RSnake Report 20250810

Hello, and thanks for reading! I’m freshly back from Blackhat, which, for those of you not in security, is one of the largest security conferences in the world. It was a lot of handshaking and answering questions about the new company we are starting. Overall, a great week, and I am more than a little exhausted from the travel. Opportunity abounds at that conference in the security industry writ large.

In Russia/Ukraine News, another railway traction electrical substation in Rostov has been obliterated, disrupting Russian logistics. The attack on the Tatsinskaya railway station saw Russian sources claiming to have shot down dozens of UAVs, though the veracity of these claims remains suspect as Ukraine's drone operations continue to evolve.

Ukrainian forces have increasingly targeted Russian fuel trains, suggesting a sophisticated intelligence operation that allows them to track and strike these critical supply lines, likely headed to the front, but also to key logistics and shipping hubs. One such example was a drone attack on an oil depot in Adler, Sochi, and a significant strike on the Afipsky oil refinery in the Krasnodar region. The latter processes about 7 million tons of oil annually, and the drone strike caused a substantial fire and reportedly destroyed the primary crude oil pumping terminal. But there have been a number of such attacks that switch targets so that the Russian air defenses have to keep moving and guessing where the next wave will originate from. That forces them to stretch their resources thin.

The ripple effect of these attacks is felt economically, with Ukraine's strategic targeting aiming to weaken Russia's financial backbone. Further strikes on oil refineries and facilities across Ryazan, Penza, and Novokuibyshevsky, alongside the destruction of a fuel and lubricants base in Anna Naftoproduct and a launch site for Iranian attack UAVs in Krasnodar Krai, plus an ammo depot in Kherson disrupts Russian operations at multiple levels.

A wounded Ukrainian soldier, "Tanker," managed an escape from Russian encirclement using an e-bike delivered by drone. The soldier was wounded, his entire group was killed, and he was out of ammo, but the drone was able to drop off the motorcycle. He was hit by another drone and had to run to safety, and then get another e-bike to exfil out of the area. This is clearly an insane amount of work for one soldier, but it shows the difference in how Ukraine thinks about soldiers vs Russia. Why bother trying to save one soldier? Because then they will be less afraid of what happens if they are wounded… they know someone will come and get them. Russians, on the other hand, are often seen shooting themselves or using a grenade on themselves, because they know that if they get injured, no one is coming for them. Pretty crazy story anyway.

So we have air drones dropping bombs and supplies. But we also have Ukrainian ground drones now launching air drones. Drones launching drones is not a new concept - we saw it with water drones that launch drones from their decks. But I think we are going to see a lot of new things like this.

Additionally, Ukraine has unveiled the Mangust drone, a jet-powered UAV designed to intercept and destroy enemy drones using shotgun rounds, adding another layer to their defensive capabilities. The thing I like about these is that they are reusable, they fire a shotgun round, which is extremely cost-effective, or a kamikaze option if the shotgun blast fails as a backup, and can even be reloaded. Additionally, they are fast, allowing them to intercept a wider range of targets. There is also another drone called a STING drone, which has an interception rate of 70%. That’s a big jump in capabilities.

I wanted to spend a few minutes talking about the Seversky Donets, Donbass Canal, which is critical for water supply in the Donetsk region, has led to water shortages. The canal's destruction, a result of both the 2014 and 2022 conflicts, has left it in ruins, littered with shells, mines, dead bodies, and other remnants of war as people use them as hiding places, make-shift fortifications, and even transport. Once I saw these videos, I got the sense that it’s going to be years or maybe even decades before these are fixed. The fact that they were so large is actually the biggest issue with them - they have more than one use due to their size, and therefore they will continue to be utilized and therefore hit.

This environmental and humanitarian disaster is compounded by reports of an epidemic of hepatitis C tuberculosis and HIV among Russian soldiers, exacerbated by the inclusion of prisoners and marginalized individuals into the ranks. The Russian army's failure to provide adequate medical care, a lack of leadership to prevent drug use and gang rapes amongst the troops, and general sanitization measures have turned the front lines into a breeding ground for disease.

As the conflict drags on, Putin's inner circle reportedly told him that the Ukrainian front may collapse within two to three months, and skepticism remains about Trump's threats and the feasibility of new US sanctions. Putin purportedly dismisses these ultimatums as senseless, and the Russian General Staff plans to negotiate after capturing key regions.

Ukraine's intelligence chief, Budanov, revealed the continued use of prostitutes and escorts in espionage, exploiting human nature to gather critical information. Why am I not surprised that the oldest profession on earth would be useful in the conflict?

Meanwhile, Indian components were found in Russian attack drones. We have seen Chinese supplies heavily used, but these Indian components, on top of the tightness with BRICS, make India a more worrying partner. While we want them to win against a conflict with Pakistan, we now have to worry about them hurting partners in Europe. Not great.

Trump announced an imminent meeting with Putin in Alaska, claiming they are close to an agreement that would end the invasion and involve territorial swaps. Of course, both sides will likely be very unhappy with the deal, and that is usually the sign of a good deal, so I expect there to be a lot of gnashing of teeth leading up to and after this meeting. The theory is that Russians want to lock in the territorial gains or at least in some areas, while Ukraine keeps most of its ground, so it looks like Russia won, but only in one area.

This comes as Russia faces economic turmoil, with a significant number of companies liquidating compared to new registrations. The article translated says, “In the first half of 2025, the number of companies liquidated in Russia significantly exceeded the number of newly registered ones. This was reported by Izvestia, citing Rosstat data. Thus, over six months, almost 141 thousand legal entities were closed in the country, while only about 95 thousand were opened - a difference of 1.5 times.” Pretty bad outlook, which will greatly impact taxes and incomes. Meanwhile, the Russian National Welfare Fund's liquid assets are also declining, with a notable decrease in gold and Chinese yuan reserves, signaling deeper economic instability. The illiquid assets are things like shares in companies. All this is going to make Russia increasingly eager to get to peace time.

Briefly in South East Asia news, and in very similar news, China's entrepreneurial landscape is witnessing a near-total collapse, with a sharp decline in new company formations. This shift back to a state-run economy shows that China’s economy is basically teetering on a total collapse.

In European news, Trump facilitated peace agreements between Armenia and Azerbaijan, ending a 35-year conflict. I recall a friend of mine talking about this conflict and how it affected her family 30 years ago. So I am glad to see that we are finally getting to a new era of peace. Of course, that doesn’t mean tensions are gone, but at least we are starting to see some reconciliation.

In Middle East news, the Israeli Security Cabinet, under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has approved a plan to fully occupy Gaza City. Satellite imagery shows the Israel Defense Force amassing troops and equipment near the Gaza border, preparing for a potential ground invasion. So the next question is, where are these people going to go? Clearly, Hamas, or some of the fighters, will stay until the bitter end, but the citizens still have no clear destination.

In North American news, political tensions in Texas have reached a boiling point, with Governor Greg Abbott threatening to remove Democrats from their seats and charge them with felonies if they do not return by a specified deadline. This comes after Texas Democrats fled the state to block a redistricting vote, which has culminated in arrest warrants for the absent lawmakers. The Democrats responded defiantly, “come and take it”, challenging Abbott to enforce his threats. I don’t think this will end well for the Democrat lawmakers, but we shall see on Monday when the state legislature reconvenes.

An active shooter, “Quornelius Samentrio Radford,” at Ft Stewart in Georgia has left up to five soldiers injured. The base was on lockdown as authorities searched for the gunmen, with a significant police and FBI response underway. He had a DUI and was awaiting arraignment.

In a surprising political move, Kamala Harris announced she will not run for office again, citing a “broken” system. This leaves the door open for Gavin Newsom, whose wife's nonprofit has come under scrutiny for allegedly funneling taxpayer dollars to her for-profit film production company. I fully expect that drama to be something we are talking about for a while, so now you’re read in.

There was also some rather obscure news as reports surfaced of teams raiding U.S. National Guard equipment stashes, leading to questions about the extent of these incursions and the vulnerability of military assets. Are these criminals foreign assets? Either way, that’s awful news, and could easily come to be used against US assets in the future.

In Tech News, Google's Genie 3 has the ability to generate photorealistic, fully interactive 3D worlds. From navigating a car and opening the door to exploring puddles, it shows that we could easily be interacting with entirely virtual worlds that are generated on the fly in the not-too-distant future. I am sure the compute required is a bit off the charts for now, but it shows where the future of entertainment and potentially things like training can go. Check out some of these examples.

The release of GPT-oss has sparked excitement in the tech community, with many eager to see the benchmarks and performance of this new model. I’ve tried it, and while it is fairly neutered, it is a pretty good thinking model, and since it runs on a laptop, that means much of what you use thinking models for is no longer destined for the cloud unless you need it to be for some reason. However, it is heavily censored, as you might expect.

Meanwhile, the rollout of GPT-5 has been marred by confusion, with misleading graphs (and here and genuine chart crime here) and a broken autoswitcher leading to perceptions of the model being "dumber" than intended and completely broken math. Sam Altman acknowledged the issues, promising improvements and transparency in model usage. Also, GPT-5 has already been jailbroken, with users celebrating its capabilities. On top of it, people are upset at the neutering of the older models which they used, liked, and even relied on. Not a great launch.

Okay, onto the articles!

A U.S. Army Specialist was arrested for allegedly attempting to pass classified information on the M1A2 Abrams tank to an individual he believed was associated with the Russian government. This incident highlights concerns over insider threats within U.S. military ranks, as the individual sought to exchange sensitive data for Russian citizenship. The FBI was monitoring the activities, which progressed from online communications to physical data transfers, before the arrest was made.

• A U.S. Army Specialist attempted to provide classified military information to a person he thought was connected to Russia.

• The FBI conducted a sting operation resulting in the arrest of the specialist after a series of information exchanges.

[RSnake: I wonder if it’s time to bring back the idea of firing squads for traitors. Otherwise, there just isn’t enough at risk. A risk of prison clearly isn’t doing the job.]

Source: https://sofrep.com/?post_type=army&p=217022

The Trump administration is cutting significant funding for mRNA vaccine development and has replaced members of the CDC's scientific advisory panel on vaccines with individuals aligned with his views, which some experts warn could heighten vaccine hesitancy and public health risks. This decision affects multiple leading institutions and alters the U.S. approach to vaccine research, raising questions about the future of public health responses to outbreaks. This shift occurs in the context of a broader skepticism towards vaccines and health measures initiated by the former president and his administration.

• Trump's administration is cutting $500 million from mRNA vaccine development.

• All members of the CDC's vaccine advisory panel were replaced with Trump's selections.

• Public health experts express that this may lead to increased vaccine hesitancy and risks.

[RSnake: It’s cool tech, but not something the government should be in the business of sponsoring, given how badly it failed during COVID.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/9/how-rfk-jrs-vaccine-funding-cuts-fit-with-trumps-vision?traffic_source=rss

Protests have erupted across Israel against Prime Minister Netanyahu's plans for a full military occupation of Gaza City, with former soldiers refusing to serve further in what they describe as a political war. In escalating tensions, Iran has launched missile strikes on Israel, resulting in casualties, while the US has conducted military operations against Iranian targets. The UN has warned of catastrophic consequences for civilians amidst these developments.

• Protests in Israel involve former soldiers opposing military actions in Gaza.

• Iran has launched missile strikes on Israeli targets, leading to casualties.

• The US has engaged in military operations against Iranian positions.

[RSnake: Understandably, people are going to be extremely upset about this, but given that Hamas has not given up the hostages, continues to shoot Israeli soldiers, and fire rockets into Israel, and wants the complete destruction of the Israeli state… I don’t think Israel has much choice here.]

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c5ylprlr3dzo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

Ripple Labs has settled a nearly five-year legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, resulting in the dismissal of the SEC's appeal. This outcome establishes a significant legal precedent for the treatment of cryptocurrencies, particularly XRP, indicating that not all digital assets are considered securities when traded by the public.

• Ripple Labs' legal battle with the SEC concluded with a settlement that upheld a ruling favoring Ripple.

• The case signals a shift in cryptocurrency regulation, providing clarity that may benefit other crypto projects.

[RSnake: Okay, well, that is interesting. So that will lead to a lot of very sketchy business plans and a lack of oversight about soliciting for investments for cryptocurrency-backed business plans.]

Source: https://gizmodo.com/?p=2000641156

President Trump is set to meet with Russian President Putin on August 15 in Alaska to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Putin has proposed ending the war in exchange for control over the Donbas region, while Trump has expressed expectations for a peace deal and the potential for territorial swaps. This meeting comes as tensions continue to escalate, with Trump's administration considering further economic sanctions on Russia amidst ongoing military actions in Ukraine.

• Putin proposed ending the war in Ukraine for control over the Donbas region.

• Trump will meet with Putin to discuss potential peace agreements and territorial negotiations.

[RSnake: Do not expect this to be over once it’s over. People will be very upset about any loss of territory. Even more so than the original loss of Crimea, given the length and corpses that litter the battlefield.]

Source: https://www.dailywire.com/news/putin-says-hell-end-war-with-ukraine-with-one-major-concession

Ukraine's DELTA system has been officially implemented across its armed forces, enabling real-time awareness and operational planning for commanders using a technology platform that integrates artificial intelligence. The system is designed to enhance battlefield management and has already proven effective in previous military operations, supporting the targeting of thousands of Russian assets daily. This development represents a significant step toward the digitalization of Ukraine's military capabilities amidst ongoing conflict with Russia.

• Ukraine's DELTA system enables real-time battlefield awareness and coordination.

• The system supports targeting for over 2,000 Russian assets daily and integrates AI for operational efficiency.

[RSnake: Sounds like a much upgraded version of “GIS Art for Artillery,” which gave the Ukrainians a huge advantage in artillery and ranged munitions early on in the war.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=353583

Violent attacks on vehicles and property, including antisemitic graffiti and fires in St. Louis, Missouri, are being investigated as hate crimes, with officials vowing to hold perpetrators accountable.

• The FBI is assisting in the investigation of the attacks on vehicles and property in St. Louis, Missouri.

• Local officials are condemning the attacks as hateful acts of intimidation and vowing to foster a community where residents feel safe, valued, and welcome.

[RSnake: It does seem like antisemitism is on the rise all over the globe.]

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/authorities-probe-antisemitic-attack-involving-arson-threatening-graffiti-midwest-city-violent-acts

Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a decline in access to modern energy for the first time since World War II, with rising energy poverty impacting billions. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has been criticized for promoting renewable energy without offering practical solutions to address this crisis, particularly by restricting investments in fossil fuels that could provide stable energy access, ultimately leading to increased pollution and health issues.

• Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region not benefiting from global improvements in energy access.

• The IEA's policies are contributing to rising energy poverty and health issues in Africa.

• Development of Africa’s fossil fuel resources is seen as a necessary path to improving energy access and reducing pollution.

[RSnake: That’s what happens when you kick out and disenfranchise all of the people who know how to build and maintain these complex systems.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/international-energy-agency-policies-hurt-africans

The U.S. Marine Corps is addressing national security through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes proposed amendments to strengthen military readiness and infrastructure. These amendments focus on eliminating threats posed by foreign entities, particularly from China, modernizing military capabilities, and enhancing support for servicemembers, particularly in mental health and operational readiness.

• Prohibition of Chinese Communist Party-controlled companies from operating on U.S. military bases.

• Integration of artificial intelligence tools in military construction projects to improve efficiency.

• Expansion of domestic drone production and counter-drone defense training.

[RSnake: It’s amazing that it has taken this long to have a prohibition on CCP-controlled companies having access to US military bases. It’s like we’re not even trying to win.]

Source: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/08/08/from_the_committee_room_to_the_battlefield_1127636.html

A US-brokered agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia aims to establish lasting peace and economic opportunities in the region, focusing on a transportation corridor and enhanced cooperation in various sectors. While leaders support the deal as a pathway to peace, it is met with skepticism, especially from the Armenian community, due to historical conflicts and recent military actions that led to significant displacement of ethnic Armenians.

• A US-brokered deal aims to establish peace and a transport corridor between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

• The agreement faces opposition from many Armenians, reflecting historical tensions and recent military actions.

[RSnake: Congrats to all involved. That’s great news.]

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/8/azerbaijan-and-armenia-sign-accord-overseen-by-trump-at-the-white-house?traffic_source=rss

Recent cyberattacks in the US have compromised sensitive systems, including the federal judiciary’s electronic case filing system, affecting potentially confidential court records. Additionally, major tech firms like Google and educational institutions have experienced data breaches, resulting in unauthorized access to personal and sensitive information. Concerns over privacy and security in technology are exacerbated by new features in social media and vulnerabilities in widely used encryption algorithms.

• A breach of the US Court Records System exposed confidential information and has raised security concerns.

• Google and Columbia University suffered data breaches that compromised sensitive user and institutional information.

• Recent vulnerabilities in encryption and application programming interfaces have put personal data at risk.

[RSnake: Maybe they’ll find out who Epstein’s clients are. 😉 No, but seriously, that’s really, really dangerous, given how many agents have had their information hidden by court order.]

Source: https://www.wired.com/story/us-court-records-system-hacked/

A vulnerability was discovered within Microsoft's Entra OAuth system, which allowed unauthorized access to over 22 internal applications. Misconfigurations with multi-tenant applications enabled users to authenticate and gain access using their Microsoft accounts, posing a significant security risk to Microsoft's internal services.

• Unauthorized access to internal Microsoft applications was achieved due to misconfigurations in multi-tenant application settings.

• The incident emphasizes the need for strict verification processes in application logic to prevent similar vulnerabilities.

[RSnake: Just proving how security products are the real target of adversaries.]

Source: https://research.eye.security/consent-and-compromise/

Fentanyl trafficking from Mexico to the United States continues despite intensified crackdowns by both the Mexican and U.S. governments. Key operatives of the Sinaloa Cartel have adapted their smuggling methods in response to increased law enforcement scrutiny, including employing smaller loads and utilizing complex concealment techniques to evade detection.

• The Sinaloa Cartel uses increasingly sophisticated methods to smuggle fentanyl across the U.S.-Mexico border.

• Despite government pressure, cartel operatives remain committed to meeting U.S. demand for fentanyl.

[RSnake: This is at least part of why Trump is starting to push the US military to take the fight back to the cartels in Mexico and further south.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/world/americas/fentanyl-us-mexico-route-cartel-smuggling.html

A recently fixed WinRAR vulnerability was exploited as a zero-day in phishing attacks to install malware, and another exploit has been detected in Microsoft Exchange deployments.

• A previously fixed WinRAR vulnerability was exploited as a zero-day in phishing attacks to install malware.

• Another exploit has been detected in Microsoft Exchange deployments.

[RSnake: It’s kind of impressive how long this software has been out there and how it’s still being exploited.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/winrar-zero-day-flaw-exploited-by-romcom-hackers-in-phishing-attacks/

CISA has issued an emergency directive for Federal Civilian Executive Branch agencies to mitigate a critical Microsoft Exchange vulnerability, CVE-2025-53786, by a deadline due to its potential to allow attackers with administrative access on-premises to infiltrate cloud environments. This issue affects Microsoft Exchange Server versions 2016 and 2019 and necessitates specific measures to prevent complete domain compromise. Although the directive is aimed at federal agencies, CISA advises all organizations utilizing this technology to implement the recommended mitigations to safeguard their systems.

• CISA mandates that federal agencies address a severe Microsoft Exchange vulnerability by a specific deadline.

• The vulnerability could enable attackers to compromise organizations' cloud environments if left unmitigated.

[RSnake: This came up in conversations at Blackhat. But at this point, not many groups are still self-hosting Exchange. Microsoft made it extremely difficult to do.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisa-orders-fed-agencies-to-patch-new-cve-2025-53786-exchange-flaw/

The founders of the Samourai Wallet cryptocurrency mixer have pleaded guilty to laundering over $200 million for criminals through a money transmitting business. The U.S. Department of Justice has charged them with conspiracy, and they face significant prison sentences along with the forfeiture of large sums of money. The operation included facilitating anonymous financial transactions and promoting their service for illicit activities, processing substantial amounts of illicit funds from various cyber crimes.

• Samourai Wallet founders admitted to operating a cryptocurrency mixing service that laundered over $200 million.

• The U.S. Department of Justice has charged them with conspiracy, facing possible significant prison sentences.

• Their service was used for processing funds from cyber intrusions and various illegal activities.

[RSnake: It’s not at all surprising that criminal organizations are using crypto for laundering activities. It’s especially good at that with one important distinction - all the transactions are on-chain. Not so great for hiding the transactions.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/samourai-cryptomixer-founders-pled-guilty-to-laundering-money-for-cybercriminals/

Adobe has released emergency fixes for two zero-day vulnerabilities in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Forms, CVE-2025-54253 and CVE-2025-54254, which allow arbitrary code execution and file system read. Researchers Shubham Shah and Adam Kues of Searchlight Cyber discovered the flaws and published a technical write-up detailing how they can be exploited. Adobe initially patched one of the flaws but left the other two unfixed for over 90 days.

• Researchers Shubham Shah and Adam Kues discovered two zero-day vulnerabilities in AEM Forms that allow arbitrary code execution and file system read.

• Adobe has released emergency fixes for the vulnerabilities, which were initially left unfixed for over 90 days.

[RSnake: Good old Adobe. What a mess.]

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/adobe-issues-emergency-fixes-for-aem-forms-zero-days-after-pocs-released/

Researchers have developed PentestJudge, a system to evaluate penetration testing agent behavior against operational requirements using a large language model as a judge.

• PentestJudge is a system for evaluating the operations of penetration testing agents using a large language model.

• The system allows it to consume arbitrary trajectories of agent states and tool call history to determine whether an agent's actions meet certain operating criteria.

[RSnake: This will be really important for removing false positives in things like XBOW and similar.]

Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.02921

A school vape detector containing microphones has been found by a teen hacker, potentially allowing it to be used as an audio bug, raising privacy concerns.

• The Halo 3C is a vape detector that contains microphones and can be turned into an audio bug.

• A young hacker discovered this feature after exploring the device's IPVideo Corporation identifier on school Wifi networks.

[RSnake: Very interesting unintended consequences.]

Source: https://www.404media.co/it-looks-like-a-school-vape-detector-a-teen-hacker-showed-it-could-become-an-audio-bug/

Ransomware attacks are increasingly prevalent, with many companies opting to pay off cybercriminals quietly rather than disclose incidents publicly. As a result of this shadow economy, victims are contributing to the ongoing cycle of cybercrime, with average ransom demands reaching $5.2 million. This trend poses a significant threat to businesses and their customers, as many attacks remain unreported.

• Many companies keep ransomware attacks secret and choose to pay ransom to avoid public fallout.

• The practice contributes to a cycle of cybercrime that threatens all digital devices.

[RSnake: These attacks make insurance long-tail less prevalent so that you can detect your losses sooner. But the losses can be mitigated by good backups and limiting the ability to pivot within an environment.]

Source: https://cybersecurityventures.com/?p=33759

OpenAI has released GPT-5, asserting it is a significant advancement in generative AI, capable of outperforming previous models in various tasks across multiple industries. The company has also secured a $1 deal with the U.S. government to provide federal agencies access to its AI technology. Meanwhile, competition intensifies as other tech firms and startups develop their own AI models, focusing on improvements in capabilities and market share.

• OpenAI has released a new version of its AI model, GPT-5, which is claimed to be significantly more advanced than its predecessors.

• OpenAI has entered a partnership with the U.S. government, allowing access to its AI models at a low cost.

• The competitive landscape is becoming increasingly aggressive as rivals race to innovate and enhance their AI offerings.

[RSnake: They made a lot of bold claims. I think it bit them badly in that launch. They’d be wise to be a lot more careful in hyping it up ahead of time, rather than doing slow and measured rollouts.]

Source: https://fortune.com/2025/08/07/gpt-5-is-finally-here-can-it-put-openai-back-on-top/

Google DeepMind has introduced Genie 3, a groundbreaking AI model capable of generating diverse interactive environments in real-time, enhancing the capabilities of world models for training autonomous agents. This advancement allows users to experience and navigate dynamic worlds with greater consistency and realism, marking significant progress toward achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The technology also opens new avenues for education and training, as it can simulate real-world scenarios for various applications.

• Genie 3 can generate dynamic, interactive worlds in real-time at 24 frames per second.

• The model allows for promptable world events, enhancing user interaction and the training of AI agents.

[RSnake: It’s honestly quite impressive. The ability to create virtual worlds is the dream of things like the Star Trek holodeck, and once tied in with 3d glasses, it’s going to be even more impressive.]

Source: https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/genie-3-a-new-frontier-for-world-models/

Kronos is a newly proposed foundation model designed for analyzing financial markets, employing a large-scale pre-training framework tailored for financial K-line data. It significantly improves the performance of various financial forecasting tasks, outperforming both existing time series foundation models and traditional approaches in accuracy and generative capabilities.

• Kronos introduces a specialized tokenizer that effectively transforms continuous market data into token sequences.

• The model shows substantial improvements in price series forecasting and volatility prediction, establishing itself as a robust tool for financial analysis.

[RSnake: I haven’t played with it, but I bet a lot of traders will want to.]

Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.02739

Baidu is partnering with Lyft and Uber to deploy its self-driving electric taxis in Europe, starting with the UK and Germany, pending regulatory approval. This move follows a similar agreement with Uber to expand its autonomous vehicle services internationally, amidst increasing scrutiny and political concerns regarding Chinese technology companies operating in Western markets.

• Baidu has entered agreements with Lyft and Uber to deploy self-driving taxis in Europe.

• Regulatory scrutiny and political concerns surround the entry of Chinese autonomous vehicles into Western markets.

[RSnake: Tesla also got its license to act as a taxi/ride-hailing service as well.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/chinas-baidu-deploy-its-self-driving-taxis-globally-through-deals-lyft-uber

Ukraine is developing an AI hub known as AI Factory, aiming to rank among the top three countries in AI technology by 2030. This initiative focuses on building infrastructure that supports AI model training and implementation in various sectors, including public services and defense, as part of the country's ongoing digital transformation efforts.

• Ukraine's AI Factory will establish advanced infrastructure for artificial intelligence development.

• The project aims to transform various sectors, including healthcare and defense, through AI technology.

[RSnake: If anyone can come from behind and get to #3, it is probably Ukraine. I’m rooting for them, but they have censored some Russian information, which will inhibit the “truthfulness” of the data the AI outputs, which will affect them more than any other country other than Russia. So they’ll have to weigh that decision.]

Source: https://euromaidanpress.com/?p=353637

Profits over people and microplastics are increasingly a reality in everyday life, with most Americans unaware of the extent of their presence. The private sector must take bold action to address this issue and reject outdated systems that prioritize profits over sustainability. Companies that fail to do so risk damaging their reputation and contributing to public health crises.

• The private sector must take bold action to address microplastic pollution and prioritize sustainability over profits.

• Companies that fail to address microplastics risk damaging their reputation and contributing to public health crises.

[RSnake: It’s getting harder and harder to find foods and drinks that aren’t lined with plastics. Even metal cans are frequently lined with plastic.]

Source: https://www.fastcompany.com/91382206/profits-over-people-and-microplastics-in-every-meal

The U.S. is experiencing an increase in student loan delinquencies, marking the highest rates seen in over two decades, following the end of a pandemic-related repayment freeze. Overall household debt rose by $185 billion in the second quarter of 2025, with delinquency rates across various debt types remaining elevated, particularly for student loans. This deterioration is expected to have broader implications for consumer spending and the economy, potentially influencing Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.

• Student loan delinquencies have surged to the highest level in 21 years.

• Total household debt reached $18.39 trillion, with significant increases in various debt categories.

[RSnake: It’s a big bubble that will surely pop, but the only groups you can reasonably bet against are the banks who own the loans.]

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/shocking-record-explosion-student-loan-delinquencies-marks-start-next-debt-crisis

President Trump issued an executive order allowing cryptocurrencies to be included in 401(k) retirement plans, a significant shift that could direct billions into digital assets and change the financial landscape for American workers. This move, which marks a notable endorsement of cryptocurrencies, could invite increased regulatory scrutiny and investment volatility in the retirement savings market.

• Cryptocurrencies can now be included in 401(k) retirement plans for the first time.

• The change could lead to billions of dollars flowing into digital assets from American workers' retirement savings.

[RSnake: Very interesting. So you might end up having exposure to Bitcoin, Ethereum, or even shit-coins as a retiree.]

Source: https://gizmodo.com/?p=2000640458

Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, is campaigning for a pardon from President Trump after being sentenced for money-laundering violations. His efforts are backed by a network of lobbyists and connections that may influence the U.S. market for cryptocurrency. The possibility of clemency is currently being considered by the White House.

• Changpeng Zhao was sentenced for money laundering violations.

• Zhao is using lobbyists and influence operations to seek a presidential pardon.

• A pardon could significantly impact Binance's operations in the U.S. market.

[RSnake: Hard to say what Trump will do here, because he is quite pro-crypto, but not necessarily this particular company or founder.]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/09/us/politics/changpeng-zhao-pardon-trump.html

Tesla is experiencing a used-car collapse due to the company's CEO, Elon Musk's, controversial political actions, leading to a decline in sales and profits, with the Cybertruck being a major symbol of this decline.

• The average price of a used Tesla has plummeted by 30.35% in the last year, now hovering around $84,027.

• Used Tesla prices have dropped below the average for the entire US used car market, with the Model S, Model X, and Model Y also experiencing significant declines.

[RSnake: It’s a steal if you like his cars. But it’s gotta be giving shareholders heartburn.]

Source: https://gizmodo.com/?p=2000641133

Recent U.S. job market data indicates weaker-than-expected hiring, prompting discussions among Federal Reserve officials about the need for potential interest rate cuts. Some officials believe that lower rates could stimulate the economy, while concerns about inflation persist, particularly in light of Trump's tariffs, which may complicate the Fed's ability to manage economic stability. Investors now anticipate that the Fed may need to act quickly to cut rates in response to the latest economic signals.

• Federal Reserve officials are considering cutting interest rates due to disappointing job market reports.

• There are concerns regarding inflation levels and the impact of tariffs on the economy.

[RSnake: Quite a few of these jobs were government jobs, so it’s not exactly as bad as it looks, but it’s not great. AI is the main culprit in the tech industry.]

Source: https://fortune.com/2025/08/09/fed-rate-cuts-outlook-michelle-bowman-jobs-report-inflation-tariffs/

A new bull market has emerged in the U.S., with the S&P 500 index rising nearly 30% since its April lows. Analysts are optimistic due to easing fears over tariffs and potential strong earnings, although some caution exists regarding possible market volatility in the third quarter.

• The S&P 500 has surged approximately 30% since April, signaling the end of a bear market.

• Analysts predict ongoing optimism in the stock market, driven by strong earnings and economic factors.

[RSnake: And yet interest rates are stubbornly fixed. Pretty frustrating.]

Source: https://fortune.com/2025/08/09/new-bull-market-buy-the-dips-stock-outlook-sp500/