Japan’s Emperor Tries To Retire And An Attack In Pakistan

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 IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

 Won’t Anybody Let Japan’s Emperor Retire?

How many more hints does Japan’s Emperor Akihito have to drop? He keeps trying to give his notice but nobody will let him retire. He technically can’t say he wants to abdicate out right, as he is barred from making political statements, but he came pretty close. Nobody makes a televised address to the public – his second ever – just to complain about his job and conclude with “but it’s fine.” Akihito, who has undergone heart surgery and was treated for prostate cancer, said he fears his age will make it difficult to fulfill his duties.

But Can He Retire?

Abdication isn’t mentioned under Japan’s existing laws, so the country would have to change that in order for Akihito to step down. For that to happen, the changes would need to come from parliament. Most people are starting to feel bad for the emperor and just want him to have a nice retirement and enjoy himself. In fact, Kyodo News found that more than 85% of those polled think abdication should be legalized. But right now, it isn’t, and conservative groups are opposed to the idea. For Akihito to abdicate, he’ll have to wait for a bureaucratic, parliamentary nightmare to take place first, and he’s not even allowed to suggest it begins.

Taliban Targets Lawyers In Pakistan

Hours after Balochistan Bar Association’s president Bilal Kasi was murdered, more than 70 people were killed and over 120 more injured in a bombing at the hospital where Kasi’s body was taken. It’s believed that the majority of the people at the Quetta Hospital were lawyers and former colleagues there to mourn, as well as journalists reporting on Kasi’s death. Pakistan’s Taliban claimed responsibility for both Kasi’s murder and the blast that killed dozens. As a prominent lawyer in Pakistan’s poorest province, Bilal Kasi frequently condemned the Taliban’s insurgency. Before his death, he had announced a two-day boycott of court sessions in protest of the murder of a colleague last week.

NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

 #BrazilNuts: What Is This Cupping Business?

The first full day of Rio 2016 Olympics felt like a big win: great routines, record breaks and no catastrophic injuries or scandals. Swimming dominated the early morning proceedings of Day 2, as Michael Phelps and Team USA won the gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay. Many swimmers, including Phelps, were sporting weird, purple circular marks on certain parts of their body. Evidently, this is a Chinese therapy practice that many athletes have adopted for faster recovery and improved muscle movement. There is no medical evidence supporting that claim, but it’s less permanent than a tattoo and just as trendy. Meanwhile, young American swimmer Katie Ledecky claimed gold by beating her own record in the 400m freestyle. In gymnastics, the ever impressive Simone Biles qualified for the individual all-around. Team USA, overall, are sitting pretty at the top with 12 medals.

Delta Passengers Angrily Grounded, Pizza To The Rescue

You know that feeling when your flight gets cancelled and you feel like Murphy’s Law is very real? Well, that feeling consumed every Delta Airlines passenger-to-be yesterday when all their flights across the world were delayed or cancelled. Flights were grounded for at least six hours by a global computer system outage, causing hundreds of thousands of people to miss their flights. One incoming plane was on the tarmac for so long, they had Dominos Pizza delivered. It will likely take Delta tens of millions of dollars and a few days to recover from the disruption.

#pnut4prez: Trump Versus Econ Majors

What is the study of economics besides a modern-day astrology anyway? Presidential candidate Donald Trump gave us a glimpse into his dream journal yesterday with a major economic policy address. Positioning himself as the candidate who would bring prosperity, Trump said he would cut the corporate tax rate by more than half to 15%. He also said he would repeal the estate tax, which wouldn’t really do much for American prosperity, considering it only targets a tiny, Trump-sized handful of the ultra-wealthy. Trump’s fortune-telling also predicted better outcomes for Detroit, the city that hosted his address. Discussing the volatile, thankless science known as economics was probably still easier than talking about a unified Republican Party, another science that relies on poorly drafted formulas. Former CIA agent Evan McMullin just launched an Independent bid for president, as well. The former chief policy director for the House Republican Conference is considered an “establishment” Republican, one that still holds out hope that GOP-leaning states will explore third-party options.

KEEPING OUR EYE ON 

Ethiopia: Nearly 100 people were killed in protests across the country this weekend, after demonstrators clashed with security forces. The unrest was sparked by a plan to expand the capital into Oromia, causing fears that the Oromo ethnic group, the largest in Ethiopia, would be displaced.

Kansas: Police are investigating the death of a 10-year-old boy who died while riding a water slide in Schlitterbahn Water Park. The boy was identified as Caleb Schwab, the son of Kansas Representative Scott Schwab.

Northern Ireland: Edward Daly, the Catholic Bishop of Derry whose photograph became the iconic image of Bloody Sunday in 1972, died at 82-years-old. The footage of Fr. Daly waving a bloody handkerchief in front of a young victim of Bloody Sunday became a famous, if not haunting, depiction of the era.

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 LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

 Snoop Dogg And Martha Stewart Will Have Their Own TV Show At Last

If you ever wanted to know the ins and outs of Hollywood entrepreneurship, or how the music industry is evolving alongside lifestyle brands, or you just want to learn how to make artisanal weed cookies, this show is for you. “Martha & Snoop’s Dinner Party” will be a reality TV show airing on VH1, where the duo will host… you guessed it: dinner parties. While “Martha Stewart Smoking” would have been an infinitely better title, this is no half-baked idea. Martha and Snoop have a storied friendship that dates back to 2008 when they made brownies (without the pot, unfortunately) on “Martha Stewart Living.” Since then, Snoop Dogg has followed in the footsteps of the lifestyle mogul and recently launched Merry Jane, a lifestyle brand for the marijuana enthusiast. Provided he doesn’t take any stock market advice from her, this budding friendship is bound to make green.