Exotic Cargo

Good morning, curious minds!

Today, we're diving into the bizarre, the unexpected, and the nostalgic. From tarantulas on a plane (yes, really) to North Korea's latest noise-making antics, we've got stories to make you laugh, wonder, and maybe even shake your head.

Here's everything you need to know today:

Just when you thought you’d heard it all, here’s today's wildest story: A man in Peru tried to board a flight to South Korea wearing not just his shirt but also... 320 tarantulas, 110 centipedes, and nine bullet ants. Let's Talk About… Baggage!

Airport security became suspicious when his belly looked unnaturally swollen (no, it wasn’t too much airport food). The creepy cargo was packed into small, taped bags under his shirt—all meticulously arranged like

.

Many of the endangered animals were native to Peru's Amazon and were being smuggled for the exotic pet trade. Authorities quickly grounded his creepy-crawly operation. Now that the insects are safe, it's safe to say this smuggler won't need boarding passes for his next trip.

Long-Range Drama

President Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike inside Russia. This move marks a significant change in U.S. policy and has sparked heated reactions.

President Zelenskyy, ever cryptic, said, "The missiles will speak for themselves." And Russia? Let’s say Putin isn’t thrilled. The Kremlin has warned of “dramatic changes” in the conflict, with threats of retaliation looming large.

The backdrop? Intense Russian aggression, including strikes on Ukrainian cities and the deployment of thousands of North Korean troops. The stakes couldn't be higher with the clock ticking toward a new U.S. administration under President-elect Trump.

Symphony of Chaos

Think about North Korea: you are trying to sleep, but all you hear are ghostly screams, gongs banging, and metal grinding. Welcome to life in Dangsan, a South Korean border village where North Korea has turned noise into a weapon.

For hours on end, these "noise bombs" invade the peace—impossible to ignore and impossible to sleep through. They're driving locals up the wall, with some even blaming the sounds for headaches, insomnia, and stressed-out livestock.

So, why the racket? It's North Korea's bizarre way of escalating tensions, targeting the South after years of rocky relations and retaliating for anti-Kim leaflets. It's more than psychological warfare; it's an assault on their sanity. I hope silence returns soon.

20 Years in Azeroth

World of Warcraft just hit the big 2-0, and it’s still going strong. From battling dragons to sharing memes like "Leeroy Jenkins," World of Warcraft has shaped how we game, socialize, and study epidemics (yes, really).

Launched in 2004, WoW wasn’t just a game—it was a social network before social media. Millions of players log in to chat, grieve, fall in love, and occasionally farm virtual gold. A South Park episode won an Emmy, memes were immortalized, and a future Superman was inspired (Henry Cavill missed his audition for WoW).

With its relaunch as WoW Classic to its latest expansion, The War Within, the game's influence continues to grow. After all, how many games can claim to have shaped everything from cryptocurrency to pandemics?

So, whether you're Horde or Alliance, here's to 20 years of quests, orcs, and elves. Long live Azeroth!

💡 Core Wisdom

📸 Lens to Life

Paris Photo Expo 2024 exhibitors.

🧮 Core Count: 3

Average year of sleep for a snail.

🗓️ Flashback:

1626 - The world's largest Christian church, St. Peter's Basilica, is dedicated in Rome.

1928 - The first Mickey Mouse sound cartoon, Steamboat Willie, has been released.

1978 - Peoples Temple members are murdered or committed suicide in Jonestown, Guyana, under Jim Jones' leadership.

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

Fatih Taskiran