Good Morning. 

Australian authorities have designated a Melbourne synagogue arson as a terrorist act, South Korea plunges into constitutional crisis as President Yoon undergoes treason investigation while maintaining military command, Russian hackers launch phishing campaigns against Ukrainian defense firms using fake conference invitations, U.S. intelligence agencies monitor Syrian chemical weapons facilities, and a Haitian gang chief orchestrates the massacre of over 180 elderly residents in Port-au-Prince.

Let’s dive in.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

Syrian Prison Break Marks End of Assad Era

• Syrian rebels freed hundreds of prisoners from the notorious Saydnaya prison near Damascus following Assad's fall from power, giving hope to families of an estimated 96,000 people who disappeared under his regime.

• Search teams, including the White Helmets rescue organization, are scouring the prison dubbed the "human slaughterhouse" for secret cells and evidence of war crimes, where Amnesty International reports 13,000 people were executed in the first six years of the uprising.

• While some detainees emerged joyfully after years or decades of imprisonment, relatives desperately searching for missing loved ones are being urged not to tamper with evidence that could be crucial for future prosecution of regime officials.

Counterterrorism

• Australian authorities declare Melbourne synagogue arson a terrorist act, increasing investigative resources amid rising antisemitic incidents nationwide. ➚

• U.S. commits to maintaining its military presence in northeastern Syria alongside Kurdish allies to prevent ISIS resurgence after Assad's fall. ➚

• UK considers removing Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from terrorism list after its role in Assad's overthrow. ➚

Military & Defense

• South Korea faces constitutional crisis as President Yoon faces treason investigation while retaining military control after failed martial law attempt. ➚

• President Zelenskyy signals openness to negotiated peace with Russia and possible foreign troop deployment, ahead of Trump's return to office. ➚

• Assad's Alawite hometown elders pledge support to victorious Sunni rebels, marking significant shift in Syria's sectarian dynamics. ➚

• Israel launches strikes on Syrian weapons depots and seizes border areas to prevent arms from falling to rebel groups. ➚

Cybersecurity

• Russian hackers target Ukrainian defense enterprises through phishing campaign disguised as defense conference invitations, seeking unauthorized system access. ➚

• Deloitte investigates ransomware group Brain Cipher's claims of stealing one terabyte of client data from UK operations. ➚

• Development firm Chemonics International reports data breach affecting 260,000 individuals, with attackers accessing systems for eight months. ➚

• EU demands TikTok explain alleged Russian coordination of influencers to promote Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu. ➚

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• U.S. intelligence agencies monitor Syrian chemical weapons sites amid fears Assad's forces might use them as rebels advance on Damascus. ➚

• U.S. indicts two former Syrian intelligence officials for torturing detainees, including American citizens, between 2012 and 2019. ➚

• Lithuanian authorities arrest 82-year-old opposition Conservative party member for allegedly spying and gathering information for Russian intelligence since 2018. ➚

Transnational Organized Crime

• Haitian gang leader orders massacre of over 180 people, mostly elderly, in Port-au-Prince after blaming them for son's illness. ➚

• Denver prosecutors charge seventeen people in organized crime case for stealing 190 vehicles for Mexican cartel. ➚

• Colombian airstrikes kill four members of Gulf Clan drug cartel in northwest region, marking first raids under President Petro. ➚

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.