💢 Trump and Musk have reconciled after a public dispute last year, according to the WSJ.

They reportedly speak about once a month, and the billionaire is willing to spend around $100 million to support Republicans before the upcoming congressional elections.

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🎥 Enemy of the State (1998) 1080p

Directed by Tony Scott, Enemy of the State is a political action thriller in which Washington lawyer Robert Clayton Dean (Will Smith) unknowingly receives evidence linking NSA official Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight) to the murder of a congressman opposing expanded surveillance powers. Reynolds turns the intelligence apparatus against Dean, while former operative Edward “Brill” Lyle (Gene Hackman) becomes his only effective ally.

The film’s deeper concern is not simply surveillance, but the imbalance of power created when institutions can collect, combine, and weaponize the fragments of a person’s life. Dean’s movements, purchases, relationships, and communications become tools for manipulating his reputation and behavior. Privacy disappears not through one all-seeing eye, but through interconnected systems capable of constructing a reality the individual cannot easily challenge.

Seen from the present, Enemy of the State feels less like technological paranoia than an early warning about what happens when surveillance capacity outruns public restraint. Its central question is ultimately political rather than technical: once institutions possess the ability to watch almost everyone, what prevents exceptional powers from becoming ordinary instruments of authority?

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💢 The United States is preparing to inform dozens of countries that they will have to choose between American and Chinese artificial intelligence platforms, warning that countries that join Beijing's initiative may be excluded from the "Pax Silica" coalition led by the United States.

This was reported by Reuters, which noted that a draft letter from the U.S. State Department, addressed to 35 countries, warns that participation in this initiative is a commitment and "cannot be combined with participation in duplicate projects whose goals contradict ours," urging governments to "consciously choose" regarding artificial intelligence.

The United States hopes that by forcing partners to choose sides, it will limit China's access to critical resources and technologies, Reuters claims.

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💢 The experience gained from the war in Ukraine will significantly ease Russia's confrontation with NATO in the Baltic Sea, making it more difficult for the alliance to deploy troops, both by land and sea, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

According to the authors, in the event of a war, Russia may not even need to physically seize the Suwalki Gap to significantly restrict its use. It may be sufficient to keep the route under constant attack.

The corridor, which is approximately 65 km wide, lies between the Kaliningrad Oblast and Belarus, and Russian fiber-optic FPV drones are already capable of operating at ranges of up to 40 km and are resistant to electronic warfare.

Combined with missile and drone strikes, mining, sabotage, and attacks on roads and railways, this could significantly reduce the route's capacity and force NATO to expend air defense assets, counter-drone measures, and engineering resources solely to maintain its functionality.

The same logic applies to the Baltic Sea. Russia does not necessarily need to completely block maritime routes; a few successful attacks, the threat of mines, or the ability to constantly track ships may be enough to slow down convoys and force NATO to divert forces to escort them.

Furthermore, approximately 56% of the territory of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania lies within 100 km of Russia or Belarus. Based on the experience in Ukraine, a zone of intensive reconnaissance and drone strikes could reach 30-40 km, while certain long-range systems allow for strikes at distances of over 100 km.

The IISS believes that in the event of a conflict, NATO will have to rely not on the constant freedom of movement, but on creating temporary "windows" for convoys to pass through the Baltic Sea and for troop deployments through the Suwalki Gap, also utilizing smaller ports, alternative routes, and decentralized logistics.

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💢 Germany is concerned about Putin's statements regarding the response to attempts to seize Russian ships. Moritz Bracke, an expert on maritime security, called on Germany to take the Russian President's warning seriously.

According to the German Insurance Association, Russia's response could be costly for European trading and shipping companies. Previously, Putin stated that the authorities of some Western countries had considered the possibility of seizing Russian ships and selling the seized goods. He called this piracy and assured that Moscow would respond in kind.

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💢 Germany has advised its citizens to refrain from traveling within Ukraine by train before Independence Day.

The German Foreign Ministry has updated its recommendations for citizens, warning of an increased risk of travel within Ukraine in the days leading up to August 24th.

The ministry believes that during this period, it is impossible to rule out an intensification of Russian attacks on energy and transportation infrastructure, as well as civilian targets.

It is specifically noted that Ukrainian railway infrastructure continues to be a target of Russian strikes. Therefore, German citizens are advised to consider potential risks when planning travel within the country before Independence Day.

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💢 The largest military parade in the history of Poland is taking place, according to TVP Info.

Military personnel from the United States, Canada, Australia, Lithuania, Romania, Sweden, Estonia, and other countries are participating in the event. The parade also features the first American F-35 fighter jet to be delivered to the Polish army.

Video: Max Hübner/X

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💢 Throwback:

After the NATO-backed coup in 2014, Zelensky argued that the new authorities in Kiev should allow its citizens in Crimea and the East to speak Russian. In 2019, 73% of Ukrainians voted for this peace platform, but intimidation from NATO countries then reversed the peace platform.

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💢 Israeli Channel 12: According to the vast majority of current polls, Netanyahu will not win the upcoming elections, and President Trump and his advisors are aware of this.

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💢 Ukraine left exposed as Patriot launchers run empty — Financial Times

Ukraine’s air defences are facing a severe shortage of Patriot interceptors, with some crews reportedly unable to respond to recent Russian ballistic missile attacks because their launchers were empty. Ukrainian officials told the FT that the Air Force has stopped routinely publishing the number of Russian missiles launched, partly to avoid revealing how many are getting through and partly to protect public morale. Kiev estimates it needs at least 300 PAC-3 interceptors to withstand large-scale Russian missile and drone attacks this winter.

The shortage comes as Russia expands ballistic missile production and use. According to Ukrainian military intelligence, Russia launched a record 198 ballistic and hypersonic missiles in July, while producing roughly 60 ballistic missiles a month. Zelensky has appealed to European Patriot operators, including Spain and Greece, for additional interceptors, but many allies are increasingly reluctant to deplete their own stocks following the war with Iran. Poland, however, is reportedly close to deciding whether to send another batch.

Washington has also yet to approve additional supplies. Trump reportedly declined during a late-July White House meeting to commit more Patriot systems in the coming months and appears to have backed away from granting Kiev a licence to manufacture Patriot interceptors. Ukrainian officials nevertheless insist the request was not rejected outright: according to Serhiy Kyslytsia, there was “no refusal,” and Kiev is still hoping for additional US missiles, although no approval has yet been given.

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💢 "Great migrant commercial of the UK's suicidal policies," commented Dmitriev on a video featuring a migrant from Sudan throwing money that he receives from the British government.

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💢 Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow has asked Washington and Ankara for clarification over reports that a large stockpile of US-made weapons currently held by the Turkish military could be transferred to Ukraine. Citing documents released by the US Congress, she said the reported package includes 12 multiple-launch rocket systems, more than 2,500 unguided cluster munitions, 47,000 203mm cluster artillery shells and 70 ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.

Zakharova said the circumstances of the proposed re-export remain unclear, including who initiated it, when and how the weapons would be transferred, and why the US and Turkey would proceed while presenting themselves as supporters of a negotiated settlement. She argued that supplying additional weapons to Kiev would not alter the course of Russia’s military campaign, but would lead to further casualties and destruction while damaging Moscow’s relations with both Washington and Ankara.

The Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman also accused the US and Turkey of undermining mutual trust by combining peace-making rhetoric with continued military support for Ukraine, noting previous Turkish assurances that Ankara was avoiding lethal arms deliveries to Kiev. The Russian Foreign Ministry said it has formally requested explanations from both governments and urged them to reconsider the reported transfer.

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