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House Passes Contraception Access Bill
On Thurs., the US House passed a bill to codify access to contraception without government restriction nationwide.
This comes after Justice Clarence Thomas' opinion in the SCOTUS decision in Dobbs v. Jackson - which overturned Roe v. Wade - that the court should revisit other precedents, including the right to contraception.
The Right to Contraception Act passed 228-195 with eight Republicans joining all the Democratic senators.
Republican narrative
This is not only a political ploy ahead of the midterm elections, but also a deceptive attempt to push access to abortions under the guise of protecting access to contraception - something that's not even under threat.
Democratic narrative
Republicans used to say Roe wasn't in jeopardy of being overturned until it was. Codifying a right to access contraception - an internationally recognized part of a woman's health - is a smart move to guard against another unprecedented SCOTUS ruling.
Day 149 Roundup: Grain Export Deal Signed; Russia Accuses Ukraine of Firing on Nuclear Plant
Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark UN-backed deal on Fri. to restart the export of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports. The signing ceremony took place in Istanbul and was attended by UN Sec. General António Guterres. Ukraine wouldn't sign an agreement with Russia directly, with the two sides instead signing "mirror" agreements with Turkey and the UN.
Meanwhile, as Ukrainian forces reportedly repelled assaults towards the Vuhlehirsʹka Tes power station near Bakhmut in Donetsk, the second largest in the country, Russia accused Ukraine of firing at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The plant – which is the largest in Europe – was captured by Russian forces in the first days of the invasion.
Maria Zakharova, Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman, said separate strikes hit the nuclear plant on Jul. 18 and 20, the second strike landing "just tens of meters" away from a reactor cooling tank. "It was only by luck that this did not lead to damage to the equipment and to a man-made catastrophe," she said. Independent reports said the plant was hit with "kamikaze drones."
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 an 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 is an 5% chance that there will be a serious radiation incident at any nuclear plant in Ukraine by 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Sri Lanka: Military Raids Main Protest Camp
On Fri., hundreds of Sri Lankan military and security forces carried out a "special operation," storming the main anti-government protest camp outside the presidential offices in Colombo.
Nine people were reportedly arrested as police claimed the protesters had no right to occupy the area.
The raid, which injured over 50 people, came as Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka's 9th president on Thurs., after winning a parliamentary vote earlier this week amid massive protests against him.
Establishment-critical narrative
Sri Lankans are fed up with a system of corruption and the abuse of power continually carried out by an entrenched political elite. As a servant of US imperialism and the IMF, Wickremesinghe is yet another member of the political classes to have worked against the public's interests. It's not enough to simply replace the country's political leadership in undemocratic elections - all 225 MPs should vacate their posts to allow for a genuine new beginning.
Pro-establishment narrative
It's too short-sighted to hold Sri Lanka's political system solely responsible for the country's economic catastrophe. The situation in Sri Lanka is indicative of global turmoil that is becoming more widespread as a result of the food, fuel, and financial crisis triggered by COVID and now the Ukraine war. Financial institutions like the IMF can and should play a positive role in an international strategy to help resolve the situation across the world.
Port of Oakland Shut Down by Trucker Protests
Starting on Mon., trucker protests against Assembly Bill 5, a California "gig economy" law passed in 2019, have effectively shut down cargo operations at the Port of Oakland, one of the busiest in the US.
Port officials have warned that a '"shutdown will further exacerbate the congestion of containers" and with supply chains already strained, the protests have caused additional disruption.
The bill makes it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees. Employees have entitlements such as minimum wage and benefits such as workers' compensation, overtime, and sick pay.
Right narrative
California's local government is known for being incompetent and pushing through laws that don't make sense. All Newsom's bill has done is make the lives of truckers more difficult and constrict business opportunities. Newsom should recognize that this isn't the time to risk hurting the fragile supply chain, which is already under intense duress from COVID and other issues.
Left narrative
Though Newsom's bill may have been too broad, it was ultimately created to combat unfair business practices carried out by big companies like Uber and Lyft, who don't treat gig economy workers fairly. Additionally, worries about supply chains are being overblown, as many retailers have ample stockpiled inventory.
Jury Convicts Man of Killing Retired St. Louis Police Capt.
Stephan Cannon, 26, was convicted on Wed. of killing retired St. Louis, Mo., police captain David Dorn while he attempted to protect a friend's business during the 2020 George Floyd riots.
Dorn, 77, responded on June 2 to alarms going off at Lee's Pawn and Jewelry in northern St. Louis, firing off warning shots to deter a group looting the store before being shot by Cannon.
Video of Dorn's death was briefly broadcast on Facebook Live after the shooting, footage prosecutors played in court.
Right narrative
Justice has been served for the family of a true hero, despite the lack of coverage from the mainstream media who ignored this incident in an effort to portray the riots as peaceful. Dorn devoted his life and career to keeping others safe, and rioters took his life while they were ironically protesting another death. This is a small but significant victory for the victims of those riots.
Left narrative
This verdict should be celebrated, but not seen as a victory for the Right who have shamefully politicized Dorn's death. Although he was killed during a BLM protest, that doesn't mean he was against the movement - he's not a symbol, just a good cop struck down doing what he loved.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance the US murder rate in 2030 will be at least 5.80 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the Metaculus prediction community
Jan 6 Hearings - Day 8
The eighth Jan 6. committee hearing on the Capitol riot took place on Thurs., focusing on the alleged "dereliction of duty" by former Pres. Trump, who allegedly watched events unfold on TV from the White House and resisted pleas to tweet messages of restraint or to engage law enforcement or the Pentagon.
Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA), who co-led the hearing with Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), said interviews with senior military and law enforcement personnel, government officials, and staff for former VP Pence confirmed that "None of them - not one - heard from President Trump that day."
The committee also played multiple draft recordings of Trump preparing a video on Jan. 7 in which he affirmed Biden's eventual inauguration. During the outtakes, Trump was shown stating "I don't want to say the election's over...I just want to say 'Congress has certified the results' without saying the election is over, OK?"
Left narrative
After eight public hearings and a barrage of damning revelations, the evidence is clear. Trump, Mark Meadows, and other Trump allies made a brazen attempt to overthrow American democracy, yet none of them have been charged by the Department of Justice. The Jan. 6 committee has done its due diligence - now it's time for DOJ to step up or the window will close.
Right narrative
The left's rhetoric about American democracy is deeply hypocritical. Not only are voters tired of the partisan Jan. 6 hearing spectacle, but the Democratic party has been caught spending nearly $44M supporting far-right members of the GOP in a desperate attempt to stack the deck in their favor during the general election. If Democrats truly believed Trump-like politicians are treasonous, why would they attempt to help these candidates in any way?
Nerd narrative
There is a 71% chance that the GOP will control the Senate after the 2024 election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
BBC Pays Damages to Former Royal Nanny
Former royal nanny Alexandra Pettifer, previously known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke, has received a formal apology and is due to collect substantial damages from the BBC for unfounded allegations that she engaged in an affair with Prince Charles and had an abortion after becoming pregnant with his illegitimate child.
BBC director general Tim Davie has also issued a public apology to Princes William and Harry - whom Pettifer nannied - and Prince Charles over an infamous 1995 interview with Princess Diana that was obtained via "deceitful behavior".
Claims that Pettifer was engaged in an affair with her royal employer were part of a portfolio of falsifications used by former BBC journalist Martin Bashir to gain Princess Diana's trust and secure the interview. Other efforts included bank statements falsified to suggest that Diana's close associates were selling stories to the tabloids.
Establishment-critical narrative
This settlement has done very little to resolve the damage done to an innocent and loyal employee and not to mention the royal family. Those responsible at the BBC have escaped largely unscathed and the investigation into and damages awarded as a result of the actions taken by Bashir have cost TV license payers up to £3M. This was blatant defamation and a dog whistle for misogyny.
Pro-establishment narrative
According to the Dyson inquiry, Bashir lied to several people at the BBC over the incident. Although his conduct fell far short of the high standards of integrity and transparency expected of BBC journalists, damages have now been awarded and Bashir no longer works for the corporation. BBC has done all it can to resolve the issue.
Biden Admin: $37B Safer America Plan
US Pres. Joe Biden's plan to outline the details of a $37B proposal to fight crime during a visit to Wilkes University in Pa. on Thurs. was canceled after he tested positive for COVID.
According to a White House fact sheet, the Safer America Plan - which is part of Biden's 2023 budget and needs approval from Congress - includes $13B to help communities hire and train 100K police officers over five years.
It would also feature $3B for clearing court backlogs and resolving open murder and gun cases, $15B for a grant program to ease the burden on law enforcement, and $5B for programs to prevent violence.
Republican narrative
It's amazing how when crime rates rise and polling for the midterm elections look dire for Democrats, they suddenly no longer want to defund the police but instead want to throw a whole lot of money at the issue. This is an attempt to make up for lost ground before the elections, but it's too late.
Democratic narrative
These measures prove that accusations about Democrats defunding the police are false. Biden is answering the call from leaders around the US who need more resources for hiring and training officers, and, more importantly, creating programs that reach citizens before they turn to a life of crime.
GOP Candidate for NY Gov. Attacked at Campaign Event
Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY), the Republican candidate for NY Gov., was attacked by a man trying to stab him while giving a campaign speech near Rochester, NY on Thurs.
Zeldin was giving a speech on bail reform at a Veterans of Foreign Wars event when David Jakubonis, 43, approached him with a sharp object before being subdued by Joe Chenelly - a GOP member running for the NY state assembly and national director of a veteran's nonprofit.
Jakubonis is reportedly an unemployed Army veteran whose mental health reportedly declined following the death of his wife. There is no indication of political motivation at this time.
Republican narrative
Just as Zeldin predicted after the attack, the man who tried to stab a gubernatorial candidate was instantly released without bail due to NY's left-leaning and permissive laws. New York's Democrat Gov. Hochul - who's previously called Zeldin a dangerous extremist- even encouraged her supporters to attend this event. There must be accountability.
Democratic narrative
Democrats, including Gov. Hochul, have and always will condemn acts of violence like this in the strongest terms possible. Opposing candidates have always used strong language against one another, but it doesn't mean that Democrats wanted Zeldin to be attacked or hurt.
Steve Bannon Found Guilty of Contempt of Congress
A jury took less than three hours of deliberation Fri. to convict Steve Bannon, former chief strategist to ex-Pres. Donald Trump, on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol.
Bannon recently agreed to cooperate with the committee after previously claiming executive privilege, but he was too late to stop the trial. He faces between 30 days to a year in prison, and up to $1K in fines, on each misdemeanor count when he's sentenced on Oct. 31
The jury began deliberations after the conclusion of closing arguments Fri. Assistant US Attorney Molly Gaston argued Bannon made a "deliberate decision" not to comply with a subpoena. Bannon's attorney built his defense around flaws he claimed were present in the subpoena, and the notion that the case was tainted by politics.
Democratic narrative
Bannon is a political lackey for Trump who obviously is trying to play the Jan. 6 committee. He hasn't done anything to cooperate after saying he would honor the subpoena. Bannon is still grossly in contempt, and any punishment he receives now is warranted.
Republican narrative
Bannon was never obliged to cooperate with the Jan. 6 committee, which is unlawful and unconstitutional. And now his due process rights were violated by this so-called "contempt" case because his defense wasn't allowed to challenge the legitimacy of the committee. The Democrats' partisan witch hunt knows no bounds.