Narrative A

The much-anticipated Oasis reunion has finally been announced after years of a funny — and frustrating — brotherly feud that amplified their legend, as their songs stood the test of time and the Gallaghers proved to be great artists in their solo careers. It is joyous for fans that this comes just in time to mark the 30th anniversary of the band's debut album.

Narrative B

Given that their Britpop rivals Blur played well-received concerts last year, it's no surprise that the Gallaghers have decided to regroup. Oasis is certainly overrated, but the tour is set to sell out as their loyal working-class fanbase will flock by the hundreds of thousands. That's if the band doesn't break up again in advance of the reunion tour.

Republican narrative

Trump is fully committed to building his transition team, reflecting his strength and confidence. By selecting Kennedy and Gabbard, he has demonstrated his support across parties and his openness to advice from two former Democratic presidential candidates who are familiar with the opposition. They are individuals whom the Harris/Biden administration has tried hard to sideline and eventually push out. This could be a cause for concern for the Democrats.

Democratic narrative

Trump is filling his transition team with conspiracy theorists. Gabbard's previous use of Russian talking points regarding Russia's war in Ukraine and the civil war in Syria put her at odds with the US government. She even met with the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad twice. Kennedy is perhaps best known for being an anti-vaccine and public health skeptic. During his presidential campaign, we learned that he dumped a dead bear cub in New York's Central Park for fun amid other displays of poor judgment. This just shows the desperation of the Trump camp.

Nerd narrative

There is a 55% chance Kamala Harris will be elected US president in 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

South Korea's deepfake pornography crisis has exposed the dark underbelly of the nation's digital landscape, where social media and messaging platforms' strong encryption and non-cooperation with law enforcement have inadvertently created a haven for cybercriminals engaging in digital sex crimes.

Narrative B

AI-powered deepfake technology is another tool for creative expression, and like other mediums, the ethical line can easily be drawn at consent and intent. The focus must now be on establishing norms, laws, and standards governing their use, balancing innovation with individual rights and public trust.

Nerd narrative

There's a 20% chance that a politician will claim they lost a major election due to a "deepfake" image, video, or audio recording in a G20 country before 2025, according to a Metaculus prediction community.

Pro-Ukraine narrative

The Kursk offensive was instrumental in stopping Russia's plans to occupy the Kharkiv region, as well as possible incursions into Sumy and Chernihiv. This was part of a wider plan to achieve victory for Ukraine by paving the way for peace talks.

Pro-Russia narrative

Russia is incrementally pushing back Ukraine's assault into Kursk and Moscow's forces are eliminating enemy troops and equipment in the region. There can no longer be any prospect of peace talks while Ukraine's actions in Russia are ongoing.

Nerd narrative

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

Left narrative

Burning the Quran is not protected under free speech, as it's clearly been used by far-right activists and others to insult and provoke Muslims. Europe has laws against several other speech-adjacent acts, such as Holocaust denial and defaming royal families, which are intended to incite hatred against certain groups of people. Burning the Quran is no different under the law.

Right narrative

The only hypocrisy in this debate is that while Western countries cater to the emotions of demonstrations, many governments in the Muslim world allow violence against Christians to run rampant in their countries. It's vital that double standards are addressed to protect people of all faiths as well as uphold the values of free speech.

Democratic narrative

Trump must be held accountable for his attempts to overturn the results of the election, and Smith seems undeterred by SCOTUS' vague ruling over immunity for official acts. While it's still shameful that SCOTUS ruled the way it did in that case, at least Smith is showing that Trump's crimes sit outside of his presidential role.

Republican narrative

A judge ruled Smith was unconstitutionally hired and SCOTUS has ruled Trump is immune from prosecution for his official acts, yet nothing seems able to stop Smith from carrying out his Democrat-mandated election interference agenda. This case has no chance of being heard before the election, but Democrats are hoping any bit of interference will help them.

Nerd narrative

There's a 12% chance that Trump will be jailed or incarcerated before Jan. 1, 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Pro-establishment narrative

Though Israel has a right to defend itself and ensure that cities in the West Bank are not used to launch terror attacks, the US is still concerned regarding Israeli settlers and gratuitous military action in the territory. Israel must curb settler violence against innocent Palestinians and work toward finding a political solution. The US will also work to sideline the threat settlers pose to peace via sanctions.

Pro-Israel narrative

It is becoming increasingly clear that Israel may have to treat the West Bank like Gaza in terms of ensuring its security. Iran is not only supporting terror in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria but also in the West Bank, where it has attempted to enflame the situation by funding and arming terrorists via Jordan. The war against terror is a war Israel must win.

Pro-Palestine narrative

It's clear that Israel wants to expand its war on Gaza to the occupied West Bank as it besieges hospitals and bombards cities and towns. Katz's comments also indicate Israel's objective is to violently displace Palestinians in the West Bank, much like what has been done in Gaza. Israeli forces have also targeted hospitals like they have in Gaza, further demonstrating Israel's desire to escalate the situation.

Narrative A

The news of Strawberry's accelerated development, coupled with the precarious financial situation of OpenAI, gives us much reason to worry. In order to secure funding, the company may be rushing a problem without proper safeguards, and could unleash the most powerful AI model the world has yet seen with little warning. We must scrutinize OpenAI's practices closely, as even former employees say that safety has taken a backseat to profit.

Narrative B

AI is facing a reckoning, though one regarding its deficiencies as opposed to its potentially life-altering abilities. The truth is that AI has become very good at producing garbage, and significant investment is needed to get it past this hump, according to projections. The claims of AGI posing an existential risk are much exaggerated, and we need to keep pushing forward with new products, like Strawberry, that get us closer to AI being useful for humanity at large.

Nerd narrative

There is a 6% chance that OpenAI will publish information describing Strawberry (also known as Q*) in 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Narrative A

Not only are Sloth Fever and Triple E viruses on the rise, but West Nile virus is also concerningly sweeping through the US. As more and more cases appear, individuals must take precautions including wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, using mosquito repellent, and getting rid of standing water. These cases are more examples of the increasing risks of disease to all of us in a warming world — with a disproportionate risk to those in developing countries.

Narrative B

There must be a more systemic approach to smartly containing these outbreaks. Immigration and international travel should be monitored with appropriate health protocols in the US and other nations. Governments must do a better job at screening individuals, and travelers should be better educated on pre- and post-travel health guidance. Proactive government intervention can go a long way towards more effectively snuffing these disease flare-ups when they reach international borders.

Nerd narrative

There's a 4% chance that there will be a novel pathogen that kills over 25 million people between 2022 and 2031 (inclusive), according to the Metaculus prediction community.