US Suspends Mexican Avocado Imports Over Cartel Threats
The US has placed a temporary ban on all imports of Mexican avocados.
This comes after a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspector in Michoacán was reportedly threatened by a drug cartel member.
The western state - the only one in Mexico fully authorized to export to the US - accounts for over 80% of America's avocado imports and is currently embroiled in a cartel turf war.
Pro-establishment narrative
This isn't the first time US inspectors have been harassed by Mexican gangs. In 2019, the USDA said further threats or acts of violence would lead to consequences, and it's simply living up to this promise.The suspension is justified until the Mexican government can secure the safety of US workers.
Establishment-critical narrative
This has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with politics; the US is seeking to manipulate the lucrative avocado industry to its advantage.
Cynical narrative
The USDA may be right to suspend activities until the safety of its workers is ensured, but if it wants to blame the cartels, perhaps it should look a little closer to home to understand why they proliferate.
Trial Begins for Trump Ally Accused of UAE Lobbying
On Wednesday, opening statements were made in Thomas Barrack's trial. The former Pres. Trump adviser is charged with "espionage-like or clandestine behavior," supposedly acting at the direction of the UAE.
He was indicted in 2021 with his assistant Matthew Grimes on conspiracy and acting as a foreign agent without notifying the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) for allegedly taking advantage of his Trump ties to promote UAE interests. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in jail.
In response to the accusations, Barrack's lawyer claimed that his client did what "he wanted to," deeming the idea that he was working for the UAE as "nothing short of ridiculous."
Democratic narrative
While foreign governments have long attempted to influence US politics, they've never found a friendlier administration than Trump's. Both the president and his top aides had little foreign policy experience and could be easily influenced. Trump and his associates made it easier for wealthy Gulf nations to advance their agenda in American politics.
Pro-Trump narrative
It's no coincidence that Tom Barrack is among several former Trump officials accused of violating FARA - even though around two-thirds of FARA registrants fail to comply with the timelines. The Biden administration has weaponized the DOJ, prosecuting those who oppose him and using FARA as an excuse for this offensive.
Nerd narrative
There's an 18% chance that Donald Trump will be jailed or incarcerated before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UN Requests 'Urgent Report' on S. Sudan Sex Abuse Allegations
UN Sec. General António Guterres has requested an "urgent report" detailing what actions have been taken by UN officials in South Sudan to address allegations of sexual abuse by aid workers at an UN-run camp and ensure accountability.
This comes after an investigation by Al Jazeera and The New Humanitarian reportedly revealed years of unchecked and widespread sexual exploitation at a UN-run refugee camp in Malakal, South Sudan, which hosts about 37K people.
Although aid workers are said to have known since 2015 about the reported abuses at the Protection of Civilian (PoC) camp, the problem allegedly grew worse despite the efforts of a UN task force, the investigation says. The camp was set up in 2013 for people fleeing Sudan's civil war.
Establishment-critical narrative
Seven years after the first accusations of abuse were reported, it's clear that the UN has been ineffective in dealing with this unacceptable crisis. Though Guterres' call for a report is not a bad thing, it's only the latest in a series of inadequate "calls for action." This situation is horrific and shows systemic failure in the UN system.
Pro-establishment narrative
Though outrageous incidents of sexual abuse haven't been fully eradicated, the UN has made strides. Since Secretary-General Guterres came to office, new protocols in training, risk assessments, and action plans have been implemented. This most recent call to action demonstrates the UN's commitment to helping these victims.
Over 70 Migrants Die Off Syrian Coast
The Lebanese government said on Friday that at least 73 people drowned, and dozens are still missing, after a boat carrying migrants and refugees capsized off the coast of Tartus, Syria. The tragedy is likely to be the highest-ever death toll for a migrant crossing from Lebanon.
Officials said Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian nationals, including women and children, were believed to be among the 120-150 people who were on board when the boat sank.
Search operations were ongoing on Friday, and Syrian authorities say rough seas and strong winds had made the rescue operation difficult. Twenty survivors are being treated in a hospital in Tartus.
Pro-establishment narrative
There's a spike in the number of people attempting to cross the world's deadliest migration route. The Mediterranean is in a deep humanitarian crisis and the global community must support migrants to find relief, safety, and dignity. It's vital to build on the work of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, which has saved more than 586K lives since 2015, to expand safe pathways for those seeking a better life.
Establishment-critical narrative
These endless tragedies in the Mediterranean are due to a failure of the international community, especially the EU. The European bloc has abdicated its responsibility to conduct search and rescue. No EU ships actively patrol anywhere near where most boats enter into distress. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency conducts aerial surveillance for interceptions and returns, but maritime search and rescue remains a glaring gap.
Day 212: Referenda Voting Begins, Lavrov Hits Back at West
Voting began on Friday in four regions of Ukraine controlled by Russia regarding whether they would formally become part of the Russian Federation. The referenda are being held in the Luhansk, Kherson, and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. Ukraine and Western countries have denounced the votes.
Meanwhile, Russian FM Sergei Lavrov defended Russia's position regarding the war in Ukraine on Thursday, responding to accusations that Moscow had “shredded” international norms. Lavrov denied that Russia had committed war crimes and blamed Ukraine and the West for the conflict, saying that “the decision to conduct a special military operation was inevitable.”
At the same time, the UN said on Friday that serious war crimes had been committed in Ukraine. The UN's investigation focused on Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy and found that Russian forces allegedly abused and executed prisoners, while Ukraine was also found to be guilty of alleged prisoner abuse.
Anti-Russia narrative
The referenda being held in the Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine are a brazen exercise in propaganda. Russia has no right to annex any Ukrainian territory, and these referenda are illegitimate. Thankfully, the votes will have no impact on the ground or on Ukraine's resolve.
Pro-Russia narrative
The referenda are being held openly and transparently, and the people of eastern and southern Ukraine have the full right to secede from those in Kyiv who have oppressed them. The move is also highly strategic, as Moscow's opponents will suddenly find themselves engaged in a war on Russian territory, both de facto and legally.
Micronesia Criticizes Japan's Plan to Release Fukushima Water
On Thursday, in an address to the UN General Assembly, Micronesia's Pres. David Panuelo criticized Japan's plan to release water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.
Panuelo asserted that Micronesia has the "gravest concern" about the proposed water release, saying that "we cannot close our eyes to the unimaginable threats of nuclear contamination, marine pollution, and eventual destruction of the Blue Pacific Continent."
In July, Japan's nuclear regulating agency approved a multi-year plan to release water that was contaminated, but since treated, at the crippled Fukushima plant. The water contains the difficult-to-remove element tritium, albeit below an allowed threshold.
Narrative A
Japan's release of tritium into the Pacific would be an irrevocable disaster for both marine ecosystems and humans alike. Micronesia and other members of the "Blue Continent" of Oceania have rightly assessed that short-term costs are being prioritized over long-term and wide-ranging damages. The Pacific must not become a dumping ground for nuclear waste.
Narrative B
Japan's decommissioning of the ravaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is a painstaking and necessary process. The year-long water release is a realistic solution that will be carried out to the highest safety protocols and in partnership with the IAEA. The optics are terrible, but Japan cares deeply about the fishing industry and its neighbors. The safe decommissioning of Fukushima is in the interest of the region and the world.
Pakistan: Bonds Drop, Default Fears Amid Flooding
On Friday, Pakistan's bonds dropped to half of their value after the UN reportedly urged the cash-deficient country to restructure its debt following fears of the economic impacts of recent flooding. Both the UN and Pakistan have blamed the flooding and subsequent economic crisis on climate change.
After floods devastated large swathes of the country this month, killing more than 1.5k people and causing damage estimated at $30B, worries grew over whether Pakistan would be able to repay its debts.
The UN memorandum reportedly encourages Pakistan to either restructure its debt or engage in swaps, in which creditors would forego repayments in exchange for the country investing in climate change-resilient infrastructure.
Pro-establishment narrative
Pakistan, which has one of the smallest carbon footprints, is being devastated by climate change. Recent floods have seen millions of people affected and billions of dollars lost, trapping the South Asian country in economic turmoil. Pakistan is literally paying the price for others' emissions.
Establishment-critical narrative
Pakistan's economy is just one of the government's many failings amid the political turmoil that has paralyzed its governance. The South Asian country — which has a faltering tax regime, a weakening middle-class, and a shrinking education rate, to name a few — has abandoned all economic reforms and foolishly relied on bailouts, which will now do very little to solve this crisis.
Jury Rules Against Project Veritas in Lawsuit
On Thursday, a jury ruled against the conservative investigative organization Project Veritas, finding that the group violated wiretapping laws and fraudulently misrepresented itself in a sting operation against a Democratic political consulting firm.
The firm, Democracy Partners, was awarded $120K, though its co-founder, Robert Creamer, had sought $1M due to video footage released by Project Veritas in 2016 that painted the firm in a bad light.
Project Veritas reportedly sent an operative portraying a wealthy donor wanting to give $20K to Democracy Partners, then asking if his niece - a fellow operative - could intern for them. While interning, the niece taped conversations and took documents from the firm that were used in the released video.
Right narrative
Investigative journalists have always gone undercover to expose political malfeasance, and Project Veritas is no different than any liberal outlets that have done the same type of reporting. If it were a left-wing outlet, there would have been applause from the Democrat-friendly media ecosystem. Project Veritas clearly triggers the left with its guerilla style of journalism.
Left narrative
The goal of this "sting operation" was always to fraudulently portray Democratic organizations as corrupt to help the GOP win elections. With this penalty, hopefully, Project Veritas will put an end to its disingenuous content creation and shameless fronting for right-wing bad actors.
Kabul: At Least 7 Killed After Blast Near Mosque
On Friday, at least 7 people were killed and 41 wounded after a car bomb exploded near the Wazir Khan mosque in Kabul. The area was formerly the city’s “Green Zone” - containing foreign embassies and NATO - but is now under Taliban control.
A spokesman for the Taliban's Interior Ministry stated that the vehicle was parked by the roadside and the blast occurred when worshippers were leaving the mosque after ending Friday prayers.
Since the Taliban seized power in 2021, this mosque has often been attended by its senior commanders and fighters. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Pro-establishment narrative
The tragic attack in Kabul is just the latest example of how Afghanistan is drifting into chaos and lawlessness since the Taliban took over. These woes are exacerbated by the country's economic collapse and an acute food crisis. This bombing shows that the Taliban can't even protect its own internal security.
Establishment-critical narrative
Afghanistan only makes the headlines when it comes to violence and tragedy. More attention must be paid to the country's humanitarian catastrophe as Afghans are facing acute food insecurity. The West contributes to this by withholding Afghanistan's frozen reserve funds. This is a declaration of moral bankruptcy.
Nerd narrative
There's a 47% chance that Afghanistan will be used as a base for anti-NATO terrorism by 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UK: Leak Reveals Labour Party's Inner Workings
On Friday, Al Jazeera published the results of an investigation that showed that unelected officials had been undermining democracy within the UK's Labour Party. Reportedly, party bureaucrats sought to undermine members supportive of Jeremy Corbyn - the socialist leader between 2015 and 2020.
The first of three controversial programs on Corbyn's tenure (dubbed "The Labour Files") aired on Thursday. According to the documentary, the vocal critic of Israel and long-time supporter of the Palestinian cause was allegedly targeted by the British establishment, who aided the right-wing press in sabotaging Corbyn's chance of becoming PM.
The programme also criticizes some individuals, among them Ella Rose, the Union of Jewish Students president from 2016 to 2018, who was publicly outspoken against Corbyn over claims of anti-Semitism under his leadership.
Narrative A
These revelations show the shocking lengths those in the Labour party will go to in their quest for power. Keir Starmer leads a lawless party that has become a criminal conspiracy against its own members. Labour's dirty tactics undermine the very bedrock of democracy in the UK, and are a betrayal of the people. The whole thing is despicable.
Narrative B
Al Jazeera's reporting is nothing more than Corbynista propaganda that cherry-picks information to create a sense of a hidden conspiracy while fuelling anti-semitism. The only thing that will come of this piece is further abuse towards Jews - the real victims during Corbyn's tenure.