Day 145 Roundup: Top Ukrainian Officials Accused of Treason; EU Agrees 500M Euros in Military Aid
In Ukraine, the head of the SBU, the domestic security agency, and the prosecutor general are facing allegations of treason after they were sacked by Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During his nightly address on Sun., Zelenskyy said that over 60 employees working under the officials had been complicit in "high treason" and that 651 "criminal proceedings have been registered" in relation to the violation.
Elsewhere, diplomats from the EU held fresh talks on Monday, agreeing on another 500M euros ($504 million) of military aid for Ukraine. This fifth tranche brings the total aid to 2.5B euros since the start of the war.
Pro-establishment narrative
Making sure Ukraine continues to be well armed is the only way to fend off Putin and Russia in this unprovoked war of aggression. The West must not simply offer up their latest and most hi-tech weapons however; combat is about supply lines and the West must ensure basic equipment and ammunition are kept flowing as needed.
Establishment-critical narrative
Multi-million dollar weapons packages will make little difference in the outcome of the war. The West has been meddling in Ukraine since the end of the Cold War, and what we're witnessing is a geopolitical ponzi scheme to benefit those aligned with the military-industrial complex. War is a lucrative racket.
Nerd narrative
There is a 18% chance that Ukraine will receive a security guarantee from another country before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Texas House Committee Releases Report on Uvalde Shooting
On Sun., a Texas House committee released a 77-page report finding "systemic failures and egregiously poor decision making" by law enforcement and school officials in response to the shooting that killed 19 kids and two teachers on May 24.
The report comes as new video footage from the school shows officers, including Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo, positioned outside the classrooms despite knowing there were survivors inside.
The report condemns the 376 total officers from federal, state, and local agencies for failing to "adhere to their active shooter training" and not prioritizing "the lives of innocent victims over their own safety."
Left narrative
The "good guys with the guns," as Republicans like to call them, have proven they can't always be trusted to perform acts of heroism, or provide an accurate account of what happened after tragedies like this. The proper reaction to Uvalde should be gun-control measures like upping the age to purchase weapons like the one used in this shooting.
Right narrative
The tragedy at Uvalde had nothing to do with the accessibility of guns and everything to do with law enforcement infected by "wokeness." The woke mob has changed the mindset of officers, altered the training to focus on the wrong things, and made leaders less effective. Law enforcement organizations can still be the best protection if they're empowered properly.
Mexico Arrests Drug Lord, US Calls for Extradition
On Fri., Rafael Caro Quintero, a notorious drug lord known as the "narco of narcos," was detained. He's allegedly one of the co-founders of the Guadalajara cartel and is on the FBI's 10 most wanted list.
The arrest came just days after Mexico's Pres. Andrés Manuel López Obrador met with US Pres. Biden at the White House. Caro Quintero was found by a search dog while hiding in the bushes near San Simon, Sinaloa.
Though successful, the operation ended in tragedy as 14 Mexican Marines who participated in the capture died when the Mexican Navy's Black Hawk helicopter crashed in Los Mochis, Sinaloa.
Pro-establishment narrative
Caro Quintero's arrest clearly shows that there's no hiding place for anyone who kidnaps, tortures, and murders US law enforcement. After decades of tireless work to bring him to justice, his requested extradition is the last step to ensure he will be tried in the justice system that Camareña gave his life to defend.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's very unlikely that Quintero will be extradited to the US. Although it would help bring justice to Camareña's killing, it might not be of genuine interest to either country as uncomfortable truths behind the murder could be revealed, including of corrupt officials who were in command positions at the time.
Cynical narrative
This is merely a symbolic arrest to appease the DEA and show that American and Mexican agencies can cooperate. In practical terms, however, this has little impact as Caro Quintero has lost its "narco of the narcos" position due to the recent decentralization of Mexico's drug trafficking structure.
UPenn Nominates Lia Thomas as NCAA 'Woman of the Year'
Lia Thomas, a transgender swimmer who won the women's 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA national championships in March, was nominated for the 2022 NCAA Woman of the Year award by the University of Pennsylvania.
The accolade, established in 1991, "recognizes female student-athletes who have ... distinguished themselves in their community," according to the NCAA nomination page.
Thomas began competing on the UPenn women's team in 2021 after two years of taking testosterone blockers and estrogen, prompting widespread controversy.
Left narrative
The criticism Thomas continues to face is reflective of the stigma towards transgender women. Right-leaning legislators, influencers, as well as the public, ruthlessly target this vulnerable group. Thomas should be celebrated for her athletic success and personal perseverance.
Right narrative
Thomas has a significant advantage over biologically female competitors. Trans athletes' participation is undermining women's sports and Thomas has no right to be nominated for an award dedicated for women. This is woke culture run amok.
Report: Australian Teenager Dies in Syrian Prison
Australian teenager Yusuf Zahab has died in a makeshift prison run by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria, which holds Syrian and foreign Islamic State (IS) suspects, according to Human Rights Watch.
He was taken to Syria by his radicalized brothers when he was 11, and imprisoned indefinitely at 14. It's unclear when he died.
Zahab, 17 and originally from Sydney, was sent to the children's section of the prison without charge when he was 12, but he was separated from his mother and sister at 14 and officially imprisoned after the fall of IS in 2019.
Establishment-critical narrative
The news of Zahab's death is, sadly, not surprising. The previous Australian regime knew about his detainment for three years and did nothing. Hopefully Albanese will change course and begin bringing home these innocent women and children.
Pro-establishment narrative
While stories like this are tragic and the most desirable outcome would obviously be to repatriate and return these prisoners, the security risk is dire; Australia is right to proceed cautiously.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that at least 25K deaths will occur as a result of terrorism in 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Pakistan: Former PM Calls for Early Vote After By-Election Victory
On Mon., Pakistan's former PM, Imran Khan, called for early elections after his PTI party won 15 of the 20 seats in a vote in the nation's Punjab province. The results saw the PTI succeed over their main opposition, PML-N, in Punjab.
The by-elections were prompted when PTI MPs were disqualified for switching sides in a vote to support current PM Shehbaz Sharif as Punjab's chief minister.
Khan was forced from office less than four months ago after he lost a vote of confidence. The ex-Pakistan cricket captain has since alleged the ballot was a foreign-orchestrated coup.
Narrative A
The most populous province in Pakistan has spoken - clearly the masses are behind Khan's party. Pakistan wants to change and only free and fair elections will provide a platform for necessary reforms.
Narrative B
Khan is an insensitive man who left his country high and dry before being ousted. He accuses the current government of being "imported" and "unacceptable" but the government has been sensitive to the needs of the people through difficult times.
Nerd narrative
There is a 45% chance that Pakistan will default on its debt in 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Ghana Announces Marburg Outbreak
On Sun., Ghana announced its first outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus - an infectious viral hemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola.
The virus is transmitted from fruit bats to humans and is spread through contact with the bodily fluids of infected people.
The onset of symptoms is usually sudden and can include fever, muscle pain, bleeding, headaches, and gastrointestinal problems.
Narrative A
Zoonotic outbreaks in Africa is a growing problem that needs to be addressed with a multi-sectoral effort. Experts in human, animal, and environmental health all need to work together to prevent, identify and respond to outbreaks across the continent.
Narrative B
There is no need to panic. While this new outbreak is worrying and must be taken seriously, it was identified quickly and health officials are acting appropriately to contain it. The risk of Marburg spreading outside of the Ashanti region of Ghana is very low.
Cynical narrative
Welcome to the "Pandemicene" era of Earth's history. By completely rewiring the globe's network of animal viruses, human-caused climate change is creating a new age of dangerous diseases. This worrying future is already here and will be difficult to address.
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