Picture Of The Day

The Kremlin and its towers and churches are reflected in the Moscow River along a deserted embankment as the sun rises over Moscow, Russia, Monday, April 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

WNU Editor: The above picture is from this photo-gallery .... Virus-era glimpses of a world without humans (AP).

BREAKING NEWS: North And South Korea ‘Exchange Gunfire’ In The Demilitarized Zone

(URGENT) Multiple gunshots fired from N. Korea hit S. Korean guard post inside DMZ, no casualties reported: JCS https://t.co/ozKcQqQ2ZU

— Yonhap News Agency (@YonhapNews) May 3, 2020

FILE PHOTO: South Korean soldiers check a guard post near the demilitarized zone © Reuters / Kim Hong-Ji

Yonhap News Agency: Multiple gunshots fired from N. Korea hit S. Korean DMZ guard post: JCS

Multiple bullets from North Korea hit a South Korean guard post inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), prompting the South to broadcast a warning and fire back, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The gunshots hit the guard unit in the central border town of Cheorwon at around 7:41 a.m.. No casualties or damage to South Korean facilities were reported, according to the JCS.

Following the incident, the military issued broadcast warnings, and fired back twice, it added.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Oh Oh.

More News On Reports That North And South Korea Have ‘Exchanged Gunfire’ In The Demilitarized Zone

Multiple gunshots fired from N. Korea hit S. Korean DMZ guard post: JCS -- Korea Herald
S Korea Says Troops Exchange Fire Along N Korean Border -- NY Times
Shots fired from North Korea at guard post across border in DMZ, says South -- The Guardian/Reuters
S Korea says troops exchange fire along N Korean border -- AP
Gunshots from North Korea hit South Korean guard post -- Washington Examiner
North & South Korea ‘exchange gunfire’ in demilitarized zone – Seoul -- RT

UK Nuclear Submarine Commander Fired After Organizing A Barbecue For His Crew In Dockyard During Lockdown

Royal Navy Trafalgar-class submarine HMS Trenchant during a passenger exchange during exercise Saxon Warrior 2017 with the US Navy, August 5, 2017. US Navy/MCS Seaman Zachary Wickline

Daily Mail: Royal Navy nuclear submarine commander John Lewis is SACKED after coronavirus lockdown barbecue he organised for his crew

* Commander Lewis relieved of command of the HMS Trenchant after barbecue
* He will be assigned other duties after the Royal Navy investigation, reports claim
* Barbecue 'one of a number of incidents in which judgement came into question'

Royal Navy nuclear submarine commander John Lewis has been sacked after he organised a barbecue for his crew amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Commander Lewis was relieved of his command of HMS Trenchant and will reportedly be assigned other duties after he was placed under 'administrative investigation' over concerns about his judgement.

The barbecue, which took place earlier this month amid the nationwide lockdown, was said to be just one of a number of incidents 'in which his judgement came into question', BBC Defence Correspondent Jonathan Beale said on Twitter.

The broadcaster also claimed it was not only senior officers ashore who advised against the barbecue and DJ set, but some of his own crew.

A Royal Navy spokeswoman confirmed Lewis' dismissal to MailOnline.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: He was told not to do it ..... but he had his party anyway. You can see a video of the party here (link here).

More News On The Firing Of Royal Navy Nuclear Submarine Commander John Lewis

Coronavirus: Royal Navy submarine lockdown party captain sacked -- BBC
A British submarine commander was fired for throwing party for his crew during a coronavirus lockdown -- Business Insider/Task & Purpose
Coronavirus: Submarine commander loses job after BBQ party during lockdown -- SKY News
British submarine commander relieved of duty after dockside BBQ party -- NY Daily News
Nuclear submarine commander fired after throwing rave barbecue in dockyard during lockdown -- The Independent
Royal Navy Submarine Captain Sacked For Throwing a 'Booze Cruise' -- National Interest

Fighter Jets Blasting By In Sequoia National Forest (Photo Gallery)

Christopher McGreevy

Warzone/The Drive: Photographer Hikes Sequoia National Forest To Get Insane Shots Of Fighter Jets Blasting By

The photos you are about to see required intense planning, long off-trail hikes, and facing certain dangers to capture. The results are well worth it.

Arguably the most stunning military aviation images taken on terra firma these days are being shot by Christopher McGreevy, who goes by the handle Ohwiss on his must-follow Instagram page. They show America's greatest fighters and trainers blasting through incredibly rugged and beautiful terrain at very low-level. While the Mach Loop in the UK is famous for this kind of aviation photography and the now tragically restricted Star Wars Canyon was once a similar Mecca for aviation photographers, no well-defined vantage points exist today in the United States for capturing this kind of action. McGreevy, an adventurous spirit, didn't let that stop him. He decided to hunt down new perspectives to quench his military aviation low-level flying thirst and the results of his efforts are absolutely stunning.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Impressive pics.

Are Americans Giving Up On Social Distancing, Wearing Masks, And Restricting Their Travel?

WASHINGTON DC: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels pass over the National Mall Saturday

Daily Mail: Thousands across the country defy lockdowns to watch Blue Angels flyovers, pack parks and flock to farmers markets in the sunshine - despite the threat of $1,000 fines for not social distancing

* 'We are expecting the warmest day since March 20th, when it reached 77 in Central Park,' the National Weather Service in New York said on Saturday
* In D.C., the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds flew over the National Mall to honor frontline healthcare workers
* Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered 1,000 cops into New York City's parks this weekend as temperatures are expected to rise into the 70s
* The police will be enforcing a 'no tolerance for gatherings' policy for anyone gathering in groups in defiance of coronavirus social-distancing restrictions and face $1,000 fines for flouting rules
* There are now more than 1,150,000 cases of coronavirus in the U.S. with more than 66,000 deaths
* New York has 312,977 people infected with the coronavirus and 18,909 have died
* In Washington D.C., 4,797 people have come down with COVID-19 and 240 people have died

Folks who have been locked down for weeks on the East Coast stepped out Saturday as they were greeted with a seemingly rare warm day, after a very gray April brought excessive rainfall.

'We are expecting the warmest day since March 20th, when it reached 77 in Central Park,' the National Weather Service in New York said on Twitter, Saturday. 'Still chilly on the ocean though.'

New Yorkers, some who have been holed up in their homes for almost two months, practiced social distancing as they enjoyed the warm weather in Central Park.

In D.C., the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds flew over the National Mall to honor frontline healthcare workers. Spectators in Maryland also gathered to watch.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I give it another week or two, and all of these restrictions are going to be ignored. My friends in Europe are telling me that there are exceptions, but the trend is to also "open up". Same in Asia. Russia is a different story. All my friends and family are telling me that the entire country is now under lock-down. Brazil and Ecuador are also being battered by this corinavirus.

Apple Data Shows People Are No Longer Staying At Home

Screenshot of Apple's mapping data showing a resurgence in traffic John Koetsier

Forbes: Apple Data Shows Shelter-In-Place Is Ending, Whether Governments Want It To Or Not

Bye-bye shelter-in-place. Hello re-opening.

Apple’s Mobility Trends report shows that traffic in the US and other countries like Germany has pretty much doubled in the past three weeks. It had been down up to 72%. And location data provider Foursquare says that gas and fast food visits are back to pre-COVID-19 levels in the American Midwest.

Rural areas are following the same pattern.

“Gas station traffic has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels in the Midwest, and in rural areas throughout the country,” Foursquare said yesterday in a blog post. “Foot traffic to quick service restaurants (QSRs) has risen over the past several weeks.”

Whether governments, medical professionals, and scientists want it to or not, people seem tired of the shutdown and eager to get back to some semblance of normal life.

Another sign of the impending return to normal?

Read more ....

WNU editor: Had to drive to Montreal today to check-up on the house. The first thing that I noticed was how packed the drive-thru was for all the fast food restaurants. In front of my home is the Saint Lawrence River and a bike-path that runs alongside it. It was packed with people biking and walking. Had to pick up some stuff and do some errands. Nothing but traffic, people everywhere, and zero social-distancing. Bottom line. In spite of all the pleas from government officials and medical specialists for everyone to stay home and go out only if necessary, the general population made a collective decision to ignore them.

China Is Upgrading Its Older Naval Ships With Modern Weapons And Missiles

pic.twitter.com/N4juoT732f

— 龙龑之 (@Loongnaval) December 10, 2019

Forbes: China Increases Potency Of Anti-Carrier Capabilities

The Chinese Navy is building an incredible number of modern warships. New frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers will spearhead the world’s largest Navy. But hiding behind the vast shipbuilding program is another pillar of the Chinese Navy’s war-fighting capability; upgrading older warships with new weapons. These upgrades are less widely reported than the impressive new ships, but they are a significant factor in the Chinese Navy’s overall firepower.

The first warship confirmed to be fitted with the YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missile, dubbed a ‘Carrier Killer’ in some circles, is an older ship.

Read more ....

WNU editor:  These ships may be old, but it looks like they are packing a lot of fire-power.

A Piece Of A B-52 Bomber Falls On Private Property During Flyover Honoring New Orleans' Healthcare Workers

Newsweek: B-52 Bomber Loses Part During Flyover Honoring New Orleans' Healthcare Workers

On Friday morning around 10:30 a.m., a B-52 bomber flying over New Orleans' medical facilities to honor the city's medical workers fighting the coronavirus epidemic lost a small access hatch mid-flight. The lost piece fell to the ground and neither harmed anyone nor endangered the bomber's airworthiness.

The B-52s were constructed around 1960 or 1961, making the aircraft nearly 60 years old. Local authorities reportedly collected the part and the bomber returned to its base. The incident has compelled the base to conduct a safety investigation before the plane is publicly flown again.

The plane was one of four military aircraft flying over hospitals in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The flyover—which was conducted by the U.S. Air Force, the Barksdale Air Force Base and the Louisiana National Guard—included the two B-52 Stratofortress bombers and two F-15 fighter jets, according to NOLA.com.

Read more ....

Update #1: A BUFF’s access panel felt onto a private property during salute to COVID-19 essential workers. (Aviation Week)
Update #2: B-52 bomber loses small part during flyover in New Orleans honoring medical workers; no injuries (NOLA,com)

WNU Editor: This could have ended badly.

Is This The State Of New York City Today?

WNU Editor: New York City has had its ups and downs for almost three centuries. It is definitely experiencing a "down" period right now.

Gallup Poll: President Trump Surges To An Approval High

Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner: Gallup: Trump surges to approval high, best ever OK from independents

The latest Gallup survey found that 49% of adults approve of the president’s job, up from 43% two weeks ago. Trump has never crossed 49% in the Gallup survey.

The pop came despite crushing media criticism of his fight against the coronavirus and push to reopen the economy.

But it also came as the stock market was signaling support, and many in the United States joined with his call to get the country back to work.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: President Trump's approval numbers at a record high ?!?!?!? That is not the impression I am getting from the overwhelmingly negative political coverage from the main stream media. I would not be surprised if his numbers are 5 - 10 points higher.