China successfully conducted a dual-purpose low-altitude flight test Wednesday at 03:00 UTC (Feb. 11), marking a major leap in its manned lunar exploration program. The test, carried out at the newly built Launch Complex 301 of the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan Province, involved a prototype Long March-10A reusable booster and an uncrewed Mengzhou ("Dream Vessel") crewed spacecraft.

The mission achieved two critical milestones in a single flight: a maximum dynamic pressure (Max-Q) abort test for the Mengzhou capsule and a controlled vertical landing of the Long March-10A’s first stage designed to be reusable, like that of SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 rocket.

The liftoff of the Long March-10A was powered by seven YF-100K kerosene-fueled engines. After about one minute of ascent, the rocket reached Max-Q—when aerodynamic forces are at their peak. At this critical moment, the Mengzhou spacecraft’s integrated launch escape system activated, with its escape tower igniting to pull the return capsule away from the booster. The capsule then deployed three large parachutes (totaling over 2,400 m²) to decelerate and safely splash down in the South China Sea, confirming its ability to ensure crew safety during an in-flight emergency.

Meanwhile, the Long March-10A booster continued its flight, performed a high-altitude engine restart for trajectory adjustment, followed by a hover ignition just before landing. It executed a propulsive splashdown in the ocean near a recovery vessel equipped with a wire net system, marking China’s first successful maritime recovery of a reusable rocket stage. This achievement validates key technologies for reusability, including multiple engine restarts, precise navigation, and high-precision landing control.

The Long March-10 is still in development, and Wednesday's flight did not come close to reaching orbit. But the rocket's splashdown success was still a major milestone on the road to recovery and reuse. It is a key piece of China's moon plans as well: a new heavy lifter that will launch the nation's astronauts to the lunar planet. China has also made progress recently with its crewed lunar lander, a vehicle named Lanyue.

The Long March-10A is a single-core, reusable variant for low Earth orbit missions, while the full three-core Long March-10 will power heavy-lift missions to the Moon. This test confirms the maturity of both systems and positions China as a direct competitor to NASA’s Artemis program.

NASA aims to send astronauts to the moon in 2028 on the Artemis 3 mission, which will use a modified version of SpaceX's Starship vehicle as its lander. Artemis 3 will follow Artemis 2, a crewed trip around the moon that could launch as soon as next month, and will employ NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule.

The Mengzhou capsule, designed to carry up to seven astronauts to low Earth orbit or three on lunar missions, is intended to replace the Shenzhou spacecraft and will serve as the primary crew transport for China’s 2030 manned lunar landing goal.

Wednesday's test was a first for China in multiple aspects: the first low-altitude flight of the Long March-10 rocket, the first in-flight Max-Q abort test for a crewed spacecraft, and the first sea-based recovery of both a crewed spacecraft return capsule and a rocket first stage.

Ori Solomon, a 55-year-old Israeli citizen residing in the U.S. on a work visa, was arrested in connection with a suspected illegal biological laboratory discovered in a Las Vegas home on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The raid, conducted by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI, uncovered refrigerators and vials containing unknown liquids, a centrifuge, a biosafety hood, and over 1,000 samples sent to the National Bioforensic Analysis Center in Maryland for testing.

Authorities also found gallon-sized containers with red-brown unknown liquids and equipment consistent with bio-laboratory operations. Court documents said federal agents seized four handguns and two rifles from the residence. Solomon, who has passports from France and Israel, is in the country on a work visa and is not allowed to possess any guns.

Multiple individuals, including house cleaners and Airbnb renters, reported becoming "deathly ill" after entering the garage, experiencing symptoms like severe fatigue, breathing issues, and inability to get out of bed. One person required hospitalization for respiratory issues. The home, located on Sugar Springs Drive, was reportedly managed by Solomon and operated as an Airbnb.

Court documents said authorities investigated the home after a person reported the garage remained locked all the time and smelled “like a hospital — not like a clean hospital but more of a foul, stale, stagnant air smell.”

Two people who entered the home’s garage became “deathly ill” and were bedridden for days, the filing said. The tipster said several people had gotten sick after visiting the residence.

The home in the Vegas suburbs may be linked to the Chinese Communist Party, authorities said.

Clark County records show the residence is associated with a limited liability company that operated a similar, illegal biolab in California that federal agents shut down three years ago.

Solomon, was charged with discharging hazardous waste and illegal possession of firearms, including a Glock handgun and an Israeli-made IWI Tabor X95 rifle. Despite these charges, he was released on personal recognizance bond on February 6, 2026**, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna Youchah. He is required to surrender his passports, remain within the Continental U.S., and notify the court if he leaves Clark County. Prosecutors did not seek pretrial detention, and no federal charges were filed related to the biological lab materials.

The case is linked to Jia Bei Zhu, a Chinese national and fugitive from Canada, who was previously arrested in 2023 for operating an illegal biolab in Reedley, California. That lab was found to contain pathogen-labeled containers marked with HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, dengue fever, and Ebola, along with 1,000 genetically modified mice used in experiments. Zhu is currently in federal custody and faces charges related to fraud, conspiracy, and misbranding medical devices.

Despite Zhu’s attorney stating he is not involved in the Las Vegas lab, records show Zhu is the registered agent of the LLC that owns the Las Vegas property, and phone logs reveal he contacted Solomon 467 times in January 2026. Authorities believe Solomon was managing Zhu’s properties and transferring funds. The FBI has since served a new search warrant at Zhu’s Reedley home, continuing the investigation into potential nationwide lab networks.

The discovery has raised concerns about federal oversight and inter-agency coordination, with officials from Reedley, California, criticizing the lack of response when they tried to warn federal agencies about the risks of similar labs. The investigation remains ongoing.

The case has drawn comparisons to a similar 2023 incident in Reedley, California, where Jia Bei Zhu (also known as David He), a Chinese national, was arrested and charged with operating a secret lab containing pathogens like HIV, hepatitis, and SARS-CoV-2.

Zhu is currently in federal custody and faces trial in April 2026. Investigators believe Solomon managed multiple properties tied to Zhu and Wang Zhao Yan, who is reportedly in China and monitoring the Las Vegas property via surveillance cameras. Solomon is also linked to the same LLC name used in the California case.

Solomon's case has sparked broader criticism regarding the treatment of Israeli nationals in U.S. legal proceedings, particularly in light of the 2025 release of Tom Artion Alexandrovich, another Israeli cybersecurity official arrested in Las Vegas on child exploitation charges, who was released on a $10,000 bond and later returned to Israel despite unclear legal status.

While Solomon’s case remains under investigation, the release of high-profile Israeli suspects without formal charges has fueled debate over U.S. judicial transparency and foreign diplomatic influence. No official connection has been proven between the California and Las Vegas labs, though officials note the materials are “consistent in appearance.” The full scope of Solomon’s involvement—and the potential implications of the biolab—remains under scrutiny.

On June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israeli military forces attacked the U.S.S. Liberty, a U.S. Navy intelligence-gathering ship operating in international waters off the Sinai Peninsula. The controversy surrounding the incident has recently become a key flashpoint within President Trump's MAGA movement, splitting the American right along 'America first' and 'Israel first' lines.

The USS Liberty was conducting a classified intelligence-gathering mission in international waters, 25 miles northeast of the Egyptian coast. The ship was flying a 5 x 8 foot American flag, and survivors insist it was clearly visible.

The attack which began at 3:05pm local time, involved two Israeli Mirage fighter jets conducting multiple strafing runs, followed by three Israeli torpedo boats launching five torpedoes—one struck the Liberty, causing massive damage.

The assault lasted about two hours, resulting in 34 American service members killed and 171 wounded. The ship, flying the U.S. flag and displaying its hull number (AGTR-5) clearly, was heavily damaged but did not sink.

Survivors report that the ship’s decks became a “living hell” with temperatures reaching 3,000 degrees, and that the attack was so intense that crew members were killed instantly, including Lieutenant Commander Philip Armstrong Jr., the executive officer, who died during the assault.

Maurice Shafer, a Morse Code operator and communications technician, recalled a jet flying low and firing “to kill all the people it could kill,” with a missile killing his buddy just 15 feet away.

Shafer, recounted that Israeli aircraft first strafed the ship at low altitude, killing a crewmate nearby. He described the torpedo boats approaching with what appeared to be Israeli flags, only to open fire at close range. “We were dead, dead in the water,” he said.

Life rafts that crewmen had deployed were machine-gunned, and torpedo boats circled the burning ship, firing from close range at survivors on deck or attempting to rescue others. A torpedo boat that entered the area to assist was fired upon.

Survivors reported that Israeli forces jammed Liberty’s radio frequencies, machine-gunned life rafts, and continued attacking despite knowing the ship was American. One survivor, Larry Bowen, said that intercepted Israeli communications confirmed they knew the Liberty was U.S. and were ordered to continue the assault.

One intercepted message at 3:31 p.m. stated: “There is a warship there which we attacked. The men jumped into the water from it. You will try to rescue them.” The Israelis only confirmed the ship was American at 4:12 p.m., nearly 45 minutes after the last attack, and after the ship appeared to be sinking.

Two flights of U.S. Navy fighters launched from the USS Saratoga and USS America to defend the Liberty were recalled by pro-Israel Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara while the ship was still under attack, despite repeated distress calls.

Despite the ship being heavily damaged—821 shell holes, a 39-foot-wide torpedo hole, and 34 crew members killed (31 Sailors, 2 Marines, 1 NSA civilian), 171 wounded, and 22 missing, many of whom were trapped in flooded compartments—the crew, under the command of Commander William L. McGonagle, managed to keep the ship afloat. McGonagle, who suffered a concussion and shrapnel wounds, remained in command throughout the ordeal.

The USS Liberty limped to Malta for temporary repairs, was later awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and Combat Action Ribbon, and McGonagle received the Medal of Honor in 1968.

The U.S. government accepted Israel’s claim that the attack was a “mistaken identity” of the Liberty as an Egyptian cargo ship, despite clear evidence—including the ship’s prominent American flag, hull number GTR-5, and clear visibility in daylight.

The U.S. Navy conducted a brief court of inquiry with only 14 crew interviews, and testimony critical of Israel was redacted. The U.S. government has never conducted a full, public, or impartial investigation, and officials have repeatedly echoed the Israeli narrative that the attack was a “mistake.”

Israeli government findings falsely concluded the attack was a tragic case of mistaken identity, with Israeli forces believing the Liberty was an Egyptian vessel. Israel apologized, offered $6.9 million in compensation which was rejected.

The attack remains one of the most controversial incidents in U.S.-Israel relations, with survivors and advocates still demanding a full, transparent investigation.

Survivors and critics like Jim Ennes Jr. and Admiral Thomas H. Moorer argue the attack was intentional and that the U.S. government suppressed the truth.

In 2005, the USS Liberty Veterans Association submitted a formal report accusing Israel of war crimes, which was dismissed by the U.S. military. Survivors continue to demand a Congressional hearing to expose the truth, alleging a decades-long cover-up driven by political and financial influence, including from pro-Israel lobby groups like AIPAC.

However, no comprehensive public investigation has ever been conducted, and Congress and the Pentagon have repeatedly used a scripted response that parrots Israel’s account, ignoring survivor testimony.

The attack remains one of the most controversial incidents in U.S.-Israel relations. The long-standing controversy surrounding it, has recently become a deeply polarizing issue within the MAGA movement and the American right in general.

Prominent pro-Israel figures like Jewish supremacist Ben Shapiro, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, and Zionist writer Rich Lowry regurgitate the official narrative, while others critics like popular commentator Tucker Carlson use the incident to question Israel’s trustworthiness and U.S. foreign policy alignment.

The debate intensified after commentator Candace Owens’ viral 2024 podcast interview with survivor Phil Tourney, who argued there is a U.S.-Israel cover-up in the USS Liberty incident. “They didn’t just throw us under the bus. Israel and our own government put a knife in our spine,” he said.

The topic has become a litmus test at recent conservative events, with younger conservatives increasingly skeptical of unconditional U.S. support for Israel.