Elections Have Consequences

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After a year completely cut off and in the wilderness, imagine re-emerging to find a world where Donald Trump is US president, Britain is leaving the EU, and Leicester won the Premier League. Yes, that’s what happened to these folks.

 
 
 
IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ
 

Putin Critic Killed in Ukraine: Reminiscent of the Soviet Union days, when political assassinations were as frequent as long bread lines, Denis Voronenkov, former Russian Member of Parliament and vocal Putin critic, was shot on a busy street in central Kiev. Older Russians might see this as a much easier way to go into the light than say, Trotsky’s assassination via ice pick. Voronenkov used to serve in the Duma, Russia’s parliament, and was a member of the Russian Communist Party before fleeing to Ukraine in 2016, where he was granted citizenship over fears his life was under threat by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine, which is embroiled in a fierce geopolitical stand-off with its largest neighbor over territorial matters including the Crimean Peninsula, has made it a habit to harbor critics of Putin who flee Russia. Given the strained relationship between the two nations, it isn’t surprising that Petro Poroshenko, Ukrainian President and Kremlin-foe, quickly pointed the finger at Russia over the killing, claiming the shooting was an act of “state terrorism.” A Putin spokesperson however, rejected such claims. No further information at the time of this writing was available about the shooter, who was fatally injured by Voronenkov’s bodyguard.

The incident is unfortunately reminiscent of the assassination of Russian opposition leader and (of course) Putin critic Boris Nemtsov, who was gunned down in central Moscow in February 2015. While Russian police did make arrests and charged two men from the Northern Caucasus region with the murder, many observers have questioned their motives, with some going as far as calling the proceedings a cover-up.  

 
 
 
NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ
 

Dear International Community, Four Countries Are Still Starving: Last month, Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, warned that 20 million people would fall into famine in four countries if UN agencies did not raise $4.4 billion by the end of March. That deadline is near and thus far, the United Nations has received $423 million, less than a tenth of the money requested. For all four countries at risk—Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen—the United States (usually the largest UN donor) has so far this year contributed $277 million, though not all of these funds are earmarked for famine relief.

The conditions for famine are specific and not easy to meet, which is why the last time a famine was declared was in Somalia in July 2011, after 260,000 died of hunger and related complications. In Northern Nigeria, famine could already be underway, and famine has already been declared for large portions of South Sudan. Both Somalia and Yemen are at acute risk for famine. Somalia is reeling from years of conflict and homegrown terrorism and in Yemen, Houthi insurgents are battling a Saudi-led coalition supported by the United States and Britain.

The $4.4 billion request by the UN will enable its agencies to deliver food, clean water, and basic medicine like oral rehydration salts to prevent diarrhea deaths among children. To put the $4.4 billion figure in perspective, Britain has earned about the same amount–$4.1 billion–from weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in the two years since the war began in Yemen. It is less than a tenth of the $54 billion increase that President Trump is requesting for the United States military budget. $4.4 billion is 9 percent of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth, and about 12 percent of Harvard University’s “lagging” endowment.

 
 
 
KEEPING OUR EYE ON
 

The Republican Civil War: In a classic case of governing is harder than electioneering, the Republican party faces a critical test on Friday. Late Thursday night, Trump issued a Trumpian ultimatum and told House Republicans that he wanted a vote today on the new healthcare bill. The magic number is 22, as no more than that can say no in order for the bill to move onto the Senate.

The current bill is complicated, with critics echoing remarks from seven years when Obamacare was passed, that the people voting haven’t even read the bill and don’t understand the implications of passing it. Even if the bill survives, it will cause significant heartburn (mentally, politically, and perhaps also physically) not just to Democrats but also to Republicans. The current bill does not cover mental health, prescription drugs, or maternity care. Because we all know mental health is not an issue in the US, that we don’t need coverage for prescription drugs, and who needs babies, anyways? Besides, having babies should be expensive!

Even if the bill squeaks through the House, it will face significant obstacles in the Senate. When we wrote Civil War, we weren’t talking about a Marvel movie. But please pass the popcorn because today is going to be entertaining. And already Republican infighting has started. At last count the bill was not likely to pass in the House. The Daily Pnut writing team believes it will not pass. We will begin keeping a running tally of our political prognostications to see just how spidey accurate our political senses are.

All of Europe on High Alert: A day after the London attack on Parliament, Belgian police arrested a French national who attempted to drive into a busy shopping area in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The city’s police chief Serge Muyters confirmed that they are treating the incident as a potential terrorist attack.

Belgian prosecutors later confirmed that automatic rifles, knives, and handguns were taken from the vehicle. The man, who is currently being questioned by Belgian police, was also wearing military clothing, leading to the conclusion that a bigger attack was being planned. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said that he was “monitoring the situation very closely” and that extra police had been deployed.  

 
 
 
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