Turkey Intensifies Attacks In Syria, While China Begs Trump To Stop Tweeting

PNUT GALLERY

What would you do if you found out your favorite writer worked with the CIA? Turns out, it was way more common than you think.

 IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

 The World Comes Together To Ask Donald Trump To Stop Tweeting

Senator Bernie Sanders decorated the Senate floor with a giant printout of President-elect Donald Trump’s tweet yesterday. Politicians are known for their bad taste in visual aids (who could forget Israeli PM Netanyahu’s illustrious “bomb” diagram?) but to Sanders’ credit, Trump’s tweet was all the proof he needed that the President-elect once said he wouldn’t cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. As the tweet said, loud and clear on the Senate floor, “I was the first & only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid. Huckabee copied me.” Sanders resolved that Trump must veto any forthcoming cuts or admit he was lying.

Many of Donald Trump’s fellow Republicans also felt betrayed after he tweeted his support of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, suggesting that he believed Assange’s account of the Russian hacking scandal. Many Republicans, such as House Speaker Paul Ryan, felt this to be a slap in the face of US intelligence agencies, which have suggested that Russia passed the hacked material to WikiLeaks. Senator Tom Cotton said he had “a lot more faith in our intelligence officers serving around the world … than I do in people like Julian Assange.”

It’s not just Republicans and Democrats that want Trump to stop tweeting. Yesterday, China weighed in on the President-elect’s social media skills, saying that Trump’s “obsession with ‘Twitter diplomacy’ is undesirable.” In the past, Trump used Twitter to accuse China of military posturing in the South China Sea and even brag about his chats with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen. China’s official news agency Xinhua suggested he take a break from Twitter before it ruins more diplomatic relations. We have to give Trump credit, not many US Presidents can say they rallied Republicans, Democrats and China under a common cause.

 NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

 Turkey Hopes To Wrap Up Its Revenge On ISIS Momentarily

Just days after ISIS took credit for the Istanbul nightclub attack, Turkey launched its most intensive bombardment of the Syrian town of al-Bab since the four-month campaign began. Turkish officials claimed to have killed “scores of ISIS members” over the past few days, targeting the militant group’s westernmost stronghold with jets and artillery. Even Russia is getting in on the action, launching airstrikes in the south of al-Bab. In response, ISIS is withdrawing its senior leadership toward Raqqa, convincing Turkey that they will retake al-Bab in the coming days.

If Turkey is as successful as they think they will be, this will be a notable loss for ISIS. As its westernmost stronghold, al-Bab was a headquarters for ISIS to plan foreign attacks. With senior members already retreating east, it’s likely to be a logistical and strategic setback.

Pnut Read: What You Need To Know About Today’s ISIS

Mexico’s Hike In Gas Prices Is A Nationwide Ad For Bicycles

Protests erupted across Mexico after the government increased gas prices by over 20%. The government-set price was announced on January 1, immediately causing long lines of cars forming at the pumps. Demonstrators are forcing service stations to close and looting is becoming a problem in major cities. Known as gasolinazo, the price-hike is causing mayhem for public transit systems, as well. Angry truckers and taxi drivers blocked main highways into Mexico City, forcing bus lines to cancel service.

Former Prime Minister Of Kosovo Is Arrested

French police arrested former Kosovo PM Ramush Haradinaj, responding to a Serbian arrest warrant for alleged war crimes. He already faced war crime charges at the UN twice and was acquitted both times, but Serbia is hoping that the third time’s the charm. Haradinaj was a commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army, a rebel group during the 1990s conflict, and Serbia alleges he oversaw the torture and murder of ethnic Serbs while on the job. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 (although Serbia still doesn’t recognize it) and Haradinaj only served as PM for 100 days, eventually stepping down to face charges.

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 KEEPING OUR EYE ON

Chicago: Four people were arrested for broadcasting the brutal assault of a man on Facebook Live. The victim was an 18-year-old with special needs, who is seen tied up and beaten in a 30-minute video shared on the internet. Hate crime charges are under consideration.

Whales: Granny, the world’s oldest known orca and matriarch for her dwindling Puget Sound orcas, is missing and believed to be dead. Researchers worry that the 105-year-old whale’s death will further jeopardize her endangered family group of about 80 orcas who are now missing one of their leaders.

   LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

 Germany’s Advice To Survive Winter: Walk Like A Penguin

During the colder months of 2014, over 750 Berlin residents suffered bone fractures. Worried that these injuries had something to do with icy conditions, the German Society of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery published some shaky advice: walk like a penguin. The technique requires non-birds to lean their torsos forward so that their center of gravity is always on the front leg. The result is sure to make Germans look just as awkward and wobbly as their penguin friends, and if the technique proves successful, pretty soon they might be sliding to work on their bellies. It’s a slippery slope.