Assassination Call?

Hi Global Recap readers,

If you’ve been anywhere near social media in the last few hours, you’ve probably seen “86 47” or “Comey” blowing up. Depending on your platform, or whatever your algorithm feels like feeding you, the takes are all over the place.

But dig a little deeper into the backstory, and it’s clear: this isn’t a black-and-white issue. It’s way messier than that.

But before diving into that, today’s Fast Scroll News. 👇️ 

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇬🇧 Ukrainian Man Charged with Arson. He’s been identified now. Roman Lavrynovych, 21, a Ukrainian national, has been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life. Last week, he allegedly set fires at a Kentish Town house once lived in by PM Keir Starmer, a flat in Islington, and a car—all tied to Starmer. One person was evacuated, but no serious injuries were reported. Counter Terrorism Command is handling the case. Starmer called the attacks “an assault on democracy.

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🇺🇸 FBI Stops ISIS Plot. The FBI arrested 19-year-old Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a former Michigan Army National Guard member, for allegedly plotting a mass shooting at a US military base in support of ISIS. Said reportedly conducted drone surveillance over the Detroit Arsenal’s TACOM facility and gave weapons and explosives training, including how to make Molotov cocktails, to undercover agents he believed were ISIS operatives. He even advised them on how much ammo to carry.

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🇪🇪 Estonia-NATO Clash Over Tanker. Estonian forces tried to board the Gabon-flagged oil tanker Jaguar, suspected to be part of Putin’s secret fleet dodging sanctions. The tanker refused orders, prompting NATO to scramble Polish MiG-29s—while Russia sent a Su-35S, reportedly violating Estonian airspace. Footage captured a dogfight over the Baltic, with Russian voices on the tanker mocking Estonia as “clowns.” Eventually, the Jaguar anchored near Gotland Island, in Russian-controlled waters, and continued its route to Primorsk.

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🇷🇺 Putin Fires Top General. Russian President Vladimir Putin has quietly fired top General Oleg Salyukov. He’d been leading Russia’s ground forces since 2014 and was a key figure in the Ukraine invasion. Now? He’s being moved to a lower-profile role under his old boss, former Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. The Kremlin says it’s not about battlefield failures—just that Salyukov’s turning 70, the legal retirement age. But the timing is sus: less than a week ago, he was front and center at Moscow’s Victory Day parade. Now he’s vanished from the spotlight. Plus, no replacement has been named yet.

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🇺🇸 Trump Claims Nuclear Deal Near. At a news conference in Qatar, Trump said Iran has “sort of” agreed on the terms of a nuclear deal—but left the details vague. Tehran is reportedly willing to limit uranium enrichment and allow inspectors, but demands the immediate lifting of sanctions. Trump, meanwhile, insists Iran must stop sponsoring terror and abandon its nuclear ambitions entirely.

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🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Comey’s Instagram
Shell “Threat”

Former FBI Director James Comey posted a beach photo that blew up online—seashells arranged to spell out “86 47.” Now the Secret Service is looking into it.

But it’s not as black-and-white as just saying “Comey’s in the wrong.” There’s a lot more nuance to this.

Photo in Question

• Camey’s Instagram featured an arrangement of seashells showing “86 47.”

• His caption said, “Cool shell formation on my beach walk.”

Decoding the Numbers

So, what’s wrong with “86 47”? Critics say those numbers aren’t random—they’re a loaded political message.

• “86” is commonly used as shorthand for eliminating or getting rid of someone.

• “47” is widely recognized as a reference to the 47th president.

Comey eventually deleted the photo and followed up with a new post. He seems to suggest that, while he understood the political undertones, he didn’t see it as a call to violence.

Double Standard?

But here’s the thing: People are also calling out a possible double standard, especially since Florida Republican Matt Gaetz wrote something similar back in 2024:

Additionally, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, during a 2020 NBC interview, had an “86 45” sign in the background. At the time, Trump was the 45th president. However, President Trump was recently at the White House with Whitmer and was even seen hugging her at an Air National Guard base.

📊 Poll

As you can see, this is extremely nuanced.

• Critics of Comey say that his photo was a clear call to “violence” or even “assassination” of Trump.

• Supporters say that it is benign, and at best, it’s a call to “remove” him from office through legal processes.

That said, it’s worth pointing out that while critics might seem over the top, Trump recently survived a couple of assassination attempts. Sure, past events don’t justify everything today—but given that context, the strong reactions are understandable.

That being said, what do you think?

🇹🇷 TURKEY
Putin Sends
“Chemical Weapon” Suspect

At the Istanbul peace talks, Putin dodged a face-to-face with Zelenskyy by sending a lower-level delegation instead. Zelenskyy didn’t hold back, slamming the move as nothing more than “decorative.”

But what’s really sparked conversation is who Putin decided to send.

Background and Context

Talks in Istanbul were meant to restart dialogue after nearly three years of conflict.

• Planned discussions begin Friday morning in Istanbul.

• This marks the first direct talks since March 2022.

• Since Putin isn’t showing up, Zelenskyy is also sending a delegation, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.

• Russia’s side is headed by Putin adviser Vladimir Medinsky.

“Chemical Weapon” Suspect

On the list of those attending talks is Igor Kostyukov, a Russian intelligence officer tied to the 2018 Salisbury poisonings.

• So why does this matter? Kostyukov leads Russia’s military intelligence service (GRU).

• The UK sanctioned him in 2019 after the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Sergei is a UK citizen.

  • GRU is accused of using Novichok, which is a Soviet-era nerve agent used in chemical warfare, known for its high toxicity.

Why Isn’t Putin There?

Although it cannot be verified, rumors suggest that Putin skipped the Istanbul talks over assassination fears.

• Whatever the real reason, the absence of a high-level sit-down only deepens skepticism about the talks leading to a ceasefire.

• Trump weighed in, saying, “Nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.”

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said expectations remain low without direct interaction.

• Meanwhile, Zelenskyy made it clear: his team’s job is to negotiate a ceasefire, not a full-blown peace agreement.