🔥 The Scheduled US Departure From Niger Comes Amid West Africa Dynamic Shift

Good Morning. 

Kim Yo Jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, has denounced South Korea's recent military exercises near the border as "suicidal hysteria," threatening unspecified military action if they continue.

This condemnation comes after Seoul resumed drills following the suspension of a 2018 tension-reduction agreement.

The exchange highlights escalating inter-Korean tensions and the fragility of peace efforts on the peninsula, with both nations abandoning previous de-escalation commitments since June.

North Korea's ongoing weapons testing program and the potential use of this confrontation to unite domestic opinion against external threats further complicate the situation.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

The United States will withdraw its forces from Niger this weekend, following a plan agreed upon in May with the ruling military government.

This move comes amid what Irregular Warfare called "shifting sands" in West Africa, where countries are moving away from Western military aid. France previously withdrew its counterterrorism forces from Niger in late 2023.

The last American forces will leave Air Base 101 by Sunday and Air Base 201 by August.

This development "undermines regional security dynamics" as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have formed their own confederation to address threats independently.

With international forces retreating, there's "increased urgency for African nations to bolster cooperative measures against militant groups destabilizing the region."

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• Iran's Revolutionary Guard reportedly dismantled an armed group in northwestern Iran, killing and wounding several members and confiscating their equipment.

• Israel has ordered the evacuation of Gaza City for a counterterrorism operation, amid ongoing ceasefire talks and reports of Hamas softening its demands.

Military & Defense

• NATO allies acknowledge a significant gap in arms production to counter Russia and support Ukraine, pledging to increase defense spending and industrial capacity at the Washington summit.

• Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines warned of increasing Iranian influence efforts, including attempts to exploit Gaza protests.

• The U.S. Air Force will replace aging F-15C/D fighters at Kadena Air Base in Japan with 36 new F-15EX Eagle IIs and upgrade Misawa Air Base with 48 F-35As, as part of a broader modernization of U.S. forces in the region.

• The Pentagon has indefinitely postponed a U.S. Army exercise in Georgia due to diplomatic tensions and accusations of misinformation from the Georgian government, prompting a review of future cooperation between the 2 countries.

Cybersecurity

• Australia, the U.S., and 6 other allies issued a joint warning about a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group known as APT40, detailing its ongoing threat to their networks and marking a rare coordinated effort to call out China's cyber activities.

• Evolve Bank & Trust reported a ransomware attack by LockBit compromised personal data of at least 7.6M customers, including those of its fintech partners, with the full impact still being assessed.

• NATO officials are emphasizing the need for enhanced data security and cyber capabilities as leaders gather for the alliance's summit in Washington.

• RansomHub published up to 100GB of sensitive data stolen from the Florida Department of Health after the department refused to pay a ransom.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• A new cyber-espionage group called "CloudSorcerer" is targeting Russian government organizations with sophisticated malware that adapts its behavior based on execution environment and leverages cloud services for command and control.

• Senator Cantwell and FCC Chair Rosenworcel urge Congress to pass legislation funding a $3B shortfall in the "Rip and Replace" program to remove unsecure Chinese telecom equipment from U.S. networks, especially in rural areas.

• Taiwan prosecutors are investigating Cheng Wen-tsan, a senior Democratic Progressive Party official and former mayor, for alleged bribery related to his dealings with China.

Transnational Organized Crime

• Aid convoys in Gaza are being targeted by organized groups seeking to steal smuggled cigarettes, which have become extremely valuable due to scarcity, hampering efforts to deliver essential humanitarian supplies to the region.

• Suspected rebels ambushed an Indian army vehicle in Kashmir, killing 5 soldiers and wounding 5 others, amid ongoing violence in the disputed region.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Ephemeral streams, flowing only during rainfall, contribute 55% of water to U.S. regional river systems.

But, despite their crucial role in transporting water, sediment, and chemicals downstream, these waterways are not federally protected under the Clean Water Act following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling.

This lack of protection could significantly impact water quality, as one-third of Americans rely on rivers and streams for drinking water.

The substantial contribution of these unprotected streams to larger water bodies reveals a misalignment between environmental policies and scientific understanding of water systems, highlighting the need for policy reevaluation to safeguard clean water resources.

In other news…

OpenAI's decision to block access to its services in China has sparked a rush among Chinese AI companies to attract users to their homegrown models, potentially accelerating the development of China's AI industry amid ongoing US-China tech tensions.

Foreign-owned automakers outproduced Detroit's Big 3 in the US for the first time in 2023, reflecting major shifts in domestic auto manufacturing.

China is outspending the United States on fusion energy research and development, potentially surpassing U.S. and European capabilities within a few years in the race to achieve commercial fusion power.

NATO has invited social media influencers to its Washington summit to help connect with younger audiences and spread its message to Generation Z through platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

DEALS & FUNDING

Andreessen Horowitz has developed a new strategy to attract AI startups: securing thousands of AI chips, including Nvidia H100 GPUs, with plans to expand to over 20K GPUs.

This initiative, dubbed "oxygen," allows Andreessen Horowitz to rent these chips to portfolio companies at discounted rates in exchange for equity.

The program addresses the challenge many small AI startups face in accessing premium chips due to high costs and competition from larger companies.

Luma AI, which received a $43M investment from Andreessen Horowitz, was among the first to benefit from this program.

This move aligns with the firm's recent $7.2B fundraise and restructuring, including a dedicated AI infrastructure fund.

In other news…

Skild AI, an AI robotics company building a scalable foundation model for robots, raised a $300M Series A, valuing the company at $1.5B.

AE Industrial Partners has closed its third investment fund at $1.3B, targeting midsized businesses in national security, aerospace, and industrial services sectors.

The cost of the US Pentagon's Sentinel nuclear missile program has increased by 81% to $141B, triggering a review that resulted in program restructuring and delays.

NATO signed a $700M contract to increase Stinger missile production among member countries, part of a broader effort to boost defense manufacturing capabilities and readiness.

DARPA is funding the development of a "quantum photonic-dimer laser" that uses entangled photons to create a more powerful and resilient laser beam, potentially improving military applications and opening new possibilities in fields like brain imaging and quantum computing.

Raytheon awarded CAES a $172M contract to support a “major international missile program" by providing data-link assembly for the next 3 production lots.