"Leaking" left and right

Hi Global Recap readers,

Hurricane Milton has finally made landfall in Florida, with President Biden calling it the “storm of the century.” To our Floridian readers, we’re sending you our heartfelt wishes for your safety and the well-being of your families.

While this storm is causing chaos in one part of the world, it’s also bringing fortune to many on the other side of the globe. 👇

🇲🇦 MOROCCO
Sahara Desert Floods After 50 Years

When was the last time you heard about significant rainfall that caused flooding in the Sahara Desert?

Well, it just happened. An extraordinary deluge in Morocco has brought life back to parts of the Sahara Desert that have been dry for decades.

Unprecedented Rainfall

Morocco experienced an extreme rainfall event in September.

• The southeastern village of Rabat saw 4 inches of rain in a single day.

• This deluge was the heaviest in decades, bringing a year’s worth of rain in just two days.

Lake Iriqui Refilled

A long-dry lake bed has been revived.

• Lake Iriqui, dry for 50 years, was filled by the rainfall.

• NASA satellite images captured the transformation.

Impact on Locals

The rain has had significant effects on the local population.

• Reservoirs were refilled at a record pace, providing much-needed water.

• Locals in Merzouga and Rachidia celebrated the rare event.

Long-term Effects

The storm may have lasting impacts on Morocco’s climate.

• Increased moisture in the air could affect weather patterns for years.

• However, the storm also claimed 20 lives and harmed crop production.

🇹🇷 TURKEY
Turkey Blocks Discord Access

To our Turkish readers: If you don’t use a VPN and frequently rely on Discord, now’s the time to say your goodbyes.

Turkey has blocked access to the instant messaging platform Discord following a court decision.

Court Decision

An Ankara court ordered the block due to suspicions of criminal activity.

• Crimes of “child sexual abuse and obscenity” were suspected on the platform.

• The decision followed public outrage over the murder of two women in Istanbul.

Government’s Stance

Turkish authorities cited difficulties in monitoring Discord.

• The platform’s refusal to share information, including IP addresses, led to the block.

• Security personnel can only act on user complaints, making intervention challenging.

Discord’s Response

Discord acknowledged the block and is investigating.

• The company is aware of access issues in both Turkey and Russia.

• Discord has not complied with information-sharing demands from Turkish authorities.

Broader Context

The block is part of a wider trend of platform restrictions.

• Russia also blocked Discord for violating local laws.

• France recently arrested the CEO of Telegram Pavel Durov.

• Brazil blocked Elon Musk’s X for failing to comply with censorship demands, but the decision was recently reversed.

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Undercover Commandos Kill Terror Leader

In a daring daylight operation, Israeli undercover forces eliminated a top Palestinian terror suspect and four others in the West Bank city of Nablus.

The Nablus Raid

Undercover Israeli forces were conducting an arrest operation in Nablus when they encountered the terror suspects.

• The Yamam unit, backed by the IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police, opened fire on the car.

• The slain suspect was identified as Issam al-Salaj, the leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigades in the nearby Balata refugee camp.

• No Israeli forces were injured in the exchange.

Targeting Terror

The raid was part of Israel's intensified efforts against Palestinian terror groups in the northern West Bank.

• Nablus and the Balata camp have been flashpoints for Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigades.

• Israel has sought to clamp down on these groups, which have carried out numerous attacks.

• Al-Salaj had previously evaded capture during a 2023 raid but was finally eliminated in this operation.

Palestinian Casualties

The Palestinian health ministry reported four men killed and one hospitalized in the Nablus raid.

• According to police, the slain suspects were "involved in carrying out and planning terror operations."

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Biden, Netanyahu Discuss Iran Retaliation

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally held their much-anticipated call amid escalating tensions with Iran.

Productive Call

Biden and Netanyahu reportedly had a direct and productive conversation.

• This was their first known chat since August.

• The call lasted 30 minutes and was described as positive by both sides.

• As predicted, they discussed Israel’s plans to retaliate against Iran for a massive missile attack on October 1.

  • Biden condemned Iran’s attack but avoided discussing specific responses.

  • We’ll see soon enough if anything leaks, but for now, it appears Israel hasn’t shared any plans with Biden.

  • This isn’t new, as Israel did not share its plans of assassinating Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah.

If you were Netanyahu and had one chance to eliminate a terrorist leader responsible for killing your citizens, would you risk informing the US, given their reputation for leaking upcoming plans to the media? Not a chance.

Israel’s Upcoming Retaliation

• Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant emphasized the retaliation would be “lethal, precise, and surprising.”

• Netanyahu vowed Iran would pay for its missile attack.

US-Israel Relations

The US supports Israel but seeks to curb rising conflict.

• Relations between Biden and Netanyahu have been tense, with disagreements over military strategies.

• But the fact is that Israel is a crucial ally in the region. Without Israel, the US would have limited influence over Middle Eastern affairs.

Although some may argue that the US has Saudi Arabia as an ally, tensions have arisen because of Biden’s criticism of the kingdom’s human rights record. This includes concerns over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the ongoing conflict in Yemen.

Election Impact

Biden’s handling of the situation affects the upcoming US election.

• Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, faces criticism over the administration’s policy.

• Arab American voters in Michigan are shifting support to independent candidate Jill Stein, potentially impacting the election outcome.

Here, listen to Hassan Abdel Salam, one of the two founders of the “Abandon Harris” movement, openly admit their goal of getting Trump to win:

🇰🇷🇰🇵 SOUTH & NORTH KOREA
North Korea Cuts Off South

North Korea has taken a drastic step to sever all connections with South Korea, escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Gameplan

How will this play out? Blocking all roads and railways between the two divided nations.

• The move follows Kim Jong Un’s decision to abandon peaceful reunification efforts.

Border Fortifications

Pyongyang has been fortifying its border since January.

• Measures include land mines, anti-tank traps, and removing railway infrastructure.

• The North’s rhetoric has also intensified, calling the South its “primary foe.”

Response to US Presence

The North’s actions are a reaction to US military activities in the region.

In other words: nothing particularly new.

• Recent US military exercises and visits by strategic assets have provoked Pyongyang.

• Kim Jong Un has threatened nuclear retaliation if attacked.

Expert Insights

Analysts suggest North Korea’s actions aim to shift blame for internal issues.

• Leif-Eric Easley believes Kim’s threats reflect a strategy for regime survival.

• Hong Min warns of significant repercussions if North Korea formalizes its separation from the South.