Putin’s Nuclear Briefcase Spotted

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Global Recap
October 19, 2023 • Read in: 9 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

Today’s newsletter is a tad lengthier as it dives into the recent uproar involving US congresswomen Tlaib and Omar.

Without further ado, let’s get to it.

🌐 Around the world:

  • Arkansas Tells Chinese Company to Sell Its Land.

  • Tlaib and Omar Refuse to Apologize.

  • US Prepares for Major Attack.

  • US Shoots Down Drones.

  • The EU Is Getting Ready to Go Digital.

  • Putin’s Nuclear Briefcase Spotted.

🚜 Arkansas Tells Chinese Company to Sell Its Land. Arkansas became the first US state to order a Chinese-owned company to give up 160 acres of land it owns in the state.

Arkansas says the land sale is to protect its farmers from foreign influence.

The company: Syngenta Seeds, a subsidiary of ChemChina, a state-owned enterprise.

Watch the announcement here.

😡 Tlaib and Omar Refuse to Apologize. Two US Democratic congresswomen accused Israel of bombing a hospital in Gaza, despite Israel denying responsibility and US intelligence saying otherwise.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) assert that a misfired rocket from the Palestine Islamic Jihad struck the hospital, killing hundred of its own people.

Among the evidence the IDF put forth are:

Omar

Tlaib

Yes, they both got Coumminy Noted.

‼️ The Backlash. They are currently facing backlash from both parties for spreading what seems most likely false information and fueling anti-Israel sentiment.

💰 The Double Down. However, Tlaib doubled down on Wednesday, further criticizing Biden and joining thousands of protesters calling for a ceasefire.

🚀 US Prepares for Major Attack. The US military successfully tested a new system that can intercept missiles and hijacked planes using sensors and shooters from different branches. The system, called the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), is designed to unify the data and decisions of the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

✈️ US Bases in Iraq Under Drone Attacks. A series of drone attacks targeted US troops in Iraq, causing minor injuries and raising tensions in the region. The US military shot down two drones at al-Asad airbase and one at al-Harir airbase.

🚀 US Navy Warship Shoots Down Yemeni Projectiles. A US Navy ship intercepted several missiles and drones launched by Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen. The USS Carney was sailing in the Red Sea when it detected the incoming projectiles. The ship used its defense system to destroy the missiles before they could hit anything.

The European Central Bank’s announcement on X

💶 The EU Is Getting Ready to Go Digital. The European Central Bank (ECB) is going ahead with its digital euro initiative, a digital currency set to complement physical cash. The ECB is kicking off a two-year preparatory phase this November to iron out the project’s regulations and partners.

🪙 Are you worried it will replace physical cash? The ECB also assures that the digital euro would coexist with physical cash, not replace it. Besides, the ECB has not yet decided whether to launch the digital euro or not. It will first test and experiment with the benefits and risks of the common digital currency

🏦 The ECB is not alone in exploring digital currencies. More than 100 central banks worldwide, including China and Japan, are working on or considering similar projects. The US, UK, and Canada are more cautious about the idea.

China
Putin’s Nuclear Briefcase Spotted.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin was spotted in Beijing with two officers trailing behind him, each carrying a briefcase. These are thought to be Russia’s nuclear briefcases.

Such sightings are quite rare. This means when they are shown off like this, it is most likely done intentionally to send a message.

Here’s a quick introduction to the briefcases.

🇷🇺 Russia’s Ultimate Weapon. The Russian president always carries a nuclear briefcase called the “Cheget”. Two other Chegets belong to the Defense Minister and the General Staff Chief. Reports suggest that at least two Chegets need to be activated in order to trigger a launch of nuclear weapons.

🇺🇸 US’ Ultimate Weapon. The US has its own set of nuclear briefcases, known as “The Nuclear Football”. There are three in total. One is always with the US president, the second briefcase is with the vice president, and the third one is at the White House. Unlike Russia, the US president alone gives the order to launch the weapons.

🇳🇴 The Norwegian Rocket Incident. You can’t talk about Russian nuclear bombs without mentioning this incident that nearly destroyed the Earth.

  • On January 25, 1995, a scientific rocket launched from Norway triggered a nuclear scare in Russia.

  • A team of Norwegian and American scientists wanted to study the northern lights over Svalbard.

  • They used a Black Brant XII rocket.

  • At Russia’s radar station, the missile’s sudden split into multiple sections mirrored the behavior of a Trident missile. It also looked like it was heading towards Moscow.

    Black Brant XII

😱 How Russia Reacted. The radar crew alerted President Boris Yeltsin, who had to decide whether to launch a counterstrike. He had only minutes to make up his mind.

Luckily, with each passing minute, the Russians realized that the rocket was not a threat. It was too high and too slow to be a Trident missile. It also didn’t follow the trajectory of a typical attack.

It turns out that the Russian government was made aware of the launch weeks earlier, but they forgot to tell the radar crew.