🚨UPDATED DONATION LINK🚨 In the wake of recent disasters, countless families are in urgent need of support. Bitcoin Veterans are raising funds to support recovery efforts, provide essential supplies, shelter, and hope to those affected. Every dollar and satoshi counts and can make a significant impact. Fiat, lightning and on-chain donations are possible through our @ZapriteApp donation page.

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The response from the Bitcoin community has been overwhelming. YOU have stepped up and fully engaged in our mission to respond to the disaster in North Carolina. THANK YOU Our initial response is underway and we will share updates as we receive information from the Area of Operations. Our larger recovery team is taking shape and necessary resources are being identified. This will be an ongoing mission and continued support will absolutely be needed. Please continue to share in your networks and spread the word. pay.zaprite.com/pl_7Xwxh3ZNJT

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 862,115 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 20Sep24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Israel-Hezbollah Ramp Up Conflict / US, UK Poised to Let Ukraine Strike Deep / KY Sheriff Kills Judge / Teamsters Fret Over Non-Endorsement / Alaska Man Arrested for Threatening SCOTUS Judges / Many New Gun Owners Are Progressives / Louisiana Now Accepts Bitcoin / Canada Scraps CBDC / BlackRock Amends Coinbase Agreement / Stocks Up, Mortgage Rates Down / Original BTC Miners Move BTC Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $63,441, 24.27 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $64,119 / Lo: $62,630 Vol: $41B (Down 12%) Mkt Cap: $1.25T (Up 1%) HashRate: 737 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 3 sats/vBtye (Even) Nodes: 18,824 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Israel says 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers hit in Lebanon: Israel has carried out extensive air strikes on southern Lebanon, saying its warplanes have hit more than 100 Hezbollah rocket launchers and other "terrorist sites" including a weapons storage facility. The IDF said the launchers were ready to be fired against Israel. It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. Earlier, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said deadly (electronics) explosions earlier in the week "crossed all red lines", accusing Israel of what he said represented a declaration of war. Israel has not said it was behind the attacks - which saw pagers and walkie-talkies explode simultaneously across the country - on Tuesday and Wednesday, and which Lebanese authorities said killed 37 people and wounded 3,000. (BBC) 2. Biden Poised to Approve Ukraine’s Use of Long-Range Western Weapons in Russia: President Biden appears on the verge of clearing the way for Ukraine to launch long-range Western weapons deep inside Russian territory, as long as it doesn’t use arms provided by the United States, European officials say. The issue, which has long been debated in the administration, is coming to a head on Friday, as Britain’s new prime minister, Keir Starmer, visits the White House. (NYTimes) -US Events- 1. Kentucky sheriff charged in killing of judge at courthouse: The preliminary investigation indicates Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines shot District Judge Kevin Mullins multiple times following an argument inside the courthouse, according to Kentucky State Police. Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died at the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident.(AP) (AC-It might be enlightening to learn what they were 'arguing' about. There's more to this story.) 2. Former Teamsters leader criticizes non-endorsement of Harris for president: James P. Hoffa, who led the Teamsters for 23 years, said it was a mistake for the union not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, the “correct choice for labor.” (WaPo) 3. Alaska man charged with threats to torture, murder conservative Supreme Court justices: Panos Anastasiou, 76, was nabbed Wednesday in Anchorage and is facing 22 federal charges stemming from 465 alarming messages he sent via the Supreme Court’s website between March 10 and July 16, prosecutors say. The justices are not identified in the indictment, but details about Anastasiou’s messages indicate he targeted Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas. (NYPost) 4. The Most Surprising New Gun Owners Are U.S. Liberals: American gun culture has long been dominated by conservative, white men. Now, in a marked change, a burgeoning number of liberals are buying firearms, according to surveys and fast-growing gun groups drawing minorities and progressives. Now, today’s Democrats are rediscovering guns. One new owner said he mostly talks about guns with other liberal or progressive gun owners, many of whom welcome gun restrictions. He sees no reason to own a military-style, semiautomatic rifle like the AR-15, and supports universal background checks. But the country’s sharp partisan divide renders compromise on guns extremely unlikely, he believes. (WSJ) (AC-An intriguing article, even if heavily slanted to portray Trump and conservative white men as dangerous.) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Louisiana Announces Crypto Payment Options for State Services: The U.S. state of Louisiana has announced that residents can now use bitcoin, bitcoin lightning, and USD Coin to pay for state services through private, secure crypto wallets. “By introducing cryptocurrency as a payment option, we’re not just innovating; we’re providing our citizens with flexibility and freedom in interacting with state services,” said Louisiana’s State Treasurer. (BitcoinCom) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Canada Scraps Plan to Launch 'Digital Loonie' CBDC: After almost five years of research, the Bank of Canada has decided to shelve its plans for a central bank digital currency (CBDC), also known as a "digital loonie." The central bank had launched a research project in 2019 and conducted a public consultation in 2022. While a CBDC was seen as a way to maintain monetary sovereignty and financial stability, the idea faced strong opposition from Canadians and prominent figures in the government. (Decrypt) -Institutional Concerns- 1. US spot bitcoin ETFs rebound to daily net inflows of $158 million; BTC hovers at $63,500 (TheBlock) 2. BlackRock amends Coinbase custody agreement to require 12 hour withdrawals amid debt rumors: The modifications shorten Coinbase Custody withdrawal processing time when handling withdrawals from the Vault Balance to a public blockchain address while Trade Credits remain unpaid. his development comes amid recent allegations against Coinbase, claiming the exchange was not using BlackRock’s funds to purchase actual bitcoins for the ETF. Social media rumors suggested that Coinbase was issuing letters of debt instead of backing the ETF with Bitcoin and manipulating Bitcoin’s price using BlackRock’s funds. (CryptoSlate) (AC-Blackrock simply making sure the BTC is available.) -Economic Indicators- 1. S&P 500, Dow Close at Records High: Wall Street rallied on Thursday as sentiments boosted about a "soft landing" for the US economy after the Federal Reserve’s 50 basis point rate cut. The Dow Jones closed 522 points higher, the S&P 500 gained 1.7%, both hit new record highs. The Nasdaq 100 also spiked 2.5%, (TradingEconomics) 2. US 30-Year Mortgage Rate Eases to 6.09%: The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped to 6.09% as of September 19th, reaching its lowest level since early February 2023. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Maryland Police Warn Gmail Users of Phishing Scam Demanding Bitcoin: Maryland State Police have warned of a scam targeting Gmail users, using phishing tactics to extort money through unsettling threats. Scammers are sending victims emails with Google Maps photos of their homes and demanding bitcoin payments, falsely claiming they possess incriminating evidence. The police are investigating, urging caution and providing resources for reporting these incidents. (BitcoinCom) -Technology and Science- 1. Apple Faces EU Antitrust Challenge: The antitrust regulators of the European Union have launched an action against Apple as it seeks to force the tech giant to open its closed ecosystem up to other competitors. If Apple does not comply, major financial losses are imposed by the newly implemented Digital Markets Act (DMA) on it. The Cupertino-based firm has argued for quite some time that its closed system is safer through the control of peripheral devices and their software entering the system. (TechTImes) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin miner wallets awaken after over 15 years — Is this Satoshi?: Wallets belonging to early Bitcoin miners who received coins as rewards shortly after the blockchain’s launch by its pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, have recently been observed moving their BTC. On Sept. 20, five miner wallets that received 50 Bitcoin each as block rewards in 2009 started to move their funds. Given the BTC was mined only weeks after the launch of the Bitcoin blockchain, the wallets likely belonged to people present at its inception. (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 54/100 (Up 6 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Find the encouraging news today, be encouraging today. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

Give Paladin Tower Tactics a follow! Great people doing great things View quoted note →

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 859,693 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 03Sep24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Putin Welcomed in Mongolia, Not Arrested / US Seizes Maduro's Plane / US Marines on Liberty Attacked in Turkey / Musk Continues Starlink and X Services in Brazil for Free / Four Killed on Commuter Train in Chicago / Kansas Files Civil Suit Against Pfizer Over COVID Vax / Machete and Toblerone Used in Bitcoin Theft / Coinbase Has 1st AI to AI Transaction / BTC Mining Hurting Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $59,154, 23.68 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $59,815 / Lo: $58,103 Vol: $23B (Down 21%) Mkt Cap: $1.17T (Up 1%) HashRate: 733 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 4 sats/vBtye (Even) Nodes: 18,378 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Putin welcomed in Mongolia despite ICC arrest warrant: Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Mongolia, his first visit to an International Criminal Court (ICC) member since it issued a warrant for his arrest last year. Soldiers on horseback lined the capital's Genghis Khan Square as martial anthems were played by a live band to welcome the Russian leader, who met with the Mongolian president Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. The landlocked country, which also borders China, also relies on Russia for gas and electricity. (BBC) 2. US seizes Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro’s airplane in the Dominican Republic, flies it to South Florida: The United States has seized Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro’s airplane after determining that its acquisition was in violation of US sanctions, among other criminal issues. The US flew the aircraft to Florida on Monday, according to two US officials. In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said that “the Justice Department seized an aircraft we allege was illegally purchased for $13 million through a shell company and smuggled out of the United States for use by Nicolás Maduro and his cronies.” (WSVN-Miami) (AC-An interesting twist following the sham election in Venezuela and the international calls for Maduro to step down. The US has been verbally tough on Maduro while not doing anything to stop the dictator's continued tyranny of the country. This seems action could be a turning point, or possibly more theater.) 3. U.S. Marines attacked during port visit in Turkey, Navy says: Two U.S. Marines from the USS Wasp were attacked Monday during a port visit in Izmir, Turkey, according to a Navy spokesperson. Video of the apparent incident shows a group of men forcing a bag over the head of one of the Marines as they restrain him, chanting "Yankee go home." The Marines, part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, were "on liberty" at the time of the incident and taken to a local hospital for evaluation as a precaution. (CBS) 4. Elon Musk defies X ban in Brazil by beaming app from space: Elon Musk has found a way to bypass a ban on his social media firm X in Brazil by allowing people in the country to access the app through his satellite internet provider Starlink. Brazil’s Supreme Court voted on Monday to uphold a ban on X that was introduced last week by Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Mr Musk claimed the freezing of Starlink bank accounts was illegal and pledged to provide free internet access to its Brazilian customers while the accounts remain blocked. (IndependentUK) -US Events- 1. Four people shot to death while sleeping on Chicago commuter train: Three victims were declared dead at the scene while a fourth was rushed to Loyola University Medical Center where they died from their wounds. The shooter fled the scene. However a suspect armed with a gun was later taken into custody on a CTA Pink Line train in Chicago. (NYPost) 2. Kansas is first of five states to file civil suit against Pfizer: In a groundbreaking move, Kansas has taken legal action against pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for allegedly engaging in false and misleading marketing practices. This marks the first of five states in the US to pursue legal action against the company. The lawsuit against Pfizer was prompted by evidence that the company had engaged in false and misleading marketing practices. It was discovered that Pfizer had promoted its product as safe and effective for pregnant women, despite knowing that it posed serious risks to both the mother and the baby. (CountyLocalNews) (AC-This is NOT being reported by any other news outlets but is trending heavily on X. Either the news is fake or being censored by all news organizations.) -Regulatory and Legal- NSTR -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. SBI VC Trade and Metaplanet Team Up for Advanced Bitcoin Trading Solutions: Metaplanet and SBI VC Trade have formed a strategic partnership to enhance bitcoin trading, storage, and management. This alliance aligns with Metaplanet’s “bitcoin first, bitcoin only” strategy, emphasizing BTC’s scarcity and decentralized nature. The partnership provides Metaplanet access to SBI VC Trade’s tax-efficient corporate custody services and the ability to use bitcoin as collateral, supporting their corporate bitcoin accumulation goals. (BitcoinCom) (AC-Metaplanet is following MicroStrategy's playbook in Japan.) -Economic Indicators- 1. US 10-Year Treasury Yield Little Changed to Kick Off September: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note was around 3.9% on the first trading day of September as investors return from the Labor Day holiday to a week packed with key economic data. The ISM Manufacturing PMI will be in the spotlight today, while important labor market indicators like JOLTS and the jobs report are awaited later in the week. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Home invaders used machete, Toblerone to rob a man of his Bitcoin: Scottish prosecutors have seized and converted 23.5 Bitcoin into cash from a 2020 robbery that saw three men armed with a machete and a Toblerone chocolate bar break into a home near Glasgow. Three men conducted the home invasion in the town of Blantyre, southeast of Glasgow, and one repeatedly beat a woman at the property with a personalized Toblerone bar and threw her into a bedroom. The victim, who isn’t named for legal reasons, testified that he awoke to find a man standing over him with a machete before he was forced to transfer Bitcoin. (CoinTelegraph) 2. Hacker Behind WazirX Breach is Using Tornado Cash to Funnel Millions of Dollars in Stolen Crypto: Following the $230 million exploit on Indian exchange WazirX, the hacker responsible has been funneling millions of dollars in user assets through Tornado Cash. The hacker has transferred 2,600 ETH, valued at $6.5 million, to the sanctioned mixer Tornado Cash. Despite being banned in the US, Tornado Cash continues to operate in various jurisdictions, including North Korea. (Decrypt) -Technology and Science- 1. Coinbase Reports Its First AI-to-AI Crypto Transaction: Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong announced the platform’s first AI-to-AI cryptocurrency transaction, highlighting a new application of digital currency by artificial intelligence agents. Armstrong believes this advancement will enhance AI’s capacity to independently obtain resources and engage with humans and other AI systems. He encourages developers to add crypto wallets to support the growth of AI-to-AI transactions. (BitcoinCom) -Bitcoin Community- 1. BTC mining profits elusive as difficulty hits all-time high: Block reward miners on the BTC network had their least profitable month in nearly a year in August, leading to bankruptcies, share dilutions, and other ‘Hail Mary’ efforts to stave off the inevitable. BTC miner revenue hitting $827.5 million in August, less than half the total from this year’s peak of $1.93 billion in March and the lowest total since September 2023. Transaction fees’ contribution to this total also slumped to a year-to-date low of $20.8 million. Meanwhile, mining difficulty hit an all-time high in August. (CoinGeek) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 26/100 (Down 7 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 858,081 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 30Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Houthis Blow Up Oil Tanker / Russia Nervous Over Durov's Arrest / US Sec Advisor Meets With Xi / Trump Still Battling Lawfare / CO Councilmember Confirms Gangs in Aurora / Custodia Bank Under Fire / Russia to Begin Crypto Cross-Border Payments / Musk's Battle With Brazil Intensifies / Bitcoin Exchange Reserves Low / Bitcoin Millionaires Up / Solo Miner Hits Jackpot Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $59,470, 24.85 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $61,184 / Lo: $58,707 Vol: $32B (Down 6%) Mkt Cap: $1.17T (Down 1%) HashRate: 586 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 4 sats/vBtye (Down 20%) Nodes: 19,356 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Houthi video shows the Yemeni rebels planted bombs on tanker now threatening Red Sea oil spill: Yemen’s Houthi rebels released footage on Thursday showing their fighters boarded and placed explosives on a Greek-flagged tanker, setting off blasts that put the Red Sea at risk of a major oil spill. The vessel was abandoned earlier, after the Houthis repeatedly attacked it. The Houthis have targeted more than 80 vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October. They seized one vessel and sank two in the campaign that also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by a U.S.-led coalition in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets. (AP) 2. Russia’s Military Fears for Its Secrets After Telegram Founder’s Arrest: Russian authorities have reacted with unusual fury to the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov by French authorities. Telegram is more than a mere social-media app to Moscow. Russian soldiers and spies depend on it for battlefield communications, including the guidance of artillery, the coordination of movements and intelligence gathering. Both the Russian and the Ukrainian militaries started relying on commercial platforms. While the Ukrainians prefer Western providers such as Signal or Discord, the Russians chose Telegram because it is based in the United Arab Emirates, which maintains good relations with Moscow. They think the app is more impervious to Western signals intelligence. (WSJ) 3. ‘Vigorous give and take’: U.S. security advisor discusses economic curbs in rare trip to China: U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said he raised concerns about the country’s focus on economic security in meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials this week. Sullivan, advisor to the outgoing Biden administration, said his trip to China was part of an effort to manage the bilateral relationship ahead of the inauguration of a new U.S. president in January. Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have escalated in recent years, spilling over from trade into finance and technology. (CNBC) -US Events- 1. Trump seeks to move his New York state criminal case to federal court and delay sentencing: Donald Trump has filed a petition seeking to move his New York state criminal case to a federal court in Manhattan and push off the upcoming sentencing for his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. (CNN) 2. Colorado City Council Member Says ‘Denver Is the Problem’ as Migrant Gangs Occupy Housing: Aurora City Council Member Danielle Jurinsky is bringing national attention to the migrant gangs that are being welcomed by the Biden-Harris administration and their Denver Democrat allies. The councilwoman has been shining a light on rising crime in Aurora that appears to be caused by members of the dangerous Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan street gang that has flooded the community after being cast out of the nearby sanctuary city of Denver. Because of all this, the council member says that many long-time residents are talking about leaving Aurora. (Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. WazirX Sets Aside Funds for Legal Costs Following July Cyberattack: WazirX, the Indian exchange that suffered a cyberattack in July resulting in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto, has set aside millions of dollars to cover legal costs. The holding company of WazirX has filed an affidavit requesting a 30-day moratorium to stabilize the platform and prevent further legal disruptions. The exchange has suspended withdrawals and is working to restore user funds. (Decrypt) 2. Biden’s Crypto Crackdown Hits Custodia Bank: Workforce Reductions Announced: In response to the Biden administration’s intensified scrutiny on the crypto industry, Custodia Bank, a notable Wyoming-based financial institution catering to crypto businesses, has recently undergone a significant restructuring. Custodia Bank has made the decision to lay off nine of its 36 employees, a move aimed at conserving capital amidst mounting legal battles with the Federal Reserve (Fed). (Bitcoinist) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Russia to Trial Cross-Border Crypto Payments Starting Next Week: Russia will begin trialing cross-border crypto payments next week in an effort to circumvent international sanctions. The legislation allows for cross-border payments with crypto, but the rules for such transactions are unclear. The central bank will oversee an "experimental" regime to determine how these payments will be conducted. (Decrypt) -Institutional Concerns- 1. BlackRock’s IBIT logs first daily net outflows since May amid streak of spot bitcoin ETF outflows: U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded $71.73 million in net outflows on Thursday, extending their outflow streak to three days. BlackRock’s IBIT, the largest spot bitcoin ETF by net assets, reported its first negative flows since May 1, with $13.51 million in net outflows (TheBlock) -Economic Indicators- 1. US GDP Growth Revised Higher: Real gross domestic product (GDP) in the US grew at an annual rate of 3.0% in the second quarter of 2024, up from 2.8% in the initial estimate and 1.4% in the first quarter. The upward revision was mainly due to increased consumer spending (2.9% vs 2.3% earlier reported). (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Halliburton cyberattack linked to RansomHub ransomware gang: The attack caused widespread disruption, and customers couldn't generate invoices or purchase orders because the required systems were down. (BleepingComputer) -Technology and Science- 1. Starlink's local bank accounts are frozen as X prepares to be shut down in Brazil: A judge in Brazil has blocked Starlink’s bank accounts in the country amid a deepening dispute with X. X owner Elon Musk has been feuding with Brazil Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes for months over demands to block certain accounts in the country. The company closed down its operations in Brazil earlier this month as a result of the court orders. Now, Moraes is apparently attempting to use one of Musk’s other companies, SpaceX-owned Starlink, in an attempt to get X to comply with the court order. (Engadget) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin exchange reserves reach new yearly low amid $60K price retest: According to CryptoQuant data, Bitcoin reserves on exchanges have decreased by approximately 12.9% since Jan. 1, leaving 2.62 million Bitcoin across all major crypto exchanges. “The supply shock will come soon because this is not sustainable,” pseudonymous crypto commentator Bitcoin for Freedom told their 74,800 X followers, noting that the last seven days have seen 56,000 Bitcoin moved off crypto exchanges since Aug. 22. (CoinTelegraph) 2. Bitcoin Millionaires up by 111%, Crypto Users Reach 560 Million: A new report reveals a significant increase in wealthy crypto asset holders, with bitcoin (BTC) millionaires rising 111% to 85,400 and individuals with crypto assets worth $1 million increasing 95% to 172,300. Dominic Volek of Henley & Partners attributes this surge to the introduction of crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and a BTC rally surpassing $70,000. The report also shows a 32% increase in crypto users to 560 million and a 31% rise in BTC users to 275 million.(BitcoinCom) 3. Solo Bitcoin miner earns $200,000 (3.275 BTC) reward amid growing centralization concerns: Blockchain data confirms that the miner successfully mined block number 858,978 on the Bitcoin blockchain yesterday, which included 2,391 transactions. (CryptoSlate) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 34/100 (Up 5 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Running your own miner and node are 'freedom tech' moves. Consider mining Bitcoin as you just might win the reward as the article above reveals. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 858,079 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 23Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Court Upholds Maduro's Victory / Nuke Plant in Kursk Threatened By Drones / SCOTUS Rules AZ Voters To Show Citizenship Proof / New COVID Vaccines Recommended by CDC / RFK Wins Ruling Against Biden Admin / DeFi Making Comeback / Myanmar Currency Quickly Debased / Crowdstrike Facing Lawsuits / Rise In Pig Butchering Con Games / US Wants to Flood Taiwan Strait With Drones Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $60,818, 24.28 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $61,408 / Lo: $60,141 Vol: $24B (Down 30%) Mkt Cap: $1.2T (Down 1%) HashRate: 736 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 5 sats/vBtye (Up 67%) Nodes: 19,259 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Venezuelan court upholds Maduro’s disputed victory: Venezuela’s highest court has upheld the re-election of Nicolás Maduro as president following accusations of widespread voter fraud in July's poll. The decision by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) comes as the United Nations warned that the court lacked independence and impartiality. Mr Maduro has led the country since 2013 and his re-election means he can serve another six-year term. (BBC) 2. IAEA's Grossi to visit Kursk nuclear plant after drone attack: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday its Director General Rafael Grossi will assess the situation at Kursk nuclear power plant during his visit next week. IAEA also said it had been informed by the Russian Federation that the remains of a drone had been found within the Kursk nuclear power plant. Acting Kursk Governor Alexei Smirnov told Putin the situation at the Kursk plant was "stable." (Reuters) -US Events- 1. Arizona can demand some voters prove citizenship, US supreme court rules: The US supreme court ruled Thursday that Arizona can partially enforce a new law that requires people to prove their citizenship in order to vote, but said the state cannot block them from voting for president or by mail as long as they used the federal voter registration form. The court’s emergency decision allows Arizona to require proof of citizenship from registrants who use the state’s voter registration form. But those who register using a federal voter registration form are still eligible to vote for president. The court also left in place a lower court injunction barring those who do not provide proof of citizenship from voting by mail for president. (TheGuardian) 2. FDA approves updated Pfizer, Moderna Covid vaccines as virus surges; shots to be available within days: The jabs target a strain called KP.2, a descendant of the highly contagious omicron subvariant JN.1 that began circulating widely in the U.S. earlier this year. The CDC recommended that everyone over 6 months old receive an updated Covid vaccine this year. Meanwhile, the CDC said about four people are being hospitalized for Covid for every 100,000 people in a given area. (CNBC) (AC-Even if the reader does not give credence to CDC/Big Pharma announcements like this, it is important to know that some do and whom may not know the risk/reward ratio of these vaccines.) 3. Judge Rules RFK Jr. Can Sue Biden Admin Over Censorship After Supreme Court Rejects Challenge From States: A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can continue to pursue his lawsuit against the Biden administration over censorship at the direction of the government. According to District Court Judge Terry Doughty, Kennedy meets the standard set by the Supreme Court because there is "ample evidence" to show he was censored at the direction of government actors, and is at "substantial risk" that the censorship will continue. Kennedy was named by one of the "Disinformation Dozen" - and was specifically targeted by the government over what they alleged was COVID-19 misinformation, and "The Court finds that there is further risk for future risk injury here because Kennedy is a 2024 presidential candidate," wrote Doughty. (ZeroHedge) (AC-An interesting turn of events for RFK as we await his pending announcement today. This ruling could affect his potential drop-out and support of Trump.) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. DeFi Is Set to Make a Comeback As Interest Rates, Stablecoin Supply Drive Its Resurgence: According to a report by Steno Research, decentralized finance (DeFi) is expected to make a comeback, with the total value locked (TVL) in the crypto ecosystem potentially reaching an all-time high in the first half of next year. The resurgence of DeFi is linked to interest rates, particularly in the U.S., as they influence the appeal of decentralized financial markets. Additionally, factors such as the growth in stablecoin supply and the continued expansion of real-world assets contribute to the revival of DeFi. (Decreypt) (AC-Ugh!) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. El Salvador adds 162 Bitcoins to national holdings: A cold wallet reportedly owned by the Salvadoran government has been buying one Bitcoin everyday since March 16, adding 162 coins to the country’s Bitcoin holdings. (CryptoNews) -Economic Indicators- 1. US 10-Year Treasury Note Yield Steady Ahead Powell Speech: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note stabilized at 3.85% on Friday, after briefly dipping to a 14-month low of 3.8% earlier in the week. Markets are closely watching to gauge the scale of potential rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is set to speak at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Initial Jobless Claims Rise More than Expected: The number of people claiming unemployment benefits in the US rose by 4,000 from the previous week to 232,000 on the period ending August 17th, slightly ahead of market expectations of 230,000 to mark a three-week high. (TradingEconomics) 3. Myanmar households crippled as currency tumbles to record low: The Myanmar kyat has been extremely volatile in recent days, plunging to a low of 7,500 to the dollar in the black-market last week from 5,000 earlier in the month The plunge followed reports that the Myanmar junta was printing more kyat to prop up the currency, two traders said. “People are frantically buying (Thai) baht and selling kyat,” said a money transfer agent in Thailand. (AsashiShimbun) (AC- For those who study currencies and economics, the lessons come from around the world.) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. CrowdStrike Faces Lawsuits From Customers, Investors: CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) is facing lawsuits from investors and customers following the incident that caused massive global outages, but some believe the company is likely shielded from legal action. Roughly 8.5 million Windows devices worldwide entered a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) loop on July 19 after CrowdStrike pushed out a bad update that was not properly tested. (SecurityWeek) 2. Pig Butchering Crypto Scams On The Rise: FBI Recovered $5 Million: Pig Butchering crypto scams have become the new preference of fraudsters where they pretend to be acquaintances, friends, or romantic partners. They make contacts and get close with the victim, running the fraud for weeks or even months, convincing the victim to invest in the scammer’s crypto. Once the victim invests, the scammers show sudden losses to ask for more or simply disappear. (CoinGape) -Technology and Science- 1. AI drone ‘hellscape’ plan for Taiwan: The US army plans to combat a Chinese invasion of Taiwan by flooding the narrow Taiwan Strait with swarms of thousands and thousands of autonomous drones. “I want to turn the Taiwan Strait into an unmanned hellscape using a number of classified capabilities so that I can make their lives utterly miserable for a month, which buys me the time for the rest of everything,” US Indo-Pacific Command chief Navy Admiral Samuel Paparo told the Washington Post. (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bybit emerges as dominant exchange with $2.5 billion BTC spot volume: Bybit's recent surge to a $2.5 billion spot volume on Aug. 22 has stunned the crypto community, consistently outperforming even the behemoth Binance in daily volumes. (CryptoSlate) 2. Bitcoin Fees Surge Above $100 as Native Staking Protocol Launches: Babylon Labs' launch of native staking capabilities for Bitcoin caused a surge in transaction fees early Thursday, with the median cost per transaction peaking at $132. Users rushed to stake their Bitcoin, leading to a fee bidding war and increased costs. Despite the inconvenience for standard Bitcoin users, this fee spike may benefit miners struggling in the current climate. (Decrypt) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 34/100 (Down 5 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 857,755 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 21Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Ukraine Launches Large Drone Attack on Moscow / Ship Unresponsive After Houthi Missiles in Red Sea / China Protests US Concern in South China Sea / Obamas Speak at DNC / RFK Considers Dropping Out / Germany Seizes Bitcoin ATMs / Mt Gox Moves $784M Worth Of Bitcoin / Gold, Silver Hitting Highs / US Intel Says Iran Hacked Trump / AI Puts Pressure on Energy Sector / El Salvador Launches Bitcoin Certification for Gov Employees / BTC HODLers Keep HOLDing Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $59,349, 23.63 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $61,396 / Lo: $58,109 Vol: $26B (Down 4%) Mkt Cap: $1.17T (Down 2%) HashRate: 576 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 5 sats/vBtye (Up 60%) Nodes: 19,494 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Ukraine attacks Moscow in one of largest ever drone attacks on the Russian capital: Ukraine attacked Moscow on Wednesday with at least 11 drones shot down by air defences in what Russian officials said was one of the biggest drone strikes on the capital since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022. Russian media showed unverified footage of drones whirring over the dawn sky of the Moscow region and then being shot down in a ball of flame by air defences. Moscow's airports Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky limited flights for four hours but were restarted normal operations. There were no injuries or damage reported in the aftermath of the attacks. (Reuters) 2. Ship hit by suspected Houthi missiles in Red Sea, leaving vessel "not under command," U.K. military says: The attack saw men on small boats first open fire with small arms. The ship also was hit by three projectiles. "The vessel reports being not under command," the UKMTO said, likely meaning it lost all power. "No casualties reported." (CBS) 3. China says US has ‘no right to intervene’ in South China Sea disputes: Both countries said on Monday that their coast guard ships had collided near the disputed Sabina Shoal. China claims almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. Chinese spokesman Mao Ning said, "The US is not a party in the South China Sea and has no right to intervene in maritime disputes between China and the Philippines,” Mao told a regular briefing. “The US should stop provoking confrontation in the South China Sea, not disrupt regional stability and not escalate tensions,” Mao said. (AFP) -US Events- 1. Obamas electrify Democrats at Chicago convention: In the choreography of the convention, the Obamas played the role of charismatic figures charged with inspiring those at the Democrats’ gathering and beyond to power Harris to victory in the two months remaining before Election Day. (WaPost) 2. RFK Jr. considering dropping out to ‘join forces’ with Trump: Shortly after the revelation, Trump declared that he would be “certainly” open to giving the Kennedy scion a post in his administration. “There’s two options that we’re looking at, and one is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and [Tim] Walz presidency because we draw votes from Trump,” (NYPost) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Germany seizes $28 million in raid on unlicensed crypto ATMs: The sting was carried out on Aug. 20 and targeted 35 locations where crypto ATMs were reportedly being operated without the necessary licensing. Crypto ATMs, which enable users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin with cash or debit cards, fall under the jurisdiction of Germany’s Banking Act. German officials warned that crypto ATMs could become hotspots for criminal activities if operators do not enforce adequate Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, particularly for transactions exceeding 10,000 euros. (CryptoSlate) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. Mt. Gox transfers $784 million in Bitcoin, fueling distribution rumors: Mt. Gox shifts 13,265 BTC; only 1,265 BTC likely for distribution, analyst posits. Currently, Mt. Gox holds 45,000 BTC after having distributed 97,000 of the original 142,000 BTC. (CryptoSlate) 2. Spot Bitcoin ETFs net $88m in inflows, spot Ether ETFs outflows see slowdown: BlackRock’s IBIT recorded the highest inflows with $55.4 million, bringing its total inflow since launch to $20.53 billion. It was the only fund to record a second consecutive day of inflows. ARK 21Shares’s ARKB followed with inflows of $51.9 million following a day of no activity. (CryptoNews) -Economic Indicators- 1. Gold Shatters Records as Investors Brace for Economic Turbulence: Precious metals prices are on the move again, with gold hitting a new peak of $2,564 during Tuesday’s trading sessions. As of now, gold is being traded at $2,527 per ounce, while silver has climbed more than 6% this week, currently standing at $29.68 per ounce. (BitcoinCom) 2. Dollar Sinks to Year-to-Date Lows: The dollar index traded below 101.5 on Wednesday, sinking to its lowest levels this year as investors awaited updates from the Federal Reserve to gauge the timing and magnitude of expected interest rate cuts. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. US intelligence officials say Iran behind Trump campaign hack: In a joint statement, the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said it attributed “recently reported activities to compromise former President Trump’s campaign” to Iran, and that the intelligence community is “confident that the Iranians have through social engineering and other efforts sought access to individuals with direct access to the presidential campaigns of both political parties”. (TheGuardian) -Technology and Science- 1. Growth in artificial intelligence puts pressure on energy generation: “We’re in (a) precarious position,” said Geoff Marke, chief economist with the Missouri Office of Public Counsel. “We don’t have enough generation to meet our load before we start talking about AI data centers coming online.” The energy industry is experiencing seismic change. Coal plants are retiring and renewable generation is coming online. However, its reliance on the sun and wind tend to make it less consistent. Boston Consulting Group analysis shows that data center electricity consumption is expected to triple by 2030 — to 7.5% of total U.S. energy consumption, comparable to the power needs of 40 million households. (LakeGazette) -Bitcoin Community- 1. El Salvador launches Bitcoin certifications for civil servants: The National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC) of El Salvador will train and provide Bitcoin instruction and certifications to 80,000 government employees. The 160-hour virtual and asynchronous training session — Certification in Public Administration 1 — is divided into seven modules, each detailing several concepts, laws, skills and management related to the use of Bitcoin as legal tender. (CoinTelegraph) 2. A Strong HODLing Trend Emerges in Bitcoin: Nearly 75% of all circulating Bitcoin has remained dormant for over six months. Consistently buying and holding Bitcoin over time, rather than attempting to time the market, aligns with the behavior of those who have historically seen the most significant gains holding Bitcoin. (ZeroHedge) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 29/100 (Down 1 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 857,615 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 20Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Israel Recover 6 Hostage Bodies / Russia Hunts Down Deserters / North Korean Soldier Defects / DNC Says Goodbye to Biden / Georgia Strengthens Ballot Rules / Harris, DNC Indicate Crypto Antagonism / China Rules Digital Assets Transactions Illegal / BTC ETFs Control Almost 1M BTC / US Stocks Continue Rise / Hack Takes 4,064 BTC From One Wallet / Space X to Send Civilians Deeper Into Space Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $60,707, 24.02 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $61,396 / Lo: $58,109 Vol: $28B (Up 32%) Mkt Cap: $1.2T (Up 4%) HashRate: 626 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 3 sats/vBtye (Even)-Very Low! Nodes: 19,155 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Israeli military says it recovered the bodies of 6 hostages from Gaza: The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that troops recovered the bodies in an overnight operation in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The operation came as the United States, Egypt and Qatar pushed for a cease-fire deal that would end Israel’s monthslong offensive in Gaza and see the release of the hostages who remain held in the enclave. More than 100 hostages remain held in Gaza, with around a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli officials. (NBC) 2. Russia Hunts Down Deserters to Backfill Its Massive War Losses: Russia’s vast professional army has been hollowed out after 2½ years sending waves of men to break down Ukraine’s defenses with a warfare attrition strategy. Russia is now recruiting at least 25,000 men a month, though few have combat experience. The war has been deadly for both sides. At least half a million Russians have been killed or wounded in the conflict, according to a senior Western intelligence official. Kyiv has also struggled to raise enough troops to hold back the Russians, despite lowering the mobilization age and raising pay. (WSJ) 3. North Korean soldier defects to the South: A North Korean soldier defected to South Korea early on Tuesday crossing the militarized border in the eastern part of the Korean peninsula. The soldier crossed into Goseong county on the east coast which borders North Korea and was taken into custody by South Korean guards who had been monitoring his movements. (Reuters) -US Events- 1. Biden hails Harris as DNC's future in emotional farewell speech: Biden's address in Chicago kicked off a four-day event fueled by enthusiasm for Harris and relief that Biden abandoned his own reelection bid and endorsed her to replace him. The president's reluctant decision to step aside on July 21 came after heavy pressure from party leaders who worried the 81-year-old incumbent was too old to win or serve four more years. (Reuters) 2. Georgia Election Board votes to add requirements before certification: The Georgia State Election Board passed a rule Monday giving local election officials additional power to investigate ballot counts before certifying the results, a move critics say could inject chaos into the 2024 election and delay the state’s official vote count. The “Rule for Reconciliation Prior to Certification” will allow for a hand recount of votes to ensure “the total number of ballots cast” does not exceed “the total number of persons who voted,” according to the language of the rule. County election officials will now be allowed to investigate any possible discrepancies. (CNN) 3. Two dead, state of emergency declared in Connecticut after historic rainfall: Governor Ned Lamont said that hundreds of people were evacuated with the worst of the flooding happening around Oxford and Southbury. Two women, 65-year-old Ethelyn Joiner and 71 Audrey Rostkowski, both of Oxford, were found dead on Monday after rushing flood waters carried them away from first responders. (WWLP) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Kamala Harris’s Alleged ‘Crypto Reset’ Absent in Democratic Agenda: While the Republican platform addresses the issue of cryptocurrency and bitcoin, the Democratic Party’s latest platform remained silent on the matter. Adding to the buzz, there are whispers that Kamala Harris’s campaign might be eyeing Gary Gensler, the current head of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, for the role of Treasury Secretary. (BitcoinCom) 2. China Classifies Crypto Transactions as Money Laundering in Update to AML Law: On Monday, Chinese authorities explicitly recognized “virtual asset” transactions as a method of money laundering, marking the first instance in the country that such a move has been made towards the asset class. The new legal interpretation classifies virtual asset transactions, including those conducted through crypto exchanges, as acts that "cover up and conceal the source and nature of the proceeds of crime.” (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. US Bitcoin ETFs on the Verge of Controlling 1 Million BTC: According to the latest data collected on Aug. 16, 2024, the 12 spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) collectively hold around 910,153.83 BTC, which translates to over $53 billion at the current exchange rates. Leading the pack is Blackrock’s IBIT, holding the largest portion with 38.34% of the total BTC. (BitcoinCom) 2. US spot bitcoin ETFs see lowest daily trading volume since early February: U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds saw $61.98 million daily net inflows amidst a $779.87 million daily total trade volume on Monday, the lowest amount since Feb. 6 and the third lowest daily trade volume overall. (TheBlock) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Futures Signal Pause After 8-Day S&P 500, Nasdaq Rally: US futures changed little in cautious trading on Tuesday as expectations for a September interest rate cut grew stronger ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's upcoming speech at Jackson Hole. On Monday, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq extended their winning streak to eight sessions, the longest this year. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Could Bitcoin Become a Bigger Privacy Threat Than CBDCs?: Privacy advocates in the crypto space are concerned about the lack of privacy on the Bitcoin network and believe that it poses a threat to financial privacy. They argue that the open and transparent nature of the Bitcoin blockchain allows governments to monitor citizens' spending and other activities. While some worry that Bitcoin could be used as a CBDC with broad oversight, others believe that Bitcoin's decentralized nature makes it difficult for governments to control. (Decrypt) 2. Crypto Hack Ends In $238M Bitcoin Heist, Lazarus Group Linked?: A massive crypto hack on August 19 has shaken the community, resulting in the theft of $238 million in Bitcoin. According to ZachXBT’s research, the victim lost 4,064 Bitcoin, worth approximately $238 million, in a suspicious transfer on Monday. The transaction hash associated with the theft, 4b277…, revealed that the stolen funds were quickly transferred across various platforms. These include ThorChain, eXch, KuCoin, ChangeNow, crypto mixer Railgun, and Avalanche Bridge. (CoinGape) -Technology and Science- 1. SpaceX is about to send four people on a wild — and risky — mission into the radiation belts: Private citizens Isaacman, Menon, Gillis and Poteet will spend five days aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that will soar to altitudes higher than any human has traveled since NASA’s Apollo program ended in the 1970s. Their orbital path will extend high enough to plunge the vehicle and crew into a radiation belt, adding another element of peril to the already treacherous experience of spaceflight. This crew of private citizens will also open the hatch of their spacecraft and expose themselves to the vacuum of space, marking the first time such a feat has been attempted by non-government astronauts. (CNN) 2. What does Bitcoin smell like? AI startup wants to ‘teleport’ digital scents: Artificial intelligence firm Osmo is working diligently to bring back the future we were promised in 1960 when Hans Laube introduced the world to “Smell-O-Vision.” Only this time, the goal is to improve the lives of humans everywhere by teaching computers how to interpret scent. The company hopes to build a system capable of superhuman feats of smell. These would include the ability to smell the presence of certain diseases, such as cancer, or symptoms associated with diabetes, such as low blood sugar.(CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Community- NSTR -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 30/100 (Up 2 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Despite recent efforts to get Democratic support for digital assets, the deafening silence by the DNC and Harris is message enough. After release of the DNC policy platform yesterday, the lack of support for bitcoin and crypto ensures a hostile stance would be taken upon inauguration by the Harris camp, complete with rewarding SEC chair Gary Gensler as Treasury Secretary. This possible scenario has consequences for bitcoin holders, self-custody, centralization, and mining operations into the near future. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

NEW DAILY Bitcoin Veterans SITREP https://fountain.fm/episode/QLOBOQXUfn1nCiZ8sC5x

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 856,590 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 13Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Ukraine Holds Section of Kursk / British Immigration Riots Peak, New Knife Killing of Girl / Bangladesh Charges Ex-PM With Murder / Musk and Trump Riff on X After Tech Issues Delay / Chokepoint 2.0 In Effect / Zimbabwe To End Dollar Use / BTC More Volatile on Weekends / DEFCon Hacks Voting Machines, Again / China Chases NVIDIA / MARA Prints "Made in USA" on Blocks / Technology Can Fix Election Honesty Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $58,856, 23.89 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $60,680 / Lo: $57,860 Vol: $32B (Up 10%) Mkt Cap: $1.16T (Down 1%) HashRate: 575 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 3 sats/vBtye (Down 55%) Nodes: 19,623 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Top Ukrainian commander says his forces now control almost 390 square miles of Russia’s Kursk region: “The troops are fulfilling their tasks. Fighting continues actually along the entire front line. The situation is under our control,” Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi said. (AP) 2. Britain is hoping its riots have peaked. But the far right is lingering, and more trouble could lie ahead: It was meant to be another night of violence at the hands of the far right. A list of target addresses for far-right protests, seen by CNN, had been circulating on Telegram channels and then on social media for days, raising alarm that the racist attacks on Muslims and asylum seekers over the weekend would return. Wednesday felt like a turning point after a string of violence that had put a country on edge and thrown its new government into a sudden crisis. (CNN) 3. UK: Man stabbed girl, 11, eight times, court told: A 32-year-old man has appeared in court charged with attempted murder after an 11-year-old girl was stabbed in London’s Leicester Square on Monday. Ioan Pintaru, a Romanian national with no fixed address, is also charged with possession of a bladed article. (AP) 4. Bangladesh's ex-PM investigated for murder: A murder investigation has been opened into Bangladesh's ex-premier Sheikh Hasina over the police killing of a man during civil unrest last month. Six other top figures in the previous government are also being investigated following weeks of deadly unrest in the capital Dhaka. Ms Hasina resigned and left the country earlier this month, fleeing to New Delhi, India after political unrest destabilized the government. (BBC) -US Events- 1. Musk hosts friendly chat with Trump on X after tech delays: The conversation, in which Mr Musk asked friendly questions on subjects such as immigration and inflation, began more than 40 minutes late as many users struggled to gain access. The two men touched on a range of issues, from the assassination attempt on Trump last month at a Pennsylvania rally, to his wanting the US to get an "Iron Dome" missile defence system like the one in Israel as well as immigration, a key plank of his campaign. As many users struggled to access the livestream, Mr Musk blamed "a massive DDoS attack on X" for the problems in a post. (BBC) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Tyler Winklevoss Warns Operation Chokepoint 2.0 Remains in Full Swing: Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of U.S.-based exchange Gemini and VC firm Winklevoss Capital, has alerted about the ongoing status of Operation Chokepoint 2.0, a plan directed to difficult banking access to crypto companies. Winklevoss’ remarks come after the Federal Reserve found Customers Bank, a crypto-friendly bank, had “deficiencies” in compliance with anti-money laundering requirements. (BitcoinCom) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Zimbabwe to Unveil Roadmap to End Dollar Use, Cabinet Says: Zimbabwe’s cabinet said it has approved a roadmap to abandon US dollars in favor of its bullion-backed currency in transactions, a strategy that Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube may unveil next week. “On modalities to operationalize the ZiG CBDC currency as legal tender for use in the economy, a dedollarization roadmap is now in place,” (Bloomberg) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Bitcoin risks ‘sharp weekend price swings’ as ETFs suck up liquidity: Bitcoin has become more susceptible to wild weekend volatility since the launch of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETF) in the United States, according to Kaiko Research. In an Aug. 12 report, Kaiko’s crypto analysts noted Bitcoin’s liquidity has become more concentrated on weekdays, particularly in BTC/US dollar markets. (CoinTelegraph) -Economic Indicators- 1. US Factory Gate Prices Expected to Rise Moderately: Factory gate prices in the US are projected to have risen by 0.2% month-over-month in July 2024, maintaining the same pace as in June. The core producer price index, which excludes volatile categories like food and energy, is also expected to increase by 0.2%, a slowdown from the previous month's 0.4% rise. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Futures Mixed Ahead PPI Data: US futures were mixed on Tuesday as investors awaited key inflation data. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures ticked up slightly, while Dow Jones futures fell over 100 points. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. The nation’s best hackers found vulnerabilities in voting machines — but no time to fix them: Organizers and participants at the DEF CON Voting Village found cyber vulnerabilities in everything from voting machines to e-poll books, but there is no time before the November elections to fully implement their findings. “If you don’t think this kind of place is running 24/7 in China, Russia, you’re kidding yourselves,” Harri Hursti said, gesturing around the room of voting equipment. “We are here only for two and a half days, and we find stuff…it would be stupid to assume that the adversaries don’t have absolute access to everything.” (Politico) (AC-See AC below) -Technology and Science- 1. Huawei Readies New Chip to Challenge Nvidia, Surmounting U.S. Sanctions: Chinese internet companies and telecommunications operators have been testing Huawei’s latest processor, called Ascend 910C, in recent weeks, according to people familiar with the matter. Huawei told potential clients that the new chip is comparable to Nvidia’s H100, which was introduced last year and isn’t directly available in China, the people said. (WSJ) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Marathon Digital stamps ‘Made in USA’ on Bitcoin blocks mined: Marathon Digital CEO Fred Thiel underscored the company’s commitment to labeling blocks made in the US with a stamp. According to Thiel, every block mined by their MARA Pool in the United States will be stamped “Made in USA.” (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 31/100 (Up 6 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): With election season in full swing in the US, every aspect of electoral process is clouded in purposeful confusion. The candidate narratives, media coverage, social media spin, election process and legal aspects of the US election are as clear as mud. Within this confusion lies the opportunity to design and steer the results in a direction that does not suit the citizen voter. The democratic process is broken in the US and faith in the system is at a low. As with many problems, technology often provides an actual solution if human nature would concede. The latest guest on the Bitcoin Veterans podcast outlined a system now in use in Guatemala that uses checks and balances, combined with immutable confirmation on the Bitcoin blockchain to implement one of the most honest elections held in the world. The time is ripe to explore such a hopeful project and prepare for the dishonest broker onslaught in the US. For an introduction, consider watching the short film:

Immutable Democracy

Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 856,456 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 12Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: US Buildup Continues in Mideast / Russians Evacuate Kursk Areas / US SOF Busy in Syria Against ISIS / Trump Campaign Hacked / Musk and Trump on X Tonight / NYC Overflows With Migrants / Venezuelans Use VPNs to Access Binance / Turkey Opens Up To Digital Assets / IRS Changes Crypto Form / Canada Politicians Spar on CBDC / Four Years of MSTR BTC Strategy / Quantum Computers Pick Up Steam / Bitcoin Miners Scraping By Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $59,806, 24.51 oz Gold, .14 Median US House 24hr Hi: $60,739 / Lo: $57,688 Vol: $29B (Up 86%) Mkt Cap: $1.18T (Down 2%) HashRate: 724 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 7 sats/vBtye (Up 75%) Nodes: 19,685 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. US is 'strengthening' military force in Middle East: The U.S. is "strengthening" its capabilities in the Middle East by sending an additional guided missile submarine to the region "in light of escalating regional tensions," according to a statement from Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder issued on Sunday. Secretary Austin ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, equipped with F-35C fighters, to accelerate its transit to the Middle East, which was previously expected to get there by the end of the month. Additionally, Austin has ordered the USS Georgia guided missile submarine to the Middle East. (ABC) 2. Russia orders more evacuations as Ukraine’s incursion into its territory enters its seventh day: Russian authorities were on Monday evacuating civilians from more areas along the Ukrainian border, a week into Kyiv’s surprise cross-border incursion into Russian territory. The incursion, which is now affecting two Russian regions, is seen as something of a game-changer in the conflict. (CNN) 3. In Syria’s Hinterlands, the U.S. Wages a Hidden Campaign Against a Resurgent Islamic State: American commandos are scrambling to contain a resurgence of Islamic State where the militant group once imposed its violent religious fervor on vast territories and millions of people. Militant fighters have doubled their pace of attacks in Syria and Iraq this year. They have targeted security checkpoints, detonated car bombs and plotted to free thousands of comrades jailed since the SDF and a U.S.-headed Western coalition recaptured the last Islamic State-held town. (WSJ) -US Events- 1. Trump campaign says it has been hacked: Politico reported earlier Saturday that it had received emails from an anonymous account with documents from inside Trump’s campaign operation. “These documents were obtained illegally from foreign sources hostile to the United States, intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process,” a Trump campaign spokesperson said. Spokesman Cheung pointed to a recent report published by Microsoft that said Iranian operatives had ramped up their attempts to influence and monitor the US presidential election. (CNN) 2. Elon Musk to interview Trump on X social media network: The interview, scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time (0000 Tuesday GMT), could provide the former president an opportunity to seize the limelight. Trump's access to his account, @realDonaldTrump, was restored a month into Musk's ownership of X after being suspended by the platform's previous owners following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress by his supporters. Trump frequently posts on his Truth Social social media platform, which was launched in February 2022.(Reuters) 3. Migrants Camp in City Streets as Biden’s Shelters Overflow and Gang Violence Grows: As the number of migrants continues to grow in the Big Apple, authorities are beginning to become concerned over the number of border crossers who are choosing to live outside in tents instead of going into the city’s shelter system. With the city already struggling to house some 65,000 migrants, a major factor spurring migrants to camp outside in tents is that they feel unsafe in the massive shelters arranged by city officials. (Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Venezuelans turn to VPNs as government restricts Binance access: Binance has confirmed that the Venezuelan government has restricted access to its website amid turmoil following controversial presidential election results. Local group VE sin Filtro advised Venezuelans to use a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass the crypto platform’s blockade. (CryptoSlate) 2. 47 Companies Apply to Operate in Turkey Under New Crypto Regulations: Turkey’s Capital Markets Board has issued an update on crypto asset service providers following new regulations. The provisional lists include 47 operational companies and three that are planning to liquidate. Current crypto service providers are required to apply for permits or proceed with liquidation by specified deadlines, with legal repercussions for noncompliance. (BitcoinCom) 3. IRS Updates Crypto Tax Form, But Could Still Bring ‘Unintended Consequences’, Expert Says: The IRS has released a revised draft of the 1099-DA form for crypto investors, aiming to simplify tax reporting for digital asset holders. The new form eliminates intrusive questions about wallet addresses, transaction IDs, and specific broker types. (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Trudeau’s rival pushes to ban CBDC in Canada, preserves cash use: Canadian Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre voiced strong opposition to the development of a central bank digital currency in Canada in a recent X post, pledging to protect cash usage and resist the government’s push toward economic digitization. (CryptoNews) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Saylor's Big Bitcoin Gamble Turns 4. Here's How MicroStrategy Stock Has Performed: After languishing for nearly two decades, the stock ended up recovering following Saylor's Bitcoin gamble. In fact, MicroStrategy has managed to outperform 499 out of 500 stocks in the S&P 500. As reported, MicroStrategy (MSTR) stock was added to the much-coveted the MSCI World Index earlier this year after outperforming Bitcoin. (UToday) -Economic Indicators- 1. Bank of Japan Rules Out Interest Rate Hikes Until 2025: A former Bank of Japan (BOJ) official stated that the central bank will delay any further interest rate hikes until next year, prioritizing market stability in the near term. The BOJ recently raised its key interest rate for the first time in over a decade but has now signaled a pause in additional rate hikes. The shift in policy caused the Japanese yen to strengthen and led to a decline in risk assets, including Bitcoin. (Decrypt) 2. Dollar Stabilizes Ahead of Inflation Data: The dollar index steadied around 103.1 on Monday as investors look ahead to key inflation data this week for confirmation that price growth has continued to stabilize. (TradingEconomics) 3. Week Ahead: The focus in the United States will be on the CPI and PPI reports, and speeches by Federal Reserve officials. Additionally, key data releases will include retail sales, Michigan consumer confidence, export and import prices, housing starts, building permits, and industrial production. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- NSTR -Technology and Science- 1. Quantum computers are advancing much faster than scientists expected: Most people working in the field believe that quantum computers will be able to solve problems that classical computers can’t solve within the next 10 years. This is according to a recent survey of 927 people with associations to the field of quantum computing (researchers, executives, press, enthusiasts, etc.) conducted by QuEra. Of those surveyed, 74.9% “expect quantum to be a superior alternative to classical computing for certain workloads” within the next 10 years. (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin miners record lowest daily revenue of 2024: Revenue earned by Bitcoin miners, primarily through block rewards and transaction fees, declined consistently over two weeks to record a new yearly low on Aug. 11. On Aug. 11, daily earnings of the Bitcoin mining community dipped to a new yearly low of $2.54 million, a number last seen in October 2023. (CoinTelegraph) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 25/100 (Down 23 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): NSTR Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 855,646 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 06Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Rockets Hit US Base in Al Asad, Iraq / UN Fires Staff for Oct 7th Role in Massacre / Biden Convenes NatSec Council / Maduro To Investigate Opposition Leaders for Crimes / VP Harris Gets Dem Nomination / Hurricane Debby Floods Florida, Georgia / Binance Hit with $86M Tax Bill in India / Thailand Models CBDC, UBI Plan / Global Markets Rebound / US Begins Treasury Buyback / Google Hit With Antitrust Ruling / CA Puts Car Titles on New Blockchain / Swan Cancels PB Fest '24 Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $54,055, 23.04 oz Gold, .13 Median US House 24hr Hi: $56,271 / Lo: $49,578 Vol: $68B (Down 21%) Mkt Cap: $1.09T (Up 9%) HashRate: 624 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 11 sats/vBtye (Up 90%) Nodes: 19,594 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. US personnel wounded in attack against base in Iraq: At least five U.S. personnel were injured in an attack against a military base in Iraq on Monday, U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Middle East braced for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following last week's killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Two Katyusha rockets were fired at al Asad airbase in western Iraq, two Iraqi security sources said. One Iraqi security source said the rockets fell inside the base. (Reuters) 2. Nine UNRWA staff to be fired for potential role in 7 October attacks on Israel: The UN said on Monday that nine staff working for its Palestine refugee agency UNRWA will be sacked because they may have been involved in the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks against Israel. 1,200 people were killed and another 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages. (UNAffairs) 3. Biden meets national security team as fears of Iran attack on Israel grow: US President Joe Biden met his senior national security team on Monday as concerns of a possible Iranian retaliatory attack on Israel grew. Biden said he had been briefed on preparations to support Israel should it be attacked, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken said officials were working "around the clock" to prevent an escalation. (BBC) 4. Venezuela launches criminal investigation into opposition figures: Venezuela’s Public Ministry has opened a criminal investigation into presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia and opposition leader María Corina Machado, the country’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab said in a statement on Monday. Venezuela’s opposition and multiple other nations have refused to recognize Maduro’s victory in the July 28 vote until the release of the full vote tally. (CNN) (AC-The headlines from Venezuela and the US seem to be interchangeable, only the names change) -US Events- 1. Kamala Harris earns majority of Democratic roll call votes, achieving historic presidential nomination: The roll call, which concluded on Monday evening, still needs to be certified by Convention Secretary Jason Rae, according to the statement, but the announcement makes Harris's historic nomination effectively official. (ABC) 2. Debby Weakens to Tropical Storm, Four People Confirmed Dead: Debby was downgraded to a tropical storm Monday afternoon after hitting Florida with heavy rain and leaving four dead. The storm is expected to inundate the Southeast with historic rain and catastrophic flooding over the next few days. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday afternoon three people were killed in traffic accidents and a fourth was killed as a result of a tree that fell on a roof. (WSJ) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Binance Is 'Cooperating' With Indian Authorities on $86 Million Tax Bill: Binance is facing a significant tax challenge in India after the country’s tax authorities issued a notice demanding a Goods and Services Tax (GST) payment of $86 million. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence alleges that Binance collected fees from Indian customers for trading virtual digital assets without remitting the appropriate taxes, according to a local news outlet. (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Thailand may tell us a great deal about the future of money: The Thai government has initiated a programme to distribute money to low-income households through digital wallets. About 50mn Thais who fall below certain income and savings thresholds will get about $280 each, roughly half of monthly per capita income. The Thai transfer programme already has some features of a CBDC. (FT) (AC-The Thai government is showing the world how CBDCs will be instituted, primarily through low-income grants and UBI programs first. The eventually mandated as the primary currency where the programmable features are implemented, decreasing freedom of currency usage.) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Hedge Fund Capula Reveals $420 Million in Bitcoin ETF Holdings: London-based hedge fund Capula Management has disclosed in a regulatory filing that it has invested over $420 million in Bitcoin through exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The hedge fund purchased shares of Fidelity's Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust and BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust, making its total investment worth $422 million. (Decrypt) -Economic Indicators- 1. Global markets jittery after sharp share price falls: Stock markets in Europe remained unsettled on Tuesday despite a rebound in Japan which almost reversed record falls at the start of the week. Overnight, Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index jumped by 10.23%, or 3,217 points in its biggest one day gain in points, after the previous day's plummet. Experts says this was in reaction to fears of a US economic slowdown. A rare interest rate cut in Japan is also believed to have played a part. (BBC) 2. US 10-Year Yield Rises as Traders Assess Outlook: The yield on the US 10-year Treasury note rose above 3.8% on Tuesday after hitting an over one-year low of 3.67% in the previous session, as investors weighed risks of a US recession. A weak jobs report released on Friday stoked fears of an economic downturn, prompting traders to rush for safe-haven assets including US Treasuries. (TradingEconomics) 3. US Commences $50B Treasury Buyback, 50 bps Fed Rate Cut Odds Surge: On Tuesday, August 6, 2024, the United States will kickstart the ambitious Treasury buyback program. This initiative aims at purchasing $50 billion worth of Treasury securities by the end of October. Moreover, it comes at a crucial juncture as the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to announce an emergency interest rate cut soon. (CoinGape) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. North Korean Hackers Moonstone Sleet Push Malicious JS Packages to npm Registry: The North Korea-linked threat actor known as Moonstone Sleet has continued to push malicious npm packages to the JavaScript package registry with the aim of infecting Windows systems, underscoring the persistent nature of their campaigns. (HackerNews) -Technology and Science- 1. Google Found to Hold an Illegal Monopoly in Antitrust Case: Google has lost an antitrust lawsuit over its search arrangements on smartphone devices, with a federal judge ruling that the tech giant has illegally held a monopoly in search and text advertising over the past decade. (Breitbart) 2. California DMV digitizes 42 million car titles on the blockchain: The DMV has partnered with blockchain startup Oxhead Alpha, the first step was creating digital tokens for the 42 million car titles on the blockchain, which the DMV has already completed. It’s currently building a mobile app that Californians can use to access their records and initiate title transfers from the comfort of their homes, a first in the U.S. The app is expected to go live in the first half of 2025. With blockchain’s decentralization and immutability, car owners will likely detect any lien fraud quickly. According to vehicle data firm Carfax, there are over 800,000 cases of title washing alone, which is the fraudulent concealment of pertinent car information from a buyer. (CoinGeek) -Bitcoin Community- 1. Swan Bitcoin Cancels Pacific Bitcoin Festival 2024: Swan Bitcoin has canceled its highly anticipated Pacific Bitcoin Festival 2024, which was set to take place in October in Santa Monica, California. The decision comes after recent staff cuts and a shift back to the company’s core business. (BitcoinSensus) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 17/100 (Down 9 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Even with the bounceback in global equities, the USG is looking to stabilize markets and prevent FUD around the US economy, especially before an election. The Treasury buyback is timed to provide some liquidity both here and abroad during this time of uncertainty. The follow-on actions expected are the Fed interest rate reduction, further increasing liquidity. Simple economic mechanics forecast increasing inflation to result in the following 6-12 months. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 854,946 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 01Aug24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Hamas Leader Killed in Tehran / Hezbollah Commander Confirmed Killed in Lebanon / Musk Vs. Maduro Challenge Accepted / Sex Trafficking at Comic-Con / Sen Lummis Introduces Bitcoin Bill / Sen Hagerty Backs Trump's Crypto Stance / NC Democrats Flip on CBDC Bill / No Movement From Fed / HSA Provider Hacked / Tucker Like Bitcoin, But Says CIA Created It Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $64,522, 26.46 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $66,810 / Lo: $63,573 Vol: $36B (Up 29%) Mkt Cap: $1.27T (Down 2%) HashRate: 683 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 8 sats/vBtye (Up 27%) Nodes: 19,160 ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Hezbollah confirms commander died in Israeli strike: Fuad Shukr, who was in his early sixties, is believed to be a key military adviser to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The strike targeted a building in Haret Hreik, a part of the Dahiyeh suburb of Beirut. It is a fortified, densely populated area. Dahiyeh itself is surrounded by checkpoints. Meanwhile, the US tells Americans in Lebanon: ‘Be prepared to shelter in place’: (BBC) 2. Iranians mourn Hamas leader Haniyeh's assassination: Iranians turned out to mourn Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh on Thursday, a day after he was assassinated in Iran's capital. Iran and the Palestinian Islamist militant group have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president in Tehran on Wednesday. (Reuters) 3. Elon Musk accepts Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's challenge to fight: In a video Monday, Maduro was seen holding a cellphone as he declared war on Musk, alleging social media platform X owner Musk wants to invade Venezuela with his space rockets. "I am the son of Bolivar and Chavez. I am not afraid of you, Elon Musk," Maduro continued. "Let’s go at it, wherever you want, as we say in Caracas in the neighborhoods. If you want it, I want it, Elon Musk. Just say where." Musk later responded to a post about the challenge on X, writing: "I accept." (Fox) -US Events- 1. San Diego Comic-Con at center of human-trafficking sting: A team of federal, state and county investigators rescued 10 people and arrested 14 during an undercover human-trafficking sting at San Diego’s Comic-Con International, which was held over the weekend. The team was on the lookout for “sex buyers using the San Diego Comic-Con Convention to seek out potential victims,” As a result of the three-day investigation, 14 sex buyers were arrested and nine potential adult victims of sex trafficking were identified. One 16-year-old was also identified as a victim. (LATimes) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Senator Cynthia Lummis Introduces New Act to Establish a National Bitcoin Reserve: Senator Cynthia Lummis has introduced the BITCOIN Act of 2024, which aims to establish a national Bitcoin reserve to strengthen the position of the U.S. dollar in the global financial system. The bill also seeks to ensure transparency in the management of the Bitcoin reserve by the U.S. Treasury Department. However, the Act may face challenges in Congress due to partisan divisions and the upcoming Presidential election. (Decrypt) 2. Tennessee Senator Backs Trump, Wants to 'Make Certain' America is a Crypto Hub: U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) threw his support behind Presidential candidate Donald Trump's bid to make the U.S. a crypto hub this week. He likened crypto to the semiconductor industry that, "got pushed offshore and weakened us from a geopolitical standpoint," adding that, "We need to see this innovation happening here." (Decrypt) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. NC House overrides governor’s veto on CBDC bill, Democrats flip stance: The North Carolina House of Representatives voted to override three of Gov. Roy Cooper’s recent vetoes on Wednesday, including House Bill 690, an act prohibiting payments to the state using a central bank digital currency. During Wednesday’s override vote, nearly all House Democrats voted in contradiction to their supportive positioning in June (73-41). (CarolinaJournal) (AC-A very interesting turnabout in just one month. Politicians in the US are responding to support for bitcoin and opposition to CBDCs from US citizens.) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Bitcoin ETFs see smallest net inflow on record, Grayscale mini BTC positive: Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) experienced a minimal net inflow of just $0.3 million, marking the most negligible net inflow since these ETFs began trading on Jan. 11. July 31 marked the inaugural trading day for Grayscale’s new mini trust BTC, which attracted an $18.0 million inflow; the fund was initially provided with 10% of GBTC’s Bitcoin assets. (CryptoSlate) -Economic Indicators- 1. Fed Leaves Rates on Hold but Signals Progress on Inflation: The Federal Reserve maintained the federal funds rate at a 23-year high of 5.25%-5.50% for the 8th consecutive meeting in July 2024, in line with expectations. Policymakers noted that there has been some further progress toward the 2% inflation goal although it remains somewhat elevated. (TradingEconomics) 2. US 10-Year Treasury Yield Falls to Over 4-Month Low: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell toward 4.1%, its lowest since March, amid growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will signal the start of its cutting cycle today. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. 4.3 million people hit in massive healthcare data breach with full names, addresses and SSNs exposed online: HSA provider HealthEquity has disclosed that it suffered a data breach in which the personal information of millions of Americans was stolen by hackers. (TomsGuide) 2. Facebook Ads Lead to Fake Websites Stealing Credit Card Information: Facebook users are the target of a scam e-commerce network that uses hundreds of fake websites to steal personal and financial data using brand impersonation and malvertising tricks. "These fraudulent sites were accessible only through mobile devices and ad lures, a tactic aimed at evading automated detection systems," the company said, noting the network comprised 608 fraudulent websites and that the activity spans several short-lived waves. (HackerNews) -Technology and Science- NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Miner Riot Platforms' Second-Quarter Loss Widens to $84.4M as Costs Surge: The Castle Rock, Colo.-based company posted a net loss of $84.4 million, or $0.32 per share. The cost to mine the bitcoin jumped to $25,327 from $5,734 due to a 68% increase in the network's hashrate. Hashrate is a measurement of the total computational power used to process transactions on the network. (CoinDesk) 2. Tucker Carlson Says He Loves Bitcoin—But Believes the CIA Created It: During a private event on Friday held at Bitcoin 2024, the former Fox News host spoke at length about why crypto is the world’s best tool for enabling financial sovereignty—even though it was invented by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). “Obviously it was the CIA, we all know that,” said Carlson with a laugh. “It’s like Signal, they got there first. It’s a honeytrap!” (Decrypt) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 52/100 (Down 9 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): The sudden turn of politicians towards Bitcoin and crypto, and against CBDCs in the US is instructive in games of political power. While most of the rest of the world is barreling towards a CBDC solution and centralized power, the groundswell of support for Bitcoin and anti-CBDC shows the power of legacy representative democracy in the US. US politicians still need votes to maintain or gain power. US politicians in general still do not understand Bitcoin or CBDCs, but do understand that it is important for many constituents and can garner them support apart from traditional policies. The push for Bitcoin as a reserve asset is no less than a dog-whistle for digital asset enthusiasts as the reality is very complex and difficult to enact meaningfully, for the USG, citizens or Bitcoiners. All of which have different objectives. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 853,558 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 23Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Red Sea Boils / China, Philippines Reach Agreement / Ukraine Foreign Minister Visits China / Secret Service Under Heavy Fire / Netanyahu Snubbed, Will Speak to Congress / MARA Fined $138M / Is Bitcoin as Reserve Asset Possible? / ETH ETFs Start Trading / BTC Miners Struggling Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $66,601, 27.58 oz Gold, .15 Median US House 24hr Hi: $68,267 / Lo: $66,292 Vol: $45B (Up 45%) Mkt Cap: $1.31T (Down 1%) HashRate: 746 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 6 sats/vBtye (Up 43%) Nodes: 7,410 (*Anomaly: Detected nodes have dropped the past two weeks from an average of 19K to below 10K) ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. Red Sea tensions reach new high as US weighs terrorist designation for Houthis: Israel's strike on Yemen's port of Hodeidah on Saturday killed three and injured 87, in a fighter jet assault over 1,000 miles away from Tel Aviv. Israel says it was a response to a Houthi drone attack Friday that killed one person in Tel Aviv. Tallies of reporting from U.S. Central Command count 14 missiles and nearly 60 drones fired by the Houthis and destroyed by the U.S. Navy in June alone, which by some assessments has made the sea combat the United States' most sustained naval fight since World War II. "There's more and more talk now about a designation under the [Foreign Terrorist Organization], which would level the Houthis with al-Qaeda affiliates and Hamas. (ABC) 2. China, Philippines agree on 'provisional arrangement' for South China Sea resupply missions, Manila says: "Both sides continue to recognize the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences through dialogue and consultation and agree that the agreement will not prejudice each other’s positions in the South China Sea," the Dept of Foreign Affairs in Manila said. (Reuters) 3. Ukraine's FM Kuleba to visit China: China has announced that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will visit China from Tuesday to Friday, the first such trip since the Ukraine conflict broke out in 2022. According to Ukraine's foreign ministry, the main topic of discussion would be the search for ways to end the conflict and China's possible role in achieving sustainable and just peace. (ChinaDaily) (AC-An unexpected twist as China has supported Russia since the conflict began.) -US Events- 1. Secret Service Director’s Testimony Sparks Bipartisan Calls for Her Resignation: Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle offered lawmakers few answers Monday about how a 20-year-old gunman was able to open fire on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally, fueling bipartisan anger and widespread calls for her resignation in the wake of what she acknowledged was a colossal security lapse. (WSJ) 2. Netanyahu trip will put US divisions on display: Boycotts from Democratic lawmakers and pro-Palestinian activists against Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday will contrast with a Republican Party united on a rare area of solidarity. With Biden’s decision to not seek reelection, all eyes will be on Vice President Harris for how she handles meetings with Netanyahu. Harris is not expected to attend Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, in a sign welcomed by advocates for a tougher U.S. policy toward Israel. (TheHill) (AC-Meanwhile, Netanyahu landed in DC without Biden, Harris or Blinken there to meet him, seen as a diplomatic snub.-Breitbart) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Marathon Digital Fined $138 Million for Breaching US Bitcoin Corp and Hut 8 Non-Disclosure Agreement: Marathon Digital, the largest Bitcoin mining company, has been fined $138 million for breaching a non-disclosure agreement. Michael Ho, former co-founder of US Bitcoin Corp, won a breach of contract lawsuit against Marathon Digital for executing his growth strategy without compensating him. (CoinTelegraph) 2. Will Trump endorse bitcoin as strategic reserve asset?: The excitement centers around a tweet from Dennis Porter suggesting that Trump might announce bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. Melker emphasized the potential for a historic shift. He noted that the U.S. government already holds a substantial amount of bitcoin from past confiscations, such as from Silk Road. Transferring these holdings to the treasury could effectively position bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset. If Trump makes this announcement, it would not only make international headlines but also compel other central banks to reconsider their stance on bitcoin. (TheStreet) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- NSTR -Institutional Concerns- 1. Ethereum ETFs Approved: Trading Begins July 23, 2024: Spot Ethereum ETFs launch July 23, 2024, after SEC approval, allowing traditional investment in the second-largest crypto, with expected lower demand than Bitcoin ETFs. (Blockononmi) (AC-There is no second best) -Economic Indicators- 1. Dollar, Treasuries and Futures Steady as Traders Mull US Political Outlook: The dollar index steadied around 104.2 on Tuesday as investors continued to assess the US political landscape in the wake of President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. EU Rules Blamed for Global IT Catastrophe Triggered by Faulty CrowdStrike Update: At the heart of the crisis lies CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm whose Falcon system, designed to thwart cyberattacks, holds privileged access to a computer's kernel. Microsoft has pinned the blame on EU regulations. A 2009 agreement stemming from a competition investigation forced the tech giant to allow multiple security providers, including CrowdStrike, kernel-level access. The confluence of a faulty update, widespread reliance on CrowdStrike's software, and Microsoft's regulatory obligations created a perfect storm. (TechTimes) -Technology- 1. NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Swan Bitcoin capitulates, BTC miners shrink, consolidation grows, fears mount: Cory Klippsten, CEO of the California-based Swan Bitcoin financial services firm, announced that his company “is unlikely to continue with our Managed Mining business in the near term.” Klippsten added, “ without the expectation of significant near-term revenue from our Managed Mining unit, we are pulling our plans to IPO in the near future.” Since the scheduled ‘halving’ of the block subsidy this spring, the economics of BTC mining no longer add up. Even as the BTC token’s fiat value has recovered much of the losses it endured over the past couple of months, it’s still not always high enough to cover the huge electricity costs of successfully mining a BTC block. -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 71/100 (Up 1 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): Rumors of Trump announcing Bitcoin as a strategic asset reserve are swirling, but is it as significant news as thought? The USG already owns 213K BTC, or $14B worth of BTC, which is not much compared to what would be needed as a reserve asset. There is no current law or requirement that says a reserve asset must be used, kept or distributed in any sort of way in order to 'backstop' the US dollar. The act would be as 'fiat' as saying the assets are held but how does that relate to the US currency? Would it really slow down the dollar debasement? There are just too many questions, legal conflicts and agendas to put much stock in the reality of backing the US dollar with bitcoin in the near future. Short term, it would certainly be bullish for BTC price and could set off buying competition, but significant changes would need to occur for it to become a reserve asset in the USA. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

LETS GO!!! GET ON NOSTR, GET TO NASHVILLE, AND GET ON THE MISSION View quoted note →

BTC Daily Intelligence Bulletin (DIB) Block: 853,370 DTG/ICOD: 1200Z 22Jul24 Precedence: Routine (RR) Controls: Public Release QQQQ __________________________ BLUF: Biden Drops Out of Race / Israel Strikes Back at Yemen / Vietnam's Communist Leader Dies / Ukraine Launches Drone Attack / VP Harris Gets Ready for Presidential Campaign / Bitcoiners Prepare for Significant Week / Seven US States Challenge SEC Over Crypto / CashApp to Depart UK / Airports Still in Disarray / Hackers Take Advantage of CrowdStrike Fail / Elon Laser Eyes Draw Speculation Market Data: Price: 1 BTC= $67,600, 28.20 oz Gold, .16 Median US House 24hr Hi: $68,480 / Lo: $65,842 Vol: $32B (Up 76%) Mkt Cap: $1.33T (Up 1%) HashRate: 600 EH/s Avg Fee Rate: 4 sats/vBtye (Down 33%) Nodes: 7,412 (*Anomaly: Detected nodes have dropped the past two weeks from an average of 19K to below 10K) ---Reports--- -International Events- 1. At least 6 killed as Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen day after Tel Aviv drone attack: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its fighter jets struck “military targets of the Houthi terrorist regime” in the area of Yemen’s Hodeidah Port on Saturday, in what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said was a direct response to the death of a 50-year-old Israeli in a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv on Friday. This is the first time Israel has struck Yemen, according to Israeli officials. (CNN) (AC-This is a major expansion in war for Israel. They are now fighting Iranian proxies on three fronts; Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and now Houthis in Yemen.) 2. Death of Vietnam’s Top Leader Raises Questions of Succession: With the death Friday of Vietnam’s long-serving Communist Party general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong, the country’s top leadership role has been left at least temporarily to President To Lam, who is best known for implementing a sweeping anticorruption drive. Whether he will retain the duties of general secretary on a more permanent basis depends on the Politburo, which is expected to decide whether to confirm his new role. Vietnam analysts said it was unlikely that the death of Mr. Trong would lead to any changes in foreign policy or trade relations, as Vietnam will continue balancing its relations with the United States, China and Russia. (NYT) 3. Ukrainian Drone Attack Sets Oil Refinery Ablaze, Russian Officials Say: Russia's military said early Monday that its forces had downed 75 Ukrainian drones overnight, with regional authorities reporting that falling debris set fire to a major oil refinery on the Black Sea coast. Rostov region Governor Vasily Golubev said no one was injured during an overnight wave of attempted drone strikes in his region, but added that falling debris had caused some fires. (MoscowTimes) -US Events- 1. World leaders react to Biden’s exit from the 2024 US presidential race: Messages of gratitude and support for US President Joe Biden poured in following his stunning announcement Sunday that he is exiting the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the next Democratic nominee. It was the second seismic moment in US politics in just over a week, following the assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13, which saw global leaders rally around him as the Republican nominee. One Weibo (Social Media in China) user remarked, “that one shot didn’t kill Trump but dropped Biden,” while another described the political situation in the US as “a total mess". (CNN) 2. Harris races to lock up White House bid, Trump campaign pivots: Harris, 59, was due to speak at the White House at 11:30 a.m. ET (1530 GMT) on Monday. Harris spent Sunday working the phones as she spoke with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a potential vice presidential running mate. Harris' campaign had raised $49.6 million since Biden's exit, a campaign spokesperson said on Monday.(Reuters) 3. Janet Napolitano joining review of Secret Service response to Trump shooting: Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday named one of his predecessors, Janet Napolitano, to a bipartisan panel of experts tasked with conducting a 45-day independent review of the attempted assassination of former President Trump. The panel is charged with conducting a review “of the planning for and actions taken by the U.S. Secret Service and state and local authorities before, during, and after the rally, and the U.S. Secret Service governing policies and procedures,” according to a DHS press release. (TheHill) -Regulatory and Legal- 1. Bitcoin Traders Brace for 'Fat Tails' as Focus Shifts to Trump's Nashville Bitcoin Conference Speech: "This week we’re going to hear Trump speak at the Nashville Bitcoin conference. As long as Trump remains a front-runner, this is a potential catalyst for "something to happen” this week. The derivative markets seem to agree, and we’re seeing pricing support the “something is about to happen” narrative." (CoinDesk) 2. 7 US States Unite to Challenge SEC's Crypto Overreach: Iowa announced earlier this month that Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird led a seven-state coalition in filing an amicus brief opposing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) attempt to regulate cryptocurrencies. The amicus brief, supported by Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, was filed on July 10 to challenge the SEC’s overreach. “Congress never gave the SEC power to regulate cryptocurrency, and there is no accountability to ensure the actions the SEC takes are legitimate and necessary,” the Iowa Attorney General’s Office stressed. (BitcoinCom) -Central Bank Digital Currencies- 1. Kazakhstan pays for rail line to China using programmable CBDC: “During the pilot launch of the digital tenge platform, the money allocated to finance the project was marked. The marked digital tenge is paid only to organisations that have fully fulfilled the required obligations.” (CoinTelegraph) (AC-The programmable facet of CBDCs are coherent with tyrannical governance.) -Institutional Concerns- 1. Cash App Announces Exit from UK Market to Concentrate on US Growth: Cash App, the popular mobile payment service owned by Jack Dorsey’s Block (formerly Square), has announced its decision to cease operations in the United Kingdom. For Block, this move represents a strategic refocusing of resources. By concentrating on its home market, the company aims to deepen its penetration and expand its service offerings to American users. (Blockonomi) -Economic Indicators- 1. Treasury Yields Fall Slightly: The yield on the 10-year Treasury note steadied edged lower to 4.22% on Monday after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. (TradingEconomics) 2. US Futures Rise as Biden Drops Out of 2024 Race: US stock futures rose on Monday after President Joe Biden announced that he will not seek reelection and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Nominee. (TradingEconomics) -Security Incidents and Concerns- 1. Flight Cancellations Caused by Tech Outage Continue Through Weekend: Travelers confronted a third day of flight snarls and long waits at U.S. airports Sunday, as many monitors still displayed the telltale blue screens of the technology-fueled meltdown that began Friday. This weekend has been one of the worst for travel this year. More than 1,700 U.S. flights were canceled Sunday, adding to the roughly 5,500 that were called off Friday and Saturday. Businesses in many other industries whose Microsoft Windows-based machines melted down due to the buggy update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike recovered by the end of the day Friday. But the continuing cascade of flight cancellations speaks to the airline industry’s heavy reliance on interconnected technology systems and its fragility when things go awry. (WSJ) 2. Cybercriminals Exploit CrowdStrike Update Mishap to Distribute Remcos RAT Malware: The attack chains involve distributing a ZIP archive file named "crowdstrike-hotfix.zip," which contains a malware loader named Hijack Loader (aka DOILoader or IDAT Loader) that, in turn, launches the Remcos RAT payload. (HackerNews) -Technology- 1. NSTR -Bitcoin Community- 1. Bitcoin Is Unaffected by Global CrowdStrike Outages: A faulty software update from cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike caused widespread computer outages, affecting major systems such as government offices, banks, and airlines. However, Bitcoin remained unaffected due to its decentralized nature and independence from centralized providers. (Decrypt) 2. Elon Musk Sports Bitcoin Laser-Eyes: Joining Trump At BTC 2024?: In a move that has ignited fervent discussion across the Bitcoin community, Tesla CEO Elon Musk updated his profile picture on X (formerly Twitter) to feature the notable “laser eyes,” a meme symbolizing bullish sentiment towards BTC. This change occurred just days before the Bitcoin 2024 conference scheduled in Nashville from July 25-27, where prominent figures, including US presidential candidate Donald Trump, are slated to speak. (Bitcoinist) -Bitcoin Sentiment- 1. Fear(0)/Greed(100) Index: 70/100 (Up 10 pts) Analyst Comments (AC): "May you live in interesting times" has meaning this week. Follow us on NOSTR: npub1qktts9naunvjdwsktq5xjdhwh539xt4x0mqj4yxq0q9dvm03ljvs6sms0r ____________________ Analyst: BV2A END REPORT NNNN *NSTR-Nothing Significant To Report

We will be LIVE Thursday night at 7pm ET with guest @Alekandar Svetski Aleksandar Svetski is the Author of the best selling “UnCommunist Manifesto” and the upcoming "Bushido of Bitcoin”. In 2018, he launched the world’s first Bitcoin only savings app: Amber. He recently open sourced the first Bitcoin LLM (The Spirit of Satoshi) and is now working on the Nostr-enabled Travel & Community Social Network: Satlantis.

Bitcoin Veterans know how to close down a dive bar. @PUBKEY thanks for a great time.

Join Bitcoin Veterans LIVE Thursday night at 7pm ET The guys will recap the Bitcoin Park range day and open house, as well as bring you the latest in current events with their unique perspective Join us and #GetOnTheMission