APRIL 3, 2006

Full News Archive

• Headline: Gun Sales Surge Amid Sectarian Tensions. Impact: As more weapons flooded the streets of Baghdad, an accidental game of 'who can dodge the most bullets' became the unofficial sport of Iraq. This led to a global surge in protective gear sales, including fashionable bulletproof vests that eventually made their way onto runways in Paris.. Fact: Gun sales in Baghdad skyrocketed so much that a local shop owner made more money selling weapons than he ever did selling falafel. Talk about a shift in the menu!.
• Headline: Iraqi Shiite Bloc Faces Internal Division. Impact: The split in the Iraqi Shiite Bloc led to a series of political dramas worthy of a soap opera, complete with betrayals and cliffhangers. Spoiler alert: it didn’t end well, and the plot twist was just more chaos.. Fact: Political splits are like reality TV; they always promise excitement but mostly just serve up cringeworthy moments and a lot of 'can you believe they said that?'.
• Headline: Iraq's Premier Is Asked to Quit as Shiites Split. Impact: The call for resignation from Iraq's Premier set off a domino effect of political instability that somehow led to a new trend in political memes. If only those memes could run for office, they might actually get something done.. Fact: In politics, 'I’ll resign' is often just a polite way of saying 'I’d rather not deal with this mess, thanks.'.
• Headline: Labor Shortage in China May Lead to Trade Shift. Impact: China's labor shortage led to a global trade shift that caused a panic in the toy industry. Parents everywhere suddenly found themselves with a new hobby—finding toys that weren't made in China, which, spoiler alert: is nearly impossible.. Fact: Labor shortages in China are so severe that one factory worker's absence can result in a global shortage of rubber duckies. Quack-tastrophe, anyone?.