Trump's Holiday Cart

Hi Global Recap readers,

It’s already the Christmas holidays—can you believe it?

I’ve got a few items in my cart that I’ve been eyeing for months, and it looks like I’m not the only one.

President-Elect Trump has been revealing what’s in his cart this weekend… 👇️

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
Trump's Greenland
and Panama Plans

President-elect Donald Trump is stirring things again with what some are calling his “expansionist ambitions.”

His target? Greenland and the Panama Canal.

But is he for real, or just messing with everyone?

Ambitions

• Over the weekend, Trump has declared that the US should control Greenland and the Panama Canal for security and commercial reasons.

• He accused Panama of price-gouging American ships and threatened to abandon the treaty that returned control of the canal to Panama.

• Unlike his recent quips about turning Canada into the “51st state” and making PM Trudeau its Governor, this time Trump seems more serious.

Greenland's Strategic Value

Why Greenland? It’s all about location and resources.

• Trump wants Greenland for its strategic location and reserves of rare earth minerals.

• He’s made it clear that owning Greenland is a “necessity” for national security and freedom.

• Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute B. Egede has rejected Trump’s demands, stating, “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale.”

International Reactions

The world isn’t taking Trump’s plans lightly.

• Denmark reacted with fury to Trump’s Greenland claims, with politicians calling it an “unusually strange way to be an ally.”

• Arctic experts aren’t laughing either, noting the serious implications of Trump’s Greenland bid.

• Greenlanders might use Trump’s interest to strengthen economic ties with the US, despite their rejection of his demands.

Panama Canal

Trump’s potential desire for Panama may be about money and control.

• He’s accused Panama of charging “ridiculous” fees for American ships using the canal.

• Trump has threatened to abandon the Jimmy Carter-era treaty if the fees don’t change.

• Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino responded, asserting that the canal is part of Panama and will remain so, to which Trump replied:

Jimmy Carter-Era Treaty

• On September 7, 1977, US President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos signed the Torrijos-Carter Treaties.

• These treaties guaranteed that Panama would gain control of the Panama Canal after 1999.

• The US retained the right to defend the canal from any threat that might interfere with its continued neutral service to ships of all nations

China's Influence

• China has been steadily expanding its influence in Panama, fueled by investments and major infrastructure projects.

• Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning emphasized that the canal is a "golden waterway for connectivity among countries".

• China respects Panama's sovereignty and recognizes the canal as a permanently neutral international waterway.

🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Ex-Mossad Agents
Detail the “Pager-Walkie-Talkie” Operation

Remember when Israel’s Mossad pulled off the wild “pager-walkie-talkie” operation against Hezbollah?

Former Mossad agents recently spilled the details on CBS News’ 60 Minutes.

Context

• On September 17, 2024, thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah operatives exploded, injuring and killing many.

• The next day, hundreds of walkie-talkies also blew up, causing more casualties.

This left many Hezbollah terrorists blind and incapacitated, unable to launch physical attacks on Israel.

The Ruse

The operation involved creating “a fake world” to trick Hezbollah into buying rigged devices.

• Mossad used shell companies and fake ads to sell booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies, leaving the devices dormant for a decade before detonating them in September.

• The pagers were made slightly larger to hide the explosives.

• The devices were tested multiple times to ensure they only harmed the intended targets.

But instead of going into all the details here, I highly recommend watching the interviews yourself.

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
Ukrainian Drones Hit Kazan

On Saturday, Ukraine's drones struck deep into Russia, targeting the tallest building in Kazan and causing significant damage.

Many are calling this a “9/11-style attack.”

Drone Attack

Ukraine's drones hit the Lazurnyye Nebesa tower in Kazan.

• The Lazurnyye Nebesa tower is 121 meters high.

• Fires erupted in three districts of Kazan following the strikes.

Immediate Impact

The attack had immediate consequences for the city.

• Kazan airport was closed as a precaution.

• No casualties were immediately reported.

• Videos showed a large drone exploding after hitting the upper stories of the skyscraper.

Official Responses

Authorities and officials reacted swiftly to the attack.

• Rustam Minnikhanov, head of Tatarstan, confirmed the attack on Telegram.

• Russia's defense ministry reported three waves of drone attacks between 7:40 and 9:20 am.

• At least eight drones were involved in the attack.

Historical Context

This isn't the first time Kazan has been targeted.

• In April, Ukrainian drones hit an oil facility and drone factory in Tatarstan.

• Kazan hosted a BRICs summit earlier this year.

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
”Mysterious” Warehouse Fire

(The footage above isn’t of the fire, but of a drone attack in April that damaged the same factory.)

“A mysterious fire” in Russia's Tatarstan region has destroyed $16 million worth of Shahed drone parts, causing a significant setback for the drone assembly plant.

Warehouse Inferno

A fire broke out in the Alabuga Special Economic Zone, burning down a warehouse filled with drone parts.

• The warehouse contained fuselages for around 65 attack drones.

• It also held engines, navigation systems, and thermal imaging cameras for 400 drones.

• The fire's cause remains a mystery, despite detailed knowledge of the warehouse contents.

Is it really a “mystery”?

The region has seen recent drone attacks, raising questions about potential links.

• On December 21, a drone attack in Kazan damaged several buildings. And of course, Kazan is in Tatarstan.

• HUR has a history of sabotage operations in Russia's rear areas.

Drone Production

The Yelabuga factory's output has been used in increasing numbers against Ukrainian cities.

• The factory produces Iranian-designed Shahed and M3 Albatross reconnaissance drones.

• The factory reportedly produces 6,000 drones annually.

• It opened in July 2023 and is located over 1,300 kilometers from Ukraine.

• A HUR-sponsored operation in April targeted the Yelabuga factory, injuring over a dozen workers.

🇷🇺 RUSSIA
Asma al-Assad Divorce Rumors

Rumors are swirling about Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, seeking a divorce and planning a return to London. The Kremlin, however, is not having it.

Divorce Rumor

Asma al-Assad is apparently ready to leave Moscow and her husband behind.

Here’s the rumor:

• She filed for divorce after expressing dissatisfaction with life in Moscow.

• She is seeking to move to London.

• She applied to the Russian court for special permission to leave Moscow.

• She is unhappy about the living conditions in Russia.

Way of Life

The Assad family’s life in Moscow isn't exactly a fairy tale.

• They are not permitted to leave Moscow or engage in political activities.

• Russian authorities have frozen Assad’s assets, including 270 kilograms of gold, $2 billion, and 18 apartments in Moscow.

Kremlin Denial

The Kremlin has firmly denied reports from Turkish media suggesting Asma al-Assad is seeking a divorce.

• Asma al-Assad is the wife of Bashar al-Assad, the ousted Syrian leader.

• Reports claimed she was planning to return to London.

• The Kremlin dismissed these claims as baseless.