June 29, 2016

Terror In Istanbul, Benghazi Report And More Brexit

 

 

PNUT GALLERY

If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime in front of a parrot. Prosecutors are calling on a not-so-bird-brained African grey parrot to be a witness in a murder case.

IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

Deadly Attack On Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport 

At least 36 people are dead and 140 more are injured from last night’s attack on Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul. Chaos and confusion spread throughout the airport, which is the third busiest in Europe after Heathrow in London and Charles de Gaulle in Paris. Though original reports claimed suicide bombers detonated inside a security checkpoint inside the airport, it is now believed explosions went off outside the building at an entry point while a shooter opened fire with an automatic weapon. 

Who is doing this?

While no group stepped forward, witnesses are describing the violence as a well-coordinated assault that must have required serious planning. The Turkish government will most likely point the finger at Kurdish separatists but the attack bears the hallmarks of an ever encroaching ISIS presence in the country. Both groups have carried out several attacks in Turkey this year. Be sure to follow Daily Pnut on Twitter for more updates. 

Pnut Read: The Origins Of ISIS

US Republicans Pen 800-Page Teen Drama Called ‘Benghazi’

In the time it takes George R.R. Martin to write a paragraph, a Republican-led Congressional panel whipped up an 800-page report that accuses the Obama administration and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of failing to protect diplomats in the 2012 attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans. Democrats are calling the document – which took two years to write and $7.1 million to research – a bitterly partisan vendetta and an attempt to stall Clinton’s political momentum ahead of the elections. While House Speaker Paul Ryan is leveraging the document to disqualify Clinton’s bid for President, the 800-page sequel doesn’t contradict any of the conclusions of the multiple, earlier investigations and doesn’t tell us anything new. 

#pnut4prez: Our Guide To The Campaign Trail

NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

Brexit: Because What Else Could We Talk About?

Britain got some good news yesterday as the pound bounced back a bit giving everyone a deep sigh of relief. Not a people to get too comfortable with good news, things promptly took a more chaotic turn with the opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn losing a non-binding no-confidence vote by MPs within his own party. They never really liked him anyway. Meanwhile, anti-EU far-right UKIP leader Nigel Farage went to the European Parliament to trade silly insults with other parliamentarians. At some point European Commission leader Jean-Claude Juncker asked him if why he voted to leave was he then still gracing them with his presence. Well, for all of Farage’s complaints about the EU’s lack of democratic accountability, he actually doesn’t have a seat in the UK parliament, so he’s got nowhere else to go really.

Pnut Read: Brexit In A Nutshell

Pakistani Clerics Might Be Cooler Than You Think

History was made after a group of 50 Muslim clerics in Pakistan issued a fatwa that says transgender people have a right to marry and obtain religious burials under Islamic law. While fatwas are not legally binding, they do hold a large cultural influence which makes this a step in the right direction. The ruling comes after immense pressure from activists to combat anti-trans violence following the death of a 23-year-old trans woman named Alisha who was refused treatment at a hospital after being shot last month. The fatwa also objects to harassing transgender people, arguing that hurting a trans person goes against Sharia Law.  

IKEA: Turns Out The Problem Actually Was The Manual

Swedish meatball manufacturer and occasional furniture company recalled 36 million chests and drawers after six deaths were linked to faulty design. Turns out that you actually have to take those last two steps and anchor the furniture to the wall in case kids or your drunk friends decide to swing on the drawers. So, on second thought, the problem isn’t the manual… it’s still you.   

KEEPING OUR EYE ON…

Pat Summit: The legendary basketball coach died at age 64, after a five-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Summit was considered a pioneer in women’s sports, having led Tennessee’s women’s basketball team to eight national championships.  

Mexico: A new report from Amnesty International claims Mexican security services arrested and tortured hundreds of women to boost arrest figures to justify the war on drugs. So far, only a handful of the law enforcement behind the illegal arrests have been prosecuted. 

Rio Olympics: Top golfer Jason Day is backing out of the Rio Olympics, citing fears of contracting the Zika virus. Athletes have begun to drop out of the competition in increasing numbers as health officials still claim risks.

LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

Romanians Willing To ‘Adopt’ Brits In Need Of EU Passport

Are you a Brit missing the EU already? A Bucharest newspaper launched Romanians for Remanians, an “adoption service” for the 48% of voters who wanted to stay. The newspaper is encouraging Romanian citizens to have a heart and help those that are in dire need of an EU passport. The campaign will connect “loving Romanian families” to the needy Brits and help them apply for Romanian IDs. However, these charitable Romanians haven’t yet confirmed whether they will work with the Regrexit crowd: those who voted for Brexit but now regret it. 

  

Yes, I want to sound marginally more intelligent: