Monday, June 23

At least 22 people were killed and dozens of others were injured after a suicide bombing in the Syrian capital city of Damascus yesterday.

The attack took place at the Church of the Prophet Elias, a Greek Orthodox church located in the city's Dweila neighborhood. A gunman stormed into the church and opened fire, hitting several people and destroying various objects. Then, the man detonated a vest that he had been wearing, which was loaded with explosives.

The explosion sent glass flying across the area, and pieces of wooden benches and metal were also thrown into nearby buildings by the blast. At least 22 people were killed, and around 60 others were injured, some inside the building and some in the streets.

No organization took responsibility for the attack, but local authorities believe that the bomber was associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a terrorist organization notorious around the world for spreading their Sunni Islamic beliefs through violence.

Dozens of countries around the world, as well as the United Nations, have strongly condemned the attack, but unfortunately, the threat posed by ISIS is still high as thousands of terrorists remain unharmed in Arab countries across the Middle East.

Upcoming Events:

• United Nations Public Service Day (Monday, June 23)

• International Widows' Day (Monday, June 23)

• International Day of Women in Diplomacy (Tuesday, June 24)

• Day of the Seafarer (Wednesday, June 25)

• NBA Draft (Wednesday, June 25 to Thursday, June 26)

• World Sailing Championships (Wednesday, June 25 to Sunday, June 29)

• International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (Thursday, June 26)

• United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (Thursday, June 26)

• Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day (Friday, June 27)

• International Day of Deafblindness (Friday, June 27)

• International Day of the Tropics (Sunday, June 29)

Fact of the Day: Smells can pass through liquid. Please don’t try smelling underwater (your nose will not appreciate it), but smell does protrude through liquid. 

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The beginning is always today. (Mary Wollstonecraft)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Bemuse (verb, bih-MYOOZ) - If you are bemused by something, you are confused or bewildered by it, and often also somewhat amused.

In a Sentence: The contestant seemed somewhat bemused by the question, but gave the correct answer.