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Polio: UK's Under-10s to be Offered Booster After Virus Found in Sewage
On Wed., the UK Health Security Agency said that Britain will offer a polio vaccine booster to children under the age of 10 in London. The decision was made after elevated levels of the poliovirus was found in the capital's wastewater.
Britain's Health Security Agency said it has detected the virus in the wastewater of eight London boroughs. Data shows the virus samples detected are derived from the oral polio vaccine, but the levels suggest that a mutated form is now likely spreading in the community.
The booster program will begin in areas of the city where the virus has been detected and immunization levels are low. The agency did note that no cases of polio have been confirmed in the population and the risk remains low in communities with high immunization rates.
Right narrative
The return of polio to the UK exposes the folly of the nation's focus on COVID. Rather than diverting NHS funds and attention into the promotion of COVID vaccines for children - a virus that poses insignificant levels of risk to young people - health services should be concentrating on protecting them from a disease with potentially devastating outcomes, especially in hard to reach, ethnically diverse communities.
Left narrative
The UK's COVID lockdown strategy is unrelated to the current surge of polio which is being seen across the globe. There is no evidence that recent cases in Britain represent any unchecked spread of the virus according to experts and the oral vaccine - the source of the prominent form of the virus being detected - is not used in the UK. Britain's cases are a mild indicator of ongoing medical struggle in the developing world and the nation is doing its part by offering boosters to vulnerable children.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that the WHO will certify the worldwide eradication of Polio by early June 2032, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
London: Alleged IS Beatle Arrested on Terrorism Charges
On Wed., Aine Davis, allegedly an Islamic State (IS)-affiliated 'Beatles' cell member, was arrested on terrorism charges by London's Met Police Counter Terrorism Command at Luton Airport shortly after arriving in the UK from Turkey.
He was taken to a south London police station and is in custody. Authorities suspect he violated three sections of the 'Terrorism Act, 2000' by fundraising, funding arrangements, and possession of articles for terrorist purposes.
On Thurs., he appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London. His custody was extended until Sept. 2 when he's set to appear in court again for a pre-trial hearing.
Pro-establishment narrative
Davis had a long criminal record, even before his radicalization led him to travel to Syria and establish one of the cruelest IS cells. His arrest is an important step in holding him accountable for his crimes and demonstrates the government's commitment to prioritizing the safety and security of the UK.
Establishment-critical narrative
Davis should've had his British citizenship revoked and been banned from entering the UK, as others including Elsheikh and Kotey have been. He's a dangerous terrorist and his stay in the UK means unnecessary costs and threats to national security.
Narrative C
The allegations against Davis are just that - allegations, which he has long denied. The entire situation involving the accusations against Davis and his initial arrest in Istanbul were murky, and his UK trial could go in any number of unexpected directions. Judgement should be reserved until after he has exercised his right to a fair trial.
Day 170 Roundup: Zelenskyy Condemns Military Leaks; Fresh Attacks on Nuclear Power Plant
In his nightly address on Thurs., Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a stern word to officials from his government, stating that those who divulge military tactics and information with the media were being "frankly irresponsible." He said: "War is definitely not the time for vanity and loud statements. The less concrete details you give about our defense plans, the better it will be for the implementation of those defense plans."
The statement comes after a series of unnamed Ukrainian officials spoke to Western reporters and stated that Ukrainian forces had a part to play in the blasts that rocked the Russian air base of Saky in Crimea on Tuesday. Kyiv officially denied attacking the air base, but satellite imagery later confirmed that at least eight Russian war planes were damaged or destroyed in the incident. One person was killed and 14 more were injured.
Meanwhile, hours before the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, addressed an emergency meeting of the UN's Security Council on Thurs., fresh rocket attacks struck the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine's south, held by Russian forces since Mar. 4. Russia and Ukraine again traded blame for the attacks.
Pro-establishment narrative
Making sure Ukraine continues to be well armed is the only way to fend off Putin and Russia in this unprovoked war of aggression. The US and NATO must not simply offer up their latest and most hi-tech weapons however; combat is about supply lines and the West must ensure basic equipment and ammunition are kept flowing as needed.
Establishment-critical narrative
Multi-billion dollar weapons packages will make little difference in the outcome of the war. The US has been meddling in Ukraine since the end of the Cold War, and what we're witnessing is a geopolitical ponzi scheme to benefit those aligned with the military-industrial complex. War is a lucrative racket.
Nerd narrative
There is an 9% chance that there will be a serious radiation incident at any nuclear plant in Ukraine by 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Treasury Sec. Directs IRS to Not Increase Audits on Middle-Income Americans
Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen on Wed. directed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) not to use its additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase its level of audits for Americans earning $400K a year or less.
In a letter to IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig, Yellen argued that the $80B over the next 10 years, including hiring 87K new IRS employees, will be used to "improve taxpayer service," and not target middle-income Americans.
This comes as Republicans have argued that these new agents would focus on middle-class taxpayers and small businesses after the Senate rejected an amendment specifically barring the IRS to target incomes below $400K.
Democratic narrative
Despite the hyperbolic allegations made by Republicans, what this bill actually does is empower the IRS to enforce tax laws already on the books. While a small number of lower income tax evaders may face more scrutiny, the far larger target will be extremely wealthy people who have not paid their fair share - in the millions and billions - for years.
Republican narrative
The Democrats knew that, and probably wanted, middle- and low-income taxpayers to face more audits when they all voted against a Republican amendment to exclude such practices. On top of that, 99% of Americans earn less than $400k, so it would be silly to think the IRS wouldn't use their new agents to go after these hard-working Americans.
Blinken Wraps Up Africa Tour in Rwanda
On the final leg of a three-country tour of Africa on Thurs., US Sec. of State Antony Blinken visited Rwanda, where he discussed "credible reports" of Kigali supporting the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Blinken said Rwandan Pres. Kagame and his DRC counterpart Félix Tshisekedi had agreed to direct talks to resolve the fighting. He condemned support for any armed groups in eastern Congo and called on the countries to respect each other's territorial integrity.
Blinken's comments follow an unpublished UN report claiming there's "solid evidence" that Rwanda is supporting the M23 rebels and that Kigali is conducting military operations in the DRC's eastern North Kivu province.
Pro-establishment narrative
Diplomatic initiatives such as these are prudent and timely steps by the Biden administration. If Washington is careful to treat African countries with mutual respect and not as potential venues for proxy competition against Russia and China in a new "cold war," the new US Africa strategy will be doing a great service to the rules-based global order.
Establishment-critical narrative
Blinken's talk of peace and a renewed US Africa strategy can't hide the fact that the US is really only concerned with its geopolitical interests, whether in the DRC, Rwanda, South Africa, or elsewhere. Blinken's Africa trip also shows that a growing number of countries are no longer willing to go along with the West's double standards on a "rules-based global order."
Jan 6: Ex-Cop Sentenced to 87 Months
Former Rocky Mount Va. Police Sgt. Thomas Robertson was sentenced to more than seven years imprisonment by federal judge Christopher Cooper on Thurs. for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Robertson's sentence comes after his conviction six months ago on all six indictments, including interfering with police and entering a restricted area with a dangerous weapon, a wooden stick.
Robertson will be credited with the 13 months he's already spent in custody after Judge Cooper determined he had violated his supervised pre-trial release by possessing firearms last year.
Democratic narrative
Robertson, who at the time of the Jan. 6 attack held a position of public trust as a police officer, absolutely deserves this sentence. His participation in the attempted coup at the Capitol - for which he demonstrated no remorse - showed a lack of regard for public safety, anti-American sentiment, and threatened democracy.
Republican narrative
It's absurd to call Jan. 6 an "attempted coup" by unarmed citizens who largely committed no acts of violence. The only ones who truly represent anti-American sentiment are those who are targeting patriotic citizens and labeling them as "domestic terrorists".
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that 19 or more people will be charged by the US DOJ with seditious conspiracy in connection with the Jan. 6 Capital riots, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
EU Proposes Significant Concession to Iran to Revive Nuclear Deal
In order to break a deadlock in talks over the Iran nuclear accord, EU diplomats have reportedly proposed a significant new concession to Tehran aimed at ending a UN investigation into Iran's atomic program.
Seventeen months after the US and Iran began negotiating a possible return to the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by former Pres. Trump in 2018, the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell Fontelles, put forward a "final" proposal for the two sides to consider to prevent to the collapse of talks.
The controversy regards an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards probe into several Iranian nuclear sites, where the UN agency found man-made nuclear particles several years ago. Iran has demanded that the investigation be closed for the agreement to be restored.
Narrative A
The revival of the 2015 nuclear pact is a key foreign-policy goal for the Biden administration. However, Washington wants to see the IAEA investigation resolved, and the only way for that to happen is for Iran to provide the agency with the critical information they need.
Narrative B
It's in the interest of all stakeholders that the Iranian nuclear deal can be reached. A deal would bring Iranian oil back to the global economy, burdened by high energy prices. Tehran, in its turn, would want the removal of constricting sanctions, finally re-engaging Iran within the international community.
Nerd narrative
There is a 10% chance the US will rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal before 2023, according to the Metaculus Prediction Community
Man Accused of Attempting to Break Into FBI Office Killed in Standoff
An armed man suspected of trying to breach the FBI's Cincinnati, Ohio field office on Thurs. was killed after an hours-long standoff with law enforcement.
The suspect, Ricky W. Shiffer, 42, of Columbus, Ohio, was believed to be armed with an AR-15 rifle and a nail gun and was wearing body armor. After allegedly attempting to enter the FBI office, he fled and his vehicle was followed by state police - ending with law enforcement shooting and killing the suspect.
Ohio State Highway Patrol said that after negotiations failed, Shiffer raised his gun and officers opened fire. Shiffer was pronounced dead at the scene and no officers were injured.
Left narrative
This incident shows just how dangerous the recent violent rhetoric and unfounded attacks against the FBI by Republican lawmakers and Trump supporters can be. Schiffer even announced online beforehand that he was going to target the agency as retribution for the recent raid on Mar-a-Lago. Violence and threats against law enforcement are dangerous and should concern all Americans.
Right narrative
While attacks like this should rightly be condemned, it's disingenuous to pretend all political violence comes from the GOP. From the violence seen during the 2020 BLM protests, to the most recent threatening responses to the overturning of Roe v. Wade - including an assassination attempt on SCOTUS Justice Kavanaugh - the left harbors its fair share of violent extremists as well, often spurred on by those at the very top of the Democrat party.
Hospital, Drugmaker Developing Vast DNA Database
The Mount Sinai Health System in NYC, partnering with pharmaceutical company Regeneron, began an effort this week to create a vast database of patient DNA to be studied by both researchers and the pharma company.
The database will be used to research illnesses such as schizophrenia and kidney disease, with Mount Sinai aiming to include one million patients' DNA for genetic sequencing.
Though Mount Sinai has said the data will be rendered anonymous and won't be shared with anyone outside of researchers, genealogical databases like Ancestry.com and GEDmatch have previously been used by detectives to help solve crimes.
Narrative A
The potential of a massive medical and pharmaceutical DNA database raises serious ethical concerns. Not only have the police been known to have obtained people's genetic information from genealogical websites, but collecting someone's DNA today means they'd be collecting the DNA of their children and grandchildren, too, without consent. This is a serious privacy and surveillance issue.
Narrative B
Databases like these aren't just necessary for the healthcare of individuals who give their one-time consent, but for the future of large studies that will very likely revolutionize the healthcare industry and save lives. Medical research institutions have proven over many years that patients can trust them on privacy issues, so Mount Sinai and Regeneron are solid partners for this endeavor.
Trump Under Investigation for Violating Espionage Act
The warrant authorizing the FBI to search Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this week, which was unsealed on Fri., has revealed that the former president is being investigated for a possible breach of the Espionage Act, obstruction of an investigation, and removal or destruction of records.
If convicted of violating any of these statutes, Trump could potentially face severe penalties. Destroying records could prevent him from running for public office, while violating the Espionage Act and obstructing justice sentence him to up to 10 and 20 years in federal prison, respectively.
This comes after AG Merrick Garland decided on Thurs. to publicize the authorization given to the FBI to inspect Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, claiming the search was approved after "less intrusive" attempts failed. In response, Trump encouraged the release on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Democratic narrative
It's no surprise that Trump remains a tremendous threat to US national security even after leaving the White House, and the Mar-a-Lago search is there to remind us of it. Despite knowing he had removed classified documents from the White House and destroyed some of them, his supporters have irresponsibly attacked the operation and attempted to politicize the FBI and the DOJ. This is an exceptionally serious situation.
Pro-Trump narrative
The DOJ and the FBI are only playing politics as Trump would have transparently given them anything they wanted. It's evident that there was no serious risk to national security as they waited days to execute the search warrant, which didn't request immediate action. On top of that, Trump had absolute authority to declassify documents when he was in office.
Nerd narrative
There's a 21% chance that Donald Trump will be jailed or incarcerated before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.