these attacks keep coming

Hi Global Recap readers,

I’m not sure if it’s always been the case or if today’s freer flow of information has led to a more globally synchronized zeitgeist on immigration, but here we are with another fatal knife attack to report today.

😬 What’s worse? Chancellor Scholz’s response is rubbing people the wrong way…

🇩🇪 GERMANY
Another Knife Attack

Why does it feel like I am reporting on a brutal knife attack every other day?

😦 What happened? An Afghan former asylum-seeker went on a knife attack in Bavaria, which left two people dead and three others injured.

The Attack

The attack occurred in a park in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria.

• Killed: A two-year-old boy and a 41-year-old man.

• Injured: Three others, including a two-year-old girl, were injured and taken to the hospital.

The Suspect

The suspect, a 28-year-old Afghan national, had a history of violence.

• He had been sent for psychiatric treatment three times.

• He arrived in Germany in November 2022 and applied for asylum in early 2023.

• The suspect was arrested, and authorities are investigating why he was still in the country.

Good question.

Political Sensitivity

The attack is politically sensitive, occurring a month before Germany's national election.

• Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the attack as “an incomprehensible act of terror.”

• Scholz emphasized the need for immediate consequences and stricter measures.

I think many Germans are tired too.

Investigation

Authorities are working to identify the suspect's motive.

• Initial searches found no evidence of radical Islamic views.

• The suspect's psychiatric illness is currently the main suspicion.

I found a photo that sums up how Germans might be viewing this (sarcastically):

🇮🇷 IRAN
Khamenei Claims Victory:
Delusion or Optimism?

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shared what he thinks about the recent ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.

🤔 How does he view this? He declared that Hamas emerged victorious over Israel in Gaza.

Khamenei's Bold Statement

Khamenei took to social media to announce, “Gaza has won.”

• Iran's official news agency quoted a member of the Iranian Expediency Council, stating the Palestinian “resistance” movement was victorious.

Victory:

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Trump Threatens Russia
with Tariffs

US President Donald Trump has issued a warning to Russia, threatening to impose new tariffs if a deal to end the Ukraine conflict isn't reached soon.

This is of course in addition to the existing sanctions.

Trump's Ultimatum

Trump took to Truth Social to announce his latest threat.

• He wrote, “If we don't make a 'deal,' and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries.”

• The post did not specify which countries he considered participants in the conflict.

Russia's Response

Russia's deputy UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, responded to Trump's threat.

• Polyanskiy said Moscow would need to understand what Trump means by a “deal” to end the war.

• He emphasized that the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis must be addressed.

Economic Impact

The US has significantly reduced imports from Russia since the invasion.

• US imports from Russia fell to $2.9 billion in the first 11 months of 2024, down from $29.6 billion in 2021.

• The US stopped importing Russian oil but still imports some precious metals, including palladium.

Broader Implications

Trump's use of tariffs as a tool for non-trade goals is not new.

• He has previously threatened Mexico, Canada, and China with tariffs to address issues like illegal migration and the flow of fentanyl.

• The Biden administration also imposed sanctions on entities in China, North Korea, and Iran for aiding Russia's war effort.

🇲🇽 MEXICO
Mexico Rejects US Asylum Plan

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has made it clear: Mexico has not agreed to accept non-Mexican migrants seeking asylum in the US.

Sheinbaum's Stance

President Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico has not agreed to the US's asylum plan.

• She stated that any such move would require Mexico's consent, which has not been given.

• Mexico is providing humanitarian assistance to deported migrants and mechanisms for voluntary repatriation.

Human Rights

The program, which was originally launched in 2019, has faced significant backlash from human rights advocates.

• Critics argue that it endangers migrants by forcing them to live in border encampments vulnerable to organized crime.

• Former President Joe Biden ended the program in 2021 due to what he perceived as dangerous conditions on the Mexican side of the border.

• But of course, Biden critics argue that this, along with other poor border policies, has fueled the illegal immigration problem in the US.

Diplomatic Discussions

That said, it’s not all tension between the two nations. Sheinbaum highlighted a recent phone call between her Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

• The conversation was described as "very cordial" and covered migration and security matters.

🇮🇹 ITALY
Meloni Under Fire for
Releasing Warlord

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is in hot water after her government released a Libyan warlord wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This has sparked outrage among opposition parties and human rights groups.

The Arrest and Release

Najeem Osema Almasri Habish, head of the Libyan judicial police, was arrested in Turin on Sunday.

• He was in Italy to watch a Juventus football match.

• The ICC accuses him of war crimes and crimes against humanity in a prison near Tripoli.

Procedural Mistake

An Italian court ruled that prosecutors made a procedural error, leading to Habish's release on Tuesday.

• The court stated that the Justice Ministry had not been consulted.

• Habish was repatriated to Libya on an Italian government plane.

Backlash from Opposition

Opposition parties and rights groups have condemned the release as “hypocritical” and “scandalous.”

• Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi criticized the government for releasing a dangerous criminal.

• Amnesty International Italy called it a disgrace that Italy ignored its obligations to the ICC.

Meloni's Migrant Policy

Meloni's government relies on Libya's cooperation to block migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

• Irregular boat landings decreased by over 60% last year due to deals with North African governments.

• The release of Habish has raised questions about the integrity of these agreements.

Public Outcry

The decision has led to widespread criticism and calls for accountability.

• The migrant rescue NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans labeled the government's actions as “dangerous and criminal.”

• Meloni's office has not responded to requests for comment.