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India Today
6 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
Boeing ghost flights: China-Iran air route raises eyebrows in Israel conflict
Multiple Boeing 747s were tracked flying from China to Iran, disappearing near Iranian airspace, prompting speculation that Beijing may be covertly supporting Tehran during escalating tensions with Israel.A string of mysterious Boeing 747 flights departing China for Iran has raised suspicions that Beijing may be covertly aiding Tehran as Israeli airstrikes intensify against Iran's nuclear infrastructure, according to a Fox News Digital Boeing 747s have been spotted on radar leaving China for Iran over the last week," Fox News reported, citing flight-tracking data and European intelligence assessments. Starting June 14, at least five cargo flights took off from various points in China and travelled a discreet route westward along China's northern air corridor. They then descend through Central Asia -- Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan -- before vanishing from radar near Iranian airspace, according to FlightRadar24 and The Telegraph. Intriguingly, the listed destination for the flights was Luxembourg. But the aircraft never entered European airspace."The mystery transport planes," as described by The Telegraph, have fuelled speculation amongst defence analysts who suggest the flights could be part of an undisclosed logistics operation — possibly moving military supplies, key personnel, or sensitive cargo to support Iran during its escalating confrontation with types of planes are typically used for transport," one expert told Fox News Digital, "and could be evidence of China aiding its longtime ally Iran during the conflict."China and Iran are strategic partners. They oppose the US-led world order and favour a multipolar phase in global diplomacy. Iran is also a key energy supplier to China, sending two million barrels of oil daily."I think it's important to remember what the relationship is; forty-three percent of China's oil and gas comes from the Middle East, a large volume of that from Iran," Robert Greenway, director of the Heritage Foundation's Centre for National Defence, told "The Ingraham Angle" on Wednesday night. Iran supplies China with about two million barrels of oil each DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN CHINA-IRAN FLIGHTSThe main airline involved, Luxembourg-based cargo airline, Cargolux has denied allegations linking its aircraft to a series of suspicious Boeing 747 flights from China to Iran, which reportedly disappeared from radar near Iranian airspace. These claims have fuelled speculation that China may be covertly aiding Iran with weapons during its ongoing tensions with a statement released on both its official website and Facebook page on Sunday, Cargolux clarified that "none of its flights utilise Iranian airspace." The airline emphasised that its operations are fully transparent and relies on advanced tracking systems to ensure real-time flight tracking systems provide real-time data, which confirms that no flight entered Iranian airspace. Any claims to the contrary are completely unfounded," the company XI CALLS FOR CEASEFIREChina's President Xi Jinping urged more diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict between Israel and Iran in a call with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Chinese state news agency Xinhua without naming the United States, said "major countries" with "special influence" in the region should step up diplomatic efforts to cool down the situation, the report said, emphasising Israel's role in bringing about a ceasefire.
Sky News AU
10 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Mystery Boeing 747 flights leaving China for Iran raise questions amid Israel conflict
Several Boeing 747s have been spotted on radar leaving China for Iran over the last week, according to reports, sparking concerns that the CCP is helping the Middle Eastern nation transport cargo or people out of the country as Israel continues to strike the country's nuclear facilities. Starting on June 14th, FlightRadar24 shows that at least five flights traveled from China to Iran, and The Telegraph reported that the "mystery transport planes" had flown westward along northern China before crossing into Kazakhstan, south through Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and then fell off radar as they approached Iran. Additionally, the report indicated that the flights had a final destination of Luxembourg but don't appear to have ever crossed into European airspace. Some experts have speculated that these types of planes are typically used for transport and could be evidence of China aiding its longtime ally Iran during the conflict with Israel, although Fox News Digital has not independently confirmed the nature of the flights. "I think it's important to remember what the relationship is, forty-three percent of China's oil and gas comes from the Middle East, a large volume of that from Iran," Robert Greenway, director of the Heritage Foundation's Center for National Defense, told "The Ingraham Angle" on Wednesday night. "It likes to buy sanctioned oil below market value, and that fuels the Chinese economy and also its military ambitions, and so, that's the central relationship. They've been relatively quiet – in fact, extremely quiet – about the current conflict and coming to Iran's assistance. We also know that a large fire in Bandar-Abbas port was Chinese solid propellant for missiles that exploded and created a tremendous amount of damage just about a month ago. I think it's unlikely to see Chinese arms shipments under the circumstances to Iran. It's more likely that Iran may be removing material or personnel or regime valuables to safe haven in light of the conflict. I think that's probably the extent to which China is willing to accept the risk associated with the current circumstances." In 2021, Fox News Digital reported that Tehran and Beijing signed a 25-year cooperation deal amidst great fanfare in the Iranian capital. University of Tehran Professor Mohammad Marandi, who is close to the regime, told Fox News that it is about much more than what's on paper. "This strategic partnership is important because it allows Iran and China to build a roadmap for long-term relations that will be much more fruitful," he said. "It's also a signal being sent to the United States. The more the U.S. tries to isolate Iran and China, the more it causes countries like Iran and China to move more closely to each other." Some have cast doubt on the flights representing a nefarious connection between the two nations, including Atlantic Council fellow Tuvia Gering who posted on X that an aviation expert told him the flights are "nothing to write home about." "There are regular cargo flights by the Luxembourg-based freight company from several locations in China to Europe, with a stopover in Turkmenistan (just a few dozen kilometers from the Iranian border)," Gering wrote. "Some flight tracking websites lose the tracking signal shortly before landing and continue to show a projected route that appears to enter Iranian airspace. The sites clearly indicate that this is an estimated path; checking the aircraft tail numbers shows they take off again from Turkmenistan a few hours later, and reviewing the flight history of these routes shows they always land in Ashgabat and do not continue into Iran. All this is before even considering the obvious logic that a major European cargo company is highly unlikely to be the channel through which China transfers its super-advanced, top-secret strategic weapons to Iran." Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated significantly in recent days, with the United States contemplating whether it will get directly involved in striking Iran. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and he is expected to meet with national security and defense leaders again on Thursday. "Yes, I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do. I can tell you this that Iran's got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate," Trump said Wednesday. "And I said, why didn't you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction? Why didn't you go? I said to people, why didn't you negotiate with me two weeks ago? You could have done fine. You would have had a country. It's very sad to watch this," the president added. Originally published as Mystery Boeing 747 flights leaving China for Iran raise questions amid Israel conflict
New York Post
16 hours ago
- Business
- New York Post
Why Dave Portnoy thinks Americans are abandoning traditional news outlets
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said that there is 'obviously big time distrust of legacy media' during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. Portnoy's comments come in response to a Fox Digital report that CNN staffers are worried about the future of the former most-watched cable network. 'It is obviously big-time distrust of legacy media,' Portnoy explained. 'And there's so many different ways to consume media. Whether that's online podcasts, some of it good, some of it bad, to be honest, you just have to be really careful where you're getting your information from. There's so many different people speaking now, and people can access it in so many ways.' CNN dominated the airwaves in the '90s, leading coverage on Baghdad and the O.J. Simpson trial. Since then, prime-time viewership has plummeted from the Ted Turner-founded network to third in ratings. On Monday, Variety reported that one of the network's most notable stars, Anderson Cooper, hired high-powered Hollywood agent Bryan Lourd of Creative Artists Agency, which may indicate Cooper is either looking to bolster his contract with CNN or potentially leave the network altogether. Cooper has been at CNN for more than 23 years. 5 Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy said that there is 'obviously big time distrust of legacy media' during an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital. Getty Images One Cable News Network staffer also told Fox, 'the mood remains really grim' and that 'people are uncertain' about what may come after an expected corporate restructuring by their parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. Portnoy explained his thinking behind the shift in media, saying the internet has played a large role in where people get their information. 'The internet has given a way for people to fact-check and come to their own conclusions,' Portnoy added. 'You just don't have a couple of network TV anchors or chairs telling you what to think.' 5 Portnoy's comments come in response to a Fox Digital report that CNN staffers are worried about the future of the former most-watched cable network. Getty Images 5 'The internet has given a way for people to fact-check and come to their own conclusions,' Portnoy added. 'You just don't have a couple of network TV anchors or chairs telling you what to think.' FOX The Barstool Sports empire is a leading example of the change in how people interact with the media. The mostly podcast and social media-driven strategy has propelled the sports outlet into a giant, with Dave manning at the helm. Portnoy's infamous 'one bite' pizza reviews are one of the many bits that put Barstool on the map, which feature Dave testing slices of pizza and rating them accordingly. Many of his reviews have gone viral, and his scores can make or break pizzerias in New York City and across the country. Following the success of the pizza reviews, Dave launched the 'One Bite Pizza Festival' in 2023 in Brooklyn, and now plans to host the event for a third year in Randall's Island Park this September for thousands to try his top-rated pizza choices. The event has sold out each time the festival has been held. 5 On Monday, Variety reported that one of the network's most notable stars, Anderson Cooper, who has been at CNN for 23 years, is either looking to bolster his contract with CNN or potentially leave the network altogether. Getty Images 5 The Barstool Sports empire is an example of the change in how people interact with the media, according to reports. Bloomberg via Getty Images 'Like if you like pizza, obviously if you don't like pizza, forget about it, but everybody loves pizza,' Dave told Fox. 'We have the best pizzerias, 40 plus. We're always adding new ones. Like I just did this spectacular place series that went super-viral in New York City.' 'Tickets go on sale Friday, and then September 13th is the actual day, and if you like pizza you can't miss it,' Dave added. Creative Artists Agency did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
New York Post
16 hours ago
- Business
- New York Post
Japan instituting 'two-tier' pricing to attractions as overtourism concerns mount
Japan broke a record for tourism in 2024, with people from all over the world visiting the island nation. But the country has even bigger tourist goals for the years ahead. Hokuto Asano, first secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C., told Fox News Digital in an interview that with the influx of tourists, the country is working to meet demand. 'Overtourism is a new challenge for the Japanese community,' said Asano. 'So we need to pursue how to create a win-win relationship [between] Japanese local people and foreign tourists.' News outlets have reported on a 'two-tier' pricing system at restaurants, theme parks and other attractions, with tourists charged more for services and experiences than Japanese citizens are charged. 'The price of the restaurant, sushi restaurant in Japan, even hotel — the price is also increasing,' Asano said. 'So Japanese people sometimes say [that] Japanese people cannot enjoy the domestic tourism.' He added, 'But there should be a difference in the taste or preference between Japan and Japanese people and international tourists. There should be a difference in the price and also product or service toward the international tourists.' 3 Mount Fuji pictured in the background as people walk along a bridge connecting stores at a popular outlet shopping centre in the city of Gotemba, Shizuoka prefecture, some 100 kms southwest of Tokyo. AFP via Getty Images Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30, nearly 33.4 million travelers visited Japan, according to the country's government site projections. Nearly three million Americans visited the country in 2024. Asano said the number of visitors last year ended up reaching 36 million and that Japan has a plan to nearly double the number of visitors in the next five years. 'In 2030, we want [to reach] the goal of 60 million people,' said Asano. 3 Mount Fuji pictured in the background as people walk along a bridge connecting stores at a popular outlet shopping centre in the city of Gotemba, Shizuoka prefecture, some 100 kms southwest of Tokyo. Getty Images The sacred Mount Fuji is climbed by 200,000 to 300,000 people every summer, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Lately, however, Mt. Fuji has been pegged 'trash mountain' due to serious overcrowding and garbage atop the world-famous landmark. Asano said tourists have reported that there are not many trashcans in Japan — but he pointed to the limited number as a safety measure to 'counter terrorism.' 3 People crowd a street in Kabukicho, Tokyo's red-light district, Japan on June 4, 2025. FRANCK ROBICHON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 'We need to share our manner[s] [with those who] visit tourist destinations,' said Asano. 'So we would like [them to] understand [about] bringing back his or her own trash,' he said. Asano suggested that tourists need to be more respectful when visiting Japan. 'We need to share our values with international tourists,' he said. When it comes to tourists in Japan, it's not just about 'the trip,' he said. 'It's a good means to share culture and values. We would like international tourists to know more [about] Japan in terms of culture or sacred places or specific places,' he said. Asano added, 'Maybe we can share how to enjoy those sacred places or share our tradition.'
New York Post
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Iranian dissidents slam Whoopi Goldberg for ‘offensive' comparison about the brutal regime
Iranian dissidents are speaking out over Whoopi Goldberg's 'offensive' claim that life for Black Americans is equivalent to living under Iran's brutal autocracy. 'Whoopi Goldberg's comparison between being Black in America and living under Iran's authoritarian regime is deeply misguided and dismisses the brutal realities faced by millions of Iranians,' Dr. Sheila Nazarian told Fox News Digital. Advertisement Goldberg sparked backlash during a heated argument with her fellow 'The View' co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin on Wednesday. Griffin elaborated on the many human rights violations perpetrated by the Ayatollah's regime in Iran was guilty of, including executions of gay people and imprisonment of women who go outside with their hair uncovered. 'Let's not do that, because if we start with that, we have been known in this country to tie gay folks to the car. Listen, I'm sorry, they used to just keep hanging Black people,' Goldberg insisted as Griffin pushed back and said the situations weren't comparable. 'In the year 2025 in the United States, is nothing like if I step foot wearing this outfit into Iran right now,' Griffin said. 'It is the same,' Goldberg responded. Advertisement When Griffin tried to explain that life in modern-day America was night and day with the theocratic regime in Iran, Goldberg countered, 'Not if you're Black.' 5 Iranian dissidents criticized Whoopi Goldberg for her 'offensive' claim on 'The View' that life for Black Americans is equivalent to living under Iran's autocracy. ABC 5 Goldberg sparked backlash during a heated argument with fellow co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin. ABC Nazarian, a renowned plastic surgeon whose family fled Iran in 1985 when she was six after her father was put on a government list to be killed, told Fox News Digital that Goldberg's comparison was not only inaccurate but deeply offensive. Advertisement 'While racism is a serious and ongoing challenge in the U.S., comparing this to life under a totalitarian theocracy like Iran is not only inaccurate – it's offensive to those who suffer daily under that regime. In Iran, the government controls nearly every aspect of life. People can be imprisoned, tortured, raped or even executed for peaceful protests, for criticizing the regime, or simply expressing their opinions online,' Nazarian said. Iran's theocratic regime is deeply unpopular with its public, and widespread anti-government protests frequently break out in the Islamic Republic. The country was gripped by widespread unrest after Iran's morality police were accused of murdering Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman, for not wearing a hijab in public. 5 Mourners attend the funeral of victims of an Iranian missile attack which destroyed a three-storey building in the northern Arab-Israeli city of Tamra on the weekend killing four women on Tuesday. AFP via Getty Images 'It's astonishing that Whoopi Goldberg would even suggest that life for Black Americans is somehow equivalent to living under the rule of the Ayatollah in Iran. The very fact that she, as a woman — and a woman of color — has a platform where she can speak freely, express dissenting views, and appear uncovered on national television is proof of the immense freedoms she enjoys,' Iranian-American journalist Lisa Daftari told Fox News Digital. Advertisement Catch up on the latest news of Iran's attack on Israel This is not the first time Goldberg has faced controversy for comments she made. In 2022, Goldberg was suspended from 'The View' following remarks about the Holocaust that many found offensive. Goldberg claimed that The Holocaust wasn't 'about race' instead saying the genocide of six million Jews from 1933 to 1945 was the result of 'man's inhumanity to other man.' The daytime talk show co-host swiftly apologized for her comments, saying she 'misspoke.' 5 Israeli security and rescue forces work at the scene of an Iranian missile attack in Holon, central Israel. Xinhua/Shutterstock 5 Protesters on the streets in the West Azerbaijan province, Iran. Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images Fox News Digital reached out to 'The View' for comment.
