Happy American Independence Day to everybody who celebrates! For those of you who would like to get to know more about it, check out this article written by Mihir Gupta!
Contents:
Belarus joined the Russian-and-Chinese-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization at its meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, confirming its place in the member states. The summit started on Wednesday and will end today.
Founded by Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in 2001, the SCO's original goal was to combat terrorism and promote border security. However, it has shifted to a largely geopolitical organization, and it is sending out anti-US vibes, especially with its admittance of Iran in 2023. (India and Pakistan were admitted in 2017.)
Belarus's joining of the main body of the SCO might seem irrational to some. Belarus does not give any security or economic cooperation to the organization. But when you remember Belarus's involvement in the original invasion of Ukraine back in 2022, it makes sense. It's a geopolitical statement.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to opt out of this year's meeting, showing signs of not totally agreeing with the organization's policies. He has sent External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to be India's representative instead. Many Central Asian countries are also showing signs of unease, not wanting to cease good relations with the West.
On another note, Hurricane Beryl hit Jamaica hard on Wednesday, killing at least one person and taking the lives of at least 6 others in a rampage across the Windward Islands on Sunday and Monday.
Beryl's eyewall passed over the southern coast of Jamaica, pummeling the area as emergency groups hurried to evacuate people. After the disaster, nearly a thousand people in the country were in shelters. Power outages were widespread, and some of the roads near the coast were washed away by the extremely heavy rain.
By Wednesday evening, the eye of the hurricane was about 100 miles west of Kingston, Jamaica's capital. The devastating storm's most recent victim was the British territory of the Cayman Islands, where hurricane conditions were expected late Wednesday night. It will then move through the rest of the Caribbean Sea before hitting the Yucatán Peninsula, and possibly smashing into eastern Mexico or southern Texas.
This is a developing story, so make sure to check back in future articles to view the latest updates on damage and deaths.
Fact of the Day (Readers' Digest): The person who scored the winning goal in the first soccer world cup only had one arm. Héctor Castro accidentally cut off his right arm as a child with an electric saw, and he was actually the one who scored Uruguay's winning goal in the first world cup in 1930 to help them win the title.
Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Your mind is like a parachute: If it isn’t open, it doesn’t work.
(Buzz Aldrin)
Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Insuperable (adj) - Something described as insuperable is impossible to gain control of, solve, or overcome.
In a Sentence: The book tells the inspiring story of a group of people who achieved a great deal despite nearly insuperable obstacles.
So good 🥇