The Iran conflict represents a “war-like situation” for South Koreans, President Lee Jae Myung said earlier this month. Rising oil prices and the weakening of the won against the dollar are “dealing a double blow” to the Korean economy, said The New York Times. Oil reserves are dwindling, and it would take a long time for supplies to catch up even if normal service in the Strait of Hormuz were to resume. 

‘Uniquely lacking in natural resources’
The “brightly illuminated” satellite images of South Korea at night, set alongside the “sea of blackness” in the North, have long been seen as a “wider triumph of capitalism and democracy,” said The Telegraph. But due to the Iran war, these lights could be extinguished “in a matter of weeks.”

Compared with fellow developed countries, South Korea is “almost uniquely lacking in natural resources,” relying on imports to meet “90% of its energy needs,” said The Telegraph. Around 70% of its crude oil shipments and 20% of its natural gas come from the Gulf. 

South Koreans are now facing surging fuel prices, a ban on driving one day per week, and orders to reduce shower times and to charge electric cars and phones only in the daytime. And much more draconian measures could be weeks away.

‘Catnip’ calls
South Korea must face a “difficult home truth,” said Bloomberg. Behind the “sleek modern society” is an “insatiable appetite for fossil fuels that’s undermining its economy.”

The war is “serving as a significant turning point” for South Korea to shift to renewable energy, said Kim Sung-hwan, the minister of climate, energy and environment, to CNBC. Energy targets predating the war include generating 20% of the country’s electricity from renewables by 2030 and phasing out coal by 2040. 

But the “catnip” calls to transition to renewables have “no chance of being met,” said Bloomberg. For instance, state utility Korea Electric Power Corporation has “effectively banned” all new generators in the “renewables-rich” east until 2032, because its “crumbling grid is supposedly incapable of accepting new connections.” These kinds of decisions will do “nothing to advance South Korea’s energy transition.” Society as a whole needs to fight against those who have kept them “hooked on polluting power.”

“A little blue pill is creating a stir in Hollywood,” said pharmaceuticals expert Dipa Kamdar at The Conversation. “And no, it’s not Viagra.” Celebrities have been singing the praises of propranolol, a beta-blocker originally designed for heart conditions that also helps with anxiety. Kristen Bell, Rachel Sennott and Natasha Rothwell have mentioned taking the pill at red-carpet events over the past year.

These A-lister endorsements have helped to fuel a surge in demand for propranolol prescriptions, especially among young women and girls. It’s now the “go-to pill for dealing with all sorts of stressful situations, from public speaking to first dates,” said The Wall Street Journal. In the U.S., propranolol prescriptions are up by 28% from 2020, according to global IQVIA data, per the Journal. 

How do they work?
Beta-blockers were approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1967 for the treatment of heart problems, including high blood pressure, arrhythmia (irregular heart rate) and angina. But the drugs were also found to reduce physical responses to anxiety, such as high heart rate, sweating, nausea and trembling hands. And while other medications prescribed for anxiety can take weeks to work, beta-blockers like propranolol (brand name Inderal, among others) can take effect within an hour.

Unlike drugs such as alprazolam (brand name Xanax, among others) or diazepam (brand name Valium, among others), which “act directly on the brain and can leave people feeling sedated, foggy or zoned out,” propranolol and six other beta-blockers like it don’t address anxiety’s “underlying roots,” said The Boston Globe. Instead, they block the physical symptoms by slowing down the heart rate and lowering blood pressure.

Are there any risks?
Compared to alprazolam and diazepam, propranolol is a nonaddictive and low-risk medication. However, it’s “not without risks or side effects,” said Kamdar. Because propranolol reduces blood pressure and heart rate, common side effects include dizziness, fatigue, cold hands and feet, and vivid dreams. “More serious risks, though rare, include heart failure, breathing difficulties and allergic reactions.”

The world’s longest tiramisu in history is on display at Chelsea Old Town Hall in London. Around 100 Italian chefs used 3,000 eggs and 50,000 ladyfinger biscuits to make the 1,445.5-foot-long dessert, toppling the record of 897.3 feet set in Milan in 2019. 
Muhammed Yaylali / Anadolu / Getty Images

Arizona’s three parks show off the state’s beauty in different ways. The Grand Canyon offers jaw-dropping views, while Saguaro celebrates the iconic native cactus, and the Petrified Forest showcases ancient fossils and vibrant badlands. Each park has its own story, millions of years in the making.

Grand Canyon 
This mile-deep canyon is 278 river miles long and 18 miles across at its widest point. The ever-popular South Rim is open year-round and has the “greatest number of viewpoints, visitor services and hotels,” said Afar. Mather Point, extremely popular at sunrise and sunset, has a stunning perspective of the canyon, and on clear days, you can see at least 30 miles to the east and 60 miles to the west. 

Petrified Forest 
The 200,000-acre Petrified Forest, part of the greater Painted Desert, provides a “remarkable example” of how this region, a primeval tropical forest, has “radically evolved through the ages,” said National Geographic. Badlands, grasslands, ancestral Pueblo sites, and tons of petrified logs make up the park, along with an “amazing array” of wildlife.

Saguaro 
The saguaro cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert, and more than 2 million can be found spread across Saguaro National Park West, in the Tucson Mountains, and Saguaro National Park East, in the Rincon Mountains. The two districts are “nearly an hour’s drive apart,” but both have “towering cacti, captivating desert scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities,” said Travel and Leisure.