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Time of India
16-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Nuclear shadows: The explosion that started it all
Nuclear Shadows: The Explosion that started it all (Pic Credit: OSTI-US Dept Of Energy) In the pre-dawn dark of July 16, 1945, a searing flash lit up the New Mexico desert. A shockwave followed, rippling outward across the silent plains. This was Trinity — the world's first nuclear explosion, marking the moment humankind crossed into the atomic age. Part of The Manhattan Project led by J Robert Oppenheimer, Trinity was a codename Oppenheimer chose inspired by John Donne's Holy Sonnets. At 5:29:45 am local time, Trinity's atomic device, codenamed 'The Gadget', exploded with terrifying precision. As per US Energy Department archives, observers saw the desert floor turn to glass and a mushroom cloud soar 12km into the atmosphere. 'The site chosen was a remote corner on the Alamogordo Bombing Range known as the 'Jornada del Muerto', or 'Journey of Death', 210 miles south of Los Alamos… The Trinity test could be seen as far away as 250 miles and the noise heard for fifty miles,' the archives read. Only minutes after the explosion, Leslie Groves , Brigadier-General US Army Corps of Engineers who directed The Manhattan Project, and Oppenheimer began composing their report for Secretary of War Henry Stimson and President Harry S Truman . 'There was a sense of urgency surrounding this notification, as Truman had already arrived at Potsdam (outside of Berlin) to confer with other Allied leaders on the conclusion of the war with Japan. Now that the potential of the bomb had been proven, the calculations behind the Potsdam negotiations were dramatically different,' the archives read. On July 16, Stimson received a telegram from his special assistant on atomic issues in Washington, George L Harrison. It read: 'Operated on this morning. Diagnosis not yet complete but results seem satisfactory and already exceed expectations. Local press release necessary as interest extends great distance. Dr Groves pleased. He returns tomorrow. I will keep you posted. (sic).' Less than a month later, atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended World War II — but opened a permanent chapter of dread. $10 Oppenheimer Wager In the run-up to Trinity test, on July 12, the plutonium core was transported to the test site in an army sedan. Just after midnight — at 12:01 am on Friday the 13th — the non-nuclear components followed. That day, final assembly of the device, nicknamed the 'Gadget', was carried out inside the McDonald Ranch house. By 5 pm on July 15, it had been assembled and raised atop a 100-foot steel tower. Rain poured as key figures, including Groves, arrived at the site. At one of the control bunkers, Groves and Oppenheimer discussed worsening weather and its threat to the scheduled 4 am test. Unidentified man with gadget shortly before the test. (Pic credit: OSTI-US Dept Of Energy To lighten the mood, Enrico Fermi, another member of The Manhattan Project offered wagers on whether the bomb might ignite the atmosphere. Oppenheimer bet $10 against another Manhattan Project member George Kistiakowsky's monthly salary that it wouldn't work at all. At 3.30am, the test was delayed to 5.30 am. The rain stopped at 4 am. By 5 am, Kistiakowsky's team had armed the device. Observers in shelters heard the countdown via loudspeakers; those at base camp listened on radio. Close To Catastrophe The Trinity test was the most powerful man-made explosion in history at the time — and also the riskiest moment of the entire Manhattan Project. Aware of the dangers, planners chose a remote desert area 20 miles from the nearest inhabited area. 'Even so, the threat was significant,' the archives read. 'The explosion could exceed predictions, putting both personnel and surrounding communities at risk. Scientists were moved nearly six miles away behind barricades. Groves and Oppenheimer observed from separate sites — an intentional move in case one didn't survive.' Though fears that the blast might ignite the atmosphere were ruled out, radiation remained a primary concern. The detonation sent a 25,000-foot-high mushroom cloud across the region. Though fallout near ground zero was limited, radioactive debris drifted north-east. Army surveys had missed several ranch families, who were later exposed to significant radiation. Livestock suffered burns and hair loss. Stafford Warren, the project's chief medical officer, told Groves the fallout posed a serious hazard along a 90-mile path and recommended future tests be held in areas with a 150-mile uninhabited radius. Trinity, he warned, had come dangerously close to catastrophe. Present-day 'N' Tensions Eighty years on, the mushroom cloud from Trinity casts a long, chilling shadow over a world grappling with the return of great-power tensions, regional flare-ups, and stalled disarmament. In recent months, nuclear anxiety has flared again. In South Asia, during India's Operation Sindoor, Pakistan's interior minister made thinly veiled references to its nuclear arsenal. The language may be rhetorical, but it reflects a region where two heavily armed nuclear powers share a history of deep mistrust and unresolved disputes. Add China to the mix and things become more complex. Iran's nuclear programme is once again under intense scrutiny. After the collapse of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Tehran has steadily enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels. As of mid-2025, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran possesses enough highly enriched uranium to potentially build several bombs if it chooses to take that final step. Western powers continue to press for diplomatic engagement, but Israel has openly warned of military action should Tehran cross the nuclear threshold. Elsewhere, North Korea, already a de facto nuclear state, continues to develop its missile delivery systems and has declared itself a permanent nuclear power in its constitution. Talks with the US and South Korea have long stalled, and Pyongyang shows no sign of returning to the negotiating table. The world today lives under the persistent presence of the bomb. Despite arms control treaties and diplomatic efforts, nuclear arsenals remain vast. As of 2025, nine countries possess nuclear weapons. The US and Russia together hold over 90% of the world's stockpile — about 5,000 warheads each. China, once a marginal player, is rapidly expanding its arsenal, expected to reach 1,000 warheads by 2030. India and Pakistan each maintain roughly 160–170 warheads, while Israel is believed to have 80–90. North Korea, a declared nuclear power, is estimated to possess up to 50.
Straits Times
11-07-2025
- Straits Times
US man who decapitated father and displayed head on YouTube gets life in prison
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Justin Mohn, 33, admitted during his trial that he shot his father, Michael, 68, in the head and used a kitchen knife and a machete to decapitate him. BUCKS COUNTY, Pennsylvania - A Pennsylvania man who decapitated his father in 2024 and displayed his severed head in a YouTube video - saying his father had interfered with his plot to overthrow the government - was convicted on July 11 on murder and terrorism charges and sentenced to life without parole. The man, Justin Mohn, 33, admitted during his trial in the Court of Common Pleas in Bucks County that he shot his father, Michael, 68, in the head at their suburban Philadelphia home on Jan 30, 2024, and used a kitchen knife and a machete to decapitate him. Taking the stand in his own defence, Mohn appeared to show little remorse for the killing, which drew national attention and further scrutiny to violent content on YouTube. The video remained online for about five hours and received more than 5,000 views before YouTube removed it. In his testimony and public comments before his trial, Mohn said that he was making a citizen's arrest and that his father, who had spent many years working for the US Army Corps of Engineers, had betrayed him. Ms Jennifer Schorn, the Bucks County district attorney, said during a news conference on July 11, that it was unfathomable that Mohn could take his father's life in the home where he and his siblings were raised and loved by their parents. 'But then to know that he took time to sever his father's head so that he could then create a video and share that video with countless people for one purpose,' she said, 'to make sure that that video was a clear political statement that he hoped would incite violence and inflict terror to many, many individuals.' Ms Schorn added: 'We must never forget the depravity of his actions.' Prosecutors said that Mohn had intended to create a militia to help him assassinate federal officials and judges whom he viewed as hostile to his way of life as a straight, white, Christian man. Ms Steven M. Jones, a lawyer for Mohn, said in an e-mail on July 11 that his client had avoided the death penalty, one possible outcome that prosecutors ultimately did not pursue. 'The defence respects the court's verdict,' Mr Jones said. Mr Jones said that he could not comment about whether Mohn would appeal the verdict. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Mohn offered an apology to his family during the trial, but only when he was prompted by his lawyer. 'I don't feel guilty for what I did,' he said, 'but I am sorry my family went through what they did because of the federal government's actions and my reaction to it.' After a five-day bench trial, Judge Stephen A. Corr found Mohn guilty of first- and second-degree murder, two terrorism counts, making terroristic threats and abusing a corpse, among other charges. The judge, who sentenced Mohn to two concurrent sentences of life without parole, excoriated Mohn and questioned his mental state, even though he had been found fit to stand trial, the Inquirer reported. 'Just because our laws say you are competent to stand trial,' the judge said, 'doesn't mean you don't suffer from some kind of mental infirmity.' In the YouTube video, Mohn promoted conspiratorial and anti-government views and briefly showed what he claimed was his father's head wrapped in plastic. At the time, YouTube confirmed that it had taken down the video because it violated the company's graphic violence policy. It also terminated Mohn's channel for violating its violent extremism policies. YouTube said it was monitoring for any re-uploads of the video to prevent it from resurfacing. The company did not immediately respond on July 11 to a request for comment about Mohn's conviction. NYTIMES
Middle East Eye
08-07-2025
- Business
- Middle East Eye
US building air bases and ammunition warehouses in Israel
The US is building new infrastructure for Israeli aircraft and helicopters, along with other military buildings, according to public records. The current projects total more than $250m, with future ones expected to exceed $1bn, according to a call for interested contractors originally scheduled for June but postponed due to the Israel-Iran conflict. The Israeli news site Haaretz reported on the public documents on Monday. The US Army Corps of Engineers is using contractors to build ammunition depots and facilities for refuelling aircraft and helicopters, along with concrete structures for Israeli military bases. The documents also show that the US is looking for contractors to perform building maintenance repairs, including on air fields. One project for hangers, maintenance rooms and storage facilities for new Boeing KC-46 tankers that Israel is expected to receive in the coming years is projected to cost over $100m. Another project to house CH-53K helicopters is projected to cost up to $250m. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The US is also seeking tenders for the construction of ammunition storage buildings, which are estimated to cost up to $100m. Another tender spans seven years and is priced not to exceed $900m. It includes maintenance, repairs, construction, demolition, and infrastructure improvements at unspecified locations for the Israeli Ministry of Defence. Hamas ambush kills five soldiers in Israeli-controlled 'buffer zone' Read More » The projects are funded by foreign military financing. Israel receives $3.8bn annually in military aid. Under this system, the US and Israel decide how to spend the funds which go to US defence contractors. Since the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel, it has also received supplemental military aid totalling about $18bn. The US has previously used military aid to construct and maintain Israeli infrastructure. Previous public tender documents show that in 2012, the US did large-scale work at the Nevatim air base. The Washington Post reported at the time that the US was involved in the construction of a secret complex, which was named site '911'. The construction projects reported on Monday were planned before the recent Israel-Iran conflict. On Tuesday, Reuters cited an Israeli official confirming that Iranian ballistic missiles hit some Israeli military sites during their unprecedented 12-day conflict with Iran.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Army preparing for largest military parade on the capital's streets in decades, featuring 7 million pounds of hardware
Millions of pounds of military hardware are expected to roll down the US capital's streets in less than two weeks, fulfilling a dream of President Donald Trump but also an effort that has sparked concerns about how the roads of Washington, DC, will fare under the literal weight of heavy tanks and fighting vehicles. The largest military parade the city has seen in decades is expected to bring seven million pounds of vehicles and weaponry as well as a price tag potentially in the tens of millions of dollars, and this week the US Army has started reinforcing the roads that will carry the hardware downtown and along the parade route. The parade on June 14 will feature dozens of M1-A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles rolling through the streets of DC, as well as Howitzers and other artillery pieces, officials said. Nearly 7,000 soldiers are set to participate. Most of the tanks, vehicles and equipment are currently en route to Maryland from Fort Cavazos in Texas, and will arrive by train at the rail station in Jessup, Maryland, early next week. They will then be offloaded onto flatbed trucks for onward transport to DC. All told, the parade is expected to bring roughly 7 million pounds of military hardware to the streets of the nation's capital, a non-military official involved in the planning said. But the US Army Corps of Engineers, which has been leading on the effort to protect DC roads and infrastructure, is confident in the mitigation efforts the Army is deploying to minimize damage – efforts that have cost more than $3 million alone so far, Army officials said. The total cost of the parade could be as high as $45 million, officials have estimated. The damage mitigation efforts include laying steel plates down on roads, particularly at spots where the tanks will make sharp turns; putting new track pads on every vehicle to relieve some pressure and create separation between the metal and the asphalt; and ensuring the tanks move only at a walking pace during the parade itself, the officials said. Col. Jesse Curry, the director of the Office of the Chief of Engineers, told CNN that the Army has worked extensively with various agencies and DC utility companies in its planning to minimize potential damage. The Army began laying down steel plates in roughly a dozen locations along the parade route on Wednesday night, Curry said, and is planning to put down matting at a staging area in West Potomac Park, near the National Mall, for the Abrams tanks to sit on before they roll down Constitution Avenue. 'Our concern from an engineer technical evaluation on anything below the surface of the road that's going to be damaged is very, very low,' Curry said. 'We've got the best (engineers) in the world.' The Army's 250th birthday celebration has been in the works for two years, Army officials said. But adding a parade was the Trump White House's idea, so planning for that began only two months ago. Trump's desire for a large military parade – featuring all of the military services – dates back to his first term. But it was scrapped at the time because defense officials said it would cost as much as $100 million and damage DC streets. This month's parade will focus only on the Army, making it slightly smaller and less expensive. The Army Corps of Engineers began assessing how to protect DC infrastructure during the parade back in April, Curry said. The initial worst-case-scenario estimate to protect DC streets was roughly $16 million, Curry said. That would have been the cost if the Army 'did nothing to mitigate' the impacts, he explained. Now, the estimate has dropped down to around $3.5 million, which will include the cost for putting down steel plates and reinforcing them into the pavement with railroad ties, removing the plates afterwards, and any cosmetic upkeep that needs to be done in the wake of the parade. Two people who are not in the military but are involved in the parade's planning told CNN there are still concerns among some agencies over potential damage to underground gas lines – particularly on the route from the rail station in Jessup to the holding area near the National Mall. But Curry emphasized that the Army Corps of Engineers assesses that risk to be 'very low.' The Army has consulted with the National Park Services, the Federal Highway Administration, DC Water, Washington Gas, Pepco, the Department of Transportation and 'all the associated authorities and utility companies that would have rightful concerns,' Curry said. During those discussions, the Army went over the expected route with the companies, looking at their underground gas and electric lines, which Curry said largely run under sidewalks instead of in the middle of the road. That alone mitigated some of the concern over damage to critical infrastructure, Curry said. 'If we're driving on sidewalks, something went really wrong,' he said. Curry noted that the Army frequently transports tanks and heavy fighting vehicles on trucks all around the country, without causing infrastructure issues. The parade is meant to tell the story of the Army through its 250-year history, beginning with the Revolutionary War, tracing through major conflicts and ending with present day. The parade route will begin near the Lincoln Memorial on Constitution Avenue, continue east to 15th Street, and end at the corner of 15th and Independence Avenue. Here is a breakdown of what will be featured: World War I A Dodge Staff car Renault tank World War II 6 Willys jeeps 2 Sherman tanks 2 Half-tracks 1 M14 high-speed tractor A 2.5-ton truck towing a 37mm anti-tank gun Vietnam War: 3 M151 jeeps 2 M35A2 cargo trucks 1 M274 Mule Gulf War: 8 M181 armored vehicles 2 Paladins 8 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 6 M119 howitzers Global War on Terror: 18 Strykers Modern Era 1 6 M777 artillery pieces 12 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 4 M119 howitzers 12 ISV utility vehicles 12 Abrams tanks Modern Era 2 3 Paladins 12 Strykers 12 M2 Bradley fighting vehicles 9 M777 artillery pieces 9 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles 12 Abrams tanks The parade will also feature an 'extensive' flyover, Army officials said, involving more than 50 helicopters. Those will include AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks. Finally, the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team will jump and present Trump with an American flag – the only part of the parade that will involve the president directly, Army officials said.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
El Dorado and Cheney see lake levels rise after rain
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – El Dorado Lake rapidly rose on Tuesday after heavy rain in the area. The US Army Corps of Engineers reported that the level was 1,344 feet on Wednesday. For comparison, at midnight on June 3, the lake was 1,339, a 5-foot increase. On Tuesday, the inflow to the lake reached 50,000 cubic feet per second or 22 million gallons per minute. Meanwhile, Cheney Lake, a supply for Wichita's water, is up. On Wednesday, the lake level was 1,416.50 feet according to the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the conservation pool is 71.24% full. For comparison, last month, the lake was at 1413.60 feet. The lake is still 5 feet below normal. More rain is expected to fall. The KSN Storm Track 3 Weather team is tracking more storm chances for the rest of the week. Rainfall reports from Kansas For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
