Weekend Edition: To Russia with Love

Good morning, weekend adventurers!

It's the weekend, but our headlines won't take a break. Let's stretch our curiosity instead of snoozing through brunch—no coffee mugs needed, promise. How's the world cooking while we sleep? Let’s dive in.

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The pulse of today, in just minutes:

There was a plan for the Munich Security Conference: talk Ukraine, talk defense. JD Vance then took the stage and basically said, "Eh, Russia isn't Europe's real threat—you are." Cue dead silence. Instead of slamming Putin, Vance scolded European leaders for "quashing free speech" and ignoring their own voters.

Critics—and there are many—say Vance’s remarks overshadow any discussion of ending the Ukraine war. Zelensky tried to salvage some unity in a separate meeting, but people are expecting more tension when defense ministers meet. Conclusion? It's another day, and another headline about Washington and Europe is no longer reading from the same script.

Fever Pitch

It's like the worst COVID wave, with hospitals bracing for a barrage of flu patients. It's not just typical sniffles either: there are serious complications, like aggressive MRSA pneumonia in adults and rare brain inflammations in kids. So far, 57 kids have died, mostly unvaccinated, which doctors say is a stark reminder: get your shot.

H1N1 and H3N2 are tag-teaming this year, so people get the flu twice. If you've put off that vaccine, you might want to hurry—especially since another spring peak might still be on the menu. Stay masked in crowds, keep your hands clean, and please stay home when you feel a scratch in your throat.

GTA Shipping

Cars vanish off US streets—sometimes brazenly, sometimes quietly—and sail across oceans in a blur of paperwork and cunning. West Africa is the biggest customer, but the Caribbean, Middle East, and beyond also love these hot wheels. This isn't your late-night joyride: these are well-organized theft rings. They re-VIN rides or hide them behind "household goods" in shipping containers.

Why the global demand? There's a huge market for used cars overseas, and local police can't keep up. Result? This market thrives on global secrecy, fueling organized crime and leaving unsuspecting owners with "Your vehicle has been shipped. Good luck."

🎪 Weekend Leisure Core

Fuel Your Screen: SNL's big anniversary weekend is here. There's the Homecoming Concert, which features many big names, and Saturday Night Live's 50th anniversary special (on Sunday, strangely).

Fuel Your Curiosity: If you missed our recommendation, Netflix's excellent (and disturbing) documentary Victim/Suspect explains how often women are arrested for rape.

Fuel Your Mind: Detailed and character-driven, Smartest Guys in the Room takes you deep into the Enron affair—and behind closed doors.

💬 Beyond the Core

Love Language: Glasgow couple celebrate 69 years of marriage despite not speaking the same language.

Deal Hunt: You don't want to miss these best deals this Presidents Day weekend.

From Hell: The identity of Jack the Ripper has been revealed 130 years later through a DNA match.

💡 Core Wisdom

📸 Lens to Life

‘Prints don’t lie’: a platinum printer’s craft—in pictures.

🧮 Core Count: 940,000,000

The number of Valentine's Day flowers processed through Miami.

.🗓️ Flashback:

399 BC - The city of Athens sentences philosopher Socrates to death for corrupting the minds of its youth and impiety.

590 - Khosrau II, the last great Sasanian king, is crowned King of Persia.

1763 - The French and Indian War and the Seven Years' War ended when Austria, Prussia, and Saxony signed the Treaty of Hubertusburg.

1989 - Soviet military occupation of Afghanistan ended as the last Soviet troops crossed the Soviet-Afghan border.

2001 - The first draft of the complete human genome is published in Nature journal.

2003 - Around the world, an estimated 6-11 million people protest the war with Iraq.

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

Fatih Taskiran