Rupert Murdoch Deposed Over 2020 Election Reporting
On Tuesday, Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of Fox Corp, was scheduled to sit for a deposition as part of a defamation lawsuit alleging that Fox News promoted false claims that a voting tech company rigged the 2020 US presidential election.
According to a filing in Delaware's Superior Court, Murdoch's deposition was scheduled to take place remotely on Dec. 13 and 14.
Left narrative
It looks like the "alternative universe" that Fox News resides in is finally being shattered. Dominion isn’t just going after the network for the falsities it spread about voting machines, it’s establishing a pattern, through depositions, of Fox spewing misinformation. Fox shouldn't have aligned itself with extremists regarding election denial.
Right narrative
Freedom of the press is foundational to democracy, and Fox News’ right to report on the news, and provide opinion and analysis, is under attack. The allegations aired were extremely newsworthy at the time, and Fox gave Dominion a platform to respond. It will be extremely difficult to prove “actual malice,” so Fox will undoubtedly prevail, and Fox journalists will continue to do their vital job.
DR Congo: Flooding Kills At Least 141
According to officials, at least 141 people died in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday after floods caused landslides in the capital city of Kinshasa. Pres. Félix Tshisekedi on Wednesday declared three days of mourning.
Entire neighborhoods have been inundated with flood waters and mud, destroying homes and roads and creating sinkholes — one of which destroyed the roadway between Kinshasa and the chief seaport of Matadi.
Pro-establishment narrative
This latest disaster is evidence that climate change is widespread and rapidly accelerating. As cities face increased extreme events like flooding, the world needs to adapt. Local and national governments are reacting too slowly — we must stop standing idly by amid this ecological crisis, and open our eyes to the economic opportunity to grow our cities equitably for the future.
Establishment-critical narrative
Climate change threatens every nation on the planet, but poor nations like the DRC are facing the brunt of the disastrous impacts. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and failed crop seasons will only worsen until appropriate funding is allocated to help these overpopulated and impoverished regions develop economically and infrastructurally.
Narrative C
It's easy to dismiss any extreme weather event as a consequence of climate change, but in reality they're usually influenced by a myriad of factors that have nothing to do with it. More research is needed before we can establish any direct causal link between the two.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that sea levels will rise by at least 578 millimeters by 2100, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Meta Sued For $2B Over Violent Killing In Ethiopia
A group of researchers and activists have filed a lawsuit against Facebook's parent company, Meta Platforms Inc., in Kenya’s high court. The group accuses the company of amplifying hate speech and inciting violence in Ethiopia on the platform — they are also calling for about $2B in restitution.
The lawsuit contends that Facebook's recommendation systems amplified violent posts in Ethiopia — which has been in a state of civil war since November 2022 — including several that preceded the murder of the father of Meareg Amare Abrha, one of the researchers who brought the case.
Establishment-critical narrative
Meta, yet again, has blood on its hands — its lack of content moderation or sensible policy has led to the death of Meareg Amare Abrha and possibly many others. This is what happens when large Western companies fail to even attempt to understand the complexities of social conflict outside of their regions. The level of negligence Meta has shown in this case should be considered criminal, as its inability to stop the spread of violent rhetoric has directly led to increased violence and death.
Pro-establishment narrative
Though Meta certainly has work to do regarding content moderation, this is a new frontier in human history and it will take time to refine a new system. Facebook flagged Ethiopia as being at “dire” risk of violence in 2021 and put its most effective resources towards fighting hate speech and violent rhetoric. Unfortunately, Ethiopian users didn't engage with hate speech in the same way users from other regions did, so Meta had to think on the fly to adjust to this difference.
Day 294: US Poised to Provide Advanced Missile Defense Systems, Reports Say
According to reports in CNN, Reuters and the Associated Press — all of whom cited three unnamed American officials on Tuesday — the US is finalizing plans to send Raytheon-made Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine.
While a decision on sending the advanced system has reportedly been in consideration for some time, the trigger hasn't been pulled amid fears it would be seen as an escalation by Russia, as well as concerns it would require US troops in Ukraine to operate its technology. Nonetheless, the three outlets reported that an affirmative decision is expected this week.
Anti-Russia narrative
Zelenskyy has constantly pleaded with Western countries to provide more advanced weapons systems to help bring about an end to the war. Delivery of the Patriot missile defense system will help Ukraine defend itself from Russian aerial attacks more effectively.
Pro-Russia narrative
This move is not only about defense — it is an escalation. If the US sends Patriot missile defense systems to Kyiv, they will be considered fair game for Russian attacks, as will any personnel who are needed for their operation.
Nerd narrative
There is a 15% chance that Ukraine will receive a security guarantee from another country before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
At Least 4 Dead After Migrant Boat Capsizes in English Channel
At least four migrants crossing the English Channel from France have died after their boat capsized off the coast of Kent, England near Dungeness. A search and rescue operation involving helicopters and lifeboats began at around 3 am Wednesday, with 43 people rescued.
The British Coast Guard — as well as a Royal Navy patrol boat, a French Navy Helicopter, and a French fishing boat — helped evacuate the passengers. Volunteer lifeboats were also dispatched along the Kent coastline and Dungeness.
Right narrative
The only beneficiaries of this human trafficking scheme are the criminals who profit from sending migrants across dangerous waters. Illegal immigration into England doesn't benefit the migrants or the British taxpayers who bare the financial costs of housing them. Sunak's plan to end these crossings is the only viable solution.
Left narrative
While an argument can be made in favor of sending Albanians, in particular, back, Sunak's asylum system reconfiguration plan is neither sympathetic nor actionable. Ideas such as patrolling French coasts with "boots on the ground" or the failed Rwandan plan are ridiculous, and the many real asylum seekers among these arrivals deserve better than what the government has proposed so far.
CDC Report: Long COVID Can Be Deadly
In a study published on Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "long COVID" was cited as the cause of death for at least 3,544 Americans during the first 2.5 years of the pandemic.
Although this represents 0.3% of the over 1M Americans who have died from the virus, the study's findings suggest that while long COVID is correlated to long-term illness it "can be a cause of death."
Narrative A
As the world emerges from the worst of the COVID pandemic more studies will need to be conducted to better understand what the virus does to the human body and how those changes will impact the infected in both the short- and long-term. Until medical professionals fully understand the pathology of the virus and subsequent disease, we must support patients with their troubling long COVID experiences.
Narrative B
Medical experts are excited and hopeful to see the CDC studying deaths from long COVID. Now that institutions are coming on board, doctors can also be better educated on the long-term consequences. The data only shows a snapshot of the long COVID tragedy, but the profession is moving in the right direction.
Cynical narrative
"Long COVID" is just the latest chapter in the pandemic fear campaign. In fact, other reputable studies indicate long COVID may be no worse than any other post-viral syndrome. Statistics are easily manipulated, as we've seen time and again in the past three years, and this latest bout of COVID alarmism should be taken with a grain of salt.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that there will be at least 1.1M confirmed COVID deaths in the US by the end of 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Sen. Sanders Withdraws Yemen War Powers Resolution
US Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) withdrew his request to vote on the Yemen War Powers Resolution on Tuesday, citing White House opposition. The resolution would have forced the US government to cease its support for the war in Yemen.
The White House was reportedly pressuring senators to vote against the resolution, with presidential aides making it clear that Pres. Joe Biden “strongly opposed” the bill and would veto it if it made it to his desk.
Pro-establishment narrative
Saudi Arabia is a valuable ally, and the US must keep supporting Riyadh against the Iran-backed Houthis, who are a terrorist organization. Even though the Saudis have met some of the Houthis’ demands, the rebels won’t let up, leaving the Saudis with no choice but to continue their efforts. Ideally, the US can help the Saudis win the war while also doing a better job of focusing on military targets and being open about any mistakes they make.
Establishment-critical narrative
The time to act to stop the inhumane suffering in Yemen is now. The Saudis and Emiratis are conducting war crimes and the Houthis' resistance is just as legitimate as the resistance in Ukraine. Biden’s previous moves to resist Saudi intervention didn't have their desired effect, and at this point, the Saudis have given him every reason to oppose their efforts strongly. US support for this proxy war must stop.
Report: Southern Somalia May Experience Catastrophic Famine
In a report released Tuesday, the UN suggested that a famine declaration in Somalia has been narrowly averted due to the response of humanitarian actors and local communities. However, the still "catastrophic" situation risks tipping into famine in southern Somalia in the coming months.
The report suggests that 8.3M people are expected to face "crisis" or worse conditions between April-June 2023, due to "the impacts of five consecutive seasons of poor rainfall, a likely sixth season of below-average rainfall from March to June 2023, and exceptionally high food prices, exacerbated by concurrent conflict/insecurity and disease outbreaks."
Pro-establishment narrative
The generosity of the international humanitarian community and the UN system is all that has kept Somalia from temporarily slipping into a catastrophic famine. If a full-court press of aid isn't scaled up, early next year could be a nightmare. In a world with an unstable climate, a sixth-straight failure of the rainy season will cause mass suffering — we can and must ensure that food security is a sustained reality.
Establishment-critical narrative
Hot-button issues like famine declarations are always part of a complex political tapestry. The current Somali government is worried that a formal famine declaration may prompt unstable rural-to-urban migration, play into the hands of al -Shabaab, and divert international funds away from investment, development, health care, education, and climate resilience. While the global community needs to address food insecurity, it must sensitively support the holistic needs of Somalia also.
Fla. Gov. DeSantis Calls For Grand Jury on COVID Vaccines
On Tuesday, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he would request that the state Supreme Court convene a grand jury to investigate potential wrongdoings related to COVID vaccines.
DeSantis, who is seen as a favorite for the 2024 Republican nomination for president, made the announcement after attending a roundtable with Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo and other physicians and scientists who are concerned about the vaccines, their manufacturers, and the CDC's guidelines related to the jabs.
Republican narrative
It’s time to hold manufacturers and public officials accountable for any misleading claims they have made about vaccines, such as Biden's false assertion that they would stop the contraction and transmission of the virus. The public needs to see what the data says about health risks — especially heart problems — related to the jab and not just take the manufacturers' words at face value.
Democratic narrative
This is nothing more than a political ploy as DeSantis attempts to solidify his road to the 2024 nomination. Plenty of independent, peer-reviewed studies show that not only are severe post-jab health problems extremely rare but that the risk of death is greater for those who are unvaccinated. Nothing a grand jury could learn will change that.
Nerd narrative
There’s a 30% chance that Ron DeSantis will be elected President of the US by 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Fed Boosts Interest Rates by Another 0.5%
In a slowdown after four consecutive 0.75% interest rate increases, the US Federal Reserve (Fed) announced a 0.5% rate hike on Wednesday in its continuing battle against inflation. The latest move brings the benchmark rate to a 15-year high range of 4.25% to 4.5%.
Central bank officials are now projecting rates to hit 5.1% next year, up from previous predictions of 4.6% when they last issued forecasts in September. They're also projecting inflation to remain high for longer than expected, with consumer prices anticipated to jump 3.1% next year and 2.5% in 2024.
Establishment-critical narrative
In an attempt to restore its credibility and the public's trust, the Fed has foolishly decided to continue with its monetary tightening despite compelling evidence from November's job report that the central bank has successfully eased the pace of inflation — a fact the media has unsurprisingly downplayed. To compensate for its initially slow response, the Fed is now raising rates too far, which risks pushing the US economy over the ever-nearing recession finish line.
Pro-establishment narrative
Though energy prices were down in the latest CPI report, food and services costs have remained on the rise, which is why the Fed is correct in its latest rate hike decision. As wages increase in a market still waiting to fill 10M jobs, hopes for a rate decrease any time soon should be quelled as employers are still catching up with current inflation. While painful, fighting inflation now will allow the US to return to normal sooner.
Cynical narrative
Though the Fed has done a good job so far, there's a potentially dreadful scenario due to US policy's effects on the global economy. With Europe likely to face a harsher economic downturn, international players may call on the US central bank to bring rates down to help their economies breathe, which would let domestic inflation loose again and ruin all the progress the US has made. Chairman Powell must be cognizant of these possibilities.
Nerd narrative
There's a 35% chance that the US will enter a recession before 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.