tortured, organs removed

Hi Global Recap readers,

Today’s newsletter is all about updates.

• 🇸🇪 Possible shooter detained in Sweden. Were the critics right all along?

• 🇮🇳 Indian military strike expected within 24–36 hours

• 🇺🇸 US GDP contracts for the first time in years

• 🇺🇦 US-Ukraine minerals deal finally signed

And finally: an autopsy of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna revealed that her organs were removed while in Russian captivity… 👇️

🇺🇦 UKRAINE
Journalist Tortured,
Organs Removed

According to a joint media report published by the NGO Forbidden Stories and 12 news outlets, the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna—who was tortured and killed while in Russian captivity—was even more horrific than previously believed.

Her body, returned to Ukraine in February 2025, bore signs of severe abuse and was missing several organs.

Viktoriia

Roshchyna, 27, was a journalist reporting from Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine.

• She worked for independent outlets like Ukrainska Pravda and Radio Free Europe.

• Her reporting focused on the illegal detention and torture of Ukrainians by Russian forces.

Her Disappearance

In August 2023, Viktoriia vanished while investigating in Russian-occupied Ukraine.

• She was reportedly spotted by surveillance or drones in Enerhodar.

• Witnesses later placed her in Melitopol’s infamous torture site, “the garages.”

• By late 2023, she was transferred to Russia’s brutal Taganrog detention center.

• Her health deteriorated drastically, leading to hospitalization in mid-2024.

The Horrific Details

A forensic exam of her body exposed the full extent of the horrors she endured at the hands of her captors.

• Her injuries included abrasions, hemorrhages, a broken rib, and neck injuries.

• Marks on her feet suggested possible electric shocks.

• Missing organs hinted at an attempt to hide the cause of death, potentially to cover up war crimes.

Russia’s Response

Russian authorities confirmed her detention but offered little clarity on her death.

• They claimed she died in September 2024 during a transfer to Moscow.

• Her parents received a letter from Russian officials with this explanation.

International Outrage

The report has prompted widespread condemnation.

• The Committee to Protect Journalists blamed Russia for her death.

• Ukrainian officials highlighted the plight of thousands held in Russian custody without charges.

• Ukraine’s foreign ministry called for urgent international action against these abuses.

🇸🇪 SWEDEN
Teen Arrested After Triple Killing

Here’s an update to yesterday’s story: a 16-year-old has been arrested after three young people were killed in a hair salon shooting in Uppsala.

Quick Context

The shooting occurred in broad daylight, just a day before Uppsala’s Valborg spring festival, which draws over 100,000 people.

• The victims were aged between 15 and 20.

• Police arrested the suspect at his home two hours after the shooting.

• Authorities have already conducted over 100 interrogations and secured camera footage from the scene.

Gang Connections?

One of the victims reportedly had ties to a criminal gang, confirming suspicions voiced by some critics of mass immigration and gang violence.

However, police say they are keeping all possibilities open.

• Uppsala is home to Sweden’s most notorious gangs, Rumba and Foxtrot.

• These gangs are thought to be run by ringleaders Ismail Abdo and Rawa Majid, who are pulling the strings from outside the country.

Sweden’s Gang Problem

Gang violence has plagued Sweden for years, with shootings and bombings becoming alarmingly frequent.

• In 2024, Sweden recorded 92 killings, the lowest since 2014, but the issue persists.

• Young teens are often recruited as contract killers, exploiting the country’s age of criminal responsibility.

🇵🇰 PAKISTAN
Next 24-36 hours

Here’s another update to the India-Pakistan conflict:

Pakistan now claims it has “credible intelligence” that India is planning military action within the next 24–36 hours. Remember last year when we kept hearing nonstop warnings about “an imminent Iranian attack” that never actually materialized until it finally did?

So now the question is—will this latest reveal follow the same script? Or did Pakistan reveal its intelligence to make Indian forces think twice if they were gearing up for something real?

Military Moves

Despite the chaos, weekly border talks between top military officials continued. But tensions remain high.

• Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged small-arms fire for six consecutive nights.

• No casualties have been reported, but the ceasefire agreement from 2021 is under strain.

International Reactions

The world is watching nervously. The UN and the US have urged both nations to avoid escalation.

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the need to “avoid a confrontation that could result in tragic consequences.”

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak with both nations soon.

Humor

Despite the rising tension, online memers aren’t backing down—they’re still churning out memes like nothing’s changed.

Context for the video below: Every afternoon, Indian and Pakistani border guards meet at the Attari-Wagah border for a 30-minute display of military showmanship that borders on pure theatre.

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES
GDP Shrinks

The US economy shrank by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its first contraction in three years.

The culprit? A surge in imports as businesses scrambled to beat President Trump’s huge tariffs.

The Numbers Game

The Commerce Department’s report shows a surprising economic dip.

• Imports shaved off 5 percentage points from growth.

• Consumer spending slowed sharply, adding to the downturn.

• Economists had expected modest growth, but the reality was far bleaker.

Trump’s Trade Tactics

Trump’s erratic trade moves—especially the constant messaging changes—are throwing businesses into chaos.

What businesses really want is stability—they need to know the rules won’t change overnight.

• His 145% tariffs on Chinese goods have paralyzed supply chains.

• Automakers warned that tariffs could raise prices and hurt US production.

  • For example, General Motors withdrew its profit forecast for 2025, citing the tariffs’ impact on imported cars and parts.

• UPS announced it would cut 20,000 jobs and close 73 buildings this year.

• Trump signed executive orders easing some tariffs and giving temporary rebates to US manufacturers, but top economist Ray Dalio says the harm's already done—and it's too late to fix it.

Trade War Hits Chinese Factories

But it isn’t just the US that is feeling the heat.

• China’s factories are feeling it too. April’s manufacturing activity saw its sharpest slowdown in over a year, signaling the toll of this escalating trade war.

• The National Bureau of Statistics released a report showing the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index dropped to 49.0, down from 50.5 in March.

• New export orders hit their lowest levels since the Covid-19 pandemic

Political Fallout

Trump’s response to the economic slump was as expected.

• He blamed Biden’s “overhang” for the downturn, claiming tariffs would eventually boost the economy.

🇺🇦 UKRAINE
Ukraine’s Minerals Deal
Getting Signed

The US and Ukraine have finally inked a minerals-sharing agreement, marking a significant step in their partnership. This deal is tied to the US’s ongoing support for Ukraine’s defense and reconstruction amid the war with Russia.

They had major hiccups just a few hours back, but things seem to have smoothed out since then.

The Agreement

This minerals deal has been months in the making, with negotiations nearly collapsing at the eleventh hour.

• The agreement establishes a US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, aimed at repaying the estimated $175 billion in aid the US has provided to Ukraine since the war began.

• Both nations will share profits and royalties from the sale of Ukrainian minerals and rare earths.

• Ukraine retains full control over its natural resources, ensuring sovereignty over extraction and infrastructure.

What It Means for Ukraine

Ukraine’s leaders are framing this as a win-win situation.

• Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasized that the fund will be split 50-50, with equal voting rights for both nations.

• The deal applies only to new investments, avoiding any debt obligations for Ukraine.

• Revenue will be secured through “take-or-pay” contracts, ensuring steady income.

The Backstory

This deal didn’t come easy—there were plenty of bumps along the way.

• Earlier proposals from the US were far less favorable to Ukraine, including one that would have handed over 100% of the fund’s revenues to the US.

• Negotiations were tense, with reports of last-minute ultimatums and threats to cut off aid.

• Ukraine even hired a US law firm to help navigate the tricky negotiations.

Mere Hours Ago

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed optimism earlier, saying the deal could be “signed within 24 hours.”

However, just when it seemed like the deal was ready to be signed…

• The US reportedly wanted Ukraine to sign two additional documents alongside the main agreement.

• Ukraine felt unprepared to finalize these extra documents, creating uncertainty about whether the deal will be signed today.

• So essentially: the disagreement centered on whether all three documents should be signed immediately or if some technical details can be finalized later.

The Bigger Picture

This deal is part of a broader strategy to rebuild Ukraine and send a strong message to Russia.

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called it a commitment to “a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine.”

• Critics, however, argue that linking aid to resource-sharing could exploit Ukraine’s vulnerable position.

• Advocacy groups like Razom for Ukraine are urging the US to keep up the pressure on Russia through sanctions and asset seizures.