CNN: Mistake or Fakery?

Hi Global Recap readers,

Hope you had a great weekend!

I jotted down a few news snippets for today’s newsletter, but so much has happened since then that I couldn’t include them…

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s been going on:

• Looming TikTok ban in the US

• Drones spotted around the US, with reports of radiation spikes near their locations

• Trump’s rumored executive order for a national “Bitcoin Reserve”

• Israel closing its embassy in Dublin

But just as I was about to hit send on this newsletter, I saw this trending on X:

Now, I’m pretty sure he’s not dead, but it definitely made me flinch for a second, delaying this for a few minutes while I rushed to find out what’s going on.

Anyway, let’s dive into today’s news. 👇️ 

🇸🇾 SYRIA
CNN: Mistake or Fakery?

CNN recently “freed” a Syrian prisoner after the Assad regime fell, highlighting the terrible conditions he supposedly endured.

But it turns out the “innocent” man they helped was actually a notorious torturer from Assad’s regime. Some internet detectives have been suggesting some sus aspects of CNN’s reporting for a while, though many have dismissed them as conspiracy theorists.

Yikes.

The Big Reveal

• In the video, the infamous international correspondent Clarissa Ward leads the prisoner out of a “secret facility” in Syria.

• The man, claiming to be Adel Ghurbal, says he hasn’t seen sunlight in three months.

Fact-Check Bombshell

Then, an “independent and unbiased” fack-checker Verify-Sy looked into it.

• The prisoner turned Salama Mohammad Salama, a first lieutenant in Syrian air force intelligence.

• Salama, also known as "Abu Hamza," has a history of war crimes, including torture and extortion.

  • He worked at security checkpoints in Homs, said to have been a lieutenant in the Assad regime’s Air Force Intelligence Directorate.

  • Facial recognition software reportedly matched the lieutenant’s face with the person in the video with 99% accuracy.

  • Locals say he was locked up due to a dispute over extorted money.

Suspicious Details

As mentioned, people watching the video smelled something fishy from the get-go.

• Salama appeared well-groomed and healthy, not what you'd expect from someone in solitary confinement.

• Plus, he didn't even flinch when looking at the sky, despite claiming months without sunlight.

• But other than these minute details, something just smells fishy doesn’t it?

CNN's Response

CNN is in damage control mode.

• They acknowledged the possibility of a false identity and are continuing their investigation.

• CNN denies any fabrication of the report, stating the events transpired as shown.

📊 Poll

Was this an honest mistake by CNN, or have they succumbed to the pressure of reporting something “exclusive”?

🇨🇦 CANADA
Freeland Suddenly Resigns, Trudeau Too?

Chrystia Freeland, the finance minister and deputy prime minister, has suddenly resigned, leaving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a tight spot.

CTV News reported rumors that Trudeau might be considering resignation. But is it true?

The Resignation Bombshell

Freeland's exit was a shocker.

• She announced her resignation on December 16, 2024.

• Trudeau had asked her to step down as finance minister but offered her another Cabinet role.

• Freeland chose to leave, citing disagreements with Trudeau over Canada's financial direction.

Economic Disagreements

• Trudeau and Freeland clashed over a two-month sales tax holiday and CAD$250 stimulus checks to Canadian citizens to tackle the cost-of-living issue.

• Freeland opposed “costly political gimmicks” as US tariffs loomed, while Trudeau appeared to favor cash handouts.

Political Fallout

Trudeau's leadership is under fire. To be fair, he was already under fire, but the deeply unpopular prime minister is now under even greater scrutiny.

• Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Trudeau, saying he's lost control.

• Trudeau's Liberal Party doesn't hold a majority and relies on support from other parties.

🇮🇷 IRAN
Shutdown Amidst
Energy Crisis

Things appear bleak for Iran right now.

Their proxies are collapsing, while inside their borders, they face a double blow of smog and energy shortages, forcing city shutdowns and calls for public cooperation.

City Shutdowns

Iran has hit the pause button on daily life in many provinces.

• Schools, banks, and institutions across a dozen provinces have been shut down for three consecutive days.

• The shutdowns are due to deteriorating air pollution and a critical shortage of energy.

Freezing Temperatures

The weather is not playing nice either. It is trapping pollution and causing energy demand to spike.

• Many provinces are experiencing freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. The surge in heating demand has forced the government to restart rolling power blackouts.

• The cold snap has trapped pollution in cities, including Tehran, which is now engulfed by a thick layer of smog.

• Temperatures have dropped as low as -20° Celsius (-4° Fahrenheit) in some places in northeastern Razavi Khorasan province.

Energy Crunch

But you may ask: isn’t Iran one of the world’s biggest oil and gas producers?

• But analysts believe years of US sanctions and under-investment in power infrastructure is the culprit behind this drastic measure.

• Gas consumption in homes, businesses, and small industries hit a record high of 640 million cubic meters in the past 24 hours.

• This marks an 18 percent increase compared with the same period last year.

Government's Plea

President Masoud Pezeshkian is urging the public to pitch in and help manage the crisis.

• Pezeshkian and his administration have launched a campaign calling on the public to reduce household temperatures by two degrees.

• The goal is to ensure there will be enough gas to last through winter.

• Pezeshkian emphasized the need for collective effort, saying, “Together, we can overcome difficulties by joining our hands.”

🇩🇪 GERMANY
Scholz Loses
Confidence Vote

Several major governments around the world are unraveling—each with its own level of chaos and drama. South Korea’s collapse has been especially dramatic and is still unfolding, while the recent political shakeups in France and Canada were far more subdued.

Now, Germany joins the list: Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lost a confidence vote, throwing the country into a political crisis.

Government Collapse

• Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote on December 16, 2024.

• The vote to dissolve the government was 394 to 207, with 116 abstaining.

• This marks only the fourth snap election in Germany's 75-year history.

Coalition Breakdown

Scholz's coalition couldn't hold it together.

• The three-party coalition splintered in November after months of internal squabbling.

• Scholz was left without a parliamentary majority to pass laws or a budget. In other words, it became ineffective.

Election Countdown

• Elections are now set for February 23, 2025.

• Seven parties are vying for seats, with the conservative Christian Democrats leading in polls.

  • The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is, of course, Angela Merkel’s former party.

Economic Woes

Germany’s economy is struggling, and its latest economic data is drawing the attention of analysts.

• Germany’s central bank, Bundesbank, predicts the economy will grow by just 0.2% in 2025, following a 0.2% contraction this year.

• The country narrowly avoided a recession this fall.

• Parties are debating how to revitalize the economy and balance the budget. But, will this work?

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
North Korean
Casualties in Kursk

Ukraine has reported that North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia in the Kursk region have suffered significant casualties.

Casualty Report

• Ukraine's HUR military spy agency reported at least 30 North Korean soldiers killed or wounded over the weekend.

• The casualties occurred around the villages of Plekhovo, Vorozhba, and Martynovka.

Zelensky's Revelation

• President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia is using North Korean troops in significant numbers for the first time.

• He posted a video showing Russian soldiers attempting to conceal the identities of dead North Korean servicemen by burning their faces.

Pentagon's Confirmation

• Pentagon spokesperson Major General Pat Ryder confirmed indications of North Korean casualties.

• The exact figures remain unverified.

Russian Denial

Moscow remains silent. Does this silence lend more credibility to the claims of Russians burning the faces of North Korean soldiers?

• The Kremlin declined to comment, referring questions to the Russian Defense Ministry, which has made no statement.

• Russia has neither confirmed nor denied the presence of North Koreans on its side.