Scientists Release Sharpest Supermassive Black Hole Image
On Wednesday, scientists released the sharpest-ever image showing the violent events unfolding around black holes, including the launching point of a huge jet of high-energy particles shooting outward into space.
The image — obtained using 16 telescopes at various locations on Earth — shows a supermassive black hole at the center of a relatively nearby galaxy called Messier 87, or M87, about 54M light-years from Earth. A light-year is equivalent to 9.5T km (5.9M miles).
The black hole, which is 6.5B times the size of Earth's sun, can be seen spewing out plasma jets. This latest observation may help scientists understand exactly how these jets are created, and possibly unlock the mystery of how galaxies form.
Narrative A
Beyond the historic nature of this imaging — on par with Apollo 8's "Earthrise" — studying black holes is immensely important to understand how gravity and general relativity work under the most extreme conditions and the idea of the so-called "one-way door from our universe." The discovery of these celestial giants, which comes over a century after Albert Einstein theorized about them, shows that humanity is one step closer to figuring out the cosmic mystery that has baffled physicists for decades.
Narrative B
Black holes are the hardest-to-see objects in the universe because they don't reflect or emit any light, which is why each new black hole discovery is historic and exciting. However, quantitative evidence of black holes is still missing, and scientists still haven't recorded two supermassive black holes merging or figured out how the process warps time. These discoveries could happen soon, but the global curiosity surrounding these questions won't be quenched until they do.
Nerd narrative
There's a 72% chance that gravitational waves from the merger of supermassive black holes will be detected by November 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Iran Seizes Oil Tanker Headed for Texas
Iran's navy on Thursday seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in international waters in the Gulf of Oman, according to the US Navy — the latest in a series of recent incidents in the conflict-prone Gulf waters.
The US Navy identified the oil tanker as the Advantage Sweet and accused Tehran of violating international law, demanding the vessel's immediate release, which it said came from Kuwait and had given Houston, Texas as its destination.
Meanwhile, the Iranian army issued a statement Thursday saying the oil tanker was confiscated in the Gulf of Oman after it collided with an Iranian boat earlier, injuring several crew members.
Pro-establishment narrative
The Iranian regime's seizure of yet another oil tanker while passing through international waters, reinforcing its blatant aggression in the region, is further evidence that Washington's policy of appeasement against Tehran has failed. This latest destabilizing incident should be a wake-up call for the US to finally resume seizing Iranian oil and gas shipments.
Establishment-critical narrative
In the incident, the oil tanker collided with an Iranian fishing boat, causing several Iranian crew members to go missing and become injured. Rather than assisting, as required by international maritime law, the tanker attempted to flee. What would the US do if the roles had been reversed? Washington's double standards are limitless.
Nerd narrative
There's a 3.5% chance that the US will rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal by 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
At Least 23 Killed in Russian Strikes Across Ukraine
At least 23 people were killed after Russia launched pre-dawn drone and missile attacks on Ukraine on Friday. Most of the victims came in the central city of Uman — located 134 miles (215 km) south of Kyiv — after two missiles struck an apartment building. Ukrainian officials said 21 civilians were killed and 17 people were injured in the city.
Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine's acting minister of internal affairs, said that records showed that 109 people were registered as living in the building. He said that 27 of the block's 46 apartments were completely destroyed, adding that 33 nearby cars were also damaged or destroyed.
Meanwhile in the city of Dnipro, a woman and her two-year-old daughter were killed in attacks. Another four civilians were reported injured.
Anti-Russia narrative
These attacks on Ukrainian civilians are a further demonstration of Russia's terrorism. The international community must stand firm in condemning these actions, as well as increasing the pressure on Russia via sanctions.
Pro-Russia narrative
Any attacks from Ukraine into the territory of Russia will be met with firm, retaliatory action. This will include strikes on decision-making centers in Kyiv if necessary.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Vladimir Putin will cease to hold the office of President of Russia by March 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Thousands Rally in Support of Israel’s Judicial Overhaul
Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem on Thursday in support of a contentious judicial overhaul bill spearheaded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition government that would see the power of the country's highest court considerably downsized.
Over 150K pro-government Israelis reportedly took to the streets, making the demonstrations the largest right-wing protest in the country in nearly two decades. Protesters came from all over Israel, with settlers living in the occupied West Bank also attending.
Higher estimates from local media put the attendance at 200K people. Those protesting stem largely from more religious backgrounds, as they seek to minimize Israel's supreme court role in the legal process, with one protester saying "there is no democracy in Israel and that the Supreme Court rules, no matter what slip we put into the ballot box."
Left narrative
The judicial overhaul spearheaded by Netanyahu and his most extreme allies shows, despite a legitimate right shift in the electorate, the Prime Minister has less control over his coalition than once thought. Facing scrutiny over bribery and fraud charges, the only way Netanyahu can maintain his power is by ripping apart Israel's long-standing democratic institutions and criminalizing judicial dissent. We are watching an authoritarian coup unfold in real-time.
Right narrative
Despite the left arguing that these judicial reform plans threaten democracy, the reality is quite the opposite. The self-appointed Israeli Supreme Court has autocratic, unchecked powers that allow it to nullify and rewrite democratically-enacted laws and policies based on subjective justifications. Consequently, the move is crucial to curb the court's undemocratic excesses and to protect the rule of law.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Though there's much talk from the Israeli left that the country's democracy is under threat, for Palestinians it has never been a democracy. Apartheid and democracy are mutually exclusive, and the only reason Israelis have protested against the overhaul in the first place is that they want to maintain a system that has oppressed Palestinians for 75 years.
Poll: Support of British Public for Monarchy at Historic Low
Britain's public support for a monarchy is the lowest it's ever been on record, according to a new poll released on Friday.
According to the survey by the National Centre for Social Research, only three in 10 Britons considered the monarchy "very important" — falling to 29% from 38% the previous year.
"The view that the monarchy is 'very important' has reached the lowest percentage since data collection began in 1983," the Centre [sic] said in a press release accompanying the data.
Narrative A
The data is consistently showing that younger people in Britain no longer agree with the idea of a monarchy. What's more, they are bucking the trends and not becoming more conservative with age. As today's year-olds become tomorrow's year-olds, it spells serious dangers for King Charles's reign.
Narrative B
While more and more Britons are asking whether hereditary power is appropriate in 2023, both political parties are firmly pro-monarchy and there are dozens of other issues that people want to be tackled first. It's unlikely that there will be a change to the situation in the near future.
Nerd narrative
There's a 60% chance that at least 1% of Great Britain will be under a monarchy by 2075, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US to Open Migrant Centers in Latin America, Expedite Deportations
As the Title 42 COVID restrictions on immigration are set to expire next month, the US will establish regional processing centers for migrants in Colombia and Guatemala to reduce arrivals at the southern border.
The first processing centers, set to open in the coming weeks, will be operated by international organizations partnering with the US. Migrants will "speak to specialists" to determine eligibility. If eligible, they may be given "parole programs, family reunification or existing labor pathways."
Once Title 42 ends on May 11, deportations will return to the process under "Title 8," which carries with it harsher consequences such as potential criminal prosecution and barring people from reentry for at least five years.
Republican narrative
This announcement doesn't show the Biden admin. turning a corner on immigration but rather an admission that the government will play the role of human smugger itself. The president's migrant phone app has already approved a shocking 99% of so-called asylum seekers so there is no reason to believe Biden will follow through with his promise to deport those who don't follow the rules.
Democratic narrative
Biden's Dept. of Homeland Security has actually removed over 200K individuals during last year alone, which is tens of thousands more than the previous year. The Biden admin. takes illegal immigration seriously and will continue to implement its tough but compassionate migrant programs as it always has.
BBC Chairman Resigns Amid Boris Johnson Cronyism Allegations
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) chairman Richard Sharp resigned on Friday after an independent report claimed he didn't adequately disclose a potential conflict of interest in his role in securing a loan for former PM Boris Johnson prior to his appointment.
The former banker helped facilitate an £800K ($1M) loan to Johnson in 2020, having been approached by Canadian businessman and friend Sam Blyth over the matter. Sharp was appointed BBC chairman in February 2021.
The investigation, led by King's Counsel Adam Heppinstall, alleges that Sharp twice breached the code governing public appointments by not disclosing the extent of his involvement, risking the perception that the BBC's chairman wasn't independent of the former PM and Conservative party leader.
Left narrative
Sharp was right to have gone and should've left sooner. This story is yet another example of the toxic Johnson and Tory hierarchy attempting to jockey right-wing supporters within what should be independent selection processes. For the BBC to remain a trusted source, Sharp had to go.
Right narrative
While this incident was undeniably an oversight on Sharp's part, it isn't a deliberate case of cronyism as portrayed by the media. Sharp has taken accountability for his error by stepping down, and that should be the end of this so-called scandal.
Abortion Bans Fail in Nebraska and S. Carolina
Two bills restricting abortion in South Carolina and Nebraska failed to advance through their state's respective Republican-dominated legislatures on Thursday.
In Nebraska, a vote to end the debate so the bill could advance in the legislature failed by one vote. In South Carolina, senators rejected a bill that would have banned nearly all abortions in the state.
The Nebraska proposal to ban abortion after around the sixth week of pregnancy is unlikely to move forward this year after the vote failed to break a filibuster.
Democratic narrative
The failure of these two bills is a victory for women's rights campaigners nationwide. This gives hope that the restrictive policies that have been enacted toward reproductive rights could be turned around.
Republican narrative
The failure of these bills to advance is a frustrating setback. The vast majority of the constituents of these states support these bills aimed at protecting the most vulnerable, and the lawmakers should have followed suit and passed them.
Nerd narrative
There's a 5% chance that elective abortion will be banned nationally in the United States before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Erdoğan Cancels Third Day of Election Appearances
Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is seeking a third presidential term in the country's May 14 elections, canceled his election appearances for a third day Friday after falling ill reportedly with a gastrointestinal infection.
He had been due to appear at a bridge opening and a political rally in the southern city of Adana, but his schedule changed to show he would attend the opening ceremony via video link.
Erdoğan got sick live on TV on Tuesday evening, prompting him to interrupt his busy campaign schedule. Since then, he has been trying to adjust by attending events via video link, including a joint appearance with Russia's Vladimir Putin at a video conference on Thursday to inaugurate a nuclear power plant.
Narrative A
Erdoğan has now canceled three days of campaign events as the crucial elections are near, and he is almost certainly downplaying the severity of his illness. Despite falling ill during a TV interview, no cameras were on the president as the moment unfolded, leading to reasonable suspicion of a heart attack or another, more severe, health episode. He looked quite ill in his online appearances, adding more fuel to the speculation that he is too ill to serve.
Narrative B
Misinformation is spreading like wildfire as rumor-mongers used social media to lie about Pres. Erdoğan's health. Political opportunists are using his stomach illness to lie and gain an advantage in the upcoming elections. Despite all of the false rumors, Pres. Erdoğan is in great health and poised to win his third term. The people are behind their president, and he will be back on his feet very shortly.
Nerd narrative
There is a 67% chance that Erdoğan will abdicate the presidency if he loses the 2023 presidential election, according to the Metaculus Prediction Community.
Mike Pence Testifies in Trump Investigation
Former US Vice President Mike Pence testified in Washington, D.C. Thursday before a special grand jury as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into former Pres. Trump and his actions in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
The testimony came hours after a federal appeals court, in a sealed order, rejected Trump’s bid to prevent Pence’s appearance. Lawyers for both Trump and Pence challenged the subpoena for Pence’s testimony earlier this year.
Trump’s lawyers objected, citing executive privilege concerns, which a judge rejected. However, the judge sided with Pence’s claim that he could not be forced to testify about anything related to his role presiding over the Senate’s certification of the electoral votes.
Democratic narrative
Trump is in big trouble after failing to block Pence’s testimony before the Jan. 6 grand jury. Pence has already opened up about Trump’s plot to overturn the 2020 election, and now he will reveal much more under oath. Trump may be playing it cool regarding Pence’s testimony, but he should be very nervous.
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump is being unfairly targeted by the political establishment and the Biden administration, and Jack Smith's special counsel investigation is just another example. A weaponized judiciary is defying all the norms — which the media and Democrats pretended to hold so sacredly — and is forcing testimonies unconstitutionally and violating Trump’s rights. This investigation, like so many others, is a witch hunt.