Texas Cozies Up To Taiwan While Iran Mourns The Loss Of A Reformist

PNUT GALLERY

Congratulations to the makers of Moonlight for winning the Golden Globe for Best Picture. See the full list of winners here.

 IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

 Jerusalem Deals With Violence And Scandals

Four Israeli soldiers were killed and a dozen others were injured after a man deliberately drove his truck into a group of people. The attacker was Palestinian, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he believed the attack to be linked to ISIS. However, there is currently no evidence to support this claim. After a relative lull in violence between Israelis and Palestinians, this attack is considered the deadliest in months.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu is defending himself against leaks from two police investigations where he allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of gifts from a Hollywood producer and did a bit of influence trading with an Israeli businessman. Though both investigations have created scandals in the country, Netanyahu’s conservative supporters insist that even if he were charged he would remain in office.

NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

 Iran Mourns The Passing Of Former President Rafsanjani

Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who served as President of Iran from 1989 to 1997, died on Sunday after suffering a heart attack. He played a pivotal role in the 1979 revolution but later became known as a skeptic of hardline conservatives. Rafsanjani was the most influential political leader who spoke favorably of the country’s reformists and moderates, and his death creates a massive void in representation. As an ex-President, his calls for nuclear compromise carried weight, and now the country’s reformists must scramble to find a representative with just as much clout. “Hard-liners will be happy, but this is the start of a period of anxiety for many,” cleric Fazel Meybodi told The New York Times. “His death disturbs the fragile balance we had in Iran.”

Taiwan Parties With Texans And Mourns With Pole Dancers

President-elect Donald Trump isn’t the only politician eager to alienate relations with China. Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Greg Abbott met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen yesterday, despite the Chinese consulate asking them to cancel. In what Cruz called a “curious letter,” China asked that his congressional delegation “uphold the One-China policy” and not between with Tsai Ing-wen, but since she was passing through Texas on her way to Central America, Cruz thought hey, why not give Taiwan a Texas welcome.

Sunday’s meeting wrapped up an eventful weekend in Taiwanese politics. The southern city of Chiayi held a funeral procession for local politician Tung Hsiang exactly how he would have wanted it: a parade of women pole dancing on top of jeeps. Tung’s family said the local councillor, who died at age 76, loved “having a lively fun time” and the bikini-clad pole dancers were a loving tribute. Needless to say, videos of the happy hour went viral on Chinese media outlets, many with the comment, “The city’s residents are asking: please die one more time!”

 KEEPING OUR EYE ON

Minimum Wage: For the fifth time over the last year, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced a 50% hike in minimum wage and pensions. The measure is meant to protect workers from what is currently the world’s highest inflation rate and creates a minimum monthly salary of 40,683 bolivars. That’s about $60 USD under the state’s currency controls or $12 at the black market rate.

Breastfeeding: Pope Francis turned heads this weekend when he encouraged mothers to breastfeed in the Sistine Chapel. Acknowledging the stigma against breastfeeding in public, the super chill pontiff explained, “The ceremony is a little long, someone’s crying because he’s hungry. That’s the way it is.” He then told women worshippers to “go ahead and breastfeed without fear.”

 LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

 Deputies Mistake Kitty Litter For Meth

Texas resident Ross LeBeau was finally cleared of drug charges after authorities realized he was arrested for possession of kitty litter. A traffic stop led deputies to believe they found half a pound of methamphetamine on LeBeau. He was quickly fingerprinted and booked into a jail where he spent three days before being released. The deputies were so thrilled with this “bust of the year” that they sent out a press release with LeBeau’s mug shot describing their achievement. It was only later after an additional test was conducted at the county’s forensic lab that the case was dismissed.