🔥 North Korea Threatens Nuclear Expansion After U.S.-South Korea Deterrence Guidelines

Good Morning. 

Former President Trump survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally that left 1 spectator dead and 2 critically injured.

We extend our deepest condolences to Trump, his family, the victims, and all those affected by this tragedy.

Undeterred, Trump confirmed he is headed to Milwaukee for the GOP convention to accept the party's presidential nomination.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

North Korea has reacted forcefully to new U.S.-South Korea defense guidelines, vowing to bolster its nuclear arsenal and warning of "unimaginably harsh" repercussions.

These guidelines, designed to integrate U.S. nuclear and South Korean conventional forces against North Korean threats, were interpreted by Pyongyang as preparation for invasion.

North Korea asserts that such actions justify its nuclear program, while South Korea maintains the measures are strictly defensive.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• The FBI is investigating the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump as a potential act of domestic terrorism, involving both criminal and counterterrorism investigators.

• The Israeli military claims to have killed senior Hamas commander Rafa Salama in an air strike on Gaza, which Hamas disputes.

• Iraqi authorities have recovered the remains of 139 suspected Islamic State victims from a mass grave near Mosul.

• French authorities have rejected over 3.5K Olympic job applicants due to terrorism and security concerns, as part of extensive screening efforts for the upcoming Paris Games.

Military & Defense

• China and Russia have begun joint naval exercises in southern China, focusing on various military drills, amid rising tensions with NATO allies who recently labeled China a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war in Ukraine.

• Russian shelling killed 4 in Ukraine while a Ukrainian drone attack ignited a Russian oil depot, as both countries exchanged cross-border strikes amid ongoing conflict.

• The U.K. Defence Secretary reaffirmed commitment to the Aukus nuclear submarine project with Australia and the U.S., emphasizing its importance for security and economic growth.

Cybersecurity

• Germany plans to remove Chinese telecom components from its 5G networks by 2026, with a complete phase-out including management systems by 2029, to enhance digital security.

• A hacker claims AT&T paid approximately $400K to delete sensitive call and text logs stolen during a data breach.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• Australian authorities charged a Russian-born army private and her husband with espionage, alleging they planned to pass defense information to Russia

• Russian spy drones are hampering Ukraine's ability to use HIMARS for attacks on Crimea, leading to a decrease in missile strikes on the peninsula.

Transnational Organized Crime

• The U.S. has sanctioned Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang as a transnational criminal organization, offering a $12M reward for its leaders' arrests.

• UN envoy warns that terrorism and organized crime linked to al-Qaida and Islamic State are spreading from Africa's Sahel region to coastal West African countries, highlighting the need for more effective countermeasures.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket experienced a rare second-stage failure during a Starlink satellite deployment mission, ending its streak of 335 successful launches.

The Merlin Vacuum engine failed to reignite for its final burn, resulting in 20 Starlink satellites being deployed into an incorrect, potentially unsustainable orbit.

This anomaly, caused by a liquid oxygen leak, is being investigated by SpaceX and the FAA, and could impact upcoming crewed missions.

In other news…

Meta has removed special restrictions on Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts ahead of the 2024 elections, allowing him to operate under the same rules as other users to ensure equal treatment of presidential nominees.

The Webb Space Telescope has captured an infrared image of 2 intertwined galaxies, nicknamed Penguin and Egg, located 326 million light-years away, to mark its second anniversary of scientific operations.

SpaceX has requested permission from the FAA to increase its annual Starship launches from the current limit of 5 to 25 at its Texas facility, along with a corresponding increase in landings for both the Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster.

DEALS & FUNDING

Google's parent company Alphabet is reportedly in advanced negotiations to acquire cybersecurity startup Wiz for approximately $23B, which would be Alphabet's largest acquisition to date.

The deal, which could be finalized soon, aims to bolster Google's cloud computing capabilities and follows its previous $5.4B purchase of Mandiant in 2022.

Wiz, a New York-based company founded in 2020 and valued at $12B in its last funding round, specializes in identifying and removing risks in cloud environments.

This potential acquisition highlights Alphabet's continued efforts to strengthen its position in the competitive cloud computing market.

In other news…

VCs are increasingly hiring ex-military officials and veterans as defense tech investment booms, reaching $35B in 2023, to leverage their expertise and connections in navigating the complex defense sector.

SoftBank has acquired UK-based AI chip company Graphcore, aiming to bolster its position in the rapidly growing AI hardware market while maintaining Graphcore's operations and leadership.

American Airlines has agreed to a provisional deal for 100 hydrogen-electric engines from startup ZeroAvia, aiming to power regional aircraft with near-zero emission technology.

South Africa's climate commission proposes creating a central body to guide investment and raise funds for the country's energy transition away from coal.