France Begins to Ban Short-Haul Flights
France has started the process of banning short-haul flights that have viable railway alternatives that take similar routes. The first step in Frances’s process targets Paris’s secondary airport, Orly. Flights out of Orly to the cities of Bordeaux, Lyon, and Lantes are first on the chopping block.
The primary reason for the ban is to reduce air pollution and emissions from planes. France also plans to use this act to bolster their public transportation infrastructure and effectiveness. The European Commission has approved Frances’s plan which is expected to be executed in the coming months.

UFOs and Spy Balloons Over America
There have been three instances of an unidentified flying object occupying American airspaces the following week after the Chinese “Spy balloon” was shot down, sparking a diplomatic dispute. China claims that the balloon was meant to be stationed around Hawaii and not America’s mainland, but the wind blew the balloon off course.
During the transaction with the Chinese balloon, a U.S. missile fired at the balloon missed its target. A second missile was promptly deployed and hit its mark. During the interaction, the American 5th generation stealth aircraft, the F-22 Raptor achieved its first confirmed air-to-air kill. The missing missile was tracked down and located in Lake Huron. The missile landed harmlessly and the general public of the area is safe.

Train Derailment in Ohio
On February 3rd, a train in Ohio unfortunately derailed and detonated, releasing toxic and harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. In Eastern Palestine, Ohio residents were shaken by metal scraping and a thunderous boom. Smoke billowed up into the air, carrying chemicals into the sky. A fire raged on while first responders helped the citizens and a federal investigation was launched.
Residents of Eastern Palestine have reported accounts of nausea, rashes, sore throats, and headaches after returning home. Public health officials are working to see if the health complications are connected to the chemicals released by the train. Flights around the incident report a visible black plume of smoke collected amidst the clouds. Public health officials are uncertain how far the chemicals will spread around the site due to the wind.

Turkish Earthquakes
On February 6th, a series of earthquakes in the Kahramanmaras city of Turkey struck. The initial earthquake registered at 7.8 on the Richter scale. This series of earthquakes is the first case of seismic events to take place in Turkey since the early 2000s.
Earthquakes and aftershocks continue to ravage parts of Turkey as the number of unfortunate victims continue to climb. With over 41,000 dead, Turkey and Syria continue to ask for support in any way possible during their crisis, Syria has fortunately not experienced the severity of the earthquakes as compared to Turkey, but the damage is beginning to take its toll on the country.

747 Retirement
Boeing has announced that their 747 jet airplane has officially been retired, with the last model leaving the Washington state factory this year. The jet was introduced in 1967 and has dominated the skies since. Boeing ultimately retired the plane due to its inefficient fuel usage compared to available alternatives. The 747 was the staple of consumer air travel and the aviation industry. With the 747 retired, the mantle sits empty, waiting for a new plane or company to take the top spot in the commercial aviation industry. Airbus’s A380-800 model is more appealing now than ever with it being able to carry 250 more passengers than the 747.