06 May 2022
Daily Newsletter
Delaware Repairman Sues For Defamation Over Hunter Biden Laptop Story
The Facts
John Paul Mac Isaac, the former owner of a Delaware computer repair shop who turned over a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden, has filed a defamation suit against Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and news outlets CNN, Politico and the Daily Beast.
Mac Isaac reportedly came into possession of the laptop after Hunter dropped it off at his store in Apr. 2019 and never returned. He then reportedly gave it to the FBI in Dec. 2019 and later passed a copy to Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, who then passed it to the New York Post.
Once the NY Post reported on the contents of the laptop in Oct. 2020, three weeks before the presidential election, 51 former intelligence officials published a letter in Politico alleging the disclosure "has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation."
The Spin
Left narrative
Journalists and social media companies were right to prevent the dissemination of the Hunter Biden laptop story when it emerged in Oct. 2020 – it was journalistically unsound to promote the story without knowing where the information came from, particularly so close to the election.
Right narrative
Mac Isaac is a courageous patriot who did the American people a great service in making the contents of Hunter Biden's laptop known. He has suffered greatly as a result of this heroic act and it's only right he be compensated.
Mali Terminates Military Agreements with France
The Facts
On Mon., Mali's military government announced it had terminated all military cooperation treaties with France, condemning "flagrant violations" of Mali's national sovereignty by French forces deployed in the country.
Apart from the French-led anti-jihadist "Operation Barkhane," the Malian transition authorities' decision also extends to the French-led European Task "Force Takuba."
On Tues., Mali's foreign minister Abdoulaye Diop said that France had lost its "legal basis" for further military operations in Mali. The formal termination of the contracts is to take effect within six months.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The West should step up in Africa, drive a wedge between Russian and Chinese influence, and work to better the lives of millions on the continent. Right now, Russia is sweeping in and capitalizing on waning French and American power. African states are frustrated by the West's bumbling counterterrorism policies, and Russia brings weapons, contractors and autocrat-friendly business dealings to the table.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's understandable that the Malians have had enough and are looking at other options. The obscure fight against terrorism and the concern for democracy serve France only to continue to exercise control over the natural resources of its former colonies in Africa. With its neo-colonial strategy France gambles away any remaining credibility.
Narrative C
ISIS-affiliated groups are preying on the entire continent. The nations of Sub-Saharan Africa must rise up together to fight instability, extremism, and poverty. Foreign powers are no help and only make matters worse.
Watchdog: Trump's DHS Sec. Delayed Report on Russian Election Interference
The Facts
Trump's acting Sec. of Homeland Security put a hold on an intelligence report because he thought it would be politically damaging to Trump, according to a report issued by the department's oversight body, the Office of the Inspector General.
A DHS whistleblower originally alleged that acting DHS Sec. Chad Wolf quashed efforts to offer intelligence briefings on potential Russian interference in the 2020 election and to focus instead on alleged activities by China and Iran.
Between Apr. and Oct. 2020, Wolf allegedly acted on several occasions to delay the release of the original intelligence report and to modify its findings.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
Trump trampled over the Hatch Act in unprecedented and public ways in an effort to try and make it seem as if the office of the Presidency was rightfully his during the 2020 campaign. Now we find out that his admin. was also quietly corrupting the very mechanisms of government that are designed to protect the US and its electoral system.
Pro-Trump narrative
Once again, the deep state is trotting out the Russian collusion hoax because they can't wrap their minds around the immense popularity and improbable rise of Donald Trump and the challenge he poses to their corrupt vision of the country.
VC Donates $1.1B to Stanford for Climate Change School
The Facts
Stanford University announced on Wed. that venture capitalist John Doerr and his wife, Ann, donated $1.1B to the university to establish a new school focused on climate change and sustainability.
The school, named the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, will be home to traditional academic departments and will also feature interdisciplinary institutes to develop policies and technologies to address climate change.
The donation is the largest ever to a university for the establishment of a new school and is the second-largest gift to an academic institution.
The Spin
Left narrative
Doerr's donation will help lead the way for increased focus on climate change in academic institutions. Though some doubt the effectiveness of private donations in fighting global warming, this is ultimately a compassionate step in handling one of the world's most pressing issues.
Right narrative
As left-leaning elites pontificate about climate change, ordinary Americans are suffering from punishing inflation rates and a spike in energy prices. Meanwhile, so-called green policies could raise costs further and hurt Americans even more.
Day 72: US Intel Helped Ukraine Sink Russian Warship; Reports of Assaults on Mariupol Steel Plant Amid Evacuations
The Facts
A day after the New York Times said that US intelligence helped Ukrainian troops target and kill Russian generals, it was further alleged that it also helped sink Russia's Moskva warship – the flagship of its Black Sea Fleet that was struck by 2 anti-ship missiles on Apr. 14.
It comes as several US officials pushed back against the earlier reports. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said: "The headline of this [NYT] story is misleading and the way it is framed is irresponsible. The United States provides battlefield intelligence to help the Ukrainians defend their country. We do not provide intelligence with the intent to kill Russian generals."
Meanwhile, US, UK and Ukrainian officials said Russia has launched ground assaults and airstrikes on the Azovstal steelworks plant in Mariupol.The far-right Azov Regiment released drone footage on Thurs. showing multiple explosions, but what day they were filmed couldn't be confirmed. Russia denies striking the facility.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
US military support for Ukraine, including intelligence sharing, has been a crucial part of shattering Putin's ambitions of a swift victory and has been instrumental in holding back Russian advances. The US must support Ukraine as long as necessary.
Establishment-critical narrative
Russia has long been aware of America's intelligence sharing with Ukraine, in addition to that of Britain and other NATO countries. This, alongside Western weapons, has only served to drag out the conflict, leading to further unnecessary bloodshed.
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 is a 25% chance that Ukraine will receive a security guarantee from another country before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Manhunt Underway After Killings In Attack Near Tel Aviv
The Facts
A massive manhunt is underway as Israeli police announced on Fri. that they had identified the main suspects of a deadly terror attack that killed three people in Elad on Thurs. as two young Palestinian men from a village near Jenin.
The deceased were named as Yonatan Havakuk, Boaz Gol, and Oren Ben Yiftah, three fathers in their 30s and 40s who together are survived by 16 children.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service said that, in addition to the three confirmed fatalities, it had treated seven people for injuries, including at least three badly injured.
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
This is but the latest in a recent outbreak of violence promoted by Palestinians against Israel. Israeli security forces must arrest the perpetrators and hold them fully accountable for terrorizing the nation and attempting to damage the fabric of Israeli life.
Pro-Palestine narrative
While tragic, such operations come as a reaction to Israeli acts of aggression against Palestinians. Attacks carried out by Israeli settlers, right-wing militants and occupation soldiers are driving the security situation by radicalizing Palestinians to seek revenge.
Nerd narrative
There is a 10% chance that Israel and Palestine will hold peace talks in 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
WHO: Nearly 15M Deaths Associated With COVID
The Facts
The WHO estimates that nearly 15M people were killed either by COVID or by its impact on overwhelmed health systems in the past two years. This is more than double the official death toll of 6M. Most of the fatalities were in Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
The report, released Thurs., quoted WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus describing the figure as "sobering," and that it should prompt countries to invest more to protect against future health emergencies.
Middle-income countries account for 81% of the near 15M excess deaths over the 24-month period, with high-income and low-income countries accounting for 15% and 4%, respectively.
The Spin
Left narrative
Though many may wish it to be, COVID is not over. Socially-accepted terms like "endemic" and "new normal" are disingenuous as the pandemic rolls into another deadly surge. Thousands of people are still dying each day - we must stay vigilant even when it's uncomfortable.
Right narrative
It's time to accept that COVID is here to stay and learn to live with it. We now have the tools and experience to manage it, and individuals should be allowed to calculate their own risk.
Another Sandstorm Shuts Down Much of Iraq
The Facts
Yet another massive sandstorm blanketed much of Iraq, as well as parts of Iran and Syria, on Mon. leading to over 1k people being rushed to the hospital to treat respiratory ailments. At least one person died in Iraq and at least three in Syria.
Air traffic was suspended at the international airports in Baghdad, Erbil, and Najaf, with Iraqi PM Mustafa al-Kadhemi ordering all work to cease in state-run institutions except for health and security services.
This is the ninth sandstorm in two months. Earlier this month, a severe sandstorm lead authorities in the Iraqi provinces of Kirkuk and Al-Anbar, north and west of the capital respectively, to urge people not to leave home.
The Spin
Narrative A
These terrible sandstorms are a direct result of climate change. Of course, sandstorms aren't uncommon in this part of the world, but the accelerated pace at which they've been occuring is worrying and could even spark conflict in the politically-fragile nation.
Narrative B
It's easy to dismiss any extreme weather event as a consequence of climate change, but in reality they're usually influenced by a myriad of factors that have nothing to do with it. More research is needed before we can establish any direct causal link between the two.
Establishment-critical narrative
While the richest nations are preoccupied with short-term inflationary and supply issues, the developing world faces the massive and irreversible effects of climate change. Successive empty promises mean poorer countries are left fighting an economic, social, and environmental battle that their vulnerable infrastructures are unprepared to deal with.
Bill to Codify Abortion into Federal Law Fails in Senate
The Facts
On Wed., the Women's Health Protection Act, a Democrat-led bill that would've codified abortion rights into federal law, failed to pass the Senate - a largely expected outcome amid GOP resistance.
The vote reached a tally of 49-51, short of the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the bill.
In Feb., the Senate held a procedural vote on an earlier version of the bill, but it also failed to pass 46-48, with six senators abstaining.
The Spin
Left narrative
The bill was never likely to pass; the vote was merely a symbolic way to force senators to go on the record about their stance on abortion rights, and face the American people with full transparency. The threat to fundamental reproductive rights is imminent and must be addressed with a sense of urgency.
Right narrative
This bill was a desperate and barbaric attempt to enshrine a virtually unlimited right to abortion at a federal level and override almost all state regulations. The lives of unborn children need to be protected, and this legislation was rightly rejected.
Cynical narrative
The Women's Health Protection Act, along with the leaked SCOTUS draft, is an attempt to weaponize abortion ahead of the midterms. Both parties are trying to put opposing candidates on the defensive by forcing them to take difficult stances that won't reflect well in the November election.
Nerd narrative
There's a 90% chance that Roe v. Wade will be overturned before 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
FDA Limits Use of J&J Vaccine
The Facts
On Thu., the FDA limited the use of Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) COVID vaccine to adults who either specifically request it or are unable to receive other vaccines, citing concerns of blood clots.
The FDA cited the J&J vaccine's risk for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a blood-clotting disorder that can cause stroke or heart attack.
After it was authorized in Feb. 2021, the FDA and CDC temporarily halted J&J's vaccine in Apr. of last year. However, the pause was lifted just 11 days later when health agencies determined that the benefits outweigh the risks.
The Spin
Right narrative
This only proves that vaccines aren't safe for everyone, and it's easy to dismiss the unlikely side effects until it's too late. Individuals should be free, and should have been free all along, to choose which risk to engage in.
Left narrative
It's very important to note that the potential benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the risks. Despite the new restrictions, J&J's jab continues to play a crucial role in the pandemic response. The FDA's decision demonstrates the thoroughness of the agency's prudent safety protocols.
Trump-Endorsed Oz Faces Questions Over Turkey Ties
The Facts
Former Sec. of State Mike Pompeo claimed on Fri. that Dr. Mehmet Oz is a potential national security risk because of his ties to Turkey, calling on his campaign to explain why he has "time and energy to vote in a Turkish election, but not in an American election."
This comes after a picture of Oz voting in the 2018 Turkish presidential election surfaced, contradicting his previous claims that he has "never been politically involved in Turkey." An Oz campaign spokesperson confirmed he voted but stressed it was "far different from being actively engaged" in Turkish politics.
The PA Senate candidate has also been accused of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act over his failure to register for his work with Turkish Airlines, which is 49.12% owned by the Turkish govt.
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump's power never seems to wane, and now the polls show he's doing for Oz what he did for the victorious J.D. Vance in the Ohio GOP Senate primary. Republicans may as well fall in line with Trump's picks.
Conservative narrative
Oz should never get anywhere near the US Senate. Beyond recent problematic signs of his ties to Turkey, Oz has also cozied up to Turkish dictator Recep Erdoğan, a reprehensible act that should disqualify him from taking office in the US.
