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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.

The death toll in the devastating Texas floods from earlier this week has risen again, and over 160 people are still missing after several camps were inundated. The flooding was a result of extremely heavy rains across central Texas, with the worst of the effects occurring near the Guadalupe River. Around 4-8 inches of rain was predicted to fall in the area, but over 10 inches fell in most areas, with precipitation totals exceeding 18 inches in some spots. The river quickly rose and burst its banks, inundating the surrounding region, which is a popular place for summer camps. Dozens of camps are located in Kerr County, where the worst of the flooding hit, requiring thousands of people to be rescued. Now, after days of search-and-rescue operations, many have been rescued, but bodies are still being uncovered as the military and Coast Guard join police in their efforts. Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that over 1,750 people are working with around 975 vehicles to assist in the search, and it is continuing in full force. The death toll has now risen past 110, and at least 160 others are still missing, many of which are children. However, citizens are now looking to place the blame on a certain party, and several groups have come under scrutiny. Meteorologists are being criticized for their incorrect predictions of the incoming rain, preventing locals from accurately preparing for the devastation that was to come, while many locals did not receive timely alerts that flooding was taking place. Due to the severity and the speed of the floods, many people barely had enough time to get onto their roofs or climb trees to escape the water, but many of the people who did make it through the initial stages survived the disaster. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The stickers on fruits are actually edible-- they are made of a food-based paper that has no nutritional value but is still safe for consumption. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Every job looks easy when you’re not the one doing it. (Jeffrey R. Immelt) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Exemplary (adj, ig-ZEM-pluh-ree) - Something described as exemplary is extremely good and deserves to be admired and copied. In a Sentence: Our research team was awarded for our exemplary work on the project.

United States President Donald Trump has made some significant changes to the country's tariffs on other nations, further extending a pause on tariff arrivals for many countries. Trump originally placed reciprocal tariffs on various countries around the world on April 2, which he labeled "Liberation Day." However, those tariffs were paused soon after, on April 9, with Trump confirming that they would resume on July 9. This was in order to give countries time to move their manufacturing to the United States, which was his primary goal-- companies which manufactured parts inside the US would not face the tariffs, reducing the costs required to sell goods to American consumers. Then, yesterday, just two days before the end of that 90-day pause on tariffs, Trump extended the deadline yet again, and he has also changed up the tariff rates that will hit countries on August 1. The countries that will see tariff increases are: Japan: 24% on April 2 to 25% on August 1 Malaysia: 24% on April 2 to 25% on August 1 The countries that will see tariff decreases are: Laos: 48% on April 2 to 40% on August 1 Myanmar: 44% on April 2 to 40% on August 1 Kazakhstan: 27% on April 2 to 25% on August 1 Bangladesh: 37% on April 2 to 35% on August 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina: 35% on April 2 to 30% on August 1 Cambodia: 49% on April 2 to 36% on August 1 Serbia: 37% on April 2 to 35% on August 1 Tunisia: 28% on April 2 to 25% on August 1 Additionally, Trump also sent letters to South Korea (25%), Indonesia (32%), and Thailand (36%), which will not see their tariff rates change, but he aims to convince countries to move manufacturing to the US by building pressure using these letters. He has confirmed that if countries are willing to change their trade policies toward the United States, he will lower the tariffs, but there are only three and a half weeks before the new tariffs take effect. All of these tariffs are part of Trump's attempt at lowering the US trade deficit and moving manufacturing back to the United States, but they have caused a stir in the global economy as both American and foreign companies suffer from falling stocks and changing economic conditions due to Trump's actions. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): If you point your car keys to your head, it increases the remote’s signal range. This is because all the fluids in your head act as fantastic conductors, allowing you to extend the remote’s range by a few car lengths. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Failure is a tool to get to the promised land. We all enjoy light today. Thomas Edison failed a thousand times for us. (Folorunsho Alakija) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Procrastinate (verb, pruh-KRASS-tuh-nayt) - To procrastinate is to be slow or late about doing something that should be done, or about doing or attending to things in general. In a Sentence: Tickets to the event are selling swiftly, so don't procrastinate —buy yours today.

The Seine River in Paris has finally opened to swimmers for the first time in over 100 years, a huge milestone after a costly cleanup effort by French authorities. The Seine has long been an example of pollution in European cities, ever since the river was first closed down for recreational activities back in 1923 when it was deemed unfit for swimming due to the high pollution levels. As the city of Paris grew, more and more homes and other buildings were built along the river, and much of the city's waste ended up in the river, similar to the conditions of London's Thames and New York City's Hudson at the time. As sewer systems were built, the pollution went down slightly, but it came back up as the population continued to grow. The wastewater plants managed to, for the most part, keep the river clean, but on days with heavy rains, they would become overwhelmed and release the extra waste into the river. This problem continued to grow until the 1970s, when around 60% of the city's waste ended up in the river and the biodiversity of the Seine plummeted. Over the next few decades, the pollution persisted, but discussions over cleaning the Seine began in the late 1980s. A plan was developed, which involved connecting thousands of buildings to the sewer system and building a backup container for rainwater in case of storms. However, the action proved to be extremely slow-- until 2016, when France began preparing for Paris to host the Summer Olympics in 2024. Just before the Olympics, it was found that the Seine was clean enough for swimming around 70% of the time, but heavy rains could still force sewage into the river. When the Olympics finally came around, the swimming part of the triathlon was delayed after rains dropped the water quality of the river, but it eventually went through. Now after a $1.65 billion cleanup effort, certain parts of the river have been approved for swimming once again, making it the first time in over 100 years that the public can take part in recreational activities inside the Seine. Three locations have been opened up in different areas on the river that will allow around 1,000 visitors into the Seine each day, and each location also has lifeguards, changing rooms, and showers. Dozens of other locations have also been planned for the future, which should help to increase tourism along the river. Unfortunately, river pollution is still a massive problem in lesser-developed countries, specifically in Africa and South Asia. Waste and trash from entire cities is dumped into rivers, killing wildlife and ruining the ecosystem. While cleanup efforts have improved conditions in bigger cities like Paris and London, many third-world countries still use rivers as dumping sites, leading to the destruction of the environment and the spread of disease. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The first movie ever to put out a motion-picture soundtrack was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs . Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): If you don't risk anything, you risk even more. (Erica Jong) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Antic (noun, AN-tik) - Antic refers to an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action. It is usually used in its plural form, and is often used disapprovingly. In a Sentence: It wasn't clear which students were ultimately responsible for the antics that unfolded in the cafeteria that day.

At least 51 people are dead and 27 girls are missing after devastating floods struck central Texas, inundating much of Kerr County as the Guadalupe River reached record levels. The flooding was a result of extremely heavy rains across the region, but Kerr County, an area approximately two hours northwest of San Antonio, received the worst of the rainfall. While meteorologists predicted rain totals of between 4 and 8 inches, the entire county received around 10 inches of rain, with localized precipitation levels reaching as high as 18 inches. 43 deaths were reported in the county, 15 of which were children. The Guadalupe River, which runs through the county and down towards the Gulf of Mexico, burst its banks, covering its banks with water levels 20-26 feet higher than usual. The river is surrounded by popular summer camps that house thousands of children at this time of year, many of which were flooded during the storms. A Christian all-girls camp, Camp Mystic, was almost completely destroyed in the middle of the night, killing several children, and at least 27 girls are still missing. However, authorities quickly responded to calls for help, and at least 850 people were rescued from the floods. Search-and-rescue operations are currently ongoing for the missing children, utilizing everything from helicopters to boats, and the death toll could still rise in the coming days as more bodies are uncovered. Sadly, incidents like this will only become more severe and more frequent as climate change intensifies, warming the world and creating more extreme weather events in places unprepared for such conditions. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In Colorado, USA, there is still an active volcano, but it is considered dormant. The volcano, named Dotsero last erupted about the same time as the pyramids were being built in Egypt. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom . ( Stephen Vincent Benet) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Cantankerous (adj, kan-TANK-uh-rus) - A cantankerous person is often angry and annoyed, and a cantankerous animal or thing is difficult or irritating to deal with. In a Sentence: Although the former postman was regarded by some townspeople as a scowling, cantankerous old coot, he was beloved by neighborhood children, to whom he would regularly hand out butterscotch candies from his front stoop with a twinkle in his eye.

At least 69 people are dead and hundreds of others are injured after the latest round of deadly monsoon conditions in India's Himachal Pradesh, a mountainous state in the northern part of the country. The destruction is mainly due to cloudbursts, which are small pockets of extremely heavy rainfall that can quickly lead to flash flooding. In Himachal Pradesh, a state situated primarily in the Himalayan Mountains, these floods often lead to devastating landslides that destroy everything from roads to entire towns. Officials confirmed that cloudbursts had been reported in at least 14 different locations, trapping people in buildings and washing away hundreds of homes and businesses and 14 different bridges. The worst of the flooding was reported in Mandi District, specifically the areas of Thunag, Bagsayed, Karsog, and Dharampur, where over 40 people remain missing. Hundreds of animals have also been killed in the rainfall, and electrical and water supplies across the state have been heavily disrupted. Members of the army, local police, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to help with the situation, but it could take days to restore crucial supplies to remote areas. A rainfall alert is still in place across Himachal Pradesh until July 7, and search-and-rescue operations are going in full force. Unfortunately, these types of heavy rainfall events are common during Himachal's monsoon season, which runs from June to September. Hundreds of people are killed each year due to the consistent heavy rains and poorly built infrastructure of the region, much of which is not meant to withstand landslides or flooding of this scale. Sadly, these extreme weather events will only get more severe as climate change worsens. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The Buddha commonly depicted in statues and pictures is a different person entirely. The real Buddha was actually incredibly skinny because of self-deprivation. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Discussion is impossible with someone who claims not to seek the truth , but already to possess it. ( Romain Rolland) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Yankee (noun, YANG-kee) - Yankee can refer broadly to anyone born or living in the U.S., more narrowly to only those in the northern U.S., or even more narrowly to only those in the states of New England. The broadest use is especially common outside the U.S. In a Sentence: It took the children some time to adjust to being the only Southerners in a classroom full of Yankees .