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Watch an asteroid the size of a blue whale hurtle towards Earth live online May 18
May 17, 2026
A newly discovered asteroid the size of an adult blue whale is set to fly past Earth on May 18 at 24% of the average Earth-moon distance, and you can watch the event unfold in real time from the comfort of your home with this Virtual Telescope Project livestream.
The near-Earth asteroid 2026 JH2 was discovered on May 10 by the Mount Lemmon Survey in Arizona. Follow-up observations estimate the asteroid measures between 52 and 114 feet (16-35 meters) based on its apparent brightness, according to ESA.
2026 JH2 will make its closest approach to Earth at 5:23 p.m. (2123 GMT) on May 18, when it passes within 56,628 miles (91,135 kilometers), while traveling at 19,417 mph (31,248 km/h) relative to Earth.
How to watch the flyby live online
The free Virtual Telescope Project YouTube livestream will begin at 3:45 p.m. EDT (19:45 GMT) on May 18, weather permitting.
"At the time of the observation, the object will be moving pretty fast against the stars, but our advanced telescopes will precisely track 2026 JH2 while it will be almost at its minimum distance from us, peaking in brightness, around magnitude 11.5, before it will set below our horizon," Virtual Telescope Project founder Gianluca Masi told Space.com in an email.
2026 JH2 poses no threat to the moon or Earth during its close approach, but should shine bright enough to be spotted by the organization's telescopes in Manciano, Italy.
"We will see it like a sharp dot of light, moving against the starry background, with stars leaving long streaks, as we will be tracking the asteroid," Masi explained.
Having shot past Earth, 2026 JH2 will embark on a 3.8-year round trip that will see it venture out close to the orbit of Jupiter before tracking an elliptical path back towards the sun, according to the European Space Agency.
Its next close pass of our planet won't come until the year 2060, when it will pass 17 times the Earth-moon distance.
https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroids/watch-an-asteroid-the-size-of-a-blue-whale-hurtle-towards-earth-live-online-may-18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsPz2nOxDA4
other space objects
https://spacedaily.com/sd-a-rubin-observatory-will-sift-10-000-comets-from-a-decade-of-nightly-sky-imagery-while-walter-reed-left-1-300-facial-ct-scans-unread-for-five-years-the-same-archival-image-problem-solved-in-one-dom/
https://skyandtelescope.org/online-gallery/comet-c-2025-r3-panstarrs-and-orion-nebula-in-orange-twilight-glow/
https://x.com/Eyes2TheStars/status/2055998435803726170
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/we-should-not-mistake-cosmic-rays-for-ufos-8d10b0085b9c
might be right around the corner
https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/26/05/52624713/us-dollar-oil-prices-rallying-together-rate-anomaly-2005
https://www.collectspace.com/news/news-051626a-astronaut-hall-fame-akers-tanner-induction.html
extra NASA
https://washingtonexec.com/2026/05/aerospace-names-former-nasa-astronaut-to-board-of-trustees/
https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/5879987-nasa-artemis-moon-landing/
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/05/17/spacex-dragon-docks-to-station-filled-with-new-science-experiments/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiNbfSt3JzY (NASA's SpaceX 34th Commercial Resupply Services Rendezvous and Docking)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0skepjymd0 (LIVE IN 4K: SpaceX Dragon Arrives at the ISS | CRS-34 Docking)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jWXfyty97Y (4K clip)
Shuttle-era spacewalkers Akers, Tanner enter Astronaut Hall of Fame
May 16, 2026
The two veteran space shuttle crew members entered into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame together on Saturday (May 16). They could have also been in the same NASA astronaut selection group, too, had history played out a little bit differently.
In 1984, Tanner reported to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) to fly as an instructor pilot and then applied for the next class of astronaut candidates.
"Tom came in with the class of 1987, which, interestingly enough, I interviewed for. He made it, and I didn't," said Tanner.
"And I've been leading the way ever since," said Akers, interrupting Tanner while both laughed in a joint interview with collectSPACE. "I have never understood why it took NASA so long to pick him." (Tanner became an astronaut in 1992.)
Akers and Tanner's spaceflight careers overlapped by five years and included four missions each. Though they never launched into Earth orbit together, they lifted off on numerous T-38 jet training flights and came to know each other well.
"Our families were friends," said Akers. "We went to the same church, so we were more social friends than work friends at JSC."
Twenty years after the last of their flights returned from space, Akers and Tanner were finally side by side under the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's display of the retired space shuttle Atlantis — a vehicle on which that both rode — to be inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame as the class of 2026.
"It was something I was aware of as a possibility, but had never really given thought I would get inducted, said Akers. "So it was a pleasant surprise for sure."
"We both knew we were on the ballot," said Tanner. "I had been on the [nominee] ballot with Tom for 10 years."
A pair of spacewalkers
The induction ceremony coincided with the 34th anniversary of Akers' landing from what may have been his most famous mission. On May 16, 1992, he touched down on the space shuttle Endeavour after becoming one-third of the only three-person spacewalk in history.
Akers, together with his STS-49 crewmates Rick Hieb and Pierre Thuot formed a human tripod and reached up with their gloved hands to grab hold of and secure a communications satellite in the orbiter's payload bay.
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"All of our spacewalks are designed really for two people, the system really isn't made where it's easy for three people," Akers told collectSPACE.
"That was a unique situation where we couldn't get the capture bar on the Intelsat VI, and the ground [controllers] and our crew came up with the idea of three people going out. With the teamwork and great ground team support, it worked slick."
Akers and Tanner both conducted spacewalks to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), carefully manipulating delicate optical instruments in a closely confined area.
Tanner also went on help assemble the large backbone truss and solar arrays wings for the International Space Station (ISS).
"I have often been asked what is the difference between ISS and an HST EVA [extravehicular activity], and I think it's hands and overall physical effort," said Tanner.
"Manual dexterity in your hands was more important for HST, and for ISS, you're hauling around some pretty big heavy objects and maneuvering a long way. That's the biggest difference."
In total, Akers spent almost 30 hours of his nearly 34 days in space conducting spacewalks. Tanner logged 43 days, including 46 and a half hours on EVAs.
Joining the ranks
Saturday's ceremony was led by news correspondent John Zarella and included remarks by Curt Brown, board chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, which manages the nominee and selection process each year; Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of the visitor complex; and Kelvin Manning, deputy director for NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
"Today's induction of Tom Akers and Joe Tanner honors two astronauts whose careers embody excellence, leadership, and service," said Brown, who became a NASA astronaut in the same class as Akers and flew with Tanner on Atlantis.
"Their lasting contributions to NASA, and their ongoing work as educators and mentors, reflect the very best of the U.S. space program."
"We're proud to welcome them into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame," said Brown, who is also in the Hall as a member of the 2013 class.
Kevin Chilton, class of 2012 and STS-49 pilot, formerly inducted Akers, presenting him with his Hall of Fame medal.
Chris Ferguson, who flew as the pilot of Tanner's last mission, STS-115, and who was inducted in 2022, honored his former crewmate similarly. Some 20 veteran NASA astronauts, including 15 other Hall of Fame members, attended the event.
The ceremony also included the reveal of the etched glass portraits and mission patch displays that will next hang among the 111 other similar plaques representing the inductees.
Founded in 1990, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame has been a feature of the Heroes & Legends attraction at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex since 2016.
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U.S. Mint Sends 2026 Semiquincentennial Coins to Space
May 16, 2026
Selected 2026 U.S. circulating coins honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary launched Friday aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on a mission to the International Space Station.
The coins lifted off Friday, May 15, at 6:05 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The launch was part of NASA’s 34th SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-34), or CRS-34, carrying science, supplies and equipment to the orbiting laboratory.
U.S. Mint Director Paul Hollis attended the launch at Cape Canaveral, where the coins began their trip to space aboard the Dragon spacecraft. NASA said Dragon carried nearly 6,500 pounds of cargo for the station’s Expedition 74 crew.
What Coins Were Sent to Space
The Mint identified eight coins making the trip to the station:
1 nickel — 1776 ~ 2026 Jefferson nickel
1 dime — 1776 ~ 2026 Emerging Liberty dime
1 half dollar — 1776 ~ 2026 Enduring Liberty half dollar
5 quarters — one 1776 ~ 2026 Semiquincentennial quarter for each design: Mayflower Compact, Revolutionary War, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Gettysburg Address
Several of the 2026 circulating designs represented by the space-bound coins have already entered circulation.
The Mint’s first wave of 2026 Semiquincentennial shipments included the dual-dated nickel, Emerging Liberty dime, Enduring Liberty half dollar and Mayflower Compact quarter, while the Revolutionary War quarter followed in March.
The Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Gettysburg Address quarters remain scheduled for release later in the year.
These coins represent the Mint’s one-year-only circulating designs for 2026, created for the Semiquincentennial.
The Emerging Liberty dime and Enduring Liberty half dollar temporarily replace the familiar Roosevelt dime and Kennedy half dollar, while the five quarters highlight major themes tied to the nation’s founding and history.
The Jefferson nickel retains its familiar designs but carries the dual date "1776 ~ 2026" for the anniversary year.
Space-Flown Coin History
The 2026 flight adds the Semiquincentennial issues to a broader history of U.S. coins carried beyond Earth.
For example, in 1999, 12 2000-W Proof Sacagawea dollars struck in 22-karat gold flew aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, traveling about 1.8 million miles over roughly 80 Earth orbits.
Seven of those space-flown coins later sold in 2025 for prices ranging from $360,001 to $550,001.
NASA said Dragon was scheduled to dock autonomously with the forward port of the station’s Harmony module at about 7 a.m. EDT on Sunday, May 17.
The spacecraft is expected to remain at the station until mid-June before returning to Earth with research and cargo for splashdown off the California coast.
Along with crew supplies, CRS-34 is carrying several science investigations, including research on how well Earth-based simulators mimic microgravity, a wood-based bone scaffold that could aid treatments for conditions such as osteoporosis, and equipment to study red blood cell and spleen changes in space.
Other payloads include instruments to study charged particles around Earth, planet formation, and sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon.
The Mint announced the flight on its Facebook page, though it has not yet said whether the coins will remain aboard the station, return to Earth, or be used in a later display or presentation.
https://www.coinnews.net/2026/05/16/semiquincentennial-coins-to-space/
extra NASA and assorted space
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/giant-radio-telescope-sees-artemis-2-astronauts-on-orion-flying-around-the-moon-there-are-4-people-in-those-pixels
https://spacedaily.com/j-a-buzz-aldrin-took-communion-on-the-surface-of-the-moon-before-he-took-his-first-step-on-it-and-nasa-asked-him-not-to-mention-it-on-the-live-broadcast/
https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/05/telescope-detects-strange-cosmic-pattern/
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-05-17/China-and-Russia-reach-new-heights-in-space-cooperation-1NdrdwwWUBW/p.html
Firefighters work to contain brush fire north of Colorado Air and Space Port
May 16, 2026 / 4:25 PM MDT
Firefighters say they're working to contain a brush fire that sparked north of the Colorado Air and Space Port on Saturday afternoon.
The fire sparked around 2:30 p.m. in the 7000 block of Manila Road in Bennett.
Although deputies helped some residents near the area evacuate as the fire headed south towards Bennett, the Adams County Sheriff's Office said there were no mandatory evacuations in place.
The plume of smoke could be seen almost all the way to Denver International Airport.
The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office helped direct traffic while firefighters worked to bring the brush fire under control. By 4 p.m., the sheriff's department said the fire was nearly contained.
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/brush-fire-north-of-colorado-air-space-port/
Three killed in major Ukrainian drone raid on Moscow: What we know so far
17 May, 2026 10:01 | Updated 17 May, 2026 13:04
Three civilians were killed and more than a dozen others were wounded by a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian capital and its surrounding region on Saturday night, local authorities have said.
Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanian said on social media on Sunday morning that a total of 127 UAVs had been destroyed by air defenses during the previous 24 hours. He described the raid as “massive.”
The attack appeared to be one of the largest Ukrainian drone raids targeting Moscow in more than a year.
There have been several major UAV attacks on the capital in recent months, but the number of drones deployed by Kiev during them never exceeded 65.
Fatalities in Moscow Region
Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyev confirmed that three people were killed during the attack.
Two men died when the debris of a downed drone fell on a home construction site in the village of Pogorelki near the city of Mytishchi, adjacent to Moscow in the north-east, he said.
Another UAV struck an apartment block, killing a female resident in the city of Khimki, north-west of the capital, while another person remained trapped under the rubble, according to Vorobyev.
In Istra, some 50 km north-west of Moscow, four people were wounded when an apartment block and six private homes were hit, he said.
Residential areas and infrastructure facilities have also been targeted in other parts of the region, the governor added.
In the town of Lobnya, north of Moscow, a woman was injured in a drone attack that left five apartment blocks and 20 cars damaged, the local authorities said.
Strike on Moscow Oil Refinery
A total of 12 people were wounded in Moscow as a result of the raid, according to Sobyanin.
Most of those injured were construction workers affected by an explosion near the entrance to the Moscow Oil Refinery in Kapotnya District in the north-east of the city, he said. The refinery’s operations weren’t affected by the incident, he added.
Air traffic disruptions
More than 200 flights were delayed or canceled at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo international airports as the authorities introduced air traffic restrictions during the drone raid. Some of the incoming passenger jets had to be redirected to other airfields.
Sheremetyevo’s press service said that the debris of a Ukrainian drone hit the ground inside the airport’s premises, but didn’t cause any injuries or destruction.
Incursions across Russia
The capital and Moscow Region weren’t the only targets of Kiev’s UAVs on Sunday night, with the Russian Defense Ministry reporting the destruction of a total of 586 drones across the country.
The additional interceptions took place not only parts of Russia bordering Ukraine (Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk region) but also deep inside the country, including in Kaluga, Tula, Smolensk, Pskov, Tver, Rostov and Krasnodar Regions, as well as over Crimea, the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the ministry said.
Escalation of raids in recent months
Ukrainian drone raids deep inside Russia have intensified since mid-March, with Kiev launching hundreds of fixed-wing UAVs on an almost daily basis against residential neighborhoods, civilian infrastructure, and industrial facilities far from the front.
The Russian officials have described the aerial incursions as “terrorist attacks” meant to compensate for the setbacks Kiev’s military has been suffering on the battlefield.
Moscow has responded with long-range missile and drone strikes targeting Ukraine’s military, energy and other dual-use infrastructure. Russian officials insist the operations are aimed solely at assets supporting Kiev’s war effort and not at civilian targets.
On Sunday, the Ukrainian media and Telegram channels reported more explosions near the country’s capital Kiev as well as in the cities of Kharkov and Dnepr, and parts of Zaporozhye Region which remain under Ukraine’s control.
https://www.rt.com/russia/640096-moscow-ukraine-drone-sobyanin/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640086-drone-ukraine-moscow-region/
https://www.rt.com/india/640102-ukrainian-drone-attack-embassy/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/640082-ukrainian-drones-zaporozhye-plant/
Zelenskyy Confirms Ukraine Was Behind Massive Moscow Drone Strike
May 17, 2026 13:25
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukrainian long-range drones carried out overnight strikes against Moscow and the surrounding region on May 17, describing the operation as a response to continued Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
According to statements published by Zelenskyy on Telegram on May 17, Ukrainian drones struck targets located more than 500 kilometers from Ukraine’s border despite what he described as the highest concentration of Russian air defense systems in the Moscow region.
“Our responses to Russia’s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified,” Zelenskyy said. “This time, Ukrainian long-range sanctions reached the Moscow region, and we are clearly telling the Russians: their state must end its war.”
Zelenskyy added that Ukrainian drone and missile manufacturers “continue their work” and thanked the Security Service of Ukraine and the country’s Defense Forces “for their precision.”
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense in a statement published on Threads on May 17, the strikes targeted several facilities in Moscow and the Moscow region, including the Moscow Oil Refinery, the “Solnechnogorskaya” fuel depot, and enterprises linked to microelectronics production.
The ministry described the attack as “one of the largest” carried out against the Moscow region since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. “War is returning to where it came from,” the ministry wrote.
Explosions were reported overnight in Moscow, Zelenograd, Khimki, Lobnya, and Naro-Fominsk. Reports also indicated damage to the ELMA technology park and infrastructure connected to oil storage and refining facilities.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on May 15 that Ukraine’s military and intelligence leadership had discussed expanding long-range strike operations against Russian infrastructure, including targets linked to Russia’s oil industry, military production, and logistics networks.
He described the campaign as Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions” against Russia.
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/zelenskyy-confirms-ukraine-was-behind-massive-moscow-drone-strike-18887
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/sbu-reveals-what-was-hit-in-massive-drone-strike-on-moscow-region-and-crimea-18894
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/76296
extra Russia and Ukraine droning the day away
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraine-turns-gta-v-into-a-battlefield-drone-training-ground-18893
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/76314
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-05-17/live-updates-896388
https://www.ibtimes.com/drone-strike-uae-nuclear-plant-sparks-alarm-over-shaky-iran-truce-3802943
https://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/iaea-says-radiation-normal-after-drone-strike-near-uae-nuclear-plant/
other Israel
https://worldisraelnews.com/netanyahu-israel-prepared-for-any-scenario-on-iran-idf-has-expanded-gaza-foothold/
https://www.aninews.in/news/world/idf-says-hamas-operatives-linked-to-oct-7-attacks-killed-strikes-hezbollah-targets-in-southern-lebanon20260517135135/
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1v400pd1fx
https://www.news18.com/world/massive-fireball-seen-near-jerusalem-after-explosion-at-israeli-missile-testing-site-video-ws-l-10095707.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRuIFjtQAgQ (Benny Johnson: 🚨Was Israel Just Nuked!? Massive Mushroom Cloud Appears Over Jerusalem)
Live Updates: IED wounds four IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, Iranian drone damages UAE nuclear power plant
May 17, 2026
PA reinforcing notorious 'pay-for-slay' policy • Iran allegedly behind Canada attacks on US consulate, synagogue • IDF tests Jordan Valley readiness in Dead Sea surprise attack drill
May 17, 6:38 PM
Hezbollah launches multiple attacks on IDF in southern Lebanon, none injured
Hezbollah has launched multiple drones, rockets, and mortars at IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon over the past day, the military announced on Sunday.
The military noted that there were no Israeli casualties despite several munitions landing near IDF soldiers.
May 17, 6:11 PM
IDF issues evacuation warning for southern Lebanon
IDF Arabic Spokesperson Col. (res.) Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation warning for several towns and villages in southern Lebanon in an X/Twitter post on Sunday.
May 17, 6:10 PM
Amid rumors of renewed war, Iran may escalate attacks on UAE - analysis
It’s possible the drone attack on the UAE on May 17 was an Iranian message that it will increase its list of targets in the country.
A drone appeared to cause a fire near a nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates on May 17. Abu Dhabi said that a fire was caused by a drone strike on an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra region, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Sunday. This raises concerns that Iran could increasingly threaten the UAE amid regional tensions.
The Associated Press noted that it had sparked a fire at the plant's perimeter. “There were no reports of injuries or radiological release, but it highlighted the risk of renewed war as the Iran ceasefire remains tenuous.” There was no claim of responsibility, but it is plausible that Iran or Iranian proxies are behind the attack. This comes amid rumors of a potential renewal of conflict with Iran and an increased focus on the UAE's role in the region.
May 17, 5:53 PM
Israeli strikes kill four people in Gaza, Hamas-linked medics claim
Israeli strikes killed at least four Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, Hamas-linked health officials claimed.
Medics said an Israeli strike killed one Palestinian near a police post in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday. The IDF said it killed a terrorist who posed an immediate threat to forces operating in the area.
Separately, Gaza medics said another Israeli airstrike killed at least three people at a community kitchen near Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza area.
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May 17, 4:40 PM
IDF kills Hamas commander in Gaza strike
The IDF killed Hamas operations commander Bahaa Baroud in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the military announced on Sunday.
Baroud was responsible for the planning of numerous terror attacks, the military said, adding that he was killed after posing a direct threat to IDF soldiers.
May 17, 4:16 PM
IAF intercepts Hezbollah rockets in southern Lebanon
The Israel Air Force intercepted several rockets launched by Hezbollah toward IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon, the military announced on Sunday.
May 17, 3:09 PM
Four IDF soldiers wounded in southern Lebanon
Four IDF soldiers were wounded by an explosive device in southern Lebanon overnight between Saturday and Sunday, the military announced on Sunday.
One soldier was severely wounded, one was moderately wounded, and two were lightly wounded.
May 17, 2:56 PM
IAEA says radiation levels normal after drone strike at UAE nuclear plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Sunday it has been informed by the UAE that radiation levels at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant remain normal and no injuries were reported after a drone strike caused a fire in an external electrical generator.
"The IAEA is following the situation closely and is in constant contact with the UAE authorities, ready to provide assistance if needed," the nuclear watchdog added.
May 17, 1:55 PM
Abbas complains that funds withheld by Israel are needed to pay terrorist salaries
Palestinian Media Watch founder and director Itamar Marcus commented to The Jerusalem Post that Abbas’s “admission” must have "significant international implications.”
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas admitted that tax funds being withheld by Israel would be used to fund Palestinian terrorists during a speech at the Eighth General Conference of Fatah.
The comments confirm that the PA has not ended its pay-for-slay policy, even though it has restructured payments so they no longer reflect the prisoner’s sentence and now distributes the funds under the guise of social welfare.
“The continued holding of Palestinian Authority funds by Israel is an unprecedented event that violates the agreements between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, as well as international law,” Abbas claimed in his Fatah conference address. “…The continued withholding of the Palestinian people’s funds, which have so far exceeded $5 billion…and all this needs to be paid to public employees, to prisoners (terrorists)…”
May 17, 1:55 PM
Hamas leadership elections end without political leader selection, promises future vote
Hamas’s leadership race remains unresolved, with Khaled Mashal and Khalil al-Hayya seen as likely contenders for the political chief role.
Hamas failed to elect a new political leader, the terror group announced on Saturday night, promising another round of elections would soon take place.
The current race will likely position either Hamas leader abroad, Khaled Mashal, or senior Hamas politician Khalil al-Hayya as Hamas’s new leader.
The failed process comes as Hamas attempts to reassemble some level of order after much of its senior leadership was assassinated during the most recent war with Israel. Since former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in October 2024, there has been no permanent head of the organization’s political wing.
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https://www.axios.com/2026/05/17/us-military-drones-cuba
assorted drones
https://www.faa.gov/fifaworldcup2026
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-deploys-new-low-cost-anti-drone-system-in-the-middle-east
Exclusive: U.S. eyes attack-drone threat from Cuba
May 17, 2026
Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones and recently began discussing plans to use them to attack the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. military vessels and possibly Key West, Fla., 90 miles north of Havana, according to classified intelligence shared with Axios.
Why it matters:
The intelligence — which could become a pretext for U.S. military action — shows the degree to which the Trump administration sees Cuba as a threat because of developments in drone warfare and the presence of Iranian military advisers in Havana, a senior U.S. official said.
"When we think about those types of technologies being that close, and a range of bad actors from terror groups to drug cartels to Iranians to the Russians, it's concerning," the official said.
"It's a growing threat."
Driving the news:
CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Cuba on Thursday and bluntly warned officials there against engaging in hostilities. He also urged them to scrap their totalitarian government to end crippling U.S. sanctions, a CIA official told Axios.
"Director Ratcliffe made clear that Cuba can no longer serve as a platform for adversaries to advance hostile agendas in our hemisphere," that official said.
"The Western Hemisphere cannot be our adversaries' playground."
On Wednesday, the Department of Justice plans to unseal an indictment of Cuba's de facto leader, Raúl Castro, for allegedly ordering the 1996 downing of two planes flown by a Miami-based aid group called Brothers to the Rescue.
More sanctions against the island nation could be announced this week.
A spokesperson for Cuba could not be reached Saturday for comment.
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Zoom in:
Cuba has been acquiring attack drones of "varying capabilities" from Russia and Iran since 2023, and has stashed them in strategic locations across the island, U.S. officials say.
Within the past month, Cuban officials have sought more drones and military equipment from Russia, the senior U.S. official said. The official cited intelligence intercepts that also indicated Cuban intelligence officials are "trying to learn about how Iran has resisted us."
Russia and China have high-tech espionage facilities for collecting "signals intelligence" (called SIGINT) in Cuba.
"We've long been concerned that a foreign adversary using that kind of location that close to our shores is highly problematic," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Miami Republican, during a congressional hearing Tuesday.
In response to Diaz-Balart, Hegseth also confirmed Castro's complicity in ordering the Brothers to the Rescue shootdown.
The big picture:
The concerns about drone attacks on U.S. forces have been heightened by Iran's use of the unmanned aircraft in its response to the U.S. attacks that began Feb. 28.
Iran's drones have damaged American bases in the Middle East, helped close the Strait of Hormuz and menaced neighboring Persian Gulf states, along with missile attacks.
U.S. officials estimate that as many as 5,000 Cuban soldiers have fought for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, and that some informed the island's military leaders about the effectiveness of drone warfare.
Russia has paid Cuba's government about $25,000 for each soldier deployed in Ukraine, U.S. officials estimate.
"They're part of the Putin meat grinder. They're learning about Iranian tactics. It's something we have to plan for," the senior official said.
Zoom out:
The Castro regime is closer than ever to falling since it seized power in the 1959 revolution that brought it into conflict with the U.S., thanks largely to U.S. sanctions and the Marxist regime's financial mismanagement.
Cuba is classified as a state sponsor of terror by the U.S. and it's considered the "head of the snake," exporting revolutionary Marxism throughout Latin America.
One former Cuban ally, Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, was removed from power in a Jan. 3 raid by the U.S.
Since Maduro's ouster, the U.S. has begun normalizing relations with Venezuela — and learned more about Cuba's drone program.
Reality check:
U.S. officials don't believe Cuba is an imminent threat, or actively planning to attack American interests. But U.S intelligence indicates the island's military officials have been discussing drone warfare plans in case hostilities erupt as relations with the U.S. continue to deteriorate.
Cuba doesn't have the ability to close the Straits of Florida in the same way Iran has brought shipping to a standstill in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials also don't believe Cuba is as much of a military threat as it was during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
"No one's worried about fighter jets from Cuba. It's not even clear they have one that can fly," the senior U.S. official said.
"But it's worth noting how close they are — 90 miles," the official added. "It's not a reality we are comfortable with."
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Rep. Eric Burlison
@RepEricBurlison
🚨The two documents that most people missed in the new UAP files.
It's not a random third-hand report, but two documents detailing multiple federal officials/agents independently reporting "orbs launching other orbs."
This deserves special attention.👇
Very few of the “reports” we get often document so many senior federal officials corroborating a single event.
By my read, the two documents: “USPER STATEMENT ABOUT UAP SIGHTING” and “WESTERN US EVENT” appear related.
Read the documents for yourself at the bottom of the last page, and tell me what you think.
I doubt all of the events described here went unrecorded. So why don't we have the videos?
8:30 AM · May 15, 2026
https://x.com/RepEricBurlison/status/2055309933931835828
https://www.war.gov/ufo/#USPER-Statement-about-UAP-Sighting
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/praying-mantis-bugs-scaled-reptilians-4-terrifying-alien-types-allegedly-classified-deep-1797219
extra ICYMI
https://usaherald.com/pentagons-immaculate-constellation-allegations-ignite-new-ufo-disclosure-firestorm-in-congress/
https://cybernews.com/editorial/ufo-uap-west-tyson-troll/
From 'Praying Mantis' Bugs to Scaled Reptilians: The 4 Terrifying Alien Types Allegedly Classified by the Deep State
17 May 2026, 12:12 PM BST
From a podcast studio in London this week, an 89‑year‑old physicist with long-standing CIA links calmly told his host that US insiders believe the government has recovered 'at least four types' of alien life from UFO crash sites.
After decades of swirling theories about secret hangars, reverse-engineered spacecraft and shadowy military programmes, all coalescing into what believers call the American 'deep state,' officials have largely brushed off questions about unidentified aerial phenomena, even as polls show a sizeable portion of the US public suspect that some of the objects streaking through the atmosphere are not ours at all.
Into that distrust steps Dr. Hal Puthoff, a veteran government contractor whose choice of words is careful enough to intrigue and vague enough to frustrate.
Puthoff, a Stanford-trained physicist who advised the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program, set out his claim on The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett.
Describing conversations with people he says were directly involved in alleged recovery efforts, he told the podcast, 'People who have been involved in recoveries have said there are at least four types.
Four separate types. Now I have not had direct access to that but I believe the people I talked to, four separate types of life.'
He offered no diagrams, no classified documents and not even a sketch on a napkin. Instead, he leaned on trust. That, understandably, leaves everyone else stuck with faith or doubt rather than evidence.
Four Alleged Alien Types, No Proof to Show
Other high‑profile figures in the UFO world have tried to fill in the gaps Puthoff left open.
The New York Post has highlighted remarks by astrophysicist Dr. Eric Davis, another familiar name on the conference circuit, who has previously outlined four supposed alien categories: 'Grays, Nordics, Insectoids and Reptilians.'
According to those claims, which remain entirely unverified, all four alien types are said to be broadly humanoid, with two arms and two legs. That detail alone should raise an eyebrow.
The universe offers almost limitless evolutionary possibilities, yet these creatures, we are told, look suspiciously as if they've been cast from a sci‑fi central casting office on Earth.
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Davis, speaking at the UAP Disclosure Fund convention in 2025, reportedly told attendees that Nordics tall, pale, human‑like aliens could easily pass in a crowd if not for their otherworldly origin.
Reptilians are described as roughly human‑sized as well, but with scales in place of skin. Both, we are assured, would be roughly eye‑to‑eye with any unfortunate person who met them, or claimed to have been abducted by them.
The Grays are the most familiar alien trope of the lot. Small, hairless, with outsized heads and large dark eyes, they are the default image on everything from t‑shirts to film posters.
The final alleged category, Insectoids, veers into nightmare territory: bug‑like beings often compared to a giant praying mantis, towering and angular.
None of this, crucially, has ever been backed up by publicly available physical evidence. No bodies, no high‑resolution photographs, no lab reports that can be independently checked.
Even among believers, there is quiet acknowledgment that the entire taxonomy rests on testimonies, leaks and the occasional conference PowerPoint.
Deep State, UFO Crashes and the Shape of Alien Life
The deep state, in this telling, is sitting on crash‑retrieval programmes and biological samples while the rest of us argue on social media. It is a tidy story, almost too tidy, placing secret‑keepers at the centre of an interstellar drama they neither confirm nor convincingly deny.
Scientists who study life's origins would point out that bipedalism is hardly inevitable. Human evolution itself took a meandering route, with our ancestors experimenting with knuckle‑walking before committing to an upright gait.
The idea that reptilian aliens, evolving under entirely different conditions, would coincidentally end up as scaled, two‑legged versions of us belongs more to comic books than evolutionary biology.
Puthoff himself did not endorse the specific 'Grays, Nordics, Insectoids and Reptilians' framework; he stopped at repeating that unnamed insiders spoke of four distinct types of alien life.
That distance matters. It leaves him with plausible deniability if the taxonomy collapses under scrutiny, while keeping the mystery alive for audiences hungry for confirmation that we are not alone.
Officials, for their part, have not produced anything like the smoking gun that would settle the argument.
The US military has acknowledged unidentified aerial phenomena in recent years, but has never confirmed the recovery of alien craft or bodies. Without that hard proof, every fresh claim, however eye‑catching, sits in the same grey zone: interesting, but unproven.
That is where these alleged alien types remain for now. No verifiable evidence of Grays, Nordics, Insectoids or Reptilians has been made public, and nothing described by Puthoff or Davis has been independently authenticated.
Until that changes, all such accounts must be taken with a considerable grain of salt fascinating as folklore, and infuriatingly thin as fact.
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Luna Backs AARO Director After Year Of Attacks
May 17, 2026
Anna Paulina Luna spent more than a year publicly calling for the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, known as AARO, to be defunded and shut down.
This week, she posted a photo of herself standing alongside the new AARO Director Jon Kosloski and Representative Eric Burlison, captioning it with her full endorsement of the new Director and his good-faith work on declassification.
The shift came after a long-form interview with the Sol Foundation alongside Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb.
In an interview with the Sol Foundation, Luna described the previous AARO leadership under Sean Kirkpatrick as awful and stated she believed the office had been intentionally set up to block, stonewall, and suppress information.
According to Luna, the new Director recently met with her and other members of Congress and apologized for the conduct of the prior leadership. Reference to her own statements in the same interview shows she still does not believe AARO needs to exist as an office, citing redundancy with existing FBI investigations.
The reversal centers on more than 40 UAP videos requested by Luna and sourced from whistleblowers inside the intelligence community and the Department of War.
According to Luna, the Department of War has located the files and is now reviewing them for release within a 30-day window.
There is a wrinkle in the timing. Representative Eric Burlison has stated the next drop will come every two weeks, while Luna is saying 30 days, based on her direct conversation with the Department of War.
The timeline raises a fair question. Jon Kosloski has served as AARO Director since August 2024. Sean Kirkpatrick resigned in December 2023.
That means for roughly 21 months, the AARO that Luna and Representative Tim Burchett were pushing to defund has not been run by Kirkpatrick at all. Why the meeting between Luna and Kosloski did not happen sooner remains an open question.
Luna also stated in the same interview, according to her own statements, that she and Representative Burlison were heading directly to CIA headquarters after the recording.
A whistleblower had testified under oath in the Senate that the CIA went to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and physically removed boxes of documents being prepared for declassification. (Read more here).
House Oversight has already sent a preservation of documents request to the CIA. Luna connected this CIA pattern to the UAP fight, calling for whistleblower immunity, the same language found inside the UAP Disclosure Act co-sponsored by Senator Mike Rounds and Senator Chuck Schumer.
Adding to the moment, the SETI Institute, founded in 1984 with funding ties to NASA and the Department of Energy, announced it will host the opening-night screening of the new Steven Spielberg film Disclosure Day on June 12 at Century Cinema 16 in Mountain View, California.
A SETI scientist will take audience questions after the screening. Reference to SETI’s own outreach pages confirms this is a pattern.
The Institute hosted the March opening-night screening of Project Hail Mary, has held public screenings of the 1997 film Contact with Jill Tarter, and senior astronomer Seth Shostak has worked as a Hollywood science advisor for years.
https://www.ufonews.co/post/luna-backs-aaro-director-after-year-of-attacks
https://x.com/realannapaulina/status/2055353936132116533
https://x.com/SETIInstitute/status/2055362691603009856
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jc9q9u6SBQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2rFSlorsSI (The Sol Foundation. (2026, May 15). Congresswoman Luna and Dr. Avi Loeb: Breaking UAP disclosure news)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBo_JQWHtpY (Rep. Luna does a 180 on AARO: "Kosloski works in GOOD FAITH on declass efforts." - Psicoactivo #1016)
extra Luna, Gaetz, Burchett, and Burlison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slI1uGwihlw (Rep. Luna: CIA's seizure of JFK and MK-Ultra files an ‘internal coup’ | Katie Pavlich Tonight)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trcYWLcEjH0 (The missing JFK and MK-Ultra files | Katie Pavlich Tonight Full Show)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwxg5xMMSNg (Tim Burchett Discusses UFO Evidence and Alleged Government Stonewalling)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJXxvWfA4uI (Eric Burlison on UFO video that made people GASP & confirms a White House collab - Psicoactivo #1019)
https://x.com/RedPandaKoala/status/2055759031634120870
the ant people?
will look into that, ty
Ross Coulthart Q&A: New Church Commission, CIA lies and the galactic federation | Reality Check
May 17, 2026
Ross Coulthart explores untold stories using a fact-based approach to address various topics, including unidentified aerial phenomena and other mysteries that often go unreported.
Now, he is turning to viewers, answering their pressing questions each week.
In this week's episode, Coulthart tackles questions about whether the recent UAP document release was a psyop, if disclosure is being exploited and if there is a nonhuman "galactic federation."
Coulthart also calls out the CIA for lying to Congress, saying it’s time for Congress to assemble a modern-day “Church Commission.”
Chapters:
00:59 Ross Coulthart responds to the CIA not complying with Congress
11:04 Was the UFO document release a psyop?
16:56 Is disclosure being exploited?
22:34 Is there a galactic federation?
29:06 Final thoughts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54TA6fyC5Pw
https://x.com/rosscoulthart
https://x.com/Producer_Meagan
extra disclosure dejour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWuDOHtzrQw (Polarity Josh: "MK Ultra is Fake" - Meanwhile Norway Has Statues Of Lizard People | WEIRD WEEK)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfVh66tturA (Erich von Däniken: The Pattern No One Can Explain | Crop Circles Return with a Message)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg0Y5DPoPEQ (Praveen Mohan:Ravana's RED Lingam Found? The "Untouchable" Secret Of Cambodia)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgJjd1MSJdU (Jimy Dore: Millions Of Diseased Ticks Unleashed All Over America! w/ Larry Johnson)