Chinese Activist Reportedly Fled to SKorea on Jet Ski
Kwon Pyong, a Chinese rights activist and prominent critic of President Xi Jinping, has allegedly fled his homeland to South Korea — crossing the choppy waters of the Yellow Sea on a jet ski from Shandong province.
This comes as the Incheon station of the South Korea Coast Guard reported Sunday that a man was detained last Wednesday.
South Korean authorities found no sign that the man was a spy, adding that he called for rescue after his jet ski got stuck in tidal flats near the western port city of Incheon.
Anti-China narrative
It's no coincidence that the number of Chinese asylum-seekers has soared since Xi took office in 2012, even if that means undertaking a perilous journey. Beijing has tightened its control across the PRC regarding civil liberties, suppressing ethnic minorities, and not tolerating even the slightest opposition. Kwon Pyong is just the latest example of this appalling trend.
Pro-China narrative
It's very typical for the West and its allies to distort the truth to smear China, consistently identifying criminals fleeing the country as mere political dissidents. Take the case of Kwon Pyong — the so-called activist who ended up in jail for violating Chinese law has once again revealed his criminal nature by unlawfully entering South Korea.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that China will score at least 5.70 on the Human Freedom Index in 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
India's Chandrayaan-3 Lands on Lunar Surface
On Wednesday, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully landed a spacecraft near the south pole of the moon in a historic moment that drew cheers from watching parties around the country.
The landing makes India the fourth nation to make a soft landing on the moon, joining the former Soviet Union, the US, and China.
India is the first country to land on the moon's south pole, where scientists believe frozen water could supply fuel and drinking water for future missions.
Narrative A
Chandrayaan-3's soft landing on the moon's south pole is a historic moment for India and a huge boost for its space program. This is just the beginning, as the success gives India confidence to configure more missions to explore Mars and beyond.
Narrative B
This milestone doesn't just signal a success for India but also magnifies Russia's recent failure. Without a doubt, this mission marks the beginning of a new pecking order in space exploration, with Moscow slowly but surely losing its footing in the race.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that NASA will next land astronauts on the Moon by December 2028, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Iran Unveils Drone Reportedly Capable of Striking Israel
Iran's Defense Ministry on Tuesday unveiled a new unmanned attack drone that it claimed is capable of striking targets in Israel during a ceremony marking Defense Industry Day attended by Iranian Pres. Ebrahim Raisi and senior military officials.
The advanced, domestically produced aircraft, dubbed Mohajer-10, can carry twice the payload of the Mohajer-6 drone at 300 kg (660 pounds) and boasts a flight range of 2K km (1.2K mi) with a flight duration of up to 24 hours, Iranian state media reported.
While Tehran claims the drone is capable of carrying all types of "ammunition and bombs" in addition to "electronic warfare and intelligence systems," a video released by Iranian media displays the drone along with a text in Hebrew saying, "Prepare your shelters" [also translated as "Prepare your bunkers" according to some sources].
Anti-Iran narrative
The Iranian media is mainly spreading propaganda. Not only is the Mohajer-10 only about half as fast as the US Reaper drone, but it also has only a quarter of the payload of its US counterpart. The Mohajer-10 is not a game changer but rather proves, yet again, that Tehran is still a decade or two behind what competitors such as the US, China, and Israel have been able to develop in recent years. Iran poses a growing threat, but it's not from its drones.
Pro-Iran narrative
Iran's Mohajer-10 yet again underscores that, despite sanctions, the Islamic Republic is capable of making impressive strides in military technology and producing all the defense equipment needed by its armed forces. The Mohajer-10 may not be state-of-the-art, but Iran is rapidly advancing the development of fifth-generation combat drones as part of its drone program. Israel and the US should brace for future surprises from Iranian engineers.
Nerd narrative
There is a 49% chance that Iran will possess a nuclear weapon before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Doctors Successfully Perform UK's First Womb Transplant
According to a case report published by the BJOG, an international journal of obstetrics and gynecology, on Wednesday, a team of doctors has successfully performed the UK's first womb transplant.
The donor, a 40-year-old mother of two, donated her womb to her 34-year-old sister, who was born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser — a rare condition that results in a missing or underdeveloped womb. The nine-hour-long surgery was carried out in early February at Oxford's Churchill Hospital.
Both sisters, who live in England and wish to remain anonymous, have recovered well. The younger sister has regular menstrual cycles and plans to undergo IVF treatment and use the embryos she and her husband have in storage to conceive.
Narrative A
This successful womb transplant gives thousands of women born with an absent or underdeveloped uterus but functioning ovaries — or women who have had their womb removed following cancer or conditions such as endometriosis — the possibility of getting pregnant and a chance to have children. The fact that more than half of women who received a womb transplant in the US went on to have successful pregnancies should be enough to silence critics and cull any skepticism about the procedure.
Narrative B
While the UK's first successful womb transplant offers a glimmer of hope to women who don't have a functioning organ, it's risky, expensive, and is plagued by a host of ethical questions. It's reckless to pay an enormous amount of money to undergo a non-life-saving surgery that could likely have severe implications for the woman and her future babies for a temporary womb when safer options — such as adoption — exist.
Progressive narrative
While this is undoubtedly a milestone, the UK's first womb transplant can't be termed a complete success until it also benefits trans women, who are entitled to equal treatment under the Gender Equality Act. There's much more work for the medical fraternity to do before it can ensure that the procedure is safe and effective and can reach thousands of women, including trans women.
Conservative narrative
Before transgender activists start questioning the medical fraternity for not doing enough research or limiting access to the procedure, they must take into account the hormonal and anatomical considerations that describe why they can't experience gestation and birth. Making such rare procedures a matter of social justice would only lead to social anarchy and chaos.
Giuliani Surrenders in Georgia
On Wednesday, Rudy Giuliani, an ex-lawyer for former US Pres. Donald Trump, surrendered to authorities in Atlanta, Ga., and was released on a $150K bond after he was charged last week over alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Giuliani, one of 19 defendants, including Trump, faces 13 charges – one count of racketeering, three of soliciting lawmakers to violate their oaths of office, three of making false statements, and six conspiracy counts related to fake electors.
David Shafer, the former chair of the Georgia GOP; Cathy Latham, who faces charges related to the breach of election machines in Coffee County; and lawyers Ray Smith and Kenneth Chesebro, also surrendered Wednesday.
Democratic narrative
Trump’s co-conspirators, who are responsible for allowing him to nearly violate the Constitution and retain power, are talking tough now. But their past words and recent legal filings show they’re ready to turn on each other in order to avoid prison. When this all shakes out, as many plotters as possible must be held accountable to preserve democracy in the US.
Pro-Trump narrative
Willis’s case and the charges that have been brought violate several amendments of the Constitution. Giuliani and others did nothing more than their jobs as lawyers – advising Trump about how to handle his concerns about election fraud. The co-defendants are turning themselves in because they’re law-abiding citizens, but these bogus charges will never hold up.
Nerd narrative
There’s a 50% chance that Trump will be jailed or incarcerated before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Teamsters Ratify New Five-Year Contract With UPS
The Teamsters ratified Tuesday a new five-year deal with UPS, removing the threat of a strike that could have caused major supply chain disruptions across the US.
The union reported that a record 58% of its rank-and-file members turned out to vote, with 86% backing the contract that will be in effect retroactive to Aug. 1 — the largest margin in favor of a deal ever at the company.
According to the National Master Agreement, both full- and part-time workers will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023 and a total of $7.50 by 2028. UPS will also recognize Martin Luther King Day as a full holiday for the first time and equip all delivery vehicles bought after Jan. 1, 2024, with air conditioning.
Left narrative
This settlement between the Teamsters and UPS underscores what can be achieved when labor fights are carried out fairly on a balanced playing field, and will likely teach a lesson to anti-union companies who may believe they have the upper hand over workers. Given that failed negotiations cause enduring damages to both sides, it's unwise for bosses to play chicken with unions. This settlement could have a positive ripple effect on labor issues nationwide.
Right narrative
Another decade, another Teamsters-UPS deal mistakenly being touted as a resurgence of the American union movement. Just like in 1997, when UPS capitulated to pressures from this cartel and again sought to crush competition among labor sellers despite the company losing market shares. It's competition and entrepreneurship, rather than unions, that provide prosperity for workers.
Staffer Reportedly Recants Testimony in Trump Docs Case
The US Dept. of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday revealed that a staffer for former Pres. Donald Trump last month switched lawyers and changed “prior false testimony” that was given in the case over Trump’s handling of classified documents after his presidency.
The staffer is referenced in court papers as the director of information technology at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. Multiple media outlets have identified Yuscil Taveras as the witness.
Previously, prosecutors working for special counsel Jack Smith requested a hearing about the witness being represented by lawyer Stanley Woodward, who in a possible conflict of interest also represents two other potential witnesses and co-defendant Walt Nauta, a Trump personal aide.
Democratic narrative
Donald Trump believes he can keep everyone’s story straight by having just a couple of lawyers representing him and his co-defendants, but the DOJ is seeing right through this. The Department is calling the bluff of the subordinates who think they can fabricate in this situation. It’s just a matter of time before Trump is sold out by co-defendants who will give him up rather than face jail time for his misdeeds.
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump never told anyone to delete any tapes nor did they get erased. In fact, they were turned over to the DOJ, which has been weaponized by this Democratic administration. These indictments and all related news are a smokescreen to divert attention from the investigation into Pres. Biden’s bribery scandal.
Nerd narrative
There's a 25% chance that any US court will rule that Donald J Trump is disqualified from holding the presidency before January 20, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Sanctions Chinese Officials Over Alleged ‘Forced Assimilation’ in Tibet
The US Dept. of State announced on Tuesday that new visa restrictions will be put in place on Chinese officials suspected of involvement in the alleged “forced assimilation” of more than 1M children in state-run boarding schools in Tibet.
A State Dept. spokesperson said that the new restrictions would apply to present and former Chinese officials but didn't go into detail, citing US confidentiality law on visa records.
US Sec. of State Antony Blinken cited a UN estimate given in February that claimed around 1M Tibetan children have been forcibly placed into boarding schools in a program that allegedly aims to integrate Tibetans into China’s majority Han culture, with compulsory education in Mandarin and no lessons culturally relevant to Tibet.
Anti-China narrative
China's treatment of non-Han minorities is atrocious, and there's strong evidence that 1M Tibetan children are facing cultural erasure. The US is right to hold Chinese officials accountable for their role in forcibly assimilating minority populations.
Pro-China narrative
The US consistently interferes in Chinese affairs while holding itself to a different standard, violating basic norms governing international relations. Unlike the US, China doesn't have a sordid history of deep-seated racism, and Tibet has long enjoyed a booming economy, a harmonious society, and effective protection of cultural heritage.
Wagner Boss Presumed Dead in Russian Plane Crash
The head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, which in June launched a short-lived mutiny against Russia, is believed to be among 10 dead after a private jet crashed in the Tver region near Moscow on Wednesday.
While the death of the 62-year-old was yet to be officially confirmed, Russia's aviation regulator said he was named on the passenger list.
Officials also said that three crew members were alongside the seven passengers killed. It was added that an investigation has been launched.
Pro-Russia narrative
The cause of this fatal crash is yet to be determined. Law enforcement officers are on the scene and an official investigation has been launched. Beyond that, not much can — or should — be stated, other than Yevgevny Prigozhin is believed to be among the 10 killed in the crash.
Anti-Russia narrative
The Russian state had plenty of reasons to take out Yevgevny Prigozhin, least of all after his failed uprising that embarrassed Russia. While the details of this crash are not fully confirmed, it would be unsurprising if it was, in fact, a deliberate sabotage.
Nerd narrative
There's a 94% chance that Vladimir Putin will be President of Russia on January 1, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
McCarthy Floats Biden Impeachment Inquiry
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) says the House could pursue an impeachment inquiry into Pres. Joe Biden when it reconvenes in September if Biden withholds documents related to his family’s international business dealings and allegations that he accepted foreign bribes as vice president.
In an interview on Fox Business Tuesday night, McCarthy told host Larry Kudlow that impeachment inquiry “gives [the] apex of power to Congress” in terms of subpoena power and access to documents.
McCarthy specified that House Republicans are looking for bank and credit card statements from Biden and some of his family members, although he didn’t mention any specific relatives.
Republican narrative
The Biden administration is playing political games and abusing its control over the Dept. of Justice in order to obstruct the House’s investigation. Whistleblowers have revealed the meetings and conversations Biden had with foreign businessmen, while others have detailed the preferential treatment Hunter Biden gets from investigators. The Biden corruption never ends, and the House must open an impeachment inquiry.
Democratic narrative
The GOP continues its humiliating rhetoric as Kevin McCarthy threatens an impeachment inquiry over Pres. Biden’s bank statements. Republicans have floated wild conspiracy theories about the president and his son for years, yet none of their wild accusations have landed in the slightest. McCarthy clearly knows an impeachment inquiry is absurd, but he's still talking about it to score political points with his right-wing base.
Nerd narrative
There is a 20% chance that Joe Biden will be impeached by the US House of Representatives, according to the Metaculus prediction community.