Hi Global Recap readers,
Before diving into weekend’s messy geopolitics news, here’s a surreal video just posted by Artemis II astronaut Reid Wiseman.
Just imagining myself in that capsule taking this video is making me feel both deeply uneasy and completely mesmerized by how quiet Earth looks… and of course, how small and pointless our endless quarrels seem from up there.
Artemis II astronaut Reid Wiseman captures Earth during the mission’s lunar flyby, using an iPhone.
Click for video
🇮🇷🇺🇸 IRAN & USA
US Boards Iranian Ship
US Navy opening fire on Touska
Trump said the destroyer USS Spruance seized the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska in the Gulf of Oman.
This happened on Sunday as Touska was trying to get past the US blockade, which was imposed on April 13.
US Central Command said the crew got 6 hours of warnings before the ship was hit with disabling fire and boarded by Marines.
What is Touska?
It is tied to a state-owned Iranian shipping line already under USA, UK, and EU sanctions.
It had been heading back from a Chinese chemical-storage port.
📡 What's Ahead. New peace talks are supposed to start Tuesday in Islamabad.
However, Iranian state media said Tehran had rejected the second round.
At the same time, senior Iranian officials were still talking like negotiations weren't fully dead.
See the last story below to read about the power struggle between the “moderates” and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
🇮🇱 ISRAEL
Netanyahu Teases
More Ahead
Argentine President Javier Milei (left) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right), April 19, 2026.
Argentine President Milei landed in Israel on Sunday for his third visit since taking office.
Standing with Milei, Israeli PM Netanyahu teased that "every time he visits Israel, it's right before something very big happens."
What does this mean? Milei's last visit ended on June 12, 2025, hours before Israel struck Iran and kicked off the 12-Day War.
Is Netanyahu teasing a larger strike on Iran?
🇨🇺 CUBA
Three Countries Back Cuba
The announcement was made in Barcelona, where Spanish PM Sanchez hosted Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Mexican President Sheinbaum, among other leftist leaders.
Spain, Brazil, and Mexico said late Saturday that they'll step up aid for Cuba.
They blamed the US blockade for Cuba's crisis.
They also warned the US against any military action there.
This comes amid reports that the Pentagon has allegedly been drawing up military intervention plans for Cuba to present options to President Trump.
🇺🇦 UKRAINE
Mass Shooting in Kyiv
Video shows the gunman running around and shooting people. Viewer discretion is strongly advised before clicking through to the full video and additional photos in the thread.
Click for more
On Saturday, a gunman killed 6 people in central Kyiv.
At least 14 others were wounded and taken to hospital.
What happened:
He set fire to his apartment before going on a rampage.
He then opened fire outside with an automatic weapon.
He took hostages in a supermarket.
Special tactical units stormed the store after 40-minutes of standoff went nowhere.
Controversies:
President Zelenskyy said the 58-year-old attacker was born in Russia and had a prior criminal record.
Ukrainian police later confirmed that, saying he served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 1992 to 2005.
Additionally, Ukraine’s patrol police chief, Yevhen Zhukov, resigned after video surfaced showing officers running away from the scene.
🇮🇷 IRAN
Who’s in Charge?
IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi
Power. Analysts say IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi and his inner circle have effectively taken over Iran's military and negotiation team.
That leaves Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other more "moderate" figures pushed out of the room.
Araghchi and parliament leader Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf may still be in the talks, but analysts believe that they are not the ones steering them.
Remember that they are only considered "moderate" compared to other extremists in the regime.
Strait. The clearest tell was the Strait of Hormuz.
Unverified maritime radio transmission
In an unverified maritime radio recording, the IRGC Navy allegedly says it’s not reopening the strait over "tweets of some idiot" and only answers to "Imam Khamenei."
Some are claiming that the "idiot" they were referring to was FM Araghchi, while the Iranian Embassy of South Africa is claiming that they were referring to President Trump.
Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei
Backup. Vahidi reportedly had backing from Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and an IRGC veteran. That leaves Vahidi as the main decision maker below Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since being injured in the war.
