20 December 2022

Daily Newsletter

South Africa: Ramaphosa Re-elected Leader of Ruling ANC Party

Facts

  • South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) announced on Monday that the country's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has been re-elected leader of the party following the ANC National Elective Conference, which began on Friday.
  • He garnered 2,476 votes of the 4,384 cast at the conference to beat his former health minister, and rival for the position, Zweli Mkhize. The result means that Ramaphosa — who also won four out of the other six positions in the party's leadership team — will guide the ANC for the next five years.
  • The victory also makes Ramaphosa the front-runner to secure a second term in office ahead of the 2024 presidential elections. The chosen leaders of the ANC have been elected president in all South African elections since 1994.
  • Ramaphosa's path to re-election was not without problems, as he struggled with internal divisions in the ANC during his campaign. He also came close to resigning this month, following a panel report to South Africa's parliament that accused him of serious misconduct over the 2020 Phala Phala robbery.
  • Ramaphosa — along with the newly elected ANC leadership — has many challenges to address, as the country is experiencing reports of widespread corruption, power cuts of more than seven hours a day, and an unemployment rate of 35 percent.
  • Though the ANC is expected to lose its long-established majority in the 2024 general elections, due to its recent loss of support in towns and cities, Ramaphosa is likely to remain president in any coalition government.

Spin

Narrative A

The ANC has shown its steadfast support for Ramaphosa, giving him a bigger win than he achieved in 2017 despite the recent scandal at his game farm. He must now avoid focusing too much on problems within his party, and instead start to govern on behalf of the entire nation amid this severe energy crisis.

Narrative B

Ramaphosa has won the presidency of the ANC, but he won't necessarily be able to resolve internal party divisions or put forward his renewal project for the party. The political culture of the organization is toxic, and conflicts between his faction and that of the Radical Economic Transformation group have only deepened during the conference. These political circumstances will act as an unyielding barrier to effective leadership and governance.

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Day 300: Putin Tells Security Services to Root Out 'Traitors and Spies'

Facts

  • Speaking on Monday, which also saw the celebration of Russia's Security Services Day across the country, Pres. Vladimir Putin ordered the strengthening of Russia's borders and called on his intelligence agencies to maximize use of their "operational, technical, and personnel potential." This was followed by comments made by Putin on Tuesday, suggesting the organizations should step up measures to root out "traitors, spies and saboteurs."
  • Referring to the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia — which Russia claimed to have annexed in September despite Western countries arguing that the annexations were illegitimate — Putin described the situation there as "extremely difficult." He also claimed that: "people living there, Russian citizens, hold out hope for you, for your protection."
  • His words came on the second of a three-day trip to Belarus, where Putin is reportedly seeking to shore up alliances with Pres. Alexander Lukashenko. Putin has said of relations with the head of Belarus: "We agreed to continue to take all necessary measures together to ensure the security of our two countries." Additionally, the Kremlin leader said the nations will: "continue the practice of regular joint exercises and other operational and combat training activities."
  • Elsewhere, Russia and China are set to kick off a week of joint naval exercises in the East China Sea on Wednesday. A statement from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has said: "This joint exercise is directed at demonstrating the determination and capability of the two sides to jointly respond to maritime security threats."
  • On the ground, Russian attacks continued to be reported in the regions of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Sumy. Ukrainian officials said three civilians were killed and five more were injured in Donetsk, while two civilians were killed and three more were injured in Kherson.
  • In Ukrainian attacks, the Russian border region of Belgorod was shelled on Tuesday, reportedly injuring one civilian. A Ukrainian attack also reportedly struck a hospital in the city of Donetsk, though there were no reports of civilian casualties at this stage.

Spin

Anti-Russia narrative

Putin knows Russia is losing the war and is panicking. The Russian leader is clearly paranoid and believes anyone who wants to promote peace is a spy or traitor. Russian propagandists may argue that the country is operating from a position of strength, but they are shaking in their boots.

Pro-Russia narrative

NATO and the US — which have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification — are coordinating to impose their dominance, and Putin, knowing what’s at stake, is taking the lead to make sure his security leaders do too.

Nerd narrative

There is a 95% chance that Vladimir Putin will be the president of the Russian Federation by February 1, 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

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Former Nazi Secretary Convicted by German Court

Facts

  • In what could be the final trial of its kind, a 97-year-old female former secretary at a Nazi concentration camp was found guilty in a German court on Tuesday of being an accessory in the murder of over 10k people during the Holocaust.
  • Irmgard Furchner, nicknamed "the secretary of evil" by German media, was sentenced to two years in prison in a landmark trial for her role in helping run the Stutthof concentration camp.
  • As Furchner was 18 and 19 at the time, the 97-year-old’s trial took place before a juvenile court, and her sentence will see her placed on juvenile probation, the court confirmed.
  • The prosecutors were not able to link her to any specific murders, but they did prove that she willingly supported the running of the camp by fulfilling her duties as secretary.
  • Furnchner's defense lawyers had asked for their client to be acquitted and argued the prosecution’s evidence did not prove beyond doubt that she had known about the killings. In the closing statement, Furchner said she was sorry and regretted being at Stuffhof.
  • In postwar Germany, Furchner had been the prosecutor's witness testifying at trials of Nazi war criminals, including one that led to the conviction of her boss, camp commander Paul-Werner Hoppe.

Spin

Narrative A

While those responsible for the Holocaust should rightfully be held to account, it's unclear just how much justice victims and families will truly get by convicting perpetrators who either don't have to serve their sentences because of their advanced age or receive lenient ones, such as in this case. It's time to consider alternative but equally promising ways of dealing with unresolved Holocaust crimes.

Narrative B

Trials like this are vital to keeping the tragedy of the Holocaust in our collective memories, and they send an important signal, reaffirming the political and moral responsibility of individuals in authoritarian regimes. This is especially true in this case, as the role played by female Nazi war criminals is often overlooked.

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Report: FTX's Bankman-Fried to Agree to US Extradition

Facts

  • In a surprise turn of events, the co-founder and former CEO of crypto exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried, has reportedly waived his right not to be extradited to the US over fraud charges.
  • It followed confusion on Monday after the 30-year-old appeared in court in the Bahamian capital of Nassau, where he's being detained, and told the judge he didn't consent to waive his right to fight extradition. Reports prior to the hearing said he would do so.
  • At the hearing, a lawyer for Bankman-Fried said his client wanted to see the US indictment before agreeing to extradition. As such, the hearing ended without a conclusion, and Bankman-Fried was remanded back to the Fox Hill prison.
  • Reuters' report that the crypto mogul has now consented came several hours after the court hearing. Once this is confirmed in court, it paves the way for one of the biggest white-collar criminal trials since the prosecution of Bernie Madoff.
  • After he was arrested in the Bahamas on Dec. 12, Bankman-Fried was indicted in New York federal court on eight counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and violations of campaign finance laws. If convicted, he faces up to 115 years in prison.
  • He resigned as FTX CEO and the company filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 11 after clients sought to withdraw their funds in droves after reports suggested deposits had been placed with sister company Alameda Research without customer's consent, leaving it largely insolvent.

Spin

Narrative A

According to the government's account, Bankman-Fried's corruption was baked into FTX's processes from the very start of its operation. Whether he was dishonest, deluded, or both, the US government needs to conduct the most thorough investigation and prosecution of this fraudulent crypto billionaire.

Narrative B

Among the charges that Bankman-Fried faces are those of campaign finance violations going up to tens of millions of dollars. These donations went to the highest level of leadership in both the Democratic and Republican parties, which begs the question did these political elites know where their high-dollar donations were coming from? And what will happen to all that money?

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Lake's Ariz. Election Lawsuit Heads to Trial

Facts

  • A Maricopa County, Arizona Superior Court judge on Monday allowed Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake's lawsuit challenging the election’s results to go to trial on claims involving alleged issues with the voting machines, and ballot chain of custody violations.
  • After throwing out eight claims, Judge Peter Thompson ruled he was allowing Lake to try to prove that "printer malfunctions were intentional" and affected the results. In addition, her team can attempt to prove the lack of chain of custody was "both intentional and did in fact result in a changed outcome."
  • Lake, who lost to Democratic Ariz. Sec. of State Katie Hobbs by 17K votes out of 2.6M, will present her case Wednesday and Thursday after Lake's representative examines 150 ballots Tuesday.
  • Regarding chain of custody, Lake claims the protocol around tracking who had the ballots was not followed, and also alleges some ballots were added by staffers from Runbeck Election Service, the company that printed the ballots.
  • Because Hobbs will hold her current Secretary of State position until she's sworn in as governor, Thompson ruled she could be called to testify. Hobbs’ attorney suggested the hearing was a victory for them given that most of the claims were dismissed.
  • In opposition to what Lake’s team claims, Maricopa County’s attorney argued during Monday's hearing that affidavits from voters prove that most were able to cast their ballots — despite longer lines — and there's no evidence to support claims of misconduct.

Spin

Republican narrative

Hobbs thought she could get away with these election irregularities without facing pushback, but Lake isn't going down without a fight. Arizona has endured widespread election issues recently. She may not win, but these hearings will give Lake — and voters who feel disenfranchised — a chance to take the stand and speak up. Due process can now play out.

Democratic narrative

After ranting and tweeting endlessly to her voters about "election fraud," and asking her supporters to foot the bill for her legal actions, Lake will now get her day in court. She’s told her supporters to “buckle up” for victory, but she needs to provide actual evidence there was indeed a conspiracy to tamper with votes, or she could face court sanctions in addition to defeat.

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Stanford Releases Guide to Eliminate 'Harmful' Language

Facts

  • California's Stanford University has published its Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative, an index of "harmful language" it plans on deleting from the school's website and computer code. It also includes a list of replacement terms.
  • The index has 10 language sections, including ableist, ageist, colonialist, culturally appropriative, gender-based, imprecise, institutionally racist, and person-first words.
  • Among the words are "American," to be replaced with "US citizen," "immigrant" to be replaced with "person who has immigrated" or "non-citizen," and "walk-in-hours" to be swapped with "open hours" so as to include people with disabilities. The school added that the phrase "beating a dead horse" should also go away because it normalizes violence against animals.
  • The term "abort" is to be replaced with "cancel" or "end" due to moral concerns, and the word "Karen" will be replaced with "demanding or entitled White woman." Under its racial category, words like "black hat" or "black sheep" are to be scrapped due to "negative connotations to the color black."
  • Under the gender category, "preferred pronouns" should become "pronouns" because the guide alleges the former implies that gender is a choice, and the words "freshman" or "congressman" should go because they exclude women. The ableism category includes "blind review," which it says should be replaced with "anonymous review."
  • Initially announced in May, the guide gained traction on social media on Monday and has since been removed from public view.

Spin

Left narrative

Stanford University is a diverse, inclusive, and highly respected institution of higher learning, which is why it has taken steps to redesign its website to that effect. Though small linguistic changes like these may seem inconsequential, they can have a monumentally positive impact on the communities that have historically been put down by the use of biased language. This is a welcome gesture.

Right narrative

While Stanford claims to be fighting for the disenfranchised through this new initiative, what it's really doing is implementing Big Brother tactics that, ironically, have long been used to silence the marginalized. No matter your race or gender, the best way to combat this is by speaking your mind — uninhibited by administrative rules — and exposing what a mockery of education and freedom the university's Orwellian guide is.

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Palestinian Prisoner and Cancer Patient Dies in Israeli Custody

Facts

  • On Tuesday, Nasser Abu Hamid, a senior Palestinian fighter sentenced to life in jail by Israel, died of cancer — prompting outrage and mourning among Palestinians.
  • Abu Hamid is a former leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, which is the armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party. He was sentenced to seven life sentences in 2002 for participating in the deaths of seven Israelis in the second Intifada.
  • Hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets and stores closed across the West Bank to protest Abu Hamid's death. Palestinian groups have called for a general strike and confrontations with Israeli forces.
  • Abu Hamid was diagnosed with an advanced stage of lung cancer in Aug. 2021. Palestinian rights groups, as well as Mahmoud Abbas, have claimed that Israeli authorities neglected his condition and did not give sufficient treatment.
  • Abu Hamid was mentioned by Abbas in his speech to the UN General Assembly in September, saying that Palestinians were telling "the heroic prisoner Nasser Abu Hamid and his companions that dawn is coming, and it is time for their chains to be broken."
  • This year has been one of the deadliest years in the conflict since the second Intifada. A negotiated settlement appears to be increasingly unlikely.

Spin

Pro-Palestine narrative

Israeli authorities purposefully neglected Abu Hamid due to his involvement in resistance to Israel's violent occupation. Abu Hamid is yet another martyr to die at Israel's hands because of their cruelty. Israel's systematic and deliberate killing of Palestinian prisoners is well-known, and the international community must intervene to prevent Israel from continuing these abuses.

Pro-Israel narrative

Abu Hamid was a mass murdering terrorist, plain and simple, yet Israel still provided him a level of decency. He was involved in the murder of multiple Israelis, as well as Palestinians. Accusations that Israel neglected Abu Hamid are also preposterous, as the relevant officials went out of their way to provide him with care.

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Puerto Rican Cities File Racketeering Suit Against Oil Companies

Facts

  • Sixteen Puerto Rican municipalities have filed a lawsuit alleging multinational oil and coal companies conspired to deceive the public about climate change — specifically aiming to hold them accountable for the damage done by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
  • In a first for a climate civil suit, the plaintiffs are using the 1970 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act to assert that the fossil fuel industry, trade associations, think tanks, and others obfuscated the link between greenhouse-gas emitting fuels and climate change.
  • The fossil fuel companies, including ExxonMobil, Shell, and BP, are accused of formulating their plan to deceive the public dating back to the 1989 Global Climate Coalition, which the lawsuit claims bolstered the fossil fuel industry through "false information" disseminated to the public.
  • There were six major hurricanes and over 12 named storms during the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, which caused at least $294B in damage to Puerto Rico. The alleged conspiracy by companies makes the island "the ultimate victim of global warming," according to one of the municipalities’ attorneys.
  • In the past, RICO laws had mostly been used to criminally pursue entities like the Mafia, motorcycle gangs, and international purveyors of fraud. But recently there has been more civil use of the statutes to hold corporations accountable.

Spin

Narrative A

It’s going to be difficult for the fossil fuel companies to deny these charges when there’s an actual Shell internal report predicting a suit like this would come in the future. There are numerous threads to the industry’s deception — including the funding of think tanks that would produce favorable studies, and the creation of lobbying groups that existed solely for the industry’s benefit. It’s about time the industry was held accountable.

Narrative B

These preposterous lawsuits are a desperate attempt to get a select handful of companies to pay for catastrophes that have resulted from decades of activity by numerous entities across the globe or simply natural causes. It’s a waste of money to sue rather than focus on the collaborative efforts being made by the industry with other groups to combat climate change in a meaningful way.

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Afghanistan: Taliban Closes Universities to Women

Facts

  • A spokesman for the Taliban-led Afghan Ministry of Higher Education confirmed to CNN on Tuesday that the government has suspended university education for all female students in Afghanistan.
  • The higher education minister stated in a letter that this move restricting women's access to formal education is until further notice, with reports expecting it to take effect immediately.
  • The ban on higher education comes less than three months after thousands of women took university entrance exams across the country, though sweeping restrictions limited what subjects they could study.
  • US State Department spokesperson Ned Price pointed out that the latest suspension will have significant consequences for the Taliban and further alienate it from the international community, as the UN Security Council met in New York to discuss Afghanistan.
  • Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, universities have been required to gender-segregate classrooms and women could only be taught by female professors or older men, while most teenage girls have been banned from secondary school education.
  • The Taliban has been implementing other strict rules since its takeover, including requiring women to fully cover themselves in public and banning them from many government jobs — measures that have been criticized by the UN and the international community.

Spin

Establishment-critical narrative

The Taliban is committed to respecting women's rights as defined by the Islamic Sharia laws, not by secular customs imposed by the so-called international community. Female students will be allowed access to formal education once a decent cultural and religious environment has been created in Afghanistan.

Pro-establishment narrative

Barring women from higher education is a step in the wrong direction for the Taliban. The choice is guaranteed to hurt the group's efforts to receive international donations at a time when the country is deep in an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis. The Taliban cannot expect to be a legitimate member of the international community until they respect the rights of all Afghans.

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Bipartisan $1.7T Bill Seeks to Avoid US Govt Shutdown

Facts

  • A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill has unveiled a $1.7T funding package for the 2023 fiscal year that seeks to avert a government shutdown. A shutdown is set to occur on Friday if the bill fails to pass.
  • The sprawling legislation includes a 10% increase to defense spending, with $858B secured, and $772B for non-military domestic programs, amounting to a 5% boost. Additional pandemic aid requested by the Biden admin. was among the programs left out.
  • The bill, announced Tuesday, is expected to pass a Senate vote before being sent to the House for approval, and then to Pres. Biden for his signature. The general sentiment among lawmakers is that the bill will be passed in time, but frustrations about transparency have also been expressed given the rushed timeframe.
  • The bill also includes a reform of the 1887 Electoral Count Act. The much-discussed ban of TikTok on federal devices is also included.
  • Democratic lawmakers are touting inclusions such as increased funding for veterans' healthcare. Meanwhile, Republicans are claiming victory over keeping domestic spending under the rate of inflation.
  • At least ten Republican senators are needed to pass the bill before it's sent to the Democratic-controlled House, and while GOP opposition has been voiced against the efforts to pass the 4K page bill on short notice, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) expressed confidence in the passage of the legislation.

Spin

Republican narrative

While increased funding for the military and checks on wasteful domestic spending ought to be applauded, the GOP should not have supported the passage of this bloated bill that was rammed through a lame-duck Democratic session. While it wouldn't be pretty, a government shutdown would be preferable if it means that the incoming Republican-controlled House can save Americans from Biden's unchecked wastefulness.

Democratic narrative

The passing of this legislation would be a big win for democracy, as the bipartisan reform of the Electoral Count Act would stop Trump and other reckless leaders from attempting to undermine the Constitution, making the nation safer from tyranny in the process. Democrats should celebrate securing funding for the US's allies overseas, government programs for everyday Americans, and, most importantly, passing a budget before obstructionist Republicans take control of the House.

Cynical narrative

In a skillful piece of political theater, both Democrats and Republicans get to declare victory for an enormous, inflationary spending bill. Taxpayers will have to pick up the tab. 4,000 pages of spending increases rammed through both houses. These mountains of cash are being shoveled into bloated government agencies with reckless abandon as irrelevant policy measures are snuck into a piece of legislation no lawmaker will actually read.

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