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Contents: Prime Minister of Slovakia Survives After Being Shot Multiple Times Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Robert Fico, the incumbent prime minister of Slovakia, has survived after a shocking assassination attempt on his life yesterday. Fico used to be part of the Communist Party, but he joined the Smer (Direction) Party after Slovakia became democratic. He has served two previous terms, one from 2006-2010 and another from 2012-2018. In Slovakia, a prime minister's term length is determined by the National Council and the Parliament. He has a very different approach on many subjects, and is very pro-Russia and against Western influences like the United States. Yesterday, just after one of his recent political events in the small town of Handlova, Fico was shot five times, leaving him in critical condition. Police have identified the suspect to be a 71-year-old man, but they are still trying to figure out his motive-- they know that it was somewhat political, though. Thankfully, Fico made a quick recovery from his operation, and he is no longer in life-threatening condition. Political violence like this rarely occurs in Slovakia, and there is sure to be a very large investigation into the incident. Countries all over the world have already condemned the shooting and are wishing the best for Prime Minister Robert Fico in his recovery. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): V is the only letter in the English language that is not silent in any word. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on. (Criss Jami) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Wane (verb) - To wane is to become smaller or less, or in other words, to decrease in size, extent, or degree. In a Sentence: The national scandal caused her popularity to wane.

Contents: 14 Dead, 74 Injured After Mumbai Billboard Collapse in Storm Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day 14 people are dead and 74 others are injured after heavy rain in Mumbai, which led to a destructive incident involving a billboard. Amid a strong storm with high winds, a 100-foot-tall billboard tipped over in the small suburb of Ghatkopar, crushing an adjacent gas station. 47 people were rescued from the scene, and 31 of the injured victims have been released from the hospital after minor injuries. After a thorough investigation, police determined that the billboard had been illegally kept there. No permission was obtained from the Mumbai government to put it there before it was built in April 2022, and three notices were issued for various issues like missed license fees and surrounding environmental damage. The billboard was also out of regulation size and did not have the required gap between it and another billboard, along with a lack of a proper structural stability report. However, no action was ever taken on the matter, but officials had issued a final notice and planned to destroy it this week. Unfortunately, before they could do so, it came down on a gas station on Monday evening in the high winds. The company that constructed the billboard, Ego Media, now faces some large fines (6.14 crore rupees, or around 735,000 USD) due to their unpaid license fees, and they have been instructed to remove all traces of their billboards in 10 days. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Due to gravity, even after you stop growing, your nose and ears continue to become larger as you age. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Do what is easy and your life will be hard. Do what is hard and your life will become easy. (Les Brown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Caveat (noun) - A caveat is an explanation or warning that should be remembered when you are doing or thinking about something. In legal contexts, caveat refers to a notice to a court or judicial officer to suspend a proceeding until the opposition can be heard. In a Sentence: All investment advice should come with a caveat: the stock market is impossible to predict with absolute accuracy.

Contents: Indonesia's Mount Ibu Blasts Ash and Smoke Over 3 Miles Into the Air Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Indonesia's Mount Ibu violently erupted yesterday, making it the second time in under a week that it has experienced volcanic activity. The volcano first blew on Friday in a smaller eruption, leading the government to raise its risk level from 2 to 3. The scale goes from 1-4, with a 3 meaning an intense increase in seismic activity and a possible main eruption in under two weeks. Over 13,000 people live within a 3 mile radius of the 4,347-foot-tall stratovolcano, which is located on the island of Halmahera, and this explosion has sent them all out of the area. No evacuation orders have been given yet, but residents have been advised to stay away and move to a different location on the island. If activity continues to increase at this pace, mandatory evacuations are sure to be issued soon, as stratovolcanoes like Mount Ibu are known for their explosive eruptions. The latest activity took place at 9:12 am local time and lasted for five minutes, during which ash and smoke were blasted over 16,400 feet into the air from the volcano's caldera. These events have sparked extreme concerns over an even bigger explosion in the coming weeks, and strong earthquakes are also possible. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): In the 1400s, the word 'fizzle' meant to fart quietly, but over centuries, the word gradually took on the meaning it has today. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Wisdom… is knowing what you have to accept. (Wallace Stegner) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Instigate (verb) - To instigate something is to cause it to happen or begin by urging or goading others. Instigate is a synonym of provoke. In a Sentence: The pair was accused of instigating a plot to oust the newly elected mayor.

Contents: 315 Dead, 1,600 Injured After Afghanistan Flooding Upcoming Events Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day At least 315 people are dead and over 1,600 others are injured after severe flooding in Afghanistan recently. Persistent rain on Friday led to intense flash flooding across Afghanistan, washing away thousands of homes and leaving residents with absolutely nothing. They reported that there is no food, no water, no shelter, and no electricity. Only a couple of homes managed to survive the floods, which wiped out entire towns. The northern province of Baghlan was the worst-hit, with most of the deaths occurring there, but the eastern province of Badakhshan and the western provinces of Ghor and Herat were also affected by the flooding. Most of the victims were women and children who couldn't escape the villages fast enough. Once residents saw the deluge of rain outside, they stated that they began sprinting with family members to hilltops and higher areas to avoid getting caught up in the flash floods. The country's economic output also took a beating, as numerous livestock were killed as well. The majority of Afghanistan's economy relies on agriculture, which has taken a beating from this year's rainy season. Search-and-rescue crews are still sifting through the damage for any survivors, and officials have stated that they expect the death toll to rise as more bodies are discovered. Aid from the capital of Kabul is on the way, but damaged infrastructure like collapsed bridges and flooded roads are hindering their efforts to get there as quickly as possible. Afghanistan is one of the most susceptible countries in the world to the effects of climate change, which are sparking more and more natural disasters in the region. They continue to get hit by stronger storms, which kill more people and inundate more areas every year. Upcoming Events: International Day of Families (Wednesday, May 15) International Day of Living Together in Peace (Thursday, May 16) International Day of Light (Thursday, May 16) PGA Championship Begins (Thursday, May 16) World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (Friday, May 17) Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix- Imola (Sunday, May 19) Pentecost (Sunday, May 19) PGA Championship Ends (Sunday, May 19) Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Dogs start smelling with their right nostril. If the smell is nice, they transition to their left nostril, but if the odor is bad or means danger is coming, they continue to smell with the right nostril. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. (Maya Angelou) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Torrid (adj) - Torrid can be used to describe something that is literally hot (such as a region near the Earth’s equator) or figuratively hot (such as a romance). In a Sentence: The tabloids were relentless in covering every minor detail of the celebrity couple’s torrid affair.

Contents: Switzerland's Nemo Brings Home Their Third-Ever Eurovision Win Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Eurovision, the famous European song contest, has finally come to an end, with Switzerland's Nemo taking home the win. This year's competition was quite controversial over the topic of Israel, as crowds were constantly booing their representative, Eden Golan, due to their ongoing war with Palestine. She ended up coming home with fifth place for her song, "Hurricane." Protesters also appeared outside the center, motivating others to boycott Eurovision in support of Palestine. Nevertheless, it was an exciting contest hosted by Sweden, the home country of last year's winner, Loreen. A backstage incident that disqualified Joost Klein, the representation for the Netherlands, also added to the controversy. Nemo did a spectacular performance of his song, "The Code," which is about accepting non-binary identities. Nemo has become the first non-binary artist to take home a Eurovision win, and they have helped Switzerland get their first win since Celine Dion's victory in 1988-- and their third-ever overall win. Croatia's Baby Lasagna took runner-up with his song, "Rim Tim Tagi Dim," which is the country's highest-ever placement in Eurovision. There was also a large tribute to ABBA at the contest, as it is the 50th anniversary of when the famous band won Sweden's first-ever Eurovision in 1974. Switzerland will now host next year's Eurovision, as that is Nemo's home country, but the location and date are yet to be announced. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Scientists believe that at the same time when dinosaurs were around, there may have also been active volcanoes on the moon. Quote of the Day: Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. (Dale Carnegie) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Zhuzh (verb) - To zhuzh something up is to improve its flavor or appearance by way of a small improvement, adjustment, or addition. In a Sentence: He likes to zhuzh up his outfits with brightly-colored ties.nacks before the rest of the party guests arrived.

Contents: Massive Solar Storm Strikes Earth, Auroras Seen as Far as Deep South Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day A massive solar storm slammed into the Earth yesterday, leading to spectacular views of the aurora borealis across North America, and the storm will continue through the rest of the weekend. The geomagnetic storm was rated a G4 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is the second-highest rating a storm can get. However, scientists think that the storms could possibly escalate into a G5 event. The latest strong storm was back in March, and it was also rated a G4. The last time a G5 struck Earth was all the way back in October 2003, which were coined the Halloween Solar Storms. Solar storms can affect voltage controls, and grid systems can blackout or even completely collapse. Transformers, radios, satellites, and power lines may also be damaged due to the waves of plasma coming out of the Sun. At first, NOAA issued a geomagnetic storm watch after some massive bursts of plasma from the Sun, which are called coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These huge waves that erupt from the surface of the Sun blast towards Earth, and the aurora borealis occurs when the CMEs hit the planet's magnetic field. This disruption causes a beautiful array of colors in the night sky. This, combined with strong solar flare activity, is contributing to the especially powerful storm hitting Earth this May. This weekend, five CMEs are all slamming into Earth at once, resulting in a huge G4, maybe G5 storm that is creating a show for millions of citizens and a nuisance for power companies. Citizens have been treated to auroras as far south as Northern California in the west and Alabama, Georgia, and Florida in the Deep South. However, infrastructure companies are on the lookout for damages to their power grids, and radios are already experiencing issues. If you live in one of the areas that could see an aurora this weekend, try and get to a dark location with as low light pollution as possible. Auroras aren't usually visible with the naked eye, so try turning on the night mode feature on your phone camera and increase the exposure to view the colors more vividly. Good luck aurora hunting! Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): In real life, only a quarter of the Sahara Desert is covered in sand. The rest is mostly gravel and rocks. Quote of the Day: I recommend you take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves. (Earl of Chesterfield) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Bogart (verb) - To bogart something is to use or consume it without sharing. In a Sentence: Nelson advised his friends not to bogart all the snacks before the rest of the party guests arrived.

Contents: 4 Dead, Multiple Injured After Tornadoes Strike Southern US Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day At least four people are dead and multiple others have been seriously injured after severe storms struck the southern United States this week. The region had just been recovering from some other strong storms from last week, and more storms earlier this week killed multiple people. Those storms sparked multiple tornadoes, but the ones on Tuesday mainly affected the Midwestern area like Indiana and Michigan. During the latest storm, a powerful front moved through Texas and Oklahoma before sweeping into the southeast with strong winds and heavy rain. There were numerous delays at many of the area's major airports, including Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, which is the busiest in the world. There were reported tornadoes in Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama, which knocked down trees and sent homes, cars, and even people flying into the air. Over 150,000 people lost power, and multiple people were injured as well. One young 10-year-old boy was swept into a storm drain after extreme flooding occurred on the street he was playing on. He was swept under roads until he ended up in a drainage ditch. The boy was discovered with major injuries and is still in critical condition-- his heartbeat has resumed after CPR but his lungs are severely damaged and he seems to have serious brain damage. Most of the deaths and injuries during these storms occurred due to tornadoes or falling trees, and it will be tough to recover. Unfortunately, there will be no stop to these storms. Spring is peak season for severe weather, especially tornadoes, and this year was particularly bad-- this April had the second-most tornadoes in the month on record (300), only beaten by 2011's monster tornado season. More storms are on the way today; they are already pounding the southeast right now. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Cows, sheep, and goats don't have upper front teeth. Instead, they have a thick layer of gum called a dental pad, which is used to pull out grass, and they use their molars in the back to chew their food. Quote of the Day: The two most powerful warriors are patience and time. (Leo Tolstoy) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Grudging (adj) - Grudging is an adjective used to describe something that is said, done, or given unwillingly or reluctantly. It can also describe someone who is unwilling or reluctant to do something. In a Sentence: Her theories have begun to win grudging acceptance in the scientific community.

Contents: Rescue Crews Find the Body of the Sixth Victim in the Baltimore Bridge Collapse Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Search-and-rescue crews have finally managed to find the body of the sixth victim of the Baltimore bridge collapse that occurred in late March. Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge went down after a cargo ship, the Dali, hit one of its piers. The piers are the crucial supports that hold up the bridge, and damage to one of them can take down the entire structure. When the Dali smashed into one of its central piers after losing power, it sent the whole bridge crumpling like paper into the Patapsco River below. Thankfully, the crash took place in the early hours of the morning, meaning that there was barely anyone on the bridge when it fell. Unfortunately, construction crews were repairing potholes on the bridge at the time of the collapse, and crews have been working to find their bodies for over a month now. The bodies were extremely tough to reach due to the unstable, mangled metal beams criss-crossing the river, and they have slowly been recovering their corpses, one by one. The bridge was part of Baltimore's I-695, which encircles the main urban areas of the metropolis. Over 30,000 people used it per day, and its demise has created a massive influx of new traffic into other areas of the city. The ruins have also blocked off one of the main routes into the port of Baltimore, which handles a huge amount of cargo each day. Thankfully, the US Army Corps of Engineers, who are working on removing the debris from the river, have stated that they hope to reopen the river by the end of May. Also, so far, over $60 million has been raised to help reconstruct the bridge as soon as possible to get things up and running again in the area. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Walt Disney chose for most of his characters to wear gloves because it made them easier to animate. In addition, at the beginning, they didn’t want Mickey Mouse to have mouse hands because he was supposed to have more of a human feel to viewers. Quote of the Day: Whenever I'm about to do something, I think, "Would an idiot do that?" And if they would, I do not do that thing. (Dwight Schrute from The Office) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Reputation (noun) - A reputation is the common opinion that people have about someone or something. Reputation can also refer to a positive position that someone or something has in public esteem or regard. In a Sentence: She's earned a reputation as a first-class playwright.

Contents: Israel Rejects Ceasefire, Takes Control of Rafah Border Crossing Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Unfortunately, Israel confirmed that they do not agree with the latest draft on a ceasefire with Hamas, dashing the hopes that peace would arrive in the coming days. Hamas accepted a proposal yesterday from Egypt and Qatar, marking one of the first ceasefires that they have agreed with. However, Israel stated that the proposal does not agree with their core demands, but they will continue talks with Hamas. Meanwhile, more chaos has ensued in southern Gaza as Israel invades Rafah. Initially, towards the beginning of the war, millions of citizens were forced to shift south after the northern portion of the Gaza Strip was bombarded with airstrikes. 1.4 million of those evacuees moved to the southernmost city of Rafah, where most of the aid has been pouring in through the Egyptian border crossing. However, Israel claims that there are plenty of Hamas operatives hiding out among the citizens in Rafah, and invading the city is crucial to completely eliminating the terrorist organization. They have issued immediate evacuation orders for all of southeastern Gaza, urging people to move west to the coast. They are not recommended to shift north, as there is extreme famine going on up there. The western area they are moving to includes part of the city of Khan Younis, which has been devastated by Israeli attacks. 80% of the city's buildings are pure wreckage, and most of the rest is considered uninhabitable due to the severe damage. It also includes the smaller town of Deir el-Balah, which has also been pounded by airstrikes. Yesterday, Israeli forces used tanks to take control of the Rafah border crossing, which has been seen as an invasion by many. On the other hand, Israel maintains that it is a limited operation to cut off Hamas' arms smuggling through the crossing-- it is not meant to halt any aid flow, and it should not be considered as a full-scale invasion of Rafah. United States President Joe Biden has reminded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure the safety of the 1.4 million Palestinians residing in the Rafah area, but Netanyahu's cabinet is pushing him to launch a tougher offensive and take down Hamas, no matter the civilian consequences. Talks between Hamas and Israel will continue, and we will keep you updated on the latest with the ceasefire, the evacuations, and the Rafah invasion. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): When turkeys are scared or excited, they can actually blush. The pale skin on their head and neck turns bright red, blue, or white, and the flap of skin over their beaks, called a snood, also reddens. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. (Steve Jobs) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Extemporize (verb) - To extemporize means to do something extemporaneously—in other words, to improvise. In a Sentence: A good talk show host must be able to extemporize when interviews don’t go as planned.

Contents: Hamas Accepts Temporary Ceasefire Proposal From Egypt and Qatar Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day We have some huge news today: Hamas has accepted a temporary ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar. The nations have been constantly working for months to try and get both sides to agree on a proposal, and the day has finally come. It will require the release of 20 to 33 hostages by Hamas, and Israel will halt the war for a few weeks. During the ceasefire, they will further exchange prisoners of war from both sides, and the bodies of some of the deceased hostages will also be returned. Israel has not confirmed their approval, though. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still reviewing the proposal that he helped to create, making sure that it is in his best interests. He previously stated that an invasion into the city of Rafah, where over 1.4 million people are sheltering from the war, was guaranteed in the near future, and he would not back down because much of Hamas had hidden in Rafah to avoid being taken out. This week, he issued immediate evacuation orders for the entire city, sending citizens into panic. His cabinet is also urging him to take action and take over Rafah, and they have stated that accepting a ceasefire now could set back their progress. Unfortunately, the invasion of Rafah would inevitably lead to more loss of life and more suffering for hundreds of thousands of people, worsening the already-horrible humanitarian crisis. However, the Israeli public and most of the world is imploring Israel to accept a ceasefire deal, and it could be horrible publicity if he turns down the proposal-- possibly sparking riots and protests all over the country. It is still unclear whether he plans to accept the ceasefire deal and stop the Rafah invasion, accept the deal and still invade Rafah, or deny the deal altogether. We also do not know which version of the proposal Hamas has accepted-- these details are part of an outline that was released last week, so changes may have been made. Updates are sure to arrive in the coming days. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Blue whales eat 457,000 calories in one mouthful-- that's a lot of krill! Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments. (Rose Kennedy) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Plangent (adj) - Something, such as a sound, that is described as plangent is loud, deep, and often expressive of sadness or suffering. The word is a synonym of plaintive. In a Sentence: The campers were awoken by the plangent howl of a coyote off in the distance.