TYB
The Great Space Spider That Hides a Secret
October 29, 2025 10:59 AM UTC
New images from the James Webb Space Telescope have revealed NGC 6537, the Red Spider Nebula in unprecedented detail, complete with sprawling legs, a glowing heart, and possibly a hidden companion lurking at its core.
NGC 6537 to use its official name designate it as the 6,537th object in the New General Catalogue and its classed as a planetary nebula, though it has nothing to do with planets.
These structures form during a star's dying act, when stars like our Sun exhaust their fuel and swell into red giants. Eventually, the outward pushing thermonuclear force overcomes the force of gravity and they shed their outer layers exposing the core.
Ultraviolet radiation from this exposed stellar heart makes the ejected material glow, creating the luminous structures we observe. It's a beautiful finale, but brie, typically only lasting a few tens of thousands of years before fading away.
Webb's Near Infrared Camera has done something quite remarkable with the Red Spider though.
While Hubble's optical images showed the central star as faint and blue, Webb's infrared vision reveals it glowing red, surrounded by a cloud of hot dust.
This dust likely orbits the star in a disc, invisible to our eyes but blazing in infrared wavelengths.
But here's where things get really interesting. Despite only one star being visible, the observations suggest there's a hidden companion that may be sculpting the shape.
The nebula's distinctive hourglass shape with its pinched waist and wide outer regions, is a telltale sign of a binary system.
Similar structures appear in other planetary nebulae like the Butterfly Nebula, where stellar companions sculpt the ejected material into elaborate forms.
The spider's legs are perhaps the most spectacular revelation. These vast lobes, stretching three light years each and shown in blue in the images, are traced by molecular hydrogen, two hydrogen atoms clinging together.
Webb's wide field of view captured their full extent for the first time, revealing them as closed, bubble like structures inflated by thousands of years of outflowing gas.
Meanwhile, something dramatic is still happening at the nebula's heart. An elongated purple 'S' shape marks where fast moving jets of ionised iron burst outward from near the central star, slamming into previously ejected material.
These collisions have sculpted the rippling patterns we see today.
These observations are part of a research program led by J. Kastner, investigating how bipolar planetary nebulae acquire their shapes through stellar outflows and jets.
Understanding these processes helps us to piece together the final chapters of stellar evolution and offers a glimpse of what awaits our own Sun billions of years from now.
https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-great-space-spider-that-hides-a-secret
https://aas.org/node/494932
Europe turns to space to boost resilience
28/10/2025
The role of space for security was presented at a high-level event in Brussels on Tuesday.
European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius set the stage for discussions on the potential for space to support security at a conference entitled "Space for European Resilience: rising to the collective challenge", citing the importance of secure intelligence, secure positioning, and secure communications and connectivity.
The activity was organised under the auspices of the Danish presidency of the Council of the European Union, and with the support of the European Commission, by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI).
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher presented the European Resilience from Space programme, a new optional programme that will be open for subscriptions from Member States at next month's ESA Ministerial Council. The proposed system would integrate remote sensing, connectivity, PNT (positioning navigation and timing), spectrum monitoring, and Internet of Things systems, with the aim of providing users with the most secure, agile, and rapid response capabilities possible.
The ESA Director General said: "In this moment of rapid change, there is a critical need to synchronise European initiatives by aligning space for defence competencies, avoiding duplication and pooling resources for scale.
We still remain too fragmented to guarantee Europe with genuine, comprehensive and autonomous space resilience. We have an opportunity to change that, and we must."
The European Resilience from Space programme, to be proposed in Bremen on 26 and 27 November 2025, constitutes the first programmatic pillar supporting the future Earth Observation Governmental Service (EOGS) of the EU.
This service is aimed at providing highly reactive, dual-use, independent space-based Earth observation capabilities to deliver rapid, reliable, and secure data, products and services.
ESA Directorates central to the proposal were represented by Director of Earth Observation Simonetta Cheli and Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications Laurent Jaffart.
The conference also heard from representatives of the space agencies of France.
Switzerland, Poland, and Denmark following keynotes from Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former Danish prime minister and Secretary General of NATO, Major General Pierre Ciparisse who is Commander of Belgium's cyber command, and European Interparliamentary Space Conference chairman, Mario Kadastik.
The future role of space for security will be further described in the EU budget being decided under the Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034, in addition to the funding decisions to be made at ESA's Ministerial Council.
Today's event follows the success of the 3rd ESA Security Conference, hosted in Warsaw under the auspices of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU in April 2025.
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Europe_turns_to_space_to_boost_resilience
12-year-old discovers 2 possible new asteroid
October 28, 2025
An Ontario preteen may be one of the youngest Canadians to ever find an asteroid.
Siddharth Patel, a 12-year-old who lives in London, Ontario (west of Toronto), spotted two possible asteroids in September as part of a citizen science program that partners with NASA, according to the Toronto Star.
The two suspected space rocks are called 2024 RX69 and 2024 RH39 and are cataloged in the Minor Planet Center, which is a branch of the International Astronomical Union that reports and tracks asteroids and other small, naturally occurring space objects.
Siddharth told the Star he pursues his love of astronomy — he's been using a telescope since age five, supported by parents with no space background — after finishing school activities.
"Space was not really taught in schools," he said. "I really started doing things about space after I came back from school, because school is the academic time. And after that is the time when I pursue my interests and dreams."
While confirming the asteroids' orbits may take as long as a decade, Patel has another big project on his mind: becoming an astronaut. He recently joined the youth-focused Royal Canadian Air Cadets to learn how to fly a plane, the Star reported.
This is following the pathway of notable Canadian Space Agency astronauts such as Jeremy Hansen (who will fly around the moon as part of NASA's Artemis 2 mission next year) and Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to command the International Space Station.
Siddharth found the asteroids through the International Astronomical Search Collaboration, which uses images from the Hawaiian Pan-STARRS facility and the Arizona-based Catalina Sky Survey for asteroid searches.
While Siddharth's two space rocks reside in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the collaboration can also find near-Earth asteroids and trans-Neptunian objects (which orbit the sun beyond Neptune), according to NASA.
The provisional asteroid discoveries aren't Siddharth's only space accolades.
His image of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) alongside the Milky Way received the People's Choice Award in DarkSky International's 2025 Capture the Dark photography contest.
"I love taking photos through my telescopes," Siddharth told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. "When I go to somewhere dark, or someplace that has lots of stars, it really ignites my sense of wonder. I've learned how mysterious space really is."
https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroids/12-year-old-discovers-2-possible-new-asteroids
https://minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?utf8=%E2%9C%93&object_id=2024+RX69
https://minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?utf8=%E2%9C%93&object_id=2024+RH39
Watch Japan's 1st HTV-X cargo craft arrive at the International Space Station today
October 29, 2025
Japan's new HTV-X cargo spacecraft will arrive at the International Space Station for the first time ever today (Oct. 28), and you can watch the action live.
The robotic HTV-X is scheduled to be captured by the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm — operated by NASA astronaut Zena Cardman and Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) — today around 11:50 a.m. EDT (1550 GMT).
You can watch the rendezvous and berthing activities live here at Space.com courtesy of NASA or directly via the agency. Coverage will begin at 9:05 a.m. EDT (1305 GMT).
The HTV-X is the successor to Japan's H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), which flew nine missions — all of them successful — to the International Space Station (ISS) between September 2009 and May 2020.
Like its predecessor, the HTV-X can carry about 13,200 pounds (6,000 kilograms) of payload to low Earth orbit. It's hauling about 9,000 pounds (4,080 kg) of food and supplies on this mission, which began with a launch atop an H3 rocket on Saturday (Oct. 25).
The new freighter is expendable, just like the HTV (which was also known as Kounotori, Japanese for "White Stork"). But the HTV-X can stay up for considerably longer stretches.
"HTV-X enhances transportation capabilities and adds the capability to provide various users with on-orbit demonstration opportunities for up to 1.5 years after leaving ISS until reentry," Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which builds the HTV-X for JAXA, wrote in a description of the vehicle.
HTV-X joins three other vehicles in the stable of robotic ISS cargo craft. The other freighters that currently service the station are Russia's Progress vehicle and Cygnus and Dragon, which are built by the American companies Northrop Grumman and SpaceX, respectively.
All are expendable except Dragon, which splashes down in the ocean for recovery and reuse. Dragon can therefore also haul scientific experiments and other materials down to Earth from the station.
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/japan-htv-x-cargo-spacecraft-first-arrival-international-space-station
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXm8uc5OB70
https://www.mhi.com/products/space/htv_x.html
Nuclear-powered missile, underwater drone, and proposed pause in Ukraine conflict: Key takeaways from Putin’s speech
29 Oct, 2025 17:01
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a military hospital in Moscow on Wednesday, meeting servicemen wounded in the Ukraine conflict.
The president spoke about the frontline situation, namely the encirclement of Kiev’s troops in two critical locations, as well as the testing of new cutting-edge nuclear-powered weaponry, including the unlimited-range Burevestnik cruise missile and the massive Poseidon underwater drone.
Here are the key takeaways from Putin’s speech:
Moscow ready for pause in fighting
The frontline situation has been developing “favorably” for Russia, with the country’s troops actively advancing, the president said.
Ukrainian forces have been encircled in Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk), Putin added, referring to cities in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region and Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic, respectively.
The president floated the idea of briefly pausing fighting in the two locations to allow Western and Ukrainian journalists in.
The proposal has already been discussed with military commanders and Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Putin added.
The journalists would be able to “check on the state of the encircled Ukrainian troops so that Ukraine’s political leadership can make appropriate decisions regarding the fate of its citizens and military personnel,” the president said.
The trickiest part about the proposal is ensuring the safety of the journalists and preventing a potential provocation by Kiev, he said.
Cruise missile of unlimited range
The Russian president talked about the new unlimited-range nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile. The weapon was successfully tested last week, when the projectile reportedly traveled more than 14,000km.
Putin revealed details about the missile’s nuclear-powered turbojet engine, stating that its power unit “is comparable in output with the reactor of a nuclear-propelled submarine, but it’s 1,000 times smaller.”
“The key thing is that while a conventional nuclear reactor starts up in hours, days, or even weeks, this nuclear reactor starts up in minutes or seconds. That’s a giant achievement,” the president said.
The nuclear-powered propulsion system could potentially see civilian application, apart from military use, Putin noted.
For instance, it could be applied in the future to “address energy security in the Arctic, and we’ll use it in the lunar program,” he said.
Poseidon underwater drone tested successfully
Russia successfully tested a nuclear-powered underwater Poseidon drone on Tuesday, Putin revealed.
The development of the massive torpedo-shaped nuclear-capable drone was first announced in 2018, but had been shrouded in mystery ever since.
“For the first time, we succeeded not only in launching it from a carrier submarine using a booster engine but also in starting its nuclear power unit, which propelled the drone for a certain amount of time,” Putin stated.
The device is unrivaled by any other weapon “anywhere in the world when it comes to speed and depth,” the president stressed, adding that an analogous weapon is unlikely to be fielded by any other nation soon.
The power of Poseidon greatly surpasses the characteristics of Russia’s upcoming Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Putin stated, apparently referring to the yield of its nuclear payload.
Sarmat ICBM to be fielded soon
The Sarmat ICBM itself is expected to enter active duty shortly, the president stated.
The missile was first approved for military duty in September 2023, and is set to replace the aging R-36M family of silo-based nuclear-armed ballistic missiles.
The Sarmat reportedly has an estimated range of 11,000 miles (about 18,000 kilometers), with a ten-ton payload.
“There is no other [missile] like the Sarmat in the world, and we don’t have one on duty yet – it will be on duty soon,” Putin said.
https://www.rt.com/russia/627117-putin-new-weapons-recap/
https://www.rt.com/russia/627101-moscow-could-temporarily-halt-operations/
US pulling troops out of Europe – NATO nation’s defense chief
29 Oct, 2025 13:45
The United States is scaling back its military presence in Europe as part of a broader strategy shift, Romania’s defense minister announced on Wednesday.
European NATO members were informed that the US will focus on the Indo-Pacific region, Ionut Mosteanu said during a press conference.
The minister said Bucharest learned of the US decision on Monday, but it was not a “disaster” for the Eastern European nation’s security. The Pentagon is to pull out roughly half of the 2,000 troops it currently has in Romania.
The unit affected by the change has elements stationed in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia as well. Other nations such as France will continue their deployments, Mosteanu added, noting that it was “unrealistic” to expect a large foreign presence.
The US and Western European nations bolstered military forces along Russia’s borders as tensions grew following the 2014 armed coup in Kiev, which they backed. Russia viewed the buildup as a threat to its security and urged NATO to reverse it, before the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022.
Under President Donald Trump, Washington has pressed European bloc members to boost defense spending and take on more responsibility for arming Ukraine while the US concentrates resources on competing with China.
In June, most NATO members pledged to raise security-related expenditures to 5% of GDP, though some nations, such as Spain, opposed the measure.
Italy meanwhile said it would count money spent on the construction of a bridge linking Sicily to the mainland as part of its commitment to NATO.
Last week, French Armed Forces Chief General Pierre Schill told lawmakers that Paris was ready to deploy the military “as part of security guarantees, if necessary for the benefit of Ukraine.”
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) estimated such a deployment could number up to 2,000 soldiers.
Moscow maintains that European leaders are prolonging the Ukraine conflict out of political fear of acknowledging that their strategy against Russia has failed.
https://www.rt.com/news/627096-us-troops-pullout-europe/
SBU Drones Destroy $20M Pantsir-S2 Anti-Aircraft System, Strike Oil Depots in Crimea
Oct. 29, 2025, 1:56 pm
Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) drones struck Russian military and infrastructure targets in occupied Crimea early Wednesday morning, Oct. 29, a source within the SBU told Kyiv Post.
“The Russians lost a Pantsir-S2 anti-aircraft missile system worth about $20 million. It is one of the key links in the enemy’s air defense,” the source said.
Two radar stations were also hit, each significantly weakening Russia’s defenses in Crimea.
SBU drones also targeted fuel infrastructure, hitting an oil depot in Hvardiiske, where a large fire erupted, sending a massive column of black smoke into the sky. Another strike hit the Komsomolskaya oil depot.
“The SBU continues systematic operations to destroy air defense systems and oil depots supplying the enemy. Each special operation reduces Russia’s military and logistical capabilities,” the source added.''
Pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Crimean Wind reported explosions and fires across Crimea early Wednesday. A strike at Hvardiiske’s ATAN oil depot, previously hit on Oct. 17, reignited, with the blaze reportedly visible from space.
Initial reports also claimed a fire at Simferopol thermal power plant, but it was later clarified that an oil depot near Hresivsky village caught fire.
Notably, Crimean Wind’s subscribers reported that military fuel tankers, camouflaged and equipped with anti-drone systems, were actively entering and exiting the Simferopol oil depot on Tuesday.
“This depot is used to supply the Russian occupation forces,” the report reads.
Russian-installed “governor” Sergey Aksyonov confirmed a drone hit a fuel container in Simferopol, which caused a blaze.
There were also reports of a possible strike near Krylivka and Mirny villages, targeting military equipment warehouses and nearby Russian air defense positions.
Early Wednesday, Oct. 29, Ukrainian drones struck multiple targets across Russia, including an oil depot in the Ulyanovsk region, and briefly disrupted airports from Moscow to the North Caucasus.
Russian Telegram channels reported drones approaching Moscow on the evening of Oct. 28, prompting temporary suspensions at Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports.
Monitoring channels claimed 100-130 drones were seen over Russian territory late Tuesday, with additional restrictions at airports in Vladikavkaz, Grozny, and Samara early Wednesday.
Explosions were reported near Novospasskoye (Ulyanovsk), followed by fires at an oil depot reportedly belonging to NS-Oil OJSC.
Drones also targeted the Stavrolen petrochemical plant in Stavropol and the Mari Oil Refinery in Mari El, with footage showing bright flashes.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, over 100 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight, including eight over Crimea.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes have hit Moscow’s economy hard: “We believe the Russians have lost more than 20% of their oil refining capacity, about 22-27% of their fuel.
That’s why there are queues – there’s a real problem there.”
Several refineries were damaged, forcing Moscow to redistribute production among other plants.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/63219
https://t.me/Crimeanwind/88728
https://t.me/Crimeanwind/88731
https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/10/29/major-energy-and-chemical-facilities-hit-deep-inside-russia-in-coordinated-drone-campaign/
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/10/29/ukrainian-drones-target-3-russian-industrial-sites-13-airports-closed-overnight-a90971
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/63193
China blocks Ukraine’s last drone supply route after flooding Russia with the same parts
29/10/2025
China now blocks NATO allies from supplying Ukraine with drone components, closing workarounds Kyiv used to sustain its drone warfare against Russia, according to German news outlet ntv.
The country’s drone industry depends on Chinese engines, batteries, and flight controllers for roughly 60% of components—and Beijing just cut off the Baltic and Polish supply routes that provided them.
Yurii Lomikovskyi, co-founder of the defense industry network Iron, told ntv on 28 October that Beijing began prohibiting sales to Baltic states and Poland after determining these countries funnel components to Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces use these drones to hit Russian logistics hubs and ammunition depots hundreds of kilometers inside Russian territory—operations that place Moscow “under pressure not only militarily, but above all socially, economically and politically,” according to military analyst Hendrik Remmel from the German Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies.
Chinese contradictions
The restrictions align with Beijing’s strategic calculus, which it revealed to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in July.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told her then that China could not afford a Russian defeat because the United States would then shift its full attention to Beijing.
In August alone, Russia received 328,000 miles of fiber-optic cable from China while Ukraine received just 72 miles, The Washington Post reported in October.
By early 2025, 80% of electronics in Russian drones came from Chinese sources, according to NATO’s assessment.
Austrian military analyst Markus Reisner identified Chinese Telefly turbojet engines in Russia’s new glide bombs, which can strike targets from 200 kilometers away.
Lomikovskyi sees the solution in accelerated European investment in local production capacity.
“Why do we source so much from China? Because China can deliver at scale—and cheaper than anything we produce locally or can buy from our Western partners,” he said.
https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/10/29/china-blocks-ukraine-drone-parts-supply-route/
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-10-29/ty-article-live/trump-nothing-will-jeopardize-gaza-cease-fire-israel-has-the-right-to-hit-back/0000019a-2dfc-d36c-a3bf-bdfd03410000
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-872099
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2025-10-29/ty-article/.premium/idf-probes-leak-of-palestinian-detainee-abuse-video-as-armys-legal-chief-on-leave/0000019a-3052-d856-a9ff-7efb28ea0000
https://www.jfeed.com/middleeast/t4wfh3
https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/idf-hamas-hostages-fake-recovery-video-b2854564.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/air-force-drone-crashes-near-gaza-border/
Israel-Gaza Cease-fire | IDF Strikes Northern Gaza Target Over 'Imminent' Threat to Israeli Forces
Oct 29, 2025
Updated: 07:54 p.m. IST
21 minutes ago
RECAP: Death toll in Gaza reaches 104, Health Ministry says; Defense chief renews ban on Red Cross visits for Palestinian security prisoners
■ The Israeli military said it struck a warehouse in northern Gaza which it says posed an "immediate threat"
■ Rabbi from West Bank outpost, one other were arrested for incitement against Palestinians
■ The IDF's top legal advisor was placed on leave as the military launched an investigation into the leak of a video that showed the alleged abuse of a Palestinian detainee by Israeli soldiers in the Sde Teiman military facility last year
■ Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz signed an order extending the ban on Red Cross visits for Palestinian security prisoners
■ The death toll in Gaza following extensive Israeli strikes that began on Tuesday night has reached 104, the Gaza Health Ministry reported
3 hours ago
IDF says it struck 'immediate threat' in northern Gaza
The Israeli military said it carried out a "targeted strike" in northern Gaza's Beit Lahia to "remove an immediate threat."
The strike targeted a "terrorist infrastructure site where weapons and aerial means were stored," which the army said was "intended to be used for … an imminent terror attack against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel."
3 hours ago
Rocket sirens activated in southern Israel, near Gaza border; IDF: False alarm
4 hours ago
West Bank outpost rabbi, one other arrested for incitement to violence against Palestinians
The Israeli police have arrested Rabbi Menachem Ben Shachar, a resident of the Givat Ronen outpost in the West Bank, on suspicion of incitement to violence and racism. His home was also searched, and investigative materials were seized. Ben Shachar is considered a religious authority among the region's far-right Hilltop Youth movement and serves as a rabbi at the Homesh Yeshiva. According to a police statement, another settler was arrested alongside Ben Shachar under the same suspicions, and both were released after questioning under restrictive conditions.
According to the statement, the two are suspected of "spreading extremist and inciting messages that encourage serious violence against Palestinians." The police said the investigation began following severe violent incidents and arson attacks in the Palestinian village of Burqin after an attack in which Israeli Tzeela Gez was killed and her son, Ravid Haim, was wounded and later died of his wounds. The statement said that "according to the suspicion, the publications encouraged, praised, and supported illegal acts carried out in the area, thereby contributing to legitimizing escalation and further offenses. Among all the publications examined, expressions were found that had real potential to cause harm to people and property."
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5 hours ago
IDF legal chief on leave as army investigates leak of detainee abuse video
The Israel Defense Forces said it has launched a criminal probe into last year's leak of a video showing the alleged abuse of a Gazan detainee at a military facility, which led to the arrest of five soldiers.
The IDF added that Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi has been placed on leave "pending further clarification of details in the matter."
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara issued a statement saying that the decision to open a criminal investigation into offenses related to the publication of the video was made "following information recently received" and with the approval of the state prosecutor and the head of the police investigations and intelligence division.
"In the past 24 hours, various investigative actions have been carried out, and an update on the opening of the investigation has been submitted to the High Court of Justice.
At this stage, as the investigation is ongoing, no further details can be provided," the statement said.
The video was revealed in August 2024 by Channel 12 News. Following its publication, five reservists were charged with aggravated abuse and causing serious bodily harm to a detainee.
According to the indictment, the five beat the detainee, dragged him across the floor, stepped on his body, and used a taser against him. One of the soldiers also stabbed the detainee in the buttocks, causing rectal injury.
The detainee suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said he supports the decision to place the military's legal chief on leave, adding that the affair surrounding the video was "one of the gravest blood libels against IDF soldiers."
"The Military Advocate General will not return to her post while the case is under investigation, and once it concludes, we will act according to the findings," Katz said.
5 hours ago
RECAP: Israeli Defense Ministry renews ban on Red Cross visits to Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention, 104 killed by IDF airstrikes in Gaza Strip
■ The Israeli Defense Ministry ordered a renewed ban on Red Cross visits to thousands of Palestinians prisoners being held in Israeli detention under the Law on the Imprisonment of Unlawful Combatants, ahead of a High Court petition hearing on the matter.
■ Likud MK Yuli Edelstein was officially removed from the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Knesset after he broke Likud party line and supported a West Bank annexation bill last week
■ The death toll in Gaza rose to 104, including 46 children, and 253 people were wounded after Tuesday's airstrikes, according to Gaza Health Ministry.
■ The IDF announced it began "renewing enforcement" of Israel's cease-fire agreement with Hamas at 10 A.M. Israel estimates Hamas will resume transferring the remains of deceased Israeli hostages that had been located.
■ Israeli airstrikes targeted the Strip following renewed clashes between Palestinian militants and the Israeli army on Tuesday. Hamas issued a press release saying it had "no relation" to the incident where militants attacked IDF forces in Rafah. The group added that it sees the Israeli airstrikes as a "blatant violation" of the cease-fire, also noting several Israeli strikes in recent days and the closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
■ In response to Israeli airstrikes, U.S. President Donald Trump said that nothing would "jeopardize" the cease-fire in Gaza, adding that Israel has a right to "hit back." If Hamas militants do "not behave, they will be terminated," he said.
■ The IDF announced that Master Sergeant (Res.) Yona Efraim Feldbaum was the Israeli reservist killed in the southern Gaza clash. Feldbaum was a 37-year-old soldier from the Combat Engineering Corps in the Gaza Division, from the West Bank settlement of Neria.
■ The Red Cross issued a statement criticizing Hamas for staging the recovery of hostage remains in Gaza, saying it is "unacceptable to stage a fake recovery when so much depends on the implementation of this agreement."
■ Palestinians reported that settlers set fire to cars in the West Bank village of Atara, near Ramallah, on Tuesday night.
■ The IDF announced that an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on October 14 killed a Hezbollah terrorist who transferred weapons to grow the organization's 'military capabilities'.
updates cont.
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Drones spotted over Marche-en-Famenne army base on Saturday and last night, the heart of our defence: "Worrying incident"
29 October 2025, 06:01 Last update: 13:55
On Saturday, drones could be seen "above crucial parts of the headquarters of our army brigade", Francken writes. "It was not the work of amateurs, but of accomplished drone pilots."
He revealed to HLN that it was then four or five drones. An hour and a half after his tweet, another message appeared. "Last night several drones were spotted again above MEF."
Last night's incident is now the third report in a short time of drones near a military base in Belgium. They were first spotted over the military camp of Elsenborn in the East Cantons.
Marche-en-Famenne is of a different caliber. "Our most important army barracks are located there," says Francken. "There is critical infrastructure. Four to five drones flew above that."
The drones were quickly spotted on Saturday. After the incident in Elsenborn, Chief of Defense Frederik Vansina had already urged the army quarters to be more vigilant.
The police have started an investigation together with the military intelligence service ADIV.
"Bad intentions"
The origin of the rigs is still anyone's guess. Suspicions are directed towards Russia, but Francken cannot confirm that. "I can say that these are actors with bad intentions.
That's not a bad boy who flies his drone above a barracks for fun. This was a clearly orchestrated operation against the heart of our army." The defense minister emphasizes that professional pilots piloted the drones.
"They went in search of crucial information about the critical infrastructure that is located on the military domain."
"It is a worrying incident in a place that is strategically important. I am going to urge the government to purchase drone detection systems as soon as possible," says Francken.
"We also urgently need shotguns and drone guns to shoot those craft out of the sky. We do have those capabilities, but they are located at the air force bases for the protection of our aircraft."
The emergency file, which requires capacity to be able to do detection and to 'jam' the drones, was already set in motion after the incident in Elsenborn.
Next week it should go to the Council of Ministers. "We are moving towards the rapid purchase of a lot of extra capacity," said the minister.
Defense specialists: "Pattern is becoming visible"
Major Christophe Vincart, the person in charge of the military base in Marche-en-Famenne, is not surprised by the incident.
"We knew this would happen," he agrees on Wednesday. "There were between two and six drones, there are several possible interpretations," the chief of police revealed.
"Depending on the altitude and clouds, it is very difficult to determine the type of drone," said the major, who can only say that it is about "small drones".
He thinks that the drones have viewed various locations from the air. "The air is the simplest way to collect information about locations. Now we have to react as best we can to prevent these kinds of raids."
"This is an important incident," says former colonel Roger Housen. He recalls the drone flights that have also been over military bases in Germany and the United Kingdom in recent months.
At those locations, Ukrainian soldiers are trained, among other things, or material is made for Ukraine. "That is worrying. We have to ask ourselves a number of questions about that," said the defense specialist.
"If the Russians are really behind it, you can assume that the intention is to see what exactly happens to those soldiers or the equipment."
https://www.hln.be/binnenland/zaterdag-en-afgelopen-nacht-drones-gespot-boven-legerbasis-van-marche-en-famenne-het-hart-van-onze-defensie-zorgwekkend-incident~a86c4025/
https://www.nu.nl/buitenland/6374064/minister-meldt-drones-boven-belgische-basis-geen-werk-van-amateurs.html
Drone shot down near Estonian base with connection to American troops By JOHN VANDIVER STARS AND STRIPES
October 29, 2025
STUTTGART, Germany — A suspicious drone flying near a base used by U.S. forces in Estonia was recently shot down, authorities in the Baltic country bordering Russia said this week.
The incident occurred near Camp Reedo in southern Estonia, where one of the aircraft that allies spotted was shot down with an anti-drone gun, Estonian defense spokeswoman Liis Vaksmann told the regional news outlet Postimees on Tuesday.
It was unclear Wednesday whether U.S. soldiers had any part in tracking or shooting down the aircraft. U.S. Army Europe and Africa referred questions about the situation to Estonian officials, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. Army’s 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment is currently on a rotational mission in Estonia. The incident happened Oct. 17 at about 4:30 p.m. and came to light Tuesday after the local news report.
Estonian troops, police and border guard authorities didn’t find the drone in the area where it was presumably shot down, Postimees reported.
The U.S. military has kept a steady presence in recent years in Estonia, where its mission centers on deterring potential Russian aggression while helping local forces build up their own capabilities.
The drone downing near Camp Reedo comes in the wake of a Russian fighter jet incursion into Estonian airspace, prompting emergency talks inside NATO about that incident.
Allies on NATO’s eastern flank have been on edge in connection with various Russian incursions, such as a swarm of drones that entered into Polish airspace in September.
That prompted NATO aircraft to shoot down numerous drones, marking the first time in alliance history that it was forced to take such defensive action in the bloc’s airspace.
Meanwhile, other Baltic countries have seen incursions in recent days.
On Monday, Lithuania said it was shutting its border with Russian ally Belarus after a series of airspace violations by suspicious weather balloons used for smuggling contraband.
The situation caused closures of Vilnius’ airport. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said Monday that the country was prepared to shoot down intruding aircraft in the future.
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2025-10-29/estonia-drone-shotdown-19584290.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2025/10/29/new-us-solar-hydrogen-generator-powers-long-endurance-drones/
New U.S. Solar Hydrogen Generator Powers Long-Endurance Drones
Oct 29, 2025, 12:00pm EDT
A new trailer unit developed by Sesame Solar produces hydrogen fuel where it is needed, shrinking the supply chain to nothing and enabling refueling of long-endurance drones at the front line.
The Surveillance and Drone Refueling Nanogrid Solution includes a solar-powered hydrogen generator, two Heven AeroTech Z1 drones, satellite communications, edge computing and radar.
This mobile self-supporting drone system can provide 24/7 aerial coverage for extended periods.
“Continuous drone surveillance is important, and hydrogen is the best way to do it,” says Lauren Flanagan, CEO and Co-Founder of Sesame Solar.
The Hydrogen Advantage
A hydrogen fuel cell effectively burns hydrogen to create water and electricity. The technology was invented back in 1839 by Sir William Grove and packs in more energy per ounce than any battery.
But while batteries can be recharged, a fuel cell needs to be refueled with hydrogen. So while hydrogen fuel cells look ideal for small drones, resupply has left the idea on the ground.
“These drones, with an endurance of four or five times as much as battery-powered drones, have been around a while but the hydrogen fuel chain has been the primary roadblock,” says Flanagan.
For example Lockheed Martin’s original battery-powered 2006 Stalker drone had flight time of 2 hours. In 2013 the company launched the Stalker XE version with a fuel cell which flies for 8 hours or more.
The drone has reportedly patrolled the U.S. Southern border, an environment where laboratory-grade hydrogen can easily be purchased and shipped.
But it has had less traction in expeditionary settings, where soldiers put up with the shorter flight time of batteries in exchange for not having to cope with the logistics challenge of pressurized hydrogen.
Sesame Solar’s Nanogrid solves the supply problem by producing hydrogen on the spot, literally out of thin air, and storing it in convenient form to easily recharge fuel cells.
1920s Technology Meets Modern Storage
The first stage of the process requires water, which the Nanogrid produces with an atmospheric water generator, sucking moisture out of the air.
The water is then split using electricity from solar cells, yielding oxygen and hydrogen. This is not a new way of making fuel; JBS Haldane proposed a similar scheme in 1923. The clever part is how the hydrogen is stored.
Hydrogen is notoriously dangerous, as seen when the airship Hindenburg turned into a giant fireball as the hydrogen-filled envelope ignited.
Liquid hydrogen occupies less space than gas but is also hazardous. Solid metal hydrides offer a safer option.
The Nanogrid hydrogen storage units are essentially metal sponges.
When exposed to hydrogen under pressure, the metal surface absorbs hydrogen, creating metal hydride.
This can be kept for as long as needed, at relatively low pressure. “It’s safely stored at less pressure than a spray paint can,” says Flanagan
The solid hydride yields hydrogen gas to recharge fuel cells simply by changing the pressure. But while in solid state it does not present the risks and challenges associated with hydrogen gas or liquid.
“The stored metal hydride is non-combustible,” says Flanagan. “It’s not going to explode like the Hindenburg.”
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Sesame Solar recently acquired the solid-state storage technology, having previously been a customer and have integrated it efficiently into their hydrogen systems.
The solar-powered Nanogrid effectively provides an endless source of hydrogen. It is more than enough to keep two drones refueled, so it can maintain a permanent aerial presence with at least one drone always in the air.
Flanagan says their official claim is that the system can operate in the field for at least six months, but the reality may be significantly longer.
Future systems will run for years. Nanogrids are suitable for extremely cold climates where systems struggle.
Drone Base Station
The Nanogrid is built into a trailer and can be deployed rapidly in the field, taking less than fifteen minutes go from the road to fully operational.
Sesame see it is much more than a refueling station by equipping it with communications, computing and other facilities in the same unit.
The Surveillance and Drone Refueling Nanogrid Solution comes with two Heven Z1 drones. These take off vertically, and have a flight endurance of at least ten hours.
The Nanogrid generates enough hydrogen to keep at least one drone in the air at all times. The Z1 carries a 10-pound payload, enough for a variety of sensors, and has a takeoff weight of 55 pounds.
The concept resembles previous Drone Hive solutions for deploying numerous drones from a trailer, the big difference between that the Sesame system also provides refueling for months on end.
At present the Nanogrid still requires human involvement for the refueling process, but as others have shown, this could be automated in future iterations.
Flanagan says they are already talking to potential customers and partners interested in the system’s potential to fuel not just aerial drones but also ground robots.
These are limited by the short lifetimes provided by batteries, and fuel cells would greatly increase their scope of operations.
It also does not take a great leap of imagination to see the potential for hydrogen-powered FPVs with ranges several times greater than the 12 miles or so of battery-driven models.
The Future of Expeditionary Energy
Expeditionary power supply is a growing issue with increasing numbers of uncrewed vehicles and other units deployed to remote areas.
The traditional solution of generators supplied by a fuel logistics chain, sometimes involving flying barrels of diesel to forward bases in helicopters for $400 a gallon.
Proposed solutions include such off-the-wall projects as miniature nuclear reactors for U.S. military bases.
We have already seen improvised solar power solutions for drones in Ukraine, but the Nanogrid is on another level.
The Nanogrid offers a supply of fuel with high energy density as close to the front line as needed, in a form well suited to small drones.
Flanagan says the Nanogrid is available now, and production can be scaled up rapidly as needed to meet demand.
Switching to hydrogen will not make sense for all drones, but the technology opens up a lot of new possibilities when the fuel can be so easily available.
“By removing reliance on fuel supply chains, we’re making military operations more efficient,” says Flanagan.
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