TYB
kek
I saw one of these pop up in a small city I was used to frequent and honestly had the same thought.
Seemed out of place, in a good way.
NASA Langley Dedicates Artemis Moon Tree
Mar 20, 2025
A tree that sprouted from a seed that journeyed around the Moon and back is growing at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
NASA’s Acting Associate Administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Lori Glaze and NASA Langley Acting Center Director Trina Dyal spoke at a dedication ceremony for the Artemis Moon Tree, a loblolly pine, at the center March 12.
“I wanted to quote an old Greek proverb that more or less says something like, ‘Society grows when its elders plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in,’ ” said Glaze.
“I love that. We always talk about how we stand on the shoulders of giants. Those giants planted seeds, and we are still benefiting from the tremendous roots of those trees,”
The young tree, only about two feet tall right now, is growing in an area between NASA Langley’s Integrated Engineering Services Building and its Measurement Systems Laboratory.
The pine is surrounded by a wire plant protector. A yellow label identifies the species and the location of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Services nursery where the seedling was grown — Charles E. Bessey Nursery in Halsey, Nebraska.
A small plaque marks its status as a Moon Tree.
“This, we plant here for all future generations to be inspired and to continue on the amazing legacy of what we’re doing,” said Glaze.
“Our return to the lunar surface and our journey to Mars through the Artemis campaign is really going to lay the foundation for that future of exploration that right now we’re only dreaming about.
With your help, through Langley and the rest of our NASA colleagues and partners, we’re going to achieve those visions.”
The loblolly seed was one of many that flew on the Artemis I mission Nov. 16 to Dec. 11, 2022 — journeying 270,000 miles from Earth aboard the Orion spacecraft.
NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement partnered with the Forest Services to fly the seeds aboard Artemis I as part of a national STEM Engagement and conservation education initiative.
In addition to loblolly pines, tree species on the flight included sycamores, sweetgums, Douglas firs, and giant sequoias. The Forest Services germinated the seeds.
Locally, NASA Langley’s loblolly pine is one of three Artemis Moon Trees. The Virginia Living Museum in Newport News and the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk were also selected as Moon Tree stewards, and also received loblolly pines.
The Artemis Moon Trees take inspiration from their Apollo precursors. In 1971, NASA astronaut Stuart Roosa, the command module pilot for the Apollo 14 mission and a former U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Services smoke jumper, carried tree seeds into lunar orbit.
The Apollo 14 Moon Trees were disseminated to national monuments and dignitaries around the world, with a large number distributed as part of the nation’s bicentennial event.
One of those Moon Trees, a sycamore, was planted at Albert W. Patrick III Elementary School in the Fox Hill area of Hampton in 1976.
Sixth grader Marjorie White wrote a poem called “A Tree Lives” that won a contest to earn the honor.
https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/nasa-langley-dedicates-artemis-moon-tree/
https://www.nasa.gov/history/fallout-from-the-unauthorized-gemini-iii-space-sandwich/
Fallout from the Unauthorized Gemini III Space Sandwich
Mar 20, 2025
“I hid a sandwich in my spacesuit,” Astronaut John W. Young confessed in the April 2, 1965, issue of Life Magazine.
The conversation about and the consumption of the sandwich, which lasted only about 30 seconds during the Gemini III flight, became a serious matter that drew the ire of Congress and NASA’s administrator after the crew returned home.
Congress was particularly upset and brought the matter to leadership’s attention at hearings about NASA’s 1966 budget. Representative George E. Shipley was especially disgusted, knowing how much money and time NASA had spent to prepare the Gemini III spacecraft for launch.
The fact that a crewmember brought something into the crew cabin, which Shipley likened to a “surgeon’s operating room,” put the techniques used to prevent a spaceflight mission from failing at risk; crumbs could have made their way behind instrument panels interfering with the operation of flight equipment and the loss of the mission and its crew.
Shipley called Young’s antics “foolish” and asked NASA leaders to share their thoughts.
A Beef with Corned Beef
George Mueller, associate administrator for Manned Space Flight, stated unequivocally that the agency did not “approve [of] unauthorized objects such as sandwiches going on board the spacecraft.”
And he promised Shipley that NASA has “taken steps, obviously, to prevent recurrence of corned beef sandwiches in future flights.
There was no detriment to the experimental program that was carried on, nor was there any detriment to the actual carrying out of the mission because of the ingestion of the sandwich.” Manned Spacecraft Center Director Robert R. Gilruth was more forgiving of Young’s decision.
These sort of antics, he told the committee, helped the crews to “break up the strain” of spaceflight, and he hesitated “to be too strict in the future by laying down a lot of rules for men who have this responsibility and who, in all the flights so far, have done such good jobs.”
Webb disagreed and said, “this is the United States of America’s space program and, as a matter of policy, we are not going to permit individuals to superimpose their judgment as to what is going to be taken on these flights.
I think it is fine for Dr. Gilruth to take a very strong position with respect to the individuality of these men, but from those of us who have to look at the totality of the matter, this was not an adequate performance by an astronaut.”
The loss of a Gemini mission, especially one so early in the program, would have been particularly challenging for an agency attempting to land humans on the Moon where each mission built on the previous flight.
The United States was in a race with the Soviet Union, and for Congress at least, the purpose of Gemini and the cost of the space program was far too serious for these sorts of fun and games.
For NASA Administrator James Webb, it was a sign that Gilruth was too lax when it came to managing his astronauts.
Gemini III was just one example of the lack of control he noticed, and he pressed Gilruth for a report on the sandwich incident to determine if Young should be disciplined or at the very least reprimanded.
The In-Flight Meal
Young hatched the idea during training, when his commander, Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom grew “bored” with the food they practiced with for the mission.
Grissom regularly complained about the dehydrated “delicacies” food scientists concocted. Bringing a sandwich onboard, an item that was freshly made and did not have to be rehydrated, “seemed like a fun idea at the time” to Young.
One of the goals of their flight was to evaluate NASA’s flight food packaging and whether the containers leaked when foods were reconstituted, as well as the procedures for disposing of the meal and its packaging after eating.
Foods included rehydratable items such as chicken bites, applesauce, or drinks, and compressed foods such as brownie bites. The Gemini food system was not haute cuisine, however, and crews complained about its taste.
Young described the chicken bites as “barely edible” in his post-flight debriefing. Don L. Lind, a scientist-astronaut selected in 1967, described the early Gemini food as “strange.”
Their class took some to jungle survival training in Panama, and while no one wanted to eat it on the first two days, by the third day they were so hungry that they were willing to give it a try.
Another problem was that all rehydrated meals for Gemini were mixed with cold water, which made them less appetizing than a hot meal.
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A freshly made corned beef sandwich made at a local restaurant sounded like a better option, so Young had fellow astronaut and backup command pilot Walter M. “Wally” Schirra pick one up.
Schirra purchased the sandwich for Young, and as he headed out to the launchpad, Young put it in the pocket of his pressure suit.
Nearly two hours into the flight, as Young started his food and waste evaluation, he pulled out the sandwich from his suit and offered it to his commander. As captured on the air-to-ground recordings, Grissom asked what it was and where it came from.
“I brought it with me,” Young responded, “Let’s see how it tastes.” He didn’t expect the sandwich to be so pungent, “Smells, doesn’t it?” Grissom took a bite but found the rye crumbled so he placed the sandwich in his suit pocket to prevent the crumbs from floating about the cabin.
Two days later, nearly a thousand members of the media from the United States and around the world gathered to hear from the crew and NASA management at the postflight press conference at the Carriage House Motel in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Space reporter Bill Hines asked Young about the sandwich, erroneously referring to it as a “baloney sandwich,” and what happened when Gus was offered a taste.
“And,” he asked, “what became of the sandwich?” Young seemed surprised, “How did you find out about that?” and then laughed adding Grissom “ate the sandwich.”
Carry-on Restrictions for Spaceflights
Ironically the Gemini Program offered astronauts more control over their flights than during Project Mercury, including the ability to maneuver their spacecraft and to be more independent from Mission Control;
but the uproar over this event led NASA to draft rules about what astronauts could and could not take onboard a spacecraft. Starting with Gemini IV, flight crews had to present a list of items they planned to take on their missions.
Prohibited items naturally included sandwiches as well as bulky or heavy items or metal that could negatively impact the operation of spacecraft equipment.
(NASA still allowed astronauts to take personal items such as wedding bands or coins for families and friends in their personal preference kit.)
Young never received a formal reprimand for the incident but was made aware of Congress’s frustration. Others in the corps were advised to avoid similar stunts and to focus on the mission.
The decision to bring a sandwich onboard did not have a negative impact on Young’s career.
He was the first astronaut to fly to space six times —two Gemini missions; two Apollo missions, including the dress rehearsal for the first lunar landing; and two space shuttle missions including STS-1, known as the bravest test flight in history.
He also served as chief of the Astronaut Office for 13 years.
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Local TV weatherman under fire for outrageous comments about NASA astronauts and their landing
Updated: 10:09 EDT, 20 March 2025
A Boston weatherman has come under fire after making outrageous comments about the NASA landing that brought back two astronauts who had been stuck in space for nine months.
What was supposed to be a celebratory moment of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returning to Earth was tainted after NBC Boston meteorologist Pete Bouchard proposed a video of the landing had been altered by artificial intelligence.
'I’m no conspiracy theorist, but that splashdown today had strong hints of AI enhancement in the drone footage,' he wrote in a Facebook post with an emoji wearing a monocle.
'Lighting looked cinematic. Was it the camera?' The weatherman had deleted his original post, where he questioned in the dolphins seen in the footage were actually real or added by AI for more effect.
Commenting on the debacle: 'My original post was simply commenting on how visually appealing and perfect the landing looked using the drone. I was curious about the technology and the camera the crew used to capture the scene.
'This doesn’t take anything away from the brave astronauts or remarkable scientists involved in returning a capsule from space. It’s a remarkable feat and a heroic moment for our country.'
His Bluesky post still references the dolphins, reading: 'I know I won’t feed the conspiracy theorists on this platform, but that splashdown today had strong hints of AI enhancement. And the pod of dolphins that just happened to surface?'
NASA drone footage showed a pod of dolphins appearing near the capsule after it landed in the ocean.
Although he said he 'walked back' on the dolphins cynicism, he still questioned the video on the platform, unlike his other ones.
'NOT refuting the landing itself. Nor criticizing NASA or the administration. Simply stating that the camera seemed to have enhanced the view. (Why isn’t the sun glistening off the capsule? Why are the shadows muted?),' he wrote.
He claimed the footage was 'totally unrealistic at reentry' and questioned if it was due to the 'camera settings.'
Many of Bouchard's followers were not happy with his speculations, ripping into him for it in the comment section.
'This is the most ridiculous post I have read in a very long time,' Mary Ann Albert Boucher wrote on Facebook.
'You should know yourself that that boats had to be at least three miles away from the splashdown site and the capsule touched down only going at a rate of 16 mph.
'It was said over and over again that the weather was absolutely perfect for such an event. Imagine, dolphins in the ocean. The astronauts made it safely to earth. Their mission was a success…Let it be just that.'
'"I'm no conspiracy theorist " but I have a conspiracy theory,' another wrote.
'Stay in your lane Pete,' David Lybarger wrote on the platform.
'Just do the weather. Which basically means reading the forecast the government agency provided to all the other stations. Stand in front of a screen and wave your arms,' Lewis Rizk wrote.
'You, sir, are an absolute [clown],' another wrote.
This isn't the first time Bouchard has made a fumble.
The meteorologist went viral while working for WHDH 7 News when he said the nine inches of snow as 'almost as big as me.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14519231/local-tv-weatherman-pete-bouchard-nasa-astronauts-comments.html
https://www.facebook.com/petenbc10boston/posts/pfbid0CwbUnsfedkCZChNJXtuerUpPGUGStU5vzEHRLBzAzYdkifLidmd1yPwQdrPgsSW9l
Human remains found in Clear Lake, near Johnson Space Center
Updated: March 21, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Houston Police say skeletal remains have been discovered in a field in the Clear Lake area.
According to Lt. Larry Crowson with HPD, the remains were found in a wooded area on Moonrock Drive and Bay Area Boulevard.
The location is not far from the Johnson Space Center or Clear Lake High School.
Details are limited due to how active the investigation is, but police tell KPRC 2 they were called to the scene just before 7 p.m.
Homicide detectives confirmed the remains are human, but it’s unclear how long they’ve been out there.
It’s also unclear who the remains belong to and what the cause and manner of death is.
Lt. Crowson says a medical examiner will determine how the individual died and try to determine their identity.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/03/21/skeletal-remains-discovered-in-clear-lake-near-johnson-space-center/
ISS astronauts return with gray hair — here’s what’s behind the shocking color shift
March 20, 2025, 1:55 p.m. ET
The effects of anti-gravity are hair-raising — and hair-graying.
When US astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams touched back down to Earth after their prolonged 9-month stint in outer space, captivated viewers were quick to note Williams’ gray hair sprouting from her scalp.
The 59-year-old splashed back to our planet on Tuesday and emerged from the capsule with noticeably gray roots, sparking theories as to whether zero gravity had impacted Williams’ appearance.
Not to mention, her noticeably frail frame previously spurred concerns over her health and wellbeing.
“Imagine if all of your physiological changes were hyper-accelerated so that you passed through life cycles in weeks as opposed to decades,” NASA wrote online when the agency announced it would be launching a “space-age” research program to study space’s effects on the human body.
“You’d be able to grow a beard overnight or your hair might begin graying in a matter of days or maybe menopause would come knocking by next weekend.”
NASA continued: “This may seem like a far stretch from reality, but spaceflight causes significant physiological changes including an accelerated loss of muscle and bone density, and immune system dysfunction that parallel the effects of natural aging here on Earth.”
In fact, a 2016 study “found that spaceflight alters human hair follicle gene expression,” reporting that, in some astronauts, the genes responsible for regulating hair growth were “upregulated,” meaning the genes could inhibit “cell proliferation” within the hair follicles.
While men appeared to disproportionately experience the phenomenon compared to women, the researchers suggested that, based on their findings, spaceflight could potentially result in hair loss.
According to the Daily Mail, another study published in 2015 found that mice who spent three months in space on the International Space Station experienced thinner skin and their hair follicle cycle had been disrupted.
Previous studies have also demonstrated potential links between space travel and an increase in oxidative stress, which experts have suggested contributes to aging and, in turn, graying hair.
However, no study has directly linked spaceflight-related oxidative stress to hair color changes.
Some observers at home have a simpler explanation for WIlliams’ silver tresses: a lack of hair dye aboard the ISS.
“A few have asked me why Sunita Williams has grey hair and looks ‘tired’ coming back home from space,” Emily Carney, a former US Navy nuclear technician and space historian, wrote on Threads.
“This is because in space there’s no hair dye or makeup mirror at your disposal.”
Wilmore, 62, and Williams were stranded for 286 days on the ISS after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft experienced malfunctions that left them in space for a trip that was meant to last just over a week.
Now, the astronauts will undergo a lengthy recovery as they acclimate to life with Earth’s gravitational pull once again.
The Post reported that the pair — which were helped onto stretchers upon disembarking their return vessel — will be assessed by medical professionals before starting a 45-day reconditioning regimen, which involves intense physical therapy.
They could experience an array of symptoms, such as dizziness, balance problems, weak hearts, bone-density loss and fluid build-up, according to experts.
“Crews have previously spent longer durations in space, and Suni Williams and Butch Willmore’s performance after their return is expected to be consistent with established norms,” a NASA representative told The Post.
https://nypost.com/2025/03/20/science/iss-astronauts-return-with-gray-hair-heres-why/
ESA releases strategy document that emphasizes autonomy
March 21, 2025
The European Space Agency has released a strategy for its next 15 years that includes a greater emphasis on autonomy amid broader geopolitical changes.
ESA released March 20 its Strategy 2040, a document that outlines the major goals and objectives for ESA for the next 15 years, “ensuring that space serves Europe in the most impactful and strategic way possible,” as the document states.
The ESA Council formally adopted the strategy at a meeting that concluded the same day.
Strategy 2040 includes five goals: protect our planet and climate, explore and discover, strengthen European autonomy and resilience, boost European growth and competitiveness, and inspire Europe. Each goal has several specific objectives.
Adopting the strategy “was a very important step because it really provides a stable, long-term vision and strategy for the European Space Agency for the decades to come,” Josef Aschbacher, director general of ESA, said at a media briefing after the ESA Council meeting.
The strategy will guide planning for ESA’s next ministerial conference, scheduled for November, where member states will approve and fund specific programs for the next three years.
While the strategy mentions international cooperation in topics such as exploration, it also highlights the need for European nations to work with one another.
“In many cases, this implementation will require strong and intensified cooperation among the different actors in the European space ecosystem,” the strategy states, which includes ESA member states, the European Union, and other European companies and organization.
That was emphasized in the goal on European autonomy and resilience, with a focus on space transportation:
“The agency is dedicated to strengthening Europe by addressing the key societal needs of autonomy and resilience.
A first key pillar in this regard is having guaranteed autonomous and competitive access to and mobility in space, free from external dependencies.”
That effort is a “medium- to long-term prospect,” Aschbacher said at the briefing, but acknowledged near-term geopolitical issues.
“We did have, indeed, a long discussion” at the ESA Council meeting on what he termed the “geopolitical aspects that are requiring Europe to be stronger and also more independent.”
That may reshape the package of programs ESA will present to its members for the November ministerial.
That includes “early studies in order to scope and to see what is required to strengthen Europe and make Europe more autonomous and more independent.”
He said member states have asked ESA to look at where the package being developed for the ministerial “may need to be reinforced or may need to be readjusted in order to better respond to the current situation,” but did not go into detail.
He didn’t discuss the specific geopolitical concerns, but his comments come as Europe reacts to moves by the new Trump administration that have reshaped the transatlantic partnership and increased tensions between European nations and the United States, particularly in defense.
Aschbacher said he was unaware of any changes to NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration campaign, on which Europe is a major partner, providing the service module for the Orion spacecraft and elements of the lunar Gateway.
“We have not received any notification that this will not be required,” he said of European contributions to Artemis. “We are delivering. We are preparing our elements of this cooperation as planned.”
He added that he had not yet met with Jared Isaacman, the nominee to be NASA administrator, but that when he does
“I will reassure our American friends and partners that we have a strong, good cooperation which is to the benefit of both parties and, yes, Europe will continue to deliver as we have always done.”
https://spacenews.com/esa-releases-strategy-document-that-emphasizes-autonomy/
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/ESA_Strategy_2040
Space Force delivers warfighting effects, protects homeland
March 21, 2025
Since the U.S. Space Force stood up five years ago, it has delivered warfighting effects to the point that the U.S. can now contest the space domain, said Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, March 20, during Defense One's "State of Defense 2025: Air Force and Space Force" digital event.
He said those warfighting capabilities include proliferated warfighting, space architecture and proliferated low-Earth orbit satellite communications.
"We're developing missile tracking capabilities. We're still providing all the GPS functions that enable the internet [and] online banking.
It's a pretty good deal for the American taxpayer if you think about what all we provide," Saltzman said, noting his service has over 15,000 people and is just 3.3% of the Defense Department's budget.
He said the service's top three priorities are space domain awareness to provide accurate real-time information to decision-makers, resilient satellite architecture to better defend space capabilities and counter-space capabilities to hold at-risk adversaries' use of space against the joint force.
Saltzman said space requires six categories of counter-space weapons — three ground-based and three space-based — jammers, directed energy and kinetic capabilities, like missiles.
Homeland defense has always been a central part of the National Defense Strategy, he added, noting the Space Force will play a significant role in making the Golden Dome a reality.
The Golden Dome, which will be similar to Israel's Iron Dome air defense system, will be designed to defend the U.S. against aerial attacks.
The general said industry would play a big part in space domain transformative technology and praised the work done by companies in delivering those capabilities to the Space Force.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4130570/space-force-delivers-warfighting-effects-protects-homeland/
Germany seizes Russian ‘shadow fleet’ ship
21 March 2025 3:46pm
Germany seized a tanker believed to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet off its Baltic coast following a string of sabotage attacks and illegal shipping.
The Panama-flagged ship, called Eventin, was secured by German maritime authorities after being found off the island of Rügen.
The confiscation order means the vessel and its cargo of around 100,000 metric tons of oil, worth some 40 million euros ($43.33 million), now become German property, German newspaper Spiegel reported.
The Kremlin said it had no information about the ship and no knowledge about its owner, according to Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov.
Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ refers to a growing armada of ageing, uninsured vessels used by Russia to move oil, arms and grains around in violation of sanctions, helping to feed its war machine.
The tanker, which had been travelling from Russia to Egypt, also sparked environmental concerns over a potential oil spill.
Eventin was included in the EU’s 16th package of sanctions targeting Russia for invasion of Ukraine and trying to put extra pressure on its ghost fleet.
In recent months, Russian ships have been accused of carrying out sabotage operations in the Baltic Sea, including severing undersea cables.
This week, it emerged that a ship linked to Russia’s shadow fleet was seen dropping an anchor close to an undersea cable in Irish waters earlier this year.
It is not clear if the ship was intentionally targeting the cable before it was ordered to leave the area. Moscow’s ships have also increasingly been spotted in the English Channel.
Earlier this week, one of the largest convoys of Russian warships entered British and French territorial waters since the start of the Ukraine war.
Two Royal Navy warships shadowed the Russian destroyer RFN Severomorsk, landing ship RFN Alexander Shabalin and two transport ships, through the English Channel and North Sea.
Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset and minehunter HMS Cattistock, supported by RFA Tidesurge and naval helicopters, were involved in the operation to follow the vessels as they returned from Syria.
“Russia should be in no doubt that the UK will defend our waters,” Luke Pollard, the defence minister, said on Wednesday.
The operation was the third time in six weeks that the Royal Navy has shadowed Russian task groups returning from Syria.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/03/21/russia-ukraine-war-latest-news-drone-attack-energy-sites/
Trump Proposes Nuclear Plant Transfer Amid Renewed Drone Attacks
21 March 2025
Kyiv, Ukraine – In a move that has sparked widespread debate, US President Donald Trump recently suggested that Ukraine should transfer its nuclear power plants to American control as a means of ensuring their safety amid ongoing tensions with Russia.
This proposal came during a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 19, 2025, when Trump stated, "American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure."
However, Zelenskyy clarified the following day that only the Zaporizhzhia plant, currently under Russian occupation, was discussed, and he firmly rejected any notions of giving away national assets, asserting, "Power plants are national property and a takeover bid had never come up."
This dialogue unfolds against the backdrop of escalating violence in Ukraine, particularly following a large-scale Russian drone attack on the southern port city of Odesa on March 20, 2025, which resulted in injuries to at least three civilians.
The attack targeted civilian infrastructure, including a high-rise residential building and a shopping center, and was part of a broader offensive in which nearly 200 drones struck the Kirovohrad region, causing additional injuries and damage to homes and critical services.
Before the Russian invasion in 2022, Ukraine's four nuclear power plants generated approximately half of the country's electricity. The Zaporizhzhia plant alone accounted for about a fifth of that energy, but it has been rendered inoperable since Russia's invasion.
The ongoing concerns about its status were highlighted by military official Ihor Romanenko, who remarked on the potential for a catastrophic Russian provocation similar to the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam last year.
In parallel, Zelenskyy is preparing to send a team of negotiators to upcoming peace talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, set for March 24, 2025.
The participants intend to clarify what could be agreed upon regarding energy infrastructure and ceasefire arrangements.
However, with Russia's continued military assaults, including drone attacks on energy facilities, the feasibility of establishing a lasting dialogue remains in question as Zelenskyy urged, "stop making unnecessary demands that only prolong the war."
The modifications brought about by the ongoing conflict have generated not only military but also political complexities. Certain narratives surrounding Trump's overtures have raised eyebrows, particularly seeing them as leveraging Ukraine's dire military state.
Romanenko criticized the suggestion to transfer ownership as a possible exploitation of Ukraine's vulnerabilities. He stated, "Our memory works fine. We remember everything that belongs to Ukraine and will fight for what is ours."
Amidst these geopolitical tensions, concerns also loom regarding the condition of Ukraine's aging nuclear power infrastructure.
The environmental group Bankwatch has labeled these facilities "zombie reactors" and questioned their safety and operational reliability.
Yet, in a rebuttal, Petro Kotin, head of Ukraine's nuclear energy monopoly Energoatom, contended that his agency has successfully extended the reactors' operational lifespan, countering allegations of negligence in maintenance and claims of corruption surrounding procurement practices.
Olga Kosharna, a nuclear safety expert, has pointed to pervasive corruption at Energoatom, saying, "They get crazy kickbacks. This is a team of marauders."
As the world watches these events unfold, sensitivity surrounding the energy and security dynamics in Ukraine continues to grow.
Trump's remarks may reflect more than casual diplomacy; they could signal a potentially significant shift in geopolitical relations, with Ukrainian sovereignty at the forefront.
The engagement between US and Russian negotiators in Riyadh will test the waters of international diplomacy as high-level talks will commence against the backdrop of persistent military strikes by Russia, culminating in increasing civilian hardship.
In conclusion, the precarious situation facing Ukraine calls for astute navigation of its diplomatic relations—balancing security, energy independence, and the protection of its sovereignty amid an unyielding conflict.
With the eyes of the world fixed on the negotiations in Riyadh, peace seems a distant hope as both sides prepare for a multifaceted dialogue that could reshape the future of Ukraine and its critical energy assets.
https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/trump-proposes-nuclear-plant-transfer-amid-renewed-drone-attacks-279982
US Army Deploys GOBLN Drone for Military Mine Clearance Operations during Project Convergence-Capstone 5
21 Mar, 2025 - 13:51
During the Project Convergence-Capstone 5 (PC-C5) exercise, held in March 2025 at Fort Irwin, California, the U.S. Army tested several advanced technologies aimed at improving interoperability and operational effectiveness on the battlefield.
The Ground Obstacle Breaching Lane Neutralizer (GOBLN) was demonstrated in multiple scenarios, as shown in drone images released by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Designed to neutralize mines and other ground obstacles remotely, the GOBLN reduces risks for combat engineers tasked with mine clearance and obstacle-breaching operations.
The Advanced Multi-Mission UAS R80D SkyRaider, an integral part of the GOBLN system, provides reconnaissance and detection capabilities with electro-optical and infrared sensors, enabling precise threat classification and remote mine clearance operations (Picture source: US DoD)
GOBLN is a modular system integrating multiple technologies. It consists of three main components: an 81mm automatic mortar system, a reconnaissance and detection drone, and a neutralization munition.
These elements work together to identify, target, and eliminate mines or other barriers while maintaining a safe distance for ground forces.
Ezoic
The first component is the 81mm automatic mortar system, mounted on a specialized vehicle. It is designed to fire high explosive (HE) rounds capable of neutralizing mines and other obstacles.
During tests at the Yuma Test Range in March 2024, military analysts observed three possible outcomes: direct impact damaging the mine’s fuze, immediate detonation upon impact, or ignition and combustion of the explosive charge, the latter being considered the most effective neutralization method.
The second key component is the Advanced Multi-Mission UAS R80D SkyRaider, a reconnaissance and detection drone.
This VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) UAV, developed for U.S. defense and federal agencies, combines agility with the capability to carry Group 2-3 payloads.
Equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors, it scans terrain for obstacles, minimizing risk to personnel. Its networked data integration allows for precise threat classification and optimized neutralization solutions.
The open-architecture design, via the Payload Development Kit (PDK), supports payloads of up to 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs), enhancing mission flexibility.
Additionally, its onboard artificial intelligence (AI) processing system enables semi-autonomous operation and effective function in GPS- or communication-denied environments.
Ezoic
The third component is the neutralization munition, deployed via the 81mm mortar system. During tests in Arizona, researchers analyzed strike effectiveness against strategically placed mines.
After each firing sequence, data was reviewed to adjust launcher positioning and improve targeting precision. This approach refines the system’s ability to neutralize obstacles with maximum accuracy.
The development and testing of GOBLN align with efforts to address persistent threats posed by landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on modern battlefields.
These hazards continue to cause significant casualties among military personnel and civilians.
The U.S. Army is seeking to enhance force protection while maintaining high operational tempo through solutions that improve clearance efficiency and minimize exposure to explosive threats.
Ezoic
The PC-C5 exercise serves as a critical platform for evaluating and integrating emerging technologies.
By focusing on interoperability between communication, detection, and weapon systems, the event enhances coordination between U.S. and allied forces.
It also demonstrates how systems like GOBLN can be incorporated into combined operations, improving decision-making speed and overall battlefield effectiveness.
The inclusion of GOBLN in PC-C5 highlights the Army’s growing focus on autonomous and semi-autonomous capabilities for modern operations.
The integration of advanced UAVs like the R80D SkyRaider with precision-guided mortar systems not only enhances clearance effectiveness but also reduces risks for personnel.
This development represents a shift in combat engineering tactics and may see operational deployment in future conflict zones.
The testing of GOBLN at PC-C5 marks a significant step in the evolution of obstacle clearance technology.
By incorporating AI, automation, and interoperability, the system demonstrates how the armed forces are adapting to emerging challenges and preparing for future engagements.
https://armyrecognition.com/news/army-news/2025/us-army-deploys-gobln-drone-for-military-mine-clearance-operations-during-project-convergence-capstone-5
https://thedebrief.org/stealth-technology-breakthrough-by-navy-researchers-could-revolutionize-underwater-drone-capabilities/
https://pubs.aip.org/asa/jel/article/5/1/017301/3332160/Through-the-sensor-sub-bottom-imaging-using-the
Stealth Technology Breakthrough By Navy Researchers Could Revolutionize Underwater Drone Capabilities
March 21, 2025
In the dark, crushing silence of the deep ocean, a new kind of sonar could soon be making waves—not with high-powered acoustic blasts or flashy emissions but with the barely perceptible hum of a stealth underwater drone’s propeller.
In a breakthrough that could revolutionize underwater exploration and military surveillance, research funded by the U.S. Navy demonstrated that autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) can use their self-generated noise to “see” beneath the ocean floor.
This novel approach, called through-the-sensor (TTS) sub-bottom imaging, eliminates the need for bulky and power-hungry sonar sources typically used in undersea mapping.
Instead, this new approach uses the low-frequency self-noise generated by an AUV’s propeller as a “source of opportunity” to reveal buried sediment layers, seafloor structures, and subsurface objects. No sonar pings.
No external emitters. Just the soft, mechanical thrum of an underwater drone on patrol—turned into a stealthy acoustic eye.
The research, recently published in JASA Express Letters, opens the door to stealthier, more energy-efficient, and potentially more autonomous operations beneath the waves.
Researchers demonstrated their proof-of-concept during field tests at the New England shelf break, a region known for its complex undersea topography.
A modified REMUS 600 AUV, outfitted with a short horizontal hydrophone array, gathered data as it cruised about 155 feet (35 meters) above the seabed.
The results showed that the passive images generated using the self-noise method closely matched those produced by the AUV’s active sonar system and reference scans conducted by the R/V Neil Armstrong using a Kongsberg multibeam profiler.
Despite operating at lower frequencies and with less power, the passive method successfully identified key geological features, including a deep basement layer buried approximately 105 feet ( 32 meters) beneath the seafloor.
“A potential advantage of this TTS method, besides being totally passive, is that it provides a means for performing low-frequency sub-bottom imaging using an AUV,” researchers wrote.
“Hence, this could potentially enable geoacoustic surveys with larger depth penetration, without the need to instrument the AUV with a separate active low-frequency source, which is typically associated with unique engineering challenges and payload requirements.”
A New Kind of Sonar
Sonar, or sound navigation and ranging, traditionally involves emitting sound waves into the water and recording their echoes to build images of the seafloor or underwater objects.
While effective, this approach has one major drawback: it’s loud. Active sonar can quickly reveal the presence of the vessel emitting it—a problem for submarines or AUVs operating in contested or clandestine environments.
However, this new method flips that model on its head. Instead of actively generating sonar pulses, the AUV uses its own mechanical sounds—specifically the low-frequency noise from its propeller—as a passive source of acoustic energy.
That noise, typically considered a nuisance, becomes a tool for sensing the environment.
The technique, called Through-the-Sensor (TTS) sub-bottom imaging, involves towing a short horizontal line array of hydrophones behind the AUV. As the AUV moves along, its propeller emits a consistent stream of low-frequency sound.
As the sound travels downward, it reflects off the seabed and layers beneath it and is picked up by the trailing hydrophones.
Using advanced signal processing algorithms—specifically, a variation of ray-based blind deconvolution—the system can infer the structure of the ocean floor and even what lies beneath it, like buried sediments or rock layers.
To make this work, the team focused on a frequency band between 100 Hz and 1 kHz. This range is characteristic of propeller noise and well-suited for penetrating below the seabed.
“This method is derived from the RBD [ray-based blind deconvolution] algorithm and thus potentially alleviates the need to instrument the AUV platform with a separate low-frequency active source,” researchers explained.
“Additionally, the AUV’s propeller effectively acts as a compact low-frequency source, which indeed enables the use of the RBD algorithm.”
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Why It Matters for Future Stealth Underwater Drones
The implications are significant from a defense perspective. Submarine warfare, undersea surveillance, and reconnaissance missions depend heavily on staying hidden.
While powerful, active sonar risks exposing the vehicle’s location to enemy sensors. Passive sonar systems—those that listen without transmitting—offer stealth but have traditionally required large, sensitive arrays and often rely on environmental noise or external signals.
What makes this TTS approach unique is its ability to transform a drone’s unavoidable emissions into a powerful imaging tool—repurposing the vehicle’s own acoustic signature without adding any new noise.
That dual-use aspect—converting waste into a sensor—makes the system stealthy and potentially more efficient.
Without bulky or power-hungry active sonar systems, stealth underwater drones can carry less hardware, save energy, and extend mission duration.
Moreover, the hardware requirements are refreshingly simple. All that’s needed is an AUV with a towed hydrophone array and a processor capable of running the RBD algorithm.
This significantly reduces the vehicle’s payload burden and simplifies deployment in tight or unpredictable environments.
For military applications, this means smaller, more autonomous stealth underwater drones capable of quietly mapping the seabed, identifying mines, or detecting submarine cables while remaining undetected.
The REMUS 600 tests conducted by researchers demonstrated that even though the passive images had lower resolution than those from an active sonar system, they were still accurate enough to reveal critical details like the shape of the seafloor and the presence of deeper, more reflective layers—useful markers in tactical or scientific operations.
From Ocean Science to Tactical Advantage
While the defense benefits are clear, the technique also has promising civilian and scientific applications.
Oceanographers, geologists, and environmental researchers often require sub-bottom imaging to understand sediment layers, tectonic structures, or undersea resources.
Traditional methods require either large ships towing active sonar or long vertical arrays, both of which are costly and limited in maneuverability.
This new TTS method sidesteps many of those issues. Because the AUV can operate independently and passively, it could be deployed in sensitive environments where noise pollution or disturbance of marine life must be minimized.
It could also help reduce the logistical burden of deep-sea surveys, making them more accessible to researchers and smaller institutions.
Notably, this approach aligns with a growing trend in robotics and autonomous systems: designing smarter machines that efficiently use their own data and byproducts.
Just as some spacecraft now recycle waste heat for energy, and animals like bats and dolphins use bioacoustics to navigate, this technique embodies a biomimetic philosophy—treating the machine not merely as a tool but as a self-contained ecosystem of signals.
What’s Next: Toward Smarter, Stealthier Underwater Drones
Despite its promise, the current technique has limitations, and researchers note that improvements are needed before it becomes operational.
Chief among the challenges is that the self-noise signal is inherently weaker than active sonar pulses, requiring more extended data collection periods to build a clear image. Balancing the AUV’s movement, array stability, and environmental variability becomes crucial.
During testing, the team conducted a sensitivity study showing how shorter averaging times (2 seconds) yield lower-resolution images, while longer times (24 seconds) can wash out important spatial details if the terrain is highly variable. This could be a limitation in dynamic environments or faster-moving missions.
However, future work may address this by taking advantage of the full bandwidth of the AUV’s self-noise, potentially expanding beyond the 100 Hz to 1 kHz range.
Better understanding the vehicle’s acoustic “fingerprint”—how its noise radiates at different angles and frequencies—could also help improve resolution and reduce artifacts.
Another frontier involves enhancing the signal processing techniques themselves.
With more powerful onboard computing or cloud-based post-processing, future AUVs could adaptively tune their imaging strategies in real time, steering their listening arrays or changing course to optimize data collection.
Despite these challenges, for the U.S. Navy, this breakthrough represents a tantalizing step toward fully autonomous stealth underwater drones that can explore the depths in near silence, uncovering vital information all while remaining hidden from view.
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Dramatic drone footage captures huge wildfire burning above Glasgow as smoke seen for miles
12:58, 21 MAR 2025
Drone footage shared with Glasgow Live shows a large wildfire over the city.
Emergency services rushed to the Kilpatrick Hills, north of Clydebank, on Thursday afternoon.
Crews remained on scene battling the blaze until the evening when poor light hampered their efforts.
The fantastic footage from Pix by Pedro shows the flames burning away on Thursday night, with Glasgow in the backdrop.
Plumes of smoke could be seen coming from the fire, with the flames spotted from as far away as East Kilbride during the peak.
In an update on Friday, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the blaze had been extinguished overnight and the area was now safe.
A spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 2.13pm on Thursday 20 March, to reports of a wildfire in the Kilpatrick Hills, near Old Kilpatrick in Dunbartonshire.
"Operations Control initially mobilised one appliance to the scene and on arrival crews called for the additional attendance of another three appliances.
“Firefighters worked to bring the wildfire under control and had to leave due to diminishing light.
Firefighters revisited at first light on Friday, 21 March and found that the fire had extinguished. They left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.”
The wildfire came after the fire service issued an "extreme" warning for fires across Scotland, as temperatures finally begin to rise.
Loch Lomond rangers have also warned visitors not to light barbecues this week in the national park due to the fire risk.
https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/dramatic-drone-footage-captures-huge-31252833
Shocking drone footage from 'massive explosion' that forced Heathrow Airport to shut down
13:07 21 Mar 2025 GMT
Shocking drone footage has revealed the extent of the blaze at an electrical substation near Heathrow Airport.
Earlier today (21 March), it was confirmed that the UK's busiest airport would be closed after a fire ripped through North Hyde electrical substation in West London.
The blaze has caused a power outage in the area, with thousands of homes also believed to be impacted by the power cut.
Meanwhile Heathrow is currently expected to remain closed until midnight, causing major travel disruption across the UK as 200,000 air passengers have their flights cancelled.
Nearby residents reported that they'd heard a 'massive explosion' before the power station went up in flames.
"We saw a bright flash of white and all the lights in town went out," one local told PA, while a second added heard the explosion just moments before all the power 'went off'.
"All the power went off, it just smelled like burning," she added.
Chilling drone footage captured last night has since revealed the extent of the blaze at the substation, with the fire currently believed to have been caused by a transformer.
London's Metropolitan police service has since confirmed there is currently 'no indication' of foul play at the moment, but added that the force's Counter Terrorism Command would be leading the investigation into the cause of the fire.
"While there is currently no indication of foul play we retain an open mind at this time," the statement read (via BBC).
"Given the location of the substation and the impact this incident has had on critical national infrastructure, the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command is now leading enquiries."
"It's too early to say what the precise cause of this was, but we'll obviously want to understand the cause and what, if any, lessons can be learned about the resilience of our infrastructure," Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told ITV News.
Meanwhile, a statement from Heathrow Airport warned of 'significant disruption' to air travel in the coming days, with flights diverted to Gatwick Airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, and Shannon Airport in the Republic of Ireland.
"We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens," the statement read.
“We will provide an update when more information on the resumption of operations is available.
We know this will be disappointing for passengers and we want to reassure that we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation.”
https://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-news/heathrow-airport-fire-drone-footage-341657-20250321
Kratos Reveals Secret Hypersonic Drone Program
March 19, 2025
Kratos is developing a hypersonic drone, adding to a growing portfolio of high-speed vehicles, CEO Eric DeMarco told Aviation Week in a March 18 interview.
All further details of the project—including the design, performance and schedule—cannot yet be released, DeMarco said.
The mystery vehicle can be supported by the Hypersonic System Indiana Payload Integration Facility (IPIF) that the company broke ground on in Crane, Indiana, on March 18.
Asked if the IPIF would support only payloads for hypersonic glide vehicles powered by solid rocket motors, DeMarco said vehicles with air-breathing propulsion technologies also are possible.
DeMarco previously has hinted at interest by Kratos in turbine-based hypersonic propulsion. In a 2019 press release announcing the acquisition of Florida Turbine Technologies (now Kratos Turbine Technologies, or KTT), DeMarco included a cryptic statement.
“Beyond traditional turbojet and turbofan engines, we are also focused on developing advanced, affordable engines for a new class of hypersonic propulsion system,” DeMarco said.
DeMarco has never elaborated on that statement. However, as its name implies, KTT specializes in air-breathing, turbine-based propulsion systems, not the solid rocket motors that boost hypersonic glide vehicles to hypersonic speed.
Kratos already has built a hypersonic portfolio with a pair of hypersonic glide vehicles called Erinyes and Dark Fury. Both can be powered by Kratos’ new Zeus rocket, an offshoot from the company’s Oriole sounding rocket.
Hypersonic technology—and air-breathing propulsion in particular—remains mainly at the developmental stage in the U.S. industrial base, with the operational Lockheed Martin/Leidos Long Range Hypersonic Weapon for the U.S. Army being the sole exception.
Despite the advanced nature of the technology, Kratos remains committed to avoid crossing the “bleeding-edge” of capability in new products.
The company prefers to work on fixed-price contracts, and the risk of overruns with inventing new technology are too high for Kratos, with its $1.1 billion of annual sales, to bear.
“Bleeding edge—something that’s never been done before—those are the types of fixed-price contracts that we tend to stay away from because it’s never been done before,” DeMarco said at the McAleese Defense Programs Conference outside Washington on March 18.
“We don’t have the size or the scale like a Boeing to be able to absorb and get the thing done for an amount of money. That’s just crazy. We just can’t do it.”
https://aviationweek.com/defense/missile-defense-weapons/kratos-reveals-secret-hypersonic-drone-program
Zelensky urges 'pressure' on Russia after overnight drone barrage
21-03-2025 | 05:57
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday urged "joint pressure" on Moscow after it launched a "massive" overnight aerial attack, firing 214 drones and several guided bombs at cities across Ukraine.
"It is joint pressure on Russia, along with tougher sanctions and stronger defense support for our country, that paves the way to ending this kind of terror and Russia's prolongation of the war," Zelensky said in a post on social media.
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/world-news/844632/zelensky-urges-pressure-on-russia-after-overnight-drone-barrage/en
Ukrainian drone attack ignites massive fire at Russian oil depot
March 21, 2025
In the Krasnodar Krai region of Russia, an explosion has occurred at an oil depot. The facility burst into flames following a Ukrainian drone attack, resulting in injuries to two firefighters.
In Krasnodar Krai, located in southern Russia, an explosion took place at an oil depot, which has been burning since 19th March after a Ukrainian drone attack.
This news was reported by the "Moscow Times," quoting a statement from local authorities shared on Telegram. As a consequence of the explosion, two firefighters sustained injuries.
Spread of the fire
The explosion led to the fire spreading to another tank, with the affected area expanding to roughly 1 hectare.
"During the extinguishing process, due to depressurisation of the burning tank, there was an explosion of oil products and release of burning oil," reported the operational headquarters. In the firefighting operation, there are 456 firefighters and 181 units of equipment involved.
Significance of the Caucasus Station
Initially, the fire covered just around 2 square metres. The oil depot is part of the Caucasus Station, which facilitates the transfer of crude oil from railway tanks to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) pipeline system. Annually, up to approximately 6 million tonnes of crude oil are transported via this route. The fuel is then moved to the terminal in Novorossiysk, from where it is exported by sea.
https://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/world/ukrainian-drone-attack-ignites-massive-fire-at-russian-oil-depot/ar-AA1Bn2uj
US strikes Sana'a residential area; Yemen downs American drone
Update: Friday, 21 March 2025 12:33 AM
Another night of violence in Yemen’s capital Sana'a. A US airstrike has hit a residential neighborhood, leaving nine women and children injured.
The attack is part of the US military campaign in Yemen, which has been ongoing for nearly a week now.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/03/21/744790/Sanaa-residential-area-
Czech President Petr Pavel arrives in Kyiv after drone attack in Odesa
March 21, 2025 2:58 PM
zech President Petr Pavel arrived in Kyiv on March 21, the Office of the President of the Czech Republic announced in a statement.
"On the morning of Friday, March 21, President Petr Pavel arrived in Kyiv, where he will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal," it said.
As part of his two-day visit to Ukraine, Pavel on March 20 met with Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine Oleksii Kuleba in Odesa, along with the leadership of the Odesa Oblast, and representatives of the cities of Mykolaiv and Kherson.
During his visit to Odesa, Russia launched three groups of Shahed-type drones at the city, Kuleba said on March 20.
"The entire civilized world should see Russia's crimes against Ukraine," Kuleba added.
Three people were injured during the attack, and civilian infrastructure was damaged, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said.
The officials discussed maritime security, post-war reconstruction, and community development.
Kuleba highlighted the urgent need for de-mining efforts, also noting that since summer 2023, Russia has fired more than 450 missiles at Ukraine's port infrastructure.
Kuleba invited Pavel to attend the Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine, which is set to take place in Rome this summer.
https://kyivindependent.com/czech-president-petr-pavel-arrives-in-kyiv-after-drone-attack-in-odesa/
Border Patrol Issues Warning Amid Cartel Drone War
Mar 21, 2025 at 8:11 AM EDT
The U.S. Border Patrol chief has issued a warning to Mexican crime syndicates amid a cartel-on-cartel drone war.
"We have seen cartel-on-cartel violence that involves drones. We prepare and train to be ready to fight the enemy on any ground," Chief Mike Banks told NewsNation.
"We're impacting the cartels' ability to make billions of dollars."
Cartels have carried out attacks against rival syndicates over territory and trafficking routes. Donald Trump signed an executive order designating Mexican drug cartels and other Latin American criminal groups as terrorist organizations.
Trump's order states that these groups "threaten the safety of the American people, the security of the United States, and the stability of the international order in the Western Hemisphere."
Banks said that tackling the cartels is a top priority for the Border Patrol under the Trump administration.
He warned that the threat of cartel violence spilling into the U.S. from the southern border is very real. Border agents have received several memos cautioning them about potential attacks.
Since Trump returned to the White House in January, there have been two shootouts at the border, according to NewsNation.
There have also been drone incursions from the southern side, however, the agency has the technology to counter these drones.
Agents are handling an average of 250 encounters per day, marking a 95 percent decline of over 95 percent during the Trump administration.
There has been a string of alarming activity involving the cartels along the southern border in recent months.
A 74-year-old farmer was killed by an improvised explosive device in February. Authorities said a cartel planted an IED that killed a Texas rancher and another individual and injured a third person.
Suspected Mexican cartel members fled to Fronton Island after a gunfight with U.S. Border Patrol agents near the southern border in January.
Meanwhile, Congressman Keith Self, a Republican from Texas, has called for a more aggressive stance against the cartels operating along the U.S.-Mexico border, arguing that the United States must go on the offense rather than remain defensive.
President Trump has floated the possibility of deploying American troops into Mexico to combat the country's powerful and influential drug lords, saying it "could happen."
The Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Cártel del Noreste, La Nueva Familia Michoacana, the Gulf Cartel, and Cárteles Unidos have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration.
Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is viewed by Trump as an invading force and the President has invoked the Alien Enemies Act, a seldom-used 1798 law that allows him to deport "noncitizens" during wartime.
His administration is sending members to a prison in El Salvador amid a federal judge's efforts to ban the deportations.
Banks told NewsNation: "We will get operational control of the United States border, absolutely."
Speaking on cartel violence, Representative Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, told Newsweek: "These cartels control our southern border.
They've moved back and forth with impunity, and they are very dangerous. They're flooding our neighborhoods and streets with fentanyl and deadly drugs.
They've got violent gangs running their networks inside the United States. It's a real threat to the American people, and so I'm glad the president is taking us on and very serious about it. It's a major priority."
Speaking on increased action against cartels, Representative Keith Self told Newsweek: "We don't need to be cowering in our holes. We need to be threatening the cartels, like I tried to do, to tell them, 'You do not want to go to war with the United States."
Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the Cato Institute, previously told Newsweek: "The Trump administration's policies are all wrong.
Cartels will only be put out of business by legalizing drugs and immigration, not by declaring war on them. If the government crushes one cartel and drug prices rise, a new cartel will enter the market to earn those higher profits.
The U.S. Border Patrol will continue efforts to deter cartels from smuggling drugs across the border.
https://www.newsweek.com/border-patrol-issues-warning-amid-cartel-drone-war-2048409
Military personnel, journalists killed in drone attack on presidential palace in Khartoum, Sudan
19:46 UTC+8, 2025-03-21
Some military personnel and journalists were killed in a drone attack targeting a military and media gathering inside the Republican Palace in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, according to a military source.
The incident came after official Sudan TV reported that the Sudanese Armed Forces regained control of the Republican Palace, or the presidential palace, which had been held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since mid-April 2023.
The RSF vowed Friday in a statement that the battle for the Republican Palace is "not over yet," stressing its forces remain in the vicinity and continue to fight.
https://www.shine.cn/news/world/2503218231/
So many! They're everywhere.
One of the links on that video posted yesterday was a nice substack
EGYPT DISCOVERY 2 KM BELOW KHAFRE PYRAMID SHOWS TRANSFORMER LIKE ELECTRICAL COLUMNS
Mar 19, 2025
HERE IT IS - FIRST LOOK
This is the full document released this morning about the new subterranean scans of Giza. A preliminary abstract on the scan results from the Middle 'Khafre' Pyramid.
Subscribe and wait for the release of the full press conference video, in the next couple days.
There is a lot to discuss about this… but I'll give you all a chance to read it for yourself, and form your own opinions first. LINKS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE.
https://occultum.substack.com/p/synthetic-aperture-radar-doppler?
https://youtu.be/zZjU_hioDfQ?si=IMcZZdeHjbEpgJvY
Advanced PRE-FLOOD Civilisation Evidence! /w Jay Anderson & Alex Jones
Mar 21, 2025
I was invited to speak with Alex Jones on the groundbreaking implications of the new research findings around the Giza Plateau & Pyramids, the globally available evidence for advanced, pre-historic civilisations and my upcoming documentary on the pre-historic megaliths of Malta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEG3AwfYXJk
https://x.com/RealAlexJones/status/1902853645550621192
The modern hunt for Bigfoot is taking to the skies
March 21, 2025
As far as we know, Bigfoot isn’t in therapy, so it’s unlikely he’s going to find himself.
That means it’s time to do this right. No more grainy video or photos that turn out to just be some random guy in the woods.
No, we’re doing this with drones, specifically this one because it has a good camera and it’s pretty cheap.
The Ninja Dragon Phantom is an HD dual-camera drone, and instead of paying $199 for one, it’s only $79.97 right now. Bigfoot better look to the sky.
Find Bigfoot with a drone
This low-cost drone is designed for adventure, whether you’re tracking Bigfoot or just exploring new terrain.
With dual cameras (one wide-angle HD and the other optical flow), you’ll get clear footage from multiple perspectives. Snap a photo of Bigfoot with the whole BigFamily.
Plus, the drone has electronic image stabilization for smooth and steady shots as you cruise through the air.
You don’t need to be a pro pilot to search for woodland cryptids anymore. Intelligent flight modes, automatic obstacle avoidance, and gesture control make it easier to manage precision movements, even if this is your first drone.
With up to 12 minutes of flight time, you’ll have enough time to finally snap a clear photo of the big guy. Or just enjoy the scenery live on your phone.
March 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT is the cutoff to get the Ninja Dragon Phantom Dual Camera Smart Drone on sale for $79.97.
https://www.popsci.com/sponsored-content/low-cost-ninja-dragon-phantom-dual-camera-smart-drone-sponsored-deal/
‘Anyone got any ideas?’ – Moment ‘UFO’ spotted in Irish skies as people left puzzled by ‘freaky’ & ‘unusual’ object
Updated: 11:01, 20 Mar 2025
PEOPLE across Ireland have been left baffled by an "unusual object" that has been spotted in skies for two nights in a row.
Two flashing objects appeared side by side in the night sky over Dublin last night and singular flashing light was spotted off the south coast on Tuesday night.
Alan O'Reilly of Carlow Weather was just as stumped by the sight and took to social media to ask for help identifying the "UFOs".
He said: "I was sent two videos by followers over of unusual object in sky the last two nights.
"First part of video shows the video from last night over Dublin and second part is the night before off South coast."
"Anyone got any ideas?"
Followers had a wide range of thoughts on what the objects could be, with some suggesting it could be the International Space Station and others claiming it could be lanterns in the sky.
One person suggested: "Low orbit satellites. They're very common . seen three and four in a row passing over Dublin probably starlink satellites."
Another said: "It's the international space station, it moves at an incredible speed. Very freaky the first time I saw it without knowing what it was."
And another echoed the same thought process saying: "Most likely the International Space Station. It flew over Ireland at 7.13 pm on Tuesday."
Another person agreed, saying: "International Space Station. I got a notification last night it was flying over so I went out and could clearly see it.
"And a while later I got notification again and I went out and could see it again!"
Another added: "The sky is now full of lights going in straight lines across the night sky in predicable arcs. Over 7,000 Starlink satellites alone, ISS etc."
However, others who spotted the strange lights had different ideas.
One person said: "Those usually turn out to by flying lanterns. Very weird looking from a distance."
Another said: "Saw it south of Celbridge, bright orange light. Assumed one of this lanterns but didn’t appear to be moving very far."
Another suggested: "The flash of light you saw in the sky was not a UFO.
"Swamp gas from a weather balloon was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus."
'BACK TO WEATHER'
After the excitement of the UFO debate the weather expert went back to his roots to provide a weather update for followers.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, he said: "From UFOs back to weather and I’m afraid rain returns tomorrow Friday."
It comes as temperatures are set to soar to 18C today in a dry and sunny day.
However, from tonight rain will return with "heavy" downpours expected tomorrow. Overnight temperatures will drop down to 0C too.
https://www.thesun.ie/tech/14910266/unusual-object-spotted-irish-skies-lights-dublin-ufo/
UFO whistleblower David Grusch hired to advise Rep. Burlison
Updated: Mar 21, 2025 / 12:55 PM CDT
UFO whistleblower David Grusch has been hired as a senior adviser for Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., for a period of four months.
Grusch’s role will mostly involve advising on issues related to unexplained anomalous phenomena (UAP), more commonly known as UFOs.
Grusch received national attention after he claimed the Pentagon is operating a secret UAP retrieval program that has been kept hidden from lawmakers as well as the public.
His claims sparked public interest in UFOs and kicked off congressional hearings on the subject.
Other whistleblowers also came forward, with claims ranging from retrieval programs to allegations that the government has recovered not just technology from UAPs but also biological remains of nonhuman origin.
The Pentagon has repeatedly denied the existence of any such programs and has said there is no reason to believe UAPs are extraterrestrial in nature.
However, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has been vocal in pressing for more transparency.
In his role, Grusch will not work directly with the House Oversight Committee.
After a request for him to be hired as committee staff, the committee rejected the proposal because of Grusch’s high profile in the press and on social media.
Grusch will only advise Burlison, who is a member of both the UAP Task Force and the committee. The House Ethics Committee approved his hiring.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/grusch-hired-burlison/