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Staying up-to-date with the news can feel like a struggle. That's why we've made it easier for you by compiling the most remarkable, unexpected, or downright astonishing stories from this week.
This week highlighted just how little seemed to change, particularly in the US and UK. In Washington, the record-breaking government shutdown persisted, showing no signs of resolution. Across the pond, Britain muddled through yet another crucial Brexit crisis that somehow led to no real progress. In other parts of the world, there was the usual mix of violence and hardship, along with an unexpected world record being broken. Buckle up…
10. The Brexit Crisis Hit Its Peak (And Then Stayed Stagnant)
You have to admire Theresa May; her talent for holding onto power, no matter the circumstances, could earn her the respect of limpets. On Tuesday, the UK government experienced the largest defeat in the history of the House of Commons, with a crushing 230 MPs voting against May’s Brexit deal.
In any other era of modern British history, this would typically be followed by May’s resignation announcement. But these are strange times. Despite the monumental blow to her government, Conservative rebels and the Northern Irish DUP voted on Wednesday to keep May in power. After all that drama, the situation remained unchanged.
This situation becomes even stranger when you realize that nothing has changed with the Brexit bill either. Although May has invited other party leaders to discussions, she remains firm on her red lines and seems unwilling to make any concessions. Essentially, this means more of the same as Britain continues to spin in circles, rehashing referendum debates while heading toward the abyss. With only about 70 days until the Brexit deadline, the clock is ticking.
9. The US Government Shutdown Set a Record (And Nothing Changed)
Swooosh! That was the sound of the current US government shutdown breezing past the previous record-holder, making it the longest shutdown in history. Now at 28 days and counting, it’s on track to surpass the 16-day shutdown of 2013. And still, there’s no end in sight.
The consequences are now becoming clear. On January 15, 42,000 US Coast Guard members missed their first paycheck, with Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Karl Schultz stating that this was the first time in history that service members had gone without pay due to a funding gap. Nationwide, national parks were running with minimal staff, museums closed their doors, Native tribes faced funding cuts, and there were reports indicating a strain on the economy.
Perhaps the most dramatic moment came when Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi exercised her power to bar the president from delivering his State of the Union address to Congress until the shutdown is resolved, marking an unprecedented move. For some, this will be a reason to cheer; for others, it will be seen as a sign of political maneuvering from the Democrats.
8. The Largest Gathering in Human History Has Begun
It may be the most massive gathering in human history. For over 20 years, India’s Hindu Kumbh Mela festival has been hailed as the largest on Earth, but now it might have broken even temporal limits. On Tuesday, the festival kicked off with an estimated 15 to 20 million people in attendance. By February 4, the crowd is expected to swell to 30 million, and by the time it wraps up on March 4, projections suggest over 120 million people will have participated.
Depending on how you define a city, by February 4, the makeshift city created for the Kumbh Mela could be the second-largest city on the planet, second only to the Tokyo metropolitan area. The number of people at this festival will surpass the populations of Texas or Australia. We're talking about an enormous scale.
The Kumbh Mela takes place every 12 years at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. This year’s festival isn’t even a full one, but an “ardh Kumbh,” a mini-festival that falls between the previous and next full Kumbh Melas. Still, attendance is expected to far surpass the record set by the 2013 full Kumbh Mela.
7. The US Pledged to Wreck the Turkish Economy
The US’s commitment to pull out of Syria is still less than a month old, and it’s already creating a host of complications. One of the most significant concerns is the fate of Syria’s Kurdish minority.
During the intense battle against ISIS, the Kurds were the US’s primary ally and played a central role in defeating the terrorist group. However, Turkey views them as a terrorist organization linked to their own Kurdish insurgency and has vowed to destroy them. With the US’s withdrawal, a Turkish assault on Syria’s Kurds seems all but inevitable.
Or does it? On Sunday, President Trump issued a stark warning to Ankara. If Turkey launches an attack on the Kurds, the US will 'devastate Turkey economically.'
Back in 2018, US sanctions related to the detainment of a pastor worsened Turkey’s lira crisis, leading to stagflation. Washington clearly intends to use similar tactics in the future. However, Ankara may not back down. Viewing the Kurds as an existential threat, persuading Turkey to avoid war will be a difficult challenge.
6. A Polish Politician Was Killed Onstage
It was an attack that shocked the entire nation. On Sunday, Pawel Adamowicz, the mayor of the Polish port city of Gdansk, took the stage at a charity event. While speaking, a man rushed the stage, armed with a knife, and fatally stabbed him. Adamowicz succumbed to his injuries the next day in the hospital. His assassination marks the first major political killing in Poland since the fall of Communism.
Adamowicz was a significant left-wing figure in Polish politics, having been a staple in Gdansk for over 20 years. Although his assassin suffered from mental illness, the attack occurred during a period of rising tensions in Poland, and many quickly pointed fingers at the toxic political rhetoric. The charity festival had even been a target of online vitriol for its perceived left-leaning agenda. (Its former slogan was, 'Do what you want.')
Tensions remain equally high across Europe. The 2016 assassination of British MP Jo Cox still looms large in the minds of politicians, as does the brutal assault on German right-wing politician Frank Magnitz earlier this month.
5. Terrorism Strikes Nairobi Again
Among the world’s Islamist terrorist organizations, Al-Shabab may be the deadliest group you rarely hear about. Although based primarily in Somalia, this Al-Qaeda affiliate may not have the same global reach as ISIS or Boko Haram, but it is still responsible for devastating attacks. On Wednesday, Al-Shabab made headlines once again by launching an assault in Nairobi. It became the deadliest attack to strike the Kenyan capital since the 2013 Westgate Mall massacre.
Five militants attacked the DusitD2 luxury hotel complex, sparking a hostage situation. By the time the assailants were neutralized, over 21 people had been killed, including one American and one British national. At the time of writing, 50 people are still missing, so the death toll could rise further.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, citing it as retribution for the US recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. However, this seems somewhat misleading, given that most of the victims were Kenyans. Regardless, it highlights that even with the decline of ISIS and the weakening of Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram, Islamist terrorism still persists.
4. The ICC Acquits Ivory Coast’s Former President
In 2010, a fiercely contested election in Ivory Coast descended into violence when incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refused to step down after losing. Over 3,000 people died in the chaos, with Gbagbo bearing the brunt of the blame.
Following the near-conflict, Gbagbo was extradited to The Hague to stand trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC). After nearly eight years, a panel of three judges issued their ruling on charges of crimes against humanity. In a surprising move, they unanimously acquitted Gbagbo.
This verdict is a tough one to interpret. On one hand, Gbagbo’s refusal to step down unquestionably led to violence, but that’s not the same as him directly ordering massacres. Moreover, it’s somewhat reassuring for the ICC to return some not guilty verdicts, as it would undermine the court’s credibility if every trial resulted in a conviction.
Though Gbagbo remains in custody as the prosecution appeals, it appears likely that he will eventually be released. However, a return to Ivory Coast may not be possible. Last year, an Ivorian court convicted him in absentia for embezzlement, sentencing him to 20 years in prison.
3. The FBI’s Investigation Into The President’s Russia Ties Was Revealed
Last Friday, The New York Times dropped a bombshell on Capitol Hill. The report revealed that after James Comey’s firing, the FBI launched an investigation to determine if the president wasn’t merely influenced by Moscow but was actively working on their behalf. While some responded with, 'Well, of course, the FBI would suspect that,' the revelation was still of immense importance.
Imagine, for a moment, that you hadn’t been hearing 'Russia,' 'collusion,' and 'investigation' constantly since November 2016. The simple fact that the FBI entertained the possibility of the president being a Russian agent would be so unbelievable that it could feel like a scene from a political thriller. Throw in a counter-narrative about potential FBI bias, and it starts to resemble one of the most significant political events since Watergate.
And perhaps that’s exactly what this is. While we don’t yet know the final outcome of the FBI’s investigation or even if it has concluded, its very existence opens up two extraordinary possibilities. One is that we’re now part of a real-life blend of *The Manchurian Candidate* and season five of *24*. The other is that the FBI might be orchestrating a coup against the president.
You probably already have an opinion on which of these scenarios seems more likely. But no matter where you stand, it’s clear that the landscape of US politics has taken a turn for the more intriguing—and things have just gotten a lot more intense.
2. We Discovered the Terrifying Scale of Violence in the DRC
Last week, we updated you on the controversial election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its potential to ignite violence. As tensions around the results persist, this week we got a stark reminder of just how volatile the situation in the DRC can become.
On Wednesday, the UN released a report on ethnic violence in the country’s northwest that took place last month alongside the election. The report found that 890 people had lost their lives in just three days of violence, and 16,000 were forced to flee their homes. The horrific death toll struck an area that is typically peaceful and led to the government canceling the election in that province.
While it’s unclear if the violence was directly connected to the election, the scale of the unrest was nonetheless shocking. Schools, hospitals, and the electoral commission’s office were set ablaze, along with more than 400 homes. As horrific as this incident was, what’s most chilling is what it might signal for the future. With accusations of the election being rigged still circulating, the possibility of another massacre looms if tensions are not carefully managed.
1. Juan Guaido Set the Stage for a Legal Coup in Venezuela
Before last Friday (and possibly even now), Juan Guaido might have been a name you'd never heard. A single-term legislator in Venezuela, he was recently appointed head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly. While Maduro’s struggling regime refuses to acknowledge the assembly, the majority of nations do, as does the Venezuelan constitution.
Here’s where it gets interesting. According to the same constitution, the leader of the National Assembly automatically assumes the presidency in a situation of ‘vacuum of power.’ When Maduro was inaugurated for a second term on Friday amid accusations of election fraud, Guaido declared that the country’s crisis could amount to such a vacuum. If the military and courts agree, Guaido could legally overthrow Maduro.
It’s a huge ‘if,’ but it’s certainly possible. Guaido is the first leader to unite the opposition in years. He’s popular, charismatic, and most importantly, he’s not Maduro. Should Guaido take action and succeed, he’d be required to call for elections within 30 days.
Brazil has already recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s rightful president, and rumors suggest the US may soon follow suit. While this could lead to clashes, it could also finally break Venezuela free from its ongoing crisis.
