Day 343: Russian Forces Claim 'Operational Encirclement' of Bakhmut
Pro-Russia officials from the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) claimed on Wednesday that their forces have largely encircled the Donetsk city of Bakhmut, which is referred to as Artyomovsk in Russian.
"Artyomovsk is currently in an operational encirclement and our forces are closing in on the city," Yan Gagin, an adviser to the head of the DPR, told Russian television on Wednesday. "Fighting is underway to control the highway connecting Artyomovsk with Chasiv Yar because it is the only route that Ukraine can use to provide supplies to its troops in Artyomovsk."
The city, with a pre-war population of 80K, has largely turned into a ghost town according to accounts. Russia poured scores of fighters to take the city, and Ukraine did the same to defend it — both are believed to have sustained heavy losses in months of fierce fighting since the summer.
Pro-establishment narrative
In attempting to take Bakhmut, Russian forces have used scorched earth tactics and turned the once-popular tourist destination into a hell-on-earth. The Kremlin is so hungry for any success that it's willing to go to any length to take the city — even if it's been turned to rubble.
Pro-Russia narrative
If Russian forces take control of Bakhmut, it would be a devastating loss for Ukraine. Not only has Ukraine lost hundreds of troops in trying to retain the city, but this operation would also enable Russia to continue its advance into key areas of Donetsk including Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.
Nerd narrative
There is a 3% chance that the regions surrounding the Dnipro River (Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kherson) will be under Russian control by June 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UK: Worst Strikes in a Decade Close Schools, Cripple Rail Network
Some 475k union members in the UK went on strike on Wednesday, demanding pay raises in response to the cost of living crisis. Major train stations in London completely closed, and roughly 85% of schools in England and Wales either fully or partially closed.
Teachers, university staff, train drivers, and civil servants stopped working as the Trades Union Congress, representing 48 unions, also launched over 75 rallies across the country in response to a government bill it calls an "attack" on the right to strike.
The bill in question — approved by MPs by a vote of 315 to 246 on Tuesday — would require basic service levels be upheld in the rail industry and emergency services in the event of strikes. It now moves to the House of Lords for further review.
Left narrative
Historically low wages call for historically massive strikes. Adjusted for inflation, public sector workers today are making £203 ($250) less per month than in 2010, and the government is now trying to strip their only way of bargaining for a living wage. If Sunak's government really wants to help the working class, his ministers should focus on putting more money in their pockets rather than ridiculing the only form of self-empowerment they have.
Right narrative
This is being represented as a massive, unified national strike when, in reality, obscure government departments that aren't as crucial as train drivers and teachers are being lumped together with essential workers to bolster its impression. Even regarding essential workers, the unions conveniently left out that they continued to get paid during the pandemic — even if they didn't work — while private sector workers were left out to dry. While pay has certainly lagged behind inflation, increases need to be accompanied by productivity, which has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Biden Proposes Bill to Cut "Junk Fees"
During the fourth meeting of the Presidential Competition Council on Wednesday, US Pres. Joe Biden urged Congress to pass a bill known as the Junk Fee Protection Act to curb hidden fees across various industries.
The legislation — a joint proposal with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) — takes aim at reducing or eliminating allegedly excessive consumer fees placed on online ticket purchases for concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment events.
It also targets airline fees for families traveling together, resort and destination fees, and the costs associated with canceling TV subscriptions, phone, and internet services.
Democratic narrative
Pres. Biden and his economic policies — such as this latest effort — have brought the US into the best economic growth since the former Pres. Bill Clinton was in office, even in the face of the current tumultuous environment. While consumer prices have risen faster under the Biden presidency, the economy overall is in much better shape than he's given credit for. Once inflation slows, his leadership through tough economic times will shine.
Republican narrative
Not only is the economy actually suffering, but Biden doesn't seem to notice, showing how out of touch the White House is with the American people. Under his administration, inflation rates have risen to their highest in 40 years, and 78% of Americans believe the economy is getting worse. As Biden continues to lie to the American people about the state of their pockets, Americans are left wondering where a soft-landing spot will be found.
Cynical narrative
While Biden may have good intentions, targeting these so-called "junk fees" may actually end up costing Americans more. These extra fees are what's known as "unbundling," which allows consumers to pay more or less depending on the services they need. By getting rid of them, businesses will likely level the playing field by raising and standardizing prices, forcing customers to pay for services they don't want.
EU Sets Forth 'Green Industry Plan'
On Wednesday, the European Commission announced plans to loosen state aid rules and propose a new European sovereignty fund to counter the US's $369B Inflation Reduction Act and China's "unfair" subsidies to domestic green technologies.
According to the proposal, the Green Deal Industrial Plan would preserve a European edge on critical and emerging technologies.
In addition, EU Pres. Ursula von der Leyen proposed faster approval of green projects and sealing trade agreements to secure supplies of critical raw materials to reduce EU dependence on China.
Narrative A
US green subsidies — which offer incentives for US buyers of electric vehicles if they "Buy American" — and unfair competition from China threaten the EU's industries as they tend to leave European firms uncompetitive and lure investments to the US and Asia. As a result, the EU plan offers a global playing field.
Narrative B
The EU plan must be revisited as it only helps wealthy countries such as Germany, which have the fiscal capacity to invest in domestic firms. Not all EU countries can offer subsidies to the same extent as France or Germany. As the plan could entail further joint borrowing, the EU must use funds already approved instead of seeking more money.
FBI Searches Biden's Delaware Home, No Classified Documents Found
After a 3.5-hour FBI search of US Pres. Joe Biden's home in Rehoboth Beach, Del. on Wednesday, Biden's lawyer Bob Bauer said the "planned search" found no classified documents, but agents took "for further review some materials and handwritten notes that appear to relate to his time as Vice President."
This comes as classified documents were discovered at one of Biden's other homes and a private office. According to Bauer, the FBI "sought to do this work without advance public notice" and the president "will continue to fully support and facilitate" the investigation.
Biden most recently visited the beach house on the weekend of Jan. 20-23 to avoid the then-ongoing search at his Wilmington, Del. home. Both residences reportedly lacked Secret Service protection for several months following his vice presidency.
Republican narrative
After already waiting weeks to reveal the original batch of classified documents found in Biden's DC office, the FBI again took its sweet time to finally search his Rehoboth Beach house. You would think the FBI would want to quickly sweep the house after discovering that Hunter Biden was using his father's Wilmington mansion as an unofficial office to conduct business with some of the same countries cited in the documents. The hypocrisy after the treatment of Trump is dumbfounding.
Democratic narrative
There’s a big difference between the Trump and Biden cases. Trump violated the law by possessing classified papers and attempting to cover up his actions. The former president is facing a serious investigation because he knowingly held sensitive information and actively worked to keep it from the archives. Biden did neither of those things and is being fully cooperative with the investigation, so GOP claims of hypocrisy are unfounded.
Cynical narrative
Neither Trump nor Biden should have ever mishandled any classified information, and both should be investigated per the severity of their violations. However, the "overclassification" of US government documents has been raised for over a decade, and the bureaucracy of the federal government has produced an administrative nightmare. There must be accountability and reforms to a flawed classification system.
Tom Brady Announces Retirement
Tom Brady, a record-breaking, seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, announced his retirement on Wednesday, marking the end of his 23-year career.
Brady made his announcement via a video posted to social media informing the public that he was “retiring for good.” He previously retired exactly one year ago to the day, before announcing he would return to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers two months later.
Despite rumors that teams, including the Miami Dolphins or Las Vegas Raiders, were interested in the soon-to-be 46-year-old, it’s been reported that Brady only considered two options: retiring or re-signing with Tampa Bay.
Narrative A
There’s nothing you can say about Brady to overstate his greatness and legacy. The numbers, accolades, and championships speak for themselves, but what truly made him the “GOAT” was his sheer will to be great and overcome adversity. Despite being doubted his whole career, and not possessing the best physical attributes, he accomplished more than anybody has or ever will.
Narrative B
There will be an endless stream of Brady echo chambers lauding his achievements while eulogizing his career, but don’t forget its darker side. Brady and the Patriots were embroiled in scandals from the start of his career, and he should not be able to escape the “cheater” label. If sports greats like Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong are considered cheaters, even while out of the spotlight, so should Brady.
Report: French Forces Seize Yemen-Bound Weapons
A Wall Street Journal report published on Wednesday says that French Special Forces last month, in coordination with the US military, intercepted a boat allegedly carrying Iranian-supplied weapons and ammunition bound for Yemen.
A French warship reportedly stopped a suspected smuggling ship off the Yemeni coast on Jan. 15 and, after boarding the ship, discovered more than 3k assault rifles, 500k rounds of ammunition, and 20 anti-tank guided missiles.
The operation came a little over a week after the US Navy seized more than 2K assault rifles and 50 tons of ammunition when it intercepted a suspected smuggling vessel operated by Yemeni nationals in the Gulf of Oman.
Pro-establishment narrative
This seizure confirms a long-standing suspicion that Iran has been sneaking arms to Yemen's Houthis in breach of the UN weapons embargo. By doing so, Tehran continues to undermine peace efforts in the country and is prolonging the conflict.
Establishment-critical narrative
Having sold countless billions of dollars worth of advanced weapons to the self-proclaimed military coalition behind the brutal war, the West lacks any credibility when it accuses Iran of foreign meddling. Though they blame Tehran for the conflict and the subsequent humanitarian crisis, it's ultimately the Western nations that are partnering with a coalition of war criminals.
Myanmar: Junta Extends State of Emergency
Myanmar's military leaders announced on Wednesday — two years after taking over the country — a six-month extension to a state of emergency, a move that would likely delay elections the government vowed to hold by August.
The announcement made on state-run media stated that the National Defense and Security Council agreed in a meeting on Tuesday that the country remains in an abnormal situation and time is needed to prepare for a peaceful and stable election.
This comes as opposition demonstrators held a "silent strike" to mark two years since the ousting of Aung San Suu Kyi, urging people to stay indoors and businesses to close, while Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US coordinated a new round of sanctions against the junta.
Narrative A
The international community must remain firm against Myanmar's illegal and illegitimate military rule, imposing further coordinated sanctions on the junta and supporting the pro-democracy shadow National Unity Government. Because the nationwide human rights, humanitarian, and economic crisis resulting from the coup remains, a peaceful and democratic transition is impossible.
Narrative B
Due to its commitment to restoring perpetual peace and stability in Myanmar, the State Administration Council had no option other than to extend the state of emergency as insurgents and terrorists are trying to seize power. In addition, this move is needed also to ensure correct voter lists for the upcoming election.
UK Archives: GW Bush Ordered CIA to Find Replacement for Arafat
Recently-released British documents reveal that former US Pres. George W. Bush ordered the CIA to search for a replacement for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat a few months after he entered the White House. This was concurrent with the second Intifada ramping up in 2001.
This comes as the UK National Archives disclosed last month the "PREM49/2354" files about the UK-US relations covering the period from Feb. 24 to Apr. 26, 2001.
Bush reportedly confided via telephone to then Prime Minister Tony Blair on Mar. 31, 2001 that the CIA had unsuccessfully looked to find a replacement for Arafat, who he described as "weak as hell" while talking about the Middle East Peace Process.
Narrative A
Arafat was not the leader of the Palestinians, but rather someone with authoritarian tendencies who furthered corruption in the region. The defeat of his Fatah party in the 2006 elections was the people's response to those who could have established a state but preferred to pursue their personal interests. Bush's concerns were well-founded.
Narrative B
Arafat sacrificed his life for the Palestinian cause, serving as a role model for future generations and achieving undeniable success — such as convincing the world about the legitimacy of his people's resistance against Israeli oppression and proving Zionist racism was morally, ethically, and legally wrong. As Palestinians face hardship today, a visionary leader like Arafat is needed once again.
Establishment-critical narrative
The US pretends to be a proponent of democracy and popular rule, yet the gap between its rhetoric and actual foreign policy couldn't be bigger. For years, the US has unapologetically meddled in foreign countries to suit its own agenda; wanting to overthrow the democratically elected Arafat is but one example. Sadly, it doesn't look like this will change anytime soon.
Nikki Haley Planning to Announce 2024 Presidential Run
After teasing the concept for months, former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is expected to announce her candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Haley’s team is reportedly sending invitations to her supporters to attend a "special announcement" on Feb. 15 at The Shed at the Charleston Visitor Center in downtown Charleston, S.C.
Haley is set to become the second major GOP candidate to enter the 2024 race following former Pres. Donald Trump, who announced his White House bid after the November midterm elections.
Narrative A
While Nikki Haley has an uphill battle to secure the GOP nomination in 2024, she is an intriguing candidate with unique qualities compared to the prospective primary field. As a woman of color, she could represent a diverse future for the party, and being the first female of color president would look great for the Republican Party. Her victory might finally end America's divisive culture wars.
Narrative B
Nikki Haley represents everything that is wrong with the GOP and is a dangerous neocon relic from the G.W. Bush era. She will likely focus on the military-industrial complex instead of taking on Big Tech or standing up to leftist ideology, which is concerning. America and the GOP can't afford a candidate driven by the elitist political winds.