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A United States KC-135 refueling jet went down in Iraq on Thursday, killing all six crew members onboard the plane. Manufactured between 1955 and 1965, Boeing's KC-135 Stratotankers are some of the oldest-serving aircraft in the US military, having been in service for more than 60 years. After considerable upgrades, the tankers are still flying with strong reliability, and no other plane has been more effective in the field of aerial refueling than the KC-135. However, those capabilities come at a cost– each jet is valued at around $80 million, and reports suggest that the military likely spends between $4 and $5 million per year to maintain each plane. Additionally, operation costs exceed $11,000 per hour, making them extremely expensive to fly due to their age. The jets are now being replaced with the KC-46A Pegasus, Boeing's latest generation of tankers that possess greater efficiency, require less maintenance, and have lower operation costs. Nevertheless, KC-135s are not disappearing anytime soon– some reports suggest that delays in the KC-46A testing process could extend the lifespan of the KC-135 into the 2040s. Thursday's incident, which involved at least two KC-135s, was confirmed by the US military on Thursday, with the Central Command stating that the cause of the crash is now under investigation. However, they released very few details on the nature of the crash, simply asserting that the crash cannot be attributed to fire from the enemy or their own military. Hostile attacks on KC-135s are rare, as refueling typically takes place in no-combat zones or areas out of the enemy's reach to avoid being struck down during the vulnerable refueling period. According to CENTCOM, at least one other aircraft was involved in the situation, but the other KC-135 managed to return to Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport – where US refueling operations are taking place – with no damage. All six crew members aboard were killed, unfortunately, which has raised speculation over the availability of parachutes onboard. Over a decade ago, a KC-135 crashed in Kyrgyzstan during operations involving Afghanistan, killing all three crew members. The US military later confirmed that parachutes were not onboard that plane due to maintenance costs, but the KC-135 is rarely involved in incidents and is designed with other features to ensure the safety of the crew. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Y ou can get a headstone with a QR code for after your death. Called “Living Headstones,” they show pages with photos, video biography, and comments from loved ones. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): In one minute, you can change your attitude, and in that minute you can change your entire day. (Spencer Johnson) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Immure (verb, ih-MYOOR) - To immure something is to enclose it within or as if within walls. Immure is also sometimes used synonymously with imprison. In a Sentence: Scientists at the research station in Antarctica are immured by the frozen wild that surrounds them. Image credit to US Air National Guard

Iran has launched at least 150 missiles equipped with cluster munitions at Israeli targets, doing major damage as air defense systems struggle to take the bombs down. Cluster munitions are a specific type of weapon that explode into numerous other small exploding devices, turning one strike into a massive array of bomblets hitting all sorts of different targets. They can be effective during specific tasks, like destroying runways, due to their ability to explode over a large area, but they can also pose a major threat to civilians when launched into populated areas. For example, the United States used thousands of cluster munitions in their conflict against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002, which collectively contained almost 250,000 bomblets. While they were effective, the rate of civilian casualties was also high. Additionally, the bomblets are extremely dangerous even after the conflict, as cluster munitions can often leave unexploded projectiles behind. These remaining projectiles are expensive to clean up and can pose a serious hazard to civilians even after the conflict has ended. Because of these risks, 124 nations collaborated using the Convention on Cluster Munitions, signed in 2010. These 124 nations are therefore banned from using the munitions– though, notably, the United States, Israel, and Iran have not signed the convention. Usually, even if they have not signed the convention, nations in conflict refrain from using cluster munitions due to their humanitarian risks after their original impact, and countries who launch the munitions are often criticized by the rest of the globe. Furthermore, international law bans the use of cluster munitions in populated areas due to the fact that they indiscriminately kill civilians, and cannot be used in an area like a city to hit a specific target. Nevertheless, Israel has confirmed that at least 10 of the 150 Iranian missiles launched with cluster munitions have made impact, proving that Iran's new strategy appears to be working. Israel's Iron Dome system, which intercepts enemy missiles with a success rate of around 90%, can only handle the primary missile, as it is almost impossible to intercept the dozens of bomblets that are released prior to impact. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In the 1980s, the founder of Pringles, Fredric Baur, requested to be buried in a Pringles can. His children honored the request. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. (Soren Kierkegaard) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gambit (noun, GAM-bit) - A gambit is something done or said in order to gain an advantage or to produce a desired effect. In a Sentence: The workers’ opening gambit in the negotiations was to demand a wage hike. Image credit to AP

Yesterday, the International Energy Agency approved the largest-ever release from global oil reserves to quell rising prices for oil and gas amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The International Energy Agency, also known as the IEA, was founded in 1974 and consists of 32 advanced economies across North America, Europe, and Northeastern Asia. The group works to ensure that the world has access to reliable and affordable energy, and they maintain massive oil stockpiles of approximately 1.8 billion barrels in case of emergencies to facilitate a collective response to disasters and wars. In this case, the US-Iran war has gone on for over a week, and it shows no signs of stopping. The Middle East is responsible for over 30% of the world's crude oil production, churning out over 31 million barrels per day. Additionally, the Strait of Hormuz handles around 20% of the world's oil supply, but the bottleneck has been effectively shut down by Iranian operations . Iran asserted recently that they will not allow "even a liter of oil" through the Strait of Hormuz, and almost all shipping companies have completely shut down operations in the Persian Gulf. Major producers like Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar have halted oil production as they run out of storage space at local facilities, and Iran continues to press on– yesterday, Iranian officials addressed the US: "Get ready for oil to be $200 a barrel, because the oil price depends on regional security, which you have destabilized." Gas prices in the United States have spiked considerably with the loss of oil supply from the Middle East– according to AAA, the national average gas price is approximately $3.60 per gallon, having been just $2.94 one month ago. Diesel prices have jumped even higher than gas, soaring from $3.67 in February to $4.86 per gallon. To handle the situation, the IEA has sanctioned the release of over 400 million barrels of oil from global stockpiles, helping offset the shortage caused by the war. They did not confirm exactly when the release would take place, but when it occurs, it would be the largest-ever release from emergency stockpiles since the agency's founding. Nevertheless, IEA Chief Fatih Birol confirmed that the release is simply a temporary solution, but shipping through the Strait of Hormuz must resume in order to fully re-stabilize global oil markets. His point was proved just hours later, as global crude prices began climbing from their lowest points in the war so far to surpass $90 per barrel once again. Amid this crisis, several nations are emerging with minimal to no impacts– those that have invested in renewable energy. Renewable energy has been hailed as the energy of the future, and the Earth is slated to run out of oil by 2070. Countries that are already investing in renewables can reduce energy costs with an initial investment that also allows them to circumvent fluctuations in global oil markets and keep energy clean, reliable, and affordable for consumers. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Spam mail got its name from the canned meat after a Monty Python skit that made fun of Spam as tasting “horrible and being ubiquitous and inescapable.” Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): I’m not lost. I’m exploring. (Jana Stanfield) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Besotted (adj, bih-SAH-tud) - Someone described as besotted is so in love that they are unable to think clearly; they are utterly infatuated. Besotted can also be used as a synonym of drunk . In a Sentence: The opening scene of the movie follows a besotted couple at a party, the camera’s focus emphasizing their ignorance of all that’s around them. Image credit to AFP

Iran has begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, posing a threat to any remaining ships sailing through the channel. Naval mines are extremely dangerous for various reasons, and Iran's laying of them in one of the world's most important straits creates a massive risk for future trade and commerce operations. Underwater mines can do damage to a ship in three ways. First, if a ship or submarine makes contact with a contact mine, it explodes on impact, destroying the vessel that made contact. The second type of naval mine, known as an influence mine, detects the presence of a nearby submarine or ship before automatic detonation. The third type of mine contains some sort of moving weapon, like a torpedo or rocket, that is launched when a vessel's presence is detected. All three types can do serious damage to ships passing through the region, which handled over 20% of the world's oil and gas before the war began. While they are targeted at American ships and submarines, some mines can remain undetonated at the bottom of the seafloor for decades, posing a threat to future vessels as well. Furthermore, naval mines create massive threats to local ecosystems, destroying reefs and seafloor areas that contain various types of marine life. Some parts of the Strait of Hormuz, particularly the southern Iranian and Omani coastlines, contain biodiverse coral reefs that are already stressed due to the area's high shipping traffic. The detonation of mines can destroy entire reefs in seconds– one mine alone can contain over 2,000 lbs of explosives. US President Donald Trump quickly commented on the reports on X, stating "we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY!" He also warned Iran that they would face major consequences if the mines were not removed. US officials reported later in the day that they had sunk at least 16 Iranian minelayers, and they plan to target more– the task will be tough, though, as mines can be laid by almost any vessel, including small, inconspicuous boats that may not draw the attention of the Central Command. Additionally, Iran has asserted that they do not plan to allow any oil or goods through the strait, further endangering the world's oil supply by turning the Strait of Hormuz into a sort of "death valley" for ships. This war has already choked off almost the entire Middle East from continuing their oil trade– prior to the war, over 20 million barrels of oil passed through the strait each day. Now, that figure has been reduced to zero, sending oil prices skyrocketing. Before the war began, the price for a barrel of Brent crude was $72.97. Now, it stands at just over $91, having reached as high as $116 on Monday. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have all been affected, with many oil production facilities being shut down due to strikes. However, many are facing a new problem: lack of storage. Without the ability to ship the oil out of the country, facilities are reaching their maximum capacity to store oil, forcing them to cut production. Of the five nations, Saudi Arabia has still been able to ship some oil through the crucial port of Jeddah, located along the country's west coast on the Red Sea, but the other four have been completely cut off. Unfortunately, the war has shown no signs of coming to an end, with the Iranian government still resisting US and Israeli attempts to wipe out the nation's authoritarian regime. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): We feel “hangry” because it’s harder for us to control our emotions when our brains are low on glucose. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. (Epictetus) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Mea culpa (verb, may-uh-KOOL-puh) - The noun mea culpa is used for a formal acknowledgment of personal fault or error. In a Sentence: The podcast host's mea culpa did little to satisfy those who found the episode deeply offensive. Image credit to AFP

After days of consideration, Iran has named their new Supreme Leader to be Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The selection of Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, represents Iran's ongoing refusal to comply with the demands of the United States and Israel, who asserted that they would play a role in finding the next leader of Iran. Khamenei has been a prominent figure in the Iranian government for years, serving as a religious leader alongside his father while building up ties with organizations like the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps– a major branch of the Iranian Army. Furthermore, Khamenei has worked to diversify his backing by investing in other industries like real estate, banking, and shipping, but kept his profile low-key. He rarely speaks or appears in public and is barely known by much of the country, directing operations from behind the scenes. This, though, has led to allegations against his secretive influence over the Iranian government, helping promote the elder Khamenei's hardline, often violent stances and goals without making his moves public. In total, experts have confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei is the closest leader Iran could have selected to maintain the status quo, as he maintains almost all of the same ideals to his father. However, whether the US and Israel will target him next is yet to be determined. The civilians of Bahrain are beginning to suffer the consequences of the ongoing war after several Iranian strikes on major infrastructure. While the ongoing war had been largely limited to strikes on US-affiliated bases and equipment, Iran has expanded their attacks on Bahrain to include civilian infrastructure, and stray drones and missiles have struck other locations as well. Last week, an Iranian drone hit one of Bahrain's numerous desalination plants, doing minimal damage. However, it represents an escalation in hostility to include crucial infrastructure– the Middle East is heavily dependent on desalination to provide their water, as it remains impossible to find fresh water in the extensive expanse of the Arabian Desert. Iran claimed that the US had hit a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, off the coast of southern Iran, sparking retaliation strikes on Bahrain. However, Iran has also claimed that they have only targeted US military operations and bases, which has not been true– they have struck targets in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, and debris from stray drones and missiles have sparked fires and caused damage across other nations like Qatar and the UAE. Then, yesterday, Iran hit an oil refinery on the island of Sitra, located near the capital of Manama. The attack sparked a fire following an initial explosion, sending smoke billowing into the air, and injured at least 32 local citizens, drawing the ire of the Bahraini government. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): A Swedish startup was sucessfully able train wild crows to pick up cigarette butts and place them in trash cans for a peanut as a reward. However, the pilot project was discontinued after concerns were raised regarding the crows' health after being exposed to the chemicals in the cigarette filters. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): A great man is always willing to be little. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Hector (verb, HEK-ter) - To hector someone is to criticize or question them in a threatening way. In a Sentence: The judge ordered the attorney to stop hectoring the witness. Image credit to Reuters

India dominated New Zealand in yesterday's Men's T20 World Cup final, bringing home the trophy for the second tournament in a row. To reach the final, New Zealand had pulled off an epic win against the South African national team, defeating them in just 12.5 overs after chasing down a total of 169 runs. Meanwhile, India squeezed out a win against England, who put up an incredible fight– India scored a massive 253/7, but England fought back to score 246 runs before their 20 overs expired. Then came the final, where India were heavy favorites and were playing at home– this year's world cup took place across India and Sri Lanka, with the final happening at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bowl first, but India's opening batsmen began the match with a bang. The pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma raced to 98 runs before Sharma's wicket was taken, but Ishan Kishan came in just after. Together, Kishan and Samson took India past the 200-run mark, scoring 54 and 89 runs, respectively, before their wickets were taken by Kiwi bowler Jimmy Neesham in the 16th over. Several other Indian batsmen came in afterwards, but they failed to make a solid impact until the last over. Shivam Dube, India's powerful finisher, scored 24 runs in the final few balls, bringing the team to an incredible 255/5– the highest-ever total by a team in a T20 World Cup final. Then, New Zealand came out to bat, with a monumental task ahead of them. Openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen came out with a mission, having maintained the most successful partnership between two batsmen in the World Cup, but Allen was quickly dismissed by Indian bowler Axar Patel in the third over. Tim Seifert continued to serve as the anchor for the Kiwi team, smashing 5 sixes, but wickets continued to fall– batsmen Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, and Mark Chapman were dismissed within the next few overs, leaving New Zealand struggling at 70/4 in the eighth over. Then, Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner came in, establishing the beginnings of a strong partnership despite the rapidly dropping chances of them surpassing such a total. In the end, Mitchell's wicket was taken by Axar Patel, and Santner and two other tail-enders were dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah's blistering yorkers. For the final over, Abhishek Sharma came in to bowl to Jacob Duffy, who attempted to hit the ball past the boundary. The catch was taken by Tilak Varma on the boundary line, sealing the game with New Zealand all-out for 159 runs. Jasprit Bumrah was awarded Player of the Match for his four wickets against New Zealand, giving away just 15 runs. Sanju Samson, on the other hand, was awarded Player of the Tournament for his crucial knocks of 97*, 89, and 89 runs against West Indies, England, and New Zealand in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, respectively. The World Cup win makes India the first nation to take home the trophy three times, having won in 2007, 2024, and now 2026. England and the West Indies have won the tournament two times each, while Australia, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan have won once. India also becomes the first country to win back-to-back titles, having beat South Africa by just 7 runs in 2024, and set the record for the largest margin of victory in a T20 World Cup final. India won by a staggering 96 runs, demolishing the previous record of 36 runs set by the West Indies in 2012. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): When cellophane was invented in 1908, it was originally intended to be used to protect tablecloths from wine spills. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Remind yourself that you cannot fail at being yourself. (Wayne Dyer) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Crepuscular (adj, krih-PUHSS-kyuh-ler) - Crepuscular means “of, relating to, or resembling twilight.” It is used in zoological contexts to describe creatures that are active during twilight, or the activities of such creatures. In a Sentence: As evening came on, fireflies began to appear in the crepuscular gloaming. Image credit to AP

Ukraine could provide expertise and valuable defense systems to the United States and its Gulf allies to help fend off Iranian drone attacks. Ukraine is already providing this expertise to the US, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and the UAE, and they are looking to assist other nations in the region and their European allies. Russia's war against Ukraine is now stretching into its fifth year, having crossed the fourth-anniversary mark in February. However, that conflict is proving to have a silver lining for those involved in the war with Iran. Back in 2021, Iran developed the Shahed-136, a kamikaze drone designed for maximum impact at minimum cost. The drone costs between $20,000 and $50,000 to make, but US military bases in the Gulf are using Patriot and SM-2 interceptor missiles that can cost between $2 million and $4 million for one shot. This makes the interceptions of the drones incredibly costly, while they are cheap and easy for Iran to produce. This low-cost attack system quickly intrigued Russia, who bought thousands of them from Iran in the initial stages of the war against Ukraine. Russia quickly set up a production facility of their own, which builds over 170 units of the Geran-2 – a variant of the Shahed – per day. The drones also possess new equipment, like radio jamming systems and larger amounts of explosives. Because of this, Ukraine is incredibly experienced when it comes to drone attacks– statistics show that Russia launches an average of 100 drones a day at the eastern European nation. To combat the issue of drones, which the US was relatively unprepared for, the country's military reverse-engineered a Shahed-136 and discovered how to replicate it. Now, the US is producing a variant of Shahed to use against Iran, helping fend off drone attacks and continue the conflict. Nevertheless, intercepting the drones has proved to be challenging, allowing Ukraine to step in as an assist. According to Ukrainian officials, the country has more than ten companies that produce cost-effective defense systems and interceptor drones designed to shoot down attack drones. If the US and their Gulf allies were able to order these systems, they could intercept Iranian drones much more effectively, allowing them to save money and preserve their missile stockpiles for intercepting Iranian strikes. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asserted that these systems could come at a cost. Ukraine is currently short on PAC-3 missiles – those utilized by the Patriot interceptor system – which are needed to fend off Russian missile attacks. Meanwhile, the Gulf has a surplus of these, but they do not have the capability to produce drone interceptor systems. Zelenskyy suggested that the nations could execute an exchange of sorts, allowing both sides to benefit and fight back against their respective enemies. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In the town of Longyearbyen, located on the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, it is effectively illegal to die. The permafrost and extreme temperatures prevent bodies from decomposing, causing them to remain preserved and risks spreading diseases– for this reason, burials are forbidden, and anyone who is terminally ill or extremely sick is sent to the mainland. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important. (T.S. Eliot) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Libertine (noun, LIB-er-teen) - A libertine is in broad terms a person who is unrestrained by convention or morality. More narrowly, the word describes someone who leads an immoral life. In a Sentence: The legend of Don Juan depicts him as a playboy and libertine . Image credit to SpektreWorks

Today, we launched a new Your News Hub feature: badges! This member-only feature allows members to earn badges based on how many articles they read on our website. Members can click on their profile in the top right corner of the website to view their progress towards their next badge, and badges will appear next to members' names in their profile. If you're reading this article on our website, you're already one post closer to your next badge! Members can also view others' profiles and compete against each other to earn badges and read the most articles. We might bring more badges to the website in the future, but we'll need to see some engagement from you all before that happens! Note: Articles read in the app will not count towards badges– unfortunately, this is a website-only feature. The United States confirmed the announcement of a major deal that hands Venezuela's state-owned mining company a license to sell gold. The multimillion-dollar deal will see Venezuelan mining company Minerven receive a license to sell gold internationally. Among their potential customers, Singapore-based global commodities trading firm Trafigura will receive up to 2,200 pounds of gold dore bars– unrefined bars that are between 50% and 90% gold, with the remaining alloy made up by silver or copper. Minerven had faced severe sanctions from the US government in previous years under President Nicolás Maduro, who has since been captured by American forces. Now, US President Donald Trump has decided to expand his control over Venezuela's extensive network of natural resources, going further than just oil. US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum finalized an agreement for the required licensing during a meeting with interim President Delcy Rodríguez earlier this week, where the Venezuelan leader took care to assuage the concerns of US mining companies. According to Burgum, these mining companies could funnel billions of dollars into a Venezuelan economy that is just beginning to pick up the pieces from Maduro's brutal regime, which throttled economic growth in the South American nation. Currently, gold exports are heavily controlled by rebel groups and gangs, but Rodríguez asserted that Minerven would work to reclaim control over the nation's largest mines. The license from the US also guarantees that the gold will not be sold to any person or company representing or sending the goods to Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea. The meeting also allowed them to confirm the deal with Trafigura– the company will facilitate the shipment of the gold to American refineries through a separate agreement with the US government. Trafigura is also currently involved in the United States' oil contracts in Venezuela, which remains crucial as Trump looks to expand the country's grip on global oil markets. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): A study from 2007 proved that surgeons who play video games at least three hours a week perform 27% faster and make 37% fewer errors. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Timing, perseverance, and ten years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success. (Biz Stone) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Vaunted (adj, VAWN-tud) - Vaunted describes someone or something that is often spoken of or described as very good or great. In a Sentence: The team’s vaunted defense faltered in the second half of the game. Image credit to Bloomberg

Here are the latest developments from the United States and Israel's war against Iran, detailing some major events that have occurred over the last few days. A US attack submarine sunk a prominent Iranian warship, marking the first time such a strike has taken place since World War II. Several days ago, the Sri Lankan navy reported that an Iranian warship had been sunk near their territory. The US later confirmed that a member of their submarine fleet had hit the warship – named the IRIS Dena – with a Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claiming that the ship was Iran's "prize ship." US Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of the US Central Command, later asserted that the IRIS Dena joins a list of 16 other Iranian warships that the US has struck during this war. Meanwhile, Israel appears to have shifted their focus to taking down Hezbollah, launching dozens of strikes on the Lebanese capital of Beirut in recent days. At least 87 bodies were recovered by Sri Lankan authorities, who discovered the remains of the boat in international waters after receiving a mayday call early in the morning. The crews also managed to rescue an additional 32 people, but an undetermined number of Iranians are still missing as Sri Lanka continues their search. Hegseth confirmed that they had struck the ship while they "thought it was safe," completing an attack that marks the United States' first time sinking a combat ship with a submarine-launched torpedo since World War II in 1945.   Video  posted by the Department of Defense on X shows the exact moment the ship was struck, alongside a short clip of his comments. An Iranian strike directed towards Turkey was intercepted by NATO defense forces, threatening to drag Europe into the conflict. Turkey confirmed that the strike, which was directed towards the Incirlik Air Base, had been launched over Iraq and Syria, suggesting that the missile had come from Iran. The strike was intercepted by NATO forces in the Mediterranean Sea, but it came as a shock to a nation that has been relatively friendly to Iran throughout the conflict. Following the death of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave the regime his condolences, and the nation refused to allow US forces to launch strikes at Iran from their soil. Due to this, Turkey appeared to be one of the last countries that Iran would ever strike. However, that perception changed drastically when the strike was intercepted, threatening to bring NATO into the conflict by triggering the organization's Article 5 clause. Nevertheless, NATO confirmed that they would not enter the war, quelling fears. Additionally, Iran sparked further confusion when they denied the claims that they launched the missiles, alleging that they "respect the sovereignty of the neighboring and friendly country" that is Turkey. Azerbaijan is demanding answers from Iran and threatening retaliation after the nation was hit by two Iranian drone attacks. Iran failed to confirm the attacks, but videos taken by Azerbaijani civilians depicted two separate drone attacks on an airport and a school. A terminal at Nakhchivan International Airport was hit, damaging infrastructure and injuring at least two citizens. However, the attack was not completely unprecedented. Azerbaijan and Iran have maintained hostile relations for quite some time, and Iran has already expressed concerns that Israel could utilize Azerbaijani territory to launch strikes into Iran from a closer range. While Azerbaijan initially attempted to settle those concerns, these latest drone attacks risk dragging the nation into the ongoing conflict– Azerbaijani officials labeled the strikes as a "terror act" and are already demanding answers. Qatari fighter pilots managed to bring down two Iranian bombers approaching the Al Udeid Air Base, preventing a possible strike just minutes before it happened. Al Udeid Air Base serves as a major hub for US military operations in the Middle East, hosting over 10,000 troops and the forward headquarters for the US Central Command. Due to this, it remains a primary target for Iranian attacks, having already suffered from strikes– while most missiles headed for the base have been intercepted, one ballistic missile slipped through Qatari defenses yesterday, damaging almost $1.1 billion in American radio equipment. In the latest attack, Qatar confirmed that two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 bombers had been approaching for a strike on the base before they were given a single radio warning by the local command center. When the jets dropped to 80 feet above the ground to avoid being tracked down by radar, they were engaged into combat by one of the nation's own fighter jets. The Qatari pilots, sitting in an American-made F-15, chased down the Iranian bombers and struck them, sending the fighter jets into Qatari waters– though not much more detail was provided by authorities. The event marks the first time in this conflict that Iran has attacked another nation with manned aircraft – all other attacks have used airstrikes and drones – hinting that they may be running low on missiles or getting more desperate as the conflict continues. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The state of New Jersey had five different governors in the span of just eight days in early 2002. The shortest term of those was served by John Farmer Jr., who took office for a mere 90 minutes. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever. (Samuel Smiles) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Deem (verb, DEEM) - Deem is a somewhat formal word used when someone comes to think something or to have something as an opinion after some consideration. In a Sentence: The covered bridge was closed to automobile traffic for the winter because town officials deemed it a hazard to motorists. Image credit to AP

Scientists recently discovered that studies have been significantly underestimating global sea level rise across the world, highlighting possibly deadly consequences. The new study highlights the misinterpretation of global sea levels by scientists over the last few decades. According to their research, less than 1% of recent studies have correctly estimated current sea levels due to their reliance on an old satellite mapping model. The old model, which combines satellite mapping with estimations of global sea levels based on Earth's gravitational field, has incorrectly been relied on for more than 99% of recent studies on climate change, spelling dangerous consequences for the world. These estimations can be off by as much as several feet due to its inability to account for other factors like winds, currents, tides, and water temperatures. According to the new data, areas around the Equator – particularly the regions of Southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania – are at a much higher risk of sea level rise than previously estimated. Across the globe, sea levels are around one foot higher than scientists thought. In some parts of Southeast Asia, water levels are more than three feet higher than scientists believed them to be, putting millions more lives in danger as polar ice melts and global ocean levels continue their upward trend. Currently, over 300 million people live in areas that are at risk of coastal flooding by 2050, with many of those people residing in low-lying areas across South and Southeast Asia. With the inclusion of this new data, 37% more land would be submerged– this means that around 132 million more people could face those risks, and the impacts would occur sooner than previously thought. Climate scientists have confirmed that work is already underway to re-evaluate the world's current position on sea level rise and climate change with this new data. The new study essentially means that the world is much farther down the line than previously thought, but the primary threat of sea level rise as a whole remains imminent– it remains imperative that we attempt to stop climate change and global warming through whatever efforts necessary, or the consequences could be deadly. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): On April 1, 2005, NASA pulled an April Fool’s prank telling the world that they had found water on Mars. The associated image, rather than a real photo of Mars, pictured a cup of water atop a Mars chocolate bar, conveying that the message was a joke. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Everything you have in this world is just borrowed for a short time . (Welsh Proverb) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Ad hoc (adj, AD-HOCK) - Ad hoc describes something that is formed or used for a special purpose, or that is made or done without planning because of an immediate need. In a Sentence: An ad hoc committee was formed to investigate the matter. Image credit to SDMRI