Geopolitics
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham met Volodymyr Zelensky at Portsmouth Naval Base and pledged support while agreeing to share information on electronic warfare jammers. UK aid to Ukraine since February 2022 totals £25 billion, of which £16 billion is military assistance. Meanwhile, Russian strikes targeted port facilities in Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Mykolaiv. The vessel Golden Leo, struck by missiles on July 19, sank after six days.
In India, clashes between police and supporters of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) began in New Delhi on Monday. The CJP originated as an online meme. The protests followed the May leak of the NEET medical entrance exam, which led to the cancellation of a test taken by more than two million students and was linked to student suicides. After a march on Parliament that reportedly caused nearly 180 injuries, Prime Minister Modi announced fast-track courts and an Anti-Paper Leak Bill. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday. Activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike after receiving government assurances on accountability, compensation, and no prosecution of peaceful protesters. Opposition figures, including Rahul Gandhi, participated in related demonstrations. The National Testing Agency dismissed 47 officials. Protests have occurred in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and other cities, with some metro stations closed and mobile internet restricted in central Delhi. Critics have questioned the movement’s authenticity and highlighted divisions among participants.
Iran War
An Israeli security official stated that Washington is preparing a large-scale operation against Iran following the recent Iranian attack on US bases in Jordan. Danny Citrinowicz, Senior Researcher in the Iran and Shi’ite Axis Program at the Institute for National Security Studies, described the attacks as indicating a shift toward proactive operations and coordination with Iraqi militias. Meanwhile, CSIS data show US air defense interceptor stocks below 1,000 for Patriots and under 250 for THAAD, with replenishment timelines exceeding three years.
Separately, a US-owned floating storage unit at Egypt’s Damietta LNG terminal was reported to have been struck by a drone, with conflicting accounts from Reuters and Al Hadath. No group has claimed responsibility.
Rounding out the Iran update, Yemen’s Houthis, with reported IRGC assistance, have discussed a toll system for the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. China has reportedly held direct talks with the Houthis regarding vessel passage. However, some reports state that a Houthi official has denied plans for transit fees.
Economy
The yen has reached approximately 160 per dollar. Japan has conducted $73 billion in currency interventions and raised interest rates. Public debt exceeds 200 percent of GDP. The Finance Ministry has directed the GPIF pension fund to increase purchases of domestic bonds. Japan enacted legislation reducing crypto taxes to 20 percent and permitting yen stablecoins backed by government bonds. Reports indicate fewer Japanese purchases of US Treasuries, with the 10-year Treasury yield near 4.7 percent.
Back in the US, student loan defaults have risen to 9.2 million borrowers, with an additional 3 million borrowers more than 90 days delinquent. Wage garnishment has resumed following the end of payment pauses. Analyses have linked the increase to federal lending guarantees, changes to bankruptcy law in 1998 and 2005, and the 1999 repeal of Glass-Steagall provisions.
Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI generated $13 billion in revenue in 2025 while incurring losses of around $38 billion, according to figures from AI critic Ed Zitron that were verified by the Financial Times. The company recorded $34 billion in total costs and expenses that year, including about $19 billion on research and development and nearly $6 billion on sales and marketing. OpenAI’s consumer market share has fallen below 50 percent amid competition, and the firm has confidentially filed for an IPO while discussing a possible 5 percent equity stake with the US government.
US Politics
The Justice Department filed a statement in support of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne in their lawsuit against New York’s LGBTQ+ Long-Term Care Facility Residents’ Bill of Rights. The law requires facilities to use preferred pronouns and room assignments, with penalties including fines up to $10,000 and possible prison time. The nuns operate a hospice and argue that the requirements conflict with their religious beliefs. DOJ Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon stated that states cannot compel individuals to set aside religious convictions in favor of gender-related policies.
Following up on yesterday’s “Fauci Diary Digest,” Anthony Fauci declined to answer questions during a Senate appearance, citing the Fifth Amendment 111 times. Senator Rand Paul noted that the Fifth Amendment does not apply because a prior pardon removes the risk of self-incrimination. Senators Ron Johnson and Josh Hawley raised questions about Fauci’s diary entries, studies on ivermectin, and the use of federal staff to secure prizes. A contempt vote is scheduled for next week, and Democratic senators have described the hearing as a show trial.
Privacy & Surveillance
Russia’s FSB charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov under Article 205.1, alleging assistance to terrorism, and requested an international wanted notice. Authorities cited a messaging bot allegedly used to recruit individuals for attacks. Roskomnadzor reduced Telegram traffic speeds by 55 percent and required the pre-installation of a state messaging application without end-to-end encryption on devices sold in Russia. Telegram posted a response image. Telegram has rejected the charges as fabricated pretexts to restrict access and promote a state service.
Sources
AI Companies Are Setting Money on Fire: OpenAI’s Pre-Bailout Bailout Plan
We talk through Ed Zitron’s work on OpenAI’s financials, our own compilation of OpenAI’s shady history and moves, and the ChatGPT maker’s greed.
Source | Submitted by Rodster
Cockroach Meme Swarms Delhi: Students Expose NEET Leaks, Reject Political Hijack
This is a question about every young Indian’s future. It is not about politics.
Source | Submitted by Rodster
DOJ Backs Nuns Against NY’s Gender Mandate in Catholic Hospice
States should take notice that they cannot require Americans to abandon their religious beliefs in the name of woke gender ideology.
Source | Submitted by Walberga
Student Loan Defaults Surge to 9.2 Million as Washington’s Delayed Reckoning Arrives
Student loan defaults have surged to 9.2 million borrowers, representing roughly one in every five people with student debt.
Source | Submitted by Rodster
Japan’s Yen Carry Trade Cracks: Why Your 401k Faces the Reckoning
So Japan’s economy is starting to break, and why that’s so important to us is because all of our stock markets and all of our portfolios and 401ks are partially built on borrowed Japanese money, and that money is being asked to come back home.
Source | Submitted by Friedrichs_teeth
Russia Slaps Durov with Terror Charges to Kill Telegram and Push State Spy App
Durov has said Russia is restricting the app to force its citizens onto a state-controlled service built for surveillance and political censorship.
Houthis Plot Iranian-Backed Tolls on Red Sea Chokepoint
The scheme is to be a mirror image of that Tehran is seeking to enforce in the Strait of Hormuz.
US LNG Vessel Reportedly Drone-Struck in Egypt as Reports Conflict
There are also conflicting reports on X: Some say it was a drone strike, while others say it was an industrial accident.
UK’s New PM Pledges Billions More for Ukraine’s Electronic War Gear
Burnham announced the sharing of the intellectual property behind Britain’s new Stone Cloak electronic warfare system, enabling Ukraine to produce the technology itself.
Russia Hits Back: Strikes Ukrainian Ports, Ships Over Drone Attacks
Russia Answers Drone Attacks With War On Ukrainian Ports, Maritime Shipping
Fauci Pleads the Fifth 111 Times Despite Pardon
Fauci had total immunity, and he still refused to tell the truth.
US Readies Massive Iran Strike, Israeli Official Warns
Israel says the US is preparing for something “bigger than anything we have seen before” in the war on Iran, a senior Israeli security official tells Channel 15.
US Defense Stockpile Drained by Iran War Despite Record Budget
The U.S. has by far the world’s largest defense budget, but somehow forgot to stock up before starting a war.
Iran’s Jordan Strikes Test US Resolve, Signal New Doctrine
The broader message from Tehran is clear: Iran is not signaling surrender, nor is it seeking negotiations from a position of weakness.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: TheSiasatDaily, OpIndia.com, RealAxios, VigilantFox, Irevsdotco, Zubic_eth, and AShmueil.
by rodster 
