Are these Russia's next targets?

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Global Recap
May 24, 2024 • Read in: 10 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

Do you know there is an X account named Fuck Every Country?

It periodically curses at a select country, and people flock to the comments section to lash out, joke around, or pile on more insults.

🇨🇳 China
Taiwan Tensions Escalate

China’s military exercises around Taiwan signify a severe escalation in cross-strait tensions, with Beijing warning of “war” and pledging to pursue “complete reunification.”

🔘 Context: Beijing has labeled Taiwan’s new president, Lai Ching-te, a “separatist,” inciting military drills as a “strong punishment” for his inauguration.

🔘 Warning: China’s defense ministry spokesman asserted that Lai’s actions have pushed Taiwan towards a "perilous situation of war and danger."

🇷🇺 Russia
Russia Meddling with Borders

🇪🇪 Estonia

🔘 Incident: Early on Thursday, Estonian border guards discovered that Russian counterparts had removed 25 of Estonia’s 50 buoys from the Narva River, which demarcates the border between Estonia and Russia.

🔘 Agreements: Historically, Estonia and Russia have mutually agreed to place buoys on the Narva River to mark the shipping routes.

  • However, in 2023, disagreements arose over the buoy placements, leading Estonia to proceed with a 2022 agreement to avoid navigational errors for local fishermen and hobbyists.

🇫🇮 Finland

A draft Russian decree proposed a revision of sea borders that could affect territorial waters.

🔘 Provocation: The proposed changes involve the Gulf of Finland and the Kaliningrad exclave, raising concerns of a “deliberate, targeted escalatory provocation” by Russia.

🔘 Deletion: However, after causing confusion and alarm in Finland, Russia mysteriously deleted the draft decree.

🇷🇺 Russia

Amidst all this, Putin is reportedly ready to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine, “freezing” the current frontlines.

🔘 Stalemate: Putin expresses readiness to halt the conflict, yet he’s prepared to continue if Kyiv and the West don’t engage in talks.

  • Putin insists on retaining conquered territories as a non-negotiable term.

  • Despite not fully controlling the annexed regions, he aims to present these gains as a victory to the Russian people.

🔘 Strategic Shift: The recent appointment of economist Andrei Belousov as Russia’s defense minister suggests a move towards a permanent war economy.

  • However, insiders claim Putin prefers to use current military gains to conclude the war, avoiding further mobilization.

🇮🇱 Israel
Israel Recovers Bodies of Hostages

(From left to right) Orion Hernandez Radoux, Michel Nisenbaum, and Hanan Yablonka.

The recent operation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza has led to a tragic outcome, with the recovery of three Israeli hostages’ bodies.

🔘 Tragedy: The IDF announced the retrieval of three deceased hostages from Gaza, victims of a Hamas attack during the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7.

Hostages

  • Orion Hernandez Radoux (30 years old): Orion and his girlfriend, Shani Louk, were both victims of the attack at the Nova Music Festival. While Shani’s body was found earlier, Orion’s was retrieved subsequently.

  • Michel Nisenbaum (65 years old): Michel lost his life while on his way to look after his granddaughter. The IDF recovered his body and it has since been sent for a forensic analysis.

  • Hanan Yablonka (42 years old): Hanan was tragically caught in the violence by Hamas at the Nova Music Festival on October 7. His remains were later found in the northern part of Gaza amidst heavy combat.

🇩🇪 Germany
Teen’s Synagogue Attack: Thwarted

German police arrested an 18-year-old suspected of plotting a deadly knife attack on synagogue visitors in Heidelberg.

🔘 Arrest: The teenager was linked to a 24-year-old suspect, previously apprehended after a violent raid. They planned a “martyrs’ death,” intending to be shot by police after the attack.

  • According to police, both suspects planned to die as “martyrs” after killing synagogue visitors.

🔘 Evidence: Forensic IT investigations revealed chat histories conspiring to commit murder. A search warrant led to the arrest of the younger suspect in Weinheim, near Heidelberg.

🔘 Safety: Authorities have assured that there is no imminent threat to the synagogue visitors, following the seizure of several electronic devices and evidence from the suspect’s apartment.

🇬🇪 Georgia
Democracy Dilemma Deepens

The United States is reassessing its relationship with Georgia due to Georgia’s recent passing of the “foreign agent” law.

🔘 The Law: The law, which mirrors Russian policy, mandates NGOs and media with over 20% foreign funding to register as foreign agents. Georgia’s president vetoed the law, but the Georgian Dream party may override this, raising alarms about transparency and freedom suppression.

🔘 Tensions: The “foreign agent” law has led to significant unrest in Tbilisi, with the US introducing visa restrictions for those "undermining democracy in Georgia."

  • The ruling Georgian Dream party, believed to be the target of these restrictions, has dismissed the US actions as “comical” and accused Washington of meddling in internal affairs.

  • No individuals were specified by the US, however.

🔘 International Impact: The EU, which granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023, has warned that the law could hinder Georgia’s EU aspirations.

  • Meanwhile, mass protests continue, reflecting the citizens’ resistance to what they perceive as an attack on their freedoms.

🇮🇹 Italy
Teen Tech Saint

Carlo Acutis, a tech-savvy Italian teenager, is on the path to becoming the first millennial saint recognized by the Catholic Church.

🔘 Who Is He: Acutis, a gamer and programmer who died from leukemia in 2006, utilized his computer programming skills to spread Catholic teachings, creating a website that documented miracles.

🔘 Miracles: His beatification in 2020 and Pope Francis’ acknowledgment of a second miracle have paved the way for his canonization.

  • The first miracle attributed to Acutis involved his healing of a Brazilian boy with a pancreatic birth defect.

  • The second miracle concerns a Costa Rican girl’s recovery from a severe head injury, with prayers at Acutis’ tomb believed to have contributed to her healing.

🔘 Canonization: With two miracles to his name, the next step is a meeting of cardinals to finalize Acutis’ sainthood. His story resonates with the Church’s efforts to connect with the digital generation, highlighting his love for video games like Halo and Pokémon.

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