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Contents: Death Toll, Wildfire Count Rise in Chile Amid Severe Drought Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day The death toll from the Chile wildfires has crossed 120 as the dry conditions have continued, making the risk of new wildfires even worse. The number of wildfires has escalated to over 160 across the region, which have been burning homes, cars, trees, and everything in their path. 102 have been contained, but another 40 are still out of control. This comes amid a severe drought and the weather pattern of El Niño raising temperatures and causing arid, fire-prone conditions. Officials still say that the death toll will rise, as the fires continue and many missing bodies have not been recovered yet. Rescue crews are trying their best, but the weather is not helping. Fact of the Day: Giraffe mortality rates from lightning are 30 times higher than those of humans. Quote of the Day: Concentrate all your thoughts on the task at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus. (Alexander Graham Bell) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gratuitous (adj)- Gratuitous describes things that are not necessary, appropriate, or justified, as in "a gratuitous insult" or "a gratuitous assumption." Gratuitous can also mean "free." In a Sentence: The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence.

Contents: Flooding Engulfs Southern California as Atmospheric River Strikes Upcoming Events Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day A deadly atmospheric river is dumping rain over southern California, and flooding is quickly inundating the area. Los Angeles and its surroundings were put on a Level 4 Flood Warning (very likely) by the National Weather Service over the weekend, as a river of storms is sweeping through. Rivers and creeks are overflowing and murky water from the ocean is washing into low-lying areas, as over half a foot of rain has already fallen. Hundreds of millions of people are out of power and parts of San Diego have even been evacuated ahead of the storm. Meanwhile, the same storm is delivering multiple inches of snow father inland in the mountains, but the worst threat is the rain and flooding closer to the coast. Upcoming Events: International Day of the Arabian Leopard (Saturday, February 10) World Pulses Day (Saturday, February 10) Super Bowl (Sunday, February 11) International Day of Women and Girls in Science (Sunday, February 11) Fact of the Day: Ants can lift and carry over 50 times their body weight. Quote of the Day: Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed. (Paulo Coelho) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Zeitgeber (noun)- Zeitgeber refers to an environmental agent or event (such as the occurrence of light or dark) that provides the stimulus which sets or resets an organism’s biological clock. In a Sentence: The ratio of daylight to darkness in the spring is an important zeitgeber that affects the activity of some migrating birds.

Contents: 51 Dead, Death Toll Expected to Rise As Forest Fires Ravage Chile Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day At least 51 people are dead as 92 forest fires rage across Chile, with multiple densely populated areas being burned to the ground. 1,100 homes have been burned so far and crews are fighting the flames as best they can. 40 fires have been contained and the others are currently being controlled, but the fires are moving extremely fast, covering multiple miles in a matter of hours. Dozens of helicopters and hundreds of firefighters are rushing in for backup, but the weather is not helping. Hotter than usual temperatures have been plaguing South America recently, and the death toll is expected to rise in the coming days as it has not been fully confirmed yet. Fact of the Day: In an average lifetime, people eat around 70 assorted insects while sleeping. Quote of the Day: Whether you're 9 or 90, stop trying to fix the things you're bad at, and focus on the things you're good at. (Gary Varynerchuk) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Acquisitive (adj)- Someone or something described as acquisitive is characterized by a strong desire to own or acquire more things. In a Sentence: The game aims to teach middle schoolers to balance their acquisitive instincts with a consideration of what will benefit society as a whole.

Contents: 3 Dead, Hundreds Injured After Nairobi Gas Plant Explosion Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Three people were killed and hundreds of others were injured after a gas explosion in Nairobi on Thursday night. A truck carrying gas exploded in a busy district of Kenya's capital city, with the ensuing flames engulfing nearby buildings. Survivors were badly burnt and lost everything in the massive fire, and it will take some time to recover. Kenya’s Energy and Petroleum Regulation Authority (EPRA) stated that they had received applications to build a cooking gas filling plant in the area, but they rejected the applications due to the plant not meeting the proper criteria. However, it seems that the plant continued to illegally operate without a license. Kenyan officials are currently doing a deeper investigation into the explosion. Fact of the Day: Flamingos actually bend their legs at the ankle instead of the knee. Quote of the Day: It is wise to direct your anger towards problems-- not people; to focus you energies on answers-- not excuses. (William Arthur Ward) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Prognosticate (verb)- To prognosticate is to predict or foreshadow something. In a Sentence: Our company uses current trends to prognosticate what the workplace of the future will be like.

Contents: Thousands Without Power After Storm Ingunn Pummels Scandinavia Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day 12,000 people have been left without power and destruction has covered Norway after one of the country's strongest storms ever recorded, Storm Ingunn. Winds of over 120 mph were recorded, beating the national wind speed record, and another wind speed record was broken in nearby Sweden when winds were measured at 115 mph for 10 minutes straight. Winds of over 100 mph were also recorded in Britain and a gust of 155 mph was measured in the Faroe Islands. Windows were blown out of buildings, vehicles were swept away by the wind, and furniture was mangled. Debris flew around and took out other objects like roof tiles, forcing everyone to stay inside. Most meteorologists didn't even see it coming as it quickly became what they call a bomb cyclone, where the storm rapidly intensifies in a short period of time. Flights and trains were canceled and delayed throughout the region as the storm swept across Britain, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, with the latter being the hardest hit. Waves even reached 85 feet in some areas, with 30-foot waves being a common occurrence during the storm. This is Norway's worst storm in 30 years, and it will take some time to recover, but no people were killed. Fact of the Day: Crocodiles cannot stick their tongue out due to a membrane that keeps it stuck to the roof of their mouth, but alligators can. Quote of the Day: Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer. (Denis Waitley) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Damask (noun)- Damask refers to a usually shiny, thick fabric (as of linen, cotton, silk, or rayon) made with patterns. The word can also be used as a synonym of Damascus steel, or for a grayish red color. In a Sentence: The old chair was upholstered in a blue silk damask which was now faded and threadbare.

Contents: CEOs of Meta, Snap, TikTok, Discord, X Called to Capitol for Hearing Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day The five major social media CEOs have all been called to the Capitol to be interrogated by the United States Senate over the topic of the exploitation of children and their information. Mark Zuckerberg (Meta), Evan Speigel (Snap), Shou Zi Chew (TikTok), Jason Citron (Discord), and Linda Yaccarino (X), were called into the investigation and were grilled by the Senate on the first day of the hearing, with hundreds of families of kids affected by social media attending the hearing. They held up posters and signs and made reactions to certain comments that the CEOs and the Senate made, and Zuckerberg and Speigel both personally apologized to the crowd for the effects of social media on their kids. However, the Senate accused Meta of selling teens' information and interrogated Shou Zi Chew on their connections to China, and they are furious over this case and how social media has caused these children to engage in self-harm, experience low self-esteem, take drugs, and even lose their lives. They have been sued numerous times and bills continue to fail to go into effect at the federal level. Many bills Fact of the Day: The tongue of a blue whale can weigh as much as a young elephant. Quote of the Day: A 'no' uttered from deepest conviction is better than a 'yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. (Mahatma Gandhi) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Quotidian (adj)- Something described as quotidian occurs every day or occurs routinely or typically. More broadly, quotidian is used as a synonym of commonplace and ordinary. In a Sentence: The article offers suggestions on how to gamify quotidian tasks.

Contents: Pakistan Sentences Former Prime Minister to Another 10 Years in Prison Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Pakistan has sentenced their former prime minister, Imran Khan, to prison for 10 years. He took office in 2018 before being ousted from his position when the parliament passed a no confidence vote in August of 2022. He has been in jail since then after ruled guilty of corruption, which gave him 3 years in prison, but they have added on another 10 years due to leaking state secrets. This comes just days before Pakistan's general elections on February 8, and his former foreign minister was given an equal sentence as well. After being ousted in 2022, people across the country rallied and protested, and when he was sentenced to another 10 years, a bomb struck Pakistan's Balochistan region, killing 3 people and injuring 7 others. Fact of the Day: The blob of toothpaste on your toothbrush is called a nurdle. Quote of the Day: Good can exist without evil, whereas evil cannot exist without good. (Thomas Aquinas) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Bailiwick (noun)- Bailiwick refers to the domain or sphere in which someone has superior knowledge or authority. In a Sentence: Fundraising events are his bailiwick.

We apologize for the mistake in yesterday's daily update in which upcoming events was not included. You can read the updated article here. Contents: 3 Dead, 34 Wounded After Drone Attack on Americans in Jordan Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day 3 American service members are dead and at least 34 others are wounded after an attack in northeastern Jordan near their border with Syria. The United States is blaming the deadly drone attack on Iranian-backed militants, who have also been accused of some other trouble in the Middle East lately. Iran was quick to deny that the government was involved, claiming that they are rebels whose actions are independent from Iran. US President Joe Biden stated that they will respond, which will most likely be in the form of some strike or attack on the rebels at their base. The US continues to retaliate against attacks from groups in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, but the last thing they want is for the conflict to escalate. Fact of the Day: The Night Watch's cloaks from Game of Thrones were actually painted IKEA rugs. Quote of the Day: Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form. (Karl Marx) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Emote (verb)- To emote is to express emotion in a very dramatic or obvious way. In a Sentence: He stood on the stage, emoting and gesturing wildly.

Check out this article by Mihir Gupta on India's Republic Day! Contents: Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas Sets Sail from Miami Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day The largest cruise ship in the world has set sail from Miami, and its journey is just beginning. Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas was built in Turku, Finland and cost the company over $2 billion, but it is now known all over the world just days after starting its maiden voyage across the Caribbean. The ship is the largest cruise ship ever built: it weighs in at 250,800 gross tons, has 20 decks, and is 1,198 feet long. Icon of the Seas can hold up to 7,600 passengers, and also contains Category 6, the largest waterpark of any cruise ship (17,000 square feet), with six slides. It has seven pools, including the largest pool at sea, Royal Bay, and multiple infinity pools. Lastly, it has eight neighborhoods, including Surfside, which is especially for families, and another that includes the AquaDome-- a massive 82-foot tall glass-and-steel dome with a 55-foot waterfall where guests can take in panoramic views of the sea. Upcoming Events: World Interfaith Harmony Week Begins (Thursday, February 1) World Wetlands Day (Friday, February 2) World Aquatics Championships Begin (Friday, February 2) International Day of Human Fraternity (Sunday, February 4) Fact of the Day: The shortest flight route in the world is from Westray to Papa Westray in Scotland. Since the flight only covers 1.7 miles, it is about 90 seconds long. Quote of the Day: Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. (Aristotle) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Ne plus ultra (noun)- Ne plus ultra refers to the highest point of development or success that something may achieve; it is a synonym of acme. In a Sentencea: The company’s latest electric car is being hailed as the ne plus ultra of automotive achievement.

Contents: US Issues Travel Advisory for Bahamas After Murders Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day One of the top cruise destinations in the world has been issued an advisory by the United States for travelers. After 18 murders in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, just this year, the US increased their advisory level to Level 2. Level 2 means 'increased caution,' as violent gangs could be roaming the streets. They recommend keeping a low profile and not resisting any robbers or gangs you run into. Nassau is attempting to curb the gang violence, but tourists are still being urged to use caution if traveling there. Fact of the Day: Gustav Eiffel originally pitched his Eiffel Tower design to be built in Barcelona, Spain, but they rejected it. After that, he pitched it to Paris, who reluctantly accepted it, and now, it is one of the biggest landmarks in the world! Quote of the Day: If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way. (Martin Luther King Jr.) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Docile (adj)- Docile is used to describe those who are easily taught, led, or managed. In a Sentence: Though the professor feared a rowdy incoming class, he found that his new students were docile and eager to learn.