BRICS Futurological Forum: Modernization doesn't mean Westernization

Speaking to Sputnik, Marta Fernandez, Director of the BRICS Policy Center at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, highlighted considering past years' experiences of transformations in order to successfully construct a just world order and foster future intercivilizational relations at both the national and international levels.

"The very concepts of civilization and modernity are in many ways contradictory, it is argued that in order to develop and look to the future it is necessary to somehow completely erase the past. In the Western understanding, the past is presented as something unworthy and subject to destruction, which seems strange. At this forum, on the contrary, we talked about the need to respect different cultures and to plan the future with diversity in mind," expert said.

In particular, she notes that each of the BRICS countries has its own unique experience in overcoming the harsh consequences of socio-economic and social transformations, as well as in implementing major infrastructure projects aimed at improving the lives of the population, "taking into account specific cultural and material circumstances".

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Trump allies hammering out AI 'Manhattan Projects' for defense sector – reports

Allies of Donald Trump are currently drafting a comprehensive executive order on artificial intelligence (AI), says the Washington Post. This order is intended to launch a series of projects similar to the famous "Manhattan Projects" to boost military technology. Additionally, it aims to review and potentially remove any regulations deemed as unnecessary or overly burdensome that have been proposed by Biden.

◾️ More military investment in AI could benefit tech companies that presently work with the Pentagon, the newspaper said, naming in particular Anduril, Palantir and Scale and adding that those companies' executives back Trump.

◾️ A copy of the document obtained by WaPo envisages creating "industry-led" agencies to evaluate AI models and shield the systems from "foreign adversaries".

◾️ The document's approach appears to sharply differ from Biden's October 2023 AI policy that ushered in government's oversight of the technology's development. The GOP is reportedly planning to repeal the order, saying it stifles innovation.

◾️ The Trump team's focus on AI and cooperation with Silicon Valley marks a change in his approach towards Big Tech.

◾️ The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, is also involved in drafting new AI policies as part of Project 2025, as per WaPo. Project 2025 calls for boosting AI research in the US while placing curbs on China's development. Trump has distanced himself from the project.

◾️ The Trump team told WaPo that no policy should be deemed official unless it comes directly from Trump or his authorized campaign spokesperson.

◾️ Silicon Valley, once a bastion of Democratic support, is shifting towards the Republicans, with a "significant chunk of the tech industry's money and power" lining up behind Trump, Axios reports.

◾️ Jacob Helberg, senior policy advisor to US defense contractor Palantir Technologies, has been called "Trump's AI whisperer".

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Bombs away! How much damage can Russian FAB munitions do

Engineers at Russia’s top defense conglomerate Rostec are now working at increasing the range of the weapon that has become a literal nightmare for the Ukrainian military in recent months – the FAB-3000 bomb.

Outfitted with a universal gliding and correction module, these three-ton monstrosities can be dropped from an aircraft far away from their intended target and still hit the latter with unerring precision, thus allowing the bomber to avoid getting too close to enemy air defenses.

Rostec now seeks to improve these modules even further, which would greatly increase the range of FAB bombs and turn the lives of Ukrainian air defense operators into living hell.

This infographic compiled by Sputnik shows what types of FAB bombs Russia has at its disposal and how much havoc they can wreak.

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NATO moves to sink its tendrils into MidEast by opening office in Jordan

NATO's plan to set up a liaison office in Jordan signals its aim to expand influence in Middle Eastern affairs, political analyst Alexander Kargin told Sputnik.

He stressed the significance of choosing Jordan over Israel for the office, given Israel's close relationship with the US.

“Biden’s stance – who, on one hand, supports Israel, but on the other hand hinders it – must have disappointed Netanyahu who refused to let NATO open a liaison office [in Israel],” the regional expert said. “We can draw different conclusions from what happened, such as that there is a cooling in relations between Israel and NATO.”

Kargin warned the move may create new problems for the country, but also argued that a NATO office in Jordan “cements the existing reality” in the Middle East — already “divided” between existing alliances.

“There are already these blocs, this division: the Gulf monarchies and the Arab countries allied with them on one side, and Iran and its allies on the other,” he said, adding that the regional reaction to the new NATO office will be split along those lines.

The opening of a NATO office also “reflects a strategic response to the volatile security landscape in the Middle East, marked by conflicts, terrorism and geopolitical tensions,” argued Dr Mehmet Rakipoğlu, assistant professor at Turkiye's Mardin Artuklu University.

“This move is both pre-emptive and reactionary: pre-emptive in strengthening NATO’s influence and preparedness for potential crises, and reactionary in addressing ongoing threats like terrorism and regional instability,” said Rakipoğlu. “It underscores NATO’s commitment to proactive engagement and crisis management in a strategically crucial region.”

The Jordan gambit is about “strengthening and powering stance of NATO and expansion in the Middle East,” he added.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳⚓️ Russia and China conducted a maritime patrol as part of the "Naval Cooperation 2024" exercises

The route of the Chinese and Russian ships passed south of Jeju Island, through the Osumi Strait, the western Pacific Ocean, and the South China Sea.

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What's behind US Navy’s Silent Swarm drone exercises?

While the RIMPAC and Pitch Black exercises are generating a significant buzz in the Asia-Pacific region, another, albeit smaller, yet seriously significant event has quietly commenced in the US, which is known as Silent Swarm.

◾️The exercises are taking place in Thunder Bay on Lake Huron off the coast of Alpena in Michigan, where the US Navy’s training center is located. Only 500 military specialists are taking part in it.

◾️The main objective of the training is to focus on drone warfare and counter-drone exercises. This entails the US testing the use of both UAVs and BECs in water conditions.

◾️The emblem of Silent Swarm is self-explanatory. It features large flying drones, copters, a ship, and satellite antennas which are used for controlling the drones.

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Putin emphasized the need to widely implement the digital ruble across various sectors of the economy.

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The European Parliament, in its first resolution after the elections, condemned Orban's visit to Russia on a peace mission.

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❗️As a result of the negotiation process, 95 Russian soldiers who were in captivity were returned from Kiev regime-controlled territory, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported. In exchange, 95 prisoners of war were transferred to the Ukrainian side.

UAE provided humanitarian mediation for the return of Russian prisoners of war.

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The Israeli army released 13 detainees from the Gaza Strip this morning, including women and teenagers.

Video: social media

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❗️The total losses of Ukrainian troops in a single day amounted to up to 1,980 militants, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry’s daily briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:  

◻️ The Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) lost up to 650 militants, an armored personnel carrier, and three ammunition depots in the Russian Zapad Battlegroup's combat zone.

◻️ The UAF lost up to 610 militants in the Russian Yug Battlegroup's combat zone.

◻️ Russian air defenses shot down a Hammer-guided bomb and 59 Ukrainian drones.

◻️ The Russian Vostok Battlegroup took more advantageous positions, causing the UAF to lose up to 125 militants.

◻️ The Russian Central Battlegroup improved its tactical position and repelled a counterattack by units of the Lyut assault brigade.

◻️ Russian forces destroyed a UAF rocket and artillery weapons depot.

◻️ The Russian Sever Battlegroup hit three enemy brigades and repelled one counterattack, with UAF losses exceeding 170 militants.

◻️ The UAF lost up to 325 militants and a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle in the Russian Central Battlegroup's combat zone.

◻️ The Russian Dnepr Battlegroup destroyed three UAF ammunition depots and a military-technical equipment depot.

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