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Renewables just overtook coal as the world's largest source of electricity– a massive step forward for a world currently powered by fossil fuels. According to a new study from global energy think tank Ember, their data showed that renewables produced more energy than coal, the number one electricity source. Coal has held this position for over 50 years, making the feat even more incredible. The report included data from 88 countries representing 93% of the global electricity demand, specifically focusing on the world's top four emitters of greenhouse gases, which account for around 63% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. In total, solar power met 83% of the rise in electricity demand, while wind met 26% of the demand. In total, solar and wind alone accounted for 109% of the rise in global energy demand– they were able to outpace the growth in energy demand, creating a surplus of electricity. Solar power alone grew by 31% (64% faster than last year), while wind grew by 7.7%. Meanwhile, coal-based energy generation actually fell by 0.6% because of the surplus created by solar and wind. However, the data also noted one key statistic: India and China were the two countries fueling the demand for renewables, while the United States and European Union used more fossil fuels than last year. India and China have taken significant steps forward in the fight against climate change in recent years. China is the single-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, accounting for around one-third of the world's total, but they have invested billions of dollars into countless renewable energy projects over the last decade. These range from solar and wind generation to the development of experimental technologies like gravity batteries . Through the first half of 2025, Ember found that China accounted for 55% of global solar generation growth– 41% more than the next solar leader, the US. Because of this, China was able to outpace their growing electricity demand, allowing them to decrease fossil fuel usage by 2%. India also added major solar and wind projects, accounting for all of their growth in electricity demand. In fact, India's clean energy growth was more than three times its growth in electricity demand, representing an incredible change from what was an oil-dependent nation just a few years ago. This also allowed them to cut back on fossil fuel usage, requiring less oil and gas and burning less fossil fuels. Meanwhile, the United States and Europe increased fossil fuel usage, for different reasons. US President Trump continues to believe that climate change is a hoax, and his anti-sustainability policies have driven the US to drill more oil and restrict the expansion of renewable energy. In the first half of 2025, coal generation was forced to dramatically increase to make up for a decrease in gas production and their lack of renewable energy growth. Europe, on the other hand, experienced unfavorable weather conditions for the majority of the first half of 2025, forcing them to increase fossil fuel usage to make up for the remaining demand that was not accounted for by wind, nuclear, and bioenergy. Nevertheless, India and China aren't the only ones making progress in the renewable industry– Hungary, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, Pakistan, Australia, and Germany all generated more than 20% of their energy from solar in the first half of 2025. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Pope Francis was given many extravagant gifts over the years, and one of them was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. However, rather than keeping it for his own pleasure and adventures, he sold it off and used the money to benefit homeless people. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes. ( Ralph Waldo Emerson) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Candor (noun, KAN-der) - Candor refers to the quality of being open, sincere, and honest. In a Sentence: During the interview, the comedian spoke with candor about the nervousness she feels every time she takes the stage. Image credit to Shutterstock

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned from his position just hours after choosing the country's government, sending France deeper into political and economic turmoil. French President Emmanuel Macron had chosen two prime ministers before Lecornu, both of which were forced to resign after no-confidence votes. Now, Lecornu's resignation makes him the third prime minister to leave their position in under one year, showing the extreme level of turmoil within France's government. In 2024, Macron called snap parliamentary elections as part of an effort to bolster his party's standing, but the plan backfired. Macron lost his majority in the lower house of the French Parliament, creating a situation where no party had control. On top of these political issues, France continues to experience a major financial crisis, and drastic budget cuts are necessary to save the economy. France's current budget deficit stands at around €169 billion ($199 billion); a staggering 5.8% of their total GDP. By comparison, the limit imposed by the eurozone – the region of Europe that utilizes the euro as their currency – is just 3%. Additionally, their national debt now stands at €3.35 trillion, which is around 116% of their GDP, making them one of the most indebted nations in the eurozone. However, the government remains powerless to sign a new budget bill. On the public front, massive protests have taken place, with France's largest unions going on strike across the country in an attempt to force Macron to pull back his austerity measures. In case you missed it, read more into the protests here . Meanwhile, on the political front, Macron's prime minister faces an incredibly tough task: they must be able to garner the support of multiple parties on different sides of the political spectrum with a new budget bill. As part of Lecornu's speech that was supposed to take place today, he needed to ensure the conservatives that the bill met their needs while also appealing to the left-wing Socialist Party, whose objectives and goals are largely opposite to Macron's. Lecornu announced that the task was impossible– French parties had already begun preparing for upcoming elections, making any ideas involving cross-party negotiations a failure. He also called out the other parties for expecting others to jump onboard with their entire plan, disregarding the idea of compromise. Because of this, he resigned, leaving Macron in an even bigger mess. Now, Macron's opponents have asserted that the only way forward is to call the snap parliamentary elections that they are beginning to prepare for. It is highly unlikely that Macron's party would win these elections, which is why he is fighting to avoid the situation, but it seems like the only way to break the impasse between France's political parties. If he continues to resist the elections, it will likely sink the country deeper into economic turmoil, landing France in a hole that it may not be able to get out of. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There’s a bar in Yukon that serves a “Sourtoe cocktail.” It consists of a shot of whisky with a preserved, mummified human toe floating in the glass. An estimated 100,000 people have had the drink. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death. ( James F. Byrnes) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Embarrass (verb, im-BAIR-us) - To embarrass someone is to make them feel confused and foolish in front of other people. In a Sentence: Unexpected laughter embarrassed the speaker. Image credit to Financial Times

Hundreds of people are scrambling to Mount Everest as part of a rescue operation after a snowstorm trapped over 1,000 people on the famed mountain. The blizzard began on Friday night before intensifying over the weekend, leading to whiteout conditions on the eastern side of the mountain. Due to its unique geographical location, the north and east side of Everest are in Tibet, while the south and west sides are in Nepal. The south side of the mountain has better infrastructure and is more popular, but also carries risks of overcrowding and technical dangers, like the infamous Khumbu Icefall. Meanwhile, the north side of the mountain requires less permits to climb because of Tibet's relaxed rules, and the pathway from there is more direct and less technically challenging. Nevertheless, helicopter rescue from the north side is not possible, so it is usually preferred by independent or highly advanced climbers. Furthermore, the snowstorm struck during Golden Week, a weeklong celebration to commemorate China's founding in 1949– because of the national holiday, Golden Week also happens to be the perfect time for tourism across China, leading to an influx of climbers at Everest. Because of this, when a blizzard struck the northeastern side of the mountain over the weekend, it quickly became a major issue. By the time many climbers woke up in the morning, the snow was already about three feet deep, covering the entire campsite. Some groups immediately decided to turn back, escaping the blizzard before the situation worsened. However, others stayed back to push through the conditions, forcing them to constantly clear the snow to avoid a tent collapse. Additionally, numerous hikers ended up suffering from hypothermia despite being fully dressed in thick ski parkas and warm gear. Now, rescuers are rushing from across the region to try and evacuate the climbers to the nearby town of Qudang, but it is proving to be a tough, arduous process. Rescue operations have been hindered by the heavy snowfall, forcing them to clear several feet of snow just to take a step forward. The continuous whiteout conditions have also led to low visibility and treacherous conditions, and helicopter evacuation is not possible from the north side. So far, rescuers have taken around 350 people to Qudang, but they are in contact with at least 200 others who are still trapped on the mountain. The incident comes amid a slew of problems that Everest has faced in recent years, primarily overcrowding and environmental carelessness. Many climbers continue to leave trash all over the mountain, posing a hazard for other hikers and the natural wildlife, which is surprisingly biodiverse. Additionally, more and more people flock to the mountain each year to attempt a climb, leading to major overcrowding problems on more popular routes on the south side. Unfortunately, climbing the mountain and many other famous peaks will soon be much more dangerous, as climate change is melting glaciers and reducing snowfall in mountainous regions. As the ice and snow melt, they give way to loose gravel and rocks underneath, making the trek up Everest even more dangerous. And the process isn't happening slowly. Everest's South Col Glacier has lost around 180 feet of thickness in just 25 years– ice that took around 2,000 years to form. Scientists predict that the glacier could completely disappear within the next 20-50 years, and 99% of Everest's glaciers could be gone by the year 2100 if emissions are not reduced. Everest's melting glaciers and snowfall are also just one mountain– the entire Himalayan mountain range is suffering from these climate change-related issues, and their snowmelt provides clean water to over 1 billion people across China, Nepal, India, and Bhutan. This is simply yet another sign that the world is suffering from emissions and human-related problems, and action needs to be taken now to stop climate change from destroying our beautiful planet. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Per capita, the happiest countries in the world also rank highest in terms of consumers of antidepressants. However, this is often attributed to improved access and willingness to diagnose and treat mental health conditions in these nations, and possibly a greater societal emphasis on well-being, rather than an indication that the "happiest" people are more depressed.   Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Don’t pray for lighter burdens, but for stronger backs. ( Buddha) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Sonorous (adj, SAH-nuh-rus) - Sonorous is an adjective used in formal speech and writing to describe something that has a deep, loud, and pleasant sound. Sonorous can also mean “producing sound (when struck)” and “imposing or impressive in effect or style.” In a Sentence: The baritone’s deep, sonorous voice cut through the din of the crowd, the voices immediately halting their conversations to listen more intently. Image credit to the The Guardian

Japan's ruling party has elected Sanae Takaichi as their new leader, setting the country up for its first-ever female prime minister. Takaichi is a far-right conservative who served as the former Economic Security Minister of Japan, but she will now become the leader of Japan's leading Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after their latest vote. The news comes several weeks after Japan's current prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, announced that he would be resigning from his position. In 2024, Ishiba called for snap elections for the lower house of the Japanese parliament, but they backfired on his party and resulted in his coalition's loss of majority. Then, in July 2025, his party failed to win a majority over the upper house, leading to calls for his resignation. To avoid dividing his party, Ishiba agreed to do so, stepping down from his position as Prime Minister and leader of the LDP. Despite these parliamentary losses, the LDP remains Japan's strongest party, meaning that their candidate is the most likely to win the election. Because of this, the LDP's announcement of their next leader set Japan up for their first-ever female prime minister. Takaichi's primary rival for the position was Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, but she managed to defeat in in a party runoff election. Now, Takaichi has a relatively clear path to being elected as prime minister, save for some sort of surprise defeat or shock coalition from other parties. She is expected to be confirmed as their next leader later this month, where she will take control and attempt to regain support for her party. Japanese citizens are currently struggling with major issues like high cost of living and inflation, and Takaichi's primary goals will be to solve these problems after re-establishing her party's reputation. Takaichi has also stated that another one of the key points on her agenda will be to strengthen ties with the United States, who are likely to demand for Japan to increase their defense spending at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in late October. However, Takaichi is known for her hardline, ultra-conservative policies– a stark contrast to Ishiba's centrist conservative measures. Despite this, Takaichi will likely be forced to take a more centrist approach to the changes she makes, as the other parties in her coalition are more centrist. Additionally, she could consider expanding her coalition to gain support from other parties, which would likely be one of the opposition. This would further shift her policies towards the center, but how much those policies resemble Ishiba's is yet to be seen. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The Guinness World Record for the longest time spent searching for the Loch Ness Monster is held by Steve Feltham, who camped at Loch Ness for 25 years. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Happiness is excitement that has found a settling down place, but there is always a little corner that keeps flapping around. ( E. L. Konigsburg) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Repertoire (noun, REP-er-twahr) - Repertoire typically refers to a list or supply of plays, songs, dances, etc. that a company or person is prepared to perform. Repertoire may also refer to a supply of skills or devices, or more broadly to an amount or supply. In a Sentence: The band's repertoire includes both classic and modern jazz. Image credit to the New York Times

Israel and Hamas have agreed to move ahead with US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan, but the US and Gaza are still waiting on Israel to halt attacks. After years of continued conflict and months of stalled negotiations, Israel and Hamas both agreed to Trump's peace plan this week, illuminating a possible end to the seemingly infinite tunnel of the Israel-Hamas War. Trump's plan, which was sent out to both sides on Monday, consists of 20 main points that outline the process to end the war and actions that will be taken afterwards. Firstly, when both sides formally agree to the proposal, the war will come to an immediate end, with military operations coming to a complete stop. Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza to the border line, where hostage exchanges will take place. Within 72 hours of the end of the war, Hamas will return all hostages (alive or dead) to Israel; in exchange, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners and over 1,700 Gazans that were arrested after October 7, 2023. Additionally, for each Israeli hostage whose body is returned, Israel will release the bodies of 15 dead Gazans. Additionally, as soon as the proposal is accepted, all aid restrictions will be immediately lifted, allowing full aid into Gaza to assist with the humanitarian crisis, rebuilding crucial infrastructure, and energy generation. This aid distribution will be completely controlled by the United Nations, Red Crescent, and other organizations, with Israel and Hamas having no say in the process. Among the other key points is that Hamas members that agree to unaffiliate themselves with the organization will be allowed to leave Palestine and move to other countries– a stark difference from Israel's goal to eliminate each and every Hamas member. These first few points make up the first stage of the plan, which goes on to detail a two-state solution, establish proper authority in Palestine, and ensure lasting peace between the two nations. However, these later stages have drawn criticism from Hamas and Israel, and they will likely require further negotiations if they are to be approved. Nevertheless, Hamas has expressed their willingness to return all hostages in exchange for an immediate end to the war, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also supported the first stage of the plan. Israel still needs to pass the plan in a formal cabinet vote, though, which could extend the process by some time. Furthermore, Hamas confirmed that they are willing to "enter immediately" into negotiations to "discuss the details," hinting that there still may be some small parts of the proposal that are yet to be refined. Qatar and Egypt have already announced that they are ready to host negotiations whenever both sides are ready, signaling the Middle East's strong desire to end the war as soon as possible. Because of this, Israel has continued bombing Hamas while they discuss the proposal, forcing Trump to call for a halt to the fighting. Trump has stated that Israel's continuing attacks have made it too hard to rescue the hostages, and the conflict must stop before the plan can commence. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The Guinness World Record for the longest time spent searching for the Loch Ness Monster is held by Steve Feltham, who camped at Loch Ness for 32 years. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. ( Confucius) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gibbous (adj, JIB-us) - Gibbous is most often used to describe the moon or a planet when it is seen with more than half but not all of the apparent disk illuminated. In a Sentence: The waxing gibbous moon provided the perfect lighting for a night of spooky storytelling around the campfire. Image credit to AFP

Various protests have erupted across the country of France after several major spending cuts that were implemented to reduce the country's budget deficit. French President Emmanuel Macron has faced some tough times lately. Over the past year, his prime minister has been ejected twice after two no-confidence votes, and his new PM, Sebastien Lecornu, is facing the same issues. However, France remains in a major financial crisis, and budget cuts are necessary to save the economy. Austerity, a government measure that includes spending cuts and tax increases to recoup a budget deficit, has become crucial for France in recent years. France's current budget deficit stands at around €169 billion ($199 billion), which is a staggering 5.8% of their total GDP. By comparison, the limit imposed by the eurozone – the region of Europe that utilizes the euro as their currency – is just 3%. Additionally, their national debt now stands at €3.35 trillion, which is around 116% of their GDP, making them one of the most indebted nations in the eurozone. Most of this is because of increased spending over the last five years, primarily because of the coronavirus pandemic and protecting the country from an energy crisis after the Russia-Ukraine War. However, some of it can also be attributed to increasing interest rates and several ill-timed tax cuts from Macron. Now, the government is being pressured by investors and other EU nations to implement spending cuts to bring their deficit back down, but trade unions refuse to allow it. Labor unions like the French Democratic Confederation of Labor (CFDT) and General Confederation of Labor (CGT) have conducted nationwide strikes and protests against the government's upcoming austerity measures, which are still being finalized. Because of this, France is now stuck an impasse. Labor unions desire major action like additional spending on public services and higher taxes for wealthy citizens, while the government needs to decrease spending and increase taxes in a widespread fashion in order to bring down their deficit. However, opposing political parties are also against Macron and his government– they continue to make his responsibilities harder and harder by ousting his prime minister, allowing the public to lose trust in his government. When former Prime Minister Francis Bayrou attempted to solve this problem, he took a hardline approach and ignored unions, announcing a major plan that would reduce France's budget deficit by €44 billion. Several weeks later, the French Parliament voted him out in a no-confidence vote, claiming that he had not done enough for the country to escape its financial troubles. Instead of letting that happen again, unions have gone on strike, covering roads and cities with protests, signs, and angry citizens. Both of France's largest trade unions, the CFDT and the CGT, announced strikes recently, and over 80,000 people protested across France against the austerity measures. This resulted in major road blockages, fires, and chaos within cities, forcing the government to deploy over 76,000 officers to deal with the masses. Meanwhile, Lecornu is attempting to ramp up budget negotiations with his political opposition to try to secure a win in the French Parliament, but the future of him or any sort of new bill is still unknown. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): “Tsundoku” is a Japanese word for the habit of buying too many books, letting them pile up in your house, and never reading them. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain. ( Maya Angelou) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Atone (verb, uh-TOHN) - To atone for something is to make amends for it—that is, to do something good as a way of showing that you are sorry about, or have remorse for, a mistake, bad behavior, etc. In a Sentence: The novel opens with an act of cruelty and then traces the thoughts and actions of those responsible as they try to atone for it. Image credit to Reuters

At least 72 people are dead after a devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck in the center of the Philippines yesterday, wreaking havoc across the archipelago. The earthquake struck just off the coast of the island of Cebu, located at the center of the Philippines, on Tuesday night, meaning that most of the damage was done in the Visayas region– the middle of the three Philippine regions. Additionally, the shallow nature of the earthquake, at just 6.2 miles deep, caused extremely intense shaking across the area, with the effects being felt hundreds of miles away. At least 72 people have been confirmed dead, and around 300 others were injured as buildings collapsed, power lines came down, and serious damage was also done to several bridges and roads. Most of the damage was done on Cebu Island, primarily near Bogo City, which was the closest city to the epicenter. Authorities also confirmed that a destructive landslide near the city had caused the deaths of at least 14 people, and search-and-rescue teams are working to recover any remaining bodies from the rubble of the landslide and other buildings. Due to the earthquake's late-night timing, residents were even more unprepared for the sudden shaking, and various strong aftershocks after the incident continued for hours. People were forced to quickly evacuate their homes, but they were not left in the dark– authorities quickly set up mobile kitchens and supplied temporary power to some areas, and hospitals quickly became a central hub for recovering dead bodies. However, persistent heavy rain hindered those efforts, leaving some people in more rural areas to make it through without assistance. Authorities are still working to deliver food and water to most regions, along with heavy machinery to remove the rubble. They have also confirmed that they expect the death toll to rise in the coming days as search-and-rescue operations continue. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Julius Caesar’s only son, Caesarion, was the last Pharaoh of Egypt. Even though Cleopatra swears he is Caesar’s son, Caesar never officially acknowledged him. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Budgeting is not just for people who do not have enough money. It is for everyone who wants to ensure that their money is enough. ( Rosette Mugidde Wamambe) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Preternatural (adj, pree-ter-NATCH-uh-rul) - Preternatural is a formal adjective used to describe things that are very unusual in a way that does not seem natural. In a Sentence: He has a preternatural knack for imitating birdcalls. Image credit to CNN

The House of Representatives and the Senate descended into chaos yesterday after failing to agree on a resolution to prevent a government shutdown, and both parties are now blaming each other for the mess. Every year, the US Congress is forced to pass 12 bills that provide them with money for the new fiscal year, and these bills are to be signed before October 1. This is because the US Constitution, like many others, requires all money spent by the government to be approved by Congress. However, they rarely sign all 12 bills before the deadline, forcing them to sign a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded. This resolution serves as a stopgap for a certain period of time, but minority parties often use a CR to obtain items that they may want or prevent certain measures from the opposite party. This year, the primary issue has been healthcare– Democrats are attempting to force Republicans to take action on several problems that they have not been able to address due to their minority in both the House and the Senate. They have enough power, though, where Republicans are unable to pass a stopgap bill without getting some Democratic support, putting the two sides at an impasse. Democrats are demanding that Republicans negotiate with them on several key issues, including the extension of tax credits on insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act, the reversal of Trump's cuts to Medicaid and public broadcasting services like PBS and NPR, the halting of foreign aid cuts, and other cuts to organizations like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institute of Health (NIH). For consumers, these actions will lead to a widespread increase in health insurance costs and possibly even a complete loss of healthcare for some Medicaid users. Meanwhile, Republicans are claiming that they will negotiate, but after the bill has been passed. Nevertheless, Trump seems more than happy to shut down the government, as he believes that Democrats will be widely blamed. Democrats, on the other hand, believe that the public will side with them on the crucial issue of healthcare. Either way, the shutdown has gone into effect, and it could have a major impact on the government. Trump has stated that he will use the shutdown to fire more federal employees, which he has been slowly working on through the extensive cuts that have been implemented over the last nine months. He believes that firing these unnecessary employees could save money for the government, and confirmed that once the shutdown takes place, layoffs will begin. He also added, "They're going to be Democrats." Other impacts include the shutdown of food assistance programs, student loans, and national parks, but crucial programs like social security benefits and Medicare will continue. Border protection, air traffic control, and police forces will also continue working, though many employees go unpaid during government shutdowns. Essential workers continue working and are often paid after the shutdown ends, while non-essential workers are either laid off or simply do not work for that time period. Additionally, government shutdowns often have a significant economic impact– the last shutdown, which occurred in 2018 during Trump's first term, lasted 35 days and cost the US economy around $11 billion. Shutdowns happen regularly from year to year, but they are often short and do not have lasting impacts. This year, though, it could last quite some time, as Democrats and Republicans have completely refused to agree with each other, and Trump's actions during the shutdown could heavily affect the US government going forward. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Four Nile crocodiles have been found in Florida. They are the second-largest crocodile and are more dangerous than the native crocodiles and alligators in Florida. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): When you forgive, you free your soul. But when you say I’m sorry, you free two souls. ( Donald L. Hicks) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Impetuous (adj, im-PECH-uh-wus) - Impetuous is a synonym of impulsive that describes a person who is acting without thought, or an action that is done without thought. In a Sentence: That impetuous decision could've cost us everything we worked so hard for. Image credit to US National Park Service

Residents across Afghanistan are currently without internet as the Taliban terrorist group cuts fiber-optic cables across the country– part of an alleged effort to prevent "immorality." Several different network providers experienced major disruptions, and all 43 million people in the Central Asian country have lost internet after the Taliban took action. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021 after the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, quickly imposing an extremely harsh rule over the population. Most of the rules they have put into place are based on their interpretation of Sharia Law, the Islamic law code, and many specifically target women– women and girls are banned from receiving an education beyond the age of 12, walking in various public spaces, and are forced to wear head-to-toe clothing whenever exiting the house. Additionally, these rules are enforced using fearmongering and brutal tactics, earning them the designation of a terrorist group. Now, as part of their efforts to create their interpretation of an "ideal Muslim country," the Taliban have cut internet to the entire country. According to the group, their actions are meant to eliminate "immorality" from their society, as the Taliban believe that communication with the outside world enables their people to engage in "immoral activities" that go against their totalitarian regime. They have not specified exactly which immoral activities they are aiming to prevent, but local news outlets have stated that more information will be released in the coming days. Because of this, they began cutting fiber-optic cables several weeks ago, but they ordered a total shutdown of communication services yesterday afternoon. Afghans outside the country have confirmed that they are unable to contact their relatives inside Afghanistan, and residents within the country are now completely cut off from the outside world. For many people, especially women and girls, the internet was their "last hope," as it was where they kept themselves occupied, spoke with relatives, engaged in hobbies, and gave themselves a proper education. Now, all of that could be at risk. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): When Shakira was in second grade, she was rejected by the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded like a goat. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. ( Lao Tzu) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Obliterate (verb, uh-BLIT-uh-rayt) - To obliterate something is to destroy it completely so that nothing is left, to destroy utterly all trace, indication, or significance of it. It can also mean "to remove utterly from recognition or memory." In a Sentence: The wave completely obliterated our sandcastles. Image credit to Human Rights Watch

India defeated Pakistan yesterday in a thrilling match that came right down to the wire, crowning India as the champions of the Asia Cup for the ninth time. The Asia Cup is a tournament of cricket teams across Asia that takes place every other year. A total of eight teams compete: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Oman, UAE, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, which are split into two divisions. Coming into the match, India had already defeated Pakistan twice in the Asia Cup– once in regular matches and once in the second round, known as the Super 4. Both matches had been relatively easy for India, winning the first match with 25 balls remaining and achieving Pakistan's total with 7 balls remaining in their second meeting. However, Pakistan defeated both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the Super 4, earning them a spot in the final against the reigning champions. The match began with a strong start by Pakistan, with the top order achieving a total of 113 runs in just 13 overs while only losing the one wicket of Sahibzada Farhan. This set them up for a strong finish, but a lack of execution and poor efforts by the Pakistani middle order led to a complete collapse of their batting order. After a crucial four wickets from Kuldeep Yadav, three of which came in the same over, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah finished off the game, leaving Pakistan with 146 runs, all-out. Nevertheless, India came in with expectations of an easy win, but the real game was anything but. While India's total was relatively easy to chase, overconfidence and over-aggressiveness from the opening batsmen led to a terrible start for the team– after 4 overs, they were 20-3. The next two batsmen to come out were Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson, who established a strong partnership, but Samson's wicket was taken in the 12th over. By the death overs, India required 36 runs off just 24 balls, setting up an extremely close last few overs. By the end, they needed 17 runs off the last two overs, but two key sixes from Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma brought the required total down to just 5 runs. Dube was unable to finish after his wicket was taken, leaving Rinku Singh, a man who had not played a single ball in the entire tournament, to hit the winning shot. He slammed the ball for four, winning India the title. Tilak Varma was named the Man of the Match for his heroic efforts in rescuing India from their poor start, scoring 69 runs off 53 balls in the process. Meanwhile, Indian opening batsman Abhishek Sharma was named the Player of the Tournament. While his performance in the final was not his best, he amassed a total of 314 runs throughout the Asia Cup– more than any other player. Despite the win for India, the team refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy, which would be given by the president of the Asian Cricket Council, Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi happens to be the chairman of the Pakistani Cricket Board and also serves as a prominent interior minister of Pakistan, which has experienced raised tensions with India ever since the Pahalgam incident in Kashmir earlier this year . The attacks were allegedly conducted by Pakistani-affiliated terrorists, sparking outrage across India. Because of the incident, India had doubted even attending the Asia Cup, and they were reluctant to play Pakistan. Furthermore, the team clearly displayed several times that they were unwilling to conduct any sort of formalities with the Pakistani team, including the avoidance of post-match congratulations and shaking hands at the toss. In the final, after the presentation ceremony was delayed by over an hour, several Indian players went up to receive their individual awards, after which Pakistan walked up to take their runner-up award. However, the post-match presentation then came to an end, with broadcasters announcing that India would not be coming up to take the trophy. Pakistani captain Salman Agha told reporters that India's actions were a "disrespect to the game of cricket," not just Pakistan. However, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed later that the team had made the decision to refuse the trophy, and he stated that the team's "real trophies" were the memories of their journey and the win itself, not the official prize. He also announced that he would be donating his earnings from the match to the Indian armed forces, conveying his and the team's continued support for India after continued attacks by alleged Pakistani terrorists. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There is a village in Russia called Tsovkra where every resident can tightrope walk. It is a tradition that dates back over 100 years, but no one knows how it started. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Charm is the ability to make someone else think that both of you are pretty wonderful. ( Kathleen Winsor) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Kerfuffle (noun, ker-FUFF-ul) - Kerfuffle is an informal word that refers to a disturbance or fuss typically caused by a dispute or conflict. In a Sentence: The reclassification of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet caused quite a kerfuffle among astronomy lovers. Image credit to Cricket Australia