Okay, what's going on?

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Global Recap
May 10, 2024 • Read in: 5 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

Okay, what’s going on with Boeing?

For a while now, I avoided discussing it, thinking that the problems might be isolated. Plus, there seemed to be more pressing news to address.

But then I saw this recent incident in Senegal:

I mean, two whistleblowers just “suddenly died.”

This isn’t Russia, this is the United States we are talking about.

🌊 South China Sea
Chinese military confronts US

China’s military confronted a US Navy destroyer in the South China Sea, escalating tensions in the disputed waters.

🔘 Confrontation: The USS Halsey was warned by China’s military while navigating near the Paracel Islands.

🔘 Claims:

  • The US Navy asserts its navigational rights, challenging China’s claims of sovereignty over the area.

  • The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has previously ruled against Beijing’s claims under international law.

China and the US persist in their standoff in the South China Sea, yet without any significant intensification. Nonetheless, it only takes one misunderstanding to ignite a conflict.

🇦🇷 Argentina
Milei’s economic U-turn

Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei, has implemented radical economic reforms that have shown early signs of success, challenging the skepticism of many analysts.

🔘 Leadership: Milei, a former economist and TV pundit known for his chainsaw antics and controversial views, has taken a libertarian approach to address Argentina’s chronic inflation. His drastic measures such as currency devaluation and government spending cuts have led to a decrease in monthly inflation rates for three consecutive months.

🔘 Reforms: The president’s “shock” strategy involved deep public sector cuts, halting infrastructure projects, reducing subsidies, and slashing the number of federal ministries. These actions contributed to Argentina’s first budget surplus in over a decade and a boost in central bank reserves.

Yet…

🔘 Protests: Despite the positive economic indicators, Milei’s policies have sparked widespread discontent, leading to a planned general strike and mass protests.

  • On Thursday, Argentina’s largest union, CGT, brought the nation to a standstill, with transport services disrupted and key bus, rail, and subway lines halted.

🇺🇦 Ukraine
Zelensky’s security shakeup

Ukrainian President Zelensky has dismissed the head of the State Security Administration (UDO) amidst claims of a Russian assassination plot.

🔘 Dismissal: Zelensky’s decree removed Serhii Rud from his role without public explanation, following the Security Service of Ukraine’s (SBU) revelation of a foiled plot by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to kill Zelensky and other officials.

🔘 Plot Details: The SBU alleges that the plan involved:

  • UDO insiders,

  • a missile attack coordinated by the FSB, and

  • a subsequent drone strike to eliminate Ukrainian leaders and erase evidence.

🔘 Investigation: SBU head Vasyl Malyuk personally directed the probe into the plot, which was intended as a “gift” to Putin before his fifth-term inauguration.

🇺🇸 United States
Election influence alert

The FBI warns of increased foreign interference in the upcoming 2024 election, with artificial intelligence aiding adversarial campaigns.

🔘 Adversaries: China, Russia, and Iran are intensifying their efforts to sway the 2024 election. They are known to be employing AI to create fake social media accounts and disseminate divisive narratives, echoing past Russian tactics.

🔘 China’s Tactics: The Chinese government is particularly focused on creating online personas to amplify US societal divisions and sideline China’s critics. This strategy aligns them closer to Russia’s known influence playbook.