TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
August 23, 2026
Cassini Approaches Saturn
What would it look like to approach the grand planet Saturn? One doesn't have to just imagine – the Cassini spacecraft did just this in 2004, recording thousands of images along the way, and hundreds of thousands more since entering orbit. Some of Cassini's early images have been digitally tweaked, cropped, and compiled into the featured inspiring video which is part of a larger IMAX movie project named In Saturn's Rings. In the concluding sequence, Saturn looms increasingly large on approach as cloudy Titan swoops below. With Saturn whirling around in the background, Cassini is next depicted flying over Mimas, with large Herschel Crater clearly visible. Saturn's majestic rings then take over the show as Cassini crosses Saturn's thin ring plane. Dark shadows of the ring appear on Saturn itself. Finally, the enigmatic ice-geyser moon Enceladus appears in the distance and then is approached just as the video clip ends. After more than a decade of exploration and discovery, the Cassini spacecraft ran low on fuel in 2017 was directed to enter Saturn's atmosphere, where it surely melted.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
https://vimeo.com/11386048
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNMPhBdNIg4
https://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?t=45023
Solar Storm Severity Hidden in Trees, Weather Alerts | S0 News and frens
Aug.23.2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMmfCg7mQMI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmH_z7ZD-0s (MrMBB333: The World is Buzzing About this Unexplained Phenomenon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDr2inYEw1E (Mr Weatherman: Dolly forming this Week…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVOn1-QXjZk (Hawk Fire Explodes Across Nevada | 10,500+ Acres Burned As State Of Emergency Declared | VERTEX)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiRaxx88miQ (Firstpost: Asia Drowning: India, China, Japan & South Korea Hit Together by Typhoons, Monsoons|Planet Pulse |4K)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXH2fWeLIC0 (Time For Truth: Beyond the Weather Forecast: How Satellites Help Us Understand Earth | Dr. Stephen Volz)
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wildfires
https://easternherald.com/2026/08/23/hawk-fire-nevada-wildfire-reno-evacuation-governor-emergency/
https://www.grantspasstribune.com/wildfire-smoke-triggers-oregon-air-quality-alert-as-major-fires-continue-burning-across-the-state/
https://www.kulr8.com/montana/crews-continue-working-to-contain-several-wildfires-across-montana/video_7f48a92b-2cd3-58a4-8540-7fef652ed1d7.html
https://www.actionnewsnow.com/video/forest-service-says-67-drone-incursions-have-taken-place-near-wildfires-in-2026/video_2740e45c-70a5-5eaa-b93a-966ad24a2f06.html
https://www.news10.com/news/ap-indonesian-police-arrest-72-people-suspected-of-starting-forest-fires/
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storms and floods
https://weather.com/2026/08/22/news/weather/northeast-tornadoes-powerful-storms-alabama-indiana-flooding
https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/storms-to-bring-flooding-damaging-winds-from-rockies-to-northeast-into-this-week/1925651
https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/severe-storms-wreak-havoc-across-041406703.html
https://wreg.com/news/widespread-damage-after-storms-move-through-the-mid-south/
https://www.live5news.com/2026/08/22/flash-flooding-strands-drivers-closes-roads-north-charleston/
https://www.1011now.com/2026/08/22/branched-oak-observatory-closes-due-flooding-wednesdays-storms/
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/08/23/extreme-weather-hits-europe-as-wildfires-floods-and-storms-force-thousands-to-evacuate
https://7news.com.au/news/weather/rain-storms-and-flash-flooding-predicted-to-hit-large-parts-of-australia-in-coming-days-c-22764789
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/flooding-landslides-leave-one-dead-cause-widespread-damage-post350625.vnp
https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2026/08/23/china-activates-level-iv-flood-emergency-response-for-guangdong-guangxi-hainan
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Hurricanes and frens
https://weather.com/2026/08/23/storms/hurricane/hurricane-season-maps-tracker-atlantic-pacific
https://kauainownews.com/2026/08/23/governor-officially-requests-presidential-emergency-declaration-following-hurricane-lala/
https://watchers.news/2026/08/23/hawai%CA%BBi-county-declares-emergency-as-tropical-storm-moke-raises-flood-risk-on-lala-damaged-big-island/
https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/8/23/saudel-to-enter-par-as-super-typhoon-on-monday-to-enhance-habagat-later-next-week-1452
https://cbs12.com/weather/hurricane-maps/tracking-3-tropical-systems-development-chances-increase-for-tropical-wave-hurricane-storms-storm-forecast-weather-west-palm-beach-vero-okeechobee
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earthquakes
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/earthquakes-2026-san-andreas-world-us-scientists-b3035856.html
https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/korea/earthquake-swarm-returns-to-haenam-with-71-tremors-in-10-days/12838463
https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/korea/nuclear-facilities-unaffected-by-31magnitude-earthquake/12837990
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquake/news/328680/Seismic-like-event-possible-earthquake-reported-few-minutes-ago-near-Mexicali-Baja-California-Mexico.html
https://www.wdsu.com/article/magnitude-3-4-earthquake-reported-near-edgefield-north/73501380
https://www.koat.com/article/41-earthquake-strikes-near-mount-taylor-in-northwestern-new-mexico/73502048
https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/magnitude-60-earthquake-hits-japans-hokkaido-hours-after-59-magnitude-quake-injures-over-40-near-tokyo20260823195744/
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volcanoes
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Underwater-Volcanoes-Are-Geothermal-Energys-Next-Frontier.html
https://interestingengineering.com/lists/10-explosive-volcanic-systems-hiding-across-planets-and-distant-moons
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dailys
https://schumannresonance.today/
https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn
https://www.americanforests.org/wildfire-map/
https://www.weather.gov/
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
https://www.tornadohq.com/
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes-volcanoes/news/328628/Volcano-earthquake-report-for-Sunday-23-Aug-2026.html
https://www.spaceweather.gov/
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=23&month=08&year=2026
Brilliant fireball lights up Hungary’s night sky in spectacular pre-dawn display
August 23, 2026
A spectacular fireball streaked across the Hungarian sky early on Saturday, briefly turning night into day in parts of the country with an intense blue-green flash.
The exceptionally bright meteor appeared at around 1.24 AM, shortly after thunderstorms had moved away and skies began to clear.
Webcams across Hungary captured the rare celestial event, showing a bright object travelling across the sky before disappearing from view, Időkép reported.
Fireball as bright as the full Moon
The meteor’s brightness is estimated to have reached around -10 magnitude, making it an exceptionally powerful fireball and potentially comparable in apparent brightness to the full Moon.
Meteors brighter than around -4 magnitude are generally classified as fireballs, according to Szeretlek Magyarország.
The spectacular flash was caused by a piece of space rock entering the Earth’s atmosphere at extremely high speed. Friction with the atmosphere caused the object to heat up and glow intensely before burning up, producing the explosive-looking burst of light.
Its striking blue-green trail was particularly visible in several recordings. The colour can often be associated with the presence of magnesium in the meteoroid, which glows as the material is heated during atmospheric entry.
Seen across several parts of Hungary
The fireball was visible from multiple locations across the country. Footage from Lovasberény captured the object travelling towards the south, while cameras near Zalaegerszeg recorded its light shining through the cloud cover.
In Nagyrada, the flash was bright enough to briefly create almost daylight-like conditions, while the night sky over Zámoly was dramatically illuminated. Observers near Tokod also reported seeing the fireball disappear behind Hegyes-kő.
The timing made the event particularly striking: after an evening of thunderstorms and flashes of lightning, the skies had largely calmed before the fireball provided another spectacular burst of light shortly before 1.30 AM.
A rare spectacle caught on camera
Because the atmosphere had cleared in many parts of the country, numerous weather cameras were able to record the event.
The footage provides a striking glimpse of the brief but powerful phenomenon, which lasted only moments but was bright enough to be noticed across a large area.
For anyone awake in the early hours of Saturday, the sudden blue-green flash would have been a spectacular sight – and for several parts of Hungary, it was bright enough to make the darkness briefly resemble daylight.
https://dailynewshungary.com/fireball-lights-up-hungarys-night-sky/
https://www.idokep.hu/hirek/nappali-vilagossag-gyult-a-hajnali-egen
moar space objects
https://aasnova.org/2026/08/21/an-interstellar-comets-coma-composition/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD5gQ4kiXwI (Angry Astronaut: The Fireball UFO Outbreak isn't over! Not even close!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF3YuAIUbpc (Ray's Astro: Investigated the Strange Lights Over Formby | Then Found Another MAJOR Fireball Clue)
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4982–4987: Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming
Aug 23, 2026
Earth planning date: Friday, Aug. 14, 2026
This week of Curiosity Mars rover operations takes us back to our “regularly scheduled programming.” After taking a slight detour to investigate the “erosional surface” we are back on course to ascend Mount Sharp.
As we transition into fall in Gale Crater, temperatures and the likelihood of dust storms begins to drop, but Curiosity is still on the lookout for the last gasp of late-season local and regional dust storms.
Monday’s plan for Sols 4982 to 4985 began with Curiosity standing face to face with a unique geologic feature just above the erosional supersurface contact. As you might have read in the previous blog, the team was fortunate enough to spend two planning cycles at this amazing location.
MAHLI used this opportunity to reacquire selected images for the mosaic of target “Tres Morros.” This will allow the science team to have a detailed and focused view of the underside of this feature.
APXS took measurements of the bedrock target “El Motacusal” after it had been brushed with the DRT. APXS took a second measurement on the “as is” bedrock target “Alto de Carmen.” Both of these APXS targets were documented with high-resolution images taken by MAHLI.
ChemCam activities include LIBS spectroscopy on bedrock targets “Lagunas Bravas” and “Parququcha” and ChemCam Remote Micro-Imaging on Mishe Mokwa. I had the pleasure to be on the Mastcam uplink shift for this plan.
Mastcam took a near-field mosaic of the erosional ridge, dubbed “Los Toldos,” as well as a mosaic on further away bedrock exposure above the erosional surface, named “Los Ladrillos.”
In addition to these mosaics, Mastcam also provided color documentation of the previous plan’s ChemCam Remote Micro-Imaging on Cordillera and the ChemCam LIBS activities taken in this plan.
Curiosity then drove 100 feet (30 meters) to take us to our location for Friday’s plan for Sols 4985 to 4987. Although we had plenty of flat and tasty bedrock in this new location, we could not place the robotic arm in a safe position to DRT the bedrock.
The left-front wheel was perched on a small rock, and we had to account for a risk the rover could slip off this rock as we move the arm around. MAHLI and APXS were still able to safely perform contact science on two bedrock targets, “Mamorecillo” and “Aguas Claras.”
MAHLI had an additional housekeeping activity to image the calibration target. ChemCam plans to use its laser spectrometer to gather geochemistry on three targets in this vicinity, followed by Mastcam documentation.
Today’s ChemCam LIBS targets include a dark-toned resistant layer in the bedrock “Yura Kasa.” Mastcam is planning a series of mosaics to continue imaging the stratigraphy in the unit above the erosional contact.
Today’s plan was packed with environmental monitoring activities to monitor for dust storms. Mastcam took a flurry of dust-imaging observations to measure optical depth, or “tau,” of the atmosphere.
A higher tau value is associated with an increased amount of dust in the atmosphere. APXS joined in on the action by planning an overnight atmospheric measurement.
Navcam took on most of the heavy lifting to monitor for dust storms. These activities include multiple large dust-devil surveys, zenith observation, in-crater line-of-sight observations, and suprahorizon cloud movies.
Curiosity will then continue to climb Mount Sharp; the planned drive distance of 150 feet (47 meters) will take the rover southwest of our current location.
We will return Monday to start a new week full of contact science, remote sensing, and driving on Mars.
https://science.nasa.gov/blog/curiosity-blog-sols-4982-4987-back-to-our-regularly-scheduled-programming/
moar
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/wallops/2026/08/22/nasa-launches-first-scientific-balloon-of-fort-sumner-campaign/
https://www.space.com/technology/launching-10-000-tiny-femtosats-to-saturn-nasa-funds-18-futuristic-spaceflight-ideas
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/how-will-nasas-astronaut-training-hub-change-with-commercial-space-stations
https://spacedaily.com/t-us-ranges-1000-launches-reentries-2030-policy/
Bethany Stevens
@NASASpox
From high-speed flight to the Moon, here’s what’s new in your NASA Minute:
🌔 Lunar Impact
🧑🚀 Spacewalk Repairs
🛫 Flexible Wing Tests
See you next week! 🚀
4:38 PM · Aug 21, 2026
https://x.com/NASASpox/status/2090946704392483260
moar
https://x.com/astro_Pettit/status/2091240205353120191
https://x.com/NASA_Marshall/status/2090876596689285331
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2091264461784903841
https://x.com/AJamesMcCarthy/status/2091118038997426289
Libbey Dean
@LibbeyDean_
United States Space Force marching down Pennsylvania Ave as drivers pass in truck beds.
8:49 AM · Aug 23, 2026
https://x.com/LibbeyDean_/status/2091553382766928124
extra
https://x.com/starsandstripes/status/2091240991114264858
https://x.com/USSF_SSC/status/2090829801485390232
https://x.com/US_SpaceCom/status/2090859091505926475
https://x.com/DecodeConflict/status/2091220021611819484
https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Aug/23/pm-modi-urges-private-space-sector-to-build-global-aura-of-innovation-2
https://satnews.com/2026/08/23/isro-transitions-rocket-manufacturing-to-domestic-private-sector-to-scale-indias-space-economy/
https://www.isro.gov.in/NSPD2026/
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2091352253731106888
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2091382436462776696
PM Modi urges private space sector to build 'global aura of innovation'
Updated on: 23 Aug 2026, 3:32 am
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed creating an aura around the private sector in space research so that people worldwide feel that if they want to make a career, they should go to India.
In an interaction with CEOs and founders of 20 space startups on Friday, Modi also highlighted India's cost-competitiveness in launching space ventures.
He emphasised that the country's vast talent pool and high risk-taking capacity would allow India to rapidly establish a dominant position in the global space sector, according to the transcript of the interaction, which was released on Sunday.
The prime minister said the world must now be looking for Indian startups – wondering who is leading in this space. Because whenever a breakthrough happens, people's attention shifts immediately, he said.
One of the CEOs told the prime minister that after India opened the space industry for private players, a very positive trend was observed and many Indian citizens living in the US and Europe now want to return and work in the country.
In response, Modi said: “We need to connect with many people – people who went abroad are now returning. I believe we should create an aura where people worldwide feel that if they want to make a career, they should go to India.”
He said such people from across the globe should feel that they should connect with a startup in India, connect with a space agency in India.
“I firmly believe that because of you, we can attract the entire talent pool like a magnet, and that can become a massive strength for us,” Modi said.
The prime minister appreciated the CEOs of space startups who showed courage by entering a new sector, and said the biggest factor was that they trusted the government's word.
“My view has always been that whatever decision we make, we must remain consistent and avoid making frequent changes. This ensures that anyone willing to take a risk feels confident that while a mistake on their end might cause issues, no one will abandon them.
Creating that trust was our effort,” he said.
Modi also said that India is highly competitive in terms of cost and there is no question about talent.
“We are very competitive on cost; there is no question at all about talent, and our people naturally have a higher risk-taking capacity anyway. Because of these, we can establish our place very rapidly,” he said.
1/2
The CEOs said India's first space-tech unicorn, Skyroot Aerospace, successfully launched India's first private rocket into orbit, and that was just the beginning.
By mid-2027, they are aiming for one launch per month, the CEOs said.
They thanked the prime minister for opening up the space sector for private players, saying so far, factories have been built with a capacity of one rocket per month.
They said this is just the beginning and the dream is to do one launch per week, and eventually several launches per day.
When Modi asked whether the investors have the confidence, one of the CEOs said that investor confidence has increased significantly after Skyroot's first launch.
“That's great,” Modi said and asked whether that route is proving useful to the space startups. To this, one of the CEOs said, “It is very useful.”
The CEOs said their vision for the next 18 months is to establish a global ground station network. Another CEO said that after a single launch, the company had received eight launch contracts in the last month, most of them international.
According to a statement issued by the prime minister's office on Friday, Modi assured full government support to young space entrepreneurs and urged them to explore how space technology can be used in agriculture, livestock management, dairy, environment and other areas that affect people's everyday lives.
The prime minister also hailed the CEOs for showing remarkable courage by entering a new and demanding domain of space startups as they have taken risks, trusted the reform process and remained consistent in their efforts.
He assured them of the government's full support and called for greater collaboration between space companies and other sectors to expand the use of their technologies.
The startups part of the interaction included Skyroot Aerospace, Agnikul Cosmos, Pixxel, Dhruva Space, GalaxEye, PierSight, Bellatrix Aerospace, Digantara, SatSure, Suhora Technologies, Manastu Space, Astrobase, TakeMe2Space, VyomIC, Cosmoserve Space, OrbitAID Aerospace, SkyServe (Hyspace), Serendipity Space, Vassar Labs and mistEO.
The prime minister also greeted everyone on the occasion of National Space Day on Sunday. “Happy National Space Day,” he said.
Modi also posted a video showing different aspects of India's space research, innovations and success. “Here's to dreaming even bigger, innovating more and pushing newer frontiers…,” he said.
National Space Day is celebrated to commemorate the Chandrayaan-3 mission that accomplished a safe and soft landing of the Vikram Lander on the lunar surface on August 23, 2023.
2/2
The lead headline in a Space Force social media bun
What Russia learned from Putin and Trump in Anchorage
22 Aug, 2026 11:20
Fyodor Lukyanov reflects on the first anniversary of the Russia-US summit
The meeting between the Russian and US presidents in Alaska last year caused a sensation in both form and substance. Expectations were so high, whether expressed as hope or alarm, that the Anchorage summit was almost certain to disappoint.
The conflict surrounding Ukraine is too deep and complex to be resolved at a single meeting, even one involving the leaders of Russia and the United States. Negotiations to end the Vietnam War dragged on for years, despite both sides understanding from the beginning that the conflict would eventually have to end.
The real question was whether Anchorage could provide the starting point for a peace process; it didn’t.
Much has since been said about why, although the conditions for such a breakthrough probably didn’t exist in the first place. Yet rather than dismissing the summit with the usual sarcasm about the “spirit of Anchorage,” it’s worth considering what the meeting did achieve.
First, it exposed the widening divergence between the United States and Western Europe as the old world’s leaders remain committed to seeking a military victory over Russia, but Washington, by contrast, doesn’t want to become directly involved in pursuing that objective.
Donald Trump’s claim that the United States is merely a mediator rather than a participant is plainly disingenuous, given that Washington remains deeply involved, but American involvement could be far greater, even allowing for the apparent limits on its resources and its growing obligations elsewhere.
This divergence doesn’t mean the transatlantic alliance is about to collapse; however, it does suggest that the Atlanticism established during the second half of the 20th century will not survive in its old form.
Whether its replacement will prove more advantageous to Russia remains unclear, but, nevertheless, Moscow has long wished to see the end of NATO as we have known it, and the chances of that happening are increasing.
Anchorage also demonstrated that the United States isn’t all-powerful, as Trump was unable to secure from Western Europe and Ukraine what he wanted at the time.
In that instance, Washington’s failure worked against Moscow, but the broader recognition that American power has limits should be regarded as a positive development.
Taken together, these lessons show that the West is becoming more diverse and internally divided, so its remaining unity must increasingly be maintained by political pressure and institutional inertia.
Russia must therefore develop a more sophisticated and flexible policy towards Western countries, exploiting their growing differences rather than continuing to treat them as a single bloc.
Finally, Anchorage offered a revealing model of modern diplomacy, in which personalities increasingly matter more than institutions, and character more than principles.
There are no longer any “magic” agreements and a gentleman’s agreement lasts only until another gentleman arrives with different priorities.
READ MORE: Why the Alaska understandings no longer matter
What retains value is composure and reliance on one’s own capabilities, combined with a sober assessment of their limits.
Russia’s mistake before Anchorage was to imagine Trump as an external force capable of fundamentally changing the situation, but he didn’t play that role, nor could he have done so.
That disappointment returned everyone to the reality of the conflict in that no outside power can impose its resolution.
During the year since Alaska, the Russian-Western European military confrontation has acquired a clearer direction and an internal logic of its own and it’s within that logic that Russia must seek a way to end the present war and prevent the next one, without waiting for magical solutions or grand bargains imposed from abroad.
https://www.rt.com/news/644555-iran-cyber-attack-uk-power/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/644565-ukrainian-nazism-russophobic-poland-putin/
https://www.rt.com/russia/644551-ukraine-eu-corruption-zelzensky/
https://www.rt.com/russia/644490-ukraine-defenseless-russia-advances/
https://www.rt.com/news/644548-ukraine-refugees-denmark-eu/
If they aren't already planning on it, I'd like to see NASA themselves hold a new event or conference or whatever on this so everyone is finally on the same page, .
Russia and Ukraine war efforts
Ukraine’s drones hit two Russian fighters and a spy drone—and blinded radars from occupied Crimea to Rostov
23/08/2026
The aircraft sat at Vityazevo, a Black Sea airfield the jets had fled to after strikes made occupied Crimea too dangerous to park in.
Ukraine's drones hit three Russian aircraft and eleven air-defense targets in one day, its Unmanned Systems Forces reported on 23 August. The strikes reached from occupied Crimea to airbases hundreds of kilometers inside Russia.
They pushed the force's August count of struck Russian air-defense assets to 20, the latest run in a Ukrainian campaign against Russia's radars and launchers that has not paused for months.
Russia leans on a layered net of radars and mobile launchers to keep Ukrainian drones and missiles away from its airfields, fuel plants, and occupied land, so every set burned off that net widens the corridors its long-range weapons fly through.
With its S-400 battery caught in the open again and jets chased off Crimea still within reach, Russia has shrinking safe ground for the aircraft and air defenses covering its south — a squeeze already visible when Ukraine caught a fighter and its protecting launcher on the same airfield weeks earlier.
A one-day sweep of 14 targets
The Unmanned Systems Forces (SBS) commander, Robert Brovdi, callsign Madyar, put the 23 August haul at 14 targets.
They included two fighter jets, a strike-reconnaissance drone, eight radar systems, a Tor and a Pantsir short-range launcher, and a position of an S-400 — a Russian long-range air-defense system.
Eleven of the 14 fell in Rostov Oblast and Krasnodar Krai in southern Russia. The other three were in occupied Crimea.
Jets that fled Crimea, caught on the mainland
The three aircraft were struck at Vityazevo, a Krasnodar Krai airfield about 300 km from the front line, the 1st Separate Center of the Unmanned Systems Forces said. Militarnyi assessed that the jet SBS called a Su-33 was likely a two-seat Su-30SM, judging by its cockpit hump.
Russia flies the Su-30 from its southern bases to attack Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts, to hunt Ukrainian sea drones, and to patrol occupied territory. The struck jet likely belonged to a naval aviation regiment pushed off Crimea by repeated Ukrainian strikes on the peninsula.
Based on the SBS footage, Militarnyi says one drone could not hit the fighter cleanly. It exploded beside the aircraft and set off a fire that Russian crews tried to put out — a near miss, but enough to sideline the jet for a long stretch.
A second drone then found the MiG-29 fighter jet and scored a direct hit, starting a large fire. A third caught the Orion, a strike-reconnaissance drone Russia uses to launch small cruise missiles and to track Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea.
Radars, launchers, and an S-400 on the coast
The air-defense targets ran across three regions. In occupied Crimea, crews hit a Nebo-U long-range radar at Sevastopol, the ST-68 at Yevpatoria some 30 km from the front, and a 36D6M at Uiutne.
In Rostov Oblast and Krasnodar Krai they knocked out more radars, including two Kasta-2E2 sets and two Podlyot radars, plus the Tor at Pudovy and the Pantsir at Yeysk.
The 413th Reid regiment of the SBS reported hitting the S-400 position near Gelendzhik on the Krasnodar coast — the same stretch where drone crews have caught the system out in the open before.
An August of hunting Russia's air shield
A battlefield video counter run by the force reached 20 Russian air-defense assets struck through August. The month's work extended a campaign that has steadily burned through the sensors and launchers guarding Russian airfields and occupied territory.
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/08/23/ukraines-drones-hit-two-russian-fighters-and-a-spy-drone-and-blinded-radars-from-occupied-crimea-to-rostov/
the rest
other Russia and https://www.eadaily.com/en/news/2026/08/23/which-regions-of-russia-were-under-mass-drone-attack-at-night-ministry-of-defenseUkraine
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/23/ozon-warehouse-in-orenburg-region-hit-in-drone-attack-governor-says-a93561
https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16073459/Ukraine-strikes-Russia-ambassador-leaves-Britain.html
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/08/23/zelenskyy-awarded-vikings-star-ballistic-missile-ceo-took-stage-and-strike-drone-got-signed-with-messages-to-russians-ukraines-major-united24-platform-turns-four/
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/82951
Israel war efforts
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-08-23/live-updates-906274
the rest
https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-told-to-act-forcefully-against-gaza-kites-one-reported-killed-in-israeli-airstrike/
https://vinnews.com/2026/08/23/idf-strikes-hamas-weapons-production-site-in-central-gaza-eliminates-commander/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-906348
https://www.gbnews.com/news/world/settler-attacks-christian-village-west-bank
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/report-14-year-old-shot-dead-by-idf-in-northern-west-bank/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-arrests-4-palestinian-terror-suspects-in-ramallah-area-including-2-affiliated-with-isis/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/mossad-chief-meets-syrian-fm-in-effort-to-defuse-tensions-after-idfs-airbase-strike-report/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-man-injured-in-west-bank-stabbing-attack-idf-launches-manhunt-for-terror-suspect/
Live Updates: Israel strikes in Gaza's Khan Yunis, IDF kills terrorist who attempted to steal weapon in West Bank
August 23, 2026
IDF launches manhunt in pursuit of terrorist following Jericho stabbing attack • Rezaee: Iran made billions of dollars amid US blockade • Pakistan army chief to visit Tehran
August 23, 7:53 PM
Israel warns Hamas of intensified strikes over Gaza drone, balloon launches
Israel warned Hamas it would intensify strikes in Gaza and order civilians to evacuate areas if the launching of drones, balloons, and kites from the Gaza Strip toward Israel does not stop immediately, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Sunday.
August 23, 7:14 PM
IDF kills Hamas commander, attacks weapons production site near aid center in Gaza strikes
The IDF also referred to Hamas's actions as systematically violating the ceasefire, while attempting to restore its military capabilities.
The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) killed the terrorist Ismail Abu Pul, commander of a weapons production site at Hamas's production headquarters, who took part in producing charges and anti-tank missiles for the terror organization in a strike on the Al-Maghazi area in Gaza, the military announced on Sunday.
In addition, the same production site, which was established near an aid distribution point for an international organization, was attacked, the military said, calling it an example of Hamas's systematic use of civilian infrastructure for the purpose of promoting and executing terrorist plots against IDF forces operating in the Yellow Line area and Israeli citizens.
The IDF also referred to Hamas's actions as systematically violating the ceasefire, while attempting to restore its military capabilities.
August 23, 7:13 PM
Mossad head Gofman, Syrian FM met in an effort to lower tensions between Jerusalem, Damascus
The meeting came after comments from al-Shaibani to Reuters on Saturday, in which he urged Israel to seize a "historic opportunity" for diplomacy.
A meeting held on Sunday between Israeli and Syrian officials "went well" amid ongoing efforts to lower tensions between the two countries, a source familiar with the meeting told The Jerusalem Post.
Those in attendance included Mossad chief Roman Gofman and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, according to N12 News.
The meeting came after comments from al-Shaibani to Reuters on Saturday, in which he urged Israel to seize a "historic opportunity" for diplomacy.
August 23, 7:11 PM
Dudevan fighters arrest four wanted suspects in Binyamin Brigade area
Over the past weekend, fighters from the Duvdevan Unit arrested four suspects in connection with terrorist activities across the Binyamin Brigade area, including two terrorists affiliated with ISIS and another associated with Hamas, the IDF announced on Sunday.
Additionally, the forces located and confiscated three M16 rifles.
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August 23, 5:18 PM
Terrorist killed while trying to steal weapon from IDF soldier near Rimonim Junction
A terrorist was killed after attempting to steal a weapon from an IDF soldier near Rimonim Junction in the West Bank, east of Ramallah, on Sunday.
According to the military, the soldier fired at the terrorist, killing him.
Additional IDF troops were dispatched to the scene after the incident.
August 23, 4:22 PM
Iranian president calls MoU best path forward - report
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described the Memorandum of Understanding signed in June as the best way for Iran to move past what he described as "neither war nor peace," in a speech published by state media, CBS reported on Sunday.
"There is not a single provision in this agreement that amounts to capitulation. The supreme leader sets the policies, and we will follow that path," CBS cited Pezeshkian as saying.
August 23, 4:13 PM
Israeli strikes kill two, including 4-year-old boy, Hamas health ministry says - report
Two Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Sunday killed at least two people, including a 4-year-old boy, and wounded seven others, Hamas health officials said.
Hamas officials said flying debris and shrapnel that spread for dozens of meters around had wounded at least six people, including the 4-year-old, Mohammad Abdel-Salam Taha, who was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
The second airstrike took place in the nearby Nuseirat refugee camp, the Hamas health officials said.
August 23, 3:53 PM
Five arrested in connection with attacks on civilians in Sa'ir, off-duty female soldiers
The IDF arrested three terrorists for their involvement in an attack on a group of Israeli civilians who were hiking near the village of Sa'ir on Friday, Gush Etzion Municipality announced on Sunday. This is in addition to the arrest of three others who were arrested on Friday night in connection with the attack.
In a separate operation on Saturday night, two were arrested on suspicion of involvement in an attack on off-duty female soldiers who were hiking in Rashayda last Thursday.
August 23, 3:33 PM
Some 10 kites launched from Gaza into Israel in recent days, military source says - report
In recent days, 10 kites, some with long cables, were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel, KAN News reported on Sunday, citing a military source. The IDF emphasized that no explosives were attached to any of the kites but that it is taking into account the possibility that Hamas is using them to test the area's defenses.
The IDF said it would examine the incident thoroughly.
August 23, 11:57 AM
One wounded in stabbing attack near Jericho, IDF launches manhunt in pursuit of terrorist
"My brother was [standing] outside the car, while his wife and children were inside," Shlomo Hanaya, the brother of the victim, told KAN Reshet Bet. "It's a great miracle."
One person was wounded in a terror stabbing attack in the area of Al-Auja, a Palestinian village located on Route 90 near Jericho, the IDF said on Sunday morning.
According to Israeli media, the 24-year-old is an ultra-Orthodox (haredi) Jew from Betar Illit.
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Sudanese army downs RSF drone
August 23, 2026
The Sudanese Army claimed on Sunday that its Air Force intercepted and destroyed a drone belonging to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Blue Nile State after it crossed the border from Ethiopia.
"We shot down a hostile strategic drone in Blue Nile State that crossed the border from Ethiopia this morning," the military added.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF have been engaging in a civil war for control of Sudan since April 2023 in one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history.
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Sudanese-army-downs-RSF-drone/66969430
Metals recovered by Russia from alleged UFO appear not to be from Earth: Coulthart
Updated: Aug 23, 2026 / 07:59 AM CDT
Some metals from an alleged UFO recovered by Russia in Estonia were determined not to be of Earthly origin.
NewsNation special correspondent Ross Coulthart told “NewsNation Prime” the discovery by Russian scientists showed the metals were “not normal isotopic ratios that you would expect for similar metals that were found on this planet.”
The development follows Coulthart’s latest podcast, “Secret Soviet UFO,” which details a story from the 1960s where a suburban couple was doing routine work on their home when a worker digging a well struck a hard metallic object.
“The reality is the Soviet Union had its fair share of anomalous events and this is one of the most celebrated ones,” Coulthart said after visiting the site. “It’s been the subject of speculation in Estonia for many years, both before and after the fall of the Iron Curtain.”
KGB had files about the alleged UFO event: Coulthart
Coulthart noted the event was recorded in both KGB files and files of the former Overseas Intelligence Service, the KGB and now the FSB.
“We also know from multiple witnesses who were on the ground at the time that there was a massive investigation where the Soviet military came in, the whole house garden was dug up, there was a tunnel dug to the object, whatever it was, and there were reports — multiple reports — of people including a worker that tried to hit the object with a pickaxe,” he added.
“He was hit in the chest by some kind of propulsive force.
We don’t know what that force was, but as a result of that incident and weird anomalous things that happened in and around the house that were witnessed and recorded again by multiple witnesses, the entire tunnel system was closed up and as best as we know, the object has never been recovered,” Coulthart said.
Metals discovered supposedly caused weird events: Coulthart
The object — now dubbed “Object M” — appeared to cause “weird phenomena” around the house, with multiple events recorded by multiple witnesses. Coulthart noted Russian files were discovered that exemplified diagrams of Object M under the ground.
“There were ground-penetrating radar tests done by scientists intriguingly at the very beginning of the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s; there was even a Japanese team that went and did their own ground-penetrating radar survey and they confirmed that there was indeed an anomalous metallic object about 30 metres, 30 feet under the house.”
Coulthart believes the discovery led to one of the biggest UFO investigations of all time.
“The Soviets in the era of the Cold War dedicated an investigation to over 10,000 UFO cases, and what they found proved beyond any shadow of a doubt that Russia was very, very interested in UFOs,” he acknowledged.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/metals-recovered-russia-alleged-ufo-ross-coulthart/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ6HZ0Y671Y
moar NewsNation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bQmsJZ8bJo (Give us the authorization': David Grusch's direct message to Trump | Reality Check)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjP0ZaIqeG8 (Meagan Medick: UFO VIDEO: What could this ORB really be?)
EXCLUSIVE: Navy Seal Robert O'Neill: UFO Videos are Really US Tech Designed for 1 World Government
Aug 23, 2026 1:00 PM
Former Navy SEAL Robert O’Neill joins Vlad to weigh in on newly released government UFO and UAP videos, arguing the mysterious aircraft are more likely advanced U.S. military technology than aliens.
Drawing on his special operations experience, O’Neill says America may be testing classified systems—possibly unmanned drones or next-generation aircraft—against its own pilots to study real-world reactions.
He also questions why UFO footage remains grainy in an age of 4K cameras, connecting the issue to modern deepfakes, alien invasion narratives, and claims about a potential “one world government.”
The conversation also touches on Neil deGrasse Tyson’s skepticism of alien cover-ups, alleged crashes in New Mexico, Epstein jail camera questions, and conspiracy theories surrounding Osama bin Laden’s death.
O’Neill explains how counterintelligence, paid sources, false details, contracts, and money can shape what the public believes about national security secrets.
https://www.vladtv.com/article/315828/navy-seal-robert-oneill-ufo-videos-are-really-us-tech-designed-for-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB4hnUmVMUk
https://thechive.com/humanity/animals/these-animals-are-aliens/
These “Animals” Are 100% Aliens
Aug 20, 2026
An 8-legged creature that can survive basically anything (even the vacuum of space) and is said to be on the moon.
Alien? You might think so.
I’m actually talking about the tardigrade, also known as the water bear.
I prefer to call it the prequel to Alien vs. Predator cuz these things are so damn weird.
What Even Are Tardigrades?
So, tardigrades are classified as microscopic animals that measure less than a millimeter long. By all accounts, we will never be able to see one.
They’re nicknamed water bears because of how they look. Although I would probably say they look more like dangerous rolly pollies.
They have:
– Eight legs
– Claws
– A tube-like mouth
– A wrinkled, armored body
Don’t worry, it’s not like these things live in your pillow or anything like that. They live at the top of mountains, at the bottom of the sea, in tropical rainforests, and even in the Antarctic.
Any extreme environment you can think of, they consider it a Bear Grylls-like challenge.
How Did These Things Evolve?
To make things simple, we have no f*cking clue.
Since these things are so small, they barely leave any fossil record. Because of that, it’s pretty impossible to construct an evolutionary timeline for the creature.
What we do know is that it belongs to a group of animals called “Ecdysozoans.”
That is a large classification that includes spiders, insects, crustaceans, and nematodes.
Which makes sense, I guess. Only weird sh*t like insects could even think about existing like the tardigrade.
Also, it’s said that these critters have a lineage that goes back 500 million years.
Which would make it among the oldest things on this Earth. Older than trees and many plants, btw.
These Things Are Mini Tanks
One of the defining characteristics of the tardigrade is how resilient it is.
But why would it evolve in such a way? What evolutionary benefit do you get from being able to survive anywhere in the world AND space?
Well, it starts with where they prefer to live. In moss, lichens, and thin films of water that regularly dry out.
If you’re a creature that lives in the water, it would be pretty stupid to live in places where water regularly becomes… not a thing.
So, tardigrades evolved what’s known as cryptobiosis. The close relative to what crypto bros suffer when they LARP on X all day. Heh. Pat on the back there.
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Essentially, this means that the tardigrade becomes a dehydrated ball known as a Tun. Tun-tun-tun sahur!
It’s like if hibernation met the raisin-making process.
Everything pauses for the tardigrade – reproduction, growth, and any metabolic function.
Tardigrade jerky. Mmmm…
So, What Do You Mean They Can Survive Space?
Well, exactly that. But it is a bit complicated.
If you’re a well-read person on completely random facts that have no impact on your life, you may have heard of tardigrades living on the moon.
Let’s take a step back for a second.
In 2007, a European Space Agency mission took some tardigrades along with them. Science, bitch.
For the sake of experimentation, some tardigrades were directly exposed to the vacuum of space and solar radiation. A bunch of them survived.
Not only that, some even continued to reproduce afterward.
Okay, so about the whole living-on-the-moon thing.
In 2019, humanity once again sent some tardigrades into space. This time, on a 2019 Israeli spacecraft called Beresheet.
This particular spacecraft crashed into the moon.
The thing about these tardigrades was that, unlike the 2007 mission, these ones were in cryptobiosis. Dehydrated jerky.
So, they’re not really LIVING on the moon, per se.
They’re just… there. Little dry tardigrade pebbles sitting there, suspended in time.
Tardigrades can survive super extreme conditions, but even the moon is too much for them.
It has no breathable atmosphere, no liquid water, and extreme radiation.
If they were alive and kicking up there, it would be super interesting to see how they adapt and evolve.
Would we see a civilization of tardigrades up there?
What Makes Tardigrades So Resilient?
In short, they possess special proteins that help protect their DNA from damage.
That’s pretty much the extent of what we know about them. Scientists x1000 clever-er than me are studying them diligently in hopes of understanding more about how they developed this resilience.
Understanding tardigrades could lead us to new revolutions in biotechnology and modern medicine.
You’d be surprised at how we use different types of insects and sea creatures and stuff.
For example, we use crushed-up insects in lipstick. The horseshoe crab’s blue blood is used to test vaccines. Salmon semen for skin-related products.
The list goes on.
Maybe we can use tardigrades in some way?
Lemme eat one, and I’ll check back in with ya’ll.
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The notorious and cruel 1953 Mableton UFO hoax
August 23, 2026
This is an evergreen article that we periodically republish, often edited with more information as we research the topic. It was originally published last year when the public got access to the Blue Book files.
The National Archive recently provided a searchable window into lightly redacted versions of the Project Blue Book files, a record of the U.S. Air Force investigations into Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs).
The reports were assembled from March 1952 to the project’s termination on December 17, 1969, during widespread furor around UFOs.
One of the cases in the file was about a notorious and cruel hoax in Mableton (Austell in some accounts, but the incident took place within the current boundaries of the City of Mableton) carried out on July 7, 1953, when a 28-year-old Atlanta barber named Ed Watters and two friends claimed they struck an alien from a flying saucer while driving along what was then Bankhead Highway in the Leland area of Cobb County in Watters’ pickup truck.
The area is now on Veterans Memorial Highway, incorporated into Mableton.
The three young men described it this way: the flying saucer landed, and three small creatures emerged from it.
Upon seeing the approaching pickup truck, two of the creatures jumped into the saucer and flew off in a blaze of blue light, while the other creature was struck and killed by the truck.
Initially, according to a news clipping in the file (not labeled with the newspaper’s name), Watters succeeded in getting news coverage, as it was picked up by wire services and distributed across the country.
But when Dr. Herman Jones of the GBI State Crime Lab and scientists at Emory University examined the remains, they determined it was a monkey.
Dr. Marion Hines, a professor of experimental anatomy at Emory, said at the time, “If the creature came from Mars, they have monkeys on Mars.”
At that point, Watters admitted to the hoax. He had purchased a monkey, killed it, shaved it and removed its tail.
He was initially charged with animal cruelty, but the Cobb police chief dropped those charges when it was found the killing had been done in Fulton County.
Ultimately, Watters was charged under a health law that prohibited putting a dead animal on a state highway. He was charged a $40 fine.
Here is the formal Air Force report on the incident, along with the image of the report from the Blue Book:
7 July 1953 Atlanta, Georgia
Description
On the night of 7 July 1953, three observers from Atlanta were driving on Highway 78 near Mableton, Georgia (the document misspelled it “Mapleton”), when they encountered a “flying saucer” in the middle of the road.
There were three small animals near this red colored “saucer”. As the observers bore down on this object, two of the animals entered the “saucer” and escaped. As the “saucer” rose and disappeared at a 45 degree angle, it turned a light blue in color.
Observers’ car struck the third animal and knocked him unconscious. After getting out of the car and finding this animal which was approximately 21 inches in length, had long ears, no hair, and no tail, observers stayed at the scene and several other automobiles stopped.
The animal died in about 30 minutes and was taken to one of the Atlanta newspapers. A reporter for the newspaper called the FBI, who in turn called the GBI to investigate the incident.
Discussion
This animal was first examined by a local veterinarian, who stated that he had never seen such an animal before.
Later the animal was taken to Emory University where an Emory authority identified it as a member of the monkey family and not an “animal from space”.
A member of the State Crime Laboratory and another member of the Emory University staff identified the animal as a monkey which had been shaved and from which the tail had been removed.
Observers confirmed that the whole story was a hoax resulting from a $10.00 bet that he (observer) could not get his picture in the paper. Observer was fined $40.00 for obstructing the highway and was released at that time.
Conclusion:
Other: hoax.
Note: This is one of many similar reports received by Project Blue Book
As of 2008 when the NBC News story at this link ran, the remains of the monkey were still at the GBI’s state crime lab.
https://cobbcountycourier.com/2026/08/the-notorious-and-cruel-1953-mableton-ufo-hoax/
Donald Trump says 'aliens are living in our oceans' according to his inner circle
11:00, 23 Aug 2026 Updated 11:42, 23 Aug 2026
Jack - son of rock icon Ozzy - outlined how one of Trump’s inner circle is also close to him and confided the US leader’s revelations that aliens are thriving under the sea
The US President Donald Trump has claimed that aliens are living on Earth - not out in the open, but in our oceans. That is the bombshell claim from Jack Osbourne.
Jack - son of rock icon Ozz - and now a paranormal investigator TV host, outlined how one of Trump’s inner circle is also close to him and confided the White House leader’s revelations.
Trump opened up the UFO files from the Pentagon as part of his promise on his re-election.
Jack confessed: “Now with all these documents coming out from the government being like, there's something going on. I have a friend who is very close with the President.
“They speak once a week, like, clockwork; every Saturday they have a phone call. And he asked him, he's like, ‘what's the deal with all this UFO stuff?’
“And apparently, Trump said, ‘We have no idea what they are, but they're in the ocean.’ Which I think is kind of interesting.”
He added that Trump’s comments “makes sense” as “parts of the ocean have never been explored” Jack feels that visitors from out of space are connected to Earth.
“I think they're like observing us. I think Sentinel Island - that island in the Indian Ocean, which is completely isolated. No one's allowed to set foot in it, and there's people that have been living there forever, and we just kind of sit back and watch them.
I think that's a lot of what goes on. And then they will abduct you.
“Where I sit with like the paranormal stuff is like, I am like a foot in being like a believer. I kind of ride the sceptic line. So I always kind of, whenever anyone tells me a story, I'm kind of like, okay, like, interesting.
“So I don't necessarily know.”
Jack, who also is the owner of Spark.TV, a channel looking at the paranormal, opened up on the bombshell revelation discussing his own battle with believing those who have experienced abductions.
“I tried to produce a TV show back in the day that was a UFO abduction support group, and it was all these folks sat around, kept sharing their stories. Some were pretty similar: a room filled with light, and they kind of hovered it out of that window.
Some would just, like, wait, what? Like, totally out there.”
Jack also was on set for a TV show, where a man claimed he had been implanted by an alien.
“There was a documentary that came out, a documentary called Patient 17 where they did a surgery and removed an alien implant from a guy. I was there for the surgery.
“It was in his leg. It kind of looked like a kidney stone, like a large kidney stone.”
Jack feels that are “some hostile and some friendly” extraterrestrials who have interacted with Earth. He provided his insight into some humans’ ET experiences
“This one thing with abduction, I think trauma is a huge part to it. “I think some people's trauma responses, they will have these, you know, visions, hallucinations, whatever are people actually remembering when you're born, you're in a very white room with very bright lights, and these big, massive creatures with big heads are looking at you. And I think that that could be a possibility with some.”
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/donald-trump-says-aliens-living-37578195
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/donald-trump-ocean-extraterrestrial-revelation-1815701
https://www.youtube.com/@mysparktv
https://sparktv.ai/