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The Trump administration has announced that they will ban all international students from Harvard University, sparking chaos and fear across the campus. Harvard University, one of the most prestigious universities in the world and the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, is known for its exceptional learning programs, and some of the world's best and brightest minds have attended the school. However, its future may now be in jeopardy due to US President Donald Trump and his administration. Trump demanded that Harvard change their admission rules and their curriculum, working to eliminate things like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Harvard refused, and Trump responded by freezing over $2 billion in grants that the government had been providing to the university. Despite this, the university has not budged. Now, Trump has stated that they will ban all international students from Harvard, putting the education of thousands of young, bright minds at risk. 6,800 of Harvard's students, which is over 25% of the university's enrollment, come from outside the United States, and they pay an even larger portion of the school's total tuition fees due to their lack of government financial aid. Additionally, certain departments like the Kennedy School of Government, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Harvard Business School have particularly high numbers of international students, and their programs could go down completely if this new ban is implemented. Many of these students have already made a home for themselves at Harvard, and they have invested so much time, energy, and money into learning at the institution. They have worked for their entire lives to get to this point, and it has been a massive achievement for all of them to even make it to Harvard, one of the most esteemed places for higher learning in the entire world. Unfortunately, that could soon change. Some of them are already looking for other universities to transfer to, while others are searching for work visas so they can stay in the country. Others are staying where they are, as they believe that the university will fight for the students and their rights. Nevertheless, one thing is clear. Harvard University would not be the same without international students, and if this ban is truly implemented, it could change the institution as we know it. Fact of the Day (BBC): You travel 1.5 million miles a day around the Sun without realising. The Earth’s orbit travels around 1.5 million miles each day with respect to the Sun’s center, and around 12 million miles with respect to the centre of the Milky Way. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today. (Benjamin Franklin) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Voluble (adj, VAHL-yuh-bul) - Someone may be described as voluble if they are talking a lot in a rapid, energetic way. In a Sentence: Bri knew something was bothering her normally voluble friend when he was reluctant to talk about his day.

Two aides were killed at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington D.C. this morning, sparking outrage among Israelis and other Jewish citizens of the world. Both aides worked at the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C. Sarah Lynn Milgrim, who managed visits to Israel, and Yaron Lischinsky, who worked in political research, were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in the United States capital city this morning after attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee. The suspect has been arrested, and he expressed his support for Palestine as he was being taken in. Many Israelis have seen threats from Arabs and other Palestinian supporters around the world since the Israel-Hamas War began in 2023, and antisemitism has grown in many places. In fact, the situation has gotten so severe that Israel has warned their citizens to avoid showing Israeli or Jewish symbols during their time abroad, and many residents are steering clear of international travel in general. However, the incident has sparked a blame game within Israel, with different parties accusing various people of inciting the attack. Israel's left-wing parties, who oppose current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing party, have placed the blame on Netanyahu, claiming that his new plans for taking over Gaza have incited additional violence and anger against Israelis and Jews. Meanwhile, far-right parties have accused the left-wing side of inciting the violence, claiming that their untrue criticisms of Netanyahu's actions have added fuel to the fire. Additionally, some Israelis have accused other countries around the world for denouncing Israel's actions in Gaza. They believe that this condemnation has allowed Palestinian supporters to think that they can carry out murders like this, bringing the blame onto them. Fact of the Day (BBC): Starfish don’t have bodies. Along with other echinoderms (think sea urchins and sand dollars), their entire bodies are technically classed as heads.   Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): It’s better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret. (Jackie Joyner-Kersee) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Hapless (adj, HAP-lus) - Hapless means "having no luck." It's a synonym of unfortunate . In a Sentence: The documentary follows a hapless victim of false allegations.

The personal secretary and adviser to Mexico City's mayor were assassinated in a brutal attack yesterday, sparking fears over more killings in the relatively safe city. Mexico City's mayor, Clara Brugada, belongs to the Morena political party, and she is the second-most powerful person in the country, behind President Claudia Sheinbaum. Brugada and Sheinbaum are close allies, but they also have political enemies. Brugada's adviser, José Muñoz, and secretary, Ximena Guzmán, were both killed yesterday in an assassination. Guzmán was inside the car and was stopping to pick up Muñoz when shots were fired at them. Guzmán was killed inside and Muñoz was shot on the sidewalk. Police arrived at the scene, which was located between the roads of Calzada de Tlalpan and Napoleón, to find both people dead, with four bullet holes on the driver's side of the windshield. Security camera videos showed the two gunmen arriving on a motorcycle and firing at the vehicle before fleeing the scene-- authorities are currently working to identify the attacks and their exact motives. Sheinbaum and Brugada both issued statements on how amazing both members were to work with, as they had known Guzmán and Muñoz for long periods of time and were quite close with them. While this is an unnerving event, Sheinbaum and Brugada have maintained their composure and confirmed that the murders will not go unnoticed. After an initial investigation, officials believe that the killing was a targeted assassination of both people, and was meant to be a sign from a drug cartel or some sort of other organized crime group. Sheinbaum denied knowing anything about any threats that had been placed on the two victims, but unfortunately, politically-motivated attacks are quite common in Mexico. In 2024, the country saw a total of 661 political attacks, with victims ranging from prominent mayors to campaigning individuals. However, the fact that political violence is so common has raised questions as to why Guzmán and Muñoz did not have any security around their vehicle, as it should have been a given due to the current situation. Additionally, Mexico City is relatively safe compared to the rest of the country, which has been struggling with homicides for years. Drug cartels heavily contribute to this violence-- though in the past, Mexico City has been avoided by cartels. Unfortunately, this new attack has sparked fears over an increasing number of homicides, shocking many of the city's citizens. Fact of the Day (BBC): Not only plants go through photosynthesis. Algae (which are not plants) and some other organisms, including sea slugs and pea aphids, contain chlorophyll and can also take sunlight and turn it into an energy source. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Failures are expected by losers, ignored by winners. (Joe Gibbs) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Chagrin (noun, shuh-GRIN) - Chagrin refers to a feeling of frustration or annoyance caused by failure or disappointment. In a Sentence: I decided to take a gap year to the chagrin of my parents.

Spain has instructed Airbnb to take down almost 66,000 rental listings as they work to lower costs of living and house affordability across the country. The move comes amid a serious housing crisis for not just Spain, but Europe as a whole. The large influx of tourists arriving into countries like Spain and the Netherlands has forced locals to turn their housing developments into rentals for these tourists, but the already-limited number of homes available to residents becomes even more expensive due to the choked supply. Protests have been held across Spain over the past few months, demanding lower housing prices and claiming that the government has been putting tourists over citizens. Tourists from other countries are coming in by the masses, so people building homes find it more appealing to turn residential complexes into rental properties instead of selling them to the locals who need homes. Now, the government has taken action-- they are cracking down on any Airbnb that does not have appropriate licensing. Some of the Airbnbs listed did not even have a license, and others had fake licenses that allowed them to rent the property out. Others failed to specify whether the listing was managed by a company or an individual. In total, 65,935 Airbnbs were affected, and the Spanish government is ordering that all of them be shut down. However, Airbnb strongly denies that they are the cause of the housing crisis-- the company attributes the dropping affordability in Spanish cities to a lack of homes. They believe that these new rules will just hurt travelers looking for cheap options, failing to provide a benefit to the country, the company, or the tourists. They appealed the decision, but Madrid's High Court ruled in favor of the Spanish government. This isn't the first time the Spanish government has taken action to combat this affordability crisis. Last year, Barcelona passed a law banning all short-term rentals in the city from November 2028, preventing landlords from prioritizing tourists over local residents. However, it is crucial that they find a balance between the two sides-- while tourism seems like a nuisance for Spanish citizens right now, it is extremely important to their economy, and phasing it out completely could have serious detrimental effects. Fact of the Day (BBC): The Moon looks upside down in the Southern Hemisphere-- compared to the Northern Hemisphere, anyway. This means that the ‘Man in the Moon’ is upside down in the Southern Hemisphere and looks more like a rabbit. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them. (Kahlil Gibran) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Antithetical (adj, an-tuh-THET-ih-kul) - Antithetical typically describes something that is in direct and unambiguous opposition to another thing. It is often used with to . In a Sentence: The district's new policy is fundamentally antithetical to the school's values.

Former United States President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and unfortunately, his condition is extremely serious. After he experienced urinary issues, Biden went to his doctor, who did a scan on the area. The doctor noticed a small nodule on his prostate, and quickly took a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan to see if there was any cancer in the area. The diagnosis was very severe-- Biden has stage 4 cancer, meaning that it has already spread to his bones and is now incurable. While prostate cancer is relatively common in older men, Biden's cancer is extremely aggressive. The doctor determined that the cancer had a score of 9 on the Gleason index, which is a score that analyzes the aggressiveness of the cancer cells. Unfortunately, 9-10 is the highest score possible. The cancer can be treated, but it cannot be removed entirely due to its status as stage 4. Biden is now looking towards his doctors to determine an appropriate treatment for the disease, which could help to extend his life expectancy by several years. However, Biden is now 82 years old, and many people had concerns about his health even when he was in office. During his term, Biden became the oldest-ever US president, and he experienced mental decline despite denials from the Democratic Party. Biden failed to recognize famous stars, zoned out during events, and tripped up dozens of times in speeches, including the infamous moment when he accidentally introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as Russia's President Vladimir Putin. His performance in the first presidential debate against President Trump seemed to seriously display signs of his mental decline, leading to his withdrawal from the 2024 election later on. Nevertheless, Biden and many Democrats still deny these allegations, claiming that Biden was perfectly fit for office and had no health issues. Now that he is out of office, this diagnosis has confirmed that the former president is facing some health challenges. Despite that, though, his doctors have told him that he can live a mostly normal life after receiving treatment, and the new treatments they give him could extend his life expectancy by up to 10 years. Upcoming Events: World Fair Play Day (Monday, May 19) French Open Begins (Monday, May 19) World Bee Day (Tuesday, May 20) International Tea Day (Wednesday, May 21) World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (Wednesday, May 21) International Day for Biological Diversity (Thursday, May 22) Declaration of the Bab (Thursday, May 22) International Day of the Markhor (Saturday, May 24) World Football Day (Sunday, May 25) Table Tennis World Championship Ends (Sunday, May 25) IIHF World Hockey Championship Ends (Sunday, May 25) Fact of the Day (BBC): While hippos are very scary in the water, they can't actually swim. Hippos have huge bones-- so big and dense, in fact, that they’re barely buoyant at all. They don’t swim and instead perform a slow-motion gallop on the riverbed or on the sea floor. In fact, hippos can even sleep underwater, thanks to a built-in reflex that allows them to bob up, take a breath, and sink back down without waking. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Maturity is when you have the power to destroy someone who did you wrong but you just breathe, walk away, and let life take care of them. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Talisman (noun, TAL-iss-mun) - A talisman is an object (such as a ring or stone) that is believed to have magic powers and to cause good things to happen to the person who has it. In a Sentence: In ancient times, the gemstone was worn as a talisman to ward off evil.

Two people were killed and at least 19 others were injured after a Mexican Navy training vessel crashed into New York City's Brooklyn Bridge last night, sparking chaos. The Mexican ship, named the Cuauhtémoc, lost power in the middle of the Hudson River before smashing into the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday at around 8:30 pm. The cause was later determined to be a mechanical issue onboard the ship. The ship set sail from the Mexican town of Acapulco on April 6, carrying Mexican Navy cadets at the end of their training. The ship was carrying 277 cadets on a voyage to Iceland when it hit the underside of the bridge, breaking several of the ship's masts. The masts were seriously damaged, with parts of them falling into the water below. Unfortunately, a total of 21 people were injured in the incident, and two of them later died from their injuries. Two people are still in critical condition, but no one fell overboard and authorities have confirmed that everyone has been accounted for. Most of the injuries were caused by falling debris, in addition to the fact that several crewmembers were on the masts at the time of the crash. Police quickly arrived at the scene and towed away the ship, and officials have determined that no major damage was done to the bridge. Locals have also been instructed to avoid the area due to possible heavy traffic, as the area has been swarmed with emergency vehicles. Fact of the Day (BBC): Deaf people are known to use sign language in their sleep. A case study of a 71-year-old man with rapid eye movement disorder and a severe hearing impairment showed him using fluent sign language in his sleep, with researchers able to get an idea of what he was dreaming about thanks to those signs. The concept is similar to sleeptalking, except they do it with their hands. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance . Remember, the greatest failure is to not try. (Debbie Fields) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Mercurial (adj, mer-KYUR-ee-ul) - Mercurial is usually used to describe someone whose mood changes quickly and unpredictably. It can also describe something that changes frequently, such as weather, or something that is lively and quick, such as someone’s wit. In a Sentence: The director had some concerns about working with the play’s lead, an actor with a reputation for having a mercurial temperament on set.

The Israeli military has expanded their offensive in Gaza once again, which is the beginning of Operation Gideon's Chariots. The operation, which was approved around two weeks ago, will see Israeli forces invade Gaza and take as much land as possible. Israel is already bringing tens of thousands of additional soldiers onboard to their military to allow them to complete this mission, which aims to capture as much territory as possible while taking out Hamas operatives and rescuing any hostages still being kept by the terrorist organization. Now, after two more weeks of failed negotiations, Israel has put their plan into action. Operation Gideon's Chariots, as it is called, has begun, with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) initiating a preliminary incursion into Gaza. They are attempting to move the population once again, this time forcing Palestinians into the southern portion of the strip while the forces move through the rest of Gaza. Operations in the area have already ramped up, and over 100 people have been killed within the last two days. Israel claims that their primary objective is rescuing all of the hostages, but they are also heavily focusing on wiping out Hamas. Unfortunately, Palestinians have greatly suffered from this new operation, and it seems that their woes will just continue. Israel continues to block all aid from coming into Gaza, which many countries and the United Nations see as a violation of international law. However, Israel claims that the blockades are necessary to force Hamas to hand over the hostages, meaning that they are unlikely to end anytime soon. Now, the death toll from the war has exceeded 53,000, and there does not seem to be any end in sight. Millions of Palestinians have been displaced, and most of them have no home to return to. Starvation is simply increasing, and Israel's latest operations are just expected to worsen the situation. Fact of the Day (BBC): There’s no such thing as a straight line. Zoom in close enough to anything and you’ll spot irregularities. Even a laser light beam is slightly curved. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. (Charles Hoskinson) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Junket (noun, JUNK-ut) - Junket refers to a trip that is paid for by someone else, such as a promotional trip made at another's expense, or an official's trip made at public expense. In a Sentence: The cast of the widely-acclaimed movie is making press junkets to major cities.

United States President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States could be getting close to achieving a nuclear deal with Iran as negotiations continue. Iran has clearly expressed their desire to develop nuclear weapons in the past, and they have the resources to do it. The creation of a nuclear weapon can be done in two ways: enriched uranium or plutonium production. Enriched uranium, or U-235, readily undergoes a process called nuclear fission, which is used to generate energy. Meanwhile, uranium can produce a highly radioactive byproduct known as plutonium, which also be used to make a nuclear weapon. Iran has the facilities and the ability to enrich uranium in order to create a nuclear weapon, but they have not done it yet. They currently face a roadblock in the process, and much of the Western world, especially the United States, is urging them to shut down their nuclear weapon development operations. Over the last few decades, the United States has maintained numerous sanctions on Iran, which has seriously hurt their economy. Due to this, Trump engaged in negotiations with Iran this week during his trip to the Middle East. Mediated by Oman, the talks saw direct, face-to-face discussions and the passing of notes in between rooms, with both sides agreeing on certain terms. Both Iran and the United States have indicated that they are willing to make peace with the other, as the conflict between the two countries over nuclear weapons dates back decades. While Trump has established that they are getting close to a deal, it is unknown how exactly they will achieve that. The US wants Iran to completely shut down their nuclear operations and stop enriching uranium, which Iran has refused to do. Iran has proposed that they could export their enriched uranium and decrease the enrichment levels to a more widely-used amount, preventing them from building a weapon. Iran has clearly stated that they are ready to sign a deal that will never let them build a nuclear weapon-- they just need the sanctions to be lifted by the United States, which could boost their economy and grow Iran as a country. However, as of right now, it is not clear how they will agree on that deal and what methods the US will use to prevent Iran from building a weapon. Fact of the Day (BBC): A horse normally has more than one horsepower. A study in 1993 showed that the maximum power a horse can produce is around 18,000 watts, around 24 horsepower. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Make good decisions even with incomplete information. You will never have all the information you need. What matters is what you do with the information you have. (Michael Steinhardt) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Impervious (adj, im-PER-vee-us) - Impervious describes that which does not allow something (such as water or light) to enter or pass through. It is also used formally to mean “not bothered or affected by something.” Both senses of impervious are usually used with to . In a Sentence: The material is impervious to water.

United States President Donald Trump has secured over $600 billion in investments into the US from Saudi Arabia as he continues through his visits of the Gulf countries. Trump is now on a tour of the Middle East, where he is working to find investors and strengthen ties with the Gulf countries. His tour began with a trip to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, continued with a visit to Qatar yesterday, and he is now in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, for the final leg of his journey. Recently, Trump has been working to strengthen partnerships with these three countries, which together, hold almost one-quarter of the world's oil reserves and over 18% of the world's natural gas. At a high-stakes lunch on Tuesday, Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, along with the CEOs of dozens of large American companies. After several deals came through, the White House published an official message announcing that they had secured over $600 billion in investments. One of the most major of these deals was with Nvidia: Saudi Arabia confirmed that they are looking to heavily invest into artificial intelligence, and they announced that the Saudi company Humain would buy over 18,000 Nvidia chips. Additionally, as an attempt to better befriend the current president, most companies whose CEOs attended the lunch also donated $1 million to his inauguration fund. Most of the fund will be used to build Trump's future presidential library, and he has raised a staggering $239 million so far. Meanwhile, a brief trip to Qatar yesterday also saw some productivity for Trump and other companies. Boeing, a major aircraft manufacturer, announced that they have agreed on their largest-ever deal with Qatar Airways, which comes at a time when Boeing has been struggling financially. However, many people are concerned about Trump's personal goals on the trip, as he has also used his time with the world leaders to expand his personal profile in the area. Throughout the trip, Trump has also secured deals for new Trump hotels, golf courses, and other ventures, along with the aforementioned investment deals. For example, one Emirati company has invested over $2 billion into Trump's cryptocurrency, $TRUMP, which came as a shock to many people. Fact of the Day (BBC): Sound can reach negative decibels. The quietest place on Earth is Microsoft’s anechoic chamber in Redmond, WA, USA, at -20.6 decibels. These anechoic chambers are built out of heavy concrete and brick and are mounted on springs to stop vibrations from getting in through the floor. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future . (John F. Kennedy) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Scuttlebutt (noun, SKUTT-ul-butt) - Scuttlebutt refers to rumor or gossip—in other words, talk or stories about someone or something that may not be true. In a Sentence: According to the scuttlebutt in the financial markets, the company will be downsizing soon.

Russia has officially been found responsible for downing Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over a decade ago, finally giving the families affected a chance of compensation. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, or MH17, was a flight traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur that was shot down over eastern Europe in 2014. The plane, a Boeing 777-200ER, was carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew for the 12-hour flight on July 17, and all of them were killed in the deadly crash. An international investigation into the crash was conducted in 2016, led by the Netherlands, where the flight had taken off from. The team determined that the plane was taken down by a Buk surface-to-air missile, placing the blame squarely on Russia. However, Russia maintained that they had no involvement in the plane crash, preventing a true verdict from being released. Since Russia refuses to recognize the International Court of Justice, the Netherlands and Australia took the court to another international body: The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization. Russia was found guilty of violating the Chicago Convention, which clearly states that member countries must avoid using any weapons against civilian aircraft in flight. Due to this, the Council can now formally request Russia to negotiate with the Netherlands and Australia over possible compensation for the crash, as the families of the victims have still not received any sort of payment. However, the Council still has to determine how much compensation will be given-- that will be finalized after negotiations. Fact of the Day (BBC): Soccer teams wearing red are thought to play better. A review of soccer matches in the last 55 years showed that teams wearing a red kit consistently played better in home matches than teams in any other color. The study discovered that the color red subconsciously boosts players' confidence and affects their opponents as well. However, of course, there are many studies contradicting this hypothesis as well. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The only certainty is that nothing is certain. (Pliny the Elder) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Apotropaic (adj, ap-uh-troh-PAY-ik) - Something described as apotropaic is designed or intended to avert evil. In a Sentence: The etchings are believed to be associated with ancient apotropaic rituals.