Having reviewed the information provided by COG-UK, as well as the UK govt report here is my updated assessment regarding the new strain in the UK. 1/n

1. There is a substantial number of mutations relative to the previously prevalent strain, which is impressive, however viruses present such odd patterns. The number of mutations in the spike protein is worrisome primarily for the vaccine effectiveness.

2. It is generally rare that a new strain dominates at times of high prevalence but if on top of this there is rapid growth due to increased people circulation and contacts, something we saw in London, then even rare strains can dominate by chance without any selective advantage.

3. The strain has been around at least since September and has already been found in other countries in Europe and in Australia. However, so far we have not seen a similar expansion in other countries, which would have been expected if the transmissibility was indeed 70% higher.

4. There have been reassurances that the vaccine will not be affected but given the number of mutations, I would be a bit more reserved about this statement, but of course we all hope it is true.

Everyone call these State Senators & House Members And Tell them to File An Amicus Brief In The Texas Lawsuit Before 3pm!

China and the EU: 2020

The media and the US think tank complex have persistently touted the narrative that Europe is "turning against China" and presumed instantly that a Biden victory would create a "transatlantic alliance" against it. It's time to look at the details:

2020 has been a bad year for China's relations with the west at large. It would be naïve to assume that this has had no impact on the EU. However, it would be a simplification to assume that such spells an appetite for Pompeo's cold war fanaticism and evidence of this is scant

Firstly, European Union foreign policy is a collective endeavor, than a monolithic one. We should not talk about the EU as "one" thing when it is a bloc of 27 countries who forge common positions through pragmatism and compromise, and is subsequently less dogmatic than the US.

The diversity of Europe means that priorities and perspectives amongst the states subsequently differ, therefore its views on China constitute an aggregation, than a single binary position which the U.S advocates. Some countries in the EU dislike China more than others.

The European Union subsequently operates on an agreement of its collective interest towards a "greater good". Whilst this means it will have some disagreements with China in the process, it also means it has a pragmatic understanding of why Beijing is important too.

I'm going to share a timeline below of statements and actions from Alex Jones/Infowars in the days leading up to the failed insurrection at the US Capitol building.

The key takeaways are:
1. Alex Jones says he spent nearly $500,000 organizing the event that culminated in the mob storming the Capitol.
2. Jones says he did this in coordination with the White House.
3. Jones made several speeches in DC where he used very violent rhetoric.

On December 31, Infowars released a promo video for its event. A man says that "liberals think they can just do whatever the fuck they want" because "we sit there and we say we want to talk it out." Jones can then be heard saying "it's 1776 time" in the promo.

During his Jan 2 and Jan 3 broadcasts, Jones again discussed how much money he says he spent to organize the event. He asked people to buy products from the Infowars Store to support his efforts to fund "the second American Revolution."

Jones, Infowars host Owen Shroyer, and other Infowars employees then traveled to D.C. During a daytime Jan 5 speech, Jones again riled up a crowd with a line about "1776."

It's always frustrating to see images go viral with no credit to the incredible photographers who take them. And it's happening with the National Guard at Capitol pics. So this remarkable image was captured by the AP's J. Scott Applewhite.

This is by AFP's @saulloeb.

Excellent one from Sarah Silbiger.

Same scene, different angle from Reuters' Joshua Roberts.

This from EPA's Jim Lo Scalzo says so much.

🚨Must read thread on GB News! 🚨

Andrew Neil claims that “British people are crying out for a news service that is more diverse and more representative of their values and concerns”

Whose concerns will it REALLY represent?

We investigate... /1

The best place to start is always an analysis of the economic base.

Does this match with the show’s focus on the concerns of the British people?

As you’ll see below, the two main funders are mega-rich New Zealand and US businessmen… /2

“Co-lead investor in GB News, is the New Zealand-born, Dubai-based Christopher Chandler”

“US media group Discovery Inc is the other co-lead investor. Its significant shareholder is John Malone, the libertarian and erstwhile Murdoch cable

Still, at least ONE major investor is British…

“The channel’s third major investor is British businessman and philanthropist Sir Paul Marshall”

According to Byline Times, Marshall is the man who convinced Michael Gove to throw his political weight behind Brexit... /4

Marshall's hedge fund “successfully bet on the ensuing political and economic chaos after its initial big wins on Brexit”

Meanwhile, he made clear that he is as avariciously “British” as the rest of his investors by…“setting up a fund in Dublin..."

/5

Finally found the time to digest the Energy White Paper properly. Here is the slowest hot take ever (thread).

TL;DR: The WP (rightly) mainly focuses on progressing some chunky tech decisions. It also reveals several emerging faultlines that still need to to be resolved...

Big clean power tech delivery: delighted to see moves on nuclear, CCUS, offshore wind (inc. floating), building on announcements in the 10-point plan. We are going to need a bucket-load of low carbon power. So moving into negotiations with EDF on Sizewell very welcome step.

Progress on CCUS, particularly industrial clusters (already announced in 10-point plan) is also excellent news. Politics and industry now much better aligned than 5 years ago when second competition canned. Positive also to see BECCS feature, a potentially important technology.

The commitment to greater openness in modelling is also a real shift that will lead to better policymaking. As the White Paper said: "[Ensure HMG models/data are] open to all and trusted by the department and wider stakeholders." Geeks of the energy world rejoice...

This includes once again publishing clear information on prices and bills (I confess I may have played a part in its disappearance). Think tankers should be happy (I ruthlessly mined it for stories/papers when @Policy_Exchange)

New CIA Fren update: jumping out of windows edition

https://t.co/j8wD7rb9C5

Okay, so... let's start going down the list. Who is really behind the False Flag storming of the Capitol on Jan 6th, and who is behind the onslaught of social media attacks? My short list of possible culprits.

Former CIA Director John Brennan
Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal
...

My money is on Brennan for directing the whole thing.

"Former CIA Director John Brennan Calls for Mao-Like Public Humiliation Sessions for Trump Supporters Before They Are Accepted Back into

Retired Gen Stanley McChrystal on the other hand, seems to be disgraced and out of

McChrystal directed the usage of DARPA software used to disrupt ISIS, by Democrats, against

This article about Jack Dorsey's connections to the Clintons and the CIA is enlightening to say the

For those expressing “shock” at yesterday’s ransacking of the U.S. Capitol, think back.

Think back to @realDonaldTrump tweeting “LIBERATE Michigan” and then voicing approval as armed mobs assaulted the Capitol building in Lansing, Michigan.

Stepping back from the ledge - a thread.

The military and veterans have been mythologized far too long. All are infallible heroes regardless of their service record. 1/

Yet on Jan 6th, veterans and some members of the military, encouraged by the President and other politicians, actively participated or supported the insurrection in DC. 2/

All this because the favored candidate lost and a self-fulfilling prophecy of alleged election fraud led to his inevitable defeat. Defeat equated to theft. 3/

How did we get here? In part, a disinterested public willing to overlook our flaws while correcting Vietnam’s scornful legacy. Military leaders repeatedly telling their subordinates how special they were – the 1% trope. 4/

American democracy has suffered attacks over the past decade.

It’s time for change.

The #ForThePeopleAct (#HR1) would enact some of the greatest improvements our democracy has seen in decades. What's in the bill? Here are some of the highlights:

#HR1 will protect access to the fundamental right to vote. It would ensure voters can always register on Election Day and are not wrongfully purged from voter rolls. The bill would also expand the right to vote by mail to every eligible voter.

#HR1 will end partisan gerrymandering & ensure #FairMaps for all. H.R.1 requires the establishment of an independent redistricting commission (IRC) in each state, a reform essential to restoring confidence that every vote matters. Learn more about IRCs:

#HR1 will help ensure transparency in our elections and in digital political advertising. Voters have a right to know which wealthy special interests are spending big money to secretly influence our vote and our government. 4/ #StopSecretSpending

Multiple sections of #HR1 will strengthen protections against foreign influence in our elections, by extending the foreign national spending ban to ballot referenda, improving donor disclosure laws & updating digital transparency requirements. 5/ #GovernmentByUS