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Trump says US has stopped bankrolling Ukraine
25 Aug, 2025 23:04
The US is no longer directly funding Ukraine and will instead be profiting from arms sales to its European NATO partners, which in turn supply those weapons to Kiev, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday.
Trump claimed that Washington was being “fleeced” under previous US administrations, which he said had committed $350 billion to Kiev.
“I don’t blame Ukraine… if they come and ask for a hundred billion dollars and they get it,” he remarked, calling Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky “the greatest salesman I think I’ve ever met.”
“We don’t pay any money to Ukraine anymore. Do you know that? In fact, it’s the opposite. They request through NATO. We deal with NATO. We don’t deal really with Ukraine,” Trump explained. “NATO pays us in full and does what they want.”
Trump also emphasized that Washington would play only a supporting role in providing any security guarantees for Kiev, stressing that European nations should take the lead.
Zelensky and his Western European backers have called for “Article 5-like guarantees” that would obligate countries to respond collectively if Ukraine were attacked. Kiev has reportedly asked these supporters to allocate $100 billion to procure US-made weapons, according to the Financial Times.
Moscow has consistently denounced Western arms shipments to Ukraine in any form, warning they only prolong the conflict without changing its outcome while making NATO a direct participant in the hostilities.
Russia has also strongly opposed any Western arrangements that exclude Moscow. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated last week that collective security in Europe “cannot be resolved without the Russian Federation,” and warned that any efforts to do so would be rejected. “We will ensure our legitimate interests firmly and harshly,” Lavrov said.
The Trump administration has repeatedly distanced itself from its previous blank-check US policy on Ukraine. Earlier this month, Vice President J.D. Vance said that Washington would no longer fund Kiev directly.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed that European countries would pay a 10% markup on American arms sales.
Trump additionally said last week that, as far as Washington is concerned, Kiev regaining Crimea and joining NATO are both “impossible.”
https://www.rt.com/news/623521-trump-spends-money-ukraine/
Zelensky chief obstacle to Ukraine peace – Turkish columnist
26 Aug, 2025 17:31
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has taken an uncompromising stance in the conflict, rejecting proposals from US President Donald Trump and emerging as the chief obstacle to peace efforts pursued by Moscow and Washington, according to a columnist for Turkish daily Sabah.
Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this month and hosted Zelensky in Washington days later. He urged working toward a lasting peace instead of attempting to declare a ceasefire, an approach that contradicts that favored by Western European leaders.
Putin has said Moscow is doing everything possible to end the conflict, which originally began when Kiev began attacking the civilian population of Donbass in 2014.
Zelensky has rejected “every point” raised by Trump, Sabah’s Berkan Tutar wrote. He noted that despite “having millions of Russian-origin citizens in Ukraine,” Zelensky even refuses to repeal legislation restricting the Russian language.
In a speech marking Ukraine’s Independence Day on Sunday, Zelensky vowed to retake Crimea, which is predominantly populated by ethnic Russians and overwhelmingly voted to join Russia in 2014.
He also pledged to reclaim the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, which, along with Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, joined Russia in 2022 after referendums.
Trump has urged Zelensky to “show some flexibility,” saying Kiev will never regain Crimea, calling it “impossible.”
Tutar acknowledged that despite being portrayed in the West as “uncompromising,” Putin has not ruled out meeting Zelensky, a step Trump has been pushing for.
Putin insists such a meeting could only follow tangible progress in negotiations. Moscow has also questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, citing his expired term and warning any deals made with Ukraine could be overturned by his successor.
Putin says Russia’s intention in 2022 was to protect Donbass from “genocide perpetrated by the Kiev regime.”
Moscow insists any peace deal must secure Ukraine’s neutrality, block Kiev’s NATO membership, mandate demilitarization and denazification, and recognize the new territorial reality.
Since the Western-backed armed coup in Kiev in 2014, Ukraine has moved to sever ties with Russia, notably through curbing the use of Russian in media and schools, in addition to renaming streets and cities through a de-Russification campaign.
https://www.rt.com/news/623539-zelensky-blocking-peace-effort/
NATO member reports suspected Ukrainian drone crash
26 Aug, 2025 15:06
The remains of a crashed UAV have been discovered in a field in southern Estonia. The country’s authorities suspect that it was a “combat drone” which originated in Ukraine and had been sent to attack installations in Russia.
The discovery was made by a local farmer on Sunday, the head of Estonia’s Internal Security Service (ISS/KAPO), Margo Palloson, said during a press conference on Tuesday. The drone exploded in the open, inflicting no injuries or material damage.
“Based on very preliminary data, we have reason to believe that this may be a Ukrainian drone that was targeted at inland Russian sites but was diverted from its course by Russia’s GPS jamming and other electronic warfare measures,” Palloson stated, adding that “there is nothing to indicate that it could be a Russian drone.”
The drone disintegrated into small bits and left a “clearly identifiable post-explosion crater” at the scene, he added.
The authorities are still investigating where exactly the projectile came from, believing it could have traveled either from Lithuanian or Russian airspace, Palloson noted.
If suspicions prove true, the incident will have marked the first time since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict that a stray military drone has reached Estonia.
The two other Baltic nations, Latvia and Estonia, have repeatedly reported various UAV crashes.
Earlier this month, Lithuania reported the discovery of a drone which was said to have flown into the country from neighboring Belarus.
The country’s authorities identified it as a Russian Gerbera drone, a smaller cousin of the Geran-2 kamikaze UAV which primarily serves as a decoy for anti-aircraft defenses.
The Russian military has made no public comments on the incident.
https://www.rt.com/russia/623545-estonia-ukrainian-drone-crash/
Suspected Ukrainian drone headed for Russia crashes in Estonia, local police say
August 26, 2025 4:14 pm
Estonia discovered what could be a Ukrainian drone that crashed on Estonian territory after being jammed and diverted by Russia, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on Aug. 26.
According to local authorities, the drone was armed with explosives, which detonated, leaving a crater at the crash site in Tartu County in southeastern Estonia. No casualties were reported.
Initial findings suggest the drone may have been intended to strike targets within Russian territory.
The Estonian police say Russian electronic warfare, including GPS jamming, could have diverted the aircraft off course, causing it to stray into Estonian airspace.
The drone could have entered Estonia either from Russia or Latvia. The investigation is still ongoing.
Commenting on the incident, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that the discovery of the drone debris is a consequence of Russia’s ongoing all-out war against Ukraine, and that Ukraine has a right to defend itself.
Multiple cases of Russian drones crashing on NATO territory — including in the Baltic states — have been reported throughout the full-scale war.
Last week, Polish officials said that a Russian drone crashed in a rural area of eastern Poland. Warsaw described the incident as a deliberate provocation amid international talks about ending the war in Ukraine.
https://kyivindependent.com/drone-possibly-headed-for-russia-crashes-in-estonia-police-say/
The Ukrainian highway from hell: Ruthless Russian drone pilots stage 'chicken hunt' targeting civilian drivers on 'death alley' motorway
Updated: 11:27 EDT, 26 August 2025
Russia has turned a key Ukrainian road link into a highway from hell with chicken hunt drone strikes on civilians, in what officials say is yet another example of Vladimir Putin's war crimes.
The M-14 Kherson-Mykolaiv highway has become a death alley, according to a senior official, who has told residents to avoid it.
A hostile drone strike by Vladimir Putin's forces attacked a prosecutor's vehicle and wounded two people.
'We have been observing high activity of Russian drones along the M-14 Kherson-Mykolaiv highway,' said Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration.
'The enemy is purposefully attacking civilian transport. Therefore, I strongly urge you: do not travel along this route unless absolutely necessary.'
He warned of the temporary closure of the highway when Putin's drones are attacking.
Footage shows the nightmare on the road after vehicles are struck by the Russians. In the harrowing clip, a car is engulfed in flames as thick smoke emanates from the bridge.
A Ukrainian state prosecutor, 38, and his driver, 58, were wounded in a strike. Both were hospitalised. Criminal proceedings into a 'war crime' by the Russians have been opened.
'Prosecutors, together with police investigators, are conducting urgent investigative work and documenting the war crime committed by the Russian armed forces,' said a law enforcement statement.
Russia has repeatedly bombed the road and its bridges, but it remains a key lifeline for Kherson city, now under pressure from the Russian invaders.
Since the start of the war, Putin's forces have also been accused of targeting civilians, a claim the Kremlin has denied.
However, reports from the United Nations and human rights organisations cite deliberate attacks on residential areas, hospitals, and schools.
Evidence includes indiscriminate shelling, executions, torture, and sexual violence in occupied regions like Bucha and Mariupol.
Forced deportations of Ukrainian civilians, including children, to Russia have also been reported.
These acts violate the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law.
It prompted investigations by the International Criminal Court and global condemnation.
In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15035357/Russians-turn-key-Ukrainian-road-link-highway-hell-chicken-hunt-drone-strikes-civilians-new-war-crime.html
Fire at Rostov Oil Refinery Extinguished Nearly a Week After Ukrainian Drone Attack
August 26, 2025
Authorities in southern Russia’s Rostov region said that a large fire at the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery was extinguished early Tuesday, almost a week after a Ukrainian drone strike set the facility ablaze.
The refinery, which produces fuel mainly for export, was attacked on Thursday night. Firefighters battled the blaze for days, using so much water that nearby communities faced shortages until supplies were restored on Monday.
“I just received a report that the fire at the Novoshakhinsk oil production plant was extinguished at 5:45 a.m.,” acting Rostov region Governor Yuri Slyusar wrote on Telegram.
Novoshakhtinsk, with a processing capacity of 110,000 barrels of oil per day (5 million metric tons), is considered one of the most important oil refineries in southern Russia.
Located around 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) east of the border with Ukraine, it is regularly targeted in drone attacks.
Recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries have pushed wholesale gasoline prices to record highs and triggered shortages, coinciding with peak seasonal demand from farmers and tourists.
Reuters estimates that 17% of Russia’s refinery capacity, or 1.1 million barrels per day, has been disrupted.
Meanwhile, Governor Slyusar said overnight Ukrainian drone strikes damaged homes in the Rostov region but did not cause any deaths or injuries.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems had shot down eight drones over the Rostov region on Monday evening and one overnight.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/08/26/fire-at-rostov-oil-refinery-extinguished-nearly-a-week-after-ukrainian-drone-attack-a90349
Exclusive: Russia raises August oil export plan after drone strikes disrupt refineries, sources say
August 26, 20256:01 AM PDT
MOSCOW, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Russia has revised up its crude oil export plan from western ports by 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) in August from the initial schedule after Ukrainian drone attacks disrupted refinery operations and freed up more crude for shipment, three people familiar with the matter said.
Export planning remains uncertain, however, due to ongoing strikes and shifting repair schedules, so delays and volume revisions are likely, they said.
"Attacks are ongoing and repair deadlines change daily. It’s unclear how much Russia can load this month or next," one person said.
Russian oil sellers were yet to receive final loading plans for September, though normally they have the full plan a week before the loading month.
Russia's Energy Ministry and Transneft oil pipeline monopoly did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The disruptions come at a time when Moscow is seeking to raise revenues despite Western sanctions and U.S. pressure on key buyers to reduce imports of its oil.
Loadings from Primorsk, Novorossiisk and Ust-Luga are expected to reach about 2 million barrels per day (bpd), up from an initial plan of 1.8 million bpd, the sources said.
The adjustment follows attacks on 10 Russian refineries this month, which shut down facilities accounting for at least 17% of national processing capacity, or 1.1 million bpd, according to Reuters calculations.
Ukraine also targeted the Druzhba, opens new tab pipeline and the Unecha, opens new tab pumping station in the Bryansk region, a key route for crude deliveries to Ust-Luga, further limiting Russia’s export capacity.
One source estimated that the damage to the Druzhba pipeline and the Ust-Luga route could reduce exports by up to 500,000 bpd. Vessel availability at the end of August is also constrained, limiting Russia’s ability to boost shipments, that person said.
Another source said Ust-Luga port is currently operating at half of its 700,000 bpd capacity and it was not clear when the terminal may start to operate in full. The volumes are being diverted to Novorossiisk and Primorsk, the source added.
Russian western port loadings are typically adjusted based on refinery throughput, as most plants are located in central Russia. Eastern exports remain largely unaffected.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/russia-raises-august-oil-export-plan-after-drone-strikes-disrupt-refineries-2025-08-26/
Drones From Pakistan Spotted Near LoC in J-K's Poonch, Forces Launch Search Operation
August 25, 2025
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir launched a search operation Monday after several drones from Pakistan were spotted near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, officials said.
Around six drones were detected Sunday night over forward areas in the Mendhar sector, including Balakote, Langote and Gursai nallah, officials said. The unmanned aerial vehicles, believed to be used for surveillance, flew at a high altitude and returned to the Pakistani side within minutes.
Troops cordoned off the area and began searches at daybreak to ensure no weapons or narcotics had been dropped, officials added.
Pakistan-based drones carrying arms and drugs into Jammu and Kashmir have become a growing concern for Indian security agencies in recent years.
Last year, police announced a reward of Rs 3,00,000 for information on drone sightings that lead to the recovery of smuggled material.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/India/drones-from-pakistan-spotted-near-loc-in-j-ks-poonch-forces-launch-search-operation/ar-AA1La8VG
Drones take on Everest's garbage
Updated: 26 Aug 2025 - 04:49 pm
Kathmandu: A team of drone operators joined climbers and guides at Everest Base Camp this climbing season, armed with heavy-duty drones to help clear rubbish from the world's highest peak.
Tonnes of trash from empty cans and gas canisters, to bottles, plastic and discarded climbing gear have earned once-pristine Everest the grim nickname of the "highest dumpster in the world".
Two DJI FC 30 heavy-lifter drones were flown to Camp 1 at 6,065 metres (19,900 feet), where they airlifted 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of trash down during the spring climbing season, which usually lasts from April to early June.
"The only options were helicopters and manpower, with no option in between," said Raj Bikram Maharjan, of Nepal-based Airlift Technology, which developed the project.
"So, as a solution for this problem, we came up with a concept of using our heavy-lift drone to carry garbage."
After a successful pilot on Everest last year, the company tested the system on nearby Mount Ama Dablam, where it removed 641 kilos of waste.
"This is a revolutionary drive in the mountains to make it cleaner and safer," said Tashi Lhamu Sherpa, vice chairman of the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, which oversees the Everest area.
'Game changer'
The drones are proving to be far more efficient, cost-effective and safer than earlier methods, said Tshering Sherpa, chief of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee.
"In just 10 minutes, a drone can carry as much garbage as 10 people would take six hours to carry," Sherpa told AFP.
The powerful drones cost around $20,000 each, but were supplied by the China-headquartered manufacturer to support the cleanup operation and promote its brand.
Other costs were borne partially by the local authorities.
Beyond waste removal, the drones have also been deployed to deliver essential climbing gear such as oxygen cylinders, ladders, and ropes – reducing the number of dangerous trips across the Khumbu Icefall, one of Everest's deadliest sections.
That can help improve safety for the guides and porters, especially the early "fixing" teams who establish routes at the start of the new season.
"People in the fixing team were very happy," said record-holding climber Nima Rinji Sherpa, the youngest to summit all 14 of the world's highest peaks.
"They can simply just go by themselves and the drone will carry ladders or the oxygen and ropes for them. It saves a lot of time and energy."
Next month, Airlift Technology will take the drones to Mount Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest peak.
"It's not just in war that drones are useful," Maharjan said. "They can save lives and protect the environment. For climate and humanitarian work, this technology is going to be a game changer."
https://thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/26/08/2025/drones-take-on-everests-garbage
Home Office launch investigation after surveillance drone catches fire on M20 between Folkestone and Cherito
Updated: 11:39, 26 August 2025
The Home Office has launched an investigation after a surveillance drone caught fire on the M20.
Pictures show the smoking machine by the westbound carriageway between Junction 13 (Folkestone) and Junction 12 (Cheriton) at around 2pm on Sunday (August 24).
There were long delays in the area due to one lane being closed on the motorway.
Two fire engines were called to the scene and used hose reel jets to extinguish the “small remote-controlled aircraft”. No injuries were reported.
By 3pm, traffic had cleared and both lanes were open as usual.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a surveillance drone was involved in an incident in Kent.
“An investigation into the incident is now underway.”
It is understood that the drone had crashed over water and was being transported in a vehicle when it caught fire.
In 2023, the Home Office awarded Tekever a three-year contract to provide surveillance drones for use over the English Channel.
The aircraft can fly for more than 20 hours and carry multiple sensors, including maritime radars and day and night cameras.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/folkestone/news/investigation-launched-after-surveillance-drone-catches-fire-329025/
Mayor calls for year-round drone surveillance after near-miss shark attack
3:31pm Aug 26, 2025
A northern NSW mayor is calling for year-round drone surveillance, following a recent near-miss incident with a shark.
Surfer Brad Ross was attacked while surfing at Cabarita Beach on the Tweed Coast near the Queensland border last Monday.
Ross was physically unharmed but the shark took a huge bite out of his surfboard.
The close call came just months after a teenager was bitten on the bicep, wrist and leg in a shark attack at the same beach in June.
Under existing funding, drone surveillance is only provided in peak swimming seasons such as school holidays or "as needed", in partnership with Surf Life Saving NSW.
Tweed Shire Mayor Chris Cherry believes year-round surveillance would make locals and visitors feel safer.
"While we understand there are inherent risks in swimming and surfing in our oceans, if there are steps that we can take to make it safer, then it makes sense for us to try and take these steps, particularly at busy beaches like Cabarita Beach and Kingscliff," Cherry said.
She has previously called for additional drone surveillance hours at other beaches in the shire, including Pottsville and Black Rocks.
Since last week's attack at Cabarita Beach, two extra SMART drumlines have been installed, in addition to the five already in place there.
There are a total of 15 drumlines in the area and 305 across the NSW coast as part of the NSW government's 2024–25 Shark Management Program.
https://www.9news.com.au/national/shark-drones-tweed-mayor-calls-for-additional-drones-after-attack-at-cabarita-beach-animal-news/34faf26e-f652-4e13-b49e-5c3499a29580
Drone powered by liquid hydrogen takes to the skies
August 26, 2025
Drone powered by liquid hydrogen takes to the skies
This week, a drone powered by liquid hydrogen will take to the skies in the Netherlands for the first time, reports the FD.
The Netherlands Aerospace Center (NLR) is conducting test flights with the Hydra-2, which derives its energy from a special tank containing liquid hydrogen.
Because the drone gets its energy from liquid hydrogen, it can stay in the air longer and cover greater distances. Hydrogen is considered a promising alternative for sustainable aviation.
If the hydrogen is produced using green energy, there are no CO₂ emissions, only water vapor.
Thanks to its low density and high energy value — three to four times higher than that of kerosene — hydrogen is suitable as a fuel. It can be stored in tanks in both gaseous and liquid form.
In the long term, the developers hope to fly a two-seater electric aircraft with it. The Hydra-2 was developed at the recently opened Quick Response Drone Facility, where new drone innovations can be quickly tested and applied.
https://hydrogen-central.com/drone-powered-by-liquid-hydrogen-takes-to-the-skies/
IDF: Oct. 7 attacker among six terrorists killed in Gaza hospital strike
Aug. 26, 2025
Six terrorists were killed in Monday’s Israeli strike on a Hamas observation camera at the Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Yunis, including an individual who participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on the western Negev, according to an initial IDF inquiry into the incident made public on Tuesday.
On Monday, Jerusalem confirmed earlier reports that civilians, including several journalists, were killed in the attack, with the Prime Minister’s Office expressing deep regret for the inadvertent killing of non-combatants.
In addition to the Oct. 7 attacker, whose affiliation was not publicized, four of the terrorists killed were Hamas members, and one was associated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
An initial inquiry regarding the strike on the observation camera at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, which occurred yesterday (Monday), August 25th, 2025, was presented to the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Eyal Zamir, by the Commander of the Southern Command, MG Yaniv Asor,…
Reuters reported that at least 20 people were killed, including five journalists who worked for its outlet, the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, among others.
The initial inquiry report was presented to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who, according to the statement, “regrets any harm caused to civilians,” while instructing further examination of several gaps:
the authorization process prior to the strike, including the ammunition approval and timing; and the decision-making process in the field.
“From an initial inquiry, it appears that Golani Brigade troops, operating in the area of Khan Yunis to dismantle terrorist infrastructure, identified a camera that was positioned by Hamas in the area of the Nasser Hospital that was being used to observe the activity of IDF troops, in order to direct terrorist activities against them,” the statement read.
“This conclusion was further supported, among other reasons, by the documented military use of hospitals by the terrorist organizations throughout the war, and by intelligence confirming Hamas’s use of the Nasser Hospital to carry out terrorist activities since the start of the war,” it continued.
The statement said that Zamir has, from the outset, emphasized that “the enemy conducts extensive and covert visual-intelligence gathering while cynically exploiting sensitive sites and civilian infrastructure, such as the Nasser Hospital, from which it carries out terrorist activities against IDF troops.”
Zamir stressed that the IDF only directs its activities towards military targets, echoing remarks the previous day from IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, who said that “I would like to be clear from the start—the IDF does not intentionally target civilians.”
The PMO statement said that “Israel values the work of journalists, medical staff and all civilians. The military authorities are conducting a thorough investigation,” adding that “our war is with Hamas terrorists. Our just goals are defeating Hamas and bringing our hostages home.”
https://www.jns.org/idf-oct-7-attacker-among-six-terrorists-killed-in-gaza-hospital-strike/
https://x.com/IDF/status/1960364428786057545
IDF destroys two Hamas tunnels in central Gaza Strip
26 Aug 2025 19:30
The Israeli army released new footage on Tuesday showing the destruction of two Hamas tunnels located in the central Gaza Strip.
The operation, carried out by the Gaza Division's Southern Brigade and the elite Yahalom unit, took place over several weeks, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
According to the IDF, one of the tunnels, equipped with multiple exits, contained food, weapons, and living quarters for the terrorists.
A second underground passage, several hundred meters long, was destroyed with explosives.
The army claims that dozens of Hamas members have been eliminated and that several terrorist infrastructures, both underground and above ground, have been neutralized.
https://news.az/news/idf-destroys-two-hamas-tunnels-in-central-gaza-strip
IDF targets Hamas terror financing in Ramallah
Aug. 26, 2025
The Israel Defense Forces conducted a large-scale counter-terror operation in the Samaria city of Ramallah on Tuesday targeting a money exchange business that transferred funds to Hamas terrorists.
Five wanted terror suspects were arrested and hundreds of thousands of shekels identified as terror funds were seized during the morning raid, according to the military.
The purpose of the cash laundered through this currency exchange establishment was “to advance terrorist activity against the State of Israel and its civilians.”
Palestinian media reported that several people were wounded by gunfire during the operation.
“This activity joins additional activities that the IDF carries out in the Judea and Samaria area, in order to degrade the terrorist organizations’ financial infrastructure and to disrupt their capabilities to fund and advance terrorist activities against the State of Israel and its civilians,” the IDF said.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated earlier this month that the IDF will remain in Samaria camps through 2025, revealing that raids have cut terror alerts in Judea and Samaria by 80%.
https://www.jns.org/idf-conducts-counter-terror-raids-in-ramallah/
https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1960341186591199742
https://www.timesofisrael.com/residents-flee-as-palestinians-report-overnight-idf-shelling-of-gaza-city-outskirts/
Residents flee as Palestinians report overnight IDF shelling of Gaza City outskirts
August 26, 2025 4:55 pm
More Palestinian families left Gaza City on Tuesday after reporting a night of Israeli shelling on its outskirts, as the military geared up for its new offensive to conquer the area.
Residents said Israeli aerial and tank shelling continued throughout the night and early on Tuesday in the eastern Gaza City suburbs of Sabra, Shejaiya, and Tuffah, as well as in Jabalia to the north, destroying roads and houses.
“Earthquakes, we call it. They want to scare people to leave their homes,” said Ismail, 40, a Gaza City resident.
At least 34 people were killed in Israeli strikes in the enclave overnight and on Tuesday, Hamas-run local health authorities said, including 18 people around Gaza City. The figures are not independently verified, and do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The Israel Defense Forces has said it is operating in the area to locate weapons and destroy tunnels used by terrorists.
The security cabinet was scheduled to discuss Gaza and efforts to reach a hostage deal on Tuesday afternoon, the Prime Minister’s Office told The Times of Israel, as nationwide protests called for a comprehensive deal to end the war and secure the release of all the hostages abducted by terrorists during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre that sparked the conflict.
The plans to conquer Gaza City have drawn fierce opposition from hostages’ families who fear the planned operation will risk the lives of their loved ones, as well as international outcry, with governments and humanitarian groups warning of potentially disastrous consequences for Gaza’s civilians, noting widespread malnutrition that has recently worsened significantly.
On Monday, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said during a briefing that 11 more people died from malnutrition and starvation in the preceding 24 hours, bringing the total figure since the start of the Gaza war to 300, according to Hamas-run Gaza health ministry figures.
Updating reporters on developments in Gaza, Dujarric said roughly 5,000 people have been displaced from northern Gaza to Deir al-Balah in the central Strip and Khan Younis in the South since August 20.
He added that some 8,000 others have been displaced to the west of Gaza City, bringing the total number of new displacements since the end of the ceasefire in mid-March to more than 800,000.
Moreover, UN partners have reported that several education facilities, which are also used as shelters, were attacked last week, Dujarric said.
Dujarric claimed that Israeli authorities continue to inhibit the delivery of humanitarian aid throughout Gaza, denying or impeding eight of 15 UN missions to transport assistance over the past 24 hours.
Israel has dismissed reports of starvation in Gaza as Hamas propaganda, but instituted a series of measures to alleviate hunger in the Strip in July following international pressure, including airdrops and 10-hour “humanitarian pauses” in military operations in three population centers to allow deliveries of aid.
Earlier in August, for the first time in nearly a year, Israel announced it would allow the entry of goods into Gaza through the private sector, an effort aimed at increasing the flow of essential food and hygiene items that were previously only delivered by aid organizations.
The US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), established to provide aid via an alternative that would keep goods out of Hamas’s hands, has been plagued by near-daily shooting incidents, in which the UN has said more than 1,000 people were killed as they tried to reach GHF distribution centers, allegedly by IDF gunfire.
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Meanwhile, clergy and nuns from the Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches in Gaza City have decided that they will not evacuate ahead of the upcoming offensive, and will instead remain within the church compounds to provide care for those unable to flee.
In a joint statement Tuesday, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said that the Greek Orthodox compound of Saint Porphyrius and the Holy Family Church compound “have been a refuge for hundreds of civilians” since the outbreak of war in October 2023, among them “elderly people, women, and children,” as well as disabled Gazans.
“Like other residents of Gaza City, the refugees living in the facilities will have to decide according to their conscience what they will do,” they said.
“Among those who have sought shelter within the walls of the compounds, many are weakened and malnourished due to the hardships of the last months. Leaving Gaza City and trying to flee to the south would be nothing less than a death sentence.”
The patriarchates said that “for this reason, the clergy and nuns have decided to remain and continue to care for all those who will be in the compounds. ”
“We do not know exactly what will happen on the ground, not only for our community, but for the entire population,” they acknowledged. “We can only repeat what we have already said: There can be no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians, or revenge.”
“This is not the right way,” they said, calling for both an end to the “senseless and destructive war” and for the return of the hostages being held by Gazan terror groups. “It is now time for the healing of the long-suffering families on all sides.”
In July, three people were killed and several were injured in an IDF strike on the Holy Family Church compound. The military later said that a misfired munition was to blame.
In the aftermath of the strike, which prompted widespread international outrage, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa and Orthodox Patriarch Theophilus III entered the Gaza Strip to survey the damage and meet with members of the enclave’s Christian minority.
Meanwhile, the IDF released new footage showing the destruction of two Hamas tunnels in the central Gaza Strip, part of a monthlong operation by forces from the Gaza Division’s southern brigade, the elite Yahalom combat engineering unit, and the Gaza Division’s engineering units.
According to the military, one of the tunnels, which featured multiple exit shafts, contained living quarters, food, weapons, and other facilities used by Hamas operatives.
Troops sealed the tunnel by filling it with concrete. A second offensive underground route, stretching hundreds of meters, was destroyed with explosives.
The IDF said that in the course of the operation, dozens of Hamas fighters were killed, and both underground and aboveground terror infrastructure was dismantled.
The military added that the effort was aimed at widening the security buffer along the central and southern border of the Gaza Strip.
The ongoing war erupted when Hamas-led terrorists led a massacre of southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages to Gaza.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 62,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far, though the toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters.
Israel says it has killed over 22,000 combatants in battle as of August and another 1,600 terrorists inside Israel during the October 7 onslaught.
Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools, and mosques.
Israel’s toll in the ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with the Strip stands at 460.
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US Government Slow to Respond to UFOs
Monday, 25 August 2025 03:32 PM EDT
Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) — or the more modern reference, UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena) — grab attention and headlines when something unusual appears. But congressional and U.S. government responses remain slow to nonexistent.
One of the latest legislative attempts to open long-closed doors to information the government may already have — but keeps quiet about — was introduced by Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., in February and referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Burchett's bill would require the release (with limited redactions) of federal records related to UAPs. But so far, there has been no substantive action on the bill.
Some members of Congress have shared personal reports of their own experiences, but that has done little to compel the government to reveal what some believe is a treasure trove of information.
Former Navy pilot Ryan Graves, who has testified before Congress about his direct encounters with UFOs showing extraordinary flight capabilities, now leads an aerospace safety organization.
He recently posted that his group, Americans for Safe Aerospace, continues to receive new UAP reports.
"In the last year," Graves wrote on X, "Americans for Safe Aerospace has received 800+ reports from aviators, radar operators, and trained civilian observers.
Near-midair collisions. Sustained radar tracks. Objects exceeding known flight limits."
The government's release of video from Navy jets encountering objects with incredible flight capabilities has fueled headlines and speculation.
But still, there has been no meaningful response about the underlying intelligence that may be locked away in classified files.
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/ufos-uaps-navy-pilots/2025/08/25/id/1223864/
https://www.congress.gov/member/tim-burchett/B001309
https://x.com/NEWSMAX/status/1955781444321861953
https://x.com/uncertainvector/status/1956028732709232936
Alien Bodies & Technology - The Lost Tapes Of UFO Whistleblower Col Corso : WEAPONIZED : EPISODE #87
August 26, 2025
Inspired by the sworn testimony of UFO whistleblowers, Congress is grappling with legislation designed to force the disclosure of materials, craft, and bodies allegedly collected from crash sites.
The current wave of whistleblowers is not the first to spill secrets about UFO crashes and reverse engineering efforts by military contractors.
In 1997, a high-ranking Army Intelligence official Colonel Phillip Corso shocked the world with his account about a Pentagon office charged with dribbling bits and pieces of alien technology out to major corporations and labs.
The tech, Corso said, came from crashes near Roswell New Mexico. Corso's book "The Day After Roswell" became a huge bestseller in 1997, the 50th anniversary of the Roswell events.
But five years before he released a book, long before he was known to anyone in the UFO field, Corso told his story to George Knapp.
Corso also sat down for two lengthy interviews conducted by personnel associated with NIDS, the National Institute for Discovery Science.
The interviews were recorded, though the recordings were never released. In this episode of WEAPONIZED, Jeremy and George revisit the Corso tale and take a deep dive into the unreleased Corso tapes.
Check out the previous episode on the testimony of Col. Corso in Episode #48 of WEAPONIZED HERE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyCftd_FHwE
https://www.weaponizedpodcast.com/episodes-3/episode-87
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US4BNwU3q8Q
UFO Hearing Update: It's Happening
August 25, 2025
Ross Coulthart’s stark assessment that congressional UFO hearings are “a dog and pony show” gains new context from Representative Eric Burlison’s revelations to Liberation Times.
According to Coulthart, speaking on NewsNation’s Reality Check, lawmakers are “shown and told what we’re allowed to be told,” while the substantive information remains locked in classified briefings.
Burlison’s insider perspective explains why: “the Office of the National Security Advisor [the National Security Council staff] is handling these [UAP] Special Access Programs.”
This creates a constitutional reality where Congress operates under executive branch classification authority. The September 9th hearing, featuring three witnesses with alleged “first-hand” experiences, exemplifies these constraints.
Congressional members were explicitly told “not to ask some of you certain questions on certain topics” during previous UFO hearings, revealing how intelligence community oversight penetrates even public testimony.
The SCIF Flu Controversy and Institutional Barriers
The recent “SCIF flu” controversy, clarified by NASA official Mike Gold on the Weaponized podcast, illustrates systematic obstacles to information sharing.
Gold revealed that witnesses like Lou Elizondo “literally three times we were told it was going to happen and then it didn’t,” forcing costly trips from Wyoming to Washington for canceled meetings.
This wasn’t deliberate avoidance but logistical barriers that create additional impediments to disclosure.
Legal expert Richard Beckwith, author of “Need to Know,” explains how the secrecy apparatus employs “mosaic theory” and “state secrets privilege” to block information requests.
According to Beckwith, even seemingly innocuous information can be withheld by arguing it could be “pieced together over time by an enemy or an adversary.”
His stark assessment: gatekeepers “are not going to disclose it until you pry it from their dead cold fingers.”
Presidential Authority vs. Bureaucratic Control
Burlison’s Liberation Times interview reveals how this secrecy operates within the White House itself, protected by National Security Council elements and career officials embedded in key offices.
When asked about President Trump’s UAP commitment, Burlison offered a measured response: “I think that if he has the time and bandwidth, President Trump would [investigate the UAP topic].
To him, this isn’t as high-profile or high-priority as it is to some people.”
Recent mysterious drone incursions over defense installations illustrate these institutional challenges. According to documentation, U.S. forces couldn’t detect or jam objects operating over critical facilities.
While the White House downplayed these incidents, Burlison suggested bureaucratic embarrassment: “Never underestimate the ineptitude of government employees and their inability to act.
In my view, the most likely scenario is that they don’t know [what the so-called drones were], and they’re embarrassed that they don’t.”
Constitutional Framework
Burlison’s efforts to strengthen the UAP Disclosure Act through the House NDAA reflect his understanding that meaningful change requires presidential action.
His realistic assessment: “I don’t think President Trump is going to make the UAPDA a priority, or something his office will lean on to win votes. But I also don’t think his office would fight it.”
Coulthart argues that intelligence community briefings maintain narrative control even over presidents through “carefully crafted briefings that justify continued secrecy.”
This suggests that even executive authority may be managed by the same career officials who control congressional testimony.
Congressional hearings serve important functions in building public pressure and normalizing UAP discussions.
However, as both Coulthart’s analysis and Burlison’s insider perspective reveal, these sessions operate within executive branch classification boundaries that congressional authority cannot override.
The structural reality remains: meaningful UAP transparency requires presidential willingness to override intelligence community objections and declassify information despite agency resistance — even when that resistance operates within the president’s own administration through embedded bureaucratic structures.
Until that presidential decision occurs, hearings will continue as controlled transparency exercises rather than breakthrough disclosure events, regardless of witness quality or congressional determination to uncover the truth.
https://www.ufonews.co/post/white-house-doesn-t-control-ufo-programs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z6DLefzbpA
60th Anniversary of Legendary Exeter UFO Incident Celebrated with New Police Patch
August 25, 2025
Exeter, New Hampshire's police department has created a special patch celebrating the 60th anniversary of the UFO incident that put the town on the proverbial paranormal map.
The legendary 1965 case began when then-teenage resident Norman Muscarello spotted a flying saucer while walking home through the neighboring community of Kensington.
The strange sighting was seemingly confirmed when a pair of Exeter police officers also observed the unusual UFO when they visited the location shortly after the rattled witness arrived at their nearby station to report what he had just seen.
The remarkable case subsequently became indelibly linked to the community through John G. Fuller's New York Times bestselling book Incident at Exeter.
As has been the case since 2009, the town will celebrate the event this coming weekend with its wildly popular Exeter UFO Festival, which draws hundreds of flying saucer fans from throughout New England and beyond.
Joining in on the fun by recognizing their "direct ties to the incident," the town's police department began selling collectible patches in 2022 with a new out-of-this-world design revealed each year.
The 2025 edition, seen above, was unveiled in a Facebook post on Friday.
The patch, commemorating the 60th anniversary, features a UFO 'piloted' by an alien and a chocolate lab from the department's comfort dog program, which will once again receive all proceeds from sales of the patches at this year's festival, where they will undoubtedly be a hot commodity.
https://www.coasttocoastam.com/article/60th-anniversary-of-legendary-exeter-ufo-incident-celebrated-with-new-police-patch/
https://www.facebook.com/people/ExeterNH-Police-Department/100064860391226/
https://exeterufofestival.org/
The Space People Are Real—And They’re Already Here | Paola Harris
Aug 23, 2025
Are extraterrestrial beings already walking among us?
Paola Harris unveils incredible accounts of contact with space people, exploring the implications for humanity’s future.
From ancient guidance to modern-day encounters, this lecture uncovers the truth behind extraterrestrial visits.
00:00 Introduction to Space People and Their Presence Among Us
06:00 The Billy Meier UFO Contact Case
15:00 How Extraterrestrials Influence Global Politics
25:00 The Geopolitical and Religious Implications of Disclosure
35:00 Contacting the Space People: A Personal Experience
45:00 The Pleiadians: Who Are They and What Do They Want?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPgBGfVdn-Y
https://www.youtube.com/@PaolaHarris-StarworksUSA
Is this real? The CL-957 GEN 2 by Lockheed Martin. "Tic Tac" 💊
August 23, 2025
Recently Alleged Tic-Tac Flight Manual Cover Counter-Argument
August 26, 2025
https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs_Archive/comments/1mygdq6/is_this_real_the_cl957_gen_2_by_lockheed_martin/
https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/1myg8nq/is_this_real_the_cl957_gen_2_by_lockheed_martin/
https://www.reddit.com/r/ufo/comments/1n0ukyt/recently_alleged_tictac_flight_manual_cover/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKMaAulx3tA (LOCKHEED’s “Tic Tac” Manual? CL-957 Leak or Psyop — Full Forensic Breakdown)
Chameleo UFO Gangstalking Lue Elizondo CIFA
August 26, 2025
There are some interesting gangstalking stories in this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRWQmzz7_w0
https://x.com/TUPACABRA2