UN: Sand Dredging is Destroying Sea Floor
According to a new report published by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) on Tuesday, about 6B tons of sand is dredged from the world's oceans every year, making sand the world's second most widely used natural resource, following closely behind water.
Previously, the UN called for a ban on beach extraction to avoid what it called a "sand crisis" as demand for sand surged to 50B tonnes a year. Sand is essential for making glass, concrete, and other construction materials.
The latest warning comes with the launch of the UNEP's Marine Sand Watch — a data platform jointly funded by the Swiss government that uses artificial intelligence to track and monitor sand dredging activities.
Narrative A
Sand dredging is the world's most profitable industry, responsible for 85% of all mineral extraction. Soaring demand for construction, population growth, and urbanization means the activity is potentially destructive to the marine environment and biodiversity. The world must better manage marine sand resources to reduce the impacts of shallow sea mining.
Narrative B
Sand extraction is necessary to keep global sea transportation channels and ports safe for navigation. Most countries, especially the US, ensure that dredging operations are timely and cost-effective and meet and exceed all environmental protection laws. Pressuring the industry is unfair as most sand dredging activities are pursued with due regard for sustainability.
Ex-Proud Boy Boss Jailed for 22 Years Over Jan. 6
Former leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, has been jailed for 22 years for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the US Capitol — just one of more than 1.1K cases concerning the protests of the 2020 election.
His sentence currently sits as the longest one served in relation to the event, although prosecutors had asked US District Judge Timothy Kelly to sentence Tarrio to 33 years in prison.
In May, Tarrio was convicted of seditious conspiracy, obstructing an official proceeding, conspiracy to prevent an officer from discharging their duties, obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, and destruction of government property with a value of over $1K.
Democratic narrative
While the demise of the Proud Boys is a necessary victory for democracy and the rule of law, more must be done to protect the integral pillars of American society. The sentencing of white supremacists and far-right actors isn't enough to suppress their resurgence, and structural responses to ensure that such a domestic terror event doesn't happen again have so far not been implemented. Consequently, the US currently stands at a vital crossroads as the 2024 presidential election looms ever closer.
Republican narrative
It's unconscionable that a political protester who wasn't even in the physical location of a riot can get 22 years in prison while the average murderer gets sentenced to only 20 years. The weaponized Dept. of Justice is resolved on sending a message to anyone who dares to step out of line and challenge the system, even if that means redefining terms like terrorism and sedition. With the media in lockstep, a distorted narrative about the events of Jan. 6 is being pushed.
Nerd narrative
There's a 26% chance that the US government will invoke the Insurrection Act before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US to Probe Chips Used in Huawei's New Smartphone
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that the US is trying to obtain details about the computer chip powering Huawei's newly-released Mate 60 Pro smartphone, which has been touted as a PRC chip breakthrough despite US restrictions.
This comes as a third-party analysis claimed the device is powered by the Kirin 9000s chip, a new 7-nanometer processor made by China's top chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC).
The analysis concluded that the chip was manufactured using extreme ultraviolet lithography, a cutting-edge, closely-guarded technique developed by Dutch company ASML that China has mostly been blocked from accessing.
Pro-China narrative
It's certainly too early to assert that Huawei's Mate 60 Pro shows that China will be able to continue bypassing US sanctions, but this latest smartphone does hint that the PRC's domestic semiconductor industry may have innovation capabilities to break new ground. US tech sanctions have failed to curb Chinese tech development while simultaneously harming American companies.
Anti-China narrative
Though indeed a breakthrough, this latest development doesn't come as a surprise given that older manufacturing tools are still capable of making more advanced semiconductors. Given the current restrictions, US export curbs related to China's chip industry will likely prevent its chipmakers from going beyond nanometer processors while foreign rivals will advance. If not, the West must further tighten up its chip-related sanctions on the PRC.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that chips covered by the 2022 US export controls will be exported to China before 2032, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Floods Strike Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria
At least seven people have died and four others are missing after torrential rains inundated Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria, causing significant flooding.
The storm dubbed storm "Daniel" has meandered slowly across southeast Europe, dumping excessive rain in a 24-hour period. The system is expected to move southwest over the Mediterranean, where heavy precipitation warnings are posted through Wednesday.
Ali Yerlikaya, Turkey's Interior Minister, said floodwaters swept through a campsite housing 12 vacationers near the Bulgarian border. After two campers were found deceased, search and rescue operations continued for those who were unaccounted for.
Establishment-critical narrative
While climate change is impacting the whole world, the Mediterranean is a hotspot because it's warming at a much faster rate. The impacts are evident in the increasing wildfires and extreme weather events. A series of bad planning decisions made by previous administrations is proving to be costly to Greek people in terms of the loss of life and property. The 13 regional governments of Greece must take the initiative and chart a direct and cohesive course correction if preparation and adaptation are to be achieved.
Pro-establishment narrative
Greece has been under fire for lagging behind in climate change action and they've now stepped up to the plate. Recognizing that previous governments have failed, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has taken drastic action to bring on a Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister, a rare role in the EU. Following several years of extreme weather events, it's the priority of the Greek government to understand climate science, mitigate impacts, and effectively respond to climate change-induced disasters.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that the atmospheric CO2 concentration will be at least 435.5 PPM in 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Cuba Arrests 17 Over Alleged Russia-Ukraine Human Trafficking Ring
At least 17 people have been arrested in connection with an alleged human trafficking ring that is alleged to have lured Cubans to fight for Russia in its war with Ukraine, the country's interior ministry said on Thursday.
Previously, Cuba's foreign ministry had announced discovering a "human trafficking network," adding that the authorities were working to neutralize and "dismantle" the operation.
Though he didn't name the accused or their nationality, the head of the investigation, Cesar Rodriguez, said one is the ring's internal organizer, while two others are identified as recruiters.
Narrative A
While Russia enjoys Cuba's unconditional support in its clash with the West, Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine and wouldn't make such claims against an ally unless it was seriously perturbed by the evidence it has seen.
Narrative B
Though Cuba provided little information to back up its statement and Russia has yet to respond, the allegations are a rare moment of friction between an increasingly isolated Russia and an impoverished Cuba.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that there will be at least four Communist states across the world by 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
At Least 16 Dead in Russian Strike in Donetsk
At least 16 civilians were killed after Russia struck a crowded market in the Donetsk city of Kostiantynivka on Wednesday.
Local officials added that at least 31 civilians were reported injured at this stage, with searches in the rubble continuing.
Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy described it as a "terrorist attack" in a post on Telegram. "A regular market. Shops. A pharmacy. People who did nothing wrong. Many wounded. Unfortunately the number of casualties and the injured may rise," he said.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
This is yet another demonstration of Russian terror tactics. These were ordinary civilians going about their normal business when Russia mercilessly decided to take their lives away. This is another reminder of who Ukraine is dealing with.
Pro-Russia narrative
Russia has repeatedly said that it does not target civilians. All strikes are directed at military targets, including military warehouses, fuel depots, and training facilities.
Nerd narrative
There is a 1% chance that Ukraine will officially recognize a former Ukrainian territory (Luhansk, Donetsk, or Crimea) as independent before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
61 ‘Stop Cop City’ Protesters Indicted for Racketeering
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr on Tuesday announced 61 people had been indicted on racketeering charges related to a state investigation into protests against a planned police and firefighter training facility near Atlanta.
The indictment describes the defendants – who publicly demonstrated against the construction of what critics call “Cop City” – as “militant anarchists” who are part of a movement that dates back to protests in 2020.
Critics, however, argue that the 85-acre facility will hurt the environment and be used to militarize Atlanta police.
Democratic narrative
Carr is blatantly criminalizing political dissent and violating the First Amendment rights of activists in a move that could set a dangerous precedent nationwide. It’s not surprising, though, considering the brute force tactics and spying the state has done to snuff out these protests and derail a referendum campaign against Atlanta's “Cop City.”
Republican narrative
This isn't about politics; it's about the law. Contrary to the mainstream narrative, Carr is using these indictments to hold actual criminals accountable, yet the woke left — blind to its own hypocrisy, given its unfounded prosecution of Trump and his supporters — is disregarding the case's merits.
US Investing $22M in Surveillance Clothing
According to a report published by The Intercept — which sites an Aug. 22 press release from the US office of the Director of National Intelligence’s Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), the agency's research and development arm — the federal government is investing $22M in clothing that "can record audio, video, and geolocation data."
The program — called The Smart Electrically Powered and Networked Textile Systems (SMART ePANTS) — "represents the largest single investment to develop Active Smart Textiles (AST) that feel, move, and function like any garment." Potential clothing items include socks, underwear, shirts, and pants.
Under the program, contracts have been awarded to five defense contractors. The value of the contracts for three of the contractors has not been disclosed.
Pro-establishment narrative
This program is simply an attempt to comfortably integrate already-known technology into the work clothes of America's defense, first responder, and intelligence agencies. The safety of the men and women on the front lines is the number one priority, which is why the US government is rolling out this innovation in wearable tech.
Establishment-critical narrative
With all the biometric data technology entering the commercial market today, everyone should know how powerful it can be in the hands of the US government. Imagine how much of our lives could be observed and tracked if the tech industry and intelligence agencies began implementing the same technology into our everyday products — including garments.
Moderna: Updated COVID Jabs Effective Against New Subvariant
Pharmaceutical company Moderna on Wednesday announced that its updated COVID vaccine should be effective against the highly-mutated BA.2.86 subvariant.
Moderna said its jab produced an 8.7-fold increase in neutralizing antibodies in that subvariant, which has increased concern over a resurgence of infections.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — which described the new subvariant as having multiple genetic differences from previous versions of the virus — reported nine cases of BA.2.86 have been found in the US, UK, Denmark, South Africa and Israel as of Aug. 23.
Democratic narrative
This is excellent public health news because the updated Moderna jabs seem ready to protect individuals against all the newest COVID variants. Vaccines and booster shots were key in moving the world beyond being restricted by COVID and they continue to be the best way to prevent death and severe illness — and make sure life remains normal.
Republican narrative
Even after the fully-vaccinated and twice-boosted First Lady, Jill Biden tested positive again for COVID, Pres. Biden and the Democrats seem ready to crank up rhetoric around vaccine requirements and mask mandates. These sentiments aren't going to sit well with the American people — especially with the 2024 election just around the corner.
Niger: France Reportedly in Talks for Possible Withdrawal
On Tuesday, France's ambassador to Mali and Senegal — citing unnamed sources — announced that France and Niger's military are in talks to “partially” withdraw the 1.5K French troops stationed in the West African nation.
French outlet Le Monde reported that neither the number of French soldiers involved nor the timing of their departure has been decided, adding that France has been in communication with regular army officials with whom France has long cooperated as opposed to the coup leaders.
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated that talks were in progress about "easing movements of French military resources" in Niger, with an anonymous source within the French Defense Ministry saying that French forces had been "immobilized since anti-terrorist cooperation was suspended" following the military takeover.
Pro-establishment narrative
All parties involved in the current political crisis in Niger favor a diplomatic solution and have urged the coup leaders to reinstate Bazoum and tell their troops to return to their bases. The wave of authoritarian and anti-democratic coups in West Africa could destabilize the region, and a potential withdrawal of French forces would be a serious escalation in this crisis.
Establishment-critical narrative
Niger is a sovereign state, and if the country's leadership wants a French withdrawal, then that is what must be done. For too long, Western powers have felt as if they have the right to dictate the status quo in Africa and other Global South nations. However, times have changed, and France will continue to lose influence in its former colonies.
Nerd narrative
There's a 10% chance that ECOWAS will intervene militarily in Niger before October 1, 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.