Day 286 Roundup: Further Strike in Russian Borders; ICC Prosecutor Opposes EU Plan for Ukraine Tribunal
A day after two attacks hit airfields deep within Russia's borders, a further attack was reported in the border region of Kursk on Tuesday. Roman Starovoit, governor of the Kursk region, said: "An oil tank is on fire as a result of a drone attack near the Kursk airfield. There are no casualties."
Starovoit added that, following consultations with Russia's anti-terrorist commission, a decision was made to extend the region's yellow terror-threat level (meaning high) for a period of 15 days.
Pro-establishment narrative
This invasion is an egregious violation of international law. Putin's ultimate aim is to restore the Soviet empire, even if it takes massive bloodshed and false pretexts such as calling the 2014 Ukrainian revolution after an election a "coup". This unprovoked attack is the latest chapter in Putin's Orwellian attempt to rewrite history.
Pro-Russia narrative
NATO and the US have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.
Nerd narrative
There is a 12% chance that there will be a serious radiation incident at any nuclear plant in Ukraine by 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Al Jazeera Urges ICC to Investigate Abu Akleh Killing
On Tuesday, the Qatar-based Al Jazeera Media Network submitted a formal request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the death of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American who worked for Al Jazeera for 25 years, was killed on May 11 after covering a raid at a refugee camp in Jenin in the West Bank. She was shot in the head while wearing a helmet and a bullet-proof vest marked "PRESS."
Pro-Palestine narrative
Abu Akleh was intentionally murdered by Israeli forces while carrying out her job as a journalist. There was no "crossfire," she was clearly identified as a journalist, and other reporters at the scene said that they were shot at intentionally. The ICC must open an investigation and get justice for Abu Akleh's family.
Pro-Israel narrative
While tragic, Abu Akleh's death wasn't deliberate, as was found by multiple investigations. The IDF's probe — which included the US — thoroughly investigated the incident in an unbiased way, regardless of what Israel haters have said. An ICC investigation's findings would be no different.
Report: Musk's Neuralink Investigated Over Animal Deaths
Twitter CEO Elon Musk's brain implant tech firm Neuralink is reportedly under investigation by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) over alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act.
According to a Reuters report, the USDA inspector general opened the federal probe after current and former employees alleged that Musk's pressure to speed up research has caused "needless suffering and deaths" of about 1.5k animals since 2018.
Establishment-critical narrative
This is a win for animal rights, and a step in the right direction to holding Neuralink accountable for the long list of animal abuse allegations it faces, but the company must face the maximum penalty available per violation. It's ironic and twisted that Musk intends to revolutionize human minds by inflicting unimaginable suffering on those of animals.
Pro-establishment narrative
There's no evidence that Neuralink’s animal testing practices are inhumane, or that it has broken the law. The hard truth is that all new medical devices and treatments must be tested in animals before they can be ethically trialed in humans. Nevertheless, Neuralink has shown its commitment time and again to working with animals in the most humane and ethical way possible.
Cynical narrative
Musk’s actions are hardly an isolated incident. Despite mounting public concern and the availability of validated non-animal methods for scientific research, more and more laboratories worldwide are scheduling animals for terminal procedures in their quest to amaze humanity. Moreover, animal testing is not only cruel but so often ineffective. In fact, 90% of drugs that successfully pass the initial animal tests fail in human trials. This must end.
Nerd narrative
There's a 1% chance that commercial animal farming will be prohibited in the US before 2041, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Google Launches Anti-Misinformation Campaign in India
Google subsidiary Jigsaw will launch an anti-misinformation campaign in India to address "fake news," often blamed for inciting political and religious tensions. It will use "prebunking" videos on its YouTube and other social media platforms to alert viewers of allegedly false claims before they spread.
Following a recent experiment by the search engine in Europe to combat anti-refugee sentiment in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the India campaign will be bigger in scope, dealing with three languages — Bengali, Hindi, and Marathi — and cover a population of 1B people.
Establishment-critical narrative
When google curates or censors information online, it's not doing so for the good of humanity but to strengthen its grip on the information and advertising market. The citizens of every country need to stand up and call for government crackdowns on such abuses of power while simultaneously propping up smaller tech companies that don't track what you say and to whom you say it.
Pro-establishment narrative
As the leading global search engine, Google has a responsibility to work alongside each and every society it impacts. When radicalizing and hateful information spreads, national unity is at risk, which is why de-escalating programs like this are necessary. Diverse countries around the world are trying to bring people together in a time of fierce division, and Big Tech has the tools and duty to make a difference.
Study: Child Marijuana Use Soared 245% in Last 20 Years
According to a study from the Oregon Health and Science University that analyzed over 330k reports from the National Poison Data System, US child and teen marijuana use increased by 245% between 2000 and 2020. The study covered all substances, but marijuana saw the largest increase.
Coinciding with a steady decline in teen drinking, the research published in the journal Clinical Toxicology showed the increase was for children aged six to 18, with 80% of all reported cases being in teens aged 13 to 18, and 58.3% in males.
Narrative A
Just as the anti-marijuana legalization movement warned us, as more states legalize the substance and normalize its culture, more young Americans get caught in the crossfire. Weed can absolutely be addicting, and rates of such addictive behavior have been on the rise, hindering two decades of declines in cigarette smoking. As children face rising rates of depression, substances like marijuana only worsen the epidemic.
Narrative B
This study doesn't mean that youth marijuana use is on the rise due to the legalization of marijuana. Many other studies this year — specifically focused on marijuana use in states that have legalized recreational weed — have shown no increase, which should put an end to the blame game against marijuana legalization.
Nerd narrative
There's an 85% chance that marijuana will be legal for recreational use in a supermajority of strongly Republican US states before 2041, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Indonesia Outlaws Sex Outside Marriage
On Tuesday, Indonesia’s parliament unanimously approved a new criminal code making premarital sex, adultery, and live-in relationships punishable by up to a year in prison.
Albert Aries, Indonesia’s law and human rights ministry spokesperson, defended the widely-criticized amendments, saying they "protect marriage institutions.” He added that only a spouse, parent or child could report acts of extramarital sex.
Pro-establishment narrative
The new law is simply morality policing aimed at suppressing free speech, civil liberties, religious freedom, and legitimate criticism. Not only does it disproportionately affect women, the LGBTQ community, and ethnic minorities in the country, the new criminal code severely dents Indonesia’s image as a tourism and investment destination.
Establishment-critical narrative
Indonesia is a multicultural and multi-ethnic country. The government has done its best to accommodate all interests. For instance, the law maintains that abortion is a crime but adds exceptions for women with life-threatening medical conditions and in cases of rape. Gay sex is also still legal. Indonesia's attempt to break away from its colonial living legacy needs to be celebrated, not outrightly dismissed.
Report: Meta's Targeted Ad Model to Face EU Restrictions
EU privacy regulators on Monday reportedly ruled that Meta Platforms Inc, which includes Facebook and Instagram, can't require users to agree to personalized ads targeting their online activity.
The ruling calls on Ireland's Data Protection Commission, Meta's EU regulator, to issue public orders and fines reflecting the decision. Meta can appeal the ruling, but if upheld, it would serve a blow to the company's lucrative advertising business.
Narrative A
The online world is desperately searching for better methods of advertising than personalized targeted ads, which is why the EU is clamping down on Big Tech's cookies-based system. If Meta wants to place a running shoe ad on a marathon website, that's fine, but collecting and tracking our every click is immoral and should be abolished by laws like this. This is a move in the right direction for privacy protection.
Narrative B
While this may seem like an altruistic effort on behalf of European social media users and against Big Tech, there's money being made on the other side, too. Companies that rely on contextual advertising rather than targeted ads have spent millions of dollars lobbying the EU to pass this legislation. These companies are engaged in the same selfish lobbying they accuse Big Tech of doing.
Australia Raises Rates to 10-Year High
In its eighth hike in eight months, the Royal Bank of Australia (RBA) on Tuesday raised interest rates by 0.25% to a 10-year high of 3.1% while doubling down on its stance that more hikes will be needed to slow inflation.
According to RBA Governor Philip Lowe, the bank expects interest rates to continue rising but added that the hikes are "not on a pre-set course."
Establishment-critical narrative
The Australian people, specifically homeowners, deserve an apology from Philip Lowe and the RBA for the deception that has led to their financial hardship. Lowe repeatedly said that the official cash rate would not increase until 2024, leading many to buy homes not knowing the ensuing pain to come from the RBA’s actions.
Pro-establishment narrative
During difficult political and economic times, the Australian government is doing a good job. With October showing a slowdown in the pace of inflation, the RBA's rate hikes are already showing signs of cooling the economy. While these measures place a temporary burden on homeowners, in the long run, this is what will help curb the record prices.
Jan. 6: Special Counsel Subpoenas Swing States
Special counsel Jack Smith has reportedly issued grand jury subpoenas to local officials in several key presidential swing states – Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – for any communications with former Pres. Donald Trump, his campaign, and a series of allies who allegedly aided his effort to overturn the 2020 election results.
Smith’s first-known subpoenas were sent to officials in Milwaukee and Dane counties in Wisconsin; Wayne County, Michigan; Maricopa County, Arizona; and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
Democratic narrative
The investigations over Jan. 6 and Trump’s possession of classified documents were gathering steam before Smith came in. Now they seem to be ramping up and drilling down on the former president’s role in these scandals. The breadth of these subpoenas should be able to gather enough information to charge Trump criminally.
Pro-Trump narrative
Smith, a known Democratic hack with a history of persecuting Republicans, is being used by Garland to carry out a political hitjob on Trump ahead of his 2024 run for president. It’s dangerous when an administration investigates its political opponents for exercising their right to free speech, which was all Trump did when he objected to the 2020 election results.
Trump Org. Convicted on All Counts in Tax Fraud Case
In a Manhattan court on Tuesday, the Trump Organization was convicted of tax crimes committed by two long-time executives, including conspiracy, scheme to defraud, criminal tax fraud, and falsifying business records.
The company was convicted on a total of 17 counts and, though he wasn't personally a defendant in the tax evasion case involving compensation in the form of perks to its then-CFO Allen Weisselberg and other executives since 2005, a prosecutor alleged that former Pres. Trump "knew exactly what was going on."
Pro-Trump narrative
This case was just another attempt to undermine Trump and his organization with frivolous lawsuits. Weisselberg had already pleaded guilty and is the clear culprit behind the alleged scheme, yet the former president's opposition is quick to use this as a weapon against him. Democrats seemingly won’t stop until they’ve bled Trump dry via legal warfare.
Democratic narrative
Attempts to separate Trump from the fraud committed by his company are naïve. While the former president may not be on trial in this particular case, there's no doubt that the businessman was fully aware of Weisselberg's — and the rest of the company's — doings. The defense had a losing case from the start.
Nerd narrative
There's a 36% chance that any US court will rule that Donald J. Trump is disqualified from holding the presidency before January 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.