Susan Crawford Wins Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Susan Crawford, a Democratic-backed Dane County Circuit Judge, secured a victory over conservative Brad Schimel in Wisconsin's Supreme Court election on Tuesday, maintaining the court's 4-3 liberal majority with approximately 56% to 44% of the vote when the race was called at 10:16 p.m. ET.
In her victory speech, Crawford said, "I never could've imagined that I'd be taking on the richest man in the world ... and we won." Wisconsin justices serve ten-year terms, and Crawford's victory ensures liberal control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court until at least 2028.
Voter turnout was unusually high for a spring election, with early voting exceeding 2023 levels by more than 50%. Due to record participation, several polling sites in Democratic-leaning Milwaukee nearly ran out of ballots.
Democratic narrative
The election result rejects billionaire influence in state politics and the judiciary. It shows that Americans don't want Elon Musk running their federal government, and they don't want him to buy their local elections. Crawford's victory ensures the protection of fundamental rights and maintains crucial checks and balances in Wisconsin's democracy.
Republican narrative
The liberal victory threatens the stability of Trump's agenda and risks partisan redistricting that could cost Republicans crucial House seats. The outcome demonstrates how activist judges might legislate from the bench and undermine the constitutional separation of powers. However, this is a big win for Republicans, as voter ID was just approved in the Wisconsin election.
Nerd narrative
There's a 1% chance that if at least one US state secedes before 2071, Wisconsin will secede, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
China Conducts Surprise Live-Fire Drills in Taiwan Strait
China's military initiated extensive live-fire exercises, codenamed "Strait Thunder-2025A," in the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, conducting precision strikes on simulated ports and energy facilities.
Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesman of the Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command, said the exercises aim to "test the troops' capabilities" in areas such as "blockade and control, and precision strikes on key targets."
Taiwan's defense ministry reported detecting 76 Chinese military aircraft and 15 Chinese warships operating around Taiwan's territory within 24 hours, with 37 aircraft crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait.
Pro-China narrative
The military exercises represent necessary and legitimate actions to safeguard China's sovereignty and national unity. These drills highlight the PLA's enhanced capabilities to conduct joint operations and serve as a deterrent against separatist forces. The more Taiwan pushes for independence, the stronger the military response will be.
Anti-China narrative
China's aggressive military activities near Taiwan are irresponsible and only serve to exacerbate regional tensions. These intimidation tactics undermine cross-strait peace and stability, and risk global security and prosperity. The international community opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force.
Nerd narrative
There's a 70% chance that if China launches an invasion of Taiwan before 2035 and the U.S. intervenes, China will attack the U.S., according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Report: DRC, M23 to Hold Direct Talks on April 9
Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing sources from both camps, that the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels have agreed to hold their first round of direct talks on April 9 in Doha, Qatar, in a shift from past indirect peace efforts.
This comes as Doha hosted a meeting between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, on March 18, a second round of talks between the two countries that kicked off last Friday, and a separate meeting between Qatari officials and an M23 delegation.
The Congolese government last month reversed its refusal to attend direct peace talks with the anti-government rebels that it has long claimed to operate as a proxy for Rwanda. Talks were expected to be held in Luanda, Angola, but M23 pulled out after the EU announced sanctions on its leaders.
Establishment-critical narrative
The Congo crisis is a testament to the failure of the West in protecting peace — and it's a shame that a small Gulf nation had to teach Western powers that a mediator must be neutral and pragmatic, rather than taking sides focused on transactional self-interest. Now, it's up to Kinshasa to seize the opportunity and move toward peace.
Pro-establishment narrative
Kinshasa has already lost control over the eastern DRC and tensions could emerge elsewhere now, as the Rwanda-aligned M23 rebels want to redraw the geopolitical map of the Great Lakes and topple Tshisekedi. Direct talks are a step in the right direction, but a way out of this conflict is possible only if the United States puts more pressure on Rwanda.
Nerd narrative
There's a 62% chance that the Democratic Republic of Congo will experience a civil war before 2036, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Trump Unveils 'Liberation Day' Tariffs
U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping new tariffs during a press conference, dubbed "Make America Wealthy Again," in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday.
The White House had confirmed that any tariffs announced during the conference would take immediate effect, with Trump naming the date of the event "Liberation Day."
Trump announced that the U.S. would impose a range of different levies on foreign countries, including a 34% tariff on China, a 20% duty on EU goods, and a 10% baseline tariff on all countries.
Anti-Trump narrative
This tact from Donald Trump is familiar, and it's one that leads the U.S. down a road to failure. His tariffs didn't revitalize U.S. manufacturing the first time around, and they won’t now. Instead, his chaotic trade policy will drive up consumer costs, increase inflation, and bring America to the brink of recession.Â
Pro-Trump narrative
"Liberation Day" will mark the moment the United States takes a stand for its trade interests, ushering in a new golden age. For decades, past presidents have allowed the U.S. to be exploited in a global trade war against it. President Trump, with bold determination, has rejected this failed approach and is committed to securing a fair deal for America and the American worker.
Nerd narrative
There's an 11% chance that the US Congress will pass a bill implementing Trump's tariff policies in 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Canada: Green Party Makes Cut for 2025 Federal Leaders' Debates
Canada's Leaders' Debates Commission announced Tuesday that five political parties, including the Green Party, have qualified to participate in both the French debate on April 16 and English debate on April 17. Both events will take place at Montreal's Maison de Radio-Canada.
The Commission implemented stricter qualification criteria for the 2025 election, requiring parties to meet two of three conditions: having an elected MP, polling at least 4% nationally, or fielding candidates in 90% of ridings, compared to only needing one of three conditions in 2021.
The Green Party qualified by meeting two criteria: having elected MPs and nominating candidates in all 343 federal ridings. The party is currently polling at approximately 2.4% nationally.
Narrative A
The Leaders' Debates Commission's new rules ensure debates focus on parties with a realistic chance of influencing government. By requiring leaders to meet two of three criteria—electoral representation, poll support, and national candidate presence—the commission creates a more relevant process. Maxime Bernier’s complaints ignore the fact that the PPC lacks significant electoral influence and public backing.
Narrative B
The Leaders’ Debates Commission is blatantly moving the goalposts to block Maxime Bernier and the People’s Party of Canada from the upcoming debates. Despite receiving a higher percentage of the popular vote than the Green Party in 2021, the new rules are clearly designed to exclude Bernier—a strong, vocal critic of the elitist political establishment.
Tesla Reports 13% Drop in Q1 Sales Amid Political Backlash
Tesla delivered 336,681 vehicles in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 13% decline from 386,810 deliveries in the same period last year, representing the company's worst quarterly performance since 2022.
The quarterly results fell significantly short of Wall Street's expectations of approximately 380,000 deliveries, leading one key analyst to describe the performance as a "disaster on every metric."
Tesla produced 362,615 vehicles in Q1 2025, with 345,454 being Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Only 12,881 units were other models, including the Cybertruck, indicating potential production challenges during the quarter.
Narrative A
Tesla's sales decline primarily stems from necessary production line updates for the new Model Y refresh and increasing global competition, particularly from Chinese manufacturers like BYD. The temporary production halts and transition period are normal parts of introducing updated models, and sales should recover as production ramps up.
Narrative B
The dramatic sales decline reflects severe brand damage caused by Elon Musk's political activities and controversial leadership of DOGE, turning away core environmentally conscious customers. The protests and boycotts against Tesla facilities worldwide have created a significant negative impact on consumer sentiment and sales performance for the once-trailblazing leader in the EV industry.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that Tesla will report producing at least 2.8M vehicles in 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Ancient DNA Reveals Isolated Human Lineage in Green Sahara
DNA analysis of two 7,000-year-old naturally mummified women from Libya's Takarkori rock shelter has revealed a previously unknown North African genetic lineage that remained largely isolated for tens of thousands of years.
The ancient individuals belonged to a population that split from sub-Saharan African lineages approximately 50,000 years ago, around the same time modern humans began migrating out of Africa. Yet, they maintained genetic isolation through the African Humid Period.
According to a study published in Nature on Wednesday, during the African Humid Period (14,500-5,000 years ago), the Sahara transformed from a desert into a lush savanna with extensive lakes and rivers, supporting human habitation and the spread of pastoralism.
Narrative A
The discovery challenges long-held assumptions about human migration patterns in ancient Africa. It shows that pastoralism spread through cultural exchange rather than population movement. The Green Sahara's inhabitants maintained their distinct genetic identity while adopting new technologies and practices from neighboring groups.
Narrative B
The findings suggest a more complex picture of human prehistory in North Africa, where isolated populations could have existed in pockets across the region. The limited genetic mixing between northern and southern populations indicates stronger barriers to human movement than previously thought, despite the favorable environmental conditions of the Green Sahara.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that the first human genome will be artificially synthesized by October 2044, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
GOP Wins Two Florida House Seats
Republicans Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis on Tuesday secured victories in Florida's special congressional elections, expanding the GOP's U.S. House majority to 220-213. Fine defeated Democrat Josh Weil in District 6; Patronis defeated Gay Valimont in District 1.
This happened despite Democratic candidates outperforming Republican fundraising efforts, with Weil raising approximately $9 million compared to Fine's $1 million. Valimont collected $6.5 million versus Patronis' $2.1 million.
Both Republican victories, though, came with notably reduced margins compared to last November's election, with winning margins cut roughly in half from the 30-plus point advantages held by their predecessors Mike Waltz and Matt Gaetz.
Republican narrative
These victories show the enduring strength of the MAGA movement, with Trump's endorsements proving decisive in the face of fundraising deficits. Now the GOP has secured crucial seats for advancing Trump's "America First" agenda in Congress.
Democratic narrative
Republicans' reduced margins in traditionally safe districts signal growing voter dissatisfaction with Trump's second-term policies. This suggests there are potential Democratic opportunities to gain seats in the 2026 midterms.
Nerd narrative
There's a 73.6% chance that the Democratic Party will hold a plurality in the US House after the 2026 midterm elections, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Israeli Forces Advance in Rafah
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Israel has deployed another division to Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip as it expands its military operations in the area. Palestinian media also reported that Israeli forces were advancing in Rafah.
Katz added that Israel will "capture extensive territory that will be added to Israel's security areas." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel would dissect the strip and establish a new security corridor across Gaza to pressure Hamas to release Israeli hostages and surrender.
Hamas agreed to release the Israeli hostages as part of the cease-fire signed in January. This new security corridor — named the Morag Corridor after a former Israeli settlement in Gaza — would cut Rafah off from Khan Younis further north.
Pro-establishment narrative
The return to war will not save the hostages. Netanyahu is playing with fire as he divides Israel by moving to sack Ronen Bar and resuming the war in Gaza to buy time. Both sides need to make concessions so that the cease-fire can be fully implemented and the hostages returned.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Everything Israel is doing in Gaza is to secure the release of Israeli hostages and ensure the security of Israeli civilians. Hamas is a terrorist organization that uses Palestinian civilians — including medical workers — as human shields. Reports that Israel seeks to occupy Gaza or randomly kills Palestinians are pro-Hamas propaganda designed to undermine Israel's struggle against a terrorist group that butchered over a thousand people in one day.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel's genocidal assault on Gaza has lasted for over 16 months, with little more than a muted response from Western countries to the brutal killing of medical workers. Israel has demonstrated throughout this war that its desire is to make Gaza unlivable and kill as many Palestinians as possible. Indeed, the media's silence regarding these brutal actions only show how involved the West is in this genocide.