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The European Union has announced the arrival of a massive new sanctions bill that is set to greatly impact the Russian economy. The agreement approved yet another round of sanctions targeting Russia, further pressuring them to end their war against Ukraine. The war began back in February 2022 and has not let up since then, with various countries around the world urging Russia to put an end to the conflict. One of the most efficient ways to put pressure on a country is through the financial sector, especially during a time of war. Due to Russia's tightening finances from other sanctions and increasing expenditures on military and arms, they have become even more dependent on their booming oil and gas industry. Prior to the war, numerous European countries were heavily reliant on Russian oil to provide crucial services like heating and electricity, but those numbers have slowly decreased as the EU as a whole attempts to move away from Russian products. Now, in the latest move against Russia's economy, the EU and UK have lowered the price cap for Russian oil, bringing it down from $60 per barrel to $47.60 per barrel. This prohibits any country within the European Union from purchasing Russian oil if it is priced over $47.60, substantially lowering Russia's net profits. The new limit will take effect on September 3, and it could have a serious impact on Russia's finances. In addition to the price cap shift, the agreement also cuts back on the usage of Russian pipelines and avoids Russian banks, further damaging their economy, and technology-related exports to Russia will also take a hit. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The Bagheera kiplingi spider was discovered in the 1800s and is the only species of spider that has been classified as vegetarian. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. (Simon Sinek) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Meritorious (adj, mair-uh-TOR-ee-us) - Meritorious is a formal adjective used to describe something that is deserving of honor, praise, or esteem. In a Sentence: She was honored for her meritorious service to the city.

The United Kingdom has announced that they will lower the eligible voting age to 16 for the next general election in 2029. The move will expand voting eligibility to include almost 1.6 million 16 and 17-year-old British citizens currently living in the UK, making it a huge move in the country's political landscape. The last time the voting age was reduced was in 1969, when it was brought down from 21 to 18, as many countries did at the time. However, there are only a handful of countries today that allow 16-year-old citizens to vote; among them are Argentina, Austria, Brazil, and Ecuador. Additionally, in Wales and Scotland, 16 and 17-year-olds are already allowed to vote in elections for local Parliament and other positions, but voting in general elections was not permitted until the age of 18. The change comes as voter turnout in the UK drops significantly, with turnout in 2024 reaching its lowest point since 2001. Adding a new age range to the elections is expected to raise turnout and likely increase the representation of the country's younger population in the government, which has been hailed and raised concerns. However, studies in other countries that have taken similar action show that lowering the age range does not have a significant impact on the results, and the addition of younger voters does not necessarily skew the elections. Contrary to popular belief, young voters have a diverse variety of views on politics, and it is extremely unlikely that they would all vote towards one party. The move has sparked a heated debate among supporters and critics of the idea-- advocates for young voters have pointed out that 16 and 17-year-olds can already pay taxes, drive vehicles, leave home, and work full-time, while others have argued that they are still unable to do various other tasks, like getting married, purchasing a lottery ticket, or buying alcohol. Nevertheless, the bill still needs to be passed by Parliament, and the next general election does not take place until 2029, giving the country time to adapt to the updated system if the idea makes it through both houses. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There is a company in Japan that has schools that teach you how to be funny. The first one opened in 1982. About 1,000 students take the course each year. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream ; and how you handle disappointment along the way. (Robert Kiyosaki) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Fugitive (noun, FYOO-juh-tiv) - Fugitive refers to a person who runs away to avoid being captured or arrested. In a Sentence: The FBI regularly updates and circulates its list of most wanted fugitives , and asks communities where they might be seen to be careful and on the lookout.

Israel and Syria have finally come to an agreement on a ceasefire after several days of intense battles in the southern Syrian city of Suwayda, which is home to a large number of the Druze minority. The Druze are part of a specific sect of Islam that includes around one million people, most of which live in Lebanon and Syria. However, Druze do not identify as Muslims, and their faith involves aspects of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and others, as well as a belief in reincarnation. While they do speak Arabic, they do not share their traditions or practices with others, do not allow conversion to or from their religion, and strongly discourage marriage to someone outside of their faith. Due to this, Druze communities are very tight-knit, and areas which contain Druze are usually heavily populated with them. The southern Syrian province of Suwayda happens to be an epicenter for the Druze majority, but Druze have faced conflict from Syrian forces under the rule of dictator Bashar al-Assad in the past. A large population of Druze also reside in Golan Heights, a disputed area between Israel and Syria that Israel currently maintains control over, giving Israel motivation to support the sect. On Sunday, several members of a Bedouin tribe attacked a Druze man in Suwayda, sparking outrage among the people of the area. The tension quickly escalated into a huge conflict, pitting Bedouins against Druze and forcing others to take sides. Syria has also gone through a large period of recent government reform after Assad was ousted by now-former terrorist organization Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) several months ago. While HTS has attempted to restore peace throughout different regions of Syria, the impact of previous governmental mistreatment of many tribes and sects remains, including the Druze. Because of this, when the Syrian government also attempted to intervene, the Druze misunderstood and believed that they had come to back up the Bedouins, escalating the conflict even further. Then, in recent days, Israel joined the fight in an attempt to show solidarity with the Druze. Due to the significant number of Druze who live in Israel and provide a huge benefit to the country's government, military, and economy, they began to attack Syria to defend the sect. However, Druze leaders within Syria confirmed that they did not want Israel's help, and would rather have avoided international conflict. Despite this, Israel pounded Damascus and Suwayda with airstrikes for several days, doing serious damage to numerous buildings. In total, at least 300 people were killed in the conflict, and crucial supplies like electricity and internet have been disrupted across Suwayda. Nevertheless, a ceasefire has been reached. The agreement will see all military action come to a stop-- including Druze forces, Bedouin forces, Syrian national forces, or Israeli national forces. Syrian forces have already begun to move out of Suwayda, and Syria has confirmed that the local government will soon be re-established. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The tongue is the only muscle in the human body that is not attached on both ends. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us. (Jeremiah Say) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Abject (adj, AB-jekt) - Abject usually describes things that are extremely bad or severe. It can also describe something that feels or shows shame, or someone lacking courage or strength. In a Sentence: Happily, their attempts to derail the project ended in abject failure.

A secret plan to move thousands of Afghans to the United Kingdom was revealed yesterday after a government official accidentally leaked the information, possibly endangering thousands of others. Ever since the United States pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021, the country has been under the strict rule of the Taliban, who have been designated a terrorist organization by several nations. They have been widely criticized for their extremely strict implementation of Sharia Law, the Islamic way of life, specifically regarding women. In Afghanistan, girls cannot attend school past 6th grade and are prohibited from attending university, they are excluded from most professions, they must wear a full-body covering, and are banned from most public spaces, among other things. Due to the organization's fearmongering tactics and brutal punishments, many Afghans have applied to move to other countries, particularly the United Kingdom. After the Taliban took control, tens of thousands of people applied to move to the UK from Afghanistan, taking part in the country's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). Over the past few years, at least 36,000 Afghans have shifted to the UK, sparking outrage among many British politicians. Unfortunately, the data of over 19,000 people was leaked in 2022 in a major error-- and the government did not find out for another year and a half. To protect the citizens who may have been at risk, the British government quickly set up a secret program to move Afghans who had been on the original list, with 4,500 Afghans being moved to the UK over the past year. Additionally, at least 600 Afghan soldiers and 1,800 of their family members remain in Afghanistan, putting their livelihoods in jeopardy due to the danger posed by the Taliban. However, the entire initial leak and plot was kept under wraps after the British government received permission from a court to hide the information. Now, due to a crucial error by an official in the UK, their scheme has been leaked once again, endangering the lives of thousands of Afghans who could now face the wrath of the Taliban. They have instructed the individuals whose information was leaked to take caution in daily activities, especially online, to protect themselves. Nevertheless, the UK has confirmed that they will go through with the rest of their plan, but they will end the program after it is complete-- this would allow everyone on the leaked list to enter the UK, but prevent any other Afghans from being added to the list. It does come at a cost, though-- the country has already spent over £400 million on the project, and completing it could cost upwards of another £400 million. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The world’s largest single-keyboard grand piano was built by a 15-year-old in New Zealand. The piano is almost 19 feet long and was built by Adrian Mann as an experiment with long piano wire to explore the sound of unwrapped bass strings. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): It’s not what you achieve, it’s what you overcome. That’s what defines your career . (Stan Musial) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Tantalize (verb, TAN-tuh-lyze) - To tantalize someone is to cause them to feel interest or excitement about something that is very attractive, appealing, etc. In a Sentence: She was tantalized by the prospect of a big promotion.

French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that he will increase the country's military spending by over €6.5 billion across the next two years amid the growing threat of Russian attack. During conflicts of the past, the EU always had the strong support of the US behind them due to their position in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), giving them confidence. However, current US President Donald Trump has threatened to back out of NATO and has imposed 30% tariffs on the entire EU, set to begin on August 1. Now, Europe is scrambling to build their military defenses in case of a Russian attack, as Putin has already invaded Ukraine and tensions between the two sides are rising. NATO's initial target for defense spending was set at 2% of GDP after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, but some significant changes were made to those targets this year. At the 2025 NATO Summit at The Hague in the Netherlands, the alliance agreed to raise defense and security-related spending targets to 5% of GDP by 2035, but France took it a step further. Yesterday, just before Bastille Day, France's national holiday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that they would raise their military budget by €3.5 billion in 2026 and another €3 billion in 2027. The move is an approximate 6% increase from the €110 billion that has already been planned for the country over the next two years, but it still needs to be approved by the French Parliament. However, the announcement has brought concerns over France's growing national debt, which currently exceeds €3.3 trillion. This gives the country a debt-to-GDP ratio of 113%-- one of the highest in Europe. Due to this, Macron plans to introduce a massive bill to cut government spending and raise taxes for citizens, which could see backlash in the near future. Nevertheless, the president has urged citizens to comply with the new regulations, which aim to help protect France from Russian threats. France already has one of the most powerful armies in the European Union, with the United Kingdom as its only competitor, and maintains Europe's largest active personnel numbers. These two countries are also the only countries in Europe that possess nuclear weapons, making them the EU's strongest members in case of a war with Russia. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Forrest Fenn, an art dealer and author, hid a treasure chest in the Rocky Mountains worth over 1 million dollars. It was found approximately a decade later, in 2020. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): True ignorance is not the absence of knowledge , but the refusal to acquire it. (Karl Popper) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Nuance (noun, NOO-ahnss) - A nuance is a very small difference in something, such as color, tone, meaning, etc. In a Sentence: Amy’s musical ear makes it easy for her to detect the subtle nuances in sampled music.

The prestigious Wimbledon Championships have come to an end, with Italy's Jannik Sinner bringing home the Men's Singles Trophy and Poland's Iga Świ ątek winning the Women's Singles Trophy. Wimbledon is one of the most prestigious championships in tennis, and it is one of the only tournaments on the calendar that plays on grass courts. Alongside the Australian Open, US Open, and French Open, it is part of the Big Four tennis championships, taking place in London every July. This year, in the Men's Singles Championship, Italian World No. 1 Jannik Sinner faced off against World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in an intense battle for the coveted trophy. Just over one month ago, the pair met in a five-set showdown for the title at the French Open , where Carlos Alcaraz made a stunning comeback from a triple championship point for Sinner, bringing the fourth set back and forcing a tiebreak in the fifth, which he subsequently won. This time, the pair met again in England, but Sinner got the better of Alcaraz on the grass. Sinner began strong, picking up an early 4-2 lead on Alcaraz in the first set, but the Spaniard rallied back with four consecutive games to win the set. However, Sinner kept the lead in the second and third sets, winning 6-4 6-4, and as Alcaraz's momentum faded further, he finished off the fourth set with another 6-4, making him the first Italian to ever win Wimbledon. Despite winning three Grand Slams prior to this tournament, this is Sinner's first Wimbledon title, and the last few years have shown that the only person capable of beating him seems to be Alcaraz, who has five Grand Slam titles to his name. Additionally, in post-game interviews, Alcaraz promised that he will be back-- further proving that their newfound rivalry is set to be one for the ages. Meanwhile, in the Women's Singles Championship, Poland's World No. 8 Iga Świ ątek crushed the United States' World No. 13 Amanda Anisimova in a harrowing defeat for the American in her first Grand Slam final. Despite stiff competition from Anisimova, Świ ątek battled strong throughout the entire match, never dropping a single game. The 6-0 6-0 win was the first-ever double bagel in a Wimbledon final in the Open Era, and only the second Grand Slam final to ever feature such a defeat-- the first being Steffi Graf's rout of Natasha Zvereva in the 1988 French Open final. This is Świ ątek's sixth Grand Slam win, though it is her first at the Wimbledon Championship. The Polish player has a talent for clay courts, specifically, having won the French Open in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024, in addition to the US Open title in 2022. Meanwhile, this was Anisimova's first-ever Grand Slam final-- her previous best showing at a major tournament was when she reached the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2019, when she was only 17 years old. Upcoming Events: World Youth Skills Day (Tuesday, July 15) MLB All-Star Game (Tuesday, July 15) Summer World University Games Begin (Wednesday, July 16) Nelson Mandela International Day (Friday, July 18) World Judo Championships (Friday, July 18 to Sunday, July 20) World Chess Day (Sunday, July 20) International Moon Day (Sunday, July 20) The Open Championship Ends (Sunday, July 20) Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The largest known prime number has 24,862,048 digits. The new prime number is 2 multiplied by itself 82,589,933 times, minus 1. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): He has the most who is most content with the least. (Diogenes) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Contrite (adj, kun-TRYTE) - Contrite is a formal adjective used to describe someone who feels regret for their bad behavior, or something, such as an apology, that shows such regret. In a Sentence: Although the mayor appeared contrite about the most recent scandal plaguing city hall, many constituents remained unpersuaded.

France has officially decided to make the island of New Caledonia into a state, but it will remain under French control. New Caledonia is a relatively large archipelago in Oceania containing around 140 islands, located between Vanuatu and Australia. After several years of European settlements, France officially claimed the island in 1853, turning it into a penal colony, and the native tribes there suffered from severe population decline due to European violence and the introduction of new diseases like smallpox and measles. After World War II, during which it was used as a military base for the Allied powers, New Caledonia gained status among the French, and it was turned into an overseas territory in 1946. All New Caledonians were also given French citizenship. In the 1970s and 1980s, though, the Native people of New Caledonia began an independence movement on the island, and the French government struggled to contain the subsequent uprisings. In 1988, a peace treaty was signed, and another agreement signed in 1998 started preparing the island for independence. Despite that, in 2018, a vote was taken, and 56.7% of New Caledonians voted to stay a part of France, preventing pro-independence forces from achieving their goal. However, several years ago, independence movements began to gain ground once again, and last year, a multitude of riots and attacks struck the island as protestors advocated for reform. Now, the French government has come to a central point between the two sides-- New Caledonia has not gained independence, but they do not remain a territory. The French government decided that New Caledonia would become a French state, giving the island more freedom but maintaining its position as a part of the country of France. Additionally, from now on, any resident who has lived in New Caledonia for 10 or more years is eligible for voting rights, which goes against the voting restrictions placed on a considerable amount of the island's population back in 1998. Its new position as a state will also help to boost New Caledonia's economy, which has declined in recent years due to the aforementioned protests. The French Parliament is set to meet later this year to approve the agreement, which will be enshrined in France's Constitution, before it heads to be voted on by New Caledonian residents in 2026. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Iceland does not have a public railway system. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail. (Abraham Maslow) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Impunity (noun, im-PYOO-nuh-tee) - Impunity , usually used in the phrase "with impunity," refers to exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss. In a Sentence: They mistakenly believe that they can break the camp's rules with impunity .

Some crucial new information has arisen in the investigation into the devastating Air India crash that occurred in the city of Ahmedabad last month, killing over 260 people. The flight, Air India AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took off from Ahmedabad, a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat, on June 12. Just after takeoff, the plane was seen losing altitude, and it soon crashed into a doctors' hostel near the airport. Footage taken by a nearby onlooker showed the plane slowly going down with its landing gear extended, with the nose pointed up as if it was about to land on the tarmac. The plane slowly descends straight into the hostel, where it briefly goes out of sight before a fiery explosion and a massive plume of thick, black smoke erupts from the crash site. 242 people were onboard the plane, and only one passenger managed to survive the crash. Meanwhile, dozens of people on the ground were killed by the impact, and the resulting blast also injured dozens of others. Read more into the initial incident here . Investigations quickly began into the crash, but no initial blame was directed. Experts thought it could have been a bird strike or pilot error, while others suspected Boeing due to their faltering track record that has continued to worsen ever since the 737 Max crashes of 2018 and 2019. Now, after analyzing the black boxes of the aircraft, authorities have uncovered some new evidence. They found that just seconds after takeoff, as the plane began gaining altitude, the fuel supply to the engines was completely shut off. This has helped investigators confirm that the blame is unlikely to be placed on Boeing or any manufacturer, as there are multiple safeguards that are built to prevent the fuel switch from accidentally being toggled while in flight. The switch is designed to be extremely tough to move, as it needs to be pulled out of its locked position and moved to the desired position, which can either begin or cut off the fuel supply. Additionally, there is one of these for each engine, meaning that a total fuel cutoff would require both switches to be toggled, and accidentally bumping it into a new position is not possible due to the design of the toggle. On top of those measures, the switches are blocked off by metal bars on the sides, further preventing an accidental toggle of the mechanism, and the switch has no way of moving automatically or on its own. However, even more curious is that the pilots seem to have had no knowledge of the fuel switches being turned off, adding to the mystery. In the cockpit voice recorder, which is one of the two black boxes that record flight data, one of the pilots can be heard asking the other one why he cut off the fuel, but the other pilot responds by stating that he did not shut off the fuel. Data from the other black box, the flight data recorder, has shown that the fuel supply was restarted around 10 seconds after it was shut off, but there was not enough time for the engines to power the plane out of its descent. By this time, it was already too late, and the plane crashed into the hostel before the aircraft could resume its ascent. This new information is part of Air India's preliminary report that is required to be released within 30 days of the crash, but a specific cause of the incident has still not been determined yet, and it could take months or even years to truly discover that cause. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The flashes of colored light you see when you rub your eyes are called "phosphenes." Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. (Rick Warren) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Rescind (verb, rih-SIND) - To rescind something, such as a law, contract, agreement, etc., is to end it officially. Rescind can also mean "to take back; to cancel." In a Sentence: Given the appeal court’s recent decision, it is likely that the law will be rescinded .

Warning: This article contains content that may be inappropriate for young children. Artificial intelligence has come under intense scrutiny lately after the Elon Musk-owned xAI's Grok chatbot went berserk on social media platform X. The Grok chatbot was created by xAI, an artificial intelligence company founded by billionaire Elon Musk, who also owns various other companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company. Grok was created to compete with the likes of OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, but it focuses on real-time news and information services due to the access it has to another Musk-owned platform, X (formerly Twitter). Several days ago, Grok began posting antisemitic hate speech across the platform, sparking outrage among X users. The posts specifically targeted the Jewish population, which makes up around 2% of the American population, with the AI even introducing itself as "MechaHitler" multiple times. Grok also made one post with an extremely graphic description about violently abducting a Minnesota lawyer, which included details as specific as how to pick the lock on his front door. Each time, Grok justified itself as providing facts over feelings, shocking the X community. The behavior seems to have come from a recent update to the Grok chatbot, which allowed it to make claims that are politically incorrect if there was enough data to support it. It also comes just before the launch of xAI's new Grok 4, which was supposed to be a more enhanced version of the chatbot that would be their best model yet. However, the posts have raised concerns over the possibility of artificial intelligence being used in other fields, as it is currently being implemented in major areas of sectors like technology, manufacturing, finance, healthcare, and more. If a single command can spark inappropriate posts like this in a volatile AI chatbot, what could a mistaken command do to other systems in other industries? Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Astronaut is a compound word derived from the two Ancient Greek words "astro," meaning "star," and "naut" meaning "sailor." So astronaut literally means "star sailor." Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Here’s the thing – if you want to do good things in the world, there’s just only so much time that one can spend being glass half empty. (Chamath Palihapitiya) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Boffo (adj, BAH-foh) - Boffo is an informal word that describes things that are extremely good or successful. In a Sentence: The most recent film in the long-running franchise has done boffo business at the box office, a testament to the series’ enduring popularity.

United States President Donald Trump threatened to slam Brazil with a 50% tariff if they refuse to clear all charges on former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been accused of attempting to start a coup. Bolsonaro, a far-right candidate who assumed the presidency from 2019 to 2023, was known for his anti-Amazon policies that increased deforestation and decreased protections for the rainforest, boosting Brazil's economy but causing irreversible damage to the Amazonian ecosystem. He subsequently lost the 2022 Brazilian election to incumbent President Lula Inacio de Silva, a left-wing candidate working to save the Amazon once again. In February, Bolsonaro was charged with attempting a coup to take down Lula's government , and the case went to the Supreme Court. Brazil's prosecutor general, Paulo Gonet, charged Bolsonaro of planning major actions to take down Lula's government and restore his power. Gonet claimed that an organization consisting of 33 members, in addition to Bolsonaro, created a dangerous plan by the name of the "Green and Yellow Dagger," referencing the green and yellow colors on the Brazilian flag. Allegedly, the plan involved attacking government offices, poisoning Lula, and killing Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Justice de Moraes was known for his left-leaning decisions, which often included ordering probes into Bolsonaro's actions. However, Bolsonaro and his team strongly denied the allegations, and he has maintained close ties with Trump, who is also a prominent right-wing politician. Now, Trump has threatened to place a staggering 50% tariff on Brazil if they do not clear Bolsonaro of all charges. Brazil currently faces a minimal 10% tariff on all exports to the United States, which is Trump's baseline tariff, and that was not expected to change anytime soon. Brazil is one of the few countries that the US runs a trade surplus with, meaning that the US exports more goods to Brazil than Brazil does to the US. However, he has confirmed that companies which shift manufacturing to the United States will not face this tariff, as he has done with other countries across the world. This comes just after Trump announced that he would delay all reciprocal tariffs once again, this time until August 1, and he has adjusted tariff rates for dozens of countries, many of which have been lowered due to actions taken by countries after the threats of tariffs. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The scientific name for the giant anteater is myrmecophaga tridactyla . This literally means "ant eating with three fingers." Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The most important investment you can make is in yourself. (Raoul Pal) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Simulacrum (noun, sim-yuh-LAK-rum) - A simulacrum is a superficial likeness of something, usually as an imitation, copy, or representation. The plural of simulacrum is either simulacrums or simulacra . In a Sentence: The surprise still succeeded, thanks to the simulacrum of confusion expressed by two guests when they were spotted before the big moment.