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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

Super Typhoon Ragasa is shaping up to be one of the most powerful storms of the year after pummeling the Philippines, Taiwan, and now southern China. Ragasa began as a tropical depression in the western Pacific, steadily moving westward towards the Philippines. Just days later, the storm passed the northernmost Philippine island of Luzon on Monday, packing winds of over 160 mph and heavy rain. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated ahead of the typhoon's arrival, which led to landslides and flooding across the northern part of the archipelago, and at least three people were killed. Then, the storm moved further west, impacting Taiwan. While the typhoon did not directly hit the island, its outer bands were strong enough to spark life-threatening flooding in south and eastern Taiwan. In Hualien County, to the east, the rain caused a barrier lake to overflow, with the ensuing inundation leading to the flooding of the entire town of Guangfu. Additionally, a bridge collapsed due to the floodwaters. At least 8,000 people were evacuated across Taiwan, and at least 14 people were killed in the disaster– most of the deaths were due to the barrier lake burst. Yesterday, Super Typhoon Ragasa arrived in southern China, passing Hong Kong with winds of over 130 mph before making landfall to the west of Macau. Ahead of the storm, both Hong Kong and Macau issued a T10, their highest storm warning, and over two million people were evacuated as Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Zhuhai shut down in preparation. Trees have been blown down, windows shattered, basements flooded, and a total of 62 people have been injured due to the dangerous conditions. The aftermath of the storm is just starting to emerge, but the typhoon has continued onward. It made landfall last night near the city of Yangjiang, just after weakening from a super to a severe typhoon. It is expected to weaken in the coming days, but the wind and rain could persist for some time. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Norway used to have a 25-year statute of limitation on murder. This meant that if the murder happened more than 25 years before, the suspect could not be charged. However, that law was abolished in 2014. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it. ( E.B. White) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Nonpareil (adj, nahn-puh-REL) - Nonpareil describes that which has no equal because it is better than any other. In a Sentence: To this day, the band's debut album is still considered nonpareil , raising the bar for every rock group to follow. Image credit to South China Morning Post

Renowned TV host Jimmy Kimmel will resume broadcasting his late night show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' today, less than a week after ABC suspended the program. Around two weeks ago, right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot at a rally at Utah Valley University, sparking outrage across the United States. An extensive manhunt ensued, with authorities searching for the killer using clues like handprints and bullet casings, and he was eventually found to be Tyler Robinson, a 22 year old Utah native . Soon after the attack, politicians began commenting on the disaster, condemning the act of political violence. Nevertheless, Jimmy Kimmel made several contrasting comments on his late night show, announcing that Trump's supporters, who he referred to as "the MAGA gang," were "desperately trying" to label Tyler Robinson as "anything other than one of them." He also added that they were "doing everything they can to score political points from it," leaving the Trump administration bristling. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), led by Trump ally Brendan Carr, quickly moved into the situation, stating that ABC's broadcasting license was at risk of being revoked due to the controversial comments. Because of this, ABC pulled Kimmel's show off the air on Wednesday, leading to free speech-related doubts across the country. Additionally, Nexstar Media Group also confirmed that they would not broadcast Kimmel's show. Nexstar is a media group that currently holds about 10% of ABC-affiliated local television networks, and they have been working on a major, $6.2 billion merger with another broadcasting company, Tegna. However, their merger relies on FCC approval. Kimmel wasn't the only one to be affected, though. Matthew Dowd, a political analyst at MSNBC, was fired after making a remark about Charlie Kirk's extremism– specifically, "hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions." Meanwhile, dozens of employees in various industries, including teachers, firefighters, and military service members, were terminated due to their comments on social media about Charlie Kirk's death. Various politicians, including President Trump himself, applauded ABC's suspension of Kimmel's late night show, with Trump calling for the suspension of other late night shows as well. However, the move also led to serious backlash, with citizens claiming that it was against the First Amendment rights given by the US Constitution and was a clear display of the country's growing limits on free speech. Now, ABC has announced that they are bringing Kimmel's show back, with Kimmel scheduled to broadcast once again tonight. The network confirmed that the comments were "ill-timed and thus insensitive," but after spending the last few days "having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy," they decided to bring his show back. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): 50% of apartments in Los Angeles don’t come with a fridge. This is legal, as fridges are considered an “amenity,” and therefore, landlords are not required to provide one. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. ( George Orwell) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Catch-22 (noun, KATCH-twen-tee-TOO) - Catch-22 typically refers to a difficult situation for which there is no easy or possible solution. In the narrowest use of the term, it refers to a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule. In a Sentence: I’m in a catch-22 : to get the job I need experience, but how do I get experience if I can’t get the job? Image credit to ABC News

Various European airports are still suffering from delays after a cyberattack caused chaos over the weekend. The cyberattack took place on Friday night, targeting the systems provided by US-based manufacturing company Collins Aerospace. Collins' parent corporation, RTX, confirmed that the disruptions were "cyber-related," with the attack specifically hitting their MUSE software. This software is crucial to airport operations and passenger handling, as it allows major airports to check in passengers of different airlines using the same system. In total, several major airports were affected, including London Heathrow, Dublin, Berlin-Brandenburg, and Brussels. On Saturday, Dublin delayed around 46% of their flights, while Brussels delayed 66% and Heathrow delayed 47%. On Sunday, Heathrow and Dublin seemed to improve their issues, but Brussels, Barcelona, and Frankfurt maintained high numbers of cancelations and delays. Heathrow, one of the busiest airports in the world, remained relatively unaffected as the weekend progressed, with some delays and several cancelations, but the primary issue was longer check-in lines due to the manual processes. Meanwhile, Brussels Airport was the most affected, with the problems persisting throughout the weekend and leaving around half of all passengers with delayed flights. Unfortunately, Brussels has been unable to work around the cyberattack, leading to large numbers of delays on Saturday and Sunday. At least 60 flights scheduled for today have already been canceled, and the airport is urging passengers to check their flight status before coming to the airport. To solve the problem, RTX instructed those affected to shift to manual check-in while they work on fixing the problem. However, Collins has still failed to provide an updated version of the software. Airports across Europe are requesting passengers to check their flights before arriving at the airport to avoid inconveniences due to cancelations or major delays, but most of the airports affected have found other workarounds by now. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In order to protest the high tariffs enforced by a U.K. censorship board, a filmmaker sent in a 10-hour “movie” of white paint drying. They were required to watch the entire film. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): You learn how to be a gracious winner and an outstanding loser. ( Joe Namath) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Lugubrious (adj, loo-GOO-bree-us) - Lugubrious is a formal word used chiefly to describe something that is very sad especially in an exaggerated or insincere way. The word can also describe something that shows or expresses gloom. In a Sentence: The movie’s stunning cinematography could not make up for the lugubrious and plodding plot. Image credit to Shutterstock