Buzz
In today’s lightning-fast political world, staying up to date with every major event can feel like an impossible task. Allow us to do the heavy lifting. Every Friday, Mytour compiles the most crucial stories of the week, ranging from world-shifting developments to shocking revelations, and even stories that inspire.
After a six-month break, Morris M. returns to navigate through the media chaos in search of the elusive creature known as “news.” This week, in the first revamped edition of the long-missed “Mind-Blowing Things that Happened this Week” column, we’ll be heading to Bolivia to watch the president flee into exile, diving into the Hong Kong protests to unravel the complexities, and checking in on the UK as populist figure Nigel Farage makes an unholy alliance. Buckle up for a wild ride.
10. Bolivia’s President Flees Into Exile
Not long ago, Evo Morales was a global sensation. Bolivia’s first indigenous president, he rose to power with widespread public backing, then spent his constitutionally-limited two terms improving the lives of the nation’s poorest citizens.
After Morales' second term ended, he sought more power. Following a constitutional amendment in 2016, he ran for a fourth term this year. When he was declared the winner despite widespread voting irregularities, the people of Bolivia had had enough. The streets erupted in protests and riots that continued until Morales stepped down on Sunday. He has since sought refuge in Mexico, along with much of his cabinet.
In the wake of Morales' departure, opposition senator Jeanine Áñez stepped into the role of president, making history as Bolivia's first female leader. She now has 90 days to organize new elections. The direction the country takes in the post-Morales era will undoubtedly be the central issue in the upcoming vote.
9. Brazil’s Former President Released from Prison
Continuing our focus on Latin America, another significant political development took place over the weekend. While Morales faced entirely negative news, Brazil's former president Lula experienced a much more positive turn. After serving 18 months of a 12-year sentence on corruption charges, the left-wing leader was freed last Friday after a Supreme Court ruling (LINK 2).
Lula's imprisonment marked a pivotal moment in Brazil's modern history. When judge Sérgio Moro issued the sentence, Lula was preparing to run for president and was the clear favorite to win. Instead, he was imprisoned, clearing the way for the rise of right-wing populist Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro later appointed Moro as his justice minister, which made it easier for Lula’s lawyers to argue that the conviction was politically motivated. This ultimately led to his release.
Lula's return has thrown Brazilian politics into chaos. While other charges against him remain, he’s arguably the only left-wing figure capable of mobilizing a popular movement comparable to Bolsonaro’s right-wing following. It will be fascinating to watch how this unfolds.
8. Chile’s Ongoing Violent Protests
On October 14, a metro fare increase in Santiago, Chile, ignited nationwide protests against inequality and the privileged elites. When demonstrators refused to disperse after the fare hike was canceled, the police responded with brutal force. This triggered widespread riots, and what was once a stable nation turned into a volatile battleground.
This week, the situation in Chile took a darker turn. A New York Times video report uncovered an 'epidemic' of protesters being blinded by police. Meanwhile, a report from Chile's human rights institute revealed that 20 people had been killed in the protests and over 2,000 wounded, including 1,000 shot by police.
However, the most horrifying news involves nearly 300 civilians who claim to have been tortured by the police and military. In Chile, allegations of torture carry heavy historical significance due to the brutal dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, during which 40,000 people were abducted and abused by the security forces. Let’s hope we are not witnessing a return to those dark days.
7. Spain Held Its Second Pointless Election of the Year
After three stories from Latin America, we head north to another Spanish-speaking country (yes, we know Brazil doesn’t speak Spanish, but we’re not going to let that derail this smooth transition). This time, we're focusing on Spain, where voters went to the polls again on Sunday after an April election failed to produce a functional government. So once more, they voted. And once more, it ended in defeat for everyone.
Pedro Sánchez, leader of the Socialist Workers' Party, called for the election after winning in April but falling short of the majority needed to govern. He had hoped that voters would grant him a boost to secure a clear victory. Instead, his party lost three seats, ending up with just 120, still well short of the 176 required for a majority. It wasn’t much better for his right-wing opponents. The conservative People's Party gained 22 seats, but still came in second with only 88 seats. The only group celebrating was the far-right Vox, which rose by 28 seats to secure 52.
Sánchez has now struck a coalition deal with the populist party Unidas Podemos. However, this still leaves him 21 seats short of a majority. The odds are high that Spain will face yet another election within the next year.
6. Venice Was Submerged
As a city built on a lagoon, Venice is no stranger to flooding. But there's a difference between routine flooding and the chaos that occurred this week. After severe weather hit on Tuesday, the water levels began to rise. By the time it stopped, the waters had surged to 187cm, marking the second worst flood the city has ever faced.
The result was a city that was essentially drowning. Iconic squares were submerged, and centuries-old buildings took a heavy toll. Around the world, images showed people precariously walking across wooden planks to stay above the floodwaters. Tragically, at least two deaths have been reported so far.
Though the waters didn’t quite reach the record-breaking 1966 flood levels, they came dangerously close. The mayor of Venice has pointed to climate change as the cause of the disaster. If that's true, we can likely expect more floods of this magnitude in the future.
5. Australia Engulfed in Flames
While Venice was submerged, on the other side of the globe, Australia watched in horror as fires ravaged the east coast. Over the past week or so, massive wildfires tore through the bush, consuming suburbs and isolated towns. Firefighters fought desperately to control the blazes, while about 300 homes were destroyed and at least four people lost their lives. And the worst part? The worst may still be yet to come.
Parts of Australia are currently enduring an intense dry spell that has supercharged the spread of bushfires. On Tuesday, the greater Sydney area was hit with its first-ever 'catastrophic' fire warning in history. Unfortunately, with temperatures set to climb again this weekend, there's concern that the fires could worsen.
Much like in Venice, many, including a group of former fire chiefs, have attributed the ongoing disaster to climate change. However, the government under Scott Morrison has a different view.
4. We Observed a Hyperfast Star Being Ejected from our Galaxy
Ah, space. Both the ultimate frontier and a reliable escape from Earth's ongoing string of calamities. This week, the big news from the cosmos was that scientists detected an ultra-fast star, traveling at 1,700km per second, escaping from our galaxy (for context, a bullet only reaches about 1.5km per second). However, the journey of this star was far from peaceful. Its trajectory was the aftermath of an unimaginable catastrophe.
The star, named S5-HVS1, is believed to have once been part of a binary system that ventured too close to the center of our galaxy. This is problematic because at the galactic core lies a massive black hole. At some point, the companion star of S5-HVS1 was swallowed by the black hole, and the immense force sent S5-HVS1 hurtling away at extraordinary speeds.
This marks the first-ever discovery of evidence supporting the Hills mechanism, which suggests that black holes can eject stars from the Milky Way. As for S5-HVS1, it is now destined to drift through the vast emptiness between galaxies until it ultimately burns out.
3. The First Day of Impeachment Hearings Dropped a Bombshell
And at long last, they have arrived—the first public impeachment hearings since Bill Clinton was in the White House. When this column last concluded (under its previous, less glamorous name), few Democrats were willing to even hint at the word 'impeachment' in public.
But times have changed, and scandals involving Ukraine have exploded unexpectedly. So, on Wednesday, the first public hearings for Donald Trump's impeachment took place. As soon as the cameras began rolling, the first major revelation was made.
During his testimony, William Taylor, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, revealed that one of his aides overheard a phone conversation between Trump and EU ambassador Gordon Sondland. The conversation allegedly involved Trump expressing concern over Ukraine not launching an investigation into Hunter Biden—a quid pro quo that Trump allegedly demanded in exchange for resuming military aid. Taylor also claimed that Sondland told his aide, 'President Trump cares more about the investigations of Biden than Ukraine.'
At this point, each day seems to bring more troubling news for Trump, further intensifying the scandal that now surrounds him. While it's highly unlikely the Senate will actually convict him, the continued emergence of details like these could tarnish his reputation. Expect more updates from these hearings in future columns. Ah, it feels so good to be back.
2. Hong Kong’s Protests Flared Up Again
Since August 2019, Hong Kong has been gripped by widespread protests initially sparked by an extradition agreement with China and Taiwan, but which have since evolved into a broader battle for democracy. With the protests still ongoing and this column on hiatus, now seems like the perfect moment to revisit the issue.
After months of violent clashes and property damage, the protests in recent weeks have shifted focus to several university campuses, where protesters have constructed barricades and effectively taken control of the buildings. On Tuesday, the Chinese University of Hong Kong became the site of the worst violence since the protests began, with police firing over 1,500 tear gas canisters. In response, protesters are said to be stockpiling petrol bombs. Meanwhile, Chinese state media has warned Hong Kong that it’s on 'the edge of doom.'
With the violence showing no sign of slowing, many expats and international students are now fleeing the region. Meanwhile, the economy is reportedly suffering as tourists stay away.
1. The UK’s Brexit Party Threw the Tories an Election Lifeline
On November 4, headlines blared, 'Brexit Party to contest more than 600 seats.' Nigel Farage, the professional pub bore, proudly announced that his newly-formed political party would challenge nearly every seat in the upcoming UK general election. He famously dismissed the idea of stepping aside to let the Conservative Party run unopposed in Leave-voting areas, stating, 'What kind of conceited arrogance is this?'
However, in politics, a week can bring monumental changes, and hypocrisy, as ever, remains immortal. On November 11, Farage delivered a speech that was so tone-deaf it felt like audio whiplash. The Brexit Party would no longer be contesting 317 seats across Britain. The reason? To give the Conservative Party a clear path.
This unexpected move stemmed from the chaotic unpredictability of the UK’s first winter election in decades. Farage clearly sees a Boris Johnson victory as the key to securing a hard Brexit. But his about-face sparked anger, especially among members of his own party, who accused him of betraying them.
