Spain Exhumes Remains of Fascist Leader Primo de Rivera
On Monday, the Spanish government dug up and reburied the remains of José Antonio Primo de Rivera, who founded the fascist Falange movement that supported Gen. Francisco Franco's dictatorship.
The move, coming 120 years after his birth, removed the body from a lavish basilica where the remains of Franco once rested, and transferred it to San Isidro cemetery in Madrid — where he will be laid alongside other family members.
This decision came six months after Spain passed a law aimed at tackling the legacy of the 1936-39 civil war and the decades of dictatorship that followed. Primo de Rivera founded Falange in 1933 which, along with Franco's regime, became a pillar of the military and Spain’s Roman Catholic Church.
Left narrative
This was the right move for the victims of Franco's dictatorship, modern-day Spanish society, and the Primo de Rivera family, who had requested his body be exhumed and transferred to the family cemetery. Spain is still grappling with its horrific fascist past, and it's the government's responsibility to help the country heal from its sins and protect its democratic future.
Right narrative
If society truly wants to pursue a better future, memorials of historically evil leaders should not be torn down or removed. If people are to learn and understand the events of the past, memorials of those events and figures should be publicly displayed to ensure ignorance doesn't lead to repeating the past. Most modern-day "supporters" of these figures don't wish to revive their ideologies but rather contemplate their legacy and transgressions.
Pakistan: At Least 17 Killed in Explosions at Police Station
At least 17 people were killed and more than 50 injured after explosions rocked a counter-terrorism office in northwest Pakistan on Monday, local officials have said.
The blasts — which took place in Swat valley, a region historically home to many Islamic militants until they were forced out by a government operation in 2009 — was initially blamed on terrorism, but officials later clarified there was no evidence of an attack.
A spokesman for provincial police said that ammunition caught fire, "most probably due to an electric short-circuit." He added: "No evidence of an attack from outside has been established so far."
Narrative A
While the nature of the blast is still being investigated, there is no evidence at this stage to suggest it was a terror attack. Early searches suggest that a short-circuit in an ammunition depot is to blame for this tragic loss of life. Speculation should be kept to a minimum for now.
Narrative B
While this particular incident may not have resulted from the actions of local insurgents, there has been a dramatic uptick in attacks by terrorist groups since late last year. Pakistan's government needs to take assertive action to ensure that terrorism is not able to flourish in this region as it once did.
Haiti Crisis: Mob Burns Suspected Gang Members to Death
Thirteen suspected gang members were burned to death Monday by a mob in Haiti's capital after being seized while police searched their vehicle. The suspects were reportedly beaten with gasoline-soaked tires before being set alight in Port-au-Prince.
The violence was a grim reminder of the lawless situation in Port-au-Prince, where criminal gangs have taken control over an estimated 60% of the city since the July 2021 assassination of Pres. Jovenel Moïse.
Haiti police said officers in the Canape Vert section stopped and searched a minibus for contraband. They confiscated weapons from suspects before they were "unfortunately lynched by members of the population."
Narrative A
The political, social, and humanitarian situation in Haiti has deteriorated since Moïse's assassination. The National Police has been challenged by gangs with control over territory, highways, ports, and the delivery of humanitarian aid. Homicides and kidnappings are up, and gang-related violence is threatening national security and stability. Haiti needs more foreign assistance to resolve its problems.
Narrative B
The Security Council is suffering from Haiti fatigue. Nothing is moving forward. There is a reluctance to send foreign troops to Haiti because of a deepening skepticism that Haiti can prosper, even with billions of dollars of foreign aid and security support. It also dredges up bad memories about an earlier UN peacekeeping mission, whose blue helmets were involved in a serious cholera outbreak and became embroiled in a series of sexual exploitation scandals.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that Haiti will become a World Bank upper middle-income country by January 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Russia Hosts Talks Between Turkey, Syria
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Tuesday met with his counterparts from Turkey, Syria, and Iran in Moscow in a bid to rebuild Turkish-Syrian ties after years of bilateral tensions over the Syrian Civil War.
According to separate statements by Ankara and Moscow, the four ministers reaffirmed their intention to preserve Syria's territorial integrity as well as the importance of stepping up efforts to ensure the swift return of Syrian refugees to their home country.
A day earlier, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Ankara was seeking a settlement of the conflict in Syria within the framework of the Moscow-brokered four-way talks.
Narrative A
Turkey's further détente with Syria is a blow to Syrian rebels and their fight against the brutal Assad regime. Yet, while Erdoğan has moved away from the goal of regime change in Syria as part of Turkish-Syrian reconciliation, Turkey is unlikely to withdraw from Syria and abandon its local client forces in its fight against the Kurdish YPG group. Despite recent signs of improvement, it would be naive to expect ties between Ankara and Damascus to return to normal anytime soon.
Narrative B
Turkey has not only deployed troops in Syria, violating Syria's territorial integrity, but has also played a key role in backing militants seeking to topple the Assad government. However, this only underscores the need for talks to resolve differences between Damascus and Ankara, taking into account mutual security interests. The talks in Moscow, backed by regional power Iran, offer Turkey a unique opportunity to work with credible mediators for peace while improving Ankara's security calculus.
Nerd narrative
There's a 29% chance that Turkey will declare sanctions on Russia before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Report: US Talked Ukraine Down from Attacking Moscow
Fearful of severe Russian retaliation, US officials talked Ukraine down from a plan to attack Moscow, according to a new Washington Post report. The attacks were planned to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the war; on Feb. 22, two days before, the CIA circulated a report — revealed by the recent Pentagon leaks — that stated Kyiv "had agreed, at Washington’s request, to postpone strikes" on Moscow.
The report was criticized by Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy. He said: "Such publications, with the obligatory reference to 'anonymous sources', fulfill only one catastrophic function: they shape public opinion in Western capitals as if Ukraine was an unreasonable, infantile, and impulsive country that is dangerous for adults to trust with serious weapons."
Meanwhile, a separate Politico report suggested that Biden admin. officials are quietly bracing for the possibility that Ukraine's spring counteroffensive will fall short of expectations, thus increasing the pressure on the US to seek a political solution. While US officials said they're providing Ukraine with everything it needs for a successful attack, they're also broaching the subject of a possible ceasefire if the plans don't succeed.
Pro-establishment 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 a 1% chance that Ukraine will join NATO before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Nepal Issues Record Number of Everest Permits
On Monday, Nepali officials announced they had issued a record 454 permits for climbers to summit Mount Everest between April and May — peak climbing season in Nepal — that will allow over 900 climbers to attempt the trek.
As of Friday, permits had been issued to 96 Chinese climbers and 87 American climbers. Closely following were 40 permits issued to Indians, 21 to Canadians, and 19 issued to Russians.
The Nepalese tourism department said the number of permits issued could increase as they approach peak season. The announcement comes four years after overcrowding was blamed for the deaths of four climbers on the mountain.
Narrative A
While the Nepali government has taken extraordinary measures to prevent a repeat of the tragic deaths in 2019, issuing this many permits is risky. "Traffic jams" can be avoided when the weather is good, but under harsher conditions — which shorten the season — more climbers are forced onto the mountain, slowing the ability to ascend and descend — a danger outside of Nepal's control. What is in the government's control, however, is the number of permits issued, and it needs to reconsider.
Narrative B
It's not the number of permits issued but rather who they are given to that is the problem. Many agencies market Everest as a challenge for everyone when, in reality, it's a dangerous journey that only the very skillful should attempt. This is accompanied by a poor vetting system that allows inexperienced hikers on the mountain, who are ultimately the ones behind the deadly bottlenecks.
Indian Ministers Rebuke Der Spiegel for ‘Racist’ Cartoon
A cartoon in the German magazine Der Spiegel caricaturing India as it becomes more populous than China has been criticized as being “racist” by Indian ministers.
The viral cartoon compares the "development levels" of India and China. The cartoon depicts an overcrowded train of Indians passing a Chinese bullet train.
Social media users and politicians have slammed the cartoon as being "racist" and "derogatory."
Narrative A
India has a fast-growing economy that will likely pass Germany in terms of GDP shortly. This cartoon just goes to show the West's fears of India's success. This distasteful and xenophobic cartoon has no resemblance to India's reality.
Narrative B
India, particularly under Modi, is quick to dismiss any negative portrayal as malicious misinformation. While India has surpassed China in terms of population, China is still miles ahead developmentally and demographically. The talent dividend has not disappeared and China has more educated workers. Size is not the only thing that matters.
Report: US COVID Response Exposed 'Collective National Incompetence'
A group of crisis experts and federal advisors, called the COVID Crisis Group, released a report Tuesday detailing the US' alleged lack of disaster preparedness and coordination that it claims led to an unraveling of the nation's pandemic response.
The book, titled "Lessons From the Covid War: An Investigative Report," was released by 34 expert physicians, epidemiologists, and former senior government officials with the promise of providing a "dispassionate guide" to the overheated arguments about the pandemic.
The group first assembled two years ago in the event that Congress or the president would call for a 9/11-style commission to investigate the pandemic. When no such commission was established, they decided to issue their own report.
Pro-establishment narrative
While the US' COVID response was flawed, leaders, faced with unprecedented circumstances, did the best they could. As COVID will likely not be the last pandemic, the government must use this as a learning experience to develop a streamlined course of action for the next time a deadly virus reaches its shores. This includes pre-determined contracts with diagnostic test companies to develop and distribute test kits, agreements with insurance companies to cover the costs of those tests, and an abundant supply of protective equipment.
Establishment-critical narrative
The US was capable of combatting COVID early on, but the corrupt CDC — through its pursuit of streamlining the response process — actively hindered people from implementing appropriate measures. One of the most appalling examples of this, according to former FDA Director Scott Gottlieb, was when the agency deliberately scrapped the idea of mass testing at nursing homes from a science journal article. The world's leading infectious disease institution knew exactly what it was doing but didn't care about who would suffer.
Nerd narrative
There's an 11% chance that there will be a novel pathogen that kills over 25M people between 2022 and 2031 (inclusive), according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Pres. Biden Announces Re-Election Bid
US Pres. Joe Biden on Tuesday officially announced his candidacy for re-election in 2024 with a three-minute video, coming on the fourth anniversary of declaring his candidacy for the White House in 2019 and promising to heal the "soul of the nation."
The announcement video included footage from the Jan. 6 riots and abortion protests, criticism of "MAGA Republicans," and a list of achievements during his time in the White House, adding that he wants to "finish this job."
In response to the video, in which Biden also confirmed that current VP Kamala Harris would again be his 2024 running mate, former Pres. Donald Trump said that he looks forward to debating Biden, assuming that he wins the Republican primary.
Republican narrative
The American people don't want to see Joe Biden win a second term in the White House. Besides his dwindling mental capacity, Biden has made a series of horrendous mistakes that have seriously damaged the US. From shoddy domestic policies that have hurt the economy to throwing away millions of dollars via his catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan, Biden has been a terrible president and must be defeated in 2024.
Democratic narrative
Though Biden may not be the best Democratic candidate in recent memory, he's a strong opponent who is essentially the only Democrat who can take on what will likely be a race against Donald Trump. As the Republican party slides toward extremism, the US needs a president who has defeated MAGA before. Indeed, 2024 will be another existential election for American democracy.
Nerd narrative
There's a 78% chance that Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee for the 2024 US presidential election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
North Dakota Passes Abortion Ban
North Dakota's Republican Gov. Doug Burgum signed legislation Monday limiting most abortions throughout pregnancy, with some exceptions up to six weeks gestation.
While designed to take effect immediately, last month, the state Supreme Court ruled abortion bans will remain blocked pending an ongoing lawsuit. Lawmakers said they passed the bill to show the courts that North Dakotans want to restrict abortion.
Burgum's signature came after North Dakota state senators overwhelmingly passed the bill Wednesday. The governor said it "clarifies and refines existing state law," reaffirming that North Dakota is a "pro-life state."
Right narrative
North Dakota joins other brave US states as it takes the bold and righteous step to protect the most innocent. As a culturally pro-life state that saw its last abortion clinic close last year, this law reinforces the state's commitment to protecting the sanctity of all life. This legislation is welcomed news, and the pro-life movement will continue to grow stronger as more states stand with the unborn.
Left narrative
The North Dakota abortion ban defies both the law and the rights of women as it grants virtually no protection for women seeking access to an abortion. North Dakotans will be deprived of their bodily autonomy, and rape victims will be forced to carry their abusers’ child if they do not make a choice within six weeks. This law is against women, and it cannot stand.
Nerd narrative
There's a 5% chance that elective abortion will be banned nationally in the US before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.