A Year Later: Popular vs Ignored

A year after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, the conflict has escalated into a full-blown multi-front conflict. Israeli forces are currently engaged in intense combat in Gaza and Lebanon while preparing for possible retaliatory strikes against Iran after nearly 200 ballistic missiles were fired last week. Security forces in Israel are on high alert, bracing for two attacks from Iranian-backed groups with no end in sight.

However, while the world's attention is focused on the Israel-Lebanon-Iran triangle, a devastating war has been quietly unfolding in Sudan. Over 10 million Sudanese have been displaced since April 2023, and half of the country faces acute hunger. Even though this conflict has been largely absent from the headlines, experts warn it is likely to turn deadly, with a famine that will eclipse that of Ethiopia in the 1980s.

While Israel's war continues to dominate global attention, Sudan's humanitarian crisis worsens, with mass starvation, ethnic violence, and flooding. The question remains: how long can we ignore this crisis before it spirals out of control?

Teens Taking Risks

While long-term contraception and STI prevention are more accessible than ever, condom use has declined among sexually active teens, raising alarms at the World Health Organization. A recent report shows only 61% of boys and 57% of girls used a condom in their last sexual encounter, down from 70% and 63%, respectively, in 2014.

So, what’s behind this risky behavior? While fewer teens may fear HIV due to preventive treatments like PrEP, STI rates—especially syphilis and gonorrhea—are climbing. WHO warns that without better sexual education and increased access to contraceptives, this trend could lead to a spike in both unplanned pregnancies and infections.

Age or Anger?

As we thought the age debate in American politics had simmered down with Biden's exit, it's heating up again, thanks to Donald Trump. At 78, Trump is already the oldest major party nominee in history, and his speeches have taken a sharp turn for the bizarre.

His rambling, angry rhetoric raises eyebrows as he goes off on tangents about long-gone Hollywood stars and forgets key moments in his campaign. As once dismissed as just "Trump being Trump," his rants appear to have crossed a line, with some questioning whether his age affects his ability to focus and communicate.

Compared to 2016, the former president's marathon rallies have nearly doubled in length, become darker, and become less grounded in reality. But will these shifts hurt his chances or make rallying his loyal base even harder?

The Price of Intelligence

A fascinating study of human and chimpanzee brains revealed an unexpected downside to human intellectual evolution. Our brains have expanded to give us unparalleled cognitive abilities, but the regions that grew the fastest are also the most vulnerable to aging.

Our most advanced thinking regions shrink earlier, resulting in memory lapses and difficulties with complex tasks. Ironically, these same brain regions assist us in living longer and thriving in a complex world, but they also contribute to cognitive decline. In other words, our greatest evolutionary gift may also come with a cost-accelerated cognitive decline.

A 12-Year Dot

This was almost too surreal to believe, but Iranian writer Hossein Shanbehzadeh has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for replying to a tweet from Iran’s Supreme Leader with just a single dot. Yes, you read that right: a dot.

The 35-year-old, who has long been vocal against Iran’s leadership, posted the dot under a photo of Ayatollah Khamenei with the national volleyball team on X (formerly Twitter). The reply received more likes than Khamenei's original post, leading to Shanbehzadeh’s arrest in June. Now he faces charges of "anti-regime propaganda" and "pro-Israel propaganda," which his family and lawyer dispute.

Even the smallest act of defiance can result in severe penalties in Iran, where dissent is increasingly suppressed.

💡 Core Wisdom

🧮 Core Count: 189,819

Number of letters in the longest English word.

🗓️ Flashback:

1919 - KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines, one of the oldest airlines) is founded in Amsterdam.

2001 - U.S. invasion of Afghanistan starts with air strikes and covert operations.

2023 - Hamas launched a major air and ground attack on Israel from Gaza.

I'm glad we could get together here. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Fatih Taskiran