MacPaw, a global AI technology company, has announced a strategic partnership with Liquid AI, a developer of foundational large language models founded by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). As part of this collaboration, the companies will jointly develop a local AI technology stack for Mac computers.
The first product to integrate the new on-device AI technology will be the Eney AI assistant. It will subsequently become available for other products in the MacPaw ecosystem and, eventually, for developers using the Setapp platform.
The partners plan to combine Liquid Foundation Models (LFM), specifically designed for AI assistance tasks in macOS, with MacPaw’s own developments: Elix technology, which handles data processing directly on the device, and Mnemos, which provides long-term local storage.
For Mac users, this will mean fast AI performance, the preservation of personal data directly on the device, and the ability to perform basic tasks even without an internet connection. The companies expect to see the first results of the project as early as this year.
Liquid AI was founded in 2023 and gained recognition for having emerged from CSAIL, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s leading artificial intelligence research laboratory. Among the co-founders is Daniela Rus, director of MIT’s CSAIL, recipient of the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, and one of the most influential researchers in the field of robotics. CEO Ramin Hasani, CTO Matthias Lechner, and Chief Scientific Officer Alexander Amini have created their own architecture, by studying the principles of information processing in the nervous systems of simple organisms, particularly the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which has only a few hundred neurons.
The concept behind Liquid Neural Networks is to create a more compact and energy-efficient AI capable of running directly on devices – such as smartphones, cars, or Mac computers. Today, Liquid AI models are already being used for on-device AI at companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Insilico Medicine, and Shopify.
“For nearly two decades, we’ve been developing software for Mac, and now we’re bringing our individual products together into a single technology ecosystem where AI is a technology we develop and own ourselves,” says MacPaw founder and CEO Alexander Kosovan. “Artificial intelligence should be private by default, fast, and use cloud services only when truly necessary. “By combining MacPaw’s engineering expertise with Liquid AI’s models, we’re building an AI stack for Mac where the intelligence runs on the device and the user’s personal data remains protected.”
MacPaw and Liquid AI are developing a new on-device AI architecture for Mac along two main lines. The first involves transforming Eney into an AI-first product by moving the intelligence directly to the device. Liquid AI trains and further adapts the models to perform real-world assistant tasks, so most computations will be performed locally via Elix on Apple Silicon chips, while cloud-based models will be used only when they offer higher performance.
The second direction concerns the further development of Mnemos – MacPaw’s long-term memory technology. It enables the AI assistant to remember context across conversations, accumulate experience, and gradually become more useful to the user.
“We’re building powerful foundational models and tools for them so that companies can bring intelligence to the devices their customers already use,” says Ramin Hasani, co-founder and CEO of Liquid AI. “This partnership will bring powerful, private, on-device LFMs to millions of Mac users.”
For MacPaw and Liquid AI, integrating the on-device AI stack into Eney is just the first step in a long-term strategy. The models, inference framework, and memory layer are being built as a unified infrastructure for the entire MacPaw product ecosystem. Once implemented in Eney, these technologies may eventually become available to thousands of Mac app developers through Setapp – MacPaw’s app marketplace.
Streaming giant Amazon Prime Video is preparing another high-profile release as the hit action-thriller series Reacher returns for its fourth season. The story of former U.S. Army Military Police major Jack Reacher has long since outgrown the boundaries of a conventional television series, evolving into a cultural phenomenon. Based on Lee Child’s bestselling novels, the adaptation has attracted millions of fans through its distinctive blend of classic detective storytelling, hard-hitting action, and the charismatic performance of Alan Ritchson in the title role. The upcoming season promises to raise the stakes even further. Rather than focusing on small-town investigations or exclusively military conflicts, the new story places Reacher at the center of high-level political intrigue and international conspiracies.
The fourth season of Reacher is set to premiere on August 12, 2026. Amazon Prime Video will retain the hybrid release strategy that has proven effective in maintaining audience engagement and sustaining anticipation. On premiere day, subscribers will gain access to the first three episodes, allowing viewers to fully immerse themselves in the opening chapter of the new story.
Season 4 Release Schedule
Episodes 1–3 (three-episode premiere) – August 12
Episode 4 – August 19
Episode 5 – August 26
Episode 6 – September 2
Episode 7 – September 9
Episode 8 (Season Finale) – September 16
Following the three-episode premiere, the series will transition to a weekly release schedule. New episodes will debut every Wednesday through September 16, 2026, when the eighth and final episode of the season will be released. The extended rollout is a deliberate strategy, as each episode of the new season is designed on a scale and with a level of intensity comparable to a feature-length film.
Production on the fourth season required extensive preparation and took place between June and November 2025. Principal photography was conducted on location in Philadelphia, as well as in the Canadian province of Ontario, which once again provided the production team with a diverse range of locations suitable for recreating the story’s gritty urban setting. With filming completed well ahead of the premiere, the post-production team had ample time to refine the action choreography and visual effects.
The fourth season is based on Gone Tomorrow, the 13th novel in Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series. Widely regarded as one of the most suspenseful and fast-paced entries in the franchise, the novel launches into its central storyline almost immediately, maintaining a relentless pace from the opening chapters.
The story begins late at night aboard a New York City subway train. Traveling in a nearly empty carriage, Reacher notices a woman whose behavior matches the classic indicators of a suicide bomber described in military intelligence protocols. His instincts as a former military police major immediately take over. He attempts to engage her in conversation, assess the potential threat, and defuse the situation without violence. Instead, events take the worst possible turn: before Reacher can intervene, the woman takes her own life by shooting herself in front of him.
This tragic incident serves as the catalyst for a far-reaching investigation. The New York Police Department initially views Reacher as either the prime suspect or, at the very least, an unwelcome witness who has inserted himself into an active case. It soon emerges, however, that the deceased woman was a Pentagon employee with access to highly classified information related to covert U.S. military operations in the Middle East.
Determined to clear his name and uncover the true motives behind the woman’s actions, Reacher finds himself at the center of a dangerous conflict. What begins as a straightforward criminal investigation quickly evolves into a high-stakes political thriller. Along the way, he must confront senior officials in Washington, influential members of Congress, corrupt intelligence operatives, and international extremist networks. More than ever, Reacher will have to rely not only on his formidable physical abilities but also on his sharp analytical instincts, as his adversaries operate in the ruthless world of high-level politics, where human life is treated as expendable.
Alan Ritchson as Reacher: An Editorial Perspective
The central weakness of the earlier adaptations of Lee Child’s novels was the disconnect between the on-screen portrayal of Jack Reacher and the character as described in the books. Despite Tom Cruise’s undeniable acting ability and professionalism, he did not physically match Child’s vision of the character. In the novels, Reacher is portrayed as an imposing giant – standing nearly two meters tall, with a massive build and intimidating physical strength that serves as his primary advantage in almost any confrontation.
The films starring Cruise largely stripped the character of that imposing physical presence, reshaping Reacher into a more conventional action hero in the vein of the Mission: Impossible franchise. For that reason, readers of Lee Child’s novels spent years hoping for an actor who could embody the character as originally conceived, without compromise.
Alan Ritchson’s casting ultimately proved to be a turning point for the franchise. Standing 191 cm (6 ft 3 in) tall with a heavily built physique, Ritchson closely matches the physical description of Reacher in the novels. He also brings a rare on-screen presence: he does not need lengthy monologues or constant displays of weaponry to project authority and menace. Even in moments of complete stillness, when Reacher silently assesses a room, Ritchson commands the viewer’s attention. His physicality has also allowed the production to rely less on rapid editing during fight sequences. As a result, each blow carries a convincing sense of weight and impact, giving the action scenes a level of realism and intensity that distinguishes the series from many contemporary action productions.
Ritchson’s success, however, extends well beyond his physical appearance. His performance is equally defined by his screen presence and nuanced understanding of the character’s psychology. He strikes a convincing balance between Reacher’s outward toughness and his understated sense of humor, disciplined logic, and quiet empathy for those who have been wronged. Rather than portraying Reacher as a mindless killing machine, Ritchson presents him as a perceptive military investigator who values simplicity, independence, and rational judgment. In doing so, he has brought to the screen a relatively uncommon type of modern action hero – reserved, self-assured, and consistently effective without unnecessary theatrics. It is this combination of physical authenticity and measured characterization that has helped make Amazon Prime Video’s Reacher a standout success while restoring the confidence of many longtime readers of Lee Child’s novels.
As each new Reacher story unfolds in a different setting, Season 4 introduces an entirely new supporting cast. Reacher’s principal ally in New York is Detective Tamara Green, played by Sydelle Noel. Initially assigned to investigate the subway incident, she regards Reacher with suspicion, but gradually comes to recognize the scale of the conspiracy and becomes one of his most trusted allies. Tamara’s partner, veteran NYPD detective Sean Dougherty, is portrayed by Kevin Corrigan.
Christopher Marquette plays Jacob Merrick, a police officer and the brother of the deceased woman, whose role proves central to the investigation. The character was originally set to be portrayed by Jay Baruchel, but scheduling conflicts ultimately required the production to recast the role.
The season’s political storyline is anchored by Marc Blucas as influential Congressman John Sampson and Kathleen Robertson as his wife, Elsbeth. Much of the conspiracy and political intrigue revolves around their family. Kevin Weisman appears as Washington journalist Russell Plum, while the network of international extremists is represented by performances from Agnes Mo and Anggun.
Among the returning characters, viewers will once again see Maria Sten in the role of Frances Neagley. She will appear in several episodes of the season as a guest star. Her limited screen time is largely explained by Amazon’s decision to expand Neagley’s character beyond the main series. The reason is simple: a dedicated spin-off is in development.
The Reacher franchise is steadily evolving into a full-fledged media universe. Amazon Prime Video has shown such confidence in the project’s success that it has not waited for the performance results of Season 4 before making decisions about the series’ future.
The series has already been officially renewed for a fifth season. Moreover, active production on Season 5 began in July 2026. Kevin Durand, Amanda Ip, and Ciara Bravo have already joined the cast for the next chapter of Reacher’s journey, indicating that the studio is continuing to develop and expand the franchise without interruption.
At the same time, the platform is preparing the first official spin-off of the franchise, titled Neagley. The solo series centered on Reacher’s former colleague Frances Neagley is scheduled to premiere on September 16, 2026 – the same day as the release of the Reacher Season 4 finale. This strategic move will allow Amazon to create a crossover bridge between the projects and maintain the attention of the franchise’s expanding global audience.
The show’s producers and Lee Child himself have emphasized that the extensive literary foundation of the franchise – comprising more than two dozen novels – provides enough material to continue the project for many years. The decision to adapt a new storyline every eight episodes helps prevent audience fatigue, as each installment places Reacher in a completely different environment, introduces new threats, and explores a distinct philosophy of survival.
Today, we will take a closer look at Russia’s new Volna Kupol Garant electronic warfare (EW) system, which has recently attracted significant attention in the media. Is it truly capable of disrupting the operation of the Starlink satellite network, as claimed by Russian sources, or is it primarily another element of an information campaign? We will examine how the system is designed to operate, assess its actual capabilities and limitations, and evaluate the extent of the threat it may pose to satellite communications on the modern battlefield.
This analysis is based on information published in open-source Ukrainian, Russian, and international media reports.
During the summer of 2026, Russian media outlets – including TASS, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, and several pro-government Telegram channels – began regularly referring to a new electronic warfare (EW) system known as Volna Kupol Garant. Some Russian sources also identify the system by the alternative designation Peresvet-M.
Photo: Getty Images/Justin Sullivan
According to the official Russian narrative, this is not merely another drone-jamming system but a platform reportedly capable of directly interfering with Starlink satellites. Starlink – the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk – has become a critical component of Ukraine’s military communications infrastructure, supporting drone operations, battlefield communications, artillery coordination, and reconnaissance. Ukrainian sources acknowledge that such systems have appeared on the battlefield, although they assess their effectiveness far more cautiously. The key question is where the verifiable evidence ends and where the information campaign begins.
The principal public source of information about the system is Dmitry Kuzyakin, Chief Designer at the Center for Integrated Unmanned Solutions. In an interview with TASS, he described the system’s operating concept by claiming that it does more than disrupt communications between a drone and a satellite. Instead, he asserted that the system “blinds” the satellite itself by directing a high-power signal toward it using a phased-array antenna. The claim specifically refers to Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, which operate at an altitude of approximately 500 km.
According to the technical explanation presented by Russian sources, Starlink terminals transmit uplink signals in the 14.0–14.5 GHz frequency range, divided into eight channels, each 62.5 MHz wide. Volna Kupol Garant is reportedly composed of several trailer-mounted units, each carrying a pair of antennas housed beneath a radome – hence the system’s name. In total, the system is said to incorporate eight antenna modules, with one assigned to each frequency channel. The stated concept is not to jam individual drones – an approach considered impractical given the vast number of Starlink terminals – but instead to overwhelm the satellite’s receiver with high-power interference, effectively rendering it unable to receive ground transmissions within the system’s coverage area.
Photo source: Moscow Region data
The claimed coverage area is approximately 20 km². Due to its large size, the system can only be deployed at a certain distance from the front line and is primarily intended to protect stationary assets, such as oil refineries, fuel and energy infrastructure, and major transportation routes. The estimated cost of a single system has also been disclosed, at around $1.5 million.
Military analyst and historian of the Russian air defense forces Yury Knutov, as quoted by NEWS.ru, describes the system’s capabilities in even more ambitious terms. According to him, it is capable of creating a “protective dome” over strategic facilities. If testing proves successful, Russia plans to move the system into serial production.
The Ukrainian assessment is more restrained while also confirming the system’s deployment. Serhii Beskrestnov, an adviser to the President of Ukraine, has stated that the system emits a signal powerful enough to disrupt Starlink communications over an area of approximately 20 km² and that, as of mid-2026, around ten such systems had already been identified.
A key distinction lies in how the system is characterized. Kuziakin presents it as a capability intended for operational-depth deployment to protect strategic assets. Ukrainian sources, by contrast, describe these systems as being deployed primarily near populated areas and military facilities to counter so-called middle-strike drone missions. Ukrainian sources also explicitly identify these systems as priority targets for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In other words, they are viewed not as an impenetrable “wall,” but as assets that are actively sought out and destroyed.
Cybersecurity specialist Serhii Trukhachev, also quoted by TASS, offers a much more restrained assessment than Kuziakin. According to him, the system does not “disable satellites” but only temporarily disrupts their operation within the electronic warfare (EW) coverage area as they pass over a specific location. In his view, this represents a localized tactical effect rather than a strategic capability against an orbital satellite constellation.
At this point, it is important to distinguish between two separate claims that are often conflated in Russian reporting:
Disrupting a satellite’s signal reception over a specific area is technically plausible. A high-power directional jammer operating on the frequencies used by the terminal could indeed overwhelm the satellite’s receiver while it passes over a limited section of its ground track. This is a conventional electronic warfare (EW) application, except that it targets the satellite communications link rather than the drone itself.
By contrast, claims of “blinding” or disabling the satellite itself (described in some headlines as threatening to shut down satellites) are far more ambitious and approach the realm of anti-satellite (ASAT) capabilities. None of the sources reviewed provides verifiable evidence that SpaceX satellites have been physically damaged or permanently disabled. Instead, the available information points to the temporary, localized suppression of signal reception while a satellite remains within the system’s area of effect.
Photo: rostec.ru
This distinction – between temporarily disrupting a communications link over a 20 km² area and “blinding” a satellite – is a common feature of reports based primarily on statements from interested parties rather than independent technical analysis. To date, no independent source outside either Moscow or Kyiv has verified the system’s claimed capabilities.
Vulnerabilities Acknowledged by the Sources Themselves
Notably, even pro-Russian sources acknowledge the system’s inherent vulnerabilities. A high-power electronic warfare (EW) station cannot be made inconspicuous: it can be detected both through its radio emissions and its physical signature, making it a target for opposing forces. Ukrainian sources explicitly support this assessment, describing identified systems of this type as priority targets for drone strikes.
Conclusions
Volna Kupol Garant appears to be a genuine system whose deployment has been acknowledged by both sides of the war. Russia has indeed fielded a number of mobile electronic warfare (EW) systems designed to disrupt Starlink satellite communications and has deployed them either near the front line or to protect critical infrastructure.
At the same time, descriptions of the system’s capabilities vary considerably depending on the source. They range from claims of localized, temporary disruption of satellite communications over an area several kilometers in diameter – which is technically plausible – to assertions that the system can “blind” satellites in orbit, a claim that is more consistent with information messaging than with independently verified technical evidence.
As with many reports on newly introduced electronic warfare systems during an active conflict, it is important to distinguish between the confirmed deployment of the equipment and the marketing or propaganda narratives surrounding its capabilities. As of mid-2026, no independent technical verification has been published to substantiate the system’s claimed performance.
Russia is increasingly relying on ballistic missiles in its campaign against Ukraine, taking advantage of the challenges associated with intercepting such weapons amid Ukraine’s ongoing shortage of air defense assets. According to newly released reports, a North Korean missile unit has begun deploying to western Russia. Andrii Cherniak, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense (HUR), stated that the unit could receive up to 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for use in strikes against Ukraine.
Since late 2023, Russia has launched dozens of North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine, but the deployment of North Korean missile personnel would represent a further expansion of the already extensive military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. According to Andrii Cherniak, intelligence assessments indicate that Russia plans to station a North Korean missile unit of approximately 90 personnel in Russia’s Voronezh region as part of the 112th Missile Brigade. The reported deployment coincides with Russia’s recent use of two North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine, marking the first such strike in an extended period.
According to the HUR, Pyongyang has already dispatched a new shipment of 40 KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles to Russia, along with military personnel. However, the final deployment structure and the total number of missiles are expected to be determined during negotiations scheduled for next month. The specific role that North Korean personnel will play in Russia’s missile operations has not yet been disclosed.
Rob Lee, Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said that North Korea’s contribution represents a significant threat to Ukraine. “Missile defense is one of Ukraine’s greatest vulnerabilities, so any increase in the number of ballistic missiles it has to contend with will pose an even greater challenge,” he said. He added that Ukraine’s air defense posture is of particular concern ahead of the winter season, when Russia may once again launch large-scale strikes against the country’s energy infrastructure.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense and North Korea’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, North Korea has emerged as one of Moscow’s key military partners, with the two countries signing a mutual defense treaty in 2024. Pyongyang has already supplied the Russian military with millions of artillery shells and deployed approximately 14,000 personnel to Russia’s Kursk region to help repel Ukraine’s 2024 cross-border offensive.
Last week, a North Korean ballistic missile destroyed a residential building in the village of Radushne in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, killing a large family. According to Andrii Cherniak, the strike marked the first confirmed use of North Korean ballistic missiles since August 2025 and was carried out using missiles from the newly delivered batch of 40.
The KN-23 and KN-24 ballistic missiles offer greater range and carry larger warheads than Russia’s Iskander missiles, but they are considerably less accurate, increasing the risk of civilian casualties. Russia began employing these missile systems against Ukraine in late 2023. According to the HUR, North Korea supplied approximately 150 such missiles between late 2023 and August 2025. Cherniak also stated that around 9,500 North Korean military personnel remain stationed in Russia’s Kursk region, although they are not currently engaged in direct combat operations against Ukraine.
The N3XT experimental division of Germany’s Quantum Systems has developed a quadrotor drone that reached a horizontal flight speed of 699 km/h. This performance makes it the fastest battery-powered unmanned aerial vehicle ever recorded.
According to the developers, the test flight was conducted on July 26 during internal trials, while official certification by Guinness World Records representatives is expected within the next few weeks. The Apex Recordhunter prototype surpassed the previous official speed record for electric aircraft, which stood at nearly 657.59 km/h.
The development of the platform is intended to serve more than a demonstrative purpose. Quantum Systems plans to incorporate the technologies validated through the project into a new family of interceptor drones. On the battlefield, where a matter of seconds can determine the outcome, such capabilities could prove decisive in neutralizing an incoming attack drone before it reaches its target.
Robert Gardemin, Lead Prototype Development Engineer at Quantum Systems and a member of the project team, stated that the effort spanned more than a year and involved early mornings, long overnight shifts, repeated setbacks, and a persistent commitment to pushing the limits of what was considered achievable. He described the 699 km/h milestone as a significant achievement but emphasized that it marks only the beginning, with the team intending to return in the near future to pursue even higher speeds and secure their official certification.
Battery-powered systems remain significantly slower than military unmanned aircraft powered by internal combustion engines or jet propulsion. For example, the experimental Northrop Grumman X-47B jet-powered UAV is capable of reaching speeds approaching Mach 0.9 (approximately 1,100 km/h), while the stealth reconnaissance drone RQ-170 Sentinel has an estimated top speed of around 925 km/h, or roughly Mach 0.75. Unlike battery-powered platforms, these aircraft rely on liquid fuel, prioritizing extended range and payload capacity over the constraints of electric propulsion – capabilities that remain essential for sustained military operations.
According to the company’s official statement, the Apex platform is not a weapon itself. Instead, it serves as a technology demonstrator developed by the same engineering team responsible for the interceptor program. As such, the two projects share common design expertise and engineering solutions rather than physical components.
The combat systems themselves are being developed by Kyiv-based WIY Drones, which operates as a separate entity within the same corporate group through the Quantum WIY Industries joint venture. The company is currently preparing to test two dedicated interceptor platforms: the Strila, an FPV drone with a 0.5 kg payload, and the Spys, which is positioned as the world’s fastest FPV air-defense interceptor. Both systems are designed to counter the kamikaze drones that Russia has increasingly employed against targets across Ukraine.
During demonstration events held this week, WIY Drones unveiled updated versions of both platforms. The Spys reached speeds of up to 600 km/h, enabling it to intercept jet-powered attack drones such as the Shahed, while the upgraded Strila 2 LR achieved 310 km/h, trading some of its top speed for an endurance of up to 30 minutes. Although neither performance has yet been recognized as an official world record, both represent practical operational benchmarks for drones designed to neutralize some of Russia’s fastest aerial attack systems.
The initiative has already been backed by substantial financial investment. Quantum Systems has acquired a stake in the joint venture and secured a contract to supply 15,000 Strila interceptor drones to the National Guard of Ukraine, a move intended to transition the combat-proven platform into a fully operational, large-scale air defense system.
Ukrainian drone operators have already destroyed a substantial number of Russian armored vehicles and even aerial targets using low-cost Shrike drones priced at approximately $400. Thousands of these platforms are now undergoing a major upgrade with an AI-enabled autonomy system that allows them to independently track and engage moving targets.
In mid-July 2026, the Ukrainian military began receiving Shrike drones from the domestic manufacturer SkyFall, equipped with autonomy hardware and software developed by the U.S.-based company Auterion. Over the coming months, the partners plan to deliver 50,000 systems featuring Skynode S terminal guidance kits.
The system operates by having the operator manually fly the FPV drone into the mission area and designate a target at a distance of up to 800 meters. Once the target is selected, the operator activates an autonomous terminal guidance mode based on a “fire-and-forget” concept. This was stated by Auterion co-founder and CEO Lorenz Meier.
If a stable radio link is maintained, the operator can abort the attack or assign a different target. However, if the connection is lost due to terrain, urban structures, or active enemy electronic warfare (EW), the drone continues its mission and engages the target autonomously. For navigation and terminal guidance, Auterion’s software relies exclusively on visual data from the Shrike’s primary camera. This enables the system to effectively engage moving targets without GPS, providing a critical advantage in environments where satellite navigation is heavily jammed.
The upgrade is expected to significantly improve the operational effectiveness of Shrike drones, which have been used since 2022 to destroy numerous armored vehicles, artillery systems, electronic warfare (EW) assets, and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS). According to The Kyiv Independent, these low-cost drones have also been credited with downing two Russian Mi-28 attack helicopters, each valued at up to $19 million.
Until now, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have primarily employed AI-enabled capabilities in long-range strike systems. For example, the U.S.-based Perennial Autonomy, founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, supplies Hornet drones priced at approximately $5,000 for strikes against oil refineries, military production facilities, and naval targets in the Black and Azov Seas. Auterion, by contrast, has focused on mass-produced short-range FPV drones. The company has developed an integrated flight control system featuring an onboard microprocessor based on the Western Arm architecture, costing approximately $18, that provides full AI-powered target tracking.
A Shrike drone equipped with this system costs approximately $2,000, compared with around $400 for the baseline manually operated version. By comparison, Western militaries continue to procure precision-guided munitions at prices 30 to 60 times higher, often with delivery timelines measured in years. The order for 50,000 systems is being financed under a $100 million contract funded by the German government, with fulfillment carried out by Auterion’s Munich-based division. The company had previously committed to supplying Ukraine with 33,000 systems under a separate $50 million contract awarded by the Pentagon.
In the future, these systems are expected to enable software upgrades that allow a single operator to control swarms of drones. Auterion has already demonstrated such capabilities during testing in the United States, where one operator used the Nemyx system to direct three autonomous drones against three separate targets. Nemyx enables the drones to independently prioritize and reassign targets in real time, preventing redundant strikes against targets that have already been neutralized. The operator only needs to define the overall mission intent, after which the entire group can simultaneously execute the attack or abort the mission.
In addition, automation significantly reduces the skill requirements for drone operators. According to Lorenz Meier, basic operator training can be completed in as little as 60 seconds, as the operator’s role is largely limited to selecting a target on the screen. Despite the rapid advancement of autonomous warfare, Auterion’s leadership continues to support a human-in-the-loop approach, under which the final decision to authorize a strike remains with a human operator for as long as ethical and safety standards require.
Meier also highlighted the flexibility of Ukraine’s defense innovation ecosystem. By rapidly incorporating frontline feedback and evaluating operational performance, Ukrainian developers are able to refine their systems shortly after initial deployment. Auterion intends to apply these lessons in future U.S. Department of Defense programs, while encouraging Western countries to adopt Ukraine’s rapid development approach and establish a unified standard operating system for managing unmanned platforms from multiple manufacturers.
Global losses from cybercriminal activity amount to trillions of dollars each year, and a recent report indicates that each attack costs victims an average of nearly $10,000. The situation is rapidly escalating and growing in scale worldwide.
A new study estimates the average loss per victim at $9,468, bringing the total annual global losses to over $1.24 trillion among 130.9 million victims. The global scale of cybercrime continues to be significantly underreported by both victims and law enforcement agencies, so official figures may be considerably lower than the actual situation. Some countries publish extremely limited financial information regarding digital crimes or do not provide it at all, which means that loss calculations are merely rough estimates.
According to a Comparitech report, 130.9 million people fall victim to cybercriminals each year, and the total financial losses worldwide amount to just over $1.24 trillion. In December 2023, the same research firm reported an average loss of $8,069 per victim, 88.5 million victims, and $714 billion in total losses, which clearly confirms the negative trend driven by the active growth of various illegal activities.
The United States remains the most popular target for hackers, topping the list with 6.7 million victims and $138.9 billion in losses, which amounts to approximately $20,731 per person – more than double the global average. This contrasts sharply with the figures for the next four countries (Spain, France, Sweden, and Turkey), each of which recorded average losses of approximately $10,000 per person.
Russia, which ranks sixth, recorded a significantly higher number of victims than the four countries ahead of it, but shows a substantially lower level of losses per person – $3,659. Interestingly, the total number of cybercrimes in this country in 2025 decreased to 663,000 compared to 775,000 in 2024, despite the ongoing war against Ukraine, which is accompanied by constant cyberattacks from both sides at both the industrial and local levels. However, the weakening economic situation, as well as the localization of many communication software tools and restrictions in the banking sector, may indicate that the country’s digital metrics are being artificially suppressed by government decisions themselves.
With 18.8 million victims, India became the absolute leader in the number of fraud victims worldwide, although its relative loss per victim was significantly lower than the average, at about $835 per person, which is explained by its lower GDP per capita. In contrast, China, with 1.2 million victims – a mere fraction of its neighbor’s total – suffered losses of about $11.5 billion. This amounts to an average of approximately $9,583 per person, which aligns with Comparitech’s overall estimates and may be the result of the country’s tough stance on cybercriminals – a policy that was accompanied by increased pressure on neighboring Myanmar and culminated in the sentencing and execution of fraudsters detained abroad.
Comparitech’s estimate of $1.24 trillion is conservative, and the authors of the analysis acknowledge this, noting that it takes into account only the direct financial losses of citizens. The report emphasizes that industry experts have projected global losses to rise to $10.5 trillion by 2025, which is why Comparitech describes its own figure of $1.24 trillion as merely a drop in the bucket. The $10.5 trillion figure comes from a 2016 study by Cybersecurity Ventures, in which 2015 losses were estimated at $3 trillion, with an assumed annual compound growth rate of 15%, a trend described as the largest redistribution of wealth in history.
At a time when automation and AI are providing better protection – allowing us to filter out calls or use security applications that adapt to specific situations – the flip side is that cybercriminals are also significantly stepping up their game to completely bypass security systems. Comparitech’s calculations reveal a stark reality: if industry experts’ estimates were equivalent to the GDP of individual countries, this sector would rank 20th in the world based on this metric alone.
A new survey from Steam shows that graphics cards with 16 GB of video memory are emerging as the most popular choice among gamers. However, current pricing trends suggest that for gamers looking to purchase cards with a significant amount of VRAM, the future looks rather bleak.
According to observations by TweakTown, Valve’s latest July hardware report shows that 16 GB of VRAM has become the most common configuration, accounting for 25.9% of the market – up 1.4% from last month. This allowed it to displace the 8 GB configuration from the top spot, which dropped to 25.32%. Although the gap is minimal, this fact is highly telling, even when accounting for statistical fluctuations due to the nature of the service’s data collection.
At the same time, the majority of Steam users still use devices with less memory, and configurations with 16 GB or more account for only 36% of systems. Accordingly, nearly two-thirds of gamers are using graphics cards with up to 16 GB of memory, while about 47% make do with 8 GB or less.
However, the surge in demand for 16 GB is striking: as recently as August 2025, according to Notebookcheck data from that time, only 6.8% of users had such graphics cards. By July 2026, this number had nearly quadrupled, increasing by about 20%, which is a very significant figure.
Based on the platform’s statistics, the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, RX 9060 XT 16GB, and the 9070 series sold very well, not to mention NVIDIA’s more expensive models. The RTX 5070 is also performing exceptionally well, ranking third overall, even though it comes with 12 GB of memory instead of the expected 16 GB. Of course, previous-generation models also account for a significant share of the 16GB models on Steam. In addition, AMD’s performance was influenced by Valve’s correction of an error earlier this year, which had caused the brand’s cards to be displayed incorrectly and grouped into a general, unspecified “Radeon” category.
Buyers’ desire to ensure their PCs remain up-to-date for the future is entirely logical, since 8 GB already seems insufficient in today’s reality. However, the nature of cards with increased VRAM capacity is such that the global memory shortage is hitting them the hardest.
Price increases have already become a reality: a few weeks ago, NVIDIA notified its partners of price hikes for GDDR6 and GDDR7 chips, which it supplies alongside its GPUs. The latest data from Tom’s Hardware also confirms price increases for RTX 5000 series models in South Korea starting this month, driven by rising costs of both VRAM and the chips themselves. According to available data, NVIDIA graphics cards based on the Blackwell architecture could see price increases of up to 30% in this region, after which similar price hikes are likely to affect other markets as well. Price increases are also expected for AMD’s Radeon series, and the “red” camp has already warned that the second half of 2026 will be a tough test for PC gamers’ wallets.
Given that user demand for 16 GB of memory is growing, and prices are steadily climbing – while the component shortage is set to worsen throughout the year and continue into 2027 – the prospects for cost-effective upgrades to high-performance graphics cards remain very bleak.
2K has revealed the first details and screenshots of the “Man of Honor ” story DLC for *Mafia: The Old Country*, which is set to be released on August 14. The DLC is set in the winter of 1905, just a few months after the protagonist, Enzo Favara, was initiated into the Torrisi family. The expansion will take players back to his story while also adding new content for Free Ride mode.
According to the developers, the expansion will include new story chapters dedicated to Enzo’s first days in his new role. The details of these chapters have not yet been revealed. DLC owners will be able to access these episodes while playing through the main campaign after reaching the appropriate point in the story, or launch them directly after fulfilling the necessary story conditions.
One of the expansion’s main highlights will be the return of Ennio Salieri, who will appear even before he becomes the don of his own crime family in the original ‘Mafia’. In Man of Honor, he’ll operate out of the Porto Almaro headquarters and assign Enzo new tasks in the form of challenges and contracts.
Salieri’s new missions will be divided into five categories: Standoffs, Assassinations, Circuit Races, Road Sprints, and Time Trials. According to the developers, they are based on the familiar challenge system from Free Ride mode but will be significantly more difficult.
Salieri’s Jobs – special contracts from Salieri for Free Ride mode – will be available separately. These include infiltrating a citrus farm, eliminating competitors transporting whiskey, hijacking a truck, engaging in shootouts, and making a getaway in cars while fighting off thieves. Overall, these missions are described as “dirty work,” which includes breaking into safes, stealing luxury cars, and transporting stolen goods before they’re intercepted by rival smugglers.
The Mafia: The Old Country expansion will also offer additional activities and collectibles in the Valle Dorata region. Among them are Wanted Posters, Stunt Jumps, and Sulphur Trucks, which players will be able to destroy as part of the new content.
In addition, Man of Honor will add new items that can be purchased with in-game currency or found while exploring the world. The list includes three firearms (Modello Speciale, High-Capacity Pump-Action Shotgun, and Precisione Speciale), three knives, five amulets, three vehicles, two horses, three outfits, and five hats.
The High-Capacity Pump-Action Shotgun holds ten rounds, the Precisione Speciale can fire explosive rounds, the Rimbalzu is a throwing knife that can ricochet to a second target, and the Dolce Morte amulet sometimes causes defeated enemies to drop fruits that restore health and provide extra money.
Nothing CMF, a budget sub-brand, has been actively expanding into new product categories over the past few years. This time, the company has turned its attention to the open-ear headphone segment and released its latest model, the Clip Pro. The new product is positioned as earbuds for active people and residents of large cities.
The Clip Pro features what Nothing calls a “3-point clip” design, which evenly distributes pressure on the ear so the user doesn’t experience discomfort or excessive tightness. In addition, the earbuds are designed to fit different ear shapes, and each weighs just 5.9 g, so they’re barely noticeable.
The Clip Pro doesn’t go inside the ear canal but sits on the ear. Because of this, users don’t get features like active noise cancellation, but they can listen to music or podcasts without losing touch with their surroundings. The model is equipped with 10.8 mm dynamic drivers featuring dual magnets. As usual, Nothing promises powerful bass, detailed midrange, and well-balanced treble.
To compensate for the bass loss typical of an open-ear design, Nothing and CMF have developed Ultra Bass Technology, which, according to the company, “intelligently boosts low frequencies” while simultaneously reducing high-frequency distortion. Such software-based bass boosters don’t always work equally well, but during workouts, they can be a useful addition for those who prefer a richer sound.
The Clip Pro is Hi-Res certified and supports LDAC, AAC, and SBC codecs. For calls, the earbuds are equipped with four HD microphones that isolate the user’s voice from ambient noise. Nothing notes that the Clip Pro manages mid and high frequencies in a way that makes the voice less intelligible to those around you, so people nearby won’t hear your private conversations. This feature can be customized via the Nothing app.
The proprietary Smart Dial feature has also been added to the new CMF earbuds. It’s a rotary control built into the charging case that lets you adjust the volume, control playback, and answer or reject calls without using your smartphone or the awkward controls on the earbuds themselves. However, the earbuds also feature physical buttons – mechanical controls are used instead of a touch panel.
On a single charge, the Clip Pro provides up to 10 hours of continuous playback. Together with the charging case, the total battery life reaches 32.5 hours. After just 10 minutes of charging, the user gets an additional four hours of listening time.
In addition, the model offers a fairly wide range of features. These include a low-latency gaming mode, support for simultaneous connection to two devices via Bluetooth, support for Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair, as well as IP54-rated water and dust resistance. This means that accidental splashes won’t be a problem, but going for long swims while wearing the earbuds is not recommended.
Sales of the CMF Clip Pro begin on August 15. The new model will be available in three colors: Dark Gray, Light Gray, and Coral. The earbuds will cost $99/£79, but they can be pre-ordered for $79 at the official Nothing store in the U.S.
