Two 🇷🇺 Russian Su-27 fighter jets shot at and struck the propeller of a 🇺🇸 U.S. military "Reaper" surveillance drone on Tuesday, causing it to crash into the Black Sea in an incident condemned as "reckless' by the U.S. military.
"Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9," U.S. Air Force General James Hecker, who overseas the U.S. Air Force in the region, said in a statement.
“Two Russian Su-27 aircraft conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept with a U.S. Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance unmanned MQ-9 aircraft that was operating within international airspace over the Black Sea today.
At approximately 7:03 AM (CET), one of the Russian Su-27 aircraft struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters. Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner.
This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.
🇸🇩 Sudan would like to return direct flights to 🇷🇺 Russia, the republic's ambassador to Moscow told RIA Novosti.
“During the Soviet era, we had direct flights, while Aeroflot flew to 🇸🇩 Sudan and used the country’s airport as a hub to visit other countries. I hope that the issue of direct flights between the Russian Federation and Sudan will be reviewed and will be open direct flights."
Citizens of the Chinese province of Liaoning were told to find shelter after it looked like it started to rain worms.
A viral clip showed the area apparently being showered with little worms, which were splattered all over cars.
The video showed residents covering themselves with umbrellas as they go along with their routines and wander past.
While the cause of the slimy creature calamity has yet to be uncovered, the scientific journal Mother Nature Network suggested that the animals were dropped after being swept up by heavy winds.
The periodical also noted that this type of occurrence happens after a storm when insects are caught up in a whirlpool.
Another theory suggested that the worms were actually poplar flowers — a tulip tree whose blooms resemble the squirmy beasts.
Viewers were stunned by the city’s current problem, with one person stating: “These are not worms or animals, but flower stalks dropped from trees.”
Someone else claimed that the video was fake and looked like a prank.
“Strange phenomena,” a user added, with another weighing in, “If i was just minding my business on a casual day in China and it started raining worms ?? i’d just die.”
A similar odd event went down last December when it was believed that iguanas could rain down from trees in Florida due to colder temperatures.
“They slow down or become immobile when it’s below 40,” WFTV meteorologist Brian Shields posted on Twitter last winter. “They may fall from trees, but they aren’t dead.”
The incident is reportedly not uncommon when colder weather hits the Sunshine state. When temperatures drop, the reptiles become stiff and tumble to the ground.
While thermometer plunges stun the invasive reptiles, the iguanas won’t necessarily die. Many will simply wake up as temperatures rise.
🇰🇵 North Korea could hold large-scale military drills in March or April and may test a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), 🇰🇷 South Korea’s intelligence agency said, local media reports
🇮🇱 Israeli firm NFV Systems suspected of illegally selling advanced spyware and digital surveillance technologies to foreign countries, Haaretz reports
