bills that will help improve the quality of life for Hawaii residents. Together, we will continue to protect public health, revive the states economy, and strengthen our communities. This session is another example that we can do great things when we work together, said Gov. Ige.

###

Media Contacts:

Jodi Leong

Deputy Communications Director/Press Secretary

Office of the Governor

Office: 808-586-0043

Mobile: 808-798-3929

[emailprotected]

Cindy McMillan

Communications Director

Office of the Governor

Office: 808-586-0012

Mobile: 808-265-7974

[emailprotected]

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Office of the Governor News Release: Governor vetoes 28 of 30 bills on Intent to Veto list - David Y. Ige | Newsroom

MONTREAL Alex Letang did not want to leave Pittsburgh.

His reasoning was fairly basic.

Thats where I like to live with my friends and all that, the cherubic 9-year-old son of Penguins all-star defenseman Kris Letang said while fielding a question from media at the Bell Centre during the NHL Draft on Thursday night.

Thankfully for his interests, his father wont be going anywhere for a long time.

On Thursday afternoon, the Penguins formally agreed to a six-year contract extension with the elder Letang that is slated to keep him a member of the franchise until the 2027-28 season. The new deal will carry a salary cap hit of $6.1 million.

Kris Letang seemed pretty happy with the development as well.

The Penguins gave me my chance, said Letang, who was a third-round pick (No. 62 overall) by the franchise in 2005. They took care of me like a son. They always treated me like one of their own. When you have that feeling, sometimes its just natural. You want to finish there. The memories that we built as a team, its just incredible that I have a chance to stay with that team.

How much of that team will remain in place going into the 2022-23 season remains to be seen. Following Letangs signing, the Penguins now have $15,308,158 of salary cap space remaining with nine forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies under contract, according to Cap Friendly.

Several of the teams incumbent players remain unsigned with the NHLs free agent signing period set to begin on July 13.

Most notably, one of the other pillars of the franchise, forward Evgeni Malkin, is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

Letang professed optimism or perhaps even offered hints that a new deal with Malkin could be completed on three separate occasions while speaking at the draft.

Obviously, having (Malkin) back will make our team that much better too, Letang said.

Having Letang back will certainly offer some good things for the Penguins as well. Last season, he established a career-best with 68 points (10 goals, 58 assists) in 76 games and logged 25:47 of ice time per contest, the fourth-best total among NHL skaters.

Kris means so much to our hockey team, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. Hes a difficult player to replace. His game has never been better in my time here. Hes a guy that really takes care of himself. His fitness level is off the charts. Hes an elite defenseman and those players are very difficult to replace and theyre very difficult to find.

With respect to Kris, just the legacy that hes built in Pittsburgh and what he means to the Pittsburgh Penguins and the city of Pittsburgh just speaks for itself. For a lot of reasons, its a terrific signing for us, the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and (Letang) himself. I know his teammates are thrilled. His coaching staff certainly is and his management group is as well. We feel a lot better right now that weve got him under contract and hes going to be a Pittsburgh Penguin for a long time.

Having just turned 35 in April, Letang received a lengthy deal that will potentially keep him in the Penguins employ until he is a ripe 41.

Letang suggested he might have more to offer by the time this contract expires.

I always saw my career going that far, Letang said. For the time I put in my training, the way I do my (conditioning) off the ice, in my mind, I was going to play at that level until I was 40, 41, 42. Maybe even more. The passion is there. Its not only about security. Its more about the fact I invested in that, and thats what I wanted.

The contract is constructed in a specific way that will likely prevent a buyout in the later years. According to TSN, the first four seasons have a full no-movement clause and the last two seasons have a partial no-movement clause. (Letang can submit a list of teams he would not accept a trade to for those two seasons).

Additionally, the final two years each contain signing bonuses of $3.8 million, which would make a buyout disadvantageous for the Penguins purposes.

From Letangs perspective, he was willing to take a smaller salary cap hit from his previous contract ($7.25 million) in part to allow the Penguins to compile the most competitive team as possible.

It was more of a contract to fit both parties, said Letang, who was greeted by rousing applause from his fellow Montrealers when he announced the Penguins first-round pick, defenseman Owen Pickering. Give a chance to the Penguins to sign other players and also based on the performance and what I did in the last few years. I think it was a mix of both. There was not like a set number or a set of years. It was just to fit both parties and make sure we can still compete and win and not take a big chunk and not leaving anything.

Letang has a considerable history of medical woes, most notably a stroke he suffered in 2014. But over the past three seasons, he has missed only 13 of a possible 207 regular-season games.

His fitness level is off the charts, Sullivan boasted. The fact that hes played the amount of minutes that he plays year in and year out, game in and game out its not something that we feel as a coaching staff is outside his comfort zone. There are some nights when were behind the bench where we feel cant get him enough ice time. That just speaks to his work ethic and commitment to the off-ice training and the on-ice training to put himself in the best position to be successful.

Its certainly fair to wonder how successful the Penguins can be moving forward, particularly after four consecutive seasons in which they have failed to win a postseason series.

But for the variety of malfunctions that have plagued them in the playoffs in recent years, a lack of faith isnt one of them.

The team that we had last (season) and the bad luck that we faced just before the playoffs, sometimes it kind of crushes your hopes, Letang said. But at the end of the day, the season we had with all the injuries, it proves that we had something solid from the coaching staff to the players.

I think we have what it takes.

Seth Rorabaugh is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Seth by email at srorabaugh@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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Penguin for life? Kris Letang agrees to 6-year contract that will stretch into his early 40s - TribLIVE

Women walk in a neighborhood heavily damaged by airstrikes in Idlib, Syria, on March 12, 2020. Felipe Dana/AP hide caption

Women walk in a neighborhood heavily damaged by airstrikes in Idlib, Syria, on March 12, 2020.

UNITED NATIONS The U.N. Security Council failed in two rival votes Friday to extend humanitarian aid deliveries from Turkey to 4.1 million Syrians in the rebel-held northwest, with the U.S. ambassador warning that "people will die because of this vote."

After days of consultations, the U.N.'s most powerful body remained divided over the key issue of the length of an extension.

Almost all council members favored a year-long extension, which the U.N. secretary-general and more than 30 non-governmental organization insist is the minimum time frame needed, but Russia demanded a six-month renewal, with a new resolution required for another six months.

The failure of the U.N.'s most powerful body to agree on an extension came two days before Sunday's expiration of the council's current one-year mandate for deliveries through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing from Turkey to northwest Idlib.

Many ambassadors, including those from Ireland, Norway, the United States, France and China, said after the two votes that they will continue trying to get an agreement among the 15 council members so that aid is not stopped.

Soon after the two votes and speeches, council members went into closed consultations and discussions were expected to continue over the weekend.

Russia's deputy ambassador Dmitry Polyansky told reporters there was "99% agreement" on a resolution and Russia wouldn't support a nine-month extension, suggested by Brazil and the United Arab Emirates.

Unless council members decide to go with the Russian six-month proposal, Polyansky said, he sees no possibility for an agreement. Asked whether that meant that Russia would veto any proposed resolution that didn't follow its draft with a six-month timeline, he replied "Obviously."

The first vote was on the resolution for a one-year extension drafted by Norway and Ireland. It was supported by 13 countries, with China abstaining and Russia using its veto to defeat the measure.

Council members then voted on the rival Russian resolution for a six-month extension. The vote was just 2 countries in favor, 3 against and 10 abstentions.

China was the only country to join its ally Russia in supporting the resolution while the three other veto-wielding permanent council members the United States, Britain and France voted against it. But their vetoes were not needed because the resolution failed to get the minimum nine "yes" votes required for approval.

Calling it "a dark, dark day in the Security Council," U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told members after the vote that the impact on Syrians in the northwest will be "swift and dire."

"I have long said this is a life-and-death issue," she said, blaming Russia's veto for the deaths that are likely to come.

Thomas-Greenfield, who visited Bab al-Hawa in June, said aid workers told her that a six-month renewal would be "a disaster" for their supply lines and "would mean lifesaving assistance would shut off in the dead of winter when needs are at their highest, which would be a nightmare scenario for a region where millions of people are still displaced."

International aid groups urged the Security Council to reach an agreement before the July 10 deadline warning that the Russian veto will harm millions of people in urgent need of assistance.

International Rescue Committee President David Miliband said there is currently no viable alternative to cross-border assistance, which means "this already extreme crisis is set to move to a humanitarian catastrophe."

Tamer Kirolos, Syria Response Director at Save the Children, warned that failing to reauthorize the Bab al-Hawa crossing "risks the lives of hundreds of thousands of children" in camps who won't know where their next meal is coming from.

Mercy Corps' CEO Tjada D'Oyen McKenna said people in northwest Syria are witnessing one of the most dire periods of the 11-year conflict, pointing also to worsening drought, economic crisis, and the war in Ukraine's impact on food and fuel prices. Stopping aid from Turkey means the future of the 4 million people in the northwest who relied on those deliveries to provide food and other necessities for their families "is now even more uncertain," she said.

Syrian military analyst Ahmad Rahhal, a former brigadier general who defected during the conflict and joined the opposition, tweeted that "Russia's crimes" are not only through its military and support of President Bashar Assad's government but now "have reached the level of depriving children, women and elderly in north Syria or food."

Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador, vowed to honor her promise to aid workers and refugees that "I would do everything in my power to renew this resolution."

In case the Security Council doesn't act, Thomas-Greenfield said aid groups told her they had pre-positioned about three months of supplies, and hopefully more supplies by now.

She stressed that if a U.N. resolution isn't adopted and U.N. monitoring of aid deliveries ends, "the border is not closing," and "we will continue to work with the humanitarian community to find ways to continue to provide humanitarian assistance directly to the Syrian people."

The U.N. said last week that the first 10 years of the Syrian conflict, which started in 2011, killed more than 300,000 civilians the highest official estimate of civilian casualties. Northwest Idlib is the last rebel-held bastion in Syria and a region where an al-Qaida-linked militant group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, is the strongest.

Russia, a close ally of Syria's government, has repeatedly called for stepped up humanitarian aid deliveries to the northwest from within Syria, across conflict lines. This would give Syrian President Bashar Assad's government more control.

In early July 2020, China and Russia vetoed a U.N. resolution that would have maintained two border crossing points from Turkey for humanitarian aid to Idlib. Days later, the council authorized the delivery of aid through just one of those crossings, Bab al-Hawa.

In a compromise with Russia, that one-year mandate was extended on July 9, 2021, for six months, with an additional six months subject to a "substantive report" from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This was effectively a year-long mandate because a second resolution wasn't needed.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric called cross-border aid critical for men, women and children in the northwest and stressed the importance of long-term planning, including to costs.

"In 2021, we had 800 trucks of cross-border aid go through each month, consistently reaching about 2.4 million people," he told reporters Thursday. He said 4,648 trucks crossed in the first six months of this year.

The U.N. also carried out five deliveries across conflict lines last year and so far this year with about 2,529 metric tons of assistance including foods and health supplies, he said.

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UN fails to extend aid deliveries to Syrian rebel-held area - NPR

A non-nuclear mock B61-12 Joint Test Assembly (JTA) being prepared for test loading inside the B-2A Spirit stealth bombers bombs bay. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Devan Halstead)

The U.S. Air Force recently released on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) website a series of interesting photos from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The photos, taken on June 13, 2022, show a high-fidelity, non-nuclear mock B61-12 Joint Test Assembly (JTA) being prepared for test loading inside the B-2A Spirit stealth bombers bombs bay. To our knowledge, these should be the first public photos of the weapon with the Spirit since testing aboard the aircraft has begun few years ago.

The Air Force did not provide many details and did not even mention the name of the bomb, simply stating the 72nd Test and Evaluation Squadron test loads a new nuclear-capable weapons delivery system for the B-2 Spirit bomber. The 72nd TES, a geographically separated unit of Eglin AFBs 53rd Wing based at Whiteman, is in charge of all testing and evaluation of new equipment, software and weapons systems for the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.

It is not clear what the caption refers to with the term nuclear-capable weapons delivery system. The unofficial Nuclear Matters Handbook of the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Matters, gives us the following definition:

A nuclear weapon delivery system is the military platform and delivery vehicle by which a nuclear weapon is delivered to its intended target in the event of authorized use (by the President of the United States, who retains sole authority to employ nuclear weapons). Most nuclear weapons have been designed for a specific delivery system, making interoperability potentially challenging.

In addition to the mix of silo-based Minuteman III (MMIII) ICBMs, Trident II D5 Life Extension (LE) SLBMs carried on Ohio-class SSBNs, and B-2A and B-52H nuclear-capable heavy bombers, the U.S. nuclear force includes dual-capable aircraft (DCA), that can carry conventional or nuclear weapons.

Judging by this definition, the weapon delivery system in question should be the B-2A bomber, however the fact that the caption mentions the test loading aboard the aircraft might mean that this system is a new weapon rack inside the bombs bay designed to work with the new B61-12. Available public info states that the Spirit was designed to employ a Bomb Rack Assembly (BRA) for conventional munitions and a Rotary Launcher Assembly (RLA) for the delivery of conventional or nuclear weapons.

The BRA was later upgraded between 2003 and 2006 and became a Smart Bomb Rack Assembly capable of carrying as many as 80 independently targeted, JDAM GPS-guided weapons. So, since the new B61-12 in equipped with a guidance kit, it is possible that also the RLA is now being upgraded to use the new bomb. The new bomb variant will replace the B61-7 and B61-11 currently available for the B-2 fleet.

As we already reported, The B61 entered service 50 years ago and has undergone a Life-Extention Program (LEP) to consolidate and replace four legacy bomb variants, the B61 -3, -4, -7, and -11 mods, into the B61-12. The refurbished B61-12 will allow the retirement of the larger B83, becoming the only remaining gravity delivered nuke in the inventory. The bomb will carry a low-yield nuclear warhead with four yield options, reportedly 0.3 kilotons, 1.5 kilotons, 10 kilotons and 50 kilotons, instead of larger warheads like the models it is replacing (which can reach 400 kilotons depending on the variants).

The 12-foot, 825-pound bomb is designed to be delivered from the air in either ballistic or guided-gravity drop modes, thanks to a new Boeing-built tail assembly that includes an Inertial Navigation System (INS) precision-guidance package and two spin rocket motors that improve the bombs stability on its longitudinal axis during the descent. The LEP is said to be increasing the B61s accuracy so much (with a reported 30 m Circular Error Probability instead of the original 100 m) that it will have the same capability against hardened targets as the much more powerful weapons it is replacing.

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U.S. Air Force Releases Photos Of Mock B61-12 Nuclear Bomb Test Loaded On B-2A Bomber - The Aviationist

Terry McLaurin's rise to stardom is a true underdog story.

McLaurin was a four-star recruit in high school, but he had just three Power-Five offers before earning himself a scholarship to Ohio State. He hardly played on offense during his first three college seasons and didn't earn a prominent role in the offense until 2018, his fifth and final season in Columbus.

Washington selected McLaurin in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, but truth be told, no one could have predicted his ascendance to one of the league's best young receivers just three seasons later. That's why on Wednesday, as McLaurin took the podium in Ashburn just one day after officially signing a three-year extension worth north of $70 million, his emotions were running high.

"I cried some real tears. For a lot of my life, I've really had to grind and work for what I have now. I've had a lot of adversity and some people didn't really believe in my abilities," McLaurin said. "My faith, that sustained me. My people, my village, the people that were praying for me, sacrificing for me, my family, my girlfriend, my homies back in Indianapolis. I've had so many people [responsible] for the reason I'm standing right here today. I wouldn't be here without them."

McLaurin proceeded to specifically single out his parents, citing them as to where his tireless work ethic comes from. The wideout reminisced on seeing them "get up and never miss a day of work." After signing this extension, McLaurin has put his parents in a position where they no longer have to work, which he called "a blessing."

Yet, no matter how much of a pay raise McLaurin has received, the 26-year-old has not lost sight of the work he put in to get himself into his current situation.

"While this is great financially for myself, I just love the grind, man. I really do," McLaurin said. "The adversity is what's gotten me here. The adversity I went through in college, in high school and in the NFL, kind of being an underdog, the reason why I'm here is because of the work that was put in during those times."

Over the past couple of months, McLaurin admitted it was hard to be away from the team while contract negotiations were taking place. The wideout skipped all of Washington's offseason program, including mandatory minicamp that took place in mid-June.

During that span, McLaurin said he was working out daily in Florida, keeping himself in shape in case a new deal came together while the offseason program was still going on. He remained in contact with multiple players on the team throughout the process, especially Jonathan Allen and Logan Thomas, who both went through contract negotiations last summer.

Throughout the offseason program, Commanders' head coach Ron Rivera remained confident a deal would get done, even if it took time. Every time he was asked, Rivera would reiterate just that. That same level of confidence was felt from McLaurin's camp, too.

I felt confident, honestly," McLaurin said. "Talking to my agent, to the conversations Ive had with coach Rivera. It was very evident that they wanted me to be here and I wanted to be here."

Following one offseason practice, Rivera directly called McLaurin and the two had an honest conversation about the situation. It was after that specific moment when Washington's standout receiver felt a deal was coming soon.

"We had a really good conversation. He emphasized that it was a priority, from ownership down to the coaching staff, to get this deal done," McLaurin said. "Just with the business of the NFL, you never know until you know. But I had a great feeling that we were going to get something done. Just for him to reach out, take time out of his day to hear where I was coming from, how I was feeling personally, where my head was, I really appreciate that coming from the head coach and the leader of the football team."

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McLaurin touched on the business aspect of the NFL multiple times during Wednesday's podium session, but also made it clear he truly did want to remain in Washington. Yes, McLaurin wanted to be compensated for what he felt he deserved, but he's also just as thrilled that it's with the same franchise that drafted him.

I feel like to coach Riveras credit and the staff here that we have a really unselfish group of guys in that locker room," McLaurin said. "We have a lot of guys who are competitive and hungry. And they want to see Washington be back on top. We all know where we want to head to. And I think were all on the same page with that. But we also understand that its going to take the work and dedication from everybody involved to get there.

I want to be a part of that," he continued. "Its a place where I was drafted to. A place where the fans show me so much love and appreciation and are so passionate about just this fan base and this organization and the history of it something I wanted to be a part of, especially with where were at now and where I feel like were heading.

Rivera stood just a few feet to McLaurin's left throughout the 30-minute press conference on Wednesday. A slight grin remained on the head coach's face for much of the session, as Rivera didn't even need to hide just how big of a moment extending McLaurin means for this football team.

"Its one of those things as a football coach to be able to have players that fit what you're trying to do and understand, and really kind of see the vision that you have. And with Terry that's somebody that we believe we have," Rivera said.

It's no secret that this extension is life-changing for McLaurin, both on and off the field. But the grind and all the adversity he's had to go through until this point won't be lost on the receiver, either, just because he's earned this lucrative contract.

"I'm just really excited for what's to come and to continue to get back out there and really go back out there with my day one approach of earning my spot on this team like I was my rookie year," McLaurin said. "I'm trying to earn it all over again. That's genuinely my perspective and how I operate each and every day.

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Terry McLaurin cried after signing extension with Commanders - NBC Sports

Life for Devin Booker seems pretty sweet. He's a 25 year old All Star putting up 26.8/4.4/5.0 on 46/38% splits with 2.7 3PM a night for one of the best teams in the NBA, heading into this summer he'd made around $96M in basketball contract money, there's the whole Kendall Jenner Era

and this summer Booker committed to the Suns long term by signing a 4/214M supermax extension. Oh, and he also landed a new shoe deal with Nike and is the cover guy for 2K23. Not a bad life if you can get it!

So how did he celebrate? Exactly how you would expect. He hit the club to chill in a bathtub and be surrounded by ladies that I'm sure are just looking for some decent conversation. I'm not kidding

Nothing has ever confirmed to me that I am not a club guy more than that video. Granted, I'm a 35 year old washed up blogger, but I just don't see the appeal there. In fact, it kind of skeeves (?) me out. To be honest, even in my younger years I was never really a club guy. Give me a normal ass bar or someone's house 100 times out of 100. I have no idea where Booker is in that photo, but if he's in Scottsdale, I know what that nightlife is like. Back when I was at ASU you couldn't pay me to go to the clubs in Scottsdale. Sure it's great if you're a smoke and can drink for free and all that, but for a normal not rich person like me? No thank you. I also know I'm getting old because the first thing I thought of when I saw that video is no way that bathtub is clean. Be more washed Greenie, you can't. That has to be a petri dish of shit you want no part of and if one day we're back in lockdown and can't go outside because of some new virus, I'm looking at that bathtub as Patient Zero.

I just can't get over the dynamic of that video. So he just sits there and girls dance around him/try to get his attention? What a life. Does he invite one of them into the bathtub once he sees someone he's interested in? Do they ever fill that thing with water? Why is there a random bathtub in the club? How is that comfortable? How can he see with his sunglasses on since it's so dark? Can anyone go in that thing? Has this always been a thing and I'm just too poor to know about it? The questions just keep on coming.

People will probably hate on Booker for this move because he's weirdly someone who gets hated on no matter what he does either on or off the court, but I guess I kind of like the move? I may not understand it, but I respect it. I certainly can't relate to it but that's nothing new. If I just locked in $214M maybe I would have the desire to go sit in a bathtub in the club and be surrounded by smokes. It hasn't happened yet so I can't say for sure.

But what I can say for sure is Devin Booker is certainly living his best life and rightfully so. As a reminder, this is what he's capable of when he's not in a bathtub, which seems pretty good

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Devin Booker Celebrated His New $214M Extension By Heading To The Club So He Could Chill In A Bathtub - Barstool Sports