It’s hypersonic! Boogie woogie woogie.

Editor’s note: Mention of gun violence

Happening in the World: Yesterday evening, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley recognized China’s hypersonic missile test, calling it “very concerning” in an interview. This statement marks the first public US acknowledgment of previous claims that China completed two nuclear tests over the summer. Reports indicate that the hypersonic missile has nuclear capabilities and could evade US air defense systems due to its increased maneuverability. The US is currently developing its hypersonic missiles and conducted three tests last week at a NASA facility in Virginia (BBC).

Happening in the US: According to an affidavit released Wednesday, Dave Halls, an assistant director on “Rust,” neglected to inspect the prop gun thoroughly before declaring it “cold” and handing it to the actor Alec Baldwin on the set of the film last week. This revelation comes one week after Baldwin’s prop gun went off in a scene rehearsal, killing the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, 42, and wounding its director, Joel Souza. An affidavit also revealed that the prop gun fired a live round with a lead projectile and that more live rounds have been discovered on the film’s set, some of which are being sent to the F.B.I. lab for crime analysis. It remains unclear why there was any live ammunition, as it is generally forbidden on film sets due to safety precautions (NYT).

Happening in NYC: The New York City Fire Department is bracing for staff shortages that could shutter one in five firehouses once the city’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate goes into effect on November 1. The mandate requires all municipal employees to get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by tomorrow. FDNY Commissioner, Daniel Nigro, plans to reassign some employees from desk jobs to the firehouses in light of his predictions that 20% fewer ambulances will be on the road starting Monday. As of Wednesday, 68% of FDNY workers have received the COVID-19 vaccine, remaining one of the most vaccine-resistant departments in the city (Gothamist).

Happening in Our Community: Today at noon, the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia presents a conversation with Wendy Sherman, US Deputy Secretary of State. Before this current role, Sherman served as an advisor to several US presidents and secretaries, and she received the National Security Medal from Barack Obama. Register for this webinar here!

hyperSONIC missile (jk they’re regular) via Bwarchives