The Taylor Swift-Biden right-wing conspiracy theory; US & China work together on fentanyl

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Good morning,

How does a little olive oil sound in your coffee? Starbucks has now launched its olive oil-infused drinks across the US and Canada.

As we’ve reported, the Oleato drinks were first showcased in Italy about a year ago and then moved to some California stores in March 2023, but now they’re going national.

Some drinkers have dubbed it a laxative with one Reddit review reading, “Caffeine is a stimulant for your bowels and oil a relaxant. So yeah wonderful idea by Starbucks” 😳

If you’re adventurous, let us know what you think!

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

🧠 FIRST HUMAN TRIAL OF NEURALINK’S BRAIN CHIP IMPLANT

Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, implanted a chip called “Telepathy” inside the brain of its first-ever human trial subject. It’s a big step in what they hope becomes revolutionary technology for people suffering from conditions like ALS or quadriplegia.

LONG WAY TO GO
The FDA approved the trial in May, and at the time, Neuralink said it was looking for volunteers on a device “designed to interpret a person's neural activity, so they can operate a computer or smartphone by simply intending to move – no wires or physical movement are required.”

On Monday, Elon Musk wrote on X that the anonymous patient is “recovering well” with “promising neuron spike detection," meaning brain to nervous system activity.
The technology aims to allow people to call, scroll, or type — watching the results on a screen.
HOW IT WORKS: A device, the size of a quarter, is first implanted into the subject’s skull. Then, a robot places thin, hair-like electrodes attached to the device on parts of the brain.
Musk has said it’s “like replacing a chunk of your skull with a smartwatch,” and then sewing the threads into brain tissue so they sit close to neurons and relay their electrical signals.
The first users will be people with lost limbs. It’s still too soon to know if it will work.
- “Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer. That is the goal.” — Musk

ETHICS BEHIND THE TECH
If this technology works, it could be a game changer for people who have physical limitations. But it’s not without some ethical concerns.

In November, some U.S. lawmakers questioned the safety of the implants after records indicated experiments in monkeys resulted in “debilitating health effects.”
Neuralink isn’t the first company to try these types of impacts:
- There are more than 40 brain-computer interface trials currently underway.
  - Synchron — a Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos-backed company — implants in the blood vessels that eventually sits next to the motor cortex, collects raw brain data and sends it out to external devices.
  - Another competitor, Precision Neuroscience, has a temporary implant which started human trials this summer.

🇨🇳 US-CHINA TALK FENTANYL DEAL

U.S. Deputy Homeland Security Advisor meeting the Chinese Minister of Public Security. Via: AP.

In a diplomatic breakthrough, US and Chinese officials are in Beijing to discuss curbing the flow of fentanyl into the US from suppliers in China. The synthetic opioid kills around 80,000 Americans annually.

THE AIM
The group convenes after years of increasingly hostile relations between the US and China. President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to combat the crisis and reopen lines of communication after meeting in November.

The goal: to stop the flow of Chinese chemicals used to make fentanyl from going to Mexican cartels.
- Chinese chemical companies make the “precursors” to fentanyl, then sell them to drug makers and cartels — many in Mexico — which get smuggled into the US.
The US is hoping for more law enforcement cooperation between the countries, in addition to better labeling and tracking of the chemicals.
Jen Daskal, Deputy Homeland Security Advisor, who led the talks for the US said, “Obviously we need to see the results and we need to see action. But there was a real spirit of cooperation and a commitment to working together.”

Already, China has shown more openness to helping combat the crisis. After the Biden-Xi meeting, and for the first time since 2017, China submitted 145 incidents to an international database used to share suspected drug trafficking.

CHINA’S ROLE
Since November, China has warned over 50 chemical makers that if they ship their supplies overseas, they could face legal ramifications.

China banned fentanyl sales in 2019, and issued a similar notice to suppliers. US officials said they saw nearly a complete stop in illegal shipments of fentanyl, and hope this warning does the same for the shipment of precursor chemicals.

IT WASN’T ME
Beijing doesn’t want to take the blame though, instead placing it on the US:

“It is the importer’s duty to prevent such chemicals from falling into the hands of illicit drugmakers … The U.S. itself is the root cause of its drug problems,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said.
The WSJ reports that a major and “immediate breakthrough from the working group is unlikely” as the US and China continue to compete and how challenging overseeing the chemicals being shipped.

🏈 TSWIFT + NFL = ELECTION 2024 CONSPIRACY

There are Swifties. There are anti-Swifties. There are people who think Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship is fake. And then there’s the newest right-wing conspiracy about their relationship being a 2024 election plot organized by Democrats.

Some conspiracy theorists, including former GOP hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, say their relationship is part of a Pentagon plot to give President Biden an upper hand in the 2024 election.

A MATCH MADE IN…
The theory goes something like: Swift and Kansas City Chiefs’ star Travis Kelce are an orchestrated couple meant to bolster her fan base (NFL cameras highlight her at games), the Super Bowl is rigged for Kansas City to win, which will be followed by a Swift endorsement of Joe Biden for the ‘24 election.

There are also accusations she’s a secret agent of the Pentagon and the Swift-Kelce duo is trying to get more people vaccinated (Kelce has a sponsorship deal with Pfizer, which made the first COVID vaccine).
Trump supporters are pushing the narrative: Fox News’ Jesse Watters questioned if Swift is a “Pentagon asset.”
- A far-right pundit tweeted: “The NFL is totally RIGGED for the Kansas City Chiefs, Taylor Swift, Mr. Pfizer (Travis Kelce). All to spread DEMOCRAT PROPAGANDA. Calling it now: KC wins, goes to Super Bowl, Swift comes out at the halftime show and "endorses" Joe Biden with Kelce at midfield.”

Some conservatives are now pushing back on the theories and calling out Republicans who they say are hurting the party with this noise.

BEEN HERE BEFORE (KIND OF)
Back in 2016, Swift did not back Hillary Clinton because Trump was “weaponizing the idea of the celebrity endorsement” and worried it would hurt more than help.

But in 2020, she endorsed Biden: "The change we need most is to elect a president who recognizes that people of color deserve to feel safe and represented, that women deserve the right to choose what happens to their bodies, and that the LGBTQIA+ community deserves to be acknowledged and included."
Back in September, Swift helped register about 35,000 people to vote on Vote.org.
During the 2018 midterm elections, Swift came out against Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn in an Instagram post. Vote.org reported 65,000 newly registered voters in the first 24 hours after the post. (Blackburn won anyway.)

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Trump ramps up efforts to attract more megadonors as Haley launches fundraising blitz (CNN)

📌 Biden says he's decided on response to Iran over deadly drone attack (MO NEWS)

📌 Democratic Rep. Cori Bush under DOJ, FEC and House Ethics investigation for security expenses (AXIOS)

📌 White House pharmacy gave controlled substances to ineligible staffers under previous administration (MO NEWS)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Ukraine’s top general refuses request from Zelensky to step down (GUARDIAN)

📌 Israeli forces dressed as civilian women and medics kill 3 militants in West Bank hospital (AP)

📌 A luxury Dior handbag rattles South Korea's politics (NPR)

📌 Maldives Parliament descended into chaos, featuring hair pulling and toy trumpets (MO NEWS)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Syphilis cases rise sharply in women as CDC reports an "alarming" resurgence nationwide (CBS NEWS)

📌 Companies aren’t paying ransoms like they used to (AXIOS)

📌 Judge strikes down Elon Musk’s $55 billion Tesla pay package (VERGE)

📌 UPS eliminating about 12,000 jobs (ABC NEWS)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Super Bowl ticket now costing an average of $12,240 (TIME)

📌 Celine Dion to debut documentary detailing rare stiff person syndrome battle (E NEWS)

📌 NFL accomplishes most diverse cycle for head-coaching hires ever, but there's still work to be done (CBS SPORTS)

📌 Stephen Curry to battle Sabrina Ionescu in first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-Point Challenge (USA TODAY)

🗓 ON THIS DAY: JANUARY 31

1950: President Harry Truman announces his support of creating the hydrogen bomb, thought to be hundreds of times stronger than the atomic bomb.
1990: A McDonald’s opened in the Soviet Union for the first time.
2010: Taylor Swift became the youngest artist to win Album of the Year at the Grammys for “Fearless,” at age 20.
2020: The UK officially exits the European Union, 3+ years after the the “Brexit” vote.