$50m over his head

Hi Global Recap readers,

I just watched this viral video for the fourth time yesterday and was planning to share it with you tomorrow (for your weekend entertainment).

• But with US tariffs kicking in today and other countries stepping up to challenge US dominance, I figured I’d share it now instead.

• I might’ve shared it months ago—I’m not sure… But even if I did, it’s definitely worth re-watch, or first-watch if you’re new here.

But first, here’s a quick scroll through some news to get you all caught up. 👇️ 

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇷🇺 Putin Courts Trump UAE

Putin just pitched a summit with Trump in the United Arab Emirates, sensing he’s got the upper hand while Ukraine gets sidelined.

• Venue: Putin floated UAE after chatting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Moscow. He also spent three hours with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow on Wednesday.

• Condition: Trump first insisted Putin must meet Zelenskyy, then backpedaled: “No. He doesn’t, no.”

• Spin: Russian aides and bloggers frame the summit as a win for Moscow, with talk of “masterpiece diplomatic game.”

• Backfire: Kyiv and EU officials are slamming the move, warning it rewards Russian aggression and leaves Ukraine in the cold.

However, President Trump has recently taken a more critical and hardline stance on Russia, so this potential meeting could serve as a preliminary step to initiate talks, possibly before extending an invitation to President Zelenskyy.

🇻🇪 US Doubles Maduro Bounty

The US just doubled its reward for info leading to Nicolás Maduro’s arrest, now dangling $50 million over his head. But critics say the Justice Department is doing everything except actually releasing the Epstein client list, calling it a convenient distraction.

• Reaction: Venezuela dismissed the move as "pathetic," but this marks the highest bounty the US has ever placed on a sitting leader.

• Accusation: US Justice Department calls Maduro “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.”

• Allegations: Venezuela's “Cartel of the Suns” allegedly shipped hundreds of tons of cocaine to the US with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)’s help. And according to the US, Maduro has been its leader for over a decade, making him “one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world.”

• Assets: Since last year, agents seized $700 million in Maduro-linked assets, including two government planes.

🇺🇸 Tariffs Go Into Effect

Trump’s sweeping tariffs took effect today, and there are signs that the cost could creep into daily life for millions of Americans.

• Price: Analysts believe that average families could pay $2,400 more this year, with shoes and clothes expected to jump by up to 40%.

• Brands: Analysts' projections aren't just a stab in the dark. Various companies have already announced price increases.

  • Adidas, Walmart, Procter & Gamble, and Mattel are all signaling price hikes.

  • Nintendo just announced that their original Switch is getting more expensive in the US. For now, the Switch 2’s price stays put, though that could change soon.

  • An additional 50% tariff on steel could lead to price hikes for popular home appliances from Samsung and LG.

• Timing: Thankfully, retailers stocked up early, cushioning the impact of price increases for now. However, that buffer is expected to diminish by late summer, with analysts projecting likely price hikes by fall.

• Scope: Nearly all US trading partners are hit, pushing average import taxes to their highest since 1934.

🇵🇸 London Charges Protesters

Three activists in their 50s and 70s just got charged in London for allegedly supporting Palestine Action, a group now blacklisted under terrorism laws.

• Names: Jeremy Shippam (71), Judit Murray (71), and Fiona Maclean (53) were arrested at a July 5 Westminster protest. Their court date is September 16.

• Risk: The new law means supporting or even expressing support for Palestine Action can land you up to 14 years behind bars.

• Warning: Police say 26 more people from the same protest may also get charged.

• Ban: Palestine Action's terrorist label is under review, but the government called their break-in at RAF Brize Norton “disgraceful” after they caused £7 million in damage.

🇮🇱 Israel Masses Forces

Commercial satellite images show Israel positioning troops and armor near Gaza for a possible invasion.

• Imagery: According to tour US sources who reviewed the imagery, troop and equipment lines along the Gaza border match patterns officials recognize as indicators of imminent large-scale maneuver.

• Approval: This comes as Israel's cabinet just greenlit a plan to seize Gaza City.

• Intent: Netanyahu told Fox News Israel aims to “take control of all of Gaza,” then added, “We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it.” Possible objectives include hostage recovery and creating safer aid corridors.

• Risk: Western officials warn Hamas is dug in, hostages could be killed or used as shields, and Israel believes they are in central Gaza.

• Pushback: Hundreds protested in Jerusalem, demanding a deal for hostages and an end to fighting. But the problem is, Hamas doesn't want the hostage deal unless the deal includes a permanent ceasefire and significant concessions, such as the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of a large number of Palestinian prisoners.

🎬️ VIDEO
Changing World Order

Not sure if I’ve shared this with you before, but now feels like the perfect time.

• This viral video is a must-watch, even if economics isn’t your thing.

• It dives into the patterns and quirks of global powers, their economies, and the behavioral changes that show up when their wallets shrink and their dominance starts to wobble.

A lot of people think Dalio’s points here hit especially close to home for the US and China.

Fascinating watch.

🇱🇧 LEBANON
Beirut Cabinet Approve
Hezbollah Disarmament

Lebanon’s government just greenlit a US-backed disarmament plan for Hezbollah, and the group’s ministers stormed out in protest. Cabinet says it’s all about “One Nation, One Army,” but Hezbollah calls it a “grave sin.”

Cabinet Approves US Plan

The cabinet’s move is a first since Lebanon’s civil war ended. Although Lebanon’s government approved the framework for a US plan to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state groups, not everyone stayed for the vote.

• Hezbollah ministers and Shi’ite allies walked out mid-discussion.

  • Hezbollah vows to treat the plan “as if it did not exist,” warning it “undermines Lebanon’s sovereignty.”

  • The Amal movement (Hezbollah's main ally) called for a government “correction.”

• Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos says the army will submit a timeline by end of August, aiming for full disarmament by December 31, 2025.

• The plan also demands Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory and a permanent border.

Hezbollah’s Furious Response

This is a video of Hezbollah supporters supposedly heading from Dehieh to central Beirut to protest the government's decision.

More protest videos:

Phased Disarmament Timeline

The proposal is split into four phases, each with deadlines and conditions.

• Phase 1: Beirut commits to disarmament within 15 days; Israel halts military ops.

• Phase 2: Army rolls out a deployment plan; Israel starts withdrawing from south Lebanon.

• Phase 3: Final Israeli pullout, rubble removal, and infrastructure rehab.

• Phase 4: Heavy weapons gone, international economic conference for Lebanon’s recovery.

Regional Power Play

The stakes are sky-high, and outside actors are watching closely.

• US envoy Tom Barrack called Beirut’s move “historic.”

• Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Hezbollah decides its own fate, “we do not intervene.”

• Israel says failure to disarm means more strikes: IDF has hit 500 Hezbollah targets since November, killing at least 230.

  • And of course, don’t forget the infamous “Walkie-Talkie” operation, in which Israeli intelligence rigged communication devices (specifically pagers and walkie-talkies) used by Hezbollah commanders.

  • Once activated in the field, the devices were remotely detonated or used to pinpoint exact locations, resulting in targeted strikes that killed or incapacitated multiple commanders.

AP Roasted

The Associated Press recently got roasted online for publishing an article titled “Survivors of Israel’s pager attack on Hezbollah struggle to recover.”

• The walkie-talkie/pager operation is widely regarded as one of Israel’s most precisely targeted strikes, designed to disrupt Hezbollah’s communications network with minimal collateral casualties.

• Critics of the AP argue that the outlet is sympathizing with a designated terrorist group and portraying terrorists as victims.

• The AP is accused of amplifying rare civilian suffering and cherry-picking emotional cases and photos to portray the operation as disproportionately harmful.