Top Maoist: Eliminated

Hi Global Recap readers,

Ever heard of Maoists? I’d come across the term a few times but never really looked into it—until today. And yes, it is that Mao, as in Mao Zedong, the Communist leader of China.

• But here’s the thing: Maoists aren’t operating in China. They’re an armed insurgency in India, led by the banned Communist Party of India. Their goal is to overthrow the Indian government and replace it with a communist state.

• The more you learn…

Had you heard of them? 👇️

🌐 WORLD
Fast Scroll News

🇺🇸 Trump Halts Harvard Enrollment. The Trump administration halted Harvard’s ability to sponsor and enroll international students on Thursday, aiming to force policy shifts at the institution. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter revoking the school’s ability to sponsor visas, calling it “effective immediately,” impacting ~6,800 students (27% of Harvard’s body). Harvard has already sued over government pressure on its admissions and hiring.

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🇬🇧 UK Hands Chagos to Mauritius. Britain just signed a deal transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius—but it’s keeping control of the US-UK military base on Diego Garcia. The agreement guarantees the base stays operational for at least 99 years, with the UK paying Mauritius £101 million ($136 million) annually to lease it. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the base “right at the foundation of our safety and security at home,” but critics see the move as a huge strategic loss.

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🇷🇴 Romania Upholds Election Results. Romania’s top court has upheld Nicusor Dan’s presidential win, rejecting a challenge to annul the election. Dan, the pro-EU mayor of Bucharest, won in the May 18 runoff with 53.6%, beating “far-right” rival George Simion. Simion claimed foreign meddling from France and Moldova, but election officials dismissed the accusations, calling the vote fair. Simion denounced the ruling as a “coup d’état” and urged supporters to “keep fighting.”

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🇩🇪 Germany Sends Troops Abroad. For the first time since WWII, Germany’s deployed a permanent military unit overseas. Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Lithuania to mark the arrival of 4,800 German soldiers and 200 civilian staff in an armored brigade aimed at guarding NATO’s eastern flank. The move is a direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Lithuania pushing for stronger defenses amid fears of future aggression.

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🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Follow-Up: Israeli Embassy
Staffers Shooting in DC

As we reported yesterday, two Israeli Embassy employees were shot outside a Jewish museum in Washington, DC, after leaving reception. At the time, witnesses alleged the gunman shouted “Free Palestine.” Now, we can confirm.

Here’s what we know now:

• Chant: In this video, you can see the shooter chant “Free, free Palestine” while being taken into custody.

• Name: His name is Elias Rodriguez, a 31-year-old (some reports say 30), who was allegedly previously affiliated with “far-left” anti-Israel organizations—ANSWER Coalition and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

• An online manifesto titled “Escalate for Gaza, Bring the War Home” was posted on X by an anonymous author. The Anti-Defamation League believes, with a “high degree of certainty,” that Rodriguez is the author. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also acknowledged being “aware of certain writings allegedly linked to the suspect.”

• Victims: Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim were a couple about to get engaged, according to Israel’s ambassador.

🇮🇳 INDIA
Top Maoist Leader Killed

India’s security forces eliminated top Maoist leader Nambala Keshava Rao, also known as Basavaraju, along with 26 rebels in Chhattisgarh.

The Raid in Chhattisgarh

The battle took place in the Narayanpur district after intelligence tipped off authorities about “senior Maoist leaders” in the area.

• One police officer died in the fight.

• Indian Home Minister Amit Shah called it the first time in decades that someone of Rao’s rank had been taken down.

Rao’s Role in the Insurgency

You may be wondering what they mean by the term “Maoist.” Yes, it’s that Mao. Rao led the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and had deep roots in the movement.

• He was trained as an engineer and later became the group’s general secretary.

• He was on India’s National Investigation Agency’s most wanted list.

Government’s Larger Crackdown

This raid was part of “Operation Black Forest,” launched last month to root out Maoist strongholds.

• Touted as one of the largest crackdowns in years, the operation aims to dismantle rebel networks across India’s remote forests, starting with Chhattisgarh, a long-time insurgent hotbed.

• The government has vowed to end the insurgency by March 2026.

• Shah says 54 rebels have been arrested and 84 have surrendered across multiple states.

Maoist Movement’s Decline

Maoist rebels have controlled parts of India since the 1960s, but major military efforts have pushed them back into the woods.

• The insurgency has killed more than 10,000 people since it began.

• Last year, security forces killed 287 rebels, mostly in Chhattisgarh.

Political and Human Rights Debate

However, India’s Communist Party has condemned the killings and called for an independent investigation.

• Nonetheless, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised security forces, calling it a “remarkable success.”

• The rebels recently said they were open to talks, but only if troops withdrew.