Fake Ballots

Hi Global Recap readers,

We know the upcoming US elections are going to be intense, especially with videos of ballots being torn up and allegations of Elon Musk having cozy ties with Russian President Putin.

However, compared to the crazier “theories” I’ve come across regarding what might happen in the coming days, this is peanuts.

Let’s see how things unfold…

🚨 BREAKING: I’ve just finished writing all the news stories, but I’m now seeing early reports that Israel has initiated retaliatory strikes against Iran, with explosions reportedly heard in Iran. It’s too early for mainstream media to report on it now, so keep an eye on this news.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Ballots Being Ripped?

Earlier, a viral video circulated on social media, appearing to show someone destroying mail-in ballots in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

• For those doubtful of mail-in voting: “I knew it!”

• For those skeptical of the video: “Wait a second…”

The Investigation

Pennsylvania officials quickly confirmed the video as fake.

• The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and Yardley Borough Police Department investigated and found it was fabricated.

• According to them, the video aimed to undermine confidence in the upcoming election.

• Some people still argue that the video is genuine, insisting that the differences in the green color saturation between the envelope shown in the video and the official Bucks County envelopes are simply due to camera settings or video editing.

• They believe that lighting, camera quality, or post-processing could easily cause color discrepancies.

FBI Involvement

The FBI is now on the case.

• They are working to locate the source of the video.

• Election disinformation is a growing concern, especially in battleground states like Pennsylvania.

Video

I saw the video while it was circulating, though it was quickly taken down across platforms, so I wasn’t able to find a version to embed here. Here’s a summary of what it showed:

• The video featured a person with a darker complexion opening each mail-in votes.

• As he went through each envelope, he read aloud the chosen candidate. If the choice was Trump, he tore up the ballot; if it was Harris, he carefully placed it back into the envelope.

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
Musk’s Secret Kremlin Talks

Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022, according to The Wall Street Journal.

This revelation comes at a critical time in the US election campaign, showing Musk’s influence beyond politics through his social network platform X and his tech company SpaceX.

Musk and Putin’s Conversations

According to WSJ, Musk and Putin have been in regular contact since late 2022.

• Reports suggest that Musk considered avoiding Starlink activation over Taiwan as a favor to Xi Jinping. If true, this would validate concerns about Musk’s ties to the Chinese government, given his significant business interests in China.

• The conversations continued into 2024, even as Musk criticized US military support for Ukraine.

Starlink’s Role in Ukraine

Musk’s Starlink service was crucial for Ukraine’s defense.

• Musk provided free access to Starlink after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

• Relations soured as Musk restricted Ukraine’s military use of Starlink for drone control.

Musk’s Kremlin Talking Points

WSJ alleges Musk echoed Kremlin narratives on Twitter.

• In October 2022, Musk tweeted a “peace plan” aligning with Russian interests.

• Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky, pushed back against Musk’s statements.

US Administration’s Awareness

The US administration was largely unaware of Musk’s Kremlin contacts.

• WSJ reports that knowledge of these contacts was limited within the US government.

• Musk has not responded to these reports or The Wall Street Journal’s requests for comment.

🇮🇷 IRAN
Iran Braces for War with Israel

Iran is reportedly preparing for a potential war with Israel as it awaits Israel's response to Tehran's recent missile attack.

Iranian officials say their next moves will depend on the scale of Israel's retaliation.

Preparing for Escalation

Iranian officials say Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered the armed forces to be ready for war. But get this:

• Iran has formulated multiple plans based on how Israel might respond to the October 1 missile attack.

• If Israel inflicts significant damage on Iranian sites, Tehran could fire up to 1,000 ballistic missiles in retaliation.

• However, a more limited Israeli response may lead Iran to hold off on further escalation and not respond.

So basically, it is broadcasting to Israel to go soft because they won’t respond.

Avoiding All-Out War

Iranian leaders claim they don't want an all-out regional war, but they also fear looking weak.

• Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been touring the region to stress Iran's desire to avoid escalation. People online have been labeling this behavior as “sweat’in b*lls.”

• But the IRGC chief warned that Israel's US-backed missile defenses won't be able to stop future Iranian attacks.

Israel's Response Plans

Israel had been considering strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure or nuclear sites, but the US opposed these options.

• Israel's retaliation plans were reportedly disrupted by a leak of confidential US documents.

• However, the Israeli military says it has completed preparations and is awaiting political approval to launch the attack.

🇹🇷 TURKEY
India Blocks Turkey’s BRICS Bid

India has thrown a wrench in Turkey’s wishes to join BRICS, citing Turkey’s close ties with Pakistan.

This move has effectively halted Turkey’s bid for now.

India’s Rejection

India blocked Turkey’s BRICS membership bid at the recently-concluded BRICS Summit.

• It cited Turkey’s close relations with Pakistan as the reason.

• Consensus was not reached among BRICS members.

BRICS Summit Decision

Leaders decided not to accept new members for now.

• Recent additions include Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

• Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia applied but were not accepted.

Turkey’s BRICS Ambitions

Turkey officially applied to join BRICS on Sept. 24.

• Aimed to increase global influence and build new connections.

• Believed the geopolitical center is shifting away from developed countries.