Good Morning. 

Jihadist violence escalates in West Africa's Sahel region, the UN accuses Russia of systematic torture of Ukrainians, TikTok bans Russian state media accounts, an American is jailed in Russia for attempted child abduction, and the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua emerges in NYC amid the migrant influx.

Let’s dive in.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

U.S. Navy Seeks Japanese Aid to Counter China's Maritime Dominance

• The U.S. Navy faces severe maintenance delays and capacity issues, undermining its ability to project power in key areas like the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea.

• To address this, the U.S. is negotiating with Japan to allow major repairs of U.S. Navy vessels in Japanese shipyards, aiming to keep more ships deployed in the region.

• While this plan could alleviate the U.S. maintenance backlog, it faces legal hurdles in the U.S. and concerns in Japan about becoming a bigger target for China.

Counterterrorism

• Jihadist violence in West Africa's Sahel region is increasing. ➚

• Iran's president seeks new tone at UN, faces sanctions hurdles. ➚

• Hezbollah asks Iran to attack Israel; Iran refrains. ➚

Military & Defense

• UN: Russia torturing Ukrainians systematically. ➚

• U.S. reaffirms Taiwan defense support at conference. ➚

• Israel bombs Lebanon again; 558 killed. ➚

• U.S. plans $375M aid package for Ukraine. ➚

Cybersecurity

• TikTok bans Russian state media accounts. ➚

• Tank gauge systems have critical security flaws. ➚

• Sweden: Iran hacked messaging service after Koran burnings. ➚

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• American jailed in Russia for attempted child abduction. ➚

• Japan uses flares to ward off Russian spy plane. ➚

Transnational Organized Crime

• Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua emerges in NYC amid migrant influx. ➚

• Ecuador prison chiefs targeted by gangs seeking to regain control. ➚

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.