What is a sonic boom, and how does it happen?
CBSN
Residents of Washington, D.C., and parts of Virginia were startled on Sunday afternoon by an explosive noise that reverberated overhead, which officials later confirmed was a sonic boom produced as United States military jets flew at high speeds across the area.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said in a statement that it deployed the F-16 fighter jets after authorities detected an unresponsive Cessna 560 Citation V aircraft, a private plane, that had entered restricted airspace over a section of the capitol where some national landmarks are located. They were ordered to intercept the Cessna because its pilot did not respond to radio transmissions and was following "a strange flight path," a U.S. official told CBS News. The military scramble was conducted by the 113th Fighter Wing of the D.C. National Guard, the official said.
"The NORAD aircraft were authorized to travel at supersonic speeds and a sonic boom may have been heard by residents of the region," NORAD said in a statement. The bureau also said at the time that flares were used in an effort to gain the pilot's attention, and they may have been visible to the public as well.
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running Game
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing Game
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic Game
A Connecticut man was sentenced Monday to 65 years in prison for the 2019 beating death of his girlfriend, Christine Holloway, but their baby daughter disappeared at the time and remains missing.
Martin Cruz Smith, the bestselling mystery novelist who engaged readers for decades with "Gorky Park" and other thrillers featuring Moscow investigator Arkady Renko, has died at age 82.
The U.S. government said Monday it is placing a 17% duty on most fresh Mexican tomatoes, after negotiations over alleged unfair trade practices ended without an agreement to avert the tariff.
Millions of car buyers in the U.S. could soon get some tax relief thanks to a provision in the so-called "big, beautiful bill" that was signed into law on July 4 by President Trump.
A flurry of tariff threats by President Trump leaves U.S. consumers and businesses in limbo ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline to deploy the import duties against more than 50 countries around the world, according to economists and trade experts.
Jeremy Porter is a professor of quantitative methods in the social sciences at the City University of New York.
Washington — The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to pause a lower court order that required the Department of Education to reinstate nearly 1,400 employees who had been laid off while proceedings over the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle the agency continue.
Democratic officials from 24 states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration on Monday seeking to restore access to billions of dollars in frozen education funding.
A farmer in Oklahoma was killed by two water buffaloes that he purchased at a livestock auction the day before, police said Monday.
Kelly and Larry Peterson's love story began at a summer camp for children with spina bifida. Born on the same day, the couple discovered they had much in common beyond their shared birthday and disability.
Starbucks' "secret" menu is no longer hidden from the public.
Elmo's X account posted antisemitic and racist posts after it was hacked on Sunday, a spokesperson for the makers of "Sesame Street" said in a statement.
A military dog is being hailed as a hero in Colombia after detecting a bomb planted by guerrilla fighters that exploded during a military operation, authorities said, adding that the wounded canine's actions saved the lives of dozens of soldiers and civilians. The incident was announced just two days after a bomb strapped to a donkey exploded in the same area, killing one soldier and wounding two others.