Arrested: Iranian terror suspects

Hi Global Recap readers,

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

I wanted to kick things off with a few thoughts on last week’s poll about the White House’s Lofi stream.

After going through your comments, it’s clear that:

• Many of you—whether you're generally on board with Trump or not—agreed the stream was pretty cringe.

• On the other side, a lot of you also thought it was a smart marketing move—or at the very least, a solid effort. (And yes, shoutout to the metalhead who gave it props but wished it had been metal instead—I hear you.)

It was extremely encouraging to read your comments.

Why? It shows we’ve got a community of sharp, independent thinkers who don’t blindly follow any one figure. Even his supporters were willing to criticize the stream.

Thanks again for being part of this community and jumping into our polls and reading daily.

Now, let’s start off today with a foiled Iranian terror plot in the UK (alleged). 👇️ 

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Iranian Terror Plot

Four Iranian men are now being questioned over a suspected terror plot aimed at a “specific” British target, starting an investigation that has mobilized armed police and special forces nationwide.

Plot Outline

Suspects include:

• a 29-year-old from Swindon,

• a 46-year-old from West London,

• a 29-year-old from Cheadle Hume, and

• a 40-year-old from Rochdale.

Arrest Snapshot

Arrests were made swiftly amid heightened fears that the planned violence could erupt at any moment.

• A fifth suspect, a 24-year-old detained in Manchester, was released on bail with restrictions.

• Detentions were executed under terrorism laws, with magistrates extending the warrants until Saturday.

Investigation Moves

Counter-terrorism teams and MI5 are now combing through electronic devices and multiple addresses.

• Commander Dominic Murphy stated, “Our officers and staff are progressing a significant and highly complex investigation.”

• Searches continue in Greater Manchester, London, and Swindon as authorities probe links to Iran.

Government Reaction

Reading about it doesn’t quite capture the seriousness, but top officials are urging the public to stay alert, stressing just how real and dangerous the threat is.

• Home Secretary Yvette Cooper: the arrests are “the biggest threats we have seen in recent years.”

• In a separate operation, three Iranian nationals were detained under laws against foreign state threats and remain in custody.

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Israeli Jets Strike
Yemen Port

It all started when a Houthi-fired missile hit the grounds of Ben Gurion Airport, injuring six and stirring up debates about the defense systems that failed to intercept it.

The Missile Attack

A ballistic missile launched by Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen struck a grove near Terminal 3, just a few hundred yards from the control tower.

• The attack marked the first time a Houthi missile impacted within the airport grounds.

• Both Israel’s Arrow system and the US THAAD setup repeatedly tried to intercept the missile with no luck.

• Ben Gurion temporarily halted takeoffs and landings before reopening its airspace about an hour later.

Casualty Report

The incident left six people injured, though thankfully none suffered serious harm.

• A man in his 50s sustained limb trauma, while two women, aged 54 and 38, endured shockwave injuries.

• A 64-year-old man and two others received minor injuries, with two additional individuals treated for acute anxiety.

After this attack, Israeli jets swept into Yemen’s Hudaydah port, smashing key links in a pipeline of arms and warning their foes in no uncertain terms.

The Israeli Counterstrike

Israeli fighter jets targeted critical sites along Hudaydah’s coast, aiming directly at the hubs.

• In an official statement, the IDF declared, “The terrorist infrastructure sites struck in the Hudaydah port serve as a central supply source for the Houthi terrorist regime.”

• A concrete factory—integral for building underground tunnels and other infrastructure—faced a precise strike.

Strategic Message

What does this Israeli strike achieve? The targeted sites show a deliberate effort to cut off the Iranian arms supply chain feeding regional unrest.

But what’s even more concerning isn’t just the clash between Israel and the Houthis—it’s the other countries quietly entangled in the conflict behind the scenes.

• US naval forces are now in the region, and as mentioned earlier, multiple B-2 bombers have been deployed to Diego Garcia, signaling a potentially bigger international move in this escalating situation.

• Many see this as a clear message not just to the Houthis, but to their backer, Iran.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Trump’s Tariff War Hits Hollywood

By now, we’re all familiar with President Trump’s tariff playbook. But now he’s cranking it up—slamming foreign filmmakers with a 100% tariff on movies made outside the US.

His reasoning? It’s supposedly to save what he calls a “dying” Hollywood.

The Announcement

Trump dropped this unexpected announcement on Truth Social, claiming foreign tax incentives to be a direct threat to America’s entertainment industry.

• He authorized the Department of Commerce to kickstart the process of enforcing the tariff.

• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick assured on X: “We’re on it.”

• No specifics yet on how the tariff will be calculated—box office revenue, production costs, or streaming services.

Hollywood’s Big Problem

That said, the movie business has been fleeing California for years, lured by more attractive tax incentives overseas.

• Governments worldwide are offering lavish rebates to snatch a bigger piece of the $248 billion expected in global content spending this year.

• This is why Disney, Netflix, and Universal all shoot projects in Canada and Britain.

• Even the January wildfires pushed producers to consider filming outside Los Angeles.

The Global Fallout

However, if other countries retaliate, the US film industry could take a massive hit as well. Some argue that this would weaken the industry not “save it.”

• Former Commerce official William Reinsch warned: “We have a lot more to lose than to gain.”

• US studios already spend nearly half their big-budget production money overseas.

• A pullback in foreign filming could mean fewer productions overall, not necessarily more movies made in America.

• With Los Angeles production already down 40% over the last decade, this may push filmmakers even further away.

  • Entertainment insiders argue it’s a hard sell to frame movies as a national security threat.

🇷🇴 ROMANIA
Prime Minister Resigns

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stepped down Monday as his government wobbled on the edge, thanks to a “hard-right” surge that shook up the presidential race.

PM Steps Down

After weathering criticism for his extravagant campaign and luxury jets, Ciolacu, who’s led since 2023, chose to resign.

• His exit comes just after running for president in last year’s annulled contest—a move marred by controversy.

• An interim prime minister is set to be named Tuesday morning, plunging the country into deeper uncertainty.

Election Shock

Sunday’s contest saw George Simion rocket ahead while PSD’s candidate Crin Antonescu, trailed. He is viewed and labeled as a “hard-right.”

• The upcoming second round on May 18 pits Simion against Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan.

• Established parties were left off the radar as the nation braced for new leadership.

Political Predictions

What’s interesting is: Simion previously predicted, “the prime minister would have to go” if the establishment fumbled again.

• Simion even floated the idea of Călin Georgescu, the disqualified winner of last November’s canceled election, as a potential replacement.