US to Expand Access to Opioid Addiction Medicine for Pregnant Women
On Friday, the Biden administration announced a new plan to expand access to medication that treats substance use disorders, particularly opioid addiction, for pregnant women through federal court and health programs.
This is part of a larger push to address the US drug crisis that reportedly causes more than 100k deaths annually.
Pro-establishment narrative
This is an important step forward to address the ongoing opioid crisis in the US and help protect some of the most vulnerable people in society pregnant women and their children. The use of medications like buprenorphine and methadone is an evidence-based opioid addiction treatment and a scientifically proven way to reduce drug dependency and save lives. We know these medications work, and we have a duty to make them universally available.
Establishment-critical narrative
A substance-replacement approach to drug addiction is not the solution. Drugs like buprenorphine and methadone are opioids themselves — switching one opioid for another, albeit prescribed, only serves to encourage ongoing drug use. It's not a long-term or sustainable answer to drug addiction, which is why relapse is so common. We have to do better for pregnant women and their future children by supporting them through detox and providing the support they need to abstain from drugs going forward.
US Midterms: Pelosi, Sanders Press Democrats' Case On Talk Shows
Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, have made their case for control of Congress across the five major Sunday talk shows. Their appearances focused on the Party's economic policy, as Republicans have gained an edge in the polls just weeks from the midterm elections.
On CBS's "Face the Nation," Pelosi argued that inflation is a global problem that the Biden admin. is working hard to tackle. She also said the president is working to bring down the cost of living in the US while reducing the national deficit and stressed that a GOP victory in the coming elections would put Social Security and Medicare at risk.
Democratic narrative
The economy is getting back on track. The US annual deficit has seen its largest one-year drop in history, while gas prices are falling and unemployment rates are lowering. If voters hand control of Congress over to Republicans in these midterm elections, Americans will be electing a group that are willing to crash the economy and put the US in default in order to achieve their ideologically driven agenda of Social Security and Medicare cuts.
Republican narrative
The US is heading towards stagflation and the Biden admin. is to blame. Democrats have failed to take action against the worst inflation in decades, deeming it as transitory and fictitiously blaming soaring prices on corporate greed and Putin's invasion of Ukraine. In fact, it is down to reckless government spending at a time of restricted supply. A Republican Congress is needed to curb Biden's big-spending and end this crisis for working Americans.
Nerd narrative
There's a 17% chance that the Democratic Party will control the House and Senate following the 2022 midterm elections, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
China: Xi Jinping Wins Third Term
Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping secured a third five-year term as the leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Sunday, following a twice-a-decade Communist Party congress.
This comes as 2.4K CCP delegates attended the 20th Party Congress on Saturday to ratify constitutional changes and major reshuffles, reelecting Xi as the general secretary of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), and appointing its six additional members.
Anti-China narrative
Xi Jinping, since the very beginning, has put himself on track to become the next Mao Zedong in Chinese politics. He has crushed dissent, uprooted civil society organizations, and expunged political rivals in his quest to be China's autocrat. Now, having secured a precedent-defying third term, Xi is set to push his vision of a strong nationalist China even further, with himself at the center.
Pro-China narrative
Xi is in power because he is a strong and charismatic leader who understands the complex challenges that contemporary China is facing. The CCP now has a strong and unified core leadership, which is advantageous to overcoming China's many political and economic obstacles.
Nerd narrative
There's a 57% chance that Xi Jinping will continue leading China in 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Day 243 Roundup: Second Russian Jet Crash in a Week; US Dismisses Russian 'Dirty Bomb' Claims
For the second time in a week, a Russian fighter jet has crashed in Russian territory, slamming into residential buildings and igniting a large blaze. Russian officials said Sunday's crash in the Siberian region of Irkutsk killed both pilots on board, but that no civilians were harmed.
It comes following a crash in the Yeysk region last Monday, which authorities said killed 15 civilians and injured 19. Officials have stated that criminal investigations to determine the causes of both crashes have been opened.
Anti-Russia narrative
Now that civilians are being ordered to flee Kherson, it's clear that Russian authorities are losing their grip on the region and don't foresee their return — even Moscow sees that the Ukrainian counteroffensive will inevitably force the occupiers to retreat.
Pro-Russia narrative
Russian forces are maintaining control over the Kherson region and continuing to repel attacks. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are incurring heavy losses as they unsuccessfully attempt to advance.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Ukraine will regain control of Kherson by Dec. 16, 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Report: US Math and Reading Scores Dip Nationwide
On Monday, the results from the US National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the "Nation's Report Card," were released in full for the first time since 2019.
The exams are conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the Education Department, and test fourth- and eighth-graders in math and reading. The report takes place every two years, however, was delayed from 2021 until 2022 due to the COVID pandemic.
Narrative A
Over-reacting to COVID was an educational, economic, and moral tragedy. Schools were closed for too long, and we are now dealing with the consequences. Schools should open on Saturdays and extend hours to get math and reading back to pre-pandemic levels. Undoing the damage of these awful decisions should begin immediately.
Narrative B
The impact of COVID on the education system is undeniable, however, the school system has long been failing. Curriculum and school funding are becoming more polarized and politicized, enrolments in alternative schooling are increasing, and school violence and shootings are a real worry. There has been long-fuse a systemic failure that can't be pinned on COVID alone.
UK: Rishi Sunak to Become Next PM
Rishi Sunak will become the UK's next Prime Minister, replacing Liz Truss who announced her resignation last Thursday. The former chancellor was elected unopposed, after former PM Boris Johnson and Penny Mordaunt pulled out of the race within the Conservative Party.
His election comes at a tumultuous time as Truss resigned over the economic fallout of her "mini-budget" after six weeks in office, and Johnson was forced out of office three months ago over a COVID scandal and links to disgraced MP Chris Pincher.
Right narrative
The country is now in safe hands. Sunak has proved his capacity as Chancellor and will bring to the office of Prime Minister exactly what the UK needs a moderate, competent, and cogent government. Tory MPs have made a wise decision by selecting a leader with political maturity, and the ability to learn and change. Sunak is the person to mend the economy and the reputation of the Conservative Party.
Left narrative
Generations of Conservative MPs have set the UK economy up for failure and brought the British political system to its knees. Since the Brexit referendum divided the nation in 2016, a succession of incompetent leaders plunged Westminster into chaos to the cost of the British people. Yet again, the Tories have elected a leader behind closed doors and, if Sunak fails to fulfill his pledges, there will be no way of holding him accountable.
Nerd narrative
There is a 30% chance that the Conservative Party will form the first government after the next UK general election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Korea Tensions: Both Nations Exchange Warning Shots
On Monday, North and South Korea exchanged warning shots, charging each other of infringing on their western maritime border as tensions run high. Pyongyang has conducted weapons tests at an unprecedented clip in 2022.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Pyongyang fired 10 artillery shells into a buffer region in the Yellow Sea, allegedly violating a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement. The North's Korean People's Army, however, claimed it was a "grave warning" against naval intrusions from the South.
Republican narrative
You cannot blame Kim Jong-un for flexing North Korea’s military muscle when Biden is recklessly saber-rattling with Taiwan and China. How does Kim know the US will not also team up with South Korea for an invasion of the North? Trump's relationship with and policies towards North Korea maintained stability in the Korean Peninsula.
Democratic narrative
Kim Jong-Un's geopolitical actions have been erratic, and his missile launches are destabilizing the Peninsula. Instead of provoking a confrontation, Kim should take the Biden administration up on its offer to meet without preconditions, and settle any of his grievances peacefully. Biden is showing strength and prudence in the region.
Nerd narrative
There's a 17% chance that North Korea and South Korea will be recognized as a single sovereign state by 2045, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Midterms: Murray, Smiley Debate for Wash. Senate
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and her Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley debated abortion, crime, and inflation on Sunday in their only planned debate before the midterm election.
In the debate, Smiley characterized Murray as an establishment politician out of touch with the needs of the people of Washington. Murray framed the race by saying “women’s rights are on the ballot. Our democracy is on the ballot and our economy is on the ballot.”
Democratic narrative
Smiley's campaign is using the tired Republican tactic of inflating the threat of crime and blowing "urban decay" out of proportion. Though Smiley isn't a pro-life extremist, the more Republicans in the Senate, the more likely it is that access to abortion will be restricted. Ultimately, Smiley's campaign tactics are to lump all of Washington's Democrats in with Seattle's more progressive elements, which is pure Republican theatrics.
Republican narrative
Though Murray may claim that she cares about Washington families, her track record says otherwise. Despite overwhelming data showing school lockdowns during the pandemic deeply harmed kids more than COVID ever could, Murray said she still supports keeping kids home from school. Additionally, Murray is hyper-focused on abortion — which is neither on the ballot nor under threat in Washington. Still, she acts like it’s the only issue voters care about, dismissing voters’ concerns regarding crime and inflation.
Narrative C
This will be a close race, as there is a variety of moving parts that could determine its outcome. On the one hand, Smiley is a political outsider who has skillfully maneuvered herself to align with the broad conservative momentum resulting from Trump's victory in 2016. However, the overturning of Roe v. Wade could be her downfall, as Washington is one of the more pro-choice states in the union. This race will likely be hard to call.
Nerd narrative
There's a 46% chance that the Republican party will control both the House and the Senate after the 2022 midterm elections, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
NGO Report: Turkey Forcing Refugees Back to Syria
According to the NGO Human Rights Watch's (HRW) report released on Monday, hundreds of Syrian men and boys were detained, beaten, and forcibly returned to their home country by Turkish authorities over a six-month period between February and July 2022.
The deported Syrians told researchers that Turkish officials arrested them in their homes, workplaces, and on the street. They were then allegedly detained and forced to sign documents agreeing to "voluntarily" return to Syria and led across the border at gunpoint.
Pro-establishment narrative
Under Turkey's Temporary Protection Regulation, Ankara must accept all Syrian refugees who cross its border, so these deportations violate not only international law, but Turkey's own law. These inhumane refugee roundups and expulsions are due to rising xenophobia in Turkey. Erdoğan's government must follow through on its international human rights obligations.
Establishment-critical narrative
While tragic, the war in Syria isn't the Turkish people's fault, and they shouldn't be forced to deal with its migratory ramifications. The Syrians that Erdoğan is sending back are going to safe zones in the border regions of Syria, where they will have Turkish-funded housing and other infrastructure provided for them. Ankara has been extremely welcoming to millions of Syrian refugees — more than any other nation.
UN Suspends Anti-Torture Mission to Australia
The UN has suspended its anti-torture mission to Australia after inspectors were not permitted to visit several jails and detention facilities, according to the UN's Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture.
The "drastic" decision, as characterized by lead inspector Aisha Muhammad, makes Australia the fourth country to have anti-torture inspectors suspend or postpone missions after Rwanda, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine.
Establishment-critical narrative
Resisting the UN team's mission poses the confusing question of why Australia would freely choose to ratify the framework and then continue to oppose its implementation. Tens of thousands of people are forcibly detained daily in Australia and have their human rights infringed upon — this is a concerning violation of international norms.
Pro-establishment narrative
Australia is committed to upholding human rights and meeting UN compliance deadlines. Despite the blunt ending to this visit, there is hope that the inspection can ultimately resume. The perplexing actions of the New South Wales and Queensland governments don't represent Canberra's commitments to human rights.
Jury Selection Begins for Trump Org. Fraud Trial
Jury selection began on Mon. in the criminal trial of the Trump Organization, accused of tax crimes including fraud and other illegal business practices. If convicted, the company and its subsidiary Trump Payroll Corp. could face $1.6M in fines.
The indictment, which came down after a three-year investigation, alleges executives "received substantial portions of their income through indirect and disguised means," including luxury cars and expensive housing, so they could then report lower earnings to tax authorities.
Democratic narrative
Although Trump can’t be personally held responsible in this case, the chance for prosecutors to expose his company’s fraudulent tax practices could be an appetizer to the main course of future criminal cases and civil cases faced by the former president. Trump should be worried about what all these cases are doing to his prospects for a presidential run in 2024.
Pro-Trump narrative
The Democrats’ witch hunt never rests. New York AG Letitia James, a Democrat, is a biased actor looking for a crime in this case — she’s trying to shamelessly score political points by blocking Trump and his family from doing business in her state.
Nerd narrative
There is a 20% chance Donald Trump will be jailed by 2030, according to the Metaculus community.