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We apologize that this article was published late due to a scheduling issue. Venezuela's María Corina Machado, a major opposition leader against dictator Nicolás Maduro, won the Nobel Peace Prize several days ago. María Corina Machado has been a force of the Venezuelan people in recent years, fighting back against Nicolás Maduro's authoritarian government. Maduro has squashed his opposition since he was elected, bringing them down politically or even staging accidents where they have been killed. However, Machado has fought through and managed to win the election for Maduro's opponents– but Maduro did not concede his position. In 1998, Hugo Chávez took control of the Venezuelan government after winning the country's election. He slowly undermined democratic institutions in a strategy that is known as democratic backsliding, eroding Venezuela's democracy. Soon, Chávez had a strong grip over the Venezuelan military and government, allowing him to assume the position of a dictator. Chávez died in 2013, allowing Nicolás Maduro to take control. He further undermined democracy, cementing his position as a dictator. During this time, Venezuelan hero María Corina Machado slowly edged into the picture, building up connections with both Democrats and Republicans in the United States. Machado is also a former member of the national assembly, giving her some political presence as well. In 2012, prior to Chávez's death, she had already started a voter rights group that campaigned against the dictator– she even went against him in a nationally-televised debate. Still, Maduro continued to hold a tight grip over the country, and massive amounts of Venezuelans had begun to leave the country. Then, Maduro agreed to host an election in 2025 in exchange for the removal of US-placed sanctions on Venezuela's already-struggling economy. This time, Machado attempted another opposition attempt, gathering all of Maduro's opposition parties and bringing them together as one force. This gained significant amounts of voter support and set up the stage for a win. After they gained traction, Machado was banned for running by a Venezuelan court in January 2024, but she continued with her work. Instead, the frontman was a relatively unknown politician named Edmundo González, who she campaigned behind. Machado traveled around the country to different towns and cities, small or big, and rallied the people for their cause. When the election arrived in July, votes were submitted, but what happened afterwards was chaotic. After collecting the ballots, Machado found that her party had won the election in a landslide, garnering around twice as many votes as Maduro. However, Maduro alleged that the election was fraudulent and the opposition had skewed it towards their side– he still refuses to give up his position even today. In honor of her efforts, she was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday. Many of her supporters remain jailed by Maduro, and others cannot show their support for her win without being arrested, but much of the country is in a state of celebration for her achievement. The announcement was to the great disappointment of many White House officials, who had been campaigning for US President Donald Trump to win the prize. Trump had openly expressed his strong aspiration to receive the award in recent months, and the White House communications director Steven Cheung later stated that the Norwegian Nobel Committee clearly “proved they place politics over peace.”   Despite this, Trump later stated that he received a call from Machado just after the awards ceremony, with the Venezuelan leader telling him that he deserved the award and she was accepting it in place of him. Trump also claimed that he'd been "helping her along the way," which the US has done. The United States continues to show support for opposition efforts in Venezuela, primarily because the South American country is a particularly large source of dangerous drugs to enter the country. The US has also begun militarizing the Caribbean to prevent illegal drug transportation on small boats, and they are considering the implementation of a plan that would ramp up pressure on Maduro and allow for a quick transition to a González-led government. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Gaming-related accidents at intersections within 100 meters of a Pokéstop increased by 26.5% during the first 5 months of Pokémon Go being released. This included 2 deaths and $25.5 million in damages. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): In the midst of our daily lives, we must find the juice to nourish our creative souls. ( Sark) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Obviate (verb, AHB-vee-ayt) - To obviate something (usually a need for something, or a necessity) is to anticipate and prevent it. A formal word, obviate can also mean "to make an action unnecessary." In a Sentence: The new medical treatment obviates the need for surgery. Image credit to Reuters

India met with the UK in Mumbai recently, allowing them to strengthen ties, discuss plans for the future, and build on their trade deal from July. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer flew down to Mumbai for a two-day meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hoping to strengthen ties during the process. Starmer also brought his largest-ever trade delegation with him, consisting of over 100 business, university, and cultural leaders from the UK. While the two leaders did discuss other issues, like India's continued investments into Russian oil amid the Russia-Ukraine War, the topic at the forefront of the meeting was discussing how to build on their trade deal from July. During the summer, India and the UK signed a major free trade agreement which had been in negotiations for several years. The deal made many Indian goods cheaper to export to the UK and vice versa, along with establishing a joint solution to illegal migration in both countries. According to the British government, the deal has already led to over $1.3 billion in investments from Indian companies and the creation of around 7,000 jobs in the UK. Now, after this meeting, Britain has agreed to make several significant investments in India across multiple sectors. One of these major investments includes growing Britain's network of renowned international university campuses, bringing several new locations into India and supporting both economies. Additionally, the UK signed a contract worth over $465 million to supply the Indian army with weapons, displaying their willingness to cooperate with India despite their opposing views on Russia and the ongoing war in Ukraine. The next phase of the military deal will allow the two countries to work together on investing in electric-powered engines for naval ships and is worth another $332 million. These investments are just a few of many in various different sectors that will allow the UK and India to strengthen each others' economies and help diversify their relations. Also, both British and Indian leaders hailed the deal from July as crucial to their efforts to strengthen ties, as it has enabled them to increase investments in each others' countries. This strengthening of ties comes as the United States continues to drift farther away from the rest of the world, with Trump's tariffs forcing other countries to diversify their economies. However, this new deal and the investments that have come after it represent an incredible boost to both the economies of Britain, which has already been stagnating for several years, and India, which is the fastest-growing major economy in the world. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Disney sold the streaming right for the original Star Wars films in 2016 to Turner until 2024. Disney has since decided to start a streaming service and has tried asking for the rights back, but Turner refuses every time. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Remind yourself that you cannot fail at being yourself. ( Wayne Dyer) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Duress (noun, dur-RESS) - Duress , which is typically used with under , refers to force or threats meant to make someone do something. It is used especially of unlawful coercion. In a Sentence: The defense asserts that the defendant’s confession was made under duress . Image credit to Reuters

Israel and Hamas have officially accepted the first stage of Trump's Gaza proposal, setting up the end to the Israel-Hamas War after over two years of fighting. Both countries had informally agreed with the proposal earlier this week, but some changes were still required, and negotiations are still taking place. Gaza and the United States had also originally been waiting for Israel to halt their military attacks, but Israel has ceased all conflict after formally accepting the proposal. They also plan to pass the agreement through their cabinet today. The first stage of Trump's plan consists of 20 main points that specify how they will end the war and take care of other issues in the area. Now that both sides have formally agreed to the proposal, the war has come to an immediate end, with military operations coming to a complete stop. Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza to the border line, where hostage exchanges will take place in the coming days. Within the span of a few days, Hamas will return all hostages (alive or dead) to Israel, while Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners and over 1,700 Gazans that were arrested after October 7, 2023. Additionally, for each Israeli hostage whose body is returned, Israel will release the bodies of 15 dead Gazans. Also, to take care of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, all aid restrictions will be immediately lifted as soon as the proposal is accepted. This will allow full aid into Gaza to assist with the humanitarian crisis, rebuilding crucial infrastructure, and energy generation. This aid distribution will be completely controlled by the United Nations, Red Crescent, and other organizations, with Israel and Hamas having no say in the process. Read more about the rest of Trump's plan here . Now, after extensive negotiations involving Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, Israel and Hamas have agreed to put an end to the war. Their changes to Trump's original plan have not been revealed, but both sides are preparing hostage and prisoner releases in the coming days. However, Hamas remains concerned about Israel and a possible future attack. Throughout the negotiations, Hamas continued to express fears over another attack from Israel– in this deal, they are handing back the Israeli hostages, losing their key leverage in the war. Nevertheless, polls have shown that most of the Israeli population wants the war to come to an end, and the Israeli government is being increasingly accused of putting their military goals over the value of the human lives of the hostages. Israel also has their own demands, though, the first and foremost of which is the disarmament of Hamas. Other key details are also still being worked out, including a plan for who will govern Gaza after Israel pulls out. Despite these gaps, hostage releases will commence in the coming days while negotiations continue. Because of these reasons, while the deal has been confirmed, Israel-Palestine relations remain shaky, and a resurgence is possible in the near future. For now, the war seems to have come to an end, making way for peace in the Middle East and the rebuilding of Gaza, but there is no telling how the rest of the plan will go. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The motto on the United Kingdom’s Royal Coat of Arms is in French. The motto is “Dieu et mon droit,” which means “God and my right.” This saying dates back to the Norman Conquest when the French controlled Britain. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Our wounds are often the openings into the best and most beautiful part of us. ( David Richo) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Finicky (adj, FIN-ih-kee) - Finicky describes someone who is very hard to please, or something that requires a lot of care, precision, or attentive effort. In a Sentence: Although she was a finicky eater as a child, she grew up to become a world-renowned chef famous for her encyclopedic knowledge of global ingredients. Image credit to Al Jazeera

Renewables just overtook coal as the world's largest source of electricity– a massive step forward for a world currently powered by fossil fuels. According to a new study from global energy think tank Ember, their data showed that renewables produced more energy than coal, the number one electricity source. Coal has held this position for over 50 years, making the feat even more incredible. The report included data from 88 countries representing 93% of the global electricity demand, specifically focusing on the world's top four emitters of greenhouse gases, which account for around 63% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions. In total, solar power met 83% of the rise in electricity demand, while wind met 26% of the demand. In total, solar and wind alone accounted for 109% of the rise in global energy demand– they were able to outpace the growth in energy demand, creating a surplus of electricity. Solar power alone grew by 31% (64% faster than last year), while wind grew by 7.7%. Meanwhile, coal-based energy generation actually fell by 0.6% because of the surplus created by solar and wind. However, the data also noted one key statistic: India and China were the two countries fueling the demand for renewables, while the United States and European Union used more fossil fuels than last year. India and China have taken significant steps forward in the fight against climate change in recent years. China is the single-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, accounting for around one-third of the world's total, but they have invested billions of dollars into countless renewable energy projects over the last decade. These range from solar and wind generation to the development of experimental technologies like gravity batteries . Through the first half of 2025, Ember found that China accounted for 55% of global solar generation growth– 41% more than the next solar leader, the US. Because of this, China was able to outpace their growing electricity demand, allowing them to decrease fossil fuel usage by 2%. India also added major solar and wind projects, accounting for all of their growth in electricity demand. In fact, India's clean energy growth was more than three times its growth in electricity demand, representing an incredible change from what was an oil-dependent nation just a few years ago. This also allowed them to cut back on fossil fuel usage, requiring less oil and gas and burning less fossil fuels. Meanwhile, the United States and Europe increased fossil fuel usage, for different reasons. US President Trump continues to believe that climate change is a hoax, and his anti-sustainability policies have driven the US to drill more oil and restrict the expansion of renewable energy. In the first half of 2025, coal generation was forced to dramatically increase to make up for a decrease in gas production and their lack of renewable energy growth. Europe, on the other hand, experienced unfavorable weather conditions for the majority of the first half of 2025, forcing them to increase fossil fuel usage to make up for the remaining demand that was not accounted for by wind, nuclear, and bioenergy. Nevertheless, India and China aren't the only ones making progress in the renewable industry– Hungary, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, Pakistan, Australia, and Germany all generated more than 20% of their energy from solar in the first half of 2025. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Pope Francis was given many extravagant gifts over the years, and one of them was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. However, rather than keeping it for his own pleasure and adventures, he sold it off and used the money to benefit homeless people. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes. ( Ralph Waldo Emerson) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Candor (noun, KAN-der) - Candor refers to the quality of being open, sincere, and honest. In a Sentence: During the interview, the comedian spoke with candor about the nervousness she feels every time she takes the stage. Image credit to Shutterstock

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned from his position just hours after choosing the country's government, sending France deeper into political and economic turmoil. French President Emmanuel Macron had chosen two prime ministers before Lecornu, both of which were forced to resign after no-confidence votes. Now, Lecornu's resignation makes him the third prime minister to leave their position in under one year, showing the extreme level of turmoil within France's government. In 2024, Macron called snap parliamentary elections as part of an effort to bolster his party's standing, but the plan backfired. Macron lost his majority in the lower house of the French Parliament, creating a situation where no party had control. On top of these political issues, France continues to experience a major financial crisis, and drastic budget cuts are necessary to save the economy. France's current budget deficit stands at around €169 billion ($199 billion); a staggering 5.8% of their total GDP. By comparison, the limit imposed by the eurozone – the region of Europe that utilizes the euro as their currency – is just 3%. Additionally, their national debt now stands at €3.35 trillion, which is around 116% of their GDP, making them one of the most indebted nations in the eurozone. However, the government remains powerless to sign a new budget bill. On the public front, massive protests have taken place, with France's largest unions going on strike across the country in an attempt to force Macron to pull back his austerity measures. In case you missed it, read more into the protests here . Meanwhile, on the political front, Macron's prime minister faces an incredibly tough task: they must be able to garner the support of multiple parties on different sides of the political spectrum with a new budget bill. As part of Lecornu's speech that was supposed to take place today, he needed to ensure the conservatives that the bill met their needs while also appealing to the left-wing Socialist Party, whose objectives and goals are largely opposite to Macron's. Lecornu announced that the task was impossible– French parties had already begun preparing for upcoming elections, making any ideas involving cross-party negotiations a failure. He also called out the other parties for expecting others to jump onboard with their entire plan, disregarding the idea of compromise. Because of this, he resigned, leaving Macron in an even bigger mess. Now, Macron's opponents have asserted that the only way forward is to call the snap parliamentary elections that they are beginning to prepare for. It is highly unlikely that Macron's party would win these elections, which is why he is fighting to avoid the situation, but it seems like the only way to break the impasse between France's political parties. If he continues to resist the elections, it will likely sink the country deeper into economic turmoil, landing France in a hole that it may not be able to get out of. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): There’s a bar in Yukon that serves a “Sourtoe cocktail.” It consists of a shot of whisky with a preserved, mummified human toe floating in the glass. An estimated 100,000 people have had the drink. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death. ( James F. Byrnes) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Embarrass (verb, im-BAIR-us) - To embarrass someone is to make them feel confused and foolish in front of other people. In a Sentence: Unexpected laughter embarrassed the speaker. Image credit to Financial Times

Hundreds of people are scrambling to Mount Everest as part of a rescue operation after a snowstorm trapped over 1,000 people on the famed mountain. The blizzard began on Friday night before intensifying over the weekend, leading to whiteout conditions on the eastern side of the mountain. Due to its unique geographical location, the north and east side of Everest are in Tibet, while the south and west sides are in Nepal. The south side of the mountain has better infrastructure and is more popular, but also carries risks of overcrowding and technical dangers, like the infamous Khumbu Icefall. Meanwhile, the north side of the mountain requires less permits to climb because of Tibet's relaxed rules, and the pathway from there is more direct and less technically challenging. Nevertheless, helicopter rescue from the north side is not possible, so it is usually preferred by independent or highly advanced climbers. Furthermore, the snowstorm struck during Golden Week, a weeklong celebration to commemorate China's founding in 1949– because of the national holiday, Golden Week also happens to be the perfect time for tourism across China, leading to an influx of climbers at Everest. Because of this, when a blizzard struck the northeastern side of the mountain over the weekend, it quickly became a major issue. By the time many climbers woke up in the morning, the snow was already about three feet deep, covering the entire campsite. Some groups immediately decided to turn back, escaping the blizzard before the situation worsened. However, others stayed back to push through the conditions, forcing them to constantly clear the snow to avoid a tent collapse. Additionally, numerous hikers ended up suffering from hypothermia despite being fully dressed in thick ski parkas and warm gear. Now, rescuers are rushing from across the region to try and evacuate the climbers to the nearby town of Qudang, but it is proving to be a tough, arduous process. Rescue operations have been hindered by the heavy snowfall, forcing them to clear several feet of snow just to take a step forward. The continuous whiteout conditions have also led to low visibility and treacherous conditions, and helicopter evacuation is not possible from the north side. So far, rescuers have taken around 350 people to Qudang, but they are in contact with at least 200 others who are still trapped on the mountain. The incident comes amid a slew of problems that Everest has faced in recent years, primarily overcrowding and environmental carelessness. Many climbers continue to leave trash all over the mountain, posing a hazard for other hikers and the natural wildlife, which is surprisingly biodiverse. Additionally, more and more people flock to the mountain each year to attempt a climb, leading to major overcrowding problems on more popular routes on the south side. Unfortunately, climbing the mountain and many other famous peaks will soon be much more dangerous, as climate change is melting glaciers and reducing snowfall in mountainous regions. As the ice and snow melt, they give way to loose gravel and rocks underneath, making the trek up Everest even more dangerous. And the process isn't happening slowly. Everest's South Col Glacier has lost around 180 feet of thickness in just 25 years– ice that took around 2,000 years to form. Scientists predict that the glacier could completely disappear within the next 20-50 years, and 99% of Everest's glaciers could be gone by the year 2100 if emissions are not reduced. Everest's melting glaciers and snowfall are also just one mountain– the entire Himalayan mountain range is suffering from these climate change-related issues, and their snowmelt provides clean water to over 1 billion people across China, Nepal, India, and Bhutan. This is simply yet another sign that the world is suffering from emissions and human-related problems, and action needs to be taken now to stop climate change from destroying our beautiful planet. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Per capita, the happiest countries in the world also rank highest in terms of consumers of antidepressants. However, this is often attributed to improved access and willingness to diagnose and treat mental health conditions in these nations, and possibly a greater societal emphasis on well-being, rather than an indication that the "happiest" people are more depressed.   Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Don’t pray for lighter burdens, but for stronger backs. ( Buddha) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Sonorous (adj, SAH-nuh-rus) - Sonorous is an adjective used in formal speech and writing to describe something that has a deep, loud, and pleasant sound. Sonorous can also mean “producing sound (when struck)” and “imposing or impressive in effect or style.” In a Sentence: The baritone’s deep, sonorous voice cut through the din of the crowd, the voices immediately halting their conversations to listen more intently. Image credit to the The Guardian

Japan's ruling party has elected Sanae Takaichi as their new leader, setting the country up for its first-ever female prime minister. Takaichi is a far-right conservative who served as the former Economic Security Minister of Japan, but she will now become the leader of Japan's leading Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after their latest vote. The news comes several weeks after Japan's current prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, announced that he would be resigning from his position. In 2024, Ishiba called for snap elections for the lower house of the Japanese parliament, but they backfired on his party and resulted in his coalition's loss of majority. Then, in July 2025, his party failed to win a majority over the upper house, leading to calls for his resignation. To avoid dividing his party, Ishiba agreed to do so, stepping down from his position as Prime Minister and leader of the LDP. Despite these parliamentary losses, the LDP remains Japan's strongest party, meaning that their candidate is the most likely to win the election. Because of this, the LDP's announcement of their next leader set Japan up for their first-ever female prime minister. Takaichi's primary rival for the position was Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, but she managed to defeat in in a party runoff election. Now, Takaichi has a relatively clear path to being elected as prime minister, save for some sort of surprise defeat or shock coalition from other parties. She is expected to be confirmed as their next leader later this month, where she will take control and attempt to regain support for her party. Japanese citizens are currently struggling with major issues like high cost of living and inflation, and Takaichi's primary goals will be to solve these problems after re-establishing her party's reputation. Takaichi has also stated that another one of the key points on her agenda will be to strengthen ties with the United States, who are likely to demand for Japan to increase their defense spending at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in late October. However, Takaichi is known for her hardline, ultra-conservative policies– a stark contrast to Ishiba's centrist conservative measures. Despite this, Takaichi will likely be forced to take a more centrist approach to the changes she makes, as the other parties in her coalition are more centrist. Additionally, she could consider expanding her coalition to gain support from other parties, which would likely be one of the opposition. This would further shift her policies towards the center, but how much those policies resemble Ishiba's is yet to be seen. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The Guinness World Record for the longest time spent searching for the Loch Ness Monster is held by Steve Feltham, who camped at Loch Ness for 25 years. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Happiness is excitement that has found a settling down place, but there is always a little corner that keeps flapping around. ( E. L. Konigsburg) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Repertoire (noun, REP-er-twahr) - Repertoire typically refers to a list or supply of plays, songs, dances, etc. that a company or person is prepared to perform. Repertoire may also refer to a supply of skills or devices, or more broadly to an amount or supply. In a Sentence: The band's repertoire includes both classic and modern jazz. Image credit to the New York Times

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

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

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