Good Morning. 

Al Qaeda militants attacked Mali's capital, the Russia-Ukraine war has now resulted in approximately 1M casualties, Meta is banning Russian state media organizations from its platforms, China's military says it tailed a U.S. spy plane through the Taiwan Strait, and a Venezuelan gang called Tren de Aragua is expanding into the U.S.

Let’s dive in.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

Deadly Pager Explosions Rock Lebanon

• At least 9 people were killed and over 2.8K injured when pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon, in an attack blamed on Israel.

• The incident is seen as a major security breach for Hezbollah and demonstrates Israel's intelligence capabilities against the group.

• The attack has increased tensions between Israel and Lebanon, with fears of potential Hezbollah retaliation and discussions of expanding the conflict beyond Gaza.

Counterterrorism

• Al Qaeda militants attacked Mali's capital, targeting an air base housing Russian mercenaries and military aircraft. ➚

• Iran's president pledged deeper ties with Russia to counter Western sanctions. ➚

• U.S. authorities were warned about the erratic behavior of Ryan Wesley Routh, the suspected gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Trump. ➚

Military & Defense

• The Russia-Ukraine war has now resulted in approximately 1M casualties. ➚

• Venezuela detained 3 Americans on coup allegations, despite promising to stop such practices after a prisoner swap. ➚

• The Pentagon Inspector General says oversight of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine is their top priority. ➚

• Turkey's bid to join BRICS ahead of Russia's summit is seen as playing both sides. ➚

• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Italy to learn about its approach to reducing migrant arrivals. ➚

Cybersecurity

• Meta is banning Russian state media organizations from its platforms. ➚

• AI-generated videos of U.S. leaders singing Chinese songs have gone viral in China. ➚

• A top House Democrat is urging the FCC to move forward with a rule requiring disclosure of AI use in political ads on broadcast media, citing concerns about voter manipulation. ➚

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• China's military says it tailed a U.S. spy plane through the Taiwan Strait. ➚

• A Belarus defense ministry official claims Pokemon Go was used for espionage on military bases by showing Pokemon characters at sensitive locations. ➚

• China hawks are concerned about Chinese-manufactured cargo cranes at U.S. ports. ➚

• Microsoft researchers report that Russian influence operations shifted to targeting Vice President Kamala Harris with misinformation. ➚

Transnational Organized Crime

• A Venezuelan gang called Tren de Aragua is expanding into the U.S., with over 100 suspected cases involving robbery, drug trafficking, and violence. ➚

• A militia attack in northeastern Congo killed at least 20 villagers. ➚

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.