🔥 Chatter on Chinese Social Media as the World Weighs the Gravity of the Trump Assassination Attempt

Good Morning. 

The U.S. Department of Defense and Singapore have signed a new SOI for cooperation on data analytics and AI, aiming to strengthen interoperability and promote responsible AI use.

This agreement is part of a series of bilateral cooperation efforts, including Singapore's participation in the RIMPAC exercise, a memorandum of understanding on defense innovation, and a supply chain security arrangement.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania has not only rattled American society but also sent shockwaves through China.

Incumbent President Joe Biden called for "unity" in a speech following the event. Despite this, fears in the U.S. rise that the event will be further polarizing.

In China, discussions noted American "violence" alongside Trump's apparent luck. The incident quickly became the most-discussed topic on social media platforms like Weibo and caught the attention of Chinese experts and government officials alike.

This event is pivotal as it highlights global concerns over increasing political violence in the United States, further reinforcing narratives about U.S. instability.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• A suspected Houthi rebel attack targeted a ship in the Red Sea, involving missile strikes and small vessels, as a new U.S. aircraft carrier approaches the region to provide security for the key trade route.

• A suicide bomber and armed insurgents attacked a military compound in Bannu, Pakistan, killing 3 soldiers and injuring 18 others, with the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) claiming responsibility amid ongoing concerns about their operations from Afghan soil.

• A bombing outside a café in Mogadishu, Somalia killed at least 5 people and injured 20 others, breaking a period of relative calm in the city amid ongoing conflict with the militant group al-Shabab.

Military & Defense

• Zelenskyy says Ukraine needs 25 Patriot air defense systems and more F-16 warplanes to fully protect its airspace from Russian missile attacks.

• The Navy is expanding its pilot program of embedding information warfare personnel on submarines, with plans to extend it to the Pacific later this year, following positive feedback from initial East Coast trials.

• A new Atlantic Council report warns that U.S. nuclear command satellites in low Earth orbit need hardening against potential high-altitude nuclear detonations, especially as the Pentagon shifts to smaller, distributed satellite constellations.

• Armenia has launched joint military drills with the U.S., signaling a shift away from its traditional alliance with Russia and towards closer ties with Western allies.

Cybersecurity

• Several Pentagon IT programs lack approved cybersecurity strategies, despite a decade-old requirement, potentially leaving them vulnerable to cyberattacks and increasing costs.

• A Cambodian payments company linked to the country's ruling family received over $150K in stolen cryptocurrency from North Korean hackers.

• Hackers claiming to be the group NullBulge have allegedly leaked over 1 terabyte of internal data from nearly 10K Disney Slack channels, including messages, files, and sensitive information.

• Rite Aid disclosed a cybersecurity breach in June where customer data from purchases made between 2017-2018 was accessed.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• U.S. journalist Masha Gessen was convicted in absentia by a Russian court and sentenced to 8 years in prison for allegedly spreading false information about the Russian military, particularly regarding atrocities in Bucha, Ukraine.

• Pakistan's government plans to file treason charges against former Prime Minister Imran Khan and ban his political party, escalating political tensions amid ongoing legal battles and Khan's continued popularity.

Transnational Organized Crime

• The avocado trade between Mexico and the U.S. faces significant challenges due to cartel involvement, deforestation, and security concerns in Michoacán, leading both countries to consider changes in inspection processes and export regulations.

• Instagram influencer Kat Torres has been sentenced to 8 years in prison for human trafficking and slavery, after luring and exploiting multiple young Brazilian women through her wellness and spirituality brand.

• Former executives of Chicago's Loretto Hospital have been charged in a $15M embezzlement scheme involving fraudulent payments to vendors for goods and services never provided.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Scientists have discovered a 100-meter-deep cave on the Moon, potentially ideal for a future human base.

The cave, located in the Mare Tranquillitatis where Apollo 11 landed, was found using radar technology and could offer protection from radiation and extreme temperatures.

Researchers believe it's one of many hidden lunar caves formed by ancient lava flows.

This discovery not only presents opportunities for future lunar habitation but also for studying the Moon's geological history and potentially exploring similar caves on Mars.

In other news…

GE Aerospace has successfully demonstrated the world's first hypersonic dual-mode ramjet engine, which could enable more efficient long-range hypersonic aircraft and missiles.

Space hurricanes, swirling storms of plasma in Earth's ionosphere, have been observed to occur symmetrically at both magnetic poles, suggesting they are driven by interactions between the solar wind and Earth's magnetic field.

Hesai, the world's largest producer of laser sensors for EVs, is suing the Pentagon to challenge its blacklisting as a "Chinese Military Company," asserting it has no ties to the Chinese military and arguing the designation was made without proper evidence or opportunity to respond.

DEALS & FUNDING

Stripe, the fintech company that helps merchants process payments, has seen its valuation increase to $70B as Sequoia Capital offers to buy shares from early investors.

The VC firm is offering $27.51 per share for up to $861M worth of shares from LPs in funds raised between 2009 and 2012.

This latest valuation represents an increase from the $65B valuation in February, though it remains below the $95B peak reached in 2021.

Founded by John and Patrick Collison, Stripe has experienced significant growth over the past decade and competes with established players like PayPal and Adyen in the payments processing market.

In other news…

Element Biosciences has raised over $277M in Series D funding to support the commercialization of its DNA sequencing technology and launch a new integrated biology platform.

Hayden AI, a smart city technology company, has secured $90M in Series C funding led by TPG's The Rise Fund to expand its vision AI platform that helps cities improve public safety, sustainability, and efficiency in urban transportation systems.

ZwitterCo, a company developing advanced membrane technology for water treatment, has raised $58M in Series B funding to scale its innovative solution that addresses water scarcity and supports decarbonization efforts across various industries.

Pale Blue Earth has been awarded a contract by the DIU to develop an advanced rechargeable battery platform for military use.

Airbus and Thales are exploring a potential merger of their satellite activities to create a pan-European alliance in space, addressing competitive pressures and strategic importance in the sector.

Turkey is scaling back its $23B deal with the U.S. for F-16 fighter jets and upgrades, seeking to produce some parts locally and reduce costs amid budget constraints.

Rancher Government has been included as a provider in the Department of Defense's Enterprise Software Initiative, allowing for streamlined procurement and deployment of its Kubernetes and container management solutions for DoD agencies.

Lockheed Martin has partnered with Hawaii-based Oceanit to test a nanotechnology-based coating called AeroPel on military aircraft to combat corrosion, potentially reducing maintenance costs and increasing the Pentagon's ability to acquire more aircraft.