Search The Website!

Israel and Hamas have agreed to move ahead with US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan, but the US and Gaza are still waiting on Israel to halt attacks. After years of continued conflict and months of stalled negotiations, Israel and Hamas both agreed to Trump's peace plan this week, illuminating a possible end to the seemingly infinite tunnel of the Israel-Hamas War. Trump's plan, which was sent out to both sides on Monday, consists of 20 main points that outline the process to end the war and actions that will be taken afterwards. Firstly, when both sides formally agree to the proposal, the war will come to an immediate end, with military operations coming to a complete stop. Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza to the border line, where hostage exchanges will take place. Within 72 hours of the end of the war, Hamas will return all hostages (alive or dead) to Israel; in exchange, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners and over 1,700 Gazans that were arrested after October 7, 2023. Additionally, for each Israeli hostage whose body is returned, Israel will release the bodies of 15 dead Gazans. Additionally, as soon as the proposal is accepted, all aid restrictions will be immediately lifted, allowing full aid into Gaza to assist with the humanitarian crisis, rebuilding crucial infrastructure, and energy generation. This aid distribution will be completely controlled by the United Nations, Red Crescent, and other organizations, with Israel and Hamas having no say in the process. Among the other key points is that Hamas members that agree to unaffiliate themselves with the organization will be allowed to leave Palestine and move to other countries– a stark difference from Israel's goal to eliminate each and every Hamas member. These first few points make up the first stage of the plan, which goes on to detail a two-state solution, establish proper authority in Palestine, and ensure lasting peace between the two nations. However, these later stages have drawn criticism from Hamas and Israel, and they will likely require further negotiations if they are to be approved. Nevertheless, Hamas has expressed their willingness to return all hostages in exchange for an immediate end to the war, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also supported the first stage of the plan. Israel still needs to pass the plan in a formal cabinet vote, though, which could extend the process by some time. Furthermore, Hamas confirmed that they are willing to "enter immediately" into negotiations to "discuss the details," hinting that there still may be some small parts of the proposal that are yet to be refined. Qatar and Egypt have already announced that they are ready to host negotiations whenever both sides are ready, signaling the Middle East's strong desire to end the war as soon as possible. Because of this, Israel has continued bombing Hamas while they discuss the proposal, forcing Trump to call for a halt to the fighting. Trump has stated that Israel's continuing attacks have made it too hard to rescue the hostages, and the conflict must stop before the plan can commence. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The Guinness World Record for the longest time spent searching for the Loch Ness Monster is held by Steve Feltham, who camped at Loch Ness for 32 years. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. ( Confucius) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gibbous (adj, JIB-us) - Gibbous is most often used to describe the moon or a planet when it is seen with more than half but not all of the apparent disk illuminated. In a Sentence: The waxing gibbous moon provided the perfect lighting for a night of spooky storytelling around the campfire. Image credit to AFP

Various protests have erupted across the country of France after several major spending cuts that were implemented to reduce the country's budget deficit. French President Emmanuel Macron has faced some tough times lately. Over the past year, his prime minister has been ejected twice after two no-confidence votes, and his new PM, Sebastien Lecornu, is facing the same issues. However, France remains in a major financial crisis, and budget cuts are necessary to save the economy. Austerity, a government measure that includes spending cuts and tax increases to recoup a budget deficit, has become crucial for France in recent years. France's current budget deficit stands at around €169 billion ($199 billion), which is a staggering 5.8% of their total GDP. By comparison, the limit imposed by the eurozone – the region of Europe that utilizes the euro as their currency – is just 3%. Additionally, their national debt now stands at €3.35 trillion, which is around 116% of their GDP, making them one of the most indebted nations in the eurozone. Most of this is because of increased spending over the last five years, primarily because of the coronavirus pandemic and protecting the country from an energy crisis after the Russia-Ukraine War. However, some of it can also be attributed to increasing interest rates and several ill-timed tax cuts from Macron. Now, the government is being pressured by investors and other EU nations to implement spending cuts to bring their deficit back down, but trade unions refuse to allow it. Labor unions like the French Democratic Confederation of Labor (CFDT) and General Confederation of Labor (CGT) have conducted nationwide strikes and protests against the government's upcoming austerity measures, which are still being finalized. Because of this, France is now stuck an impasse. Labor unions desire major action like additional spending on public services and higher taxes for wealthy citizens, while the government needs to decrease spending and increase taxes in a widespread fashion in order to bring down their deficit. However, opposing political parties are also against Macron and his government– they continue to make his responsibilities harder and harder by ousting his prime minister, allowing the public to lose trust in his government. When former Prime Minister Francis Bayrou attempted to solve this problem, he took a hardline approach and ignored unions, announcing a major plan that would reduce France's budget deficit by €44 billion. Several weeks later, the French Parliament voted him out in a no-confidence vote, claiming that he had not done enough for the country to escape its financial troubles. Instead of letting that happen again, unions have gone on strike, covering roads and cities with protests, signs, and angry citizens. Both of France's largest trade unions, the CFDT and the CGT, announced strikes recently, and over 80,000 people protested across France against the austerity measures. This resulted in major road blockages, fires, and chaos within cities, forcing the government to deploy over 76,000 officers to deal with the masses. Meanwhile, Lecornu is attempting to ramp up budget negotiations with his political opposition to try to secure a win in the French Parliament, but the future of him or any sort of new bill is still unknown. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): “Tsundoku” is a Japanese word for the habit of buying too many books, letting them pile up in your house, and never reading them. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain. ( Maya Angelou) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Atone (verb, uh-TOHN) - To atone for something is to make amends for it—that is, to do something good as a way of showing that you are sorry about, or have remorse for, a mistake, bad behavior, etc. In a Sentence: The novel opens with an act of cruelty and then traces the thoughts and actions of those responsible as they try to atone for it. Image credit to Reuters

At least 72 people are dead after a devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck in the center of the Philippines yesterday, wreaking havoc across the archipelago. The earthquake struck just off the coast of the island of Cebu, located at the center of the Philippines, on Tuesday night, meaning that most of the damage was done in the Visayas region– the middle of the three Philippine regions. Additionally, the shallow nature of the earthquake, at just 6.2 miles deep, caused extremely intense shaking across the area, with the effects being felt hundreds of miles away. At least 72 people have been confirmed dead, and around 300 others were injured as buildings collapsed, power lines came down, and serious damage was also done to several bridges and roads. Most of the damage was done on Cebu Island, primarily near Bogo City, which was the closest city to the epicenter. Authorities also confirmed that a destructive landslide near the city had caused the deaths of at least 14 people, and search-and-rescue teams are working to recover any remaining bodies from the rubble of the landslide and other buildings. Due to the earthquake's late-night timing, residents were even more unprepared for the sudden shaking, and various strong aftershocks after the incident continued for hours. People were forced to quickly evacuate their homes, but they were not left in the dark– authorities quickly set up mobile kitchens and supplied temporary power to some areas, and hospitals quickly became a central hub for recovering dead bodies. However, persistent heavy rain hindered those efforts, leaving some people in more rural areas to make it through without assistance. Authorities are still working to deliver food and water to most regions, along with heavy machinery to remove the rubble. They have also confirmed that they expect the death toll to rise in the coming days as search-and-rescue operations continue. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Julius Caesar’s only son, Caesarion, was the last Pharaoh of Egypt. Even though Cleopatra swears he is Caesar’s son, Caesar never officially acknowledged him. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Budgeting is not just for people who do not have enough money. It is for everyone who wants to ensure that their money is enough. ( Rosette Mugidde Wamambe) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Preternatural (adj, pree-ter-NATCH-uh-rul) - Preternatural is a formal adjective used to describe things that are very unusual in a way that does not seem natural. In a Sentence: He has a preternatural knack for imitating birdcalls. Image credit to CNN

The House of Representatives and the Senate descended into chaos yesterday after failing to agree on a resolution to prevent a government shutdown, and both parties are now blaming each other for the mess. Every year, the US Congress is forced to pass 12 bills that provide them with money for the new fiscal year, and these bills are to be signed before October 1. This is because the US Constitution, like many others, requires all money spent by the government to be approved by Congress. However, they rarely sign all 12 bills before the deadline, forcing them to sign a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded. This resolution serves as a stopgap for a certain period of time, but minority parties often use a CR to obtain items that they may want or prevent certain measures from the opposite party. This year, the primary issue has been healthcare– Democrats are attempting to force Republicans to take action on several problems that they have not been able to address due to their minority in both the House and the Senate. They have enough power, though, where Republicans are unable to pass a stopgap bill without getting some Democratic support, putting the two sides at an impasse. Democrats are demanding that Republicans negotiate with them on several key issues, including the extension of tax credits on insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act, the reversal of Trump's cuts to Medicaid and public broadcasting services like PBS and NPR, the halting of foreign aid cuts, and other cuts to organizations like the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institute of Health (NIH). For consumers, these actions will lead to a widespread increase in health insurance costs and possibly even a complete loss of healthcare for some Medicaid users. Meanwhile, Republicans are claiming that they will negotiate, but after the bill has been passed. Nevertheless, Trump seems more than happy to shut down the government, as he believes that Democrats will be widely blamed. Democrats, on the other hand, believe that the public will side with them on the crucial issue of healthcare. Either way, the shutdown has gone into effect, and it could have a major impact on the government. Trump has stated that he will use the shutdown to fire more federal employees, which he has been slowly working on through the extensive cuts that have been implemented over the last nine months. He believes that firing these unnecessary employees could save money for the government, and confirmed that once the shutdown takes place, layoffs will begin. He also added, "They're going to be Democrats." Other impacts include the shutdown of food assistance programs, student loans, and national parks, but crucial programs like social security benefits and Medicare will continue. Border protection, air traffic control, and police forces will also continue working, though many employees go unpaid during government shutdowns. Essential workers continue working and are often paid after the shutdown ends, while non-essential workers are either laid off or simply do not work for that time period. Additionally, government shutdowns often have a significant economic impact– the last shutdown, which occurred in 2018 during Trump's first term, lasted 35 days and cost the US economy around $11 billion. Shutdowns happen regularly from year to year, but they are often short and do not have lasting impacts. This year, though, it could last quite some time, as Democrats and Republicans have completely refused to agree with each other, and Trump's actions during the shutdown could heavily affect the US government going forward. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Four Nile crocodiles have been found in Florida. They are the second-largest crocodile and are more dangerous than the native crocodiles and alligators in Florida. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): When you forgive, you free your soul. But when you say I’m sorry, you free two souls. ( Donald L. Hicks) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Impetuous (adj, im-PECH-uh-wus) - Impetuous is a synonym of impulsive that describes a person who is acting without thought, or an action that is done without thought. In a Sentence: That impetuous decision could've cost us everything we worked so hard for. Image credit to US National Park Service

Residents across Afghanistan are currently without internet as the Taliban terrorist group cuts fiber-optic cables across the country– part of an alleged effort to prevent "immorality." Several different network providers experienced major disruptions, and all 43 million people in the Central Asian country have lost internet after the Taliban took action. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021 after the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, quickly imposing an extremely harsh rule over the population. Most of the rules they have put into place are based on their interpretation of Sharia Law, the Islamic law code, and many specifically target women– women and girls are banned from receiving an education beyond the age of 12, walking in various public spaces, and are forced to wear head-to-toe clothing whenever exiting the house. Additionally, these rules are enforced using fearmongering and brutal tactics, earning them the designation of a terrorist group. Now, as part of their efforts to create their interpretation of an "ideal Muslim country," the Taliban have cut internet to the entire country. According to the group, their actions are meant to eliminate "immorality" from their society, as the Taliban believe that communication with the outside world enables their people to engage in "immoral activities" that go against their totalitarian regime. They have not specified exactly which immoral activities they are aiming to prevent, but local news outlets have stated that more information will be released in the coming days. Because of this, they began cutting fiber-optic cables several weeks ago, but they ordered a total shutdown of communication services yesterday afternoon. Afghans outside the country have confirmed that they are unable to contact their relatives inside Afghanistan, and residents within the country are now completely cut off from the outside world. For many people, especially women and girls, the internet was their "last hope," as it was where they kept themselves occupied, spoke with relatives, engaged in hobbies, and gave themselves a proper education. Now, all of that could be at risk. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): When Shakira was in second grade, she was rejected by the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded like a goat. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. ( Lao Tzu) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Obliterate (verb, uh-BLIT-uh-rayt) - To obliterate something is to destroy it completely so that nothing is left, to destroy utterly all trace, indication, or significance of it. It can also mean "to remove utterly from recognition or memory." In a Sentence: The wave completely obliterated our sandcastles. Image credit to Human Rights Watch

India defeated Pakistan yesterday in a thrilling match that came right down to the wire, crowning India as the champions of the Asia Cup for the ninth time. The Asia Cup is a tournament of cricket teams across Asia that takes place every other year. A total of eight teams compete: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Oman, UAE, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, which are split into two divisions. Coming into the match, India had already defeated Pakistan twice in the Asia Cup– once in regular matches and once in the second round, known as the Super 4. Both matches had been relatively easy for India, winning the first match with 25 balls remaining and achieving Pakistan's total with 7 balls remaining in their second meeting. However, Pakistan defeated both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the Super 4, earning them a spot in the final against the reigning champions. The match began with a strong start by Pakistan, with the top order achieving a total of 113 runs in just 13 overs while only losing the one wicket of Sahibzada Farhan. This set them up for a strong finish, but a lack of execution and poor efforts by the Pakistani middle order led to a complete collapse of their batting order. After a crucial four wickets from Kuldeep Yadav, three of which came in the same over, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah finished off the game, leaving Pakistan with 146 runs, all-out. Nevertheless, India came in with expectations of an easy win, but the real game was anything but. While India's total was relatively easy to chase, overconfidence and over-aggressiveness from the opening batsmen led to a terrible start for the team– after 4 overs, they were 20-3. The next two batsmen to come out were Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson, who established a strong partnership, but Samson's wicket was taken in the 12th over. By the death overs, India required 36 runs off just 24 balls, setting up an extremely close last few overs. By the end, they needed 17 runs off the last two overs, but two key sixes from Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma brought the required total down to just 5 runs. Dube was unable to finish after his wicket was taken, leaving Rinku Singh, a man who had not played a single ball in the entire tournament, to hit the winning shot. He slammed the ball for four, winning India the title. Tilak Varma was named the Man of the Match for his heroic efforts in rescuing India from their poor start, scoring 69 runs off 53 balls in the process. Meanwhile, Indian opening batsman Abhishek Sharma was named the Player of the Tournament. While his performance in the final was not his best, he amassed a total of 314 runs throughout the Asia Cup– more than any other player. Despite the win for India, the team refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy, which would be given by the president of the Asian Cricket Council, Mohsin Naqvi. Naqvi happens to be the chairman of the Pakistani Cricket Board and also serves as a prominent interior minister of Pakistan, which has experienced raised tensions with India ever since the Pahalgam incident in Kashmir earlier this year . The attacks were allegedly conducted by Pakistani-affiliated terrorists, sparking outrage across India. Because of the incident, India had doubted even attending the Asia Cup, and they were reluctant to play Pakistan. Furthermore, the team clearly displayed several times that they were unwilling to conduct any sort of formalities with the Pakistani team, including the avoidance of post-match congratulations and shaking hands at the toss. In the final, after the presentation ceremony was delayed by over an hour, several Indian players went up to receive their individual awards, after which Pakistan walked up to take their runner-up award. However, the post-match presentation then came to an end, with broadcasters announcing that India would not be coming up to take the trophy. Pakistani captain Salman Agha told reporters that India's actions were a "disrespect to the game of cricket," not just Pakistan. However, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav expressed later that the team had made the decision to refuse the trophy, and he stated that the team's "real trophies" were the memories of their journey and the win itself, not the official prize. He also announced that he would be donating his earnings from the match to the Indian armed forces, conveying his and the team's continued support for India after continued attacks by alleged Pakistani terrorists. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There is a village in Russia called Tsovkra where every resident can tightrope walk. It is a tradition that dates back over 100 years, but no one knows how it started. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Charm is the ability to make someone else think that both of you are pretty wonderful. ( Kathleen Winsor) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Kerfuffle (noun, ker-FUFF-ul) - Kerfuffle is an informal word that refers to a disturbance or fuss typically caused by a dispute or conflict. In a Sentence: The reclassification of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet caused quite a kerfuffle among astronomy lovers. Image credit to Cricket Australia

Dozens of delegates walked out of the chamber as Netanyahu gave a speech at the UN General Assembly, displaying the world's shifting sentiment towards the Israel-Hamas War. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is currently taking place at the UN headquarters in New York City, beginning this week and running through December. They will then take a short winter break before returning in January, where delegates will address their final concerns before the assembly comes to an end. In the assembly, every member state of the UN is entitled to a speech, including the two observer states, Vatican City and Palestine. Brazil usually speaks first, referencing a tradition from the early days of the UN when they would consistently volunteer as the first to speak, and the United States speaks second. This year, US President Donald Trump gave an hourlong speech regarding his country's economy, financial state, and his recent actions against illegal immigrants and tariffs across the world, along with mentions of climate change and several ongoing wars. One of those wars happens to be the Israel-Hamas War that is currently taking place in the Middle East, but drama ensued at the UNGA when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came up to speak. In particular, Netanyahu put great effort into condemning countries whose support for Israel had faded in recent months, giving a defiant speech that sparked outrage among many delegates. The response? Dozens of delegates simply walked out of the chamber during his speech, leaving few representatives inside. The incident comes just after various countries, including Australia, the UK, Canada, and Portugal, announced at the UNGA that they are formally recognizing Palestine as a state, leaving Israel fuming. Netanyahu described Palestine as "a terror state" and refused to ever accept them as a country, further proving his position against a two-state solution. Netanyahu also mentioned that they will continue with the war, which is approaching its two-year anniversary on October 7– a grim milestone for a conflict that has killed over 65,000 Palestinians and displaced millions of others. Israel has repeatedly pledged that they will not concede until Hamas is absolutely obliterated, which means that they are likely to continue fighting in Gaza for some time. Nevertheless, Trump, a close ally of Netanyahu, has confirmed that he will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank, where the Middle Eastern country has been slowly increasing settlements to break up Palestinian territory. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Over 340 people have died climbing Mount Everest since 1922. Most deaths occur because of avalanches, and not all bodies have been recovered. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future . ( Oscar Wilde) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Vociferous (adj, voh-SIF-uh-rus) - Vociferous describes people who express their feelings or opinions loudly and insistently. It is also applied to things, such as objections, that are expressed in such a way. In a Sentence: We were  vociferous  in our support of the proposal. Image credit to Al Jazeera

Moldova has warned Western nations that Russia is using deceptive tactics to attempt to sway the upcoming parliamentary elections in their favor. Moldova, a small country sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, has long suffered from Russian influence due to their history with the major world power. Moldova declared independence from USSR in August 1991, but despite its proximity to Ukraine and Russia, Moldovan culture is highly similar to the country's other neighbor, Romania. The official language of Moldova is Romanian, and Russia itself has a very small influence on the people– just 3% of Moldovans are ethnic Russians. However, a region in eastern Moldova, known as Transnistria, is a de facto independent state which is much more pro-Russian. Russian is widely spoken across the region, and Russia maintains approximately 1,500 troops in Transnistria alone. While Moldova has become accustomed to Russian influences in their daily lives, the eastern European country has announced that Russia is taking this year's bias to a whole new level. According to Moldovan President Maia Sandu, Russia has been spending hundreds of millions of euros to propagate misinformation throughout the country, skewing votes towards pro-Russian leaders. Sandu described the upcoming parliamentary election, which will take place tomorrow, as "the most consequential election in [Moldova's] history," as it will decide what sort of stance they take on global politics. Moldova aims to be accepted into the European Union (EU) by 2030, but those efforts can only be supported by a pro-EU government. If the country were to elect pro-Russian officials, their path to EU membership would become much shakier. She also described the elections as "a battlefield," accusing Russia of "identifying vulnerabilities and exploiting them." According to Moldovan officials, Russia has done everything from bribing citizens to spreading misinformation and propaganda on social media and other websites, confusing true voters and swaying the general population towards Russian supporters. In fact, several citizens have even admitted to being "recruited" by Russia to rig the election, with Russia instructing them to vote for certain candidates and make propaganda-related posts on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to spread Russian fake news. According to Moldovan senior police officer Varel Chernatanu, at least $1.1 million in cash was discovered as they busted a smuggling operation meant to fund pro-Russian groups in Moldova. This isn't a recent development, though– Chernatanu also confirmed that Moldova found over $39 million in cash last September that was intended to buy electoral votes, and he estimates that the number this year could be in the "hundreds of millions." Meanwhile, Russia has refused to comment on the topic of misinformation, but they claim that the EU simply "destroys the traditional values" of the country while Russia protects their rights and freedom. In recent years, Moldova has attempted to move away from Russian products in an attempt to reduce the power's influence over their internal politics, but it has been tough due to the fact that they cannot distance themselves from Russia physically. In 2022, Russia cut gas supplies to Moldova as an alleged form of punishment for moving closer to Western nations after their initial invasion of Ukraine. Nevertheless, Moldova moved away from Russian gas altogether and now relies on supplies from other European countries. Just this week, Moldovan authorities announced that they had busted a massive network of hundreds of Russian-trained spies that had been instructed to cause chaos before and after the elections. Moldova claims that they are all part of Russia's multifaceted approach towards destabilizing their government, aiming to shift the country's views towards Russian favor; additionally, there could be countless other networks of spies that Russia is sowing into the Moldovan society which have gone undetected, posing a major threat to the eastern European country in the future. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): It’s not just humans who are right or left-handed. Most female cats and dogs prefer using their right paw, and males are more likely to be left-pawed. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Without leaps of imagination , or dreaming , we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. ( Gloria Steinem) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gesundheit (interjection, guh-ZOONT-hyte) - Gesundheit is an interjection used to wish good health to one who has just sneezed. In a Sentence: I sneezed three times in a row, and my coworker called " gesundheit !" from the next cubicle. Image credit to Moldpres

Amazon has agreed to pay a $2.5 billion settlement after the FTC determined that they have been tricking Prime customers into subscribing and then keeping their subscription. Over the years, Amazon Prime has quickly grown to play a crucial role in the lives of many Americans, offering free shipping, streaming and entertainment, grocery delivery, exclusive shopping deals, gaming, online storage, and food perks. Amazon has never officially confirmed how many customers the service has, but firms have estimated that Prime has around 197 million subscribers in the United States and around 240 million worldwide. That makes it the world's second-largest subscription service after Netflix, which has around 300 million subscribers. However, Amazon has just entered a major settlement with the FTC after being accused of using deceptive subscription practices and making it extremely tough for customers to cancel their subscriptions. The settlement comes after a two-year long case after the Federal Trade Commission announced an antitrust lawsuit regarding their subscription practices in 2023. The FTC claimed that Amazon had used "manipulative, coercive, or deceptive user-interface designs" to trick people into signing up for Prime and renewing their subscription. They also alleged that Amazon used a "labyrinthine" cancelation process to deter Prime subscribers from canceling their subscriptions. Furthermore, the FTC found evidence that executives were completely aware of these tactics, and one former employee on the user experience team testified in court that he had found the practices to be "misleading" and "confusing." Nevertheless, Amazon argued that they had not used any sort of deceptive tactics and had spent millions of dollars on improving the user experience and increasing transparency. Now, Amazon has agreed to settle the case with a payout– the corporation will pay a $1 billion civil penalty and an additional $1.5 billion in refunds to customers affected by their tactics. They have also been required to change their subscription signup and cancelation methods to make the process easier, and the FTC is requiring them to include the exact terms of Prime on the signup page to be more transparent. Some of these changes include removing the "No, I don't want Free Shipping" button, adding a clear button that allows customers to decline Prime, and paying for a third-party supervisor to review their practices. However, Amazon has not admitted to the crime, stating that they " have always followed the law" and they simply settled to be able "to move forward and focus on innovating for customers." Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The majority of blind people in the U.S. and the U.K. cannot read Braille. Statistically, less than 7% of blind in the U.K. and under 10% in the U.S. can read it. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Fortune does favor the bold and you’ll never know what you’re capable of if you don’t try. ( Sheryl Sandberg) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Anomaly (noun, uh-NAH-muh-lee) - Anomaly is a somewhat formal word that refers to something that is remarkable in its deviation from what is usual or expected. In a Sentence: Last summer’s storm was an anomaly for this area. Image credit to Amazon Prime

China, the world's largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions, announced a new emissions reduction target yesterday at the UN General Assembly, while the US continued to deny the existence of climate change. The United Nations General Assembly is the primary policy-making branch of the UN, hosting an annual meeting in September each year. This session continues through December before a quick winter break, with the assembly resuming in January and lasting until all agenda items have been addressed. This year, in their 80th session, they have been emphasizing the need to end the raging wars across the globe, in addition to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals, established in 2015, set targets for 17 different goals that humanity must meet in order to achieve an optimal society for humans and the planet. However, a rise in global emissions has hindered the world's progress towards multiple of these goals– carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, and other greenhouse gases heavily impact the environment and contribute to the consistent warming of the entire planet. Now, China – which has historically been the world's largest polluter – is taking action. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced at the UN General Assembly through a video appearance that they will attempt to decrease their greenhouse gas emissions by around 7-10% over the next 10 years, a major step forward for a country that has never intended to acknowledge their significant role in climate change at all. Their goal, a reduction of 7-10%, may not appear huge, but China's massive emissions mean that any sort of cut could have significant implications for the environment. In 2023, China released around 12.6 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide, making up around 35% of the world's carbon emissions for that year. If China was able to reduce that number by just 10% in 10 years, they could bring that number down by 1.26 gigatonnes by 2035. Additionally, China's goal is realistic and achievable, unlike goals that other countries have set for themselves but have been unable to meet them. Meanwhile, the United States presented their view on the exact opposite side of the issue, with President Donald Trump calling climate change a massive "con job" and encouraging countries to minimize their usage of renewable energy. He also described the entire situation as a "green scam" and told other nations to buy fossil fuels from the United States instead of investing in renewable energy. However, the US is largely alone on this viewpoint, with dozens of other major countries announcing brand-new pledges to reduce emissions. Renewable energy is growing all over the world due to its cheaper energy costs and lower environmental impact, including oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and Norway. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There is a company in the U.K. that offers “being hungover” as a valid reason for calling off work. Employees are allotted four hungover days per year. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Grief can be the garden of compassion . If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life’s search for love and wisdom . ( Rumi) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Brandish (verb, BRAN-dish) - To brandish something, such as a weapon, is to wave or swing it in a threatening or excited manner. In a Sentence: Squeals of laughter erupted as three children brandishing squirt guns rounded the corner of the house. Image credit to European Commission