/qnotables25/ - ===Q Notables 2025===

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476857 (181312ZAUG25) Notable: Ball Is Now In Zelensky’s Court Says Trump as European Leaders Arrive in Washington for White House Talks

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>>92689

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As the European leaders prepare to meet with Trump today, Ukraine’s Zelensky appears to maintain his longstanding position on territory swaps, that his hands are tied because the Ukrainian constitution forbids such a move. Zelensky has already come under fire from President Trump for being unwilling to publicly move on this point, given it could be the key to unlocking peace. However, it is unclear to what extent this is a negotiating position, held to strengthen Ukraine’s hand before it enters the final negotiation, or a sincere red line.

Putin has still not agreed to meet with Ukraine’s Zelensky and continues high-intensity warfare against Ukraine while teasing the prospect of a costly peace deal; factors to European eyes continue to suggest the Russians are stringing along talks to maximise time to make military gains. Responding to Russian airstrikes on Ukraine overnight that killed at least seven, President Zelensky stated just hours before the planned Trump meeting: “The Russian war machine continues to destroy lives despite everything.

“Putin will commit demonstrative killings to maintain pressure on Ukraine and Europe, as well as to humiliate diplomatic efforts. That is precisely why we are seeking assistance to put an end to the killings. That is why reliable security guarantees are required. That is why Russia should not be rewarded for its participation in this war. The war must be ended. And it is Moscow that must hear the word: ‘Stop’.”

The EU’s Foreign Minister analogue made similar remarks over the weekend when she said of Russia: “Putin continues to drag out negotiations and hopes he gets away with it. He left Anchorage without making any commitments… the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon”.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Freidrich Merz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, President Alexander Stubb of Finland, Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen of the European Union, and Chairman Mark Rutte of NATO are expected at the White House today.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2025/08/18/ball-now-in-zelenskys-court-says-trump-as-euro-leaders-arrive-in-d-c/

If Zelensky steps out of line once, he could crash and burn any chances, and PDJT is letting the EU know. He doesn’t care for them and knows their plans. Ukraine and the war is run by the EU not Z. I’d love to see a repeat of the last meeting.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476864 (181316ZAUG25) Notable: @realDonaldTrump A big day at the White House. We have never had so many European Leaders here at one time

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>>92689

>Ball Is Now In Zelensky’s Court Says Trump as European Leaders Arrive in Washington for White House Talks

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476882 (181323ZAUG25) Notable: @realDonaldTrump We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be.....

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Donald J. Trump / @realDonaldTrump 08/18/2025 09:03:10

ID: Not Available

Truth Social: 115049902258471066

We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be. Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!). I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities. Play to WIN, or don’t play at all! Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115049902258471066

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476933 (181347ZAUG25) Notable: @realDonaldTrump I am totally convinced that if Russia raised their hands and said, “We give up, we concede, we surrender, we will GIVE Ukraine and the great United States of America, the most revered, respected, and powerful of all countries, EVER, Moscow and St. Petersburg, and everything surrounding them for a thousand miles, the Fake News Media and their Democrat Partners would say that this was a bad and humiliating day for Donald J. Trump...

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Donald J. Trump / @realDonaldTrump 08/18/2025 09:44:28

ID: Not Available

Truth Social: 115050064654728051

I am totally convinced that if Russia raised their hands and said, “We give up, we concede, we surrender, we will GIVE Ukraine and the great United States of America, the most revered, respected, and powerful of all countries, EVER, Moscow and St. Petersburg, and everything surrounding them for a thousand miles, the Fake News Media and their Democrat Partners would say that this was a bad and humiliating day for Donald J. Trump, one of the worst days in the history of our Country.” But that’s why they are the FAKE NEWS, and the badly failing Radical Left Democrats. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115050064654728051

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476935 (181348ZAUG25) Notable: @DanScavino Here Comes The Sun

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https://x.com/DanScavino/status/1957418626123981263

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476940 (181349ZAUG25) Notable: @realDonaldTrump D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety.

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https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115049974697549520

D.C. gave Fake Crime numbers in order to create a false illusion of safety. This is a very bad and dangerous thing to do, and they are under serious investigation for so doing! Until 4 days ago, Washington, D.C., was the most unsafe “city” in the United States, and perhaps the World. Now, in just a short period of time, it is perhaps the safest, and getting better every single hour! People are flocking to D.C. again, and soon, the beautification will begin!

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476954 (181354ZAUG25) Notable: Putin shares outcomes of Alaska talks with South African president

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18 Aug, 2025 13:22

Putin shares outcomes of Alaska talks with South African president

The Kremlin says Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed support for diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shared the “main outcomes” of the recent high-level talks in Alaska with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, the Kremlin has announced.

Putin met US President Donald Trump in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday in their first face-to-face encounter since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022.

Trump described the negotiations, one of several attempts to resolve the conflict, as “warm,” while the Russian president called them “frank” and “substantive.”

In a statement on Monday, the Kremlin said Presidents Putin and Ramaphosa spoke by phoneto discuss “the Russia–US top-level talks,” without giving further details.

“Ramaphosa expressed his support for the ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine crisis,” it stated.

South Africa has maintained a neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict despite pressure from Western governments to condemn Moscow. Ramaphosa has positioned himself as an advocate for inclusive peace talks, and led a delegation of African leaders to Kiev and St. Petersburg in June 2023 to advocate for a ceasefire.

Putin previously briefed Ramaphosa on the outcomes of talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff on the Ukraine conflict earlier this month, when he also expressed appreciation for the African peace initiative.

Aside from the conflict,the Kremlin said the two leaders “reaffirmed their shared commitment to further expanding the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and South Africa and working closely together within international frameworks” during Monday’s conversation.

(It’s kind of interesting how Russia diplomatically handles the terrorist countries and Trump handles the Russia hating countries. It’s as if they planned this early on.)

https://www.rt.com/africa/623185-putin-shares-alaska-summit-outcomes-ramaphosa/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476977 (181401ZAUG25) Notable: @Scavino47 WH vid

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https://x.com/Scavino47/status/1957442310636982440

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23476978 (181401ZAUG25) Notable: NASA

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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

August 18, 2025

NGC 1309: A Useful Spiral Galaxy

This galaxy is not only pretty - it's useful. A gorgeous spiral some 100 million light-years distant, NGC 1309 lies on the banks of the constellation of the River (Eridanus). NGC 1309 spans about 30,000 light-years, making it about one third the size of our larger Milky Way galaxy. Bluish clusters of young stars and dust lanes are seen to trace out NGC 1309's spiral arms as they wind around an older yellowish star population at its core. Not just another pretty face-on spiral galaxy, observations of NGC 1309's two recent supernovas and multiple Cepheid variable stars contribute to the calibration of the expansion of the Universe. Still, after you get over this beautiful galaxy's grand design, check out the array of more distant background galaxies also recorded in this sharp image from the Hubble Space Telescope.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477016 (181412ZAUG25) Notable: Trump pushing ‘real’ solution to Ukraine conflict – Putin envoy

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18 Aug, 2025 11:53

Trump pushing ‘real’ solution to Ukraine conflict – Putin envoy

Kirill Dmitriev has praised the US president for seeking peace and voiced optimism before White House talks with Zelensky and European leaders

US President Donald Trump and his team are seeking an actual solution to the Ukraine conflict, Kremlin economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev has said.

His comment came ahead of Monday’s White House meeting between Trump, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, and several European leaders.

Trump has described the upcoming talks as a “big day,” saying he has “never had so many European leaders at one time.”European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and the heads of the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, and other EU institutions are expected to join Zelensky in Washington.

On X, Dmitriev praised Trump for “pushing for the real solution” to the conflictand voiced hope that “problem solving and peace prevail during the Big Day.”

The envoy was part of the Russian delegation at last week’s Alaska summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which both sides described as substantive and warm. Following the talks, Trump said he favored a permanent peace deal rather than a ceasefire. Moscow has long opposed short-term truces, arguing they could be exploited by Kiev to regroup and rearm.

The German outletBild reported that Trump’s shift has “thwarted” Kiev’s backers who have insisted that a ceasefire should come first. Dmitriev said over the weekend thatthis group was “in full panic mode” at the prospect of closer US-Russian cooperation on a settlement. He also noted Bild’s suggestion that Western European leaders were accompanying Zelensky to Washington in order to prevent a repeat of his heated clash with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during his February visit.

Putin has reiterated that any lasting settlement must eliminate the root causes of the conflict, address Russia’s security concerns, and recognize current territorial realities. Washington has echoed the view that a sustainable peace, rather than a temporary truce, is essential.

Zelensky, meanwhile, has continued to insist on a ceasefire as a prerequisite for talks and has ruled out any land swaps, citing Ukraine’s constitution.

(Since the rogue CIA runs Ukraine the President is negotiating with American IC agencies for the peace deal. Once this is settled Ukraine needs to be freed from the rogue CIA, whose only goal is the defeat and destroy Putin and Russia.)

https://www.rt.com/news/623172-trump-seeks-real-solution-to-conflict-dmitriev/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477017 (181412ZAUG25) Notable: NASA

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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4629-4630: Feeling Hollow

Aug 18, 2025

Earth planning date: Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025

Today’s team investigated the texture and chemistry of the bedrock within a topographic low, or hollow, found within the greater boxwork area.

We will place our APXS instrument on the “Asiruqucha” target, some light-toned, small-scale nodular bedrock in the middle of our workspace.

These data will help illuminate any systematic chemical trends between the hollows and ridges in this area. We always take an associated MAHLI image with every APXS measurement to help contextualize the chemistry.

We will also observe a small crescent-shaped rock named “Wedge Tailed Hillstar” with MAHLI, visible in the above Navcam image just above the letters “SI” written on Curiosity’s arm.

We will use our remote sensing instruments to continue documenting the region taking stereo Mastcam images of “Cerro Paranal," “Rio Frio,” and “Anchoveta.”

The ChemCam instrument will take an image of, and collect chemical information for, the target “Camanchaca,” as well as use its Remote Micro Imager (RMI) to take high-resolution imaging of more distant boxwork features.

Once these observations are completed Curiosity will set off on a 30-meter drive (about 98 feet), taking us to an interesting ridge feature to investigate in Friday’s plan.

As usual we will continue to take our regular atmospheric monitoring observations using REMS, RAD, and DAN.

https://science.nasa.gov/blog/curiosity-blog-sols-4629-4630-feeling-hollow/

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/science-updates/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477021 (181414ZAUG25) Notable: @realDonaldTrump Trump Truths MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

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https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115049921290485283

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115049974697549520

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115049995743385270

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115050064654728051

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477025 (181417ZAUG25) Notable: @realDonaldTrump I’ve settled 6 Wars in 6 months, one of them a possible Nuclear disaster, and yet I have to read & listen to the Wall Street Journal, and many other who truly don’t have a clue, tell me everything that I am doing wrong on the Russia/Ukraine MESS, that is Sleepy Joe Biden’s war...

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Donald J. Trump / @realDonaldTrump 08/18/2025 10:09:12

ID: Not Available

Truth Social: 115050161923440039

I’ve settled 6 Wars in 6 months, one of them a possible Nuclear disaster, and yet I have to read & listen to the Wall Street Journal, and many other who truly don’t have a clue, tell me everything that I am doing wrong on the Russia/Ukraine MESS, that is Sleepy Joe Biden’s war, not mine. I’m only here to stop it, not to prosecute it any further. It would have NEVER happened if I was President. I know exactly what I’m doing, and I don’t need the advice of people who have been working on all of these conflicts for years, and were never able to do a thing to stop them. They are “STUPID” people, with no common sense, intelligence, or understanding, and they only make the current R/U disaster more difficult to FIX. Despite all of my lightweight and very jealous critics, I’ll get it done — I always do!!! President DJT

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115050161923440039

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477032 (181419ZAUG25) Notable: NASA

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https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154673/seeing-the-monroe-canyon-fire-in-a-new-light

Seeing the Monroe Canyon Fire in a New Light

August 18, 2025

In summer 2025, NASA’s ER-2 high-altitude aircraft flew over broad swaths of the western United States, collecting data for the multi-year Geological Earth Mapping Experiment (GEMx).

In this experiment, a joint effort between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, sophisticated instruments mounted on the aircraft were mapping land across the West in fine spectral detail to identify deposits of critical minerals.

Then, in late July, scientific opportunity arose as two major wildland fires raged in southwestern states.

At the time, the Monroe Canyon and Dragon Bravo fires were growing rapidly to consume tens of thousands of acres in Utah and Arizona, respectively. Both fires were burning in areas slated for mapping during the summer’s GEMx airborne campaign.

Given this overlap, scientists saw a unique opportunity for collaboration between GEMx and FireSense, a NASA project that leverages the agency’s technical capabilities to support wildland fire management.

“GEMx and FireSense have been working together closely for the past year to understand the capabilities of each mission and to determine how we can aid each other,” said Kevin Reath, NASA deputy program manager for GEMx.

Taking advantage of cloud-free conditions over the fires, GEMx capitalized on ER-2 flights in nearby smoke-free areas upwind to gain novel views of two active wildfires, as well as to collect mineralogy data per GEMx campaign plans.

Data captured during one of the flights over the Monroe Canyon fire are shown above. The MASTER (MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator) instrument acquired these images on July 30 at about 11:30 a.m. local time.

The false-color image (right) combines three midwave and shortwave infrared (MWIR and SWIR) wavelengths—4.05, 2.16, and 1.60 micrometers—to see through smoke plumes and identify the relative intensity of burning.

Active fire appears bright orange, recently burned areas are yellow-green, and live vegetation displays in shades of purple and dark blue. The left image is natural color, which resembles what the human eye would see.

MASTER’s infrared observations are useful for determining the maximum temperature in a fire and understanding how it might behave, said Jacquelyn Shuman, a forest ecologist at NASA’s Ames Research Center and project scientist for FireSense.

“Knowing how hot a fire is can tell you how high the smoke can go, how fast the fire can move, and how big it can be,” she said.

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477041 (181423ZAUG25) Notable: NASA

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Duffy Wants NASA To Leave the Earth Behind

August 18, 2025

NASA will begin “moving away” from Earth sciences, Acting Administrator Sean Duffy told Fox News last week—a sharp shift in the agency’s focus since it was established in 1958.

Duffy’s comments align with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to scale back science spending, and provide some explanation for why NASA has requested vastly reduced funding for Earth sciences from $2.14B in FY2024 to $1.04B for FY2026.

“All of the science that we do is going to be directed towards exploration, which is the mission of NASA,” Duffy said. “That’s why we have NASA—is to explore, not to do all of these Earth sciences.”

Science is business, too: If Duffy’s comments reflect future NASA spending decisions, that could reduce revenue for the EO companies and satellite manufacturers that help fuel NASA Earth-focused missions, not to mention industries that look to NASA data.

“Attacking these efforts is also an attack on American industries like agriculture and fishing, which depend on the environmental data NASA provides to make key decisions,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), whose state is home to Goddard Space Flight Center, told Payload in a statement.

“These earth science missions are vital to our American competitiveness and economy today, and to our future, which is why I’m fighting to protect them.”

Legislation Van Hollen backs would restore science funding, but unless Congress acts before the end of the fiscal year, the Trump administration has signaled it will ignore Congressional priorities.

Sizing the cuts: NASA’s Earth sciences division has awarded millions in contracts to the space industry.

In 2023, it kick-started a commercial smallsat data acquisition program; it aims to “identify, assess, and acquire data from commercial providers” to supplement NASA or US agency Earth observations in a “cost-effective” way, according to the agency.

The program will last until 2028 and has a $476M ceiling over its lifetime. It supports 14 EO companies, and has so far issued $51M—with the bulk of funds going to Planet Labs, which has earned $20M under the program since its inception.

Last month, that program issued a solicitation to on-ramp potential new providers.

Someone has to build the satellites: In 2024, Goddard had an Earth sciences budget of $966.1M, and said in its year-end report that 80% of this budget went directly to US companies, academia, and non-profit institutions.

Some of Goddard’s largest commercial beneficiaries include A&D primes like Peraton, Lockheed Martin, and RTX. Goddard also said that in 2024 it awarded $819M in contracts to small businesses, though not necessarily all for Earth science projects.

Not everything: NASA’s FY 2026 budget request does support a handful of Earth science missions that will in turn lead to contracts for the commercial industry.

These investments include the NISAR, SWOT, SMAP, PACE, and GRACE-Continuity satellites, $70M to the Landsat program, $111M for Responsive Science Initiatives Research, and $51M for the Earth Sciences Technology Program.

https://payloadspace.com/duffy-wants-nasa-to-leave-the-earth-behind/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477054 (181428ZAUG25) Notable: Ukraine strikes key oil pipeline to EU – Hungary

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18 Aug, 2025 09:26

Ukraine strikes key oil pipeline to EU – Hungary

The latest attack on Budapest’s energy security is “outrageous and unacceptable,” Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said

Russian oil supply to Hungary has been halted after Ukraine targeted the key Druzhba pipeline system, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said.

Moscow has informed Budapest that Russian experts areworking to restore an "essential” transformer station targeted by a Ukrainnian strike, Szijjarto said.

Druzhba is one of the world’s longest networks, transporting crude some 4,000km from Russia and Kazakhstan to refineries in the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.

Szijjarto wrote in a post on X on Monday that “this latest strike against our energy security is outrageous and unacceptable.”

It is not yet clear when deliveries of oil through the pipeline could resume, he added.

The diplomat reiterated that the Ukraine conflict is “not our war” and that “as long as we [Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government] are in charge, Hungary will stay out of it.”

Unlike most other EU capitals, which supported Kiev after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Budapest took a neutral stance and refused to supply weapons to the government of Vladimir Zelensky. It also consistently called for peace and criticized Western sanctions against Russia as ineffective and more harmful to those who impose them.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian energy infrastructure throughout the conflict, including the Druzhba system and the TurkStream pipeline, which supplies natural gas toTurkish customers and several European countries, including Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece.

The previous attack on Druzhba occurred last Wednesday, with Kiev confirming that it had sent dronesto strike a key distribution station in Bryansk Region, western Russia.

Moscow has condemned Ukrainian attacks on civilian energy infrastructure many times as acts of terrorism.

https://www.rt.com/news/623168-eu-hungary-oil-attacked/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477072 (181438ZAUG25) Notable: NASA

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https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/oops-earendel-most-distant-star-ever-discovered-may-not-actually-be-a-star-james-webb-telescope-reveals

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/aded93/meta

Oops! Earendel, most distant star ever discovered, may not actually be a star, James Webb Telescope reveals

August 18, 2025

The most distant star ever discovered may have been misclassified: Instead of being a single star, the object — nicknamed Earendel from the Old English word for "morning star" — may be a star cluster, a group of stars that are bound together by gravity and formed from the same cloud of gas and dust, new research suggests.

Discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2022, Earendel was thought to be a star that formed merely 900 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only 7% of its current age.

Now, in a study published July 31 in The Astrophysical Journal, astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to take a fresh look at Earendel.

They wanted to explore the possibility that Earendel might not be a single star or a binary system as previously thought, but rather a compact star cluster.

They found that Earendel's spectral features match those of globular clusters — a type of star cluster — found in the local universe.

"What's reassuring about this work is that if Earendel really is a star cluster, it isn't unexpected!" Massimo Pascale, an astronomy doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley, and lead author of the study, told Live Science in an email.

"[This] work finds that Earendel seems fairly consistent with how we expect globular clusters we see in the local universe would have looked in the first billion years of the universe."

Ancient object

Earendel, located in the Sunrise Arc galaxy 12.9 billion light-years from us, was discovered through a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, a phenomenon predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity in which massive objects bend the light that passes by them.

A massive galaxy cluster located between Earth and Earendel is so large that it distorts the fabric of space-time, creating a magnifying effect that allowed astronomers to observe Earendel's light, which would otherwise be too faint to detect.

Studies indicate that the star appears at least 4,000 times larger due to this gravitational lensing effect.

This magnifying power is strongest in some special regions. If a star or galaxy happens to be right next to one of these regions, its image can be magnified hundreds or thousands of times brighter than normal.

Earendel seems to sit extremely close to one of these "sweet spots," which is why we can see it even though it is almost 12.9 billion light-years away.

Such near-perfect alignments are incredibly rare, which made astronomers consider alternative explanations beyond a single star.

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477074 (181438ZAUG25) Notable: "First time at Union Station this morning since Trump’s crime crackdown and there wasn’t a single crazy person screaming...

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MAKE D.C. SAFE AGAIN! 🇺🇸

"First time at Union Station this morning since Trump’s crime crackdown and there wasn’t a single crazy person screaming, vagrant or person doing drugs. Instead, lots of families visiting..."

https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1957450795118399494

—

READ🔽

Folks In D.C. Already Feeling Safer, Praise Trump For Crime Crackdown

"People feel safe again."

By Amanda Prestigiacomo

Aug 16, 2025 DailyWire.com

https://www.dailywire.com/news/folks-in-d-c-already-feeling-safer-praise-trump-for-crime-crackdown

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477108 (181450ZAUG25) Notable: NASA

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NASA astronaut reveals surprising truth when asked how much they get paid

Updated 10:39 17 Aug 2025 GMT+1

Have you ever wondered how much an astronaut earns? The answer may very well surprise you.

Travelling into space isn't a journey for the faint-hearted. Wannabe spacefarers will spend years in education studying for a degree in science or engineering and gaining flying experience before they can even be considered by organisations such as NASA or the European Space Agency (ESA).

Get the job and you're then expected to complete an average of two years in specialist training before you make it to the launchpad.

That's pretty extensive when you compare that to the amount of training most of us got for our jobs.

Then there's also the fact that going into space involves numerous risks, health implications and spending an extended period of time away from loved ones.

And don't even get us started on the overtime requirements when you're up in space.

Given the number of hoops which you have to jump through to secure a spot on the International Space Station (ISS), you'd presume that astronauts are very well compensated for their work, right?

Well, not as much as you'd expect, according to retired astronaut Nicole Stott.

The 62-year-old recently sat down to discuss all things space and space travel in an interview with LADbible.

So, how much does NASA compensate its astronauts financially?

"Not a lot," Nicole said, explaining that at the end of the day, astronauts are still public sector workers.

"Government civil servant," she added. "You don’t become an astronaut to get paid a lot of money."

How much does an astronaut get paid on average?

According to numerous reports, a NASA astronaut can expect to receive an average salary of $152,258 (£112,347) per year, however, this can vary depending on experience.

Meanwhile, Space Crew reports that ESA astronauts can expect to receive a starting salary of £54,416 for their work, rising with experience.

Salaries weren't the only topic Stott touched on in the interview, with the former astronaut revealing how you go to the toilet in space - and the stomach-churning way in which your 'liquid waste' is recycled during your stay.

Due to the lack of gravity in space, astronauts have to use a funnel attached to a tube for urination or carefully attach themselves to a specially designed seat to do any other business (via ESA).

"It's a little messy at first," Stott explained.

She also revealed that 'liquid waste' is then filtered and recycled into clean drinking water for the astronauts.

Yes, you heard that right. "We actually recycle all of the liquid waste, a majority of that into clean drinking water," she added.

"As my friend [current astronaut] Don Pettit likes to say 'yesterday's coffee becomes today's coffee'."

Which just goes to show, astronauts aren't doing the job for anything other than the love of space.

https://www.ladbible.com/news/science/nasa-astronaut-salary-how-much-paid-nicole-stott-758455-20250817

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YGyVeqnZq8

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477125 (181457ZAUG25) Notable: Starmer is on US soil, as of approx 25 minutes ago

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Starmer is on US soil, as of approx 25 minutes ago.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477133 (181500ZAUG25) Notable: NASA

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How Much Has Mercury Shrunk?

August 17, 2025

What do many baked goods and the planet Mercury have in common? They shrink as they cool.

Evidence suggests that since it formed about 4.5 billion years ago, Mercury has continuously contracted as it has lost heat.

And somewhat like a fresh-baked cookie or cheesecake, Mercury also cracks as it cools: Thrust faults cut through the planet’s rocky surface to accommodate the ongoing shrinking.

By observing how faults have uplifted parts of Mercury’s surface, researchers can begin to estimate how much Mercury has contracted since it formed.

However, prior estimates have varied widely, suggesting that thanks to faulting resulting from cooling, Mercury’s radius has shrunk by anywhere from about 1 to 7 kilometers.

To resolve this discrepancy, Loveless and Klimczakemployed an alternative method for estimating shrinkage caused by cooling-induced faulting on Mercury.

Prior estimates all relied on a method that incorporates the length and vertical relief of uplifted landforms, but that produces different shrinkage estimates depending on the number of faults included in the dataset.

In contrast, the new method’s calculations are not reliant upon the number of faults. Rather, it measures how much the largest fault in the dataset accommodates shrinkage, then scales that effect to estimate the total shrinkage.

The researchers used the new approach to analyze three different fault datasets: one including 5,934 faults, one including 653 faults, and one including just 100 faults.

They found that no matter which dataset was used, their method estimated about 2 to 3.5 kilometers of shrinkage.

Combining their results with prior estimates of additional shrinkage that may have been caused by cooling-induced processes other than faulting, the researchers concluded that since Mercury’s formation, the planet’s radius may have shrunk by a total of 2.7 to 5.6 kilometers.

The new estimates could help deepen the understanding of the long-term thermal history of Mercury.

Meanwhile, the authors suggest, the same methodology could be used to investigate the tectonics of other planetary bodies, like Mars, that feature faults.

https://www.space.com/astronomy/mercury/how-much-has-mercury-shrunk

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477142 (181503ZAUG25) Notable: Army Pursues Lighter, More Mobile Space Capabilities

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Army Pursues Lighter, More Mobile Space Capabilities

Mon, 08/18/2025 - 08:31

As the U.S. competes against global adversaries in the space domain, the Army needs continued investment in technology to deliver capabilities to warfighters, the commander of Army Space and Missile Defense Command said.

“China and Russia are competing heavily in space and … that’s a competition that we can’t allow them to win,” Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey said Aug. 11 during a Defense News webinar.

“We need to continue our investments and continue to evolve the capability to be able to meet the needs of our warfighters on the ground.

So, we have to be able to deliver capability that allows our forces to be able to maneuver, shoot and communicate without impediment from space effects.”

Space and Missile Defense Command is prioritizing reorganizing the command, modernizing air and missile defense and delivering space capabilities to troops, Gainey said.

It also is augmenting close-fight activities to get “capabilities down to the tactical edge” and support troops in key areas throughout the world, he said.

The command also is embracing new technologies, such as high-altitude balloons, that could operate well in contested or denied environments.

Soldiers want capabilities that are “smaller, lighter, more mobile,” Gainey said, “so [we’re] taking the capabilities we have now, leveraging technology to make it smaller and mobile, and then the warfighter is able to push it down to the tactical edge.”

He added, “When you're in a contested and denied environment, you're looking at, ‘How can we leverage other platforms to provide some of the same or similar capabilities so we continue to have uninterrupted communication, continue to leverage … maneuver under obscureness?’ ”

The Army will continue to invest in its space capabilities and adapt to meet the needs of troops, Gainey said, citing as an example the creation of a new 40D space operations MOS.

“The Army realizes the environment, realizes the technology and the change in warfare, and we're seeing it in real time through some of the current conflicts in Ukraine and in the Middle East,” Gainey said.

Creating a cohort of Army space experts, via the new MOS, “is a natural progression to be able to keep up with the changing warfare environment and being able to leverage those next-gen … technologies to be able to put our soldiers in an advantage on the battlefield,” he said.

https://www.ausa.org/news/army-pursues-lighter-more-mobile-space-capabilities

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477162 (181514ZAUG25) Notable: Ukrainian terrorist attack on Crimean Bridge thwarted – FSB

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Ukrainian terrorist attack on Crimean Bridge thwarted – FSB

18 Aug, 2025 05:20

A Ukrainian terrorist car bomb attack on the Crimean Bridge has been prevented, according to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

The explosive-laden electric car prepared by Kiev’s spy services has been intercepted and demined, the agency announced on Monday.

A Chevrolet Volt with a powerful improvised explosive device planted inside it had arrived in Russia from Ukraine via third countries, it said. According to the FSB, the rigged vehicle had crossed into Russia from Georgia.

The Ukrainian plan was to deliver the Chevrolet to Russia’s southern Krasnodar Region via a car transporter truck and then “pass it on to another driver, who was supposed to ride in it to Russia’s Crimea via the Crimean Bridge and become an unwitting suicide bomber,” the agency said.

“Despite all the trickery by the Ukrainian terrorists, the FSB officers managed to promptly uncover their plans, identify and defuse the explosive device… and also detain all those involved in its delivery to the territory of our country,” the FSB said.

The agency noted that this marked Kiev’s second attempt to target the 19km-long Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, with an explosive-laden vehicle in 2025.

In April, the security service of Belarus intercepted a minivan loaded with more than 500 kg of synthetic explosives, intended for an attack on the strategic transport link connecting Krasnodar Region and Crimea in Russia, it said.

RT’s Igor Zhadov reports that some 130kg of Finnish-made explosives had been packed into the Chevrolet Volt.

The driver tasked with delivering the car to Crimea said during an interrogation that he knew that he had been working for Ukraine. However, he added that he had no idea there was a bomb inside.

He claims to have been hired to register the vehicle in Russia and deliver it to the peninsula via the Crimean Bridge for $2,500.

Senior Russian diplomat Rodion Miroshnik suggested that the bombing plot was “a new attempt by Ukraine and Co. to commit a terrorist act as a provocation to disrupt negotiations and the search for a peaceful resolution” of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.

US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky at the White House later on Monday. Zelensky was summoned to Washington after Friday’s summit in Alaska between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump, during which both leaders underlined their commitment to settling the Ukraine crisis.

https://www.rt.com/russia/623154-ukrainian-terrorist-attack-on-crimean-bridge/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477169 (181518ZAUG25) Notable: Protesters attack government offices in Serbia

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Protesters attack government offices in Serbia

17 Aug, 2025 07:59

Fresh clashes between anti-government demonstrators and police have erupted in Serbia after offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) were set on fire.

President Aleksandar Vucic has condemned the unrest, earlier stating that it was being fueled from abroad.

New clashes began on Wednesday in Valjevo, about 100km west of Belgrade, after videos of police using force against protesters spread online.

The footage spurred rallies in several cities, with opposition groups accusing authorities of heavy-handed tactics.

Clips posted online showed masked demonstrators throwing flares and stones at empty SNS offices, breaking windows before flames broke out inside. Firefighters arrived and extinguished the blaze.

Vucic described the violence as “an expression of total weakness” and promised to “punish the bullies.” ”Alongside all the bad things happening to our country and to us, there is one good thing – all the masks are off.

People see everything: the protesters’ nervousness and hysteria are growing, and the violence is becoming more obvious, because they have nothing left to offer,” he said in a video message on Saturday.

“The time of accountability has come, and everyone who burned and destroyed will be held responsible and punished for their crimes.”

He added that “no civil war” would be allowed and that “no one is stronger than the state, even with foreign support.” Vucic argued earlier this week that the unrest in Serbia was largely fueled from abroad, drawing parallels with the “color revolutions” seen in other countries.

In a related statement, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed the European Union is seeking to topple the governments of Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia because they prioritize national interests over alignment with Brussels.

The unrest has “far exceeded civilized protest,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said, adding that Moscow ”cannot remain unresponsive” to events in “brotherly Serbia” and expressed confidence that stability would be restored.

Student-led protests first broke out in 2024 after a railway station roof collapsed in Novi Sad, killing 16 people. Protesters alleged government corruption and demanded early elections.

https://www.rt.com/news/623107-serbia-protesters-attack-government-offices/

https://twitter.com/GlobalDiss/status/1956814025993716019

https://twitter.com/stijepovic_i/status/1956829714863083550

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477171 (181518ZAUG25) Notable: @Scavino47 Golden Age

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8/18/25 @WhiteHouse…

https://x.com/Scavino47/status/1957460762324021328

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477179 (181522ZAUG25) Notable: Testimony starts today with Bill Barr.

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Testimony starts today with Bill Barr.

August 18th.

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477182 (181523ZAUG25) Notable: "First time at Union Station this morning since Trump’s crime crackdown and there wasn’t a single crazy person screaming...

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Make D.C. Safe Again 🇺🇸 In 11 days:

✅ 160+ illegal aliens arrested, including known gang members & those charged with assault, kidnapping, burglary, & more.

✅ 59 firearms seized.

✅ 380+ total arrests.

This operation reflects @POTUS' commitment to restoring safety & security.

https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1957459025945133141

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477189 (181526ZAUG25) Notable: ICYMI: Coast Guard Continues Response to Chinese Research Vessel Activity in U.S. Arctic

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Coast Guard Continues Response to Chinese Research Vessel Activity in U.S. Arctic

Aug. 16, 2025

JUNEAU, Alaska — The Coast Guard is continuing its response to five Chinese research vessels operating in the U.S. Arctic.

The Coast Guard Arctic District has been monitoring activity and deployed a C-130J Hercules fixed wing aircraft from Air Station Kodiak Wednesday to query the vessels.

The U.S. Coast Guard, in conjunction with U.S. Northern Command and Alaskan Command, constantly monitor the activity of foreign vessels operating in and near U.S. waters in support of U.S. homeland defense and security efforts.

The Arctic is a growing zone of strategic global competition. The Coast Guard is the only U.S. surface presence in the Arctic and recently, in Alaska, commissioned U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Storis (WAGB 21), the service’s newest polar icebreaker, and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Earl Cunningham (WPC 1159), the newest Sentinel-class fast response cutter.

“Commissioning the Storis and Earl Cunningham increases our ability to control, secure, and defend Alaska's U.S. border and maritime approaches,” said Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District.

“As we continue to grow our surface fleet, we utilize our aviation resources which play a vital role in countering foreign malign influence.”

The five Chinese Research Vessels are: Xue Long 2, China flagged; Shen Hai Yi Hao, China flagged; Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di, Liberia flagged; Ji Di, China flagged; and Tan Suo San Hao, China flagged.

https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4276832/coast-guard-continues-response-to-chinese-research-vessel-activity-in-us-arctic/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477210 (181534ZAUG25) Notable: ICYMI: Plot Thickens: The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Poland, Finland, as well as the presidents of theEU Council and European Commission, praised the peace efforts in a statement published on Saturday, but vowed to continue providing military aid to Kiev.

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European NATO states to continue arming Ukraine

Western European leaders intend to send more military aid to Kiev and keep the NATO door open

16 Aug, 2025 13:44

Western European leaders have issued a statement backing US President Donald Trump’s diplomatic push to end the Ukraine conflict – while also reaffirming their intention to further arm Kiev and seek to bring it into NATO, the very issues Russia has cited as among the root causes of the conflict.

The declaration follows the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, where the two discussed steps toward ending the Ukraine conflict. Although no deal was announced, both sides characterized the talks as highly productive. Trump said he would speak with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky in Washington on Monday.

The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Poland, Finland, as well as the presidents of theEU Council and European Commission, praised the peace efforts in a statement published on Saturday, but vowed to continue providing military aid to Kiev.

“Our support to Ukraine will continue. We are determined to do more to keep Ukraine strong in order to achieve an end to the fighting,” they said.

The statement rejects any notion of a territorial compromise, stressing that it was “up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory.” Trump has repeatedly raised the prospect of a “land swap” between Russia and Ukraine as part of a deal.

The European leaders added that they were ready to provide Kiev security guarantees via a so-called “coalition of the willing” – a France- and UK-led effort to deploy a NATO “reassurance force” in Ukraine, an initiative that Moscow has staunchly opposed. (They are trying to pull US troops forever in Europe, once this is over the U.S. should pull out all assets.)

“No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to EU and NATO,” the statement says.

Just a day earlier, Trump ruled out Kiev’s membership in the US-led military bloc.

Security guarantees for Ukraine will not come “in the form of NATO, because you know there are certain things that aren’t going to happen,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday.

Moscow has long insisted that Ukraine must commit to neutrality, stay out of NATO, undergo demilitarization and denazification, and recognize the status of the new Russian regions.

(I hope the meeting ends with Trump saying the U.S. is out we will not accept your demands. Let Russia finish them off and take more territory. I don’t believe the meeting will go the way Zelensky and the EU wants.)

https://www.rt.com/news/623071-european-nato-states-continue-arm-ukraine/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477232 (181541ZAUG25) Notable: East Coast: A State of Emergency has been declared as Hurricane Erin approaches, bringing life-threatening surf and dangerous rip currents. Officials ordered mandatory evacuations beginning at 10am ET on Monday

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Batten Down the Hatches

A State of Emergency has been declared as Hurricane Erin approaches, bringing life-threatening surf and dangerous rip currents. Officials ordered mandatory evacuations beginning at 10am ET on Monday. Beaches could see waves reaching 20 feet starting Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center warned. Erin is currently about 951 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, moving northwest at 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds have reached 130 mph, making it a major Category 4 hurricane.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15010483/Hurricane-Erin-threatens-US-East-Coast-life-threatening-conditions-mandatory-evacuations-ordered.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477252 (181547ZAUG25) Notable: Japan deploys large drone over Senkakus Islands amid China ship intrusions

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Japan deploys large drone over Senkakus Islands amid China ship intrusions

August 18, 2025

TOKYO (Kyodo) - Japan is using a large coast guard drone, the SeaGuardian, to monitor the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea amid repeated incursions into nearby waters by Chinese vessels, sources familiar with bilateral relations said Monday.

The use of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian, a U.S.-made remotely piloted aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art radar, is expected to help beef up security in Japan's territorial waters off the uninhabited islets, encompassing a vast area of about 4,740 square kilometers.

China Coast Guard ships regularly sail near the Senkakus, administered by Japan but claimed by China, which calls them Diaoyu. They were spotted on 355 days in 2024, marking a record high since the Japanese government put the islets under state control in 2012.

The operation of the drone is apparently intended to showcase Japan's resolve not to tolerate any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the East China Sea.

The sources said the SeaGuardian has flown over the Senkakus several times since April, surveilling Chinese coast guard ships and capturing images.

It may be tasked with issuing aerial warnings to Chinese vessels not to enter Japan's territorial waters, according to the sources. The Japan Coast Guard has not disclosed the drone operations around the Senkakus.

The SeaGuardian, about 12 meters long with a wingspan of 24 meters, is steered by pilots at a ground operation center. Images and other data collected by the drone are checked by coast guard officers, who also issue instructions.

The Japan Coast Guard is currently operating three SeaGuardian drones, with two more to be added during the fiscal year through March 2026.

The SeaGuardian has been introduced for surveillance missions in the East China Sea, the Pacific, and the Sea of Japan, and is also deployed for maritime distress and disaster response.

Manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., the aircraft can fly continuously for more than 24 hours. In a single flight, it can complete a full circuit of the outer perimeter of Japan's exclusive economic zone.

The Japan Coast Guard began operating the SeaGuardian at a Maritime Self-Defense Force air base in Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, but moved its base to Kitakyushu Airport in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in January to prepare for full-scale operations.

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250818/p2g/00m/0in/040000c

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477259 (181548ZAUG25) Notable: Testimony starts today with Bill Barr.

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Bill Barr testify today?

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477267 (181550ZAUG25) Notable: MSNBC unveils clunky new name after splitting from NBC News…and it is dumping iconic peacock logo too

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Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477270 (181551ZAUG25) Notable: ICYMI: U.S. Army Pulls Off ‘First-of-Its-Kind’ Drone-on-Drone Takedown

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>>92729

2nd image shouldnt be there

U.S. Army Pulls Off ‘First-of-Its-Kind’ Drone-on-Drone Takedown

August 15, 2025

The US Army has demonstrated a “first-of-its-kind” aerial strike: one drone taking down another mid-flight.

Using a first-person-view (FPV) SkyRaider quadcopter armed with a claymore mine, the service successfully destroyed a second drone during a recent test at Fort Rucker..

The armed quadcopter closed in on the target to achieve the takedown, detonating the claymore to neutralize the other unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Although the FPV drone lost contact with the army upon detonation, communications quickly resumed, showing the system can be reused as a reliable air-to-air solution.

“In the skies above Fort Rucker, the first airborne destruction of an aircraft by an armed FPV drone in the history of the US Army was carried out,” the army announced.

The demo, conducted in coordination with the Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center, took place just ahead of the army’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Summit.

A Low-Cost Solution?

The test reflects the army’s shift toward unconventional solutions and a layered approach against hostile drones.

Arming UAVs with claymores could offer a low-cost option for countering low-altitude threats and striking ground targets in challenging environments.

As drones continue to dominate modern battlefields, the army’s test highlights the growing role of counter-drone systems in shaping regional conflicts.

“Drones are the biggest battlefield innovation in a generation, accounting for most of this year’s casualties in Ukraine,” said US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, as quoted by The War Zone.

https://nextgendefense.com/us-army-drone-takedown/

https://twitter.com/173rdAbnBde/status/1955179468340826141

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477274 (181552ZAUG25) Notable: MSNBC unveils clunky new name after splitting from NBC News…and it is dumping iconic peacock logo too

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>>92731

New Name; Same Crazy

MSNBC unveils clunky new name after splitting from NBC News...and it is dumping iconic peacock logo too

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/media/article-15010739/MSNBC-new-ms-peacock-nbc-news.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477288 (181555ZAUG25) Notable: The Coast Guard is making new strides in its efforts to prepare for the uncertainty of the future through the 2040s. Project Evergreen

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Project Evergreen

The Coast Guard is making new strides in its efforts to prepare for the uncertainty of the future through the 2040s. Project Evergreen, the Service’s strategic foresight program, has released new reports and infographics of their findings in four areas of strategic risk for the Coast Guard: Space, Antarctica, Gray Zone Competition, and Seabed Safety and Security.

https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/4266509/how-the-coast-guard-is-planning-for-the-2040s-and-beyond/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477300 (181557ZAUG25) Notable: Mohammed's three steps was immigrate, increase, eliminate. Immigrate as a religious refugee, increase the number of your followers and demand political accommodation and then eliminate the previous culture.

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Why isn’t this being reported on main stream media…oh that’s right, they’re complicit in the destruction of American culture.

“Mohammed's three steps was immigrate, increase, eliminate. Immigrate as a religious refugee, increase the number of your followers and demand political accommodation and then eliminate the previous culture.”

@realDonaldTrump you need to focus on #AmericaFirst and STOP THIS SCAM on AMERICA!!!

@AGPamBondi

@FBIDirectorKash

https://truthsocial.com/@TrueGenFlynn/posts/115050523450381581

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477311 (181600ZAUG25) Notable: IDF Plans to Capture Gaza City, Prepares Construction of Field Hospitals for Evacuated Civilians

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IDF Plans to Capture Gaza City, Prepares Construction of Field Hospitals for Evacuated Civilians

Monday, 18 August 2025 08:18 AM EDT

While the Israeli military continues to firm up plans for the capture of Gaza City, the IDF is also reportedly preparing to expand humanitarian support in other parts of Gaza, including building additional field hospitals ahead of mass civilian evacuations.

According to a Monday report in Ynet News, the military intends to establish more humanitarian zones and medical facilities to bolster international legitimacy for the planned offensive against remaining Hamas forces.

Previous field hospitals in the Gaza Strip were facilitated by the IDF, many of them built and operated by the United Arab Emirates.

According to the Ynet report, the IDF is currently conducting an assessment of the requirements and feasibility of the plan, which is awaiting approval from the political echelon.

On Saturday evening, reports in Hebrew media indicated the military had resumed allowing tents and other shelter equipment into the Gaza Strip in preparation for the planned evacuation of Gaza City's civilian population.

By Sunday afternoon, social media posts showed trucks loaded with tents waiting to enter the Strip.

By Sunday afternoon, social media showed trucks preparing to enter Gaza with the tents.

The entry of renewed aid comes as IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said he approved plans for the takeover of Gaza City and is expected to present them to Defense Minister Israel Katz for final approval on Tuesday.

While visiting the frontlines on Sunday, Zamir said, "Today we are approving the plan for the next phase of the war.

Just as in the recent operations in Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, Judea and Samaria, and Gaza, we will continue to reshape the security reality.

We will maintain the momentum of Operation 'Gideon's Chariots' while focusing on Gaza City. We will continue to strike until the decisive defeat of Hamas, with the hostages always at the forefront of our minds."

He also told IDF commanders, "In the upcoming campaign in Gaza, an attempt will be made to minimize the use of reserve forces as much as possible.

The expected evacuation of the population will last a little less than two months, and we are preparing for the complexity of moving the residents; therefore, we are preparing a variety of tools to encourage them to leave the city for the humanitarian areas.

After that, phases of encircling, entering, and conquering Gaza City will be carried out."

Alongside the reports of the IDF moving forward with an advanced plan for the Gaza City campaign, Saudi-affiliated news site Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Palestinian terror groups holding the remaining Israeli hostages are considering a plan to transfer the hostages into Gaza City ahead of the IDF campaign.

The move is an attempt to deter Israel from taking over the city.

Walla News reported that around 80,000 Israeli soldiers would be needed to encircle and occupy Gaza City as part of the effort to defeat the remaining Hamas forces there.

A military source told Walla, "This is a very broad plan that will exact a very heavy price from Hamas, but it also carries great risks for IDF forces."

The source also said that the IDF is already beginning to launch maneuvers in Gaza City to increase pressure on Hamas ahead of the campaign to capture the city.

Ahead of a government meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the upcoming offensive was meant to achieve security control over the Gaza Strip, which he intends to maintain in the future.

"Our ongoing security control in the Strip is only one of our conditions for concluding the war, conditions that Hamas is refusing to accept.

We insist that not only must Hamas be disarmed, but also that Israel will enforce the demilitarization of the Strip over time by continuous action against any attempt at rearmament and reorganization by any terrorist element whatsoever," he said.

Meanwhile, reports in Arabic media say that Hamas is evaluating the latest Egyptian and Qatari proposals for a hostage-ceasefire deal.

Saudi Al-Arabiya TV reported that Egypt demanded an answer within hours, and asked Hamas and representatives from other terror groups to remain in Egypt until an agreement is reached.

At a Monday press conference at the Rafah crossing last Monday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Egypt is mediating with Qatar and the U.S. and holding intensive talks to restore calm, secure a ceasefire, and launch a serious political process to end the war.

Abdelatty added that there are currently Palestinian and Qatari delegations in Egypt to continue the negotiations.

https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/idf-israel-gaza-city/2025/08/18/id/1222881/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/23477337 (181608ZAUG25) Notable: The Eagle, Globe, and Anchor is the official emblem of the United States Marine Corps. Its roots can be traced as far as 1804

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The Eagle, Globe, and Anchor is the official emblem of the United States Marine Corps. Its roots can be traced as far as 1804, with uniforms of Marines being adorned with brass eagles on square plates. During the War of 1812, this early emblem morphed into an octagonal brass plate embossed with an eagle, an anchor, drums, and flags. As the decades would progress, symbols on the emblem would be replaced with letters.

Starting in 1840, Marine uniforms would see the metal letters “U.S.M.” During the subsequent years, more changes, modifications, and additions ensued until in 1868, when Marine leaders believed their insignia too closely resembled that of the U.S. Army infantry, and began to take steps to make a distinctive device. Commandant Brig. Gen. Jacob Zeilin appointed a special board to create a device for the Corps.

Read more below ⬇️

https://marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/4270900/globe-trotters-and-anchor-droppers-the-history-of-the-eagle-globe-and-anchor/

https://x.com/USMC/status/1957472586746458493