[The HILL] Police are searching for suspects after at least 12 people were shot, two critically, near a festival in the historic district of Toledo, Ohio, that is home to one of the largest neighborhoods of Victorian houses in the country, authorities said Saturday.
There appear to have been two people who were "probably shooting at each other," and neither is in custody, Toledo Police Deputy Chief Joe Heffernan told reporters at a Saturday night news conference.
Rapid bursts of gunfire sent festivalgoers at the Old West End Festival — an annual two-day event that includes a parade, house tours and live music — screaming and running for cover between golf carts and food trucks, video reviewed by CNN shows.
All of the people shot are expected to survive, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz told CNN affiliate WTOL earlier Saturday.
OHIO FESTIVAL SHOOTING LEAVES 12 INJURED, SUSPECTS AT LARGE
Police say the shooters likely targeted each other, sending hundreds scrambling for safety during the family-friendly Old West End Festival. Victims range from age 14 to 61 and police are urging attendees to share photos and video.
Police Lt. Dan Gerken said he spoke to victims ranging in age from 14 to 61 years old and urged residents to ask their children what they know about the shooting.
"If we get help from the community, it'll be hopefully sooner than later," Gerken said of the search for the suspects. "There's kids out there that probably know more than all of us standing here."
The mass shooting is one of at least 170 in the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, marking another instance of a community celebration — like a festival or graduation ceremony — ending in a distinctly American pattern of gun violence.
"What happened today at the Old West End Festival, sadly, has happened in too many American cities," Kapszukiewicz said in a statement. "But we should never shrug our shoulders and accept it as the price of living in a free society. As a country, we must do better."
Police say crime rates are trending downward in Northwest Ohio's Toledo, home to about 270,000 people. Last year, the city saw a 15% reduction in shooting incidents compared to 2024, according to the Toledo Police Department.
"Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on X. "We are confident that law enforcement will locate the suspects involved in this senseless crime."
The second day of the festival has been canceled in the wake of the shooting.
"After discussion with festival organizers, law enforcement and the City of Toledo, we feel that it would not be compassionate, responsible or possible to continue (the) festival," the organizers wrote.
[JustTheNews] Nearly two-thirds of Minnesota's high-risk Medicaid providers have had taxpayer funding cut following a federally-mandated review process that state officials say was necessary to protect up to $2 billion in federal funding.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced on Thursday it completed a review of 5,583 providers participating in 13 high-risk Medicaid programs.
Of those providers, 2,061 were successfully revalidated and can continue providing services without interruption. Another 3,411 providers were notified they would be unenrolled, including 2,491 for incomplete paperwork or documentation, 916 for failing site visits and four for failing background studies.
An additional 111 providers were removed from review because they were no longer providing high-risk services, while 59 providers were referred to the agency's Office of Inspector General for further review.
That means more than 60% of Minnesota's providers in high-risk services, which includes everything from adult companion care to nonemergency medical transportation, failed to meet the review’s standards.
State officials said the review was required by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services which was attempting to address fraud. Had the state failed to complete the review, it risked losing up to $2 billion in federal Medicaid funding.
“More than 1 million Minnesotans deserve to have confidence and trust in the Medicaid providers they depend on for lifesaving and life-affirming care,” Minnesota Department of Human Services Deputy Commissioner Shireen Gandhi said in a statement. “We are grateful to the providers who successfully completed the revalidation process and will continue to provide quality care.”
Providers were required to submit ownership and licensing information, demonstrate adequate staffing levels, complete fingerprint background studies and undergo unannounced site visits during the five-month review process, which ended on May 31. Nearly 40% of the providers under review were located in Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis and is Minnesota's most-populous county.
Gandhi said the review was more than just a bureaucratic formality, emphasizing that the information submitted by providers was used to verify compliance with state and federal standards.
“The paperwork is a critical step,” said Gandhi. “This is just not checking the box. DHS uses the information to check requirements are met. And when we go on site what we see must match what was submitted to us.”
The results drew sharp criticism from state Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, who chaired the Republican-led House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee during the 2025-26 legislative session.
“The mismanagement and failure of internal controls that would disqualify 63% of high-risk Medicaid providers is staggering,” Robbins told The Center Square in an exclusive interview. “I am so grateful that CMS came in here to require revalidation and to start restoring integrity in our Medicaid programs.”
Robbins said the review should have been occurring before federal intervention.
“It’s a start,” she said. “It is a very basic revalidation of documents, ownership, location – existence! – and staffing. This should have been happening all along.”
The review comes after months of scrutiny over fraud and oversight concerns in Minnesota's public assistance programs – concerns that many have directed at the Walz administration. Minnesota's timeline of five months was streamlined due to concerns of widespread fraud. All other states have been given two years by the federal government to complete the same process.
Last month, House Republicans on the fraud committee released a majority report summarizing a two-year review of fraud accusations across multiple state programs, including Medicaid waiver services and childcare assistance.
Robbins said she still has questions about the providers that were removed from the Medicaid program.
“Of the 111 who were no longer providing services, were any still billing Medicaid?” Robbins asked. “Of the 916 that failed the site visit, how many were actually operating? Of the 59 referred to the inspector general, were they all referred for fraud?”
The department said 59 providers were referred to the agency's Office of Inspector General for further review. That office was just established in this past legislative session in an effort to address taxpayer fraud in the state, which is estimated to total between $9 billion and $20 billion.
The Minnesota attorney general’s office also received funding to expand its Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
“Minnesotans deserve to trust that businesses receiving Medicaid dollars are legitimate and properly credentialed, and that they provide quality care,” said Human Services Inspector General James Clark. “We’re not just resetting expectations for providers, we’re also establishing a baseline for building back public trust.”
State officials emphasized that unenrollment does not necessarily indicate fraud, especially as many providers were removed because of incomplete applications or missing documentation.
Robbins acknowledged concerns raised by some providers who believe they were improperly unenrolled.
“I have heard concerns from a couple of providers who claim they were disqualified even though they met all of the requirements,” Robbins said. “Providers who feel they were disqualified in error have 60 days to appeal and can continue providing services, but not bill for them until DHS reenrolls them. In some cases, DHS has indicated they will allow providers who are appealing to even keep billing for services if it may negatively impact vulnerable citizens.”
That said, state officials did emphasize they made sure to do their due diligence informing providers, noting the department contacted providers multiple times during the review process, including at least three written notices and more than 6,500 follow-up phone calls. The state also offered virtual meetings, technical assistance sessions and other resources to help providers complete the requirements.
DHS said it has been working with counties, tribes, managed care plans and other partners to help patients across Minnesota maintain access to services.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] A mass shooting occurred near the Old West End festival in Toledo, Ohio, on June 6. Multiple victims were taken to hospitals, local police reported.
“Many of the injured were taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment,” the police said in a social media post.
Information on the exact number of victims and data on the dead is not provided.
Police are searching for those involved in the shooting.
Shootings occur regularly in the United States. On May 8, for example, in Brownsville, Tennessee, an unknown assailant shot and killed a schoolgirl before her prom in a local park. On April 21, two teenagers were killed and five more were wounded in a shootout in a park in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In late March, a 15-year-old opened fire at a school in Bulverde, Texas, wounding a teacher. The shooter died at the scene.
The New York Post has more photos of the Toledo festivities here.
#2
"A difficult question, inquisible
But, risibly, quite inadmissable
In pressrooms, it seems."
"And the answer?"
"It gleams...
Like hard coal down a hole: darkness visible."
"You kidding? That's more like a carbon arc light at night! I mean, a blind man could see it."
*Will Smith clicks forgetter thingy*
[cue Louis Jordan]
[Reuters] The U.S. government closed the border to Mexican livestock a year ago, hoping to keep out New World screwworm, a flesh-eating pest that Mexican authorities have struggled to control. This week, the first case of screwworm in 60 years was confirmed on a Texas cattle ranch, representing a fresh challenge to the U.S. beef industry, already hampered by scarce supplies, President Donald Trump's trade policies and a pernicious drought.
In Texas, the nation's biggest cattle-producing state, closing the border has forced the $100 billion U.S. beef industry to contract. But in Mexico - where screwworm has infested nearly 28,000 animals - the beef industry has capitalized on the setback to build up its own feedlots to keep cows longer and prepare them for slaughter, as well as expand processing facilities. Moving up the supply chain like this can be profitable. In the first four months of 2026, Mexican beef exports to the U.S. soared.
#1
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has conditionally approved [late in 2025] a doramectin injectable solution (Dectomax-CA1) made by Zoetis for the prevention and treatment of New World screwworm (NWS) larval infestations in cattle. It also will help prevent reinfestation for 21 days.
According to the Kansas Livestock Association, this conditional approval applies to beef cattle, female dairy cattle less than 20 months of age, pregnant beef cows, newborn calves and bulls.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
06/07/2026 11:44 Comments ||
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#2
Search Assist - In 1966, the United States was officially declared free of indigenous screwworms, thanks to the sterile fly release technique developed by researchers, which involved producing and releasing millions of sterile male flies to disrupt the mating cycle of the pest. This marked a significant milestone in the Southwest Screwworm Eradication Program, which aimed to eliminate the screwworm threat to livestock.
It should be more efficient this time. Right?
Posted by: Bobby ||
06/07/2026 11:51 Comments ||
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#3
^2
There was a screwworm (NWS) outbreak in 2016. There was one in 2024. The problem is complicated by the fact that the USA gets live cattle from Mexico. We may completely clear the USA from any NWS but imports of live animals may have an infection that missed the inspectors. That's why the Dectomax approval is so important. Once we get the price of the medicine down and the injection process in good shape this situation may be improved a lot.
Posted by: Lord Garth ||
06/07/2026 18:31 Comments ||
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[NYPost] Military helicopters, simulated gunfire and flash grenades rattled Los Angeles County and Orange County this week — exercises that could reportedly continue in Southern California for years.
Federal officials say large-scale tactical training exercises could continue across the region for the next two years as law enforcement agencies gear up for a series of major international events, including the FIFA World Cup, the Super Bowl and the Olympics.
The recent operations in Pasadena, Irvine, Long Beach and Industry, have drawn attention from residents who were caught off guard by the late-night urban warfare drills.
According to FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller, the exercises are part of routine preparedness efforts involving federal, state and local partners.
She said the bureau regularly trains with a range of specialized units, including SWAT teams, bomb technicians, dive teams and crisis negotiators.
“We train on a regular basis, whether it’s our dive team, our SWAT team, our bomb techs, crisis negotiators, we have many specialty teams that conduct training on a regular basis with our partners,” Eimiller told the Orange County Register. “With the upcoming FIFA Games, upcoming Super Bowl, and upcoming Olympics, there may be additional training with additional partners, but we conduct training on a regular basis.”
One of the most noticeable exercises took place Wednesday at the former St. Luke Medical Center on Washington Boulevard in Pasadena and near Alton Parkway and Irvine Boulevard in Irvine.
Local officials issued social media alerts after residents reported seeing helicopters and tactical personnel engaged in military-style scenarios.
The training continued Thursday, when officials in Long Beach and Industry warned residents they could hear loud explosions overnight as more exercises got underway.
While some community members criticized the timing of the drills and the limited advance notice, federal officials argued the preparation is essential as Southern California gets ready to host some of the world’s biggest sporting events.
“I think taxpayers would be happy to know we do prepare and we do train for anything that could occur,” Eimiller said.
The FBI is now considering broader public outreach following the strong reaction to the recent exercises.
Eimiller said residents may begin seeing public notices explaining that FBI-led training activity will increase in areas tied to upcoming events.
#1
Of The US Locations
NJ/NYC, Boston, Philly, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City,
LA, SF and Seattle. IF the Left were pull a stunt or disruption, I see 3. Since it is likely to be a smaller venue than NYC. A venue with catch and release Soros / Obama / Biden courts and DA's.
BUT! if it is a terrorist 9-11 scenario then MetLife Stadium New York / New Jersey with 82,500 seats, 8 games and the finals on Sunday, July 19, 2026 & its doesn't include a Middle-eastern Muslim team game.
Then it could be the target, using various weapons launched from outside from even the parking lot area.
I pray the FED's and Local LEO's have this well secured and E-spying is active.
I'd use Washington St. or Metro-Station in Hoboken, NJ. area across the river, for safer, better food & bar places. At least they were well above avg. when I was in the area years ago.
#5
These type of exercises have been going on for decades. It's nothing new. Pre-deployment, every MEU goes through an urban phase (TRUE - Tactical Response in Urban Environments). They rotate locations around the country. Other T1/T2 units do it also. The photos appear to show SOF vs MEU units. Has nothing to do w/upcoming sporting events in my opinion - but sounds good.
Posted by: Bangkok Billy ||
06/07/2026 10:14 Comments ||
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] At least 49 people died of thirst in northern Niger after a truck broke down in the Sahara Desert. The Associated Press reported on June 5, citing authorities in the Agadez region.
All the victims were citizens of Niger. They were returning home from a religious festival in Mali. The truck had been traveling for several days from the Malian town of Talhandek, located approximately 300 kilometers from the border with Niger, when it broke down more than 80 kilometers west of Assamaka, near the borders with Mali and Algeria.
The people were left stranded in the desert without water. The driver, his assistant, and the passengers attempted to repair the vehicle but were unable to continue their journey. The cause of the breakdown and the exact time the passengers spent in the Sahara are still being determined.
Two men survived. They walked more than 50 kilometers to a water source, then reached Assamaka and reported the incident to authorities.
"The scene on site was particularly disturbing. Dozens of bodies were found under and around the stationary truck," Agadez regional authorities reported.
The region noted that due to extreme heat and a lack of supplies, people had almost no chance of survival. The dead were buried in mass graves at the scene.
During mass travel to hot regions, dehydration and heatstroke remain among the main threats. In June 2024, during the Hajj in Saudi Arabia, more than 570 pilgrims died from heat, including at least 323 Egyptians and more than 60 Jordanians. Temperatures in Mecca reached 51.8 degrees Celsius, and the Saudi Ministry of Health urged pilgrims to avoid dehydration and stay indoors during the hottest hours.
[KhaamaPress] North Korea ...hereditary Communist monarchy distinguished by its truculence and periodic acts of violence. Distinguishing features include Songun (Army First) policy, which involves feeding the army before anyone but the Dear Leadership, and Juche, which is Kim Jong Il's personal interpretation of Marxism-Leninism, which he told everybody was brilliant. In 1950 the industrialized North invaded agrarian South Korea. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force opposing the invasion, with the United States providing around 90% of the military personnel. Seventy years later the economic results are in and it doesn't look good for Juche... n leader Kim Pudge Jong-un ...the overweight, pouty-looking hereditary potentate of North Korea. Pudge appears to believe in his own divinity, but has yet to produce any loaves and fishes, so his subjects remain malnourished... has ordered the rapid deployment of new warships and the expansion of the country’s underwater military capabilities ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Pyongyang, according to a Rooters report.
Rooters reported on Saturday that North Korea is seeking to strengthen its naval forces, including plans involving a 10,000-ton destroyer and the accelerated preparation of the destroyer Kang Kon, alongside another 5,000-ton warship.
The report said Kim recently supervised a naval exercise and used the occasion to stress the need for stronger maritime capabilities, arguing that North Korea must enhance its naval deterrence to prevent the risk of nuclear conflict.
Kim also called for further expansion of the country’s nuclear arsenal, continuing a policy that has placed nuclear and missile development at the center of North Korea’s defense strategy.
According to Rooters, North Korea last year acknowledged that a 5,000-ton destroyer partially capsized during a launch ceremony at the port of Chongjin, an incident that drew rare public criticism from Kim and highlighted challenges facing the country’s naval modernization efforts.
The military developments come shortly before Xi is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang on Monday for a two-day state visit, his first trip to North Korea since 2019. Chinese officials have said Xi will hold talks with Kim on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest as Beijing seeks to deepen ties with its longtime ally.
Xi’s visit is widely viewed as a significant diplomatic event for both countries. The trip follows a period of reduced high-level engagement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and comes as China seeks to reassert its influence in North Korea amid Pyongyang’s growing military and political cooperation with Russia.
China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and most important economic supporter. Despite international sanctions imposed over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, Beijing has continued to play a critical role in sustaining economic links with its neighbor and promoting stability on the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea’s push to strengthen its naval forces reflects a broader military modernization campaign that includes the development of nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, submarines and strategic deterrence systems. In recent years, Kim has repeatedly pledged to expand the country’s military capabilities despite international pressure and sanctions.
Movement fuelled by youth unemployment, exam paper leaks
Protesters demand resignation of federal education minister
Group has amassed 22 mln Instagram followers since mid-May
Government has blocked CJP's X account; move challenged in court
The founder of India's viral Cockroach Janta Party led a street protest in New Delhi on Saturday demanding the resignation of the federal education minister, taking the online youth movement from social media to the streets for the first time in a show of dissent against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
Abhijeet Dipke, 30, who has lived in the United States for the past two years and had not previously travelled to India since forming the movement, carried a copy of India's constitution as he left New Delhi's international airport for the protest site, greeted by hundreds of supporters chanting his name.
Senior cabinet minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the group of seeking followers from arch-enemy Pakistan and the "anti-India gang", a slur used by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party against those it sees as unpatriotic.
Dipke has publicly shared data showing about 95% of followers of the movement's Instagram account are based in India, followed by countries such as the United States, home to large groups of overseas Indians.
Political analysts say the group's popularity has begun to dent Modi's image despite his party's recent victories in key state elections. Frustration among many Indians has deepened as rising fuel prices and gas shortages brought by the Iran war squeeze household budgets.
India has nearly 400 million people aged 15 to 29, and generating non-farm jobs for them remains one of its biggest challenges, despite rapid growth. The urban youth jobless rate was nearly 14% in April. Many educated young people are also stuck in low-paid or insecure jobs that do not match their skills, economists say.
[Reuters] Pfizer presented data on Saturday showing that the mean nausea rate in all the arms of the VESPER-3 study was around 38% and the mean vomiting rate was about 23.3%.
Last month, JP Morgan analyst Chris Schott said that investors would be looking for the vomiting rate for the drug in the trial to be "20-25% or lower."
Around 25% of patients on Novo Nordisk's Wegovy vomited during that company's weight-loss trial, while around 44% reported nausea. Bizarre
No big deal — most medications have side effects for some users. If you’re in the effected group, give it a little time to see if your body acclimates, otherwise try a different medication — there are a bunch out there now beyond Ozempic, and more coming down the pike.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Sleeping on your back isn't dangerous for your heart, contrary to claims by some cardiologists. Any comfortable position doesn't pose a risk, but a person still can't control themselves while sleeping. Cardiologist Philipp Kuzmenko told Regnum News Agency this on Saturday, June 6.
Cardiologist Ricardo Cals stated that sleeping on your back poses the greatest risk to heart health. As reported by Metropoles, this position can cause the tongue and soft palate to shift, which can lead to partial narrowing of the airway and the development of sleep apnea.
Kuzmenko disagreed with this statement. He noted that any comfortable position is safe for the cardiovascular system. In any case, a person cannot constantly control themselves while sleeping.
"There are no dangerous sleeping positions. Sleep in a way that's comfortable for you, and don't be distracted by articles about safe or dangerous sleeping zones. A person, first of all, loses consciousness during sleep and assumes a comfortable position, and they have no control over it. Even if there were such a thing, it wouldn't be much in our control, or we'd have to tie ourselves to the bed," Kuzmenko explained.
Sleeping in certain positions is indeed recommended for those with sleep apnea to alleviate the condition. However, the doctor emphasized that the condition itself is not caused by improper positioning in bed.
"These people are advised to sleep slightly elevated. There's also, for example, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease. People with heartburn are advised to sleep on higher pillows, but that's the exception," Kuzmenko added.
According to the cardiologist, previous studies have attempted to determine the impact of sleep on the cardiovascular system. The only thing that has been definitively determined is that sleep deprivation negatively impacts the heart, like any other organ.
"Some said you need six hours of sleep and that it reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Others say you shouldn't sleep more than nine hours because it supposedly causes cardiovascular damage. In reality, this is all a myth and unproven. Sleep is essential. Depriving yourself of it will, of course, do you no good. And whether it goes bad first—your heart or something else—is a matter of luck. Overall, we just need to get enough sleep," Kuzmenko concluded.
On May 4, sleep specialist Sofia Cherkasova explained to Regnum News Agency that daytime naps can indicate chronic conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea. She added that frequent pauses in breathing that occur while a person is sleeping can lead to cardiac arrest.
Previously, sleep specialist Elena Tsareva, speaking with Regnum News Agency, urged people not to try to catch up on workdays on weekends. This habit only shifts the body clock and exacerbates sleep problems, making it difficult to fall asleep in the evening.
#1
sleeping on your back ..can cause the tongue and soft palate to shift, which can lead to partial narrowing of the airway...
Or complete closure of the airway, sleep apnea, dozens of times in a hour. A CPAP machine (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) greatly reduces apnea events. Last night, I had half an event per hour.
Medicare pays, but first you need a sleep study, where they attach a thousand wires to you and say, "Now sleep."
Posted by: Bobby ||
06/07/2026 15:17 Comments ||
Top||
#2
Started CPAP in 2001 or so. Haven't Won't quit. I'm like Pavlov's dog now - Even an afternoon nap: as soon as I put the nasal pillows headgear on, sound asleep.
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/07/2026 15:44 Comments ||
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#3
I’m not fond of mine, but since it’s good for me and leads to some level of improved sleep, I carry on. At this point I’ll do anything that gives me a few percent advantage — the math becomes meaningful eventually. The accumulation of apnea episodes is stressful for the heart, too, so…
#4
Did the home sleep test (69 apnea events per hour) this past January and ended up on a CPAP machine. I thought I wouldn't be able to tolerate the mask over my nose, but much to my surprise I got used to it and my apnea events are almost always below 5, often under 3 and I am feeling significantly better. The home test was I think 2 sensors, an oxygen sensor on a finger and another sensor on my chest.
#5
I am reminded that it is very important to use fresh water daily — ideally distilled rather than from the tap — clean/replace your CPAP parts and replace filters frequently to prevent bacteria and mold growth that lead to lung infections including pneumonia. No point in sleeping better if you ruin it by making yourself sick.
[Reuters] A year ago, Ryan Tseng, the head of U.S. defense tech startup Shield AI, announced his company had turned a new page.
After a gory incident that partially severed a U.S. Navy official's fingers during a test of its V-BAT drone, Shield AI had addressed safety concerns with new landing gear and warning stickers near the propeller. "(The) aircraft is, tip to tail, just a radically better airplane," Tseng told Forbes last year.
Now it's happened again.
A Romanian Navy official's hand was caught in a V-BAT propeller on May 12 during a Shield AI training exercise on a boat off the Texas coast – severing two of her fingers and fracturing a third, a spokesperson for Romania's Ministry of National Defence told Reuters.
The incident, which has not previously been reported, comes as Shield AI struggles to overcome years of technical hitches and safety concerns with its V-BAT, according to interviews with 21 former employees, industry executives and investors, and a Reuters review of a whistleblower complaint, a lawsuit related to hostile work environments and company presentations.
Reuters found that the V-BAT has crashed more than 50 times over the past 18 months, that several staff who raised safety concerns were dismissed and that a Cessna plane with a Shield AI employee and his child aboard had to take evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision with a V-BAT.
Shield AI also allegedly obscured technical flaws with its V-BAT, which costs about $1 million, to help land military sales, according to a previously unreported whistleblower complaint filed in May to the Department of Labor's Office of Administrative Law Judges and reviewed by Reuters.
Shield AI acquired the V-BAT, a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft designed for military uses, when it bought Martin UAV in 2021.
The company didn't make Tseng, or Gary Steele, who replaced Tseng as CEO last year, available for an interview. In a statement to Reuters, Shield AI said it had a strong safety record and defended the performance of its drones, saying "operational mishaps are common" for a drone like V-BAT.
"V-BAT remains one of the most operationally proven VTOL aircraft in service today," the company said, adding that the drone had accumulated 18,000 flight hours since 2019.
Shield AI said the May 12 incident was caused by "a violation of established safety procedures, not from a product defect", without disclosing the specific violation.
Romania's defence ministry said it was investigating the incident and that it would be premature to draw conclusions regarding fault or whether the incident could have been prevented.
The Romanian official, whose identity hasn't been disclosed, had operations to reattach her fingers on May 12 and May 16 at the University Medical Center New Orleans. Her condition deteriorated and she was sent to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, where she remained as of May 25, the ministry said in a statement, without providing further medical details.
Romania's Naval Forces, which signed a $30 million agreement with Shield AI last year for the V-BAT, said the contract remained in effect.
SHIELD AI VALUED AT $12.7 BILLION
Shield AI, which was valued at $12.7 billion in a March funding round co-led by JPMorgan (JPM.N), has emerged as one of Silicon Valley's largest defense tech bets, positioning itself as a key provider of drones and autonomous software to rearm the Pentagon as wars rage in Ukraine and the Middle East, and as tensions grow with China over Taiwan.
In February, U.S. Vice President JD Vance was touring Armenia when he was shown the latest V-BAT model, which had just been sold under Washington's first arms sales to the country.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...hereditary Communist monarchy distinguished by its truculence and periodic acts of violence. Distinguishing features include Songun (Army First) policy, which involves feeding the army before anyone but the Dear Leadership, and Juche, which is Kim Jong Il's personal interpretation of Marxism-Leninism, which he told everybody was brilliant. In 1950 the industrialized North invaded agrarian South Korea. Twenty-one countries of the United Nations eventually contributed to the UN force opposing the invasion, with the United States providing around 90% of the military personnel. Seventy years later the economic results are in and it doesn't look good for Juche...
