Wagner mercenary group attempts revolt over weekend

The whereabouts of the paramilitary group’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, remain unknown. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What The World is following Wagner mercenary group attempts revolt over weekend [Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, center, and Yevgeny Nikiforov, the commander of the Western Military District, right, inspect a command post of one of the formations of the Zapad (West) group of Russian troops at an undisclosed location of Ukraine, June 26, 2023.] Credit: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP Russia Moscow is trying to project a return to normalcy following a weekend [rebellion by the Wagner mercenary group](. The mutiny was short-lived, but raises many questions about Russia’s control after the armed mercenaries briefly took over a Russian military headquarter in the southern city of Rostov, and then came within 125 miles of Moscow. The whereabouts of the paramilitary group’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, remain unknown. The Kremlin had offered Prigozhin exile in Belarus in exchange for calling off the mutiny, an agreement that ended the revolt. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has [put up roadblocks]( on Moscow’s southern outskirts and mobilized Chechen special forces to move on Rostov. North Korea Thousands of North Koreans marched in [anti-US rallies]( on the 73rd anniversary of the Korean War on Sunday. The demonstrators called for revenge against the US for what Pyongyang claims were imperialist actions to provoke the war. About 120,000 people took part in the rallies. They come amid heightened tensions in the region, with North Korea increasing weapons demonstrations and attempts to launch its first military spy satellite, as well as the United States holding joint military exercises with South Korea. North and South Korea technically remain at war since the 1950-53 conflict [ended in a truce]( instead of a treaty. Nigeria A new [oil spill from a pipeline]( at a Shell facility in Nigeria has contaminated a river and surrounding farmland in the Niger Delta. The area has long suffered from pollution caused by the oil industry. Shell stopped production in Ogoniland more than 20 years ago after protests by residents, but the Trans-Niger Pipeline still sends crude oil through the region. The latest spill has upended the livelihoods of fishing and farming communities in the area. The cause of the spill remains under investigation and the leak has now been contained, but it’s been called “[one of the worst]( in the last 16 years in Ogoniland” by an environmental nonprofit group that monitors spills in the Delta region. Support The World’s nuanced international reporting We are a proudly independent newsroom, funded in part by listeners and readers like you who value the nuanced perspectives on global current events you just don’t get anywhere else. Our fiscal year is coming to a close at the end of the week, and we need your help to reach our funding goals for the year. Your gift today will lead to more in-depth journalism you rely on and expect from our team: more on-the-ground coverage from our fantastic reporters, more deeply reported series on crucial issues like climate change, migration and public health, and more bright spots amid all the noise. To do this work and do it well, we need your help. Our coverage will always be free and available to all — but if everyone who reads this newsletter gave just $20, we would reach our goal right away. Every single gift, of any amount, will help us get there. It really all adds up. Make your [tax-deductible donation]( today to support The World’s independent, human-centered journalism. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Young Senegalese feel the impact of the country's political crisis]( [A group of students of Archival Sciences at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. They are trying to recover files of student records that were damaged during a fire. The documents are student records, grades, transcripts, etc. It is unclear if they were digitized or not.]( Credit: Maria Elena Romero/The World Senegal is often seen as a model of political stability in West Africa. But that could be changing. President Macky Sall has upset people with the suggestion that he may run for a third term next year, defying the Constitution, and young people are increasingly [frustrated by a lack of opportunities](. Recent protests turned deadly, and most victims were under the age of 30. [Denmark welcomes Ukrainians under special law — with an expiration date]( [At Copenhagen's central train station, Ukraine's flag waves side by side with Denmark's flag in a sign of solidarity seen all over the city.]( Credit: Amanda Leigh Lichtenstein/The World Denmark passed a special law last year that allows Ukrainians to [bypass the asylum system]( and expedite the process of obtaining a two-year residency permit. But when the law expires in 2024, it remains unclear whether Denmark’s centrist government — with its overall, hard-line stance against immigration — will extend these temporary protections for Ukrainians. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bright spot Monday marks the [start of the Hajj pilgrimage]( in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. About 2 million Muslim pilgrims are taking part this year after the first full lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. The final three days of the pilgrimage fall on Eid al-Adha, a holiday during which Muslims distribute livestock meat to poorer communities, to commemorate the story of Prophet Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son. Hajj is required of every Muslim at least once in their lifetime, barring any physical or financial hardship. 🕋 [Muslim pilgrims circumambulate around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, June 26, 2023.] Credit: Amr Nabil/AP In case you missed it on The World --------------------------------------------------------------- Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. [The World]( is produced by [PRX]( and [GBH](.