Buzz
Staying on top of the news can be tough. It's so tough, in fact, that we've made it easier for you by rounding up the most jaw-dropping stories of the week. The week leading us into the final days of July may not make history, except for the tragic suicide of Linkin Park's frontman, Chester Bennington (more details below).
Though the past seven days might not have been packed with world-shaking events, there was still plenty that grabbed our attention. From a remote road between China and Bhutan to Athens, Greece, and a truck stop in Texas, here’s a look at what’s been unfolding.
10. Salvador Dali’s Remains Were Exhumed (To Resolve a Paternity Dispute)
Following his death in 1989, Salvador Dali was laid to rest beneath a marble slab in the heart of his self-designed museum in the Catalonian town of Figueres. He might have stayed there forever if it weren't for a woman named Maria Pilar Abel.
For the last decade, Abel has claimed to be Dali’s daughter, the result of an affair between the legendary surrealist artist and her mother in 1955. Conveniently, Spanish law states that if she can prove her parentage, she would inherit a quarter of Dali’s fortune.
And Dali was exceptionally wealthy. After several prior tests came up inconclusive, Abel eventually received the green light to exhume her possible father's body in order to obtain a DNA sample. And that's exactly what took place last Thursday night.
It will take another month or two to get the results of the test. However, some intriguing details surfaced right away. The first revelation from the exhumation was that Dali’s iconic mustache remained perfectly intact.
9. Greece Made Its Return to the Bond Market After Three Years
The Greek recession stands as one of the most severe in modern history. The economy contracted by 25%, unemployment skyrocketed to over 25%, and youth unemployment hit a staggering 50%. According to the American Enterprise Institute, Greece endured even worse than the US during the Great Depression. Both nations reached similar lows, but the US bounced back in just seven years. In contrast, Greece has been struggling since 2009 and is still facing major challenges.
Despite all this, there was a sign of hope this week. After a three-year hiatus, Greece re-entered the bond market. To everyone’s surprise, serious investors jumped right back in.
Greece’s €86 billion bailout is set to expire in a year. The bond sales are a sign that the country may be able to survive independently without further support from the EU or IMF. This suggests that a turning point may have been reached, and a genuine economic recovery could be on the way. Greece still has a long way to go, but the most dramatic financial crisis of the decade may finally be nearing its resolution.
8. Rome’s Major Corruption Trial Concluded With an Astonishing Number of Convictions
Italian corruption has a notorious reputation, with Mafia kickbacks, cronyism, and simple bribery draining billions from the economy. But rarely has corruption reached the levels seen in Rome. For years, the city has been plagued by poor maintenance and neglect, with trash piling up in streets riddled with potholes. The reason? City Hall was deeply infested with gang members.
Last Thursday, one of Rome’s most significant corruption cases concluded. The trial resulted in 40 politicians, businessmen, and city officials being convicted, exposing a web of cronyism beyond even what Michael Corleone could have imagined. Public contracts were rigged, funds disappeared into Mafia coffers, and nearly every politician in the city seemed to be on the take. The most shocking revelation was that organized crime had permeated City Hall in a way that hasn’t been seen since Al Capone’s reign in Chicago.
7. Switzerland Was Shaken by a Brutal Chainsaw Attack
Schaffhausen, a small Swiss town where nothing much ever happened—until Monday. At 10:30 AM local time, a man entered the offices of CSS Insurance, pulled out a chainsaw, and attempted to maim two employees.
Chainsaw injuries are gruesome, bloody, and (in most cases) fatal. That’s why they’re a staple of vintage horror films. Remarkably, in this instance, no one died. One worker was severely injured, though, and two others needed treatment for shock at the scene.
The attempted massacre led to one of the largest manhunts in Swiss history, involving 100 officers from Switzerland and Germany. After two days on the run, 51-year-old suspect Franz Wrousis was captured near Zurich. A local drifter who had recently been sleeping in his car, no motive for the attack has been found, but it is believed to be unrelated to terrorism.
6. Linkin Park’s Lead Singer Took His Own Life
For those who grew up in the early 2000s, Linkin Park was the heartbeat of alternative rock. Lead singer Chester Bennington’s commanding voice anchored their unique blend of nu metal and rap, which became a huge success. Hybrid Theory remains the highest-selling debut album since 2000, and Meteora went platinum so many times that it became difficult to count.
Despite their critics, Linkin Park became the voice for a generation—those slightly awkward outsiders who found comfort in their angst-driven music. That’s why last week’s shocking news hit so hard. On Friday, it was revealed that Bennington had taken his own life. He was 41.
The announcement was met with an outpouring of grief from fans who had grown up with his lyrics as their guide. There was also deep sorrow surrounding the circumstances of his death. Bennington had been close friends with Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, who tragically hanged himself in May. It served as a heartbreaking reminder that mental illnesses, like depression, can affect anyone.
5. Japan’s Prime Minister Found Himself at the Center of a Scandal
Shinzo Abe shares an unofficial moniker with Tony Blair: “Teflon.” Both leaders had a remarkable ability to dodge scandals that would have derailed lesser politicians. But eventually, both experienced a fall from grace. Blair’s decline came after he left office, while Abe is facing his downfall right now. The Japanese PM is so disliked that he's practically radioactive.
Abe’s approval rating, now a mere 26 percent, coincides with a growing scandal surrounding his government. He’s accused of bending the rules to allow his longtime friend Kotaro Kake to establish a private school. This comes on the heels of a previous controversy in March, where Abe was accused of selling public land at a steep discount to a school where his wife was an honorary principal. In Japan, where corruption is generally low, this blatant cronyism has sparked a fierce backlash.
Only one postwar Japanese prime minister has ever weathered approval ratings under 30 percent. Abe had dreamed of becoming the longest-serving prime minister in Japan’s history, but now, he may be fortunate to remain in office until next year’s election.
4. Poland’s Government Made a Play for Power Reminiscent of Venezuela’s Moves
Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS) has no true counterpart in the English-speaking world. Their stance on immigration and Islam is so far-right that they make Donald Trump appear liberal, yet their approach to welfare spending is so far-left that it makes Bernie Sanders seem conservative.
However, there’s a strange parallel in the Spanish-speaking world: Venezuela. This week, PiS attempted a move that would have turned Poland into a one-party state, one that would likely make Nicolas Maduro proud.
The power grab came in the form of a bill that would have put the Polish Supreme Court completely under PiS’s control. It also sought to dissolve the National Judiciary Council, which is responsible for appointing judges in Poland, allowing PiS to handpick judges loyal to the party. This mirrors what Maduro is doing in Venezuela, triggering large (though much more peaceful) protests in Poland.
Fortunately, one PiS member opposed this attack on Polish democracy: President Andrzej Duda. In a rare show of independence, Duda vetoed the legislation, marking his first moment of defiance since taking office. However, given Duda’s past actions undermining Poland’s constitution, this veto could be nothing more than a brief pause before democracy is permanently sidelined.
3. A Texas People-Smuggling Incident Left 10 Migrants Dead
We can debate endlessly over whether illegal immigration is a problem. But there’s no argument about people smuggling—it’s an inhumane crime. The smugglers responsible for this horrific trade often abandon migrants to die for a quick profit. On Sunday, the tragedy spread beyond Europe to the United States. Police were called to a parked truck in San Antonio, Texas, and what they found was straight out of a nightmare.
Around 40 migrants—mostly from Mexico and Guatemala—had been packed into the truck, with no water or air conditioning as temperatures soared to 38 degrees Celsius (101 °F) outside. By the time police arrived, nine were already dead, and 17 others were in critical condition. Tragically, another person passed away in the hospital, bringing the death toll to 10. Three of the victims were estimated to be between 10 and 17 years old.
This marks the deadliest human-smuggling incident in the U.S. since 2003, when 19 migrants suffocated in a similar situation in the back of a truck crossing Texas. It serves as a stark reminder of how callous smugglers can be and how easily they exploit vulnerable, desperate people.
2. China and India Got Into the Most Ridiculous (and Dangerous) Border Dispute
Have you seen the footage of the latest border standoff between China and India? It’s like a scene out of a schoolyard brawl, with 20 unarmed men pushing each other on a muddy road, as if they’re in a game of tag. It’s almost laughable—until you remember that the last time these two giants had a serious border clash in 1962, over 2,000 people died.
This new conflict arose after China attempted to construct a road through a remote area of Bhutan, which it claims as its own. Bhutan, a tiny country that stands no chance against China’s might, called for help from its bigger neighbor, India.
India has long been suspicious that China has its sights set on Northeast India, a region about the size of the UK, with a population of 45 million, and a strategic location that connects the rest of India by a narrow 20-kilometer (12 mi) corridor. So when Bhutan asked for assistance, India stepped in to block China’s road construction. Naturally, China responded by deploying its own troops, and now we have the absurd spectacle of two major powers potentially on the brink of war over a little stretch of muddy road.
The problem is that neither side can back down without appearing weak, and China and India have a long history of animosity. Both are also nuclear-armed, which adds even more danger to the situation. While there’s hope the tension will ease, the situation could take a much more deadly turn.
1. A Powerful Earthquake Struck the Greek Island of Kos
Kos, a Greek island nestled in the Aegean Sea near Turkey, is a popular destination, especially during the summer months when it’s filled with tourists. It’s hard to believe that the island is now associated with disaster. On Friday, a powerful 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck. In the old town, buildings that predated earthquake safety codes collapsed, trapping tourists who were running for cover. By the time the quake, which lasted only 30 seconds, subsided, 473 people were injured.
Miraculously, only two people lost their lives. Despite the chaos—falling structures, broken glass, and panic—only 12 of the injured needed to be hospitalized. Considering the severity of the situation, it’s incredible that the toll wasn’t higher. When we compare this to the more than 200 lives claimed by the collapse of a town in Italy due to an earthquake last year, it’s a small mercy.
Even so, the earthquake caused considerable damage, particularly to historical landmarks that can never be replaced. It was undoubtedly a traumatic event for those who lived through it, especially the families of the two victims. We can only be grateful that things weren’t worse in the aftermath of this natural disaster.
