Dozens Reportedly Killed After Azerbaijan-Armenia Clashes
New border clashes erupted between Armenia and Azerbaijan near the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh on Mon. night. The latest round of fighting between the two countries continued on Tues., raising fears of another military escalation.
Armenia claimed that 49 of its soldiers were killed in the border clashes. Earlier, it said it had responded to what it characterized as a "large-scale provocation" by Baku. Azerbaijan, in turn, accused Yerevan of military buildup in the border area and claimed to have reacted after being attacked by Armenia.
On Tues., Russia reportedly brokered a cease-fire between the two countries that was to take effect the same day. However, while Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan reportedly said that fighting intensity had decreased, Azerbaijani media claimed that the cease-fire was broken within minutes.
Narrative A
The underlying cause of the recent military clashes is that Yerevan still doesn't recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty - which includes recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh as Azeri territory. To ensure peace, a new demarcation and delimitation process must be initiated. Unfortunately, Armenia is preventing this by imposing many unreasonable preconditions.
Narrative B
It was Azerbaijan, supported by Turkey, that started a brutal war against Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. However, even after the official cessation of fighting, there is no end to Baku's ceasefire violations and aggressions against Armenians. These include cutting off natural gas supplies to the local population. So far, only Russian peacekeepers have prevented Azerbaijan from unleashing a new full-blown war.
DOJ Issues 40 Subpoenas in Jan. 6 Inquiry
The US Dept. of Justice (DOJ) has sent former Pres. Trump's aides approx. 40 subpoenas in a bid to acquire more information about the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and 2020 election, people familiar with the investigation revealed Monday.
DOJ officials have also reportedly seized the phones of two top Trump advisers: Boris Epshteyn, an in-house counsel who helps coordinate his legal efforts, and Mike Roman, a campaign strategist who was the director of Election Day operations for the Trump campaign in 2020.
Epshteyn and Roman have been linked to Trump's controversial elections claims, as the two were part of the effort to name slates of electors pledged to Trump from swing states won by Biden in 2020.
Left narrative
The walls are closing in on the former president, and these recent subpoenas are an important step in holding Trump and his allies accountable for trying to subvert American democracy and promulgating false and debunked election claims. The DOJ is following protocol and is undertaking a fair investigation of Trump's wrongdoings.
Pro-Trump narrative
The Democrats will do anything to prevent Trump from running in the 2024 election because they fear the aspirations of the American people, as evidenced by Biden's polling numbers. The Biden admin. is leveraging the DOJ for political gain. Trump has legitimate concerns about the 2020 election and has pursued his goals legally.
Day 202 Roundup: Russian Officials Call on Putin to Resign; Kharkiv Again Without Electricity
In the wake of a hasty Russian withdrawal, as Ukraine's counteroffensive in Kharkiv continues, as many as 49 municipal deputies in Russia have signed a petition calling on Pres. Vladimir Putin to resign. The petition, tweeted by a St. Petersburg municipal deputy, Ksenia Tortstrom, makes no mention of the war in Ukraine but says Putin's actions "harm the future of Russia and its citizens."
As Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his latest address claimed the counterattack has now retaken 2.3K sq mi (6K sq km), Vitaly Ganchev, a Russian-appointed official in Kharkiv, claimed Ukrainian troops in the region outnumbered Russia's by eight to one.
Another Russian official in the region, Maxim Gubin, claimed 60K residents had been evacuated to Russian-controlled territories, while 60K remained. He said: "We thought we would have at least two or three more days to make the evacuation of the civilian population more controlled, safer. The Ukrainian side did not give us this opportunity." He further claimed Russian troops have now strengthened in the region and that the situation had stabilized.
Narrative A
The stunning advance of Ukraine's armed forces in Kharkiv – including the recapturing of Izium, Kupianst, and other logistically important cities – is a masterstroke of military planning. Ukraine may have just turned the whole complexion of the war.
Narrative B
Kyiv still faces hurdles in winning this war. While Ukraine's surprise counterattack in the north-east should be celebrated, going on the offensive could be costly. It takes a greater toll on ammunition, equipment, and troops, and extending supply lines as Ukrainians advance puts them at greater risk of being attacked or cut-off.
Nerd narrative
There's a 23% chance of a coup or regime change in Russia during 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
First US Death from Monkeypox Confirmed
On Mon., the Los Angeles Dept. of Public Health confirmed that a resident with a compromised immune system died from the monkeypox virus.
This is in addition to another death reported in Texas last month. The role that the monkeypox virus played in that person's death is still under investigation.
According to the CDC, there have been 18 deaths outside of the US from the virus. The US, by far, has the most documented cases in the outbreak, with 22K confirmed infections so far in 2022.
Pro-establishment narrative
The CDC was able to get ahead of the monkeypox outbreak because there was already a vast amount of data about the virus and its behavior. The monkeypox response was able to build upon already-familiar tools, such as vaccines and testing. Strong education and preparation allowed for a swift ramp-up and effective national response.
Establishment-critical narrative
COVID and monkeypox have both shined a light on the US's inability to respond to large-scale and highly-transmissible diseases. More effective use of testing, treatment, and vaccine tools would have slowed or eliminated the spread of both viruses, yet the US has struggled with all three mitigation measures. The US must make improvements in its public health system or suffer the same fate during the next outbreak.
Report: Human Rights Abuses Have Expanded in Myanmar
On Mon., the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) presented its latest report to the UN Human Rights Council, denouncing an alleged increase in international crimes in the Southeast Asian Nation after the military seized power in Feb. 2021.
Incidents that took place after the takeover have become the "major focus" of the investigation, as Myanmar's military reportedly resorted to using force to suppress mass protests. Estimates from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners indicate that more than 2K people have been killed and over 15K arrested over the past few months.
According to Nicholas Koumjian, head of the IIMM, there are roughly 3M items of evidence indicating a "widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population," adding that both "the nature of the criminality" and its "geographic scope" have expanded.
Narrative A
This crisis shows that the UN is either incapable or unwilling to protect basic rights as it has failed to halt violence for almost two years now. Indeed, Beijing and Moscow have blocked some efforts but the UN itself — which is quick to observe atrocities but slow to actually take action — is to blame. While the IIMM may promote future accountability, it won't bring immediate relief to the people currently suffering.
Narrative B
The purpose of the IIMM is to serve as a UN evidence-gathering body to ensure that the most serious international crimes in Myanmar reach the ICC, and that's exactly what it's doing. Although it may not be a perfect mechanism, it has gone a long way in collecting huge amounts of evidence that will hold those responsible for the atrocities being committed in Myanmar accountable — despite limited resources due to the war in Ukraine.
New Book: Trump Vowed to Remain in White House
According to an upcoming book by New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, then-Pres. Trump repeatedly told his aides he wouldn't leave the White House in the weeks following Biden's victory in the 2020 election, asking "How can you leave when you won?"
At first, according to the book "Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America," he seemed ready to accept the election results, telling one adviser "we did our best." But his tune soon changed, and he began claiming the election was stolen.
While he allegedly made these statements to aides in private, Trump said the opposite in public, answering a reporter's question about whether he would leave by saying, "I will, and you know that."
Democratic narrative
Haberman had a duty to her employer, and to the American public, to reveal this information in real time, not to wait until her book came out two years later. Her reporting proved what many were saying about Trump prior to the election, and had she released this information properly more could've been done to oppose Trump's lies about the election results and to prevent the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Pro-Trump narrative
Liberals are in a tizzy because Haberman revealed one of their favorite things – dirt on Trump – but not in a timely enough manner. Haberman has always been a shady reporter, but liberals didn't seem to mind when she and her colleagues at The Times reported on alleged connections between Russian election interference and the Trump campaign, despite a lack of conclusive evidence. She clearly has an anti-Trump agenda and this is a non-story.
Film Director Jean-Luc Godard Dies by Assisted Suicide
French-Swiss filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard died at age 91, French Pres. Emmanuel Macron confirmed on Tues. while mourning his death on Twitter.
Before the official statement, French media was already reporting that Godard died "peacefully at home" in Switzerland with his wife Anne-Marie Mieville next to him.
Patrick Jeanneret, his longtime lawyer, announced later that he died by assisted suicide - a legal and regulated practice in Switzerland - pointing out that the film director decided to follow this path as he had been suffering from “multiple disabling pathologies."
Narrative A
Godard was a cultural icon, and his dignified assisted suicide resonates with the majority of the French population who support this end-of-life option. Sadly, the elderly and the sick can't counter the clout of the power of medical, pharmaceutical, and nursing home lobbies that oppose the measure. Citizens are entitled to live with dignity, and they must be also allowed to die with it.
Conservative narrative
There is a misleading premise the fact that 96% of the French people support the so-called "right to freely choose the end of life" is based on a false dichotomy between death and physical suffering. Transitioning to death now includes advances in care and medicine that can reduce or eliminate physical pain. Assisted suicide is not an ethical choice, especially considering these innovations.
Sen. Graham Proposes Nationwide 15-Week Abortion Ban
On Tues., US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) unveiled a bill that would criminalize abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, in what is the first national ban on the procedure to be introduced since SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade.
Graham’s bill includes exceptions in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is in danger. While doctors who violate the ban would face up to five years in prison, women wouldn't be prosecuted.
Graham said the bill would put the US “in line with the rest of the world,” and expressed his opinion that “a vast majority of Americans do not support abortion on demand up to delivery."
Democratic narrative
Graham is calling his bill the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act, which — aside from being a jawbreaking name — is widely inaccurate on two fronts Virtually all medical associations have concluded that fetuses don't feel pain until 24 weeks, and "late-term" is a political phrase used to manipulate, not a scientific one. Americans need only look at what Republican states have done recently to see Graham's true motives.
Republican narrative
Recent polls have indicated that most Americans support common-sense restrictions on abortions, and Graham’s bill is in step with this. Something has to be done to stop radical bills like the Democrats’ Women’s Health Protection Act, which would legalize the procedure nationwide and handcuff states from exercising their constitutional right to limit abortion.
Nerd narrative
There's a 5% chance that abortion will be banned nationally in the United States before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Twitter Whistleblower Testifies Before Congress
Former Twitter Security Chief Peiter "Mudge" Zatko — whose federal whistleblower complaint about the company was publicized last month — testified before the US Senate judiciary committee on Tues. as part of its investigation into alleged "egregious deficiencies" related to security.
According to Zatko, the week before he was fired in Jan., he learned the FBI had cautioned Twitter that an agent of China's Ministry of State Security — the country's main espionage agency —was on its payroll. He also claimed that some Twitter employees were worried about the potential for the Chinese govt. to gain access to user data.
Zatko further alleged that after informing an executive at the company of the potential threat of Chinese agents, he was told "What does it matter if we have more [foreign agents]?"
Narrative A
Not only does Zatko's testimony reveal how nefarious Twitter truly is, but it also alludes to an endemic problem within the entire tech industry. Twitter put profits over the privacy of its users, and very likely put the US's national security at risk. Twitter, along with many other social media platforms, is due for a complete overhaul.
Narrative B
Whatever Zatko's allegations, he's not the security chief any longer and is speaking on issues that he either has no updated knowledge of or were beyond the scope of his insight. Twitter users are protected by employee background checks, access controls, and monitoring systems, all of which Zatko refused to mention. While his claims should certainly be investigated, they should also be taken with a grain of salt.
Ardern: No Plans for New Zealand Republic After Queen's Death
New Zealand's PM, Jacinda Ardern, has said she believes her nation will become a republic "in her lifetime," however, her government doesn't intend to pursue the constitutional reform needed to remove the new King as head of state.
She also recognized the relationship between New Zealand - which is still part of the British Commonwealth - and the UK following Queen Elizabeth II's death last Thurs., saying it was "deeply valued by our people."
Several of the 14 Commonwealth nations - referred to as 'realms' - have revived conversations concerning their commonwealth membership following the accession of King Charles III. Australia's PM Albanese has instructed his first minister to begin researching the process of transitioning to a republic, while Antigua and Barbuda plan to hold referendums before 2025.
Establishment-critical narrative
The British monarchy is one of world history's most brutal, thieving regimes. It's no surprise so many Commonwealth nations appear set to sever imperialist ties in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death. Good on the nations likely seeking to liberate themselves from this anachronistic and oppressive system - New Zealand should follow suit.
Pro-establishment narrative
Although Ardern says New Zealand's eventual transition to a republic will "probably happen," it's more accurate to say it will "indefinitely probably happen." The New Zealand population is pragmatic, and they won't support an expensive and complicated measure that potentially risks jeopardizing established relationships between Indigenous peoples and the government when there's little material gain.