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UN Extends Cross-Border Aid to Syria for Six Months
The UN Security Council has agreed to reauthorize cross-border humanitarian aid to internally displaced people (IDPs) in rebel-held northern Syria for six months following a vote on Tues. The resolution was submitted by Ireland and Norway, and was supported by twelve countries with France, the UK and the US abstaining.
On Fri., Russia vetoed a resolution, also put forward by Ireland and Norway, that would've reauthorized cross-border aid to Syria by one year. The resolution didn't have the support of Damascus, but a UN mandate would've enabled it to pass without the backing of Syrian Pres., and Russian ally, Bashar al-Assad.
Moscow had put forward an alternative proposal of a six-month extension that would require active renewal in Jan. 2023 but the plan was voted against by the UK, US, and France, with other nations abstaining.
Anti-Russia narrative
Humanitarian need in Syria is the highest it has ever been - making a month renewal imperative to provide greater operational and ethical reassurances. Despite the passage of this resolution, greater humanitarian security hasn't been achieved on behalf of the Syrians who desperately need help and the politically motivated opposition to such provision by the likes of Russia and Syria is morally unjustified.
Pro-Russia narrative
Only if western nations facilitate an open and substantive dialogue will the whole of the Security Council be able to assess whether the Syrian cross-border humanitarian aid mechanism (CBM) is working. Russia will follow the implementation of its resolution closely to ensure cross-line deliveries to the whole of Syria are enhanced and sanctions on the nation are lifted, given the disruption caused by COVID. If the UN satisfies these provisions, Russia will be open to supporting extensions.
Nerd narrative
There is a 2% chance that Russia will be removed from the UN Security Council by 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Day 140: Ukraine and Russia Delegations Discuss Grain for First Time; Attacks Continue in Donetsk
Military delegations from Russia and Ukraine, alongside officials from the UN, have reportedly agreed on key aspects of a plan to resume exports of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, after meeting in Istanbul on Wednesday. A deal could reportedly be signed as soon as next week.
Ahead of the talks, Ukraine's deputy infrastructure minister Yuriy Vaskov said that ships carrying grain had begun to pass through an important mouth of the Danube River in the last few days, sparking hopes the country will be able to increase its exports.
Meanwhile, as limited Russian offensives continued in Donetsk, British intelligence assessed that "Russian forces are likely to focus on taking several small Donbas towns during the coming week, including Siversk and Dolyna on the approaches to Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. The urban areas of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk likely remain the principal objectives for this phase of the operation."
Anti-Russia 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 a fraudulent 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 76% chance that Russia will control any formerly Ukrainian territories other than the Donestk/Luhansk oblasts or Crimea on January 1, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Report: US and China Emissions Caused $3.7T in Climate Damage
In a study published on Tues., data showed that the US, the top historic carbon emitter, caused more than $1.9T in climate damages from greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2014. China, the number two emitter, caused $1.8T in worldwide damages.
The study documents what scientists, officials, and climate activists have described as climate change inequities based on the disproportionate impact on poor nations worldwide.
Dartmouth College, which conducted the study, used a complex methodology to quantify the value of each nation's responsibility for global climate change damages.
Left narrative
Poorer nations around the world are suffering the consequences of this environmental exploitation and degradation, despite their limited contribution to global emissions. It's time for wealthy, high-carbon emitting nations to take responsibility for the harm they cause. The Biden admin has pledged before the UN General Assembly for the US to take the lead to help poor nations become more climate resilient.
Right narrative
Fossil fuels aren't inherently bad - they're a cost-efficient energy source that can improve a country's wealth and quality of life. The US must be careful not to cause food and energy shortages by abandoning them altogether. Unfortunately, the left is blindly trying to pursue absurd climate goals like the Green New Deal.
Nerd narrative
There's a 24% chance that there will be at least 3.6°C of global warming by 2100 according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Officials Warn of COVID BA.5 Variant Surge
On Tues., US public health officials warned of a potential surge in COVID cases due to the highly-transmissible BA.5 Omicron subvariant - which now reportedly comprises 65% of new US cases.
Dr. Fauci suggested that people previously infected with prior strains of Omicron may not have optimal protection against BA.5.
Officials have also confirmed plans to expand the availability of second booster shots to all adults. Currently, they're available to adults over 50 and immunocompromised individuals.
Narrative A
This isn't good news - COVID's "worst variant" is here. BA.5 is the most infectious and transmissible variant seen to date. Governments have the tools, but this pandemic is nowhere near over. We need to be diligent, manage outbreaks, and care for those infected, severely ill, and who may have debilitating effects.
Narrative B
Catastrophizing has been extremely damaging for COVID, with multiple problems framed as "existential crises." Americans have pandemic fatigue because of relentless fear-mongering. Living in a constant state of alarm is unsustainable. It's time to move on - the next stage of pandemic governance should be one freed from the burden of alarmism.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that there will be at least 143k more confirmed deaths from COVID by the end of 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Starbucks Closes 16 Stores Due to Crime, Drug Use
Starbucks is permanently closing 16 stores in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC by the end of July due to incidents causing unsafe conditions for customers and employees.
The move comes amid store manager complaints over a surge in assaults, thefts, and drug use in and around the store locations, which first prompted executives to re-think the company's "open bathroom" policy.
Store managers nationwide will also be given leeway to close bathrooms, limit seating, or reduce operations to address workers' safety concerns.
Right narrative
In an attempt to "go woke" and appease the left's anti-policing agenda, Starbucks made its customers and employees vulnerable to dangerous criminals and drug users. The irony is that most of these complaints came from the liberal customers and employees of these Democrat-run cities.
Left narrative
This is another example of large corporate chains closing in poor or minority neighborhoods. They say it's because of an increase in thefts or other crimes, but the real reason is the profits from these locations aren't lucrative enough so have left local customers and employees in the dust. The timing amidst the unionization push is suspicious as well to say the least.
WHO: Gender is Non-Binary, Sex isn't Limited to Male or Female
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that they will update their gender guidelines to reflect "that gender identity exists on a continuum and that sex is not limited to male or female."
The updated "gender mainstreaming manual for health managers" will focus on expanding the connections between gender power dynamics and other social structures that allegedly feed inequality.
The new guidance is being completed in partnership with the UN's University International Institute for Global Health.
Left narrative
The WHO recognizes that gender equality is crucial to addressing all forms of health-related discrimination and synergy barriers that people face due to age, economic status, and ethnicity. This effort provides practical approaches to creating inclusive healthcare for all citizens of the world.
Right narrative
The WHO's wording is concerning the suggestion that there's more than two sexes dismisses basic biology and opens the door to an unforeseen number of problems, such as blurred definitions of "man" and "woman" and the risk of inaccurate medical treatment.
DOJ Creates Task Force for Abortion Access
The Dept. of Justice (DOJ) announced Tues. that it's creating a "Reproductive Rights Task Force," to be chaired by Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, to protect abortion access in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade being overturned.
The task force will monitor state abortion regulations in terms of limiting a person's ability to seek reproductive care, banning abortion-inducing drugs, or imposing criminal or civil penalties on federal employees who provide reproductive health services that are legal under federal law.
This comes less than a week after Biden signed an executive order in an attempt to safeguard access to a variety of abortion-related services. He also said he would endorse a suspension of the filibuster in the Senate if it meant codifying abortion rights.
Republican narrative
The Biden administration is using federal departments to infringe on what is now a state power to protect innocent unborn children. They're trying to delegitimize SCOTUS, while also drumming up anger they think will help them in the midterms this fall, but it's all unconstitutional.
Democratic narrative
Biden is continuing to take as many actions as possible to secure abortion rights in the horror of a post-Roe country. This task force will clarify what rights related to abortion can be federally protected, and will provide legal firepower advocacy organizations can use in the courts - even though it's understood that more needs to be done.
China: US is a 'Security Risk' in South China Sea
Chinese officials stated on Wed. that the US is a "security risk creator for the South China Sea" after the People's Liberation Army declared it had to warn and drive the destroyer USS Benfold away from its territorial waters near the Paracel Islands.
This comes as US Navy 7th Fleet carried out its third "freedom of navigation operation" so far this year with an intent to curb perceived PRC "excessive" claims and violations of international law in the South China Sea.
The Paracel Islands have been under Beijing's control since 1974, but Taiwan and Vietnam also claim sovereignty over the archipelago.
Pro-China narrative
Once again, the US has violated Chinese sovereignty and international law, exposing its hegemonic and militarized approach to the South China Sea. Despite urging dialogue with Beijing, American forces undermine the stability of the region and create risks to peace.
Anti-China narrative
Beijing's claims to the South China Sea pose a severe threat to freedom of navigation, overflight, and free trade. To ensure these rights, the US has been carrying out navigation in full accordance with international law, which allows passage through these waters.
Nerd narrative
There's a 3% chance that there will be a deadly clash involving gunfire or explosives between the US and China before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.