Where There's Smoke...There's Fury

Burned-Out Dreams: Inside the Chaos Scorching the City of Angels

Author

Fatih Taskiran
January 13, 2025 • Reading Time: 9 minutes

Hi there, brilliant minds!

Welcome to another day of fresh headlines and spirited insights. Grab a pick-me-up, and let's dive into stories that will keep you talking long after you scroll through them. Happy reading!!

Your daily lens on the world starts here:

Firefighters and weary residents are bracing for more Santa Ana winds after Los Angeles' devastating wildfires killed 24. Crews spent the weekend putting out wildfires that destroyed entire neighborhoods, lit up palm trees, and forced 150,000 people to evacuate. Water shortages, scorched utilities, and an all-out effort to protect what's left have sparked finger-pointing the mayor's travel schedule to budget cuts for the fire department.

No surprise in a city where drama is scripted, but it also includes heated political showdowns, accountability calls, and bungled preparations. Angelenos cling to hope these flames can be put out for good with more wind in the forecast. Until then, LA's good vibes are on hold, replaced by ash-filled skies and a big question mark: When will this chapter finally end?

Bonus: Fact-checking, live updates, fire map and tracker, and list of resources for LA wildfire victims.

Between Kim and Freedom

We've covered North Korean troops in Ukraine before, but this is jaw-dropping: two soldiers captured in Russia's Kursk region are reportedly refusing to defect. Zelensky suggests a trade with Kim Jong Un: these POWs for Ukrainians in Russia.

South Korea's spy agency says North Korean captives aren't interested in heading south. It's also reported that 300 North Koreans have died, and nearly 3,000 are injured. Drone warfare and suicide orders add a grim new dimension to an already chaotic conflict. What happens next could hint at what's next for everyone caught in the crossfire.

Beyond the Brink

The Middle East conflict rarely sparks optimism, but here we are: Israel and Hamas seem closer than ever to a ceasefire. Multiple sources say overnight talks fueled by U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari mediators moved the needle. Hopes are high for hostages to be returned safely and bombs to be halted—perhaps before Donald Trump's inauguration in a few days.

But let's be real: we've been on the brink before. Netanyahu's far-right coalition is pressured not to back down. It's unclear how a "phased ceasefire" would look, as Hamas wants to leave Gaza in full. The next 24 hours could make or break the deal with envoys from Qatar's Biden and Trump teams. We'll see if optimism takes center stage this time.

No Liftoff Today

It was all systems go—until it wasn't. Jeff Bezos' orbital ambitions were displayed just minutes before sunrise at Cape Canaveral with Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. Then, suddenly, there was a mysterious "vehicle subsystem issue," so they had to abort. Talk about a mood swing!

There's no revised launch date yet, so we'll have to wait a bit longer. The giant rocket returns to its hangar, where engineers will analyze the data to figure out what went wrong—and when the next countdown clock will start ticking. Next time, fingers crossed for a smoother show.

Bonus: The first full moon of 2025 is here. January's Wolf Moon peaks today.

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💡 Core Wisdom

❝

You can't expect to hit the jackpot if you don't put a few nickels in the machine.

📸 Lens to Life

Reimagining the Empire State Building in different styles.

🧮 Core Count: 900,000

The price in USD of Mark Zuckerberg's watch from the Meta video about the end of US fact-checking.

🗓️ Flashback:

1888 - The National Geographic Society was founded in Washington, D.C., for "the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge."

1908 - Henri Farman wins the Grand Prix d'Aviation after flying the first observed circuit over 1km.

1943 - Adolf Hitler declares "Total War" against the Allies.

1970 - Odumegwu Ojukwu fled Biafra into exile, leaving Philip Effiong to surrender to the Nigerian army. This unofficially ended the Nigerian Civil War.

2000 - Microsoft chairman Bill Gates stepped down as chief executive and was succeeded by president Steve Ballmer.

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

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