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China launches center to train 100-plus humanoid robots simultaneously

Shanghai has officially unveiled its first heterogeneous humanoid robot training center, marking a significant accomplishment in China’s robotics development.

The Humanoid Robot Kylin Training Ground represents an important step in the country’s technological advancement, showcasing China’s commitment to becoming a global leader in robotics and artificial intelligence.

Humanoid robots being trained (Humanoid Robot Kylin Training Ground)

State-of-the-art center pushes boundaries of robotic training

The National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center has launched a groundbreaking training facility that is revolutionizing the field of robotics. This cutting-edge complex, spanning over 53,800 square feet, is currently capable of training more than 100 humanoid robots at once. The facility features an impressive array of over a dozen specialized training scenarios, including welding, manufacturing and automotive testing.

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These advanced robots have showcased exceptional proficiency, with an average success rate exceeding 90% in various tasks. Their capabilities range from organizing desks and sorting items to operating complex equipment, demonstrating the potential for widespread application across multiple industries. This remarkable achievement underscores the rapid progress being made in the field of humanoid robotics and highlights China’s growing prominence in artificial intelligence and automation technologies.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

Humanoid robots being trained (Humanoid Robot Kylin Training Ground)

WAREHOUSE ROBOT USES AI TO PLAY REAL-LIFE TETRIS TO HANDLE MORE THAN EVER BEFORE

How the facility is helping China tackle tech challenges and aging population

The training facility aligns with China’s broader strategy to address multiple challenges, including global tech competition and the complexities of an aging society. By 2027, the center aims to train 1,000 general-purpose robots simultaneously, with plans to collect 10 million high-quality physical data entries through collaborations with local robot manufacturers.

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Humanoid robots being trained (ShanghaiEye)

WILLING TO PAY $175,000 FOR A LIFE-SIZE ROBOT FRIEND THAT REMEMBERS EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU?

China’s next-gen robot ready to slither into the future

The center is preparing to introduce the 2.0 version of its humanoid robot, “Deep Snake,” which will showcase advanced technologies like linear joint actuators. This means the robot will have smoother, more precise movements. Linear joint actuators are like advanced motors that allow the robot’s joints to move in a straight line, giving it more fluid and controlled motions. It’s a big step forward in making robots that can perform a wider range of tasks with greater accuracy and efficiency. These innovations are expected to enhance the versatility and performance of humanoid robots, further solidifying China’s leadership in the robotics industry.

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Humanoid robot being trained (ShanghaiEye)

ROBOTIC DOG HELPS THOSE FACING MENTAL HEALTH AND COGNITIVE CHALLENGES

The potential and economic impact of the humanoid robot market

The Chinese humanoid robot market is experiencing explosive growth, showcasing the country’s rapid advancement in this cutting-edge technology sector. In 2024, the market was valued at $379 million, demonstrating significant initial traction. Looking ahead, projections indicate a remarkable expansion to approximately $2.3 billion by 2025, based on current exchange rates. Even more impressive is the anticipated growth to about $11.8 billion by 2030, highlighting the immense potential of this industry. The development extends beyond industrial applications, with plans for the first World Humanoid Robot Sports Games and even a marathon-running robot named “Tiangong” set to compete in April.

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Humanoid robots being trained (ShanghaiEye)

Kurt’s key takeaways

China’s investment in the Humanoid Robot Kylin Training Ground is a strategic move to reshape industrial capabilities, address societal challenges and position the country at the forefront of global innovation. As the technology continues to evolve, the world will be watching closely to see how these advanced robots will transform various sectors and potentially redefine human-machine interaction.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

February 14, 2025
Chinese companies shore up US-based production to avoid Trump trade crackdown

Rockwell Automation CEO Blake Moret explains how tariffs will be a ‘net positive’ for U.S. automation on ‘The Claman Countdown.’

Chinese companies are shoring up their U.S.-based production and warehouses to evade the Trump administration’s crackdown on Communist Party of China (CCP) imports.

Fashion brand Temu is pushing its locally made products after the Trump administration put an end to a lucrative trade loophole that allowed Chinese fast fashion and low-cost goods to make their way into the U.S. and evade tax enforcement.

Temu is now promoting items stored in its U.S. warehouses under its “lightning deals” section and a “local warehouse” section on its website.

The Trump administration ended an exemption known as “de minimus,” which allowed goods valued less than $800 to enter the U.S. without paying duties.

CHINA RESPONDS WITH TARIFFS ON US GOODS AFTER TRUMP’S TARIFFS ON CHINESE IMPORTS TAKE EFFECT

Fashion brand Temu is pushing its locally made products after the Trump administration cracked down on a lucrative trade loophole. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images/File)

The de minimus rule helped Temu offer the U.S. suspiciously low-cost goods like $5 sneakers and $6 knockoff AirPods.

Singapore-based, China-founded fast fashion brand Shein has adopted a similar strategy, and it now has a growing U.S.-based workforce of 1,500 and is increasingly relying on warehouses in California and Indiana.

This month, Shein opened a Seattle hub for U.S. fulfillment and logistics operations as it seeks to localize deliveries.

Meanwhile, Chinese quartz company Sunfat Marble and Granite put out a pro-Trump news release promising “intentions for a historic investment into America, with a commitment to create tens of thousand (sic) new American jobs, including construction of new manufacturing facilities across the heartland of the U.S., with an investment totaling $250 million.”

“With President Trump in power, we’re more excited than ever to commit to the United States,” the company said in a release seen by Fox Business.

“We understand Americans are skeptical of Chinese companies and concerned about foreign investment. It’s why we are also announcing a commitment to only hire American workers. There will be no H1-B visas. There will be no undercutting of American wages.”

CHINA-LINKED FIRM GETS E-ZPASS CONTRACT IN NEW JERSEY, FORMER SENATOR CALLS IT ‘WORSE’ THAN TIKTOK

China’s CATL may look to build a plant in the U.S. (REUTERS/Jake Spring/File)

On Monday, Trump slapped 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, which came one week after Trump imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese goods.

CATL, the world’s top battery maker, has said it will consider building a U.S. plant if Trump opens the door to Chinese investment in the American electric vehicle supply chain.

“Originally, when we wanted to invest in the U.S., the U.S. government said no,” CATL founder Robin Zeng told Reuters. “For me, I’m really open-minded.”

China’s EV and battery firms are heavily subsidized by the CCP and face some of the steepest trade restrictions due to competition and national security concerns. Chinese EV imports are slapped with a 100% tariff, an effective ban.

Trump says Xi Jinping, China’s president, knows where he stands when it comes to tariffs. (Ton Molina/Bloomberg via Getty Images/File)

It’s not clear how many of the Chinese-based efforts to build U.S.-based supply chains will be successful, and they pose a risk of furthering CCP intellectual theft by allowing such companies to do business here.

This week, Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., wrote a letter to the CEO of a Chinese battery company that operates in California, Stored Power Tech Technology Systems Inc., demanding to know more about its rumored links to China Shipbuilding Corp. (Fangfen), an entity controlled by the CCP. The company touts its ties to Fangfen on its LinkedIn page.

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“If these allegations are confirmed, the relationship would blatantly violate U.S. law,” said Hamadeh. “The notion of a Chinese state-controlled enterprise penetrating the U.S. battery industry, especially with potential ties to the Chinese military, is a grave threat.”

February 14, 2025
Trump budget bill raising debt limit by $4T advances in House

A mammoth bill advancing a broad range of President Donald Trump’s policy goals survived a key hurdle on Thursday, putting Republicans closer to their goal of passing a bill by sometime in May.

The legislation passed the House Budget Committee on a party-line 21 to 16 vote and is expected to be taken up by the entire chamber for a floor vote later this month.

It comes despite eleventh-hour negotiations that had the bill’s eventual passage in question even as the committee met to discuss the text on Thursday morning.

The 45-page resolution directs various House committees to find a sum of at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, with $300 billion in new spending allocated toward the border, national defense and the judiciary.

BLACK CAUCUS CHAIR ACCUSES TRUMP OF ‘PURGE’ OF ‘MINORITY’ FEDERAL WORKERS

Speaker Mike Johnson wants the House to advance a Trump budget bill by the end of the month. (Getty Images)

It also directs $4 trillion toward raising the debt limit, and it includes $4.5 trillion to extend Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and other tax provisions pushed by the president for the next 10 years.

House and Senate Republicans are aiming to use the budget reconciliation process to pass a broad range of Trump policy goals, from border security to eliminating taxes on tipped and overtime wages.

By lowering the threshold for passage in the Senate from two-thirds to a simple majority, it will allow the GOP to use their razor-thin majorities to get legislation signed into law with zero Democratic support, provided the measures included relate to the budget and other fiscal matters.

Conservative spending hawks on the House Budget Committee had demanded assurances that Republicans would seek to cut spending as deeply as possible in the reconciliation process, particularly to offset new spending on Trump’s tax priorities.

House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, told reporters early Thursday afternoon that committee Republicans came to an agreement on an amendment that would win over holdouts, however.

House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington ushered the bill through his committee on Thursday.

The proposal would mandate a corresponding reduction in the $4.5 trillion tax allocation if Republicans failed to cut at least $2 trillion in spending elsewhere.

Conversely, if spending cuts exceeded $2 trillion, it would increase the amount of money directed toward tax cuts by the same amount.

“The amendment that will come up is a good amendment,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a Budget Committee fiscal hawk who had issues with the original text, told Fox News Digital. “It’s common sense. It’s doing what we said we’d be doing.”

SCOOP: KEY CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS DRAWS RED LINE ON HOUSE BUDGET PLAN

The House advanced its proposal after being forced to punt the committee vote last week in the face of disagreements over where to set the baseline floor for spending cuts.

Senate Republicans advanced their own plan in the meantime, passing a narrower bill on Wednesday night that included new funding for the border and defense but would leave Trump’s tax cuts for a second package.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called that bill a “nonstarter” in the House.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham moved his own version of the bill on Wednesday (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

But while the House’s bill passed a critical test on Thursday, it’s just the first step in a long process.

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Passing a budget resolution then sends instructions to other committees to seek cuts and policy changes in their respective jurisdictions, before those proposals are added back to one large bill.

The House and Senate must also agree on a compromise between their two versions and pass identical pieces of legislation before they can be sent to Trump’s desk.

Republicans have a three seat majority in the Senate and a one seat majority in the House, meaning they can afford precious little dissent among themselves to pass a final bill.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]

February 14, 2025
Chernobyl plant’s protective shell hit by Russian drone, Zelenskyy says damage ‘significant’

An alleged drone struck the protective shell covering the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine early Friday, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pointing the finger at Russia.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reported on X that overnight Thursday, the IAEA team at the Chornobyl site heard an explosion coming from the New Safe Confinement.

The site protects the remains of the nuclear reactor that exploded in Chernobyl in 1986 and was reportedly set ablaze after an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) struck the NSC roof. Zelenskyy said initial assessments show “the damage to the shelter is significant.”

Zelenskyy took to X stating that the incident occurred when allegedly a “Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter.”

RUSSIA LAUNCHES FRESH DRONE ATTACK AGAINST UKRAINE SHORTLY AFTER TRUMP-PUTIN PHONE CALL

Surveillance footage from his posts shows the moment the drone impacts the dome, causing an explosion.

“The shelter at the Chernobyl NPP was damaged by this drone. The fire has been extinguished. As of now, radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored,” Zelenskyy added. “According to initial assessments, the damage to the shelter is significant.”

PUTIN VIEWED AS ‘GREAT COMPETITOR’ BUT STILL A US ‘ADVERSARY’ AS UKRAINE NEGOTIATIONS LOOM, LEAVITT SAYS

While the incident is currently still under investigation, Zelenskyy claimed the alleged attack was the result of a terrorist threat.

“This shelter was built by Ukraine together with other countries of Europe and the world, together with America – all those committed to real security for humanity,” Zelenskyy said in his post. “The only country in the world that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today’s Russia. This is a terrorist threat to the entire world. The shelter at the Chornobyl NPP was damaged by this drone.”

Russia has denied any involvement.

Teams assess the damage after what was said to be a drone struck the protective shell at the Chernobyl plant. (@ZelenskyyUa)

The IAEA said its fire safety personnel were able to respond in minutes and there was no indication of a breach in NSC’s inner containment.

The agency also reported that there were currently no casualties, but are monitoring the situation and radiation levels inside and outside remain normal and stable.

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The explosion comes as world leaders are meeting in Munich, Germany on Friday for the Munich Security Conference where the future of Ukraine and its ongoing war with Russia will be the top item on the agenda.

February 14, 2025
WWE star Roxanne Perez looks to make history in match for NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day
Roxanne Perez will have a chance at history on Saturday night when she takes part in a fatal four-way match for the NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day.

Fresh off a Royal Rumble where she rewrote the record books by being the longest-lasting competitor, Perez will compete against defending champion Giulia, Bayley and Cora Jade to become the first three-time NXT women’s champion in the brand’s history. The only other two-time champions were Charlotte Flair and Shayna Baszler before they were called up to the main roster.

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Roxanne Perez is shown during the WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 1, 2025. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

NXT general manager Ava Raine made the title match a fatal four-way after Jade’s win over Bayley on the final show before Vengeance Day. Perez told Fox News Digital in a recent interview she was “upset” that Raine cut her chances of possibly making history but was “focused” on the ultimate goal.

Perez and Bayley have feuded in recent weeks, and it came to a head when the young women’s superstar dressed up as one of Bayley’s older gimmicks just to be a thorn in her side.

“It’s so much fun,” Perez said. “Did you see the look on her face when I came out as her little old ‘Hugger’ Bayley? I think I got to her. She may have got me after, but I think I definitely got to her. But it’s been very fun.”

The 23-year-old said going up against Bayley was a dream that she had thought about since she was younger.

“I feel like I kind of manifested this since I was a kid. In the past few years, I’ve been saying I want to step in the ring with Bayley. She’s one of my dream opponents, dream matches,” she said. “But now I’m finally realizing I got to prove to her that ‘The Prodigy’ is just a little better, it’s way, way better.”

MICKIE JAMES REVEALS THE ‘LAST THING’ A PRO WRESTLER SHOULD WANT TO BE AS SHE GEARS UP FOR ‘WWE LFG’

Roxanne Perez regained the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver 2024. (WWE)

Perez won the NXT Women’s Championship for the first time on Dec. 13, 2022, and held it for 108 days before she lost a six-way ladder match at NXT Stand & Deliver 2023. She regained the title at Stand & Deliver 2024 against Lyra Valkyria.

Giulia defeated Perez at New Year’s Evil back in 2025 as the former Stardom and Marigold star made her impact felt on NXT.

Perez explained to Fox News Digital what having the NXT Women’s Championship meant to her.

“Means everything to me,” she said. “I think winning it the first time, I definitely solidified myself as one of the best wrestlers that WWE has. I solidified myself as ‘The Prodigy.’ And it was the first title I won in WWE, my first singles title. Every single thing, every hurdle, every hard thing that I went through to get here, that proved to me that every single thing was worth it.

“I don’t think that there’s one girl on that roster that loves that title more than me, that wants the title more than me. So, that’s exactly why I’m going to become a three-time NXT women’s champion, and I’m going to take the women’s championship straight to RAW, straight to SmackDown, and maybe, if I decide to vacate it, somebody else will have a chance. But I don’t know. I think it belongs to me. Giulia’s just holding it for now.”

Here’s how the rest of the card will shape up to be:
- Obama Femi vs. Austin Theory vs. Grayson Waller for NXT Championship
- Fallon Henley vs. Stephanie Vaquer for NXT North American Championship
- Trick Williams vs. Eddy Thorpe in a strap match
- Nathan Frazer & Axiom vs. Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura for NXT Tag Team Championship
- Je’Von Evans vs. Ethan Page in a singles match
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Ivy Nile and Chelsea Green and Roxanne Perez during the Women’s Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

Vengeance Day will take place in Washington, D.C., starting at 6 p.m. ET.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
February 14, 2025
Pak vs NZ Live Match Today – Live Match Today -Opn Sports Live – Sports Corner Live

PAK vs NZ Tri-Series Final Live Cricket Score, Pakistan vs New Zealand ODI Live Score Online Today Match: Pakistan’s captain Mohammad Rizwan has won the toss and opted to bat first against New Zealand in the tri-series final at the National Stadium in Karachi.

February 14, 2025
February 14, 2025 Special Days: Which Day Is Today? Know Holidays, Festivals, Events, Birthdays, Birth and Death Anniversaries Falling on Today’s Calendar Date
February 14, 2025, Special Days: February 14, 2025, is best known as Valentine’s Day, a global celebration of love and affection. It is a day when people exchange cards, flowers, and gifts with their loved ones. Additionally, in some countries, February 14 is also observed as International Book Giving Day, which promotes literacy and the joy of reading by encouraging people to donate books. Another lesser-known observance is National Ferris Wheel Day in the United States, honouring the birth of George Washington Gale Ferris Jr., the inventor of the Ferris wheel. February 2025 Holidays and Festivals Calendar: Basant Panchami, Valentine’s Day, Maha Shivratri and More – Get a Full List of Major Events in the Second Month of the Year.

List of Festivals & Events Falling on February 14, 2025 (Friday)
1. Valentine’s Day
2. Pulwama Attack Anniversary
3. World Bonobo Day
4. Statehood Day in Arizona
5. Rafik Hariri Memorial Day
6. Frederick Douglass Day
7. Pet Theft Awareness Day
8. Organ Donor Day / National Donor Day
9. National Impotence Day / National Erectile Dysfunction Day
10. National Condom Day in the United States
11. National Ferris Wheel Day
12. National Black Literacy Day
13. Library Lovers’ Day
14. International Book Giving Day
15. Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day
Famous February 14 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries
1. Michael Bloomberg
2. Sushma Swaraj (1952-2019)
3. Niranjanananda Saraswati
4. Freddie Highmore
5. Babur (1483-1530)
6. Madhubala (1933-1969)
7. Simon Pegg
8. Danai Gurira
9. Najwa Nimri
10. Rob Thomas (musician)
11. Edinson Cavani
February 13, 2025, Special Days.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 14, 2025 03:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
February 14, 2025
WATCH: Dem lawmakers answer USAID funding questions after bombshell report

WASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers said they do not support cutting funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) when confronted by Fox News Digital about controversial spending, such as money ending up in the hands of terrorist-linked groups.

The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, recently started cutting funding from USAID as they slash costs across the federal government. During their sweep, it was revealed that U.S. dollars were ending up in the hands of terror-linked groups, such as funds reportedly providing “full funding” for al Qaeda terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki to attend college in Colorado, unearthed documents apparently show.

Fox News Digital asked Democratic lawmakers their thoughts about the controversial USAID funding, specifically the funding going to some terrorist-linked groups.

“USAID funding is authorized spending. Republicans and Democrats have agreed to those levels. We should honor those deals,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox.

USAID INSPECTOR GENERAL FIRED DAYS AFTER PUBLISHING REPORT CRITICAL OF AID PAUSE

Fox News Digital spoke to lawmakers about USAID funding on Capitol Hill. (Fox News Digital)

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said that while USAID funds “should never go to terrorist organizations,” he added that “Elon Musk has a real credibility gap” and that “almost all the claims as it relates to efficiency have been proven false.”

According to an analysis by the Middle East Forum, a U.S. conservative think tank, the USAID and State Department have funneled at least $122 million to groups aligned with designated terrorists and their supporters.

The think tank reported that among its top findings, USAID was found to have given more than $900,000 to a “Gaza-based terror charity” called Bayader Association for Environment and Development.

A White House report also identified millions of taxpayer dollars being spent on contraceptives and condoms that ended up in the hands of the Taliban, a terrorist group.

‘DESIGNATED TERRORISTS’: EXTREMIST GROUPS RAKED IN MILLIONS FROM USAID, MULTIYEAR STUDY REVEALS

“There’s no one in Congress who hates waste more than me,” Swalwell added. “And there’s nobody in Congress who wants to defeat the terrorists around the world more than me. So I will always be open-minded.”

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox that USAID funding should be honored because it was “authorized” by Congress. (Fox News Digital)

“USAID funding right now is being raided by Elon Musk, and I think we have to do a much better job of ensuring that funding isn’t cut,” said Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif. “Cutting any funding is horrific, and, of course, nobody wants to fund terrorism.”

Progressive Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, a member of “the Squad” of progressive lawmakers, said it is “perfectly reasonable” to look at specific USAID funding but that he opposes gutting the entire department.

“When people ask about specific programs and parts of USAID or other federal programs, we should look into those. We can have oversight. We can look, we can go and edit the budget and say we don’t want to spend on this, because this didn’t work and we do want to spend on that.”

Elon Musk speaks during an event in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025. (Alex Brandon)

“The problem that we have right now happening in this country isn’t just about USAID. It’s not just about the Department of Education. It’s that you have Elon Musk, a billionaire who makes billions of dollars off of the federal government, going and shutting down programs without a vote, without any transparency,” Casar said.

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Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey did not fully answer the question and walked away.

Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton contributed to this report.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

February 14, 2025
Drones over US bases were conducting surveillance: NORTHCOM General

A senior U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) official told members of the Senate that some of the 350 drones that flew over military installations and sensitive areas last year may have been conducting surveillance.

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, who is commander of NORTHCOM and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), was questioned about the drones during a Senate Armed Services Committee Budget hearing on Thursday.

Drones were spotted flying all over the country last year, though most notably in New Jersey. They were also flying over military installations, including Joint Base Langley, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked Guillot about the threat the unmanned aircraft pose to military operations, facilities and personnel.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SHARES UPDATE ON DRONES SEEN FLYING OVER NEW JERSEY

A drone reportedly flew into a crowd of Boston Celtics fans Tuesday night at an outdoor party. (Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images)

“Senator, the primary threat I see for them in the way they’ve been operating is detection and perhaps surveillance of sensitive capabilities on our installations,” Guillot said. “There were 350 detections reported last year on military installations, and that was 350 over a total of 100 different installations of all types and levels of security.”

He confirmed that base commanders at sensitive sites like nuclear bases have the authority to protect their airspace from drone incursions, adding that those particular military sites account for about half of what the U.S. operates.

Cotton was flabbergasted that only about half of the bases have the ability to protect themselves from drones.

TRUMP VOWS ANSWERS ON MYSTERY DRONE SIGHTINGS AS EXPERT MAKES EERIE PREDICTION

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot told a senate committee drones flying over military installations last year were conducting surveillance. (US Senate)

He said base commanders at every base in the U.S. have the ability to protect their ground if a terrorist drove a dump truck though the front gate of a military facility, which Guillot agreed.

Cotton also raised concerns that at the southern border last week, Mexican cartels were reportedly authorized to use drones equipped with explosives against U.S. Border Patrol agents.

He asked Guillot if the Department of Defense needed authorization to share information with the Department of Homeland Security and other border patrol agencies about drone incursions and was told that was the case.

ORLANDO DRONE SHOW CRASH CAUSED BY ‘COMBINED ERRORS’ THAT LED TO MISALIGNED FLIGHT PATH: NTSB REPORT

Photos taken in the Bay Shore section of Toms River of what appear to be large drones hovering in the area at high altitudes in New Jersey on Sunday, December 8, 2024. The drones seemed to be well above the 400 feet height FAA regulations allow. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)

Guillot advocated for an expansion of military capabilities when it comes to drones, especially when it comes to protecting bases and being able to exchange data with other government agencies about drones, seamlessly.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters late last month that the drones seen flying over New Jersey in large numbers recently were “authorized by the FAA for research and various other reasons.”

In addition to those authorized by the FAA, other drones flown by hobbyists were sighted, and that number increased as curiosity about the phenomenon grew, the White House said.

FBI SEARCHING FOR OPERATOR OF PRIVATELY OWNED DRONE THAT PUNCHED HOLE IN CANADIAN FIREFIGHTING PLANE

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a briefing at the White House, on Wednesday, Feb. 12. (AP/Evan Vucci)

“This was not the enemy,” Leavitt said.

The drone sightings in November and December originally raised public concerns and even attracted the attention of the FBI.

“The FBI Newark, NJ State Police, and NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness are asking for the public to report any information related to the recent sightings of possible drones flying in several areas along the Raritan River,” a Dec. 3 FBI statement noted.

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The Federal Aviation Administration even issued temporary flight restrictions after the large number of sightings, prohibiting drone flights over parts of New Jersey.

Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter @GregWehner.

February 14, 2025
Top moments from Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing

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Linda McMahon’s Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday was marked by disruptive protesters, debate over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, discussion on the participation of biological men in women’s sports and scrutiny over spending cuts proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by tech billionaire Elon Musk.

Several protesters disrupted and were removed from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, with one individual shouting, “Protect trans kids, protect immigrant students, protect our schools!”

Addressing the disruptions, Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., complained about the “outburst of some of the protesters in the room,” prompting a blue state Democrat to speak out in their defense.

TRUMP EDUCATION NOMINEE LINDA MCMAHON SAYS SHUTTING DOWN DOE WOULD ‘REQUIRE CONGRESSIONAL ACTION’

Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing was interrupted a few times by protesters. (Getty Images)

“A number of them have told us that they’re … teachers. Can you imagine them teaching these people, teaching our kids in classrooms across America, and they come here and act like children with outbursts?” Banks said.

Newly elected Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., hit back at the Republican senator, saying that the protesters are “exactly the kind of people who we want teaching our children.”

In January, Trump declared that legal protections under Title IX, the 1972 federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination for recipients of federal education funding, would be based on the basis of biological sex, not gender identity, in K-12 schools and higher-learning institutions.

“[W]omen should feel safe in their locker rooms. They should feel safe in their spaces. They shouldn’t have to be exposed to men undressing in front of them.” — Linda McMahon

Regarding Trump’s reversal of the Biden administration’s regulations, McMahon said she is “happy” to see the law “back to what Title IX was originally established to do, and that was to protect social discrimination.”

DEMS SPAR OVER DOGE CUTS WITH TRUMP EDUCATION NOMINEE LINDA MCMAHON

Linda McMahon, nominee for secretary of education, testifies at her Senate committee confirmation hearing on Feb. 13, 2025. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“And women should feel safe in their locker rooms. They should feel safe in their spaces. They shouldn’t have to be exposed to men undressing in front of them,” she said.

The Trump nominee also said that if confirmed, she will “make sure the law is enforced” on campuses that try to defy the law.

McMahon faced further questioning on the impact of DEI programs during her Senate confirmation hearing. She criticized the programs, claiming that though they were intended to promote diversity, they have instead contributed to further dividing America’s kids rather than being inclusive.

“DEI has been – I think has been, it’s a program that’s tough,” McMahon said. “It was put in place ostensibly for more diversity, for equity and inclusion. And I think what we’re seeing is it is having an opposite effect. We are getting back to more segregating of our schools instead of having more inclusion in our schools.”

INTO THE RING: TRUMP EDUCATION CHIEF PICK MCMAHON TO TESTIFY ON CUTTING ‘RED TAPE’ AMID DOGE SWEEPS

Trump hopes Linda McMahon will “put herself out of a job” if confirmed to lead the Department of Education, an agency he’s proposed abolishing. (Getty Images)

She pointed to instances where DEI programs led to separate graduation ceremonies for Black and Hispanic students, arguing that such measures went against the goal of inclusion: “When their DEI programs say that Black students need separate graduation ceremonies or Hispanics need separate ceremonies, we are not achieving what we wanted to achieve with inclusion,” she added.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., countered with an example of Department of Defense schools that had canceled programming for Black History Month.

He asked, “So if a school in Connecticut celebrates Martin Luther King Day and has a series of events and programming teaching about Black history, are they in violation of a policy that says schools should stop running DEI programs?”

McMahon disagreed, saying that events like Black History Month celebrations should be celebrated across all schools.

“In my view, that is clearly not the case,” she said. “That celebration of Martin Luther King Day in Black History Month should be celebrated throughout all of our schools. I believe that, you know, Martin Luther King was one of the strongest proponents of making sure that we look at all of our populations when he said that he would hope that his children wouldn’t be judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character.”

Musk’s government spending cuts also sparked debate, with Democratic lawmakers pressing McMahon on whether she supports the dramatic cuts made by DOGE.

“I believe the American people spoke loudly in the election last November to say that they want to look at waste, fraud and abuse in our government,” said McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment.

FORMER TRUMP EDUCATION SECRETARY LAYS OUT ‘UNFINISHED BUSINESS’ FOR NEW ADMIN ON SCHOOL REFORMS

Elon Musk listens as President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the Oval Office on Feb. 11, 2025. (AP/Alex Brandon)

Pressed by Democrats, including Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, if she would follow through with cuts suggested by the “DOGE brothers,” McMahon said she can be counted on to follow congressional statute “because that’s the law.”

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., also asked if McMahon believes DOGE should have access to “private student data,” suggesting that their probes “should frighten everyone.”

“It is my understanding that those employees have been onboarded as employees of the Department of Education, and therefore, they operate under the restraints of utilizing access of information,” McMahon said.

“That’s not my understanding,” Murray shot back.

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“That’s my understanding,” McMahon responded.

Murray said it was “deeply disturbing” that DOGE staffers aren’t “held accountable” and that it should “frighten everyone” if they have access to students’ private information.

McMahon’s confirmation vote in the Senate HELP Committee is scheduled for Feb. 20.

February 14, 2025