Happy Tuesday Everyone! Todayâs newsletter: 1,160 wordsâŠ4.3 mins
đ Todayâs Edition: The MiG That Almost Started WWIII, Terror Blast Rocks Delhi, Brussels Wants Its Own CIA (sort of), Veteranâs Day Commemorations, Riots At UC Berkeley, SoftBank Cashes Out of Nvidia⊠& much more!
đTHE HIGHLIGHT
One killer insight to stash in your back pocket
The Russian pilot who was allegedly approached by British and Ukrainian intelligence
đ„Operation Kinzhal: The MiG That Almost Started WWIII
Russiaâs Federal Security Service (FSB) claims it has thwarted a joint UkrainianâBritish intelligence plot to hijack a MiG-31 fighter jet armed with a Kinzhal hypersonic missileâone of Moscowâs most advanced weapons.
đ”ïžââïžThe Play: According to the FSB, Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR), with help from British operatives, tried to recruit a Russian pilot, offering $3 million and EU citizenship to defect and fly the jet toward NATO airspace in ConstanÈa, Romania.
The alleged goal: Stage a false-flag provocation by having NATO air defenses shoot it downâsparking international chaos and an excuse to engage in a direct confrontation with Russia.
đ The FSB released audio and photos it says prove the contact, including one bizarre exchange:
The pilot refused and told them he couldn't land the MiGâ31 by himself
They responded by saying they could teach him how to land it - online.
The plan allegedly included poisoning his commanderâs oxygen mask or breaking the cockpit partition.
𧩠The OSINT group Bellingcatâlabeled a âforeign agentâ in Russiaâwas accused of assisting Ukrainian intelligence in the scheme, a charge it denies.
đŁ The Response: After the plot fizzled, Moscow said it retaliated with Kinzhal strikes on Ukrainian intelligence hubs. Britain called the claims âpure fictionâ, adding that the fabricated story was a pretext to strike Ukraineâs intelligence bases.
đĄBottom line: Whether or not the story is true, the takeawayâs clear: The shadow war just got a lot weirderâand deadlier. Because nothing says âescalationâ like a DIY hypersonic hijack tutorial.
âïžTHE CHESSBOARD
Geopolitics Decoded In 3 Moves
đšTerror Blast Rocks Delhiâs Red Fort
A car explosion near Delhiâs Red Fort has been confirmed as a terror attack tied to a âwhite-collarâ terror module operating out of Jammu and Kashmir.
The blast killed 9 people and injured 20
Involved a Hyundai owned by Dr. Umar Mohammad of Pulwama, believed to be part of the cell.
Authorities say ammonium nitrate was used in the bomb.
Investigators suspect the device detonated prematurely after two of Umarâs associates were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives seized in Haryana.
The investigation involves multiple agencies, including NIA and Delhi Police. A suspect named Tariq is in custody.
đĄBottom line: The attack marks Indiaâs deadliest urban terror strike in yearsâand security across Delhi is now on max alert.
đȘđș Brussels Wants Its Own CIA (Sort Of)
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is pushing to create a new EU intelligence coordination unit.
A move aimed at reducing dependence on U.S. and British intel amid the Ukraine war and rising global threats.
The proposed unit would pool intel from national agencies and focus on analysisânot spying (she insists, wink wink)âworking alongside the EUâs Intcen under the EEAS umbrella.
But resistance is building: France, Hungary, and other states warn it could duplicate efforts and erode sovereignty.
đĄBottom line: Europe wants more autonomyâbut not everyoneâs ready to share their secrets.
đ WWI Disease Returns to Ukraineâs Trenches
A gas gangrene outbreak is hitting Ukrainian frontline troops, echoing the infections that ravaged WWI battlefields.
The deadly bacteria, Clostridium, thrives in oxygen-starved woundsâreleasing toxins that rot tissue and kill within hours.
The cause: delays in evacuating the wounded as Russian drones hammer supply and medevac routes, leaving soldiers untreated in the mud.
Mortality can hit 100% without surgery, but frontline hospitals are overwhelmed.
đĄBottom line: The crisis is fueling amputations, drug-resistant infections, and biosecurity fears spreading beyond Ukraine.
đœTHE EMPIRE FILES
Political Drama From DC To NYC
Left: President Trump lays a wreath at the âTomb of the Unknown Soldierâ at the Arlington National Cemetery; Right: King Charles lays a wreath at the Cenotaph
đș Honoring Service on Veterans Day 2025
The nation marked Veterans Day with solemn tributes across the U.S. and abroad. At Arlington National Cemetery, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance led the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, honoring Americaâs fallen.
Trump delivered remarks thanking veterans for their service and designating the day as âVictory Dayâ to commemorate historic U.S. military achievements.
In London, King Charles III and senior Royals took part in the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph on Nov 9th, joined by military officials and veterans in tribute to those lost in war.
âĄIn New York City, thousands of veterans and service members marched in the annual Veterans Day Parade, one of the largest in the country, celebrating sacrifice, duty, and national pride.
đ„UC Berkeley Riot Erupts Outside TPUSA Memorial Event
Chaos engulfed UC Berkeley Monday night as hundreds of protesters clashed with police outside a Turning Point USA event honoring slain founder Charlie Kirk.
Organizers said the protesters, some linked to Antifa, threw tear gas, fireworks, and bottles, while riot police formed barricades to protect attendees.
Police made multiple arrests, including four students charged with felony vandalism.
The sold-out event, hosted by actor Rob Schneider and Dr. Frank Turek, went ahead despite the riots and then Schneider taunted the protesters with this:
Thank YOU, Antifa for welcoming us tonight at UC Berkeley. We Look forward to our thoughtful, teargas free discussion and debate.
âĄCampus officials emphasized student free speech rights while maintaining heightened security and the DOJ launched a review of Berkeleyâs campus security response.
đ€ CODES & POWER
Tech Wars, Crypto Chaos, and AIâs Black Mirror Moments
đž SoftBank Cashes Out of Nvidia for OpenAI Push
SoftBank sold its entire Nvidia stake for $5.83B in October, part of a broader plan to fund $22.5B into OpenAI and other AI ventures.
The sale included 32.1M shares, plus a partial T-Mobile stake for $9.17B.
Despite exiting Nvidia, SoftBank remains tied to the chipmaker through its AI projects, including the $500B Stargate data center initiative.
âĄVision Fund gains and these stake sales helped double SoftBankâs Q2 profit, fueling its aggressive AI expansion.
đThreads Sets Sights on Podcasters
Metaâs Threads is rolling out new features aimed at podcasters, spotlighting shows in the feed with colorful links and thumbnails and adding dedicated profile space for podcast links.
The goal: become the go-to hub for podcast discussions, helping creators engage fans and track conversation analytics.
Threads wonât host podcasts itself but hopes to centralize listener interactions that are currently scattered across Reddit, X, Spotify, and YouTube.
âĄNext up: more discovery tools and fan-creator engagement features.
đș FUN FACTS & TRIVIA
German Chocolate Cake Was Invented In Texas
The âGermanâ part of German chocolate cake comes from a personâs nameâand that person wasnât even from Germany!!
German chocolate cake is named after Samuel German, who created a sweet baking chocolate for Baker's Chocolate Company in 1852. The cake itself was invented in 1957 when Mrs. George Clay, published a recipe using "Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate."
Over time, the possessive "German's" was dropped, leading to the common misconception that the cake originated in Germany.