China plans to build a supersonic 4,000 kmph flying train

China’s aerospace agency is researching a “high-speed flying train” which will be able to reach top speeds of 2,485 mph (4,000 kmph) – more than three times the speed of sound.

The high-speed pod system could be used to transport goods and people along President Xi Jinping’s planned modern-day Silk Road.

The China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) is developing a transportation system similar to that of Elon Musk’s futuristic Hyperloop system.

The Chinese agency says it owns over 200 patents for the project and plans in the future to export its hyperloop to countries along its touted modern-day Silk Road.

China’s President Xi Jinping has said the country’s multibillion dollar plan to build a modern-day Silk Road will be the “project of the century”.

The country’s existing high-speed rail network has received billions in investment in recent years, but CASIC’s futuristic system will require even more.

Source: China plans to build a supersonic flying train

Large earthquake strikes Guatemala Mexico border

The earthquake was felt across the area – and although it struck close to the Pacific Ocean no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake hit around 97 miles west of Guatemala City in the San Marcos district, close to the border with Mexico’s Chiapas state, damaging homes and buildings and cutting power.

At least one person was hurt after a church collapsed in the tremor, but there have been no reported fatalities.

Guatemala’s president Jimmy Morales tweeted that everyone should “stay calm and be alert to possible aftershocks”…

Source: Large earthquake strikes Guatemala Mexico border

Republicans distance themselves from Trump’s Russia leak. White House in free-fall

#F1 set to rebrand GP2 as Formula Two – Jean Todt

Formula One’s new owner Liberty Media and the sport’s governing International Automobile Federation are set to rebrand the GP2 support series as Formula Two, according to FIA president Jean Todt.

In the latest edition of the FIA’s Auto magazine, Todt said the aim was to complete a pyramid structure leading from karting through Formula Four, Three and Two to F1.

‘Rationalising the pathway to Formula One has been a major goal of the FIA in my time here and the designation of a new F2 would achieve that goal,’ said Todt, who added that confirmation of the deal was imminent.

Liberty Media acquired GP2, which runs mostly as a support series to Formula One on grand prix weekends, as part of a takeover of the sport that was completed in January and led to the departure of previous supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

Formula One’s new managing director for motorsport Ross Brawn said last week that the sport needed to offer more over a weekend and could learn from MotoGP.

‘I’d love to see Formula Two and Formula Three be part of the show, and to have those drivers coming up through into Formula One,’ Brawn told an audience attending a book presentation in Oxford.

‘So you go to a race and see the young guys in Formula Two and Formula Three come through into Formula One, you get to know the names and support them.

MORE: Formula One set to rebrand GP2 as Formula Two – Jean Todt | Daily Mail Online