RSnake Report 20250720

Hello, and thanks for reading! Finally got a chance to swim in our pool this weekend, and ho man, I forgot how nice a pool in the summer could feel. I also got a chance to see the new Superman and thought… surprisingly, ‘hmph!’ Fine. It was funny, and even good. I hate to admit it, but it was enjoyable. A lot of little issues and ignore the costume (dirty one second, perfectly clean the next), but campy and well written and fun. Meanwhile, the meme this week came from my editor, of all people. See what I have to put up with in my own home?

In Russian/Ukraine news, Ukraine has launched a drone strike on the ShchekinoAzot chemicals plant in Russia's Tula region; which accounts for a whopping 44% of the region's GDP.

The skies near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar were recently filled with a large column of smoke, a sight that sends shivers down the spine of anyone who remembers Chernobyl. While this may not have been the emergency people feared it might be, when you see fire next to a nuclear facility, it gives me a little shot of adrenaline, thinking how dangerous these antiquated reactor designs are.

Axios reported that the country is set to receive a staggering $10 billion worth of U.S. weapons as part of the first aid package. But these weapons will initially be sold, not gifted, to NATO allies before ultimately reaching Ukraine. However, it’s not that straightforward. France and Czechia will refuse that purchase, preferring domestic defense. I think there is a lot of back and forth about this, implying that by having one, you can’t have the other, which is, of course, quite silly.

The rumblings from the front lines suggest that Russia is gearing up for a massive offensive. The Russian military purportedly believes that with enough force, it can finally break Ukraine's spirit and military resolve. This belief is rooted in a long, exhausting war, intensified regular bombardments of military targets and civilian areas, and a relentless campaign to undermine Ukraine's economic potential and mobilization efforts. Russia employs propaganda and air strikes to wear down Ukrainian resistance. With support from China, North Korea, and even some Western neighbors who seem all too happy to profit from the conflict, Russia feels the tide may be turning in its favor.

This week, I saw a report of poisoned bottled water in Russia. Access to clean water is essential for survival. A gentle reminder to those cheering about a few killed Russians, that the use of chemical agents to poison water supplies is a violation of almost all countries rule of law, including Ukrainian and Russian law and dates back as early as Article 23(a) of the 1899 Hague Regulations: “It is especially prohibited … to employ poison or poisoned arms.”

I have it on good authority from a source that works with the GRU (medium confidence, but he guarantees the authenticity of his statement) that many Ukrainian drones are now equipped with embedded exploits in their processors, designed to wreak havoc on any system that tries to reverse-engineer or reprogram them. As Ukraine ramps up production of tens of thousands of low-cost interceptor drones to counter Russia's Shahed barrages, the technological arms race continues to escalate.

In related news, Ukrainian miltech project ODIN is making waves with its 'Anti Shahed' system, a high-speed interceptor drone designed to take down Russian UAVs like Shahed and Geran. With a flight endurance of 7-10 minutes, and the ability to intercept targets at altitudes ranging from 100 to 5,000 meters. Already active in combat, these 300 km/h interceptors can be launched from mobile, handheld, or airborne platforms. According to Reuters, drones accounted for a staggering 69% of strikes on Russian troops and 75% on vehicles in 2024.

I often think about how onerous legislation is around weapons building and testing, and Ukraine has decided to knock down the most cumbersome barrier of them all. Ukraine is opening its doors to foreign weapons manufacturers with its "Test in Ukraine" program. Companies can now test their latest armaments on the real battlefield, receiving frontline feedback from Ukrainian fighters. Got a bomb you wanna test… well, there is a battlefield ready to field test it for you.

For those IR nerds out there, Russian soldiers have been spotted wearing heat-insulating anti-drone ponchos as they attempt to approach Ukrainian positions. It's a desperate attempt to evade detection by drones. But as the 59th Brigade of the Ukrainian forces can attest, these videos demonstrate the futility of trying to outsmart drone technology with such rudimentary tactics. Heat appears below, and the movement is easy to spot. From above, they appear darker than the background radiation. Check out the IR video to see what I mean.

In European news, they are testing INVICTUS, a new hypersonic test platform. In collaboration with UK-based Frazer-Nash, the European Space Agency is testing the boundaries of hypersonic technology, aiming to develop future reusable vehicles capable of horizontal launch. It looks like a slimmed-down SR-71, and I suppose that shouldn’t be a surprise given the nature of aerodynamics.

In South East Asian news, the White House has thrown Taiwan a $345 million lifeline in the form of a military aid package. It includes "Defense Articles as well as the Services of the Department of Defense to provide Military Education and Training to the Taiwanese Armed Forces." This is interesting timing because Taiwan has been conducting a full 10-day military trial.

The 10-day "Urban Resilience Drill" followed by "Civil Defense Drills" was a comprehensive exercise designed to test their readiness for any scenario. One of my readers is over there at the moment and sent me va ideo that looks a lot like this video I spotted. Basically completely empty streets in one of the busiest cities in the region.

Meanwhile, the Chinese 76th Combined Arms Army conducted field exercises in northern China, showcasing the use of robotic dogs fused with regular troops. The integration of robotic dogs into field exercises is a clear sign that China is anticipating that they will act as front-line troops, taking the brunt of mines, FPV drones, and incoming fire, which will help protect and redirect regular troops. This is a look into the future, I am afraid.

What could be seen as a slap in the face to Taiwan, the U.S. is set to resume sales of NVIDIA chips to China. I am mixed about this. I would rather them use our chips and rely on us for supply chain, than create their own fabrication, but this will certainly be used against us on the LLM front, like how Deepseek has been heavily trained and biased to be highly pro-CCP.

In Middle East news, Israel struck the Syrian Ministry of Defense, which got caught on live TV from a few angles, which was a warning to them, although a pretty potent one: do not attack the Christian offshoot known as the Druze. They also attacked the Presidential Palace, although I don’t believe there were any injuries. Why? Because there was word given to them in advance by Turkey, which was likely leaked intentionally by Israel to make sure they flee, to make a point, not cause casualties.

Israel is not just defending its own interests, although that is without question given that the Druze generally get along with the Israelis; it's also standing up for a marginalized and moderate community that has been terrorized for decades by the Assad regime. So Israel is getting involved using aerial assets to strike the incoming groups, which are made up of a variety of groups like the Syrian Arab Army and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighting for Abu Mohamad Al-Jouliani, also known as Ahmed al-Sharaa (the interim president of Syria), irregular Bedouin fighters as well as unaffiliated IS fighters. To say they are facing a massacre and potentially and ultimately a genocide is not a crazy statement. This could also be considered a civil war as well. That said, while I think the Druze are the target of most of the atrocities, there are awful things being committed by all belligerents on the ground (Druze on Sunni, for example), so I don’t want to sugar coat the situation.

This is a terrible situation for a lot of reasons. Obviously, Israel wants a moderate/tolerant group on their border, and a lot of the Druze in Israel have moved into Syria to fight. On one hand, the Druze seem to fit the bill. On the other hand, Ahmed al-Sharaa has shown he is a man who can be reasoned with, and despite his terrorist IS background, he has been shown to be neutral and even had his forces intercept Iranian missiles bound to Israel. The US and Israel have bigger fish to fry, which are Iran and China, but at the same time, the power vacuum would be filled by a hodgepodge of radicals that al-Sharaa seems incapable of reigning in. To some extent, slicing Syria up might be useful, with a Kurdish state in the north, a Druze state in the south, and a moderate but messy Syrian state in the middle, but that would mean a full-blown conflict, and Turkey would likely side with al-Sharaa to prevent a Kurdish state on their border. If that happens, the US would likely need to support Israel, which would divert power projection from the Pacific, which is where we really need to focus our energy. What. A. Mess. It feels like this needs to be turned into a graph database so it’s easier to track.

A fragile and not-so-likely-to-hold ceasefire is now in effect in Syria's Sweida province, after a week of intense violence that left hundreds dead. The Druze credit Hikmat Salman al Hijri for his part and the US credits the agreement with the Israelis, the Syrians, Turkey, Jordan and the US itself via Marco Rubio for the agreement. Now the question is, will the people on the ground respect it? We’re already hearing a lot of rhetoric about burning the city to the ground from the tribal forces surrounding Sweida, if the Druze violates the ceasefire, which is a least a little hope, which is to say that they do want to hold up their end of the bargain, but at the same time it’s clear they want to fight again too. Hoping that cooler heads prevail, but this does not seem like a group of cool-headed people by the looks of it.

In North American news, Melania Trump has become an unlikely supporter of Ukraine, and it seems unlikely that her husband, Donald Trump, will allow strikes on Moscow. Trump's comments on Putin, where he mentioned discussing the Russian leader with the First Lady and her response about another Ukrainian city being hit, show he may be listening more to his wife than previously known. Of course, the memes!

In this week’s Epstein story that will never die saga, Pam Bondi has fired Maurene Comey, the prosecutor who led the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, was informed of her firing via a letter citing Article II of the Constitution, which describes the powers of the president. Why? That information was not made clear.

Democrats tried to pull a fast one by slipping in a procedural vote about other issues and including the Epstein files as a gotcha for Republicans. Vote for it, and it includes a bunch of pork; vote against, and they are seen as hiding Epstein data. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene explained that the House Republicans unanimously voted to block the release of the Epstein Files, clarifying that it was a procedural vote against Democrats having House floor control. I think they’ll likely vote to unseal the evidence, but in a separate vote that doesn’t cede control of the House.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal dropped a bombshell story about a “bawdy” letter Trump allegedly wrote to Epstein for the latter's 50th birthday. The letter featured a hand-drawn picture of a naked woman and Trump's signature as the woman’s pubic hair. Talk about bad timing for this to arrive. However, I haven’t seen anyone authenticate the claim either. Trump's biographer noted that at a time when Epstein was keeping one big daily secret, namely his abuse of young girls, which Trump hinted at publicly that year, Trump wrote in his note that he shared interests with Epstein and knew Epstein had a "secret" that he hoped was “every day”. None of this looks any better when Trump threatened to sue the WSJ for the article. This controversy needs to be taken a lot more seriously by the Trump administration if they want to come out of this without more black eyes. If it’s fake news, he needs to stop trying to bury it; if it isn’t, he and the people involved are in trouble. One thing is for sure: this isn’t going away just because Trump doesn’t like people talking about it.

In defense news, Anduril has completed major testing milestones for its Barracuda-100M under the HSMM program. Also, Lockheed Martin is pulling out all the stops with its latest cruise missile tests. In May, a team from Orlando, Florida, traveled to the Tillamook UAS Test Range on the Oregon coast to test the CMMT-D, a compact cruise missile designed for deployment from small aircraft and helicopters. They dropped a test missile from a Rapid Dragon pallet, simulating a parachute descent from 14,500 feet. Then, in June, a team from Palmdale, California, took the CMMT-X, a smaller variant, to the Pendleton UAS Range in Oregon. These long-range standoff platforms give a lot of flexibility for platforms that wouldn’t normally be regarded as offensive bomb trucks, like the F-35, F-22, and the like.

In a rather abrupt announcement, Stephen Colbert's show has been canceled due to federal cuts and will be ending in May, resulting in a net loss of $40-50 million a year. It is speculated that this loss was mostly accounted for prior and no longer available to CBS due to a DOGE recision made to USAID, PBS, and NPR. That recision plan goes to Trump, which will save the US taxpayer $9B and remove some of the largest conduits for government-funded left-leaning media and programs. So either Colbert is gone due to that, or he simply just isn’t getting the ratings he used to, as people switch to other forms of media, and ad revenue dries up.

In Tech news, an OpenAI employee, Boaz Barak, has raised concerns about Grok's lack of safety, lecturing the industry to exercise the same muscles for both mundane safety and catastrophic risks. I, for one, think it is hilarious given the fact that OpenAI led the charge with a model that had very few safety controls and baked in political biases. To me, this reeks of jealousy and protectionism. Not to say I disagree with the idea of being far more cautious about AI usage, I do. But OpenAI is certainly not the one doing it right or ethically.

The White House is preparing an executive order that will require AI models to be 'politically neutral and unbiased' to be eligible for federal contracts. I have zero idea how they plan to measure this, or enforce it, but I will be very interested to read it once it’s public. But it should worry OpenAI, which has been notoriously politically biased.

In Economic news, Platinum prices have surged to their highest level in 14 years, which felt odd to me. It felt like gold that it would mostly track with fears of the economy, but clearly it hasn’t. Not only that, it hasn’t even kept up with inflation. Curious if my readers have any thoughts on why. Too much supply being unearthed?

Lastly, I came across an interesting factoid. It turns out men are equally likely to be unemployed whether they go to college or not. That speaks volumes about how the modern education system is not actually focused on the students and their careers.

Okay, onto the articles!

Hamas announced that Israel rejected a ceasefire deal that would release all captives held in Gaza, escalating tensions in the ongoing conflict. The situation is dire, with significant casualties reported in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes and humanitarian aid increasingly hindered. Hamas claims readiness for a prolonged conflict if a comprehensive agreement is not reached, as the humanitarian crisis deepens with rising fatalities and injuries.

• Hamas declared that Israel rejected a ceasefire deal aimed at releasing all captives, indicating a standoff in negotiations.

• The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 58,000 Palestinian casualties since October 2023, with a severe humanitarian crisis unfolding.

[RSnake: I am sure there are some extenuating circumstances here, because Israel has wanted that specific deal for a long time.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/18/hamas-says-israel-rejected-ceasefire-deal-releasing-all-captives-in-gaza?traffic_source=rss

The city of Suweida in southern Syria has experienced intense sectarian violence between Druze residents and Bedouin tribes, resulting in numerous casualties, including civilians. Government forces have been accused of brutality, leading to airstrikes by Israel aimed at protecting the Druze community. This situation has heightened fears of a security breakdown in Syria amidst long-standing tensions and a fragile political landscape.

• Sectarian violence in Suweida involves deadly clashes between Druze and Bedouin tribes.

• Government forces and foreign fighters are implicated in the attacks against the Druze community.

• Israel's airstrikes are occurring in response to attacks on Druze residents, signaling involvement in the ongoing conflict.

[RSnake: Fingers crossed they can maintain that peace.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y76e9p1gno

The UK has imposed historic sanctions on a Russian military intelligence unit responsible for the deaths of approximately 600 Ukrainian civilians during an airstrike on the Mariupol Drama Theater. This sanctions package includes restrictions on three units of the GRU and 18 officers involved in hybrid operations and cyberattacks targeting Ukraine and the UK.

• UK sanctions target Russian military intelligence unit linked to civilian deaths.

• The sanctions address a broader campaign of cyber and hybrid warfare conducted by the GRU.

[RSnake: I heard that this is something like the 18th round of sanctions and they are already preparing the 19th round of sanctions. I guess they like to keep a lot of powder dry to use as leverage in the next rounds of negotiations with Russia. Speaking of them…]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=350280

Russia is amassing 100,000 troops in preparation for an offensive in eastern Ukraine, with recent battles becoming increasingly intense. Ukraine continues to defend its territories while receiving military support from the U.S. and NATO, including advanced weaponry. Economic and military pressure from the West is escalating as part of an ongoing effort to influence the conflict's outcome.

• Trump threatened 100% tariffs on Russia if the conflict does not conclude in 50 days.

• Russia has launched a significant military offensive, prompting Ukraine's defenses and a mobilization of U.S. weapon supplies.

[RSnake: Lovely, and it’s good that the West has plenty of other sanctions it can impose, to make Russia think twice about opening up a front against NATO when they can’t even handle Ukraine.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=349656

Recent data reveals that multiple individuals deported from the United States to El Salvador remain unaccounted for, with no clarity on their current status or location. Despite being listed on flight manifests, these cases have not been officially acknowledged by the U.S. government, raising significant issues regarding due process and the treatment of deported individuals.

• Dozens of individuals deported to El Salvador from the U.S. on contested flights are currently untraceable.

• The situation raises alarms regarding accountability and transparency in deportation procedures.

[RSnake: That’s both not good, but also it happens here in the United States, so it’s not a situation unique to this scenario. Also, surprise, prisoners don’t like being sent to the worst prison they’ve heard of, so they’ll do everything they can to escape. That’s what criminals do.]

Source: https://www.404media.co/flight-manifests-reveal-dozens-of-previously-unknown-people-on-three-deportation-flights-to-el-salvador/

The United States is permanently deploying F-15EX fighter jets to Kadena Air Base in Japan as part of its strategy to maintain air superiority in the Taiwan Strait amid China's escalating military capabilities. China is rapidly increasing its production of fighter jets and has built a significant naval force, challenging U.S. dominance in the region. U.S. lawmakers are advocating for enhanced air defenses and military infrastructure to counter these growing threats.

• The U.S. is deploying advanced F-15EX fighter jets to ensure military readiness in response to China's military expansion.

• China has significantly increased its fighter jet and naval production, posing a formidable challenge to U.S. air superiority in the Indo-Pacific.

[RSnake: That’s a good idea, given China’s increasing incursions into Japanese, Philippine, and Taiwanese airspace.]

Source: https://www.eurasiantimes.com/?p=247969

A large-scale data breach in Afghanistan led to thousands of people being relocated to the UK under a secret government scheme, with over 4,500 Afghans already settled and 600 Afghan soldiers still in danger, as a result of leaked personal details which were obtained by Facebook.

• The leak contained the names, contact details, and some family information of people potentially at risk of harm from the Taliban.

• 600 Afghan soldiers included in the leak, plus 1,800 of their family members, are still in Afghanistan.

[RSnake: At least they did the right thing. Those people likely would have been murdered. But it does make it more difficult to say with a straight face that the west will protect its assets’ identities.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg8zy78787o

The CIA is covertly operating in Ukraine, providing essential military support, including training for Ukrainian forces and facilitating the flow of weapons and intelligence. This involvement includes a network of secret facilities along the Russian border designed for intelligence gathering and operational coordination in the ongoing conflict with Russia. Additionally, special forces from multiple countries are present in Ukraine to assist in these efforts amid escalating regional tensions.

• The CIA has established a presence in Ukraine to coordinate military assistance and support intelligence operations.

• Covert actions include the construction of spy bases along the Russian border to enhance Ukraine's operational capabilities against Russian forces.

• Several nations, including the U.S. and allied countries, have deployed special forces in Ukraine to assist in the ongoing conflict.

[RSnake: This is my shocked face. 😉 And of course we would be. We gain tons of intel from the Ukrainians in the form of stolen Russian/Chinese/North Korean/Iranian hardware.]

Source: https://sofrep.com/?p=216496

Germany is expanding its missile production capabilities, specifically for GEM-T missiles, as part of a strategic move to bolster NATO's air defense systems amid rising threats in Europe. This initiative includes new production infrastructure that aims to support not only the Bundeswehr but also NATO allies, creating over 300 skilled jobs and reinforcing European defense autonomy. Additionally, ongoing negotiations with Rheinmetall for further missile production highlight Europe's commitment to strengthening its defense industrial base.

• Germany is set to become the only country outside the U.S. to assemble GEM-T missiles for NATO's air defense.

• The expansion of missile production aims to bolster NATO readiness in response to escalating threats on Europe’s eastern border.

• The initiative is expected to create over 300 skilled jobs and support European defense autonomy with new missile supply capabilities.

[RSnake: I know it seems odd to be rooting for a militarized Germany, given how the last two times went, but if they step up, we can focus on the Pacific.]

Source: https://militaryleak.com/?p=236089

Pope Leo is facing criticism for his response to an Israeli airstrike on a Catholic church in the Gaza Strip that resulted in casualties and damage. The attack has drawn attention to the ongoing violence in the region, with a significant number of casualties reported in Gaza, including the destruction of churches and mosques since October 2023.

• An Israeli airstrike targeted the Holy Family Church in Gaza, causing casualties and injuries.

• The ongoing violence in Gaza has led to significant destruction of religious sites and a high overall death toll.

[RSnake: Sure, yes, but what about the Christian Druze? Cherry picking your conflicts is politically expedient but morally reprehensible.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pope-leo-under-fire-vague-statement-israels-bombing-gaza-catholic-church

Ukraine is launching a new initiative to develop AI-driven defense startups, with support from the German Defense Ministry, in an effort to gain technological superiority over Russia in the ongoing conflict. The program will provide grants to the best startups and involve intensive development and testing of novel military solutions to enhance Ukraine's capabilities.

• Ukraine's Ministry of Defense is creating a program for AI startups to improve military technology.

• The initiative is supported by the German Defense Ministry and aims to create a collaborative environment for innovation in defense.

• Successful startups will receive funding and opportunities for government contracts following combat testing.

[RSnake: Very smart of them to do that. However, it appears a lot of this is ending up in the hands of people in Syria, like HTS. So that makes me very wary of the proliferation of this tech.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=350035

India's Air Force is facing a crisis after a recent conflict with Pakistan, revealing significant shortcomings in its operational capabilities and a reliance on an aging fleet, including Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets. Compounded by slow defense procurement processes and political decision-making, the IAF struggles to maintain its military edge against adversaries such as Pakistan and China, while dealing with the limitations of domestic aircraft production.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) is experiencing operational challenges following a recent conflict with Pakistan.

• Issues include an aging fleet, procurement delays, and political obstacles that hinder defense modernization.

[RSnake: Of course, they were well prepared, but untested. They found numerous issues in their first large-scale attempt at protecting themselves. I think they did amazingly well all things considered, but certainly, and without doubt, room for improvement.]

Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/?p=1201305

Belgium has designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, with 135 votes in favor and none opposed, amid efforts to pressure the European Union to adopt a similar stance.

• The IRGC was previously designated a terrorist organization by the US in 2019 under President Donald Trump.

• Belgium is urging the EU to designate the IRGC as well and call for the unconditional release of Ahmadreza Djalali.

[RSnake: Wow, about time. Lol… about 4 decades behind on that one. They must be running Internet Explorer. 😆 ]

Source: https://www.iranintl.com/en/202507180892

Tokyo's Defense of Japan 2025 white paper reports that the military balance in the Pacific is favoring China, with rising threats from Russia and North Korea also noted. The document outlines concerns regarding China's military activities, particularly around Taiwan, and emphasizes the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

• The military balance between China and Taiwan is shifting in China's favor.

• There are significant security threats posed by Russia's cooperation with China and North Korea's nuclear development.

[RSnake: It sure is, so we now need to make absolutely certain that we arm the people who will make their win extremely painful, not just in the process of taking those territories, but also afterwards, economically, and forever.]

Source: https://news.usni.org/?p=116941

FBI captures Benjamin Song, a former Marine charged with the attempted murder of an ICE officer, after an 11-day manhunt. Authorities have arrested several others in connection with the attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. The FBI is investigating the incident and has issued a $25,000 reward for information leading to Song's arrest.

• Benjamin Song, a former Marine, was charged with the attempted murder of an ICE officer.

• Several others have been arrested in connection with the attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.

[RSnake: Good, all these people need to use legal means to protest. Hurting people doing their jobs isn’t the way to express discontent with the political system, and if anything, it is hardening those who just have a job to do.]

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/fbi-captures-former-marine-corps-reservist-accused-shooting-ice-officers-texas-detention-center

Taiwan is conducting air raid drills in response to threats from China, which claims the self-governing island as part of its territory. These drills are designed to prepare the population and military for a potential invasion, with significant participation from both civilian and military sectors. Meanwhile, Japan is expressing concern over increasing Chinese military activities that could impact its security, while strengthening its defense partnerships with the United States and other allies in the region.

• Taiwan is preparing for a potential Chinese invasion through comprehensive air raid drills involving civilians and military personnel.

• Japan is escalating its military readiness in response to heightened Chinese military activities in the region, involving increased defense spending and allied collaborations.

[RSnake: Gotta be pretty surreal to be over there. Ten whole days. When is the last time the United States did anything as a country, let alone for ten whole days?]

Source: https://www.eurasiantimes.com/?p=247983

A zero-day vulnerability in CrushFTP has been exploited by threat actors, allowing them to gain administrative access to vulnerable servers. Cybersecurity firms are advising users to regularly patch their software and review upload and download logs for unusual activity.

• A vulnerability in CrushFTP has been exploited by threat actors, allowing them to gain administrative access to vulnerable servers.

• Systems that have not been patched are at risk of being compromised.

[RSnake: Make sure you patch up if you are using this. Although I do think FTP is largely getting replaced by HTTP-based file transfer or other things that nerds use like wormhole, SFTP, and the like.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-crushftp-zero-day-exploited-in-attacks-to-hijack-servers/

A Chinese state-sponsored hacking group, Salt Typhoon, breached a U.S. Army National Guard network for nine months, stealing sensitive network configuration files and administrator credentials. This breach poses a significant risk for further compromises of U.S. government networks and critical infrastructure. The Department of Homeland Security has reported that Salt Typhoon has exploited vulnerabilities in various networking devices to gain unauthorized access to U.S. entities.

• Salt Typhoon breached a U.S. Army National Guard network for nine months.

• The hackers stole sensitive network files that could facilitate further cyber intrusions into U.S. systems.

[RSnake: It is that dwell time that should worry everyone. Exploits happen, but fast detection and response can reduce the damage significantly. Nine months is a long time.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/chinese-hackers-breached-national-guard-to-steal-network-configurations/

Russia has expanded its hybrid operations amid the war, creating new units for information and psychological sabotage, spreading fake news and intimidation, carrying out cyberattacks and sabotage with booby-trapped gifts, and orchestrating assassination attempts against military personnel and leaders via social networks.

• Russian agents lured a Ukrainian soldier into a deadly FSB assassination plot masked as a date.

• At least five terrorist attacks planned by Russian agents inside Ukraine have been foiled.

[RSnake: Of course they are. They have been doing this for decades, since the Cold War. Nothing changed except that their country shrank significantly. The tactics are largely the same.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=350007

In the first half of 2025, over $2 billion in cryptocurrency has been stolen, surpassing the total losses from the previous year and marking the worst year-to-date on record for crypto thefts. A significant portion of this theft is attributed to a breach at the Bybit exchange by North Korean hackers, who are increasingly using such activities as a means to fund their regime and evade international sanctions.

• North Korea has been linked to a significant rise in cryptocurrency thefts, leveraging hacks to support its nuclear weapons program.

• The amount stolen in 2025 is 17% higher than the same period in 2022, indicating a worsening trend in cryptocurrency security.

[RSnake: Ubiquitous shout-out to web3isgoinggreat, because it is, as usual, a cesspool. That said, I am fairly bullish on the fact that companies are starting to use it for other things, and those other things, other than cryptocurrency specifically, have a lot of utility, like smart contracts of physical goods.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3028738

A new facial recognition app, Mobile Fortify, developed by ICE allows officers to access vast amounts of data from government and state databases through a single tool.

• Mobile Fortify is an internal app that enables ICE officers to instantly look up DHS, State Department, and state law enforcement databases by pointing their smartphone camera at someone's face.

• The app has the potential to link government databases into a single tool, including those from the FBI, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and state records.

[RSnake: That can easily be misused if compromised. Hopefully they have it buttoned up, but I am not convinced that the government knows how to make something secure and accessible to agents in the field at the same time.]

Source: https://www.404media.co/inside-ices-supercharged-facial-recognition-app-of-200-million-images/

A former U.S. Army soldier hacked into the databases of multiple telecommunications companies and attempted to extort them by threatening to leak the stolen data. He accessed sensitive records and was involved in conversations about selling the information to foreign intelligence. The soldier is facing serious legal consequences, including potential prison time, as his actions posed significant security risks.

• A soldier hacked telecommunications databases and stole personal and sensitive information.

• He attempted to extort money from the companies by threatening to leak the data.

• There were indications he sought to sell stolen information to foreign intelligence.

[RSnake: Glad he got caught, but I think we have a problem with the honor code. That is two former soldiers doing very bad things against our own people in one newsletter. Not great.]

Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/07/17/21-year-old-soldier-hacked-databases-threatened-leak-stolen-data-feds-say.html

Chinese underground bankers are increasingly involved in money laundering for transnational criminal organizations, facilitating payments through a system based on trust and lacking a paper trail. This development is alarming European and U.S. authorities due to its links to drug trafficking and the fentanyl crisis, with law enforcement intensifying efforts to combat these networks across multiple countries.

• Chinese shadow brokers are emerging as primary money launderers for international criminal networks.

• The system they use makes it difficult for authorities to trace illicit funds.

• U.S. and European law enforcement are increasing efforts to address these challenges.

[RSnake: Chinese underground bankers are money launderers by default. I would expand that to say that much of the Chinese stock market is dominated by scams and ways that people hide money movement. Obviously, not all of them, but enough that I had a guy come to me with proof that dozens of companies on the Chinese stock exchange were cooking their books. I believe him.]

Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/?p=1200890

Phishers have developed a method to downgrade FIDO multi-factor authentication (MFA), exploiting weaknesses in the cross-device sign-in process. The attack involves capturing user credentials on a fake login page and then utilizing them in real-time on the legitimate site, which ultimately compromises sensitive accounts.

• Phishers are using a technique that downgrades FIDO MFA to a weaker authentication method.

• The attack involves capturing login credentials through a fake site and manipulating the official authentication process.

[RSnake: Yes, this is an old attack. I did a survey of about a hundred people and proposed this attack, and they all shrugged and said that they’d still use MFA. So the real answer is just in-time alerting of the thing that is happening, rather than at login. So if you want to transfer money, then you get an alert on your phone asking if you’re sure you want to transfer $50k to a bank in Nigeria, and that you need to type in the code if so. That is far superior, though phone-based auth has its own issues.]

Source: https://arstechnica.com/security/2025/07/no-phishers-are-not-bypassing-fido-mfa-at-least-not-yet-heres-why/

The US government has added the DNA of around 133,000 migrant children and teens to a criminal database, which may position them as suspects indefinitely. This DNA collection, primarily from immigrants in civil custody, has raised questions about legality, oversight, and the long-term implications for those whose profiles are included in the database.

• Approximately 133,000 migrant children's DNA has been added to a criminal database in the US.

• There are concerns regarding the legality and oversight of this DNA collection, especially for minors.

[RSnake: If they are tagged correctly, no, it won’t. But it will give the government knowledge of who they are when they are found dead or in a hospital. It’s funny how on one hand people get upset that the government is losing kids, and then on the other hand, when they propose means of tracking them, people get upset. Like… which do you want? The only real answer is to lock the border and deport everyone, but that isn’t politically loved either.]

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/dhs-and-doj-face-new-pressure-over-collecting-childrens-dna/

OpenAI has launched a new general-purpose AI agent in ChatGPT, which can complete various tasks on behalf of users, navigate calendars, generate presentations and slideshows, and run code. The tool combines capabilities from previous agentic tools and offers state-of-the-art performance on several benchmarks. OpenAI has developed the agent with safety in mind to mitigate potential risks, including designating it as a high-capability model for biological and chemical weapon domains.

• ChatGPT agent combines capabilities from previous agentic tools, including Operator’s action-taking remote browser, deep research’s web synthesis, and ChatGPT’s conversational strengths.

• The model underlying the ChatGPT agent offers state-of-the-art performance on several benchmarks, according to OpenAI.

[RSnake: I watched the video of it, and while it does seem generally useful, I think it’s less impressive than some of the other approaches, and if anything, I could see this going off the rails super easily. That said, I do want to give it a chance to try to do things on my behalf to see how it fairs.]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3028792

Meta says it won't sign Europe's AI code of practice due to concerns over stifling growth, while other companies have raised similar objections.

• Europe is heading down the wrong path on AI.

• The EU AI code of practice creates legal uncertainties for model developers and goes beyond the scope of the AI Act.

[RSnake: This is a perfect example and should be shown whenever anyone thinks that regulating AI will somehow help. If anything, all you are doing is making those companies want to move. AI, like information, wants to be free and devolves to the greatest amount of entropy, so whatever regime allows that will win.]

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/18/meta-europe-ai-code.html

Netflix has started utilizing generative AI in its production process, significantly speeding up the creation of visual effects while reducing costs. The company reported a revenue increase of 16% year-over-year, reaching $11.08 billion, with non-English titles making up a substantial portion of views.

• Netflix uses AI to produce visual effects more efficiently.

• The company reported strong financial growth and viewership statistics.

[RSnake: Hear that Hollywood?]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3029066

Joby Aviation is ramping up production of electric air taxis in the U.S. and has begun test flights in Dubai, with plans for commercial operations by 2026. The company is expanding its manufacturing facilities and aims to produce hundreds of aircraft per year, marking a significant development in urban air mobility and transport integration in cities like Dubai.

• Joby Aviation is producing electric air taxis and plans to launch commercial services in Dubai by 2026.

• The company is expanding manufacturing capabilities in California and Ohio to meet future demand.

• Dubai has granted Joby exclusive air taxi rights, integrating the service into its broader smart mobility initiatives.

[RSnake: I keep hearing about this, but we shall see. I think in super urban environments like New York, it could make a lot of sense. Also, in rural spots, traversing long distances to do simple tasks could also make some sense. I talked one of my buddies into using a drone to pick up burgers at his favorite burger place and I think he seriously is going to do that because driving is too slow and expensive.]

Source: https://gizmodo.com/?p=2000631581

The U.S. Congress has passed three bills aimed at regulating digital assets, including stablecoins, market structures, and preventing the issuance of a retail Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). The GENIUS Act provides clarity for stablecoin regulation, while the CLARITY Act establishes a framework for digital asset exchanges. Lastly, the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act seeks to block a retail CBDC, facing opposition in the Senate.

• The GENIUS Act outlines standards for the issuance and regulation of stablecoins, influencing their future growth.

• The CLARITY Act sets up a regulatory regime for digital asset exchanges, impacting market structure and trading.

• The successful passage of these bills signals a shift toward clearer regulatory oversight in the cryptocurrency space.

[RSnake: The GENIUS act is one of the bills that the Democrats tried to modify heavily while introducing their Epstein legislation, btw. Another article about these acts is here.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/capping-crypto-week-all-you-need-know-about-three-crypto-bills-passed-congress

Nvidia has achieved a market valuation of $4 trillion, surpassing previous leaders like Apple and Microsoft, driven by the growing demand for AI technologies. Over the past two and a half years, Nvidia's stock price has increased significantly, making it one of the most valuable companies in the world, larger than major retailers and automakers combined.

• Nvidia's market cap reached $4 trillion, marking a significant milestone in the tech industry.

• The company's rapid growth is attributed to the demand for AI technologies, placing it ahead of other major corporations.

[RSnake: Amazing. I sold some stock I had with them too early. But I don’t know that they will be able to hold that lead. A lot of other companies are looking at other solutions in this area.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/4-trillion-nvidias-record-valuation-context

Bahrain is set to invest over $17 billion in the United States, which includes a deal for the purchase of aircraft from Boeing and GE, expected to create 30,000 American jobs. The investment plan also encompasses efforts to enhance U.S. energy, technology, and manufacturing sectors, with additional agreements related to nuclear capabilities and technology partnerships. The announcement follows a series of foreign investment initiatives by the Trump administration in the Middle East, aiming to strengthen economic ties.

• Bahrain will invest over $17 billion in the U.S., creating 30,000 jobs.

• Investments will focus on energy, technology, and manufacturing sectors, alongside agreements for nuclear capabilities.

[RSnake: That’s great news for the US manufacturing base.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/middle-east-country-to-announce-17-billion-investment-in-u-s-during-trump-talks

CBS has canceled 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' due to mounting financial losses estimated in the tens of millions of dollars annually, a trend reflective of the broader challenges faced by traditional television in an era dominated by streaming services. As CBS navigates financial strain, there are ongoing concerns about political implications connected to the network's recent dealings, including a significant settlement related to former President Trump.

• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was losing substantial amounts of money, prompting CBS to cancel the program.

• The cancellation indicates a shift in the late-night television landscape, as traditional media struggles to remain profitable amidst the rise of streaming.

[RSnake: I found Colbert to be funny at times, but definitely not fair or balanced, and therefore difficult to watch. Similar to John Oliver. I think it’s more funny to be balanced and take shots at both sides, since both sides are objectively silly a lot of the time.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/business/media/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs.html

CaaStle's founder, Christine Hunsicker, has been charged with multiple counts of fraud, including wire fraud and money laundering, related to defrauding investors out of over $300 million. The company, which raised more than $500 million in funding, filed for bankruptcy earlier this year amidst financial distress.

• Christine Hunsicker faces serious fraud charges.

• CaaStle, the startup she founded, reported substantial financial losses and bankruptcy.

[RSnake: I suspect a lot of companies, especially in the AI space, will be found to be defrauding their shareholders soon enough. There will be a big drawdown in the next year or two as profits fail to materialize and burn increases. Best of luck out there if you are an investor!]

Source: https://techcrunch.com/?p=3029181