Opinion

The man America forgot to invite to its 250th birthday party

(RNS) — This man didn’t set foot in North America. He never signed a founding document. But there is a compelling case that our country’s great story would look very different without him.

William Tyndale, Protestant reformer and Bible translator. (Image from Foxe's Book of Martyrs/Wikimedia/Creative Commons)

Dirk Smith
July 2, 2026

RNS

(RNS) — George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams will be some of the names that will rightly dominate the tributes as America turns 250 in the next few days.

Block parties, fireworks and patriotic speeches will give honor to these men for the leadership, courage and vision that helped birth and shape a nation unlike any the world had seen before.

Yet standing in London beside a book twice the age of the United States, I find myself wondering whether somebody is missing from America’s 250th birthday party guest list.



This man didn’t set foot in North America. He never signed a founding document. He actually died almost 250 years before the Declaration of Independence. But there is a compelling case that our country’s great story would look very different without him.

Let me introduce you to William Tyndale, the man who, 500 years ago, translated the New Testament from the original Greek into English for the very first time.

The book I have just been staring at is one of only three surviving copies of Tyndale’s 1526 New Testament. Printed in Germany, it was smuggled into England and was already ancient when America declared independence. Today it sits safely preserved behind glass at London’s iconic St. Paul’s Cathedral. I am here in Britain filming a mini-documentary series, following Tyndale’s footsteps and learning more of his amazing story.

In the early 16th century, only priests had access to the Bible, but Tyndale became convinced that ordinary people should be able to read Scripture in their own languages. Church authorities fiercely opposed English translations, fearing they would undermine established authority and spread heresy.

Tyndale disagreed. His ambition was simple but dangerous. He famously declared that if God spared his life, he would ensure that a plowboy knew more Scripture than the religious leaders opposing him.

Unable to complete his work in England, he fled to Germany. Working in exile, he launched a movement that would change history. Backed by a team of wealthy businessmen and transporters, copies of his New Testament were printed in 1526 and then secretly smuggled into England hidden among cargo shipments.



The pocket Bible we know today was effectively born not from convenience but necessity. Its size made it easier to conceal and smuggle.

Authorities searched for the books, and church leaders publicly burned them. But the demand proved unstoppable. Historians estimate that up to 18,000 English New Testaments made their way into London.
RELATED: 500 years ago, the first New Testament in English was published – and stirred up a hornet’s nest

Tyndale’s mission eventually cost him his life. In 1536, he was strangled and burned at the stake in Belgium after a year in jail.

William Tyndale is burned at the stake in Belgium. (Image from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs/Wikimedia/Creative Commons)

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes,” were reportedly the famous last words he shouted before his death.

Remarkably, less than a year later, every church in England was required to have a copy of the Bible chained to its pulpit. And not long after that, English Bibles were printed with royal approval and were made accessible — to everyone. Tyndale’s prayer was answered. The man was dead; the mission lived on.

But that was just the beginning. Tyndale’s masterpiece was on the move and would travel much further than he ever imagined.

As President of EEM, a ministry that delivers more than 2 million Bibles every year to people who have requested them, I know firsthand how Scripture continues to transform lives. We are just one organization carrying Tyndale’s mission forward across the world today.

Most people know Tyndale as a Bible translator, but he was also one of the architects of the English language itself.

“The powers that be,” “fight the good fight,” “the signs of the times” and “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” are just a few phrases that first appeared in his writings.

He translated Scripture into English that was clear, memorable and beautiful. Five centuries later, these sayings still feel natural because they helped shape the English language itself.

That influence would prove particularly significant across the Atlantic. When the first settlers arrived in North America, they brought more than hopes and dreams — they brought Bibles. And those Bibles carried William Tyndale’s words.

The King James Bible relied heavily on Tyndale’s earlier work. Scholars estimate that roughly 80% to 90% of its New Testament draws directly from his translation.

It’s quite incredible that the book that would shape the moral compass of a nation and become its rock, backbone and manual was translated by a man who remains unknown to most Americans.

George Washington famously said that it is impossible to rightly govern a country without God and the Bible. As I stood before this 500-year-old New Testament, I began to wonder where America would be today without it. How much biblical language and Scripture has formed the fabric of American life? Where would families and communities be without the word of God?

As America celebrates 250 years of freedom, it will rightly honor the soldiers, statesmen and founders who built our great nation. But perhaps it should also remember the British translator who helped shape the world long before 1776.

William Tyndale never lived to see America. He never knew the Founding Fathers. Yet five centuries after his New Testament first appeared and 250 years after America’s birth, his words still echo across the nation today.

For a man most Americans have never heard of, that is quite a legacy.

He may just be the most influential figure absent from the celebration.

(Dirk Smith is President of EEM, a Christian ministry that publishes and delivers approximately 2 million Bibles free every year across 35 countries in more than 30 languages. See www.eem.org for more. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service.)

D.E.I.

California to institute Bruce Lee Day, first for a Chinese-American in state history

Copyright AP Photo

By Gavin Blackburn

Published on 01/07/2026 - EURONEWS

In the 1960s, Lee found work in Hollywood, notably as Kato in the TV series "The Green Hornet," but studios wanted him to play racist stereotypes and paid him less than his white counterparts.

Martial arts icon Bruce Lee, who was born in San Francisco, will become the first Chinese American in California history with an annual namesake day.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law on Tuesday afternoon officially designating 17 May as Bruce Lee Day, according to the office of state Assembly member Matt Haney, who represents San Francisco.

An 18-year-old Lee returned to San Francisco on 17 May 1959, after spending his childhood in Hong Kong.

Lee’s daughter, Shannon, who is CEO of the Bruce Lee Foundation, said the honour is a testament to her father's enduring legacy as a bridge between cultures.

“From young people who found confidence and possibility in his philosophy, to families who finally saw themselves represented on screen, to athletes who still draw on his teachings of discipline and inner strength, his reach is profound," she said in a statement.

Haney called Lee the epitome of the best of California.

California Governor Gavin Newsom delivers his final state budget plan at the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento, 14 May, 2026 AP Photo

“At a time when Asian Americans were too often absent from or stereotyped on screen, Bruce Lee helped generations see themselves represented with strength and dignity,” he said in a statement.

The foundation and various Asian American organisations hope Lee will be celebrated every year with voluntary commemorative activities around the state such as cultural exhibits, public events and classroom lessons.

Born in 1940 to Chinese parents who were touring with an opera, Lee was allowed to have birthright citizenship.

A few months later, the family returned to Hong Kong where Lee became a child actor and began learning Chinese kung fu.

He moved back to the US in 1959 and enrolled in the University of Washington in Seattle two years later. He dropped out and threw himself into practicing and teaching martial arts.

Soldiers stand next to an oversized food menu with images featuring Bruce Lee in Rio de Janeiro, 21 August, 2017 AP Photo

In the 1960s, Lee found work in Hollywood, most notably as Kato in the TV series “The Green Hornet,” but studios wanted him to play racist stereotypes and paid him less than his white counterparts.

He pivoted back to Hong Kong and soon became a megastar of martial arts flicks, including “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury.” Lee died in 1973 at 32 after an allergic reaction to pain medication.

Lee's name and likeness remain popular. A treatment for a proposed TV action series he wrote inspired the HBO Max show “Warrior.”

ARACHNOLOGY

New venomous spider species found in Portugal

Copyright Francisco Gil / MHNC-U.Porto

By Ana Filipa Palma

Published on 01/07/2026 - EURONEWS

The discovery of the Chilean recluse spider (Loxosceles laeta) in Porto is the first record of this venomous species in Iberia. Researchers say its discreet behaviour means the risk to the public is low.

A new species of venomous spider, the Chilean recluse spider, scientifically known as Loxosceles laeta, has been discovered in the city of Porto in northern Portugal.

Speaking to Euronews, one of the researchers behind the discovery, José Manuel Grosso-Silva, an entomologist at the Natural History and Science Museum of the University of Porto, stressed that, because of the species' shy behaviour and habits, there is no cause for alarm. "The likelihood of people coming across this species or being bitten by it is low," he says.

"It is a shy species, not inclined to bite, but its bite can cause significant damage to the skin, frequently resulting in necrotic skin lesions," the study (source in Portuguese) by biologists Francisco Gil and José Manuel Grosso-Silva on the first record of this species in the Iberian Peninsula explains.

The Chilean recluse spider, Loxosceles laeta, is native to the western region of South America and is usually found in countries such as Brazil and Argentina. However, it has managed to spread to regions far from its original habitat, driven by international trade.

Chilean recluse spider observed by researchers in Porto Francisco Gil / MHNC-U.Porto

The first specimen was found by chance, the biologist recalls, on 10 September 2025, when a male was spotted on a wall in Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, in Porto. The second, also a male, was found on 10 January 2026; the specimen was collected dead from a sticky trap that had not been set for it.

Despite the discovery of this new species, another venomous spider from the same family has been living in Portugal for several decades and is widely distributed. This is Loxosceles rufescens, or the Mediterranean recluse spider, originally from North America and present in Europe for more than 200 years.

"We do not know whether this new species is confined to Porto or already more widespread. As the Chilean recluse spider can easily be mistaken for the Mediterranean recluse, it is possible that there are photographic records labelled as the latter which in fact show the newly identified species," the biologist notes.

The main difference between the two species lies in the males' pedipalps, jointed appendages located at the front of male spiders' bodies, which have sensory and reproductive functions and are used to transfer sperm to the female during mating.

Pedipalp of a male Loxosceles laeta, whose anatomy allows the species to be reliably identified Francisco Gil / MHNC-U.Porto

In terms of morphology and behaviour, they are very similar. "They are uniformly brown, they do not have the colours that allow them to blend into vegetation, and they do not build the kind of webs we usually see on plants for catching insects. They construct webs on walls, in corners and in more hidden, darker places, and are more active at night," José Manuel Grosso-Silva explains.

There are different degrees of severity, from mild cases to severe ones, including some fatalities, as a result of bites by this type of spider. "There is a risk, but it seems low to me, so I try not to fuel panic or excessive alarm," the biologist stresses.

Bite causes necrosis

In 2023, Portugal recorded a case of loxoscelism, a syndrome caused by spider venom, triggered by the bite of Loxosceles rufescens, the Mediterranean recluse spider.

The journal SPMI Case Reports, the digital scientific publication of the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine, reported the case of a 48-year-old woman who was bitten by this species while she was in an urban park.

After being bitten on the nape of the neck, the woman developed swelling without immediate pain. However, over the following 24 hours the symptoms worsened, with increasing headaches, malaise, feverishness, fatigue and the onset of necrosis with erythema at the site of the lesion. Subsequently, peeling of the skin was observed in other parts of the body, namely around the eyes, in the gluteal region, thighs, lips and oral mucosa.

The patient was discharged from hospital 16 days later with no remaining symptoms.

New species are increasingly common

In Portugal more than 300 species of insects from various regions of the world are now established, many of them introduced by humans through increased goods transport.

"We are increasingly changing the environment around us. We deliberately introduce many plants that often carry insects we did not intend to bring in," he explains.

The biologist recalls the case of the Asian hornet, introduced into Europe via France in a shipment of Chinese bonsais.

Also, "through urban development and monocultures such as eucalypts, which occupy vast areas, as well as extensive crops like maize, natural habitats have been reduced", which contributes to changes in ecosystems and favours the emergence of new species.

Rising temperatures on a global scale, with Europe warming at a particularly rapid pace, may favour the reproduction and spread of these exotic species.

"We do not know how it will evolve here in the Iberian Peninsula; this is a situation to be monitored over the coming years," says José Manuel Grosso-Silva.

Presence of the Chilean recluse spider in Europe

The first European record of this species dates back to 1972, in a building housing the Departments of Zoology and Genetics at the University of Helsinki in Finland.

It is thought that the species was transported by humans and settled inside the building to benefit from the higher temperatures, as it would hardly survive Finland's outdoor climate.

In 2025, Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen in Germany also identified a specimen of this species in the institution's basement.

There are also references to its possible presence in Italy. However, the website where this information was originally published is no longer available and that record therefore remains unconfirmed.

NO BID CONTRACT AS USUAL

US Joint Interagency Task Force 401 Awards $500 Million Counterdrone Contract

June 20, 2026 
By The Watch


Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) 401, the organization tasked with researching, testing and buying emerging counterdrone technologies for the United States Department of War (DOW), has awarded a $500 million contract to a California startup whose products have earned praise for downing thousands of Russian attack drones over the past two years in Ukraine. The three-year agreement with Perennial Autonomy will accelerate the DOW’s capacity to deploy low-cost air-to-air drone interceptors to counter uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and protect warfighters at home and abroad.

Under the deal announced May 18, 2026, Perennial will provide a range of artificial intelligence-enabled, attritable counter-UAS, including Merops interceptors, Bumblebee quadcopters and Hornet midrange strike drones. Attritable means the drones must be inexpensive and rugged enough that they can be placed at high risk or even lost in action without busting the budget. The contract does not set a specific end date or production target.

All three systems already are being used by forces operating in U.S. Central Command. Merops interceptors have blocked or destroyed more than 4,000 Russian drones in Ukraine since mid-2024, the company says.

The Perennial systems integrate detection, tracking and engagement capabilities using computer vision, radio frequency sensing, jam-resistant communications and autonomous targeting, a DOW news release said. Soldiers retain decision-making authority over the use of lethal force.


“Drones are the defining threat of our time,” U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of JIATF 401, said in a Perennial news release. “The proliferation of inexpensive unmanned aerial systems allows nonstate actors and individuals to access intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and precision strike tools in ways that were previously only available to state actors.”

Low-cost Shahed drones built by both Iran and Russia have played a significant role in Russia-Ukraine and Middle East fighting. As a result, demand has soared for Perennial’s counter-UAS systems. During budget hearings in April, Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll told lawmakers that the U.S. military had bought 13,000 Merops interceptors in the early days of the Iran war at about $15,000 per unit, whereas each Shahed costs $30,000 to $50,000.

JIATF 401 announced a $5.2 million deal with Perennial in late January to buy the Bumblebee V2 counterdrone system. Manufacturing and deliveries began soon after that, and JIATF 401 began testing initial prototypes of the Bumblebee V2 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on April 23. The defense intelligence company Janes reported in April that tens of thousands of Bumblebee V1 quadcopters had been sent to Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces over an undisclosed period.

DOW announced the Drone Dominance initiative in December 2025. Under the plan, $1 billion will be invested over the next two years to buy small, lethal drones. The funding also will accelerate growth of the nation’s UAS industrial base and rapidly arm combat units with low-cost drones.

In a video posted to the social platform X announcing the program on December 2, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said: “Drone Dominance will do two things: drive costs down and capabilities up. We will deliver tens of thousands of small drones to our force in 2026 and hundreds of thousands of them by 2027. … At the Department of War, we’re adopting new technologies with a ‘fight tonight’ philosophy, so that our warfighters have the cutting-edge tools they need to prevail.”This article was published by The Watch


About The Watch
The Watch is a professional military journal published by United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) for foreign partners and allies.
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Pentagon Pursues a Carrier-Free Unmanned Strike Aircraft for the Navy

Mach Industries has developed vertical-takeoff aircraft before (Mach)

Published Jun 16, 2026 6:53 PM by The Maritime Executive

The U.S. Navy's carrier aviation community abandoned early efforts towards an unmanned fighter aircraft in the late 2010s and has yet to formally revive the concept in program form - and in a strange twist, it could be eclipsed in this field by non-aviators. The Defense Innovation Unit - housed outside of the Navy - is beginning to award contracts for the development of experimental airframes for its Runway Independent Maritime & Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) aircraft, a long-range UAV that could take off from a destroyer and deliver the same weapons as an F/A-18 Super Hornet. 

RIMES' requirements suggest an aircraft that would allow a surface combatant to mount a scaled-down version of a carrier's kinetic strike capability, without the cost, logistics footprint, crew or pilots of a true carrier. The spec sheet calls for a one-way loaded range of 1,400 nautical miles; ability to carry 1,000-pound class weapons, like standard guided bombs; affordable price; and a high degree of mission autonomy. 

The DIU says that the concept grew out of a need to give surface combatants more standoff strike capacity in order to stay out of range of increasingly deadly (and ubiquitous) anti-ship missiles. In DIU's view, launching a two-way unmanned strike aircraft from the back deck would be a way for a destroyer to achieve this goal, and to get around the problem of limited magazine depth (and high cost) that restricts a combatant's missile firepower. 

"We are determined to dramatically lower our cost-per kill, while reducing our risk to force, replacing warfighters with economical fires and robots," said DIU Director Owen West. 

One early awardee is Mach Industries, which will be developing a RIMES prototype in conjunction with electric jet-fan maker Whisper Aero, designer of the JetFoil propulsion system. Their Atlas device will be hybrid-electric, tolerant of austere launch and landing sites, mechanically simple, "highly efficient" on fuel, and unusually quiet due to JetFoil's properties, Mach said in a statement. 

The award follows shortly after Mach Industries concluded a $300 million Series C funding round. The company has been growing rapidly with a portfolio of five products for strike and ISR, including long-range strike - all designed for large-scale, cost-effective production. 

 

Indian Crew Airlifted from Burning Tanker Disabled by US Forces off Oman

Indian crew was evacuated from a burning product tanker off Oman (social media video)

Published Jun 8, 2026 12:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

The Indian crew of a sanctioned, shadow fleet tanker abandoned ship on Monday, June 8, after a fire was reported aboard the ship. U.S. Central Command later acknowledged the strike, saying the vessel was disabled after it violated the ongoing blockade against Iran by attempting to sail to an Iranian port.

The product tanker now operating under the name of Marivex reported the fire around 1330 local time on June 8, with the crew requesting an immediate evacuation. Pictures show the crew being hoisted from the deck to a helicopter, with reports saying the vessel’s lifeboat was damaged by the fire and the crew was unable to launch the boat or rafts.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations labeled the incident “suspicious,” reporting the ship was on fire 15 nautical miles northeast of Masirah, Oman.

CENTCOM later confirmed that a F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS Abraham Lincoln fired a precision munition into the ship's engineering and steering spaces. The U.S. said it acted after the crew failed to comply with directions from its forces.

Built in 2009, the ship is claiming to be operating under the false flag of Madagascar since taking on its latest name in February 2026. Previously it was registered in Palau. The ship is 12,800 dwt, and its AIS signal showed it was coming from India bound for Duqm, Oman. The latest signals place it anchored on the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea.

 

 

 

The United States Treasury Department sanctioned the vessel in December 2025 under its previous name of Arihant. The U.S. listed it as one of 29 vessels involved in the Iranian oil petrochemical trade, reporting the tanker had transported hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian fuel oil and bitumen within the Persian Gulf since July 2025.  

Indian officials confirmed the evacuation of 24 sailors but did not comment on the cause of the fire aboard the ship. Its embassy in Oman posted a message thanking the Omanis for their assistance. Pictures show the crew uninjured, posing for a photo with the rescue helicopter in Oman.

CENTCOM said U.S. forces have now disabled seven non-compliant vessels while redirecting 134 ships that complied with instruction. It also reports that supporting humanitarian aid, U.S. forces allowed 42 vessels to pass since initiating the blockade on April 13.

Four Indian Seafarers Rescued from Abandoned Ship After 10 Months

Azra C anchored in Turkey September 2025 (Captain M. Jend photo - courtesy of VesselFinder)

Published Jun 8, 2026 6:29 PM by The Maritime Executive

It took intervention from the Turkish government to finally rescue four Indian seafarers who had been stuck on a decrepit cargo ship after the owner of the vessel was arrested as part of an International drug sting. While most of the crew was repatriated several months ago, four individuals remained on the ship since July 2025, waiting for replacements and back pay, both of which never arrived.

The vessel named Azra C (4,257 dwt) arrived in Turkey in July 2025, and according to reports, it was awaiting repairs and a planned drydocking. In August 2025, the vessel was inspected and received a whopping 54 deficiencies. Built in 1986, the 60-meter (197-foot) cargo ship had been operating for a Turkish company since 2023 and was registered in Mongolia.

The International Labour Organization lists the vessel abandoned as of October 1, 2025, reporting there were 15 crewmembers: 13 from India, and one each from Egypt and Turkey. The owners and the agents initially assured the ILO that the ship was awaiting repairs and that the back pay would be cleared in 15 days.

By December 2025, India’s Directorate General of Shipping was getting involved, and the crew reported that over the next several months, it sought the help of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, the port state, the flag state, the harbor master, the P&I, and others. 

The situation went from bad to worse when the owner was arrested in January 2026, and the port agents stopped responding, saying they too were not paid. The ITF and others tried to provide basic supplies. By March, the crew wrote to the ILO saying they were down to 800 litres of diesel, no more than 20 days of drinking water, and that the bunkers would run out by the end of the month. They reported they were running the emergency generator for five to six hours for cooking and charging batteries.

In late March, the ILO reports that the majority of the crew were repatriated with partial pay. However, to meet international regulations, four crewmembers were forced to stay behind to maintain the safety of the ship. By May, the four remaining crew wrote the ILO saying they had not been paid in eight to nine months, they only had 30 to 40 liters of diesel still aboard, and no one was helping them.

Turkey’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister, Abdulkadir Uralogly heard about the crew’s fate in a story in the Turkish daily Hurriyet and ordered that their repatriation be expedited. The paper speculated that the Azra C had been destined for a drug smuggling job, but its engine broke down and the owner switched to another ship, which was captured off the Canary Islands. The agents said the situation was a problem since the arrest, as there was simply no one to talk to about the crew’s fate.

Arrangements were made for Turkey’s coastal safety authority to take control of the ship. The crew was removed from the ship on its lifeboat at the end of last week and handed over to the consulate to complete their repatriation.

India’s Shipping Ministry highlighted just today that it has arranged to repatriate more than 3,500 seafarers, many coming from the ships trapped in the Persian Gulf. The ITF highlights that Indian nationals are the most affected nationality as the number of cases of ship abandonment continues to rise.

The ITF reports 2025 was a record year for abandonments, with 410 ships reported and 6,233 seafarers impacted. Turkey was the worst country for abandonment, with 61 cases last year. So far in 2026, the ITF told the French news agency AFP that an additional 151 cases of abandonment of ships have been reported.

Top photo of Azra C anchored off Turkey in September 2025 (Captain M. Jend photo – courtesy of VesselFinder)

GOP insider shocks by debunking Republican conspiracy theory: 'What kind of sorcery?'

David McAfee
June 6, 2026

RAW STORY


A California Republican operative went viral this week for doing something unusual in her party: publicly fact-checking a right-wing election conspiracy theory — and refusing to back down when Rasmussen Reports pushed back.

Elizabeth Barcohana, who works with the Los Angeles GOP, stepped in after Rasmussen posted a claim that a single ballot drop in the LA mayor's race had contained zero votes for Republican candidate Spencer Pratt — the reality TV personality from The Hills running for LA mayor — while every other candidate gained thousands. "Virtually every candidate received votes except for Spencer Pratt," Rasmussen wrote. "Impossible."

Barcohana called it false. "No, it did not happen," she posted, sharing a batch composition chart showing Pratt's orange bar appearing consistently across every single ballot drop. "This is fake news." She further noted that Rasmussen was recycling an NBC screenshot taken before the network's graphics team had corrected an error — meaning the "evidence" of fraud was a screenshot of a mistake that had already been fixed.

Rasmussen didn't fold. Instead, the polling firm told Barcohana to "wake up," name-dropped someone it claimed was a federal investigator, and accused her of not understanding "what is going on in national election integrity."

Barcohana's response to an anonymous user cut to the heart of the problem: "THIS is why you don't see Republicans fighting back against all of this. No one believes us no matter what we say when we push back on things that aren't true which demoralize our voters, so they would rather just keep quiet and not hit a hornet's nest of angry voters."

The exchange drew notice across the aisle. "How does one deal with a company that exists to poll elections but then casts doubt on the actual results with loony conspiracy theories?" asked Garrett Archer, a data journalist at ABC15 in Arizona. Damin Toell, a conservative activist, was more pointed, calling Rasmussen "the zombie husk of Rasmussen Reports, which just grifts off garbage conspiracy theories without any concern for how it suppresses Republicans from voting."

Drew Savicki, a political analyst, called it "fascinating watching a California Republican struggling to push back against the online conspiracy theories being promoted by so many in her party."

Republican strategist Mike Madrid kept it simple: "Wait...is this a Republican standing up for math, facts and evidence? What kind of sorcery is this?"

DRONES

Catching the unknown: The drone designed to hunt other drones

Copyright Johanna Urbancik/ Euronews

By Johanna Urbancik

Published on 01/06/2026 - EURONEWS

After repeated drone sightings at airports and critical infrastructure sites, a German company believes it has found a way to identify who is behind them.

A suspected drone sighting brought disruption to Munich airport on Saturday morning, with around 26 flights reportedly diverted and further delays affecting departures. It's the latest in a growing number of drone incidents at German airports.

Figures from Germany's air navigation service, Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS), show that 37 drone sightings were recorded in the first three months of this year alone. Yet one question often goes unanswered: who was flying them?

In most cases, investigators are unable to determine whether a drone was being operated by a hobbyist, an irresponsible pilot or someone with more hostile intentions.

Without recovering the aircraft or identifying its operator, establishing where it came from is often impossible.

The answer? A drone 'hunter'

One German company believes it has found a way to solve the problem. Working alongside US radar manufacturer Echodyne, Argus Interception has developed a system designed to hunt down rogue drones and catch them in mid-air.

Rather than shooting a target down, the company's A1-Falke interceptor fires a net intended to bring the aircraft safely to the ground. The idea is not only to avoid debris falling onto people or property below, but also to recover the drone intact so it can later be examined by investigators.

The drone capture, 28/05/2026 Johanna Urbancik/ Euronews

To improve the chances of a successful interception, the drone carries two net payloads, allowing operators a second attempt if the first misses.

At an exclusive demonstration attended by Euronews and a small group of journalists near Hamburg, the companies put the system to the test. A target drone was launched across a training ground before the A1-Falke was sent in pursuit. Moments later came a loud bang. Seconds after that, the target was caught in the interceptor's net.

Sven Steingräber, co-founder of Argus Interception, says the system was designed for situations where shooting a drone down is not an option, such as near airports, critical infrastructure or in densely populated urban areas.

"We set out to address a capability gap," he said. The aim, he argues, is to respond to drone incursions proportionately while avoiding collateral damage. "Our net system allows us to capture the drone, transport it away and place it exactly where we want it," Steingräber added. "That way, we can avoid harm to bystanders as well as damage to property."

In built-up, urban areas, he argued, that distinction matters.

Steingräber and Frankenberg at the Argus Interception factory Johanna Urbancik/ Euronews

How does the system work?

In simple terms, Echodyne provides the eyes, while Argus provides the interceptor.

The two companies play different roles within the same system. While Echodyne's radars monitor the airspace and detect suspicious aircraft, Argus' A1-Falke is responsible for the interception itself.

"You saw a couple of different radar systems on the ground," Echodyne chief executive Eben Frankenberg told Euronews. The larger system, known as EchoShield, is responsible for "detecting an initial drone flying into the area" before "tracking it with very high fidelity and sending that data to the command and control centre."

A smaller radar, EchoGuard, performs the same role, but at shorter ranges. Once a target has been identified, its position is passed to the interceptor. The A1-Falke then takes over. Mounted on the drone itself is a radar called EchoFlight, which performs what Frankenberg describes as "air-to-air tracking."

Echodyne CEO Eben Frankenberg next to a radar system. Johanna Urbancik/ Euronews

"So once the interceptor drone is in the air, then it's going to go find the intruder drone and then start tracking it," he said. "And so the interceptor drone can then follow it," Frankenberg said.

The A1-Falke is then sent in pursuit. Designed to catch rather than destroy its target, the drone fires a net intended to entangle the aircraft and bring it safely to the ground.

To increase the chances of a successful interception, it carries two net payloads, allowing operators a second attempt if the first misses. The drone itself is piloted from the ground. While artificial intelligence assists with the operation, the final decisions remain in human hands.

A growing security concern

Steingräber argued that many people still underestimate the potential threat posed by drones flying over sensitive sites. "Modern wars often don't begin with the first shot being fired, but with the gathering of information," he told Euronews. Many people, he said, are unaware that intelligence collected by a drone today could have significant consequences at a later stage.

"Such drone flights over critical infrastructure can have major consequences," Steingräber said. "Operational procedures are filmed, supply routes are mapped and critical points are assessed for an adversary, allowing them to strike more effectively because they already have the information."

Reports of drones flying over critical infrastructure, airports and military sites in Germany have become more frequent since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Until recently, responsibility for dealing with such incidents rested largely with the police. The German army was generally limited to responding to drone activity over its own facilities.

Radar and drone, near Hamburg, 28/05/2026 Johanna Urbancik/ Euronews

That changed last year when Germany amended its Aviation Security Act. While primary responsibility still lies with the police, the armed forces can now provide support if requested by state authorities and if the available civilian resources are deemed insufficient.

Some in the industry argue that the current framework leaves operators of critical infrastructure with few tools to respond to suspicious drone activity. They are calling for facilities such as airports, energy sites and other sensitive locations to be given greater scope to use counter-drone systems themselves.

One example is the net-based interceptor demonstrated to Euronews near Hamburg, which is designed to capture a drone rather than destroy it. As it carries no live ammunition and is not classified as a weapon, operators could deploy the drone themselves, bring an intruding aircraft down and have it examined afterwards.

‘Much better defence’ required to avert Russian drones, former Romanian NATO official tells Euronews

Euronews

By Méabh Mc Mahon & Angela Skujins

Published on 01/06/2026 - 

Exclusive: Former NATO Deputy Secretary-General Mircea Geoană has warned that the military alliance needed stronger low-altitude military capabilities to shoot down drones, as seen with the incursion late last week in Romania that has left the country in "shock".

Former North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Deputy Secretary General, Mircea Geoană, said that much better defences were required by Europe to ward off drones – and the Romanian city of Galați still lives in a state of "shock" following an incursion by a Russian drone carrying explosives on Friday.

Late last week an unmanned aerial vehicle crashed into a residential building in the Romanian south-eastern port city near the border of Ukraine, sparking a fire and injuring two people.

The Romanian government blamed Moscow for the incident and declared the Russian consul in Constanța a persona non grata while closing the consulate.

In recent weeks, several drones have entered European airspace, causing concern across the Baltics. However, this is the first incident in which Romanians have been injured.

“The shock of the Russian incursion and explosion on a block of apartments in Galați is still here with us,” Geoană said in comments to Euronews’ Europe Today programme on Monday.

“Galați is a big city, an industrial city on the Danube. On the other side of the river, there is Ukraine, and Russia is constantly attacking infrastructure on the Ukrainian side,” he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected blame for the drone crash, while the country's deputy chair of Russia's Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev inferred more drones would continue to stray into European skies. "The peaceful sleep is over," he said.

“Concern” within Bucharest had cumulated over more than four years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to the country’s proximity to the battlefield, said Geoană, who served within NATO's upper echelons between 2019 and 2024. He also served as Romanian Foreign Minister from 2000 to 2004.

A Romanian fighter jet of NATO's Baltic Air Policing Mission successfully shot down a stray drone that entered Estonia’s airspace on 19 May. Asked why this did not occur in Romania on Friday, Geoană said the military did not “have enough time or space to shoot”.

Romania’s Ministry of Defence did scramble two F-16 fighter jets to respond to the aircraft, however Romania’s General Gheorghe Maxim said the forces had insufficient time – only four minutes – to shoot it down.

The incident has further underlined the need for NATO to better equip itself against the form of modern warfare that occurs in low-altitude, Geoană said.

“We have to do a much better effort to try to find the right kind of air and missile defence for NATO in general,” he explained.

“For mid-altitude and high altitude, let's say there are some things in place: Patriot missiles, F-16 things, F-35 NATO operations."

“For this basically low altitude things… you can acquire them, the only thing is that you have to put your right priorities in the right place.”

Russia fired record 8,150 drones at Ukraine

in May: AFP analysis

Kyiv (Ukraine) (AFP) – Russia fired a record number of long-range drones at Ukraine in May, an AFP analysis of Ukrainian air force data showed Monday, as Kyiv appealled to allies for air defence support.


Issued on: 01/06/2026 - RFI

A Russian drone flies above Kyiv during an attack on May 24 © Genya SAVILOV / AFP


Russia launched 8,150 long-range drones in May, according to a compilation of daily air force reports, up to 24 percent on the number fired in April.

Kyiv has developed a robust network of air defence systems across the country that is capable of downing most drones, but it still relies on Western allies to down Russian missiles.

The new record barrage comes after a three-day truce last month raised hopes for broader peace efforts but Kyiv and Moscow accused each other of violations and stepped up their long-range attacks.

Russia also fired 211 missiles in May, among the highest monthly figures, at a time when Kyiv called on the United States for urgent help with supplies of ammunition for its Patriot anti-missile systems.

Russia lauched one of its worst attacks on the capital in months in May, when a missile slammed into a residential building, as part of a barrage that killed two dozen people.

Moscow last month also deployed its nuclear-capable ballistic missile -- dubbed Oreshnik -- for only the third time of the invasion.

Kyiv intercepted about 91 percent of all incoming drones and missiles in May, according to air force data.

One Russian drone attack in May partially destroyed this Kyiv apartment block © Roman PILIPEY / AFP


That points to how Ukraine has pioneered systems to intercept long-range drones but remains heavily reliant on Western allies to counter missiles.

Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that stocks of anti-missile systems and ammunition are running low.

President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed directly to US President Donald Trump last month for help downing Russian missiles.

The deficits have been exacerbated by the war in the Middle East, which saw US allies expend huge quantities of air defence ammunition protecting sites in the Gulf.

Trump re-entered the White House last year vowing to quickly end the Ukraine war, but talks stalled as the Moscow and Kyiv remain at odds over Russia's territorial demands.

Diplomatic efforts further derailed after Washington's attention turned to the US-Israeli war on Iran that erupted on February 28.

© 2026 AFP

Ukraine: How a kamikaze drone partially operated by AI is attacking Russian convoys

Drones piloted by artificial intelligence are now being deployed on the Ukrainian front lines, and while there has been much talk about them, there is still much that remains unknown. The US-made Hornet Drone, which is partially guided by AI, is at the centre of a new Ukrainian strategy to target Russian logistics.


Issued on: 01/06/2026 
By:The FRANCE 24 Observers/Guillaume MAURICE

This video, shared online by the Azov Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine on April 16, 2026, shows a Russian truck being hit by a Ukrainian Hornet drone that’s piloted by AI. A red square marks the drone’s potential target. © X / azov_media

For the past few months, a drone has been prowling Russian logistics routes. The Hornet, which the Russians call the "Martian-2", is a mid-range kamikaze drone partially piloted by artificial intelligence.

The drone – which is built of polystyrene, has a 2-metre wingspan and a range of more than 100 km – costs $6,000 USD. It can hit a target at a speed of 200 km/h and can carry a 4.5kg payload. After the drone is launched using a catapult, it flies using an electric propeller motor, which means that it is nearly silent, according to Russian sources. It is piloted using two cameras.

The US-designed Hornet was developed by the American company Perennial Autonomy, which was founded and financed by former Google CEO, Eric Schmidt. This drone is frequently used in US Army training exercises. However, in July 2025, Perennial Autonomy – then called Swift Beat – made a deal to supply Ukraine with drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on May 5 that Ukraine had quadrupled its number of mid-range strikes, meaning those beyond 20 kilometres, between February and April 2026.

This shows a Hornet drone on its launcher. © US Army


Once the drone is in Russian-occupied territory, it can apparently pilot itself using artificial intelligence, a system that makes it less vulnerable to Russian signal jamming.


The drone is said to be able to automatically identify its targets before striking. It is, however, very difficult to know the precise role played by artificial intelligence in the decision taken to strike. Our team contacted Perennial Autonomy, who did not want to comment on the drone’s piloting system. The Ukrainian Army did not respond to our questions.

Elite Ukrainian units like the Azov and Khartia Brigades have been posting images of Hornet drones striking Russian supply convoys. On his Telegram channel, Russian military blogger Alexander Kharchenko admitted that Russian “logistics is seriously disrupted”. He said that the Hornet is allowing Ukrainians to strike at an unprecedented distance: “Until recently, the guys were easily carrying out patrols 50 kilometres from the frontlines. But now, this area is under fire by the Hornets.”
‘The drone approaches its target silently, we don’t have time to react’

In video after video, the same scene repeats over and over. The drone flies over the area, spots a Russian truck or another piece of equipment and marks its target with a red square. Then, it hurtles toward its target to detonate.

This video shows a Russian truck being targeted by a Hornet flown by the Azov brigade. © X / azov_media


On Telegram, another Russian military blogger described how Hornet drones work: “In most cases, the drone flies at a low altitude (around 200 m) all along our roads. It identifies its target and attacks. The drone approaches its target silently, most of the time, we don’t have time to react.”

This video, posted on April 16, 2026 by the Azov Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine shows eight successive strikes on Russian equipment. X / azov_media
A drone striking behind the lines

On May 8, the Azov Brigade deployed a Hornet drone in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is occupied by the Russians. They flew over the edges of the city, which is more than 100 kilometres from any Ukrainian positions.

This video, published by the Azov Brigade on May 9, 2026, shows a Hornet drone flying over the occupied city of Mariupol, which is more than 100 km from Ukrainian positions. X / azov_media

This shows a Hornet drone deployed by the Azov Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine flying over the gates of the city of Mariupol, which is occupied by Russian troops. Location: 47°13'21.08"N 47°13'21.08"N © X / azov_media


It’s not the first time that a Hornet has flown so far: according to an analysis by the FRANCE 24 Observers, out of 13 videos of drone strikes posted online by different Ukrainian units, nine of them took place more than 80 kilometres from the front line.

George Barros, director of innovation at the Institute for the Study of War, says that the Hornet is partially guided using artificial intelligence:


"Once the Hornet enters Russian territory, its partial AI guidance allows it to independently select its target. Even without a connection to the pilot, the drone can recognise a Russian truck or armoured vehicle. This makes it resistant to jamming, since it no longer depends entirely on the signal used by the pilot to guide it.

The Hornet is also capable of flying autonomously during the final meters of the attack thanks to artificial intelligence. This is particularly useful because some Russian vehicles are equipped with jammers. However, the precise role of AI in the drone’s operation remains unclear.“

According to the researcher, this system enables the drone to strike far behind Russian lines, most notably in the Mariupol region:


“Mariupol is a major logistical hub, with numerous highways connecting southern Ukraine to the Donetsk region. Large numbers of troops and significant quantities of ammunition transit through this area.

Using small FPV-type kamikaze drones, the Ukrainians were already able to strike Russian positions located up to 30 kilometres from the front line. With missiles and long-range drones, they can hit Russian refineries hundreds — even thousands — of kilometres away.

But there is an operational gap between 30 km and 120 km that allows the Russians to deploy their logistics and prepare their assaults. It is within this space, referred to as the ‘intermediate depth,’ that the Ukrainians are trying to operate.”
When a Russian organisation is able to study the drone

Russian Telegram channel Ghost_Malleus_Maleficarum, which specialises in the technical analysis of Ukrainian drones, reported that the Hornet has a “success rate above 80%”. Meaning that volunteers from the Coordination Centre for Assistance to Novorossiya (KCPN), an organisation that trains Russian soldiers in operating drones, were thrilled to get their hands on a downed drone that they could study. Volunteers from this organisation wrote a 100-page report on the components of a Hornet drone.
In their report, KCPN analyses the components that make up Hornet drones in great detail. 

© kcpn.info


The document describes the drone’s ability to use artificial intelligence and mentions that they contain Qualcomm processors, a unit capable of processing data from several cameras present on the engine using artificial intelligence.

Russian military blogger UAVDEV reported that the signal enabling a pilot to remotely control the drone is hidden amongst civilian wifi traffic, which enables it to circumnavigate Russian electronic war systems that don’t jam non-military wifi.

These photos, taken by Russians, show the antennas in the drone’s wings. 

© kcpn.info


Russian military bloggers admit that the drone detectors currently used by the Russian army have blind spots that include the radio frequencies used by the Hornet. KCPN reported that the Ukrainians obtained and analysed Russian detectors, enabling them to adapt this new wave of Ukrainian drones. The report castigates the designers of the Russian jammers, who aren’t admitting their failures to stop Ukrainian drones.

But Barros says that electronic warfare alone is not sufficient to counter the threat of drones.

“Jammers cannot be 100% effective against drones. They can only operate on limited frequencies — it is impossible to jam every frequency at once. A jammer can only disrupt signals within a limited geographical area determined by its range, so choices have to be made. These systems also cannot operate continuously around the clock because they need to be recharged.

There is no miracle solution. The Russians will have to adapt the entirety of their logistics and supply train if they want to protect the rear."

This article has been translated from the original in French by Brenna Daldorph.