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Air Canada has further delayed resuming operations until this evening, with the call coming after the continuation of a massive strike. The airline was forced to halt almost all Air Canada flights through the weekend after the strike began on Saturday morning, with over 10,000 flight attendants leaving their posts to protest for higher wages and better treatment within the workplace. The strike was conducted by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which has over 750,000 members in various sectors of the Canadian economy. Following the strike, the Canadian government was forced to intervene, with Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu placing binding arbitration on the case. Binding arbitration is where a third party, known as the arbitrator, is forced to intervene in a case where two sides are at an impasse. Once binding arbitration is imposed, it is confirmed that the final say of the arbitrator will be legally binding. The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) then acted as the third party, informing Air Canada flight attendants that they were to return to work by 2 pm on Sunday afternoon. However, the union instructed its attendants to stay on strike, going against the legally binding decision made by the Industrial Relations Board. The CUPE has stated that they will not stop until their flight attendants receive what they view as fair compensation, which requires a significant change from current pay rates. Flight attendants are technically only paid for their time in the air, making the other hours that they spend on the ground unpaid. The union is seeking to change that, with flight attendants receiving compensation for their time in the air and on the ground. However, this would be a massive cost to Air Canada as the employer, and the two groups will likely need to go through several rounds of contract negotiations before a deal can be reached. For now, the leadership of the CUPE is likely to face legal challenges after they defied a legally binding federal order, with the union facing possible fines as well. There is only one other instance in Canadian history where a union has gone against a federal decision, occurring with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) in 1978. After the union defied the government order, significant fines were imposed on the organization, and the leader was jailed for three months and placed on probation for an additional 18 months after being convicted for contempt of Parliament. Meanwhile, Air Canada is scrambling to get flights back in the air as customers remain stranded across the world. The airline is urging their fliers to avoid visiting the airport before confirming that their flight is still on, and they are willing to provide customers with travel coupons, refunds, or free rebooking with other airlines for the inconvenience. So far, Air Canada has canceled a total of 730 flights for each day of the weekend – around 96% of all flights – and have already scheduled an additional 400 cancelations for today. They plan to resume operations by Monday evening, but that could change based on the decisions the union and the company's flight attendants take from here. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): A cluster of bananas is called a “hand.” Along that theme, a single banana is called a “finger.” Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn. (Mahatma Gandhi) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Glitch (noun, GLITCH) - Glitch is an informal word referring to an unexpected and usually minor problem. It is used especially for a minor problem with a machine or device, such as a computer. In a Sentence: The email went out to everyone in the company because of a technical glitch . Image credit to The Points Guy

Hundreds of people are dead after a devastating round of monsoon rains hit southern Asia over the past few days. The worst of the impact was in Pakistan, where at least 300 people have been confirmed dead. The rains washed away everything from homes to businesses to entire roads. The precipitation also triggered several landslides in more mountainous areas, which accounted for a large portion of the damage– locals reported that massive boulders had taken out dozens of homes as they were washed downstream. Search-and-rescue operations begun almost immediately, but many of the survivors died before reaching the hospital due to their terrible condition; many victims were crushed by the boulders as they were carried into rivers and lakes by the flash floods. Aid has also arrived from other parts of the country, with first responders bringing tents, food, and clean water to those in need. Meanwhile, in neighboring India, the monsoons wreaked havoc as well. In the Indian region of Kashmir, at least 60 people were killed in the town of Chashoti after it was hit by flash floods several days ago. At least 150 people are still missing, and dozens of survivors are still in critical condition. Unfortunately, the floods struck during the town's annual pilgrimage, which attracts a staggering 300,000 people every year. Chashoti is where the road for vehicles to the Himalayan temple of Machail Mata – a form of Goddess Durga – ends, forcing pilgrims to hike from the village to the shrine. Similar disasters also struck different regions of Nepal over the past few days, killing at least 40 people and leaving over 100 injured. Monsoon season, which lasts from June to September, can bring strong winds and heavy rain throughout the summer due to the warm, humid air blowing onto the Indian subcontinent. However, climate change has intensified the annual event, bringing more and more devastating rain each year. Additionally, poor infrastructure in rural mountain areas has also contributed to the damage, as homes are haphazardly built without consideration of possible flood routes or measures to prevent landslides. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Researchers have found that flossing your teeth can help your memory. Flossing prevents gum disease, which prevents stiff blood vessels, which cause memory issues. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. (Carl Jung) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Tempestuous (adj, tem-PESS-chuh-wus) - Tempestuous is used to describe something that is related to or resembles a violent storm. In its literal (and often literary) use tempestuous is synonymous with turbulent and stormy . Figuratively, tempestuous describes something or someone full of strong emotions, such as anger or excitement. In a Sentence: On its return to port the unlucky schooner was beset by tempestuous weather and nearly capsized. Image credit to The Guardian

After the much-awaited meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the Russia-Ukraine War, they have failed to agree on a deal. The goal set by the two leaders was to establish some common ground over the Russia-Ukraine War – which has entered its fourth year – allowing them to begin talks over a peace deal to put an end to the conflict. The meeting took place in the northern US state of Alaska, which was sold to the US by Russia back in 1867, specifically due to the fact that Putin would have been arrested had the meeting taken place in almost any European country. However, despite Trump's efforts to put an end to the war, European countries have been phased out of ongoing negotiations. Trump has worked to exclude European nations from talks with Putin, including Ukraine themselves, raising global concerns that he could strike a deal with the Russian leader that could benefit the US or Russia while putting Ukraine in a worse position. Read more into the initial situation here . Because of this, when Trump and Putin began talks yesterday, they were already at front and center of the global stage. Nevertheless, both leaders confirmed last night that a deal was not reached, and they did not agree on any sort of treaty or ceasefire. Both Trump and Putin have also been extremely tight-lipping about the negotiations, with neither party disclosing anything about what they disagreed over, why it wasn't possible, or whether a deal could be in the works. The failed talks, though, have allowed Europe to breathe a sigh of relief, as they were previously in serious distress over the issue. Trump is expected to call all NATO leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to a meeting to discuss the negotiation with Putin, and the American president will also attend the next round of talks between Ukraine and Russia. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now. (Robert J. Ingersoll) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Meander (verb, mee-AN-der) - To meander is to follow a winding or intricate course—that is, one with a lot of turns and curves—or to walk slowly without a specific goal, purpose, or direction. In a Sentence: We spent the afternoon meandering around the seaside town. Image credit to Reuters

Negotiations to finalize a global plastics treaty have come to an end, with countries failing to agree on a solution to the massive problem once again. Around two weeks ago, talks began in Geneva, Switzerland, to address the world's growing plastic problem. This was their sixth meeting as a group, and it marks the second time that they came in with a goal and failed to finalize a deal– last year's talks in Busan, South Korea, also ended without a concrete solution to the problem. Plastics are everywhere, and the problem is spreading. While plastic does break down, it never actually degrades completely, leaving what is known as microplastics in the environment. Researchers have found that there are over 4,800 mcg of plastic per gram of tissue in the brain, which means the brain holds the equivalent to about an entire plastic spoon. The ocean faces an even greater issue, with scientists estimating that there are around 8.3 million pieces of microplastics per cubic meter of water– and there are a lot of cubic meters in the ocean. Microplastics come from just about everything: actual plastic products, synthetic clothing, tea bags, confetti, glitter, coffee cups, cosmetic products, several types of salts, wet wipes, and much, much more. They have already spread into just about every ecosystem on Earth, and everything from biodiversity to pollution levels are taking a hit. However, the curbing of plastic production has faced serious pushback due to one specific condition– plastic is made from oil. Oil companies have been some of the largest hindrances in the global fight against climate change, promoting fossil fuels while taking action to limit the production of renewable energy and other sustainable solutions. Similarly, oil-producing nations have been the first to shut down any sort of deal involving the curbing of plastic pollution, as proposed during treaty negotiations this week. Additionally, environmental groups and other nations have raised serious concern over the fact that hundreds of lobbyists from the fossil fuel, plastics, and petrochemical industries also attended the talks in Geneva, according to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). Several of the lobbyists also came from oil-producing nations like Egypt, Iran, and China. Now, many nations have been left disappointed after talks stalled over the issue, and the negotiations have been described as an "abject failure." Countries came in with a goal to finalize a legally-binding treaty to limit the spread of plastic into the environment, and came out with almost the opposite. Around 100 countries were willing to make major changes, but oil-dependent countries rejected the idea of cutting plastic pollution, shifting the primary focus of the discussion to managing existing waste instead of stopping waste production in the first place. Some oil-producing nations have confirmed that they would like to leave with a treaty preventing the production of some plastics or chemicals used in plastic production, but they have not taken the same widespread approach as environmentally-focused nations like Norway have. The new agreement that was finalized was not legally-binding, and instead asked member nations to make a commitment to reducing the amount of plastic that enters the environment. The only item that countries agreed on was that nations who make the commitment should significantly redesign their plastic products to be less harmful and easier to recycle, but most countries that are willing to make the commitment have already taken steps to complete those actions. Due to this, over 100 countries rejected the deal, calling it "unambitious," "inadequate," "abysmal," and a "gift to polluters," and environmental leaders across the world have denounced the stalled negotiations as a massive missed opportunity to do something great. Now, the world leaves Geneva without a plastics pollution treaty once again, and Earth remains on track towards a devastating plastic problem within the next few decades. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There is a punctuation mark used to signify irony or sarcasm that looks like a backward question mark: ⸮ Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Integrity is telling myself the truth . And honesty is telling the truth to other people. (Spencer Johnson) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Immutable (adj, ih-MYOO-tuh-bul) - Immutable is a formal adjective used to describe something that is unable to be changed. In a Sentence: It is hardly an immutable fact that cats and dogs are sworn enemies; over the years our golden retriever has grown both fond and protective of her tabby housemate. Image credit to Plastics Industry Association

The United Kingdom, France, and Germany have threatened to reimpose sanctions on Iran if they refuse to resume negotiations over their nuclear program with NATO within the next few weeks. The three countries plan to initiate "snapback sanctions" if Iran fails to resume negotiations by the end of the month, giving the country two weeks to consider their options. Snapback sanctions were originally included into the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was made between the UK, France, Germany, Russia, China, EU, US, and Iran. This deal relieved Iran of several sanctions that had been hindering their economy, while Iran did its part to restrain their nuclear program. However, under the special condition, if Iran shows any sort of non-compliance with the agreement's terms in the future, one of the countries that brokered the deal can trigger the snapback sanctions. This would reimpose all of the UN sanctions that were previously removed, and no country in the deal can veto the decision. However, President Trump withdrew the US from the agreement in 2018, limiting their ability to trigger the sanctions. Now, the UK, France, and Germany are taking a joint approach to the problem, guaranteeing that the snapback sanctions will be triggered if they take action. The move comes as Iran has faced continuous pressure to shut down their nuclear program in previous months, with Israel and the United States taking action after they received intel that the Middle Eastern country was days away from creating a nuclear bomb. Israel began a war with Iran that lasted for 12 days, but that conflict came to an end once the US conducted a targeted operation to eliminate the threat posed by several Iranian nuclear sites. Despite the destruction of a large part of their nuclear program, Iran has refused to halt its uranium enrichment program, and they have not resumed negotiations with the US and EU. Additionally, they have put a pause on their ties with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which manages all nuclear-related conflicts– the IAEA has confirmed, though, that if Iran were to resume talks with the organization, it could delay the arrival of the snapback sanctions. However, Western countries are facing serious pressure to get an agreement finalized, as the JCPOA is set to expire on October 18. Nevertheless, Iran has made a threat of their own. Iran claims that they need just 24 hours to withdraw from the Treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which prevents countries from purchasing nuclear weapons from each other and using them in battle. This could allow them to develop nuclear weapons and use them freely without any sort of international oversight. Despite these possibilities, Iran's economy is facing a massive crisis, and the country itself is also grappling with a massive water shortage . The triggering of the snapback sanctions could further impact their already-struggling economy, which could worsen the water problem even more. Whether they will continue with negotiations or take the hit from the snapback sanctions is still unknown, though. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): When mice live in the wild, they typically only live for about six months. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Remember how far you’ve come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. (Rick Warren) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Calculus (noun, KAL-kyuh-lus) - Calculus refers to an advanced branch of mathematics that deals mostly with rates of change and with finding lengths, areas, and volumes. The word can also be used more broadly for the act of calculating—that is, estimating something by using practical judgment, or solving or probing the meaning of something. In a Sentence: By my calculus the more efficient air conditioner will have paid for itself within a span of five years. Image credit to Responsible Statecraft

United States President Donald Trump has finally agreed to host a meeting with several European leaders before he heads to Alaska for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. European leaders have been attempting to convince Trump to hold a meeting with them for months, which comes during a time where the American president has forgone traditional negotiations and resorted to private calls with Putin. Due to his actions, European countries – which had always been included into talks in the past – were phased out of the negotiation process, prompting them to try and force their way in. Now, Trump has finally agreed to meet virtually with the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Finland, Poland, the EU, and the UK, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The move comes just before his summit in Alaska with Russian President Putin, which was decided upon several days ago. Trump and Putin will meet in-person at a US Military base in Anchorage, where they will discuss the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War and the next steps that should be taken to avoid further escalation. Additionally, Trump is widely expected to try and cut a deal with Putin to end the war, which could likely include several details that benefit the US or do the opposite for the EU. During his term so far, Trump has taken every possible opportunity to try and grow the US economy at the expense of various others, shown by the reciprocal tariffs implemented last week. Due to this, European leaders are desperate to meet with Trump and urge him to avoid such a situation. If Trump were to agree on a deal with Putin in place of Ukraine, it could provide Russia with several benefits, which could include allowing them to maintain control over the land they have already taken– a huge loss for Ukraine. They have acknowledged, though, that their words are unlikely to have a massive impact on the decisions Trump will make during the summit with Putin, but they are hoping to limit the amount of damage that the negotiations may do. The Europeans have also added that an agreement that benefits Russia could give Putin a greater sense of confidence, possibly motivating him to attack other eastern European countries in the future. However, whether Trump can actually broker a deal is still in question. After initially showing a strong belief over his ability to persuade Putin, that strength slowly began to fade following continued Russian attacks on Ukraine. Then, in a recent deal, Trump agreed to allow several European countries to purchase over $1 billion in American-made weapons for Ukraine, showing a shift in his previously pro-Russian stance. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Until 2016, the “Happy Birthday” song was not for public use. Meaning that prior to 2016, the song was copyrighted, and you had to pay a license to use it. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal, you do not change your decision to get there. (Zig Ziglar) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Ramshackle (adj, RAM-shak-ul) - Ramshackle describes things that are in a very bad condition and need to be repaired, or that are carelessly or loosely constructed. In a Sentence: Toward the back of the property stood a ramshackle old shed. Image credit to Al Jazeera

The United States has agreed to extend their tariff treaty with China for another three months, with the move coming just after US President Donald Trump decided to impose a 15% tax on all Nvidia and AMD shipments to the East Asian country. The truce has been extended to allow Trump more time to negotiate a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the two world leaders taking time over the past few weeks to speak about an agreement to lower China's reciprocal tariffs. Earlier in the year, Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff, a 20% tariff due to the illegal Chinese fentanyl trade, and several additional tariffs on specific products. This triggered a retaliation tariff from China, which Trump also responded to. Eventually, a trade war between the two countries begun, with potential US tariffs on Chinese goods reaching as high as 145%, forcing them to agree to a temporary treaty. During that time, US tariffs on most Chinese goods have stayed stagnant around 30% – with higher levies on specific items – while Chinese tariffs on American goods were imposed at around 10%. However, that deal was set to expire at midnight last night– until President Trump's latest executive order, which was decided upon by his administration during talks with China in Sweden last month. The order states that the US will extend the treaty by 90 days, lasting until November 10, which gives the two countries more time to negotiate and finalize an agreement to lower tariffs with each other. Without the extension, US tariffs would have spiked to 54%, while China would have retaliated with an equally large increase to 34%. While Trump is confident that the current negotiations are going well, the details of their discussions are still unknown, and exactly when an agreement will be reached is also uncertain. Nevertheless, the White House has confirmed that the US faced a trade deficit of almost $300 billion with China in 2024 alone, suggesting that reducing the deficit will likely be one of the focal points of a potential deal. Additionally, several American officials have confirmed that they are looking to strengthen China's relations with the US while weakening their economic ties with Russia; Trump has taken similar action with India, who could face a 50% tariff in several weeks if they refuse to stop buying Russian oil. The deal is also expected to include details involving Chinese exports of rare earth minerals – an industry which it has a tight hold on – and recent advances in technology. Trump recently allowed major American chipmakers Nvidia and AMD to resume exports to the East Asian country, though he has also forced both companies to pay 15% of their revenues from Chinese sales to the US government. In April, Trump banned the sale of Nvidia and AMD's advanced chips to China out of fear that they had been utilizing the technology to bolster their own artificial intelligence projects, moving them ahead of the US in the global AI race. The tax has sparked serious controversy among American politicians, though, citing the fact that the US Constitution explicitly bans taxes on exports. Looking to read more into the global AI race? Check out this article on the rise of Nvidia, AI, and how the technology is impacting markets across the world from our member-exclusive Business collection, The Profit Playbook . Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In 2007, Scotland spent £125,000 ($168,000) devising a new national slogan. The winning entry was: “Welcome to Scotland.” Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Abundance is not about having more than you need; it’s about realizing there is always enough and appreciating the blessings in your life . (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Stipulate (verb, STIP-yuh-layt) - To stipulate is to demand or require something as part of an agreement. In a Sentence: The rules stipulate that players must wear uniforms. Image credit to Politico

At least five Al Jazeera journalists are dead after a targeted Israeli strike on their tented camp, with Israel claiming that one of the journalists was the leader of a Hamas terrorist cell. The camp was located just across the street from Gaza's al-Shifa hospital, just a few miles from the Mediterranean coast, and killed two journalists and three cameramen stationed in the area. All five – Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa, and Mohammed Noufal – were employees of Al Jazeera working to provide live coverage from Gaza City, which is set to be invaded by Israeli forces in upcoming days. Of the two journalists, Israel claims that al-Sharif was the leader of a terrorist cell within the Hamas organization. In a post on X , Israel stated that "a press badge isn't a shield for terrorism," and included various documents proving his membership. They had made similar statements prior to the strike, though– in late 2024, Israel publicly declared that al-Sharif and five other Al Jazeera journalists were members of Hamas, but Al Jazeera strongly denied the accusations. Additionally, earlier this summer, al-Sharif was accused of being a Hamas leader once again, but the journalist defended himself. He argued that Israel was simply trying to defame him in an attempt to discredit the news he had been reporting, which included numerous horrors taking place in Gaza and denounced Israeli actions. Now, after Israel took action to kill al-Sharif in a targeted strike on his temporary residence, it has sparked outrage across the world. Al Jazeera condemned the assassination as an attack on global press freedom and claimed that it was part of Israel's widespread efforts to conceal their actions within Gaza. The Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, blamed Israel for falsely accusing journalists of being terrorists, mentioning that Israel should be held accountable for targeting civilians and restricting press freedom. According to the CPJ, at least 186 journalists have been killed since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War. Furthermore, the journalist's friend published on social media platform X what seems to be a message written to the world by al-Sharif around two months prior to his death. The letter began with a statement confirming that he had been killed and Israel had "silenced" his voice. Additionally, he referred to Israeli attacks on Palestinians as a "massacre," urged readers "not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you," and asked them to take care of his wife and children in the detailed letter to the world. Read the full post here . However, Al Jazeera and Israel have never had the best relationship. Israel has clearly voiced their beliefs that Al Jazeera, a Qatar-funded news channel, is biased against them due to their Arabic influences, especially in matters concerning Palestine and Gaza. Al Jazeera continues to deny the allegations, though. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The human eye is so sensitive to light that if the Earth were flat and it was a dark night, a candle’s flame could be seen from 30 miles away. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Learn to do the common things uncommonly well. (George Washington Carver) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Hidebound (adj, HYDE-bound) - Someone or something described as hidebound is inflexible and unwilling to accept new or different ideas. In a Sentence: Although somewhat stuffy and strict, the professor did not so completely adhere to hidebound academic tradition that he wouldn’t teach class outside on an especially lovely day. Image credit to Sky News

Today is our 1000th blog post! Dear Reader, I started The Weekly News in February 2022 and started writing our daily updates in January 2023 before switching to Your News Hub later that year. Today's Daily Update, Sunday, August 10, is our 1000th blog post; an incredible milestone for a website that's just three years old. Whether you’ve been with us from the start or just joined the journey, we’re extremely grateful for your support and are committed to bringing you even more news that you enjoy. ​ To celebrate our 1000th blog post, we present you with a redesigned website with a smoother user experience and easier accessibility to the information you need to know. We've changed everything from the homepage to the header, and we've even included a brand-new section, Business, along with a host of fascinating Travel articles, updated Travel Rankings, and a new section with exclusive Climate articles. We have also added tags to our blog posts, allowing you to find the topics of your particular interest more easily, and our daily updates now contain headlines.  ​ We hope you enjoy our new and improved website! Please let us know what you think using the feedback form at the bottom of our homepage or the chat. As the website design is completely new, there may be certain bugs or fixes that we need to make, so please don't hesitate to let us know using the form or the chat! Once again, thank you for being a loyal reader of Your News Hub; I hope we can continue to provide you with the latest, most reliable information for years to come.  ​ Sincerely, Armaan Dhawan CEO and Founder of Your News Hub Haven't subscribed yet? Click here  to receive daily emails from us on the latest news, and download our app here ! At least 470 people have been arrested after massive pro-Palestinian protests in London that supported an activist group designated as terrorists. Local police reported that 466 people had been arrested for supporting Palestine Action, a terrorist group that is banned in the United Kingdom. Palestine Action is known for their extremist anti-Israel schemes, which often involve vandalizing public property and breaking into Israeli arms facilities to wreak havoc. After facing serious legal issues in the past, the group was eventually banned across the nation, and supporting Palestine Action is now illegal in the UK; membership or support for the group can land an individual in jail for up to 14 years. Due to this, when protestors pulled out signs expressing their support for Palestine Action during a rally yesterday, police took swift action. Anyone who willingly gave their name and information was released on the condition that they would not support Palestine Action again, but others who refused to submit to police instructions were arrested on the spot. Five additional protestors were arrested after attacking police officers, two more for public order offenses, and one for a racially aggravated public order offense. While the UK government has supported the arrests, various other groups have expressed outrage over the decision. Additionally, the protests come just after Israel announced their plans to execute a full military takeover of Gaza City, sparking anger from Palestinian supporters all over the world. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Although GPS is free for the world to use, it costs $2 million per day to operate. The money comes from American tax revenue. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The best time for new beginnings is now. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Behemoth (noun, bih-HEE-muth) - A behemoth is something of monstrous size, power, or appearance. Behemoth (usually capitalized) is also the name of a mighty animal described in the biblical book of Job. In a Sentence: The town will be voting on whether or not to let the retail behemoth build a store on the proposed site. Image credit to Sky News

Tsunami warnings went into effect across the Pacific Ocean after a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia Kamchatka Peninsula yesterday. The quake struck just 74 miles away from the coastal city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, located on the east side of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula in Siberia. The epicenter was around 12.8 miles deep, making it a relatively shallow quake-- while shallow earthquakes are felt over a smaller area, they do more damage in that area. Additionally, the earthquake is tied for the sixth-strongest ever recorded, with a staggering magnitude of 8.8. Tsunami warnings quickly flooded islands and coasts across the Pacific, as earthquakes can spark waves that travel hundreds of miles across oceans. Islands stretching south through Oceania were hit with warnings of incoming waves of between 3-10 feet, while coasts across the Americas and Asia -- including the US, Philippines, China, and Japan -- were impacted with advisories and warnings as well. Russia received the brunt of the impact, with the quake damaging countless buildings in Kamchatka and tsunamis of over 13 feet sweeping onto the coasts. Numerous severe aftershocks have done even more damage, with several of them exceeding a magnitude of 6. The Japanese island of Hokkaido was one of the first to report an increase in water levels, but the tsunamis averaged around one foot high. While forecasts initially expected waves of up to 10 feet, the levels stayed much lower than that, avoiding major damage. Additionally, Alaska reported minor tsunamis of a similar water level, but the Aleutian Islands, which are geographically relatively close to the epicenter, received a larger tsunami. Thankfully, the islands are mostly uninhabited, so the waves did not do much damage. However, Midway Atoll, located in the middle of the Pacific, reported waves last night of around 3 feet, suggesting a higher risk of a large tsunami in Hawaii. Warnings were issued across the island chain, and traffic piled up on highways as residents scrambled to get to higher ground. As the water began receding, concerns of a significant tsunami increased, and the islands were slammed with waves of 4-6 feet last night. Also, the tsunamis did not simply hit the state from one side; as Hawaii Governor Josh Green stated, they wrapped around the islands, flooding from all sides, and there were multiple rounds of them. Furthermore, much of the West Coast of the United States was placed under tsunami watches last night as the waves approached, with tsunamis of several feet hitting California, Oregon, and Washington. Crescent City, an area of northern California, was issued a tsunami warning due to its underwater geography, making it more susceptible to tsunamis. Waves there peaked at around 8 feet, and are expected to persist for the next 24 hours. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The largest Japanese population outside of Japan stands at 1.6 million people who live in Brazil. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Adversity is sometimes hard upon a man; but for one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity. (Elvis Presley) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Quibble (verb, KWIB-ul) - To quibble is to argue or complain about small, unimportant things. Quibble can also mean "to evade the point of an argument by making trivial or frivolous objections." In a Sentence: Why are you quibbling over such a small amount of money?