Pro-Russia narrative

Artyomovsk is a strategically significant transport hub and logistical center for the Ukrainian army. Ukraine's forces have already sustained huge losses — including several of their best brigades — fighting to keep control of the city and Moscow's forces now have the upper hand on the ground. Artyomovsk will be a key victory for Russia in the wider battle for control of the Donbass.

Anti-Russia narrative

Even if Russian forces do gain control of Bakhmut, it would not represent a decisive shift in the war. The development would be much more of a symbolic than strategic victory and, while Russia continues to funnel troops and resources into Bakhmut in the hope of being able to publicize some positive news about the invasion, Kyiv is making a more considered strategic assessment of its troops' position in view of the wider conflict.

Nerd narrative

There's a 1.8% chance that Russia will detonate a nuclear weapon in Ukraine before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

The suffering of the Rohingya people is indescribable. The accommodations and conditions of the camp have been appalling and now the fire has destroyed countless homes and businesses, leaving people to face homelessness and uncertainty. Life can only improve in the camp if recovery includes homes made of more substantial and sturdy materials like steel and brick, and urgent health and safety needs are addressed.

Narrative B

Following the five-year mark of refugees inhabiting Bangladesh, the government is coercing the refugees to return home. The National League for Democracy-led government and the Myanmar State Administrative Council have failed to secure a safe and humane environment in the Rakhine state. The Rohingya people want nothing more than to leave the barbed-wire, subpar encampments, and return home but there are no safe options to do so.

Narrative C

This tragedy was bound to happen — and that was exactly why Bangladesh was urgently asking for help from all relevant stakeholders to achieve a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis. Bangladesh is a small, highly-populated country that already faces several other challenges, so the continued presence of more than 1M displaced people is neither reasonable nor sustainable.

Narrative A

Oil prices swung wildly throughout the globe after Russia invaded Ukraine which, as was the case with many other oil companies, led to higher profits. However, profits in and of themselves don't mean something nefarious occurred. Aramco will be able to take these record amounts and invest them in cleaner, lower-carbon energy sources in pursuit of a greener future.

Narrative B

Saudi Arabia, with a long history of human rights abuses within its own border and also in Yemen, should not be using Aramco's extraordinary profits to finance these atrocities. Instead, Aramco should fund a human rights-based transition to renewable energy.

Pro-establishment narrative

The thundering success of the French defense industry means, not only that the country has achieved its long-sought goal of strategic autonomy, but also that it has expanded the country's share of global arms sales and, consequently, its diplomatic influence. In the face of anticipated economic slowdown, this key sector must be treated as a national priority.

Establishment-critical narrative

While those boasting France's weapons sales claim that the country would take advantage of so-called arms diplomacy to justify exports to authoritarian regimes — that may even use French-made weapons against civilians — Paris has failed to turn the assertion into a reality. France is not achieving any strategic autonomy but rather disturbingly becoming more dependent on autocratic, unscrupulous clients.

Nerd narrative

There's a 50% chance that at least 2.19% of world GDP will be spent on military expenses in 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Pro-China narrative

This amendment will help ensure that the drafting and updating of laws will bring PRC governance into the modern, coherent, and forward-looking 21st century. Rather than abide by the wishes of lobbyists as is the case in other countries, it will increase parliament's efficiency and capacity to strengthen moral and ethical standards in China. Laws exist to serve the people, and the decision to streamline this process makes compelling sense.

Anti-China narrative

Pres. Xi Jinping is a merciless man who has ruthlessly cracked down on civil society, academic freedom, and human rights in China. Parliament is only a rubber-stamping process and its legitimacy and competency cannot be taken seriously. While the leader of China and its Communist Party continues to make many problems for his country across the world, Xi has further cemented his illegitimate authority over the domestic legislative process.

Nerd narrative

There is a 50% chance that Xi Jinping will continue leading China in 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Pro-establishment narrative

The Houthis have continued to threaten peace and security in Yemen since they launched their coup in 2014. However, through mediation and compromise, an agreement can be made if the Houthis and their Iranian backers are willing to compromise and allow the country to enjoy peace. Saudi Arabia is surely willing to compromise and has always been willing to help bring peace to the impoverished Arab nation, but Iranian meddling has not helped the situation. Ultimately, the conflict can only end in a political settlement.

Establishment-critical narrative

It's the Yemeni government and its powerful Gulf allies who have obstructed peace in Yemen and continue to punish its citizens for standing up for themselves, but, ultimately, a political process is likely the best way to end the war at this stage in the conflict. The Houthis have shown in the past that they are willing to take good-faith actions for peace, and releasing prisoners demonstrates this desire. Hopefully, with good mediation, this war of aggression can finally come to an end.

Pro-Trump narrative

Legacy media outlets worked in concert with the Democrat-dominated Jan. 6 committee to propagate a narrative around Jan. 6 that was very different from what happened. Therefore, it was important for transparency’s sake to release the footage to Carlson so he could show the miscarriage of justice that’s been brought against many citizens. Criticism of McCarthy's rollout is absurd, as other outlets will eventually get to see the footage and draw their own conclusions.

Democratic narrative

Rolling out the footage to other media outlets won’t mitigate the damage already done by granting Carlson, a spreader of conspiracy theories related to Jan. 6, access to it to then present biased reports and disinformation to his audience. The footage belongs to every American and should have been treated as such. McCarthy has either made a tremendous error in judgment or used his power to deliberately work with GOP-friendly media to build a false narrative.

Left narrative

The Texas lawsuit is weak, as mifepristone has been proven safe and effective for years. The drug, if anything, has been overly regulated since its approval in 2000. The attempt to ban its use highlights the extreme and dangerous lengths that anti-abortion activists will go to attack civil rights. In a post-Roe v. Wade world, such assaults on abortion will continue unless states and Congress take a stand.

Right narrative

While mifepristone has been advertised and sold to women as a fundamental need, in reality, the drug is a synthetic steroid that causes healthy reproductive systems to malfunction. With deadly infection risks and daunting adverse effects, it is little wonder that the Texas lawsuit is questioning the legitimacy of the FDA's approval.

Nerd narrative

There is a 4% chance that elective abortion will be banned nationally in the US before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Establishment-critical narrative

The 2023 financial crisis is here, and it is not surprising that we are in this situation. Unfortunately, government officials are repeating the same mistakes of 2008 by bailing out failed banks and creating programs that will allow banks to acquire capital artificially. We are just at the beginning of a new collapse, and people’s money isn't safe in this financial environment.

Pro-establishment narrative

While there are certainly causes for concern regarding the economy, and banking sector specifically, we are not experiencing a style collapse, and failed banks are not being bailed out. Regulators are doing their best to secure the funds of depositors while not repeating the mistakes of the past.

Anti-China narrative

China covered up the SARS-CoV-1 outbreak in 2003, which cost thousands of lives. Afterward, China used its failures in addressing that crisis to create a state of complete control when the COVID [SARS-CoV-2] pandemic erupted in 2020. Instead of apologizing for its mistakes, China ignored any responsibility while setting up gruesome propaganda that restricted basic rights during the most recent pandemic.

Pro-China narrative

China has been on the cutting edge of fighting viral diseases for two decades, and its scientists have learned from the SARS outbreak of 2003 to improve its efforts against COVID. PRC doctors have expedited processes and created technology that can detect and fight against viruses coronaviruses. While deadly outbreaks are tragic, China is learning as information evolves to make the world safer.