EU: September 2023 the Most Anomalously Warm Month in Recorded History
According to the EU's climate monitor, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), last month showed unprecedented temperature anomalies and was by an "extraordinary" margin the hottest September on record. The study further noted that 2023 is on track to be the warmest year on record.
C3S data shows that September's average surface air temperature was 16.38° C (61.5° F) — 0.93° C higher than the month's 1991-2020 average and 0.5° C higher than the previous record, as the globe flirts with the breach of a benchmark warming limit.
Last month's temperatures, according to the report, constituted "the most anomalously warm month" in their dataset (dating back to 1940) and was 1.75° C hotter than normal September temperatures during the pre-industrial era of 1850–1900.
Narrative A
Despite the international agreement signed in Paris eight years ago, the world is still far from meeting its targets of slowing global warming. Droughts, fires, melting ice caps, and other natural disasters are becoming more frequent. COP28 must now be placed front and center, with the top priority of getting our planet back on track. The Earth still has a chance, so it's up to the governments of every country to listen to the demands of their people.
Narrative B
Climate and environmental disasters have been inaccurately predicted by modern-day doomsayers for decades. None of the apocalyptic predictions have come true so far, and this time is no different. Even according to the UN's climate tzar, this type of apocalyptic rhetoric paralyzes people with fear, which actually deters them from taking action rather than giving them hope for a better future. The climate is changing, but fear mongering is not the way to persuade the world to take action.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that the average global temperature in 2100 will be at least 2.49˚C higher than the average global temperature in 1880, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Putin Announces Successful Test of Nuclear-Powered Missile
Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday that Russia had successfully tested an experimental nuclear-powered missile — reportedly having a potentially unlimited range.
Without providing details, Putin said that Moscow had conducted "the last successful test" of the harder-to-detect Burevestnik ("Storm Petrel" in Russian) cruise missile.
Code-named Skyfall by NATO, the next-generation missile system — first mentioned by Putin in 2018 — is also a nuclear-armed strategic weapon.
Pro-Russia narrative
The final successful test of the Burevestnik cruise missile is clear evidence that the Western nations have failed to unfairly "contain" Russia. While the US accuses Moscow of nuclear saber rattling, it's Washington that has signed but not ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Russia has both signed and ratified. Given the West's continued aggressive behavior and deepening Cold War mentality, Moscow is forced to develop its nuclear deterrent capabilities to defend Russia's national sovereignty.
Anti-Russia narrative
Even though Putin spoke of a successful final test of the experimental cruise missile, it might still be years away from deployment. However, the missile poses an immense global danger because of its potential range, explosive power, and capability to release harmful radioactive emissions in the event of an explosion or malfunction. Moreover, because the New START treaty expires in 2026, Russia might unleash a new global and uncontrolled nuclear arms race with this irresponsible show of force.
Narrative C
The US and Russia are set to further intensify their nuclear activities in a number of areas since, while both sides remain committed to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, mutual mistrust limits the prospects for productive arms control talks. However, Washington and Moscow have managed to overcome their differences and commit to nuclear arms control in the past. Renewed negotiations are not only in the international community's interest but also in the strategic interest of both countries.
Nerd narrative
There's a 17% chance of war between the US and Russia before 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Syria: At Least 89 Killed in Drone Attack on Military Academy
Syria's Health Ministry stated that 89 people, including 31 women and five children, were killed on Thursday in a drone attack on the Homs Military Academy during a crowded graduation ceremony, with up to 277 others wounded — some of them in critical condition.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported an even larger death toll of 123 dead, including 54 civilians, 39 of them women and children, as military personnel and their families were attending the event in the central Syrian city of Homs.
Though there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the aerial assault, the Syrian government claimed that "terrorist organizations" backed by "well-known" foreign actors were behind it, with the armed forces vowing to retaliate against those who planned and executed the attack.
Establishment-critical narrative
This terrorist attack was a wicked act of cowardice carried out by those who have long been deeply aligned with international parties. Violence and instability will only continue alongside the US and Turkish occupation. It's about time for the illegal occupation forces to leave Syria and be held accountable for assisting these groups.
Pro-establishment narrative
The treacherous attack must be condemned in the strongest possible terms, but it cannot obscure the fact that it is the Assad regime that has unleashed the violence in the country. Along with its Russian and Iranian backers, the bloody regime committed unspeakable crimes against its own people. Any normalization of relations with Damascus would mean complicity in the ongoing violence.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Syria will no longer be classified as being in a state of civil war by February 2028, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Russia Condemned Over Kharkiv Strike That Killed 52
Russia has faced wide condemnation for a missile strike which hit the village of Hroza in the northeastern Kharkiv region on Thursday.
Initial reports suggested that 51 civilians were killed in the attack. On Friday, the figure was revised to 52 after an additional person died in hospital.
Ukrainian officials said that people were attending a wake at a café when the missile hit. A grocery store was also reportedly struck. At the time, Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy was attending a summit of roughly 50 European leaders in the Spanish city of Granada. He denounced the strike as a "demonstrably brutal Russian crime" and "a completely deliberate act of terrorism."
Pro-establishment narrative
This horrifying attack, which took place as civilians were going about their ordinary business, is yet another illustration of Russia's depravity. The incident vividly demonstrates why the West must continue to support Ukraine.
Pro-Russia narrative
Russia has repeatedly said that it does not target civilians. All strikes by Moscow forces are directed at military targets, including military warehouses, fuel depots, and training facilities.
Nerd narrative
There's a 2% chance that there will be a deadly clash between US and Russian armed forces before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Man Arrested Twice for Bringing Firearms to Wis. Capitol
On Thursday, Wisconsin police stated that an illegally armed man who had visited the state's Capitol seeking to speak with Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday returned to the building later that night with a rifle after posting bail.
While initially arrested and released on bail, Joshua Pleasnick was later taken into protective custody and hospitalized. Pleasnick had reportedly asked to speak to Gov. Evers concerning "domestic abuse towards men."
According to a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Department of Administration, the armed individual arrived around 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. local time.
Democratic narrative
The second time that Evers has been targeted by a gunman, the event at Wisconsin's Capitol perfectly sums up the growing crises surrounding firearm possession and political acts of violence within the US. Those who have championed progressive causes, such as Governors Evers and Whitmer, shouldn't have to live with the threat of being shot because of their visions for public office.
Republican narrative
While moral arguments for gun control may seem noble to those on the left, they're completely redundant without any acceptance of the constitutional realities of firearm possession in the US. Despite continued claims otherwise, the Second Amendment is clear in the rights granted to each and every American citizen, and it is highly unlikely that this will ever change.
Nerd narrative
There's a 0.2% chance of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution being amended or repealed before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Trump Endorses Jim Jordan for House Speaker
After the US House of Representatives voted to remove Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as House Speaker earlier this week, former Pres. Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to replace the ousted Republican.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Jordan "will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!"
In 2019, Jordan had served as Trump's chief defender in his first impeachment trial. The latter awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, to Ohio Rep. in 2021.
Left narrative
Jim Jordan aided Trump in his illegal attempts to overturn the 2020 election and conspired with the then-President on the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. If he were to assume this role, it would be disruptive if not dangerous for America's political climate.
Right narrative
Jim Jordan can unite all wings of the Republican party and already enjoys backing from most members. He has doggedly held the Biden administration to account over the past three years, has consistently stood up for Republican values, and could be the perfect solution for the post-McCarthy era.
Nerd narrative
There's a 57% chance that Rep. Jim Jordan will be elected to replace Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
EU Seeks New Talks on Nagorno-Karabakh
On Thursday, Charles Michel — president of the European Council of EU leaders — revealed that he had invited Armenian Prime Minister Nikos Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to meet in Brussels by the end of October to discuss the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Following a 24-hour campaign by Azerbaijani forces in the contested territory of Nagorno-Karabakh beginning on Sept. 19, over 100K individuals — more than 80% of the region's population — are believed to have traveled to Armenia. The conflict between the two countries over the territory initially began in 1988 following the fall of the USSR.
Speaking to reporters at the summit of the European Political Community in Granada, Spain, Michel stated: "We believe in diplomacy. We believe in political dialogue."
Narrative A
While EU officials continue to state their "concerns" surrounding ongoing events in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenians cannot help but feel angered by years of pleading for help and assistance falling on deaf ears. The EU is well aware of Azerbaijan's policy of ethnic cleansing and yet continues its mantra of apathy in the face of a potential genocide. The EU must make a clear decision to protect human rights and the values of democracy it has so often championed in rhetoric, or else completely undermine the justification for its very existence.
Narrative B
If the EU and its consequent member-states and officials are incapable of achieving any concrete policy success in Granada, Azerbaijan must question why it would listen to its veiled demands for discussions in favor of Armenia. Unfounded allegations against Azerbaijan continue to be leveraged by Armenia worldwide without confrontation as it continues to refuse to acknowledge Baku's sovereign right to Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan is not the problem when it comes to establishing peaceful coexistence.
Jailed Iranian Activist Wins Nobel Peace Prize
Imprisoned human rights activist Narges Mohammadi has won the Nobel Peace Prize in honor of her campaign for women's rights in Iran and "her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all," the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced on Friday.
Mohammadi, who has advocated for women's rights and the abolition of the death penalty in Iran, is the deputy head of the Defenders of Human Rights Center — founded by fellow Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi.
According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the 2023 Nobel Prize "recognizes the hundreds of thousands of people who in the preceding year have demonstrated against the theocratic regimes' policies of discrimination and oppression targeting women."
Anti-Iran narrative
The Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi is a rebuke to Tehran's theocratic leaders and a boost for anti-government protesters. It highlights the bravery of Iranian women who have demonstrated tremendous courage in the face of reprisals, intimidation, violence, and detention.
Pro-Iran narrative
By giving the Nobel Peace Prize to a criminal charged with spreading propaganda against the state and endangering national security, the West — which uses women's rights and equality to destabilize independent nations — is seeking to flare up anti-Iran tensions in the region, highlighting the paradoxical nature of this decision.
Reports: Trump Allegedly Revealed Secrets to Australian Businessman
According to published reports, months after leaving office, former Pres. Donald Trump allegedly shared sensitive information about US nuclear submarines with Australian businessman Anthony Pratt.
Special counsel Jack Smith was informed of the possible disclosure during his team’s investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents.
Pratt, a billionaire member of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, reportedly shared Trump’s disclosures with at least 45 people, including employees, journalists, and foreign and Australian officials.
Anti-Trump narrative
The worst-case scenario has unfortunately come to bear — not only was Trump hoarding classified documents at his private club, but he was also sharing sensitive information during conversations with club members. These chats are too difficult to verify or quantify, but it’s no surprise his disdain for the US government resulted in his sharing of the nation’s secrets with private citizens.
Pro-Trump narrative
These reports are hearsay, and if Smith had anything solid related to Trump’s chats with Pratt, the special counsel would've included this supposed incident in his indictments of Trump. The Biden Dept. of Justice has lied too many times for anyone to believe what it says without irreproachable evidence.
Nerd narrative
There’s a 50% chance that Trump will be jailed or incarcerated before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Added 336K Jobs in September, Nearly Doubling Expectations
The US blew past the economist forecasts, adding 336K jobs in September despite Washington’s efforts to cool the economy and lower inflation.
The increase to nonfarm payrolls nearly doubled the 170K expected by Bloomberg's survey of economists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the data Friday while revising job figures from August and July to show that 119K more jobs were created in those months than initially reported.
The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8% and job gains were dispersed across various sectors. Leisure and hospitality (96K), government (73K), and healthcare (40.9K) saw the largest increases last month.
Pro-establishment narrative
September's shocking jobs report is a wonderful reminder of how the US economy continues to thrive despite rampant alarmism from detractors. The recovery from the COVID pandemic has been a struggle the entire world has had to deal with, and few countries have rebounded as successfully and as quickly as the US has. Because businesses remain fully open, many sectors are experiencing a boom that is being enjoyed by millions of Americans. While there may be some concerns about inflation, continued job growth should still be considered a good thing for the economy.
Establishment-critical narrative
Not only is the US economy not performing in the way the Federal Reserve and Washington, DC want it to, but its "job growth" isn’t helping as many working Americans as one would think. Despite a reported 336K new jobs, unemployment stayed the same and the number of newly employed workers only rose 86K — a five-month low. Most of the job gains were part-time while many full-time workers actually lost their jobs. Inflation remains high and workers are forced to take on multiple gigs to offset the decline in full-time opportunities.