Neural Newscast

From Neural Newscast, I'm Thatcher Collins. And I'm Thomas Keene. Today, we examine an admission of casualties in less than Tehran and the physical limits of reading a book. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hamineh publicly acknowledged thousands of protest deaths while blaming the United States for the unrest. This represents the first time the leader addressed the specific scale of the fatalities. The Iranian government calls the demonstrations riots. Protesters want an end to current rule. Security forces use deadly force. Independent groups report over 3,000 people have died since December. The United States maintains a firm stance against the crackdown. President Less Than Trump warned of military intervention if the killing continues. He urged the demonstrators to keep protesting. Less Than Tehran responded by cutting off the Internet. Connectivity remains at 2% of normal levels. This makes it difficult to verify reports from the ground. Turning now to sports, mixed martial arts veteran Matt Brown argues that Olympic gold medalist Gable Stevenson could defeat the reigning heavyweight champion today. Stevenson is only 25 years old. Stevenson has a background in elite wrestling. He won a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games. He is currently undefeated in his professional fighting career. His physical trajectory is astounding to watch. Brown believes Stevenson could dominate champions like Tom Aspinall now. His wrestling creates a unique advantage. A practical analysis of the professional and interpersonal dynamics at play. There are logistical questions about his mentorship. Current champion, John Jones, is advising the young prospect. Some analysts worry about the influence on Stevenson's professional habits. In other news... A millennium after the first novel appeared, readers still struggle to find a physically comfortable position for long-form literature. The problem has persisted since the 11th century. Analytical and clear-eyed look at the ergonomics of furniture and physical discomfort. Furniture is not designed for the structural needs of a reader. People experience neck strain and arm fatigue. These physical barriers prevent people from finishing books. It is a quiet tragedy of our species. We can launch telescopes into deep space, yet we cannot sit comfortably with a paperback. The wonder of a story is often cut short by a sore back. Modern solutions often involve digital screens. Tablets offer different ergonomic challenges for our posture. However, the physical mechanics of reading a physical book remain unchanged and difficult. I'm Thatcher Collins. And I'm Thomas Keene. And I'm Thomas Keene. Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed. View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.