Report: Murdoch Family in Legal Battle Over Future Editorial Stance
According to documents obtained by The New York Times, Rupert Murdoch is engaged in a legal battle with three of his children over the future of his media holdings after his death.
The 93-year-old patriarch of the Murdoch family is reportedly looking to amend an irrevocable family trust to give complete control of voting powers and decision-making to his eldest son, Lachlan.
With an estimated value of $19.5B, Murdoch's media empire is controlled by a trust reportedly shared by Rupert’s four eldest children — Lachlan, James, Elisabeth, and Prudence. Rupert allegedly wants to grant its exclusive control to Lachlan to preserve a (right-leaning) editorial stance.
Left narrative
Even in the final years of his life, Rupert Murdoch puts his far-right political agenda above everything else. The year-old mogul forfeited his relationship with three of his children to ensure that Lachlan had complete control of his media empire. Murdoch-controlled Fox News and the Wall Street Journal have raked in cash by pushing right-wing propaganda, and the elder Murdoch doesn't want to risk his sacred cash cow, even if it means losing his own children.
Right narrative
Rupert Murdoch spent his entire life building up the empire we see today, and he has every right to ensure that his legacy continues. Fox News and other Murdoch companies have become the leading outlets of conservative media, and maintaining a right-leaning editorial position is wise both financially and ethically. Lachlan Murdoch is the only heir who can continue his father's vision, and his siblings aren't entitled to subvert Rupert's wishes for his empire.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that the Woke index in US elite media will top by September 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
FBI Arrests Mexican Drug Lord, El Chapo's Son in Texas
US federal agents arrested the leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of his jailed ex-partner, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzman, in Texas on Thursday.
Zambada and Lopez face multiple charges for allegedly running the cartel's operations, including "its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks."
The FBI agents detained the suspected drug lords after they tricked them into boarding a plane to El Paso. However, one of the men is said to have been unaware that they were on their way to the US.
Pro-establishment narrative
The US authorities have dealt another major blow to one of Mexico's most powerful drug cartels after previously arresting "El Chapo" along with another of his sons and other associates. The hunt for the Sinaloa cartel's drug kingpins proves that the US is stepping up its fight against the fentanyl crisis, which led to an increase in overdoses at home, with all its might. To protect the American Youth, the dismantling of fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks must continue with undiminished determination.
Establishment-critical narrative
The US is claiming another strike against the Sinaloa cartel, but this only addresses a symptom, not the cause, of the US drug crisis, which stems from corruption within US society and the growing levels of poverty. Added to this is Big Pharma, putting profits before the health of US citizens, while fentanyl and other drugs claim even more victims. That Washington prefers to wage an endless war against the drug cartels rather than tackle the structural causes of the opioid crisis does not bode well for the future.
Nerd narrative
There's a 2% chance that Mexico will experience a civil war before 2036, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UK Drops Objection to ICC Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu
The UK has dropped its objection to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
In May, Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the ICC, applied for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant as well as Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, and Mohammed Deif on suspicion of war crimes.
The government of then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the move as "deeply unhelpful" and submitted an amicus brief on behalf of Israel in June.
Left narrative
This development indicates the UK will take a stricter stance towards Israel, unlike the previous Conservative government. Israel and Hamas have both committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. Khan's case should be heard, though this is a matter for the court to decide.
Right narrative
This is a regressive step and could signal a policy shift away from Israel being a key UK ally. The government must reconsider the decision as it puts the UK at odds with its international allies and could upset Washington-brokered peace negotiations in the Middle East.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance Keir Starmer will cease to be the leader of the Labour Party by Jan.1, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Philippines Races to Contain Oil Spill After Tanker Capsizes
Authorities in the Philippines are working to remove 1.4M liters of industrial oil from a capsized oil tanker in Manila Bay as fuel from the ship's engine has already begun to spill out. The Coast Guard has set a goal of offloading the oil and containing the spill within seven days.
The 213-foot-long MT Terra Nova was sunk by monsoon conditions worsened by Typhoon Gaemi while sailing to the Philippine city of Iloilo. Sixteen out of 17 sailors were rescued, and the ship was found to be meeting the conditions for sailing in inclement weather.
Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo says that crews are "racing against time" to siphon the industrial oil and prevent a larger spill. The oil reservoirs on board are believed to be structurally sound, and none of them have leaked as of yet.
Left narrative
Oil spills are a disaster in themselves, and have devastated communities in the Philippines in the past. What's worse, inclement weather caused by climate change poses a risk of spreading the contamination into freshwater sources, compounding the havoc they can wreak on humans and wildlife. The Philippines must buck the influence of the oil and gas industry and its dubious practices by ensuring that polluters pay.
Right narrative
There is climate idealism, and then there is the hard economic reality on the ground. In the face of rising prices and tightening supply, the Philippines risks being choked by energy prices, and may even ink oil deals with its great geopolitical rival, China, in order to shore up supply. The Philippines cannot afford to draw back from its oil and gas industry in the face of these pressures on everyday people.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that peak oil production worldwide will be reached by 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US, Allies Say NKorea's Hackers Trying to Steal Military Secrets
In a joint advisory published on Thursday, the US, the UK, and South Korea warned that a group of North Korean hackers — dubbed Andariel — have been trying to steal classified military secrets to support Pyongyang's nuclear programs.
According to the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, Andariel's alleged hostile cyber activities "pose an ongoing threat to critical infrastructure" organizations as well as sensitive and intellectual property data worldwide.
The FBI has advised defense, aerospace, nuclear, and engineering firms "to remain vigilant," claiming Andariel — the alleged arm of Pyongyang's spy agency — exploited software vulnerabilities to carry out cyberattacks to access classified information.
Pro-North Korea narrative
The US and its allies have no credible evidence to link the so-called "high-profile" cyber incidents to Pyongyang. This advisory is laughable at best. On the one hand, the West describes the North as an archaic country and has subjected it to all kinds of sanctions. On the other hand, it's so afraid of North Korean intelligence services that it had to issue a global public alert. Moreover, while the US and its allies criticize Pyongyang for cyberattacks, they conveniently escape accountability for their massive espionage and cyber activities on foreign soil.
Anti-North Korea narrative
The lengths that North Korean state-sponsored cybercriminals are willing to go to advance Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions are significant. They aren't just infiltrating defense, industries, financial networks, and medical facilities globally, they remain an ongoing threat to citizens' everyday lives. The North's aggressive military posture to circumvent international sanctions and fund its nuclear program now poses a serious risk to global security, which is why the world must heed the warning issued by the intelligence agencies.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Kim Jong Un will no longer be the leader of North Korea by January 2047, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
OpenAI Launches New Search Engine
Artificial Intelligence giant OpenAI is testing a new search engine, SearchGPT, in a move that will see it compete with market leader Google.
SearchGPT, a prototype combining OpenAI's AI models with information on the web, is initially being launched only to a limited group of users and publishers.
OpenAI has stated that SearchGPT will provide "up-to-date information," unlike its AI-based chatbot ChatGPT, which often skips current events.
Narrative A
Google's overwhelming market dominance may finally be ending. While its AI-enhanced search has faced reliability issues, OpenAI's approach promises greater accuracy by referencing trusted sources. With major publishers on board and Microsoft as an investor, SearchGPT not only diversifies OpenAI's revenue but also poses a formidable threat to Google's lucrative business.
Narrative B
SearchGPT is far from being a true competitor to Google. Despite promising an AI-driven revolution in search, it suffers from fundamental flaws. SearchGPT, like other generative AI models, is prone to errors and "hallucinations," providing incorrect or fabricated information. It has reportedly stuttered even at the demonstration stage, highlighting its unreliability.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that Google will be supplanted as the top search engine in the world by market share by June 2043, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
GameStop Short-Seller Charged With $16M Fraud
The US Justice Department (DOJ) has charged Andrew Left, who bet against, or shorted, the GameStop stock, for allegedly making $16M over five years by misleading investors. He faces 17 counts of securities fraud and one count of lying to federal investigators, which carries a total of 370 years in prison.
Prosecutors claim he used his commentary on social media and cable news "to manipulate the markets and enrich himself." He allegedly announced his stock bets and where he thought the prices would go and then closed his sales once they reached his desired price.
One example of his alleged crimes included him predicting stocks would fall by 50% while he sold them after they fell only a couple of percentage points.
Narrative A
The GameStop saga exposed the deeply corrupt nature of Wall Street's short-selling industry, particularly regarding "naked" short-selling— where investors sell more company stocks than exist, resulting in an artificial stock price drop. It's about time the government — whose regulators often work or worked for hedge funds — stopped ignoring the crimes of its friends on Wall Street and prosecuted these market manipulators.
Narrative B
Despite what many have heard, the GameStop saga wasn't some corrupt backdoor scheme. Short-selling, when done correctly, is a healthy part of trading that can identify fraud and help others hedge their trades. The inorganic retail trading frenzy of GameStop ended up hurting a lot of novice traders while big firms made millions. Instead of attacking short-selling, we should go after the larger system of central banks printing money for the rich as the poor get poorer.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that the next US financial crisis will occur in 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
France: 'Coordinated' Arson Attacks Disrupt Rail Network Ahead of Olympic Games
A series of what French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called "coordinated" arson attacks broke out on Friday on three of France's four high-speed rail lines, disrupting the travel plans of over 1M weekend commuters ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Attal called the fires "acts of sabotage," with prosecutors in Paris opening a criminal investigation. The chief executive officer of SNCF, a French rail company, said that the fires were mostly set in pipes that contained cables needed for signaling.
Service on one line has been running at normal levels while others have only seen partial resumption, with SNCF saying that repairs will need to continue over the weekend. Eurostar has said that journeys will be 1.5 hours longer due to the disruption, while SNCF advised travelers to postpone travel plans.
Narrative A
France is presiding over one of the most dangerous Games in Olympic history. Groups seeking to avenge Israel's war in Gaza, Jihadists, Russian operatives, and climate agitators make up just some of the actors who are being initially accused of plotting against the Games in a dazzling matrix of threat vectors. These plots are increasing in frequency, and today a key vulnerability in France was exposed. Let's hope this is not a harbinger of things to come in Paris.
Narrative B
There is every indication that the Games in Paris will be safe, and France's model for dealing with multivariate threats could be the exemplar for years to come. France has deployed tens of thousands of personnel and a new surveillance system powered by artificial intelligence that will identify and predict potential dangers. While the media will accentuate the negative before any big event, France is putting into practice hard lessons regarding counterterrorism.
Nerd narrative
There is a 17% chance that a terrorist attack will occur in metropolitan France during the 2024 Summer Olympics, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Israel Responds to Harris' Comments on Gaza War, Cease-fire Deal
After US Vice President Kamala Harris — who is now running for president after Pres. Joe Biden withdrew from the race — said that she would not be "silent" on the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, Israel responded that her comments could complicate cease-fire negotiations.
Harris met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, saying afterward that it was time to end the conflict. Harris reiterated many of the concerns she and Biden have made throughout the war.
On Friday, Harris's office rejected the notion that her comments complicated negotiations, with an aide reportedly saying "I don't know what they're talking about." Her office clarified that Biden and Harris "delivered the same message" in their private meetings with Netanyahu.
Pro-establishment narrative
Harris is a staunch supporter of Israel's security and its right to defend itself. However, at the same time, she is very sympathetic to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. Indeed, it seems that everyone agrees that a cease-fire will significantly improve the situation, and Netanyahu must be willing to work with his allies to close the gaps.
Pro-Israel narrative
Yet again, the Biden administration is risking progress in cease-fire negotiations for political gain. Harris, who is now running for president, surprised Netanyahu and other Israeli officials with her unnecessarily complicated remarks. Indeed, it seems that, at times, Biden and Harris seek to put more pressure on Israel than Hamas — an illegitimate terrorist organization that poses an existential threat to Israel's security.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Harris might "talk tough" on Israel, but there is very little reason to believe that, if she were to win the presidency, her policies toward Israel would be significantly different than those of Biden. Harris, like Biden, is not willing to use the US' leverage over Israel to force a cease-fire, instead choosing to release toothless statements of "concern" regarding Palestinian suffering. This genocide must end now.
Nerd narrative
There's a 30% chance that de facto power in the Gaza Strip on January 1, 2025 will be contested, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Obama Endorses Kamala Harris
Barack Obama endorsed current Vice Pres. Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential nominee on Friday, with the former US president and his wife, Michelle Obama, telling her they would "do everything" to help her win.
The Obamas praised Harris for what they described as her career achievements, including her time in California as a prosecutor, attorney general, and US senator, as well as her time as Pres. Joe Biden's vice president.
Obama waited longer than other Democrats to endorse Harris, with reports indicating the delay was to allow time for Biden's public address on Wednesday and for more campaign donations to pour in, which totaled over $100M from Sunday to Monday.
Democratic narrative
Between their phone call and social media posts, it's clear that the Obamas not only support Harris but believe she will win this election. The delayed endorsement was simply a strategic move to allow the democratic process to unfold and give Biden the opportunity, as the nation's leader, to offer his endorsement first. Regardless, the Obamas have now backed the vice president, and that's all that matters.
Republican narrative
Obama only endorsed Harris after the gigantic Democratic Party machine propped her up, leaving him with no other choice. What his delayed endorsement actually shows is that he instinctually knows she can't win. While Obama will now have to play along, deep down he knows her failed record on defunding the police, opening the southern border, and promoting the Green New Deal are policies Americans oppose.
Nerd narrative
There is a 45% chance that Kamala Harris will be elected US president in 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.