TYB
Who's a good robot dog? Bert and Spot explore Mars-like surface with help from AI and astronaut in space
August 8, 2025
Two four-legged robots recently explored a practice Mars yard, with a little help from an astronaut in space and several robot buddies.
The robot team, along with the "Neal AI" chatbot and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, worked together on tough tasks in a German site meant to simulate Mars terrain.
Kim took command of all four robots in July while orbiting Earth on the International Space Station (ISS).
He beamed commands to a German space agency (DLR) facility in Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, to see how well the team could solve problems on the go.
The experiment's result? Enthusiasm.
"We have now achieved all the technical requirements for controlling complex robotic missions on Mars — and for a future permanent lunar research station," Alin Albu-Schäffer, director of DLR's institute of robotics and mechatronics, said in a statement.
Germany is a signatory of NASA's Artemis Accords, which involve a group of space-faring nations interested in exploring the moon — and doing so under norms established by the U.S.
The moon has long been seen as an eventual stepping stone to Mars and, under the Trump administration, the Red Planet has come under even sharper focus.
Europe could be part of this picture as well. The DLR Surface Avatar experiment has been recruiting robots and astronauts since 2022.
July's excursion was the fourth and final in the series of exercises. Past ISS residents such as NASA astronaut Frank Rubio and Swedish project astronaut Marcus Wandt were among those controlling robots here on Earth.
Kim's work was even more difficult than that of his predecessors. For example, he had to help "rescue" Bert, who had a simulated leg injury: The experiment team deliberately jammed one of the robot's four legs.
"To find a stable gait for Bert with three legs, Jonny Kim conducted a 'training' session: he had the robot try out different gaits, and evaluated them, until Bert found a functioning three-legged strategy," DLR officials said in the statement.
Once Bert and Kim felt ready to keep going, the robot carried out its mission of exploring a series of Martian caves with mysterious drawings inside, which looked a little like the famed prehistoric art found in the Lascaux caves in France.
Given the tight quarters in the cave, Kim switched to manual control. "He could see what the robot was seeing through Bert's camera eyes, controlling it remotely using the joystick on the robot command terminal," DLR officials wrote.
Alongside Bert were three other robots that Kim could use together or separately, and with as much automation as he wished: DLR's four-legged Spot, the agency's humanoid robot "Rollin' Justin," and the Interact rover from the European Space Agency.
(Bert even rode on Interact in a transport basket, after Kim accomplished the world's first robot-to-robot transfer, according to DLR.)
Among the group, only Spot had never been used before in Surface Avatar. Neal AI, the chatbot, gave real-time support, answering Kim's questions during the excursion.
Despite being the rookie of the crew, Spot was a good robot. Following Kim's instructions, Spot found several "sample containers" in the facility and brought them to a transfer area, using a gripper arm.
Next, Rollin' Justin sent them to a Martian-like lander. The duo even piled up several "Martian" samples on their own, while Kim worked on other tasks.
"By involving an astronaut in microgravity and using relay satellites, we have overcome the technical hurdles involved in the remote control of robots," Thomas Krüger, team lead at ESA's human-robot interaction lab, said in the statement.
Kruger noted that the experiments could also be useful for Gateway, NASA's planned moon-orbiting space station that's designed to support crewed and robotic Artemis missions on the lunar surface.
Kim capped the excursion by shaking hands — from orbit — with Germany-bound Neal Lii, a DLR scientist and principal investigator of Surface Avatar. (In the release, DLR did not specify whether Neal AI took its name from the human Neal.)
Rollin' Justin gave Lii and Kim a literal hand, using force feedback "to convey the force and movement of the handshake to both experiment partners," DLR officials wrote of the "emotional" moment.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/mars-rovers/whos-a-good-robot-dog-bert-and-spot-explore-mars-like-surface-with-help-from-ai-and-astronaut-in-space
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NS1B3PAVjc
SpaceX signs deal to fly Italian experiments to Mars on Starship's 1st commercial Red Planet flights
August 7, 2025
SpaceX now has a customer for some of its first Mars missions.
Teodoro Valente, president of the Italian Space Agency (known by its Italian acronym ASI), announced today (Aug. 7) that the organization has signed a deal to fly experiments on the first commercial Mars flights of SpaceX's giant new Starship rocket.
"The payloads will include, among other things, a plant growth experiment, a meteorological monitoring station and a radiation sensor," ASI officials said in a statement today (in English; translation by Google).
"The goal is to collect scientific data during the approximately six-month interplanetary flight phase that Starship will undertake from Earth to Mars and subsequently to the Martian surface."
SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell celebrated the deal as well. "Get on board! We are going to Mars!
SpaceX is now offering Starship services to the Red Planet. We're excited to work with the Italian Space Agency on this first-of-its-kind agreement. More to come," she wrote in an X post today.
SpaceX is developing Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built — with Mars specifically in mind.
Company founder and CEO Elon Musk thinks the fully reusable vehicle is the breakthrough needed to make human settlement of the Red Planet feasible at long last.
But there's a lot of work to do before Starship is ready for its first Red Planet trip; after all, the huge, two-stage vehicle has not even reached Earth orbit yet.
Starship launched for the first time in April 2023 and has conducted eight more suborbital test flights since, all of them from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas.
During the three most recent liftoffs — which occurred in January, March and May of this year — SpaceX lost the vehicle's upper stage before it could make its planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX is currently gearing up for Flight 10 of Starship; that mission should launch sometime this month, Musk has said.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-signs-deal-to-fly-italian-experiments-to-mars-on-starships-1st-commercial-red-planet-flights
https://x.com/Valente_Teodoro/status/1953425959824052637
Jupiter and its 4 largest moons will line up in the sky on Aug. 8. Here's how to see the 'parade'
August 8, 2025
The predawn hours of Aug. 8 present a perfect opportunity to see Jupiter's four largest moons line up next to the "King of the Planets" as it voyages through the stars of the constellation Gemini.
Stargazers in the U.S. will see Jupiter rise above the eastern horizon roughly two hours before sunrise on Aug. 8, with Venus visible as a bright morning "star" less than 5 degrees to its upper right.
Observing the Jovian system with a pair of 8x42 binoculars will reveal the presence of Jupiter's four brightest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.
However, a small telescope — especially a Schmidt-Cassegrain or a Maksutov-Cassegrain — will help resolve greater detail on the gas giant's cloud surface, while providing a closer view of the orbiting worlds.
Jupiter's four largest natural satellites are collectively known as the Galilean moons, in honor of famed astronomer Galileo Galilei, who observed them in 1610.
The icy moon Europa will be lined up closest to Jupiter in the night sky on Aug. 8, with Io and Ganymede positioned beyond.
The most far-flung point of light represents the third-largest moon in our solar system, Callisto, which is thought to harbor a salty ocean beneath its alien surface.
NASA's Juno spacecraft has been taking a good look at Jupiter and its moons since it entered orbit around the gas giant in July 2016.
It has since captured a wealth of stunning imagery and scientific data that have enhanced our knowledge of the gigantic world and its satellites.
These efforts will be bolstered by the agency's Europa Clipper spacecraft and the European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission, both of which are due to rendezvous with the gas giant in the early 2030s.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/jupiter-and-its-4-largest-moons-will-line-up-in-the-sky-on-aug-8-heres-how-to-see-the-parade
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-retirement-benefits-transgender/
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1085133123748296
Air Force Reverses Offer of Early Retirement for Transgender Troops
Aug. 7, 2025
The Air Force invited transgender Airmen and Guardians with 15 to 18 years of service to apply for early retirement earlier this summer. The deal appeared to be compensation for the early end to their military service, brought on by a change in policy.
About a dozen members applied; but the Air Force’s acting personnel chief wrote in an Aug. 4 memo posted to the popular “Air Force amn/nco/snco” Facebook page that all applications had been rejected.
“After careful consideration of the individual applications, I am disapproving all Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA) exception to policy requests …
or members with 15-18 years of service,” wrote Brian Scarlett, the acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs.
An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the memo’s authenticity Aug. 7.
The temporary early retirement rules were developed during the 1990s drawdown, and have been used in the past to winnow the force or specific career fields. It was last used widely in 2013 to help manage budget cuts imposed by sequestration.
The dozen or so transgender members’ requests were initially approved, the Air Force spokesperson said, but Scarlett, the senior civilian overseeing department personnel matters reversed that decision.
An Air Force spokesperson did not provide an explanation for the reversal. The applicants may still opt to separate, in which case they would receive voluntary separation pay.
Members agreeing to separate voluntarily keep bonus pay earned prior to May 15; all remaining service obligations will be waived.
The difference between retiring and separating can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.
Under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon has determined that gender dysphoria or transition treatment is incompatible with military service.
Gender dysphoria is a psychiatric diagnosis that refers to the distress some individuals feel when their sex at birth is not aligned with their gender identity.
It can be treated through behavioral changes, such as dress and mannerisms, or through medical interventions, including hormone therapy or gender-transition surgery.
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Transgender troops have served openly since 2016, near the end of President Obama’s first term.
Following his election that year, President Donald Trump moved to bar transgender people from joining the service, but allowed those then serving to remain in uniform.
When President Joe Biden became president in 2021, he again allowed transgender recruits to join the military.
But since his second inauguration as President on Jan. 20, President Trump has pushed to reverse course again.
In February, a senior defense official said some 4,240 members serving in the military had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
About 1,000 members had received gender-transition surgery since 2014. It is unclear how many of those individuals are still serving.
Not all transgender troops are diagnosed with gender dysphoria, and only some who are choose to undergo surgery.
Before the most recent ban, openly transgender Airmen and Guardians served as aviators, weapons officers, and satellite operators, among other roles.
In May, the Pentagon announced a June 6 deadline for Active-duty transgender troops to self-identify and begin the voluntary separation process or risk involuntary separation later.
National Guard and Reserve members had until July 7. The services were then bound to start the separation process within 30 days after members identified themselves as transgender.
At the time, a senior Defense Department official promised those who chose to leave “a very significant voluntary separation pay, a covered permanent change of station move to their home of record” and an honorable discharge, provided that misconduct had not prompted the separation.
The official said troops who separate voluntarily will receive double the payment of those involuntarily separated. An E-5 with 10 years of service would receive $101,000 for voluntary separation versus $51,000 for involuntary separation.
In May, the Department of the Air Force said Airmen and Guardians who had served for 15 to 18 years could apply for early retirement. The Navy offered a similar option in June.
Pentagon guidance in May said officers separated because of the transgender ban are to receive the JDK separation program designator code, which indicates the service member could not be trusted with national security matters.
That would make it difficult to retain or obtain a security clearance, a requirement for many jobs in the national security and defense sector.
An Air Force spokesperson said they did not have numbers available for how many transgender Airmen and Guardians have retired or separated or asked to do so since Jan. 28.
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https://news.clearancejobs.com/2025/08/08/u-s-space-force-uniform-updates-signal-shift-in-guardian-identity/
U.S. Space Force Uniform Updates Signal Shift in Guardian Identity
Aug 8, 2025
The head of the United States Space Force is no longer wearing his “space wings” in his official portrait, as changes are underway in who can wear the distinctive Space Operations Badge.
Air & Space Forces magazine reported this week that Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman isn’t the only high-ranking official not to be donning the badge that was first introduced in 2004 as the new Air Force Space Badge (AFSB) before evolving into its current form.
Speaking at the AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies on Monday, Lt. Gen. DeAnna M. Burt, the Space Force’s chief operations officer, revealed that the badge had been worn by Space Force guardians, or U.S. Air Force airmen, before the creation of the U.S. Space Force in 2019, working space operations jobs.
In addition, it was worn by those flying or operating satellites in orbit.
The Space Operations Badge Explained
According to the official heraldry of the Space Operations Badge:
“The central globe represents the Earth as viewed from space, the Earth being the origin and control point for man’s space endeavors.
The global lines of latitude and longitude hearken to the original 20th Air Force patch and emphasize the global nature of the Air Force space mission. The thrusts and vectors behind the globe represent the dynamic and infinite space environment.
The deltoid symbolizes the Air Force’s upward thrust into space, the reentry vehicles of our intercontinental ballistic missile force, and the launch vehicles that place satellites in orbit.
The ellipses represent orbital paths traced by satellites in Earth orbit; the satellites are symbolically depicted as four-pointed stars. The symmetric placement of the satellites signifies the Air Force’s worldwide coverage in accomplishing its mission.”
It has been awarded in three versions, including basic, senior, and command, and worn based on the individual’s experience.
However, the regulations on officers wearing the Space Operations Badge changed following the introduction of the Space Force Officer Training Course last year.
Going forward, newly commissioned officers will need to complete a 12-month program that includes a focus on space operations, cyber, and intelligence, the U.S. Space Force’s three core career fields.
Following the completion of the course, new graduates will receive the badge accordingly.
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Space Wings Clipped
The change is meant to signify that the individual has completed the course. It is part of a larger culture change within the sixth and newest branch of the U.S. military.
“One of the things we’ve tried to do as a service is we want Guardians to identify as operators and warfighters,” Burt explained.
“And how do you do that? You teach them the full playing field of what entails operations—cyber, intel, acquisition, and space operations. All of that comes together to do operations.”
Burt, who wasn’t wearing her “space wings” on Monday, further said that it is still being determined what the initial officer training course (OTC) graduates will wear after they complete the first course next month.
An interim badge is being considered, after which it will be determined what is worn with the uniform to indicate completion of training.
Gen. Saltzman opted to lead by example, and Burt followed in no longer wearing the badge.
Space Force Service Dress Rollout Continues
It was nearly a year ago that the Space Force also announced that its service dress uniforms would slowly roll out throughout 2025, almost two years after wear testing at eight installations was concluded.
“We expect to roll the uniform out in early spring, January, February timeframe to all Guardians, and then we will have a full instruction that talks about exactly how you wear the uniform,” Burt added.
When the first prototypes were unveiled, the short navy blue jacket with a large flap over the right breast and a diagonal line of six silver buttons earned comparisons to uniforms from science fiction. It has since received mostly positive feedback.
Alternate Air Force Athletic Uniforms to Honor the Space Force
In addition to the changes to the wearing of the Space Operations Badge and the finalization of the service dress uniforms, the United States Space Force will also be honored by the Air Force Athletics in the upcoming sports season.
All Air Force sports teams will wear a Space Force alternate uniform for a game or series. The uniforms were created in a partnership between the service and the Air Force Athletics.
“We are thrilled to unveil this collaboration with the U.S. Space Force to honor the men and women who make up this important service,” said Air Force Director of Athletics Nathan Pine.
“As the Space Force’s Academy, it is an important partnership that will showcase uniforms for each of our teams to celebrate these incredible teammates.”
The uniforms will feature the words “Space Force” and “USSF,” in addition to the Delta insignia of the U.S. Space Force, and the typographic Sharpe Sans Display, the official font of the service.
The United States Air Force Academy previously wore a uniform that honored the Space Force with its 2022 edition of the Air Power Legacy Series uniform during the football game with the Navy in Falcon Stadium.
The U.S. Air Force Academy currently sees about 10% of its class commissioned as guardians.
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Space RCO engages industry to shape dynamic satellite development
Aug. 8, 2025
The Space Rapid Capabilities Office hosted an Agile Satellite Industry Engagement Day on July 30, bringing together 13 prospective industry partners for a full day of technical discussions aimed at advancing next-generation satellite design and procurement.
Misfire
Space RCO engages industry to shape dynamic satellite development
Aug. 8, 2025
The Space Rapid Capabilities Office hosted an Agile Satellite Industry Engagement Day on July 30, bringing together 13 prospective industry partners for a full day of technical discussions aimed at advancing next-generation satellite design and procurement.
The workshop served as a collaborative forum to explore design considerations and acquisition strategies for future near-Geostationary Earth Orbit satellite, software and ground programs.
It reflects Space RCO’s commitment to early and continuous engagement with leading space technology providers—an approach that accelerates the procurement of advanced systems critical to the U.S. Space Force’s mission to safeguard national interests in space.
Ten satellite manufacturers and three system integrators — selected from respondents to a May 2025 Request for Information — were invited to attend the one-day workshop on July 30, 2025, in Albuquerque.
Participants took part in technical sessions on satellite specifications, roundtable conversations focused on operational design considerations and one-on-one discussions with contracting officers.
The group included both emerging and well-established companies — each offering specialized expertise in propulsion, sensing, autonomy and scalable manufacturing.
“As a former operator and now an acquisition professional, I recognize the importance of engaging industry early to help inform technical specifications,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Cork, a Space Force acquisition and operations officer.
“These in-person sessions play a critical role in building trust between Space RCO and mission partners.”
The workshop drew on the acquisition strategies used in Space RCO’s Rapid Resilient Command and Control program, which demonstrated the value of partnering with smaller, innovative companies through Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contracts — offering flexibility within fixed program timelines.
Insights from this workshop will inform upcoming acquisition planning, with a Request for Proposal expected by the end of the year.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4269655/space-rco-engages-industry-to-shape-dynamic-satellite-development/
US slaps tariffs on gold bars – media
8 Aug, 2025 11:14
The US has imposed tariffs on imports of gold bars, according to media reports on Friday, citing a notice from Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Analysts say the decision could harm Switzerland’s gold refining sector and shake up the global bullion market.
According to the Financial Times, which first broke the story, CBP stated in a July 31 ruling letter that 1kg and 100-ounce gold bars – the most commonly traded formats – should fall under a customs code subject to tariffs.
The reported move brings gold bars under US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs, which target dozens of trade partners, including Switzerland.
Trump imposed a 39% tariff on Swiss goods last Friday after rejecting Bern’s offer of a 10% tariff in exchange for $150 billion in US-bound investment.
When the tariff campaign began in April, some commodities – including certain bullion types – were exempt.
The CBP ruling, issued in response to a Swiss refinery’s request, said 1kg and 100-ounce bars are considered “semi-manufactured” goods rather than “unwrought, nonmonetary gold,” the only exempt category.
Switzerland is the world’s largest gold refining hub, and bullion is one of its biggest exports to the US.
Traders told Bloomberg it’s unclear whether the tariffs are already in effect. Some said CBP may have erred, calling the decision “shocking” and likely to face legal challenges.
“We never ever thought that [gold bars] would be hit by a tariff,” Robert Gottlieb, a former JPMorgan Chase metals trader, said.
Christoph Wild, the president of the Swiss Association of Manufacturers and Traders of Precious Metals, told FT the ruling “deals a blow” to Swiss-US gold trade, saying the widespread belief had been that “remelted bullion was tariff-free.”
Experts say the fallout could disrupt the global bullion market.
Gold is often used as a safe store of value during times of political and financial uncertainty. It has seen a historic rally this year, rising 27% since the end of 2024.
Following the FT report, gold futures in New York hit an all-time high, with December contracts climbing to $3,534 on Friday morning.
https://www.rt.com/business/622654-us-slaps-tariffs-gold-bars/
Putin doesn’t need to meet Zelensky for Russia-US summit – Trump
8 Aug, 2025 07:23
US President Donald Trump has said he is willing to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin regardless of whether Putin meets with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky.
On Thursday, the New York Post cited a White House official as saying, “Putin must meet with Zelensky for the meeting [with Trump] to occur.”
The US president, however, was quick to reject the report. “He doesn’t, no,” Trump told reporters when asked whether Putin would have to first meet Zelensky. “They would like to meet me, and I’ll do whatever I can to stop the killing.”
Zelensky has repeatedly called on Putin to hold in-person talks with Zelensky to end the conflict. The Russian president has said he has “nothing in principle” against a meeting, but reiterated that “certain conditions must be created” for it to take place.
He has also cast doubt on Zelensky’s legal capacity to sign binding agreements, as the Ukrainian leader’s presidential term expired last year and he has refused to hold a new election, citing martial law. This has prompted Moscow to declare him “illegitimate.”
Trump’s remarks come after Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Putin and Trump could have a face-to-face meeting as soon as next week. Later, Putin floated the United Arab Emirates as a possible location for the summit.
The summit developments follow a visit to Moscow by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, who held three-hour talks with Putin over the Ukraine conflict.
The Kremlin described the discussion as “constructive,” while the White House said the meeting went better than expected.
Trump also later commented that “great progress was made,” although no specific outcomes have been detailed.
https://www.rt.com/news/622647-putin-doesnt-need-meet-zelensky-trump/
Central American nation condemns Ukraine over deaths of children
8 Aug, 2025 07:46
Nicaragua’s National Assembly has called for Ukraine to be held to international account for causing the deaths of civilians, including children, during its military actions in the conflict with Russia.
On Thursday, Nicaraguan lawmakers endorsed a report compiled by Russian legislators, which Assembly President Gustavo Porras received during his visit to Moscow in mid-July.
Arling Alonso, the assembly’s first deputy speaker, said she was deeply disturbed by the report’s contents, which documented hundreds of minors killed in attacks attributed to Ukrainian forces.
“Some of these crimes are characterized by extreme cruelty,” Alonso said. A declaration issued by the Nicaraguan National Assembly stated that Kiev’s policies bear the characteristics of international terrorism and called for those responsible to face justice.
The Russian-authored report spans the years 2014 to 2024 and records alleged Ukrainian attacks in Russian regions claimed by Kiev under its sovereignty, including the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions.
Nicaraguan officials stressed their recognition of these areas as part of Russia. All four regions held referendums to join Russia – votes that Ukraine and its Western backers have rejected.
According to Russian lawmakers, nearly 6,000 civilians, including 258 children, were killed, and more than 13,000 others injured, among them 676 children, during the time period covered by the report.
Nicaragua’s parliament also criticized international organizations for what it described as “perpetuating the impunity of the Ukrainian regime” by turning a blind eye to its actions.
Lawmakers attributed the lack of response to pressure from the United States and the European Union and pledged to support efforts to draw global attention to the issue.
https://www.rt.com/news/622648-nicaragua-condemns-ukraine-killings/
Putin updates South African leader on Witkoff talks
8 Aug, 2025 09:10
Russian President Vladimir Putin has briefed his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, on the key outcomes of his recent talks on the Ukraine conflict with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, the Kremlin said on Thursday.
The phone call, made at Putin’s request, also covered bilateral issues and ways to deepen the “strategic partnership” between Russia and South Africa, according to separate statements from the presidents’ offices.
“The Russian side expressed appreciation for the well-known peace initiative aimed at resolving the Ukraine crisis that was put forward by several African states, including South Africa,” the Kremlin stated.
The South African presidency said “Ramaphosa welcomed the briefing and expressed South Africa’s full support to peace initiatives that will end the war and contribute to a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.”
No further details were provided about what Putin told Ramaphosa regarding his nearly three-hour meeting with Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday.
Earlier, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters that Donald Trump’s special envoy and Putin had exchanged “signals” on the Ukraine conflict and discussed a range of topics, including Russia-US relations and prospects for strategic cooperation.
South Africa has maintained a non-aligned stance on the Ukraine conflict despite external pressure to condemn Moscow, which it regards as a “valued ally.”
Ramaphosa led a delegation of African leaders to Russia and Ukraine in June 2023 in a bid to secure ceasefire commitments from both sides.
He has since held bilateral talks with Putin and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky on an inclusive peace process involving all parties to the crisis.
Thursday’s conversation with Putin came a day after Ramaphosa spoke by phone with Trump about bilateral trade, according to a statement.
The Trump administration has imposed a 30% tariff on South African exports to the US, a measure that took effect on August 7 despite Pretoria’s efforts to negotiate a “fair” agreement with Washington.
On Wednesday, however, the South African presidency said the two leaders had agreed to “continue with further engagements, recognizing the various trade negotiations the US is currently involved in.
Respective trade negotiating teams will take forward more detailed discussions.”
https://www.rt.com/africa/622649-putin-updates-south-african-leader-witkoff-talks/
https://www.rt.com/news/622319-safe-spaces-killed-education/
Here’s why Western education is doomed
31 Jul, 2025 20:45
As someone who hadn’t set foot inside a grade school for decades, I knew something was amiss when I visited my former Canadian high school for a craft fair.
“Where did all the photos on the walls of the atrium go of all the top achievers from academics and sports throughout the years?” I wondered, wanting to laugh at my early ’90s-style hairdo.
Turns out they were taken down, perhaps around the same time that rainbow and native tribal flags went up beside Canada’s national one.
The high achievers that previously adorned the walls were replaced with evidence of successful collectivist cooperation. Teams seemed to matter, while individual success was boxed up and hauled away from public view.
Heaven forbid their mere existence make anyone feel bad about themselves. Personally, I used to love seeing those faces. They were inspirational for someone growing up in a small town and aspiring to do great things outside of it.
“We Pursue Excellence” was the school’s longtime motto. But now, on the wall, was the result of a student survey showing that 75% of students felt “uncomfortable” to even use the washroom.
One might think that the first step in the pursuit of excellence would involve mastering whatever went down in the toilet stalls.
The participation trophy generation now has to have a portable safe space in the form of a bubble around them at all times. Everything is seen as a potential threat – especially standards of excellence.
Which would explain why the entire province of British Columbia, on Canada’s Left Coast, ditched standardized tests in subjects such as math, physics, chemistry, and languages – which allowed for a form of ranking and comparison among all students in the entire province — in favor of just two types of tests: general literacy and numeracy.
A sample final high school year literacy test, for example, features an excerpt from ‘The Inconvenient Indian’, suggesting that explorer Christopher Columbus’ contributions are overrated, and asks, “Which type of magazine would most likely feature this description of Columbus’s landing in the Caribbean?”
The description: “And let’s not forget all the sunny weather, the sandy beaches, the azure lagoons…” The potential multiple-choice responses? “Chronicles of History,” “Business Ventures,” “Travel World,” or “Living Well.”
So are they going to be interpreting Shakespeare’s classics in essays next, or not?
Another question: “Which invention would most likely have caused concern for factory workers?”
Choices: the Unimate industrial robot that went to “work at General Motors replacing humans,” MIT’s Kismet emotionally intelligent robot, the Roomba that cleans your floors at home, or Amazon’s virtual assistant Alexa.
Oh gee, that’s a tough one! For a seven-year-old, maybe. But surely not for someone heading to university next year, one would hope.
A sample test from two years earlier in the curriculum, the numeracy assessment asks questions like, “The size of this [fish] trap would depend on the size and species of fish that people were trying to catch… Which of the following factors would be most important in designing a cone-shaped fish trap?”
One of the answer choices: “the size of fish in the river.” We’re certainly a long way from the mathematical proofs that we were doing 35 years ago at around the same age.
The standard seems to be more along the lines of, “Can this kid fill out one line on a tax form for their influencer gig without having a meltdown?” (Likely answer: Probably not. Because government forms are a form of colonialism, you bigot.)
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Two years ago, the same province moved away from any and all letter grades for students, up to and including about age 14. Instead of As and Ds, teachers could only assess whether the kid was ‘emerging’, ‘developing’, ‘proficient’ or ‘extending’.
The rationale? Apparently they didn’t want to highlight any deficits. Guess that comes later in the real world when he or she gets trolled mercilessly for being a moron at a time when there’s a much larger price to be paid for not having learned earlier to avoid being one.
In France, the attempt to institute a similar post-knowledge educational system has seen middling results. High school math classes were ditched entirely in 2019 under President Emmanuel Macron. But the outcome was such a disaster that it was reversed for the 2023/24 school year.
This year’s French final standardized exams for high schoolers and middle schoolers, which have just taken place, saw the French media publish a bunch of instructions that were given to the test graders to dummy things down for France’s future Nobel Prize hopefuls.
“The first is to not deduct points for spelling or grammar mistakes. What matters is not compliance with the spelling code, but intelligibility,” said France’s RTL.
Oh, so something like this, you mean? “Shur, whi not rite a sentins like this won, wear awl the wurdz sound rite but luk lyke they flunked owtta speling skool?” Because that fits the stated criteria. Imagine an email from that colleague when he or she gets into your workplace.
Apparently, graders were also told not to remove all points when a student is asked to conjugate a verb – and then gets the root of the same verb that was just listed wrong. Maybe the verb they replaced whatever was right in front of their eyes with doesn’t even exist, but the ending is right. Only half the points are taken away for that.
The final philosophy exam had to explain the meaning of the word “preponderant,” because it was apparently considered too hard for kids about to head off to university, RTL reports.
The media outlet also pointed out that graders of the oral exam, read from a text that the student has 20 minutes to prepare, were only to focus on the student’s performance at the end of the session, to account for nerves.
This may or may not have been read off a student’s page:
“Hai, my naym is Sam. I hav two bruthurs and wun sistur. We lyk to play soker togethur. My mum cuks gud fud and my dad lukes to wach mooviz wif us. I lyk drawin and playin vidyo gayms. Thansk for lisnin! Do I pas high skool now?”
Oui, oui! A+.
Every day seems to bring a new revelation about how the West’s Wokémon Academy is doing.
In a world where feelings outrank facts and spelling is optional, it’s anyone’s guess what our ‘graduates’ will actually know and be equipped with for real life. But hey, at least their safe spaces are well-furnished.
2/2
IDF says Hezbollah’s Radwan force intel chief killed in southern Lebanon strike
August 8, 2025 6:38 pm
A Hezbollah intelligence commander was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon earlier today, the IDF says.
The strike in Aadloun killed Mohammad Hamza Shehadeh, who the military says was the chief of intelligence in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force.
The IDF says his activities were a violation of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-hezbollahs-radwan-force-intel-chief-killed-in-southern-lebanon-strike/
Israel will carry out government’s plan to conquer Gaza City ‘in the best possible way,’ Zamir says
August 8, 2025 6:20 pm
After the Israeli security cabinet last night instructed the IDF to seize Gaza City, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says the military will carry out the plan “in the best possible way.”
“We will continue to lead from the national responsibility placed on the IDF and its commanders.
We are responsible for the army’s readiness, the security of the state and its citizens, the return of the hostages, and the defeat of Hamas, and so we shall do,” Zamir is quoted by the IDF as saying to division commanders and top generals during an assessment earlier today.
“My responsibility is to provide you and the soldiers in particular with as much certainty as possible, to create pauses and a proper endurance. It is in light of this responsibility that we operate,” he says.
Zamir says the IDF is “working on the new plan. We will deepen the planning, prepare at the highest level in all its aspects, and as always, we will carry out the mission in the best possible way.”
According to the military, Zamir also stressed in the meeting that “as the war develops, the IDF will act to safeguard the lives of the hostages, allow the forces to refresh in order to strengthen endurance, and operate according to the values and spirit of the IDF.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israel-will-carry-out-governments-plan-to-conquer-gaza-city-in-the-best-possible-way-zamir-says/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/bucking-idf-warnings-security-cabinet-approves-netanyahus-plan-to-conquer-gaza-city/
IDF says strike on Lebanon-Syria border killed senior commander in PFLP terror group
Updated at August 8, 2025 6:41 pm
A senior commander in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group was killed Thursday in an Israeli airstrike at a border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, the IDF and Shin Bet announced on Friday afternoon.
The statement confirmed a previous announcement by the group itself, as well as Lebanese media reports.
According to the IDF, the strike in Lebanon’s eastern Beqaa Valley killed Mohammed Wishah, a Syrian senior terror operative in the PFLP, who served as the head of the group’s Military-Security Department in Syria.
He assumed the role after his predecessor, Shantal al-Al, was killed in a strike in Beirut in September 2024.
Wishah was responsible for “coordinating with other Palestinian terror organizations, strengthening ties and coordination with the Shiite axis, and recently operated to advance military operations against Israeli targets,” the IDF added.
The IDF released footage of the strike. The PFLP said the strike near the Lebanese border crossing of Masnaa killed Wishah and his bodyguard as they were on their way to Syria.
Senior PFLP official Marwan Abdel-Al mourned the death of Wishah and his bodyguard, Mufid Hussein, in a post on social media. “We have lost two of the most loyal comrades who gave their precious souls to freedom,” Abdel-Al wrote.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) said the airstrike on eastern Lebanon killed six people and wounded 10, without identifying the victims.
Since the Israel-Hamas war began with the terror group’s October 2023 onslaught, Israel has targeted Palestinian terror operatives in Lebanon, including PFLP members. T
hree PFLP members were killed in an airstrike on a Beirut apartment last September.
A PFLP official said Wishah had been in Lebanon to meet with other officials with the group and was on his way back to Syria when the airstrike happened.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to the media.
The PFLP statement said Wishah was born in the Gaza Strip in 1954 and spent five years in Israeli jails shortly after he joined the Palestinian terror group in 1973.
For many years, the leftist and secular PFLP has been the second-largest member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah group.
Separately, an IDF drone struck a vehicle near the towns of Ansariyeh and Aadloun, located between Tyre and Sidon in southern Lebanon, killing a senior Hezbollah intelligence commander, the military said.
Lebanese media said that the strike killed a citizen journalist, Mohammed Shehadeh, though Hezbollah claimed him as one of its members.
The IDF said that Shehadeh was chief of intelligence in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, and his activities were a violation of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-strikes-on-lebanon-said-to-kill-members-of-hezbollah-pflp-terror-groups/
https://twitter.com/idfonline/status/1953785421386719579
IDF says it killed deputy commander of Hamas’s Beit Hanoun Battalion, who participated in Oct. 7 onslaught
Today, 5:49 pm
The IDF says it has confirmed that it killed the deputy commander of Hamas’s Beit Hanoun Battalion during operations in the town in the northern Gaza Strip this past month.
The deputy commander, Murad Abu Jarad, served as the de facto commander of the Beit Hanoun Battalion during most of 2024, the military says, adding that he was involved in numerous attacks on troops and that he participated in the October 7, 2023, onslaught.
In a separate operation, the military says it killed the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s anti-tank missile unit in the terror group’s Gaza City brigade, Mohammed Dardawasi, who also participated in the October 7 onslaught.
In another strike, the IDF says it killed several Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives who were involved in rocket fire and sniper attacks.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-killed-deputy-commander-of-hamass-beit-hanoun-battalion-who-participated-in-oct-7-onslaught/
For second time within an hour, IDF intercepts drone likely from Yemen
2025-08-08 13:25:04
A drone launched at Israel “from the east” was intercepted by the Israeli Air Force a short while ago, the IDF says for the second time in less than an hour.
No sirens were activated “according to protocol,” as no Israeli towns were under threat, the IDF says.
According to preliminary assessments in the IDF, this drone too was likely launched from Yemen.
https://www.yemenonline.info/politics/9908
Satellite photos confirm IDF prep for large-scale Gaza operation
Last modified: 08-08-2025 11:35
The IDF is in the midst of preparations for a major ground operation in Gaza, according to the American news network NBC, based on civilian satellite imagery it purchased and presented to American experts in the field.
According to the report, four separate sources who are experts in military activity and familiar with IDF operational patterns claimed that the images show a significant buildup of forces and equipment ahead of a possible operation within Gaza territory.
Meanwhile, the world continues to respond to this morning's Cabinet decision on capturing Gaza City. Australia called on Israel "not to go down this path," saying it would "only worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza."
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that "permanent forced displacement is a violation of international law," and that Australia continues to call for a ceasefire, the return of hostages, and unlimited aid flow.
"A two-state solution is the only pathway to secure an enduring peace – a Palestinian state and the State of Israel, living side-by-side in peace and security within internationally recognised borders," she said in a statement.
Skeptical voices were also heard in the United States. Aaron David Miller, who served as an envoy from the US State Department to the Middle East, told CNN that the operation will be "extremely difficult to pull off."
US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said that the decision regarding Gaza is reserved for Israel. "It's not our job to tell them what they should or should not do," Huckabee said.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/08/08/satellite-photos-confirm-idf-prep-for-large-scale-gaza-operation/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/satellite-images-show-israel-building-forces-possible-ground-invasion-rcna223722
Drone threat in Sochi: tourists evacuated from beach
20:29 / 08.08.2025
In Sochi, Russia, tourists were urgently evacuated from beaches to safe areas due to the threat of drone attacks.
Mayor Andrey Proshunin announced that residents were advised to stay in windowless rooms and avoid going outside as much as possible.
Schools, beaches, and open swimming pools are being cleared, including vacationers near the Olympic facilities in the “Sirius” area.
At Sochi Airport, restrictions have been placed on takeoffs and landings, with dozens of flights delayed.
The “Psoy” border checkpoint with Abkhazia has also been temporarily closed.
Authorities urged citizens not to record videos showing air defense operations or falling drone debris.
https://zamin.uz/en/world/156637-drone-threat-in-sochi-tourists-evacuated-from-beach.html
Punjab on high alert ahead of Independence Day, anti-drone systems to be deployed
UPDATED: Aug 8, 2025 21:03 IST
Ahead of Independence Day 2025, Punjab Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) have mounted high-level security measures across the state to ensure peaceful celebrations.
Security has been intensified in view of increased threats to security installations, government infrastructure, and religious sites, including temples.
Most of these threats are linked to pro-Khalistani groups such as Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa, and Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda.
Sources in the security grid said that post-Operation Sindoor, the threat level is at an all-time high.
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/punjab-on-high-alert-ahead-of-independence-day-anti-drone-systems-to-be-deployed-2768533-2025-08-08
Pakistan’s Security Forces Bring Down ‘Indian Drone’ in Lahore
August 8, 2025
Lahore: Security forces have shot down a suspected Indian drone in Lahore’s Manawan area, police sources confirmed on Friday.
The incident comes just months after intense military clashes between Pakistan and India earlier this year. According to officials, the drone was spotted inside Pakistani territory and was immediately targeted.
Authorities suspect it was used for surveillance, as no explosives were found on board. Intelligence agencies have now taken custody of the device and launched a detailed investigation.
This has heightened concerns over cross-border violations despite a ceasefire agreement reached in May 2025.
Police sources said the drone entered Pakistani airspace before being detected by security forces. It was brought down quickly to prevent any potential threat.
They noted that the drone appeared to be a surveillance model due to the absence of explosives. Intelligence officials have secured the device and initiated a probe into its origin and purpose.
New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the incident, prompting a wave of aggression. In response, Pakistan’s armed forces launched “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos,” targeting multiple Indian military sites.
During the operation, Pakistan downed six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, and destroyed dozens of drones. After 87 hours of conflict, both countries agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, 2025.
The ceasefire was first announced by US President Donald Trump on social media after talks with both nations. However, India disputed his claims that it resulted from his intervention and threats to end trade talks.
In contrast, Pakistan acknowledged Trump’s efforts and formally nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in easing tensions between the two countries last month.
https://www.techjuice.pk/pakistans-security-forces-bring-down-indian-drone-in-lahore/
Ukraine’s ‘Witches of Bucha’ on the hunt for Russian drones
Updated: Aug 8, 2025 / 07:57 AM CDT
This Saturday, NewsNation’s Robert Sherman reports live from Ukraine for a special report, “Ukraine: On the Frontlines.” The one-hour program will air 8p/7C. Find out how to watch.
(NewsNation) — As the fighting continues in Ukraine, military drones have emerged as the greatest innovation of the war to date. But Ukraine has developed some innovative ways of defending against Russian air strikes.
One of them is a volunteer group made up almost entirely of women that has made it its mission to take those drones down.
They call themselves the “Witches of Bucha.” By day, members work normal jobs. By night, they lace up and shoot down enemy drones.
NewsNation’s Robert Sherman got an inside look at their lives in and out of uniform.
All hands on deck in Ukraine war
The bloodiest war in Europe since World War II has raged on for 3 and a half years. Hundreds of thousands have been deployed to the front lines between the two sides, never to come home.
There was a time when only Ukrainian men could serve in combat roles. That changed in 2017. And with Russia at the doorstep, the old days are long gone.
Olena Sylchenko already wears plenty of hats. She’s a mother, runs the house and has a massage therapy business on the side. In her spare time, she’s a mixed martial arts fighter.
Then, there’s another hat, or helmet, for her night job. When the sun sets, she finds herself deep in the woods, on the outskirts of Kyiv — watching and waiting.
She’s one of the so-called “Witches of Bucha,” a nearly all-female group of volunteer soldiers.
“Witches are women who are strong-minded and motivated,” Olena said. “One calls herself a witch because it is going to be just how we say it and want it to be.”
Their job is to defend the skies from Russia’s drones. "We can only breathe easy when we either have shot them down or they are gone,” she said. “Otherwise, it’s vigilance and more vigilance.”
‘Witches’ credited with saving homes
There’s no shortage of action, as Russian drones rain down on Ukraine practically every night. The Ukrainians estimate that more than 6,000 drones were launched at their country in the month of July alone.
Volunteers like Olena must be trained and ready to go for whatever Russia puts in the air. Age, gender — none of that matters when your back is against the wall.
“These are full-fledged forces of defense of Ukraine, and thanks to these women, today, most of our energy, most of our homes, are intact,” said Col. Andrii Verlatyi, chief of staff for the Bucha Volunteer Defense Forces.
For some, it’s their first time picking up a weapon. The Russian invasion left everyday civilians like Olena little choice.
It was the atrocities committed in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv that was raided by Russian forces at the start of the war, that spurred the formation of this group.
“I didn’t want to just hide in the basement,” Olena said. “I wanted to join and help. I wanted my family and children to sleep well.”
So, in her world, there are now even more hats to juggle.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/world/ukraine-witches-bucha-shoot-drones/
Air Defense Forces destroy 82 out of 108 Russian drones overnight
08.08.2025 08:30
Starting at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 7, Russian troops attacked Ukraine with 108 airborne weapons:
104 Shahed-type strike UAVs, various types of drone simulators, and eight high-speed (jet) UAVs from the following sectors: Shatalovo, Kursk, Bryansk, Primorsko-Akhtarsk (Russian Federation), and Chauda (temporarily occupied Crimea).
The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units, and unmanned systems, as well as mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
According to preliminary data, as of 8:00 a.m. on Friday, August 8, air defense forces shot down/neutralized 82 air targets: three jet drones and 79 Shahed-type UAVs and various types of drone simulators in the north, south, east, and center of Ukraine.
Twenty-six UAVs were recorded hitting 10 locations, and downed targets (debris) were recorded falling in eight locations.
According to Ukrinform, Russian troops attacked settlements in the Kyiv region with drones on the night of August 8, causing fires and injuring a 16-year-old girl and two women, aged 56 and 80.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4023398-air-defense-forces-destroy-82-out-of-108-russian-drones-overnight.html
China launches first SpaceX-style drone ship to recover reusable rockets
Updated: 5:12pm, 8 Aug 2025
China has launched its first drone ship to recover reusable rockets – becoming only the second country after the United States to master the technology – as Beijing pushes forward with its ambitious space programme.
The launch of the new vessel marks a major step forward for China’s push to develop reusable rockets – a technology seen as vital to helping the country cut the cost of space travel and develop a commercial space industry.
Beijing aims to catch up with the US in an intensifying space race by replicating America’s approach of combining state and private sector investment, which paved the way for Elon Musk’s SpaceX to drive a series of technological breakthroughs.
The new vessel – named the Xingji Guihang, or “Interstellar Return” – was developed by the Beijing-based private aerospace firm iSpace, and it will eventually be used to recover reusable rockets developed by several Chinese manufacturers.
“The vessel is designed for the launch of iSpace’s SQX-3 rocket later this year,” the company said in an article published on Tuesday.
“In the future, it will also be compatible with sea recovery missions for various medium-to-large reusable rockets.”
Like SpaceX’s drone ships, the iSpace vessel is equipped with a dynamic positioning system and can operate autonomously.
It has a recovery deck area of 2,400 square metres – large enough to fit a returning first-stage rocket booster.
According to iSpace, the new ship can handle heavy loads and precisely position itself to capture returning rocket parts even in rough seas.
It was built and launched in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, where it will now undergo testing before being sent down the Yangtze River to the coast and then on to Hainan province for delivery in October.
Rocket recovery vessels are designed to retrieve rocket parts like first-stage boosters after launch and then transport them for analysis and reuse, helping companies reduce launch costs.
Normally, missions with lighter payloads will return to the launch site, but those with heavier payloads or requiring higher velocity often do not have enough fuel for a return and instead rely on a recovery vessel to dock with the booster at sea.
The technology was originally developed by SpaceX, which successfully recovered its Falcon 9 rocket booster using a drone ship for the first time in 2015.
The US company now has a fleet of three drone ships along with several smaller auxiliary vessels. Last year, it recovered the booster of its Starship mega-rocket for the first time.
Before iSpace’s recent launch, the US remained the only country worldwide to possess rocket recovery vessels. The project also received investment from a firm affiliated with the state-owned Chengdu Industrial Investment Group.
https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321210/china-launches-new-spacex-style-drone-ship-recover-reusable-rockets
Bannu operation: Pakistan Army, police strike against terrorists
Aug 08, 2025
Security forces in Bannu have successfully conducted a major joint operation against Fitna-ul-Khawarij, detaining multiple suspects and demolishing the homes of key facilitators.
The action, led by the Pakistan Army and police, aimed to root out terrorism and restore lasting peace in the region.
Intelligence-led sweep in Howaid
The operation took place in the Howaid area of Bannu under the supervision of District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Abbas.
Acting on precise intelligence, security personnel surrounded the area, imposed a curfew for public safety, and carried out house-to-house searches. Immediate action was taken against any suspicious activity or resistance.
Authorities confirmed that the houses of two local facilitators linked to the terrorist network were demolished during the operation. Residents hailed the move as a crucial step toward ensuring security and pledged their full support to law enforcement agencies.
Attack in Bakakhel sparks response
The operation followed a string of violent incidents in Bakakhel Takhtikhel. Terrorists targeted a police station, an FC fort, and residential areas, injuring two women and a young girl.
A separate attack on an FC checkpost claimed the life of an official, Meena Khan, and left three others injured.
The injured civilians and security personnel were rushed to Bannu Hospital for treatment, while search and clearance operations intensified in the area to track down those responsible.
Public cooperation urged
Police have appealed to citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious persons or activities to the authorities.
Security forces reaffirmed their commitment to eradicating terrorism and safeguarding the lives and property of the people of Bannu.
https://www.samaa.tv/2087337532-bannu-operation-pakistan-army-police-strike-against-terrorists
National UFO records center opens collection to New Mexico teachers
August 8, 2025
RIO RANCHO, N.M. — Students at one New Mexico school district could get some extra lessons this year on extraterrestrial life.
The National UFO Historical Records Center is opening up their collection to teachers and students at Rio Rancho Public Schools for unique lessons in physics, history and critical thinking.
This comes after the district gave the center some portable classrooms to house their hundreds of thousands of declassified government documents and other evidence.
“Today on the internet, students are exposed to all kinds of information – true and untrue – and we want to give them the tools to be able to dissect the evidence that’s presented to them and to make a good, informed decision whether something is true or untrue. And in the UFO realm, it’s just a really good subject matter to springboard into that critical thinking piece,” said Michael Baker, chief operating officer of Rio Rancho Public Schools.
Archive volunteers met with teachers ahead of the school year. They gave them a rundown of what is in their filing cabinets. They also explained how they can utilize all those resources.
Ultimately, it is up to each teacher to decide on incorporating these UFO files into their lesson plans. The district is hosting an open house on this Saturday, Oct. 18.
https://www.kob.com/news/top-news/national-ufo-records-center-opens-collection-to-new-mexico-teachers/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DierrpxR-rk
Xenomorph Egg Display Opens at London’s Natural History Museum to Celebrate FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’
August 8, 2025
From tomorrow, visitors to London’s Natural History Museum can get up close to the Xenomorph egg from FX’s Alien: Earth. The new display runs until 22nd August 2025.
Alien: Earth launches on Disney+ in the UK on 13th August 2025. The new series sees the infamous creature crash land on Earth for the first time in the franchise’s history.
The Xenomorph egg display is situated opposite the entrance to the Museum’s blockbuster exhibition, Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?, where visitors can touch real pieces of the solar system.
A Unique Collaboration Between Science and Sci-Fi
Handled with great care and trepidation, the Xenomorph egg sits in pride of place at the Natural History Museum.
The museum is one of the world’s leading centres for scientific research, with more than 400 scientists investigating the origins of life.
The Museum is home to a vast collection of 80 million objects spanning 4.5 billion years of life on Earth, from the formation of the solar system to the present day.
Placed with meticulous care, the Xenomorph egg stands out among the Museum’s South Kensington galleries.
While most exhibits showcase life from Earth’s past, this alien artefact teases what could exist beyond our atmosphere.
Exploring the Possibility of Life Beyond Earth
The new Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? exhibition invites visitors to imagine alien environments.
Visitors can smell planets, touch real pieces of the Moon and Mars, and design their own space mission. Additionally, guests will see what scientists believe could be out there in this out-of-this-world exhibition.
This exclusive Disney+ display at the Natural History Museum celebrates the release of FX’s Alien: Earth allowing visitors and fans alike to explore if there could be life beyond Earth.
FX’S ALIEN: EARTH PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13 WITH THE FIRST TWO EPISODES AVAILABLE TO STREAM ON DISNEY+ IN THE UK.
https://theartsshelf.com/2025/08/08/xenomorph-egg-display-opens-at-londons-natural-history-museum-to-celebrate-fxs-alien-earth/
Could alien tech be flying through our solar system?
Aug 8, 2025
NASA says it's a comet, but Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb believes the object known as 3I-Atlas may be something far more advanced and not natural. He joins "CBS Mornings Plus" to explain why.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/could-alien-tech-be-flying-through-our-solar-system/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk7gYqUdrJs
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/
‘Alien’ White House reporter responds after viral video catches her ‘shifting into a demon’
August 8, 2025
A well-renowned journalist has responded to the conspiracy theory that she is an alien or demon after a White House camera caught her eyes rolling back in a seriously eerie moment.
Molly Martinez is a multimedia journalist working out of Washington, DC. Her work has graced Gray Television’s Washington News Bureau and KFYR-TV in Bismarck, North Dakota, but she will now forever be known as the White House’s resident alien reporter.
The viral moment emerged when Molly was in the White House press briefing room, and she turned towards the cameraman.
While fiddling with her press pass, phone, and hair, Molly turned towards the camera and offered a rather creepy smile.
But that’s not what has people losing their minds on Twitter, for that came a few moments later when Molly’s eyes seemed to roll back in her head.
The clip, which was shared widely across both TikTok and Twitter, sparked a wave of theories ranging from “proof of lizard people with vertical slits” to “Aliens, they walk among us.”
Beneath one particular post, which was viewed 23.9 million times, people lost it.
“Throw her ass in the fire or a pool of holy water. She is a damn demon,” one wrote.
Another said: “Imagine you just look like that and one day come online and see a thread of people saying how u look like a reptilian creature wearing a skin suit. I would commit.”
“Bro, imagine being insecure about your smile and people see it and start theorising whether or not you’re a lizard person,” someone else said.
Other people suggested that the video was AI, and while we don’t have confirmation of that, Molly Martinez herself has since responded.
It’s got to be incredibly jarring to log onto Twitter to find people are calling you an alien, but nevertheless, the White House reporter took the moment in her stride as she reacted to the conspiracy theory.
Alongside a screengrab of Worldstar Hip Hop’s viral post, Molly wrote: “This is objectively the funniest thing that’s ever happened to me."
“Molly is such a generic name for a body snatcher,” one person pointed out, to which Molly responded, “It was between that or Liz, but my parents didn’t want to make it too obvious.”
When another person genuinely questioned how Molly is doing in light of her lizard-person exposure, she firmly stated, “Subjectively extremely funny as well.”
Keep your eyes open, folks. You never know where or who they are.
https://thetab.com/2025/08/08/alien-white-house-reporter-responds-after-viral-video-catches-her-shifting-into-a-demon
https://twitter.com/BGatesIsaPyscho/status/1952256484810641683
Fox News' Jesse Watters blasted for alien plans he thinks liberals will 'hate'
06:04 ET, 08 Aug 2025
Things took a rather out-of-this-world turn on Thursday's instalment of Fox News The Five.
Regular hosts Jesse Watters and Dana Perino were joined by Lisa Kennedy, George Murdoch, also known as Tyrus, and Rosanna Scotto to discuss the latest big news topics.
One story the panel focused on was the Trump administration's plans for a moon base. The venture prompted CBS News host Vladimir Duthiers to draw parallels to Earth's history of colonialism on CBS Mornings Plus on Wednesday.
Vladimir and his co-host Adriana Diaz discussed the White House calling for more human space exploration and the administration's plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon to precede an eventual U.S. lunar base with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Adriana asked if it was "inevitable that we’re going to have to go to the moon and try to colonize the Moon?"
Tyson said that the United States is being "reactive" in a race to the moon with China and, to the panel's laughter, that he does not have any plans to "live on the moon."
Vladimir chimed in, saying, "We know how the age of colonialism worked on this planet," adding, "Should we be trying to colonize and saying that there’s a keep-out zone that no other countries can participate in having?"
The CBS segment didn't seem right with the folks at Fox News, who also gave their verdict on the topic. In a segment called "Luna Lunacy," Jesse began, "I predict space exploration is going to be a problem for liberals and here’s why…"
"We're all assuming that aliens are more advanced than we are, perhaps rightly, but let's say they're not.
Let's say we're more advanced than they are, and when we go get them, we're able to capture them and then perform…" he went on before pausing briefly.
Continuing his sentence, the host added, "Scientific experiments on their bodies and extract precious minerals from their planets for the benefit of humankind.
"Of course, I can see liberals saying that's racist colonialism, but I disagree," Jesse declared.
"We need to have Martians in museums, so people can then look at what we've captured. We need to use the moon as a launch pad to colonize other planets in the solar system.
He then brazenly added, "So we can just spread humanity all over the place, because that's what God put us on this earth for - to spread humanity," before clarifying, "Not in a sexual way, Dana, but just spread it around."
"Well, how else do you do it?" Dana questioned, as Tyrus quipped, "Yeah, you did a really good job of spreading that around."
Fans were a little taken aback by Jesse's remarks, with one user taking to social media to say, "Because I think children eating lunch is more important than your Star Trek fantasies?"
With a second asking, "Can we send him to Mars? And leave him there?" and a third added, "Serious question. Did Watters make it past the 6th grade?"
"This s–t this dude has been spewing lately is getting more and more insane," another person said. A fifth chimed in, "Makes me wanna root for the aliens in Independence Day."
While a sixth blasted, "Watters is such a clown. Haha."
https://www.irishstar.com/culture/entertainment/fox-news-jesse-watters-aliens-35695849
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2nqdaSTo3c
Alien abduction, US military involvement, terror attack? Revisiting MH370’s web of conspiracy theories
Last Updated: 07 August, 2025 12:53 PM -7 GMT
As the search for a missing light aircraft carrying two Tasmanians stretches into its seventh day over the treacherous Bass Strait, an area long associated with maritime and aviation mysteries, it evokes memories of another disappearance that stunned the world: Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
On 8 March 2014, MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, vanished from civilian radar less than an hour after take-off.
Initial communications suggested nothing unusual, but air traffic controllers soon realised the aircraft had veered dramatically off course. Military radar later revealed it had turned west, crossed the Malay Peninsula, and flown for hours before disappearing over the southern Indian Ocean.
Despite the largest and most expensive search in aviation history, only scattered debris, confirmed to be from MH370, has ever been recovered, leaving the fate of the flight shrouded in mystery.
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Pilot Suicide / Murder–Suicide
Investigators once considered Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah the prime suspect if human intervention was involved. Reports cited his marital troubles, deleted flight simulator data showing a path into the southern Indian Ocean, and an absence of post–March 8 social plans.
Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott later claimed in a Sky News documentary that Malaysian officials privately suspected suicide from the outset. Shah’s family has consistently denied this.
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Alien Abduction
Another unlikely theory is that a meteor struck the aircraft, though the odds are astronomically low. Around the fourth anniversary, a bizarre twist emerged when a man received voicemails and texts in NATO phonetic code hinting at an alien abduction, along with suspicious visits to his home. Investigators later traced the calls to hotels in Port Blair and dismissed the incident as a likely hoax.
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Hijacking to a Remote Runway
Some theories suggested MH370 was taken to an undisclosed island, possibly in the Indian Ocean, to land secretly.
Diego Garcia, a US military base, featured heavily, with claims that the pilot had trained for short-runway landings in the region.
The FBI found “nothing suspicious” on his simulator, but the idea persists online.
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Terrorist Attack
Early speculation linked the disappearance to militant activity, including an unverified letter from a “Chinese Martyrs Brigade.” No credible group ever claimed responsibility.
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Military Shoot-Down
Theorists point to past cases of civilian airliners accidentally shot down. Some claim MH370 was downed during a joint military exercise, and the search was deliberately misdirected.
On 19 March 2014, news agency reporter Scott Mayerowitz of Associated Press described "Accidental Shootdown" as one of seven "leading, plausible theories", but added that there was "no evidence that a government entity brought down Flight 370"
Witnesses in the Maldives reported seeing a low-flying jet resembling MH370 on the morning it disappeared.
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Onboard Fire
Another possibility is that a sudden fire, electrical, cargo-related, or in the landing gear, forced a turn-back toward Penang or Langkawi.
Similar incidents have destroyed aircraft within minutes, but wreckage from MH370 showed no signs of fire damage.
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Cyberattack on Flight Controls
The hypothesis of a cyberattack on Flight 370 has been suggested, notably by former UK government advisor Sally Leivesley. The adequacy of security on commercial flights is debated, though Boeing has rejected this possibility.
Company spokeswoman Gayla Keller stated they are "confident in the robust protection of all flight-critical systems" on the 777 and other Boeing aircraft against hacker access.
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Vertical Entry into the Sea
Mathematician Goong Chen proposed that MH370 entered the ocean nose-first at high speed, reducing floating debris. This would explain the scarcity of wreckage despite large-scale searches.
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Phone Call
A passenger's daughter on MH370 received a call from her father's phone while the plane was missing, raising hopes that passengers might be alive.
However, analysts later clarified that the ringing was a standard network feature for waiting calls, not evidence of a functioning phone on the plane.
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Black hole theory
Another, more far-fetched idea about MH370 involves a black hole swallowing the aircraft, a suggestion that gained notoriety when CNN’s Don Lemon floated the question on air.
Experts quickly debunked it, noting that a black hole small enough to target the plane would still consume the entire planet.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/alien-abduction-us-military-involvement-terror-attack-revisiting-mh370s-web-of-conspiracy-theories/articleshow/123184188.cms
https://www.youtube.com/@JustXAshton
Jaime Maussan
Jeremy Corbel: "They're murdering people working on secret UFO projects." The Blacklist
Aug 6, 2025
🛸🕵️♂️ Jeremy Corbell reveals: “People working on secret UFO projects are being murdered”
In this shocking episode of Interstellar with Jaime Maussan, we analyze the recent statements by researcher Jeremy Corbell, who claims there is a blacklist of names of people eliminated for their links to secret projects related to non-human technology.
⚠️ Who is behind these alleged murders? What secrets are being protected? How far do efforts to hide the truth about UFOs go?
🌌 A deep, disturbing, and documented conversation about the darker side of the extraterrestrial phenomenon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsx9pKC_Vgw
https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyCorbell/
Do EXTRATERRESTRIAL civilizations live AMONG US?
Aug 6, 2025
Discover the secrets of the mysterious Friendship Experiment, one of the most fascinating cases of extraterrestrial contact in modern history. I
n this powerful program, renowned researcher Paola Harris reveals previously unpublished archives, exclusive interviews, and surprising connections that will make you question everything you think you know about extraterrestrial life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63LWJ0kt1kU
https://www.youtube.com/@PaolaHarris-StarworksUSA
Contactees share their experiences with the UFO phenomenon 🛸 👽
Aug 7, 2025
🛸👽 In this episode of Contact Zone 0 on Verdad Oculta TV, we explore the testimonies of contactees who share their experiences with the UFO phenomenon, from close encounters, encounters with shadow people, and other anecdotes related to the phenomenon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn7Y_YFXtWE
"This UFO Material Can Cloak, Reassemble, and Self-Destruct"– DARPA Whistleblower | Redacted News
Aug 7, 2025
A Lockheed Martin DARPA engineer Richard Banduric just made some unbelievable claims: that Trillions of UFO particles are scattered across Earth.
They've been studying them for years and he says these Materials can cloak themselves, reassemble themselves & self-destruct themselves.
And he says they're intelligent lifeforms, not of this earth. Listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnQxedxvPs0
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/jamesfox