Gaza: IDF, Palestinian Groups Agree to Ceasefire
On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza reportedly agreed to a ceasefire after a night of violence was prompted by the death of a Palestinian hunger striker in Israeli custody.
According to a report from Reuters quoting Palestinian officials, the "reciprocal and simultaneous" ceasefire was established via diplomatic efforts by officials from Egypt, Qatar, and the UN.
Khader Adnan, a prominent political figure affiliated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), died in his cell on Tuesday. Adnan was arrested in February, and shortly after began an 87-day hunger strike in protest of his detention without trial.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel's brutal occupation, which strips Palestinians of their rights, is primarily responsible for violence in the holy land. The international community can no longer turn a blind eye to Israel's treatment of Palestinian prisoners like Adnan, and it must immediately protect Palestinians in Israel's prisons, or their deaths may become the ultimate symbol of non-violent resistance.
Pro-Israel narrative
Israel has continually made clear its desire to live in peace, and explained that the blame for violence sits squarely with Palestinian terror groups — the country will not stand by and allow terrorists to freely target Israeli civilians. The international community must not ignore the reality that Adnan belonged to the terrorist PIJ and that, while tragic, his death was self-inflicted. Israel cannot be blackmailed by terrorists who attempt to use hunger strikes as leverage to force their release.
Nerd narrative
There's a 55% chance that Iran will recognize Israel before 2070, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
NGO: Global Risks to Journalists Increasing
On the eve of the 30th World Press Freedom Day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of a worldwide attack on media and journalists, calling for an end to the targeting of truth and stressing freedom of the press to be “the foundation of democracy and justice.”
363 journalists were imprisoned globally in 2022, a 30-year high according to the NGO Committee to Protect Journalists. Within his video message as part of a wider UN commemoration, Guterres urged the world to end the detainment and imprisonment of journalists for "doing their jobs."
He also said the collapse of the media industry has led to a decline in independent and diverse sources of information. He warned that increased consolidation of media "into the hands of the few" threatened freedom of expression by limiting opportunities for dialogue and debate.
Pro-establishment narrative
The global state of press freedom has worryingly deteriorated in recent years. Autocratic leaders have used censorship, media repression, and attacks on journalists to consolidate power, with control of information believed to be essential in holding control of all else. This is unfortunately particularly prominent in nations like Russia, with dozens of journalists being arrested for simply running stories about the war in Ukraine. The international community must continue to bolster support for journalists to protect democracies from autocratic trends.
Establishment-critical narrative
The double standards of the US government are on full display in the lead-up to World Press Freedom Day. The Biden administration has proclaimed the centrality of press freedom globally and has expressed outrage over Russia's arrest of US journalist Evan Gershkovich for espionage. Meanwhile, despite such rhetoric, the US continues to pursue the extradition of journalist and publisher Julian Assange. America's hypocrisy on the world stage is stunning.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Julian Assange will be extradited to the US by September 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Iran's President Raisi Begins Landmark Visit to Syria
Iranian Pres. Ebrahim Raisi arrived in Damascus on Wednesday in an effort to bolster bilateral ties in the first visit by an Iranian head of state to Syria since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
Raisi, traveling with a large political and economic ministerial delegation, is set to hold "extensive political and economic talks" with his counterpart Bashar al-Assad and sign several bilateral agreements, Syrian state media reported.
Raisi is the first Iranian president to travel to Syria since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the Arab country in September 2010. Raisi and Assad signed a memorandum covering collaboration on oil, transportation, and agriculture.
Establishment-critical narrative
Raisi's landmark trip to Syria is a major victory for Iranian diplomacy in advancing the regional rapprochement process. Moreover, the normalization of Iran-Syria relations deals another blow to Washington and the Israeli regime and their attempts to bring Iran to its knees and plunge Syria into chaos through their proxy war. The joint reconstruction of Syria signals a new dawn and will have a positive impact on regional politico-economic integration.
Pro-establishment narrative
Raisi's visit to Syria underscores Iran's autocratic plans to expand its regional influence at the expense of security and stability. While the Syrian regime seeks to normalize relations with the Arab world, Tehran is instrumentalizing Damascus to improve its ability to threaten Israel through its proxies, such as Hezbollah. The increasing rapprochement of regional rulers is a cause for concern for the US and Israel that needs to be closely monitored.
Nerd narrative
There is a 49% chance that Iran will possess a nuclear weapon before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Eli Lilly: Alzheimer's Drug 'Significantly' Slows Cognitive Decline
Eli Lilly, the drug developer behind the experimental Alzheimer's drug "donanemab," has announced that the drug slowed patients' cognitive decline by as much as 35% when compared to taking a placebo during clinical trials.
In its Wednesday announcement, the company said the late-stage study of the drug also showed a 40% reduction in a decline of a patient's ability to perform daily life functions over the last 12 months of the study.
During the trial, three participants died from brain swelling and bleeding, which are believed to be side effects of the drug. Patients and their families will have to weigh the risk of the treatment against potential side effects.
Narrative A
The main thing to know about this trial is that three people died while participating. There are still great risks associated with donanemab, and even if it receives FDA approval, doctors are going to be reticent about prescribing it. Also, Medicare might not cover it. There might be better alternatives from other drug makers, and there's still a long way to go until it's time to celebrate victory against this horrific disease.
Narrative B
Drug makers are on the right path toward a cure for Alzheimer’s and this trial is a major milestone in pursuit of a strategy to attack the disease. Some patients will benefit from it if they’re willing to take the risk, while others will benefit down the road when the drug makers build off their findings in the donanemab trial. It seems that there is a good reason for hope.
US Surgeon General Declares Loneliness An Epidemic
On Tuesday, US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory warning that the country is facing an epidemic of loneliness, claiming it's as lethal to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
In the advisory, Murthy said a lack of social connection should be treated as gravely as "tobacco use, obesity, and the addiction crisis," as loneliness can reportedly increase the risk of premature death by 26%.
According to a study cited in the advisory, loneliness is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression, and dementia – and is also one of the primary motivations for self-harm.
Narrative A
While the health risks of loneliness are real, loneliness isn't a health epidemic or quite the crisis it's cracked up to be. A culture of individualism and reliance on technology can make people feel lonely; however, there is insufficient evidence to show a steady trend in loneliness in the US. The "loneliness epidemic" narrative fits into the widespread cultural frame that modern life is about disintegration and alienation, conveniently hiding the fact that loneliness naturally changes across our life cycle.
Narrative B
We live in the most digitally connected age in the history of civilization, yet approximately half of US adults experience loneliness daily due to diminishing social connections. Whether this is an epidemic or not, being socially disconnected is clearly bad for our physical, emotional, and financial health. Reversing course will take a strong effort from both the government and the public, particularly parents and caregivers who should schedule in-person time with family far more often than they currently do.
Lawmakers Hold Hearing on SCOTUS Ethics Concerns
The US Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday clashed over the possibility of imposing ethical standards on SCOTUS following recent reports surrounding the actions of Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch.
While Thomas has been accused of failing to disclose his financial relationship with billionaire Republican donor Harlan Crow, Gorsuch allegedly didn't disclose selling land to Brian Duffy, a lawyer whose firm has been involved in at least 22 SCOTUS cases since the deal.
Chief Justice John Roberts declined an invitation to testify at the hearing, instead releasing a short letter and a joint statement signed by all nine justices reaffirming their voluntary adherence to the compulsory code of conduct for lower federal justices.
Democratic narrative
The fact that SCOTUS justices aren't bound by a code of conduct is troubling, and reforming the courts to change this reality shouldn't be a partisan issue. However, even if legislation is adopted, it won't fully rectify the court's continued issues with credibility. Ethical lapses are only secondary to the reality that SCOTUS' public opinion rating has been tarnished as a blatantly partisan institution manipulated by Republicans in recent years.
Republican narrative
Since the swing towards a conservative and originalist majority in recent years, SCOTUS has faced a cynical and sustained campaign by the left to undermine its every move. Certain questions of the judiciary should rightly be asked, but this coordinated attack, which ignores examples of the exact same behavior by progressive justices, is wrong. The current Democratic crusade is simply the angry reaction of activists who no longer have a majority of pliable justices whose wills can be bent as seen fit.
Nerd narrative
There's a 15% chance that there will be any change to the composition of the US Supreme Court in 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Attempting to Kill Putin in Kremlin 'Drone Attack'
Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine of launching an attempted drone attack on the Kremlin residence, stating: "We consider these actions to be a planned terrorist attack and attempt on the life of the President."
The statement from Russia's presidential press service said: "Two unmanned aerial vehicles targeted the Kremlin. Timely action by the military and special services involving radar systems enabled them to disable the devices. They crashed in the Kremlin grounds, scattering fragments without causing any casualties or damage."
It added that Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin was unhurt and that his work schedule remains unaffected. Nonetheless, it said: "Russia reserves the right to take countermeasures wherever and whenever it deems appropriate."
Pro-Russia narrative
This was a Ukrainian act of terrorism that tried to assassinate Russia's leader. Russia reserves the right to respond to this attack as it sees fit.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Ukraine has nothing to do with the attacks on the Kremlin. Ukraine is focused on deploying its forces and capabilities to liberate its own territories, rather than attack the territories of another country.
Nerd narrative
There's a 30% chance that there will be a large-scale armed conflict in Russia before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Teen Kills Nine in Belgrade School Shooting
According to Serbia's interior ministry, a deadly school shooting in the capital city of Belgrade Wednesday killed at least eight students and a security guard, with another six pupils and a teacher taken to the hospital with injuries.
Belgrade police arrested the 14-year-old suspect who allegedly used his father’s weapons to carry out the attack on the Vladislav Ribnikar school. Head of Belgrade police, Veselin Milic, said the shooter preplanned the entire attack and was armed with two guns and two petrol bombs.
The shooter killed a school guard as he entered the school and then three students in the hallway. Milic added that the assailant opened fire in a history classroom because it was closest to the entrance before calling the police himself after finishing his rampage.
Right narrative
Despite having some of the world’s highest gun ownership rates, mass shootings are exceedingly rare in Serbia. Today’s tragedy at the Vladislav Ribnikar is the country’s first mass shooting in a decade, despite years of warnings about the number of weapons left over from the 1990s wars. The school shooting in Belgrade is a tragedy of the highest order — it is thankfully an extraordinarily rare occurrence in the Balkan nation, and any correlation to "mass shooting trends" should be taken with caution.
Left narrative
While Serbia may have very high gun ownership rates, its gun laws are very strict when compared to countries like the US. To obtain a gun permit in Serbia, a person must go through a thorough background check and be medically examined every five years. Not only must Serbians be clear of any criminal history and mental disorders to obtain a firearm, but they also face a much more extensive process to get a concealed carry permit. These laws will hopefully continue to help prevent future tragedies like this one.
Atlanta Active Shooting: At Least 1 Dead, Search for Suspect Underway
At least one person is dead and four others were taken to the hospital Tuesday after a gunman, suspected to be 24-year-old Deion Patterson, shot multiple people at Northside Hospital Medical in Midtown Atlanta, Ga. The suspect is still at large and police have released images of the suspect wearing a hoodie.
Police responded to calls about an active shooter around 12:30 p.m. local time. The photos released by police show the suspect, who was wearing a mask, walking into an office doorway and raising his arm to point what appeared to be a handgun.
Dozens of police and fire vehicles were gathered along West Peachtree Street as officers with assault-style rifles, helmets, and vests continued to arrive more than an hour after the shooting. Police also urged those in the area to shelter in place.
Left narrative
This kind of recurrent gun violence is a uniquely American epidemic. How many innocent victims must die before gun laws are reformed? The US has more guns than any other country — essentially one gun for every citizen — and one of the highest gun-related death rates. This madness needs to stop with better regulation, including limiting who has access and the types of weapons they own.
Right narrative
The anti-Second Amendment Gun Violence Archive likes to flash large quantities of so-called mass shootings in the hopes of persuading people to think there's a Columbine shooting every day. What these activist organizations don't mention is that almost all of these stem from gang disputes, neighborhood arguments, robberies, or domestic incidents that got out of control. Lone shooters indiscriminately killing students or hospital visitors account for less than 4% of them.
Cynical narrative
Another day in the United States, another mass shooting. And just like all the previous tragic attacks, nothing will change based on the empty rhetoric of both sides. Mass shootings have become a part of America's landscape, and neither the left nor the right has enough political willpower to change that.
3 McDonald's Franchises Fined For Child Labor Violations
Three separate McDonald's franchises have been fined $212,754 for child labor violations following a US Labor Dept. investigation that found minors working illegally at 62 locations across Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, and Ohio.
Archways Richwood LLC, a Walton, Ky.-based operator of 27 McDonald's locations, will pay more than $143K in civil penalties for allowing 242 minors aged between 14 and 15 to work earlier or later in the day than the law permits and more than three hours on school days.
Louisville, Ky.-based Bauer Food LLC, which operates 10 locations, is facing a roughly $40K fine for hiring two dozen children under 16 to work more hours than allowed by law, including two 10-year-olds who weren't paid despite working as late as 2 a.m.
Republican narrative
The surge of child labor violations in the US is a direct consequence of the number of unaccompanied minors entering the country amid the border crisis. Based on a misguided liberal notion of humanitarianism, the Biden admin. has created a nefarious system rewarding the quick release of illegal child migrants only to let them be exploited by cash-driven businesses.
Democratic narrative
While the US faces a notable labor shortage in low-skilled positions, Central American adults are willing to migrate north to find work as they face economic misery at home. Despite evidence that policymakers should expand immigration opportunities, they have chosen not to take this opportunity — a decision that has forced unaccompanied minors to enter the US and work to send money to their families.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that the first fully automated McDonald's will open in the US by March 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.