US Lawmakers Urge Biden to Pardon Assange
US Pres. Joe Biden has been urged by two congressmen to pardon WikiLeaks publisher and founder Julian Assange, it was revealed this week. Earlier this year, Assange entered a plea deal in which he admitted a single violation of the US Espionage Act in exchange for his release from UK imprisonment.
In a letter dated Nov. 1, James McGovern (D-Mass.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) told Biden they "appreciated" Assange's release, but said they were "deeply concerned" that his guilty plea sets a precedent that opens the door to further prosecutions of journalists and whistleblowers.
Pro-establishment narrative
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange admitted to his involvement in an Espionage Act conspiracy and received a sentence of 62 months in prison, with credit for time already served. WikiLeaks published significant raw, classified material without redacting any personally identifiable information, thereby putting serving military personnel at risk. Assange deserved to face the consequences for his illegal actions.
Establishment-critical narrative
Julian Assange was the first publisher convicted under the US Espionage Act for disclosing American military war crimes on June 26, 2024. While Julian is now free, the struggle for press freedom continues, as this verdict sets a dangerous precedent, putting journalists at risk if they expose government wrongdoing. By granting Julian Assange a pardon, President Biden would reaffirm America's role as a global leader in press freedom and the defense of human rights.
Nerd narrative
There's a 31% chance that the key to any pre-2020 Wikileaks insurance file will be publicly available by 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Trump Taps Jay Bhattacharya to Lead National Institutes of Health
US Pres.-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, 56, a Stanford University physician and economist, to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The NIH — which has a $48B budget — oversees 27 institutes and centers focused on medical research and funding studies on vaccines, cancer, and other diseases nationwide.
Republican narrative
Following his appointment of RFK Jr., Trump's nomination of Dr. Bhattacharya will strengthen his health team exponentially. Unlike Fauci, who silenced experts, including Bhattacharya himself, Dr. Bhattacharya values real science and diverse voices. He'll ensure Americans are healthier by prioritizing evidence-based decisions and avoiding draconian mandates without proof.
Democratic narrative
Trump's health cabinet picks, including Dr. Bhattacharya, signal a dangerous shift in public health policy. He promoted herd immunity by allowing COVID to spread unchecked, risking lives. Alongside vaccine skeptics like RFK Jr., this team undermines trust in science, prioritizes fringe views and could leave the US unprepared for future health crises.
Pro-Israel narrative
There's a 72% chance that there will be two or more COVID hospitalization waves in the US in at least one of the 2028 and 2029 respiratory disease seasons, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Scientists Make First Asthma Attack Breakthrough in 50 Years
Researchers at King's College London have reportedly found a new way, a first in 50 years, to treat asthma attacks and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) flare-ups more effectively than steroid tablets, which they claim could be a "game-changer" for millions of patients.
The current asthma treatment protocol involves consuming steroid tablets. The potential breakthrough offers patients an injection of the antibody benralizumab, which targets specific white blood cells called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation.
Narrative A
Asthma patients finally have a groundbreaking lifeline a treatment that outperforms the traditional one and reduces the need for further treatment by 30%. With fewer side effects than steroids, it offers improved symptoms, reduced hospital visits, and better quality of life. This innovation is a long-awaited one and provides transformative hope for millions.
Narrative B
Most asthma deaths are preventable. Despite clear recommendations, primary asthma care remains elusive to a large section of patients due to overstretched healthcare systems. This intolerable delay in implementing life-saving measures highlights a glaring failure to prioritize asthma care, leaving millions at risk and demanding urgent government action.
Nerd narrative
There's a 52.2% chance that by Jan. 1, 2067, medical interventions for healthy adults will extend average lifespans by at least 25 years, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
FBI: Trump Cabinet Picks Targeted With Death Threats
The transition team for US Pres.-elect Donald Trump has reported that multiple nominees for his incoming administration were targeted with "violent, unAmerican threats" and "swatting" incidents on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
The FBI confirmed it was aware of "numerous bomb threats" targeting the appointees and is working with law enforcement partners to investigate these incidents, which included false emergency calls.
Republican narrative
These coordinated attacks represent a dangerous escalation of political intimidation tactics that threaten the democratic process and the safety of public servants and their families. The timing and scale of these threats suggest an organized attempt to disrupt the peaceful transition of power and deter qualified individuals from serving in government.
Democratic narrative
The threats follow a political campaign marked by unprecedented violence. However, these incidents are routine occurrences that often target high-profile people, regardless of political affiliation. Similar threats have previously targeted Democratic officials, judges, and even Trump critics, suggesting this isn't a partisan issue but rather a broader problem of modern political discourse.
UK: Police Open Investigation of Alleged Al Fayed Abuse Associates
London's Metropolitan Police said Wednesday that it has launched a new investigation into individuals associated with Mohammed Al Fayed — the late billionaire owner of Harrods between 1985 and 2010 who faces dozens of allegations of sexual abuse. He died aged 94 last year.
Following a public appeal, a total of 90 people have been identified as potential victims, with some reporting multiple offenses. While acknowledging that it did not pursue Al Fayed's prosecution while he was alive, police said a dedicated unit was investigating all lines of inquiry and looking into individuals who may have facilitated the alleged criminality.
Pro-establishment narrative
While the police knows that their failure to prosecute Al Fayed in the past has impacted the public's trust, the force is committed to rebuilding that relationship by prosecuting all who aided and abetted his crimes, as well as taking a full accounting within the force's own ranks to see if there were lessons to be learned or any missed opportunities.
Establishment-critical narrative
A large reason that Al Fayed was able to get away with his crimes is that corrupt police officers helped scare the sex abuser's victims into dropping their cases. Now that it transpires Al Fayed was one of the UK's most notorious sex offenders with hundreds of victims, while some justice may be found for those who were abused, the police investigation remains too little, too late.
Putin Suggests Targeting Kyiv With New Hypersonic Missile
Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin suggested on Thursday that Russia's newest Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile system could be used to target "military facilities, defense industry enterprises or decision-making centers" in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
The Kremlin is currently selecting targets for further strikes, he said during the Collective Security Treaty Organization summit in Kazakhstan, alleging Ukraine has "repeatedly" tried to strike facilities "of national importance in Russia."
Pro-Russia narrative
The strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure are justified responses to Kyiv's attacks on Russian territory using Western-supplied missiles. The deployment of the superior Oreshnik missile system would demonstrate Russia's technological advantage over NATO and could significantly alter the balance of power in the Ukraine conflict. Moscow would use all means at its disposal were Ukraine to ever get hold of nuclear weapons or NATO membership.
Anti-Russia narrative
The systematic attacks on Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure during winter constitute war crimes and deliberately target the civilian population, leaving millions vulnerable to freezing temperatures. Putin's threat is a despicable escalation of Russian terrorist tactics. The West must immediately provide Ukraine with more air defense systems.
Nerd narrative
There's a 24% chance that Russia will have significantly expanded its controlled territory in Ukraine on Jan. 1, 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Colombian Navy Seizes Record 225-Tons of Cocaine
A six-week international anti-narcotics operation involving 62 countries resulted in the seizure of 1.4K metric tons of drugs, including 225 tons of cocaine, the Colombian Navy said Wednesday.
The operation intercepted six semi-submersible vessels, with one that was discovered 2K kilometers southwest of Clipperton Island in the Pacific carrying five tons of cocaine bound for Australia.
Narrative A
The unprecedented international cooperation has dealt a significant blow to drug trafficking organizations, preventing thousands of deaths from overdoses and disrupting cartel profits through sophisticated maritime interdiction strategies. This is a big win.
Narrative B
This bust reveals the evolving sophistication of drug trafficking operations, which, coupled with Colombia's record cocaine production and soaring global demand, indicates that cartels are adapting faster than law enforcement can respond, particularly with cocaine potentially overtaking oil as Colombia's main export.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that at least 56 countries will, in some form, decriminalize possession of all Schedule I drugs for personal use by 2070, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Australia Bans Social Media for Under-16s
The Australian Senate on Thursday approved legislation banning children under 16 from social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and X, with the law set to take effect in late 2025.
Social media companies face fines up to AU$50M ($32M) for failing to take reasonable steps to prevent underage users from accessing their platforms, though children and parents won't face penalties.
Narrative A
The ban is necessary to protect young people's mental health and well-being from social media's harmful effects, including bullying and addiction, while giving parents peace of mind about their children's online safety.
Narrative B
The legislation is too blunt an instrument that could isolate vulnerable youth, push them to more dangerous parts of the internet, and fails to address the positive aspects of social media for young people's mental health and sense of connection.
Uganda Landslides: At Least 15 People Dead, Over 100 Missing
Landslides in eastern Uganda have so far killed 15 people, injured as many, and left more than 100 missing across eight villages, police said on Thursday.
Heavy rains on Wednesday night triggered landslides in the mountainous district of Bulambuli. According to the Uganda Red Cross Society, the landslides completely buried 40 homes and partially damaged others.
Narrative A
Uganda is prone to the cascading effects of landslides because it's primarily a rural and mountainous region battered by poverty. Large swathes on the slopes of its mountains have been separated from their forests and other vegetation cover for the expansion of agriculture, increasing the risk of landslides.
Narrative B
Though this disaster occurred due to heavy rains, it will reoccur if Uganda doesn't adapt to its root cause — global warming and climate change, which make hefty rainfall more likely. The country needs urgent funding to respond to natural disasters and build its capabilities to avoid another catastrophe.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that the rate of people (per 100K) affected by natural disasters in 2025 will be at least 2.81K, according to the Metaculus prediction community.