Buzz
Staying on top of the news is no easy feat. In fact, it’s so challenging that we’ve taken it upon ourselves to gather the most jaw-dropping happenings each month. In March, the US headlines were dominated by the ongoing healthcare saga. Meanwhile, across the globe, events unfolded that were bizarre, momentous, and unsettling all at once.
10. Scottish Independence Made a Fierce Comeback
In September 2014, after a 55-45 vote in favor of staying within the UK, Prime Minister David Cameron proclaimed that the issue of Scottish independence was resolved 'for a generation.'
In March 2017, the Scottish parliament passed a bill allowing a new independence referendum. That’s possibly the briefest 'generation' in history.
So, what triggered this?
It all comes back to the driving force of British politics: Brexit. When the UK voted to leave the EU, Scotland overwhelmingly voted to stay, with a 62-38 split. One of the major arguments against independence in 2014 was that it would pull Scotland out of the EU. But with Scotland being dragged out regardless, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon felt the need to push for 'indyref2.'
Scotland, however, doesn't have the authority to call a referendum on its own. That’s up to London, and Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted it won't take place until after Brexit. But given the intense emotions in Scotland, she might not have much choice in the matter. Our prediction: Scotland will soon be a fully independent nation. (Sorry, Catalonia.)
9. Northern Ireland Began to Slip Into Chaos
From 1968 to 1998, Northern Ireland was devastated by an urban guerrilla conflict between Irish Republican Catholics and Ulster loyalist Protestants, resulting in 3,600 deaths. Following the Good Friday Agreement, a power-sharing executive was established at Stormont, with both sides required to govern jointly at all times.
In March 2017, the Republican party Sinn Fein refused to engage in post-election discussions with the loyalist Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). As a consequence, the government of Northern Ireland collapsed.
The situation is complex. In the previous administration, the DUP was entangled in a financial scandal over heating subsidies. Sinn Fein resigned in protest, leading to the calling of an election.
The DUP narrowly defeated Sinn Fein but ended up outnumbered by the various Republican parties in Stormont. Encouraged by their position, Sinn Fein made issues like gay marriage a non-negotiable condition for power-sharing. The DUP stood firm in refusal, leading to a walkout.
With the formation of a government now unfeasible, Northern Ireland might be placed back under direct rule from London. This would undermine the Good Friday Agreement and raise the unsettling possibility of a return to the darkest chapters of the conflict.
8. The Tasmanian Tiger May Have Made a Comeback (Maybe)
In 1936, the last known Tasmanian tiger passed away at Hobart Zoo in Australia. Or did it?
Jump to 2017, and a surge of reports from reliable witnesses has sparked Australian researchers to consider an intriguing possibility: the Tasmanian tiger may still be thriving.
Reports of thylacine sightings are surprisingly frequent. One estimate suggests that at least 3,000 Australians alive today claim to have spotted one. What makes this case unique is the credibility of those reporting the sightings.
One of the witnesses was a seasoned camper and woodsman, well-versed in distinguishing dingoes from thylacines. Another was a ranger with the Queensland National Parks Service. Yes, Queensland. Despite the name, the Tasmanian tiger could very well be residing on mainland Australia today.
If thylacines were rediscovered, it would be a monumental victory for biodiversity. Fortunately, such remarkable comebacks have happened before. In 2013, the night parrot was photographed in Western Australia nearly a century after being declared extinct.
7. We Moved Closer to Overcoming Paralysis
For many, it would be the ultimate nightmare: suffering a spinal injury and suddenly losing the ability to move or feel anything below the neck. Yet, this medical tragedy may soon be a thing of the past. For the first time, a groundbreaking neuroprosthetic procedure has allowed a paralyzed man to move his arm simply by thinking about it.
To say this is remarkable would be an understatement. In the past, paralyzed patients had to rely on their remaining muscle movements—a subtle twitch of an eyelid, for example—to communicate with a computer. Bill Kochevar, however, only needs to think about it.
After undergoing experimental surgery at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, Kochevar now has brain implants that send signals to a computer, which then instructs his arm to move. The process is slow (it took Kochevar four months to train his brain), but the breakthrough is promising. This could potentially be the first step toward a world where paralysis is no longer an obstacle.
6. Spain’s Last Homegrown Terrorist Group Disbanded
The initials ETA were once as feared as those of the IRA. This Basque separatist group engaged in a campaign of bombings and assassinations against Spain from 1968 until 2011.
At their peak, they managed to assassinate Prime Minister Luis Carrero Blanco and carry out bomb attacks that claimed dozens of lives. Between 800 and 1,000 people perished during their reign of terror. Although the group ceased its violent actions in 2011, they had never formally disarmed. Until now.
On March 17, 2017, ETA issued a statement through the nonviolent Basque independence group Bizi, announcing that ETA was surrendering its weapons. The guns and bombs would be handed over to Bizi, who would then transfer them to the authorities by April 8. When that happens, Spain’s last homegrown terrorist group will officially dissolve.
Although ETA hasn’t carried out any major acts of violence since 2006, this still marks a significant achievement in the fight against terrorism. As the world grapples with increasing Islamist attacks, it’s reassuring to know that even the most enduring terror groups are not invincible.
5. The Dutch Elections Marked a Setback for Populism
2017 was a pivotal year for European elections, and many had already predicted the outcome. After the populist successes of Brexit and Trump, far-right leader Geert Wilders was expected to dominate the Dutch elections, Marine Le Pen was poised to win the French presidency, and Alternative für Deutschland was set to finally dethrone Angela Merkel.
While two of those predictions might still come true, the first one dramatically failed to come to pass. After leading the polls for months, Geert Wilders brought his anti-immigration, anti-EU PVV into the Dutch elections . . . and then lost to Mark Rutte’s centrist VVD party.
This wasn't a complete defeat for Wilders, however. The Netherlands allocates its 150 parliamentary seats based on the popular vote, so securing second place out of more than 10 parties is still quite an achievement.
On the flip side, Wilders’s 20 seats were just one more than the centrist CDA and D66 parties, both of which earned 19 seats each. Combine the votes from the VVD, CDA, and D66, and it begins to look less like a populist victory and more like a Dutch preference for moderate options.
4. Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Most Iconic Pioneer Passed Away
Without Chuck Berry, modern popular music wouldn't exist. It’s really that straightforward.
At the start of the 1950s, Berry was an ex-convict working as a cosmetician, on the cusp of turning 30. By the end of the decade, he had transformed music for an entire generation.
He not only made black music appealing to white audiences but turned it into something they eagerly embraced. He released songs that resonated with the rebellious spirit of America’s postwar youth. His influence on countless musicians is undeniable. But perhaps most importantly, his records remain timeless today.
Chuck Berry’s death on March 18, 2017, wasn’t exactly unexpected. At 90 years old, he had lived a life as intense as anyone's. Yet his passing still cast a somber shadow over the music world.
Berry was more than just a singer—he was a trailblazer who redefined the entire genre. As John Lennon once remarked, “If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry.”
3. Terror Strikes London Again
The last time London endured a multiple-casualty terror attack was in the summer of 2005, when four Islamist militants carried out suicide bombings on the Tube and a bus, claiming 52 lives.
Following the 7/7 attacks, Britain significantly strengthened its counterterrorism measures. New strategies were implemented, and efforts were made to build stronger connections with marginalized Muslim communities. The results were effective.
For nearly 12 years, London had only seen one Islamist-related death when soldier Lee Rigby was brutally murdered by two Al-Qaeda affiliates. Then, on March 22, 2017, that long period of peace was violently broken.
On that afternoon, an Islamic extremist drove a car into a crowd of tourists outside Westminster, killing three and injuring 50. He then stabbed a policeman to death outside the House of Commons before being shot and killed.
The choice of location for the attack was deliberate. The House of Commons, the heart of British democracy, was targeted for its symbolic significance. However, the response proved that British democracy was stronger than the actions of one criminal.
Just a week after the attack, thousands of Londoners gathered on Westminster Bridge for a vigil. Muslim schoolgirls, Jewish elders, black policemen, Asian students, white workers, and tourists from around the globe stood united to show that London is a city that evil can never divide.
In times of darkness, it’s reassuring to remember that humanity can still come together in solidarity.
2. Washington Was Shaken by Leaks, Counter-Leaks, and Impending Scandals
The events emerging from Washington last month could have filled this entire list (again). While we won’t recount every significant development from the new administration, there is one story that stands out and deserves your attention.
Why? Because it implies that either the 45th or 44th US president now finds himself at the heart of a political maelstrom that could make Watergate seem like a mild breeze.
Here are the facts: The FBI is investigating potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to sway the last election. Meanwhile, the White House is pressuring Congress to probe Obama for “abuse of power,” claiming Trump was wiretapped by Obama. We now know that members of Trump’s campaign were ‘incidentally’ monitored during the Russia probe.
As more details continue to emerge, it seems there are only two plausible scenarios: Either Obama misused intelligence agencies as his own personal enforcers, or Trump worked with Putin to undermine US democracy.
Either scenario would outdo Watergate in scale. Both have the potential to tear the nation apart in a way not seen since the Civil War. And neither of these stories seems poised to vanish anytime soon.
1. Egypt’s Revolutionary Dream Came to an End
The past five years in Egypt have been nothing short of wild. In 2011, the nation saw the overthrow of its long-standing ruler, Hosni Mubarak. Just one year later, the Muslim Brotherhood claimed victory in Egypt’s first free election in decades.
However, the following year, a military coup ousted the Brotherhood and installed General Sisi as the new leader. His rise to power was soon met by a violent Islamist insurgency that has taken hundreds of lives.
As we said: pure chaos.
Amidst the chaos, one thing had kept the spirit of revolution alive: Mubarak remained in prison. The countless lives lost or vanished in 2011 seemed to not have been in vain. Or so it appeared.
However, in March 2017, a court cleared Mubarak of all charges and set the 88-year-old former dictator free, allowing him to return to his Cairo mansion. The last remnant of the Arab Spring had been cruelly extinguished.
For those who still believe in holding tyrants accountable for their wrongdoings, this was a gut-wrenching—though not entirely unexpected—blow. Mubarak was a tyrant, a murderer, and a thief. Yet now, he will die a free man, while the families of his victims are left with nothing.
