🇺🇸🌎 America's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), departed Split, Croatia, en route to SOUTHCOM. After the carrier strike group crosses the Atlantic, ~19-23% of the deployed US Navy fleet will be in theater.

🔗 Ian Ellis

🦋 A scientist who discovered a new species of butterfly has named it after Iryna Zarutska to ensure "she is never forgotten."

The scientist said, "Her name will be forever immortalized as a butterfly..."

The butterfly is called "Iryna's Azure."

🔗 Matt van Swol

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿💎 Archaeologists find 2000 year-old 'Gemstones' in drain beneath a Roman Bathhouse, Carlisle, England

Down a drain beneath the murky waters of an ancient Roman bathhouse in Carlisle, England, near Hadrian’s Wall, archaeologists have discovered a trove of gemstones lost by bathers 2000 years ago. More than 30 gems, including amethyst, jasper and  carnelian have been found so far during excavations at the site. Wealthy bathers likely dropped them back in opulent bathhouse’s heyday in 2nd-3rd Century CE.

“It’s incredible,” says archaeologist Frank Giecco, who led the excavation, to Observer’s Dalya Alberge. “It’s caught everyone’s imagination. They were just falling out of people’s rings who were using the baths. They were set with a vegetable glue and, in the hot and sweaty bathhouse, they fell out of the ring settings.”

The pieces feature deities dedicated to war, sun, commerce,  luck and fertility. The largest were around 0.6 inches and smallest were just under 0.2 inches. Their small size would have made the carvings particularly difficult, requiring the expertise of an advanced craftsman. 

“You don’t find such gems on low-status Roman sites,” Giecco tells Observer. “So they’re not something that would have been worn by the poor.” Still, Carlisle site isn’t entirely unique: In the past, similar gemstones have been found in the drains of other bathhouses during archaeological excavations. 

The small, semiprecious engraved gems are known as intaglios, which were first produced some 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia. Owners would press their intaglios into clay or wax to create a seal, which they used to authenticate documents (similar to a modern-day signature). “Their material, size and color would reflect the wealth and taste of the patron,” writes G. Max Bernheimer, Christie’s international head of antiquities, on auction house’s website. At one point, he adds, it was in fashion for Romans to wear intaglios featuring the likenesses of their favorite philosophers.

“The intaglios can be seen on many levels,” Giecco tells Artnet’s Min Chen, “from pieces of art to connections to the individuals who owned them.”

In addition to the gemstones, the team at the Carlisle bathhouse found over 40 women’s hairpins and 35 glass beads in drain. Hundreds of other artifacts, including pottery, weapons and coins have also been uncovered at the site. Eventually, discoveries will most likely go on view at Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery.

“Carlisle was very much at the center of the Roman frontier,” Giecco tells BBC News, “and we are very excited to go back … for more amazing finds, as it is the site that just keeps giving.”

🔗 archeohistories

🇷🇺 Putin says Russia successfully tested the 9M730 Burevestnik (SSC-X-9 Skyfall) — a nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable intercontinental cruise missile with theoretical unlimited range and the ability to evade missile defenses.

The missile flew for 15 hours, 14,000 km.

Putin claims it has “no analogues in the world.”

🔗 Clash Report

🇺🇸❌🇻🇪 — 2x B-1B Strategic Bombers of USAF sent a "Hello" for the Chavista Elites and their Iranian guests by passing near the La Margarita Island

🇺🇸⚔️🇻🇪 The 2 B-1B Strategic Bombers of the USAF just turned off their responders as they finished their flyover near the La Margarita Islands.

@CIG_telegram

🇺🇸🇻🇪 The U.S. sent another pair of B-1B Lancer bombers to the Caribbean today - the 3rd bomber mission in less than 2 weeks. The Bones reappeared on radar ~20 miles off the coast of Venezuela, the closest bombers have flown to the mainland, and were tracked ~50 miles north of Caracas.

🔗 Ian Ellis

🇺🇸🌪 Guantanamo Bay evacuees arrive at NAS Pensacola ahead of Hurricane Melissa

Hundreds of families from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay arrived at Pensacola’s Naval Air Station as a powerful hurricane churns through the Caribbean.

Nearly 864 non-mission essential personnel, including family members, civilian employees, contractors, and even pets, arrived on Saturday.

https://www.wkrg.com/northwest-florida/escambia-county/guantanamo-bay-evacuees-arrive-at-nas-pensacola-ahead-of-hurricane-melissa/

🇻🇪🇺🇸 Reports suggest Venezuela’s opposition, led by María Corina Machado, has a 100-hour plan with the Trump administration for a peaceful transition of power.

“There’s a possibility perhaps the armed forces might split,” says Venezuela-based analyst Phil Gunson. “There’s a possibility they might oppose a new government coming in.”

🔗 60 Minutes

🇸🇩 Sudan: RSF militants dominating the streets of El Fasher, riding around on camels and motorcycles like they have been doing since their Janjaweed days.

🔗 Thomas van Linge

🇺🇸🇯🇵 Trump thanks Japan's first female PM for placing a "very large amount of new military equipment" orders with the U.S.

🔗 Disclose

🇮🇱🇵🇸 Israeli forces have sealed off all access points to Hizma, a Palestinian town northeast of East Jerusalem, blocking residents from entering or leaving, Wafa reports. The town lies in the occupied West Bank.

🔗 Al Jazeera

🇷🇺🇺🇦 In the Lyman direction, Russian forces continued their offensive operations and have made new progress to east of the city.

In the northwest, Russian forces advanced further through the forests along the railway line and reached the eastern edge of Lyman. DRGs then infiltrated the city and have since been operating in the area of the freight terminals. They also established control over new parts of the forests and infiltrated further into the Masliakovka District.

To the southeast, Russian forces continued to slowly advance in Yampol. They were able to advance out of the village centre and capture some new positions in the southwestern streets. Ukrainian forces are gradually being pushed back to the southwestern edge of the settlement.

🔗 AMK Mapping