TYB!
pass the bread pudding, please
Steve Shinn Steps Down as Acting NASA CFO
October 20, 2025
Steve Shinn, NASA’s deputy chief financial officer and acting CFO, has stepped down from his role to join The Aerospace Corp. as vice president and CFO.
Greg Autry, the nominee for the CFO position at NASA, announced Shinn’s departure from the space agency and his new role at the nonprofit corporation.
According to his profile on Aerospace’s website, Shinn will oversee the corporation’s accounting, finance, treasury and other business processes.
He will help modernize business functions and financial tools to deliver on critical misions of government and commercial customers.
Who Is Steve Shinn?
As acting CFO at NASA, Shinn oversaw all financial management, strategic planning, performance and budgeting activities related to the agency’s programs and operations.
As deputy CFO, he led the agency’s budget analysis, performance reporting, justification and control of all fiscal resources related to NASA operations and programs.
His 15-year career at NASA included time as CFO at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center and deputy director for planning and business management at GSFC’s Flight Projects Directorate.
Before joining NASA, he was group supervisor for the space operations management group at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Shinn started his career at Computer Sciences Corp., where he held roles of increasing responsibility.
The College of New Jersey finance graduate has a master’s degree in technical management from the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering.
https://www.executivegov.com/articles/nasa-acting-cfo-steve-shinn-steps-down
It wasn’t space debris that struck a United Airlines plane—it was a weather balloon
Oct 20, 2025 7:54 PM
The mysterious impact of a United Airlines aircraft in flight last week has sparked plenty of theories as to its cause, from space debris to high-flying birds.
However the question of what happened to flight 1093, and its severely damaged front window, appears to be answered in the form of a weather balloon.
“I think this was a WindBorne balloon,” Kai Marshland, co-founder of the weather prediction company WindBorne Systems, told Ars in an email on Monday evening.
“We learned about UA1093 and the potential that it was related to one of our balloons at 11 pm PT on Sunday and immediately looked into it. At 6 am PT, we sent our preliminary investigation to both NTSB and FAA, and are working with both of them to investigate further.”
WindBorne is a six-year old company that seeks to both collect weather observations with its fleet of small, affordable weather balloons as well as use that atmospheric data for its proprietary artificial intelligence weather models.
Online detectives solve the case
Scott Manley, a popular YouTube creator and pilot, was among the first people to speculate online about the collision being caused by a WindBorne balloon, having coordinated the position of a balloon data point with the flight path of the aircraft.
Asked about this by Ars, the company confirmed that its balloon likely hit the plane.
The strike occurred Thursday, during a United Airlines flight from Denver to Los Angeles. Images shared on social media showed that one of the two large windows at the front of a 737 MAX aircraft was significantly cracked.
Related images also reveal a pilot’s arm that has been cut multiple times by what appear to be small shards of glass.
Speculation built over the weekend after one of the aircraft’s pilots described the object that impacted the aircraft as “space debris.”
On Sunday the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that it is investigating the collision, which did not cause any fatalities.
However, one of the pilot’s arms appeared to be cut up by small shards of glass from the windshield.
Balloons said to not “pose a threat”
WindBorne has a fleet of global sounding balloons that fly various vertical profiles around the world, gathering atmospheric data.
Each balloon is fairly small, with a mass of 2.6 pounds (1.2 kg), and provides temperature, wind, pressure, and other data about the atmosphere. Such data is useful for establishing initial conditions upon which weather models base their outputs.
Notably, the company has an FAQ on its website (which clearly was written months or years ago, before this incident) that addresses several questions, including: Why don’t WindBorne balloons pose a risk to airplanes?
“The quick answer is our constellation of Global Sounding Balloons (GSBs), which we call WindBorne Atlas, doesn’t pose a threat to airplanes or other objects in the sky.
It’s not only highly improbable that a WindBorne balloon could even collide with an aircraft in the first place; but our balloons are so lightweight that they would not cause significant damage.
WindBorne also said that its balloons are compliant with all applicable airspace regulations.
“For example, we maintain active lines of communication with the FAA to ensure our operations satisfy all relevant regulatory requirements,” the company states.
“We also provide government partners with direct access to our comprehensive, real-time balloon tracking system via our proprietary software, WindBorne Live.”
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/10/the-mystery-object-that-struck-a-plane-in-flight-it-was-probably-a-weather-balloon/
Western Europe ‘preparing for conflict’ with Russia – spy chief
21 Oct, 2025 09:37
Western Europe is actively preparing for a conflict with Russia as it is struggling to accept the end of the unipolar world order, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, has said.
Countries across the EU have increased military spending since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, agreeing to allocate €800 billion ($937 billion) for defense purposes by 2030 as part of a bloc-wide plan.
Some of the bloc’s politicians have also increasingly spoken of a “Russian threat.” Moscow has denied harboring any aggressive intentions towards NATO states on the continent, but has warned of a harsh response if attacked.
Speaking at a summit in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on Monday, Naryshkin stressed that everything must be done to ensure that the switch to a multipolar world order “occurs without a major war as has happened in previous historical periods.”
He added that Western Europe is struggling to adapt to the new reality, and that the only solution that leaders such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, or top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas can come up with is “Russophobia and an accelerated buildup of European military potential with an emphasis on a large-scale armed conflict with Russia.”
According to the SVR chief, Moscow views actions by the EU and UK as preparations for war, including the push to re-equip NATO’s forces on the continent, attempts to boost military production, and the continued brainwashing of the population with anti-Russian propaganda.
Western European capitals are experiencing difficulties with finding enough recruits in proper mental and physical condition for their armed forces amid “widespread apathy and dissatisfaction with the ruling elites, especially among young people,” Naryshkin said.
"There is also no confidence in Brussels, Paris, and Berlin that Washington will fulfill its obligations [on collective defense in NATO] under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty if a war breaks out with Russia,” Naryshkin stressed.
The EU understands that without US involvement, any hopes of achieving strategic superiority over Moscow are “illusory,” he added.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Monday that Western Europe is “doing everything” to escalate the Ukraine conflict, accusing “non-professionals” leading EU countries of having no understanding of the consequences of their actions.
https://www.rt.com/news/626751-eu-nato-conflict-naryshkin/
Ukrainian agent captured in Moscow – FSB
21 Oct, 2025 11:34
A Russian citizen suspected of gathering and transmitting military information to Ukrainian intelligence has been detained in Moscow, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Tuesday.
According to the agency, the Russian national, said to be in his mid-20s, traveled to Ukraine between 2019 and 2020, where he met members of the country’s armed forces.
After the conflict escalated in 2022, he allegedly shared details on the locations of Russian air defense systems in the Moscow and Krasnodar regions through social media channels.
The FSB claimed the coordinates he provided were later used to target sites in missile and drone strikes.
The agency also released video footage showing the man’s detention and interrogation, during which he admitted to visiting Ukraine, joining political rallies, and later cooperating with Ukrainian military and intelligence personnel.
A criminal case has been opened on a charge of treason, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. A court has ordered the suspect to remain in custody while the investigation continues.
The FSB warned that Ukrainian intelligence services continue to recruit Russian citizens online through social networks and messaging apps.
The agency urged the public to remain vigilant and “intolerant toward such provocations” to avoid criminal liability for participating in “illegal activities.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/626752-fsb-ukrainian-agent-moscow/
They said it was a weather balloon
but I know the truth, I know the whole shabang…
Trump-Putin summit ‘on hold’ – US media
21 Oct, 2025 16:02
Preparations for the proposed Russia-US summit expected to be held in Budapest, Hungary, have been put “on hold,” American media outlets reported on Tuesday, citing anonymous officials.
There are no plans for US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to meet “in the immediate future,” Reuters has reported, citing a senior White House staffer.
Likewise, White House correspondent Garrett Haake reported that planning for the summit in Budapest is now “on hold,” also citing an unnamed senior official who also explained why the planned meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was scrapped.
“Initial call between Sec. Rubio & FM Lavrov was ‘productive,’ but POTUS believes both sides aren’t ready enough to talk to justify moving forward right now,” Haake wrote on X.
The anonymously sourced reports follows a CNN story, also citing unnamed sources, that claimed preparations for the summit “had been tabled, at least for now.”
The CNN reporting prompted a reaction from senior Russian officials, who rejected the assertions made in the piece.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told media on Tuesday that preparations for the “significant event” were still underway, while reports about the postponement of the summit were “infodumps” intended to disrupt.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also mocked the anonymous sources reporting as a Western media “info-circus.”
https://www.rt.com/news/626780-trump-putin-summit-pause/
Moscow responds to claim that Russia-US meeting on hold
21 Oct, 2025 10:44
Russian officials have rejected media reports suggesting that plans for a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump have been suspended, saying Ukraine’s European backers are attempting to sabotage the talks.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Tuesday that extensive preparations are still underway for the “significant event,” which both leaders agreed to hold in Budapest during a recent phone call.
He said reports that the summit had been postponed were “infodumps” intended to disrupt diplomatic progress.
“EU and NATO countries are seeking to torpedo everything,” Ryabkov stated, describing the European Union as “the most destructive force on the international stage at this point.”
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also mocked what she described as a Western media “info-circus,” claiming that reporting based on anonymous sources amounted to little more than a “CNN leak” that “disproves a Reuters rumor.”
The comments followed a CNN story citing unnamed sources who claimed preparations for the summit “had been tabled, at least for now.”
The report said that an in-person meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been delayed after a phone conversation on Monday, allegedly due to a lack of shift in Russia’s negotiating stance.
Moscow has repeatedly accused European governments supporting Kiev of seeking to prolong the Ukraine conflict rather than encourage peace talks. Officials have argued that this approach helps EU leaders avoid accountability for their failed strategy.
Conversely, the planned Putin-Trump summit host country, Hungary, has opposed the West’s deterioration of relations with Russia and the EU’s military aid to Ukraine.
https://www.rt.com/russia/626753-budapest-summiut-cnn-claims/
Kremlin comments on timeframe for Trump-Putin summit
21 Oct, 2025 15:43
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said “serious preparations” are required for the planned summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Hungary, and that no date has yet been set.
The Kremlin and the White House confirmed that the talks would take place in the Hungarian capital after Putin and Trump spoke by phone last Thursday.
Speaking on Tuesday, Peskov stressed that “serious preparations are needed” ahead of the summit.
“You’ve heard statements from the American side and from our own that this may take time. So, no definite timeframe has been established,” he clarified.
On Monday, CNN, citing an anonymous White House official, claimed that a meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which is expected to be a prelude to the top-level talks in Hungary, had “been put on hold for the time being” and “was no longer taking place this week.”
According to the publication, Rubio “is not likely to recommend the Putin-Trump meeting move forward next week” due to “divergent expectations” over the Ukraine conflict resolution.
The two top diplomats held a phone conversation on Monday, with the Russian Foreign Ministry characterizing it as “constructive.”
Reuters, citing anonymous sources, earlier reported that Lavrov and Rubio could meet as early as Thursday. Financial Times quoted an unnamed German official as suggesting that the talks could take place on October 30.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov insisted that extensive preparations were still underway for what he termed a “significant event.”
The official dismissed media reports about the supposed postponement of the summit as “infodumps” intended to disrupt diplomatic progress, and pointed the finger at the EU.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova similarly refused to give any credence to media speculation about the potential date of Lavrov-Rubio talks.
https://www.rt.com/russia/626775-kremlin-putin-trump-budapest-summit-date/
Overnight Drone Attack on Russia’s Rostov Region Allegedly Damages Homes, Infrastructure
Oct. 21, 2025, 3:31 pm
Russian regional officials said a large drone attack struck multiple locations across the Rostov region overnight between Monday and Tuesday, causing damage to residential buildings and infrastructure.
These statements come solely from Russian authorities and could not be independently verified by Kyiv Post.
Partial building collapse claimed in Bataisk
Rostov Governor Yuriy Slyusar wrote on Telegram that explosive-ordnance teams completed inspections at a multi-story building in Bataisk, where an exterior wall had partially collapsed.
According to Slyusar, “the load-bearing structures of the [building] were not affected,” and residents were allowed to return after checks.
Bataisk is located about 10 km (6 miles) south of the region’s capital Rostov-on-Don.
He said sappers were still working at other sites in the city, adding that “along with retail pavilions and cars, a private medical center was damaged.”
Slyusar said air defenses repelled a “massed aerial attack“ spanning several districts and major cities in the region, without specifying what has been targeted.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, 34 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were destroyed or intercepted over the Rostov region.
He said municipal commissions began documenting damage on Tuesday morning and that the regional emergencies chief is coordinating response teams on site.
Rostov officials cite power and gas disruptions
In a follow-up post, Slyusar reported preliminary tallies of damage, including four apartment blocks and three private houses, five retail kiosks, and 25 cars.
He also claimed that around 3,000 residents were left without electricity after a transformer substation was hit in Nedvigovka, a settlement between Rostov-on-Don and the Black Sea coast.
He added that a gas distribution pipe was damaged in the village of Voronovo, further south in the region, cutting the supply to 42 homes.
Russia’s regional governor promises recovery work as verification remains pending
Slyusar wrote on Telegram that specialists would begin emergency restoration “after sappers complete their inspections,” adding that authorities are doing everything possible to help residents return to normal life as swiftly as possible.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on the incident. Kyiv has repeatedly stated it does not target civilians and says cross-border operations are aimed at military or military-linked infrastructure.
At the time of publication, Kyiv Post could not independently verify the extent or cause of the reported alleged damage in Russia’s Rostov region.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/62644
Russia strikes Ukraine's Sumy with Italmas drone: Casualties reported
Tue, October 21, 2025 - 19:00
Russian forces attacked Sumy today, October 21, using an Italmas drone.
The enemy targeted civilian infrastructure, and civilians were affected, according to Sumy acting mayor Artem Kobzar, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration Oleh Hryhorov, and head of the Sumy District Military Administration Serhii Kryvosheienko.
According to Kobzar, at around 04:30 PM Kyiv time, an Italmas drone struck the road surface in Sumy.
"Currently, nine people are reported injured," he said.
The acting mayor of Sumy added that the attack damaged over 10 vehicles, and windows were broken in apartment buildings.
He noted that tomorrow, October 22, from 9 AM, a mobile headquarters will be operating to provide assistance to those in need.
At the same time, Kryvosheienko added that the Russian forces struck the road while vehicles were in motion. All the injured were hospitalized and are in stable condition.
Meanwhile, Hryhorov noted that the threat of repeated strikes remains. He urged residents of the Sumy region not to ignore air raid alerts.
The Russian Italmas drone (also known as Geran-3, Izdelie 54, or "Hazonokosarka" (Lawnmower)) is a simplified version of the Shahed-136 strike UAV.
It is built using a "flying wing" design and is sometimes described as something between a Shahed and a Lancet.
Drone attack
As a reminder, today, October 21, Russian forces launched strike drones across Ukraine.
The Air Forces warned that enemy drones were spotted in Chernihiv and Sumy regions.
In particular, the enemy targeted Novhorod-Siverskyi in the Chernihiv region, striking the city with around 20 Shahed drones. As of now, four civilians are reported dead.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/norwegian-f-35-jets-intercept-russian-il-1761060112.html
https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-attack-kills-4-injures-16/
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4049890-russian-drone-strike-injures-nine-civilians-in-sumy.html
Security Service of Ukraine destroys Russian aircraft that were intercepting Ukrainian drones
Tue, October 21, 2025 - 20:03
The enemy targets were destroyed in temporarily occupied territories by special forces from the SBU’s A Special Operations Center.
"This time, our specialists neutralized two light aircraft that the occupiers had stationed at airfields and were using to shoot down Ukrainian long-range drones," the post read.
The SBU emphasized that this is part of "clearing the way" for Ukrainian long-range drones, which will carry out strikes in the Russian rear.
Drone strikes on Russia
Ukrainian drones have been continuously attacking the territory of the aggressor country. Targets have included oil refineries, military-industrial facilities, railways, and other critical infrastructure.
In particular, unknown drones attacked Russia’s Rostov region on the night of Tuesday, October 21. In Bataysk and Rostov-on-Don, debris from downed drones damaged residential buildings and vehicles.
Local residents reported about a dozen powerful explosions.
Earlier, on the night of October 19, drones struck a gas processing plant in the Orenburg region.
A large fire broke out at the facility, and the intake of raw gas from the Karachaganak field was halted as a result of the attack. On Monday, October 20, another fire broke out at the plant in Orenburg.
Additionally, on the night of October 18, kamikaze drones attacked the Ulyanovsk region, disabling the 500 kV Veshkayma substation.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/security-service-of-ukraine-destroys-russian-1761066224.html
Ukraine’s Drone Strikes on Russia Are Disrupting Central Asian Gas Flows
Oct 21, 2025, 11:00 AM CDT
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Ukraine confirmed responsibility for a drone strike on Russia’s Orenburg gas plant, one of the largest in the world, disrupting regional gas flows.
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Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak field cut output by up to 30% following the attack, underscoring cross-border energy dependencies.
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EU energy ministers agreed to phase out Russian gas imports by early 2028 as part of a broader strategy to end reliance on Moscow
A Ukrainian drone attack on a gas plant in Russia's Orenburg, one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world, continues to impact production in neighboring Kazakhstan as the European Union moves to phase out Russian gas imports by the end of 2027.
Intake at the Kazakh facility, according to the Central Asian country's Energy Ministry, was suspended after the October 19 attack, the first reported strike on the plant, which forms part of the Orenburg gas chemical complex that is operated by the Russian state energy giant Gazprom.
Reuters quoted sources on October 20 as saying that because of the strike, production at Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak field was reduced by 25 percent to 30 percent. The plant processes 37.5 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Officials in Kyiv have confirmed Ukraine was behind the attack, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy touted as showing "an increase both in the range and in the accuracy of our long-range sanctions against Russia."
"Practically every day or two, Russian oil refineries are being hit. And this contributes to bringing Russia back to reality."
In recent months, Kyiv has intensified its attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, which appear to be causing fuel shortages and price increases inside Russia.
The oil depot in Novokuibyshevsk was also hit last month, with Ukraine's General Staff reporting substantial damage to its infrastructure at the time.
Meanwhile, EU energy ministers gave their backing to a plan that would phase out Russian and oil gas imports to the bloc by January 2028 despite opposition from Slovakia and Hungary, who are still dependent on Russian energy supplies.
The plan, which along with sanctions against Russia, was sparked by Moscow's war against Ukraine and is part of a broader strategy for the 27-nation bloc.
“Although we have worked hard and pushed to get Russian gas and oil out of Europe in recent years, we are not there yet,” Lars Aagaard, energy minister of Denmark, which holds the European Union’s rotating presidency, said, adding the October 20 agreement was a "crucial step" toward achieving the strategy.
Before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia accounted for around 45 percent of the EU's gas imports. The figure now stands at around 12 percent.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said earlier on October 20 that a new sanctions package the EU's 19th against Russia could be approved as early as this week.
"Russia only understands strength. It only negotiates when put under pressure," she said.
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Ukraines-Drone-Strikes-on-Russia-Are-Disrupting-Central-Asian-Gas-Flows.html
Khartoum Airport hit by drone attack ahead of reopening day
October 21, 2025
Khartoum International Airport was hit by a drone attack early on Tuesday, a day before it was due to reopen for the first time since Sudan's civil war broke out more than two and a half years ago.
Witnesses in the capital's greater region said they heard explosions from the vicinity of the airport shortly after seeing drones flying low over the city in its direction.
Other sites in the capital region were also attacked, residents reported, including a power transformer in Omdurman and areas surrounding an oil refinery in northern Khartoum.
Omdurman is one of three cities that comprise the Sudanese capital, together with Khartoum and Bahri. The greater capital area, however, is commonly known simply as Khartoum.
Witnesses said the saw objects in the sky before hearing explosions. "We saw flashes of light in the darkness before dawn and heard the sound of blasts before we could see columns of thick black smoke rising skyward," said Osman Hamza, who lives in Omdurman.
Another Omdurman resident, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the explosions were so loud, he thought the house next door had been blown up. "It felt like the war returned to Khartoum," he said.
"It is not unlikely now that my family and I will leave the city if this happens again," said Mr Ibrahim, who suspected the explosions were the result of kamikaze drones hitting military sites in the city.
Later on Tuesday, the army chief and de facto ruler Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan visited the airport and addressed the nation from there. In the televised speech, he vowed to defeat the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and never to allow the paramilitary to be part of Sudan's future.
"This tyrannical gang will never be allowed to hurt you," he said as he stood on the tarmac with the airport's terminal in the background. "We in the armed forces are determined to provide protection to our people in Sudan. We will do and achieve this."
There was no immediate comment on Tuesday's the attacks from the RSF, which is led Gen Mohamed Dagalo, Gen Al Burhan's former ally.
In May, the RSF launched a wave of drone attacks at a military airbase that is part of the international airport at the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, the temporary seat of the military-backed government.
They have also attacked fuel depots there as well as infrastructure sites north and south of the capital.
Tuesday's attacks, which began before dawn, came a day after Sudan's Civil Aviation Authority said the airport would reopen on Wednesday, with the gradual resumption of domestic flights when technical and operational preparations were completed.
The airport was swiftly seized by the RSF during the opening days of the war. The paramilitary then moved to capture most of the sprawling capital, territory regained by the army and allied militias in March this year. T
here were no immediate reports of casualties or damage caused by the attack.
Khartoum has remained relatively calm since being retaken by the army and its allied militias but attack drones are still being launched, with the RSF repeatedly accused of attacking military and civilian sites.
Tuesday's strike is the third such attack on the capital this month. Last week, drones hit Khartoum on two consecutive days, striking army bases in the city's north-west. A military official said most of the drones were intercepted.
With no sign of the civil war abating, the army controls the capital as well as eastern, central and northern Sudan.
The RSF, whose forerunner was a notorious militia known as the Janjaweed, controls all of Darfur – except the army-held city of El Fasher – and parts of Kordofan to the south and south-west of the vast, Afro-Arab nation.
El Fasher has been besieged by the RSF since May 2024 and is the scene of near-daily clashes between the paramilitary and the army and its allies.
There are no reliable casualty figures from the war, which is widely believed to have killed tens of thousands of people.
The fighting has also displaced more than 13 million people and left more than 25 million others facing hunger or caught in pockets of famine in parts of the country.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/10/21/khartoum-airport-hit-by-drone-attack-ahead-of-reopening-day/
Drone strikes hit insurgent camps near Indo-Myanmar border, five militants killed
06:37 PM, Oct 21, 2025
Unidentified drones carried out a series of strikes overnight on October 20, hitting several insurgent camps deep inside the forests along the Indo-Myanmar border. The attack reportedly killed five militants.
Intelligence and local sources said the camps were run by northeastern insurgent groups active near the border.
Officials described the operation as a “precise and coordinated operation”, calling it one of the most significant cross-border actions in recent times.
Early reports suggested that between five and eight people were killed and more than two dozen were injured, including senior members of the armed groups.
The strikes also destroyed command centres, ammunition storage sites, and living quarters.
Some unconfirmed reports from the ground said that a few top insurgent leaders might be among those killed, but authorities have not confirmed this yet.
The attack came shortly after a rise in militant activity near the Arunachal Pradesh-Myanmar border. On October 16, armed militants had ambushed a security post close to the border, injuring several personnel.
The latest drone strikes appeared to be a response meant to neutralise cross-border threats and prevent future attacks.
For years, this stretch along the international border has been a refuge for several rebel groups taking advantage of Myanmar’s internal unrest.
Security analysts said the recent strikes show how drone technology is becoming a key part of counter-insurgency operations across Southeast Asia.
Experts added that such targeted operations point to a changing border security strategy, one that now relies more on precision technology rather than large ground movements.
Governments in both India and Myanmar have not made any public statements yet, but monitoring groups in the region said security has been tightened across Changlang and Tirap districts.
Meanwhile, social media was flooded with posts under hashtags like #DroneStrikeMyanmar and #BorderSecurity, with users sharing unverified videos showing explosions and debris.
https://myind.net/Home/viewArticle/drone-strikes-hit-insurgent-camps-near-indo-myanmar-border-five-militants-killed
Bengaluru's Diwali Sky Shines Bright In Viral Drone Hyperlapse
Oct 21, 2025 16:49 pm IST
A stunning video shared by Bengaluru's Srihari Karanath has gone viral on social media for capturing the grandeur of Diwali celebrations in the city.
Karanath, who is a DGCA-certified drone pilot associated with Karnataka Tourism, took a hyperlapse of the Bengaluru night sky painted with sparkles.
The breathtaking video has not only captured the interest of social media users but also Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman.
"Drone Hyperlapse over Bengaluru captures a stunning Deepawali sky!" Karanath captioned the video posted on X (formerly Twitter).
A hyperlapse is a form of timelapse, but instead of keeping the camera static, it is moved between each shot, creating a sense of motion.
As the drone moved across the Bengaluru skyline, the city shone gloriously with the fireworks, the light of Diwali diyas and decorations.
"This has come out so well. The canvas is artistic. Brush strokes are camera exposure. Great effort," wrote Sitharaman.
'Bengaluru Really Knows…'
As of the last update, the video had garnered nearly 70,000 views, with the majority of users simply amazed by Bengaluru's Diwali aesthetics.
"Absolutely breathtaking! Bengaluru really knows how to light up the sky," said one user, while another added: "Stunning hyperlapse! Perfectly captures the energy and beauty of Bengaluru on Diwali night."
A third commented: "Bangalore never disappoints, along with being the tech capital of the world, it is also the culture capital of Bharat."
A fourth said: "And then there were some commenting that Deepavali vibes are not there in this city."
Millions across India lit up their homes and streets as the country celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, on Monday (Oct 20).
The annual celebration, one of India's biggest festivals, brings together families, friends and communities in a spirit of joy and togetherness.
https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/bengalurus-diwali-sky-shines-bright-in-viral-drone-hyperlapse-nirmala-sitharaman-reacts-9491808
https://twitter.com/sriharikaranth/status/1980336567945400614
https://twitter.com/nsitharaman/status/1980342225025528010
Florida Sen. Rick Scott Demands FCC Shut Down Chinese Drone Firms Cheating U.S. Security
October 21, 2025 10:08 am
Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) is urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take aggressive action against Chinese drone manufacturers, specifically naming DJI and Autel Robotics, accusing them of repeatedly using shell companies and subsidiaries to evade U.S. national security laws.
Yesterday, Senator Scott sent a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, commending the Commission on its recent announcement regarding a forthcoming vote.
This vote aims to implement a new order that would prohibit the import or sale of technological equipment from adversarial nations like Communist China that are already on the FCC’s Covered List.
Scott, who has long campaigned to remove Chinese-made drones from U.S. government and military use, highlighted his successful effort to include Section 1709 in the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
This provision mandates an investigation into Chinese drone manufacturers and creates a framework for “more aggressive scrutiny” of foreign-controlled technology posing security risks.
Evasion Tactics Alleged
In his letter, Senator Scott emphasized a pattern of deliberate evasion by these companies.
“We have seen a consistent pattern from DJI and other Chinese-manufactured businesses of evading U.S. laws and regulations by continuously reestablishing under different shell companies or subsidiaries to avoid detection,” Scott wrote.
He cited a recent alleged case where DJI logos appeared in FCC documentation for a company reportedly only days old named Lyno Dynamics, LLC, suggesting a clear attempt to bypass oversight.
Scott’s Direct Demands to the FCC
To operationalize the efforts in the NDAA, Senator Scott called on the FCC to take three specific actions under the authority of the impending order:
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Rescind all existing equipment authorizations for DJI and Autel Robotics devices, including those approved under “proxy entities,” issued since the enactment of the FY 2025 NDAA.
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Deny any licenses for devices that use components, software, or subsystems sourced from DJI, Autel, or their subsidiaries.
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Strengthen corporate disclosure requirements in FCC filings to prevent shell companies from concealing their ultimate ownership or control.
Scott closed his appeal by thanking Chairman Carr for his leadership in protecting U.S. communications networks, stating that addressing this issue will not only bolster national security but also strengthen the American drone industry and create jobs.
The Senator has requested a response from Chairman Carr by the close of business on October 27, 2025.
https://www.tampafp.com/florida-sen-rick-scott-demands-fcc-shut-down-chinese-drone-firms-cheating-u-s-security/
IDF Combat Engineering Corps: The Gaza Border is 100% Safe Now
OCT 21, 2025 13:28
An officer in the Israel Defense Forces’ engineering corps told Srugim News that residents of the Gaza border communities can feel secure despite recent hostilities, praising his unit’s professionalism and readiness following intensive operations in the enclave.
The comments came a day after a deadly incident in Gaza in which two Nahal soldiers were killed and four others, including members of the combat engineering force, were wounded.
Srugim reporters visited engineering units to speak with commanders about their activities and received reassurances about force posture and civilian protection.
Participants in the briefing included Maj. Sahar, deputy commander of the 601 Engineering Battalion, and Oded, a company commander responsible for heavy engineering equipment in Battalion 681.
The officers described routine missions to locate and neutralize tunnels and explosive threats, and to open and secure routes for maneuvering forces.
“You’re going through two very long and difficult years with a lot of activity,” the reporters told the commanders. “And just yesterday there was heavy equipment and fire directed at the force.”
Oded replied that the unit’s main tasks include operating bulldozers and other engineering machines, opening and securing lanes, and enabling maneuver and protection for combat units.
“Essentially we allow movement and act first, whether that means destroying devices found during operations or supporting forces under fire,” he said.
On the question of local safety, one senior engineering officer told Srugim bluntly: “Unequivocally, I would raise my family in this area.” On the tunnel threat, he added: “The tunnel system will not remain as it was before.”
The officers emphasized the technical and operational challenges of tunnel clearance and improvised explosive device (IED) removal, and stressed ongoing coordination with other combat units.
They also highlighted the psychological and physical strain on troops who carry out continuous clearance and counter-tunnel missions.
Military spokesmen declined to comment beyond confirming that engineering units remain actively engaged in route preparation, tunnel demolition and force protection tasks across the Gaza envelope.
https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/idf-engineering-gaza-safety
2 IDF soldiers lightly injured by explosive device in Gaza; no terror operatives detected in area
October 21, 2025 4:55 pm
Two IDF soldiers were lightly injured after their tank was hit by an explosive device in the Khan Younis area of the southern Gaza Strip earlier today, the military says.
The two wounded troops were taken to a hospital and their families were notified, the IDF adds.
The incident took place at 12:30 p.m., during efforts by the forces to clear the area where they are stationed of potential threats.
According to an initial military probe, no terror operatives were detected in the area when the bomb was detonated. The IDF is investigating when the explosive device was planted in the area.
The IDF also struck several targets in the area that had “posed a threat to the troops operating in the area,” according to military officials.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/2-idf-soldiers-lightly-injured-by-explosive-device-in-gaza-no-terror-operatives-detected-in-area/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-red-cross-vehicles-on-way-to-receive-bodies-of-two-deceased-hostages-from-hamas/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-871107
https://www.socialnews.xyz/2025/10/21/buildings-destroyed-in-gaza-city-gallery/