Zero Rss

Europe Votes Against Thought-Policing 'Chat Control', Brussels Passes It Anyway...

On Thursday in Strasbourg, 314 Members of the European Parliament voted to reject the return of "Chat Control," the legal regime allowing tech companies to scan the private messages of roughly half a billion Europeans.

Illustration via proton.me

Only 276 voted to keep it.

So naturally, the scanning regime won - thanks to a 'quirky' voting procedure in Brussels that allowed legislation to survive even though most MEPs who cast a vote opposed it. That should alarm anyone who still believes the word "parliament" is supposed to mean something.

Losing by Winning

The vote took place at second reading, under an urgent procedure pushed through just two days earlier by Parliament's largest bloc, the centre-right European People's Party.

At second reading, the arithmetic is rigged toward passage. Rejecting or amending the text does not require a majority of votes cast. It requires an absolute majority of all 720 MEPs: 361 votes.

That means every absent MEP and every abstention effectively counts in favor of the law.

This is how “DEMOCRACY” works in Europe:

⛔️ 314 vote AGAINST mass surveillance.
✅ 276 vote FOR it.

MASS SURVEILLANCE WINS.

Then the same bureaucratic hypocrites travel the world lecturing everyone about democracy and their so-called “European values.”

WELCOME TO THE EUSSR. https://t.co/5OiJPMmg8i pic.twitter.com/zOM4OnLqkv

— Dr. Simon (@goddek) July 9, 2026

On Thursday, 607 members voted: 314 to reject, 276 to proceed, and 17 abstained. Another 113 were not in the chamber. The rejection therefore fell 47 votes short of the required threshold. A clear majority of voting MEPs opposed the measure - and the measure became law again anyway. Not coincidentally, the vote was scheduled for the final sitting day before Parliament dispersed for its summer recess, when absenteeism is at its annual peak.

The path to this outcome is as important as the result. Parliament had already rejected an extension of these same rules on 26 March. The regulation then expired on 3 April. In any functioning democratic system, that would have been the end of it. Instead, the Council returned on 2 July with essentially the same text, repackaged as a new proposal. Then, on 7 July, the EPP secured an urgency procedure by a narrow 331-to-304 vote, bypassing committee scrutiny and setting up Thursday's vote under second-reading rules.

Marketa Gregorova, the Greens/EFA negotiator on the file, accused the EPP of violating Parliament's own rules of procedure and abusing its position to force a re-run of a question the chamber had already answered. She was right to do so.

This is actually quite unbelievable.

Did you know that Nazis never won an over-whelming majority? They gained rule through such exceptions.

Evil finds its way. https://t.co/YOKnH2RStA

— Tuomas Malinen (@mtmalinen) July 9, 2026

When a legislature can be made to vote on the same question repeatedly, under progressively worse rules, until it produces the desired answer, the word "vote" begins to look decorative.

What was revived on Thursday is "Chat Control 1.0" - the ePrivacy derogation first adopted in 2021 - not the broader permanent proposal commonly known as Chat Control 2.0.

The revived regime permits, rather than requires, providers such as Meta, Google and Microsoft to scan private messages, emails and uploaded images on unencrypted services for child sexual abuse material. It will now run until April 2028, unless permanent legislation replaces it first.

Parliament did manage to push through two concessions. Amendments exempting end-to-end encrypted services passed with 369 and 362 votes, carried by an unusual coalition spanning liberals, the left and parts of the right. That matters: Parliament is now formally on record against breaking encryption.

But as civil-rights campaigner Patrick Breyer notes, the victory is partly symbolic. Providers cannot meaningfully scan end-to-end encrypted content in the first place without undermining the encryption itself.

The more revealing vote was the one that failed. An amendment to restrict scanning to individuals actually identified as suspects by the judiciary won a clear plurality, 322 to 255. But because it also needed 361 votes, it died.

In other words, a majority of voting MEPs wanted scanning limited to actual suspects.  Europe got suspicionless scanning of everyone instead.

Tyler Durden Fri, 07/10/2026 - 04:15

Is She Going To Eat It?

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity News,

Migrants continue to treat Britain's streets, parks, and waterways like a personal hunting ground, with fresh footage exposing the grim reality of unchecked mass immigration.

A disturbing new video circulating on X shows a woman - widely identified in comments as a migrant - seemingly actively hunting birds.

She uses a sheet to capture a seagull perched on a gate or property edge. After securing the bird, she looks around for more prey, scanning the area as if on a deliberate hunt.

I DONT WANT PEOPLE LIKE THIS IN MY COUNTRY pic.twitter.com/HZCiZ8mBiI

— WeGotitBack ??????????? (@NotFarLeftAtAll) July 9, 2026

When locals spot her and begin filming while questioning what she is doing with the bird, she gestures dismissively - as if to say "what's your problem?" and implying this is totally normal behaviour and none of their business.

The clip has sparked widespread outrage, with many slamming the trespass and illegal taking of wildlife.

This is sick. We don't want this barbaric and cruel shit in our country!

— Nicola Beaumont. ? (@PsychBeaulogy) July 8, 2026

ALL gulls (commonly called seagulls) are fully protected in Britain by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it illegal to kill, injure, or handle them, or to destroy their active nests and eggs.
This woman needs locking up...FOLLOW OUR LAWS OR BOG OFF ???? @BBCNews...

— Nix Randall (@Nixterr1) July 9, 2026

They're eating the birds. They're eating the cats.

They actually are. Libtards will defend it.

— GMghostmode (@GallowsMemes) July 9, 2026

There have been further suggestions that the woman was actually "rescuing" the bird, but many are not buying that explanation.

? WOMAN WAS RESCUING SEAGULL, NOT STEALING IT

A video I shared yesterday of a woman catching a seagull in a blanket, was Not what it looked like, the woman in question was actually concerned for the small seagull after it has fell off the roof previously, as you can see in... https://t.co/X4ae0MxvCR pic.twitter.com/36ONNaUHu6

— Active Patriot (@ActivePatriotUK) July 9, 2026

I've never seen someone rescue a bird by snapping it's wings and stuffing it into a bed sheet.

— NickyP (@Nickypwastaken) July 9, 2026

This does not align with the original video which shows a bird with an adult size wingspan, not a fledging who is unable to fly. The bird the woman was wrestling into the sack/blanket would have been able to fly. What this means now I cannot say, but something is amiss here.

— Tez Locke (@TezLocke) July 9, 2026

Fair play, but a juvenile gull that size does not need 'rescuing'. You can see in the original video that it tries to fly away from her. It was already fledged. pic.twitter.com/Hp2xzuaVYt

— MJ Simpson (@mjsimpsonfilms) July 9, 2026

As if that's the same woman aint even the same house.

— ????????? ??? (@CerebrAiX) July 9, 2026

You have to be an idiot to see that first video even with the idea in your head that she is trying to help it, and still think she is trying to help it.

— Monty (@MontyDean1A4) July 9, 2026

I see nothing in this video that refutes the first one. The woman is not present in this one, & it's a different gull. As a wildlife biologist, I can say that she did NOT handle the gull like someone w/ its welfare in mind. Have you been threatened into issuing this statement?

— Missy Lee (@RecoveringWLW) July 9, 2026

This one was rescued from the road ? pic.twitter.com/RK6wiXoo9S

— Harry Lines??????? (@HarryLines7) July 9, 2026

This latest incident fits a clear pattern. Migrants have been repeatedly filmed hunting pigeons, with their bare hands in UK streets, and even using fishing rods to try and catch them.

Similar scenes have played out with protected swans and ducks across the UK and Ireland, where migrants set traps and butcher birds in public spaces.

The depravity doesn't stop at birds. On the continent, a Nigerian migrant was caught cooking a cat in a public park next to a children's playground, drawing fury from locals.

These cases echo reports from Springfield, Ohio, where Haitian migrants faced accusations of snatching and consuming local wildlife, including ducks and geese in parks.

Residents described scenes of animals being grabbed by the neck, decapitated, and taken for food - claims that amplified national debate over mass migration's impact on communities and norms.

British wildlife laws under the Wildlife and Countryside Act strictly protect many of these species. Yet enforcement seems inconsistent when it involves certain arrivals who show little regard for local customs, laws, or basic animal welfare.

Locals filming these confrontations repeatedly highlight the same point: these individuals have housing, clothing, and food provided, yet they hunt urban birds as if in a survival scenario from their countries of origin.

The cultural clash is undeniable. Britain, long a nation of animal lovers with strong traditions of protecting wildlife, now contends with behaviors that treat public spaces as open butcheries. Pigeons and seagulls in cities scavenge in polluted environments, raising health risks from diseases, but that hasn't deterred the hunters.

This is a visible symptom of failed open-border policies that prioritize globalist ideals over national cohesion and rule of law. While politicians lecture about tolerance, everyday Brits watch their parks and streets transformed, and communities on edge.

Mass immigration without assimilation imports incompatible practices that erode Britain's way of life. Strong borders, enforced laws, and putting citizens first aren't radical - they're essential to preserving what remains of civilized society.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden Fri, 07/10/2026 - 03:30

Erdogan Taunts Israel & Greece After Trump Hands Turkey F-35, Sanctions Win

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has responded to ongoing Israeli and Greek objections to the possible US sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey by mocking the Turkish enemies and rivals.

Opposition to the potential stealth fighter transfer raised by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greece’s Kyriakos Mitsotakis "has no place in my world," Erdogan said in his characteristically bellicose manner.

"Hopefully, when the F-35s are delivered to Turkey, the whole world will say America kept its promise," Erdogan said at a Wednesday closing news conference for the NATO summit hosted in Ankara. 

Netanyahu told Fox News on Monday that "Turkey is a great country, but it's governed by a man who calls openly for the annihilation of Israel" - in reference to Erdogan. "He occupies half of Cyprus, a NATO country. He's threatening Greece, another NATO country, and he talks openly about conquering Jerusalem."

The Israeli leader also said that giving Ankara F-35s or fighter jet engines would "upset the power balance in the Middle East, which is ultimately guaranteed by Israeli air superiority and also by, I think, by America's posture in the Middle East." He's been urgently requestion that the White House reign in Erdogan and his provocative rhetoric.

However, Israeli pressure did nothing to sway Trump while the US President was in Turkey. Trump strongly signaled he's ready to go through with the sale of F-35s, saying of Erdogan, "We are great friends".

What's more is that Trump declared - to the surprise of US Congress (who will want a word on this) that he'll be removing US sanctions which were imposed on Turkey during his own prior administration: 

In response to that purchase, Washington in 2020 imposed sanctions on a major Turkish defense company and removed Turkey from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program, where Ankara was also a production partner.

"We’re going to be taking the sanctions off," Trump told reporters just before his meeting with Erdogan during a visit to Turkey for a NATO summit. He added that his secretary of state and Treasury secretary were working on the issue.

In the moment, Secretary of State Marco Rubio looked a bit surprised, while President Erdogan beamed with a sense of victory...

Erdogan gives a thumbs-up as Trump lifts sanctions in real-time. Rubio has a WTF?!? look that can't be denied. pic.twitter.com/XnGIkvyIOs

— Christopher Leonard (@ChrisLeonardATL) July 8, 2026

Later, Erdogan voiced that in reality the United States is "not enforcing any sanctions against us" and that "by and large, those measures have already been lifted."

He said of his top national security officials, "They have all witnessed firsthand that these sanctions are not being applied to Türkiye. So, we have no such problem. And whenever an issue does arise, Mr. Trump, thankfully, returns our call within 24 hours whenever we reach out to him. Within that same 24-hour period, we receive the response we need."

The Turkish foreign ministry has also hit back at recent Israeli statements, saying, "The baseless allegations recently circulated by Israeli officials in a coordinated manner and with calculated timing are part of a disinformation campaign." The statement added: "Netanyahu and his partners in crime deliberately distort any criticism directed at them and seek to divert attention through a systematic propaganda effort."

Tyler Durden Fri, 07/10/2026 - 02:45

Europeans Should Embrace The American Revolution

Authored by J.B. Shurk via American Thinker,

The time has come for Europeans to declare their independence from ruling-class tyranny.

We made it to our two-hundred-fiftieth birthday, America.  What’s next?  Let’s get back to work, so that our descendants can celebrate one thousand.

Making sure the American Experiment endures is work, after all.  Protecting American ideals from our ideological enemies is never easy.

Well before our nation declared independence from Great Britain, the American system repudiated the whole “ruling class” hierarchy that — to this day! — still oozes from the infected abscesses of the United Kingdom and much of continental Europe.  After we fought two world wars in the twentieth century to save Europe from itself, we spent the Cold War period in a bit of a kumbaya stupor during which Americans often equated the beliefs of Western nobles with those who founded and built the United States.

But Europe and America have never been the same.  The people who built America left Europe behind for good reasons.  They rejected Europe’s aristocratic allegiances, its feudal social structures, and its false pretension that blue-blooded “elites” are divinely and innately empowered to rule over everyone else.  The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution are not merely documents establishing America’s political separation from Britain and the legal foundations for its new government.  They are revolutionary statements of America’s intent to remove itself from the generational enslavement upon which monarchies, ruling classes, and feudal systems depend.

Taken together, the Declaration and Constitution assert fundamental truths that governments throughout human history have tried to obscure from their peoples.  Those truths include the recognition that all of us are equal before God; so-called noble aristocrats are not divinely given or entitled to receive more power or privilege than the common man.  Furthermore, our rights come from God, not the government.  Aristocrats, government officials, elected representatives, and bureaucrats cannot give us what only God provides for our well-being and happiness.  Additionally, because governments are artificial creations constructed by imperfect human beings, they are legitimate only when the people who live under those governments consent to their structure.  Governments that exercise power in defiance of the will of the people are unjust governments utilizing illegitimate powers.  Finally, when governments deny the people their God-given rights, fail to keep the public safe, undermine their citizens’ happiness, usurp powers belonging to the people, abuse the public, or threaten the lives and liberties of citizens, the people have a right — nay, a duty! — to overthrow those governments and replace them with new governments more likely to protect the people’s lives, liberties, and God-given rights.

These assertions didn’t just repudiate the British Crown.  They repudiated the legitimacy of governments throughout the world.  Princes justified their powers over common people as expressions of God’s will.  Claiming to be God’s direct emissaries on Earth, noble aristocrats considered themselves the arbiters of what rights and liberties common people might enjoy.  The American Revolution rejected these premises as outright lies.  Princes are endowed with the same rights as commoners.  Rights and liberties come from God, not ruling class elites!

In other words, America’s War for Independence was also a war that threatened systems of power throughout the world.  If legitimate government powers come directly from the people, then the whole feudal hierarchy is inverted.  Rather than a pyramid with a king or queen on top who allocates certain powers to a small royal court of lords who allocate a few powers to vassals who allocate a tiny portion of those powers to peasants who remain in indentured servitude, the Declaration of Independence asserts that power arises from the base of the pyramid with the people and that government authorities merely borrow the people’s power as temporary custodians obligated to secure and advance the public’s will.  Nothing at the top of the pyramid is legitimate unless the bottom of the pyramid consents.  Two-hundred-fifty years ago, America turned the world upside down.

Do any of these American convictions describe Europe today?  Does the unelected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen behave as someone who derives her power from the consent of those Europeans she insists upon governing?  Do the digital censorship laws that prevent citizens of the United Kingdom and the European Union from freely communicating with each other protect their God-given rights and liberties?  Do the growing swarms of European bureaucrats writing endless rules and regulations inside unaccountable government institutions appear to respect the people’s inherent powers?  Do Europe’s open borders policies provide European citizens with security, safety, and happiness?  If the answer to these questions is “no,” then don’t common Europeans have the right and duty to overthrow their governments and form new institutions committed to their protection and the preservation of their freedoms?  Otherwise, aren’t most of the bureaucracies and government institutions of Europe wholly illegitimate?

It is easy to see why governments around the world don’t spend much time teaching young students about the Declaration of Independence or the American Revolution.  If they did, most citizens would immediately recognize their own forms of government as oppressive, harmful, unjust, and resentful of God’s authority.

This is why European political “leaders” refuse to talk about rights and freedoms and instead drone on about “democracy.”  It is difficult to explain how rights and freedoms can be inalienable when governments insist on defining, redefining, or abridging them whenever those in power find it necessary or convenient to do so.  “Democracy,” on the other hand, stands for nothing other than the dangerous proposition that fifty-one cannibals can vote to eat forty-nine of their neighbors.  “Democracy” can even be twisted to mean that a couple dozen European Commissioners are entitled to choose a European Commission president who is somehow entitled to write laws for all of Europe.  Such an arrangement undermines all safeguards for Europeans’ inalienable rights and liberties.  Describing fascism, socialism, or monarchy as “democratic” does not lend legitimacy to despotic forms of government.

To this day, Europe’s leaders don’t understand America.  Or they understand, but they pretend that America embraces European “values.”  Or they look down upon America as some kind of wild mongrel that makes a good guard dog but remains incapable of appreciating the dignified sensibilities of European “elites.”  The noble gentry who spread their cancerous ideologies from Brussels do their best to groom and domesticate America while expecting us to pee on the rug at any time.  Europe’s entrenched aristocracy prefers for the unruly American dog to stay outside.

Part of the reason we are “unruly,” though, is that our political instincts are foreign and threatening to a European feudal structure that demands total power for the few and no power at all for the many.  Europe’s bureaucrats prefer Karl Marx to Thomas Jefferson.  Europe’s aristocratic “elites” prefer declarations of dependence to America’s Declaration of Independence.

The future is not a battle between the so-called “democratic” West and the authoritarian regimes of the world.  The future is a battle between feudal forms of government and an American system that recognizes governments as legitimate only when they are used to protect each individual’s God-given rights.  Both in Europe and the United States, the war against government tyranny and for human freedom will continue to rage.  European and American “elites” will do everything they can to foster public dependence upon government.  European and American citizens who wish to be free must declare their independence from Big Government.

There are those alive today who believe that Big Government cannot be beaten.  That’s natural.  Two-hundred-fifty years ago, few believed that America’s Declaration of Independence would lead to the British Empire’s defeat.  The war for human freedom never truly ends.  Every generation must fight to secure their God-given rights.  When governments forfeit the people’s consent and undermine the people’s freedoms, they are rendered illegitimate.  There is but one public remedy: revolution.

Tyler Durden Fri, 07/10/2026 - 02:00

113 Active Spies From Foreign Countries Arrested: FBI Director

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

The FBI has arrested 113 active spies from foreign nations, agency director Kash Patel said on Wednesday.

FBI Director Kash Patel testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 12, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The arrests of foreign spies "means our tech stays home and our defense secrets stay locked down," a video shared by Patel on X said. "But the FBI didn't stop there. They forced 62 removals of Chinese spies in 2026 alone."

The video added that this has shattered the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP's) deep cover operations against the United States.

The House Committee on Homeland Security released a report in February 2025 detailing multiple cases of espionage conducted by the CCP in the United States since 2021.

The cases, spread across 20 U.S. states, involved the transmission of sensitive military information to Beijing, stealing trade secrets to benefit the regime, transnational repression schemes targeting Chinese dissidents, and obstruction of justice. Every 12 hours, the FBI opened new cases to counter Beijing's intelligence operations, according to the report.

The report noted that the CCP's theft of U.S. intellectual property amounts to roughly $4,000 to $6,000 annually per American family of four after paying taxes.

In one prominent case, a senior adviser to the State Department was arrested in October 2025, accused of taking thousands of top-secret documents and meeting with Chinese officials. The individual allegedly downloaded and saved documents related to U.S. fighter jets and weapons capabilities.

On Jan. 12 this year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that a former U.S. Navy sailor was sentenced to 200 months in prison for spying for Beijing.

The person had access to sensitive national defense information about the amphibious assault ship U.S.S. Essex, such as its weapons, propulsion, and desalination systems. These ships are a "cornerstone of the U.S. Navy's amphibious readiness and expeditionary strike capabilities," according to the DOJ statement. The sailor sold critical information to a Chinese intelligence officer for $12,000.

More recently, on June 4, the DOJ announced that a U.S. citizen pleaded guilty to acting as an agent for China. The man, who lived in China, would travel to the United States to meet with individuals who could provide him, and ultimately the Chinese Ministry of State Security, with important information.

Digital Threats, Cartels

The video shared by Patel also said that the FBI has been successful in countering cyber threats.

On Jan. 8, the FBI issued an alert warning about a North Korean state-sponsored cyber threat group targeting American entities with a QR code phishing scheme to steal sensitive information. As of last year, threat actors from the group targeted academic institutions, think tanks, and U.S. and foreign government entities.

Last month, the DOJ said that 13 internet domains backed by suspected Chinese agents were seized by authorities. The domains were used to target Americans with security clearance to access classified government information.

The FBI is now targeting cartels as foreign terrorists, which has led to around 4,800 cartel members getting arrested, the video said.

Despite the ongoing crackdown, cartels are shifting drug trafficking tactics. During a Senate committee hearing on May 12, top law enforcement officials raised concerns about some Mexican cartels moving operations to Canada in order to manufacture and distribute fentanyl.

Terry Cole, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said there have been "significant seizures" of fentanyl in Canada over the previous months.

At the hearing, Patel said: "The drug traffickers got smart with the securitization of the southern border and moved it up there [to Canada]. So we're tackling that with our seize partners."

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 23:25

Fiber-Optic Kamikaze Drone Found In Mexico Signals New Drone Threat South Of Border

The global proliferation of low-cost suicide drones is setting off alarm bells across the US military and among national security officials and experts. The race to harden high-value assets in the homeland, from military bases and airports to power substations, crude oil refineries, stadiums, and data centers, is already underway as officials fear the next major threat could come from a cheap drone equipped with a warhead.

The latest warning that Ukrainian-style drones are just south of the US-Mexico border comes from a new report by the Mexican newspaper El Sol de Durango, which states that Mexican federal forces discovered an unjammable fiber-optic kamikaze drone during a raid on a compound.

The raid took place at a compound in the Dolores del Río neighborhood, located deep inside north-central Mexico, about 500 miles from the US border and about 560 miles from Mexico City by road.

The Attorney General's Office (FGR) reiterates its commitment to the investigation and prosecution of federal crimes and calls on citizens to report any illegal activity, either in person or anonymously. / Photo: Courtesy / FGR

The Mexican Army and National Guard secured the perimeter of the compound, while Durango's regional federal prosecutor's office and other law enforcement agencies found the fiber-optic suicide drone, guns, ammunition, ATVs, and other vehicles.

They seized an explosive device, two magazines and 78 cartridges of different calibers, a drone, two ATVs and four vehicles / Photo: courtesy / FGR

From the local outlet:

The operation stemmed from a citizen complaint received by the Attorney General's Office (FGR ) through the Single Window for Attention (VUA), in which a member of the National Guard (GN) reported potentially criminal activity at the aforementioned address. In response, the Federal Public Prosecutor (MPF) requested and executed a search warrant for the location.

During the operation , supported by agents of the Federal Ministerial Police (PFM) and the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC), authorities seized an explosive device , two magazines and 78 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, a drone, two ATVs, and four vehicles . The perimeter was secured by personnel from the Mexican Army ( Sedena ) and the National Guard (GN).

The importance of this find is that fiber-optic kamikaze drones, once largely confined to major war zones across Eurasia, from the Russia-Ukraine conflict to the Gulf area, now appear to be spreading worldwide.

Even more troubling, this drone was found roughly 500 miles south of the US-Mexico border. The discovery points to one unavoidable conclusion drawn from today's conflict zones: the US must supercharge the hardening of high-value assets against this drone threat (read here).  

Military bases, airports, power substations, refineries, ports, data centers, and other critical infrastructure are entering a whole new risk environment in which cheap drones can cause outsized damage.

We recently penned a note for readers on how to profit from the "asymmetric warfare boom." Read the note here.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 23:00

Federal Agents Targeting Illegal Truck Drivers At Weigh Stations Nationwide

By Noi Mahoney of FreightWaves

Federal immigration agents are now working alongside state troopers at commercial truck weigh stations across the country as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on illegal commercial drivers, according to U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan.

Appearing on Fox News on Tuesday, Homan said the Department of Homeland Security is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation and state law enforcement agencies to identify commercial drivers who are operating trucks with improperly issued commercial driver’s licenses. 

“We’ve got a lot of people we’re looking for,” Homan said. “Actually, some states we’re actually working weigh stations with the troopers, trying to get these people as they’re coming through.”

Homan said more than 28,000 non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses have been revoked nationwide and acknowledged that obtaining driver records from some states has complicated enforcement efforts.

"We’re working very closely with many states,” Homan said, adding that DHS is coordinating with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy while the Department of Justice pursues legal action against jurisdictions that refuse to share driver information.

Enforcement expands beyond paperwork

The latest announcement builds on a series of recent commercial vehicle enforcement operations by state agencies focused on licensing violations, unsafe equipment, hours-of-service compliance and immigration-related offenses.

Last week, FreightWaves reported that law enforcement agencies in Texas, Arizona and California had expanded commercial vehicle inspections targeting unqualified drivers and unsafe trucks. Those operations resulted in immigration arrests, equipment citations and drivers being placed out of service.

Homan suggested the latest federal effort goes beyond revoking licenses by focusing on locating drivers who remain behind the wheel after their commercial driving privileges have been canceled.

According to Homan, DHS agents are working directly with state troopers at weigh stations to identify those drivers during routine commercial vehicle inspections.

Arizona stop highlights safety concerns

The enforcement push comes as Arizona authorities continue reporting cases involving commercial drivers operating without required credentials.

In a Facebook post, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said on Tuesday a Highway Patrol Commercial Vehicle Enforcement trooper stopped a hotshot truck on June 26 along State Route 202 near Arizona State University after discovering numerous violations.

Investigators said the driver lacked both a commercial driver’s license and a required USDOT medical certificate. Inspectors also found that none of the trailer’s brakes were functioning, meaning only the tow vehicle could stop the fully loaded 14,900-pound trailer. 

Arizona troopers also cited exposed hubcaps and a missing emergency brake cable before placing the driver and vehicle out of service.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 22:35

When Will The Cattle Cycle Turn? BofA Has Answers For Beef Lovers

Bank of America analysts spoke with Oklahoma State University agricultural economist Derrell Peel, who offered new insight into the US cattle cycle. His key takeaway: the herd-rebuilding phase may not meaningfully begin to turn until near the end of the decade, suggesting elevated beef prices at the supermarket are here to stay.

The most important issue in the beef industry is when the cattle cycle will turn. The US beef cow herd is the smallest since 1961, while the 2025 calf crop is the smallest since 1941. Beef production is expected to decline by 4.5% to 5% in 2026 and continue falling through at least 2027, despite heavier carcass weights partially offsetting lower slaughter volumes.

Peel explained to Sara Senatore, a BofA Securities research analyst covering restaurants, protein processors, and food and beverage, that the beef industry has not yet seen the tightest supplies because meaningful heifer retention has only just begun.

He added that if ranchers begin saving heifer calves in 2026, those animals would be bred in 2027, calve in 2028, and only begin adding to supply in 2029 or 2030.

Peel explained more about when the cattle rebuilding cycle could turn: 

The bottom line is, I don't think we're saving very many heifers yet. I don't think we're doing more than perhaps slowing the liquidation down, or stabilizing the herd. We're certainly not going to expand any in 2026. I think the prospects for expansion in 2027 are very limited at this point, because again we know that the supply of heifers that's already on the ground, that we would need to be breeding this year to enter the herd next year, just isn't there.

And so if we start saving heifers, which would really be heifer calves in 2026, we breed them in '27, they would calve in 2028, we're talking about 2029 into 2030 before those calves would be weaned and fed out and have an impact on beef production. So we're really looking at the end of the decade before we can change the path here.

And in fact, what it means is that in the meantime we have to save some additional heifers. We haven't yet seen the tightest supplies of this particular situation. We've got tight supplies, the feeder supply continues to decline with these smaller calf crops, but at some point we have to pull additional heifers out of that mix in order to retain them for herd rebuilding. We have not done that yet to any appreciable degree.

Cow calf producers are getting market incentives, returns are good. But we've been very slow to respond as an industry for, I think, a wide variety of reasons, that includes drought and financial conditions and demographic changes in the herd or in the producer population, and just a variety of things that contribute to that.

The upshot of it all, this is my final analytical slide, is that we think that prices will continue to go even higher. I would expect that heifer retention process to be what would put the peak in this thing. That peak will not happen, in my opinion, at this point in 2026. It will be at least into 2027. And there is a possibility that it gets pushed off even beyond that if we don't see some indications of heifer retention pretty quickly here in 2026.

So the short answer is the current situation will continue, and I think persist, and actually get a little bit more in terms of higher cattle prices. Now, that's all predicated on demand continuing as strong as it is. I don't see that changing at this point. There's certainly some potential threats out there that we're watching, but I don't see demand changing enough to prevent this.

So the short answer is the current situation will continue, and I think persist, and actually get a little bit more in terms of higher cattle prices. Now, that's all predicated on demand continuing as strong as it is. I don't see that changing at this point. There's certainly some potential threats out there that we're watching, but I don't see demand changing enough to prevent this.

The warning that the cattle cycle is still several years from a meaningful turn builds on our prior note that there are "no quick fixes" for historically tight supplies.

The structural fix is herd rebuilding, and Peel's timeline points to meaningful relief in beef production closer to 2029-2030, not anytime soon.

In other words, high supermarket beef prices are not a temporary squeeze. This is a new reality folks must understand: a broken cattle cycle that will take years to repair - and quality might lack... 

That's why locking in high-quality beef now matters. While the Trump administration searches for ways to bring prices down (see here) and the industry waits years for herds to rebuild, readers can skip the junk at the supermarket and buy directly from our ranchers. 

Buy here. 

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 22:10

'World's Largest' Heavy-Lift Cargo Aircraft Targeted For Military And Disaster Logistics

Authored by Christopher McFadden via Interesting Engineering,

Radia and Blue Water Shipping (Blue Water) have announced a strategic alliance that will combine the former's gigantic Windrunner aircraft with the latter's global logistics network. Under the agreement, Radia will supply the aircraft, and Blue Water will do basically everything else.

Image of several Radia Windrunner aircraft taxiing.Radia

"The companies expect to focus initial collaboration efforts across several strategic sectors, including energy and project cargo, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, aerospace logistics, and military and defense-related transportation," Radia explains in a press release.

In case you are unaware, the Windrunner is being marketed as the world's "largest cargo aircraft." Not in terms of raw weight, incidentally, but rather in the fact that it can vary extremely large, and non-standard cargo.

To date, examples have included 328-foot (100-meter) long turbine blades, large military vehicles, satellites, and aircraft fuselage parts, among other notable examples. So, in a sense, the selling point for it is its cargo-carrying volume.

Windrunner Is One Hell Of An Aircraft

Another interesting wrinkle is that the Windrunner is designed to operate out of both existing and "semi-prepared runways." This means it can deliver cargo to dirt strips, compacted gravel, temporary runways, and remote airfields.

That means it could, in theory, fly directly to places like wind farm construction sites, military bases, disaster zones, and mining projects, rather than unloading hundreds of miles away.

Both Radia and Blue Water are particularly pitching their services to militaries and humanitarian aid efforts. The former often requires irregular cargo like radar systems, missile launchers, helicopters, engineering gear, bridge-laying equipment, etc, delivered to areas with no existing aerodromes.

The same is true for humanitarian aid, especially when natural disasters have knocked out existing infrastructure.

"Many of the industries we support are constrained not only by infrastructure but by the inability to efficiently move oversized cargo where and when it is needed," said Mark Lundstrom, Founder and CEO of Radia.

Blue Water is a logistics company that has made its fortune arranging global logistics via things like ships. trucks, trains, etc, and navigating all the administrative red tape like customs, permits, etc. Both companies believe they can combine their respective talents to streamline the integration of their respective services.

Not An Exclusive Partnership, More Of An Open Relationship

"By combining WindRunner's transformational airlift capabilities with Blue Water Shipping's global logistics expertise, we believe we can help create more flexible and resilient transportation solutions for customers operating in some of the world's most challenging environments," Lundstrom added.

"Blue Water Shipping has extensive experience delivering complex logistics solutions across industries that depend on precision, reliability, and flexibility," said Rasmus Svane, Head of Global Product Development Wind, Blue Water Shipping.

"Our collaboration with Radia represents an exciting opportunity to explore new logistics models for oversized cargo and help customers rethink what is possible when combining multimodal transportation solutions," he added.

It is important to note that the agreement is for both to become "preferred partners" of one another. That doesn't mean exclusivity, but rather, they will bid together for projects that benefit both.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 21:45

"Turn Off Bluetooth, Use Signal": ACLU Advises Anti-Trump Protesters On Evading Gov't Surveillance

If you want a sign of how the left-wing, permanent protest-industrial complex is gearing up for the next wave of street mobilization, look no further than Chad Marlow, a senior policy counsel at the ACLU.

Marlow, whose work focuses on privacy, surveillance, and technology, has circulated guidance for protesters on social media about how to limit digital exposure, avoid government surveillance, and communicate via encrypted messaging platforms while protesting.

"If you're protesting and not actively using your phone, the best thing you can do to prevent it from sharing information about you and your location is to shut it off entirely. If you want to turn on your phone to take pictures and record video during the day, turn your phone on, enable Airplane Mode, and turn off Bluetooth. That way, your phone won't be inadvertently sharing your private location and other data while you're using it," Marlow said in a video posted on Instagram.

He continued, "If you need to use your phone, turn it on while you're communicating, then shut it off when you're done. By the way, it's always safest to use a fully encrypted app like Signal, which makes it more difficult for the government to intercept your communications."

After the North Texas Antifa defendants were convicted over the anti-ICE terror shooting attack and the Minnesota Antifa cell suspects were indicted for anti-government violence, leftist groups have been releasing guides on how to hide and destroy digital evidence.

The ACLU is… https://t.co/HfQv37KL0a pic.twitter.com/WRSFSgGxqf

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) July 8, 2026

The ACLU is listed as a proud partner of the failed No Kings rally, an event that is far from organic; instead, it is a heavily coordinated coalition of far-left socialist groups, NGOs, and unions seeking a socialist revolution by toppling Trump.

Marlow's educational session on how protesters can limit digital exposure and evade government surveillance is certainly not a good look for a nonprofit that claims to defend all civil liberties. Instead, it has become a legal arm of far-left protesters.

Related:

• Leaked Memo Shows 'Pro-Cuba' NGO Network Preparing To Target ICE, US Bases, Federal Buildings

Concerns that the ACLU is no longer merely protecting constitutional rights but is increasingly helping to equip DSA-aligned protesters for their revolution are very troubling, given what socialists say in their own words:

DSA Members: "The most important thing we can do is take America down from within" pic.twitter.com/phicruCxKe

— DSA Watch (@DSA_Watch) July 8, 2026

This blurs the line between civil-liberties advocacy and activist support infrastructure at a time when the broader protest-industrial complex appears to be gearing up for the next round of street chaos. 

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 21:20

Justice Department Agrees To End Biden-Era Oil & Gas Leasing Restrictions In Alaska

Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times,

The U.S. Department of Justice said July 7 the Biden administration’s oil and gas leasing restrictions in northern Alaska’s Arctic region violated federal law and asked the court to dismiss lawsuits by the state and its industrial development and export authority challenging the regulations.

The lawsuits were filed in 2025 over the Biden administration’s 2024 restrictions on oil and gas lease auctions in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska argued that the administration essentially sabotaged bidding with its restrictions on surface use and occupancy, which made “any development economically and practically impossible.”

“The Biden era Alaska oil and gas leasing program violated the law and improperly limited Alaska’s energy potential with unreasonable regulation,” U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a July 7 press release.

“This settlement supports the Trump administration’s commitment to secure American energy independence and our national security for generations to come,” he added.

Congress set aside 1.5 million acres along the Alaska coast in 1980 for potential oil and gas development, and in 2017 instructed a federal agency to develop the resources on the land. Alaska’s lawsuit claims the Biden administration negated Congress’s directive.

“These resources not only help our energy independence as a nation but also grows the Alaska economy and puts more money in the Alaska Permanent Fund for future generations,” Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a January 2025 statement.

The settlement says the 2024 leasing program violated the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act by abdicating the government’s duty to conduct a second lease sale, closing 75 percent of the 1.56 million-acre Coastal Plain to exploration and leasing, imposing unreasonable surface use restrictions on the remaining 25 percent, and unreasonably restricting surface disturbance.

“This settlement sets the record straight that the Biden administration’s 2024 restrictions on oil and gas production in Alaska were overly restrictive and contrary to Congress’s clear command to establish a competitive oil and gas leasing program in Alaska’s Coastal Plain,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in a statement.

Alaska’s governor’s office and the industrial development and export authority didn’t immediately return requests for comment about the settlement.

The Justice Department also settled a decades-old lawsuit with Alaska on July 7 over a botched federal expansion project at the Don Young Port of Alaska in Anchorage, agreeing to pay the state $180 million.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at the White House in Washington on July 16, 2020. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

The funds will go toward rebuilding the Don Young Port, according to Dunleavy.

The port serves about 90 percent of Alaska’s population with food, fuel, building materials, and other goods.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 20:55

New Hampshire Kills Historic $100M Bitcoin Bond Proposal

New Hampshire's Executive Council narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday that would have authorized a $100 million Bitcoin-backed bond, ending what supporters hoped would make the state a pioneer in digital asset finance, according to Bitcoin Magazine.

The measure failed in a 3-2 vote after reaching its final approval stage, despite receiving a favorable rating review from Moody's and backing from Governor Kelly Ayotte and the New Hampshire Business Finance Authority. Had it moved forward, officials said it would have been the first municipal bond in the world secured by Bitcoin.

The report notes that supporters argued the transaction would not put taxpayers at risk. Instead, it would have connected private investors with a private borrower using Bitcoin as collateral, while allowing the state to collect fees that could fund small business, housing, child care, and economic development initiatives if the deal proved successful.

Skeptics, however, questioned whether New Hampshire should attach its name to a financing structure built around a volatile digital asset. Councilor Karen Liot Hill said she was not opposed to cryptocurrency itself but believed the state should be cautious about endorsing a transaction tied to Bitcoin's price swings.

Business Finance Authority Executive Director James Key-Wallace rejected the idea that Bitcoin remains an "emerging" asset class, arguing it has already established itself in global finance. He also suggested the proposal could have opened the door to similar transactions in the future.

Ayotte, who signed legislation making New Hampshire the first state to authorize a strategic Bitcoin reserve and giving the state treasurer authority to invest in Bitcoin, said pursuing innovative financial structures is worthwhile so long as taxpayers remain protected.

The vote came after Liot Hill unsuccessfully attempted to delay consideration of the proposal. She was joined by Janet Stevens and David Wheeler in opposing the measure, while Joseph Kenney and John Stephen voted in favor.

The decision arrives as Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency industry are facing heightened scrutiny. Bitcoin has pulled back from recent highs, while renewed attention has focused on Michael Saylor and Strategy, whose aggressive Bitcoin dividend strategy has drawn increasing debate as the cryptocurrency's price weakens.

That backdrop has put high-profile Bitcoin-related proposals under a brighter spotlight, even as adoption efforts continue at the state and institutional levels.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 20:30

SoCal Education Leaders Stole Nearly $20M From Schools; Report

Authored by Bryan Hyde via American Greatness,

A new report has revealed that a pair of Southern California school leaders separately stole nearly $20 million from their schools in order to fund lavish personal lifestyles.

According to The New York Post, the report was co-authored by the State Financial Officers Foundation, a watchdog made up of state treasurers and auditors, and OpenTheBooks, a nonprofit focused on transparency in government spending.

The cases of the two Southern California educators were among the most expensive examples of K-12 education fraud documented nationwide.

"It's for the kids."

Said every educrat, ever.https://t.co/1XWVRTcWZS

— Scott C. Johnston (@SJohnston60) July 9, 2026

Jorge Armando Contreras, the former fiscal services director for the Magnolia Elementary School District in Orange County, was charged with altering school checks over several years to funnel $16.7 million into his personal accounts.

Contreras was spending the money on everything from a luxury home and a BMW to designer clothes and pricey tequila and federal investigators found stacks of cash stuffed into a mini-fridge and luxury designer bags at his home.

He was sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison in 2024 and order to pay $16.7 million in restitution to the Magnolia School District in Orange County.

Another case highlighted in the report revealed that Janis Bucknor, the head of the Community Preparatory Academy charter school in Los Angeles, stole more than $3 million in taxpayer funds to cover travel, restaurants, shopping and private school tuition for her children.

Bucknor also pleaded guilty to spending more than $220,600 on Disney cruise line vacations, theme park admissions, and other Disney-related expenses.

According to prosecutors, Bucknor admitted in 2020 to stealing the funds, and was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, State Financial Officers Foundation CEO OJ Oleka said:

All fraud is harmful, but defrauding education dollars meant to help kids learn and succeed is especially hideous. The findings in this report should alarm every family, teacher, and civic leader.

The California cases were part of nearly 90 cases identified by a coalition of auditors over the past six years involving embezzlement, phony invoices, inflated enrollment, bid-rigging and kickbacks, among other crimes.

The report follows the Trump administration’s promise to crack down on government waste, with Vice President JD Vance leading a nationwide “War on Fraud” that has raised new questions about oversight of federal education spending.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 20:05

Russia Warns NATO Leaders To 'Stop & Think' Before Leading World To Catastrophic Confrontation

Another night has passed, and the usual major Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil and facilities and tankers have occurred, this time impacting at least three Russian regions, authorities said Thursday. Strikes hit oil depots in the Stavropol and Tver regions, as well as an oil pumping station in the republic of Bashkortostan and a marine loading terminal in the Rostov region - along with other reported impacts, Amsterdam-based Moscow Times reports.

During this week's NATO summit, Ukraine's President Zelensky was touting his country's drone capabilities as among the best in the world, and that now, essentially no place is safe in Russia.

Telegram/Moscow Times: Fire at an oil depot in the central Tver region.

This was perhaps on display Monday, when long-range drones apparently set a new distance record in striking a sprawling oil refinery in the city of Omsk in western Siberia

"Today, our long-range sanctions reached the oil refinery in Omsk – nearly 2,500 kilometers from Ukraine," Zelensky had announced in a nightly address soon after the attack.

"Upgraded Fire Point drones have put Siberia within reach of Ukrainian precision. This is a significant blow to Russia’s oil economy and an important achievement for the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Zelensky said.

The messaging from NATO leaders gathered in Ankara had clearly been one of support. For example, President Trump had commented, "It's an escalation but it’s also an escalation that can help lead to an end [of the war]." 

Trump also said, "We have a lot of pressure on President Putin. I don’t think he likes what’s going on." He added: "But I talked to President Putin a lot. He wants to end the war."

Following these developments, the Kremlin is freshly warning Western strategists to 'stop and think' before leading the world to the brink of disaster by confronting nuclear-armed Russia.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated Thursday, "European elites are positioning themselves as leaders in the confrontation between the 'collective West' and our country," Zakharova said.

The Russians obviously knew Trump approved giving Ukraine targeting intel for deep strikes on Ru energy. Russia answered it this year by providing Iran targeting intel on US bases, radars & infrastructure. Iran defeated the US. Quite a brilliant tradeoff.https://t.co/X7vfRaExNO

— Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) July 8, 2026

"They likely don't realize that all this entails not only creating threats and problems for Russia, but also a significant depletion of resources and the creation of hotbeds of military tension within Europe itself," she added.

She also underscored how pursuing peace with Russia was glaringly absent NATO proceedings at the Turkey summit. "A constructive agenda remains a low priority for NATO," the Kremlin spokesperson continued.

"It's a shame that if NATO strategists had stopped and reflected, they might not have made such irresponsible decisions that could lead to disaster not only for the alliance, but for the entire world," she said.

According to more of her comments via English-language state publications:

The Russian spokeswoman also took aim at NATO's pledge to provide $80 billion in military aid to Ukraine in 2027, while ignoring mounting socio-economic problems across the continent. She accused the alliance of treating Ukrainians as "expendable material for their geopolitical ambitions.""In fact, the current European elites are positioning themselves for leadership positions in the confrontation with our country," she stated.

Some European officials actually voiced something similar, but they remain in a tiny minority:

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš:

Everyone is talking about war, everyone is talking about rearmament, and yesterday I didn't hear the word "peace" even once. pic.twitter.com/KNfyVDzE6A

— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 8, 2026

Prominent Russian writer and political philosopher Alexander Dugin has also commented, "The summit of NATO is a clear sign of all spectrum escalation. The growth of Russophobia and new phase of war against Iran."

Indeed both the Ukraine and Iran conflict theatres are growing hotter once again, and there's simultaneous escalation. Dugin has also warned that the "MoU is over. The new phase of the war begins. The escalation with Russia is going to grow."

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 19:40

AI Price War Breaks Out: Meta Unveils Paid AI Model For First Time, Will Be "Among Most Affordable Options"

Shortly after a leaked Meta memo revealed the company was planning on putting an AI chip into production in September as it looks to double computing capacity to 14Gigawatts, the company also unveiled a version of its most advanced artificial intelligence model, Muse Spark 1.1, that includes a new paid tier for developers, marking the first time Meta has charged businesses for access to its models and providing a new revenue stream. It’ll be "among the most affordable options" on the market, Zuckerberg said in a Bloomberg interview ahead of the release.

“Since this is not an open source model, this is I think the first time that we’re doing a real serious API,” Zuckerberg said, referring to the application programming interface used to access Meta’s AI. “And the pricing is going to be very aggressive and attractive” he added indicating that Meta hopes to capture market share by undercutting its competitors, offering the new model at 25% of the cost of top models from OpenAI and Anthropic.

The new model’s biggest improvement is in its agentic capabilities, the Meta CEO told Bloomberg, and according to benchmarks the model does indeed appear to be in line with the competition.

He hopes to piggyback on the latest craze in AI development this year, which a month ago saw Goldman forecast that agentic AI use will lead to a massive 120 quadrillion monthly tokens being used by 2030.

Agents are the big theme of AI this year, with the label applied to systems that can complete multistep tasks on behalf of a user. Zuckerberg described Muse Spark 1.1 as having “state-of-the-art or very close to it” agentic reasoning and tool use. The model is also greatly improved when it comes to coding and Meta employees are using it internally to build products and features for various apps, he added. 

Meta will also introduce a new Meta Model API system, which will be used to collect fees from developers. Its API pricing is roughly 25% of the cost advertised by other top models from OpenAI and Anthropic, according to Bloomberg. Developers will be able to use Meta’s model for free, but only up to a point; they’ll be required to pay for access after reaching a certain token threshold, Zuckerberg said. 

Which means that legacy frontier models will now have to worry about domestic cheap alternatives, especially after xAI also released an agentic and coding model yesterday which will have to grab market share, in addition to much cheaper Chinese models.

“The pricing from some of the other labs is very extreme and has very high margins,” Zuckerberg said, underscoring that his strategy is to get Meta’s technology in front of as many people as possible. “We think that there’s a real ability to be able to offer frontier or very high-level intelligence at a much more affordable cost.”

Zuckerberg, 42, is spending aggressively to keep pace with rivals like OpenAI and Alphabet in a race to achieve what he calls superintelligence, or AI that can perform tasks better than humans. Meta has committed hundreds of billions of dollars to building the infrastructure necessary to develop superintelligence, including data centers and expensive AI chips. The company announced a new $10 billion data center investment in Canada as well as a new image-generation model just this week.

Yet despite Meta’s massive investment spending, its models have not historically tested at the same level as those from Anthropic, OpenAI or Google. But Muse Spark 1.1 is more competitive, Zuckerberg said, and tested better than Google’s Gemini model in several categories related to agents, coding and multimodal capabilities. 

“That is a pretty interesting milestone because I think this may be the first time, at least that I can remember, that Meta’s models are better than all of the Google models,” he said, although it remains to be seen if users/Wall Street agree.

Zuckerberg’s commitment to the AI race has led to a series of extreme shifts in strategy and resources over the past year. Following a disappointing model launch in the spring of 2025, Zuckerberg became personally involved in rebuilding Meta’s AI lab, which included hiring Scale AI’s Alexandr Wang to lead the new unit, and eventually, significant layoffs and several internal reorganizations.

Once fully committed to building open source AI models that are available for free to outside developers, Meta has also pivoted toward prioritizing closed models that it can charge for — like Muse Spark 1.1 — which required essentially rebuilding the technologies from scratch.

Zuckerberg said he’s pleased with how the lab is progressing, although it's not like he would openly admit the alternative. 

“We’re generally doing better than we expected,” Zuckerberg said. He acknowledged that Meta is still trailing some of the larger AI labs, including Anthropic and OpenAI, but said that the company has another new model coming, codenamed Watermelon, that he believes can help Meta “push this maximum frontier of intelligence.” He declined to share details on Watermelon’s release timeline, saying that the focus is on quality.

Investing in a frontier model - or AI technology that moves the industry forward with new capabilities and features - is an expensive endeavor. But Zuckerberg believes it’s worth the investment from Meta given his mission: To build personal agents that everyone in the world can use.

Which begs the question, posed earlier By Vital Knoweldge, who pointed out that just over the past 24 hours wee have seen "new frontier models from Meta (Muse Spark 1.1), SpaceX (Grok 4.5), and OpenAI (GPT 5.6), and asked "Seems like differences are fairly marginal.  Does the world really need all these?"

To Zuck the answer is, of course, yes: after all he has to justify the hundreds of billions he plans to sink into the commoditization of AI.  Then again, Zuckerberg does not believe that the technology will ultimately become a commodity (narrator: it will) that is, that all of the various AI models will essentially do the same thing and be more or less indiscernible from one another. He pointed to Mythos, the latest model from Anthropic, which raised national security concerns in the US, as an example of how companies are already gatekeeping aspects of the technology instead of sharing it widely.

The truth is that Zuck really has no choice: Meta is projecting record capital expenditures for 2026, in addition to spending billions on AI talent to build out its Meta Superintelligence Labs, and has pledged hundreds of billions more to infrastructure projects. Should Zuck capitulate on building a frontier model the company will be relegated to the neocloud cloud, with excess capacity to spare (which is what sent the stock surging last week), and rerate appropriately after the initial move higher. Alternatively, it must keep spending in hopes to eventually show some return on the hundreds of billions in investment.

Critics have increasingly questioned whether the pivot has paid off. One among them is Apollo chief economist Torsten Slok who in a note overnight wrotes that consensus expects free cash flow for the hyperscalers to more than double over the coming years.

But what if the payoff takes longer than consensus assumes, Slok asks echoing a question that has plagued the AI industry since the summer of 2024? That question is particularly pressing given that token prices continue to decline and Chinese models are gaining ground, both in their share of the world's most-used models and in token usage, where they now lead their US counterparts among the top 20 models.

PIggybacking on what we said a few weeks ago (see "Answering The "Trillion Dollar Question": Are China's AI Models A Better Value Than US Models"), Slok says that if Chinese models keep gaining and token prices keep falling, the hyperscaler cash flows expected may prove too optimistic.

What are the consequences if the AI payoff comes slower than expected in the first chart?

1. Cash flows and earnings disappoint: the projected free cash flow surge slips later while committed capex and heavy depreciation hit on schedule, squeezing margins and marking down the forecast in the first chart.

2. A Mag 7 sell-off that takes the market with it: equity prices built on a fast payoff re-rate, and because the Magnificent 7 now account for so much of the indices, the pain can't stay contained, it spreads to chips, power, data centers and the S&P 500 as a whole.

3. Balance sheets stretch and credit risk rises: with internal cash unable to cover spending, hyperscalers lean further on debt, raising leverage and inviting possible ratings downgrades if profits lag.

All that is true, and is based on just growing Chinese competition. Now add various "new" domestic entrants such as xAI and Meta as aspirational frontier model leaders, which will inevitably spark an even more furious price war, and suddenly the return calculation for both stock and bond investors becomes much uglier. 

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 19:35

New Atlas Aircraft Targets Long-Range Strikes Without Runways Or Large Flight Decks

Authored by Neetika Walter via Interesting Engineering,

Mach Industries has won a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contract to develop a long-range unmanned aircraft designed to launch from austere locations and ships without large flight decks.

Atlas drone Mach Industries

The aircraft, called Atlas, is being developed for the DIU's Runway Independent Maritime Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) program. Mach Industries will serve as the aircraft integrator, working with propulsion company Whisper Aero.

According to the solicitation, the Department of the Navy is seeking an unmanned aerial system capable of conducting long-range strikes while operating from expeditionary sites with minimal infrastructure or from ships that lack conventional runways.

Mach said Atlas is designed to meet those requirements with a hybrid-electric propulsion system, runway-independent operations, a 1,000-pound payload capacity, and a range of 1,400 nautical miles.

Built For Austere Operations

The aircraft combines Mach Industries' platform development capabilities with Whisper Aero's JetFoil propulsion technology.

Unlike conventional fixed-wing aircraft that require runways, Atlas is being designed to operate from unimproved landing zones while retaining the control characteristics of a fixed-wing platform. The companies say the approach could give military units greater flexibility in contested environments where traditional airfields may be unavailable or vulnerable.

Excited to announce Atlas, our VTOL strike and logistics aircraft for the Navy. pic.twitter.com/fvbLWujnVN

— Mach Industries (@Mach_Industries) June 16, 2026

The aircraft is also intended to support distributed operations, a growing focus for the U.S. military as it prepares for conflicts in which logistics networks could come under attack.

In recent testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael identified contested logistics as one of the Pentagon's critical technology priorities. The challenge centers on sustaining military operations when transportation routes, supply chains, and support infrastructure are disrupted.

Mach says Atlas addresses that challenge by reducing infrastructure requirements for launch and recovery while simplifying maintenance through a highly redundant propulsion architecture and a lower part count.

"Mach's speed to prototype and production, coupled with Whisper Aero's novel aerodynamics and propulsion makes Atlas a revolutionary air mobility platform," said Nathan Diller, President and Chief Strategy Officer at Mach Industries.

Quiet Propulsion Advantage

A key feature of the aircraft is Whisper Aero's JetFoil technology, which the company says improves efficiency while reducing acoustic signatures.

The system is designed to generate lift and thrust more efficiently than traditional approaches, helping extend range while allowing operations from confined locations. Lower noise levels could also make the aircraft more difficult to detect during missions.

"We developed JetFoil to propel the next generation of conventional, short, and vertical takeoff and landing aircraft silently and efficiently," said Mark Moore, CEO of Whisper Aero.

According to Moore, the technology allows Atlas to meet RIMES requirements while operating from smaller naval vessels. "With JetFoil, Atlas can effectively meet the needs of the RIMES mission to operate even from destroyer class vessels."

The award adds to Mach Industries' expanding defense portfolio. Founded in 2023, the company says it is currently flying five different platforms and has manufactured more than 250 aircraft. Over the past two months, it has also conducted flight operations in four countries under complex electromagnetic conditions.

If successful, Atlas could provide the Navy and joint force with a long-range strike platform capable of operating from locations where traditional aircraft cannot, while reducing dependence on large runways and established air bases.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 19:15

Strongest El Nino In 75 Years Sets Off Food Supply-Chain Alarm Bells

The US Climate Prediction Center has warned that the weather phenomenon El Niño, which only recently emerged across the Pacific, could become the most powerful in more than 75 years. This raises the risk of adverse weather conditions across the US, Asia, Australia, and South America. The stronger the weather event becomes, the greater the threat to critical food supply chains, which are already vulnerable to drought, flooding, export restrictions, and rising protectionism.

The CPC, a NOAA/National Weather Service unit that issues official US government climate outlooks, wrote in its report that sea-surface temperatures at least 1C above normal have spread across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, with an 81% chance the event becomes "very strong" and ranks among the largest on record since 1950. Some parts of the Pacific were 2.7C above normal last week.

A negative El Niño Southern Oscillation Index indicates pressure patterns consistent with El Niño, typically associated with weaker Pacific trade winds and warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific. The SOI is now at levels not seen since 2005.

"Even the strongest El Niño events do not lead to typical impacts everywhere, but stronger events can more significantly tilt the odds in favor of expected outcomes," the Climate Prediction Center said. El Niño "will strengthen through the end of the year, with a 97% chance it will last through early spring 2027."

Goldman Sachs commodities research analyst Lina Thomas provided further insight into the looming El Niño threat, warning that global agricultural supply is "highly concentrated geographically," leaving crop markets "highly vulnerable to localized weather, geopolitical, or policy shocks."

Thomas warned about weather, geopolitical, and/or policy shocks that may put a bid under food prices:

Global agricultural supply is highly concentrated geographically. Across key crops such as soybeans, corn, rice, sugar, and palm oil, the top three exporting countries account for 60-90% of global trade (Exhibit 1), leaving agricultural markets highly exposed to localized weather, geopolitical, and policy shocks.

Because major agricultural exporters increasingly prioritize domestic food and energy security through export restrictions and biofuel mandates, even modest disruptions—or the fear of disruptions—can trigger policies that reduce exportable supply. In highly concentrated markets, the resulting loss of exportable supply can be much larger than the original production shock, amplifying price volatility. Import-dependent countries may in turn respond by stockpiling and pursuing greater self-sufficiency, often accepting higher domestic production costs in exchange for supply security. While these measures are ultimately aimed at improving resilience locally, they also fragment trade, reduce market liquidity, and increase the sensitivity of prices to future shocks.

We view the risk of protectionist policy responses as a key source of upside risk to crop prices and agricultural volatility, as three near‑term supply concerns could trigger precautionary measures even if the underlying disruptions ultimately prove limited.

• First, El Niño conditions are already present, with a 63% probability of developing into a "super" El Niño. Because many major exporters of staples such as rice, and crops used for biofuels such as sugar and palm oil, are concentrated in regions that historically experience more adverse weather during El Niño episodes, even a modest weather shock—or the fear of one—could trigger precautionary export restrictions.
• Second, higher energy prices in 2026H1 and concerns about fuel security may encourage governments to increase biofuel mandates, further diverting crops from export markets into domestic fuel production.
• Third, fertilizer markets also remain exposed to renewed disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz during the critical Q3 procurement season for major nitrogen fertilizer importers ahead of 2H planting.

Already seeing rising vegetable oil prices...

El Niño coverage:

• Super El Nino: Famine Follows War?
• UBS Warns El Nino May Intensify Food Inflation Across Asia
• First Major Weather Organization Declares El Nino Onset As Food Inflation Risks Intensify

Professional subscribers can read more El Nino coverage here at our new Marketdesk.ai portal. 

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 18:50

Kentucky Governor Beshear Presses Senator Mitch McConnell To Release Health Update

Via American Greatness,

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is calling on Senator Mitch McConnell to publicly disclose more about his health after the longtime Republican lawmaker remained out of public view for nearly three weeks following his hospitalization in Washington.

In a letter released Wednesday, Beshear said Kentuckians deserve more information about McConnell’s condition and his ability to continue serving in office.

“Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the current state of your health and well-being, and ability to hold office,” Beshear wrote.

McConnell, 84, was hospitalized June 14 and has not released a public statement, photo or video since then.

His aides have provided few details beyond saying last week that he “continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”

The lack of public updates has fueled speculation over whether the former Senate Republican leader will return when the Senate reconvenes next week.

Republican leaders sought to tamp down those concerns Tuesday.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming both said they had spoken with McConnell and described him as alert and engaged in discussions about current events.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had not spoken with McConnell since the senator’s hospitalization.

“I have no idea how he’s doing,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from the NATO summit in Turkey.

McConnell has announced he will retire when his current term expires in January, but questions about his health have intensified interest in what could happen if he is unable to complete the remainder of his term.

Kentucky law no longer allows the governor to appoint a temporary replacement to the U.S. Senate.

Republican lawmakers changed the state’s succession process in 2021 and again in 2024, removing the governor’s appointment authority and instead requiring a special election if a vacancy occurs.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 18:25

This State Is Ground Zero For The "Explosive" Diarrhea Parasite As Cases Explode 400%

Michigan is getting hit hardest in a fast-spreading nationwide outbreak of a stomach parasite, with cases exploding more than fourfold in a matter of days.

The state saw infections skyrocket from 170 to 681 by Monday, the biggest single jump reported anywhere in the country, according to health officials.

New York has logged 120 cases since May 1, a state official told The Post, while Texas has confirmed 48 cases as of Monday. Illinois has also seen a sharp rise, with reports ranging from 11 to 80 cases through mid-June, according to CDC data.

Michigan health authorities, who are investigating what they call a "large and growing outbreak," now put the state's count at roughly 700 as of Monday - about 13 to 14 times Michigan's typical annual total of 40 to 50 cases. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state's chief medical executive, said the cases are concentrated in eight southeast Michigan counties: Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland, and Livingston.

Federal officials have urged caution about linking the spikes together. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is "no evidence of a single, multistate Cyclospora outbreak linking cases" being reported now, and the Food and Drug Administration said it was "not in a position at this time to characterize the current numbers as definitively unusual" while its investigation continues. Nationally, the CDC counted 145 cases across 17 states between May 1 and June 16 - a tally that excludes Michigan's surge - with 20 hospitalizations and no deaths, in patients ranging in age from 5 to 86. Ohio, not among the states the outbreak was first reported in, has separately confirmed at least 177 cases this year.

Many people who catch the parasite - called cyclosporiasis - show no symptoms at all. But for those who do, it's brutal. Those who catch the parasite experience watery, "explosive" diarrhea that can leave victims running to the bathroom dozens of times a day, along with severe cramping, vomiting, nausea, fatigue and fever.

The illness is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite that spreads through food or water contaminated with feces - most often fresh produce - and is not known to spread from person to person, because the parasite needs one to two weeks outside the body to become infectious. It is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, sold as Bactrim, typically over a 10-day course; untreated, symptoms can last from a few days to more than a month and may relapse. The CDC advises washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.

Cristy Cooper spoke to The Post from her hospital bed as she battles the infection.

"This is worse than like any flu I've ever gotten or anything, it's just so... it's miserable. I'm worn out from it. I really am," she said.

Cooper's nightmare started June 25 with what she described as "unbearable" diarrhea.

Within days came crushing gas, exhaustion, vomiting, nausea, painful cramps and a 100.2-degree fever. Doctors are treating her with a sulfa-based antibiotic, and she's now on the road to recovery.

 

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 18:00

Feared Free-Market Activist Warns Texas Stock Exchange Against Going Woke

Authored by Will Hild via The Center Square,

As the Texas Stock Exchange begins its launch, Texans have every reason to celebrate. Soon, the TXSE will join Nasdaq Texas as a fully functioning venue, and the NYSE has signaled a strong commitment to Texas as well. It is clear that Texas is emerging as a serious challenger to New York as the nation's financial capital.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott rings the Closing Bell of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in celebration of the launch of NYSE Texas in Arlington, Aug. 20, 2025. Photo: Texas Office of the Governor via Facebook / Used with Permission

Texas earned this moment by embracing lower taxes, lighter regulation, and, perhaps most importantly, better governance laws and more favorable proxy rules designed to make the state the best place in America to do business.

But Texans should remember why those reforms became necessary.

For years, some of Wall Street's largest financial institutions embraced Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) activism, using their enormous influence to pressure companies on political and social issues far beyond their fiduciary responsibilities. Many Texans viewed those efforts as an attempt to use financial power to reshape industries that are foundational to the state's economy and culture.

These companies came after oil and gas, cattle and coal. They pushed racist diversity standards and forced companies to hire based on factors they proclaimed were more important than simply focusing on who was best suited for the job.

This was met in Texas with significant contempt, and the backlash was swift. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened investigations into Net Zero Banking and Asset Manager alliances led by the likes of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock and State Street, among others. He also sued BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard alleging antitrust violations. The state comptroller divested significant assets from BlackRock and the Texas Board of Education did the same.

The message from Texas was simple: financial institutions should focus on delivering returns, not political agendas. That's why as the TXSE becomes an operational venue, Texans must pay close attention to who's financing the exchange.

BlackRock, one of the most recognizable champions of ESG investing, is the founding institutional investor of the TXSE. Its CEO Larry Fink has argued that companies must address issues ranging from climate change to racial and gender inequality and famously said BlackRock would "force behaviors." In his 2021 letter to CEOs, Fink proclaimed that "no issue ranks higher than climate change." Texans saw his actions as evidence that America's largest asset manager was using its market power to influence policy rather than simply maximize shareholder value.

J.P. Morgan is also a major investor. This is the same bank that faced serious backlash for de-banking gun companies and manufacturers, and even President Donald Trump himself. JPMorgan Chase has also made aggressive climate finance commitments, including a pledge to finance a $1 trillion Green objective, to help transition to a lower-carbon economy.

Bank of America, another institutional investor in the exchange, likewise committed hundreds of billions of dollars toward sustainable finance initiatives. The bank has also embraced Critical Race Theory, requiring race-training for workers that calls America a system of "white supremacy" and encourages employees to be "woke at work."

The list goes on and the pattern is clear. The very companies helping to finance an alternative finance hub in response to a politicized marketplace are, in many cases, the ones that helped create the conditions that made such an alternative appealing in the first place. In other words, the demand for a more business-focused exchange did not emerge in a vacuum, but arose in large part as a reaction to the conduct of the very firms now seeking to capitalize on it.

That doesn't mean Texans should oppose the Texas Stock Exchange. Texas positioning itself as a market center is a major victory for Texans and for free enterprise. It demonstrates that companies are choosing Texas because it has created a better environment for business than New York, New Jersey or Delaware.

But success should never replace vigilance.

Texans should welcome every company that wants to invest in Texas, provided they respect the principles that made Texas attractive in the first place. If Wall Street firms have truly returned to prioritizing shareholders over politics, Texans should applaud that change.

If not, Texans shouldn't forget history.

Texas built an environment to free businesses from political activism. The companies investing in TXSE should understand that Texans expect them to leave their activist agendas behind.

And they'd be smart to remember, everything is bigger in Texas, including accountability.

Will Hild is the executive director of Consumers' Research, the nation's oldest consumer protection organization.

Tyler Durden Thu, 07/09/2026 - 17:40