Blaming free speech?

Hi Global Recap readers,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Before diving into some of the events that happened over the weekend and moving on to more current affairs, I wanted to share this video.

The topic of “free speech” comes up often in discussions about geopolitics, with debates about how much freedom of expression is needed for a society to function healthily.

That said, here’s a bizarre example of a reporter blaming free speech for the atrocities committed by the Nazis in Germany.

Nazi Germany—a one-party state—and free speech? Hmm.

🇦🇹 AUSTRIA
Stabbing Rampage in Villach

An appalling incident unfolded in Villach, Austria, where a Syrian asylum seeker went on a stabbing spree, leaving one young life tragically ended and others severely injured.

Déjà vu?

Attack Overview

In the beautiful Austrian city of Villach, a 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker went on a knife-wielding rampage.

• The attack resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy.

• Five others were wounded, three of whom are in intensive care.

• The suspect was arrested just seven minutes after the first emergency call.

Here’s a video from the incident:

Radicalization & IS Allegiance

The suspect was reportedly radicalized online and had pledged allegiance to Islamic State (IS).

• An IS flag was found in the suspect's apartment.

• Authorities discovered a video of the suspect swearing loyalty to IS.

• Witnesses supposed reported him yelling “Allahu Akbar.”

Acts of Heroism

Despite the disgusting violence, a fellow Syrian displayed bravery.

• A food delivery driver saw the attack and drove into the assailant to stop further harm.

• His quick thinking likely prevented additional casualties.

Political Reactions

Austria's political climate has become even more tense in the wake of the attack.

• Interior Minister Gerhard Karner expressed both sympathy and anger, highlighting the need for increased powers to screen asylum seekers.

• The Freedom Party (FPO) seized on the incident to push their anti-immigration stance.

Recent Related Incidents

Of course, if you’ve been keeping up with our emails, you’ll know this attack is just one piece of a troubling pattern of violence in the region.

• A similar attack occurred in Munich, Germany, just days earlier, involving an Afghan national who drove into a crowd.

• There was also a knife attack in London last Thursday, where a passerby—who “happened” to be carrying a knife—assaulted someone burning a Quran outside the Turkish consulate.

🇿🇦 SOUTH AFRICA
Muhsin Hendricks
Shot Dead

Muhsin Hendricks, the world’s “first openly gay imam,” was fatally shot near Gqeberha, South Africa.

Who was he? Hendricks was a well-known LGBTQ+ advocate within the Muslim community. But if you know anything about Islam, you’ll know that these two identities don’t go too well together.

Targeted Attack

Hendricks was ambushed in his car by two masked assailants, on Saturday, February 15, 2025.

• The attackers blocked Hendricks’ vehicle and unleashed multiple shots, killing him instantly.

• The incident occurred near Bethelsdorp, formerly Port Elizabeth.

Unclear Motive

The reason behind the murder remains unknown, but suspicions point toward it being a hate crime.

• Eastern Cape police are urging anyone with information to come forward.

• The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA) is calling for a thorough investigation.

Advocate for LGBTQ+ Muslims

Hendricks had a long history of advocating for LGBTQ+ rights within the Muslim community.

• He started holding meetings for LGBTQ+ Muslims in 1998 in his hometown.

• By 2011, he had established the Al-Ghurbaah mosque in Wynberg, Cape Town, as a safe space for queer Muslims.

More About Him

Despite threats, Hendricks remained focused on his goals and dedicated to his mission.

• Born into a Muslim family, he came out in 1996 and later established his role as an imam.

• Hendricks' murder comes amid South Africa's high murder rate, with 28,000 murders reported in the year leading up to February 2024.

So, was this a targeted attack, or just another addition to the disturbing crime statistics in South Africa?

I think it’s most likely the former.

🇺🇦 UKRAINE
Zelenskyy Won't Accept
US-Russia Talks

Zelenskyy has made it clear: US-Russia talks that exclude Ukraine are a non-starter. While the Kremlin hails the upcoming discussions in Saudi Arabia as a step towards peace, Kyiv insists any agreements made without its participation are invalid.

Understandable. If were in Zelenskyy’s shoes, whose faith is likely being decided by a foreign nation, I would also be angry.

Unilateral Negotiations

Zelenskyy is adamant that Ukraine must be included in any negotiations regarding its future.

• On Monday, the Ukrainian president emphasized that “Ukraine regards any negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine as ones that have no result, and we cannot recognize… any agreements about us without us.”

• He criticized the US for excluding Ukraine and its European allies from preliminary talks.

• The hastily arranged meetings between Trump and Putin’s officials have set off alarm bells in Kyiv.

US and Russia in Riyadh

The US and Russia are scheduled for talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio, accompanied by Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff, is set to meet the Russian delegation led by Sergei Lavrov and Yuri Ushakov.

  • The meeting was reportedly just postponed from Thursday to Friday.

• The US aims to gauge Russia’s seriousness about ending the war, while Moscow frames the talks as a chance to end its diplomatic isolation.

  • European leaders believe this is giving Russia a platform, which they firmly oppose.

European Concerns

European allies are uneasy about being sidelined in the negotiation process. That’s why today, European leaders rallied in Paris for an emergency meeting to discuss bolstering Ukraine's defense, fearing that President Trump has “abandoned” them.

• Here is is the EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen, drumming up a sense of urgency regarding it:

• The summit followed President Trump's announcement of US-Russia talks.

• France's Macron, Germany's Scholz, and others supposedly discussed unified strategies, seeking to influence a possible US-Russia deal.

Critics

That said, Zelenskyy’s image isn’t exactly shining in the eyes of many Western critics.

• At the Munich Security Conference, he claimed that Ukrainians don’t want elections, fearing it would open the door for Putin to take over the entire country.

• I can’t do the President justice with words, so here’s a clip of him talking about it:

Starmer: Sending Troops to Ukraine

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, ever the peacemaker—or warmonger depending on your perspective—has laid out his plans for the UK to play a bigger role in Ukraine’s defense.

How? By sending UK servicemen to Ukraine.

• The UK has already committed £3 billion a year to Ukraine’s military until 2030.

• He stresses the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine’s sovereignty.

• In this article Starmer wrote for The Telegraph, he acknowledges the “hue responsibility” of potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way. But, he still believes he needs to send them to fight in a foreign war.

“Import Russian Assets”

Amid all this diplomatic chaos, Ukraine launched an overnight drone attack that hit “important” Russian assets according to an official from Ukraine’s SBU security service.

• Assets? These were Russian oil facilities in Krasnodar Krai—the Ilsky Oil Refinery and and the Kropotkinskaya Oil Pumping Station.

• Over 20 explosions were reported.

• Operations at the facilities were suspended due to the attack.

• The facilities process up to 6.6 million tons of oil annually.

🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND
Social Media
Harms Democracy,
So Let’s Ban It.

While we are on the topic of free speech today, here’s an interesting story about censorship:

Switzerland is weighing its own social media regulation law, much like the Digital Services Act (DSA) of the EU.

• Proponents argue it's essential for protecting democracy,

• Opponents warn it might backfire, citing potential repercussions from powerful tech giants.

Need for Regulation?

In particular, one politician is pushing for a strict regulation, claiming that democracy is at stake—a Green Party member Meret Schneider.

How strict? A straight-up ban.

• Platforms like X, Facebook, and TikTok are seen as threats due to their alleged algorithmic biases and potential manipulation.

• Schneider argues that posts beneficial to certain political groups, like Germany’s AfD, get more reach, while opposing views are suppressed.

EU’s Digital Services Act

The EU’s controversial Digital Services Act has set the pace in reigning in tech giants’ operations in the EU.

• The DSA, in force since 2022, has seen actions against platforms like X, Meta, and TikTok for what it deems as violations, such as “purchased verifications” and “lack of transparency.”

• Meta faces fines up to 6% of its worldwide revenue, a significant hit given its 2023 revenue of $135 billion.

Switzerland’s Regulatory Hesitation

Switzerland plans its own regulation but is taking its sweet time to present it.

• The Bundesrat initially aimed to present the law in March 2024, but it’s still not ready as of early 2025.

• The law aims to ensure tech companies have a contact and legal representative in Switzerland, and establish a mediation body.

US Opposition

The US isn't too thrilled with these regulatory moves, to say the least.

• U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance criticized what he deems as anti-free speech regulations, like the recent cancellation of Romania’s election, after an unlikely “far-right” candidate won. The EU claims his victory was the result of Russian election interference.

• Vance sees these regulations as a threat to American tech firms, stressing that America will not accept them.

Skepticism in Switzerland

However, not everyone in Switzerland thinks regulation is the answer.

• Franz Grüter, an SVP-Nationalrat, warns that regulation could give the state censorship tools and distort the free market of ideas.

• FDP-Nationalrat Andri Silberschmidt questions the goals of such regulation, urging for innovation over control.

Call to Action

The debate over social media regulation in Switzerland continues.

• Proponents like Angela Müller from Algorithm Watch CH highlight the dangers of unchecked algorithms on democracy.

• Critics stress trust in users and advocate for the preservation of a liberal market.

Will Switzerland follow the EU's lead, or will it carve its own path?

🇰🇷 SOUTH KOREA
South Korea
Bans DeepSeek

If you think TikTok is the only security threat coming from China, think again. South Korea begs to differ.

They just dropped the hammer on DeepSeek, a new AI chatbot sensation, by halting all new downloads of the Chinese app until "further notice."

The app's privacy practices have regulators sweating bullets, and the downloads will only resume once it complies with local data protection laws.

App Suspended

• The app was removed from the Apple and Google app stores on Monday night.

• However, desperate users can still access DeepSeek via a web browser.

• Why? Regulators need time to ensure the app complies with South Korea’s data protection laws.

The Rapid Ascent

DeepSeek, launched just last month, has already taken over global app charts.

• It’s an open-weight model, rivaling OpenAI’s ChatGPT o-1, but at a fraction of the cost.

• The AI chatbot is developed by a Chinese company, claiming to use fewer and less powerful computer chips than its American counterparts.

  • Rumor has it, they're only claiming to have used less powerful Nvidia GPUs due to the export controls the US has on chips.

• Its popularity and cost-efficiency sent US tech stocks plummeting—famously leading to the recent crash of the Nvidia stock (the largest market cap loss in history).

Security Concerns

So why the freak-out? Outside China, DeepSeek’s security and data practices are causing a stir.

• Experts are also claiming that DeepSeek logs keystrokes even after the user has exited the app—something TikTok was accused of in the past as well.

• South Korea directed government employees not to use DeepSeek products on official devices.

• Taiwan and Australia also warned their employees against using DeepSeek over security concerns.

China’s Stance

China seems to want its companies to play by the rules abroad.

• Guo Jiakun, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, emphasized compliance with local laws.

• He also urged countries not to politicize economic and tech issues.