China encircles Taiwan

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Global Recap
May 23, 2024 • Read in: 10 minutes

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Hi Global Recap readers,

We have quite an intense newsletter prepared for you today.

So to lighten things up, here’s a meme to start it off.

🇨🇳🇹🇼 China-Taiwan
Taiwan Encircled

China has launched military drills, encircling Taiwan with ships and planes as "strong punishment" for the island nation’s new president asserting its sovereignty.

🔘 China: This is China's first substantive response to the inauguration of Taiwan's new president, Lai Ching-te, who vowed to defend the island's democracy.

🔘 Claims: Beijing claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes any moves by the island's leaders to assert its independence. China accused Lai of "betraying the nation" and promoting formal independence for Taiwan.

“The ugly acts of Lai Ching-te and others who betray the nation and their ancestors is disgraceful.”

Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi

🔘 Escalation: The drills could provide China's military with valuable experience in imposing a potential "quarantine" or blockade around Taiwan. Experts believe China may attempt to seize one of Taiwan's outlying islands as part of the exercises.

🔘 Precedence: In 2022, when Nancy Pelosi, who was the US House speaker at the time, visited Taiwan, China responded by surrounding Taiwan and carrying out threatening drills.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Stock Up, Stay Prepared

The UK government launched a new website advising citizens to maintain a three-day emergency supply of food and water.

🔘 Preparedness: The “Prepare” website, introduced by Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, encourages households to stock essentials like tinned food, bottled water, and first aid supplies.

  • This initiative supposedly aims to bolster the nation’s resilience against potential emergencies, including pandemics and natural disasters.

🔘 Essentials: The government’s recommended emergency kit includes:

  • At least 2.5-3 liters of drinking water per person per day

  • Non-perishable food items that don’t require cooking, such as tinned meat and vegetables

  • A tin opener, battery or wind-up torches and radios, wet wipes, and a first aid kit.

🔘 Awareness: Despite the government’s efforts, a poll reveals that only 15% of Britons have an emergency supply kit, and over 40% lack a three-day stock of non-perishable items. The “Prepare” website is part of a broader strategy to enhance the UK’s preparedness for growing threats.

🔘 Response: However, the government’s decision to establish this site at this time, amidst a strained geopolitical climate, has raised doubts among some people.

  • Some fear this is the UK government preparing its citizens for WWIII.

  • Or maybe, it’s just good advice?

🇪🇸 Spain
Controversial Call Sparks Outrage

A Spanish official’s use of a contentious slogan following Spain’s recognition of Palestine as a state has stirred international tensions and drawn severe criticism.

🔘 Declaration: Yolanda Diaz, Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister, was recorded saying “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a phrase that has historically been used as an antisemitic slogan, calling for the eradication of Israel through violent means.

  • Supporters of the “Free Palestine” movement believe that the slogan is peaceful.

  • However, the quotes below do not seem to show any intention of expelling Israelis from what Palestinians view as their land through peaceful means. In fact, the violent intent seems to have prevailed throughout the years.

  • The 2017 Hamas Charter, which is a moderated version of the more blatantly antisemitic 1988 Hamas Charter, features this slogan.

“Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”

1988 Hamas Charter

“The state will come from resistance, not negotiation. Liberation first, then statehood. Palestine is ours from the river to the sea and from the south to the north.”

Khaled Mashaal, former leader of Hamas, in December 2012

“Today, the enemy has had a political, military, intelligence, security and moral defeat inflicted upon it, and we shall crown it, with the grace of God, with a crushing defeat that will expel it from our lands, our holy city of al Quds, our al Aqsa mosque, and the release of our prisoners from the jails of the Zionist occupation.”

Political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, after the October 7 attack

  • Armin Pfahl-Traughber, a researcher in extremism, believes that the use of slogans alone signifies an intention to destroy Israel through violence. He views the attack on October 7 as a continuation of this intention.

🇺🇸 United States
Boeing’s Explosive Flaw

A newly discovered electrical flaw in Boeing 777’s fuel tanks poses a risk of explosion, prompting urgent safety directives.

🔘 Hazard: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a warning about an electrical issue in Boeing 777 airplanes, which could potentially cause fuel tank explosions.

🔘 Directive: The FAA has mandated Boeing to modify the insulation on the aircraft’s wiring to prevent any possible ignition sources near the fuel tanks.

🔘 Not New: As you might be aware, Boeing’s issues are not new. The company has been under intense scrutiny due to critical defects in its aircraft.

  • In a recent incident, a Singapore Airlines flight traveling from London to Singapore experienced significant turbulence. This led to an emergency landing in Bangkok, the unfortunate death of a 73-year-old British citizen, and injuries to 71 individuals.

🇮🇱 Israel
Disturbing Hostage Video Released

The families of seven Israeli female soldiers, who were taken captive by Hamas during the attacks on October 7, have publicized disturbing videos of their capture.

🔘 Video: The video was originally released by Hamas as propaganda. It was released to pressure the Israeli government to bring the hostages back.

  • Sister of one of the hostages wanted the video to be released "because people are forgetting.”

  • Israel Defense Forces (IDF) edited the footage above before it was given to the hostages’ families, to remove the more disturbing scenes from Hamas’ original video.

🇲🇽 Mexico
Tragedy Strikes Campaign Rally

A campaign rally in northern Mexico was struck by disaster when a strong gust of wind caused the stage to collapse, resulting in at least nine fatalities, including a child, and leaving 121 others injured.

🔘 Catastrophe: The political gathering was in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon.

  • Presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez narrowly escaped harm.

  • The calamity led to a suspension of upcoming campaign events.

🔘 Response: The aftermath of the collapse saw a united front from various political figures and the community.

  • Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador extended his sympathies to the victims’ families.

  • Other presidential candidates also expressed their condolences, with some canceling their events in solidarity.

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