TYB
Astronaut posts mind-blowing video from space that 'proves' flat Earth theory is wrong
16:04 17 Aug 2025 GMT+1
A mind-blowing video taken in space looks to have finally put the flat Earth debate to bed.
While most sensible folks have accepted that the world is round for about 1,800 years, with the earliest evidence of people realising the planet is spherical dating from the third century BC, there are still some people who ignore all scientific evidence, such as Wiz Khalifa.
The saying goes that the Flat Earth Society has members all around the globe and that group seems to still be going strong, even with Katy Perry of all people putting an end to the rumours with her videos taken from space.
Well, if the many pictures of the Earth, scientific proof and experts all saying the same hasn't already convinced you, then a new video from NASA astronaut Don Pettit definitely should.
He uploaded the video to social media, which appears to be taken from SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft orbiting Earth, and it's very clear that it isn't flat.
Users on X were quick to point that, despite the lack of light in space, it's as clear as day that the Earth is round.
One user wrote: "Seriously, how can anyone be a flat-earther?"
Another said: "How fun. What a great view, and you can tell the earth is round. I had an Over [sic] driver who believes the Earth is flat. He said all pictures from space are doctored. He tried to convince me."
The video shows the spacecraft remarkably travelling from Europe to Asia in just seconds, capturing night and day on our home planet.
But that didn't stop some Flat Earthers from chiming in. Someone piped up in the comments: "It's flat and stationary!"
Multiple people also questioned if the video was real, with one writing: "Why do all the space videos look so fake lol," and another responding: "Because they ARE."
If you need it spelling out for you then fear not, Professor Brian Cox has also shut down any Flat Earthers with a brutal statement.
He said: "There is absolutely no basis at all for thinking the world is flat. Nobody in human history, as far as I know, has thought the world was flat.
"The Greeks measured the radius of the Earth. I cannot conceive of a reason why anybody would think the world is flat.
"The very simple fact we've taken pictures of it. I'm lost for words, it's probably the most nonsensical suggestion that a thinking human being could possibly make. It is drivel."
So, there you have it, if you still genuinely believe that the world is flat then I really can't offer you any more advice at this point.
But in a time where conspiracy theories and misinformation is rife online, it's worth remembering that much like doctors know much more about our health than we do, astronauts and scientists know much more about space, so we should probably listen to them over random TikTok accounts.
https://www.ladbible.com/news/science/astronaut-space-video-flat-earth-don-pettit-156981-20250817
https://x.com/astro_Pettit/status/1956752084629426528
Giant 'X' appears over Chile as 2 celestial beams of light cross
August 17, 2025
This stunning image from astrophotographer Petr Horálek captures two of the night sky's most glorious sights in one — the glowing heart of the Milky Way and the elusive "zodiacal light."
Despite appearing alongside one another, these two streaks of light could not be more different in origin and composition.
Astronomers have constructed some of humanity's best telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere to better see the bright core of the Milky Way — dense with stars and nebulae.
That core passes through constellations including Scorpius, Sagittarius and Ophiuchus, which are higher in the sky the farther south they're viewed from.
This image was taken at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), located at an altitude of 7,200 feet (2,200 meters) in the Chilean Andes within the southern Atacama Desert.
At this height, above the densest and warmest part of Earth’s atmosphere, incredibly clear and dark skies are the norm, enabling observers to see not only the bright band of the Milky Way but something less obvious that resides in the solar system — zodiacal light.
The biggest visible solar system phenomenon in the night sky, zodiacal light is a faint, diffuse glow in the night sky that casual observers often miss.
It consists of sunlight reflecting off dust in our cosmic neighborhood, possibly from passing asteroids and comets or from the leftovers of planet formation.
In 2020, a paper also claimed that zodiacal light may be primarily made of dust blown off Mars. Either way, the glow of the solar system is an arresting sight, but hard to see.
Zodiacal light is at its brightest around the equinoxes and is visible along the ecliptic — the apparent path the sun takes through the sky — as a triangular beam of light on the horizon a few hours before sunrise or after sunset.
That timing has led to it being called either the "false dawn" or "false dusk," though its name comes from the fact that it’s visible over the 13 constellations that make up the zodiac.
Horálek’s spectacular image was taken in 2022 when he was an audiovisual ambassador for NOIRLab, which operates CTIO.
In the photo, from left to right, are the U.S. Naval Observatory Deep South Telescope, the DIMM1 Seeing Monitor, the Chilean Automatic Supernova Search dome, the UBC Southern Observatory and the Planetary Defense 1.0-meter Telescope.
https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/giant-x-appears-over-chile-as-2-celestial-beams-of-light-cross-space-photo-of-the-week
https://www.petrhoralek.com/
https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/08/russia-to-launch-noahs-ark-mission-space/
Russia Set to Launch “Noah’s Ark” Mission: Mice, Fruit Flies, and Lunar Simulants to Explore Space
August 17, 2025
On August 20, 2025, Russia will launch the Bion-M No. 2 biosatellite atop a Soyuz-2.1b rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, marking a key step in studying the effects of spaceflight on living organisms.
As reported by Space.com, the spacecraft will carry 75 mice, over 1,000 fruit flies, and other biological specimens for a 30-day mission in space, exposing them to high levels of radiation.
The goal is to gain insights into the biological effects of space travel, crucial for advancing deep-space missions and understanding long-term impacts on human health.
Dubbed “Noah’s Ark” for its diverse payload, the mission also carries lunar simulants—dust and rocks mimicking materials found on the moon’s surface.
These simulants will be studied after returning to Earth to assess how they react to space radiation and the vacuum of space, aiding plans for future lunar construction.
The mission aims to gather critical data on microgravity and radiation’s effects on organisms, with potential applications in astronaut health and space medicine.
Examining the Impact of Space Radiation on Mice and Other Organisms
One of the key experiments onboard the Bion-M No. 2 mission involves studying the effects of space radiation on mice.
These animals were chosen for the experiment due to their genetic similarity to humans, their short life cycles, and their heightened sensitivity to radiation. This experiment could have wide-reaching implications for human space travel.
The mice will be divided into three distinct groups: the first group will live in normal conditions on Earth, the second group will be housed in a simulated flight environment on Earth as a control, and the third group will spend 30 days in orbit.
The results will allow researchers to compare the health and biological responses of these groups.
The mice will be monitored closely throughout the mission. Each mouse-carrying unit is equipped with essential systems, including feeding, lighting, ventilation, and waste disposal mechanisms.
Specialized cameras and sensors will provide real-time data on the mice’s condition, and some rodents will be implanted with chips to track physiological changes.
Upon return to Earth, the researchers will analyze how the mice adapted to space conditions and how they readapted after returning to Earth’s gravity.
This data will help scientists understand the long-term effects of spaceflight on living organisms and the potential risks involved.
Lunar Simulants to Test Space Effects on Moon Construction
Another significant component of the Bion-M No. 2 mission involves the study of lunar simulants. These are materials designed to mimic the dust and rocks found on the moon’s surface, specifically those from the high latitudes.
The purpose of this experiment is to assess how space radiation and the vacuum environment affect these materials.
The results of this experiment will have broad implications for future moon construction projects, where the ability to use local materials to build structures will be critical for long-term lunar habitation.
The lunar simulants will be carefully analyzed after their return to Earth to see how they were altered by their exposure to space conditions.
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The collaboration between the Vernadsky Institute and the IMBP in preparing the lunar simulants underscores the importance of this mission in advancing the scientific understanding of space construction materials.
The testing of these materials in space will also help scientists determine how radiation and microgravity might affect future building materials used in extraterrestrial environments.
How Spaceflight Impacts the Biological Health of Organisms in Space
The Bion-M No. 2 mission will collect invaluable data on the biological effects of spaceflight, specifically focusing on how organisms respond to microgravity and radiation.
Researchers hope to gain insights into how these factors contribute to the deterioration of biological systems in space.
The experiment will provide essential information on how microgravity influences the radiation susceptibility of living organisms, which could significantly impact the design of future deep-space missions.
The data gathered could also be used to improve astronaut health management strategies, making long-term space travel safer and more sustainable.
In addition to the mice, more than 1,000 fruit flies are also part of the mission. Fruit flies are commonly used in biological experiments due to their relatively short life cycles and well-understood genetic makeup.
Their inclusion in this mission provides another level of insight into how space conditions affect organisms at various levels of complexity.
With multiple types of organisms being studied, the Bion-M No. 2 mission is expected to yield diverse and comprehensive data on the impact of spaceflight.
The Role of Radiation in Long-Duration Space Missions
One of the most crucial elements of the Bion-M No. 2 mission is its focus on radiation. Space radiation is a major concern for long-duration space travel, as it can cause significant harm to living tissues and increase the risk of cancer.
The Bion-M No. 2 spacecraft will be placed in a nearly circular orbit with an inclination of around 97 degrees, which will increase the level of cosmic radiation that the organisms are exposed to.
This orbital position is specifically chosen to increase radiation exposure by at least an order of magnitude compared to previous missions like Bion-M No. 1.
By studying the effects of this radiation on the mice and other specimens, the mission aims to better understand how space radiation influences biological systems and how to mitigate these risks for future missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
The data gathered from this experiment will be critical for developing new technologies and strategies to protect astronauts from the harmful effects of radiation.
Space agencies worldwide are keenly aware of the risks posed by space radiation, and the findings from this mission could pave the way for new innovations in space health and safety.
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Instructor and student pilot injured in small airplane crash near Titusville airport
August 16, 2025
Two people were injured in the crash of a small plane near the Titusville airport on Friday, Aug. 15.
No details were available on the possible cause of the crash, but one of those aboard suffered serious injuries while the other person sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to Amy Werring, spokeswoman for the city of Titusville.
The occupants of the aircraft, identified only as an instructor and a student, were able to call 911 to report the crash at approximately 2:13 p.m. in a wooded area west of Space Coast Regional Airport and north of Shepard Drive.
According to Titusville police, a federal agency will be conducting an investigation into the crash. No further details were immediately available.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/instructor-and-student-pilot-injured-in-small-airplane-crash-near-titusville-airport/ar-AA1KBrSM
Indian Flag Hoisted On Seattle's Iconic Space Needle For First Time
Aug 16, 2025 12:07 pm IST
In a landmark and historic first in Seattle, the flag of India was raised on top of the Space Needle today in honour of India's 79th Independence Day celebrations.
Built in 1962 for the World Fair, the Space Needle stands as a symbol of Seattle's skyline and epitomizes the tech-driven future of the US Pacific Northwest region, the Consulate General of India in Seattle said in an official statement.
The Consul General of India in Seattle, along with Bruce Harrell, Mayor of Seattle, and other select dignitaries from Seattle city leadership, joined in the historic occasion and acknowledged the contributions of the Indian American diaspora in shaping Seattle's journey as a tech hub in the US Pacific Northwest, the release added.
A Historic Milestone: Indian Tricolor Hoisted for the First Time Ever Atop Seattle's Iconic Space Needle
A community reception was separately hosted by the Consulate at the scenic Kerry Park, which offered sweeping views of the Seattle skyline, with India's flag atop the Space Needle in the backdrop.
Large numbers of Indian American community members turned up to witness the historic sight, the Consulate noted in the statement.
Several US dignitaries also graced the Kerry Park reception, including U.S. Congressman (WA-9th district) Adam Smith, Chief Justice of the Washington Supreme Court Debra L. Stephens, Seattle Port Commissioner Sam Cho, and Superintendent/Director of Seattle Parks & Recreation AP Diaz.
Addressing the gathering, US Rep. Adam Smith welcomed the historic celebration, noting that the Indian Tricolour hoisted atop the Space Needle is a tribute to the region's diversity and the strong bonds between India and the Pacific Northwest, the release said.
The celebrations included a vibrant cultural segment featuring national anthems, a cultural dance performance showcasing the rich diversity of Indian art forms, and a poetic recital by renowned artist and actor Piyush Mishra, according to the Consulate.
In a special gesture to honour India's 79th Independence Day in the Greater Seattle area, King County, along with Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, and Bellevue, issued official proclamations marking August 15 as India Day, the statement added.
Separately, several iconic buildings in Seattle were also lit up in Indian tricolours. These included Lumen Stadium, T-Mobile Stadium, Westin, Seattle Great Wheel, and the Space Needle.
The Indian flag was also hoisted at the Tacoma Dome, Tacoma City Hall, and at the headquarters of Tacoma Police and Fire Departments.
It may be noted that India opened its 6th Consulate in Seattle in November 2023 and has since actively deepened its engagements with the US Pacific Northwest, the Consulate highlighted.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/indian-flag-hoisted-on-seattles-iconic-space-needle-for-first-time-ever-to-mark-79th-independence-day-9096543
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2frDiq-6cT8
Glacial Cycle Coming, Ocean Collapse, Space Weather | Suspicious 0bservers News
Aug.17.2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcOrAtXhgSc
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-62960-y
On this day in space! Aug. 17, 1877: Asaph Hall discovers the Martian moon Phobos
August 17, 2025
On Aug. 17, 1877, American astronomer Asaph Hall discovered Mars's moon Phobos.
Moons of Mars: Amazing Photos of Phobos and Deimos
Hall was working at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. and looking through a 26-inch refractor telescope — which was then the largest in the world — when he first spotted the moon.
Six days earlier, he had discovered another, smaller moon that he first described as "a faint star near Mars."
Upon further inspection, not only did he realize that this star was actually the Martian moon Deimos, but he also discovered a second, larger moon now known as Phobos. He announced both discoveries the following day on Aug. 18, 1877.
Phobos is the largest moon of Mars. Its dimensions measure 10 by 14 by 11 miles (17 by 22 by 18 km) across and orbits Mars three times each Martian day at a distance of about 3,700 miles (6,000 kilometers).
https://www.space.com/39251-on-this-day-in-space.html
https://youtu.be/lAYxDGt2PLM?si=xiqDhRlT-MetSjGC
Canada's 1st commercial spaceport is officially under construction. When will it open for launches?
August 15, 2025
Private Canadian company NordSpace has started construction on its Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) in Newfoundland and Labrador, marking a major milestone toward the country's first operational commercial launch facility.
The budding infrastructure, near the town of St. Lawrence, will support NordSpace's Tundra orbital rocket and the upcoming first test flight of the company's suborbital Taiga vehicle.
Other launch providers who want to use the spaceport are welcome as well, NordSpace says. The facility is "strategically positioned," according a NordSpace press release, to launch missions into orbital inclinations between 46 to 100 degrees — inclinations capable of serving equatorial to polar orbits.
NordSpace CEO Rahul Goel said the groundbreaking was a "historic moment for Canada" and a step toward its sovereign space access.
ASX, previously known as Spaceport Canada, is designed as a cornerstone of NordSpace's end-to-end space mission capability, as it was fully sourced and built from within Canada.
The company's rockets currently in development are assembled using parts sourced from around the country as well as in-house, 3D-printed rocket engines.
The introductory $10 million phase of development for the site includes two facilities:
Space Launch Complex-01 (SLC-01) will house two pads for orbital rockets like NordSpace's future Tundra vehicle, and SLC-02 will support suborbital flights and tracking infrastructure for "space domain awareness," the release says.
ASX's position at 46 degrees latitude enables a wide range of launch inclinations, giving it an edge over other North American spaceports that avoid certain trajectories due to safety regulations over populated areas.
NordSpace's first launch will be of its suborbital Taiga rocket, powered by the company's 3D-printed Hadfield Mk III engine.
The mission, dubbed "Getting Screeched In," follows a successful test series of engine and vehicle shakedowns completed earlier this year, including a fully-integrated vehicle test that took place in January and a month-long engine qualification that fell in July.
The official launch window for Getting Screeched In opens on Aug. 25, though it's unknown when the mission will be ready. NordSpace is taking a realistic approach for Taiga's debut, and won't be aiming for orbit on its first mission.
"Our first flight of that vehicle this summer is going to be a low-altitude demonstration," Goel told Space.com. "The intent behind that is just to make sure it all goes really well and we get this win under our belts," he said.
"Then we'll attempt the second flight … early next year to demonstrate its full capability."
After Taiga, NordSpace plans to look toward its Tundra orbital launch vehicle that's still under development.
Tundra will be comparable in capability to Rocket Lab's Electron rocket, which is able to launch 1,100 pounds (500 kg) to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 550 pounds (250 kg) to sun-synchronous orbit.
Part of Tundra's development includes NordSpace's first satellite, Terra Nova, which is launching in 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission to test in-space propulsion and imaging technologies.
NordSpace is eyeing 2027 for Tundra's first mission.
ASX will also support NordSpace's SHARP (Supersonic and Hypersonic Applications Research Platform) initiative, which includes three hypersonic research vehicles designed for national defense applications.
NordSpace says it's time to end reliance on foreign rockets to launch Canadian-built space hardware, and Canadian officials have voiced strong support for the company's efforts.
NordSpace estimates the introduction of a domestic launch capability will create nearly 650 jobs and contribute $2.5 billion in economic activity through 2035.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/canadas-1st-commercial-spaceport-is-officially-under-construction-when-will-it-open-for-launches
https://www.einpresswire.com/article/837724005/construction-begins-at-nordspace-s-atlantic-spaceport-complex-asx-in-canada-ahead-of-first-commercial-rocket-launch
SpaceX aims to launch Starship Flight 10 test flight on Aug. 24
August 17, 2025
SpaceX says the 10th integrated test flight of its Super Heavy Starship launch vehicle could launch as soon as Aug. 24.
Liftoff from the company's Starbase, Texas, manufacturing and test site is expected during a launch window that begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT).
SpaceX announced the launch date on X Friday (Aug. 15), about one week later than SpaceX CEO Elon Musk predicted in mid-July when he estimated Starship would launch again in "about three weeks."
Flight 10 will be Starship's fourth launch of 2025, and comes at a critical junction in the spacecraft's development.
Starship's three previously flights this year have ended with the loss of the upper stage, and with each loss comes a tighter squeeze on the timeline to ready the vehicle to serve as the lunar lander for the astronauts on NASA's Artemis 3 mission to the surface of the moon, slated for sometime in 2027.
The fully stacked, the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage stand about 394 feet (120 meters) tall.
Flight 10 will fly Booster 16 and Ship 37, both Block 2 variants of the evolving launch vehicle, as SpaceX introduces incremental upgrades for each mission.
The launch follows Flight 9, which lifted off May 27 and ended with the Ship upper stage breaking apart in space about 45 minutes into flight.
Less than a month later, on June 18, a static test fire at Starbase resulted in an explosion, destroying Ship 36 — the vehicle original slated for Flight 10 — and damaging SpaceX test infrastructure.
Those mishap investigations completed, Starship Flight 10 is headed to the launchpad with a fresh set of mission objectives.
Once in space, after stage separation, Starship will deploy eight Starlink satellite mass simulators, perform an in-space Raptor engine relight and attempt a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Booster 16, meanwhile, will alter its trajectory for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
The tenth flight test of Starship is preparing to launch as soon as Sunday, August 24 → https://t.co/UIwbeGoo2B pic.twitter.com/j0YKKgAxAVAugust 15, 2025
Of the nine Starship test flights so far, several have achieved partial success — including catching a Super Heavy booster using the launch tower "Mechazilla" chopstick arms and refurbishing it for reuse — but not have yet met all mission objectives from launch to landing.
SpaceX is developing Starship as part of Musk's vision to make human life multiplanetary by sending people to Mars, and is also central to NASA's Artemis program to return astronauts to the moon for long-duration missions.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-targeting-date-for-10th-starship-rocket-test-flight
https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-10
>>23473443
Show us on this globe replica where the weather man hurt you
Former Space Force analyst who shot and killed Colorado teen sentenced to 54 years in prison
Updated: August 15, 2025 / 10:21 PM MDT
A former U.S. Space Force signals intelligence analyst was sentenced to decades behind bars in Colorado on Friday for shooting two suspected teen car thieves and killing one of them.
An Adams County judge sentenced Orest Schur, of Aurora, to 54 years in prison following his conviction in June.
Schur was a sergeant in the Army before he transferred to work at Buckley Space Force Base until the end of his service a year ago.
In July 2023, Schur chased the 13 and 14-year-olds down in the 19500 block of East 58th Circle after allegedly catching them trying to take his wife's car.
Although they didn't succeed in taking the car, Shur chased after them. Investigators say Schur started shooting at them and wounded the 13-year-old with a gunshot wound to the back.
He ultimately killed 14-year-old Xavier Kirk. Neither of the boys were armed, and the investigation found 11 shots were fired even as the boys ran away.
Family members spoke at the sentencing, asserting that the teens made a mistake, but didn't deserve to die.
One family member said, "You know, kids make mistakes, and so, I always teach my kids in my family, like my nephews and nieces, about consequences and repercussions.
We're not trying to excuse any wrongdoing of Xavier, or wrong they were involved in. The part that's messed up is Orest Shur's car was never stolen."
The judge said Schur, a discharged soldier, should have known not to take lethal action that night.
Prosecutors read a statement in Friday afternoon's court hearing written by the teen who survived.
It said, "An adult chose to use deadly force against two unarmed teenagers. That is not justice, that is not safety, that is not accountability. I survived, but I am not the same.
My friend didn't survive at all. And no matter what we did that night, I didn't deserve to be shot, and Xavier didn't deserve to die."
Before his sentencing, Schur addressed the court and pleaded for mercy, stating, "I am sorry for the events that occurred that night, for the pain, for the grief and trauma that have followed and for the impact that my case had on so many lives.
Schur will serve 36 years in prison for one count of second degree murder. For the count of attempted murder in the second degree, he will serve 18 years.
The maximum overall sentence he could have received was 80 years in prison. The minimum was 26. He was taken away to begin his sentence immediately.
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/orest-schur-murder-colorado-teenager-xavier-kirk-sentenced-prison/
https://www.persuasion.community/p/im-a-space-force-colonel-trump-fired
I'm a Space Force Colonel. Trump Fired Me for Being Transgender
Aug 17, 2025
I know what it feels like to stand on the shore as a hurricane makes landfall. I saw the storm forming in the distance when over $200 million was spent in the last two months of the 2024 presidential campaign on anti-transgender advertising.
It strengthened after the election when President Trump declared that he would end the “transgender lunacy” on Day One. The language used in the executive order on January 27, 2025 was Category 5.
Transgender service members like me were labeled undisciplined, dishonorable liars, who lacked the humility required for military service.
I joined the Air Force after the attacks on 9/11 and served 18 years before recommissioning into the Space Force, rising to the rank of colonel.
But this year, the White House began the process to remove me and other transgender service members from the military.
Despite nearly a decade of serving openly as transgender, we were no longer measured by our ability to meet standards or accomplish missions, but by a characteristic unrelated to our performance.
The message was unmistakable: our service is suspect and unwanted, not because of what we’ve done, but because of who we are.
I wish I could say I was surprised. We’d weathered a similar storm before. So how did we arrive here again—and what do we do now?
The First Storm
In 2016 I came out the day the military first allowed transgender people to serve openly. My authenticity didn’t distract from the mission—it fueled it.
I became a stronger leader when I stopped hiding who I was. My colleagues and I performed better together because we trusted each other.
One year later, the storm found us. In 2017, during the first Trump administration, the attempt to bar transgender people blasted like a lightning bolt from a clear blue sky—tweets announcing that our government “will not accept or allow” us to serve.
We were stunned, but we endured. We kept showing up, kept meeting the standard, kept doing the jobs we’d sworn to do.
The policy that eventually settled into place was a ban. No one could come out while in service and no openly transgender person could join the military.
Those of us who had already come out were an endangered species expected to just peter out.
The years that followed proved that service, done openly and with integrity, transforms an organization from the inside. It also changes the person serving.
My colleagues and I have built resilience through adversity, developed enhanced empathy, and seen good leadership triumphing over fear. Our authentic service wasn’t a distraction; it was a force multiplier—building trust and enhancing performance.
By 2019, Americans had largely judged our service on the evidence. Roughly 85% of adults under 30, and over 70% of adults overall, supported open transgender military service.
That support didn’t materialize because of a slogan. It came from seeing us execute the mission: from watching my colleagues lead companies, teach cadets, fly aircraft, penetrate adversary networks, deploy to combat zones, and bring troops safely home.
The Second Storm
In 2025, the storm didn’t strike like lightning; it churned like a growing tropical depression. Models wobbled.
Tracks shifted. We watched the projected storm surge and wondered whether it would wash our careers—and our contributions—out to sea. Then, Hurricane “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness” came ashore.
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The policy flowing from the executive order wasn’t just a ban on accessions. It was a purge striking people who had been serving with distinction.
Implementation timelines were spelled out in weeks and service members were given a choice of taking the carrot of a “voluntary” separation or the stick of an “involuntary” one with unknown consequences.
If it was a choice it was Sophie’s version—it wasn’t voluntary for any of us.
The courts did step in, but despite rulings that said the government’s case lacked merit and was dripping with animus—that our records were Exhibit A as to why we should be serving—the reprieve was temporary.
In May, the Supreme Court, seemingly ignorant of the real harms being done by the purge, answered the government’s emergency appeal and the injunctions were lifted, allowing enforcement.
With new deadlines in place, all transgender troops would be dismissed before the cases made it through the appellate process and back to the Supreme Court.
The chill that set in reached beyond policy into people’s lives. Friends hesitated to publicly like or comment on posts about what was happening.
Colleagues messaged me privately, sharing their fear of being seen, as if visibility itself had become an operational risk. Senior leaders knew that if they spoke publicly in our defense, they would be the next ones fired.
Erasure crept in—on websites, in school libraries, in official language. When participation in ordinary civic conversation is dangerous, democracy itself feels brittle, like it could fracture at any moment. That is the chilling effect of cruelty in power.
I felt the freeze personally. Crisis response became my full-time second job: scanning for the next policy shoe to drop, bracing for impact, trying to steady others.
My curiosity—so necessary for good leadership—narrowed to survival. The best antidote I knew was the one I’ve preached for years: hope in action.
Hope is not naïveté; it is discipline. It’s persistent truth-telling; it’s choosing to speak even when your voice shakes; it’s asking, “Who needs me now?” and showing up for them.
While the crisis was happening, my day job continued: defining the space capabilities that would ensure America’s ability to prevail in future conflicts, including implementing this administration’s priorities.
We were as busy as we’d ever been and my boss was pleading up the chain of command to do whatever could be done to keep me. I continued to give everything I had to the nation that called me to service.
But then I found myself placed on administrative leave—a new concept for the military, one that was implemented just for us.
Now there was a uniform hanging in my closet like a promise I wouldn’t be allowed to keep. My government said my willingness and service record no longer mattered.
Why We Serve
People often ask me why I kept going and what keeps me dedicated to public service.
The answer is simple: I serve because I still care—about the ideals embedded in the Constitution I swore an oath to defend; about leaving the institution better than I found it; about the people to my left and right; about shattering stereotypes simply by showing up and doing the work well.
If prejudice writes transgender service members out of the ranks, I want history to record only the bias of those who attempted the erasure—not any failure on our parts to meet the standard.
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That standard matters. The U.S. military has always been at its best when it judges people by performance and provides everyone the opportunity to show it. Our diversity of experience and background is a strategic advantage.
When transgender people meet or exceed the same standards as every other American in uniform—and we do—our service strengthens national security.
Turning away qualified volunteers or removing proven performers because of gender identity is not only wasteful; it violates the principles that define us as a nation. If you meet the standard, your service should be welcomed.
I’ve seen the power of that ethos. Serving openly creates space for trust—the kind that lets you solve problems together. Colin Powell said, “The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.
They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care.” When I let my shields down with my gender transition, I let others in.
Several of my officers brought me deeply personal challenges they were experiencing which were bleeding into their work performance.
Before, they thought I wouldn’t care, but when they saw some of my humanity they brought the issues to me and we were able to solve them together.
America’s Promise
In the eye of the storm, transgender service members have done what Americans in uniform always do: keep faith with our oath, take care of our people, plan for the worst, work for the best.
Policy can end our careers, but it cannot undo what we have proven under pressure and in harm’s way.
By the end of 2025, my administrative leave will become a final termination. I will trade the combat boots I can no longer wear for shoes fit for different battlefields, where the same oath can be lived in new ways.
And when I step into whatever comes next, I intend to lead with the same steadiness and hope that carried me through these storms.
The patriotism I claim is contribution, not grievance; resolve, not bitterness. I’m grateful for the years I wore our nation’s cloth, and I will keep serving the same ideals out of uniform: equal justice, equal opportunity, consent of the governed.
Those words do not enforce themselves; people enforce them. Excluding capable Americans from that work weakens the republic we swear to defend.
So we will do what good leaders and good teammates do. We will tell our stories, show our results, stand up for one another, and make it easier for the next person to be judged by their performance. Storms pass.
Standards endure. And if we hold fast—to our oath, to each other, and to the evidence of our service—America’s promise will outlast this weather.
Bree Fram is a colonel in the U.S. Space Force, currently on administrative leave. The views presented are hers and do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government or the Department of Defense.
3/3
Chaplain Corps Summit reinforces spiritual readiness, unveils new vision
Aug. 15, 2025
The Air Force Chaplain Corps wrapped up its annual summit, Aug. 14, bringing together Religious Support Teams from across the Total Force to focus on spiritual readiness and alignment under the Chaplain Corps’ new motto: HC Ready!
The summit, held Aug. 12 to 14, marked the official rollout of the Chaplain Corps updated vision and strategic priorities, which center around three key lines of effort: fortifying the warfighter spirit, developing Chaplain Corps leaders and capabilities, and generating Religious Support Team readiness.
“As our Airmen and Guardians deliver air and space power advantage to the Joint Force, the Chaplain Corps at home and abroad ensures that warfighters are spiritually fit and ready to thrive across the spectrum of military operations—from competition before the fight, during the fight, after the fight and beyond their time in uniform,” said Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Trent Davis, Air Force and Space Force chief of chaplains.
The summit highlighted the Corps’ role in fostering spiritual fitness as a cornerstone of resilience, connection and mission effectiveness.
Leaders highlighted that supporting the spiritual well-being of Airmen and Guardians is crucial for preparing the force to meet the demands of modern conflict.
Participants were provided updates on revised Air Force Instructions and introduced to new tools designed to enhance spiritual fitness, supporting the decentralized execution of the Corps’ mission across active-duty, Reserve and Guard components.
Davis also stressed the importance of unity and integration, aligning the Chaplain Corps’ “One Chaplain Corps” message with Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin’s “One Air Force” concept.
The event highlighted the Chaplain Corps’ unwavering commitment to supporting warfighters wherever they serve, ensuring they remain spiritually fit and ready in every domain, phase and condition of the fight.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4276586/chaplain-corps-summit-reinforces-spiritual-readiness-unveils-new-vision/
Additional Department of the Air Force guidance on implementing policy on prioritizing military excellence and readiness: General guidelines for involuntary separation
Aug. 15, 2025
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) – The Department of the Air Force released additional guidance for implementation of Executive Order 14183, "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness," aligning with updated Department of Defense policy and addressing administrative processes for Airmen and Guardians who have a current diagnosis or history of, or who exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria.
The additional guidance updates the procedures used for involuntary administrative separations and creates a Consolidated Disposition Authority to convene discharge boards and boards of inquiry in accordance with the Executive Order and Department of Defense guidance. The policy aims to provide a clear and respectful process for those separating from service.
See the general framework for the updated policy here and the DAFGM.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4276195/additional-department-of-the-air-force-guidance-on-implementing-policy-on-prior/
https://www.af.mil/Portals/1/documents/2025SAF/Involuntary_Separation_Framework.pdf
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi36-3211/dafi36-3211.pdf
WATCH US F-35 fighter jets escort Putin’s plane
16 Aug, 2025 08:08
The Kremlin has shared footage of US F-35 fighter jets flanking Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plane as it headed across the Bering Strait, following a summit with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, in Alaska.
The warplanes appeared to have taken off from Elmendorf Air Force Base, which served as the summit’s venue.
Putin’s arrival in the US also featured a ceremonial display of Washington’s military power, including a flyover of F-22s and a B-2 nuclear-capable stealth bomber.
Trump also welcomed his Russian counterpart on a red carpet, with the two sharing a drive in the US president’s armored limousine.
Following the summit, the two leaders held a press conference, although they did not announce any deal on the Ukraine conflict.
Still, Putin described the meeting as constructive while Trump called it “warm,” adding the sides are “pretty close to the end” of the conflict.
Trump later urged Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to “make the deal.”
The F-35 is a fifth-generation family of stealth, multi-role fighter jets developed by Lockheed Martin, designed for air superiority and ground attack missions, equipped with advanced sensors, avionics, and networked warfare capabilities.
Alaska is reportedly home to two squadrons of F-22s, in addition to another two squadrons of F-35 fighters reportedly stationed at the nearby Eielson Air Force Base.
https://www.rt.com/russia/623045-f22-escort-putin-plane/
The last major Hamas stronghold: What awaits IDF in Gaza City
August 16, 2025 05:40
Israeli forces are preparing for a possible broader ground operation in central Gaza City, targeting neighborhoods long held by Hamas including the site known as “Palestine Square,” which the IDF has called the “Square of Evil.”
In December 2023, IDF soldiers lit the first Hanukkah candle in the square, a symbol of Hamas control, with Brig. Gen. Benny Aharon, commander of the 401st Brigade, describing the act as bringing “light of purity, goodness, hope and dream for the State of Israel” to the darkened city. Aharon said the ceremony, two months into the war, was a statement of IDF strength and a continuation of Israel’s fight against Hamas.
Since the conflict began, the IDF has entered Gaza City multiple times in limited ground operations targeting neighborhoods like Zeitoun and Sabra, supported by airstrikes, artillery and explosive robots.
Full control of the city or installing an alternative authority was never the objective, allowing Hamas to partially rebuild.
Current planning indicates preparations for a larger operation.
Israeli officials are boosting force readiness, refreshing units and mobilizing reservists, with estimates of 80,000 to 100,000 needed for an extensive campaign.
Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, IDF chief of staff, approved the “main concept” of the operation during a meeting with senior commanders and Shin Bet officials.
He stressed readiness while managing protests from families of hostages and exhausted reservists.
Security officials are also planning comprehensive humanitarian measures to ensure evacuated areas have sufficient food, water, medical care and essential infrastructure.
Estimates suggest up to one million residents in northern Gaza may need to be relocated prior to the operation.
Gaza City, the largest in the Strip and third-largest among Palestinian cities after East Jerusalem and Hebron, has grown rapidly since the Oslo Accords and hosts multiple universities including the Islamic University, a key Hamas-controlled site.
Experts say Hamas has long embedded its military and social infrastructure in the city making operations complex.
The last senior Hamas commander believed to remain in Gaza City, Izz al-Din Al-Haddad, reportedly continues to operate in the city, commanding a brigade while evading Israeli forces.
The IDF has systematically targeted high-rise buildings housing Hamas cells. Roughly one million residents, including displaced people from southern Gaza, further complicate military operations with many refusing to evacuate even under threat.
Observers warn that the occupation or destruction of Gaza City could draw sharp international criticism due to its political, humanitarian and symbolic significance.
Analysts also note that ongoing Israeli operations, including heavy artillery, airstrikes and targeted demolitions, may be part of broader efforts to misdirect public attention from strategic objectives.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syslqxruxx
'The hostages are my top priority': IDF officer on balancing aid distribution, freeing hostages
Updated: AUGUST 17, 2025 08:27
“As a uniformed officer, my role is first and foremost to protect the State of Israel and everyone who lives here,” Lt.-Col. M., 42, head of the Foreign Relations Department in the Coordination and Liaison Directorate (CLD) for Gaza, told Walla in an interview.
Since December 2024, she has overseen the coordination of humanitarian aid activity in the Gaza Strip with dozens of international organizations.
M., a mother of four and wife to a hi-tech professional, described her mission: “returning the hostages and denying Hamas aid."
“Most of our work involves coordinating humanitarian efforts with actors inside and outside the Gaza Strip,” she explained.
“We bring in humanitarian aid, and we also coordinate the evacuation of patients and the safe transfer of foreign nationals.”
Her role extends far beyond supervising aid trucks. “There’s coordination that is not necessarily food—such as medical equipment, blood units, and more.
On the one hand, we are fighting, and at the same time, medical teams or humanitarian convoys must move during or near combat zones. These are two parallel efforts that must be synchronized.”
M. noted that the looting of aid is routine. “Most of the trucks are looted along the way. We see it.
Aid from these trucks, with international logos, is sold in the markets. You can even see its impact on prices—for example, flour prices have dropped.”
She has also had to address complex incidents, including the deaths of World Central Kitchen (WCK) staff in an Israeli strike.
“After every incident, we stop, investigate, study what happened, and try to understand why. Gaza is a war zone. It’s not a sterile area.”
Returning the hostages
M. was directly involved in Operation 'Derech Eretz,' which saw hostages returned and Palestinian prisoners released. “The truth is, Operation 'Derech Eretz' shook me the most,” she recalled.
“To see the coffins of our hostages—it’s to hurt, to cry on what happened to us as a people, a nation, an army on October 7. And a minute later, you have to pull yourself together, remember you’re on an operational mission, and continue.”
“The hostages are my top priority,” M. stressed. “Even if some of the aid we bring in reaches them and keeps them alive one more day, I’ve earned my bread. This is my life’s mission.”
Despite the strain, she insisted her fight is not against the civilians of Gaza but against Hamas.
“I will do everything to prevent Hamas from accessing humanitarian aid. And I live with the hope that at any moment, I will get the call: prepare for another hostage return.”
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-864389
IDF Chief: Next Phase of “Gideon’s Chariots” Approved — Final Push to Defeat Hamas in Gaza City
AUG 17, 2025 08:37
IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir conducted a field tour in the Gaza Strip alongside senior commanders, including Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen of the Operations Directorate, and Maj. Gen. Moran Omer of the 36th Division.
During the visit, Zamir met with battalion and brigade commanders, outlining plans for the next phase of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, a campaign aimed at decisively defeating Hamas in Gaza City.
Expressing pride in their efforts, he emphasized the operation’s success in weakening Hamas and its critical focus on securing the release of hostages taken on October 7, 2023.
Zamir announced, “Today we are approving the plan for the next phase of the war. As in the recent operations in Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, Judea and Samaria, and Gaza, we will continue to change the security reality.
We will maintain the momentum of Gideon’s Chariots while focusing on Gaza City. We will continue to attack until Hamas is defeated, focusing on the return of the hostages.”
He stressed a “sophisticated, considered, and responsible strategy,” utilizing the IDF’s full capabilities on land, air, and sea to “strike Hamas with force.”
The Chief of Staff highlighted the operation’s achievements, stating, “Operation Gideon’s Chariots achieved its goals. Hamas does not currently possess the same capabilities it had before the operation. We have severely damaged it.”
He framed the campaign as part of a broader, long-term strategy targeting Iran’s “axis” of allied groups, adding, “The current campaign is not a one-off, it is another step in a long-term and planned plan, from a multi-sectoral perspective to damage all components of the axis, led by Iran.”
Zamir praised the troops, saying, “You have been fighting for almost two years in a row, you have achieved unprecedented achievements, which bring security to the residents of the encirclement and to all citizens of Israel. I am proud of you.”
He underscored the IDF’s moral duty, declaring, “The IDF has a moral obligation to return the hostages, both alive and dead, back home.”
The announcement comes amid intensified IDF operations across multiple fronts, including recent strikes in Yemen and Lebanon, reflecting Israel’s commitment to countering Iran-backed groups like Hamas, which has been significantly weakened since the war’s onset.
https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/idf-gaza-operation-next-phase
https://www.jns.org/idf-oks-wars-next-stage-gaza-city-in-sights/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/zamir-says-idf-approving-plans-for-wars-next-stage-ahead-of-gaza-city-offensive/
IDF confirms strike on Yemeni power plant ‘used by the Houthi terror regime’
August 17, 2025 9:10 am
The IDF, in a statement, confirms carrying out a strike against “energy infrastructure used by the Houthi terror regime” near the Yemeni capital of Sanaa this morning.
The strike was carried out by Israeli Navy missile boats, according to a defense official. Explosions were reported earlier at a power plant in the area.
“The strikes were conducted in response to repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel and its citizens, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory,” the IDF says.
Since the last Israeli strike on Yemen on July 21, the Iran-backed Houthis have launched at least seven ballistic missiles and seven drones at Israel.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-confirms-strike-on-yemeni-power-plant-used-by-the-houthi-terror-regime/
IDF intercepts missile from Yemen, hours after Israeli Navy hit Houthi power plant
August 17, 2025 6:43 pm
A ballistic missile launched by the Houthis in Yemen at Israel on Sunday afternoon was intercepted by air defenses, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The missile, which was detected shortly before 4:30 p.m., set off sirens in central Israel and the Jerusalem area, forcing hundreds of thousands of Israelis to seek cover amid widespread protests across the country for the return of the hostages held by Hamas.
There were no reports of impacts or injuries.
The attack came hours after the Israeli Navy launched strikes against a power plant south of Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, on Sunday morning.
The Israel Defense Forces, in a statement, said the strike hit “energy infrastructure used by the Houthi terror regime” near Sanaa, in response to “repeated attacks by the Houthi terror regime against the State of Israel and its citizens, including the launching of surface-to-surface missiles and UAVs toward Israeli territory.”
Local media reported large explosions in the area that knocked generators out of service.
The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV blamed the explosion on “aggression,” without identifying the source. Teams were working to put out a fire caused by the incident, Al Masirah added, citing a source in civil defense.
An Israeli defense official confirmed the strike was carried out by Navy missile boats. It was only the second time that the Navy has struck in Yemen, the first being an attack on the Houthi-controlled Hodeida port in June.
After the missile fire on Sunday afternoon, Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened that the Houthis would “pay dearly” for their attacks.
“We are imposing an aerial and naval blockade that hurts them greatly, and this morning, we struck infrastructure and energy targets. This is only the beginning,” he said in a statement issued by his office.
“What follows will be strong and painful. Whoever raises a hand against Israel, his hand will be cut off,” Katz added.
The navy strike on Sunday morning was the 14th time that Israel has attacked the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, located some 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) away.
Most of the strikes have been carried out by Israeli Air Force fighter jets; the last strike on the Houthis, in July, was carried out by an IAF drone, for the first time.
Since then, the Houthis have launched eight ballistic missiles and at least seven drones at Israel, attacks that caused no damage or injuries.
The Houthis — whose slogan calls for “Death to America, Death to Israel, [and] a Curse on the Jews” — began attacking Israel and maritime traffic in November 2023, a month after the October 7 Hamas massacre.
The Houthis held their fire during a ceasefire that was reached between Israel and Hamas in January 2025.
By that point, they had fired over 40 ballistic missiles and dozens of attack drones and cruise missiles at Israel, including one that killed a civilian and wounded several others in Tel Aviv in July, prompting Israel’s first strike in Yemen.
Since March 18, when the IDF resumed its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen have launched 70 ballistic missiles and at least 22 drones at Israel. Several of the missiles have fallen short.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-intercepts-missile-from-yemen-hours-after-israeli-navy-hit-houthi-power-plant/
IDF says it targeted Hamas cell outside Gaza City hospital
August 17, 2025 7:16 pm
Overnight, the IDF says it carried out a drone strike against a cell of Hamas gunmen outside Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood.
The armed terror operatives were “identified storing weapons and equipping themselves with weapons at the hospital compound, and using it as a place of shelter,” the military says.
The IDF says Hamas “continues to use hospitals in the Gaza Strip for terror purposes, cynically and brutally exploiting the civilian population in and around the hospital.
During the strike, which was directed by the 990th Artillery Regiment and carried out by an Israeli Air Force drone, the IDF says it took steps to mitigate civilian harm, “including the use of precise munition, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-targeted-hamas-cell-outside-gaza-city-hospital/
A few new technologies and they'll get to be what they want to be without the burden of the medical industry.
Ukraine Strikes Caspian Seaport Hitting Ship Delivering Iranian Drones
Aug 15, 2025 11:36 AM
Ukraine’s armed forces are reporting they struck the Port of Olya, the largest in Russia’s Caspian region, and a key port for the transport of arms and other munitions for the war in Ukraine.
Unconfirmed reports are that they were able to damage a Russian cargo ship that was offloading components for Iranian-made Shahed drones.
“According to available information, the ship Port Olya 4, loaded with components for the Shahed type UAV and ammunition from Iran was hit,” the General Staff reported in a social media posting.
They said that the results of the attack were still being “clarified,” but Ambrey Analytics is reporting the vessel has sunk while alongside the pier.
The vessel is a general cargo ship built in 2012 and registered in Russia. It is 403 feet (123 meters) in length and 5,185 gross dwt.
Russian drone attacks have become a nightly occurrence, report the Ukrainian media, focusing on infrastructure targets.
Ukraine’s General Staff reports it has “launched a broader campaign to degrade Russia’s ability to launch air attacks.”
Iran has been frequently cited for supplying drones and other equipment to Russia. In addition to drones, it is supplying ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian media, however, notes that with Iran’s help, Russia has begun manufacturing its version of the Shahed called Gerans.
Olya is located 500 miles from the front lines in Ukraine on the Bakhtemir River of the Volga Delta.
It is part of the Volga-Caspian Canal system and, according to the port’s online data, handles approximately 1.5 million tons of cargo a year. It is reported to have 10 docks with a depth of more than 16 feet.
“This facility is used by Russia as an important logistics point for the supply of military goods,” reported Ukraine’s General Staff.
The attack, which took place on August 14, comes ahead of the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, and as both sides have increased their attacks.
Ukraine reported there were 149 combat clashes on Thursday, followed by an additional 65 so far on August 15. For its part, Russia claimed to have shot down 53 Ukrainian drones overnight.
https://maritime-executive.com/article/ukraine-strikes-caspian-seaport-hitting-ship-delivering-iranian-drones
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/15/ukraine-says-bombed-russian-ship-drone-parts-caspian-port
Air defenses neutralize 61 of 85 drones in overnight Russian attack on Ukraine
16.08.2025 09:35
Ukraine's air defense forces intercepted or jammed 61 out of 85 drones launched by Russian troops during attacks on the country since the evening of August 15.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported this on Telegram, according to Ukrinform.
According to the report, beginning at 19:30 on Friday, August 15, Russia attacked Ukraine with an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 85 strike drones of the Shahed type, along with decoy drones, launched from Kursk, Oryol, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Shatalovo (Russia), and Hvardiiske (temporarily occupied Crimea).
Frontline areas in the Sumy, Donetsk, Chernihiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions were targeted.
The aerial assault was countered by Ukraine's electronic warfare and unmanned systems units, as well as mobile fire teams of the Defense Forces.
Preliminary reports as of 08:00 on Saturday, August 16, indicate that air defenses shot down or suppressed 61 drones in northern and eastern Ukraine. One missile and 24 drones hit 12 locations.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4026227-air-defenses-neutralize-61-of-85-drones-in-overnight-russian-attack-on-ukraine.html
https://t.me/kpszsu/40478
Defense Forces destroy 40 drones overnight
17.08.2025 10:14
On the night of August 17, Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed or neutralized 40 Russian drones out of 60 launched.
According to Ukrinform, the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the data on Facebook.
On the night of August 17 (starting at 7:30 p.m. on August 16), the enemy attacked with an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 60 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various types of drone simulators from the following sectors in the Russian Federation: Kursk, Bryansk, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Shatalovo.
The air attack was repelled by electronic warfare units and unmanned systems, as well as mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
According to preliminary data, as of 09:00, 40 enemy Shahed-type UAVs and various types of drone simulators were shot down or neutralized by anti-aircraft systems in the north and east of the country.
Missile strikes and 20 UAVs were recorded at 12 locations in the frontline areas of the Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
According to Ukrinform, yesterday, 148 combat clashes between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian invaders were recorded on the frontline, 51 of them occurred in the Pokrovsk sector.
The enemy also became more active in the Lyman and Novopavlivka sectors.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4026488-defense-forces-destroy-40-drones-overnight.html
https://www.facebook.com/kpszsu/posts/pfbid02Zrg8Ha7y3Qc7p2vnY8w38FjrZ7AWFCcc3gksB1ThriSe3u9nuZxdJBtk89tZJa4rl
Drones strike major railway junction in Russia’s Voronezh region
17.08.2025 08:35
During the night of Sunday, August 17, drones targeted the Liski railway station in Russia’s Voronezh region.
Voronezh region governor Alexander Gusev confirmed that the station was struck by drones. He stated that a track repair worker was injured, power lines were damaged, and the movement of several trains was delayed as a result.
OSINT channels have identified Liski as one of the largest railway junctions within Russia’s South-Eastern Railway network.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 46 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight on August 17, including nine in the Voronezh region.
As previously reported by Ukrinform, drones struck an oil refinery in the city of Syzran, located in Russia’s Samara region, during the night of August 15.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4026463-drones-strike-major-railway-junction-in-russias-voronezh-region-media.html
https://t.me/astrapress/89763
Russia, Ukraine Launch Drones Before Zelensky-Trump Summit
August 17, 2025
Kyiv and Moscow launched attack drones at each other on Sunday, a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due in the United States for talks with President Donald Trump about ending the three-year-long war with Russia.
But fighting has continued to rage amid a flurry of diplomatic moves to end Moscow's invasion.
Kyiv's air force said Russia attacked Ukraine with 60 Iranian-made Shahed and other drones, as well as an Iskander missile.
Russian attacks killed five people in the eastern Donetsk region on Saturday, according to local governor Vadym Filashkin.
In Russia, the Defense Ministry said Kyiv launched 46 drones at the country, mostly over border regions but also over the Nizhny Novgorod region east of Moscow, hundreds of kilometres from Ukraine.
The acting governor of the border Kursk region, Alexander Khinstein, said a Ukrainian drone attack killed a man in his car.
In the southern Voronezh region, Governor Alexander Gusev said a railway worker was wounded by a drone strike on a railway station in the region.
Throughout Moscow's full-scale invasion, which has killed thousands of people and displaced millions, Ukraine has launched drones into Russia
Zelensky is due in Washington on Monday, three days after Trump hosted Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska for talks.
Following the meeting with Putin on Friday, Trump dropped his push for a ceasefire in Ukraine in favour of pursuing a peace deal — a position that Moscow has been pushing for.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/08/17/russia-ukraine-launch-drones-before-zelensky-trump-summit-a90255
NYPD drone allows Mayor Adams to see real-time, bird’s eye view of NYC emergencies — including Park Avenue shooting, helicopter crash and more
Aug. 16, 2025, 1:06 p.m. ET
He’s watching over Gotham.
Mayor Adams has been tapping into NYPD drone footage to get an immediate assessment during the city’s most critical emergencies, officials told The Post.
“I can send him a link upon his request to be able to see in real time what’s happening on the ground,” Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Kaz Daughtry said of Adams, the first NYC mayor to have this access.
“Remember, he was a police officer. He doesn’t want to get updates on the phone. He wants to get them in real time.”
The mayor was watching the NYPD’s response to 345 Park Ave., after gunman Shane Tamura, 27, walked across the outdoor plaza wielding an AR-15-style rifle and murdered four people inside before killing himself, Daughtry said.
When he saw how dire the situation was, he got there as fast as he could, Daughtry said.
“I spoke to him several times during that whole incident,” Daughtry said, explaining he told the mayor the NYPD called a level three mobilization.
“We’re calling for resources from all over the city to respond because this is an active shooter situation,” Daughtry said, explaining the level three. “We immediately deployed the drone. They’re part of that mobilization.”
Adams watched the video from his car and saw people running out of the building with their hands up.
“He was like, ‘I can’t believe this is happening in our city,’” Daughtry recalled.
“Now, as NYPD officers are running into a building you’ve got folks running out with their hands up. I think that made him respond to the scene faster.”
In April, the mayor watched rescue efforts from above after a helicopter carrying a Spanish family on a sightseeing tour plummeted into the Hudson River.
“Immediately he says ‘Is everyone OK?” Daughtry recalled. “Do we have our drones up yet can you please send me a link?’”
Adams watched as the family of five and pilot were being pulled out of the water, saw efforts to resuscitate them with CPR, and rushed to the scene.
“I told him, ‘We’re pulling out victims now and it’s not looking good,'” Daughtry recalled.
“If he wants to see the drones, he can look real time and he can make decisions from his vehicle,” Daughtry said. “That’s only for high profile incidents. There’s got to be something that rises to the magnitude where we’re notifying the mayor in real time.”
Daughtry has been a staunch cheerleader for the NYPD’s drone program since it started in 2019. The department uses the unmanned aerial vehicles for everything from crimefighting, to search and rescue and disaster response.
The NYPD has about 100 drones at its command and an equal number of police officers who are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly them.
In 2024, the NYPD started its Drone as a First Responder (DFR) program, which deploys the unmanned aerial vehicles on 911 calls to get an overview of the scene and improve situational awareness for cops.
The department also uses drones to locate and rescue swimmers in distress off the city’s beaches — along with the FDNY — and detect illegal activities, such as subway surfing.
Civil libertarians have cried foul, arguing the video surveillance violates privacy rights.
“The drones are a force multiplier and they just add a real time sense of what’s going on,” he said. “People said it would not work and it is working here.”
The Adams administration pointed out that shootings and shooting victims are at historic lows in the city because of efforts to take guns off the street, gang takedowns and precision policing.
“As technology evolves, we are evolving with it — and drones have become a critical crime-fighting tool that helps our officers do exactly that,” Adams said in a statement.
“Real-time camera access for our senior leadership during emergencies or mass protests allows us to keep communities safe and respond to active incidents faster.”
https://nypost.com/2025/08/16/us-news/drone-allows-mayor-adams-real-time-birds-eye-view-of-nyc-emergencies/
Drones cleared for take-off after conflict ban
16 Aug 2025 at 20:34
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has relaxed restrictions on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) nationwide, allowing drone flights to resume under strict conditions after a two-week suspension prompted by heightened border tensions with Cambodia.
The easing of restrictions would be in effect until Aug 31, although the measure will likely be extended until further notice, government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said on Saturday.
Drone operations are once again permitted across the country except in designated no-fly zones, which can be checked via the aviation regulator’s UAS Portal application.
Civilian drone flights were suspended between July 30 and Aug 15, as authorities feared UAV activity might interfere with military operations as clashes flared along the Thai-Cambodian frontier.
Under the new rules, drone users must notify authorities of the flight area, date, time and purpose at least three days in advance via the UAS Portal app or at the UAS Portal website.
Such flights must also be reported to the Anti-Drone Centre of the Metropolitan Police Bureau at antidrone.police@gmail.com.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/3087912/drones-cleared-for-take-off-after-conflict-ban
https://www.twz.com/air/foreign-nexus-in-military-base-drone-incursions-detailed-by-government-insider
FAA Insider Opens Up About Drone Incursions Over Military Bases
Aug 15, 2025 4:42 PM EDT
Last November, drones of an unknown origin appeared over Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, which The War Zone was first to report.
In the following weeks, waves of drones were reported all over the state, and there were incursions over military bases in the U.S. and overseas.
The sightings closed airspace, forced increased security patrols and spurred Congressional queries.
These all followed another incident that we were the first to report, the December 2023 extremely troubling drone incursions over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.
Despite all the evidence that we have brought up over the years that points to foreign actors using drones to collect intelligence about U.S. military capabilities, installations, and tactics, the U.S. military has in the past denied any organized or unorganized foreign nexus.
While that view is changing, one government insider we spoke with has little doubt that our adversaries are spying on us with drones.
Brett Feddersen was a high-ranking official at the Federal Aviation Administration, the White House’s National Security Council, the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Defense Intelligence Agency.
He now serves as vice president of strategy and governmental affairs for D-Fend Solutions, which supplies counter-drone equipment to the U.S. military, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice and other clients.
The systems rely on a variety of sensors for detection and hijacking command signals to bring them down. He is also chairman of the Security Industry Association‘s Counter-UAS Working Group.
We spoke with Feddersen on Thursday in a wide-ranging discussion about drone threats, mitigation efforts and of course the so-called Jersey drone scare.
In the first of our two-part interview, we discuss the role of foreign governments in incursions over military and other sensitive installations, how those nefarious actors could be doing it, as well as concerns about drones being used to attack targets in America.
Some questions and answers have been lightly edited for clarity.
Q: Last year, there were several drone incursions over installations like Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and Lakenheath Air Base in England and several others. Were there foreign connections to any of the many such instances?
A: I highly doubt that there weren’t, in that big mix of drones, some foreign adversary was taking advantage and trying to find information or video.
We see probing regularly from foreign adversaries over sensitive sites like bases. We also see them over sensitive sites like critical infrastructure, constantly taking pictures, doing surveillance or just trying to get any type of pattern of life they can out of these views.
So there was a true mixture of all that.
Q: You said that adversaries have been probing bases with drones. Where, when and how often?
A: Even by the military’s own admission, this past year, they said that they had 350 violations last year over military bases. And as everybody knows, or everybody should know, those military bases have sensitive assets and equipment, even if it’s an open base that has just aircraft on the ramp.
Those are taxpayer dollars that are going to those types of assets, and those assets need to be protected. So even with the most casual observer wanting to take pictures of a base, you have a different set of violations.
Surveillance of the military. You have the issue with those drones taking pictures or flying where they’re not supposed to be in close proximity to other aircraft.
And then you also have those [situations] where we know that our adversaries are taking photographs of our aircraft in planes, much like satellite imagery does. But you can gather good intelligence just from taking photos.
Photographs and monitoring and watching what’s happening at different bases.
Q: Do you know which of these incidents involved foreign adversaries?
A: We know the one at Vandenberg was a foreign national, because they were arrested on the aircraft before they were leaving the country.
The government doesn’t get into the specifics as to parse out which bases are necessarily the more vulnerable ones in an unclassified setting.
So we do know, though, that there are a number of those types of activities occurring with foreign adversaries – like Vandenberg – happened.
Q: Vandenberg was not the only instance of foreign involvement in drone incursions that appear in open sources. Can you tell us about any we don’t know?
A: None that I can get particularly into. Nothing that’s been released to the public that I can talk about. But it’s safe to assume that critical infrastructure and our bases are being probed by the adversaries using drones.
1/4
Q: Which adversaries?
A: China would be the biggest one. We also know Russia is very actively involved in espionage here in the United States, you know, to a lesser degree, Iran and North Korea. But China predominantly uses quite a bit of this technology and tools to gather information here in the U.S.
Q: So would all those countries have flown drones over U.S. military installations and sensitive areas?
A: Yes, but that’s not to say that the individuals who are flying them are actually Chinese nationals or Russian nationals … We do know that there are unwitting individuals who are feeding that information back, but we also know that they have individuals that they are paying to do this type of activity.
Q: How does somebody do this unwittingly?
A: If you had a drone and you were out flying around and that drone was, let’s say, the common Chinese manufacturer, DJI, or Autel. You’re flying that around, taking video of what’s going on, that video is saved onto the drone device itself, or into the controller.
And when you want to update that, all that stuff becomes accessible by the software update that is coming from China.
So that information, plus the fact that you know it’s also being sent through social media, different views, different things that are going on, so unwittingly, those individuals are creating this problem.
Q: So the Chinese and the Russians and North Koreans and Iranians are paying people here in the country to fly drones on their behalf over these military installations and sensitive areas?
A: Yes, there’s compensation. [The people operating these drones] are mainly U.S. nationals who just don’t know any better.
They’re breaking the law because they’re flying too close to airfields without calling the tower first, or they’re flying in restricted airspace because they’re not savvy enough to pay attention to the fact that there’s airspace restrictions around stadiums and in bases and things like that.
But we do know that there are individuals in the U.S. who are being compensated for activities that foreign nationals want. So we also know that some of their techniques are to elicit other individuals with drones to provide information.
Those pictures, whether it’s a direct upload, a social media upload, or they’re paying individuals to purposely go and take videos and send back that information.
Q: From over U.S. military installations and sensitive areas?
A: Yes, because our sensitive areas are everything from airports to nuclear facilities, to stadiums, where we’re trying to protect people for large events, all those things that critical infrastructure has 16 sectors that are identified in it, but they’re very important to our national security.
You talk about water reservoirs and different things like that. There was an incident [last year] where a New Jersey man was dropping dye packs into swimming pools.
And so that, in itself, highlights the risk that we have to our own water reservoirs, water treatment plants that are left unprotected, although they’re part of the critical infrastructure program.
Q: Did you observe any of this when you were in government?
A: These types of tactics aren’t new. Drones have been around for quite a while.
We started seeing them really impacting the airspace issues back in 2014 and 2015 when they had breached the perimeter of the White House and crashed on the White House lawn, or landed on the White House lawn.
We also saw it with other non-traditional aircraft threats, like the gyrocopter guy who flew and landed on the Capitol lawn.
Q: What can you tell me about the Langley Air Force Base drone incursion in December 2023? Do you know anything specific about that? Who’s behind that?
A: Yeah, I’m not going to be able to talk about Langley, other than the fact that there were obviously a series of drones, and there were some complications in being able to detect and deal with those drones in that incident.
But that is a good example of the type of activity we’re talking about across various U.S. bases here in the homeland.
Q: What were those complications?
A: There were some systems that didn’t pick up certain drones. There are other systems that just weren’t operating at full functionality. The technology is there.
While the technology seems to be complex, it often isn’t. It’s just a matter of the type of technology that’s employed, especially in some type of layered solution where you can guarantee – guarantee is probably not the right word – where you’re mitigating the risk of not being able to see or identify or respond to these drones.
You know, down to the lowest level, that layered approach of different sensors is really kind of the big benefit there. And when you don’t have that, there are times with certain drones that you’re blind to their flight over the sensitive areas.
2/4
Q: Was there a foreign nexus to the Langley drone incursions?
A: I believe there was. I don’t have any of the deeper background to get into to prove that. But we find that when some of these complex things, when there’s more than one drone being used, that foreign adversaries have their fingerprint on it somewhere in the process.
Q: Top officials said there were car-sized drones spotted over Langley. What could those have been?
A: There are commercially available drones that are quite big. When they say car size, in my mind, it’s Prius size, right? So it’s not like a full sedan or a pickup truck, but there are drones that are out there that are the size of a Prius.
They’re used for agriculture. They’re meant to carry a heavy payload of chemicals or water for specific things or precision seeding in our agriculture. Drones have changed the way we farm in the U.S. quite a bit.
There are heavy payloads that are going back and forth, let’s say to a work site or drill site that needs tools or heavier things. There are drones that are big that are able to do it.
These are the same drones that were used on October 7 [2023] by Hamas to drop RPGs. So the same ones that we see on the battlefields of different conflict areas. These aren’t totally different drones.
They’re all capable of carrying a payload, and they all have some legitimate use. Those drones, though, wouldn’t have a legitimate use if they were in a stadium area or some type of massive venue or national security event.
Q: Those larger drones are harder to operate and more expensive to purchase. Does this increase the likelihood that there was a foreign connection to the Langley incursions?
A: The larger drones are very expensive. They’re as much as a car. So when they’re buying them and they’re using them, they’re making sure they’re taken care of.
If it’s an adversary that’s using the drone, they’re also proficient on the drone. It just takes practice to get used to.
Q: But given that price, what is the likelihood that foreign adversaries are paying for these drones?
A: If they’re receiving compensation and buying it, I guess that that connection could be made, but there’s no hard evidence of that connection.
We just know that those drones are being used and that the adversaries are very active in trying to figure out what’s going on inside the U.S.
Q: Do you have any information about the incursions over the bases in England and Germany that took place last year?
A: Our allies are facing the same issues that we’re facing here in the U.S. Even our U.S. bases overseas are vulnerable to that type of – exactly what we’re talking about – the overflights, the gathering of information.
So it’s not unusual that this happened. They are being coordinated because they’re in allied countries.
Q: Did those incursions have a foreign nexus?
A: I do not know, but I believe so.
Q: Why?
A: We did have the drone incident in Japan where one of the naval vessels was overflown by a drone. I believe that we were able to ascertain that was definitely a foreign nexus, you know, taking photographs of these things.
We’ve seen these for years. Usually, they’ve come in the form of individuals driving by taking pictures, or spotters, or people pretending to be tourists. These activities are not unique to the U.S.
Q: What is the U.S. doing about the incursions with a foreign nexus? What is the U.S. doing to detect, mitigate and prosecute any kind of response?
A: I do not know, but I believe so.
A: We did have the drone incident in Japan where one of the naval vessels was overflown by a drone. I believe that we were able to ascertain that was definitely a foreign nexus, you know, taking photographs of these things. We’ve seen these for years. Usually, they’ve come in the form of individuals driving by taking pictures, or spotters, or people pretending to be tourists. These activities are not unique to the U.S.
3/4
A: Fortunately, DOD has taken a proactive posture in developing and deploying some of these systems to some of the bases. The threat really inside the U.S. is coming from commercial off-the-shelf drones, or do-it-yourself drones. They’re not state actor drones being shipped to the U.S., then flown around. So the approach here to protect our bases and our critical infrastructure has to be one that is able to detect and mitigate commercial off-the-shelf drones, or do-it-yourself drones that are flying around. What the DOD and what the government writ large is doing is taking the systems that they’re already using and kind of building on those, or creating more of a layered approach to it, and starting to put those out to the bases that need it. There are bases that have equipment in place, but like I said, there’s a lot of complexity to layering those systems together that can create gaps, which we’ve discovered through some of the incidents like Langley.
Q: Is the U.S. conducting these activities in adversary countries?
A: You mean surveillance?
Q: Yes.
A: Using commercial drones inside civilian airspace? That activity is just completely unsafe and the U.S. and its allies are relying on transparency in what’s going on and what’s operating.
Q: How concerned are you that the U.S. may suffer something like Ukraine’s Operation Spider Web or Israel’s Operation Rising Lion – where drones were pre-placed in trucks and other locations to carry out remote attacks launched from afar?
A: It’s a very good probability and possibility that it could happen here. So the concern is real. The technology they used and the way they employed it is not new technology. They just used it in a different fashion, kind of a proof of concept. So, yes, that could happen here in the U.S. The distance that they covered means that they can launch the attack from outside the U.S. to pretty much any point inside the U.S., and that’s going to make it a little bit more difficult with investigations. It’s why you need to have good detection and mitigation sensors in place in order to do this. Now, the Operation Spider Web, the way they did it. You know, we’re a passive RF sensor. For example, we would have been able to identify those drones and mitigate those drones because they were still receiving and transmitting RF signals, even in and out of autonomous linking, they still had control of the drone so that they could fly it. That is where a majority of that RF spectrum detection mitigation takes place. Other things, like in autonomous mode and other things, you have to integrate radars. You have to integrate other sensors like optics or acoustics.
Q: How worried are you about Mexican cartels using drones to kinetically strike targets in America, like they do south of the border?
A: Very. We know they’re being used for surveillance. We know they’re being used in operations to help guide people across the border, and not necessarily illegal immigrants, but their own people across the border. We know that they’re carrying contraband, weapons and drugs constantly using the drones. And as we secure the border, especially at the crossing points, drones and small aircraft have always been a better way to get across the border than trying to do it via land. So it’s definitely an important thing that the government is taking responsibility and building security, both on the ground and in the air, for our borders. But you know, it goes beyond that. The drugs that are inside the United States, there are criminal organizations that have cartel influence, which are constantly smuggling contraband into our prisons today, and our prisons are left defenseless, unable to stop it. These are drugs, these are other types of weapons. These are cell phones. All these things that enable the prisons to be unsafe are not being protected because, again, prisons don’t have the authority.
In our next installment, Feddersen talks about how the Jersey drone craze got out of hand, how that could have been stopped and what people were actually seeing.
4/4
Democratic Governors Call for Investigation into UFOs
updated: August 16, 2025
In an unprecedented move during a recent conference, a coalition of Democratic governors has united their voices in addressing the increasing public interest and anxiety surrounding unidentified flying objects (UFOs).
The governors emphasized the need for transparent communication about UFO sightings, citing growing concerns from constituents regarding national security and unexplained aerial phenomena.
During the event, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, a notable advocate for transparency, announced that her administration has initiated efforts to explore the implications of UFO sightings within the state.
She underscored the importance of federal cooperation in investigating these phenomena, asserting that state leaders must play a significant role in understanding what these sightings could mean for public safety and scientific inquiry.
Several governors at the conference shared personal anecdotes prompted by recent UFO reports, linking the phenomenon to historical events, scientific exploration, and even popular culture.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker expressed that the fascination with UFOs is not just a fringe interest but touches upon core issues of trust in government and scientific integrity.
He called for collaborative efforts among states to engage in research that could demystify the occurrences.
Governors also discussed the importance of public engagement and education about the nature of UFO investigations. They stressed that fostering an informed public is crucial, especially as new information emerges.
The group acknowledged the potential benefits of gathering data through state-led initiatives, which could provide valuable insights to both the military and civilian sectors.
In a bold move, the governors called on Congress to allocate resources for the establishment of an intergovernmental task force dedicated to UFO research.
They believe a structured approach can help eliminate rampant speculation and promote scientific inquiry into the phenomena that have intrigued humans for generations.
As public awareness of UFO sightings grows, the governors are taking a proactive stance, encouraging their constituents to seek information while dispelling myths.
The initiative reflects a broader commitment to transparency, scientific literacy, and public safety in the face of uncertain phenomena, positioning these leaders at the forefront of a dialogue that intersects science, governance, and societal intrigue.
https://news.ssbcrack.com/democratic-governors-call-for-investigation-into-ufos/
Extraterrestrial Disclosure and 3I/Atlas – Monthly Briefing Today!
August 16, 2025.
Exopolitics Today – Week in Review
Topics
Live Monthly Exopolitics Briefing – 3I/Atlas Alien Invasion Scare https://t.co/CBJLaEzoXD
Here’s a succinct message about remembering the infinite source intelligence that is inside us and not giving power away to external forces, Anunnaki, gods, ET federations, etc. https://t.co/pvXLRgzrqQ
More ET humor. https://t.co/qmqNXzRdMs
3I Atlas: US Navy “Jedi” Admiral’s Lead Starship Coming Home: Interview with George Kavassilas: https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1954866692577742874
An insightful channeled message of why scientists have detected the absence of whales singing off the California coast.https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1955084350787031512
President Donald Trump said: “I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor, and worse. This is Liberation Day in DC, and we’re going to take our capital back.” https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1955236492374086047
JP (ret. US Army) shares more about his experiences in a med-bed that healed some of his injuries acquired during his covert service. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1955256399363277235
White House orders a more aggressive review of Smithsonian museums holdings which has much exopolitical significance. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1955413475854848430
My interview on Redacted discussing the exopolitical implications of President Trump federalizing the Washington DC police and liberating the nation’s capital.
Live Monthly Exopolitics Briefing – 3I/Atlas Alien Invasion Scare https://t.co/CBJLaEzoXD
Another video by JP (ret. US Army) describing the different functions of space arks and their locations https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1955841821373878757
Nordics taking charge of Space Arks, Deep State and AI – Interview with Alex Collier https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1955956253567431079
Congresswoman Anna Luna shares some of her personal conclusions regarding her investigations into UFOs/UAPs https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1955974189535367653
The US Congress is having difficulties in scheduling whistleblowers to testify in SCIF facilities or hearings about UFOs. https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1956321419823837467
The next semester of classes to gain an Exopolitics Certificate/Diploma begin on Sept 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXGNFPF3B8A
Here’s compelling evidence that the collective consciousness of humanity is getting ready for extraterrestrial disclosure. We are very close.https://x.com/MichaelSalla/status/1956364355768918474
https://exopolitics.org/extraterrestrial-disclosure-and-3i-atlas-monthly-briefing-today/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LXN0BI81AQ
extra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldYxXn_RMIs (Nordics taking charge of Space Arks, Deep State and AI Aug 14, 2025)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfXV58K3v7g (Ukrainian Arks in Russian control Aug 13, 2025)
Resident Reports UFO Descending Near New York State Thruway
August 15, 2025
A person driving on the New York State Thruway recently described an unusual object descending towards the ground.
The alleged incident happened in late July, preceding the peak of the Perseid meteor shower or the recent launch of the Vulcan rocket out of Cape Canaveral Florida.
New York, particularly the state's Hudson Valley area, has a long history with unexplained flying phenomena and other strange sightings.
As stated many times, these observations of so-called UFOs can easily be explained as drones, military planes, communication satellites, or even a meteor burning up in the upper atmosphere, though.
Resident Reports UFO Descending Near New York State Thruway
A resident from New York state filed a report with the National Unidentified Flying Object Reporting Center, claiming they witnessed a UFO as they were driving north on the New York Thruway.
The sighting happened late in the evening July 28, according to the report.
The report says that the object came within 200 yards of the witnesses' vehicle, and lasted for a duration of about 5 seconds.
The report says that the person and their wife were driving northbound on the Thruway, near the exit in Newburgh.
The witness says that it was dark out at the time, when they noticed a "bright green light descending straight down into the woods on our right".
The resident says that the object moved downward at around 75 mph towards the ground.
The witness says that the object startled their wife, as she reportedly said, “oh my god did you see that?”
The report further describes the mystery object as about the size of a car.
https://wpdh.com/ufo-report-new-york-state-sighting-hudson-valley/
https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=191322
See you in the SCIF
Lue Elizondo
@LueElizondo
After several visits to D.C. at the request of members of Congress at my own expense, we were given cancellations at the last minute. After coming back home again, I made it clear the last time that I had a pre existing commitment.
I was given three days notice and no guarantees while having committed to speaking in Oregon (publicly available). Luna knows the truth and we have the emails to prove it.
I will chalk this up to her not being informed by her staff and an innocent mistake…I hope. Otherwise, let this be a lesson to future whistleblowers who want Congressional protections.
This is all about media attention and less about truth. I hope this I not the case.
And I suspect Chris Mellon and others at AUApDF that know the truth may have more to say about this…. @ChrisKMellon @joerogan @realannapaulina
7:49 PM · Aug 13, 2025
Eric Burlison
@EricBurlison
You are both patriots who are passionate about serving our country.
I take blame for this because, the problem we are facing is that we were trying to align the stars and have everyone be in the SCIF briefing at the same time, which is clearly much more difficult than I thought.
Especially considering that it is on their (whistleblower’s) dime and many of them legitimately have service related health issues to varying degrees.
@LueElizondo
that being said, if you wish to come in and do the briefing in the SCIF, we can work around your schedule.
I am happy to talk offline about how we can make it work and further how we can make the experience for whistleblowers not as much of a sacrifice as it has been.
8:07 PM · Aug 14, 2025
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna
@RepLuna
I just talked to Comer regarding issuing subpoenas for certain individuals that developed “SCIF Flu” or had other things come up when we asked them to come in to divulge information TO CONGRESS.
What I love about this job is flushing out the truth tellers from those that are trying to sell books and potentially being disingenuous in an effort to undermine our investigations.
See you in the SCIF.
12:15 PM · Aug 15, 2025
https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/1mr7owf/rep_luna_to_elizondo_see_you_in_the_scif/
https://www.ufonews.co/post/exposed-the-real-reason-ufo-disclosure-keeps-failing-it-s-not-what-you-think
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-yPOBaYDOo
https://x.com/lueelizondo/status/1955823967505428539
https://x.com/EricBurlison/status/1956190885403582816/
https://x.com/repluna/status/1956434536960774528
Project Unity
Ancient Technologies Ep. 2 - FORBIDDEN ZONES on the Giza Plateau
Jul 30, 2025
Locked and blocked subterranean entrances, deep vertical shafts, angry guards, industrial-scale acidic erosion and a lucky find from inside an ancient iron vein! Join me on a 4K adventure through the anomalies of Egypt with Cairo resident & researcher Geoffrey Drumm from 'The Land of Chem' YouTube Channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVJDPjfnF_Q
https://www.youtube.com/@thelandofchem
Ancient Technologies Ep. 3 - MEGALITHIC LABS & Manmade CRYSTAL NETWORKS In Saqqara!
Aug 17, 2025
In Episode III of Ancient Technologies we take you through the Pyramid Complex of Saqqara, including an ancient manmade crystal-copper-acoustic network, hidden shadow figures revealed by torchlight, megalithic chemical processing systems and the mysterious underground labyrinth of The Serapeum with its 70+ tonne Granite Boxes, we explore all of this and more in this episode of Ancient Technologies!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nefaygyhyUg
Deep Sea Alien Bases: The Underwater CIA Project No One Talks About | Danny Jones and UAP Gerb
Aug 4, 2025
UAP Gerb (@UAPGerb) is a researcher & documentarian specializing in UFO reverse engineering/crash retrieval research, UFO legacy program investigation, and UFO whistleblower analysis.
OUTLINE
00:00 - Opreation laser strike
12:59 - DOE's involvement in UFO crash retrieval
16:35 - Insider's description of Area 51
25:42 - NRO is hunting underwater alien craft
36:51 - Underwater UFO crash retrievals
39:07 - Underground & underwater military bases
45:39 - Elon is wrong about aliens
55:39 - Why nobody likes Steven Greer
01:06:43 - Alien reproduction vehicles
01:19:00 - Triangle UFOs
01:22:02 - Brainwave controlled ICBM missiles
01:28:46 - How secret UFO programs are funded
01:36:34 - Dark history of the department of energy (DOE)
01:39:13 - Battelle
01:48:33 - Which "whistleblowers" can be trusted?
01:57:17 - What they REALLY found at Roswell
02:06:54 - The immaculate constellation
02:15:10 - NASA doesn't want us back on the moon
02:24:12 - Is Elon trying to create a surveillance state?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJiYc-6XcIU
https://www.youtube.com/@UAPGerb
DNA Analysis of Peru ‘Alien’ Mummies Raises New Questions Over Origins
August 15, 2025
In 2015, a grave digger in Peru uncovered several mummified bodies inside a cave, igniting global debate.
The remains, marked by three fingers and three toes, quickly became known as the so-called alien mummies in Peru.
The unusual anatomy fueled speculation that they might be extraterrestrial, a previously unknown human species, or an elaborate hoax.
Today, about two dozen of the mummies are undergoing scientific analysis.
Researchers say the specimens retain preserved tissue, muscles, and even internal organs.
One is believed to have been pregnant at the time of death.
Jesse Michels, host of the podcast American Alchemy, recently visited the site and later told the Daily Mail that the evidence does not support an alien origin.
He suggested they may represent an unknown subterranean species. Michels said a bioinformatics expert examined publicly available DNA data and found a mutation in a gene associated with deformities of the fingers and toes.
This, he noted, could explain the bodies’ unusual features.
Genetic findings suggest human origins
Bioinformatics specialist Alaina Hardie, who studied the data, said she initially set out to disprove the idea that a genetic mutation could account for the mummies’ anatomy.
She identified a mutation in the Gli3 gene, which is linked to polydactyly — a condition involving extra digits. Archaeological evidence shows polydactyly existed in ancient Peru.
Genetic testing indicated that the mummies’ DNA largely matched human profiles, despite contamination and degradation common in ancient samples.
Researchers extracted genetic material from bone and muscle tissue, then used genome sequencing and bioinformatics tools to reconstruct the profiles and pinpoint mutations.
They cross-checked the results against known terrestrial organisms to separate authentic sequences from background noise.
The samples included remains from a specimen called “Victoria,” a headless humanoid, confirming the DNA was human. Michels also pointed to ectrodactyly, or “Ostrich Foot Syndrome,” observed in a tribe in northern Zimbabwe.
The condition causes a cleft in the hand or foot, removing central digits. He said this condition aligns more closely with the three-fingered mummies than polydactyly.
Hybrid theory and deeper DNA testing
José Zace, head of the Mexican Navy’s medical division, said the larger mummies contain roughly 70 percent human DNA, with the remainder differing from known sequences.
Dr. David Ruiz Vela, another lead researcher, suggested one specimen, “Maria,” might be a hybrid resulting from migration and interbreeding between primate or human species in Asia and Africa thousands of years ago.
Michels plans to involve US-based Colossal Biosciences for deeper DNA testing, pending approval from Peru’s government.
The remains first gained global attention in 2022 when journalist Jamie Maussan presented them to Mexico’s Congress as authentic.
In 2023, however, controversy deepened when another journalist was found with doll-like figures modeled after the mummies.
Forensic archaeologist Flavio Estrada concluded that some specimens were assembled from animal bones and modern adhesives, rejecting extraterrestrial claims.
Despite this, Michels noted that the figure maker is suing the Peruvian government for $3 million over the dispute.
https://greekreporter.com/2025/08/15/origins-alien-mummies-peru-dna-analysis/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxQN2tkQHs8
https://twitter.com/JasonWilde108/status/1946700830108717398
Incoming EVENT rumor source, revealed: Is it part of Controlled Disclosure? - Psicoactivo #568
Aug 15, 2025
On the latest Psicoactivo, this is a follow-up to the first semi-viral video on my channel about the RUMOR of an alleged object that is course-correcting and allegedly coming here.
I spoke about the briefings to Congress staffers and potentially members of Congress in unclassified settings that were taking place.
Initially, I thought it was Lue Elizondo but I've asked around for a year, and the same name keeps popping up.
It's time to analyze why this is happening and see if this might be true or just more misinformation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANUlQZv0gG8
Bombshell Allegations Against UFO Whistleblower Karl Nell
Aug 17, 2025 Daily Videos
Patrick discusses the acting head of NASA, Sean Duffy's comments in a recent interview about demanding an 'alien briefing' and releasing the truth to the public.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLL4RrlZs68
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwnp8G6DUK4
https://thesolfoundation.org/publication/the-ufo-enigma-a-call-for-us-government-disclosure/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEUKI6qZzIg (Karl Nell on UFO Disclosure: Why This Changes Everything)
The struggle: In midst of Trump’s “war on leakers,” UAP Caucus needs classified access
Aug 15, 2025
Rep. Nick Begich* (R-AK) — Member, Committee on Science, Space & Technology
*while not a UAP Caucus member, the curious freshmen lawmaker — a Republican whose uncle served as a Democratic US Senator… — made an appearance at a public UAP briefing earlier this year…
Ask a Pol asked:
What do you make of President Donald Trump’s White House saying we can’t trust congressmen with classified information?*
Key Begich:
“We’ve proven that even within our own conference information is leaked almost real-time,” Rep. Nick Begich exclusively told Ask a Pol earlier this summer.
ICYMI — summertime refresher: forget push for de-clasification, Trump wants more secrets classified*
*After Trump ordered the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities in late June, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth teamed up with the FBI and went on a hunt within the Pentagon as they scrambled to find out who leaked a preliminary assessment that undercut President Donald Trump’s claim the program was “obliterated”
Caught our ear:
In the aftermath of the military operation in Iran earlier this summer, what’d you make of White House officials ‘declaring a war on leakers,’ potentially curtailing access to classified information for all of Congress — including those like you investigating UAP?
“Hey, I do think we have a problem with the leakers. We’ve had a problem for many years with leakers from the Executive Branch,” Begich told us.
“We need to make sure that when information is necessarily classified that it stays that way. And we can’t expect a porous or permeable Legislative Branch or Executive Branch because it jeopardizes national security and other issues.”
https://www.askapoluaps.com/p/classification-v-transparency
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boLgOG2KYUI
Headline-grabbing Rep. Jasmine Crockett listed as new Ranking Member of Secrets Task Force
Aug 15, 2025
(Ask a Pol can't find any announcement — we just screengrabbed the Oversight Committee's homepage)
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) — Two-term US Congresswoman; public defender; civil rights attorney
“We have a very interesting figure that is currently in the White House, and I think I'm uniquely suited to kind of be the opposition to him."
— Crockett told Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo in June
After the unexpected death of former Oversight Committee Ranking Member Gerry Connolly (D-VA) earlier this Congress, the two-term Congresswoman lost her long shot bid to replace the nine-term veteran of Capitol Hill.
While we can’t find an announcement, according to the Oversight Committee’s Secrets Task Force homepage, Crockett’s now listed as the top Democrat on the panel derided for being thirsty, unserious and conspiratorially-tinged.
Sen. Mike Rounds on House Secrets Task Force:
“I haven't paid much attention to what they're doing over there.”
Crockett lost her race to be Oversight Ranking Member to Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) who she now seems to be replacing as the top Democrat on the Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets.
ICYMI — Ask a Pol founder Laslo mini-profiled Crockett
Now this is curious:
Crockett’s ascension to the top Dem slot on Secrets seems to have opened up another Democratic seat on the panel, which is either not filled yet or not going to be filled.
Who knew?
Congresswoman Crockett “is licensed to practice law in Texas, Arkansas and Federal Courts,” according to the biography on her official congressional site.
What would you ask your Senator? Tell us. And we’re on it!
Stay. Tuned.
Updates coming as we get em…
https://www.askapoluaps.com/p/headline-grabbing-crockett-makin-moves