Our short news: Trump fails again in his attack on birthright citizenship, Russia is mass-producing new Starlink jammers, the FBI is investigating a massive data theft involving millions of driver’s licenses, and the war between the United States and Iran is spreading further across the Gulf. On top of that, a U.S. court is forcing Google to make changes to its advertising business - and the Netherlands is pulling 78 metric tons of gold out of New York.
U.S. Federal Judge Deborah Boardman Stops Trump’s New Attack on Birthright Citizenship
U.S. federal judge Deborah Boardman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland has also stopped Donald Trump’s latest attempt to restrict automatic birthright citizenship in the United States. Boardman issued a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of the new August 6 order, which Trump launched as a second attempt after losing before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had already ruled on June 30 that children born in the United States who fall within the certified class are U.S. citizens from birth. Boardman now wrote in unmistakable terms that the new order is “almost certainly unconstitutional” as applied to this group because the Supreme Court had already decided exactly that question. Trump’s new order is aimed especially at so-called birth tourism and is also meant to affect children if one parent works for a foreign government, seeks citizenship through fraud or commercial arrangements, or is classified as an “alien enemy.” The injunction bars, among others, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration from interfering with or refusing to recognize the citizenship of the children affected. The Justice Department had argued that the lawsuit was premature because federal agencies had not yet issued final rules for implementing the order. Boardman rejected that argument, pointing out that the wording of the order could apply to all children who meet the criteria, regardless of when they were born. The agencies may continue preparing implementation rules, but for now they may not restrict the citizenship of the children affected.
Russia Mass-Producing Starlink Jammers - But the Supposed “Satellite Killer” Is Far Weaker Than Claimed
Russian soldier with the portable “Peroed-M” jamming system, which can disrupt or cut off drone radio and control links. The system is not designed specifically to jam Starlink.
Russia has begun mass production of the “Volna Kupol Garant” system, which is designed to interfere with Starlink connections. Russian state media are already celebrating the system as a highly effective weapon against the satellite network and even claim the technology can interfere with Starlink satellites in orbit themselves. Experts have serious doubts about exactly that claim. The system became known in June after Ukrainian communications and electronic warfare specialist Serhii Beskrestnov reported on it.
The system consists of several trailers fitted with satellite dishes that are supposed to direct jamming signals toward Starlink satellites. Eight of these antennas are said to be enough to interfere with Starlink terminals across an area of roughly 20 square kilometers. Russian claims say several systems could shield entire regions and that dozens operating at the same time could cause a temporary collapse in Starlink service. Ukrainian soldiers confirm that Russian electronic warfare can in fact weaken Starlink in some sections of the front. But the technology is still a long way from being the “Starlink killer” Russian media are already calling it. One system is said to cost around $1.5 million, is largely stationary and covers only a limited area. With a range of roughly 20 square kilometers, enormous numbers of the systems would be needed to cover larger sections of the front or occupied territory. Thomas Withington of Britain’s Royal United Services Institute considers that cost-to-coverage ratio economically difficult to sustain. A drone could also simply fly around the jamming zone.
Ukrainian security analyst Anton Zemlyanoy also does not see this as a completely new threat because similar ranges are already being achieved with existing Russian systems. The new systems will probably first be deployed to protect important military facilities in occupied territories and near the border. Broad coverage over large areas would hardly be possible at a reasonable cost. There is another problem for Russia as well: anyone emitting strong jamming signals gives away their own location. Samuel Bendett of the U.S. research organization CNA describes the system as a kind of powerful beacon that can be located and then attacked.
There are already images of destroyed systems of this type. Even more questionable is the claim that “Volna Kupol Garant” can directly interfere with Starlink satellites in space. A jamming signal strong enough to reach orbit would require enormous transmission power. Experts say there is still no solid evidence that Russia actually has that capability. It is more likely that the system overwhelms the connection between ground terminal and satellite with strong radio noise, making reception or data transmission more difficult within a limited area. Russia is apparently already thinking about exporting the technology anyway. People in the Russian defense industry say similar systems could eventually be sold to interested countries. Bendett calls that prospect worrying because wider distribution could make military use of Starlink more difficult in several regions. Moscow handing sensitive military technology to partners would be nothing new. Russia has been supporting Iran for years in the development of military systems and is said to be helping Tehran with supersonic cruise missiles, among other things. The new Russian system is therefore not some miracle weapon against Starlink, but it is not a meaningless experiment either. In individual sections of the front it can seriously disrupt communications, and that is exactly why Russia is likely to deploy it where it has the most to protect.
FBI Investigates Massive Data Theft: Millions of U.S. and Canadian Driver’s Licenses on the Dark Web
The FBI is investigating a possible data theft in which driver’s licenses belonging to tens of millions of people in the United States and Canada were reportedly offered for sale on the dark web. Investigative journalist Brian Krebs came across a site selling digital scans of the documents and said he confirmed their authenticity with nine people whose records appeared there. Particularly alarming: his own driver’s license was also being offered as a free sample. The service called itself “Nexus” and claimed to hold not only millions of driver’s licenses but also other IDs, travel documents and hundreds of thousands of medical records. Krebs observed that the database appeared to be updated continuously, which could point to ongoing access to stolen data. A cybersecurity researcher at Infoblox described the scale as unprecedented. His own driver’s license was also for sale. In his assessment, the breach could even create national security risks if the data of high-ranking individuals are involved. Where the information came from is still unclear. Identity verification provider IDScan.net of New Orleans said, according to Krebs, that it was investigating the incident but did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Shortly after the report was published, the dark web site disappeared.
Iran Fires Again at U.S. Allies - While Washington Says Wedding Guests Were Reportedly Hit in an Attack
The war between the United States and Iran is eating its way further across the Gulf region. For the second night in a row, Iran attacked countries where American troops are stationed or that work closely with Washington. Sirens sounded again in Kuwait early Thursday as air defenses fired at incoming missiles and drones, with the Defense Ministry calling it “blatant Iranian aggression.” Bahrain also reported intercepted attacks. Iranian state media said the targets were U.S. bases in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Tehran says the attacks are self-defense following new American strikes on Iranian territory.
Washington had previously bombed targets in Iran again. U.S. Central Command said the strikes hit air defense positions, radar installations, maritime facilities and other military targets. U.S. forces had already struck missile positions on an island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. According to the American account, Iran was preparing there to deploy mines against shipping. Tehran responded with missiles aimed at U.S. bases in Jordan. According to the United States, they were intercepted. Then came the report from Kuhestak. Iranian state media say an American strike hit a house where a wedding was taking place. Four people were reportedly killed, two women and two children aged four and 16. At least 68 others were injured. A provincial official initially reported five deaths. The figure was later revised to four. The U.S. military said it was aware of the reports but never deliberately targets civilians.
People are now dying at sea as well. Two Filipino sailors were killed in an attack on a Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker. Fourteen other Filipino crew members survived. Who attacked the tanker remains unclear. Saudi Arabia condemned the attack and called on all sides to stop the escalation and return to the negotiating table. The Strait of Hormuz remains the most dangerous point in this war. In peacetime, around one-fifth of the world’s traded oil passed through it. Shipping traffic has now nearly collapsed. Energy prices are rising, goods are becoming more expensive, and every new attack increases the risk that the war between Washington and Tehran will finally become a war involving the entire region.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced at the same time that Washington would increase economic pressure on Iran. He said the United States is talking to countries that still do business with Tehran and pressing them to cut those ties. Asked about Russia, Bessent dodged the question. His message to everyone else was clear: stay away from Iran. Washington wants to cut Tehran off from the outside world economically as much as possible. Meanwhile, Egypt, Qatar and Pakistan are continuing their efforts to get Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table. Egypt’s foreign minister and his Qatari counterpart warned of severe consequences for the security of the entire region. Pakistan also said it would continue mediating between the two sides.
The economic consequences inside Iran are becoming increasingly visible at the same time. The rial fell to a new record low. One U.S. dollar was trading for 2.2 million rials in Tehran. Even before the war, the country was suffering from high inflation and weak growth, and since the attacks began, one record low has followed another. Arab states are also losing patience. The Council of Arab Interior Ministers condemned Iran’s attacks on Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as violations of international law. China and Egypt also called for an end to the escalation during talks in Cairo. The war is not getting smaller, it is getting broader. U.S. bombs are hitting Iranian territory, Iran is firing at American allies, sailors are dying on tankers, and reports from Iran say children were killed at a wedding. At the same time, diplomats are talking about negotiations while new missiles fly every night.
U.S. Court Forces Google to Change Its Advertising Business - Breakup Rejected
U.S. federal judge Leonie Brinkema has rejected the Justice Department’s demand that Google be forced to sell part of its advertising technology. The part at issue is the very business that secures a substantial share of the company’s nearly $400 billion in annual advertising revenue. Instead of breaking Google apart, the court imposed new rules on how the company operates in the digital advertising market.
It is already the second time within a year that a federal court has stopped short of breaking up part of Google’s business after finding the company held an illegal monopoly. The full ruling will remain under seal for 14 days while both sides review the document and propose any necessary changes. Google Search had already been ruled an illegal monopoly in 2024. At the time, the Justice Department wanted Google to be forced to sell its Chrome browser. That demand also failed. Google was instead ordered to share search data with competitors but was allowed to keep Chrome and Android. Parent company Alphabet is now worth roughly $4.11 trillion on the stock market. Opponents of the major technology companies reacted sharply. Sasha Haworth of the Tech Oversight Project said the judge was sending the wrong message at the wrong time while large corporations continue pushing new and smaller competitors out of the market.
Netherlands Pulls Gold Out of New York - 78 Metric Tons Leave the United States
The Dutch central bank has pulled more than 78 metric tons of gold out of New York and moved it to London. DNB says the reason is growing geopolitical unrest and the need to be better prepared for crises. The move is politically sensitive because Europe has been debating for months whether gold reserves should still be stored permanently in the United States under Donald Trump. Politicians and taxpayer groups had openly warned that Washington could, in a crisis, try to gain access to foreign reserves.
The Netherlands is therefore spreading its holdings more widely and putting greater emphasis on London, where the gold is expected to be easier to trade during a crisis. DNB governor Olaf Sleijpen said that availability is exactly what matters. London is the world’s largest trading hub for physical gold, handling more than $900 billion worth every week. The Netherlands holds a total of 612 metric tons of gold. Along with the 78 metric tons from New York, another seven metric tons were pulled out of Ottawa. In reality, only 27 metric tons were physically moved to Europe, while the rest was sold in North America and replaced with newly purchased bullion in London. France had already pulled all of its gold out of the New York Federal Reserve between July 2025 and January 2026. There too, officials said the move was not politically motivated. At the same time, gold prices continue to rise and are now around $4,364 per troy ounce after gaining 25 percent over the past year.
Gold has now overtaken U.S. government bonds as the world’s largest reserve asset. Germany still keeps around one-third of its gold reserves in New York. Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel rejected calls for further repatriation as recently as May, saying he had no doubt that the gold was safely stored at the Federal Reserve. The Netherlands apparently sees things more cautiously.
