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Staying informed about the news can be overwhelming. To help you out, we've gathered the most remarkable, unexpected, or simply astonishing stories from this week.
After last week's metaphorical explosions, this week witnessed literal blasts making headlines. Bombings in Colombia, Afghanistan, and Northern Ireland, along with a devastating pipeline explosion in Mexico, created a whirlwind of tragedy. Beyond these explosions, shootings, riots, and controversial legal decisions also made their mark. It’s been a challenging week.
10. The US Supreme Court Temporarily Authorized the Transgender Military Ban
In the closing months of his presidency, Barack Obama took a historic step by allowing openly transgender individuals to serve in the US military, ending decades of exclusion. While exact numbers are difficult to determine, the RAND Corporation estimates that between 1,320 and 6,630 transgender individuals seized the opportunity to serve in the military that year.
This week, the lower court ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court. Although the justices opted not to directly hear the case, they allowed the ban to take effect temporarily. The transgender military ban is now officially in place.
The ban does not impact service members who have already transitioned under Obama-era policies and are currently serving openly. It specifically targets those who are in the process of transitioning. However, many left-wing groups view the ruling as a significant setback. In some ways, this law feels akin to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy of its time, with all the complexities that entails.
9. The ELN Took Responsibility For Bogota’s Deadliest Car Bombing In 16 Years
Last Thursday morning, a car broke through the gates of a police academy in the southern part of Bogota, exploding during a graduation ceremony. The blast killed 20 police cadets and injured 68 others. It marked the deadliest bombing the Colombian capital had witnessed in 16 years.
During the era of the Medellin cartel and the conflict with the now-demobilized Marxist guerrilla group FARC, car bombings were tragically frequent in Bogota. However, the past fifteen years had brought a level of stability to the city that surpassed many other Latin American capitals. This recent attack has raised fears of a return to the darkest days of the civil war.
On Monday, left-wing rebels ELN took responsibility for the bombing. Once considered FARC’s smaller counterpart (despite forming around the same time, ELN had far fewer followers), the ELN has become a major force since FARC disarmed in 2016. Not long ago, it seemed they might follow FARC’s example and lay down their arms, but now it appears they've chosen a path of violence.
8. A Devastating Taliban Attack Left Dozens Of Afghan Security Forces Dead
The Taliban now controls half of Afghanistan. If you needed further proof that the 2001 invasion yielded minimal lasting change, here it is. As their influence grows, so does their boldness. Just last year, a bomb hidden in an ambulance killed over 100 civilians in Kabul.
This year, the Taliban seemed determined to top even that. On Monday, an armored truck crashed into a national security service (NDS) compound in Maidan Shar and exploded in a massive blast. Following the explosion, gunmen stormed the base. The exact death toll remains unknown; NDS reports 36 fatalities, while Kabul officials have placed the total number of dead at over 100.
Whatever the true number of casualties, this attack represents a severe blow to a national government that appears on the verge of collapse. The Taliban now seem more powerful than ever, and it’s likely that such attacks will continue to unfold.
7. Violence Erupted Again On The Streets Of Northern Ireland
We did warn you it’s been an explosive week, didn’t we? Three major explosions from across four continents, and we’re still not done yet.
Fortunately, the death toll was zero in this case. On Saturday night, a car was parked outside the courthouse in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Soon after, it exploded in a massive fireball, sending debris flying through the air. The explosion occurred at an incredibly fortunate moment, as a group of young people had just walked by the car less than a minute before it detonated.
Although no lives were lost in this attempted attack, it still raises concerns. Car bombings have been rare in Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. However, the suspension of the government at Stormont and fears of a hard border returning between Northern Ireland and Ireland post-Brexit have reignited divisions.
The police have attributed the attack to the New IRA. Let’s hope this isn't the beginning of a new terrorist campaign.
6. A Deadly Pipeline Explosion In Mexico Claimed Over 90 Lives
Last Friday evening, the residents of Tlahuelilpan in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, witnessed a massive fireball light up the sky above their town. The explosion resulted from a ruptured fuel pipeline catching fire. While most of us would run for cover upon hearing the words “ruptured fuel pipe,” in impoverished areas of Mexico, the response is different. With five liters of fuel costing as much as a day's wages, the people of Tlahuelilpan rushed toward the leak with jerry cans in hand.
As a result, when the explosion occurred, it was surrounded by people. Ninety-eight individuals perished in the inferno, and another 48 remain hospitalized. The death toll is expected to rise.
The leak was almost certainly intentional. Mexico's fuel infrastructure is often targeted, especially amid the ongoing shortage. Following the tragedy, Mexico’s new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has announced measures to address the issue.
5. Yet Another Mass Shooting Devastated Florida
Another January, another tragic mass shooting in America. In other parts of the world, news of a man walking into a bank and opening fire, killing five random victims, would dominate the headlines. But in a country that has become numb to mass shootings with death tolls often reaching double digits, this one barely registered beyond the ‘in other news…’ section.
To mark the loss of those who perished on Wednesday, here's a brief account: Just after noon, 21-year-old Zephen Xaver, a former prison guard trainee, entered the SunTrust Bank in Sebring. He shot five individuals before barricading himself inside. After a brief standoff with a SWAT team, he was arrested.
Xaver's motive remains unclear, but it’s telling that he was able to carry out such a bold attack with little resistance. Equally telling is how the press barely took notice of this event.
4. Fuel Riots Brought Zimbabwe to a Standstill
Fourteen months have passed since Zimbabwe's longtime leader Robert Mugabe was ousted in a coup. The initial sense of relief following the bloodless transition has since faded.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mugabe's former close ally, is widely suspected of manipulating last year’s elections to secure his hold on power. When public protests erupted, Mnangagwa, following in Mugabe’s footsteps, responded with brutal force. Since then, the country’s economy has continued to crumble, and foreign investors are staying away. The latest spark was a 150-percent increase in fuel prices, leading to mass protests that prompted Mnangagwa to deploy the military.
It’s confirmed that at least 12 people have been killed in the violence. Human rights groups report that many others have been tortured. As one observer succinctly stated, “Zimbabwe is burning.” While Mugabe is no longer in power, the corrupt system he built endures.
3. Venezuela’s Newly Sworn-in President Took His Oath in a Highly Dramatic Fashion
Do you remember last week when we introduced Juan Guaido, the youthful leader of Venezuela’s National Assembly? At that time, we explained how Guaido had found a constitutional loophole that would allow the leader of the National Assembly to assume the presidency in the event of a ‘vacuum of power.’ Guaido claimed that Venezuelan dictator Maduro’s second term created such a vacuum, given the allegations of rigged elections. We also mentioned that Guaido had hinted he might take advantage of this loophole soon.
It seems that Guaido wasn’t just making empty threats. This week, he formally declared himself Venezuela’s new president. Almost immediately, the United States and Brazil recognized him as the legitimate leader of the country. As of now, dozens of countries, including many in Latin America, the EU, and others, have followed suit, ranging from small nations like Albania to global powers like Great Britain.
As things stand, Venezuela effectively has two presidents, both issuing orders. Tensions are likely to escalate soon, as Guaido’s self-declaration forces the Venezuelan military and its citizens to choose their allegiance. Let’s hope that whatever transition comes next will be both peaceful and lead to the end of Maduro’s regime.
2. In a surprising turn of events, the entire government of Burkina Faso resigned en masse.
If you're going to make an exit, you might as well make it a memorable one. After months of rumors suggesting his downfall was imminent, Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Paul Kaba Thieba, stunned the world last Friday by abruptly announcing the resignation of his entire government, effective immediately. When pressed for a reason, he declined to provide any comment.
It was a surprising exit for the former economist, who had been in power since 2016. Speculation is rife that his resignation may be linked to the rising Islamist threat. Burkina Faso has witnessed a dramatic surge in attacks during Thieba’s tenure, including a deadly assault last year on the French embassy, which claimed 30 lives.
Christophe Joseph Marie Dabire has now stepped into the role of Burkina Faso’s new prime minister. We can only hope that he’s able to bring more stability to this troubled West African nation.
1. In a dramatic turn of events, Scotland’s former First Minister was arrested and formally charged.
For many years, Alex Salmond was a towering figure in British politics. He founded the modern Scottish National Party (SNP), which is currently the third-largest party in Westminster, and served as Scotland’s first minister. Salmond was the driving force behind the push for Scottish independence, leading to the landmark referendum in 2014.
How far the mighty have fallen. On Wednesday evening, Salmond was arrested and officially charged. Legal proceedings against him are now underway.
Before the charges became public, there was speculation that they were tied to an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against Salmond. He now faces charges including two counts of attempted rape, nine counts of sexual assault, and two of indecent assault. It is hard to comprehend how such a fate has befallen a man who once defined Scottish and even British politics for an entire generation. To see him now facing these charges marks a dramatic and stunning turn of events.
