What We’re Watching

📍Secret Service Uncovers Major Telecom Threat Near United Nations HQ

Facts: Ahead of the U.N. General Assembly last week, the U.S. Secret Service uncovered a massive telecommunication network hidden within a 35-mile radius of the U.N. headquarters. The system, comprising 100,000 SIM cards and 300 individual SIM servers spread across the New York area, could send millions of calls and texts in minutes. This method allows for targeted disabling of cell towers and flooding of emergency response systems throughout the city. The discovery is part of a broader investigation from last spring in response to telephonic threats against senior U.S. government officials.

Analysis: The scale of the digital network reveals the mounting threat of non-traditional attacks to the modern security landscape and on critical infrastructure. Details from the investigation established the scheme to be highly organized and funded by nation state actors. With the ability to shut down the entire New York City cellular network, the grid posed a direct threat to dozens of world leaders as well as millions of civilians. This discovery reveals the growing risk of digital threat operations inside America that will require innovative strategies to ensure national security and safety.

📍U.S. Treasury to Back Argentine Peso Despite Concern from U.S. Agricultural Sector

Facts: The Argentinian peso strengthened and bond markets rallied this week after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pledged support for Argentina, namely by purchasing $20B worth of the country’s debt. In recent months, the peso had steadily lost value as traders began to doubt President Javier Milei’s ability to continue enacting sweeping economic reforms to slash government spending. Milei’s political power slipped further after his party lost in September’s provincial elections in the wake of a corruption scandal involving his sister and other allies. Bessent highlighted the political nature of the Treasury deal, saying it aims “to help [Milei]–to bridge him to the election,” referring to Argentina’s upcoming midterms.

Analysis: This intervention is an unusual step, especially considering Argentina’s relation to the American agricultural industry. As America’s trade war with China intensifies, Argentina has undercut U.S. soybean production by slashing export rates. China has more than doubled its purchase of Argentine soybeans without buying a single American shipment since May. Domestic agricultural groups have protested the idea that the US would write a blank check with taxpayer money to stabilize an economy that undercuts US industry. The debt purchase, despite Argentina’s conflicting trade deals with China, demonstrates that U.S. monetary policy abroad is rooted less in the interests of farmers and taxpayers and more in supporting the political fortunes of an ideological ally.

📍Uzbekistan Officials Crack Down on Illegal Human Organ Trafficking Network

Facts: On Monday, September 22, Uzbekistan authorities uncovered a transnational criminal network overseeing the illegal trafficking of human organs. The suspects allegedly utilized social media to find potential clients afflicted with kidney and liver conditions, while recruiting healthy individuals to sell their organs. With forged identification documents, the group carried out transplants for large amounts of money at a private clinic in an undisclosed neighboring country. According to investigators, at least 32 patients between 2023-2025 underwent liver or kidney transplants. After payment to the donors, the clinic, donors, and criminal organizers split the rest of the money. In cases where a patient suffered complications or did not improve post-surgery, the group allegedly sold them potent painkillers at steep prices.

Analysis: Organ trafficking remains a pervasive scheme to take advantage of the world’s poorest. Traffickers thrive financially by preying on vulnerable people and weaponizing money to take advantage of their desperation. Multiple developing countries, including Kenya and Indonesia, have cracked down on various transnational networks. These groups rely on the same pattern of manipulation: the poor sacrificing for the rich without knowledge of the lifelong health risks. However, such countries’ past efforts have lacked the necessary follow-through to limit organ harvesting and transplanting. Joint government-medical clinic initiatives should establish stronger ethics guidelines to counter economic insecurity and restrict the effectiveness of transnational organ trafficking networks.

📍Russia Recruits 20,000 Cuban Mercenaries for War in Ukraine

Facts: On September 22, a Ukrainian intelligence official informed the U.S. House that more than 1,000 Cubans have joined Russian forces in the war against Ukraine, with 19,000 more possibly joining in the future. Russia is offering Cuban fighters an average monthly wage of $2000, a huge sum compared to the average Cuban monthly salary of approximately $15 USD. Ukraine expressed regret over the average age of Cubans fighting in Russia (35) saying that, “This is the age when people should be building families and working hard, but unfortunately they choose to go to war.” Ukraine also claimed that the Russian army is exploiting language barriers to trick Cubans into signing fraudulent, misleading documents.

Analysis: Cuba has not had a foreign troop deployment since the Cold War. Further, it sits just 90 miles from U.S. shores and is increasingly entangled in Russia’s war, to the extent that Ukraine has requested tougher American sanctions on Cuba. Russia’s conscription of vulnerable foreign populations shows how they can prolong the war without facing domestic backlash. By recruiting Cubans as mercenaries, Russia does not have to compensate Russian families for soldier deaths or provide benefits to its fighters. This exploitation of desperate populations as soldiers raises severe human rights concerns and runs contrary to American values. The presence of Cubans in Russia challenges U.S. influence in the Caribbean and raises questions on the Cuban embargo, while potentially justifying additional sanctions against Russia. 

📍DRC Lifts Global Cobalt Ban, Increasing Supply of Critical Mineral

Facts: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced that it would replace its ban on cobalt exports with a quota system starting on October 16. The announcement comes after an 8-month export ban designed to combat dropping prices, which significantly dropped the global cobalt supply; the Central African country produced over 70% of the world’s cobalt in 2024. Cobalt is crucial in rechargeable battery production for electric vehicles and devices such as smartphones. The quotas also wrestle some of the production control out of Chinese hands. China is the leading consumer of Congolese cobalt and refines around 70% of the world’s supply. With the quotas, they will no longer be able to stockpile and import cobalt at low prices.

Analysis: The cobalt quota cuts yearly exports by over 50%, suggesting that prices will rise above their pre-ban numbers. Higher prices mean that production costs will increase, driving product prices up as well. The recent changes diminish the return on Chinese cobalt investments in the DRC as the quotas reduce China’s market advantage. The US will also see this as a win as they continue to technologically compete with China. It could also further the push away from cobalt as companies search for more ethically-sourced materials; this too would result in higher product prices with alternatives being pricier.

Looking Ahead

📍Thunberg Departs Leadership of Gaza Aid Flotilla

The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), an international volunteer aid convoy, will arrive in Gaza today. While climate activist Greta Thunberg had initially headlined the flotilla as a board member, leaders reportedly ousted Thunberg following concerns about interest misalignment within the broad coalition. Muslim organizers on board expressed frustration and threatened to quit over the inclusion of LGBTQ+ activism among other causes considered unrelated to Gaza by critics. Thunberg released a statement accusing the flotilla leadership of being overly focused on internal affairs but vowed to remain a participant in the sail. Like the four convoys before it, Israeli drones attacked the Flotilla and its five hundred unarmed sailors. Foreign officials from Italy, Spain, and Sweden reinforced the armada’s humanitarian cause and Italy deployed a warship to monitor the flotilla’s progress.

What We’re Reading

💡The Pro-European party in Moldova won in parliamentary elections this past Sunday, overcoming alleged Russian plans to sow disorder and fear through online disinformation and mass riots.  

💡 The Trump Administration voiced plans for a 10% stake in Lithium Americas, because nothing says “free market” like Uncle Sam investing in electric car batteries.

💡On September 23, General David Petraeus (ret.), who commanded U.S. forces during the invasion of Iraq, interviewed his former prisoner Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The interview was a surreal moment because al-Sharaa was imprisoned by Petraeus from 2006-2011 for his involvement with al-Qaeda.

🚗One For The Road🚗

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