Rwanda Withdraws from ECCAS Over Congo Presidency Dispute
Rwanda announced its withdrawal from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) on Saturday, following its denial of the scheduled turn at the rotating presidency. The bloc instead extended the presidency to Equatorial Guinea for another year.
The Rwandan Foreign Ministry accused the Democratic Republic of Congo of "instrumentalizing" ECCAS with support from member states, claiming its right to assume the chairmanship under Article 6 of the treaty was "deliberately ignored."
According to the office of Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, ECCAS members acknowledged "aggression against the Democratic Republic of Congo by Rwanda" and ordered the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory.
Narrative A
Rwanda's withdrawal is a justified response to Congo's manipulation of ECCAS for political purposes. The bloc violated its founding principles by denying Rwanda its rightful turn at the presidency, demonstrating institutional failure. This instrumentalization makes continued membership pointless when the organization abandons impartiality.
Narrative B
ECCAS correctly prioritized regional stability over procedural rotation by blocking an aggressor nation from leadership. Rwanda's military support for M23 rebels violates Congolese sovereignty and undermines regional peace. The bloc's decision sends a clear message that countries cannot violate the territorial integrity of others while expecting to lead regional institutions.
Nerd narrative
There's a 14% chance that an East African Federation will exist and govern before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US-China Trade Talks Resume in London
High-level U.S. and PRC delegations met in London on Monday to address escalating trade disputes that threaten a 90-day tariff truce established in Geneva last month, with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Vice Premier He Lifeng leading their respective teams.
The London talks followed a 90-minute phone conversation between President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday, which Trump described as resulting in a "very positive conclusion for both countries" and helped restart stalled negotiations.
Both nations agreed in Geneva to suspend most 100%-plus tariffs for 90 days, reducing U.S. tariffs on Chinese products to 30% and Chinese levies on U.S. imports to 10%, but tensions reemerged over technology exports and rare earth minerals.
Pro-Trump narrative
China's aggressive trade practices and technology theft justify tough US measures. Beijing violated the Geneva agreement by restricting rare earth exports and continuing unfair trade practices. The visa restrictions target legitimate security concerns about Chinese students with Communist Party ties studying sensitive technologies.
Pro-China narrative
America's unilateral actions undermine bilateral agreements and escalate tensions unnecessarily with China. The U.S. violated the Geneva consensus by imposing new export controls on AI chips and threatening student visa revocations. Washington's "erroneous practices" damage economic cooperation and stability.
Nerd narrative
There is a 14% chance there be a U.S.-China war before 2035, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Ship
Israel intercepted and boarded a British-flagged yacht, the Madleen, early Monday morning, while it was attempting to break an Israeli naval blockade to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. The vessel carried 12 activists, including Greta Thunberg and French MEP Rima Hassan.
The pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) operated the ship to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Its interception follows Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz's order on Sunday to "take whatever measures are necessary" to stop the Madleen, calling its crew "Hamas propaganda spokespeople."
On X, the Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that the "selfie yacht" had been diverted to Israeli shores and that its passengers, who it clarified were "safe and unharmed," are expected to return to their countries of origin.
Anti-Israel narrative
The attack on the Madleen is in complete violation of international law. The Israeli state had neither the legal authority to detain the ship's passengers in international waters nor confiscate the vessel and its stores of humanitarian aid. The boarding demonstrates Israel's utter disregard for the International Court of Justice's binding orders requiring unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza.
Pro-Israel narrative
The operation by Israeli forces was necessary to maintain Israel's legal naval blockade, which is consistent with international law. The FFC's actions, in contrast, were a publicity stunt, which would have achieved little compared to the extensive humanitarian efforts conducted through proper channels. Rather than being motivated by genuine concern, the activists on board the Madleen were provocateurs chasing clicks and popularity.
Nerd narrative
There's a 33% chance that Israel will recognize Palestine by 2070, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
ABC Suspends Correspondent Over Anti-Miller X Post
ABC News suspended senior national correspondent Terry Moran after he posted on social media that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller is "richly endowed with the capacity for hatred" and called both Miller and President Donald Trump "world-class haters."
The network stated that Moran's post violated ABC News' standards for objectivity and impartiality, with a spokesperson saying the post "does not reflect the views of ABC News" and constitutes subjective, personal attacks on others.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Moran's comments "unhinged and unacceptable" and stated that the administration had reached out to ABC to inquire about accountability measures for the correspondent.
Republican narrative
Moran's suspension proves what conservatives have long argued — that mainstream media outlets harbor deep bias against Trump and his administration while pretending to be objective. The correspondent's late-night meltdown revealed the true feelings of privileged media elites who have been masquerading as neutral journalists for decades.
Democratic narrative
The harsh criticism of Miller reflects legitimate concerns about his role as an architect of controversial immigration policies and his documented connections to far-right groups. Moran's comments, although potentially unprofessional, highlight the dangerous rhetoric and policies emanating from Trump's inner circle that warrant scrutiny from journalists.
Nerd narrative
There's a 75% chance that the White House will revoke the media credentials of reporters from two media outlets before 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Report: Pentagon Spread UFO Rumors to Hide Secret Weapons Programs
According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Defense Department spread UFO conspiracy theories in the 1980s to conceal secret military programs, with an Air Force colonel giving doctored photos of flying saucers to a Nevada bar owner to hide stealth fighter flights.
For decades, under a hazing ritual called "Yankee Blue," new commanders of classified programs were told they were joining an alien technology reverse-engineering program, with hundreds signing non-disclosure deals over it.
The 2024 Pentagon report that found no evidence of government UFO coverups reportedly omitted key findings about the military spreading disinformation, with the Air Force pushing to exclude details that may jeopardize secret programs.
Pro-establishment narrative
After nearly 80 years of sightings and speculation, it is confirmed — again — that there's no shred of evidence that UFOs are alien spacecraft. Most "mysteries" turn out to be drones, balloons, or planets. The truth is out there extraterrestrials never visited in the first place.
Establishment-critical narrative
When it comes to the Pentagon and UFOs, misdirection is a constant. While publicly dismissing alien theories, the agency quietly buries serious anomalies that haven't been explained yet. The Pentagon's selective transparency and media plants feel more like sleight of hand, raising the unsettling possibility that there is more to this cosmic mystery.
Nerd narrative
There is a 1% chance mainstream news media will report that alien technology has visited our solar system before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Study: Ocean Acidification Crosses Planetary Boundary
Ocean acidification crossed its planetary boundary approximately five years ago, according to a new study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other academic partners.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the ocean's average pH has fallen by 0.1 units since the Industrial Revolution — approximately a 30% increase in acidity — as carbon dioxide absorption continues to alter marine chemistry.
The study, published on Monday, found that by 2020, average ocean conditions worldwide were already very close to or beyond the danger zone for acidification, with 60% of waters at a depth of 200 meters (656 feet) having breached the safe limit, compared to 40% at the surface.
Narrative A
Ocean acidification is an existential crisis that demands immediate action. The chemistry changes threaten the foundation of marine food webs, from microscopic plankton to coral reefs that support entire ecosystems. Without rapid emissions reductions, marine biodiversity faces unprecedented collapse.
Narrative B
While acidification poses challenges, marine ecosystems have shown remarkable adaptability throughout history. Some species, like algae and seagrasses, may actually benefit from higher CO2 conditions. Technological solutions, including ocean alkalinity enhancement, offer promising pathways forward.
Nerd narrative
There's a 37.1% chance that space-based technology will enable effective enforcement of the UN High Seas Treaty to reduce marine pollution and protect marine ecosystems before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Brazil: Former President Bolsonaro Denies Coup Attempt in Testimony
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro testified before the country's Supreme Court on Tuesday that coup-related charges against him do not hold, stressing that he never acted against the Constitution and that there was never a chance of a coup after his 2022 electoral defeat.
He did admit, however, to studying alternatives within constitutional limits to overturn the election results, including declaring a state of siege, but eventually decided against pursuing them. Bolsonaro added that Brazil's Jan. 8, 2023 rioters were "crazy," not coup mongers.
Bolsonaro's former aide Mauro Cid, former intelligence chief Alexandre Ramagem, former Navy commander Almir Garnier, former Justice Minister Anderson Torres, Gen. Augusto Heleno spoke before him, while Gen. Paulo Sérgio Nogueira and Gen. Walter Braga Netto concluded the round of depositions.
Right narrative
It's hardly a surprise that Bolsonaro and several of his allies have been sent to the stand for an alleged coup plot — and no one doubts that this will be a rigged trial. As long warned, Brazilian conservatives have been politically persecuted since Bolsonaro's first day out of office in a blatant example of leftist lawfare, the very same failed strategy used in America against Trump.
Left narrative
While Bolsonaro and his supporters are wasting no time in crying foul over this trial, the former far-right president has even confessed to having discussed a coup — carrying out preparatory acts and crossing into a criminal conspiracy. Hopefully it's only a matter of time before Bolsonaro and his accomplices are found guilty and sentenced to prison.
Nerd narrative
There's a 31% chance that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will be reelected as Brazil's president in October of 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
LA Protests: National Guard Arrives, Homan Vows to Continue Immigration Enforcement
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Central Division on Sunday afternoon declared an "unlawful assembly," ordering all demonstrators who were protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions in Los Angeles, to leave. Many fired off rounds of crowd-control munitions after the declaration.
The third day of protests featured thousands of protesters taking to the streets — some blocking a major freeway — in addition to the arrival of National Guard troops, who were ordered there by President Donald Trump, and the burning of several self-driving cars by protesters.
The protests began Friday after ICE agents arrested more than 100 immigrants in LA's fashion district, in a Home Depot parking lot, and other locations. The protests spread beyond downtown Saturday, with some protesters descending on a Department of Homeland Security staging area. In one incident, Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was shot in the leg with a rubber bullet by an armed police officer.
Democratic narrative
Trump has been longing for a fight ever since he returned to office, and he's willing to lie about these peaceful protests being a threat to public safety in order to make California, a Democratic Party-led state, look like a failure. In lying about who's being detained by ICE, Republicans have lit a fire in protesters, who know about the innocents being picked up in these raids, while Republicans claim that they're the ones on the side of law and order.
Republican narrative
Patriotic ICE officers are doing their duty to make America's streets safe, and they're doing a great job of maintaining the peace in the face of lawless protesters who are trying to defend the criminals and gang bangers Trump has vowed to remove from the country. Democratic politicians would be wise to fall in line on the side of law and order rather than backing those who are putting law enforcement officials at risk.
Nerd narrative
There's a 15% chance that President Trump will formally invoke the Insurrection Act before 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
California Labor Leader Arrested in LA Demonstrations
Several U.S. labor unions, including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the nation's largest, have called for the release of SEIU California head David Huerta, who was arrested Friday during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid in Los Angeles.
ICE was executing warrants at several locations throughout Los Angeles when Huerta allegedly obstructed access to officers at one location. He was hospitalized after a video showed him being knocked to the ground. He was released from the hospital but held in custody and was set to be arraigned Monday.
In a statement, Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, said that Huerta "was exercising his constitutional rights and conducting legal observation." The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the largest public employee union in the United States, has also voiced its support for Huerta.
Republican narrative
Huerta, who clearly cares more about illegal immigrants than American workers, obstructed federal officers from conducting a lawful raid. After his arrest, the liberal media has fomented widespread unrest and rioting with its false narratives, neglecting to mention the illegal activities of employers and the illegal migrants they've hired. Sadly, Democrat-fueled political unrest has become the norm.
Democratic narrative
Huerta is a U.S. citizen who was exercising his constitutional rights by observing the punitive immigration raids. In a stunning display of solidarity, labor leaders and politicians have stood up for Huerta and those detained, who refuse to let the Trump administration bully them into silence. Huerta has stood up for the undocumented and vulnerable, and Democrats are now standing up for him.
Nerd narrative
There's a 20% chance that there will be at least twice as many deportations by U.S. ICE occur in fiscal year 2025 compared with fiscal year 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.