For all you busy people out there who don't have time to read the news, this listicle is just for you. Join me as I take you around the world and discuss five of the most interesting, pressing and crucial current events.
1. Russia claims Syrian chemical attack was staged.
Russia has endlessly denied the atrocities committed by Bashar al-Assad's government against its own citizens. In a recent statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the chemical attack in Syria was carried out by foreign entities. Given the fact that Syria is a vital component of Russia's stronghold in the region, the following claims by Lavrov and the Russian government were entirely predictable. The United States, United Kingdom and France report that they have evidence of the chemical attack and have voiced their opinion on military retribution. In response, Russia warned the west that such actions would lead to war.
2. Comey slams Trump in his new memoir.
A parallel to Steve Bannon's "Fire and Fury," a new memoir by former FBI director James Comey presents several bewildering, unsubstantiated statements about President Donald Trump. In his book, Comey claims that Trump runs White House operations like a mafia don and that he had met with prostitutes in Russia. In response to such accusations, Trump raged on Twitter that Comey is a "weak and untruthful slime ball," and a "proven leaker and liar."
3. A glass of wine a day... may not be so good for you.
According to a study published in the Lancet Medical journal, drinking more than five glasses of wine in a week decreases life expectancy. According to Professor David Spiegelhalter of the Cambridge University, "The paper estimates a 40-year-old drinking four units a day above the guidelines [the equivalent of drinking three glasses of wine in a night] has roughly two years’ lower life expectancy, which is around a 20th of their remaining life. This works out to be about an hour per day. So it’s as if each unit above guidelines is taking, on average, about 15 minutes of life--about the same as a cigarette."
4. Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is under investigation.
President's Trump lawyer, Michael Cohen, is currently under criminal investigation for his personal business dealings. U.S. Attorney, Robert. S. Khuzami of the Southern District of New York, has proposed a temporary restraining order for Cohen. The language of the order outlines that the investigation into Cohen's properties are “the result of a months-long investigation into Cohen and seek evidence of crimes, many of which have nothing to do with his work as an attorney, but rather relate to Cohen’s own business dealings.”
5. Ruling in Moscow court bans Telegram messaging app.
Russia has moved one step closer to communist-style censorship after a court in Moscow ruled to ban "Telegram," a widely used messaging app. The court ruling unraveled after Telegram refused to hand over encryption keys to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), which would give the FSB access to users' data.
There you have it: five current events that are sure to have widespread repercussions as these stories develop.