👋 Halo!*
Welcome to Monday, where four men appear in court over Friday’s attack at a Moscow concert hall that killed at least 137, dozens are killed in new attacks on Gaza as Israel maintains blockades on two hospitals and Saudi Arabia announces plans to build the world’s first Dragon Ball theme park. Meanwhile, Antoine Boudet in French daily Les Echos looks at Morocco’s massive endeavor to establish a “Silicon Valley” for Africa.
[*Bislama, Vanuatu]
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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
Argentinian daily Clarín dedicates its front page to Javier Milei’s government’s video denying the widely accepted figure of 30,000 victims of forced disappearance during the country's last military dictatorship (1976-1983). In the video, a former guerrilla member claimed to have "invented" the figure while in exile, stating that it was a means to secure funding. This figure, however, became a social consensus after the return of democracy and was supported by various political sectors and human rights organizations.
🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
• Four men charged over Moscow concert hall attack: Four men that Russia charged with committing an act of terrorism at Friday’s concert hall attack, which killed 137, appeared in a Moscow court on Sunday. The attack, for which the terrorist group ISIS took responsibility, was the deadliest in the country in two decades. Three of four of the suspects, all residents of Tajikistan, admitted guilt in court, with possible maximum sentences of life in prison. Russia observed a national day of mourning, following dubious claims by President Vladimir Putin that the attackers attempted to escape to Ukraine.
• Dozens killed in new Gaza attacks, UN to vote on ceasefire resolution for Ramadan: According to Palestinian medics, new Israeli-led attacks killed dozens in Rafah and across Gaza, with IDF troops also besieging the Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals in Khan Younis. The United Nations Security Council is set to vote Monday on a new draft resolution for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month, Ramadan. The vote comes after Russia and China vetoed an earlier draft proposed by the U.S. Friday, outlining a sustained ceasefire.
• Tech giants to face EU investigation: The European Union announced Monday that it is investigating Apple, Meta and Alphabet, Google’s owner, in a non-compliance probe under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The tech giants are suspected of uncompetitive practices and violating “anti-steering” laws, following a string of legal accusations for Apple in particular. Three weeks ago, the EU served Apple with a €1.8 billion antitrust fine concerning music streaming. Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney General has launched a lawsuit accusing Apple of monopolizing the smartphone market.
• Vote count continues in Senegal's presidential election: The first round of voting for Senegal’s presidential election ended on Sunday with opposition figure Bassirou Diomaye Faye leading the polls. Faye, a former tax inspector, is considered a breakaway candidate — estimated to have over 50% of the vote by Senegalese media in early results. Unrest had been sparked earlier this year when President Macky Sall had delayed the election, but the Supreme Court overruled that decision and forced the ballot to take place.
• New Irish prime minister to be elected: Simon Harris, the new leader of Ireland’s governing, “progressive center” party, Fine Gael, is set to be voted into office by Parliament next month as the country’s youngest prime minister. Harris was picked as party leader Sunday after former prime minister Leo Varadkar (himself the country's youngest-ever leader when elected, at age 38) had resigned unexpectedly Wednesday. Harris is currently the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and has previously served in justice and health minister positions, most known for crafting Ireland’s COVID-19 plan.
• Boeing CEO to step down after multiple safety crises: Boeing announced Monday that its CEO Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of 2024 in a management overhaul, following safety concerns sparked by a Jan. 5 door plug failure on a 737 MAX plane during an Alaska Airlines flight. Since the incident, Boeing and Calhoun have faced backlash, including a U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigation and whistleblower reports of manufacturer negligence.
• First Dragon Ball theme park to be built in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia announced the construction of a theme park near the capital city of Riyadh, the first to be based on the Japanese manga and animated series Dragon Ball (whose creator Akira Toriyama died on March 1, at age 68). Part of a partnership between the show’s producer, Toei Animation, and a government-owned public investment fund. The project, which will feature 30 rides and a 230-foot dragon statue, has been met with controversy, with critics citing Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record.
💬 LEXICON
产科冬天
Hospitals in China are shutting down obstetric departments as the country faces a declining birthrate. Dubbed as 产科冬天 (pronounced chǎnkē dōngtiān, an "obstetric winter”) by industry experts and media outlets, this phenomenon has raised public concern, leading authorities to censor related discussions on social media. The decline in births, which marks China's first experience of a diminishing birth rate in decades, is attributed to factors such as economic costs associated with having children and changing societal attitudes towards marriage and family. Medical experts warn against the rapid closure of obstetric departments, citing potential negative impacts on healthcare provision and societal well-being. For more, read this recent international roundup by Worldcrunch on attempts by governments to incentivize citizens to have more babies.
📰 STORY OF THE DAY
In Morocco, the dream of an African Silicon Valley rises from the earth
Located between Marrakech and Casablanca, the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is trying to replicate the recipes that have made the United States’ Silicon Valley successful, fusing research and business — with special attention given to green energies and food sovereignty, reports Antoine Boudet in French daily Les Echos.
🇲🇦🎓 The university, which the Kingdom declared of “public interest,” aims to be the spearhead of an even greater ambition: making Ben Guerir the African Silicon Valley. “One of the ingredients of Silicon Valley’s success in California is the proximity between academics and industries. It was built over the course of about thirty years. We are trying to shorten this time,” Khalid Baddou says. To do this, “the UM6P is a partner of one of Silicon Valley's investment funds, Plug and Play, which incubated Google in its early days and with whom we set up Plug and Play Africa.”
🖥️ The Ben Guerir site includes the African Supercomputing Center, the largest data center in Morocco, which was inaugurated in 2021, and its Toubkal supercomputer — the most powerful in Africa — which is operating with 30% of green energy and 100% recycled water. The site also includes a six-hectare experimental farm, a Green Energy Park (GEP) and, very close by, a Green and Smart Building Park where new construction materials and energy-saving solutions are tested in about 30 small houses — all across 12 hectares.
🌱 Food sovereignty is another major challenge for the African continent. The UM6P School of Agriculture, Fertilization and Environmental Sciences was created nine months ago by gathering together 12 research entities in the field of agriculture and environmental sciences which used to work independently. “In addition to research, we want to work in a more integrated way to develop solutions via numerous partnerships in Africa and internationally,” says the school’s dean, Belgian professor Bruno Gérard. "Innovation and entrepreneurship are our two pillars."
➡️ Read more on Worldcrunch.com
📹 THIS HAPPENED VIDEO — TODAY IN HISTORY, IN ONE ICONIC PHOTO
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📣 VERBATIM
“No city, no country can be completely immune from the threat of terrorism.”
— Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded Monday to questions about the responsibility of the government in failing to prevent the deadly attack on a concert hall near Moscow that killed 137 people. Peskov said greater international cooperation was needed in combating terrorism, noting a lack of such cooperation during times of heightened tension. President Vladimir Putin vowed to punish all responsible parties, with 11 individuals already detained.
👉 MORE FROM WORLDCRUNCH
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• With Russia's Backing, Serbia Eyes The "Right Time" For A New War With Kosovo — DIE WELT
• Meltdowns And Memories: Traveling With Young Children, Circa 2024 — RECALCULATING
✍️ Newsletter by Katrina Scalise and Cory Agathe
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