Left narrative

Sánchez's victory further illustrates why the socialist leader has excelled in politics, exceeding expectations by garnering broad cross-party support and even breaking political records. The premier pragmatically adapts to the times, finding a way to navigate out of every complex situation — even the most challenging ones, such as reaching a deal with Catalonia's Junts.

Right narrative

It's utterly outrageous that Sánchez has sided with Catalan coup plotters, as well as with the political arm of ETA, to stay in office after losing the general elections. He's a liar who would, without hesitation, accept the devil's help to sustain his grip on power, as nothing else matters to him. If left unchecked, Sánchez will destroy the rule of law and create a Bolivarian-style left-wing dictatorship.

Nerd narrative

There's a 20% chance that Spain will announce a snap general election before March 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

YouTube's "approach to responsible AI innovation" is greenlighting the widespread posting of "synthetic media." While major-label musicians' requests for video-takedown might be being taken seriously by the platform, all that its statement says about deepfakes is that the company will "consider a variety of factors when evaluating" such reports. Youtube needs to make much more convincing reassurances.

Narrative B

Google Deepmind — the UK-based AI research lab that has launched YouTube's Dream Track — has already reassured those concerned about deepfakes and copyright that any synthetic audio it publishes will be watermarked. This watermarking will be "inaudible to the human ear and doesn't compromise the listening experience," but allows for detection even after manipulation. This fact ought to lay to rest any fears among skeptics.

Nerd narrative

There's a 67% chance that at least 25% of Year-End Billboard Hot 100 songs will be primarily composed by AI by 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

While the health risks of loneliness are real, loneliness isn't a health epidemic or quite the crisis it's cracked up to be. Surveys say young people are the loneliest which has always been the case and doesn't necessarily mean people are getting lonelier. There's insufficient evidence to show a steady trend in loneliness around the world. More solid sociological evidence is needed.

Narrative B

Though we live in the most digitally connected age in the history of civilization, most adults experience loneliness daily due to diminishing real-life social connections. Social isolation and loneliness are important yet neglected determinants of health. Since being socially disconnected is bad for our physical, emotional, and financial health, reversing course needs a strong global effort and this initiative is an important first step.

Nerd narrative

There's a 35% chance that in 2050 at least half of college students in the US will be studying exclusively remotely or online, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Establishment-critical narrative

The request for this UN mission to leave Sudan once again highlights the growing rift between the Sudanese government and the world body as violence escalates. Also in light of this development, an inclusive African-led approach based on the African Union's efforts to implement a comprehensive roadmap for peace needs to be established. African-led peace initiatives, with their unique understanding of the complexity of the crisis, play a critical role in supporting a Sudanese-owned process to restore peace and promote a democratic transition in Sudan.

Pro-establishment narrative

The demand of the Sudanese interim government ties in with Khartoum's recent declaration of the UN special envoy as "persona non grata." Meanwhile, peace negotiations have so far failed to achieve a lasting ceasefire and African stakeholders such as the African Union lack resources and capacities with little leverage to exert pressure on the conflict parties. To avoid any further escalation, UNITAMS' mandate should therefore be reviewed and extended until next year, while African actors should push for greater influence within UNITAMS.

Democratic narrative

This attack was a predictable and tragic product of the dangerous rhetoric and toxic conspiracy theories spewing from the far-right. Their message of "survivalism" makes it sound as though defeating those on the other side of the political spectrum is a life-or-death matter. The right-lurching GOP must be held accountable for its extremism and the violence it inspires.

Republican narrative

It's quite amazing to watch liberal San Francisco switch to a tough-on-crime stance when one of their own gets attacked. After endless news coverage of this incident calling DePape an unhinged far-right attacker, 55% of prospective jurors surveyed ahead of the trial said they already believed he was guilty. While DePape should be held accountable for his inexcusable actions, It's no surprise he didn't receive the prosecutorial leniency so often promoted by these progressives.

Nerd narrative

There's a 30% chance that the next assassination of a sitting US President will occur after January 1, 2100, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Pro-establishment narrative

Russia's deliberate targeting of energy infrastructure — unnecessarily increasing the suffering of civilians — amounts to war crimes. This is yet another example of why Russia's aggression in Ukraine must be confronted with Western support.

Pro-Russia narrative

Attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure are a direct consequence of the failure of the country's leadership to meaningfully engage in peace talks and the false mindset that they can defeat Russia on the battlefield. These attacks will stop once a more sober position is reached.

Nerd narrative

There's a 1% chance that there will be a bilateral cease-fire or peace agreement in the Russo-Ukraine conflict before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

By initiating the parliamentary process to potentially approve Sweden's NATO bid, Erdoğan has simply opened decision-making to the legislative rather than endorsing a rubber-stamp process as many had hoped. Turkey will continue to deliberate on the matter, taking into consideration whether Sweden has reassured Ankara to an acceptable extent and what relationship Turkey wishes to hold with the West.

Narrative B

Turkey continues to hold out against Sweden's NATO bid in an attempt to apply further pressure on the US to supply the country with F-16 fighter jets, a topic that has not yet even made it to America's Senate. A year and a half after its application, Sweden continues to be unnecessarily frustrated by external and unrelated politics.

Nerd narrative

There's a 25% chance that Sweden will join NATO before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Anti-Russia narrative

Russia under Vladimir Putin has become a hellscape for LGBTQ+ citizens, which is why there has been a mass exodus of individuals being persecuted. Not only has he banned gender-affirming care and trans people from adopting kids, but he's also put students at risk for simply filming themselves dressed in so-called untraditional ways. This latest development is an authoritarian nightmare for the entire globe.

Pro-Russia narrative

From its laws protecting children and families from gender surgeries to its war in Ukraine, Russia is simply fighting to stop the encroachment of the West's insidious cultural exportation. Moscow isn't anti-progress but rather understands the importance of retaining one's national culture, language, and family-centered religious beliefs. The West doesn't care about culture — it seeks to undermine and overhaul the traditions of every country that hasn't yet bowed down to its elitist demands.

Nerd narrative

There is a 50% chance that Russia will have no laws banning "LGBT propaganda" by July 2051, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Democratic narrative

It is the job of politicians to meet the people where they are, and TikTok could potentially be a great tool to reach out to a new demographic of voters and ensure that they are getting their political information straight from the source. While there are risks associated with being on the app, implementing the proper safeguards significantly reduces them. Regardless, Axios' premature "scoop" should be taken with a grain of salt.

Republican narrative

Faced with troubling numbers in recent polling, it would be no surprise if Biden's campaign joined TikTok — a move that would not only be hypocritical in light of the administration's recent ban but also dangerous. While the details of this report have yet to be verified, it speaks to the wider issue of using the Chinese-owned app on the campaign trail.

Nerd narrative

There's a 1.2% chance that the US will ban Tiktok before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Left narrative

DeSantis's xenophobic and authoritarian tendencies are on display when campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination and ruling over his state. In this instance, he's conflating all supporters of the Palestinians with terrorism — a gross act of Islamophobia. This lawsuit will show him that every American, regardless of race or religion, has a constitutional right to assembly and neither governments nor college administrators can silence speech it doesn't like.

Right narrative

This isn't about free speech or the left's bad faith argument about "cancel culture," it’s about protecting the US. If a student organization is affiliated with a group like Hamas, that’s the equivalent of giving material support to a terrorist organization and that organization has no place on an American college campus. This is a national security issue and Florida has made the right call.

Nerd narrative

There's a 47% chance that Taliban-controlled Afghanistan will be used as a base for anti-NATO terrorism by 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.