🧃 Should you try Sober October?

Happy Monday! It’s October 16 — people are talking about the Gaza-Egypt border, the pros and cons of Sober October, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly. Here at Shades we believe that seeing multiple points of view is the best way to stay informed.

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↔️ In the news: The Gaza-Egypt border

Egypt is not allowing Gazans to enter the country. Why is that?

↔️ CNN: The Rafah Border Crossing in Egypt is one of the only exits for Gazans fleeing violence, but Egypt is reluctant to open it. They probably don't want to deal with hundreds of thousands of fleeing Gazans.

↔️ WaPo disagrees: Egypt is worried about Israel completely taking over Gaza and kicking everyone out — it would be a "death knell" for Palestinian statehood.

↔️ The WSJ thinks the real sticking point is humanitarian aid. Egypt won't allow anybody to leave unless aid is allowed into Gaza.

↔️ But the NYT says Israel won’t allow aid until the 150 Israeli hostages are returned. Seems like we're at a complete impasse — and Egypt doesn't want the Sinai region to become the new permanent home for Palestinians.

🧃 Cultural trend: Try Sober October?

Should you try a month of sobriety? There are clear health benefits, but you may be missing out on fun.

🧃 CNN thinks we probably need a month of sobriety more than we think. It could be a step towards being permanently sober (but doesn't have to be).

🧃 Healthline says you'll feel great. You'll have better sleep, memory, and immune function — and you'll lower your risk of cancer. Even a one-month break makes a noticeable difference!

🧃 Stuff sees the health benefits, but points out that completely ditching alcohol is sad. There are so many moments when a nice drink will make a good experience even better. You just have to drink in moderation.

🧃 Blogger Taylor Ruth thinks a sober month is the wrong approach. You shouldn't drop alcohol because it's trendy — you should do it because you've realized how unhealthy it is for you.

Quick hits

⚫ Iran says Hamas is ready to release its Israeli hostages, but first needs Israel to halt its airstrikes. (NY Post)

📽 Taylor Swift's Eras tour film earned over $95m during its opening weekend. It's the biggest opening ever for a concert film. (The Guardian)

🏏 The International Olympic Committee voted to add five new sports ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games, including cricket and flag football. (Reuters)

🏈 The only two unbeaten NFL teams (the Niners and Eagles) lost on Sunday. The Niners lost to the Browns, and the Eagles lost to the Jets. (Press Herald)

That’s it for today. Reply to [email protected] with any feedback, or ideas for tomorrow’s topics!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)