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Contents: Israel and Hamas Finally Agree to Ceasefire Deal Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Israel and Hamas have finally agreed to a groundbreaking hostage-release deal that will greatly benefit both sides. Hamas sent out a proposal to release 50 hostages in exchange for a four-day ceasefire in the region, and the Israeli cabinet has agreed after 6 hours of debating. Israel has also stated that they will agree to extend the ceasefire if more hostages are released. This will finally give an opportunity for the struggling residents of Gaza to recover from the constant strikes on the strip, while it will save dozens of hostages who have been held captive by Hamas after their kidnapping from Israel. Hopefully, this conflict ends soon and both sides can fully recover. Fact of the Day: The heart of a blue whale is five feet long and weighs 400 pounds, while the whole whale weighs 40,000 pounds- making the heart 1% of the whale's weight. Meanwhile, a human heart is around 0.5% of the total body weight. Quote of the Day: If you have choice, then choose the best. If you have no choice, then do the best. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Ransack (verb)- To ransack a place is to search it for something in a way that causes disorder or damage. In a Sentence: My sister ransacked my room looking for the shoes I had borrowed (and returned).

Contents: Dozens Dead As Strong Storms Strike Hispaniola Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Dozens of people are dead across the island of Hispaniola after torrential rains struck the region, which is very susceptible to flooding. Hispaniola is the island home to the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and rains are a huge issue on the low-lying island. Power lines and trees were downed, homes and bridges were washed away, and some tunnels even collapsed. At least 21 people were killed in the Dominican Republic, 9 of which were killed after a poorly built wall fell on them. Multiple sinkholes opened across the island, and rivers burst their banks as well. In Haiti, four people are dead after the rains, and the country is also facing an outbreak of cholera that could be intensified by these storms. Thankfully, the rain has since moved on, and the island will now be allowed to recover. Fact of the Day: Wombats have cube-shaped feces, which are stacked by the animals to mark their territory. Quote of the Day: Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. (Arthur Ashe) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Laissez-faire (noun)- Laissez-faire refers to an economic policy or doctrine that allows businesses to operate with very little interference from the government. Laissez-faire is also used as an adjective, as in “laissez-faire capitalism,” and often figuratively used to mean “hands-off,” as in “she took a laissez-faire approach to managing her employees.” In a Sentence: The newly-announced candidate is a strong advocate of laissez-faire.

Contents: ODI Cricket World Cup Finishes Off in Dramatic Finale Upcoming Events Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day The ODI Cricket World Cup has finished after a gripping finale that saw the home favorites lose in a huge upset. India, the hosts, had gone 9-0 in the regular matches and defeated New Zealand by 70 runs in the first semifinal to make it to the final, while Australia went 7-2 and beat South Africa by 3 wickets in the semifinal to face off against India. After some dominant showings, India were the favorite to win, but a tough pitch to bat on led to the low total of 240 after their innings. Then, Australia truly smashed the ball in their batting innings, and poor fielding from India helped Australia take their 6th World Cup victory. Upcoming Events: Africa Industrialization Day (Monday, November 20) World Children's Day (Monday, November 20) World Television Day (Tuesday, November 21) Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 23) International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Saturday, November 25) Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Sunday, November 26) World Sustainable Transport Day (Sunday, November 26) Fact of the Day: Google was originally named BackRub by founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin before being named after googol, which is the number one with 100 zeros after it. Quote of the Day: My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive. (Maya Angelou) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Inordinate (adj)- Something described as inordinate exceeds reasonable limits; it goes beyond what is considered usual, normal, or proper. In a Sentence: We waited an inordinate amount of time to get a table at the restaurant, especially given that it was a Tuesday night.

Contents: 130 Dead As Intense Flooding Strikes Eastern Africa Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Severe, heavy rain has been bombarding Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia lately, and over 130 people are dead due to the storms. Flooding has inundated entire cities as rivers burst their banks and the rain poured down for days, washing away entire buildings and sweeping bridges into the rushing rivers. The rain has been affecting the area for about a month now, after five dry years, and the El Niño is causing a huge uptick in the weather conditions. This is all due to the worsening climate crisis, which has amplified dry seasons into droughts and rainy seasons into massive downpours. Hopefully, the storms calm down soon and the Horn of Africa will get a relief, but weather is extremely unpredictable. Fact of the Day: Some parts of Canada are actually south of Detroit, USA. Quote of the Day: Success is a journey, not a destination. (Arthur Ashe) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Disabuse (verb)- To disabuse someone of something, such as a belief, is to show or convince them that the belief is incorrect. In a Sentence: Anyone expecting a light, romantic story will be quickly disabused of that notion by the opening chapter of the novel.

Contents: 6.8 Magnitude Undersea Earthquake Strikes Philippines, No Tsunami Warning Issued Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day A large, 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines on Friday, rattling the island nation. It was measured at a depth of about 37 miles in the early morning, striking 16 mi (26 km) off the coast of Burias Island. No tsunami warning was issued, but some severe shaking was reported in the area. Buildings and bridges collapsed amid the quake, but there are no reported injuries or deaths so far. Thankfully, the earthquake mainly affected a low-populated area, which will minimize the damage. Fact of the Day: Three of the Founding Fathers of the United States (and future presidents) all died on July 4th: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Monroe. Quote of the Day: Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. (Steve Jobs) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Hallmark (noun)- A hallmark is a distinguishing characteristic, trait, or feature. Hallmark also refers to a mark or design placed or stamped on something to indicate its origin, purity, or genuineness, as in "sterling silver hallmarks." In a Sentence: The entertainer's new book features the same kind of wry humor that is the hallmark of his radio show.

Contents: Italy's Mount Etna Erupts Amid Iceland Volcano Concerns Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Amid the concerns in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula of a volcanic eruption, Italy's Mount Etna has erupted in a large, explosive blast. Mount Etna is located on the island of Sicily and is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, as well as being one of the largest- its summit elevation stands at almost 11,000 feet. Due to its constant state of activity, not much civilization is located near the volcano to avoid being damaged by lava, but its eruptions can cause dangerous earthquakes that rattle the entire area. Lava has been exploding out of the crater for days now in another eruption, and as usual, we have no idea when it will end. Meanwhile, the magma intrusion continues to cause earthquakes beneath the town of Grindavík in Iceland, and an eruption could take place any day now. Fact of the Day: Since the temperature of a tennis ball affects how it bounces, all tennis balls used in Wimbledon are kept at exactly 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius). Quote of the Day: When you find a dream inside your heart, never let it go, for dreams are the tiny seeds from which beautiful tomorrow grows. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Woebegone (adj)- Woebegone describes someone or something that feels or shows great woe, sorrow, or misery. In a Sentence: The team never looked more woebegone than it did heading back to the locker room after losing the championship to their rivals by a single run.

Contents: Yemen Attacks Israel As Middle Eastern Conflicts Escalate Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day More conflict in the Middle East is brewing, and it could cause suffering for a whole lot more people in the area in the near future. Amid Israel's intense war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Yemen's Houthis group has launched multiple strikes at Israel, which have been intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The ballistic missiles were launched from Yemen and intercepted, but Houthis is still threatening an attack by air and sea. They are doing this in retaliation to Israel's invasion of Gaza, and have also threatened to attack Israeli ships in the Red Sea if they do not back out. However, the war between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, and there is no ending in sight. Fact of the Day: Bananas glow blue under black light. Quote of the Day: Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. (Winston S. Churchill) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Chimera (noun)- In Greek mythology, Chimera is a fire-breathing monster that has a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a snake’s tail. In general contexts, chimera can refer to something (such as an aspiration) that exists only in the imagination and is not possible in reality. In a Sentence: The fantasy is a utopian chimera, but there are real improvements for the town that can be made.

Contents: Cinnamon-Flavored Applesauce Recalled After High Amounts of Lead Found Inside Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day If you recently bought cinnamon-flavored applesauce produced by the companies of WanaBana, Schnucks, or Weis, this is a very important message. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has issued a warning after the companies recalled the product due to extremely high amounts of lead in the applesauce, which can be deadly. They found that lead poisoning cases in 22 toddlers led back to these specific brands and flavors of applesauce, and they issued a recall to stop the distribution of any other pouches of it. Lead poisoning does not show any immediate symptoms, but it can cause developmental delays, irritability, and damage to the brain. Over a few months, you may see consistent headaches, vomiting, fatigue, weight loss, and anemia, and a large buildup of the chemical can even lead to death. If you did buy this applesauce, return it immediately, and see a doctor as soon as possible if you have already eaten it. Fact of the Day: Martin Luther King Jr. actually received a C in public speaking in his school. Quote of the Day: When you fall, take a note from the Sun. Rise up again each morning. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Exigent (adj)- Exigent is a formal word that describes things that need to be dealt with immediately, as well as people who expect significant time, attention, effort, etc. from other people. In a Sentence: The warrantless search of the property was permitted because of exigent circumstances.

Contents: Volcanic Eruption Imminent in Iceland, Thousands Under Evacuation Orders Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day The chances of a volcanic eruption near Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula continues to increase, and thousands of people have been evacuated across the area as the eruption looms in the near future. The Fagradalsfjall volcano has been rumbling for days, and the entire town of Grindavík has been evacuated ahead of the eruption. The volcano has erupted every year since 2021 after a 6,000 year dormant period, but it could erupt underwater or on land. A land eruption would be more threatening to Grindavík, but an undersea eruption could be more explosive and last a lot longer. A massive 15 kilometer long fracture has formed right next to Grindavík, and there is loads of magma just beneath the surface. Whether it erupts or not is yet yo be seen. Fact of the Day: When penicillin was first invented, it was called "mold juice" by bacteriologist Alexander Fleming who created it. Quote of the Day: I don't believe you have to be better than everybody else. I believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be. (Ken Venturi) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gravitate (verb)- To gravitate is to move, tend to move, or be attracted to or toward someone or something. In a Sentence: Many young people now gravitate toward careers on social media.

Contents: Gaza Hospitals in Trouble, About to Run Out of Fuel and Power Upcoming Events Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Gaza's hospitals are in trouble despite the trickle of aid coming into the strip, and thousands of people could die in an instant if they run out of the necessary supplies. Multiple hospitals are extremely low on power and fuel, and they could run out any day now. The loss of power and fuel would immediately kill hundreds of people who need 24/7 electricity to help their conditions, and the small amount of aid getting through the border with Egypt is not enough to power those hospitals. Israel is now allowing a few hours a day of cease-fire to help get innocent Palestinian civilians out of the area, but numerous Palestinians are still dying each day from the Israeli missile strikes. Officials have reported that the death toll is most likely higher than expected, and they are racking up by the day. Upcoming Events: World Diabetes Day (Tuesday, November 14) World Philosophy Day (Thursday, November 16) International Day for Tolerance (Thursday, November 16) ODI Cricket World Cup Final (Sunday, November 19) World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (Sunday, November 19) Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix (Sunday, November 19) World Toilet Day (Sunday, November 19) Pacific Games Kickoff (Sunday, November 19) Fact of the Day: The grippy sole of a sneaker was actually inspired by a waffle maker- track and field coach and co-founder of Nike Bill Bowerman was having a waffle breakfast one day and came up with the idea of putting it on a shoe! Quote of the Day: A smart person knows what to say. A wise person knows whether to say it or not. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Bugbear (noun)- A bugbear is a source of dread or irritation; in other words, something that causes problems or annoys people. In a Sentence: The biggest bugbear of the skiing business is a winter with no snow.