Mystery drone activity forces US air base to shut down for hours in Ohio
Mysterious drone sightings continue to raise concerns in the United States. This time, they reportedly forced the closure of one of the country’s most crucial military facilities for several hours on Friday, Dec. 13, into the morning hours of Saturday, Dec. 14.
U.S. officials confirmed that unknown drone activity led to a halt in operations and heightened security measures at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio for roughly four hours over the weekend.
The base, considered one of the nation’s most important, is home to advanced research, intelligence and Air Force and Space Force operations.
Officials said there were no injuries or reports of damage and that operations continued as normal after the disruption. They added that they would continue to “monitor local air space.”
The Federal Aviation Administration warned that it is illegal to fly drones within restricted zones around military bases without permission. Those found in violation, the FAA said, could face serious criminal charges.
The first known incident to shut down a U.S. military base follows dozens of drone sightings near military installations and sensitive locations in New Jersey. Drones have also been spotted in New York and Pennsylvania.
Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., recently revealed that some of the drones spotted in his state show signs of “sophisticated” technology and go “dark” when exposed to light.
Officials maintain there is no threat to the public at this time. An explanation for the sightings has yet to be provided.
Mystery drone sightings: 21 New Jersey mayors call for governor to investigate
Dozens of unidentified drones spotted in central and northern New Jersey are raising concerns among state lawmakers. At least 21 mayors are calling on New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to launch a state investigation into their origins.
In a letter, the mayors demanded that the investigation’s findings be released to state and local officials and residents.
Murphy responded to the letter on Monday, Dec. 9, telling Fox News his plan to address the mysterious drone sightings.
Murphy said he’s been working with the White House and Homeland Security to get “answers sooner rather than later.” He acknowledged residents’ frustration about the lack of answers.
The governor noted there were 49 drone sightings on Sunday, Dec. 8, and admitted he doesn’t have much in the way of answers. He said that, to his knowledge, the drones are “highly sophisticated” and “the minute you get eyes on them, they go dark.”
Murphy stressed that there is no danger to the public. However, he pleaded for more help from federal agencies to uncover the mystery behind the sightings.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently investigating the drone sightings and has asked residents for help by video and reporting any drones they spot.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented drone flight restrictions as the probe continues.
Drones are legal in New Jersey and often used by hobbyists. However, the aircraft spotted in most cases across the state by residents are reportedly larger than those drones used for recreation.
Annual UFO report finds 21 cases that can’t be explained
The Pentagon investigated more than 700 sightings of UFOs — or UAPs, as the government prefers to call them — last year, according to a new report released Thursday, Nov. 14. UAP stands for unidentified anomalous phenomena and of the hundreds of reports last year, they cannot plausibly explain the source of 21 of them.
Pentagon officials maintain they’ve found no evidence of alien activity, but the government’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) said it takes every report seriously and investigates each one.
Of the new reports the AARO has received, nearly 50 have already been closed as everyday items, such as balloons, birds or drones. The government agency expects to resolve another 243 cases by identifying them as one of those objects.
More than 400 of the new reports were put into an active archive because there was not enough data or evidence to keep investigating.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
President-elect Trump has named RFK Jr. as his Health and Human Services Secretary. And fight fans are ready for a streaming spectacle: former champ Mike Tyson will return to the ring to take on social media star Jake Paul. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.
Trump calls RFK Jr. a ‘great mind’ after health secretary nomination
“[Kennedy is] another one, who’s a great guy and great mind and so popular, and I think he’s right, he wants to make people healthy,” Trump said. “It’s driven him pretty wild over the last number of years, and the Democrats didn’t treat him well. He was doing fantastically well.”
“Today I nominated him for, I guess if you like health and you like people that live a long time, it’s the most important position RFK Jr.,” Trump said.
Kennedy responded to the nomination earlier in the day, posting on X in part, “We have a generational opportunity to bring together the greatest minds in science, medicine, industry, and government to put an end to the chronic disease epidemic.”
The 70-year-old Kennedy is a former Democrat, who endorsed Trump after dropping out of the race. He would oversee a group of health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson (R) called Kennedy “a brilliant, courageous truth-teller whose unwavering commitment to transparency will make America a healthier nation.”
Meanwhile, critics of Kennedy pointed to his previous comments questioning vaccinations. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden (D) said in a statement, “Mr. Kennedy’s outlandish views on basic scientific facts are disturbing and should worry all parents who expect schools and other public spaces to be safe for their children.”
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey (D) just posted three words: “Dangerous. Unqualified. Unserious.”
Kennedy is also the founder of the Children’s Health Defense, which is described by media outlets as the leading anti-vaccine group in the nation.
When pressed on the subject of vaccinations by both NBC News and NPR in interviews earlier this month, Kennedy said if put into this type of role he is “not going to take away anybody’s vaccinations.”
President-elect Trump adds more names to his cabinet
Also on Thursday, Trump nominated Doug Collins as Veterans Affairs secretary. The former Republican congressman from Georgia and Iraq war veteran was a supporter of Trump during his first impeachment trial in 2019.
Trump also named three of his lawyers to positions in the Justice Department.
Finally, John Sauer, who won the presidential immunity case at the U.S. Supreme Court, is Trump’s pick for solicitor general.
House Ethics Committee cancels meeting on Matt Gaetz investigation
The Republican-led House Ethics Committee canceled its meeting over the investigation into former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, according to multiple outlets citing sources. Gaetz resigned from Congress earlier this week after President-elect Trump announced he’s nominating Gaetz for attorney general.
The meeting, which was scheduled for Friday morning, Nov. 15, before Gaetz resigned, was supposed to focus on the investigation into multiple allegations against Gaetz, including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, accepting improper gifts, and obstruction.
Tropical Storm Sara brings dangerous torrential rain to Honduras
Tropical Storm Sara made landfall late Thursday in northern Honduras, bringing torrential rain as it skirts the country’s coast. Authorities there have warned of the potential for dangerous flash flooding and landslides, with the country’s president saying it could “become a catastrophic event.”
Honduran officials have issued the highest-level warning along the country’s northern coast and activated the national police and military for rescue and relief efforts. Sara is expected to move inland, making landfall over Belize on Sunday, Nov. 17, before dissipating over the Yucatán Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Center.
This marks the 18th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30.
Annual UFO report finds 21 cases that can’t be explained
Pentagon officials maintain they’ve found no evidence of alien activity, but the government’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) said it takes every report seriously and investigates each one.
If none of this UAP stuff exists, if it’s all false, why at every turn are people trying to stop transparency? You can’t talk about fight club if there’s no fight club. pic.twitter.com/otPGNbwu71
Of the new reports the AARO has received, nearly 50 have already been closed as everyday items, such as balloons, birds or drones. The government agency expects to resolve another 243 cases by identifying them as one of those objects.
More than 400 of the new reports were put into an active archive because there was not enough data or evidence to keep investigating.
Tyson vs. Paul in Netflix’s first live streaming boxing event
The two faced off during a final weigh-in on Thursday, with Tyson slapping Paul. The eight-round match at AT&T Stadium in Texas was postponed from July after Tyson suffered an inflamed ulcer weeks before the bout.
Reports indicate both competitors are expected to have a big payday. Tyson, who has a record of 50-6, will reportedly make $20 million and the 27-year-old Paul, who has a record of 10-1, will make $40 million.
Paul’s startup, Most Valuable Promotions, teamed up with Netflix to bring the fight together.
Netflix currently has more than 282 million paid subscribers worldwide and Paul predicts at least 25 million of them will tune in. If that comes to pass, it’ll make this the most watched boxing match of all time.
Congress holds hearing to ‘pull back the curtain’ on UFOs, experts testify
Members of congress say they’re continuing to “pull back the curtain” on UFOs. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., delivered the opening statement at a House Oversight Committee hearing on the subject on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
“I’m not going to name names, but there are certain individuals who didn’t want this hearing to happen because they feared what might be disclosed. But we stood firm,” Mace said. “No amount of outside pressure would ever keep me from pursuing a subject to ground come hell or high water.”
The title refers to UPAs, which is the acronym that replaced UFOs to describe mysterious airborne objects.
The last hearing happened in the summer of 2023 following career intelligence official David Grusch‘s allegations that the Pentagon is operating a secret UFO retrieval program.
The Pentagon denied the accusations. However, its office created a new website where the public can access declassified information about reported sightings.
On Wednesday, lawmakers heard from multiple witnesses, including former Pentagon official Luis Elizondo, about what they have seen and heard about UPAs.
Elizondo, the former head of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, said that the government hid information.
“Excessive secrecy has led to grave misdeeds against loyal civil servants, military personnel and the public, all to hide the fact that we are not alone in the cosmos,” Elizondo said. “A small cadre within our own government involving the UAP topic has created a culture of suppression and intimidation that I have personally been victim to, along with many of my former colleagues.”
Elizondo asked congress to enact legislation protecting whistleblowers who are too afraid to come forward about government operations.
Before the hearing, a large line formed with people who wanted to get inside because the topic is generating a lot of interest.
NASA released a report declaring no evidence exists to confirm that aliens are behind reported UAP sightings.
Musk, Ramaswamy to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency
President-elect Trump has created the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. And new details on a deadly massive explosion at a Kentucky food dye plant. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
Musk, Ramaswamy to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency
Trump said Musk will be joined by entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in leading the department. The president-elect said the two businessmen will help his administration “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”
Trump added the department will provide guidance from outside the government and “send shockwaves through the system.” The statement said Musk and Ramaswamy’s work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Musk, who also owns X, said on the social media site Tuesday night that all actions of the department will be posted online for “maximum transparency.”
Both Musk and Ramaswamy endorsed Trump during the 2024 campaign, with Ramaswamy doing so after dropping out of the race in January.
Along with meeting President Biden at the White House Wednesday, President-elect Trump is expected to also meet with Republicans at the Capitol as the GOP prepares to take control of both chambers of Congress, though some House races have still yet to be called.
The 44-year-old Army veteran is currently the host of Fox News channel’s “Fox and Friends Weekend.” Hegseth joined the network in 2014.
Hegseth is a Princeton and Harvard Business School graduate. He served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay and is still a member of the Minnesota Army Reserve.
In a statement, Trump said Hegseth is “tough, smart and a true believer in America first.” He added, “With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice — our military will be great again, and America will never back down.”
Trump also filled other roles Tuesday, including selecting lawyer William McGinley as White House counsel, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel, real estate investor Steve Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East, and former Congressman John Ratcliffe as CIA director. Ratcliffe served as director of national intelligence in the first Trump administration.
Republican senators to choose new majority leader
While control of the House of Representatives remains undecided, the Senate is firmly in the hands of Republicans after last week’s election and now they’re getting ready for another vote.
House Oversight Committee holding second UFO hearing
The House Oversight Committee is meeting Wednesday to once again talk UFOs. The hearing, which calls the objects by their new preferred name, is titled “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth.”
Arrogant bureaucrats in D.C. spend your money and withhold information on UAP while our nation's best pilots give a different story. How does the government expect to gain our trust when they don't trust us with the truth? pic.twitter.com/un2RzRfwrE
2 dead in Louisville plant explosion, nearby homes damaged
New information is emerging about the explosion at a food dye plant in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday afternoon. CBS and NBC News have reported two people have died, and at least nine others were badly hurt.
Authorities said two people had to be rescued from inside the plant Tuesday, but all employees have been accounted for.
The explosion, which happened in the city’s Clifton neighborhood, damaged nearby homes and residents were evacuated. One homeowner said it was a huge explosion and his entire house shook.
Today was a tough day for our city but we will get through this. I’m praying for everyone who was impacted and I’m incredibly thankful for the first responders who rushed in to save them. pic.twitter.com/cRbmqblph0
The mayor of Louisville said employees who were inside the building “reported normal activity when the explosion occurred.” The cause is under investigation.
This is not the first explosion to happen at that factory. One worker died after a tank exploded in 2003, when the plant had a different owner.
Kraft Heinz pulls school-approved Lunchables off the menu
The school-specific meals made their debut last school year. Kraft Heinz said they were protein-enriched and had reduced levels of saturated fat and sodium to meet the requirements of the national free and reduced-price school lunch program.
However, the meals got pushback from nutrition experts, who were concerned the school versions of Lunchables would confuse parents into thinking store-bought versions were healthier than they are. Then in April, Consumer Reports said it found the school-approved Lunachables actually contained more sodium than their store-bought counterparts.
In a statement, Kraft Heinz said its decision to pull school Lunchables was due to lack of demand.
‘Peeling back the layers’: House hearing seeks answers on gov’t UFO secrets
Congress is set to dive deeper into the mystery of UFOs, or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs), this week. These unexplained sightings have confounded scientists, fueled conspiracy theories and drawn attention from U.S. military pilots.
The upcoming hearing, titled “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth,” has sparked renewed calls for transparency about what the government knows. Lawmakers promised to shed light on these phenomena, raising public hopes and expectations.
Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee and a vocal advocate for UFO whistleblowers, expressed optimism about the proceedings. Burchett, who introduced the UAP Transparency Act, has long pushed for greater public access to information about these sightings. He described the hearing as another step in uncovering long-held secrets.
The hearing will feature testimony from notable witnesses, including former U.S. Navy Admiral Tim Gallaudet. He’s expected to provide insight into underwater phenomena reportedly involving UAPs. Some reports suggest these phenomena have included UAPs tracking U.S. ballistic missile submarines, a topic of significant concern for national security.
Nick Pope, a former U.K. Defense Ministry official and UFO expert, framed the hearing as part of a broader effort to uncover the truth gradually. He emphasized that the process of “disclosure” is ongoing and unlikely to yield definitive answers in a single event. However, he expressed optimism about the potential value of the witnesses’ testimony, highlighting their varied expertise.
Speculation also emerged about the potential role of a second Trump administration in advancing UFO transparency. Advocates believe President-elect Donald Trump has shown interest in declassifying decades of government files on UAPs and linking these disclosures to other historically significant material, such as documents related to the JFK assassination.
While the hearing is not expected to resolve all lingering questions, lawmakers and experts view it as a crucial step toward addressing public curiosity and long-standing concerns about government secrecy.
Secret Pentagon UFO program allegedly operating without Congress’ knowledge
A whistleblower came forward with claims of a secret Pentagon program, allegedly tasked with gathering information on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), commonly known as UFOs. The program, referred to as “Immaculate Constellation,” reportedly operated without congressional oversight for years, according to independent journalist Michael Shellenberger.
In an interview with NewsNation, Shellenberger said the whistleblower stumbled upon the program by accident and detailed several UFO incidents.
In one instance, orbs reportedly surrounded an F-22 fighter jet, forcing it to leave its patrol area. In another, a Navy aircraft crew witnessed an orange-red sphere descending from high altitude, leaving them with an unsettling sense of unease.
The whistleblower, whose identity remains confidential due to concerns for their safety, also claimed that the Department of Defense created “Immaculate Constellation” in 2017 after The New York Times revealed the existence of another Pentagon program, the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which investigated UAP encounters.
The Department of Defense has strongly denied the allegations.
“The Department of Defense has no record, present or historical, of any type of SAP (Special Access Program) called ‘Immaculate Constellation,’” spokesperson Sue Gough said in a statement to NewsNation.
Despite the Pentagon’s denial, the whistleblower’s claims echo previous allegations made by former intelligence officials.
In 2023, former Air Force officer David Grusch testified to Congress about a secret UAP retrieval program, asserting that the Pentagon had been operating such programs without public knowledge or oversight.
The disclosure adds to the growing interest in UAPs, with bipartisan calls for greater transparency. Lawmakers, including Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., have been pressing for more information on the government’s handling of UAP investigations.
Earlier this year, Congress held hearings to explore UAP phenomena and potential national security risks associated with unexplained aerial sightings.
While the Pentagon maintains that UAP reports are often misidentified drones, classified military projects, or known aerial objects, the whistleblower’s report has renewed demands for accountability and disclosure.
Harvard thought experiment suggests aliens may be among us
Despite a recent government report that found no evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, some academics are urging reconsideration. Harvard and Montana Technological University published a paper that suggests UFO sightings could be the activities of intelligent beings.
The paper proposes various origins for these beings; they might be remnants of an advanced, ancient human civilization, descendants of intelligent dinosaurs, or visitors from Earth’s future.
The ideas aim to broaden the usual debate beyond simple misidentifications or extraterrestrial explanations.
Before diving deeper, it’s important to identify what is actually known.
Former President Barack Obama addressed the topic of aliens back in 2021 on “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” However, getting a direct answer from U.S. leaders has been a struggle.
“So but what is true and I’m actually being serious here, is that there are — there is footage and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are,” Obama said. “We can’t explain how they move their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern.”
“President Obama says that there is footage and records of objects in the skies of these unidentified aerial phenomena and he says we don’t know exactly what they are,” a reporter said. “What do you think that it is?”
“I would ask him again, thank you,” Biden said before walking off stage.
During the session, members received testimony about sightings of unexplained objects and claims that the government possesses “nonhuman” biological matter.
Former President Donald Trump shared his take on the possibility of extraterrestrial beings on Thursday, June 13.
“And am I a believer? No, I probably can’t say I am,” Trump said on a podcast with Jake Paul. “People that are very smart and very solid have said they believe there is something out there and you know makes sense that there could be. I’ve never been convinced even despite that, you know. I just for some reason it’s not my thing but a lot of people believe that it’s true a lot of very good, solid people believe it’s true.”
In March, the Pentagon released a report saying that since the end of World War II, no evidence has been found suggesting that aliens have visited or crash-landed on Earth. The report concluded that most sightings were misidentified ordinary objects.
Congress to hold classified UFO hearing as public belief in aliens grows
Congress is holding a classified hearing on UFOs where members will be looking for definitive proof of their existence. This comes at a time when acceptance of the possibility of extraterrestrial life is peaking in America, with people on social media claiming 10-foot-tall aliens are already in Miami.
Members of the House Oversight Committee will discuss UFOs behind closed doors on Friday, Jan. 12.
There has been increased activity on Capitol Hill concerning the topic since 2020 when the federal government admitted that multiple Navy pilots have encountered “unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAPs).
Videos of some of the encounters were released, and there is still no public explanation of what the videos show and how the objects reached Earth.
In 2023, former intelligence official David Grusch gave testimony claiming the government had “non-human biologics” from a “recovered UFO” in its possession.
Grusch asserted that the government was reverse engineering UFOs to try and learn the technology, but the Pentagon denied the claims.
The amount of Americans who believe UFO sightings are proof of alien life rose from 20% in 1996 to 34% in 2022, according to a YouGov poll.
An Ipsos poll found that 42% of Americans believe in UFOs, while one in 10 surveyed said they have actually witnessed some kind of UAP.
A large police presence spotted at a mall in Miami on New Years Day caused online users to speculate that 10-foot aliens prompted the significant response from police.
Police said the incident was a large brawl between teenagers.
“Have you ever seen this many police and emergency vehicles responding to a fight at a mall,” one person on TikTok questioned. “Why do we have every single police officer in the city here?”
The incident is reminiscent of one in Las Vegas in 2023 when a 16-year-old called the police, claiming to see aliens in his backyard.
“It has big eyes, it’s looking at us… and they’re very large, nine feet, 10 feet — they look like aliens to us… Big eyes, and they’re not human, they’re 100% not human,” the boy said in his call to police.
Some members of Congress are open believers in extraterrestrial life as so-called “credible witnesses” have come forward in recent years describing their experiences with UAPs.