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Re-elected Croatian President Zoran Milanovic with wife Sanja Music Milanovic celebrate after winning Croatia's presidential election ON January 12, 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia.
Hard Numbers: Croatia’s populist prez, Sweden sails forth, Mayotte hunkers down again, Hindus commence world’s largest religious ceremony
74: Populist Croatian President Zoran Milanovic won an impressive landslide reelection on Sunday, taking 74% of the vote. His office is largely ceremonial, but the overwhelming margin of victory should send a message to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic – in power since 2016 – about the changing mood of the country.
3: Sweden, NATO’s newest member state, announced its Navy would contribute up to three warships to the alliance’s efforts to secure the Baltic Sea from Russia. The Swedish coast guard will also contribute a further four ships, with seven on standby. With increased resources, NATO aims to prevent possible provocations like severing undersea communication cables, 10 of which have been damaged since 2023.
1: Nearly one month to the day since the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte was devastated by Cyclone Chido, Tropical Storm Dikeledi brought more inundating rains and strong winds to the island. Over 200 people were still missing from the first storm, which killed at least 39 and injured over 5,000 while destroying entire neighborhoods, and the French government has deployed over 4,000 emergency personnel and security forces to the island.
400 million: At least 400 million pilgrims are expected to kick off the Maha Kumbh Mela festival on Monday in the Indian city of Prayagraj, where pilgrims will immerse themselves at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers over six weeks. Hindus believe the mystical Saraswati River will intermingle in the mundane waters and cleanse worshippers’ souls — but the government faces a big logistical challenge: This will be the world’s largest-ever religious gathering, and officials have assembled 150,000 tents, 3,000 kitchens, 145,000 lavatories, all served by 450,000 new electric connections, protected by 40,000 policemen, and transported by 98 special trains making over 3,300 trips.French Gendarmerie forces cross a damaged area in the aftermath of Cyclone Chido, in Mayotte, France December 15, 2024.
France rushes aid to Mayotte, devastated by cyclone
France rushed aid to Mayotte on Monday, with death estimates running into the thousands after the most powerful cyclone in nearly a century devastated the small Indian Ocean island overnight. The Red Cross described the destruction as “unimaginable” with photos showing streets completely blocked with rubble, entire hillside neighborhoods crushed into chaos, and rural areas cut off by debris.
Time is running short: The storm left much of the island without water or electricity, and survivors are reportedly beginning to go hungry in some areas. Residents in the capital, Mamoudzou, lined up at the few functional stores searching for basic supplies, while rescue teams literally cut their way into the hinterland through downed trees.
Mayotte is the poorest French territory — and by extension, the poorest part of the EU — with median annual disposable income about 1/8th that of Paris, and three-quarters of the population in poverty. Situated between Mozambique and Madagascar, it has become a destination for migrants from southeastern Africa, who mistakenly believe landing on Mayotte can open a pathway to Europe. The underinvestment and social changes have led to repeated unrest over the last decade, with the French army deploying to quell riots over water shortages last year.
We’re watching what rescue teams discover as they re-establish links to rural areas, how many souls were lost in the storm, and whether the French government’s response can help re-establish trust in the far-flung territory. Remember that earlier this year, one of France’s other overseas possessions, New Caledonia, suffered weeks of unrest stemming from similar underinvestment and political alienation.