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Radioactive Capsule Missing in Eastern Russia
Global Recap
January 19, 2024 • Read in: 8 minutes
Hi Global Recap readers,
A week of escalations is finally coming to an end. 😰
With the Houthi leader effectively declaring war on the US, and the recent loss of a radioactive capsule in Russia, today’s news is certainly chaotic.
Uhh…
🌐 Around the world:
⚔ Houthi leader wants war.
🪖 NATO’s ready for Russia.
🇮🇱 Israel rejects US plans.
🇰🇵 N. Korea tests underwater nukes.
☢️ Radioactive capsule missing in eastern Russia.
Let’s get into today’s news.
⚔ Houthi Leader Mocks US and UK
In his speech, the Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi taunted the US and its allies for their strikes on Yemen.
War: He said the attacks only improved his forces and vowed to continue targeting Israeli ships in the Red Sea.
Terrorist: This comes after the US re-designated the Houthis as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” after taking them off the list in 2021 upon Biden taking up office. In hindsight, this was a terrible move by the Biden administration.
“It’s a great honor and blessing to be confronting America directly.”
He wants war.
🪖 NATO’s Getting Ready
NATO is launching its largest exercise since the Cold War, simulating a conflict with a “near-peer” adversary.
The exercise, called Steadfast Defender 2024, will involve 90,000 troops from North America and European allies.
Scenario: The drills will rehearse how US troops could reinforce European allies in countries bordering Russia and on NATO’s eastern flank.
Scale: The exercise will include more than 50 ships, 80 aircraft, and 1,100 combat vehicles, surpassing the previous exercises Reforger and Trident Juncture.
Period: Next week till the end of May 2024.
🇮🇱 Israel Rejects US Plan for Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed the Biden administration’s vision for a postwar Gaza Strip, which includes a Palestinian state and normalization with Saudi Arabia.
National TV: At a nationally broadcast news conference on Thursday, Netanyahu outright rejected the idea, saying:
"… it collides with the idea of sovereignty.”
Divergence: Netanyahu insists on Israeli security control over the Palestinian territories, while the US believes the Palestinians have every right to live in an independent state.
Normalization: The US also hopes to broker a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, similar to the Trump-era Abraham Accords, in exchange for a political future for the Palestinians.
🇰🇵 North Korea Tests Underwater Nuke
North Korea says it has successfully tested its underwater nuclear drones, in response to this week’s joint drills by the US, South Korea, and Japan.
The regime claims the drones can sneak into enemy waters and cause massive explosions.
Rhetoric: Kim Jong Un has been ramping up his aggression and hostility towards South Korea and the US, calling them his “principal enemies” and threatening war.
Reaction: However, South Korea belittled North Korea, describing its neighbor’s drones’ capabilities as “exaggerated.”
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Russia
Radioactive Capsule Missing in Eastern Russia
A sealed caesium-137 radioactive source
A frantic search is on in Eastern Russia for a lost capsule.
💊 What capsule? It’s a capsule that contains the radioactive isotope Caesium-137, a substance that poses significant risks to human health.
👷♂️ TNG-Group’s Troubles. The capsule was being transported by workers from the TNG-Group, a company that services oil and gas fields, to a site in Siberia.
The journey began in the eastern region of Irkutsk.
Its destination was the Chayandinskoye field in Yakutia, a field owned and operated by Gazprom, a major energy company largely owned by the Russian state.
⏱️ Timeline. The problem is the timing of the reporting of this incident.
The team’s journey began on January 12.
They reported the capsule missing on January 16.
☢️ The Dangers. Caesium-137 is a radioactive form of caesium that emits beta particles and gamma rays. Exposure to this can increase the risk of cancer, especially if it is ingested or inhaled. Just imagine if anyone opens this capsule accidentally…
“The sources in these devices are designed to remain sealed and keep people from being exposed; however, if these canisters are intentionally or accidentally opened, the Cs-137 inside could be dispersed.”
It is very dangerous if the capsule is gone for too long, and nobody remembers warnings about it. A layman might find it and open it one day.
🙅♂️ Not First Time. This isn’t the first time a capsule containing Caesium-137 has been lost. A similar incident occurred in Australia in January 2023.