PNUT GALLERY

Barack Obama’s got jokes! The President had his best White House Correspondents Dinner performance on Saturday night poking fun at Republicans, Hillary Clinton and how much he has aged on the job. You can watch the full speech here.

IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

Iraqi Parliament Gets As Chaotic As Rest Of The CountryTired of government inaction and general incompetence, Shiite protesters in Iraq stormed the Iraqi parliament, ransacking the building and holding a temporary sit-in before finally starting to withdraw. But this isn’t exactly a “people’s uprising” trying to hold the government accountable. Many of the protesters are supporters of Shiite Cleric Moqtada Sadr who plays a crucial role in the anti-ISIS fight but is also highly complicit in the ethnic cleansing of Iraqi Sunnis since the US invasion in 2003.  
What does this mean?Optimists will say that this weekend’s sit-in could break a deadlock in Iraq’s parliament and push the government to enact much needed reform. Pessimists say that this is just another division that threatens to bring down what is left of the Iraqi state. It is probably too early to tell either way. 

Battle For Aleppo Reignites Syrian Civil WarThe Syrian Civil War around the city of Aleppo heated up over the weekend following the collapse of a ceasefire brokered by world powers. Government forces bombed hospitals late last week and tried to push rebels out of parts of the city. Rebels responded by shelling government controlled districts. Control of Aleppo is symbolically and strategically important for both sides. Already a humanitarian disaster, the recent fighting has made things exponentially worse for civilians still trapped in the city. 
GOOD READ: The Importance Of Aleppo Via VOX

NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

Just How Naughty Have China, Japan And Germany Been? The US put China, Japan and Germany on an economic naughty list for possible currency manipulations that give them an unfair trade advantage. The news comes during the ongoing presidential election where some candidates have made similar claims and after a weak Q1 due partially to a stronger dollar. Germany and China have become particularly addicted to having trade surpluses with the US, and it looks like the US is getting fed up with it.  

Everyday Is Throwback Thursday For Germany’s AfD Party  Clashes between left-wing protesters and the supporters of the new right-wing German party Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) briefly interrupted their annual conference. Not to be deterred by voter concerns, AfD plowed ahead with their meetings, formally adopting an “anti-Islam manifesto” that states that “Islam is not a part of Germany.” Apparently, a more watered down proposal to “seek dialogue with Islam” was booed by the attendees. Is it just us, or do you also get a strong 1930s vibe from this whole thing?

Kenya Is Really Committed To Conservation The Kenyan government took one of the boldest actions to combat illegal elephant poaching over the weekend when it lit $100 million worth of illegally poached ivory on fire. Botswana, another tough conservationist, wasn’t pleased with the burning, saying it would raise the price of ivory on the black market. Kenya’s President said he wanted to send a clear message to poachers, presumably that they shouldn’t f**k with Kenya’s elephants. 

Keeping Our Eye On…

• Time Zones: In another sign of desperation, the Venezuelan government moved the country into a new time zone yesterday to help bring down energy consumption and costs. This comes after they announced a five-day weekend. 
• Roaming Charges: It isn’t all crises at the EU! Starting yesterday, cell phone roaming charges were slashed because nothing says solidarity like being able to check Facebook across borders. They will be phased out completely next year. 
• Rebuffed: China turned away a US carrier group looking to make port in Hong Kong in a further sign that things were getting frosty in the South China Sea. We put together some background for you on the topic.  

LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

Fox News And HuffPo Duke It Out The Old-Fashioned WayPut a bunch of journalists with divergent political ideologies in a room with alcohol, and a fight is bound to happen. During an after party for the White House Correspondents Dinner, a fight broke out between Fox News correspondent Jesse Watters and HuffPost’s Washington Bureau Chief Ryan Grim. While we’re used to seeing journalists spar words on Twitter, these guys threw actual punches at one another, while ironically standing outside the US Institute of Peace. According to several witnesses, many of whom shared the mayhem on Twitter, tables were flipped over and bystanders were knocked down at this otherwise swanky event.