The White House livestream started late, and by the time Trump walked out, rumors online had him half-buried already. He brushed it off with a joke about a bruise and a reminder that he’s still very much alive. Same goes for this newsletter. You’ll get the facts, without the gossip or filler, in the next few minutes.

Pipelines and Power Plays

Russia finally clinched the energy prize it’s been chasing for years. Gazprom signed a binding deal to build the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, a massive project that will run through Mongolia and ship up to 50 billion cubic meters of gas annually to China. On top of that, Moscow and Beijing agreed to boost flows through existing routes, including the original Power of Siberia line and a new Far Eastern corridor already under construction. For Vladimir Putin, this isn’t just another pipeline. It’s a lifeline. Europe slammed the door on Russian gas after the Ukraine invasion, so this deal gives him both revenue and a chance to say, “See, we’ve got other buyers.”

China, though, is the real winner. Beijing spent years slow-playing the talks, waiting until Russia’s desperation peaked. Now it’s locked in long-term access to discounted gas and cemented its role as the senior partner in the relationship. The timing isn’t accidental either. Washington and its allies are ratcheting up pressure on both Russia and China, so cutting this deal doubles as a geopolitical signal: these two powers are sticking closer together.

Once Power of Siberia 2 is complete, it’ll become one of the biggest energy arteries between the countries. That means a reshaped map of global gas flows: Russia pivoting east for survival, and China fueling its growth on the cheap. For Moscow, it’s about leverage and pride. For Beijing, it’s about securing energy dominance at bargain rates. And for everyone else, it’s another reminder that energy isn’t just about keeping the lights on. It’s about power, politics, and who gets the upper hand when the pipelines start pumping.

Rapid Fire

🇺🇸 Trump used his Oval Office pulpit today to announce that U.S. Space Command will move from Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama, undoing a Biden-era decision. He pitched it as the right home for “Rocket City” and even teased a new missile defense system dubbed the “Golden Dome,” though details were thin. Along the way, he swatted down rumors about his health, saying he’s alive, fine, and “asymptomatic,” pointing to a bruise on his hand as proof he’s not secretly falling apart.

He also waded into domestic flashpoints. Asked about Chicago’s surge in holiday weekend shootings, Trump confirmed he’ll send in the National Guard, though he wouldn’t say when. The White House issued a few softer notes too, messages on National Preparedness Month, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and sympathy for Hurricane Helene victims, but those were drowned out by the headlines. Bottom line: Space Command gets a new address, Trump insists he’s healthy, and another battle is brewing over federal troops in Chicago.

🌐 Judge Amit Mehta handed down a big antitrust ruling that keeps Google intact but trims its power. He found the company abused its dominance in search, so Google has to stop making exclusive deals with Apple and other device makers, end contracts that tie Google Search to Chrome and Google Assistant, and hand over some search data to rivals. The big headline is what didn’t happen. Prosecutors wanted Chrome spun off entirely, but the judge said no.

Wall Street liked that call. Alphabet shares jumped 6 percent after the ruling, a sign investors see this as a slap rather than a knockout punch. Google says it will appeal, which could stretch this fight out for years. In the meantime, the decision is a warning shot: regulators aren’t breaking up Big Tech yet, but they’re not letting it write all the rules either.

🇹🇭 Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai party is stuck in political limbo. After losing its prime minister to a court ruling last year, the party is now weighing whether to push forward with a new candidate or scrap the whole thing and dissolve parliament. That second option would mean a new general election, basically hitting reset because they can’t cobble together enough support to form a stable coalition.

The opposition isn’t rushing to save the day either. The People’s Party is holding off until September 3 to decide whether it will back anyone, and it’s making demands: dissolve parliament and amend the constitution or no deal. For now, Thailand is in political gridlock, a reminder of how fragile its government has become when courts, coalitions, and backroom deals keep rewriting the rules of the game.

World Watch

Sudan just suffered one of its deadliest natural disasters in years. After days of pounding rain, a landslide ripped through the Marra Mountains in Darfur on August 31, wiping out an entire village. Local officials say at least 1,000 people were killed, with only one survivor pulled from the wreckage. The scale is almost impossible to grasp… An entire community gone in minutes.

The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, which controls the region, is pleading with the UN for help to recover the bodies. It’s a devastating hit for a country already drowning in conflict, displacement, and flooding. Sudan’s humanitarian crisis was dire before this. Now, with villages literally buried, additional international aid may be the only lifeline left.

Today in What the Hell

Tesla’s big India debut landed with more of a thud than a roar. Since launching sales in mid-July, the company has logged just over 600 orders…about what it sells globally in the time it takes to eat lunch. That’s well below its target of 2,500 cars, and the miss has already forced Tesla to scale back, shipping only 350 to 500 vehicles for now instead of the bigger rollout it had planned.

The flop comes at a rough moment for Elon Musk’s empire. Global deliveries were down about 60,000 in the first quarter compared to last year, while rival BYD is eating up market share in China. India was supposed to be the next big growth story, but steep import taxes, thin charging networks, and consumers wary of luxury price tags make it a tough nut to crack. Tesla’s splashy entrance now looks more like a caution sign, the brand has the hype, but India may not be buying it, at least not yet.

That’s all folks

That’s it for today. The world keeps spinning, the headlines keep piling up, and our job is to cut through the noise so you don’t have to. Thanks for reading and see you back here tomorrow with more news without the BS.