Chekkin those dubs
TYB
Russia hits Ukrainian cruise missile launch site – MOD
25 Aug, 2026 17:16 | Updated 25 Aug, 2026 18:20
Flamingo cruise missiles have been used by the Ukrainian military in strikes deep inside Russia
The Russian military has struck a launch site for Ukraine’s long-range FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. Kiev has used Flamingos in attacks deep inside Russia.
The site was targeted with two Iskander cruise missiles and seven Geran-4 Seeker attack drones, according to the ministry.
“The target has been hit,” it said, adding that the strike triggered a major fire and “a massive fuel spill… burning over an area of approximately 40,000 square meters.”
The MOD also released drone footage purporting to show a massive fire engulfing the launch site after the attack.
In separate strikes, Russian forces also hit Ukrainian drone assembly and storage facilities, according to the ministry.
The Russian military has intensified long-range strikes on targets in Ukraine in response to repeated Ukrainian attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure inside Russia.
Moscow has condemned Kiev’s drone and missile strikes, including attacks deep inside Russian territory, as acts of terrorism intended to compensate for Ukrainian setbacks on the battlefield.
Russia maintains that it does not deliberately target civilians and that its strikes are directed at military facilities and infrastructure supporting Ukrainian forces.
Last week, the Russian military struck an industrial facility belonging to Ukrainian weapons manufacturer Fire Point, which produces Flamingo missiles and other weapons.
The plant manufactured components for long- and medium-range drones and was also used to assemble and store boosters for the cruise missiles, according to the MOD.
Fire Point has been promoted by Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky during trips to Western countries as the manufacturer of some of the nation’s “most successful” weapons.
Over the weekend, a Russian volunteer air-defense unit shot down one of the supposedly state-of-the-art Flamingo missiles with machine-gun fire, according to Kursk Region Governor Aleksandr Khinshtein.
Fire Point has been linked to Zelensky’s former business partner, Timur Mindich, who has been dubbed ‘Zelensky’s wallet’ in Ukraine.
Mindich fled the country last year after being named as a key suspect in a major corruption scandal.
https://www.rt.com/russia/644648-russia-hit-ukraine-missile-launch/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/russia/644609-zelensky-concentration-camp-nebenzia/
https://www.rt.com/russia/644602-europe-ukraine-russia-drones/
https://www.rt.com/news/644601-russia-uk-ambassador-war/
https://www.rt.com/russia/644622-zakharova-wadephul-clear-affont/
Ukrainian Drones Target Afipsky Oil Refinery and Disrupt Rail Operations in Krasnodar
Aug 25, 2026 11:40
Ukrainian drones struck the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region overnight on August 25, sparking a fire at the facility and disrupting operations at a nearby railway station.
Footage of the aftermath was published by monitoring resource Exilenova+, showing a large glow from the fire and thick black smoke rising from the refinery.
Krasnodar region Governor Veniamin Kondratyev later confirmed that the refinery in the settlement of Afipsky had been attacked, saying a fire had broken out on the facility’s premises.
According to Kondratyev, at least 10 private homes in the settlement were also damaged. The circumstances behind the damage to the residential buildings were not immediately clear.
The attack also affected nearby railway infrastructure. Kondratyev said debris from a drone had fallen on the grounds of Afipskaya railway station, which is part of Russia’s North Caucasus Railway.
About Afipsky oil refinery
The Afipsky Oil Refinery ranks among the largest oil-processing facilities in southern Russia, handling approximately 6.25 million tons of crude oil annually—more than 2% of the country’s total refining volume.
The refinery produces a range of petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, gas oil, vacuum gas oil, fuel oil, sulfur, and gas condensate distillates. It is also an important source of diesel supplies for Russia’s domestic economy and military.
The August 25 strike comes less than three weeks after the refinery was targeted in another drone attack.
On August 7, drones struck several strategically important sites across Russia, including the Afipsky Oil Refinery, a military facility in southern Russia, and two major railway stations in the Volgograd region.
That attack triggered a large fire at a key unit used for processing gas and gas condensate at the Afipsky refinery. Local authorities said the blaze had been extinguished by 8:30 a.m., although the full extent of the damage remained unclear.
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukrainian-drones-target-afipsky-oil-refinery-and-disrupt-rail-operations-in-krasnodar-21942
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4157521-novoshakhtinsk-oil-refinery-shut-down-following-drone-attack-rostov-region-authorities-say.html
other Russia and Ukraine
https://www.timesofisrael.com/merz-vows-perpetrators-of-attempted-drone-attack-on-german-airport-will-pay/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/kremlin-adviser-warns-uk-drone-153836231.html
https://defence-blog.com/u-s-senator-visits-kyiv-drone-factory-praises-innovation/
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/08/25/russia-drone-defense-failures-state-control/
https://ukranews.com/en/news/1170962-on-independence-day-in-occupied-donetsk-ukrainian-drones-destroyed-russian-flagpoles-and-symbols
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/2026-08-25/live-updates-906479
other Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-rare-warning-board-of-peace-tells-israel-to-limit-gaza-fire-to-genuine-threats/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/katz-israel-wont-leave-syria-buffer-zone-so-long-as-jihadist-threats-remain/
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Israel-destroys-five-Hamas-weapons-depots-in-Gaza/66980460
https://vinnews.com/2026/08/25/mk-tzvi-sukkot-smashes-terrorist-memorials-after-idf-ignores-request-to-dismantle-them/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-sukkot-and-aides-acted-deceptively-and-manipulatively-in-smashing-monuments/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/police-idf-stop-attempt-to-smuggle-handguns-from-jordan/
Live Updates: Iran, Oman negotiate framework for Hormuz transit after Trump claims all mines removed from strait
August 25, 2026
US offers $10 million reward for information on senior IRGC leaders • Hamas, Gazan NGO committee warn parents to stop children flying kites after Israel threatens strikes
August 25, 10:07 PM
Britain backs US efforts for diplomatic solution on Iran
British Finance Minister John Healey said on Tuesday that the country supports US efforts to secure a diplomatic solution on Iran and welcomed steps to increase pressure, including the expanded sanctions on Iran announced Monday.
Healey also called on Iran to cease its "destabilizing activity" across the region, including in the Strait of Hormuz.
August 25, 8:46 PM
IDF chief visits female military spotters near Gaza
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir visited female spotters stationed at bases along the Gaza border on Tuesday, emphasizing their status as the military’s “eyes on the frontline.”
"One of the central lessons from October 7 is that we must not underestimate the enemy," he told the soldiers. "Your identification and assessment are important, and one of the lessons of October 7 is that we must listen carefully to every soldier as part of the command assessment and decision-making process.”
August 25, 8:33 PM
US official confirms to ‘Post’: Strait of Hormuz cleared of mines by CENTCOM
Both inbound and outbound shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz have been cleared of mines by US Central Command (CENTCOM), a US official confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
“This means there's another route in which ships can go through the strait and increase the maritime traffic in Hormuz," the official noted.
The confirmation came after US President Donald Trump stated in a social media post that all mines planted by Iran had been removed or detonated.
August 25, 7:14 PM
Iran, Oman negotiate proposed framework for restoring transit through Strait of Hormuz
Iran and Oman issued a joint statement on Tuesday announcing a proposed framework to resume safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Omani Foreign Minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al-Busaidi, and the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, negotiated the framework.
According to the statement, the proposal includes joint efforts to establish a temporary navigation corridor through the waterway and a project to clear the strait of mines, despite US President Donald Trump’s earlier assertion that all mines have already been removed.
The joint statement claimed that Oman and Iran will continue negotiating the framework to reach a permanent agreement on the issue and to establish mechanisms for exchanging navigation information, managing ship traffic, and providing security services to vessels.
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August 25, 7:05 PM
Trump: All mines cleared from Hormuz, Space Force watching nuclear sites, strait
"Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
US President Donald Trump said the US Navy told him all mines have been cleared from the Strait of Hormuz in a Tuesday Truth Social post.
"All mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz," the president wrote.
"Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed," he added.
"There is a Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect," he said.
August 25, 7:04 PM
Board of Peace demands Israel comply with Gaza ceasefire, calls for end to kite attacks
Israeli officials warned the BoP on Sunday that Israel would escalate its activity in the Gaza Strip if the launches were not halted within 72 hours, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post.
The Board of Peace (BoP) has conveyed a message to Hamas in recent days through Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators, demanding that the terrorist organization halt the launching of kites and all other activity directed at Israel, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The message was delivered through a recently established monitoring mechanism led by the United States and BoP Director-General Nickolay Mladenov.
“There will be serious consequences for continued violations,” the message warned.
“All militant activity in the Gaza Strip must stop, including the flying of kites. We have conveyed this message directly through the established mechanism,” a BoP official told the Post.
August 25, 5:28 PM
Zamir: IDF will not allow return to pre-Oct. 7 mindset
The military will not return to the pre-October 7 massacre mindset, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said during a visit to the military's Gaza Division on Tuesday.
"Our message is clear. We have investigated [the massacre] and are drawing lessons - the IDF will not return to the mindset we had on 'October 6,' Zamir said.
"The pursuit of October 7 terrorists continues. Anyone who took part in the massacre will live in persecution until they are killed. This is a long-term mission to which the General Staff and entire IDF are committed," Zamir stated.
"We will not allow the enemy to rebuild itself; we will not allow terrorist infrastructure to take hold, and we will act at every opportunity to destroy threats as they arise," he added.
August 25, 4:47 PM
Gaza BoP calls for end to kite attacks, demands Israel comply with ceasefire
Gazan kite attacks and other offensive actions against Israel “must stop,” a Board of Peace (BoP) official told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
The official added that Israel “must comply with the ceasefire," saying that IDF actions must be reserved as a response to “genuine and imminent threats.”
August 25, 4:36 PM
What's included in the new US sanctions campaign to pressure Iran's economy? - explainer
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced what his department called "an economic onslaught" against Iran on Monday that combined new sanctions with threats against Tehran's trading partners.
His statement stopped short of some of the most punishing sanctions and did not list specific countries that would be targeted, or when those penalties would take effect.
The United States will set timelines for other countries to shut down economic activity with Iran and threatens unspecified actions if they do not comply.
Foreign entities that facilitate money laundering or sanctions evasion for Iran risk being cut off from the US financial system.
August 25, 4:34 PM
US offers $10 million reward for information on senior IRGC leaders, including one killed in April
The US State Department's Rewards for Justice offered a bounty of up to $10m. for information on five IRGC leaders, including Majid Khademi, who was killed by an Israeli strike in April.
The US State Department's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program requested information on five senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders, offering a reward of up to $10 million in a Monday post on X/Twitter.
The five terror leaders RFJ seeks information on are IRGC Chief Ahmad Vahidi; Ali Abdollahi, who was head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters until being appointed head of the Islamic regime's conventional military earlier in August; IRGC Aerospace Force's drone chief, Saeed Aghajani; IRGC Cyber Electronic Command Chief Hamidreza Lashgarian; and IRGC Intelligence chief Majid Khademi.
Notably, Khademi was killed in an Israeli airstrike in early April during Operation Roaring Lion, as confirmed by Defense Minister Israel Katz. The IRGC also corroborated his "martyrdom" at the time, later including his remains in a public burial for assassinated IRGC officials and regime leaders.
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wishing intensifies
Trump envoy calls for Sudan-wide arms embargo as drone attacks escalate
August 25, 2026
US President Donald Trump's senior Africa envoy has asked the UN to extend its arms embargo from Darfur to all of Sudan, warning the war could spread across the wider region.
The UN Security Council "must act to stop external financial and military support to the parties, such as drones and related technologies, from entering Sudan," Massad Boulos said.
Drone attacks are escalating with both the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accused of using them. Now in its fourth year, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and forced 14 million more to flee their homes.
But a wider arms embargo would require a Security Council vote, with Russia and China opposing the move.
They said it would affect Sudan's army's effectiveness. Sudan's UN envoy agreed, adding it would weaken protection for civilians.
The army controls much of Sudan's central and eastern regions, while the RSF is headquartered in the western region of Darfur and also controls areas in the south.
As the UN Security Council heard appeals about the arms embargo, the army was reported to have carried out drone strikes on RSF positions in Nyala in Darfur.
Nyala airport has become one of the paramilitary group's chief logistics hubs - and the attack came hours after a large cargo flight landed in the city.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g5zy4p815o
US military trains Nigerian forces in drone technology, combat care
August 25, 2026
The United States military has commenced specialised training for Nigerian troops in unmanned aircraft systems, combat casualty care and other operational skills as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen security cooperation between both countries.
The training is taking place at an operating location in Bauchi State under a broader US-Nigeria military partnership aimed at improving operational readiness, enhancing local capabilities and promoting greater interoperability between the two forces.
According to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), the programme covers several areas, including Combat Lifesaver and Tactical Combat Casualty Care, weapons familiarisation, camouflage techniques, water treatment and testing, explosive ordnance disposal, small-unit tactics and unmanned aircraft systems.
“U.S. and Nigerian forces are conducting a series of training events at Operating Location Bauchi, Nigeria, aimed at sharing military expertise, strengthening partner capacity and building relationships between service members from both nations,” AFRICOM said.
The training programme was developed after Nigerian military officials identified areas where additional expertise and capacity-building would be most useful.
Capt. Gabriel Feingold, a logistics officer with the US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, said American personnel presented their Nigerian counterparts with several training options before allowing them to select their preferred areas.
“We bring them a list of several different training topics, and they select what they think would be most beneficial for them,” Feingold said.
Particular attention was given to unmanned aircraft systems, with Sgt. Mark Murphy, an intelligence analyst assigned to the 13th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, leading a practical session for about 10 members of the Nigerian Air Force Special Forces Regiment.
The session began with classroom instruction before participants were given hands-on experience operating the aircraft.
Murphy also demonstrated how unmanned systems could be deployed and how intelligence gathered through the technology could be incorporated into military operations.
“They were really excited with being able to get hands-on time with it,” Murphy said, noting that the Nigerian personnel also expressed interest in receiving further training on the systems.
Beyond technical instruction, AFRICOM said the joint exercises were designed to strengthen working relationships between American and Nigerian personnel, particularly at lower operational levels.
Feingold described the interaction as an important part of the partnership, saying, “It helps build relationships between Soldiers and the partner force, especially at the lower levels.”
The military engagement also includes informal activities such as basketball and volleyball when operational duties and weather conditions allow, providing additional opportunities for personnel from both countries to interact.
AFRICOM said further training activities are being developed at the Bauchi location as the United States and Nigeria continue to identify areas for knowledge-sharing and capacity development.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/08/us-military-trains-nigerian-forces-in-drone-technology-combat-care/
U.S. Army Testing Autonomous, Drone-Killing Ford F-250 Super Duty
August 25, 2026 10:17 am
As Ford Authority previously reported, more than one automaker is eyeing the possibility of shifting some vehicle production to weapons production - including Ford - or supplying U.S. and European governments with vehicles for military use.
GM Defense expects to land more than $1 billion in U.S. Army contracts for its Infantry Squad Vehicle, in fact, and The Blue Oval is pitching its Ford F-Series and Ford Ranger trucks to European and American officials as well - which includes the Ford F-250 Super Duty.
Roughly one month ago, we learned that The Blue Oval secured a contract with the U.S. Defense Department to develop three Ford Super Duty prototypes, which will be tested as a potential candidate to become the Army's latest tactical vehicle.
At the time, we didn't know much about these Ford F-250 Super Duty prototypes, but now, they've been spotted testing at Fort Bragg in North Carolina by Next Gen Defense - with some interesting features.
Decked out in U.S. Army guise, the Ford F-250 Super Duty prototypes are fitted with autonomous self-driving technology, as well as a shotgun-armed turret capable of taking down drones.
During a live fire exercise, the pickup can be seen showing off its Forterra AutoDrive autonomy system and Edda weapon station, both of which are impressive pieces of kit.
The former supports automated obstacle reduction, meaning that it can clear lanes for troops in fields where mines, wires, and other barriers exist.
As for the weapon station, it can detect drones by sound, and once their presence is confirmed, an onboard visual tracking system takes over.
The turret remains passive before firing - making it more difficult to detect by enemy forces - and can engage fast-moving targets as small as seven inches from distances up to 100 meters.
All of this testing is taking place under what's known as Project Sandhills 2.0, with Ford vying to secure a major military contract if the Army is satisfied with the results of this testing.
https://fordauthority.com/2026/08/u-s-army-testing-autonomous-drone-killing-ford-f-250-super-duty/
Author Adam Kirsch Reveals Why the Most Dangerous Part of UFO Disclosure Isn't Actually the Aliens
25 August 2026, 3:27 PM BST
Adam Kirsch's new book delves into the societal impact of UFO disclosure and the erosion of trust in institutions
Adam Kirsch's new book, We Want to Believe: How Aliens Went Mainstream and Why It Matters, published on Tuesday, 25 August, argues that the real danger of UFO disclosure is not extraterrestrials but the collapse of trust in authority.
The 128-page book, published by Columbia Global Reports, examines why unidentified flying objects, now more commonly called unidentified anomalous phenomena or UAP, have moved from the fringes of public life into mainstream debate.
Kirsch, a senior editor at The Atlantic, is less interested in proving that aliens exist than in understanding why so many people want them to.
'Like the messiah, too, disclosure is constantly running behind schedule,' Kirsch writes, describing the long-awaited moment when governments are expected to reveal what they supposedly know about alien visitors.
That suspicion is central to Kirsch's argument. He sees belief in alien disclosure as part of a wider distrust of institutions, one that can reach far beyond the skies.
'The idea that the authorities know more than they're telling us, they're not letting on the real truth, is an idea that appeals to a lot of people,' he said in the source material.
The consequences, he suggests, can become serious when the same instinct is applied to medicine, public health or other areas where evidence carries real consequences.
Believing a strange object is an alien spacecraft may not, by itself, place anyone in immediate danger. Rejecting medical advice because officials are assumed to be hiding the truth is different.
Testimony Is Not Scientific Evidence
Kirsch does not dismiss people who say they have seen something extraordinary. That distinction gives the book a more careful edge than the usual believer-versus-sceptic argument.
A person's account may be sincere, detailed and deeply important to them. It remains testimony, however, rather than scientific evidence. As Kirsch puts it, testimony 'can only persuade or fail to persuade.'
The difference is easy to blur, particularly when the witness is a trained pilot or a former government official. Authority may make a claim more compelling, but it does not automatically establish what was seen.
Kirsch also warns against treating personal experience with contempt. 'Nothing is more insulting and infuriating than being told you are mistaken about your own experiences,' he writes.
That does not mean every interpretation is correct. It means the experience and the explanation should be separated, a distinction often lost in the mad rush towards disclosure.
For Kirsch, science is powerful but not exhaustive. He told reports that some aspects of reality may be approached through religious, spiritual or esoteric insight rather than scientific testing.
Yet when the claim concerns a physical craft moving through the atmosphere, the standard of proof remains physical evidence.
'They're not supernatural or miraculous,' Kirsch told reports. 'If they really existed they'd exist in time and space and three dimensions like everything else.'
This is where the argument becomes uncomfortable for believers. The absence of proof does not prove that extraterrestrial life is impossible. But after decades of observation, it does make certainty difficult to defend.
Kirsch points to an enduring problem, the Fermi paradox, named after physicist Enrico Fermi's famous question, 'Where is everybody?' Humanity has searched the skies for signs of intelligent life, yet no conclusive evidence has emerged.
Even the cameras seem to complicate the story. Kirsch noted that in some reported encounters, 'When the camera sees something, the person doesn't see it. And when the person sees something, the camera doesn't see it.'
His explanation is blunt. 'The obvious and logical explanation is that there's nothing to take a picture of.'
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/adam-kirsch-ufos-mainstream-trust-authority-1816172
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-forward/202608/unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-and-prolonged-uncertainty
UFOs and Prolonged Uncertainty
Updated August 24, 2026
Chronic uncertainty around unexplained phenomena and its psychological effects.
Key points
Prolonged UAP uncertainty can turn curiosity into powerlessness, anger, and mistrust.
Information gaps make false narratives and confident claims more appealing.
Honest communication about what is known and unknown can make uncertainty easier to tolerate.
The growing public interest in unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) isn’t just about wanting to know what’s in the sky.
It is about answering the question of what implications they have for mankind. But as the interest is growing, so is the level of frustration many people are experiencing.
While recent congressional hearings, scientific initiatives, and mainstream media coverage show the previously taboo subject is now being talked about more openly by serious people, the conclusions remain inconclusive.
The PURSUE (Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters) files, which Donald Trump specifically stated on his Truth Social account he was releasing so “the people can decide for themselves 'WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON,'” have received almost 2 billion views.
But the information being released is being given without context or explanation and has, thus far, left more questions than answers.
Many government and military officials have gone on record stating they have seen classified information that indicates the possibility of non-human space craft and biologics, but they can’t say more.
Even whistleblowers who are trying to provide information, report they can’t give specifics because of NDAs or fear of retaliation.
It always seems as if someone knows something they can’t tell you for some reason.
All of this ambiguity has led to feeling that we may never get the real answers.
And this type of chronic uncertainty has significant psychological implications.
When people feel information is being intentionally withheld, it changes the way they process what’s happening.
Uncertainty Can Become Powerlessness
Humans live with constant uncertainty. We don’t know exactly what will happen in the next five minutes let alone five days, five months, or five years.
But when we start to feel uncertain because it seems like someone else is controlling what we are allowed to know, we stop wondering what’s true and instead begin asking, “Why is the truth being kept from me?”
When you can’t access information you need to answer important questions, you can start to feel powerless, which can lead to other negative emotions like suspicion, frustration, and even anger.
Anger can give you a sense of having more power in a situation. It motivates and mobilizes people into action. People may begin to protest or demand answers as a way to help regain control.
But if there is no clear action capable of resolving the uncertainty, that energy has nowhere productive to go. Someone can remain psychologically activated while the situation remains unchanged.
For some people, this may lead to disengagement, they stop caring or paying attention entirely, for others it may cause them to become more proactively involved.
The Search for Closure
When people encounter uncertainty around a subject that has personal meaning they naturally try to soothe their anxiety.
In the case of UAPs, they may seek out more information by reading government reports, following congressional hearings, searching historical records, listening to interviews, or becoming actively involved in online communities.
Each new document or testimony offers the possibility that they may finally get the missing piece of the puzzle.
But it can also create a cycle of anticipation and disappointment.
Every time there is a new hearing, a new witness that comes forward, or a document release is promised, people raise their hopes that this will be the confirmation they’ve been looking for, but definitive evidence never seems to appear.
People can begin to feel deceived or foolish for believing they were finally going to get an answer. And the search for information can start to become emotionally consuming because the brain continues to treat the open question as unfinished business that needs resolving.
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Confidence Can Substitute for Evidence
When the explanations being given, if there are any at all, are inadequate to explain what we are seeing, let alone answer the ultimate question everyone is asking, which is “are we alone in the universe?”
interest doesn't just disappear. People begin to search elsewhere for the answers they need.
Research shows that uncertainty and a lack of control can make people more receptive to false explanations. This can open the door to believing in conspiracy theories, particularly those that portray the government as deceptive or threatening.
When no information is being provided, people can begin to mistake voices that seem loud or certain for credibility. A confident explanation feels reassuring, but it does not necessarily mean it is an informed one.
While government communication won’t prevent misinformation, it can reduce the space in which misinformation grows.
The Erosion of Trust
Trust helps people tolerate uncertainty. We do not need all the information ourselves as long as we believe that those who do possess it are competent, honest, and acting in good faith.
Just releasing information does not guarantee trust. Research on government transparency shows it can sometimes reveal disagreement, poor decisions, or uncertainty and may sometimes reduce confidence in the short term.
But people are more likely to view a process as fair and trustworthy when they believe the government is being transparent, even when they don’t get the outcome they wanted.
This matters psychologically because fair and understandable procedures make uncertainty easier to tolerate.
People can understand that the government won’t know what every UAP is.
But they do want to understand how the evidence is being evaluated, why some information continues to remain classified, what conclusions the available evidence can support, and how open questions are being answered.
Without that understanding, people are left to interpret what the ambiguous information being provided is, as well as what the government’s silence means.
People Can Tolerate Honest Uncertainty
Officials may fear that admitting uncertainty will undermine public confidence, but research suggests that honest uncertainty is often less damaging than expected.
Studies have found that communicating uncertainty does not result in a meaningful reduction in trust in the source providing the information.
Transparent explanations of the strength and limitations of evidence also don't appear to undermine public trust. This kind of communication provides a psychologically important framework.
People can understand that evidence is incomplete or that different explanations are possible.
And they can understand that there are good reasons, such as national security, why some information cannot be immediately released.
What is harder to tolerate are feelings of ambiguity and uncertainty when there is no clear process for resolving it.
Turning Uncertainty Into a Shared Process
UAP transparency is not dependent on the release of every document, but it does require clear and honest communication that helps people better understand the process as it is unfolding.
Communication, by itself, won’t eliminate uncertainty. But when people understand what's happening, discovering what UAPs are can become a shared scientific problem rather than a process from which they feel excluded.
The search for answers can remain focused on discovering the real evidence rather than driven by a desire to eliminate the discomfort of not knowing.
Whatever the ultimate explanation for UAP may be, the public is already responding psychologically to the process by which information is being investigated and released.
The answers matter, but so does the experience of waiting for them.
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Did China ask its people 'not to respond to aliens'? Origin of bizarre claim on social media
Aug 25, 2026, 09:24 IST | Updated: Aug 25, 2026, 09:24 IST
Story highlights
The latest stunt being pulled by content creators on social media is about an announcement in China, asking people not to respond if an alien contacts them.
Some posts even carried a fake photo that read, “Do not reply to extraterrestrials without authorisation.”
China finds itself entangled in an alien mystery after viral posts claimed that the country made an announcement, telling its people to be careful if an alien contacts them.
They further claim that the government asked them to contact the United Nations if anything like this happens. "China released an official warning to citizens: Do not respond to aliens, report to the UN", most of these posts state.
Some accounts even posted the warning as an official announcement attributed to the International Academy of Astronautics, recommending that people "notify the United Nations immediately if extraterrestrial life is discovered."
"Do not reply to extraterrestrials without authorisation. The International Academy of Astronautics updates recommendations: If extraterrestrial life is discovered, notify the United Nations immediately."
However, the claims being made by social media accounts and even some podcasts are baseless and false. China has never made such an announcement.
How did the alien announcement in China rumour start?
The root of the bizarre claims seems to be the famous Chinese sci-fi novel The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin. Humans on Earth are issued a warning:
"DO NOT ANSWER!" otherwise the coming aliens will take over your world. Since virality is the name of the game on social media, people use anything like this to make claims that sound authentic.
In the book, an alien race is coming to Earth because their own world dies from the 3 Body Problem. They send spies before their arrival to ensure humans never develop the technology to fight them in the 400 years that would take the alien civilisation to reach Earth.
Bizarre gravity loss claim
This is not the first absurd claim made by content creators just for views. In December last year, an account started the rumour that Earth will lose gravity on August 12, 2026 for seven seconds.
The post even claimed that NASA has known about it for more than a decade and has been preparing for it. It attributed the gravity loss to a collision between two black holes. However, as expected, nothing of the story happened.
In the age of social media, disinformation and misinformation are widespread, and people need to be careful and do their own research before sharing such messages.
https://www.wionews.com/trending/origin-of-bizarre-claim-china-told-people-not-to-respond-to-aliens-1787629159809
https://x.com/DMtruthofficial/status/2092029145601786254
extra China aliens and science
https://x.com/Cortex_Zero/status/2091943612258873441
https://x.com/JeninedUFO/status/2001734731952460164
https://x.com/HighlyStrange/status/2092332424814375295
Jesse Michels
@AlchemyAmerican
Ran it back with the legend himself. This one got wild and VERY trippy. Extremely grateful to @joerogan. And the best producer in podcasting, @JamieVernon.
Out today at 12 CT!
7:47 AM · Aug 25, 2026
https://x.com/AlchemyAmerican/status/2092262493263479165
https://finance.biggo.com/news/f9eb1efecf07d81a
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33Fc_mLqY90 (Joe Rogan Experience #2545 - Jesse Michels)
Disclosure Foundation
@disclosurefound
The Disclosure Foundation once again strongly supports Rep. Eric Burlison’s efforts to provide UAP whistleblowers with a clear pathway to come forward and seek waivers from UAP-related nondisclosure agreements.
As outlined in Policy Brief No. 4 on the disclosure of classified UAP information to Congress, fear of legal consequences and retaliation has long deterred individuals with relevant information from speaking with lawmakers—even though Congress has both the authority and a legitimate need to receive such information.
Rep. Burlison’s whistleblower intake process represents an important, concrete step toward removing those barriers.
We reiterate our support for efforts that enable credible witnesses to come forward through appropriate channels, while protecting them from retaliation and reprisal.
Quote
Rep. Eric Burlison
@RepEricBurlison
Aug 20
🚨 My office is now assisting qualified individuals seeking waivers from UAP-related nondisclosure agreements.
1:00 PM · Aug 24, 2026
https://x.com/disclosurefound/status/2091978857784209754
https://x.com/RepEricBurlison/status/2090444341940543511
https://disclosure.org/
extra Disclosure Foundation
https://x.com/disclosurefound/status/2091945637004910606
https://x.com/disclosurefound/status/2091915869744238724
https://x.com/disclosurefound/status/2090564865639489630
Are mini-Bigfoots on the loose? Reports claim pint-sized creatures spotted in Pa.
Aug. 25, 2026, 1:50 p.m.
Witnesses in two separate incidents claim to have seen shorter Bigfoot-like creatures in Pennsylvania just last week.
One of the reported sightings occurred on Aug. 18 in Indiana County, while the other happened the next day in Westmoreland County, according to accounts gathered by well-known Pennsylvania paranormal researcher Stan Gordon on phantomsandmonsters.com.
In the first encounter, a woman said she was working on her farm in the evening when she heard something near the tree line. She left the building she was in and saw a figure crouching behind some trees about 60 feet away.
The woman then saw a second figure crouching near the other one. The two creatures then jumped and ran around like they were playing.
Both were about 3½ feet tall and walked on two legs. They had “straggly, medium-length, light brown hair,” Gordon wrote, adding that their faces were a darker brown than their bodies and their eyes were round and dark brown.
Neither creature had a neck that was visible, the woman said, and their slender arms reminded her of a child’s arms. She told Gordon foliage blocked her view of their legs.
As they ran around, the creatures made noises resembling a baby cooing, the woman said.
When she sneezed, they stopped and looked at her, and she ran into her house. The woman’s husband, who did not see the creatures, told Gordon she came into the house yelling about what she saw.
After the sighting, the woman said her dog was afraid to go outside, and she was woken up one night by something cooing just as the creatures had done.
The woman’s husband said he had been walking their dog earlier in the day on Aug. 18 and heard wood-knocking sounds by a cornfield, then three knocks coming from a ridge.
On Aug. 19 in Westmoreland County, a woman told Gordon that she was driving on a rural road around sunset when she saw a hair-covered figure running up a hill toward the road. The creature reached the road, about 30 feet from the witness.
The woman said the creature, which was about 5-feet tall and covered in charcoal grey hair, turned its body in an unnatural way, almost mechanical, before running down the hill.
This creature was described as having a dome-shaped head and no visible neck, long arms, a flat nose and small, dark eyes.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2026/08/are-mini-bigfoots-on-the-loose-reports-claim-pint-sized-creatures-spotted-in-pa.html
https://phantomsandmonsters.com/post/two-close-range-daylight-bigfoot-encounters-reported-24-hours-apart-in-southwest
Bigelow/Fugal—Meeting of the Moguls | Bigelow Podcast Ep. 4
August 25, 2026
Las Vegas aerospace tycoon Robert Bigelow and Utah real estate magnate Brandon Fugal have not spoken to each other since 2016, which is when they met to transfer ownership of Skinwalker Ranch from Bigelow to Fugal.
Bigelow owned the now famous paranormal hotspot for 20 years, during which his NIDS organization, as well as investigators working for the DIA’s classified effort known as AAWSAP, tried to understand the bizarre range of UFO incidents, cryptid creatures, animal mutilations, and other inexplicable phenomena.
Fugal, who described himself as a skeptic, purchased the property in 2016 with the idea of turning it into a campground for Boy Scout gatherings, but has since changed his mind and authorized the production of the popular TV series The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.
For the first time ever, the two businessmen met In Las Vegas to compare notes, discuss the history of the ranch (including aspects that have never been made public), and to evaluate how the investigation of the ranch fits into the larger context of how humanity might learn to understand its relationship with non-human intelligences.
https://x.com/BigelowPodcast/status/2092101861910446240
https://x.com/RobertTBigelow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9ZC0dfmOGo
https://x.com/_SolFoundation/status/2091923306555596954
https://x.com/ChrisUKSharp/status/2091930801541656751
https://x.com/jamescfox/status/2091872124029874272
https://x.com/Holden_Culotta/status/2092262252850131354
The Dr. Steven Greer Podcast - Episode 23
Aug 24, 2026
In this episode, Dr. Greer discusses how to navigate the post-disclosure world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmEnsuYrRy4
https://x.com/DrStevenGreer
extra disclosure dejour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhaNjMHcWhM (Michael Salla: Space Fleet Launches from Eglin AFB DUMB in Emergency Military Operation—Dark Fleet Attack?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVaGc6tK8os (Dissecting Dr. Eric Davis & Matthew Brown's recent views on UFO Disclosure - Psicoactivo Live #55)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9i_IgSMHt4 (Emery Smith & Frank Rogala LIVE: Pre-Event Briefing Ahead of Disclosure in Mackinaw)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLdPFUB3myw (The Antenna Theory That Explains Telepathy and Remote Viewing | Gregg Braden)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzJHIyz8l0s (Zohar ANCIENT DISCOVERY: Dulce Underground Base: Secret Hybrids and the Deadly Alien Battle for Survival)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTsGKx1neH4 (Angry Astronaut: UFO FLEET filmed over the Atlantic! Stunning NO AI viewer footage!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHqBqQ-4BHo (My Lunch Break: Finding the Baal Cycle)