PNUT GALLERY

What would a Trump Presidency look like? Read our second installment of “The Man in the Trump Tower” where we imagine what his inauguration speech would be like. 

IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

New Hampshire: The Natural Place To Decide The Leader Of The Free World New Hampshire (population 1.3 million) will be the second state to help us decide who will be the next US president as voters head to their respective primaries today. Here’s the lowdown for you:

• Polling site FiveThirtyEight predicts a >99% chance that Bernie Sanders will take New Hampshire, putting him in the lead for the Democrats. Meanwhile, Politico reports possible chaos in the Clinton camp. 
• Trump is set to take NH for the republicans, leaving Cruz, Rubio, Bush, Kasich and Christie battling for second. The latter three need a decent showing in order to keep their campaigns alive (Jeb’s even called in Dubya to help him out).
• Billionaire tycoon Michael Bloomberg told the Financial Times (a Japanese owned British newspaper) that he is seriously considering an independent run, calling the discourse in the race “distressingly banal” and “an insult to voters.” Republicans are thrilled at the prospect.
• Jim Gilmore is still in the race. 

US To Give South Korea New Toys, Angering China
A few days after North Korea launched a rocket into space the US announced that it might give the South Koreans a missile defense system to protect it against the North (winter is here). China, North Korea’s close ally, isn’t too happy at the deployment of such an advanced defense system so close to its border. The US is hoping the threat of such a system might “encourage” China to rebuke North Korea… Hopefully it works. 

NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

Haiti: Because Who Needs A President? Haitian President Michel Martelly stepped down and gave a farewell address to the Haitian National Assembly… only problem is, there is no one to replace him. Elections for his successor have been delayed twice due to fraud, violence and a general boycott of a process seen as corrupt by most Haitians. The country will be governed by an interim president until they sort things out.

GOOD FICTION BOOK:  Island Beneath the Sea: A Novel (P.S.) by Isabel Allende

Trouble In Greece Threatens To Bring Back Greek Dra(ch)ma PunsRumors that a planned Greek bailout review might not go according to plan has sent the Greek stock market tumbling, with bank stocks down ~24% in a day. The country’s far-left government struggles to pass harsh austerity measures and reverse the country’s depression after a bout of brinkmanship over the summer left the banks shut down for several weeks. With the EU still struggling with the refugee crisis (where Greece is also involved) no one has the stomach for another bailout drama. 

Keeping Our Eye On…

• Turbans: An American Sikh actor wasn’t allowed to board an AeroMexico flight because he refused to take off his turban during a security check. The airline has, so far, refused to apologize. 
• Chinese New Year: Hong Kong celebrated the Chinese New Year with a riot as police clashed with protesters when they tried to clear the street of unlicensed food vendors.  
• Zika: Obama asked Congress for $1.8 billion to help fight the Zika virus. Judging from how well those two get along we expect the Zika virus to continue spreading. 

LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

Drone Vs. Eagle… Eagle Wins Holland’s police forces have begun the use of “trained eagles” (sounds terrifying) to take down drones used by criminals (no really, see the video here). Apparently drones display poor “avian manners” making them annoying enough to the eagles who then rip them out of the sky. The initiative is so successful, Scotland Yard is taking notice and might begin its own eagles program soon. 

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