Friday☕️

Earth Intelligence

29 Aug 2025 — 5 min read

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Yesterday, August 28, 2025, a Polish Air Force F-16 fighter jet from the Tiger Demo Team crashed during a rehearsal for the Radom Air Show at Radom-Sadków Airport in central Poland around 7:25 PM local time, as the aircraft entered a steep descent during an aerobatic maneuver, impacted the runway, and erupted in flames, with footage of the incident circulating online. The pilot, Major Maciej “SLAB” Krakowian, who had over 1,400 flight hours of experience, did not eject and died in the crash despite quick intervention by emergency services.

The Radom Air Show, a major aviation event in Central Europe planned for August 30 and 31 and featuring performances by groups such as the UK's Red Arrows, Greece's “Zeus” F-16 Demo Team, Eurofighter Typhoons, and Dassault Rafales, was canceled following the accident due to runway damage. The Polish Ministry of National Defense is investigating the cause, though no official details have been released, and the incident is the first crash of a Polish F-16, drawing condolences from officials.

Economics & Markets:

Yesterday’s U.S. stock market:

Yesterday’s commodity market:

Yesterday’s crypto market:

Environment & Weather:

As of August 28, 2025, India has been grappling with severe flooding across northern regions, including Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and the Himalayan areas, driven by heavy monsoon rains that have led to landslides, river overflows, and widespread inundation, claiming at least 36 lives in the past 24 hours, displacing thousands, and affecting over a million people through destroyed crops, homes, and infrastructure amid ongoing weather alerts.

Local and national authorities have opened dams to manage water levels, warned neighboring Pakistan of potential cross-border impacts, and mobilized relief teams to provide aid and prevent further risks, with the situation exacerbating humanitarian needs in already vulnerable communities. As part of the response, Indian Army helicopters conducted high-risk rescues, including landing on unstable rooftops of collapsing buildings in areas like Pathankot to evacuate about 27 stranded individuals, such as Central Reserve Police Force personnel and civilians, through multiple flights under challenging conditions.

Politics:

As of August 28, 2025, CDC Director Susan Monarez, who was confirmed by the Senate less than a month ago, has been fired by the White House after refusing to resign amid conflicts with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over proposed changes to vaccine policies, including directives she described as reckless and unsubstantiated.
Monarez, citing concerns about insubordination accusations and the integrity of public health decisions, has refused to vacate her position, leading to a standoff with administration officials who are seeking her immediate departure while planning to appoint an acting director soon. This turmoil has prompted the resignations of several top CDC officials, including the chief medical officer and deputy directors, in protest, raising alarms about potential disruptions to the agency's operations and broader public health efforts.

Space:

On August 28, 2025, SpaceX successfully launched the Starlink 10-11 mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, using a Falcon 9 rocket at 4:12 a.m. EDT. This mission deployed 28 Starlink V2 Mini broadband internet satellites into low-Earth orbit, expanding the company's global constellation, with the first-stage booster B1067 achieving a record-breaking 30th flight.

After a smooth ascent and stage separation, the booster landed on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean, and satellite deployment was confirmed about an hour after liftoff to improve network coverage. With this addition, the total number of Starlink satellites in orbit now exceeds 8,000, more than any other government or corporation on Earth combined.

Statistic:

Largest assets on Earth by market capitalization:

Gold: $23.322T
🇺🇸 NVIDIA: $4.393T
🇺🇸 Microsoft: $3.788T
🇺🇸 Apple: $3.451T
🇺🇸 Alphabet (Google): $2.513T
🇺🇸 Amazon: $2.469T
Silver: $2.230T
Bitcoin: $2.222T
🇺🇸 Meta Platforms: $1.886T
🇸🇦 Saudi Aramco: $1.527T
🇺🇸 Broadcom: $1.451T
🇹🇼 TSMC: $1.235T
🇺🇸 Tesla: $1.115T
🇺🇸 Berkshire Hathaway: $1.078T
🇺🇸 JPMorgan Chase: $827.86B
🇺🇸 Walmart: $766.99B
🇨🇳 Tencent: $698.47B
🇺🇸 Visa: $679.05B
🇺🇸 Oracle: $675.01B
🇺🇸 Eli Lilly: $656.17B
SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust: $595.56B
Ethereum: $540.02B
🇺🇸 Mastercard: $533.80B
🇺🇸 Netflix: $523.27B
🇺🇸 Exxon Mobil: $483.23B

History:

Throughout history, legendary artifacts such as the Ark of the Covenant and the Spear of Destiny (Holy Lance) have captured the imagination of religions, empires, and storytellers. The Ark, described in the Hebrew Bible, was a sacred chest said to contain the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments and was believed to embody the very presence of God, granting victory in battle and channeling divine power. The Spear of Destiny, associated with the Roman centurion who pierced the side of Christ, became linked to myths of kingship and conquest, with rulers from Charlemagne to Adolf Hitler rumored to have sought its power. While both artifacts are steeped in religious and historical accounts, their true existence and current whereabouts remain shrouded in mystery. The Ark is said to have disappeared after the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem, while multiple relics claim to be the Holy Lance, scattered across Europe.
Beliefs about what these artifacts can do vary widely, ranging from granting invincibility and divine favor to serving as conduits of cosmic or supernatural energy. Their importance lies not only in their supposed powers but also in what they symbolize: humanity’s search for divine authority, legitimacy, and connection with forces beyond the material world. Today, the Ark is most commonly believed by some traditions to be hidden in Ethiopia’s Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, though this is unverified, while versions of the Spear of Destiny are displayed in places like Vienna’s Hofburg Palace. Whether historical, symbolic, or mythical, these relics continue to inspire fascination because they represent humanity’s enduring drive to seek meaning, legitimacy, and power through sacred objects that seem to bridge Earth and the divine.

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