Chaos In Venezuela, Chibok Reunion And Mitsubishi’s VW Moment

PNUT GALLERY

Donald Trump says he’s willing to talk to North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, which is pretty generous since he won’t even talk to Megyn Kelly. 

IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

Venezuela Turns Into A Showdown Between President And Parliament

Despite police resorting to brash force and tear-gas to break up multiple protests this week, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro still expects the opposition-controlled parliament and his other political rivals to soon “disappear.” Spoiler alert: that’s unlikely. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles has called on Venezuela’s military to choose between the constitution and Maduro, but the president remains defiant against parliament’s attempts to unseat him. Maduro declared a state of emergency last week which would have given him and the military greater powers. The National Assembly, led by Venezuela’s political opposition, voted to reject Maduro’s decree.

So What Happens Next? 

Maduro said he would ignore the Assembly’s decision and for now, he retains the upper hand. The Assembly is collecting signatures for a referendum to recall Maduro for mismanagement – as is stipulated in their constitution – but because the Supreme Court is still largely in favor of Maduro’s government, he can overrule parliament and obstruct efforts to organize a recall vote. So much for a constitution. 

First Girl Found From The Chibok Abductions

Nigerian activists announced that one of the 219 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok has been found. A vigilante group discovered Amina Ali Darsha Nkeki with a baby in the Sambisa forest, on the outskirts of a Boko Haram stronghold. Nkeki was 17 when she was abducted two years ago, and despite a #BringBackOurGirls movement and sporadic leads, no one heard from the 219 captives until an apparent “proof of life” message was sent to the Nigerian government this year. Nkeki, now 19 years old and pregnant, told her rescuers that six of the girls have already died, while the others remain in the forest. 

Good Read: Pnut Summary On ISIS

NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

Mitsubishi’s Top Execs Are Dropping Like Flies

Weeks after Mitsubishi admitted it falsified fuel economy tests, President Tetsuo Aikawa and Vice President Ryugo Nakao will resign from their posts. The fudged tests affected at least 13 car models and go back a quarter of a century, causing the company’s stock value to plummet 32% in the last month. With top executives bowing out, the fallout only continues to widen. Meanwhile, Suzuki, another car company, also admitted to having some “issues” when it came to fuel efficiency tests.  

Portugal Ran Exclusively On Renewable Energy

In a milestone for Mother Earth and her allies, the entire country of Portugal managed to run on renewable energy for a record four days straight. The country got by on wind, solar and hydro-generated electricity for 107 hours without turning into a bunch of hippies about it. And they aren’t the only ones! Germany also reported that clean energy had powered almost all its electricity needs on Sunday. The transition process to renewable energy is clearly gaining momentum in Europe. “What seems extraordinary today will be commonplace in Europe in just a few years,” predicted James Watson, CEO of SolarPower Europe.

Federal Reserve Enjoys Showing Off To Rest Of World

The US Federal Reserve struck a particularly confident tone in their last meeting, indicating that if things continued to improve the way they were they might raise rates one more time in June. Their optimism is at odds with a presidential campaign that makes you feel like the sky is falling on our heads. The rest of the world looked on enviously as central banks in Europe and Japan are doing everything short of throwing money out of their window to get their economies started again. 

KEEPING OUR EYE ON…

Texas: The Lone Star State is poised to be the next battleground in the transgender fight for bathroom rights. Texas Governor Greg Abbott suggested he intends to rebuff the Obama administration’s promotion of transgender rights and work with North Carolina in the courtroom.

Diamonds: Nothing says love like a $50.6 million blue diamond. The 14.62 carat diamond – sold in a 20-minute auction – set a world record for a diamond sold at auction. The most valuable diamond record is still held by the legendary 105 carat Koh-I-Noor diamond.

Puerto Rico: Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said he struck a deal with the White House over an agreement that would let the island territory default. The island has been locked in a virtual “debtor’s prison” and has been unable to write off its debts and start anew.

LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

Finland Offers Saunas In Their Burger Kings

Many studies argue that fast food chains are healthier in Europe than they are in North America, but this brings the competition to a whole new level. Finland not only offers saunas in their parliament, but can offer a warm bath to those dining in the Burger King in Helsinki. “The sauna is for sweating it out, and our hamburgers taste all the better for it afterward,” said Hanne-Mari Ahonen, brand manager for Burger King.