Buzz
Staying updated with the news can be quite the challenge. To make it easier for you, we’ve curated the most significant, unusual, or simply mind-blowing stories each week.
This week was one for the political history books. For the first time since it became a separate state, a sitting US president met with the North Korean leader in a summit so unlikely that Kim Jong Un quipped it was like something 'out of a science fiction movie.' More on this game-changing event below, along with other major stories you may have missed while the media was focused on Singapore.
10. The Historic Trump-Kim Summit Took Place
In just three years, the US has pivoted on foreign policy twice in a historic way. After President Obama made a surprising move by reopening Cuba-US relations in 2015, President Trump has now made a similar move with North Korea. On Monday, the two leaders finally met face-to-face for a summit in Singapore, bringing the DPRK in from the cold after more than six decades.
The moment was even more remarkable when you think about how things stood just six months ago. In January 2018, tensions between the US and North Korea were so high that a false missile alert in Hawaii nearly caused panic. Reaching this point involved significant behind-the-scenes negotiations in both Washington and Pyongyang, with Trump’s unconventional approach to foreign policy playing a key role.
Now the real work begins. While Trump and Kim have made a commitment to denuclearization, the real test will be when their teams negotiate a legally binding treaty. Over to you, Mike Pompeo.
9. Macedonia Finally Agreed to Change Its Name (Or Did It?)
While the world was focused on Kim Jong Un posing in front of Singapore's towering skyscrapers (with an interesting tidbit: apparently residents were told to leave all their lights on to make the photos look better), another historic event was unfolding halfway across the world. On Monday, Macedonia and Greece finally resolved their 27-year-long naming dispute.
Macedonia refers to a province in Northern Greece. When the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) declared its independence and adopted the name Macedonia, it didn’t sit well with Greece. This led to real-world consequences, as Greece had long blocked FYROM from joining both the United Nations and the European Union because of the issue.
Now, that issue might finally be behind them. Macedonian leader Zoran Zaev announced that the country will officially change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia.
While this is certainly a step forward, it’s not the final chapter. Skopje will hold a referendum later this year to approve the new name, but there are obstacles ahead. Earlier this week, the Macedonian president declared he would not sign off on Zaev’s proposed new name.
8. Germany Exposed a Shocking Bioterrorism Plot
Ricin is a deadly toxin that most people recognize from its appearance in Breaking Bad. This week, it almost gained infamy for a much darker reason. On Tuesday, German authorities raided the home of a Tunisian man residing in Cologne and discovered a stockpile of ricin, which appeared to be intended for use in a bioterrorism attack.
The suspect, Sief Allah H., came under suspicion for alleged ISIS affiliations. When intelligence agencies reviewed his online activity, they found he had ordered 1,000 Ricinus seeds to extract the toxin. By the time of the raid, he had amassed enough ricin to potentially cause fatalities. However, no specific attack plans were found.
If Sief had actually used the ricin to assist ISIS, he would have been part of an extremely rare group. Bioterrorism attacks are, thankfully, exceedingly rare. The most notable incidents on record are the 2001 anthrax attacks in the US and the mass salmonella poisoning of 750 people by a cult in Oregon in 1985.
7. California Took a Step Toward a Referendum on Splitting Into Three States
The last time a US state split into two new entities was in 1861, when Virginia and West Virginia could not agree on their allegiance to the Union or the Confederacy. Fast forward to 2018, and another state division could happen again, without the threat of a civil war in sight.
This week, billionaire venture capitalist Tim Drake managed to gather enough signatures to place his Cal-3 proposal on California’s November 2018 ballot. If approved, California would break into three separate states: California (the six coastal counties around LA), Northern California (encompassing the San Francisco and Sacramento areas), and Southern California (basically, everything else).
Drake has been pushing for California’s division for years. In 2014, his plan to create six new states failed to get onto the ballot due to signature issues. His revised proposal will now be up for a vote, but its outcome remains uncertain. Any new states require both local and Congressional approval, and it’s hard to envision California Democrats willingly giving up their 55 guaranteed electoral votes.
6. The UN Called For An Investigation Into India And Pakistan’s Actions In Kashmir
Kashmir remains one of the most hotly contested regions on the planet. Situated between India and Pakistan, both nations have laid claim to it since the 1947 Partition. As a result, it has also become one of the most violent areas in the region, with frequent militant attacks and peaceful protests often met with severe crackdowns.
This may explain why the UN called for an investigation into both countries this week. In unusually forceful language, the UN's human rights chief, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, accused Pakistan of misusing anti-terrorism laws to strip away the rights of locals and accused India of killing peaceful protestors.
This news is likely to provoke strong reactions in both countries, where many view their actions as vital for fighting militancy and reinforcing their territorial claims.
5. Mass Protests Led to the Collapse of Georgia’s Government
In an extraordinary four-week period from April to May this year, mass protests in Armenia led to the fall of the president, evolving into a peaceful 'velvet' revolution that brought down the entire government. It seems that Georgia, just next door, took notice. Last week, we briefly discussed the mass protests paralyzing Tbilisi, the capital. This week, those protests succeeded in forcing the prime minister to resign, which automatically led to the resignation of the entire cabinet.
The protests in Georgia were more fragmented compared to Armenia's. In May, Tbilisi was overwhelmed by protests against brutal police methods aimed at club-goers. By the end of the month, a separate wave of protests erupted in response to the murder of a teenage boy, with the killers seemingly escaping justice due to their family ties. Despite their differing causes, these protests united into a powerful, collective outcry against the government.
Unlike Armenia, this wasn’t a full-scale revolution. The ruling coalition remains in control and will nominate a new prime minister and cabinet this week. In Tbilisi, however, protestors and opposition activists are already being arrested, likely to prevent them from forcing the ruling parties out of power entirely.
4. Italy and the EU Clashed Over Migrants
Only a few weeks ago, Italy's center-left and far-right populist parties, M5S and La Lega, formed a fragile coalition based solely on their mutual opposition to migrants and the European Union.
This week, they introduced a new policy that addressed both issues. On Sunday, Italy closed its ports to a migrant rescue ship carrying 600 people. Both BBC and France 24 noted that the decision appeared to be a calculated move aimed at provoking a clash with other EU nations.
Italy has long been pushing for EU reforms on migrant policy. The current system forces migrants to stay in the first EU country they arrive in, which migrants—dreaming of reaching Germany—oppose, and Italy—lacking the necessary funds to properly run refugee camps—also resists. Refusing to let the ship dock might simply be a bold, cynical attempt to get the EU to take action and reform broken migration laws. The real question remains: Will this tactic succeed?
3. The Grenfell Anniversary Delivered More Disheartening News For Survivors
Almost exactly one year ago, on June 14, 2017, a massive inferno engulfed the Grenfell Tower apartment complex in London. Over the course of several harrowing hours, residents were forced to watch as the fire consumed the entire building. Authorities had instructed many of the occupants to remain indoors rather than evacuate. By the time the flames were finally extinguished, 72 people had tragically lost their lives. It became one of the deadliest fires in the UK in decades.
As the anniversary arrives, more devastating news has come to light. This week, the North Kensington Law Center published a report about the aftermath of the disaster. It revealed that the local council, which was responsible for assisting the survivors, failed to provide sufficient support in many cases and, in some situations, even made their lives harder.
In the immediate aftermath of the fire, the Chelsea and Kensington Council vowed to rehouse all survivors within a year. As of now, 83 of the 203 affected households have secured permanent housing, and 52 have temporary accommodation. However, 68 households are still without homes, and five of those have yet to receive an offer for a suitable place to stay.
The report claims that the council repeatedly offered inadequate housing or homes located far from schools, jobs, and community ties. Moreover, it suggests that the council labeled the survivors as overly picky, which only added to the immense emotional burden they were already bearing due to the loss of their loved ones in the fire.
To call such a damning report a sad state of affairs would be an understatement of the highest order. One can only hope that the next 12 months will bring the long-awaited closure to those whose lives were devastated by the tragic fire.
2. The Largest Battle of the Yemeni Civil War Has Begun
The ongoing civil war in Yemen has been labeled the world's worst humanitarian disaster—surpassing even Syria in terms of severity. What started as a rebellion by Houthi insurgents backed by Iran in 2015 soon escalated into a full-blown proxy war in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies stepping in. The conflict has already claimed over 10,000 lives, and millions more are at risk of starvation.
The situation may be about to grow even more deadly. On Wednesday, Emirati forces, part of the Saudi-led coalition, reached the rebel-controlled port city of Hudaydah (also known as Hodeida). There are concerns that intense fighting in this area could cut off all supply routes to the Houthi-held regions, potentially severing all access to food aid and other humanitarian assistance.
A collapse of humanitarian aid routes could spell disaster for civilians living in rebel-held areas. Cholera is already widespread, and famine has become a harsh reality in many regions. If the battle for Hudaydah turns into a siege or descends into brutal street fighting, aid agencies warn that the disruption of aid could result in up to 250,000 civilian deaths.
1. Nicaragua is on the Brink of Civil War
On April 18 of this year, Nicaragua erupted in protests against pension reforms. Since that time, the country has been in a constant state of unrest, with protests escalating into a broader uprising against President Ortega’s government. For weeks, this column has been looking for a suitable moment to report on the situation, only for other events to overshadow it.
However, this Wednesday, the situation finally reached a point where it couldn't be overlooked any longer. A nationwide strike, which began at midnight, has brought the Central American nation to a standstill. With lawlessness sweeping the streets and the death toll climbing, it’s starting to look like Nicaragua may be headed straight toward a full-scale civil war.
Ortega is currently following in the footsteps of Venezuela’s Maduro by refusing to step down or acknowledge the legitimacy of the protests. Meanwhile, his security forces are actively killing demonstrators, with 148 lives lost so far. Masked paramilitary groups are patrolling the streets, targeting protestors, while some cities, such as Masaya, have witnessed authorities essentially abandoning their posts, leaving the streets under the control of armed anti-Ortega rebels. Given these conditions, the prospect of a peaceful resolution seems to be slipping away quickly.
