Lawmakers demand Biden address nation on UFO incursions

Published

2 years ago

February 14, 2023

admin

Frustration on Capitol Hill is mounting after a string of aerial objects were shot down over U.S. and Canadian airspace in the last few days, raising a long list of questions that lawmakers say President Biden should publicly address.

Three unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have been shot down over North America since Friday, and the Pentagon has provided little information on what the objects were or where they came from.

“The president owes the American people an explanation, direct and on camera, of what we know about these ‘objects’ and what steps he’s taking to protect America’s sovereign airspace,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said in a Monday statement.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee, also joined in the calls for President Biden to address the nation, noting the unprecedented nature of the military shooting down aircraft in U.S. airspace.

“NORAD’s been around almost 65 years,” he said of the command in charge of patrolling U.S. and Canadian airspace. “We’ve never shot anything down, and in eight days we’ve shot down four things. That’s a pretty big deal. It doesn’t happen every day.”

Rubio added in a tweet: “Americans need to hear directly about this from their President today.”

The White House wouldn’t commit to a public address from Biden during a briefing on Monday afternoon.

“We have been, I think, as transparent as we can be,” The White House’s national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters. “I won’t speak for the President’s personal speaking schedule. But, I mean, he has been deeply engaged in every one of these decisions.”

Kirby added that Biden is “directing his team to make sure we are properly consulting and briefing not just members of Congress, but state leaders as well.”

In a vacuum of information about the objects, the White House said Monday there is no evidence of “aliens or extraterrestrial activity” with the incidents.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said people were “scared” and “believing crazy things being said on the internet.”

“There is a lack of transparency from the Biden admin and simple explanations are owed to the people,” Greene wrote on Twitter.

The first UFO was shot down on Friday afternoon over Alaska, the second was taken out on Saturday over the Yukon in northwest Canada and the third over Lake Huron in Michigan on Sunday.

All three incidents came about a week after a Chinese spy balloon capable of collecting communications intelligence was shot down off the coast of South Carolina after passing over much of the nation.

While the calls for answers are mostly from Republicans, Democrats from states that experienced a UFO incursion are joining in on the frustration.

Michigan lawmakers Sen. Gary Peters (D) and Rep. Debbie Dingell (D) echoed requests for more information, as did Sen. Jon Tester from Montana, where the Chinese balloon had lingered earlier this month.

Asked if Biden should speak out about the aerial objects, Tester said Monday, “That’s up to him.” He added that he still hoped to glean more information on “what they know, when they knew it, and what the plan is,” through hearings of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which he chairs.

A number of Democratic senators said they remain unsatisfied by the answers coming from the administration so far, but were hopeful that a briefing of all senators on Monday might shed more light on the situation.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said he’s “not satisfied yet” with information provided by administration, while Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va) added: “They’ve been doing a good job so far, but I do have a lot of questions.”

The remarkable series of UFO shoot-downs has befuddled Americans, who are wondering why the U.S. is suddenly recognizing and shooting down a flurry of these objects.

Melissa Dalton, the assistant secretary of Defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs, told reporters on Sunday the military has “been more closely scrutinizing our air space at these altitudes” with enhanced radar.

That “may at least partly explain the increase in objects that we’ve detected over the past week,” Dalton said.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) said in a Monday statement if it was true the U.S. has just now opened up its radar technologies to detect UFOs, that would amount to “staggering intelligence failures.”

“How long have these objects operated in our airspace with impunity?” Gallagher asked, demanding “answers” from Biden.

“There are times to err on the side of secrecy in national security operations. But when our fighter pilots are shooting down presumably hostile aerial objects all across America, it’s long past time for transparency.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) raised similar questions while speaking on the floor on Monday.

“What in the world is going on? Has the Biden administration just dialed the sensitivity of our radars all the way up? If so, what are the objects that we are just now noticing for the very first time?” McConnell asked. “Are they benign science projects and wayward weather balloons, or something more nefarious that we’ve somehow been missing all this time?”

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters on a trip to Belgium that the objects did not pose a military threat.

“They do, however, present a risk to civil aviation and potentially an intelligence collection threat, and we’ll get to the bottom of it,” he added.

Canadian and U.S. crews are in the midst of recovering the downed UFOs for closer inspection. The Biden administration on Monday also announced an interagency task force to investigate the UFOs.

There are no known links of the UFOs to China or any other country or entity.

There have been some indications that some of the objects shot down were balloons, however that has not been confirmed by the Pentagon or White House.

CNN reported Monday on a Pentagon memo that the object shot down over Canada on Saturday appeared to be a “small, metallic balloon with a tethered payload below it.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) suggested in a Sunday interview with ABC’s “This Week” the two UFOs shot down on Friday and Saturday were balloons.

But the Pentagon has said those objects were much smaller than the Chinese spy balloon, which weighed about 2,000 pounds. And the Lake Huron object was an octagonal shape.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon expressed high confidence in identifying the Chinese spy balloon, which Beijing admitted was theirs but has referred to as a weather balloon. Idris Elba rules himself out as James Bond: ‘I’m not going to be that guy’ US warns it will defend Philippines after China laser report

Also in contrast to the UFOs, the Chinese spy balloon was tracked for days before the U.S. decided to take it down.

Unlike the Chinese spy balloon, which was hovering about 60,000 feet in the air, the UFOs were flying at about 40,000 feet or below and posed a threat to civilian airspace, according to the Pentagon, leading to a swift decision each time to take them out.

Emily Brooks and Al Weaver contributed.

Business

Tesla shares sink as Musk launches political party

Published

2 hours ago

July 7, 2025

admin

Tesla shares sink as Musk launches political party

Shares in Elon Musk’s Tesla have reversed sharply over renewed concerns about his focus on the company’s recovery as he plots against Donald Trump.

Shares in the electric car firm plunged by more than 7% at the start of trading on Wall Street – taking about $71bn (£52bn) off its market value.

The stock has often come under pressure since Musk started his association with the president, latterly helping bring down federal government costs through a new department known as DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency).

Money latest: Call centre worker’s tips for getting discounts

But it is now suffering as their political relationship has soured.

Musk has publicly opposed the so-called “big, beautiful bill” – Mr Trump’s flagship tax cut and spending plans that received Congressional approval last week – since he left his DOGE role.

Musk wrote in a post on his X platform on 30 June: “It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”

Once the bill was passed, he created a poll on X, asking people if they would want him to launch the America Party.

He wrote on 4 July: “Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system!”

The vote ended with 65.4% in favour of creating the party.

The formation of the America Party was announced the following day.

“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it! When it comes to bankrupting our country with
waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.”

“Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom,” Musk posted.

Trump responded on his Truth Social account: “I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.

“He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States –
The System seems not designed for them.”

Trump has previously threatened to go after Tesla‘s government subsidies and contracts through the DOGE department to save “big” as their relationship deteriorated.

Such threats have also pressured the share price at Tesla.

It has suffered throughout Trump 2.0 and, in fact, has trended lower since last December – shortly after Mr Trump’s election win was confirmed.

The possibility of tariff hits to the business, followed by actual tariff disruption, along with a consumer and investor backlash against Musk’s previous DOGE role have contributed to a 35% decline on the December peak.

The very absence of Tesla’s CEO dragged on the shares.

Tesla sales suffered globally as the trade war ramped up due to the imposition of tariffs by a government he supported, until the public row between him and the president began in early June.

Musk had only just renewed his 100% focus on Tesla and his other business interests by that time.

Tesla sales were down during the presidential election campaign last year and continued to decline, on a quarterly basis, during the first half of 2025.

Neil Wilson, UK investor strategist at Saxo Markets, said of the company’s share price woes: “Investors are worried about two things – one is more Trump ire affecting subsidies and the other more importantly is a distracted Musk.

“Investors had cheered Musk stepping back from frontline politics but are now worried he’s going to sucked back in and take his eye off Tesla.”

Environment

Hyundai Ioniq 9 first drive: Stylish SUV outside, spacious and versatile 3-row minivan inside

Published

2 hours ago

July 7, 2025

admin

Hyundai Ioniq 9 first drive: Stylish SUV outside, spacious and versatile 3-row minivan inside

Hyundai flew us out to Savannah, Georgia, a few weeks ago to get our first impressions of the much-anticipated Ioniq 9 three-row SUV. The vehicle uses the same E-GMP platform as the Kia EV9 and some smaller HMG EVs but the real question is: how is the Ioniq 9 different? Let’s take a look…

Size matters

This is a big EV with spacious three rows that seat six or seven adults comfortably. As far as I am concerned,the Ioniq 9 is Hyundai’s flagship vehicle.

The drive was similar to the Kia EV9, which is obviously a good thing. The big vehicle has solid electric acceleration, and Hyundai has done great work with the suspension to make this heavy car feel light on its toes. But Hyundai has made efforts to make the drive even smoother and quieter. The foam-filled tires, soft suspension, acoustic glass, and active noise cancellation all make the ride feel like floating rather than driving.

Front-row seats are not only spacious but also offer ample comfort and legroom. Also, there’s plenty of legroom in the second row (42.8 inches) and spacious third row (32.0 inches). Did I mention this is a big vehicle?

Advertisement – scroll for more content

What stands out to me on the interior is the flat floor enabled by the E-GMP battery and remarkably long wheelbase (3,130mm / 123.2 inches). It doesn’t feel like an SUV inside, it feels like a big minivan (oxymoron noted). While many folks are embarrassed to be seen in a minivan, nothing beats the configuration internally for trips and driving more than 4 people around – so the comparison is fully complimentary.

Hyundai obviously kitted us out with their top-end interiors, and they definitely felt sporty and luxurious.

Frunk

The Frunk o the Ioniq 9 isn’t anything to write home about and one of the few downsides to this vehicle. Hyundai of course says that their customers don’t want it, just like the bigger Frunk-maker’s say that their customers love it. For better or worse, it is a great place to put some charging cables, a tire inflator kit or some valuables but don’t expect it to be used frequently like a Tesla/Rivian or F-150/Silverado Frunk for groceries and general purpose cargo.

I really love the look of the Ioniq 9, which the company says is shaped like a sailboat hull with its big taper at the back. That also gives the Ioniq an otherworldly low drag coefficient of 0.259. That, along with the big 110kWh battery and Hyundai’s always efficient EVs, gets this thing to 335 miles for the RWD version. The performance AWD variant only drops down to 311 miles, a hit worth taking.

That range and the spacious interior mean that this is a great road trip EV. AWD versions can even tow up to 5000lbs. HMG’s software adjusts range predictions based on towing. Aerodynamics and efficiency of the trailer will all determine how much range is sacrificed but with over 300 miles to start with, odds are it will get you where you are towing.

NACS charging

The Ioniq 9 is one of the first non-Tesla EVs to come standard with a NACS charger, meaning it can natively charge at most Tesla Superchargers. Hyundai also includes an adapter so it can charge at CCS Combo stations and use a J-1772 Level1/2 charger.

Exterior

I am torn on the exterior look of the Ioniq 9. I love the shape, which Hyundai says is reminiscent of the aerodynamic hull of a sailing ship. I love the pixel lights that have become iconic in Hyundai’s EV lineup. Even the overall silhouette, something that Hyundai calls “Aerosthetic”—a harmonious blend of aerodynamics and aesthetics— is pretty incredible.

But I don’t love some of the design ornaments–like the cutout pieces over the front and back wheels. While I realize that seems like a nit-pick, I can’t unsee it. It is more subdued in the darker colors, however.

Pricing: starts at $58,955 for the RWD S trim and goes up to $76,490 for the Performance Calligraphy Design AWD trim. Eligible for $7500 Federal tax credit and various state/local and utility discounts.

Electrek’s take

I really love this take on the 3rd row electric SUV. Would I take the Ioniq 9 off-road like a Rivian? No. Does it accelerate like a Telsa Model X? No.

However, it does everything most third-row SUV owners expect, and it does it quietly and effortlessly. For those looking for a luxurious 3-row electric SUV with an interior that rivals the comfort of a minivan, you have to put the Hyundai Ioniq 9 at the top of your list.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Technology

Trump advisor Navarro rips Apple’s Tim Cook for not moving production out of China fast enough

Published

2 hours ago

July 7, 2025

admin

Trump advisor Navarro rips Apple's Tim Cook for not moving production out of China fast enough

Peter Navarro: 'Inconceivable' that Apple could not produce iPhones outside China

White House trade advisor Peter Navarro chastised Apple CEO Tim Cook on Monday over the company’s response to pressure from the Trump administration to make more of its products outside of China.

“Going back to the first Trump term, Tim Cook has continually asked for more time in order to move his factories out of China,” Navarro said in an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street.” “I mean it’s the longest-running soap opera in Silicon Valley.”

CNBC has reached out to Apple for comment on Navarro’s criticism.

President Donald Trump has in recent months ramped up demands for Apple to move production of its iconic iPhone to the U.S. from overseas. Apple’s flagship phone is produced primarily in China, but the company has increasingly boosted production in India, partly to avoid the higher cost of Trump’s tariffs.

Trump in May warned Apple would have to pay a tariff of 25% or more for iPhones made outside the U.S. In separate remarks, Trump said he told Cook, “I don’t want you building in India.”