India Passes Landmark Data Protection Bill
On Wednesday, Indian lawmakers approved a data protection bill to manage how tech companies utilize users' data despite concerns that the law could give more surveillance power to the government.
The new legislation, the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023, gives the government the discretion to excuse state agencies from complying with the law and allows users to alter or delete their data.
The law will also allow the government to decide which countries can receive Indian data and will see the formation of a government-appointed board to advise on decisions.
Narrative A
This is a tremendous win for the Indian people as the government looks to protect their rights in the digital age. With all the information and access available today, many people are vulnerable to their personal data being accessed by corporations or nefarious actors. The government recognized that problem and is cracking down on inappropriate data breaches.
Narrative B
Civil society groups have rightly raised concerns about the scope of exemptions in India's new data protection law, which doesn't contain sufficient safeguards against overbroad surveillance by the government and could adversely affect press freedom and dilute the Right to Information law. This bill may protect citizens from Big Tech, but it leaves them vulnerable to the state's prying eyes.
Report: US Pushed Pakistan to Oust Imran Khan
Days after Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan was sentenced to three years in prison on corruption charges he denies, a classified document obtained by The Intercept and published Wednesday suggests the US State Department pressured the Pakistani government to remove Khan from office.
Khan, the former cricketer turned politician, was ousted from power in April 2022 when his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party lost a vote of no confidence. At the time, he claimed that the US had hatched a plot to topple his government for his refusal to cancel his late February visit to Moscow.
The alleged classified Pakistani government document shows that a meeting was held between two US State Dept. officials and Asad Majeed Khan, Pakistan's then-ambassador to the US, on March 7, 2022.
Establishment-critical narrative
The classified document makes clear in black and white the carrot-and-stick approach adopted by the US if Imran Khan is removed from power, all would be forgiven in Washington. If not, there would be consequences — economic and otherwise — for the country's bilateral relations.
Pro-establishment narrative
This cable doesn't prove anything other than Khan's incessant effort to promote a conspiracy theory against Washington. The US had publicly and privately expressed its concerns to Pakistan over its stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. However, any allegation that the US interfered in the country's internal political processes is categorically false.
Iran Claims Supersonic Cruise Missile Undergoing Tests
Iran has achieved the technological capability to build supersonic cruise missiles, its semi-official Tasnim news agency claimed on Wednesday amid rising tensions with the US over military deployments in the Persian Gulf.
The homegrown cruise missiles are reportedly being tested and "will mark the beginning of a new chapter" in Iran's defense capabilities by significantly reducing the Iranian armed forces' response time in case of an attack.
Iran's cruise missiles previously used rocket-launching engines to fire the weapon and domestically developed turbojet engines for the second stage. The Navy's cruise missiles and supersonic cruise missile development now reportedly use ramjets — an air-propulsion system.
Pro-establishment narrative
The fact that the Iranian regime has claimed to have developed hypersonic ballistic and supersonic cruise missiles underscores its threat to the entire region. Tehran already has the largest and most diverse missile arsenal in the Middle East, with which it threatens Israel and Arab countries of the Persian Gulf. Tehran's irresponsible actions have triggered a regional arms race with incalculable consequences.
Establishment-critical narrative
The development of the supersonic cruise missile is a significant technological milestone for Tehran and impressively demonstrates Iran's high-tech capabilities. Moreover, the recent US saber-rattling in the Persian Gulf once again underscores the need for Iran to make its armed forces self-sufficient and continuously develop its military defense capabilities. Iran has every right to defend its national security interests and sovereignty in a volatile region.
Cynical narrative
Just as there's no independent confirmation of Iran's hypersonic missile, there's no evidence of its latest claim to have added a supersonic missile to its arsenal. Iran has again made dubious, unverified, and exaggerated claims regarding its military capabilities.
Nerd narrative
There's a 49% chance that Iran will possess a nuclear weapon before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Ecuador Presidential Candidate Villavicencio Assasinated
Ecuadorian presidential hopeful Fernando Villavicencio was assassinated after leaving a campaign event at a school in the capital, Quito, on Wednesday, less than a fortnight before voting is due to take place.
Local media reported that Villavicencio was killed "hitman-style" with three shots in the head, as assailants fired around 30 shots. In response to this crime, outgoing President Guillermo Lasso declared a nationwide 60-day state of emergency.
Los Lobos, the second-largest criminal gang in Ecuador with some 8K members, appeared to claim responsibility for the attack. However, men claiming to be gang members posted a video saying it wasn't them. Another gang, Los Choneros, who threatened Villavicencio last month, have also been suspected.
Narrative A
A fierce critic of the convicted and corrupt former socialist president Rafael Correa, Villavicencio had been threatened by drug traffickers as violence and drug cartels have been a hot topic in his campaign. It's not hard to realize that his assassination has exposed some of the covert links that are turning Ecuador into a narco-state — now it's time to connect the dots and take action.
Narrative B
Though undoubtedly a shocking tragedy, this killing shouldn't come as a surprise for those closely observing Latin America, as the region has seen political violence on the rise for a while amid growing populism. The mayor of the Ecuadorian port city of Manta was killed last month, and scores of politicians — including 35 candidates — were killed ahead of Mexico's 2021 midterm elections. Though it's sad, the data show this isn't rare.
Russia and Ukraine Exchange Drone Attacks
Russian air defenses reportedly shot down two drones headed to Moscow for the second straight day on Thursday, again causing delays and disruptions to the city's two international airports.
One drone was brought down in the Odintsovo district of the capital, while the other was brought down in the Kaluga region on the outskirts of Moscow, the country's defense ministry said.
Russian officials also said that 11 drones were brought down en route to the Crimean city of Sevastopol — with two being shot down by air defenses, while the remaining nine were brought down using electronic warfare means. There were no reports of injuries from either attack.
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.
Establishment-critical 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's a 52% chance that Russian territory will be reduced by at least 1% before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Hawaii Wildfires Kill at Least 96, Rescue Operations Continue
On Sunday night, Hawaii officials announced that the death toll from the catastrophic Maui wildfires had risen to 96 — the deadliest US wildfire in over 100 years. Search and rescue operations continue with teams using cadaver dogs to comb the burned areas for additional victims.
While the most devastating fire, the Lahaina fire, swept through the town of Lahaina on Maui, two other fires, the Pulehu/Kihei fire, and the Upcountry fire ravaged other areas of the island. As of Monday morning, the Lahaina fire was 85% contained, and the Pulehu/Kihei and Upcountry fires were 80% and 50%, respectively.
According to Hawaii's Governor Josh Green, approximately 30% of the firefighters battling the blazes have lost their homes and contact with family members but they continue their public safety efforts.
Narrative A
Several factors contributed to the fast-moving wildfires occurring in Hawaii, but make no mistake; they're all linked to climate change. A prolonged period of drought and increased temperature dried out the grass, creating fuel for the wildfires. Increased sea temperatures then drove stronger hurricanes that fanned the fires, extending their deadly reach. Without any action to address climate change, this will just be one of many catastrophic events.
Narrative B
"Unprepared" is a common theme being echoed by Hawaiian officials and residents. Despite knowing the risks of a prolonged period of drought followed by a passing hurricane, the state failed to adequately prepare for the collision of the two forces. This unprecedented deadly event may have been born from several factors, but they were all known and documented. Now the island's residents must pay the price in lost lives, homes, and businesses.
FBI Agents Kill Man Accused of Threatening Pres. Biden
At approximately 6:15 AM local time on Wednesday, a Provo, Utah man was shot and killed by FBI agents as they were serving search and arrest warrants in connection to threats made on social media that targeted Pres. Joe Biden and other government officials.
On Monday, the accused — Craig Deleeuw Robertson, reportedly 74 — posted online that he was "cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle" in response to news of Biden's visit to Utah on Wednesday. The FBI began investigating Robertson after an online threat he made in March against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
A law enforcement source said that Robertson was armed when federal agents arrived to execute the warrants, as court filings showed that he owned numerous firearms.
Pro-establishment narrative
Trump and his allies have fomented anger and violence in the country, and it's putting lives at risk. As the Jan. 6 riot and a violent attack at an FBI office in Ohio have shown, there are real consequences to this dangerous partisanship. Because of Trump's election conspiracies, an elderly man is now dead, as he stirs anger and resentment in a way that goes beyond politics as usual.
Establishment-critical narrative
Regardless of what one thinks of the former president, we need more answers from the FBI in this sad case. From Ruby Ridge to Waco, the federal government has a history of unnecessarily escalating encounters with those opposed to the government, and there must be more solid evidence other than a few Facebook posts for guns to be drawn on a senior citizen with limited mobility.
Special Counsel Sought Trump’s Twitter Account, Fined Company
Court documents released Wednesday revealed that special counsel Jack Smith’s team in January 2023 presented a search warrant to social media platform X, then known as Twitter, for records related to former US Pres. Donald Trump’s account.
In addition, a judge fined the platform $350K for delaying its compliance with the warrant, which was part of Smith’s investigation into Trump’s actions following the 2020 presidential election.
The documents detail how the platform, which suspended Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, protests at the US Capitol, didn't fully comply with the warrant until three days after the court-ordered deadline.
Pro-Trump narrative
The Biden administration will stop at nothing to derail Trump’s campaign, including stomping on a private company’s First Amendment rights. Smith, a proven crooked prosecutor, is leading a partisan probe on behalf of the weaponized Justice Department while attempting to stop the man who’s going to defeat Biden in 2024. Americans should worry about how far the Biden regime will go to maintain power.
Democratic narrative
This case is simple There was probable cause to search Trump's account — without informing the former president — and Twitter failed to comply. Allegations that this violated First Amendment rights don't hold water, as X has been granting requests for information from some of the worse oppressive regimes around the world. Complying with this warrant in the name of protecting US democracy was the least it could do.
Nerd narrative
There’s a 35% chance that if the 2024 US presidential election pits Trump vs. Biden, Trump will win, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
House Judiciary Committee: FBI Offices Targeted 'Radical' Catholics
The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday released a less-redacted internal FBI document suggesting that the agency labeled some Catholics as “extremists” and targeted them with far greater frequency than Director Christopher Wray admitted to the committee.
Multiple FBI field offices contributed to a memo that labeled some traditionalist Catholics as “potential terrorists," contradicting Wray's July sworn congressional testimony that claimed the FBI’s Catholic investigation was “a single product by a single field office.”
A redacted version of a January memo into “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists in Radical Catholic Ideology” drew criticism, as many believed the FBI was targeting the religious group. In March, Wray said the memo came from the Richmond, Va., office and the FBI took immediate steps to “withdraw it and remove it.”
Establishment-critical narrative
It was already confirmed that, as suspected, the FBI has slandered and targeted Catholics as “white supremacist extremists," but we now know that this insidious campaign was even more widespread than initially thought. In addition to attacking a religious group for having beliefs that don’t align with regime orthodoxy, the FBI’s director lied about the extent of this effort. It seems that anyone can be labeled a “white supremacist terrorist” for any unpopular belief.
Pro-establishment narrative
Violent extremism is on the rise from the right wing, and some far-right factions of Catholics are part of a coalition that seeks to undermine democracy. Religious extremism and terror aren’t a novel threat, and rhetoric coming from “traditional Catholics” sounds quite similar to far-right radicals who have attacked abortion centers and even stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Not all Catholics are extremists, but we shouldn't turn a blind eye to those that are.
Scientists May Have Found Evidence of Fifth Force of Nature
Scientists at the US particle accelerator facility Fermilab have found potential evidence that sub-atomic particles, called muons, are behaving differently than expected based on the current theory of sub-atomic physics, suggesting that a fifth force of nature — separate from gravity, electromagnetism, the strong force, or the weak force — could be at play.
The researchers sent the muons, which are similar to electrons but 207 times the size, around a 46-foot magnetized ring at Fermilab. The experiment revealed that the particles wobbled in uncharacteristic ways than what is expected under the "Standard Model" of how particles interact.
For 50 years, scientists have been able to predict the behavior of sub-particles — which make up atoms — perfectly, with no errors. Everything in the world is made of atoms.
Narrative A
While many physicists agree that there are more forces of nature out there, especially regarding dark matter, we shouldn't let news like this get our hopes too high. Groups of researchers have claimed to have discovered the fifth force for decades now, all of which were eventually debunked. Science is, of course, about trial and error, but the evidence has to be unequivocally clear before such claims can be made.
Narrative B
Though researchers are still stuck at the 1 in 40K chance of being wrong, they have consistently seen this unpredictable wobbling for over two years now. There is more work to be done, but we should all be excited as the Fermilab grows closer and closer to officially discovering a fifth force of nature.
Nerd narrative
There's a 51% chance that we will know what dark matter is before 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.