Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/us-missiles-deployed-near-china-head-of-anthropic-safeguards-resigns-over-ai-bioweapon-risk/
Geopolitics
U.S.-controlled ATACMS missiles have been deployed on Taiwan’s M142 HIMARS systems on Dongyin island, 10 kilometers from China’s mainland, within 300-kilometer range of Fujian province cities like Fuzhou. The Joint Firepower Coordination Center integrates Pentagon oversight via U.S. personnel in Taipei. China’s Ministry of National Defense condemned the deployments as provocative.
The U.S. has also rerouted the USS Gerald R. Ford from the Caribbean to the Middle East, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln south of Iran. The deployment adds fighter jets and Tomahawks amid stalled nuclear talks and concerns over Tehran’s missiles, following discussions between Trump and Netanyahu. Iranian officials dismissed the deployment, warning of capabilities to target carriers.
Speaking of Iran, the U.S. reportedly smuggled around 6,000 Starlink terminals to Iranian protesters during January unrest, after authorities cut internet access. The State Department purchased the terminals. Tehran has accused the U.S. of fomenting dissent, and President Trump was reportedly aware. However, some accounts have disputed the accuracy of the smuggling reports.
Lastly, NATO launched Arctic Sentry on February 11, unifying multidomain air, sea, and land activities under one command to counter Russian and Chinese presence. It incorporates Denmark’s Arctic Endurance and Norway-Finland’s Cold Response with 25,000 troops. The exercise follows U.S.-Denmark discussions over Greenland.
Technology
Mrinank Sharma, head of Anthropic’s Safeguards Research Team, has resigned. In a letter posted on X, Sharma warned of risks from interconnected crises including AI and bioweapons. He described internal pressures to prioritize development of systems like the newly released Claude Opus 4.6 over values. Sharma noted his team’s work on defenses against AI-assisted bioterrorism and potential distortions to humanity. His departure follows reports of tensions between Anthropic and the Pentagon over safeguards for military AI applications. U.S. military reportedly used Anthropic’s Claude AI in the January raid capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, allegedly violating company policies against violence. Sharma stated plans to return to the UK, pursue a poetry degree, and remain out of the public eye for a time. Meanwhile, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned of imminent AI systems that could enable rogue autonomy or totalitarian surveillance.
Economy
China’s People’s Bank of China reported gold holdings of 74.19 million fine troy ounces by the end of January, valued at $369.58 billion, or nearly 9 percent of reserves. Gold trades at $5,000 per ounce, up 17 percent year-to-date, while silver is at $80 after peaking at $121. Beijing reduced U.S. debt holdings to $688.7 billion, down 10 percent year-over-year. Analysts attribute part of gold’s rise to China’s demand and trading on the Shanghai Futures Exchange.
Meanwhile, silver scrap volumes have increased to refiners after January’s price rally above $120 per ounce (prices are now around $82). Coin shops report increased customers selling items like chandeliers, forks, knives, and sterling sets, with average transactions of $8,000 to $10,000. Refiners including Heraeus report backlogs lasting months, exceeding 2011 levels. Google trends show spikes in “sell my silver” searches.
Also making headlines, a Kremlin memo reportedly outlines potential U.S.-Russia economic cooperation after the Ukraine conflict, including fossil fuel joint ventures, natural gas investments, offshore oil, critical minerals, and Russia’s return to dollar settlements. However, the memo remains unconfirmed by Russian officials.
Moving to digital money, Elon Musk announced that X Money’s external beta will launch in one to two months, following an internal closed beta. Described as a central platform for monetary transactions, it supports X’s “everything app” vision similar to WeChat, integrating payments with social features for 600 million monthly users. Partnerships include Visa, with possible future crypto support.
In Brazil, lawmakers reintroduced a bill for a Strategic Sovereign Bitcoin Reserve, targeting one million BTC over five years. The bill would prohibit selling seized Bitcoins, allow tax collection in BTC, incentivize mining, mandate public disclosure, and use secure cold and multisignature wallets. Critics note a prior version was rejected by the central bank over Bitcoin’s volatility.
Speaking of Bitcoin, an improvement proposal has merged into the official repository, introducing Pay-to-Merkle-Root outputs for quantum resistance. P2MR supports script tree functionality compatible with Tapscript and disables key-path spends to reduce public key exposure. It provides groundwork for post-quantum signatures like ML-DSA and SLH-DSA via soft forks, addressing vulnerabilities in Taproot, P2PK, and reused addresses. However, some experts argue it offers only partial protection against quantum threats.
Privacy & Surveillance
Victoria, Australia, has launched a digital birth certificate trial via the Service Victoria app for children born after February 19, 2019, enrolling in select councils’ kindergartens. Parents submit paper certificates and verified IDs to receive app-based credentials linked to national digital ID systems. The system retains verification data and enables tracking across services. Unresolved issues reportedly include revocation, management at age 18, and data access. Officials describe the pilot as optional, with physical certificates remaining available. The trial follows the federal Digital ID bill.
Energy
Russia plans humanitarian oil and petroleum shipments to Cuba amid its energy crisis, attributed to U.S. blockades and tariffs on suppliers. Venezuela’s flows have halted after Maduro’s capture, and Mexico has curbed exports under pressure. Havana’s airport lacks jet fuel, stranding 5,000 Russian tourists with canceled flights. Power outages continue as supplies near depletion. U.S. sources describe the measures as pressuring Cuba’s regime.
Butler Shooting
The DOJ, FBI, and House Butler Investigation Chairman Rep. Mike Kelly have not released key evidence including autopsy reports, ballistics, Pennsylvania State Police reports, and data from Thomas Crooks’ phone. Newly released FBI records indicate Crooks was hospitalized two months prior with an accompanying person. Witnesses reported a car speeding away five minutes after the shooting. A business card found at the scene has not led to an interview. A suspicious van with explosives was examined by a bomb squad. No fingerprints or DNA reportedly ties Crooks to the rooftop body or gun. Kelly has directed FOIA requests and accused agencies of stonewalling without subpoenas. Butler DA Richard Goldinger has defended snipers who left their posts. Their behavioral health networks reportedly overlap with Crooks’ nursing home job and his parents’ field.
Environment
A 60-year-old DC Water pipe collapsed along Clara Barton Parkway, spilling around 300 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River since January 19, possibly the largest U.S. overflow. University of Maryland tests found E. coli levels 10,000 times above EPA standards initially, later 2,500 times. Additional overflows occurred during high flows. The site was scheduled for $600 million upgrades. Officials warn of ongoing health risks during repairs. The incident compares to Baltimore’s annual overflows. DC Water reports the spill has been contained recently, with repairs to take nine months.
Sources
Anthropic AI Safety Chief Resigns with Cryptic Warning: “The World is in Peril”
“The world is in peril.”
Source | Submitted by Rodster
Grandmas Cash In: Silver Heirlooms Overwhelm Refiners in Post-Rally Scrap Surge
Everyone’s grandma is selling their chandelier, forks, and knives
Source | Submitted by PhilH
Victoria’s Digital Birth Certificates: Convenience or Cradle-to-Grave ID Tracking?
constructing the foundation for lifetime digital identity tracking that extends well beyond preschool registration.
Confirmed: US Smuggled 6,000 Starlink Terminals to Iranian Protesters
the U.S. smuggled roughly 6,000 of the satellite-internet kits into the country, the first time the U.S. has directly sent Starlink into Iran
China’s Gold Surge: PBOC Buys Bullion, Dumps US Debt
China’s Central Bank Keeps Buying Gold… And Dumping US Debt
Kremlin Eyes Dollar Rebound in Secret US Economic Reset Bid
Russia weighing a return to the dollar-based settlement system as part of a broader economic reset with the White House
Elon Musk: X Money External Beta Launches in 1-2 Months
X Money ‘External Beta’ Will Go Live In 1-2 Months, Musk Says
Russia to Rush Humanitarian Oil to Crisis-Stricken Cuba Amid US Blockade
Russia is expected to supply oil and petroleum products to Cuba as humanitarian aid in the near future
DOJ, FBI, and GOP’s Mike Kelly Stonewall Release of Butler Assassination Evidence
We are still waiting for the autopsy and ballistics reports for goodness’ sake.
NATO’s Arctic Sentry Formalizes the Race for the High North
The mission is intended to bring all of NATO’s Arctic activities under one command to counter increasing Russian and Chinese activity in the strategically significant area.
DC’s Historic Sewage Spill: 300 Million Gallons into Potomac, E. Coli at ‘Incredibly Dangerous Levels’
Raw sewage from a 60-year-old pipe has dumped roughly 300 million gallons of waste into the Potomac River
US ATACMS Missiles Now 10km from China’s Mainland, Under Pentagon Control via Taiwan
US-controlled ATACMS Missiles Deployed in South China Sea, 10 Km Off China’s Mainland
Brazil Proposes 1 Million Bitcoin Strategic Reserve in Bold New Bill
Brazilian lawmakers have reintroduced a bill to create a national Strategic Sovereign Bitcoin Reserve, known as RESBit, proposing the gradual acquisition of one million bitcoins over five years.
US Deploys Second Carrier to Mideast as Iran Faces Escalating Pressure
2nd US Aircraft Carrier Rerouted From Caribbean To Mideast As Iran In Crosshairs
Bitcoin Edges Closer to Quantum Resistance with BIP 360 Merge
“Ultimately, the introduction of BIP 360 and P2MR is a first step in a larger set of quantum-resistance proposals that will be necessary to quantum-harden Bitcoin,”
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: Wall Street Journal and Reuters, ZeroHedge, Bloomberg, Crypto Patel and Brazilian commenter, Singular Infinity Ventures and others, Premier of Victoria and Service Victoria, Navid Afkari and others, Taiwan Security Monitor and China’s Ministry of National Defense, Iranian National Security Commission spokesman Ebrahim Rezaei, RT and U.S. sources, and DC Water and 7News DC.