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Staying informed about the latest news can be a real challenge. It’s so difficult, in fact, that we’ve taken the task off your plate by curating the most impactful, intriguing, or simply mind-boggling stories each week.
This week, the saying 'spoke too soon' really hits the mark. You might remember how last week’s column began by remarking on how quiet things had been, with no major incidents. But, just as we submitted the piece, a horrific attack in Kashmir set off a chain of events that threatened to push nuclear-powered India and Pakistan to the brink of war. More details on this escalating situation below, along with all the other significant news of the week.
10. A Terrorist Attack Escalated Tensions Between India and Pakistan
Kashmir, a breathtaking mountainous region in the Himalayas, is not only a stunning part of Asia but also one of the world’s most perilous flashpoints for a nuclear conflict. Divided between India and Pakistan, both of whom lay claim to the region, it is a place marked by constant unrest and a violent undercurrent.
Just last Thursday, after this column was finalized, that violence erupted in full force. A suicide bomber targeted a convoy of Indian security forces, setting off a car bomb that claimed the lives of 40 people. The Pakistani militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed took responsibility for the attack, marking the deadliest assault on Kashmir in decades.
As tragic as this attack was, the situation could escalate even further. India suspects that Jaish-e-Mohammed has ties to Pakistan’s intelligence services, raising the very real possibility of a war between two nuclear-armed nations.
Currently, India has imposed economic sanctions on Pakistan, but military action is still a possibility. Even a targeted strike against Jaish-e-Mohammed could provoke retaliation and potentially lead to a full-scale conflict.
9. 16 US States Sued to Halt Trump’s Border Wall
Late last week, President Donald Trump took the drastic step of declaring a national emergency to divert federal funds for his border wall. The fallout from this move dominated the news this week, with 16 US states filing lawsuits against the White House.
Trump’s declaration of a national emergency was always bound to be a hot-button issue. On the left, it’s seen as a symbol of racism, with many Democrats opposing the wall. On the right, it’s controversial because the construction will drain federal funds and require land seizures under eminent domain, a move that many Republicans, who advocate for limited government, find troubling.
Now, the matter has shifted to the US courts, with California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Virginia, and Michigan all filing lawsuits. If the case reaches the Supreme Court, it could establish a precedent for how executive power is used for years to come.
8. Brexit Started to Tear Apart the UK’s Leading Political Parties
Ah, Brexit. It’s the gift that just keeps on giving, like a never-ending case of malaria. With just a month left until the UK departs the European Union and no deal in sight, the tensions in Westminster are intensifying, nearing the breaking point.
On Monday, a crack appeared in the opposition Labour Party. Seven MPs, including former leadership contender Chuka Umunna, broke away due to Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of Brexit and a recent anti-Semitism scandal. They formed the Independent Group, a new, moderate political faction that didn’t exist just a week ago. The very next day, an eighth Labour MP joined them. Shortly after, three MPs from the ruling Conservative Party defected, criticizing Theresa May for being controlled by Brexit extremists.
The Independent Group is now the fourth-largest party in the UK Parliament, trailing only the Conservatives, Labour, and the Scottish National Party, and tied with the Liberal Democrats.
In a 650-seat House of Commons, 11 MPs doesn’t hold much weight, but it’s the potential implications for the future that matter. Talks are already swirling about more Conservatives possibly defecting. If it appears that the UK is on the brink of a no-deal Brexit, the Independent Group could quickly grow in size.
7. A Surge of Anti-Semitism Gripped France
France hosts the largest Jewish community outside Israel and the United States. Unfortunately, there are those who don’t view this as something to celebrate, and their numbers seem to be increasing. This week, a surge of anti-Semitic incidents across the nation sparked tens of thousands to hit the streets in protest.
The attacks followed the usual pattern of hate that comes with such troubling events. In Alsace, a Jewish cemetery was desecrated with swastikas. The German word for 'Jew' was spray-painted on a bakery. A synagogue was shot at with an air rifle. More swastikas were scrawled on a picture of a Holocaust survivor in Paris. And a tree planted in memory of a Jewish man tortured to death was cut down.
Perhaps most concerning, this anti-Semitic sentiment appears to have found a foothold within the yellow vest protest movement. Over the weekend, a group of yellow vests surrounded a well-known Jewish philosopher and subjected him to verbal abuse.
6. A Well-Known Actor Was Charged With Staging His Homophobic Attack
This was a scandal that few of us could have predicted. On January 29, *Empire* actor Jussie Smollett claimed he had been attacked in a racist and homophobic assault that involved a noose being placed around his neck. It was the kind of tragic story that sadly isn’t unusual, but Smollett’s version came with an unexpected twist.
This Thursday, Smollett was officially arrested by the Chicago police. The reason? Authorities now believe that he staged the attack himself, though the motive remains unclear.
It’s alleged that Smollett knew his two assailants and may have paid them to carry out the assault. Additionally, he’s been charged with sending a threatening letter to the *Empire* studio. Smollett strongly denies all allegations.
5. The Voter Fraud Case in North Carolina’s 9th District Has Grown Even Larger
Do you remember the 2018 midterms? When all the votes were tallied, the race for North Carolina’s 9th district was left hanging. Despite Republican candidate Mark Harris winning by 905 votes, the results were left uncertified.
This was due to credible claims of voter fraud that emerged shortly after the election. Harris was accused of using a firm to collect absentee ballots by hand across various towns, a practice that’s already illegal under North Carolina law. Further accusations followed, suggesting that Harris’s team may have deliberately ‘misplaced’ or failed to pick up absentee ballots for Democrat Dan McCready. There were even rumors that Harris’s operatives might have filled out absentee ballots themselves.
On Monday, the executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections presented evidence indicating that voter fraud likely occurred. Though not definitive, the evidence seemed plausible enough that the state election board’s five members unanimously ordered a new election on Thursday afternoon.
4. A Deadly Fire in Bangladesh Claimed the Lives of Around 80 People
Chawkbazar is an ancient district in Dhaka, Bangladesh, home to everything from homes and shops to businesses storing propane in dangerously unsafe conditions. It’s this last detail that has brought it to the news. Late Wednesday night, a fire erupted in Chawkbazar, quickly claiming the lives of around 80 people.
Buildings in Chawkbazar are built in such close proximity to each other that mere inches separate them, which allowed the fire to spread rapidly. After a minibus caught fire near a chemical store, an explosion ignited half the district. By Thursday morning, 78 deaths were confirmed, with many more still unaccounted for.
Dhaka has a history of deadly fires. A fire in 2010, which killed over 100 people, was also attributed to the storage of hazardous chemicals in residential areas. Unfortunately, it seems no lessons were learned from that tragedy.
3. A Shocking Attack Disrupted Nigeria’s Elections
Last Friday, the Nigerian government made an unexpected move, postponing the country's elections by a week due to violence. When questioned about the delay, officials pointed to an attack on a Muslim minority group in Kaduna state earlier that week.
Initially, the attack was reported to have resulted in a significant number of deaths. By Friday, the toll had reached 66, but by Tuesday, the final count was staggeringly high—over 130 people had been killed, making it comparable to the tragic 2015 Paris attacks. The state governor described the assault as a deliberate attempt to 'wipe out certain communities.'
Back in October, violence in the same area had claimed 55 lives, mostly from local Christian communities. This most recent attack, which targeted two villages simultaneously, was believed to be an act of revenge.
If this is indeed the case, the situation has escalated. With 130 people dead, it seems that Kaduna could be trapped in an ongoing cycle of intense ethnic violence.
2. The Supreme Court Brought Down the Hammer on Civil Forfeiture
Civil asset forfeiture has been one of the most controversial practices in a country that claims to champion individual rights. In essence, state and local governments have the authority to seize your property if they suspect you’ve committed a crime. In some instances, this has meant taking anything and everything, even if the crime was minor or if the person hasn’t been proven guilty.
Although the inherent unfairness of civil asset forfeiture hasn’t entirely been addressed, this week the Supreme Court made a significant move. In a unanimous decision, the Court ruled that civil asset forfeiture is covered by the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause, which prevents governments or corporations from imposing fines that are unreasonably harsh. Moving forward, whenever the state takes your property, they’ll be required to go to court and justify their actions.
Some of the instances of civil asset forfeiture abuse have been absolutely shocking. For example, the plaintiff in this case had been fined $1,200 for selling $225 worth of heroin, but his $42,000 Land Rover was also seized. The vehicle had been purchased with his father’s life insurance money, not drug proceeds.
1. Bernie Sanders Announced His 2020 Presidential Run
Back in the charged political climate of 2016, it seemed for a moment that both major parties might have a populist outsider as their nominee: Donald Trump for the Republicans and Bernie Sanders for the Democrats.
Of course, that didn’t come to pass. Hillary Clinton secured the Southern Democrats’ votes and, with some assistance from the anti-Bernie faction of the DNC, clinched the nomination before ultimately losing in the general election. Since then, many Democrats have been left asking, “Could Bernie have won? Could Bernie have beaten Trump?”
We may be closer to an answer. On Tuesday, the Democratic Socialist from Vermont announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination once again. Within just a day, he had already raised over $5.9 million in donations.
Sanders is a well-established figure with a dedicated following and impressive fundraising abilities. If he secures the nomination, he could perform strongly in the Midwest states Trump claimed in 2016. However, Bernie faces increased competition from the left this time around, a challenge he didn’t encounter in 2016.
