👋 Esama!*
Welcome to Monday, where Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announces his resignation, Hungary is set to vote on Sweden's bid to join NATO and we get some unexpected news from Japan’s marooned Moon lander. Meanwhile, Russian independent media Vazhnyye Istorii reports on the coercive methods used by Ramzam Kadyrov to force Chechen soldiers to join the Russian war effort.
[*Mandika, Senegal, The Gambia]
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This is our daily newsletter Worldcrunch Today, a rapid tour of the news of the day from the world's best journalism sources, regardless of language or geography.
🗞️ FRONT PAGE
Brasília-based daily Correio Braziliense dedicates its front page to a rally of tens of thousands of supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro in São Polo on Sunday. Bolsonaro claims he has been politically persecuted since leaving office and dismissed accusations that he incited a failed coup after the 2022 election loss. Though currently barred from running for office for eight years, he spoke about the 2026 presidential elections.
🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
• Palestinian Prime Minister resigns, U.S. man sets himself on fire protesting Gaza war: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday during a press conference that he submitted his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas due to the escalating violence in the occupied territory and the war on Gaza. Meanwhile, a member of the U.S. Air Force is in critical condition after setting himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington. He said he would “no longer be complicit in genocide” and was heard shouting “Free Palestine” as he burned.
• Hungary set to ratify Sweden's NATO accession, clearing last hurdle: Hungary's parliament is set to vote on Sweden's bid to join NATO on Monday. The Hungarian parliament's vote, which is expected to pass smoothly after a visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson last Friday during which the two countries signed an arms deal, will end months of delays to complete Sweden's entry into the military alliance.
• Aide says Navalny was about to be freed before he died: Alexei Navalny was about to be freed in a prisoner swap when he died, according to his ally Maria Pevchikh. She said the Russian opposition leader was going to be exchanged for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian hitman who is serving a life sentence for murder in Germany. Pevchikh added that two U.S. citizens currently held in Russia were also going to be part of the deal.
• Macron hosts EU leaders at Paris conference to bolster support for Ukraine: French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting European leaders Monday for a conference aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine, two years since the Russian invasion began. For more, read this analysis by France Inter’s Pierre Haski: Two Years On, Europeans Have Lost Faith In A Ukrainian Victory.
• Tuvalu names Feleti Teo as new prime minister: Lawmakers in Tuvalu have named former Attorney General Feleti Teo as the Pacific Island nation’s new prime minister. In a statement on Monday, Tuvalu’s government said Teo was the only candidate nominated by his 15 lawmaker colleagues and was declared elected without a vote. He is also known to be pro-Taiwan.
• Mauritius blocks Norwegian cruise ship over cholera fears: Mauritius has denied a Norwegian cruise ship permission to dock at the capital Port Louis over fears of a potential cholera outbreak on board. At least 15 people on the Norwegian Dawn have been in isolation over suspected illness. Mauritian authorities said the decision to block the ship was “taken in order to avoid any health risks.”
• SLIM to Earth: Japan's space agency said on Monday its SLIM Moon lander has unexpectedly survived a freezing lunar night and re-established communication with the Earth. The craft was put into sleep mode after an awkward landing in January left its solar panels facing the wrong way and unable to generate power. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down on the lunar surface last month, making Japan the fifth country to put a probe on the Moon.
#️⃣ BY THE NUMBERS
43.4 miles
A 53-wagon freight train in India traveled over 43.4 miles (70km) without a driver, prompting an investigation by Indian Railways. The incident occurred when the train, carrying stone chips from Jammu to Punjab, stopped in Kathua for a crew change. After the driver and assistant disembarked, the train started moving downhill, reaching nearly 62 miles (100km) and passing five stations before being halted. No injuries were reported, and officials used wood blocks on the tracks to slow the train down. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine the cause and prevent similar incidents in the future.
📰 STORY OF THE DAY
Kadyrov's gift to Putin: inside the unforgiving world of Chechen mobilization
In Russian independent media Vazhnyye Istorii, Alisa Kuznetsova and Lydia Mikhailchenko report on forced mobilization taking place in the Chechen Republic, where the regime of Ramzam Kadyrov, in an effort to gain Vladimir Putin's favor, is using pressure and blackmail to force its men to join the Russian war effort.
🇷🇺 From Day One, back in September 2022, Ramzan Kadyrov, the strongman leader of the North Caucasus republic of Chechnya, has been all-in responding to Russian President Vladimir Putin's call for the mobilization of 300,000 troops. By the end of that first month, even before the full-fledged invasion of Ukraine, Kadyrov said the republic had surpassed its volunteer target by 254%. That trend has continued. In December 2023, Kadyrov reported a 1,500% increase in volunteers. Yet all along, many have questioned the legitimacy of these numbers.
👤 Each month, NIYSO representatives receive reports of 10 to 15 cases of Chechens being forcibly sent to war. Yet many more cases remain undisclosed. According to a public figure who wished to remain anonymous, most Chechens do not seek publicity out of concern for their families: "Even if one person has already been taken, there are six more at home." Abubakar Yangulbaev, former lawyer for the Committee Against Torture, believes there are "numerous individuals, not thousands but hundreds," who have been forcibly sent to war. He views mobilization in Chechnya primarily as a tool of repression.
🚨 One member of Adam's family (name changed for security reasons), who had not responded to the summons, was taken to the police station allegedly over his religious beliefs. There, the police accessed his phone and found a video of him with a girl inside an apartment. "They told him that such behavior was not culturally accepted, and that he could either go to war or to prison. He refused and they fabricated a case, claiming they found 140 grams of hashish," Adam said.
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📹 THIS HAPPENED VIDEO — TODAY IN HISTORY, IN ONE ICONIC PHOTO
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📣 VERBATIM
“Each of these losses is a great sacrifice.”
— Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” conference in Kyiv stated that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia's invasion in February 2022. He saluted this sacrifice and emphasized the need for unity with Western allies. Zelensky also disclosed that Russia is gearing up for a new offensive against Ukraine, likely starting in late May or in the summer. He expressed confidence in the U.S. Congress approving significant military aid within a month. The recent capture of Avdiivka by Russia has heightened tensions and despite ongoing conflicts, he revealed a clear plan for a counteroffensive against Russian forces while keeping the details confidential. Zelensky expects a summit in Switzerland this spring to discuss Ukraine's peace vision, with plans to present the blueprint to Russia.
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✍️ Newsletter by Emma Albright and Cory Agathe
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