BRICS Leaders Agree to Add Six New Members
On Thursday, South African President and host of the 15th BRICS summit in Johannesburg, Cyril Ramaphosa, announced that the bloc's leaders have agreed to invite six more countries to join the alliance of emerging economies.
Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia will become BRICS members — joining Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — on Jan. 1, 2024, Ramaphosa said.
BRICS's expansion is expected to have major geopolitical influence, with the bloc reportedly looking to increase its influence in the US and Western-dominated international institutions such as the United Nations.
Pro-establishment narrative
While the expansion suggests unity and momentum, the move is ironically more likely to expose the existing rifts among the BRICS members. The bloc faces a fate similar to that of the EU, where the steady addition of new members led to growing ambiguity about the goals and purpose of the supranational union. Though Putin may try to use BRICS to blame the West for his illegal invasion of Ukraine and transform it into an anti-US bloc, the alliance remains an artificial construct shaped by heterogeneous economic interests.
Establishment-critical narrative
This is a historic day, not only for BRICS but for the entire global South, and proves that the bloc's member states can bridge existing political and economic differences to create a more equitable international order. Under Russia's leadership, BRICS is pushing back against the West's policies of hegemony and neocolonialism — instead promoting a multipolar world based on the principles of equality, partnership, support, and due regard for each other's interests.
Nerd narrative
There is a 27% chance that the Chinese Yuan will be among the top 3 global payments currencies before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Looks to Extend Scientific Research Agreement with China
On Wednesday, the US State Dept. announced its intention to pursue a six-month extension of a longstanding science and technology agreement with China that would allow for negotiations with Beijing to "strengthen" the deal.
The Science and Technology Agreement (STA) — which allows the two nations to cooperate across the scientific and technological fields — was established in 1979 and has since been renewed every five years.
If the agreement lapses, it will impede government-to-government collaboration in areas such as climate change and public health and disrupt academic cooperation between the two nations.
Narrative A
Beijing has used the STA to advance its military objectives. China exploits civilian research partnerships for military purposes by using academic researchers, industrial espionage, and forced technology transfers to steal information that they can use against the US. The US must stop fueling its own destruction, and a good first step would be to let the STA expire.
Narrative B
The China hawks are wrong. China has become a scientific powerhouse, hosting advanced facilities found nowhere else. The US arguably stands to gain more from collaboration with China now than ever before. Working with China will provide more benefits than risks from the joint research that the landmark agreement enables.
Report: Vietnam's 'Kissing Rocks' at Risk of Collapse
According to a study published by Vietnam's Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources (IGMR), Trong Mai Islet — otherwise known as the "kissing rocks" in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay — is on the verge of collapse due to rising seawater levels, tidal forces, tourism, and other factors.
Ho Tien Chung, head of tectonics and geomorphology at the Institute, has warned that visible cracks in the kissing rocks alongside the islet's vulnerability during low tide may prompt a collapse without protective actions.
The study found that, in tandem with rising sea levels and geological and tectonic movements, illegal fishing and unregulated tourism were speeding up the erosion of the twin rocks.
Narrative A
Vietnam's heritage sites face severe erosion from human visitors, affecting communities and national treasures. "Quality over quantity" in Vietnam's tourism sector is essential to environmental protection. The Southeast Asian nation must step up to better manage tourism or else other environmental and cultural treasures will also suffer.
Narrative B
Vietnam's environmental issues go beyond mere tourism — a major root cause is global warming causing rising sea levels and threatening local populations. Countries such as Vietnam are in danger of disappearing unless global initiatives are implemented. Preserving environmental monuments requires facing up to the climate challenge first.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that there will be at least 578 millimeters of sea level rise in 2100, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Nvidia Sales Surge as AI Boom Lifts Earnings
Nvidia shares rose in after-hours trading on Wednesday after the company surpassed estimates in both earnings and revenue for the second quarter of 2023 ending July 30.
The company's shares rose by as much as 9% following a year-over-year sales growth of 101% to $13.5B in Q2 2023, higher than the $11.2B estimation by Wall Street analysts.
The company recorded profits of $6.2B — or $2.48 per share — over 900% higher than a year ago. Shares in Nvidia have more than tripled in 2023, with the company's value reaching over $1.2T.
Narrative A
Years of investment into the AI sector are paying off for Nvidia, which continues to blow quarterly expectations out of the water. As companies continue to get serious over the rise of AI, the importance of Nvidia will only continue to grow. The technology industry is seeing a long-term transition toward the future, and Nvidia has positioned itself as an industry leader.
Narrative B
The rise of Nvidia alongside the continued success of Microsoft, Google, and all others aboard the AI train, is both cause for excitement and concern. Investors must only look back to the infamous "dot.com bubble" for justification. While AI certainly holds opportunities for the future, tech sector booms and busts have certainly happened before.
Nerd narrative
There is a 35% chance that the stock price of Nvidia will trade below $250 for at least one full day before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Study: AI Allows Paralyzed Woman to 'Speak' Again
According to a study published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, a severely paralyzed woman has been able to speak through a digital avatar using a brain-computer interface.
The woman, Ann Johnson, 48, suffered a brainstem stroke when she was 30, leaving her severely paralyzed and unable to speak.
A team of researchers at UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley implanted a paper-thin rectangle of 253 electrodes over the region of Ann's brain critical for speech. They then connected the electrodes to computers via a cable.
Narrative A
Artificial intelligence helping two paralyzed people communicate audibly in close to real-time is nothing short of a miracle. Although it's a scientific proof of concept, turning the technology into a wireless medical device can bring us much closer to making AI a natural solution for paralyzed patients to speak and express clearly.
Narrative B
Experiments that use electrodes to read brain signals date back to the late 1990s, but the research and its implementation in everyday life have yet to make strides. As a crucial next step is to create the brain-computer interface's wireless version that would most likely be implanted beneath the skull — potentially raising privacy issues — it's too early to imagine a future where we could restore fluent and accurate conversation to paralyzed people.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Neuralink will first implant a brain-machine interface device in a living human by December 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Canada: Court Upholds Jordan Peterson's Social Media Training Order
On Wednesday, Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson was denied judicial review of a decision by the College of Psychologists of Ontario, which ordered him to undergo social media training in the wake of complaints over his online postings.
The three-panel Divisional Court ruling said the order has "minimal impact" on Peterson's freedom of expression and was "reasonable," as the college had previously asked Peterson to adopt a more "respectful tone" online.
Since 2018, the college has received allegations that Peterson's online presence posed "moderate risks of harm to the public." Peterson's statements on Canadian politicians, gender transition, climate change, and a former patient were cited as offending remarks.
Right narrative
This ruling wasn’t based on the law; it was political. If this decision stands, members of professional associations will be forced to give up their freedom of expression unless they agree with establishment points of view. Peterson should continue to fight this egregious overreach of authority.
Left narrative
Peterson is dragging psychology through the mud under the guise of protecting free speech. He has violated the psychologists’ standards of conduct while using his professional standing to lend an air of legitimacy to his attacks on members of marginalized groups. He should be held accountable.
Scientists Decode Male Y Chromosome
The male-determining Y chromosome has been decoded, as researchers recently revealed the first complete sequence of the threadlike structure that carries genetic information from cell to cell.
In a pair of papers published in Nature on Wednesday, researchers revealed that state-of-the-art technology allowed them to decode the Y chromosome and complete the final step in sequencing the human genome.
Despite sequencing the human genome 20 years ago, the Y chromosome remained incomplete due to a series of complex repetitions. A team of more than 100 researchers worked to fill the gaps, adding 30M new bases to the human genome reference, including 41 new protein-coding genes.
Narrative A
After many years of confusion and seemingly endless loops, scientists have finally decoded the Y chromosome in a major breakthrough that will provide a wealth of knowledge for future scientific research. Not only does the decoded Y chromosome unlock a full sequencing of the human genome, but it also provides key information into the history of man as well as the genetic basis for various diseases. Wednesday’s reports are just the beginning of the groundbreaking genetic research that is to come.
Narrative B
While it's certainly impressive that scientists have decoded the Y chromosome and completed a full sequencing of the human genome, the overall landscape of genetic research remains largely stagnant. The Y chromosome was a pesky puzzle that bothered scientists for years, but most of the idiosyncrasies are just fodder for the scientific community to debate about. There may be more breakthroughs down the line, but untangling the Y chromosome is more interesting than it is groundbreaking.
Candidates Spar Sans Trump at First GOP Presidential Debate
On Wednesday, eight candidates for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination – sans former Pres. Donald Trump, who is leading the polls – participated in the first debate of the campaign season, with less than five months before the nomination process begins.
The eight participants were former Trump VP Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
The candidates were required to sign a pledge that they would support the GOP nominee in the general election, and all but Christie and Hutchinson said they would support Trump even if he’s convicted of a felony before Election Day.
Democratic narrative
This debate proved that Trump is the Republican Party, and at the end of the day, there’s no way to distinguish between the two. Even when given a chance to disavow support for Trump if he becomes a convicted felon, most of the eight people on stage chose fealty to the frontrunner. They never challenged him and instead attacked each other, leaving the door open for Trump to dominate the party.
Republican narrative
A talented crop of candidates – and alternatives to Trump – was on display in the debate. Each one played to his or her strengths and presented a vision of the future, unlike Trump, who’s seemingly stuck in 2020. If Trump thought he was wise to skip the debate, he was proven wrong.
Pro-Trump narrative
This debate — resembling a Trump vice president audition — was a waste of time. Trump already has the nomination in the bag, so the donors should keep their money, and the party should rally around the former president. Given the rift between Fox News and the former president, skipping the debate was a no-brainer for the runaway frontrunner.
Nerd narrative
There’s a 77% chance that Trump will be the Republican nominee for the 2024 US presidential election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Trump Booked in Atlanta Jail, Released on Bond
Former US Pres. Donald Trump surrendered Thursday evening at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, where he was booked over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia and then released on a $200K bond after less than 30 minutes.
As part of the bond agreement, Trump must refrain from any potential comments that are intended to "intimidate" witnesses or co-defendants as well as from having any communication with co-defendants, except through his lawyers.
Shortly after Trump's historic mug shot — the first ever of a former US president — was released to the public, his 2024 campaign launched merch featuring his booking photo and Trump made his return to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pro-Trump narrative
Joe Biden, the Democratic Party, and the Dept. of Justice are continuing their witch hunt to derail Trump’s certain victory in the 2024 presidential election. Former President Trump will be found innocent, and these charges — like the ones in the other indictments — are all part of an attempt to drown a political opponent in legal action.
Democratic narrative
This case is the most perilous one for Trump, starting with the strict terms of his bond deal that aim to crack down on the social media attacks he’s made in the other cases. This is the first time he’s had to post cash bail and be fairly treated based on these criminal allegations. If convicted of state charges, there would be no chance for him to pardon himself if he regains the presidency.
Nerd narrative
There's a 65% chance that Donald Trump will be charged with witness tampering in Georgia before June 1, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Pakistan Court Allows Ex-PM Khan's Arrest Over Riots
A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Wednesday allowed Pakistani authorities to interrogate and arrest former PM Imran Khan regarding an attack on an army building during protests that followed Khan’s brief arrest on corruption charges in May.
Khan, who's already facing a three-year jail sentence following his conviction earlier this month in a separate case, has denied the charges against him, saying that the government seeks to prevent him from contesting upcoming national elections.
On May 9, Khan's supporters attacked Lahore's Corps Commander's House, often called Jinnah House, as well as other civil and military installations, after Khan was arrested in a corruption case. Khan was later released on bail.
Narrative A
Khan's arrest is illegal and politically motivated. The accusations against him are completely fabricated, with his opponents pursuing 80 different cases against him — including completely baseless accusations of murder, sedition, blasphemy, and terrorism — in the hopes that something will stick. The government wants to remove Khan from the electoral contest because it fears his popularity among voters.
Narrative B
The arrest of Imran Khan is not politically motivated; he is accused of theft and corruption. His denial of every accusation merely serves to demonstrate that he avoids accountability in every way. His case has been investigated thoroughly, and the verdict followed due process. With his sentence, Khan will be disqualified from politics for five years.