Russia Almost Triggers NATO Response

Author

Global Recap
March 07, 2024 • Read in: 6 minutes

Hi Global Recap readers,

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US

Chinese Google Engineer Steals AI Secrets

A former Google employee is accused of stealing over 500 files containing trade secrets about the company’s AI infrastructure.

  • 👩‍💻 Defendant. Linwei Ding, a Chinese national living in California, worked as a software engineer for Google’s machine learning and AI projects.

  • 💰 Motivation. Ding allegedly transferred the secret data to his personal account to benefit tech companies in China, where he was offered a lucrative executive position.

  • 🚓 Arrest. Ding was arrested on Wednesday after a months-long FBI investigation.

  • 📂 Indictment. Click here for the indictment.

NATO

Russia Almost Triggers NATO Response

A Russian missile strike in Ukraine almost hit the Greek prime minister and triggered a NATO response.

  • 🚀 Attack. Russia fired a missile at a port in Odesa, where the Ukrainian President and the Greek PM were visiting.

  • 👥 Leaders. The missile landed within 500 feet (~150 meters) of the convoy carrying the two leaders, who heard the sirens and explosions.

  • 🛡️ NATO. The attack came close to activating Article 5 of the NATO charter, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all.

We are inching closer and closer to an all-out war.

RUSSIA

ISIS Attack Foiled by FSB

Russian security forces claim to have prevented a terrorist plot by an “Islamic State” cell to target a Jewish place of worship in Moscow.

  • 🔫 Resistance. The suspected IS members were killed in a shootout with the FSB agents who tried to arrest them in Kaluga, southwest of Moscow.

  • 💣 Weapons. The FSB said they seized firearms, ammunition, and components for making an improvised explosive device from the house where the terrorists were hiding.

  • 🔥 Tensions. The attack was planned amid rising animosity between the Muslim and Jewish communities in Russia, fueled by the Israel-Hamas war and the Ukraine conflict.

MIDDLE EAST

Houthis Kill Three: First Fatalities

The Iran-backed Yemeni rebels attacked a civilian ship in the Gulf of Aden, causing the first fatalities in the Red Sea conflict.

  • 🚢 Target. The ship, True Confidence, was hailed by an entity claiming to be the “Yemeni Navy” and ordered to change course, before being hit by a missile.

  • 🔥 Casualties. Three crew members died and at least four were injured in the attack, which also set the ship on fire. The Houthis claimed responsibility and warned other vessels to leave the area.

  • 🌎 Implications. The attack disrupted a vital shipping route that accounts for 12% of global traffic.

SWEDEN

Sweden Joins NATO Today

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson

After 200 years of staying out of wars, Sweden is finally becoming the 32nd member of NATO today.

  • 🔥 PM. Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson is in the US, joining the First Lady, Jill Biden, in watching the US President’s 2024 State of the Union address.

  • 🇸🇪 Flag. The Swedish flag is expected to be hoisted at NATO headquarters on Monday.

  • 🇷🇺 Reaction. Russia denounced Sweden’s accession as a threat to its interests and vowed to take countermeasures.

    • In the end, Putin got exactly what he didn’t want: NATO expansion.

How will Sweden’s NATO membership affect the region?