Hi Global Recap readers,

It is great to see so many of you participate in yesterday’s poll. The result is provided in the end, so make sure to stick around!

Thank you for keeping the community strong. 💪🏼

Let’s get into today’s news.

📈 Top News

🌍 As the emergency ECOWAS summit concluded, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who also serves as the ECOWAS chair, stated that “no option had been taken off the table,” alluding to the potential for military intervention.

Soon after, ECOWAS ordered the activation of its standby force.

Click here for the announcement of the activation.

Get the latest update here.

🇮🇳 India’s PM survives no-confidence vote amid Manipur crisis. Today, Modi defended his government’s handling of the ethnic violence in the northeastern state, which has claimed over 150 lives and displaced thousands.

Modi: “The opposition is playing politics and spreading lies.”

Opposition: “Modi is silent and ineffective in stopping the bloodshed.”

Click here for more.

🇭🇰 Hong Kong’s national security law strikes again. A total of ten people were arrested on Thursday for "conspiracy to collusion with a foreign country or external elements."

What did they do? They allegedly conspired with a pro-democracy fund that helped protesters and called for sanctions against the city. The fund, which disbanded last year, had received donations from overseas organizations and had links with exiled activists. The arrestees face up to life in prison.

Click here for more.

🇵🇭 Philippines halts 22 land reclamation projects. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has indefinitely suspended 22 major land reclamation projects in Manila Bay. This decision comes after the U.S. expressed concerns regarding potential environmental damage and the involvement of a Chinese company.

Notably, this company had previously been blacklisted due to its role in constructing militarized Chinese island bases in the South China Sea.

Click here for more.

🚨 Kim Jong-un calls for war preparations. The North Korean dictator called for preparing for a possible war in an “offensive” manner during a meeting of the ruling party’s central military commission. He also called on munitions factories to push on with the modernization and mass production of weapons. Is Kim preparing for war?

This comes as the U.S. and South Korea prepare for a large-scale combined military exercise.

Click here for more.

✍🏻 In-Depth

U.S.
Biden Bans China Tech Investments

🇺🇸 President Joe Biden has signed an executive order that will ban some new U.S. investments in China that could help Beijing develop its military and challenge U.S. technological supremacy. The order targets advanced computer chips, micro electronics, quantum information technologies and artificial intelligence.

💡 Why it matters. The order is part of Biden’s strategy to counter China’s rise as a rival superpower and to protect U.S. national security interests. China has been accused of exploiting U.S. investments to support its military modernization. People have often noted that China benefits from the American free market, while the U.S. has to succumb to the authoritarian regulations of the CCP.

🇨🇳 China’s reaction. China has denounced the order as a violation of its sovereignty. It has demanded that Washington “immediately revoke its erroneous decision. It has also warned that the order will hurt global supply chains and cooperation in science and technology.

🌐 Other reactions. The U.S. allies and partners have expressed mixed reactions to the order. Some have welcomed it as a necessary step to curb China’s ambitions and to safeguard national security and economic interests. Others have expressed concerns about the potential impact on their trade and investment ties with China, which is a major market and source of innovation for many countries.

What’s next. The order will take effect next year, after the Treasury Department define the scope and details of the restrictions. The order is likely to escalate the tensions between the U.S. and China further, which have already been strained by many issues.

🌐 Poll Result

Here is the outcome of yesterday's inquiry: “Were the bombs necessary to end WWII”

• 69% responded “Yes”

• 31% responded “No”

Is this what you had expected?

For me, It's pretty much what I anticipated, though the comments did offer some intriguing viewpoints. 🤔