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The global stock market skyrocketed yesterday after Trump confirmed that the US will pull out of Iran within the next two to three weeks, whether a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is reached or not. The move comes as the American war in Iran reaches a standstill, with both sides launching strikes but neither side making major progress or necessarily "winning" the conflict. American sentiments towards the war are rapidly changing– more than 59% of Americans believe the US made the wrong decision to use military force in Iran, and Trump's approval ratings have slipped again to a mere 37%. Recently, Trump claimed that negotiations are taking place and recently confirmed that the US was dominating in Iran, but Iran has denied both allegations and taken a stance of their own. Now, Trump has announced that the war will end within the next two weeks, whether a deal with Iran is made or not. Many experts view this announcement as one of defeat– the original goal of the United States when they attacked Iran was to swiftly destroy the regime, obliterate Iran's nuclear program, and secure the region. Instead, they have done almost the opposite. The regime is just as strong, even with Khamenei gone, and the Middle East has been destabilized. Just months ago, the region had achieved some sort of peace with a Gaza ceasefire, and attacks of any kind were no longer taking place. With US intervention, the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively shut down, the Red Sea is now at risk, Israel has invaded Lebanon once again, and Middle Eastern economies have been crippled. Now, many believe that after making the situation worse, the US will back out, attempting to protect their own economy while leaving the world to deal with the repercussions. Supplies of just about every global item that comes from the Middle East – including fertilizer, oil, and natural gas – are running low across the globe, and prices continue to increase. Following Trump's announcement, gas prices in the United States hit an average of $4.02, crossing the $4 mark for the first time since August 2022. Even if the US backs out of Iran, the move will not fix the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Iran to maintain effective control over the area. An American departure from the Middle East with the strait in its current state would force Middle Eastern nations to create deals of their own with Iran to allow their tankers through. Nevertheless, while gas prices have risen, the stock market skyrocketed on Monday after Trump's announcement of an impending end to the war. The Dow Jones Index jumped more than 1,100 points, rising 2.49%, while the S&P 500 leaped 2.91%. The Nasdaq Composite soared 3.83%, ending a rather grim quarter on a positive note. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The A.D. and B.C. system was not proposed until 525 A.D. by a monk. However, it was not widely used until the 9th century. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): To finish first, you must first finish. (Juan Manuel Fangio) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Genteel (adj, jen-TEEL) - Genteel means “of or relating to people who have high social status” and can be used as a somewhat old-fashioned synonym of aristocratic . It can also be used to describe something with a quietly appealing or polite quality, as in “genteel manners.” In a Sentence: Their genteel upbringing shaped the way they viewed the world. Image credit to Al Jazeera

Recent airstrikes on Israel launched by the Yemeni Houthi rebels could draw yet another party into the worsening US-Iran War, and their entrance into the conflict could have serious repercussions for the entire world. The Houthi rebels have allied themselves with Iran during their progressive takeover of Yemen– they currently control the Yemeni capital of Sana'a and the nation's Red Sea coastline, maintaining authority over around 80% of Yemen's population. Along with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran's militant groups in Iraq, the Houthis are some of Iran's strongest proxy forces in the Middle East, and they have joined the fight against Israel. Hezbollah is currently fighting Israel in Lebanon, while Hamas has been decimated by Israel's devastating attacks on Gaza. Local Israeli authorities confirmed that they had been targeted by at least one missile on Saturday, while the Houthis claimed they launched multiple missiles at Israeli military sites. Due to these new threats, Israel could face threats from three sides – Lebanon to the north, Iran to the east, and Yemen to the south – as the war continues, while the US is still striking military targets in Iran. However, the largest concern right now is the possibility that the Houthis could block the Red Sea. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut down by Iran, the Bab al-Mandab Strait between Eritrea, Djibouti, and Yemen has become even more crucial, allowing trade to easily pass through the Red Sea without threats. More than 25% of the world's shipping containers pass through Bab al-Mandab as they sail to and from the Suez Canal, and it also facilitates over 12% of global oil shipments and 10-12% of natural gas shipments. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has ramped up exports along its western coast, with ports like Jeddah and Yanbu becoming essential. Jeddah's imports are expected to increase by at least 50% as cargo ships reroute through the Red Sea, allowing Saudi Arabia to move food and other crucial supplies through their nation and into Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE. Meanwhile, the city of Yanbu, which is directly connected to the Saudi Arabian East-West oil pipeline, has quadrupled their oil exports, jumping from just 750,000 barrels per day in February to over 4 million barrels each day in March. If the Houthis were to shut down the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the price of oil would skyrocket, with no way to export oil out of the Middle East. The only way for ships to cross the world would be to sail around the Cape of Good Hope off the coast of South Africa, significantly increasing shipping costs. Consumers all over the world would bear the brunt of this impact, with almost all imports becoming more expensive. Meanwhile, the Middle East would be effectively closed off from the rest of the world, unable to import or export any goods without risking Houthi attacks. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Only 3% of the world’s population have gray eyes, and just 2% have green eyes. However, the rarest eye color is violet, which occurs in just 0.01% of people due to a rare genetic mutation but can often be a sign of albinism. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Regarding the creative: never assume you’re the master, only the student. Your audience will determine if you’re masterful. (Don Roff) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Oblivion (noun, uh-BLIV-ee-un) - Oblivion can refer to the state of something that is not remembered or thought about any more, or to the state of being unconscious or unaware. It also sometimes refers to the state of being destroyed. In a Sentence: After so many days of exhaustingly difficult work, he longed for the oblivion of sleep. Image credit to EPA

The United States has allowed a Russian oil tanker to arrive in Cuba amid a devastating embargo that has crippled the Caribbean island. Earlier this year, the US intensified existing sanctions on Cuba, blocking all oil tankers from arriving. The ramp-up in pressure was meant to cut off Cuba's current authoritarian regime from oil supply, forcing them to give up their position. The Trump administration was largely able to do this due to their capture of Maduro in January, effectively giving the US control over Venezuelan oil. Venezuela was one of Cuba's largest oil suppliers during the time of US sanctions prior to this year, but that quickly changed after Maduro's capture. Unfortunately, cutting off oil to the island has had major ramifications. Around 95% of Cuba's energy is from fossil fuels, meaning that most of the island has been without power for weeks as power plants fail to operate due to oil shortages. Citizens are also unable to take hot showers or cook using the stove due to the lack of natural gas. Now, Trump has confirmed that the US will allow a Russian oil tanker by the name of Anatoly Kolodkin into Cuba, bringing approximately 730,000 barrels of oil to sustain the island. Experts estimate that the oil could support Cuba's demands for up to 10 days, depending on how much energy is used. Trump confirmed that he "had no problem" with letting it in despite the fact that the ship was Russian, stating that "the people need heat and cooling and all of the other things." He also acknowledged that it is a time for crisis for people in Cuba and they would need the oil to keep surviving as the US keeps up heavy sanctions. While this shipment of oil will serve as a lifeline for Cuba as they struggle through this crisis, they will need more oil to be able to support their population for a longer period of time. It is unclear who will win in the standoff between the Trump administration and the current Cuban regime, but the people will serve as collateral damage to that silent battle until one side gives up their position. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The eye muscles are some of the most active in the body, moving almost constantly. Humans make around 2-3 rapid eye movements, known as saccades, each second, equating to over 100,000 movements in a single day. Further h igh-frequency, small-amplitude tremors occur between 30-70 times per second, helping to maintain image sharpness. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Good order is the foundation of all great things. (Edmund Burke) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Cadge (verb, KAJ) - To cadge something is to persuade someone to give it to you for free. Cadge can also mean “to take, use, or borrow (something) without acknowledgment.” In a Sentence: I don’t know how, but my brother always manages to cadge an extra scoop of ice cream on his sundaes. Image credit to AFP

Farmers are reporting massive shortages in fertilizer due to the US-Iran War, leading to issues during planting season, and rising diesel prices are also impacting food costs. Urea, one of the most crucial fertilizer products, is the worst-affected by the war. Around 46% of the world's urea passes through the Strait of Hormuz, coming from major producers like Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Now, those urea exports are blocked from passing through the strait, effectively trapping it in the Gulf. Both countries possess extensive natural gas resources, which they can leverage using the Haber-Bosch process to produce urea. This process, invented in the early 1900s, turns natural gas into hydrogen before raising it to a high temperature and adding nitrogen to the mix, producing ammonia. This ammonia is then synthesized with carbon dioxide to produce urea, which is used as a high-nitrogen fertilizer to improve soil fertility and amplify crop yields. Now, as the planting season draws closer, the farming industry is facing a urea shortage, leading to skyrocketing prices. Urea prices have increased more than 50% since the beginning of the war, and that rise in cost will trickle down to consumers all over the world. Furthermore, diesel prices have also jumped, with the average price for one gallon of diesel in the US rising further to $5.39. One month ago, that number was just $3.76. Rising diesel prices mean that farms will need to pay more to ship their goods to supermarkets and distribution centers– another additional cost that consumers will bear the brunt of. Prices of groceries are expected to rise all over the world in the coming weeks, and extended urea shortages could force farmers to plant less during the coming spring. This would lead to a significant decrease in crop yield, heavily impacting food supplies across the globe. Consumers in nations like the US, Brazil, and India are expected to take the hardest hit due to their reliance on Middle Eastern fertilizer, but the shortages will likely affect the entire world. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Despite being part of Denmark, Greenland voted to leave the European Union in 1985 due to a dispute over common fishing policies and has not rejoined since. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Never judge a man’s actions until you know his motives. (Vikas Swarup) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Fiscal (adj, FISS-kul) - Fiscal is used to describe things relating to money and especially to the money a government, business, or organization earns, spends, and owes. In a Sentence: The recent change in leadership was essential for addressing the fiscal health of the university. Image credit to Getty Images

The US House of Representatives and Senate are still struggling to come to terms on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, but US President Donald Trump has directed DHS to use backup funds to pay TSA officers. Every fiscal year, the House and Senate of the United States must pass a new bill to fund each governmental agency, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which manages border patrol, airport security, and immigration. This year, DHS entered a shutdown after the two chambers failed to agree on a bill to fund the agency. Amid Trump's highly contested crackdown on immigration, Democrats refused to support a bill that would fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE. Meanwhile, Republicans argued the opposite, refusing to pass a bill that did not fund ICE. While the rest of the government continued to receive funding, DHS did not, resulting in shutdowns of other departmental agencies, like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Border Patrol. During shutdowns, governmental workers within these agencies do not get paid– while they usually receive backpay after a funding bill is approved, many live paycheck-to-paycheck and are unable to work without pay. Because of this, airports across the US have suffered from major staffing shortages over the last two weeks, with check-in and security wait times extending past multiple hours at some airports. Most locations advised passengers to arrive at least four hours before their flight to ensure a timely arrival to the gate, but the situation deteriorated so quickly that the White House was forced to redirect unpaid ICE officers to airports to help fill in for the lack of TSA workers. Then, on Thursday, Senate Republicans came to terms with Democrats, allowing them to finally approve a bill that would fund the entire Department of Homeland Security except ICE and Border Patrol. While this would go against President Trump's immigration crackdown, it would move the government closer to resolving the dire situation at hand. Usually, the Senate is the more challenging chamber to pass a bill through, so many experts expected the bill to be quickly approved in the House of Representatives. However, that did not happen. House Republicans quickly rejected the bill, criticizing their Senate counterparts for straying from Trump's agenda and being swayed by the Democratic party. Then, they passed a bill of their own, which would fund the entire department, including ICE and Border Patrol. Now, the battle is no longer just between Democrats and Republicans. While both parties continue to blame each other for the shutdown, the disagreement has expanded to a stalemate between the House and the Senate, drawing the situation into an even larger impasse– by the US Constitution, there is no way for one of the two chambers to circumvent the other, meaning that both must agree in order for a bill to be passed. Furthermore, both chambers have now departed for a two-week recess for an Easter break, preventing them from passing any sort of bipartisan legislation until mid-April. After seeing the further retrogression of the bill's progress, Trump signed a directive ordering the Department of Homeland Security to fund the TSA and pay workers immediately, with paychecks scheduled to arrive as soon as March 30. It was not exactly clear where that funding would come from, but some have suggested that it may be sourced from specific funding allocated to DHS by last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Travelers are hoping that the move will shorten wait times at airports and smoothen the process amid the shutdown, but whether the paychecks will actually arrive on Monday are yet to be seen. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In rare situations, tonsils can grow back if there was tissue left behind during the removal process. Sometimes it’s accidental, but other times, it’s left behind on purpose. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Even if you're not perfect, you're limited edition. (Kim Namjoon) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Dross (noun, DRAHSS) - Something referred to as "dross" is of low value or quality. Dross may also be used as a technical term to refer to unwanted material that is removed from a mineral to make it better. In a Sentence: He's a skilled editor who has a talent for turning literary dross into gold. Image credit to Bloomberg

Meta and YouTube lost a major lawsuit this week regarding social media addiction and its impact on teens, and it could spark a ripple effect for similar lawsuits across the nation. The trial, which spanned nine days over the last six weeks, took place in the Los Angeles Superior Court. Top brass from both Meta and YouTube arrived at the court to testify and argue against the claims of a 20-year-old woman who suffered from social media addiction, going by the initials KGM. However, this case proved to be unique for one particular reason: the plaintiffs won. In past trials, children, parents, and schools had been unable to successfully sue social media companies because of the protection they receive from the Communications Act of 1934. This act states that technology companies are not responsible for the content users post, removing their liability for any damages caused by certain posts or content on their application. In this case, KGM and her lawyers took a different approach to the problem. Instead of framing the issue as a problem with specific posts or content, they cited the dangerous, addictive algorithms of social media, which reportedly addicted KGM to Instagram and YouTube at a young age. By the age of 10, she was already involved in self-harming activities due to her use of social media, and she was later diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder and social phobia– both of which were imputed to Instagram and YouTube. KGM also confirmed that the harm caused to her mental and physical health by social media has occurred in children all over the world, and social media companies continue to implement addictive features to draw people in, like the endless scrolling of feeds or AI-driven algorithms designed to keep the user hooked. The jury ruled in favor of KGM, requiring Meta and YouTube to pay a combined $3 million in damages to the 20-year-old and an additional $3 million in punitive damages due to their extreme negligence. Meta will be required to be 70% of the damages, while YouTube will pay the other 30%. While $3 million portrays the case as a minor event, the true impact of KGM's win is the ripple effect that it could initiate across the nation. By using the same strategy to frame the issue as the dangerous features of social media, thousands of people all over the world who have suffered from social media addiction can follow in the footsteps of KGM. Also, the lawsuit is only the second-ever case to win the court's favor when suing Meta over the impacts of its products on children and teens– the first came just days ago in the state of New Mexico. Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in civil penalties after the jury ruled that Meta misled social media users regarding the app's safety and enabled harm against minors, particularly sexual exploitation. Meta has refused to take responsibility in either case, and they have refuted the jury's decision and plan to appeal both decisions. Nevertheless, these two cases could open the door for a slew of new trials regarding social media and the negative impacts it has on physical health, mental health, and society as a whole. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The sound of a Star Wars lightsaber was created by combining the sounds of an idle USC film projector and the buzz from a broken TV set. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations. (Chuck Swindoll) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Undulate (verb, UN-juh-layt) - Undulate is a formal word that means “to move or be shaped like waves.” In a Sentence: On the approach to the tulip festival, visitors are greeted by a large field of the colorful flowers undulating in the wind. Image credit to BBC

The United States has proposed a 15-point peace plan to Iran, but the Middle Eastern nation has rejected the potential ceasefire and made their own demands. The peace plan proposed by the United States contains several key demands, including the complete shutdown of Iran's nuclear program and another point preventing any future nuclear programs from being established. Other points include the cessation of support for all regional proxies, like Hezbollah and Hamas, and limits on Iran's missile arsenal. In return, the plan would benefit Iran with the removal of all international sanctions and American assistance to advance their civilian nuclear program for non-military technology. Furthermore, the "snapback" mechanism that reimposed sanctions on Iran in September will be removed, preventing nations from reimposing sanctions. However, Iran rejected the ceasefire and announced that they would end the war when they please, at their terms. Both nations are hesitant to appear excessively anxious to agree to a deal, with the US and Iran constantly trying to one-up one another. Pakistan is ferrying messages between the two, but a potential negotiations meeting in Islamabad is still in the works. As for right now, Iran has made several core demands. First and foremost, they want to control the Strait of Hormuz, similar to how Egypt controls the Suez Canal. Assuming control over the strait would give them authority over all passing ships, potentially turning it into a permission-based strait rather than a free transit corridor. It would also give Iran more power over the rest of the Middle East, which relies heavily on the strait– however, this is incredibly unlikely to happen due to the strait's importance to global trade. Iran also wants reparations from the United States for all of the damage caused by the war. Nevertheless, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later stated, " We do not want a ceasefire. We want the war to end in a way that it does not repeat, on our own terms." The US government has claimed that negotiations will continue and are making progress, while Iran argues that talks have still not taken place– the two nations have simply exchanged messages through other nations. Whether the two will agree to a peace deal, though, is yet to be seen. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Despite the relatively basic technology of its time period, the first Game Boy could run for a staggering 30 hours on just two AA batteries. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Men are not punished for their sins, but by them. (Elbert Hubbard) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Cadence (noun, KAY-dunss) - Cadence is used to refer to various rhythmic or repeated motions, activities, or patterns of sound, or to the way a person's voice changes by gently rising and falling while they are speaking. In a Sentence: Ivy relaxed at the beach, listening to the cadence of the surf. Image credit to AFP

Denmark's Social Democrats and their leader, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, have suffered a major blow in Europe's latest snap election, losing seats in Parliament. Frederiksen has recently been hailed as one of Europe's best leaders, with the praise coming after her impressive handling of the situation with Greenland and the United States. Even as America's Donald Trump continued his pursuit of the Danish territory, threatening Denmark with tariffs and military action, the prime minister remained cool and calm. She refused to allow her nation to be blackmailed or bought– actions that were perceived well by the Danish population. Because of the ensuing rise in support, Frederiksen called for a snap election, which was set to take place on March 24. The Social Democrats, her party, believed that they could leverage the success of the Greenland talks to gain seats in Parliament, setting them up to maintain control of Denmark for the next four years. Many experts believe it was the right decision, as Danish law required her to call an election before November, when her four-year term would expire. However, the results are in, and the election did not go as they expected. The Danish Parliament ended up even more fragmented than previous years– neither left-wing nor right-wing nor centrist parties managed to secure a majority, meaning that parties will have to form coalitions across different portions of the political spectrum. The Social Democrats, who called the election, lost a large number of seats – their worst performance since 1903 – but were able to maintain their position as largest party in Parliament. Because of this, experts believe Frederiksen may be able to secure a third term, as a coalition without her Social Democrats is almost impossible. She will likely form a coalition with left-wing and centrist parties within the Danish Parliament, focusing more on domestic issues. Voters against Frederiksen cited frustration over rising costs of living, while others expressed their irritation with the lack of clarity on Denmark's latest environmental regulations, like a tax on cow emissions . Frederiksen will hope to address these issues if she manages to secure a coalition, focusing more on domestic issues than international involvement. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The world’s most remote ATM is run by Wells Fargo at the Antarctic base of McMurdo Station. The ATMs are the only ones on the entire continent and serve anywhere between 500 and 1,100 residents at the American scientific facility. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Preserve your memories, keep them well, what you forget you can never retell. (Louisa May Alcott) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Frenetic (adj, frih-NET-ik) - Something described as frenetic is filled with excitement, activity, or confusion. The word is a synonym of frantic. In a Sentence: The event was noisy and frenetic , which prompted us to leave early. Image credit to AP

US President Donald Trump has delayed the strikes announced on Saturday after alleged negotiations with Iran, but Iran has denied any claims of talks and has continued to bombard Israel with missiles and drones. On Saturday, Trump threatened to strike Iranian energy sites if they did not open the Strait of Hormuz within the following 48 hours, but his threat resulted in a backfire. Iran threatened to strike energy sites and other crucial infrastructure across the Gulf, endangering oil, natural gas, and desalination facilities across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and other Middle Eastern nations. Trump quickly faced strong backlash for the threat, which risked escalating the conflict into a full-scale war– attacking energy sites would make almost any target fair game, shifting away from a military-focused conflict. Stocks were also set to plunge on Monday, with oil prices set to jump significantly. Asian markets, which open ahead of American ones, plummeted in the early hours of Monday. Then, yesterday, just hours before his self-imposed ultimatum passed, Trump announced that his administration had just had very productive negotiations with Iran, permitting the US to delay the threat by an additional five days. Trump confirmed at least 15 different agreement points that the two sides had negotiated, allowing for the delay. Therefore, when markets opened on Monday, oil dropped by more than 10%, and indexes like the Dow and S&P 500 soared by 1.35% and 1.15%, respectively. Despite these gains, both indexes are still down on the year, with the war having wiped out their gains from January and February. Later in the day, Iran denied any allegations of talks with the United States. The Iranian foreign ministry argued that no talks had taken place, raising questions over the validity of Trump's statements. Some suggest that Iran's ministry is avoiding the admission that talks had taken place, while Iran claims that Trump fabricated a story about the negotiations to generate optimism about the war, give the US more time to plan out their next moves, and prevent markets from nosediving after the backfire of his ultimatum. Just hours after Iran's announcement, Israel was bombarded with Iranian missiles, several of which made it through the Jewish nation's multi-layered defense system. However, while the conflict between the US and Iran has continued, Israel has shifted their focus to Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Islamic terrorist group centered in Lebanon. Yesterday, Israel destroyed the five primary bridges crossing the Litani River, which Hezbollah had allegedly been using to facilitate the movement of terrorist and weapons. Now, Israel claims that they will control the area south of the Litani, turning it into a "security zone" to prevent Hezbollah from regaining the territory. Others have labeled Israel's actions as a land grab, as the announcement came just days after an Israeli official stated that the nation should take over the area south of the Litani. Despite these supposed gains, Israel's brutal attacks on Lebanon have already killed over 1,000 people, raising the total death toll of the ongoing conflict past 2,000. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Instead of an agent, actor and comedian Bill Murray uses a 1-800 number where you can leave a message for him if you want to cast him for a movie or book him for an event. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The world is a canvas for your imagination. You are the painter. There are no rules. Get to work. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Apotheosis (noun, uh-pah-thee-OH-sis) - Apotheosis refers to the perfect form or example of something, or to the highest or best part of something. It can also mean “elevation to divine status; deification.” It is usually singular, but the plural form is apotheoses . In a Sentence: Some consider (however ironically) french fries to be the apotheosis of U.S. cuisine. Image credit to Reuters

Over the weekend, US President Donald Trump handed Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz, threatening attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure. Iran threatened the opposite. Trump's move risks a further escalation of the war into one that doesn't just involve military installments, but instead turns all infrastructure into fair game for both sides. The president threatened to obliterate Iranian energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened within the next 48 hours– a statement that was issued around 36 hours ago. On the Iranian side, many citizens felt betrayed by Trump, who had promised to help them prior to the war. Losing electricity would prevent them from taking part in daily activities like cooking or storing items in refrigerators. Hospitals would also lose power, leading to emergency situations with patients on ventilators or those utilizing dialysis machines. However, Trump has repeatedly urged the Iranian people to take control of their country after the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but no action has been taken on the Iranian citizens' part. Meanwhile, the threat appears to have backfired, with Iran threatening to shut down the Strait of Hormuz completely if attacked by US on a larger scale. Currently, certain countries like India, China, and Pakistan have still been able to move their tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, but any nation formally allied with the US has been unable to do so. Furthermore, Iran warned that strikes on its energy infrastructure would result in retaliation strikes on energy and water infrastructure across the Gulf. Countries like Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have turned into collateral damage for the US in this war, and this escalation threatens to damage crucial infrastructure within these countries. Desalination plants account for 100% of the water consumed in Bahrain and Qatar, 80% of the water used by the UAE, and 50% of the water used by Saudi Arabia. Strikes on these plants could cripple Gulf nations' water supplies, and further attacks on energy infrastructure could cut electricity in major hubs like Doha and Dubai for days, or even weeks. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Issue #27 of Marvel’s Deadpool holds the Guinness World Record for the most comic book characters on one cover, with a staggering 224 distinct characters on the same wraparound cover. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Don’t worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia. (Charles Schulz) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Scrutinize (verb, SKROO-tuh-nyze) - To scrutinize something is to examine it carefully especially in a critical way. In a Sentence: I closely scrutinized my opponent's moves before making my own. Image credit to AP