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https://www.livescience.com/space/science-news-this-week-an-interstellar-visitor-and-the-oldest-ancient-egyptian-genome-ever-sequenced
Science news this week: An 'interstellar visitor' and the oldest ancient Egyptian genome ever sequenced
July 4, 2025
To kick off this week's science news, our solar system received an unexpected "interstellar visitor."
On Tuesday (July 1), NASA and the International Astronomical Union confirmed the existence of a mysterious space object, most likely a comet, hurtling toward our little corner of the universe.
The next day, NASA gave it an official name — 3I/ATLAS.
The interstellar object is zooming along at around 152,000 mph (245,000 km/h) in an unusually flat and straight trajectory that is unlike anything else in the solar system.
3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object ever recorded, and scientists are now scrambling to learn all they can about this rare object before it exits the solar system next year.
Ancient Egyptian genome
Oldest and most complete ancient Egyptian human genome ever sequenced reveals ties to Mesopotamia
Researchers have successfully sequenced the genome of a man who lived in ancient Egypt 5,000 years ago.
The DNA offers a rare window into the genetic history of ancient Egyptians, revealing that this individual had ties to both Mesopotamia and North Africa.
The man's body was recovered from a tomb in Nuwayrat, south of Cairo, in 1902, and is only the fourth ancient Egyptian genome to be sequenced — not to mention the oldest and most complete.
Life's little mysteries
Are cats the only animals that purr? A purr is music to the ears of any cat lover.
The low, gentle rumble is often a sign that our furry companions are relaxed and content. But is this cute volatilization unique to our feline friends?
AI space pilots
ChatGPT could pilot a spacecraft shockingly well, early tests find
A new age of autonomous space exploration could soon be upon us — if the results of a recent artificial intelligence (AI) study are anything to go by.
Researchers tested to see whether AI models like ChatGPT could hypothetically pilot a spacecraft using text prompts.
ChatGPT performed surprisingly well and completed most of the challenges researchers set, though it didn't actually pilot anything.
Space exploration could change forever with the development of autonomous AI-controlled systems.
Right now, speed-of-light limitations mean we can't directly control deep-space exploration spacecraft in real time, while human-piloted spacecraft have to cater to our inconvenient biological needs, restricting how far we can go.
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Beyond the headlines
RFK's proposal to let bird flu spread through poultry could set us up for a pandemic, experts warn
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, and Brooke Rollins, the secretary of Agriculture, have suggested the U.S. could allow the bird flu virus to spread through some poultry farms to identify immunity in surviving birds.
However, on Thursday (July 3), researchers warned that such an approach is dangerous and could potentially trigger a new pandemic.
A group of virologists, veterinarians and health security experts wrote an article, published in the journal Science, in which they argued it would be ineffective to let the virus spread in farms and risk bird flu crossing over into human populations.
"Essentially, the longer you allow a virus that has shown to be effective in infecting multiple hosts survive in an environment, the greater the chance you give it to spread, to mutate, and to try its luck at adaptation," perspective first-author Erin Sorrell, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Live Science.
"Worse case scenario, the virus adapts and expands its host range to become transmissible in humans … Now we have a pandemic."
Something for the weekend
If you're looking for something a little longer to read over the weekend, here are some of the best long reads, book excerpts and interviews published this week.
—'It's how I would imagine I would react if I saw a real-life giant dinosaur': What Jurassic World Rebirth's scientific advisor thinks of the movie (Interview)
—What are whole-body MRIs, and are they worth the hype? (Query)
—Mesopotamia quiz: Test your knowledge about the ancient civilizations of the Fertile Crescent (Quiz)
And something for the skywatchers:
—2 'new stars' have exploded into the night sky at once — potentially for the first time in history
Science in pictures
See the stunning reconstruction of a Stone Age woman who lived 10,500 years ago in Belgium
A facial reconstruction of a Stone Age woman has revealed what a prehistoric hunter-gatherer may have looked like in stunning detail.
Researchers and artists created the reconstruction using the woman's skeleton, DNA and other scientific data.
The Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) hunter-gatherer, known as "Margaux woman," lived around 10,500 years ago in what is now Belgium.
Researchers have found that she likely had blue or light-colored eyes, with a skin complexion that's slightly lighter than most other known Western Europeans from her time.
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A 'Golden Handle' will appear on the moon tonight. Here's how to see it
July 5, 2025
Saturday night presents a perfect opportunity to spot a "Golden Handle" shining brightly on the moon's surface. It is a fleeting sight that appears when sunlight catches the peaks of a mountain range on the moon.
On July 5, the moon's terminator, the line that separates lunar night from day, falls slightly to the west of the great circular plain Sinus Iridum (Latin for the 'Bay of Rainbows') in the northwest region of the lunar surface.
At this time the sun is perfectly positioned to illuminate the eastern peaks of the vast Montes Jura mountain range bordering Sinus Iridum's northernmost edge, giving rise to a spectacular golden arc that has since become known as the "Golden Handle".
To find the Golden Handle, look for the waxing gibbous moon hanging above the southern horizon as the sun sets on June 5, shining among the stars of the constellation Libra.
Then find the Montes Jura mountain range close to the terminator, above the dark expanse of Mare Imbrium (the Sea of Showers) — a colossal lunar plain formed from solidified lava flows.
There you will see a crescent-shaped curve near the terminator — the Golden Handle.
A pair of 15x70 binoculars mounted on a tripod will help reveal the sweeping profile of the Golden Handle, while a telescope with an aperture of 6 inches or greater will give you a more detailed view of Montes Jura and the nearby Bianchini Crater.
While you're exploring the moon, be sure to swing your scope over to Copernicus Crater. At about 57 miles (93 kilometers) wide, it makes for a striking lunar target.
On July 5, the low angle of the sun will cast prominent shadows along the eastern rim of the impact crater, while highlighting reflective debris streaks known as ejecta rays that were cast out during its creation some 800 million years ago.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/a-golden-handle-will-appear-on-the-moon-tonight-heres-how-to-see-it
Rare snowfall in Atacama Desert forces the world's most powerful radio telescope into 'survival mode'
July 5, 2025
A rare snowfall in the driest place on Earth has halted operations of one of the world's premier telescope arrays, and climate change may mean the observatory will face more extreme weather events like this in the future.
The snow has blanketed part of the Atacama Desert, which gets less than an inch of rainfall per year and is home to home the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a large network of radio telescopes in northern Chile.
The snowfall occurred over ALMA's Operations Support Facility, located at an altitude of 9,500 feet (2,900 meters) and about 1,050 miles (1,700 kilometers) north of Santiago. Scientific operations have been suspended since Thursday (June 26).
"There hasn't been a record of snowfall at the base camp for over 10 years. It doesn't snow every day at ALMA!" ALMA representatives told Live Science via WhatsApp.
ALMA's radio telescope array is perched high on the Chajnantor Plateau — a desert plain at 16,800 feet (5,104 m) in Chile's Antofagasta region — typically sees three snowfalls a year.
The high plateau shared by Chile, Bolivia and Peru typically experiences snowstorms during two seasons: in February, during the "Altiplanic Winter," driven by moist air masses from the Amazon; and from June to July, during the Southern Hemisphere's winter, said Raúl Cordero, a climatologist at the University of Santiago.
"In winter, some storms are fueled by moisture from the Pacific, which can extend precipitation even to the Atacama Desert's coastal areas," Cordero told Live Science.
At elevations above 16,400 feet (5,000 m), annual snowfall ranges from 8 to 31 inches (20 to 80 centimeters).
However, snowfall at 3,000 meters (9,840 feet), where ALMA's base camp is located, "is much less frequent," Cordero noted.
This week's snowfall was triggered by unusual atmospheric instability affecting northern Chile. The Chilean Meteorological Directorate issued a snow and wind alert due to the passage of a "cold core" through the region, said meteorologist Elio Brufort.
"We issued a wind alert for the Antofagasta region and areas further north, with gusts reaching 80 to 100 km/h [50-62 mph]," Brufort said to the local press.
The phenomenon was accompanied by heavy rainfall that occurred farther north, causing a stream to swell and damage several properties. Schools were ordered to close, and power outages and landslides were reported.
So far, no casualties have been reported. A weather event of this magnitude has not been seen in nearly a decade.
Extreme conditions paralyze ALMA
As of Friday, ALMA reported to Live Science that the snowstorm remained active over the Chajnantor Plateau, so scientific operations continued to be suspended to protect the antennas from extreme weather conditions.
Early Thursday morning, the observatory activated its "survival mode" safety protocol: In addition to the snowfall, temperatures had plummeted to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 12 degrees Celsius) — with a wind chill of minus 18 F (minus 28 C) — making work at the high-altitude camp extremely difficult.
As part of this protocol, all of ALMA's large antennae have been reoriented downwind, helping to minimize potential damage from snow buildup or strong gusts.
"Once the storm passes, snow-clearing teams are immediately activated to visually inspect each antenna before resuming observations," ALMA representatives said.
"This has to happen fast, as some of the best observing conditions occur just after a snowfall: the cold helps lower air humidity, which is what most interferes with our measurements."
ALMA, which consists of 66 high-precision antennae spread across the Chajnantor Plateau, is an international collaboration that forms the most powerful radio telescope on the planet — and one designed to handle extreme weather events like this.
The fact that the snow halted operations raises questions about the array's operations as the climate warms.
The Atacama Desert typically receives only 0.04 to 0.6 inch (1 to 15 millimeters)of precipitation per year, and many areas can go years without recording any measurable rain or snow.
Could events like this become more frequent? "That's a good question," Cordero replied. While it's still too early to link lower-altitude snowfalls in the desert directly to climate change, "climate models predict a potential increase in precipitation even in this hyper-arid region," he concluded.
"We still can't say with certainty whether that increase is already underway."
https://www.space.com/astronomy/rare-snowfall-in-atacama-desert-forces-the-worlds-most-powerful-radio-telescope-into-survival-mode
'Humanity’s time is over!’ Apple TV+ drops release date and intense first teaser for 'Invasion' Season 3
July 5, 2025
Bolstered by a haunting original sci-fi score by Max Richter and unnerving visual effects by industry veteran Erik Henry ("Black Sails," "Watchmen," "Alien: Resurrection"), Apple TV+'s gripping alien infiltration series, "Invasion," returns for a third season this summer and we've got a first teaser to share with more glimpses of those frightening black hunter-killer creatures.
It’s been two years since "Invasion's" sophomore outing back in 2023 and its international ensemble cast is still trying to survive a horrific extraterrestrial holocaust with legions of shape-shifting menaces extending their tendrils.
Created by and executive produced by Academy Award-nominated and two-time Emmy Award-nominated filmmaker Simon Kinberg ("Deadpool," "X-Men: Days of Future Past") and David Weil ("Hunters"), "Invasion" Season 3 descends on Earth for its 10-episode global return starting Friday, August 22 exclusively on Apple TV+, with new episodes each Friday until October 24.
Per the official Season 3 synopsis, the show's prime characters are now united to form an incursion unit on a critical mission to penetrate the looming alien mothership.
The deadly apex aliens have finally revealed themselves, rapidly spreading their deadly spikes across the planet.
It will require all our heroes working together, delivering all their experiences and expertise, if there's a sliver of hope to save humanity.
As fresh bonds are formed, past relationships are challenged and even fractured, as our international cast of survivors must become a team before certain doom.
"Invasion" Season 3 features returning cast members Golshifteh Farahani, Shioli Kutsuna, Shamier Anderson, India Brown, Shane Zaza, Enver Gjokaj, and presents new series regular Erika Alexander.
Kinberg and Weil share executive producing duties in collaboration with Audrey Chon, David Witz, Alik Sakharov, Dan Dietz, Katie O’Connell Marsh and Nick Nantell.
https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/humanitys-time-is-over-apple-tv-drops-release-date-and-intense-first-teaser-for-invasion-season-3
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9737326/
Civilians killed in strikes on Donetsk with US-made weapons
4 Jul, 2025 21:24
The Ukrainian military struck the city of Donetsk with a US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launcher on Friday, killing at least four civilians and injuring four more, according to the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Denis Pushilin.
The rockets were equipped with shrapnel munitions, he added. Two women and two men died in the strike, Pushilin said. Another woman was severely injured and three others sustained moderate injuries, he added.
The victims were driving down a local road, RT’s Viktor Miroshnik reported from the scene. RT also obtained footage showing the immediate aftermath of the strike.
The video shows a road littered with debris and missile fragments, with several damaged buildings, fences and trees nearby.
A passenger vehicle is seen on the side of the road, with its windshield visibly damaged by what appear to be several small fragments of the projectiles. The bodies of the victims are seen lying near the car.
Kiev’s forces have regularly launched attacks in Donbass and other Russian regions bordering Ukraine. On Monday, one person was killed and three more injured in a series of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks on the DPR.
Civilian killed in Ukrainian attack on Donetsk – governor (VIDEOS)READ MORE: Civilian killed in Ukrainian attack on Donetsk – governor (VIDEOS)
Monday’s attack caused fires and significant damage to civilian infrastructure, including a market, the central department store, and a bank, according to the region’s head.
Last month, the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Kiev of deliberately committing atrocities against civilians in Donbass, including mass killings of the elderly and drone strikes on residential homes.
“It is a deliberate policy that has already been elevated to the level of state doctrine,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at the time.
The DPR and its sister republic, the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), declared independence following the Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2014.
After years of refusal by Ukraine to implement the Minsk Agreements and Kiev’s continued shelling of civilian areas in the breakaway regions, Russia launched its military operation on February 24, 2022.
In autumn 2022, the two republics, along with Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions, officially joined Russia following a series of referendums.
https://www.rt.com/russia/621020-civilians-killed-ukrainian-strike-donetsk/
Over 100 Ukrainian drones downed in Russia – MOD
5 Jul, 2025 10:07
Russian air defenses intercepted more than 100 Ukrainian drones between late Friday night and Saturday morning, according to the Defense Ministry in Moscow. However, regional officials reported damage to several residential buildings.
In a statement on Saturday, the ministry said 94 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and destroyed overnight, mostly over Voronezh, Bryansk, Belgorod, Saratov, and Novgorod Regions.
The ministry later added that another 12 drones were destroyed between 6:00am and 8:00am on Saturday, mostly over Bryansk and Ryazan Regions, and also over Oryol and Novgorod Regions.
According to Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, the Russian capital was attacked by two drones, which were intercepted on their approach. He added that emergency services had been dispatched to the area where the debris fell.
In the Chuvash Republic in central Russia, regional head Oleg Nikolaev reported two drone strikes that inflicted no casualties.
According to Nikolaev, one drone landed on the roof of an unused building at an electrotechnical plant, which had already suspended operations after a June strike, while the other damaged a warehouse under construction.
Saratov Region Governor Roman Busargin said drone attacks caused damage to residential buildings in the cities of Engels and Saratov, but noted, citing preliminary data, that there were no casualties.
In Voronezh Region, Governor Alexandr Gusev said that more than 25 drones had been neutralized by air defense and electronic warfare systems.
“There were no reports of casualties,” Gusev stated on Telegram, adding that in one municipality, falling debris from the drones caused a power line to break, which was promptly repaired, and damaged the roof of a private house and garage.
Ukraine has for months been launching drone raids into Russia, with many strikes targeting residential buildings, critical infrastructure, and energy facilities. Moscow has characterized the raids as “terrorism.”
A separate Ukrainian drone strike on Friday killed an elderly woman in Russia’s Rostov Region, while another attack damaged a power station in the city of Sergiyev-Posad, northeast of Moscow.
https://www.rt.com/russia/621028-over-100-ukrainian-drones-downed-russia/
https://t.me/astrapress/85652
OTUS Project Drone Missing in Urbana Area
July 5, 2025 @ 11:02 am
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Search for a missing drone continues anyone with information on the whereabouts of this drone should contact the owner John Francis at 701-353-5489.
Francis said on Friday, June 20th, a group of researchers, The OTUS Project, deployed a drone into the wedge of a tornado east of Spiritwood, North Dakota to gather data on the formation and internal forces of the tornado.
He said they successfully flew the drone through the tornado multiple times but unfortunately, the drone lost contact with its controller shortly before the tornado crossed 97th Ave SE and hit the Hovda house.
We’ve been searching an area north northwest of Urbana where contact was lost but have not been able to turn anything up.
Francis said they have provided a map of likely areas where this drone may have landed but it’s a pretty large area and all private land.
He said this drone contains invaluable data on this tornado and being able to recover it could help save lives in the future.
The goal is to get this message out to as many people as possible in the chance that someone may come across it. He said we have maps, telemetry, imagery, and video which may be used.
If you spot this drone please call John Francis at 701-353-5489 or email him at – jmsaerialphotography@gmail.com
https://www.newsdakota.com/2025/07/05/otus-project-drone-missing-in-urbana-area/
https://www.theotusproject.com/
Ukraine signs deals with U.S., Denmark to boost joint weapons and drone production – Zelensky
05.07.2025 18:42
Ukraine and its partners are scaling up the production of long-range weapons and interceptor drones.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this via Telegram, according to Ukrinform.
“There must – and there definitely will – be more protection for life. We are scaling up joint arms production with our partners: long-range weapons to reduce Russia’s appetite for killing, and interceptor drones to protect our people.
This week, we reached an agreement with an American company to produce drones, and another agreement was concluded with Denmark on the first coproduction of weapons for Ukraine abroad,” Zelensky informed.
The President thanked all partners who support Ukraine’s defense-industrial complex and strengthens their own defense capabilities.
As previously reported, on June 17, during the G7 Summit in Canada, Zelensky stated that Ukraine is working on the development of interceptor drones to counter Shahed UAVs and called on international partners to provide funding for the project.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-defense/4011904-ukraine-signs-deals-with-us-denmark-to-boost-joint-weapons-and-drone-production-zelensky.html
'Nothing but terror and murder' — Russia pounds Kyiv with record overnight drone, missile attack, 2 dead, 26 injured
Updated: July 5, 2025 2:46 pm
Explosions rocked the city of Kyiv for more than seven hours overnight on July 4, as Russia launched a record missile and drone attack targeting the capital and other cities across Ukraine.
At least two people were killed, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. The State Emergency Service reported that 26 others were injured
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, confirmed on July 4 that a body had been recovered during rescue operations.
The following day, Klitschko said that a 25-year-old man who had been hospitalized in serious condition also died.
"Today’s attack was like the worst nightmare come to life," Kyiv resident Olha Vershynina told the Kyiv Independent at the site of damaged residential buildings in the capital's Solomianskyi district.
"Because when the strike happened, the lights went out and glass came crashing down on my head. "It was terrifying. Our entire building was shaking."
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia launched a record 550 drones and missiles during the seven-hour barrage.
Kyiv Independent journalists on the ground heard multiple rounds of explosions in the city beginning around 8 p.m. local time on July 3 and continuing into the early hours of July 4
The attack damaged apartment buildings, businesses, a school, a medical facility, railway lines, and other civilian infrastructure in multiple districts. Fires blazed across the city, making the air dangerous to breathe.
Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, warned residents to close their windows due to dangerous levels of "combustion products" in the air.
"Russia, a terrorist country, has wreaked havoc," Tkachenko wrote on Telegram. "The Russians bring nothing but terror and murder. That is a fact."
Liliia Kuzmenko, 23-years-old and eight months pregnant, moved to Kyiv a month ago with her husband from the embattled city of Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast.
"The kind of explosions I heard here were unlike anything I heard in Pokrovsk. It’s just beyond words," she told the Kyiv Independent.
"Fortunately, everything in our apartment is intact. But in others, the windows were blown out, and everything fell apart." "Russia is once again demonstrating that it is not going to end the war and terror."
Ukraine's Air Force reported that Russia had launched a ballistic missile towards Kyiv at around 12:30 a.m, and then additional missiles around 2:30 a.m.
"This time was truly terrifying.," Maria Maznichenko, a pensioner who lives in Kyiv's Solomianskyi district.
"The explosions kept coming. Shaheds drones were flying in every minute, like a swarm of bees — one after another. It was very frightening."
https://kyivindependent.com/kyiv-under-attack-as-russia-launches-waves-of-drones-on-ukraine-06-2025/
Drone threat reportedly causes mass flight delays in Russia's Moscow, St. Petersburg airports
July 5, 2025 2:08 pm
Russia's largest airports experienced hours-long flight delays and cancellations on July 5, as authorities imposed temporary restrictions due to a reported threat of Ukrainian drone attacks, the pro-Kremlin Telegram channel Shot reported.
Ukraine hasn't commented on the report. Kyiv's drone campaign, which has increasingly disrupted civilian air travel in Russia, is part of Ukraine's broader strategy to undermine Russia's logistics far beyond the front line.
Some passengers in Russia reported waiting more than 10 hours on July 5 as their flights were being delayed, according to Shot.
Departures at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport were halted for several hours, delaying over 20 flights. At St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport, roughly 50 flights were delayed and more than 20 canceled.
Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko said that two drones were shot down south of St. Petersburg, prompting a temporary suspension of operations at Pulkovo Airport.
The disruptions followed a wave of Ukrainian drone attacks overnight, which targeted military and industrial infrastructure in at least six Russian regions.
The Russian Defense Ministry said it intercepted 42 drones within three hours, mainly over the Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk oblasts near the Ukrainian border.
Novaya Gazeta Europe reported in May that at least 217 temporary airport closures have occurred across Russia since Jan. 1 due to drone threats, more than in 2023 and 2024 combined.
A similar wave of strikes ahead of Russia's Victory Day in May led to massive delays, affecting an estimated 60,000 travelers.
https://kyivindependent.com/drone-threat-reportedly-causes-mass-flight-delays-in-russias-moscow-st-petersburg-airports-06-2025/
Russian Shahed drone hits Kharkiv, explosives detonated for up to 20 hours
Ukraine, Sat, July 05, 2025 - 14:00
Russian forces struck Kharkiv region on July 4 with a Shahed drone carrying fragmentation-type explosive elements.
The munitions continued to detonate for several hours after the attack, according to the Interregional Humanitarian Demining and Rapid Response Center on Facebook.
"The disposal of the explosive elements was complicated by the fact that they begin to detonate on their own, one after another, 2 to 6 hours after being dropped.
The last fragmentation element exploded 20 hours later," the statement said.
During operations to detect these explosive elements, sappers conducted aerial reconnaissance using a drone.
During the reconnaissance operation, sappers also discovered a second warhead that had not detonated and destroyed it through a controlled explosion.
Russian drone attacks
Earlier, reports circulated online suggesting that Russia is allegedly preparing to significantly intensify drone attacks on Ukraine, launching up to a thousand drones in a single night.
This information was commented on by Yurii Ihnat, head of the Communications Directorate of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"People shouldn’t be overly frightened. Of course, we must prepare for an increase (in the number of drones), because there is such a trend," Ihnat said.
According to the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR), Russia possesses thousands of Shahed-136 strike drones and thousands of their decoys.
However, it can launch a maximum of up to 500 drones per day.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/allegedly-due-to-drones-russia-reports-massive-1751711460.html
Trump evokes Russia sanctions after largest drone assault on Ukraine
Updated / Saturday, 5 Jul 2025 14:57
US President Donald Trump said Russia just wanted to "keep killing people" and hinted at sanctions after Moscow launched its largest ever drone and missile attack on Ukraine.
Mr Trump said he was "very unhappy" about his telephone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying: "He wants to go all the way, just keep killing people, it's no good".
The US president said he and Mr Putin talked about sanctions "a lot". "He understands that it may be coming," he added.
Largest ever drone attack overnight
Hours-long Russian bombardments sent Ukrainians scurrying for shelters across the country, which came after the call between Mr Trump and Mr Putin, which ended without a breakthrough.
Drones were heard buzzing over the capital and explosions rang out throughout the night as Ukrainian air defence systems fended off the attack.
Tymur, a Kyiv resident who said he had experienced previous Russian attacks said the assault in the early hours yesterday felt different from others.
"Nothing like this attack had ever happened before. There have never been so many explosions," he said.
UN condemns drone attacks on Ukraine
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned Russia's biggest drone and missile attack yet in the three-year war in Ukraine.
"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the latest series of large-scale drone and missile attacks by the Russian Federation," Mr Guterres said in a statement.
He also called for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
Increased military aid for Ukraine
Mr Zelensky also spoke to Mr Trump yesterday and said they agreed to work on bolstering Kyiv's defences.
"We spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies," Mr Zelensky said on social media after the call.
Mr Trump said yesterday that he had discussed sanctions with Mr Putin, who he said is worried about them and understands they might be forthcoming.
Mr Trump also told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had discussed the possibility of sending Patriot air defense missiles to Kyiv.
It comes after the US announced this week it was reducing some of its aid deliveries to Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this was a clear signal that the 27-nation European Union needed to "step up".
Ukraine has also ramped up its retaliatory strikes in Russia, where a woman was killed by a Ukrainian drone attack overnight, the acting governor of the Rostov region said.
Talks, spearheaded by the United States to secure a ceasefire have stalled.
Delegations from the two sides last met more than a month ago, when they agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each.
Russia announced a fresh swap of prisoners of war with Ukraine yesterday as part of that agreement
https://www.rte.ie/news/ukraine/2025/0705/1522018-ukraine-russia/
Saab showcases next-generation counter-drone capabilities in Gotland demonstration
July 5, 2025
On June 25, Swedish defence company Saab took part in a high-profile demonstration at the Tofta Firing Range on Gotland, Sweden, highlighting its advanced counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) technology.
The event was organised by the Swedish Armed Forces and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration and welcomed senior figures from across the defence sector.
The showcased solution, likened to the Swedish system ‘Loke’, is modular, adaptable and developed to tackle the increasing threat from drones.
Designed for mobility and rapid deployment, the system was demonstrated largely by conscripts, underlining its ease of use and operational flexibility.
With drones becoming faster, more affordable and tactically effective, the need for effective countermeasures has intensified.
Recent incidents, such as Ukraine’s UAV strikes on Russian air bases, have demonstrated how disruptive these small, low-flying systems can be to conventional defences.
Traditional air defence systems often struggle to detect and neutralise small, agile drones, especially when operating in swarms or at low altitude.
Saab’s solution addresses this challenge with a mobile and modular approach, suitable for both frontline and domestic defence scenarios.
The Gotland demonstration—referred to as ‘Gute’ by the Swedish Armed Forces—presented a complete C-UAS kill chain.
The system combined the Giraffe 1X radar for detection and classification, a SHORAD command and control platform for decision-making, and kinetic response through the Trackfire ARES and BAE Tridon MK2 weapon stations.
This integrated configuration leverages military off-the-shelf (MOTS) components, ensuring high reliability and fast deployment.
According to Saab, these elements have already been tested in operational environments, reinforcing their readiness for real-world defence applications.
During the live scenarios, the Giraffe 1X radar identified and classified hostile aerial objects using its ‘Drone Tracker’ function.
The information was transmitted to the SHORAD system, which coordinated a successful neutralisation through the system’s effectors.
In line with customer requirements, the systems were mounted on mobile platforms, enabling swift movement to changing threat zones.
Saab highlighted the flexibility of the solution, noting that additional effectors can be integrated to match specific mission needs.
The radar and remote weapon station were installed on the new 4×4 Sisu GPT vehicle, while the Tridon MK2 system was mounted on a Scania flatbed truck.
This setup underscores the C-UAS’s adaptability to a wide range of deployment conditions.
“The successful demonstration validated the C-UAS’s readiness to integrate multiple platforms into this system-of-systems solution,” Saab stated.
Attending stakeholders were able to observe the system’s full operational cycle, gaining direct insight into the capability’s effectiveness and future utility.
https://defence-industry.eu/saab-showcases-next-generation-counter-drone-capabilities-in-gotland-demonstration/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkin7YwLW5s
Israeli drone attacks in southern Lebanon kill one, injure several people
5 Jul 2025
Israel has carried out four drone attacks on towns in southern Lebanon, resulting in a death and several injured, in the latest wave of near-daily Israeli violations of the November ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah.
An “Israeli enemy drone attack on a vehicle” in the Saf al-Hawa area in the city of Bint Jbeil “killed one person and wounded two others”, Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health said in a statement on Saturday carried by the official National News Agency (NNA), noting the toll was expected to rise.
A second attack in the Bint Jbeil area followed.
Earlier Saturday, the ministry also reported that a separate Israeli drone attack wounded one person in Shebaa, with the NNA saying that raid hit a house.
Shebaa is located across two steep, rocky mountainsides that straddle Lebanon’s borders with Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Israel also launched a drone attack on the town of Chaqra, in the Bint Jbeil District. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said two people were wounded in the attack.
Israel has kept up its bombardment of Lebanon on a near daily basis, despite a November 27 US-brokered ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah, including an intensive period of the war that left the Iran-aligned group severely weakened.
Israel says its air raids are targeting officials and facilities of Hezbollah and other groups. Hezbollah has claimed only one strike fired across the border since the ceasefire.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/5/israeli-drone-attacks-in-southern-lebanon-kill-one-injure-several-people
https://twitter.com/cedar_news/status/1941419646013583453
Unknown Drones Attack Engels Airbase
July 5, 2025 11:46
A recently published video from the outlet Astra shows unidentified strike drones targeting Russia’s strategic aviation base in Engels.
These drones appear to be a new type, with a design distinct from the well-known Liutyi kamikaze drones that frequently show up in footage recorded by Russians during long-range attacks.
The drone features a straight-wing design with V-shaped tail fins. Close-up photos suggest that the power unit is likely located in the nose section, while the landing gear appears to be fixed and non-retractable.
According to monitoring resources and NASA’s FIRMS satellite system for detecting fires, no fire outbreaks have been recorded at the airbase as of this time.
It’s worth noting that the airbase was recently targeted by strike drones, which hit the fuel storage facilities of the Rosreserve’s Kristall plant in Engels, which stores jet fuel for Russia’s strategic aviation.
This fuel storage base supplies the nearby Engels-2 military airbase, from which Russian Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers take off to carry out missile strikes on Ukrainian territory.
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/unknown-drones-attack-engels-airbase/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccfxYxfzumc
Trump briefed on Nordic ETs – Gog & Magog War & Space Arks Activations
July 5, 2025
Exopolitics Today – Week in Review
Topics
US Congressman Eric Burlison discusses the Buga UFO orb case, a Japanese Congressional UFO initiative, and how it’s currently an uphill battle to get UFOs discussed in the US Congress. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1938992170695799197
Mars Colonies since 1964, AI, American Pope & Israel Iran War – Gene Decode Update. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1939650201834119264
Congressman Eric Burlinson was told by David Grusch that President Trump was briefed about Nordic extraterrestrials during his first term of office. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1939492392781955214
It would be great to have David Grusch and Emery Smith get together to discuss the non-human biologics that were recovered at more than 10 UFO crash retrieval sites in the US. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1939672050458595592
Some great UFO humor.https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1939675786769993729
Confirmation that there will be another attempt to incorporate a UAP Disclosure Act in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1939980359816364257
JP discusses some photos he took in 2017 of a cigar-shaped mothership that released small metallic orbs similar to the Buga Sphere found in Colombia.https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1940161322437447885
JP releases video of a UFO flying over his house and immediately after felt chest pains and had to seek medical assistance. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1940170745302130827
Claim that ancient space arks have not fallen into the wrong hands sparks controversy. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1940379402098909346
Did President Trump Stop the Gog and Magog End Times War? https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1940733039312884067
Third interstellar object, after Oumuamua and Borisov, enters our solar system. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1940754395744117117
Intimidating children not to reveal UFO crash retrieval operations. https://x.com/JasonTSands/status/1940913947840074156
Dr Salla interviewed by Dr. Andrea Martin and Michele Porto Freire discussing exopolitics, decreasing prospects for official disclosure, and the Galactic Federation of Worlds. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1940957289898213705
Are Alien MedBeds the Golden Cure to Disease & Aging? – Get Early Access on Patreon https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1941094165485658270
Now on Vimeo – Dilemma of a Star Trek Future webinar https://www.crowdcast.io/c/dilemmastartrekfuture
Next Exopolitics Monthly Briefing on July 19 https://www.crowdcast.io/c/exomonhlybriefingjuly2025
https://exopolitics.org/trump-briefed-on-nordic-ets-gog-magog-war-space-arks-activations/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciLEQ26tWRY
extra
Did President Trump Stop the Gog and Magog End Times War? July 3, 2025 - https://exopolitics.org/did-president-trump-stop-the-gog-and-magog-end-times-war/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H4_2sGM7xg
<US Congressman Eric Burlison discusses the Buga UFO orb case, a Japanese Congressional UFO initiative, and how it’s currently an uphill battle to get UFOs discussed in the US Congress
Holden Culotta
@Holden_Culotta
A Congressman just revealed that the CIA briefed Trump on 4 alien species—Grays, Nordics, Mantids, and Reptilians.
The Nordics are cross-breeding with humans.
The Grays are “thousands of years” more advanced than us—and we reverse engineered their tech.
Allegedly.
🧵THREAD
11:23 AM · Jul 1, 2025
https://x.com/Holden_Culotta/status/1940114131111055379
https://www.youtube.com/live/MP_J8lgb6xk (Rep Eric Burlison on UFOs, Aliens, Cataclysms, Grusch Jun 27, 2025)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5JIsv_FGR4 (NEW Alien Bodies and UFO Reveals Dropped By Eric Burlison Jul 2, 2025)
Shuldve been
<Congressman Eric Burlinson was told by David Grusch that President Trump was briefed about Nordic extraterrestrials during his first term of office.
3I/Atlas: Interstellar comet or alien spacecraft approaching Earth
Jul 4, 2025
In this episode of Interstellar with Jaime Maussan, we explore the mystery of 3I/Atlas, an interstellar object approaching Earth. 🔭
Through stunning space images and interviews with expert astronomers, this program analyzes the trajectory, composition, and oddities of this cosmic visitor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIlGxreMCJ0
Why NASA Never Went Back to the Moon — The Real Reason
Jul 3, 2025
Coast to Coast AM - NASA insider exposes shocking alien structures on the Moon—photos they tried to destroy.
Ken Johnston breaks decades of silence, revealing the domes, UFOs, and secret ET pacts buried by Apollo-era cover-ups.
Discover what “Never A Straight Answer” really means.
00:00 NASA’s Civilian Astronaut Speaks Out
03:15 Saving the Apollo Moon Images From Destruction
06:40 Alien Bases, Domes, and Roads on the Moon
10:22 The Airbrushing Scandal Inside NASA
13:00 The Hollow Moon: Evidence It Rang Like a Bell
16:05 Who Built the Moon Structures?
19:00 Secret ET Agreements: Eisenhower and the Grays
21:35 Whistleblower Pressure, Suppression, and Threats
25:10 UFOs, Blue Ships, and Apollo Tracking Footage
28:00 Final Warning: “You Are Not Ready”
30:00 The Year of Full Disclosure?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcIW7zrDLsA
In Historic Move, Three UAP Organizations Combine into One Policy, Legal, and Grassroots Powerhouse
July 2, 2025
Three leading civil society organizations dedicated to advancing greater understanding of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) announced today their historic combination.
The UAP Disclosure Fund, Disclosure Advocacy Group, and UAP Caucus will now engage on a united front with the public, academia, Federal, state, and local governments, and the private sector to foster transparency, shape policy, and champion scientific inquiry with respect to UAP.
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The UAP Disclosure Fund is the preeminent civil society organization supporting UAP legislation, conducting scholarship, and working with Congress, the Executive Branch, scientists, and national security experts in the interest of transparency.
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The Disclosure Advocacy Group comprises multidisciplinary teams of talented attorneys that, among other engagements, represent whistleblowers, draft proposed legislation, and pursue requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
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UAP Caucus is an online, technology-forward grassroots advocacy platform empowering a broad-based political constituency around the critical need for UAP transparency.
The combined effort will continue under the names of the UAP Disclosure Fund (UAPDF), a 501(c)(3) public charity, and the UAP Disclosure Action Fund, its political arm, which is a 501(c)(4) private foundation.
Jordan Flowers, Executive Director of UAPDF, welcomed the transformative combination and the unity of effort it signifies: “We’re excited to scale up our impact by joining forces with the Disclosure Advocacy Group and UAP Caucus.
With this first-of-its-kind merger of efforts in the UAP space, we have assembled an accomplished team of specialized professionals dedicated to what may be the most important issue of our time.
The transaction will augment our ability to engage at all levels of government–as well as in court if necessary–and expand our reach to new audiences inspired by the call for greater transparency.”
Hunt Willis, formerly Executive Director of the Disclosure Advocacy Group, was named the Chief Counsel of the combined organization. “Our attorneys could not be more excited about this collaboration.”
Hunt stated, “We have long understood that it will take a professional, comprehensive, and cross-disciplinary approach to bring about meaningful change.
This new organization will be well-positioned as a thought and policy leader on disclosure, and we are eager to get to work.”
The Founder of UAP Caucus, Lester Nare, emphasized the unique nature of the combination. “The UAP community has been fractured for too long.
Disjointed efforts, misaligned advocacy, and whistleblowers not knowing where to turn for help has thwarted progress. That’s going to change.”
https://uapdisclosurefund.org/blog/in-historic-move-three-uap-organizations-combine-into-one-policy-legal-and-grassroots-powerhouse
https://x.com/UAPDF/status/1940528755661066565
https://newparadigminstitute.org/
https://x.com/NewParadigmInst
https://x.com/UAPDAG
https://www.uapcaucus.com/
https://x.com/uapcaucus
Researchers Spot Alien Gas Streams Entering Nearby Galaxy
July 5, 2025
Unusually fast-moving gas clouds near a nearby galaxy suggest they may have come from outside the galaxy.
Scientists have identified high-velocity gas clouds in the nearby spiral galaxy M83, moving at speeds that differ markedly from the galaxy’s normal rotational motion. These unusual velocities suggest that the clouds may have originated from beyond the galaxy itself.
The discovery provides valuable clues about how galaxies might gather external gas to maintain star formation over extremely long timescales. It also offers potential insight into the evolutionary history and future of galaxies like our own Milky Way.
Maki Nagata, a graduate student and astronomer at the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Astronomy, and her colleagues set out to address a fundamental question in astronomy: “How do galaxies manage to sustain star formation for billions of years?”
The question arises because, based on estimates, galaxies like the Milky Way should exhaust their star-forming material in about a billion years. Yet star formation continues.
This led the team to hypothesize that galaxies must be receiving a steady supply of external matter, prompting them to search for its source.
High-velocity clouds may originate beyond galaxies
“Gas clouds are a common feature of galaxies. Some are classed as high-velocity clouds (HVCs) and we suspected these might account for some of this galactic feeding material,” said Nagata.
“What makes HVCs special is that their speed and direction don’t correspond to the general speed of rotation or the orientation of a typical spiral galaxy.
This alone doesn’t necessarily mean they come from outside the host galaxy, though one scenario is that they start as material ejected by supernova, exploding stars.
But we thought with the right analysis and reasoning, we could tell if at least some HVCs were from outside the galaxy.”
One of the main challenges in the study was detecting and confirming the presence of multiple gas clouds, including high-velocity clouds (HVCs).
The researchers had to adjust their detection methods with precision, ensuring that true signals could be separated from background noise without overlooking real cloud features.
HVCs were identified as clouds moving at least 50 kilometers per second faster or slower than the galaxy’s rotating disk.
Out of the 10 clouds that fit this definition, only one aligned with a known supernova remnant. The other nine showed no connection to supernova activity or similar internal sources.
Moreover, their kinetic energies were higher than what would be expected from supernova-driven gas, suggesting these clouds likely originated outside the galaxy and are now falling into it.
Implications for galaxy growth and evolution
“Our results show that galaxies are not isolated but constantly interact with their surroundings.
The discovery of HVCs falling into M83 suggests that galaxies can grow by accreting gas from the space around them, possibly from smaller neighboring galaxies or the intergalactic medium,” said Nagata.
“While HVCs are typically low-density atomic hydrogen gas, something that surprised us in this study was that the clouds were found to be compact and made of dense molecular gas, exactly the type of gas that forms new stars.
This suggests that the inflowing material may be directly connected to future star formation.”
As M83 is similar to the Milky Way, studying how HVCs influence star formation could tell us about our own distant past or far future.
However, although HVCs were first discovered in the Milky Way, it’s hard to measure key properties about them for long-term projections, such as their distances, masses, and motions.
This is because we are inside our own galaxy; hence, why a nearby galaxy was chosen instead.
“Our next steps include investigating how these molecular HVCs formed and whether they were once atomic gas,” said Nagata. “By examining their relationship to other gas structures, such as neutral atomic hydrogen.
We will also explore whether these inflowing clouds could trigger new star formation when they collide with the galaxy’s disk. This would finally help answer the outstanding question we asked ourselves before.”
https://scitechdaily.com/researchers-spot-alien-gas-streams-entering-nearby-galaxy/
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/addab7