TYB
Amanda Nguyen Calls Blue Origin Space Trip ‘Dream Turned Into Nightmare’
December 30, 2025
Amanda Nguyen made history as the first Vietnamese woman to go on a Blue Origin space trip earlier this year. The flight itself was meant to be a moment she had worked toward for years.
But on Instagram, she shared that everything took a sharp turn once she returned to Earth, where she found herself dealing with a kind of backlash she had not expected at all.
Amanda Nguyen talks about the ‘aftermath’ of Blue Origin all-female crew’s space flight
Amanda Nguyen wrote openly about how painful the period following her Blue Origin space trip became.
She revealed, “When Gayle called to check in on me in the aftermath of the spaceflight, I told her my depression might last for years,” adding that the trip seemed like “Another dream turned into a nightmare.”
Nguyen explained how the excitement around the mission was immediately in shambles. In that, she said her work and the meaning behind the flight were disappearing “under an avalanche of misogyny.”
The social entrepreneur said the widespread attention online felt impossible to deal with, writing, “It amounted to billions of hostile impressions — an onslaught no human brain has evolved to endure.”
Moreover, she shared that she stayed inside for a week because she couldn’t get out of bed. Even a month later, she still “could not speak through my tears.”
In the post, she included a photo with a handwritten journal entry from December 27 that says “I’m happy to report the depression has lifted,” and explained that it did not happen overnight.
Instead, she slowly felt things lighten. Nguyen wrote, “It’s been 8 months since then, and I’m glad that the fog of grief has started to lift,” thanking everyone who supported her through the ordeal.
Furthermore, Nguyen reflected on surviving past trauma, writing, “We never fully leave behind our past selves; all parts of us are valuable.”
Toward the end of her message, she sounded steadier as she confessed, “I can tell Gayle it’s not going to take years” — a hopeful sign that she is finally finding space to heal again.
https://www.realitytea.com/2025/12/30/amanda-nguyen-blue-origin-space-trip-aftermath-nightmare/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DS0GHhmkQlU/
https://www.red94.net/news/60165-kennedy-space-center-gears-up-for-falcon-9-ussf-31-launch-tonight-at-7-pm-carryi/
https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/news/2025/12/29/record-number-of-space-coast-launches-expected-in-2026
https://www.spacex.com/launches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm8wRjD3xVA
Kennedy Space Center launches Falcon 9 USSF-31 tonight at 7 PM with classified Space Force payloads heading to secret orbit
30 December 2025
Kennedy Space Center stands ready for one of tonight’s most significant national security missions.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket will lift off at 7:00 PM ET on December 30, 2025, carrying classified US Space Force payloads directly to geostationary orbit.
This high-stakes launch represents critical infrastructure for American defense capabilities.
🔥 Quick Facts
Mission Name: USSF-31, a classified Space Force national security mission
Launch Time: 7:00 PM ET on December 30, 2025 from Kennedy Space Center
Payload: Two classified satellites destined for geostationary orbit
Vehicle: Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, SpaceX’s proven heavy-lift system
What Is the USSF-31 Mission?
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The USSF-31 represents a classified initiative by the United States Space Force to enhance national security capabilities in space.
Two distinct payloads will be deployed directly to geostationary orbit, a prime location for communication and surveillance assets serving American defense interests.
Geostationary orbit positions satellites approximately 22,300 miles above Earth’s equator, allowing them to remain stationary relative to a fixed point on the surface.
This altitude provides strategic advantages for long-duration monitoring and communications missions critical to national defense.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Block 5: The Launch Vehicle
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INTC stock surges 56% above Nvidia’s deal price as AI chip partnership transforms Intel’s 2025 comeback. The Falcon 9 Block 5 variant represents SpaceX’s most advanced reusable launch system.
Standing approximately 230 feet tall, the rocket combines proven reliability with exceptional payload capacity—delivering up to 8,300 kilograms to geostationary transfer orbit.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 family has logged more than 590 successful missions as of mid-December 2025, establishing an exceptional track record for national security launches.
The rocket’s first stage booster demonstrates reliable reusability, landing on either coastal sites or offshore droneship platforms after payload separation.
1/23
Kennedy Space Center’s Role in National Security
Kennedy Space Center serves as one of America’s primary spaceports for national security missions.
The facility hosts advanced launch infrastructure capable of supporting complex, classified government operations for the US Space Force and intelligence community.
Tonight’s launch advances critical defensive capabilities in space. The US Space Force operates the Space Operations Command, responsible for space superiority, cyberspace defense, and rapid launch capabilities.
Access to geostationary orbit remains essential for maintaining American military communication and surveillance dominance globally.
Classified Payloads and Orbit Deployment Strategy
The mission carries two distinct classified payloads destined for geostationary orbit. Details regarding these satellites remain restricted due to national security classification.
The Falcon 9’s sophisticated guidance systems enable precise orbital insertion, deploying payloads with exacting accuracy to their assigned locations.
Geostationary positioning offers permanence unavailable from lower orbital altitudes.
Satellites stationed at this altitude maintain constant watch over assigned Earth regions, supporting real-time communication relay and persistent surveillance requirements.
The mission’s classification underscores its strategic importance to American defense architecture.
Why Does Tonight’s USSF-31 Launch Matter for National Security?
Tonight’s mission represents more than a routine rocket launch. It demonstrates America’s sustained capability to project power and maintain superiority in the space domain—increasingly critical to modern military operations and national defense.
Access to space assets determines command and control effectiveness across all military operations globally.
The successful deployment of these classified payloads enhances America’s situational awareness and communication capabilities.
SpaceX’s partnership with the US Space Force through multiple USSF-designated missions has proven instrumental in modernizing America’s space infrastructure faster than traditional acquisition programs permitted.
Tonight’s USSF-31 continues this critical national security mission cadence.
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Buckley Space Force Base says no threat after report of suspected explosives
December 29, 2025 / 6:52 PM MST / CBS Colorado
Officials with the U.S. Space Force say there's no threat at Buckley Space Force Base after it received reports of a suspected explosive device at a vehicle inspection bay around 10:30 a.m. on Monday.
A 1,000-foot safety cordon was set up around that bay in building 510, and the Aurora Police Department was assisting in traffic control. Space Force officials said to expect delays at the base's 6th Avenue entrance gate, but as of 2:15 p.m., normal operations had resumed.
CBS News Colorado's helicopter flew over the scene and captured images of base security personnel and local law enforcement and fire rescue vehicles near that inspection bay.
Around 12:40 p.m., a bomb squad technician was seen in protective gear inspecting a truck at the vehicle inspection bay with a robot and other equipment.
Aurora police said just before 11:30 a.m. that East 6th Avenue is closed in both directions between Tower Road and East Stephen D. Hogan Parkway. Around 2 p.m., the department said the road had reopened.
Buckley Space Force Base sits just west of E-470 and south of East 6th Avenue, and is about 20 miles east of downtown Denver and 15 miles south of Denver International Airport.
It's one of seven Space Force bases in the U.S. and one of three in Colorado; the other two are Peterson Space Force Base and Schriever Space Force Base, both in Colorado Springs.
Formerly Buckley Air Force Base, the land it sits on was bought by the City of Denver in 1938 and has served as a military garrison under the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy at various times in its history.
It houses Space Delta 4, the 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard, and various other units.
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/aurora-police-assisting-buckley-space-force-base-safety-cordon/
https://www.newsweek.com/emergency-responders-at-colorado-buckley-space-force-base-what-to-know-11281512
Doomsday Radio Station' Starts Playing Swan Lake, Ukraine Military Sends Big Drone Swarm at Moscow
Dec 30, 2025
A Large drone attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine is currently underway against the Russian capital of Moscow. This follows an attempt to take out Putin at his residence the day before.
Russia says they could have responded with nukes. So much for the peace plan….
At the same time, we have another odd occurrence. The Doomsday radio station unexpectedly began playing Swan Lake.
Yes, the same piece broadcast during Soviet-era political crises, including the deaths of leaders and the 1991 coup.
The music started hours after the Kremlin pledged retaliation for the assassination attempt on Putin!
X users are reporting that a mysterious Russian shortwave radio signal, nicknamed "The Buzzer" and informally known as the "doomsday radio station," that has been continuously broadcasting since the late 1970s, has just transmitted the classical piece Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
UVB-76 is transmitted on 4625 kHz and is occasionally interrupted by Russian voice messages, often containing names, numbers, or coded phrases.
These voice messages are rare, irregular, and often nonsensical, making the transmission of Swan Lake highly abnormal.
Western military analysts associate UVB-76 with Russia's military communications and strategic command infrastructure. It reportedly remains operational as a fail-safe in the event that satellites, fiber, or cellular networks are disrupted.
The broadcasting of Swan Lake, a four-act ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and premiered in 1877 in Moscow, on UVB-76 could be interpreted as a mistake or operator error, a test transmission, accidental audio bleed from equipment at the transmitter site, or even signal hijacking.
Get Ready for a BIG Event!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHli9U-FofQ
https://www.zerohedge.com/military/swan-lake-just-played-russias-doomsday-shortwave-radio-station
Ukraine undermined Trump with attack on Putin’s residence – Kremlin
30 Dec, 2025 10:13
Kiev’s attempt to strike the official residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin was also an attempt to undermine US President Donald Trump’s goal to mediate a resolution to the Ukraine conflict, the Kremlin has said.
The incident, which involved 91 kamikaze drones that were shot down before they reached the state premises in the Novgorod Region, was disclosed by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, who met with Trump last weekend in Miami, has denied responsibility for the attack.
The attempted assault was “an act of terrorism aimed at derailing the negotiations, and not just President Putin personally,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry said on Tuesday, while alluding to Zelensky’s controversial Christmas address, in which the Ukrainian leader said his and every Ukrainian citizen’s wish for the holiday was death to “him” – understood to be Russia’s leader.
“This was directed against Trump, against President Trump’s efforts to facilitate peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict,” he added.
Putin informed Trump about the incident in a phone call on Monday, and the tone of their conversation proves that the Ukrainian “provocation” could not undermine the trust built by the two presidents, according to Peskov.
Trump said he was “very angry” after hearing the news, recalling Zelensky’s request for long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, which he declined earlier this year. Putin’s foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov previously said Trump had mentioned the Tomahawks in their call.
Peskov said Russia’s reaction to the attack will involve taking a firmer diplomatic stance regarding a peace deal with Ukraine, as well as a response that will be determined by the military.
https://www.rt.com/russia/630235-peskov-putin-residence-attack/
Kiev needs a public mandate to sign peace treaty – Lavrov
30 Dec, 2025 09:07
A new Ukrainian government must be elected by a legitimate inclusive vote before a peace treaty can be signed with Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.
Presidential and parliamentary elections have been suspended in Ukraine under martial law, with Vladimir Zelensky’s mandate to lead the country expiring last year.
In an interview with Rossiya Segodnya media group, Lavrov dismissed the idea that a temporary ceasefire is needed so that the current Ukrainian administration can hold a referendum on peace terms.
“The leadership in Kiev needs a mandate to seal a peace agreement. Only an election following a transparent and fair electoral campaign, in which all interested political forces take part, can provide that,” Lavrov said.
“The Ukrainian people, including many who live in Russia, have to finally be given an opportunity to determine their fate,” he added. “Organizing the ballot must not be used as a pretext for a temporary ceasefire to rearm the Ukrainian army.”
Before his meeting with US President Donald Trump last weekend, Zelensky said a ceasefire of at least 60 days would be needed for his team to put the peace deal being mediated by Washington to a general vote.
He also described Moscow’s call for the millions of Ukrainian citizens living in Russia to have the ability to participate in a potential election as a ploy to delegitimize his government.
Zelensky claimed martial law and mobilization can only be suspended if Western nations provide his country with the security guarantees in the 20-point plan he revealed last week – a plan Trump declined to endorse during their Miami meeting last week.
Lavrov stressed that Russia sees elections not as an end in themselves, but as a way for Ukraine to return to being a neutral nation that has no aspirations to join military blocs and respects the rights of all its citizens, including ethnic Russians.
Any security guarantees it receives must address the security of all the nations on the continent, he added.
https://www.rt.com/russia/630222-lavrov-elections-ukraine-peace/
https://www.rt.com/russia/630182-after-trump-met-zelensky-and-called-putin/
Terror plot targeting Russian schoolchildren foiled – FSB
30 Dec, 2025 15:34
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has reported that it has thwarted a terrorist plot targeting a school in the southern Republic of Adygea.
In a statement on Tuesday, the agency said it apprehended a suspect near the educational facility, with two knives and ten Molotov cocktails found in his vehicle.
The man, a citizen of a Central Asian state, is a supporter of an unnamed international terrorist organization, according to the FSB.
In a video released by the security service, the suspect is heard saying that he arrived in the regional capital, Maykop, after being contacted by a handler on the Telegram messaging app.
The man admitted that he had been tasked with setting fire to a local school.
The terrorist plot was coordinated from abroad, the FSB stated, citing information obtained from the suspect’s mobile phone.
In its statement, the security service said that the “Ukrainian special services are ceaselessly searching for potential perpetrators of terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage on the internet, social media as well as the Telegram and WhatsApp messaging apps.”
In early October, the FSB reported that it had detained several suspects across four Russian regions, who were allegedly plotting mass murder.
According to the authorities, they were acting on orders received via “destructive internet resources.” Components for homemade explosives and incendiary devices, bladed weapons, and attack plans were seized during the raids.
Later that month, the Russian security service said that it had foiled two separate plots targeting synagogues in Russia, with at least two citizens of a Central Asian country arrested.
Also in October, a Central Asian national was apprehended after allegedly being recruited by a known member of the international terrorist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).
According to the FSB, the man had been instructed to assassinate a senior Russian military official, with Ukrainian intelligence services allegedly taking an active part in the plot.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, the FSB has regularly reported foiled terrorist plots and sabotage attempts, often involving operatives linked to Kiev’s special services.
Moscow has accused Kiev of escalating terrorist activities on Russian soil as its frontline forces face setbacks.
https://www.rt.com/russia/630250-fsb-terrorist-plot-targeting-school-foiled/
chekt
Trump says US destroyed ‘big facility’ in Venezuela
30 Dec, 2025 03:07
President Donald Trump has stated that US forces destroyed a “big facility” along the shore of Venezuela, marking what appears to be the first known land strike by the US within the country.
On Friday, Trump first mentioned the US military action in an interview on WABC radio, saying, “We just knocked out… a big plant or big facility where the ships come from. So we hit them very hard.”
Speaking at Mar-a-Lago alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, Trump described the target as an “implementation” area allegedly linked to drug trafficking.
“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” he said.
Details surrounding the operation remain scarce. The location of the facility, method of attack, inflicted damage, and possible casualties are all currently unknown.
The Pentagon and US Southern Command have deferred questions to the White House, which has not yet issued a comment.
Trump has previously hinted that the US could launch land strikes inside Venezuela and has authorized covert CIA operations within the country as part of a broader effort to put pressure on President Nicolas Maduro.
The US president refused to clarify whether the CIA was involved in the latest strike.
“I don’t want to say that,” Trump said. “I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was. But you know, it was along the shore.”
The Venezuelan government has yet to publicly acknowledge the purported attack. Caracas has repeatedly denied that it is involved in drug trafficking, saying the allegations are being fabricated to justify a regime-change operation.
The move follows months of escalating tensions between the US and Venezuela, with the US military hitting at least 30 alleged drug trafficking boats since early September, resulting in at least 107 deaths.
The US has built up its military presence in the Caribbean, with 15,000 troops and several warships positioned in the region.
The US has also seized several tankers transporting Venezuelan oil in international waters, claiming the vessels were operating in violation of Washington’s unilateral sanctions.
Authorities in Caracas have denounced the seizures as “piracy,” while accusing Trump of trying to gain control of the country’s oil reserves.
https://www.rt.com/news/630219-trump-venezuela-big-facility-hit/
Ukraine strikes Russian drone storage at occupied Donetsk Airport, commander says
December 30, 2025 2:04 pm
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian drone storage facility at Donetsk Airport in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi said on Dec. 30.
Ukrainian forces regularly strike military facilities in Russian-occupied areas that supply weapons, fuel, and equipment to Russian troops.
Russian forces have set up a base at the airport to train and launch Shahed, Geran, and Gerbera drones, according to Brovdi.
Satellite images from August 2025 also showed Russia repairing the runway, likely to expand attack drone operations from Russian-occupied territory.
The Ukrainian strike hit a drone logistics hub, warehouses with combat units, drone storage facilities, a preflight training center, and a location housing military and technical personnel, Brovdi said.
Brovdi noted that the operation was planned by fighters from the 414th Separate Brigade, known as "Madyar's Birds," in coordination with the newly created Deep Strike Center, and that Ukraine’s 1st Separate Center of the Unmanned Systems Forces carried out the strike.
Donetsk Airport ceased operations in May 2014 following the beginning of the Russian occupation of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.
Ukrainian forces defended the airport for 242 days before withdrawing completely on Jan. 23, 2015, after Russian troops destroyed the control tower and one of the terminals.
According to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, 97 Ukrainian soldiers were killed during the battles for control of Donetsk Airport.
Since the Russian occupation began, the airport has remained closed to civilian air traffic.
https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-attacks-russian-drone-storage-facility-at-occupied-donetsk-airport-military-says/
https://news.az/news/ukraine-destroys-russian-drone-hub-at-donetsk-airport
other Russia and Ukraine
https://voennoedelo.com/en/posts/id9661-sleeper-cells-behind-drone-strike-on-putin-s-residence
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/12/30/8014029/
https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/12/30/kremlin-threatens-tougher-negotiating-position-after-alleged-drone-attack-ukraine-denies/
https://news.ssbcrack.com/kremlin-not-changing-stance-on-peace-talks-despite-alleged-drone-attack/
https://thehill.com/policy/international/5666558-russia-threatens-ukraine-president/
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2025/12/30/8013947/
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20251230-live-trump-very-angry-about-alleged-ukrainian-attack-on-putin-s-home
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/a-russian-drone-hit-a-rescue-robot-evacuating-a-wounded-ukrainian-soldier-the-bot-shielded-him-from-further-injury-battalion-says/ar-AA1ThuiQ
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/4075058-ukraines-mfa-says-russia-fabricates-drone-attack-to-justify-tougher-negotiating-stance.html
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4075037-kremlin-refuses-to-provide-evidence-of-alleged-drone-attack-on-putins-residence.html
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4074950-ukrainian-drones-control-all-approaches-to-pokrovsk-troops.html
https://zeenews.india.com/world/trump-says-very-angry-after-reports-of-ukrainian-drone-attack-on-putins-residence-3001479.html
Washington cracks down on Iranian drone sales to Venezuela
December 30, 2025
NEWS BRIEF
The United States has sanctioned 10 individuals and entities in Iran and Venezuela for supporting Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program and facilitating weapons trade between the two sanctioned nations.
The Treasury Department specifically targeted Venezuelan state-owned aviation company EANSA and its chairman for coordinating drone production with Iranian military representatives, signaling Washington’s escalating financial pressure amid ongoing military tensions in the Caribbean.
WHAT HAPPENED
The U.S. Treasury sanctioned 10 Iranian and Venezuelan individuals and entities for involvement in Iran’s UAV (drone) program and illicit weapons trade.
Venezuelan state-owned aviation company EANSA and its chairman, José Jesús Urdaneta González, were designated for coordinating drone production with Iranian and Venezuelan military officials.
U.S. Undersecretary John Hurley stated the move aims to deprive Iran’s military-industrial complex of access to the U.S. financial system.
The sanctions follow recent U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean and earlier sanctions against associates of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
WHY IT MATTERS
The sanctions target a strategic military partnership between two heavily sanctioned U.S. adversaries, aiming to disrupt Iran’s drone proliferation and Venezuela’s defense modernization.
By focusing on EANSA, the U.S. aims to cripple a key node in Iran’s efforts to transfer drone technology and production capacity to Latin America.
The move reinforces Washington’s “maximum pressure” strategy against both nations, using financial tools alongside recent military posturing in the region.
It highlights growing U.S. concern over Iran’s expanding influence in the Western Hemisphere through defense cooperation with Venezuela and other leftist governments.
IMPLICATIONS
Venezuela’s ability to develop indigenous drone capabilities will be hampered, potentially affecting its surveillance and defense posture amid rising regional tensions.
Iran may seek alternative partners or covert channels to continue technology transfers, challenging U.S. sanctions enforcement and non-proliferation efforts.
The coordinated sanctions signal to other Latin American nations that military cooperation with Iran could trigger similar financial and diplomatic repercussions.
Continued pressure may push Venezuela and Iran to deepen economic and military ties with other anti-U.S. states like Russia and China, further polarizing regional alliances.
This briefing is based on information from Reuters.
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/12/30/washington-cracks-down-on-iranian-drone-sales-to-venezuela/
IDF troops find Gaza tunnel after rain, flood-induced landslides reveal terror site, 'Post' learns
Updated: DECEMBER 30, 2025 17:47
After heavy rain and flooding exposed a terror tunnel in northern Gaza, IDF Golani Brigade soldiers discovered the site several hundred meters from the border, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The soldiers, part of the 12th Battalion, discovered the tunnel after rain and flood-induced landslides shifted the ground, revealing it.
The tunnel was located approximately 800 meters from the border, near Kibbutz Kissufim, and is entirely within Israel’s side of the Yellow Line.
Security sources told Walla on Monday that the military is in “a race against time” to locate and destroy tunnels between the Gaza border fence and the Yellow Line.
This is due to the increasing likelihood that diplomatic factors will halt operations.
The military has reinforced engineering units in Gaza and expanded earthworks across the buffer area, the officials said.
The effort includes fortifying existing outposts, improving defenses along the Yellow Line and the border fence, demolishing above-ground structures, and, most intensively, locating and demolishing tunnels.
A security source said this week, “The scale of the IDF’s engineering equipment, in line with the number of tunnel-search focal points in the Gaza Strip, indicates the huge intelligence gap that preceded the war regarding the entire tunnel world of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.”
Katz to Vance: Majority of terror tunnels left undestroyed before ceasefire began
In October, Defense Minister Israel Katz told US Vice President JD Vance that over 60% of Hamas’s terror tunnels were left untouched before Phase I of the ceasefire began.
Katz said that “demolishing the tunnels is the most important joint mission in demilitarizing Gaza in accordance with the Trump plan.”
The military destroyed tunnels over four kilometers long and killed dozens of terrorists in the Yellow Line area in the northern Gaza Strip in recent months, the military said on Thursday.
This included operations in Jabalya, Beit Hanun, and Beit Lahiya.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-881742
Israel Prepares New Gaza Scenarios After Trump-Netanyahu Summit Leaves Key Questions Unanswered
DEC 30, 2025 01:10
Israel's security establishment is preparing contingency plans for Gaza following a summit between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump that produced more questions than answers about the strip's future, as reported by Walla.
Despite optimism surrounding the meeting, the Israeli Defense Forces have received no new directives on how operations in Gaza will change.
The military continues to clear territory under Israeli operational control between the "Yellow Line" and the official border, a 64-kilometer stretch representing 54% of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas Refuses Disarmament, But Who Will Enforce It?
President Trump addressed Israel's most pressing question: Will Hamas be disarmed?
But Walla expplained that while Trump issued threats and warnings to the group, the critical question remain, who will actually do it? Currently, Hamas is fortifying its position and working to rebuild its military capabilities.
Unlike the American president's statements, no international force is known to be willing to forcibly disarm Hamas in Gaza, except the IDF. Security officials therefore estimate several possible scenarios:
Scenario One: Status Quo.
The IDF holds its current territory, Gaza reconstruction is delayed, and Hamas retains its weapons in less than half the strip until further notice.
Scenario Two: Modified Status Quo.
Most Palestinian territory remains under Israeli control while establishing the first "terror-free city" on Rafah's grounds, in other words, moving to a "lean Phase Two."
Scenario Three: Active Campaign.
Israel and the United States advance the Rafah terror-free city while the IDF fights Hamas and maneuvers deeper into certain areas to forcibly disarm the organization.
The Situation on the Ground
IDF officials clarify that unless the political echelon directs otherwise, forces in the Gaza Strip will continue defending 54% of its territory, strengthening the "Yellow Line," fortifying outposts, and upgrading infrastructure.
Simultaneously, forces will continue clearing areas of terror infrastructure and eliminating militants.
Regarding Rafah, the IDF confirms engineering work is underway around the cleared area to create zones where structures for Palestinians can be built. A military source emphasized the work is being conducted solely by the IDF.
No decision has been made to bring in civilian contractors with American or other foreign funding to accelerate the process. The issue is expected to be resolved in coming days between Trump and Netanyahu.
Wide Room for Maneuver
Following the Trump-Netanyahu summit, IDF sources indicated that while Trump's public interview didn't contain many definitive statements, the impression emerged that Israel has significant room to maneuver regarding Gaza.
Concurrently, Southern Command is planning operations to disarm Hamas, ready to execute quickly if the political echelon issues such an order.
According to IDF assessments, receiving authorization to fight Hamas anew would include recapturing additional territories from which the military has already withdrawn, in the very first stage of renewed combat.
It remains unclear whether political pressure on Hamas will help return the body of the last missing soldier-hostage, Ran Gvili of the elite Duvdevan unit.
A security official summarized: "The likelihood of returning to combat against Hamas increases if they don't disarm."
https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/israel-gaza-scenarios-trump-netanyahu
other Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-assailant-killed-after-attempted-ramming-of-troops-in-west-bank/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idfs-2025-casualty-data-shows-sharp-drop-in-soldier-deaths-suicide-figures-remain-steady/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-intercepts-arms-smuggling-drone-from-egypt-carrying-20-rifles/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-to-enact-new-guidelines-for-recognizing-suicides-linked-to-service/
https://www.humanrightsresearch.org/post/with-second-stage-of-peace-deal-on-the-horizon-the-israel-hamas-ceasefire-is-increasingly-fragile
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-to-launch-comprehensive-probes-into-gaza-ground-operations-broader-war/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/katz-defends-israels-ban-on-foreign-press-access-to-gaza-citing-security-risks/
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1qubxbv11l
US Precision Drone Strikes A Clear Warning To Terrorists – Amachree
Updated December 30, 2025
Former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has described the recent United States airstrikes against terrorists in Nigeria’s North-West as a calculated and deliberate warning, not a random military action.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, Amachree said the operation sends a clear message to terrorists and their supporters, warning that sustained military action will follow.
“The message is very clear. It’s a warning shot to the terrorists and their supporters, wherever they are. I believe the raids will continue,” he said, emphasizing that insecurity should no longer be politicized.
“We can’t keep making it political and dodging the real issues that have persisted for years.”
The ex-DSS boss explained that the strikes involved highly sophisticated MQ-9 Reaper Predator drones and precision-guided missiles. He stressed that such operations are far too expensive to be symbolic or accidental.
“The missiles used were precision-guided and delivered by the MQ-9 Reaper Predator drone, which are very costly,” Amachree said.
“The Reaper drone itself costs about 30 to 33 million dollars, and the missiles used in the strikes are about 2 million dollars each.
“I don’t think the United States would wake up one morning and throw its money in the desert somewhere.”
His comments come after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed that Nigeria officially requested and supported the US strikes, which reportedly killed several terrorists in Sokoto State.
The United States had earlier confirmed the strikes carried out on Thursday in the North-West.
Speaking on Sunrise Daily on Friday, Tuggar said Nigeria remains open to global collaboration in the fight against terrorism and insecurity.
“We have been working closely with the Americans. This is what we’ve always hoped for – to work with the Americans and other countries to combat terrorism and stop the deaths of innocent Nigerians,” Tuggar said.
He also revealed that the operation was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government, with intelligence provided by Nigerian authorities.
“It was Nigeria that provided the intelligence for the US strike in Nigeria,” Tuggar stated. “I spoke with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, for 19 minutes before the strike, and we agreed to consult President Tinubu for his approval. He gave it.”
The minister added that President Bola Tinubu approved the strike on the condition that it be clearly identified as a joint operation.
“We made sure it was clear that it is a joint operation and not targeting any particular religion,” Tuggar emphasized, noting Nigeria’s multi-religious identity and commitment to protecting all lives and property.
The strikes mark a significant escalation in international cooperation against terrorism in Nigeria’s North-West.
https://www.channelstv.com/2025/12/30/us-precision-drone-strikes-a-clear-warning-to-terrorists-amachree/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts7wPJMK5sw
Laser weapons go mobile on US Army small vehicles
December 30, 2025
Laser weapons go mobile as the US Army takes delivery of two 20-kW, anti-drone Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)-mounted Laser-Oriented Counter-UAS System (LOCUST) Laser Weapon Systems (LWS) from AeroVironment.
Laser weapons seem to be popping up everywhere these days but, despite their increasing effectiveness, they share one drawback in common.
The high-powered systems tend to be rather bulky and heavy and look more like a shipping container than something out of Star Wars.
That's changing as smaller, more powerful, more rugged lasers move from the laboratory to the field.
A significant milestone in this trend is the LOCUST laser, the second increment of which has been delivered to the US Army and reflects the military's shift from fixed-site directed energy weapons to mobile, maneuverable platforms that can defend frontline assets against drones and similar threats.
Beginning life as the Palletized-High Energy Laser (P-HEL) and evolving into the LOCUST, also called the AMP-HEL, the system's first increment was installed in a General Motors Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) in September 2025.
Increment 2 shares the same power output as Increment 1, but is more practical thanks to higher protection, onboard power support, lighter weight, and an upgraded beam aperture with improved focus, beam quality, and lethality over longer distances.
Exactly how long is classified, though it's at least several kilometers.
It can power up in only 15 minutes and has a modular, open architecture for ease of maintenance.
However, one major improvement is the Target Acquisition and Tracking System (TATS) gimbal that can turn 360° at a rate of 100° per second.
It's claimed to be ultra stable and the whole system can be operated by a single person using a standard Xbox gaming controller.
"Directed energy is no longer a future concept – it is a proven force-protection capability," said John Garrity, Vice President ofAeroVironment's Directed Energy business unit.
"Since deployed, LOCUST-equipped P-HEL systems have actively protected warfighters, allies, and critical infrastructure against aerial threats.
With LOCUST’s target acquisition, tracking and precision beam control, warfighters have an easy-to-use, reliable, trusted, and proven solution against the very real and evolving threats of modern warfare."
https://newatlas.com/military/laser-weapons-mobile-us-army-small-vehicles/
Marine Corps launches six drone training programs open to any MOS
Dec 30, 2025, 07:45 AM
Keeping in step with the Pentagon’s push for legions of new drones, the Marine Corps is instituting new training to ensure the service has the right personnel to operate them.
The service is kicking off a series of new pilot programs aimed at meeting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s $1 billion industry push to get more than 300,000 one-way attack drones into the hands of troops by 2028, according to a release.
Part of that pursuit includes practicing on new off-the-shelf platforms that, in turn, warrant standardized training prior to unit integration, the release stated.
“We are fielding these courses as pilot programs to move quickly,” Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, commanding general of Marine Corps Training and Education Command, said in a release.
“This allows us to validate all aspects of the training, from prerequisites and instructional methods to resourcing needs and certification standards, ensuring that we refine and perfect the curriculum before it becomes part of our long-term training framework.”
Six pilot training programs and eight certifications are being established, each of which, while expected to evolve over time, will be aimed at providing fundamental skills in using both armed and unarmed systems while informing the best training approach, officials said in a Dec. 29 memo.
The names and descriptions of the six courses, which are open to any military occupational specialty, according to the memo, include:
Basic Drone Operator (BD-O) Course: “Provide the foundational skills required to assemble, maintain and operate both full-acro and stabilized non-lethal drones in an operational environment.”
Attack Drone Operator (AD-O) Course: “Provide the foundational skills required to tactically employ lethal attack drones.”
Attack Drone Leader (AD-L) Course: “Provide the instructional understanding of Fire Support Plan integration, threat assessment, system capabilities and coordination with maneuver and fires.”
Payload Specialist (PS) Course: “Provide the foundational skills and basic knowledge for safe explosive handling and preparation of pre-fabricated warheads used to arm lethal drones in an operational environment.”
Attack Drone Instructor (AD-I) Course: “Provide the instructional skills required to administer and certify Marines in the BD-O, AD-O, and AD-L courses.”
Payload Specialist Instructor (PS-I) Course: “Provide the instructional skills required to administer and certify Marines in the PS course.”
Marines seeking to attend any of the above courses must contact unit leadership, who must then coordinate with regional training hubs to confirm course dates and availability, the release said.
Regional hubs include the 1st Marine Division Schools; the 2nd Marine Division Unmanned Systems Center of Excellence; III MEF Expeditionary Operations Training Group; School of Infantry East; School of Infantry West; the Tactical Training and Exercise Control Group; and Marine Forces Special Operations Command.
The Corps’ Weapons Training Battalion in Quantico, Virginia, will serve as an interim central training hub until a long-term location is established, the memo added.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2025/12/30/marine-corps-launches-six-drone-training-programs-open-to-any-mos/
Trump Assures Public the New White House Ballroom Will Have a ‘Drone-Free Roof’
Dec 29th, 2025, 11:59 pm
President Donald Trump informed the public that the massive new ballroom he is constructing will be impervious to drone attacks.
Since his inauguration in January, Trump has personally overseen the remodeling of several government buildings.
He paved over the Rose Garden, demolished the East Wing of the White House to make way for a gigantic ballroom, added his name to the Kennedy Center, and created a “Presidential Walk of Fame” in the White House, among other redesigns.
The president is in the process of building a ballroom where the East Wing stood.
This month, he fired the previous ballroom architect, who warned that a 90,000-square-foot ballroom would dwarf the 55,000-square-foot White House.
On Monday, Trump made a joint press appearance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the president at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump reiterated his threat to fire Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May.
While scolding Powell for alleged cost overruns in the remodeling of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters, Trump boasted of his grand plans for the ballroom, which he said will host inaugurations while also being “drone-free”:
He’s spending more money than any building has ever spent per square foot on the renovation of.
As an example, I’m doing a magnificent, big, beautiful ballroom that the country has wanted, the White House has wanted for 150 years.
It’s a massive job, and it’s a tiny fraction of that number. And we’re under budget and ahead of schedule. Now, it’s bigger than I told you.
It’s, you know, after realizing we’re gonna do the inauguration in that building. It’s got all bulletproof glass, it’s got all drone, they call it drone-free roof, so drone’s won’t touch it. It’s a big, it’s a big, beautiful, safe building.
https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/trump-assures-public-the-new-white-house-ballroom-will-have-a-drone-free-roof/
Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ Drone Show Lights Up Las Vegas Nightline Ahead of Dec. 31 Show Finale
December 30, 2025
Ahead of the Dec. 31 final episode of the last season of Netflix’s popular sci-fi thriller series “Stranger Things,” the Las Vegas nightline was treated to a “Stranger Things” drone show.
On Dec. 28., the drone show depicted moments from the series with 5,000 drones — reportedly the largest drone show in the U.S. to date.
The fifth and final season of the show premiered this fall with four episodes bowing on Nov. 26, three episodes launching on Christmas Day, and The Finale episode slated for New Year’s Eve on Netflix and in select theaters.
The show, starring Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman, Jamie Campbell Bower, Cara Buono, Amybeth McNulty, Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, Alex Breaux, and Linda Hamilton, has generated more than 1.2 billion total views.
Netflix claims that the series, since 2016, has generated more than 8,000 production jobs in the U.S. and contributed $1.4 billion to the national economy.
https://www.mediaplaynews.com/netflixs-stranger-things-drone-show-lights-up-las-vegas-nightline-ahead-of-dec-31-show-finale/
cool picture
Ho-Ho-UFO? Strange lights over Thurso spark ‘Santa’s sleigh’ theory
18:00, 30 December 2025
A picture shared on social media showing strange lights over Thurso, a couple of days before Christmas, had one local wit wondering if it was Santa’s sleigh.
Peter Macdonald was trying to capture images of the Northern Lights with his phone and when he got home, one image stood out to him.
“We never noticed the lights in the picture until we got home. We were out looking for the Northern Lights,” said Peter.
He said he was taking photographs from the bridge near the boating pond in Thurso.
He took several in a row and it was the one timestamped 23:12 on December 23 that showed the lights above the town.
“We just found it strange,” Peter added.
He shared the picture on his Facebook and asked his friends, “Can anyone explain these lights in the sky?”
While a few said they could not see much in the picture, one person thought it could be “Santa’s sleigh” heading over the town just before Christmas.
The strange effect could perhaps be a reflection from the town’s street lights in the camera’s lens but why would the other pictures he took immediately afterwards not be similarly affected?
Perhaps Peter did capture a magical moment over his home town?
https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/ho-ho-ufo-strange-lights-over-thurso-spark-santa-s-sleigh-423197/