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The US Open Finals took place this weekend, with Carlos Alcaraz defeating Jannik Sinner in the Men's Final and Aryna Sabalenka beating Amanda Anisimova in the Women's Final. The US Open is one of four major tennis tournaments each year, with the other three being the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. This year, Italy's Jannik Sinner and Spain's Carlos Alcaraz met three times in major finals, with Alcaraz winning the French Open in an epic, five-and-a-half hour final and Sinner taking home the Wimbledon trophy in four sets. Then, at the US Open Final yesterday afternoon, Alcaraz and Sinner faced off again, with Alcaraz taking a comfortable win in four sets. The match begun with Alcaraz winning the first set 6-2 before Sinner came back in the second set, 6-3. Amazingly, that was the only set that the Spaniard lost in the entire tournament, displaying his incredible current form. Alcaraz went on to win the next two sets 6-1 6-4, completing his dominant win– in total, he racked up 10 aces, no double faults, and 42 winners throughout the two-and-a-half hour final, contrasted to Sinner's 2 aces, 4 double faults, and 21 winners. With yesterday's victory, Alcaraz now moves up to become the world No. 1 once again– in 2022, Alcaraz rose up to No. 1 after winning the US Open at the age of 19, becoming the youngest male player to ever reach the rank. Alcaraz also becomes the first-ever player to win multiple grand slams on all three surfaces – hard court, clay, and grass – before the age of 23. Meanwhile, in the Women's Final, Belarus' Sabalenka battled against the home favorite, Anisimova, beating her opponent in straight sets, 6-3 7-6 (3). With the win, Sabalenka defended her title and became the first woman to win back-to-back US Open Finals since Serena Williams won three straight from 2012 to 2014. Anisimova, on the other hand, reached her second consecutive grand slam final after losing out to Poland's Iga Świątek at Wimbledon in July. However, her 29 unforced errors – Sabalenka had just four – heavily contributed to her significant loss. An update has been released on the Hyundai plant arrests in the US state of Georgia, with South Korea confirming that they will bring 300 of the workers back home. The news comes just after a massive immigration raid on the plant, located just outside the city of Savannah, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers shut down operations and arrested 475 people thought to be illegal immigrants. Read more into the initial arrests here . While some had legally traveled to the US, South Korea has confirmed that they will bring 300 of the detained workers home following their release by ICE. This is because many of the workers had illegally crossed the border to enter the US, entered legally but had an expired visa, or entered using a visa that did not allow for maintaining a job. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site) : Over 50% of Niger's population is under the age of 16, making it the country with the lowest median age in the entire world. This is primarily due to the nation's incredibly high fertility rate, with an average of 6.89 kids per mother. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Failure after long perseverance is much grander than never to have a striving good enough to be called a failure. (George Eliot) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Behest (noun, bih-HEST) - Behest can refer either to an authoritative order or an urgent prompting. In a Sentence: The committee met again at the senator’s behest . Image credit to BBC

At least 43 people are dead and farmers have lost hundreds of thousands of acres of crops amid record-breaking flooding in northern India and Pakistan. The flooding's primary impacts have been within the region of Punjab, which stretches into the northern side of both countries, inundating fields and destroying structures. At least 2,000 villages have been affected by the rains within the Indian state, which have also devastated the livestock population as the high floodwaters drowned cows, pigs, chickens, and other farm animals. Homes have collapsed due to the rising waters, roads are submerged, and the entire region's annual crop has been eliminated completely. Additionally, river flooding has impacted various communities farther away from the site of the rains after floodwaters rushed downstream, inundating other villages within the region. Many farmers across Punjab have no other means of earning for their families, and their only options are to sell the land and move elsewhere or bear the brunt of losing their entire crop for this year. Among the crucial crops in the region are rice, cotton, and sugarcane– in fact, the Indian state of Punjab alone supplies around 12% of the country's total rice exports. The region is known for its high-quality rice, as it is known as one of the most fertile areas in the world due to its nutrient-rich water supply from the Himalayan Mountains. However, now, farmers have been left without seeds to plant, crops to water, livestock to feed, and homes to sleep in, and most homes that made it through the disaster are currently unable to access electricity or fresh water. Numerous farmers have begun to criticize their local governments for their slow response to the disaster, but flood alert systems are often sparsely distributed in rural India, and cellular service is spotty in most areas. Unfortunately, the conditions are only expected to get worse in the coming years. South Asia's monsoon season, which typically lasts from June to September, continues to become more intense and lasts for longer periods of time– a key effect of climate change, which continues to warm the region during the summer months as well. Many Punjab farmers worry for the futures of their children and grandchildren as the monsoons worsen, bringing more and more devastating impacts to the region each year. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site) : A man with severe OCD and a phobia of germs attempted to commit suicide with a gun to his head. Instead of killing him, the bullet eliminated his mental illness without any other damage. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. What is soft is strong. (Lao Tzu) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Mollify (verb, MAH-luh-fye) - To mollify someone is to make them less angry. Mollify can also mean "to reduce in intensity." In a Sentence: The celebrity's statement was intended to mollify critics. Image credit to AP

Almost 500 South Korean workers at an under-construction battery plant in the southern US state of Georgia were detained by ICE yesterday after being accused of illegally immigrating to the country. The arrests are part of the largest-ever Homeland Security operation at a single location, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers detaining over 475 South Koreans at the plant. The factory, once complete, will produce batteries for electric vehicles and is officially co-owned by LG and Hyundai, two major South Korean companies. However, Hyundai has confirmed that none of their employees have been detained in the process. Meanwhile, another section of the factory is fully operational and manufactures EVs, but they were unaffected by the raids. The construction of the plant is also the largest single industrial development project in Georgia's history, costing a staggering $7.6 billion to construct, but it is one of the state's largest plants for any sort of manufacturing– once complete, it will employ over 1,200 people. While the factory was slated to be completed by the end of the year, that deadline could be pushed back if this matter is not resolved quickly– all construction has halted at the site, which is over 3,000 acres in size. According to the Department of Homeland Security, an investigation had taken place in the months prior to the arrests, with officials working to find out the legality of the immigrants working at the plant. Following their research, the team then obtained a search warrant from an official judge, claiming that the actions inside the plant involved "unlawful employment practices and other serious federal crimes ." Then, the operation went into action yesterday, with ICE raiding the plant and arresting everyone inside. However, the department later realized that various "illegal" immigrants were actually legal citizens and are working to release those who were wrongfully detained. Nevertheless, many of the South Koreans in custody have legally entered the United States for a short period of time. Furthermore, the plant is relatively far from the major city of Atlanta– instead, it is located extremely close to the town of Savannah – more specifically, the town of Ellabell – which does not have a significant Korean population. Due to this, many workers are struggling to find lawyers or people who can support their claims, preventing them from proving to ICE that they are legal. Now, LG and South Korea are working hard to get their people out as soon as possible. Several officials from the South Korean embassy have arrived in Ellabell to deal with the situation, and LG is working remotely to ensure the safe release of their employees and the employees of their partner companies. On a separate note, the raid comes just after South Korea agreed to invest over $350 billion into the US economy, much of which involves battery manufacturing. Their products are already facing steep tariffs from the US, and the arrests of their citizens could further damage ties between the two allies. Various South Koreans have also commented on how the US urges the country to invest in America but refuses to issue visas to South Korean citizens, preventing them from arriving in the US. In this situation, the South Koreans which have managed to obtain a visa have been arrested as well, deterring their citizens from coming to work in the US. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site) : During WWII, a U.S. naval destroyer won a battle against a Japanese submarine by throwing potatoes at them. The USS O'Bannon threw them as a distraction, as the Japanese thought they were grenades, allowing the Americans to sink the ship using their depth charges. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): I always assumed that the reason I’ve never run a marathon is because I haven’t bought a pair of shorts and arrived at the start line. (Sue Perkinsk) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Histrionic (adj, his-tree-AH-nik) - Histrionic is a word used disapprovingly to describe someone or something that is too emotional or dramatic. In a Sentence: The head chef had a penchant for dish throwing, door slamming, and other histrionic displays of temper whenever a dish was sent back to the kitchen. Image credit to Hyundai Motor Group

The Los Angeles Clippers, a major National Basketball Association (NBA) team, have been accused of a massive scandal involving forward Kawhi Leonard to avoid exceeding their salary cap. The Clippers, which maintain their home base at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, are one of the city's two NBA teams, with the other being the famed LA Lakers. However, the Clippers have a much smaller fanbase and have never won a championship. Now, the team has been accused of creating of the NBA's biggest scandals– paying forward Kawhi Leonard using an external company to avoid exceeding their salary cap. The entire scandal began when sports reporter Pablo Torre uncovered thousands of pages of documents revealing a Clippers plot to skirt their salary cap, releasing the information on his show, "Pablo Torre Finds Out." The scandal began with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer allegedly making a significant investment into a financial services company known as Aspiration, which focused on sustainability and went bankrupt in April after co-founder Joseph Sanberg was convicted on two counts of wire fraud. Between 2021 and 2023, Aspiration became a primary sponsor for the Clippers, and a four-year contract for marketing and endorsements was then signed with Kawhi Leonard. However, one clause of the contract confirmed that Leonard would only get paid as long as he remained a player on the Clippers, suggesting additional compensation from the team that was not part of his contract. Furthermore, the contract included several clauses that hinted that Leonard would not be required to work, and Torre confirmed that Leonard never completed any sort of advertisements for the company. Despite this, Leonard was still paid over $28 million by Aspiration as part of their alleged plan to circumvent the NBA salary cap, allowing Leonard to receive additional pay without receiving it directly from the team. Torre also interviewed an employee of Aspiration's finance department who explicitly confirmed these theories. Nevertheless, the Clippers have strongly denied the allegations and claimed that the team had zero involvement in Leonard's advertisement deal with Aspiration. As a defense to Ballmer's generous contribution to the company's funding, they claimed that he had been defrauded as well, similar to the situations of various other investors who put money into the company. If the Clippers were to be found guilty of conducting the scandal, it would have significant implications for the team. According to Article XIII of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the team could be fined up to $4.5 million for the scandal, up to $7.5 million, forfeiture of draft picks, voiding of player contracts, a fine for Leonard of up to $350,000, a ban preventing Leonard from signing another contract with the Clippers, and a one-year suspension of any team members who participated in the scandal. The NBA has launched an investigation into the matter, but have refused to say anything other than acknowledgement of the accusations. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site) : Small as they may be, ladybugs have a unique smell that humans are incredibly sensitive to. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Someone once asked me “Why do you always insist on taking the hard road?” I replied, “Why do you assume I see two roads?” (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Abeyance (noun, uh-BAY-unss) - Abeyance is a formal word that is almost always used in the phrase “in abeyance” to describe something in a temporary state of inactivity—that is, something in a state of suspension. In a Sentence: The legal case is now being held in abeyance while the parties attempt to find a mutually acceptable solution. Image credit to NBC News

A federal judge ruled yesterday that Trump's cuts to the funding of Harvard University were illegal, but the ruling may not be the final say. Earlier in the year, US President Donald Trump demanded that Harvard change their curriculum and eliminate programs like those for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). After the university refused to do so, Trump froze over $2.2 billion in government grants to Harvard, claiming that he was preventing antisemitism. However, Harvard did not budge, and they made a significant legal victory yesterday after a federal ruling went against the cuts. After the cuts, Harvard sued, alleging that the stoppage of funding for their research programs infringed on the university's First Amendment and due process rights. Harvard lawyers called Trump's actions "blatantly unconstitutional" as he tried to force the university to implement his desires, with the Trump administration defending their decision by mentioning unchecked antisemitism across the Harvard campus. While Trump plans to halt federal grants to hundreds of schools across the nation, Harvard was the only university that sued. Then, yesterday, Judge Allison Burroughs of the US District Court in Boston, Massachusetts, ruled in favor of Harvard, releasing an 84-page ruling explaining her decision. The document centered around how Harvard seemed to be taking adequate steps to fight antisemitism and how the protection of free speech is also crucial. Nevertheless, it also called on the entire Justice Department to prevent schools from being "improperly subjected t o arbitrary and procedurally infirm grant terminations, even if doing so risks the wrath of a government committed to its agenda no matter the cost" as a reference to the Trump administration. The document also acknowledged that antisemitism is still present on the Harvard campus and that they should have taken stronger steps to address it, as they are doing now. However, the judge confirmed that antisemitism is not a legitimate basis to cancel funding, and Trump's earlier demands to the university had nothing to do with mistreatment or hate against Jewish people– according to Judge Burroughs, the true reason for Trump's funding cuts were his "power and political views." The Trump administration quickly denounced her decision, reinforcing their claims of discrimination on the Harvard campus, and Trump plans to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court, similar to what he plans to do with the latest ruling against his tariffs . Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Cruise ships have morgues that can store up to 10 bodies at once. The average amount of people that die on cruise ships per year is 200. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important. (T. S. Eliot) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Trivial (adj, TRIV-ee-ul) - Something described as trivial is of little worth or importance. In a Sentence: Although her parents initially dismissed her love of pop music as a trivial matter, it became clear as she applied to colleges with strong popular music programs that much of her life was going to be dedicated to it. Image credit to Harvard University

At least 1,000 people are dead after a devastating landslide struck western Sudan yesterday, wiping out an entire village. The landslide occurred in the region of Darfur, located on Sudan's western border, above the village of Tarseen in the Marra mountains. Based on their approximations of the village population, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, a local rebel group, have deduced that around 1,000 were killed. Only one person in the entire town survived the disaster. Unfortunately, Darfur lacks many of the supplies needed to build up a solid town, and they do not have the resources to rescue people from disasters once they happen. Many villages have no access to major roads, making them only accessible by helicopter, and are built in dangerous locations at the foot of unstable mountains. Furthermore, authorities, which have been caught up in the fighting, have no resources to assist the people affected by the disaster. Tarseen, a remote village, can only be reached by donkey or a three-hour walk without a helicopter, and there is no cellular service and little governmental authority that controls the region. This, in addition to continued rainfall and a lack of heavy machinery, is hampering their rescue efforts, meaning that the true death toll may be unknown for an indefinite period of time. Also, nearby villages are now scrambling to take action to avoid a similar disaster, as heavy rains continue to fall across the region. This underdevelopment is one of the primary effects of Sudan's civil war, with the region of Darfur at the forefront of the situation. Unfortunately, that conflict continues today as Sudan's civil war persists due to ethnic differences and battles over natural resources. This keeps the country in a constant state of civil war due to the improper borders and unequal development set by colonialists hundreds of years ago. Now, in recent years, as the war has ramped up, a humanitarian crisis has unfolded, and the humanitarian situation in Sudan is currently the worst in the world. Millions of people from major cities have fled into small villages in the mountains to avoid the fighting, where soldiers often attack innocent civilians. However, the influx of refugees has greatly exceeded the capacity of these remote towns, with thousands of people cramming into small buildings. Additionally, diseases spread extremely quickly in tightly-packed spaces, and deadly epidemics of fatal conditions like cholera are becoming more and more common. Meanwhile, the forces fighting in Sudan have stopped international aid from reaching citizens, leading to an even larger disaster. Armies have killed aid workers and stolen supplies, preventing the help from reaching those who need it. Furthermore, landslides and mudslides will only become more common in the mountains as the impacts of climate change become more severe, leading to longer, heavier rainfall events followed by large stretches of drought, leading to famine. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): If you heat up a magnet past a certain temperature called its Curie point, it will permanently lose its magnetism. This happens because the thermal energy causes the atoms within the material to vibrate randomly, disrupting the magnetic alignment of the substance. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration , the rest of us just get up and go to work. (Stephen King) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Carp (verb, KAHRP) - To carp is to complain in an annoying way. In a Sentence: They’re always carping about their boss. Image credit to Sky News

Over 1,100 people are dead and at least 3,000 others were injured after a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan, destroying entire villages. The quake struck on Sunday at around midnight local time, with the tremors originating at a shallow depth of around 5 miles. Due to the epicenter's rural location, various villages and small towns were the worst-hit, but the nearby city of Jalalabad was also significantly impacted in the disaster. The impact of the earthquake was also felt over 87 miles away in the capital of Kabul, and several towns in Pakistan also reported shaking. The two provinces primarily impacted by the earthquake were those of Nangarhar and Kunar, located along Afghanistan's eastern border with Pakistan. Within these regions, entire villages were destroyed as the shaking sparked massive landslides, with boulders wiping out rural roads, homes, farms, and even entire villages in the middle of the night. Due to inadequate living conditions, the population density is often much higher than a building can support, and poor infrastructure makes buildings more susceptible to disasters– most homes in Nangarhar and Kunar are made out of mudbrick. Additionally, the isolation of many villages has made it extremely hard for search-and-rescue teams to access the area– many towns lack so much as a road to allow transportation from nearby cities. Because of this, many teams have been forced to use helicopters to access the most remote regions, but the country's supply of these vehicles is limited. However, heavy rain in the days prior to the quake had also loosened the soil, leading to an increased frequency of landslides and rockslides. These landslides then destroyed any roads that did exist in the mountainous region, leaving search-and-rescue teams with no other option. Furthermore, healthcare in remote regions of Afghanistan also remains an issue, forcing citizens to travel outside the region to access adequate medical care. The Taliban, a terrorist group which currently maintains control over Afghanistan, has confirmed that they are more concerned about the injured than the dead, and are working to transport injured citizens to hospitals before they begin searching through the rubble. The death toll is expected to rise further in the coming days as search-and-rescue operations begin uncovering the bodies buried beneath the rubble, but efforts are ramping up as aid pours in. The nation is receiving support from other organizations and countries, including India, Pakistan, Japan, the European Union, and the United Nations. Other Afghanis are also helping with the efforts, with hundreds of men in other cities donating blood for those affected by the disaster. Unfortunately, large earthquakes are very common in the Hindu Kush region, where the Indian plate slips underneath the Eurasian plate. While the junction of the two plates forms the Himalayan mountains to the east, the Hindu Kush mountains to the west are even more earthquake prone. Due to this subduction fault, massive earthquakes are extremely frequent in the region– Sunday's quake is already Afghanistan's third major earthquake since the Taliban took over in 2021. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Castoreum, a scented oil which is naturally secreted by beavers’ butts, used to be an ingredient in various food additives and perfumes. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): You should never go to a meeting or make a telephone call without a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve. (Steve Jobs) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Epitome (noun, ih-PIT-uh-mee) - Epitome means "a perfect example." It is usually used in the phrase "the epitome of," as in "the epitome of elegance." In a Sentence: In his tailored suit and fashionable haircut, he was the very epitome of style. Image credit to Reuters

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have greatly improved relations between the two countries amid a major SCO summit. Tensions between India and China have been relatively high in recent years, with several battles and standoffs near their shared borders. Due to these border disputes, India and China have maintained a cold relationship, with both sides attempting to side with the enemy of the other. China and Pakistan developed strong ties as China funded various projects to grow the Pakistani economy, and India stepped up relations with the United States. However, after the onset of a staggering 50% tariff from the Trump administration, Modi and Jinping have turned to each other to grow their economies as their relationship with the US falters. Around two weeks ago, Modi met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi , allowing them to further strengthen ties. Both countries agreed to resume direct flights, resume border trade, and relax rules on visas, helping each other move away from any dependency on the United States. Now, Modi and Jinping are meeting in person to discuss the situation, with the Indian Prime Minister visiting China for the first time in seven years to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin. While improving relations will not be simple, they have both expressed their willingness to work towards a closer friendship in the future, which will require various steps and stages. As for the financial aspect of their trade-related relations, India maintains a trade deficit of over $99 billion with China, making it unlikely for India to allow additional Chinese trade into their country without some sort of action from the East Asian country. Meanwhile, various tariffs and taxes are also in place within numerous sectors, further impacting their abilities to ensure free trade with each other. Additionally, their geopolitical relations will also play a factor in repairing their relationship. China maintains strong ties with Pakistan, India's biggest adversary, and India is still involved in several organizations that work with the US and the rest of the Western world against China and Russia. Nevertheless, right now, Modi and Jinping will continue discussions at the SCO Summit, which will last through the end of the day today. Among the other countries attending are Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, allowing India an ample opportunity to not just improve relations with China but with the rest of its non-Western trading partners who have been impacted by Trump's tariffs and sanctions– especially Russia. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The unique smell of rain actually comes from plant oils, bacteria, and ozone. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them. (Baron de Montesquie) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Simpatico (adj, sim-PAH-tih-koh) - Simpatico typically describes two or more people or things with shared qualities, interests, etc. It can also describe someone who is agreeable or likeable. In a Sentence: Even though they weren’t always simpatico with regard to the direction of their company, the pair managed to be successful partners for more than 35 years. Image credit to Reuters

Yemen has confirmed that the prime minister of the country's Houthi-controlled government was killed yesterday after an Israeli airstrike on the capital of Sana'a. The strike was targeted towards several prominent Houthi leaders, including the prime minister and defense minister, and multiple ministers were killed. As of right now, the most serious casualty reported was the prime minister, Ahmad Ghaleb al-Rahwi, and his second-in-command, Mohammed Miftah, has temporarily taken his position. The Houthis maintain control of the Yemeni government, as they have done for over a decade now. In 2014, the organization revolted against the official government, ousting the president at the time. Over the years, a civil war ensued, and the Houthis now hold the northern portion of the country – including Sana'a – while the actual government controls the south and east. The hit comes amid Israel's intense war with Hamas, the latter of which is supported by the Houthis. The United Nations considers the Houthis an official terrorist organization, and they have been the ones responsible for various incidents involving cargo ships in the Red Sea– the group has repeatedly attacked ships as a form of protesting against Israel's actions in Gaza. They have also sent missiles towards Israel several times, though Israel has always intercepted almost all of them before attacking back. This is the first time that they have targeted Houthi leaders, though. Israel has struck Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in the past, but they have never taken out a prominent Houthi spokesperson. However, Israel confirmed yesterday that this is just the beginning, and they plan to obliterate the leaders of the Houthi group just as they have done with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Houthis, on the other hand, have promised retaliation, which could spark further escalation in the Middle East. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Llamas can be used as guards against coyote attacks on sheep herds. Studies have proven that just one guard llama is an effective protector, immediately bonding with the sheep, and they can even kill the attacking coyotes. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Ambition is the path to success . Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in. (Bill Bradley) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Protocol (noun, PROH-tuh-kawl) - Protocol most often refers to a system of rules explaining the correct conduct and procedures to be followed in a formal situation; in computer programming a protocol is a set of rules used in formatting data. Protocol can also refer to a plan for a scientific experiment or medical treatment, or to a document that describes the details of a diplomatic treaty. In a Sentence: What is the proper protocol for declining a job offer? Image credit to NPR

A United States appeals court confirmed yesterday after a divided vote that Trump's tariffs are illegal, but the Trump administration is expected to file an appeal to the Supreme Court. The court stated that most of Trump's tariffs – including his reciprocal tariffs on all nations – are not legal after the vote ended 7-4 in favor of the appealing party. Currently, Trump has taken advantage of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose his tariffs– the act allows for the president to take various actions during a national emergency. Nevertheless, the court confirmed that the act does not specifically state what actions are viable, meaning that it does not give the president explicit power to impose tariffs. Furthermore, the court expressed their beliefs that the initial purpose of the act was not to allow the actions Trump has been taking– it was originally passed to allow the government to impose sanctions on other nations. This would force Trump to rescind all of the tariffs he has placed over the last few months, which have heavily reshaped the global economy as countries attempt to strike trade deals with the US to avoid substantial tariffs. However, the court has not removed Trump's tariffs. Instead, they established that the Trump administration would be able to reverse the decision with an appeal to the Supreme Court before October 14. Trump later claimed that the appeals court was highly biased and expected the Supreme Court to overturn the decision in his favor, which could be likely considering the fact that six of the justices are Republican– in fact, three were appointed to the position by Trump himself. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has taken an unfriendly approach to allowing presidents to use loopholes in older bills for other purposes. Additionally, experts also strongly believe that the Trump administration has devised a second strategy, allowing them to utilize some sort of other law to keep the tariffs in place. Due to these factors, it is still unknown whether Trump's tariffs will actually take effect for good or whether they are simply temporary before the Supreme Court strikes them down. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): “Opposites attract” is a common myth. People are actually attracted to people who look like family members or those with a similar personality type. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye. (Helen Keller) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Incisive (adj, in-SYE-siv) - Incisive means "impressively direct and decisive." It is generally applied to either something communicated in a way that is very clear and direct, or to a person who is able to explain difficult ideas clearly and confidently. In a Sentence: The columnist is known for her incisive commentary on local politics. Image credit to CNN