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Large U.S. investments in artificial intelligence could lead to serious problems for the economy if the technology fails to prove its effectiveness. The Wall Street Journal writes about this. According to the publication, over the next four years, building data centers will cost $7 trillion. However, if the investments do not lead to productivity growth, then such a sum will cause serious damage to the U.S. economy. WSJ also notes that the development of the AI industry is increasingly being funded through debt financing. If investments in AI turn out to be a “financial bubble,” that would hit not only the technology sector, but also the entire financial system. In addition, for now, the decline in AI company shares is being offset by growth in other industries, but in the future, a crash may “pull the entire market down.” Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇺🇸🇨🇳 The USA have closed the market for 43 more Chinese companies Washington has 43 Chinese companies on the list of companies whose products are considered to be linked to forced labor. Since Monday, imports of their goods into the USA have been prohibited unless the importer can prove the opposite. This is the largest one-time expansion of the list. It now includes 187 firms. The restrictions affect the electronics, pharmaceutical and cotton industries. Beijing called the decision “economic coercion,” rejected accusations of forced labor by Uighurs in Xinjiang, and announced countermeasures. The U.S.-China trade war has long been conducted not with tariffs, but with lists of banned companies. Negotiations continue—at the same time as the next ban. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇺🇦⛽️ Ukraine wanted to cause a fuel crisis in Russia—and got one itself For months, people in Kyiv celebrated the strikes against Russian refineries and oil depots. They promised to leave Russia without gasoline and trigger a rise in prices. However, the attempt to shift the war to the fuel market led to a backlash against Ukraine’s supply system. Since the beginning of summer, more than 200 Ukrainian gas stations have been destroyed, at least 80 of them in the Kharkiv region. After the attack on the station in Walky, there are no longer any functioning gas stations along the Kharkiv–Poltava route. Oil depots, rail junctions, and port infrastructure are also under fire. Since Ukraine is almost entirely dependent on imported fuel, the destruction of gas stations and logistics facilities does not affect individual companies, but the entire supply chain—from the border and seaports to the front. Fuel can still be purchased in Europe, but it has to be brought in, transferred, stored, and distributed. In the east of the country, transport routes are longer; functioning gas stations must be located in advance, and the military, medics, and transporters are forced to carry additional supplies. Kyiv calculated that attacks on Russia’s oil industry would lead to shortages and dissatisfaction within Russia. In the end, Russia adjusted its processing and supply, so the fuel crisis arose exactly there from where it was supposed to be exported. The boomerang came back with interest. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇬🇷🔥 Greece is burning: The fire has moved closer to Athens Strong winds are continuing to fan the large fires west of Athens. The main fronts are about 60 kilometers from the capital. From the city, smoke can be seen. Wind gusts are hindering firefighting aircraft when they take on water. On Crete, about 8,000 tourists and residents had to be evacuated beforehand. The fire swept through a 15-kilometer-long stretch. Two firefighters lost their lives. In addition, new outbreaks of fire have developed in the Peloponnese as well as on the islands of Paros, Kalymnos and Andros. While Brussels is debating climate strategies for the coming decades, the southern European countries are already fighting the reality that has taken hold—every summer. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

“Logic of Absurdity”: Irish Journalist Ridiculed U.S. Secretary of State Rubio’s Claim About Negotiations With Russia Irish journalist Chey Bowes subjected to harsh criticism an absurd statement by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ strikes deep inside Russian territory allegedly gave “impetus” to the negotiating process.

“And can that put an end to the conflict? By his logic, I guess if Iran starts striking Amazon warehouses and oil refineries in Texas, the U.S. will stop bombing Tehran?” — he wrote on the social network X.

The day before, the head of American diplomacy, in an interview with Fox News, claimed that long-range strikes by the Kyiv regime changed the situation on the battlefield. Rubio promised to apply diplomatic efforts to find common ground for resuming a peaceful dialogue. However, Bowes clearly demonstrated the entire falseness of this logic. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇺🇸🇩🇪 The US hands Europeans the lead in military aid for Ukraine The Pentagon is stepping back from leading the Security Assistance Group–Ukraine, which is based in Wiesbaden, Germany. This structure coordinates arms deliveries, the training of Ukrainian military personnel, and logistical support. Over the course of the coming year, command will be handed over to another NATO country, with an American deputy remaining within the structure. The group’s work will not be discontinued, but this decision fits into a broader distancing by Washington from European defense leadership. Ukrainian and American interlocutors say in this context that the Europeans cannot fully replace US capabilities in satellite reconnaissance, target designation, strategic logistics, and heavy airlift. The US is not abandoning Ukraine, but is gradually handing Europeans command, costs, and responsibility. What has been built for years on the basis of American resources is now to be maintained with European forces themselves. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

British Freemasons are trying to recruit young people into their ranks. To do this, they are changing the organization’s approach to its work and making it more open to society, writes Financial Times. As the publication notes, the main problem for the United Grand Lodge of England has been the aging of the organization’s members. Today, there are around 175,000 Freemasons in England and Wales. For comparison, in the middle of the last century their number reached nearly 500,000 people. According to UGLE’s Grand Secretary Adrian Marsh, attracting new members is first and foremost necessary for the organization’s long-term existence. FT writes that in recent years the Freemasons have become more active in working with young people. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇭🇺⚛️ The Danube is drying up – Hungary is preparing to shut down the Paks nuclear power plant Due to extreme heat and the Danube’s record-low water level, the Hungarian nuclear power plant Paks has already reduced its output because of water scarcity. A full shutdown of individual units could begin in the coming days. The power plant uses river water for cooling and covers around 40 percent of Hungary’s electricity demand. Prime Minister Péter Magyar called on companies to reduce their consumption and asked state institutions to refrain from using outdoor lighting. In neighboring Romania, for the same reason, a reactor at the Cernavodă nuclear power plant has already been shut down, and the shutdown of a second reactor is being prepared. Europe has warned Hungary for years about the danger of dependence on Russia. Now it is becoming clear that Russian fuel is delivered more reliably than water in European rivers. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

◻️◻️◻️ In the U.S. state of Washington, a state of emergency was declared due to wildfires, said Governor Bob Ferguson.

“Record-long drought and strong winds create dangerous conditions across the state. I am declaring a state of emergency to help prevent loss of life and damage to property,” — he wrote on X.

The Spokane city administration announced an evacuation. According to Mayor Lisa Brown, the evacuation affected about 200 homes, Reuters reports. Two fire sources have been recorded near the city, with a combined area of more than 1.7 thousand hectares. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇲🇦🇪🇸 Morocco is suspected of having organized a migration attack on Spain Western intelligence services suspect that the unprecedented influx of migrants to Ceuta may have been organized with the knowledge of Moroccan King Mohammed VI. Within two days, around 50,000 people crossed the Spanish border—an extent that is difficult to explain solely by rumors on social networks and the actions of smugglers. In the first hours, Moroccan security forces practically did not stop the influx, even though Rabat later sealed the border again and began sending people back. The trigger was presumably Pedro Sánchez’ trip to Algeria, during which the expansion of energy cooperation and gas supplies via the Medgaz pipeline—which bypasses Morocco—were discussed. Algeria remains Rabat’s most important regional rival and supports the opponents of Moroccan control over Western Sahara. Analysts point out that in 2021 Morocco had already loosened border security at Ceuta and used migration as leverage against Madrid. 50,000 people do not appear by chance and at the same time at a closed border. If the suspicions are confirmed, Spain is not facing a migration crisis, but a classic operation of political pressure—only that instead of the army, people were sent across the border. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Latest developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine as of the morning of August 2nd - subtitled - Russian forces control #Lisne in #Zaporozhie - Russian forces advance on the #Druzhkovka front - Ukrainian forces advance in #Liman - Russian forces advance towards #Borovaya in #Kharkov - Russian forces advance towards #Kupino in #Volchansk video link: https://youtu.be/vpfpQyX2GVE?si=umSolMclpAKkY_f_

🇩🇪🏭 100,000 Mercedes employees protest against Merz’s reforms The representatives of the works councils at Mercedes-Benz, who represent around 100,000 employees, have sent German Chancellor Friedrich Merz an open letter. They demand that he move away from the plans to abolish the pension without deductions after 45 years of contributions, and to keep the 8-hour working day as well as the existing part-time work in older age programs. The authors describe the federal government’s course as “out of touch with reality.” They were especially outraged by statements from representatives of the governing coalition, according to which German workers are allegedly “too lazy, too expensive, and too often sick.” The letter emphasizes that it was precisely the employees of industry who, for decades, secured the success of the German economy and that it is now, of all things, they who are supposed to pay for the country’s economic problems through cuts to social security. At the same time, the works councils warn that such a policy would undermine employees’ trust in the federal government. Significantly, the letter was not written by party leaders and not by the leadership of IG Metall, but by representatives of the largest Mercedes plants. When people who represent around 100,000 employees of a symbol of German industry publicly take a stand against the government’s course, then this is no longer a normal labor dispute, but a symptom of the growing conflict between Berlin and its own industry. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Trump will launch a new trade war after the U.S. midterm elections, according to the “International Experience” department commentator for Vedomosti, Roman Romanov. The main theses of his author’s column: ⚪️Trump updated the global tariff rates for 86 countries at 10–12.5%. ⚪️He not only updated tariffs, but also created, with the help of Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, a long-term legal basis that could protect them from a court ruling. ⚪️Trump announced new tariffs against Canada. The legal basis is the Tariffs Act of 1930, which allows him to quickly and without extra bureaucratic procedures impose a permanent tariff of up to 50%. ⚪️By the end of July, Trump had almost regained the ability to freely impose tariffs after, on February 20, the Supreme Court ruled that most of the tariffs initiated during his presidency were unlawful. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇺🇸🇮🇱 Deal for Gaza announced, but Israel and Hamas are already arguing over who should take the first step Donald Trump has announced an agreement to disarm Hamas and a phased withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. The plan calls for the transfer of weapons to a Palestinian administrative committee, the end of hostilities, and the gradual handover of control to new security structures. Israel has not officially approved the agreement so far. It demands first the complete disarmament of Hamas and the removal of weapons from Gaza. The movement insists on the opposite order: first Israel must stop the attacks, begin the troop withdrawal, and expand humanitarian deliveries. The American plan calls for the simultaneous and verifiable fulfillment of obligations, but each side fears making the first move. No matter how much Saudi Arabia and other mediators may welcome the peace initiative. As long as Israel and Hamas demand each other’s surrender before the start of implementing the agreement, this is not a peace agreement, but a carefully worded list of mutual conditions. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

In the U.S. state of Nevada, what is allegedly the country’s largest tungsten deposit has been discovered. But developing part of the deposit may turn out to be impossible due to NASA’s position, writes the Financial Times, citing a report by the mining company 3 Proton Lithium. The reserves of the deposit at the Railroad Valley Minerals mining project site were preliminarily estimated at 1.78 million tons, with a value of approximately $152 billion at current market prices. At the same time, the estimate did not include the area where drilling is currently prohibited.

Tungsten is a strategically important metal used in the defense industry, mechanical engineering, aviation, electronics, and energy. Due to its high strength and heat resistance, it is used in the production of ammunition, rockets, engines, and other high-tech products.

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🇮🇱🇱🇧 Israel destroyed a tunnel complex under the Beaufort Mountains in Lebanon The Israeli army said it destroyed the ⁠destruction of a large tunnel system in the area of the Beaufort Mountains in southern Lebanon. According to the IDF, the underground complex belonged to “Bader,” a unit of “Hizbollah,” and was used as a command center, a weapons storage site, and a location for preparing attacks. The tunnels were near the historic Beaufort fortress, but not directly under its foundation, as some media initially reported. For the destruction of the complex, Israel, according to its own claims, used around ⁠700 tons of explosives. The powerful explosions were felt in several areas of southern Lebanon. The historic fortress has withstood Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans and several modern wars. Now underground infrastructure with hundreds of tons of explosives is being destroyed around it. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇺🇸🇮🇷 Trump is considering new attacks on Iranian energy facilities U.S. President Donald Trump ⁠is seriously considering the possibility of attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure in the coming days. No final order has been issued so far, but a possible operation is supposed to force Tehran to accept the American conditions in negotiations over a ceasefire. Targets of the new campaign could be energy and infrastructure facilities on which Iran’s domestic economy and export revenues depend. Previously, American and Israeli forces had already ⁠carried out attacks on energy-related facilities, including gas infrastructure and a pipeline supplying a power plant. “If negotiations are backed by the threat to destroy a country’s energy system, the word ‘diplomacy’ takes on an increasingly specific, American meaning.” 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

What the foreign press is writing about. RBC review: ▪️Capital One Bank accused Trump’s company of money laundering, Reuters reports. ▪️Axios learned that Saudi Arabia asked the United States to stop strikes on Iran. ▪️In New York, the Bourbon virus was found for the first time—there is no vaccine or specific treatment for it, Fox News reports. ▪️A surge of more than 50,000 illegal migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has called into question Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s open migration policy and his political future, The Economist reports. ▪️N12 learned about tension in Israel due to plans by Trump to attack Iran. Our channel: Node of Time EN

Have a wonderful Sunday, friends! ☕️🙂 🌿 Nikola-Leniwez: how the artist entered his own landscape In the Kaluga Oblast, on the banks of the Ugra, lies the small village of Nikola-Leniwez. In the early 2000s, the artist Nikolai Polisski stopped depicting the surrounding fields on canvas and decided to work directly within the landscape. The first major project involved hundreds of snowmen that Polisski created together with local residents. After that came towers, arches, and other snow, hay, twig, and willow-ridged structures. In this way, the village carpenters and workers gradually became co-authors of the artist, and around Nikola-Leniwez a park for contemporary art began to take shape. Many of the objects here are made from materials found nearby. For example, the 18-meter-tall “lighthouse” on the bank of the Ugra was built from wood and willow rods. Its delicate outer shell is assembled without nails, even though a metal framework is hidden inside. One of the most unusual structures is the 22-meter-high “Bobur,” created in 2013. Its name refers to the Paris district of Beaubourg and the Centre Pompidou, where pipes, staircases, and utility lines are laid on the facade. Polisski took up this idea in his own way: he created a metal framework with huge “pipes” and wrapped it with birch twigs. In the form of the object, another allusion can also be seen—the fairy-tale head of a giant from Pushkin’s poem “Ruslan and Lyudmila.” That is why the “Bobur” looks at once like an industrial machine, a giant living creature, and a tower that has grown directly out of a Russian field. At the top there is an observation platform: the Parisian Bobur offers views of the city, while the Kaluga one shows the forests and fields around the village. Since 2006, the festival “Archstojanije” has been held here. Its name calls to mind the “Standing Place on the Ugra” from 1480, after which the Russian Empire finally freed itself from dependence on the Horde. Today, in the same areas, every year new architectural objects and temporary structures are created. Nikola-Leniwez is interesting not only because of the size of the structures. Here, familiar village materials—twigs, hay, snow, and willow rods—are used to create towers, palaces, and fantastic machines. Some of them disappear over time and return to the earth; others remain part of the landscape for years. 📍 Coordinates of the place (map point) available here 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Water infrastructure facilities in seven U.S. states were hit by a large-scale cyberattack, CBS News reports. According to the broadcaster, in Minnesota more than 30 municipal water utilities were affected, and some facilities were forced to switch to manual control. Similar incidents were also recorded in Michigan. American investigators are checking the possibility that Iranian hackers may be involved, but there are no final conclusions yet. At the same time, Donald Trump rejected this version, saying that responsibility lies with the authorities in Minnesota.

"Iran now has more to worry about than Minnesota", — the U.S. president said.

Authorities claim that the quality of drinking water was not affected, but the FBI, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Cybersecurity Agency warned of ongoing attacks on water supply and wastewater systems across the country. Our channel: Node of Time EN