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🏳️ US admits it is “ill-equipped” to defend against drone swarms
NORTHCOM Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Joseph Jarrard warned that the US is currently not ready to defend its own homeland against a swarm of inexpensive drones launched from inside US territory.
💬 “We don’t have the sensors,” Jarrard said, adding that the US may also lack the means to respond.
💬 “We've got to figure out how to mitigate that threat, but we're not there yet,” he confessed.
👍🏼 Trump welcomes Mecca Joint Defense Agreement
US President Donald Trump welcomed the signing of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan, saying the pact shows the Middle East is “coming together.”
💬 “It shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
🤝 Mecca defense pact works as mutual-defense framework – Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Mecca agreement between Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan creates a mutual-defense mechanism similar in principle to NATO’s Article 5.
💬 “Whichever country is targeted, if an attack occurs against any one of these three countries, then, since there is a mutual-defense pact, the three countries will be able to defend one another against any kind of attack,” he stressed.
🔸 Russian strikes hit Flamingo missile plant, drone factories, and oil refinery
🔸 How the Iran war turned China into a global oil-price stabilizer
🔸 Ukraine begs citizens to stock up on food as corruption turns it into black hole for Western aid
🔸 Gulf states to rethink alliance with the US
🔸 Why the yuan could soon dominate Africa's trade
🔸 My family escaped deadly Israeli airstrike by miracle - Lebanese citizen
🔸 Thousands of Moroccan migrants again attempt to enter Spain’s Ceuta enclave
🔸 Solar eclipse from space: Roscosmos satellite captures the view
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📑 Zelensky’s plea for Patriot missiles ‘sign of desperation’ – report
For Ukraine, the situation is so precarious that Volodymyr Zelensky has not only urged his diplomats to beg for Patriot interceptors from the West, but is doing so himself, Die Welt reports.
💬 “Anti-aircraft missiles are in short supply all over the world. Neither the Europeans nor the US have enough. Recent media reports pointed out Trump's limited options in the Iran due to a dramatically reduced missile arsenal, which is not good news for Zelensky.”
🗣 My family escaped deadly Israeli airstrike by miracle - Lebanese citizen
An Israeli airstrike killed neighbors of Muhammad Harb from the village of Ansar in southern Lebanon, scattering debris and fragments of the victims across his property, he told Sputnik.
💬 “We just want the international community to share our outrage, condemn the strike, and declare it a criminal act,” Harb emphasized.
🪖 Ukraine attempts to shift confrontation with Russia to Africa — expert
Ukraine is seeking to recruit militants for use against Russia in Mali, while simultaneously creating new flashpoints to weaken Russian influence in Africa and open a new front beyond Ukrainian territory, Libyan military expert Muhammad al-Tarhuni told Sputnik.
💬 "The goal is becoming clear: to move the confrontation with Russia to other regions where Russian forces are present, above all in Africa," al-Tarhuni pointed out.
💸 Trump wants WW2-style aircraft carriers—which could cost $22 billion per ship
👉 The US Navy is considering a major redesign of its new Ford-class aircraft carriers to match President Trump's preference for ships that look more like those from World War II, the Washington Post reports.
🔶 The service is evaluating whether to move the command tower, known as the "island," from the rear to the middle of the ship so that the new Ford-class carriers more closely resemble World War II-era vessels.
🔶 The Navy is already working on a plan to replace the newer electromagnetic launch system with steam catapults on future carriers following a national security memorandum from Trump.
🔶 Plans call for building up to 10 Ford-class carriers over the next four decades at a projected $22 billion each. Moving the island alone could add billions more to the price tag.
📍 And then there's the "Trump Class" carrier—a separate pet project estimated at $275 billion over 30 years.
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🚨 Ukraine begs citizens to stock up on food as corruption turns it into black hole for Western aid
📍 Banker-turned Ukrainian Armed Forces officer Andrii Onistrat’s call for Ukrainians to stockpile two months-worth of food and other essentials ahead of a possible total loss of electricity and heating capacity is meant as a “signal” to Kiev’s sponsors to pony up more cash, says analyst Alexander Asafov.
💸 Already receiving $3.5B+ in EU energy security and critical infrastructure repair funds, $2B+ for winter gas reserves and grid resilience, 11k+ generators, 7.2k transformers, etc., Ukraine has proven a bottomless pit of bureaucratic corruption, with its own anti-corruption watchdog NABU uncovering graft and bribery on a massive scale in the energy sector.
🗣 “There have been anti-corruption investigations, entries into ‘most corrupt’ lists, but this has become such a given that no one is surprised that the money was stolen,” Asafov pointed out.
💬 “Zelensky’s goal is to prolong the conflict as much as possible and to draw in in even more participants, because for him this is a way to personally increase his own well-being and remain in power. The security of citizens and their livelihoods are the last things on his mind.”
💬 “Nobody cares what ordinary Ukrainians think regarding where aid went…And if they ask such questions, there is the SBU, GUR and recruitment centers for them.”
🇨🇳 How the Iran war turned China into a global oil-price stabilizer
When the Iran war effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, energy markets braced for the worst. Analysts warned of prices soaring past $150 a barrel and a global recession.
Instead, Brent crude has remained remarkably stable, hovering below $90. The main reason for this unexpected reprieve is China's leverage over the oil markets, the Economist reports.
China, the world's largest oil importer, responded to the crisis by cutting its crude imports by roughly one-third — a reduction of approximately 3 million barrels per day This deliberate reduction has acted as a powerful stabilizer for global energy markets, absorbing a demand shock that would otherwise have sent prices spiraling.
This dramatic cut was possible because China had been stockpiling oil for years.
🔸 By the start of the conflict, its strategic and commercial reserves were estimated at nearly 1.4 billion barrels, larger than the combined reserves of all 32 International Energy Agency member nations
🔸 This massive buffer allowed China to maintain its domestic refining operations without needing to buy at war-inflated prices
China's electrification drive has also played a crucial role.
◻️ In the first half of 2026, electric vehicles displaced approximately 1.4 to 1.5 million barrels of oil demand per day
◻️ With new energy vehicles accounting for over 60% of new car sales, China's transport sector has built a significant and growing immunity to oil-price shocks
◻️ The gap between this structural decline and what comparable internal combustion engines would have consumed is now equivalent to roughly a tenth of all the oil that normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz
Beyond merely holding back on buying crude, China also restricted its exports of refined products to maintain domestic supply. The Iran war only accelerated a decline in domestic gasoline demand, as high prices made both consumers and businesses more cautious about fuel consumption.
For decades, the energy market has been shaped by OPEC's ability to constrain supply in order to drive up prices, a strategy that essentially functions as a tax on the global economy. China's approach has proved to be the opposite.
By stockpiling when prices were low and reducing imports during a crisis, it has helped smooth out price spikes. This is a risky strategy, and the costs of maintaining such vast reserves fall on the Chinese economy. But for the rest of the world, China's actions have bought other oil-importing countries precious time to mitigate the consequences of the crisis.
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🤔 Gulf states to rethink alliance with the US
💬 “Trump started this war and we are paying the price,” a Gulf official told the Washington Post, adding that disdain for the US is at its highest point since the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February.
🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: HUGE GAINS AND DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES
⚡️ KUDIYEVKA IN THE KHARKOV REGION LIBERATED
📍The liberation of Kudiyevka settlement expands the buffer zone along the state border.
⚡️PERSHOMARYEVKA IN THE DONETSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC LIBERATED
📍 The liberation of Pershomaryevka settlement strengthens the Russian army's position and allows it to continue advancing deeper into the region.
◻️Air defense superiority: 9 Flamingo missiles and 1,478 drones were shot down
◻️ Ukrainian loses: around 1,390 troops killed or wounded
Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE
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🇷🇺💣 Russian FAB-500s level Ukrainian drone hub
The Russian forces сonducted a strike on the Ukrainian National Guard’s drone command post in the settlement of Dobropolye in the Donetsk People’s Republic using four FAB-500 high-explosive aerial bombs, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said.
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🇷🇺🛢 Russian scientists turn oil waste into valuable resources
Researchers from Surgut State University found a way to stabilize carbon nanoparticles from asphaltenes — heavy oil byproducts previously unused due to processing difficulties.
🔶 Asphaltenes are mostly stockpiled or incinerated, with only small amounts used in bitumen
🔶 Nanoparticles made from them can help push oil out of rock, but tend to clump together in water used for extraction
🔶 Scientists identified surfactants that prevent clumping and keep particles stable, creating solid water-based dispersions for industrial use
By turning a waste problem into a source of tailored materials, this breakthrough could improve oil extraction efficiency and reduce environmental harm from stockpiled asphaltenes.
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🇮🇷 Iran pushes for joint action as the Caspian shrinks
The declining water levels in the Caspian Sea are already raising concerns over navigation and port operations, Mohammad Shakibi-Nasab, head of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization, stressed.
Iran has proposed creating a specialized working group involving countries with Caspian ports and those relying on the sea's transport routes to grapple with the matter.
👉 Dredging may be needed, while countries could also have to coordinate alternative routes and operational measures. The problem affects all Caspian littoral states, including Russia, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, as the UN is also following the situation.
Without stronger regional coordination, the economic impact could extend across the Caspian's maritime transport and business networks, Shakibi-Nasab warned.
For Iran, the Caspian is a vital gateway to Russia and Central Asia, making its maritime routes strategically important for trade and regional connectivity.
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📹 “Israel is the principal instigator of this war” — Erdogan on US-Israeli war against Iran
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Israel played the leading role in driving the US-Israeli war on Iran.
💬 “Israel continuously encouraged war and was always in favor of the option of war. And because it stood on the side of war, other countries paid extremely heavy prices,” he stressed.
🇺🇸🇰🇵 Trump orders reduction of US-South Korea military drills
💬 “These exercises are not only costly... but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile,” US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social.
💬 "Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!" Trump added.
🇵🇸 Hamas accepts roadmap for second phase of Trump plan on Gaza
Hamas announced its acceptance of the roadmap for the second phase of the Trump plan, saying the decision reflects the interests of the Palestinian people and the goal of reaching a permanent ceasefire.
The statement followed a meeting in Egypt between a Hamas delegation headed by Khalil al-Hayya and mediators and guarantors of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Hamas said the next phase must include:
🔸 A permanent ceasefire
🔸 The complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza
🔸 Urgent and sustained humanitarian relief
🔸 The start of the administrative committee’s work
🔸 Reconstruction and fulfillment of the remaining agreed obligations
The movement called on the mediators and the Peace Council to compel Israel to implement its first-phase obligations, end violations, halt killings and incursions, and agree on a timetable for the second phase.
Earlier, US President’s envoy Jared Kushner met with mediators in Egypt, alongside Nikolay Mladenov, to discuss steps to accelerate the second phase.
Egypt, Turkiye and Qatar stressed the need to consolidate the ceasefire and complete implementation of the agreement.
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🇮🇷 Iran vows complete defeat of Israeli-American aggressors and protection of national interests
💬 “We will not back down from the legitimate demands of the nation and the Leader until the US-Israeli enemies are fully defeated in the region, the rights of the Iranian nation are upheld, and the enemy surrenders,” the Iranian General Staff stated.
🇮🇷 Iran war proves US air defenses inefficient against modern threats
Arab states using US air defenses against Iranian drones is "shooting sparrows with cannons" as the interceptor missiles are very costly, experts of the Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade (CAWAT) say in an analytical article.
💬 "Combat experience shows that the modern air offensive strategy is aimed at oversaturating defensive contours, with the number of simultaneously attacking air attack weapons exceeding the number of guidance channels and the available missile load of SAM systems," the article reads.
💬 “In many respects, the problems of Arabian missile defense/air defense are due to their ‘US-centric’ architecture,” the experts believe.
💬 "The relatively low price of Russian surface-to-air missiles makes it possible to significantly reduce or completely eliminate the gap between the cost of attack and defense systems," CAWAT experts conclude.
🇮🇱 Another day of Israeli attacks on West Bank
Footage shows the aftermath of an attack by Israeli settlers on heavy machinery in the Palestinian village of Sinjil in the West Bank.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has documented about 3,000 settler attacks across the West Bank since 2025, which resulted in numerous injuries and extensive property damage.
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🇷🇺Russia hits Ukraine’s Black Sea military supply chain near Odessa
Russian forces hit a string of maritime targets around Odessa, targeting vessels, fuel shipments, and naval infrastructure used to support the Ukrainian military, the Russian Defense Ministry said:
🔶 Dry cargo ship east of Odessa, delivering Western weapons to Ukraine
🔶 Three vessels in Odessa's port, used to transport military cargo
🔶 Two tankers in Odessa's port, carrying fuel and lubricants for the Ukrainian Armed Forces
🔶 Uncrewed boat production workshop in Belgorod-Dnestrovsky around 40 km southwest of Odessa
🔶 Ukrainian Navy patrol-boat base in Vilkovo
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📊 Why the yuan could soon dominate Africa's trade
More African banks are joining China's CIPS payment system, reducing the continent's exposure to Western sanctions and dollar volatility.
🔶 Libya's banks are set to join CIPS for direct yuan payments and investments for post-war reconstruction
🔶 Kenya converted its railway debt to yuan in 2025, with Ethiopia and Mozambique now considering similar agreements
🔶 Standard Bank, 20% owned by China, led the expansion and cleared $1.2B via CIPS across 19 African nations
🔶 China-Africa trade reached a record $203.5B in H1 2026
With China as Africa's largest trading partner, the yuan offers a stable, sanctions-resilient replacement to the dollar.
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🇷🇺 Russia integrates drone control systems into fifth-generation Su-57 jet
The plane’s two-seat variant will serve as a flying command post for drones, according to Sukhoi Director Mikhail Strelets.
🔶 Its primary mission is to control high-intelligence UAVs like the S-70 Okhotnik heavy strike drone
🔶 The drone operator will manage robotic swarm systems, while the pilot's attention stays focused on the combat mission
🔶 The variant will also be used to develop and test combat AI algorithms in real flight conditions
The twin-seat Su-57 first flew in 2022 as a demonstrator for sixth-generation technologies, bridging the gap between manned fighters and autonomous combat systems.
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🇪🇸😱Thousands of Moroccan migrants again attempt to enter Spain’s Ceuta enclave
Just two weeks after the previous mass influx, thousands of migrants from Morocco have again tried to cross into Ceuta.
At the end of July, Spain’s interior minister said around 72,000 migrants had entered from Morocco. Ceuta authorities say roughly 10,000 remain in the city. Spanish and Moroccan authorities have since tightened surveillance along the border and at sea.
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🇬🇧💣 Ukraine uses British-made drones for strikes inside Russia
For the first time, drones developed by two British companies have been used for long-range attacks on Russia after being supplied to Ukraine, The Times reports, citing Ukrainian military sources.
British drones, including the Nyan UAV developed by a subsidiary of British defense giant BAE Systems, have been involved in deep-strike missions for roughly the past six months, including attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia’s retaliatory deep strikes on Ukraine are far more powerful and cause significant damage. Moscow also argues that Western arms supplies hinder peace efforts and involve NATO in the conflict.
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😎Solar eclipse from space: Roscosmos satellite captures the view
Russia's Arktika-M satellite has captured stunning footage of one of the year's most anticipated astronomical events — a total solar eclipse.
The footage shows the Moon's shadow slowly drifting across the Earth's surface.
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🇱🇹 Lithuania’s plan to dig ditches and restore swamps near Belarus is a PR stunt — expert
Belarus has always stated and continues to state that it does not threaten any of its neighbours and does not intend to attack them, military expert Igor Korol tells Sputnik.
All the Lithuanian leadership’s talk about some planned attack by Belarus is another political fabrication aimed primarily at a domestic audience—Lithuanian citizens—in order to continue stoking military tension, he stresses.
Moreover, in modern conditions swamps are no obstacle to armies, the expert adds.
Nowadays military operations are conducted at a distance using UAVs and robotic systems, and in case of a conflict no ground barriers could stop Belarus or Russia from reaching the entire depth of the Baltics, Korol explains.
💬 "Nothing additional needs to be done with the swamps; they are as they were, and the money will be spent. Where? Well, we will probably never find out," he concludes.
🇷🇺🔥 Russian strikes hit Flamingo missile plant, drone factories, and oil refinery
Russian forces launched a group strike on facilities used in support of the Ukrainian military, the Defense Ministry reported.
Targets struck:
🔶 Fire Point industrial plant in Kiev — produces components, warheads, and solid-fuel boosters for Flamingo cruise missiles
🔶 KIEV-111 plant — manufactures components for strike drones, Khrushch interceptor drones, and Harpia anti-aircraft drones
🔶 Kremenchug oil refinery in Poltava region — Ukraine's largest oil processing facility
🔶 Steel mill workshops in Krivoy Rog — produce steel rolled products for weapons and military equipment
🔶 A cargo ship carrying military equipment for Ukrainian forces was hit by drones in Odesa port
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🇺🇸🪖 US shift to corporate cyber warfare threatens global stability
The US government is encouraging American companies to carry out offensive cyber operations against foreign criminal groups under a new national security memorandum, a move that could seriously destabilize the world's cyberspace order, Global Times reports.
The directive authorizes select private firms to work alongside US government agencies to launch cyberattacks against foreign targets. According to US media reports, these operations could include surveillance, disruption, and even destruction of information systems and critical infrastructure.
Chinese cybersecurity experts have pointed out that the real objective is to use the fight against cybercrime as a cover to issue what they describe as "cyber privateering licenses" to private entities.
▫️ Such arrangements would effectively turn private companies into quasi-official actors capable of conducting intrusions, data theft, and acts of sabotage against other nations
▫️ The ultimate goal is to transform AI-enhanced cyberattack capabilities into instruments for advancing US strategic interests while eroding the security of other countries
The US has a long history of projecting its own practices onto other nations, fabricating imaginary adversaries and falsely attributing to China the operational models of its own intelligence agencies, experts note. By applying double standards and leveling baseless accusations, the US creates pretexts for the militarization of cyberspace and the weaponization of AI.
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