🔥Thousands March in Taiwan...

Good Morning. Much ado about Space! At the ripe old age of 90, the first Black astronaut ever trained for the trip, Ed Wight, made his first Space flight with Blue Origin 63 years after he prepared for a 1961 White House campaign to diversify the Space program.

Dwight, along with five other crew mates, made liftoff from West Texas on the New Shepard, making a successful suborbital voyage. With 10-minutes in flight, Dwight has also become the oldest-ever person to go to Space, even older than the Star Trek actor William Shatner, who made his own suborbital Space flight in 2021.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

Echoes of the Sunflower Movement Resound

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Taiwan to protest proposed legislative amendments that many fear could undermine political freedoms. The protests, reminiscent of the 2014 Sunflower Movement, saw over 30,000 people rally against a bill that would grant extensive powers to legislators, sparking concerns about potential threats to Taiwan's democracy.

Echoes of the Past

The demonstrations reflect ongoing tensions over governance and transparency in Taiwan, with citizens worried about the resurgence of authoritarian tendencies. This event highlights how historical movements continue to shape and influence the political landscape.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY & DIPLOMACY

Counterterrorism

• Gunmen on motorbikes killed about 40 people in a raid on the Zurak mining community in north-central Nigeria's Plateau state, according to local authorities. The attackers fired on residents and set homes ablaze in the latest incident of violence in a region plagued by disputes over resources and intercommunal clashes.

• The Kyrgyz Republic has joined the United Nations' Global Vulnerable Targets Programme, which aims to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure and public places against terrorist attacks. This program, implemented by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism in collaboration with various UN bodies, focuses on identifying and sharing best practices to prevent and counter threats to vulnerable targets, including urban centers, touristic sites, and religious places.

• Violence intensified in southwestern Colombia as a bomb blast injured six people in Jamundi, and insurgents attacked a police station in Morales, killing two officers. The Colombian government blamed the FARC-EMC, a dissident group of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia that rejected the 2016 peace deal.

Military & Defense

• Russia has rapidly rebuilt its military capabilities, surprising Western analysts who expected a longer recovery period. Despite facing substantial losses and sanctions, Russia's defense industry has increased production, aided by partnerships with China and North Korea, raising concerns for Ukraine and NATO allies.

• The U.S. Marine Corps is expediting advanced radar development and counter-drone technologies through its newly reorganized Program Executive Office Land Systems to enhance battlefield capabilities and address emerging threats. The focus includes integrating the Army's passive radar prototype into the MuDRaCE system and deploying systems like the Medium-Range Intercept Capability and Marine Air Defense Integrated System to neutralize drone threats.

• Army leaders have declined a Congressional proposal to establish a separate drone branch, stating that they prefer drones to be integrated into existing operations and formations for flexibility. Prior to this decision, Congress had suggested adding a drone branch equivalent to the 22 branches currently in the Army

Cybersecurity

• YouTube has become a breeding ground for phishing attempts, deepfakes, and scams orchestrated by malicious actors according to Avast researchers.

• Following recent reports of by the EPA that U.S. water systems are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, the agency has pledged to step up inspections of water utility cyber security systems, and is urging states to enhance their cybersecurity measures. This follows the withdrawal of a previous mandate due to legal challenges but emphasizes voluntary cooperation to mitigate risks.

• University-based cybersecurity clinics are offering crucial cyber support to nonprofits and local governments through student volunteer programs. These initiatives not only provide hands-on experience for students but also bolster the cybersecurity of organizations with limited resources, addressing vulnerabilities and reducing the risk of cyberattacks.

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• American leadership is prioritizing vigilance of China’s activity with fast-orbiting satellites, as China launched four high-resolution remote sensing satellites on May 18, Space News reported . China reportedly seems to be building both surveillance and interference capabilities through its fleet of maneuverable satellites.

• Matthew Trickett, a former British Royal Marine accused of aiding Hong Kong's intelligence service, was discovered dead in a park near London. Trickett was one of three men facing charges under the National Security Act.

• Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has reinstated a commission to investigate foreign influence following the arrest of nine individuals linked to a Russian spy ring. This move aims to counteract internal destabilization efforts by Moscow, with additional funds allocated to enhance Poland's intelligence and defense capabilities.

Transnational Organized Crime

• The U.N. special adviser on genocide prevention, Alice Nderitu, raised alarm over the increasing risk of genocide in Sudan due to attacks based on ethnicity and identity, with a potential repeat of past atrocities.

• The U.S. Department of Justice arrested a man from Wisconsin for using AI to create and distribute child sexual abuse material. A 42-year-old software engineer used an open-source AI image generator to produce illicit images.

• The Pentagon and SpaceX are teaming up to stop Russia from using Starlink satellite terminals in Ukraine, purchased through the black market. John Hill, a defense official, warns it will be challenging as Russia continues acquiring these terminals.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX is gearing up for the fourth test flight of its powerful rocket, Starship. The focus of this upcoming flight will be on successfully navigating reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.  

Future Forward

Demonstrating safe reentry capabilities is crucial as it will pave the way for future missions and potentially revolutionize space travel.

The next Starship test flight is set to take place in early June according to Elon Musk.

SpaceX recently completed a countdown rehearsal, marking one of the final tests before launch.

In other news…

🦠 Kim Arcand, a visualization scientist for NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, in an interview with The New York Times, highlights the visual similarities between images captured by microscopes and telescopes, illustrating the universal principles of physics and chemistry. These "visual synonyms" range from cellular structures resembling planetary features to proteins mirroring cosmic debris, demonstrating the interconnectedness of the micro and macro scales of the universe.

🪲 Human body lice can harbor and transmit the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis through bites, according to a recent study. Researchers discovered that the bacteria can infect specialized glands in the lice, potentially making them significant vectors for the plague alongside rats and fleas.

⚛️ Scientists have set new limits on the quantum uncertainty of neutrinos' positions, shedding light on the particles' wave-like nature. This research, involving the detection of neutrinos produced in radioactive decay, enhances understanding of how quantum properties manifest on a cosmic scale and bridges the gap between classical and quantum physics.

DEALS & FUNDING

OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, shared positive insights about AI innovation at Microsoft Build just after a dispute with Scarlett Johansson over GPT-4o using a voice similar to hers. Despite the controversy, Altman praised developers' contributions to AI progress.

Rapid Evolution

Altman emphasized developer engagement as pivotal for advancing artificial intelligence innovation.He highlighted the rapid evolution and adoption of technologies like GPT-3 and GPT-4o showcasing significant progress in AI development.

In other news…

🧑‍💻 Andreessen Horowitz's American Dynamism fund has initiated a fellowship program to introduce engineers and technologists to venture investing, aiming to diversify the pool of future VC talent. The 12-month Engineering Fellows Program will provide hands-on experience in evaluating investments and engaging with industrial companies.

💰️ China has sold a significant amount of US Treasury and agency bonds, indicating a shift away from dollar-denominated assets. China's move to dump US bonds at record levels reflects its strategy to diversify global finance and reduce reliance on the dollar.

💸 Teen-focused fintech company Copper abruptly discontinued its banking and debit card services due to regulatory challenges. The company is working to address these issues and aims to restore its services, while ensuring that customer funds remain secure and accessible during the transition.