TYB
the masonic graveyard is totally not suspicious
Hayli Gubbi’s Explosive First Impression
December 4, 2025
On November 23, 2025, the Hayli Gubbi volcano in northern Ethiopia erupted in dramatic fashion.
The shield volcano in the Danakil (or Afar) Depression began spewing ash and volcanic gases at around 11:30 a.m. local time (8:30 Universal Time) that day, marking its first documented explosive eruption.
The plume reached into the upper troposphere and drifted northeast, eventually crossing over northern India and China and disrupting flights.
The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired the image above (right) of the eruption, about 4 hours after it was first detected.
Other satellite data indicated the plume reached 15 kilometers (9 miles) above sea level and contained approximately 0.2 teragrams (220,000 tons) of sulfur dioxide, according to a Global Volcanism Program report.
Another light-colored cloud, likely of pyroclastic material, is visible spreading to the north and appears to be on or close to the ground, the report stated. For comparison, the left image was acquired with the same sensor on November 15, before the eruption.
In this remote area of East Africa, tectonic plates are moving away from each other, which allows magma to rise to the surface and feed several active volcanoes.
Due in part to Hayli Gubbi’s remote setting, geologists are unsure when Hayli Gubbi last erupted. Geologic evidence suggests it was within the past 8,000 years, though experts speculate it may have been within the past few centuries.
Hayli Gubbi lies about 12 kilometers (7 miles) south-southeast of Ethiopia’s most active volcano, Erta Ale, where a lava lake has roiled for decades.
After Erta Ale’s most recent eruption in July 2025, scientists tracked the movement of magma beneath the surface using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) measurements and other techniques.
They found that magma propagated south from Erta Ale, passing beneath Hayli Gubbi and beyond.
Low-level activity was observed at Hayli Gubbi beginning in late July and included sulfur dioxide emissions, lingering white clouds in its summit crater, and upward ground displacement measuring several centimeters, according to the Centre for Observation and Modelling of Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tectonics (COMET). The magma intrusion following Erta Ale’s eruption likely triggered the activity, said COMET co-director Juliet Biggs in a recorded statement.
Hayli Gubbi’s eruption was brief, subsiding by November 25, but caused visible changes to the land surface. Ash covered large areas, which included nearby villages in Ethiopia’s Afar region.
Residents struggled with respiratory issues due to the ash fallout, and grass and water for livestock were contaminated, according to news reports.
The summit area of the volcano also took on a new appearance.
The detailed view above, acquired with the OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9, shows the craters atop Hayli Gubbi and neighboring Erta Ale on November 24, 2025.
The eruption enlarged Hayli Gubbi's existing crater, which is partially filled with a low-lying cloud in the image, and created two new craters to the southeast. Ash deposits cover older lava flows on the volcano’s slopes.
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/hayli-gubbis-explosive-first-impression/
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/nasa-completes-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-construction/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J1qTOHBZ4s
NASA Completes Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Construction
Dec 04, 2025
“Completing the Roman observatory brings us to a defining moment for the agency,” said NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya.
“Transformative science depends on disciplined engineering, and this team has delivered—piece by piece, test by test—an observatory that will expand our understanding of the universe.
As Roman moves into its final stage of testing following integration, we are focused on executing with precision and preparing for a successful launch on behalf of the global scientific community.”
After final testing, Roman will move to the launch site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch preparations in summer 2026.
Roman is slated to launch by May 2027, but the team is on track for launch as early as fall 2026. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will send the observatory to its final destination a million miles from Earth.
“With Roman’s construction complete, we are poised at the brink of unfathomable scientific discovery,” said Julie McEnery, Roman’s senior project scientist at NASA Goddard.
“In the mission’s first five years, it’s expected to unveil more than 100,000 distant worlds, hundreds of millions of stars, and billions of galaxies. We stand to learn a tremendous amount of new information about the universe very rapidly after Roman launches.”
Observing from space will make Roman very sensitive to infrared light — light with a longer wavelength than our eyes can see — from far across the cosmos.
Pairing its crisp infrared vision with a sweeping view of space will allow astronomers to explore myriad cosmic topics, from dark matter and dark energy to distant worlds and solitary black holes, and conduct research that would take hundreds of years using other telescopes.
“Within our lifetimes, a great mystery has arisen about the cosmos: why the expansion of the universe seems to be accelerating.
There is something fundamental about space and time we don’t yet understand, and Roman was built to discover what it is,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington.
“With Roman now standing as a complete observatory, which keeps the mission on track for a potentially early launch, we are a major step closer to understanding the universe as never before. I couldn’t be prouder of the teams that have gotten us to this point.”
Double vision
Roman is equipped with two instruments: the Wide Field Instrument and the Coronagraph Instrument technology demonstration.
The coronagraph will demonstrate new technologies for directly imaging planets around other stars. It will block the glare from distant stars and make it easier for scientists to see the faint light from planets in orbit around them.
The Coronagraph aims to photograph worlds and dusty disks around nearby stars in visible light to help us see giant worlds that are older, colder, and in closer orbits than the hot, young super-Jupiters direct imaging has mainly revealed so far.
“The question of ‘Are we alone?’ is a big one, and it’s an equally big task to build tools that can help us answer it,” said Feng Zhao, the Roman Coronagraph Instrument manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
“The Roman Coronagraph is going to bring us one step closer to that goal. It’s incredible that we have the opportunity to test this hardware in space on such a powerful observatory as Roman.”
The coronagraph team will conduct a series of pre-planned observations for three months spread across the mission’s first year-and-a-half of operations, after which the mission may conduct additional observations based on scientific community input.
The Wide Field Instrument is a 288-megapixel camera that will unveil the cosmos all the way from our solar system to near the edge of the observable universe. Using this instrument, each Roman image will capture a patch of the sky bigger than the apparent size of a full moon.
The mission will gather data hundreds of times faster than NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, adding up to 20,000 terabytes (20 petabytes) over the course of its five-year primary mission.
“The sheer volume of the data Roman will return is mind-boggling and key to a host of exciting investigations,” said Dominic Benford, Roman’s program scientist at NASA Headquarters.
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Survey trifecta
Using the Wide Field Instrument, Roman will conduct three core surveys which will account for 75% of the primary mission.
The High-Latitude Wide-Area Survey will combine the powers of imaging and spectroscopy to unveil more than a billion galaxies strewn across a wide swath of space and time.
Astronomers will trace the evolution of the universe to probe dark matter — invisible matter detectable only by how its gravity affects things we can see — and trace the formation of galaxies and galaxy clusters over time.
The High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey will probe our dynamic universe by observing the same region of the cosmos repeatedly.
Stitching these observations together to create movies will allow scientists to study how celestial objects and phenomena change over time periods of days to years.
That will help astronomers study dark energy — the mysterious cosmic pressure thought to accelerate the universe’s expansion — and could even uncover entirely new phenomena that we don’t yet know to look for.
Roman’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey will look inward to provide one of the deepest views ever of the heart of our Milky Way galaxy.
Astronomers will watch hundreds of millions of stars in search of microlensing signals — gravitational boosts of a background star’s light caused by the gravity of an intervening object.
While astronomers have mainly discovered star-hugging worlds, Roman’s microlensing observations can find planets in the habitable zone of their star and farther out, including worlds like every planet in our solar system except Mercury.
Microlensing will also reveal rogue planets—worlds that roam the galaxy untethered to a star — and isolated black holes. The same dataset will reveal 100,000 worlds that transit, or pass in front of, their host stars.
The remaining 25% of Roman’s five-year primary mission will be dedicated to other observations that will be determined with input from the broader scientific community. The first such program, called the Galactic Plane Survey, has already been selected.
Because Roman’s observations will enable such a wide range of science, the mission will have a General Investigator Program designed to support astronomers to reveal scientific discoveries using Roman data.
As part of NASA’s commitment to Gold Standard Science, NASA will make all of Roman’s data publicly available with no exclusive use period.
This ensures multiple scientists and teams can use data at the same time, which is important since every Roman observation will address a wealth of science cases.
Roman’s namesake — Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer — made it her personal mission to make cosmic vistas readily accessible to all by paving the way for telescopes based in space.
“The mission will acquire enormous quantities of astronomical imagery that will permit scientists to make groundbreaking discoveries for decades to come, honoring Dr. Roman’s legacy in promoting scientific tools for the broader community,” said Jackie Townsend, Roman’s deputy project manager at NASA Goddard. “I like to think Dr. Roman would be extremely proud of her namesake telescope and thrilled to see what mysteries it will uncover in the coming years.”
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions.
The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
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Theofanis Economidis, Archon and NASA engineer, passes away at 89
December 3, 2025
Archon Theofanis V. (Fanis) Economidis, a former NASA engineer who helped develop the Space Shuttle before becoming one of the most influential lay defenders of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Greek Orthodox life in the American West, fell asleep in the Lord on November 29 at 89.
For more than three decades, Economidis was a central figure in the web that links the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople with parishes, philanthropists and public institutions across the western United States.
He served as a Regional Commander and member of the National Council of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Vice President of the Metropolis of San Francisco Council, and managing director and board leader of Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in California’s Sierra foothills.
Fanis was preceded in death by his wife, Cynthia (Efstathia), in 2014. He is survived by their daughter, Roberta (Hariklia), who cared lovingly for him, especially throughout his recent health challenges.
Read the Metropolis of San Francisco’s obituary here.
“Our brother in Christ, Archon Theofanis Economidis, embodied that quiet greatness which never seeks its own reward,” His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America said, reflecting on the news of Theofanis Economidis’s passing.
“With hope in the Resurrection, we give thanks for a layman who served without calculation — for love of his community, his fellow citizens, his ancestral land, and above all his Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. May his memory be eternal.”
“For more than 35 years, Fanis served as a distinguished leader in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco …
He was a cherished friend, trusted colleague, and valued mentor,” His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco said, noting that those who worked with him “had tremendous respect and admiration for his dedicated service, strength, intelligence, integrity, and deep faith.”
Read the message from Metropolitan Gerasimos.
Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons, called him “an Archon for all to emulate,” praising his “unparalleled” diakonia to both the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Metropolis of San Francisco.
Read the message from Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis.
His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco will preside at the services:
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 – Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1260 Davis Street, San Jose, CA
6:00 p.m. Visitation
7:00 p.m. Trisagion
Thursday, December 11, 2025 – Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 1260 Davis Street, San Jose, CA
11:00 a.m. Funeral
Makaria Meal immediately following
Friday, December 12, 2025 – Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Theotokos the Life Giving Spring, 38532 Dunlap Road, Dunlap, CA 93621
1:00 p.m. Trisagion and Interment
https://orthodoxobserver.org/theofanis-economidis-archon-and-nasa-engineer-passes-away-at-89/
https://sanfran.goarch.org/news/the-falling-asleep-in-the-lord-of-theofanis-v-economidis
NASA reveals 'America 250' logo on rocket launching crew to moon
December 3, 2025
NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander of the upcoming Artemis II mission to the moon, recently remarked that flying during the United States' 250th anniversary has definitely got him and his crew "fired up."
Wiseman was referring to the excitement that their flight is adding to the already milestone year, but as it turns out, he could have been speaking literally.
As NASA revealed this week, the two side-mounted motors that will provide the majority of the thrust during the Artemis II crew's launch have been adorned with the nation's logo marking the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
"The America 250 emblem is now on the twin solid rocket boosters of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for Artemis II — the powerhouse that will launch a crew of four around the moon next year," read NASA's announcement.
"Unveiled on Tuesday, the design echoes the America 250 Commission's Spirit of Innovation theme, honoring a country that has never stopped pushing the horizon forward."
The red, white and blue emblems, which each measure 8 feet high by 11.8 feet wide (2.4 by 3.6 meters), were added inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Workers carefully painted each logo after the SLS had been fully stacked and topped off with "Integrity," the Orion spacecraft that will carry Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen on the mission.
The 10-day Artemis II mission, which is targeted to launch no earlier than Feb. 5 (and no later than April 2026), will mark the first time that humans have returned to the vicinity of the moon since the last Apollo mission in 1972.
The flight will not enter orbit around he moon, but rather follow a "free-return" trajectory that will take the crew further out from Earth than ever before.
The America 250 "design's ribbons are intended to evoke a sense of commemoration, celebration and purpose, while the flowing red, white, and blue ribbons form the number 250 as a single continuous path, representing the unity, cooperation and harmony we strive for as a country," according to the semiquincentennial commission.
The logo was created in partnership with Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, the same firm where Bruce Blackburn designed the nation's bicentennial emblem.
Among other places, the 1976 logo was added to the exterior of NASA's VAB, where it remained in place for 22 years.
Blackburn also collaborated with Richard Danne to create NASA's logotype, affectionally called the "worm," which was first introduced in 1975, retired in 1992 and then resurrected alongside the space agency's original and official insignia ("the meatball") in 2020.
Just as it was on the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022, the Artemis II solid rocket boosters also feature the worm.
"When I look at 2026, the year ahead, we're going 250,000 miles from planet Earth and just coincidentally, it happens to be the 250th anniversary of the United States of America," said Riseman.
"So we'll see if we can play those two numbers together just a few thousand times on this mission."
https://www.collectspace.com/news/news-120325a-america-250-logo-artemis-ii-solid-rocket-boosters.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHt7BC978iE
https://nasawatch.com/education/nasa-outreach-needs-a-reboot/
NASA Outreach Needs A Reboot
December 3, 2025
NASA likes to talk about all the wonderful ways that they do things that affect everyone and improve their lives.
But how they do this is inconsistent with regard to large portions of our country and large sectors of society.
And it is often out of date and regularly misses the point when it comes to what real people are thinking about in terms of their life’s priorities.
This popped up in Congress today while Jared Isaacman was testifying. More below.
In today’s Senate (re)nomination hearing for Jared Isaacman, a topic emerged at least 3 times. NASA and agriculture.
You normally don’t hear that issue raised – certainly not 3 times. Most notably from Sen. Moran R-Kansas.
Moran read from a letter from a Kansas farmer that talked about the value of NASA science in providing a wide range of Earth Science services that touch real lives and allow real world decisions to be made in agriculture.
Moran reflected on this letter with a little irony: “A Kansas farmer found value in NASA – something that we do not talk about when we think of value in space.”
He then asked Isaacman “How does NASA play a role in everyday lives of Americans?” Isaacman agreed, noting that “we only have one planet right now – and NASA satellites play a direct role in agriculture, GPS and in next generation farming.”
Think about this for a moment from a rural, agricultural perspective.
You know, the vast part of America that some people have called “flyover country” – meant to denote that this part of America is often ignored when national policies are debated.
You are a kid on a farm. You use drones to survey fields. You are learning the basics of flying a drone on Mars.
Your high speed Internet and your television programming come from the sky – from satellites orbiting overhead. Your daily livelihood depends on accurate weather provided by other satellites.
And your drones, tractors, cars, phones, and virtually everything else that needs to know a precise location gets that information from yet another fleet of satellites.
None of this is unique to rural communities. Satellite services are a mainstay of urban life – and also developing countries.
While life is possible without space and satellite services, it is certainly elevated by having access to them. Often it can be a matter of life or death.
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NASA loves to cite the whole collection of memes about NASA’s value to society. Spinoffs, technology transfer, dual use, etc. All the right buzzwords.
NASA does a good job but they could do vastly better. When you do a deep dive into how NASA structures its external relations, education, and public outreach efforts, there is a clear bias towards certain zip codes, media markets, and congressional districts at the expense of others which are often ignored.
Are the NASA outreach modes that you’d use to reach people in a focused, economically dynamic, educationally gifted, population center with easy and endless Internet and media access – the same as what you’d use for remote, dispersed communities in ‘flyover country’?
Not necessarily. How do you adapt NASA’s outreach to attract, inspire, and then answer the interest of a young person who takes hour-long bus rides to school in areas where the largest building in town (that is still in use) is a Walmart?
I know NASA has tried to crack this nut more than once in limited ways and then mostly gave up.
Yes, there is the space grant college effort but that is mostly an aggregation of efforts rather than one receiving dedicated and significant resources from NASA.
NASA could try to establish meaningful and vibrant connections with service organizations like 4H, Future Farmers of America, and Scouting.
For that matter they could reach out to the local Lions Clubs, Rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, tribal governments etc.
Yes, yes Keith, this takes money etc. I certainly get that. But we’re in a strange place right now as a nation.
We’re being told that we’re pulling back from international efforts and focusing on America “first”.
OK, so if that is the new direction NASA is going to pivot- while also being the pre-eminent leader in space, then put some thought into what that really means.
The age-old question regarding why we need to be sending humans to the Moon is re-emerging and recycled from the 1960s – with added 21st century cynicism attached.
“We already did that”. “NASA faked it”. “Who cares. I cannot afford health care or groceries.” “Let’s go to Mars instead”. etc.
Whatever NASA does, much of it is offworld – indeed in places so distant that the relevance to life here is hard to rationalize. More often NASA is a vital, vibrant force in our daily lives. Yet it is so firmly embedded in our lives that it is invisible.
Whether we are going to the Moon or making your Internet access better NASA needs to do a vastly better job of explaining itself – daily – and do so in a way that is not one size fits all but rather one that is nuanced and self -adjust to the real world where we all live – and pay the taxes that pay for the whole space thing.
Just sayin’
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https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/12/isaacman-bold-vision-nasa/
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/moon-mars-nasa/2025/12/03/id/1236965/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT_jBHxkhps
Isaacman hearing overviews bold vision for NASA
December 3, 2025
In an encore performance before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, entrepreneur and astronaut Jared Isaacman urged lawmakers to act swiftly on his nomination as NASA’s next administrator.
The hearing, marking his second appearance before the panel this year, delved into critical topics from the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to the promise of reusable spacecraft and the intensifying global competition in space exploration.
This comes just eight months after Isaacman’s initial bid unraveled in the summer amid procedural hurdles and political maneuvering.
Lawmakers had already heard of the entrepreneur’s credentials as founder of Shift4 Payments and commander of two record-breaking private spaceflights via SpaceX’s Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions, allowing this hearing to gravitate towards the fundamentals of his tenure as the head of NASA.
“The last time I sat before you, I introduced myself, my qualifications, and the challenges and opportunities ahead,” Isaacman reflected during Wednesday’s testimony. “This time, I am here with a message of urgency.”
That urgency stems from the relentless march toward 2026, a pivotal year poised to reshape human spaceflight.
NASA and its commercial partners, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, are gearing up for historic milestones: the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, demonstrations of in-orbit refueling, and lunar landings.
Looming large is China’s aggressive push, exemplified by LandSpace’s breakthrough just 11 hours before the hearing—a successful debut launch of its methane-fueled rocket, comparable in scale to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, which came within meters of a booster recovery.
“This is not the time for delay, but for action,” Isaacman warned. “Because if we fall behind—if we make a mistake—we may never catch up, and the consequences could shift the balance of power here on Earth.”
Isaacman, nominated by President Trump, positioned himself as a mission-driven leader unbound by personal or corporate agendas, stressed to counter the natural political posturing such hearings endure.
“I am not here for personal gain, to favor or enrich contractors, to close centers, or to disrupt programs essential to completing America’s objectives in space,” he assured the committee.
“If confirmed, I am here to bring urgency and an extreme focus to the mission—to do all I can working with the best and brightest at NASA to lead humanity’s effort to unlock the secrets of the universe and ensure American leadership across the last great frontier.”
The questioning kicked off with a nod to tradition, as Committee Chairman Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a vocal SLS proponent, pressed Isaacman on his stance toward the program—often dubbed the “Mega Moon Rocket” for its role in NASA’s Artemis lunar return. Isaacman reaffirmed his support but injected a forward-looking caveat.
“After completing the Artemis V mission,” he noted, “there should be multiple reusable heavy-lift vehicles available.”
This subtle pivot highlights a shifting landscape: By Artemis III, SpaceX’s Starship— a fully reusable super-heavy lifter far cheaper than SLS—could be landing astronauts on the moon.
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Similarly, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, tasked with delivering its Blue Moon lander for Artemis V, would likely achieve operational status. With such alternatives emerging, the rationale for sustaining SLS beyond its initial runs grows murkier.
Isaacman’s comments align with recent turbulence in the Artemis program. Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy announced that he’s reopening the human landing system contract to foster competition and accelerate timelines.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the committee’s ranking member, sought Isaacman’s take.
“I think the best thing for SpaceX is to have Blue Origin right on their heels, and vice versa,” he replied. “I think competition from global powers is a good thing, as long as we don’t lose.”
The geopolitical stakes sharpened when Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) probed why U.S. astronauts must beat China’s aspirations—targeted for a lunar landing no earlier than 2030—back to the moon.
Isaacman cited a bipartisan legacy: “There’s a couple reasons. One is fulfilling a promise made by every President since 1989.
Failing to do so calls into question American exceptionalism.” He also touted economic upsides, emphasizing the moon’s untapped resources as a driver for sustainable exploration.
Echoing themes from his April testimony, Isaacman doubled down on nuclear propulsion as a NASA priority.
“On nuclear propulsion, I believe NASA should be working on the near-impossible, doing what private industry cannot do,” he said. “Nuclear electric, nuclear thermal—there’s a ton of applications NASA should be working on.”
This advocacy comes amid fiscal headwinds: Trump’s FY2026 budget proposal, unveiled earlier this year, aims to halve NASA’s science funding and trim billions from its overall envelope.
Lawmakers grilled Isaacman on the agency’s scientific portfolio—from Earth science to planetary probes—and he staunchly defended it as indispensable.
Isaacman also championed NASA’s forgotten aeronautics arm, calling for a renaissance in experimental aviation.
“I think NASA just needs a bunch more X-planes,” he enthused, praising Boom Supersonic’s quest to revive commercial supersonic travel with an Overture airliner successor to the Concorde.
He expressed eagerness to see more U.S. firms tackling “big bold challenges.”
As the hearing adjourned, the path to confirmation remains brisk but uncertain.
Senators have until close of business Thursday, December 4, to submit written questions—a streamlined timeline compared to spring’s drawn-out affair.
A committee vote is anticipated next week; if favorable, the full Senate could follow suit.
Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) hinted at an accelerated cadence.
Isaacman overview was headed with an inspirational note that will be ringing in the ears of lawmakers while they push the process forward.
“We will do it for America, for humankind, and in doing so, we will inspire the world and the generations to follow to take us even farther,” he said.
“We are just getting started on the greatest adventure in human history—and with urgency, purpose, and extreme focus on the mission, NASA will lead the way.”
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Russian Cosmonaut Removed From NASA Mission Over SpaceX Espionage Scare. What It Means
Dec 04 2025, 12:18 PM IST
Veteran Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev has been removed from an upcoming NASA - SpaceX mission following explosive allegations of violating a stringent US arms-trafficking law.
According to reports, Artemyev allegedly photographed classified documents and sensitive rocket hardware inside SpaceX’s high-security Hawthorne facility in California, before slipping the images out of the building on his personal phone in late November.
Artemyev was originally slated to join NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission bound for the International Space Station (ISS) in early 2026. But in a sudden reshuffle, he was replaced by fellow cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
Roscosmos attempted to downplay the switch, attributing it to “Artemyev’s transfer to another job.”
However, reports from Russia alleged that Artemyev breached the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) - a powerful set of US controls governing the sharing, export, and handling of defence-related technologies and restricted spacecraft blueprints.
Russian investigative outlet ‘The Insider’ claims an international probe has already been launched into his actions.
While no evidence currently suggests the alleged breach was intended to harm the United States, the accusations would escalate to espionage if investigators determine the material was collected for a foreign government’s strategic benefit.
Russian media further alleges that Artemyev has already been “booted out of America” as US space and national security agencies dig deeper into the suspicious incident.
Space industry analyst Georgy Trishkin intensifed the firestorm, saying on his Telegram channel that the cosmonaut committed a “serious violation” of ITAR laws - offenses that can carry both civil and severe criminal penalties.
He pointed out the discreet removal of Artemyev mere weeks before the Crew-12 mission as a strong indicator of the allegations’ credibility.
"My contacts confirm that a violation occurred and an interdepartmental investigation has been launched," Trishkin told The Insider.
"It's very difficult to imagine a situation in which an experienced cosmonaut could inadvertently commit such a gross violation."
Trishkin also suggested a deliberate attempt by NASA to keep the scandal from erupting into the public sphere.
Artemyev's space journey
Artemyev, one of Russia’s most seasoned space travellers, previously journeyed to the ISS in 2014, 2018, and 2022, accumulating 560 days in orbit and completing eight spacewalks. The 2026 launch would have marked his first mission aboard the SpaceX Dragon Capsule.
Under US law, ITAR - established in 1976 to safeguard national security - strictly prohibits foreign nationals from accessing, photographing, or exporting sensitive defence technologies without explicit government authorization.
If Artemyev indeed left SpaceX with restricted images on his device, the act could constitute an unlawful “export” of classified information.
If proven, ITAR violations can cost over $1 million per breach, and in cases deemed espionage, carry up to 20 years in prison.
Even non-criminal violations can result in lifetime bans from US government contracts, effectively ending a cosmonaut’s eligibility for NASA-linked missions.
https://newsable.asianetnews.com/world/russian-cosmonaut-removed-from-nasa-mission-over-spacex-espionage-scare-articleshow-g128r0f
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15349451/astronaut-booted-America-leaking-information-spaceX.html
==First Wheelchair User Set to Explore Space on Blue Origin’s Historic NS-37 Flight!
December 4, 2025 at 10:45
In an exciting leap forward for space tourism, Blue Origin’s upcoming NS-37 mission will make history by sending the first wheelchair user to space.
Michaela (Michi) Benthaus, an aerospace engineer at the European Space Agency, will join five other passengers on this groundbreaking flight. This marks a significant moment in both space accessibility and human exploration beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Michi Benthaus: A Trailblazer in Space Exploration
Michaela Benthaus, who will be making history aboard the Blue Origin New Shepard flight, is no stranger to the challenges of overcoming physical barriers.
A spinal cord injury in 2018 left her with limited mobility, but it did nothing to dampen her passion for space exploration. Benthaus
“has dedicated her career to scientific collaboration for the advancement of interplanetary exploration,” as Blue Origin noted in their description of the NS-37 crew.
Her journey to space has been fueled by her relentless commitment to furthering our understanding of the cosmos.
Before the NS-37 mission, Benthaus had already experienced the thrill of weightlessness during a parabolic flight in 2022.
She also participated in a two-week-long analog astronaut mission in Poland in 2024, an experience that simulated the conditions of life on Mars.
These experiences have prepared her for the challenges of spaceflight and showcase her resilience in pushing the boundaries of both personal and scientific achievement.
The Importance of Inclusivity in Space Exploration
Benthaus’ participation in Blue Origin’s NS-37 mission holds a deeper significance in the context of space exploration’s evolving inclusivity.
Space tourism has become increasingly accessible to private citizens, with companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin paving the way for civilians to experience space travel.
However, until now, the industry has largely catered to able-bodied individuals, leaving a significant portion of the population without opportunities to engage in these groundbreaking missions.
Blue Origin’s commitment to ensuring space access for all is a step forward in breaking down these barriers.
The inclusion of Michaela Benthaus on the NS-37 mission sends a powerful message about the importance of diversity and accessibility within the aerospace sector.
The success of this mission could inspire other companies to follow suit, considering ways in which they can accommodate passengers with disabilities on future flights.
According to Space.com, this mission also highlights the advancements being made in adaptive technologies.
These innovations not only allow astronauts like Benthaus to participate but also ensure that the experience is safe and enjoyable.
The engineering marvels required to make space travel accessible to a wider range of people could pave the way for a new era in human space exploration, one where the final frontier is open to all, regardless of physical limitations.
Blue Origin’s Ongoing Commitment to Space Tourism
Blue Origin, founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, has made a name for itself by advancing space tourism with its reusable New Shepard rocket.
The upcoming NS-37 mission will be the 37th flight of the New Shepard rocket, but it will also stand out as one of the most groundbreaking in terms of inclusivity.
The company has already flown 86 individuals to suborbital space, including repeat passengers, but Benthaus’ participation in the flight marks a new chapter in Blue Origin’s efforts to diversify space tourism.
The New Shepard rocket is a suborbital vehicle, meaning it reaches the Kármán Line, which sits at 62 miles (100 kilometers) above Earth’s surface—the widely accepted boundary of space.
The flight lasts just 10 to 12 minutes, providing passengers with a brief but breathtaking experience of weightlessness and the view of Earth from above.
For Benthaus and her fellow passengers, this will be an experience that lasts a lifetime, expanding humanity’s understanding of space and how we can make it accessible to everyone.
The NS-37 mission will also carry other notable figures, including former SpaceX engineer Hans Koenigsmann and philanthropist Adonis Pouroulis.
Each passenger brings a unique perspective and set of experiences to the flight, reflecting the diverse range of individuals who are becoming part of the new space race.
Blue Origin’s ongoing commitment to space tourism continues to fuel excitement about the future of private space exploration, with missions like NS-37 playing a central role in breaking down longstanding barriers.
https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/12/first-wheelchair-user-space-blue-origin/
https://www.blueorigin.com/fr-FR/news/new-shepard-ns-37-mission
100,000 Satellites Are Taking Over Space, And Turning the Night Sky Into a Bright Mess
December 4, 2025 at 10:15
The increasing number of satellites in space is making it harder for astronomers to study distant galaxies.
With more and more spacecraft in orbit, the night sky is getting brighter, and space telescopes like Hubble are struggling to capture clear images.
As companies like SpaceX’s Starlink keep launching satellites, the problem is only expected to grow.
As the number of satellites continues to rise, researchers are raising alarms. A recent study shows that the growing satellite population is disrupting the work of major space telescopes, including Hubble.
With predictions that we could have up to 100,000 satellites in orbit by 2030, the question of how to regulate space is becoming more urgent. Without proper rules in place, astronomers warn that our understanding of the universe could be at risk.
Satellites Everywhere: The Rapid Growth of Space Traffic
Satellites are being launched at a faster pace than ever. Companies like SpaceX, Amazon, and others are deploying large groups of satellites to improve internet access worldwide.
This surge in satellite launches is expected to increase the number of satellites in orbit dramatically, with some estimates saying we could have over 100,000 by 2030.
The problem? More satellites mean more light pollution, which interferes with telescopes trying to capture faint signals from space.
“An alarming increase in the rate of satellite trails is being detected in telescopes of all types,” said NASA researcher Alejandro Serrano Borlaff, co-author of the research published in Nature on Wednesday.
“[Our] forecast should be seen as a worst-case scenario and as a cautionary warning for the scientific community.”
Space telescopes like Hubble, which operate in low Earth orbit, are particularly vulnerable to interference from these satellites, making it harder to collect accurate data.
Space Research at a Turning Point
The biggest issue with this satellite boom is how it messes with the data astronomers need.
According to NASA simulations, with just 100,000 satellites in orbit, nearly 20% of Hubble’s images would be affected, while other telescopes like NASA’s SPHEREx and China’s Xuntian could see up to 96% of their images ruined by satellite light pollution.
This isn’t just about ugly streaks in pictures. Jeff Grube, a physicist at King’s College London, argues that the rise in satellites is “vandalizing” important astronomical research.
The light from satellites makes it harder for telescopes to detect faint signals from distant galaxies, stars, and even dark matter. As astrophysicist Noelia Noël explained:
“They add noise, scattered light and saturation that can wipe out the very faint signals we care about.”
Setting Boundaries in the Cosmos
Right now, there aren’t many rules about how many satellites can be launched or how they impact space research. David Clements, an astrophysicist at Imperial College London, argues that:
“What is needed is a proper regard of low Earth orbit as a commons for all humankind to share, with proper oversight and regulation with teeth, rather than a resource to be strip-mined for short-term corporate and nationalistic profit.”
The lack of global regulation is becoming a bigger concern. Robert Massey from the UK Royal Astronomical Society warns that space is moving so fast that governments and international organizations can’t keep up.
If action isn’t taken soon, we could face irreversible damage to space-based research and our understanding of the universe.
https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/12/100000-satellites-space-bright-mess/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09759-5
Don't miss the last full moon of 2025 as the 'Cold Supermoon' takes to the autumn sky on Dec. 4
December 4, 2025
Get ready stargazers, the final full moon of 2025 rises tonight! Here's what to expect when the "Cold Supermoon" looms large over the eastern horizon at sunset on Dec. 4.
The exact moment of December's full moon phase will take place at 8:13 p.m. EST (2313 UTC) on Dec. 4, at which time the lunar disk will appear fully illuminated opposite the sun in Earth's sky, shining brightly above the eastern horizon.
The December full moon is sometimes known as the "Cold Moon" in reference to the plummeting temperatures that are common this time of year and also as the "Long Night Moon," to reflect the lengthening nights and shorter days as the northern hemisphere sinks deeper into the winter months.
This month's full moon will occur as Earth's natural satellite passes within 90% of perigee, the closest point to our planet in its 27-day elliptical orbit, giving rise to a majestic "supermoon."
Its close proximity to Earth can make a supermoon appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than the smallest full moon of the year — sometimes referred to as a micromoon — when viewed with the naked eye.
What to expect from the final full moon of 2025
Skywatchers in the U.S. will get a spectacular view of the lunar disk when it rises over the eastern horizon at sunset on Dec. 4, as its reflected light drowns out that of the nearby stars of the constellation Taurus and the Pleiades open star cluster.
The moon may adopt a striking yellow-orange hue as it rises close to the horizon as Earth's atmosphere scatters the bluer wavelengths of sunlight reflecting from its cratered surface thanks to a phenomenon known as Rayleigh scattering.
The lunar disk may also seem larger than usual thanks to a separate phenomenon known as the "moon illusion" wherein our brain tricks us into thinking that the lunar disk is bigger than it actually is when it's close to the horizon compared to when it is overhead, with no points of reference.
December's full moon will also appear to ride higher in the sky than it has in recent months, to compensate for the increasingly shallow path traversed by the sun through the daytime sky in the months leading up to the winter solstice on Dec. 21.
Look to the lunar disk with nothing but the unaided eye to pick out the vast basaltic plains called lunar maria — or lunar seas — which formed billions of years ago when lava flooded a network of impact basins before hardening to resurface vast swathes of its ancient surface.
A small backyard telescope will help reveal large craters and mountain ranges on Earth's natural satellite.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/dont-miss-the-last-full-moon-of-2025-as-the-cold-supermoon-takes-to-the-autumn-sky-on-dec-4
Russia will liberate all of Donbass – Putin
4 Dec, 2025 07:23
Russia will drive Ukrainian troops from Donbass and fully liberate the region, whether through military action or diplomatic efforts, President Vladimir Putin has said.
Putin made the remarks in an interview with India Today on Thursday, ahead of his state visit to the country and two days after talks in the Kremlin with US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff which centered on an American-drafted peace plan for the Ukraine conflict.
The initial 28-point version of the roadmap leaked to the media last week reportedly asked Kiev to relinquish territory in the Russian Donbass regions of Donetsk and Lugansk still under its control, abandon its NATO ambitions, and limit the size of its military – conditions Kiev has rejected.
Putin, however, signaled that the Ukrainian Army will soon lose the parts of Donbass it still controls. “It all comes to that. Either we will liberate those territories though military force, or Ukrainian forces will withdraw and stop fighting there,” he said.
He also suggested that the devastating fighting in the area was entirely avoidable. “We told Ukraine from the start:
‘The people don’t want to stay with you, they took part in referendums [in 2022], voted for their independence; pull back your troops, and there will be no fighting’. But they chose to fight,” Putin said, adding that Kiev’s mistake is now becoming obvious.
Russian forces have been gradually pushing back Ukrainian troops in Donbass and elsewhere for many months. According to Moscow, Kiev is increasingly struggling to replenish manpower losses despite draconian mobilization efforts.
On Monday, the Russian military reported that it had taken control over the key frontline city of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in the Donetsk region, with a major Ukrainian force encircled in the area. In another significant development, Putin reported last week that Moscow’s forces have broken Ukrainian defenses in the northern part of Zaporozhye Region, and are now bypassing Kiev’s heavily fortified defenses to the south.
https://www.rt.com/russia/628903-russia-will-liberate-all-donbass/
https://www.rt.com/russia/628894-five-ukrainian-brigades-encircled-donbass/
Drones spotted near Zelenskiy’s flight path to Dublin, triggering major security alert
Thu Dec 04 2025 - 16:34
An Irish navy ship spotted five drones operating near the flight path of Ukranian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy aircraft as he arrived for a State visit to Ireland on Monday night.
The sighting triggered a major security alert amid fears it was an attempt to interfere with the aircraft’s flight path.
A no-fly zone was in effect across the capital at the time. It is not known where the drones originated. Their range and loitering time indicate they were of a sophisticated type and flown by experienced users, sources said.
The drones appeared near the coast by Howth around the time Mr Zelenskiy’s aircraft was due to pass. However, his aircraft was slightly early. Sources said it was not in any danger.
Officials are treating it as a potential attempt to disrupt flight operations rather than to attack a target. It mirrors recent incidents in other European Union countries where suspicious drones were used to shut down flight operations at airports.
EU security officials believe Russian agents are likely behind such incidents as part of their hybrid warfare and sabotage tactics targeting the EU.
[ Spike in Russian shadow fleet activities during Zelenskiy visitOpens in new window ]
News of the drone sightings was first reported by The Journal website.The incident occurred during a spike in Russian shadow fleet activity off the west coast.
Three sanctioned ships flying false flags were operating in the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at the time. However, there is currently no evidence they were involved in the incident.
The drones were spotted by the crew of LÉ William Butler Yeats, which was positioned in Dublin Bay as part of the large scale security operation in place for Mr Zelenskiy’s visit.
The Yeats was unable to take any action regarding the drones aside from observing and reporting their location. It is not equipped with jammers or other countermeasures.
The use of the ship’s weapons systems, including its 20mm cannons and 76mm main armament were not deployed amid fears the rounds could land in Dublin and cause injury.
The ship is equipped with its own small unmanned aerial vehicle but this has no attack capability.
An Air Corps C295 maritime patrol aircraft was also patrolling off south Dublin at the time before departing for Casement Aerodrome shortly after the Ukrainian president’s aircraft landed. It is not known if it spotted the aircraft.
The Air Corps aircraft was deployed again the following morning in the same area.
The drones would have had to have been launched from a position on land or sea, relatively close to the incident. However, they could have been controlled from anywhere in the world using satellite communications, sources said.
The Defence Forces is trying to establish who was behind the incident. Given the apparent sophistication of the piloting and equipment and the timing of the incursion, Russian security services are judged to be the most likely culprit, sources said.
However, sources stressed there is, as yet, no direct evidence for this.
The drones had their lights turned on and it appeared “they wanted to be seen”, a security source said.
“They had the capability and intent. They could have taken action at any moment of their choosing.”
The sequence of events has been confirmed by multiple sources, but Government departments have refused to comment.
The Departments of Justice and Transport referred queries to the Department of Defence. The Department of Defence “has no comment to make”, a spokesman said.
The Defence Forces said that, due to operational security reasons, it has no comment “on the specifics of any alleged incidents”.
The organisation said the security operation during the Ukrainian president’s visit was led by An Garda sSíochána, with Defence Forces support.
This support was “successfully deployed in multiple means, ultimately leading to a safe and successful visit by the President Zelensky to Ireland”.
https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025/12/04/drones-spotted-near-zelenskiys-flight-path-to-dublin-triggering-major-security-alert/
https://londonlovesbusiness.com/zelenskys-plane-came-under-military-grade-drone-attack-coming-into-dublin-airport/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/12/04/military-drones-flew-towards-zelensky-plane-dublin/
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15353323/Zelenskys-jet-targeted-military-style-drones-fly-planes-flight-path-arrives-Dublin.html
Drone raid hits Russian explosives-linked chemical plant in Stavropol Krai overnight. Again
04/12/2025
In the early hours of 4 December 2025, Ukrainian drones struck the Nevinnomyssk Azot chemical plant in southern Russia’s Stavropol Krai, according to Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+.
A photo published by the channel shows a massive fire blazing on the horizon, later geolocated to the vicinity of the plant. The facility is about 550 km from the frontline in Ukraine.
The assault is part of Ukraine's deep-strike campaign, targeting Russian fuel, defense-industrial, and military facilities inside Russia and in the occupied areas amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.
Ukrainian drones hit chemical plant tied to rocket fuel and explosives in southern Russia
At 2:40 a.m., Exilenova+ reported that drones had attacked a site in Nevinnomyssk, allegedly targeting the Nevinnomyssk Azot plant.
In a follow-up post, it provided the coordinates of the camera’s point of view, pointing toward the area of the facility, and noted the plant had already been attacked earlier this year.
In the morning, local Russian news outlet 1777 reported that around 1:30 a.m., at least eight fixed-wing drones had attacked an industrial facility in Nevinnomyssk.
The outlet claimed that the assault lasted approximately three hours, during which Russian air defense forces tried to repel it. It stated that no casualties or destruction had been officially confirmed at the time of publication.
Russian Telegram channel Astra said Governor Vladimir Vladimirov acknowledged the strike, claiming there were “no casualties or destruction.”
He described the incident as “another attempt by the enemy” to hit Nevinnomyssk. The city’s mayor, Mikhail Minenkov, posted a morning video saying “everything is fine” and thanked Russian air defense crews.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense stated that it had downed 14 drones over Stavropol Krai that night.
Key link in explosives production chain
Militarnyi noted that the Nevinnomyssk Azot plant plays a key role in Russia’s production of explosives and solid-fuel components.
It supplies materials for powerful explosive compounds — including hexogen and octogen — which are transferred to the Sverdlov plant in Dzerzhinsk for use in artillery shells and warheads.
The plant also provides chemical components to NPO Iskra, a major Russian manufacturer of solid-fuel rocket engines for missile systems.
Nevinnomyssk Azot is owned by EuroChem and is one of the largest chemical facilities in southern Russia. Its annual output includes over 1 million tons of ammonia and 1.4 million tons of ammonium nitrate.
It houses Russia’s only production units for methyl acetate and high-purity acetic acid, as well as the country’s first melamine production line. In 2024, it launched a new potassium nitrate production facility.
This was at least the fourth confirmed drone attack on the plant in 2025. The facility was previously targeted on 14 June, 25 July, and 10 August. Following the June strike, Nevinnomyssk Azot temporarily suspended operations.
https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/12/04/drone-raid-hits-russian-explosives-linked-chemical-plant-in-stavropol-krai-overnight-again/
https://twitter.com/EuromaidanPress/status/1996429519368954342
other Russia and Ukraine
https://news24online.com/world/ukrainian-air-force-targets-russian-drone-operators-with-226-kg-bomb-watch-video/680629/
https://kyivindependent.com/russian-mig-29-fighter-jet-destroyed-in-hur-drone-attack-on-crimea/
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/65555
https://militarnyi.com/en/news/romania-destroys-surface-drone-in-the-black-sea/
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/ukraine-s-security-service-denies-romania-1764794164.html
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/berlin-deploys-fighter-jets-poland-after-russian-drone-incursions-2025-12-04/
Trump says phase two of Gaza ceasefire deal going to 'happen pretty soon'
Decmber 3, 2025 13:42
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement is “moving along well” and will “happen pretty soon,” hours after Hamas breached the truce in Rafah and wounded four Israeli soldiers.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump added: “We have peace in the Middle East, people don’t realize it,” saying his peace efforts enjoy “tremendous support” and claiming they have the backing of “59 countries.”
The U.S. president’s comments came after the Israel Defense Forces said terrorists emerged from a tunnel in eastern Rafah and attacked troops from the Golani Brigade who were searching the area for additional underground routes.
Soldiers had earlier spotted a suspect near a tunnel entrance and chased him. About 30 minutes later, at least five terrorists burst from the tunnel and opened fire at close range.
According to the IDF, one of the attackers fired an RPG or placed an explosive device on a Namer armored personnel carrier, injuring four soldiers — one seriously and two moderately.
A fifth soldier sustained light injuries. Israeli forces killed at least two of the terrorists, while several others escaped back into the tunnel network.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a security consultation following what officials described as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire by Hamas.
Israel informed the United States of the incident and of its intention to respond sharply, a security official said, adding that “Israel will not let the Rafah attack pass.”
Later in the evening, the military said Israeli forces, acting on intelligence from Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet, carried out an airstrike that killed a Hamas terrorist in southern Gaza in response to the breach.
Gaza media reported at least four Israeli airstrikes in western Khan Younis, claiming at least six people were killed and several others wounded in an area of tents in al-Mawasi.
The IDF said its strikes targeted weapons depots, manufacturing sites, Hamas command-and-control centers and operatives, including commanders.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1pupqcbzx
https://worldisraelnews.com/after-hamas-attack-on-idf-troops-trump-touts-peace-in-the-middle-east/
other Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-launches-strikes-on-hezbollah-targets-day-after-direct-talks-with-lebanon/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-has-begun-airstrikes-on-hezbollah-targets-in-lebanon/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-struck-hezbollah-weapon-depots-in-south-lebanon/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/woman-said-killed-several-people-wounded-by-idf-fire-in-gaza-city/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/dozens-of-masked-israelis-riot-hurl-stones-after-illegal-outpost-evacuated-idf-says/
https://www.firstpost.com/world/israel-strike-on-gaza-kills-5-idf-says-soldiers-injured-ceasefire-us-trump-hamas-west-asia-13956428.html
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-fired-at-terror-operative-who-crossed-into-israel-controlled-zone/
https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/12/04/battalion-commander-among-4-hamas-terrorists-eliminated-by-idf-in-rafah/
https://www.jns.org/idf-updating-defense-doctrine-across-all-sectors/
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/defense/artc-next-israel-lebanon-meeting-expected-mid-december-says-source-to-i24news-live-blog
Drones hit Iraq's Khor Mor gas field, Baghdad deploys air defense in Kurdish region
Updated: DECEMBER 4, 2025 20:56
An attack on the large Khor Mor gas field in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq was carried out by two drones, according to the Iraqi authorities. The attack took place on November 26.
The Khor Mor gas field is an important energy infrastructure site, and it helps supply the Kurdistan Region with electricity generation.
The attack took place right after US officials had met the Kurdistan Regional Government’s minister of electricity. It also came days before the US held a ceremony opening its massive consulate in Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region.
The attack was likely carried out by Iranian-backed militias. These groups have targeted the gas field in the past.
The KRG recently said electric generation had increased to enable 24-hour electricity in many areas. Previously, many people had to use generators for part of the day, even though Iraq sits on an ocean of oil reserves.
Iraq should be able to fund its electric needs. The KRG, however, is often facing budget cuts from Baghdad and harassment from Iran. The KRG recently reopened a pipeline to Turkey that enables it to make money from oil exports.
The attack came after Iraq’s elections, as pro-Iranian politicians sought power in Baghdad.
Iraq's gas field attack conducted by drones
“The Iraqi government late Wednesday announced that last week’s attack on the Kurdistan Region’s Khor Mor gas field was conducted by ‘two drones’ and said it will deploy air-defense systems in coordination with Erbil to secure the facility,” Rudaw Media Network, a news channel in the Kurdistan Region, reported.
“It also revealed that the perpetrators of what they called a ‘heinous and cowardly attack’ have been identified.”
Sabah al-Numan, a spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, was quoted as saying: “In coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government [KRG],” Baghdad would move to protect the gas field.
Recommendations have been received from a committee in Baghdad, he said, adding that the “Defense Ministry has been instructed to provide Khor Mor with air-defense capabilities.”
The US has said it would support the KRG in this endeavor as well, but it is not clear how. US President Donald Trump was also asked about supporting the Kurdistan Region’s defense needs.
“UAE-based Dana Gas, the field’s main operator, announced Wednesday that production has returned to normal levels, noting the implementation of ‘strengthened security measures’ by Kurdish and federal authorities to protect the strategic energy site,” Rudaw Media Network reported.
“The perpetrators of this attack have been identified,” Numan said. “They are outlaws, and judicial arrest warrants have already been issued for several of them. Security forces are currently pursuing them.”
Supposedly, Baghdad will now deploy air defenses to the site.
“Additional measures include redeploying security forces within the ‘East Salahaddin Operations sector to close any security gaps’ and replacing current commanders in the area with ‘more competent leaders,’” the report said. Baghdad also said it wants to increase “intelligence coordination channels” with the KRG.
“This dangerous terrorist act aims to obstruct and delay efforts to achieve security and economic stability,” the Iraqi government said. “It will not go unpunished, and firm legal measures will be taken against all perpetrators.”
This is an important development, but Baghdad will need to actually come through and do what it says. In the past, Iraq has failed to fulfill its obligations to the Kurdistan Region.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-879201
https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Iraq-identifies-perpetrators-of-Khor-Mor-drone-attack
Unidentified Object Seen Above Tree Line in Missouri’s West County
December 4, 2025
Something strange seems to be happening over the West County region of the St. Louis area in Missouri. I've had several people reach out and share that they've been witnessing strange objects in that area for some time now.
I recently reshared a story I found from a St. Peters, Missouri man who filed an official report with the National UFO Reporting Center about drones following him around.
That caused another individual to reach out to me who we will refer to as William L. Here are his exact words about what he says he and others witnessed:
"In 2014 I saw a craft. (west county) St Louis, Missouri at Twin Oaks church. I was putting away table cloths with an old church friend of mine at the time. We closed the trunk and looked over towards the soccer fields behind the church.
Over the treetops and just behind the property came a silver disc-shaped craft. it came silently over the trees and paused once lined up with the middle of the fields.
It had rotary lights of green, red, yellow (non-led/classic bulb color) a green trail of what i can only describe as fire behind it (not for propulsion)"
"It came and hovered silently until reaching the center of the field, from our perspective. It then paused a few seconds and took off at light speed, straight into the horizon.
Utterly jaw dropped, my friend and I ran back into the banquet dinner at the church we attended screaming and proclaiming we just witnessed a UFO.
Nobody was interested in taking it seriously, as we were young and yapping about seeing the impossible. Years later we reconnected and reconciled nearly identical stories about that afternoon."
"Years later, my neighbor friend and I saw a craft along highway 44 heading east. These were massive triangle craft - indicated by lights at each end of the shape- spanning monolithic distances from our ground perspective.
This lasted several minutes as we were driving along. It was a rather emotional experience and still sticks with me to this day."
Call me naive, but I tend to believe people when they take the time to share stories with me especially when they go into as much detail as William did.
What did he and others see over the tree line near that Ballwin, Missouri church? When the story comes from one person alone, it is easy to dismiss it.
The fact that multiple people in that area have contacted me adds more credibility to the claims in my opinion.
https://101theeagle.com/west-county-missouri-ufo/
https://101theeagle.com/missouri-drone-sightings/