Former Taiwan President to Make Historic China Visit
Taiwan’s former president, Ma Ying-jeou, will visit China next week in what will be the first trip of a sitting or former Taiwanese leader since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949 amid strained relations between Beijing and Taipei.
Ma's foundation stated on Sunday that, following a PRC invitation, the 12-day trip beginning March 27 will see him pay tribute to his ancestors during what is known as the "Tomb Sweeping Festival." He will also visit historical sites and educational centers in various cities along with a delegation of students from his foundation.
Ma's office did not comment on whether he would meet with senior Chinese officials or with Pres. Xi Jinping, whom the senior member of Taiwan's Kuomintang Party (KMT) last met in Singapore in 2015 — shortly before successor Tsai Ing-wen became Taiwan's president. The KMT insists on maintaining dialogue with China amid bilateral tensions.
Pro-establishment narrative
Ma's trip plays into the hands of the Chinese regime, which has been working to reclaim Taiwan since the Chinese Civil War. Taiwan plays a key role in Beijing's hegemonic ambitions as a springboard for dominating the Asia-Pacific region and challenging the US. At least since Tsai Ing-wen became president, Beijing has been gearing up for war against Taiwan; Washington and the world community must not let Ma's naïve trip blind them to the need to prepare for the worst.
Establishment-critical narrative
Given the increasingly hostile and hysterical US attempts to portray China as a threat, Ma's trip is a much-needed signal of détente. To preserve its hegemonic status, Washington, driven by the military-industrial complex, is using Taiwan to undermine China's growing status in the Indo-Pacific region. Taiwan must not allow itself to be turned into an outright tool of US interests and must view Ma's historic trip as an opportunity to resume direct dialogue with China.
Nerd narrative
There’s a 58% chance that the Democratic Progressive Party will win the 2024 Taiwanese presidential election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Twitter Files: US Govt Backed COVID Information Censorship
In the latest "Twitter Files" — reporting on internal emails from the social media giant during COVID — investigative journalist Matt Taibbi focused on Stanford University’s Virality Project — a federally-funded initiative aimed at "detecting and mitigating the impact of false and misleading narratives related to COVID-19 vaccines."
However, Taibbi's findings showed that the Virality Project encouraged Twitter to censor "stories of true vaccine side effects" and "true posts which could fuel [vaccine] hesitancy."
The initiative also recommended censoring posts discussing "breakthrough" infections — cases in which vaccinated people are infected. It also suggested the same treatment for posts discussing natural immunity or suggestions that COVID was leaked from a lab; it even went as far as stating that "worrisome jokes" should be restricted.
Right narrative
This story is a scandal and as Orwellian as it gets. During a time when accurate information was most badly needed, tax-payer money was going to a project which worked with all the major social media platforms to control political messaging and censor content that was knowingly true at the time, or has since shown to be accurate. Is there any regard for speech and the Constitution?
Left narrative
Matt Taibbi's so-called "investigative journalism" has been widely criticized by Democrats and for good reason. Taibbi has been directly commissioned by Elon Musk for what are often biased and out-of-context "doxx and dump" stories to further Musk's right-leaning agenda. The grossly subjective so-called "Twitter Files" must be viewed in this light.
Ex-Australian Soldier Charged with War Crime Over Afghan Killing
Following an investigation by Australia's Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) and the Australian Federal Police, ex-Australian soldier Oliver Schulz, 41, was arrested in New South Whales on charges of war crimes over the killing of an Afghan civilian.
The OSI was established following the 2020 Brereton Report, which found "credible evidence" that some of Australia's elite forces unlawfully killed 39 people while in Afghanistan — including "prisoners, farmers or civilians" between 2009 and 2013.
The report alleged "blood lust" and "competition killings" as being the norm and patrol commanders requiring junior soldiers to shoot prisoners to achieve their first kill, known as "blooding." Allegedly none of the 39 killings were in the heat of battle and the victims were either non-combatants or no longer combatants.
Establishment-critical narrative
Just as the allied forces did to Japan after World War Two, war crime charges should not be limited to lower-level soldiers. Commanding officers, too, should be held accountable for their roles in these heinous acts, as they were likely aware of what these elite forces were doing and could very well have stepped in to stop it.
Pro-establishment narrative
As evidenced by this indictment, Australia's armed forces have cooperated with and allowed independent investigators to probe and even prosecute its soldiers for all crimes committed on Afghan soil. Besides criminal inquiries, Australia's military is also considering compensating the victims of these crimes as well as stripping the alleged perpetrators of their military honors. This horrific situation is being handled responsibly by current protocols.
Israel, Palestine Agree to Reduce Tensions
Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) met for the second time in less than a month on Sunday, pledging — in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh — to work toward easing tensions ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The measures include a partial freeze on Israeli settlements and an agreement to work together to “curb and counter-violence [sic].”
The US and Jordan were also present at the meeting. Egypt’s foreign ministry said via a statement that the aim of the talks was “to support dialogue between the Palestinian and Israeli sides, to work to stop unilateral actions and escalation, and to break the existing cycle of violence and achieve calm."
Virtually all major Palestinian political parties and armed groups, save for Fatah which leads the PA, opposed the talks and called for a boycott. Hamas, the armed group that governs the Gaza Strip, said it “rejects the conference in Sharm al-Sheikh."
Pro-Palestine narrative
The talks that occurred in Egypt are just that talk. In reality, the "agreements" made have virtually no impact on the ever-worsening situation in the occupied West Bank, in which Israel is brutally killing Palestinians on a near-daily basis. The Israelis always promise that they will freeze their illegal settlement policy, but they never actually do, as Israel's ultimate goal is to colonize the entire area between the river and the sea.
Pro-Israel narrative
Though there is some value to the talks in Sharm al-Sheikh, ultimately they will do little to curb the wave of Palestinian terrorism and aggression that was unleashed last year. The PA continues to show its weakness and inability to contain Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank, which has forced Israel to increase its military activity. With Ramadan just around the corner, Palestinian violence will likely escalate, forcing Israel to respond aggressively.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that Israel will recognize Palestine by the start of 2071, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
IPCC Report: Climate Scientists Issue 'Survival Guide for Humanity'
Following a meeting in Switzerland, climate scientists have warned that a key climate goal will go unmet. In response, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report that the UN Chief has called a "survival guide for humanity."
The report, published on Monday, acknowledged that keeping warming below the landmark 1.5°C above pre-industrial times has become increasingly difficult. IPCC urged governments to take stronger actions as current plans are inadequate and will not reduce stop or reduce the impacts of the changing climate.
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, stated that the report was a compilation of efforts by more than 700 scientists and "is a how-to-guide to defuse the climate time-bomb."
Establishment-critical narrative
Our planet is already showing signs of suffering under the weight of horrible decisions regarding climate change. To go one step further in sealing the fate of a dim future, Biden greenlit the Willow project in Alaska. The project will contribute 9.2M metric tons of pollution attributed to warming the climate annually. China is planning to expand its coal operations as well. The louder scientists try to get with their warnings the more it seems they are unheard. People around the globe are already suffering from extreme heat, drought, flooding, and other climate attacks. What more is needed to make a change?
Pro-establishment narrative
Biden campaigned for the role of POTUS on the back of a very ambitious plan to combat climate change. He has committed the US to cut emissions by 50% by 2030 and so far the US is on track. Other nations worldwide are also following in the footsteps of the US with the urgent objective to keep emissions under 1.5°C. The plans are in place, and, by and large, the global community knows the clock is ticking.
Narrative C
Climate and environmental disasters have been predicted by modern-day doomsayers for decades. None of the apocalyptic predictions have come true so far; why would this time be any different?
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that at least 44.0% of countries that pledge carbon neutrality by 2050 will keep their pledge, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UBS to Buy Credit Suisse for $3.24B in Govt-brokered Deal
On Sunday, UBS, Switzerland's largest bank, agreed to buy Credit Suisse for approximately $3.24B ($3B Swiss francs) in a deal that contains $108B ($100B Swiss francs) in liquidity assistance from the Swiss central bank.
The takeover price is approximately 60% less than what the bank was worth when the market closed last Friday. Credit Suisse shareholders will receive the equivalent of 0.76 Swiss francs ($0.82) for UBS stock, replacing the shares in Credit Suisse that were worth 1.86 Swiss francs before the weekend.
The 167-year-old Swiss lender had faced troubles in recent years, including a sell-off of shares in 2021 triggered by losses associated with the collapse of Greensill Capital. This February, the company announced that clients had pulled 110B Swiss francs ($119B) of funds in the fourth quarter of 2022 while suffering their biggest annual loss since the financial crisis.
Pro-establishment narrative
There have been much bigger banking collapses in the past and the move by UBS and the Swiss government is part of a typical financial pattern. Banking is a business of confidence and deals as these must occur for such confidence to remain in the global markets. The primary objective is to keep the depositors safe, which is exactly what central bankers are doing right now.
Establishment-critical narrative
With a bank such as Credit Suisse to be bailed out in a manner horribly reminiscent of 2008, it is time for a radical rethinking of central bank policy. Such crises are the product of the central banks' policies and failure to supervise. Bankers cannot continue to attempt to serve both society and themselves — they must make the right decision or the markets are at risk of falling off a cliff.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that the next great financial crisis in the US will occur by March 2028, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Xi Arrives in Moscow for State Visit
In what both countries described as a deepening of their bilateral ties, Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Russia on Monday for a three-day visit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Xi and Russian Pres. Putin would hold informal talks on Monday before dining together — formal talks on a range of subjects, which would "inevitably" touch on the war in Ukraine, would commence the next day, Peskov said.
Upon arriving in Moscow, Xi said, "...China is ready to act in concert with Russia to firmly uphold the UN-centric international system." He added that their countries would work together to "support true multilateralism" and "promote multipolarity in the world" — echoing previous remarks from both countries in which they railed against America as a single hegemon, alleging it dictates to others in favor of its self-interest.
Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's foreign ministry, said his country is closely watching the visit. "We expect that Beijing will use its influence on Moscow to force it to stop its aggressive war against Ukraine," he said.
Pro-establishment narrative
Coming just three days after an international arrest warrant for Putin, Xi's visit shows he has no desire to hold the Russian leader accountable for his war crimes. Despite being globally isolated, this visit will likely give Putin a political boost, allowing him to play the part of a diplomat and leader.
Pro-Russia narrative
Xi's visit is a sign of the growing relationship between Russia and China who, together, are shaping a more multipolar world — one where the interests of the US don't come before everyone else's.
Nerd narrative
There's an 18% chance that Russia will use nuclear weapons against Ukraine before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Trump Claims He'll Be Arrested Tuesday
On Saturday, former Pres. Donald Trump announced via social media that he expects to be arrested on Tuesday in relation to the Manhattan district attorney’s office’s investigation into a $130K payment Michael Cohen, his former lawyer, made to Stormy Daniels.
Trump accused the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office of informing him about the arrest via "illegal leaks," even while the former president’s lawyer and spokesperson confirmed there had been no communication from prosecutors. There has also been no time frame set for the secret grand jury’s work.
In his Truth Social post, Trump also called for his supporters to “protest” to “take our nation back” in response to his arrest.
Democratic narrative
Trump’s post looks like another in the unending string of lies he has spewed from his social media accounts and microphone stand. Aside from the fact that it doesn’t appear an indictment or arrest is imminent, he also falsely ranted about open borders and Jan. 6 suspects being held inhumanely before using violent rhetoric to inspire his followers. His message is dangerously reminiscent of what he exclaimed before Jan. 6. He could set off problems he can’t control.
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump has no choice but to alert his supporters that a district attorney who has been bought by Democratic megadonor George Soros is attacking the former president with yet another politically-motivated case. This is an abuse of power, and it’s the First Amendment right of the former president and his followers to voice their displeasure over it.
Nerd narrative
There’s a 95% chance that Trump will be indicted on criminal charges in 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
French Govt. Survives No-Confidence Vote, Pension Reform Becomes Law
After protests erupted against his controversial pension reform, French Pres. Macron's government survived two votes of no-confidence on Monday. Government officials filed motions for the vote after Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne used a special constitutional power, called Article 49:3, to push the bill through without a vote last week.
The first of the two proposals came from a centrist group and came just nine votes short of the 287 needed to pass. The other came from the right-wing National Rally and garnered 94 votes.
Protests have erupted throughout France against Macron’s proposal to raise the national retirement age from 62 to 64. Approximately 4K protesters gathered in the Place d’Italie in Paris, many chanting “Macron, resign!” However, Macron's position was safe even if the vote of no confidence had passed.
Pro-establishment narrative
There comes a time when a leader must make a difficult and unpopular decision for the long-term betterment of his society, and Emmanuel Macron did that in his efforts to save France’s pension problem. France’s demographics make it nearly impossible to maintain the status quo — the ratio of workers to retirees shows insolvency in the near future. Macron made a tough political decision to save France’s pension program.
Establishment-critical narrative
Macron’s government has defied the will of the French people, and it should have fallen. The grassroots support shows how much Macron’s constituents oppose his policy, and to make matters worse, Macron used undemocratic means to advance his unpopular pension reform. French democracy looks more like a farce each day, and Macron’s government does not represent the people.
Amazon Lays Off Another 9K Workers
Amazon on Monday announced it will lay off another 9K employees in the coming weeks, mostly in its advertising and cloud computing divisions — just two months after it terminated 18K people.
In his memo to staff, CEO Andy Jassy cited the current economy as well as "uncertainty that exists in the near future” for the layoffs. He added, "we have chosen to be more streamlined in our costs and headcount."
Amazon's streaming platform Twitch will also be impacted by the layoffs, with more than 400 jobs expected to be lost.
Narrative A
These companies have no choice but to downsize. The pandemic tech boom allowed companies to increase their workforces by as much as 200%, but the economy has since turned for the worse. With the US Federal Reserve reacting to inflation by hiking interest rates, there’s less available venture capital, and digital-ad revenue has dipped.
Narrative B
Instead of layoffs, which are an old-school way of dealing with a recession, companies should find alternative strategies because social media has made everyone a workers' rights activist with a global microphone. Companies that conduct layoffs suffer from poor optics, the cost of restructuring, and the low morale they create — leading them to perform poorly.