TYB
Astronaut Christina Koch to speak at Raleigh Labor Building
Thu, August 20, 2026 at 11:18 AM PDT
North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley will welcome NASA astronaut Christina Koch to the historic Labor Building during her home-state tour celebrating the Artemis II mission.
Koch, a Jacksonville, NC native, served aboard Artemis II, NASA's first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.
Her visit will highlight her accomplishments and her commitment to inspiring the next generation of North Carolina students and workers to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Local students will participate in an interactive Q&A session with Koch. They'll get a chance to hear firsthand about her experiences as an astronaut, her career journey and the path that led her to NASA.
This event will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 26th at 10am at the Labor Building located at 4 W. Edenton St. in Raleigh.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/astronaut-christina-koch-speak-raleigh-181859045.html
https://www.c-span.org/program/news-conference/nasa-astronaut-christina-koch-speaks-to-reporters-at-north-carolina-state-university/684357
extra astronauts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbGbLMHhsQw (Lockheed Martin: Artemis II Crew Rocks Red Rocks)
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
@NASAAdmin
Big week ahead at NASA.
@POTUS is coming to Johnson Space Center to recognize the heroes of Artemis II, and America’s next great exploration asset, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, is set to launch.
Then it’s on to Artemis III and Moon Base!
9:09 AM · Aug 24, 2026
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2091920727372968439
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2091910754207244553
spacewalk tomorrow
https://x.com/NASA/status/2091917202010087934
https://x.com/astro_anil/status/2091894678987722952
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0j7as4MLHk
extra
https://x.com/NASAGoddard/status/2091903357648552146
On this day in space! Aug. 24, 2006: Pluto loses its planet status
August 24, 2026
For now, Pluto will just have to be the king of the dwarf planets. And that's pretty cool, too.
On Aug. 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) decided that Pluto wasn't a planet anymore.
Since that date, Pluto has been officially classified as a dwarf planet along with four other confirmed dwarf planets in the outskirts of the solar system.
This decision sparked outrage around the world, and the controversy is still very much alive today.
Astronomers in favor of Pluto's demotion argued that a planet by definition should have cleared its orbit around the sun. Pluto and the more distant dwarf planets fail to meet this criterion.
Why it mattered
When Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet, many astronomers and scientists weren't happy with the result.
"I'm embarrassed for astronomy," said Alan Stern, leader of NASA's New Horizon's mission to Pluto and a scientist at the Southwest Research Institute. "Less than 5 percent of the world's astronomers voted."
Stern argued that according to the IAU's new definition, many other planets in our solar system would fail to meet the same criterion. Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Neptune, for example, all share their orbits with asteroids.
But if Pluto were to keep its planetary status, many of the solar system's dwarf planets would also need to be classified as planets — and there could be hundreds in our solar system.
While astronomers continue to debate the definition of planet and the implications thereof, the public has come together multiple times to defend Pluto's title.
For now, Pluto will just have to be the king of the dwarf planets. And that's pretty cool, too.
https://www.space.com/astronomy/pluto/on-this-day-in-space-aug-24-2006-pluto-loses-its-planet-status
https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2091929643741843790
United States Space Force
@USSpaceForce
The U.S. Space Force Honor Guard marches along the racetrack before the official start of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., Aug. 23, 2026.
The U.S. Space Force Honor Guard recently updated their ceremonial service dress uniform and debuted them at yesterday's event.
5:15 AM · Aug 24, 2026
https://x.com/USSpaceForce/status/2091861889982640565
https://x.com/Norketra/status/2091873183838421357
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4580864/ussf-honor-guard-debuts-new-ceremonial-uniform-at-freedom-250-grand-prix/
blood moon lunar eclipse day
Hernandez-Baquero swears in as Department of the Air Force space acquisition and integration lead
Aug. 24, 2026
WASHINGTON (AFNS) – Dr. Erich “HB” Hernandez-Baquero was sworn in as the second Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration during a Pentagon ceremony this morning, following his confirmation to the role by the U.S. Senate, Aug. 7.
Prior to his confirmation, Hernandez-Baquero worked as the Vice President for space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at RTX following a successful Air Force career having held leadership positions at the National Reconnaissance Office.
In this new role, he becomes the service acquisition executive for space programs within the Department of the Air Force.
“Congratulations to HB on his confirmation. His unique blend of military leadership and extensive industry experience makes him the ideal leader for this critical role,” said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink.
“The space domain is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and we must rapidly field resilient, cutting-edge capabilities to stay ahead of the pacing challenge.
I am confident that under his guidance, our space acquisition enterprise will deliver the vital systems our Guardians and joint warfighters need.”
Hernandez-Baquero’s priorities in his new role will revolve around implementing and executing acquisition reforms, delivering integrated capabilities to the warfighter, and revitalizing the acquisition workforce.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4581284/hernandez-baquero-swears-in-as-department-of-the-air-force-space-acquisition-an/
SpaceX launches
Starlink Mission
August 24, 2026
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is targeting the launch of 29 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.
This will be the 37th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, SES O3B mPOWER-A, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Merah Putih 2, Galileo, Koreasat-6A, and 25 Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-10-49
Starlink Mission
August 25, 2026
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is targeting the launch of 27 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.
This will be the 24th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched USSF-62, OneWeb Launch 20, NROL-145, and 20 Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-15-22
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-starship-record-37th-booster-flight-100-falcon-9-launches
eXtra SpaceX
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/goodbye-falcon-9-spacex-planning-to-retire-workhorse-launcher-when-starship-is-up-and-running
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2091287025555214632
=Watch live: MTG-I2 set for liftoff==
24/08/2026
The next Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite (MTG-I2) is set for liftoff on flight VA270 on an Ariane 6, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
It will complete the first family of MTG satellites, which will deliver data for weather forecasting over Europe and northern Africa in unprecedented detail. The launch will be broadcast on Thursday, 27 August, on ESA WebTV.
The live coverage will start at 21:42 CEST and will also be streamed on ESA’s YouTube channel, Launch is expected at 22:10 CEST (17:10 local time).
About MTG-I2
MTG-I2 is the third satellite in the MTG constellation and will complete the mission's first family of satellites. Together the satellites will produce images for weather forecasting in Europe in unprecedented detail.
This mission provides new data products and capabilities for European weather services, especially suited to nowcasting of severe weather events.
The MTG-Imager satellites carry two instruments, a Lightning Imager and a Flexible Combined Imager. The Lightning Imager offers completely new capabilities for European meteorological satellites by continuously monitoring for lightning.
The Flexible Combined Imager, on the other hand, builds a picture of fast-evolving weather systems and can be used to issue timely weather warnings.
It is able to scan the entire surface of Earth as viewed from its geostationary position (36 000 km above the equator) in just 10 minutes and can scan Europe and North Africa every 2.5 minutes.
About Ariane 6
This will be the ninth launch of Europe’s heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6. Ariane 6 will lift off with two P120C-based solid-propellant rocket motors, launching MTG-I2 to a geostationary transfer orbit.
This will be the first mission to this destination for Ariane 6 and the farthest the rocket will have flown so far. ESA manages the Ariane 6 development programme, ensuring autonomous access to space for the benefit of European citizens.
Arianespace is the launch service provider for flight VA270.
Follow the launch live
Watch the liftoff of MTG-I2 live on ESA WebTV (all times in CEST). Note that the launch window lasts for 2.5 hours, with the first launch attempt scheduled for 22:10 CEST (17:10 local time).
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Meteorological_missions/meteosat_third_generation/Watch_live_MTG-I2_set_for_liftoff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzytcrGSqUU
extra ESA
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/Research_Fellowships_in_Space_Science_2027_applications_now_open
https://x.com/esa/status/2091867066894622856
https://x.com/Soph_astro/status/2091920313655103628
https://x.com/Soph_astro/status/2091832699019198531
Britain is ‘participating in and intensifying’ Ukraine conflict – Kremlin
24 Aug, 2026 04:30 | Updated 24 Aug, 2026 12:54
The UK has announced plans to give Ukraine classified data to allow it to produce long-range missiles domestically
Britain is directly participating in the Ukraine conflict and actively working to prolong it, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, responding to London’s announced plans to provide Kiev with classified technical information needed to assemble long-range cruise missiles domestically.
According to a Downing Street press release published on Sunday, the UK government has authorized European defense manufacturer MBDA to release classified information concerning UK-made components for SCALP, the French-produced version of Britain’s Storm Shadow.
The air-launched missiles use shared French and British technology and have a range exceeding 250 km.
The release of the information is set to be announced by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a visit to Kiev on Monday, his first international trip since taking office last month.
Responding to the announcement, Peskov said Britain is “participating in this war on the side of the Kiev regime” and is “methodically and regularly adding fuel to the fire and scheming to prevent any development of the peace settlement process.”
“Our armed forces are carrying out the relevant work and obtaining the necessary data in order to identify the production sites for such missiles and other military equipment, and are taking measures to destroy these locations,” Peskov added.
London said the decision to release the information will allow “the French and Ukrainians to move forward with the Ukrainian assembly of the missile.”
“The Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: The UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes,” Burnham said ahead of his visit to the Ukrainian capital, where he is also expected to meet with Vladimir Zelensky and chair his first meeting of the ‘coalition of the willing’, established by Britain and France under his predecessor, Keir Starmer.
Moscow has maintained that the UK and other suppliers of weapons to Kiev are directly responsible for the deep-strike campaign, which it says has frequently hit civilians.
https://www.rt.com/news/644572-uk-give-ukraine-classified-data-missiles/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/644576-steve-gill-ukraine-folly/
https://www.rt.com/russia/644585-anti-mine-laser-gun/
https://www.rt.com/russia/644582-ukraine-army-mercenaries-warning/
https://www.rt.com/news/644580-japan-ukraine-no-missiles/
Ukraine Torches Three Ozon Mega-Warehouses, Hits MiG-29, as Drone Forces Hit 66 Targets in One Night
Aug 24, 2026 12:50
Ukrainian strike drones hit three major Ozon logistics centers across southern Russia, igniting large fires at facilities with a combined warehouse area of more than 314,000 square meters, according to photos and videos published by the OSINT community Exilenova+ on August 24.
The strikes formed part of a much broader Ukrainian operation deep behind Russian lines.
Robert “Madyar” Brovdi, commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, said his units successfully engaged 66 Russian targets during the night, including a MiG-29 fighter jet, four radar systems, military facilities and vessels linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.
“Birds of the Unmanned Systems Forces successfully struck 66 enemy targets in the operational depth of the enemy rear on the night of August 24,” Brovdi said.
Among the most significant targets, according to the commander, was another Russian MiG-29 near Dolotinka in Russia’s Rostov region.
“Among the sensitive targets was another MiG-29 [Dolotinka, Rostov region, Russia] and four radar systems: two Kasta-2E2 units, a Nebo-SV radar [all in Russia’s Rostov region] and an ST-68 radar [Rozdolne, Crimea],” Brovdi said.
He also reported the destruction of a base used by Russia’s SOBR special police forces in occupied Strilkove in Ukraine’s Kherson region, as well as strikes against energy infrastructure across Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.
Two vessels associated with Russia’s shadow fleet—a tanker and a bulk carrier—were also hit in the Black Sea, Brovdi said. Eleven Russian temporary deployment points were struck across occupied parts of the Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Three Ozon logistics centers were among the most visible targets of the overnight campaign.
The largest was a warehouse complex near Tyube in Russia’s Dagestan region, covering approximately 130,000 square meters.
The site serves as a major logistics hub for northern Dagestan and lies roughly 800 to 900 kilometers from Ukraine’s state border.
A major fire erupted following the strike, with local residents reporting that the glow from the blaze could be seen from as far as 10 kilometers away.
Another Ozon logistics center was targeted in Nevinnomyssk, in Russia’s Stavropol region. The facility covers approximately 93,514 square meters.
The third site was an Ozon warehouse near Enem in Adygea, close to the border with Russia’s Krasnodar region. The complex covers about 91,200 square meters. A large fire developed at the facility after the attack.
Ozon is one of Russia’s largest online marketplaces and operates a sprawling logistics network comparable in function to major Western e-commerce platforms.
An investigation earlier found that Russian troops fighting in Ukraine had repeatedly ordered body armor, thermal-imaging equipment, radios, drone batteries, signal boosters, FPV components and payload-release systems through Ozon.
Drone-related products were ordered through Ozon particularly frequently.
Ukraine has already put seven of the ten largest logistics centers operated by Russian e-commerce company Wildberries, OZON rival, out of operation.
Wildberries facilities in Domodedovo and at the Koledino industrial park were among the sites affected. The Koledino facility, covering approximately 250,000 square meters, was the company’s largest warehouse by area.
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraine-torches-three-ozon-mega-warehouses-hits-mig-29-as-drone-forces-hit-66-targets-in-one-night-21920
https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-shifts-drone-attacks-to-russias-other-amazon-12358413
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2026/08/24/russian-government-proposes-tax-relief-for-wildberries-and-sellers-after-drone-attacks-a93564
other Russia and Ukraine
https://www.ibtimes.com.au/ai-driven-drones-modern-warfare-1874483
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/russian-drone-tears-into-residential-building-in-chernihiv-on-independence-day-wounding-20-21924
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4157084-drone-violates-moldovan-romanian-airspace-amid-russian-attack-on-ukraine.html
https://united24media.com/defense-tech/no-tanks-no-troops-ukraine-sends-its-robot-army-through-kyiv-in-world-first-drone-parade-21926
Colombia’s armed groups recruit children and train them in drone warfare, rights group says
August 24, 2026
A new Human Rights Watch report says drug gangs and rebel groups in Colombia are increasingly recruiting children for dangerous tasks, including piloting drones carrying explosives
Drug gangs and rebel groups in Colombia are increasingly recruiting children and using them to perform potentially lethal tasks that include piloting explosives-laden drones, Human Rights Watch said in a report published Monday.
The international watchdog said criminal organizations in the South American country often use social media to recruit children as they try to assert control over rural areas where they profit from the drug trade, extortion and illegal mining.
“Armed groups in Colombia are recruiting children with impunity,” said Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “Protection systems are failing, and social media platforms have become a more effective recruiting ground."
Child recruitment is on the rise again
According to Colombia’s Human Rights Defenders' Office, at least 1,500 children have been recruited by armed groups since 2021, with 625 cases reported in 2024.
In 1999, during the peak of the conflict between Colombia’s military and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, an estimated 1,320 children were recruited into the fighting, according to a report by a national truth commission.
A 2016 peace deal between Colombia’s government and the FARC rebels reduced violence in many parts of the country and slowed the recruitment of children by armed groups.
But child recruitment is picking up again as smaller rebel groups and other criminal organizations fight over control of rural areas abandoned by FARC guerrillas following the peace deal, where law enforcement and social services continue to be weak.
In Colombia, rebel groups have long used children to perform tasks that include serving as messengers, gathering intelligence, cooking or engaging with the enemy — while girls are sometimes forced into sexual acts with commanders.
The Human Rights Watch report says children are now also being trained in drone warfare, as rebel groups increasingly use drones outfitted with explosives to strike at rival groups or launch attacks on police and army bases.
Human Rights Watch verified videos published on social media that show children using explosives-laden drones, and interviewed family protection officers who work with children who have escaped from armed groups or have been allowed to demobilize.
“Released children who report having operated drones say that armed groups describe the activity as a game rather than as participation in armed fighting,” the report said.
Colombia’s Human Rights Defenders’ office said in a separate report published Monday that armed groups conducted 121 attacks with drones in the first five months of this year, in which 21 people were killed and 145 were injured.
Social media accounts ‘glorify’ life with rebels
Human Rights Watch identified dozens of social media accounts that “glorify” life in rebel groups, echoing a concern previously voiced by the United Nations.
The watchdog group said in some cases, the algorithms of platforms like Meta and TikTok “appear to have actively promoted” such content that encourages children to join rebel groups.
Meta and TikTok replied to Human Rights Watch saying they prohibit content that promotes violence, and that they had taken down accounts flagged by the organization.
Human Rights Watch also said a FARC holdout group led by a commander known as Ivan Mordisco is involved in most cases of child recruitment and is recruiting heavily in Colombia's Cauca region.
Nearly half of all recruiting cases reported by Colombian authorities since 2021 involved Indigenous children, according to data analysis by Human Rights Watch, despite Indigenous people making up just 4% of the population.
The watchdog group also said girls made up 40% of all recruited children.
Human Rights Watch called on the Colombian government to devote more resources to prosecuting members of armed groups who recruit children, while stepping up efforts to prevent recruitment in rural areas.
There was no immediate government response to the report. The organization also called on social media platforms to establish channels where users can easily report content that’s related to the recruitment of children, and preserve evidence that can be made available to prosecutors.
https://www.oskaloosa.com/news/national_news/colombia-s-armed-groups-recruit-children-and-train-them-in-drone-warfare-rights-group-says/article_422bb1a2-c5f5-5019-87e0-aa5336bdc612.html
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-08-24/live-updates-906375
other Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-huddles-with-senior-officials-on-west-bank-security-challenges/
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-906427
https://vinnews.com/2026/08/24/idf-chief-of-staff-praises-air-force-special-units-for-unprecedented-operations/
https://www.news9live.com/world/mossad-chief-meets-syrian-fm-in-jordan-to-defuse-tensions-after-israel-airstrike-3002003
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/palestinian-territories/artc-idf-destroys-8-miles-of-gaza-tunnels-where-body-of-hadar-goldin-was-held
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-it-destroyed-2-hamas-weapons-depots-located-inside-gaza-mosques/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/four-people-including-two-children-said-killed-in-idf-strikes-in-gaza/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/wreckage-found-of-altalena-arms-ship-sunk-in-1948-power-tussle-ministers-announce/
Live Updates: Netanyahu says Iran tried to kill his son, US launches new sanctions program against Islamic regime
August 24, 2026
Netanyahu discusses West Bank violence with security officials • Iran offers $10m. reward to kill Trump’s son • Israeli officials divided over claim that Iran smuggled weapons to Hezbollah
August 24, 9:51 PM
'Iran tried to assassinate one of my sons,' Netanyahu reveals
Netanyahu was speaking on a phone call with Channel 14's military correspondent, Noam Amir, when he stated that the Islamic regime tried to assassinate one of his sons.
Iran tried to assassinate the son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the PM said during a phone call with Channel 14's military correspondent Noam Amir, broadcast on Monday.
"This is an unbelievable case. Iran targeted one of my sons. Iran tried to murder him, tried to murder one of my sons," the PM stated.
"Is this part of the intelligence provided to you?" Amir asked.
"Iran tried to murder one of my sons. And this is why this promise [I am making] is more than a luxury - without it, they could succeed [in killing my son.] People need to show some restraint, especially during an election campaign," Netanyahu replied.
August 24, 7:21 PM
Netanyahu meets with senior security officials to discuss West Bank violence, Israeli settlement
The West Bank has been the site of several violent outbreaks in recent weeks at several flashpoints, including Kusra and Gilad Farm near Nablus, as well as Yatta and Sa'ir near Hebron.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a situational assessment in the West Bank on Monday, following recent outbreaks of violence in the area.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra, Central Command head Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth, Military Intelligence Chief, Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder, IDF Operations Division head, Brig.-Gen. A, Judea and Samaria Division commander, Brig.-Gen. Kobi Heller, and other senior officials attended.
The meeting covered a general assessment of security threats in the region, with a particular focus on terror, as well as the "dramatic increase" in Israeli settlement in the West Bank, Katz said afterward. He also praised the IDF soldiers and other service members who enforce Israel's policies in Judea and Samaria, "including the order we gave to evacuate refugee camps in northern Samaria and destroy terror infrastructure there."
1/3
August 24, 7:20 PM
Saudi vessel attacked in Red Sea, national shipping company confirms following Houthi claims
The Houthis have carried out attacks on Saudi oil facilities and shipping in the Red Sea in recent weeks, and they claimed to have targeted Saudi oil giant Aramco facilities in Yanbu in July.
The Saudi Amzan ship was attacked in the Red Sea on Monday, Saudi Arabia's national shipping company Bahri confirmed in a statement, noting that all crew members were safe and no injuries had been reported.
The confirmation comes following claims by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis earlier on Monday that they attacked a vessel off Saudi Arabia’s port city of Yanbu, in comments by the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree in a televised speech.
Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile 63 nautical miles west of Yanbu.
The UKMTO said all crew were safe and accounted for with no reported environmental impact.
August 24, 7:19 PM
'This is Beirut': Lebanese ready for peace with Israel, drinks in Tel Aviv, analyst tells 'Post'
Contrary to public statements, Selena Ryan told the Post she has received many messages from Shia Muslims, in addition to messages from other sects, in Lebanon expressing desire for peace.
“A lot of Lebanese people tell me all the time that they want to visit Israel and that we’re welcome there,” independent journalist and political analyst Selena Ryan told The Jerusalem Post on Monday, a day after her latest collaboration with This Is Beirut went viral.
Ryan, who is serving in the IDF and describes her political outlook as right-wing, invited Lebanese civilians to join Israelis for beers in Tel Aviv and arak, an anise-flavored alcoholic drink popular across the Levant, in Jaffa in a video that has amassed tens of thousands of views on X/Twitter alone.
The video notably featured Deputy Mayor Guy Avner, who said it was “only a matter of time before peace comes between the people of Israel and the people of Lebanon.
“Come to Tel Aviv, have a beer, enjoy the nightlife, enjoy the sea, enjoy the weather…We’re going to be happy to host you,” Avner said.
August 24, 7:16 PM
Kite launched from Gaza found in Nahal Oz, in seventh security breach in less than a month
"Hamas is testing the limits of a containment that should have ended after October 7," said the Gaza border communities about the incident.
Another kite, presumably launched from Gaza, was found on Monday stuck in a tree near Nahal Oz, one of the Gaza border communities.
"The Prime Minister on probation, another kite in Nahal Oz. We expect an immediate IDF response to the kite terrorism. Hamas is testing the limits of a containment that should have ended after October 7," said the Gaza border communities forum.
According to Uri Epstein, head of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, "the additional kite discovered in Nahal Oz reinforces the understanding that this is not a one-time incident."
"While Hamas is regaining its composure, Israel is returning to a policy of containment and reactivity instead of initiative," he warned.
August 24, 7:15 PM
IDF's pre-Oct. 7 containment 'conceptzia' mentality still ingrained, October Council warns
The October Council emphasized that many IDF soldiers still fear raising these dangers with their commander, as they did before October 7, 2023, worried they might be seen as a "nuisance."
The IDF's pre-October 7 conceptzia (military mentality of containment) is still prevalent across the military, the October Council warned in a report released on Monday.
The group, which represents hundreds of families affected by the October 7 massacre, argued that the conceptzia has rather "changed shape" since the attacks rather than disappearing.
"Before October 7, Israel’s policy relied heavily on the assumption that Hamas was deterred and that the threat could be managed through force, deterrence, easing measures, and quiet," the report, titled "Strategic Warning: Default 2026," read.
"Today… the threat is once again being managed through agreements, the Yellow Line, future demilitarization, international forces, and diplomatic mechanisms that have yet to prove they can actually dismantle it," it added.
2/3
August 24, 7:15 PM
Trump: Iran 'completely collapsing' as Treasury Sec. warns of 'economic D-Day' for regime
Trump's post came as the US Treasury is expected to broaden the scope of secondary sanctions it can impose on entities and countries that maintain business ties with Iran.
US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran is completely collapsing in a post on Truth Social on Monday.
The post came as the US Treasury is expected to broaden the scope of secondary sanctions it can impose on entities and countries that maintain business ties with Iran, as the Trump administration seeks to increase economic pressure on Tehran, a source familiar with the plans told Reuters.
The action is aimed at giving a final warning to countries to sever their business ties with Iran in an effort to force an end to the nearly six-month conflict that has bottled up the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf energy exports, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
The source said that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also intended to provide a broader overview of an economic pressure campaign against Iran that he and Trump have described as an "economic D-Day," and would make it clear to countries that they must side with the US or risk having key companies and entities cut off from the dollar-based financial system.
August 24, 2:57 PM
Israel strikes laying groundwork for broad military campaign, Lebanese officials believe - report
According to the report, the IDF has focused its strikes on strategic ridgelines overlooking villages and towns in the area, as well as on a transportation route leading deeper into Lebanon.
Lebanese security officials believe that the extensive Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon in recent days are not merely localized operations but are intended to lay the groundwork for a broader military campaign, Asharq al-Awsat reported on Monday.
According to the report, the IDF has focused its strikes on strategic ridgelines overlooking villages and towns in the area, as well as on a transportation route leading deeper into Lebanese territory. The reported aim is to isolate key areas and prevent the movement of personnel between them.
Sources in Beirut said that strikes on homes, infrastructure, and roads in these areas were intended to create a buffer zone and separate Hezbollah strongholds from their surroundings, as part of preparations for the possibility that the fighting could expand.
August 24, 2:44 PM
China's Xi discusses Palestine in meeting with Jordan's King
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said the Palestinian issue "lies at the core of the Middle East issue" in a meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah in Beijing.
Xi called for a political solution, the resumption of peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel and for the "realization of Palestine's early establishment as an independent state," according to an official summary of the meeting broadcast on Chinese state radio.
August 24, 1:09 PM
Iran weapons smuggling to Hezbollah sparks Israeli debate over IDF strategy, Netanyahu motives
FollowControversy is growing about the extent to which Iran is smuggling weapons to Hezbollah through Syria, with defense sources, probably connected to Defense Minister Israel Katz, leaking that the issue is heating up, while the IDF has said that there is no major change taking place.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that a report by Channel 12 based on the anonymous defense sources did not come from them, but advocated that it correctly sized up the increasingly problematic situation.
Following Ahmad al-Sharaa taking power in Syria in December 2024, he cracked down on smuggling weapons through his territory to Hezbollah, given that he is Sunni and had been fighting Hezbollah for around a decade. ing Ahmad al-Sharaa taking power in Syria in December 2024, he cracked down on smuggling weapons through his territory to Hezbollah.
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UK flights to Spain forced to divert due to unidentified drone spotted close to airport runway
03:20 EDT, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 05:29 EDT, 24 August 2026
Flights from the UK and Ireland to Spain were forced to divert on Sunday night after a drone was spotted near an airport runway.
The drone was spotted near runway 12 at Malaga Airport at around 9pm, prompting incoming flights from cities including London, Birmingham, Bristol and Cork to divert to nearby airports, primarily Seville.
Several flight crews reported seeing the aircraft as they prepared to land, according to an account released by air traffic controllers.
Incoming traffic was initially placed on hold, and after 30 minutes without any landings, the first flights were diverted to alternative airports.
Spain's state air navigation manager Enaire issued a warning saying: 'The sighting of a drone approaching Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport requires a temporary suspension of operations for safety.'
The disruption lasted for over 50 minutes, with no arrivals and further diversions.
The incident was also recorded on the Eurocontrol Operations Portal with a 'rate' of zero, indicating that no landings could be assigned.
The procedure for these incidents is to suspend operations and notify the State Security Forces.
Airport operator Aena said the Civil Guard had ruled out any security risks at Malaga Airport by 9.35pm, allowing operations to gradually return to normal.
Air traffic controllers, however, reported that landings had been suspended for more than 50 minutes because of safety concerns.
Eight flights in total had to be diverted, seven to Seville and one to Alicante.
The incident follows several drone sightings at European airports in the past few months.
On August 5, an explosive-laden drone was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport in Germany.
The airport in eastern Germany plays a key role in the transport of military goods, including by the German military and Nato allies, and also serves as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines.
The country's top security official warned that the incident signals a 'new quality of danger', intensifying concerns over potential new Russian hybrid tactics across Europe.
Both runways at the major freight hub were closed and several flights, including one passenger plane, were diverted to other airports after a flying object was sighted nearby shortly before midnight.
An anti-explosives robot was deployed to check an object near the south runway.
Video footage from a local news agency showed the bomb disposal robot near an Antonov plane painted with the Ukrainian colours yellow and blue and with the words 'Be Brave Like Kherson' written on the side, a reference to a Ukrainian region battered by Russian strikes.
In May, Munich Airport halted all flights after a possible drone sighting, just one day after a Russian drone hit an apartment block in Romania.
https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16075081/UK-flights-Spain-divert-drone-spotted-airport-runway.html
https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16036413/lemuria-lost-continent-indian-ocean-mauritia.html
Mysterious 'lost continent' linked to alien beings may have finally been located
08:06 EDT, 23 August 2026 | Updated: 08:06 EDT, 23 August 2026
Interest in a mysterious 'lost continent' where believers claim an advanced civilization once existed has been rekindled after claims its true location has been discovered.
Known as Lemuria, the hypothetical continent was proposed in the 19th century to explain why similar lemur fossils had been discovered in India and Madagascar, despite the countries being separated by the Indian Ocean.
Believers now claim that Lemuria, and perhaps the ruins of an ancient pre-human civilization, may lie beneath the ocean.
Scientists are working to establish the boundaries of a genuine sunken landmass in the region, although no evidence links it to Lemuria or an advanced civilization.
The lost continent has become associated with bizarre theories involving 'starseeds' who supposedly carry alien DNA, egg-laying humanoids and even a prehistoric nuclear war.
Some believers have seized upon research into the ancient subcontinent of Mauritia, remnants of which lie beneath the Indian Ocean, as proof that the Lemuria legend was true.
However, Mauritia was a geological landmass left behind when an ancient supercontinent broke apart, not evidence of an advanced or pre-human society.
No ruins, artifacts or remains have been uncovered showing that an intelligent civilization ever lived there.
Instead, the link between Mauritia and Lemuria rests on believers connecting a genuine geological discovery to a legend that has evolved dramatically over more than 160 years.
Lemuria was first proposed in 1864 by British zoologist and biogeographer Philip Sclater.
He was attempting to explain why fossils of lemurs had been discovered in Madagascar and India but not in Africa, despite the continent lying much closer to Madagascar.
Doubting that the animals could have crossed the Indian Ocean, Sclater proposed that a land bridge had once connected the two regions before sinking beneath the waves.
He called this hypothetical continent Lemuria after the animals whose distribution inspired the theory.
Sclater wrote: 'In Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands we have existing relics of this great continent, for which… I should propose the name Lemuria!'
The idea became popular but eventually fell out of scientific favor after continental drift explained that India and Madagascar had once formed part of the same landmass.
Lemuria was no longer needed to solve the fossil mystery, but it survived outside mainstream science and became increasingly entangled with occult beliefs and conspiracy theories.
Nigel Watson, author of Portraits of Alien Encounters Revisited, explained that the lost continent gradually became associated with extraordinary stories about humanity's origins.
Much of that transformation was linked to 19th-century spiritualist Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, a former circus horse rider who founded the occult movement Theosophy.
Her 1888 book The Secret Doctrine proposed seven 'root races' of humanity, including invisible astral beings, bodiless Hyperboreans and Lemurians portrayed as egg-laying creatures.
Blavatsky claimed the discovery of sex led to Lemuria's destruction and that the continent sank beneath the ocean, leaving only Australia and Easter Island behind.
Her account was spiritual speculation, not a conclusion supported by archaeology or geology, but it helped turn Lemuria from a discarded scientific hypothesis into the supposed home of a forgotten people.
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The legend later became attached to Mount Shasta in Northern California, where believers claimed Lemurian survivors had established an underground city called Telos.
According to the local mythology, the continent was destroyed by catastrophic earthquakes, but some of its inhabitants escaped and continued living beneath the mountain.
Visitors have claimed to see seven-foot-tall Lemurians dressed in flowing robes near the peak, although no physical evidence has established that the underground city or its alleged residents exist.
The story grew stranger after Lemuria became mixed with the writings of British author James Churchward.
Churchward claimed another lost continent, Mu, held a technologically advanced civilization that flourished 50,000 years ago.
He said ancient tablets revealed that Mu gave rise to the Egyptian, Mayan and Babylonian civilizations, but no evidence cited in the article substantiated those claims.
Nevertheless, the stories of Mu and Lemuria gradually blended, inspiring spiritual movements that claimed some modern humans descended from the lost civilization.
That belief eventually became connected to 'starseeds,' people who believe they possess DNA or souls originating with extraterrestrial beings.
Other versions alleged that Lemuria sheltered refugees from a planet called Maldek, which supposedly once orbited between Mars and Jupiter.
The Aetherius Society claimed Maldek's inhabitants destroyed their planet with a hydrogen bomb, leaving behind the asteroid belt.
In that telling, the survivors established a peaceful civilization on Lemuria, only for it to fracture and suffer its own nuclear war.
Watson said, 'Writers who have promoted the idea that ancient astronauts visited and lived on the Earth thousands of years ago, claim that sacred texts like the Bible recount stories of nuclear explosions.
'They point to accounts like this in Genesis, 'the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven'.
Fragments of melted glass in the deserts of Libya are also thought to be evidence of nuclear warfare or accidents 28 million years ago.
They also think that the legendary civilizations of Atlantis and Lemuria were destroyed by atomic warfare.
Watson said some of the more extreme theories centered on a planet called Maldek, which believers claimed once orbited between Mars and Jupiter.
According to the Aetherius Society, its population became consumed by greed and power before detonating a hydrogen bomb that destroyed the planet, supposedly creating the asteroid belt.
Watson explained that variations of the theory portrayed the solar system as the scene of multiple nuclear conflicts involving alien settlers.
He noted that the claims largely came from automatic writing, alleged psychic messages and speculative interpretations of ancient texts rather than physical evidence.
While the alien visitors and nuclear conflicts belong to legend, the scientific search for an ancient landmass beneath the Indian Ocean is real.
Mauritia was described in a scientific paper in 2013, and researchers reported further evidence in 2017 of its lava-covered remains.
The landmass was a fragment left behind during the breakup of Gondwanaland, a supercontinent that existed about 200 million years ago.
Researchers believe remnants of Mauritia are scattered beneath the Indian Ocean and have been studying zircon, a durable mineral that can reveal the age of surrounding material.
Zircon found on Mauritius was dated to approximately three billion years ago, despite the volcanic island's exposed rocks being no older than nine million years.
Scientists are now using gravity inversion to calculate the thickness of the oceanic crust and identify portions of the ancient continent that may remain intact.
The research could clarify the size and shape of Mauritia, but it has not uncovered evidence of Lemuria, alien descendants or a civilization destroyed by nuclear war.
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