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Today, we have a YNH Exclusive for our daily update, which offers a deep dive into the US lottery system. Enjoy! A Californian man became $1 billion richer on Thursday when the United States Powerball jackpot was finally won, and the winning ticket was sold in a tiny store in downtown Los Angeles. The win was the third-largest jackpot in Powerball history, after the massive $2.04 billion jackpot from November of 2022 and the $1.536 million jackpot from 2016. However, it's not a straightforward process. First, they give you two options: an annuitized prize of $1.08 billion (which is given over a 30-year period with a 5% increase each year), or a lump sum of $516.8 million; both options are pre-tax estimates. If you select the lump sum option, 24% of the money immediately goes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in taxes, but that's not all. Because of the size of the prize, that tax amount is then increased, but changes for whether you file as a married couple or single individual. For a single individual, you must pay $174,238.25 plus 37% of the taxable income over $578,125 (which includes the lottery prize), and married couples must pay $186,601.50 plus 37% of the taxable income over $693,750. After all of that, state taxes are also applied; all in all, your winnings are drastically decreased! Lastly, for information/stats about Tour de France, check out this article by Mihir Gupta! Quote of the Day (BrainyQuote): Happiness is not by chance, but by choice. (Jim Rohn) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Ameliorate- Ameliorate is a formal word that means to make something, such as a problem, better or more tolerable.

Today we have a YNH Exclusive for our daily update, which gives a detailed but simple story into the hierarchies of the human society: Two massive tragedies have happened in the past week- but only one has made the headlines. The catastrophic implosion of the Titan, a Titanic touring submersible run by the company OceanGate Expeditions, has been worldwide breaking news for a week now, but the migrant ship off of the coast of Greece that sunk while carrying over 750 passengers is something no one has heard of. Let's dive in. On June 14, 2023, a Libyan migrant ship capsized off the coast of Greece, but no authority rushed in to help. Over 750 people from Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Palestine were onboard, and many of them are still missing. In fact, it was over 13 hours after the ship had been spotted that Greek officials came to tow the boat to the shore, but it ended up in a disaster. Some migrants onboard report that the ships towing them pulled too fast or swayed to the side, making the migrant boat capsize. Others say that when the Greek ships gave them supplies but didn't bring them to shore, this caused chaos as fights erupted to take the scarce supplies they had. However, the Hellenic Coast Guard denies this, but it was clear that they did the wrong thing. The boat was clearly overcrowded and on the brink of sinking, so Greek officials should have rushed in to tow the boat to shore safely. Later, after 82 people had died and hundreds were missing, did this story make the headlines? Not even close. Then, when five wealthy people go missing on June 18, 2023 in a Titanic submersible, it is plastered on the front page of every single news website- and wealthy countries are rushing in to help find the sub as soon as possible! The sub was later found to have undergone a catastrophic implosion after giving in to the immense pressures of the ocean above. This just shows how some people are above others in our society; two of the Titan passengers were billionaires, so they are getting tons of coverage, while the hundreds of families aboard the overcrowded migrant ship have been essentially forgotten.

Today, we have a YNH Exclusive on the attacks in Myanmar. Enjoy! Over 80 people are confirmed dead and dozens of others were injured in Myanmar after an airstrike in the central Burmese region of Sagaing on Tuesday, according to a report from local officials. A spokesman for the military junta explained that the village had been holding a ceremony for the opening of an office of the local defense force. A jet came across the town and dropped a bomb on the town hall, where the ceremony was taking place. A little while later, a helicopter equipped with guns attacked the town for about 20 minutes, and then left. However, soon after, it came back to the town and fired again at anyone who was trying to help the injured or collect the dead. 80 people have been confirmed dead, but hundreds of others are feared to have been killed in the brutal attack. Sadly, violence in Myanmar is still escalating after the military seized power from the government in a coup in 2021, because people are fighting back. These individual militias can be found throughout Myanmar, and they are fighting against the military junta. Because of this, there are frequent airstrikes and bombings across the country, which unfortunately kill hundreds of innocent people. The military believes in a scorched-Earth tactic, which means they will sometimes obliterate entire villages to show that they are the ones in power, and it is useless to fight back. There have been over 600 attacks between when the military took power in 2021 and now, killing thousands of people, but the UN is trying to take action. They say that there has been a huge disregard for human rights in Myanmar, and it needs to stop. However, what they have already done is not enough to protect the 54 million people who live in the country; UN Member States need to help and take a lot more action to stop these horrible events.

Contents: Apple Halts All Sales of New Watches After Violation of Patent Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Apple is halting all sales of their Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches after a patent dispute over the blood-oxygen sensor. Masimo, a popular medical device producer, has patented the light-based technology that Apple used in the watches to track blood-oxygen levels, and the US International Trade Commission has ruled that Apple is in violation of that patent. Due to this, Apple will halt all online sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 starting on Thursday and retail sales by Christmas Eve. However, watches that have already been purchased are not being recalled. Apple has had previous disputes with Masimo over patents as well, such as two lawsuits in late 2022 when they claimed that Masimo had copied some crucial features and put it into their W1 smartwatch. Apple's sales will be impacted by this violation, but they don't expect it to be too much of a drop and they are trying to get the watches back on the market as fast as possible. Fact of the Day: Sunsets on Mars are blue. Quote of the Day: Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will. (Mahatma Gandhi) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Raconteur (noun)- A raconteur is someone who excels in telling anecdotes. In a Sentence: A bona fide raconteur, Paola can turn even mundane experiences into hilariously entertaining stories.

Contents: Citizens Call for Peace After Accidental Killing of Three Hostages by IDF Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Amid the tense fighting in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas, many people around the world are calling for a resumption of the recent ceasefire after Israel's accidental killing of three hostages. Three Israeli hostages were killed by the IDF in Gaza recently after some confusion in the violent area, and the army thought the the hostages were Palestinians trying to escape. Citizens of the world are now realizing the damage that Israel has done to Gaza and is calling for a stop to the war as Israel has taken it too far, and almost 19,000 Palestinians have been confirmed dead. Aid is trickling into the strip, but it is not enough to save the thousands of people whose lives are on the line. However, Hamas continues to hold over 100 people hostage, and Israel will not stop until they are freed. Upcoming Events: International Migrants Day (Monday, December 18) Arabic Language Day (Monday, December 18) International Human Solidarity Day (Wednesday, December 20) World Basketball Day (Thursday, December 21) Fact of the Day: Camels may have humps, but their spines are straight. Quote of the Day: Be a lion in the den, because it can succeed anywhere, anytime, and even in the jungle of troubles. (Chukwuemeka) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Visceral (adj)- Visceral is an adjective that describes something as coming from or triggering an instinctive emotional (as opposed to intellectual) response. In medical contexts it means “of or related to internal organs of the body.” In a Sentence: Although she is best known for her film and television roles, Sabrina much prefers the visceral excitement of acting on stage in front of an audience.

Contents: Shipping Companies Suspend Red Sea Operations After Houthi Attacks Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Major shipping companies, such as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, are suspending operations in the Red Sea after Yemen's increasing attacks to protest against Israel's invasion of Palestine after the October 7 Hamas attacks. Yemen's Houthi rebels have repeatedly been launching strikes on ships passing through the area, and the US Navy has come to the rescue multiple times, including a recent one where Houthis launched 14 attack drones that were taken down. It is becoming a serious threat to the crew that are sailing through as well. The Houthis also launched a missile earlier this week that hit a Norwegian cargo ship, but the Navy and an Israeli ship arrived in time to save the crew and put out the fire on the ship. Due to this, major shipping companies are suspending operations in the area until the rebel attacks come to a stop. Fact of the Day: Ants have a better sense of smell than dogs. Quote of the Day: Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. (Earl Nightingale) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Delve (verb)- To delve is to carefully search for information about something, or to examine a subject in detail, as in “The class eagerly delved into the writings of Zora Neale Hurston.” Delve can also mean “to dig or labor with or as if with a spade,” as in “delving into their pockets for loose change.” As the examples show, delve is typically followed by into. In a Sentence: Before my trip to Venice, I delved into the history of the city.

Contents: Hundreds Injured After Train Crash in Beijing Amid Adverse Weather Conditions Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day A train crash injured over 500 people on Friday after two metro trains collided during rush hour in Beijing. The first train came to an emergency stop due to slippery tracks ahead, and a second train behind it failed to brake after coming down a slick slope and smashed into the back of the first train. 515 people were sent to the hospital after the incident, and 102 of them have been found to have suffered from a bone fracture of some sort. Two of the end carriages also detached after the crash, injuring more passengers as it separated from its original train. Officials confirmed that the entire incident was caused due to the brake failure and the dangerous weather conditions- Beijing has suffered from some snowfall as a wave of cold weather strikes the region. Fact of the Day: If you keep a goldfish in a dark room, it will eventually turn white. The goldfish produce melanin, as humans do, and their cells are not stimulated to produce it if they don't receive sunlight. Quote of the Day: Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one. (Bruce Lee) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Aplomb (noun)- Aplomb means “complete and confident composure or self-assurance” and is a synonym of poise. In a Sentence: On her first day as a teacher, June handled herself with aplomb, keeping the class engaged and focused.

Contents: Tesla Announces Recall on 2 Million Vehicles Over Autopilot Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Tesla has announced that they are recalling over 2 million vehicles currently on the road due to issues with their Autopilot, which has caused over 1,000 crashes. Safety regulators determined that the system can easily be misused and could be the cause of numerous more crashes in the future. They determined that eight out of the thousands of crashes were serious incidents, and fatalities were involved in some of them. Due to this, Tesla has agreed to introduce a new update that will limit the Autopilot's capabilities if it determines that the driver is not responsible enough to manage the feature well. Fact of the Day: Some people suggest that news stands for Notable Events Weather and Sports. Quote of the Day: Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. (Mother Teresa) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Genial (adj)- Someone described as genial is cheerful and pleasant; a thing described as genial suggests or expresses friendliness and cheer. In a Sentence Omar was a most genial host, making sure to spend time with each and every one of the guests at the reception.

Contents: US Federal Reserve Plans to Cut Rates in 2024 Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day The United States Federal Reserve announced yesterday that they are planning to cut interest rates for the first time since March 2020, when the COVID pandemic hit. After raising rates for 17 months -- from March 2022 to July 2023 -- to curb record-high inflation, they have planned three cuts in 2024 to bring the sky-high rates back down. There was a lot of nervousness from a lot of the country over these rate announcements and whether the Fed would cut them or raise them, but they have chosen the more popular option after leaving the rates as they were for five months. Fact of the Day: Sonic the Hedgehog's full name is Ogilvie Maurice Hedgehog. Quote of the Day: Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain. (Vivian Greene) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Exhort (verb)- To exhort someone is to try to strongly urge them to do something. In a Sentence: The volunteers exhorted the young adults to register to vote before the upcoming election.

Contents: Support for Palestine Grows and Falters for Israel Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Rifts between US President Joe Biden and Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu are growing as Israel continues to bombard Gaza with airstrikes. Many officials around the world have stated that Israel is starting to go too far and kill too many innocent civilians in Gaza, and Biden has criticized them by saying that they are losing global support. Palestinian rallies are ramping up worldwide, and almost 18,000 people are dead in Gaza- with more dying every day. Fact of the Day: Boanthropy is a psychological disorder in which the patient thinks they are a cow. Quote of the Day: It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light. (Aristotle Onassis) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Mentor (noun)- A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In a Sentence: They regarded the professor not only as a mentor, but as a good friend as well.