The obstacles encountered by an Iranian missile until it reaches its target (listed in the attached 28 points) are listed. Artificial intelligence converted this into a graph. There is no direct confrontation on the ground. There is a massive, organized, and technologically superior defense bloc against a single actor (Iran). After overcoming bases, radars, and … Read more
Category Event / description Location / targets Status (verified vs claimed) Main open sources Overall pattern Iran continues missile and drone attacks as part of its retaliation, but at lower intensity than the initial waves; Israel, US and Gulf states remain on high alert Region‑wide Verified (broad agreement in situation reports and live coverage) ISW … Read more
Joint US–Israeli operation hits leadership, IRGC and military sites around Tehran and other locations, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior commanders. This is a list of retaliatory acts by Iran and its allies. Information is still fragmentary and evolving, and no outlet has anything close to a complete, verified “every act” list yet, so this can … Read more
I saw two platforms mentioned several times on X (World Monitor and USvsIran.com) and asked Perplexity to compile similar sources. Here you are: OSINT Sources for Following the US-Israel-Iran Conflict World Monitor (worldmonitor.app) and USvsIRAN.com — represent a growing ecosystem of open-source intelligence (OSINT) dashboards built for real-time conflict monitoring. World Monitor is an open-source … Read more
Drop me a line if you are having difficulty finding the readings (erkan.saka@bilgi.edu.tr) This is my signature course in which we work on new readings but also new book projects here at İstanbul Bilgi University. COMM 720-2026 Syllabus Course Name Theories of New Media Lecturer Prof. Erkan Saka (erkan.saka@bilgi.edu.tr) Description On Mondays, 19:00-22:00 E4 Publica … Read more
A Conda Nest Traveler piece: The American Passport Is Losing Its Power Global travel is booming again, with record passenger numbers and spending, but the U.S. is losing billions in tourism as stricter entry rules and expanded travel bans deter visitors. The administration has extended its travel ban to 39 mostly African countries and increased visa … Read more
Episode 7: “Projecilik”—When Funding Becomes the Product I was recently at an academic conference when a colleague introduced herself: “I’m working on a TÜBİTAK-funded project on digital literacy.” Not “I’m researching digital literacy.” Not “I’m studying how social media affects learning.” No—the funded project itself was the primary credential, the opening gambit, the thing most … Read more
I have been meaning to mention this: State Department: Calibri font was a DEI hire I asked Perplexity if there were any other cases in the history. A few pop up: It seems that fonts were sometimes drawn into ideological, nationalist, and culture‑war debates.typeroom+3 Historical cases Antiqua–Fraktur dispute (Germany, 19th–20th c.) Long‑running fight over whether … Read more
I see people sharing tools to help you find the best-fitting journal for your manuscript if you don’t already have one in mind. Choosing the right journal is as important as writing the paper itself—these tools make that decision far easier. I have curated a list for you. General‑purpose and major publisher tools Elsevier Journal … Read more
The unsealed Epstein documents are vast and messy; the right tools make the difference between noise and meaningful analysis. Several public and semi-public tools now make the Epstein material much easier to query and cross-check. I have also shared a list at the end. Here are the main ones and what they’re good for: Turn‑key … Read more
As of February 2, 2026, the publicly released Epstein Files include several references to Turkey, focusing on allegations of international trafficking, diplomatic contacts, and broader geopolitical implications. However, as far as I could see, no major scandals so far! Most Turkey-related references in the newly released Epstein Files are incidental or contextual, with only one … Read more
Before I moved to the US for my doctoral studies, I had worked as a TA at İstanbul Bilgi University. I assisted Prof Avcı’s introduction to media courses. Nabi Avcı was involved in politics and later served as Turkey’s minister of education and then of culture. I had the opportunity to get in touch with … Read more
Multiple reports confirm that María Corina Machado physically gave her Nobel Peace Prize medal to President Donald Trump during a White House meeting in January 2026.[bbc] However, the Nobel institutions have stressed that only the medal was handed over: the title and status of Nobel Peace Prize laureate legally and symbolically remain with Machado and cannot … Read more
Episode 3- The Q1 Journal Fetish Episode 4- The Administrator Problem Episode 5- The University Rankings Game With no public debate or academic consensus, Türkiye’s Higher Education Council (YÖK) decided to reduce undergraduate education to 3 years. YÖK is so powerful that no university administration can challenge its decisions. YÖK can easily stop a university’s existence. I have … Read more
An X user shared a scholarship database: Download and Save this PDF if you are looking for a scholarship in 2026. It contains more than 200 different scholarships from countries like the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, European countries, and others. Here is the link for the database.