A (drunk) amateur historian could make the argument that the history of Troy is the story of how breasts brought down a state. They could threaten to do the same in Venezuela writes Hannah Dreier:

• Due to the country’s crumbling economy there has been a severe shortage in FDA approved breast implants.
• This is a big deal in a country which may well have the highest rates of breast implant procedures in the world.
• In the past women could enter raffles at political events and at the office to “win” breast augmentation surgery.
• At anti-government protests the odd demonstrator will be seen carrying a sign protesting the rising price of implants.
• The obsession runs so deep that even those living in slums can have suspiciously large bosoms.
• Lower quality Chinese imports have flooded the market, but they have the unfortunate tendency to rupture.

Read what the government has to say about the shortage, how Venezuela’s twitter is reacting, and more over here.

Source: CTV News

We’re all set to live in a world where diplomacy is conducted in 140 characters or less writes Mimi Whitefield:

• About one third of all world leaders personally tweet. 100% of European governments do while only 71% of African governments have Twitter accounts.
• With 34.5 million followers the President of the United States has the widest reach among world leaders.
• But Obama’s tweets are only retweeted, on average, 2,309 times. In contrast the Pope’s 100 tweets have each been retweeted an average of 11,000 times making him the most influential world leader on Twitter.
• 68% of mutual leaders have mutual connections. Perhaps UN votes could happen through Twitter?
• Sweden’s Carl Bildt is the best connected, having 44 mutual connections with other world leaders.
• Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro sends an average of 41 tweets a day – the most for any world leader.
• Uganda’s Amama Mbabazi is the most conversational. 96% of his tweets are responses to other individuals.

Read more about the dead leader that has more followers than his (still breathing) regional compatriots, why the American government isn’t the best at tracking other countries, and more fascinating statistics over here.

Source: The Miami Herald

In decades past there’s not much that countries could do about a red suited intruder violating their airspace and infiltrating their houses. In the age of heat-seeking intercontinental ballistic missiles however, Santa Claus should probably think twice before entering these countries:

• In Uzbekistan Santa Claus, and, from Soviet folklore, his female sidekick, are banned. They might be able to hide behind a Christmas tree though – those are still allowed, at least on television.
• The atheist North Korea doesn’t allow the celebration of Christmas – and threatens to bomb South Korea if they celebrate it to close to its border.
• In Saudi Arabia, Father Christmas might be able to deliver presents inside Western compounds – but nowhere else.
• The Vatican was successfully able to pressure Venezuela to allow Christmas in 1998 – but Santa may want to leave Rudolph and his bright red nose at home – discretion would be wise in a country where the government still discourages “western” festivals.

Read more about each of these countries, as well as one other country where Santa isn’t welcomed over here.

Source: Foreign Policy

America is set to become the world’s biggest energy producer by 2020. Could that mean that it will soon be joining OPEC? Brian Palmer answered:

• To join OPEC not only must countries export energy, they must also have common interests. It is unlikely that countries such as Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Iran will think that the United States shares its interests.
• OPEC signatories also have to be able to control how much energy they produce. Yet in the United States energy production is left to the private sector, and the government has little control of the amount they produce.
• Joining would also lessen America’s geopolitical influence. If it is allowed to set prices itself – rather than be held hostage to the decision making of OPEC – it could use oil prices as a foreign policy tool by offering cheap supplies to those who act in the American interest.

Read more about other energy producers who refuse to join OPEC, and the last country that the cartel added over here.

Source: Slate