RSnake Report 20251018

Hello, and thanks for reading!

I had an interesting week. I was invited to see a demo of the Atrius force reset selector, which is functionally different from a force reset trigger that you may have seen. It turns an AR pistol or rifle from semi-automatic to what the industry tongue-in-cheek refers to as "fully-semi-automatic". Basically, it acts by pushing your finger away, so if you choose to continue to apply pressure on the trigger, it will allow you to fire again, unless you intentionally pin the trigger to the rear or release the trigger. I was pretty impressed by how easy it was to handle, as I guess my impression was that it would move me around more like how a bump stock works, but nope. Every round was on the paper at ~20 yards.

I was also briefly out in San Diego with the Root Evidence team. We did a tour of the coastline, and amongst lots of cool things like an F18, Black Hawks, and an Osprey, we happened to see three zodiacs full of special forces and a couple of rigid hull safety boats going by, doing training. It was pretty cool to see it up close, and it was nice to get the team together. Okay, onto the news.

In Russian/Ukrainian news, Ukrainian drones targeted the Feodosia fuel terminal in Russian-occupied Crimea, causing a catastrophic fire that continues to burn and has mildly overloaded FIRMS - the system that tracks heat anomalies and a favorite amongst OSINT nerds. The attack, executed by Ukrainian SBU and SOF drones, also struck two key substations, "Kafa" and "Simferopol," resulting in additional power disruptions. As a direct consequence, Russian authorities reported disruptions in several electric train services, leaving thousands stranded or delayed. And that is entirely the point, now isn’t it?

In another strike, Ukrainian attack drones hit the Gvardeyskoye fuel depot in Crimea. This facility was crucial for supplying fuel to a large portion of the region. Crimea is getting a lot of love from Ukraine at the moment, which indicates to me they see it as especially weak at the moment, given that air defense has to spread out all over Russia to protect it from the long-range drone strikes.

A fire also erupted at a warehouse in Pushkino, near Moscow, belonging to a manufacturer of automotive oils. It’s not absolutely clear that this was Ukraine’s doing but if I were a betting man, I’d say it likely was. Again, these strikes against Russia’s capital should be shifting political will amongst the Moscowians who have previously felt pretty insulated.

A devastating explosion at a chemicals plant near Russia's Ufa region claimed at least 27 lives. This factory made nitrocellulose products for the military, typically used for bomb making and other demolition purposes.

Multiple strikes and potential sabotage incidents were reported inside Russia, targeting the Saratov and Nizhny Novgorod refineries, as well as the Balashovskaya and Tolkai power substations. These attacks indicate a broader campaign aimed at disrupting Russian electricity, which is almost as bad as gas, because a huge amount of rail works on electricity, as does the civilian economy. By way of example of how bad even a single train outage is, the destruction of a Russian train by Ukrainian drones in Zaporizhzhia Oblast continues to block the region's only rail line, forcing Russia to reroute logistics via road. This has been months of complete outage of the railway due to this one train car.

It’s worth specifically calling out the hits on electrical at the moment, not just because it has a huge effect on the rail, but also on the average Moscovian. If they can knock out power to the capital city which appears to be the goal, that will force the average businessman and housewife in the capital to start asking some serious questions about the progress of the war, and Putin’s leadership. It doesn’t take more than a few weeks of harsh winter to make people seriously start to question leadership.

A Ukrainian soldier demonstrated remarkable skill by using a shotgun with a red dot sight to take out a Russian FPV drone in the Zaporizhzhia region. I think this makes a pretty strong case for red dots on shotguns, which I normally am pretty disinterested in. But in this case, in an emergency situation, having people remember to focus on the front sight is a bridge too far. The untrained will likely do better with a red-dot, even if I think they add a reliability factor that may otherwise want to be avoided in war.

The American-Ukrainian "Shahid" type kamikaze drone, known as Artemis ALM-20, equipped with artificial intelligence and a range of 1600 km, has been successfully tested on Russian territory. With a 45 kg warhead, its mass production is set to begin, which I find slightly funny. I mean, think about it. We are looking at an Iranian drone that was taken and used by Russia against Ukraine, captured by the Ukrainians, reverse-engineered and built by the United States, sold to Ukraine, and sent back to destroy Russia. 😆 

Russian forces have deployed Doppler motion sensor mines. These look relatively inexpensive, but there are no wires or anything else to cause them to accidentally go off. That said, I do wonder how well they work in windy conditions or when there are nearby concussions. Disarming them looks pretty improbable, which is likely the point, but I do wonder how the Russians plan to disarm them when they need to get through an area.

Russia's relationship with China is showing signs of strain, with Chinese shipments to Russia dropping by 21%. Russian sources express frustration, describing China as not acting like an ally and engaging in practices that include stopping payments, profiteering, and even theft. Well, that’s China for you!

The predicted record surplus of oil next year is expected to drive prices down significantly, with Brent estimated at $57 and Urals crude at a $10+ discount. This drop, potentially below Russia's budgeted $59, is likely to have a severe impact on Russia's economy and GDP. 📉 

In related European news, Ukraine and Britain have initiated joint production of interceptor drones, aiming to manufacture around 2,000 interceptor drones monthly to counter Russian drone threats. With Russia’s capacity to launch around 100-200 drones per day, this number of interceptors feels a little low, but I think this is only one form of the interceptor from one relationship, and not the sum of all variants of interceptor tech. I think a more reasonable number would be around 10k per month in total, and really more like 20k to give a little buffer based on Russian attack volume at the moment.

The Dutch government seized control of a major Chinese semiconductor company, Nexperia, under a wartime emergency law. This action, coinciding with U.S. policies, reflects the Netherlands’ alignment with Washington's stance against Chinese influence. However the net effect is that this will severely limit European auto manufacturing, which depends heavily on Nexperia, but Chinese sanctions prevent Nexperia from shipping anything Chinese built, which is most of their products. So we shall see how this shakes out, but things cannot last as they are. Either the auto industry needs to build its own supply chain at great cost, or the Dutch have to capitulate to Beijing. There’s really no middle ground.

In related South East Asian news, let’s have a brief conversation about my theory as to why China is investing so heavily in AI, semiconductors, robotics, and power. It’s not necessarily as nefarious or militaristic as it may appear. When you couple it with not just a massive decrease in population but an acceleration of a decline in birth rate, there aren’t going to be a lot of Chinese left to run their massive industrial needs. China is also probably aware of its declining popularity in the world and is probably anticipating further isolation. It has some natural resources, like heavy metals, but not oil. But it also has huge tracts of land where solar could provide power. That could be why it created twice as much solar output as all of the rest of the world combined - energy independence in an increasingly isolated place. Further, we could be seeing the CCP realizing robotics are the only answer to a population crash, and it could be hedging against that with robotic troops, factory workers, drivers, etc. It makes sense with everything else that’s going on, especially when I found out that an even worse population crash is looming in China than previously expected.

The disparity in industrial robot adoption between China and the U.S. is showing up when executives come back from trips to China, raving about how modern China has become, and stating the need for rapid re-industrialization in America. Ford's CEO emphasized the urgency of this effort, indicating a strategic focus on automation to remain competitive. But the way I see it is that robots are a hedge against population decline. If you know you don’t have the right people, or any people in the future, might it not be a good idea to hedge against that? And what tech would you have to invest in to get your manufacturing base solidified against any population decline? I think that gives us a roadmap to where things are heading.

The CCP just announced a big purge of its top brass. Not just firing them but actually kicking them out of the party, which is a huge punishment. It’s been speculated that this group is fairly dove-ish and likely trying to warn Xi from a Taiwanese invasion, which didn’t go as well as they had hoped. Either way, Xi cleaned house.

I saw a funny and slightly terrifying video of a Chinese robo-dog wearing a dinosaur costume interacting with children, which highlights the dual nature of technological advancements. It's both fascinating and unsettling. These things are nowhere near safe enough to be used around humans at all, let alone kids, who could easily be injured, maimed, or killed by these things. You gotta see the video to understand how weird this actually is.

In Middle Eastern news, the Israel Defense Force conducted precision strikes against Hezbollah infrastructure in Southern Lebanon, targeting a cement quarry used for reconstruction and facilities operated by the Lebanese environmental organization "Green Without Borders," which serves as a front for Hezbollah.

Footage of the strikes shows the rapid disassembly of infrastructure that Hezbollah had spent months building. The IDF dealt a massive blow, and it just shows how precise they can be, because the bulk of that explosion appears to be secondary. It turned the night into daylight briefly… so, pretty energetic for a cement quarry. So much for that environmental non-profit!

Briefly, in South of the border news, U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a lethal kinetic strike against a narco-terrorist vessel off Venezuela's coast, marking the sixth such operation since August. This action reflects ongoing efforts to combat narco-terrorism and the Maduro regime by proxy.

In North American news, U.S. President Donald J. Trump appears to be reconsidering at least a portion of his recent tariffs on Chinese goods following market turmoil, expressing a desire to “help China, not hurt it!!!” This shift in rhetoric suggests a potential de-escalation or, more likely, hasten market pull-back from China by increasing uncertainty. U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent emphasized aggressive pushback against China's export controls. So the Treasury secretary and the President are speaking cross purposes day by day, and I think that’s actually (probably) intentional. Here’s the effect that I saw just this week alone.

I saw a proposed war-level metals strategy that aims to address bottlenecks in rare earths and other critical elements essential for manufacturing and defense. This strategy, likened to a Marshall Plan 2.0, calls for coordinated efforts across multiple countries to secure supply chains and reduce dependency on China. Why would we need to if we are helping China? Because no one wants to bet on that given the circumstances. U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent concurred and announced plans to expedite mineral exploration and processing, drawing parallels to Operation Warp Speed.

JPMorgan also announced the launch of a $1.5 trillion initiative to bolster critical industries in America, highlighting the need to reduce reliance on unreliable sources of critical minerals and products.

Anduril introduced EagleEye, a new helmet technology that integrates mission command and AI directly into the operator's helmet, enhancing situational awareness and protection. From their announcement and video, it enhances “survivability with beyond-full-cut ballistic protection and blast wave mitigation in an ultra lightweight shell. Rear and flank-view sensors expand awareness without distraction. Spatial audio and RF detection add layers of protection, alerting operators to hidden or immediate threats.”

The Sikorsky S-70UAS™ U-Hawk™ helicopter, now fully autonomous, can deploy ground-based drones as well as missiles, areal drones, and other munitions out the side-door. Unlike typical drones, this is a very heavy lift, and it gets the human out of the equation, allowing huge payloads to be deployed, even larger than what would normally be possible in the same airframe, due to the lack of a cockpit and pilot.

President Trump announced the order of 28 B-21 Raider bombers, a slightly upgraded version of the B-2, praising their capabilities. That’s a huge boost in our long-range bombing capabilities. It’s clear Trump wants the ability to project power in different regions, with the intention of making it clear we can slip past air defenses at will. That may or may not be true with modern high-performance radars and other forms of detection, but it sounds good on paper.

The U.S. Army unveiled the Janus Program, aiming to construct hundreds of small nuclear reactors to power military bases across the country. These micro-reactors, transportable by ship or aircraft, will provide a reliable energy source for remote locations, like military bases, for instance, or for forward-operating anti-missile lasers. It could also be used to enable operations in situations where power and infrastructure are cut. Lastly, it could be “rented” to the AI industry as needed. Of course, I would much prefer if these things were significantly hardened and placed deep underground, if they are actually forward deployed.

A successful test of a guided artillery round capable of hitting targets 120 kilometers away in GPS-denied environments was conducted at Yuma Proving Ground. This development enhances the U.S. Army's long-range precision capabilities by utilizing existing towed mobile howitzers and other 155mm platforms.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law banning Glock pistols due to their potential conversion into fully automatic weapons, reflecting ongoing efforts to address gun control. I believe if you already own a Glock in CA, you’re okay, but this is clearly just another performative gun-grab. That said, Glocks do account for a huge number of gang-related deaths, and are the preferred gangster weapon on the street, so in some weird way he is right, but not at all for the reasons he is saying.

Dozens of reporters cleared out their offices at the Pentagon after refusing to sign a pledge agreeing to new rules and restrictions. I have heard many sides of this issue, which include things like the fact that the press hasn’t been deterred at all from doing hard-hitting news in light of this new situation… so… okay, I guess they didn’t need access? Another side is saying, if you can’t stop trying to get governments to leak classified information, then you probably shouldn’t be there. I think the most fair interpretation I’ve seen in the reporter’s defense is that we need some sort of check in case the government is doing something illegal or wasting taxpayer funds, and the press performs that function, so if they refuse to follow the new rules, the press may be hamstrung or even prosecuted by the Pentagon. Okay then, so now they handed in their credentials and they are out, and that check and balance has shifted to outside the walls of the Pentagon instead of inside. I’m not sure if that is a bad thing or a good thing. Ultimately, it means fewer leaks, but fewer leaks that could unearth government corruption and waste. It’s too close to tell in my mind if this is net good or bad. Snowden was a net bad in my mind, but he also did uncover a broad spectrum of dragnet surveillance, and it made Glenn Greenwald a celebrity. I’m sure he’d tell you it was a good thing, but lots of legitimate operations were ruined for that activity to be found.

The U.S. reported a massive surplus of $198 billion in September, largely due to accounting adjustments related to student and SBA loans. However, this surplus is not indicative of real-time revenue increases or spending cuts. In September 2025, there was a $180 billion accounting adjustment due to changes in the present value cost of student loans, as well as $33 billion for SBA loans. These were booked as "negative outlays." Tariffs have increased the price index for both domestic and imported goods, but not above 1, so it is still a net negative, which I find interesting. It is trending upwards, though, so it likely will end up as a net higher number, but not with 100% certainty.

For the first time, U.S. interest payments on the national debt ($1.16T) have surpassed the military budget ($1.13T). I think this is probably a pretty telling graph, which on the outside looks extremely scary, but I read something quite interesting that I wanted to draw your attention to.

Balaji had a fascinating thread on how inflation in the U.S. may be more of a global tax than a domestic one, as the de facto tax base for dollar inflation shrinks with U.S. troop withdrawals and increased tariffs. His conclusion is that it is a net negative for the US and that the simultaneous sovereign debt crisis in the U.S., Western Europe, and Japan, coupled with the world economy's shift to Asia, is reminiscent of the fall of Rome. But his initial point was that the business model for the US is printing money, which ends up as a global tax to, yes, all Americans, but since other countries own most of our debt, it’s a bigger tax on them. Fascinating to think of it in those terms, and I am not sure his analysis is correct, but it was worth the read either way.

The looming household and consumer debt bubble in the U.S., with record credit card debt reaching $1.33 trillion. This debt bubble really feels like the subprime mortgage crisis all over again, and may explain why China is buying up so much gold - a hedge against the global market collapse and hyperinflation. One thing that is interesting about this is that they are pretty vocal about doing it, so it’s clear they also see it as a strategic move to destabilize foreign currencies as well.

In Tech news, experts' trust in AI diminishes as they learn more about its workings, while those with less understanding tend to be its biggest fans. This dichotomy highlights the complex relationship between knowledge and trust in technology. I find the same to be true once I explain how LLMs and hallucinations work - generally, people feel a lot less inclined to believe the output and treat it much more like a tool and less like a truth-telling machine.

ChatGPT's pivot to offering erotic chat services is a new thing that we’ll be seeing attached to age-verified accounts. I found it highly ironic, given Sam Altman's previous criticism of Elon Musk's introduction of the Ani character. The interviewer asked Altman, “What is an example of a decision you’ve had to make that is best for the world but not best for winning?” and Altman said, “We haven’t put a sexpot avatar in ChatGPT yet.” Well, now we can have infinite sexpots, can’t we, Sam? And I am sure you can now explain how this change is best for the world, can’t you, Sam? Hypocrite. This NSFW content isn’t “good for the world,” but at least you could be honest about wanting more market share. 🙄 

The "dead internet theory" suggests that AI-generated content is rapidly replacing human-created content, with projections indicating that over 90% of internet content could be AI-generated by next year and that it’s already at 48%. When I talk about “the great middling,” which hopefully I’ll write about soon, this is what I mean. How can an AI train on the Internet when the Internet is made of garbage that LLMs produced? It will train on its own data. That’s incestuous overfitting, which will lead to even more hallucinations. Beware, we may see a big decline in LLM quality if this continues.

Finally, leaving you with some good news, research into fusion energy using lithium in the ST40 tokamak shows promising results, with the element's interaction with plasma providing insights into improving fusion performance. The video is highly slowed down but absolutely incredible. It does feel like we are getting a lot closer to fusion energy, which this world desperately needs, given that AI is really just getting started.

Okay, onto the articles!

A gunman opened fire on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas, killing five people, and the shooter was believed to have been motivated by a delusion of radiation sickness after visiting Washington state where he was exposed to potential radiation sources.

• The shooter was a 29-year-old unemployed man who had previously taken classes at a Texas community college and worked harvesting marijuana in Washington state.

• The gunman believed he had been exposed to radiation sickness after visiting Washington state.

[RSnake: More information about this character is coming out. Clearly, he was just mentally ill and falling afoul of conspiracy theories.]

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/10/14/dallas-ice-facility-shooter-feared-radiation-exposure-and-practiced-shooting-records-show.html

A ceasefire plan involving the US, Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar has been put into place to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, following the release of hostages by Hamas in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Key elements of the ongoing negotiations include the return of deceased hostages, increased humanitarian aid, and further Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza while Hamas has yet to agree to its disarmament or governance post-conflict.

• Hamas released 20 living hostages in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, leading to a ceasefire agreement.

• The US-brokered plan involves multiple phases, including increased humanitarian aid and Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza.

[RSnake: I am stunned it’s lasted as long as it has already. I’m still not of the opinion that it will continue, but no harm in hoping for miracles!]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgqx7ygq41o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

The Trump administration has laid off approximately 466 employees from the Education Department, affecting critical areas such as special education and civil rights enforcement. This reduction, totaling about 20% of the remaining staff, raises concerns about the agency's ability to fulfill its duties, including compliance with federal laws that protect students' rights.

• Approximately 466 Education Department employees have been laid off, broadly impacting special education and civil rights programs.

• The layoffs aim to reduce the federal role in education, which may undermine existing protections for vulnerable student populations.

[RSnake: We can’t afford all these government employees, so it makes sense. These cuts will hurt, no matter how you do them, and good people will be cut, no doubt. However, without new revenue coming into the country, we have to decrease spending. Or, more ideally, both.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/us/politics/trump-education-department-federal-layoffs.html

Russian authorities are using forced psychiatric treatment against Ukrainian children and dissidents to suppress opposition to the war in Ukraine. These practices have been likened to those from the Soviet era, where individuals expressing pro-Ukrainian views are institutionalized without formal charges and kept until deemed 'cured' by the state. The crackdown includes identifying 'disloyal' youth and systematically persecuting them under the guise of counter-extremism measures.

• Children in occupied Ukraine are being forcibly treated in psychiatric facilities for expressing pro-Ukrainian views.

• This practice reflects a broader trend of suppressing dissent through punitive psychiatry in Russia, echoing Soviet methods.

[RSnake: This is likely a war crime, and these people will be really traumatized if they are ever returned.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=364793

Prosecutors in Bangladesh are seeking the death penalty for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in hiding in India, after a violent crackdown on protests led to her ousting and significant loss of life. She faces charges including crimes against humanity in connection with the unrest that resulted in over 1,400 deaths. Hasina's party, the Awami League, has been banned from political activities as her rival party prepares for upcoming elections.

• Sheikh Hasina is sought for trial on charges of crimes against humanity related to severe police violence during protests.

• The crackdown on protests has resulted in over 1,400 fatalities and significant political upheaval in Bangladesh.

[RSnake: Interesting. I had been under the impression they had caught most of them, or maybe even all of the leaders. Apparently, they missed some.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0jd8dy7zd6o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Australia's tropical rainforests have become the first in the world to release more carbon dioxide than they absorb due to climate change, particularly linked to extreme temperatures and increased tree deaths. This trend threatens global emissions reduction targets that rely on accurate modeling of forest carbon absorption capabilities.

• Australia's rainforests are emitting more carbon than they absorb, impacting global emissions targets.

• Extreme temperatures and climatic changes are increasing tree mortality rates in these forests.

[RSnake: Tree death is bad, because it does produce CO2. Tree growth, on the other hand, sucks it up. So this really does need to be checked.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjd05mdz9pdo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Russia's refusal to accept US-supplied Tomahawk missiles should not dictate American weapons policy, says US Army Europe commander Ben Hodges.

• The US will supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine regardless of Russia's complaints that it would worsen relations.

• Ukraine can use the missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia, including oil and gas infrastructure and munitions plants.

[RSnake: What is Russia going to do about it? A real escalation isn’t likely or even possible unless they want to commit suicide against NATO, which is purpose-built to destroy Russia.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=367478

The U.S. Army is prioritizing the development and implementation of the Next-Generation Command-and-Control (NGC2) system, which aims to enhance battlefield communication and operational efficiency. Through ongoing exercises like Ivy Sting, soldiers are testing new digital systems that could significantly improve artillery performance and decision-making on the battlefield, while industry partners support rapid prototyping and software development.

• The U.S. Army is developing the NGC2 system to enhance battlefield command and control.

• Test exercises show promising improvements in artillery operations and decision-making capabilities.

[RSnake: I saw a similar thing being thought through - a digital sand table, that likely will act as a C&C platform for special forces in particular.]

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/land/2025/10/14/early-drops-of-new-army-command-software-delight-artillerists-in-drill/

The U.S. military has conducted airstrikes in international waters targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels, resulting in at least 27 deaths, including individuals from Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. Families of the deceased are left without official confirmation of their loved ones' identities, while the Venezuelan government is reportedly suppressing information regarding the incidents due to tension with the U.S. over military operations in the region.

• The U.S. military targeted suspected drug vessels and killed 27 individuals.

• Families are seeking information about their missing relatives amidst a lack of official confirmation.

[RSnake: They fished a couple out of the water, which should be interesting, because they will likely spill the beans and lend credence to the fact that they were actually drug mules. Not that a lot of people are operating semi-submersibles in the region for leisure.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/world/americas/trinidad-us-military-venezuela-boats.html

Protests continue against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), marked by unconventional symbols like inflatable characters that challenge police presence. In recent incidents, federal agents have resorted to using pepper spray against protestors, indicating rising tensions in street demonstrations against immigration enforcement and government actions. Additionally, a data breach involving Discord has revealed vulnerabilities related to the storage of sensitive user information.

• Inflatable characters are used in protests to symbolize resistance to ICE and government actions.

• A federal agent used pepper spray against a protester during a recent demonstration in Portland.

[RSnake: Yep, inflatable animal costumes. It has the advantage of having sting-balls and high pressure hoses not hurt as bad. Of course if you see a guy with armor on it should be taken out by more serious means, not less serious means, so I feel like that strategy could backfire pretty significantly.]

Source: https://www.404media.co/the-surreal-practicality-of-protesting-as-an-inflatable-frog/

General Atomics and South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace are collaborating to develop a short-takeoff-and-landing version of the Gray Eagle drone, which is expected to be ready for its first flight in 2027. This new version will be produced in South Korea and aims to enhance operational capabilities for military services by enabling takeoffs and landings on various rough surfaces.

• A partnership between General Atomics and Hanwha Aerospace will lead to the production of a versatile drone for military applications.

• The Gray Eagle STOL is designed for rapid deployment and operational efficiency in diverse environments.

[RSnake: Looks like a scaled-down version of a Predator drone.]

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/air/2025/10/14/general-atomics-hanwha-to-work-on-short-takeoff-version-of-gray-eagle/

Federal prosecutors have seized $15 billion from a multinational organization allegedly involved in a forced labor scam that exploited online romantic relationships to defraud victims. Chen Zhi, the alleged mastermind behind the operation, is accused of using trafficked individuals to run complex schemes designed to maximize deception and financial gain, operating from a compound in Cambodia. The operation reportedly involved sophisticated technology and illicit practices, leading to a massive financial impact on victims worldwide.

• Authorities have seized $15 billion from an alleged corporate entity running a forced labor investment scam.

• Victims were defrauded through manipulated online interactions that often included fake romantic relationships.

• The operation allegedly utilized trafficked individuals and advanced technology to perpetrate its schemes.

[RSnake: That’s a pretty huge operation. I wonder how many of these there are out there.]

Source: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/feds-seize-15-billion-from-alleged-forced-labor-scam-built-on-human-suffering/

Oracle's lack of disclosure regarding active exploitation and the confusing mess of zero-days have raised concerns among cybersecurity experts.

• Oracle has silently fixed a zero-day exploit leaked by ShinyHunters, addressing a pre-authentication Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) flaw that could allow access to sensitive resources.

• Multiple researchers and customers have confirmed that the security update now addresses the exploited vulnerability.

[RSnake: No one wants to own their part in active exploitation, but it’s way worse not to acknowledge these issues than traditional vulnerabilities. Everyone has vulnerabilities, but not everyone is being actively exploited. One needs to be prioritized way higher than the other.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/oracles-silently-fixes-zero-day-exploit-leaked-by-shinyhunters/

Microsoft has released its final security updates for Windows 10 as part of Patch Tuesday in October 2025, marking the end of support for the operating system. Two critical zero-day vulnerabilities have been identified, one affecting a third-party modem driver and another concerning remote network service management, both of which are actively being exploited. Additionally, users have the option to migrate to Windows 11 or explore alternative operating systems such as Linux as support for older products is sunsetted.

• Microsoft's final security updates for Windows 10 have been released.

• Two critical zero-day vulnerabilities have been actively exploited.

• Users are encouraged to consider migrating to Windows 11 or alternative operating systems like Linux.

[RSnake: The theory is that people were waiting until the end of life before they released these two exploits.]

Source: https://krebsonsecurity.com/?p=72318

A vast archive of over 1.5 million tracking records, containing more than 14,000 unique phone numbers and people surveilled in over 160 countries, has been uncovered by Lighthouse reporters. The data reveals how the company First Wap's surveillance software, Altamides, was used to track high-profile individuals, including politicians, celebrities, and businesspeople, without their knowledge or consent. The investigation also found that the company marketed its technology to authoritarian governments and corporate actors, and that it has expanded its surveillance arsenal to include intercepting SMS messages, listening in on phone calls, and breaching encrypted messaging apps.

• First Wap's surveillance software, Altamides, was used to track high-profile individuals without their knowledge or consent.

• The company marketed its technology to authoritarian governments and corporate actors.

• Altamides has expanded its surveillance arsenal to include intercepting SMS messages, listening in on phone calls, and breaching encrypted messaging apps.

[RSnake: I hate to break it to these reporters, but this isn’t even close to as bad as the real surveillance state can get.]

Source: https://www.lighthousereports.com/investigation/surveillance-secrets/

Artificial intelligence researchers warn that AI could pose an existential threat to humanity, citing the potential for AI to engineer a lethal pathogen to eliminate humans.

• AI researchers fear that AI will destroy humanity itself due to its potential to eradicate humans as a threat to its survival.

• There is a 1 in 4 chance that artificial intelligence will wipe out humanity, according to industry leaders who put the probability at 25%.

[RSnake: I have heard more and more people say that AGI is closer to a decade out and the current state of vector databases is an evolutionary dead end. If that’s the case, then we still have at least a decade. That gives us a few more years to figure out the alignment issue, ideally.]

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/media/apocalypse-now-media-suddenly-freaking-out-ai

YouTube is launching a new dedicated section for teen-focused mental health and well-being content, making it easier for users 13-17 years old to find age-appropriate information on topics like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders. This move comes as 39.7% of students felt ongoing sadness and hopelessness, while 28.5% reported poor mental health. The new offering is rolling out to users in several countries, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, Mexico, France, and Australia.

• YouTube is investing in mental health initiatives for teenagers by providing age-appropriate information on topics like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders.

• The new offering aims to reach teens where they already seek information, such as YouTube, with nine out of 10 teens reporting they use the platform.

[RSnake: Interesting. I wonder how many self-help ads, weight loss ads, and beauty ads they’ll allow on that section.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3057151

Chinese hackers abused a geo-mapping tool for over a year, establishing a persistent backdoor in a Linux Framework laptop and using it to access internal hosts and exfiltrate data.

• A Chinese APT group, Flax Typhoon, used a malicious Server Object Extension (SOE) to establish persistence in an ArcGIS geo-mapping tool for over a year.

• The attackers used valid administrator credentials to log into the ArcGIS server and downloaded and installed SoftEther VPN Bridge to extend their capabilities.

[RSnake: Yep, supply chain vulnerabilities will continue to plague us. We almost need a manifest of who wrote what chunk of which code. Not that that would stop Chinese hackers from paying people to install malware or breaking into their computer and inserting bad code, but at least we’d get better attribution and increase the cost.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/chinese-hackers-abuse-geo-mapping-tool-for-year-long-persistence/

Cloudflare has conducted an analysis of its Workers platform's performance compared to Vercel's, revealing that initial benchmarks indicated a disparity in execution speed that was not representative of actual performance. After addressing various tuning and configuration issues, modifications have been implemented that improve the Workers’ performance to be on par with Vercel, and plans for further optimizations are underway.

• Initial benchmarks showed Cloudflare Workers performing worse than Vercel for JavaScript execution.

• Improvements were made to the Workers runtime that enhanced performance significantly in response to the benchmark findings.

[RSnake: I am glad to see they are being more introspective of performance. In this day and age, it matters more than ever. Even a single second of extra load time can have multiple percentages of drop in user attention/retention.]

Source: https://blog.cloudflare.com/unpacking-cloudflare-workers-cpu-performance-benchmarks/

OpenAI plans to allow its chatbot ChatGPT to handle a wider range of adult content, including erotica, as it seeks to cater to verified adult users. This decision comes amid ongoing scrutiny from regulators and concerns over the platform's interactions with minors, particularly related to mental health issues following a lawsuit linked to a teen's suicide. As OpenAI expands its content offerings, new legal and regulatory pressures are emerging regarding the safety of AI interactions with children.

• OpenAI is expanding content offerings for adults on ChatGPT, including erotica.

• There are growing legal pressures regarding the interaction of AI with minors amid concerns for mental health.

[RSnake: This is how it should have always worked. I was telling the head honchos over at Microsoft’s AI team that they already have an adult search for images; they should just extend it to chat. They fought me on it. They were idiots. Now they can tell you all about expanding offerings, but at the end of the day, it increases retention by optimizing for dopamine and reduces power costs by not refusing every request. It also happens to hasten the reproduction collapse, but… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I guess that’s what we’re doing.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd2qv58yl5o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

SpaceX successfully completed its final test flight of the second-generation Starship, achieving all mission objectives and demonstrating improved systems, including a modified heat shield design for reentry. The flight data will inform the upcoming launch of the third-generation Starship, which aims to enable future missions to the Moon and Mars, including NASA's Artemis program. SpaceX is preparing for an ambitious flight schedule, including orbital refueling experiments critical for long-duration space missions.

• SpaceX's second-generation Starship completed a successful test flight, validating key technologies.

• The upcoming third-generation Starship is being developed to support lunar and Martian exploration missions.

[RSnake: Big congrats to that team. It was pretty amazing footage.]

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/spacexs-second-gen-starship-signs-off-with-a-near-perfect-test-flight/

Waymo is set to launch a commercial robotaxi service in London in 2026, following its expansion efforts in Tokyo. The service will utilize all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles equipped with self-driving technology and will initially feature human safety drivers before moving to driverless operations, pending government approval.

• Waymo is expanding its autonomous vehicle services to London, marking its second international market.

• The company will gradually introduce driverless technology in its robotaxi fleet while partnering with local services for operations.

[RSnake: Still waiting for them and Tesla Robotaxis to expand to my area of Austin. I keep seeing them around town, so I suspect it’ll be soon. For the vast majority of things I do, I see no reason that I’d want to use my own car if it turns out to be even vaguely convenient.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3057542

Middle-income families in the U.S. are experiencing a significant decline in financial security due to rising living costs, resulting in reduced savings and increased reliance on credit. The majority of households report difficulties in meeting expenses and low confidence in retirement savings, with expectations of continued price increases for essential goods and services.

• Two-thirds of middle-income Americans believe their income is falling behind the cost of living.

• There has been a notable increase in credit card debt among middle-income households, with only 29% able to pay balances in full each month.

[RSnake: That debt… it’s serious, and it’s coming. You’ll start hearing a lot more about this from other sources than me, I’m sure. What happens when banks can’t get their money back all at once?]

Source: https://thereadable.co/national-survey-middle-income-families-adapting-to-new-normal-of-higher-costs/

Argentina is experiencing economic turmoil as President Javier Milei implements aggressive austerity measures to combat extreme inflation, which recently exceeded 211% annually. While some macroeconomic indicators show improvement, widespread protests have erupted over his policies, which critics claim have disproportionately affected the working class. As Argentina approaches midterm elections, political instability looms, with concerns that Milei's reforms may not be sustainable without broader support and investment in social services.

• Javier Milei's austerity measures have led to significant economic changes, including a reduction in inflation and a fiscal surplus.

• Protests and public discontent are rising as many Argentines feel the impact of cuts to social services and increased living costs.

[RSnake: Now that’s hyper inflation!]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9865l8540eo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Pakistan has secured a $1.2 billion loan from the IMF, which includes $1 billion from the Extended Fund Facility and $200 million from the Resilience and Sustainability Facility. The deal indicates recovering economic conditions in Pakistan, marked by contained inflation and improved financial stability, while the country commits to fiscal discipline and addressing climate resilience issues.

• Pakistan has reached a staff-level agreement with the IMF for a $1.2 billion loan.

• The agreement reflects improvements in Pakistan's economic conditions, including reduced inflation and strengthening financial stability.

[RSnake: It feels like a very small number considering the kinds of debt countries normally take on. I do hope that they are asked to avoid any more conflicts with India as part of the terms of that loan. I doubt they will, but it would be nice. Pakistan vs Afghanistan, okay, but two nuclear countries going at it is no bueno. ☢️ ]

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/access-to-about-1-0bn-imf-pakistan-agree-on-new-deal-200m-tranche-cleared-under-rsf/articleshow/124566910.cms

The matcha market is experiencing challenges, including widespread shortages, counterfeit products, and a surge in demand leading to unregulated practices. The popularity of matcha has led to an increase in low-quality imports, and traditional suppliers are struggling to maintain the integrity and quality of this niche product amidst the chaos.

• There is a global shortage of high-quality matcha due to increased demand.

• Counterfeit matcha products and substandard imports are flooding the market, risking the reputation of genuine producers.

[RSnake: 🍵Apparently, the girls at the day spa my editor/wife goes to are wholly unimpressed that they may have been drinking counterfeit matchas. Basic bitches have standards, okay?💁🏻‍♀️]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/14/dining/matcha.html

General Motors is facing a $1.6 billion earnings hit due to the expiration of federal tax credits for electric vehicles, which ended on September 30, 2025. The company anticipates a $1.2 billion accounting charge related to EV production capacity adjustments and an additional $400 million in costs from cancelled supplier contracts.

• GM expects a decline in the adoption rate of electric vehicles following the loss of federal tax incentives.

• The company's financial outlook is also impacted by tariffs imposed by the U.S. government.

[RSnake: I always found these subsidies a bad idea, so although I am certain they hurt the automotive industry, they protect the taxpayer and the increase in cost can be felt by the people who want to buy electric cars, not by the rest of the taxpayers.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/42657-gm-braces-for-16b-earnings-blow-as-ev-tax-credits-expire

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is investing in a new AI hub in Visakhapatnam, India, which will be the largest of its kind outside the United States. The investment, amounting to $15 billion over five years, is expected to significantly boost both the Indian and American economies due to increased cloud and AI adoption. This initiative positions India as a growing center for AI data centers, attracting major technological investments.

• Google is establishing the largest AI hub outside the U.S. in Visakhapatnam, India.

• The investment is projected to generate $15 billion in American GDP from 2026 to 2030.

[RSnake: I bet this is to get around the green card/cost issue.]

Source: https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/42655-alphabet-to-build-15b-data-hub-in-india

A US plan to rebuild Gaza lists nearly 30 companies, including Tesla and Ikea, with some saying they had no knowledge they were involved. If implemented, it could significantly influence aid distribution in Gaza.

• The US plan to rebuild Gaza lists nearly 30 companies, including Tesla and Ikea, with some saying they had no knowledge they were involved.

• The plan, led by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, proposes large-scale construction of data centers and infrastructure rebuilds.

[RSnake: Of course. This is the US playbook after a war. I’m surprised Israel would let us have as much say in this as they have.]

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/a-plan-to-rebuild-gaza-lists-nearly-30-companies-many-say-theyre-not-involved/

OpenAI is generating approximately $13 billion in annual revenue, primarily from its AI subscription services, despite a small percentage of paying users. The company has plans to spend over $1 trillion in the coming decade on infrastructure, with significant deals for computing capacity, indicating a substantial investment in future capabilities. However, its reliance on major contracts with several of the U.S.'s most prominent companies poses risks to the broader market if OpenAI encounters difficulties.

• OpenAI is achieving high revenue from a small fraction of its user base.

• The company is planning significant investments to enhance its infrastructure and services.

• Reliance on large contracts with major businesses could impact the overall market stability.

[RSnake: I wonder what the breakdown of subscriptions vs API token costing is. I am still very surprised that regulators haven’t asked a single question about the fact that they are supposedly a non-profit. A non-profit that makes revenue off of NSFW content now, no less. 😆 ]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3057689