👋 Wĩmwega!*
Welcome to Monday, where deadly fighting continues to rage in Gaza as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins, emergency talks are held to address the spiraling situation in Haiti and Oppenheimer sweeps the 96th Academy Awards. Meanwhile, in German daily Die Welt, Christian Putsch delves into the complex world of negotiating the release of those abducted by the often jihad-inspired kidnapping networks in Africa.
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[*Kikuyu, Kenya]
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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
Portuguese daily Público titles “a country to the right,” referencing Sunday’s general elections in Portugal, won by Luis Montenegro’s center-right party Democratic Alliance (AD), which remains uncertain about its ability to govern without support from the far-right Chega party. Chega's representation quadrupled, securing a combined majority for the right. The incumbent Socialist Party conceded defeat, and Montenegro ruled out negotiating with Chega. While the AD leader hopes to form a government without right-wing populists, Chega's leader warns of instability if negotiations are rejected. Portugal, historically resistant to right-wing populism, experiences a notable shift in its political landscape, reflecting a European trend towards far-right politics.
🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
• Ramadan begins in shadow of war, Israeli President at opening of Holocaust Museum: Ramadan began Monday without the hoped-for ceasefire for the holy month after a latest round of truce talks in Cairo stalled. Meanwhile on Sunday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog's presence at the opening of a Holocaust museum in Amsterdam sparked protests over Israel's military operations in Gaza.
• Emergency crisis talks on Haiti after diplomats evacuated: Envoys from key nations will meet Monday in Jamaica to address the situation in Haiti, as gang violence has taken over the impoverished island nation's capital and forced foreign diplomats to flee over the weekend. CARICOM, an alliance of Caribbean nations, has summoned envoys from the United States, France, Canada and the United Nations to discuss the violence and ways to provide assistance to Haiti.
• Al-Qaeda in Arabian peninsula announces death of leader: Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has announced the death of its leader Khalid Batarfi and appointed a successor, according to an intelligence service monitoring armed group networks worldwide. SITE Intelligence Group reported late on Sunday that a statement by AQAP did not give a cause for Batarfi’s death. It said Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki would take over as new leader.
• Japan’s economy narrowly avoids recession as growth figures revised: Japan has avoided falling into a technical recession after its official economic growth figures were revised. The revised data shows gross domestic product (GDP) was 0.4% higher in the last three months of 2023 compared to a year earlier. Provisional figures released last month indicated the second consecutive quarter of economic contraction.
• At least 50 injured after “technical problem” on LATAM flight: At least 50 people have been injured by what officials described as a “strong movement” on a Chilean flight from Australia to New Zealand. In a statement on Monday, Chilean LATAM Airlines blamed the injuries on “a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement”. This comes amid a series of safety-related incidents to feature a Boeing plane.
• Kate Middleton says she edited Mother's Day photo recalled by news agencies: The first official photo of Kate Middleton released since she underwent abdominal surgery was pulled by multiple media agencies on Sunday amid concerns the image was manipulated. On Monday, the Princess of Wales, has apologized “for any confusion” her Mother's Day photograph caused. In a statement posted on Kensington Palace social media, she said: “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.”
• And the Oscars go to: Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer took home seven Academy Awards including best picture, best actor and best director. Emma Stone was named best actress for her role in Yorgos Lanthimos’s offbeat period comedy Poor Things. Meanwhile, protesters used the ceremony to call attention to the deadly conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
#️⃣ BY THE NUMBERS
$71,588
Bitcoin has achieved a new all-time high of $71,588, following the UK financial regulator's announcement that it would permit the trading of cryptocurrency-backed securities. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) stated it would not object to investment exchanges, though sales to retail investors are not allowed. The FCA emphasized the high risks and lack of regulation in the crypto market. Bitcoin's recent surge has been influenced by the U.S. approval of cryptocurrency-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and an upcoming “halving” (reduction in the reward given to miners for validating and adding new blocks to the blockchain) event is expected to further support the digital currency.
📰 STORY OF THE DAY
Islamists and grifters: inside the labyrinth of Africa's hostage racket
Abductions are one of the main sources of income for terrorists in Africa. Recently South African paramedic Gerco van Deventer was freed in Mali after being held for more than six years. His release is down to one man who worked tirelessly to secure his freedom, reports Christian Putsch in German daily Die Welt.
🚨 In war-torn Mali and Burkina Faso, where entire regions are in the hands of jihadists, hostage-taking is one of the most important criminal industries. In the first six months of 2023 alone, more than 180 abductions were recorded — on average one per day. The true number may well be significantly higher. These lucrative victims have become scarcer, and most victims now are natives of the region itself. Often it is about money, sometimes about intimidating villagers or putting pressure on the government to give the groups resources or political posts.
🔍 South African van Deventer didn’t fit into any of these schemes, which helps explain why he was held for so long on the edge of the Sahara. This brings us to the man, without whom van Deventer might have spent the rest of his life as a hostage. Mohamed Yehia Dicko, 57, is one of the best-known businessmen of Malian descent in South Africa, and spends most of time as a consultant to mining companies from his base in Johannesburg. But he was also the main negotiator in the protracted talks with van Deventer's abductors. “I’m not an expert,” Dicko said. “I couldn’t claim to have studied this.”
💰 The breakthrough on the van Deventer case came on December 17: the terrorists had released him “very suddenly” and “without conditions,” he was handed over to the Algerian secret service, as Gift of the Givers reported. We asked negotiator Dicko: does that mean that there was definitely no payment or any other kind of concession? Dicko says that the aid organization definitely didn’t pay anything. South Africa has a policy of not paying for the release of hostages. But he says that he was not involved in the final stages, when Algerian officials stepped in.
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📹 THIS HAPPENED VIDEO — TODAY IN HISTORY, IN ONE ICONIC PHOTO
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📣 VERBATIM
“Our flag is a yellow and blue one. [...]. We shall never raise any other flags.”
— Ukraine has strongly criticized Pope Francis for suggesting in an upcoming interview that Kyiv should have “the courage to raise the white flag” and negotiate an end to the war with Russia. Ukraine's foreign minister rejected the idea, emphasizing the country's commitment to its blue and yellow flag. A Vatican spokesman clarified that the Pope meant negotiating to stop the fighting, not capitulation. The Pope's statement has faced widespread criticism in Ukraine, with comparisons to advocating talks with Hitler during World War II. The country remains on the defensive against Russia's ongoing attack.
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• Dreaming Of Gaza: Nakba, War And The Next Palestinian Generation — MADA MASR
• How Russia Is Training Its Foster Parents To "Russify" Ukrainian Orphans — VAZHNYYE ISTORII/IMPORTANT STORIES
• New French Study: Women Are Allowed To Telework Less Often Than Men — LES ECHOS✍️ Newsletter by Emma Albright and Cory Agathe
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