Good Morning. 

The U.S. has added 26 entities to its trade blacklist for supporting weapons programs in Iran and Pakistan, the UK has announced a £2.3B loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets, the U.S. Justice Department has proposed new rules to block China, Russia, and Iran from accessing bulk American data, Israel has arrested seven people in northern Israel accused of spying for Iran and gathering intelligence on military bases, and Haitian police have battled gangs trying to seize control of Solino, one of Port-au-Prince's few gang-free neighborhoods.

Let’s dive in.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

Blinken Makes 11th Middle East Trip Since Oct 7 For New Cease Fire Push

• Secretary of State Antony Blinken has returned to the Middle East to pursue another ceasefire deal, as Israel's intensifying military campaign recently killed four people near Beirut's Rafik Hariri Hospital in strikes that Israeli forces claim targeted Hezbollah assets.

• U.S. Envoy Amos Hochstein, meeting with Lebanese officials, has emphasized that UN Resolution 1701 alone cannot resolve the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, while Israeli intelligence alleges Hezbollah is concealing cash and gold reserves beneath Al-Sahel Hospital.

• The escalating conflict has claimed nearly 2.5K lives and wounded over 11.6K in Lebanon, with Israel's military operations displacing 1.2M people in its stated mission to clear Hezbollah from the border region.

Counterterrorism

• U.S. adds 26 entities to trade blacklist for supporting weapons programs in Iran and Pakistan, and helping Russia evade sanctions. ➚

• Iran's Foreign Minister visits Bahrain as part of regional diplomatic tour to reduce tensions amid fears of wider Middle East conflict. ➚

• U.S. consults allies over reports of North Korea preparing to send 10K troops to assist Russia in Ukraine by November 1st. ➚

Military & Defense

• UK announces £2.3B loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets as part of broader G7 support package. ➚

• U.S. Army deploys Typhon missile system to Philippines as part of strengthening military alliances in Indo-Pacific region. ➚

• Russia hosts BRICS summit in Kazan with Putin seeking to showcase non-Western influence while facing pressure for peace in Ukraine. ➚

• South Africa orders Taiwan to move its liaison office from Pretoria to Johannesburg, reportedly under Chinese pressure. ➚

• Australia announces $4.7B purchase of U.S. missiles to boost naval defense capabilities amid Indo-Pacific tensions. ➚

Cybersecurity

• U.S. Justice Department proposes new rules to block China, Russia and Iran from accessing bulk American data. ➚

• U.S. State Department offers $10M reward for information about Russian propaganda outlet Rybar and its employees, which allegedly uses social media to influence U.S. elections. ➚

• Anguilla sees windfall from .ai domain registrations, earning $32M in 2024 (20% of government revenue) as companies rush to acquire AI-related web addresses. ➚

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• Israel arrests seven people in northern Israel accused of spying for Iran and gathering intelligence on military bases and infrastructure. ➚

• Venezuela arrests former oil minister Pedro Tellechea, accusing him of collaborating with U.S. intelligence to undermine the state oil company PDVSA. ➚

• London court rules Saudi dissident Yahya Assiri can sue Saudi Arabia for allegedly targeting him with spyware while in exile in Britain. ➚

Transnational Organized Crime

• Haitian police battle gangs trying to seize control of Solino, one of Port-au-Prince's few gang-free neighborhoods, forcing thousands to flee. ➚

• Mexican Catholic priest Father Marcelo Pérez, an indigenous rights activist who spoke against cartel violence, was shot dead after Mass in Chiapas. ➚

• Peru sentences former President Alejandro Toledo to 20.5 years in prison for accepting $35M in bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. ➚

The America Builds podcast sits at the nexus of national security, technology, and venture capital. Hosts Will Allen and Hayley Menser interview the brilliant operators and investors pushing the boundaries of frontier technology.