W boson came in like a wrecking ball 👀

Let's begin. I've read and linked to more than 50 links in this issue. We'll talk about:

• Ukraine: How does the Russian war affect the world? I look at Lebanon, Somalia, Egypt and Peru.
• What's all this Imran Khan scandal about in Pakistan?
• Science: The probably-biggest scientific finding since Einstein's Relativity theory
• Plus: Elections in Costa Rica, Hungary and France, another deadly shipwreck in Tunisia, justice for Burkina Faso's Thomas Sankara, green energy for refugee camps in Rwanda and so many science-y news

Now without further ado, here's what happened last week:

what happened last week

We need to talk about how the Ukraine war is affecting the most vulnerable people worldwide
Russia's brutal war on Ukraine is still going on. There is no sign of a ceasefire yet. There are massacres and war crimes being reported, for which journalists all over the world are collecting proof. We'll need them for the hopefully many legal fights in the future as we hold those responsible accountable.

In the meantime, the war in Ukraine also affects other countries around the world. Here's an unfinished list. But wait, first:

Why this matters:
Millions of people are affected by this war, not just people living in Ukraine or Russia. We live in a very connected world, and wars have very grave consequences for our neighbouring as well as far-away countries because of The Economy.

Okay, here's the list:

Lebanon:
Wheat and cooking oil prices are through the roof. Why? More than 60% of the country's wheat comes from Ukraine; and it doesn't have much reserves on its own. Remember the Beirut port blast in August 2020? Yeah, that not only killed more than 200 people but it also destroyed the main grain silos. Still, nobody has been held responsible for what happened. The country already has deep money problems (inflation is super high). 'We're now looking to India, US and Kazakhstan for food,' says the government. Hopefully, they find a quick solution. According to Agriculture Minister Abbas Hajj Hassan, "there is no wheat crisis today in Lebanon", the supermarket shelves and bakeries, however, are telling a different story. The most vulnerable group? Those who couldn't afford much even before the war in Ukraine; for example, the 1.5 million refugees from Syria.

Somalia:
The prices have risen here as well. Unlike Lebanon, Somalia isn't all that dependent on wheat imports. Instead, it needs so-called 'food assistance programs' like that of the World Food Programme (WFP). They give out cash to those who need it so they can buy food themselves. The war in Ukraine affects how much cash people in Somalia get (it's a lot less now). The most vulnerable group? About 1.4 million children under five and four million people who are 'reliant on emergency food aid'. And the drought the country is currently experiencing (it's been building up since 2020) isn't making the food situation easier. People are like, 'we just hope 2022 is not going to be the next 2011.' Back then, almost 260,000 people are believed to have died from hunger.

Egypt:
Egypt is the world's top importer of wheat -- and this is not a compliment. The country, unfortunately, is super-vulnerable to the current war in Ukraine as a result. The prices have not gone up for the population (they're still getting subsidized bread; meaning the government keeps the prices low) but they might soon. Why? Last year, Egypt imported more than 70% of its wheat from either Russia or Ukraine. Now, they're quickly looking for alternative suppliers as they have reserves for at least four months. France has offered (but wheat from there has been considered too moist), Australia and Canada, too (but shipping costs are very high). Local harvest is coming but not here yet. The most vulnerable people? Again, people who didn't have much money even before the war in Ukraine started.

Peru:
People in Peru are protesting, blocking highways to Lima and blaming President Pedro Castillo for the highest-in-26-years inflation and the higher prices on food and transport (by 9.54%). 'This is because of the Ukraine war, you guys,' he keeps saying. Compared to other countries in the region, such as Argentina or Venezuela, Peru imports most of its oil. Unfortunately, time is running out. Pedro Castillo losing popularity points by the hour (he's only been in office since last year, and has already survived two impeachment votes) and the protests have become violent, killing at least six people.

• For my German readers: I also talked about this in Die Wochendämmerung podcast last week. Listen here.

We are in a political crisis in Pakistan right now:
Pakistan's Parliament fired Imran Khan, the country's Prime Minister, and his government in a no-confidence vote.

Why this matters:
Pakistan is a nuclear nation. Some 220 million people live here.

Why was there a no-confidence vote?
The basic charge against Imran Khan is mismanagement, especially in Punjab (one of the largest provinces; a lot of people live...