Judge Denies Ariz. Gov.-Elect's Call for Sanctions Against Lake
Arizona Judge Peter Thompson, who oversaw the two-day trial of Kari Lake's lawsuit challenging the results of the state's gubernatorial election, has denied Govenor-elect Katie Hobbs' request to impose sanctions against Lake. Thompson ruled that Lake's lawsuit wasn't brought in bad faith.
Lake filed the suit this month over ballot printer problems and ballot chain of custody misconduct, which she alleged cost her a victory in the race against Hobbs. However, Judge Peter Thompson ruled that her witnesses lacked knowledge of intentional misconduct.
Maricopa County was seeking over $25K to cover its own legal fees, while Hobbs, whose 17K-vote win was secured by the court ruling, was asking for a separate $550.2K in attorney fees from Lake, more than $450k of which would go to Democratic elections lawyer Marc Elias’s firm.
Democratic narrative
Lake, like every other Arizona Republican who challenged election results and lost, made baseless claims from the get-go and is now facing the consequences. It’s bad enough to sow doubt about election integrity via social media, but making such egregious accusations through the legal system is indefensible. Hopefully, the court will side with Hobbs and show election deniers what happens when you lie about results.
Republican narrative
Aside from potential sanctions against Lake, the real news here is that this was a sham trial from the beginning. Despite Lake providing evidence of malfunctioning vote tabulators at a significant portion of majority-Republican polling sites, Thompson chalked it up to coincidence. Two days wasn’t nearly enough time to thoroughly investigate the matter, but it seems the court had no desire to conduct an effective probe.
Ethiopian Airlines Resume Flights to Tigray
Ethiopian Airlines on Wednesday resumed flights to the Tigray region, as relations between the war-torn region and the Ethiopian federal government begin to normalize.
This comes as Ethiopian leaders visited the region on Monday after signing a peace agreement in November to end the conflict in Tigray, which lasted for two years, as humanitarian aid and Ethiopian utilities return to the region in exchange for the disarmament of Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).
Ethiopian Airlines has stated they are, "truly pleased with the resumption of our flights to Mekele," the regional capital. The first flight to the city was fully booked within hours of the announcement.
Pro-establishment narrative
The bloody conflict in Tigray is finally coming to an end, as both sides are showing a real commitment to a lasting peace in the region. While Eritrean forces remain a sticking point, each side has indicated that they will be upholding their ends of the bargain Tigray will decommission their weapons, and Ethiopia will allow aid and utilities to return to the area. The return of Ethiopian Airlines is another good faith showing of trust in the peace process — there is now real promise of an end to this conflict.
Establishment-critical narrative
Ethiopia is trying to impose a "victor's peace" on the people of Tigray — their lackadaisical attitude towards foreign forces in the region are indicative of this, and only increase the risk of an outbreak of violence. Ethiopian Airlines has been accused of violating international law by providing logistical support to the Ethiopian military, and there is no chance of a fair and transparent peace process if Ethiopia does not properly address their misconduct during the war and peace process.
Nerd narrative
There's a 51% chance that Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will experience a significant leadership disruption before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
India Investigating Death of Russian Politician
Indian police are investigating the sudden death of Russian politician Pavel Antov, a multimillionaire sausage tycoon and critic of the war in Ukraine, who died in the eastern state of Odisha.
On Saturday, Antov fell from a third-floor window of a luxury hotel in Rayagada city. His abrupt death comes after his friend and Russian lawmaker Vladimir Budanov died of a heart attack on Antov’s 65th birthday two days previously, on Dec. 22.
Authorities have speculated that Antov was depressed after his friend's death, and that he died by suicide. According to Russian Consul in Calcutta, they don't see "criminal element in these tragic events."
Anti-Russia narrative
Several powerful Russians have died violently or under mysterious circumstances since the start of Russia's assault on Ukraine. It's unsurprising then that Vladimir Putin, a former lieutenant colonel of the KGB and ex-head of the FSB, is famous for assassinating anyone who steps out of line. Pavel Antov is just the latest in a long list of Putin critics who have paid the price for speaking out against the Kremlin's maniacal leader.
Pro-Russia narrative
It's impossible to know if the string of unnatural deaths is merely a coincidence or conspiracy, since many oligarchs met their untimely ends outside Russia. While the circumstances of Pavel Antov's death are still being investigated, let's not forget he was a successful businessman, lawmaker, and philanthropist — his death is a tragic loss for Russia.
Nerd narrative
There is an 18% chance that a coup or regime change will take place in Russia in 2022 or 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UK: 40% of Junior Doctors Plan to Quit NHS
According to a new survey, 40% of junior doctors plan to leave the UK's National Health Service (NHS) as soon as they can find another role. Pay and poor working conditions were the main reasons cited for wanting to quit, said the British Medical Association (BMA), who commissioned the research.
The BMA said the NHS would not be able to cope if two-fifths of its junior doctor workforce resigned. It urged the government to “act now" to avoid a strike set to be held by doctors next week. One third of the 4.5K junior doctors surveyed in England also said they plan to work in another country in the next 12 months.
Australia and New Zealand are considered top destinations among those looking to emigrate. The survey comes ahead of an industrial action ballot affecting junior doctors in England, which opens on Jan. 9.
Left narrative
Not only have nurses and frontline workers borne the brunt of the pandemic, they now face a government trying to nickel-and-dime them out of a necessary and well-deserved pay increase, all while dealing with record-high inflation and a buckling healthcare system. Public sector wages have stagnated profoundly under conservative governance. The unacceptable exploitation of essential workers needs to stop.
Right narrative
Unions must face the fact that every day they stay on the picket line puts the lives of countless Britons at risk. The government is scrambling to find solutions to the economic crisis sparked by COVID and inflation, as well as the market destabilization induced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The unions are simply not playing fair by ignoring the reality of current economic circumstances — this is a safety issue.
Day 308: Number of Civilians Killed 'Considerably Higher' Than 6.8K Known, UN Says
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Tuesday released its latest casualty figures for the war in Ukraine. The agency said 6,884 civilians had been confirmed killed while 10,947 were confirmed injured — the majority of those coming from the Donbas regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.
However, the agency warned that the figures are likely far below the real numbers. The organization said it thinks the "actual figures are considerably higher," citing the delay in reporting caused by intense conflict along with the fact that "many reports are still pending corroboration."
Meanwhile, according to multiple reports, Ukrainian forces are strengthening their numbers near the west Luhansk city of Kreminna ahead of a possible offensive. It would be strategically important if recaptured by Ukraine, as the city controls a major road to Lysychansk and Severodonetsk — cities taken by Russian and pro-Russia forces earlier in the year.
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's a 28% chance that Ukraine will have de facto control of at least 90% of the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts by January 1, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Djokovic Returns to Australia After Deportation
Tennis star Novak Djokovic is back in Australia, nearly a year after he was detained and deported over his COVID vaccination status.
At the time, the Serbian had been world no. 1 and was due to defend his Australian Open crown. However, after arriving in Melbourne on Jan. 5, he was detained by the Australian Border Force and was required to stay at an immigration hotel after it was discovered he hadn't been vaccinated.
Djokovic had said he thought he could enter the country after two independent panels associated with Tennis Australia and the Victorian state government had granted him an exemption on the grounds he'd been infected with COVID shortly before.
Narrative A
Novak Djokovic is one of the greatest tennis players of all time and has won the Australian Open a record number of times. The tournament and title would carry less weight if he's not there to compete. He should never have been treated as a pariah by the Australian government.
Narrative B
At the time, Djokovic was treated appropriately by the Australian government given the circumstances and his actions. Times are different now, but no one should feel sorry about the past.
Narrative C
After a series of blunders, natural disasters and a once-in-a-century pandemic, the last three Australian Opens have been overshadowed by events off the tennis court. With Djokovic's return, hopefully this year it's the tennis that'll do the talking.
UN Calls for Taliban to Reverse Restrictions on Women
The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned the ruling Taliban's recent laws targeting Afghan women, calling for "the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan."
This comes as the body denounced the Taliban for banning women from attending universities and working for local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), adding that the latter order would impact aid operations in the country.
Earlier this month, the UN humanitarian office warned that a record 28.3M Afghans — over two-thirds of its population — will need humanitarian and other assistance in 2023 as the country has faced a humanitarian crisis since the Taliban took over last year.
Pro-establishment narrative
A rare unanimous condemnation by the UNSC may be adequate to demonstrate that the Taliban has gone too far in its crackdown on women's rights, amounting to unjustifiable human rights violations against the Afghan people as it silences and excludes half of its population — a move that not only slows human rights and domestic economic progress but hinders humanitarian efforts in the country.
Establishment-critical narrative
The suspension of women's employment in foreign NGOs is a matter of Afghanistan's internal affairs that has been decided by its own leaders, so foreign powers should refrain from meddling in it. And, given that Afghanistan is a sovereign state, all those institutions willing to operate within the country must comply with its rules and regulations instead of making threats.
Nerd narrative
There's a 25% chance that the US will recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Hong Kong to Drop Nearly All COVID Restrictions
This week, Hong Kong will continue relaxing nearly all of the COVID restrictions that currently remain in place. This move comes on the heels of mainland China abandoning its "zero-COVID" policy.
On Wednesday, John Lee, the city's leader, announced that Hong Kong would be dropping the mandatory PCR testing requirement for international arrivals. The restriction went into effect in 2020 and will be dropped from Thursday.
The special administrative region will also resume cross-border travel with the mainland with few restrictions beginning on Jan. 10. Residents traveling on business or to see family will be given priority. While most of the restrictions will be dropped, wearing masks will remain a requirement.
Narrative A
Hong Kong should turn its focus to its financial future. Many deals that were on the table before the pandemic have been halted while waiting for the reopening. Investors may remain leery at first, but it's up to Hong Kong and the mainland to plan properly and prudently for a successful and fruitful reopening.
Narrative B
COVID restrictions weren't the only crackdown that took place in Hong Kong throughout the pandemic. Other issues continued to brew amid Beijing's new national security law and subsequent authoritarian crackdown. Hong Kong may claim order has been restored but international tensions have increased, which could prove troublesome for a city trying to rebound from COVID.
Spain Announces $10B Aid Package Amid Inflation
On Tuesday, Spain's center-left government, led by PM Pedro Sánchez, announced a new €10B ($10.65B) package to counter inflation in 2023 — bringing the total government-funded aid to €45B since early 2022.
Like other European countries, Spain has been grappling with a cost-of-living crisis exacerbated by the impact of the war in Ukraine on energy prices. The new package will see the extension of tax cuts for energy bills into the first half of next year.
It also includes a one-off bonus of €200 for about 4.2M households with annual incomes up to €27K, an increase of pensions by 8.5%, the freezing of existing rental contracts for half a year, and the extension of free travel in local and regional transport until the end of next year.
Establishment-critical narrative
The EU’s energy relationship with Russia is at the center of its economic struggles, and leaders have been slow to acknowledge this. European economies are on the brink of recession, and skyrocketing gas prices as a result of reckless Western sanctions will likely be the breaking point. Aid packages such as Spain's latest one is merely a band-aid to cover the gaping hole that is Europe's energy crisis.
Pro-establishment narrative
Europe is indeed facing an energy crisis — an unavoidable reality as Putin uses oil to bully his way through the war. While it's impossible to avoid the economic repercussions of this, aid packages will go a long way to alleviating the pain. This latest plan will provide much-needed relief for thousands of Spaniards.
SCOTUS Temporarily Halts Termination of Title 42
On Tuesday, SCOTUS rendered a decision to temporarily keep Title 42 in place, a section of the US Code allowing the government to prevent foreigners from entering the country if they present a threat of spreading communicable diseases.
Title 42 was authorized in March 2020 by former Pres. Donald Trump at the onset of the COVID pandemic and allows immigration officials to quickly expel migrants in the name of public health.
In November, a federal district judge vacated the policy. The decision was quickly appealed by Republican-led states, leading Chief Justice John Roberts to pause Title 42’s termination last week.
Republican narrative
The government’s primary duty is to protect and put its citizens first. While Biden and other Democrats want to dismantle any border protection that still exists, Republican border states that face the brunt force of the nation's immigration crisis can't allow open borders without a fight. The US has millions of people entering illegally every year, and it isn't sustainable.
Democratic narrative
Title 42 was placed into effect as a short-term public health measure to protect against COVID, not as immigration law. That it's still in place reveals what it really is a racist Trump-era policy that denies migrants the right to seek asylum under the guise of public health. Thousands of legitimate asylum seekers are suffering; it's time this inhumane measure ends.